Tuesday, 24, may, 2016 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

$166bn required to fix power, transport in five years –FG Ubong Ukpong ABUJA

Fashola

ederal government yesterday, said it would require $166bn over the next five

years to meet the country’s needs in energy and transport infrastructure. Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, who spoke at the public hearing on Nigerian Railway

Jonathan paid Metuh N400m because of APC bashing –Witness

Authority bill and National Transport Commission bill, also disclosed that government and General Electric had concluded arrangement for the com-

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Metuh

We’ll go after Niger Delta Avengers –Military C Vol. 6 N0. 1376

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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•Wike says militants won’t be shielded

hief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olonisakin, declared yesterday that the military would go after the militant group, Niger Delta Avengers, and stop repeated attacks on oil facilities in the region. Olonisakin spoke shortly after commissioning 12 refurbished gunboats and a 40-bedspace Brigade Gunboats Company at the Okrika Jetty in Okrika Local Government Area of Rivers State. The armed forces, he said, would not allow any person or group of persons to destroy the nation’s critical infrastructure, pointing out that the military was determined to tackle the situation CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Pensioners in Edo State protest non-payment of their 42 months arrears in Benin City, yesterday.

PHOTO: NAN

Arms deal: Fani-Kayode to remain in EFCC detention, court orders Court orders FG to allow Dasuki access to lawyers

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Boko Haram: Shekau’s aide kills top bomb maker P.12 How Tompolo defrauded P.5 NIMASA of N24bn –EFCC

Ekiti enlists local hunters’ support in fight against herdsmen P.8

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We’ll go after Niger Delta Avengers –Military CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

frontally.

He stated that bombing oil facilities was not the way to address grievances, saying the militants were expected to put their complaints appropriately to government. The defence chief explained that government was exploring various approaches to ensure that the problem of militancy in the Niger Delta was resolved. He said: “An issue of this nature is multifaceted and not just the military approach. The government is exploring all other approaches to ensure that these issues are resolved. “Military is looking at ways to resolve the issue of these bombings. “We, the military, have told them (Niger Delta Avengers) that this (attacks on oil installations) is not in the interest of the nation. When you bomb those facilities, those critical infrastructures you are destroying our assets, our resources, as a nation. “This is not the way to address your grievances. If you have any grievances, you put them appropriately to the government. Of course, we cannot allow people to sabotage and destroy critical infrastructure. “We will go after them and ensure that we deal with the situation appropriately.” He pointed out that the nation was challenged by multi-faceted threats, including the battle with Boko Haram terrorists, oil thefts and attacks on oil installations. On the commissioning of the gunboats, Olonisakin expressed gratitude to the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, for assisting the military in putting the equipment in order. “The repair of these gunboats will no doubt improve the capacity of the brigade to meet its responsibility in curtailing criminal acts in our inland waterways. “Let me at this juncture appreciate the support of the Niger Delta Development Commission in making these repairs realisable. We

appreciate this strategic partnership and support,” he said. Earlier, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai, described the dearth of serviceable platforms and related equipment as one of the greatest challenges facing the Armed Forces. Buratai also described the Niger Delta terrain as peculiar, saying, “In order to effectively discharge our constitutional responsibility, our troops require to operate in the riverine areas of the Niger Delta, thereby necessitating some boats and watercrafts. “The gunboats will no doubt boost the capacity of our troops to fight sea piracy, militancy, oil theft and growing insecurity in the Niger Delta. We will continue to ask for more. We know the challenges are quite enormous. “With continued support like this, procuring new equipment will further boost our operational capabilities. “I am calling on other international oil corporations to toe the line of the NDDC to support the Nigerian Army and indeed the Armed Forces.” Meanwhile, Governor Nyesom Wike has declared that nobody will be shielded from military operations against militants sabotaging the nation’s economy. He stated that all Niger Delta governors oppose the use of violence to settle grievances, pointing out that the governors were billed to meet with the Vice President on 7th of June to discuss and proffer solutions to the security situation in the region. Wike made the declaration at the Government House, Port Harcourt, when he granted audience to the country’s Military High Command led by General Olonisakin. The governor said: “What is happening affects our state revenue. We shall help the military to fish out militants blowing up oil pipelines in the region.” Olonisakin was accompanied Lt. Gen. Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas and the Chief of Air Staff, Air

L-R: Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa; Deputy Governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Oluranti Adebule; Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode; Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo; Minister for Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, SAN and Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, during the commissioning of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) Response Unit at Cappa, Oshodi, Lagos, yesterday.

Marshal Sadiq Abubakar. He said the state government was worried about the resurgence of militancy in the Niger Delta as it negatively affected development in the area. “As a government, we cannot support economic sabotage. What is going on is economic sabotage. Production is being negatively affected, with the revenue of states dwindling. “There are ways to channel grievances and

it is wrong to do what will negatively affect the people of the region,” Wike remarked. He assured the Military High Command that the government and people of Rivers State would support efforts to secure the oil and gas rich area. While commending the military for the sacrifice they had made in providing security for most parts of the state, he urged them to work towards improving security in Ahoada East,

Ahoada West, Abua/Odual and Ogba/Egbema / Ndoni Local Government Areas of the state. Earlier, Olonisakin said the recent resurgence of militancy in the Niger-Delta was of serious concern to the military. “Recent activities of the militants have led to the sabotage of oil and gas infrastructure,” he said. He said the economy of the nation was threatened by the resurgent in

militancy, hence the need to stop the insecurity in the region. Olonisakin urged the governor to reach out to his colleagues to resolve the conflicts in the area. He said the Military High Command was in the region to interface with the leadership of the Operation Pulio Shield and other service commanders on how to put an end to criminality in the region and protect the nation’s economy from total collapse.

$166bn required to fix power, transport in five years –FG CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

mercialisation of LagosKano railway project. The minister said: “Besides privatisation, government also realised a monumental infrastructure deficit, which as at 2015, stood at over $3.05trn in 30 years or $166bn in five years with energy and transport infrastructure taking more than 50 per cent of that need. “Transport infrastructure alone needs a whopping $50.9bn in five years to cover the current gap in the sector, an average of $10.2bn per year. “Currently the ratio of funding in the sector between the public and private is 9:1. This constituted a major disincentive to private sector participation in the industry. “In addition, it is

considered imperative to intimate this committee that full government ownership and management of these agencies had inherent restrictions for third party funding, undue government interferences; burdensome bureaucratic structures and over bloated work force amongst others.” He argued that although, privatisation of railway would conflict with public interest, governments all over the world had also realised that it was not best suited in ownership and management of businesses and as such considered it imperative to shift from purely government to Public Private Partnership, PPP. He said the policy was therefore intended to guarantee efficiency, sustainability, competi-

tiveness and profitability, adding that to actualise these objectives, the Federal Government had established a trajectory towards driving the model. “These led to the institutionalisation of agencies such as Bureau of Public Enterprises, BPE, and Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, ICRC, with the statutory power to superintend the transition of government owned concerns to the private sector under the various models of PPP,” he stated. While declaring the public hearing open, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, urged that the Nigeria Railway Authority, NRA, bill which spelt out the operations and regulation of the rail sector, should be thor-

oughly examined. He said an efficient rail system is a much safer and cheaper mode of transporting goods, services and persons across the length and breadth of the country. Speaking on the National Transport Commission bill, Ossai Nicholas Ossai (PDP-Delta), noted that effective regulation of the transport sector would provide level playing ground for private sector players, attract funding and new investments, encourage competition among major players and reduce loss of about 30 per cent revenue accrued to the federation due to nonintegration in the transport sector. Ossai who sponsored the bill, explained that 80 per cent of total national and household income goes into transportation.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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Arms deal: Fani-Kayode to remain in EFCC detention, court orders Wale IgbIntade

n Ikeja Chief Magistrate’s Court yesterday granted the request of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, to remand former Minister of Aviation, Mr. Femi FaniKayode, over an alleged N1.5bn fraud.

Chief Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi (Mrs.) granted the remand application after hearing arguments of lawyers representing the antigraft agency and FaniKayode, Mr. A. N. Anana and Wale Balogun respectively. EFCC had argued that the remand application, which was pursuant to section 261 of Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2011 of Lagos State, was to remand the former spokesman for the Goodluck Jonathan Campaign Organisation in the 2015 general election, pending when he would be properly arraigned at the appropriate court. However in opposition to the remand request, Balogun argued that the anti-graft agency’s application was a move to breach his client’s constitutional rights, add-

ing that the defendant had been granted an administrative bail and perfected it, but that the EFCC never granted him freedom. He also informed the court that the anti-graft agency had got the same order of remand before an Abuja Chief Magistrate court. He therefore urged the court to disregard the EFCC’s remand application against his client. But Chief Magistrate Osunsanmi, while dismissing the application, ruled that the defence lawyer failed to exhibit any document before the court to show that the former minister had been charged before any court for the alleged offence. Consequently, the court ordered that FaniKayode be remanded at the EFCC’s custody for 21 days, pending when he would be arraigned at the appropriate court. The matter has been adjourned till June 15 for further hearing. Fani Kayode who was brought to court in white caftan and a pair of rubber slippers was driven away in a white Hiace Bus marked Abuja BWR 641 GA after the remand order.

L-R: Representative, Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice John Okoro; Administrator, National Judicial Institute, Justice Rosaline Bozimo and Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, Justice, Walter Onnoghen during the 2016 Induction Course for newly appointed Judges and Kadis in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

UNICEF unveils new education fund

N Children’s Fund, UNICEF, yesterday announced the launch of a new fund to better coordinate support for and drive investment in education for children and youth affected by humanitarian emergencies and protracted crises. The “Education Cannot Wait” fund has a funding target of $3.85bn over five years. It aims to bridge the gap between humanitarian interventions during crises

and long-term development afterwards, through predictable funding. UN Special Envoy for Global Education, Gordon Brown, presented the new fund at the World Humanitarian Summit, WHS, a two-day conference that opened in Istanbul, Turkey. He said: “Action now has to happen urgently because of the sheer scale of numbers of children impacted.” Specifically designed

FG records N2.23trn losses from non-remittance by NNPC in 2013 ChIdI UgWU ABUJA

igerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its sub-units either lost or refused to remit N2.23trn, consisting of $9.75bn and N378.07bn to the federation account as earnings from various aspects of its operations in 2013. This was disclosed yesterday by Nigerian Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative, NEITI, during public presentation of oil, gas and solid minerals industry audit report for 2013, which focused on all aspects of the extractive industries. The report also stated that total revenue flows into the Federation Account from the oil and gas sector during the year was $58.07bn. Minister of Solid Min-

erals and Chairman of NEITI Board, Kayode Fayemi presented the report in Abuja. The report said $599.98m was either under-assessment or underpayments of petroleum profit taxes and royalties by oil and gas companies as a result of the use of different pricing methodology by government and the companies because of the absence of new fiscal regime. The audit also revealed that Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas, NLNG, paid $1.289bn as dividends, interest and loan repayment for the year under review. But, while NNPC acknowledged receipt of the amount, it did not remit it to either the Federal Government or the federation account.

According to Fayemi, the $1.289bn brings to $12.9bn the total NLNG payments received by NNPC between 2005 and 2013 but not remitted to the Federal Government by the corporation. Giving further breakdown of the amount, the chairman disclosed that between 2010 and 2011, NNPC divested 55 per cent federation equity in eight Oil Mining Licenses, OMLs, from Shell Joint Venture to its subsidiary, NPDC, adding that OMLs 4, 26, 30, 38, 40, 41,42 were valued by the Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, at $1.8bn. According to him, NNPC assigned four OMLs 60, 61, 62, and 63 from the NAOC JV to NPDC in December 2012 but no amount had been

paid on these four OMLs as at the conclusion of the 2013 audit, neither was the value of the consideration stated in deed of assignment. “Meanwhile, NNPC lifted crude on behalf of NPDC (not the federation) from these OMLs that were not fully paid for or were not even paid for at all,” he said. The report noted that continuous allocation of 445,000 barrels of crude oil per day to refineries was not beneficial to the federation as the refineries were operating at a capacity of about 24 per cent. The report also said N33.86bn accrued to the federation from solid minerals sector in the year under review. Out of this, payments from cement manufactur-

for education in emergencies, the fund, he added, also aims to reach more than 13.6 million children and youth living in crisis situations, such as conflict, natural disasters and disease outbreaks, with quality education over the next five years. “These young people are missing out on schooling and this is becoming a full-blown global crisis that will haunt the world for generations,” Brown said.

ing companies accounted for N30.47bn, representing 89.98 per cent construction companies, N1.98bn (5.83 per cent) and mining and quarrying N1.42bn (4.19 per cent). Fayemi said $58.07bn revenue during the year represented revenues from crude oil sales, taxes, royalties, and other incomes. The figure was an eight per cent decline when compared to the $62.9bn realised in 2012. The minister said the decline was attributed to drop in oil and gas sales, following divestment of federation equity in some oil mining leases, crude oil losses as a result of destruction of production facilities, pipelines vandalism and crude oil theft.

On average, the UN estimates that less than two per cent of humanitarian aid currently goes to funding education. Moreover, the UN says, education systems equipped to cope with protracted crises cannot be built on the foundations of short-term and unpredictable appeals. Meanwhile, UNICEF warns that one in four of the world’s school-aged children – nearly half a billion, live in countries affected by crises and that as many as 476 million children and young people between the ages of three and 18 live in 35 countries affected by crises. It said 80 million of them have had their education disrupted or destroyed by emergencies and protracted crises and over 16 million are in refugee, internally displaced and other populations of concern in these same affected countries. UNICEF added that the situation for girls is even worse. The UN also said that less than two per cent of all humanitarian funding goes to education every year since 2010, with a current estimated $9bn gap for education in emergencies annually. UN also added that conflict, natural disasters, displacement, epidemics and other crises pose a serious threat to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, for education.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Sheriff plotting to destabilise PDP —Jalo

…Makarfi-led caretaker committee may resume today ...party secretariat remains sealed ObIOra IfOh ABUJA

t was revealed yesterday that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caretaker committee put in place at the party's national convention last Saturday in Port Harcourt may resume work today. Caretaker committee of the PDP has former Kaduna State governor, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, as chairman with Senator Ben Obi as secretary.

But the party's national secretariat in Abuja which has been sealed since Saturday night by the police, remains sealed as at last night. The situation has produced misgivings as to who would occupy the secretariat. A source close to the caretaker committee disclosed yesterday that the committee might resume work today and reel out its operational strategy. It was also learnt that a press conference would be addressed by the committee

to herald its operations. Besdes, the party's deputy national publicity secretary, Barrister Abdullahi Jalo, said yesterday that the sacked national chairman of the PDP, Ali Modu Sheriff, had a plot to destabilise the party. Addressing newsmen in Abuja, Jalo revealed that the root cause of the persistent crisis threatening to tear the party apart was the plot by Sheriff to hold on to power and contest the 2019 presidential election on the party's

platform. The former deputy spokesman noted that if Sheriff does not vacate the seat, the crisis would continue. Jalo explained that during the 71st National Executive Committee, NEC, meeting of the party, it was agreed that his tenure had expired because he was completing the tenure of Alhaji Ahmadu Adamu Mu'azu, which ended in March, and should therefore vacate the office honourably. He further explained that Sheriff has not been given

waiver by the party, adding that the NEC had taken a decision that only the national convention, which eventually sacked him, would have guaranteed his tenure extension through voting by delegates. Jalo insisted that Sheriff should vacate office honorably for the caretaker committee headed by Senator Makarfi to take charge, pointing out that the committee is legitimate, in order and has the backing of the law. He said the crisis in the PDP was not for the party to die, but to reign supreme, reclaim power in 2019 and provide good governance for Nigerians. He stressed that the Prof. Jery Gana-led Concerned PDP Stakeholders was out to rescue the party from "imminent collapse" and should not be seen as a

tool for the division of the party. He said: "The convention in Port Harcourt has, seeing the danger ahead, unanimously resolved that we should give way for peace to reign; the party is supreme to any individual in the NWC. So, in order to bring peace, Gana, Mantu, Turaki, Zainab Maina and many others are insisting that Sheriff should go. "His tenure has expired long ago, but he was only given the favour by the governors at the detriment of long serving members who laboured for the party. Now, he is sitting on the fence of illegality. If the convention had ratified him, he would have been given till that period of 2018, but since he has been sacked, he should thank God that despite the protest of so many people in the party, he was able to manage it.”

Nigeria to end fuel importation in 2019, says Kachikwu

M L-R: Ogun State Governor Ibikunle Amosun; President Muhammadu Buhari and Chief of Staff to the President Alhaji Abba Kyari, during the visit of the Governor to the President in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ANAYO OPARA

How Tompolo defrauded NIMASA of N24bn —EFCC Wale IgbIntade

conomic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, yesterday told a Federal High Court in Lagos how one of the companies belonging to a former Niger Delta militant, Government Ekpemupolo, was overpaid by the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, NIMASA, to the tune of N24 billion. An EFCC witness, Ahmed Ghali, said Global West Vessel Specialist Limited, GWVSL, owned by Tompolo, defrauded NIMASA by over N24 billion on a security contract. Testifying yesterday before Justice Ibrahim Buba, the witness (Ghali) told the court that the company

was paid using a fraudulent benchmark. The witness said the company paid N700 million to former NIMASA director-general, Patrick Akpobolokemi, as kickback. Tompolo who is still at large, was charged with Akpobolokemi, GWVSL, Odimiri Electricals Limited, Kemi Engozu, Boloboere Property & Estate Limited, Rex Elem, Destre Consult Limited, Gregory Mbonu and Captain Warredi Enisuoh. EFCC, in the 40-count charge before Justice Buba, said the suspects allegedly diverted N34 billion for personal use. Led in evidence by EFCC prosecutor, Rotimi Oyedepo, the first prosecution witness (PW1) said NIMASA and Tompolo’s company entered

into a public-private partnership, PPP, agreement on April 3, 2012. The agreement was for, among others, the “improvement of security within the Nigeria maritime domain, improvement in data collection, improvement of cabotage and revenue generation enforcement, improvement of safety of life at sea and enhancement of search and rescue, improvement in pollution control and management, leading to cleaner waters.” The witness said the fraud began when a benchmark for sea protection levy was altered, adding that despite protests by a NIMASA director, Victor Onwuzuruike, the alteration was approved by Akpobolokemi. He said: “Based on this

fraudulent benchmark which was not in line with the PPP agreement, Mr. Akpobolokemi approved payment of N132,590,694.86 and $42,331,549.85 between 2012 and 2015 from the sea protection levy generated by NIMASA in favour of Global West. “Investigation revealed that apart from the fraudulent payment of the sea protection to Global West, NIMASA, under Mr. Akpobolokemi, also compromised the benchmark stipulated in Schedule III of the agreement. “In violent breach of the sacrosanct provision of the PPP agreement, Mr. Akpobolokemi, on June 4, 2012, gave a verbal directive to the committee on benchmark to prepare another benchmark contrary to the agreement.

inister of State for Petroleum Resources, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, yesterday said the Federal Government is targeting 2019 to end fuel importation in the country. Kachikwu disclosed this when he spoke at an interactive session on removal of fuel subsidy, organised by Coalition of Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Lagos. “For the first time, I am putting so much strength in terms of what do we do with our refineries, because that ultimately is the solution. “I must make the refineries work so that the staff can justify their pay. “I am going around looking for investors to come on a joint venture basis to put money into the refineries and make them work. “I can authoritatively say that given the constraints that we face, the plan is that by December 2018 we should have reduced our importation of petroleum product by 60 per cent. “This is because we would have brought enough money to get our refineries working to the tune of about 90 per cent," the minister said. According to him, for the

first time in 10 years, the three refineries are working but at less than 40 per cent capacity. He said by the time the refineries were working at optimal capacity and the commencement of production by Dangote Refinery in 2019, Nigeria would be able to refine 1.4 million barrels per day. Kachikwu said his desire is to increase the current production capacity from 2.2 million barrels per day to 2.6 million barrels within the next few years. He said government's decision to remove petrol subsidy, which led to an increase in the pump price of petrol from N86 to N145 per litre was a good one. The minister said the subsidy regime is no longer sustainable because of the various fraudulent practices by oil marketers and other players in the sector. He said between 2012 and 2015, Nigeria paid almost N8 trillion as subsidy, monies that shcould have been used to provide critical infrastructures for its citizens. Kachikwu said the liberalisation of the sector would encourage competition and bring the price of fuel down within the next few months.

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Tuesday, May 24, 2016

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L-R: Vice President of the Alumni Association of Belarusian Institutions, Mr. Thomas Modey; President, Mr. Muktar Usman and Ambassador of Belarusian, Amb. Vyacheslav Beskosty, during a courtesy visit by the executives of the association in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

L-R: Director-General, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Alhaji Munir Gwarzo; Representative of the Minister of Finance, Dr. Mahmud Isa-Dutse; Chairman, Susman Associates, Dr. Shamsuddeen Usman and Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Alhaji Garba Abubakar, at the inauguration of Study Team on Voice and Voting Power in the Nigerian Capital Market, in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

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Executive Director, Capital Market, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Haruna Jalo-Waziri; Chairman, Berger Paints Nigeria Plc,, Dr. Oladimeji Alo and Non-Executive Director, Mr. Abi Allison Ayida, at Berger Paints Nigeria Plc. Facts Behind the Figures presentation at the Exchange, yesterday.

L-R: Managing Director\CEO, Nestle Nigeria Limited, Dharnesh Gordhon; Chairman, Mr. David Ifezulike and Company Secretary, Mr. Bode Ayeku, during the 47th Annual General Meeting of the company in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

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N5,000: FG initiates biometric data collation

ederal Government yesterday reiterated its resolve to alleviate poverty across the country with N5,000 using biometrics data collation. Special Advisor, Social Investment, Office of the Vice President, Mrs. Maryam Uwais, said this while speaking at the international conference on “Child Poverty and Social Protection in Western, Central Africa,” in Abuja. The conference focuses on proffering solutions to tackle child poverty, protection to children across the West and Central African region. According to her, government allocated money to assist the poor and is ensuring that communities determine the poor within them for proper interventions.

“For the first time, government has budgeted money for the poor in this country, and first and foremost, we have been given the mandate to develop a credible register of poor people. “So, we are actually going into the communities organising group focused discussions, asking the communities what poverty means to them and we ask them who fits into the parameters they have defined. “When we get all those names, we go back, do the enumeration with Bank Verification Number, BVN, and National Identity Management Commission, NIMC, because we don’t want to create ghost beneficiaries. “We want to get the actual identities, we want them to have an identity number and a

BVN number because we want the banks to pay directly to the beneficiaries this N5,000,” Uwais said. According to her, the government will do unconditional transfers initially and add livelihood support. “In doing unconditional transfers, we target the productive people in a particular family, because when we go back to do the BVN, NIMC and the identity enumeration, we ask questions from each household. “There is a whole list of questions that we ask; for the children we will take pictures, for the adults we take biometrics. “We are setting up mechanisms for payment directly and we are supported by NIMC

and by the banks to go in and ensure that the money goes directly to these people. “These people will be paid in their communities, they will be paid N5,000, and won’t need to travel to the capital to go to a bank branch or go to where an ATM is,” she said. According to her, the banks have to get the monies through the market place down to the beneficiaries. She added that they were starting with 30 per cent of the poverty population of each state, their local governments and then move up to 50 per cent in 2017. Uwais stated that government agencies were supporting the project, adding that they have the resolve to implement it. UNICEF Nigeria, Chief Social Policy Of-

ficer, Mr. Enrique Delamonica, said it was important to reduce child labour and poverty for a better society. He said: “Economic integration can help with reduction of child poverty in countries within the region and having common frame works of social protection also. “It also requires facilitation of labour market integration.” According to him, the government is on the right path to the eradication of child poverty and protection with dialogues, investing in nutrition, among other interventions. He stated that there had been remarkable result in the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, adding that the Sustainable Development Goals would enable the government record

more milestone in child poverty eradication. Nigeria, Ghana, Sierra Leone Country Office Director, International Labour Organisation, ILO, Mr. Dennis Zulu, said a significant number of children across the world and Africa were involved in child labour due to poverty. Zulu said poverty ravaged care givers and guardians of children who compel them to make income for their families. He added that consented efforts needed to be made by governments to ensure that national social protection laws were guaranteed at the national level. The director stated that interventions to tackle child labour and ensure protection required sensitivity of social security system.

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Tuesday, May 25, 2016

$577m foreign airlines fund hangs in Nigeria –IATA Olusegun KOiKi

t has been revealed that the controversial trapped funds of foreign airlines with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, have risen to $577 million as at March, 2016. This is as 22 countries out of 54 in the continent have signed the Solemn Declaration, which would enable intra-connectivity within the continent among its carriers. The Regional Manager, South West Africa, International Air Transport Association, IATA, Mr. Samson Fatokun, disclosed this yesterday in Abuja during a press briefing at the ongoing two-day Aviation Day organised by the association. The foreign airlines have been unable to repatriate the funds earned from the ticket sales in the country since October, 2015 and this had caused lots of crisis in the

airline sub-sector as some of them had threatened to suspend operations into the country while others are thinking of downsizing their employees in the country. However, a source close to one of the foreign carriers confided in our correspondent that most hit by the Federal Government policy are Emirates, British Airways, Delta Air Lines, Air FranceKLM and Kenya Airways. Also, the source said the blocked fund was initially over $700 million, but that the Federal Government had in the past two months released some of the money to the affected airlines. Besides, Fatokun explained that IATA together with foreign airlines were engaging the Federal Government to ensure the release of the funds, stressing that about a month ago, it held a meeting with the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osibajo, and other govern-

ment officials where they were assured that the funds would be released to them soon. Fatokun further informed that the $577 million trapped in Nigeria was the highest in the continent, but emphasized that Venezuela had the highest number of blocked funds in the world at $3.5 billion. He said: “The funds we are talking about does not belong to foreign airlines alone as it equally affects Nigerian carriers. As at today, Nigerian carriers are not able to assess dollars for procurement of spare parts and

maintenance of their aircraft abroad among others. “However, Nigeria remains the highest in the continent with blocked funds. But, the government has assured us that the controversy surrounding the funds would be resolved very soon and we are believing them for that.” Also speaking at the occasion, the Secretary-General of the African Civil Commission, AFCAC, Miss Iyabo Sosina, disclosed that 22 countries out of 54 in the continent had signed the solemn declaration, which would promote intra-con-

nectivity within the continent. The Solemn Declaration is propelled by African Civil Aviation. Sosina said that African Union, AU, had set a deadline of December 2017 for the commencement of the policy in the continent. She explained that when the policy becomes operational, airlines from the continent would make more revenues while more passengers would be attracted to the continent for flight operations. She insisted that AFCAC would continue to promote single airspace for the con-

tinent in order to boost productivity and revenues. Besides, the Vice President, Africa for IATA, Mr. Raphael Kuuchi, said that opening up of the African continent for its carriers had significant benefits for the airlines, but noted that there are resistances from some carriers in Africa. “There are some resistances from some carriers, but the issue is that they are not policy makers. Governments are those to implement the policy. If the states are committed to opening up of the airspace, the airlines would not be able to kick against it.”

Why Nigerians scramble for police job –FCT police boss Marcus FatunMOle ABUJA

CT Commissioner of Police, Wilson Inalegwu, yesterday disagreed with the argument that unemployment drives teeming youths in the country to join the nation’s police force. While fielding questions from our correspondent after an award conferred on one of the security aides to the FCT Minister, Mohammad Bello, in Abuja, the police boss said youths in the country had seen the force as a good career for any citizen, and had acknowledged the need to give back to their society by serving in the force. Inalegwu said the applicants had gone beyond about 800,000 earlier reported to over a million. His words: “I think a lot of people have come to see that the police service is a career they should take, because how else can you give back to the society that has given you so much? There are people who want to serve. I see the high num-

ber as a demonstration of desire of young Nigerians to take a career in the force. Let me ask you, you receive a distress call. Somebody is in distress, somebody is being attacked. It would be recalled that the Federal Government, through the Police Service Commission, led by former Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro, announced injection of fresh 10,000 officers into the force earlier this year, culminating in opening of recruitment portal for the exercise by the commission on April 1 this year. The application ended last Friday. There has been no recruitment into the force in the past five years. Government seeks to replace retired officers and personnel the force has lost within the period. Current application is historic in the country, as popular opinions agree with the fact that many applicants would not show interest in the force if the current recruitment exercise took place a decade ago.

L-R: Founder, Coalition Against Corrupt Leaders (CACOL), Comrade Debo Adeniran; Minister of State for Petroleum, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu and Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, at the Ministers interaction Session with Professionals and Civil Society Groups in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

Synagogue: Absence of witness statements stall trial

he trial of two engineers charged with gross negligence in the collapsed sevenstorey guest house of the Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, took a new twist on Monday as a prosecution witness, Mr Adebayo Olayinka, was prevented from giving evidence. Olayinka was prevented from giving evidence because his witness statement was not frontloaded before the court by the prosecution. Akinbela Fatiregun and Oladele Ogundeji alongside their companies, Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company and Jandy Trust Limited and the trustees of SCOAN are facing a 111-count charge of gross negligence and criminal manslaughter. The September 12, 2014 collapse of the guest house

caused the death of 116 persons, 85 of whom were South Africans. Mr Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, the defence lawyer, who represented the trustees of SCOAN while objecting said:”In the list of eight witnesses being brought before the court by the state, only three witnesses have their statements frontloaded. “The statement of this witness was not frontloaded by the prosecution and as a result, we cannot proceed with the witness because his statement is not in the proof of evidence.” Mrs Idowu Alakija, the Director of Public Prosecutions, DPP, however, objected to Fagbemi’s submission. She said: “The fact that the statement of a witness is not in the proof of evidence does not preclude him from giving evidence

as was held in the case of Fashe vs the State. “The statement of the witness here is as an expert witness as is contained in Sections 183 and 197 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.” Lawyer to Hardrock Construction and Engineering Company, Mr E.L Akpofure (SAN), said frontloading was needed to be done to ensure that the defence prepared adequately for cross-examination. “The prosecution should file additional proof of evidence because we need to be abreast of the evidence the witness is going to give to enable us prepare adequately for cross-examination. “Your Lordship should stall his testimony temporarily until additional proof of evidence is filed by the DPP,’’ Akpofure said. Mrs Titi Akinlawon

(SAN), lawyer to Fatiregun said the information before the court should contain proof of evidence. “The prosecution has failed to comply with the provisions of Section 251 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law.” Mr Olalekan Ojo, counsel to Ogundeji, in his submission, added that; “the substance of our objections are that the defendants are to be tried on an incomplete information. “According to Olowo v the State, no defendant should be tried on incomplete information.” In his ruling, Justice Lateef Lawal-Akapo obliged the defence and ordered that the prosecution should frontload all their witnesses’ statement before the next date of adjournment. The case was adjourned to June 1 and June 3 for continuation of trial.

South West

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ekiti enlists local hunters' support in fight against herdsmen

...bans cattle rearing

abiodun nejo EDO EKITI

L-R: CEO, Studio Press Ltd, Mr Roger Sherlow; Author of the Book titled "Thanksliving" Elder Michael Ayodeji Oni and an eminent Consultant, Mr Kola Ogunsanya at the Book Presentation in Lagos, recently.

Buhari assures Nigerians on economic recovery

…unveils N1.8bn security equipment in Lagos Francis suberu

he biting economic situation in Nigeria may soon be a thing of the past, following President Muhammadu Buhari’s assurance that measures are on top gear to put the country’s economy on recovery path. The president who was on a two-day working visit to Lagos State on Monday, said the presidency is aware of the prevailing hardship in the land, but added that; “these difficulties are sign of great future. This country is going high and is going to be a great nation indeed.” Buhari who was represented by Vice President Yemi Osinbanjo said a lot has happened in the past that is causing the hardship that is presently being experienced in country, but noted that everyone must be prepared to ensure that we gets out of economic doldrums. As part of his working visit which commenced yesterday, President Buhari, who was received by Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State, along with the Minister for Power, Works, and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, Kebbi State Governor, Alhaji Atiku Bagudua and members of the State Executive Council; commis-

sioned security vehicles and equipment to support the Nigeria Police. The equipment were presented by state government at the Tafawa Balewa Square, TBS, as part of activities to mark the one-day official visit. The Vice President had earlier commissioned the newly built Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, LASEMA, Rescue Unit at Cappa, Oshodi and Ago Palace Way in Okota on behalf of the president. The president while expatiating on the Federal Government's N500 billion social investment plan as part of measure to tackle the myriads economic problems confronting the country as well as provide palliative to citizenry, said the investment plan will address the challenges of unemployment, industries, manufacturing, agriculture, among others. According to him, there were plans to create 500,000 employment opportunities for graduates with another 370,000 for non-graduates. He said besides, there would be provision of microloan facilities for market women, using associations. Dwelling on the physical absence of the President, Osinbajo assured that Buhari would personally visit

Lagos immediately after the Ramadan, “The President put Lagosians in high esteem.” Buhari lamented the neglect of Lagos for the past 16 years, assuring that the Federal Government was more than ready to give total support for the state in every way. The president stressed that Lagos deserves more benefit from the federal government being the economic hub of Nigeria, commending the landmark achievements of Ambode in the last one year. He assured that the Federal Government will soon

embark on infrastructural assistance in the state with specific focus on rail and road construction which is included in the 30 percent infrastructural development plans, citing the Lagos-Calabar and Kano rail routes and completion of the ongoing construction of LagosIbadan Expressway as part of the projects. Earlier, Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, expressed his administration’s commitment to the protection of life and property, urging security personnel to continue their good work by making Lagos safer for all and sundry.

ollowing last Friday's invasion of Oke Ako in the Ikole Council area of Ekiti State by suspected herdsmen, Ekiti State Government yesterday, enlisted the support of local hunters to tame the rampaging herdsmen. The state governor, who spoke while addressing local hunters in Oke Ako in Ikole Council Area of the state where suspected herdsmen killed two residents and injured four others during a night invasion last Friday, promised N2.5 million contribution to the hunters to strengthen them. The governor told the hunters: "Before leaving you today, I will raise for you (hunters) N2.5million, Secondly, I will raise N2.5million again for the affected families". "I want to say it very clearly, everything you want me to do, I will do. Because the moment you are not secured then I had better resigned as a governor. "If I cannot provide adequate security for you, it is better for me to leave this office. The only reason you voted for me is because you know I am competent to do the needful in circumstances like this. Nobody will take Ekiti away from us. "This killing of our people must stop. It is deliberate and we must take all actions to stop it. "When they defeat you they will go to the next community, when they defeat that community they will go to another one, this is Ekiti Parapo war and it must be

No alternative to diversification of economy —Amosun rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

gun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, yesterday said that there was no alternative to diversification of the economy if the nation would make progress and record meaningful development. Amosun spoke with State House Correspondents after meeting with President Muhmammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa. According to him, ev-

erybody believed that that there was no alternative except for diversification, stressing that even before the dwindling revenue from oil, the issue of diversification has been considered as the way to increase revenue. He explained that Ogun State identified that the three key areas to focus on would include agriculture, environment and transportation. “We realise that the only way to go is to diversify into agriculture, it will employ our people,

it will create wealth for them" “Those nation that have got it right, if you see them, you will discover that they have their cottage industries, they are the enablers, that's why we believe that once we zero in on these three key areas of course, we will get it right,” Amosun stated. He said with the Investment Forum recently held in the state, Ogun State would be the industrial hub of the country in the next two years.

fought in the totality of our spirit. I stand by you, I stand for you and that is why you elected me at a time like this. I will not disappoint you. "Like I said earlier, you want a Pick Up van, today, today, I will give you a Pick Up van. "Let it be said, those people behind this herdsmen, we'll defeat you, we will defeat you. Enough of this political herdsmen operating as herdsmen, but are Boko Haram, they are coming into South West gradually,we are going to fight you,’’ he said. The governor, who told the people that grazing and rearing of cattle in the state had been banned, advised farmers interested in cattle farming to get their private ranch. He said the state government would henceforth confiscate any cattle seen anywhere in the state apart from ranch created for them by their owners. The governor disclosed that a bill to make movement of cattle from one location to another criminal in the state would soon be sent to the Ekiti State House of Assembly. The governor said: “We will not leave our lands for Fulani herdsmen and in a system where the leadership of the country looks the other way while our people are being killed, we will have no option than to defend ourselves by whatever means. “I have come here to commiserate with the people of Oke-Ako over the murder of two of our people by the Fulani herdsmen. “I am also here to assure that this will be the last time your community will be invaded by Fulani herdsmen under whatever guise. “I have directed that cattle rearing and grazing should stop in Ekiti State and those interested in cattle farming should henceforth do so in their own cattle ranch. “If President Muhammadu Buhari, who is the patron of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, has refused to call the herdsmen to order, we in Ekiti will no longer harbour herdsmen who go about killing our people, destroying our farmlands and raping our women. “It is our duty to protect our people and we are going to do that without fear or favour," he said.

