Monday, March 18, 2013

Airfares to skyrocket with Aero, Dana grounded

Airline loses N550m, sacks 600 workers EXCLUSIVE

OLUSEGUN KOIKI

AVIATION CORRESPONDENT

Oduah

Vol. 3 N0. 579

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irfares may to skyrocket again due to a severe shortage of seats with Aero

Airlines grounded due to workers strike and yesterday’s confirmation of the CONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

Tambuwal

Reps move to block revenue leakages

Monday, March 18, 2013

State pardon:

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N150

CPC calls for Jonathan’s impeachment over Alams Gowon, Shagari, Shonekan have disappointed Nigerians –Yakasai FG bids for time to reply US

AUGUSTINE MADU-WEST,

OBIORA IFOH AND GEORGE OJI

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he Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, has called on the Senate to begin, without delay, impeachment process against President Goodluck Jonathan over

the recent state pardon granted former Bayelsa State governor, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The party said this has become necessary to mitigate the national embarrassment the action has caused the nation.

Also, former Head of State, General Yakubu CONTINUED ON PAGE 5>>

PDP, ACN in war of words over threat to democracy P.13

Tinubu

BUSINESS SECTION ‘Multiple taxes, serious challenge to marginal oil field operators’ THE

Allow letter of employment as collateral for NHF loan, FG told P.A7

Free ree inside d

Pope Francis being greeted by faithful upon arrival for Mass at Santa Anna Church at the Vatican, yesterday.

Inflation rate rises to 9.5% CBN urged to lower interest rate

France adopts discrete approach to free hostages

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Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Monday, March 18, 2013

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Photo News

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Deputy President of the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, Hajia Aisha Sule; President, Mr. Femi Adesina and Rivers State Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi during a visit by the NGE to the governor in Port Harcourt, at the weekend.

L-R: Wife of Chief Consultant, Supreme Management and Consultancy Services, Bisi, her husband, Mr. Yinka Fasuyi; Oyo State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Mohammed Indabawa and others during a visit by the Police Commissioner to Corporate Head Office of Supreme Management and Consultancy Services In Ibadan, at the weekend.

L-R: Head, Corporate and Investment Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Mr. Victor Williams; VicePresident, Corporate Council on Africa, Mr. Robert Perry and Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC Capital, Mrs. Yewande Sadiku, at a business lunch in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Project Head, Lagos World Record Tooth Brushing Challenge, Dr. Lawal Bakare; President, Nigeria Dental Association, Dr. Rotimi Olojede; Special Adviser on Public Health to Lagos State Governor, Dr. Yewande Adesina and Special Adviser on Media, Mr. Hakeem Bello, during a press conference on 2013 World Oral Health Day held in Lagos yesterday.

National News

Seven killed, others injured as Cross River, Ebonyi communities clash WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

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o fewer than seven persons have been killed and several others injured in a fresh communal crisis that erupted on Saturday among residents of Abi Local Government Area of Cross River State and Ikwo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State.

The crisis was recorded at Adadama in Cross River State and its Amagu neighbour in Ebonyi State.

Eyewitnesses told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Adadama that seven houses were razed in the community by assailants who allegedly came from the Amagu community.

The witnesses said that several youths, masked and dressed in military uniforms and armed with sophisticated guns from Ebonyi allegedly invaded the Adadama community on Saturday at about 2 p.m.

They said that the invad-

•Two policemen die in Kwara communal crisis ers also fired sporadically in an unprovoked attack.

According to the eyewitnesses, the slain seven persons were Adadama men who had attempted to beat the invaders to retreat.

“We don’t have any arms here. The people they killed were our men who tried to fight them back.

But because they went to face people with sophisticated guns they ended up dead.

“About five were killed instantly, while two who were severely injured died on their way to the hospital. Their bodies are in the mortuaries as I speak to you now. The invaders came in through the Ngoli Road which links us with Amagu community in Ebonyi State,” an eyewitness said.

The Cross River State Security Adviser, Mr. Rekpene Bassey, confirmed the attack.

He said: “I cannot talk

to the press now. But I can confirm there was an attack. Adequate security has been put in place to check the situation. That is all I can say for now.”

It will be recalled that on January 14, 2013 no fewer than 11 persons were killed in a clash between the two communities.

In Kwara State, two policemen were feared dead yesterday in Ganmo, If-

elodun Local Government Area following a communal clash over chieftaincy issue.

The development threw the town into confusion and caused traffic gridlock on the Ilorin OmuAran Highway.

When the police spokesman, Mr. Olufemi Fabode, was contacted for comment over the incident, he did not pick his telephone

calls.

National Mirror, however, learnt that grading and presentation of Staff of Office had been a contending issue in the town.

Sources said the grading of an Oluganna Stool to a fourth class status sparked off the bloody clash.

The state government recently announced the grading of Ganmo mon-

arch, Oba Abdullahi Kolawole, to that status.

The government, in a move to avert crisis, reportedly postponed the presentation of the Staff of Office to the traditional ruler.

The descendants of Laderin, the son of Afonja in Idi-Ape quarters, Ilorin, had been claiming ownership of the ancient town which the Igbominas also lay claim to the land, which they said belong to their forefathers.

Tukur assures of NWC’s moves to strengthen PDP SAM OLUWALANA

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ational Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, yesterday assured that the National Working Committee (NWC) would initiate measures to strengthen the party Tukur spoke when he met with members of the party in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, adding that the party belonged to

the people.

He said: “You (members) are the owners of PDP. We will ensure that the party is brought back to the owners. Yes, there are disagreements, but we can reconcile our differences and still deliver our party in 2015.” aid.

Tukur thanked the party’s supporters for the warm welcome accorded him both at the Port Harcourt International Airport and the venue of the meeting.

The Port Harcourt meeting was attended by Rivers

State Governor Chibuike Amaechi, Delta State Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan and Akwa Ibom State Godswill Akpabio.

Speaking on the occasion, Akpabio donated N1 million each to the state chairmen of the party.

The donation was sequel to a statement earlier made

by Uduaghan that members should be fed well to avoid defecting to other parties.

Uduaghan said: “I join all my brothers in the

South-South in welcoming you (Tukur). Even at my position as elected governor, I must tell you this. Even if you tar all the roads in the South-South without putting food on the table, our members will not appreciate the party.

“If you want to prevent our members from straying to other parties, you must put food in their stomach.”

Akpabio, however, urged the state chairmen to ensure that none of their members defect to other parties.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Monday, March 18, 2013

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Inflation rate rises to 9.5% TOLA AKINMUTIMI, UDO ONYEKA AND JOHNSON OKANLAWON

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he inflation rate rose by 500 basis points to 9.5 per cent in February, just as economic stakeholders reiterated calls for the Central Bank of Nigeria to reduce the benchmark Monetary Policy Rate, ahead of today Monetary Policy Committee meeting.

This call is coming at a time inflation rate remained in the single digit target despite inching upwards according to data released yesterday by the Nigeria Bureau of Statistics, NBS. The MPR, the key rate at which the CBN lends to other banks, has been kept at 12 per cent for more than two years due to fears of inflationary pressure and need to keep the naira exchange rate stable.

However, the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, insist-

ed that CBN needs to ease the monetary tightening which has impacted negatively on the activities of the private sector.

The LCCI in a statement signed by its president, Mr Goodie Ibru, noted that the MPR has remained unchanged at 12 per cent after nine consecutive MPC meetings since October 2011 and that it would want the interest rate reduced to stimulate private sector activity.

Private sector leaders had noted that interest rates are currently as high as 25 to 30 per cent, and even at that, access to credit at these rates are difficult.

The chamber said it expected to see the monetary policy tools – MPR, Liquidity Ratio and the Cash Reserve Requirements (CRR) adjusted appropriately by the MPC to create the conditions that would stimulate growth, boost economic activities and create jobs.

“We expect to see the commencement of monetary easing on the back of supportive economic

realities. The latest inflation rate for the month of January 2013 stood at nine per cent, lower than 12 per cent recorded in December 2012. Year-on-year core inflation (all items less farm produce) stood at 11.3 per cent in January from 13.7 per cent in December 2012.

“The headline inflation rate is now in single digit, which is an appropriate

the moral fabric of society through unbridled grand larceny would be granted pardon.

He said: “President Goodluck Jonathan, known for devious schemes, had tried to conflate political transgressions and criminal infractions in the lame attempt at hoodwinking a nation with this obviously nauseating pardon to his former political benefactor.

“Though the ostensible and much-trumpeted reason is for national cohesion, we have on good authority that the main reason is a self-serving agenda by the Jonathan regime ahead of the 2015 election.

“Under the Nigerian extant law – which prescribes a 10-year disqualification for any ex-convict – Chief Alamieyeseigha is ineligible for any electoral contest in 2015 since his conviction was done in 2006.

“As a party, we are aware of the burden of responsibility on us to lend our voice to the vociferous condemnation of this ‘pardon for brazen criminality’ by the Jonathan administration.

The wider implications of the infra-dig by this regime concerning the issue are very worrisome.

“Section 175 (1d) of the Nigerian Constitution which deals with amnesty states: ‘remit the whole or any part of any punishment imposed on that person for such an offence or of any penalty or forfeiture otherwise due to the State on account of such an offence.

“Does this imply that, by this amnesty, the assets unjustly accumulated by Chief Alamieyeseigha and forfeited to the Nigerian state shall be remitted to him in part or whole?”

The party’s spokesperson asked if the development would not send wrong signals to the international community that Nigeria is a big enclave of institutionalised corruption.

“Would this not discourage potential investors and extirpate the implementation of the much-touted Foreign Direct Investment (FDI)? By this action, is the Jonathan regime not festering the cankerworm of

condition for the cessation of the tightening cycle. As at March 16, 2013 the country’s external reserves stood at $48.17bn. This level of reserves is enough to cover over 11 months of imports, above the critical level of three months.

The reserves should support stable exchange rate in the short to medium term.”

It also said a favourable

oil price, improved foreign capital inflows and lower demand from oil marketers have all contributed to the accretion to the reserves position and that monetary easing at this time is therefore desirable.

LCCI said that having successfully achieved a single digit inflation rate, the next focus of the MPC should be to ensure a mod-

est commencement of monetary easing to boost real sector growth and stimulate the economy generally.

It also said the foreign exchange rate has remained relatively stable since the beginning of the year.

“The exchange rate stood at N155.76/US$1 as at March 13, 2013, repreCONTINUED ON PAGE 8>>

Vice-President Namadi Sambo (left) during a condolence visit to Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris at his palace in Zaria, yesterday over the death of the Emir’s elder brother, Alhaji Umar Idris (Dangaladiman Zazzau and District Head of Rigasa).

CPC calls for Jonathan’s impeachment over Alams CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Gowon, former President, Alhaji Shehu Shagari and former head of the Interim National Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan have all received knocks for their involvement in the state pardon controversy.

The Federal Government also said it is bidding its time before reacting to the alleged threat by the United States of America to cut aid to Nigeria following the state pardon granted Alamieyeseigha and others.

The party, which insists that the action was politically motivated also said that in alternative, the Senate should rescind the decision which they said was a gross abuse of executive authority and total disregard for the feelings of the Nigerians.

National Publicity Secretary of CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, in a statement made available to National Mirror yesterday said that in the history on prerogative of mercy, this is the first time that convicted individuals that have destroyed

corruption and implicitly encouraging the succeeding generation on imbibing that culture? Would this action not be antithetical to the spirit and letter of the UN charter against Corruption to which Nigeria is a signatory?”

He said that without any doubt, the President has ceased from serving the collective interest of the Nigerian people and the nation and that he seems more pre-occupied with political manoeuvres- that are deleterious to the corporate existence of the Nation state- than ensuring good governance through enunciation of policies that do not offend the ethno-religious balance of the polity.

“It is therefore our considered view – in the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, that the Nigerian Senate should mitigate this national embarrassment from the President’s action by suing for rescission of this amnesty order on Mr. Diepreye Alamieyeseigha and Mr. Shettima Bulama; or in the event of refusal, to commence im-

peachment proceedings for gross abuse of executive authority and total disregard for the feelings of the Nigerian people.”

But the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, described the call as laughable. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, in an interview with National Mirror said: “The constitution is clear about that and the question should be whether the President has violated any part of the constitution by granting a state pardon to some Nigerians including Alams.

“Whether it is morally right is another question but it is legally and constitutionally right for Mr. President to grant the state pardon.

“Again, what does it matter for a party that has just seven members in the Senate with 109 members.

“Asking for impeachment is not just attention seeking but laughable. It is another macabre dance by a sinking party looking for a branch to cling on to avoid drowning. We do not have

time for such noise making. Let them work hard and improve on their electoral strength rather than looking for a backway to achieve electoral victory.”

Second Republic Presidential Adviser and Northern leader, Alhaji Tanko Yakasai declared yesterday in Kano that the former leaders have disappointed Nigerians by endorsing the state pardon to the former Bayelsa governor, who was convicted for financial crime.

He also said the role of the former leaders in the questionable amnesty would no doubt lower their rating in the eyes of the public locally and internationally.

His words: “I am disappointed by this development not because I have anything against the former Bayelsa governor, whom I have known since he left the Nigerian Air Force but it’s a different situation now. It’s on record that this is a person, who was convicted on charges of corruption of monumenCONTINUED ON PAGE 6>>

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News

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Airfares to skyrocket with Aero, Dana grounded CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

withdrawal of the Air Operators Certificate, AOC, of Dana Air. The withdrawal of Dana’s AOC on Saturday by the Federal Government came less than two and half months it was re-issued by the Minister of Aviation, Princess Stella Oduah.

Aero, Nigeria’s second largest airline after Arik Air, has been grounded since March 13 after workers, grounded new management decisions, embarked

on strike. The airline said on Friday that it had suspended operations indefinitely.

The situation however took a new turn yesterday as Aero sacked about 600 striking workers.

Sources close to the airline told our correspondent that the management dispatched sack letters to the home addresses of the striking workers setting the stage for a prolonged grounding.

Aero which has 12 com-

mercial passenger aircraft in its fleet, flies to Abuja, Port Harcourt, Warri, Benin, Uyo, Kano, Enugu, Jos and Sokoto while it also operates regional flights. It also operates helicopter and charter flights for clients in the oil and gas industry.

On the average daily operation, the airline makes 50 landings on all routes and information gathered by our correspondent revealed that the airline is losing N110m daily due to the strike action.

Dana Air, which operated two aircraft on the Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt routes, carries about 140 passengers per flight.

Meanwhile, stakeholders and professionals in aviation yesterday condemned the withdrawal of the airline’s AOC by the government and said it would have grave effect on the industry.

They also expressed doubts about the autonomy granted the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, by the government in Novem-

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Mrs. Fatima Bamidele; Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; Japanese Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Ryuichi Shoji and Country Representative, UNICEF, Mr. Jacques Boyer, during the signing of Grant for Child Survival between Nigeria and Japan in Abuja, at the weekend.

CPC calls for Jonathan’s impeachment over Alams CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

tal magnitude.”

Yakasai frowned that pardoning a man whose conviction was not political but hugely criminal does not portray Nigeria as a country determined to fight corruption, adding that most Nigerians and the international community do not see the country as a nation ready to wipe out corruption.

“Now, for us to pardon a man like Alamieyeseigha without any condition does not speak well of us as a nation,” he said.

The elder statesman said his grouse over the issue has more to do with members of the National Council of State “because such a pardon could not have been granted without the Council, more so that the calibre of people that constitute the NCS are leaders respected locally and internationally who should not have endorsed such pardon.

“For leaders like General Yakubu Gowon, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Ernest Shonekan, President of the

Senate and Speaker of the House of Representatives to be present in a meeting where a man known to have been convicted of monumental fraud bordering on misappropriation of public fund and abuse of office, I expected them to kick against such pardon. It is a huge disappointment to Nigerians.”

The octogenarian said he could understand President Jonathan’s predicament.

“He was deputy to Alamieyeseigha when he was governor of Bayelsa State, and would like to please his former boss, particularly with the political situation in Bayelsa State, where the state is virtually divided into pro and anti-Jonathan groups. So, I can understand he is trying to shore up his support at home,” Yakassai said.

He said the idea of bringing former heads of state together is for them to offer credible advice to the leadership using their experience and maturity. “This is why I’m clearly disappointed that

the body is gradually being turned to a rubber stamp for the President by its endorsement of such questionable action,” he noted.

In a related development, the government said it is currently studying the statement credited to the US government to first determine its veracity before adopting the right response.

Nigeria is currently the largest trading partner with the US in sub-Saharan Africa, with $35bn in annual trade between both countries and about $5.4bn in Foreign Direct Investments annually.

The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Ogbole Amedu Odeh, in a telephone interview with the National Mirror yesterday explained that usually in diplomatic circle before his ministry reacts to such stories; there are certain “quality assurance” measures to be taken in order not to be reacting wrongly.

He said so far, the foreign

affairs ministry is trying to verify the authenticity of the report to be sure that all the statements credited to the US officials are true.

According to him, “We have just read the statement on the papers today.

We are studying it; we don’t just react based on what we read on the pages of the newspapers. We have to be sure first that the statement is genuine, before we decided on the best line of reaction to take.”

The US Embassy in Nigeria had first expressed the country’s displeasure with the pardon in a tweet on Friday, which prompted the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs to summon the US Deputy Chief of Mission over the issue.

The US State Department spokesperson, Ms. Victoria Nuland, was quoted as saying at the weekend, that her government was “deeply disappointed over the recent pardons of corrupt officials by the Nigerian Government”.

ber 2006.

They said the revocation of the AOC at this time would lead to a repeat of the situation last year when the suspension of operations by Air Nigeria, Chanchangi and Dana Air led to acute shortage of seats.

This forced airfares for one hour flight to climb to between N35, 0000 and N45, 000 depending on the airline and the time of flight.

It was not until MedView Airlines joined scheduled operations that the fares dropped a little as the airline introduced a N16,200 ticket fare for a flight to Abuja.

A top official of NCAA, who spoke in confidence to our correspondent, but said that the government’s position on Dana was conveyed to the airline through the Managing Director of the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency, NAMA, Mr. Nnamdi Udoh.

Based on this, the Aviation Minister allegedly called for the withdrawal of the airline’s license.

The spokesman for the airline, Mr. Tony Usidamen, yesterday confirmed the withdrawal of the airline’s AOC. According to him, the AOC was suspended following a directive from the Ministry of Aviation through NCAA on Saturday without any specific reason.

However, our correspondent gathered that the AOC might have been withdrawn by the government due to a bad battery reported to the NCAA by the airline’s engineers on its flight yesterday.

According to the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, technical personnel of aircraft most especially engineers are expected to report log in their book any snag noticed in their aircraft and report such to the regulator, NCAA. Besides, the source said the government might have used this to finally stop the operations of the airline and insisted that there was more to it than meets the eye as efforts were made in the past few weeks to withdraw the license of the airline, but this was not allowed by the former Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren.

Usidamen’s statement reads in part: “We regret to announce the temporary

suspension of our flight operations following a directive from the Ministry of Aviation through NCAA on Saturday March 16, 2013.

No specific reason was given for the action.

“A meeting is, however, scheduled between the management of Dana Air, the Ministry of Aviation and the NCAA on Monday, March 18 and we will update you as we get more information. We thank you for your patience and understanding and we look forward to having the pleasure of welcoming you on board again shortly.”

Also, the Acting Director-General, NCAA, Mr. Joyce Nkemakolam, stated through a text message that the airline’s license was temporarily suspended over safety concerns in respect of one of its flights yesterday in Abuja.

Speaking on phone with our correspondent, a member of the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers, NAAPE, Mr. Sheri Kyari described the suspension as unfortunate and predicted that the industry would suffer.

He explained that the capacity would be inadequate to satisfy the travelling public, adding that it would also have negative effects on the remaining carriers in the sector, as potential investors too would not be comfortable with the ongoing intrigues in the sector.

He added that the usurpation of NCAA duties by the ministry also indicated that the agency was not fully autonomous, maintaining that this would send a wrong signal to the international community.

He said: “The potential operators will think twice before coming to invest in the sector. We have said it times without number that the kind of autonomy given NCAA is a partial autonomy as far as we are concerned because if the ministry can overcome NCAA and perform its functions, it means the NCAA is not fully autonomous.”

Also speaking, the National President, Air Transport Services Senior Staff, Comrade Benjamin Okewu, said that the suspension of operations of Dana Air would have negative impact on the industry, stressing that air passengers would suffer more.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Monday, March 18, 2013

Reps move to block revenue leakages TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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he House of Representatives will soon amend all laws governing the operations of revenue-generating agencies with a view to addressing excuses for nonremittances to government treasury.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Finance, Hon. Abdulmumin Jibril, said at a briefing at the weekend that draft amendment bills to acts establishing the affected bodies would soon be presented to the House.

This was as the House of Representatives also denied the misconception that members were seeking a complete immunity that would shield them from the law.

•Say members only seeking ‘speech immunity’ The spokesman of the House, Hon. Zakari Mohammed, said what the constitutional amendment bills were asking for was “just speech immunity to guarantee members’ freedom of expression on the floor and in committee sittings.”

Mohammed, who briefed journalists at the weekend, along with the sponsors of the two controversial bills, Hon. Ali Ahmed and Hon. Ralph Igbokwe, explained that members were motivated by a democratic imperative to strengthen democratic institutions, arguing that it was a misunderstanding on the part of the opponents of the bill.

Jibril said the House would also repeal and re-enact the Fiscal Responsibility

Act, 2007, to grant the Fiscal Responsibility Commission more powers of enforcement.

Section 21 of the Act provides for the affected bodies, 31 of which were listed in the schedule, to at the required time forward their revenue and expenditure projections to the Minister of Finance who in turn shall attach same as part of the annual Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly.

However, the affected corporations and agencies sometimes rely on their establishment acts to spend such internally generated revenue; a practice the National Assembly insists is unconstitutional.

“The biggest challenge to us as a committee is the Ni-

gerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC. It has never remitted a dime to the Consolidated Revenue Fund of the Federation,” Jibril said.

He added that the committee discovered that from 2009, the Corporation generated over N6 trillion, but that the Group Managing Director, GMD, was only compelled to appear with threat of bench warrant of arrest.

Rather than defend allegations of non-remittance of revenue, he said NNPC was accusing the committee of being out to embarrass it, pursuing a hidden agenda and that the committee investigation was inconclusive before it made its report public.

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Nigeria’ll soon produce 1.79m tonnes of sugar –NSDC OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

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he Executive Secretary of the National Sugar Development Council, NSDC, Dr. Latif Busari, has predicted that the country sugar production, which stands at 30,000 tonnes, would soon hit about 1.79 million tonnes.

As at today, Nigeria consumes about 1.5 million tonnes of sugar annually, it was learnt.

But Busari, who spoke in Abuja at the weekend, explained that some measures had been put in place to ensure that the country achieved self-sufficiency in sugar production by 2020.

He said it was in a bid to achieve the set target that the Federal Government approved the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan last September to transform the country’s promising sugar industry into a major revenue earner driven by the private sector.

Busari said the implementation of the master plan would require massive private sector investments of more than $3.1

billion (about N496 billion) over the next 10 years.

The NSDC boss added that one of the key elements of the master plan was to have 28 sugar projects sited across 17 states of the federation.

He said: “If we are able to implement the master plan as projected, we should be looking at producing about 1.79 million metric tons of sugar between 2020 and 2023 which is also what is projected to be our demand about that time.

“We should be able to produce about 161 million litres of ethanol. We should be able to also generate over 117,000 jobs for the economy. And then save something in the neighbourhood of $350 million to $500 million annually on foreign exchange. And then we will also generate about 411 megawatts of electricity from the various projects.”

Busari said government had also put in place some strategies, which included a backward integration plan to ensure successful implementation of the master plan.

COREN slams FG for disregarding local engineers OLUFEMI ADEOSUN ABUJA

L-R: Corps Marshal, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka; Plateau State Governor, Mr. Jonah Jang and Senator Gyang Pwajok, during the governor’s advocacy visit to the FRSC headquarters in Abuja, at the weekend.

PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

CBN, DMBs partnering on mortgage financing UDO ONYEKA

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he Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, is collaborating with Deposit Money Banks, DMBs, on the provision of funds for the mortgage industry.

To achieve this, the apex bank has sent a draft of the regulatory and supervisory framework for the operations of a Mortgage Refinance Company, MRC, to all banks.

The CBN said the MRC would be a specialised second-tier institution which would provide short term liquidity, long term funding and or guarantees to mortgage originators and housing finance lenders.

In a circular posted on its website signed by Director,

Other Financial Institutions Supervision Department, OFID, Mr. Olufemi Fabamwo, and addressed to DMBs and Primary Mortgage Banks, the apex bank requested for comments, observations and suggestions on the establishment of the MRC. The CBN said the establishment of the MRC was primarily aimed at increasing the liquidity within the mortgage sub-sector and availability of mortgage credit, reduce mortgage and related costs and make residential housing more affordable.

The circular said the frame work prescribed the basic regulatory requirements for the MRC’s principal line of business of refinancing credits to borrowers on the security of residential

mortgage assets and other qualified collaterals.

It also sets the capital adequacy requirements for the MRC, including its minimum paid-up capital, minimum leverage limit and the minimum risk- weighted capital requirement.

The circular reads in part: “The framework specifies the types of collateral that a borrower can pledge for MRC’s advances and the discount that the MRC shall apply in determining how much it can lend against any qualified collateral.

“It also prescribes procedures for the management of MRC’s interest rate risk, its permissible investments and liquidity requirements.

“The procedure and criteria to be used in granting

a licence to the MRC shall be the same as specified for banks under the Banks and Other Financial Institutions Act, CAP B3, laws of Nigeria, 2004 and any other regulations issued by the bank.”

The circular also said any promoter seeking a licence for operation of the MRC shall apply in writing to the CBN governor and that the application shall be accompanied with nonrefundable application fee of N100,000 and a detailed feasibility report containing information that shall include the need for the service of MRC, the branch expansion programme, the proposed training programme for staff and management, details of risk controls and mitigation strategies, among others.

T

he Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria, COREN, has berated the Federal Government over its preference for foreign engineering firms in the design and construction of the ongoing rail lines.

This is even as it called on President Goodluck Jonathan to implement the 2005 White Paper which spells out details on the promotion and growth of engineering practice in the country.

The COREN President, Mr. Ibikunle Ogunbanjo, who spoke at the weekend at a one-day capacity development programme for consulting engineers, said the lack of patronage of indigenous engineers in the country’s infrastructural development would not help the growth of engineering practice in Nigeria.

Ogunbanjo wondered why government at the all levels would prefer to

give critical infrastructure projects to foreigners at the expense of their local counterparts with the same competences.

He said: “I know that the majority of engineers that practise in Nigeria today are very competent.

They have gone to the same school; learn the same thing like their foreign counterparts. It is about being given the opportunity.

“For instance, we are doing railways; railway network is being done

by Chinese contractor with a consultant from Italy. What that means is that we are not building capacity in Nigeria for the design or building of railway system. That is wrong.”

Ogunbanjo, who said Nigerian engineers could form consortia to bid for bigger projects, however, admonished them to build trust, stressing that it was in doing this that the needed level of expertise could be attained.

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News

IG visits Police College, snubs media BIYI ADEGOROYE

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nspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, inspected the Police College, Ikeja, currently being rehabilitated by engineers from the Nigerian Army, following its decrepit status, but snubbed the media.

Most of the structures in the premises, especially, lavatories, classrooms and hostels, have witnessed tremendous improvement as their floors, windows and roofs have either been replaced or repaired.

But after waiting for over four hours for Abubakar, who arrived at the college with the Lagos State Commissioners of Police, Umaru Manko and the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone II, Moamah Tsafe, was bemused by the presence of journalists numbering about 30.

His aides, who have earlier questioned the presence of the journalists, had enquired whether they were there on invitation, directed the media men to wait on the lawn, preventing them from following the police boss as he moved from one block to another.

When he completed the inspection, however, Abubakar jumped into his vehicle and zoomed off as his aides joined the convoy.

A source said that the police boss expressed worry over the heavy presence of journalists who may likely ask questions about the utilisation of funds meant for the maintenance of police colleges over the years.

The source also alleged that the police considered it an affront the fact that the project was being handled by the Nigerian Army Engineering Corps and not the Police Works Department.

Controversy over the state of the college started a couple of months ago, when President Goodluck Jonathan, visited the college after an embarrassing documentary was aired by a one of the television stations about the dilapidated condition of the collage.

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PIB: Reps to hold public hearings in six zones TORDUE SALEM ABUJA

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ublic hearings on the controversial Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, will be held in the six geopolitical zones of the country, the House of Representatives Ad-hoc Committee on the bill revealed yesterday.

Chairman of the Committee and Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Ishaka Bawa, promised at the weekend that the PIB would receive hearing and inputs of Nigerians in the six political zones of the country.

Bawa said: “This bill is for all Nigerians and the seventh Assembly will do everything within its reach to ensure that Nigerians have a feel of it before it becomes law.”

He continued: “Since the setting up of the committee, a lot of background work has taken place before it was inaugurated last Wednesday.

“We have carefully drawn up a comprehensive work plan for the committee which comprises of a members’ retreat scheduled to take place from March 18 to 20, in Lagos.

“This will be followed by public hearings in the six geopolitical zones with the grand finale in Abuja on dates to be announced in due course.

“The essence of the zonal public hearings is to bring the process to the doorsteps of the people at the grassroots, especially the oil producing communities, whose views will be a critical factor in packaging the kind of petroleum industry law that will address not only elitist concerns, but also the other crucial issues concerning the environment as well as human development".

“The grand finale in Abuja will provide other stakeholders the opportunity to present their own perspectives on the bill.

“Other citizens and stakeholders not able to attend the public hearings can articulate their positions via memoranda to the committee.

“The committee’s modus operandi shall be transparent and all views shall be collated and accorded equal value.

“The committee’s final report and recommendations shall be reflective of the aggregate views of Nigerians and, of course, with due re-

gards to global best practice.

Bawa continued: “The House of Representatives has no fixed or hidden agenda on the PIB and accordingly this committee will be so guided in this assignment.

“In the final analysis, we would have struck a delicate but necessary balance between overriding national interests on the one hand and the need to make our oil industry attractive to foreign investments on the other.

One dies, six injured in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway auto crash FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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L-R: Former Lagos State Commissioner for Special Duties, Mrs. Teju Phillips; her husband and son of the late Madam Olabisi Olayinka Phillips, Engr.

Lanre; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Mrs. Abimbola Dada, daughter of the deceased and Prince Gbolahan Dada, during a condolence visit to the Phillips, yesterday, in Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.

Inflation rate rises to 9.5% CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

senting a year till date marginal appreciation of 0.01 per cent. The short to medium term outlook of the exchange rate will be influenced by the global oil price, foreign capital inflows and fiscal approach of the Federal Government to fund the 2013 budget,” LCCI said.

Financial analyst and Chief Executive Officer, Financial Derivatives Company, Mr. Bismarck Rewane, had predicted last week that the MPC will cut the MPR to 11 per cent or/and cut the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 1.0 per cent.”

Rewane said that public pressure for a cut in MPR in March is increasing and the further decline in inflation will be a major determinant. He said that there is however fear that a reduction in the MPR would prompt depreciation of the naira and capital outflows of hot money.

Research firm, First Discount Securities Limited, however predicted that the MPC would likely hold the

rates, saying that lowering MPR could have negative impacts on the foreign exchange rate.

CBN governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi, had argued last month that a reduction in MPR would not translate to access to credit and loan facilities for Small and Medium Scale Enterprises, SMEs, and businesses as presumed and widely believed.

“A cut in the Monetary Policy Rate would not necessarily make banks lend money to SME’s and businesses. We are cautious of the high interest rates but we are not in a hurry to loosen our hold on MPR because it is easy to take stability for granted,” he had said in Lagos.

Meanwhile, the Consumer Price Index (CPI), which measures inflation, rose by 9.5 per cent year-on-year, up from the nine per cent in attained in January, thus justifying some analysts views that the single digit rate it dropped to in January, down from the 12 per cent in December 2012 may

not be sustainable.

The NBS, in its CPI Report for the month, attributed the rise in the headline index, which is made up of the Core Index and Farm Produce items, to increases in farm produce prices due to limited supplies as inventory accumulated during the previous harvest period, begin to deplete.

While noting that various classes of the core index also witnessed increases, during the month, the agency explained however that the relative stability in prices of processed foods resulted in a stable overall core sub-index.

The report stated: “In February, the composite CPI increased by 0.75 per cent month-on-month from index levels recorded in January. The Urban composite CPI was recorded at 142.0 in February, which was a 9.8 per cent yearon-year change. This was higher than the 9.2 per cent recorded in January.

The corresponding Rural composite CPI recorded a 9.5 per cent year-on-year

change, up from 9.1 per cent in January.

“On a month-on-month basis, the Urban All-item index increased by 0.9 per cent from levels recorded in January, while the Rural All Items index increased from levels recorded in January by 0.7 per cent. The percentage change in the average Composite CPI for the 12-month period ending in February 2012 over the average of the CPI for the previous 12-month period was recorded at 11.7 per cent.

“The corresponding 12-month year-on-year average percentage change for the Urban index was 13.7per cent, while the corresponding Rural index stood at 10.3 per cent,” it added.

A further analysis of the CPI rate as it relates to the Food Index showed that the index increased year-onyear by 11.0 per cent to 143.3 points in February, representing a marginal rise of 0.9 percentage points than the 10.1 per cent recorded in the preceding month.

t least one person was confirmed dead, while six others were critically injured in an auto crash that occurred yesterday about 500 metres away from the Shagamu interchange along the Ibadan-Lagos Expressway.

The crash, which occurred at about 3.00pm yesterday, was said to have involved an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus with registration number: OSUN OS 46-A06, with 22 occupants.

Eyewitness account told National Mirror that victims of the ill fated vehicle were members of an Islamic organisation, NASFAT, who were returning to Osogbo in Osun State after an outing in Lagos.

The source further stated that the vehicle conveying him to Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, was few metres away from the vehicle, whose occupants were mostly women in pudah right from Ketu garage in Lagos State.

The Shagamu Unit Commander of the Federal Safety Corp, FRSC, Lasisi Ogundele, who confirmed the accident, however, claimed that 22 persons, including 17 males, one female and four children were involved in the crash.

Ogundele further said that only six persons, including two male and four female, were injured in the accident. He also said that the only dead in the ill-fated bus was a male child.

The unit commander, however, added that all the victims had been taken to Idera Hospital in Shagamu area of Ogun State.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Monday, March 18, 2013

9

17,000 workers’ sack: Mimiko’s govt wicked –Oke T he Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Ondo State, Olusola Oke, has lambasted Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s administration for sacking over 17,000 local government workers.

Oke said the retrenchment of 709 workers in Ilaje, 800 in Odigbo, 550 in Akoko South West local

governments among others, coming on the heels of the sack of 96 staff of the state university and 43 of the state polytechnic, was an unfriendly act and a testament of the government’s wickedness, insensitivity and needless terrorism on the workers.

In a statement issued by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Kunle

Adebayo, the former PDP national legal adviser also berated Mimiko for unleashing an unprecedented 7,000 per cent tax burden on the artisans, roadside computer operators, corner shop traders, truck pushers, food vendors, photographers, barbers and newspaper vendors in the name of local revenue drive.

The statement reads in part: “It is also no longer news that both the sacked 17,000 local government workers and the state civil servants who were hoodwinked with improbable promises and used by the governor as evangelists of his second term bid are now gnashing their teeth and blaming themselves for being used and dumped

while all the sweet promises put off like a cigarette in the rains.

“We have often restated that the Mimiko did not win the October 20 election as the sacking of academicians and local government staff for obeying their conscience during the election, is an indication of what would happen to workers in other sectors.”

Oke said the Mimiko administration lacked char-

acter, ideas, vision and courage.

He said: “For a government which allegedly spent over N1 billion on inauguration of a tenure whose credibility and legitimacy are currently being queried and tested at the tribunal, what evidence does anyone need to know that this is a clueless government, mindlessly spending the state money and also spending the people?”

Ekiti varsity expels five students for rape ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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L-R: Brand Manager, Maggi, Mrs. Gloria Nwabuike; Oyo State Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs. Atinuke Oshikoya; wife of the governor, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi and Nestle Category Business Manager, Mr. Guy Kellawway, at the launch of 2013 Influencer Forum in Ibadan, at the weekend.

Tooth brushing: Lagos targets world record with 300,000 students MURITALA AYINLA

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agos State Government said yesterday that it would set new Guinness World Record by attempting a tooth brushing challenge with 300,000 participants simultaneously.

The government said it would surpass India, which holds the current highest record with 170,000 persons, urging residents to go for regular check up of their teeth, at least once in a year.

The Special Adviser to the governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande

Adeshina, who disclosed this at a press conference heralding this year’s World Oral Health Day, said pupils in primary and secondary schools in the state would be fully engaged in the challenge.

According to her, people with poor dental hygiene risk the challenge of heart disease.

Also speaking at the conference, the National President of the Nigeria Dental Association, NDA, Dr. Rotimi Olojede, warned on the need to take oral hygiene seriously, saying the teeth the is the gateway to the body.

On how the challenge

would take place, the Project Head of the World Record Tooth Brushing Challenge, Dr. Bakare Lawal, explained that 1,000 students would be drawn from each of 300 selected schools in the state.

Lawal said the World Tooth Brushing Challenge was designed and implemented by some young dental professionals with support from the Lagos State Ministry of Health and the NDA. Harping on the significance of the World Health Oral Day, he explained that the occasion provides a platform for stakeholders to brainstorm and find so-

lution to challenges faced by people with teeth problems.

On her part, the state NDA Chairman, Dr. Lara Agbaje, advised people with tooth challenge to avoid extraction, saying Dentistry had developed to take care of it.

She noted that healthy teeth play a crucial role in the ability of man to function well.

According to Bakare, the choice of adolescents in schools was informed by the belief that they are at a stage where new behaviours emerge which may likely be taken into the adult life.

Female corps member chose to leave camp –NYSC FEMI OYEWESO ABEOKUTA

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he National Youths Service Corps, NYSC, has cleared the air on the expulsion of a female corps member, Miss Ekundayo Tolulope Damilola, for refusing to wear the scheme’s trousers at the Orientation Camp.

The Ogun State NYSC Director, Mrs. Theresa Anosike, explained that Ekundayo was decamped in line with the bye-laws of the scheme on dress code

as well as to respect her choice on the mandatory service year for all Nigerian graduates of higher institutions.

Anosike, who spoke with journalists at the weekend, said Ekudayo’s actions contravened the undertakings which she had earlier signed as well as the rules and bye-laws of the scheme.

According to media report, Ekundayo, a graduate of the Lagos State University, with NYSC call-up-number NYSC/ LSU/2013/023517 and state

code number OG/13A/1344, was sent out of the Orientation Camp in Shagamu by the authorities about 11pm.

