FRIDAY'S E-Mirror Online

Why Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman was rejected–Senate Saraki

Vol. 6 N0. 1492

T

he Senate on yesterday declined to confirm the nomination of Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC.

The lawmakers said they would communicate Magu’s rejection to President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Chairman, Senate Committee on Media and

Publicity, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, who addressed journalists on the issue, said Magu’s nomination was rejected based on CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

NICON Insurance, micro finance banks sign MoU to boost Nigeria’s business frontiers P.4

National Mirror Online @NationalMirror Friday, December 16, 2016

Cost of governance

N150

Govs agree to reduce travels, convoys, use of private jets •FG to dust up Orosanye Report, reduce 580 agencies Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

R

Some of the Seaward Defence Boatsand warships inaugurated by President Muhammadu Buhari in Lagos, yesterday. (INSET) L-R: Minister of Defence, Brigadier Gen. Mohammed Dan Ali, rtd.; President Muhammadu Buhari; Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, and Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Ibot-Ete Ibas, at the commissioning of the newly acquired locally built ship and two boats of the Nigerian Navy at the Naval Dockyard, Victoria Island, Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SUPO OLOSUNDE/BJO/NAN

ising from its meeting held in Abuja yesterday, the National Economic Council (NEC) has considered some far reaching steps to stem the impact of the economic recession, including state governors cutting down on excessive travels, long convoys and use of private jets.

Also, the Federal Government is dusting up the Oronsanye Report to reduce and merge its agencies, currently put at 580.

Governor Nasir elRufai of Kaduna State disclosed these measures to State House CorreCONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

2

News

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Govs agree to reduce travels, convoys, use of private jets CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

spondents shortly after the meeting of the NEC presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo at the Presidential Villa.

The briefing was jointly addressed by the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma.

According to El-Rufai, governors have resolved to reduce cost of governance by making some sacrifices considering the present economic situation in the country.

He said the governors would have to cut down on excessive travels, long convoys and use of private jets.

He said, “One of the key issues we raised was leadership; when leaders are seen to make sacrifices, it is easier to convince followership to endure. We agreed that we should lower our external outlook; excessive travels, convoys; if you check, private jet business is not doing so well, you know the biggest patrons of private jets are governors.”

He also said the Federal Government was considering the recommendation of the Oronsanye Report which recommended the merger of ministries and agencies with similar functions.

“At the Federal level, we are suggesting looking at the Orosanye Report. We have discussed very important steps to be taken. We have suggested looking at Oronsaye Report that suggested merger and reduce publications of agencies.

Federal Government has 580 agencies. They are too many and they cost too much,” El-Rufai said.

Also, the Kaduna State

governor said it was not right for Nigerians to say that the present government impoverished them.

He said, “When people say that this administration has impoverished them, they are not being charitable, because I have said we inherited a governmental structure that was based on the assumption that price of oil will remain $100 per barrel.

“By the time we took over, prices reduced to as low as $26 per barrel; 80 percent of government revenue depends on the price of oil and the quantity of oil sold.

“You must expect a cut in your consumption if the price collapses. If in your own household, your salary is slashed by 80%, what will you do?

“This is what Nigeria is going through. Our revenues have collapsed by about 40 to 60 per cent if you compare it to say 2014.”

He explained that the economic situation was as a result of reduction in price of oil, adding that the situation in the Niger Delta region also contributed to the problem.

“We were producing over two million barrels of oil per day, but because of the situation in the Niger Delta, we are now producing about 1.1million barrels per day.

“It is, therefore, inevitable that there will be cut and pain. But to say that it is government that is doing it without referring to the cause; is not fair.

“When I left government as minister in 2007, we left $40 billion in reserves and $27 bil-

Senate declines Magu’s confirmation as EFCC chairman CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

“security report” available to the Senate.

He said, “The Senate wishes to inform the public that based on available security report, the Senate cannot proceed with the confirmation of

Ibrahim Magu as Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.

“The nomination of Ibrahim Magu is hereby rejected and has been returned to the President for further action.”

lion in the Excess Crude Account; that was what we handed over to (President) Yar’Adua.

“Coming back as the governor of Kaduna State, the people that came after us have blown the money. They blew all we left behind, blew what they earned and borrowed, leaving President Buhari and his team to clear the mess. Nobody is even talking about that,” he said.

Also, the Minister of

Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, said the Buhari administration is on a rescue mission to take the country out of the present economic situation.

He said President Muhmmadu Buhari was not responsible for the present economic recession in the country.

The minister said, “We did not cause and we are not responsible for the current economic situa-

tion we find ourselves.

“We are actually a rescue team; a team working on rescuing Nigeria from the position we find ourselves. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, we are determined to take Nigeria out of the situation. The situation started long before we came.”

Corroborating ElRufai, he said, “As you know, oil price started falling from 2014 when it was about $110 and by January this year, it was

below $30. Unfortunately, they did not save.

“None of us here now was there. But we are not going to spend our time looking backwards; we are determined to change things in this country. We are determined to take Nigeria from a consuming nation to a producing nation. That is why we are developing the economy recovery and growth plan and that is our focus. We are committed to success.”

A cross-section of state governors and deputy governors at the National Economic Council mºeeting in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: MIKE AGADA/BJO/NAN

Reps query BPE, AEDC over TCN, power assets’ sale Ubong Ukpong, George Opara ABUJA

T

he House of Representatives ad-hoc committee investigating the sale of power assets, yesterday, queried the Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, and the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company, AEDC, over the sale of Transmission Company of Nigeria, TCN, among other power assets.

The Ahmed Yerima-led ad-hoc committee requested from the Director-General of the BPE and AEDC documents on the value of the assets of the TCN and other power stations sold

by the agency.

Yerima and other committee members had told the DG’s representative, Mr Amechi Aloke, a Deputy Director in the agency, that the memorandum submitted showed that the TCN’s assets were undervalued prior to its sale.

The lawmakers also queried why a foreign owned company, Manitoba Hydro-Electric International Co Ltd, was awarded the management contract of TCN against its Nigerian subsidiary, Manitoba Hydro-Electric Nigeria Ltd. However, the BPE, in its defence, said there was a public advertisement that called for expression of interest before the pre-quali-

fication of the company as the preferred bidder.

The agency told the committee that Manitoba International Company Ltd of Canada became their preferred bidder after the pre-qualification and bidding of four companies, a process it insisted was done transparently.

The agency also indicated that the whole essence of the bidding process was to get the lowest bidding contractor with the requisite expertise to take over and manage the power station.

But the committee, dissatisfied with the documents submitted to it by the organizations, requested for the ‘letter of no objection’ from the oth-

er companies that participated in the bidding of the TCN power assets before the sale.

Indeed, the chairman of the committee, who quoted section 87 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria, said the lawmakers have powers to cause investigation into any matter, person or authority over which the National Assembly has powers to make laws for the purposes of good governance of the country or any part thereof.

He added that House resolution on the ongoing investigation into the sale of power assets by the BPE was to represent the interest of the over 170 million Nigerian citizens.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 16, 2016

3

4

News

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NICON Insurance, micro finance banks sign MoU to boost Nigeria’s business frontiers George Opara ABUJA

N

ICON Insurance has signed a memorandum of Understanding with the National Association of Micro Finance Banks (NAMFB) in order to stem the harsh effects of economic recession on small scale businesses in the country.

The pact, sealed by NICON with the umbrella micro finance body, com-

posed of 978 members, is said to be targeted at providing the needed insurance cover to stave off risks for the nation’s micro finance banks.

The NICON Insurance Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Bayode Samuel, and National President of NAMFB, Segun Valentine Whensu, disclosed the development at a joint press briefing yesterday in Abuja.

Indeed, NICON’s MD

Nigerian Air Force redeploys 30 Air Vice Marshals, 37 other senior officers

T

he Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has redeployed a total of 67 senior officers comprising 30 Air Vice Marshals (AVM), 17 Air Commodores (Air Cdre), 10 Group Captains (Gp Capt), 7 Wing Commanders (Wg Cdr) and 3 Squadron Leaders (Sqn Ldr). The redeployment came on the heel of the decoration of senior officers recently promoted to the ranks of AVM and Air Cdre. Prominent among those affected by the new posting at the Headquarters Nigerian Air Force (HQ NAF) Abuja are: AVM Muhammadu Muhammed newly appointed as the Air Secretary, AVM Saleh Shinkafi appointed the pioneer Chief of Medical Services, AVM Mohammad Muhammad appointed the Chief of Administration and, AVM Sambo Usman appointed the Chief of Logistics and Communication.

The new posting also brought about leadership changes at the Command level; with 3 of the former Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) redeployed while 2 new ones have been appointed. Those redeployed include AVM Nurudeen Balogun moved from Training Command Kaduna to Tactical Air Command Makurdi; AVM Christopher Okoye from Special Operations Command Bauchi

described the pact as timely and strategic, saying it remains the first of its kind in this part of the world.

He said he was not in doubt that it would help to reduce the risk associated with small business in particular.

He said the negotiations between NICON and the micro finance body on the pact started over a year ago, adding that, “We are happy that we have been made the major insurance company to underwrite their

risks. It is a joyous occasion for us at NICON to add value to this important sector in the Nigerian economy.”

He explained that the impact of the insurance cover for micro finance banks will help to boost production and create employment across thecountry.

He said, “We are announcing to the world that a momentous occasion has taken place. We think it is an important sector of the economy that we can’t ignore; we

are privileged to come in and enhance their values.”

Specifically, the National President of the micro finance banks said the partnership will help the over 37 million medium and small business in the country as they constitute the engine room of growth for the country’s ailing economy.

“The 978 institutions, working with NICON, would afford them more national presence, huge capital base, and continued Federal Govern-

ment’s involvement in the sector,” he said.

He emphasized that de-risking sub-sector through insurance scheme would also free huge fund for investment.

He disclosed that the MoU, signed in Akwa Ibom State, is targeted at insuring credit risk in order to facilitate business activities, adding that the presence of NICON all over the country will, indeed, be an added advantage for greater success of the scheme.

to Training Command Kaduna and; AVM Sani Ahmed from Logistics Command Ikeja to Special Operations Command, Bauchi. The two newly appointed AOCs are AVM Stephen Onuh (Mobility Command, Yenagoa) and AVM Ibrahim Yahaya (Logistics Command, Ikeja).

In the same vein, AVM Ajibola Jekennu is now the Commandant Armed Forces Resettlement Centre, Oshodi while AVM Isiyaka Bukar becomes the Commandant Air Force Institute of Technology, Kaduna.

Others are Air Commodore Hassan Abubakar appointed the new commander, 011 Presidential Air Fleet Abuja and, Air Commodore Ismaila Yahaya now the Principal Air Staff Officer to the Chief of the Air Staff.

The recent deployment, though a routine exercise, is aimed at ensuring that the NAF is effectively manned for operational efficiency and effectiveness in line with the vision of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar. The postings take effect from 22 December 2016.

You are therefore please requested to disseminate the information through your medium for the awareness of the general public.

Thank you for your usual support and cooperation.

L-R: Managing Director, Nicon Insurance Ltd, Mr. Bayode Samuel; President, National Association of Microfinance Banks, Mr. Valentine Nwosu, and Chief Marketing Officer, Nicon Insurance Ltd, Mr. Samson Davies, during the signing of Memorandum of Understanding between National Association of Microfinance Banks and Nicon Insurance Ltd in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO ROTIMI OSASONA

Don’t reject corps members, Okorocha begs firms Chris Njoku OWERRI

I

mo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, yesterday enjoined establishments, institutions and corporate organisations operating in the state to stop rejecting corps members posted to them.

Okorocha, who gave the injunction at the official closing ceremony of the National Youth Service Company orientation course of the 2016 Batch ‘B’ Corps members deployed to the state, noted that the practice if left unchecked

could setback the scheme established 43 years ago.

The governor stated that the young graduates, armed with academic prowess, have the capacity to play role as agents of positive change in their areas of primary assignment.

He said the state government would continue to evolve strategies for sustained partnership with various organisations in the state for the socio-economic development and industrialisation of the state.

According to him, the biting recession in the country has compelled

states and the local government councils to look inwards for strategies to beef up their revenue generation, hence his administration’s attention now on promoting rural agriculture for enhanced food production and revenue generation.

The governor, who was represented by his deputy, Prince Eze Madumere, congratulated the corps members on the successful completion of their orientation programme. He urged them to contribute their quota in the transformation of their host communities and to bring the

benefit of their training to bear on their conduct throughout their service year in the state.

Coordinator of the NYSC in the state, Isaac Fasanu, earlier enjoined the corps members to put into practice all they had learnt in the orientation camp.

Fasanu also urged them not to forget their lessons on security, leave, channel of communication, Igbo culture, drug abuse/control, servicom and disaster management when they get to their places of primary assignment of host communities.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Friday, Decemberber 15, 2016

5

How ex-Air Chief, Amosu, others stole N1.9bn — EFCC Wale Igbintade

A

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai with newly promoted Army officers in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Recession: Buhari pledges support to military ...lauds Nigerian Navy over war against oil theft

R

otimi Fadeyi, Francis Suberu

P

r e s i d e n t Muhammadu Buhari yesterday pledged Federal Government’s continued resolve to equip the military while urging ingenuity in complementing government’s efforts by looking inwards to construct and improvise some vital operational tools.

He disclosed this while speaking at the commissioning ceremony of three naval ships, Nigerian Navy ship, UNITY, Nigerian Navy ship, KARADUWA and Nigerian Navy tugboat, COMMANDER EDWIN UGWU. According to a statement issued by special adviser to the President on media and publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina, Buhari commended the Nigerian Navy for building two out of the three ships commissioned.

UNITY was built in China; while KARADUWA as well COMMANDER EDWIN UGWU were constructed in Nigeria.

The President said: “It is most fulfilling to note that our own engineers at the Nigerian Navy Dockyard, Lagos, and the Naval Shipyard, Port Harcourt, are wholly responsible for the building of the Seaward Defence Boat, Nigerian Navy ship, KARADUWA and the tugboat, COMMANDER EDWIN UGWU, respectively.

“It is also worth noting

that NNS UNITY, which is Nigeria’s newest warship, is the second of such acquisitions from the Peoples Republic of China.”

According to the President, the Nigerian Navy had shown great foresight in nurturing the vision for NNS’ Unity and her sister ships, noting that it was comforting that efforts were not confined to using foreign sources alone, but local complements were mobilised.

“Federal Government expected no less from you as looking inwards is the way to go amid a uniquely challenging mix of recession and rising acute security concerns,” he added.

The President urged more probity and rededication to patriotism by the Nigerian Navy.

“The prevailing situation is not new, given the intimate connections between economic prosperity and security. For a littoral state with huge dependence on her offshore resources, maritime security is vital to the nation’s well-being.

“Today, you are afforded increased defence capacity.

This empowerment also enhances your role as instruments of diplomacy and leadership in the region and credible standing on the global stage,” he said.

The President said a healthy and growing diplomatic relation with China had been most beneficial to Nigeria, recalling that the Chinese government had earlier

donated an offshore patrol boat to the Navy at the time of taking delivery of the of Nigerian Navy’s Unity last year.

“I cannot but commend the business dependability of China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company Limited, the builders of these offshore patrol vessels for seeing to a conclusive and successful execution of the contracts.

“In the same vein, I enjoin their local partners to share in this commendation for their efforts at local facilitation,” he said.

In a related development, President Buhari has commended the Nigerian Navy and other military outfits in the country for their doggedness in the fight against oil theft and militancy in the riverine areas of the country, saying the navy has been impressive in the fight against piracy, oil theft, illegal bunkering and pipeline vandalism.

The President said this at the Naval Dockyard in Lagos while commissioning three Nigerian naval ships christened, NNS Karaduwa, NNS Unity and NNS Tugboat, Commander Edwin Ugwu manufactured in the country.

The President also commissioned the newly acquired 27 gunboats for naval operations.

Buhari who lauded the involvement and contribution of the Nigerian Navy in the ongoing fight against insurgency in the North

East, added that the Navy is also envisaged to play a critical role in upcoming continental programmes such as the development of sustainable blue economy for Africa, adopted and signed by the African Union in October 2016.

He said: “The commissioning of these platforms is to embolden you to sustain and expand your capacity and remit.

Federal Government will continue to provide your requirements within the limits of our resources.

Our administration is unwavering in prioritising the commitment, readiness and willingness towards strengthening the Navy through improved training, provision of modern equipment, infrastructure and attention to welfare.”

Speaking on the activities of economic saboteurs, viza-viz the ravaging economic recession in the land, President Buhari said his administration is making frantic efforts to revamp the nation’s economy, urging Nigerians to be prudent in the management of their resources to survive the critical period.

Earlier, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ete Ekwe Ibas, had said the navy is currently challenged by the debilitating security situation in the country, adding that it has also injected about 100 patrol boats into its riverine operations.

Ibas said the Navy is mindful of the expectation of Nigerians, assuring that it would leave above board in the discharged of its duties.

prosecution witness, Tosin Owobo, of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday gave a graphic detail of how a former Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshall Adesola Amosu Nunayon, and two other Air Force chiefs converted N1.9 billion to their personal use.

Awobo, an assistant detective superintendent, ADS, made the revelation while being led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, in the criminal trial of three Air Force chiefs and their eight companies.

Amosu, alongside Air Vice Marshal Jacob Bola Adigun, Air Commodore Gbadebo Owodunni Olugbenga and eight companies, are being tried before the court by the EFCC over alleged N22.8 billion fraud.

The companies facing trial with the three Air Force chiefs are Delfina Oil & Gas Ltd, Mcallan Oil & Gas Limited, Hebron Housing & Properties Company Limited, Trapezites BDC, Fonds & Pricey Ltd, Deegee Oil & Gas Limited, Timsegg Investment Limited and Solomon Health Care.

At the resumed trial of the accused persons, Owobo told the court presided over

by Justice Mohammed Idris, that EFCC received an intelligence reports as to large scale misappropriation of funds at the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, from a Special Task Force saddled with the responsibility of investigating politicallyexposed persons and government agencies.

The prosecution witness stated that upon receiving the report, it was discovered that there was a memorandum of understanding, MOU, between NIMASA and the Nigerian Air Force, NAF. He stated that the first set of the MOU was

signed by a former Chief of Air Staff, Mr. Alex Badeh.

He also stated that upon receiving the MOU, his team requested for the payment vouchers between NIMASA and NAF, only to discover that N1.9 billion, in two tranches, was paid to some Bureau De Change operators, which later changed the money into United State $600 million.

He added that the money was paid into account number 1750013097, domiciled in Skye Bank, belonging to Air Vice Marshall Gbadebo.

The Bureau De Change operators allegedly used for the said conversions were Farsman Holding Limited, Bogori BDC, and Abubakar Shittu, Hasubinalahi, who are also BDC operators.

However, lawyers to the accused persons led by Chief Abolaji Ayorinde, Mr. Kemi Balogun, Norrison Quakers, all Senior Advocates of Nigeria, SAN, and Chief Wale Taiwo, objected to the witness giving evidence in relation to the statements of the bureau de change, BDC, operators.

They argued that the statements of the BDC operators had not been tendered before the court, adding that the witness is not in a position to give evidence on statements he authored.

However, Mr. Oyedepo urged the court to allow the witness.

The situation forced the court t to adjourn the matter to January 25 and 26, to rule on whether the witness could give evidence on the BDC operators’ statements and continuation of trial.

The accused persons were first arraigned before the court on June 29, on 23 counts charge bordering on fraud, money laundering and stealing.

The offences are contrary to sections 18(a) of the Money Laundering ( P r o h i b i t i o n ) (Amendment) Act, 2012, and punishable under Section 15(3) of the same Act.

Photo

6

Friday, December 16, 2016

NEWS

L-R; Manager, Devices and Terminals, Etisalat Nigeria, Clement Nwankwo; Marketing Director, Gionee Nigeria, Somoye Habeeb; Head, High Value and Mass Market Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Idowu Adesokan and Marketing Director, Gionee China, Chen Bin at the Launch of Gionee M6 LTE Smartphone in partnership with Etisalat, in Lagos, yesterday.

L-R: Chief Technology Officer of L-Cube, Diji Adu; Chief Executive Officer, L-Cube, Mr. Olawale Wale-Falope; Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Minister of State for Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, at the launch of the Federal Government of Nigeria Information App (FGN IAPP) in Abuja, yesterday.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, Martin Mabutho; Regional Director, M-net West Africa, Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu and Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe, during the 5th AMVCA 2017 Nominee Announcement in Lagos on Wednesday.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

L-R: Brand Marketing Manager, OLX/Secretary of the Women Voluntary Organisation, Fife Aiyesimoju; Founder of Modupe Cole Rev Adebayo Adeyemi- Cole; Country Manager, OLX, Lola Masha and PR/ Communications Lead, OLX, Uche Nwagboso, during a courtesy visit of OLX Management and staff to the school where OLX painted at the vocational section of Modupe Cole Memorial Child Care at Akoka, Yaba, yesterday.

National News

2019: PDP’s alliance bid ‘ll not affect name — Makarfi George Opara ABUJA

A

hmed Makarfi’s leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has promised that in its bid to form a credible political alliance with other political groups across the country, the party’s name would not change.

He averred that the alliance would constitute people of like minds who are lovers of democracy with outstanding democratic pedigree who also have electoral value.

Also the group has expressed willingness to settle all contentious issues fairly with the Ali Modu Sheriff group and any other disaffected group that has genuine intention for reconciliation.

But the PDP Strategy Review and Inter Party Affairs Committee which was inaugurated last month by Senator Ahmed

...Says it’s ready to reconcile with Modu Sheriff’s group

Makarfi had defined the basis upon which the party would enter into a merger or alliance ahead of the 2019 general election.

Prof Jerry Gana, chairman of the 115-member committee saddled with the responsibility to work out the alliance framework, explained that plans for merger or alliance would not degenerate to what is happening to the ruling All Progres-

sives Congress, APC, but that its syndicate committee, led by former deputy Senate president, Ibrahim Mantu, is working on modalities for such arrangement.

Gana disclosed this yesterday in Abuja while addressing newsmen on the progress of the planned alliance.

He said: “I would like to give details of what is being recommended. But the PDP is desirous of attracting all lovers of democ-

racy across the country as we move forward. But there are details I cannot divulge at the moment because the committee’s recommendation will be passed on to the party leadership.

It will not be wise to disclose the details before we submit the report.”

When grilled on the issue of a mega party, he said: “We are not yet aware of PDP’s involvement but all we can say is that the party wants to re-

late with lovers of democracy in all the parties.

“We have a syndicate committee working on this, chaired by former deputy Senate president, Ibrahim Mantu.

They are to give us the guidelines for any realignment plan and the number of parties that are willing to join us.

Our engagement will be based on principle, cleared guidelines.

“But that does not mean it will degenerate to what

is happening to the ruling party. PDP wants a solid and united party.

PDP is the only party that can be found in every ward, and it is the only party that has not changed its name, and we are not going to change the name of our party.”

Meanwhile, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the spokesman of the group has reiterated that the peace process by the Makarfi national caretaker committee is not averse to any peaceful resolution with the Senator Ali Modu Sheriff group.

Mob beat LASTMA zonal head to death in Lagos

Z

onal head of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority, LASTMA, Apapa, Bakare, was yesterday beaten to death by suspected Okada riders and touts in the Apapa area of

Lagos.

It was gathered that Bakare was killed at Point Road, Apapa, while enforcing a road traffic law which banned Okada riders from plying 475 major roads in Lagos.

Bakare was said to have been attacked and was brutally murdered by the irate Okada riders.

LASTMA general manager, Bashir Braimah, confirmed the incident, saying he was trying to

control and regulate traffic in Apapa when he was killed. He did not give further details.

Police public relations officer, Dolapo Badmos, confirmed the incident, saying it was a mob action

and that the LASTMA officer was killed in the process.

She said the police had begun intensive investigation and manhunt to arrest perpetrators and bring them to book.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

NEWS

Friday, December 16, 2016

7

Court of Appeal adjourns hearing on PDP leadership crisis of

hree-man

panel

of the Abuja division of the Court

Appeal,

adjourned

yesterday indefinitely,

hearing on the leadership crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The over

panel by

in the said judgement,

three appeals, sued as

maintained that Sheriff

the 1st and 2nd respon-

pending

a verdict that Justice

has the authority to take

dents in the appeal by

a motion that was filed

appeals put on hold by

Okon Abang of the Abu-

decisions for the party,

two

by the Ali Modu Sheriff

the Justice Saulawa-led

ja division of the Feder-

including

of

party in Ondo and Edo

faction of the party.

panel

were

al High Court delivered

lawyers to represent the

states, Chief Benson Ak-

marked CA/A/402/2016,

on June 30, which recog-

interest of the PDP in

ingboye and Ehiozuwa

CA/A/402A/2016

nised Sheriff as national

court.

Agbonayinma,

Division of the Court.

ABUJA

T

are

challenging

before the Port Harcourt

Doosuur Iwambe

presided

Justice

Ibra-

him Saulawa suspended hearing on the matter to await the outcome of a related case pending

The decision followed

The group had through its counsel, Chief Akin Olujinmi,

SAN,

urged

matter and reserved its judgment.

The

three

The

appellants

basically

yesterday

and

CA/A/402D/M/2016.

chairman of the party.

Justice

the appellate court panel

Abang

had

briefing

Whereas, the Sheriff-

chieftains

of

the

respec-

tively.

led faction was in the

to temporarily hands-off the suit filed by the Senator Ahmed Markafi-led faction of the party.

They based their request on the fact that the court in Port Harcourt had already heard the

NIPOST swoops on 16 courier companies

N

igerian

Postal

been to Port Harcourt,

Service’s courier

Benue State and all over

regulatory

(the country) to sanitise

de-

partment said the service

the industry.

has shut down the opera-

‘‘You know the courier

tions of 16 defaulting cou-

industry is a major one;

rier firms in Lagos State

one in which informa-

for various offences, in-

tion is relayed around

cluding operating without

the world and there are

licences and non-renewal

set standards for its op-

of same for four years.

eration. Nigeria is not ex-

The lot of Mercantile

Mitchelle Triple

global practices. Hence we

Restaurant,

have decided to be more

Chizzy Nigeria Ltd, Essay

visible now and ready to

Holdings Ltd, Errandz4

clampdown on any cou-

You and Finger King were

rier firm operating ille-

J

Chinese

Ltd,

empt; we must adopt best

sealed for not having operating licences, while Impex Worldwide, Leyman Express,

City

Errands,

ODA Courier, Royalways Express, Seba Watch Ltd, Skyland Express, Spreadforth Ltd, Trans Citis Logistics Ltd and Trans Continental Express had their licences revoked for nonrenewal for four years.

According

to

senior

asst. postmaster-general/ head,

Courier

Regula-

tory Dept. of the service, Ishaya Musa Diwa, the crackdown, which is continuous and not limited to Lagos, is to help sanitise the industry and preserve the country’s image.

His words: ‘‘We are concerned because there is proliferation of illegal courier companies. It’s not just Lagos. We’ve recently

gally.’’

He likened illegal courier companies to quacks in the medical profession who ‘‘tend to bastardise everything,’’ adding that ‘‘when we have illegal people, they are not serious. They dump people’s mails, under-price and cut corners,’’ putting the industry in jeopardy.

Diwa stressed that the clampdown, alongside the police and other security agencies, is to serve as deterrent to other courier firms. ‘‘The implication of the arrests is that they can no longer operate; to do so, they must apply to be duly registered, which we will assess, and if ascertained to be fit, they would be registered,’’ Diwa said.

L-R: Kaduna State Commissioner for Commerce, Dr Shehu Usman Danfulani; U.S Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stuart Symington and Chairman Nigerian-American Chamber of Commerce, Kaduna State, Alhaji Sheriff Balogun, at the Annual Presidential’s Banquet and Investiture of new members in Kaduna, yesterday.

EU to partner Nigeria on centres of excellence initiative Adeola Tukuru ABUJA

E

uropean Union, EU, is set to partner Nigeria on Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Risk Mitigation, CBRN, Centres of Excellence initiative of the EU, launched in 2010.

This disclosure was made by the deputy head, EU delegation in Nigeria, Mr. Richard Young, when he visited the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahaman Bello Dambazau (rtd), yesterday in Abuja.

According to Mr. Young, the initiative seeks to address the mitigation of, and preparedness against, risks relat-

ing to CBRN material and agents.

The deputy head noted that it would also boost cooperation at national, regional and international levels aimed at developing a common and coherent CBRN mitigation policy at national and regional levels.

Explaining further, he stated that such mitigation comprises prevention, preparedness and post-event management.

The deputy head said the initiative was funded by the European Commission and implemented in cooperation with the United Nation Inter-regional Crime and Justice Research Institute.

He accorded priority to

the Ministry of Interior to drive and fast-track the process to enable Nigeria benefit from the experience of such centres of excellence established by the Economic Commission.

Responding, Lt. Gen. Dambazau described the ministry as the lead agency in the aspect of public safety and security, and expressed its readiness on behalf of the Federal Government to partner EU on the project.

As part of Nigeria’s readiness to join the EU Centre of Excellence, the minister immediately set up an Inter-Agency Technical Committee to draw up terms of reference to identify Needs Assess-

ment of the country, and enjoined the committee to enlarge it to an inter-ministerial level to include ministries such as Health, Agriculture and Rural Development, Environment, as well as Nuclear Regulatory Agency and the like.

The minister indicated that Nigeria, with the largest population and economy in Africa, would benefit from the CBRN initiative as there would be exchange of information, expertise and training programmes with the EU. He noted that nuclear waste dumping, medical waste management, general e-waste disposal and allied matters would be areas of concern to Nigeria.

Editorial

8

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

All the Facts, All the Sides A PUBLICATION OF GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LTD BARRISTER JIMOH IBRAHIM, CFR n PUBLISHER SUNDAY OLAJIDE – MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO •AG. EDITOR, DAILY BEN MEMULETIWON •CO-EDITOR, DAILY DELE FASHOMI •SATURDAY EDITOR GBEMI OLUJOBI •SUNDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN •CO-ORDINATOR EDITORIAL BOARD DOZIE OKEBALAMA

•EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS LANRE OYETADE •EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MARKETING PATRICK ASONYE •AG. MANAGER, ADVERT BODE EHINMISAN •MANAGER, SPECIAL PROJECTS AMUDA AKANBI

•HEAD, GRAPHICS FRANCIS IYONMANA

•MANAGER, SALES & DISTRIBUTION FEMI SHOBOWALE

•BUREAU CHIEF (ABUJA/NORTH) OPERATIONS AKINDELE ORIMOLADE

•AG. HEAD, ACCOUNTS OKOCHA MADUEKWE

Kaduna refinery and crude from Niger Republic

T

he report some days ago that the Federal Government was contemplating the construction of pipelines covering over 1,000 kilometres from Agadem in Niger Republic to supply crude oil for refining at the Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company Limited (KRPC) appears an indication that resolving the problem of renewed militancy and destruction of oil infrastructure in the Niger Delta region has become an uphill task for the government.

Group Managing Director of Nigeria’s oil behemoth - the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) - Dr. Maikanti Baru, was quoted as saying at a town-hall meeting with the management and staff of KRPC in Kaduna that the FG was commitment to the upgrade and expansion of the Kaduna refinery in line with the Corporation’s 12 key business focus areas in order to return it to the path of growth and profitability. Baru said: “Due to challenges with the aged refinery and crude oil pipelines that had been breached severally, the operations of the refinery have been epileptic. This we are determined to resolve through various intervention methods, including evaluation of alternative crude oil supply from Niger Republic through building of pipelines of over 1,000 kilometres from Agadem (Niger Republic) to Kaduna. The efforts are

being championed by President Muhammadu Buhari”.