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South West

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Man, 82, hangs self in Ondo

ojo oyeWAmide AKURE

n aged man, Adegoke Oriola, has committed suicide inside his bedroom at 45, Ayeyemi Street, Ondo, headquarters of Ondo West Local Government Area of Ondo State. The 82-year-old man was said to have hung himself

on a ceiling fan with a rope inside his room. It was learnt that the dangling body of the octogenarian was discovered by one of his daughters, Taye Adegoke, on Sunday morning. Taye who was said to be living with her late father in the same house, reportedly forced her way into the room when she could not

hear from the deceased. It was gathered that the late Oriola's corpse has been removed for burial in line with the traditions and culture of the people of the area. A police source said no suicide note was found in the room where the man hanged himself. A family source disclosed that the old man may have

taken his life because all efforts to heal her sick daughter failed after spending all his money. Residents of the area described the late octogenarian as a gentle and easygoing man. Divisional Police Officer in charge of Enuowa Division, Kunle Omisakin, confirmed the incident, describing it as unfortunate.

Most Ekiti civil servants shun resumption directive Abiodun nejo ADO EKITI

ost civil servants in Ekiti State failed to resume work yesterday despite a directive by the national secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to that effect. The workers have stayed away from their offices since commencement of the strike over fuel price hike last Wednesday. Although the workers under the aegis of the NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiating Council, JNC, are warming up for industrial action over nonpayment of deductions from their salaries for December last year, no other reason could be adduced for their action yesterday. Only a few of them reported for work as most offices

remained desolate. It would be recalled that labour in the state had last Monday handed down an ultimatum to pay workers' salary arrears and deductions. NLC state chairman, Mr. Ade Adesanmi, his counterpart in TUC, Mr. Odunayo Adesoye as well as JNC secretary, Mr. Oladele Blessing, had last week jointly signed a statement, asking the state government to pay the outstanding claims to their members or face industrial action. Adesanmi had last weekend clarified that the unions would begin to press for the outstanding claims immediately NLC suspends its nationwide strike. He added yesterday that leadership of labour in the state would meet today to review the development and brief workers accordingly.

OBJ warns against genital mutilation Kemi olAitAn IBADAN

L-R: Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale; representative of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr Femi Majekodunmi; facilitator, Chief Abiola Ogundokun, and a guest lecturer, Dr Comfort Momoh, during a Summit on Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation organised for Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria, in Ibadan yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

N630m theft: Court assumes jurisdiction to hear charge against Tarfaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s client WAle igbintAde

ustice Oluwatoyin Taiwo of Lagos State High Court yesterday dismissed an application filed by Gnanhoe Sourou Nazaire and Senou Modeste Finagnon, both citizens of the Republic of Benin, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the charge filed against them by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. The defendants are standing trial for allegedly defrauding one Rachidatou Abdou and her company of N630 million. Upon their arraignment on February 17, they pleaded not guilty to the charge and subsequently filed an application through their lawyer, Mr. Rickey Tarfa (SAN), asking the court to quash the charge preferred against them on the ground that it lacks jurisdiction to hear the matter. The defendants also al-

leged that the charge was incompetent and that the EFCC was prosecuting them without any valid petition. But, dismissing the application, Justice Taiwo held that the Lagos High Court has jurisdiction to hear the matter and that the charge did not fall under the Companies and Allied Matters Act. "I believe the high court is endowed with jurisdiction to enter the matter," the court held. On whether the EFCC has power to initiate the charge against the defendants, the court held that the commission received a valid petition from the complainant, alleging conspiracy and stealing against the defendants. "The stealing of company fund falls within the jurisdiction of the EFCC. The combine effects of sections 6 (b) and 46 of the EFCC Act give it power to entertain the petition

written against the defendants," Justice Taiwo held. One whether the charge is an abuse of court process, the court held: "The fact that the defendants have been arraigned before a sister court does not make the present case an abuse of court process. However, it would have been better and neater for the two cases to be before a single judge instead of lawyers shuttling from one court to another." EFCC counsel, Rotimi Oyedepo, had in an 11-paragraph counter-affidavit, asked the court to assume jurisdiction and hear the matter. Oyedepo stated that most of the averments contained in the first and second defendantsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; application are false. He said the commission does not need a petition to prosecute a matter even though it received a petition from one Rachidatou Abdou through the law firm of Falana & Falana against the

defendants. On the competence of the charge, the prosecuting counsel submitted that upon receipt of the petition, the commission assigned a team of investigators to investigate the case and that investigation revealed that the defendants conspired to commit felony, forgery and stealing. Oyedepo also told the court to dismiss the submission of the defendant as the commission is a Federal Government agency statutorily empowered to prosecute cases of this nature. He added that the office of the Attorney General of Lagos State had through a fiat conceded its prosecutorial powers to the commission to prosecute economic and financial crime-related offences in the state. The defendants are facing a seven-count charge of alleged forgery, stealing and conversion of funds. The matter has been adjourned till June 27 for trial.

ormer President Olusegun Obasanjo yesterday, in Ibadan, raised alarm over the evil effects of female genital mutilation, FGM, stating that over 200 million girls and women are affected in Africa, Middle East and Asia. Chief Obasanjo who raised the alarm while delivering a keynote address at a oneday international summit on FGM held at the ancient Mapo Hall, urged members of the Circumcision Descendants Association of Nigeria, CDAN, who are responsible for the act to have a rethink. Represented at the occasion by Dr. Femi Majekodunmi, he said the consequences of female genital mutilation far outweigh the cultural value attached to it. According to him, the act has been declared as a violation of human rights by the World Health Organisation, noting that the dangerous effects of the practice include severe pain, excessive bleeding, infections and tetanus, genital tissue swelling, urinary problems, shock, infertility and sexual problems, among others. He said: "The medical implications of FGM are various and far-reaching. A new study by the WHO shows that women who had FGM were likely to experience difficulties during childbirth and complica-

tions in their babies. "Apart from the medical implications, there are sociopsychological implications which leave the women scared for life. Some of these later life complications include barrenness, ostracisation, depression and misery." Grand patron and chairman, board of trustees of CDAN, High Chief Abiola Ogundokun, while assuring that his members would stop the practice, said the National Demographic Health Survey indicates that the act is much higher in the South West, South East and South South zones with Osun State having a prevalence rate of 77 per cent. He however advised government to consider the need to support members of the association whose source of livelihood is being taken from them, through provision of alternative sources of income to alleviate the possible economic effect that may affect them. He assured that if this is done, CDAN would put a stop to female genital mutilation. "We should mobilise community stakeholders like circumcisers to support the campaign for the eradication of the practice in the six states of the South West zone. Also, wives of governors and commissioners of Ministry of Women Affairs and Ministry of Health should spearhead the campaign in their states," he said.

South East

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

18 die in Abia multiple auto crash IfeanyI ashIkodI

t was a bloody Sunday as multiple auto crashes kills 18 persons with 10 others in critical condition and receiving treatment at the Federal Medical Centre and Madonna Catholic Hospital, Umuahia. The first accident happened around 11.20am at Ofeme, Umuahia axis along Enugu Port Harcourt road, the vehicle belonging to Peace Mass Transit was carrying 16 passengers including a 5 years old child, mostly youths heading to Enugu. The vehicle was said to have collided with an oncoming MAN Diesel truck with 14 persons killed on the spot while one person later died at FMC, Umuahia, the only survivor is said to be responding to treatment while the bodies of those that died was said to have been deposited at the mortuary. The second crash according to source, happened around 10am on Sunday. It involved a commercial vehicle from Akwa Ibom traveling to Lagos and a mini bus on town service at Umugbalu community Ikwuano, along Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene road, a 6-year-boy died on the spot while two others later died at Madonna Hospital with 8 others receiving treatment at the hospital. A sympathizer, who took the patients to the hospital, said they had earlier gone to five different hospitals and were turned back because of strike while thanking Madonna Hospital for receiving the patients who were in a critical condition. He attributed the crash to the early morning rain and over speeding. Addressing the press in

her office on Monday, the Sector Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission, Abia State, Mrs Stella Uchegbu, confirmed the death of 13 persons including a 5-year-old child, said not too long the accident happened at Ofeme, the command received a distress call and immediately his men rushed to the scene for rescue opperation. She revealed that the accident was a head-on-collusion involving a Peace Mass Transit and a truck along Enugu -Port Harcourt road. Uchegbu maintained that due to road construction, one lane of the road was closed leaving one lane open for vehicles going and coming. She added that the MAN Deisel was carrying yams, heading to Port Harcourt, while the Peace Mass Transit was carrying passengers mostly youths heading to Enugu. The Sector Commander noted that 13 persons died on the spot while two others are receiving treatment at FMC, Umuahia. She maintained that after the crash, the commission has pt machinery in motion to ascertain immediate cause. "We discovered there was a broken truck with chippings parked at the left side of the lane, we suspected that the truck lost bearing and when he suddenly saw the parked truck, the driver tried to avoid it and in the process collided with the Peace Mass Transit.' Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Onyeke Udeviotu, confirmed that 15 persons died at Ofeme accident, he said 13 died at the spot, two later died at FMC while the third person is still receiving treatment

Enugu allocates 750 hectares of land for commercial agriculture

nugu State Government has allocated 750 hectares of arable land for commercial agriculture for youths and women in the state, Mr Michael Eneh, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Natural Resources has said. The commissioner made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, on Monday in Enugu. He listed the communities to include Ogbeke, 50 hect-

ares; Oduma 50 hectares; Ogulogu 100 hectares; Akpugo-Eze 50; Owo 50 hectares and Nnewe 100 hectares. Others are: Ikem 50 hectares; Agkuibeje 50 hectares; Oghu 50 hectares; Eha Amufu 100 hectares; Obimo 50 hectares and Amangunze 50 hectares. Eneh also disclosed that the state government had purchased 20 tractors with complete sets of equipment for each of the tractors at the total cost of N175.3 million.

L-R: Member, House Committee on Industries, Mr. Emmanuel Akpan; Chairman of the Committee, Alhaji Abubakar Moriki; Managing Director, Hortigraph Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Murtala Abubakar and Acting Director-General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Dr Paul Angga, during an inspection tour of National Meteorology Institute in Enugu, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Okorocha threatens to sack striking IMSU lecturers …denies diverting N26bn bailout fund

ChRIs njoku OWERRI

mo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, has threatened to sack all striking Imo State University, IMSU, lecturers if they failed to resume work. The university lecturers had been on strike for over a month now, due to the non payment of their salaries by the state government for three months. However, the governor while fielding questions from journalists in Owerri,

Raymond nnoRuka AWKA

atholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, His Lordship Most Reverend Paulinus Ezeokafor, has described herdsmen attack on Ndigbo and wanton destruction of their farmlands as a great danger facing the nation which may snowball into another insurgency if not checked. Bishop Ezeokafor, who stated this yesterday at Saint Patrick Cathedral Awka, joined other Nigerians to condemn the menace of herdsmen attacks which had left scores of people dead and property destroyed. His words: “The latest being the heinous murder of over 40 Nigerians in cold blood in Enugu State. We are worried that the Federal

the state capital yesterday, insisted that he is owing the striking lecturers only one month salary, but he agreed that he had an outstanding N1.2 billion out which he had earlier paid N600 million. He described the action of the lecturers as cheap blackmail, adding that the lecturers had asked him as part of their demands to review or cancel outright the free education programme. “ASUU is toying with the future of our children. This is unfair.” Okorocha therefore

warned the lecturers to immediately return to the classroom or be sacked. “If they continue with the strike I have no other choice than to concession the university and sack the lecturers.” On workers’ welfare, Governor Okorocha foreclosed any further negotiation with the civil servants who are now finding it difficult to meet 100 per cent payment of their monthly salaries. “I have concluded with the organised labour when they negotiated 70-30 per cent. They agreed to use 70

per cent to pay their salaries while I use 30 per cent to fund the projects I have embarked up, there is nothing again I can do,” he stated. The governor also debunked the rumour that he diverted the N26 billion bailout fund to other purposes, adding that the money was used to pay workers salaries. “But after payment, we had excess part of which we used to pay loans; however, we got the approval of the House of Assembly to use the money for other pressing needs. We did not divert the money,’’ he explained.

Herdsmen attacks on farmers dangerous, Catholic bishop

…opposes grazing bill Government seems to have maintained indifference to the wanton killings going on across the country against the provisions of the constitution. “The Federal Government has a duty to protect life and property of every citizens of Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari should take urgent action to restore the sense of people of Nigeria. “They should ensure that they device means and ways to protect the lives of their citizens and property against these attackers, who are ram-

paging everywhere. 'I equally call on our brothers in the National Assembly to stand up and speak out on what is going on now so that they can be seen as true representatives of their people “I believe that given the fact that Nigeria is threading on the path of disintegration if the issue of herdsmen is not well handled, let them implement the 2014 CONFAB report which provided solutions to most of the problems confronting Nigerians including the issues of the herdsmen “Members of the State

House of Assembly and the state government must take every possible step to ensure that the security of life and property enjoyed in Anambra State is not thwarted by those hoodlums.” The cleric maintained that the purported Grazing Bill before the National Assembly is malicious and worrisome, noting that no sincere government would pass such lopsided bill. He therefore, urged the country’s lawmakers to bring about bills that would improve the lot of the people and not the other way round.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

News

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

How Badeh acquired N650m plot of land for shopping mall —Witness Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

L-R: Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olonishakin (l), presenting souvenir to Rivers State Governor Nyesom wike during the visit of Service Chiefs to the Governor in Port Harcourt yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Jonathan paid Metuh N400m because of APC bashing —Witness Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

arrister Antony Okeke, fourth defence in the ongoing trial of the embattled national publicity secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday told a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja that former President Goodluck Jonathan’s image was battered by the then opposition All Progressives Congress, APC’s “smear campaign.” Okeke, a lawyer and a former acting national publicity secretary of the PDP, who handed over to Metuh in September 2013, told the court at the resumed trial that it was not surprising for him to learn that N400 million was authorised by former President Jonathan to counter the opposition’s campaign. According to him, the opposition party’s campaign dealt a great blow on Jonathan’s image so much that a number of consultants was needed to change public perception about the former President ahead of the 2015 presidential election. Okeke who was led in evidence by Metuh’s lawyer, Onyechi Kpeazu (SAN), and later cross-examined by Destra’s lawyer, Tochukwu Nwugbufor (SAN), said in his evidence that Jonathan’s image had a lot of issue that needed to be clarified.

He also told the court that funds raised by individuals for the purpose of the campaign were paid directly to former President and that he was responsible for the disbursement of the funds. Under cross-examination by Nwugbufor, the witness said no fund was passed to him when he took the office of acting national publicity secretary of the party on June 20, 2013 and did not pass any to Metuh by the time he (Okeke) handed over to Metuh in September of the same year. The witness described Metuh as a man who had “an unrivalled passion for his job.” He said Metuh “was so determined to make a success in his job as the national publicity secretary of the party.”

On his part, the defence counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, did not cross-examine the witness. After Okeke was discharged from the witness box, the defence called the fifth witness, Mr. Richard Ihediwa. Ihediwa, a journalist, narrated how he was appointed by Metuh as his special assistant in January 2013, and that the major challenge was the fact that the image of the PDP was at a very low ebb and the onus was on Metuh and anybody that worked with him to bring up the image of the party. He was stopped by the judge midway in his testimony following an application filed by Metuh, praying the court for the release of his international passport to enable him travel

to the United Kingdom to treat himself of an undisclosed ailment. Metuh's counsel, Ikpeazu, while moving the application prayed the court to grant the application, saying it has inherent powers to grant the application. Prosecution counsel, Mr. Sylvanus Tahir, who strongly opposed the application for the release of Metuh's passport said even though the court has jurisdiction to grant the prayers of the defence, the prayers were not properly made. The trial judge, Justice Okon Abang, after listening to both submissions adjourned to May, 25, 2016 to rule on whether or not to grant the application. He also adjourned the trial to today for the witness to continue with his testimony.

he fourth prosecution witness in the ongoing trial of former Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal Badeh (rtd), before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday, gave a vivid account of how Badeh acquired a N650 million plot of land in Abuja for the construction of a shopping mall. The witness, Mr. Mustapha Yerima, a contractor and the fourth prosecution witness, also told Justice Abang, how he helped the Air Force boss to build the shopping mall on the land located along Aminu Kano Crescent, Abuja. The witness said: "I am a contractor - Life Builders Technology Limited. I do partnership with other companies. But I am the managing director of Life Builders.” Yerima who was led in evidence by the prosecuting counsel, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), told the court that the land acquired by Badeh for the purpose of building the shopping mall was originally owned by Ayodele Fayose (suspected to be the Ekiti State governor). He added that Badeh eventually acquired the land from a third buyer. Yerima said he reached a bargain with Badeh to build the mall for N1.2bn. "A former director of finance and account of the Nigerian Air Force, Air Commodore Aliyu Yushau (rtd), who had earlier testified as the first prosecution witness (PW1), was the middle man between myself and Badeh," he added.

It would be recalled that Yushau had testified about how he was handing over the dollar equivalent of the N558.2m to Badeh at the Chief of Air Staff’s official residence on monthly basis and also how he helped Badeh to use the money to acquire landed assets in Abuja. Yerima who narrated his own account of the bargain said: "I received N340m as mobilisation for the job. "I also received about N860m directly from the account of the Nigerian Air Force as part of the payment for the construction of the mall. I was also paid N650 million for the land in cash on behalf of Yushau who was allegedly acting for his boss." Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, is prosecuting Badeh alongside a firm, Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, on 10 counts charge of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn from the Nigerian Air Force’s account. The anti-graft agency accused Badeh of using the fund to buy and develop landed assets in Abuja for himself and his two sons between January and December 2013.

Badeh

FG praises NLC for suspending strike

ederal Government has praised the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, for suspending its fiveday-old strike. It would be recalled that the Ayuba Wabba-led NLC had embarked on a nationwide strike on May 18 to protest government's decision to increase the pump price of petrol from N86.50 to N145.00. Minister for Information, Culture and Tourism, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who gave

the commendation on the sideline of an interactive session with Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, in Lagos yesterday, said the suspension of the strike was a win situation for Nigeria. “Nigeria has won, and I want to take this opportunity to thank the NLC for reconsidering its position and agreeing to join us in negotiation. “So, it is not who has won, but (it is) Nigeria that has

won,” he said. He expressed Federal Government‘s commitment to actualising its change agenda through sustained communication between it and Nigerians. According to him, stakeholders’ meetings would further enhance information flow between government and the citizenry. “There is nothing like the government continuously engaging the people;

you notice that we started this about a month or so ago when we started with our town hall meetings. “We started in Lagos, moved to Kaduna; we will be in Kano on Friday. “We have also been meeting with sectoral groups; we've met with the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria; we are going to meet with the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission. “I believe that it is the be-

ginning of trying to bridge the gap between the governed and the government and it is extremely fruitful. “We've heard you, and learnt a lot as well; but more important is that we've been able to explain to you why certain actions were taken,” he added. The minister further said his ministry would hold quarterly meetings with the CSOs in order to engage Nigerians on national issues.

North

Tuesday, May 24, 2014

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Boko Haram: Shekau’s aide kills top bomb maker InUSA nDAhI AnD UBOng UkpOng

igerian Army said a chief bomb maker and highranking terrorist of the Boko Haram insurgency group, was yesterday shot dead by his colleague and an aide to the terrorists’ leader, Abubakar Shekau. Director of Army Public Relations, DAPR, Colonel Sani Usman, who disclosed this during an operational update, said another terrorist kingpin also went blind. The Army spokesman said the chief bomb maker, apart from his high status in the command structure of the Boko Haram terrorists, was one of their capable hands involved in making Improvised Explo-

• Navy to set up operational base in Lake Chad

sive Devices, IEDs, coming after their chief scientist called Abu RPG, who Usman said has been killed long ago. “The chief bomb maker was killed by one of the body guard of the Boko Haram terrorists leader, Abubakar Shekau, as he was about to run away just like several others are doing because of the intensity of ‘Operation Crackdown’. “In a related development, one Julelebeeb who was appointed to take over is now completely blind because his two eyes were shattered by shrapnel in the process of preparing an IED to consolidate his appointment.” Usman said there is no doubt that this development has dealt a devastat-

Court orders FG to allow Dasuki access to lawyers DOOSUUR IWAMBE ABUJA

ustice Husain Baba Yusuf of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory sitting in Maitama, yesterday ordered the Federal Government to allow the detained former National Security Adviser, NSA, Col. Muhammed Sambo Dasuki (rtd) access to, and brief his lawyers at a neutral place instead of the premises of the DSS headquarters in Abuja. Justice Baba Yusuf who overruled the Federal Government in its decision to confine Dasuki to the premises of the DSS, ordered that the ex-NSA be allowed access to, and brief his lawyers at a neutral place instead of the premises of the DSS headquarters in Abuja to enable him prepare adequately for his defence in the trial. He directed that Dasuki should be allowed by the DSS operatives access to his lawyers within the premises of the Federal Capital Territory Judiciary Headquarters in Maitama, Abuja, between Monday and Friday this week. The pronouncement of Justice Baba Yusuf followed a complaint by Dasuki’s lawyer, Mr. Adeola Adedipe, that the legal

team of Dasuki had not been allowed to have direct access to him in spite of a court order made on April 6. At the resumed hearing of the case, counsel to the Federal Government, Mr. Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, had told the judge that the case was slated for commencement of trial and that he is fully ready with his witnesses that will testify in the case. However, Adedipe rose and inform the court that he was not ready for any trial because the ruling of April 6 which ordered the DSS to allow them access their client for briefing so as to prepare his defence has not been complied with by the security agency. The counsel claimed that following the April 6 ruling, a letter by Dasuki’s lead counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu, dated April 13 was dispatched to the DSS, requesting for permission to access Dasuki outside the DSS office as contained in the ruling of the court. But Adedipe informed Justice Baba-Yusuf that the prosecution counsel, Mr. Jabobs, replied on April 18 to the effect that access to Dasuki would be granted at a convenient room and unhindered in a special room at the DSS headquarters.

ing blow on the terrorists’ capacity for IED preparation, suicide bombing and their ability to sustain their criminal acts. “We would like to reassure the public that our troops are continuing with the clearance and rescue operations successfully in order to completely clear Boko Haram terrorists wherever they might be hiding,” he stated. Meanwhile, Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Ibok Ekwe Ibas, said to effectively defeat fleeing elements of Boko Haram in the ongoing military crackdown in Sambisa forest, the Nigerian Navy is setting up ‘Operational Base’ along the off shores of Lake Chad Basin area purposely to apprehend terrorists running from their hideouts. The navy boss stated this yesterday when he led

other members of his team on a courtesy call on Governor Kashim Shettima, represented by his deputy, Alhaji Usman Durkwa, at the Government House, Maiduguri. The naval officer said the team was in Borno State to officially launch and inaugurate its 2016 Medical Rhapsody at Dalori Camp II where over 5,000 orphans and widows are hosted as a result of deadly Boko Haram activities. Represented by Chief of Naval Administration, Rear Admiral Obiara Medini said the Chief Naval Staff, officers and men of the command empathise with government and people of the stated for the untold hardship they went through in the last six years of insurgency, and assured that with sustained commitment by military troops and other

security agencies, peace would be restored for millions of internally displaced persons returning to their liberated communities. He said: “In continuation with the preparation for the Nigerian Navy Diamond Jubilee Celebration Medical Rhapsody, the Chief of Naval Staff has chosen Dalori Camp II in Maiduguri as venue for the event this year. “We have had such events in the past in states of Lagos, Adamawa and Abuja FCT, but in view of the untold hardship on the faces of victims of Boko Haram, we consider Borno State to benefit from this gesture. “We are giving IDPs free medical services in camps, drugs, food items, clothing materials and other relief materials as part of our corporate social responsi-

bility and civil relations. “We also want to inform you that the Nigerian Navy has concluded arrangement for the establishment of its operational base in the Lake Chad Basin area purposely to address issues of Boko Haram in our territories,” he stated. Responding, the deputy governor thanked the Navy for identifying with victims of insurgency in the state, particularly now that most IDPs are warming up to return to their liberated communities, and promised that the state government would continue to support the military end the Boko Haram menace. The deputy governor thereafter accompanied the naval team to the Dalori Camp, along MaiduguriBama road and officially flagged of the programme.

Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed (left) during an unscheduled inspection of dilapidated building at the Kwara State Teaching Service Commission premise in Ilorin, yesterday.

Fear of sack grips workers in Kogi as govt releases verification report

ension has gripped workers at both state and local government levels in Kogi State following the release of an interim report of workers’ verification in the state. The workers fear that no fewer than 10,000 of them might have been sacked by the state government. It was learnt in Lokoja yesterday that some workers in the local governments who could not find their names on the lists of genuine staff became apprehensive while others protested. In Lokoja Local Government Area where some 400 workers were affected, the workers blocked the main road in the town and dis-

rupted vehicular and human movement for hours. It took the intervention of a detachment of policemen to disperse them and clear the road of the bonfires they erected. In Okehi and Okene local government areas, workers waited for the list to know their fate. The state government insists that those protesting the interim report were not genuine workers. “The protesters were not civil servants. Some of them who were interrogated by security agents at the scene of the protest could not produce their staff identity cards. “The genuine local government workers that claimed to have been af-

fected by the preliminary report of the screening have been told to channel their problem to the appropriate authority and they have started complying,” a statement said. The statement was signed by the special adviser to the governor on media, Alhaji Abdulkarim Abdulmalik. “It has been confirmed that the motive behind the demonstration is to cause mayhem in the state. “The screening exercise has yielded results and any right thinking persons in the state can attest to it,” the statement added. It warned that anybody caught causing problem under any guise would face

the full wrath of the law. Meanwhile, the state chairman of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Mr. Tom Abutu, has rejected the sack of members of the union. Abutu said the screening committee deviated from its term of reference. He said NULGE and other unions agreed to be part of the screening, based on assurances from the government that its outcome would not lead to retrenchment of workers. Abutu who spoke on phone, said the leadership of organised labour has commenced a meeting to discuss the next line of action.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Politics

Selfishness, greed , problems of Nigerian leaders – Oriire 14

Edo guber: Ogiemwonyi, Agbara pledge to lead with integrity ObiOra iFOh ABUJA

wo governorship aspirants contesting for the ticket of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chris Osa Ogiemwonyi and Mrs. Tina Agbara on Monday expressed their readiness to transform the fortunes of Edo state if given the opportunity to serve. Ogiemwonyi who came to the APC national secretariat in Abuja to purchase nomination form told journalists that he will bring his wealth of experience and integrity to bear on the administration of the state if elected. He also said that his administration will pursue a nine-point development agenda if he emerges winner of the governorship contest in Edo state. According to Ogiemwonyi, what is of paramount importance to the people of Edo state now is how to create jobs for the teeming unemployed youths, adding that under his administration, the youths will be trained and equipped adequately to become useful and economically empowered. He pledged to develop the agricultural potentials in the state. On her part Agbara who stormed the party secretariat with her women supporters said the women have played active role in the formation of the APC. “I looked at our state critically and I have studied the

terrain and have come to know what it takes to govern effectively. Also looking at all the problems facing the state carefully, I believe that I can deliver my people from poverty, under - development and disease, “ she said. She said that before what use to happen was that money bags deploy their resources towards snatching victory in the polls but that all that is now in the past as women are now ready to compete on a level play ground. She pledged to take the state to the next level from where the Comrade governor left it, adding that she has paid her dues in politics, having helped in building many other leaders from the state. Agbara said the idea of leaving only position of Woman leader for the women is no longer tenable because the women are now poised to compete with the men and to contribute in nation- building. She said for her to emerge the APC governorship candidate, she would need the support of men and women, pledging to empower the women economically. “We are looking at the issue of high maternal mortality rate in the state and in order to save the lives of women, we are promising to implement free medical care for women and children. We are also going to make sure that drugs are provided and its use strictly monitored to avoid abuse,” she said.

Newly elected Councillors for Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) taking Oath of Office during their inauguration in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Akeredolu promises to tackle poverty headlong in Ondo Francis suberu

eading gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC in Ondo State, Mr. Rotimi Akeredolu (SAN) has promised to tackle endemic poverty in the state headlong, if given the opportunity to serve as the governor of the state.

CNPP boss urges Ortom to reshuffle cabinet henrY iYOrKase MAKURDI

he Benue State Chairman of Conference for All Nigerian Political Parties, CNPP, Engineer Baba Agan has called on the State Governor, Dr.Samuel Ortom to reshuffle his cabinet with immediate effect. He said the Government top functionaries have displayed ineptitude in the wake of insecurity and other associated crimes ravaging the state and called for the dissolution of the present executives . Agan while speaking to National Mirror yesterday in Makurdi on renewed spate of violence leading to

assassination of innocents citizens in recent times by unidentified assailants as well as resurface broad day robberies and kidnapping described the situation as unfortunate . The CNPP stalwart further charged Ortom to make a quick adjustment into his cabinet by dropping some of them who had exhausted their usefulness in the service and inject fresh blood into the system with a view to giving the cabinet new lease of live . With particular reference he insisted that the Adviser to the Governor on Security Matters Col. Jando Rtd must be dropped saying he is incapacitated adding that under his watch citizens no longer sleeps with two eye closed, saying “a

forthright ago one of the security aides names withheld was murdered in his cold blood which is a slap on the present administration . The CNPP boss also observed that the idea of recycling old brigade politicians by offering them appointments into key sensitive portfolios is rather retarding progress and drifting the state backward.. According to him “These people should borrow a leaf from President Muhammadu Buhari and effect the same method towards tackling insecurity challenges threatening harmonious co-existence and that would be it instead of lamenting over the acrimonies confronting the state .”

The 2012 governorship candidate of the Action Congress of Nigeria, ACN expressed bewilderment on the poverty level in the state, saying considering the state’s huge human and natural resources, the people should have no business with poverty. Akeredolu who made the submission in a statement entitled “My Testament” put together after a comprehensive tour of the 18 Local Government Areas of Ondo State, said poverty and other challenges facing the people of the state will be a thing of the past if elected governor of the state. The APC gubernatorial candidate hopeful noted that his tours to the council areas of the state brought him face to face with stark realities of the challenges being encountered daily by the people of the state. He said in the statement; “We empathize with the downtrodden who live in abject deprivation amidst plenty. We are unable, still, to find any plausible reason for the acute penury which is, regrettably, the

lot of the mass of the people. It will be our duty to confront all these challenges headlong.” The Senior Advocate of Nigeria further noted that there is obvious neglect of the hinterland in terms of infrastructural development in Ondo State; adding that there cannot be real development in the state if this unfortunate trend is not reversed. “The rural-urban drift, which has been the bane of modern states, with all the attendant socio-economic crises, can only be addressed after a massive infrastructural development. Our people deserve a better treatment than what they are getting from the state at present;” he said. Speaking on unemployment, Akeredolu said “We note, during our tour, the potential danger posed by the embarrassing issue of unemployment occasioned by economic adversity. We shall harness these resources for the benefit of the good people of Ondo State.” Akeredolu advised his party men and other APC

gubernatorial aspirants to be united during and after the primaries, saying “our aspiration to serve our people must be collective, as no individual can achieve anything solely. “Individuals must be willing and ready to subordinate personal interests to the collective will. We must eschew bitter recriminations. Our party is greater than any individual and our quest to improve the standard of living of our people must be achievedin-unison;” Akeredolu said.

Akeredolu

Politics

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Selfishness, greed , problems of Nigerian leaders – Oriire, Ekiti Guber aspirant dations, I said every doctor and paramedic should have life and accident insurance cover, everybody, even journalists should have it, because of the risk, to be used as a prompt to ensure our systems are tailored to what happen in a civilized way, best practices. It is unfortunate that fine men like that, brains, hard workers, good people were lost unnecessarily in circumstances that could have been prevented. It is our loss. I call upon the state to give the families what they are due upon on time.

All Progressives Congress, APC chieftain and medical practitioner, Dr Adebayo Oriire, in this chat with journalists, addressed pertinent national issues including the greed among Nigerian leaders and why he is interested in becoming the next Ekiti governor. ABIODUN NEJO was there. Excerpts:

ear of the activities of Fulani is real. In your state, Ekiti, the governor has threatened to poison water to prevent their dastardly acts. How will you react to that? Everybody would go against the unruly attitude of the Fulani herdsmen, but poisoning water is one of the ranting, superficial and empty talks of the governor. There is no way you are going to poison water that people of Ekiti would not drink from it, you don’t know where the herdsmen could go. How many streams are you going to poison?

Some people fault the governor’s criticism of Buhari administration especially on the governor’s letter to Chinese government while some believe he is really playing the opposition role . Any well meaning person would criticize Governor Fayose for going to the extent of felony and treason, going outside the country to incite the world against government. Writing letter to Chinese goverment is the cake of the insult. It is treasonable felony. The governor should have been arrested if not for immunity. In another clime, if a governor goes outside of the country to talk like that, he would be arrested before he comes back. Immunity is our bane in this country. Immunity is not against constitutional matter. The governor has turned against the integrity of this country. He has undercut himself, by destroying what gave him immunity. Immunity doesn’t cover such act, immunity does not rate you above the country that gave you the immunity. Nigerian politicians are fond of abandoning their electoral promises after being elected and focusing on personal gains at the expense of public good. Nigerians are politicians and politicians are Nigerians. There is a Nigerian factor in everything Nigeria which is why we have got ourselves to this pitiable state. All over the world, people have done politics for two reasons - the state and self. But nowhere in the world will anybody be excused for taking his own personal interest above the state interest. Nigerians have to wake up to prioritise public good. If Nigerians have been serving the state more than themselves, the country would be better. How can you imagine a single person stealing billions of naira? What is he going to do with it? But from what President Buhari is doing now, we know we are putting a stop into it and we know it would stop. As a medical practitioner, what lessons do you think the country should learn from the death

Oriire

The issue of zoning is

noT in our consTiTuTion.

AspirAnTs from The souThern senAToriAl DisTricT hAD AlwAys pArTicipATeD in All governorship rAces.

in a road crash along Abuja - Kaduna Road last month of six doctors from your state? The sad occurrence was very unfortunate. I was in Israel on pilgrimage. A truck ran to a stationary truck around 4am, about 15 kilometres away from the nearest village. Ten minutes later, there were about seven different vehicles. The medical, fire, road repair trains, to take care of the victims of the accident in a special way, they carried the patients with special ambulances with all doctors and paramedics. The road was diverted immediately. As at that time, the patient was already undergoing surgery although before we took off, we were phoned that the patient died during surgery. Here is a country where we lost six doctors in a day to bad roads, driving, vehicle, hospital system, medical care, everything. People die all over the world from accident, but the nature of our country is a sad story. If there was help early enough, may be some of them could have survived. That is what happens everywhere in this country, and these boys never had insurance cover. During one of my interviews and recommen-

Ekiti governorship election is still over two years away; many think it is too early to declare intention to aspire. What do you think you can do differently if given the opportunity? Although it is not yet time to come out, I have interest in the governorship position in Ekiti state, because if you look at Ekiti 19-20 years after creation, it still remains a virgin land. No single industry in Ekiti, no mechanised farming, no private enterprise firm that can employ people and pay hundred thousand naira, no good road. Although Governors Niyi Adebayo, Segun Oni and Kayode Fayemi did some job, but we need to take Ekiti away from penal level of livelihood. It is not about doing some roads that would wear out three or four years after leaving office or maintaining civil servants, the way they are not even maintained. We have to take Ekiti to the modern age. This is 2016! An average civil servant is not even proud of him/herself. We can make them proud of themselves, we can pay them as and when due, we can rate their salaries according to their level. Look at Agriculture, even the farm settlements we have 20 years ago now are washed off. We buy pepper and tomato from the North. This is unthinkable. I knew my people as farmers. We were the best producer of Cocoa during the defunct Western Region. But now, we cannot even rate ourselves as one of the producers of Cocoa now. We need to go for industrialization - small scale, medium scale. We are going to take Ekiti from this primary level to an enviable one. We are going to create wealth and labour. But as the much-touted zoning system appears not to be in favour of your Central Senatorial District, what do you think are your chances? My chance derives from my passion for Ekiti. I love Ekiti. I have stayed in Ekiti almost all the days of my life after graduation from school. The issue of zoning is not in our constitution. Aspirants from the Southern Senatorial District had always participated in all governorship races. They were always dropping out in the primary. When we agree for the Northern one, it was everybody from the three senatorial districts that sat down and made the agreement. But this time around, we are not in government. We cannot zone in a situation where we should be looking for the best aspirant to become a candidate. We cannot go and pick somebody living abroad because he has some money to throw around and deceive people because he’s a southerner. The candidate must understand the terrain of Ekiti for good governance. All the APC stakeholders and other well meaning individuals in the party from national level to the state have declared that there is no zoning. My chances are very high because I have what Ekiti wants. I want them to see it from my life history. Am I managing my life, businesses, health, successfully.? Am I a peaceful person? Am I dependable?