But Anosike explained that the NYSC refrained from coercing the female corps member from acting against her faith hence, she opted to leave the camp at the time she left despite all entreaties.

The director, who quoted Section 3, sub-section (h) of the scheme’s bye-laws 2012, said that: “Any member who refuses, fails or neglects to comply with this

rule shall be tried by the Camp Court and if found guiltily, be liable to be decamped and sent out of the Orientation Camp.”

She, however, emphasised that it was mischievous of anyone or group to say that NYSC threw the lady out of camp at night, stressing that the corps member chose to leave the camp that night with the Chairman of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, PFN, Remo District, Apostle Adenuga B. Otaru, from Antioch Church, Shagamu.

kiti State University, EKSU, Ado-Ekiti, has expelled five students for allegedly raping a female student.

The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Mr. Ajibade Olubunmi, said in a statement yesterday that the students, who were arrested on March 7 through efforts of the university security men and youths of IworokoEkiti, a neighbouring town, had been taken to court.

Olubunmi said their expulsion was sequel to the report of the University Disciplinary Committee headed

by Professor W. O. Adebayo that tried them.

The spokesman, who said this had underscored the need for parents to monitor their children closely, reiterated the determina-

tion of the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Oladipo Aina, to flush out bad eggs among the students and staff.

In another development, the vice-chancellor has called on the students of the institution to always maintain high academic standards and moral probity.

Aina spoke separately during the matriculation ceremonies of students of EKSU studying under an affiliate programmes with Ogunsaya College of Education, Otto/Ijanikin, Lagos and Michael Otedola College of Primary Education, Noforija, Epe, Lagos.

He warned that under no circumstance should any of the students be involved in examination malpractice, cultism, drug abuse and other anti-social behaviour that could jeopardise their studentship in the university.

‘FG must do more on climate change’

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agos State Government has called on the Federal Government to live up to its responsibility by collaborating with it on how to reduce the effect of climate change.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, made the call at the closing session of the three-day Climate Change Summit held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Bello expressed dissatisfaction over the manner the Federal Government is handling the issue of climate change, stressing that the effects are more than territorial boundaries hence the need for Federal Government to create more awareness on global warming.

He said: “Nigeria is vulnerable to climate change and the impacts are already manifesting in the country, we must find a so-

lution to it now because of the future generations of our country.”

The commissioner hinted that the primary aim of the annual Climate Change Summit was to create more awareness and change the perception of the populace so as to find workable solutions to climate change.

He disclosed that Lagos State Government would develop a work plan on solutions proffered at the summit before the next summit which would help in achieving set goals.

Bello

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South West

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tukur’s visit will strengthen PDP for victory –Folarin KEMI OLAITAN AND OJO OYEWAMIDE

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ormer Senate Leader Teslim Folarin has said that the visit by the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, to Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, would strengthen the party ahead of the 2015 general elections.

It will be recalled that Tukur visited Oyo State last Friday to resolve the crisis rocking PDP in the South-West.

Folarin said the visit

•Party urges Ondo tribunal to be fair would enhance the effort by members to form a formidable party ahead of the next general elections.

He said: “The visit has served as morale booster to members of the PDP. With the exemplary leadership of Tukur and teeming members of the party that received him, it had shown that he has the wherewithal to steer the ship of the party.”

The former Senate Leader said the warm reception given to the national chairman by the teeming South-West

members had shown that he enjoyed the support of the party members in the zone, adding that all chieftains of the party from Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Lagos and Oyo passed a vote of confidence on him.

The meeting attracted many notable PDP stalwarts from the South-West, including the Minister of State for Defence, Erelu Olusola Obada; former Governors of Ondo and Ekiti States, Dr. Olusegun Agagu and Mr. Ayodele Fayose respectively.

Also in attendance were

former Osun State Deputy Governor, Senator Iyiola Omisore; former Minister of Sports, Prof. Taoheed Adedoja, and House of Representatives Majority Leader, Mrs. Mulikat Akande.

Alhaji Tukur, however, was reported to have urged the PDP chieftains and members to re-strategise ahead of the 2015 elections for the party to achieve success.

He had said: “Reconcile and rebuild the party. You are the rightful people that should be in governance in your respective states. If you don’t get power, you can’t

serve your people. Please, reconcile so that this can be achieved. South-West is very strategic. I want the caucus to meet and reconcile aggrieved members.

“So, let this be the last time that the South-West will be under any party other than the PDP”.

For the party to regain the zone, he pleaded with aggrieved members to forget the ugly experience of the past, avoid political bitterness and forge ahead to achieve the party’s objectives.

Meanwhile, the PDP at the weekend urged members of the Ondo State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to be fair in dispensing justice in the interest of the people.

The tribunal is presently hearing the consolidated petitions filed by the PDP candidate, Olusola Oke, and the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and its candidate, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu, against the victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of the Labour Party (LP) in the last election.

In a statement signed by its state Publicity Secretary, Wale Ozogoro, PDP said it was hopeful of getting victory at the tribunal since Labour Party (LP), Mimiko and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had no answers to the issues raised against the outcome of the October 20, 2012 election.

The statement said: “Our party has always maintained that truth will triumph over deceit, evil and falsehood.

We are convinced that we shall get justice and our stolen mandate recovered from the temporary interlopers, as they have demonstrated genuine unwillingness to defend the uncontroverted and day light robbery they perpetrated during the election.

“We view the dearth of witnesses by the LP and the Governor of Ondo State as a testimony to the facts placed before the tribunal which bordered on irregularities and non-conformity with the 2010 Electoral Act as amended.”

‘Osun not owing workers’

L-R: A member representing Eti-Osa II in Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Yishawu Gbolahan; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and Director of Lagos State Education Resource Centre, Mr. Alao Joseph Olugbenga inspecting the instructional materials during the 9th Executive/Legislative parley with the theme: ”Law, Order and the Enhancement of Living Standards in Lagos State,” at the weekend.

Bank of Agric to give N2.3b loan to cassava farmers

HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

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bout N2.3 billion will be made available for members of the Nigeria Cassava Growers Association (NCCA) by the Bank of Agriculture (BOA) in a bid to aid cassava production in

Nigeria.

This was disclosed by the NCCA Chairman, Segun Adewumi, after the association’s meeting held at the weekend in Akure, the Ondo State capital.

Adewumi said BOA took the decision following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by

the Bank and the association for the disbursement of the money to all members across the country.

The chairman explained that the loan was meant for registered members of the association.

He said: “Other categories of farmers can apply on another form that will

be ready within one week.

Such farmers will, however, need to deposit 20 per cent equity loan volume required into his account in the Bank of Agriculture.”

Adewumi said that a monitoring committee would be constituted by the association to ensure that the loan is well utilised.

Ekiti reiterates zero tolerance for produce smuggling ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

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he Ekiti State Government has reiterated its determination to plug all avenues of leakages of its accruable revenue in the agriculture sector through a zero-tolerance stance on produce smuggling.

The state Commissioner for Agriculture, Mr Babajide Arowosafe, who described smuggling of produce as illegal, urged farm produce traders to properly register their businesses, pay their taxes and ensure that their

produce were duly graded before conveying them out of the state.

Arowosafe told journalists at the weekend in Ado-Ekiti that produce officers manning control post at EporoEkiti near Ekiti and Ondo states boundary intercepted three tonnes of cocoa from a gang of suspected smugglers.

The commissioner, who frowned at the incessant cases of smuggling of farm produce out of the state, cautioned traders that anyone caught contravening the regulations and laws guiding the

conduct of produce trading would be punished.

This is as the state government directed the 16 local government authorities to set aside 1,000 hectares of land for trees planting in their respective areas.

The Commissioner for the Environment, Dr Eniola Ajayi, described the initiative as part of the government’s efforts to encourage large scale tree growing.

Ajayi, who spoke in Ado Ekiti during a meeting with State Tree Growers Association, promised to liaise with the Bureau of Lands to make

land available to interested individuals and private firms willing to plant trees.

She assured that the state government would assist the association to access soft loans from international organisations, adding that secondary and tertiary institutions would also be encouraged to plant trees.

Earlier, the association’s president, Otunba Bisi Egbeyemi, who described trees planting as a money-making venture, appealed to the state government to make trees seedlings available for members.

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he Osun State Government has said that it is not owing its workers.

The government said it had paid all salary backlogs of the workers.

This hint was dropped at the weekend by the Commissioner for Finance and Economic Planning, Dr. Wale Bolounduro, in Osogbo, the state capital.

The disruption in salary system was caused in January by labour union, which halted automation payment thereby making it difficult to pay salaries through the electronic

system.

According to Bolounduro, the disruption had become a thing of the past as the government has paid January and February salaries of the workers.

The commissioner said: “It will be recalled that January salary processing didn’t start until January 21 because the labour union pulled out of the stakeholders committee, which was supposed to monitor the automation of salary.

“The labour union also disrupted the salary payment leading to delay of January salary.”

God’ll decide my second term bid –Ajimobi

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overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has advised members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) and other political associates not to dissipate their energy in his second term ambition, saying that his re-election bid would be determined by God and the people.

The governor, who spoke while opening a one-day retreat for political office holders and community leaders in all the 33 local government areas in Ibadan, said his achievements would also

determine whether he would seek re-election or not.

Speaking on the urban renewal programme of his administration, the governor said the programme was aimed at securing better future for the coming generation in terms of a well-planned and serene environment.

Ajimobi attributed the poor economic situation of the state to what he called poor environmental condition which he said had not attracted foreign and local investments.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Monday, March 18, 2013

11

Imo: No space for sole administrators, LG chairmen warn gov CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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ension mounts in Imo State as elected local government chairmen have vowed to confront the state government over the newly appointed sole administrators sworn in on Friday to oversee the affairs of the

27 councils in the state.

The chairmen vowed to remain in office until their case at the Appeal Court was determined.

It was gathered yesterday that the chairmen, sacked by Governor Rochas Okorocha in 2011, have served the state government notice that they were still in office.

The chairmen, who were reinstated by the Court of Appeal to serve out their two years term which expired in August 2012, said they were still in office despite the appointment of the sole administrators.

Addressing the sole administrators shortly after their swearing-in,

the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, said their appointment was to fill the existing vacant seats in the councils, pending local government elections.

But the Secretary of the state chapter of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, ALGON, Mr. Enyinnaya Onuegbu,

told our correspondent that the appointment of the sole administrators “is contemptuous,” as there was an impending motion at the Court of Appeal in Owerri, which would be heard on April 22.

He said: “It is unwarranted, illegal, and contemptuous of judicial process for a respondent being the governor to seek to appoint sole administrators and request the Assembly to screen them to take over our offices when the appeal is pending.”

The ALGON secretary, who is also the chairman of Ngor Okpalla Local Government, vowed that they would stay put in office without fear or intimidation from any quarters.

He added: “We have appealed to all elected chairmen, vice chairmen, leaders of councils, councillors, supervisors, secretaries to local govern-

ment councils, and other appointees to remain and physically attend their duties tomorrow.

Meanwhile, Anwuka urged the newly appointed sole administrators to show enough commitment in carrying out their functions as well as abide by the ideology of the Okorocah-led administration.

In his advice, the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Prince Eze Madumere, charged them to carry out their duties as expected of them without fear or intimidation as the state would not tolerate failure.

However, out of the 27 newly appointed sole administrators, 19 were sworn in while the remaining eight are yet to be cleared by the state House of Assembly.

The remaining eight councils are Isiala Mbano, Ehime Mbano, Ezinihitte Mbaise, Ahiazu Mbaise, Isu, Onuimo, Owerri West, and Nwangele.

L-R: Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, National Chairman, Bamanga Tukur; Enugu State Governor Sullivan Chime and Ebonyi State Governor Martin Elechi, at the PDP South-East meeting in Enugu, at the weekend.

Civil servants always help Anambra 2014: Crisis won’t affect APGA’s chances –Umeh politicians to loot –Obi CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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he embattled National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh, has predicted that the party would perform well in the Anambra State governorship election, despite the crisis rocking it.

Umeh assured party supporters that there was no cause for alarm as APGA had the record of performing well at elections that came up during its trying moments.

He gave the assurance while speaking with journalists in Awka at the weekend on the possibility of the crisis affecting its performance in the next governorship poll in the state.

Umeh drew attention to what happened in 2003 and 2010. According to him, APGA did very well in the general elections of those years, despite the protracted leadership dispute with Chief Chekwas Okorie.

The chairman disclosed that APGA would field a very strong candi-

date at the 2014 governorship election.

He also spoke on the issues of zoning of the governorship to Anambra North as being canvassed

by APGA and the import of the judgement of the Enugu State High Court, which terminated his tenure as national chairman of APGA, and which he is battling to set aside.

Umeh said he was not against zoning, but maintained that the people of Anambra State should be left to chose who would rule them.

He said: “Those who are zoning the governorship post are putting their rights against that of the entire people. Nobody can impose a governor on the people of Anambra State.”

Concerning the court judgement which terminated his tenure, Umeh said he would pursue his appeal to the Supreme Court if necessary, adding that his supporters were ready to push ahead with him.

He also disclosed that the appeal he filed against the judgement would be determined before the governorship election.

Okorocha shops for Agbaso’s replacement CHRIS NJOKU OWERRI

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oliticians in Imo State have begun consultations to determine a possible replacement for the Deputy Governor, Jude Agbaso, facing impeachment over alleged bribe of N458 million.

This is on as Agbaso has approached the Federal High Court in Owerri, the state capital, to stop the state House of Assembly from impeaching him.

It was reliably gathered that the deputy governor may not be appearing before the seven-man panel set up by the Chief Judge of the state, Hon. Justice Benjamin Njemanze, via a letter with reference No. IHA/SP 5H3A/25/15 sent by the House of Assembly to investigate allegations of misconduct against him, as Agbaso had secured the services of renowned legal practitioners to handle the case.

A close source to the Government House told our correspondent that

whether the embattled deputy governor appears before the panel or not, the search for his replacement had begun.

The source disclosed that the camp of Governor Rochas Okorocha had tipped the Chief of Staff, Eze Madumere, as possible replacement due to his track record and closeness to the governor.

“Madumere, who also hails from Mbaitoli Local Government, has been loyal to the governor for a very long time. We are tipping him to replace the deputy

governor. We don’t want anybody whose conduct will smear the image of the administration. As a result, whoever replaces Agbaso will be a man of proven integrity and sound track record of achievement,” the source said.

The source also disclosed that the Commissioner for Lands, Hon. Uche Nwosu, who is also the governor’s in-law, had been tipped to take over as Chief of Staff.

Nwosu, who is from Osu/Ikwere Local Government Area, is married to Okorocha’s first daughter.

CHARLES OKEKE AWKA

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overnor Peter Obi of Anambra State has enjoined civil servants to champion the fight against corruption.

Obi said no political leadership could successfully divert or misappropriate public funds without connivance and tacit approval of civil servants.

The governor made the call while declaring open the 37th Session of National Council of Establishments at Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka.

He urged the workers to resist policies and programmes that could harm the country’s future.

Obi explained that his administration had sustained regular payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities through proper saving and prudent management of resources.

He said his administration had equally reduced the cost of governance and blocked loopholes for excesses and financial abuse.

The governor also promised that welfare of workers would remain priority of his administration as civil service was the engine room of every government.

The Head of Service of

the Federation and Chairman of the council, Alhaji Isa Bello Sali, in his speech, stressed the need for processes of selection, recruitment, career advancement, etc, to be based on proven ability and competence, while the application of sanctions must truly reflect genuine infraction and unwholesome conduct.

Sali called for promotion of merit, experience, character and inculcation of positive values of performance as well as achievement orientation in all strata of the workforce.

He assured that emphasis would continue to be placed on training and retraining of different categories of workers to complement the process of system review and improvement.

Also speaking at the event, the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Public Service Matters and Establishment, Mr. Andrew Uchendu, urged civil servants to reassert themselves and use their wealth of experience to guide and control excesses of political leadership at all levels of government.

Uchendu regretted that the present weak and faulty recruitment process in the civil service was promoting mediocrity.

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South South

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Guild of Editors reiterate support for Amaechi T he Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE, has reiterated its support for the Rivers State Governor and the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, NGF, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi.

The body urged him not to stop standing up for the people as the Guild also promised to stand by him as he continues to stand with the masses.

Speaking during a courtesy visit on Governor Amaechi in Port Harcourt, at the weekend, the newly elected President of the NGE, Mr. Femi Adesina, who led a delegation of the new executive committee, assured the Rivers State governor that Nigerian editors will continue to support him for fighting the cause of the masses.

On what his new executive committee hopes to ac-

complish, Adesina said they want to build a national secretariat for the Guild and provide training and retraining opportunities for journalists at institutions in and outside the country.

Responding, Governor Amaechi thanked members of the NGE for the visit and congratulated the new executives on their election.

Amaechi restated that he would continue to be on the

side of the masses, stressing that he preferred a system of governance that would fairly take care of both the rich and the poor in the society.

“Today, even the poor seem to have lost their voices. They can’t speak for themselves. They don’t even know what to speak about because the frustration in the country has caused so much confusion.

“When you see the macabre

dance going on in the country, you begin to wonder whether all of us are mad. As editors, you constitute a part of society that speaks for the poor, the masses. You speak to make sure that things are corrected and I thank you for that.

“Let me also thank all of you for the different roles you have played in the course of the struggle, I mean the struggle of the masses between those of us who think

that I should be allowed to preside over the Governors’ Forum for another term and those who are opposed to it.

“I thank you for standing up for Nigerians, for standing up for the people. I’ve read a lot of write-ups by many of you and I pray that God will continue to be by you, be with you and help us ensure that you continue to write for the people of Nigeria.”

Ex-militant leaders demand Kuku’s removal EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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L - R: Chairman, Election Planning Committee, National Congress Election of the Ijaw National Congress (INC), Chief Broderick Bozimo; Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah (rtd) and Secretary to the State Government, Prof.

Edmund Oguru, at the election of the INC in Yenagoa.

2015: Akpabio reassures PDP of Akwa Ibom support TONY ANICHEBE UYO

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kwa Ibom State Governor, Godswill Akpabio, has assured the Board of Trustees, BoT, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, of support of the people of the state to assist in strengthening the party to win the 2015 general election.

Akpabio made this assurance over the weekend when the Chairman of the PDP BoT, Chief Tony Anenih, visited him in Uyo, the state capital.

Those who accompanied Anenih on the visit included

EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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ayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, yesterday said that the Ijaw ethnic group, being the fourth largest group in the country, cannot afford to be disunited at this critical moment of the nation’s history.

Dickson spoke in a statement in Yenagoa shortly after the conduct of the election of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, in the state capital. He urged the newly elected President of the

the BoT Secretary, Senator Ahmed Jibril; former Senate President; Senator Ken Nnamani, Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremandu; former National Chairman of PDP, Dr. Ahmadu Ali; former Secretary of the BoT PDP and former Minister of Information, Prof. Jerry Gana; former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo; and the former Minister of Aviation, Chief Tonye Graham Douglas.

Akpabio said; “I assure the National Working Committee and National Chairman that my state and all PDP faithful will work

with you and the NWC to strengthen our party and to ensure total victory in 2015 and beyond.

“As usual with some of us, we do not only work for the party in the state, we go across the states, because as individuals and as a state we have built bridges across the Niger.

“We will go beyond the shoreline of Akwa Ibom State to attract followers to the party and to propagate the ideals of the party for it to continue to grow.”

Akpabio charged the BoT to find out during their visit to the state his level of performance, adding; “Ask how

is the party performing?

How is Akpabio performing?

“This is a state that belongs to the PDP. We must also find out whether there is cohesion, whether there is unity and whether we are getting prepared to capture Government House in 2015.”

Anenih said the board decided to visit the state first because of the governor’s performance and integrity, adding; “It is because of the way the leadership of the party rates him high that is why we decided before we visit other states, to be in Akwa Ibom. When we came in here, I was amazed.

Dickson harps on Ijaw unity socio-cultural group, Senator Tari Sekibo, to run an all-inclusive administration that would carry every Ijaw indigene along.

The governor appealed to those who lost the election to remain steadfast in their belief and commitment to the Ijaw cause, stressing that a good leadership could only succeed when the followers are supportive of its policies and programmes.

Dickson pledged an unflinching support of his gov-

ernment and the people of the state to the executives as they set the stage to move the Ijaw nation to new and enviable heights.

“The Ijaws are the most resilient, dogged, determined and gifted race. For any meaningful progress to be achieved on a continuous and unhindered basis, every true Ijaw person should complement one another at all times.

“For us to remain relevant and make meaningful

progress in a diverse nation like Nigeria, we must at all times be supportive to one another, exhibit the Ijaw in us without any pretence and above all be united as well as pursue our common goal with renewed vigour, commitment and unity of purpose.

“There is nothing we cannot target and achieve as a united people and this should be the focus and concern of every Ijaw man and woman.”

faction of the exmilitant leaders under the auspices of the first phase of amnesty in the Niger Delta, at the weekend, called on President Goodluck Jonathan to sack the Coordinator of the amnesty programme, Kingsley Kuku, or risk losing their support in the 2015 election.

The militant leaders took the decision shortly after rising from an emergency meeting at the weekend in Ughelli, Delta State, alleging that Kuku had denied them most of their welfare packages promised by the Federal Government before they laid down their arms.

While accusing the coordinator of dividing their fold, the former militants warned that they may

be forced to return to the creeks if their condition continued to deteriorate.

In a statement signed by the ex-militant leaders, Francis Muturu and Justice Nwogu and made available to National Mirror, the group accused the amnesty coordinator of betrayal as, according to them; no tangible development was seen on ground as promised by the presidency.

“Since 2009, when the late President Umaru Yar’Adua’s leadership granted the amnesty, we have waited hopelessly for the implementation of our welfare packages that have been hijacked by Hon. Kuku,” the ex-militants alleged.

The ex-militant leaders, however, appreciated the level of concern shown by President Jonathan and the National Assembly on their welfare issues.

Group rates Bayelsa low in education, health sectors EMMA GBEMUDU YENAGOA

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ivil Society Organisations, CSOs and professional associations in Bayelsa State, at the weekend, rated the state government low in the education and health sectors after a review of the 2012 state budget.

The stakeholders said Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration did not match its policy statement on the social sector with necessary action to actualise the objective of the budget.

In a communiqué signed

by Morris Alagoa, of the Environmental Rights Action, ERA, Seiyefa Angalabiri, of the Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, and others in Yenagoa, shortly after rising up from a three-day workshop on budget process, monitoring, evaluation and Bayelsa’s

transparency laws, organised by Bayelsa Non-Governmental Organisations Forum, BANGOF, came up with this rating.

Participants at the workshop include the NBA, the Nigerian Society of Engineers, NSE, the media, National Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Federation of International Women Lawyers, FIDA, Civil Society Organisations, CSOs and community representatives.

Part of the communiqué reads; “Government is not meeting up with its policy statement with regards to the health and education sectors.”

The stakeholders alleged that corruption had given rise to the non-implementation of budgetary provisions for energy, water resources, education, health and agricultural sectors in the state.

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Politics

Security: Jonathan is a weakling –Omilani

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PDP, ACN in war of words over threat to democracy OBIORA IFOH AND SINA FADARE

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he Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has raised alarm over the danger posed to Nigeria’s democracy by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) desperation to retain power at all cost.

Specifically, the party accused the PDP of “glaring involvement in the ongoing efforts to sabotage the merger of the progressives.”

But the PDP has accused the ACN of heating up the polity and put Nigerians at loggerheads with one another, “all in the desperate lust for power for selfish reasons.”

In a statement issued in Lagos yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, ACN called on all lovers of democracy within and outside Nigeria to join in the efforts to stop the PDP and its cohorts from truncating the nation’s democracy.

The party lamented that: “Having misgoverned Nigeria since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999, the PDP, realising that its time is up, has now resorted to a dangerous game aimed at either keeping the party in power at all costs or crashing the country’s democracy. This is a dangerous game that must be stopped, with the good people of Nigeria, not just the progressives, leading the charge.”

ACN described the events of the past few weeks

as unfortunate with the backing of the Presidency which is allegedly providing the financial muscle and using some of its foot soldiers to do the dirty jobs in order to scuttle the registration of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The party recalled that the dirty game started by the ABN (Association for Better Nigeria) snowballed into a series of cataclysmic events that culminated in the annulment of what is still widely regarded as the best elections in the country, as well as the ascension into office of a man regarded as the most brutal dictator in the country’s history.

“What started as a mere game of political desperation in 1993 was to set Nigeria back by many decades, and the country is still reeling from the effects of that single act of high treason, sabotage and subterfuge.

Sadly, 20 years on, it now seems that our country has learnt no lessons from what the ABN did, as we are back to another desperate time, with the PDP sponsoring some scumbags to stifle the growth of the country’s democracy,” ACN stated.

The party pointed out that all the evidence pointed to the involvement of the PDP in the plot to scuttle efforts at registering APC. Mohammed said: ‘’The revelations have been mind-boggling: A wellknown PDP hatchet man and a card-carrying member of the party hired the apparently-naive lawyer who filed the phantom APC’s registration request

at INEC. An apparent cardcarrying member of the PDP working in INEC is the internal contact of the saboteurs; the email addresses used by the phantom APC were culled from that of PDP’s publicity office, while the scallywags who have now donned the garb of ABN (under the African Peoples Congress) made sure to copy their emails to

KATSINA

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atsina State governor, Ibrahim Shema has been called upon to contest the presidential election in 2015.

Speaking on behalf of youths from Kafur Local Government Area of the state, a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) youth leader, Danlami Kafur, said Sh-

ema has “what it takes to rule Nigeria” and should be allowed to “contest the presidential election.

“We call on Governor Shema to contest in the 2015 elections, and specifically, to contest the presidential poll because he can bring positive change to the country,” Kurfi said.

The youths also called on the state’s Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs. Asam-

cerning Nigerians do not believe in its denials of any linkage with the so-called African Peoples Congress.”

But the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, said: “In fact, the ACN has shown that it is the real threat to Nigerian democracy and they are unyielding in their plot to truncate the system with propaganda,

lies and media deceit because they have been rejected by Nigerians.

“Nigerians have since realised their evil desires and have continued to answer them with overwhelming support for the PDP in elections, the recent being the FCT elections where PDP won five out of the six area councils with the ACN getting none.”

Party agents watched as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) ad hoc officials commenced the counting of ballots during the FCT Area Council polls at Pasali, Kuje, Abuja on Saturday.

Identity crisis: APC to meet INEC this week CNPP urges Police to investigate PDP’s connection

OBIORA IFOH AND OMEIZA AJAYI

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arring any last minute change of plans, the embattled All Progressives Congress (APC) is set to meet with officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)

‘Shema should contest 2015 elections’ JAMES DANJUMA

their masters at the PDP! “Equally mind-boggling is how the phantom APC, backed by its contact person in INEC, short-circuited the process of seeking registration by using computergenerated forms and fake signatures, among others. ‘’Ironically, in seeking to stop the All Progressives’ Congress, the PDP has now shot itself in the foot, as dis-

au Abdullahi to vie for a political position at the state or national level as she has shown “good stewardship since she assumed office as commissioner.”

Kafur said Shema had “performed excellently as governor and should be allowed to go ahead and replicate same at the national level”.

According to him, the state had “recorded mean-

to discuss vital issues affecting the yet-to-be registered party.

National Mirror learnt that the APC had last week concluded arrangements to meet with INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega but the parley was cancelled after it became clear that Jega was not in Abuja as at then.

The merger committee ingful development in infrastructure” among other sectors of the economy and that it would be of “great benefit to the country for similar transformation to take place at the national level” through the state governor.

“Shema should contest the presidential seat in 2015 so that, if he wins, he would use the Katsina transformation model and implement same from Abuja for the benefit of the nation,” he said.

of the APC, which is led

by Chief Tom Ikimi is said to be working hard to meet with Jega to discuss the controversy surrounding the proliferation of intending political parties with the acronym, APC. Although, it was not clear what the details of the parley would be, sources in the commission said it may not be unconnected with the manner in which other APCs have sprung up in recent times.

Chief Press Secretary to INEC Chairman, Kayode Idowu could not be immediately reached for comments, however, he had in an earlier interview with National Mirror said he had no comments to make on the issue.

The African Peoples Congress (APC) and the All Progressives Congress

(APC) are laying claim to the acronym, APC, even as another group, the All Patriotic Citizens is reported to be working towards having itself registered.

Only last week, Chief Ikimi had stated at a news briefing in Abuja that the All Progressives Congress will not let go of the acronym.

Meanwhile, the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) has called on the Inspector General of the Police, Mohammed Abubarkar, to as a matter of urgent national importance, investigate the alleged linkage between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the controversial African Peoples Congress (APC).

CNPP said the call for Police investigation has become expedient as a result of the crisis the registration of APC has generated.

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Politics

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Security: Jonathan is a weakling –Omilani Senator Yinka Omilani was the former National Vice Chairman (South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this encounter with SINA FADARE, he laments that the party has not learnt any lesson from its past mistakes, just as he says that President Goodluck Jonathan lacks the courage to tackle security challenges in the country. Excerpts:

ing back in 2015, because they will say what are others getting, it is one-sided. There are consultations going on apart from the All Progressive Congress (APC). So, I don’t think that position can be relied upon.

Do you think the suggestion by the Sultan of Sokoto that members of the Boko Haram sect be given amnesty is in order?

The Sultan of Sokoto is a very gentle and intelligent man. He may not be too bogus in politics, but I think that he made a mistake to say Nigeria should negotiate with Boko Haram. It is not right. As the Sultan who will say go and the people in the North will go, and if he says come, the people in the North will come, he should have given such a helping hand to Nigeria in the last one year or so to stop Boko Haram from killing people, which he has not done.

Don’t forget they all know who started the Boko Haram sect; have they exposed him, has anybody spoken against him?

They know. Let the Sultan call all their leaders into his palace and start negotiation, so that the whole of Nigeria will see those they are negotiating with. The approach of negotiating with unknown persons, I have never heard it in the world; I have never seen it and I don’t think it is appropriate.

You have been quiet on political issues in recent time, what informed this?

It is not like that. You know that Yoruba people who have integrity will not just be running after the shadow. There is time for everything and you know that if you are not invited to any place for a meeting, for discussion or for celebration and you go and get insulted, will you say the person doesn’t deserve it? That is why; if there is no invitation to a meeting, I don’t go to anywhere again. That is why I have been quiet.

The PDP lost the South-West in the last election; do you think the party has learnt its lessons?

You know that united we stand and divided we fall. So, it is the inability of the South-West to take advantage of the position they were in the country that sent them out of office. You know I finished my term of five years and someone else took over. I left five governors during my time and the five of them were swept away. The split caused by the young ones who believe that they should have an opportunity to occupy some offices that were available in the South-West PDP, not that they were not qualified, but they don’t want to wait for their own time, so you have groups. That is the problem.

Look at even in Lagos State, since 1999, the PDP has not won anything like governorship or any serious election in the state. The thing that prevented them from taking over the government in Lagos State is the groupings that they have all over the state. As I speak with you now, there are four groups in Lagos PDP, there may be other minor ones. How do you reconcile that? We have done reconciliation many times. I was in London up till the end of February and they were talking to me about the issue of the groups in Lagos and I said, unless you people come together you cannot unseat the incumbent government, even though you have a lot of things to campaign against the state government.

Ogun State is polarised along Gbenga Daniel, Buruji Kashamu, Martins Kuye and Obasanjo groups. Oyo State is like a snap of the finger; it is a place where people will go the way they want to go at the last minute. In Osun State there is no group. In Ekiti, there was no group, but a group is coming up now.

It is not that the PDP has problems, but the people in PDP are the problems of themselves. Those are the problems of the PDP in the South-West, but we still have another one year to go, if we fail to put our house in order, we can forget the PDP in the South-West again, but if we are able to

Omilani

put our acts together, then things will go for the party in the South-West.

Do you think the reconciliation move by the party in the South-West could resolve the crises?

The zonal chairman they chose to lead the reconciliation is not a proper and fit person to do it. What was his position in the party and what has he achieved before? You cannot transform what you do not know. How can you reconcile people you do not know? The highest position he had held in the past was a member of the party’s executive in the South-West and he was sleeping in Bamanga Tukur’s office at Abuja where they saw him and made him the chairman of the reconciliatory group.

We ought to have somebody who has the ability and the intellect to bring the people together. Immediately he was appointed, he left Abuja to Obasanjo. There were a lot of questions Obasanjo asked him which he could not answer. He has the opportunity to serve the party but unfortunately he can’t make anything out of the party.

There is no governor in the South-West that will welcome him. How many reconciliatory meeting can the man call and you think people will honour him?

It is only PDP in the South-West that can do the job, not people from outside or from Abuja. We know how we do our things, even when it is not politics. Not that somebody will come from somewhere.

Is it true that the South-West is marginalised by the present administration?

Can’t you see things for yourself ? It is practical. We voted for Jonathan, but he doesn’t realise that we voted for him; our votes in the South-West were much even in Lagos State.

But, some people blame the opposition

HIS INABILITY TO MAKE THE MILITARY WORK FOR THE GOOD OF THE COUNTRY IS THE WEAKNESS ON HIS

PART.

THAT IS ALL. HE IS WEAK; HE IS ONE OF THOSE TIMID PEOPLE WHO DOES NOT WANT TO EXERCISE POWER,

THAT IS WHY WE ARE WHERE WE ARE TODAY for the marginalisation of Yoruba. What is your take on this?

Why should we present a woman to be Speaker of the House of Representatives when we had one before and she was rejected? We know that the Northerners will not want a woman to be Speaker, why not push the other man from Ibadan.

Why should we have two people instead of insisting on the man? We are the architect of our misfortune.

The PDP recently brought back Chief Tony Anenih as chairman Board of Trustees (BoT). Do you think his return can salvage the PDP in the midst of this crisis?

That is a very dangerous question, because you are not too young not to know what a man Anenih is. I reserve my comment. He has returned to the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA); is he the only one that can be the chairman of BoT? That is the question. That is even more dangerous to Jonathan’s com-

Do you think having state police is a solution to the security challenges?

We have had state police before, those who are in authority used them for evil things, even what was called Akoda, the council police, some people took undue advantage of that and used them. Well, let us just look for a way out, people are afraid of coming to Nigeria, even Nigerians abroad don’t want to come home because they don’t know what would happen to them, that is the problem and it is only the Federal Government that can solve the issue of insecurity. They know how to do it but they don’t allow the police to do it, because if the police arrests the son of an important person you will see how they will be running around, wanting to replace him with someone else.

That is why it is difficult to control crime.

Member of the opposition are saying that since the PDP is helpless, it should be voted out to allow them fix the problem. what do you say to that?

Yes, we are helpless but it is not the PDP that is the problem. The PDP is a political party; they are not in the police and military. The opposition just want to blackmail PDP. But, PDP is the ruling party and controls the security?

Yes, but then you don’t put that on the PDP. Jonathan is your president too, and I don’t think you are in any political party.

He is not PDP, he is in charge, he is neither in the police, navy, army or air force, but he is the commander-in-chief of all those people. His inability to make the military work for the good of the country is the weakness on his part. That is all. He is weak; he is one of those timid people who does not want to exercise power, that is why we are where we are today. Some people are weak, naturally weak and some people are always strong.

There is nothing you can do unless the government is ready to do something.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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Monday, March 18, 2013

15

Playing the ostrich with Boko Haram’s amnesty HeartBeat

CALLISTUS

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Callistusoke@nationalmirroronline.net 08054103275 (SMS ONLY)

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orthern Nigeria’s power oligarchs are well honed in the power game. They are adept political chess players; over time, they have developed powerful antennae to quickly pick potential threats to their interests and act appropriately to contain such threats. Two macro challenges confront them now: perceived fringe player status in national politics and increasing burden of privations from such powerlessness. This is how to sum up their current obsession with the 2015 presidency and the demand for amnesty for Boko Haram.

As President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term bid gathers momentum, especially after the Supreme Court ruling okays his eligibility, there has emerged in the region a deadly coalition united by one common obsession: stop Jonathan’s second term bid at all cost.

For the power cabal in the North, another four years in political limbo is a very frustrating and painful prospect to contemplate. Believe it or not, the going will get tougher for the nation as 2015 draws closer unless the knotty puzzle

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AMNESTY FOR BOKO HARAM IS A CONVENIENT EXISTENTIAL PLOY DRESSED AS A LEGITIMATE DEMAND of which zone gets the presidency is resolved.

For the region, amnesty-for-Boko Haram is a convenient existential ploy dressed as a legitimate demand; it is nothing but part of a big plot of sustained psychological warfare to weaken the resolve of the pro Jonathan-for-second-term coalition. Sustaining such momentum is nothing but a likely bargaining chip in the months ahead.

Getting the caliber of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Saa’d Abubakar, a leading member of the northern oligarchy, to relaunch the clamour for amnesty confirms their image of deft political players. It is a testimony of their prescient that President Jonathan repudiated the amnesty demand for the Islamic insurgents. They knew before hand that the demand was a going to be a hard sell, yet they still cling to it!

All the same, there is something of intifada to Mr. President’s rejection of their demand. Look at the list of their attack dogs: Dr. Paul Unongo, Second Republic

minister from Benue State and current spokesperson of Northern Elders’ Forum; Dr. Junaid Mohammed, a radical Second Republic House of Representatives member; Speaker of the House of Representatives, Aminu Tambuwa; Second Republic Deputy Senate President, Maman Dan-Musa, and Dr. Bulam Gubio, secretary of the Borno State Elder’s Forum. These are fiery politicians that can match Dr. Doyin Okupe, Jonathan’s version of Paul Joseph Goebbels, sabre rattling for sabre rattling.

To them, Mr. President’s position on the amnesty issue is “deceitful”, “double standard” and “discourteous”. If Mr. President could rehabilitate and compensate Niger Delta militants “with huge sums of money and …big contracts” why would he deny Boko Haram of the North such largesse? Nigeria and its geopolitical jingoism!

I do not know what you make of the North’s demand and its outright rejection

by Mr. President. The call portends ill for the country. It is akin to the mining the country with dynamites.

It is for this reason I am opposed to the language of the rejection. Even the most politically illiterates know the amnesty call lacks logic and substance. Who among the pro-amnesty-for-Boko Haram clan can place a finger on the cause being pursued by the sect? How justiceable is the one pleaded by it? Drawing parallelism between Niger Delta militancy and Boko Haram militancy is like forcing two

parallel lines to meet.

However, the President’s offhanded rejection of the North’s call is problematic.

His style of rejection lacks finesse. His rejection is the excuse the region’s power oligarchs need to take the political war over 2015 to the next level.

