Monday, september 14, 2015 new 4 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Buhari meets Hollande on defence, security

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Inflation rate rises to 9.3%

Scores of terrorists surrender

Hollande

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tation of President Francois Hollande. Buhari would be accompanied on the visit

resident Muhammadu Buhari leaves Abuja for Paris today on a three-day official visit to France at the invi-

ROTIMI FADEYI AND UBONG UKPONG

Monday, September 14, 2015

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Nigerian pilgrim dies in Mecca crane tragedy 4 others from Gombe missing, 1 injured

AZA MSUE KADUNA

ational Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, yesterday said a pilgrim from Kaduna State was among the 107 people who died in Saudi Arabia on Friday, when a huge crane crashed through the Holy CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Oil theft: PENGASSAN wants special force to monitor pipelines P.6 DPR seals 200 filling stations, 25 depots in A’Ibom, P.50 C’River

L-R: President Muhammadu Buhari; honorees, former Nigerian ambassador, Yusuf Maitama Sule (Doctorate in Letters); a former Nigerian Army Chief, Gen. Alani Akinrinade, (Honorary Doctor of Management Sciences) and Commandant, Nigerian Defence Academy, Maj.-Gen. MT Ibrahim, during the investiture and convocation of cadets of Regular Course 62 of the Nigeria Defence Academy, on Saturday.

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Updated Sept 9, 2015

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Monday, September 14, 2015

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Nigerian pilgrim dies in Mecca crane tragedy CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Ka’aba Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. A statement issued by Head, Media, Kaduna State Task Force on Hajj 2015, Alhaji Saidu Adamu, said NAHCON has identified the deceased as Alhaji Adamu Shuaibu Kargi who hailed from Kubau Local Government.

The family of the decease has already been notified of the tragedy, he said. Saidu, who is a former commissioner of information in the state, prayed Allah to grant all the victims Aljana Firdausi. Meanwhile, four female pilgrims from Gombe State were also declared

missing after the crane crash. One other female pilgrim got injured during the incident. The state Amirul-Hajj, Alhaji Abdullahi MaiKano, disclosed this yesterday, while sympathising with the state pilgrims in Mecca over the mishap. Mai-Kano said the four

pilgrims were from Akko, Dukku and Nafada local government areas of the state. He said the other faithful sustained injury in her head, but had been treated and discharged. He said the four pilgrims were declared missing after a thorough verification and bed checking

in the three houses accommodating the state pilgrims. Tragedy occurred last Friday during a heavy rainfall which was preceded by a storm, after pilgrims had performed the Asr (late afternoon) prayer around 4pm (2pm Nigerian time). Eyewitness said one of

the construction cranes was hit by a thunder storm during the rainfall and it fell on one of the pillars around the Ka’abba where thousands of pilgrims, who were performing Tawaf (circumambulation) rites. 107 pilgrims have been confirmed dead and 238 others sustained injuries.

Ezekwesili to deliver Foursquare Diamond Jubilee lecture

public lecture to mark the Diamond Jubilee Anniversary of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria holds in Abuja on Thursday at the National Christian Centre. It will be delivered by former Minister for Education, Mrs Oby Ezekwesili, will speak on the topic: “The Role of the Church in Nation Building”. It will be chaired by House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara. General Overseer of the Foursquare Gospel Church in Nigeria, Rev Felix Meduoye, will lead the District Overseers, Zonal Superintendents, pastors and members of the church, to welcome dignitaries and invited guests from all walks of life. The lecture is second in the series of such events to mark the 60th anniversary of the Foursquare Gospel Church, which was established in Nigeria by the missionary, Rev Harold Curtis, and his wife, in 1955. The international arm of the church had been founded in 1923 in Los Angeles, United States of America, by traveling evangelist, Aimee Semple McPherson. The maiden lecture marking the Diamond Jubilee had held in Lagos in May, and it was delivered by Professor Niyi Agunbiade, Vice Chancellor of McPherson University, Ogun State. The Diamond Jubilee Anniversary will be concluded in November with a special National Convention, which will attract delegates from different parts of the world, including the International President of the organization, Dr Glenn Burris Jnr.

Parade by the combined passing out cadets of 62 Regular Course and Short Service Course 43 of the Nigerian Defence Academy, in Kaduna on Saturday.

Inflation rate rises to 9.3% TOLA AKINMUTIMI

he nation’s Composite Price Index, CPI, which measures the prices of goods and services, for the month of August rose marginally to 9.3 per cent (year-on-year), up from the 9.2 per cent it recorded in the preceding month. The CPI report published yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, indicated that the headline index rose slightly as a result of slower increases in alcoholic beverages, tobacco and kola; health, transport, recreation and culture divisions. NBS also reported further that on a month-onmonth basis, the pace of increases of food prices as reflected by the food sub-index had slowed, thereby contributing to the relatively slower pace

of increases reflected on the year-on-year rates between July and August this year. Specifically, the statistics producing agency noted that the food subindex rose by 10.1 per cent (year-on-year) last month, a rate slightly higher from 10.0 per cent in the preceding month. Increases were observed in major groups within the index: bread and cereals, meats and fish, the index was weighted upon by a slower increase in the fruit, vegetables, and potatoes, yams and other tubers groups. NBS clarified: “On a month-on-month basis, the pace of the increase in the headline index eased for the third consecutive month. The headline index increased by 0.6 per cent in August, marginally lower from 0.7 per cent in July. “The headline index

increased at a slower rate as all COICOP divisions slowed during the period with the exceptions being furnishings & household equipment maintenance; education and restaurant and hotels divisions. “The urban index increased by 9.2 percent (year-on-year), increasing at the same pace for three consecutive months, while the rural index increased 0.2 per cent points to 9.4 per cent, from 9.2 per cent in July. “On a month-on-month basis, both the urban and rural indices increased at a slower pace, increasing by 0.6 per cent in August. The urban and rural indices both grew by 0.7 per cent in July. “The percentage change in the average composite CPI for the 12-month period ending in August over the average of the CPI for the previous 12-month period was

8.6 percent, marginally higher from the 8.5 per cent rate recorded in July. “The corresponding twelve-month year-onyear average percentage change for the urban index increased marginally from 8.5 per cent to 8.6 per cent, while the corresponding rural index also edged higher to 8.5 per cent in August from 8.4 percent in July.” Expatiating on the ‘food index’ trend during the month, the Bureau reported that food prices as observed by the food subindex increased by 10.1 per cent, as prices of fruits, vegetables; and potatoes, yams and tubers groups grew at a slower pace and weighed on the index, with all the three group indices increased at a slower pace, while imported food prices remained high. On a month-on-month basis, the food sub-index increased by 0.6 per cent

from 0.8 per cent in the preceding month as all groups, which contributed to the sub-index increased at a slower rate in July with the exceptions being the eggs, milk and cheese; and the oils and fats groups. NBS stated further that the average annual rate of change of the food subindex for the 12-month period ended August 2015 over the previous 12-month average was 9.6 per cent, holding at the same rate for two consecutive months. On advances recorded by the “All Items less Farm Produce” or core sub-index, which excludes the prices of volatile agricultural produce, the agency reported that this increased at a faster pace in the month under review as prices increased by 9.0 per cent up by 0.2 per cent points from the rate CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

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Photo News

Monday, September 14, 2015

L-R: Gen. Sabastian Owuama (rtd); MD/CEO e-Tranzact, Mr. Valentine Obi and MD/CEO, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya, during a panelist session at the just concluded Annual Accountants Conference in Abuja, recently.

Participants at the Fire Safety Training organised for Staff of NICON Hotel, VGC, Lagos, on Saturday.

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Official of NEMA receiving some internally displaced Nigerians from Cameroon, in Maiduguri, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: President, Rotary Club of Egbeda, Barr. Francis Famoroti; Oba of Isheri Kingdom, His Royal Majesty, Oba Wahabi Ayinde Balogun and District Governor, Rotary International, District 9110, Nigeria, Otunba Bola Onabadejo, after a visit to the Oba, in Lagos, recently.

National News Dennis Naku

PORT HARCOURT

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday said the resolve of his administration to fight corruption was not just for virtue and righteousness, but for the soul of the Nigeria. Also, he said the Boko Haram sect was losing the ongoing war in the NorthEast. Buhari stated this while speaking at the second plenary meeting of Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, held at Catholic Pastoral Centre, Igwurita, near Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The President was represented by his Vice, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo. The meeting was attended by Governor Nyesom Wike, Prelate of the Methodist Church of Nigeria, Dr. Samuel Uche, and the Archbishop, Province of Niger Delta (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Ignatius Kattey. The President said: “Our fight against corruption is

Corruption: We’re fighting for the soul of Nigeria, says Buhari not just a moral battle of virtue and righteousness in our land, it is a fight for the soul and substance of our nation. Corruption in our country is endemic that it constitutes a parallel system. “It is the primary reason for poor policies, wastages and bare-faced theft of public resources. It is the main reason why a potentially prosperous country struggles to feed itself and provide jobs for millions of its people. “Hundreds of thousands of infant and maternal mortality statistics, hundreds of thousands of deaths from communicable diseases are traceable to the greed and corruption of a few.” The President said twothird of Nigerians live in extreme poverty, adding that the country must trail

the paradigm of thinking about the economy. “We must trail the paradigm of thinking about our economy, and the ultimate goal of the majority. For one that will create an enabling environment for enterprises, we must reason, plan and budget with the understanding that twothird of Nigerians are poor. “They must be helped, first to survive, and then, fully participate in the economy of the nation. “Consequently, we must create tenets for the very poor and vulnerable, while ensuring that social spending also resurrects investments in the economy. “We must invest substantially in relevant education; teachers training and vocational and entrepreneurial training. “The country is today experiencing its worst eco-

nomic situation in decades. A terrible combination of waste, corruption and severe down turn in all earnings have drastically reduced our esteemed resources. “We must urgently now find it in investing in infrastructure and all crucial components in the medium and long term means of diversifying our economy. Meanwhile, we must block all leakages and improve on our revenue base,” Buhari said. On insurgency, the President stated that the military is now using vigilance and local intelligence to make it impossible for Boko Haram to regroup in the North-East or any other part of the country. He said: “On security, we are on course to militarily rout Boko Haram and make them incapable of

taking over any territory. Suicide bombings in some parts of the North East are desperate acts of terrorists to create a sense that they are still in play. “But, with vigilance and local intelligence, we will make these cowardly acts practically impossible. “We must however now turn our attention to the enormous task of de-radicalisation and re-orientation of the young people who had been led to believe in the rhetoric of Boko Haram. “Part of the task that we have is in deconstructing the hopeless socio-economic circumstances that made young men and women rebel against their own society when they cannot see a future for themselves.” Earlier in his opening address, President of CBCN, Most Rev. Ignatius Kaigama, expressed the

hope that with a new administration in power, Nigeria’s wasted opportunities would be recovered. Kaigama, who is also the Archbishop of Jos, said: “As a Church, we continue to pray and preach that Nigerians should be altruistic and patriotic rather than being selfish and narcissistic. “The tendency to promote, defend and protect narrow personal economic, regional and religious interests has been responsible for our unstable national journey of one step forward and many steps backward. “With the new administration in our nation, we have another window of opportunity and we hope we shall achieve the positive change that has become a national mantra. Our wasted opportunities must be recovered.”

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Monday, September 14, 2015

Foreign missions review should not compromise Nigeria’s interest –Experts

xperts in international relations have urged the Federal Government to ensure that the country’s interests are not compromised in its decision to review the number of its foreign missions. News Agency of Nigeria, NAN recalled that the government said on September 8 that it would review the missions to determine those that were “really essential.” It also said that the review would determine the number of missions needed so that appropriate standards and quality could be maintained. Prof. Nuhu Yaqub, a political scientist and Vice Chancellor of the Sokoto State University, said in Abuja that reviewing the foreign missions was a welcome initiative.

Yaqub also advised the government to take the country’s interests into consideration when implementing its decision on the review. “There is nothing like an ideal number in terms of diplomatic missions a country maintains with other nations. “The only thing that can be called ideal is the peculiar situation of the country at any given point in time. “The number of missions a country should have in any particular point in time should be very dynamic. “The basic principle for foreign relations is that you have permanent interests, not permanent friends. “By the time the government is implementing this decision, it should be

such that the interest of the country in total is not compromised. “What that means is that even if the population of Nigeria is not large enough in a particular country, our government should not close its eyes to the welfare of such people. This is because of the safety of the people,” he said. He said several factors could inform government’s decision to review its missions abroad. He, however, urged the government to ensure that embassies that might carry out overseas functions for the country should

have the competence to do so. “The factors that could be responsible could be the state of the economy, historical, cultural and also distance or the nature of the country with which another country can relate. “To that extent, I will advise the government to also make sure that any country asked to carry out any supervisory role over our citizens should be carefully chosen,” he added. Yaqub said that the measure would ensure that the country was ca-

pable enough to safeguard the interest of its citizens. Also speaking, Prof. Jide Owoeye, a professor of international relations at Lead University, Ibadan, said Nigeria’s objectives in its relations with other countries were important in the review of its missions abroad. He said: “The number of missions you have as a nation for representation in other countries and international organisations sometimes depends on the efforts or objectives you have in those international organisations or countries.

“Nigeria is simply a sub-regional power; some people refer to it as a regional power to some extent. “Its interests, goals and objectives do not really go beyond the African region, particularly West Africa and its representation in every country of the world is like a waste of resources.” He said that though Nigeria’s representation in other countries “may be good for prestige,” adding that it was necessary for the government to “cut its coat according to its cloth.”

Inflation rate rises to 9.3% CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

recorded in the preceding month. It stated that on a month-on-month basis, the core sub-index increased at the same rate for two consecutive months at 0.6 per cent with the largest increases recorded in liquid fuel (kerosene) as a result of tight market conditions, and solid fuel (which include charcoal and firewood) groups which are often

substitutes for liquid fuel. The Bureau reported other notable increases in the core sub-index as books and stationery as a result of the start of the new school year and catering services, adding that the average 12-month annual rate of rise of the index was recorded at 7.4 per cent for the period ended August 2015, representing 0.2 per cent points higher from the 12-month rate recorded in July.

L-R: Wife of Edo State Governor, Lara; Governor Adams Oshiomhole; Inspector General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase and his wife, Agharase, during a dinner in honor of Arase, in Benin City, at the weekend.

Buhari meets Hollande on defence, security CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

by the National Security Adviser, Major-Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd.), Permanent Secretaries, Federal Ministries of Defence, Finance, Agriculture, Foreign Affairs, Industry, Trade and Investment as well as the Chief Executives of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission, NIPC, and the Nigerian Export Promotion Council, NEPC. A statement issued yesterday by Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina said Buhari’s talks in Paris with Hollande and other senior French Government officials would focus on strengthening and consolidating on ongo-

ing bilateral cooperation between both countries in the areas of defence, security, trade and investments. Apart from his scheduled meeting with Hollande at the Elysee Palace, Buhari and his team would also confer with the French Minister of Defence, Mr. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister of Finance and Public Accounts, Mr. Michel Sapin, Minister of Economy and Industry, Mr. Emmanuel Macron and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Development, Mr. Laurent Fabius. The President would also visit the Headquarters of MEDEF, France’s largest federation of investors and employers, where he would partici-

pate in a France/Nigeria Investment Forum with leading Nigerian and French entrepreneurs. Buhari would also confer with the Chief Executive Officers of leading French multinational companies such as Total and Lafarge on their current and future investments in Nigeria. The President’s other scheduled engagements in Paris include a meeting with African Ambassadors to France and an interactive session with members of the Nigerian community. He would conclude his visit to France on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Nigerian military yesterday, announced that scores of Boko Haram terrorists

have surrendered to the ongoing Operation Lafiya Dole. A statement by the Nigerian Army through its Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, said many of the terrorists were still indicating interest in surrendering to troops. The massive surrender, the statement said, was due to the new strategies being employed by the military. “The new strategies employed included sustained offensive operations, pre-emptive air strikes by the Nigerian Air force and routes blocking by ground troops all geared towards constricting and snuffing out the Boko Haram terrorists.

“Many of the terrorists that willingly surrendered painted images of mass panic and hysteria among their erstwhile colleagues, who are feeling the noose tightening on their necks with the relentless efforts of troops and renewed vigour in operations inspired by the personal leadership of the Chief of Army Staff. “Terrorists also seem to have an inkling of what happens to surrendered suspects as regards screening and deradicalisation of innocent ones among them. “The Nigerian Army in conjunction with the Nigerian Air force and other security agencies will continue to devise and implement effec-

tive strategies to bring Boko Haram terrorism to a speedy end,” Usman said. He said the Army would also continue to receive surrendering suspects and assured innocent ones among them that surrender was the only option open to them. “The Nigerian Army expressed appreciation for the great support and information it received from well meaning citizens,” he added. Usman said more of these were required to help towards quicker obliteration of the Boko Haram scourge in the country. President Muhammadu Buhari had given the military three months to bring the activities of Boko Haram to an end.

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Monday, September 14, 2015

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Oil theft: PENGASSAN wants special force to protect pipelines DENNIS NAKU

PORT HARCOURT

etroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria, PENGASSAN, has called on the Federal Government to establish a special force for protection of the nation’s pipelines and other oil installations. President of PENGASSAN, Francis Olabode Johnson, also urged government to ensure sound pipeline integrity to pave way for safe transportation of crude and other petroleum products across the country. Johnson made the calls on Saturday during the 4th triennial delegates’ conference of PENGASSAN, Shell branch, in Port Harcourt, which had the theme ‘Building Industrial Relations Community in a Challenging Global Economic Downturn’. Johnson said it was necessary for the apex government to live up to its responsibility of providing adequate security for the nation’s oil facilities, stressing that security agencies should be empowered to ensure regular surveillance of pipelines to detect and prevent activities of vandals. According to him, “Nigeria has lost huge revenue, which could have accrued to the nation’s purse as a result of crude losses due to pipeline vandalism and crude oil theft. “The loss is estimated to be the combined daily production of Ghana,

Gabon and Equatorial Guinea. “The menace is the chief cause of incessant shut-in production, force majeure and unbearable cost of maintenance and repairs, which have extremely hiked the cost of production. “We are calling on the government to ensure sound pipeline integrity to enable safe transportation of crude and products all over the country, while government establishes a special force committed to strict enforcement of pipeline right of way.” He, however, expressed worry over irregular joint venture funding and the non-payment of the joint venture cash calls by government, adding that the development has made operators scale down on the spectrum of exploration and production operations. Johnson added: “Government has been defaulting in the payment of counterpart funding for company operations and the joint ventures are owed billions of dollars in cash call arrears forcing these companies to cut costs by embarking on downsizing and redundancy of our members, and compounding the unemployment situation in the country. “As workers in the industry and Nigerians, we call on the government to evolve means of urgent process of clearing cash

FAAN loses N40m to Benin airport’s closure

ederal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, yesterday said it lost N40 million due to closure of Benin Airport for two months. Benin Airport Manager, Mr Sunday Ayodele, in a statement made available to newsmen in Lagos, said the airport reopened on September 3. Ayodele said the closure that lasted almost two months was to enable the organisation carry out comprehensive rehabilitation of the runway and fire tenders. He said though the airport was generating an average of N15 to N20 million monthly, the closure was

inevitable. He assured airport users of safe and seamless flight operations with the completion of work on the runway. He urged airline operators to take advantage of the newly rehabilitated runway to commence flight operations into the airport. Ayodele also urged the Federal Government to order the contractor handling the perimeter fencing of the airport to commence work immediately to reduce incursions into the runway. He said the airport would begin 24 hours operations as soon as the ongoing installation of airfield lighting is completed.

call arrears by paying the debts owed the International Oil Companies (IOCs), as it was done on subsidy for petroleum marketers. “Going forward, the government should also endeavour to put in pro-

cess funding of the JV operations to enable the pursuit of exploration opportunities, expanding operations in the oil and gas industry as well as increase government revenue leading to more employment opportunities

for Nigerians.” The PENGASSAN boss expressed the need for the 8th National Assembly not to extend the delay in passing the Petroleum Industry Bill in order to put an end to the controversies surround-

ing the reforms of the oil sector. He observed that some of the recommendations by champions of the reforms in the oil and gas industry, especially the NNPC were already in the PIB.

L-R: President, ICAN, Otunba Olufemi Deru; winner of Heritage Bank car, Mr. Emmanuel Isibor; Group Head, Commercial Banking, Heritage Bank Ltd; Mr. Lekan Busari and Chairman, Accountant Conference, ICAN, Mrs. Comfort Eyitayo, during the presentation of a car to the winner, at the conference.

igeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc, NIBSS, says over 20 million customers have been enrolled by banks in the ongoing Bank Verification Number, BVN, project. The organisation in a statement issued yesterday in Lagos said the milestone was achieved in the quest to ensure suc-

BVN enrollment hits 20m, says NIBSS cess of the exercise. It said NIBSS had already begun collaboration with telecommunication firms to create a platform through which bank customers could confirm their registration status. The statement added, ‘’Already, NIBSS has collaborated with one of the

FAAN MD seeks strategic plan on safety

ederal Airports Authority of Nigeria, FAAN, yesterday called for a strategic action plan for the closure of ‘open-items’ recently identified during auditing to guarantee safety of airports. Managing Director of FAAN, Mr Saleh Dunoma, made the call at a meeting with a technical committee drawn from departments of operations, engineering, safety and security. Dunoma said the audit was carried out by Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA. He further implored the committee to provide guidance and support the improvement of facilities aimed at ad-

dressing the open-items identified following the Airport Council International (ACI) APEX evaluation. Dunoma said the evaluation was conducted at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, and Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos. According to him, this would boost adherence to security baseline in line with ICAO guidelines. Dunoma also charged the committee to work meticulously to meet with the set goals, noting that the monitoring and evaluation mechanism would be activated for greater productivity.

country’s telecoms service providers, Etisalat, to roll out BVN Query Service. ‘’The service, unveiled at NIBSS headquarters recently, is designed to help banking Nigerian public query their BVN on-the-go via their mobile phones.’’ According to the statement, the initiative is due to extended deadline for the BVN registration, which ends October 31 nationwide. News Agency of Nigeria recalls that the BVN registration is a Central Bank of Nigeria directive to all commercial banks to register all customers’ biometric data in furtherance of the Know Your Customer, KYC, policy. The statement quoted the Managing Director of NIBSS, Ade Shonubi, as saying, ‘’The initiative is in response to growing public demand for confirmation of BVN status by those who have enrolled on the platform.’’ Shonubi said the BVN Query Service would boost such efforts like KYC for banks. Chief Marketing Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Francesco Angelone, said the partnership with

NIBSS is in line with the telecom’s commitment to continue to create value for the consumers. Angelone said that the customers cut across all sectors, including the banking and telecoms industries. “We are happy to be the first to offer this product among the operators because we believe that innovation is the way the telecoms industry must lead,” he said. He explained that Estisalat believed that offering value to the banking public was another way it could show the telecoms industry the way forward. Angelone said the integration with the banking industry was a pillar for development. He said, ‘’Etisalat subscribers can check their BVN registration status and number by dialing a dedicated code for an instant response at a cost of N10 per query. ‘’The query service is based on instant-requestinstant-response and aims at providing utility for those who have enrolled on the BVN platform of the CBN.’”

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South West

Monday, September 14, 2015

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‘Exempt MDCN from Governing Council dissolution’ Saidat Alausa

resident, National Postgraduate Medical College of Nigeria, NPMCN, Prof. Rasheed Arogundade, has urged the Federal Government to reverse the dissolution of governing board of Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria, MDCN. He said this was necessary because of the disastrous consequences such premature dissolution had caused in the past. Arogundade spoke during a press conference at the weekend to announce the college’s 33rd convocation ceremony on Thursday, September 17. According to him, since the council is a regulatory body set up by statute to carry out specific functions, dissolving it is the same as completely stopping all the functions. It would be recalled that the Federal Government in July ordered dissolution of the governing boards of all federal parastatals, agencies and institutions, which MDCN was part of. Listing the functions of the council, which he said were strictly professional and regulatory in nature, Arogundade said it includes medical education, accreditation of professional institutions, maintenance of standards, enforcement of discipline and also monitoring of health institutions training doctors all over the country, among others.

The health practitioner also revealed that from November 2007 to the end of 2009 and from late 2011 to December 2013, MDCN did not function. He therefore appealed to the Federal Government to reinstate the existing council of MDCN that has barely spent one and half years of the statutory four years. On the anti-corruption stance of the Federal Government, the college president commended President Muhammad Buhari and assured him of the college’s support for the crusade. On the convocation, he said faculty-based activities is scheduled between Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th while the convocation holds on Thursday 17th of September where fellowship certificates will be awarded to 341 new convokees who deservedly passed their final examinations in 15 faculties of the college. “After this convocation, the college would have produced a total of 5,046 fellows as follows, fellow by examination, 4,045, fellows by election 333 and foundation fellows 668,” he said. Arogundade disclosed that aside the 16 honorary fellows of the college who were recognised for various national contributions to the development of health sector, the college will this year award honorary fellowships to another Nigerian who had contributed immensely to the health sector.

L-R: National President, Nigerian Statistical Association, Dr. Muhammed Tumala; Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola, and Consultant, Nigerian Statistical Association, Prof. Peter Osanaye, during a dinner at Government House, Osogbo, at the weekend.

Ooni: Lafogido family faults 1977 gazette, alleges marginalisation

•Ogboru presents Adefarakan as sole candidate ne of the kingship ruling houses in Ile-Ife, Lafogido Ruling House, has faulted the Chieftaincy Declaration of 1976 by the Justice Ademola Commission, claiming it has many loopholes in its conclusion pertaining to true royal families in the ancient town. This is even as the tempo of selection processes of the new Ooni of Ife to replace the late Oba Okunade Sijuade, who joined his ancestors last month, heats up. The said declaration, which was a review of the 1957 declaration, however, was gazetted in 1977 by the government of old Oyo State. Head of the ruling

house, who is also the Sooko Walomo of Ile-Ife, Prince Adeleke Adewoyin, and six other princes from the lineage, yesterday faulted the gazette’s position on the history of the kings that ruled IleIfe from the time of Ooni Lajamisan, the sequence of rotation, insisting that the ruling house has been marginalised in all the chieftaincy reviews since 1957. According to the ruling house in a statement issued yesterday, the modern rotational kingship system in Ile-Ife was established during the reign of Ooni Lajemisan, who it claimed had had two children of Lajodogun and Lafigido. However, they claimed that the Lajodogun Ruling House was further split into three at the instance of his children of Ogboo-

if you must be true to your profession, we urge you to investigate before you publish. “In the last four years or so that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has been in power, the PDP has told so many lies that we are just tired of responding to their lies. “The banks PDP mentioned are there for the public to corroborate facts or fallacies of PDP. Also, relevant institutions and officials

abound in Osogbo where information flows freely. We have had enough of this irresponsibility.” But PDP insisted that the N35bn bailout meant to pay workers was lodged with two commercial banks, stressing that while the funds in one of the banks remained fixed, the other part lodged in the second bank was recalled to pay the company with very strong links to a presidency figure.

Tunbosun Ogundare and Boladale Bamigbola

Osun paid contractor from bailout fund –PDP Boladale Bamigbola OSOGBO

sun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, yesterday alleged that N20 billion was last week taken out of the N35 billion bailout funds by the state government and paid to the contractor handling a road project in Osogbo. The party in a statement issued by Prince Diran Odeyemi, its spokesperson,

accused Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration of misplacing priorities by paying the company when civil servants in the state were wallowing in abject poverty due to unpaid salaries. But director of publicity, research and strategy of Osun APC, Kunle Oyatomi, said: “This is nonsense. Our dear colleagues, if you believe in this egregious nonsense of the PDP, you may go ahead and publish. But

ru, Osinkola, and Princess Moropo whose son, Giesi, stands for. They stressed that despite Lafogido’s eight children, it remained a single family tree. The family insisted that Giesi as a maternal grandchild of Ogbooru, who it claimed was enthroned after her father, Ooni Ogboru, was banished to Ife-Odan following his prolonged reign, and cannot be recognised as a ruling house. They added that the death of about six Oonisdesignate before their enthronement after Ogbooru’s banishment had informed the consideration of Giesi, whose mother had rejected the throne, being a woman. Explaining further, they said “Tracing the genealogy, a descendant of Ogbooru from Lajodogun Ruling House, Ooni Adelekan Olubuse reigned from 1894 to 1910, and Adekola, who was appointed as his successive-designate was also from Lajodogun but he died before enthronement. His death paved way for Ooni Ademiluyi Ajagun Lawarikan from Lafogido Ruling House who reigned from 1910 to 1930. “Ooni Aderemi, who ruled from 1930 to 1980 also hailed from Osinkola in Lajodogun and was succeeded by Olubuse II who was also from Ogbooru of Lajodogun Ruling House. And it is on record that

candidates from Giesi family who contested against Sijuwade were denied based on the fact that they are from the same ruling house.” The ruling house, which described the1977 gazette as harsh and unfair to the Lafogido Ruling House however pointed out that so far 14 Oonis had been enthroned from Lajodogun and only eight from Lafogido ruling house.” The family therefore, prayed all stakeholders including the Osun State government and the leadership of bothIfe East and Ife Central Local Government Areas and all the kingmakers to as a matter of urgency call a meeting of all the ruling houses to again discuss the true lineage of Ile-Ife royal families. It claimed that was the only way to ensure fairness in the choice of the next Ooni. Meanwhile, a new twist yesterday surfaced in the contest for the vacant stool of Ooni of Ife as Ogboru Ruling House presented a United Kingdombased oil magnate, Prince Adeagbo Adefarakan, to the Ife kingmakers as the only candidate of the family for the stool. Before now, there have been insinuations that the kingmakers were considering narrowing the search for the new Ooni to only the Giesi Ruling House.

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South West 9

Monday, September 14, 2015

Lagos clarifies law restricting articulated vehicles Francis Suberu

agos State government at the weekend clarified section of the Road Traffic Law 2012, which restricts trailers and long vehicles from plying the metropolis between the hours of 6am and 9pm. In a statement signed by Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Oluseyi Whenu, the government said while Section 2 of the Traffic Law restricts movement of trailers and long vehicles, only petrol tankers and long vehicles used in conveying passengers are allowed to travel within the metropolis between the stipulated time. “Vehicles with more than one real axle or six tyres are restricted between the hours of 6am and 9pm with the exemption of the following in accordance with Section 2

and 38 of the Road Traffic Law 2012. “These exemptions are tour bus/passenger buses, fire service trucks, rescue and recovery trucks, patrol trucks, perishable farm produce trucks, refuse collection trucks, cement mixer trucks, tractors and refrigerated trucks,” he said. Whenu added that the clarification became necessary following the controversy generated by enforcement of the law, after a fatal accident involving a container-laden trailer, which claimed three lives a fortnight ago. He said the state government remains committed to the protection of lives and properties of residents, irrespective of social, cultural or economic classification and therefore solicits the compliance, cooperation, support and understanding of all and sundry as regards renewed enforcement of the law.