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

My govt has created over 17, 000 jobs for Deltans–Okowa Amour udemude AsAbA

overnor Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday disclosed that his administration had been able to create a total of 17,173 private sector jobs for the people of Delta, barely 8 months he assumed office as governor of the state. Governor Okowa who made this disclosure yesterday during a press conference to mark his one year anniversary in office at the press centre of the Government House, Asaba, stated that the figures consists 6,800 direct jobs and 10,373 indirect jobs of both skilled and unskilled workers. “As a Special Purpose Vehicle, the Office of the Chief Job Creation Officer accounted for 7,522 of these jobs while the remaining 9,651 were created through projects, programmes and initiatives implemented through the various MDAs. From May 2015 to April 30, 2016, the sum of N546 million was disbursed to a total number of 3,110 persons within the various micro, small and medium enterprises. They included 2,052 females representing 66% of the loan recipients and 1,058 males representing 34%. The ratio is in compliance with CBN

regulations that 60% of micro credit should go to women. The disbursement cuts across different sectors. “Upon assumption of office, we moved swiftly and decisively to restructure our liabilities and instituted processes and procedures to plug leakages, eliminate wastes and ensure fiscal discipline. The fiscal consolidation measures we put in place have enabled us to achieve a great deal of macro-economic stability while creating the right conditions for us to implement programmes under the S.M.A.R.T agenda. “At the very core of our S.M.A.R.T agenda is job and wealth creation because we realise that the only way to achieve sustainable economic growth is to create new jobs, diversify the economy through the development of non-oil sectors, and provide the enabling environment for enterprises and industries to thrive. In August 2015, we launched the Job and Wealth Creation Scheme with the following programmes viz Youth Agricultural Entrepreneurs Programme (YAGEP), Skills Training and Entrepreneurship Programme (STEP), and Production and Processing Support Programme (PPSP).” “With enhanced funding and

strong corporate governance culture in place, the Delta State Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Agency is poised for more effective and efficient service delivery to actualise the administration’s goal of bringing prosperity to all Deltans,” Okowa stated. According to the governor, the current economic crunch has adversely affected his dreams for Deltans but however, God on his side, his administration would not disappoint the people. “Our monthly revenue both from

the Federation Account and Internally Generated Revenue had dipped significantly. The non-oil sector of the economy remained largely untapped. The level of youth unemployment was troubling, posing a clear and present danger to the socio-political stability of the state. Our credit was in bad shape, and the financial system was at best, shaky and at worst, perilous. Indeed, our promise of prosperity for all Deltans seemed illusory. “Had we not taken the steps we took, our financial system would

have been on the verge of collapse by now. The global price of oil has continued to tumble, the naira has substantially weakened against the dollar, and recent security challenges in the Niger Delta region have combined to compound our national economic woes. Yet despite the prevailing harsh economic reality, I am pleased to announce that we have made steady – and remarkable – progress in the fulfillment of our campaign promises,” the governor said.

800 benefit from Navy Medical Rhapsody in C’River richArd NdomA CAlAbAr

ver 800 people residing in Ugep Community,Yakurr Local Government Area in Cross River State, yesterday benefited from the free medical treatment initiated by the Nigeria Navy to kick out diseases in the nation`s vulnerable society. Speaking while declaring open, the Nigeria Navy Diamond Jubilee Celebration Medical Rhapsody which took place at the Ugep Local Government Quest House in Yakurr, the Flag Officer Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral James Oluwole, who was represented by Commodore Tanko Pani stated that the medical rhapsody was part of the landmark event organised by Navy whereby certain communities were being earmarked for medical attention to strengthen the Nigerian Navy civil relationship. Activities carried out by the Navy to mark the medical rhapsody includes high blood pressure checks, diabetics screening, malaria test and treatment, deworming, health talk, eye check and offering of recommended eye glasses. The FOC stated that apart from the eye glasses being given to people with eye defects that could be corrected with concave and convex lenses residents with very severe eyes defects like cataract and opacity will

have to undergo surgery adding that the medical rhapsody was simultaneously being carried out in Cross River and Borno State to alleviate the suffering of the people. Earlier, the monarch of the Yakurr nation, Obol Opon of Ugep, Obol Ofem Ubana Eteng, thanked the Navy for bringing the medical outreach to his kingdom adding that that had never happened before in Yakurr. “I am amazed that the Navy brought this programme to my doorstep and kingdom. Diseases which could have cost my people a fortune or killed them because I didn’t have money to treatment, especially diseases like cataract which is going to be operated for free of charge,” the monarch maintained. One of the beneficiaries, Mr. Okar Eteng Effiom, said he was so happy for the medical outreach, lauding the Navy for choosing Ugep as a target area for the medical outreach. Effiom urged the Navy not to hesitate coming to Ugep for more of such programme so as to help alleviate the sufferings of the Yakurr people. He added that the intervention of the Navy was timely and a welcome development. Those who benefited from the programme included traditional rulers, market women, youths, physically challenge and visually impaired persons.

L-R: Registrar, Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON), Alhaji Garba Kankarofi; Chairman, Board of Association of Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN), Mr. Ayo Owoborode and Akwa Ibom State governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel, at the 43rd Annual General Meeting of AAAN in Uyo, at the weekend.

Police decorate 43 with new ranks in C’River richArd NdomA CAlAbAr

he Cross River State Police Command, yesterday in Calabar, decorated forty three officers who were newly promoted by the police command. Speaking at the Cross River State Command headquarters, Diamond Hill, Calabar, the state Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr. Henry Fadairo, commended the Inspector General of Police, IGP Solomon Arase, for finding the officers worthy ofthe elevation. The Cross River police boss maintained that a total number of twelve officers were promoted from the rank of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) to the rank of Superintendent of Police (SP) while thirty one Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP)

were promoted to Deputy Superintendent (DSP) of Police. The CP urged the newly promoted officers to gear up for the extra responsibilities that would come with their new ranks noting that the police was expecting more from them. “I want to thank the IGP and the police service commission for finding my officers worthy of this promotion. In my command alone, we have twelve DSP promoted to the rank of SP and thirty one ASP promoted to DSP; this shows that we are working. “I want to warn and advise the newly promoted officers to work hard. We are expecting more from you,” Fadairo said. While lauding the CP for his support throughout the promotion interview, SP Thomas Adama Okpene who spoke on behalf of those promoted to the rank of SP assured that

they would do their best to maintain the integrity of the force. “We sincerely thank CP, IGP and the Police Service Commission for considering us for the promotion. We promise to continue doing our best to uphold the integrity of the police,” he added. Another beneficiary who doubles as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Mr. John Eluu, who was among the thirty one officers promoted to the rank of DSP maintained that they also understood that promotion came with additional responsibilities which they had prepare to face. “We thank the CP and the leadership of the police for granting us the promotion. We know promotion goes with additional responsibilities and we want to assure the CP and the IGP that we will continue to do our best,” Eluu maintained.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Refurbished gunboat inaugurated by the Chief of Defence Staff in Okirika, Rivers State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Edo pensioners protest over unpaid arrears Onazena abbey

ensioners who retired from Edo State Public Service yesterday took to the streets to protest over unpaid 42 months pension arrears. The over 500 retirees protested round major roads in Benin including the secretariat of the state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists to register their grievances. The retirees who claimed they left the service between 2013 and 2016 and were yet to be paid their gratuity carried placards of various inscriptions and called on the state government to immediately constitute pensions board Spokesman of the group, Mr. Gabriel Osemwenkha, said as a result of non-payment of their gratuity and pensions, the pensioners had found it difficult to cope with present economy

reality. He noted that while some had passed away as a result, others had found it difficult to send their children to school due to lack of fund. “We appeal to our royal fathers, politicians, elder statesmen, mothers, the clergy and all well-meaning citizens of the state to prevail on the state government to pay arrears of pension entitlements to over one thousand deprived pensioners. “For the avoidance of doubt, the state government had delayed the payment of arrears of pension ranging from 10 to 42 months as a result of which pensioners have been groaning in penury and pains. “Contrary to claims that the government does now owe state retirees, the government has refused to commence payment of pension with effect from the date of retirement as stipulated in civil service pension law,” Osemwenkha.

Rivers is investor-friendly –Deputy gov Dennis naku

Port Harcourt

ivers State Deputy Governor, Dr. Ipalibo Harry Banigo, says the “uncommon” show of hospitality and peaceful hosting of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) national convention in Port Harcourt by Governor Nyesom Wike are testimonies that Rivers is a home for visitors and an investors’ friendly state. Banigo said this was more expedient as Governor Wike was the the Chairman, National Convention Planning Com-

mittee. Banigo who stated this in a press statement issued by her Press Secretary, Paul Damgbo, in Port Harcourt described described the convention as a litmus test for the party’s popularity and a springboard for relaunching the PDP to reclaiming its mandate at the federal level. The deputy governor lauded security agencies for providing watertight security during the convention and expressed appreciation to the people of the state for their friendly disposition to the delegates and visitors to the state.

An APC governorship aspirant in Edo, Gen. Charles Airhiavbere (rtd), addressing a news conference over his ambition in Benin-city.

Patients lament strike at Federal Medical Centre, Yenagoa P atients who access health services at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC) in Yenagoa, Bayelsa, on Monday bemoaned the impact of the strike by health workers in the institution. The National Union of Allied Health Professionals, (NUAHP) FMC, Yenagoa Chapter, had, on May 11, commenced an indefinite strike over the shortfall in payment of staff salaries at the hospital since January. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the strike has paralysed out-patients services and laboratory services, with physiotherapy, radiotherapy and records departments of the hospital shut down. Skeletal services are, however, available at the emergency section. A patient, Mr. Ebitimi Daniels, told NAN at the hospital that the strike was taking a negative toll on public health as patients were bearing the brunt of the industrial action. ``It is unfortunate that we are the ones suffering from this strike; some of us cannot afford the exorbitant bills at the private hospitals.

``The management and staff do not feel our pains,” he said. Mr. Julius Michael, another patient, said that he decided to look in to see if the health workers would resume in line with the directive of the Ayuba Wabba-led faction of the Nigeria Labour Congress. ``I had thought that they would resume work here, but I was told that the strike that was called off concerns the hike in the price of petrol, and not the health workers. ``They should resolve this and let us have access to affordable health services. ``I cannot afford the exorbitant charges in a private hospital; it is only emergency cases that they are attending to,” Michael said. Elizabeth Sunday, another patient, said she was contemplating taking her eight-month-old baby to a private clinic. ``My baby is having fever and I cannot wait till they call off the strike; they should remember that life is involved and resolve their differences quickly. ``The only option is to see the possibility of going to a private clinic,” she said. Mr. Oginike Lante, Chairman,

NUAHP, FMC Yenagoa, had said they were compelled to commence the indefinite strike after giving 28 days notice to the FMC management. ``We have given the statutory 21 days notice and gave an additional seven days making a total of 28 days. So, this strike is in compliance with the provisions of the labour laws. ``We are concerned about the effect on our patients, but we have exhausted all other options open to us. ``So far, the management has been unresponsive and not met our demands; so, we are still waiting for them,” the labour leader said. Mr. Bernard Akpedi, Public Relations Officer, FMC Yenagoa, said that the management had appealed to the workers to return to work. ``We had appealed to them to be patient as the management was working to resolve the short payments, caused by budgetary shortfall. ``We got assurances that as from June, we shall be getting our full salaries and arrears. ``And if they have waited from January till date, it is only reasonable that they wait a little more,” Akpedi had said.

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Views

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

On the unending fuel subsidy debate Wale ajaO

he nation is again getting entangled in another round of rigmarole over fuel subsidy. It is even clear now that labour and government will have to negotiate to further search for the solution to what has become a recurring issue of governance in Nigeria. Since the latest round of fuel scarcity started all the common features of previous fuel scarcity have been present. Usually, the nation just wakes up and discovers that fuel is not available in the right quantity. The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, the agency of government mandated to coordinate production and sales of crude oil and its related products hardly does enough sensitization to keep the people abreast of development and prepare them for what to expect. In the absence of adequate information from appropriate government agencies people begin to create their own version of the causes of fuel scarcity. Since April when the present fuel scarcity started the same problem of inadequate communication by the NNPC has reoccurred. Another feature of fuel scarcity management is conflicting information by government officials. For example, the Minister of State for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, had said that government had withdrawn fuel subsidy because it has aid-

ed corruption among the elite. Few days later, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo said government had not withdrawn subsidy on petrol. Yet as at the time the Vice President spoke on May 13, a liter of petrol was already selling for N145 at petrol stations. In fact, in different places around the country, a liter of petrol in the black market was already being sold at N180 per litter or even more. The corruption and mismanagement in the NNPC is an important component of the fuel subsidy debate. Like other government parastatals, the inefficiency in the NNPC makes it difficult for government to push through its plans for petroleum subsidy. This has been revealed since 2013 when various reports by external auditors revealed how over N1 trillion subsidy fund was looted by a variety of dubious operators in the oil industry. All the looting took place as if the NNPC had been in a coma. It then follows that it can be argued that the subsidy idea became a bad one simply because government cannot ensure that its own officials abide by the rules of their organizations and the laws of the land. If that is the case, then it is possible to say that even if subsidy is withdrawn government will still fail to deliver the dividends of democracy in the right quantity and quality. This is so because for example, if government saves N1 trillion in a year

The corrupTion and mismanagemenT in The

nnpc

is an imporTanT componenT of The fuel subsidy debaTe by stopping fuel subsidy, it will have to spend such money on provision of critical infrastructure. Now what happens if in trying to provide such infrastructural facilities the money allocated gets looted again and the projects cannot be completed on time or gets completed lately and more costly? In effect, it means it is not enough to stop fuel subsidy you, need to be able to ensure that institutions of government are able to function appropriately and in accordance with the law. Unless public institutions can deliver credible services on time and with high level integrity, the toga of a failed state will continue to hang on the neck of our nation. The gradual decline from a functional state and government to an inept and uncoordinated state is the root cause of this unending fuel subsidy debate. If Nigeria had not been badly mismanaged our refineries would have remained functional till date. There would have

been no need for importation of petrol. Nigeria is the only oil producing country that has epileptic refineries. This is a national shame that the forces of change must hasten to remove. Another effect of mismanagement is the mono-product nature of our economy. If we had diversified our economy we would not have been so completely subservient to the vagaries of the international oil market. And the issue of foreign exchange needed to import fuel would not have been so serious. Government must, therefore, not just sing the song of removing subsidy and compensate the people with palliatives, government must ensure that its institutions can function, otherwise it will never be in a position to govern. Therefore, if the idea of subsidy is bad just because public institutions have become inefficient then all other ideas will also become bad for the same reason that government cannot make even simple things like job interview to hold peacefully and orderly. Those who doubt this should cast their mind back to 2014 when immigration job recruitment exercise led to the death of about four job applicants. In effect, government must wake up to its responsibilities with or without petrol subsidy. Ajao, a seasoned journalist, wrote from Lagos.

Ojerinde’s victory over JAMB’s most dreaded monster Best Orinya

early, millions of eligible Nigerians across the country desperately enroll for the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) to seek for placements in the nation’s universities, polytechnics and colleges of education. Even though with Nigeria’s more than 100 universities, scores of polytechnics, and numerous colleges of education, desperate candidates over the years have had to deploy all manner of tricks to cross the minimum benchmark of scores pegged for admission. This mentality has reinvented that art of cheating during UTME. From the last minute leakage of exam questions, hiring of exam mercenaries to concealment of unauthorized materials into exam halls, the monster of exam fraud has festered in the country for years. The complexity of the problem is further aggravated by the perceived active support some parents with the connivance of dubious JAMB staff avail candidates. Cheating eroded the credibility of JAMB organized exams considerably, to the extent that lamentations across the country became too trenchant to be ignored. Manifestly, Nigerians who openly complained about fallen standards in education, often cited instances of some students, who could hardly defend the distinctive marks secured in UTME when they eventually secure admission into higher institutions of learning. This credibility crisis compelled universities to adopt another initiative, the

as peculiar To every meThod on Trial, The cbT has iTs expecTed hiccups… post-UTME aptitude test, to verify UTME scores and academic competencies of prospective undergraduates based on results from JAMB. But it came with its own burden of additional costs to parents and sponsors of candidates. The exercise has been sustained for nearly 10 years now, regardless of its tacit indictment of JAMB exams. This was the burden, Dibu Ojerinde, Nigeria’s first professor of Tests and Measurement and educational administrator inherited when appointed the Registrar of JAMB in 2007. Professor Ojerinde, having recognised exam malpractices as a hydro-headed monster peculiar to all segments of exams in Nigeria, vowed to confront the problem in JAMB headlong so as to restore dignity to the board and credibility in its exams. After thorough brainstorming with his management team, Ojerinde concluded that the e-testing mode of UTME would substantially reduce the incidents of fraud in exams organized by the body. He was further convinced hence e-testing was the best practice, around the globe as other countries had adopted the same approach. In tinkering with the idea, the Registrar, years back, approached the headship of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for assistance in curbing the malaise of exam frauds as it affects JAMB, and to explore the possibil-

ity of a synergy in tackling the monster. Ojerinde was apparently worried that despite JAMB’s lawful mandate to conduct credible and valid examinations, the impropriety of sharp practices by candidates has stained the sanctity of the outcomes. The Registrar extracted EFCC’s promise to offer the necessary assistance to sanitize the conduct of the board’s exams, handle cases referred to it, as well as intervene during exam sessions to detect sources of exam leakages to students. By 2013, when Ojerinde decided to take the first step in experimenting with the idea of e-testing for UTME, a resounding success was recorded. It was optional for candidates and those who preferred the method had a smooth exam and quick release of results. Basically, the e-testing or CBT initiative is focused on affording candidates facilities to write their exams electronically on computer and await automatic marking of the scripts by the computer, with results instantly delivered to the candidates within hours - a marked improvement over the subsisting Paper and Pencil Test (PPT) or other manual methods. Ojerinde kick-started the e-testing experiment by launching at least one etesting centre in each state of the federation for the 2013 UTME. By 2014, JAMB expanded the scope by building 10 computer-based testing (CBT) centres, each with a minimum capacity of 250 candidates with back-up computers in the event of the failure or malfunctioning of a system, in each state. He sustained the tempo in 2015, with more expan-

sions and acceptability of the method by candidates. The widespread acceptance of the CBT is evident in the March 2016 UTME. There were 153 centers across Nigeria and over 616,000 candidates out of 1.5 million registered candidates willingly subscribed to it. As peculiar to every method on trial, the CBT has its expected hiccups, leading to protests from some Lagos-based candidates. But Ojerinde has risen to the occasion, by explaining reasons for the mix-ups and also offered the candidates, who genuinely missed out, another chance to write the exams. It is a prompt response, worthy of appreciation. But the protest from the candidates has brought to the front burner the need for the Federal Government to fully support JAMB to conduct credible exams using the CBT approach. These protests were induced mainly by the failure of some computer operators contracted for the designated CBT centers to deliver on the task at the most crucial time, because of system failures. It means JAMB needs more funding to establish its own independent computer centers for the CBT exams, as against the current practice of engaging private operators, a strategy prone to disappointments as witnessed in the March 2016 UTME. Orinya wrote from Federal University Wukari, Taraba State. Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Tuesday May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

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

SUNDAY OLAJIDE n MANAGING DIRECTOR/CEO LANRE OYETADE n EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, OPERATIONS BEN MEMULETIWON n ACTING DAILY EDITOR DELE FASHOMI n CO-EDITOR, DAILY GBEMI OLUJOBI n SATURDAY EDITOR AYO OLESIN n SUNDAY EDITOR PATRICK ASONYE n CO-EDITOR, WEEKEND DOZIE OKEBALAMA n COORDINATOR, EDITORIAL BOARD CALLISTUS OKE n EDITORIAL PAGE EDITOR OBIORA IFOH n ABUJA BUREAU CHIEF

Rescue of Chibok girl, Amina

hat appears the most concrete prove as yet on the whereabouts of the 219 girls the Boko Haram violent Islamist sect abducted on April 14, 2014 from Government Girls Secondary School (GGSS), Chibok, Borno State, came last week with the rescue of one of the girls, Amina Ali Darsha Mkeki. Amina, who was 17-years-old at the time she was taken hostage alongside her colleagues, but currently nursing a four-month-old baby girl, was reportedly rescued by the Civilian Joint Task Force (JTF) at Baale, near Damboa and handed over to the military stationed at the Headquarters, 25 Task Force Brigade, Damboa at about 2.30 p.m. last Wednesday. Also pick up in the process was one suspected Boko Haram terrorist, Mr. Mohammed Hayatu, who claimed to be Amina’s husband. Reports credited to the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Colonel Sani Usman, said the rescued girl was erroneously identified initially as Falmata Mbalala before she was confirmed to be Amina Ali Darsha Mkeki, the 127th name on the list of the 219 missing Chibok girls. Spokesperson of the ‘BringBackOurGirls’ (BBOG) campaign group, Mr. Sesugh Akume, reportedly confirmed the rescue of Amina last Wednesday, stressing that she had spoken with her mother (her father re-

portedly died while she was being held by Boko Haram); and had identified the Vice Principal of her school, GGSS Chibok. Amina reportedly revealed that six out of the abducted 219 girls had passed on, but that the rest were married out to Boko Haram commanders. She said all the others were still in the Sambisa forest area, heavily surrounded by security guards. Amina’s rescue has thus effectively dismissed the controversy on whether or not the Chibok girls were truly abducted; and perhaps more importantly, given a strong clue that a good number of the girls taken hostage are still alive in Boko Haram camps in Sambisa Forest. Before her rescue last week, suggestions on the fate of the girls were varied. At the second anniversary of the missing girls last April, for example, the Serving Overseer of The Latter Rain Assembly, Lagos and Convener, Save Nigeria Group (SNG), Pastor Tunde Bakare, stated: “We have heard that some have been married off, that some have been sold as slaves; and that some are being held captive as human shields. We have heard that some have been radicalised; and there have been suggestions that they are now being groomed and deployed as suicide bombers… ”. The clergyman said there were only three broad possibilities regarding the fate of the girls

The Federal

GovernmenT and iTs emerGency manaGemenT aGencies should be handy To exTend all necessary assisTance

– especially medical, maTerial and counselinG namely: that they were all alive; that some were alive while some were no more; and that they were all no more. But he expressed his firm belief that they were still alive. Two months earlier (last February), former President Olusegun Obasanjo said the search for the girls might not be fruitful because they were nowhere to be found. Obasanjo upbraided former President Goodluck Jonathan for ignoring the distress call on the mass kidnap, saying Jonathan did not respond to the call until after 72 hours, at which time the girls must have been taken too far. He said at best efforts to rescue the girls could lead to the rescue of a few of them. As it has turned out, all the suggestions made, including the resolute conviction of the parents of the missing girls and BBOG campaigners that they were still

ON THIS DAY

May 24, 1738

May 24, 1994

John Wesley was converted, essentially launching the Methodist movement. John Wesley (1703 – 1791) was an Anglican cleric and Christian theologian. Wesley and his brother, Charles, are largely credited as the founders of the Methodist movement, which began when he took to open-air preaching. Wesley embraced the Arminian doctrines that were dominant in the 18th-century Church of England.

Four men convicted of bombing the World Trade Center in New York in 1993 were each sentenced to 240 years in prison. The World Trade Center bombing occurred on February 26, 1993, when a truck bomb was detonated below the North Tower of the World Trade Center in New York, United States. The 1,336 lb (606 kg) urea nitrate–hydrogen gas enhanced device was intended to bring both the North and South towers down.

alive had strong points. But the reality, if Amina’s revelations are anything to go by, is that some of the girls are no more; and the others still in captivity may not return in their full elements, having been forced into marriages and made unprepared mothers or turned to sex slaves by the insurgents. The Nigerian military and Civilian JTF deserve commendation for the rescue of Amina and her suspected Boko Haram husband. But there are greater challenges, some of which include using Amina and her suspected insurgent spouse to ferret out sufficient intelligence on the exact locations or camps Boko Haram is hiding the remaining girls in Sambisa forest, and carrying out special operations that could lead to their rescue. Meanwhile, the military and Civilian JTF should liaise with their counterparts in neighbouring countries that can be accessed through Sambisa forest and intensify security around all entry and exit points to and from the forest. For its part, the Federal Government and its emergency management agencies should be handy to extend all necessary assistance – especially medical, material and counseling – to all innocent victims of Boko Haram abduction once they are rescued to enable them re-integrate with the rest members of society, regain their self worth and live normal lives.

May 24, 2002 Russia and the United States signed the Moscow Treaty. Otherwise known as the Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT), it was in force from June 2003 until February 2011, when it was superseded by the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START). At the time, SORT was positioned as “representing an important element of the new strategic relationship” between the two countries.

Business News

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Assessing impact of rising oil prices on Nigeria’s 2016 budget CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

prices. “Since the refining operations too were affected, traders reacted to the strike by buying more oil on the following Monday. Further, a pipeline fire in Nigeria affected the flow of 142 kb/d of crude. Apart from this too, Nigeria has been plagued by supply disruptions. Pipeline disturbances in Iraq and Nigeria removed more than 800,000 barrels of crude a day off the market, contributing to about two percent of oil price rise last February.” The market situation is also attributed to a gross reduction in production. A close watcher of the American market remarked that in the US, over-production is tapering off. As he puts it: “Between 2010 and 2015 there was a wave of a shale oil boom in the US. From importing over ten million barrels a day, shale provided energy security helping reduce imports. During whatoil-price.net dubbed “the American oil revolution”, domestic crude oil production reached a record high of 9.3 million barrels per day. Since then, US oil production has dropped nearly 6 percent in the last year alone. The present drop in production is the lowest since September 2014 as output stands at 8.8 million barrels per day, shaking off about 113,000 barrels per day.” “Oil production in Eagle Ford shale basin in Texas declined three percent in March while output from Bakken shale in North Dakota sagged by two percent in February. We forecast previously that few fracking companies relying on $70/ barrel oil would be able to weather cheap oil for a long time. Some have maintained production at a loss; some brilliantly reduced maintenance costs. However, in this kind of cheap oil intricate environment, time is the enemy. Many have gone under resulting in a reduction of oversupply.” “So far, 60 oil and gas companies in the US have declared themselves bankrupt. Why? Shale wells have a high depletion rate. Depletion can commonly be 45 percent a year for fracked wells (vs. around 10 percent for classic wells). By the numbers this means that after one year a fracked well produces on average 55per cent of what it did on day 1. After 2 years remaining production has plummeted down to 30per cent, or less than 1/3 of initial output. And at 12 million dollars a pop, new wells are not cheap,” he added. The situation has serious implications for the nation that has budgeted to produce and generate 2.2 million barrels per day at $38 per barrel respectively for the implementation of its 2016 budget. Specifically, the main implication is that the government which seems to be comfortable at this point can heave a sigh of relieve. There are also strong indications that the prices may not drop drastically in the coming months.

The Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC supports this position when it reported in its May market report that the OPEC Reference Basket averaged $37.86/b in April, a gain of $3.21 or 9.3per cent. It disclosed that this was 40per cent higher than the lows reached in the beginning of the year, buoyed by expectations for an improving market situation, despite the current persistent oversupply. It disclosed that oil futures surged more than 8per cent, with ICE Brent up $3.55 to average $43.34/b, while world economic growth is forecast at 3.1per cent in 2016, after estimated growth of 2.9per cent last year, both unchanged from the previous month. Speaking on how government intended to achieve growth in the economy in the face of fiscal challenges orchestrated primarily by the crash in the global oil market for months recently, the Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, said that the Buhari-led administration planned to increase government expenditure on infrastructure, namely transport, roads, housing and power with a view to achieving a substantial increase in gross capital formation and to fund the budget deficit and the negative trade balance in a cost effective and efficient manner. According to the minister, this will keep the government within the acceptable debt sustainable ratio expected of most emerging economies. Adeosun, in her paper titled: ‘Nigeria’s Economy: The Road to Recovery’, also appreciated the impact of sliding crude oil prices on the Nigerian economy, saying government’s main macroeconomic objective in 2016 is to combine an expenditure-led growth strategy with a stimulant approach based on injections of more efficiently collected revenues and blocking of leakages. “The combination of these fiscal injections will have a catalytic multiplier effect on the GDP growth rate,” she said. Recalling Nigeria’s experience with crude oil exports as mainstay of public finance over the years, Adeosun noted that for an economy dependent on crude oil for 70 per cent of government revenues, the 12-year low in oil prices, the downward revisions to the global outlook and the re-ordering of the global economy, were ominous signs. “For years, oil prices were at historic highs, and at US$114 per barrel, we spent, government spent; people spent and our economy seemingly ‘grew’. But, this growth masked much vulnerability.

Adeosun

“There were consistent warnings about the volatility of oil prices and the need to diversify our economy to support our huge population. Whilst we paid lip service to this need and extolled the potentials of many sectors, we did not plan adequately to ensure that we worked towards this.”, Adeosun lamented. Some development analysts believe government should rigorously monitor its revenue inflows and adopt a prudent approach in managing available funds at its disposal, particularly in view of the uncertainties in the global oil market. According to them, no matter how ambitious the 2016 budget appears, development analysts are worried that the government oil revenue projection of N820 billion may have been too ambitious considering the fact that the price of oil in the international market may still fall below the projected $38 per barrel. This is even as the 2.2 million barrel crude oil production per day is seen as highly unrealistic considering the fact that at present, Nigeria is not producing that quantum of crude oil per day. To confirm the fears of these experts, the last three weeks had witnessed sporadic attacks of International Oil Companies, IOCs’, facilities in the Niger Delta region with serious negative impact on Nigeria’s productivity. The affected companies, which account for over 90 per cent of the country’s crude output are,

There were consisTenT warnings abouT The volaTiliTy of oil prices and The need To diversify our economy To supporT our huge

populaTion.

whilsT we paid lip service To This need and exTolled The poTenTials of many secTors, we

did noT plan adequaTely To ensure ThaT we worked Towards This

Kachikwu

Shell Petroleum, ExxonMobil and lately Agip. These attacks by militant groups in the Niger Delta had caused substantial losses to the country in terms of accruable crude oil earnings as productivity dipped remarkably following the attacks, thereby resulting in some relative surge in the prices of crude oil at the global market. It appears that against the background of the volatility in the oil producing areas that government has continued to focus more attention to non-oil sector for improved revenues to fund development projects enunciated in the budget. For instance, while throwing more light on the budget last week, the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma udo Udoma, restated government’s determination to explore non-oil revenue sources to close the 2016 budget gap estimated at about N2.2 trillion. The minister explained that the 2016 budget would rely on non-oil revenue for funding, adding that the budget envisages a net distributable revenue of N5.72 trillion comprising of main Federation Account revenue of N4.303 trillion and N1.416 trillion from the Value Added Tax (VAT) pool account.” Of this distributable revenue, Udoma said that net oil receipts amount to N1.48 trillion or 25 per cent while net non-oil receipts accounts for the balance of N4.22 trillion or 75 per cent.” According to him, growth in the Federal Government revenue would be mainly derived from the growth in nonoil resources namely: Corporate Tax; VAT and dividend from government corporations and independent revenue. Projected Corporate Tax will fetch N1.88 trillion in 2016 from N1.42 in 2015 and VAT collection will fetch N1.48 trillion during the fiscal year as against N1.28 trillion the previous yea

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Business News

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

World Bank launches $50m pandemic financing facility IsaIah ErhIawarIEn

he World Bank Group has launched the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility, PEF, an innovative, fast-disbursing global financing mechanism designed to protect the world against deadly pandemics, which will create the first-ever insurance market for pandemic risk. Already the Bank is committing the first $50 million in funding toward the new initiative, which it got from Japan, as holder of the G7 Presidency. President of the World Bank Group, Jim Yong Kim who announced the initiative that was designed to poorest countries of the world against pandemics said that “pandemics pose some of the biggest threats in the world to people’s lives and to economies, and for the first time we will have a system that can move funding and teams of experts to the sites of outbreaks before they spin out of control.” He said that the first-ever insur-

ance and pandemic bonds will save lives and protect economies, and that “this facility addresses a long, collective failure in dealing with pandemics. The Ebola crisis in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone taught all of us that we must be much more vigilant to outbreaks and respond immediately to save lives and also to protect economic growth.” The launch of the initiative, is coming few weeks ahead of the May 26-27 Summit of Group of Seven Leaders in Ise-Shima, Japan. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Japan Taro Aso, said that “Japan is proud to support the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility, which prevents pandemics from undermining important development achievements.” He noted, “Innovative financing for crisis responses by the PEF, together with financing for preparedness and prevention in peacetime including through IDA,

GTBank redeems $500m Eurobond Notes nIyI Jacobs

uaranty Trust Bank Plc (“GTBank” or the “Bank”) at the weekend announced the redemption of the outstanding portion of the $500,000,000 Eurobond Notes due May 19, 2016. The bank successfully issued a Cash Tender Offer (the “Tender Offer” or “Offer”) to repurchase any and all the outstanding US$500m 7.5% Eurobond Notes due May 2016 (the “Securities”) as part of its effective liability management strategy. The tender was the first of its kind involving a Nigerian corporate in any capacity in the international capital markets and was well received by analysts and investors. The Securities were issued by GTB Finance B.V. (“ GTB Finance”) - a direct, wholly owned subsidiary of the Bank – GTB Finance B.V. (the “Offeror”) – on the back of an unconditionally and irrevocably guarantee of the Bank. At the expiration of the Tender Offer, aggregate principal amounts of US$ 126,586,000 of the Securities were successfully and validly tendered. Upon final maturity of the Eurobond in May 2016, the outstanding principal portions of $373,414,000 as well as the coupon value of US$14,003,025 were redeemed using the bank’s available cash reserves. Launched in May 2011, the US$500 million Eurobond repre-

sented the first Sub-Saharan Africa financial sector benchmark Eurobond without a sovereign guarantee or credit enhancement from any international financial institution. Over the years, the bank has continued to leverage its deep understanding of complex business scenarios to undertake large ticket transactions in financial advisory, structured and project finance, balance sheet restructuring, debt and equity transactions. A few of the transactions successfully executed by the bank include; US$350million Eurobond offering in January 2007, issuance of the Bank’s US$824 million Global Depository Receipts in an unprecedented concurrent global offering

are important to mitigate human and social losses and to help quickly recover in the event of a crisis. It is costeffective and should be emphasized at all stages of economic development.” The new facility will accelerate both global and national responses to future outbreaks with pandemic potential. It was built and designed in collaboration with the World Health Organization and the private sector, introducing a new level of rigor into both the financing and the response.

Director-General of the World Health Organisation, Margaret Chan, said that recent years have seen a dramatic resurgence of the threat from emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases, saying that “WHO fully supports the Pandemic Emergency Financing Facility as a critical contribution to global health security and a crucial line of defence against high-threat pathogens.” The PEF includes, an insur-

L-R : First Vice President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), Mr Adedapo Adekoje, President, Mr Oluwaseyi Abe, Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr Adedeji Ajadi and Second Vice President, Mr Olatunde Amolegbe at the inauguration of CIS 22 Committees in Lagos yesterday.

Lagos tops telecoms’ active voice data subscription chart IsaIah ErhIawarIEn

he largest numbers of active voice subscribers in the network of the four Mobile Network Operators, MNOs are located in Lagos, statistics from the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS has revealed. The Nigerian telecommunications sector report for the first quarter of 2016, which was made available to the National Mirror, showed that Lagos State account-

ed for the largest share of active internet subscribers. The report titled ‘State Disaggregated Data’ also indicated that the state accounted for the largest share of active voice subscribers with 19.04 million or 12.8 percent of the total, followed by Ogun State with 8.53 million subscribers or 5.7 percent, Kano State with 7.81 million or 5.25 percent, Oyo State with 7.53 million subscribers or 5.06 percent of the total, then FCT and Rivers State with 6.03 million

NAHCO invests N1.4bn in infrastructure, equipment upgrade abolaJI adEbayo

ance window, which combines funding from the reinsurance markets with the proceeds of World Bank-issued pandemic (catastrophe, or Cat) bonds, as well as a complementary cash window. This will be the first time World Bank Cat Bonds have been used to combat infectious diseases. In the event of an outbreak, the PEF will release funds quickly to countries and qualified international responding agencies.

he Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO) has invested N1.4 billion to upgrade infrastructure and equipment since after privatization, its Managing Director, Nobert Bielderman, has disclosed. Bielderman, who gave this hint when he led other management staff of the company on courtesy visit to the Acting Director General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Vincent Akpotaire, in Abuja, said the company was poised to sustain its position as a leading success story of the privatization and Reform Programme of the Federal Government. He was quoted in a statement issued by the Head, Public Communications of the BPE, Alex Okoh, as saying that having grown NAHCO’s revenue base from N3. 5 billion to N8.5 billion in the last six years, the management was determined to sustain the growth trend, despite the current economic downturn.