A more circumspective approach to the conundrum would have been for Mr. President to ask for nomination of their people to a contrived Tactical Committee to work out the fine details of the planned amnesty programme. President Jonathan or his advisers should read Julius Caesar, especially Mark Antony’s funeral oration after Julius Caesar was assassinated by Brutus and the other conspirators.

It is not in doubt that no amnesty programme is possible without the Federal Government meeting to negotiate with Boko Haram leadership. The North should tell the world which Boko Haram it is talking about. There is the political Boko Haram, the North’s response to the outcome of the April 2011 presidential election. There is also the real Boko Haram whose activities are confined to Borno and the contiguous states. Let the North tell Nigerians which of the Boko Haram is central to the resolution of the crisis in the region.

If the ruling class in the North is committed to peace in the region, they hold the key to this in their palms. Challenging President Jonathan to unmask the leadership of Boko Haram as part of his law and order function is begging the issue.

Improving our national Transformation Agenda

ransformation Agenda is the talk everywhere, but can we walk the talk?

There are many harsh and painful policy decisions we must make and endure at all levels of our national life for us to get close to our dream using the Transformation Agenda template.

First, who must our government INSPIRE? Evidently, our government must inspire the entire citizenry by the quality of leadership provided. In practical terms therefore, our government, through the services it provides, the incentives and opportunities it creates for the stimulation of growth, real employment and productivity, must inspire in the citizenry the readiness for trust, partnership and collaboration.

Second, what must we INVEST? We must necessarily invest in infrastructure and human capacity development for us to be competitive in today’s knowledge economy. However, it is not sufficient to provide the infrastructure and develop human capacity without establishing effective, efficient legal and regulatory frameworks that will ensure sound, equitable and judicious distribution, utilization, maintenance and management of those physical and human capital that are our national assets.

Third, who must we INVITE? The reality of public management and provision of public goods and services suggests that big government is no longer suitable to achieving result while government cannot do it alone. The option for our government is to relinquish those areas of less national strategic importance and seek partnership and collaboration with private sector providers and foreign investors with

requisite expertise and financial strength, and whose stake in the our economy transcends profit but includes a commitment to national growth and development.

Fourth, what must we INCREASE? This question relates to what we produce with our human capital assets and in which we have comparative advantage. Our experts and technocrats in various analyses presented facts that clearly suggest that even though we are classified among the oil-rich nations, we are still oil-impoverished per capita compared with many other OPEC members whose production capacity outweighs ours.

A resource whose production process, distribution and marketing does not engage a substantial percentage of our population and does not guarantee us much comparative advantage in the world economy cannot be said to be in our ultimate interest. The paradox of oil production and dependence in Nigeria is that while it is enriching a leaking treasury, it is metaphorically stifling productivity and employment in the real sector of our economy. This is not to advocate the shutting down of our oil-wells, but rather a call to rethink our economic diversification agenda. When we advocate diversification, we must be shifting focus to saving and investing our oil earnings while also concentrating on sectors with higher comparative advantage and greater prospects of employment generation, productivity and self-sustainability for us.

Fifth, what must we IMPORT? At a time we talk of our industries being on the throes of death, producing below installed

WE MUST MODERATE OUR CONSUMPTION OF WHAT WE DO NOT PRODUCE capacities, diverted to merchandising of imported items or have closed shops to relocate to other countries, our ports are wide and welcoming for all sorts of commodities while our borders are very porous, our taste for imported items down to tokunboh and over-used braziers and pants from least expected countries like Vietnam and Myanmar have only increased. We must moderate our consumption of what we do not produce.

We have to be objective in admitting that being a net importing nation has only encouraged conspicuous consumption with less employment generation. We collectively have to reach an understanding that our imports must be of those things that grow and add real value to our capacity rather than being dependent on others for everything.

Sixth, what must we INHIBIT? This question is easily answered in the previous explanation of what we must import. Our government must discourage through strong deterrence strategies commodities and items that prevent the growth of our local industries, introduction of incentives and subsidies to sectors that are not immediately profitable and attractive to local entrepreneurs who must necessarily be protected, regardless of the globalization garbage talk.

Seventh, what must we INNOVATE? We

Mirror of the moment ABDUL-WAREES SOLANKE korewarith@yahoo.com, 08090585723 (SMS only)

must be sensitive to the two demands of inspiring research and development and growing our local industry. Our government must therefore, encourage invention, investment and patronage of technologies appropriate for our development stage. It is indeed absurd for us to be importing hand pumps and simple grinding and shelling machines fabricated in India while similar ones produced by our hard working technologists rot in the roadside showrooms.

Lastly, what must we IMPROVE? In any reform initiative, it is inevitable that that some vulnerabilities and negative externalities will arise. They are the price we must pay if reform must be productive. We must therefore improve on our social security deliverables to mitigate the impact of reforms and widen the arena of dialogue and communication to imbue trust and confidence that the evidently harsh and painful decision is temporary.

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

Editorial

16

Monday, March 18, 2013

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All the Facts, All the Sides All the Facts, All the Sides

A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, OFR PUBLISHER

STEVE AYORINDE STEVE AYORINDE YELE AKINROLABU YELE AKINROLABU SEYI FASUGBA SEYI FASUGBA BOLAJI TUNJI BOLAJI TUNJI GBEMI OLUJOBI GBEMI OLUJOBI LANRE OYETADE DOZIE OKEBALAMA DOZIE OKEBALAMA ADESOYE ADEKOYA ADESOYE ADEKOYA CALLISTUS OKE CALLISTUS OKE ISE-OLUWA IGE ISE-OLUWA IGE KAYODE BALOGUN JNR KAYODE BALOGUN JNR FRANK OBOH FRANK OBOH

S

MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MD/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF ED OPERATIONS ED OPERATIONS DAILY EDITOR DAILY EDITOR SUNDAY EDITOR SUNDAY EDITOR SATURDAY EDITOR SATURDAY EDITOR GENERAL EDITOR COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION CONTROLLER, PRODUCTION EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT SM, STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT HEAD, GRAPHICS HEAD, GRAPHICS

Jonathan’s pardon for Alamieyeseigha

tanding ridiculously tall before the nation and the rest of the world is the recent clannish and compensatory state pardon Nigeria’s President Goodluck Jonathan granted his kinsman and former boss, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a man under whom he (Jonathan) served as a deputy governor while Alamieyeseigha held court as the governor of Bayelsa State.

Alamieyeseigha was picked up and detained by security operatives in London on charges of money laundering while serving as Bayelsa governor in September 2005. The Metropolitan Police had during a search, recovered £1 million, cash, from his London home; discovered an additional £1.8 million in his bank account and found that he owned real estate worth roughly £10 million also in London. He escaped from London while on bail and fled the country in December 2005.

Till date, he is a wanted man in the United Kingdom. Back home, the ex-governor pleaded guilty in court to a six-count charge in July 2007; and was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment on each count.

Complicit in the shambolic pardon purportedly endorsed by the Council of State at its meeting held in Abuja last week

WE VIEW THE PARDON AS AN UNMITIGATED TRAVESTY AND ABUSE OF PRESIDENTIAL POWER were the nation’s 36 governors or their representatives. It is, however, obvious that the President convened the meeting strictly for the purpose of extracting state pardon for his big brother, as many of those listed in Jonathan’s pardon list had earlier been granted clemency since 1999 by the brief military administration of General Abdulsalami Abubakar, according to reports. In the President’s obvious hurry to wield power, reports said he ignored the lawful steps required in the exercise of the powers (on state pardon) conferred on him by Section 175 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). Senior Special Assistant to the President on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe said in defense of the development: “Since he left prison, Alamieyesiegha has been working strenuously and silently to assist the President stabilise the amnesty in the Niger Delta region”.

Notwithstanding the rather patronising positions of some prominent lawyers, who saw

nothing wrong with the pardon, virtually all Nigerians, including eminent persons, organized labour and civil society groups; are united in their condemnation of the despicable presidential action. No less disturbed is the international community. A spokeswoman in the President Barack Obama administration in the United States was quoted as saying: “We see this as a setback for the fight against corruption and also for our ability to play the strong role we’ve played in supporting (the) rule of law and legal institution building in Nigeria, which is very important for the future of the country…”, for example. The US couldn’t have felt otherwise when, only on June 28, 2012, the American Department of Justice executed an asset forfeiture order under the Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative on Alamieyeseigha’s $401,931 in a Massachusetts brokerage fund; and his $600,000 Maryland home, all alleged to be the proceeds of corruption.

Britain, which spent so much money and invested time to track down and jail former governor of Delta State, James Ibori, last year for similar offences would most probably be devastated as well.

Consequently, we consider the pardon that has the capacity to cream off the cumulative gains of the nation’s fight

against corruption since 2003, when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) came into being, a masterpiece in absurdity. If Jonathan was so committed, loyal, indebted and sympathetic to Alamieyeseigha, he should have declined the position of Bayelsa governor when his former boss was booted out.

But he did not. Now as the nation’s president, he has countless number of ways to ‘settle’ Alamieyeseigha, instead of ridiculing the nation’s campaign against corruption locally and internationally.

We view the pardon as an unmitigated travesty and abuse of presidential power and privilege. It is one blunder that would make the prosecution of the war on corruption a hell of a task henceforth; as well as hinder international solidarity for Nigeria against corruption. It also seems obvious that the executive arm of government led by the Presidency is the greatest enemy to the nation’s anti-graft campaign. What Nigeria needs is a firm leader that realizes the grave damage corruption has done to the nation, the exceptional importance of battling the vice and the political will to pull the fight through.

The perfidy of the Presidency in this matter shows that such a leader is yet to emerge.

ON THIS DAY March 18, 1997 The tail of a Russian Antonov An-24 charter plane broke off while en route to Turkey causing the plane to crash, killing all 50 on board and leading to the grounding of all An-24s. The Antonov An-is a 44-seat twin turboprop transport/passenger aircraft designed and manufactured in the Soviet Union by the Antonov Design Bureau from 1957. First flown in 1959, over 1,000 An-24s were built and 880 are still in service worldwide.

March 18, 1996 A nightclub fire in Quezon City, Philippines killed 162.

Ozone Disco, located along Timog Avenue corner, Tomas Morato Avenue in Quezon City, was opened in 1991 by Segio Orgaoow. Its building had previously housed a jazz club named “Birdland”. The disco was operated by Westwood Entertainment Company, Inc. It is officially acknowledged as the worst fire in Philippine.

March 18, 1992 White South Africans voted overwhelmingly in favour, in a national referendum, to end the racist policy of Apartheid. Apartheid was a system of racial segregation enforced through legislation by the National Party governments, who were the ruling party from 1948 to 1994, of South Africa, under which the rights of the majority black inhabitants of South Africa were curtailed and white supremacy and Afrikaner minority rule was maintained.

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Cover

Those behind Demuren’s

sack

By Olusegun Koiki

T

he event of last Monday, March 11, when Dr. Harold Demuren lost his plum job as Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), was not unexpected.

For some time now, particularly since the June 3, 2012 when Dana plane crashed at Iju-Ishaga area of Lagos, killing 163 persons, the leadership of the aviation industry, especially the NCAA which Demuren superintended over had come under intense spotlight and public opprobrium.

Though the aviation ministry and the parastatals under it were able to soak in the public condemnation and outburst that followed the crash, the last straw that seemed to have broken the camel’s back was the decision of the NCAA, in full support of the aviation minister, Stella Oduah to grant Dana Air’s request to return to the sky, the decision which NCAA had then insisted was in conformity with international best practices.

As Dana Air returned to the sky, tempers rose across the landscape with the two legislative arms calling for the sack of Demuren, alleging that he compromised the safety of Nigerians by granting the return

of the Airline. Both the House of Representatives and the Senate came out with resolutions calling for Demuren’s sack and the revocation of the operating licence of Dana Air. First to fire the salvo was the National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers (NAAPE), which in an open letter addressed to the Presidency, Ministry of Aviation and National Assembly and others, entitled ‘Looming flight safety crisis in Nigeria occasioned by NCAA’s non-compliance with IACO standards and Recommended Practices (SARPS)’ and signed by its Secretary-General, Ocheme Aba. NAAPE hid under the decision to return Dana Air to the sky to launch what a source described last week as a premeditated attack on the person of Dr. Demuren, describing him as not properly equipped to be the Chief Executive Officer in the agency.

NAAPE insisted that unlike many others which it described as being “beclouded by blind loyalty by what their minds tell them are accomplishments of Demuren”, the association, it said, would not be swayed by sentiments and emotion. It insisted that Demuren failed to meet the requirements for person qualified to hold the position of NCAA DG in the first instance, having met just one of the sections by virtue of his

Demuren

Once applauded for instilling some level of sanity into the air transport business after years of persistent crashes, Dr. Harold Demuren got the boot last Monday from his position as Director General, Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority in what many have seen as a product of an intricate political chess game training as Aeronautical Engineer. “For a person to qualify to be DG of NCAA, the person has to satisfy the combined import of section 8(2) (d) and Part lll section 3 of the Civil Aviation Act, 2006. The first section states that such person must possess “relevant and adequate professional qualifications, and has the qualification for at least 15 years”. The second section lists the required fields of specialization which includes aeronautical Engineering. The two sections must be satisfied by awould-be DG of NCAA,” it said, insisting that Demuren satisfied the first requirement but failed the second condition.

The body insisted that Dr.

Demuren’s academic qualifications are not ‘relevant’ in maintaining airworthiness environment where there is no aircraft design, manufacture, and product support activities, but only operating and maintaining

aircraft. “There are many Aeronautical Engineers in Nigeria who went through the full scale of acquiring piloting, aircraft maintenance engineering, etc licensed many have multiple ratings, some have gross – rat-

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Cover

Oduah

ings. These categories of personnel have a qualification that is far more ‘adequate’ than that of Demuren,” it said.

Indeed, it appeared that the NAAPE’s onslaught opened the floodgate to the growing rage that eventually consumed Dr. Demuren last week.

In November 2012, the Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma had said that the NCAA had no maintenance engineer that was rated on MD-83 or pilot that was rated on the aircraft, stressing that it was after the crash that the agency employed a pilot that was rated on the aircraft brand.

“For you to be a maintenance engineer on the aircraft, you need to know about the particular aircraft and be rated on it so that when something goes wrong you will be able to detect.

So, how would the same NCAA that does not have the technical know-how on the plane carry out diligent audit?

“No airworthiness inspector in NCAA rated on MD-83 to clear the plane. In any event, are they not aware that MD83 has been phased out all over the world? Dana air is the only airline using MD-83 in the whole of Africa.

“Assuming there is an emergency cum maintenance, there is no other African airline they can approach for spares. So this is a major problem. There is high level of criminality in the aviation industry in Nigeria and like I earlier mentioned it seems to me that there is a cartel that is hell bent on holding the in-

Uzodinma

dustry to ransom,” Uzodinma said.

On January 29 this year, at the joint committee of both houses of the National Assembly, Senator Victor Lar had raised the issue that bothered on the competence of Dr. Demuren, when he asked rhetorically “How can one explain that in this age, a regulatory agency is headed by someone who is not qualified?”

In the height of the allegations, the ousted NCAA DG, had in a statement issued by his Media Assistant, Sam Adurogboye, insisted that the agency has two Aviation Safety Inspectors (ASI) and two pilots who are type rated on McDonnell Douglas MD83.

Adurogboye had listed the names of the inspectors, who according to him had successfully completed the type training on the aircraft type, as Adetu E.E.(2008) and Asiru F.A (2010) with the reference International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) document 8335,chapter 6,sections 2.1 and 2.2 (Manual of Procedures for Operations Inspection, Certification and continuing Surveillance.

Also, he mentioned the two pilots type rated on the MD 80 series as Capt. Adeoye Oludeji Isikalu and Capt. Sidi Maikano Abdullahi.

He explained that contrary to wide held belief, NCAA does not engage in aircraft maintenance, which may include repairs, overhaul, modification or replacement, stressing that it is prohibited for its safety inspectors, no matter how knowledge-

able, skilled and experienced they are, to carry out maintenance on any aircraft for the purpose of certifying it airworthy, stressing that: “This is the acceptable worldwide safety practice. The only aircraft audit is an NCAA initiative and part of our safety oversight.”

On Dana Air return, Adurogboye had stated that the industry considers it a safety decision, noting that the airline rated safety above every other consideration. “Dana Airlines began operations in 2008 and has operated 18,977 flights and carried over 1,000,699 passengers without any accident. These are parameters for safety record. Nigeria possesses one of the best available safety ratings worldwide today.

The country is not on the European Union (EU) blacklist,

which is why we can fly directly to the United Kingdom. “We have the United States Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Category 1, which allows Nigerian registered aircraft to fly directly to the United States of America” and assured the travelling public that it will not compromise any breach of safety no matter how minute to ensure safe airline operations in the country.

However, while the call for Demuren’s sack raged, many other stakeholders in the aviation business had cautioned against undue politicisation of the air transport business. Olumide Ohunayo, Head, Zenith Travels had warned the National Assembly against politicising safety issues in the country’s aviation sector and challenged them to show support to the

various aviation agencies in their efforts to drive home safety in the sector.

Ohunayo noted that safety issues are critical and measured international in the global aviation industry and urged the House Committee on Aviation to back the efforts of NCAA in improving safety of the country’s airspace, rather than the agency.

He said, “The insistence on sacking the Director-General, NCAA, Dr. Harold Demuren and the withdrawal of DANA licence without cogent and sustainable critical safety reasons is distasteful. If the honourable members really love the electorate, they should know Dana is pivotal to the lowering of domestic fares and improved customer services.

“The unfortunate crash is not enough to withdraw their licence. The honourable members should rather present before us an independent body to check anti-competitive practices that will reduce monopolistic tendencies, economic bulling and exploitation in price and fares.”

Similarly, the National President of Air Transport Services Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (ATSSSAN), Benjamin Okewu had criticised what he called the unprofessional stand by members of NAAPE on issues affecting the aviation sector in the country.

He explained that ATSSSAN as a responsible stakeholder in the aviation industry “will not fold its arms and allow neophytes, charlatans and gullible individuals in the industry to hide under the umbrella of professional associations to accentuate personal and nestinterest to destroy and balkanise the aviation industry in Nigeria.”

On the propriety of the investigation conducted by the Joint Committee of the National Assembly into the Dana and Allied Air Crash, Okewu stated that ATSSSAN vehemently disagreed with NAAPE’s ceaseless attempts to robe the investiga-

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Cover tion with the garment of legality, adding that ATSSSAN was embarrassed by the claim by NAAPE that the National Assembly has the power to investigate air accidents as part of its oversight responsibility and that NAAPE supported the investigation because professionals were involved.

President, Aviation Round Table (ART), Capt. Dele Ore, in an article entitled, ‘For the Records’ said, “To say that Dr. Harold Demuren is not qualified to be the DG of NCAA is very scandalous, misleading and mischievous. What NAAPE is telling the whole world is that there is no qualified DG anywhere in the world. This is very unfortunate because I had always learn’t that “DOGS DON’T EAT DOGS.” He said NAAPE’s assertion was a wake-up call for the Federal Government to embark on operational verification of qualification. “When you ride on the back of an unruly horse, you don’t know where it may take you, but NAAPE is tagging on the tiger’s tail,” he said.

He challenged the government to set up a body to verify claims of professional qualification in the aviation sector otherwise; “there is already a dent on our standard as claimed by NAAPE.” Ore stressed that this has become imperative before other ICAO member states start to discriminate and suspect Nigeria’s Safety Certificates. “The government should call NAAPE to order to justify their claims otherwise, Nigeria as a member state must file a difference in line with Article 38 of the Chicago Convention,” he stressed.

Ironically, both NAAPE and National Assembly members had in the time past, eulogised Demuren for the transformational he has brought to the aviation sector since his appointment in 2007.

For instance, NAAPE’s President, Engr. Isaac Balami had in 2011, eulogised Demuren and even drummed up support for him to be made the minister of aviation in the sector, vowing that if Demuren or aviation professional was not made a minister in the sector, the association and other unions would make the industry unsafe for users.

Balami, even allegedly went as far as Aso Rock to register the association’s support for a professional to be made a minister in the sector.

Also on February 6, 2007 on the floor of the Senate Chambers in Abuja, one of the senators then had paid glowing tribute to Demuren. “I recall with appreciation my first encounter with the nominee at the crash site of the ADC. I remember the prowess with which the nominee handled the situation and personally attended to families of the victims. I noted the pas-

Ore

Okewu

sion, zeal and humility exhibited by the nominee and wish that other chief executives could emulate the nominee. I believe that such a man is an asset to the industry and therefore call on the Senate to consider his confirmation,” Senator Issa had said during the senate screening of Demuren for the job in 2007.

As at Friday last week, the sack of Demuren remained the most topical issue within the aviation circle as most stakeholders insisted that the decision to sack the erstwhile NCAA DG was ill-conceived.

Captain Ore, who described Demuren’s sack as unfortunate, said that the DG helped in sustaining the sector, adding that there was no air crash for about five years during his time, as he stressed that it was a notable feat recorded during his tenure. ‘‘Why do Nigerians take delight in killing their own heroes, I believe that it is a very

bad thing that the government has done,’’ he said.

Assistant Secretary General, Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mohammed Tukur, who said the Federal Government had finally bowed to pressure to sack Demuren, alleged that Jonathan was forced to sack Demuren by some members of the National Assembly and airline operators in the country, who felt they were closer to the presidency.

Business Courage reliably gathered at the weekend that though there have been clamour for Demuren’s removal particularly by the National Assembly, what might have caused the former NCAA DG his job was his perceived independent mindedness, which sources say has not gone down well with his supervising minister, Oduah.

Those in the know disclosed last week that the relationship between the minister and De-

muren has been sour for some time. The strain relationship, they said, came to the open when Demuren was the only sitting chief executive of the aviation ministry’s parastatals that was absent at the commissioning of the remodelled General Aviation Terminal (GAT) of the Murtala Mohammed Airport (MMA), Lagos on October 22, 2012.

At the GAT commissioning in Abuja, Demuren was in attendance, but unlike in the past when he would play a prominent role in such occasion, he was relegated to the background. In fact, he had no seat allocated for him at the occasion.

Also last month, when Oduah was awarded the ‘Man of the Year’ by a national newspaper in Lagos, Demuren was conspicuously absent. Though he was said to have attended the event, he reportedly left before the commencement of the

programme while other CEOs were present.

Demuren was also absent at the commissioning of the Benin Airport, Edo State, few weeks ago, the situation that further gave credence to the strain relationship with the minister.

In fact, reliable industry sources who spoke with Business Courage under anonymity last week insisted that Demuren would have long been sacked by the minister but for the perceived high ratings which the former NCAA DG enjoyed prior to the Dana Air crash. Oduah was said to have found Demuren “too difficult” to manipulate and had wanted to sack him same time with the former managing director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN).

Those who figured Oduah’s hand in the fate that befell Demuren reasoned that were it not to be that the minister explored her closeness with President Goodluck Jonathan to get rid of Demuren, the cries and hues for his sack by the National Assembly would not have made much difference. “Look, I am convinced beyond reasonable doubt that Demuren lost his job because Oduah wanted him out. It has nothing to do with the insistence of the National Assembly, after all, Arunma Otteh, DG, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) which the National Assembly had clamoured for her sack, is still keeping her job,” said an industry source.

Though Demuren has lost his job, industry sources say his contribution to the growth of the sector since he was appointed in 2005 would remain indelible.

Appointed at a time when the country was virtually thrown into many air disasters, Dr. Demuren was able to stabilise the sector, leading to about six years of accident free tenure until the Dana Air crash of June 2012.

During his tenure, Demuren led Nigeria to the successful completion of the Aviation Security Audit of Murtala Mohammed International Airport and Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport by the United States of American Transportation Security Administration (TSA), as well as the ICAO Universal Safety Audit. He obtained the US FAA Category 1 Certification for Nigeria (6th African Country) in August 2010, launched the IATA E-ticket / Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) regime which revolutionized the Air travel industry in Nigeria in 2008 and introduced the new Civil Aviation Safety Regulations that ensured Safety Oversight of all aviation activities in Nigeria in compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) among others. BC

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Agro-business

A push for agro-

business

By Stanley Ihedigbo

A

s a fresh graduate, one would have expected that Ogbannaya Ibe would naturally jump at an offer to work with one of the leading estates management companies.

At least, in this era of joblessness, such opportunity still remains one of the best for an estate management graduate. But rather than grab the offer, Ibe, instead, opted to try his hands on a personal business which he later admits to be “lucrative and rewarding.”

Determined to make a success of his endeavour, Ibe ensured that he saved enough money from his Youth services earnings, and after completing the national assignment, he returned to his native home town in Abia State and started a fishery farm. Today, he is convinced that the decision he took was clearly a wise one.

Similarly, Emmanuel Inedu, an account graduate of one of the state universities recently resigned his appointment to pursue a career in agro business.

For Inedu, his initial desire to pursue his professional examination as a chartered accountant have to wait, as he decided to key into the Federal Government’s Cassava Policy by venturing into cassava production. Today, as he narrated to Business Courage, his status has changed so rapidly compared to where he was coming from.

The story of Becky Epah, a business administration student of the Lagos State Polytechnic, who has been into the poultry farming for almost two years, is not entirely different.

Becky says she has been using the proceeds from the poultry business to sponsor her education and she has ruled out the prospect of seeking for paid employment after completing her education. Rather, she wants to employ more hands, including graduates to expand her poultry business.

The sudden shift in the embrace of agric and agro-business as a potential revenue earner, especially by most Nigerian youths has continued to excite many stakeholders in the agric sector, who have hailed the paradigm shift as a welcome development

A poultry farm

With increased government commitment to the development of agriculture, particularly through the various agricultural transformation initiatives, more Nigerians are shifting their focus to agric and agro-businesses. With this development, experts say the paradigm shift will not only ensure that Nigerians earn a decent living, the contribution of agric to the Gross Domestic Product of the country would also be enhanced needed to be supported by various governments.

In a recent interview with Business Courage, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, Minister for Agriculture and Rural Development, said that agriculture has the greatest potential, more than any other sector to create jobs in a way that is inclusive of the youths whether it is primary production or in the business of selling inputs. “To get the youths into agriculture, we have to see agriculture for what it is; it is a business where they must make money. Today in agriculture, we are not talking about agriculture as a development activity, but as a business- whether you are in cassava, rice, and cocoa, oil palm or cotton production.”

Dr Adesina said that what the government has been doing is about changing the mindset of the people about agriculture today, adding that the youths and young graduates stand to make a lot of money from agriculture, particularly through the programme called Youth Employment in Agriculture programme.

The minister revealed that the government is targeting 760,000 young graduates, commercial

farmers with whom it hoped to change the entire labour composition of the agricultural sector, so that they have much younger dynamic farmers that can feed and secure Nigeria’s future and competitiveness in agriculture.

Dr Adesina said that his ministry will be going back to the universities of agriculture, asking them to teach people about entrepreneurship so that they will not become job hunters when they graduate but job creators. “We are also going to provide them access to land, mechanization services, and finance. We are going to work closely with the state governments and I believe that within five years, we will have a lead core of younger, commercial, market -driven farmers that are graduates in this country that will transform the face of agriculture from what you know,” he stated.

Also speaking on the development of the youth’s interest in agriculture for empowerment, Chairman and Founder, Talon Nigeria, an agricultural consulting firm, Dr. Sam Talabi, said that with a determined mind, a good focus and a good entrepreneurial spirit, young people have

Adesina

a lot to do and attain success in the different aspects of agriculture.

He further said that it would be something of great achievement if the youth can spring up industries, float agro-allied companies and reduce importation of agro products into the country.

According to him, that is the reason why no nation can afford to ignore the youths or toy with their education and development. “Their creativity, energy and passion must be properly directed if they are to assume their proper role as a positive force in nation building through agriculture development.”

He said that it is important that Nigerian youths bring their different experiences to the field, form teams which can formulate a holistic strategy to leverage the opportunities and tackle the challenges in agriculture in Nigeria.

Talabi noted that before Nigeria gained independence in 1960, agriculture was the foundation

for the human economy, the situation that made the country self-sufficient in food production.

However, with the combination of the decline in the agricultural focus, following the discovery of oil, coupled with the population implosion, Talabi said that Nigeria eventually had to start food importation of food.

He added that the neglect of the agricultural sector, which has led to astronomical rise in food prices in the market and the current effort of the government to properly reposition agriculture as core business has now provided opportunity for discerning young men and women to make headway.

Also in Lagos, the state government has also initiated the development of youth’s agricultural programme, which the State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, said was designed out of the need to engage the youths as potential change agents. The programme, AGRIC-YES, according to the government, was intended as a social protection programme designed to empower the youths and train them in modern agricultural techniques in vegetable farming; poultry; livestock farming; aquaculture and basic bookkeeping.

The curriculum, according to Governor Fashola, was structured in three phases, beginning with basis agriculture modules before the second phase where interns are exposed to international best practices and modern agricultural management techniques in commercial farms.

The governor said that during the final phase, successful trainees would be settled in farm estates with take-off grants from the Lagos Microfinance Institution (LASMI). To consolidate on the success of AGRIC-YES, “We are launching periodic agric-based Executive Training Programmes that will conceptualized as a form of social intervention response aimed at solving the twin problems of youth unemployment and food security,” he said.

It would be recalled that during his recent visit to the country, Dr Kanayo Nwanze, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), had said that the increasing investments in agricultural research for development could bring the much-needed agricultural transformation to Africa and help address the rising wave of youth unemployment and its attendant poverty.

According to him, such investments will have a positive trickle-down effect on the youths by way of generating improved technologies that could attract youths to agriculture and also build their capacities in solving both present and future challenges to food security.“Our leaders need to know this. If we are thinking of investing in the future of our children, then, we must think agriculture. The impact of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by agriculture in any country is twice that of other sectors,” he explained. BC

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News

Usman

FG directs MDAs to design development Master Plans Stories By Tola Akinmutimi (Abuja)

T

he Federal Government is set to issue policy directives to all Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), in the federal public service to come up with their development Master Plans which would be integrated into the National Plans in order to assist in effective streamlining of development efforts targeted at achieving the Vision 2020 socio-economic objectives.

Giving the hint at the sidelines of the presentation of the report on the 1st National Implementation Plan of the Vision 2020 by the Central Working Group (CWG) last Friday in Abuja, the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman, said developing Master Plans at the MDAs level would help align development programmes and achievements with the National Plan and by implication, focuse all efforts towards a common target as encapsulated in the Vision 20:2020 blueprint.

Usman, who recalled that the country had in the past, particularly during the military era not given due consideration to planning as a crucial component of development, said the ongoing moves would help in pooling together all stakeholders in the pursuit of the agenda set in the national economic development blueprint and provide parameters for measuring whether or not Nigeria is moving along the path of realising its objectives.

Usman said that the government is working to encourage each of the 36 states to develop their own plans and the vision which they have done based on the National Plan.

“But more importantly, we are going further now by asking each MDA to develop

a strategic plan based on the National Plan so that, for example, you have the Health Sector Master Plan, you have the Transport Sector Master Plan, you have the Education Sector Master Plan which are all aligned to the National Master Plan.

“This is the only way we can go so that today, we don’t wake up from one side of the bed and do something and tomorrow we do a different thing. You cannot run a country like that. We cannot make progress as a country without proper planning”, Usman said.

The minister disclosed that the Central Working Group was set up to review the progress that country has made in implementing the Ist National Plan and achieving the Vision, adding that “they have reported today is step by step, area by area, sector by sector against the targets that we set for achieving the Vision and the Plan, what is our performance as a country”.

He assured that the National Planning Commission would study the report and process it for the Federal Executive Council’s consideration after which if approved, the Commission will make the recommendations public.

Earlier in his remarks, the Chairman of the CWG, Mr. Moses Akpabosa, thanked the government for giving the members the assignment and expressed the hope that all efforts would be committed to the implementation of the Group’s recommendations which, he pointed out, would help in Nigeria’s strive to become one of the 20 most developed countries by year 2020.

He listed the CWG’s Terms of Reference to include, determining the scope of the 1st NIP review period; developing and agreeing on template for the review; determining the structure and format for the review of the 1st NIP; and working closely with MDAs and National Planning Commission with a view to obtaining relevant inputs on the achievements of the Key Performance Indicators and reviewing the macroeconomic framework and other sectoral targets for the Plan period.

Others are, producing a detailed Report o the review highlighting key gaps and challenges at macro and sectoral levels and propose necessary solutions; arranging stakeholders’ validation of the Report; and articulating the preparatory activities for production of 2nd NIP 20142017, amongst others.

The key elements of the 1st NIP which has as its theme “Accelerating Development, Competitiveness and Wealth

Creation for All” are, overall macroeconomic targets of GDP of $300 billion by 2013; Per Capital Growth of $2,008; achievement of average GDP growth rate of 11 per cent and a total projected investment of N32 trillion.

Wetland MFB disburses SPDC’s N14.25m devt fund

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etland Microfinance Bank, one of the leading MFBs in Delta State, has disbursed N14.25 million micro credit seed fund provided by Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), for financing sundry people-oriented projects in Ekakpamre community in Ughelli South Local Government area of the state.

According to a document sourced by our correspondent, the funding support is provided by the oil company to the community which falls within the Ughelli South 1 cluster under the Global Memorandum of Understanding (GMoU) as part of its efforts to improve relationship with its host communities.

The Ughelli South 1 cluster GMoU was signed on February 10, 2011 and followed by the inauguration of the Community Development Board (CDB) on March 22, 2011.

The GMoU model empowers the community to decide on priority projects/programmes to be funded by SPDC while the CT presents proposal to the Ughelli South 1 GMoU CDB for approval especially in the area of Human Capital Development, Basic Service/ Infrastructure Provision and Economic Development.

Based on the above, the micro credit programme was approved for Ekakpamre community, one of the 18 communities covered by the Ughelli South 1 cluster GMoU. According to the Managing Director of Wetland Microfinance Bank, Justina Kpedi, the bank got the award to administer the scheme based on its impressive track record on microfinance activities with SPDC and other multinational companies operating within the Niger Delta area over the years.

Wetland, which was recently upgraded to the category of State MFB by the Central bank of Nigeria with nine branches in nine local government areas in the state and shareholders fund of over N1 billion, carried out the training and capacity building for the CT and the two

Kpedi

cooperative societies through which the fund was disbursed to prepare them for effective utilisation of the micro credit and revolving of the fund.

Kpedi, while confirming the disbursement of the fund and the roles played by her bank, disclosed that “the micro credit fund of N14,250,000 was disbursed on 6th March this year at the Ewheya (woman) Hall of Ekakpamre community to two cooperative societies”.

She advised the beneficiaries of the special micro credit scheme targeted specifically at male youths in the community as part of efforts to arrest youth restiveness, to put their money into “gainful ventures that will improve their livelihood even as she expressed the hope that with the SPDC’s support Ekakpamre community would experience socio-economic transformation”.

idea to have merged the Marine Police with the Port Police Command.

Frank Mba, the Police Spokesman, had said last Thursday that the new Maritime Police Command would be headed by an Assistant Inspector General (AIG), Mark Idakwo with the headquarters of the command domiciled at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.

The Maritime Police Command is broken into Western Maritime Command with headquarters in Lagos; the Eastern Maritime Command with headquarters in Port Harcourt, Rivers; and the Marine Command with headquarters also in Lagos.

Each of the subsidiary commands is headed by a Commissioner of Police.

The Maritime Command is charged with the responsibility of maintaining law and order and providing adequate security in the ports and harbours.

The new command is saddled with the task of tackling contemporary security challenges such as armed robbery, piracy, kidnapping, gun running and other related crimes in Nigerian waters.

Al-Makura

Mba

Maritime Police Command will improve logistics – Expert

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apt. Adewale Ishola, the former President, Nigerian Association of Master Mariners (NAMM), has said that the establishment of a new Maritime Police Command would create better logistics for the command.

Ishola who said in Lagos that the development would accelerate the performance of the command, described the establishment of the new command as a welcome development in the maritime industry, adding that the command was long overdue.

He said that it was a good

Nasarawa establishes modern rice mill

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he Nasarawa State Government has announced plans to inaugurate its modern rice mill in Lafia.

Governor Umaru Al-Makura said while inspecting the processing centre that the state would reclaim its position as the country’s foremost rice producer, if completed.

According to him, the project is a collaborative venture between Nigeria and Japan.

The governor explained that the centre would be used to process all the rice produced within the state.

He said that the equipment had already been moved from Japan and were due to arrive in Nigeria soon. ``We are going to contribute our own quota by building the ware house, machine room and

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Monday, March 18, 2013

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News other auxiliaries, while the Japanese company is going to bring processing machines and its accessories that will complement the aspect of processing rice in the state,” he added.

Nasarawa was among two other states selected by the Federal Government to pilot the production of rice in commercial quantity in the country.

Fatona

Multiple taxes, serious challenge to marginal oil field operators – Expert

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ayi Fatona, the Managing Director, Niger Delta Exploration and Production, has said that multiple taxation was a major challenge confronting marginal field operators in the country.

Fatona made the observation in a presentation at the just concluded 2013 Annual Oloibiri Lecture Series and Energy Forum of the Society of Petroleum Engineers in Lagos.

Marginal Fields are oil fields or wells that are nearing their end of commercial life. The production rates of these fields are often low, but not lower than those of stripper wells.

Fatona said that indigenous marginal field companies were facing challenges of start-up assets and multiple taxation by local, states and federal governments.

The indigenous operator said that inability to access funds and the right calibre of people had also made the marginal field’s asset unattractive to investors.

Fatona said that the only way to enhance indigenous participation in the Nigerian petroleum industry was by making the assets more attractive and bankable. ``There should be timely agreement with lease holders and government agencies in all marginal field operations.

Government should assist indigenous marginal field operators through import duty waivers and tax breaks and also improved local bank

involvement by reducing rates,’’ he said.

Fatona said that marginal field operators were contributing to the Nigerian economy and expanding the oil and gas operational frontier, but still faced enormous challenges. ``Poor technical competence, fluctuating assistance from foreign equity partners and low funding capacity of indigenous players pose serious concern.

Federal Government’s policies to promote indigenous participation in the petroleum industry are quite laudable.

The success of the indigenous players’ incursion into field development and production can be said to be very ‘marginal’,’’ he said.

Fatona said that the investment on infrastructure was an indication of what could happen if there was a more structured guidance for the unleashing of entrepreneurial energies of Nigerians.

According to him, indigenous companies are facing legislative, financial, logistical and technical challenges on the way to their first oil or gas. ``The challenges must be adequately analysed and remedial actions fully enshrined in necessary legislation,’’ he said.

Allow letter of employment as collateral for NHF loan, FG told

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Real Estate Consultant, Elias Ovesuor, has urged the Federal Government to allow a Letter of Employment as collateral for National Housing Fund (NHF) Loan.