Don charges Nigerians to stop glorifying corrupt leaders Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

don, Prof. Olabode Lucas, at the weekend, warned that for the country to be completely free of corruption, Nigerians must stop glorifying corrupt leaders. Lucas, a Professor of Crop Physiology at the University of Ibadan, also tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to ensure that history and civics education are reintroduced and taught at primary and secondary schools. According to him, glorification of corrupt leaders will only embolden the cancer of corruption in the country, urging Nigerians to collectively fight and kill the disease for Nigeria to get to the Promised Land. He stated this during a book launch/presentation titled: “Snapshots on Some Nigerian and International Events”, to round-off his 70th birthday celebration at the University of Ibadan

Hotels and Conference Centre. He said: “Nigeria will continue to wallow in its current parlous state if the present rate of corruption and financial malfeasance continues. We should not allow ethnic and other considerations to colour our attitude towards those who are making all of us, except themselves, very poor in the midst of plenty. “They should be ostracised and not encouraged. Corruption is a cancer and it is gradually destroying our dear country. We need concerted efforts by all and sundry to destroy this cancer.” He maintained that introduction of civics education will make the Nigerian child understand the past and have a sense of place and vision for a good country. Lucas, while noting that civics education and history are needed to produce a critical soul, stated that civics education is central to producing responsible and good citizens.

L-R: Distribution Manager, Oando Marketing Plc, Mrs. Funke Odufuye; Assistant Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr. Nseobong Akpabio; Chief Finance Officer, Oando Marketing Plc, Mr. Adegboyega Bello and Corps Marshal, FRSC, Mr. Boboye Opeyemi, during an interactive forum with Oando Marketing Plc’s transporters to drive operational safety standards in Lagos, at the weekend.

N12bn Tejuoso market lacks fire alarm system, trucks Olusegun Koiki

ecently commissioned N12 billion Tejuoso Main Shopping Complex lacks fire alarm system and fire trucks in case of any outbreak of fire. This was disclosed in Lagos yesterday. The facility was reconstructed under the PublicPrivate Participation, PPP, by the Lagos State government in August 2014. Consistent fire outbreaks in the old mall led to its demolition and reconstruction by the government, which was financed by First Bank. Two of the sub-contracting firms to the project, Unis Services Nigeria Limited and Charloo Engineering and Construction

Limited, alleged that the shopping complex lacked fire-fighting equipment. Managing Directors of the two companies, Charles Adeyinka and Kayode Ogunyomade, respectively, told journalists that the project was awarded to Stomberg Engineering Limited as a concessionaire, while Hoten Engineering Limited was the sub-contractor, which also gave their own companies parts of the projects to handle. Adeyinka said his company, Unis Services, supplied the Fire Hydrant System at the sum of N86m, after receiving the Bill of Quantity through a consultant, Q-tech Nigeria, based on the quotation of N208m. Charloo Engineering

and Construction Limited handled sewage plant for the project. He explained that while the company supplied the equipment as spelt out in the contract, Hoten Engineering Limited refused to install the fire alarm system and also failed to acquire two fire trucks, which costs N21 million each as spelt out in the contract. He alleged that the project was commissioned on August 18, 2014, by former Governor Babatunde Fashola, despite the fact that the fire alarm system and other facilities that could be deployed in case of an emergency were not in place. He said the essence of the fire alarm system was to trigger alarm, activate

the fire hydrant system automatically in case of any smoke that could lead to fire, but revealed that the equipment was not installed. He emphasised that when the former governor discovered that the project was incomplete, he refused to commission the second. He lamented that Hoten was still indebted to the tune of N20m as part of the contract sum, saying that all entreaties to recover the debts have proved abortive. He, however, absolved Fashola and First Bank in the whole scam. Contacted on the allegation, Oshodi simply referred our correspondent to First Bank through a text message.

CP urges community/police partnership to combat crime Patience Ogbo

agos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Owoseni, has urged members of the public to cooperate with the police in stamping out crime in the state. Owoseni made the appeal when he paid official visit to Alakuko Police Station, Agbado/Oke-Odo Local Council Development Area, LCDA, at the

weekend. The police boss received a vehicle donated to the division by Nureni Yusuf-Ayinde Estate Residents Association during the visit. He urged other communities to emulate the gesture of the Residents’ Association, even as he noted that community policing was the responsibility of every member of the society. Owoseni also urged

residents to bring their complaints to the station, which he said was one of the model police stations in the state where gender, human rights and community policing are handled by specially trained officers and men. The Nureni Yusuf-Ayinde Resident Association said the patrol vehicle donation was to boost policing in the area. “Our members voluntarily donated their wid-

ow’s mite to support the police in our community. “We feel community policing should be encouraged as the protection of lives and property should be the responsibility of everyone not just the police. “Nothing is too small to help in making our society safer so we urge members of the public to help the police to perform their duties better,” they said.

South East

Crisis looms in sealed Enugu church Emmanuel Ezeh Enugu

ension was high at the Assemblies of God Church, Mount Street, Agbani Road, Enugu State, yesterday as factional members of the church gained entrance into the church building, which has been under lock and key for the past two months. It was gathered that for the past two months, two groups have been holding parallel church services simultaneously in the church compound. It took the timely intervention of Rev. Amaechi Agbo, Senior Pastor in charge of one of the factions, to stop angry church members from disrupting the Sunday Service held inside the church. Some members, however, vowed that they would not fold their hands next Sunday and watch the other group hold services inside the church again, pending when the court gives judgment on the matter. It would be recalled that members of the church had two months ago engaged each other in a free-for-all following alleged transfer of a new pastor to the church. To avert a further clash, worshippers were said to have been told by the police to conduct their services outside the compound. A source told our correspondent that consequently, the church compound was divided into two where the rival groups erected canopies for the church services pending when the issues would be resolved. However, violent clash is looming in the church as the group opposed to the leadership of Rev. Prof. Paul Emeka has vowed not to al-

Chris Njoku Owerri

n an effort to maintain a polio-free nation, the World Health Organisation, WHO, has advised the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria, AMLSN, to strictly observe professional ethics in operation of laboratories in the country. This is even as the organisation has set out to inspect all laboratories in the country to ensure they comply with the rules and regulations establishing them.

low strangers take over their place of worship. Speaking to journalists, Rev. Amaechi Agbo, a senior pastor with the church said trouble started on July 19 “when one man in my church who claims to be a lawyer but is championing illegality and unlawfulness imported Nathan Udeze to come and overthrow me, so we resisted them that day.” Expressing anger with the way the police handled the matter, Rev. Agbo said: “I called the DPO to inform him that these people had broken into the church, he told me that we should see him by 2 pm, that we should maintain peace. I don’t know what he means by that; these people broke into the school and today into the church and the police is watching them.” On the claim that he has been transferred out of the church, he said: “I am still in charge of this place. I came here on April 12, 2013 and till date I remain the senior Pastor in charge of this church branch.” He alleged further, “The suspended General Superintendent of the church is behind all these; he is bringing thugs into the church.” On the recent development, he said, “We are shocked at what happened today; if we had gone inside, there would have been bloodshed. I thank God that my members refused to confront them in the face of such provocation because something terrible would have happened here today. We call on law enforcement agencies to do the needful and avert trouble in this place.” However, Rev. Paul Nathan Udeze, the pastor leading the factional group, said he remained the authentic priest in charge of the church.

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Imo chieftaincy tussle: Lawyer seeks Buhari’s intervention P resident Muhammadu Buhari has been called upon to prevail on Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, to thoroughly investigate and ensure justice and fair-play in the chieftaincy dispute rocking Amohuru Autonomous Community in Aboh Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State. An Abuja-based lawyer, Sir Anthony Chukwurah, who made the call in a statement issued in Abuja on Sunday, said the call became necessary to ascertain the role played in the crisis by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, in Owerri. He said that a just handling of the matter by leadership of the police will prevent extra-judicial killings and persistent threat

to the life of his client, Mr. Dulu Azubuike Ugo and his son, Okechukwu Ugo, by some persons in the community. Chukwurah said trouble started in the community on August 24, 2014, when an election was held to elect a new traditional ruler for Nguru Autonomous Community. He said three contestants, Mr Dulu Azubuike Ugo, Mr Philip Eke and Prof Mark Odu contested the election and that Odu eventually emerged winner with majority votes. Chukwurah said both Ugo and Eke instantly accepted the outcome and embraced Odu as the new Eze-elect of the community. The lawyer added that surprisingly, some people surreptitiously and collec-

tively presented another person without the knowledge of the community as bona fide Eze-elect and a staff of office was presented to him by the Imo State government. He stated that the people have since been frustrating attempts by the community to crown Prof Odu as authentic Eze with the assistance of policemen attached to SARS in Owerri. According to him, peace reigned after transfer of the case to AIG Zone 9 Office, Umuahia, until the evening of June 24, 2015, when the a SARS team stormed the residence of his client under the cover of a spurious petition by a community leader. Chukwura insisted that his client and members of

his family have known no peace since then till date, as their tormentors have continued to threaten, harass and intimidate them for no cause. He said the development forced him to write a petition to Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department of the Nigeria Police, Abuja, on July 16. He expressed shock that up till now, nothing tangible has been done by the police headquarters to ensure justice is done on the matter, and appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly wade in to prevent avoidable loss of innocent lives and restore peace to the community.

L-R: Rivers State Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Banigo; Governor Nyesom Wike and Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo, during the vice president's visit to Rivers State, yesterday.

Polio: WHO urges hygienic standards in labs …plans nationwide inspection of labs A WHO laboratory polio containment consultant, Mr. Chinedu Chukwubuike, disclosed this over the weekend in Owerri during the inauguration of new executive members of the association in Imo State. He lamented that most laboratories were operating below standard and in very unhygienic environment. He said though Nigeria

was declared polio-free in the last one year, there was need for such declaration to be sustained by strict observance to regulations. According to him, there is likelihood of polio springing up from laboratories if the scientists fail to observe the rules. Chukwubuike said he has been contracted to inspect laboratories in the country,

adding that any laboratory that falls short of standard must be sanctioned by relevant agencies. He urged Nigerians to take immunisation exercise very serious, adding that parents must ensure that every child below the age of five was properly immunised. The WHO ambassador warned that Nigeria cannot

afford to experience the dangers associated with polio, calling on the citizenry to contribute to the sustenance of a polio-free country. New chairman of AMLSN, Imo State branch, Mr. Anthony Uhuegbu, promised to cooperate with WHO in the fight against polio. He said his administration will ensure that members comply with profes-

sional ethics in discharging their duties. Uhuegbu advised medical practitioners to discharge their duties effectively and widen the jurisdiction of their training. He frowned at medical doctors and pharmacists who are in the habit of conducting medical tests on patients where it is outside their training.

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South South

Monday, September 14, 2015

Unpaid fees: Amnesty students protest in Yenagoa D

Delta to empower 50 best agric graduates

Osahon Julius Yenagoa

tudents studying abroad under the Presidential Amnesty Programme, PAP, have again appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and other well-meaning individuals to save them and the PAP from imminent collapse. In a protest against nonpayment of their tuition fees, in-training allowances and accommodation fees in

Yenagoa, Bayelsa State capital, on Sunday, the over 2,000 Niger Delta students, who study in the United Kingdom and other parts of the globe under the programme, lamented that since the appointment of a substantive PAP Coordinator, Brig. Gen. Paul Boroh, their conditions had worsened. They expressed grievances through their coordinators in Swansea University, UK, Mr. Elliot Yibakeni, and Emomotimi Ziprebo of Birmingham City University,

UK, noting that the Federal Government's indifference had left them frustrated and disillusioned. The students claimed that some of them on the amnesty programme in Malaysia had been arrested and were daily subjected to inhuman treatment because they could not meet their obligations. They wondered why the Amnesty Office had failed to implement President Buhari's directive that the students be paid their allowances urgently.

Particularly, they urged the President to match words with action in seeing that funds are released on time for beneficiaries of the programme. The students, who said they had exhausted every peaceful means of amicable resolution of the issue, noted that they might be tempted to direct the various chapters across the world to embark on a massive demonstration in the capitals and Houses of Assembly where Nigerian leaders reside.

elta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa has stated his administration’s commitment to empowering 50 best graduating students in agriculture from tertiary institutions in the state to become entrepreneurs. The governor, who disclosed this during the 2nd convocation ceremony for 2013/14 graduands of Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, lsoko North Local Government Area, on Saturday, said the programme would commence from January 2016 and run all through his tenure in office. He commended the institution’s management for ensuring that about 28 courses were accredited by the National Board for Technical Education, NBTE. He further stressed that polytechnics in the state would be restructured and refocused for appropriate specialisation to complement regular skills and training programmes of the institutions. Okowa advised NBTE to institute mechanism for effective monitoring and supervision of polytechnics to

advance in their respective areas of specialisation. He expressed satisfaction with the level of infrastructural development in the state adding that the management of the school has made judicious use of its internally generated revenue for development. The governor advised the graduating students to be creative, optimistic, bold and embrace entrepreneurial spirit and make a difference in the society despite the economic challenge of youth unemployment in the country. He said that his administration will soon commence the payment of the 2013/14 bursary, and assured that "Government is interested in making the payments but has not commenced payment because of the inconsistency in the list of beneficiaries.” In a welcome address, the institution’s rector, Dr. Jacob Oboreh, appreciated government’s support for the school, explaining that its vision was to make the polytechnic a world-class institution.

Mob captures four-man robbery gang, kills one Osahon Julius Yenagoa Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson (centre) acknowledging cheers from the crowd on arrival at his declaration for 2nd term in office at Sampson Siasia Sport Complex in Yenagoa, at the weekend.

No plan to obtain N10bn loan —Wike Dennis Naku

Port Harcourt

overnor Nyesom Wike has debunked claims that he was preparing to obtain a fresh loan of N10 billion from a bank in Rivers State. This was sequel to an allegation contained in a statement signed by Publicity Secretary of the state chapter of the All Progressives Congress, Chris Fynebone that Wike has concluded plans to borrow a fresh loan of N10bn. Reacting to the APC claim, Governor Wike said the state government under his leadership would ensure that any loan taken is clearly defined with workable repayment plan tied to

specific projects, which are verifiable facts in the public domain. The governor spoke through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Sir Opunabo Inko-Tariah. Inko-Tariah explained that the governor inherited an empty treasure festered by huge pecuniary liabilities such as backlog of salaries, pensions, fees for students on scholarships, and other burning issues, including abandoned projects. He alleged that if Chibuike Amaechi, the former governor, had been prudent with resources of the state, there would not have been need for these loans. According to him, "His (Ameachi’s) financial recklessness occasioned the resort to loans. There is no

plan to obtain such loan for now, but if the need arises, we shall not hesitate to do so, following due process, of course. "Rotimi Amaechi in one of his valedictory speeches admitted that the state is broke and he was bequeathing an empty treasury to Governor Wike. "Therefore, there is nothing wrong with the governor going for loans; the issue is not whether loans are taken but the judicious application of such loans is what should be the issue." He alleged that APC’s paranoia is because Wike is performing creditably to the admiration and satisfaction of Rivers people. "Again, should Governor Wike want another loan, it will not be done surrepti-

tiously because the Assembly must give its official approval. "Before that is done, the request shall be deliberated upon on the floor of the House of Assembly. The APC in Rivers State is frightened by the intimidating successes of Governor Wike within a hundred days in office and will stop at nothing to denigrate his achievements. "What he has achieved in one hundred days is what Amaechi could not achieve in eight years. Although the Governor has not made his intention on the loan known, there is nothing wrong should he request for another loan; after all, countries, organisations, persons go for loans," he stated.

ngry residents of Ox-bow Lake, Yenagoa Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, bravely confronted a four-man armed robbery gang in the area after the robbers shot a commercial tri-cyclist popularly known as Keke Napep, and dispossessed his passenger of N3 million. According to eyewitness report, the shot by the bandit attracted workers at building sites around the area who quickly gathered to intervene. The mob promptly apprehended three of the four robbery suspects, who had just one gun among them. They rained blows on the robbers, using sticks and any objects in sight, beating the trio almost to death before the arrival of a police patrol team. According to reports, the commercial tri-cyclist was shot in the head by

the bandits during the incident that occurred at noon on Friday. It was gathered that a couple identified as Mr. and Mrs. Eric Oyibodokoye, had gone to the bank on Friday to withdraw a huge sum of money estimated at N3m and were on their way in the tricycle when they were attacked by the bandits. Confirming the incident, spokesman of the state Police Command, Astimin Butswat, said before the arrival of police, the mob had thoroughly beaten the armed robbery suspects. Butswat confirmed that one of the robbers died before getting to hospital. He said: “At about 1200hrs, four armed young men: Aya Victor, 23, Ebi Godwin, 20, Ejike Igwe and Jeff, surname unknown, drove a Volkswagen car marked AL 305 AGU, and blocked a tricycle that was carrying Mr and Mrs Eric Oyibodokoye at Oxbow Lake, Swali, Yenagoa.

North

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

‘11,000 teachers lack minimum qualification in Katsina’ James Danjuma, KATSINA

bout 11,000 primary and secondary school teachers lack the minimum qualification to teach in Katsina State. Also, the state needs additional 8,000 teachers to meet up with shortage in both primary and secondary schools. The state’s sub-committee chairman on education, Dr. Badamasi Charanchi stated this over the weekend at an event to mark 100 days of Governor Aminu Bello Masari’s administration. Charanchi said 11, 000 teachers lacked the National Certificate in Education, NCE, which was a requisite for anyone that wants to teach in both primary and secondary schools. He said investigations showed that at present, the state has 4,098 and 12,439 qualified primary and secondary school teachers respectively, but that such fell short of the needed number. He said lack of quality teachers at both primary and secondary levels had created serious problems in delivering quality education in public schools. He also said the committee discovered that many public schools were

in dilapidated state with dearth of teaching and learning materials. Charanchi said another challenge was lack of desks and chairs, as hundreds of students in both primary and secondary schools sit on the bare floor to learn. He, therefore, called on the state government to employ additional 7,564 and 4,640 qualified teachers for primary and secondary schools, respectively. He called for the rehabilitation of dilapidated schools to create enabling environment that allows for effective teachinglearning process. Governor Masari said he had directed top government officials and political office holders to enroll their children in public schools. He assured that his administration would come up with blueprint to revive the education sector. Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abulmumini Kabir Usman called for reintroduction of routine inspection to schools to assess performance of teachers and students. Kabir said his emirate had introduced development committees to complement effort of government for the revival of education.

Borno State Governor and Chairman, Northern Governors Forum, Alhaji Kashim Shettima (left) and Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria, Engr. Saleh Dunoma, at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, during Dunoma’s inspection visit of the airport, at the weekend.

SON moves to establish National Quality Policy …confiscates N4bn substandard products

tandards Organisation of Nigeria, SON, at the weekend stated its resolve to spearhead the formulation of a National Quality Policy, NQP, in the country. This is as the organisation said it has seized substandard products worth N4bn since the beginning of the year. Speaking at a media chat in Lagos, SON’s Director General, Dr Joseph Odumodu, represented by

FG to ensure EU lifts ban on beans export

ederal Government has begun to put in place measures to ensure the European Union, EU, lifts the suspension placed on beans exportation from Nigeria. To achieve this, Nigerian Agricultural Quarantine Service, NAQS, has organised a workshop for beans farmers, extension workers and other stakeholders to educate them on best practices to meet export standards. Speaking at the workshop in Kano, the Coordinating Director, NAQS, Dr Vincent Isegbe, said there was an urgent need for collaboration of all stakeholders to prevent the extension of the suspension beyond 2016. According to him, if farmers do not sell they will not be encouraged to produce and if they do not

produce, the merchants will not have what to sell. “If it is not brought under control, the high revenue generated from this commodity will reduce and then poverty will increase. “As an agency of government responsible for certifying and ensuring that farmers who produce commodity for export have free exports to earn good money, it is our responsibility that the process is not truncated from the point of production to the point of export, it should be free and beneficial,” he said. He said most farmers go to the wrong government agency seeking solutions, urging them to direct their challenges and enquiries to NAQS. Also, Head of Collaboration and Partnership,

NAQS, Mr. Nnamdi Onukwuba, noted that the suspension was as a result of high quantity of chemicals used as pesticides in beans exported. He said the EU had given Nigeria June 30, 2016 to put in place all measures to produce healthier beans for consumption. Onukwuba blamed the situation on middle men who store the commodity with chemicals before export. He said NAQS was setting up a system that would enable exporters buy directly from the farmers as laboratory test had revealed that chemicals were very low at the farm level. He said as soon the system become operational, NAQS will no longer issue certificate to exporters who buy from the open market.

Director/Head of laboratory Services, Mr. Louis Njoku said the aim of the NQP was to ensure that Nigerian made products meet global competitiveness. He said in line with this objective, SON is also ensuring the establishment of National Quality Infrastructure, the process of which has started. “SON has granted country-wide ISO certifications, the ISO 9000, to several firms and public institutions. It has enumerated many more standards in the market, especially for local produce. Some of these standards have been donated to countries like Cameroun. “There is also on-going certification of 2,000 SMEs yearly at no cost, towards enhancing their efficiency. This is done in collaboration with the UK Trade Office, while SON has procured mobile metrology laboratories which render services at desired sites. “Furthermore, all SON’s test laboratories in the country have been refurbished and a new, ultra-modern, world-class laboratory facility is under construction in Ogba, Lagos. “A National Metrology Institute is being constructed at Enugu, in association with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation,

UNIDO,” he said. Odumodu said the prevalence of fake and sub-standard goods in the country has reduced from 85 per cent to 40 per cent with the launch of the National Coalition on Zero Tolerance Campaign against fake and sub-standard products. He said it would no longer be business as usual for those, who indulge in selling fake products to the public with the passage of SON Amendment Act by the Seventh National Assembly as the organisation now has the backing of the law. Odumodu said: “Following this development, the nation’s key regulatory agency on standards and quality conformity, has now acquired new powers not only to arrest, prosecute and jail purveyors of fake and sub-standard products across the country, but also prevent importers of such products into the country from having the usual mentality of ‘business as usual.’” He said the organisation has been collaborating with stakeholders in some of the major markets across the country, brand owners of mobile phones, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, MAN, cable producers and dealers, steel manufacturers, aluminium roofing sheets, lubricants, cement manufacturers among

others on the danger of counterfeit products. Meanwhile, the Director-General, speaking in Abuja yesterday said substandard products worth N4bn have been seized since January. Odumodu said since the beginning of September, the agency seized substandard telephone sets worth N350m. “In the last three days, we have confiscated over N350mworth of telephone sets that are substandard. If I add that to the number I have earlier, we have a number of about N4bn this year alone. “I tell you, that is not a thing of joy because all these products were imported, paid for with genuine dollars and would be destroyed and they are Nigerian money,” he said. “I promise you that before the end of this year we may be celebrating the jailing of, at least, one major substandard kingpin in Nigeria,” Odumodu said. He said the organisation was doing everything possible to ensure that importation of substandard products into the country was reduced to 10 per cent by the end of the year. He said the target would be achieved through the integration of SON’s certification programme with the Nigeria Integrated Custom Information System, NICIS.

Monday, September 14, 2015

Mr Lecturer, don’t teach me nonsense

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Govt’ll tackle flood menace –Benue commissioner

Ex-lawmaker donates food items to widowers, widows in Bauchi

Henry Iyorkase

MAKURDI

enue State Commissioner for Water Resources and Environment, Engr. Nick Wende, has assured residents of capital city and its environs that the intermittent flooded occasioned by blockage of water channels and drainages will soon be a thing of the past. Speaking with National Mirror at the weekend, Engr. Wende disclosed that

efforts have been intensified towards eliminating the impediment which always posed as bottleneck to free flow of water channels in the state. He explained that the state government has already released funds towards tackling the menace, stressing that appropriate measures have been taken to restore water supply to Otukpo and Katsina-Ala as well as Gboko, with the resumption of their water works to tackle the acute wa-

ter scarcity in these areas. He also maintained that soonest they would start pumping water to those in the capital city and beyond, adding that substantial funds have been released to resolve the inadequacy of water shortage in the state. The commissioner also added that the N14 billion contract awarded for the reticulation to pave the way for suppliers of water throughout the state has also been beaten down through tender arrangement to N10 billion.

Engr. Wende emphasized that the contract for service maintenance and water supply to designated areas in the three senatorial districts of Benue State, inherited from the former administration at the cost of N1.9 billion has also been slashed down to N1.3 billion out of which N300 million has already been mobilised to the contractors and they have since resumed water supply to consumers at appropriate areas in the state.

L-R: Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa’ad Abubakar; Ilorin Based Legal Practioner, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN) and Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, during the Annual National Conference of the Federation of Muslim Women Association in Nigeria (FOMWAN) at the University of Ilorin, recently.

Group to El-Rufai: Prosecute abandoned projects contractors A za Msue KADUNA

oalition of Kaduna Progressives, CKP, at the weekend urged Governor Nasir ElRufai to verify abandoned projects by previous administration in the state and prosecute those found

wanting to serve as deterrent to others. CKP, in a statement signed by its President and Secretary, Kibai Kwallah and Mock Kure, also called on the state government to immortalise law abiding civil servants that died in a Zaria bomb blast during the state verification exer-

cise. Commending El-Rufai’s ongoing verification exercise which has so far saved the state over N128 million per month, CKP called on the people to support present reforms in the state. It said: “We also advise the Kaduna State government to verify abandoned

projects in the state. People or companies found wanting should be prosecuted.” The coalition said after analyzing the performance of the present government in the last 100 days noted that the state and its people will soon start enjoying the good things they have lost over the years.

APC chieftain solicits cooperation for Buhari’s anti-graft war Robert Awokuse

hairman, Coalition of All Progressives Congress, APC, Support Group, CAPCSG, Amb

Lawal Muhammed Munir has solicited cooperation of all Nigerians irrespective of political affiliations in the quest by President Muhammadu Buahri’s administration to rid the system

of corruption. Rather than taking the current crusade against corruption as witch hunt, Munir said that “Buhari intends to recover all monies stolen and use it to promote national pros-

perity, efficient dynamic and self reliant economy that will ensure maximum welfare and happiness of every Nigerian on the basis of social justice and equality of status and opportunity.”

Ezekiel Titus BAUCHI

ormer lawmaker in the Bauchi State House Assembly, Hon Rifkatu Samson Danna, has donated food items and cash to 6,000 widows and widowers from 20 communities across Bogoro state constituency of Bauchi State. Speaking in Bogoro Local Government Area, Bauchi State, while donating the items, Hon Danna said her decision to distribute the food items to the widows, widowers and vulnerable women in the communities was borne out of sympathy, benevolence and love for them. Danna, who represented Bogoro constituency in the state Assembly, said that caring for the aged, widows, widowers and less privileged in the society was a direct mandate given her by God, promising to continue with the vision. She said: “We have completed the assignment of God today; we have been doing it in the past years. Every beneficiary will go home with rice, maize and an envelope for their transportation.

“This is a vision from God. God gave me visions; God said we should take care of widows, widowers, orphans and the aged people.” She cautioned the coordinators against diverting the items for their personal usage, urging them to be fair in distributing the food stuff to the widows, saying: “If you don’t give these food items to the widows, orphans and venerable children, I will not forgive you and God will surely punish you for taking what belongs to widows, orphans and venerable children.” Items distributed included 100 bags of rice, 100 bags of maize and cash for transportation to their respective communities, and were distributed in three wards of Boi, Lusa and Bogoro in the Bogoro council. Bogoro village head, Mr. Nuhu Tafida commended Ms Danna for reaching out the widows, orphans and venerable children, saying: “We know her for helping this set of people in the society and pray God should give her long life to continue the good work she is doing in our society.”

Kogi polls: APGA picks Goodman as guber candidate Adeola Tukuru ABUJA

ll Progressive Grand Alliance, APGA, has picked Dr. Umar Akwu Goodman as its candidate for the November gubernatorial election in Kogi State. Unveiling Umar in Abuja at the party’s secretariat over the weekend, APGA National Chairman, Victor Ike Oye, said APGA did a meticulous search out of the many persons that indicated interest to fly the party’s flag and found that Goodman met all the necessary requirements. Oye described the candi-

date as an astute politician, grassroots person, activist and champion of the cause of the downtrodden, adding that APGA as a political party with clean bill of health and only viable option committed to transforming the political landscape of the state by ensuring that politics is played with love, respect, dignity and constitutionality. He said: “Our activity in the last couple of months has shown that we are going to win. Now that we have unveiled our candidate, candidates of other parties will scamper to safety; we are ready to take Kogi by storm.”

Politics

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Mr Lecturer, don’t teach me nonsense Segun Olulade

ur political landscape has given rise to public opinions on both ordinary and sensitive issues as they occur. Sometimes, there are more opinions than actual issues and occurrences. The recent comments made by Olusola Adegbite, a lecturer in the Faculty of Law of Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU, Ile-Ife, on the media assaults on former governor of Lagos State, Mr Babatunde Fashola, left a big question mark on the place of knowledge and information. For those who missed the article as published online, Adegbite spared no words to cast aspersion on the governor of Lagos State, Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, whose assumed involvement in the media attack on Fashola, he described with most derogatory words, not even ideal to be used against a councillor in a local government parliament, let alone an executive governor of a state. For anyone who failed to explore space for acquiring right information, ignorance can never be an excuse. In the entire article, the lecturer of Law made budging statements without a single evidence-based justification of the notion for which he nailed his victim severely. Then I ask what the place of knowledge is? George Bernard Shaw once said: “Beware of false knowledge; it is more dangerous than ignorance.” Adegbite refused to give benefit of the doubt in his submission by neutralising his opinion and thus doing justice to literary common sense. The lack of decorum in the entire piece betrayed the author’s emotion, while he totally forgot he was a don from a well-respected institution in the country. Well, it is a good choice of word in this scenario to refer to the author as a qualified lecturer in a Law Faculty of a reputable academic institution in Nigeria. Even at the instance of a sponsored media service, the author supposed to know that there is no justification to assume and conclude that Governor Ambode was being used by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, hitherto described by the author as ‘hidden face’, to launch media attack on his predecessor. The law teacher, who quoted thousands of proverbial statements to support his position, forgot the one that says “get all your findings right and hold unto the one that is the truth.” In the process of unleashing his emotional tsunami, he should have given benefit of the doubt, since he was not quoting any tangible evidence; and as such, he would be respected for writing from knowledge point of view and not sheer emotions, which does not have basis in law. Foremost, there is no basis for comparing Fashola’s eight-year government to Ambode’s three-month administration. When Fashola’s administration began, he was written off that no good thing could come from Asiwaju’s choice of candidate. Today, it was evident that that choice was predominantly good for most Lagosians.