The company’s boss pointed out that the investments made in the acquisition of new equipment, human capacity development and good corporate governance would enhance optimal service delivery and shore up the company’s revenue base. According to him, the company which was privatised through a public offer in 2006 and promptly listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has recorded favourable profit margin for shareholders above the 50 kobo share price before privatisation. He assured the shareholders of prompt payment of their dividends as has become the trend in the past years. He said the company pays N26 million as taxes to the federal and state governments annually and attributed this to the dividends of privatisation. Responding, the BPE boss noted the giant leaps by NAHCO, noting that the company’s performance indicates a success story of privatization. Akpotaire promised to assist the company to overcome some of its challenges.

or 4.05 percent and 5.84 million or 3.93 percent respectively. The Bureau stated that the number of active voice subscriptions stood at 148.74 million at the end of Q1 2016 with MTN accounting for the largest share of 57.04 million or 38 percent of total, followed by Glo with 34.60 million subscribers or 23.2 percent of total and Airtel with 33.86 million 22.7 percent. According to the report, all of the top five states with respect to active voice subscriptions had total subscribers in excess of their official population number as provided by the Nigerian Population Commission except Kano and Rivers whose official population figures exceeded the number of active voice subscribers at the end of Q1 2016. On the other hand, Bayelsa (1.11 million), Yobe (1.40 million), Ekiti (1.42 million) and Ebonyi (1.43 million) had the smallest number of active subscriber as of Q1 2016. The NBS’ report indicated that Lagos was the dominant market for all of the active voice telecom companies, accounting for 10.05 percent of MTN total voice subscribers followed by Ogun, Kaduna and Rivers in that order); 10.03 percent for Glo (followed by Oyo, Niger, Ogun and FCT in that order); 16.0 percent for Airtel (followed by Ogun, Kano and Oyo); and 19.1 percent of Etisalat voice subscribers (followed by Ogun, Kaduna and Rivers in that order)

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Jobs & Career

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Poverty goal of 2030 agenda at risk without decent work – ILO Tola akinmuTimi

he International Labour Organisation, ILO, has cautioned that despite spirited efforts by governments and other international organizations to create jobs required to mitigate poverty level globally, the deficit in quality jobs and deteriorating economic conditions in a number of regions may undermine decades of progress in poverty reduction. Giving this hint in its just published ‘World Employment and Social Outlook (WESO) 2016 – Transforming Jobs to End Poverty’, the ILO found that over 36 per cent of the emerging and developing world live in poverty – on a daily income of less than US$ 3.10 purchasing power parity (PPP). The report calculates that some US$ 600 billion a year – or nearly US$ 10 trillion in total over 15 years – is needed to eradicate extreme

Ryder

– and moderate poverty globally by 2030. The ILO also reported that that the problem of persistent poverty cannot be solved by income transfers alone; adding that more and better jobs are crucial to achieving this goal. It stated: “It is estimated that almost a third of the extremely or moderately poor in developing economies have jobs. However, their employment is vulnerable in nature: they are sometimes unpaid, concentrated in low-skilled occupations and, in the absence of social protection, rely almost exclusively on labour income. “Among developed countries, more workers have wage and salaried employment, but that does not stop them from falling into poverty. WESO 2016 finds that the incidence of relative poverty has increased by one percentage point in the European Union, since the start of the crisis”, the ILO stated Commenting on the trend, the Organisation’s Director-General Guy Ryder, noted that “Clearly, the Sustainable Development Goal of ending poverty in all its forms everywhere by 2030 remained at serious risk. He pointed out that “if we are serious about the 2030 Agenda and want to finally put an end to the scourge of poverty perpetuating across generations, then we must focus on the quality of jobs in all nations.” Similarly, ILO’s Special Advisor on Social and Economic Issues, Raymond Torres, explained that currently, while 30 per cent of the world remained poor, they only hold two per cent of the world’s income. Torres explained that “only through deliberately improving the quality of employment for those who have jobs and creating new decent work will we provide a durable exit from

Sterling Bank promotes 566 staff, appoints new CIO

terling Bank has continued to demonstrate its commitment to rewarding excellence, hard work and dedication, as it announced the promotion of 566 staff. A statement by the Bank’s Managing Director, Yemi Adeola, indicated that the promotion was implemented across junior, middle and senior management levels, using a transparent and robust performance management system in line with global best practices. Among the elevated staff of the bank is Mr. Emmanuel Emefienim, who was elevated to the position of General Manager. Until his promotion, Mr. Emefienim was a Deputy General Manager of the Bank. He currently oversees the Bank’s business in the South-South and SouthEast regions of the country. The Bank’s MD/CEO, noted that Emefienim’s promotion was based on his solid and consistent contributions towards the growth and success of the Bank over the years. In a related development, Sterling Bank also announced the appointment of Mr. Olayinka Oni as its new Chief In-

formation Officer (CIO). Mr. Oni joined the Bank from Microsoft Inc. where he served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Nigerian Unit. Speaking on Mr. Oni’s appointment, Adeola expressed his optimism that the new CIO would deliver on the Bank’s commitment to leverage technology effectively in fulfilling its “One Customer” promise. Oni’s professional career spans over 20 years, with stints in consulting, as an experienced Manager in Accenture, and also in the banking industry where he has held senior management roles in IT, in various capacities at First City Monument Bank Plc (FCMB) and Wema Bank Plc. He is a graduate of Agriculture Economics from the University of Ilorin, an Honorary Senior Member of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (HCIB), a Certified IT Business Manager, a Certified Disaster Recovery Professional, a Chartered IT Professional (CITP) and a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of IT (FBSC). He also holds a certificate in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT).

precarious living conditions and improve livelihoods for the working poor and their families.” The study also found that high levels of income inequality reduce the impact of economic growth on poverty reduction. “This finding tells us that it is past time to reflect on the responsibility of rich nations and individuals in the perpetuation of poverty. Accepting the status quo is not an option,” says Torres. The ILO estimates on poverty reduction come after a sustained period of global progress, with the share of population living in extreme poverty falling from 46.9 per cent in 1990 to just under 15 per cent among 107 emerging and developing countries. When the moderate-

ly poor are considered, the rate has fallen from 67.2 per cent to 36.2 per cent. The WESO 2016 report concluded that transforming jobs to end poverty would require tackling low productivity traps, which lies at the heart of poverty; strengthening rights at work and enable employer and worker organizations to reach the poor; and alleviating poverty through well-designed employment and social policies. Other recommendations of the report are, reinforcing governments’ capacity to implement poverty-reducing policies and standards; boosting resources and making the rich aware of their responsibility; and involving the ILO in the achievement of Sustainable Development Goals.

Labour force rises to 78.4m in Q1 – NBS isaac asabor

he population of labour force in Nigeria has increased to 78.4million in the first quarter of 2016 from 76.9 million in the last quarter of 2015 representing an increase in the labour force by 1.99 per cent. The finding was contained in a report titled Unemployment/under-employment watch Q1 2016, released by the National Bureau of Statistics, NBS, last week Friday. The labour force are those within the working age population that are willing and able to work and actively looking for work. The reports adds that with the latest findings that additional 1,528, 647 economically active persons within 15-64 entered the labour force, that is, were able and willing and actively looking for work between January 1 and March 31, 2016. It stated that the new entrants into the labour market consisted of newly qualified graduates, new entrants into the economically active population (who became 15 in Q1 2016) actively seeking work and previous members of the economically active population that choose not to work for whatever reasons in earlier periods and the numberof those not willing to work in the economically active population. The report added that within the same period that the total number of those in fulltime employment (did any form of work for at least 40hours) decreased by 528,148 persons or 0.97%. It explained that this category consists of people who lost their jobs and were either forced or for various reasons chose to move from full time employment to underemployment. It stated that further analysis shows that the drop in full time employment between Q4 2015 and Q1 2016 was predominantly those within the ages 15-24 years accounting for a decline of 0.56mn followed by ages 55-64 years (decline of 0.09mn), ages 45-54 years (decline of 0.06mn) and ages 35-44 years (decline of 0.02mn). Against the backdrop of the foregoing, the report noted that with an economically active or working age population of 106 million and with a labour force population of 78.4million in the first quarter of 2016 that

the development means that 27.5 million persons within the economically active or working age population decided not to work for various reasons in the first quarter of 2016 compared to 28.06 million in the last quarter of 2015 and consequently are not part of the labour force and cannot be technically considered unemployed or underemployed ,even though they were not working. The report buttressed this by stating that “You have to want to be willing to work and actively seeking work before you can be considered unemployed.” The report further disclosed that within the period under review, that the number of unemployed in the labour force increased by 1,449,18 persons resulting in an increase in the unemployment rate to 12.1% in Q1 2016 from 10.4% in Q4 2015, 9.9% in Q3 2015 and 8.2% in Q2 2015 It noted that in consideration of the foregoing statistics that it can be said that Nigeria has been unable to create the 1.5 million jobs required between the last quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016 to keep the unemployment rate constant at 10.4% in the last quarter of of 2015. It observed that the unemployment rate would have been 31.2% in the first quarter of 2016 from 29.2% in the last quarter 2015, 27.3% in the third quarter of 2015, 26.5% in the second quarter of 2015, 24.2% in the first quarter of 2015, 23 .9% in 2011 and 21,4% in 201 supposing the previous NBS methodology on unemployment rate was used.

Statistician General of the Federation: Yemi Kale

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Real Estate & Environment

Exploring mixed-use property development option to spur growth

Experts have canvassed the need for property developers to adopt a mixed-use property development plans in order to create business hubs in the nation’s real estate industry and by implication, stimulate growth in the gradually slumping sector. SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE reports.

s the world is evolving, players in different sectors of the global economy, including the real estate industry, are trying to withstand the test of time. Estate developers across the globe had long before now, adopted a mixed-use plan in property developments, just as operators in the country have been advised to use such technical method in urban property development in order to create business hub in the sector as well as the country. Some experts, who spoke to National Mirror, said have noted that such plan has helped some developed and developing countries to withstand the test of time, as it has helped in urban and business renewals. Mixed use properties, according to them, combine both retail, office, residential and leisure properties to form a business hub. It however comprises shopping malls, offices, hotel and gym, thus giving new life to some city centres’. Citing South Africa as one of the African countries that had long before now, adopted a

Poverty goal of 2030 agenda at risk without decent work 23 –ILO

mixed-use properties development, a Lagosbased property consultant, Mr. Daniel Ekwo said South Africa adopted the plan in 1990 with Century City in Cape Town and Melrose Arch in Johannesburg as the first of its kind. According to him, if Nigerian property developers could adopt such plan, it would go a long way in formalizing the retail sector in non-metropolitan areas while linking people, who may want to be closer to their work as well as shopping malls.

Explaining on how the mixed use development would be achieved, Ekwo said private investors would take the lead by building some mixed-use estates that would have latest facilities, noting that ‘’it would be a city within a city’’. He said such business hub would attract over 10,000 people living and working within and around the precinct to be known as, new urban development structure with good architectural and cultural significance. Ekwo however noted that some mixed

Mixed-use developMent can take the forM of a single building, a city block, or entire neighbourhoods that the terM May also be used More to refer to a Mixed-use real estate developMent project, a building, coMplex of buildings or district of a town or city that is developed

for Mixed-use by a private developer, quasi-governMental agency or a coMbination thereof

use properties are valued more in some cities and remain one of the largest urban development centres in the country. Citing the 25 billion rand Waterfall estate in Johannesburg as one of the successful mixed use property development patterns in Africa, Ekwo said when completed, it would make it the most ambitious mixed-use developments in the continent. This, according to him, stands at 1.6 million square meters in size and would host the Mall of Africa, presumed to be the biggest mall on the continent, standing at 116, 000 square meters. “I must tell you that such estate is of bigger scale. All the residential spaces are being developed around the Waterfall estate, so it is quite a substantial development in South Africa, so, if we have this type of business hub in Nigeria, it is going to help us massively in business planning, urban renewal as well as regional developments’’, Ekwo stated. Suggesting that such estate must be strategically located in different cities in the country, he said such would create entirely new business hubs while creating spaces for people to shop, work and live in. This is aside creating millions of job opportunities to the teeming Nigerians in urban cities across the country. CONTINUED ON PAGE 25

Seeking improved govt’s support for Arik Air, others on int’l routes 28

Exploring payment benefits to catalyse economic growth 30

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Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Exploring mixed-use property development option to spur growth CONTINUED FROM 24 Speaking on the mixed-use developments, an estate developer in Ogun state, Lekan Odusile said mixed-use development is a type of urban development trend that blends residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or industrial uses, where those functions are physically and functionally integrated while also providing pedestrian connections. According to him, this trend of mixed-use developments has proven to have created new business hubs that are not only convenient for people, but being a key driver of the nation’s economy. ‘’Mixed-use development can take the form of a single building, a city block, or entire neighbourhoods that the term may also be used more to refer to a mixed-use real estate development project, a building, complex of buildings or district of a town or city that is developed for mixed-use by a private developer, quasi-governmental agency or a combination thereof’’, he stated. Odusile said traditionally, human settlements have developed in mixed-use patterns with industrialization as well as invention of skyscraper, adding that governmental zoning regulations should be introduced to separate different functions such as manufacturing from residential areas. Citing the United States of America as a case in point, he said mixed-use zoning has once again become desirable, saying the merits are more than the demerits. For him, the concept reduces distances between housing, workplaces, retail businesses, and other destinations, stronger pedestrian and bicycle-friendly environment, as human settlements developed as mixeduse environment. He said most people dwell close their places of work as well as domestic life and made or sold things from their own homes. This is as most buildings are divided into discrete functions on a room by room basis, as most neighbourhoods contain a diversity of uses, even if some districts developed a predominance of certain uses such as metalworkers, textiles or footwear due to the socioeconomic benefits of propinquity. Experts said that people live in high densities because the amount of space required for daily living and movement between different activities was determined by walkability as well as the scale of the human body, particularly in the cities, hence ground floors of buildings were often devoted to some sort of commercial or productive uses with living spaces upstairs. According to them, the mixed-used pattern of development declined during industrialization in favor of large-scale separation of manufacturing and residences in singlefunction buildings. This period, they noted saw massive migrations of people from rural areas to cities, drawn by several works in factories and the associated businesses and bureaucracies that grew up around them. Those influxes of new workers, analysts noted were accommodated as many new urban districts sprang up time with domestic housing being their primary functions, thus separating out of land uses that previously

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had occurred in the same spaces. As a result of this, many factories produced substantial pollution of various kinds; hence distance was required to minimize adverse impacts from noise, dirt, noxious fumes and dangerous substances. Even so, most industrialized cities were of a size that allowed people to walk between the different areas of the city. In abroad for example, the advocates of the Garden City Movement were attempting to think through these issues, proposing improved ways to plan cities based on zoning areas of land, so that conflicts between land uses would be minimized. Some architects had advocated for radical rethinking of the way cities were designed based on similar ideas, proposing new modern plan, involving mixed-use system. For instance, in the United States, the fear of buildings blocking out the sun, led to the call for zoning regulations, particularly in New York City. Zoning regulations does not only call for limits on building heights, but separation of their uses. This was largely meant to keep people from living next to polluted industrial areas. The separation however was extended to

commercial uses as well, setting the stage for the suburban style of life, which is common in America. This was widely adopted by municipal zoning codes in the country. With the advent of mass transit systems, the ability to create dispersed, low-density cities, where people could live very long distances from their workplaces, shopping centres and entertainment districts began in some countries. These laws enforced and codified standards for modern suburban design as it is known today, which have been exported to many other countries through planning professionals and transportation engineers. The resulting bills progressively included restrictions on alleyways, minimum road widths, restrictions on cross streets for major arteries, buffer zones between separate areas, and eliminating mixed-use in all new developments, resulting in a moratorium on traditional urban development which remains in place in most areas that are not specifically zoned as “mixed use” or “general urban development”, a common term for urban areas. The new design began in the late 20th century, when it becomes apparent to many urban planners as well as other professionals that mixed-use development had many ben-

Though, some analysTs have criTicized The mixed-use plan on The ground ThaT iT is ofTen seen as Too risky by many developers and lending insTiTuTions because economic success requires

ThaT The many differenT uses remain in business.

mosT developmenT ThroughouT The mid 20Th cenTury in The uniTed sTaTes was single-use, so

many developmenT and finance professionals see This as The safer and more accepTable means To provide consTrucTion and earn a profiT

efits and should be promoted again. In most cases, the automobile had become a requirement for transportation between vast fields of residentially zoned housing and the separate commercial and office strips, creating issues of Automobile dependency. In 1961, Jane Jacobs’ influential The Death and Life of Great American Cities argued that a mixture of uses is vital and necessary for a healthy urban area. Zoning laws, he said have been revised accordingly and increasingly attempt to address these problems by using mixed-use zoning. A mixed-use district would often serve as the “downtown” area of a local community, ideally associated with public transit nodes in accordance with principles of transit-oriented development and new urbanism. Mixed-use guidelines often result in residential buildings with street front commercial space. Retailers have the assurance that they would always have customers living right above and around them while residents have the benefit of being able to walk a short distance to buy groceries and household items or see a movie. Some of the benefits of mixed-use development include greater housing variety and density, more affordable housing (smaller units), life-cycle housing (starter homes to larger homes to senior housing) reduced distances between housing, workplaces, retail businesses, and other amenities and destinations. Others include better access to fresh, healthy foods as food retail and farmers markets can be accessed on foot, bike or by transit. Though, some analysts have criticized the mixed-use plan on the ground that it is often seen as too risky by many developers and lending institutions because economic success requires that the many different uses remain in business. Most development throughout the mid 20th century in the United States was single-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

FG moves to attract more climate funds

MORTGAGE NOTES with Adenike Fasanya-Osilaja Email: Nike@MVPSolutionsinc.com https://www.linkedin.com/profile/view?id=35277333

BY SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

Real Estate 101-Establishing a presence in your industry

reetings all, and thank you for following this series. I promised to discuss funding options in today’s article, but decided to change the conversation due to the many questions I have received. I ask your patience if you were looking forward to the advertised article, and promise to publish it very soon. The number one question I received over the past couple of weeks has been “What do I need to do as a new industry professional, to establish a successful presence in my market?” I will give you today, the advice that I have received from the people I have most looked up to in life, especially my late father, who was my mentor in all things. 1. Set yourself up properly: You should NEVER go into any business without proper legal protection. Absolutely set up an entity that offers you corporate protection in your operations. Figure out which entity type suits you, and just go on and set it up. If you worry about using your home as your office because you don’t want your address made public, use a Mailboxes etc. or other “office address”, where you are assigned a “virtual address”. 2. Determine your niche area: Decide where you want to play, and start working on making yourself an authority in it. Don’t start calling yourself an “expert” until you are truly one. Remember that you can easily be exposed for a fraud because of what you say or do. If possible, seek out specialized training, and join groups with the same specialized focus. 3. Help us find you: Make yourself easy to find, physically and virtually. Having a physical address is a major criterion for being considered serious minded, so please make sure you have a street address where you be visited in person. Set up a web site ASAP, even if it is just to give your name and contact information. Consider that according to some research studies, over 90% of all sales transactions are now starting online….that is a HUGE opportunity, and should be taken advantage of. 4. Seek us out: Set a plan for reaching your target market is critical, so should be in place pretty much as soon as your corporate paperwork is approved. 5. Honour your market: For heaven’s sake, pick up the phone when you are called! That is such a pet peeve of mine! If someone

“wastes” their time to call you, I believe you owe them a duty to at least pick up the phone and hear what they have to say. In the same vein, make it a duty to return emails and texts within 24 hours. Treat your customer like you would like to be treated. 6. Honour your word: In my opinion, this is one of the deficiencies that will bring a good plan down. If you are not certain, don’t try and bluff your way through a meeting – ask to look into the question and get answers back to the client within a reasonable time – and please get back as promised. No one wants to do business with a person they cannot depend on. 7. Join the Crowd: Go to events, attend conferences, volunteer for causes you are passionate about. This is a sure-fire way to gain industry respect, and consequently to gain more business. 8. Set up your office properly: Set up procedures and processes for the long-term, whether or not you are using them today. If possible, write down as many of them as possible, so there is no confusion. This gives your employees confidence as to the goals you are working towards, and how you would handle certain situations as they arise. 9. Think BIG: If you can sell 2 houses, you can sell 20. You are only limited by your perceptions,

so the burden for becoming successful is 100% yours. The biggest risk takers make the most money, and the possibility of failure is not reduced by the size of the deal. 10. Be BOLD: Ask and you will receive. When you ask, there is a 50% chance you will receive, when you don’t, there is a 0% chance you will. The word “No” actually means you at least tried, and hearing it should never because you to think you failed. Go down the line in the order you choose. If the first on your list says “No”, ask the second…and keep going until you get a “Yes”… and believe me, it will come. I certainly hope you will find some value in my post this week, and will do my best to move forward on topic next week. I do reserve the possibility of having to double back and address more issues from my previous posts in this series as they come up, because I am sensitive to the fact that several new industry players are following and learning from. As always, please connect with me on LinkedIn, and follow me on Twitter @nikefinancepro. Please keep the questions and comments coming, and I look forward to our next conversation. Until then, do make it a fulfilling week.

ABOUT THE WRITER Fasanya-Osilaja a lawyer and mortgage expert has owned and operated Marvel Ventures Mortgage, Inc. (www.marvelmortgage.com), a Chicagobased Mortgage Brokerage Company since 2000 and has worked in the US Mortgage industry since 1996. She also consults and facilitates industryrequired activities, from set up of mortgage organisations to documentation, training and compliance.

Demands for energy-saving products surge

roup Sustainability Manager of Massmart, South Africa, Alexander Haw said Africans are generally and genuinely interested in saving electricity. Massmart is one of the more than 100 businesses that have pledged their support for the 49M campaign, thus demonstrating commitment to the global agenda for energy efficiency and to playing a proactive role in contributing to energy saving across South Africa. At a local level, Haw said, the company has really been encouraged by customer demand for energy efficient and alternative

Real Estate & Environment

energy products, particularly solar lights, gas heaters and energy efficient lamps. Speaking on energy-guzzling appliances, Haw said that typically, geysers and heaters are the most significant users of energy. “However, dishwashers, stoves and lights can also contribute significantly to household energy consumption. His advice to consumers is that when purchasing products – particularly major appliances – customers should pay attention to energy rating labels and, as far as possible, try to purchase those that come with high-efficiency ratings.

igeria’s Ministry of Environment is making plans to attract more climate finance to help meet objectives from COP 21 in Paris. Amina Mohammed, Nigeria’s Minister of Environment spoke to CNBC Africa about what strides the country has made in the last five-months and future plans. “After the Paris agreement we had to take a look at those conditional and unconditional opportunities... so looking at the economy, the regulatory framework but also some of the climate actions we need to take, both the forestation and with some of the coastal issues that we have in the Niger Delta,” said Amina Mohammed, Minister of Environment for Nigeria. Mohammed says the ministry has also looked at some of the incentives it needs to end gas flaring and emissions, as well as the energy mix in the country - which is moving from fossil fuels to renewable. “This is still very much a work in progress, but what is very clear is we know the infrastructure investments that we need to make include power, and falls at least for now we are looking at fossil

fuels but there is a renewable energy strategy for which the Minister of Power is looking at.” She says that means moving towards solar, wind and hydro power, then making sure that all parts of the country are reached in the diversification of the economy. “In the Ministry of Environment we are looking at the Great Green Wall which is part of the African Union initiative - it goes across 11 states, 49 local governments,” she said. Over 40 million people could benefit from a green wall, because the planted trees would have economic value and provide opportunity for employment. “The environment ministry is in the year of transition, I think it is very important that we plan and that we find the synergies and the coherence with other sectors as to what we begin to invest in in the coming years,” said Mohammed. She adds: “I believe that we put investments in place in the budget this year for infrastructure for security and for jobs for people that are important and what we have done is to inform those plans as we go looking to the bigger investments that we will need to leverage for 2017 through this administrations time.”

UPDC to focus on retail business for growth

equel to the prevailing economic reality, the UACN Property Development Company Plc, has readjusted its business towards retail segment to be able to harness the opportunities in the sector. Already, the company has decried the challenges of high cost of funding, inadequate mortgage financing and poor infrastructure, saying they are preventing them from effective demand in low and medium residential market segments. Chairman of the Company, Mr. Larry Ettah,who disclosed this during the company’s Annual General Meeting in Lagos said despite the slowdown in the luxury segment, the Nigerian real estate market remained attractive as there were untapped opportunities in the residential category as well as numerous opportunities in the retail, commercial and industrial segments of the market. Ettah, who disclosed that his company posted N3.7 billion revenue in 2015 as against N10.08 billion in 2014 said its loss before taxation was N1.80 billion as against N2.04bn within the same period under re-

view. He however regretted that the company could not pay dividend for the year under review due to economic lull. Commenting on the operating environment, he noted that as in almost all of Africa’s markets, demand for high-quality retail, office and industrial real estates in Nigeria had continued to outstrip supply. Nigerian real estate market, he noted had continued to record significant growth in the last decade in response to demand for residential and commercial properties. The UPDC boss however explained that growth in the commercial segment had been driven by new investments in high growth sectors like retail, hospitality/tourism and telecommunications while the spike in demand for residential housing was linked to population growth and rising income levels. “Although real estate development activity is increasing in several states of the federation, however, demand and supply for commercial and residential properties remain more predominant in Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt,” Ettah stated.

Real Estate & Environment

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

N13.4bn Abuja shopping mall to open in 2017 BY SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

multibillion shopping centre, Novare Gateway Mall, is expected to open for business in Abuja in 2017. Estimated at $68 million, about N13.4 billion, the construction had begun in the nation’s capital city with a total size of approximately 25 000m2 and an initial stage of 15 278m2. Being developed in phases by Novare Real Estate Africa, the total cost for the first phase is said to gulp $68 million. Speaking at the, the Nigerian Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Alhaji Mohammed Bello during the ground-breaking ceremony in the FCT said his administration would give all the necessary supports needed to make the project a reality; hence it would create employment and generate multiplier economic activities. He however commended Novare Gateway for partnering

with Abuja Chamber of Commerce in executing the project by leveraging on local expertise, information as well as local content. Speaking on the project, the Country’s Head of Property Development, Novare Real Estate Africa, Jan van Zyl said, “Its modern infrastructure and facilities, mean that the shopping centre is perfectly situated to meet the needs of the growing residents of Abuja community. He said, according to the latest PWC African Retail report, Abuja is set to experience a growth rate of 171 percent in terms of its population size till 2030, disclosing that the figure is one of the highest on the continent. Anchored by Shoprite, the centre is located on the main 10-lane highway along Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja. Other malls in Abuja forming part of the Novare Real Estate Africa portfolio include

Law on land seizure begins in South Africa

outh Africa’s lower house has passed a law that would allow government to seize land for redistribution to landless people to address historical ownership patterns, however, the move is throwing up fresh political unrest in the country. The ruling African National Congress, ANC, dominated National Council of Provinces, NCOP, had passed the amended Expropriation Bill, contrary to the position of the opposition parties, including the main Democratic Alliance, DA, and Freedom Front Plus, FF+. The Bill, according to the lower house, is not replacing the need and commitment by the present administration for consultation Envisaged to settle the skewed ownership of land between blacks and whites, the Bill seeks to align the law with South Africa’s constitution, particularly in clauses on equality, property, administrative action and extension of the purpose for expropriation to include public interest. NCOP’s select committee on economic and business development chairperson, Bongotlo Nthebe said the Bill was ‘consistent’ with the country’s constitution. Nthebe said the proposed law will ensure that land, which is much needed for infrastructural projects, was availed without bringing about constitutional challenges from those, who are dispossessed. “This Bill is not replacing the need and commitment by this administration for consultation,” Nthebe stated.

“Provinces see the value and importance of a Bill such as this one, given the country’s historical realities and our nation’s developmental needs.” However, DA’s Leona Kleynhans said the public participation process was flawed with changes to dates and venues made, which ultimately resulted some submissions being ignored. Kleynhans said some clauses in the Bill were unconstitutional and amendments were proposed through several submissions that were ignored by parliamentary committees. President Jacob Zuma is expected to sign the Bill into law soon. The ANC has been under pressure to speed up its agrarian reforms in a country, where access to land remains a thorny issue. Recent research by land activists showed that in 1994, as a result of colonial dispossession and apartheid, 87 percent of South African land was owned by whites and only 13 percent by blacks. By 2012, post-apartheid land reform had seen the transfer of 7.95 million hectares, the equivalent of 7.5 percent of formerly whiteowned land, to blacks. South Africa’s expropriation laws were passed as a statute in June 1975. Under the laws, expropriation entails the government purchasing movable and immovable property from a natural and/or juristic person for a public purpose, which was, prior to its recent amendment, defined to mean “for the administration of any law”.

the 8 267m2 Novare Apo mall, which is located approximately 18 km away from Novare Gateway to the south-east of Abuja.

In the north, the 12 508m2 Novare Central, a mixed use centre consisting of retail space and A-grade offices, is also in

progress while in Lagos, the 22 000m2 Novare Lekki mall, is expected to commence trading in the middle of 2016.

L-R: Executive Director, Corporate Services, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mr. Joe Dada; Managing Director, Chemical and Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Mrs. Omolara Elemide; Human Resources Manager, Chemical & Allied Products (CAP) Plc, Olumide Adediji and Head, Human Resources, UAC of Nigeria Plc, Mrs. Osa Osowa, during the presentation of the Great Place To Work Award to CAP Plc recently.

Uncertainty trails Nigeria’s property market

BY SYLVA EMEKA-OKEREKE

ncertainties have continued to trail the nation’s property market as the sector has defiled all-known predictions. Long before this fiscal year, industry experts had predicted that the year would afford investors the opportunity to acquire property at low prices. It was also noted that the emergence of a new administration under President Mohammadu Buhari would witness large volume of activities, even as experts predicted high returns on investments in this fiscal year. However, contrary to the predictions, the industry appears to be witnessing low returns on investments amid serious lull. Currently, the nation’s real estate market is dwindling, thus defiling all positive predictions in the all-important sector. Pundits had noted that several properties would be up for grab, even as the market forces would make the price to crash, since much cash would be available for few properties. Ironically, investors have expressed displeasure over their inability to access funds to buy property, groaning on low cash flow. A property consultant, Mr Femi Ojudun said while some people are still complaining of cash squeeze in the market, others are busy building mansions and estates. According to him, those investing in the market should wait for some time to see how foreign exchange market would impact on the sector, saying, as it stands now, there is a mixed hope for property investors.

According to him, there may be lull in the system, but the situation would pick up as the budget has been passed and its implementation started already, assuring investors that the sector would soon witness boom. He urged investors, who are not willing to invest in the sector, to exercise patience, saying investors

would soon smile. ‘’I must tell you that everybody is scared of investing in the sector. Some investors are not keen to invest in the market due to the dwindling economy, even as some sellers are not willing to bring their property to the market, as uncertainty over government policy direction continues to trail them’’, he added.

Africa Hub to assist developers on green mini-grids

ustainable Energy for All (SE4All) Africa Hub, hosted by the African Development Bank, AfDB, has signed a service contract with a consortium of GVEP International and INENSUS GmbH to provide technical assistance to developers of Green Mini-Grids. The SE4All Africa Hub is implementing a Green Mini-Grid Market Development Program, GMG MDP, to facilitate across Africa the creation of a Green MiniGrid movement and enabling environment funded through the Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (SEFA). To achieve universal access to modern energy by 2030, as prescribed by the SE4All objectives, Africa will require substantial investments into national power grids, off-grid solar home systems, and isolated mini-grids. The GVEP/INENSUS consortium will provide business development services (BDS) to Green Mini-Grid developers, assisting them on a wide range of issues, from business planning, market development and grid design to project finance, grid operation and maintenance. The BDS helpdesk will be operational and open

to requests for support from minigrid developers by July this year. GVEP International, based in London, is a non-profit organization that advises off-grid energy businesses, in order to reduce poverty through accelerated access to energy. INENSUS GmbH is a German consultancy firm for private sector driven mini-grid electrification. ENERSA S.A. and JUMEME Ltd., which was supported earlier through a SEFA project preparation grant, are INENSUS subsidiaries and minigrid utility businesses supplying electricity from wind-solar-diesel/ solar hybrid power systems with battery storage, demand side and load management to customers in rural villages of Senegal and Tanzania, respectively. SE4All Africa Hub Coordinator at the AfDB, Daniel-Alexander Schroth, , stressed that “MiniGrids are a key piece of the puzzle to solving Africa’s energy access challenge and a priority theme under the Bank’s New Deal on Energy for Africa. We are therefore delighted that we could mobilize with GVEP/INENSUS an experienced team to provide support to mini-grid developers”.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Aviation

Seeking improved government’s support for Arik Air, others on international routes Aviation experts and air travellers in the country have revved up calls to the Federal Government on the imperativeness of providing more supports for indigenous airlines in order to properly position them on a strong pedestal for competitiveness in the increasingly challenging international routes. OLUSEGUN KOIKI writes.

any Nigerian airlines are in precarious situation and increasingly experiencing difficulties in meeting their operational obligations due to lack of government support and unfavourable operating environment. To continually spread their wings in the air, stakeholders and professionals have consistently say the carriers like Arik Air, Med-View Airline and others require infusions of capital. Their ability to meet their financial obligations is dependent on them to infuse the requisite funds. But, the airlines’ debts have hit rock bottom since the past few years compelling the government to set up modalities to assist them. However, the initial intervention in the form of bail-out funds running into several billion of naira, analysts say was actually meant to bailout the banks that at the time were facing serious financial challenges and not the airlines as the government wanted the public to believe. The fund was meant to pay back the debts of the airlines to the financial institutions irrespective of the agreement the airlines had with the banks and not to inject the fund into their operations. In other climes, governments bailout their airlines in other to remain in business. For instance, after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, the government intervened in the finances of their carriers who faced serious apathy after the attacks on the U.S. soil. The U.S. Government supported its carriers to improve safety and security onboard by releasing billions of dollars for high-tech equipment. Today, the U.S. Government is a major beneficiary of that bailout funds as its carriers are perceived as the safest in their world despite the continual terrorist threats on the U.S., while its economy has consistently remain high. Also, the devaluation of the naira against major currencies around the world has resulted in protruding costs and debts to the airlines while loans they obtained from abroad to boost their services has tripled as a result of the free fall of the nation’s currency. To this end, local and international air travellers have called on the Federal Government to assist Arik Air and other indigenous airlines

Arik aircraft

Med-View aircraft

On the part Of gOvernment, I thInk gOvernment shOuld have a re-thInk On the way the aIrlInes are taxed. gOvernment shOuld gIve arIk aIr and Others plyIng InternatIOnal rOutes sOme reprIeve On taxes and levIes and If need be…

as the challenges of operating profitably in the industry continue to threaten the operations of the airlines and their sustainable growth. Some of the air travellers, who shared their experiences with National Mirror in a recent trip to the United States, commended Arik Air for sustaining the Lagos-New York routes, despite daunting fiscal hurdles and called on the Federal Government to see how the airline and others could enjoy some fiscal reliefs in form of low taxes and levies as well as other logistics supports. The air travellers observed that the cost of doing business remains too high to enable the airlines compete favourably with international airlines plying the same routes with them, the travellers specifically urged the government to find a means of reducing the cost of the airlines’ operations. In his remarks, Reverend Oluyinka Fatehun, who was on a missionary assignment to the United States, while commending the manage-

ment of Arik for showcasing Nigeria’s presence on the Lagos-New York route, noted that some of the problems facing the airline, and others could be mitigated if government would create enabling environment for their survival. He said, “What I will advise the Nigerian government to do, is to especially come to the aid of Arik, Med-View and other domestic airlines in the area of logistics and also we know that the competition is very stiff and now Nigeria does not have a national carrier, so the domestic airlines should be assisted. “Well, it may look a little bit bogus but as our dear President has said, while campaigning and also during his inaugural speech that he would like to give some of the Presidential aircraft out for commercial purpose, I believe he could lease for these airlines, especially Arik, to assist them while at the same time, because of the way we have things in Nigeria, if they could also assist in monitoring the management. This can help in addressing some of the logistic problems the airlines are facing. “Another thing is that since they are in our country, buffer zones should be given to them to operate so that problems of landing, parking costs and other logistics, which could be used to cushion the effects of high costs they are contending with. If these concessions are granted them, it will make their air tickets cost less, enable them to compete with foreign airlines and make them operate profitably.” For Mrs. Farida Hamzat, a mother of two who also boarded Arik Air from New York to Lagos, while government support in terms of funding at very low interest rate and reduced taxes and levies are needed to enable the airline cope with high cost of operations, partnership with international airlines could also make the

airline and other indigenous ones cope on the international routes. “I think they should go into partnership with bigger airlines to compete favourably and be able to cope with operational challenges. So, partnership is very important in whatever one is doing, especially if you are operating in an international environment, as they are doing now. They should establish partnership with the international airlines. “On the part of government, I think government should have a rethink on the way the airlines are taxed. Government should give Arik airline and others plying international routes some reprieve on taxes and levies and if need be, funding support to enable them cope with the increasing cost of doing business in the aviation sector”, Hamzat added. Another air travellers, Mrs. Patience Ezenwa, agreed on the need for government to support the airline, adding that even when Arik Air was having some logistics problems on the route, the causes could not be blamed totally on the airline, a situation, which she said made government’s support desirable for all indigenous airlines in the country. Ezenwa, who is a regular passenger of Air Air, canvassed the need for lines of cheap credit to be opened to it and others while also emphasising the imperative of lower tax regime for the airlines. She said; “Let government help these airlines because I know that Arik and others trying to make Nigeria visible in the international air travels space are having a lot of challenges, which are not created by them. “Let government help them and meet their needs, especially dealing with high taxes on them. I think this is one area government should find a way of assisting them, including giving the airlines access to cheap credit which most businesses in Nigeria need.” Reacting to the challenges of the airlines, a businessman who also travelled the Lagos-New York route aboard Arik Air, Mr. Prospect Okechukwu, believed funding support, a more liberalised tax regimes and regulatory measures could help indigenous airlines cope with competition on their routes. He explained; “You realise that Arik is the major indigenous airline flying most of these international routes. Government could provide some funding at very low interest rate to support them as we know that airline business is very capital intensive and the cost of doing business in Nigeria is too high. “If the airline is assisted, this may encourage more investors to go into the business not necessarily because of the money but because they will also see it as a business venture with good prospects. If the routes become more competitive, then you can be sure of improved service efficiency. There is also need for government to strength regulations.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Dana Air wins multiple prizes at LCCI’s Awards StorieS: oluSegun KoiKi

he Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, LCCI, has rewarded Dana Air with the award of Service Excellence in Aviation. The airline emerged victorious at the LCCI’s 2016 Commerce and Industry Awards, held recently in Lagos. The organizer said the airline was recognized for its exceptional customer service, innovative online products and ethical business practices in 2016. The Commerce and Industry Awards is a yearly award ceremony, organized by the chamber to recognise, celebrate and promote private and public institutions who have exhibited the core values of best business practices, growth through innovations, and business sustainability. A statement by the spokesman of the airline, Mr. Kingsley Ezenwa quoted the Director- General of LCCI, Mr. Muda Yusuf as saying that winners of the awards emerge through a painstaking selection process from hundreds of entries supported by robust research and market intelligence. He added, “We are celebrating

Commercial Director, Air France; Mr. Arthur Dieffenthaler, Actor Wale Ojo, Producer, Director and Brand Ambassador for Air France, Kunle Afolayan and General Manager, Air France, Jean-Raoul Tauzin at the premiere of the Kunled Afolayan’s film CEO in Lagos recently.

corporate organisations and public institutions that have made remarkable contribution to the development Commerce and industry and the economy at large.” Receiving the award on behalf of the company, the Accountable Manager of Dana Air, Mr. Obi Mbanuzuo, commended the chamber for the recognition. He emphasized that the LCCI was a very credible organisation and the award was a challenge to maintain the standards and excellence, which the airline is known for. Obi however dedicated the award to the Dana Air team,

and lauded the airlines’ customers for their loyalty and commitment. He said, “Our customers deserve the very best in service delivery and we are focused on providing exceptional value for our customers through amazing and rewarding products and services.” Dana Air is one of Nigeria’s leading airlines, operating over 27 daily flights to Accra, Abuja, Lagos Port-Harcourt and Uyo. The airline is reputed for its efficient customer services, worldclass in-flight services, on-time departures and arrivals, innovative e-airline products and high safety and quality standards.