Ovesuor, who was a former Chairman, Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers, Lagos Chapter, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the option would allow many workers access the NHF loan. “The problem is that one must have a recognised land title such as Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) to access the loan. “Since to obtain a C of O is expensive and cumbersome, it will be difficult for workers to access the loan,” he said.

He said that the fund had yielded a substantial amount, which had not been used to alleviate the workers’ housing needs, despite their being contributors to the fund.

The former chairman stressed that since the Land Use Act 1978 had not been reviewed, the government should ensure that contributors to the fund derived maximum benefit from the scheme.

Ovesuor reiterated that NHF remained a veritable source of getting funds to improve housing delivery and ownership in the country, adding that the suggestion, if adopted, would assist in reducing the nation’s housing deficit put at 16 million.

Muda Yusuf, DG, LCCI

LCCI offers training, free counseling to entrepreneurs

By Stanley Ihedigbo

world class services to the business community, “while contributing meaningfully to the development of our youths.”

He stressed that development initiative which focused on entrepreneurship, including training and mentoring of youths, was an antidote to unemployment, poverty, crime and other social vices.

“We cannot leave everything to government. The world over, governments are working hard at sustainable growth of their economies. Since small and medium enterprises constitute the foundation of economic growth of any country, the private sector must step up its efforts to ensure this is achieved,” the committee chairman reiterated.”

He, therefore, called on members of the private sector to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Chamber through its training programmes which he said would run from April through December.

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he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry(LCCI) has commenced a systematic and qualitative training programme for established and budding entrepreneurs who wish to develop their businesses and add value to services provided for their clients.

This is in addition to its mandate of public advocacy, research, arbitration and trade promotion.

Chairman, Training Committee of the Chamber’s Business Education, Services and Training (BEST) unit, Larry Segun-Lean, who disclosed this while presenting the LCCI 2013 Training Programme to newsmen, said that LCCI had realized the need to further support businesses to improve on their operations.

“These enterprises must necessarily be given business support and developmental services, especially training, to increase their chances of developing from small to medium size, and then into large companies, thus creating the next generation of fortune-500 companies in Nigeria,” he said.

He further added that BEST unit would also offer free counseling to business owners to ensure survival and meaningful growth of their enterprises, thereby contributing positively to the national economy.

Confirming that the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry implements prescribed interventions to meet international standards, Larry-Lean said the Board of BEST unit had resolved to continue to deliver

Obidike

CPC wants lawmakers to fasttrack amendment bill

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he Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has called on the National Assembly to fast-track the passage of the Consumer Protection Amendment Bill to enable the council work effectively.

Ngozika Obidike, the Head of the council, Lagos Zone, made the appeal during a Road Show to mark the World Consumer Rights Day in Lagos.

Obidike said that the bill would assist the agency at the national and state levels to enforce the rights of consumers which had been lacking for years. ``Nigerian consumers have continued to suffer avoidable hardship as a result of weak system of consumer advocacy.

The urgent passage of the bill will complement our efforts in propagating the rights of consumers and give us a legal framework to make more impact,” she said.

Olanrewaju Oginni, a

consumer advocate, decried the low level of awareness of consumer rights and the unwillingness of Nigerians to report unsatisfying goods or services.

He said that some consumers preferred to remain unruffled, while some only got angry, but refuse to report the case to the CPC. He charged the council to intensify efforts on the campaign for consumer satisfaction as most Nigerians were ignorant of the council’s activities.

Dangote appoints Tata consultant for $1.9bn fertilizer Plant Determined to ensure its ongoing $1.9 billion fertilizer plant in Edo state is of world class standard, the Dangote Group has appointed Tata Consulting Engineering as its management consultants for the project.

The appointment of Tata came after the Pan-African Conglomerate signed the contract for the construction of the largest fertilizer plant in Africa with Saipem.

President of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote while speaking on the partnership deal said his company was poised to putting in place, a global standard fertilizer plant which will help revolutionize agriculture in the country and Africa as a whole adding that this informed his choice of renowned partners in the construction of the plant.

According to him, the plant with a production capacity of 2,200 metric tons per day (MTPD) of Ammonia and 7,700 MTPD of granulated Urea (two 3,850 MTPD-capacity trains), will be the largest fertilizer plant in Nigeria and Africa. “Our ultimate goal is to build a world-class plant that meets the highest global standards”, Dangote noted, adding that “We trust Tata Consulting Engineers with this project as we believe they have capabilities to handle such a large scale project with multiple dimensions ,Our ultimate goal is to build a world-class plant that meets the highest global standards.”

He explained that Tata Consulting Engineers Limited, an integrated engineering solutions consultant will assist the Dangote Group with review engineering, construction management, quality management, health and safety management and the entire gamut of project management services.

Tata Dangote said, has a track record of delivering complex projects working seamlessly with several

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Monday, March 18, 2013

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News

Dangote

entities, stating that the teams from The Dangote Group and Tata would work together to complete the project on schedule.

In his remark, the Managing Director of Tata Consulting Engineers Limited J P Haran, expressed delight at the partnership deal pointing out that the contractual agreement would offer his organization an opportunity to provide the world class services that TATA is known for globally.

He described Dangote Group as one of the most diversified groups in Africa and known for its business excellence and quality products.

“TATA Consulting Engineers’ association with the Dangote Group is a longstanding one with several expansion projects, cement plants and power plants commissioned in the past.

“Our relationship with the Dangote Group is built on a strong foundation of mutual trust and we will ensure that we meet the Dangote Group’s expectations in delivery excellence and on time project completion”, Haran said.

The Dangote Group is one of the most diversified and fully integrated conglomerates in Africa with an annual group turnover in excess of N450 billion ($3bn).

Renowned for its excellent business practices and quality products, the company’s operations cover sectors such as cement, sugar, food and beverages (salt, pasta, beverages) and real estate with new projects underway in the oil and gas, telecommunications, fertiliser and steel sectors The Group’s core business focus is to provide local, valueadded products and services

that meet the ‘basic needs’ of the populace through the construction and operation of large scale manufacturing facilities in Nigeria and across Africa. The Group is focused on building local manufacturing capacity to generate employment, prevent capital flight and provide locally produced goods for the people. .

With over 7,000 successful projects delivered to global clients, TATA Consulting Engineers has established a good presence panIndia, Middle East, Africa & USA. TATA Consulting Engineers’ African presence covers services in Outage management, EPCM, PMC and Construction management.

Ezekwesili canvasses bonds option for ship acquisition financing

By Francis Ezem

at the coastal and deep sea levels and therefore curtail the dominance of the foreign players.

Ezekwesili, who spoke in Lagos, observed that Nigeria’s maritime industry has not opened up effectively because the players have not formulated effective communication strategy with other players in the Nigerian economy.

She also insisted that Nigerian ship owners should to do away with sentiments and stop depending on the government in their bid to take effective control of trading on the nation’s waters.

“Nigerian ship owners should explore other long term alternative sources such as the issuance of bonds to finance ship acquisition and other capital projects in the maritime industry”, she noted.

According to her, operators in the shipping industry should be able to drive their arguments with economic data to attract the much needed funds.

The former Minister of Education, who is currently in a war of words with the Federal Government over the mismanagement of public funds decried the low participation of indigenous operators due to alleged paucity of funding but frowned at the proposed floating of an intervention fund by the government.

“Confronted with the low indigenous participation in the shipping trade, the Federal Government is typically planning to throw taxpayers’ money down another black hole. A plan is being hatched by apparatchiks for yet another special intervention fund to bail out local ship owners. This is misplaced and alarming in a country where such funds have been serially embezzled”, she lamented.

“Stimulating the maritime industry requires a more creative policy framework that will make shipping attractive to investors, ease access to

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ormer Vice President of Africa Region of the World Bank, Dr. Oby Ezekwesili has made a strong case for the introduction of long term funds such as bonds for the financing of ship acquisition and other capital projects instead of the current dependence on the Federal Government.

The Federal Government had floated the Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund, which is currently over N150bn, derived from two per cent of every contract of shipment under the Coastal and Inland Shipping regime, designed to enable indigenous operators acquire vessels for the coastal trade.

This is in line with government’s strategy at building capacity for the indigenous operators in order to enhance their participation in the maritime trade both

Ezekweili

cheap funding and encourage mergers”, she further insisted.

She had blamed the stunted growth of the industry on the lack of competition, which she said is capable of driving the development of the shipping industry.

This alarm by the former minister may not be unconnected with the mismanagement of the defunct Ship Acquisition and Ship Building Fund (SASBF), which was floated under the National Shipping Policy of 1987, designed to enable the indigenous shipping companies to acquire ships to participate in the international trade business.

The floating of the fund followed the demise of the Nigerian National Shipping Line (NNSL), which left no single ship on Nigeria’s fleet and so heightened the already existing foreign domination in the maritime trade in Nigeria.

The SASBF, which was supposed to be a revolving loan, unfortunately got into the wrong hands of some government officials, who disbursed it to their friends, who in turn saw the loan as their own part of the national cake and therefore mismanaged it.

Some maritime stakeholders, who blamed the government for the demise of the fund, noted that the fund was well intended but poorly administered.

They cited the failure of the government to prosecute any of the loan defaulters or confiscate their assets as enough evidence to prove their friends and acquaintances of those in government got the loan.

The failure of the SASBF had also informed the introduction of certain stringent measures in the disbursement of the CVFF, which is yet to commence such as the involvement of Primary Lending Institutions, which would sureties to the beneficiaries.

Another hurdle in the disbursement of the fund is the requirement that the PLIs would also liaise with ship yards abroad for the construction of the vessels, which is a total departure from the former situation under the SASBF, where the loan was disbursed directly to the individual shipping companies.

Imoke

Imoke disburses N85.4m to 56 communities

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he Cross River Government has disbursed N85.4 million to 56 communities under its World Bank assisted programme. The disbursement was undertaken through its Community and Social Development Agency.

Presenting cheques to the various communities at the Transcorp Hotel, Calabar, Governor Liyel Imoke commended them for complementing government’s efforts at transforming rural communities.

Imoke said that governmentinitiated programmes were not meant for urban areas alone since every citizen had equal right and opportunity to government projects.

He expressed satisfaction with the work done by the agency and the way communities designed, utilised and regarded the projects as theirs.

The governor urged them to continue to protect and utilise the projects as government would increase its annual contribution if demands from communities grew.

Imoke said by meeting the conditionality for the execution of project, it meant that they had the passion and commitment.

He advised them to use the funds judiciously and warned them against its mismanagement.

The chairman of the agency, Asuquo Ekpenyong, said the agency had proven to be reliable, fast and cheap mechanism to fast track rural development.

Ekpenyong said it had so far approved 192 Community Development Plans comprising 531 multi-sectoral micro projects.

He said the projects had ``a cumulative cost of N1.666 billion with the agency’s contribution of N1.499 billion. BC

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Monday, March 18, 2013

Business Courage

A Silver spoon entrepreneur He started from where his father

stopped. But by dint of hard work, purposeful leadership and clear understanding the workings of the Nigeria’s business climate, Oladele Fajemirokun has effectively transformed what used to be a family business into a world-class, highly diversified group of companies

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

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all him a low-key, ultra-wealthy Nigerian tycoon, entrepreneur and business leader, and you will certainly not be too far from stating the obvious. Coming from a highly respected and resourceful family, imbued with good breeding and attending some of the best schools both at home and abroad, Dele Fajemirokun, as the American would say, has really done good.

Unlike many of his contemporaries who were born into affluence, bequeathed sprawling business empires, but find it difficult sustaining the business chains left by their forbearers, the story of Oladele Fajemirokun is a completely different one. He has not only been able to carry on with his father’s business conglomerate, he has also widened the scope and etched the family name in gold in terms of sound business management and entrepreneurial endeavour.

His father, Henry Oloyede Fajemirokun, was a renowned shipping magnate and one of Africa’s most successful businessmen in his days. Nigerian Maritime Services Limited, the shipping company he founded in 1962, is still one of the largest shipping companies in Nigeria today.

Henry Fajemirokun was no doubt a prominent Nigerian businessman and one of the country’s dynamic indigenous entrepreneurs who promoted West Africa’s economic Continued on pg A10

Fajemirokun

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Monday, March 18, 2013

(L-R) Fajemirokun, Egbert Imomoh meets President Goodluck Jonathan

instance, it became the sole distributor for Xerox.

Henry Stephens also acquired stakes in Johnson Wax and Fan Milk and established Henry Stephens Shipping Company with three lines namely; Ile-Oluji Line, Ifewara Line and D.F Fajemirokun Line, the company was a pioneer in the Nigerian maritime industry and was one of the first Nigerian companies to own an interest in a shipping line.

Today, like his father, armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and a Honorary Doctorate degree from City University, LosAngeles (USA), the 63-year old Dele Fajemirokun has become an enigma of sort, a renowned entrepreneur and prominent boardroom guru, with interests in key stakes sitting on the board of several Nigerian bluechip companies including American International Insurance company(AIICO) Plc and oil explorer, First Hydrocarbon Nigeria Limited.

Fajemirokun is a Fellow of the Institute of Administrative Management of Nigeria and Institute of Directors. He serves as the Chairman of AIICO Insurance Plc and has been on the board of the insurance company since November 1992.

With over 30 years of business development and wealth creation experience both within Nigeria and abroad, Dele Fajemirokun has kept the flame of his progenitor glowing.

Today, Dele has become an astute businessman with his

‘

Today, like his father, armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University) and a Honorary Doctorate degree from City University, Los-Angeles (USA), the 63-year old Dele Fajemirokun has become an enigma of sort, a renowned entrepreneur and prominent boardroom guru

hands in many juicy pies. Since he took over the Henry Stephen Group and later spread the tentacles into Johnson Wax, Fan Milk and maintaining being the sole distributor of Xerox, his wand controls other companies such as Xerox Nigeria, Chicken Republic, Kings Guards, Multishield Limited, Logic Sciences Limited, FSS Gases Limited, Blue Chip Communications Limited, Food Concepts and Entertainment and many more.

Fajemirokun chairs the board of FSS Gasses Limited, an established supplier of Safety, Security, Automated Fire suppression, Detection and Alarm systems.

The company provides competent training, certification, technical support, project design and

‘

integration.

Between 1972 and 1978, he steered the affairs of the Nigeria Chambers of Commerce, the Lagos Chambers of Commerce and the Federation of West African Chambers of Commerce as president.

The elder Fajemirokun started business in the early 50s, when he was involved in the exportation of hides and skin, rubber, coffee and shea nuts. In the 1960s, he went into massive importation of cement from Egypt and Poland and received funding for this particular venture from a credit facility provided by a British bank in London.

In 1968, Fajemirokun was awarded the chieftaincy title of Yegbata of Ile-Oluji by his traditional sovereign, the Jegun, due to his unrivalled business acumen, thus making him a tribal aristocrat of the Yoruba people. He also ventured into commodity brokerage and in 1969; he bought and held a seat on the London Stock Exchange.

His company, Henry Stephens was the first Indigenous company to get oil prospecting license in Nigeria.

As the chairman and largest shareholder of the Henry Stephens Group of Companies, he became a major shareholder in some leading companies in Nigeria and following the indigenisation policy of the Federal Government in 1972; Henry Stephens capitalized on the euphoria of the contemporary nationalism of the period and acquired or represented major foreign operations in the country. For

specification, provisional consumables, maintenance and services to Fire Safety Installers, consultants and end users.

Being a leading player in the provision of fire safety solutions in West and Central Africa, FSS Gasses has been a leading provider of environmental, occupational and process safety solutions and products to manufacturers, oil and gas firms and the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) operators across the West African sub-region.

Another area where Fajemirokun has been able to stamp his entrepreneurship dexterity is in the document solutions business through the partnership with Rank Xerox Limited, UK. Being the sole distributor in the country, Xerox

H.S., a private limited company was incorporated in January in 1996 to take over the document solutions business from Rank Xerox Nigeria Limited, which was originally formed as partnership between Rank Xerox Limited, UK and Henry Stephen Nig. Ltd. Xerox H.S. has its head office at Oshodi, Lagos and branch offices in some major cities in the country including Port Harcourt, Abuja, Kaduna, Warri and Ibadan. With staff strength of about 250 welltrained professionals and dealership network in all the 36 states of the federation including FCT, the company provides excellent solutions to its customer’s document management requirements.

Also, with versatile and resilient management team and with introduction of new state-of-art products such as digital copiers and printing systems into the market, Xerox H.S. strives to maintain a leadership position in the Nigerian document market. It deals in wide range of products which include: photocopiers, fax machines, laser printers, production printing systems, engineering drawing equipment, production publishing systems, facilities management, papers, consumables and after sales services.

In its effort to continuously offer quality service in every facet of its business, Xerox H.S. identified the need for excellence and total commitment and the route to attaining this was the implementation of NIS ISO 9001:2000. Recently, Xerox

Business Courage A11 27

Monday, March 18, 2013

‘ brand entered another phase in its marketing efforts as it got the NIS ISO 9001:2000 Certification.

Having obtained the certification, Xerox H.S. (Nigeria) Limited is believed to now have a greater responsibility of ensuring that it maintains top quality in all its processes. This is a duty that it owes itself and its various publics.

Fajemirokun also sits atop the affairs of Kings Guards Nigeria Limited, an industrial/ commercial security outfit incorporated as a private security company on December 17, 1992.

While Kings Guards’ watchword has been ‘customized efficient security services, within a short time,’ and has since incorporation, the company has acquired the toga of one of the leaders in the security business in the country.

To a large extent, its strong presence in both commercial and political nerve centres of the country is an eloquent testimony of its elaborate and efficient machinery geared towards the provision of unparallel security services to its clients at short notices. Those who are in the know, especially stakeholders in the security industry, attest to the fact that, while the company has continued to grow, it without doubt has the tendency of continued growth as its training and re-training programmes beam confidence out of the entire workforce.

The company is blessed with a highly efficient and technical management team many of

whom have their background in Nigeria’s military and paramilitary services and have served for decades in very important segments of our national life.

Part of the primary objectives of Kings Guards as a company is the provision of highly professional protective services to industries, commercial houses, private individuals and government.

As an Insurance guru, Fajemirokun has never hidden his desire to see the industry fortified to be able to effectively play its role as the bastion of the financial services sector of the economy. Through his well guided business acumen, Fajemirokun has piloted the affairs of the board of AIICO to make the insurance company one of the few reliable underwriting firms in the country.

In 2010, he announced his desire to move into the upstream oil and gas sector of the nation’s economy.

Being a founding director of First Hydrocarbon Nigeria (FHN) Limited, an indigenous company seeking to develop assets from the majors, Fajemirokun was of the belief that it was time to invest his personal capital in supporting the company’s ambition to develop a number of underdeveloped fields currently not producing to their full potentials.

FHN, in 2010 had acquired a 45 per cent interest in the Ogini and Isoko oil fields from the SPDC Joint Venture and reached definitive agreements with the Nigerian Agip Oil Company,

I have also invested significant capital in the company to demonstrate my commitment and belief in the business model. I have long held the belief that Nigerians should play a greater role at all levels of the upstream oil and gas sector in Nigeria

Total, and Shell Petroleum Development Company Limited (the SPDC JV) to acquire its 45 per cent stake in OML 26. The remaining 55 per cent stake had remained the property of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC).

The assets hold two producing and three undeveloped assets with remaining recoverable reserves of 184 million. The Ogini and Isoko fields are currently producing approximately 5,000 bpd gross from a limited number of currently active drainage points, with significant potential for further development.

Two years after FHN acquired 45 per cent equity in OML 26, Afren, its technical partner also announced its willingness to divest its 45 per cent share in FHN and concentrate on growing its portfolio, as simply Afren, in Nigeria, the rest of Africa and Asia. A number of companies, including Seven Energy and Lekoil( both Nigerian independents), also expressed interest but Fajemirokun, along with other investors got the bid in an acquisition which he said “aligned to our strategy to develop discovered but undeveloped, under producing and shut in fields to their full potential, thereby significantly adding to Nigeria’s production base. This is the culmination of a process that has been developed for a number of years and is our first transaction, endorsing our business model.”

That Fajemirokun was able to raise the huge capital required for the transaction aptly attests to his business savvy. “I would not say that all indigenous operators have problems. A number have been successful, companies like Muni Polo, AMNI, Oriental, Pan Ocean and Conoil amongst others are producing.

Indigenous companies face significant barriers to entry. The need for significant financing, strong technical capabilities, an operational track record and high level of corporate governance are high hurdles to

‘

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surmount. We can bridge this gap through our partnership with a company like Afren,” he said.

Fajemirokun believes that there have been many indigenous success stories across various other sectors, including communications, construction, shipping etc and thus believes that FHN is positioned to take indigenous production to another level for a number of reasons.

FHN, according to Fajemirokun, is really a local company or what is referred to as indigenous company, in Nigeria that is taking a bold step in going the way the International Oil Company, IOC, has been doing all over. “We are the first company that I know that have taken this line. The purchase of the OML 26 field is a real milestone for the company and a real wish come true for us. Afren, our technical partner in this has had a lot of relationship with other indigenous companies in Nigeria. And experience sustained in successful ones has helped in raising finance assistance in this area using their backbone in Europe to get this project going. Afren, as a technical partner, to FHN gives us a comfort to go ahead to buy this field and forge ahead on the project and the dream of FHN,” he said.

Afren has a strong track record and experience. Over the past years, the company has supported the development of a number of indigenous operators in Nigeria including AMNI and Oriental Energy Resources. AMNI and Afren are now producing at their Okoro project while Oriental and Afren are expecting First Oil at their Ebok project this year.

Afren’s technical and operating team in Nigeria, which includes former employees of leading major international and Nigerian oil companies including Exxon, Chevron and Shell have proven themselves to be aligned to world class standards hence, Fajemirokun has been optimistic that Afren

will do so again at OML 26.

“I have also invested significant capital in the company to demonstrate my commitment and belief in the business model. I have long held the belief that Nigerians should play a greater role at all levels of the upstream oil and gas sector in Nigeria and after initiating discussions with principals from our technical partners Afren in 2008 found clear common ground and a shared vision. We should own the resource, we should be capable of exploiting it, we should be capable of providing all the services required by the industry and we should have the ability to finance its development. I am excited by the opportunity that this presents for myself and for the country as a whole and I look forward to a future in which Nigerians play a much greater role in this sector.” Fajemirokun submitted.

The second vital component of FHN’s business model is the intention to offer Nigerians the opportunity to invest directly in the upstream oil and gas sector for the first time. FHN is 55 per cent owned by Nigerians and it intends to broaden the Nigerian ownership, ultimately through an Initial Public Offer (IPO) through the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

As an indigenous company, Fajemirokun’s FHN takes the issue of community engagement very seriously. “If you have a responsible operator committed to involving communities and working within the context of the new local content bill, we think there is significant scope to improve the situation and ensure benefits are enjoyed by all parties. Our company was set up to ensure broad Nigerian ownership in the upstream sector. We are also committed to ensuring that we maximize opportunities for local community participation including the use of local contractors and optimal employment of local people. We believe the increasing role of indigenous producers will create a natural synergy between community development and commercial success,” he said.

Meanwhile, one interesting thing about the Fajemirokun dynasty is the fact that, just like he took over the running of the group from his late father and transformed the group into a world class business organisation, another transitional line has also been established. Bisola, son of Dele Fajemirokun is already learning the ropes preparatory to taking over from his father, a clear example of a successful succession planning, which incidentally remains the major albatross of many companies in Nigeria. BC

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ThebuddingEntrepreneurs

A mid-size

agro-entrepreneur He belongs to the class of those who are living out their entrepreneurial dreams.

After several years running after a white collar job, he retraced his steps to pursue his passion in farming. Today, Ismail Abdulazeez, a trained accountant and Managing Director, Thy Snail and Grasscutter Farms, is playing big in the snail and grass cutter farming business

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

I

smail Abdulazeez’s major dream, like many of his peers, was to become a successful chartered accountant and perhaps, work in banks or some of the big organisations. Though he didn’t come from a well to do family, he pursued his ambition with uncommon vigour that ultimately made him an accountant However, as he trudged on in life, Abdulazeez’s perception, just like everyone else that understands the value of education, changed. His pursuit of accounting profession was no longer solely to become a chartered accountant working in banks or big corporations, but to use the knowledge as a means to an end.

As a child, he had passion for agriculture, having been involved in subsistence farming along with his parents and was said to have developed so much interest in farming that no matter how much academic certificate he obtains, he would still be a big farmer.

“When we were still young, I did subsistence farming, planting maize and some other things just to sustain the family and since then, I used to tell myself that I will do my own farming the way the Oyinbos (Europeans) do their own farming,” he recounts in an encounter with Business Courage.

To some extent, Abdulazeez now seem to be living his dream as he is fully into agriculture, after a brief spell in the corporate world.

A trained accountant, Abdulazeez started his working career as account clerk with Micom Cables and Wires Ltd in 1997. After completing his ATS 1 and 2 examinations, he joined Dohagro Allied Ltd, a rice and sugar distributing company, as an account officer and worked there for just six months. Thereafter, he joined Wale Adeleke & Co (Chartered Accountants), an auditing firm,

as an audit trainee between 1998 and 1999, but the urge to be his own boss made him to resign his appointment.

After leaving Wale Adeleke &Co, Abdulazeez, along with his wife, decided to run a Nursery and Primary School from a rented apartment but shortly thereafter, he decided to further his education and left the school project under his wife’s care.

However, few months after the school started, the property owner issued a quit notice and as he narrated to Business Courage, “We left almost in tears and had to inform the parents of the pupils that had already registered with the school that we could no longer continue with the running of the school.” That abruptly ended his dream of being an entrepreneur.

Somehow, Abdulazeez found himself moving back into the labour market as he later joined Samcas Oil Mill, a palm kernel oil manufacturing firm in 2000.

Again, six months after, he was out of Samcas, and returned to the school project, but this time, in his own house at Ewupe Ijaniye Village, Sango Otta, Ogun State.

Incidentally, the journey into his dream job of being a big time farmer started when he finally moved into his house in 2003.

“Being a new site, we started seeing snails here and there, and I started picking them. So, I decided to check the articles on snail farming I had been keeping and in one of the articles, I came across the name of one man Mr. Bright. I traced him and attended some of his seminars. After I came back from the trainings, I did my own research and started my own farms. As God would have it, everything started flourishing,” he recounted in an interview with Business Courage.

Luckily for him, market for his snails was never a problem as there were ready-made markets.

However, an awry experience he had with a customer who depos-

Abdulazeez

ited some money for the snails but couldn’t get his order on the appointed date spurred him into thinking about how to enlarge the scope of the business.

“The experience I had when I had just started made me to have a rethink. Then, we didn’t have enough space, but somebody deposited some money for me to supply some snails but somehow, I was unable to meet the demand. When the man came, he started shouting on me, making a lot of noise and threatening me.

That experience put more pressure on us to do everything that was needed to be done in order to make sure that we are able to meet up with supply,” he said.

Abdulazeez believes that snails are not something you have to beg people to buy, stressing that, once you have it, you just have to have rest of mind. Besides, according to him the demand for snail is usually higher than the supply thus making the market potential of snail inexhaustible locally and internationally.

To him, snail farming has been adjudged to be most lucrative farming venture presently with far less capital investment and bountiful returns. It has lower risk compared to other livestock farming, while virtually every part of snail is of vital use in food, pharmaceutical, manufacturing and fishing industries, noting that snail is an export commodity, which has value next to gold in overseas countries.

Snail farming requires small capital, and for a start-up capi-

Management Principles

Keeping the entrepreneurial spirit aglow

C

ongratulations! Your business is really clipping along; you’re paying the bills, reaping the financial rewards and maybe even taking an occasional afternoon off to go to the golf course! But you’re noticing something else as well. Your team isn’t as passionate and people aren’t putting in the same effort and working those long hours. They don’t seem as enthusiastic, and what was once a mission, is now seemingly nothing more than a job for you and for them.

It’s a fact, managing an established company is not as exciting as the journey of creating the company, especially for those who are true entrepreneurs. You begin to realize that if you are going to continue to prosper and to grow your company, somehow you’ve got to reenergize the team and reintroduce that entrepreneurial spirit.

Here are a few pointers on just how to light that entrepreneurial fire again: *Value employee input Remember when you had the great idea to start your business? You did everything possible to turn that vision into a reality. It was exciting, frustrating, nerve-wracking and rewarding all at the same time. You created innovative ways to solve problems, worked insane hours and wore many different hats. Your loyal staff members felt like their contributions made a difference and they were an important part of the organization. In short, that entrepreneurial spirit was soaring.

Valuing employee input, even after the initial idea blitz, is critical to a growing company. Successful businesses have one significant thing in common. They keep this energy alive. It is the unique driving force that motivates employees, inspires a long-lasting entrepreneurial work ethic and lifts new companies above all adversaries. In today’s Entrepreneurial Spirit - Keeping It Alive Fast-changing business environment, you and your team members need to be looking for the next big idea. If you don’t recognize it, your competition will.

For example, if company A, a profitable business specializing in data storage, server and backup solutions, has a reputation for being an exciting place to work. It’s not because they won various awards, reached first year mouth-watering sales figure or have an annual revenue growth rate averaging over 32 per cent. It’s because the Chief Executive Officer continues to create an innovative environment where employees are constantly challenged to find creative solutions to customer problems. *Reward risk-takers Employees want to feel valued, suggest ideas without fear of retribution and know they have a future working on new and exciting projects with a growing company. To keep the entrepreneurial spirit alive, reward risk-tak-

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Business Courage A13 29

Monday, March 18, 2013

ThebuddingEntrepreneurs tal of about N100,000, Abdulazeez believes one can generate up to N1 million in just one year. “You can conveniently earn income a thousand fold higher than your present earnings. You can keep your present job and do this on part time since it doesn’t require much time. This is a real export market that earns foreign revenue without you running from pillar to post. This is not fiction but factual. Not imaginary but a reality.

No stress, no time consuming, no odour, no noise and no irritation,” he said.

With as little as N50, 000, he says one can go into snail business but noted that it requires training.

The need for training, he said, stems from the fact that, though there are snails around available to be picked, they (the snails) have species. “Many people see snails here and there.

Some people take it as meat. But

quite a number don’t know how to go about rearing them. This is made worse because snails, which belong to the family of animal called Mollusca, is a hermaphrodite. It has both the female and male sexual organs; so one cannot really distinguish between the male and female specie of it,” he explained.

In Nigeria, he said, there are about 17 species, but only three of them; Ashatina Mulica, Ashatina Ashatina and Ashatina Maginata are very profitable for business.

To the Thy Snail farm boss, many of those into snail farming business are mostly unwilling to let others know about the farming methodology. He regretted that the techniques are often shrouded in secrecy but noted that, snail farming is as easy as ABC, stressing that the only thing the snails may constantly demand for is attention and

ers. It’s up to you to compensate innovation and generate enthusiasm.

But don’t worry; it doesn’t need to be expensive. In fact, stock options are taking a backseat to variable compensation packages tied directly to individual and company performance. Simple bonus programmes, profit sharing, special events, trips, and other awards go a long way to build a creative culture that encourages risk-taking and employee involvement. *Look at the organizational structure Maybe your company’s entrepreneurial spirit was crushed by a new organizational structure. How has your infrastructure changed since you started your business? Can you make decisions quickly or are there “too many cooks in the kitchen” slowing down the process? To maintain a high-performance environment that exudes entrepreneurial spirit, review your company’s organizational structure. It’s essential to focus on the objectives that add value to your business. Take a serious look at who is actually doing the work and striving to reach company goals. Also note that it’s a two-way street.

Employees should educate themselves and constantly build skills to be the best in their particular field. Although it can be difficult to let go of loyal employees, make a commitment to hire and keep the right people with the right skills, and cut those who can’t keep up. A lean and effective staff is an important part of making changes quickly, developing new ideas and maintaining a competitive edge. It’s not the worst thing in the world if staff members know that their key to job security is extraordinary performance. *Keep the customer connection What about your connection with customers? Are you still listening to their complaints, suggestions and compliments on a regular basis or is there a thick layer between you and your top team members and the marketplace? As a business grows, it’s easy to concentrate on other issues and lose valuable customer relationships. Always remember that these are the people who make or break your business, and their input is essential to your success. Be sure to find out firsthand why they buy your products or services or go to the competition. You did this when you first started your business and the entrepreneurial spirit was driving you, so why stop now?

Don’t lose the exciting and successful culture you’ve worked so hard to create.

Focus on core values, compensate contributing employees fairly, put key people in direct contact with customers, and develop a simple organizational structure to keep your company’s entrepreneurial spirit alive and well. BC

care. “They hardly fall sick. You don’t have to buy their food and you may not have to spend much to create an abode for them. The beauty of it all is that, the snails reproduce rapidly. They are capable of producing hundreds of eggs, which hatch into snails. It is now possible to produce one million snails worth more than N5 million twice a year. This, he said are made possible because of the availability of very highly prolific Achatina Achatina species of snails, which lay 200-400 in one batch 2-3 times a year.”

Still yearning for deeper entrepreneurial deftness, Abudlazeez is also involved in grass cutter raring business. Like he did when he started the snail business, Abdulazeez said he went as far as Ghana, Republic of Benin and Ivory Coast to see how they set up standard grass cutter farms.

Grass cutter (a rodent family), like many rodent species, he noted, have been and continued to be a delicacy in a number of countries, in Latin America, Africa and Asia where markets exist for a wide variety of rodent species and grass cutters are often preferred over other sources of meat.

The vast majority of these animals are still gathered from the wild and several species have been hunted so extensively that they are now extinct.

And this, he said, offers small-scale farmers, investors, businessmen and all those with wealth-mind set, an economic incentive for raising grass cutters in captivity.

According to him, the business of grass cutter farming is very lucrative as well. This is because, while they can easily be reared at home, they command a very good selling price as a family made up of five grass cutters is sold for N30,000 or more. “A serious and dedicated farmer can have close to 200 families at a time” he said.

Today, apart from the grass cutters farm which he has at his residence, there are other farms he owns at Ikorodu, Abeokuta, Lagos, and some other places.

Not just contented with his snails and grass cutter farming business, Abdulazeez has also established a consulting firm called, Thy Consulting, which he said was his contribution towards impacting positively on the society. “While the business continued to flourish, most people started coming to me. And I am a kind of person that loves impacting knowledge on people. I don’t like hiding knowledge, so I started consulting, training people. As at today, we have trained more than 2,000 people across Nigeria. When people come for training, we expose them to all the species and the advantages of the species,” he said.

With N25, 000 per person, Abdulazeez trains more and more people on a weekly basis at his farm as he has written a manual titled “The Beauty of Snail Farming”, and also produced a VCD on Practical Commercial Snail Breeding, to enable them know all the techniques and secrets of commercial snail farming.

Presently, aside Thy Snail & Grass cutter Farms, he also has in his kitty, The Thy Agro Allied Enterprises for beekeeping and honey business. He also has the Thy Global Investment Ltd for snail and commodities from Nigeria. BC

Personal Finance Becoming your own master

T

he best way to achieve success in life is to fire your own entrepreneurial spirit. For you to succeed, you need to have strong mindset of creating something.

When you create your own business, you have some advantages over a business that you don’t even know whether you can be sacked today or at any time. Or you are already on a level with a fat salary and you now find yourself on the roads again, it is very disappointing. One thing is that, even if you are working, you can start a kind of business that you have passion for. If you have passion for it, your interest would be there. So, by the time you are no longer working, you will have something to fall back to.

You can never be independent when someone has the power to tell you how many hours you must work, how long a vacation you may have and even as it happens in many cases- what kind of clothes you may or may not wear!.

The man who has the brain and energy to get to the top in a big company and earn a “fat” salary would very likely become a millionaire were he to apply that energy and brain power to his own business.

Be your own master When a man works for others, he is merely helping to make his employers rich, which he does at the sacrifice of his own independence. There is only one way to achieve independence and the opportunities that go with it and that is to be your own MASTER. A lot has already been said on how to curb unemployment. Many theories have been propounded, position papers written. We are not short of orators. But none has actually showed what could be done. * Do what you love, the money will follow Many people live the nine-to-five world because they simply don’t have the passion for what they do. It can be very difficult to keep working at a dead-end job simply to pay the bills. However, when you choose to own your own business, you can follow your passion. Do you love to work with kids? Then you can start your own home day care. Do you have a flair for graphic design? Indulge your creativity by starting your own graphic design firm. The possibilities are endless.

Studies show that you are more likely to stick with a fledgling business, even through the roughest startup period, if you are doing what you love. That’s why a home-based business can become your barrier against the recession. If you love what you are doing, you will stick with it. In the end, doing what you love can bring about financial peace and stability. *Invest in your own future When you own your own business, all of your hard work is invested in your future. Every success goes directly to your own pocket. You control how your money is invested. You can put it back into the business, into retirement account, or invest it as you deem fit. No longer will your efforts be frittered away by greedy corporate CEOs or inept management practices. Owning your own business is the surest way to seize control of your financial future. *Set your own pace One of the most fulfilling parts of owning your own home based business is that you finally have the flexibility to set your own work hours. If you are a stay-at-home mom with small children, you can work around their nap schedules. If you are caring for an elderly parent, you can accomplish a great deal by working around his or her care schedule. It’s even possible to work simply when you feel the most alert. For example, some people are night owls and get a great deal accomplished after midnight; others feel the most prolific in the early morning hours.

When you become your own boss, you no longer have to adhere to a rigid schedule that’s determined by someone else. You don’t have to ask anyone’s permission to head to the doctor’s office or stay home with your kids.

This means you can work when you feel like you can accomplish the most. That’s what keeps you on track — not only that, but it can be the best way to balance work and BC family. BC

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National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Another

fading hope

By Adejuwon Osunnuyi

W

ith over 105 million telephone subscribers, Nigeria is generally believed to be the largest telecom market in the sub-Sahara Africa and perhaps, the fastest growing market in the world. Hence, it is not surprising that mobile phone manufacturers, all over the world, are finding the Nigerian market an irresistible option especially with the high volume of sales of different types of mobile phones, from high-end to lowend. Aside the huge patronage of low-end phones by Nigerians, on the average, mobile telephone manufacturers are expected to rake in about N900 billion from smartphone sales in the country between now and 2015.

Expectedly, with the high volume regularly being experienced in the sales of mobile phones, the belief has been that some of the phone manufacturers would have no choice than to establish manufacturing plants in Nigeria. Sadly, however, that has not been the case and it may not be for a long time to come.

Over the years, phone manufacturers, such as Nokia, Samsung and LG have at one time or the other raised the hope on the prospect of establishing their manufacturing plants in the country. Recently, the optimism of establishing local phone plants came to the fore when consumer electronics manufacturer, Samsung Corporation, raised the hope of Nigerians in this regard as it said it is keenly considering establishing a mobile phone manufacturing plant in Nigeria in no distant time.