It is, however, common knowledge that the Buhari government has been grappling with the downturn in the nation’s economic fortunes occasioned by falling oil prices. This problem has been compounded early in the year with the renewed and persistent destruction of oil facilities by Niger Delta militants, a development that has adversely affected crude production and export. Last February, for example, a new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), unleashed what it called ‘Operation Red Economy’ campaign on the nation. By the early days of the month of May 2016 alone, the damages wrought by NDA on oil infrastructure had denied the country revenues amounting to N58.5 billion ($295 million) as a result of the loss of 6.5 million barrels of crude, according to officials.

Between February and May, the Clough Creek Tebidaba Agip Pipeline Manifold in Bayelsa State was blown up by the group.

They did not spare Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s (NNPC) crude and gas pipelines that fed the Warri and Kaduna refineries, which destruction crippled the supply of crude to Warri and Kaduna refineries; as well as the feeding of gas to Lagos and Abuja for electric power supply. Blown up, too, were Well

It is obvious that the government is yet to determine how best to manage the security challenge posed by

Niger

Delta militants to Nigeria’s oil wealth D25, a major gas facility belonging to Chevron Nigeria Limited in Abiteye, Warri South-West Local Government Area, the Swamp Headquarters of Chevron, including major pipelines in Abiteye, Alero, Dibi, Otunana and Makaraba flow stations that fed Chevron’s tank farm, thus stalling the latter’s operations, to mention just a few. At a stage, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, cried out that the country’s oil production had dropped to 1.65 million barrels per day (mb/d), described as the lowest in 22 years, when Royal Dutch Shell PLC declared a force majeure on Bonny Light (crude brand) as a result of pipeline vandalism.

The militants have not relented in their oil installations’ destruction campaign. Indeed, they are still destroying more of such infrastructure, notwithstanding the militarisation of parts of the Niger Delta; as well as purported negotiations between the FG

ON THIS DAY December 16, 1941 Adolf Hitler announced the extermination of the Jews at a meeting in the Reich Chancellery. Hitler (April 20, 1889 – April 30, 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician and the leader of the Nazi Party. He was chancellor of Germany from 1933 to 1945 and dictator of Nazi Germany from 1934 to 1945. Hitler was at the centre of Nazi Germany, World War II in Europe and the Holocaust.

Letters tothe theEditor Editor Letters to

December 16, 2012 North Korea successfully launched its first satellite, Kwangmyongsong-3 Unit 2, using the Unha-3 carrier rocket. As of 2013, ten countries had developed the capability to send objects into orbit using their own launch vehicles. The United Nations Security Council condemned the North Korea satellite launch. It viewed it as a violation of a ban on North Korean ballistic missile tests, as the rocket technology is the same.

and leaders from the Niger Delta region meant to foster peace.

President Buhari, in the middle of all these; and when critics fingered his government’s alleged bungling of the Niger Delta Amnesty Programme as one of the grouses of the militants, was credited as saying his government was studying the gazette on the amnesty programme with a view to determining what had been fulfilled; promising that whatever was left would be addressed.

As it stands presently, however, it is obvious that the government is yet to determine how best to manage the security challenge posed by Niger Delta militants to Nigeria’s oil wealth, hence the plan to pipe crude oil to Kaduna from Niger Republic for refining. For a country that is one of the foremost crude producing nations, this expensive decision is ‘penny wise pound foolish’, considering the prevailing economic crunch in the country. Charity begins at home.

It will be cheaper for the Buhari government to resolve Niger Delta militant’s crisis and have unfettered access to Nigerian crude than piping crude from Niger Republic. Indeed, who would secure the oil pipelines from Agadem? The grouses of the Niger Delta as a whole and the oil producing communities in particular should be sincerely addressed to guarantee lasting peace in the region.

x December 16, 2012 12-12-12: The Concert for Sandy Relief took place at Madison Square Garden, United States, to raise money for the victims of Hurricane Sandy. Hurricane Sandy caused damages valued over $68 billion and killed at least 286 people along the path of the storm in seven countries. It was the deadliest and most destructive hurricane of the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the second-costliest hurricane in US history.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 16, 2016

9

10

South West

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Crisis looms in Abeokuta over extortion by market leaders ..... as Gbagura youths demand removal of Iyaloja

Femi Oyeweso ABEOKUTA

T

here is a growing tension among traders at the century-old Adatan market in Abeokuta South Local Government Area of Ogun State as Gbagura youths demand the immediate removal of the market leader, Madam Fausat Amoje, over an alleged extortion, harassment and intimidation of traders.

The youths, under the umbrella of Gbagura Youths Descendant, some of whom are traders in the market, are threatening to resist further alleged extortion and harassment from Iyaloja Amoje should the Gbagura traditional rulers

fail to order her to halt her position at the acting capacity.

Speaking with National Mirror yesterday over the looming crisis, the youths’ leader, Folarin Oladipo, alleged that Iyaloja Amoje was exacting exorbitant levy from traders in Adatan market as well as assaulting those who dared to question such arbitrary levy.

Folarin also said Agura youths are aggrieved with the acting Iyaloja who allegedly, often times, favours the Ibarapa settlers and traders in the market as against other Abeokuta and Agura traders in her style of administering the affairs of the market.

Citing the case of one of the traders identified as Rihanat, who was allegedly beaten last Monday at the Adatan market for refusing to part with N500 allegedly levied on her ware, Oladipo said

Madam Amoje was in the habit of confiscating traders’ wares and sprinkling others in the market with urine.

Oladipo also disclosed that the Agura youths are already mobilising to resist any attempt by Madam Amoje to install

other market leaders of non-Agura origin on the traders, particularly the Babaloja aside from one Akinboro Dende already appointed by the Agura of Gbagura, Oba Halidu Laloko.

The Gbagura Youths Descendants in the

Adatan market however warned that the only condition to avert the looming crisis is for the Gbagura traditional rulers to cause Madam Amoje to stop acting as Iyaloja forthwith and handover to the Iyalode Agura for further action.

Lagos promises to finance teachers producing instructional materials Tunbosun Ogundare

A

s a way of boosting education and entrepreneurship, Lagos State government has assured teachers in the state-owned schools who produce quality instructional materials of finance for such projects.

Deputy governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule, gave the assurance at the Lagos State Festival of Instructional Materials, LASFIM, organised by the state’s Ministry of Education in Ikeja, recently.

Many secondary school teachers, particularly in science subjects and civic education showcased their self-made instructional materials at the event with a low-priced cooling system fabricated by a physics teacher, Mr. Adekunle Oyebanji, of Herbert Macaulay Girls’ Senior High School, Yaba, adjudged the best by independent jurists constituted for the purpose.

Speaking further, the deputy governor, represented by the chairman of the state’s Universal Basic Education Board, Mr. Ganiyu Sopehin, re-emphasised government’s readiness to finance any worthy instructional materials produced by any teacher with local contents.

She said the aim was not only to encourage healthy competition and effective teaching and learning in

the state-owned schools but also to serve as a source of income generation for teachers and their schools when produced in large quantity.

Adebule however said it had been observed that teaching students with physical instructional materials was more effective in students’ assimilation than being abstract, and therefore urged teachers to go all out towards in that direction.

Mr. Oyebanji was particularly happy that he won the star prize which attracted undisclosed cash and certificate.

L-R: Vice President, Care Peoples Foundation, Ibadan, Barrister Favour Tioluwani; Chairman of the 2016 Care Peoples Foundation carnival for the orphans, motherless and less privileged , Prince Ben Ikhani; Dr Habeeb Olatoye and President, Care People Foundation, Rev Paul Tunde Tioluwani commissioning the ICT Laboratory during the Care People Foundation carnival for the less privileged members of the Society in Ibadan recently .

Ajimobi charges Oyo citizens on economic growth Kemi Olaitan

O

yo State governor, Abiola Ajimobi, yesterday called for the exploration of resources and other potentials available in the state for economic development as well as empowerment of its citizens.

Ajimobi who was represented by his wife, Florence, made the call at the opening ceremony of a three-day Amala Fiesta programme with the theme, ‘From the farm to the table,’ held at the Trans Amusement Park, Bodija, Ibadan.

He said there are enough potentials for tourist attractions within the

Babalola laments decline in philanthropy, lauds Adeyeye scholarship scheme Abiodun Nejo, ADO EKITI

F

ounder of Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), has lamented the decline in acts of philanthropy in the society, calling on well meaning Nigerians to reconsider the act of giving to the less-privileged.

Babalola who spoke at Ise Ekiti during Oba Adeyeye Agunsoye Scholarship Award 2016, powered by former Works Minister of State, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, described it as building a future for the people.

The ABUAD founder who lauded Adeyeye

for the 2016 scholarship award which would see 40 indigent Ise Ekiti indigenes in various tertiary institution, described education as the most potent weapon that could be deployed against poverty that had become endemic in Nigeria.

Babalola said: “Adeyeye is an honest, God-fearing, bold, intelligent and courageous individuals who have invested so much in education,” adding that “if you invest in education, you are indirectly building future governors, senators, presidents, politicians etc.”

Speaking at the event attended by traditional

rulers, community leaders, academics and politicians, Adeyeye said no fewer than 162 students had benefited from the scholarship scheme which he instituted to help indigent students of Ise Ekiti in Ise Orun Council area of Ekiti State.

Adeyeye who is the publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party Caretaker Committee, led by Senator Ahmed Makarfi, said it had always been his growing desire to help children from poor backgrounds realise their ambitions by way of getting higher degrees to make them competitive.

state that could generate income, adding that the traditional ‘aso ofi’ that was recently celebrated in Iseyin had shown that people value cultural tourism.

He said: “With the outstanding growth and widespread knowledge of agricultural produce, food like Amala is fast becoming a viable revenue earner for the state through the culture and tourism sector, if properly harnessed, considering the numerous potentials embedded in our various agricultural products, culture and tourism sites; all these can be used to free the country from the economic recession we are currently experiencing.

“The three-day fiesta is not only meant to relish the delicacy of Amala but also to create employment opportunities, empower the economy and add value to our agricultural products.”

The governor, while speaking on the health benefits of Amala, said a brand of Amala made from plantain has been discovered to be efficient in reducing the sugar level in the human body

system.

Representatives of Akwa Ibom State and Igbo-speaking communities in the state, Pastor Godspower Umauah and Dr. Alex Anozie respectively, described Amala as one of the best delicacies in Africa, especially when it is combined with gbegiri and ewedu.

Agba Akin Olubadan of Ibadanland, Oloye Lekan Alabi, said Amala has become part of the cultural heritage of Yoruba people as he called for patronage of the local food which he noted was more nutritious than fast foods.

Initiator of the Amala Fiesta who is also the state’s Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, said the idea of the fiesta was conceived as a food tourism event with the objective of promoting and preserving the Oyo State food brand.

He said: “Amala is the most popular food of the Yoruba people of South West Nigeria; it represents the vibrant food culture of the people of Oyo State and it is the food that personifies the robust and dietary cultural heritage of Oyo State.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South East

Friday, December 16, 2016

11

Blasphemy killing: Victim’s husband petitions Buhari, UN Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

P

astor Mike Agbahime, a Kano-based cleric, whose wife, Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, was murdered by some religious fanatics, has cried out over the poor handling of the matter.

This is also as he declared that his life was in danger.

Speaking at a forum organised in Enugu during a meeting of the Eastern Consultative Assembly, Agbahime urged President Muhammadu Buhari, the

United Nations, Amnesty International and other civil society groups to take over the case and ensure justice comes the way of his family.

The cleric stated that sleep had eluded him ever since he watched the fundamentalists murder his wife.

He said, “I’m sharing with the entire world today my agony and grief and the devastation the murder of my wife has caused me.

“Right before my eyes, they used big iron and

sticks and smashed her head; I was bathed with her blood; the whole place was full of blood.

“As I held my wife in the pool of her blood, I promised her that her death will be avenged by God; that the murderers will be brought to justice. But the world saw what the Kano State government did, entered

a no-case submission and these people were discharged,” he recounted in tears.

He added: “My wife was not murdered by strangers; she was killed by people I know very well.

“That’s why I am appealing to President Buhari, the United Nations, the Amnesty International and other

civil society groups to take up this matter.

“The Attorney-General of the Federation should, in the interest of justice, begin the prosecution of these suspects.”

He also pleaded that the suspects be re-arraigned in Abuja instead of Kano State.

According to him, “Af-

ter my wife’s burial, I went back to Kano and was advised to return to the South East as plans have been concluded to kill me as the principal witness.

“For that reason, I left Kano the following day. So, let them be tried in Abuja where civil rights groups and the media will follow up the matter.

Yuletide: Police urge Abakaliki residents to shun violence, crime Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI

E

bonyi police commissioner, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, yesterday urged stakeholders in the state to collaborate with the agency, in order to fight crime, especially this seasonal period.

The stakeholders, made up of the 13 local council chairmen, state executive members among others, said security should be the business of all the stakeholders and as such, the state must be rid of crime and other corrupt practices.

The official noted that the ember months are a critical period and tasked the people to be security conscious. He spoke during a meeting with the council chairmen at the Police officers’ Mess, Ebonyi State police command. The forum also

served as formal launch of “Change Begins with Me’ and ‘Police Complaint rapid response unit,’ which Ibekwe said were in line with the change agenda of President Muhammadu Buhari and would enable the police command provide maximian security to people of the state.

The commissioner, while also unveiling enlightenment campaign materials at the Command, said the change agenda of the central government will reposition the Nigeria Police to be more accountable, responsive and reliable.

She charged all police officers in the state to discharge their duties in line with the international policing standards, which according to her, is based on zero tolerance for corruption and respect for fundamental human rights.

L-R: Secretary of Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), Comrade Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko; Mr Mike Agbahime, husband of Bridget, the 74-year old woman slain in Kano market and Chairperson of ECA, Mrs. Maria Okwor, during the 4th ECA meeting calling for justice over the slain woman, in Enugu, yesterday.

PHOTO: Mike Agada/BJO/NAN

Journalists honour Okorocha’s wife Chris Njoku OWERRI

C

orrespondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State Council yesterday conferred the wife of the Imo State Governor, Nneoma Rochas Okorocha with an Award as the ‘Most Outstanding Governor’s Wife’.

Speaking during the presentation of the Award

at the New Concorde Hotel Owerri, the Chairman of the Chapel, Mr. Athan Agbakwuru, said that the Award was in recognition of the diligent efforts of the Governor’s wife in alleviating the plight of the indigent widows and other vulnerable people in the state, through her pet project, She Needs A Roof Project (SNARP), under which she has built and handed over 174 two-bedroom bungalow

Globacom rounds off Campus Storm at IMSU

T

he final lap of Glo Campus Storm, which began on October 14 at the University of Port Harcourt, will take place this Friday at Imo State University, Owerri, Globacom has said.

Announcing the end of the 10-week concert in tertiary institutions across the country, in a statement it issued on Thursday, Globacom said it felt fulfilled with the warm receptions the show received at all the institutions the 2016 edition held.

“The last lap of our flag-

ship show, the Glo Campus Storm takes place at the Imo State University, IMSU Owerri this Friday. We are delighted that we have been able to put smiles on the faces of tens of thousands of our youths in tertiary institutions across the country who enjoyed the show in 2016. We have provided them with world-class entertainment and also empowered them financially too through the Glo Campus Data Dude and the Glo Campus Data Diva contests,” the statement read.

According to Globacom, the feedback it received

across the schools where the show had taken place this year “has been very encouraging and we wish to assure other institutions which are yet to take their turn that they should expect a bumper package in the coming year.”

For the IMSU show, the duo of Marvin Records sensational music icons, Reekado Banks and Korede Bello will be joined by the dancehall master, Runtown, to entertain the students, while prolific comedian 2CanTalk will anchor the show with DJ XGee supplying music from the jukebox.

At the show, there will also be a beauty pageant to crown the IMSU Glo Campus Data Dude and the Glo Campus Data Diva. During the competition, ten students out of the contestants will stand the chance of winning up to N100,000 each and the opportunity of joining 230 others to vie for the grand prize of N1million worth in scholarship; become Glo Brand Ambassadors and get invitations to attend Globacom’s A-list events such as the Glo-CAF Awards, the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert and the Glo Laffta Fest comedy show.

to the widows.

He argued that the Award therefore was an appreciation of the uncommon feat recorded by the Governor’s wife without any statutory allocation and to spur her to do more for the indigent people in the state.

According to Agbakwuru, the recipient, through the SNARP project, has been able to save the lives of hundreds of widows who were hitherto living in “despicable squalors” without any hope of succour.

He noted further that the Award is not among the politically motivated ones but a genuine symbol of appreciation by a section of the society that is known to criticize almost all the projects and programmes of government.

In his words, “the success story of the Rochas Okorocha administration cannot be repleted without mention of the gross input of the SNARP initiative. This great and noble woman has built over 174 two-bedroom bungalows for indigent widows and orphans across the 27 Council Areas of the state. Besides that, she has also established three Skill

Acquisition Centres in the three Senatorial Zones of the State.

“As ever vigilant watchdog of the society we are, the Chapel after meticulous consideration, tipped her for this rare honour and recognition. She has surpassed her predecessors and contemporaries alike in all ramifications. Above all, the SNARP and the Skill Acquisition Programmes have been found to have no partisan coloration as beneficiaries are drawn from among those who are genuinely in need of succour, irrespective of political and religious affiliations”.

Also speaking at the event, the National Vice President of NUJ (Southeast), Deacon Chris Isiguzo, said that the Award met the set standard of the Union, especially after considering the impact of the SNARP project.

He pointed out that it is the responsibility of the NUJ to ensure that public office holders are accountable to the people, adding that what the recipient is doing should be emulated by other wives of Governors across the country.

12

South South

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Rivers re-run: Police arrest killers of DSP George Opara ABUJA

T

he police high command has arrested the suspected killers of DSP Mohammed Alkali during the December 10 re-run parliamentary elections in Rivers

State.

It was said that the arrest was made by a high-powered investigation team led by the Inspector-General of police, Ibrahim Idris.

The principal suspects are Noble Nwaerema, Dike Deinpiribo,

Valentine Alalibo, Onwunari J. Warmate and Iloke Stephen.

The hoodlums were said to be part of the political thugs allegedly recruited by politicians from Rivers and neighbouring states to scuttle the re-run parliamentary election.

The police public relations officer, DSP Don Awunnah, said the suspects have confessed to the crime and have been cooperating with the agency to recover the severed part of the slain officer.

Meanwhile, discrete investigations have also

indicated that the missing orderly to the slain officer would soon be rescued with the police vehicle that was snatched during the incident.

In a press statement issued to newsmen yesterday in Abuja, it was said that the suspects

were also discovered to be linked to the leader of a major political party in the state, as the IGP also called for information and cooperation of the people of Rivers State in apprehending other fleeing members of the gang.

President’s aide makes case for repentant militants

S

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai with newly promoted Army officers in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

pecial Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brig.-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd), has stepped up his resolve to finding a lasting solution to the restiveness in the Niger Delta.

Focusing on the Training, Engagement and Reintegration of ‎the 30,000 Ex-agitators is one major strategy the amnesty office is using to secure peace and stability in the region.

On Tuesday December 13, Gen. Boroh and a small delegation paid

FG to end N’Delta militancy in 2017 —Kachikwu •New cash call policy increases FG’s annual revenue by $2b

Chidi Ugwu ABUJA

F

ederal Government has set a target for zero militancy in the Niger Delta region in 2017, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Emmanuel Kachikwu, has said.

Kachikwu spoke yesterday at the agreement signing ceremony for JVs Cash Call exit and presentation of 2016 petroleum sector scorecard in Abuja.

The minister said there will be lots diplomacy and shuttling to and from the Niger Delta in the first quarter of 2017 to ensure that militancy ends.

“The realities of the Niger Delta militancy are that no matter what you do you never should forget your base. So we need to reach out to that base and find solutions on how to take Niger Delta militancy out. We have set a target for ourselves in 2017 for zero militancy. That is a huge target to set. I do know what gave me the audacity to mention that but because I know that I need to focus everybody’s

attention that what needs to be must be done and militancy cannot become a way of life in Niger Delta; we need to just move out of it,” he said.

He further disclosed that more effort would be devoted in repairing the nation’s refineries in the coming years.

He said the issue of the Niger Delta was complicated, adding that he also feels the pains of the people, but that there is a need to also ensure that Nigeria’s assets are secured.

He stated that concerted efforts have brought the daily oil production to 1.8 million litre per day, up from 1.3 million forced in the last few months.

He said Ministry of Petroleum Resources will continue to look for external sectors in terms of borrowing to meet the ministry’s budgetary requirement, adding that working Department of Petroleum Resources, the ministry would intensify efforts to plug all leakage areas essentially to cover the gap.

Kachikwu recalled that getting all the former Group Executives Directors (GEDs) of NNPC

into a room to tell them there is need to let them all go was one of the toughest things he had to do in the last 12 months as minister of state during the restructuring of NNPC. He noted he learnt several lessons in the past one year including dealing with the influence of the unions leaders, negotiating with the National Assembly each time a new policy was to be introduced in the petroleum industry among other things.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo recalled that the global oil industry has witnessed volatility that impacted on all oil producing nations over the past few years.

Osinbajo, who was represented by Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, commended the NNPC for commercialising the gas which had been flared over the years.

He noted that transparency has returned to the oil and gas sector under President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that the present administration would continue to remain supportive to Nigeria’s development.

Meanwhile, the Federal

Government has reached agreement on a new cash call exit policy with the international oil companies (IOCs).

It is part of new measures and strategies aimed at eliminating the burden of Joint Venture Cash Call arrears and securing future funding for the Upstream Petroleum Sector.

These strategies which are fully supported by the National Economic Council (NEC) will lead to an increase in national production from the current 2.2mbpd to 2.5mbpd by 2019, as well as reduction in Unit Technical Costs from $27.96/Barrel Oil Equivalent (boe) to $18/ boe.

The net payments to the Federation Account is expected to double from about $7Billion to over $14Billion by 2020 and the immediate effect of the new cash call policy will increase net FGN Revenue per annum by about $2billion.

Kachikwu outlined other innovations and initiatives championed by the ministry over the past year which have revamped the sector, restored

investors’ confidence which was at an alltime low and positioned Nigeria’s Oil and Gas value chain for profitability.

It would be recalled that based on historical records, the current Cash Call system has been structurally defective and has failed to address the perennial Joint Venture funding challenges being experienced in the industry where the Federal Government underfunding of the industry through JV Cash Calls stood at $9.125 billion by September 2016. This arrangement will guarantee payments of statutory Oil and Gas Royalties and taxes by NNPC and its JV partners as well as profit from its investments in the Joint Ventures.

At US$42.5 per barrel Oil price which the 2017 budget is predicated on and US$24 per barrel fiscal cost recovery proposed for 2017 in FGN Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) recently submitted to NASS, over US$13 per barrel will accrue to Government as Royalties & Taxes from Joint Venture Oil and Gas Production apart from US$2.8 per barrel estimated as Government share of profit, at 57% equity.

a courtesy call on the Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr Dakuku Peterside, at the National headquarters of the agency in Lagos.

Top on the agenda was the proposed partnership of the both agencies.

Boroh, in his remarks, called for collaborative efforts in the resettlement and reintegration of the ex-agitators in the Niger Delta, noting that it would foster growth and development of the economy.

He also highlighted that the Amnesty Office has trained ‎1,325 exagitators in various maritime courses, and pleaded that NIMASA as a brother agency, should take up the responsibility of engaging these skilled youths as a means of resolving the unrest in the Niger Delta.

In his words: “Both our agencies have a similar responsibility of ensuring stability in the Niger Delta, especially in the water ways, where most of these boys reside. We have invested a lot in training these boys, and ask that NIMASA come to our aid by engaging the few, skilled in maritimerelated fields.”

In his response, the NIMASA DG, Peterside, commended Boroh for his apolitical approach to handling the activities of the Amnesty Office. He acknowledged the need for synergy amongst the two agencies and committed to a well organised partnership between the two agencies.

Peterside also said the agency would set up a special desk to look at the young men and women in the amnesty programme.

He said the special desk would be set up with a view to creating opportunities for them to apply the skills they acquired in the maritime industry.

Friday, December 16, 2016

Page 13

No regret working with Oshiomhole —Odibu Page14

CACOL condemns Senate for refusal to confirm Magu

C

oalition Against Corrupt Leaders, CACOL has condemned the failure of the Senate to confirm Mr. Ibrahim Magu as the substantive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC describing it as shameless and disgraceful.

The Executive Chairman of CACOL, Mr. Debo Adeniran, in his reaction to the development condemned the Senate for their failure to confirm Magu.

He said, “although we knew it was going be like making a camel pass through the eye of the needle for the acting Chairman to be made substantive, but at least we gave a

benefit of doubt because we felt that, even among thieves, there should be honour. We are totally disappointed that the few men of honour, that is if there is any left in that hallowed chamber to have ensured that the ‘voice of reason’ prevailed.”

“Remember, we alerted Nigerians that a Senate headed

by Bukola Saraki will never frown at corruption and will in fact acerbate it. Senator Bukola, we reiterate should resign immediately to focus on clearing his name if he has any honour or morality left in him considering the gravity of the charges against him which are unfitting for the revered office of the President Senate and the occupants.

This is the reality behind the Senate’s refusal to confirm Magu, we do not need to make pretences about that”, Adeniran added “A Senate President with a background of oscillating between sitting in the criminal suspects’ box in the Code of Conduct Tribunal as a criminal suspect and sitting as President of the Senate in the hallowed Chambers of the National Assembly as the President of the Senate doubling as the Chairman of the National Assembly, the situation becomes an aberration and makes Saraki a misfit to occupy a seat in the Nigerian Senate in the first place and unfit to continue to occupy the exalted position of the

Senate Presidency.’’

“Like we said the last time the Senate refused to screen Magu, it is because of Magu’s impressionable role as Acting Chairman of EFCC; his boldness in confronting economic and financial crimes regardless of whose ox is gored that the Senate is delaying the confirmation. The reality is that many members have one corruption case or the other to contend with, including the Senate President himself.

They know that he will not give in to their antics of bribery and corruption.”

“We call on right-thinking Nigerians to demand the immediate confirmation of Mr. Magu, as there are obviously no valid reasons not to do so.

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, in a handshake with President Muhammadu Buhari, with them is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara during the presentation of the 2017 Appropriation Bill to a Joint Session of the National Assembly in Abuja.

We must collectively reject what has somehow become a practice by the Senate; the

practice of ‘holding the whole country to ransom’.” Adeniran submitted.

Assembly urges Kwara Govt to collaborate with FG on silos

K

wara state has been urged to collaborate with federal Government on Silos in Oke-Oyi and Lafiagi with a view to making grains available during scarcity in the State.

This is part of the resolutions reached by the state House of Assembly after considering a motion titled “Putting Oke- Oyi and Lafiagi Silos into use” raised by a member representing Ekiti Constituency Hon. Felicia Ebun Owolabi .

Reading the resolutions of the House, the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad who expressed confidence that the collaboration between the two tiers of government on the Silos in the state would go a long way to ensure food security, said the state government should explore its Public Private Partnership Structure to reactivate the moribund Silos in the State.

The Legislature equally urged the State government through its KP--3 to liaise with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture in fast tracking the reactivation of the Silos, to further enhance the wellbeing of the People of the state.

A member representing Ekiti Constituency, Hon. Felicia Ebun Owolabi, had while raising the motion, enumerated the importance of Silos in ensuring food

scurity, expressed concern that the two Silos, had not been put into judicious use to boost food production in the State.

She said the revitalization of the Silos in the State would further boost food production and enjoined the State government to put necessary structure in place, in buying food produce from farmers in the State for safekeep and injection into market to alleviate the suffering of the People during food scarcity.

Other members who spoke on the motion, emphasized its importance in using agriculture to diversify its source of funding and enjoined the state government to collaborate with the federal government in reviving the two Silos in the State.

Meanwhile, the Olofa of Offa , Oba Muftau Gbadamosi , Esuwoye II and the Senator representing Kwara South Senatorial District, Dr. Rafiu Ibrahim have praised the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the State Governor Alh. Abdul Fatah Ahmed, the Speaker, Dr. Ali Ahmad, National and State Assembly members for attending Senator Rafiu Ibrahim’s Empowerment Programme and Golden Jubilee birthday celebration held in Offa at the weekend.

Insurgency: Group expresses sadness over killing of soldiers

A

SocioPolitical Group, the Virtuous Widows Association has condemned the continuous killing of Nigerian soldiers by the Boko Haram Sect just as it showered praises on the former Chief Security Officer (CSO), to the late Head of State, General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha for the donation of a vehicle to the association to ease their activities.

Al-Mustapha recently donated a brand new Toyota bus to the association in Abuja.

The association under the leadership of Mrs. Ifeyinwa Benice Egbosiuba expressed profound grati-

… thanks Al-Mustapha for support tude to the former CSO at a peaceful protest rally held simultaneously in Lagos and Maiduguri, Borno state capital recently.

The protest rally, according to Egbosiuba was to express their sadness over the continuous killings of Nigerian soldiers by the Boko Haram insurgents and thereby rendering thousands of women as widows and children as orphans.

The association at the Lagos rally, which took off from Ajah and spread to other parts of the state, expressed support for President Muhammadu Buhari on the fight

against insurgency in the North-east and other parts of the country.

Its President, Mrs. Ifeyinwa Benice Egbosiuba said, “members of the Virtuous Widows Association are not happy with the present situation in the country where our husbands are being slaughtered like rams by the heartless insurgents,” adding that the number of widows in the country is increasing daily, as a result of the killings by the Boko Haram rougues.

She regretted that the society is so cruel to the widows so much that they are deprived, maltreated,

abandoned and neglected to take care of their children without any form of support or assistance from anywhere.

The group according to her, was founded in 2014, mainly to fight the cause of widows across the country adding also that the Virtuous Widows has branches in 16 states across the nation with members across the local governments in those states.

“We are appealing to President Buhari to help us out. We support his fight against terrorism and we seek peace in the North-east and that is why

we are holding this rally.

Many of our members from the North-east, particularly, in Maiduguri, lost their bread winners to the gruesome attacks by the Boko Haram. And there is nobody to fend for them. The children are fatherless. And there is nobody to cater for their needs.”.

Egbosiuba also lamented that the sad experiences of the widows at the Internally Displaced Persons Camp (IDPs ) could best be imagined, noting that those experiences were nothing to right home about.”There were cases of assault and rape in the camp, and this is very sad, disheartening and pathetic,” she complained.

Secretary of the Group, Mrs. Agerigo, lamented

that gallant Nigerian soldiers like Lieutenant Colonel Mohammed Abu-Ali and several others have lost their lives in the war against Boko Haram insurgents, urging that their deaths should not be in vain.

“As widows, we know what it takes to lose a breadwinner in the family and that is why we are appealing to the Federal government to make sure there is peace in the country, particularly in Maiduguri and some parts of the Northeast.” She said.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Egbosiuba advised the Federal government to support the widows as most of them depended on their late breadwinners for their livelihood.

14

Politics

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

No regret working with Oshiomhole —Odibu Dr Pius Odubu was the Deputy Governor to the immediate past Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhiole .

In this exclusive chat with our correspondent, ISESELE EZEKIEL, he talks about life after office, the enviable relationship he had with Oshiomhole and why he contested the 2016 APC governorship primary without the support of Oshiomhole among other issues.

Excerpts:

After eight years in office, how have you been coping with life outside government?

Firstly, let me give all the praises, adoration to God Almighty who made it all possible. Indeed, He did not only make it possible, He gave us the necessary enablement to discharge our duties well.

For me, life after office, there is nothing unusual because I have never really carried myself in a way to suggest that I was living a life out of the ordinary. You will recalled I was in the National Assembly for eight years and I think I prepared well .

How will you describe Edo under the eight years of Oshiomhole administration I will answer you in this manner, when we came on board in 2008, Mr. Governor booked a mass at St. Paul Catholic Church for our thanksgiving, in the homely, the Reverend Father then, charged us to do the greatest good to the greatest number of people within the shortest possible time. I believed strongly that we did just that and the evidence abound for everybody to see. But nobody can finish it all, nobody do it all. But I believe that the Oshiomhole - led administration performed credibly well. In-fact, I have often said, we performed beyond previously established boundaries.

At what point would you say the amiable relationship you had with Oshiomole got soured and is there any regret?

No regret at all. The relationship did not soured at anytime. I know what you have in mind which is the primary election issue. Well, this is a free society and everybody has the right of association. He ( Oshiomhole) chose to support who he wanted to support and I chose to contest without his support. You could see how we put the issue behind us and I went o campaign vigorously for the

every now and then of the demand, he demands a whole lot of you, he demands of you to work hard and demand perfection from you. I don’t hate him for that, I’m just saying he is a hard worker and he wants everybody to work just as hard as himself

Odibu winner of the primary, now the Governor, Godwin Obaseki. I went round the eighteen local governments with them and led the campaign to my local government, despite the fact that the PDP candidate was from my local government, we discharged ourselves creditably well to the admiration of all and sundry. You, know in participatory politics you will always have contending interest. What matters at the end of the day is the ability to put that behind you and unite in the interest of the party We heard Oshiomhole prevailed on you not to contest the primary.

Looking back, will you say it was a good decision to have contested ?

At no point did Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole impressed it upon me or told me not to contest. He never did so. I contested and I think we did a very good job, everybody can attest to that, that the primaries were keenly contested. I am proud of that, but for me, once I put my hands on the plough I don’t look back . Immediately all that was over, I have been a loyal party man and you can attest to that, that immediately all that was over, we collapsed all our structures and worked 110% for the party .

Amidst the crisis that ensued between you and Oshiomhole, we heard that your office was consequently starved of funds.

I don’t know where you got the information from that I was denied certain privileges, that is not true. You know the Deputy Governor is the other side of the coin and largely according to the provision of the constitution you are to do those jobs assigned to you by Mr Governor. I earned the respect of the Governor and he saddled me with several sensitive responsibilities and I discharged them creditably well. I have no regret at all, I believed I did my best and everybody is also saying so. Severally I won awards as the best Deputy Governor of the federation, that is a mark of the peoples rating of my performances and at no point did the Governor indicated that I was not doing my job. In-fact, he praised me to high heaven publicly and privately for been the most loyal and most dutiful deputy What are those things you admired and hate about Oshiomhole?

Comrade Adams Oshiomhole is an enigma , you cannot really say you know him in his entirety but what we admired about him is his doggedness, courage, forthrightness, his ability to call spade a spade, his hardworking nature and he is very down to earth. He is very, very down to earth, simple and very cordial, jovial and easy to get along with him. I will not say there is anything I do not like about him .But I believed those of us who worked under him we complained

At no point did Comrade Adams Aliu Oshiomhole impressed it upon me or told me not to contest. He never did so. I contested and I think we did a very good job, everybody can attest to that, that the primaries were keenly contested

Only recently, there were public outcry over the decision of the State House of Assembly to amend the pension law and approved the sum of N200million and N100million worth of residential homes for the former Governor, Oshiomhole and you as pension benefits. What is your position on this development?

Quite frankly, I believed it is on record that Edo State, the Governor, the Deputy Governor and the cabinet are the least paid in the whole federation. There was nothing really to take home by way of remuneration under Comrade Governor Oshiomhole. I believed with the enormity of his accomplishment, the House of Assembly, the Honourable members felt bound to compensate Mr Governor and the Deputy Governor and it is a law that is going to endure and all appertaining privileges will also be enjoy by all those who are coming after us. But comparatively speaking at the risk of been modest, I don’t think a N100million or N200million can built 1X 2 parcel of land in Government Reserved Area (GRA) in Benin City, not to talk about Abuja. We appreciate them for that kind gesture but I think it is by way of appreciation of what Comrade Adams Oshiomhole administration did, that is just a tip of the iceberg by way of compensation. it is in every other states, just compare with every other states, you will find what is provided for the Governor and Deputy Governor as pension benefits, this to my mind is, well, we appreciate the Honourable members for that, but you know it is not too much by way of appreciation to what Comrade Adams Oshiomhole did for the people of Edo State What is your advice for Governor Obaseki and his Deputy?

Well, basically there is no much to tell them, because they were part and parcel of the last administration. The Governor was the chairman of the Economic team, Comrade Phillips Shuaibu was a member of the House of Assembly twice.

They were part and parcel of our administration, they related with us marvelously well and they know. I can only just tell them for now to be level headed and keep to the campaign promises that they made, carry the people along and be true to themselves. I know they have the capacity to deliver, I just pray that God give them the courage, the wisdom and the enablement to discharge their duty very well to the admiration of the people After eight years as Deputy Governor, what next ?

I was once interviewed by one of you and he posed this question and I told him that my life and indeed my political career is in the hands of God. Let him use me in any way He knows I will contribute to the welfare of the people .

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Views

Friday, December 16, 2016

15

FG and the agony of Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Temilade Aruya

O

f late, plying the Lagos -Ibadan expressway has become a torment for commuters, especially those residing along the Mowe-Ibafo axis of Ogun State. It is rather sad that a journey that should ordinarily not take more than 15 -20 minutes now takes over 4 hours and even more. Recently, a fatal road accident involving multiple vehicles occurred on the road, claiming three lives. This unfortunate incident caused a serious gridlock that almost brought the whole of Lagos to a standstill.

Being a major road that links Lagos, the commercial nerve center of Nigeria to other parts of the country, it is of course one of the busiest roads in the country. The situation of the road becomes even more complex with the growing population of residential communities along the Mowe-Ibafo axis. This greatly increases vehicular movement along the route.

However, ongoing repairs on some critical sections of the road, which began about six months ago, have enormously compounded the situation. It is disconcerting that the repairs of a major exit route with economic relevance and implication is taking so long. Julius Berger Plc which handles the repairs has been foot dragging on the job to the consternation of many.

Initially, when the construction firm began the work, it didn’t give commuters sufficient reason for optimism, considering its lackadaisical approach. Though, the firm has since relatively braced up, but the agonies and frustrations of commuters along the road linger on.

As a result of on-going construction work which necessitated the narrowing of a long section of the road, especially the popular Long Bridge, gridlock lingering into the dead of the night has become a usual episode. Many residents are now compelled by the traffic situation to sleep outside their homes in order to avoid the terrible gridlock. The sorry sight of school pupils trekking hazardously home, sometimes through the scorching Lagos sun due to shortage of public transport since they were all trapped in traffic while transport fares tripled, would make even a heart of stone to melt.

Aside the niggling gridlock on the road and resultant stress, security of lives has also become a serious concern. Since the road has been narrowed and traffic now move at snail speed, that is if it is even if it moves at all, robbers and other evil minded people now daily unleash terror on commuters along the route. In the last few weeks there have been numerous cases of daring gangsterism on the road in which commuters lose several valuables such as handsets, wrist watches, money, lap tops among others. One of such incidences that is still very difficult for one to hurriedly forget involved a middle-aged woman who was thrown down the bridge by these dare devil hoodlums. The fear of hoodlums along the route has now become the beginning of wisdom.

To worsen things, security personnel rarely patrol the road, as bad as things stand.

The manpower lost to the traffic jam per hour, per day and per week is unquantifiable and irrecoverable as time and resources are daily lost to the traffic. It has been alleged that there are lots of intrigues behind government contracts

There is a

consciousness of time and conservation of energy and resources and construction. Or how does one explain a construction work that has affected millions of lives and little seems to be achieved in terms of concrete results. The snail pace with which the company is working is not in tandem with the realities of the 21st century where things are done with civility and human considerations.

Sadly, Julius Berger plc doesn’t seem to care a hoot about the condition of commuters and residents along the route. There are even unconfirmed reports that in spite of the much anticipated Yuletide season traffic rush along the route, Julius Berger’s staff working on the road would soon embark on their annual end of year vacation. If this were to be true, it only goes to show that our nation has become a banana republic where anything goes!

Recently, there was a colossal road collapse in one of the Asian countries aired on CNN, where a major part of an express way collapsed leaving a gaping hole that claimed almost the entire road. Interestingly it was fixed within 3 hours and opened for people to traverse without any problem. That is how things are done in developed and progressive societies. There is a consciousness of time and conservation of energy and resources. Nigeria cannot af-

ford to lag behind in science and technology, we must move at the same pace with the developed world if we want to discard the status of a third world country. It is quite unfortunate that such a repair work could take well over six months to complete. And no one is even sure of how long the work is going to take. Initially, the FG said work would end by last November. This, of course, remains a mirage.

It is time for the Federal Government to pay close attention to the activities of the Company handling the project as it is taking rather too long for its completion. More importantly, there is need for quality control as one side of the bridge that is recently completed is already developing potholes; this is between Wawa ends of the Long Bridge while coming to Lagos. It is important that the Federal Ministry of Works steps in right now to ensure proper assessment of the job so that it won’t be a case of a shoddy job; a situation where Nigerians will be left to suffer the same cycle of hardship on the road all over again.

Perhaps, more importantly, it becomes imperative to have alternative routes connecting other parts of the country to Lagos. The fact that the nation cannot boast of other such routes is, indeed, the shame of a nation. Also, special consideration should be given to the grading and tarring of access roads on both sides of the Long Bridge as this will also a long way in reducing stress on the road.

If, indeed, we are concerned about human lives as a people, now is the time for the FG to pay better attention to the Lagos-Ibadan expressway and other such critical roads across the nation.

Mrs. Aruya wrote in from Arepo, Ogun State.

Super Falcons as unsung heroines Tayo Ogunbiyi

A

t the recently concluded African Women Championship, AWC, the Super Falcons of Nigeria emerged as African champions again.

In a tensed final match at the Ahmadou Ahidjo Omnisports Stadium in Yaoundé,

Cameroun, against the host nation’s Indomitable Lioness, who were backed by an understandably hostile 40,000 full capacity crowd, the Super Falcons fought gallantly to win 1-0 and remain worthy African Champions. With the feat, the Super Falcons have won the coveted title for an unprecedented 10th time.

Not only did the team emerged African champions for a record ten times, five of its players including tournament highest goal scorer, Azeezat Oshoala, were selected in the championship’s team of the tournament.

Also, by leading the Falcons to victory, coach and former captain of the team, Florence Omagbemi became the second person in Africa to win the AWC as a player and a coach.

The outcome of the tournament roundly authenticates the Falcons credential as the power house of African female football.

The victorious Falcons side has since arrived Nigeria amid little or no fanfare befitting of a side that has attained such a remarkable accomplishment. According to reports, the all conquering team was received on arrival, by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) President, Amaju Pinnick and other board members, including Alhaji Ibrahim Gusau. The is now in Abuja, where the players expect that Sports Minister and the NFF will make good their promises of settling their outstanding allowances. Reports have it that the Falcon players are being owed outstanding allowanc-

How else can a nation mock her

heroes/heroines? es totaling $16,500 each. Characteristically, the team’s preparation for the tournament wasn’t as top notched as it ought to be as it merely made do with playing local sides to keep in shape before jetting out to Cameroun for the tournament. Indeed, it was alleged that it was due to the persuasion of the team’s Chief Coach, Omagbemi that the players were able to concentrate on winning the championship.

As usual, the NFF blamed the untidy Falcons situation on lack of funding.

It is, however, instructive to note that the Sports ministers and his entourage consisting of top Sports Ministry officials and NFF chieftains were ferried to Yaoundé to watch the final match in a chartered flight. Definitely, such luxurious travelling arrangement does not portray a Federation or Sports ministry that is experiencing financial crunch.

Well, it could be argued that the trip was made possible through corporate sponsorship. Assuming this is true, it remains a mystery as to why same corporate sponsorship was not made available for the team to have a smooth preparation. Indeed, it was reported that as soon as the Sports Minister and NFF officials were done with the usual victory razzmatazz after the final match, they headed straight to the airport to board their chartered aircraft, leaving the victorious ladies to sort themselves out.

What kind of a nation treats her heroes with such outrageous disdain? Considering the consistency of the Super Falcons in emerging victorious over the years on the African female football scene, players and of-

ficials of the team certainly deserve a much better treatment. It doesn’t really speak well of us as a nation to send athletes to a major sporting event without making adequate preparation for the payment of their entitlements?

According to an unconfirmed report, the defeated Camerounian team was promised 22 million CFA (N20 million), to win the trophy.

On the contrary, our players were promised nothing while their legitimate allowances for taking part in the competition are yet to be paid. How else can a nation mock her heroes/ heroines?

For the record, the Falcons ought to be paid $3,000 each for every win secured in the group stage of the tournament while semi-final and final triumphs were to earn them will $4,000 and $5,000 per player respectively. This implies that each of the players is being owed $16,500, since they won two of the three group fixtures ($6,000) and drew the remaining one ($1,500). Similarly, the players are yet to receive winning bonuses for the two qualifiers against Senegal, as well as camp allowances for the tournament. The coaches of the team are equally being owed their monthly salaries and camp allowances as well as match bonuses since March.

Presently, reports have it that the players are poised for a major confrontation with officials of the nation’s football federation.

Sadly, a few of them who ply their soccer trade abroad ought to have returned to their respective base. But they are hanging around due to the whole issue of nonpayment of their outstanding entitlements.

In as much as it remains a rare honour for anyone to represent the nation in any capacity, it is, however, important to stress that it is the responsibility of the nation to take adequate care of her athletes. The issue of shod-

dy treatment of our sports men and women has become a nasty reoccurrence that must be tackled once and for all.

It doesn’t really speak well of our pedigree as a leading African nation to continue to indulge in such messy business. If pubic officials are not denied their estacodes while of foreign duties, it is only normal that athletes who bare all the odds to fly high our national flag at major sporting events should be treated fairly.

The NFF, in particular, needs to come up with creative strategies that would ensure that all the national teams are effectively taken care of. There is hardly any time in recent era that the NFF do not have issues with the payment of coaches and players across all strata of the national teams. The pedigree of the Falcons as a winning brand should be effectively harnessed to rake up good sponsorship deals for the team. There are so many local and international corporate organisations, especially with gender related products and services that would be willing to leverage on the Falcons success. All the NFF needs to do is to be better organized, transparent and pro active.

Going cup in hands, all the time, to beg for fund each time our national teams are on assignment is, to say the least, unprofessional and demeaning. The NFF must stop it!

Ogunbiyi is of the Ministry of Information and Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs.

Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

16

Politics

Friday, December 16, 2016 Friday, January 17, 2014

Cleric urges govts to take lead escap in youths empowerment ABIODUN NEJO, ADO EKITI

T

he Pastor in charge of Christ Apostolic Church, (CAC) Mountain of Mercy, (Oke Erio), Erio Ekiti, Prophet Sam OluAlo, has said it is imperative for governments and wellmeaning individuals to take steps to ensure youths can stand on their own.

Olu-Alo, who said the system which left youths totally dependent on governments for survival was contributory to the crushing effects of the economic recession, tasked governments to design deliberate programmes, projects and policies that would empower youths and as well bring out their potentials.

The cleric, who spoke at his Ido - Ekiti home town during the maiden edition of his yearly empowerment scheme for students and artisans, incorporated into his yearly evangelical programme, Ido/ Osi Open Air Crusade, said: “If youth are empowered and developed in a manner they

can stand on their own without reliance on governments, then a large chunk of the economic problems of the country would have been solved”.

In a message entitled: “Come, Let us Rebuild the Wall”, Olu-Alo charged youths to “be determined, creative, enterprising and as well deemphasize craze for white-collar jobs” to bail themselves and as well the nation out of the present economic mess.

He advised them to have a vision of growth and work towards the realisation of such, adding that they should as a matter of necessity return to God and as well bond together by way of helping one another to grow.

The cleric, on the occasion, paid the WAEC / SSCE fees for 15 brilliant and needy students and as well empowered five other artisans by paying for the purchase of their necessary equipment/ tools and take-off of their businesses, a step, which he described as part of his contribution to the uplift of society by investing in the future of the youth.

“Leaked video” confirms Wike sponsored violence, killings in rerun poll —APC MARCUS FATUNMOLE, ABUJA

R

uling All Progressives Congress, APC, Thursday, blamed violence and killings that characterized last Saturday legislative rerun election in Rivers State on the state governor, Nyesom Wike.

The party attributed its position to the “leaked audio recording showing the Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike admitting to bribing some electoral officials and threatening to kill them if his instructions were not followed.”

The party consequently appealed to security agencies in the country “to do the needful and ensure that sponsors and perpetrators of (the) violence, no matter how highly placed, are brought to justice.”

In a release signed by the party’s new spokesperson, Bolaji Abdullahi, and made available to National Mirror, APC said the revelation confirmed the fears it raised in the lead-up to the poll.

The party argued that going by the revelations from the leaked audio recordings, it is obvious that Governor Wike may have engaged in unwholesome conducts that might have compromised the integrity of the electoral process and undermined his office as the Chief Security Officer of the state.

It stressed that the only logical conclusion from its argument is that the electoral victories of the Peoples’ Democratic Party

, (PDP) might have been achieved through underhand dealings and intimidation of officials.

The party furthered said that it is also evident that the allegations by the Rivers State government and the PDP of an assassination threat on Wike and the allegation by Wike that APC governors funded violence in the state during the election might have been deliberately contrived to cover-up the role that the governor had played in the violence that greeted the election.

“Recall that on December 6, 2016, the APC alerted security agencies on reports of a massive arms build-up and other sinister plots that Wike and the PDP planned to execute on the day of the legislative rerun elections in Rivers State.

“Nigerians have watched with grave concern how the process of the just concluded legislative rerun election has led to the death of ordinary citizens in the state including security officers. The statement that Governor Wike appeared to have made on record has now pointed directly at where responsibility should be placed for the violence that attended the election.

“The APC condemns any form of violence as it relates to elections or any other matter. In this instance, we urge security agencies to do the needful and ensure that sponsors and perpetrators of violence, no matter how highly placed, are brought to justice,” the party said.

NationalMirror Mirror National www.nationalmirroronline.net www.nationalmirroronline.net

15

Community Mirror

‘Supreme Court verdict affirms illegality of Council Caretaker Committees’ When the come , come to come tution to dissolve democrati-

the governor to appoint people

cause they are not from the

will sit up by in fiat this Ministry.

Rev. Chris Okotie, speaking governor’s political party. into local governments cally elected local governmenteverybody The Ex NBA scribe has become a nullity . officials and replace them on the state of the nation ABIODUN NEJO, ADO EKITI

F

ormer General Secretary of the Nigerian Bar Association , NBA, Mr. Obafemi Adewale has said that the last week’s Supreme Court judgment on the dissolution in 2010 of democratically elected council officials in Ekiti State is an affirmation of the illegality of caretaker committee or other appointed administrative body to run Local Government administration.

Adewale, who said the use of caretaker committee was prevalent among many states of the federation, described such as ultra vires to the spirit of the Constitution.

The former NBA scribe, who was counsel to the dissolved council officials, spoke in reaction to the judgment, saying that any law enacted by any state House of Assembly that gave power to a state Governor to appoint caretaker committee is at variance with the provision of the 1999 constitution as amended in section seven thereof.

Adewale stressed that by the Supreme Court verdict last Friday, “no governor has the power under the Consti-

afHON MINISTER MADUEKE that the Supreme Court He urged RESOURCES,ALIISON state governors firmed with handpicked apologistsFOR PETROLEUM otherwise called loyalists in still promoting appointed loy- verdict implies that using carethe name of local government alists in the councils to, as of taker committee or arbitrarily necessity, “take immediate dissolving elected Council ofcaretaker committee”.

The Supreme Court had steps to ensure that elected lo- ficials is a fundamental breach last Friday reversed the Oc- cal government structures are of the Constitution on the part of governors who sworn to uptober 29, 2010 dissolution by put in place”.

“The assertive judgment hold the tenets of the law and former Ekiti State Governor , Kayode Fayemi of elected of the Nigeria’s highest court such is punishable as provided will automatically stop the im- for by the same Constitution. council officials.

He described the verdict as Adewale, also a former Eki- punity demonstrated by many ti State Attorney General and state governors who upon as- another giant stride in the deCommissioner for Justice said sumption of office dissolve velopment, entrenchment and any law operating in any state democratically elected local deepening of participatory dein Nigeria granting power to government officials, just be- mocracy in Nigeria.

49

L-R: National Auditor of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief George Moghalu; National Chairman of the Party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; former Managing Director of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Imma Niboro; National Secretary, Mr MaiMala Buni and National Treasurer, Alhaji Bala Gwagwar, during Ima Niboro’s visit to the National Secretariat of the APC in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ERNEST OKORIE/BJO/ NAN

KWHA passes 10 Bills, 80 resolutions in 18months

T

he Kwara State House of Assembly under the leadership of the Speaker, Dr Ali Ahmad has passed 10 Bills into law sinace its inauguration 18 months ago.

The Chairman House Committee on Information, Social Development, Tourism , Youth, Sports and Culture, Hon. Saheed Popoola gave this indication in Ilorin during the weekly Media Interactive Session on the activities of the House.

Hon. Popoola also disclosed that another eight Bills are now on the verge of final passage, as they had passed through Second Reading while two other bills have just passed through First Reading.

The Bills that have been passed into law according to him were the State Revenue Administration ( Amendment) Bill, 2016, Secret

Cult and Secret Societies in Kwara state (prohibition) Bill 2016, State Revenue Court( Amendment) Bill 2016, 2016 Appropriation Bill, State Compulsory, free Universal Basic Education ( Amendment) Bill 2016, the Chiefs (Appointment and Disposition ) Bill 2016, State Land Charge Court (Amendment) Bill 2016, Local Government (Miscellaneous Provision) Amendment Bill and Abubakar Shola Saraki( Amendment) Bill 2016.

The Chairman of the House Committee on Information further disclosed that another eight bills had passed through Second Reading at the floor of the House. They were the State Waste Management Agency Bill, Bill for a law on Violence Against Persons (Prohibition) Bill, 2015, State Health Insurance Agency and Health In-

surance Scheme 2016, State Teaching Service Commission (Amendment) Bill 2016 and People with Disabilities Bill 2016.

He said that the 8th Legislature under the leadership of Dr Ali Ahmad for the first time since the enthronement of democracy, initiated two private bills that had passed through Second Reading and assured that the House would not relent in providing a platform for people oriented governance in the state to further make democracy more meaningful to average Nigerians.

In his own contribution, a member of the Committee, Hon. Adebayo Muhammed disclosed that the House had passed greater number of resolutions that had impacted positively on the people of the state and assured that the

House would not relent in responding promptly to the yearnings of the people of the State.

Another member of the Committee, Hon. Victoria Bunmi Afolayan said constitutionally, the legislature was supposed to sit for 181 days in a year, but that in the first session, the House sat for 243 days and had sat for 93 days in the second session which she said was just in the mid way.

She assured that the House would continue to take its legislative duty with all seriousness to further enhance good governance in the state and praised the leadership of the House for creating enabling environment for members to demonstrate their vibrancy which according to her had made the legislature to become a reference point in the country.

17

Mail Mirror

Friday, December 16, 2016

A future without oil I On the new JAMB Registrar

am so happy that we have started looking at ways through which we can diversify our economy from an oil-dependent one to other economic areas. For several decades, the United States depended on oil from some

gulf states and Nigeria for its economic survival, and in some instances, this was used as political weapon against it.

Not satisfied with this, scientists began working on how to get oil from shale

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

rock fragments. The success of this project actually brought about a reduction in America’s thirst for foreign oil. It also brought about the fall in price of the global crude oil. The Americans, who realised that they could

W

ith about nine years as head of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, Prof. Dibu Ojerinde has done exceptionally well. The transformation which he took the Board through is huge. He modernised the operations of the Board at such a dizzying pace that I used to fondly call him the “magician” in JAMB. I note that he worked with exceptional directors and I should single out Dr. Yusuf Lawal, who oversees Test Administration.

With the appointment of Prof.

Is-haq Oloyede as the new Registrar, JAMB is in for a revolutionary time in terms of delivering more effectively on its mandate. Oloyede parades excellent credentials to lead a whole sector like education in Nigeria hence asking him to head a parastatal in education is like asking a 5-star, battle-tested general to quell a fight between two “area boys” in Ajegunle! Oloyede ran University of Ilorin as a model for the Nigerian university system and served dutifully as Chairman of the Association of Vice-Chancellors of Nigerian Universities and at the continental level, as President of the Association of African Universities. He is a no-nonsense, clear-headed scholar who is globally consulted on higher education matters including issues dealing with admitting quality students which fit in with the JAMB mandate. I am convinced that he will smoothen the rough edges of the unfortunate furore around the 2016 admission process.

On the matter of the relevance of JAMB, I am unshaken in my belief that at this time in the nation’s higher education development, the body is still a relevant player.

The important thing is for JAMB not to overstep its bounds by infringing on those areas where the universities should exercise their autonomy. Post-UTME test, as originally conceived in 2004, not in its present adulterated form, is still a must if we are to get better quality students for our higher education system. Rather than shut the door on Post-UTME test, we should scape off whatever the universities are not doing right and not throw the baby out with the bath water.

Prof Peter A. Okebukola, Abuja

Letters to the Editor

Cobblers waiting for customers on Bank Anthony Way, Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Ogun free health access card

I

t looked like the ATM card at a distance. I drew closer to some of the pregnant women and officials of the Ogun State Ministry of Health in order to assess it. Indeed, it was like the ATM or National Identity Card. The biometrics of the beneficiaries were captured in the cards. The poor pregnant women at the event caressed them and offered gratitude to the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, for a new lease of life.

From Monday, July, 11, 2016, when the Araya Scale-up (Community Based Health Insurance Scheme) was launched at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Abeokuta, the card qualifies them to visit any of the designated health care providers in their respective local government areas and access free health care without paying a dime. The free health treatment covers all manner of local endemic diseases that contend with the health of pregnant women, mothers and their children. Ante natal and post natal services are assured. They will equally not have to worry about payment for diagnostic tests as this is also covered by the scheme.

This is the first of such scheme in the history of Ogun

State. With the Ogun Araya Access Card, according to the Commissioner for Health, Dr Tunde Ipaye, the pregnant women who belong to the lower 25 percent of the population, living on less than two dollars a day, and their children under the age of five, have access to free health services without any form of payment.

This is not a scheme in the pipeline. Many pregnant women in Abeokuta North and Abeokuta South Local Government Areas are already enjoying the free health facilities, including free drugs.

This social insurance scheme, once again, highlights the welfarist policy of the Ibikunle Amosun administration in Ogun State. As the governor often says, we are here because of these people. From July till the end of the year 2016, over 20, 000 pregnant women and their under-5 children will go to any four designated health care providers (private and public) in their respective LGAs with their Araya Access Cards and get free health services anytime, any day, 24/7! And to underscore his commitment to the free health scheme, the governor has already released in advance funds for to cover it till the end of 2016.

The leadership of the National Health Insurance Scheme and Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, were so impressed by this innovation and practical commitment demonstrated by the Ogun State government that they pledged to collaborate with the current administration.

And if they make good their promise, as we expect them to do, the 20,000 number should double by the end of 2016.

It should be mentioned that this community-based Health Insurance Scheme (for pregnant women and under-5 children) is a subset of the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme, which will be for the entire residents of the state.

Ordinarily, in any insurance scheme, participants ought to pay a premium. But for the peasant pregnant women and their U-5 children, the Amosun administration has offset the premium. Once the Ogun State Health Insurance Scheme operates full steam, the entire vulnerable community in the state is guaranteed of free health care services.

This is another feather to the cap of Governor Amosun. As it is said, a healthy nation is a wealthy nation.

Soyombo Opeyemi, Abeokuta

no longer continue to depend on foreign oil, had to look for an alternative. In Nigeria, we have also realised that we need to reduce our dependence on oil in order to secure our economic future.

The socio-economic turbulence that we experienced when oil crashed to as low as $28 per barrel, should serve as a lesson to us. It is a good thing that President Muhammadu Buhari has highlighted the path to follow. This government is focusing on agriculture and extractive sectors, but do we have the political will to achieve this?

One of the easiest ways through which the Federal Government can accomplish this is to mandate state governments to either have state farms, or state extractive firms. This should be done in such a way that while these firms belong to the state, professionals will be in charge of its running. A good example is the Oodua Group in the South West. This firm, owned by the six South West states, is a model for other regions and states. With this, we can have successful governmentbacked, but publicly-owned firms.

There is also the need to support small businesses in these two sectors, and particularly the agricultural sector.

As an agricultural expert, I know that we can match whatever we are generating from oil through agriculture.

Today, our population is said to be 180 million people, and we spend billions of dollars in food imports annually. We can imagine how much an integrated farming enterprise will make from producing food for the people.

The truth is that oil is not sustainable; the Americans and Canadians have discovered shale oil, while many countries are also discovering the resource. Before now, it was only Algeria, Nigeria and Angola that were oilproducing nations in Africa, but today, Ghana, Ugandan, Gabon, among many others, have also discovered oil.

President Buhari should, therefore, ensure that his economic vision for the country materialises before the end of his tenure, so that oil can only be bringing a tiny percentage of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

Dr Femi Odurinde, Ipaja, Lagos.

Send your letters The Editor reserves thethe right letters or or mails mailsto toPMB PMB10001, 10001,Ikoyi, Ikoyi,or orour our Email: Email:mirrorlagos@yahoo.com mirrorlagos@yahoo.comand andinfo@nationalmirroronline.net info@nationalmirroronline.netoror08056180209, 08054103275,07033375481 07033375481(SMS (SMSonly). only).

The Editor reserves right to to edit and reject letters photographs.

Psuedonyms may used, must clearly marked such. edit and reject letters or or photographs.

Psuedonyms may bebe used, butbut must bebe clearly marked asas such.

18

North

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday December 16, 2016

Bello demands establishment of FCT ­—Niger Commission Priscilla Dennis Minna

N

iger State governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello, has demanded the setting up of FCT-Niger Development Commission to tackle infrastructural and social

challenges as a result of moving the nation’s seat of power to Abuja, 40 years ago.

Making this demand while receiving report on the settlement and compensation matters of land ceded to the Federal Government to build the country’s new Federal Capital Territory in 1976 in Min-

na, the alone ceded almost 70 per cent of the land size of the current Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and the name - Abuja.

He lamented that 40 years after initiating the FCT project, the establishment of FCT-Niger Development Commission, a prototype of Niger Delta Development Commis-

sion, for the development of the affected communities was yet to see the light of the day.

“Today, 60 per cent of the people living in Suleja town alone work in Abuja. They overstretched our facilities without any compensation or support from the Federal Government. The same plight befalls other commu-

NAFDAC destroys unwholesome products worth N144m Priscilla Dennis MinnA.