Ambode

Following ignorance like a sinking star,

Adegbite didn’t realise that a public commentary that speculates must be deployed as a neutral third party point of view But for the purpose of putting the record straight for Mr Lecturer, there is no reason for anyone to get bothered about Ambode’s performance, because he has already started on a good note as a governor with human face and required prudence. While I believe no one should be too much in a hurry, we need another four years to put Asiwaju’s choice of candidate in the last general election in Lagos State to test. Ambode is Tinubu’s product, just as Fashola was, and of course, several excellent leaders including the Chief Security Officer, CSO, in the state where Olushola teaches law at a federal university. In fairness to Tinubu, the standard of governance delivered by Fashola showed the place of vision on the path of the political icon being adjudged as the chief propagator of the media war against Fashola. In politics and school of power, assumption is a weak premise. Following ignorance like a sinking star, Adegbite didn’t realise that a public commentary that speculates must be deployed as a neutral third party point of view, not like the one expressed by him in the said goof off. As far as I know, Lagos State needs every fair opinion it can get to sustain the peace and tranquility the people enjoy. Any paid opinionist will only be doing injustice to the well-being of over 25 million people already living in peace. Derogatory and uncultured words used by the

Fashola

Tinubu

author to describe the governor as doing ‘night soil man’s job,’ among other insultive languages are not decent of a kindergarten school teacher not to talk of a lecturer, and one who teaches law for that matter. As much as he quoted several Yoruba proverbs to justify his piece, he deviated from the Yoruba norm that teaches politeness, culture and fair hearing. Today, Ambode is the governor of a state that has more responsibilities than others. We will be doing better if we deploy energy of criticism on his management abilities and not political issue he is not liable for. No clear evidence has been traced to him in this complex political friction. Within the shortest possible time, Ambode has shown the world he is a good product and another quality choice from the Jagaban institute. Without wasting time, he has set agenda for good governance, rolling-in scores of achievements in a short while. While the restructuring of the civil service to improve performance of government workforce is fast taking place, Ambode has also demonstrated high spirit for prompt response to urgent issues that affect the populace, such as removing the Apapa gridlock and taking proactive measure to eradicate avoidable accidents often caused by tanker and container drivers. A listening leader, he has fashioned out ideal engagement of the stakeholders in decision making and creating an environment that promotes accountability and transparency by taking after the President on single account system to avoid leakages. He has reawakened hopes of the youths in job provision and wealth creation by setting up special ministry to solve unemployment problems and ensure wealth creation. Ambode is laying foundation for good governance by repositioning the local government system to enhance better performance, reopening cities and communities through road construction and enhancing health centres with ambulance services across the state, all these even before appointing his commissioners. While Ambode is so busy with the business of good governance in the state, Adegbite and his ilks are busy looking for how to discredit the governor, forgetting that an attack on the governor of Lagos State is an attack on the entire Lagosians.

The author has failed to dissuade public opinion in favour of his self-created notion. Tinubu and Fashola have come out to inform the public they are in good terms with no brushings. While Tinubu himself has publicly condemned the said attack on Fashola, Ambode on the other hand has squarely faced business of governance with no time for petty political issues. The trio is best of friends that Adegbite cannot define how cordial they are. While engaging in the hatchet job, it is wrong for Adegbite to assume his opinion on this matter is a popular notion with entire Lagosians. The teacher cannot speak on behalf of Lagosians because he is not one of us; we are proud of all democratic governors God has blessed us with in Nigeria’s democratic eras, namely: Alhaji Lateef Jakande, late Sir Michael Otedola, Asiwaju Tinubu, Fashola, SAN and Ambode who is presently consolidating the achievements of his predecessors. The same way the author is seeing Ambode as an apprentice was the same way the public saw Fashola when he newly came on board. Thank goodness he became a good student of good governance of Asiwaju’s leadership institute and became the pride of Nigeria. Fashola himself has always identified with his leader, Tinubu and claimed that they remain inseparable. The trio is concerned about good governance for Lagosians, but busy body like Adegbite is trying to sow seed of discord. Maya Angelou in wisdom once said: “My mother said I must always be intolerant of ignorance but understanding of illiteracy. That some people, unable to go to school, were more educated and more intelligent than college professors.” For Adegbite, the academic community will not pardon a teacher of legal studies who blatantly flaunt ignorance by laying knowledge to rest, cracking emotionally like die-hard politician. Besides, the spirit of Lagos will not be pleasant with anyone who drums opinions capable of causing outrage among both political class and nominal citizens of the state. Itesiwaju Eko, oun lo je wa l’ogun! – The progress of Lagos is our main concern.

Olulade is a member of Lagos State House of Assembly representing Epe II state constituency.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, September 14, 2015

Chibok girls and the unanswered questions DEBORAH NELSON

he alleged abduction of Chibok girls on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram and failure of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration to rescue them have become a sore thumb in our national life, hence, the need to revisit the saga with some pertinent questions. On 17 April 2014, the principal of the school, Hajiya Asabe Kwambura, told Associated Press that 115 girls were abducted out of 129 who slept in the school that night. However, on 27 April 2014, the same principal told The that over 200 girls were abducted that night, while only 43 escaped. Following Governor Kassim Shettima’s pledge to pay compensations to parents/guardians of the girls, the villagers presented a list of 234 girls, whom they claimed were abducted to the Governor when he visited Chibok, adding that only 39 girls had so far escaped. In Maiduguri in May 2014, Borno State Commissioner for Education, Alhaji Inuwa Kubo, informed the Presidential Committee on Chibok Abduction that 276 girls were abducted and that 57 of them later escaped. In the same month, the Northern States Christians and Elders Forum released names and photographs of 178 girls, whom it claimed were abducted from the school that night. According to Mr Charles Eguridu, WAEC Head of National Office, 395 girls registered for the SSSE in

the school. He added that after the alleged abduction, 189 out of the 395 girls were moved to Uba Examination Center to complete the examination. In view of the above given conflicting figures, how many girls were actually abducted that night? Some days to the alleged abduction, the Principal and Vice Principal, who are Christians, were replaced with Muslims, Hajiya Asabe Kwambura and Mallam Yerima Banjiri respectively by Borno State Ministry of Education. On 17 April 2015, Hajiya Kwambura told the AP that she was present when BHIJ came to evacuate the girls and that she even encouraged them to board the trucks because she thought BH were Nigerian soldiers. She claimed that it was when BH started looting and destroying things in the school that she knew they were insurgents. She added that one soldier and a policeman, who were deployed at the school, were killed and that her granddaughter was also abducted. But on 27 April 2014, she told The Punch that she was in Maiduguri for medical checkup when the abduction took place and that no security personnel was deployed in the school. She added that her daughter was not abducted. Which of the two versions given by Hajiya Kwambura is the truth? Why did Borno State Ministry of Education replace Christian principal and vice principal with Muslims few days to the alleged abduction, considering the fact that over 80 percent of the students are

WHAT INSTRUCTION DID

GOVERNOR

SHETTIMA GIVE TO THE SECURITY FORCES HE PROMISED TO DEPLOY IN THE SCHOOL?

Christians? The Muslim Vice Principal threatened to expel any student who did not sleep in the school throughout the examination period. However, after the alleged abduction, he has not been seen or heard of. None of the daughters or wives of the teachers and management staff was abducted by BHIJ. Why did the Muslim Vice Principal insist that the girls must sleep in the school throughout the period of the examination? Why is it that the Muslim Vice Principal had not been seen since the alleged abduction? Why is it that none of the daughters or wives of teachers and management staff of the school was abducted by BHIJ that night? The WAEC Head of National Office said that WAEC prevailed on Dr Nyesom Wike, former Minister for Education, to write a letter to Governor Shettima, requesting him to move all students to Maiduguri, where adequate security could be provided for them during SSSE. He added that Shettima refused to relo-

cate students of GGSS, Chibok to Maiduguri as suggested; rather he replied in writing that his government would provide adequate security in the school throughout the period of the examination. But when the alleged abduction took place, there was no security personnel deployed anywhere in the school as he promised. Shettima has two daughters. Would he have refused to either relocate the students to Maiduguri or provide adequate security in the school as he promised if his daughters were amongst the girls? Governor Shettima said that the military failed to protect the girls in spite of the fact that he gave them more than four hours of advance warning about the attack. He added that prominent indigenes of CLGA prevailed on him to allow the students to take the SSSE in GGSS, Chibok. But Mr Hosea Tsambido, Chairman of Kibaku Area Development Union, an umbrella union for Chibok people said that Shettima was economical with the truth because no indigene of Chibok prevailed on him to allow the SSSE to be conducted in GGSS, Chibok. If the military refused to confront BHIJ as inferred by Shettima, what instruction did Governor Shettima give to the security forces he promised to deploy in the school? What instruction did he give to the school authority that night in order to save the girls? To be continued Dr Nelson wrote from Ilorin, Kwara State.

On don’t squirm on your single status SANDRA A KUOMA

appy you have have been given this special opportunity to get to know yourself. Look at it this way: If you are uncomfortable spending time alone with yourself, what makes you think anyone else will feel comfortable spending time with you? This can be quite a challenge to people that have continuously filled up their lives with someone else only to discover that they really don’t know or like each other at all. Having a relationship with yourself is exactly like having a relationship with someone else. Sometimes the only way to get you to listen to yourself is to force this “time alone” upon you. Spend time each day reflecting on your choices and yourself. Are you happy with what you did today? Is there room for improvement? Don’t criticize too harshly, but remember to take the time to think about yourself and your life. It’s important to let these reflections guide you. Have a journal and write down your thoughts. Relationships come and go, but friends and family are often around for much longer. Your singleness is an opportunity to spend quality time with those in your life that matter the most to you. You don’t want to look back and regret not having spent enough time with someone when you had the

E AC H

NIGHT

B E F O R E YO U

GO TO SLEEP, C O N C E N T R AT E O N W H AT YO U A R E G R AT E F U L F O R I N YO U R L I F E chance. Without a significant other, you don’t need to run things by another person before you jump in. Suppose you want to get a pet, no one is stopping you! (Except maybe your landlord, depending on your lease agreement). The point is, you can make snap decisions and enjoy them, because there’s no one there to consult. The only feelings that matter are your own! In a society where being single is frowned at, you are bound to come across people who wonder why you’re single, They might even imply that something is “wrong” with you. Brace yourself for that kind of ignorance. Remember that you don’t have to defend your right for being single, just like it’s rude to attack the validity of someone’s relationship. Just say “I prefer being single” and change the subject. A perfect time to go back into college, do an online or a part time course, you might even want to at some point

change your career. Figure out what you are passionate about and go for it. There is no one to hold you back but yourself. Not sure what you are passionate about? Spend more time alone; it will come to you. If you are consciously attempting to stay out of relationships for a designated time period, you will still need people to share your life with. Friendships are paramount. Where would we be without our friends? Do you make an effort to say hello and meet new people. Perhaps you need some help with overcoming shyness. It is always us that separate ourselves from others. Take responsibility for who you are or are not attracting into your life and make the necessary changes to attract some solid friends. What a great way to get to know yourself again. Start with reconnecting with your body. It’s the only one you have this lifetime and we often look after our cars (which we can trade in) better than our bodies. Singledom is the perfect time to get yourself in shape and the endorphins released when you work out keep your spirits flying high. Why not pick up an old team sport you used to play in high school? Go to the gym, jog, cycle…Adopt a healthy eating habit; it’s a great way to stay in shape. We all have the ability to create magnificence. You may have temporarily forgotten what you came here to create or what your passions are, but if you

spend enough time alone you will rediscover your creative self. What a perfect opportunity to play when no one is watching! So take out those pencils, paints, clay, inventions, designs and let loose. Each night before you go to sleep, concentrate on what you are grateful for in your life. Every tiny little thing can help create the spirit of gratitude. If you are so inclined start to write a journal about everything you are grateful for and watch the list get bigger and bigger each day as your gratitude attracts more things to be grateful for. This is probably the most important lesson of all, finding happiness in contentment in what already exists in your life. The fact that you have one is a really good place to start! Food for thought Being single is a “lifestyle choice” and not a “default option.” It is possible to CHOOSE to be single. Ms Akuoma wrote from Lagos via sanlifepointers@hotmail.com and can be reached on 08165583876 Twitter: @sanlifepointers. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

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

On reinstatement of soldiers and lingering courts martial

huge number of Nigerian soldiers were under the superintendence of former Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh; and Chief of Army Staff (CoAS), General Kenneth Minimah, both of whom went on retirement most recently, convicted and sentenced to death or dismissed for such offences as desertion of duty posts, conspiracy to commit mutiny, mutiny, et cetera. Reports strongly suggested that had the military authorities confirmed the verdicts of the military courts-martial; those sentenced to death would have since been killed, while their colleagues dismissed would be roaming the streets without jobs about now, especially had the affected soldiers appealed their cases and lost out. But with their retirement, the former military chiefs in their respective valedictory speeches made remarks that interrogated the basis of the judgements of the military ‘justice’ panels in the first place. Badeh, for example, stated during his pull-out ceremony that the armed forces he headed as CDS lacked the relevant equipment and motivation to fight Boko Haram terrorists. He complained about what he called “the exploitation of a serious national security issue by a section of the

media and the political class to gain political mileage… activities of fifth columnists in the military and other security agencies, who leaked operational plans and other sensitive military information to the terrorists”. The unpatriotic activities, Badeh said, not only blunted the effectiveness of the fight (against terrorists), but also led to the needless deaths of numerous officers and men who unwittingly fell into ambushes prepared by terrorists who had advance warning on the approach of troops. He stated, in addition, that “the military was neglected and under-equipped to ensure the survival of certain regimes, while other regimes, based on advice from some foreign nations, deliberately reduced the size of the military and underfunded it…”. Minimah spoke in no fewer veins. It would therefore seem a case of the chicken coming home to roost when in the early days of the nation’s military campaign against insurgency in the North East, Nigerian soldiers were routinely disgraced by Boko Haram’s rag-tag army, to the extent that the insurgents captured expansive swathes of Nigerian territory cut across several local governments, where they hoisted their jihadist flags. It is, nonetheless, a pleasant surprise that the tide

THE GOVERNMENT AND THE MILITARY SHOULD NOT GRANDSTAND TO THE POINT OF CANCELLING OUT THE GOOD WORKS THEY HAVE ALREADY STARTED

has since changed, with Nigeria and the neighbouring countries of Cameroun, Chad and Niger taking the upper hand against the insurgents and gradually reducing them to mere nuisance. In what seems an obvious response to the pleasant turn of events, the Nigerian Army said not long ago that it had reinstated back into its fold 3,032 convicted soldiers after a review of 5,000 cases of soldiers dismissed over offenses committed in the course of fighting Boko Haram. President Muhammadu Buhari had also approved the award of Nigerian Army Medals (NAM) to the new CDS, General G.A Olonisakin; the CoAS, Lieutenant General T.Y Buratai; and the Director of Military Intelligence (DMI), Brigadier General ASH Sa’ad, according to a recent report credited to the Acting Director, Army Public Relations, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Usman. These and other proactive measures taken so far to motivate Nigerian soldiers and enable them

ON THIS DAY September 14, 1982 President-elect of Lebanon, Bachir Gemayel, was assassinated. Gemayel was a Lebanese politician, militia commander, and president-elect. He was a senior member of the Phalange party and the commander of the Lebanese Forces militia, amid the first several years of the Lebanese Civil War (1975–90). He was elected president on August 23, 1982 while the country was torn by civil war and occupied by both Israel and Syria.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

September 14, 2007 Late-2000s financial crisis: Also known as the Global Financial Crisis, it is considered by many economists as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. It resulted in the threat of total collapse of large financial institutions, the bailout of banks by national governments, and downturns in stock markets around the world. The Northern Rock bank experienced the first bank run in Britain in 150 years.

go all out and subdue insurgency in the country are commendable. There are, however, some worrisome reservations. Usman said, for instance, that not all the dismissed soldiers were granted pardon; and that those with criminal cases had their sentences upheld. A recent report also quoted human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana as saying despite the reinstatement of the 3,032 soldiers, various courts-martial where some officers and men were being tried were still in place. Our thinking, therefore, is that the military hierarchy is yet to complete the job of motivating its officers and men it started. Except for extreme cases of sabotage and insubordination, the military should be gracious enough to further review the criminal cases Usman made reference to, especially on consideration of the fact that a lot of the infractions or unprofessional charges for which the soldiers were docked revolved around their demand for the wherewithal to confront Boko Haram insurgents. The 70 soldiers Falana claimed were still on the death row appear rather too many. The government and the military should not grandstand to the point of cancelling out the good works they have already started by taking steps that would demoralise the nation’s soldiers and motivate the enemy.

x September 14, 2008 All 88 people on board Aeroflot Flight 821 were killed when the plane crashed into a railway line on approach to Perm Airport. The Boeing 737–505, registered as VPBKO, an aircraft belonging to the Aeroflot subsidiary, Aeroflot-Nord, but operating as Aeroflot flight SU821 from Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport to Perm (Russia), crashed into a railway line southwest of Perm.

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Cover

JP Morgan’s plan to delist Nigeria from Government Bond Index worries analysts There are serious concerns among many Nigerians of the possible outcome of JP Morgan’s delisting Nigeria from its Government Bond Index Emerging Market, GBIEM. , The likelihood of the country losing billions of dollars, as foreign investors may withdraw their equities, is already causing anxiety among the nation’s economic managers, with the Central Bank of Nigeria faulting the Bank’s assessment parameters. Even though the Federal Government says it will continue to take economic decisions that will impact positively on the lives of Nigerians, experts believe that appropriate monetary policy mechanisms should be put in place to retain the country on the GBI. Udo Onyeka reports

he plan by JP Morgan to exit Nigeria from its Government Bond Index, GBI-Emerging Market, EM, end of October over rise in cost of borrowing and limited transparency, analysts have say is capable of impacting negatively on the economy of the country. The JPMorgan Government Bond Index-Emerging Markets, GBI-EM, indices are comprehensive emerging market debt benchmarks that track local currency bonds issued by Emerging Market governments. The index was launched in June 2005 and is the

first comprehensive global local Emerging Markets index. As Emerging Market governments look increasingly toward their domestic market for sources of finance, investors are looking more closely at local markets in search for higher yield and greater diversification. According to Wikipedia, as external debt spreads compress and opportunities seem more appealing in local rates, the likely combination of increasing demand and supply will pave the way for deeper and broader local markets, which the GBI-EM will attempt to capture.

Godwin Emefiele, CBN Boss

The launch of the GBIEM was followed by the diversified versions for GBI-EM and GBI-EM broad in January 2006. The GBI-EM global, launched in November 2006, is the latest addition to the GBI-EM family of indices, providing a readily investable version of the GBI-EM broad by excluding China and India. The GBI-EM indices are composed of only those countries from the GBI universe that meet criteria for an Emerging Market, resulting in 18 countries from four regions. The regional sub-division of the indices consists of

Asia, Europe, Latin America, and Middle East/Africa. The American bank had earlier warned that currency controls in the country were making bond market transactions too complex to meet its rules. “Foreign investors who track the GBI-EM series continue to face challenges and uncertainty while transacting in the naira due to the lack of a fully functional two-way Foreign exchange, FX, market and limited transparency. As a result, Nigeria will be removed from each of the six GBI-EM indices starting Sept 30,” JP Mor-

gan stated last week. The development indicated that this may not be the best of times for the nation’s financial system and indeed the economy as the immediate fallout of Nigeria’s delisting from the GBI will be massive sell off by foreign investors their Nigerian bond holdings with the attendant negative implications for the country’s long term investment funds. According to analysts being out of the JP Morgan’s GBI-EM could make bond yields to spike and borrowing cost to be high, thus negatively affecting the country’s already challenged economy.

For instance the new government may also likely to borrow this year to fund its anticipated high budget deficits and as such higher interest rates only just makes things difficult for the government. A Lagos based financial expert Dr. Boniface Chizea, JP Morgan has a right to its decisions using its own templates and standards and there is not much any of us can UDO ONYEKA, CO-ORDINATOR BUSINESS COURAGE udonyeka@gmail.com c

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Jamie Dimon, JP Morgan ceo

do about it. According to him what is very certain is that the Bank and most other stakeholders’ particularly outside investors and for that matter including some notable bodies within the country, would be satisfied with nothing less than allowing the Naira to go on a free float. He said this agitation became loud and orchestrated following the decision of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, to disallow access to the foreign exchange market to some almost inconsequential items numbering about forty one. “The argument is that it is difficult to sustain and even make effective for purpose the use of such administrative controls and therefore we should allow the market, that faceless and dispassionate resource allocator does the job. But I thought that it should have been clear to all concerned that the market is so mindless that it does neither respects sensitivities or vulnerabilities. “If we should allow the Naira to be entirely market determined there so no prize for guessing what will happen as the dependency of some economic agents in the economy on the external sector is so total that to some of them denying them access to foreign exchange is tantamount to shutting out a living being from oxygen. “The foreign exchange will therefore be taken at almost any cost except for the marginal few who would be deterred by falling exchange rate. And since there is little accretion to the Reserves, it would under this scenario

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Monday, September 14, 2015

Chizea

disappear before our very eyes and those charged with the responsibility of managing the foreign exchange will in turn be accused of being clueless and crucified in the altar of public opinion”, he said. Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company Limited, Mr. Bismarck Rewane reiterated the need for fuel subsidy removal and the devaluation of the naira. “If there is no liquidity in your market, no portfolio investor can invest and this sends a signal to others that the Nigerian market is not liquid. Something really has to happen to the exchange rate as quickly as possible,” he said. Many financial sector operators share the view that the development would also affect the fixed income market and raise cost of borrowing. According to them once the foreign investors leave, the cost of borrowing by the government, which is the biggest borrower, would rise. Some analysts said JP Morgan’s decision to eject Nigeria came earlier than expected, saying most international investors had already exited Nigeria debt last year. “Nigeria’s inclusion in the GBI-EM index was generally seen as a big step forward in its integration with global financial markets, opening the market to new investment and raising its profile worldwide. That will now be reversed,” said Alan Cameron, an economist at Exotix. With Nigeria’s removal, countries like Malaysia, Indonesia and Thailand

have increased their weight by more 25 basis points as of August 31, JP Morgan said. Foreign holdings of Nigerian government bonds stood at around $2.75bn,” Head of Africa strategy at Standard Chartered Bank, Samir Gadio said. They had been around $8bn last September. JP Morgan’s decision to phase Nigeria out of its index, which many investors track, marks the conclusion of a process initiated in January. Some bonds will be removed by the end of September and the rest by the end of October, JP Morgan said. Earlier, it had said that to stay in the index, Nigeria would have to restore liquidity to its currency market in a way that allowed foreign investors tracking the index to conduct transactions with minimal hurdles. In spite of assurances on the decision by the Federal Government through the CBN, Ministry of Finance and Debt Management Office, DMO, activities at the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, on Wednesday reacted, with the NSE All Share Index losing 2.89 per cent, in what analysts at Dunn Loren Merrifield say is the biggest singleday drop since January 2015. Analysts at Nairametrics Research say the potential implications of this move would be far-reaching as JP Morgan Index is currently tracked by over $200bn funds. According to the analysts by taking Nigeria off the index, they continued, there would be little or no demand for her bonds by foreign investors, pointing

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Rewane

out that since JP Morgan threatened to yank Nigerian off in January, foreign holding of the nation’s bonds has dropped from a peak of $11bn in 2013 to less than $3bn. They warned that this is likely to shrink further thereby affecting demand for the country’s debts. “With Nigeria out of the scene, other emerging markets in Africa like Ghana, Kenya and even South Africa could now be more attractive to investors. They will simply now move their funds to competing countries leaving Nigeria in its wake. Since investors like to follow the money, it is also likely that other forms of investments may elude Nigeria because of this singular move. “Nigeria will lose its prestige as not just the largest economy in Africa but the economy attracting the most foreign investments. This will be damaging to an economy that has been thumping itself as the destination to be for foreign investors. “With the exit of most foreign investors, the long term plan of the DMO of ensuring that the nation’s bond market is deep is now in jeopardy. With little demand, it is unlikely that the government and other private companies seeking foreign currency loans will use the bond market as a possible source. This will make the market shallow and unattractive and could even throw some companies out of business,” The Ugodre Obi-Chukwu-led Nairametrics said. The Nigerian stock market that has seen some bullish trends in recent days, according to some

analysts may also be negatively impacted especially as this development may hurt the confidence of foreign investors which make up about 45 to 50 percent of transactions in the NSE. Also the fact that local companies and banks also borrow money from foreign investors by selling foreign denominated, as well as naira bonds, now that the Federal Government is likely to see its borrowing cost go up due to this development, it is likely that banks and other institutions seeking to borrow would have to pay more in interest as well. This development market watcher have said could lead to higher interest rate in the country since banks that are lucky enough to borrow will have to pass on that cost to someone else. But Chief Executive of Proshare Nigeria, a financial research firm, Femi Awoyemi, in his reaction to the planned delisting of FGN bonds, said JP Morgan is free, just as investors can “take their funds to more ‘profitable emerging markets. You cannot ignore Nigeria for too long. Let’s get our house sorted and take a wise decision on the trilemma we face.” Chizea said we do not have any choice but to put the interest of Nigeria first and should not make any apologies about that. “Let’s take a cursory look at some of the reasons which JP Morgan says informed its decision to delist Nigerian bonds. It says that the foreign exchange market is illiquid. But the CBN is on record to have informed all concerned that there should be no panic whatsoever

as it remains ready and is in a position to meet legitimate and effective customer foreign exchange demands. “What sort of liquidity is the bank complaining about? Can someone please ask the Bank to cite instance of any investor who encountered any difficulty as they tried to take their investments outside the country or had difficulties with the repatriation of earned dividend”, Chizea queried. He also said the Bank talks of lack of transparency saying why transparency has now become such an issue despite all the steps the CBN had taken to advertise transactions online on popular portals? “I am still at a loss to understand what JP Morgan means by lack of functional two way quote? If you work into any bank today you will find displayed buying and selling rates for foreign currency and this has been so for a long time now. Now because the CBN says it will not allow mere currency trading because Nigeria cannot afford it and therefore insists on demand backed request that now becomes an offense”, he asked. Many experts believe that JP Morgan’s delisting would be temporary. The say expert say what is expected now is for President Muhammadu Buhari administration to name its cabinet and unfolds its economic policy thrust, and working diligently, “confidence would be restored and the foreign investors who left leave Nigeria because of the JP Morgan delisting would return. BC

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News Former minister canvasses diverse fleet expansion Francis Ezem

ormer Minister of Interior and foremost Master Mariner, Captain Emmanuel Ihenaccho has made a strong case for development of diverse indigenous fleet across all the segments of shipping business. Captain Ihenacho, who spoke during a chat with select newsmen in Lagos, observed that there is currently over concentration on the development of tanker fleet, which is not good for the nation, touted to be a maritime nation. According to him, apart from being a maritime nation, Nigeria is predominantly an importdependent nation, which imports all manner of cargo comprising dry bulk, containerised goods, Roll –On-Roll-off RORO and liquid bulk to carter for her teeming population and should therefore develop indigenous fleet along these lines. Ihenacho who is also chairman of Integrated Oil and Gas Limited “Nigeria is an import dependent and she imports virtually everything ranging dry bulk cargo, containerised, RORO and liquid bulk but there seems to be an over concentration on the development of tanker fleet, which is just one of the aspects of shipping activities done in Nigeria and this has not helped the industry over the years”. Records show that there are over 40 indigenous shipping companies in Nigeria and a large majority of them are into liquid bulk shipping operations with their fleet comprising mainly of tanker vessels. Investigations showed that the most likely reason for this is the prevalence of crude oil shipments since the country as a member of Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries OPEC, is believed to be the sixth world largest exporter of crude oil and also heavily depends on importation of refined products to run her economy with the attendant high activities both in the upstream and downstream sectors. Sso many of these indigenous firms have structured

Ihenacho

NDIC MD/CE Alh. Umaru Ibrahim (centre) presenting the most recent in-house publications to the President / Chairman of Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, Otunba (Mrs.) Debola Osibogun when the President paid a courtesy call on NDIC’s Senior Management with other CIBN Council Members. On Otunba (Mrs) Osibogun’s right is the CIBN 1st Vice President, Deacon Segun Ajibola while the CIBN 2nd Vice President, Dr. Uche Olowu (2nd Left) and CIBN Registrar / Chief Executive, Mr. Seye Awojobi (extreme left) look on

their shipping activities towards tanker operations where it is believed that one could easily have access to cargo without much efforts, a dream that has refused to come through, as many of them have closed shop due to lack of cargo to lift. While assessing the growth and development of the transport sector in Nigeria over the years, he observed that Nigeria does not have any form of transport policy that cuts across the major segments of the industry comprising rail, road and water. He argued that the development of an efficient transport system was critical to the development of the national economy, arguing that no nation develops without developing the transport industry first.

Stakeholders back FRSC’s deployment of personnel to fuel depots Adejuwon Osunnuyi

takeholders in petroleum product marketing business have given their support to the deployment of personnel of the Federal Road Safety Corps ,FRSC, to the various depots and tanker farms in the country with the consensus that it was an appropriate action capable of contributing to the efforts to tackle the menace of road traffic crashes involving tankers and trailers. Speaking at the interactive session with the stakeholders who came to review the programme one week after it commended, the participants in their different assessments commended the FRSC for its prompt response to the call

made by the stakeholders at the National Summit who suggested the idea during the National Summit on haulage operations organised by the FRSC. It would be recalled that FRSC deployed 160 of its personnel to the various depots and tanker farms on 1st September in order to enlighten and enforce minimum safety standards on tankers that load petroleum products from the facilities. The initiative was intended to save the nation from the incidences of tanker crashes and spillage of fuel which cause destruction of lives and property in the inferno. While evaluating the operational policy, the Corps Marshal stated that the idea of deploying officers to the depots was to ensure that tanker drivers observance minimum safety standard at the depots before loading the products, calling on the stakeholders to do more to achieve the desired results. Speaking further, Oyeyemi stated that the idea was mooted at the National Summit and agreed to by the generality of stakeholders, thus making it part of the plan of action which was arrived at to deal with the menace of tankers/ trailers crashes. ”In line with the resolutions, we commenced special operations against truck and trailer drivers who operate without observing the minimum safety standard,” he stated. “We also conducted retraining and recertification programmes at 9 centres across the country and embarked on operation scorpion in which 3,000 vehicles were apprehended, while the deployment of our personnel to the depots took place on 1st September, 2015. “This review today is part of the process and which en-

ables us to assess how far the programme has gone for us to fully realign to it and make it more efficient,” he stated. Oyeyemi further pointed out that the deployment was an interventionist measure that would not involve any financial commitment from the facility managers and owners as it was intended for only safety purpose, adding that it was not meant to remain permanent. He called on the stakeholders to give it maximum support to achieve the desired results. While expressing satisfaction with the progress made since the Corps stepped up its consultation with the relevant stakeholders early this year, the Corps Marshal appealed for commitment from the stakeholders to collectively restore sanity to the roads; “The deployment is not going to be permanent, but an interventionist measure meant to address the unprecedented challenge we faced this year from the tanker and trailer crashes,” he stated.

Stakeholder advises colleagues on substandard products

he founder, National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders, NAGAFF, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, has advised freight forwarders, particularly NAGAFF members, to adhere to trade regulations of Standards Organisation of Nigeria, SON. Aniebonam gave the advice in a release in Lagos on Friday, saying adherence to good practices amounted to support for SON in its efforts to ensure quality and standard of imported products. “This, we believe is the minimum requirement expected of

us as patriotic citizens of Nigeria and in conformity with the new ‘change’ philosophy of the current Government in Nigeria. “The earlier we embrace change and add value to the rules of engagement the more secure our investments. “For us at NAGAFF, we shall continue to encourage SON to increase its awareness campaign on matters of quality assurance and control over SONCAP and MANCAP regime in Nigeria. “At the same time we urge SON to continue to evolve an approach that shall stop the idea of arresting containers on our city highways,” he said. Aniebonam criticised those who took advantage of lapses in the system for self-enrichment and warned NAGAFF members to avoid such attitudes. “It is most unfortunate that through the activities of some unpatriotic elements, we have continued to enrich other nations without getting value for our money.’’ he said. Aniebonam said ` NAGAFF as a patriotic association’’ would not protect any member who violated rules and regulations guiding international trade. “In the same vein we shall continue to appeal to SON to risk-manage import transactions using the framework of corrective measures to lessen the burden of waste.” He urged all members to prioritise adherence to proper documentation and obtaining of product and SONCAP Certificates for all imported products. He appealed to Nigerian Shippers Council to enter cooperation with SON ``with a view to enlightening all concerned on matters of quality assurances and control of substandard and fake products into Nigeria’’.