Brovo Kim, managing director of Samsung Electronics, West Africa, who made this known in Lagos, said the sheer size of the Nigerian market was enough incentive for any foreign handset maker to set up a phone factory, but added that there were critical drawbacks hindering such moves. “We have well established plants where we assemble electronics such as air-conditioners, television and refrigerators. We are seriously considering setting up a plant for mobile phones….

We will never rule out the possibility of a plant in Nigeria,” Kim

A woman working at a mobile phone manufacturing plant

Kim

Poor regulatory framework and inadequate infrastructure, particularly electricity are standing on the way of the establishment of mobile phone manufacturing plant in the country, the huge and vibrancy of Nigeria’s telecoms market notwithstanding said.

Also, Tecno Mobile, a Chinese mobile phone manufacturing company has also indicated its intention to establish a phone assembly factory in the country as part of what it says was part of the ongoing measures to strengthen its commitment to Nigeria’s phone market and consolidate on its brand equity in providing low-cost mobile phones to Nigerians. The deputy general manager, Tecno Telecom Limited, Chidi Okonkwo, who disclosed this in Lagos, said the phone manufacturer was committed to playing critical role in the Nigerian market. “Nigeria is one the strongest markets for Tecno products and we are hoping that one day, we would be able to set up an assembly plant in Nigeria,” he said. According to him, Tecno is the market leader in Nigeria in terms of Dual-SIM phones with about 70 per cent of the market segment.

However, despite repeated assurances by global handset makers, the prospect of having a phone manufacturing assembly plants in Nigeria might remain elusive, at least for now.

For most of the manufacturers, despite government’s assurances of creating conducive business environment for foreign investments, major impediments to establishing mobile phone factories in the country is anchored on the absence of proper intellectual property (IP), protection controls and most especially, the

dearth of public infrastructure like steady power supply.

If Nigeria fails to swiftly address these impediments to enterprise growth and development, phone makers warned that investments in mobile phone factories will remain an illusion, regardless of the country’s enormous mobile device market.

Coming on the heels of a recent proclamation by the Minister of Communication Technology, Omobola Johnson, at a presidential retreat with the private sector recently, that Nigeria’s competitive telecommunications landscape and its attendant potentials were enough incentive for global phone manufacturers and SIM (Subscriber Information Module) card manufacturers to set up factories in the country, prospective financiers and investors, according to the phone makers, are more often than not, apprehensive that their investments could be negated by these barriers.

According to the manufacturers, the unsteady power supply in the country does not encourage the delicate process of making phones, especially smart phones, as they say, requires a high degree of technological advancement, which Nigeria currently lacks. “Assembling of phones is a delicate industry and smart phone manufacturing is even more delicate. In my opinion, countries that lack requisite labour laws, IP protection controls, basic infrastructure

such as electricity, and have a high operational costs, are least considered when decisions are being made, with regard to investments in local factories”, says Fady Khatib, regional director, hand held phones; Samsung West Africa.

Nokia has even ruled out the possibility of setting up a manufacturing plant in Nigeria. Its Vice President/Managing Director, West and Central Africa, James Rutherfoord, has said that it would not be economically viable for the mobile phone maker to establish a factory in Nigeria in spite of the country’s huge market for its products because suppliers of chips and components with which the phones were being made were located in countries too far from Nigeria. “Most of our component suppliers, all the people that make chips, which make batteries and all the other components of the devices, are not around here. They are all in the Far East. So, it is very difficult to create a factory very far away from them,” he said.

Rutherfoord said that it goes beyond Nokia just waking up and deciding to open a factory in Nigeria, noting that the company need the whole ecosystem of people producing the components to be very close, “otherwise we will have products whose cost will be much higher if they are not close to the other manufacturers.”

Though Samsung Electronics, West Africa’s managing director, Brovo Kim had noted that

the size of the Nigerian market was enough encouragement for to set up a factory in the country, he equally admitted that there were critical drawbacks that would hinder the establishment.

According to him, “the problem is that there are a number of micro components involved in the assembly of mobile phones. The process of making phones, especially smartphones, is very complex.”

For BlackBerry, which opened a full-fledged operational base in Nigeria in the third quarter of 2012, despite its gaining a lot of popularity among phone users in the country, its possibility of setting up a production facility in the country in the near future cannot be said to be feasible at all. BlackBerry’s Regional Managing Director for Africa and the Middle East, Robert Bose, who stated that the company was looking forward to cementing relationship with the Nigerian market, said establishing a factory in Nigeria was far too way off.

Though Head, Public Relations for LG Electronics, Paul Mba said that there was no policy restraining LG Electronics from establishing mobile phone manufacturing plant in Nigeria, stressing that the love of LG for Nigeria would have been enough to motivate the company, he however emphasised that, that would definitely not be possible for now as a result of the poor electric power supply and low infrastructure development.

“The level of infrastructure is improving and may not pose much problem, but the issue of power is so glaring that it will not allow manufacturing business to thrive in the country,” Mba said.

Consultant telecommunications engineer and Managing

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Technotips

How to check if someone is using your Wi-Fi

T

Johnson

Partner of Telecom Answers Associates, Titi Omo-Ettu, noted that it would be suicidal for investors to plan a manufacturing plant on the use of standby generating plants, stressing that the risk is even higher if the product of manufacture is precision equipment which digital electronic components are. Speaking with a visiting group of young entrepreneurs who had asked for his view on the prospects of going into manufacturing telecom equipment, the former President of the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), said “Manufacturing must have a business case. It is not a patriotism matter”.

Omo Ettu advised that investors should not be deceived by the untrue statements of government officials who tell Nigerians that they travel overseas to invite investors. “Once government fixes public power system, investors need not be lobbied, they are waiting by the borders because they know that the market is here, going by our number and the vibrancy of our people.

It is time we told these officials who tell our people they are going overseas to attract investments to stop wasting our money and stop deceiving our people. You do not go to anywhere to attract investment because what attracts investment is the environment, not discussions. Besides, it is investors who discuss with themselves. Government officials do not have anything to discuss with investors. Theirs is to make the system work at home, provide an attractive environment, police our borders, protect local investments and defend our people and our corporate integrity,” he said.

Lanre Ajayi, President of the

Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), in his own submission lamented that poor business environment remains a fundamental challenge hindering investment, not just in the telecoms markets but in other sectors of the economy. “In countries like China and Thailand, governments build industrial and technology parks with requisite infrastructure such as power, broadband internet etc. All an investor needs to do, is come with a good idea and technology and start business. They have a one stop shop, where issues relating to land use, registering the business are all addressed,” Ajayi said, asking rhetorically that, “If an investor sees a country with this type of business environment, do you think that such investor will want to come to Nigeria?”

Ajayi, who believes that the government must strive to create a conducive business environment that would be attractive to investors said, “I support the minister’s call for these phone firms to build factories in Nigeria, going by the enormous profits they make here. They should be able to plough back some of their profits into the country.

This market is huge and if they set up plants here, chances are that they will make more revenue. The government is working tirelessly to address these challenges. Our government needs to find ways of making the country attractive to foreign investors, such as granting tax rebates and so on,” he said.

In the same vein, the Territory Manager, West Africa, Avaya, a global leader in business communications services, Charles Iyo, who gave reasons why ICT

firms were not setting up manufacturing facilities in the country, said, “ICT companies will only set up manufacturing operations in Nigeria when we get the infrastructure right; when we have power, iron and steel rolling mills; when we have crude oil refined locally, and when we get our housing and infrastructure right.”

He insisted that it was not cost-effective for ICT firms to establish factories in Nigeria and urged the Federal Government to improve on infrastructure so as to encourage foreign investors.

However, with the reality on ground, for now, the possibility of having stable power supply that will attract phone manufacturers into the country appears distant by the day. For Nigeria to make meaningful impact in its drive to attract foreign investment, the country needs more than 12,000 megawatts of electricity.

At present, the Ministry of Power’s short- term goal is to generate and transport 4,500 MW to 5000 mega watts of electricity by the end of the year, but the snag, however, is that the country requires $2 million to ensure that about one megawatt of power gets to the consumer while a total of $100 billion investments over the next 10 years is needed to generate 40,000 megawatts of electricity which is what the country requires as of now. Nigeria is reported to require about $30 trillion fresh investments to achieve its Vision 2020 dream. But how feasible would this be in a country that on daily basis would rather encourage the importation of generators while the Presidency itself budgets millions of naira to fuel the generators in Aso-rock on yearly basis ? BC

h here are many reasons why h you would ld want to check h k if an unauthorized party is using your wireless network. It may be that you’re experiencing a slower than normal Internet connection or you simply don’t want anyone getting a free ride while you pay the bill. Of course, there are also security implications if this person can somehow access files on your network, and even legal implications if he uses your connection for piracy or other illicit activities.

Whatever the case, it’s better to stay on the safe side.

Many people may have already taken some basic precautions when setting up their wireless network and know their ways around troubleshooting these issues. This brief guide is aimed mostly at novice users in need a hand to find out if, indeed, their Wi-Fi is being stolen. * Check the devices associated with your router The first thing you need to do is login to your router’s administrative console by typing its IP address directly into the browser address bar -- typically 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 depending on which router you have. If you don’t know your router’s default address check out this guide or simply go to the command prompt (Start > Run/Search for cmd) and enter ipconfig. The address you need should be next to Default Gateway under your Local Area Connection.

Alternatively, if you are on a Mac, you can find the default address by going to Network under System Preferences. It should be listed right next to “Router:” if you are using Ethernet, or by clicking on “Advanced…” and heading to the “TCP/IP” tab if you are using Wi-Fi. Next, point your browser to that address and enter your login details -- if you haven’t changed the default settings it should be a combination of “admin” and “password” or blank fields. Here’s a default username and password list (PDF) you might find useful, but it is recommended that you change this afterwards.

Once inside your router’s administrative console look for a section related to connected devices or wireless status. In my old DIR-655 from D-Link it’s available under Status > Wireless but you’ll find it as “Attached Devices” in Netgear routers, under DHCP Clients Table on Linksys routers, “Device List” if you are using the Tomato firmware, and so on. * DHCP client list examples on D-Link and Linksys routers.

This should provide a table with the IP, MAC address and other details of every device currently connected to the router. Check that list against your gear to find any intruders. You can find out the MAC/IP address of your computers by going to the Command Prompt again and entering ‘ipconfig /all’. The MAC address will be shown as the physical address * Take action The best and simplest solution is to set up a strong password using WPA2 or WPA -- WEP is very easy to crack so avoid that if possible. There are some other methods you can use to beef up security, like switching off the SSID broadcast (which prevents it from advertising the name of your network to nearby Wi-Fi devices) or setup a filter for allowed or blocked devices by MAC address. It won’t stop the most determined intruder but it will slow him down.

That should be more than enough for most users but if you need to actually track down who’s been breaking into your network it’s possible to pinpoint his physical location using a tool called MoocherHunter. You’ll need to burn a Live CD to boot your laptop with and walk around to track down unauthorized wireless clients. According to the program’s description, it detects traffic sent across the network and can find the source within two meters accuracy.

Needless to say, we’re not suggesting you take matters into your own hands, but it might come in handy if someone is getting you in trouble with authorities using your network for illegal purposes -- or simply to have a cool story to tell. * Bonus: Profit by setting up a paid Wi-Fi hotspot If it doesn’t bother you to have someone piggybacking on your connection you might as well get something in return, right? Chillifire is a good third-party firmware alternative if you want to run a public hotspot, as it allows you to offer for-pay or free Internet access points from your consumer router. Alternatively, you can get a Fonera router, which gives you free roaming at Fon Spots worldwide in return for sharing a little bit of your WiFi at home. BC

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Cashless: Paga, biNu deliver accessible payments options Stories by Kunle Azeez

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o further boost the cashless economy initiative being driven by the Central bank of Nigeria, Paga, Nigeria’s leading mobile payments company is partnering with biNu, a leading global mobile social platform dedicated to overcoming the digital divide, by providing fast and lowcost access to users of mobile internet services, such as Facebook, Twitter, and more than 100 other channels, to any mobile phone.

Paga’s service is a complimentary fit with biNu’s need to provide accessible payment options to its members.

A statement made available to Bussines Courage at the weekend, said by integrating with the Paga platform, biNu will now provide its more than 600,000 Nigerian based users access to Paga services, including alternative payment options straight from their mobile phones.

It stated that with the partnership, biNu’s customers can buy biNu credits right from their mobile phone via SMS, mobile web, or from their personal computer or any Paga agent nationwide.

Paga, founded in 2009, is a home-grown money transfer service whose initial set of products are delivered to meet critical needs of the Nigerian public: ability to transfer money fast and reliably, pay bills, top-up airtime or pay merchants safely. Paga delivers these services via the mobile phone, Internet, and a growing network of over 1,600 agents nationwide.

Speaking on the parthernship, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of Paga, Tayo Oviosu, stated, like Paga, biNu has identified the importance of the mobile phone in providing access to services or products continually

Oviosu

denied to the mass market in Nigeria.

“We are excited about this partnership because it brings Paga into the daily social interactions of biNu users.

With biNu and Paga you do not need a fancy phone to interact with your friends or get access to content that interests you.

Together our joint user base is over one million Nigerians – we are excited about the opportunities this presents us both to provide valuable services to the mass market,” he said.

Also commenting , Vice President, Marketing for biNu, Mark Shoebridge, added: “We see great value in this partnership with Paga for our members, for whom their mobile phone is both their means of communication, information and now payments. Adding credits to the biNu platform also drives its evolution into a commercial hub, creating opportunities for other content and service owners to transact via the biNu platform.”

“Both Paga and biNu are capable of working on even the most basic phones and on all mobile networks, so users have the freedom to access both Paga and biNu regardless of what handset or mobile network they use.

NITDA, ISPON, OEMs, back NiCADI’s local content drive

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he National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) and other indigenous computer firm, known as Original Equipment manufacturers have declared their readiness to collaborate with the Nigeria Content Advocacy Initiative (NiCADI) to drive the frontier of local content in nation’s ICT sector.

NiCADI is a multi-sector project unveiled with a target to promote domestication of technologies in the country using indigenous capacities and resources, midwifed by Business & Technology News Publishers Foundation (BTPF) which seeks to foster understanding, awareness and effectiveness of Nigeria contents in technology development.

By creating the conditions for patronage of locally-developed technology solutions and services, the initiative strives to strengthen government policy of inclusion of Nigeria content in the nation’s technology menu.

Speaking at the unveiling in Lagos last Friday, the Chairman of the initiative, Ken Ugbechie, who cited instances from various countries where serious advocacy backed by government has transformed their economy with ICT innovation and patronage, said the

Monday, March 18, 2013

need for NiCADI has become an useful vehicle for driving the frontier of local contents development and patronage in the country.

According to him, “As purveyors of information and chroniclers of history in the nation’s knowledge economy, we have observed a trend which we consider worrisome and counter-productive, that is, the low patronage and in some cases, non-patronage, of indigenous technologies, services and human capital in the country by those who should.”

Ugbechie maintained that such a development was an anomaly and if allowed to continue portends grave danger to the economy, noting that all over the world, nations which attained greatness in their knowledge economies did so through deliberate patronage of their respective indigenous products, services and human capital.

Stressing that NiCADI has been put in place to reverse the situation through advocacy; researches and publications; workshops, conferences and roundtables; consultancy services; community outreach and lobby, he listed key set of goals which the advocacy vehicle aims to achieve.

“Through NiCADI, our goals are to contribute to the knowledge and understanding of Nigerian technology contents; stimulate informed debate on Nigeria technology content within the business community and with the government’ facilitate the propagation of Nigerian content in institutions, schools and agencies, create the conditions pursuant for the increase of Nigeria content in technology deployed and used in the country and beyond; and to increase global awareness on Nigeria content initiatives, solutions and services in order to enhance their competitiveness,” he said.

Speaking at the unveiling of the scheme, has earned the key industry stakeholders’ acceptance, the Chairman of the occasion, Leo Stan Ekeh, described the initiative as “a huge pressure group that will change the course of things in the ICT sector for better.”

Ekeh, who is the Chairman of Zinox Computers, expressed its excitement over the creation of NiCADI, promised support for the scheme as well as asking all indigenous IT players to collaborate for better competitiveness in the ICT industry.

Also speaking, the Director, Standards and Regulations, National Information technology Development Agency (NITDA), said the government would world with NiCADI and other stakeholders to continuously come up with policies that can create level-playing ground for indigenous players to compete with foreign computer brands.

President, Institute of Soft-

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ware Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON) advocated the need to ‘build technology city of youth’ as strategy for Nigeria to disentangle itself from digital colony.

“The future is IT and we must do everything to demand from the government what we believe will make the country to be able to compete in the global ICT space of the future.

That is why initiative such as NiCADI should be supported and embraced by all,” he said.

Zinox’s digital plant goes live in two weeks

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he Chairman of Zinox Computers, Leo Stan Ekeh, has disclosed that the company’s much-anticipated digital plant being built in Lagos State will become operational in the next two weeks.

Ekeh who disclosed this in Lagos at the weekend said the company is building an ultramodern production plant for Information and Communication Technology tools such as personal computers and other modern ICT devices.

“Zinox plant is going to be live in 10 days from today. It is a plant that can also be leveraged by other OEMs in the country for economy of scale.

We must cooperate to use the plant before multinationals will come into the country and take advantage of it this is because multinationals will also use the plant,” he said.

Already, Zinox Computers, which is reputed as the country’s first internationallycertified branded computers, recently strengthened its partnership with Intel Corporation, the world’s leading computer chips and hardware manufacturer towards the development of Nigerian technology as the later plans to opne its digital production plant.

The long technical relationship between Zinox and Intel is sustained through the shared core values of innovation, trust, and grass roots relevance.

The thrust of the partnership is to continually seek to address the needs of consumers in different strata ranging from individuals in the education sector and ancillary sectors that bear requirements for advanced technology.

Speaking during a courtesy visit to the Zinox Headquarters recently, the Global Vice President, Intel Corporation, Greg Pearson stated that Intel was pleased to partner with Zinox, a regional leader with the capacities and high ethical value required to deliver on its promise to use technology to drive development nationally and internationally.

Expressing enthusiasm for the Nigerian hardware indus-

Ekeh

try, Pearson said that as a long standing member of the Intel Diamond Club, Zinox would continue to enjoy information and technical exchanges to make the company more relevant to the economy.

Ekeh said that the partnership with Intel is an endorsement of the world-class standards in production and corporate governance that have been put in place by Zinox.

He said that Zinox shared the Intel passion for adequately empowering the education sector. He informed that Zinox has been responsible for the computerization of over 65 per cent of the tertiary institutions in Nigeria.

Of late, he said, Zinox developed and deployed the largest e-learning suite in Africa solely for the purpose of providing affordable access to content for the education sector.

The Zinox world-class hub which, went live recently would bring relief to many educational institutions beginning from April 2013 when Zinox streams e- Content to educational institutions at half the present cost.

Ekeh revealed that the Zinox ultra modern factory would begin production before the end of March while explaining properly advised delays based on the irregular power supply in Nigeria. He noted that only the Federal Government can, through mandatory patronage, ensure the sustainability of the digital assembly plant that Zinox is installing.

The Zinox boss also said that the government should immediately commence the subsidy of computer ownership for all students in tertiary institutions in Nigeria, stressing that empowering the young ones today with IT equipment is a surer way of ensuring a future Nigeria that can provide for its people, sustain the unity and stability of Nigeria, and lead the rest of Africa. “Until this is done democracy dividends cannot be said to have been delivered,” he said. BC

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Business Courage A17 33

Monday, March 18, 2013

LCCI advises CBN to adjust monetary policy Stories by Stanley Ihedigbo

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agos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCC), has advised the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to commence monetary easing and focus on measures to stimulate economic growth and job creation.

President of the Chamber, Goodie Ibru, in a statement at the weekend, urged the CBN to initiate regulatory guideline that would commence monetary easing at the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) which holds today.

“We expect to see the commencement of monetary easing on the back of supportive economic realities and job creation because the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) has remained unchanged for nine consecutive times since October 2011, and it is detrimental to the private sector,”Ibru said.

He further added that the latest inflation rate for the month of January 2013 stood at 9 per cent lower than 12 per cent recorded in December 2012, adding that year-on-year core inflation (all items less farm produce) stood at 11.3 per cent in January from 13.7 per cent in December 2012.

The headline inflation rate is now in single digit which he said is an appropriate condition for the cessation of the tightening cycle.

He explained that as at March 16, 2013, the country’s external reserves stood at $48.17 billion. This level of reserves is enough to cover over 11 months of imports, above the critical level of three months. The reserves should support stable exchange rate in the short-to medium term. Favourable oil price, improved foreign capital inflows and lower demand from oil marketers have all contributed to the accretion to the reserves position. Monetary easing at this time is therefore desirable.”

President Jonathan and Adesina, Minister of Agric

FG trains 385 master bakers on cassava bread production

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Ibru

The LCCI president said that foreign exchange rate has remained relatively stable since the beginning of the year, noting that the exchange rate stood at N155.76/$1 as at March 13, 2013, representing a year till date marginal appreciation of 0.01 per cent.

“The short to medium term outlook of the exchange rate will be influenced by the global oil price, foreign capital inflows and fiscal approach of the Federal Government to fund the 2013 budget. Having successfully achieved a single digit inflation rate, the next focus of the MPC should be to ensure a modest commencement of monetary easing to boost real sector growth and stimulate the economy generally”, Ibru added. BC

he Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has disclosed that Nigeria spent N635 billion to import wheat into the country in 2011.

He, however, hinted that the Federal Government had trained 385 master bakers across the country on cassava bread production.

Adesina spoke at the National Stakeholders forum on cassava bread organized by the Nigerian Institute of Food Science and Technology sponsored by the Cassava: Adding value for Africa of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.

Speaking on Cassava Bread: A golden agricultural transformation opportunity, Dr. Adesina said that the continued dependence on wheat poses several challenges to the economy, especially as the country continue to spend hard earned foreign exchange on wheat importation.

He disclosed that the Federal Government had taken practical steps

to halt such wasteful spending by encouraging the use of cassava flour for bread and other pastries, adding that since Nigeria is the largest producer of cassava in the world; with an annual production of about 40 million MT, cassava should be seen as a critical crop for ensuring national food security.

He added that the substitution of up to 40 per cent of wheat flour with cassava flour will save the economy N 254 billion annually, the savings which he said will serve as incomes to cassava farmers and processors, thus creating millions of jobs instead of exporting jobs to other countries. “To support the use of cassava flour substitution in bread, the government put in place a number of fiscal policies. The tariff on the import of wheat and wheat flour was raised. Duty on the import of enzymes for the production of cassava bread was eliminated. All equipment and machinery for the production of cassava bread would attract zero duty,” he stated.

He noted that as part of the Agricultural Transformation Agenda of the present government, the government has launched an aggressive strategy to substitute cassava flour for wheat flour in bread and confectioneries, adding that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, through its Cassava Adding Value for Africa (C: AVA) project, has provided a grant of $650,000 for activities to accelerate the production of cassava bread in Nigeria.

On master bakers, the Minister said that the trainings were conducted by experts from Park & Shop, FIIRO and IITA, with each trainees given starter packs of one 50Kg bag of blended flour and one kilogram enzyme improvers to enable them begin production of cassava bread. BC

Stock Market last week

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turnover of 2.550 billion shares worth N21.694 billion in 29,335 deals exchanged hands last week on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.928 billion shares valued at N20.990 billion that exchanged hands the previous week in 28,832 deals.

The Financial Services sector was the most active during the week contributing 81.20 per cent to the turnover volume of 2.071 billion shares valued at N14.281 billion exchanged hands by investors in 16,956 deals. With trans-

actions exchanged in 11,659 deals, the Banking sub-sector was the most active during the week (measured by turnover volume) of 1.618 billion shares worth N12.279 billion.

Volume in the financial sector was boosted by activities in the shares of Unity Bank Plc, U B A Plc, Ecobank Transnational Incorporated Plc which accounted for 965.890 million shares, representing 59.71 per cent, 46.65 per cent and 37.88 per cent of the turnover recorded by the subsector, sector and

total equity for the week, respectively.

During the week, 577 units of NewGold Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) valued at N1.405 million were traded in seven deals compared with a total of 846 units valued at N2.035 million transacted the previous week in seven deals.

Also, 2,020 units of FGN bonds valued at N2.422 million were traded during the week in 20 deals in contrast to 2,536 units valued at N3.096 million transacted the previous week in 26 deals.

Index Movement Price gains by most companies lifted The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) AllShare Index by 0.31 per cent to close at 32.950.08. Similarly, the equities Market Capitalization gained N32.309 billion to close at N10.544 trillion. Also, the Bloomberg NSE 30 Index appreciated by 0.36 per cent to close at 1,578.47.

Four of the NSE sectoral indices appreciated: Bloomberg NSE Consumer Goods, Bloomberg NSE Insurance, Bloomberg NSE Oil/Gas and NSE-Lotus II rose by 2.01 per cent, 1.33 per cent, 1.87 per cent, 0.77 per cent respectively, while the Bloomberg NSE Banking declined by 0.80 per cent to close at 411.36 Summary of Price Changes A review of the equity price movements indicated that 41 equities gained while 37 equities recorded price declines and 119 equities remained constant.

When compared with the preceding week, 36 equities gained while 44 equities recorded price declines and 117 equities remained constant. BC

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Monday, March 18, 2013

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Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

The new

Volvo V40

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he Volvo V40 offers stylish looks, tiny emissions and tonnes of safety kit. But is it good enough to topple the mighty BMW 1 Series?

The all-new Volvo V40 is charged with the unique and unenviable task of filling the shoes of three now-extinct Volvo models: the S40, V50 and C30 models. It’s the Swedish brand’s first five-door hatchback since the 440 of the 1990s, giving it a belated rival to the Volkswagen Golf and a raft of entry-level vehicles from Germany’s premium-car manufacturers.

Broad, low-slung and curvaceous, the Volvo V40 certainly gets first impressions off to a good start with an undeniably pretty car that may well lure less badge-conscious buyers.

It’s also armed with a battery of high-tech safety kit that includes the world’s first pedestrian airbag.

The V40 enters the market with two turbo diesels (D2 and D4) and two turbo petrol models (T4 and T5), with three trim levels: Kinetic, Luxury and RDesign.

The Volvo V40 D2 Kinetic makes do with a 1.6-litre fourcylinder turbo diesel developing 84kW and 270Nm. It pulls well enough, is nicely matched with its six-speed manual, and is the most fuel-efficient model in the range using an official 4.2 litres per 100km.

The power band is fairly narrow, though, and there’s no automatic option.

An optional six-speed dualclutch transmission, which would be a certainty for boosting D2 sales locally, won’t be available until 2014.

The V40 diesel D4 gets along with a surprising amount of urgency and there is blissfully little turbo lag thanks to those

400 Newton metres doing their best work from 1750rpm.

Things get even more entertaining when you shove the transmission into Sport mode, which holds gears until the 5000rpm redline. Not bad at all for a diesel-powered family hatch, though paddle shift levers for changing gears manually would liven the driving experience.

There’s a bit of clatter at idle and low down in the rev range, but anywhere north of 2000rpm and the D4 doesn’t sound any different to its sweet-singing T5 petrol sibling.

It’s the same story with the range-topping V40 R-Design – even more pronounced though, given its sporty pretentions.

The V40’s platform is related to the one beneath the excellent Ford Focus, so the compact Swede has a sound basis from which to work from. And from behind the wheel, it feels rock solid.

The D2 on its high-profile 205/55 series tyres provides the most comfort over broken bitumen with the Sport suspension of the T5 R-Design – with its stiffer dampers and lowered ride height – bringing the firmest ride without shaking bones, but also the most composed cornering.

Generally, the V40’s ride quality is a notable improvement on the choppiness of the C30 three-door hatch.

The V40’s steering in general is relatively precise, and the handling sharp.

On the inside, the V40 actually manages to feel a bit more special compared with some of its German rivals thanks to a simple but luxurious Scandinavian look and feel to all the materials and switchgear.

The ‘cool’ fully graphic instrument display screen is a treat and can be tailored to three separate modes: Elegance, Eco and Performance. It’s a benchmark piece of technology for the segment and should find plenty of favour from technophiles.

The V40 also introduces a frameless rear-view mirror which Volvo says was inspired by modern smartphone design.

Tick the optional Driver Alert System and apart from a plethora of safety kit including Lane Departure Warning, Lane Keeping Aid, Active High-Beam Control

and Forward Collision Warning, you’ll also get the ‘licence-saving’ Road Sign Information.

The system uses a series of cameras that continuously monitor speed signs and then flashes the correct legal speed limit inside the central display.

Despite its compact dimensions, the Volvo V40 offers exceptional rear legroom. Headroom is strangely better in the R-Design models, due entirely to the more aggressive contours.

There’s plenty of cargo space, too, with flat folding rear seatbacks, as well as the front passenger seat, thereby allowing for longer objects such as surfboards to be carried.

The V40 is also fitted with a two-piece floor, which we found unnecessarily fiddly, but there’s decent load space down there all the same.

It offers the style and performance buyers have come to expect from the segment’s more prestigious badges, while maintaining the company’s reputation for safety. The Volvo V40 has been designed to stand out from premium hatchback rivals like the Audi A3, Mercedes A-Class and BMW 1 Series. It offers stylish looks, good fuel economy and a long list of safety kit that includes the world’s first pedestrian airbag. Superlow CO2 emissions start from just 94g/km, which makes the V40 a great choice for company car buyers. Those parting with their own cash would be hard pushed to choose the Volvo over something more German, but if you want a safe, clean and entertaining hatch, then the V40 is a good option.

A sporty R-Design model joined the line-up at the end of 2012 and is the brand’s answer to the

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Business Courage A19 35

Monday, March 18, 2013

Behind d Wheels This page is open to sponsorship

BMW M Sport and Audi S line models. It comes with 17-inch five-spoke alloys, a silk metal finish around the grille and chunkier bumpers, as well as the option of Rebel Blue paint and a 10mm lower Sports chassis with stiffer suspension. A rugged new V40 Cross Country model is also available and gets jacked-up suspension and plastic body cladding.

Styling Volvo isn’t renowned for designing the most stylish of cars, but the V40 breaks this tradition. It incorporates all the best styling cues from across the current range, with a sculpted front end, projector-style headlights and a contoured bonnet that echoes the V60 estate, as well as curvy tail-lamps and half-glass boot lid that have come straight from the C30 hatchback. The V40 is also one of the longest and widest cars in its class, which helps to enhance the purposeful stance.

The overall effect is a car that’s more interesting than the Audi A3 or VW Golf and more attractive than the BMW 1 Series.

Inside, the V40 takes a step forward in terms of quality, with plenty of soft-touch materials across the dash and a buttonheavy floating centre console.

The cabin feels bright and airy but it can’t quite match the Audi for quality and some of the endless reams of menus and submenus can be quite confusing. Entry-level ES cars come fitted with luxuries like 16-inch alloy wheels, heated door mir-

rors, cruise control, keyless start, Bluetooth and a leatherwrapped steering wheel. There are also SE, SE Lux and sporty R-Design models, as well as a rugged Cross Country version that offers the option of fourwheel drive but is expensive.

Driving Stepping aboard, a perfect driving position is easy to attain, with plenty of adjustment for the seat and steering column with a well sculpted and supportive shape of the cushions.

The V40 has one of the best executed digital instrument displays so far, and it can be altered to encourage economical driving or to support sporty driving, with a third mode for everyday use.

Economy and everyday settings cleverly and subtly highlight the part of the speedometer dial being used and fade out the rest, reducing information overload for easy at-a-glance speed checks while the sports mode provides a massive digital speed readout surrounded by a rev-counter.

Other areas of the display alter depending on purpose, such as the engine temperature gauge that becomes an economy meter or the rev-counter that becomes an available-power graphic.

A floating centre stack with a range of attractive colour and design options – including an offset go-faster stripe on the RDesign – houses rotary controllers for audio, infotainment and climate functions plus pushbuttons for major features.

In the centre is a numerical keypad for phone dialling, and doubles as text entry for the satnav if using the rotary controller (which works in an eerily similar way to Audi’s MMI) is too fiddly.

The engine range is made up of three petrol engines and three diesels. The petrol options are the firm’s 148bhp 1.6-litre T3, 177bhp 2.0-litre T4 and the range-topping 2.5-litre T5 with 360Nm of torque. But it’s the diesels that make the most sense, as even the 1.6-litre low-emissions D2 model with 113bhp offers plenty of overtaking power. The 147bhp 2.0-litre D3 engine offers a good mix of power and efficiency, while the grunt of the five-cylinder 175bhp D4 is particularly impressive and makes passing slower moving traffic a doddle.

There’s plenty of grip and accurate steering, too, meaning the V40 not only impresses on the motorway but on twistier roads as well. However, the sixspeed manual gearbox is stiff and clunky, while the Geartronic automatic is not as smooth or efficient as the latest dualclutch automatic gearbox from Audi and VW. Those who want a sporty drive might be better off buying a BMW 120d.

Reliability Volvo has always been a class leader in safety innovation, and the V40 is no exception. It received a five-star rating in the Euro NCAP tests, with 98 per cent for adult occupant and 100 per cent for safety assist making it officially the safest car Euro NCAP has ever tested. Every V40 comes fitted with the firm’s City Safety system - which uses a laser to detect an imminent collision and automatically brake the car to prevent a low-speed accident – and a U-shaped pedestrian airbag that is airbag triggered by sensors in the bumper and pops out from under the bonnet to soften the impact. Volvo finished a solid 10th in the 2012 Driver Power reliability survey, proving that buyers still have faith in the ownership experience and reliability of the brand despite a few problems in recent years.

An airbag is like insurance, something we pay for but hope not to use, and the pedestrian ’bag is uniquely altruistic – although the driver can also take comfort from the reduced risk of a death on their conscience if someone steps out in front of them.

It is clear that Volvo has thought hard about the people who will drive and travel in the V40, as so many features make sense, with the kind of logical quirkiness that is oh-so Swedish. BC

Autocare How to clean your car injector

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he fuel injectors in today’s automobile engines are among the engine’s most critical components. Maintaining clean fuel injectors keeps the engine running at peak power and performance, saves petrol and cuts down on harmful exhaust emissions.

Clean fuel injectors are usually compromised by dirty fuel and fuel contaminated with water resulting in clogs and rust, respectively. You can clean fuel injectors using one of three different methods. The least effective method involves adding cleaner directly to the vehicle’s fuel tank. The wide variation in product quality and the inability to qualitatively measure effectiveness means that this method is, at best, a stop-gap measure.

The second method to clean fuel injectors is “on-car” injector cleaning. As this involves a fairly comprehensive mechanical knowledge, as well as working with pressurized, toxic and highly flammable materials, the on-car procedure to clean fuel injectors is not recommended for the faint of heart.

The last and most effective method for cleaning fuel injectors is to bring the vehicle to a mechanic with the proper knowledge and equipment for both cleaning and testing the fuel injection system. The mechanic will remove the fuel injectors, clean the injectors “off-car” with an injector cleaning machine, and, using the same machine, test the injectors to ensure that they’re functioning properly. Should defects be found in the injectors themselves, the mechanic can replace the injectors. These new fuel injectors should be guaranteed, though this is a pricey alternative.

If you wish to try the on-car method to clean fuel injectors, various steps must be accomplished to ensure safe and effective results. With the engine off and no spark or open flame close by, disconnect the necessary fuel lines, making sure a container is properly placed to catch the fuel runoff from the lines. Next, either disconnect the fuel pump – which may lead to a fault code in the vehicle’s computer – or install a U tube to cycle fuel away from the engine and back into the tank while the cleaning process is being performed.

Wearing eye-protection, connect a pressurized container of cleaning solvent to the injectors. Avoid skin contact with the solvent. Start the engine and allow the solvent to flow into the injectors. When solvent has been properly fed into the injectors, shut off the engine. Remove the cleaning apparatus and reattach the fuel lines and the pump.

Finally, take the vehicle for a test drive to determine the effectiveness of the cleaning and, if necessary, repeat the process to completely clean fuel injectors. BC

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Business Courage

CBN will cut policy rate to 11 per cent – Rewane

T

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will relax its monetary policy by reducing its policy rate to 11 per cent this week when its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meets, Bismarck Rewane, Financial Derivative Company has predicted.

“Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) will shave off 100 basis points off the monetary policy rate (MPR) to 11 per cent or/and cut the cash reserve ratio (CRR) by 1.0 per cent”, he said in a Monthly Economic News and Views presented at the Lagos Business School (LBS). He also predicted that the naira will “lose approximately 0.5% in the interbank forex market” The CBN holds its Monetary Policy (MPC) meeting today to review the economy and its monetary policy. In an effort to curtail inflation, the apex bank had been operating a tight money supply policy since 2012, raising the monetary policy rate (MPR) six times from 6.0 per cent to 12 per cent between September 2010 and October 2011. Similarly, the CBN raised the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) of banks to 8.0 per cent from 1.0 per cent.

With inflation trending down to 9.0 per cent in January from a peak of 12.9 per cent in April 2012, there is increased expectation of a downward review of the MPR. Rewane said that public pressure for a cut in MPR in March is increasing and the further decline in inflation will be a major determinant. He said that there is however fear that a reduction in the MPR would prompt depreciation of the naira and capital outflows of hot money.

But going by the personal statement of the CBN Governor, Lamido Sanusi at the last MPC meeting, the apex bank might not be disposed to reducing the

Rewane

MPR. According to Sanusi, since the tight money supply is working there is no for policy change.

“Although inflation outlook is stable, the increased projected spending by state governments and raised oil price benchmark at the Federal level may pose a risk in the medium term. The global economy remains fragile and the outlook is mixed, at the very best.

In the past year, we have achieved price stability, exchange rate stability, banking system stability and a healthy reserves position.

“The equities market is also on the mend and although it is still vulnerable to unstable portfolio flows, the fundamentals suggest that we are nowhere near a bubble at this point. Indeed, the only negative in this picture is the high lending rates faced by borrowers. The CBN will continue working with the banks to work out how to best address the question of spreads.” BC

A

NSE floor

gained 80k to close at N166.80 per share.

Ecobank Transnational Incorporated emerged the most traded stock with a total of 68. 21 million shares worth N954.9 million.

Access Bank trailed with 50.69 million shares valued at N536.56 million.

In all, investors exchanged 429.65 million shares worth N4.62 billion in 5,456 deals against the 638.42 million shares valued at N6.27 billion traded in 5,880 deals on Thursday. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Demuren’s untidy exit

L

Speculative investors crash market value ctivities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) closed last Friday for the week on depressed note as the market capitalisation depreciated further by N83 trillion. The market capitalisation, which opened at N10.63 trillion, lost 0.78 per cent to close N10.54 trillion.