N

ational Agency for Food and Drug A d m i n i s t r at i o n and Control, NAFDAC, in Niger State said it has destroyed expired and unwholesome regulated products worth N144 million in the state.

Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, made the disclosure during the destruction exercise at the Niger State permanent disposal dump site along Beji Zungeru road in Bosso Local Government Area.

According to him, the measure was adopted to rid the state of all fake, counterfeit, expired drugs and other unwholesome regulated products from circulation as well as ensure they do not find their way back into circulation.

The DG who spoke through the Director for Special Duties, Dr. Abubakar Jimoh, noted that some of the products worth N97 million were voluntarily

submitted to NAFDAC by various governmental and non-governmental organisations.

“Others were mopped up from open market by enforcement activities and surveillance systems of NAFDAC,” she said.

He further explained that so far a total of products worth N224 million from three states in the north central were destroyed, adding that, while goods worth N21 million were destroyed in Nasarawa State, N89 million were destroyed in Plateau State and N144 million in Niger State.

Earlier, in her address, the Zonal Coordinator of North Central Zone, Mrs. Josephine Dayilim, had explained that before now, the same exercise were carried out in other states in the north central zone to ensure that only good, efficacious, safe and good quality drugs and other wholesome regulated products are made available to the Nigerian populace.

She appealed to the people to desist from patronis-

ing drug hawkers urging them to report to NAFDAC all suspicious activities and factories where fake and counterfeit drugs and other

unwholesome food and other substandard regulated products are manufactured or stored.

A

Against this backdrop, the governor disclosed that the state government would articulate its position on the matter and follow legitimate means of presenting the issue to the Federal Government.

Bello mandated the committee to liaise with Nassarawa and Kogi states in pursuance of mutually beneficial goals, through the setting up a joint commission on resettlement and compensation matters.

The committee is headed by General Idris Garba (rtd) as its chairman with the Secretary to the State Government as secretary.

L-R: Jigawa State Governor Alhaji Badaru Abubakar; Zamfara State Governor Abdul’aziz Abubakar Yari; Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwa; Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai; Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong and Kebbi State Governor Atiku Bagudu, during the National Economic council meeting, at the Presidential Villa Abuja yesterday.

Cashless economy: PayU simplified payment system debut in Nigeria global online payment service provider, PayU, has been introduced in Nigeria with innovations that will continue to make the market more competitive.

PayU Payments Nigeria Limited with trading name as ‘PayU,’ according to its Country Manager, Juliet Nwanguma, is a recently established payment system for business in Nigeria and fully approved by the Central Bank of Nigeria in line with its initiative to promote cashless economy. The company which simplifies online payment transactions, forms part of the leading and trusted PayU group of companies (PayU Group) owned by Naspers Globally. The PayU group of companies provides payment processing and related services to merchants and consumers.

The PayU Group’s strength lies in its local approach to payments: valuing local language and culture. By establishing a local presence in Nigeria, this further underscores the group’s values.

PayU offers simple and secure on-

nities affected by the federal capital,” he said.

Decrying the failure of the Federal Government to honour all the promises made to the state in terms of infrastructural development of the affected communities since 1976, he cited the construction of a rail line to link Minna, the state capital with the FCT, as one of them.

He also decried the inability to adequately compensate communities and individuals affected by the movement of the nation’s seat of power, thereby leading to untold hardship on the affected communities.

line payment services to merchants enabling them to accept payments of goods and services using debit and credit cards from their customers and other alternative payment methods as well.

Speaking with journalists in Abuja during the 2016 annual retreat of the Committee of e-Banking Heads (CeBIH), she said PayU is a leading online payment service provider in 16 global markets.

Nwanguma said: “Our objective is to provide simple and secure online payment solutions to merchants and consumers. This objective is in response to the growing market and regulatory needs to take cash payments online and digitise the economy, whilst at the same time ensuring financial inclusion for all.

“We started operations last year, so we are a young and growing business.

Our aim is to look at the needs of merchants in the country and develop innovative payment solution that will solve their problems and grow their revenue in the online space. And for consumers,

offer them a simple and secure means of payments to merchants and businesses.

“For us, our value proposition is based on our technology which enables us to provide superior products offerings and develop innovative payment solutions. We offer various services and solutions to enable different sizes of merchants and businesses to receive online payments with or without a website and also provide automated collections of regular payments from their customers. We understand payment processing from end to end and work with merchants to offer payment solutions based on their needs and requirements. Our payment solutions are innovative, secure and reliable. Another unique value proposition is our culture.”

According to her, “the dynamic and lean nature of our company enables us to provide excellent customer service and support. We are easily accessible and customers can talk to us and get in touch with our executives easily. This gives an edge over competition.”

Al-Makura presents N67.13bn 2017 budget to Nasarawa assembly Igbawase Ukumba Lafia

N

asarawa State governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, yesterday presented N67.13 billion 2017 budget proposal to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly for passage.

The 2017 budget proposal as presented by the governor has a decrease of about N13.902 billion, representing 17.18 per cent, as compared with the N77.972 billion the governor presented to house in the 2016 budget.

Al-Makura who Christened the 2017 budget proposal as “budget of Reformation,” said the budget was aimed at the completion of projects embarked upon, encour-

age youth empowerment, creation of conducive environment for business to strive and to promote the existing peace in the state.

An analysis of the 2017 budget showed recurrent expenditure having the highest share of N37.12 billion, whereas the capital expenditure takes N30.805 billion.

In the sectoral allocation, the economic sector of the state has the highest allocation of N28.95 billion, even as the social sector was expected to gulp the of N20.32 billion.

In a remark, the speaker of the assembly, Ibrahim Balarabe Abdullahi, assured the governor that the budget proposal would receive accelerated attention by the House for prompt passage into law.

Your

FRIDAY

H

KINGSLEY OKONKWO (KC PRESH) He is the other pair of KC Presh, who are the first winners of the Star Quest competition.

Since then, KC as he is fondly called has gone on with his partner to do many successful hits.

Although the group split to pursue individual endeavors after 12 years, KC has had great hits like Limpopo, much unlike his partner, Presh who seems lost in action.

P SQAURE In 2001, Peter and Paul Okoye, the duo making up the group called P Square won the first Benson and Hedges Golden Tones Grab da Mic contest, which set their career rolling, making them a household name in the African music landscape. The duo has recorded many hits since then; they are also one of the most successful singers in Nigeria today, owning choice homes and automobiles.

OMAWUNMI MEGBELE She is another product of reality TV show.

She was runner up at the Idols West Africa Show in 2007. Born to Chief Dr Frank and Mrs Aya Megbele, Omawumi had her primary and secondary education in Warri, Delta State and headed on to Ambrose Alli University (former Edo State University) Ekpoma, Edo State where she got a degree in Law. After she graduated, she moved to PortHarcourt, Rivers State where she worked with her family law firm called O.S Megbele & Associates.

In 2007, Omawumi auditioned for the West African version of an internationally ac-

Bryan-Okwara

Bhaira McWizu

Omawunmi

Uti Nwachukwu

claimed TV show tagged ‘IDOLS WEST AFRICA’.

Since then she has numerous performances on the stage with top local acts like D’Banj, 2face, P-Square, M.I, Banky W, Sasha and 9ice and International acts like Chaka Demus and Pliers, Carl Thomas, Angie Stone and Donnel Jones to her belt.

Her debut album features singles like In the music, Chocolata, Today na Today and Miss My Baby as the launching pad that heralded her talent in spite of her academic qualification as a lawyer.

BRYAN OKWARA He is still around and doing well after emerging tops at the first ever Mister Nigeria competition. He also went ahead to compete in the Mister World, which he lost. Brain has been active in the modeling scene, and has won series of international modeling contracts in South Africa. He is virtually part of any event organised by the Silverbird, which availed the platform on which he came to lime light.

BHIRA MCWIZU: She won the Amstel Box office AMBO in 2007, which is the laudable platform Amstel Malta designed to inspire people with acting talents. Bhira, after that victory has continued to ply her trade in Nollywood where she has featured in many hit productions like Evil Genius, Cindy’s Notes and Super Story amongst others. She has transformed herself to a formidable force in the movie industry by stepping positively on that platform availed by AMBO.

TIMI DAKOLO Timi won the Idols West AFRICA show after he beat Omawunmi to the second place. He is also very much involved in music, and has been doing songs. He was on hand during the presidential inauguration in Abuja, as well as the recently concluded National Sports Festival in Rivers State.

Born in Accra, Ghana to a Nigerian father, Bayelsa-native David and a Ghanaian mother, Norah, who died when Dakolo was thirteen, his grandmother Ateni Dakolo, who lived in Port Harcourt raised him, and he credits her as his early singing teacher.

Dakolo started singing in church at the age

MUNACHI ABII Munachi Abi is a rap star now, but she got her break form a beauty pageant Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria. Born and raised in Port Harcourt, Muna was encouraged by her family to pursue her passion for music and arts. After obtaining her O’Level qualifications from Federal Government Girls College Abuloma, she studied International Relations and Diplomacy at the Benson Idahosa University.

Prior to winning MBGN, Muna had performed as part of Port Harcourt-based rap group and collaborated with Terry da Rapman on the critically acclaimed My PH Girl.

As a solo artist, she performed as Babyrella before changing her stage name to Muna. She has written songs for artistes such as J Martins and Waje, and has also appeared in several music videos, most notably in P Square’s “Ifunanya”.

O.C UKEJE He became popular after winning the AMBO competition in 2006. He incidentally happens to be one of the few ambassadors of AMBO still doing great in home videos. He had a sterling performance in the movie White Waters. Born in a family of three in which he is the second born, the multi-talented OC, studied Marine Sciences at the University of Lagos, before his plunge into showbiz.

Arty News

UTI NWACHUKWU e won the Big Brother Africa ALL Stars TV show, for which he was given $200000, since then Uti has remained active in the showbiz scene with his characteristic dreads, doing acting, TV presentations and endorsements. Uti has a lot up his sleeves a fact that has been confirmed from the way he gets invited for collaborations in the industry.

of twelve. In 2003 he joined the singing group Purple Love as a founding member. They dominated the Port Harcourt club circuit, but disbanded in 2005 as its members had gained admission into the University of Port Harcourt While in the Idols competition, Timi’s grandmother died, a week before the viewing of the Top 24 performances.

P.24

TOSIN ADAMS looks at how some reality TV stars are faring after the victory.

Inside FCT

Success stories from reality TV shows

P. 21.22

16 PAGES OF ARTS, REVIEWS, LIFESTYLE AND BUZZ TO START YOUR WEEKEND

P. 23

Friday , December 16, 2016

Flavour

Critics

VOL. 4 No. 827

19

WEEKEND STARTERS

2

016 is no doubt ending on a high-octane note for V12 Music’s talented act, Ruffcoin.

Recently at the Civic Centre Lagos, Ruffcoin was the life of the evening as he thrilled a large audience to a musical experience with the presence of the Abia state Governor, His Excellency, Okezie Ikpeazu and former Governor of Anambra Peter Obi. It was the end of the year party of the Umu Aba Connect a group of young successful people from ABA. This unforgettable performance was coming on the heels of the released of his MIA album. The album which was released globally 1st of December 2016, according to Ruffcoin is a tribute to the much known productive spirit of the Aba region and promises to find a comfort zone in the ear buds of music lovers all over.

Made In Aba (MIA) album features great minds like Phyno, Zoro, Mjosh, Effect Mc, Femi Large,Pentouch, Sparkle, Fiokee and Deejay J Masta.

Ruffcoin performing

P.20

A

total of 45 films will screened at the Lakecity Film Festival (LACIFF) which maiden edition is to take place at the Crystal Lake Resort, Oguta, Imo State from December 16 to 18 under the theme: ‘The reel is yours, show your story’.

After receiving a whopping 2,900, organisers extended the deadline for the submission of films to December 9. A college of screeners reduced the large number to 100.

The final 45 films emerged through assessment by the judges, including Sani Muazu (head jurist), Yinka Ogun, Bond Emeruwa, Kathy Kasic from the United States of America and Tari West-Johnson.

Apart from the opening and closing films, CJ Obasi’s film, ‘O-Town’ and Joe Brown Ubaka’s award winning ‘The Missing God’, respectively, other films among the 45 include: ‘Solone Will Never Walk Alone The Movie’, a documentary from Sierra Leone; ‘Bloody Throne’, a short film from Lesotho; ‘Black Barbie’, an animation from Ghana.

LACIFF team

Ruffcoin thrills Ikpeazu, Obi

Art Man

LACIFF 2016 kicks off today

20

Art Man

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Acting is where my heart has always been —Stephanie Linus The actress cum producer, in this exclusive interview with ISIGUZO DESTINY, shares some emotional moments. Excerpts:

W

hat will you say today about that teenage girl in “Compromise” and “Waterloo”?

She was a young girl who knew what she wanted and followed her heart. Her dream was to be an actor, something she found a lot of joy in doing. She was a bit rusty, but very confident and opened her mind and heart to learning all she could about a profession she really loved.

It seems acting dominated and paid off more than the others after you tried modeling?

Acting is where my heart has always been. Many people don’t know that I actually featured in 3 movies before participating in the beauty pageant.

I started acting way before modeling.

Right after I finished my final exams in Secondary School, I knew I wanted to be an actress. I was used to singing on stage, performing, taking part in school debates and dramas. Shortly after, I got a role in a movie called ‘Compromise’ where I just said one line. When I came back to school to pick up my results, my teachers told me they had seen me in the movie and that they weren’t surprised I had followed that path. However, I still do a bit of modeling every now and then.

What do you look out for before you accept a script or feature in a movie set?

I look out for a well written script with an idealistic story line and a role that would challenge me and cause me to move out of my comfort zone as an actor. A good production team with experienced and innovative minds is always an attraction too.

What made you go beyond acting, I

mean going into script writing, directing and producing a movie?

I got to a point in my career where I wanted to do more than just acting. I had, and still have, a number of stories to tell; stories that inspire me, stories that I feel need to be told. I wanted to be more versatile, have more control of the creative process and to show that we can really do quality movies in Nollywood despite all the challenges. Also, there are not a lot of female directors and producers in our industry so it a way of encouraging women not to be afraid to go behind cameras and tell their stories.

How do you feel about Dry’s success?

I felt truly hono u r e d a n d g rateful to God. I am also very grateful to everyone who shared the passion of this project with me and believed in me enough to support my dream.

What inspired it and how much was invested in it?

Dry is inspired by the true life stories of several girls I have met over the years.

Since I first heard about Vesico Vaginal Fistula as a student in the University, I embarked upon a research which took me around the country and to other African countries where I interacted closely with lots of young girls who had been forced into early marriage and had Fistula. Many of them shared their stories with me, which inspired the script for the film.

Stephanie Linus I really can’t give you a sum of how much was invested and is still being invested in Dry. We are still promoting the movie across several African countries, and will be translating it into other languages soon.

You know it was well-received right?

Dry has a strong and timely message that I’m glad that it has gotten a lot of positive reviews from viewers across the world.

How much was Dry able to rake in?

I can’t quantify that in figures yet. Dry is still showing in cinemas, private and mobile screenings across the world. We have also not yet begun DVD sales so it is still an ongoing process.

Are you comfortable when people describe you as a social demagogue or critic because of the social relevance of the movie?

It’s true that Dry is a socially relevant movie, but that doesn’t mean I do not and will not still feature in movies about topics like love. Making this movie was a calling, something I just had to do because of a passion to touch the lives of women living with VVF. In doing this,

A good movie should have, not just interesting but, endearing characters.

Characters that, while watching the film, will make us empathize and care about what happens to them throughout Stephanie with husband

their cinematic journey

I’ve had to address several social issues like gender inequality, early marriage, human rights and more. If this means I’ve been tagged a social demagogue, then fine. There are so many others like me who are raising their voices in support of such issues and I can only encourage even more people to join us.

Do you believe that art has a role to play in the society as regards character and nation building or do you believe in art for art sake?

There should always be a message behind every form of art. Yes, I strongly believe that art has a huge role to play in the society and can be a catalyst for change and positivity if used the right way.

What is the essential thing you think a movie should have?

A good movie should have, not just interesting but, endearing characters.

Characters that, while watching the film, will make us empathize and care about what happens to them throughout their cinematic journey. For me personally, I think the characters put in play should not just feed us lines but should pull our heart strings and draw the viewer in. A good movie should also have a good plot.

Of course, good acting is needed as well.

Which of the movies you participated in would you say is your best and why?

I have no best or worst. I cherish each and every one of them.

How have you used your career beyond filmmaking in Nigeria?

With the amplifying nature of media, filmmakers have a big tool in our hands.

What I’ve tried to do is use this medium to ignite and open up social dialogue.

The medium is powerful and can travel cutting across barriers of caste, religion and generations. Just one social film can create a huge difference and we as storytellers have a lot of power and responsibility.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arty News

Friday, December 16, 2016

29 21

Nigeria dominates 2017 AMVCA

ISIGUZO DESTINY

A

s the 2017 Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Award approaches, Nigeria is leading Africa in the different categories. The announcement and release of contending nominees was announced recently popular Nigerian actress and TV presenter, Mitchelle Dede, and renowned Kenyan actor, radio presenter and TV host Fareed Khimani during a special live broadcast which aired on all Africa Magic channels on DStv and GOtv. During last year edition of AMVCA, Nigeria’s Dry clinched the overall best movie with the overtly political film Dry which challenged girl-child marriage in the north. It was also the last renowned outing of the late veteran Nigerian actress Bukky Ajayi who was given an award for

“life time achievement”.

This year’s edition may be a green pasture for Nigeria with numerous nominations that overwhelms other countries that are obviously trailing behind Nigeria in the number of nominations. Some Nigerians were also nominated in categories meant for other African regions like Elvis Chuks whose film All About Love was nominated for the best movie for South Af-

At AMVCA

rica region. Kunle Afolayan’s CEO, Rogers Ofime’s Oloibiri, and Ricahrd Makun’s A Trip to Jamaica are among the five nomination for best movie in the West Africa category. It will be surprising if Jenifa’s Diary which was nominated for the Best Television Series and Comedy Series was missing in action. Funke Akinde the hilarious lead actress in Jenifa’s Diary may also clinch the award for the best Comedy actress. Other Nigerians nominated are Bovi, Lancelot Oduwa Imasuen, Mike Ezuruonye, Blossom Chukwujekwu, Tina Mba, Adesua Etomi, Rita Dominic, Nkem Owhoh and other notable Nigerian artistes. Voting for the AMVCAs opens from midnight on Wednesday, 14th December 2016 and closes on the 24thFebruary 2017.

The amazing Experience 2016 OLUWASANMI FEMI

I

t was a thrilling affair. The awe that captivated the audience from the moment they flocked into TBS ground at 6pm to when Tope Alabi released them at 5am was tangibly felt. It was an evening that was better experienced than talked about. So was the success that was The Experience 2016. The evening started with a colourful ministration by the House on the Rock choir and progressed into soul stirring performances from Onos, Eno Micheal, Sammie Okposo, Frank Edwards and Segun Obe. The grandfather of worship like he’s most often called, Don Moen, left no stone unturned in the journey to rendering deep heartfelt worship at heavens gate, with the audience. The thunderous ministrations from Midnight crew, Gabriel Eziachi and Tim Godfrey left the

crowd screaming for more! It was indeed raised for the nation through different pasintense. tors of different churches. According to As the evening glided to a climax, Cece him, ‘Every Christian ought to be multidiWinans, Smorkey Norful, and Donnie Mc- mensional, with political, economic, social Claukin showed what it meant to praise and spiritual God in one accord, in spite of cultural difinfluence. Christians should get involved ferences. Travis Greene who was visiting in governance! Our nation deserves, not the Nigeria for the first time, felt interestingly worst leading the rest, but the best, serving at home on the Experience stage. the He shared testimonies and lead the worrest’, While men slept and complained shippers in a bout of pure and about economic obstacles, the Experience undiluted worship. The Convener, Pasis continually providing a platform for tor Paul Adefarasin was unrepentant in his small and medium resolve to preach businesses to thrive. the gospel of Christ, It was obvious the hence the theme impact it had on the ‘Revealing Jesus’. economy of the state, His love from the activities for a better Nigethat went on at difria could be felt from ferent corners of the the various sessions TBS ground. of prayers that were At Experience 2016 event

Olokodana: Bringing creativity into food matters

Mrs. Ganiya SulaimonOlokodana, chief executive officer of Spiceedge Limited, makers of yoghurt, sobo and natural fruits shares her story with Isaiah Erhiawarien.

started on my entrepreneurial journey. It was during my National Youth Service year when I saw an opportunity in the selling of the local drink called Sobo. So I took some from a woman who usually brings them to my boss, and her price was much lower than that of another woman, so I started selling them at my religious meeting.

I will collect from her, and add a little amount to it as my profit. After my master’s degree, and when I became pregnant I had to an you tell us about yourself ?

I am Mrs. Ganiya Sulaimon-Oloko- wait for some years until my baby was a little dana, and I am a trained clinical psy- grown, but then again getting a job in Nigeria was difficult so I later found chologist cum entrepreneur. myself doing more of the Sobo I had my first degree from trading and it became a consisthe then Ondo State Univertent thing. sity, in 1997, and in the year What does it take to be an 2000 just after I got married, I entrepreneur? went for my masters in cliniIt takes a lot of patience. First cal psychology at the Univeryou much have compassion for sity of Lagos. So part of the whatever you are doing, even requirement was also to do willing to do it free. an internship, which I did at Does finance count in the the Military Hospital, Yaba, journey of being an entrepreOlokodana Lagos. But before then I had

C

neur?

Yes. You can start with little or nothing.

And I always advise people to start with what they have irrespective of whatever you have.

Whatever you see in this big office today, started in my kitchen, and I was doing that for more than 10 years even I added more products like the yoghurt and juices. Like in my own case I heard of the YouWIN grants from the former President Goodluck Jonathan. I was lucky to be one of the recipient with which I use to expand my business, got my NAFDAC numbers and sell to a larger market. And I have been able to break into the market by producing healthy drinks that makes for good healthy living. I have developed Yoghurt that does not require preservatives. And have also developed fruits drinks.

Doing business as a mother, wife and woman?

It has not been very easy. God has blessed us women with the ability to multi-task and most times I work from home. I have a family that understands and is willing to support me.

Dbanj

D’Banj, Adichie for Future Awards 2016 OKACHIE LEONARD

W

hen the World Bank called The Future Awards Africa, ‘the Nobel Prize for young Africans’, it was not an exaggeration. The Future Awards Africa, now in its 11th year is the leading prize on the continent that recognises hardwork, talent and achievement in young people, aged 18 - 32. It is also one of the longeststanding institutions to do so. The awards body unveiled its nominees last weekend after much anticipation and excitement.

Previously, it had announced that it was returning its focus from a continental one to a country specific one: Nigeria. It has now nominated 105 trailblazing Nigerians across 21 categories to compete for the coveted awards. The most hotly contested category is of course, the biggest: Young Person of the Year. Past winners include Sangu Delle, a Ghanaian clean water activist, Ashish Thakkar, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie and D’banj. This year’s nominees are wide and varied across different fields of endeavour.

They are Dr. Olumo Adedunmola, a doctor and a serial entrepreneur; John Boyega, BAFTA-winning British-Nigerian actor; Wizkid, multiple award winning artist now signed to SONY; Mark Okoye, Honourable Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget Development in Anambra State; and Iyeh Kennedy, a youth empowerment advocate. The full nominee list is as follows:

FG lauds creative industry, seeks support for tourism REGINA OTOKPA

T

he Federal Government has commended the efforts of the creative industry, as a major driver for revenue generation. This was even as it called for more suport to further develop the tourism sector.

The Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, speaking at the unveiling of the GAC Motor’s GS4 car in Lagos, said he was especially proud of Nigeria’s creative industry. He stressed on the need to intensify efforts to teach the youths about the history and culture of Nigeria.

“I’m very proud to be here today especially knowing the contribution of the GAC Motors in the area of culture, especially in the area of the creative industry and I wish them many more years of collaboration.”

22

Arty News

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Economy, affecting artists, art collectors —Ibe Ibeabuchi Ananaba, fondly called Ibe, is a Lagos-based artist who has made a mark through multiple creative phases as a graphic designer, cartoonist, fashion illustrator and as a painter. With his major public collection at the National Assembly, Abuja, Ibe talks about his vision to visually communicate to the depth of a viewer’s heart and the challenges confronting his passion in this interview with REGINA OTOKPA. Excerpts:

W

hen did you first go into art?

I started artwork from child hood, I never dreamt of being an astronaut, doctor or lawyer for me it came natural. I am privileged to have an elder brother who is also an artist so I would say I learnt the ropes trying to mimic him and in doing that, I found my voice.

Are there specific messages you try to pass across in your art works?

I like to work in themes not just for aesthetic sake. I believe true art should say something, true art should stand for something. Whatever theme I start, i like to exhaust it. I have just finished an exhibition in Lagos titled Sélénsé. Sélénsé addresses the flamboyant nature with which we consume fashion, it is a slang that means to show off or simply put it means Shakara.

It was a fashion Inspired series of art works. Before that my solo show was identity check.

Identity check was addressing the experiences and issues that happen around us that defines us as a people. Prior to that, my first solo show in Lagos titled against all odds was me advocating for hope during the 2008, 2009 recession, how things were going on in the political space.

Hope is that live wire that keeps us going. We have had it pretty bad in this country and hope is the only thing keeping us going.

Where do you draw your Inspiration from?

Everything inspires me it depends on the mood; nature, my environment, the people I interact with. I operate like a sponge, i like to observe and

soak in things. I create a mental bank with time I sieve the data I have gathered in my memory and whichever suits what I am in the mood for, it’s realized.

How many works did you display at the Afro-Spective art exhibition in Abuja?

I showed six works; afro twins yeye where I am trying to capture the true spirit in Fela’s performance. Am trying to visualize the feelings you get when you listen to music. I also showed Status update, after the show, like this and like that and untainted.

It was a collection of artists coming together to show their arts, to create an experience, for me it is like another way to visually tell the African story. I believe it is my responsibility to write the African story in a positive form because if you leave it out there people will tell your own story and they will tell it the way they want to. This is trying to reflect whatever happens in our society in terms of fashion, music politics, social and technology space. Art is empowerment, it’s the voice with which we speak, it is the key that unlocks access to some places you can’t even imagine.

It is our job to create culture and movement by what we do At the rate foreigners tend to do rate art exhibitions do you think Nigerians love art well enough?

We love art and the aware-

Ibe ness keeps growing.

But we have more foreigners at art exhibitions, how can artists get Nigerians to embrace arts the more?

It is for artists to do more engaging work, more socially relevant works, more works that are addressing real issues that we are facing now and not just works for aesthetic sake or because of what some collectors are buying. We should look within and ask ourselves the issues we are facing as a people to address that challenge. For example in the music industry, someone gets into the studio write a three versed song with good beats, good voice he scores the beat and the hit keeps going around getting him international shows. Same thing applies to visual arts. We should make it more relevant but again, there should be more art exhibitions, there should be more art events and schools should up their game in the curriculum. I don’t know now how many schools really teach fine art, we really need to take it serious. Practicing artists as individuals aside from exhibition should hold talks periodically and take in Interns, that

Creative work takes you to some realm whereby it’s just your body that is here your mind is elsewhere

is how we spread the culture by spreading art knowledge to others and by so doing, create a ripple.

What have been your challenges so far in your art practice?

It is like a gift and a curse.

The economy is dealing with us How? As at this time last year, what a tube of oil would have cost is not the same today. If last year I had a million naira I can fill up my studio with art materials, I can’t do that today. The gift part of it is It challenges you more to dig out something to work on as a theme and topic but then the disadvantages are way bigger than the advantages.

Power supply is a big challenge sometimes it looks like it is getting a bit better but other times its just terrible. You are in the mood to work you start working and all of a sudden the light goes off. Creative work takes you to some realm whereby it’s just your body that is here your mind is elsewhere trying to make it work, when all of a sudden there is darkness from that realm you are reduced to searching for matches, asking yourself if there is fuel in the generator and it becomes a struggle getting to that realm to continue from where you were.

The economy has also affected the collectors, it has slowed

down the rate at which they used to collect art works.

Could you tell us a little bit more about yourself?

I am from Abia state, I grew up in Aba, I studied Fine and Applied Arts majored in painting and thankfully came out with distinction from the Institute of Management Technology Enugu. I joggle two professions; I practice art and at the same time I work as a senior art group head at Insight Publicis.

One thing that ties both fields together is creativity. One informs the other, the other fills the other so it is like a circle.

Am based in Lagos, I love music, I love the good things of life, I like to learn, travel and meet people. I like to know what rocks their boat, what makes someone smile or bring out that hearty laughter or what makes someone sad, what makes someone cry. Knowing these things inform what I do. For me I see art as a psychology in as much as it is power, with it you can reengineer peoples mind, with it you can treat someone’s wound, just put up a piece and get the person gazing and do more before you know it works magic. There is a therapeutic angle to it as well. Art creates that space for me to relieve my stress, it gives me that room to ease up and think.

BOOK

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lessons to remember

‘I Remember’, Prof. Ladipo Adamolekun’s autobiography, with heaps of lessons.

ADELE JINADU

I

THEATRE

begin in this manner because I Remember, Ladi’s autobiographical statement about the driving cultural, historical, ethical, religious and philosophical impulses that have shaped his intellectual development, offers me refreshing and validating insights, which explain and, therefore provide a more informed basis for the initial impressions I had of him during our meeting in my office in 1976. But beyond these initial impressions, I Remember shows me clearly how central family values, religion, lifelong bonding of family and friendship, and the passion for truth and commitment to searching for it, scarce commodities in our current predicament, characterised by the search for crass materialism, have combined to define and shape his development and maturity.

But what also makes reading I Remember refreshing and worthwhile is that , con-

trary to the conclusion in the epigram above, it provides evidence, in the form of the life of Ladi, that even in such an inclement climate, the intellectual vocation, like missionary work, need not be frustrating but has its satisfying reward.

For what has emerged from, indeed the subtheme running through I Remember is the reasoned narrative of a supremely fulfilled life, dedicated to the service of state and society, and intended to serve as a model, in the form of “A Note for the Millennials”, its closing chapter. [pp. 291-

321] In this respect, what I Remember offers is a “metaphor of self,” by which is meant the primacy of the private experience of Ladi, anchored on an overarching moral and political philosophy, that not only provides meaning for who he is, where he has been and what he has made out of life as he now faces the sunset of that life, but also links it to his explanation and interpretation of the vicissitudes, the “slings and arrows of outrageous Fortune” that we have experienced in state and society these past several years. In short, I Remember is an excellent essay in selfdefinition; it is about the life of Ladi, its ebb and flow, ups and downs, justified and lived in terms of a higher order of public-interest service to humanity and the commitment to the search for Truth. [see, p.34, “In spite of personal inconvenience and financial expenditure, I have to go to Christ School since my service is needed”—evidence of a young adult’s sense of service.”]

I Remember is a work of solid scholarship but one, which, in line with Ladi’s characteristic simplicity and attention to details, is clear, well-written in simple language, welledited, well-proofread and witty in several places, making for easy reading with hardly any dull moments. Beyond all this, there is even a more fundamental quality to I Remember, which sets it apart from several selfserving and ghost-written autobiographies, which have surfaced in our country in recent years. I Remember is what an autobiography, properly understood, should be about and should set out to be, despite the various meth-

23

‘I Remember’ is the reasoned narrative of a supremely fulfilled life, dedicated to the service of state and society odological problems raised in writing it.