Etihad Airways appoints Mawadri GM for Nigeria

he national airline of United Arab Emirates, UAE, Etihad Airways has appointed a Mr. George Mawadri as its new General Manager in Nigeria. Mawadri in his new position would be responsible for growing Etihad Airways’ relationships with its travel trade and corporate customers in the country while furthering the development of the airline’s commercial strategy in Nigeria. A statement by the airline’s media consultant in Nigeria said that Mawadri brings a vast amount of airline experience and knowledge to the position, having served with British Airways for 19 years in Uganda, Kenya and Zambia in the

Mawadri

East and Central Africa regions, as well as the surrounding feeder markets of Zimbabwe, Malawi, Ethiopia, Rwanda, Sudan and South Sudan. Commenting on his new assignment, Mawadri said that he was excited to take on this new role with Etihad Airways in one of the airline’s most dynamic markets. He said that he looked forward to working with the team to find innovative ways of expanding the airline’s strategic corporate and trade partnerships, strengthening its commercial ties and providing the guests with Etihad Airways’ world-class service, comfort, and hospitality. Etihad’s Senior Vice President, Global Sales, Danny Barranger, said, “I am delighted that George will be leading our team in Nigeria to grow our business there. His extensive commercial experience and successful track record in the African aviation industry will be invaluable as he continues to develop awareness of Etihad Airways, making him the ideal candidate for this important position.” Etihad Airways launched its service between Lagos and Abu Dhabi on 1 July 2012 and currently oper-

ates four-times-per-week using an Airbus A330-200 aircraft configured to carry 254 guests, 18 in Business Class and 236 in Economy Class.

Airside shegzzy4live2000@yahoo.co.uk 08186007273

NCAA’s riot act and airlines skewed method

ast week, the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority, NCAA, read out the riot act to indigenous airlines not to sell tickets to air travellers when they are not sure they will operate that particular flight. The issue of flight delays and cancellations has been on the front burner for over two months and the airline operators have consistently attributed this to scarcity of Jet A1 in recent time. Airside says aviation fuel has been truly scarce in the industry in the past months, but insists that the airline operators are not telling the air travellers the whole truth. The major challenge with the nation’s carriers is lack of capable equipment and most of them are chewing more than they can bite at the same time. For instance, some of them have

taken their aircraft for scheduled maintenance check and rather than to cut their services to reflect the number of aircraft in their fleet, they still want to maintain the same number of flights with limited aircraft. Also, costs have increased, revenue has decreased for many of the carriers, yet, they boosted capacity by leasing more aircraft and opening new routes, which caused per-seat profits to nosedive. Airside says NCAA should focus its attention more on the antics of the indigenous carriers who play on the intelligence of the travelling public by ‘swindling’ them and still not provide them with the required services while the Standard and Recommended Practices, SARPs, and the Passenger Bill of Rights of NCAA is thrown into the crash bin.

How not to spend government’s fund

n Monday May 16, 2016, the Minister of State for Aviation, Sen. Hadi Sirika held Aviation Stakeholders’ Forum in Abuja for the presentation of the vision and plans of the government of President Muhammadu Buhari for the industry. No doubt, the forum was good for the sector, but Airside says it was not well-planned and articulated by the minister. The same day Sirika was having his own forum in Abuja, the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi was having another event in Lagos with major stakeholders and professionals in the maritime sector.

However, as a senior minister in the transport industry, Amaechi summoned Sirika and other Chief Executive Officers, CEOs, of aviation agencies to Lagos to attend his own forum while Sirika and the agencies’ heads who were 24 hours earlier equally summoned to Abuja by Sirika had to take the next available flight to Lagos with government resources and abandoned their own event with alacrity. Airside advises that the two ministers should always harmonise their plans to curb the last week’s wastage of government’s inadequate resources. A stitch in time saves nine.

ICAO certifies Ethiopian Academy regional training centre

thiopian Aviation Academy, has been recognised as the International Civil Aviation Organisation, ICAO, Regional Training Center of Excellence. The Academy attained the recognition following a rigorous assessment of the training organisation, training & procedures manuals, facilities, training processes, qualification of staff and quality system. The recognition allows Ethiopian to develop and host ICAO Training Packages, ITPs, in addition to ICAO recognised Standardised Training Packages, STPs, of its own. Moreover, besides improving the quality of training, by making it more of material dependent than instructor dependent, the ITPs and STPs can also be exchanged with all ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS mem-

bers and generate revenue. The Group Chief Executive Officer, CEO, Ethiopian Airlines, Mr. Tewolde GebreMariam, said “We believe education is the greatest equaliser in the 21st century and our Aviation Academy has strategically positioned itself to train the African youth in the latest Aviation technology and latest aviation skills to own, manage and operate their own indigenous home grown African Airlines to lead safe, economical and reliable aviation industry with global standards. “This recognition is the result of the continuous heavy investment we are making on human resource development, a critical pillar of our Vision 2025 strategy. We have invested more than 100 million dollars to expand both the scope of

the training and the in-take capacity of the Academy. “Today, our Academy admits over 1,500 students per year to train pilots, aircraft technicians, cabin crew, marketing and finance personnel, customer service agents as well as aviation leaders. Going forward, we plan to increase this in-take capacity to 4,000 by 2025, so as to cater for the growing training need in the continent.” Ethiopian Aviation Academy, EAA, has recently been awarded “Airline Service Provider of the Year” award by the African Airlines Association, AFRAA, for its excellence in service delivery, innovation and competitiveness in best service providers to the African aviation industry The academy is also a full member of ICAO TRAINAIR PLUS since May 20, 2015.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Money

Exploring e-payment benefits to catalyse economic growth The fiscal and monetary authorities in the country have continued to adopt appropriate policy measures in the past few years to promote electronic payment transactions at all levels of national development. Development analysts see the step as desirable in view of the multi-dimensional opportunities the option holds for broad-based growth of the economy. UDO ONYEKA reports.

owever analysts say for the effective functioning of the financial system, the payment systems must be safe and efficient, and devoid of other abuses to deliver the desired objectives. According to Director Banking and Payments System Department, Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Mr. Dipo Fatokun, this is why central bank has been active in promoting sound and efficient payments system and in seeking the means to reduce risks associated with the system. Nigeria historically operated a cash-driven economy particularly in the consumer sector, however the system has witnessed improvements over the years, and particular in recent times has moved from its rudimentary level of the early years of banking business to the current state of sophistication comparable to other economies at the same level of development. Fatokun said Payments and Settlement system refers to the entirety of instruments, technology and processes, laws, rules and regulations based on which value is exchanged by economic agents within an economy and across borders for the facilitation of trade and other economic activities. “From cash to wire transfers, no matter the sophistication, the reason d’etre is the exchange of value and facilitation of trade, a function so central to the social and economic interaction of people and cultures. “In view of the importance of the payments system to the economic wellbeing of the nation and its people, the CBN has been consistently formulating and executing strategies and policy to ease exchange. “The extensive role of the payments system for effective monetary policy, stable and sound financial system and by extension, economic growth and development is well documented. “Sustainable economic growth requires a well-functioning, efficient and reliable clearing and payments system to lubricate local and international business transactions by providing liquidity in the financial system,” he said. Former President, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria, CIBN, and Managing Director, Maxifund Finance and Securities Limited, Mazi Okechukwu Unegbu said a national payments system ,NPS, is one of the principal components of a country’s monetary and financial system and therefore, crucial to a country’s economic development. Unegbu said there was a time in this country when cheques presented for clearing in a different state from where the issuing account is domiciled took 21 working days to clear. “Today, cheques clear nationwide, next day”, he said. According to Fatokun in no distant time cheques would begin to clear same day, adding that the time and human resource saved could translate into millions of naira “You may bear witness with me that approaching the millennium, we were counting the total number of ATMs in the country in tens, today they are in their thousands. Just

Fatokun

Unegbu

The successes recorded so far have been encouraging. elecTronic paymenTs channels have been broadened wiTh

several opTions as online web paymenTs, elecTronic funds Transfer, various

forms of cards,

pos, aTm non-cash

TransacTions three years ago, we barely have 5000 active POS but today, there are over 100,000 installed in various merchants across Nigeria. The last decade indeed has been revolutionary for the national payments system”, he said. Fatokun said efforts at entrenching robust payments system commenced with the establishment of the Lagos clearinghouse in 1961 by the Central which itself started operations in 1959. “Over the years, the bank created clearing houses in all the states of the Federation including the FCT. It will be interesting to note how nimble the clearing structure has become. Banks introduced cards and ATMs in the nineties while the Magnetic Ink Character Recognition, MICR, Technology was adopted in 1991 for enhanced processing of cheques. “Sequel to the establishment of the Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System ,NIBSS, plc in 1994 and a number of private switches ten years later, cards, ATMs and POS transactions started gaining traction while cheque clearing cycle improved to T+2 and T+5 for local and upcountry cheques respectively in 2002. The CBN issued the first guidelines on electronic banking in 2003 which covers a whole spectrum of electronic payments,” Fatokun said. Following the realisation by the CBN that the payments system, especially through the settlement process usually indicates the initial distress signals among banks and the potential impact on the Bank’s role of lender of last resort and by extension monetary policy implementation, deliberate attention were given to the need to effectively manage payments

system risks. In the first instance, the Bank introduced the settlement framework for cheque clearing in 2004 and implemented the Real Time Gross Settlement, RTGS, system which went into operation in 2006. The RTGS is a critical infrastructure which largely addressed credit and settlement risk in the payments system. Large value payments were therefore transited from the cheque clearing system into the RTGS which settles the transactions on gross basis instantaneously. This eliminated substantial risk from the payments system and maximum transaction limit of N10m was imposed on cheque transactions along with the Cheque Standard of 2006. Thereafter, the upcountry and local cheques clearing cycle was harmonised in 2008 at T+2. The CBN in the mid-2000s saw the opportunity in the use of electronic payments system to achieve rapid inclusion of the financially excluded while also promoting efficiency of monetary policy through an enlarged base within the formal financial system. The Bank therefore developed and launched the first version of the National Payments System Vision 2020 in 2007. The focus was to have a nationally utilised payments system which is internationally recognised for its compliance with standards and internationally accepted best practices. “The successes recorded so far have been encouraging. Electronic payments channels have been broadened with several options as online web payments, electronic funds transfer, various forms of cards, POS, ATM non-cash transactions etc. “The channels are recording enormous

growth. As an instance, the NIBSS Instant Payments ,NIP, used for online transfers has grown at an annual growth rate of 199 per cent and 190 per cent in volume and value respectively with total transfers on the platform in 2013 grossing N10.85trn. The development goes beyond electronic payments growth; even jobs have been created with over 21 MMOs licensed with each employing not less than 20 staff along with about 66,930 agents. “Electronic payments companies both indigenous and foreign have come into the market with positive impact on investment and employment. Furthermore, the impact on financial inclusion has been significant with banks physical channel density growth, through POS, ATMs and branches, at an annual compounded growth rate of 59.6 per cent between 2009 and 2013. Access to finance is CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele has said to facilitate economic activities the apex bank is providing safe and efficient mechanisms by making and receiving payments with minimum risks to the central banks, payments service. In order for bank customers to get quality service as in other climes the CBN recently banned all forms discriminatory in the provision of electronic payment service. This was one of the highlights of two revised guidelines relating to e-payment services issued by the apex bank. The guidelines are: Guidelines on Transactions Switching in Nigeria; and Guidelines on Operations of Electronic Payment Channels in Nigeria. The CBN circular read in part “No parties to Switching Services shall abuse its dominant position by directly or indirectly imposing unfair or discriminatory condition and fees in the provision of its services; Equally, no parties to Switching Services shall limit or restrict the provision of switching services or market thereof or technical or scientific development relating to switching services to the prejudice of consumers; No parties shall indulge in practice or practices resulting in denial of market access. The guidelines also banned Nigeria Interbank Settlement System, NIBSS, from competing with any e-payment service firm in the country. It stated, “Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc ,NIBSS, the Nigeria Central Switch ,NCS and any company, person or group of persons performing the roles, duties or functions of the Nigeria Central Switch shall not under any circumstance whatsoever or howsoever engage in competition with any Payment Card Industry Scheme, Operator or Service Provider. Accordingly, Nigeria Inter-Bank Settlement System Plc (NIBSS), the Nigeria Central Switch (NCS) and any company, person or group of persons performing the roles, duties or functions of the Nigeria Central Switch shall not: be or engage in any business as: Card Scheme, Issuer of Payment Cards, Issuer-Processor, Acquirer, Acquirer-Processor.”

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Insurance

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ILAN to partner NAICOM, underwriters on loss adjustment By Z aka khaliq

he Institute of Loss Adjusters of Nigeria, ILAN has promised to partner the National Insurance Commission, NAICOM and insurance operators in loss adjustment business across the country. The President, ILAN, Mr. Ralph Opara, who disclosed this during his investiture as the 10th President of the institute in Lagos, promised that his tenure would strengthen the relationship between the institute and NAICOM, since

the institute cannot make enough progress without the support of the industry’s regulator as well as the operators and other key stakeholders in insurance industry. Speaking on the relationship with other arms of the industry, he maintained that 90 per cent of the businesses undertaken by loss adjusters come from the underwriters, hence, the relationship will be enhanced. He noted that the same hands of fellowship would be extended to the brokers; agents and leadership of the Chartered Insurance Institute of Nigeria , CIIN, under his

administration. He said: “I have had cause to visit the library of a few educational institutions that offer insurance and related courses and it is lamentable that there are virtually no books on insurance on their library shelves. If that is so for insurance, what then for loss adjusting that is relatively unknown. “During my tenure, I intend to improve on

Online medium to give awards to insurers, pension operators By Z aka khaliq

L-R: The President, Risk Managers Society of Nigeria, RIMSON, Mr. Jacob Adeosun, presenting a plaque to the Managing Director, Enterprise Trust Insurers Brokers Limited, Mr. Paschal Egerue, as the Guest Speaker, at the 2016 Risk Management Conference and Awards Ceremony organised by RIMSON in Lagos recently.

Expert charges insurers to brace industry challenges By Z aka khaliq

resident, Africa Insurance Organisation, AIO, Mrs. Lamia Ben Mahmoud, said in the past decades, African continent has been hit by some major challenges which have to a large extent undermined economic growth and affected the insurance sector. He canvassed the need for insurance operators to tackle those challenges to secure a better future for the industry. Mahmoud, who spoke at the recently concluded Africa insurance Organisation Conference in Marrakech, Morocco, explained that the recent drop in fuel price was seriously affecting insurance players in the energy sector, stressing that cyber criminality, political instability, insecurity with some new waves of terrorist attacks, climate change, food security challenges for the continent’s population, among others, are challenges confronting the continent which insurers must address. According to her, the industry still suffers

from a shortage of skilled and experienced insurance professionals, as a result, large and complex risks are not retained within Africa, but are ceded to foreign insurance markets because specialist risk management capabilities and high quality security are not sufficiently available. The industry expert noted that this had caused premium flight which threatens the viability of the domestic insurance industry amid wide spread ignorance on the benefits of insurance as well as acute shortage of product differentiation. Mahmoud urged companies to act to promote expertise, emphasising the need to strengthen the diversification of training in scientific and technical issues by leveraging new tools and instruments imposed by the development of technology to ensure greater communication of their knowledge and know-how. This is even as she recognised the enormity of the challenges, especially in a context where the one size solution is outdated as customers now expect personalised insurance solutions.

the quantity and quality of books in ILAN library on various disciplines that are of relevance to insurance.” Opara explained that ILAN was already discussing with the Chartered Institute of Loss Adjusting, CILA of the United Kingdom on the library project, hoping that by the end of his tenure in 2017, there would have been sufficient reference books to attract the interest of academic researchers and journalists.

nspenonline, an Insurance and Pension online news channel, is set to give awards to outstanding insurance companies and the Pension Fund Administrators, PFAs, for the 2015 financial year. A statement by the Publisher/Editor-inChief of the medium, Chuks Udo Okonta, indicated that 18 companies drawn from the insurance and pension sectors had been selected for various categories and will be voted for by the public. He noted that the award, which is the fourth in its series, was designed to recognise the stride made by firms and individuals, adding that firms and individuals that distinguished themselves will be celebrated at the award ceremony scheduled for August 2016. Okonta said the Managing Director, FBNInsurance Limited, Val Ojumah; Managing Director, Leadway Assurance Limited, Hassan

Oye-Odukale and the Chief Executive Officer, Axa Mansard Insurance Plc, Mrs Yetunde Ilori, were nominated for the Insurance Man of the year category. According to him, FBNInsurance Limited; Leadway Assurance Limited; Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc and Axa Mansard Insurance Plc, were nominated for Insurance company of the year. Moreover, Leadway Assurance Limited; Axa Mansard Insurance Plc; FBNInsurance Limited and Sovereign Trust Insurance were nominated for Corporate Brand Category. In the pension industry, Stanbic IBTC Pension Limited; AIICO Pension Limited and Premium Pension limited were nominated for Pension Fund Administrators of the year. In the same vein, Leverage Insurance Brokers Limited, YOA Insurance Brokers Limited; Standard Insurance Consultant Limited and Plum Insurance Brokers were nominated for Insurance Broking Category.

Re-insurance industry’s M&A to continue – Ratings Agency

ergers and acquisitions in the reinsurance industry will continue, an expert from ratings agency, AM Best have predicted. But John Andre, group vice-president, said that any new mergers would likely be on a smaller scale than the past few years, although jobs might still go. Mr Andre was speaking at a one-day conference in Bermuda. He said: “The big ones are harder — they take so long to absorb, but we will continue to see merger and acquisitions of the small and medium type. “It might not be a straightforward merger, it might be a company acquiring a team of analysts from another company and hopefully taking their business with them.” Mr Andre warned that jobs could still go as the industry evolved in the face of a changing marketplace.

He said: “There could be a fall in jobs as a result. They look for synergies and often that can mean a reduction of staff, absolutely.” Mr Andre spoke as US-based AM Best held a seminar at the Hamilton Princess to discuss changes to the firm’s credit rating methodology, designed to improve transparency and take advantage of new benchmarking and analytical tools. Mr Andre said the reinsurance industry continued to face a number of challenges. He explained: “It’s many, it’s over abundance of capital, it’s competition, it’s investment returns. These are the ones that come most to mind.” But he said: “Bermuda is certainly very solid. It’s a wonderful platform down here, with all these insurance and reinsurance specialists in such a small space with very good management.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Capital Market

Operators urge SEC, NSE to fast-track demutualization process Johnson okanlawon

arket operators have called on the Securities and Exchange Commission, SEC and the Nigeria Stock Exchange, NSE to speed up the process of demutaualisation of stock exchange. They said that demutualisation will increase the presence of local investors in the stock market. They condemned overdependence on foreign investors in the activities of the nation’s capital market. Demutualisation is the process of converting exchanges from non-profit, member-owned organisations forprofit, investorowned corporations. In demutualisation, the members give up their rights and receive shares of the company in return, which the (now former) members may then sell. The Managing Director of Crane Securities Limited, Mr. Mike Eze, noted that when membership of the NSE is opened to majority of Nigerians and they are called upon to own shares in the stock market, it would help create awareness of activities in the market, give investors a ‘sense of belonging’ and more local investors would participate. He pointed out that with demutualisation, the ownership structure of the NSE would be properly put in place, noting that when this is done, corporate governance would be well structured and this would boost investors’ confidence to stake their fund in the

market. He added that the Nigerian Stock market was worst hit by the global financial crises due to over dependence on foreign investors as they dumped their shares during the crises and moved their investment outside the country. Besides, Eze noted that demutualisation would go a long way to reduce overdependence on foreign investors and attract local ones into the market. He explained that when the NSE is fully demutualised and the ownership structure clearly spelt out, the generality of the populace would get to know that the Exchange is not a government enterprise. “As NSE demutualises and sells its own shares to the people, more people will know what is happening here and they will bring all the money they are stocking elsewhere here because they will believe that the place belongs to them. “Right now, many of them think it is a government enterprise,” he explained. He said effort to bring awareness of activities on the Exchange reached a reasonable height during the time of the former Director General when a lot of road shows were organised in the country,” he added. He however, lamented that concentration on foreign investors does not augur well for the country because all they are looking is their own pocket. “They are not interested in the development of Nigeria. If anything goes wrong in their country, like in the

global financial meltdown, they would sell off their investment in Nigeria to go and survive over there and that way, the Nigerian Stock Market would be at the receiving end. That is why we incurred a lot of losses here because they dump their shares and moved outside.’’ The Chief Executive Officer of Highyield Investment Company Limited, Imafidon Adonri said demutualization will enable the Stock Exchange operate efficiently like a commercial business.

According to him, this would give it greater latitude to explore more income generating possibilities, adding that with more income, it can acquire world-class facilities which will enhance its competitiveness. He added that it is also believed that as a business limited by shares, the standard of corporate governance and transparency will be enhanced and with this, several retail investors would have opportunity to be shareholders in the Exchange and hence be able to influence its development.

Nigeria Stock Exchange building, Lagos

FBN Capital seeks operators’ stimulation of capital markets Johnson okanlawon

BN Capital has called on operators in the various markets in Africa to ensure that their bourses have the potential to stimulate the needed growth in their economies. The investment firm noted that African stock exchanges as a very critical element and important facilitator of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. A statement from the firm quoted Head, Equity Brokerage, FBN Capital, emitope Adeosun, as saying that capital market and financial sector development is an important facilitator of economic growth in sub-Saharan Africa. She said, “It should be recognised as a legitimate component of a country’s development programme and should receive the support of government departments and agencies through allocations of their staff and financial resources.” Adeosun, who spoke at a recent seminar in Lagos was focused on addressing liquidity concern in African capital markets and the evolution of local regulation, which is starting to increasingly provide the opportunity for pension funds to diversify their expanding portfolios beyond equity investments in traditional sectors.

Innovation, optimal market structure and technology were major highlights identified to address low liquidity in African capital markets.

According to her, supporting knowledge and capacity building initiatives, which empower and remove impediments that impact the abil-

ity of African exchanges to handle sizeable capital inflows are the collective responsibility of all players in the industry.

Ares Capital to buy American Capital in $3.4bn deal

res Capital Corp., the publicly traded lender managed by alternative-investment firm Ares Management LP, will acquire American Capital Ltd. in a deal valued at $3.4 billion. Ares Capital will pay $14.95 a share in cash and stock for Bethesda, Maryland-based American Capital, the companies said in a statement Monday. The deal excludes American Capital Mortgage Management, which is being sold separately to American Capital Agency Corp. for $562 million, or $2.45 a share. American Capital rose 1.5 percent to $15.86 at 9:45 a.m. in New York. Ares Capital fell 1.7 per cent to $14.93. “The growing demand for capital from middle-market borrowers has created the

need for flexible capital providers like us to fill the financing gap as banks continue to retrench from the market,” Mike Arougheti, Ares Management’s president, said in the statement. American Capital came under activist pressure in November when Elliott Management Corp. unveiled an 8.4 percent stake in the asset manager, calling for new directors, a strategic review, cost cuts and a review of its portfolio and capital allocation. American Capital, led by Chief Executive Officer Malon Wilkus, invests equity and debt in leveraged buyouts and management buyouts, as well directly in public and private companies. Elliott, which now owns 14.4 per cent of American

Capital, said it supports the transaction. American Capital’s “streamlined portfolio will benefit from management by an Ares team that has a stellar track record,” Jesse Cohn and Pat Frayne, portfolio managers at New York-based Elliott, said in the statement. The combined company of Ares Capital and American Capital would manage more than $13 billion at March 31 valuations, the companies said. Ares Management, which is providing $275 million of the acquisition price, said it expects to earn more in management and performance fees as Ares Capital’s fee-earning assets increase, though it will waive as much as $100 million in performance fees over 2 1/2 years.

Ares Management, based in Los Angeles, managed $93.5 billion in credit assets, private equity holdings and real estate as of March 31. The firm, led by CEO Tony Ressler, went public in 2014, joining peers such as Apollo Global Management LLC and Carlyle Group LP in holding initial public offerings. Those firms, too, as well as many private credit investors such as Canyon Partners, are increasingly filling a lending void left by banks that are hampered by new regulations. U.S. legislation such as the Volcker Rule and the Dodd-Frank Act, as well as European reforms by the Basel Committee on Banking Supervision, have prohibited banks from certain investment activities and heightened their capital requirements. (Source – Bloomberg.com)

Tuesday, May 24 , 2016

Group promises legal aid for Agbor Prison female inmates

he Dynamic Women Association (DYWA), an NGO, says it will provide legal assistance to female inmates at the Agbor Prison in Delta. The President of the Association, Mrs. Favour Okolobi, disclosed this on Monday when members of the association visited the Agbor Prison. Okolobi said that there are 20 female inmates, most of them awaiting trial. Okolobi said that the association was worried about the plight of women, especially those pregnant and nursing mothers, languishing in prisons across the country. “We want quick dispensation of justice for these women who are languishing in prison. ``As a group, we are here to listen to their experiences, and with the help of our legal adviser, who is here with us, we will see how best we can help them. “Many of them have stayed over three years here, still awaiting trial, while many others may have been convicted wrongly. ``It is so pitiable to see some of them here nursing babies in prison,’’ she said. Okolobi said the group would work closely with the prison authority to ensure accelerated trial for many of the awaiting trial inmates. Miss Nkem Udegbue, the

Secretary-General of the association, in her remark said the group visited the prison to bring hope to the inmates and make them realise that there was life after imprisonment. “Our mission here today is to raise your hopes and make you realise that there is still life after imprisonment. Your being here is not the end of your lives,’’ she noted. An official of the prison, who pleaded anonymity, expressed appreciation to the association for the food items and toiletries, saying the donations would go a long way in providing support to the inmates. He said: “We want to thank the Dynamic Women for their support for the inmates. Over the years, NGOs like this have helped in providing support of various kinds to the prisons.” An inmate, Miss Tina Oppiah, also commended the association for the visit, expressing hope that the group would sustain such gestures to give hope to the inmates, many of whom have been forgotten by relatives. “Today, many of us here are happy seeing a group like this coming to be with us. ``It goes to show that we are still remembered because many of us here have been abandoned by our families and relatives,” she said.

NYSC denies plot to attack corps members in Rivers

he National Youth Service Corps ( NYSC) on Monday described as false, rumours of a plot to attack corps members serving in Tai Local Government Area of Rivers. Mrs. Violet Appolo, NYSC Public Relations Officer in the state, made the denial via a text message sent to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). ``It is not true that corps member are to be attacked. It is just a rumour,” she stated. Mr. Pekins Kelo, Caretaker Committee Chairman of the local government, however, said that the threat to attack corps members posted to the

area emanated from the social media. Kelo said the threat was posted on May 21, adding that the local council had since alerted security agencies on the threat. “It is a social media problem, it was posted that political thugs will attack corps members in Tai. “So, I reached out to the Department of State Security and Nigeria Police Force, Rivers Command to make security arrangements for all corps members in Tai,” he said. Kelo said the local government and security agencies were on top of the situation.

L-R: NUJ chairman, Delta State, Mr. Norbert Chaizor; PDP chairman, Delta State, Mr. Kingsley Esiso and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the presentation of first year performance report by the governor in Asaba, yesterday.

Count me out of IPP project scandals, says Okowa

Nosa akeNzua AsAbA

elta State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa yesterday dispelled rumour making rounds against him that he was involved in the Independent Power Project (IPP) scandals as untrue. Count me out of IPP project scandals, he said, stressing he was not involved in any. While he vowed to fulfil his electioneering promises to Deltans, the governor told journalists at a media briefing in Asaba that the IPP project was engrossed in challenges especially in the absence of gas supply. He added that “We cannot continue to spend money on project that has not been properly put in place, obviously there are challenges on the project, we are asking for advice, we are seeking for

advice. It is a huge challenge and so far over N30billion has been sunk into the project without gas supply.” On Warri industrial park, Governor Okowa disclosed that the project initiated by his predecessor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, was put on hold for economic meltdown. He said the state government was studying the values of the park especially on the money spent on the project. He urged Deltans to discountenance the rumour on the alleged attempt by the state government to scrap the third tier of government, the local government councils as they were very close to the people. He said the state had the highest number of schools especially the primary schools. He said that over N4bil-

lion was required monthly to run the local government councils under the present dwindling allocations which started since 2015. He added that “The state government has supported and the staff strength is over bloated and I cannot ask the councils to sack its workers”. On the alleged abandoned roads, Governor Okowa dispelled as untrue that roads in the state were abandoned. He argued that over 500 road projects were awarded by his predecessor, and as a result of the poor economy, the state could not follow the projects as they were. On the ongoing biometric exercise in the state, the governor lamented what he described as “ghost workers” disclosing that the state currently has 68,000 workers, thereby increasing the wage bills.

Capital Market

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Stock exchange daily equities summary

DAILY STOCK MARKET REPORT Equities as at May 23, 2016 1st Tier Securities

1st Tier Securities

Prices for Securities Traded as of 23/05/2016

Sector Company name Printed 23/05/2016 14:32:09.009

PRICES FOR PREMIUM BOARD SECURITIES

No Of Deals

Quotation(N)

Quantity Traded

Value of Shares(N)

Sector

BANKING ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

476,284.81

15.17

-4.89

419

35,369,375

419

35,369,375

BANKING MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

136,402.11

3.80

-1.30

374

26,943,216

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

374

26,943,216

FINANCIAL SERVICES

793

62,312,591

S/N 2

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FBN HOLDINGS PLC

INDUSTRIAL GOODS S/N 3

BUILDING MATERIALS DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,847,298.38

167.09

64,015

BUILDING MATERIALS

INDUSTRIAL GOODS PREMIUM BOARD TOTALS PRICES FOR MAIN BOARD SECURITIES

64,015

817

62,376,606

Price List (Equities)

AGRICULTURE

110 S/N

COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERALS

S/N

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

S/N

IT SERVICES

114

NCR (NIGERIA) PLC.

115

TRIPPLE GEE AND COMPANY PLC.

S/N

PROCESSING SYSTEMS

117

E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC

S/N

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

VOLUME

100,000

120

ASHAKA CEM PLC

467,006

121

BERGER PAINTS PLC

PRESCO PLC

35,710.00

35.71

2,300

122

CAP PLC

123

CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

124

DN MEYER PLC.

125

FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC

126

LAFARGE AFRICA PLC.

128

PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC

129

PREMIER PAINTS PLC.

%CHANGE

CROP PRODUCTION

569,306

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,980.00

0.99

3.13

FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING

2,166,326

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES

2,166,326

AGRICULTURE

2,735,632

CONGLOMERATES

JOHN HOLT PLC.

S C O A NIG. PLC.

TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC

U A C N PLC.

TRADES

VOLUME

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

970.92

8.99

7,052

796.88

1.61

1 3

7,554

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

502

18,060.00

4.30

1 1

2,500

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,500

A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC.

%CHANGE

160,054

TRADES

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES

PRICE

MARKET CAP(Nm)

150,000

INDUSTRIAL GOODS

-0.03

S/N

150,000 VOLUME

ICT

0.50

LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC.

1 1 TRADES

29.00

%CHANGE

TELECOMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

1,100.00

LIVESTOCK/ANIMAL SPECIALTIES

0.50 PRICE

PROCESSING SYSTEMS

27,663.39

S/N

1,776.00

IT SERVICES

OKOMU OIL PALM PLC.

FISHING/HUNTING/TRAPPING

Value

MARKET CAP(Nm)

ELECTRONIC COMMUNICATIONS SERVICES

FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC

S/N

Quantity Traded

COMPUTERS AND PERIPHERALS

CROP PRODUCTION

Quotation(N)

COMPUTER BASED SYSTEMS

S/N

No Of Deals

Price List (Equities)

FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N

Company name

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,647.29

1.00

15,787

319.10

0.82

8,358

2,573.31

3.96

875

48,381.89

1.19

1.71

151

37,405,058

37,456.86

19.50

3.67

320,858

201

37,750,936

DIVERSIFIED INDUSTRIES

S/N

BUILDING MATERIALS

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

42,728.77

19.08

150,136

2,260.62

7.80

58,896

28,000.00

40.00

9,877.49

7.86

54,020

256.75

0.79

8.22

179,500

1,055.18

0.50

656

352,549.40

77.40

289,612

784.00

1.96

-4.85

331,300

1,277.97

10.39

3,000

117

1,071,545

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

BUILDING MATERIALS S/N

ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS

131

CUTIX PLC.