Petroleum tankers not restricted by Lagos govt., says NUPENG

he National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG on Friday said that petroleum tankers were not affected by the Lagos State Government daytime operational restriction. Southwest Chairman of the union, Mr Tokunbo Korodo, told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Lagos that “the ban had nothing to do with petroleum tankers.” Korodo, who said that petroleum tankers were not captured by the law, added that they could deliver products to any destination any time. “We are aware of this directive by the LASG but the law

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did not restrict our trucks. “Tanker drivers can move at any time to deliver its products; we are not affected by the traffic law. “You can see that our tankers are working all round the clock to lift petroleum products and deliver at designated filling stations nationwide,” he said. He, however, said that the ban was to reduce incessant accident caused by articulated vehicles on Lagos roads. NAN recalls that the state government had on September 6, restricted the movement heavy duty vehicles within the metropolis to between 9 p.m. and 6 a.m. The government action followed the recent Ojuelegba trailer accident which claimed three lives on September 3. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr Oluseyi Whenu, said the movement of articulated vehicles contravened Section 2 (i) and 2 (ii) of the Traffic Law. Whenu said that the government would henceforth impound vehicles and the owners fined whenever there was a breach of the restriction order. NAN reports that truck drivers under the aegis of the Association of Maritime Truck Owners said that they would withdraw their trucks from the road with immediate effect over the restriction directive. The Chairman of AMATO, Mr Remi Ogungbemi, said that it was difficult for members to comply with the state directive on the restriction due to security reasons.

50 women graduate in Kano under NDE’s empowerment programme

o fewer than 50 women graduated on Friday in beads making under the empowerment programme of the National Directorate of Employment ,NDE, in Kano State. The state’s NDE Coordinator, Alhaji Aliyu Bichi, who spoke at the graduation ceremony in Kano, said the beneficiaries were selected from the 44 local government areas in the state. “The training is aimed at empowering the women to enable them to be self-reliant and even become employers of labour in future,’’ he said. According to him, a total of 420 youths are currently undergoing training in some vocations as part of efforts to address youth unemployment. “The directorate has designed and implemented a number of empowerment programmes not only in the state but across the country. “This is intended to empower women and youths who are

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strategic objectives and regulatory requirements. “The Infrastructure Bank brand continues to grow in stature by dint of the commitment and hard work of everyone involved with the bank,’’ he said. In her report, the Bank’s Acting Company Secretary, Mrs Ezinwanyi Ken-Ahia, said that the bank considered employment of disabled persons with due regards to their abilities and aptitudes. The bank was first established in 1992 as Urban Development Bank and became The Infrastructure Bank in 2011.

NLRC grants licence to indigenous lottery firm R-L: Political Officer, Niger Delta of the British High Commission, Mr. Edward Dunn; Ag. Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro; BMATT Staff Officer, Commander Shaun Quinn, and the Executive Director, Maritime Labour and Cabotage Services, NIMASA, when the British Military Advisory and Training Team (BMATT) paid a courtesy visit to the Head Quarters of the Agency in Lagos

more vulnerable in the society,’’ he said. He, however, urged the women to make the best use of the opportunity and ensure that they also transferred the knowledge gained to others. In his remarks, the Manager of an NGO, Light House Self-reliance, Alhaji Sulaiman Iliyasu, charged the women to make the best use of the knowledge in order to be self-reliant.

Cassava: Community commends World Bank, FG over capacity building

gale community in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi has commended the World Bank as well as the Federal and Kogi Governments for enhancing their capacity in cassava production. The Ologale of Ogale, Oba Michael Otitoju, gave the commendation at Ogale on Friday during the harvest of cassava tubers from farms established under the Fadama III Additional Financing Project for cluster farmers. The traditional ruler described the development as ``a dream come true,” saying he had looked forward to the day. Otitoju said it was a blessing for the project to be sited in his domain and his people given the high-level training. Earlier, the Chairman of Ogale Cassava Production Cluster Farmers, Vincent Adeshina, said though the community had long engaged in cassava production, the farmers never ventured into large scale production. Adeshina said that the concept of a farmer per hectare brought by the World Bank under the Fadama project initially

posed a great challenge in view of the little capacity of farmers. He, however, said that they were able to overcome it through training on best agronomic practices to achieve the good results. Adeshina said the people now see farming from a business perspective rather than the subsistence they were used to. The chairman also commended the National and Fadama Coordination Office and its counterpart in Kogi for the positive impact the project had on the people. Mr Peter Ajibaiye a representative of the National Project Coordinator for the Fadama III Additional Financing Project, urged the farmers to apply the knowledge they acquired to ensure good harvest.

Dikko

Infrastructure Bank announces N973m profit before tax in 2014

he Infrastructure Bank Plc, TIB, has announced N973m as profit before tax for its 2014 financial year. The Chairman of the bank, Alhaji Lamis Dikko, stated this in his Annual Report at the

bank’s Annual General Meeting at Transcorp Hotels, Calabar. . He said that the figure showed a marginal improvement over its 2013 profit of N875m. He said that a strong set of results posted by TIB in 2014 fostered a trend of positive performance by the bank. Dikko said that the performance of the economy in 2014 also determined the bank’s profit in the financial year. “In 2014 the Nigerian economy faced several challenges some of which were heightened by the fall in oil prices. “Conversely our pipelines of opportunities increased, a function of the bank’s increasing stature in the market and the significant latent demand for infrastructure assets development nationwide He said that the recapitalisation programme had further strengthened the bank, adding that the TIB would continue a programme of raising additional capital to fund the growth plan targets. In his remarks, the Managing Director of the Bank, Mr Adekunle Oyinloye, said that in line with bank’s objectives to attract co-investors and third party fund investors, it recently established a 500 million dollars ``Nigeria-focused Infrastructure Fund’’. He said the fund was established in collaboration with the United Kingdom-based fund manager, Gemfonds Plc, and Spain-based Sigrun Partners SL. Oyinloye also said that the fund provided a unique opportunity for local and international investors with an appetite for creating exposure to our pipeline of commercially attractive and value-adding infrastructure projects. He expressed confidence that the bank’s balance sheet for 2015 would be further strengthened with fresh capital to meet

he National Lottery Regulatory Commission, NLRC, has granted licence to an indigenous private lottery company, Pay Day Lotteries Ltd, to commence operation in the country. Director, Regulations and Monitoring of the NLRC, Mr Emmanuel Jeminiwa disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria ,NAN, on Friday in Abuja. Jeminiwa said that facilities put in place by the new company would take lottery to a new level in the country. “Pay Day Lotteries Ltd has been licenced to operate in Nigeria. “The approval by the NLRC to licence the company is not about the people involved, but about the system that has been put in place. “The system put in place by Pay Day Lotteries is rated to be the most modern in the lottery industry, being used all over the world. “Having seen the way it was test-run, we are very sure that this company will run the business in the most transparent manner. Jeminiwa underscored the need to sensitise the public to the importance of lottery to economic development and its difference from gambling. According to him, lottery business benefitted not just the citizens but the government which, according to him, distinguished lottery from gambling, pool betting and others. “There is statutory contribution to trust fund in lottery and every kobo that goes into the trust fund is an intervention fund, available to government to service its people. “It is used to provide other infrastructural facilities that budgetary allocation might have not taken care of in sectors like education, health or sports. “Lottery industry has the capability to provide employment for a lot of people, even those with little educational qualification as you do not have to be a graduate to operate the system,’’ he said. BC

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Companies & Markets

Nigeria tops Africa’s estimated $212bn gas infrastructure opportunities Udo Onyeka

takeholders in Africa’s power sector have envisaged that Nigeria would lead top six African country’s in key gas infrastructure projects in the next twenty years. Analysts who gathered at the just concluded 17th East African Power Industry Convention, EAPIC, which held in Kenya pointed that the largest opportunities for gas are anticipated to originate from countries like Nigeria, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ghana, Cote D’Ivoire and South Africa. The investment opportunity for these top six countries, evaluated from engineering

and project management perspective, totals approximately $12.6bn, with a total number of gas power opportunities increasing to as much as $212 billion. Gas infrastructure investment opens up substantial opportunities to companies on a global level and significantly alters the competitive structure of industries in which companies operate, including the players within them. The convention drew participants from a number of top utility and service provider companies, including: KenGen, Eskom, GE, Powertech, Cummins and Landis+Gyr, providing a leading platform for identify-

ing and establishing further insights into the various markets associated with the energy reform landscape and investment opportunities across Africa. “The EAPIC convention emphasized that strong public sector involvement is required in order to drive emerging market needs, as well as satisfy the risk appetite of the various sets of investors,” noted Aurelia van Eeden, Energy & Environment Business Unit Leader at Frost & Sullivan. “There is a distinct willingness from African governments to drive investment and solve energy challenges of their respective country, such as the emerging gas landscape on the

UBA cuts loans growth forecast

he United Bank for Africa, UBA, has lowered its forecast for 2015 loan growth to 5 to 8 percent from 15 to 20 percent. This is coming as rising regulatory and economic uncertainty increase risks to lending, the bank said. The banks CEO Phillips Oduoza told an investor call that the bank would maintain a conservative approach to lending for the second half of the year with a view to balancing risk with returns. Loans grew 8.5 percent in the first half with foreign currency loans accounting for 30 percent of total 1.16 trillion naira ,$5.8bn loan book. That compares with 14 percent growth in loans last year. Oduoza said the bank would maintain its other forecasts. He forecast 2015 return on equity, ROE, would be above 20 percent, up from 19.2 percent last year. ROE hit 22.3 percent in the first six months of the year. “We have revised downwards our loan growth target … given renewed uncertainity in the global and domestic market we would maintain a conservative approach,” Oduoza said. Nigeria’s economy slowed sharply to 2.35 percent in the second quarter from 6.54 percent a year ago as lower crude prices took its toll on Africa’s biggest economy and top oil producer. The drop in crude prices also hit the currency market, prompting the central bank to tighten access to dollars in a bid to curb speculation on the naira, in turn hurting bank revenues from foreign exchange activities. Oduoza noted that regulatory risk was also rising with the government withdrawing public funds from the banking sector. Last week, UBA posted a pre-

tax profit rise of 35 percent in the first half to 39.04 billion naira, $196m and declared a dividend of 0.20 naira, thanks to increased income from business customers. He said UBA restructured less than 1 percent of its loan book during the first half with 17 billion naira worth of loans made to cash-strapped Nigerian state governments exchanged for 20year sovereign bonds with the debt office. A 10 billion naira loan to one oil and gas customer was also restructured in the period, Oduoza said. UBA shares climbed 2.38 percent to 4.30 naira on the Lagos bourse on Tuesday, outperforming the 1.02 percent rise on the broader stock index.

Eastern Coast of Africa.” Van Eeden delivered a presentation that identified key African gas infrastructure trends influencing gas and associated markets on the African continent. “In a recent project completed at Frost & Sullivan, we identified tremendous opportunity for gas infrastructure in subSaharan Africa over the next 20 years,” stated van Eeden. Other highlights from the conference included the panel discussion on “Stimulating Investment: Underpinning of a Stable Economic Environment” which focussed on access to finance in order to ensure that energy projects on multiple levels and associated sectors be-

come bankable. The executive panel on “The Big Debate: Is Renewable Energy the Solution to Universal Access to Affordable Energy?” was also of particular interest to the delegates as it highlighted the current and future role of renewable energy, as well as the opportunity to fast track certain technology types within the African energy environment. The 17th EAPIC Convention gathered over 200 high profile industry delegates and showcased insights from over 75 senior speakers, who were able to contextualise challenges and investment opportunities that exist for the East African energy landscape. BC

NPF MfB to raise N3bn from Stock Exchange

Oduoza

All but one out of UBA’s 17 African subsidiaries were now generating profits, Oduoza said contributing 22 percent to gross earnings in six months. He expected African subsidiaries to account for half of its total business in the next few years. BC

he NPF Microfinance bank Plc, buoyed by its significant performance and sound financial results over time has indicated its intention to raise about N3 billion from the Nigerian Stock Exchange ,NSE. The bank will raise the funds through rights issue and public offer. Chairman of the bank, Azubuko Joel Udah, fielding questions from capital market correspondents after sounding the closing gong today, said the funds would be used to expand the banks operations and improve on its services. Udah said at the moment the bank has about seventeen branches and intend to cover the 36 states. He said in the last sixteen

years the bank has consistently paid dividend to its cherished shareholders. “The board aims at raising stronger capital base, attracting new investors, raising the national profile and enhancing the leadership position of NPF Microfinance Bank in the microfinance sub-sector will no doubt grow the bank as a reputable financial institution’ he added. He promised to avail the market and the investing public of relevant information that will propel their continuous interest in the bank. Udah further reassured investing public and stockbrokers and other stakeholders that the bank will ensure sustenance of its superlative performance at all times. BC

MasterCard, FAO collaborate on promoting financial inclusion

asterCard and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, FAO, have announced a partnership that will develop inclusive payment systems to support small-scale farmers and poor families. In a statement, Mastercard said, “Among other activities, the collaboration will explore ways to provide credit or money to households for purchases of basic needs and farming inputs on local markets, thereby supporting local economies and putting financial tools in the hands of economically marginalised communities.” According to the statement, the effort will benefit from the complementary strengths of both organisations: MasterCard’s expertise in payments technology and FAO’s global reach and track record in com-

bating hunger and malnutrition. The partners’ first joint effort will be in the Kakuma refugee camp, in Turkana County, Kenya, currently home to 170,000 refugees who have fled wars and violence in neighbouring countries. Camp residents will be provided with prepaid cards that will permit them to buy charcoal produced locally by the host community – charcoal that has been certified as being produced in a sustainable, environmentally-friendly way. The scheme is designed to improve incomes of Turkana residents, reduce social tensions between those residents and the refugees, and relieve pressure on the environment. MasterCard will provide its technology expertise, and a meaningful financial contribution, to kick-start the business

chain by providing 1,240 hostcommunity households with improved charcoal making kilns and 7,000 refugee households with energy efficient stoves and credit to purchase 25 per cent of their annual charcoal needs. “This partnership truly shows

Silva

that the private sector is a key ally in global effort to build a world with zero hunger. FAO is extremely proud of this collaboration with MasterCard that will support small-scale farmers to become economically independent by advancing financial inclusion,” said FAO Director –General José Graziano da Silva.” MasterCard’s Walt Macnee said: “This important agreement with FAO further builds on our commitment to establish meaningful partnerships that leverage global technology and insights to drive a more empowered, inclusive planet where people – regardless of where they live or their current economic status – are able to better build more self-determined lives. Together with FAO, we look forward to delivering against this vision.” BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

A7 23

Companies & Markets

RMAFC orders Banks to return N12bn government revenue

Stories by Udo Onyeka

he Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission, RMAFC, has requested commercial banks still in possession of government money to return them without delay. The commission disclosed that some banks are still holding some collected revenue amounting to over N12bn. The banks were said to have been engaged by the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, to collect revenue and remittances on their behalf. The demand followed the verification and reconciliation of revenue collections and remittances by the collecting banks carried out by the commission. According to a statement signed by the Head of Public Relations, RMAFC, Mr Ibrahim Mohammed, the directive was given by the Chairman, NonOil Committee of the Commission, Mr Ajibola Fagboyegun. According to the statement, he gave the order when he received a draft report of the exercise presented to him by the Lead Consultant, JK Consulting Company Limited, which was hired by the Commission for the exercise. “The purpose of the exercise, which commenced in Novem-

ber 2013, is to improve the public finance system and ensure all revenues collected on behalf of government are remitted accurately when due,” Fagboyegun was quoted as saying. The statement said the Commission, as the national revenue watchdog for the federation account, engaged the services of JK Consulting Company Limited to verify and reconcile revenue collections and remittances by 19 collecting banks engaged by the NCS

and the FIRS from Jan 2008 to June 2012 with a view to uncovering unremitted funds. The statement said Fagboyegun commended all stakeholders and 15 of the banks which cooperated with the consultants during the exercise. It also said he berated the remaining five banks for their uncooperative attitude, which delayed the completion of the exercise, stressing that their laxity could force the Commission into taking drastic measures against them. BC

ields on Federal Government bonds are seen stable at the next debt auction on September 16 after the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, declined to sell its short-dated Treasury bills to commercial banks who were asking for higher returns in the last two weeks. The government plans to raise about N70bn in bonds with maturities of five years and 20 years on September 16. But dealers said yields may not be far from the last auction given government reluctance to borrow at higher returns. The 2020 bond was sold at 15.41 per cent while the 2034 paper fetched 15.19 per cent at the last auction. “The CBN has declined to sell open-market operation treasury bills to commercial lenders in the past two weeks

eystone Bank, a leading commercial bank in Nigeria, has charged professional drivers who convey commuters across different cities of the country to pay attention to their health as a strategy to prevent road traffic accidents. Managing Director/CEO of Keystone Bank, Mr. Philip Ikeazor who made the call in Lagos on Tuesday, said when the drivers are in good health, it would reduce the incidence of highway accidents. Ikeazor, who was represented by Mr. Hafiz Bakare,

L – R: Managing Director/CEO, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, Mr. Akinwunmi M. Lawal; Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Oscar N. Onyema, and Chairman, NPF Microfinance Bank Plc, Deputy Inspector General, Azubuko Joel Udah Esq. (rtd), at the Closing Gong Ceremony at the Exchange

T-bill yields stable as CBN shuns banks

Johnson Okanlawon

CSR: Keystone Bank moves to reduce road accidents

due to its unwillingness to raise yields in line with bids by investors,” one dealer said. The market may have seen this development as a signal that government would not be willing to raise yields at the auction next week, spurring local pension funds to instead take positions in the secondary market. “We have seen some buying interest at the secondary market in spite of the auction of JP Morgan to remove the country’s bond from its in-

dex,” another trader said. The United States investment bank JP Morgan said on Tuesday it would remove Nigeria from its Government Bond Index (GBI-EM) by the end of October, after warning the government that currency controls were making transactions too complicated. The initial reaction to the JP Morgan move led to an increase in yields across the board on debt, but later moderated after regulators introduced a new spread to stem

volatility. Yields on local debt crossed the 17 per cent line on Wednesday on initial reaction to the JP Morgan auction, but moderated to 16.13 per cent on Friday for benchmark 2024 paper from 16.02 per cent last week. Yield on 2022 paper traded at 16.13 per cent compared with 16.08 per cent last week, while the longest tenor paper 2034 traded at 16.11 per cent against 15.94 per cent last week. BC

Executive Director, Corporate Bank and Treasury, spoke at the Health and Eye Screening project organized by Keystone Bank in partnership with the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), Public Health Partners (PHP) and the Eye Foundation Hospital. The Keystone Bank health and eye screening initiative tagged Think Road Safety, Save Lives, is in line with the FRSC projection to reduce road traffic accidents by 50 percent by 2015. Similarly, it aligns with the United Nations General Assembly resolution of 2010 calling for a Decade of Action for Road Safety from 2011 to 2020. The health screening exercise for long distant drivers held at the Ekesons Motor Park in Jibowu, Yaba and the Ojota New Garage Park, on Wednesday and Thursday last week. Hundreds of drivers from several motor companies operating in several motor parks participated in the screening exercise and majority whose vision were found to be deficient got free medicated eye glasses for improved vision apart from being counseled on healthy living. In an address titled, Health in the Driver’s Seat, Mr. Hafiz Bakare said the Keystone Bank’s Think Road Safety, Save Lives project is one of the Bank’s CSR initiatives. He said it is driven by the need to identify with and support the transport sector because “we believe that this would improve safety on our roads thereby saving lives.” According to him, the scope of the exercise is for interstate commercial transport drivers to check for diabetes, hypertension and cholesterol and to ascertain their blood group and the state of their eyes, while the Eye Foundation personnel conducted tests for glaucoma, visual and automated refraction. BC

Fidelity Bank appoints two Executive Directors

he Board of Directors of Fidelity Bank appointed two new Executive Directors as part of efforts at restructuring and strengthening its executive management team to enhance its capacity to convert emerging business opportunities. In a statement, Managing Director and Chief Executive

Officer of the Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo said the new appointments are part of the Bank’s strategies to support strong growth plans and capacity building efforts. He expressed confidence that the new directors will bring on board their wealth of experience to strengthen and reposition the bank for im-

proved performance and new customer experience. The new Executive Directors whose appointments took effect from September 3, 2015 are Executive Director, Corporate Banking Adeyeye Olawale Adepegba and Executive Director, Lagos and South West Bank Nneka Chinwe OnyaliEkpe. BC

Ikeazor

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

A9 25

Brand Watch

Impact of elections bears on marketing industry still Stories by Dvid Audu

hief Executive Officer of Instinct Wave, Mr. Akin Napthal, has described the marketing space in Nigeria as dull, attributing it to the 2015 general elections which had kept most businesses under-performing in view of the uncertainties in the economy. Napthal made the observation in Lagos, recently, at a media briefing to announce the agencies and individuals that will be celebrated at the 2015 Marketing World Award scheduled for November. He said the marking industry experienced lull in activities for the better parts of 2015 due

to electioneering process in the country, which made companies and agencies to be sceptical in implementing plans, but expressed optimism that before the end of the year businesses would pick up for firm who persevere. The group publisher of Marketing World Magazine said the event will provide opportunity to celebrate champions in the marketing communication industry. “The award in its usual manner will reward outstanding performances across the integrated marketing communication industry”, he said. Marketing World Awards, MWA, which is its 5th year, is set to celebrate excellence, creativity and achievements of the

marketing industry by rewarding outstanding performances across the integrated marketing communication industry. MWA is a celebration of everything that makes marketing great in Nigeria and beyond. Firms and agencies have been nominated for one award or the other in different categories like Experiential Agency of the Year, Marketing Campaign of the Year, Financial Brand of the Year, Outdoor Agency of the Year, Best Company in Customer Care and many more. New categories were also unveiled at the press launch. These include, Africa Brand of The Year, Africa Brand Personality of The Year, Africa Airline Brand of

MTN rewards retailers in ‘Best 11 Promo’

n line with efforts aimed at strengthening its relationship with retail partners, MTN Nigeria has d rewarding Mrs. Kafayat Shittu with the N15 million star prize in the just concluded ‘Best 11 Retailers promo’. The promotion which is specifically targeted at the MTN retailers who sell physical and virtual airtime pan Nigeria was borne out of the need to reward its over half a million retail vendors across the country for their loyalty and support since inception of the business. Speaking at the cheque presentation in Lagos recently, Sales and Distribution Executive, MTN Nigeria, Tsola Barrow

Barrow

stressed the importance of rewarding loyal retailers who have been with the MTN Business through the years. According to Barrow, “We

know the importance of relationship and our retailers are as important as every other customers on our network. This informed the decision to reward them specially in the Best 11 promo. With this promo, our lucky winner has opted for N15 million which is the cash equivalent for the star prize of a home valued at N15million.” He further added that, “MTN sees this as an avenue to continue to empower more Nigerians to live their dreams and to encourage others to pursue theirs through hardwork and consistency. Nothing is impossible to achieve, therefore, we would continue to keep our words on rewarding our sub-

Napthal

the Year, Best Country in Destination Branding, Best Brand in Ghana, and African Marketing Professional of the Year. Commenting on this, Mr. Naphtal indicated that the award categories were concluded after careful research based on market intelligence. BC

scribers with awesome prizes. ” Mrs. Kafayat Shittu, the lucky winner to emerge in the promo was quite ecstatic on the development as she praised MTN Nigeria for keeping to their words. “I am very happy to be the winner of this promo. Words are not enough to describe how I feel at the moment. I am very grateful to MTN Nigeria for making me a millionaire. This reward will make a big difference in my family henceforth. Thank you MTN Nigeria,” she said. Revealing plan on how she intends to spend the largesse, Shittu stated that with the fund, she would invest more in her business and family. BC

St. Ives Communications presents voices and faces of first women radio station

t. Ives Communications, owners of WFM 91.7, Nigeria’s 1st Radio station for women and their families has presented its on-air-personalities to a select team of journalists in Lagos. In what is like a scene from an episode of ShowTime, the quartet of Abisola Grace Aiyeola, Nigerian British born currently studying Business management at National Open University of Nigeria and Nigeria’s budding actress and singer, Funmi Jinadu, who cut her teeth in radio broadcasting at BBC Bristol, UK and an active member of the National Union of Journalists, United Kingdom. St. Ives Communications, owners of WFM 91.7, Nigeria’s 1st Radio station for women and their families presented the voices and faces that will be its core on-air-personalities to a select cream of media practitioners in Lagos recently. In what is like a scene from

an episode of ShowTime, the quartet of Abisola Grace Aiyeola, Nigerian British born currently studying Business management at National Open University of Nigeria and Nigeria’s budding actress and singer, Funmi Jinadu, who cut her teeth in radio broadcasting at BBC Bristol, UK and an active member of the National Union of Journalists, United Kingdom. Others are Bolatito Bez Idakula, a former banker with a B.Sc. in Politics and International Studies from the University of Warwick, England and an MSc. in Management from Imperial College London and Chinedu Faith Nwagha, a public speaker, customer service consultant and an advocate of personal development were presented to the media as the leading voices and faces that will run things at WFM 91.7 as the station’s core on-air-personalities - OAPs. Presenting the broadcasters at the event in Lagos, Toun Oke-

wale-Sonaiya, stated that the quartet were selected from over 5,000 applicants that showed interest in working for WFM 91.7. “The selection process was thorough and painstakingly executed. We were lucky to have veteran broadcasters like Femi Sowoolu, Seun Olagunju, Sydney Ufeli of Spik Rait, Saund Rait, etc. on the selection panel. So, what we are serving the listening public are the best of our bests,” she said. Toun, herself a broadcaster of many years’ experience whose career traverse Nigeria and United Kingdom added that “One of the amazing qualities of these on-air-personalities is that each of them can function in any arm of the station’s operations. They are all undergoing training that will see them performing creditably well on any programme,” she enthused. According to Toun, though WFM 91.7 prides itself as an ‘unapologetically for women’ ra-

dio station, she reiterated that “it is not just about women or straight-jacketed tailored for women; it is a radio station for women, the men in their lives and for the whole family. The station will cover and discuss every aspect of our lives, be it sports, business, politics, governance, economy, health, family, relationship issues, youth etc. However, all these issues will be presented from the women perspective. How we (women) see it. “Though we are licensed for women, WFM 91.7 will also cater for the men and the family by engaging on issues of local, national and international importance for all. It will operate 24 hours of talk and less music. The station will address everyday issues for women and their families. It will be a reliable, leading and trusted source for all related news, information and matters of interests for women and their families,” she enthused. BC

Grey Africa launches specialist branding design unit

rey Africa has expanded its service offering with the development of its specialist branding unit, Grey Design. The design division will be integrated within the current Grey Africa’s structures and looks at both existing and new client business to expand. “Grey has always had an exceptionally strong design competency and due to its growing stature and increasing assignments in this specialised space, along with the recent affirmation of Grey’s recent Cannes Grand Prix in the Design category, we decided it was time to introduce the dedicated design unit,” says Grey Africa Group Managing Director Paul Jackson. Leading Grey Design will be Kean Hartnady, Graphic Design Head at Grey Africa. “The new division has a dedicated staff complement of dedicated design specialists who together have a combined total of more than a 100 years of design experience having worked in various industries ranging from finance, beverages, packaging, travel, politics, technology to fast moving consumer goods across almost every design discipline imaginable,” says Kean. “Our service offering includes Brand Strategy, encompassing Brand Purpose Discovery, Brand Architecture and Brand Positioning to Brand Identity Development, Brand Experience, Design and Digital Branding amongst others.” “Everything we do at Grey Design is the culmination of our passion, dedication and search for great design that makes things better. Design that converts. Design that performs. Design that astonishes. Great design delivers, but when rational meets emotional, form meets function, art meets science, that’s when great design evokes emotion, delivers an experience and ignites a passion. This exciting new chapter will continue to steer us to create famous new brands, reinvent existing brands and help brands stand out through Grey’s famously effective design,” concludes Kean. BC

Jackson

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Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Review

Power sector probe: How far can Senate go in un-masking crooks? Mixed reactions have continued to trail the senate’s probe of the power sector who last week constituted an ad hoc committee to carry out a holistic investigation into the management of funds appropriated to the sector from the last three administrations. Stakeholders expressed doubt about the outcome of the exercise asking how far can the exercise go in un-masking the monumental fraud in the sector, even as others expressed cautious optimism that the probe would not go the way of similar probe in the past Gbenga Odogun report.

he Senate’s searchlight has beamed on the power sector as an adhoc Committee was last week set up to carry out a holistic investigation into the management of funds appropriated to the power sector from the Olusegun Obasanjo civilian administration to date. This follows the huge amount said they have been spent of the sector since the last 16 years. Analysts have put the amount so far spent by successive administration in the country in the last 16 years at $29.635 billion or N6.52 trillion While the administration of former President Olusegun Obasanjo reportedly spent $16bn (N3.52 trn), his successor, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, expended $5.375bn or N1.183trn while immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration spent $8.26bn (N1.817 trn). Piqued by the poor power situation, late President Yar’Adua, on assuming power in 2007 said that “the government under President Olusegun Obasanjo wasted $10bn on the National Independent Power Project, NIPP with little or nothing to show for it.” Senate President, Bukola Saraki who announced the

Saraki

13-man ad-hoc committee on the floor of the house lamented huge amount so far expended on the sector since the lifetime of the past three administrations headed by the trio of Olusegun Obasanjo,Yar’Adua and Jonathan with little or no significant improvement in power supply to Nigerians. The committee which has Senator Abubakar Kyari, APC, Borno North, as chairman also has Senators Mohammed Hassan, Ali Wakili, Godswill Akpabio, Mao Ohuabunwa, Aliyu Wammako, Shaaba Lafiagi, Olusola Adeyeye, Babajide Omoworare, Fatima Razaki, Ighoyota Amori, Mustapha Bukar and Dino Melaye.as members is also saddled with the responsibility of looking into irregularities in the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. The Senate president urged members of the committee to consider their reputation and integrity and come up with a report that will revealed the real reason why the sector has not recorded any significant improvement in spite of the huge spending. Speaking at the inauguration last week, Senator Saraki said that the setting up of the committee became necessary following the poor performance of the sector even after the privatization According to him “We