Similarly, the All-Share Index lost 256.94 points to close at 32,950.08 against the 33,207.02 posted on Thursday.

Dangote Cement recorded the highest price loss, dropping N1.50 to close at N141.50 per share, followed by Cadbury with a loss of N1.12 to close at N33.57 per share, while Access Bank lost 99k to close at N10.20 per share.

Ashaka Cement and Julius Berger also lost 99k each to close at N23 and N53 per share, respectively.

Market analysts attributed the development to profit taking by speculative investors to take advantage of price gains recorded by the market since the beginning of the year.

Conversely, Northern Nigeria Flour Mill led the gainers’ chart with N1.17 to close at N24.60, while UAC Property gained N1.10 to close at N16 per share.

Nestle and Cement Company of Northern Nigeria appreciated by N1 each to close at N84.3 and N12.99, respectively, while Nigerian Breweries

Monday, March 18, 2013

ast week’s ouster of the former Director-General of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority, Dr. Harold Demuren, did not particularly come as a surprise to those that a familiar with the way things work in this country. Since the unfortunate crash of the Dana Air’s jetliner in June last year, certain stakeholders in the aviation sector had been looking for a scapegoat to take the blame for the accident.

What did surprise me was that Demuren waited up till he was unceremoniously booted out of office after it had become clear that he was no longer wanted given the fact that he was actually drafted to that position late in 2005 on a rescue mission of sorts by former President Olusegun Obasanjo at a time airplanes were dropping out of our skies like tree leaves in a windstorm.

Notwithstanding the Dana accident, Demuren’s record as helmsman at NCAA remains the one to beat for now. Coming in with a reputation as a conservative no-nonsense person, with the requisite qualifications including a Master’s degree in aeronautical engineering and doctorate in gas turbine engineering, Demuren brought solid improvements to the administration of the aviation regulator and did keep planes from falling for about six years.

It is to his credit that Nigeria regained the US Federal Aviation Administration’s Category One status that allows direct flights from Nigeria to the US, easing the burden of passengers in terms of time and cost, apart from creating opportunities for carriers from both countries.

He was praised to the high heavens and at a point some of the aviation unions in particular, the very vocal National Association of Aircraft Pilots and Engineers insisted that he must be made the minister of aviation in view of his achievements.

However, those who sang “Hosannah” just before the Dana crash, were the same ones chanting “crucify him” afterwards.

Suddenly, Demuren was not qualified for the post he had occupied for five years, not being an aircraft engineer. NCAA was accused of sleeping on the job, that it did not have engineers type rated to oversee maintenance of the MD-11 aircraft type that crashed and all the rest.

Yet this same Demuren was named the International Air Transport Association (IATA) African Aviation “Personality of the Year” in Morocco last year; the first African to be elected President of International Civil Aviation Organisation General Assembly and only African member on the Board of Governors of Flight Safety Foundation.

He was instrumental to the rapid passage of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Autonomy Bill into Law in 2006 and in implementing the Cape Town Convention that allowed Nigerian airlines to tap into international

funding options for aircraft acquisition that same year.

He had also successfully implemented the IATA E-ticket / Billing and Settlement Plan (BSP) regime in 2008.

This is apart from leading Nigeria in several ICAO audits that culminated in the restoration of the coveted Cat One status.

So where did Demuren go wrong?

Nothing is clear, but it could be a case of a regulator resting on its oars having recorded so much success and jolted back to reality with the Dana episode?

However, there are also rumours that Demuren got on the wrong side of a particularly powerful airline owner who deployed considerable resources in the political arena to get him out of office.

The former NCAA boss was said to have refused to grant this airline a favoured status in the industry and had ignored applications for certain waivers, which the airline felt it deserved.

Demuren also came under fire from the Senate Committee of Aviation chaired by Senator Hope Uzodinma, which refused to see anything good in the ousted NCAA boss and accused him of incompetence and non-performance in terms of regulatory oversight despite all evidence to the contrary. Whether Uzodinma and Co were acting out a script is anybody’s guess.

Again, Demuren appeared to be odds with the current Minister of Aviation for reasons yet to be made clear. Indeed, he was said have been busy answering queries for the better part of the last six months while he was generally side lined at meetings convened by the minister with chief executives of aviation parastatals. Frustrated, Demuren was said to have tendered his resignation at least twice within the past month but the Presidency rejected the letters, instead preferring to show him the door at its convenience.

Now that Demuren is gone, the new helmsman, Captain Folayele Akikuotu, another tested industry professional, has his hands full apparently.

Already, there are fears that within aviation circles that the era of tight regulation was already fading while Demuren was in the seat, as reports had emerged of NCAA turning a blind eye to the activities of some private jet owners who are violating the terms of their licences by converting their planes to commercial use.

Yet, what the industry, which appears to be bogged down in an unending crisis as highlighted by the grounding of Aero Airline’s fleet by a workers strike, is strong regulation and even more support from the government.

The two biggest airlines, Arik Air and Aero are virtually controlled by the Asset Management Company of Nigeria on account of huge outstanding debts owed banks.

Nigeria cannot afford to let this all important sector go to the dogs. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage

Monday, March 18, 2013

A21 37

NSE woos maritime operators

T

he Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Oscar Onyema, has invited operators in the maritime industry to approach the Exchange to seek funds for expansion and development of their businesses.

Onyema, who made the call in Lagos at the ongoing NIMAREX EXPO 2013, said maritime operators should follow the example of Japaul Oil and Maritime Services Plc that has already benefited from the Exchange.

He said that the Exchange is prepared to give all necessary assistance to credible operators interested in taking advantage of the opportunities in the stock exchange.

A delegation of the organising committee of NIMAREX 2013, led by the chairman, Margaret Onyema-Orakwusi, had earlier visited the NSE to seek collaboration.

Orakwusi, said the visit to

Onyema

the Nigerian Stock Exchange became necessary considering its vital roles in the economy.

“NIMAREX has as its main objective, the need to showcase enormous potentials of the Nigerian maritime industry to the outside world. It is disheartening that in spite of the vast opportunities provided by the maritime; Nigerians were

still getting the short end of the stick in terms of benefits”, she said.

While calling on the NSE to join in the crusade to change the tide, she lamented that it was unacceptable for the nation’s crude to continue to be lifted on Fee on Board (FOB) basis, a system that allows the foreign buyers to “dictate the carriage, insurance terms and all in this 21st century.”

She pointed out that government’s desire to create jobs for the teaming youth graduates as well as the hitherto restive militants who are currently being rehabilitated, may not be realised if the trend is allowed to persist, saying ‘that is why we seek the collaboration of institutions like the NSE in changing the trend”. She said the stock exchange could provide much needed fund for the huge capital requirement of investment in the shipping sector. BC

Bank loans to grow 30 per cent in 2013 - S&P

A

surge in lending is likely to boost the earnings of deposit money banks this year though loans are eating into capital reserves and are too concentrated in the oil sector, credit rating agency Standard and Poor’s (S&P) said on Friday. The banking sector earnings bounced back in 2012 from write downs of bad assets accumulated during a 2009 financial crisis that nearly sank nine of them. Lenders fixed their balance sheets by selling bad loans to a state-owned “bad bank”.

“We forecast that bank earnings will continue to rise because of the healthy macro-economic environment supporting bank activities,” S&P’s financial services ratings associate director, Samira Mensah, told Reuters in a telephone interview.

“We have seen earnings strengthen, stemming from high levels of net interest margins and a lot of government securities providing high yields at the moment,” Mensah said.

Banks are likely to see return on equity (ROE) rise to 18 per cent this year from about 15 per cent in 2012, buoyed by an expected 30-per cent rise in loan books, up from 12 per cent growth last year, Standard and Poor’s (S&P) said.

Tier 1 capital ratios are expected to fall to 15 per cent from last year’s 20 per cent, Mensah said, adding that these were still adequate but there were risks posed by loans being too concentrated in the oil sector and foreign currency lending.

Mensah

Banks are due to release their results from this month, and most analysts expect them to show significant earnings growth, further boosting their shares.

The stock index, of which banks contribute 60 percent of total capitalisation, has risen 18.3 percent so far in 2013.

Mid-tier Diamond Bank said it expects full-year 2012 profits to hit N30 billion ($190m), after releasing its nine month results, where it posted N23.2 billion profit, compared with a loss of N16.3 billion in 2011.

Diamond Bank showed the fastest rise in loan growth last year, analysts at Renaissance Capital said, with loans up 38 per cent during the first nine months of 2012 while First Bank’s lending was up 22 per cent in the same period.

“We believe power projects could propel (loan) growth (for top tier banks) into the 15-20 percent range, and we think the tier-2 banks could grow faster,” analysts at Rencap wrote in a note highlighting the outlook for Nigerian banks in 2013.

S&P’s Mensah forecast loan growth of up to 30 per cent

for top-tier banks like Zenith Bank in 2013, which last year told Reuters it expected its loan book to grow 20 per cent in 2012.

Mensah said growing loan books also had some risks, especially when loans were not diversified across sectors. “What we see as a significant risk is the concentration risk (on oil) which reflects the structure of the economy,” she said, adding that there were also foreign currency risks.

The naira last week fell to its lowest in seven months of N158.92 against the US dollar on low interest from foreign investors in bonds because of lower yields.

Offshore flows had provided support for the local currency, which had stabilised around N157 to the greenback before March.

The central bank intervened on Friday to stem the fall, but concerns over naira weakness persist.

S&P has assigned a BBrating to the banks but Mensah said lenders where constrained by the level of the sovereign ratings because the bulk of their operations where done domestically with exposure to government securities. “If we see ... sustained oil prices and continued reforms from the government (so that) ratings on the country improve, then we could see an upgrade to bank ratings,” she said BC

Market Indicators for Week Ended 15-03-13 All-Share Index 32, 950.08 points Market Capitalisation N10,543,788,220,764.37 Stock Updates GAINERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

FIDSON CCNN

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

1.53

1.68

9.80

11.99

12.99

8.34

PRESTIGE

0.77

0.83

7.79

UAC-PROP

14.90

16.00

7.38

NNFM

23.43

24.60

4.99

LOSERS COMPANY

OPENING PRICE

ACCESS

CLOSING PRICE

CHANGE

11.19

10.20

-8.85

UBA

8.85

8.29

-6.33

STERLNBANK

2.74

2.60

-5.11

LEARNAFRCA

2.03

1.93

-4.93

CILEASING

0.62

0.59

-4.84

Inter-Bank Rates TENOR CALL OBB

RATE%(PREV) 08-Mar-2013

RATE%(CURR) 15-Mar-2013

10.2500 – 10.5000

10.1000 – 10.7700

9.5000 – 11.3500

10.1500 – 11.5000

Primary Market Auction TENOR 91-Days

AMOUNT (N’mn) 32,970.71

RATE (%) 10.32

DATE 06-Mar-13

182-Days

40,000

10.50

06-Mar-13

364-Days

117,219.06

10.60

06-Mar-13

Open Market Operation TENOR 91-Days

AMOUNT (N’mn) 32,970.71

RATE (%) 9.20

DATE 06-Mar-13

182-Days

40,000

9.45

06-Mar-13

364-Days

117,119.37

9.98

06-Mar-13

Wholesale Dutch Auction System AMOUNT OFFERED

MARKET DEMAND

AMOUNT SOLD

DATE

$180m

$180m

$180m

06-March-13

$150m

$150m

$150m

06-March-13

A22 38

Business Courage

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigerian Breweries Plc: Profit impaired by huge costs

By Tayo Adeleke

I

t is no longer news that Nigerian Breweries Plc declared a profit of N55.6 billion for the 2012 financial year. The audited result released by the company’s management showed that the company made a turnover of N252.6 billion as against N211 billion declared for the previous year. However, the top line performance may look interesting but looking at the result from bottom line angle, the performance is actually nose diving, as both liquidity and profitability ratios are not encouraging.

Results from the company’s operating activities grew by 13.4 per cent while profit for the year was impacted by high financing costs arising from investments in plant expansion as well as working capital. Working capital stood at a negative figure of N29.97 billion.

Background Nigerian Breweries Plc, the pioneer and largest brewing company in Nigeria, was incorporated in 1946. In June 1949, the company recorded a landmark when the first bottle of STAR lager beer was rolled off its Lagos Brewery bottling lines. In 1957, the company commissioned its second brewery in Aba, Abia State and was followed by the Kaduna Brewery plant which was commissioned in 1963. The Ibadan plant came on stream in 1982. In 1993, the company acquired its fifth brewery in Enugu and in October 2003, a sixth brewery, sited at Ameke, in Enugu State was commissioned and christened Ama Brewery. Ama Brewery is today, acclaimed to Nigerian Breweries Financial Data

by 19.7 per cent, compared with N211.1 billion in the corresponding period of 2011.

The increase in revenue could be traced to the company’s investment in production capacity and acquisition of Sona Systems and Life Breweries.

However, the brewing giant appears not to be cost effective in recent time, resulting in declined profitability as Profit before Tax (PBT) decreased by 1.37 per cent between 2011 and 2012 to N55.62 billion from N56.4 billion. Profit after Tax was N38.04 billion, down from N38.05 billion in 2011, representing a decrease of 0.02 per cent. Consequently, the board has recommended (for the Company), the payment of a total dividend of N22.7 billion, which is N3.00 per ordinary share of fifty kobo each for the 2012 financial year. The N3.00 per share is the same amount paid in the 2011 financial year.

B. A. Ogbebor, Deputy Chairman/MD, Nigerian Breweries Plc

be the biggest and most modern brewery in Nigeria. Operations in the Old Enugu Brewery were however discontinued in 2004, while the company acquired a malting Plant in Aba in 2008.

In October 2011, Nigerian Breweries acquired majority equity interests in Sona Systems Associates Business Management Limited, (Sona Systems) and Life Breweries Limited from Heineken N.V. This followed Heineken’s acquisition of controlling interests in five

2012=N=(‘Nm)

2011=N=(‘Nm)

% CHG

Turnover

252,674,213

211,071,805

19.71

Cost of sales

127,222,069

101,309,788

25.58

Gross Profit

125,452,144

109,762,017

14.29

Profit Before Taxation

55,624,366

56,397,879

-1.37

Profit After Taxation

38,042,714

38,050,756

-0.02

Operating Expenses

63,520,376

53,709,950

18.27

Shareholders fund

166,799,161

144,828,650

15.17

Interest Expenses

8,307,665

687

1209167

Current Asset

56,866,627

57,821,444

-1.65

Current Liabilities

86,834,468

90,872,546

-4.44

Fixed Assets

142,348,420

123,180,348

15.56

Current Assets-stocks

32,213,904

35,711,239

-9.79

Trade Debtors

22,699,699

13,834,774

64.08

Trade Creditors

61,692,692

57,111,710

8.02

Return on Equity (%)

22.81

26.27

Gross profit Margin (%)

49.65

52

Profit Margin (%)

15.06

18.03

Pre tax Profit Margin (%)

22.01

26.72

Current Ratio

0.65

0.64

Quick Ratio

0.37

0.39

Debtors(No of days)

32.79

23.92

Creditors(No of days)

177

205.76

Profitability Ratios

Liquidity Ratios

breweries in Nigeria from Sona Group in January 2011. Sona Systems’ two breweries in Ota and Kaduna, and Life Breweries in Onitsha have now become part of Nigerian Breweries Plc, together with the three brands: Goldberg Lager, Malta Gold and Life Continental lager. Thus, from the humble beginning in 1946, Nigerian Breweries now has eight operational breweries from which its high quality products are produced and distributed to all parts of Nigeria, in addition to the ultra modern malting plant in Aba and Kaduna.

Performance The audited financial year ended December 31, 2012 shows that its top line indices improved steadily for the third consecutive year. Gross earnings grew from N186 billion in 2010 to N252.7 billion in 2012. The turnover or revenue for the review period increased

Profitability Ratios/Earnings Return on equity (ROE) which reveals how much profit a company earned in comparison to the total amount of shareholders’ equity found on the balance sheet dropped from 26.27 per cent in the preceding year to 22.81 per cent in 2012.

Both gross profit margin and PBT margin in 2012 decreased over the 2011 figures. Gross profit margin dipped to 49.65 per cent, from 52.00 per cent while profit before tax margin declined by 4.71 basis points to 22.01 per cent in 2012.

The company’s total cost as a percentage of gross earnings stood at 84.94 per cent grew from 81.97 per cent recorded in the corresponding period of 2011. PAT margin currently stands at 15.06 per cent, down from 18.03 per cent in the corresponding period of 2011.

The overall results indicate that the previous year’s performance was better than the current year.

Liquidity Ratios One area that the management of Nigeria Breweries need to improve on is its assets quality. This is

because both current and quick ratios fall short of the common rule of thumb. The current ratio which expresses the relative relationship between current assets and current liabilities closed at 0.65:1 in 2012 compared with 0.64:1 in 2011. A rule of thumb suggests that a 2:1 ratio is ordinarily satisfactory. Similarly, quick ratio (acid -test ratio) which measures the debt-paying ability of a company also shows that the company would not be able to meet its financial obligation as when due. Quick ratios stood at 0.37:1, down from 0.39:1 figure recorded in 2011 and 1.5:1 minimum value for a company with strong assets base. This suggests that the brewing company could not meet its financial obligation as when due.

Asset Quality A cursory look at the balance sheet position in 2012 compared with the position as at 2011 shows that the company’s fixed assets recorded an increase, due largely to investment in production capacity and acquisition of Sona Systems and Life Breweries. Fixed assets increased by 15.6 per cent to N142.4 billion from N123.2 billion in 2011. Cash and bank balances decreased from N21.88 in financial year, 2011, to record N9.51 billion 2012.

Obviously, the drop in the cash and bank balances should be as a result of project finance.

Current assets dropped by 1.65 per cent to N56.87 billion from N57.8 billion in 2011 while shareholders’ funds closed at N166.8 billion from N144.83 billion in 2011. Stocks increased by 11 per cent to N24.65 billion from N22.11 billion in the previous period while trade debtors increased by 64 per cent to N22.7 billion from N13.83 billion, as trade creditors increased by 8.02 per cent to N61.69 billion in 2012 from N57.11 billion in comparable period in 2011.

Future It is obvious that demand for brewery products will remain strong in spite of the economic situation in the country.

However, high production cost, as a result of rising energy, power and packaging costs is putting pressure on profit margin in the industry.

There is also the need for the management to find ways to recover its weak liquidity.

Meanwhile, the expansion project embarked upon by the management in its various brewing sites is expected to generate more revenue in the future. BC

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business Courage A23 39

Monday, March 18, 2013

STOCKWATCH Stock Exchange weekly equities summary as at Friday, Mar 15, 2013 SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

AGRICULTURE/AGRO-ALLIED Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC 0.58 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. 55.00 PRESCO PLC 23.50 Fishing/Hunting/Trapping ELLAH LAKES PLC. NT Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. 2.21 CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. 1.64 CHELLARAMS PLC. NT JOHN HOLT PLC. 1.72 S C O A NIG. PLC. NT U A C N PLC. 55.00 CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. NT CAPPA & D’ALBERTO PLC. NT Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. NT G CAPPA PLC NT Non--Building/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. NT ROADS NIG PLC. NT Real Estate Development PINNACLE POINT GROUP PLC NT UACN PROPERTY DEV 16.00 Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC NT UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INV NT CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC 0.50 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. 4.78 GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. NT GUINNESS NIG PLC 275.50 INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. 21.85 JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NT NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. 166.80 PREMIER BREWERIES PLC NT Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. 47.50 Food Products BIG TREAT PLC NT DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC 9.01 DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC 8.30 FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. 76.25 HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC 2.98 MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NT N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. 24.60 NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC 9.10 P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. NT U T C NIG. PLC. 0.81 UNION DICON SALT PLC. NT Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. 33.57 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. 843.00 Household Durables BETA GLASS CO PLC. NT NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC. NT VITAFOAM NIG PLC. 3.86 VONO PRODUCTS PLC. NT Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. 41.00 UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. 53.50 Textiles/Apparel UNITED NIG. TEXTILES PLC. NT FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. 10.20 DIAMOND BANK PLC 7.25 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INC. 14.00 FIDELITY BANK PLC 3.16 FIRST CITY MONUMENT BANK PLC. 4.95 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. 24.91 SKYE BANK PLC 6.20 STERLING BANK PLC. 2.60 U B A PLC 8.29 UNION BANK NIG.PLC. 10.20 UNITY BANK PLC 0.80 WEMA BANK PLC. 1.18 ZENITH BANK PLC 21.58 Insurance Carriers, Brokers & Services AFRICAN ALLIANCE INS. COY. PLC NT AIICO INSURANCE PLC. 0.89 CONFIDENCE INSURANCE PLC NT CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INS. PLC NT CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC 1.05 CORNERSTONE INS. COY. PLC. 0.50 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED INS. PLC 1.99 EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. NT GOLDLINK INSURANCE PLC NT GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC 0.50 GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. NT INTERCONTINENTAL WAPIC INS. PLC 1.49 INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INS. PLC 0.50 INVESTMENT AND ALLIED ARN. NT LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. NT LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. 0.50 LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC 0.50 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC 2.50 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. NT N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. 0.89 NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. NT OASIS INSURANCE PLC NT PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. 0.83 REGENCY ALLIANCE INS. COY PLC NT SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC 0.50 STACO INSURANCE PLC NT STANDARD ALLIANCE INS. PLC. 0.50 UNIC INSURANCE PLC. 0.50 UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC NT UNIVERSAL INS. COMPANY PLC 0.50 Micro Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NT NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC 1.09 Mortgage Carriers, Brokers &Services ABBEY BUILDING SOCIETY PLC NT ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC 0.50 RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC 0.50 UNION HOMES SAVINGS&LOANS PLC NT Other Financial Institutions CRUSADER ( NIG) PLC. NT DEAP CAPITAL MGT & TRUST PLC 2.02 FBN HOLDINGS PLC 19.81 NIG SEW. MACH. MAN. CO. PLC. NT NIGERIA ENERYGY SECTOR FUND NT ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. 0.80 STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC 13.05 HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. 4.80 Medical Equipment UNION DIAGNOSTIC &CLINICAL PLC 0.50 Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. 2.23 Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. 1.70 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC 1.68 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER PLC 48.90 MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. 2.41

NOTE NT=Not Traded on 15-03-13

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

Previous

1 406 230 157 816 81 910

0.64 34.01 16.15

0.50 14.53 6.40

2 200 000 000 476 955 000 1 000 000 000

0.10 6.73 2.75

N/A 0.00 -7.08

0.56 55.00 25.29

NT

4.26

4.26

60 000 000

0.00

N/A

NT

713 590

1.70

0.48

1 199 549 736

0.11

0.00

2.21

379 164 NT 24 788 NT 67 190

2.54 7.60 8.82 8.28 42.50

0.74 5.81 5.32 5.52 28.70

2 191 895 983 963 900 300 389 151 408 821 666 666 1 600 720 323

0.08 0.24 0.00 0.35 6.89

#VALUE! N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT NT 1.81 NT 54.10

NT NT

26.00 95.49

14.09 95.49

148 500 000 196 876 000

0.00 4.50

N/A N/A

NT NT

NT NT

7.97 14.46

2.46 14.46

920 573 765 125 000 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

60 337 3 946

62.26 8.69

21.55 3.01

1 200 000 000 20 000 000

4.93 4.73

#VALUE! N/A

NT NT

NT 491 140

7.28 20.15

7.28 8.82

1 375 000 000

0.00 1.66

N/A #VALUE!

NT 14,9

NT NT

100.00 50.00

97.00 50.00

20 000 000 250 019 781

11.75 0.75

N/A N/A

NT NT

200 000

0.50

0.50

4 772 528 415

0.00

N/A

0.50

3 000 NT 109 060 102 341 NT 916 627 NT

4.63 0.68 265.00 12.83 3.20 138.85 0.97

2.23 0.68 186.00 5.23 1.61 72.50 0.93

900 000 000 272 160 000 1 474 925 519 2 112 914 681 562 000 000 7 562 562 340 126 000 000

0.00 0.03 9.46 0.25 0.00 5.08 0.00

N/A N/A 3.96 N/A N/A 2.65 N/A

4.15 NT 265.00 21.85 NT 162.50 NT

38 070

48.91

38.31

640 590 362

2.69

N/A

47.50

NT 400 521 3 299 567 355 152 2 057 520 NT 176 506 1 140 665 NT 174 649 NT

0.50 19.90 16.20 95.00 6.60 2.70 43.96 6.70 5.66 0.88 4.22

0.50 4.15 3.64 52.50 1.91 1.00 20.41 3.86 5.66 0.50 4.22

2 000 000 000 5 000 000 000 12 000 000 000 1 879 210 666 7 930 197 658 3 722 493 620 178 200 000

0.00 0.00 0.91 3.79 0.51 0.00 2.50 1.07 0.08 1.13 0.00

N/A -2.38 3.36 0.07 -2.30 N/A N/A -2.36 N/A 1.25 N/A

NT 9.23 8.03 76.20 3.05 NT 22.32 9.32 NT 0.80 NT

40 000 000 1 233 375 004 360 000 000

1 046 542 90 782

29.20 684.00

9.15 367.83

3 129 188 160 792 656 250

1.35 25.43

2.04 0.84

32.90 836.00

NT NT 174 900 NT

15.58 42.66 6.75 3.67

10.03 34.39 3.01 2.66

63 360 000 819 000 000 300 000 001

3.90 1.61 0.54 0.00

N/A N/A 0.00 N/A

NT NT 3.86 NT

12 942 444 230 661

43.50 41.60

22.07 22.56

3 176 381 636 3 783 296 250

0.70 1.44

1.49 2.61

40.40 52.14

NT

0.97

0.57

843 284 027

0.00

N/A

NT

50 692 198 4 089 053 68 206 149 15 508 832 3 866 633 20 518 469 14 934 862 3 979 102 20 774 328 2 613 069 21 298 569 3 043 556 16 092 447

11.70 9.27 17.05 3.20 8.30 20.30 10.17 2.91 5.21 10.07 1.92 1.75 21.10

4.76 2.01 9.97 1.14 3.04 11.64 2.73 0.97 1.64 1.96 0.50 0.50 11.70

17 888 251 479 14 475 243 105 9 873 614 567 28 974 797 023 16 271 192 202 29 146 482 209 13 219 334 676 12 563 091 545 32 334 693 693 13 509 726 273 33 675 576 085 12 821 249 880 31 396 493 790

1.42 0.90 2.81 0.43 0.60 2.10 0.71 0.54 0.67 0.00 0.00 0.00 2.09

-11.30 -0.82 0.72 -1.56 -1.98 0.40 0.00 0.39 3.37 1.90 0.00 -1.67 -0.55

11.50 7.31 13.90 3.21 5.05 24.81 6.20 2.59 8.02 10.01 0.84 1.20 21.70

NT 17 001 380 NT NT 2 524 310 3 028 915 10 683 096 NT NT 10 000 NT 1 263 300 127 000 NT NT 123 965 123 965 2 962 820 NT 13 410 084 NT NT 9 776 000 NT 19 970 694 NT 60 000 708 026 NT 3 627

0.50 1.01 0.64 0.50 1.20 0.50 3.51 0.50 0.69 0.50 0.50 0.80 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 1.93 0.50 0.66 1.11 0.50 2.35 0.50 0.52 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

0.50 0.50 0.61 0.50 0.61 0.50 1.31 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.95 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

20 585 000 000 7 809 391 256 211 626 000 6 000 000 000 10 372 624 157 8 820 010 363 5 100 846 808 8 847 298 420 4 549 947 000 3 827 485 380 720 000 000 5 061 804 000 6 420 427 449 28 000 000 000 7 323 313 227 3 437 330 500 4 083 713 569 10 000 000 000 7 998 705 336 5 332 830 881 5 649 693 923 5 003 506 791 2 508 315 436 6 668 750 000 5 203 757 266 6 141 087 609 8 493 173 450 2 581 733 505 13 000 000 000 16 000 000 000

0.00 0.05 0.00 0.05 0.14 0.02 0.28 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00 0.00 0.03 0.16 0.01 0.37 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.04 0.09 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.02 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A 0.00 0.00 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A 0.00 2.88 N/A -3.26 N/A N/A #VALUE! N/A 0.00 N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.94 NT NT 1.05 NT 2.00 NT NT 0.50 NT NT 0.50 NT NT NT 0.50 2.43 NT 0.92 NT NT 0,78 NT 0.51 NT NT NT NT NT

NT 15 000

6.00 1.15

0.00 1.00

NT 10 000 610 000 1

1.51 0.50 0.50 0.99

1.33 0.50 0.50 0.50

4 200 000 000 8 679 148 676 13 175 732 404 7 812 500 000

0.03 0.02 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 0.50 NT

NT 900 12 391 898 NT NT 746 297 1 587 849

0.61 2.02 17.01 0.15 552.20 0.66 11.38

0.50 2.02 8.50 0.15 555.20 0.50 6.40

3 778 005 975 1 333 333 333 32 632 084 358 5 880 000 2 500 000 3 608 657 661 18 750 000 000

0.00 0.00 3.03 0.00 12.65 0.00 0.87

N/A N/A -0.95 N/A N/A N/A 0.54

NT NT 20.00 NT NT 0.80 12.98

100

5.31

5.05

498 600 908

0.12

N/A

NT

3 500

0.50

0.50

3 553 138 528

0.00

N/A

0.50

7 410

10.54

7.39

152 178 750

0.06

N/A

2.23

167 031 6 566 789 301 411 89 890

1.45 3.20 39.00 5.61

0.50 0.76 19.30 1.62

486 473 856 1 500 000 000 956 701 192 980 000 000

0.00 0.44 2.62 0.20

1.80 3.07 -2.20 2.99

1.67 1.63 50.00 2.34

N/A=Not Avialable

0.01 0.07

NT 1.14

SECURITY

PRICE (=N=)

NEIMETH INT PHARM PLC 0.99 NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. 8.17 PHARMA-DEKO PLC. 2.30 ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SLN PLC 0.50 Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC 0.50 Electronic Communications Services MTECH COMMUNICATIONS PLC NT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. 18.45 TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC. NT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC 0.50 E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC NT Telecommunications Carriers STARCOMMS PLC NT Telecommunications Services IHS NIGERIA PLC PREF SHARES NT IHS PLC NT MTI PLC NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials AFRICAN PAINTS (NIGERIA) PLC. NT ASHAKA CEM PLC 23.00 BERGER PAINTS PLC 9.96 CAP PLC 36.10 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC 12.99 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC 141.50 DN MEYER PLC. NT FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC NT IPWA PLC 0.97 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. 71.88 PAINTS & COATINGS MANFACT.PLC NT PORTLAND PAINTS & PRDT NIG. PLC 5.00 PREMIER PAINTS PLC. NT Electronic and Electrical Products AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC NT CUTIX PLC. 1.90 NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. NT NIGERIAN WIRE IND. PLC NT Packaging/Containers ABPLAST PRODUCTS PLC. NT AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS 1.90 BETA GLASS CO PLC. 9.49 GREIF NIGERIA PLC NT NIG. BAGS MANFACT. COY PLC 2.70 POLY PRODUCTS (NIG) PLC. NT W A GLASS IND. PLC. NT Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC NT STOKVIS NIG PLC. NT NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. 7.57 Metals ALUMACO PLC NT ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. NT Non-Metallic Mineral Mining MULTIVERSE PLC NT Paper/Forest Products HALLMARK PAPER PRODUCTS PLC. NT THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. NT OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SER. PLC 0.76 Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC 16.85 Petroleum &Petroleum Products Distributors AFROIL PLC NT BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 0.50 CONOIL PLC 25.20 ETERNA PLC. 3.72 FORTE OIL PLC. 14.33 MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. 124.00 MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. 27.55 TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. 161.00 SERVICES Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC NT Apparel Retailers LENNARDS (NIG) PLC. NT Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. 2.27 Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC 3.78 TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. NT Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. 0.59 Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC 0.50 Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC 6.27 IKEJA HOTEL PLC 0.86 TOURIST COMPANY OF NIGERIA PLC. NT TRANSNATIONAL CORP. OF NIG.PLC 1.95 Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC 0.50 Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. 2.05 LEARN AFRICA PLC 1.93 STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. NT UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. 4.72 Road Transportation ABC TRANSPORT PLCPLC 0.66 Specialty INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC NT SECURE ELECTRONIC TECH.PLC NT Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC 5.00 NIG. AVIATION HANDLING COY PLC 7.95 ASeM CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC NT CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC 0.97 Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. 0.60 HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals AFRIK PHARMACEUTICALS PLC. NT INDUSTRIAL GOODS Electronic and Electrical Products NT ADSWITCH PLC. 1.63 NATURAL RESOURCES Metals W.A. ALUM. PRODUCTS PLC. NT OIL AND GAS Petroleum & Petroleum Products Distributors ANINO INTERNATIONAL PLC. NT CAPITAL OIL PLC 0.50 RAK UNITY PET. COMP. PLC. NT UNION VENTURES & PET. PLC NT SERVICES Apparel Retailers UDEOFSON GARMENT FACT. NIG PLC NT Food/Drug Retailers and Wholesalers NT JULI PLC. 2.76 ETF’s Sector ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND 2 638.00

QUANTITY

52 WK HIGH

52 WK LOW

SHARES OUTSTANDING

EPS

MOV. (%)

Previous

125 239 362 28 000

1.96 12.91 4.28

0.76 8.59 3.50

1 925 717 268 153 786 012 100 000 000

0.09 0.00 0.00

4.21 N/A N/A

0.95 NT NT

212 000

0.52

0.50

2 960 000 000

0.10

0.00

0.50

1 000

0.50

0.50

2 941 789 472

0.00

N/A

0.50

NT

0.91

0.91

4 966 666 668

0.00

N/A

NT

28 000 NT

18.28 3.59

13.12 2.41

108 000 000 492 825 600

0.00 0.01

N/A N/A

18.45 NT

13 873 NT

0.50 4.97

0.50 4.04

4 620 600 000 4 200 000 000

0.00 0.04

N/A N/A

0.50 NT

NT

1.47

0.50

6 878 478 096

0.00

N/A

NT

NT NT NT

2.25 3.50 0.50

0.00 2.46 0.50

4 400 000 000 4 893 594 400

0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A

NT NT NT

NT 2 285 093 72 412 19 754 665 620 250 774 NT NT 1 112 980 433 185 NT 1 000 NT

3.32 30.00 12.57 43.98 15.49 132.51 3.51 0.75 0.99 56.50 3.36 5.28 13.40

2.86 9.10 7.27 14.50 4.20 95.00 0.93 0.50 0.91 37.00 0.52 2.27 10.93

260 000 000 2 239 453 125 217 367 585 560 000 000 1 241 548 285 15 494 019 668 242 908 200 2 109 928 275 513 696 000 3 001 600 004 792 914 256 400 000 000 75 000 000

0.00 2.14 1.09 2.28 1.47 8.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 4.10 0.26 0.23 0.00

N/A -4.17 0.00 -0.55 20.17 -0.70 N/A N/A N/A 4.17 N/A N/A N/A

NT 24.00 9.96 36.30 10.81 142.50 NT NT 0.90 69.00 1.76 NT NT

NT 821 438 NT NT

2.00 2.50 0.73 2.58

2.00 1.33 0.50 2.58

510 396 608 2 220 000 000 15 000 000

0.03 0.11 0.00 0.00

N/A 8.57 N/A N/A

NT 1.75 NT NT

NT 1 711 23 600 NT 2 717 101 NT NT

3.98 6.91 12.71 15.03 3.60 1.86 0.63

3.98 2.19 9.53 13.28 1.60 1.05 0.63

N/A N/A

42 640 000 6 215 000 000 240 000 000 199 066 550

0.00 0.05 0.05 0.90 0.24 0.22 0.00

N/A 0.00 N/A N/A

NT NT 9.49 NT 2.70 NT NT

NT NT

8.69 0.14

8.26 0.14

265 409 280 2 918 000

0.00 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

25 000 000 683 974 528

67 936

9.20

5.70

393 120 000

0.76

0.00

7.57

NT NT

7.75 12.39

7.75 10.55

75 600 000 100 000 000

0.00 0.43

N/A N/A

NT NT

NT

0.50

0.50

4 058 989 226

0.00

N/A

NT

NT NT

3.22 1.38

3.22 1.38

50 000 000 220 000 000

0.04 0.00

N/A N/A

NT NT

14 520 869

1.02

0.54

6 262 701 716

0.13

5.56

0.72

4 248 458

24.80

10.94

2 262 711 568

1.73

-6.08

17.94

NT 10 000 20 425 283 378 112 543 17 877 6 745 50 213

20.71 0.70 41.89 5.59 28.69 163.50 72.00 240.00

20.71 0.50 19.61 2.12 9.12 111.51 32.29 125.00

125 487 475 3 716 976 579 693 952 117 1 249 162 828 1 080 280 628 300 496 051 253 988 672 339 521 837

0.00 0.00 0.47 0.61 0.00 6.11 3.62 14.63

N/A N/A 0.00 2.20 11.26 -0.80 N/A 8.70

NT 0.50 25.20 3.64 12.88 125.00 27.55 148.11

NT

0.72

0.50

4 035 497 307

0.00

N/A

NT

NT

3.48

3.48

0.19

N/A

NT

2 545 674

3.65

1.12

980 294 400

0.21

2.71

2.21

136 418 NT

3.67 6.40

2.11 3.28

589 496 310 198 819 763

0.58 0.25

0.00 N/A

3.78 NT

1 830 000

1.64

0.85

865 808 912

0.08

N/A

0.67

400

0.75

0.50

3 211 627 907

0.01

N/A

0.50

10 000 97 000 NT 27 080 317

8.00 2.59 4.76 1.95

3.00 1.16 4.31 0.50

1 548 780 000 2 078 796 396 1 772 884 297 25 813 998 283

0.18 0.92 0.00 0.22

N/A 0.00 N/A 0.00

6.27 0.86 NT 1.95

10 000

0.50

0.50

8 000 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.50

52 200 202 132 NT 33 718

3.68 8.00 2.92 6.82

1.64 1.94 2.78 3.09

403 200 000 771 450 000 425 641 111

0.14 0.29 0.01 0.50

N/A N/A N/A 4.89

2.05 2.03 NT 4.50

1 276 243

0.80

0.50

1 507 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.59

NT NT

5.15 1.88

4.90 0.80

236 699 511 5 631 539 736

0.00 0.03

N/A N/A

NT NT

81 500 189 823

2.78 11.75

1.54 5.15

634 000 000 1 230 468 750

0.38 0.81

N/A -1.73

4.75 8.09

NT

1.43

1.04

45 000 000

0.12

N/A

NT

11 000

1.02

1.02

201 885 335

0.00

N/A

0.97

500

0.60

0.60

30 000 000

0.00

N/A

0.60

NT

0.50

0.50

24 898 850

0.00

N/A

NT

NT 500

1.88

1.63

125 005 250

0.00

N/A

NT 1.63

NT

0.50

0.50

6 650 000

0.00

N/A

NT

NT 20 000 NT NT

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

0.21 0.50 0.31 0.63

24 200 000 5 857 500 000 15 000 000 98 600 000

0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

N/A N/A N/A N/A

NT 0.50 NT NT

NT NT 16 000

0.50

0.50

20 000 000

0.00

N/A

3.05

2.76

194 700 000

0.00

N/A

NT NT 2.76

100

2 706

2 422

0.00

2 638.00

40

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

On your next visit to the land of peace...