1,391.44

1.58

2 2

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

21,613.79

43.23

210

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

ELECTRONIC AND ELECTRICAL PRODUCTS S/N

PACKAGING/CONTAINERS

133

BETA GLASS CO PLC.

PACKAGING/CONTAINERS S/N

TOOLS AND MACHINERY

4,425

TOOLS AND MACHINERY INDUSTRIAL GOODS

121

1,071,832

TRADES

VOLUME

NATURAL RESOURCES

CONGLOMERATES

201

37,750,936

TRADES

VOLUME

0 VOLUME

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE S/N

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

BUILDING CONSTRUCTION S/N

BUILDING STRUCTURE/COMPLETION/OTHER

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES 0

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

59,400.00

45.00

2,909

165.00

6.60

BUILDING STRUCTURE/COMPLETION/OTHER S/N

INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION

JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC.

ROADS NIG PLC.

INFRASTRUCTURE/HEAVY CONSTRUCTION S/N

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT

UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS)

SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC

21 UNION HOMES REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST (REIT) REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUSTS (REITS)

133 3,042

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

7,081.25

4.12

134,880

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,000.00

100.00

1,214

11,305.89

45.22

1,216

139,138

REAL ESTATE DEVELOPMENT S/N

1 13

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE CONSUMER GOODS S/N

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS

DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,386.33

0.50

15,500

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

21,922.59

2.80

AUTOMOBILES/AUTO PARTS S/N

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/DISTILLERS

CHAMPION BREW. PLC.

GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC.

GUINNESS NIG PLC

INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC.

NIGERIAN BREW. PLC.

PREMIER BREWERIES PLC BEVERAGES--NON-ALCOHOLIC

7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC.

TOTAL NIGERIA PLC.

993,516.34

125.30

-0.56

196,562

2,751.58

2.81

VOLUME 2,727

2,727 VOLUME

FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC.

59,911.33

22.83

-0.74

757,773

HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC

13,481.34

1.70

-4.71

905,070

MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC

1,861.25

0.50

N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC.

1,185.03

6.65

200

NASCON ALLIED INDUSTRIES PLC

21,592.92

8.15

-1.81

781,071

TIGER BRANDED CONSUMER GOODS PLC

23,650.00

4.73

-1.46

117

3,727,711

3,422.20

12.52

-4.94

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

20,000

102,500

282

10,363,916

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME 174,113

FOOD PRODUCTS 32,380.20

17.24

578,639.06

730.00

-0.34

FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERSIFIED

248,855

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

NIGERIAN ENAMELWARE PLC.

1,886.86

29.78

500

VITAFOAM NIG PLC.

4,482.19

4.30

0.23

174,721

175,221

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

86,596.10

21.81

-4.97

80,260

117,282.18

31.00

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC.

UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC.

PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS CONSUMER GOODS

74,075

154,335

542

11,419,126

FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N

BANKING

ACCESS BANK PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

147,532.66

5.10

-4.67

185

11,209,239

DIAMOND BANK PLC

ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED

44,236.34

1.91

-2.62

11,894,123

277,445.21

15.12

123,285

FIDELITY BANK PLC

GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC.

35,928.75

1.24

-1.61

7,845,439

589,212.21

20.02

-0.89

352

23,544,149

SKYE BANK PLC

STERLING BANK PLC.

15,684.74

1.13

-3.42

11,652,094

46,064.67

1.60

1.91

2,891,739

UNION BANK NIG.PLC.

84,679.03

5.00

98,062

UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC

159,629.92

4.40

-1.12

362

58,544,863

UNITY BANK PLC

9,000.79

0.77

-1.28

1,060,884

WEMA BANK PLC.

28,545.10

0.74

-2.63

5,170,348

1,256

134,034,225

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

10,292.50

0.50

5,197.65

0.75

-1.32

2,285,914

21,105.00

2.01

-4.74

569,981

BANKING S/N

INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES

AFRICAN ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC

AIICO INSURANCE PLC.

AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC

CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC

CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC

EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC.

GUINEA INSURANCE PLC.

LASACO ASSURANCE PLC.

LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC.

71 72

3,000.00

0.50

11,202.56

1.08

4.85

920,654

7,000.00

0.50

100,000

3,070.00

0.50

232,000

3,661.72

0.50

84,965

1,787.41

0.52

1.96

106,525

LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC

4,000.00

0.50

500

MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC.

4,000.00

0.50

4,685

3,854.77

88,264

N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC.

0.73

-1.35

1,117,518

NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC.

3,869.74

0.50

10,994,286

STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC.

5,996.59

0.50

188,126

STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC

3,070.54

0.50

100

UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC

8,000.00

0.50

140,000

WAPIC INSURANCE PLC

6,691.37

0.50

636,278

101

17,469,801

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,492.44

1.09

-4.39

394,866

INSURANCE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS

NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC

MICRO-FINANCE BANKS MARKET CAP(Nm)

S/N

MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC

7,370.87

0.50

175,000

UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC.

3,095.70

3.17

3,789

178,789

MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES S/N

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS

AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC

CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC

DEAP CAPITAL MANAGEMENT & TRUST PLC

FCMB GROUP PLC.

STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC

UNITED CAPITAL PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

5,860.00

2.93

2.81

1,391,523

21,233.53

3.61

238,818

780.00

0.52

-3.70

149,100

28,515.90

1.44

3.60

157

33,263,693

165,400.00

16.54

10.19

12,240.00

2.04

-2.86

OTHER FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS FINANCIAL SERVICES

1,557,138

4,398,571

358

40,998,843

1,727

193,076,524

HEALTHCARE S/N

HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

100

EKOCORP PLC.

1,765.05

3.54

795

101

UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC

1,776.57

0.50

291,000

291,795

HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS

2 2

1,840

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,840

2,130.97

0.50

182,500

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

127.60

0.58

660

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

72,207.71

6.00

-0.17

152

3,437,379

152

3,437,379

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

15,960.90

23.00

22,449

4,029.81

3.09

-1.59

1,557,057

276,738.16

212.47

-0.25

84,913

63,104.17

175.00

9,278.21

36.53

4,636

57,379.19

169.00

57,173

132

1,728,282

TRADES

VOLUME

PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS S/N

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION

149

SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

195,571.61

347.10

EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION OIL AND GAS

VOLUME

2,054

31,680

299

5,197,341 VOLUME

SERVICES MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES 0

S/N

APPAREL RETAILERS

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

151

LENNARDS (NIG) PLC.

210.49

3.00

1,617

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

588.18

0.50

15,182

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

2,416.94

4.10

10,000

264.43

1.33

S/N

ADVERTISING

APPAREL RETAILERS S/N

AUTOMOBILE/AUTO PART RETAILERS

152

R T BRISCOE PLC.

AUTOMOBILE/AUTO PART RETAILERS S/N

COURIER/FREIGHT/DELIVERY

153

RED STAR EXPRESS PLC

154

TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC.

COURIER/FREIGHT/DELIVERY S/N

HOSPITALITY

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

700

10,700

TRADES

VOLUME

74,742

63 MARKET CAP(Nm)

S/N

148

9.84 PRICE

INTEGRATED OIL AND GAS SERVICES

52,851

4,069,591

PERSONAL/HOUSEHOLD PRODUCTS

OANDO PLC

S/N

141

TRADES

INTEGRATED OIL AND GAS SERVICES

19.98

4.76

ENERGY EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

S/N

65,819.10

TRADES

2,164.37

VOLUME

S/N

MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC.

1,367 VOLUME

MARKET CAP(Nm)

ENERGY EQUIPMENT AND SERVICES

MOBIL OIL NIG PLC.

%CHANGE

1,367

TRADES

660

147

PRICE

%CHANGE

OIL AND GAS

146

141.00

PRICE

186,367

67,960

90,323.24

MARKET CAP(Nm)

16,447

MARKET CAP(Nm)

2 2

1,300

NATURAL RESOURCES

458,572

%CHANGE

3.76

PAPER/FOREST PRODUCTS

%CHANGE

HOUSEHOLD DURABLES

THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC.

6.60

S/N

PAPER/FOREST PRODUCTS

139

0.85

PRICE

NESTLE NIGERIA PLC.

S/N

95.10

PRICE

1,565.08

MINING SERVICES

FORTE OIL PLC.

79,200.00

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC.

MULTIVERSE MINING AND EXPLORATION PLC

145

MARKET CAP(Nm)

138

123,452

DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC

MINING SERVICES

ETERNA PLC.

FOOD PRODUCTS

FOOD PRODUCTS--DIVERSIFIED

ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC.

S/N

144

133

MARKET CAP(Nm)

METALS

143

S/N

137

METALS

PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS CONOIL PLC

S/N

UNION DICON SALT PLC.

S/N

231.34

BEVERAGES--NON-ALCOHOLIC

CHEMICALS B.O.C. GASES PLC.

143,209.97

BEVERAGES--BREWERS/DISTILLERS S/N

S/N 136

CHEMICALS

155

TANTALIZERS PLC

1,605.81

0.50

1 1

160,000

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4,178.38

2.01

-4.74

453,964

40,282.14

5.30

HOSPITALITY S/N

HOTELS/LODGING

157

IKEJA HOTEL PLC

159

TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC

HOTELS/LODGING S/N

MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT

160

DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

PRINTING/PUBLISHING

162

LEARN AFRICA PLC

164

UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. ROAD TRANSPORTATION SPECIALTY

166

INTERLINKED TECHNOLOGIES PLC

0.50

1 1

10,000

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

655.73

0.85

52,206

2,109.59

4.89

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRANSPORT-RELATED SERVICES

168

AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC

169

NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS

170

C & I LEASING PLC.

171

CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC

62,206

TRADES

VOLUME

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

4.00

2,499

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

1,229.96

1.94

-0.51

111,200

7,406.44

4.56

4.59

39 45

741,178

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

941.41

0.50

50,000

4,858.24

1.45

-3.33

206,000

256,000

SUPPORT AND LOGISTICS SERVICES MAIN BOARD TOTALS PRICES FOR ASEM SECURITIES

10,000

946.80

TRANSPORT-RELATED SERVICES S/N

10,000

MARKET CAP(Nm)

SPECIALTY S/N

VOLUME

PRICE

ROAD TRANSPORTATION S/N

464,994

TRADES

6,000.00

PRINTING/PUBLISHING S/N

11,030

MARKET CAP(Nm)

MEDIA/ENTERTAINMENT S/N

160,000

629,978

1,724,376

3,098

254,080,512

TRADES

VOLUME

Price List (Equities)

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE S/N

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

172

SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

45.90

1.02

360

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT

360

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE

360

TRADES

VOLUME

CONSUMER GOODS S/N

FOOD PRODUCTS

173

MCNICHOLS PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

412.83

1.39

102,970

FOOD PRODUCTS

102,970

CONSUMER GOODS

102,970

TRADES

VOLUME

FINANCIAL SERVICES S/N

MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

MORTGAGE CARRIERS, BROKERS AND SERVICES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

0 0

TRADES

VOLUME

PHARMACEUTICALS

HEALTHCARE

TRADES

VOLUME

HEALTHCARE S/N

PHARMACEUTICALS

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

OIL AND GAS S/N 177

PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS CAPITAL OIL PLC

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

2,928.77

0.50

150,000

PETROLEUM AND PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DISTRIBUTORS

150,000

OIL AND GAS

150,000

SERVICES S/N

FOOD/DRUG RETAILERS AND WHOLESALERS

180

JULI PLC.

MARKET CAP(Nm)

PRICE

%CHANGE

TRADES

VOLUME

349.83

1.75

25,000

FOOD/DRUG RETAILERS AND WHOLESALERS

SERVICES

25,000

ASEM TOTALS

278,330

3,924

316,735,448

EQUITIES TOTALS

PRICES FOR ETP SECURITIES

Price List (ETP)

25,000

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Bayelsa guber election, Dickson to open defence today Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

overnor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State will today open his defence before the Bayelsa State Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja in the petition filed by the All Progressives Congress, APC candidate, Timipre Sylva challenging election that brought him into office. The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC yesterday closed its case before the Tribunal. The electoral body had through its counsel, Adegboyega Awomolo (SAN) told the tribunal that the election that produced Governor Seriake Dickson was free, fair and was held in substantial compliance with the Electoral Act. In the testimony of one of the witnesses, Justine Adie, a civil servant who was the Electoral Officer in Ekeremor Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, the January 9, 2016 election was free, fair and in conformity with the Electoral law. He told the tribunal under cross examination by counsel to Governor Dickson, Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) and that of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) that no report of violence was recorded during the election. Adie further admitted that the agents of various political parties including the APC signed the results of the election. Another witness, Alex Okorie, an Electoral Officer for Sagbama Local Government Area of the state also testified to the credibility of the election. APC and its governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva are challenging the election of Governor Dickson of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the December 2015 and January 2016 governorship polls that were conducted in the state. The Commission also tendered various documents from the bar to support its position at the tribunal. It is now the turn of Governor Dickson, through his legal team anchored by Tayo Oyetibo (SAN) to call his witnesses to defend his mandate. He is expected to call about 3,000 witnesses in the next seven days allot-

Politics

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

ted by the tribunal. In the petition, the petitioners are challenging the validity of the election over alleged widespread violence and substantial non-compliance with the Electoral Act. INEC submission came even as a witness to the petitioners (PW1) accused the governor of fueling crisis at Southern Ijaw during the December 6, 2016 election in the State. The petitioners led by their counsel, Sabastine Hon (SAN) have closed their case by calling a number of witnesses who testified there was no election on January 9, 2016 in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state due to widespread violence. Counsel to the petitioners, Sabastine Hon [SAN] has led witnesses who insisted that there was no election in Southern Ijaw on January 9, 2016. Those who testified as at the time of filling this report were: Gini Erefagbe (PW11); Kokorifa Mick (PW12); John Dealer (PW13); Jacob Sanuba (PW14); Solomon Ebisimtel (PW15) and Tali Douglas (PW16). They were all agents of the APC in the disputed governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of the state. In their separate testimonies, the petitioners witnesses who were led in evidence by Chief Sabastine Hon (SAN), tendered result sheets of the election from various wards and units.

Edo traditional rulers move to reconcile Odubu, Oshiomhole onazena abbey

BENIN

hat appeared to be grand move to end the lingering cold war between Edo State Governor ,Comrade Adams Oshiomhole and his Deputy, Dr Pius Odubu became obvious yesterday when the Otaru of Auchi kingdom, HRH Alhaji Aliru Momoh Ikelebe III led other prominent traditional rulers in Edo North on a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor. The Otaru who commended the relationship which has existed between

their illustrious son, Comrade Oshiomhole and Dr. Odubu since the past seven and a half years , said the cordial relationship should not go sour at this period in time It could be recalled that the Deputy Governor narrowly escaped assassination while on a meet the delegates tour in the three Etsako local government areas. The traditional ruler noted that the development of the state was tied to the oneness of purpose by the dual and prayed Almighty Allah to bring peace between the two men . He as well called on Odubu to let go the past behind him adding that there is no benefit casting

blames but to remain focus and dedicated towards the development of Edo state. He prevailed on Odubu to be mindful so as not to be distracted by mischief makers who may want to trivialize the attack across ethnic and senatorial divide adding that like every other aspirants vying for the governorship seat, the traditional institutions are behind his ambition. Otaru thanked the Almighty Allah that no lives were lost during the unfortunate incident and prayed Almighty Allah for quick recovery of those presently receiving treatment. The relationship between the Governor and his Deputy went sour

when the former declared his preference for Godwin Obaseki as his successor in office “I can assure you that we have disciplined youth in this community and they don’t have the gun to go and be shooting at people and we don’t have guns in Auchi. It is a case of internal political conflicts and those conflicts are exclusive to them. I am not aware that any Auchi youth has taken part in that crisis. The incident that happened in Auchi was one that nobody expected to happen and we as a community are very sympathetic with the deputy governor, but we are investigating who and who would have been responsible.” Otaru stated

Adamawa State Governor, Muhammadu jibrillah (r), presenting APC certificate of return to Mrs Wale Fwa (l) of Demsa LGA as candidate for the forthcoming Adamawa Local Government Councils Election, in Yola yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Rep slams Abubakar for running exclusive government ezekIel TITus BAUCHI

serving member of the House of Re presentatives representing Misau/ Dambam Federal Constituency of Bauchi State, Hon. Ahmed Yerima has accused the Bauchi state Governor, Mohammed Abubakar of running exclusive government in the state. Ahmed made the accusation in Bauchi while reacting to the protest by civil servants, teachers pensioners and local government staff over verification exercise and nonpayment of salaries and

pensions. He said: “People come this morning and stage their protest to government house of which I am a leaving witness, this sent a bad signal to the APC government in the country especially in the state where people are running government as a personal institutions”, “Where government is no longer a government of inclusive but exclusive, government where people have no voice, a government of one man show, so we are about to confront this type of situation but I don’t think we in the APC will allow government to be run-

ning this way, whether they like it or not they have to change it and get the proper position of accountability and responsibilities where voice of the stakeholders of APC, the voice of reasoning will prevail, if they refused people will revolt against us, “ Yerima said. According to him, we have to look at it from human factor, we have to understand that people love to be respected and policies of this government totally neglected the people, is the government where sheer arrogant and lack of public consent is the driving force that made the gov-

ernment unpopular. Yerima pointed out that those people that stage the protest or show their anger are not just an opposition of certain individuals but opposition against injustice. Lack of fairness, equity and justice, these are people who work for this country for over 35 years and above and have been receiving their pensions over those years but unfortunately since the inception of this administration they were unable to access their pensions, they includes local government staff , State government staff and teachers who could not received their

salaries and benefits but apparently for them, what the Government of Bauchi state talk about is verification. About two years ago, Yuguda Administration has done a similar thing so also in a couple of months 4 or 5 month similar series of counter unproductive verification have started again. He stressed that if the governor has reason of verification, he should copy exact system of either Yobe or Kaduna states where there is ongoing verification but salaries were not stop.

Politics

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

The inconsequential protest in Reps over Kachikwu

THE HOUSE OF REPS with

Ubong UKPONG

08036017966, email: ubongpong@yahoo.com

t is now clear that the rowdy session last Monday, May 16, on the floor of House of Representatives, occasioned by the decision to admit Petroleum Resources Minister of state, Ibe KachIkwu, into the Chamber, over the fuel price hike and deregulation of petroleum downstream sector, was inconsequential, frivolous and not well thought out by the affected lawmakers. This is because, the House, through its Committee Chairman on Media and Public Affairs, Abdulrasaq Namdas, clarified that the protesters disrupted the emergency session because Kachikwu did not consult the House before announcing the new fuel price of N145 per litre and the deregulation plan. Immediately that protest commenced, we at the gallery were confused and astonished over who was protesting what, because there was no necessity or signs of imminent protest, after the lawmakers were duly recalled from the one week recess to attend that emergency session, which they came en mass, without complaints. For me, if the protest were that Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, did not properly brief them on Kachikwu’s visit, or that they were against fuel price hike and deregulation, it would have made some sense. Certainly, not with Namdas’ explanations, as one does not think that it was lawful for the executive to seek clearance of the legislature before such announcement, but if it were so, the only option still left to the House was to summon, as it did to Kachukwu, to get his explanations to guide its decisions. Even at that, it is clear that key leaders of the House including those of the minority, were part of the meeting that midwived that announcement and were totally in agreement with this federal government’s policy. As it were, all the members were put on notice over Kachikwu’s visit, which was also widely reported in the media. Therefore, if the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP lawmakers were uncomfortable with it, they would have raised their objections and the Speaker, would have handled the problem at that level, including even calling off the emergency session. However, the PDP lawmakers, who have always demonstrated their support for deregulation and the fuel price increase, suddenly shouted “no,”, repeatedly chanting “all we are saying, save Nigeria”, and waving the national flag, also shouting “APC, shame”, while their All Progressives Congress, APC counterparts shouted “APC, change.” This lasted for over 30 minutes, after the Majority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila had moved a motion to admit their visitor into the chamber and the Speaker ruled in his favour, even though the opposition who shouted “Nay” had the loudest voice vote and should have won, but the Speaker exercised his prerogative because he surely saw no need for that revolt. While the protest lasted, the Speaker consulted with the Principal officers and the House dissolved into an executive Session to consider the issues before returning to plenary. People are still at lost over the essence of that drama, when the protesters emerged from that executive session to suddenly accept that Kachikwu be admitted and eventually supported House’s decision in favour of fuel price hike and deregulation, calling to question what they meant by their protest song, “all we are saying save Nigeria now.” Again, this was a misplaced protest and abuse of democratic license, as well as taking the Nigerian people for granted, and the patience of the Speaker, who would always say , “that is the beauty of democracy, full of noise”, and Namdas would defend him that he listens to them because “he is not a headmaster.” When a river flows, it follows a course. In this case, these protesters cannot justify the essence of that protest. If it was justifiable, usually what would have followed would have been a walk out or a press conference to state their grouse was and their position, even when they’ve won, but these never happened. Whenever any section in the House decided to protest, they always came with a clear message, but it is worrisome that this particular protest lacked a clear message and benefit, save that it gave cover story to the newspapers. After all the noise, Kachikwu was brought into the chamber, and he spoke intelligently such that the protesting lawmakers could not fault him even when the Speaker demanded that those who had problems with his submissions cast their stones at him, they all said there were no faults in the policy.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Dogara Ogor

However, tHe PDP lawmakers, wHo Have

rian entity, willing to supply the Petroleum Motor Spirit, PMS, to source for their forex and import PMS to ensure availability of products in all locations of the country. The Speaker tactically avoided jeopardizing the engagement and refused to immediately, call for adoption always DemonstrateD of a position by the House in support, especially in view of the earlier unexpected resistance. He therefore recognised Ossai Nicholas Ossai and tHeir suPPort for the Chief Whip, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, who came with their separate but related motions, asking to set up a Deregulation anD tHe fuel committee and dialogue with the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and other stakeholders on this matter, and bring back report in five days. Price increase suDDenly The House finally got the report on Wednesday, considered and adopted it in support of the federal governsHouteD no ment. The report indicated that after due consultation with major stakeholders in the economy and based on The minister, who was apparently prepared for the law- the demonstration of understanding and support by a makers, spoke extensively on what he termed, “the new greater majority of the Nigerian populace, “the House framework for PMS supply and distribution”, convincing resolves to continue to support the Executive Arm of on why they have no option than to deregulate the down- Government in the deregulation initiative in the greater stream sector. interest of the Nigerian economy and posterity” The minister told the House that there was no looking The House therefore urged the Executive arm to enback in jacking up fuel price also, because of the dimin- sure full and speedy implementation of the Appropriaished forex supply situation which had forced market- tion Act, 2016, as therein lied much of the palliatives that ers to stop product importation and imposed over 90 per would help in calming the current situation; cent supply on NNPC since October 2015, in contrast to It also urged the organized labour to continue to show the past, where NNPC supplied 48 per cent of the nation- understanding of the situation, while dialoguing in the al requirement. interest of its teeming membership and Nigeria. He cited other reasons to include significant decline Items in the report were carried by all members, inin government foreign exchange revenues due to over 60 cluding the protesting PDP lawmakers, and subsequentper cent drop in global oil prices compare to 2014 and the ly approved when the committee reverted to plenary. renewed sabotage and pipeline vandalism in the Niger From the reaction of the Minority Leader, Leo Ogor, Delta, which was said to have drastically affected nation- you could actually see that the PDP has never opposed al crude oil production to 1.4 million barrels per day as to deregulation and fuel price hike or price modulation against 2.2million barrels in our present day situation. as called by this administration, but the APC had earlier He further stated that the commitment of crude oil opposed it. volumes outside the 445, 000 barrels per day to meet Ogor did not hide it that the same people who opposed national supply requirements, has caused diminishing the PDP and former President Goodluck Jonathan, from remittances to the federation account, which in effect carrying on with this laudable policy of government, inhad made many states to continue having financial chal- sisting it was going to expose poor Nigerians to further lenges in payment of salaries and meeting up with other hardship, were now saying that it is a good policy and financial obligations, amongst others. forcing it down the throats of citizens. Comparatively, Kachikwu said average price of crude One would have thought that this should have formed oil was valued at 110 dollar per barrel in January 2012 the crux of that protest, to score a point, but it was not. but dropped at 40 dollar per barrel in May 2016, adding However, the Minority Leader, was very unequivocal too that in 2012, there was availability of fund to cater when he told President Muhammadu Buhari’s governfor subsidy regime due to booming oil prices, unlike ment that the best and civil thing to do now, is to apolo2016, when there is low crude prices and lack of funds. gise to former President Jonathan, over that unnecesFurther, the minister explained that importation was sary opposition of this policy, seeing that even the PDP based on 50 per cent financing from NNPC and 50 per is supporting them to succeed on this policy. cent from oil marketers, unlike now, when the financing Ogor had said that everything the minister canvassed for importation of products is almost hundred per cent was what Jonathan and the PDP administration wanted handled by the NNPC, a model that is unsustainable. to avert, saying that “Jonathan is the man that sees toThe minister after making his submission, took ques- morrow.” tions from the lawmakers, who were all in support of the However, from the minister’s standpoint, you could policy but insisting that the right thing must be done in know that this government is not interested, and believes the processes. it does not owe anybody apology for playing opposition Reacting to the questions about the urgency in the the way it did, after all, it is the game of politics, it is all need for fuel hike, he said it was created to liberalise about personal and party interests and not national or the environment for private marketers and other Nige- collective interests.

, “

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

with

FADEYI

he National Economic Council, NEC ad-hoc committee on crude oil theft prevention and control last week asked the Federal Government to set up special courts for speedy prosecution of oil bunkerers and oil theft suspects. Briefing State House Correspondents at the end of meeting of the council presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral John Jonah (rtd) said the committee set up sometimes in 2013 consulted widely with relevant stakeholders including the Armed Forces Joint Task Force (JTF), Oil Companies, Oil Producing States, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC among others.

According to him, the committee also recommended the engagement of traditional rulers to sensitize their communities on the criminal and environmental dangers of oil theft. He said the committee also recommended the procurement and deployment of appropriate technology in surveillance and combat vehicles and boats in difficult terrain would drastically reduce incidents of oil thefts and illegal bunkering and this would ensure full benefits of uninterrupted supply. Jonah further said that the Minister of Finance reported to the council that the balance in the Excess Crude Account (ECA stood at $2,259,688,878.06 as at April 30 this year while the interest

Special Courts to prosecute oil theft suspects

ASO ROCK FILE Rotimi

Politics

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

accrued on the account was $429,903.55 for the month, experiencing a little drop in interest. On the update of States that had received bailout funds, Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello said the Central Bank Governor informed the council that 30

States have so far benefited with the salary bailout as at May 18, this year. According to him, 35 states have also applied for the Excess Crude Account backed loans. Also at the briefing, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma said his ministry made a presentation to the council

on Strategic Implementation Plan for the 2016 Budget of Change. According to him, key highlights of the presentation include implementation of 34 priority actions across four fundamental areas to progressively facilitate true national transformation. He said the four fundamental areas constitute the

focal points for prioritized execution and implementation of the Government’s short-term strategy Udoma said the four focal points include investing in critical infrastructure, embracing and encouraging private sector, continuously advocating for greater social inclusion, improving security and tackling corruption.

Corruption in the military aided Boko Haram

resident Muhammadu Buhari last week said corruption was largely responsible for the inability of the Nigerian military to quickly defeat Boko Haram. Buhari who spoke at an audience with the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb at the Presidential Villa said that the loss of 14 local government areas to Boko Haram had greatly tarnished the reputation of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Buhari, however, noted that with measures taken by his administration to curb corruption and provide better weaponry, logistics, training and welfare for soldiers on the frontlines, the Nigerian military has now almost totally incapacitated Boko Haram as a fighting force and recovered all territories that were lost to the terrorist sect. “When we curbed corruption and removed the injustice in the military, we began to make progress,” Buhari said. While welcoming the support of Muslims across the world for Nigeria’s war against Boko Haram, the President said that the war against terrorism was also a war against injustice, which is not condoned by Islam and all the major religions. “You can’t kill the innocent in churches or in mosques and shout Allahu Akbar,” Buhari said, adding that the visit of

El-Tayeb and his expression of solidarity with Nigeria in the war against terrorism was a clear indication of global Muslim support for Nigeria against the unjust killing of the innocent by terrorists. The President, who reaffirmed his administration’s determination to resettle all persons who were displaced by the Boko Haram insurgency, thanked the Grand Imam for the scholarships as well as donation of educational and medical supplies to Nigeria’s Internally Displaced Persons. In his remarks, El-Tayeb told the President that Muslims all over the world share Nigeria’s pains from terrorism and would continue to support efforts to ensure the return of peace and unity amongst all faiths in the country.

Rescued Chibok girl, Amina Ali; Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima and President Muhammadu Buhari carrying Amina’s baby when she met the President

Buhari assures oil firms of security in Niger Delta

or many oil companies operating in the Niger Delta, the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil installations have become a major issue of great concern. But last week, President Muhammadu Buhari assured the companies operating in the area that the Federal Government was taking all necessary actions to protect strategic assets in the region from vandals and

criminals. The President spoke at a meeting with the Global Director (Upstream) of the Royal Dutch Shell Group, Andrew Brown. Buhari said that he has directed the Chief of Naval Staff to reorganise and strengthen the military Joint Task Force, JTF in the Niger Delta to deal effectively with the resurgence of militancy and the sabotage of oil installations.

When Buhari met rescued Chibok girl in Villa

t has been more than two years since over 200 school girls of Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State were abducted by the Boko Haram sect . Since the night of April 14, 2014 when they were abducted, the Federal Government under former President Goodluck Jonathan made efforts to locate and rescue the school girls from their abductors using the military and other security agencies. The abduction also at-

tracted global attention as many foreign countries, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Canada joined forces with the Nigerian government to rescue the school girls. They also assisted in terms of military equipment and personnel. While some of the girls were able to escape from their abductors, others were held captive and were subjected to the dictates of the members of the Boko Haram sect. When he took over power from former President Jona-

than on May, 29, last year, President Muhammadu Buhari promised to use his military background to combat the menace of the insurgents and to locate and rescue the abducted Chibok school girls Last week and after over two years of searching for the girls, one of them was found and brought to the Presidential Villa last week to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari who took over power from former President Jonathan on May 29, last year.

The President told Brown that the operations of the JTF were also being enhanced with increased support and cooperation from the United States and Europe in the areas of training, intelligence, equipment and logistics. “We have to be very serious with the situation in the Niger Delta because it threatens the national economy. I assure you that everything possible will be done to protect personnel and oil assets in the region,” Buhari said. The President urged aggrieved persons, militants and communities in the Niger Delta to drop their confrontational stance and work

with those who have been charged by the Federal Government to review the Amnesty Programme initiated by Yar’Adua administration for the benefit of all parties. Buhari praised the resilience and staying power of Shell in Nigeria despite the operational challenges of the environment. He urged the company to do its best to end gas-flaring in the Niger Delta quickly and produce more gas for electricity generation to support manufacturing and job creation in the country. Brown had appealed for an urgent solution to rising crime and militancy in the Niger Delta.

Last week’s Presidential Villa’s visitors

1. Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima 2. Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai 3. Rescued Chibok girl, Amina Ali 4. Shell Global Upstream Director, Andrew Brown 5. Chief of Defence Staff, General Abayomi Olonisakin 6. Grand Imam of Al-Azhar, Dr. Ahmed El-Tayeb 7. River State Governor, Nyesom Wike 8. Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole 9. Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari 10. Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode 11. Shell Managing Director, Osagie Okunbor 12. Shell Business & Government Relations General Manager, Simbi Wabote

Business Features & Finance

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Project that made Amosun weep

Femi OyewesO AbeokutA

ncidences of building collapse appear to be on the increase in recent time in Nigeria, particularly in the Lagos axis, South West of the country with its attendant loss of lives. For instance, the collapse of the guest house of Synagogue Church of All Nations in which no fewer than 116 persons died, with South Africans accounting for about 84 of the victims has remained a reference point. Apart from the September 2014 Synagogue guest house building collapse, about 34 persons were also reportedly killed when a building still undergoing construction at Lekki Garden in Ikate area of Lagos State collapsed. There was also the incidence of another building collapse on March 18th this year at Alli Close in Mile-12 area of Lagos in which one person reportedly died. In all these incidences, experts have always accused builders of being the causes of the disasters as a result of the use of sub-standard materials or outright disregard for governments’ directives. At about 8: 30am of Friday, May 13, Ogun State, however, had its own share of such tragedy in recent time when the multi-million naira Itoku Olori Eku Ultra-Modern shopping complex still undergoing construction in Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital, caved in, killing a nursing mother, Mrs. Noimat Sikiru. The 27 years old Mrs. Sikiru, along with seven other construction workers at the site - Adewunmi Tolulope (20), Oluwaseun Afolabi(23), Kehinde Akeem(38), Oluwalose Oluga(40) and Afusa Adisa (30) and two others - fell victim. The disaster, particularly because of the loss of lives that came with it, no doubt left Governor Ibikunle Amosun a sad man and this was evident in all ways as he rushed down to the site to see things for himself. Crestfallen and dejected as the governor has remained since the news of the disaster, some, especially, people from the opposition parties in the state – Peoples Democratic Party and Labour Party - had accused him of deliberately setting a death trap for the people of the state through the alleged use of sub-standard materials for the project. Some even introduced a spiritual angle to the story, stressing that the disaster occurred because the gods were not appeased. According to them, were the goddess of Osun River upon which the collapsed building was constructed appeased, the disaster would have been averted. To some too, on the other side, the collapsed building was a pointer to the claim that Nigerian local engineers could not handle big contracts or that due processes were often not followed. Speaking in an interview with National Mirror over the possible cause of the Itoku building collapse, chairman of the Ogun State chapter of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIOB), Builder Fidelis Fayomi, stated that a building could collapse in a situation whereby government failed to respect the enabling laws but preferred awarding contracts to less qualified individuals. Fayomi maintained that the tragedy occurred because the state government had failed to comply with the Revised Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning laws which would have enabled all the relevant professionals, particularly registered builders to be fully engaged and incorporated in the management and execution of project in stage-by-stage in accordance with the National Building Code. Apart from the position of Chief Fayomi, a senior staff of the Ogun State Ministry of Housing who spoke with our correspondent on condition of anonymity, said the collapsed building was completely supervised by officials of the state Ministry of Works and Infrastructure instead of allowing professionals from the state Ministry of Housing and Urban Renewal to do so. He maintained that such practice was against the established rules of engagement. National Mirror’s source at the state Ministry of Housing further claimed that all highrising structures such as the collapsed building at Itoku, had always remained under the supervision of professionals from the Ministry of

The collapsed building.

The building before collapse

Housing, while road and bridges construction remained under the Ministry of Works. While lamenting the non-involvement of professional builders from the state Ministry of Housing, Urban and Regional Development in the execution of all on-going building projects scattered across the state, the source further berated the state government for not allowing “Set-Back, Parking Spaces” and so on, as a compulsory rule always enforced on members of the public while building their own personal houses. Investigation further revealed that no single approval was granted for the said collapsed structure by the authority in-charge; i.e. Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning (Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning Board). Officials of the key state ministries which are critical to the construction of the collapsed ultramodern shopping markets, who do not want their names in print told National Mirror that the appropriate Laws of Ogun State Urban and Regional Planning were disdainfully flouted in the execution and construction of the collapsed building. Citing the Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning Circular of 26th June, 1987, vide TP/66/ Vol. 3/61, it directed that Environmental Impact Analysis Report (EIAR), the ministry officials maintained that the state government did not follow any of the laws. Said an official: “The Ogun State Ministry of Lands and Housing which later transformed to Bureau of Lands, Survey and Town Planning, Bureau of Urban and Physical Planning, Ministry of Physical Planning and now, Ministry of Urban and Physical Planning Circular of 26th June, 1987, vide TP/66/Vol. 3/61 directed that Environmental Impact Analysis Report (EIAR) must be prepared for such categories of development by a registered Town Planner.