Onwubiko

thought that with the Power Reform Act and unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), we will begin to witness an improvement with regard to power supply, but unfortunately it is not so. The ad-hoc committee will be charged with the responsibility of looking at the activities of the Distribution Companies, DISCOs and what is preventing Nigerians from benefitting from the unbundling of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria PHCN.”the senate president said The Senate which also condemned inability of TCN to provide continuous and uninterrupted power supply to all parts of the country, the senate was particularly concerned that Nigeria with a population of over 150 million produces only 4, 600 mega watts, while South Africa with a population of about 45 million people produces more than 40,000 mega watts. Since the inauguration of the probe panel by the Senate president Dr Bukola Saraki last week, stakeholders have reacted with mixed feelings, while some expressed doubt about the outcome of the probe particularly in view of the failure of similar probe in the past .A similar probe ordered by the House of Representatives into the sector in

Bello

2007 under the stewardship of Ndudi Elumelu quickly degenerated into controversy as it was alleged to be a witchhunt. Another probe ordered by the Senate in that era under the stewardship of Senator Nicholas Ugbane also ended in controversy. While ‘Reacting to the adhoc committee’s inauguration, President of the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Alhaji Remi Bello, believed that the investigations will achieve some success’ According to him “There will always be a time for a people to say no and this is the time, the people have said No to the era of misapropriation,the fact that past efforts have failed to yield fruitful result does not mean this one will also go the way of the past exercise. However, to Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, such exercise was nothing but a mere “jamboree”, he questions the rationale behind the probe stressing that the Senate still lacks the necessary technical competence to track down those he described as ‘saboteurs’ of the power sector adding that previous effort by the National Assembly to probe the National Integrated Power Project (NIPP) initiated by the then President Obasanjo, came to naught, Onwubiko advocated for a forensic audit

by certified independent assessors to achieve any meaningful result in the task of unraveling the mystery surrounding the huge spending without corresponding yield in power supply to the people His words: “Seriously, most rational Nigerians who have the gift of discernment and some wisdom have seen through the futility of these cocktails of pre-arranged probes, especially in the electricity power and pension sector. In the last session of the Senate, and indeed since 1999 that civil rule returned, there hasn’t been any quality outcome from the incessant probes in the National Assembly, and especially in the Senate. “Shortly after the exit of President Obasanjo, there were outcries that the power sector should be investigated to uncover how over $12 billion reportedly spent to upgrade power infrastructure was simply stolen and pocketed by the politicians manning the Power Ministry. But the National Assembly didn’t achieve anything.” Onwubiko described the efforts by the current Senate at probing the power sector as “just another joke,” noting how such might end up as another political circus shows “which may inevitably empower the probe committee members.” BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

A11 27

Smart devices drive polarises vendors

Isaiah Erhiawarien

eading manufacturers of ICT devices appear to be going into partnership that are strategically position to grab large chunks of the of the market. In the last two years there has been growing quest for smart device by users, according to industry analyst and that has pitched leading vendors against each other. The latest clique is that between one of the leading vendors in the smart device market, Chinese global smartphone manufacturer, Huawei. Huawei and Sony both have chosen to launch new flagship smartphones and focused on screen innovations in a bid to differentiate them. The Huawei Mate S features a number of tweaks to the touchscreen technology including Force Touch, which responds to different levels of pressure applied to the screen; an improved fingerprint sensor; gesture shortcuts and unique functionality from using knuckle rather than fingertip. The new clique seems to have impressed analysts, who described that speed with which Huawei is able to integrate new features as impressive even as it now rumoured that the next iPhone might include the Force Touch, which was first introduced on the Apple Watch, while Huawei appears to have already implemented a similar capability with the Mate S. However, analysts are of the opinion its up to the people to decide whether Force Touch will usher in a whole new way to use smartphones or remains simply a gimmick. Huawei partner in the new clique, Sony has to its credit the Sony Xperia Z5 Premium is apparently the first smartphone to feature a 4K display, which means the 5.5-inch screen has a resolution of 806 PPI. In comparison the iPhone 6+ screen has a resolution of 401 PPI, so Sony has managed to double that. It’s debatable, however, how useful those extra pixels are as the reason Apple uses the ‘Retina’ brand for its displays is that it reckons that the maximum resolution the human eye can discern. As Apple prepares to unveil its annual smartphone refresh next week, both Huawei and Sony claim they have screen tech that Apple doesn’t, but specs alone are unlikely to score many competitive points against the US giant. Huawei also launched a new circular smart watch, while Sony fleshed out its Xperia Z5

Chen

range with a couple of less expensive versions too. Meanwhile, BlackBerry has decided to standalone while others form their cliques by investing in mobile management with a whopping sum of $425m. The move, it was learnt was that the Canadian mobile company moved to strengthen its mobile device management offering with the acquisition of a major competitor in that space the good technology for $425 million. BlackBerry’s core offering, even when it was a successful smartphone player, was its secure mobile platform, which was the default for enterprise mobile email for some time. Good Technology also specialises in providing secure mobility to BlackBerry is both enhancing its offering and removing a major competitor. A few years ago, when it was clear it had lost the smartphone market to Apple and Google, BlackBerry restructured into four main business units: smartphones, BES (BlackBerry Enterprise Server – the mobile platform), BBM (the OTT messaging app) and QNX (its automotive platform). This was similar to the restructure of Nokia, but BlackBerry has yet to find a buyer for any of the four units. A statement from the company, quoiting Chief Executive Officer, John Chen, stated that by acquiring Good, BlackBerry will better solve one of the biggest struggles for CIOs today, especially those in regulated industries: securely managing devices across any platform. “Like BlackBerry, Good has a very strong presence in enterprises and governments

Wyatt

around the world and, with this transaction, BlackBerry will enhance its sales and distribution capabilities and further grow its enterprise software revenue stream”, said Chen. Chen said that “by providing even stronger cross-platform capabilities our customers will not have to compromise on their choice of operating systems, deployment models or any level of privacy and security. Chief Executive Officer of Good Technology, Christy Wyatt commenting on the investment said that enterprise customers today demand stringent security and the most flexible platform across all mobility strategies, saying that, “We are excited to join BlackBerry, where together we will be the most comprehensive mobile platform in the market. Good has worked hard to deliver the highest levels of security across operating systems and applications. Our trusted Good solutions will also help BlackBerry to accelerate its Internet of Things platform for managing endpoints beyond mobile devices.” Another clique in the smart device war is that of three Korean tech giant, LG, Samsung and SK Telecom who have agreed to join forces over Smart Home. The Three Korean tech giants have announced they are collaborating over the delivery of smart home services. SK already has a smart home platform, which it launched back in May and offers to its subscribers. The main feature of this move is to make that platform instantly compatible with IoT devices being produced by LG and Samsung.

Young-hoon

These could include dedicated smart home products but also regular consumer electronics, possible hastening the arrival of the fabled connected fridge. According to Head of Smart Home TF at SK Telecom, Cho Young-hoon SK Telecom has been making efforts to create an open ecosystem around its Smart Home platform to bring benefits to all stakeholders, noting that “Cooperation with two global consumer electronics giants Samsung Electronics and LG Electronics is expected to take smart home to the next level, providing users with greater value and convenience.” Head of Smart Business Center at LG Electronics, Choi Seong-ho said, “We are pleased to join hands with SK Telecom in the smart home business to assure the potential of the open ecosystem.” He stated that “We hope this collaboration will become a role-model for both electronics and telecommunications companies to achieve mutual growth.” Head of Sales and Marketing at Samsung Electronics, Yoon C. Lee said Samsung has a strategic plan to collaborate with diverse companies who have their own smart home platforms to maximize effectiveness of customers adding that Samsung is delighted to work with SK Telecom who is leading the smart home business in Korea.” Interesting, the war is getting messier at a time when the Global mobile Suppliers Association (GSA) is reporting that the total of global LTE subscriptions has exceeded three quarters of a billion and is fore-

cast to top a billion by the end of 2015. According to GSA, LTE net continue to outpace all other mobile communication technologies saying that the grand total as of 30 June 2015 was 755 million subscriptions, of which 113.5 million were added during the quarter. That rate will only need to accelerate slightly for the billion mark to be reached by the end of the year, the GSA observed stressing that 441 million LTE subscriptions were added in the past year, equivalent to 140 per cent annual growth. Vice President of Research at the GSA, Alan Hadden said that “For the first time LTE exceeded ten per cent share of the worldwide subs total for all mobile technologies. GSA forecasts over 1 billion LTE subscriptions worldwide by the end of 2015.” The statistic revealed that 51 per cent of global LTE subscriptions are now accounted for by the APAC region, with North America second on 26 per cent and Europe third on 16 per cent, leaving just seven per cent for the rest of the world. However, the report said that the GSA does see strong growth in Latin America, which has seen its LTE subscribers increase by more than four times over the past year adding that Russia’s total has increased 3x in that time, as has the Middle East. GSA said that over 30 per cent of global operators are apparently now investing in LTE-A deployments, with two thirds of them having already commercially launched LTEA service in 45 countries, and most of those supporting Cat 6 devices. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

Active Facebook users in Nigeria hit 15million Stories by Isaiah Erhiawarien

onthly active users of Facebook in Nigeria is 15 million followed by South Africa 12 million and Kenyan, which is 4.5 million, the world’s most popular social media has said. Facebook recently opened its first African office in Johannesburg in June as the continent’s growing population and relatively low levels of internet access present a large untapped market for the social network to earn advertising revenue. The numbers, the first Facebook has published for Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation and Kenya, East Africa’s most developed, show the two nations as important entry points on a continent of nearly one billion

Ntshingila

people. Nigeria had 15 million monthly active users as of June 30 this year, all of them using mobiles to like, share and upload content on the social network.

In Kenya, 95 percent of the 4.5 million monthly active users did so via mobiles. “Mobile is not a trend; it’s the fastest adoption of disruptive technology in history of communication,” said Nunu Ntshingila, Facebook’s head of Africa, in a statement. South Africa has 12 million monthly active Facebook users, the data showed, and Facebook says with its strong advertising partnerships in Africa it would use the new office in Johannesburg to expand its business across the continent. Facebook said its active user population in Africa grew 20 per cent to 120 million in June from 100 million in September last year. A large portion of these users were in North Africa. BC

NITDA partner local entrepreneurs on business growth

s part of its support for the development of entrepreneurs in the country, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), will be supporting the DEMO Africa forum. The Director-General of NITDA, Mr. Peter Jack has explained that the decision is part of the mandate of the agency. He said the agency believes that DEMO Africa, is a launchpad for technology start-up companies, adding that the event is capable of retooling technology leaders and entrepreneurs in Nigeria. “Africa is growing in strength and its youths are pointing to the direction of things to come. NITDA is committed to Demo Africa as part of its mandate to youth development from the perspective of IT as well as its belief that a large population

of highly exposed and trained youths will be the driver of Nigeria’s new economy,” he said. He added that it is actions by different players that will see technology entrepreneurship effectively bringing sustainability to entrepreneurship across Africa. DEMO Africa is one of the flagship initiatives of LIONS@ frica and aims to connect African startups to the global ecosystem. DEMO Africa is the place where the most innovative companies from African countries get a platform to launch their products and announce to Africa and the world what they have developed. Out of the thirty start-ups that will showcase their products and services this year, Nigeria leads the table with eight startups including PoshRite, Oga Venue, TalkingBookz,

Jack

iKon Tracker, Mavis Computer, Carparts Nigeria, Zuvaa, and SmartEdu. acebook has nearly 20 million users in major African markets Nigeria and Kenya, statistics released by the social network showed on Thursday, with the majority using mobile devices to access their profiles. BC

Spinlet backs Nigerian entertainment awards

pinlet, provider of music on the go in Africa has supported the Nigerian Entertainment Awards, NEA by hosting an exclusive gala for stakeholders in the Diaspora. The Spinlet and NEA exclusive gala which took place at the NYU Skirball Center for Performing Arts in Manhattan, United States, celebrated the best and brightest that Nigerian and African music has to offer. The gala, which also

Balonwu

brought together over 60 USbased African Entertainment promoters, media, influencers and other entertainment business executives provided an opportunity to welcome guests to the awards, networking opportunities for entertainment executives and increase conversation on the evolution of the African music industry. Chief Executive Officer of Spinlet, Nkiru Balonwu, said that Spinlet’s support of the NEA is another intervention to expand its scope and outlook whilst catering to the international community and bringing a diverse catalogue of music from Africa and the rest of the world to the US. “Spinlet’s catalogue of African and international music is proving popular on a global basis. Digital distribution has made it easier for international audiences to discover and enjoy music from anywhere in the world. We are seeing increasing interest for artists and albums outside of

the mainstream, and are very proud to be helping audiences to discover new musical experiences,” said Balonwu. She said that “the future of music is mobile and also global as we continue to see consumers increasingly pull in tracks from artists based all around the world. It’s time to support the continent.” According to Tope Esan, NEA‘s Executive Producer, the gala affirms the organisation’s mission of creating awareness for African entertainment and promoting Nigerian artistes on the international stage. Stakeholders commended the partnership and encouraged the companies to continue to drive similar efforts on a larger scale to provide an easy link to Africa through music. Spinlet, through its web and mobile app platform continues to innovate to provide cutting edge music services and seek opportunities to partner with organisations that encourage music from Africa. BC

Technotalk

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

with Esther Ozue (ozueesther@nationalmirroronline.net) 08059234648 (sms only)

Maximising computer performance

any computer users tend to pay little attention to their computer performance. It doesn’t really matter if your computer is expensive, cheap or from a famous brand, what counts is its usefulness and how you can securely use it to grow your business. One of the drastic things that can happen to your computer is the drastic slowdown of its overall performance. Getting rid of any temporary files can clear up a significant amount of disk space and helps you to maximise your computer performance. Disk cleanup will do this for you without a lot of hassles. Temporary files are always kept when you surf web pages or use programs on your computer which can build up and occupy a huge amount of space on your system. Running Disk Cleanup will remove all temporary files, if you check the appropriate box before starting the process. It is essential to clean up any disk errors, at least once a week, and this can be done by using the Check Disk utility. This can be accessed by clicking Start, then My Computer, then the drive you want to be error checked which is usually C for most users, then select Properties, click Tools, then Check Now. Check Disk can take an hour or two to run. Disk Defragmenter should be run on a monthly basis at least if you want to maximise your computer performance. Over time, your files can be fragmented to different areas of the disk, and this will cause your system to take longer to retrieve the files or run the program, since the computer will have to search for every fragment and reassemble the file. Disk Defragmenter fixes this, by bringing file fragments back together, making it much easier for the computer to find the file or program much quicker. You can also maximise your computer performance by reducing the size and duration of the history for web pages. It is best if you only save these pages for one day; it is advisable not to save more than seven days under any circumstances because your computer will slow down significantly. Simply open the Internet Explorer, click on Tools, then Internet Options, and then change the settings as needed. This will maximise your computer settings and make it run much faster. You also should make sure you do not save encrypted web pages, because these pages can contain sensitive security information. You could also maximise you computer performance by installing a quality anti spyware and antivirus program as these will both keep electronic infections and malicious software off your computer. The programs need to be updated frequently if you stay connected at all times, like with broadband and cable connections. Another efficient way to maximise your computer performance is to use a registry cleaner. When you remove programs, fragments can stay in the Windows registry after the program is uninstalled. This can cause your computer to become sluggish and perform badly. A registry cleaner will solve this problem by automatically editing the files in the registry and cleaning out any fragments of files that were removed or not needed. Uninstall features you do not use. Operating systems are installed comprehensively, and usually include a list of features you may never use. Identify the operating system (OS) features you do not need and uninstall them to free up system resources of which the process may be different from one computer to another. Finally, your desktop is a vital area in maximising your computer performance. A lot of people save every of their work on the desktop thereby clogging the hard drive. Local disk is the appropriate place to save your works. Follow these simple tips and see the results manifest BC BC by having a superfast computer performance. BC

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Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

A13 29

Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola:

A Corporate Maverick By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

orn in January 1954 to a bank clerk father and petty trading mother, Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola was clearly not born with the proverbial Silver spoon. As the fifth in a large household of 17 children, it was obvious that the earnings of Fola’s parents could not in any way provide the basic necessities of life for the large family. So, right from infancy, he was exposed to the world of survival of the fittest. He had had to learn how to do some little businesses to help the family. In fact, Fola along with his brothers had to hawk wares on the streets of Lagos, the proceeds of which were pulled together to take care of their educational needs. However, despite the initial shortcomings, Fola’s father never lost sight of the need to inculcate the values of hard work and integrity in the children, the attributes which later came in handy as Fola and some of his siblings later in life began to climb to the top of the ladder of success in the corporate world. The young Afolabi started his education at St Paul’s School, Breadfruit, Lagos and then proceeded to the Methodist Boys High School (MBHS), also within the Lagos metropolis for his secondary education. At MBHS, Fola’s innate qualities began to manifest as he not only passed through the school but left his footprints as his name is among the 46 most outstanding students on the school’s Hall of Fame. After his secondary education, Fola proceeded to Yaba College of Technology to read Accountancy and graduated in 1975. An exceedingly brilliant individual, Fola became a chartered accountant five years after graduation following an intensive training he got under Deloitte, Haskins and Sells and D.O. Dafinone& Company (both Chartered Accountants), where he had variously worked. From the accounting firms, Fola joined the defunct NAL Merchant Bank as manager between 1982-1986 from where he moved to Continental Merchant Bank Limited between 1986-1990 and rose to become the bank’s deputy general manager and divisional head, financial services division. After about 15 years in paid employment, Fola Adeola took a life changing decision that was to later transform both his person and career and register his name among the great and mighty, both in Nigeria and on the global business plane. Along with his bosom friend, the late Tayo Aderinokun, Fola consummated his vision and dream of owning a bank with the establishment of Guaranty Trust Bank in 1990. At the age of 36, coming from the position of a Deputy General Manager and divisional head, financial services division of CMB, Fola became the pioneer Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Guaranty Trust Bank Plc, perhaps, the youngest to attain such a lofty height then. However, long before the birth of Guaranty Trust Bank, Fola had nursed the ambition to build a strong institution, whose corporate ideals and philosophy would revolve around integrity, professionalism

His present status did not come on a platter of gold. They were attained through cheer determination, courage, never-say-die and the typical can-do spirit of most Nigerian entrepreneurs. He did not come from a rich family background. In fact, he along with his other 16 siblings had to engage in street hawking to augment the little their parents could afford. That is the summary of the beginning of Tajudeen Afolabi Adeola, the self-made man, who braced the odds to rise from point zero to attain fame and wealth; building multinational institutions that are today considered the first among equals and enduring corporate strategies, the ideals which essentially were the products of his limitless exposure he garnered in his career advancement pursuits. After graduating from Yaba College of Technology and working under various notable accounting firms, Fola received professional development training at renowned institutions worldwide including Harvard Business School, INSEAD, and the International Institute for Management Development in Switzerland. With these exposures and the desire to create an institution that will clearly set him apart from his poor background, Fola put everything into the making of GTBank. However, while the process of the formation of what is today’s GTBank was still in the works, Fola and Tayo decided to have a business partnership, and experimental endeavour so to speak, when they pulled resources together to establish a barbing salon, named Finishing Touches in the high brow Ikoyi area of Lagos in 1986. The decision of the duo was born out of the desire to exploit a yearning gap which the absence of a barbing salon in Ikoyi and environs provided. At that time, Business Courage learnt that the closest salon to the highbrow area which provides comfortable abode to some of Nigeria’s upscale citizens and some highly upwardly mobile middle class corporate executives was somewhere on the mainland. The implication of this is that Ikoyi residents have to journey down to Surulere or Yaba on the mainland before they could get a decent barbing salon. More importantly, what spurred the idea of owning a salon in Ikoyi was the rather shocking experience he had on one of his barber scouting trips when a ghastly accident occured on the Eko Bridge. “The only thing that came to my mind was whether the victim of that accident was also on his way to the barbers! I decided we would put barbers in Ikoyi. The only person I knew that would entertain such a fanciful thought

Adeola

was Tayo Aderinokun. We both dipped into our pockets, and thus Finishing Touches Barbing Salon was born, ” he noted. Till date, the salon has remained in business but it is no longer owned by the duo of Fola and Tayo as they long sold it out following the acquisition and commencement of GTBank. From the beginning of his tenure at Guaranty Trust, Adeola had sought to build an institution that would outlast him and one that would be reputed for strong corporate governance, including carefully laid out succession plans. For twelve years, Fola, ably assisted by his friend and soul mate, late Aderinokun, redefined banking practice and made it a strong financial supermarket, revered locally and internationally for its strict adherence to professionalism, corporate governance and best practices. It was in this spirit that Fola, after 12 successful years at the helm of affairs, stepped down in what is today regarded as the best corporate transition in Nigeria. Today, about 10 years after his exit from the bank, GTBank has not only continued to wax strong, it has remained a numero uno in the annals of financial services delivery in the country. The bank, over the years, has grown to become one of Nigeria’s foremost financial institutions with vast business outlays spanning Anglophone West Africa and the United Kingdom. The bank presently has an asset base of over N1 trillion, shareholders’ funds of over N190 billion and employs over 5,000 people in Nigeria, Gambia, Ghana, Liberia, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom. Fola and his partner were able to build a bank that has a corporate banking bias and strong service culture that have enabled it record consistent year on year growth in clientele base and key financial indices since its inception in 1990. Its operational style, personnel conduct and service Continued on pg A14

Business Courage

delivery models are built on eight core principles aptly dubbed; The Orange Rules in line with the bank’s vibrant orange corporate colour. In September 1996, barely five years after it was founded, the bank, under Fola Adeola and ably assisted by late Aderinokun became a publicly quoted company and won the Nigerian Stock Exchange President’s Merit award that same year and subsequently for seven years from 2000 to 2009. In February 2002, just before Fola disengaged from the bank, GTBank was granted a universal banking license and later appointed a settlement bank by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in 2003. Two years after Fola’s exit, the bank undertook its second share offering in 2004 and successfully raised over N11 billion from Nigerian investors to expand its operations and favourably compete with other global financial institutions. This development ensured that the bank was satisfactorily poised to meet the N25 billion minimum capital base for banks introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria in 2005. In the post-consolidation era, GTBank made a strategic decision to actively pursue retail banking and a major rebranding exercise followed in June 2005, which saw the bank emerge with improved service offerings, an aggressive expansion strategy and its vibrant orange identity. In 2007, the bank entered the history books as the first Nigerian financial Institution to undertake a $350 million regulation Eurobond issue and a $750 million Global Depositary Receipts (GDR) Offer. The listing of the GDRs on the London Stock Exchange, LSE in July that year made the bank the first Nigerian company and African bank to be listed on the main market of the LSE. In December 2009, Guaranty Trust Bank successfully completed the first tranche of its $200 million corporate bond targeted at increasing the depth of its operations in West Africa and Europe in the next couple of years. There is no doubt that Fola Adeola left a rich culture tied to eight guiding principles called the Orange Rules; Simplicity, Professionalism, Service, Friendliness, Excellence, Trustworthiness, Social Responsibility and Innovation. Its value system is hinged on professionalism, ethics, integrity, and superior customer service. It maintains a culture of excellence and goes to great lengths to actualize the popular phrase; The Customer Is King and thus delivers to its customers at all times. The bank operates a very competitive environment, where people can learn its corporate culture and apply themselves in all they do. Employees are addressed

by their first names from entry level through to the Managing Director as there is no “Sirs or Madams”. In addition, it operates an open door policy to foster a feeling of equality amongst staff and ensure everyone is accessible at all times. The unparallel service delivery platform of the bank whose foundation was laid by Fola Adeola has paid off for the bank in a way that cannot be quantified as every customer testimonial about GTBank has continued to draw a great deal of business to the bank. The bank has also evolved over the past 20 years to become one of Africa’s leading banks with a unique reputation for service quality, innovation and excellent customer service; with significant footprints in all countries in Anglophone West Africa (Nigeria, Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Liberia) and the United Kingdom, and its sights firmly set on Francophone West Africa, it is poised to become the dominant player in the African continent. Butthen,Fola’sentrepreneurial passion did not start and end with GTBank. Another of his major contributions to the growth of entrepreneurship in Nigerian, particularly since he retired from GTBank in 2002 is the FATE Foundation, a non-profit, private sector led organisation, dedicated to encouraging the creation of wealth through entrepreneurship, using an innovative mix of training, mentoring, loan support

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Adeola

Monday, September 14, 2015

and consulting to support young Nigerians. FATE Foundation was founded in 2000, following his oneyear sabbatical at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies in Kuru, Jos, Nigeria, where he carried out research on economic development and job creation policies. Fola, who has never been a lone ranger in the achievement of his goals shared the dream of FATE Foundation with selected well meaning Nigerians for support for the lofty ambition. Naturally for endeavours like this, the late Tayo was Fola’s immediate confidant but the scope was expanded to include other eminent persons. The impetus behind FATE stemmed from a strong concern for the high level of unemployment and poverty in the country. FATE’s philosophy is based on the commitment to assist Nigerian youths, establish and grow successful businesses by equipping them with the tools, skills, networks and financing required for this task. Indeed, FATE’s mission is to foster wealth creation by promoting Business and Entrepreneurial development among Nigerian Youths. The vision behind this is to foster the growth and establishment of over 1,000 businesses by 2005 and 5,000 businesses by 2015. These businesses will lead to the creation of employment for at least 50,000 Nigerians by 2015. Since FATE’s inception, it

For twelve years, Fola, ably assisted by his friend and soul mate, late Aderinokun redefined banking practice and made it a strong financial supermarket, revered locally and internationally for its strict adherence to professionalism, corporate governance and best practices

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A14 30

has worked and continues to work with global corporations, institutions, and organisations. It has along with these, also received tremendous support from publicspirited individuals. Fola, a boardroom maverick, is a corporate player that no serious corporate organisation wants to ignore. He is on the board of quite a number of companies that operates within and outside the Nigerian economy. For instance, he is the chairman of the Main One Cable Company Limited currently building an open access submarine cable system that will span 14,000 kilometres and will provide international and internet connectivity to countries on the Atlantic Coast from Portugal to South Africa, connecting these countries with each other and with the rest of the world. Fola has served as the chairman of a range of institutions including UTC, Asset & Resource Management Company Limited, ARM, Eterna Oil, Tafsan Breweries (board member), and Credit Registry Services, Omatek Computers Limited and Socketworks Limited. He is also the chairman, board of directors of Lotus Capital, a full-service, ethical investment management boutique specializing in Shari’ah compliant asset management, private wealth management and financial advisory services. Lotus Capital was founded in June 2004 with the specific objective of meeting the investment needs of ethical individuals, businesses, and organisations across West Africa. Lotus Capital is duly registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) as Fund Managers, Corporate Investment Advisers and Issuing House. Lotus Capital is a Nigerian pioneer in this emerging financial niche with a unique equitable interest-free solution. Interestfree financial services primarily known as “Islamic Finance” is the world’s fastest growing financial sector with over $200 billion in assets worldwide growing at 1520 per cent per annum. He is also the Chairman of Cardinal Stone Capital, a full service financial institution which arranged a N10 billion debt investment in Sterling Bank Plc. The firm began operations in June 2008 and is currently registered by the Nigerian Securities and Exchange Commission to operate as an Issuing House, Fund Manager and Broker/Dealer. The firm’s activities are carried out across five business units Asset Management, Investment Banking, Principal Investments, Securities Trading and the Business Support Group. He is on the advisory board of The Kathryn Hauwa Hoomkwap Foundation, a not-for-profit foundation set up to continue the work of the late Kathryn Hauwa Hoomkwap, with the goal of supporting projects in

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the five major areas of Kathryn’s work thus: youth development, good governance; women issues; family and society as well as interreligious dialogue. A council member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria, ICAN, and Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IOD), Adeola served as member of former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair’s Commission for Africa between 2004 and 2005. He served until 2006 as a member of Global Advisory Committee on Philanthropy at the World Economic Forum, attended the HRH the Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference in the UK and was invited to join 24 other business leaders for the Aspen Institute ISIB Annual Business Leaders Dialogue in Aspen, Colorado. In the public sector, Adeola served as the pioneer Chairman of National Pensions Commission and was a member of both the National Awards Committee and the Solid Minerals Committee. He also chaired the Lagos State Disaster Relief Committee, which was created following the January 27, 2002 bomb blast tragedy in Lagos. He was appointed a member of the Governing Council of Lagos State University in November 2004 and the Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago-Iwoye, Ogun State until January 2011 and was the Chairman of Ogun State Development Trust Fund Committee. With over twenty papers presented oi various countries on a wide range of topics, Adeola has also obtained degrees from the London School of Accountancy, the International Institute for Management Development (IEP), the Lagos Business School (CEP) and the Harvard Business School (OPM). In 1999, Fola was awarded membership of the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies. The number of firsts and achievement he has recorded in the field of business, Fola has on three different occasions unsuccessfully failed to translate his economic success into massive political gains. He contested for the Ogun Central Senatorial district ticket under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, but lost the ticket to Iyabo ObasanjoBello, daughter of the former President Olusegun Obasanjo and also lost his bid to become Nigeria’s vice president in the 2011 presidential election when he contested as running mate to Nuhu Ribadu, former head of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), under the platform of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN. Clearly, Fola Adeola has a towering status in Nigeria’s corporate landscape and for many years to come, there appears to be no end to the number of feats which the banker turned corporate maverick will achieve. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

A15 31

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs KLINIC

With Mamora Victor Mamora is a system thinker and advisor whose belief and activator leadership strengths are directed towards improving workers perspective for city and enterprise development.

e-mail: olusegunmamora@gmail.com

magine you got up early in the morning and had to trek an hour and thirty minutes to get to the community river, the only source of water for about eleven neighboring villages. You hurriedly dipped your container in the river; eager to get clean water ahead of others who are gradually filling up the river in similar quest, only to discover what you had was a basket. Dear friend, in reality, your revenue collection system is as important as making sure what you had on when heading for the river is a bowl and not one with holes. This week, Abiodun Mamora, who is an experienced finance professional, shared her thought with me for your business to experience significant financial improvement. The reality is that knowing why we are in business makes a lot of difference in our approach to different challenges. Every entrepreneur is in business to offer a product or service for a profit. When the business enjoys patronage, revenue accrues, which can be in form of cash or credit. A business owner who wants to survive in a competitive environment must be proactive in putting in place a system that forestalls leakages. To effectively ensure that the income from sales is retained and channeled appropriately, the following are highly recommended. Have a well defined collection system Ensure details of sales transactions are taken Put in place an accounting system Take out time to look back and compare your business’s performance over time. Sales Collection System This is the process of re-

ceiving payment for goods and services. With the advent of electronic payment solutions such as POS, online transfer, Pay attitude etc., sales collection can be done with minimal human interference. Where cash payment is still being considered, the habit of banking sales will be useful. Depending on the frequency of sales and the value, a safe deposit box with combination lock should be considered as a temporal safety measure while a process of lodging the cash in a designated bank account should be in place. Of equal importance is the handling of credit sales. As a business owner, you need to develop your business’s credit policy. The overall credit limit for the business must be clear and well communicated. This must be monitored each time a credit proposal is being considered to ensure the business does not take up debt beyond what it can bear. Sales Recording System Where no record exists, opportunity for mismanagement abound. Therefore creating avenue for record keeping is very vital

When sales income “box” leaks

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A business owner who wants to survive in a competitive environment must be proactive in putting in place a system that forestalls leakages

for business success. Two basic records required for revenue collection are the invoice and receipt. Invoice shows the quantity and price of goods sold to a particular customer named therein. It states the mode of payment and where the sale is on credit; it contains the terms and condition for the sale. Every invoice should culminate into receipt either immediately (cash sales) or at a later date (credit sales). Receipts on the other hand are issued upon payment either by cash or through electronic platform (upon confirmation). With these two in place, you have the source documents for proper revenue accounting systems. Revenue Accounting System This is a sub-set of your enterprise accounting sys-

that may not be obvious by mere looking at the records in isolation, thereby hindering the business from maximizing its business potentials.