Ghana

We’re there for your financial interest

ENERGYBANK

...supporting your aspirations +HDG 2IĂ€FH GNAT Heights, 30, Independence Avenue, Accra www.energybankghana.com Contacts: info@energybankghana.com +233302234033-4, +233302234309

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

41

Law & Justice nationalmirrorlaw@yahoo.com

“Where the freedom of an individual is curtailed or abridged, it must be shown that such act is brought within the confines of the law.”

FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF NIGERIA, DAHIRU MUSDAPHER

Dynasty of lawyers

Over a century after Christopher Sapara Williams became the first Nigerian lawyer to be called to the English Bar at the Inner Temple, several families have since joined the fray, producing generations of Barristers, writes FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head, Judiciary.

Legal Aid Council committed to justice delivery –DG 42

Williams. INSET: Ladi

U How Umanah operated ‘Wonder Bank’ 47

The Court rescued me – Ogundare 47

ndoubtedly, some families in Nigeria have produced a dynasty of lawyers. Interestingly too, many of the products of these families are still embracing the legal profession. Notable among such families is the family of the late Chief Frederick Rotimi Alade Williams (SAN).

Eminent Supreme Court jurist, Justice Kayode Eso, now late, at a commemorative seminar lecture in 2004 in honour of Williams, stated thus: “probably the greatest law advocate this continent has yet produced, he is definitely the most outstanding, most renowned and most eagerly sought after notwithstanding the fact that he is already over eighty years in age and with a continued law practice for over sixty years.’’

It was an occasion to mark Williams’ 60th year in legal practice and the forum attracted the cream of the legal profession at the Auditorium of the Nigerian Law School, Victoria Island on February 18, 2004.

As Eso rightly observed, “Chief Williams has, in his sixty years of practice at the Nigerian and English Bars, appeared in every hierarchy of court in this nation.’’

Williams, the second of four generations of a dynasty of lawyers, was the first black Attorney- General in Africa. He was also the first African to be appointed to the rank of Queen’s Counsel. He and Dr. Nebo Graham Douglas, who, was a onetime Attorney- General of the Federation, were the first two to be admitted to the Nigerian Inner Bar and advanced to the status of SAN.

Akinjide. INSET: Jumoke

THREE OF WILLIAMS’ FOUR CHILDREN ARE

LAWYERS NAMELY,

LADI, FOLARIN AND TOKUNBO, TWO OF WHOM ARE ALSO

SANS

The late Williams qualified as lawyer in 1944 and was gifted with an unmistakable and outstandingly commanding figure with a proportionate weight.

In the field of law, where this legend reigned supreme, he earned in the mid50s the nickname of “Timi the Law.” Williams’ was one person who could argue opposing points with equal plausibility.

In addition, three of Williams’ four children are lawyers namely, Ladi, Folarin and Tokunbo, two of whom are also SANs. Among his grandchildren who have been called to the Bar are; Kunle and F.R.A (111).

The Sofola family of Ikenne, Ogun State can also boast of having produced three generations of lawyers in the country. The late former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kehinde Sofola (SAN) was the family’s patriarch.

In a paper tilted: ‘’The Role of Lawyers in creating a better Nigeria’’ delivered

by Lagos state Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola to commemorate the fifth anniversary lecture of late Sofola on March 27, 2010, he said ‘’ the late Kehinde Sofola’s name is synonymous with the best traditions of the bar.

Mbanefo

‘’Mr. Kehinde Sofola’s name is also synonymous with discipline and people who knew him personally and by reputation can attest to this. He was a disciplined lawyer’s lawyer, whose love for the profession manifested in so many positive ways. Tales abound of how he would stop counsel in the hallways of court premises or even in the street, to correct their dressing and posture or admonish their lack of decorum.’’ When he was alive, he was always seen crossing swords with the giants of the bar like Williams, Chief G.O.K Ajayi (SAN), Harry Lardner (SAN), T.A.Bankole-Oki (SAN), Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) and Prof. Kasunmu (SAN) to mention but a few.”

After his demise, his younger brother, Chief Idowu Sofola (SAN), has assumed a fatherly role in ensuring that successive Sofola generations embrace the legal profession.

Today, the late Kehinde Sofola’s son, Kunle, is a SAN while Olusina, Chief Idowu Sofola’s son has also been admitted into the inner Bar. The family has equally produced a number of lawyers.

The family of the former AttorneyGeneral of the Federation, Chief Richard Akinjide (SAN) has also generated a dynasty of lawyers. Akinjide is a member of not only the Nigerian Bar, but also the English Bar and the Gambian Bar. Today, he is one of the leading lawyers with the finest conduct at the Bar. National Mirror gathered that the Akinjide family has produced about 10 lawyers to date. Notable among them are, the Minister of the Federal Capital TerriCONTINUED ON PAGE 46

42

Law & Justice

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Legal Aid Council committed to Mrs. Joy Bob-Manuel is the Director-General of the Legal Aid Council. In this interview with EMMANUEL ONANI, she speaks on the council’s quest to deliver justice to the poor in the society. Excerpts.

What are the activities and programmes of the Legal Aid Council?

Legal Aid Council was set up in 1976 by President Olusegun Obasanjo, who was then a military leader and our main founder, was Chief Chimezie Ikeazor (SAN), who is now late. He was one of the foreign-trained lawyers, who thought that Nigeria was ripe enough to have a legal aid system; a welfare package on justice for poor people to access justice without paying.

And, of course, you know that that touches on the rule of law. So, the Act took one or two amendments during the military era. But, the most transformational amendment during the Umaru Yar Adua/ Goodluck Jonathan administration was the assent to the new Legal Aid Act. President Jonathan assented to our new Act in 2011. So, we have a new Act that has increased the scope of our job and we now take up armed robbery cases, for instance.

They constitute the highest bulk of the Awaiting Trial Persons (ATPs).

Also, our civil jurisdiction has expanded and as we know in the 21st Century, the tendency is to resolve problems by ADR, which is Alternative Dispute Resolution, before you now think of taking it to court. So, we have the jurisdiction to do both civil and criminal and that is what we do. Legal Aid Council has about 280 lawyers that are being paid.

They are very passionate about Legal Aid Council and how its services can really be meaningful to the poor. Therefore, they have given us the go-ahead to open these offices in 36 states; in fact, most of them think we should be in every Local Government, but for the funds. So, for now, we have about 13 offices. I can say we are now progressing into the real meaning of community legal service, by using what we call the para-legal system. This transformational Act also gives us the mandate to supervise this system; people can know their legal rights more. But for now, we have those offices because, the judiciary is not sleeping and they are everywhere, the prison service is also everywhere, so where we have good prisons, magistrate courts, we will have our offices near there. And, therefore, the people around there don’t have to go to the state capital and that is another way of helping the poor.

We have been lucky to have a few agencies that partnered with us as a well-structured organisation and explore us as lead agent to change some of the challenging situations we find in our judiciary; especially the criminal justice system. One of these agencies

Bob-Manuel

LEGAL AID COUNCIL HAS ABOUT 280 LAWYERS THAT ARE BEING PAID.

THEY

ARE VERY PASSIONATE ABOUT

LEGAL AID

COUNCIL AND HOW ITS SERVICES CAN REALLY BE MEANINGFUL TO THE POOR used us to initiate solicitors to stay in Police stations. We call this the PDSS, Police Duty Solicitor Scheme.

We have a Memorandum of Understanding with the police and because of lack of funds; we had to choose a few stations in a few states. So, we have about nine states as pilot scheme. We do this so that awaiting trial persons would not stay too long in prisons. We are talking of our own side, we also know that why the Police give them remand is that the charge has to go through a system; between the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions, (DPP), and the

DPP has to advice appropriately.

I must point out that a magistrate court cannot for instance, handle charges like armed robbery, it has to been taken to the High Court and prior to that the DPP’s advice would be given. So, when we talk of criminal justice system, it is quite a complex system.

So, you cannot blame one person or the other and that is why these agencies come and they say let us look at these problems and call all the agencies and let us all decide on what the problems are, with a view to trying to resolve them. So, we have workshops, and there is also Software that they developed that can help to track cases between the Police and DPP. If these efforts are multiplied in 36 states, it will go a long way. Unfortunately, it is not. But, we are very excited about being the lead agent to start a programme that changes the mindset of everybody. The offender should know that he is entitled to a lawyer, and they should know that the lawyers are there, who are free. Then, the police should know that they have to inform them. It is the right of an offender to know he is entitled to a lawyer. Also, the lawyers themselves should be up and doing in representation. Then, on the other

hand, are the police and the ministry of justice that give the advice. The World Bank chose us again in civil jurisdiction, but as it is usual with them, they also choose one or two states.

What is the level of involvement of the Legal Aid Council in prison decongestion?

We have all agreed that the prisons are congested. Our work is to represent the inmates and decongest the prisons.

So, as far as we are here in 2013, we are decongesting. There is a fund that was kept to decongest the prisons. It is not that fund that matters; it is the ability of all concerned to make sure that the awaiting trial cases are resolved. So, for now we don’t have that fund, if that is what you mean. But, our job and mandate as Legal Aid Council, is to continuously go to all the prisons. We have at least four lawyers per state and we do our best to go round, enter the prisons, get information. In fact, we have a very robust relationship with the prison service. And they give us their monthly reports of who is not represented. Remember, many of the awaiting trial inmates also have their private lawyers, who represent them. But, those who are not represented, the list are given to us and

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justice delivery –DG WE HAVE A NEW ACT THAT HAS INCREASED THE SCOPE OF OUR JOB AND WE NOW TAKE UP ARMED ROBBERY CASES we share the cases among ourselves.

Then, we want to increase our numerical capacity by continuously enrolling pro bono lawyers and then assign some of these cases if we are given some more time.

Explain the council’s programmes for the communities and their sources of funding?

As I have told you, we have some donors who look at the problem and they decide on how they want to resolve it.

For instance, the police duty solicitors scheme, sponsored by OSGI and they just said five years and that is to train our lawyers, train the police, train judiciary on best practices; on how we can reduce the number of detainees or awaiting trial persons. They have the funds, which they use the way they like. So, it is not as if they give us the money for us to do what we like with it.

Basically, we depend on our funds from government and as I have always said, we need to look at the areas of our challenges and one of such areas

is, is the project vehicle. How do these lawyers go to court? In our own little way, we resolved to give them a grant , which we call a working grant each month to enable them go to court and then make little payments here and there. But, the judiciary has been up and doling. We do not pay for filing of

processes; that the judiciary does for us. So, we have resolved certain things within what the government can give us. Every year we go for appropriation, we make our point known that we would have liked to have more project vehicles. But, there was a reform in the past that monetized a lot of things.

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How will you access your two years in office? How many cases have you handled in the last two years?

As they say, let history judge. I shouldn’t be the one judging myself.

But, I will say for instance that, when I came in, I met 80 lawyers and because I know that we cannot achieve much. I was given permission and we recruited and brought the number up to 280. Every MDA we have taken charge of their own demand? And we have also applied again to show that our mandate needs enough lawyers.

Fortunately for us, at the UN session of 2012, the government also promised the UN that access to justice for the poor will be one of their priorities and that one of the ways it will do it is to increase the number of lawyers.

So, all round people are aware of legal aid and what needs to be done. But, of course the fund is for everybody. So, one person cannot get what the person really wants. Be that as it may, we have increased our number of cases.

What is your take on the alleged corruption in the judiciary?

If you look at the justice system, we are all in different groups. We are in the ministry of justice and I have to make my point clear so that the public do not misunderstand my position.

The judiciary is a very important part of the justice sector because it is the last hope of the common man. We represent and we take our case to a judge or magistrate and whatever comes out of it is very important; either you get a favourable judgement or not. So, the judiciary is the last bus stop in all that we do.

Case Review: Shortfall in the payment of filing fees DAPO TUNDE-OLOWU Critique of the decision of the Court of Appeal in ENGR. IBEAWUCHI & ORS V. MR. IKPOKPO & 3 ORS

O

n 16 January 2013, the Port Harcourt Division of the Court of Appeal ruled in Engr. Okey Ibeawuchi & 4 Ors v. Mr. Samuel Ikpokpo & 3 Ors that failure to pay the appropriate filing fees for Notices of Appeal is a fundamental defect which robs the Court of Appeal of the jurisdiction to entertain an appeal.

This situation has arisen because over the years, Notices of Appeal have been under assessed by the Appeals Registrar of at the High Court of Rivers State. The number of appeals affected by this defect cannot be immediately ascertained, however it would appear that a significant number of the Notices of Appeal filed in the recent years are tainted with this defect and are liable to be struck out. There is also a possibility that Notices of Appeal filed in other registries in the various States of Nigeria may also be affected. The consequences of a blanket application of the ruling in Ibeawuchi can only be better imagined. This article therefore attempts to examine the implication of this ruling with a view to making suggestions towards preserving appeals tainted with this defect.

Briefly, the facts of Ibeawuchi’s case as distilled from the ruling of the Port Har-

court Division of the Court of Appeal are that the appeal was set down for hearing on 8 January, 2013, the record of appeal having been transmitted on 25 August 2009. At page s 167 to 173 of the Record of Appeal was the notice of appeal. Endorsed at page 173 of the record were two stamps from the cashier’s office of the High Court of River State with a date of 19 March 2009 suggesting that the notice of appeal was filed on the said date.

The notice of appeal was signed by counsel to the appellant.

As there was no endorsement as to the fees paid for the filing of the appeal, the court drew the attention of counsel to the appellant to page 173 of the record and inquired from him how much was paid as filing fees for the appeal. Counsel responded by saying that the sum of N2,600 was paid as assessed by the registrar of appeal. The court then drew counsel’s attention to Order 12, Rule 1 and the Third Schedule of the Court of Appeal Rules, 2007 and enquired if the said fees, as allegedly assessed by the Registrar was sufficient to ignite the appeal in view of the provisions of Order 12, Rule 1 of the 2007 Rules (which is in pari materia with Order 12, Rule 1 of the 2011 Rules). Order 12, Rule 1 of the 2011 Rules provides as follows: “Save as hereinafter provided, the fees prescribed in the Third Schedule hereto shall be charged in respect of mattes which they are respectively assigned and shall be paid to the Registry of the court below or of the Court as the case may be.”

PARTIAL OR INADEQUATE PAYMENT OF FILING FEE RENDERS THE PROCESS BOTH INCHOATE AND INVALID In response, the Appellant’s counsel’s position was that the inadequate assessment was the fault of registry and not the appellant and that the fees paid were as assessed by the Registrar of the lower court. He also argued that where a litigant has done all within his powers, and there is an omission as a result of the negligence of the registrar, such negligence should not be visited on the innocent litigant. He also maintained that in the interest of justice, the appellant should be asked to pay the balance.

In a ruling delivered on 16 January 2013, the Court of Appeal following the decision of the Supreme Court in Abia State Transport Corporation v. Quorum Consortium Limited (2009) 9 NWLR (Pt. 1145) 1, struck out the appeal and held as follows: “The statutory requirement that the appellant shall pay filing fees stipulated in the third schedule to the 2007 Rules of this Court as directed by Order 12 Rule 1 thereof, is not only mandatory but also fundamental to the proceedings. It is a condition precedent to the filing of a valid Notice of Appeal. The non-compliance therefore goes to the root.

See Onwugbufor v. Okoye (supra); Seven-

Up Bottling Co. Ltd v. Yahaya (supra); Madukolu v. Nkemdilim (supra). In the words of Salami JCA (as he then was) in Seven-Up Bottling Co. Ltd v. Yahaya (supra) at 55; it is the duty of the appellant to pay the appropriate fee to enable the court’s function to start. Unless the fee for filing Notice of Appeal against a final decision of the High Court was previously paid, as charged under Order 12 Rule 1 and the third Schedule to the 2007 Rules of his Court, the appeal has not been kick-started and this court cannot exercise its jurisdiction over such process or Notice of Appeal. Partial or inadequate payment of filing fee renders the process both inchoate and invalid as at the time of filing of the process, the filing of the process is only complete upon payment of the balance or shortfall. Accordingly, where time is of the essence and upon the effluxion of time, the late payment does not revive the process.

The Notice of Appeal purportedly filed on 19th March 2009 is incompetent and is hereby struck out. The payment of N2, 600.00 as filing fees, alleged without proof by the Appellant’s Counsel, falls short of the filing fee for Notice of Appeal against final judgment or decision of a High Court stipulated in Order 12 Rule 1, read together with the Third Schedule to the 2007 Rules of this court.”

Tunde-Olowu, A lawyer and partner in the Dispute Resolution Group of AELEX writes from Lagos.

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

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45

Events Lagos State Judiciary commissioned an ultra modern office complex of the State Judicial Service Commission in Ikeja recently.

Here are some of the dignitaries at the ceremony held in honour of former Lagos State Chief Judge, late Justice Adetunji Adefarasin.

Former Chief Judges of Lagos State, Justice Omotunde Ilori and Justice Ade Alabi.

Cross- section of judges of the Lagos state high court.

L-R : Son of late Justice Adefarasin, Pastor Wale Adefarasin, his mother, Mrs Hilda Adefarasin and her grand-daughter.

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN) and the State Chief Judge, Justice Ayotunde Phillips.

L-R: Justice Yetunde Idowu, Justice Oludotun Adefope-Okojie and Justice Kazeem Alogba of the State high Court.

L-R: Former Attorney- General of Lagos State, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), the Solicitor- General of Lagos State, Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN) and another guest.

Activities at the courts were paralysed last week due to the strike embarked upon by the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Lawyers, judiciary workers and litigants locked out of the gate of Court of Appeal, Lagos during the JUSUN strike.

Another group of Lawyers and litigants at the gate of Court of Appeal, Lagos.

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‘The top of the legal profession is refreshing’

Sofola

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 41 tory (FCT), Jumoke Akinjide, a Harvard-trained lawyer and her brother, Abayomi, a Cambridge –trained lawyer and an investment expert, who is a senior partner of Akinjide & Co in the City of London.

Another shinning star in that family is the Dundeetrained Omonike.

In a letter of congratulations dated April 20, 2010 addressed to Chief Theodore Ezeobi (SAN) during a reception marking the Call to the Bar of his five children, Chief Akinjide proudly wrote” The tenth lawyer in my family, my granddaughter is now an undergraduate in the University of Cambridge.’’

Former Chairman, Body of Benchers (BOB), Chief George Uwechue (SAN), in a similar letter to Ezeobi, gladly stated that ‘’ seven members of my family have joined me in the legal profession. My youngest sister, Mrs. Monica Mbanefo, my late wife, Mrs. Tina Uwechue, my niece, Mrs. Chinye Uwechue-Akpati, my youngest brother, Paul Uwechue and my first three children, Mrs. Sally Uweuche-Mbanefo, Mrs. Ifeoma Uweuche-Wachuku and my first son, George Uwechue Jr) are all members of the legal profession.’’

The Mbanefo family is renowned to have produced the first Igbo lawyer, the late Sir Louis Mbanefo. The deceased later became the Chief Justice of Eastern Nigeria and former Justice of Supreme Court.

At the presentation of a book titled: Evergreen Memories of Sir Louis Mbanefo, written by Mr. Ekong Sampson, a former diplomat, Chief Arthur Mbanefo said the late jurist was a beacon of life to those close to him. Today, his son, Louis Nnamdi Mbanefo (SAN) is a leading maritime lawyer in the country.

Mention can also be made of the famous Benson family of Ikorodu in Lagos. The mentor of successive lawyers in the family was the late First Republic politician, Otunba T.O. S Benson (SAN), who qualified as a lawyer in 1947.

T.O. S Benson and Co, Poroye Chambers was said to have had over 20 retainers from several commercial companies, including the first generation insurance firms in the country. Late Benson’s eldest daughter, Titilola Ibironke (now late) was also a lawyer married to Mr, Babatunde Ibironke, ex-Director, Nigerian Law School.

In a recent interview with the National Mirror recently, the deceased’s younger brother, Chief Babatunde Benson (SAN) said the Benson extended family has produced no fewer than 17 lawyers. He said his nuclear family had produced the following: his daughter, Justice Olubunmi Femi-Adeniyi and son, Omotunde Idowu Benson, who is the head of his chambers.

The Ademola family has also impacted on the le-

Uwechue

Idigbe

THE TENTH LAWYER IN MY FAMILY, MY GRANDDAUGHTER IS IN THE UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE gal profession in the country. The late Sir Adetokunbo Ademola was the first indigenous Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN). His son, the late Justice Adenekan Ademola was a lawyer and later judge, who retired as a Justice of the Court of Appeal. That family also produced Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court.

The Idigbe family of Delta State has also produced several lawyers. Beginning from the late Justice Chukwuweike Idigbe, his son, Anthony and some of his siblings, the family is still producing a dynasty of lawyers. The Onagurowa family of Odogbolu, Ogun State is known to have produced the likes of Gilbert Onagoruwa, the ex-Attorney-General of the Federation, Dr. Olu Onagoruwa and Tokunbo Onagoruwa and some of their children, among others, as lawyers.

Agbakoba family is also renowned to have produced a number of lawyers. Lagos Lawyer, Mr. Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) is the son of a former High Court of judge in the East.

Other families that are striving to produce dynasty of lawyers include the Belgore family of Ilorin, Kwara State that produce the late former Chief Judge, Federal High Court, Justice Babatunde Belgore , his cousin, Justice S.M.A Belgore and also Mr. Dele Belgore (SAN).

Also , the Theodore Ezeobi immediate family of Awgbu, Anambra State, whose five children have all been called to the Bar and the Onyeabo Obi family and Alhaji Olufemi Okunnu family.

The Fawehinmi family is also in the league. That family has the likes of Justice Rasheed Fawehinmi, the late Gani Fawehinmi and a number of their children who have joined the legal profession.

Practising law can be very exciting and challenging.

As Akinjide wrote in ‘’Advocacy, Ethics and the Bar’’ , it is totally a misconception for newly qualified person from the Law School to think that he holds a passport to immediate earnings and self-support in private practice.

All he holds at this stage is a certificate to learn how to practice law. That certificate is not yet a meal ticket. ‘’Practically in all jurisdictions, the legal profession is like a pyramid. Nigeria is no exception. The base is very crowded; but there is plenty of room at the top.

The top is refreshing and succulent. You have to work hard to get there; and you need to work harder to remain there.’’

Belgore

KNOW YOUR RIGHTS HOW TO EXECUTE A WARRANT OF ARREST •A warrant of arrest may be issued or executed on any day including a Sunday or a public holiday.

•Once a warrant is issued, it cannot however be executed in a court room while the court is sitting or in a legislative house while the house is in session except with the permission of the President or Speaker of the legislative house.

•A warrant of arrest is executed when the police officer or other persons to whom the warrant is directed arrests the suspect or offender.

•Where the offender resists arrests, the police officer executing the warrant of arrest must notify the person of substance of the warrant and show the warrant to the offender at the time of the arrest.

•If the warrant of arrest was not immediately available at the time of the arrest, the officer executing the warrant of arrest may still arrest the offender.

•Once the warrant of arrest has been executed, it expires and can therefore no longer be used to make another arrest or used to arrest the first person to whom it was directed.

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47

How Umanah operated ‘Wonder Bank’ A Port Harcourt businessman, Umanah Umanah, and his company, Resources Managers Limited, were charged before the Federal High Court, with the offence of operating an illegal bank without a licence. FRANCIS FAMOROTI, Head Judiciary writes that despite the botched trial, operators of wonder banks still abound in the country.

FAMOUS CASES

T

he emergence of suspicious wonder banks in Nigeria could be traced to a Port Harcourt businessman and Chief Executive of Resources Managers Limited, Mr. Umanah Umanah in the early ’90s.

He stunned the residents of Port Harcourt in Rivers State during the period, when his finance outfit carefully crafted a scheme through which the firm allegedly swindled countless number of unsuspecting Nigerians.

Specifically, Umanah’s firm, otherwise called Umanah Bank, was located on Aggrey Road, Port Harcourt. It was sought after as a booming business by the teeming depositors, who thronged a number of commercial banks to withdraw their deposits and placed them in the wonder bank.

The attraction was that whatever anyone deposited into the Umanah Bank after full four weeks, the depositor could withdraw the entire deposit with a whopping 100 per cent interest paid in full.

It was gathered that at the time, almost all banks in the old East had ran out of cash because everybody had withdrawn their entire cash to deposit with Umanah Bank.

For instance, a bank manager with the defunct ACB branch in Aba was said to have attested to the fact that he deposited some funds in Umanah Bank and the proceeds he made were used to complete his building.

The banker could not believe it when, he went to the wonder bank a month later, and he succeeded in collecting not only his N50, 000 deposit but received additional N50, 000 as interest.

Apart from the banker, some people were also said to have openly confirmed that Umanah Bank actually offered high interests to depositors.

According to reports, the crowd of depositors stretched over two miles on daily basis. All sorts of people, from traders to rich people, even the uniformed men and

Gen. Babangida Inset: Umanah flanked by two policemen

other personnel lined up and there were rumours that even some top shots in the public service actually fell for the deal and also put their cash in the wonder bank.

Yet, there were reports of unscrupulous activities made against Umanah Bank, which prompted a horde of security operatives to invade the premises of Resources Managers Limited in Port Harcourt.

The residents of Port Harcourt woke up in the morning and saw the whole of the city highly militarized with thousands of heavily armed men and policemen on the highways and roads.

The residents whispered in tones that the armed men were sent on the orders of the self-styled military president, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida to stop Umanah’s banking operation, arrest him and bring him to Abuja.

As expected, Umanah was arrested and

UMANAH WAS CHARGED ALONGSIDE HIS COMPANY WITH ILLEGAL BANKING OPERATIONS IN THE COUNTRY BEFORE THE

FEDERAL HIGH COURT IN PORT HARCOURT whisked away by the Police. He was interrogated and shortly after, he was arraigned for operating a bank without a licence by the Federal Government and in violation of the regulations set out by

the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN).

Umanah was charged alongside his company with illegal banking operations in the country before the Federal High Court in Port Harcourt. Both Umana and his firm, Resources Managers Limited, however, pleaded not guilty.

Umanah applied for bail and he was so granted. The charges were subsequently amended by the prosecution and the proceedings in the matter suddenly got stuck. No one heard of Umanah again or his money or any proceedings relating to the charge preferred against him.

However, hundreds of depositors realised later that they had to count their losses.

Umanah and his wonder bank just disappeared into thin air till this day. Years after this incident, Several Nigerians, driven mostly by greed, often warmed up to patronise new wonder banks gearing up to commence operations.

Not too long ago, the Deputy Governor, Financial Systems Stability of the CBN, Dr. Kingsley Moghalu, was said to have revealed that 560,000 Nigerians were fleeced of N1 billion by wonder banks between 2009 and 2012.

Moghalu was reported to have made the disclosure at an event organised by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), where many of the wonder banks sold shares to unsuspecting members of the public only to disappear into thin air ever after.

It was stated that the regulator of the NSE, the Securities and Exchange Commission, (SEC), just as the CBN, had vowed to catch up with the operators.

For now, Moghalu has attributed the prosperity of the wonder banks to the low level of financial literacy among Nigerians in a country where over 70 per cent of the adult population lacked banking information.

But many Nigerians would argue that the banks themselves have not helped matters, with stringent loan conditions and high interest rates. This, they say, makes it very difficult for small businesses and individuals to access credit facilities through the banks.

The Court rescued me –Ogundare

M

y first appearance was before Justice Oluwatoyin Falase of Lagos High Court. My senior colleague instructed me to appear in court for a particular civil matter.

He gave me specific instruction to address the court on the on-going settlement between our client and the plaintiff. So, I prepared myself in that direction, hoping to report to the court his instruction.

Sequel to my level of preparedness and foresight, I stood up with boldness when our matter was called, I announced my appearance and further submitted to the court that the matter is scheduled for report on settlement between both parties.

Surprisingly, the plaintiff ’s counsel stood up while I was still addressing the court and denied any attempt by both parties to commence any process of settlement.

He further urged the court to continue with hearing on the matter while arguing that the defendant is not serious about settlement.

Since I was not prepared

for any hearing on the matter, I suddenly became nervous and scared. In fact our client’s file and documents were not with me in court.

However, the Judge noticed my gesture and asked whether I was appearing for the first time, I immediately confessed to her Ladyship, adding that I was holding brief for my senior colleague.

The Judge, thereafter, decided to wade into the matter and insisted on hearing what I wanted to say.

There was another issue, the plaintiff ’s counsel seemed to be trained abroad, and we barely heard what he was saying. It was then that the Judge turned toward me and asked “Ogundare what do want me to do for you?”

Titilola Ogundare

I responded that the matter should be adjourned in order to conclude the ongoing talk on settlement between both parties.

The Judge said the defendant‘s lawyer was insisting on report of settlement, we will give her the last chance.

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Community Mirror “What we need is peace and to reconcile ourselves so we can have peace. Let’s build our party based on equity. ” NATIONAL CHAIRMAN OF PDP, ALHAJI BAMANGA TUKUR

Hoodlums destroy monarch’s palace in Igbokoda HAKEEM GBADAMOSI AKURE

P

eace in the coastal kingdom of Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area of Ondo State was at the weekend shattered, as hoodlums invaded the community unleashing terror on the residents.

The hoodlums numbering 10 attacked with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons while destroying the palace of the traditional ruler, Olu of Igbokoda, Oba

Afolabi Odidiomo.

According to an eyewitness, the attack on the palace was a reprisal by the hoodlums who invaded to avenge the death of their colleague.

The source said some of the thugs had earlier attacked Ilaje High School, while the inter school quiz and sport competitions were taking place and disrupting the events.

Two of the hoodlums were later arrested and taken to the palace from where they were handed over

to the police.

Speaking on the development, Oba Odidiomo alleged that a traditional ruler, Oba Lawrence Omowole, the Amapetu of Mahin kingdom was behind the invasion and destruction of his palace.

Oba Odidiomo, said the attack was planned some few months before his installation as monarch of the town, given the fact that Oba Omowole, had earlier installed two people in Igbokoda as Baale and Oloja.

Traders selling pepper and tomato on the pedestrian bridge at Charity Bus Stop, Oshodi, Lagos.

Governor’s wife lauded for empowering women JAMES DANJUMA KATSINA

W

ife of Katsina State Governor, Mrs. Fatima Shema and the state’s Women Affairs Commissioner, Mrs. Asama’u Abdullahi have been praised for championing the cause of women.

Making the commendation, a youth leader from Kafur Council Area, Danlami Kafur said both women have been able to changethe lives of many women through their various projects and programmes.

Kafur said Mrs. Shema’s NGO, Service to Humanity Foundation has been able to assist hundreds of women living with HIV/AIDS and Vesico Vaginal Fistula, VVF, from within

and outside the state.

He said many of the women so assisted, have been re-integrated into society, while others have been empowered to start businesses of their own.

He said the many less privileged women have been able to come out of poverty and even become bread winners of their families.

Kafur said the commissioner has used her office to better the living condition of women in the 34 council areas of the state,even as her ministry’s programmes have turned around the lives of women in rural and urban areas.

He however called on women occupying political positions to emulate them and help improve economic well-being of women in the country.

The monarch claimed he frowned at the development, given that the two chiefs were living in his domain, saying that the Amapetu ordered some persons known as ‘Mahin Task Force” to ensure security for the chiefs.

He said “I reported the development to Olugbo of Igboland, Oba Obateru Akinruntan who promised to intervene. There is a parcel of land in Igbokoda which Oba Omowole sold to the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs for N64m and

PHOTO: OLUFEMI AJASA

NURTW boss advises members on politicians KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

M

embers of the National Union of Road Transport Workers, NURTW in Oyo State, have been warned to be wary of unscrupulous politicians who may want to use them for selfish interests.

The state chairman of NURTW, Alhaji Taofeek Oyerinde, gave the warning in Ibadan, while inaugurating the executive of Ibadan South West I Inter-state branch.

While urging members of the union to maintain and sustain the newly-found peace, the NURTW boss enjoined them to shun all acts of criminality capable of breaching the trust.

He said, “We should always abide by the ethics of our noble union and be faithful to one another in all our actions and deeds. We should also remember, that injury to one is to all, hence the crucial need to strive to be our brothers keepers at all times”.

He charged them to take seriously the newly introduced dress code, by ensuring that they dress neatly and maintain effective traffic regulations.

“Do not smoke or take alcohol while driving. Do not take laws into your own hands. I want you to see yourselves as one family and be ready to work in peace and harmony.

You must also demonstrate leadership by example and be fair to all at all times, “he said.

when I demanded to know the details of the deal he threatened to deal with me.

I wrote a petition to the Ministry, that Oba Omowole had been using thugs to harass me ever since.

Later, some of the hoodlums fired into my living room in an apparent assassination attempt”.

However, the monarch said two of the hoodlums who were later apprehended and handed over to the police.

He said “the following morning, I was informed that a corpse was found floating in the river and it was identified as that of a hoodlum that took part in the invasion of my palace and houses belonging to some of my chiefs” All efforts to speak with the Amapetu was not successful as one of his lieutenants , Chief Mesagan, the Oloja of Abereke, described the Olu of Igbokoda as a drowning man seeking public attention.

He said, Oba Omowole of Mahin kingdom was responsible for installing Odidiomo as the monarch of Igbokoda and would not be party to destroying a house he built.

He however called on Oba Odidiomo to make peace with his people rather than pointing accusing fingers at the Amapetu of Mahin.

He said the discovery of a corpse in the river ignited the attack on the palace of Olu of Igbokoda by the people and not from any external forces as alleged.

But Odidiomo maintained that the plot was hatched outside Igbokoda saying ‘ “This is part of sustained activities to destroy me. Last November, they fired into my bedroom. In December, when I accompanied some government officials to inspect our market, I was saved by my subjects when the hoodlums attacked us. Now they have burnt my palace.

I implore the Inspector General of Police,IGP,Mohammed Abubakar to order an investigation into this matter, as they are clear cases of rape, murder and arson and as a lawyer, I am aware they are grave offences.”

The Police Public Relation in the state, Wole Ogodo confirmed the development and said that eight persons have been arrested in connection with the crisis Ogodo, said three of them were arrested last Saturday, while five others were apprehended yesterday, even as he reiterated that normalcy has returned to the community.

Monday, March 18, 2013

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World News

Pope wades into crowd before first window appearance

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“I think we should not make groundless accusations against each other but spend more time doing practical things that will contribute to cyber security” NEW CHINESE PREMIER, LI KEQIANG

Discretion needed to free hostages held by Boko Haram –France PAUL ARHEWE

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

F

rance is adopting a “determined and discrete” approach to safeguard the lives of eight French hostages kidnapped by extremist groups in and near Nigeria, an official said Saturday.

Laurent Fabius, France’s foreign minister, made the comment to reporters at the international airport in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, after a closeddoor meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan as part of a West Africa trip that also took Fabius to neighbouring Cameroon, where seven of the eight hostages were captured.

He declined to offer any update about the hostage-taking, emphasizing that discretion is needed to secure their freedom, especially since young children are involved. “The youngest (hostage) is less than 5 years old,” Fabius said in French, “so it is in the name of humanity that they need to be freed both quickly and well.”

A video posted on YouTube three weeks ago showed armed men holding the French family

French President Francois Hollande talking with Latifa Ibn Ziaten, mother of French soldier Imad ibn Ziaten, killed by gunman, in Toulouse, yesterday Photo: Reuters of three adults and four children taken from outside a national park in Cameroon’s Far North Region on Feb. 19. The captors said they belonged to Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group that has been waging a campaign of bombings and shootings across Nigeria’s north. Authorities believe the hostages were brought to Nigeria after being seized from Cameroon.

Two months earlier, more than 30 assailants kidnapped a French engineer from his home

during a raid that left two Nigerians dead in a quiet town in Nigeria’s mostly Muslim north, where the engineer was working on a renewable energy project for the French firm Vergnet SA. That was the first Nigeria kidnapping believed to be linked to France’s military intervention in Mali. Other French hostages have been kidnapped elsewhere in the region since France announced its intention to launch its Mali offensive aimed at helping the West African country’s

Zimbabwe’s police raid Tsvangirai’s office, arrest five

Z

imbabwe police arrested five people in a raid on the office of Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai yesterday, a move that could spark concern about a return to political intimidation ahead of an election expected later this year.

Zimbabweans voted on Saturday in a referendum expected to endorse a new constitution to trim presidential powers and pave the way for an election to decide whether Robert Mugabe extends his threedecade rule.

As both the 89-year-old Mugabe and his rival, Tsvangirai, have endorsed the new constitution, it was not immediately clear why police had raided Tsvangirai’s communications office.

“They arrested the principal director of research and development and three others. They also arrested their lawyer,” said an official from Tsvangirai’s office.

The official confirmed the lawyer arrested was Beatrice Mtetwa, a top human

L-R: Zimbabwe’s Prime Minister and President of the MDC, Morgan Tsvangirai and his wife Elizabeth on Saturday Photo: Reuters

rights attorney who has previously represented Tsvangirai and has accused police of using heavy-handed tactics against Mugabe’s opponents.

Police spokeswoman Charity Charamba could not confirm the raid but said she would address reporters later.

Tsvangirai and Mugabe have been in a power sharing agreement following a violent and disputed vote in 2008. While marked by low turnout, Saturday’s vote was notably free from violence.

embattled government rid its vast north of militants imposing harsh Islamic rule.

Nigeria’s foreign minister, Olugbenga Ashiru, thanked France for its “decisive intervention” in Mali during Saturday’s news conference in Abuja.

“If the French had not taken the step they took at that time,” Ashiru said, “Mali would have today become a terrorist country, and if that happens the target would be to further destabilize the sub-region.”

Mandela’s ex-wife shocked at possible prosecution

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elson Mandela’s ex-wife Winnie expressed “surprise and shock” that prosecutors are considering charges against her following the exhumation of bodies believed to belong to two young activists last seen at her home 24 years ago.