To say all this is not to be uncritical of I Remember; for all autobiographies raise methodological challenges, notably of selection relating to their status as “truthful” narrations of life: what criteria should govern the selection and arrangement of past experiences to constitute a coherent whole?

Can some experiences or events not be deliberately omitted, suppressed, forgotten or distorted? Part of the answer in the case of I Remember is that one can reasonably conjecture that it is, viewed in its totality, truthful in that in addition to memory and imagination, it draws on diaries and “fairly extensive Notes,” which Ladi painstakingly and faithfully has kept since the early 1960s; moreover the narrative is set within a context, which the reader can relate to, empathize with and understand. In literary criticism, as I understand it, we need to understand that truth is not simply or only in the order of facts but in the order of the process, the internal order that the autobiographer perceives within his/her deepest or true self as he/she reflects on his/her life and draws conclusions or lessons from it, within the larger public context of his/her own environment.

Chiding ‘political kleptomania’

A stage drama beams light on Nigeria’s political thieves.

ISIGUZO DESTINY

N

Critics

Friday, December 16, 2016

igeria’s celebrity couple Olu Jacob and Joke Silva recently reached out to Nigerian public and politicians through their play production of Heartbeat, a powerful stage play that exposes the kleptomaniac nature of Nigeria politicians while calling for revolution against these politicians and also demanding rich’s compassion towards the dregs of Nigerian society. The play which showed recently at Muson Centre Victoria Island Lagos attracted the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, Professor Wole Soyinka, the wife of Kogi State Governor and her kids, Kunle Kelani, Hilda Dokubo, Monalisa Chinda and other notable personalities.

Heartbeat is anchored on Grace House run by Auntie Eunice who transformed from a vicious woman to a compassionate philanthropist whose house was well known as an abode for the homeless and ordinary Nigerians with different overwhelming challenges. Grace House finds itself in the middle of different battle social, emotional and political where a well-known politician Lacoste tries to play to public

gallery and scoring political points using the humanitarian achievements of Grace House. The humanitarian nature of Grace House is juxtaposed against the corrupt and consumerist attitude of Nigerian politicians embodied in the character of Lacoste, a politician known for his greed and ruthlessness. Meanwhile Lacoste has become a target for a violent revolutionary group led

by Kunle who believes the corrupt political class must be expunged from the society for there to be meaningful progress. The play’s climax is when Lacoste, a member of House of Representathieves, his thugs and the police clashed with the revolutionary forces within their Local Government Area. Apart from being political and ideological, there are human angles to the play as some of the actors are caught between personal and political conflicts, the residents (each with their own share of secrets, fears and flaws) must thus come together to save the only place they can truly call their own.

Speaking after the stage play, Joke Silva beamed with the happiness at the success of the performance pointing out how they have been unable to stage a performance in a long time while acknowledging that so much effort was put in the production of the play.

Soyinka was spotted by the reporter when he was trying to sneak out of the auditorium immediately after the performance. He told the reporter he was trying to escape before attention will be beamed on him. When pressed to comment on the

Heartbeat on stage play, the first African Noble Laureate who recently was in the news for metaphorical shredding his US Green Card as a form of protest after the Republican Donald Trump won a very heated US presidential election declined, saying he doesn’t comment after stage performances. He just see the performances and allow people to make their impressions.

Governor Ambode told the audience and the cast when he was invited to the stage

by Joke Silver that he never knew he will stay throughout the performance. He said

Apart from being political and

ideological, there are human angles to the play as some of the actors are caught between personal and political conflicts

the play was able to sustain his curiosity hence his inability to leave before the end of the play. He pointed out avenues such as art must be explored to create jobs for the youths and keep the bustling youth engaged. He declared that before the end of next year, theaters will be built at Lagos Mainland, Ikorodu, Badagry and Epe during the celebration of Lagos at 50. He also gave the cast and production 10 million Naira each to support and encourage their effort.

Efforts to get a comment from him proved abortive as his security details blocked and manhandled journalists trying to get comments from him though later that night, he took to his Instagram page to commend the play.

Meanwhile, the opera Heartbeat which explores the themes of: love, hate, betrayal, family, identity, politics, homelessness and social justice through the characters who converge in and around Grace House in search of refuge and atonement will still show this weekend at MUSON Centre, Lagos.

24

Inside FCT

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Remembering IDPs in FCT ADEOLA TUKURU

I

t was merriment galore at New Kuchingoro and Waru IDP camps in the Federal Capital Territory FCT, when the National Association of Seadogs last weekend commenced distribution of medical / relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Some of the recipients, Aisha Garba who couldn’t hide their excitement to Inside FCT lauded the association’s good gesture saying “God will bless the National Association of Seadogs (NAS) .

She further added that “the number of lives they touched today is unbelievable, not to talk of other camps , which are 10 times bigger than the camps here”.

Another of the recipients Musa Bako, also lauded the NAS’s philanthropic gesture and appealed to other prominent Nigerians to emulate the good deeds.

The initiative according to Vice President of the Association, Uzor Ziko aligns with the NAS key objective of positively impacting the communities we operate and is aimed at ameliorating the pains and suffering of families affected by insecurity and violence in the North East.

According to him “We have identified and are concerned about these communities of displaced people who find their limited resources quickly depleted and are unable to cater for their basic needs, hence the need for the intervention.”

He further asserted that the association has a borehole project they are working on that will go round different parts of the IDP camps across the nation.

“This is the fourth IDP we are

visiting and our intervention initiative will continue to focus on working together with the Government, other humanitarian stakeholders and donors to deliver basic assistance and support to displaced people and IDP populations.”

Also, Director of Media, John Oke explained that the government can’t do everything alone as it needs the assistance from other stakeholders in impacting in the community.

He further explained that Seadog is like an old sailor and they are acting like an old sailor.

The Medical Consultant of NAS, Dr Oteri Joseph, said “this is something we do every quarter of the year in different communities. We have gone to Oyo,Bayelsa state among others.”

It would be recalled that recently, over 23, 000 bags of assorted food items and 2,155 bags of shelter supplies have been provided by different Federal Government agencies to Internally Displaced Camps (IDPs) in the North East as part of ongoing initiatives at ameliorating the plight of IDPs in areas ravaged by insurgency, the presidency has said.

Under the coordinated Federal intervention programme, both the Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE) and National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), are leading the humanitarian aid with the distribution of 10, 300 bags of assorted grains and cereals towards the feeding of over 2 million persons scattered across the region, ‘Laolu Akande the Senior Special Assistant (Media & Publicity) to the Vice President, said in a statement Sunday.

Mr. Akande said, “In the monthly Federal Intervention Report that shows the level of

Government has also

constituted an

Inter-ministerial Technical Working Group to facilitate an effective humanitarian assistance supplies in the month of July and compiled by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on the North East, Dr. Tope Masha, PINE supplied over 10,300 bags of food items such as rice, millet, maize, guinea corn, salt, vegetable oil, beans, and noodles to Borno, Yobe, Adamawa, Taraba, Gombe and Bauchi States.

“Besides, NEMA also supplied Borno State with 13,200 bags of food items.

“The report indicated that PINE, through the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, distributed 2,155 assorted shelter materials in nine (9) different Local Government Areas of Borno State which includes Bama, Damboa, Bakacy, Dikwa, Monguno, Mafa, Jere, Banki and Gwoza.

“The Federal Government according to the report responded swiftly to the reported case of malnutrition in Bama camp, as severely malnourished children and adults have been moved from Bama to Maiduguri for comprehensive medical treatment.

“Government has also deployed medical teams from the Federal Ministry of Health and Nigerian Airforce to assist in support mission for nutrition emergency response to those in need.

IDPs

“In addition, the government of Borno state is converting Islamiya School in Bama to a hospital which will be equipped by the Nigeria Airforce to achieve quick comprehensive treatment of victims.

“It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari, in consolidating FG intervention in the North East ordered the establishment of the Presidential Committee on North East Interventions, PCNI. The Committee chaired

by Gen. Theophilus Danjuma is responsible for rehabilitation, reconstruction and recovery of the North East.

“Equally, Government has also constituted an Inter-ministerial Technical Working Group to facilitate an effective humanitarian assistance. The Group is to expedite waivers and technical assistance by donors providing humanitar-

ian aid in North East.

“Members of the Group include the Office of the Vice President, Office of the National Security Adviser, NEMA, Ministries of Foreign Affairs, Justice, Budget & National Planning, Finance, Nigeria Customs and Immigration.

“The Federal Government continues to assess the need and develop effective ways of addressing them with the active collaboration of local, national and international agencies including the United Nations system.

“The Buhari presidency will neither relent nor leave any stone unturned in ensuring that our people in the North East are provided with the assistance, help and support needed to address the different fallouts and impact of the insurgency that has ravaged the region for years.”

Expanding scope of waste management BLESSING UKAEGBU

I

n order to tackle the problem of waste management headlong in Abuja, the FCT Administration will fine-tune its Waste Management Programme. The FCT Minister, Muhammad Musa Bello, dropped this hint after paying an unscheduled visit to the Waste Transfer Stations in Apo, Mpape and Kubwa.

The Minister who inspected these sites alongside the FCT Permanent Secretary, Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye, warned that Abuja is expanding and therefore waste transfer stations have to be developed to cater for the ever increasing level of solid waste.

Bello insisted that waste transfer stations are very necessary and critical for

Street sweepers in FCT

every modern city and Abuja cannot be an exception.

He directed that all the relevant De-

partments must sit down to find ways and means of actualizing the fast development of these transfer stations to aug-

The Minister said that the FCT

Administration is working very hard to provide the framework and platform to make it easy for the investors to come in

ment the existing dump sites.

The Minister remarked that the Waste Transfer Stations ought to be developed to sort all kinds of waste such as metal, plastic and other biodegradable wastes for easy recycling or other uses like energy generation as well as organic manure.

Bello reiterated, “today waste is wealth and the FCT Administration must take advantage of the new technology and volume of investments in the sub-sector to make Abuja a clean city”.

The Minister said that the FCT Administration is working very hard to provide the framework and platform to make it easy for the investors to come in, which is expected to open another vista of employment prospects.

Bello also paid a similar visit to the 220-Bed Utako District Hospital under construction to appraise the present status of the health facility.

Friday, December 16, 2016 17th Rabi al-Awwal 1438 Friday, January 17, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

23

Community Mirror 25 On the authority of Anas bin Malik, the servant of the Messenger of Allah, the prophet said: “None of you [truly] believes until he wishes for his brother what he wishes for himself.”

RELATED BY BUKHARI AND MUSLIM

When the come , come to come everybody will sit up in this Ministry.

Israeli/Palestinian crisis: UN’s integrity lies in ensuring justice — Dons Rev. Chris Okotie, speaking on the state of the nation

49

HON MINISTER FOR PETROLEUM RESOURCES,ALIISON MADUEKE

…. Call for self-determination of Palestinians

Sekinh L awal

L

agos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef, a Senior Lecturer from the Department of Political Science, University of Lagos, Dr. Adelaja Odukoya and a Deputy Director at Voice of Nigeria (VON), Alhaji AbdurRazaq AbdusSalam and other eminent personalities, have warned the United Nations that it risks losing its integrity if it did not resolve the Israeli/Palestinian crisis.

The trio spoke at the Aqsa Day organised by Muslim

Awareness International (MAI), a prominent civic group at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.

Earlier MAI Director, Engr.

Luqman Balogun called on the UN to walk the walk on Palestinian matters.

“We call for sanctions to be imposed on Israel for its atrocities against the Palestinian people. If other countries are sanctioned for committing crimes, the Israeli state should face the consequences of its actions too.

There should be no sacred cows,” he said.

Dr. AbdulLateef said Nigeria as a country believes in

freedom, tolerance and selfdetermination of the people, hence her interest in the case.

He said: “The Israeli government should let the Palestinians be so that they can live in peace. The United Nations and all stakeholders must come together to embolden the Palestinians for self-determination.

We must allow the people of the world to govern themselves and put an end to man inhumanity to man. What is happening to Palestinians could happen to all of us.

If Palestinians regain their freedom, the world would be a better place to live. People

would have confidence and trust in the United Nations that it is not just a dog that can bark but that can bite.

The United Nations integrity lies in ensuring justice. Israel cannot continue to enslave, oppress and terrorize the people. The best way the UN can put an end to the injustice is to allow self-determination of the Palestinians.”

Dr Odukoya said the injustices against Palestinians persist because of the complicity of the global powers.

“The UN was founded on the slogan of self-determination, but that slogan has remained empty in regard to the Palestinian crisis. What is playing out in the crisis is the hegemony of the United

MAI Director, Engr. Luqman Balogun; Deputy Director at Voice of Nigeria (VON), Alhaji AbdurRazaq AbdusSalam; Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. AbdulHakeem AbdulLateef; Amir of TMC, Dr. Luqman AbdulRaheem and ZSF Executive Director, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, at the Aqsa Day organised by Muslim Awareness International (MAI), in Lagos recently.

Hajj rules: NAHCON tasks private operators on Compliance Sekinh L awal

H

ajj and Umrah Operators in Nigeria have been advised to play by the rules and regulations guiding the holy trips as released by the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON. In a release signed by Alhaji Uba Mana, Head of Media, it stated that the advice was given by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NAHCON, Barr. Mukhtar Abdullahi Muhammad during a meeting be-

Jaiz Zakat empowers 50 Ebonyi indigents 26

tween NAHCON and the leadership of Association of Hajj and Umrah Operators of Nigeria, ANUON, in Abuja recently.

Abdullahi urged the operators to comply strictly with the regulations governing their operational licenses. He urged them to cooperate with the Commission to stamp out corruption and quacks from the industry.

“I can assure you of the Commission’s readiness to accept constructive ideas from the association as well as criticisms from the general public so as

to correct any envisaged lapses and sanitize the operations.”

In his response, the President of AHUON, Alhaji Abdulfatai Abdulmajeed lauded the leadership of the Commission for their selfless services to the cause of Allah. He said the Commission is a blessing to the Hajj industry as numerous transformations have been recorded since its establishment.

The meeting discussed among others the reconciliations of 2016 Hajj, calendar of events for the Tour Operators, NAHCON’s routine inspections

Folawiyo Mosque gets new Chief Imam

26

on the operators as well as the meeting with the Saudi Minister of Hajj coming up next month.

NAHCON Chairman Barr. Abdullahi

Some signs of End-time

States as reflected in the nonimplementation of several UN resolutions, especially resolution 242 and others.

“Israeli policies in Palestine amount to genocide because the livelihood of the Palestinian is left at the mercy of Israel. Every human being deserves a state, so denying Palestinians a homeland amounts to dehumanisation.

And I daresay that America’s continued veto of resolutions that seek to end Israeli occupation has remained a major setback to peace,” he said.

Abdus-Salam, a veteran journalist, said the media have not been fair in reporting the crisis. He called on journalists to do independent research of the crisis and not continue to spread propaganda that impedes peace in the region.

According to him, the Israeli/Palestinian crisis is not Muslim/Christian crisis as being spread around.

Christians, he said, are also suffering from the Jews just like their Muslim counterparts.

Also, MAI commended the Nigerian government for his unalloyed support for the Palestinian state. “Unlike the previous administration, President Muhammadu Buhari has at different fora restated his strong support for the self-determination of the Palestinian people and the two-state solution where both neighbouring states coexist in peace and harmony.

We appreciate the humanitarian gesture and thus call on the Federal Government to ensure it continues to tread the path of truth and justice.

Nigeria must continue to support UN resolutions and any move by the international community to protect and defend the oppressed Palestinians with a view to ensure the Palestinians ultimately have a homeland.”

Engr. Balogun used the opportunity to formerly present MAI’s new Director, Engr. AbdulWaheed Atoyebi whom he described as a lover of Palestine too.

27

24 26

Arts Call toLounge Worship

Friday, December 17, 2010 Friday, December 16, 2016 17th Rabi al-Awwal 1438

NationalMirror Mirror National www.nationalmirroronline.net www.nationalmirroronline.net

Jaiz Zakat empowers 50 Ebonyi indigents Sekinh Lawal

N

o fewer than 50 persons in Ebonyi State have been empowered by Jaiz Zakat and Waqf Trust Fund recently.

The gesture was to boost economic status of the less-privileged in the state. At the presentation of the empowerment items, Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, the Executive Secretary/CEO of the organisation, said that the event marked fulfilment of the faithbased Non-Governmental Organisation’s promise to support the most vulnerable and less-privileged people, who have suffered some sorts of deprivations, marginalisation and neglect.

Shuaib recalled that the organisation was in Abakaliki in June this year for the distribution of food items to enable fasting Muslim brothers and sisters to perform their socio-religious obligations to Allah and humanity and that it promised then to come back in a big way to assist less-privileged to raise their economic power.

“On behalf of Jaiz Zakat and

Waqf Trust Fund, I am delighted to share the good news of our commitment to the Ummah to wipe off your tears, soothe your pains by empowering some of you economically, meet the educational needs of some and take care of the health challenges of others.”

“Jaiz Zakat and Waqf Trust Fund, JZWTF, is inspired by Islamic faith to provide socio-economic and humanitarian services to the poor and needy people. Some of our services which include but not limited to Zakat assessment, collection and distribution, Waqf administration and management, economic empowerment, educational support, medical support, collection, rebranding and distribution of fairly used or old materials, Iftar Saim and human capital development of scholars and Imams.

He said that out of the N1.3million earmarked for disbursement, 71.54 per cent was meant for economic empowerment of the beneficiaries while 23.84 per cent and 4.62 per cent were to take care of their educa-

ZSF to disburse Zakat fund

A

faith-based humanitarian organisation, Zakat and Sadaqat Foundation, ZSF, will on Sunday disburse N102,251,490 million to the needy in Lagos.

The annual Zakat Distribution Ceremony, 12th of its kind, will hold at the Alausa Secretariat Central Mosque Auditorium, Ikeja-Lagos.

According to ZSF Executive Director, Prince Sulayman Olagunju, the empowerment programme is targeted at raising the economic status of the needy.

Olagunju said the foundation will also distribute equipment to entrepreneurs.

Part of the fund, he noted,

will go to youths having challenges in their academic pursuit and others with critical accommodation problems.

He said: “There are various beneficiaries that are going to go home with tricycle, motorcycle, and other forms of empowerment like grinding machine, refrigerators, sewing machine and so on while some are going home with cash to establish their various business plans.

“The unique thing about this year’s distribution is the fact that most of the people we are giving already have their shops.

Instead of using the fund to rent shops, they will divert it to storing their shops with goods to enhance their businesses.”

MSSN holds 102nd IVC

tional and health needs respectively.

He reiterated the commitments of the organisation to uplift the standard of living of the poor and needy.

According to him, the gesture became necessary in order to

close the gap between the “have” and “have not” to enable the society experience peaceful co-existence among adherents of different faiths in the country.

“To the successful Zakah beneficiaries, I urge you to make the best use of your Zakah fund or

item and not to divert it or sell it or squander the fund in a nonproductive way. You should remember that not everybody has the opportunity you have today.

“This is a trust from Allah. We all have a duty to keep the trust intact,” he said.

Imam Abdullahi Shuaib, Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer, Jaiz Zakat and Waqf Trust Fund presenting a generator to Faouzia Obiahun to power her business centre during the 1st Zakat Distribution Ceremony organised by Jaiz Zakat in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. Dr. Haroun Ajah, Vice President-General, Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Ebonyi State presenting a sewing machine to Aisha Usman.

Folawiyo Mosque gets new Chief Imam

T

he much-awaited decoration of Alhaji Imam Alli Olukayode Atanda with the turban as the Chief Imam of Abdul Wahab Folawiyo, Surulere (New Lagos) Central Mosque was held recently in Lagos.

Imam Atanda succeeded the late Sheikh Abdul Quadri Moyosore. He was until his appointment the Imam of Oluwatoyin Mosque, one of the twelve Ratibi Mosques that are registered owners of the Abdul Wahab Folawiyo, Surulere (New Lagos) Central Mosque.

An elated Imam Atanda

thanked Allah for making the day a reality, promising that he will be Imam for all.

“We thank Allah for today as we have been anticipating witnessing it. No doubt, one with God is with the majority.

As we stand with God, we know God will stand with us. There is nothing we desire than the growth of Islam especially in Surulere,” he said.

He promised to uplift the community through prayers and good sermons.

Imam Atanda urged government at all levels to fear Allah in dealing with the masses, warning that they would be

called to account for their deeds one day.

He also urged those involving in criminal activities to stop them and turn a new leaf.

“There is no profit in engaging in untoward acts. Kidnapping, robbery, embezzlement among other crimes only bring about Allah’s wrath on such community and the perpetrators,” he said.

The government, he said, also should live up to its responsibility by reducing crimes in the society, saying “This country can’t move forward if the leadership is bad.”

...Calls for caution

T

he Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Lagos State Area Unit (MSSN Lagos) has warned government at all levels to ensure that the standard of education in the country is not compromised due to the economic recession.

The Amir, Saheed Ashafa, said this in a news release ahead of the group’s 102nd Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) Camp holding between December 23 to January 1, 2017.

The camp, expected to have about 6,000 delegates in attendance, would hold at Human Capital Development Centre (HCDC), Noforija, Epe, Lagos.

Ashafa lamented that stu-

dents are among the worst hit by the economic recession in the country. The recession, he said, was one the reasons that informed the theme of the 102nd IVC camp, ‘In the shade of Islam’.

“Leaders at all levels must realise that education remains a golden asset for Nigeria and everything should be done to protect its standard. Allowing recession to affect the quality of education at primary, secondary or tertiary levels, is like digging the grave for innovation and building of great minds that will uplift Nigeria.”

Ashafa urged parents and guardians to monitor activities of their children.

The decoration of Alhaji Imam Alli Olukayode Atanda with the turban as the Chief Imam of Abdul Wahab Folawiyo, Surulere (New Lagos) Central Mosque in Lagos recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 16, 2016 17th Rabi al-Awwal 1438

Friday, January 17, 2014

Call to Worship

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

27 25

Community Mirror

Some signs of End-time

Every Friday with with

Khalifatul Ahmadiyya

Those whose eyes have been veiled When the come , come to come and who have decided that they will not will sit up in this Ministry.

Rev. Chris Okotie, speaking believe and nor do they everybody witness Allah’s succor and signs.

These are indeed the on the state of the nation characteristics and deeds ofPETROLEUM the peopleRESOURCES,ALIISON utter disappointment and agony over it HON MINISTER FOR MADUEKE who do not believe in the prophets. remarking that the world would now go These people even after witnessing astray. Promised Messiah (Peace be on the miracles demand for other signs that Him) says that think over the fact that would make the truth evident on them. was he a better and more dedicated wellDue to them exceeding the limits, Allah wisher of the people than Allah? blocks their hearts. And then they fail to Likewise, plague was just one of the achieve the truthiness. At times, in order many punitive signs which had been to expose the truthfulness of the prophets prophesied. Also there are signs of creon others, Allah makes these people the L-R: The Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria, Dr. Mashhud Adenrele Fashola: former sign of admonition and warning. The op- ation of the streams of running water, of President, Nigeria Labour Congress, Engr. Al-Hassan Sunmonu; Naib Amir, Eastern ponents of the Promised Messiah (Peace the communities being developed, of the mountains being shredded, of the abunRegion, Dr. Abdul Ganiyu Enahoro; Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo; Chairman, Jalsa be on Him) were also like this. dant publishing of print media and of the Planning Committee, Alhaji Mufaddilu Bankole; Naib Amir, Northern Region, Dr. Yeqeen Who even upon witnessing many Habeeb and Naib Amir Special Duties, Engr. Al-hassan Ahmad, during the courtesy visit signs of Promised Messiah’s (Peace be on development of new ways of transportation. However, there are many such signs to the Vice President on Grand Annual Conference to Commemorate 100 Years of the Him) truth, did not believe in them due that have been told by you which are not existence of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Nigeria in Abuja FCT. to their obstinacy and stubbornness. Or also foretold and predicted by the Holy they would just move away from the signs Quran and the Holy Prophet (Peace be that Allah showed them, but indeed Allah Upon Him). Hazrat Musleh Maud (May made a few amongst them an emblem of Allah be pleased with him) says that warning. Promised Messiah (Peace be on instead of regarding these true signs Him) referred to many signs that would that had been prophesied, the people reflect upon his truthfulness and even put wrong and very irrelevant allegarevealed upon the people the emblem of tions on the Promised Messiah (Peace the Promised Messiah (Peace be on Him) be on Him). Some people came who said as were expressed by the Holy Prophet that his (Peace be on Him) turban is not (Peace be Upon Him). straight how can he be the Promised MesBut these religious clerics did not be- siah? Hazrat Musleh Maud (May Allah lieve in them and even deprived other be pleased with him) said that Promised people from believing the truth. And they Messiah (Peace be on Him) showed them are still doing this. signs after signs but people still came up The Promised Messiah (Peace be on with illogical excuses that he (Peace be Him) many a times, stated various true on Him) cannot pronounce the Urdu almiracles and signs of Allah that would phabet ‘Qaaf ’ correctly. He (Peace be on mark the truth of Ahmadiyyat. While Him) showed them Quranic ayat over stating them, Promised Messiah (Peace ayat but people came and said that how be on Him) specified that these signs have can he be the Promised Messiah because been foretold and predicted by the Holy he got jewelry made for his wife and that L-R: Circuit President, Badagry, Alhaji Abdul Malik Ahoton; Amir Ahmadiyya Muslim Prophet (Peace be Upon Him). Amongst he uses almond oil. Then Hazrat Musleh Jama’at Nigeria, Dr. Mashhud Adenrele Fashola: The Wawu of Badagry, Oba Tajudeen these is the sign of lunar and solar eclipse. Maud (May Allah be pleased with him) When this sign was not fulfilled the says that do not close your eyes to the Ayipe Wawu; Engr. Al-hassan and Finance Secretary, Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at, Alhaji religious clerics would show agitation Abdul Ghaniyu Idris, during the courtesy visit on Grand Annual Conference to Com- and restlessness. But then when it was true signs of Allah. Many people would memorate 100 Years of the existence of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at in Nigeria in Badagry shown to them, not only once but twice come to him (Peace be on Him) and would ask for some sign. He (Peace be on Him) in Lagos. once in India and second time in Amer- would reply that did you gain any use of ica, these people just showed negligence. the signs that have been shown in the past They could not turn away from this sign that you need more now? When you have as they themselves awaited it but once it not gained anything from the thousands came into being, they abandoned it due to of signs already shown then how will you their stubbornness and arrogance. Prom- be benefitted if I show you a sign now? ised Messiah (Peace be on Him) says that These people will indeed always remain one of my friends told me that once this deprived as it is written in their destiny. sign was fulfilled, Ghulam Murtaza who was one of the religious clerics expressed To be continued igerian leaders have been urged of his followers, Abu Dharr Al Giffari not to emulate Prophet Muhammad to accept any form of leadership position by governing with the fear of Al- having seen the inability to cope with the burden therein in him. lah and ensuring social justice.

National President of MMPN, Alhaji ship on the day of resurrection.

The Director of Islamic Affairs and Abdur-Rahman Balogun said the lecational Council of Muslim Youth “Serving and past political office holdChief Imam of the Nigerian Navy, Imam Organizations, NACOMYO, has ers must stop heating up the polity by Gidado Taofiq Miqdad, gave the advice ture was to commemorate the birth of urged political office holders to refraining from inflammatory utterancrecently in Abuja at the 11th annual pub- the Holy Prophet Muhammad (Mawlud exhibit fear of Allah and absolute pa- es and acts capable of jeopardizing the lic lecture of the Muslim Media Practi- Nabiyy). triotism in the discharge of their duties fragile peace in the country. The religious He said that it is disturbing that at tioners of Nigeria (MMPN) Abuja Chapby putting nation’s interest above all group urged the leaders to stop using the 56, Nigeria is still where it is because of ter themed: “The Islamic position on concerns. media to cause crisis and betraying their bad leadership, corruption and incompegood governance”.

In a message to commemorate 2016 status as ‘elder statesmen’. tency, and that Islam believes that good He said Prophet Muhammad declared Maulud, the group implored Nigerian NACOMYO also denounced corrupequality of all mankind and preached leaders breed good followers and by exleaders to avoid conflict over the 2017 bud- tion in the Judiciary, describing the develget being presented by President Muham- opment as unhealthy, embarrassing and brotherhood of mankind, and that he tension, good governance.

“Lack of good leadership and fear of madu Buhari, urging the National As- degrading. It noted that the unwholesome also upheld the Islamic value system Allah has caused this nation a great forsembly, NASS to jettison sentiments, play practice has eroded people’s confidence in where justice is central. down political differences and personal the judiciary and should be corrected. It He said the type of governance envis- tune. All great nations excel as a result of concerns by giving due consideration to urged the National Judicial Commission the visions of their leaders, which were aged by Islam is value-based and that the budget in the overall interest of the and stakeholders to eschew sentiments with this in mind, any opportunity one imbibed by their followers. But today, country. things have changed as leaders in Nigeand allow the law to take its due course in has to be in power is seen as an Amanah Anchoring on the Prophetic saying ria were only concern about themselves the overall interest of nationhood. (a trust). that the “love of one’s country is an act and perhaps their friends and families “The anti-graft initiative of govern“This is because in reality, a Muslim of faith”, NACOMYO enjoined the legislament will aid development, address povis expected to know that power belongs as against the overall interest of the pubtors to embrace international best practices in their legislative duties in order erty and promote good governance, in to Allah Alone, not to Mr. President or to lic,” Balogun said.

A former Director-General, Voice of to enjoy people’s confidence and robust addition to bringing sanity in the society. the people. He also needs to realize that Nigeria (VON) Alhaji Abubakar Jijiwa growth of our democracy. It urged politi- Nigerians must do away with greed, ecothe infinitesimal power given to man is cal office holders to see themselves as ‘ser- nomic sabotage and other anti-developwho was the Chairman and the Director only a trial,” Miqdad said. vants of the people”, rather than being ment tendencies. We must develop zero of the Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society of While listing the ingredients of good tolerance to corruption and join hands the ‘masters’. governance as consultation, rule of law, Nigeria Ustaz Fuad Adeyemi among othwith governments in fighting the menace The group admonished those in the accountability, mentorship, efficiency in er speakers urged the leaders to act in a because the ‘Nigerian project’ is a colleccorridor of power to live above boards, management, prompt and good service way that would make the led help them tive responsibility.” Alhaji Kamaldeen apply decorum and embrace the rule of delivery, the erudite scholar recalled that achieve success and fast tract national law in the affairs of the nation, reminding Akintunde, National President of NACOProphet Muhammad specifically told one development. them of giving account of their steward- MYO concluded.

49

‘Emulate Prophet Muhammad on good governance, see power as trust’

N

Exhibit fear of Allah —NACOMYO tells politicians

N

28

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

National Mirror Friday, December 16, 2016 www.nationalmirroronline.net

Entertainment

Yomi Peters set to release Igbeyawo album

F

rontline juju musician, Yomi Peters, has disclosed that his highly anticipated album, Igbeyawo, will be released this December 2016 by an international record label, MJG Records.

According to him, Igbeyawo is to be released this month due to the massive demand its promotion on radio and TV has created.

And just as his album is already in enormous demand even before its release, his weekly Friday night gig at posh R&A City Hotel, Oshopey Plaza B/Stop, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria has become the toast of the town.

The gig holds from 7pm to about 12 midnight and no serious fun lover can say his Friday or even his week is complete without being at the gig to be thrilled by Yomi’s golden voice.