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BUSINESS

tem with emphasis on sales and cash collection entries. Accounting system helps to translate the data obtained from the day to day records to meaningful information that can be used for quality decision making. With this in place, you will be able to view the performance of the business and assess the extent to which the financial targets are being met. This accounting system can be manual (on paper) or electronic i.e. with the aid of technology ranging from Microsoft Excel to more sophisticated Accounting Software, depending on the size of your business. The information obtained therein could form the basis for decisions such as; introducing discounts, preventing further sales to defaulting customers, improving marketing activities and embarking on sales promotion etc. These are decisions

Motivational Business Quotes

he only way around is through. – Robert Frost

You only have to do a very few things right in your life so long as you don’t do too many things wrong. – Warren Buffett The noblest search is the search for excellence – Lyndon B. Johnson The man who does not work for the love of work but only for money is not likely to neither make money nor find much fun in life. – Charles M. Schwab You must remain focused on your journey to greatness. – Les Brown Far and away the best prize that life offers

is the chance to work hard at work worth doing. – Theodore Roosevelt Where there is an open mind, there will always be a frontier. – Charles F. Kettering Whether you think you can or whether you think you can’t, you’re right! – Henry Ford You must either modify your dreams or magnify your skills. – Jim Rohn Who likes not his business, his business likes not him. – William Hazlitt The new source of power is not money in the hands of a few, but information in the hands of many. – John Naisbitt BC

Periodic Evaluation Analyzing your business’s financial performance over a period of time will reveal the dynamics of your operation. More information can be obtained when a business’s financial records are placed side by side with those of preceding periods. This is known as trend analysis. As much as current financial information can be helpful, of greater benefit is understanding the behavior of your enterprise sales/revenue. This will help you to know the peak periods and how to better prepare to cash in on rare opportunities. Also, this information will help you to know your operating cycle so that you can better manage the business’s cashflow. This evaluation can be carried out quarterly, bi-annual or annually. It is advisable to have knowledgeable people with you when carrying out this exercise for better result. Dear friend, as entrepreneur, your financial resource is critical to the success of your enterprise and your ability to manage your revenue collection will go a long way in helping you retain this resource and multiply it. This is what Abiodun, the finance professional made me to understand. The next edition will be focused on improving your expenses to attain your financial goal because in financial management, sales income and expense are like the two sides of a sword that can be used to secure victory in the day of battle, if well sharpened. You will overcome! BC

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Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

BVN enrolment deadline‘ll not be extended – CBN

Udo Onyeka

entral Bank of Nigeria, CBN may not extend the October 31, fresh deadline set for the conclusion of the Bank Verification Numbers, BVN, exercise going by what a senior management of the bank said recently. So with less than two months to the expiration of the deadline, the apex financial sector regulator advice bank customers that are yet to enroll on the BVN platform, to endeavour to obtain their BVNs, in order not to be prevented from depositing or withdrawing from their accounts at the expiration of the deadline. The CBN Deputy Director, Banking and Payments System Department, Mr. Musa Jimoh, made this known at an interactive session with journalists in Lagos recently. He explained that the BVN initiative brings such critical benefits to the financial sector that the CBN was eager to finally see it commence and thus would no longer extend the registration period for the exercise. He emphasised that there would be no hiding place for people who use multiple identities to perpetrate fraud in the industry after October 31 2015 when all bank customers are expected to have their BVN. Mr Jimoh said, “With BVN, there would be no hiding place for those people who want to commit fraud. When the cutoff (deadline) comes, any person

who has no BVN would discover that they would not be able to deposit into or make withdrawals from their accounts. It would also no longer be possible then for delinquent debtors to continue piling up bad debts in several banks using different identities. This is because after October 31st every bank customer is expected to have a BVN and with it any customer that refuses to repay his debts to a particular bank would not be able to use a different name to open a new account without

another bank.” Besides, he said that with the BVN project, the industry would find it a lot easier determining the actual number of bank customers in the country. He said, “There are various estimates of the total number of bank customers in the country. But some people have two or three accounts. However, with the BVN, we will be able to know how many bank customers we have in the industry.” He said that the number of bank customers that had so far

L-R: Sales and Distribution Executive, MTN Nigeria, Mr.‘Tsola Barrow, Winner, MTN Best 11 Retailers Promo, Mrs. Shittu Kafayat and Frank Edoho, during the cheque presentation of the MTN Best 11 Retailers Promo in Lagos

FG scores NAMA high on safe tower project

he Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Aviation, Hajia Binta Bello has expressed great satisfaction over the high technical capacity of the completed Kano Safe Project at the Mallam Aminu Kano Airport, MAKIA. Hajia Bello who was at the airport for the final inspection of the completed Digital Safe Tower ahead of its commissioning also commended the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, for ensuring that the project was delivered promptly in keeping with the agreed timelines, stressing that the effort of the agency in maintaining safety of air navigation in Nigeria would be boosted by the sophisticated standard of the facility. “This is very encouraging. I am highly impressed that the facility has been delivered within the period agreed with the ministry and I am happy to say that we have achieved what we bargained for within the scheduled time…other project managers

enrolled on the BVN platform had risen to 19 million. It would be recalled that the CBN had extended the initial June 30 2015 deadline for the BVN registration by four months to October 31, 2015 after most customers failed to beat the initial deadline to register for the exercise. Indeed, 72 hours to the expiration of that deadline, bank branches across the country were overwhelmed by the large number of customers who had waited until the last minute to get registered. BC

should emulate this one. They have delivered a good job and on time too,” the Permanent Secretary said. Hajia Bello who observed Air Traffic Controllers as they controlled traffic live, using the facility was particularly thrilled that the entire process was purely digital and simple, without the use of paper strips as was the

case with the old tower. Managing Director of NAMA, Engr Ibrahim Abdulsalam, who led the Permanent Secretary on the inspection tour along with CEOs of FAAN and NIMET, informed Hajia Bello that Nigeria, is one of the first few countries in Africa to procure and deploy the Digital Safe Tower and that it ranks among the latest technol-

ogies in global Air Traffic Management. The Permanent Secretary also inspected the Safe Tower Equipment Room where digital transmission signals are received and processed for use by the control tower as well as the NIMET Forecast Office within the tower complex where weather observation and forecast is done.BC

Petrol Supply: NNPC returns to SWAP initiative

igerian National Petroleum Corporation has set up four new crude swap contracts to replace those it cancelled last month. The arrangement was vital for bringing in about half of the country’s domestic petrol demand. The Corporation cancelled the 2015 deals with Nigerian companies Sahara Group, Aiteo Group and NNPC’s trading arm Duke Oil because they were “skewed in favour of the companies”, it said recently. Return to status quo confirms

NNPC’s inability to maintain supply in the market and has no choice but to continue with some form of swap arrangement. The only other form of products input comes from import subsidy scheme and revamping its refining system, neglected for years which face crude supply obstacles. Nigeria has been hit hard by the sustained slump in global crude prices since last year as oil sales account for the bulk of government revenues. The cancelled deals will run through September before being

replaced by the interim offshore processing agreements (OPAs) between NNPC subsidiary the Products and Pipelines Marketing Co (PPMC) and four joint venture companies, industry sources and a state oil company source said. Two of the agreements are with NNPC joint-venture companies: One with Swiss trader Vitol called Calson and the other with commodities trader Trafigura called Napoil. The other two are with non-incorporated joint ventures between oil major BP and Nigermed Ltd and

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REGULATORS

NIMASA, Britain to partner on capacity building

he Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, has expressed its readiness to partner with the British Military in the area of human capacity building for the development of the Nigerian maritime sector. Receiving a delegation from the British Military Advisory and Training Team ,BMATT, led by Commander Shaun Quinn of the Royal Navy during a courtesy visit to the Agency, acting Director General, Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro stated that capacity building is very vital to the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector. Mr. Jauro further said that the relationship between the British and the Nigerian government dates back to the pre colonial era and that the Agency is willing to consolidate on the already existing relationship, especially in the area of training for the growth and development of the Nigerian maritime sector and the nation at large. “The Agency is willing and ready to collaborate with the British Military in the area of training of our personnel because training is part of capacity building and capacity building is key to the growth and development of the maritime sector”, the DG said. Earlier, the leader of the delegation who is also the BMATT Staff Officer Maritime, Commander Shaun Quinn noted that the reason for the visit was to know some of the functions of the Agency and to also discuss possible areas of collaboration with the Agency as regards training of its personnel towards enhancing a virile and safer maritime sector. Commander Quinn also said that the British High Commission is busy refreshing relationships with the country since a new administration took over and that the British Military will always be ready to build a closer working relationship with the Nigerian government where the interest of both countries is put into consideration to enhance trade facilitation and security on the nation’s waterways. BC

NNPC’s trading arm Duke Oil Co with Sahara Group. NNPC set up the first swaps in 2010 when it could no longer pay cash for gasoline imports. Facing cash flow problems and refineries that were barely running, NNPC decided to use half of the oil destined for its refining system for the swaps scheme. The contracts came in two forms: an OPA, whereby a trader takes Nigerian crude to a foreign refinery and returns with the resulting products, and a direct crude-for-product swap. BC

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Forte Oil: Profit drops on naira devaluation, borrowing costs

igerian downstream oil and gas firm has full year 2014 profit dampened by huge borrowing costs and the recent devaluation of currency, as it is exposed to foreign liabilities and settlements. Though the industry is highly geared, a substantial fraction of the industry’s total borrowings are denominated in the domestic currency. The company’s borrowings are denominated in currencies that match the cash flows generated by the underlying operations of the group, primarily Naira, Ghana Cedis, and US Dollars. This provides a hedge even without the use of derivatives. In the company’s latest result, loss from foreign currency translation declined 27 per cent despite the substantial pressure on the domestic currency during the year under review. For the financial year ended December 31, 2014, the energy group posted a decline in its annual profit. It posted an eight per cent decline in annual pretax profit for last year to N6bn despite an increase recorded in the company’s revenue. Consequently, the shareholders will receive a dividend per share of N2.50 compared to N4.00 dividend paid out in the same period of 2013, though it offers shareholders a bonus of one share for every five ordinary shares currently held. The share bonus is expected to compensate for the decline in dividend yield as we observed share price at more than double

at the end of 2014. Profitability The audited report and accounts of the company for the year ended December 31, 2014 showed impressive growth in the top-line but huge finance cost negated its bottom-line. The company’s revenue rose 32.9 per cent, while gross profit and operating profit increased 50.6 per cent and 29.8 per cent respectively. However, finance cost was up 938 per cent, which depressed pre and post tax profits by 7.94 per cent and 10.95 per cent respectively. Operating profit also grew by 29.7 per cent but was largely reduced by a sharp decrease in other income (-78.12 per cent). The company managed its distribution and administrative expenses well enough as both line items declined compared to what was recorded in the corresponding period of 2013. Profit after tax declined 10.9 per cent because of a huge portion of loans and borrowings that attracted finance charges growth of 937.1 per cent compared to 2013 financial year. The turnover rose from N128.0bn in 2013 financial year to N170.1bn in the review period, while gross profit increased from N12.3bn to N18.5bn. Operating profit grew to N8.14bn in 2014 as against N6.27bn in 2013. However, as against net finance income of N254.49m in 2013, finance cost rose to N2.13bn in 2014. With these, profit before tax

dropped from N6.52bn in 2013 to N6.01bn in 2014. After taxes, net profit also slipped from N5bn in 2013 to N4.46bn. Liquidity In the 2014 financial year, the company total assets appreciated 33.02 per cent to N139.2bn, from N104.7bn recorded in the same period of 2013. This is attributed to the company increase in its current assets, which rose 67.3 per cent in the review period to N82.4bn, from N49.3bn recorded in the corresponding period of 2013. Inventories, stood at N12.2bn, from N10.6bn in 2013, while other assets, trade and other receivables, cash and bank balances were up 34.3 per cent, 70.2 per and 136.6 per cent to N572m, N53.6bn and N16.06bn respectively. The company non-current assets marginally appreciated 2.54 per cent in the review period due to decline in its investment in property and intangible assets. But the pension of its staff was increased, standing at N16.4bn in the year, while deferred tax assets dropped to N120m, down 86.9 per cent from N920m recorded in the same period of 2013. On the whole, total non-current assets stood at N56.8bn in 2014, from N55.4bn in 2013. Howover, the company loan and borrowings jumped over 146 per cent to N12.3bn in 2014 financial year, from N4.98bn in 2013, while bank overdraft rose 236 per cent to N16.5bn, from

N4.91bn in the same period of 2013. Current tax liabilities and total liabilities increased to N845m, N52.5bn, from N570m and N36bn recorded in 2013 respectively. Total current liabilities now stood at N82.1bn, from N46.7bn in 2013. Total non-current liabilities dropped to N12.8bn, down 18.6 per cent from N15.7bn recorded in the 2013 financial year. Business strategy Forte Oil operates over 500 retail outlets in the downstream sector of Nigeria’s Oil and Gas industry, offering a wide range of petroleum products; Premium Motor Spirits (PMS), diesel, aviation fuel, kerosene, as well as a range of quality lubricants for various automobiles and machines. Its petroleum and lubricant products are distributed mostly to the automobile, industrial, aviation and marine markets, whilst the company is in alliance with leading brands to provide unparalleled shopping experience at its retail outlets to its various customers. It diversified its downstream operations into related energy businesses that include a subsidiary which specializes in the supply of Well Production Chemicals and Drilling/ Completion Fluids to the upstream petroleum sector. In consonance with the diversification strategy, the company established Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited - with the State Grid

Corporation of China as technical partners, the world’s largest power company - to herald its foray into the power sector. Amperion Power successfully acquired the 414MW Geregu Power Plant, located in Nigeria’s Kogi State under the recent federal government-led privatization programme in the power sector. As at December 31, 2013, it has 60 per cent stake in Amperion Power Distribution Company Limited, while it divested three per cent to Shanghai Municipal Electric Power Company, a technical partner for the acquisition of Geregu Power Plc. Forte Oil is poised to carve a niche in the power generation sub-sector by using this as leverage for future opportunities as part of its commitment to bridge the current power deficit in Nigeria. Company’s Background Forte Oil is an energy group with interests in downstream petroleum operations, power generation and upstream petroleum services. It is headquartered in Lagos, Nigeria, with extended operations in Ghana. The company aims to become the foremost Integrated Energy Solutions Provider in Nigeria, built on the pillars of solid corporate governance, sound business ethics and compliance, enhanced Safety, Health and Environment Practices; driven by technology, world-class business process and highly skilled and motivated workforce. BC

A24 40

Business Courage

Monday, September 14, 2015

We buy .. We sell.. We manage

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Monday, September 14, 2015

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Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

“It is well- settled that a written constitution is a document containing the ‘’fons et erigo’’ of the laws and rights of its people’ Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte, retired Justice of Supreme Court

Let’s decentralise S’Court for efficient justice delivery —Obla 42

How to curb rape

CJN, Justice Mahmud Mohammed

How Okogie battled Jakande over abolition of Lagos private schools 45

Ukraine accepts ICC jurisdiction on alleged crimes committed last year 46

Lagos Chief Judge, Justice Funmilayo Atilade

—Lawyers, stakeholders

ape constitutes the violation of a person’s fundamental human rights and it is one of the most appalling crimes a person can commit against another fellow human being. In the last few months, hardly does a day pass by without rape cases making headlines in the media. Section 357 of the Criminal Code Act 1990 defines rape as “unlawful carnal knowledge of a woman or girl, without her consent, or with her consent, if the consent is obtained by force or by means of threats or intimidation of any kind, or by fear of harm, or by means of false and fraudulent representation as to the nature of the act, or, in the case of a married woman, by personating her husband”. There are numerous cases of rape and even gang rape in Nigeria. While some are reported, many go unreported either because of the stigma and other reasons the victims may not want to mention. Not long ago, three robbers reportedly

Despite the existence of stringent laws as punitive measures to deal with rapists in the country, the crime has continued grow unabated in recent times. WALE IGBINTADE highlights lack of moral values, slow wheel of justice and ineffective enforcement mechanisms as constraints militating against arresting this abysmal trend.

Parents should take good care of their innocent and vulnerable children and not abandon them to wolves in pursuit of money. If this is done, a lot of cases of rape will be prevented. raped a 25 years old woman in her husband’s presence in Edo State. According to the report, the three young men between ages 22 and 25 years, stormed the victim’s house at about 3am, collected her money, handsets, recharge cards and other valuables and took turns to rape her right in front of her husband

whose legs and hands were tied and pushed under the bed. Also, a 34-year-old randy factory worker, Mohammed Ahmed, recently confessed that he raped his daughter ‘’only’’ six times. Ahmed, who was paraded by officials of Osun State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence

Corps, (NSCDC) told the police that he started having sex with his 14-year-old daughter (name withheld) in April, 2015. These are just some examples that go to show that many women in Nigeria, both young and old are daily being subjected to sexual abuse. Worried by the increasing rate of rape in the country, the Senate on June 3, 2015, passed the Sexual Offences Bill, 2015, which prescribes life imprisonment for rapists and those who have sexual intercourse with children less than 11 years. The passage of the bill followed a report of the Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters, chaired by Umaru CONTINUED ON PAGE 44

Law & Justice

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Let’s decentralise S’Court for Chief Godwin Obla, an astute lawyer, in and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, in this interview with WALE IGBINTADE, speaks on the justconcluded 2015 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and the federal character principle, among others. Excerpts:

As a senior member of the Bar, what are the gains of the just concluded 2015 annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association? From the theme of the conference “Lawyers and National Development”, every facets of our national life has lessons to learn. I am sure if you have attended a lot of the showcase sections you know they mirrorred the times that we live in. The biggest problem in this country today is the issue of corruption and one of the show case sections the first on Monday addressed this issue. There were also show case sections for arbitration and some other emerging trends in the administration of justice in our country. I believe that lawyers acknowledged themselves that they are an important aspect in the society and there is a clear indication on the part of the leadership that we lawyers want to be agent of change in our society and that if a leadership in our country is committed to change we lawyers are also ready to work hand in hand with such leadership. Members of the Port-Harcourt branch of NBA disrupted a session of the conference over the invitation extended to former governor Rotimi Amaechi. What is your take on this? I hear that he was invited to the conference and that some lawyers took exception to it. I do not know the character of the objection they took, whether it was non- violent or whether it was violent. As lawyers we conduct ourselves with high sense of responsibility and in a civil manner. If the objection was taken in a civil manner, we are entitled to it, lawyers are Nigerians after all, because they are entitled to express their indignation to an invitation extended to someone they feel is not worthy to attend our conference. Having said that, I suspect, I have no proof that such lawyers might have come from his constituency, Rivers State because it is a notorious fact that during his administration courts were shut down for 11 months in the state. To be frank, I cannot understand the rationale behind courts being shut down for 11 months. Look, there are a lot of multiplier effects to that. Applications for bail cannot be taken, titles to land cannot be challenged, chieftaincy matters would suffer, day to day transactions would suffer. Don’t forget that a banker-customer relationship can only be adjudicated upon by a state high court and the livelihood of lawyers for 11 months has clearly been thrown into jeopardy. Some lawyers are purely litigation lawyers; it is the court that is their farm. If they are deprived unjustly from their source of livelihood for 11 months can any man in good conscience say they should not feel any high sense of indignation against an individual that they perceived to have been the source of this problem? I think that will be expecting too much from these lawyers, they are human

Obla, SAN

I have no objection to people agitating in a civil manner but, I will take serious objection to any lawyer who agitates in a violent manner.

That is not our calling,

it is not expected and it is not part of our culture as lawyers. beings after all. But there are speculations that the protest was politically- motivated. Do you agree? The background that I’ve given to you now, does it sounds as politics? Lawyers cannot earn income for 11 months; is that politics? So, you deprived me from my source of income for 11 months and you say I should not protest against you? People should be reasonable for goodness sake, after all, every aspect of life is politics, he took a political decision to shut down the courts for 11 months, so if lawyers are now taking political decision to agitate against him what is wrong in that? My position is clear, I have no objection to people agitating in a civil manner but, I will take serious objection to any lawyer who agitates in a violent manner. That is not our calling, it is not expected, it is not part of our culture as lawyers, but, if they peacefully

demonstrate against his attendance, they are entitled to it, it is their right and the right to peaceful assembly is guaranteed by the constitution. Edo state governor Adams Oshiomhole likened the conduct of these lawyers to that of Benin Motor Park touts. Do you share his view? Adams Oshiomhole has a history of being absolutely reckless sometimes with his choice of words and his conclusion in serious matters of the state. He has a state to run, I think he should face it, we know his antecedents as a labour leader, a platform of which he had become a national leader today and I think he should conduct himself in a sense of responsibility. His use of language demeans his office. He has conducted himself more as a tout than the lawyers, he made unsubstantiated allegations in the pages of the newspapers on a regular basis. The immunity that his office ascribed to

him is not for recklessness and I think he shouldn’t push it too far. We are civil people as lawyers but we would not accommodate his excesses under any guise whatsoever. He should allow the individual that is affected to speak; why has he become a spokesman on all national issues? On every national issue, he is a spokesman now, where was his voice 12 months ago? I expected that we should have been hearing his voice when this country was actually sliding; this country is recovering now we are hearing his voice. Do you think the NBA was alive to its responsibilities during the 11 months the courts were shut down in Rivers State? I am sure some efforts were made, the NBA President went to the governor then but for reasons best known to him, he persisted. The courts were only opened by the new governor, that is the truth of the matter, the courts were only opened because a new governor was sworn-in, the records are there, the NBA President made efforts to see that the courts were opened and I am sure the local Bar in Port -Harcourt even though they were substantially emasculated, also made efforts but the efforts came to nothing. There are insinuations that the Bar has not been active in challenging unpopular policies by the government. Do you share this view? I don’t know what they expect lawyers to do, lawyers are lawyers, politicians are politi-

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Law & Justice

Monday, September 14, 2015

efficient justice delivery —Obla

cians and the society that expects too much from lawyers should also do a soul -searching. What have they done to advance the cause of the society that they live in? If they want the society to be a better place, what are they doing? What are their contributions? What efforts have they made to actually call their leaders to account for their actions in office? Don’t forget that this is a society that for the first time, out of frustration, the voting pattern has changed from the mundane to the serious. Previously, all you needed to do to win an election is to have a lot of money, spend it on the people and you will get the votes. But, after years of impunity, I think the society has come to realization that they were actually going to meet a dead end and that accounts for what you saw in the last election. The society should not expect the lawyers to be the vanguard of everything in this society, lawyers are part and parcel of the society, lawyers can only play their part and the part of the lawyers is not in the formulation of politics, it’s in the justice sector. Our role is in the justice sector, the fact that we have activists that have decided to extend the frontiers of their practice to the day to day lives of Nigerians does not mean that that is actually our calling, our calling is in the justice sector.

One of the issues discussed at the Bar conference is the Petroleum Industry Bill. Do you think, members of the National Assembly are willing to pass the bill into law? Let me tell you, everything that will happen depend on the leadership of the country. If we have a strong leader who is honest and knows what he wants to do, the lawmakers must follow the appropriate line, they have no choice. If the President in his wisdom now reworks the Petroleum Industry Bill and sends it back to them, he is a President that has character; he will ensure that it is passed. He is a President that has shown that he doesn’t have any personal interest in the PIB, he had

been there before as a minister for petroleum, he acquired nothing, he got no oil well, he got no benefit, and he has no relationship with any oil- related company. If the members of the National Assembly that went there at the request of their various constituencies are not seen to be cooperating with the President in driving his change agenda, they will be in trouble because the elections are just a few years away. They will be asked to account for their actions, four years is not a long period, one year is almost gone, in another two years people will be battling for re-election. So, they will know what to do, they will be called to account.

Senior lawyers have called for the decentralization of the Supreme Court to enable it deal with the backlog of cases. What is your take? I think I agree with them absolutely. We can have one Supreme Court but sitting in different geographical areas, there is nothing wrong with it. That is how the Court of Appeal started and it’s now decentralized in almost the 36 states so. I believe that at the end of the day, the end of justice will be better serve if the Supreme Court can deal expeditiously with the cases that come before it. There are appeals that were filled in 2005 and those appeals have not been heard up till date, will the appeals be heard when the litigants are dead? It will be unfair to litigants, justice delayed is justice denied. I believe very sincerely that there are some merits in those suggestions. Don’t forget that every state of the federation technically should actually have a Justice of the Supreme Court, just like you have ministers constitutionally from every state of the federation. We should have a representation of that, so we should have 36 Justices of the Supreme Court. If we have one in Abuja, have another one in Kano, North-East, South-East, South-South and then North-Central. We may now decide that all matters involving Federal Government and states should be dealt with by the

Obla

If the constitution says you must have regard for federal character, it is a justifiable act; you can challenge it in court. If the constitution says every state must have a minister and he does not give to a particular state, you can go to court. Supreme Court in Abuja, it is a matter of arrangement so that we can get efficiency and quick disposal of matters. Do you think t he new Administration of Criminal Justice Act will address the problem of prison congestion in the country? I think we need to exercise some level of patience. The Administration of Criminal Justice Act was signed at the twilight of President Jonathan’s administration and that law has a lot of innovations. It takes time to be effective so we need to exercise some level of patience, see how it will work whether it will address a lot of these challenges. I think we need to give it some time, the law is not even up to six months old but already we are seeing its practical application. People are not aware that under the new law when your client is being interrogated by the police or other security agencies that you are entitled to be there as his lawyer even though you have no right to disrupt it and you cannot also stay proceedings in a criminal matter. It is a representation of section 40 of the EFCC Act in the new Administration of Criminal Justice Act which was borrowed from the Administration of Justice of Lagos State. There are some new innovations and I think we actually need to wait and see how it will end. Do you agree with the foremost constitutional law expert, Prof. Ben Nwabueze that appointments made by the President Muhammodu Buhari were not in line with federal character? Let me be honest with you, federal character is a constitutional matter with regard

to some appointments, there is nothing we can do about it. Having said that, I think it is too early in the day for us to begin to make the issue of appointments as an issue, 90 percent of the President’s appointments have not been made. I think we should wait, so that we can have global picture of the appointments before we can actually crucify him. I know there are anxiety all over the country for whatever it’s worth but, it will be difficult to arrive at a conclusion until he completes the appointment of his cabinet then areas that are short-changed can raise issues. If the constitution says you must have regard for federal character, it is a justifiable act; you can challenge it in court. If the constitution says every state must have a minister and he does not give to a particular state, you can go to court, he is duty- bound to give to a state so, let us wait. I think we are too much in a hurry. The man doesn’t even have ministers. There are 36 states of the Federation and each has high courts. Some judgments would be very sound, some would be lousy. Some judgments would be procured; some judgments would be a product of conscience. Everything cannot be good; there are the good, the bad and ugly. Some people have called for the merger of EFCC and ICPC. Do you think it’s necessary? Are they banks, these are specific institutions doing specific jobs. In fact we need more of those outfits. The issue is not to merge them but to fund them adequately and make them independent. How much is the entire budget of these anti- graft bodies in a year? .

Law & Justice

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Monday, September 14, 2015

‘Why govt, judiciary lack will to punish rapists’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 Dahiru (APC Sokoto-South). Presenting the report, Dahiru said the passage of the bill would give legal backing for the prosecution of sexual offenders. He added that if approved, rapists and those who sexually abuse children would bag life imprisonment while other sexual offenders would also be sentenced to serve various prison terms. Few days ago, the Lagos State Domestic and Sexual Violence Response Team (DSVRT) declared that out-of-court settlement for rape, defilement and violence cases against women would no longer be allowed. The Coordinator, Mrs. Titilola Vivour-Adeniyi, was reported to have stated at a meeting with the Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu II and 30 other monarchs that there had been several instances where victims said traditional rulers and other community leaders had convinced them to settle rape matters out- of- court. However, most crimes of rape are not reported for reasons such as the social stigma attached to the victim, the fear of being ostracised from the community and also the fact that the police might be unwilling to make an official report due to insufficient evidence. Even when reported and the accused is not convicted at the end of a trial, the victim is made to feel condemned and looked down upon. This raises the questions ‘why do some men rape and what can be done to curb the appalling trend?’ A Lagos- based lawyer, Mr. Nnaemeka Amaechina said that there was no need for stringent laws to curtail the incidence of rape; adding that parents have the primary responsibility to take appropriate care of their vulnerable children. He said ‘’I do not think we need stringent laws to cut this malaise. All we need is effort from all sides. First, parents should take good care of their innocent and vulnerable children and not abandon them to wolves in pursuit of money. If this is done a lot of cases of rape will be prevented. Another option is that parents should raise their children in the fear of God, inculcating good virtue and morals in them.

Bar

Jokes

Amaechina

Adesokan.

Having sex with a minor is more grievous as the punishment for that under the

Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011, is life imprisonment. The same penalty is prescribed in Section 258 of the Criminal Code, which is a federal legislation. He stated that it was poorly raised children that become adult rapists and miscreants in due course adding that ‘’a lot depends on our raising of children’’. According to him, ‘’some children who are not well taken care of by parents get into drug usage and abuse, pornography and other vices and grow up with them. Young adults who are exposed to pornography and drugs do unimaginable things. What I want to say is the problem is a social one. Let’s look and see where we got it wrong in raising our young one and make amends otherwise the problem will aggravate’’. ‘’It is what we sow that we reap. Everything cannot be cured with draconian laws, especially as we as a nation lack the discipline in consistently enforcing our criminal dalizing the court is contemptuous; *Publication in a Newspaper or arzzzz ticle containing scurrilous personal abuse of a judge with reference to his conduct as a judge in any judicial proceedings.