In a statement from her lawyer dated Saturday and received yesterday, Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said it is “difficult to legally imagine how and what new evidence is contemplated” given the many diverse accounts presented more than 10 years ago to South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

Forensic scientists, last week, exhumed two skeletons with multiple stab wounds that they believe belong to Lolo Sono, 21, and Siboniso Shabalala, 19, who reportedly had gone to Madikizela-Mandela’s home to get help to leave the country to become freedom fighters. Forensic pathologists had stumbled on mortuary documents that led to the bodies, buried in a pauper’s grave, and the bodies now are being tested for DNA. According to evidence to the commission by her bodyguard, Jerry Richardson, Madikizela-Mandela accused the two young men of being spies for the apartheid regime and ordered him to kill them. He said he and a colleague stabbed them to death.

WORLD BULLETIN

Ouedraogo urges improved coordination of ECOWAS projects The President of the ECOWAS Commission, Kadré Désiré Ouédraogo has called for proposals from stakeholders to improve communication and cooperation for coordinated implementation of regional programmes in Member States.

“Enhancing the coordination and synergy of actions by various actors in the Community is essential in ensuring the coherent implementation of Community programmes,” the President said in a speech at the opening of the 7th annual Retreat of officials from the ECOWAS Commission and Community institutions, at Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital last Thursday.

Describing the retreat as an extension of the ongoing stakeholders’ dialogue, the President Ouédraogo said this first session under the present management would have an added dimension of providing an opportunity for insight into “huge regional integration projects” for the realization of the dream of the founding fathers for the socio-economic integration of the region.

He said the projects were an expression of the region’s commitment to “accelerate the realisation of a developed and integrated West Africa supported not only by dense and complementary infrastructure reinforced by the creation of an enabling regional environment while increasing the capacity for resilience of their economies.”

Fifth French soldier killed in Mali A fifth French soldier has been killed in the country’s nineweek-old military campaign against Islamist rebels in Mali, the government said yesterday.

An explosive device went off under a vehicle carrying Corporal Alexandre Van Dooren during a search for rebel arms caches in northern Mali’s Ifoghas mountains on Saturday, according to France’s defence ministry and the president’s office.

The 24-year-old from the 1st Marine infantry regiment of Angouleme was killed and three other soldiers wounded, the government added.

France launched a ground and air operation in January to break the Islamist rebels’ hold on the region, saying the militants posed a risk to the security of West Africa and Europe.

The offensive has wrested northern Mali from Islamist occupation and killed scores of fighters. Other rebels have retreated into mountain caves and desert hiding places stocked with arms and supplies.

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World News

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Pope wades into crowd before first window appearance

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reaking with tradition, Pope Francis delivered off-thecuff remarks about God’s power to forgive instead of reading from a written speech for the first Sunday window appearance of his papacy.

He also spoke only in Italian — beginning with “buon giorno” (Good day) and ending with “buon pranzo” (Have a good lunch) — instead of greeting the faithful in several languages as his last few predecessors had done.

His comments and humour delighted a crowd of more than 150,000 in St. Peter’s Square, drawing cheers and laughter.

But Francis did tweet in English and other languages, saying: “Dear friends, I thank you from my heart and I ask you to continue to pray for me.

“Vatican spokesman the Rev. Federico Lombardi said it was likely Francis, at least for the moment, given the off-the-cuff style, was sticking with Italian, a language he’s comfortable with. Lombardi left open the possibility that other languages would be used in the appearances with the public in the future.

In just five days, Francis’ straightforward, spontaneous style has become immediate hallmark of his papacy.

Earlier yesterday, he made an impromptu appearance before the public from a side gate of the Vatican, startling passers-by and prompting cheers, before delivering a six minute homily — brief by church standards — at the Vatican’s tiny parish church.

Before he entered St. Anna’s church to celebrate Mass, he heartily shook hands with parishioners and kissed babies.

After Mass, Francis put his security detail to the test as he waded into the street just outside St. Anna’s Gate. As the traffic light at the intersection turned green, Francis stepped up to the crowd,

Pope Francis greeting faithful from a side gate of the Vatican, yesterday.

grasping outstretched hands. The atmosphere was so casual that several people even gripped Francis on the shoulder.

A few minutes later as the traffic light turned red, Francis ducked back inside the Vatican’s boundaries to dash up-

stairs for the window appearance from the papal apartment in the Apostolic Palace.

The studio window was opened for the first time since Francis’ predecessor, Benedict XVI, gave his last window blessing on Sunday, Feb. 24. Four

Photo: AP

days later, Benedict went into retirement, the first pontiff to do so in nearly 600 years.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2015: No force’ll stop JonathanSambo ticket –Northern youths A ZA MSUE KADUNA

T

he Secretary-General of National Youth Council of Nigeria, (NYCN) in Kaduna State, Mr. Danjuma Bello Sarki, has said that no force would stop President Goodluck Jonathan and his vice, Alhaji Namadi Sambo from seeking re-election in 2015.

In a telephone interview at the weekend in Kaduna, Sarki said: “Although political forces

North

Monday, March 18, 2013

are against President Jonathan and Sambo, but it will rather strengthen them for victory.”

NYCN chairman called on President Jonathan not to listen to those he described as political jobbers.

The Northern youths took the position following the renovation of President Jonathan-Sambo campaign secretariat in Kaduna ahead of the 2015 general elections.

The secretariat has become the hub of political

activities since the renovation was carried out.

Sambo, who attended the Kaduna State University maiden convocation on Saturday, was expected to address his teaming supporters at the secretariat, but later cancelled it after the supporters had waited for over six hours.

The cancellation followed Sambo’s impromptu condolence visit to Emir of Zazzau, Dr.Shehu Idris, who lost a prominent traditional ruler in his emirate.

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Senator assures on creation of Gurara State AZA MSUE KADUNA

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he Senator representing Kaduna Southern Senatorial District, Esther Nenadi Usman, has assured of the creation of Gurara State.

She said that she had been working with some stakeholders in the National Assembly to achieve the dream.

Senator Usman, however, decried incessant attacks of innocent residents by some unidentified gunmen in the senatorial district.

The former Minister of Finance said Kaduna

State Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero and security agencies had initiated moves to tackle the problem.

Senator Usman spoke during her second stakeholders’ meeting with the people of Southern Kaduna held at the weekend in Kaduna.

She said that the gathering would assist her in carrying out her legislative duties.

The Senator, however, told the gathering that the Federal Government had planned to establish a Federal Medical Centre in the senatorial district.

Meanwhile, Governor Yero and former Minister of Information, Prof.

Jerry Gana, were among prominent personalities who attended a threehour prayer session for sustenance of peace in Kataf land, Zangon

Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

Governor Yero, who spoke through Rev. Billy Felix, Permanent Secretary in the Bureau for Religious Affairs (Christian Matters) at the palace of the Gwatyap of Atyap, venue of the event, urged the people to embrace the on-going dialogue and reconciliation process for peace.

Yero reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to peaceful co-existence among all residents of the state.

Earlier, Prof. Gana, who was chairman of the session, said the advent of Christianity in Kataf land brought education and civilization, stressing that the present insecurity challenges confronting the area would soon end with fervent prayers.

ACN members defect to PDP in Kwara WOLE ADEDEJI ILORIN

A L-R: Managing Director, Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), Mr. George Uriesi; Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor, Mallam Lamido Sanusi and Chairman, Senate Committee on Aviation, Senator Hope Uzodinma, at the commission of the newly remodeled Kano Airport, at the weekend.

GEORGE OJI ABUJA

D

ays after the Senate passed the second reading of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), Northern senators have blamed one another for allowing the bill to scale through.

The Northern senators had faulted the PIB on three grounds and subsequently agreed to oppose it.

The three planks upon which the senators anchored their opposition to the bill were the excessive powers ascribed to the Minister of Petroleum, the establishment of the 10 per cent communities’ petroleum funds and the lack of autonomy of the Nigerian Frontiers Exploratory Agency.

The senators had agreed prior to the debate on the general principles of the draft bill to oppose the bill and possibly hack it down based on the three concerns.

Unfortunately, the bill scaled through second reading and was committed to the

Northern senators bicker over PIB

committee stage despite the opposition by the northern senators.

National Mirror gathered that following this development, the lawmakers have been engaging in blame game and pointing accusing fingers at one another.

The Senator representing Kwara Central, Bukola Saraki, and Senate President David Mark have subsequently come under heavy criticism for their contributions to the bill, which led to the smooth sail of the draft bill.

Saraki, in his contribution that had been described as booster to the passage of the bill, urged his colleagues to ensure that the bill was passed.

Saraki said: “I want us to focus on the main issues. I believe that the 7th Assembly must be seen to be carrying this exercise to conclusion.

“Since 2000 when this whole journey started, we have spent 13 years trying

to pass a new act. In those 13 years, we have lost a lot. The last thing we must do is not to do anything at all. Not doing anything at all is worse than where we are today.

“The general principles and advantages that we have talked about; gas investment, gas flaring, those are the more reasons why we must go ahead and pass the bill.

Most importantly is the issue of corruption and leakages.”

Subsequent contributors, notwithstanding their previ-

ous positions, supported the passage of the bill.

It was believed that Saraki’s presentation went a long way in influencing subsequent contributors to support the bill.

For instance, former Gombe State Governor Danjuma Goje said clearly in his contribution that he came to the Senate with aim of opposing the bill, but was compelled by the presentation of some previous contributors to change his position.

bout 720 members of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) have defected to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the two wards of Oro in Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The former ACN members defected to the PDP at a ceremony attended by the state chairman of the party, Mr. Ishola Balogun –Fulani; his secretary, Prince Yemi Afolayan; the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Demola Banu and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Communication and Strategy, Alhaji Raheem Adedoyin.

The leader of the defectors, Alhaji Biodun Oyebisi, said they decided to dump the ACN because of the people- oriented policies implemented by the PDP-led administration in the local government area.

He listed the projects ex-

ecuted to include the construction of Okeola-Arandun Road, Okeola-Iludun Road under construction and the establishment of Women Skill Acquisition Centre.

Oyebisi added: “The State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) just approved for us renovation of some our schools, apart from various empowerment our women and youths groups had benefited from.”

But reacting to the development, the ACN spokesman, Mallam Rafiu Ajakaiye, described the defectors’ claim as a huge joke.

H said: “The story is a joke, for want of a better adjective. It is a hurriedly arranged distraction from a palpably embarrassing news story that a very senior Kwara government official was arrested abroad for alleged money laundering.

“I urge the media to decode what this earth-shaking news is. At any rate, we wish the PDP good luck as it revels in self-deceit.”

Bauchi CAN flays review of motorcyclists’ activities EZEKIEL TITUS BAUCHI

T

he Bauchi State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has tackled Governor Isa Yuguda for reviewing the earlier ban on the activities of commercial motorcyclists in the state capital

following brutal killings of some of its members.

CAN Chairman. Rev. Lawi Pokti, spoke at the weekend in Bauchi. He told journalists that the association and other peace-loving people of the state were shocked by the announcement to review the ban on the activities of the motorcyclists.

The entire Christian community, according to Rev. Pokti, has been the targets of brutal killings, especially in Zango area of the state capital.

The cleric said that over 10 people were killed in separate attacks by some gunmen in the area.

He, however, flayed the state government for re-

neging on its promise to mobilise security personnel to curb the menace.

Pokti said: “I believe the announcement to review the ban on the activities of commercial motorcyclists was done without adequate consultations.

These behind it are enemies of the people-loving people of Bauchi State.”

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North

Monday, March 18, 2013

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Two student teachers expelled over alleged rape DANJUMA WILLIAMS GOMBE

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wo final year students of the School of Business Studies of the Federal College of Education (Technical), Gombe, Godwin Ladan and Raphael Ude Ajiribe, have been expelled and handed over to the police for allegedly raping a secondary school girl (names withheld) while on teaching practice.

Confirming the allegation and expulsion of the two students during a chat with journalists in Gombe, Registrar of the College, Alhaji Ahmed M. Dukku, said the college received the report from the authorities of the Government Girls Secondary School, Malala in Dukku Local Government Area of the state.

He said the two student teachers who raped the girl in their room were among students of the college sent to GGSS Malala on a six months teaching practice programme.

Authorities of GGSS

Malala had set up a committee to probe the incident and a copy of the report was made available to the Provost of FCE, Gombe, which was also forwarded to the dean of students’ affairs for disciplinary action.

According to the Registrar, the Student’s Affairs Department, after conducting its own investigation, recommended the

expulsion of the students to the management of the college after which the management acted on the two reports.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, of the Gombe State Police Command, Fwaje Atajiri, confirmed the case, adding that the students have since been arraigned before a court.

Meanwhile, the Gombe State Water Board has blamed the acute water scarcity being experienced in many parts of the state capital in the last three months on power outage from the Power Holding Company of Nigeria, PHCN. According to the General Manager of the board, Engineer Isa Mohammed, 95 per cent of

Former Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Ahmed Makarfi (left) and Governor Mukhtar Yero, at the Kaduna State University's maiden convocation in Kaduna, at the weekend.

Ex-PDP chairman denies sponsorship of controversial APC WOLE A DEDEJI ILORIN

I

mmediate past Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje, yesterday in Ilorin, Kwara State, denied alleged claims that he was behind the activities of the controversial African Peoples Congress, APC. Baraje in a statement, said he was not in any way connected with the insinuations, describing it as “baseless, unfounded and a big ruse.”

He advised those behind the allegation to “face the problem confronting them in their party rather than embarking on mere political speculations.”

The former acting chairman expressed surprise that politicians could descend to the level of casting aspersion on persons and castigates the names of others in the name of politics without checking their claims before

the water scarcity was being experienced is caused

by PHCN, which consistently deny the board steady power supply.

He told journalists that the state water board hardly gets power supply running for one hour and that any little power failure usually caused the board’s distribution water pipes to drain back to the plant, making it a te-

going to the press.

Baraje continued: “I have served my dear political party, the PDP at the topmost echelon with sincerity that is second to none and I have also left the party intact and better than how I met it.

“My team and I honestly and diligently left the PDP that is devoid of rancour and in the highest level of internal democracy, while the PDP I left behind was a

party that has passion for integrity, cohesion and teamwork.”

He said during his tenure as the leader of the party, he worked assiduously to build bridges between PDP and other political parties.

According to him, he would only wish other political parties involved in the merger a success in their aspiration to for m a stronger opposition and also

urged PDP members to see the for mation of a merger or other political parties as a healthy development necessary for a functional democracy which, however, “should not be treated with kid gloves.”

There had been speculations last week that Alhaji Baraje and some leaders of the PDP were the brain behind the controversial African Peoples Congress, APC.

Lawmaker tasks FG on state police JAMES ABRAHAM JOS

T

he Federal Government has been urged to consider the possibility of allowing states that are willing to establish their own police.

Senator representing Plateau North in the National Assembly, Gyang Pwajok, said such would enable state chief executives across the nation tackle the wave of insecurity in their domain.

Pwajok, who spoke with National Mirror in Jos, at the weekend, lamented that the

Former LG boss arrested over post-election violence WALE I BRAHIM LOKOJA

A

t least 22 people, including a former chairman of Yagba West Local Government Area in Kogi State have been arrested by the police in connection with violence that erupted in the state during the weekend.

National Mirror gathered that the PDP councillorship primaries turned violent in

Egbe between factions that could not agree on the modalities for the conduct of the election.

It was learnt that it was a free-for-all in Yagba West local council as aggrieved members opted to settle scores with machetes and other dangerous weapons.

Sources said about 20 people were injured as the party chairman in the local government, Mr. Ayo Alabi, was said to have been hospitalised as a result of inju-

ries sustained from machete cut The former council boss was said to have been picked up along with his senior brother at the behest of the new state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Frank Opara, for their role in the crisis that engulfed the council during the weekend.

The crisis was said to have been orchestrated by the PDP guidelines for the primaries and reactions to the out-

dious job for the board to refill its reservoirs and be able to pump water out.

The general manager said it was supplementing the poor supply by the use of the board’s generating plants and that most of them have broken down due to overload.

He said same is applicable to the five other boreholes of the board and expressed concern over the scarcity through announcements on air as it explains its predicament to the people.

When contacted over the allegation, the Technical Manager of the Gombe Business Office, Engineer Abdulkarim Sadique, denied starving the water board with power.

He, however, explained that the dedicated feeder for the board is always overloaded and that most times when the feeder has high voltage, the board’s engineers don’t know how to handle the high voltage and there is nothing the PHCN could do about situation.

come of the election.

It was gathered that the guidelines released by the state chapter of the party ahead of the primaries indicated that in the case of councillorship poll, the election shall be by card-carriers at the ward level unless otherwise agreed by consensus in which case the lot to elect councillorship candidates shall fall solely on members of the ward executive committee.

absence of state police has weakened the enforcement of laws made by state legislators; a development he said was not good for the country’s democracy.

He canvassed a holistic restructuring of the nation’s security forces in line with a federal structure to enable them render effective service to the people.

This, the lawmaker said, would also go a long way to lessen the burden on the Federal Government which he noted has been grappling with the challenge of funding the system for effective operation.

The lawmaker further argued that it is possible to have a very efficient and effective policing system across the country because under a state police system, every society will be interested in maintaining law and order.

Police IG, M. Abubakar

Monday, March 18, 2013

MLS debut thrills Martins

54

Cote d’Ivoire leaves out Drogba

G

0-0

Rangers

Pillars

4-1

AC Leopards

Confederation Cup Lobi Stars

3-1

Muculmana

Heartland

2-1

US Bitam

U-20 AYC Algeria

0-0

Benin Rep.

Ghana

1-2

Egypt

Nigeria

0-1

Mali

FORMER NATIONAL TENNIS PLAYER, SADIQ ABDULLAHI

John Ugochukwu Ugo leaps for a ball during a recent match

F

Vitalo

“The comprehensive development of tennis in Nigeria is non-negotiable. This is a matter of fact”

S

AFOLABI GAMBARI

Champions League

Sport

EVEREST ONYEWUCHI

Ex-Green Eagle, Omiunu, dies

Results

53

W/Cup qualifier: Keshi picks 9 home-based

alatasaray striker, Didier Drogba, is a shock omission from Cote d’Ivoire’s 28-man squad for the World Cup qualifier against Gambia next weekend.

The Ivorians listed the players who will be involved in the tie in Abidjan on their federation’s website without giving a reason for the former Chelsea player’s absence.

Five other players involved in the Africa Cup of Nations at the start of the year have also been left out by Coach Sabri Lamouchi.

Galatasaray defender, Emmanuel Eboue; Real Zaragoza midfielder, Romaric, and Dijon goalkeeper, Daniel Yeboah, all miss out, as do Paris St Germain full back, Siaka Tiene and Kuban Krasnodar defender Igor Lolo.

Drogba was dropped by Lamouchi for one match at the Nations Cup but both denied there was any tension between the two men.

The Ivorians lead World Cup Group C with four points from two games. Tanzania is second with three points, Morocco has two and Gambia is bottom on one point.

ormer Green Eagles’ goalkeeper, Emmanuel Omiunu, died at the Ikeja General Hospital, Lagos on Saturday after a brief illness, aged 78.

According to spokesman of the family, Mr. Robert Ndabai, Omiunu, who captained Nigeria to the first Africa Nations Cup appearance in Ghana in 1963, was survived by a wife and nine children.

“The family is in grief at the moment and at this period we wish to call on all Nigerians to remember us in prayer,” Ndabai said, adding, “Family will meet shortly to discuss the burial plans.”

Omiunu led the Nigeria Police team to the Challenge Cup triumph in 1962 while he was a serving police officer.

He was also Team Manager of Julius Berger FC Lagos and will be remembered for leading the club to National League and Challenge Cup titles in 1991.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Keshi

uper Eagles’ coach, Stephen Keshi, has selected nine out of the 24 invited homebased players for next Saturday’s World Cup qualifier against the Harambee Stars of Kenya in Calabar, Cross River State.

The players, technical crew and other staff depart for Calabar this morning at about 10am.

Media Officer of the team, Ben Alaiya, told National Mirror that Keshi said at lunch time yesterday that it was needless listing the players who did not make the team or those that made it, as all the players will soon return to camp in preparation for some friendly matches and the upcoming FIFA Confederations’ Cup in Brazil.

It was learnt, however, that those who will not travel to Calabar for the World Cup qualifier were told during dinner last night.

But goalkeeper Chigozie Agbim and Nations Cup heroes, Sunday Mba and Godfrey Oboabona are among the selected nine. Also selected are Azubuike Egwueke and Gabriel Reuben.

Team Secretary, Dayo Achor, said that the 15 invited foreign-based players will join the Eagles in Calabar “By the evening of Monday, we expect that some of the players invited will start linking up with us in Calabar for the final leg of preparation for the World Cup qualifier against Kenya,” he said.

...Calm over Emenike’s outburst C oach Stephen Keshi does not want to be dragged into a war of words with striker, Emmanuel Emenike after the Spartak Moscow star publicly criticised him.

Emenike finished as top scorer at the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations but did not play in the final match against Burkina Faso because of a hamstring injury he suffered in the Super Eagles’ semi-final tie against Mali.

The former Fenerbahce striker has now hit out at Keshi and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) over perceived ill-treatment following his injury.

“I do not expect to be pampered like a baby, but you get the feeling some people only care about themselves,” Emenike said.

The 25-year-old then singled out Keshi for “letting him down.”

“The coach has really let me down to be honest. He (Keshi) never even bothered to check up on me since the injury in South Africa.

“Just a call is all it takes; instead my club have been very supportive for over a month. They have shown they value my fitness and overall health.

“Even the Nigerian officials (NFF) refused to find out information concerning my state of health. It’s a big shame and a complete sign of neglect on their part,” Emenike complained.

Keshi, however, has refused to respond to Emenike’s accusations stating that he would “not exchange words” with one of his charges.

“If that is what Emenike said, then so be it. I don’t have a comment. I am not ready to exchange words with one of my players,” Keshi told to supersport.com on Saturday.

Emenike

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Sport

Monday, March 18, 2013

UCL: Planet guests tip Barcelona

Chisora’s relief delights promoter

D

ereck Chisora’s promoter, Frank Warren, has expressed delight that the legal matter hampering his client has been settled.

“I’m delighted the British Boxing Board of Control made the right decision and re-instated Dereck’s licence and the slate is now clean,” Warren said yesterday, adding, “Dereck is an exciting fighter who always gives 100 per cent.”

Heavyweight boxer Chisora, who is set to return to the ring next month after regaining his licence from the British Boxing Board of Control on Tuesday, lost his licence after an out-of-the-ring brawl with David Haye in Germany, following his WBC title defeat to Vitali Klitschko in February 2012.

Haye then went on to defeat Chisora in the pair’s grudge match at Upton Park last July, after the fight was controversially sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Federation.

The 29-year-old Zimbabwean, who is now expected to fight on the undercard of Nathan Cleverly’s WBO light-heavyweight bout with Robin Krasniqi on April 20 at Wembley Arena, is however excited ahead of his return.

“I would like to thank everyone who has kept faith me over the troubled months,” he said yesterday.

AFOLABI GAMBARI

T

Lionel Messi will be the centre of attraction when the Champions League resumes next month.

he turnaround of Barcelona has brought excitement to the Heineken Champions Planet in Lagos over the weekend as the Spanish Liga leader was drawn to meet Paris Saint Germaine in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Champions League after overcoming AC Milan in the round of 16 second leg last Tuesday at Camp Nou. Barcelona had all but lost out of the race to the last eight after falling 2-0 to Milan at San Siro two weeks earlier. But a stellar performance spearheaded by inspirational Lionel Messi saw Milan fall 4-0 at the 98, 000 capacity Camp Nou. Interestingly, many guests at the Heineken Champions Planet had predicted a slim win for the Spanish club while tipping Milan to sail through on goals aggregate.

But the trio of Ayodele Bamisile, Alex Valentine, and Lateef Fatola were the heroes of the night after they correctly predicted the 4-0 result as each won premium quality Heineken gifts.

“My team, Barcelona, was on the verge of elimination from this competition but you can only imagine my relief as we won,” Bamishile said, adding, “It was a night to remember and here I am with a fantastic gift from Heineken.”

MLS debut thrills Martins

Results Premiership Chelsea

2-0

West Ham

Tottenham

0-1

Fulham

Wigan

2-1

Newcastle United

La Liga Sevilla

4-0

Zaragoza

eattle Sounders’ new signing, Obafemi Martins, yesterday said expressed delight at his debut for the MLS club which ended 1-1 against Portland Timbers on Saturday.

Sounders lie eighth on the Western Conference table with a point from two games.

Martins, who is among the foreignbased Super Eagles invited for this weekend’s World Cup 2014 qualifier with Harambee Stars of Kenya, was a 70th minute substitute for Honduras forward Mario Martinez in the tough home draw with Timbers and his moves and touches were applauded by fans who were excited to have the former Inter Milan striker in their team.

“The fans were really supportive and friendly,” Martins said, adding, “I was a little bit tired from the travel but I decided I wanted to play.”

Seattle Sounders’ Coach, Sigi Schmid, admitted that it would be difficult for the Nigerian striker but said he had to oblige the petit forward when he asked for his spot.

“We wanted to give him the opportunity, he wanted the opportunity, as well,

Valentine, however, wanted more as he said he looked forward to Messi surpassing yet another after the little Argentine equaled Real Madrid’s Raul Gonzalez’s 16th brace record on the night.

“I want Lionel Messi to cancel the goal-scoring feat of Ruud van Nistelrooy,” he said.

“Van Nistelrooy scored 60 goals in the competition while Messi now has 58 goals to his credit while Raul has 71 goals. I can’t wait to see Messi scoring two more goals, if only to surpass Van Nistelrooy at least,” he added.

It was a different stroke earlier on Wednesday when Arsenal fans left the Heineken Champions Planet disappointed following the elimination of the North London side by Bayern Munich despite securing a 2-0 away win at the Allianz Arena in Munich.

Although it was the first time in 17 years that no English Premier League team made it to the quarter finals of the UEFA Champions League, Arsenal has now gone eight seasons without winning a trophy.

With the draws for the quarter finals held on Friday and hostilities resuming on April 2, it is expected that the matches will draw even biggest attention with the accompanying tension as fans look forward to more excitement at the Champions Planet.

All set for Night of Stars awards

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Dereck Chisora

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Obafemi Martins

because his mind, his spirit, his soul is here and he wants us to succeed and be successful,” the coach remarked.

“Oba will get better, and his quickness and other things will show through.”

rrangements have been concluded for the Night of Stars ceremony to celebrate Nigeria football, music and movie industry on March 23 in Calabar, Cross River State.

The ceremony is specifically organized to celebrate Nigeria’s triumph at the recent Africa Cup of Nations finals in South Africa, but will also honour some movie and music stars, as Nigeria’s Nollywood industry marks 20 year.

Organizers, Matchmakers Consult International Limited, said at the weekend that the event would hold at the Transcorp Hotels, Calabar.

Among personalities to be honoured on the night include Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, Sports Minister, Mallam Bolaji Abdulahi, and President of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Alhaji Aminu Maigari.

The Super Eagles will be special guests on the night, alongside Nollywood stars Desmond Elliot, Ejike Asiegbu, Nse-Ikpe Etim, Chika Ike, Keppy Ekpeyong Bassey, Francis Duru, Bimbo Akintola, Fred Amata, BimboManuel and Lancelot Imasuen.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Monday, March 18, 2013

55

W/Cup 2014: Hodgson fears Monte surge

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Roger Federer battling in vain for a final spot at the Indians Wells Championship which ended yesterday

Federer fails to scale Nadal hurdle W orld number two, Roger Federer, was a pale imitation of the player who dominated the game in the first decade of the millenium against Rafael Nadal as he succumbed to the Spaniard at the semi final of the PNB Paribas Indian Wells Championship on Friday.

“I’m happy to be out there and able to compete,” Federer said, adding, “But it’s obviously a small issue. That doesn’t work against guys like Rafa, obviously.”

If his back problem, which surfaced earlier in the week but did not prevent him beating Stanislas Wawrinka, was indeed “a small issue”, Federer would have cause to worry, because it begs the question: what, then, went wrong?

Twice at 3-3 in the first set of their quarter-final, after being 40-15 up, Federer tried to serve and volley on second serve–inventiveness or desperation? He dropped serve, lost the set and went on to fade in the second.

There were moments when he plainly declined to hunt down 50-50 balls, especially along the baseline. The physical struggle was apparent, as Federer’s peerless, single-handed backhand could not cope with the climbing top-spin of Nadal’s ground strokes, but Federer looked to be suffering inside as well. He moved dolefully between points, head hung, with no hint of resistance in his eyes.

The fans packed the main court to witness a contest between the two players who had dominated the game for the first decade of the millennium, and were served up an anti-climax–and a puzzle. While this was not the Nadal of a year ago but a recuperating version of that glittering talent, it was also a pale imitation of Federer.

They littered the match with a mix of mistakes and occasional trademark brilliance in the fight that never was.

Pointedly, Federer and Nadal had not met this early in a tournament since Miami nine years ago; we are used to seeing them collide in the big matches, semi-finals and finals. Yet, in several respects, this otherwise insignificant result might prove to be a turning point in both the careers of the two players and the seemingly irreversible change at the summit of the game.

Last year at the Indian Wells, Federer beat Nadal in the semi-finals. It fitted the order of things, the Swiss prevailing on his favourite surface against the king of clay.

Back then, though, the tennis landscape was markedly different, with burgeoning evidence of the upheavals to come.

Everyone was aware a changing of the guard was already under way. Novak Djokovic’s brilliant 2011 run of 43 unbeaten matches hit an unstoppable rhythm on this court, and 2012 started well enough, too. The Serb ceded the number one spot to Federer from July to October, but reas-

serted himself in Melbourne.

Yet, it is difficult to accept that Federer is losing his competitive edge; his hunger for titles always seeming insatiable.

Nadal, still only 26, is playing in his first hard-court tournament since returning to tennis on the giving clay of South America, ending a seven-month rest from the game after his chronic knee problems forced him to quit the tour upon losing in the third round at Wimbledon to Lukas Rosol, then ranked 100 in the world.

On the face of it, losing to Nadal should not be a seismic event in Federer’s earlyseason campaign. But the Swiss now leaves the tour for two months, husbanding his resources before the clay season begins in Europe, and hoping that the flickering back pain is no more than that.

Last weekend, Federer, who will be 32 in August, sounded more like a contender than a champion.

“If I do play amazingly and win some of the big tournaments, I obviously can return to be world number one,” he said.

“But it’s not as big a priority as it was last year. What matters is that I enjoy it, do have success, because that would motivation and inspire me to achieve more.

That’s where I am today.”

Meanwhile, a rejuvenated Nadal will be back with a bang if he raises again on the clay of Europe by winning the French Open.

Chukwumerije commits to youngsters YEMI OLUS

T Chika Chukuwmerije

eam captain of Nigeria’s contingent to the last Olympics, Chika Chukwumerije, says he is committed to ensuring that budding athletes are assisted to maximise their potential.

The Beijing Olympics bronze medallist told National Mirror that the Chika Chukwumerije Sports Foundation (CCSF) would be used as a platform to groom ath-

letes that would do the country proud in the near future.

“I grew up in the system and I know what it feels like,” Chukwumerije said.

“I was just determined that if I could help it, they would get it differently and that’s why I also gave prize money during the last competition we staged.

“If an athlete has six or seven fights in one day, he should be able to get something. When I was coming up I had to beat the heavy weights before me, which I gladly did. Let the young ones

also beat the older ones.”

He, however, enjoined the younger generation not to neglect their education while trying to build their sports career.

“Getting a formal education helps you put together your thoughts. It trains discipline and helps the attainment of self control,” he counselled.

The CCSF is currently undertaking a taekwondo training exercise across the six geopolitical zones of the country tagged “Drill Them Fit”.

ngland Manager, Roy Hodgson, admits Montenegro may try to wind up Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney as he urged his team to be ready tactically, technically and mentally for the World Cup qualifier in Podgorica on March 26.

Rooney, who was sent off for kicking out at Montenegro’s Miodrag Dzudovic in a EURO 2012 qualifier in the same city 17 months ago in a game which ended 2-2, was banned for the opening two games of Euro 2012 against France and Sweden after initially being handed a three-match suspension.

Hodgson has no fears about Rooney repeating his petulant behaviour when the sides meet again.

“All the players have to be ready to play the game, tactically, technically and mentally,” the manager said yesterday.

“Wayne made a mistake and won’t need me to remind him because it will be fresh in his memory because you don’t forget being sent off,” he added.

Meanwhile, England will face minnow San Marino as virtual warm-up for the Montenegro tie.

“I don’t fear the game in the sense that I think we could lose it,” Hodgson said.

Roy Hodgson

Tennis Juniors set for Kenya YEMI OLUS

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igeria will be represented by six players at the 36th African Junior Championships which runs in Kenya from March 18 to 23.

National Mirror learnt that Sarah Adegoke will lead the Nigerian squad which also has Emanuel Idoko, Joseph Imeh, Aderotimi Adetunji, Adetayo Adetunji and Zainab Oladimeji.

The tournament, meant for 14 and Under and 16 and Under categories, was preceded by a warm-up from March 13 to 17 at the same venue.

The players qualified for the event following the regional qualifiers which took place in Togo in January where 10 countries slugged it out for the West and Central African team trophy. Ghana emerged winners while Nigeria and Benin came second and third respectively.

However, the Nigerian representatives have not enjoyed the best preparation as their hopes seem to be threatened by lack of exposure as it obtained last year when the event was hosted by Egypt where Nigeria failed to get beyond the quarter finals.

Adegoke did not make it beyond the first round in the girls’ singles, although she later impressed observers when she got to the final of the Central Bank of Nigeria Open Tennis Championship later that year.

Two weeks ago in Lagos, Idoko and Imeh both took part in the CBN Junior Tennis Championships where the latter beat the former 9-2 to win his event.

WORLD RECORD

Fastest car dismantle Vol. 03 No. 579

Monday, March 18, 2013

N150

A team from Espoon Ammattioppilaitos (a Finnish technical school) consisting of Tapio Heino, Aaro-Pekka Nousiainen, Sampo Vuolteenaho, Ahmed Abdirizag, Janne Spanow, Panu Natunen, Mikael Gorski, Juha Määttä, and Sami Rissanen, dismantled a five-door family saloon car in 35 minutes on 28 November 2001.

Alams’ pardon: The privilege of indignation

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resident Goodluck Jonathan’s pardon for Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is expectedly eliciting quite a lot of surprise, indignation and condemnation. Public commentators and individual citizens have used the media to express their disappointment and anger; there is a palpable sense of rage and frustration on the internet. On the surface and maybe to an outsider, such anger and indignation are understandable and logical because, let’s not forget, the beneficiary of this controversial pardon was a former air force officer-turned politician, convicted of stealing public funds in Nigeria, gained international fame for money laundering and jumping bail, thanks to his ability to

NOTES FROM CAMBRIDGE Anthony A. Kila

anthonykila@mail.com cross-dress and disguise.

I say this general indignation is understandable only on the surface because it is based on the assumption that Nigerians were not expecting such a move from this administration. Everybody is acting like a good innocent and hardwork-driven population that has just accidentally fallen victim of some sort of unpredictable injustice. Is that really so? Can we all truly in our hearts say that we knew Dr. Goodluck Jonathan well enough to vouch for and count on his being in tune with the general feeling that corruption is at the root of all the evils befalling our country? If so where is the proof ?

What exactly has he done to fight corruption in the past? These same questions can be asked of all those in power, but it is the President that issued this pardon, so let us stick to him.

We do not spend enough time and resources to explore and embed the rights and duties each of us has as a citizen. As a country, we spend too little time on civic education, and in that little time we do not take time to explain and understand that in democracy, indignation is a privilege not a right. For one to be able to complain about the way things are going, one needs to have done everything possible to avoid such state of things. For our indignation to be legitimate we need to have done or at least be ready to do our own bit.

None of those ruling us come from Mars.

Before becoming President, Dr. Jonathan went through a series of electoral process-

EVERYBODY IS ACTING LIKE A GOOD INNOCENT AND

HARD WORK-DRIVEN POPULATION THAT HAS JUST ACCIDENTALLY FALLEN VICTIM OF SOME SORT OF UNPREDICTABLE INJUSTICE es, including a period of electioneering.

We all knew that he was deputy to Alamieyeseigha. How many of those that are so surprised and angry today took time to find out what his position was on the deeds and misdeeds of his former boss?

During the April 2011 electioneering period, how many people deemed it necessary to find out if this man that was to be our party’s presidential flag bearer was complacent with or ignorant of the operations of his former boss? Did we ever wonder why he did not blow the whistle on him? I am sure any employee would ask this kind of questions if they knew their prospective driver or manager had close links to a fellow suspected of stealing (never mind if convicted).

A lot of time we complain about the be-

haviour and misconducts of those in office, but what have we done as a people to stop them from behaving in such ways? If on any every issue we attack or defend a public figure not on the merit of the question, but with reference to his ethnic group or declared religion, why should we expect such a person to act on merit? We cannot continue to pay deference to and celebrate those that become rich by looting our commonwealth or by abusing their offices and expect them to stop their plundering and mismanagement or just hope that others will not do the same once in power.

Miracles might happen but it is not the norm; if we want those in charge of our affairs to be decent and respectful of our being and wishes then we have to compel them to do so. We have to realise that citizenship and the right to exercise it come with duties and even sacrifices. Just as we spend time and use our intelligence to find the best schools for our children or discover and purchase the best electronic gadgets, we need to invest time and courage for our country to prosper, gain and give dignity. Most Nigerians are not stupid, when we see people giving out money in order to get into office we cannot seriously believe that they are doing so for the interest of Nigeria. Nobody pays to serve.

Politicians will not by their own freewill or out of pure generosity or patriotism encourage citizens to be rational and independent; it is not in their interest. Where possible they will rather have their citizens blindly divided along ethno-religious cleavages so they can go to the centre to negotiate crumbles for you whilst they share the pie amongst themselves and cohorts.

Democracy is not an easy stroll; to make it work we all have to be vigilant and ready to do our bit. Though it was the president that granted this pardon, we as citizens must also not lose sight of those that approved it. Some opposition representatives were in that Council, some ex this, ex that were also present, let us find out what they did to stop or expose this pardon.

Sport Extra

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anchester United defender, Nemanja Vidic, believes the Premier League title is still not secure even though the Red Devils now have a 15-point lead at the summit.

United extended itsadvantage by beating Reading

Vidic wary of title-winning celebration

1-0 at Old Trafford on Saturday after Manchester City had lost 2-0 at Everton earlier in the day.

However, Vidic remains cautious after seeing an eight-point lead disappear in

the space of four games last season.

“You get nervous after what happened last season,” The Serb cautioned yesterday.

“We still have some tough

away games at places that are traditionally hard for us so nothing is finished yet,” he added.

“It is a big gap now and we shouldn’t let that change as it seems we have the title

in our hands.

“I don’t think we should allow the title win to slip again and we can’t allow that to happen again. We have to make sure we finish itNFF wellPresident, Aminu Maigari before the season ends.”

Nemanja Vidic

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