Such is the success of the gig that even white people are attending it to dance to his melodious music.

Congrats, Yomi.

Peters

Tru Mantra shoot first music video

Nigerian celebrities headline new Samsung campaign, Open Your Mind

with VICTOR UDOH

Dasilva offers hope to rape victims

S

amsung’s commitment to producing innovative, life-changing products and services will be on display in its new campaign tagged, “Open Your Mind.” Samsung Electronics West Africa stated that the campaign will demonstrate Samsung’s commitment to innovation, quality and service to its consumers. The campaign will also serve as a reminder to consumers of Samsung’s unflinching support in the provision of world class devices that would help them in realizing their dreams and potentials.

Emmanouil Revmatas, Director and Business Leader, Information Mobile and Technology, Samsung Electronics West Africa, said that as the market leader in smart devices and solutions, “Samsung will continue to bridge consumer expectations of what a premium mobile experience should feel like with a readiness to delivering the best-in-class solutions that combine the strengths of Samsung’s mobile innovations.”

The “Open Your Mind” campaign will feature celebrities such as popular Nollywood actresses, Joke Silva and Funke Akindele; celebrated radio personality, Tolu Oniru Demuren popularly known as Toolz; comedian, Ali Baba and a host of others. In the course of the campaign, Nigerians will be availed the opportunity to know and understand the inspiration, dreams and the place of innovation in the accomplishments of the respective careers of the celebrities.

Akindele

Samsung’s culture of innovation transcends high-quality product offering; it includes services, which are geared towards making a difference in the lives of consumers. “Samsung will continue to provide cutting edge technology enabling consumers realize their potentials through innovation and technology. We hope to inspire progress and spur dreams to success through this campaign,” says Revmatas.

The “Open Your Mind” campaign is a follow-up to the 2015 Samsung Electronics West Africa brand theme, “Dream Your Dream” which seeks to nurture the aspiration of young Nigerians who have great dreams with the potential to impact the country positively.

T-Records unveils new act D’Tac

T

alented gospel music duo, Tru Mantra, which is made up of Lanre Abiose and Anthony Okwechime, have shot their first official music video after four years of just recording and performing.

According to the duo, they’ve shot the video now at this point in time because their brand is really getting a lot of positive feedback so the video will further boost their brand to help them achieve their aim Members of T-Records of winning souls for Christ. igerian international record label The shoot, which took place on Tuesday, T-Records , owned by Mark-AnDecember 13, 2016 in Lagos, Nigeria is for thony Opurum (aka Ogologo Na their love song, Ife Wa Gbona, and it was Tallest), has signed a multi-million naira directed by respected music video director, management deal with fast rising music producer, songwriter and singer, Daniel Akin Alabi.

Tunde Adeosun aka D-Tac.

N

Tru Mantra

22

D’Tac, who is the first artiste to be engaged by the record label, was picked out of 400 contenders in a music contest that required upcoming artistes in Nigeria to send in songs.

CEO of the record label Opurum, while unveiling his new sign-on D’Tac before the press, described him as a fullbred artiste who is ready to take over the industry by storm given his combinations of Afro-pop, RnB, Reggae and Highlife style of music.

“He is a wonderful young man; an incredible talent. Going through some of his unreleased works we saw this and the fact that he understands the art so well and has passion for what He loves,

which is music.”

The new revelation D-Tac When asked if he is not intimated by the new breeds making waves in the industry at the moment, noted that everybody has his or her space in the sky.

“I am not in the industry to be like somebody else, I just want to be me, as originality is the key to my success as I begin my foray into music officially and professionally,” he said.

The artiste, who says he has dropped 10 songs with another in the works, believes the song titled “Eje kaa fo” made the record label to pick him as winner and promised more scintillating songs for the public.

According to the 17year-old who plans on sstudying Computer or Sound EEngineering in the varsity while into music, he hopes to keep dropping enough quality sounds to upstage and outclass the best in five short years.

We wish him the best.

Dasilva

W

omen and Risk International Foundation (WARIF) in active collaboration with Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre, USA has officially opened its flagship centre in Lagos.

The ultra-modern crisis centre held an open day on Sunday, November 27 where stakeholders, health journalists and gender violence activists were present at a press conference held to shed more light on what the foundation will be offering the society.

Founder and visionary of WARIF, Dr. Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, MD; MPH stated that being a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with decades of experience had exposed her to the devastating effects of sexual violence especially among women and young girls whom she prefers to refer to as ‘Survivors’ instead of ‘victims’.

In her address to the press and public she noted that there was a high incidence of sexual violence against women with only a few well equipped centres to effectively offer survivors the physical and psychological attention needed especially within the first 72 hours as well as their long term social support.

“My youngest child treated is about 2years of age and I have a young mother who is just over 11years of age, both survivors of sexual abuse by those close to them. In-spite of in-adequate data, the anecdotal figures are staggering and this is why WARIF was set up; to address this high incidence of this concern with the development and implementation of intervention and preventive initiatives; the first of which is WARIF Centre. These services will add to the existing number of sexual assault referral centres already existing who are doing a thorough and commendable job in assisting these survivors in getting back on their feet. Collaboration with existing stakeholders is key in achieving the ultimate goal of ending gender based violence in our communities. WARIF is more than a sexual assault centre.

It is a safe haven where social welfare needs of these women are also met. We are collaborating with several government and non-governmental organisations to accomplish short term and long term goals.

Well-equipped and efficient centres similar to WARIF Centre can be replicated and spread across Lagos and Nigeria.

National www.nati

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Business News

29

Friday, December 16, 2016

Nigeria’s inflation rate surges to 18.4 per cent in November Tola Akinmutimi

N

igeria’s inflation sustained its upward swing in November, rising to 18.48 per cent, year-on-year from the 18.33 percent recorded in the preceding month.

The Composite Price Index, CPI report, which measures the general price level in the economy, published yesterday by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, indicated that when analysed on month-to-month basis, the November rate showed a fall of 0.78 per cent compared to October that recorded 0.83 per cent rise.

The report showed that price movements were recorded by all items including, clothing materials; liquid fuels,, shoes and other footwear, amongst others The Food sub-index increased by 0.10 percentage points from rates recorded in October (17.09 percent) to 17.19 per cent (yearon-year) in November.

Similarly, under the all major food group, the report stated that the highest increases in

inflation index were recorded in bread and cereals, oil and fats, fish and meat, apparently preparatory for the coming festive season.

According to the Bureau, during the month under review, all major food sub-indices increased, with soft drinks recording the slowest pace of increase at 7.76 percent year on year.

A further analysis of the report showed that urban index grew from 19.9 per cent in October to 21.1 per cent in November, against the rural index, which rose from 16.9 per cent in October to 17.1 per cent in November.

On a month-on-month basis, while the urban index declined from 0.84 per cent in the preceding month to 0.79 per cent, rural index fell from 0.81 per cent in October as against the 0.78 per cent recorded in November.

The NBS stated that communication and insurance recorded the slowest pace of growth in the month under review, growing at about 5.61 percent and 6.76 percent year-on-year respectively.

INTELS pays FG N56.3bn concession fees in 10 years Francis Ezem

I

ntegrated Logistics Nigeria Limited, INTELS, the concessionaire in charge of the Onne Ports Complex, Onne Rivers State, which also incorporates the Oil and Gas Free Zone, has said that it remitted a total of N56.3 billion ($184.6 million) to the Federation Account in the last 10 years.

The money, which covers the period between 2006 and 2016, was concession fees and other related charges paid through the Nigerian Ports Authority and the Bureau of Public Enterprises.

In a report made available to National Mirror in Lagos, the company indicated that the fees comprised commencement fee of $10.3 million, lease fee of $68.4 million; throughput fee of $35.7 million and land industrial area fee of $79 million.

The report also disclosed that prior to the concession exercise, INTELS tailored its services and facilities as well as operations to support activities in the oil and gas industry.

“The highly technical facilities required to support oil and gas related operations also require special equipment and highly skilled manpower to manage such operations, which, therefore, leads to higher level of investments by INTELS rela-

tive to other competitors”, the company said.

Investigations however showed that the logistics and equipment infrastructural needs of the terminals concessioned to INTELS require much higher investments and specialised skills in contrast to other terminals.

This development had consequently given rise to projected higher yields in terms of returns to the concessionaire as well as to the Federal Government.

INTELS also said that these projections therefore informed the basis for fixing a higher throughput fee per tonn for these terminals to be paid by concessionaires of terminals located in those ports controlled by the company at that time of concession, while other terminals pay a much lower figure per tonn under their concession agreements.

The report stated: “It has therefore, always been clear that certain ports on account of their specific character and locations were to be dedicated and designated for oil and gas cargo handling while others were not”.

The company restated its commitment to develop the Badagry Port and Free Zone, which is in excess of 500 metres of quay wall and 603 hectares port area.

During the month, the highest increases were found in housing, water, electricity, gas

and other fuels, clothing materials and other articles of clothing, books, liquid fuel, pas-

senger transport by air, motor cycles and shoes and other footwear.

L-R: T Regional Director, Coca-Cola Hellenic Bottling Company, Mr. Zoran Bogdanovic; Legal, Public Affairs and Communications Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), Mrs. Folasade Morgan; President, Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN), Dr. Frank Jacobs and Managing Director, Nigerian Bottling Company Limited (NBC), Mr. George Polymenakos, at the company’s 65th Anniversary Cocktail in Lagos.

Keystone Bank supports farmers with N300m facility …targets rice farmers

Udo Onyeka

T

he Managing Director of Keystone Bank Limited, Mr. Philip Ikeazor, has disclosed that N300 million had been approved for primary producers in the agricultural value chain, particularly rice farmers, with plans to increase funding to N1 billion in the immediate future.

According to him, the bank would sustain current support for the agricultural initiatives of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) as well as government’s efforts to diversify the economy through investment in the sector.

Ikeazor listed some of the projects which had reached advanced stages of the bank’s

financing to include 47 Rice Cooperative Farmers (500 members in Taraba State); 29 Rice Cooperative Farmers (296 members in Sokoto State);28 Rice Cooperative Farmers (381 members in Zamfara State); and 10 Rice Cooperative Farmers (100 members in Anambra State).

Speaking in Abuja while delivering a lecture titled:” Keystone Bank Intervention in the Nigeria’s Rice Value Chain’, at the NEPAD 3rd Nigeria Rice Investment Forum (NRIF 2016), the banker said the bank had earlier financed 37 rice cooperatives under the Agricultural Credit Guarantee Scheme fund in Niger State.

He said agriculture remained

a veritable source of the country’s economic diversification strategy and would be accorded importance by the bank.

Ikeazor, who was represented by the Executive Director, Northern Directorate, Mallam Shehu Mohammed, urged farmers, processors, state governments and investors to approach the bank and access funds for their rice projects.

He said:”I am delighted to be invited to participate at this conference as one of the representatives of lending institutions and organizations involved in the promotion of increased lending and appropriate structuring of relevant financial instruments to the agricultural sector (especially rural, small scale farmers and processors) as it relates to rice value chain.

Our aircraft are well-maintained – Arik Air Olusegun Koiki

T

he management of Arik Air has said that it adhere strictly to international safety and operational standards in the maintenance of its aircraft.

The airline in a statement by its spokesman, Mr. Ola Adebanji debunked the claim in some quarters that its aircraft are not well-maintained and could lead to an accident in the industry.

Banji explained that the airline has been leading the resurgence of Nigerian civil aviation by committing to being a quality airline adhering and operating to international safety and operational standards

using modern aircraft and having high maintenance and safety standards.

He noted that this was evident in the airline achieving the stringent IOSA (IATA Operational Safety Audit) four consecutive times with the last two audits cleared successfully without any findings.

He added: “This achievement has also earned Arik Air, EIOSA (Enhanced IATA Operational Safety Audit) making it the only airline in West and Central Africa region to have such certification.

“The airline operates the youngest fleet in West Africa with an average hull age of 7.8 years and has an existing contract with world

renowned maintenance providers such as Lufthansa Technik and Lufthansa Cityline under full “turnkey” maintenance service contracts and other leading maintenance service providers such as SAMCO Engineering, South African Airways (SAA) Technical and Ethiopia Engineering.”

He declared that its Maintenance/Engineering department had been audited severally by external auditors from the oil and gas sector who had attested to the airline’s provision of a safe and reliable aircraft operation, first class planning, efficient spares holding, whilst increasing aircraft utilisation with no compromise on safety.

30

Business News

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria loses N10bn yearly to offshore Internet traffic hosting Isaiah Erhiawarien

N

igeria currently loses an estimated N10 billion annually to the wanton hosting of Internet content abroad by public and private organisations in the country.

However, the utilisation of the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), by some telecoms and Information Technology (IT) companies in the country appears

to be reversing the ugly trend.

Through the hosting of data with IXPN, Nigeria now saves about N2 billion on a yearly basis.

This was disclosed by the Executive Vice Chairman, Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC), Prof. Umaru Danbatta, at the Telecom Executive and Regulators Forum, organised by the Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) recently in Lagos.

Danbatta, who was represented by the Executive Director, Technical Services, Ubale Maska, explained that the IXPs were the focal point of the Internet.

He noted that they were, therefore, critical for the development of the Internet in any country, as not only do they reduce the cost of Internet traffic by keeping local traffic local, “but more importantly, they enable additional applications, which have a

considerable multiplier effect on the economy.”

He said: “Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria is an initiative of the NCC that enables Internet service providers, telcos, content providers and educational institutions to exchange Internet traffic locally within Nigeria.”

According to him, the NCC also provided the seed funding that set up IXPN as a not-for-profit organisation with the key objective of improving the ICT ecosystem.

He disclosed that the Nigerian IXP is now the second largest IXP in Africa.

“It has been estimated that IXPN saves the nation above N2 billion yearly, which would have been paid out to international carriers in US dollars if this facility was not available in Nigeria,” Danbatta said.

According to him, IXPN also reduces the delays associated with routing local traffic internationally, adding that this drop in latency increases speed and better quality of service to end users.

According to him, for every Internet content hosted locally, it saves Nigeria foreign exchange which would have been paid to foreign companies, this ensures that local data centres flourishes, hence, creating more jobs and increase technical competency for our engineers.”

From his own perspective, the Managing Director, IXPN, Muhammed Rudman, disclosed that Nigeria had won the bid to become Regional Internet Exchange Point (RIXP) for West Africa region in the African Internet Exchange System project under the African Union Commission.

Honeywell to invest N64bn in food processing facility Johnson Okanlawon L-R, Keystone Bank Limited Resident Internal Control Officer, Kano, Mamudu Okogwa;Cash Management Unit (CMU) Officer, Suleimon Idris; Branch Manager, (France Road), David Obasaand Head of Kano CMU (Spell it out please), Umar Jahun, displaying the trophy (Best Bank in Currency Processing for the Year 2015)won by Kano branch of Keystone Bank during the 2016 Kano Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dinner and award night held last Saturday

Experts propose Chinese model of Infrastructure devt to FG Tola Akinmutimi

S

ome leading financial and economic development experts have urged the Federal Government to adopt the Chinese model in infrastructure development in its current efforts aimed at creating enabling environment for business enterprises to thrive in the country.

This is even as they canvassed protective policies for the nation’s economy as the nation continues to groan under deluge of imported goods and services and the attendant negative implications for sustainable growth of the economy.

The experts, who proffered these panacea at the workshop organised by the Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (INDIC) for Business Editors and Finance Correspondents in Kaduna, noted that it had become imperative for government to show more commitment in provision of more roads and railway system in view of their crucial roles in economic growth.

In his paper at the forum, an economic analyst and consultant,Dr. Biodun Adedipe, pointed out that since infrastructure development remained key to the economic growth, the President Buhari-led adminis-

tration should learn from the experience of China, whose roads and rail systems are now among the best globally.

According to him, China came up with a 30 years infrastructure development model in 2004 to build roads that will overtake U.S.’ Infrastructure base and has today moved its infrastructure standard to a level that makes doing business cost-efficient and competitive for the country.

Adedipe explained: “U.S has 75,000 km of expressway, but China set a target of 85,000 km expressways to be delivered in 30

years from 2004 to 2034. By 2007, China already has 53,000 km of expressway. So, they reviewed the target date backward to 2010 and by 2010, they achieve their target,” he stressed.

“They did no magic. They agreed on what they wanted to do, they committed resources to it and they ensure it was done.

They equally did similar thing in their railways system and today, they are better for it. Nigeria must think this way too, if it is serious about building thwarted required infrastructure in the country,” he added.

T

o accelerate Nigeria’s drive towards self-sufficiency in food production, Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, said it would invest N64 billion in an integrated processing facility.

The Chairman of the company, Dr. Oba Otudeko, made the disclosure when the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, visited to the Honeywell Foods and Agro-allied Industrial Complex in Sagamu, Ogun State, last week.

A statement issued by the company on the Vice President’s visit, quoted Otudeko as saying that the massive project, for which construction activities commenced in 2014, is a world class integrated facility where economies of scale and scope will be leveraged to drive down costs and provide Nigerians with more affordable food products.

“The company has commenced work on the first three phases of the complex: initially

Africa’s mobile subscriptions revenue to hit $70bn by 2021 Isaiah Erhiawarien

R

esearch put the current number of mobile subscriptions as at end-2Q 2016 at 962.29 million, based on a slow increase of 9.91 percent over the year to end-2014 and by 7.63 percent over the year to end-2015.

The slow growth is attributed to macroeconomic difficulties and regulatory issues such as SIM registration drives in a number of countries that held back growth in the market in the first half of 2016.

This puts the average rate of mobile penetration in Africa at 80.73 percent at end-2Q16, said Ovum, an

online research group.

The outlook shows that Nigeria has the largest mobile market in Africa in terms of subscriptions, with 150.22 million mobile subscriptions at end-2Q 2016, up from 147.94 million a year earlier followed by Egypt, South Africa, Algeria, and Morocco.

Though coming down from a peak of 62.81 million at end-2Q15, largely as a result of disconnections made to comply with SIM registration requirements, MTN Nigeria is the largest operator both in Nigeria and on the continent with 58.98 million subscriptions at end-2Q16.

The mobile network operator is followed by Ethiopia’s Ethio

Telecom (45.99m), Vodafone Egypt (39.04m) and Vodacom South Africa (37.63m). Others are Globacom Nigeria, Orange Egypt and Airtel Nigeria.

The research added that by the end of 2021, mobile subscriptions on the continent would have reached the 1.33 billion mark of which 3G connections will account for 64.9 percent and LTE for 11.8percent.

This will create a total mobile revenue rise from $55.55billion in 2015 to $69.67bn in 2021 at a CAGR of 3.8 percent, though mobile voice revenue on the continent will decline from $43.26billion in 2015 to $36.37billion in 2021.

with the construction of a pasta plant; being followed by a sorghum flour mill and an animal feed mill. All factories will utilise local grains, tubers and oil seeds as raw materials to boost farming activities and agriculture in execution of Honeywell’s backward integration and import substitution strategy,” he said.

Following a detailed tour of the site, Vice President Osinbajo was said to have commended Honeywell’s patriotic efforts at reducing food imports and creating employment in the all-important food manufacturing and agriculture sectors of the economy.

He reiterated the Federal Government’s resolve to work with and support private sector players who demonstrate commitment to value addition and job creation in the economy.

Honeywell Flour Mills is a member of the Honeywell Group and listed on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). It produces a range of well-loved food products in the Flour, Pasta, Noodles, Wheat Meal and Semolina categories.

The company declared N389 million as profit for the six months period ended September 2016, a far cry from the N903 million recorded in same period of 2015. it also posted a 7 percent decline in revenue at N24.4 million from N26.2 million and a 6 percent reduction in selling and admin expenses at N3.4 million.

Honeywell’s total assets closed the six month period under review at N112.1 million, 47.4 percent higher than N76 million as at 31st March 2016, as total equity improved 103 percent to N33.2 million from N16.4 million

10

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as HAJARAH OYIZA AFOLABI now wish to be known and addressed as ADENIYI HAJARAH OYIZA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known, called and addressed as MRS. TITILAYO OLUFUNMI OLAWOYIN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MISS TITILAYO OLUFUNMI TAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT I, BAMIDELE ALABA AND BAMIDELE ALABA TITUS REFER TO SAME PERSON,THAT HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS BAMIDELE ALABA TITUS. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. FIRST BANK,DIAMOND BANK,NPF MICROFINANCE BANK AND GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUCHUKWU LILIAN OSEMEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLUCHUKWU LILIAN UZOR. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as UZOR OBIAGELI JULIET, now wish to be known and addressed as IBEAWUCHI OBIAGELI JULIET. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AGUEBOR MAGDALENE OSARENREN, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWAFEMI MAGDALENE OSASUMWEN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OSHINAIKE: I, formerly known as OSINAIKE AKEEM ABIODUN, now wish to be known and addressed as OSHINAIKE ADEGBUYI AKEEM. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

The general public is hereby notified of the loss of Certificate of Occupancy (C of O) belonging to OMBEAT ENTERPRISES NIGERIA of No. 101 Zik Avenue, Uwani, Enugu. Land situated at Akpaiama Land Umuchigbo, Iji Nike, Community, Enugu, Registered as 8/8/1598 which got lost. If found please contact the Ministry of Lands and Urban Development, Enugu.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to certify that ODIAKOSA UCHE MIRACLE is the same person as ODINAKAOLISA WISDOM MIRACLE, now wish to be known and addressed as ODIAKOSA UCHE MIRACLE.All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABRAHAM EBOMENNELE, now wish to be known and addressed as ABRAHAM EBOMENSELE. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. OLAWALE FUNKE RODAH. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLATOYINBO FUNKE RODAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and called as ADESINA ADESOYE ABEFE, now wish to be addressed, known and called as ADESINA ADESOYE AHMED. All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, Union Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as AGBALAYA GANIYAT TITILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as AYINLA GANIYAT TITILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as UMANA AKANINYENE EMMANUEL, now wish to be known and addressed as UMANA CHRIS AKANINYENE. All the documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as EGBO OGOCHUKWU CYRIL, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUWIKE OGOCHUKWU CYRIL. All the documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as OGUNDOYIN SHOLA KOLAWOLE, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNDOYIN SOLA KOLAWOLE. Also my certificate of birth,primary school testimonial was wrongly written as OGUNDOYIN OLUSOLA, instead of OGUNDOYIN SOLA KOLAWOLE. Any document(s) with any of the above names or information refer to the same person and remain valid. OYSIEC / AUTHORITIES CONCERNED TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEWUMI TOLULOPE OYINDAMOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. JOHNSON TOLULOPE OYINDAMOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as OKANLAWON ADEKUNLE OLUWOLE Now wish to be known and addressed as FESTUS ADEKUNLE OLUWOLE. All former documents remain valid, GTBANK PLC , FIRST BANK PLC and general public to please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as JUBRIL GANIYAT ABISAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as KAREEM GANIYAT ABISAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as IBEAKAEZE PRINCESS ADAOBI, now wish to be known and addressed as SMART PRINCESS ADAOBI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ARIJE: Formerly known and addressed as ARIKEMILE FLORENCE MOTUNRAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as ARIJE FLORENCE MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OGIDAN: I, formerly known as OGIDAN AKANNI AZEEZ now wish to be known and addressed as OGIDAN ABDULAZEEZ. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

This is to inform the general public of loss of Land Document belonging to IBEZIAKO CHIAZO LEAH of Chiazo Nursery and Primary School, land situate at along Devon Lane Off Abakaliki Road Enugu. Reg No 34/34/1116, and 50/50/1395 at Land Registry Enugu. All effort to trace the said document proved abortive. If found return to the Ministry of Lands Enugu.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as OKORIE NDUBUISI, now wish to be known and addressed as OKORE NDUBUISI OKEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as OLOKUNDE MICHAEL, now wish to be known and called OLOKUNDE MICHAEL OLUWASEGUN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as WAHAB FAWZIYAT OLUWABUNMI AYODELE, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDUSSALAM FAWZIYAT OLUWABUNMI AYODELE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IBOI: Formerly known and addressed as UMONDIA MARIS, now wish to be known and addressed as IBOI MARIS EBOSEREBHEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FAKOYA: I, formerly known as OLOTU QUADRI OLUWATOYIN OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as FAKOYA OLUWATOYIN OMOLARA All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that ALFRED DAVID is the same and one person as ALFRED DAVID LAMI now wish to be known, called and addressed as ALFRED DAVID. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to certify that JULIET OGECHI NDUKUBA, NDUKAUBA OGECHI JULIET is the same person as OGECHI JULIET NDUKUBA. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

This is to certify that KINGSLEY INYANG is the same person as KINGSLEY INYANG JNR, now wish to be known and confirm as KINGSLEY INYANG JNR. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AGUNBIADE BOLAJI JOSEPH, now wish to be known and addressed as ORUKOROMI BOLAJI JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AMODU ADAMU, now wish to be known and addressed as AMADU ADAMU TAHIRU. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as FAMUREWA OLUWAFEMI OYINDAMOLA. Now wish to be known and addressed as FAMUREWA OLUWAFEMI AYOMIDE. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly addressed and known as MISS MARTINS OLUBUNMI DORCAS, now wish to be called, known and addressed as MRS ADESOMOJU KEHINDE OLUBUNMI DORCAS (NEE MARTINS).

All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OLADUNTOOYE OLUWAKEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADENIRAN KEMI RUTH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Friday, December 16, 2016

Former MRS. ARIKAWE -ADEEKO OLATOKUNBO MOYOLEOMO now to be addressed as MRS. ADEEKO OLATOKUNBO MOYOLEOMO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to certified that Obembe Abayomi A. is the same one person as TOSHO OBEMBE ABAYOMI AYO, that henceforth wish to be known and addressed as TOSHO OBEMBE ABAYOMI AYO. All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, First Bank of Nigeria Plc and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as NJOKU OLUCHI CHIDINMA now wish to be known and addressed as NJOKU OLUCHI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABIOLA MUYIDEEN FARUQ, now wish to be known and addressed as ADESHILE FARUQ ANUOLUWAPO. All the documents bearing my former name remain valid. The general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as AJEIGBE OLUSHOLA JOY Now wish to be known and addressed as AYELAGBE GANIYAT TOLANI JOY, and that my correct date of birth is 3rd Feb 1980 and not 2nd march 1980. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as AMINU AJAYI ADEDOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as AMINU ESTHER OLUWATOSIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as BAKARE OLAWUMI now wish to be known and addressed as BAKARE ALABA OLADUNNI. All former documents remain valid.

WEMA BANK and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ENI JANE AKUNNAYA, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUKA JANE AKUNNAYA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the general public that my name was mistakenly written on as DAWODU HASSAN AKINBAYO instead of DAWODU HASSAN DANIEL. That my correct name is DAWODU HASSAN DANIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IDRIS: I, formerly known as SHUBOMI IDRIS, now wish to be known and addressed as IDRIS YUSUF OLASHUBOMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that OMONIYI PETER FEMI and ADEYEMI PETER FEMI is the same and one person bearing all the names now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADEYEMI PETER FEMI. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to certify that CHIKEZIE FAITH is the same person as VERA-CLARY ADAOLISA. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CORRECTION OF NAME

That my name was wrongly written as OPARAJI ARINZE instead of OPARA ARINZE PRINCE. That my correct name is OPARA ARINZE PRINCE. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I ,formerly now and addressed as OHWO SAMUEL GODWIN now wish to be known and addressed as OHWO AKPONOA SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid and that henceforth my corrected Date of Birth is 22nd July, 1974 , general public to please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as OKONKWO BENJAMIN. C, now wish to be known and addressed as OKONKWO NONSO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS ADEBAYO TITILAYO FUNKE, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. AKANBI RUTH FUNKE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. NIGERIAN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY OGBOMOSO AND GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as HARISON IFY FAVOUR, now wish to be known and addressed as HARISON IFY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKUNEYE: I, formerly known as FOLORUNSHO ENIOLA AFUSAT, now wish to be known and addressed as OKUNEYE ENIOLA AFUSAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ASOGWA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ASOGWA MARTINA CHINELO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ELIJAH MARTINA CHINELO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that OGUNSOTO JOSEPH OLADUNJOYE and OGUNSOTO JOSEPH OLAGUNJOYE is the same and one person bearing all the names now wish to be known, called and addressed as OGUNSOTO JOSEPH OLADUNJOYE. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc, Pension Board Akure and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as EDEM BLESSING UMOH, now EDEM BLESSING MIRABEL. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL EGBEJIE ABOU, now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL EKA LIFU. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as JIMOH AYODELE AMUDA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLATUYI OLAWALE OLAKUNLE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

31

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as SAKA OMOTAYO IGBEKELE, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOTAYO IGBEKELE KELLY. All the documents bearing my former name remain valid.

The general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

THIS IS TO CONFIRM THAT I, MISS. ADEBIYI ABIOUN AND ADEBIYI RABI REFER TO SAME PERSON,THAT HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. ADEBIYI RABI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID.ECO BANK GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MONDAY CHARLES OKON, now wish to be known and addressed as MONDAY CHARLES APOTIERIOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEGOKE YAYA ADIO, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEGOKE YAYA ONIYIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABIENU OMOLOLA FOLASHADE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUGBADE OMOLOLA FOLASHADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

SALAWUDEEN: I, formerly known as SALAWUDEEN BALIKIS OMOWUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as SALAWUDEEN OMOWUNMI IFEOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ARINZE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NONYE LORRETA ARINZE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NONYE LORRETA OGBU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OLOKOOBA ADEYINKA PRINCESS now wish to be known and addressed as OLOKOOBA OLAYINKA HELLEN.All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ENITAN CHRISTIANA OLATUNJI, now wish to be known addressed as AJOKE OLAOSEBIKAN. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS. DUYILEMI-AGBOOLA ESTHER ADIODUN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AGBOOLA ESTHER ABIODUN. All former documents remain valid. Ekiti State Hospital Management Board, Ado-Ekiti and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AROGUNMASA ISMAIL ABIODUN, 31/12/1968, now wish to be known and addressed as AROGUNMASA ISMAIL ABU, 31/12/1972. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known as SHIYANBOLA NIMOTA, now wish to be known and addressed as AMINU NIMOTA ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEYINKA ADEBUKOLA KAFAYAT, now wish to be called and known as MRS OLUWADARE ADEBUKOLA KAFAYAT(NEE ADEYINKA). All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to certified that KAREEM SURAJUDEEN OPEYEMI is the same one person as KAREEM SURAJUDEEN ABIODUN, that henceforth wish to be addressed, known and called as KAREEM SURAJUDEEN ABIODUN. All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, Osun State College of Technology EsaOke and general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BELLO MODINAT ENIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as HOWELLS MODINAT ENIOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

This is to certified that OMOTUNDE ADERIBIGBE ROTIMI is the same one person as MAYADENU ADERIBIGBE, that henceforth wish to be addressed, called and known as MAYADENU ADERIBIGBE. All former documents bearing the above names remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ADEKUNLE ADEBAYO SHOLA now wish to be known and addressed as ADEKUNLE ADEBAYO JACOB. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MR. KEVIN ACHILIKE BABATUNDE CHUKWUEMEKA ORIKANNU now wish to be known and addressed as KEVYN ACHILIKE ORIKANNU SIMON. All former documents remain valid.

Union Bank, Sky Bank, First Bank and General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OGU VICTORIA now wish to be known and addressed as EFFEUNU VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

32

Friday, February 14, 2014

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

11

We remain authentic leaders of Nigerian auctioneers —Mayange Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

N

igeria Association of Auctioneers, NAA, disclosed yesterday that its leadership in the elections conducted into its executive positions in November remains authentic.