Forms of Contempt

Contempt may be in-facie curiae that is, in the face of the court or ex-facie Contempt of Court in legal parlance is curiae, i.e. outside the court. the willful disregard of or disrespect for Punishment the authority of a court of law or legislative *Contempt is committed under S. body. 133 of the Criminal Code (CC) carries *Contemptuous act is punishable by the a maximum of three months imprisoncourt and its purpose is the need to protect ment. the dignity of the court to the person of the *The court will pardon a contemnor judge and to prevent undue interference whose conduct is unintentional and with the administration of justice. who purges his contempt by a sincere *It is not to show or bolster the power and apology to the court. dignity of the judge as an individual. *A contemnor can be ordered to be Conduct or acts that amount kept in prison until he purges himself to Contempt of contempt. *Using language or exhibiting behaviour, We welcome feedback and reactions which is outrageous or is deliberately infrom readers via our e-mail: nationamirsulting to the court; rorlaw@yahoo.com *Comments whether oral or written scan-

laws. We should reassess our values and begin to integrate the essential values that will help in building a nation and people of honour’’. The psychological damage it inflicts on the victim cannot be quantified. Having sex with a minor is more grievous as the punishment for that under the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011 is life imprisonment. The same penalty is prescribed in Section 258 of the Criminal Code which is a federal legislation. The only penalty more grievous is death sentence. Based on this there is already very stringent penalty in existence. What is usually lacking is the will to fairly and consistently mete out the punishment to every offender. Mr. Wale Adesokan said ‘’it is a reflection

of endemic failures in family values. Let parents begin to inculcate proper moral values in their children and we shall see a drastic reduction in this antisocial behaviour. Secondly, let the government consider if there is a demographic factor (I doubt though) that is accountable for this and address it accordingly. I believe we have enough laws already in our statute books for punishing offenders. In her view, the Coordinator, Child Rights Advancement and Protection Initiatives (CRAPI), Mrs. Ozioma Patsy Onyenweaku said ‘’we have impressive laws protecting children against sexual abuse, and for punishing the offenders. The problem in this area lies in the implementation and enforcement of the laws. The slow wheel of justice is a constraint in checkmating this menace. Some of the cases are allowed to drag on for such a long time that the complainants become frustrated. Some of the times the IPO would have been transferred to another state or be on a special assignment’’. According to her, ‘’ a complainant on becoming frustrated abandons the case, or the case is struck out for want of diligent prosecution. ‘’Then there goes free an abuser whose freedom would boost his morale to look for another victim. Marcus Tullius Cicero rightly stated that “the greatest incentive to crime is the hope of escaping punishment”. In Nigeria, the child sexual abusers don’t just hope to escape punish, they know they can escape punishment. In such a situation nothing deters others from pursuing same course. Onyenweaku related the case of a twoand-half- year-old girl who was sexually abused by a 25- year- old man. According to her ‘’the matter dragged for more than six years and was eventually struck out for ‘lack of diligent prosecution’. The pathetic aspect of it is that the matter got to defence and the magistrate was retired. Then for no fault of the complainant, the particular court lacked prosecutor for many months, and the magistrate struck out the case. Cases of this nature require urgent and expeditious trial without fear or favour. When so handled, potential offenders would be deterred from their heinous mission’’.

legal tips

Contempt of Court

ontempt of Court in legal parlance is the willful disregard of or disrespect for the authority of a court of law or legislative body. *Contemptuous act is punishable by the court and its purpose is the need to protect the dignity of the court to the person of the judge and to prevent undue interference with the administration of justice. *It is not to show or bolster up the power and dignity of the judge as an individual. Conduct or acts that amount to Contempt *Using language or exhibiting behaviour which is outrageous or which is deliberately insulting to the court; *Comments whether oral or written scandalizing the court is contemptuous; *Publication in a Newspaper or article containing scurrilous personal abuse of a judge

with reference to his conduct as a judge in any judicial proceedings. Forms of Contempt Contempt may be in-facie curiae that is, in the face of the court or ex-facie curiae, i.e. outside the court. Punishment *Contempt is committed under S. 133 of the Criminal Code (CC) carries a maximum of three months imprisonment. *The court will pardon a contemnor whose conduct is unintentional and who purges his contempt by a sincere apology to the court. *A contemnor can be ordered to be kept in prison until he purges himself of contempt. We welcome feedback and reactions from readers via our e-mail: nationamirrorlaw@ yahoo.com

Bar

Jokes

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, September 14, 2015

How Okogie battled Jakande over abolition of Lagos private schools FAMOUS CASES

arely six months after Alhaji Kayode Jakande was sworn in as the first civilian governor of Lagos State in 1979, his administration issued a circular titled : ‘’Abolition of Private Primary Education in Lagos State’ ’with Ref. No. CON/EDA.24/8.19/1. This circular dated March 26, 1980 and signed by the then Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, K.A Solebo, caused an upset for the proprietors of private elementary schools in the state and it also greatly disturbed the minds of the parents and guardians of children and wards who attended the private schools at the time. But the state government maintained that its decision was in line with the implementation of its free education programme at all levels which had been designed to provide equal opportunities for all children in the state. Okogie as a trustee of the Roman Catholic schools led other proprietors affected by the state government’s policy, to challenge the state government at the Lagos High Court. In the suit filed against the then state Attorney- General and other top functionaries, Okogie and others asked for an order declaring that the proprietors of private schools in the state had the right to operate elementary schools financed from their own resources for the purpose of imparting ideas and information to the children of parents or guardians who desiredtheir children to receive such ideas and information. They also sought an order declaring that parents and guardians of children in the state had a right to send their children to any private school of their choice, without any compulsion to attend public schools. In the process, the Ishan-born fiery cleric incurred the wrath of some government apologists who labelled him a politician in cassock while others dared him to abandon the pulpit and venture into politics. However, Okogie who turned 75 on June 16,was undeterred and uncompromising in his determination to seek justice and equity. He never opposed the free education programme of the defunct Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) or of the state government but he insisted that the Jakande administration had no business abolishing private schools in the state. This position was made clear in the originating summons theplaintiffs filed against the state government. The Bishop and other plaintiffs based their case on the grounds that the proposals of the state government to take over all private schools in the state, if carried out, would contravene their fundamental right to freedom of expression as provided in Section 36 of the 1979 Constitution. The affidavits deposed by other plaintiffs lent credence to this claim. For instance, one Lady Alakija stated on oath that the implementation of the decision of the state government would be illegal and would

Anthony Cardinal Okogie is not only a prominent religious leader in the country but also a social critic and crusader. About 35 years ago, the then Catholic Archbishop of Lagos waged a legal duel against the Second Republic Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande, over the abolition of private schools in the state. FRANCIS FAMOROTI highlights the epic tussle the cleric won at the Lagos High Court.

Okogie constitute an infringement of the constitutional rights of the proprietors, the parents and their children attending elementary schools. Another plaintiff, one Chief Balogun had averred that unless the reliefs claimed in this action were granted, the state government would go ahead to implement its decision to prohibit private elementary schools in the state with effect from September 1980. At the preliminary hearing of the case before Justice Idowu Agoro, the Attorney General however said the circular letter was not a sufficient threat to warrant court action at that stage because there was no Bill before the state House of Assembly on the matter. He also said that it was not possible for the state governor to carry out the intentionin the circular letter without effecting a change in the Education Law, Cap 37, which was the existing law on education in the state. Besides, the attorney general had argued that the circular letter was not enforceable in law and could be ignored without any consequence to the proprietors of private primary schools in the state. In his judgment, Justice Agoro, said ‘’it is clear from paragraph 2 of the circular letter that the effect of the Government decision is to abolish private or elementary schools in the Lagos State. The reason why the plaintiffs object to it is that it would take

Jakande

The court held that the state had no power under the Education Law, Cap 37 to abolish private primary or elementary schools as the state government planned to do by its circular letter dated

March 26, 1980.

away from them the opportunity which theexisting law on education and the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria allowed them, subject to certain restrictions, to own, establish and operate private institutions for the education of children who might be sent by their parents to such institutions. ‘’It seems to me that I must look at the result of the action of the Lagos State Government as contained in their circular letter, and that result seems to me clearly to be to alter the fundamental character of private primary schools in the State and to frustrate the object for which they were established and had been operated. I ask myself whether there is power to take decisions or give directions having that effect under the Education Law. Cap 37 of Lagos State. ‘’ The judge declared that his search through the provisions under Part V11 of Cap. 37 and other parts of the same law had failed to reveal any such power in the state government to take decisions or give direc-

tions with such far reaching effect as the circular letter purported to do so. Accordingly, the court held that there was no power under the Education Law, Cap 37 to abolish private primary or elementary schools as the state government planned to do by its circular letter dated March 26, 1980. Justice Agoro also said Okogie and others needed not to wait until the state government carried out its plan before seeking redress in the court. ‘’The right to commence action in the High Court could be exercised by the plaintiffs as soon as there exists a threat or likelihood of their fundamental right being infringed or contravened in the state.’’ The judge therefore, held that the application made by the plaintiffs was not premature. The verdict was hailed by the proprietors of private schools, parents and guardians who have resolved to educate their children and wards in private schools believed to be offering qualitative education in the state.

Law & Justice

Monday, September 14, 2015

THE HAGUE

Sydney teacher avoids jail over child abuse material AUSTRALIA

former teacher from one of Australia’s most distinguished families of judges has avoided jail after being convicted of filming the skirts of his students and possessing child abuse material. Robert Emmett, son of NSW Court of Appeal judge, Arthur Emmett, and Federal Circuit Court judge, Sylvia Emmett, pleaded guilty in May to the charges, which included filming the private parts of children. According to ABC news, the former St Andrew’s Cathedral School maths teacher, who is also the grandson of former chief justice of the NSW Supreme Court, Sir Laurence Street, filmed three 14-year-old female students. Police also found more than 9,000 child abuse images on a portable hard drive at his home. As part of the order he must do 32 hours of community service each month, continue to see his psychotherapist and undertake treatment programs.

Australian Prime Minister, Tony Abbott The judge called the child abuse material the “disturbing and perverted exploitation of children”. “It’s natural to feel sadness and empathy for the children and anger to those who exploited them,” he said. However, Judge McClintock noted medical advice that Emmett would receive better psychotherapy treatment out of prison. The court heard Emmett was on a “positive rehabilitation trajectory,” that he has undertaken some book-keeping duties and was trying to get work.

COMMERCIAL LAW

Ukraine accepts ICC jurisdiction onalleged crimes committed last year

egistrar of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Herman von Hebel, received a declaration lodged by Ukraine accepting the ICC’s jurisdiction with respect to alleged crimes committed in its territory on 20 February, 2014. The declaration was lodged under article 12(3) of the Rome Statute, the founding treaty of the ICC, which enables a State, not party to the Statute, to accept the exercise of jurisdiction of the Court. The declaration was ICC President, Judge Fernández de Gurmendi lodged by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, the ICC Registrar. A statement on ICC H.E. Mr. Pavlo Klimkin, website states that the decduring a meeting with the laration highlights that ICC First Vice-President, “Ukraine will cooperate Judge Joyce Aluoch, and

with the Court without delay or exception.” This is the second declaration under article 12(3) of the Statute lodged by Ukraine. On 17 April 2014, Ukraine lodged a declaration under the same article accepting the jurisdiction of the ICC over alleged crimes committed on its territory from 21 November 2013 to 22 February 2014. The ICC may now exercise jurisdiction over possible crimes that might have been committed in the context of the situation on 20 February 2014. The provisions of Part 9 of the

Statute relating to international cooperation and judicial assistance apply. The declaration will be transmitted to the ICC’s Office of the Prosecutor for further consideration. The acceptance of the ICC’s jurisdiction does not automatically trigger an investigation. It is for the ICC Prosecutor to decide whether or not to request the judges’ authorisation to open an investigation, if the Prosecutor considers that the information available to her establishes the existence of a reasonable basis to open an investigation.

US Appeal court upholds convictions in Ohio slavery case

UNITED STATES

federal appeals panel has upheld the convictions and sentences of a couple charged with enslaving a mentally disabled woman in their northeast Ohio home for nearly two years through intimidation, threats and abuse. The three-judge U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals panel in Cincinnati agreed unanimously that the federal charges were appropriate and that the prison sentencUS President Barack Obama es of at least three decades each were warranted. BBC in its report says

that a federal jury in Youngstown convicted Jessica Hunt and boyfriend Jordie Callahan last year on counts of forced labour, conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and conspiracy to illegally obtain prescription drugs. Among other challenges in their appeal, the couple contended that the case should have been a state matter since federal forced labour prosecutions typically involve people brought to the U.S. for domestic servitude or sex trade.

The woman “was compelled to perform domestic labour and run errands for defendants by force, the threat of force, and the threat of abuse of legal process,” Judge Eric Clay wrote. The couple was accused of holding the woman captive from early 2011 to late 2012. Prosecutors alleged that they threatened to harm the woman’s young daughter if the woman did not do chores, shop and clean up after their pit bull dogs.

N5b suit: Court restrains EKEDC from operating parallel bank account

Matthew Irinoye

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ustice Muhammed Yunusa of a Federal High Court, Lagos, has restrained Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC) from further operating parallel account called “Eko Electricity Distribution Company Meter Account” number 2562128948 domiciled with ECOBANK Nigeria Plc. Justice Yunusa issued the order in a motion ex-parte brought against EKEDC after hearing the submissions of counsels to the applicants, Mr. Wahab Shittu and Olawale Ajia representing Momas Systems Nigeria Limited and Momas Electricity Meter Manufacturing Company Limited (MEMMCOL). The applicants are claiming N2.050 billion as special damages and another N3 billion as general damages against the first and third respondents, respectively. The second and third respondents in the

matter are Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Respondents Commission (NERC) and ECOBANK Nigeria Plc, respectively. Justice Yunusa also compelled EKEDC to direct electricity consumers in the area exclusively assigned to the applicants to pay fees for the supply and installation of meters into an Escrow CAPMI bank account controlled jointly by the applicants and the first respondent under the CAPMI Scheme called Momas/Eko Distribution CAPMI account number 5712006231 domiciled with third respondent. The trial judge said the orders will subsist pending the hearing and determination of the Motion on Notice brought against the respondents scheduled to commence Monday, September 14, 2015. In a 41 point affidavit he deposed to, the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the applicants, Engineer Kola Balogun, averred that he was aware that the second respondent is an agency of the Federal gov-

ernment charged with the responsibility of regulating and monitoring the Nigerian electricity industry, issuance of licenses to market participants and ensuring compliance with market rules and guidelines. According to him, sometime in May, 2013, the second respondent licensed the first and second applicants in the CAPMI Scheme, as Metering Service Providers (MSP) and also approved the participation of the companies as Metering System Vendor and as Metering System Manufacturer respectively. He averred that further to the CAPMI guidelines, the applicants applied, made huge deposits and furnished bank guarantees to the first respondents consequent upon which it assessed and appointed the first applicant as its contractor for both supply and installation of various types of meters specifically for Island Region comprising of six business districts viz Ijora, Ojo, FESTAC, Ibeju, Island and Apapa Districts under Eko Electricity Distribution Zone.

He deposed that the first respondent and the first applicant subsequently executed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), following which he claimed the third defendant opened and maintained a joint Escrow CAPMI account at the instance and in the name of the first applicant and the first respondent, with both parties controlling the account through their respective representatives who were signatories to the account. He deposed that the first applicant and the first respondent thereafter opened a joint Escrow account with the second respondent which the CAPMI guidelines required both parties to jointly controlled through their account through their respective representatives who were signatories to the account adding that both parties, for sometime, operated and controlled the account titled MOMAS/Eko Distribution CAPMI account number 5712006231 domiciled with the third respondent.

It was a nice experience —Elebute

y first appearance was before Justice Iyabo Kasali, at Igbosere High Court, Lagos. I was a counsel to the claimant, though, the matter was for mention, the

fact that Justice Kasali was my judge during my internship period made it very easy for me to appear before her court because I knew her kind of person. Though the judge helped me

out when I was having little difficulty, I was not fidgeting. Over times there has been improvement and I have confidence to appear before any court. Though many judges

usually put young lawyers through on what to say, while some of them often abuse. But I am confident before a judge that corrects rather than the one that abuses.

Funmilayo Elebute

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Law & Justice

Monday, September 14, 2015

Prosecutor’s perspective on counter-insurgency CONTINUED FROM LAST WEEK

Alex Izinyon

his Practice Direction is a set of directions with the fundamental objective of enabling the Court to deal with fast-tract appeals quickly and efficiently. (b) The Court must give effect to the fundamental objective: At every stage of a fast-tract appeal: (i) (ii) When exercising its inherent jurisdiction; (iii) When exercising a discretion; and (iv) When applying or interpreting any rule or direction. (c) The parties must help the Court to further the fundamental objective. (d) The Court must further the fundamental objective by actively managing cases. Active Case Management includes: (a) Encouraging the parties to co-operate with each other in the conduct of the proceedings; (b) Fixing timetables and otherwise controlling the progress of the case; (c) Considering whether the likely benefits of taking a particular step justify the cost in taking it; (d) Dealing with as many aspects of the case as possible on the same occasion even when not scheduled; (e) Discouraging interlocutory appeals and requiring parties except in the most deserving cases, to subsume their interlocutory matters under a final appeal or under the substantive suit at the trial court; (f) Dealing swiftly with applications and objections to minimize their interruption of main proceedings:

Izinyon (g) Using technology; (h) Penalizing delay tactics with heavy costs; and (i) Giving directions to ensure that the appeal proceeds expeditiously. (1) Parties are to attend Court every day in any matter scheduled, however the Court may proceed in their absence, if satisfied that the matter is schedule for that day. (2) Parties must keep abreast of developments, documents, filings and scheduling in the proceedings by actively liaising with the Registry. (3) When the Court issues hearing notice on any matter in the proceedings, it serves as a hearing notice for all ripe matters in the file.” With the above provisions, it appears now that there is a just balance between human rights agitations of the accused

person and the State in ensuring justice delivery in insurgency cases and therefore the issue of detraction or sine qua non has become otiose. What both parties must do now is to ensure adherence to these Practice Direction and the Court must come in handy to visit the consequences of non-compliance on either party. Thus although a legal Eldorado, without any case on insurgency, will be impossible here but issues will be reduced to ground zero soon, so that at least society members can sleep with two eyes closed as respite. To the Prosecutors where one of my legs belong, and for this occasion, do not be weary for your services though not quantifiable in monetary terms but services to humanity, society and God. Remember there would always be oppositions and they could be many but take solace in the legendary words of the famous novelist Daniels Defoe in Robinson Crusoe, when he said: “Whenever God erects a house of prayer, The Devil always builds a chapel there; And ‘twill be found, upon examination, The latter has the largest congregation.” He must put in his best without bitterness at whatever outcome by the court when it has the final say as demonstrated by a famous Prosecutor who once said: “We came here in search of justice: you will have to be the judge as to whether or not any of us found it today. But I am not bitter and I am not angry.” Christopher Darden Prosecutor in the O.J. Simpson trial after Simpson was acquitted. (Concluded) Dr. Izinyon, SAN, presented this paper at the just-concluded Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) in Abuja last week.

EVENTS

L-R: 1st Vice: President, NBA, Francis Ekwere, President, Augustine Alegeh, SAN, and General Secretary, Mazi Afam Osigwe, at the Lawyers in Media (LIM) session during the just concluded NBA Conference in Abuja

Mr. Femi Falana, SAN, and Mr. Dele Adesina, SAN, at the just concluded 2015 annual general conference of the NBA in Abuja.

Former President, Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN), Mr. Charles Chijide, (left) and current President, Mr. Tunde Adedoyin

Former Director-General, Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies (NIALS), Prof. Epiphany Azinge, SAN, and former President, Commonwealth Lawyers Association, CLA, Mrs. Stella Ozobia

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror It is time for the international community and African leaders to take a good look at the factors responsible for the death and destruction in the Mediterranean by illegal migration of youths from Africa.. –FORMER PRESIDENT OLUSEGUN OBASANJO

Otodogbame community sends SOS to Ambode over attack Dare Akogun

todogbame community located in Lekki Phase 1, EtiOsa Local Government Area of Lagos State, has send a save our soul message to Governor Ambode to come to its aid over incessant attacks and violation of fundamental human rights of the people by neighbouring Elegushi family. It also called on the state government to call to order the dredging company allegedly contracted by the Elegushi family to sand-fill part of the mainly fishing community, thereby decimating their only source of livelihood. Speaking on behalf of the community, Hon Hennu Solomon, expressed dismay at some individual, who because of their perceived influence, will wake up one day and ask a whole community to vacate its ancestral home, where it has been residing for the past 300 years. Solomon, who was the immediate past Special Adviser on Chieftaincy, Boundary and Cultural Matters, Amuwo Odofin Local Government, noted that the community was first invaded by hoodlums in September 2014, where lives were lost and houses looted and burnt. “Our neigbours from Ikate and Itedo have been living peacefully for the past 300 years until recently, last year, we saw notice from Elegushi family directing us to pack out from our ancestral homes within seven days and failure to do so will lead to destruction of houses and properties. “Behold, to our chagrin, within three days the threats were carried

L-R: Director of Research and Documentation, National Council for Arts and Culture (NCAC), Dr. Lizi Ben-Iheanacho; Permanent Secretary, Benue Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Prince Akperan Annune; Secretary, Benue State Council for Arts and Culture (BSCAC), Mrs. Pauline Kpindi and Director, Aernyi terseer, presenting a fruit basket, during Benue Day at the NCAC 40th celebration in Abuja, at the weekend.

out where 10 persons lost their lives, including twin babies, who were burnt to ashes, three bodies were recovered, while

the hoodlums took away seven bodies with them,” he alleged. “We are alarmed that the major culprit and

principal actor, Wasiu Elegushi, who was arrested by the police, was later released unconditionally without the no-

tice of the community. He threatened to cause more harm to the community as he claims to be above the law.

“So, recently on Saturday, September 5, 2015, he came in convoy of about 200 hoodlums, shooting sporadically at the water front and causing many residents to take to their heels, as a peaceful community we reported the incident to the police and other constitutional authorities for mediation,” he noted. “We are also using this medium to alert the state government on the environmental degradation being carried out by dredging companies. “We are concerned because these companies have not properly carried out their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) as to inform the community on the impact of the activities to our fishing waters. “We are therefore, using this medium to appeal to the Federal Government, Lagos State government and security agencies to stop the dredging companies and the Elegushi family from further dredging our land and waters, as there is a pending court case on the matter,” he said.

Aboru monarch names new Eze Ndigbo Dare Akogun

aale of Aboru in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos, Chief Akinde Bamgbosa, recently crowned Mr. Ephraim Nnaemeka as Eze Ndigbo of Aboru land. The monarch explained that the choice of Nnaemeka for the award was informed by his honest disposition and service to humanity. Emphasising the need for a peaceful coexistence among the various tribes that constitute the Nigerian nation, Chief Bamgbosa stressed that the dividing

walls that set all tribes apart needed to be broken down, which he said informed the installation of the new Eze. He said the spirit of change that is currently sweeping across the nation with the coming of the Buhari administration needed to be preached and practiced at the grassroots level. Royal father of the day and Igwe of Urum in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Dr. B. Nweke, commended the Baale of Aboru for the honour done the Igbo community in the area. He expressed confidence in the ability of Nnaemeka

to bring all the Igbo in the community together for a meaningful development. “Igbo remain the most hardworking tribe in the country, but they remain marginalised in the scheme of things in the country,” he said. He further stated that his decision to travel from the East of the country to witness the occasion in Lagos was a demonstration of the confidence he has in the ability of the new Eze Ndigbo whom he described as an honest business man. While appreciating the honour done him, Nnaemeka promised to use his

position for the wellbeing of Igbo people in the community. He stated that his decision to aspire for the leader of Igbo community was borne out of a desire to bring the people together and speak with one voice. On the existing relationship between the local community and the Igbo in the past, Nnaemeka disclosed that he was not satisfied with the past, but restated his commitment to work and improve the existing relationship. About nine other chiefs, including a woman received various titles at the coronation event. The oc-

casion attracted traditional dance from all the five states in the South East and Igbo speaking communities in Delta and Rivers states.

Nnaemeka

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, September 14, 2015

World News I am assuring you that I am capable. I honestly want to make America great again. I know how to do it. –US Republican party presidential aspirant, Donald Trump

Afolabi Gambari

with agency report

early 30 migrants believed to be Syrians and Iraqis, almost half of them children, were found dead off the coast of the Greek island of Farmakonisi yesterday, the Hellenic coast guard said. At least 125 people were aboard a wooden boat that capsized in the Aegean Sea, a coast guard duty officer, George Tsapras, said, adding that 68 people were rescued while 29 others swam to shore. “Search and rescue efforts are still ongoing,” Tsapras also said, stressing, “It is unclear if those on the boat were refugees or migrants, as their nationalities and points of origin have not yet been identified.” Meanwhile, Germany said yesterday that it will institute temporary border controls as Europe struggles to cope with a massive influx of refugees. Interior Minister, Thomas de Maiziere, said focus of the border controls would be along Germany’s border with Austria. Last week, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker set out proposals for mandatory quotas for EU countries to take in 120,000 refugees who CHANGE OF NAME EGWUONWU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EGWUONWU THERESA OZOEMENA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ENEH THERESA OZOEMENA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Miss Odebode Monsurat Opeyemi, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Odebode-Adeyemi Monsurat Opeyemi. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME NWOGU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NWOGU NNEOMA IRENE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBEKWE NNEOMA IRENE All former documents remain valid. CHUKWUEMEKA OBUMEGWU OJUKWU UNIVERSITY and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as miss Adebayo Seye Rebecca now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Alesin Seye Rebecca. All former documents remain valid,Office of Establishment and training,AdoEkiti,Ekiti state,general public note.

Tragedy: 30 migrants drown off Greek coast

WORLD BULLETIN Labour leader ready with Jeremy Corbyn has started work on putting together his shadow cabinet after his dramatic landslide victory in the Labour leadership contest. The veteran left winger, who has never held a formal position in the party before now, must also prepare for his first Commons clash with David Cameron. Corbyn has promised to unite the party after getting 60 per cent of the votes in the leadership contest. But senior figures, including his predecessor Ed Miliband and former deputy prime minister Lord Prescott urged MPs to get behind Corbyn because he had a strong mandate from party members.

Thousands flee California wild

A migrant Syrian father weeping yesterday after losing his child to the drowning off the coast of Farmakonisi

were already in Italy, Greece and Hungary, on top of plans made in May to relocate 40, 000 from Italy and Greece. Interior ministers of EU member states are due to meet today in Brussels, Belgium, to discuss the issue. As many as 10, 000 migrants are arriving in CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS AMOO OMOLARA TEMITOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLOYEDE OMOLARA TEMITOPE. All former documents remain valid. SPED OYO,FEDERAL UNIVERSITY UYO, ILA CAMPUS,NYSC and general public take note..

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Arikewuyo Zainab Bukola, now wish to be known and called as Mrs Winjobi-Arikewuyo Zainab Bukola. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note .

CHANGE OF NAME ODOH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ODOH EUPHEMIA IFEYINWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UDEH EUPHEMIA IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly know and addressed as GABRIEL ACHI UZOKA, now wish to be know and address as GABRIEL ACHI ULUGBE.All former documents remain valid. IBTC Pension, First Bank and General public should take note.

Germany per day, according to Interior Ministry spokesman, Tobias Plate, even as officials throughout the country have been asked to assist with registration and accommodation needs. Four thousand German soldiers are on

standby to help manage the refugee situation if needed, a Defense Ministry spokesman also said. In another incident yesterday, however, more than 40 migrants were discovered alive inside a refrigerated truck in

northwest Austria, about 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the German border. A total of 42 people were inside the refrigerated truck belonging to a Finnish flower transporter, police spokesman, Bernd Innerdorfer, also said.

Shop owners wanted over explosives

ndian Police are searching for the owner of a shop which they say had illegally stored explosives that triggered a blast on Saturday, killing 90 people and CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Akintokun Ibukun Emiola, now wish to be addressed and called as Mrs Adetoyi Ibukun Emiola. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME AKPU: I, formerly known and addressed as AKPU ALEXANDER ANNEZI, now wish to be known and addressed as IGBONAMUAGU ALEXZANDER BRAVE All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS EWEJE TITILAYO AJIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OJETOLA TITILAYO AJIKE. All former documents remain valid. The public take note.

injuring several dozens. Most of those who died were at a neighbouring restaurant in Petlawad in the state of Madhya Pradesh. CHANGE OF NAME

Police earlier thought a faulty gas cylinder in the restaurant was to blame, but now say the blast was caused by illegally stored mining explosives. CHANGE OF NAME

Thousands of residents yesterday fled their homes in northern California as some 5, 000 firefighters tackled wildfires. One blaze, the Valley Fire, which started on Saturday in Lake County, north of San Francisco, had already burned 40, 000 acres (16, 190 hectares) by yesterday. Four firefighters were injured and had to be airlifted to hospital, where they are said to be in a stable condition. The fires across northern California are being blamed on high temperatures and years of drought. The state spent $212m (£137m) fighting the flames in July alone, California’s forestry and fire protection department spokesman, Daniel Berlant, said. CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adejare Abiola Adeola, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs.Ayoola Abiola Adeola. Former documents remain valid. General public note.

OJEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OJEH LOVETH OLUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANIH JAMES LOVETH OLUCHI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC, and general public should please take note.

EZEAKU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZEAKU HELEN OZOEMELA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGWUJA HELEN OZOEMELA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Olajide-Owoyomi Adebayo Ayodeji now wish to be known and addressed as Olajide-Owoyomi Ayodeji. All former documents remain valid, I.C.A.N and general public note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adesola Funmilola .C now wish to be know and addressed as Mrs Oluwaseun Funmilola.C.All former documents remain valid, N.Y.S.C and general public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeoye Oluwatosin juliet, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Abodunde Oluwatosin juliet. aaAll former document remain valid Federal medical center,Ido-Ekiti and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADANYI: I formerly known and addressed as MISS. CHRISTIANA ADANYI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CHRISTIANA DWEM. All former documents remain valid. Makurdi local government council and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Mr. Ezeamakam Ebuka Joshua, now wish to be known and addressed as Mr. Ezeamakam Ebuka Goodluck. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chinenye Nnaeto, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chinenye Machie Chukwuchebem. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

National News

Monday, September 14, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ijaw appeal to Buhari over Maritime varsity Theophilus Onojeghen WARRI

L-R: Mr. Tade Ogidan; recipient of honorary doctorate degree, Universite Bilingue Libre Du Togo, Dr. Tunji Olugbodi and his wife, Mrs. Biyi Olugbodi, during the Award ceremony in Togo, recently.

Airlines owe NIS $1.1m in eight months Olusegun Koiki

irlines operating at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, MMIA, Ikeja, Lagos, are indebted to the Nigeria Immigration Service, NIS, Airport Command, to the tune of $1.170 million within the first eight months of 2015. The command also disclosed that 3,102 Nigerians have been deported between January and August 2015 from various countries of the world for immigration offences. Comptroller of Immigration, MMIA Command, Mrs. Chizoba Dibi, disclosed this to journalists in

Lagos at the weekend. Dibi regretted the impact of the massive debts of airlines on the operations of the command, saying all efforts to recover the debts had proved abortive. There are no fewer than 30 commercial airlines that operate in and out of MMIA daily. This is apart from numerous private aircraft that operate in and out of the terminal daily. She recalled that former Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, in two letters with reference numbers: IMM/MMA/167A/XLVIII dated February 19, 2013, and ABJ/HQ/OPS/2029/53 dated April 26, 2013, had conveyed approval of the command to withdraw

passenger clearance from the then highest debtor of carrier liability to serve as deterrent to other airlines. She hoped President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would give the same approval to the command to recover all debts owed it by recalcitrant airlines. At the end of August 2015, Dibi said the command had processed 665,450 arriving passengers, while 755,817 had departed the country through MMIA within the period. She, however, added that the command had stopped 353 Nigerians from departing the country, while another 147 foreigners had

been disallowed from gaining entry into the country. The comptroller further declared that 3,102 regular deportee Nigerians were received within the year and that it also received 508 special deportees, while five foreigners were deported by the command within the period. She added, “We, however, have challenges, which include, but not limited to inadequate space for our offices and even for passengers. Also, the cooling systems and power supplies have been inconsistent over the years in this command. We further require more funds for running the command.”