“Secondly, the Ogun State Building Plan Regulations of 2010: Section 6 sub-section (1) a-i pursuant to the Urban and Regional Planning Law number 20 of 2005 was also flouted.” Apart from the anonymous official of the state Ministry of Housing, there were also allegations that the female educationist turned politician, whom the contract was initially awarded to, also re-awarded same contract to another contractor who in turn, chose to cut corners by deploying substandard building materials both in quantity and quality for the execution of the project as evident during the period of clearing the rubbles. When the South-West Coordinator of National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Yakubu Sulaiman, visited the site on Monday, May 16, he disclosed that the remaining wing of the five-storey shopping complex still standing beside the one that collapsed would also be pulled down due to the sub-standard building materials used. Speaking in the same direction, the Head of the Ogun State Office of Standards Organisation of Nigeria (S.O.N), Engineer Enebi Shaibu Onucheyo, also blamed the collapse on the use of substandard building materials. Onucheyo, who spoke with journalists when he visited the scene of the collapsed building, explained that the contractor made use of wrong iron-rod with 10mm dimension instead of either 16mm or 18mm iron-rods. Head of the Ogun State Office of S.O.N, thereafter, collected some samples of the iron-rod, cement, sand, stone, granite as well as blocks among other building materials which he said his agency would subject to laboratory test for further investigation. Also speaking with National Mirror on the same project, Ogun State chairman of Associa-

tion of Professional Builders in Nigeria (APBN), Town Planner Sola Adelakun, maintained that for every building collapse, there would have been a failure somewhere. Adelakun, who was the former state chairman of the Nigerian Institute of Town Planners (NITP), further told National Mirror that APBN was already working towards presenting its own position on the collapsed Itoku Ultra-Modern shopping complex later in the week. Meanwhile, opposition political parties have continued to berate the Ibikunle Amosun-led administration for the tragedy and demanded that the governor must take responsibility for the calamity that befell the state. In a statement issued by the State Publicity Secretary of PDP, Bolaji Adeniji, the party condemned in entirety, the development and urged the government to immediately apologise for the disaster. “Let it be stated that accidents by their nature are unintentional and unforeseen events which happen and thus, may not be attributed to be the deliberate doing of anyone, but for this particular incident, it is unfortunate that the APC government under the suffocative regime of Sen. Ibikunle Amosun is not just culpable but deliberately and wickedly so. “The PDP have always stated that this government is insincere and biting more than it could chew. Most of its projects are poorly conceptualised, unnecessary and self - aggrandizing without any meticulous or rigorous planning,” he said. In its own comment in an interview with National Mirror, the acting state chairman of Ogun LP, Comrade Abayomi Arabambi, said Ibikunle Amosun must investigate the cause of the collapse with the possibilities of compensating the victims and family of those who lost their lives. In a manner showing good leadership and some sense of responsibility, Governor Amosun was quick to accept responsibility for the collapsed structure. Loyalists and sympathisers of the Amosunled government are however not quiet. They alleged that saboteurs must have had a hand in the collapse of the building in Itoku. Although different views have been canvassed by many for the collapse of the building, the claims cannot really be totally relied upon as no empirical findings have been made to back up their claims. Already, Amosun has declared his intention to get to the root of the matter, and of course, this will be based on certain tests that will reveal what actually went wrong. Until the findings are made and the results released, all other claims may be mere speculations. However, such reports will certainly give good insight into how a future occurrence of a similar disaster can be avoided.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Features

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Strengthening research capacity of varsities

Chijioke okoronkwo

renowned information services organisation, EBSCOhost, recently provided a 4 million dollar free e-Acontent facility to Nigerian universities which subsists until December 31. EBSCOhost e-content, which covers e-libraries, research databases, e-journals, e-books among others, is channeled through the Nigerian Research and Education Network (NgREN) domiciled in the National Universities Commission (NUC). In the light of this, NUC said it was high time Nigerian universities took advantage of the EBSCOhost/NgREN platform to enhance their research works, online presence and improve global ranking. The commission lists the benefits of the EBSCOhost and NgREN platform among others as ``reduction in travel costs as a result of the video-conferencing facilities. ``The availability of shared resources, thereby, reducing total costs of teaching and research. ``Improvement in Webometric rankings through more and better local content made available to the international community. ``Digitisation of resources for anytime, anywhere access by students and staff in and out of school. ``Connection with international Research and Networks to make it possible for Nigerian research community to have access to the global research community using International Private Leased Circuit. ``Tele-Medicine, remote consultation and post-surgery follow up between tertiary hospitals and primary health care centres.’’ At a recent EBSCOhost Capacity Development workshop for Nigerian universities in Abuja, the Minister of Education, Malam Adamu Adamu, urged the NUC to build a solid information base for Nigerian universities via e-learning platforms. Represented by Prof. Anthony Anwukah, the Minister of State for Education, Adamu reiterated his directive that all Nigerian universities should subscribe to NgREN. He said that information was an important ingredient for national development, hence universities needed to develop robust information resource base that would support them as they sought to be global players. ``We are pleased that NUC is leading the way in supporting our university system towards being world class not only in facilities and teachers but also in information resources. ``We are indeed happy that another value is being added to the NgREN by providing electronic books and journals which will be accessed by all the users. ``We do not see any reason why universities should independently pay for service like bandwidth or electronic journals subscription when those services are available on the NgREN platform. ``That is why we have directed that every Nigerian tertiary education institution should move their connectivity and service need to NgREN immediately,’’ he said. Sharing similar sentiments, NUC’s Executive Secretary, Prof. Julius Okojie, said that the essence of the workshop was to provide first-hand training on the use of EBSCO e-Book Academic Collection. He said that the workshop was a key

National Universities Commission

‘

We do not see any reason

Why universities should independently pay for service like bandWidth or electronic journals subscription When those services are available on the ngren platform.

’

information resource meant to support Nigerian universities in their drive for excellence. According to Okojie, NgREN, which is championing the workshop, is a key driver in the transformation of information and its availability in Nigerian institutions. He thanked the EBSCOhost team for the partnership and support which was initiated between 2001 and 2005. ``At the moment, EBSCO has given trial access to the NUC and that is currently available on the NgREN network. ``We have also been discussing with EBSCO to allow us have trial access to full test of e-books and e-journals for a longer duration after which we shall be paying subscriptions. ``The databases of interest include the 13 disciplines that are taught in the Nigerian university system. ``These and other subscriptions would be

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu

available on the NgREN network henceforth; any university that refuses to join NgREN would lose out on these services,’’ he said. Okojie said that accessing the EBSCOhost free e-content would launch Nigerian universities into global recognition and put at them a competitive level in terms of research outputs. He said that NgREN was established to provide an elaborate infrastructural backbone to interconnect all research and education institutions in Nigeria and link them with other research and education networks worldwide. ``NgREN has secured access to EBSCOhost e-content-including e-books, journals, and academic magazines, which will be available for free to all Nigerian universities until December 31. ``By accessing the EBSCOhost e-content, Nigerian universities stand a better chance of enhancing their position in international university rankings. ``Universities in Nigeria are hereby encouraged to utilise these resources, which are available on the NgREN at no cost,’’ he said. Okojie said that plans were underway to ensure that universities on NgREN continued to access EBSCOhost and other e-content beyond the expiration of the current service. According to him, the platform also offers premium content in databases, e-books, journals, magazines as well as very versatile discovery tool for searching across all library resources. The executive secretary said that since its inauguration in July 2014, NgREN had made significant progress in reducing the cost of

bandwidth for subscriber institutions. ``Some other notable achievements of the network include the reduction in travel costs as a result of the video-conferencing facilities and capacity building cost savings through online and remote training modules,’’ he said. He said that NUC in partnership with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors established NgREN to ensure that universities could communicate, collaborate, access and share resources across national and international boundaries. EBSCOhost’s Vice-President, Mrs Collen Mills, who spoke via video-conferencing from South Africa, said that the firm had developed products to solve the needs of library users around the world. According to her, EBSCOhost will, through NgREN, provide latest e-library technologies to Nigerian universities. Lending his voice to the importance of e-learning and research in Nigerian universities, Prof. Michael Faborade, the Secretary-General, Committee of ViceChancellors, said that research would impact positively on the country’s economy. ``Research in all the areas of knowledge, humanities, social sciences, biological and medical sciences as well as physical science and technology will have a positive impact on the economy. ``It is counter-productive and dissipating for us to continue to run an underdeveloped economy. ``Nigerian problems are better solved by Nigerian experts on the basis of deep research and understanding of the university system,’’ Faborade said. He said that Nigerian universities must be able to assist in addressing and remedying basic challenges hindering national development. The secretary-general stressed the need for Nigerians to acknowledge the importance and essence of research in the universities system. He called on researchers and academicians involved in the planning and management of the economy as well as coordinating and funding agencies to be proactive in the discharge of their duties. However, stakeholders advise that with the steady decline in subventions to Nigerian universities, it is wise for universities to access the facility provided by EBSCOhost to boost research works. •Culled from News Agency of Nigeria

Capital Market

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Market capitalisation down N35bn on sluggish trading Johnson okanlawon

rading in equities closed on a negative note on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday despite bullish sessions recorded last week in anticipation of good returns. The All Share Index depreciated 0.37 per cent to close at 27,015.97 points, while market capitalization dropped N35 billion to close at N9.28 trillion. The All Share Index closed at 27,129.41 points on Friday, more than 20 per cent above a threeyear-low in mid-January. The measure fell for the first time in four days on Monday, dropping 0.6 per cent to 26,978.6

points, remaining in bull-market territory. The market has gained 7.7 per cent this month, compared with a six per cent loss for the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, after President Muhammadu Buhari signed a record budget in early May. Head of equity research at Chapel Hill, Tajudeen Ibrahim, said, “Nobody really expected a contraction. It came as a shock and the market’s responding to that on Monday. “Beforehand, local investors were responding positively to news of the budget and in anticipation that there would be a move on the currency.”

Stanbic IBTC Bank led the gainers’ table with N1.53 or 10.19 per cent to close at N16.54 per share, followed by DN Meyer Plc with six kobo or 8.22 per cent to close at 79 kobo per share. Fidson Healthcare Plc added 10 kobo or five per cent to close at N2.10 per share, while Continetal Insurance Plc gained five kobo or 4.85 per cent to close at N1.08 per share. Dangote Sugar Plc rose 30 kobo or 4.76 per cent to close at N6.60 per share, while NAHCO Plc appreciated 20 kobo or 4.59 per cent to close at N4.56 per share.

Conversely, PZ Cussons Plc depreciated N1.14 or 4.97 per cent to close at N21.81 per share, while Union Dicon Salt Plc dropped 65 kobo or 4.94 per cent to close at N12.52 per share. Zenith Bank Plc dipped 78 kobo or 4.89 per cent to close at N15.17 per share, while Portland Paints Plc Source: NSE declined 10 kobo or 4.85 per Gainers Losers cent to close at N1.96 per and Gainers Losers through End Start Dateand 22/05/2016 Date 23/05/2016 Market indicators Start Date 22/05/2016 through End Date 23/05/2016 share. Print Date 23/05/2016 Print Date 23/05/2016 All-Share Index 27,015.97 points Ikeja Hotel Plc shed 10 Market capitalisation 9.28trn kobo or 4.74 per cent to close at N2.01 per share, while Gainers for Equities Gainers for 2016-05-23 Equities Mansard Insurance Plc lost 2016-05-20 2016-05-20 2016-05-23 S/N Symbol Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Gain(N) % Change 10 kobo or 4.74 per cent to S/N Symbol Gain(N) Closing Price(N) 1 STANBIC 15.01 Closing Price(N) 16.54 1.53 % Change 10.19 1 STANBIC 15.01 16.54 1.53 10.19 close at N2.01 per share. 2 DNMEYER 0.73 0.79 0.06 8.22

MTN shares dip after suspension on $3.9bn fine

TN Group Limited shares fell after the Federal Government suspended talks about a $3.9 billion fine on the South African mobile-phone company while the country’s House of Representatives completes an investigation into the nature of the penalty. The stock declined as much as 2.9 per cent, the most since May 12, and traded 1.5 per cent lower, valuing the company at 233 billion rand ($15 billion). The shares have plunged almost 35 per cent since the fine, originally set at $5.2 billion, was levied in October. An analyst at Mergence Investment Managers, Peter Takaendesa, said said any delays in finding a resolution for the MTN fine will play into trading and keep MTN’s share price sup-

pressed. He said, “The big event to watch this week will be MTN’s annual general meeting, where the market might also get additional clarity.” The decision to put talks on hold will frustrate MTN as it seeks to resolve a fine that was levied for missing a deadline to disconnect customers deemed unregistered in the country, which is battling an Islamist insurgency. The company’s stock decline has cost MTN the title of Africa’s biggest wireless company by market capitalization, losing it to crosstown rival Vodacom Group Limited. “MTN cautions shareholders not to make any decisions based on media reports,” spokesman Chris Maroleng said. According to him, investors will be informed of any

update to the fine negotiations via the stock exchange news service. Spokesman for Ministry of Communications, Mr. Victor Oluwadamilare said on Friday that the lawmakers have set up a committee to investigate the MTN saga and they are still on it, adding that until they are through with it, nothing can be done. He said, “The federal government, the Nigerian Communications Commission and the Ministry of Communications can do nothing about the MTN case until the committee concludes its thorough investigation. There’s no point dealing with a particular organization from different fronts. It would be counter-productive.” The Executive Chairman, Phuthuma Nhleko returned to the helm in November for a six-month term to resolve

Saudi Arabian stocks slide lowest since January

audi Arabian stocks plunged the most since January as oil extended its drop, compounding a selloff before the start of Ramadan in June. The Tadawul All Share Index slid 3.1 percent, the most among world equity gauges, to the lowest level since April 18 as 166 members of the benchmark measure retreated. That’s the most declining companies on a single day in at least five years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Jabal Omar Development Co. led the rout, falling 5 percent “People are just book-

ing gains ahead of Ramadan and an extended summer break, which is traditionally a slow period in the market,” said Muhammad Faisal Potrik, the head of research at Riyad Capital. “The market had rallied and a correction had been due. Oil has also started to slip and it looks like the oil rally might be over for the short term.” While the kingdom is seeking to diversify its economy away from oil, equities remain highly correlated to the price of the commodity, which generates most government revenue. Brent crude has dropped four days run-

2 3 3 4

DNMEYER FIDSON FIDSON CONTINSURE

6 7

NAHCO UACN

4 5 5 6

CONTINSURE DANGSUGAR DANGSUGAR NAHCO

0.73 2.00 2.00 1.03

0.79 2.10 2.10 1.08

0.06 0.10 0.10 0.05

8.22 5.00 5.00 4.85

4.36 18.81

4.56 19.50

0.20 0.69

4.59 3.67

1.03 6.30 6.30 4.36

1.08 6.60 6.60 4.56

0.05 0.30 0.30 0.20

4.85 4.76 4.76 4.59

7 UACN 18.81 19.50 0.69 3.67 the crisis, yet he remains 8 FCMB 1.39 1.44 0.05 3.60 8 FCMB 1.39 1.44 0.05 3.60 9 LIVESTOCK 0.96 0.99 0.03 3.13 in charge having not ful9 LIVESTOCK 0.96 0.99 0.03 3.13 10 AFRIPRUD 2.85 2.93 0.08 2.81 10 AFRIPRUD 2.85 2.93 0.08 2.81 filled his mandate. He 11 LAWUNION 0.51 0.52 0.01 1.96 11 LAWUNION 0.51 0.52 0.01 1.96 12 STERLNBANK 1.57 1.60 0.03 1.91 will address sharehold12 STERLNBANK 1.57 1.60 0.03 1.91 13 TRANSCORP 1.17 1.19 0.02 1.71 ers at the annual meeting 13 TRANSCORP 1.17 1.19 0.02 1.71 14 VITAFOAM 4.29 4.30 0.01 0.23 14 VITAFOAM 4.29 4.30 0.01 0.23 in Johannesburg today. MTN’s last reported Losers for Equities offer was to pay $1.5 bilLosers for Equities 2016-05-20 2016-05-23 2016-05-20 2016-05-23 Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Symbol Loss(N) % Change lion in a combination S/N S/N Closing Price(N) Loss(N) 1 PZ Symbol 22.95 Closing Price(N) 21.81 -1.14 % Change -4.97 of staggered cash pay1 PZ 22.95 21.81 -1.14 -4.97 2 UNIONDICON 13.17 12.52 -0.65 -4.94 2 UNIONDICON 13.17 12.52 -0.65 -4.94 ments, sovereign debt 3 ZENITHBANK 15.95 15.17 -0.78 -4.89 3 ZENITHBANK 15.95 15.17 -0.78 -4.89 4 PORTPAINT 2.06 1.96 -0.10 -4.85 purchases and access to 4 PORTPAINT 2.06 1.96 -0.10 -4.85 5 IKEJAHOTEL 2.11 2.01 -0.10 -4.74 5 IKEJAHOTEL 2.11 2.01 -0.10 -4.74 its network. 6 MANSARD 2.11 2.01 -0.10 -4.74 6 MANSARD 2.11 2.01 -0.10 -4.74 7 ACCESS 5.35 5.10 -0.25 -4.67 The Managing Direc7 ACCESS 5.35 5.10 -0.25 -4.67 8 NPFMCRFBK 1.14 1.09 -0.05 -4.39 tor of Africa Analysis, 8 NPFMCRFBK 1.14 1.09 -0.05 -4.39 9 DEAPCAP 0.54 0.52 -0.02 -3.70 9 DEAPCAP 0.54 0.52 -0.02 -3.70 Dobek Pater said, “This 10 SKYEBANK 1.17 1.13 -0.04 -3.42 10 SKYEBANK 1.17 1.13 -0.04 -3.42 11 CAVERTON 1.50 1.45 -0.05 -3.33 suggests that MTN might 11 CAVERTON 1.50 1.45 -0.05 -3.33 12 UCAP 2.10 2.04 -0.06 -2.86 12 UCAP 2.10 2.04 -0.06 -2.86 still be stuck in limbo, 13 WEMABANK 0.76 0.74 -0.02 -2.63 13 WEMABANK 0.76 0.74 -0.02 -2.63 14 NASCON 8.30 8.15 -0.15 -1.81 and that is not a good 14 NASCON 8.30 8.15 -0.15 -1.81 15 ETERNA 3.14 3.09 -0.05 -1.59 thing for them. Sugges15 ETERNA 3.14 3.09 -0.05 -1.59 16 TIGERBRANDS 4.80 4.73 -0.07 -1.46 16 TIGERBRANDS 4.80 4.73 -0.07 -1.46 tions were that the nego17 NEM 0.80 0.73 -0.01 -1.35 17 NEM 0.80 0.73 -0.01 -1.35 18 AIICO 0.76 0.75 -0.01 -1.32 tiations were going on in 18 AIICO 0.76 0.75 -0.01 -1.32 19FGN FBNH Bonds 3.85 3.80 -0.05 -1.30 19 FBNH 3.85 3.80 -0.05 -1.30 a positive path for MTN, 20 UNITYBNK 0.78 0.77 -0.01 -1.28 20 UNITYBNK 0.78 0.77 -0.01 -1.28 especially when the comOffer Bid pany received that first Page 1 of Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Page Published Stock Exchange © reduction. Now, with theby The Nigerian Description Price Yield Price Yield1 of investigation the process 15.10 27-APR-2017 1.06 104.54 10.45 104.69 10.30 is back to the unknown.” 16.00 29-JUN-2019 3.23 114.58 10.54 114.88 10.44

ning, accelerating a poised to reverse. (Source – selloff before Ramadan Bloomberg.com) starts about June 6. During their holy Rate (%) month many Muslims Inflation 8.2 fast all day and work reMPR 13 duced hours, typically heralding a slowdown Crude oil price $58.96 in trading activity in the Exchange Rates (N) six-nation Gulf CooperaWAUA 270 tion Council. Volumes on the main USD 196.95 gauge were about 16 perEURO 214 cent below the 20-day CFA 0.32 average. The measure’s 14-day relative strength YEN 1.64 index dropped to 37, the SWISS 202 lowest since February. A FRANC reading below 30 is an inPOUNDS 293 dicator to some technical STERLING analysts a measure may SDR 273 have fallen too fast and be

15.54 13-FEB-2020

3.86

111.91

11.61

112.21

11.52

16.39 27-JAN-2022

5.81

120.62

11.43

120.92

11.36

14.20 14-MAR-2024

7.94

109.79

12.23

110.09

12.18

12.50 22-JAN-2026

9.80

100.32

12.43

100.62

12.38

Closing Market Prices of April 4, 2016

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

30-Jun-16

7.59

7.73

6-Oct-16

8.37

8.74

16-Mar-17

9.40

10.32

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

4.2500

8.2420

10.1127

11.7162 CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016

4 4

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

World News TV news operations are instrumental in enabling Donald Trump’s candidacy by affording him extraordinary airtime and allowing him to play by his own rules. –GLOBAL ANCHOR FOR YAHOO NEWS, KATIE COURIC

Syria conflict: Assad’s stronghold suffers blows AfolAbi GAmbAri

WITH AGENCY REPORT

series of car and suicide bombings has hit two government strongholds on Syria’s Mediterranean coast. State media said at least 78 people were killed, while a monitoring group put the death toll at more than 145. Four bombings targeted bus stations in the port city of Tartous and in Jableh, a town to the north, which have until now escaped the worst of the civil war. A report linked to ISIS said the jihadist group was behind the attacks, adding that militants had targeted “gatherings of Alawites”, a reference to the heterodox Shia sect to which President Bashar al-Assad belongs. Russia, a key backer of Assad, has a naval base in Tartous and an airbase near Jableh, from where it

Smoke billowing as bombs rained in Tartous and Jableh yesterday has conducted air strikes on IS targets across Syria.

The report also cited a police source as saying that 45 people were

Obama lifts Vietnam arms embargo

resident Barack Obama has announced that the United States is fully lifting its embargo on sales of lethal weapons to Vietnam, its one-time enemy. Obama, who spoke yesterday during a visit to communist Vietnam where he had talks with its leaders, said the move removed what he called a lingering vestige of the Cold War. The US is trying to bolster its relationship with its Pacific allies, as China asserts territorial claims. But Obama said the embargo decision was not related to US policy on China.

“It is based on our desire to complete what has been a lengthy process of moving towards normalisation with Vietnam,” he said. “Sales will need to still meet strict requirements, including those related to human rights, but this change will ensure that Vietnam has access to the equipment it needs to defend itself,” he added after talks with President Tran Dai Quang. Vietnam is one of several countries in the region involved in maritime disputes with China. The US insists on the right to freedom of navigation in the South China Sea.

In 2014, a row over a Chinese oil rig near the Paracel islands led to clashes between Chinese and Vietnamese vessels and anti-China riots in Vietnam. White House officials had indicated the arms ban, in force since 1984, would be lifted only if human rights in Vietnam improved. Up to now, Vietnam has relied on Russia to supply most of its defence equipment, a legacy of the Cold War, when they were allies. The government would certainly like to diversify its sources, and is looking at a number of potential alternative suppliers. But it won’t

killed and many others, most of them women and children, were injured in Jableh, saying two bombs exploded at the main entrance of the town’s bus station. A suicide bomber also blew himself up at the entrance of the emergency department at Jableh National Hospital, the report further said. A doctor at the hospital said it was bombed less than a minute after the bus station. “Everything went into emergency mode, wounded people began arriving,” Younes Hassan said. The fourth blast reportedly occurred near the offices of Jableh’s electricity directorate, on the outskirts of the Amara residential district. More than 33 people were killed and 47 injured in Tartous after a car bomb was detonated at the main gate to the city’s bus station, while a suicide bomber detonated an explosive vest inside the facility.

be rushing into the arms of US manufacturers just yet.

President Barack Obama

Sleaze: SA prosecutor ‘not done’ with Zuma

outh Africa’s prosecution says it will appeal against a court ruling that it should reconsider corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma. Originally, the 783 charges were dropped weeks before the

South African President Jacob Zuma

2009 election which led to him becoming president. But last month, a high court judge described that decision as irrational. Zuma has always denied the allegations which are linked to a 1999 arms deal worth billions of dollars. In April, a judge-led commission of inquiry found no evidence of corruption or fraud by any government officials at the time the deal was made. After a case brought by the opposition Democratic Alliance (DA), Judge Aubrey Ledwaba said last month that the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA)

should consider re-opening the case. But National Director of Public Prosecutions, Shaun Abrahams, said that prosecutors should be able to exercise discretion over whether an investigation should continue. “This is an issue that affects the separation of powers and that the ruling has far-reaching ramifications,” Abrahams said yesterday. Although Abrahams was at pains to explain his independence, the opposition still maintains that he is too close to Zuma. If the Supreme Court of Appeal rules against the NPA, Abrahams would have to go to

the highest court in the land, the Constitutional Court. Last month, Judge Ledwaba said Mr Mpshe had “found himself under pressure” when he decided to discontinue the prosecution and “consequently made an irrational decision”. Investigation into Zuma’s alleged corruption had become heavily politicised, amid a power struggle between Zuma and former president Thabo Mbeki. Zuma was sacked as deputy president in 2005 shortly after his financial adviser, Schabir Shaik, was found guilty of corruption and fraud in relation to the arms deal.

WORLD BULLETIN

Kenya Police kill protester Kenyan police have killed a man in the western city of Kisumu during an opposition protest, an eyewitness report said yesterday. A local hospital said that a body had been brought in, but the cause of death had not been confirmed. This is the fourth week of protests over the electoral commission. Last week, there were complaints of police brutality as officers were pictured assaulting demonstrators in the capital, Nairobi. The opposition Cord Alliance wants the current members of the electoral commission to resign ahead of next year’s presidential election. Several other places have also been caught up in the demonstrations including the coastal city of Mombasa, where police fired tear gas to prevent protesters from gathering.

Migrant crisis: Libya intercepts ferrying boats Libyan coastguards said yesterday that they intercepted boats carrying 850 migrants trying to reach Europe on Sunday. A spokesman said the migrants from various African countries, including 79 women, 11 of them pregnant, were found in seven inflatable boats near Sabratha, west of the capital Tripoli. It comes as the UN’s first World Humanitarian Summit is due to open in Istanbul. Heads of state, aid agencies and others will discuss the financial response to crises and how better to distribute aid to those who most need it. The UN says there is a $15bn annual gap in humanitarian funding and money raised is often held up at source.

‘Why Zika virus spread’ The spread of Zika is the price being paid for a massive policy failure on mosquito control, according to World Health Organization Director, Dr. Margaret Chan. Chan, who spoke at the agency’s annual World Health Assembly, said experts had dropped the ball in the 1970s with regards to getting a handle on diseasecarrying insects. Most recently, the infection, spread by mosquito bites, reached Africa. More than 60 countries and territories now have continuing Zika transmission as experts predict the same strain could reach Europe in the summer. The virus is thought to cause serious birth defects during pregnancy and has been declared a global public health emergency.

North

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

PDP crisis: Group tasks Makarfi’s committee on reconciliation a z a m sue KADUNA

L-R: Wife of the Speaker of Bauchi State House of Assembly, Hajia Amina Dhamina; wife of the Deputy Governor of Bauchi State, Hajia Fatima Gidado, and Bauchi State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Child Development, Hajia Asabe Hamma, during inauguration of Skills Acquisition Training Workshop for Women Empowerment in 20 local government areas of Bauchi State yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Public contracts: Tambuwal establishes Due Process Office

n line with global best practices, Sokoto State Government said it has established a Due Process Office that will ensure efficient and effective monitoring of all public contracts and other related duties for the overall interest of the people. Already, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, has approved the appointment of Barrister Kabiru Haliru, as the Executive Secretary of the new outfit.

A statement issued in Sokoto by Tambuwal’s spokesman, Malam Imam Imam, said the outfit, known as Public Procurement and Price Intelligence Unit, will lead to efficient utilisation of public resources by ensuring that such resources are effectively deployed and best value obtained at all times. It said the new office will also promote prudence, transparency and accountability in government spending,

particularly in the procurement of goods and services. “In addition, the new office will promote professionalism in the execution of the procurement functions and streamline quality control practices. “The Due Process Office will also promote competition and transparency in project procurement leading to low and efficient cost of projects. “It will also ensure

proper project packaging and definition by prioritizing, recording and ensuring proper synchronisation among the MDAs. “This will eliminate a situation where many Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs, are pursuing the same or similar need simultaneously with resultant lack of efficiency and effectiveness while creating overlapping and waste,” the statement added.

Relatives of dead council workers in Katsina paid N1bn gratuity James DanJuma KATSINA

utstanding death gratuity to the tune of N1.1billion has been paid to relatives of deceased Local Government Councils’ workers in Katsina State. The Executive Secretary of Local Government Pension Board, Sulieman Garba, stated this at a news briefing yesterday. Garba said the money was paid to 842 relations of deceased government employees through the state High Court. He said efforts were on the way, to compile list of government employees that had retired from October 2015 to date, with a view of paying them their benefits. The executive secretary said after compilation the names; the board would then submit same to the

governor for assent and payment. Garba said the current state administration had managed to settle outstanding gratuity and pension for retirees of council workers covering about three years.

He said more than N290 million was being expended monthly for payment of pension to about 9,825 pensioners. He called on heads of local government councils to ensure early

submission of names of retirees for immediate payment of their pension and gratuity. He, however, said that late submission of the names to the board could delay timely payment of benefits.

group under the auspices of Kaduna State PDP Youth Patriotic Front, yesterday declared support for Senator Ahmed Makarfi’s led-Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, caretaker committee, saying they must reconcile with the Jerry Gana faction for the unity of the party. A statement signed by president of the group, Danjuma Bello Sarki, said the setting up of the Makarfi’s led-caretaker committee was very laudable and a step in the right

3 killed, 7 injured in Bauchi auto crash e zekiel TiTus BAUCHI

o fewer than three people died while seven others were injured following an auto crash which occurred along Bauchi/Jos road An eye witness said the crash which occurred as a result of head-on-collision involved an Opel Vectra and Sharon bus. The Police Public Relation Officer of the state police command, Haruna Mohammed, who confir med the incident on Monday, said scene, was visited by police patrol team attached to Toro division and victims were rushed to ATBU Teach-

Troops arrest 5 cattle rustlers in Plateau

…recovers 19 cows, 30 sheep J ames a braham JOS

roops of the Nigerian Army in Plateau State otherwise known as Operation Safe Haven, OPSH, yesterday arrested five cattle rustlers who allegedly killed a herdsman while rustling 32 cows and 30 sheep in Mangu Local Government

Area of the state. Secretary of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, MACBAN, Muhammad Adam, yesterday said the rustlers who crossed from Fan District in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area of the state into Mangu council area, killed 35 years old Adamu Yusuf, before rustling his cows and sheep on Sun-

day evening. Adam said OPSH officers in Barkin Ladi had recovered 19 of the cows and all the sheep, adding that the rustlers have agreed to take the security opperatives to Gyel market in Bukuru, Jos South Local Government, where the remaining cows have been take to for sale. Operation Safe Heaven Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha, con-

direction, which shall certainly restore the party back on the right path. Sarki added that the action has also proven that impunity, imposition and injustice was no doubt a thing of the past in the PDP and no individual or group can hold the party to ransom. S a rk i c a l l e d o n t h e Je r r y G a n a g ro u p and all other agg r i eve d c a m p s i n t h e party to join hands w i t h t h e c a re t a ke r c o m m i t t e e i n re s o l v ing all m i s u n d e rstandings and re s t o re t h e p a r t y b a ck t o i t s l o s t g l o r y.

firmed the killing of the herdsman and the recovery of 19 cows. He said: “Five suspects are now in our custody, we are tracking the remaining cows because the cattle were scattered and some have been sold so we are tracking them and making arrests as we go on. We have traced some to Bukuru and by the time we round up the operation, you will get more information.”

ing Hospital for treatment. He said: “ On th e May 22, 2016, th e re w as a h e ad-on -col l usion be twe e n an Ope l Ve ctra ash col ou r car w ith Re g istration Nu mbe r TRR 744 BAU an d a re d Sh aron Ve h icl e w ith re g istra tion nu mbe r A L K 238 XA at Tash an D u r u mi al on g Bau ch i-Jos road in Bau ch i. “Meanwhile, three persons were certified dead by a medical doctor while seven others were admitted and responding to treatment at the Trauma Centre of the hospital. According to Mohammed, the three people who lost their lives in the crash are Abdullahi Mamman, (Driver of the Opel Vectra), Francis Agolu, a student of ATBU Bauchi (Department of Architecture) and Aliyu Umar male. He said the case is under investigation to ascertain the actual cause of accident. Mohammed urged members of the public whose relatives have travelled to visit the Trauma Centre of ATBU Teaching Hospital for possible identification of their relations.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Manchester United fires Van Gaal

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Mexicans are always tough with lots of heart; Koreans raw and gritty; the poor British tend to stand up straight and take it on the chops, bleeding almost before the opening bell – Stephen Brount

CAF Champions League: Enyimba know group foes today …may draw Al Ahly, ASEC, Wydad EvErEst OnyEwuchi

igeria’s Enyimba International FC will today, know their opponents for the group stage of this year’s Champions League.