Reacting to allegations making the round in some newspapers that the election was cancelled, chairman of the association’s electoral committee, MaCHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as CALEB JONAS now wish to be known and addressed as SHEHU MUSA. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as CHUKWUKA JOHN NNAEMEKA now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUKA EZEUDO JOHN and my correct date of birth is 8/12/1972. All former documents remain valid. Financial Institutions, Authorities Concern and general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OTALOR KINGSLEY now wish to be known and addressed as CHINEDU KINGSLEY. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. ODEJIMI OLUYOMI ITUNU now wish to be known and addressed as SOGUNLE OLUYOMI ITUNU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AGHEDO AGNES, now wish to be known and addressed as AGHEDO AGNES OSAS. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I, HEREBY STATE THAT MY NAME WHICH WAS WRONGLY WRITTEN AS OKENWA DICKSON OBOLORM, HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OKENWA DICKSON OBILOM. ALL FORME DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as ADEBISI BOLANLE, now wishes to be addressed as ADIAT BOLANLE OLAIYA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

jor Joseph Mayange (rtd) reiterated that the election was conducted in a free and fair manner, contrary to reports circulating.

Mayange who maintained that the election was free and fair, added that it would be illegal for some aggrieved members of the Board of Trustees to sponsor media reports that the election was cancelled because they have no power to do so.

He said: “Contrary to what some aggrieved CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS AYELOTITI RASHIDAT LOLA, But now wish to be known and address as MRS SHOBODE RASHIDAT LOLA. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OKORO CHUKWUMA OBINNA now wish to be known and addressed as CHIMA OKOLO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ADEKANMBI RUKAYAT ADEBOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as JUNAID RUKAYAT ADEBOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

KASALI: Formerly known and addressed as KASALI RASHIDAT AJIMOH, now wish to be known and addressed as IGHOYIVBI KASALI BOLA RASHIDAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as WASTOS KUDIRAT, But now wish to be known and address as TYSON SHOFOLA KUDIRAT, and my correct Date of Birth is 24th November,1987.

All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS USMAN TUNDE LANRE, HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS USMAN BABATUNDE OLANREWAJU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly Known and addressed as MISS TAIRU MORUFAT MOTUNRAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MURTALA MORUFAT MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid.

Yolad Montessori School, Abeokuta and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

FAKIYESI: Formerly known and addressed as FAKIYESI TAIWO OGUNFILE now wish to be known and addressed as FAKIYESI TAIWO OLUWAYEMISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

DIM: Formerly known and addressed as DIM CHUKWUKA now wish to be known and addressed as DIMOBIKA VIRGILUS CHUKWUKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ELI: Formerly known and addressed as ELI BLESSIN AGBO now wish to be known and addressed as AGENE GIFT My correct date of birth is 27th Of July 1991. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

My name was mistakenly written as JAMES GRACE GIRE instead of JAMES GRACE. Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as JAMES GRACE. All former documents remain valid. GTB and the general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME We, formerly known as UMUAGBAKA-KINDRED UMUNOCHA VILLAGE AWKA-ETITI; now wish to be known and called UMUIFECHUKWU KINDRED UMUNOCHA VILLAGE AWKA-ETITI henceforth. We want all our correspondences to be addressed as UMUIFECHUKWU KINDRED AWKA-ETITI. General public please take note.

EKUNDAYO: Formerly known and addressed as EKUNDAYO OLOWOPEJO now wish to be known and addressed as EKUNDAYO MUFUTAUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OGOCHUKWU AGBOR now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OGOCHUKWU AGBOR NNAJI and my correct date of birth is 25/10/1988 All former documents remain valid. Financial Institutions, Authorities Concern and general public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ADELEKE REBECCA BUKKY now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN JULIANAH ADELEKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as SAHEED OLASHILE, now wish to be known and addressed as BOLANLE SAHEED OLASHILE. All former documents remain valid, financial institutions and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I, ODEBUNMI KEHINDE ELIZABETH, wish to state that I am the same person know and addressed as ODEBUNMI KEHINDE OLUWANIFEMI. Henceforth, I wish to be known and addressed as ODEBUNMI KEHINDE OLUWANIFEMI. All former documents remain valid; management of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), general public should CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ABBEY: Formerly known and addressed as ABBEY AMINA and ABBEY AMINA GLORIA now wish to be known and addressed as EZEKPERECHI GLORIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS BANKOLE RUTH ADENIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLAYINKA RUTH ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid.

Nigeria Immigration and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS YOUNG FAITH UZOCHI, HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS NWOGWUGWU FAITH UZOCHI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

yearly due to inadequate synergy with auctioneers.

He said there is need for proper collaboration from government to engage the services of registered auctioneers when the need to auction government properties arises.

He added that the ma-

OMISORE: Formerly known and addressed as OMISORE FOLASAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as SULE FOLASAYO SIKEOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AGBOOLA: Formerly known and addressed as AGBOOLA OLUFUNKE AYODELE, now wish to be known and addressed as AGBOOLA OLUFUNKE ABIODUN. All Former Documents Remain Valid. First Bank Plc and general public should please take note.

Formerly known as HAMZAT FATIMO now wishes to be addressed as SAKA FATIMO BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as IDONGESIT ETIM. Now wish to be known and addressed as IDONGESIT OBEHI OMOKHODION. All former documents remain valid, financial institutions and general public should please take note.

tuted, lacks the constitutional power to cancel the association’s election.”

He added that a restraining order has been issued against aggrieved members of the board by an Abuja High Court sitting in Maitama.

Meanwhile, the president of the association, Alhaji Aliyu Kiliya, who had earlier also denounced the alleged cancellation of the election, has said the Nigeria government loses over a trillion naira

I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULAZEEZ IBRAHIM OLASUNKANMI But now wish to be known and address as ABDULAZEEZ IBRAHIM ADISA. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

TAJUDEEN: Formerly known and addressed as MR TAJUDEEN BABATUNDE KALID, now wish to be known and addressed as MR ALAWODE TUNDE TAJUDEEN. My correct date of birth is 7th of may 1984 .AAll former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLUWAKEMI: Formerly known and addressed as OLUWAKEMI SULEIMAN now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWAKEMI AYODELE-OLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

members of the Board of Trustees are reporting, the election was conducted without any complaints from any of the observers.

“Chairman of the Board of Trustees, King Alfred Diete-Spiff, credited the election as a successful one.

“For three members of a nine-member Board of Trustees to issue a press release that the election was cancelled is an anomaly as the board, even when properly consti-

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

ESHO: Formerly known and addressed as MISS ESHO LOLADE JEMBI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS DB ADEBAYO LOLADE JEMBI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as JAMIN ALAYANDE JIMOH now wish to be known and addressed as JAMIU ALAYANDE ISHOLA. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS BASSEY GLORY ASUKWO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS GLORY BENJAMIN ADULI. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IYOHA: Formerly known and addressed as IYOHA PETER AKHERE, now wish to be known and addressed as IYOHA PETER IDANEGBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that RICHARD MESHACH MICHAEL is the same person as RICHARD MESHACH ABENEGO. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

SAYEDO CULTURAL AWARENESS INITIATIVE

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL NWAFOR OBI now wish to be known and addressed as OBIOKOLIE ILOBA PATRICK. All former documents remain valid. Authorities Concern and general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as ADESINA ADENIKE MABEL, But now wish to be known and address as OPEJOBI ADENIKE MABEL. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OKEKE IFEANYI PROMISE, HENCEFORTH WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OKEKE IFEANYI BONAVENTURE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC, PLEASE TAKE NOTE. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and address as TAJUDEEN JOSEPH BRAIMOH, now wish to be known as TAJUDEEN BRAIMOH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UCHE: Formerly known and addressed as UCHE OKAFOR, now wish to be known and addressed as NDUKWU CHUKWUMA IBEANU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AKINWALE ABIODUN OPEYEMI now wish to be known and addressed as OLABODE ABIODUN EMMANUEL 9-9-1978.

All documents remain valid. General public take note.

jor challenges the association has been facing is the fact that government at federal, state and local levels have not been following laid down guidelines when it comes to auctioning government properties.

Formerly known and addressed as ABINOGUN EGUONOR LOVETH now wish to be known and addressed as BRUBAKER EGUONOR. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL NWAFOR OBI now wish to be known and addressed as OBI-OKOLIE ILOBA PATRICK. All documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGUNTIMEHIN: Formerly known and addressed as OGUNTIMEHIN MARY OMOLABAKE now wish to be known and addressed as ADEDOKUN MARY OMOLABAKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ESTHER OBY DURUJI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ESTHER OBY LISINGE. All documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OLAYIWOLA DAVID WEAILTH now wish to be known and addressed as OLAYIWOLA DAVID ANUOLUWA. All documents remain valid.

General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE GBOZURUMBA SOCIO- CULTURAL ORGANIZATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named INITIATIVE (as a non-governmental organization) has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) Abuja for registration under Part C of the Company and Allied Matters Act 1990

The general public is hereby notified that the above named ORGANIZATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

The Trustees Are:1. Cdr. Matthew Monde Umo (rtd): 2. Mrs Imoh Monde Umo

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HON. REV JONAS ONUORA 2. MR CYRIACUS ACHU 3. DR. BEN NNADI

Coodinator/ Leader

Aims and Objectives of the Initiative: 1. Saying only things that can be done.

2. Sensitise people on the bond existing between social and economic life of the people to produce a functional community.

3. Emphasise on cultural ideas, values and standards that can empower the mass of the people within a community.

Any objection to the registration of the above Organization should be forwarded to the Registrar- General, Corporate Affairs Commission, PMB 198, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28days of date of this publication.

Signed: Miss Epkedeme Umo (Sec.)

NATIONAL PRESIDENT NATIONAL SECRETARY MEMBER

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To Promote Igbo culture and values across the globe 2. To revive the use of our Igbo language in our schools and society at large.

3. To create awareness for the needs to respect our traditional stools and royal fathers.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: HON REV JONAS ONUORA NATIONAL PRESIDENT

33

Agri Business

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FG reassures on food security for all Tola Akinmutimi

T

he Federal Government has allayed fears in some quarters that the country would experience famine in 2017, saying that it has put in place sufficient mechanisms to achieve food security in the country.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh, while giving the assurance at an interactive session with journalists in Abuja, said the government was engaged in the buyingback of assorted grains under the Guarantee Minimum Price Programme for restocking of strategic silo complexes with a total capacity of 2.5 million tons of grains.

A statement issued by the Director, Information in the ministry, Tony Ohaeri, quoted the minister as disclosing that

farmers in some states had already commenced preparation for the dry season farming to ensure adequate food security in the country.

Ogbeh assured that the Buhari-led administration was poised at make farming an all year round activity by creating dams and lakes in every part of the country to support irrigation system, noting that crops thrive and yield better through irrigation system.

“Nigerians have no reason to panic, we have made arrangement for some states to start planting so that we have second crop by April”, the minister said Ogbeh noted that Morocco was endowed with phosphate deposit which Nigeria could benefit from for farming operations and disclosed that Nigeria had signed an agreement with the gov-

ernment of Morocco on fertilizer production which would yield one million tons through local production in order to boost food production in the country.

He reaffirmed that the introduction of soil -specific in fertilizer application by his Ministry would also go a long way in increasing high crop yield in the country.

The Minister explained to journalists that 30,000 slots allocated to the Ministry under the N-power scheme of the Federal Government would be trained through the Agricultural Development Programmes (ADPs) as Agric. extension workers who will serve in their respective local government areas.

He hinted further that the ministry had acquired 110 various capacities of rice mills of 10 tons, 20 tons, 50 tons and 100 tons per day for distribution to cluster farmers to boost rice production and milling capacity in the country as a way of attaining food sufficiency.

Ogbeh admitted that the country was witnessing strong purchase of their grains from as far as Namibia and other countries which signaled a challenge as well as beneficial for Nigeria’s farmers to have market for their farm produce.

He assured that market forces would be stabilized through an increase in local production of food commodities.

Stakeholders rally to improve farmers’ welfare Abolaji Adebayo

S

takeholders, including academia, research experts, financial institutions, soil scientists and credit providers, Wednesday held a consultative meeting to improve the livelihood of farmers in the country.

The meeting, which was organized by Nigeria Soil Health Consortium (South) in conjunction with Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), West African Soil Health Consortia (WASHC), had the theme “Facilitating Wider Uptake of Better Adapted ISMF Practices with Visible Positive Impact on Rural Livelihoods”.

The Executive Director of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Prof. James Adediran, while speaking at the event, said “farmers are the greatest asset to the country and should be treated with all sense of humility.”

He said, “Soil is definitely an important factor in crop production which must be accorded adequate attention. Decline in soil fertility in southern Nigeria and in Nigeria as a whole has resulted to crop low yields and thus low productivity in

our farms.

“The Nigeria Soil Health Consortium is set to promote Integrated Soil Fertility Management (ISMF) in order to improve crop production with healthy environment and reduce poverty. We are now in the era of global warming where climate change has negatively impacted on agricultural production. The intervention of the consortium in this area is germane and apt. The use of ISMF in improving agricultural production is in the right direction and we must therefore do whatever we can to promote it in our farming systems.

“Soil is an important factor in the life of farmers and should be treated and well managed. We are set to promote integrated soil management to reduce poverty in this country. The intervention of the consortium is in right direction.

“I therefore charged you all to maximize the opportunity given to us by the consultium to adopt proven technology.

It discourages wastege of resources and promote and ensure efficient use of livestocks”.

The Coordinator, West Africa Soil Health Consortium, Dr. Jeroen Huising, said the programme was organized to ensure that livelihoods of farmers are improved as expected.

L-R: Statistician-General of the Federation, Dr Yemi Kale; Team Leader, Inclusive Growth Unit, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Dr Robert Asogwa; and representative of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Dr Joseph Falegan, at the inauguration of SDGs Baseline Data Collection Exercise in Abuja, yesterday.

PHOTO: JONES BAMIDELE/NAN

….targets 9m farmers with GES in 2017 Abolaji Adebayo

T

he Federal Government has said that the aim of the Growth Enhancement Scheme, (GES) is to reach between five to nine million farmers with good quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides next year 2017.

This according to a statement informed the extension of its agreement with Cellulant Nigeria Limited for the provision of the GES programme to Nigerian farmers.

The extension which was approved by the Federal Executive Council through the Federal Ministry of Agriculture &

Oyo to partner farmers, others to celebrate ‘Amala’ Fiesta Kemi Olaitan Ibadan

O

yo State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, has restated the commitment of the state government to partner research institutes, farmers, agricultural cooperatives and corporate organisations to promote the agricultural, nutritional, economic and health benefits of amala, a popular delicacy of the Yoruba culture.

The commissioner, who gave the hint yesterday in a statement on the forthcoming Amala Fiesta, indicated that food tourism remained a vital segment of tourism, stressing that the benefits inherent in amala are too numerous to ignore.

He explained that Amala Fiesta with the theme “From the Farm to the Table” would be used to espose and celebrate the agricultural, nutritional, economic and health benefits of amala, adding that the state government is partnering the appropriate stakeholders for

the fiesta to achieve its objectives.

According to him, the government is partnering with two research institutes, Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Moore Plantation Ibadan, and Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria ((CRIN), Agric Cooperators from the Ministry of Trade, Cooperative and Investment, farmers, OANDO energy and Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) amongst others for the successful hosting of the fiesta holding between December 15 and 17, 2016 at Trans Amusement Park, Ibadan

Rural Development (FMARD) will see a continuation of the programme that uses e-wallet technology to allot government subsidies, fertilisers, improved seeds, agrochemicals and good farming practices to Nigerian farmers.

GES has been the flagship programme of the FMARD in the last four years and the program would have served an average of 6 Million farmers annually by the end of the year.

Nigeria is the first country in the world to implement the e-wallet technology.

Other country that has implemented this technology includes Togo, Liberia and it will soon be extended to 13 other sub-Saharan African countries and the Middle East. The program has far been internationally recognized as a successfully implemented e-wallet platform.

Prior to the extension of the agreement, the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari requested for certain improvements to the technology so that it can continue to serve Nigerian farmers better.

The upgraded technology was field tested with a pool of 500,000 farmers who grew 1.3Million metric tonnes of rice and maize from May through September 2016.

34

Friday, December 16, 2016

Business Maritime

NPA vows to recover N259.1bn debt Stories: Francis Ezem

T

he Nigerian Ports Authority, NPA, has said that it is exploring all legal means towards the recovery of a total of N255.3 billion debt owed the authority, some of which are 10 years and above.

Managing Director of the agency, Ms. Hadiza Bala-Usman, who fielded questions during an interactive session with the maritime media in Lagos as part of the activities marking the 100 days in office of the new management, said she discovered huge debts owed the agency when she took over the reins of power. at the authority on July 17, 2016.

National Mirror investigations showedthat many of these debts had gone bad but are still prominently featuring on the authority’s financial books, which has given rise to the need to write them off since many of the companies and government agencies associated with these debts are no longer in existence.

An analysis of the debt profile indicated that apart from the over N400 million trapped in Aso Savings and Loans Scheme, a total of N9.12 billion ($19 million) is currently trapped in Heritage Bank Limited, even as another N240billion ($500millio) and N10 billion respectively are also owed the agency.

The NPA boss disclosed that the authority was undertaking every legal means to ensure that the $19million trapped at Heritage Bank was recovered and paid into the coffers of the Federal Government.

She said: “For the N400million trapped in the Aso Homes, the Executive Manage-

ment has directed the Legal Department to come up with a letter detailing the transactions including the exact account name as the time of opening the account so that we will be properly guided in pursuing it”.

“We also did report on assumption of duty that we discovered that Heritage Bank is indebted to the authority to the tune of $19million that is outside the Sin-

gle Treasury Account TSA and they have made some payments but $19million is still outstanding and so we are making efforts to ensure that these monies are paid into the coffers of the government”, Bala-Usman added.

It was however gathered that the agncy is currently holding talks with the relevant officials of the Central Bank of Nigeria

NPA MD, Usman

Customs CG, Hameed Ali

he National Inland Waterways Authority NIWA, has said it is concluding fresh plans to commence corridor development with a view to improving waterways navigation in the country.

Managing Director of the authority, Mr. Gida Mustapha, who spoke in Lagos, said that the management is committed to repositioning the agency to meet its core mandates of providing safety of navigation across the nation’s several inland waterways.

The NIWA Act empowers the authority improve and develop inland waterways for safe navigation and as an alternative mode of transportation for the evacuation of economic goods and persons across the country.

Mustapha made the promise when he played host to the chairman of Nigeria International Ports and Terminal NIMPORT Development Promotion Group, Mr. Fortune Idu, who was at the NIWA headquarters in Lokoja to begin discussions with the management of the authority on the group’s future programmes.

Part of the aim of the visit was also to discuss how to capture NIWA into the de-

CBN with a view to assisting in recovering the debts.

Giving more insight into how the debt got accumulated, Bala-Usman disclosed that many of them arose from long term leases done by the athority in which some of the leasees could not take possession of the premises probably due to the topography or other reasons while the lease agreements have already been captured in the financial books of the authority While speaking on the policy direction of the new management, she disclosd that emphasis were being placed on revenue generation and blocking of leakages, stimulation of exports, succession, strategic capacity building through training and a robust welfare packae for staff to enhance efficiency and productivity.

On the challenges faced by the new management, the MD cited the inability of some of the stakeholders including some aencies and even organisations to conform to basic standards and principles of the rule of law, which she warned would not be tolerated.

No plastic rice consignments in Nigeria– Customs

T

he Nigeria Customs Service has debunked claims that there large consignments of plastic rice allegedly imported into the country from China and are allegedly circulating in markets accross Nigeria’s 36 states and Abuja. Area Controller in charge of Federal Operations Unit FOU, Zone ‘A’, Lagos Comptroller Haruna Mahmudu, who made the clarification during a media briefing, said that the service has yet to detect any such speciee of rice

NIMPORT, NIWA to promote safe navigation, corridor devt

T

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

velopment and promotion plans of NIMPORT 2017 exhibition which is scheduled to hold in August 2017 in Lagos Nigeria.

The meeting was also attended by the Managing Director of SANY Nigeria Ltd, Mr. Max Miao Yu, who made a presentation on equipment and new port technology from China that can support river port projects in Nigeria.

The NIWA-boss also disclosed that plans are on top gear to give the NIWA a face lift, which is in line with the programme of repositioning it to attain its full potential.

Stakeholders have over the years observed that NIWA in the past years has been faced with several developmental challenges; ranging from poor funding by the Federal Government to indiscriminate usurping of its duties by some other agencies and state governments leading to unregulated activities within and around the corridors of Nigerian waterways.

Investigations show that this poor funding has made it difficult for the agency to embark on aggressive dredging of the rivers for safer navigation and increase inland transportation usage.

whether smuggled or genuinely imported.

According to him, officers and men of the service including operatives of the unit have not come across such specie of rice in the country.

“We have yet to come across plastic rice and if anybody has seen it, please let us know or if you know any company that imports it, please inform us and leave the rest of the job for us”, he said.

He however warned that consumption of smuggled rice and poultry products is bad, as many of them are unfit for human consumption and should therefore be avoided by all means.

Investigations show that most of the rice that are smuggled into the country through the Idiroko, Seme, Djibia border in Katsina and other numerous unapproved entry points are expired and therefore inimical to health.

Just like rice, the Comptroller also warned that most of the poulty products smuggled into Nigeria through Idiroko, Seme and Jibyia land borders are not properly handled in terms of hygene and expired and so dangerous for human con-

sumption.

While warning the smugglers to desist from their nefrious trade, which he described as an act of economic sabotage, as it has led to the closure of many factories with the attendandant loss of jobs, the Controller however warned that the unit would leave no stone un-turned in smoking them out.

The unit had in line with its anti-smuggling drive recently intercepted various contraband goods with a Duty Paid Value DPV, of over N325 million.

This is in addition to the recovery of import duty worth over N286 million through intervention between the months of October and November when the new Controller took over at the unit.

It was also gathered that the command collected a total of N611 .7 million from duty payments and issuance of demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that their importers tried to beat the system from seaports, airports and border stations through import related fraud such as false declarations, transfer of value and wrong classification.

Hyundai loses $1.9bn FPSO order by Chevron

C

hevron North Sea Limited has canceled its order for a Floating Production Storage Offloading (FPSO) unit at South Korea’s Hyundai Heavy Industries.

The shipbuilding contract, signed in April 2013, was valued at KRW 2.157 trillion (around $ 1.85 billion).

HHI was in charge of the design verification, detailed design and full engineering, procurement, and construction of the FPSO. In 2015, HHI awarded a subcontract for the FPSO turret facilities to Bluewater Energy Services B.V.

The FPSO was initially expected to be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2016 and deployed on the Rosebank oil and gas field some 130 kilometers off the Shetland Islands in the North Sea. The 292 meters long, 57m wide and 30m deep FPSO was expected to have the capacity to produce 100,000 barrels of oil and 190 million standard cubic feet of natural gas per day.

The 99,750-tonne turret moored FPSO would also have had storage capacity for 1.05 million barrels of oil.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Capital Market

Friday, December 16, 2016

35

Market capitlisation up N52bn on financial stocks’ upbeat

T

he Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, All Share Index, ASI increased by 0.57 per cent at the end of yesterday’s trading session while the Yearto-Date return stood at -7.27 per cent.

Available statistics on the ASI showed that the Index closed at 26,559.01 as against the Wednesday’s trading which closed 26,407.64 points.

The market capitalization closed at N9.138 trillion compared to the previous day’s trading which closed at N9.086 trillion.

A further analysis of

the performance of the stocks indicated that the Financial Services sector led the activity’s chart with 173.43 million shares exchanged for N0.808 billion, followed by the. Conglomerates sector which recorded 11.997 million shares traded for N0.013 billion.

According to NSE report, Oil and Gas, Consumer Goods, Services sectors came third and fourth respectively on the market activities’ chart Market breadth

showed 21 gainers while 13 stocks recorded losses. Honeywell Flour recorded the highest price gain of 8.62 per cent, to close at N1.26 per share.

ETI gained 4.99 per cent to close at N11.15, while NEM Insurance appreciated by 4.94 per cent to close at 85 kobo per share.

United Capital went up by 4.91 per cent to close at N2.78, while UBA appreciated by 4.85 per cent to close at N4.54 per share.

On the other hand, Mobil led the losers’ chart by five per cent, to

close at N284.05 per share.

Fidson shed 4.72 per cent to close at N1.21, while Oando declined by 4.67 per cent to close at N4.29 per share.

Total declined by 4.40 per cent to close at N277.13, Source: NSE while Caverton shed by 4.26 per cent to close at 90 kobo Exchange Rate Gainers and Losers per share.

Start Date 14/12/2016 through End Date 15/12/2016 Naira US Dollar Print Date 15/12/2016 Despite the positive $1 304.75 trend of the market, the Market indicators volume traded on the floor Gainers and Losers 14/12/2016 through End Date 15/12/2016 Gainers for Equities of the NSE decreasedStart byDate All-Share Index 26,559.01 points Print Date 15/12/2016 2016-12-14 2016-12-15 2.64 per cent from 205.404 S/NMarket Symbol Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Gain(N) % Change capitalisation 9.14trn 1.16 1.26 0.10 8.62 million to 199.984 million, 1 HONYFLOUR 2 ETI 10.62 11.15 0.53 4.99 while the total value of 3 NEM 0.81 for Equities0.85 0.04 4.94 Gainers 2.65 2.78 0.13 4.91 stock traded decreased by 4 UCAP 2016-12-14 2016-12-15 5 S/NUBA 4.33 Closing Price(N) 4.54 0.21 % Change 4.85 Symbol Gain(N) Closing Price(N) 64.87 per cent down from 6 1 NAHCO 2.28 2.39 0.11 4.82 HONYFLOUR 1.16 1.26 0.10 8.62 2.91 3.05 0.14 4.81 ETI 10.62 11.15 0.53 4.99 N4.279 billion to N1.503 bil- 7 2 AFRIPRUD NEM 0.81 0.85 4.94 8 3 LIVESTOCK 0.85 0.89 0.04 4.71 lion in 3,313 deals.

UCAP 2.65 2.78 0.13 4.91 9 4 ETERNA 2.98 3.12 0.14 4.70

Wall Street hovers near record high after Fed rate hike

U

.S. stocks were off their highs but continued to hover near record levels on Thursday as investors viewed the Federal Reserve’s interest rate outlook as a sign of confidence in the economy.

The Fed sees three rate hikes next year instead of the two foreseen

as of September, partly as a result of the changes anticipated under President-elect Donald Trump.

Fed Chair Janet Yellen also cited an improving labor market and evidence of faster inflation for its 2017 rate outlook.

The central bank’s decision to raise rates

comes as Trump, who will be sworn in next month, is expected to cut taxes and boost spending on infrastructure.

“Investors are buying Yellen’s story that the rate hike is a vote of confidence in the economy,” said Dave Donabedian, chief investment officer of Atlantic Trust in Bos-

ton.

“The economy is growing, the job market is strong and that monetary normalization can proceed.”

Since the U.S. presidential election, stocks have rallied on bets that Trump’s business friendly proposals will stimulate the economy. (Source - Reuters,com)

UBA 10 5 GUARANTY NAHCO 11 6 FCMB AFRIPRUD 12 7 STANBIC LIVESTOCK 13 8 DIAMONDBNK ETERNA 14 9 GUINNESS 10 GUARANTY 15 SEPLAT 11 FCMB 16 UAC-PROP 12 STANBIC 17 FIDELITYBK 13 DIAMONDBNK 18 ZENITHBANK 14 GUINNESS 19 ACCESS 15 SEPLAT 20 DANGSUGAR 16 UAC-PROP 21 17 FBNH FIDELITYBK 18 ZENITHBANK 19 ACCESS 20 DANGSUGAR 21 FBNH S/N Symbol

1

MOBIL

2

FIDSON

3

V

made in July to reflect the economic impact of the data breaches, according to people familiar with the matter.

The telecommunications company has threatened to go to court to get out of the deal if it is not repriced, citing a material adverse effect, said the sources, who asked not to be identified because the negotiations are confidential.

Verizon still expects to go through with the deal, but is looking for “major concessions” in light of the most recent breach, according to another source familiar with the situation, who wished to

remain anonymous because they are not permitted to speak to the media.

The person did not know what kind of concessions Verizon is pushing for.

Verizon had already said in October it was reviewing the deal after September’s breach disclosure. Late on Wednesday, it said it would “review the impact of this new development before reaching any final conclusions” about whether to proceed.

The company declined to comment beyond that statement on Thursday.

Verizon shares rose 0.5

0.21 1.09 0.11 0.04 0.14 0.51 0.04 0.03 0.14 2.00 1.09 10.00 0.04 0.05 0.51 0.02 0.03 0.23 2.00 0.06 10.00 0.02 0.05 0.01 0.02 0.23 0.06 0.02 0.01 Loss(N)

4.85 4.45 4.82 3.70

299.00 284.05 1.27 for Equities1.21 Losers 4.50 4.29 2016-12-14 2016-12-15 Closing289.90 Price(N) Closing Price(N) 277.13 299.00 284.05 0.94 0.90 1.27 1.21 0.52 0.50 4.50 4.29 0.93 0.90 289.90 277.13 4.47 4.36 0.94 0.90 1.66 1.64 0.52 0.50 40.52 40.13 0.93 0.90 143.05 142.00 4.47 4.36 4.10 4.07 1.66 1.64 129.10 128.78

-14.95

-5.00

-0.06

-4.72

4.81 3.52 4.71 3.41 4.70 2.65 4.45 2.50 3.70 2.46 3.52 2.30 3.41 1.59 2.65 1.07 2.50 0.33 2.46 0.29 2.30 1.59 1.07 0.33 0.29 % Change

OANDO -0.21 -4.67 Loss(N) 4 S/NTOTAL Symbol -12.77 % Change -4.40 MOBIL -14.95 -5.00 5 1 CAVERTON -0.04 -4.26 2 FIDSON -0.06 -4.72 6 WAPIC -0.02 -3.85 OANDO -0.21 -4.67 7 3 TRANSCORP -0.03 -3.23 TOTAL -12.77 -4.40 8 4 UBN -0.11 -2.46 5 CAVERTON -0.04 -4.26 9 MANSARD -0.02 -1.20 6 WAPIC -0.02 -3.85 10 OKOMUOIL -0.39 -0.96 7 TRANSCORP -0.03 -3.23 11 NB -1.05 -0.73 8 UBN -0.11 -2.46 12 DANGFLOUR -0.03 -0.73 9 MANSARD -0.02 -1.20 13 FO -0.32 -0.25 10 OKOMUOIL 40.52 40.13 -0.39 -0.96 11 NB 143.05 142.00 -1.05 -0.73 OTC12FX FUTURES OPEN CONTRACTS4.10 AS AT DECEMBER (4:30PM) -0.73 DANGFLOUR 4.07 15, 2016-0.03 1 of Published by The Nigerian 13 Stock FO Exchange © 129.10 128.78 -0.32Page -0.25 Contract Tenor Settlement Value of Open Current Rate Contract (Month) Date Contracts ($’mm) ($/₦) 477.45 1 NGUS DEC 21 2016 21-Dec-2016 300.00 Page 1 of Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange 169.65 2 NGUS JAN©25 2017 25-Jan-2017 296.00 187.41 3 NGUS FEB 22 2017 22-Feb-2017 292.00 212.63 4 NGUS MAR 22 2017 22-Mar-2017 288.00 percent to $51.89, in line 801.72 5 NGUS APR 26 2017 26-Apr-2017 284.00 160.08 6 NGUS MAY 24 2017 24-May-2017 280.00 with the S&P 500 Index 520.55 7 NGUS JUN 21 2017 21-Jun-2017 276.00 480.31 8 NGUS JUL 19 2017 19-Jul-2017 272.00 .SPX. (Source - Reuters.