NCAA, Capt. Muhtar Usman, stated the authority had put in motion all modalities and prerequisites for registration in readiness for the exercise, which he said would commence very soon. He emphasised that all existing aviation fuel suppliers would be required to register and regularise their operations with NCAA, while new entrants would also file fresh application with the same requirements. Usman declared that the action was not unconnected with the recent controversies and cross allegations concerning Jet-A1 supply and usage by the airline operators. The NCAA insisted that for any marketer to register as an aviation fuel sup-

plier, such interested party would notify it through writing, which should be addressed to its DirectorGeneral. He added that the application would be signed by the lead promoter or Chief Operating/Executive Officer of the company and the airports/terminals where it intended to operate. He insisted that after all these, the application must include the names and full address(es) of their technical partner(s) with copies of relevant agreements, adding that evidence of certification or licence duly issued by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, should also be attached. He emphasised that upon satisfaction that the applicant had demonstrat-

ed the ability to render safe and efficient service, it would then issue to the applicant a Certificate of Registration, stressing that subsequently, regular monitoring and inspections would be carried out on the company’s facilities and operations. Usman has also ordered all the relevant departments and officials in the regulatory body to immediately hold a meeting with the marketers and all the stakeholders to sensitise them on the guidelines and requirements for registration prior to the exercise. He maintained that during the meeting, inputs and observation on the guidelines would be welcomed and discussed by all the parties concerned.

NCAA to register aviation fuel marketers Olusegun Koiki

igerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, said it was set to commence official registration of all major oil marketers in the country that engage in importation and sale of Jet-A1, locally called aviation fuel, to airline operators. If plans of the regulatory agency scale through, the licences issued every Jet-A1 marketer, which hitherto used to be indefinite, would now be valid only for two years and renewed thereafter. The essence of this was to ensure the marketers adhere strictly to operating international standards. Media statement signed by Director-General,

jaw people of Delta State have appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to wade into the alleged directive by Federal Government to stop ongoing projects at the first Maritime University in the country sited in Okerenkoko, Warri South West Local Government Area of the state. They particularly urged the president not to abandon the institution, which they described as very dear to the Ijaw nation. A statement issued by Chief Beck Hitler, for Ijaws of Delta State, expressed reservation over the alleged directive. He said they refused to believe that the president gave such directive to frustrate ongoing construction at the university. According to the statement, “the reported stoppage of ongoing construc-

tion at the site of the university on the instruction of President Buhari cannot be true because the university is a Federal Government institute designed to benefit all Nigerians irrespective of tribe and political affiliation.” According to the group, “the Maritime University at Okerenkoko, when completed, the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba, including every other tribe in Nigeria would send their children to the university and that is why President Buhari cannot stop construction work at the university.” The statement made available to National Mirror assured President Buhari of the support of Niger Delta region. Recently, it was reported in the media that Buhari had directed management of the Nigerian Maritime Safety and Administration, NIMASA, to stop ongoing construction work at the institution’s site.

DPR seals 200 filling stations, 25 depots in A’Ibom, C’River

epartment of Petroleum Resources, DPR, Eket, Akwa Ibom State, yesterday said it sealed 200 petrol filling stations within six months in its area of operation for illegality. Controller of Operations in charge of Akwa Ibom and Cross River states, Mr Asuquo Antai, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria in Eket. Antai said 40 filling stations were sealed in Calabar, while 160 were shut in Akwa Ibom. “In the last six months a lot has happened, especially in the downstream sector; prices of petroleum had stabilised reasonably in Cross River and Akwa Ibom states. “In the last six months in Cross River, we sealed 40 filling stations and 160 filling stations in Akwa Ibom for sharp practices,” Antai said, adding that the storage capacity of petroleum depots in Calabar was 21 million tonnes, and the availability was enough for its area of operations. “It is more than enough for Cross River and Akwa Ibom, but the focus is not just for the two states. “It serves a lot of northern states and some neighbouring states. That is the only way we can maintain stability of price,’’ Antai said.

He added that 25 depots were sealed in the last one month for selling above the approved government ex-depot price. The controller said that the DPR had step up surveillance to check under dispensing of the product across its area of operations. He warned marketers indulging in the act of under dispensing of the products in the state, adding that the act was questionable. Antai said there were five depots under construction in Akwa Ibom to increase availability of products, saying that the depots would come on stream early next year. He said the depots were located at Mbo and Ikot Abasi Local Government Areas, adding that the construction was 75 per cent completed. The controller said that the department was collaborating with members of IPMAN to ensure that products were available in the depots. He restated the commitment of the department to enforce the price of kerosene across the country, while lamenting the high prices of products in the state. Antai re-assured the public that DPR would increase surveillance to ensure that price of kerosene was stable in the state.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

North

Monday, September 14, 2015

IDPs in Jalingo seek Taraba govt’s help Justin Tyopuusu, JALINGO

Suspended Bauchi State PDP working committee during the announcement in Bauchi, at the weekend.

FG to inject N3bn into construction of houses in Katsina James Danjuma, KATSINA

he Federal Government said it plans to inject more than N3bn into the construction of hundreds of houses in Katsina State. Managing Director, Federal Housing Authority, FHA, Mr Al-amin Moham-

med revealed this over the weekend. Mohammed said the houses would be constructed in collaboration with the state government to assist in reducing accommodation challenges in the state. He said specific number of houses and types would be decided after conclusion of agreement with the state

government. Mohammed said sites for the project had been selected and construction would commence next year. He also said the Federal Government would complete the Shagari housing estate that was abandoned about 30 years ago in the state. Earlier, while receiv-

ing the managing director, Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir Usman commended the Federal Government for its plan to complete the Shagari housing estate. Kabir however called on FHA to employ youths from the state to serve as construction workers when the projects kick off.

Council seals 242 patent medicine shops in Kwara Wole Adedeji, ILORIN

harmacists Council of Nigeria, PCN, has sealed 242 pharmacies and patent medicine shops in Kwara State. The Council’s Enforcement Team, which raided major towns in the state last week, found the affected pharmacies and patent medicine shops guilty of offences, including dispensing medicine without supervision of a pharmacist, poor storage conditions, and non-renewal of mandatory certificates, among others. The enforcement team was in Ilorin, Offa, Omu Aran, Oro and Ijagbo. However, the state chapter of the National Association of Patent and Proprietary Medicine Dealers, NAPPMED, protested the raid, describing it as illegal. Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend, PCN Deputy Director and Head of Enforcement, Stephen Esumobi, said many patent medicine shops in

the state commenced operations without following laid down rules and guidelines, which was not safe and healthy for drugs consumers. Esumobi said 14 pharmacies and 228 patent medicine shops were among the 242 premises sealed by his team. He added that many of them failed to meet the minimum requirements for storage and personnel, thus exposing members of the public to the dangers of consuming medicines whose quality, safety and efficacy cannot be guaranteed. “Anyone wishing to start a pharmacy shop is required to apply for location approval. This is because not every location is suitable for the sale of medicines. “When the location is approved, the premises apply for facility inspection to ensure that the structure and personnel are adequate. But we discovered that many premises operate without following laid

down guidelines in Kwara State,” he added. Protesting against PCN raid, NAPPMED President in the state, Alhaji Abdulwahab Ajibola, appealed to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed to intervene in the matter and save his members from alleged exorbitant charges and laws of the council. The NAPPMED president called for the reopening of all the shops sealed by PCN. He said: “Imagine a shop

on which a family solely depends to be locked up for one week. What do you think will become of such a family that lives on the incomes accruing from the shop? What do you expect of the living condition of such a family?” He also said PCN should issue licences to members of NAPPMED who had paid for either renewal or new licences, adding that some had paid since 2014 and yet, not issued the licenses they paid for.

nternally Displaced Persons, IDPs, who fled Boko Haram attacks in Adamawa and Borno states and currently taking refuge at the Gulun IDP camp in Jalingo have called on the Taraba State government and relevant agencies to provide food for them. The IDPs, mostly from Chibok, Askira Uba, Gwoza and Madagali Local Government Areas of Borno and Adamawa states have been at the camp for more than a year. The camp secretary, Mr. Emmanuel Bulus, said the major challenge of the IDPs was food as what they received from their states have since finished. According to him, they have been receiving food from members of the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, nongovernmental

Group tasks el-Rufai on prosecuting abandoned projects contractors A za Msue, KADUNA

oalition of Kaduna Progressives, CKP, at the weekend urged Governor Nasir El-rufai to verify all abandoned projects by previous administration in the state and prosecute those found to have failed the people of the state to serve as deterrent to others. In a statement issued in Kaduna by its National President and Secretary, Kibai Kwallah and Mock Kure, the group also called on the state government to immortalize victims of the Zaria bomb blast. It would be recalled that civil servants, who were going through a verification exercise were the victims of the blast,

Youths applaud Buhari’s fight against corruption, insurgency Williams Attah, GOMBE

coalition of youths in the troubled North-East, under the auspices of the Youth Coalition for Good Governance, has applauded President Muhammadu Buhari’s efforts in fighting corruption and insurgency in the zone. Coordinator of the Association, Mr. Yakuba Sarma, gave the appreciation in an

interview with newsmen in Gombe over the weekend, adding that the present administration has tried in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges in the country. Sarma called on the President to be wary of some overzealous associates, party men and cabals wishing to gain cheap popularity. “Those people only want to satisfy their ego and sentiments by their

organisations and philanthropists, with little assistance from the Taraba State government. They therefore appealed to the state government to come to their aid. While recounting their ordeal, Mrs. Japari Mari, a mother of six described their situation in the camp as unbearable. She said apart from food challenge, their children have been out of school for over a year because they cannot afford to pay school fees. Mrs. Japari explained that some of their challenges were recently addressed when officials of United Nations High Commission for Refugees, UNHCR, donated non-food items to them. The IDPs said they were looking for the December deadline given to the security personnel to end insurgency in their states so that they can return home.

actions and activities. “We also agitate for blocking of leakages that leads to corrupt practices and building more strong institutions that would stand the test of time,” Sarma said. The association also appealed to President Buhari to further empower TETFUND because of the important role it has been playing in the educational development of the country.

which took place about two months ago. The group, while commending Governor Elrufai’s ongoing verification exercise, which has so far saved the state over N128m per month, called on the people to support the present reforms in the state. The coalition urged the state government to verify abandoned projects and ensure that those found wanting are prosecuted. The group said: “While regretting the unfortunate incident that led to the gruesome killing of innocent law abiding and patriotic citizens that died while participating in the verification exercise, we call on the good leadership of Kaduna State to immortalize them. “We are of the strong view that the bomb blast was an act of sabotage orchestrated by the beneficiaries of the ghost workers’ scam. The government should leave no stone unturned until the perpetrators are brought to book. “Malam Nasir El-Rufai is human and hence fallible. Some of his decisions might not go down well with some individuals; however, we believe it is in the best interest of the majority. We wish to reaffirm our confidence in this government and we will continue to render our unflinching support,” the coalition said.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adewumi Patricia Olayinka, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeola Patricia Olayinka. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME FORMERLY known as MISS PHILIP OLUWAKEMI FUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEJUMO OLUWAKEMI FUNMI. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Bankole Temitope Bridget, Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adetukasi Temitope Bridget. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Aderoju Dorcas Oreoluwa, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Owodunni Aderoju Dorcas Oreoluwa All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as Miss Samuel Rebecca Funmilola wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunluyi Rebecca Funmilola. All former documents remain valid. Osun state government and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME GABRIEL: Formerly known and addressed as MISS GABRIEL FUNMILAYO GRACE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AJEWOLE FUNMILAYO GRACE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss CHIBUZO CHARITY ONWUZURUIGBO, now wish to known and addressed as Mrs. CHIBUZO SPLENDOR CHUKWUEMEKA. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ONWUANAMBA: I formerly known and addressed as MISS ONWUANAMBA JOSEPHINE CHINAGHOROM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGHA JOSEPHINE CHINAGHOROM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME NWOSU : Formerly known as Miss Nwosu Moureen Okwuchukwu, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Chibueze Moureen Okwuchukwu. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ONUIGBO : Formerly known as Miss Onuigbo Stella Onyinye, now wish to be known and address as Mrs Ezumezu Stella Onyinye. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as JINADU GBEMISOLA RUKAYAT, now wish to be known and addressed as RAJI GBEMISOLA RUKAYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Lasaki Medinat Omowunmi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Ogunyemi Medinat Omowunmi.All former documents remain valid.Neuropsychiatric Hospital,Aro and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS MAGAJI-KAYODE OLUWABUNMI BOLAJI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. KAYODEADEMUYIWA OLUWABUNMI BOLAJI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as MISS HABIBAT BISHOLA ISHOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS HABIBAT BISHOLA ZUBAIR. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME CHUKWU- formerly known and addressed as MRS chukwu francisca obiagaeli , now which to be known and addressed as MRS chukwuemezie francisca obiagaeli. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Muhammed Shefiyat Grace Ovayoza, Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Aroge Grace Ovayoza. All former documents remain valid. Federal Polytechnic, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Shote Oluwatobi Aderonke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odumala Oluwatobi Aderonke. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Miss Bensalah Bushrah Funmi and later as Akinlade Bushrah Bensalah, now wish to be known and addressed as BashirBensalah Bushrah Funmi. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OLAYEMI: Formerly known and addressed as MISS OLAYEMI OLORUNNIFE BUKOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLORUNLERO OLORUNNIFE BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ukachukwu Peace Nwamaka, now wishes to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chijioke Peace Nwamaka. All documents remain valid. NSCDC, FMI and the public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME NWAFOR: I formerly known and addressed as MISS NWAFOR DORIS ANULIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OKONKWO DORIS ANULIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OKEKE : formerly known as Miss Okeke Jane Chioma, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Onyeka Jane Chioma. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME EZEONUORAH : Formerly known as Miss Ezeonuorah Francisca Nkemdilim, now wish to be known and address as Miss Ezeonuorah Favour Nkemdilim. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as CANAYO NDENOJUO., now wish to be known and addressed as KANAYO EZE NDENOJUO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ibe Chinedu Augustus now wish to be known and addressed as Ibe Chinedu Francis. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Miss Subuloye yemisi Omolara, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Tijani Zaniab Oluwayemisi. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Known and addressed as Miss NGOZI CLARIS OJINNAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. NGOZI CLARIS Martins . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Dr. Mrs Darko Naomi Avwerosuo (nee Odeghe), now wish to be known and addressed as Dr. Mrs Anderson Naomi Avwerosuo. All former documents remain valid. Medical and Dental Council of Nigeria and general public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Jeje Moyosore Mary. Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Falodun Moyosore Mary. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Teaching Service Commission, Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Nwatu: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Nwatu Ifeoma Edith, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Agba Ifeoma Edith. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Miss. Olarewaju Esther Oluwayemi, now wants to be known as Mrs. Afolabi Esther Olarewaju. All former documents remain valid. INEC, Osun state should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME IBRAHIM: Formerly known and addressed as MISS RASHIDAT SHAYAU IBRAHIM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS RASHIDAT SHAYAU HAMMED. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Known and addressed as Miss Anyanwu Onyinyechi Victoria, now wish to known and addressed as Mrs. Igbonekwu Onyinyechi Victoria. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

EGEONU: I formerly known and addressed as MISS EGEONU ADAKU MIRRIAM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ONYIA ADAKU MIRRIAM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME FELIX: I formerly known and addressed as MISS OGOCHUKWU SANDRA FELIX, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGOCHUKWU SANDRA UCHENNA UBAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Oladunjoye Blessing Idowu, now wish to be known and addressed as Balogun Blessing Idowu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adebodun Oluwatunmise Abigael, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Odeyemi Oluwatunmise Abigael. All Former Documents remain valid. NYSC and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME formerly known and addressed as MISS AYANNUGA FADEKE KEJI, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. SALAMI FADEKE KEJI. All former documents remain valid General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ajiteru Abiodun Adigun, now wish to be known and called as Mrs Adigun-Ajiteru Abiodun Adefunke. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note .

Monday, September 14, 2015 CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Imohi Rosemary, now wish to be known and addressed as Sylvester Rosemary. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME IFANSE- formerly known and addressed as Miss Zainab Mojirade Ifanse Now Wish To Be Known And Addressed As Mrs Zainab Mojirade Issa. All Former Documents Remains Valid. General Public Take Note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss YUSUF SHUKURAT OLOLADE, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. OLORUNFEMI SHUKURAT OLOLADE. All former document remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME FORMERLY KNOWN and addressed as Agboola Omolayo Olayinka, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS.OLATUJA OMOLAYO OLAYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME ODOH: Formerly known and addressed as MISS ODOH CLEMENTINA CHINEDU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZEOYILI CLEMENTINA CHINEDU. All former documents remain valid. General public and NYSC should take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT This is to bring to the attention of the general public the loss of Fagge Local Government Certificate of Occupancy No 2292/46 dated 27/7/1960 in respect of the house No 25A Onitsha Road Saron Gari, Kano in the name of TAIWO ADELESI. Any member of the public who comes across it should report to the nearest police station.

CHANGE OF NAME This is to form the general public that Ngozi U. Onyike and Ngozi U. Ibe refer as one now Ngozi U. Ibe-Onyike. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME EZERIBE: I formerly known and addressed as MISS EZERIBE CHINELO JUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZENWA CHINELO JUSTINA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OKOYE: I formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOYE EBELE MAUREEN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ODILI EBELE MAUREEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Onwumere Elevate Nzubechi, now wish to be known and addressed as Nwokorie Elevate Nzubechi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeogun Nofisat Oluwatoyin, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adeleye Nofisat Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. Royal institute of health technology, Ifo and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Akinyemi opeyemi Fatimah, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amiegbe opeyemi fatimah. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly called and addressed as Miss Egbeyale Busola Ruth, now wish to be called and known as Mrs Salawu Busola Ruth. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ojumor Favour Oghenekome, now wish to be known and addressed as OGHIGHE FAVOUR OGHENEKOME. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Miss Chizea Chekwube Esther, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Udechukwu Chekwube Esther. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as Miss Oladosu Abiola Funmike, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Oyewusi Abiola Funmike. All former documents remain valid. General public should please note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MRS. BLESSING NGOZI OWUZOH, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS BLESSING NGOZI ECHIAGWU. All Former documents remain valid. General take note.

CHANGE OF NAME SALISU: Formerly known and addressed as MISS BILKISU OZIOHU SALISU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS JOY OZIOHU JAMES. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss James Rejoice Chinonyerem, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Chukwuemeka Rejoice CHINONYERRM. All former documents remain valid NYSC and general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME ONYEACHONAM: I hereby confirm that i am the same person known and addressed as ONYEACHONAM ERIC CHUKWUZIE and ONYEACHONAM CHUKWUENWEIWE, all former documents bearing my two names remain valid. WEMA BANK PLC and general Public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ECHEHIE: I formerly known and addressed as MISS ECHEHIE CHINAEMEREM KELECHI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OBI CHINAEMEREM KELECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME EZE: I formerly known and addressed as MISS EZE ROSEMARY EBERE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UKAIGWE ROSEMARY EBERE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME GABRIEL : Formerly known as Miss Gabriel Lynda Liman, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Pius Lynda Liman. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Iberuche Enderline Nwaibari now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Amadi Enderline Nwaibari. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Yekini Bilikis Oluwakemi, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Taiwo Balikis Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid .General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and called as Miss Adeleke Omolade Omowumi. now wish to be addressed and called as Mrs Emmanuel Omolade Omowumi. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as MISS. OLANLOKUN TOLULOPE GRACE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ODEBUNMI TOLULOPE GRACE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Adegbola Adeola Bose, Now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Olatoye Adeola Bose. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Umaru Zainab, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Favour Obaje. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS GIFT ODOCHI NWAMBU MADUKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. GIFT ODUCHI UCHE OSISIOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ONYEBUCHI I formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYEBUCHI NKECHI ROSELINE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. DIMUKEJE NKECHI ROSLEINE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ONYENONEKE: I formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYENONEKE CHINWENDU MARY JANE LONTA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OSONDU CHINWENDU MARY JANE LONTA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly Miss Adisa Taiwo Mutiyat, now wish to be known & addressed as Mrs. YEKEEN TAIWO (ADISA). All Former documents remain valid. Hospital Management Board Osogbo & general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME MBAKWE : Formerly known as Miss Mbakwe Ebelechukwu Dorathy, now wish to be known and addressed s as Mrs Chimezie Ebelechukwu Blessing. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Miss Dauda A. Hussena Favour now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Idoko Hussena favour. All former documents remain valid and general public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as MISS AKANGBE DAMILOLA FLORENCE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IYIOLA DAMILOLA FLORENCE. All former documents remain valid. National Youths Service Corp (NYSC), general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Miss Olaniyi Mary Funmilola, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Owolabi Mary Funmilola. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Monday, September 14, 2015

Glo League results

Caption: Former Nigerian athlete Mary Onyali and Chief Afe Babalola in Ado Ekiti at the weekend

BOOST: Onyali gets Babalola’s endorsement

roprietor of the Afe Babalola University, Ado-Ekiti (ABUAD), Aare Afe Babalola, has commended the former Nigerian international athletes behind the Basic Olympic Opportunity Sports Training (BOOST) project while pledging his support to revive competitive schools sports in the country. Babalola, gave the commendation while receiving former national athlete, Chief Mary Onyali (MFR) in Ado-Ekiti during a courtesy visit by the latter at the weekend. “Our university will host the rest of the nation’s private universities in a sports meet and he shall put in place a whole lot of sports facilities and equipment which will help us to meet the yawning gap you have also identified,” the prorietor said.

“Our teaching hospital will complement our quest to return our sports to the era when Charlton Ehizuelen, Nduka Odizor, Sadiq Abdullahi, Modupe Oshikoya before the generation of Onyali, Falilat Ogunkoya, Sunday Bada reigned,” he added. Onyali, who commended ABUAD for establishing the Talent Discovery Centre, a multipurpose indoor sports facility with a swimming pool, said: “You have envisioned our bringing this project to Ekiti that is why you have built this gigantic sports laboratory in wait for us. “With the quality of support you have given to us, we shall be starting our first elite athlete development project in January 2016 in wait for the 2020 Olympics and

beyond and we intend to clone ourselves with better specie of Nigerian kids to return our nation to success in international sports.” Six such centres will be launched before December 2016, one each in the six geo-political zone of Nigeria. The elite athlete development centre in Ekiti State will have swimming, table tennis, tennis, weightlifting and athletics. Onyali listed the initiators of the project as Prof Sadiq Abdullahi (Tennis), Bose Kaffo (table tennis), Pat Itanyi (Athletics), late DSP Sunday Bada (Athletics), Shaibu Amodu (football), Ruth Balofin-Ogbeifo (weightlifting) and Olajide Fashikun (handball), who accompanied her on the visit, among others.

he 2015 edition of the Nigeria Cup, the premier amateur golf tournament organized by the Ikoyi Golf Community Nigeria Association (IGCNA) will tee off on Saturday at the 18hole lush Golf Section of the Ikoyi Club 1938 course. The tournament, themed “7 Shades of Green” will reflect seven days of the event, as well as the celebration of Nigerian independence week through golf whie each day will focus on a different category of golfers, highlighting a different shades of green colour of Nigerian and golf. Chairman of the organizing committee, Mr. Lanre Kalejaiye, said the week-long

program will commence on September 26 with the children’s tournament, while 28, 29 and 30 will be time for the Caddies, Ladies and Professionals. He explained that this year’s Independence Day Kitty scheduled for October 1 would enable all members celebrate Nigeria’s rich heritage in the Arts. The guests, veterans and sponsors will take their turn on the course on October 2, and the Final will be on October 3 which will climax with a Gala Dinner. The qualifier for the Final will be played on September 12. Kalejaiye stated that highlight of the tournament is the N3 million prize money for the Professional Tournament, which

is aimed at motivating professional cadre golfers in Nigeria, as well as the Nigeria Cup trophy for the winner of the Final. He commended the tournament’s sponsors for their support. Head of the media sub-committee, Oare Ojeikere, said: “Primarily the event is a platform to commemorate the independence celebration of the country and that on its own defines a lot in the organization of the event.” The Nigeria Cup 2015 has also adopted the philosophy of giving back, as part of the proceeds from sponsors will be donated to support the less privileged as well as developing the game of golf.

Sunshine

Nasarawa

Wolves

Kwara

Lobi

Wikki

Pillars

Abia

Akwa

Heartland

Sharks

IfeanyiUbah

Taraba

Giwa

Enyimba

Dolphins

Bayelsa

El-Kanemi

Rangers

3SC

Sodje

Sodje tasks LMC Golf: Ikoyi Club unveils Nigeria Cup on players’ T welfare E Buhari tasked on corruption in sports Abdulgafar Oladimeji KANO

Group, Sports Without Borders (SWB), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to bring to an end the abysmal performance and corrupt practices in sports through the appointment of non technocrat as Sports Minister. The group, in a statement issued in

Kano, said there was the need for a reverse from the old order of appointing persons without sports background to oversee the affairs of the Sports Ministry. The Kano-based body stated that, in the past, those appointed due to their lack of knowledge of the industry take time to learn the trend, thus, paving way for mediocrity. “We strongly believe that President

Buhari in his reforms needs to extend same to the sports industry. “Sports has greatly suffered due to non appointment of sports knowleagble persons as ministers in most cases. “We are of the suggestion, that the likes of Ibahim Galadima,and others whose knowledge and integrity can not be questioned should be given the chance to save our sports.

x-international, Sam Sodje, has raised the alarm over the poor welfare of players in the local league and urged the League Management Committee (LMC) to formulate policy that will compel the clubs to regularly pay their players. The former West Brom of England defender said he conducted an independent research and his findings about the harrowing experience players in the Nigeria Premier League are passing through are enormous. “I will prefer to have just two teams in the league rather than the current 20 that will not pay their players. What we have today in the league is slavery; these local players are enslaved. Let us cancel the league if we cannot have a law that will compel these clubs to pay their players.” The former Portsmouth FC of England player explained that he is concerned by the plight of the local players, hence the idea to help them survive after retirement.

WORLD RECORD

Largest dessert pizza

N150

Vol. 05 No. 1198 Monday, September 14, 2015

The largest dessert pizza has a total surface area of 14.28 m² (153.71 ft²) and was prepared by the Record Pizza Men team

The celebration that PDP needs I experienced uncontrolled revulsion when I heard the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was preparing to celebrate its 17 years of existence. My first puzzle was why now? And this was followed by the question: What is there to celebrate in defeat? Celebration connotes achievement that propels elevation emotional satisfaction, and of course, expression of gratitude. Its political connotation lends credence to achievement of superior performance or uncommon victory. So, if the PDP had cause to celebrate, especially at a time the dust over its failed fifth bid at the nation’s presidential seat after four successful attempts had not settled, there is indeed a problem with the value judgement of its national hierarchs. I listened to the rationalization of Chief Olisa Metuh, its National Publicity

HeartBeat Callistus Oke

Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY) anthonykila@mail.com Secretary. The celebration, he said, was to acknowledge notable “milestones” the party made in economic development, national integration and foreign investments drive in the 16 years it was in power. Perhaps for effect, he prided his party as the only Nigerian political party that is “completely owned and controlled by the Nigerian people”. If I wish to be immodest, I would have said the PDP leadership has a warped sense of value. Why would a near hegemonic party that was on the national governance saddle for 16 years choose the year of its rejection leading to a disgraceful exit from Aso Rock to celebrate? Who took that decision to celebrate? I am not saying PDP is not a serious party given its antecedents. However, this time around the trauma of the loss of the last presidential election might have dulled its stimuli. A more perceptible leadership would have opted for self-flagellation instead of celebration. I have heard of Restart PDP Project, a steering committee set up to work out the modalities for repositioning the PDP to put it in good stead for future electoral engagements, particularly the 2019 general elections. That is good thinking. The PDP should be reinvented; innovation for more enduring electoral successes is much like it. Celebration at this time the party’s past political officeholders are being hounded to make restitution for their perceived sins is a sign of unseriousness. Rather. reconcilia-

THE PDP SHOULD BE REINVENTED; INNOVATION FOR MORE ENDURING ELECTORAL SUCCESS IS BETTER tion to heal old wounds should complement reinvention. Chief Metuh should level with the party members. He personally admitted that all was not well with the party sometime ago. Let me quote him: “If as the National Publicity Secretary of the ruling party, I had nothing to work with such that I would be running my office with my own money, how effective can I be? And if in running the presidential campaign the National Working Committee members were sidelined, should we take the blame for the party’s failure?” The popular imagination is that the management of the last general elections by the party hierarchs, especially the presidential campaigns, could have been better. Chief Godswill Akpabio, Akwa Ibom State governor and now a senator admitted that as much in this statement: “I practically had to go to the Villa where, as Chairman of the PDP Governors’ Forum, I spent about three hours begging the president to accommodate the governors in the presidential campaign.” I have not seen much of genuine efforts

at repositioning the party, neither have I seen deliberate efforts at healing old wounds. The reason is those that ought to take the initiative are still sulking, mulling over the party’s first defeat in 17 years. Abandoning their shepherd role in the party, the flock has scattered. The ruling APC is daily swelling with PDP decampees. Despite the gloomy clime, Chief Metuh et al have spawned a celebration gambit. What better way to make it stick than flaunt PDP achievements. Hear him: “As you are aware, the hallmark of the PDP administration was anchored on the policy of transfer of wealth from the public sector to hardworking and enterprising Nigerians. This resulted in the rapid expansion of the nation’s economic frontiers with an unprecedented growth in small and medium scale enterprises, which helped in providing employment for millions of our citizens across the country”. When a painted scenario is a mere fantasy of the author, propaganda is at work. Propaganda has its usefulness, its drawbacks are equally legion. If the PDP had performed the way it is glowingly celebrated, Nigerians would not have had any need for a Messiah in 2015. They would not have been seduced by the CHANGE mantra that produced President Muhammadu Buhari. There is no doubt the PDP is a big party, perceivably the biggest in Africa. Its near total dominance of the nation’s political space is seen in its hold on the presidential seat for 16 years and its control of the two chambers of the National Assembly from May 29, 1999 till the last general elections. That it is the greatest before the failed crossing of the Rubicon last March is the fact that it is the last surviving party of the three that began the race in 1999. Both the All People’s Party and Alliance for Democracy have become history. For PDP to rise again, the most compelling challenge now is for its leaders to put their house in order. If this is successfully done, 2019 would be the more appropriate time for celebration.

Sport Extra

Boxing: Mayweather finally calls it quit

loyd Mayweather equaled Rocky Marciano’s perfect 49-0 record last Saturday and then confirmed that now was the time to quit -- because he has nothing else

to accomplish. The unbeaten poundfor-pound king, 38, showcased some of his brilliant best in easily outpointing Andre Berto at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Pundits and rivals in the welterweight division said before the fight that they believed Mayweather, the highest-earning sportsman in the world, would carry on to go for

the magic 50-0. Critics accused Mayweather of bigging up the quit talk to sell tickets for a fight against a rank outsider that had failed to capture the public inter-

est. But Mayweather -widely acknowledged as the best boxer of his generation - was adamant it was time to let someone else grab the limelight.

Mayweather Emenike

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