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) said yesterday that draws for the final stages of the Champions League and the second tier Confederation Cup will hold this afternoon at its Cairo, Egypt headquarters. For the Orange CAF Champions League, the eight surviving teams are: Enyimba, Al Ahly, Zamalek (both Egypt), AS Vita (DR Congo), ASEC Mimosas (Cote d’Ivoire), ES Setif (Algeria), Wydad Athletic Club (Morocco) and Zesco (Zambia). Meanwhile, defending champions, Etoile du Sahel (Tunisia) who were knocked out by Enyimba, Ahly Tripoli (Libya), MO Bejaia (Algeria), Medeama (Ghana), FUS Rabat,

Kawkab (both Morocco), TP Mazembe (DR Congo) and Young Africans (Tanzania) make up the octet for the Orange CAF Confederation Cup. Enyimba, champions back-to-back in 2002 and 2003, qualified for the money-spinning group stage by eliminating Vipers Sports Club of Uganda 2-1 aggregate, losing 1-0 in Kampala and drubbing Vipers 2-0 in Port Harcourt. The Aba Elephants thrashed Vital’O FC of Burundi 5-1 in the first leg of their second qualifiers and lost narrowly 2-1 in Bujumbura. Enyimba’s last qualifying match was against defending champions, Etoile du Sahel of Tunisia, who they defeated 3-0 at the Adokiye Amiesimaka stadium in April. But the Tunisian champions cancelled out the scoreline in Tunis, but the Nigerian representatives qualified, winning the ensuing

penalty kicks 4-3. Nigeria’s other Champions League entrant, Warri Wolves, failed to get to this stage. Meanwhile, Enyimba continued their surge up the Nigeria Professional Football League table after they edged past Nasarawa United 1-0 last Saturday. Enyimba are now eighth on the table with 27 points from 15 matches. Both Enyimba and Nasarawa have been involved in continental competitions and hence their backlog of matches. Enyimba’s unlikely match winner was leftback, Chima Akas, whose free kick from 25 yards in the 31st minute went past goalkeeper Suraj Ayeleso to separate the two teams. Reports say that Enyimba star striker, Mfon Udoh, was forced out of the game early in the second half after crunching tackle. He was replaced by Joseph Osadiaye.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

CHANE OF NAME/CORRECTION Of DATE OF BIRTH

Formerly known and addressed as MOTUNRAYO AMINAT, now wish to be Known and addressed as ADENUGA MOTUNRAYO ADUKE. Born 1st day of May, I976 not 5th December I977. Former documents are valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Audu Sunday, now wish to be Known and addressed as Audu Simon. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Folasade Adenreti Oreoluwa Koya, now wish to be Known and addressed as Folasade Adenreti Oreoluwa Akinmusire. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

ZAKARIYA This is to inform the general public that my name was wrongly spelt and stated as Zakariya Isiaq instead of Zakariyah Isiaka Olatunji and my date of birth was wrongly written as 26/2/1970 instead of 26/2/1973. Henceforth i wish to be known and addressed as ZAKARIYAH ISIAKA OLATUNJI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and the general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NNADI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NNADI NWANNEKA UCHENWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHUKWUEMEKA NWANNEKA WENDY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as LALEYE TAYO now wish to be known and addressed as OLORI QUADRI ADEBARE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Oriola Rashidat Temitope now wish to be known as Mrs Rasheed Rashidat Temitope. All former documents still remain valid. General public to please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SALAHUDEEN: I, formerly known and addressed as SALAHUDEEN ABDULAZEEZ ABOLANLE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SALAHUDEEN AZEEZ ABOLANLE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OKOROAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as OKOROAFOR PRISCA FAITH, now wish to be known and addressed as ASIERIKA MARYANN GINIKACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ANI: I, formerly known and addressed as GODSPOWER ANI IKENNA now wish to be known and addressed as ANI IKENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ODUNUGA OLUWAKEMI FUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ALAMU OLUWAKEMI FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. DANIEL ROSELINE OLUWASEUN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OLUSEGUN ROSELINE OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank, GTB and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly known and addressed as IDRIS ABDULKADIRI, and date of birth mistakenly written as 13/5/1984 instead of 23/3/1982, now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULLAHI ABDULKADIR OVO. Authority concerned and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as RUFAI SEBIRAT ADESHOLA, now wish to be Known and addressed as OKUSANYA SEBIRAT ADESHOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ALABI SEKINAT OMOTOYOSI, now wish to be Known and addressed as ALABI ELETUODIBO SEKINAT OMOTOYOSI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that ADEBAYO ADUKE IYABO and SUNMONU FATIMO IYABO ADUKE is one and the same person. All former documents bearing the above names are mine and remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS Adetunji GRACE Adejoke, now wish to be Known and addressed as Mrs. Fatolu Grace Adejoke. All former documents remain valid. Ogun State Institute of Technology and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ODOH: I, formerly known and addressed as ODOH GEORGE CHUKWUEMEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA GEORGE OKEMDINACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as joseph oluwatobi. now wish to be known and addressed as joseph oluwatobi joshua. All former documents remains valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

JOSEPH: I, formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH CHIMA EUGENE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EUGINE SUCCESS. All former documents remain valid. GTBank, Eco Bank and the general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

COCO-BASSEY: I, formerly known and addressed as ANITA EDUARDS COCOBASSEY, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ANITA CHIOMA OTAKPOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OKAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed OKAFOR CHIOMA PRINCESS, now wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR CHIOMA CALISTA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NWANGWU: I, formerly known and addressed as NWANGWU OSITADINMA TITUS, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUKA LAWRENCE OSITA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS BABALOLA REBECCA BUKOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEWOYIN REBECCA BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as BAKSON DANGANA, now wish to be known and addressed as DANGANA BAKO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME/ADDITION OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. MAYA MOHAMMED YADZARAM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FATIMA MOHAMMED. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MENONE EBIPAHAMO ROSELINE, now wish to be Known and addressed as JEREMIAH ROSELINE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as PAUL GWAKYAA, now wish to be Known and addressed as PAUL IEREN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

My name was wrongly written as Ozoemenam IFEANYI instead of Ozoemenam Iheanyi, which is my correct name. General public and authorities concerned take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunsakin Toyin Lolade, now wish to be Known and addressed as Mrs. Oluyede Toyin Lolade. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Raheem Temitope Hassan, now wish to be Known and addressed as Joseph Raheem Temitope Hassan. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ADOKUN: This is to confirm that ADOKUN JOSEPH SURU and ZANMENU JOSEPH refer to one and same person. All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person. Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

FORMERLY YUSUFF BASIRAT BOLA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS YUSUF BASHIRAT BOLA ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID TESCOM AND GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Paul Ememobong Shilling now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Umoh Ememobong Shilling. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MBAEGBU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS VIOLA MBAEGBU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS VIOLA EGBO. All former documents remain valid. Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as SALAWUDEEN AJAPE RAFIU now wish to be known and addressed as AJAPE RAFIU SALAU, with correct date of birth of 01\01\1986. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

AGU: I, formerly known and addressed as AGU CLINTON DOMINIC, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AGUBOR CLINTON NNANYEREUGO. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and the general public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that KOSOKO OLUSEGUN HABEEB and KOSOKO OLUWASEGUN AYOMIDE refers to one and the same person. That all documents bearing both names are mine and remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ENEH: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ENEH PRINCESS CHINASA EDITH now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZE PRINCESS-CHINASA EDITH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OTTAH: I, formerly known and addressed as OTTAH FAVOUR UCHECHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as OTTAH FAVOUR UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as JUDE NWAWUBE ZONGO, now wish to be known and addressed as JUDE NWAWUBE UDANYINYA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ALIYU MOGAJI, now wish to be known and addressed as ALI SALE, All former documents remain valid. Authority concerned and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH ONIMODAMORI OSHE, now wish to be known and addressed as JOSEPH OSHE. All former documents remain valid. Authority concerned and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OBUNAEME: Formerly known and addressed as OBUNAEME OFILI now wish to be known and addressed as OBUNAEME LINUS OFILI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known, called and addressed as UMORU ABDULLAHI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as UMAR ISIAKA OMOH. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

MMEZIE: I, formerly known and addressed as JOHN MMEZIE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MMEZIE CAJETHAN CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ULASI: I, formerly known and addressed as OSY EMMANUEL ULASI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OSY EMMANUEL ODIMEGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

ANIKWE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANIKWE IJEOMA PERPETUAL, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGWUAGBO IJEOMA PERPETUAL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. ADDITION OF NAME

That I was formerly known and addressed as NWEKE THEOPHILUS that I now wish to add CHINAZA to my former name that I now wish to be known and addressed as NWEKE THEOPHILUS CHINAZA All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAHI USMAN, now wish to be known and addressed as USMAN ABDULLAHI. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MUHAMMED ZUBAIR, now wish to be known and addressed as ALIYU ZUBAIR ADAVURUKU. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and general public take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. AANU ADAMOH AKANBI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AANU AKANBI OMOLAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

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

Formerly known and addressed as Saka Taibat Ajoke, now wish to be Known and addressed as Yusuff Taibat Ajoke. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

SEGLA: Formerly known and addressed as SEGLA SENAPON now wish to JOSEPH to my name. Therefore, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as SEGLA JOSEPH SENAPON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that MRS ADEBAYO MULIKAT is the same and one person as MRS ADEBAYO MULIKAT ALARAPE. All documents bearing the names remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

BABATUNDE : Formerly known and addressed as BABATUNDE RUTH BLESSING now wish to be known and addressed as AKANLE JUMOKE ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc and General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

IDRIS: I, formerly known and addressed as IDRIS ESTHER TOSIN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as DIRISU ESTHER UDEHMISIO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to notify the public that my name was wrongly written as ISIAQ RAMOTALLAHI KIKELOMO instead of ISIAKA RAMOTA KIKE with correct date of birth of 07\12\1977. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Louis Azubike Alisah now wish to be known and addressed as Engr. Frankie Ikennah Ochiagha Alisah. All former documents remain valid. First Bank Plc, Diamond Bank Plc, Zenith Bank Plc, Eco Bank Plc and the general public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

OKEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MOSES KENECHUKWU OKEKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MOSES KENECHUKWU OFORBUIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. ADDITION OF NAME

That I was formerly known and addressed as ESTHER USORO that I now wish to add AKPAN to my former name that I now wish to be known and addressed as AKPAN ESTHER USORO. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as VIRGINIA EKWUTOSI ANAEMENA, now wish to be known and addressed as VIRGINIA NGOZI OBIDIKE. UBA Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I, formerly known and addressed as SALAWUDEEN OHUNENE SARAT and date of birth was mistakenly written as 3/12/1972 instead of 3/12/1975, now wish to be known and addressed as HASSAN SARATU and born on 3/12/1975. All former documents remain valid. Authority concerned and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABUBAKAR HAJARA, behind Oando B/K, now wish to be known and addressed as MUHAMMED HAJARA USMAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

JAYEOBA BENJAMIN & JAYEOBA BENJAMIN OMOLADE IS THE SAME PERSON. I WISH TO BE CALLED JAYEOBA BENJAMIN OMOLADE. All former documents the above are mine and remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Balogun Bola, now wish to be know and addressed as Balogun Adewale Sulaiman. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. ADDITION OF NAME

GAADI: Formerly known and addressed as GAADI SOLOMON now wish to add USHAHEMBA to my name. Therefore, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as GAADI SOLOMON USHAHEMBA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly MISS OLADOKUN AYOBAMI FELICIA now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS ADEGBITE AYOBAMI FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as ezenyilmba jennifer now wish to be known as ezenyilimb celestine onyinye.All former documents remains valid. General public take note. AFFIRMATION OF BEING ALIVE

This is to affirm that SANNI FAVOUR CHIABUOTU that is said to be dead is still alive. Her date of birth is 3rd day of August, 2013. Father’s name is SANNI MOSES, while Mother’s name is SANNI ESTHER. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NURUDEEN: I, formerly known and addressed as NURUDEEN AJIBOLA ISKILU, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ISKILU NURUDEEN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

OTI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OTI JUSTINA CHIMEZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MADUAKO JUSTINA CHIMEZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Kafayat Arike Ibraheem, Now wish to be known and addressed as Kafayat Arike Ibrahim . All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

Moses:l formerly known and addressed as Miss Moses Beauty Janet now wish we to be known and addressed as Mrs Adebayo Beauty Janet,all former documents remain valid,Fidelity bank and the general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAHI MUHAMMED LAWAL, now wish to be known and addressed as MUHAMMED ABDULLAHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OKOLI IFEYINWA NKEM, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. EZIKE IFEYINWA NKEM TINA. All former documents remain valid. GTB Plc and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SALAMAT ABDULAZIZ, now wish to be known and addressed as SALAMAT SAIDU. All former documents remain valid. Authority concerned and general public take note.

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror It seems to me the time has come for us to re-examine the legal and constitutional framework for policing in Nigeria. – SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPS, HON. YAKUBU DOGARA

Protest as female cop kills bus driver in Lagos Patience OgbO

here was protest in Lagos state on Sunday as a female police corporal allegedly beat a commercial bus driver identified as Muyiwa Ijaduola, to CHANGE OF NAME

AMEDU: Formerly known and addressed as AMEDU ABUBAKAR SUMAILA now wish to be known and addressed as ADAMU ALEFI ABUBAKAR. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

ALIYU: Formerly known and addressed as Aliyu Mekaura Sheu now now wish to be known and addressed as Audi Maikura Shehu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OGUNDARE OLATUNJI SULEIMAN, now wish to be known an addressed as OGUNDARE OLATUNJI SULEMAN. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ADENIKE OBI, now wish to be known an addressed as ADENIKE IFEOLUWA OBI. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as CHUKWERAH UZOAMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWURAH UZOAMAKA PEACE. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank Plc and general public take note. CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to inform the public that my name was mistakenly written as Emmanuel Oluwatoyin instead of Owaleye Oluwatoyin Victoria. Henceforth , I want to be known as Owaleye Oluwatoyin Victoria. All former documents remain valid, UBA and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as JOHNSON BIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHNSON ABIOLA WURAOLA .All former documents remains valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as LALEYE MOJISOLA FUNMILAYO. Now wish to be known and addressed as AKINOLA MOJISOLA FUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. HERITAGE BANK and general public take note.

death at the Igando area of the State. The policewoman, whose identity is not yet known is said to be attached to the Igando Police Division. According to eyewitnesses , trouble started when a team of policeCHANGE OF NAME

OKAFOR: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Okafor Eberechukwu Mercy now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adekanla Eberechukwu Mercy. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

DAUDA: Formerly known and addressed as Dauda Ismaila Gbenga now wish to be known and addressed as Dauda Ismaila Segun. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as BOTON MICHEAL, now wish to be known an addressed as TAIWO VICTOR MICHEAL. All documents remain valid. General public take note. ADDITION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MOPESOLA BELLO, now wish to be known an addressed as MOPESOLA ASAKE BELLO. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as INY PATRICK AGOR, now wish to be known and addressed as INYAMBE PATRICK UNYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OLAJUMOKE SULIAT OLAYINKA now wish to be known and addressed as OLAJUWON SULIAT OLAYINKA. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AKINTOYE FATIMO now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN FATIMO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

UWEH: Formerly known and addressed as Miss Uweh Comfort Ekpo, now wish to be called and addressed as MRS. OKEKE COMFORT TOCHUKWU. All Former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogechika Mildness Nwosu, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OGECHIKA MILDNESS RICHARD. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

men stopped the deceased driver infront of NNPC bus stop, demanding that she be given N500 bribe. It was learnt that the female police corporal allegedly dragged the driver from the bus and used her baton to CHANGE OF NAME

ALABA: Formerly known and addressed as MR ALABA THOMAS OPELOPEJESU now wish to be known and addressed as MR ALABA THOMAS OKOYA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

NNADI: Formerly known and addressed as Nnadi Kenny Uzochukwu now wish to be known and addressed as NNADI VICTORIA NKECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as UJU IHEJIRIKAH, now wish to be known an addressed as OBIANUJU NNAMAKA IHEJIRIKAH. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Morufat Oriyomi now to be known and addressed as Mrs Balogun Morufat Oriyomi. All former documents remain valid. General Public take Note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SELBYEN RAMKAT, now wish to be known and addressed as SELDUN SARAH SELBYEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as EBI MAXWELL CHUKS now wish to be known and addressed as EBI MAXWELL CHUKWUDIKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as FAGITE FOLAKEMI FUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as OBEMBE FOLAKE ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

beat him to a pulp, over the driver’s refusal to part with the said bribe while her colleagues watched. An eyewitness who requested anonimity said. “The driver had explained that he was just resuming work for the CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Omasajuwa Veronica Folashade now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Aluko Veronica Folashade. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OLADIPUPO OLUWABUKOLA ABIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLADIPUPO BUKOLA ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MUHAMMED USMAN, now wish to be known an addressed as NASIR INJAY USMAN. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Halid Omolara Kafayat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Amode Omolara Kafayat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OWOLABI JOSEPH, now wish to be known and addressed as SEGUN EMMANUEL OLADEJO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SAHEED ADETUNJI ADEJARE now wish to be known and addressed as AMODE AYINDE TUNDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OMOYEMI ABOSEDE FUNMILAYO , now wish to be known and addressed as MRS FARORE ABOSEDE FUNMILAYO. all former documents remain valid, banks and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AKINOLA: Formerly known and addressed as Miss AKINOLA OPEYEMI GLORY, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs. ADEJUMOBI OPEYEMI GLORY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MERCY IKE UKURU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MERCY UGBOJI SYLVESTER. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Onukwufor Ijeoma C, Now wish to be known and addressed as Onwubiko Juliet G. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Iheuwa Emmanuel Kelechi, Now wish to be known and addressed as Victor Emmanuel Kelechi. All former documents remain valid. GTB, FCMB and General public take note.

day, and he did not have enough money but the policewoman refused his appeal. “She began to hit him with her baton. She dragged him him down from the bus. It was in the process that he slipped hit his head on the ground and died. Immediately she noticed that he had slumped, she and her colleagues ran away.His corpse was removed by the police and his family members have been invited to the station for a meeting at the divisional police office. It was learnt that folCHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as KAREEM MOSHOOD OLAOBI now wish to be known and addressed as KARIMU MASUDI OLAJIDEDE. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. IBRAHIM ADERONKE ESTHER, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IBRAHIM RONKE ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as JEREMIAH JOSHUA MOSES, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as ANIJERRY JOSHUA MOSES. All former documents remain valid. General public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Rafiu Adisa Adeogun, now wish to be known and addressed as Rapheal Adisa Adekunle, all former document remain valid general public take note

lowing the death of the driver, his colleagues, and conductors were accompanied by sympathisers as they took the street to protest the gruesome death, and the protest caused a gridlock for hours in the area. It was gathered that it took the combined efforts of soldiers and mobile policemen to restore peace in the area and ease the gridlock caused by the protest. Efforts to get the reaction of the Lagos State police command was not successful. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Abibu Ramoni Babajide now to be addressed as Habib Ramoni Babajide. All former documents remain valid, Eco bank and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AKINMOLADUN OLAOLU AKINNUBI FRANCIS now wish to be known and addressed as AKINNUBI OLAOLU. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as AIKULOLA FOLAKEMI ROSELINE,but now want to be known,called and referred to as OYERINDE FOLAKEMI ROSELINE.All former documents remains valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as OBAYEMI OLUBUNMI NIFEMI. Now wish to be known and addressed as ARISANYIN NIFEMI. All former documents remain valid. FIDELITY BANK and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

GREEN CRESCENT HEALTH DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE The general public is hereby notified that the above named NGO has applied to the corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for Registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matter Act 2004/ THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr Mohammed Audi (Chairman) 2. Dr Oreagba Ibrahim (Secretary) 3. Dr Salisu Ismail. 4. Mrs Naimatu Balarebe Musa 5. Dr Tajudeen Abiola AIMS AND OBJECTIVES. (1) To strive and educate against all harmful habits which cause damage to the young and to communities and technology addictions, as well as the addictions which destroy the physical and mental health of communities and the young, and substance addictions, in line with international norms and practices and the Laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (2) To ensure mutual cooperation and coordination among its members at the highest level, and sets in motion the awareness, strength and resources of communities in order to strive against addictions in Nigeria. (3) It will develop the necessary cooperation and joint working organizations with National public, private and non-government organizations in line with these aims. Any objection shouldbe forwarded to the Registrar General. Corporate Affairs Commission. Plot 420 Tigris Cresent. Maitama, Abuja. Within 28days of this Publication. SIGNED: SECRETARY

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Community Mirror It seems to me the time has come for us to re-examine the legal and constitutional framework for policing in Nigeria. – SPEAKER HOUSE OF REPS, HON. YAKUBU DOGARA

Protest as female cop kills bus driver in Lagos Patience OgbO

here was protest in Lagos state on Sunday as a female police corporal allegedly beat a commercial bus driver identified as Muyiwa Ijaduola, to death at

the Igando area of the State. The policewoman, whose identity is not yet known is said to be attached to the Igando Police Division. According to eyewitnesses , trouble started when a team of policemen

stopped the deceased driver infront of NNPC bus stop, demanding that she be given N500 bribe. It was learnt that the female police corporal allegedly dragged the driver from the bus and used her baton to beat him to a pulp, over the driver’s re-

fusal to part with the said bribe while her colleagues watched. An eyewitness who requested anonimity said. “The driver had explained that he was just resuming work for the day, and he did not have enough money but the po-

According to the Police Commissioner who was on tour of facilities under his Command, there is great need for stronger ties between Police and traditional rulers with a view to build trust, accountability and understanding between Police and the Community in other to ensure

effective policing in the state. While in the Palace of the Emir of Dukku, Alhaji Haruna Abdulkadir, CP Austine Iwar stated that, despite the influence of modernization on traditional institutions in Nigeria, the traditional institutions still hold a very relevant aspect

of ensuring security and safety of the people. He said, the police quest of ensuring better policing services to the people has shifted the police from its traditional way of policing into a new model of policing through enhanced Community based policing and Social Crime Prevention.

Gombe police seek stronger ties with traditional rulers Williams attah, GOMBE

ombe State Police Commissoiner, Mr. Austine Iwar has called for a more stronger ties with traditional rulers in the State in an effort to intensify Police/Community relationship. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OGUNDARE OLATUNJI SULEIMAN, now wish to be known an addressed as OGUNDARE OLATUNJI SULEMAN. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ADENIKE OBI, now wish to be known an addressed as ADENIKE IFEOLUWA OBI. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as JOHNSON BIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHNSON ABIOLA WURAOLA .All former documents remains valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as BOTON MICHEAL, now wish to be known an addressed as TAIWO VICTOR MICHEAL. All documents remain valid. General public take note. ADDITION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MOPESOLA BELLO, now wish to be known an addressed as MOPESOLA ASAKE BELLO. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as INY PATRICK AGOR, now wish to be known and addressed as INYAMBE PATRICK UNYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as AKINTOYE FATIMO now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN FATIMO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as UJU IHEJIRIKAH, now wish to be known an addressed as OBIANUJU NNAMAKA IHEJIRIKAH. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Adeyemi Morufat Oriyomi now to be known and addressed as Mrs Balogun Morufat Oriyomi. All former documents remain valid. General Public take Note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SELBYEN RAMKAT, now wish to be known and addressed as SELDUN SARAH SELBYEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as EBI MAXWELL CHUKS now wish to be known and addressed as EBI MAXWELL CHUKWUDIKE. All former documents remain valid. The general public, please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as FAGITE FOLAKEMI FUNMILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as OBEMBE FOLAKE ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MUHAMMED USMAN, now wish to be known an addressed as NASIR INJAY USMAN. All documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Halid Omolara Kafayat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Amode Omolara Kafayat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OWOLABI JOSEPH, now wish to be known and addressed as SEGUN EMMANUEL OLADEJO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MERCY IKE UKURU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MERCY UGBOJI SYLVESTER. All former documents remain valid. General Public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Onukwufor Ijeoma C, Now wish to be known and addressed as Onwubiko Juliet G. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Iheuwa Emmanuel Kelechi, Now wish to be known and addressed as Victor Emmanuel Kelechi. All former documents remain valid. GTB, FCMB and General public take note.

licewoman refused his appeal. “She began to hit him with her baton. She dragged him him down from the bus. It was in the process that he slipped hit his head on the ground and died. Immediately she noticed that he had slumped, she and her colleagues ran away.His corpse was removed by the police and his family members have been invited to the station for a meeting at the divisional police office. It was learnt that followCHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Rafiu Adisa Adeogun, now wish to be known and addressed as Rapheal Adisa Adekunle, all former document remain valid general public take note

ing the death of the driver, his colleagues, and conductors were accompanied by sympathisers as they took the street to protest the gruesome death, and the protest caused a gridlock for hours in the area. It was gathered that it took the combined efforts of soldiers and mobile policemen to restore peace in the area and ease the gridlock caused by the protest. Efforts to get the reaction of the Lagos State police command was not successful. CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as Abibu Ramoni Babajide now to be addressed as Habib Ramoni Babajide. All former documents remain valid, Eco bank and general public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as AIKULOLA FOLAKEMI ROSELINE,but now want to be known,called and referred to as OYERINDE FOLAKEMI ROSELINE.All former documents remains valid. General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as OBAYEMI OLUBUNMI NIFEMI. Now wish to be known and addressed as ARISANYIN NIFEMI. All former documents remain valid. FIDELITY BANK and general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

Sports

Thursday, March 5, 2015 Tuesday, May 24, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Manchester United fires Van Gaal

...set to unveil Mourinho today

utch coach, Louis van Gaal, has been sacked as manager of Manchester United, several British media outlets reported yesterday and will be replaced by Portuguese, Jose Mourinho. Both Van Gaal and leading employment lawyer, Paul Gilroy, were seen entering United’s Carrington training ground yesterday morning. Gilroy’s clients have included David Moyes, whose sacking as United manager paved the way for Van Gaal’s appointment. Although there was no official confirmation from United, 20-times English champions, about the position of Van Gaal, who still has a season remaining on his three-year contract as at press time, but BBC Sport reported that Mourinho’s appointment is expected to be confirmed af after the 53-year-old Portuguese meets with senior United officials today.

Manchester United was bought in 2005 for about 800 million pounds ($1.3 billion) by the Glazer family, owners of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers franchise in the National Football League. Shares in Manchester United were listed on the New York Stock Exchange in 2012 in an initial public offering. According to Thomson Reuters data, the Glazers’ Red Football LLC investment vehicle has a 20 percent stake in the club’s New York-listed shares. US investment firms Baron Capital Management, Lansdowne Partners, Jupiter Asset Management and Fidelity are among other major institutional investors. The New York-listed shares have fallen by around 3 percent so far in 2016. Earlier in May, Manchester United reported record third-quarter revenues and higher earnings. However, van Gaal’s failure to steer his team to qualification for the Champions League is likely to have proved costly. Manchester United said earlier this month that not getting into the Champions League would cost it more than 30 million pounds ($43.5 million) in revenue Hodgson later said the Turkey next season. game would be Vardy’s last England display before the 23-man squad for the European Championship is named. “Vardy won’t be involved on Friday because he is getting married on Wednesday,” Hodgson said, referring to the friendly against Australia at the Stadium of Light. “That, you could say, is unfortunate but you must bear in mind last year his wedding was planned during the month of June and I called him up for the international matches and he cancelled his wedding. “I think he deserves that possibility to get married here.” The England boss also highlighted the fact that Vardy is not desperately needed for the Australia match, considering his recent displays and the fact his squad is boosted by a clutch of players.

BBC Sport also reported that United have made an offer to Ryan Giggs, Van Gaal’s assistant, for him to stay at Old Trafford, but it is not known what role he would have and whether he would accept. Meanwhile, Manchester United shares rose in New York yesterday after media reports the club was set to replace Van Gaal with Mourinho. United’s main stock market listing is in New York , although it has a secondary, and less widely traded, share listing in Frankfurt. Its New York-listed shares were up 2.4 percent in early session trading on Monday. Mourinho, sacked by Chelsea in December after his second spell in charge of the west London club, has also managed Porto, Inter Milan and Real Madrid, winning Europe’s premier Champions League tournament with both Porto and Inter Milan.

Vardy weds tomorrow, misses Aussie friendly

eicester forward, Jamie Vardy, is to skip England’s final friendly before manager Roy Hodgson puts the finishing touches to his Euro 2016 squad in order to get married. The 29-year-old striker, who enjoyed a remarkable campaign for Leicester, inspiring their run to the Premier League title, was on the mark for his country for the third straight time in last Sunday’s 2-1 friendly win over Turkey. Harry Kane’s opener was quickly cancelled out by Hakan Calhanoglu at the Etihad Stadium, where Fatih Terim’s men threatened to secure a first win against England. However, a second-half change in system saw Vardy move from a wider position to form a twopronged strike force with Kane - a move that quickly paid dividends as his pace and directness earned a penalty.

We don’t expect favours from Samoura –CAF

Samoura

he Confederation of African Football (CAF) says it is not expecting any favours from FIFA’s new secretary general, Fatma Samoura of Senegal. Samoura became the first African to ever be handed the post 11 days ago. “She’s the secretary general of FIFA, the world body, not Africa,” CAF’s secretary general, Hicham El Amrani, told BBC Sport. “Even if her origin does play a role in her understand understandna ing the environments or the different mechanics between nations or confederations.” Nonetheless, El Amrani believes Samoura’s roots and ex extensive work across Africa - having operated in Cameroun, Chad, Djibouti, Guinea, Madagascar and Nigeria for the con United Nations (UN) - can only help when it comes to the continent’s football. “That’s a benefit indeed - her coming from the continent,” said El Amrani. While the appointment of FIFA’s first female secretary general came as a shock to many observers, El Amrani says he was not one of them. “For us, it’s not a matter of surprise. We were delighted about her appointment,” he said. The 54-year-old comes from a non-football background, having spent the last two decades working as a diplomat for the UN. “The only thing we can say is that we will support her in any way we can and that we wish her all the best in this very important function.” Samoura had said after the announcement of her selection: “My selection as FIFA secretary general as is a demonstration that (FIFA President Gianni Infantino) would like someone who can overcome sexual, religious and social differences and really bring experience in terms of good governance but also accountability and transparency.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Mrs. Daisy Adeola; the winner, 1st Rabiu Adeola U-12 Scrabble Championship, Okiki Fowobaje, and the sponsor, Bimbo Adeola, at the Lagos Country Club, Ikeja, last Thursday

Handball: Participants decry Opeifa Cup poor facilities

ome participants at the just-concluded Lagos State Secondary Schools Handball Championships for

Sports

, May4,24, 2016 ThursdayTuesday September 2014

the Opeifa Cup have decried the poor standard of facilities at venue of the tournament.

Archdeacon Senior Boys High School and Mainland Senior boys clinched the 1st and 2nd positions in the senior cat-

egory, while Macaulay Junior boys and Bariga boys’ Junior High Schools finished 1st and 2nd in the lower category. In the Girls competition, Onike Girls and St Francis Junior Secondary School ended winners and runners-up. A few of them who spoke to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at the Mobolaji Johnson’s Sports Centre, Yaba, venue of the competition, criticised some aspects of the competition. The championships tagged ‘Opeifa Cup’ held from May 16 to May 21, was organised by the Lagos State Handball Association in which 103 teams from 74 schools participated. They expressed sadness at the inadequate number of official balls, courts as well as nets and goal posts. They also frowned at the absence of seasoned coaches to provide technical support to teams during the competition. The participants appealed to the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) to make sufficient facilities available for the development of handball in their schools. Captain of Ayetoro Senior Grammar School, Shola Oguntowo, said they usually prepare for competitions, using the facilities at the centre. Oguntowo whose team emerged winners in the senior

girls’ categories said the accessibility of the equipment would help them train more effectively. “The LSSC is doing well but they need to help those of us in school by donating basic facilities for our training,” she said. Glory Ashogbon of Mainland Senior Girls High School, Fadeyi, pleaded with the commission to visit schools to ensure that they have standard courts. Ashogbon whose team ended 3rd position said the provision of basic standard equipment would contribute immensely in the training of upcoming players. “We don’t have handball court in our school not to talk of other important facilities to train with, so this has been a problem to us. “Last year, we ended in the 3rd position and same in this year again and I am not happy about this, but had it been that we had training equipment in our school, we would have performed better,” she said. Ajibola Eniola of Herbert Macaulay Senior High School, Yaba, commended Kayode Opeifa, sponsor of the championships for his support to the development of the sport. Eniola also stressed the need to have seasoned coaches in schools for effective development of the sport at the grassroots.

SuperSport airs Champions League final on DStv, GOtv bouquets

S L-R: Benedeck Olah (Finland) and Jieni Shao of Portugal, both winners of the 2016 ITTF World Tour Nigeria Open in Lagos, last weekend

Giwa FC appeal expulsion from NPFL

iwa Football Club have made a formal request to have their ejection from the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) re-examined. The Jos club in a letter to the League Management Company (LMC), which oversees the running of the Nigeria top-flight, rejected the punishment meted out to them and asked that their matter “be dealt with by a commission.” “The above subject matter refers. We are in receipt of your letter of

20th May, 2016 on the above subject matter. We hereby notify you that we do not accept any of the sanctions imposed on our club and further add that we elect to be dealt with by a commission,” Giwa FC wrote in a letter dated May 21, 2016 to the LMC. Already the standings on the official website of the NPFL now reflects the cancellation of all games played by Giwa FC this season following their expulsion last Friday. Giwa were thrown out of the country’s top division for failing to honour three cumulative matches

which flouts Rule B13.28 of the NPFL Framework and Rules for the season. The rule states: “If a club fails to honour three matches cumulatively within the league season without an acceptable reason to the LMC such a club shall be expelled from the league and its matches played and unplayed shall be cancelled.” No date has been announced to hear the appeal of Giwa FC though the LMC stated that the club “will now appear before the relevant authority in the coming days to hear their appeal.”

uperSport is lifting the football game and tennis tournament of the year to even greater heights with unprecedented levels of coverage. In a statement yesterday, the station said that this Saturday, the Champions League final between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will be available on all DStv bouquets from DStv Premium through to Access as well as on GOtv Value and GOtv Plus. “This latest development comes on the heels of MultiChoice Africa’s decision to add the EPL, La Liga, the upcoming Euro 2016 and most recently, the Europa League Final to DStv Compact as part of the company’s continuous efforts to delight subscribers with the greatest football in the world, at a price they can afford. The game will be available to subscribers on SS11 (DStv Channel 231), SS HD 3 (DStv Channel 203), SuperSport SELECT 1 (DStv Channel 233 and GOtv Channel 30) “And for those unable to watch the television broadcast, live streaming will be available on supersport.com, plus the SuperSport and DStv Now apps. Snappy TV, via Twitter, will offer social media highlights, plus there will be live updates on supersport. com and long- and short-form highlights available on the CatchUp service,” it said in the statement. It further said that for the Champions League final, Liverpool legend, John Barnes, will be part of the studio build-up while analysts, Andy Townsend and Neil Andrews, will be reporting live from Stadio San Siro ahead of the 7:45pm kick-off. Our correspondent learnt that countdown to the big match will begin on Thursday on SS3 with a season review of highlights from every match through to the semi-finals. Real are seeking to extend their record of 10 Champions League trophy wins, while Atletico have yet to lift the trophy after final losses in 1974 and 2014.

WORLD RECORD

Fastest time to burst three balloons with the back The fastest time to burst three balloons with the back is 12 seconds, set by Julia Gunthel, aka ‘Zlata’ (Germany), on 23 November 2007.

N150

Vol. 06 No. 1376 Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Banks as enablers of corruption

t’s time for President Buhari to enter the Confession Box and hear the confessions of bank executives! There is a quick and easy way to get to Hell. Die with an unconfessed mortal sin on your conscience. At least, that’s what those of the Catholic faith believe. However, to escape such damnation, the church offers the sacrament of reconciliation — a habitual process where you go before a priest and unload your transgressions of the past week, months or years. In return for your contrition, the priest absolved of your sins, usually with a penalty to recite the Hail Mary prayer and other common daily prayers, a couple of times – depending on the gravity of your sins. The psychological and/or spiritual relief which comes with dumping your bundle of sins at the church sanctuary, bequeath confessors with a holistic sense of purity and restoration to the innocence of a new born! A life renewed. A better person with a clean slate

triker Romelu Lukaku has fuelled speculation about his future at Everton, saying he has decided where he will be playing next season and insisting he would prefer to ply his trade in England. The Belgium international, who scored 25 goals in 46 appear-

Guest Columnist

Emma

Adoghe

free of “sins”. One sector of Nigerian society in dire need for such absolution and renewal is the banking sector. Truth be told, the managing directors (MDs) of most commercial banks in Nigeria have wandered too far and deep into the odious swamp of corruption in their quest to meet set targets. Their lot is a pitiable sight. Here’s a group that is delegated by shareholders and “pressurized” by a dreadful business landscape to conjure near impossible deliverables by any means possible, even outside of actual banking practices. Often, the line between good or evil, clean or dirty, lawful or criminal, is utterly blurred and transgressed with impunity in Nigeria’s banking circles. The overwhelming temptation to engage in felonious banking is hurried along by enticingly juicy rewards towards a single goal – to be counted amongst those who “triumphed” in spite of all odds, and now wine and dine at the top. Yet, the path to such “greatness” is littered with broken dreams, and disgraced bankers, who once held sway at the top before crashing down into ignominy. Because the business of banking interfaces with government at many levels, relationships that bank bosses develop with Nigerian public officials is unwieldy, systemic and have since crossed into the incestuous. Even in the private sector, bankers go to the extremes, and would accept deposits from a corpse claiming it had a pulse at the time. That extreme is hassled into the illogical, when in the process of developing banking relationship with government officials, many bank MDs will do

PerhaPs, it’s time for Buhari to enter the

Confession Box and hear the Confessions of

Bank exeCutives! anything but change their names, including engagement in criminal subterfuge and lawlessness that they considered part of doing business – that is, enabling practitioners of corruption to circumvent money laundering laws and beat authorities dragnet. If topical reports are anything to go by, an alarming number of bank chief executives are already spending far more time with investigators in place of overseeing their banks as exemplified by the case of the former MD of Fidelity Bank, Nnamdi Okonkwo, whose alleged transgressions against banking ethos include receiving $115 million cash in deposits to the bank from former Petroleum Resources Minister, Diezani Allison-Madueke, and disbursement of same funds to electoral officials. Perhaps, it’s time for Buhari to enter the Confession Box and hear the confessions of bank executives! The stratagem of inviting bank bosses for a voluntary confession of their misdeeds is a weathered technique that saves resources,

time, and converges both investigative and prosecution efforts at the jugular of corruption as over 90 percent of official heists go through the banking system. The agenda? Confession or full disclosure of acts or omissions that aided official heists, especially those that government is currently unaware of, and/or were never reported and investigated by law enforcement agencies. And the benefits? In exchange for their cooperation and contrition, government can offer immunity against prosecution, and reduce sanctions that may, perhaps save their careers, but to go and sin no more! But for those who choose to brave the odds and refuse cooperation with government, the severity of prosecution to the full extent of the law should be applied, cumulating in long jail term as well as career impairment to the extent that they may never be allowed near any banking or financial profession, stripped of any official awards and recognitions. To be clear, this proposal is not about dismantling bank-client confidentiality privilege, or disclosing privacy information about clients. What is being advocated is commonplace reporting of suspicious, illegal or outright fraudulent transactions which by law ought to already have been reported but were compromised; perhaps with cooperation from banking officials. Moreover, it is standard practice globally for government to “encourage” and sometimes, arm twist financial institutions to deliver information in matters of national security or help law enforcement bring culprits to justice. Buhari’s sloganeering to “kill corruption before it kills Nigeria” cannot gain traction unless bank executives become team players in the fight against corruption. Not surprisingly, most bank bosses will be unwilling as it is far easier to convert a Fulani man to Igbo than to discover a bank in Nigeria that has not soiled its fingers in the cesspool of public corruption. Until financial institutions are herded into the fight against corruption, the current fight will remain nothing more than shadow boxing. Adoghe wrote from Miami, Florida, USA

Sport Extra

Lukaku hints at Everton, possible England exit ances this campaign, has been the Merseyside club’s top scorer for the past two seasons following his a record 28 million-pound ($40.5 million) move from Chelsea. “In my head I know where I want to go but I’m keeping that to

myself. You will know when it is concluded. I have to make a good choice but in my head that has happened already,” Lukaku, 23, told British media. “I have played (in England) for five years now, it’s my league. But there are other nice clubs. I fol-

low Spanish and German football and I also have something for the Italian league. Wherever I go I want to win prizes.” Belgium face Italy, Ireland and Sweden in European Championship Group E in France which starts on June 10.

Lukaku

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