274.81 9 NGUS AUG 16 2017 16-Aug-2017 269.00 com) 302.22 10 NGUS SEP 20 2017 20-Sep-2017 266.00 159.17 11 NGUS OCT 25 2017 25-Oct-2017 260.00 133.06 12 NGUS NOV 29 2017 29-Nov-2017 262.00 Rate (%) 3879.06 Total

Verizon considers changing Yahoo deal after second breach

erizon Communications Inc (VZ.N) is looking at ways to modify its $4.8 billion deal to buy Yahoo Inc’s (YHOO.O) core internet business after the technology company disclosed a second massive data breach, sources told Reuters on Thursday.

Yahoo Inc (YHOO.O) shares fell almost 5 percent after the breach of data belonging to more than 1 billion users was disclosed, following another large hack reported in September.

Verizon is seeking to persuade Yahoo to amend the terms of the acquisition agreement

4.33 4.54 24.51 25.60 2.28 2.39 1.08 1.12 2.91 3.05 14.50 15.01 0.85 0.89 0.88 0.91 2.98 3.12 75.60 77.60 24.51 25.60 400.00 410.00 1.08 1.12 2.03 2.08 14.50 15.01 0.87 0.89 0.88 0.91 14.50 14.73 75.60 77.60 5.59 5.65 400.00 410.00 6.08 6.10 2.03 2.08 3.50 3.51 0.87 0.89 14.50 14.73 5.59 5.65 Losers for Equities 6.10 6.08 2016-12-14 3.50 2016-12-153.51 Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N)

Inflation

16.46

MPR

14

Crude oil price

$45.85

Termination of Trading Trading shall cease at 2:00PM eight (8) calendar days before the expiry date of each respective Contract. i.e. the Tuesday preceding the week the contract expires.

NITTY Tenor

Rate (%)

Change (%)

1M

10.8472

-0.11

2M

16.0496

-0.12

3M

16.7907

-0.36

Exchange

Rates (N)

WAUA

412.7765

USD

305

EURO

327.5395

CFA

0.4868

YEN

2.6754

Tenor

Rate (%)

SWISS FRANC

302.3394

O/N

3.7833

POUNDS STERLING

388.814

1M

15.3612

3M

18.052

SDR

414.129

NITTY as @ December 14, 2016

NIBOR

6M

21.1965 NIBOR as @ December 14, 2016NIBOR FAQs

3

3

WorldNews

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Friday, December 16, 2016 -

Page 36

Gambia: Jammeh risks UN sanctions over poll stand-off Afolabi Gambari

WITH AGENCY REPORTS

G

ambian President Yahya Jammeh will be strongly sanctioned if he tries to stay in power, the United Nations Envoy in West Africa, Mohammed Ibn Chambas, said yesterday.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, along with the US, also urged the Gambian security forces to leave the country’s electoral commission office, which they seized on Tuesday.

The army could compromise “sensitive electoral material”, Ban said.

Jammeh initially conceded defeat to Adama Barrow before changing his mind.

A visit by the leaders of Nigeria, Ghana, Liberia and Sierra Leone on Tuesday failed to convince him to hand over power.

Ban said taking over the electoral commission building was an “outrageous act of disrespect of the will of the Gambian people and defiance towards the international community at a time when a high-level delegation was

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh (in white robe) with Ghanaian President John Mahama at the post-election peace meeting in Banjul on Tuesday

in the country to broker a peaceful transfer of power”.

The US Embassy in Banjul also demanded that security forces withdraw, saying the “unnecessary and unprovoked show of force is seen as a move to subvert the democratic process”.

Tuesday also saw Jammeh’s party challenge the election in the country’s supreme court.

But Ibn Chambas, who visited The Gambia on Tuesday, said the

legal process was separate from Jammeh’s mandate as president and he had to step down when it ends on 19 January.

“For Jammeh, the end is here and under no circumstances can he continue to be president,” he said.Barrow won, the electoral commission says It is also unclear how Jammeh’s supreme court challenge can proceed because only one of the court’s seven judges are in

Explosives found on EgyptAir victims

R

eports yesterday said traces of explosives have been found on victims of the EgyptAir plane crash over the Mediterranean in May, investigators said yesterday.

A criminal investigation would now begin into the crash of the Airbus A320, Egypt’s civil aviation ministry said in a statement.

Flight MS804 from Paris to Cairo plunged into the sea on May 19, killing all 66 people on board.

The cause of the crash has remained unclear.

No distress call was made beforehand but the cockpit voice recorder revealed the pilots had fought to put out a fire.

Automated electronic messages sent out by the plane showed smoke detectors going off in a toilet and in the avionics area below the cockpit, minutes before the plane vanished.

Recovered wreckage showed

The ill-fated EgyptAir plane

signs of damage caused by high temperature and there was soot on the jet’s front section.

Although there were fears that an act of terrorism might have brought the plane down, no group has said it targeted the plane.

The Egyptian ministry said yesterday that, under Egyptian

law, state prosecutors would take the investigation over “if it becomes clear to the investigative committee that there is criminal suspicion behind the accident”.

Those on board were 40 Egyptians, including the 10-member crew, and 15 French nationals.

The crash came seven

post.

Even if the court does consider the case, it is unclear whether it will reach a decision before the end of Jammeh’s term in office, a spokesman for The Gambia Bar Association has said.

The head of the Gambian electoral commission, Alieu Momar Njai, has said corrected election results do not change the overall outcome and Mr Barrow was still the winner.

The UN and US interventions follow Tuesday’s visit by the four West African leaders, who met with both Jammeh and Barrow.

Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf said a deal was not something that could happen in a day and said a report of their discussions would be made on Saturday to a meeting of the West African grouping ECOWAS. However, Ibn Chambas said he did not think military intervention to force Jammeh from power would be necessary, after a senior ECOWAS official said that a military option would be “conceivable” if diplomacy failed.

months after a Russian passenger plane was brought down by a bomb over Egypt’s Sinai peninsula, killing all 224 people on board.

An Egyptian affiliate of the Islamic State group said it was behind that attack. However, there was no such claim following the crash in May.

B

tial campaign.

Trump’s attorneys previously agreed to his deposition in New York City, but sought to limit the length and scope of questioning, arguing in court filings that “Mr. Trump is not just any apex deponent; he is the President-elect. It is not an overstatement that he is extremely busy handling matters of very significant public importance.”

But Di Toro was not moved, ruling Wednesday that limiting Trump’s examination would be too prejudicial to the defense team’s right to prepare the case for trial, and “Mr. Trump’s own statements are at the heart” of the parties’ claims.

Trump’s transition team did not respond to CNN’s request

–Tanzanian President, John Magufuli

WORLD BULLETIN Rescuers commence Aleppo mission An operation to evacuate a besieged rebel-held enclave in the Syrian city of Aleppo went under way early yesterday.

Syrian state TV showed footage of ambulances and a long line of green buses leaving eastern Aleppo.

Reports said the first convoy arrived at a “handover point” in rebel-held areas to the west.

The evacuation of civilians, rebels and their families had been due to take place on Wednesday but an earlier ceasefire deal collapsed.

Government forces, backed

by Russian allies, took nearly all remaining rebel-held parts of Aleppo this week after a fouryear battle. It represents a major victory for President Bashar al-Assad.

Orphan cries for help “This might be the last day you will hear my voice and see me,” says 10-year-old Yasmeen Qanouz, one of dozens of orphaned children still trapped in eastern Aleppo.

“Please get us out,” pleads the little girl, surrounded by almost 50 other children in a heartbreaking video from the city’s underground Moumayazoun Orphanage.

“We want to live like everyone else.”

The video, recorded by orphanage director Asmar Halabi and released by the Syrian American Medical Society, shows the children huddled together in winter hats, the youngest appearing to be a toddler.

“There are 47 children here and they are all my brothers and sisters,” continues Qanouz, who has lived in the orphanage since losing her parents in airstrikes two years ago.

“We all hope to get out of Aleppo and eat and drink,” she says, adding that the children can’t go outside because of airstrikes and shelling.

Reprieve for troubled Ugandan monarch

Trump embroiled in contract saga efore President-elect Donald Trump heads to the White House on January 20, he will find himself back in the witness chair for questioning in his ongoing contractual dispute with celebrity chef, Jose Andres.

DC Superior Court Judge Jennifer A. Di Toro ruled Wednesday that Trump must sit for a deposition in New York City the first week of January, and it may last up to seven hours.

Trump sued Andres for breach of contract after Andres backed out of a plan for a restaurant in Trump’s new luxury hotel in Washington. Andres claimed he canceled plans for the project after Trump made disparaging remarks about Mexicans during the presiden-

“We have enjoyed tremendous support for our programme as well as goodwill from the international community”

for comment. His attorney at Seyfarth Shaw LLP had no comment.

On Tuesday, Andres suggested the parties bring their lawsuit to an end and instead donate money to a veterans organization, tweeting: “Mr. @ realDonaldTrump can we end our lawsuits and we donate $ to a Veterans NGO to celebrate?

Why keep litigating? Let’s both of us win.”

US President-elect Donald Trump

A Ugandan King, Charles Mumbere, the king of Rwenzururu, facing terror charges should have a private cook and a small fridge in prison, a court has ordered.

The king is entitled to these privileges because he suffers from hypertension and diabetes, it added.

But prison authorities say an outsider will not be allowed into the prison to prepare his meals.

The king was arrested last month after a security force raid on his palace in western Uganda’s Kasese district.

The 64-year-old monarch denies any involvement in violence.

He was arrested with more than 150 people, including royal guards.

His lawyer, Caleb Alaka, said he would ensure that prison officials comply with the court order.

Alaka said he initially thought there was a royal cook among those arrested but they had all “perished” during the raid on the palace.

Friday, December 16, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

37

Sport

I hope we recover very well after this battle to try to arrive at Christmas in an incredible position in the table – Chelsea manager, Antonio Conte

I’m different from N’Golo Kante, says Ndidi 38

Unpaid Super Falcons: NFF lauds Buhari’s intervention

T

he Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has expressed appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for directing that players and officials of African champions, Super Falcons, be paid their bonuses and allowances within days, following the team’s protest at the National Assembly on Wednesday.

“We are grateful to the Presidency for the prompt action, and we believe this will put the minds of the players at rest. It has been a very difficult time for the NFF; no official of the Federation was happy that the players and officials could not be paid their entitlements immediately after the tournament.

“It is not as if the Federation did not plan to pay the players and officials their entitlements. The NFF expected some money from a number of sources but this did not work

out. They are champions and deserve to be treated as such; there are no doubts about that,” Ademola Olajire, NFF’s Director of Media and Communications, said yesterday.

Olajire also stated that there was no time the NFF directed that the players should be ejected from their Agura Hotel, and decried claims that no official went to see the players at the hotel.

“The NFF is at the receiving end of all these, but at the end of the day, fair is fair. Before they left for Cameroon, the country’s Vice President went to meet with them at a training session. Also, despite the difficulties, the Federation was able to make the sum of $5,000 available to the Team Administrator for logistics.

The NFF President personally visited the team and prayed with them.

“Before the team played

South Africa in the semi finals, the NFF reached out to some sources and raised money to pay each player the sum of N500,000. The NFF President was on the tarmac of the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos to receive the team and celebrated with them on arrival, impressed it on NFF partner, Emzor, to host the ladies to lunch and the company gave the team the sum of N1.6million.

“On arrival in Abuja, the team was received by the NFF General Secretary, Head of Protocol, Head of Women’s Football and the CEO of Jedo (a private organization), Dr. Aliyu Oroje Wammako. The NFF impressed it on the management of Agura Hotel to ensure the comfort of the players and officials while the Federation went about trying to raise money to pay their entitlements.”

Falcons players protesting at the National Assembly on Wednesday

The NFF spokesman explained that apart from the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, who personally visited the team at their hotel, NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, was at the hotel on two occasions and the Head of Women’s Football, Miss Ruth David, had been at the hotel on regular basis.

“After his visit, the Honourable Minister directed that the NFF should look for money to give to the players to take them home. The players appealed that the amount of N50,000 proposed by the Federation should be doubled, and the NFF squeezed out N100,000 to each player and official. Surprisingly, the players said they would no longer leave the hotel even after that payment.

“While the monies paid to the team so far may not amount to much, these are

challenging times and we expect the players to understand with the Federation. They did not, but we thank God all these issues are almost behind us.

“This unfortunate situation calls for calm and patience on the part of all. The NFF cannot praise the Presidency enough.

The players cannot say that nobody came to see them in the hotel, or that the Federation ordered that they be ejected; that is not correct. We passionately appeal to the players not to allow themselves to be used by some persons against the Federation and the Federal Government, as such persons do not mean well for them and their career.”

Super Falcons players on Wednesday, protested at the National Assembly while President Buhari was delivering his 2017 Budget Speech to a joint sitting of the Seante and House of Representatives.

38

Sports

Thursday, March16, 5, 2015 Friday, December 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fencing: CIS, Rainbow College win David’s Cup Ifeanyi Eduzor

C

hildren International School and Rainbow College have emerged winners of the 2016 David’s Cup Inter-School Championship.

CIS claimed the top prize for the primary school category thanks to Bade Martins, who defeated Khalid Alli-Balogun of Greenspring College 5-2.

The nine-year-old Martins took gold in the junior category in 2015 having finished as runners-up in the senior category a year earlier in the junior category of the competition organised by the Nigeria Fencing Federation.

However, his title hope was diminishing as he was trailing his opponent 2-0 before a courageous fight back that saw him score fivestraight points to emerge victorious.

The senior category was equally interesting as Tofunmi Asaolu of Daywaterman College slugged it out with Tamarapere Ayamasao-

wei of Rainbow College. Asaolu, 11, won gold in 2014 but relinquished his title in 2015 to Michelle Okotie of American International School, who was conspicuously absent.

Although, Ayamasaowe could not lay his hand on the title, his qualification for the final was enough to help Rainbow to gather enough points to win the secondary school title on points.

Nigeria Fencing Federation boss, Adeyinka Samuel expressed delight at the enthusiasm showed by the participants and pledged that more steps would be taken to ensure that the sport become popular in the country.

Awards were presented to Chief Rorarian Kayofe Aderinokun, who was the first person to start fencing in Nigeria and Deji Tinubu, chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission for his support towards the development of the sport.

29 fencers featured in the secondary school category while 56 took part in the elementary school category of the event which was held at the French School, Victoria Island.

F1: No Mercedes replacement for Rosberg

M

ercedes will not reveal the identity of world champion, Nico Rosberg’s replacement until the new year.

The German announced his retirement last month - five days after winning his first world title and despite signing a new two-year deal in July.

Mercedes have the problem of finding a team-mate for Lewis Hamilton when all leading drivers are signed elsewhere.

They want to sign Williams’ Valtteri Bottas but have so far not been able to negotiate a deal for the Finn.

A Mercedes spokesman said the team would not reveal any decision before 3 January - and added that did not mean there would be an announcement on that date.

BBC Sport however, revealed last Sunday that Mercedes F1 boss, Toto Wolff, had offered Williams a 10m euro (£8.4m) reduction in their engine bill in return for releasing Bottas from his 2017 contract with Williams.

The team were also given the option of running Mercedes reserve driver Pascal Wehrlein, although this was not a requirement of the deal.

Williams have rejected that first offer but negotiations are continuing and Wolff is expected to make an improved offer.

Williams are aware that Mercedes have money available because they no longer have to spend Rosberg’s $22m (£17.6m) salary over the next two years.

However, BBC Sport under-

stands Williams are leaning towards rejecting Wolff’s approach, although no final decision has been made.

One difficulty for Williams is that their contract with sponsor Martini, the drinks giant, requires at least one driver over 25 for promotional reasons.

Their other driver, the Canadian rookie Lance Stroll, is only 18, while Wehrlein is 22.

In a separate development, Mercedes are expected to lose their technical boss Paddy Lowe, who earned about £3m in 2015 and 2016, to Williams. He is set to be replaced by former Ferrari technical director James Allison, but for a lower amount of money.

Club World Cup: It’s Real, Antlers for final

R

eal Madrid extended their unbeaten run to 36 games by beating Club America 2-0 to reach the FIFA Club World Cup final.

BBC Sport reports that Karim Benzema gave the European champions the lead with a clipped finish after a Toni Kroos pass.

Cristiano Ronaldo sealed the win - and a place in Sunday’s final against Kashima Antlers - by drilling a second in added time amid some confusion.

Referee Enrique Caceres briefly asked for a video assistant consultation before allowing the goal to stand.

This year’s Club World Cup is the first tournament to use video assistant referees. A pitch side monitor is available to referees to review decisions.

However, Caceres did not view the incident on the monitor before

restarting the game and awarding the goal.

In the other semi-final, referee Viktor Kassai stopped the game after being alerted to an incident by his assistant, then viewed footage on a monitor and gave a penalty to Kashima Antlers in their win over Atletico Nacional.

The Club World Cup features champion club sides from each of FIFA’s six continental confederations.

Before Real Madrid’s match began, there was a minute’s silence at the Yokohama Stadium, in tribute to the victims of the air crash on 28 November that killed 71 people, including 19 players and staff of Brazilian club, Chapecoense.

Ronaldo, who won the Ballon d’Or for a fourth time earlier in the week, had hit the post with a glancing header from Lucas Vazquez’s

eicester City-bound Wilfred Ndidi has dismissed comparisons with Chelsea star, N’Golo Kante, insisting they are different players.

Premier League champions, Leicester, are believed to be struggling this season after they let go Kante to Chelsea and so the need to replace the work horse midfielder with a similar player in Ndidi.

However, Nigeria star Ndidi has maintained he is a different player from the France star.

“I don’t have to be Kante. Kante is Kante. We are different players,” he said.

“I have my own style of play and I don’t want to be under pressure to be another player.

“I just have to go there (Leicester

City) and play my own game.”

Genk star, Ndidi, also revealed he is now more comfortable playing in midfield as a destroyer.

“I am more comfortable in the midfield. I am now more used to playing there than in other positions,” said the player, who started out as a central defender and has also played at right and left back positions.

The 19-year-old Ndidi is expected to complete a big-money move to Leicester in January pending the issuance of a work permit in the UK. Ndidi is currently on the books of Belgian club, KRC Genk. Media reports said the Belgian club want £20million for the Nigeria international but the Foxes fully expect to complete a deal early in the Janu-

Zidane

cross before Benzema scored.

The Portuguese then had a shot blocked and headed wide before scoring.

Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane said that the uncertainty surrounded Ronaldo’s late strike needs to be ironed out as new uses of technology are trialled.

Referee Caceres initially called for a video review, before independently deciding that there had been no infringement in the build-up to the goal.

“Things have to be clearer. We can not control what they want to do to improve things with technology but things have to be clearer,” the former France international said.

The tournament is the first time that a pitch-side monitor has been available for referees to view footage to help them make “matchchanging decisions”.

I’m different from N’Golo Kante, says Ndidi L

Wilfred Ndidi

ary transfer window and are holding out for a little bit less money.

The 19-year-old Ndidi is viewed as one of the brightest prospects in Belgian football and Genk know they are facing a losing battle to keep him.

Ndidi, who is also an integral member of Gernot Rohr’s newlook Super Eagles, is according to the Daily Mail believed to be the replacement for N’Golo Kante at Leicester.

Following Kante’s departure to Chelsea, the Leicester City manager, Claudio Raniero, brought in midfielder Nampalys Mendy in a £13 million deal last summer, but he has been restricted to just one Premier League appearance so far due to a troublesome ankle injury.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Friday, December4,16, 2016 Thursday September 2014

GOtv Boxing Night 10: Baby Face vows to stop Omo Iya Eleja

MANDATE

THE

Sylvester Ikuejamoye

Action in a previous GOtv boxing night

mopheys13@gmail.com 0805-407-1194 (SMS only)

Federations must hold their congresses

O

Ifeanyi Eduzor

F

ast rising light welterweight boxer, Rilwan ‘Baby Face’ Babatunde, has declared that Sikiru ‘Omo Iya Eleja’ Shogbesan, with whom he is billed to fight at GOtv Boxing Night 10, will not last the distance.

Speaking ahead of the event holding on December 26 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, Baby Face said his opponent will endure a horrible time and throw in the towel within a short time.

“By now, Omo Iya Eleja should know that I am on a higher level. My preparation for this fight has been intensive. I want to thank him in advance for adding to the number of victories in my professional career. There

is no hiding place for him,” said the young boxer.

In the biggest fight of the night, Nigeria’s Stanley ‘Edoboy’ Eribo will confront Meshack Mwankemwa of Tanzania for the African Boxing Union (ABU) welterweight title.

Also scheduled is the West African Boxing Union light welterweight title bout, which will see the reigning champion, Olaide ‘Fijaborn’ Fijabi of Nigeria, defend his crown against Raphael ‘Iron King’ Kwabena of Ghana.

The bout is a repeat of their encounter at GOtv Boxing Night 9, where Fijabi won by split decision. The Ghanaian has already boasted that he will wrest the title from Fijabi.

The best boxer of at the event will win a cash prize of N1.5million and the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.

Stakeholders gather in Lagos for NFF congress

T

he 2016 Annual General Assembly of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) will hold in Lagos this weekend.

NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, stated that the event that will take place at Best Western Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos will have in attendance Chairmen and Secretaries of the Football Associations of the 36 States and the FCT; Chairmen and Secretaries of the various Leagues, Chairmen and Secretaries of the Referees Association, Coaches Association and Players Union, Members of the NFF Executive Committee, NFF Management and a number of stakeholders.

The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, will

be chief host, with the Minister of Youth and Sports, Barr. Solomon Dalung, as special guest.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Sports, Senator Obinna Joseph Ogba, his counterpart in the House of Representatives, Hon. Goni Lawan, and the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. Chinyeaka Ohaa, are among guests for the day.

The congress will, among other items on the agenda, receive reports from each of the various geo-political zones on their activities in the past one year; receive the consolidated and revised balance sheet and profit-and-loss statement of the federation and consider for approval the Federation’s 2017 budget proposal.

ne of the most needed ers Association of Nigeria reforms in Nigerian (SWAN), National Association sports is that federa- of Women in Sports (NAWIS) tions be made to mandatorily and some other professional hold congress as at when due bodies including a government in line with international nominees are made to elect the best practices. This has been leadership of the boards of clearly missing in all the various federations. federations, except the NigeIt will ria Football Fe d e r a t i o n (NFF).

Despite the pitfalls of the board of the Nigeria Football Federation, one of its unique organs is the congress which is statutorily responsible for the election of the board of NFF. It is an indisputable fact that the presidents and other executive l NOC President, Gume members of practically all inter national sporting bodies emerged from be more interesting and much a keenly contested election more representative to allow with members of the congress states chairmen of various as electorate who elected who- sports associations with their ever they felt was competent secretaries as observers to and vast enough with experi- form the congress with the reence, in running the affairs of sponsibility of electing boards the particular federation. of national boards of sportThe International Olympic ing federations. This is one Committee (IOC), Common- urgently needed innovation in wealth Games Federation as the electoral process of electwell as All Africa Games Fed- ing the leadership of eration had their executive the new boards at the forthboards elected by the their re- coming elections after the disspective congress. solution of the current boards In Nigeria, the reverse of federations. The boards’ is the case. Except the NFF, tenure will to come to end other federations are operat- early next year having been ing a clearly different model, elected in 2013. completely at variance with I would have preferred that international best practices. the boards are dissolved beIt is a model that cannot be fore the end of the year to altrusted. The model is obvious- low for early preparations for ly not representative enough. fresh elections with the aim of It is a model where just nine starting the 2017 sporting calto 11 exco members, made up endar early enough under new of six elected members rep- boards. I’m however, not unresenting the six geo-political aware of the thinking of both zones of the country with the Nigeria Olympic Commitabout three to five other mem- tee (NOC) and Government to bers representing some inter- allow the boards run their full est groups, like, Sports Writ- tenure with the few months

39

remaining in order not to incur unnecessary petitions and agitation by some members of the outgoing boards.

The importance of allowing the congress of each federation to elect their leadership and the value therein cannot be overemphasized. It will drastically reduce incidence of mediocres emerging as presidents of otherwise vibrant Federations. Though, no one is saying that this would put a stop to the emergence of charlatans elected as leaders of the federations.

But it has the capacity and the potentials of curbing this inadequacy which has become the clog in the wheels of progress of some boards in the recent past.

At least whoever is to be elected at the congress as president would surely be a chairman of a state association of a particular sport. It will be different from when a greenhorn will emerge from nowhere only to wreak havoc and practically destroy the sport like is currently happening in some federations.

It is therefore in Nigeria’s interest to allow congress format elect presidents and other leadership positions on the board of the sporting federations.

MY PROFOUND GRATITUDE On Thursday, 24th of November, 2016, yours sincerely was appointed and inaugurated as the Chairman of the Ondo State Weightlifting Association. It is more gratifying to note that the state Sports Council supported my earlier emergence in 2013 at Ibadan, as the elected Board Member of Weightlifting Federation of Nigeria, representing the South-West zone of Nigeria at the national level. I’m deeply grateful to be found worthy of yet another service.

HARD BUT THE BITTER TRUTH A man who has decided to hang himself on his own volition cannot blame anyone for his hell bent journey. Hard But The Bitter Truth.

Until next week Friday, stay out of trouble and God bless Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Largest Peruvian folk Vol. 06

No. 1492

Friday, December 16, 2016

N150

The largest Peruvian folk dance consisted of 1, 247 couples and was achieved by the Municipality of Arequipa (Peru) in celebration of the city’s 474th anniversary on August 24 2014.

Restructuring aviation sector agencies

T

he nation’s aviation sector has come under a litany of challenges of late. First and still lingering is the proposed concessioning of the country’s four most thriving airports in the country - the Murtala Muhammed Airport (MMA), Lagos, Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport (NAA), Abuja, Port Harcourt International Airport (PHIA), Omagwa and Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA), Kano - announced by the Minister of State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika recently. This sparked protests by aviation sector workers, but the Federal Government has stuck to its guns, if words still coming from Senator Sirika are anything to go by.

Then came the wave of sack, demotion and right placement of staff which kicked off from the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN). Some directors and general managers, among others, allegedly

L

uis Suarez has signed a new contract with Barcelona, keeping him at the Camp Nou until June 2021, the Spanish champions announced yesterday.

The 29-year-old Uruguay striker’s new deal

FRIDAY WITH Dozie Okebalama

dozieokeama@yahoo.co.uk 08164966858 (SMS only) employed in breach of due process were given the boot. A committee on the restructuring of aviation sector agencies headed by Ms. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, recommended the measures. Indeed, FAAN, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) were said to be parading more general managers than the agencies have space for.

One of the latest reports credited to Senator Sirika said the restructuring of agencies under the Ministry of Aviation would continue with the jettisoning or redeployment of more workers in the outfits. “Already, the government has started redeploying, re-assigning, demoting and even terminating appointments of workers… especially in FAAN, where the workers have felt the full positive impact of the restructuring”, a statement credited to the ministry said.

The general impression being given of the nation’s bumbling aviation sector, it does seem, is that irregularly recruited staff are the sole bane of all aviation sector agencies. Perhaps, they could be the cog in the wheel to a significant extent.

In reality, however, the purge in the sector appears more of a peripheral cleansing, at least so far, than a measure meant to root out the big masquerades behind the blunders plaguing the aviation industry.

When the government says it is cleansing a system, it should go the whole hog Hardly would anyone be persuaded that all would be well with the nation’s aviation agencies even if all the staff are sacked or demoted, the same way many would not believe that there are no competent senior staff with the cognate experience; and that are well groomed, from where the government can make a pick to salvage the aviation industry in the now, even if it wishes eventually to concession or sell them off.

The point being made here is that some fellows in the commanding heights of aviation sector agencies superintended and acquiesced to the wrongs the government is now trying to get right in the aviation sector through restructuring. Only a care-free management with scant interest in the account books of an establishment would, for three years (2013 – 2016), permit the theft of N70 million by a Level Six officer, for example, as was reported in FAAN not too long ago when the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) intervened and arrested the staff concerned. The theft was perpetrated through the manipulation of furniture allowances alone for the said

three years.

Also lately, SaharaReporters’ alleged that EFCC officials discovered at least N3 billion in the various bank accounts of the Managing Director of FAAN, Mr. Saleh Dunoma. The online medium also claimed Mr. Dunoma owned a house and shopping mall in Dubai, as well as a hotel in Singapore. But it added that the FAAN boss was given a curious clean bill of health by the EFCC. Another report claimed the same man has clocked 35 years in service and the 60 years mandatory retirement age permissible in the nation’s civil service.

Just last month, FAAN refuted allegations of $200,000 bribery levelled against Dunoma ahead of the election of officials of the Airports Council International (ACI), African Region, in Maputo, Mozambique.

He was described as the only candidate for the post of President during the regional election. But FAAN’s management turned around to accuse Dunoma’s immediate predecessor, Mr. George Uriesi, and the latter’s allies still in the agency as the brains behind the bribery allegation.

Chief of Staff to the FAAN MD was quoted by another online medium before he left Lagos for the Maputo conference as saying: “It is so unfortunate that some people, who have personal hatred for Engr.

Saleh Dunoma are out to smear the image of the Managing Director because they lost the opportunity when they contested for the position… Engr. Saleh Dunoma never lobbied to become FAAN Managing Director, so also the opportunity to become ACI President.” It is worrisome, nonetheless, that the Ministry of Aviation appears to be glossing over these highbrow scams particularly in FAAN, on the one hand, and on the other, playing up government’s plan to concession some airports and so-called restructuring of aviation-sector agencies. In truth, however, concessioning or restructuring has nothing to do with examining the sundry rot and scams dogging FAAN, particularly at the top. When the government says it is cleansing a system, it should go the whole hog; and in the process, compensate loyal and dedicated staff as well.

Sport Extra Suarez extends Barca contract till 2021 includes a 200 million release clause.

Barcelona said Suarez, who has scored 97 goals in 116 appearances since signing from Liverpool in 2014, will sign the new deal today.

The Uruguay international joined the Spanish side from Liverpool in 2014 for £75m.

Suarez has formed a lethal triumvirate alongside Lionel Messi and Neymar in Catalonia,

one of the most-feared trios in the history of the game.

The former Ajax and Reds attacker collected the European Golden Shoe last season after becoming the top scorer

in domestic football in Europe with 40 league goals.

Suarez has scored 97 goals in 116 games for Barcelona, which is an average of 0.83 goals per game.

Suarez

NICON LUXURY ABUJA ...its about giving you the very best

reservations@niconluxury.com (09)4619000, 08095556005 Printed and published by Global Media Mirror Limited: Head Office, Mirror House, 155/161 Broad Street Lagos; Abuja Office: NICON House, Central Business District Area, Abuja. Email:mail@ nationalmirroronline.net. MD/CEO: Sunday Olajide: 08060852080; Acting Editor Daily: Ben Memuletiwon 08050498541; Adverts Hotline: 07066178740. ISSN 0794-232X.