Wednesday, december 23 , 2015 new by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

FG files fresh six-count criminal charge against Kanu DOOSUUR IWAMBE ABUJA

ederal Government yesterday filed a fresh six-count criminal charge against the self

Vol. 5 N0. 1271

acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, before Justice A.R Mohammed, of the Federal High Court, Abuja. It would be recalled that

Wednesday, December 23 , 2015

another Federal High Court judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, had last Thursday admitted Kanu to bail unconditionally. Also, an Abuja Chief CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

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Borrowing N2trn to finance 2016 budget a fraud –PDP P.6

Metuh

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Buhari promises 500,000 jobs for teachers P GEORGE OJI AND UBONG UKPONG

...presents N6.081trn ‘Budget of Change’ Retains N87 per litre fuel pump price

resident Muhammadu Buhari yesterday unveiled a budget proposal of N6.081trn, which he christened “Budget of Change”, for the 2016 fis-

cal year. Accompanied by the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osibanjo, and members of the Federal Executive Council, FEC, National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief John Oyegun and members of the national CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

Yuletide: Govt declares Dec 24, 25, 28 public holidays P.4 Police promise to investigate Army, Shiite group clash P.6

We’ll hold Obiano responsible for Anambra killings –MASSOB

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L-R: Senior Special Assistant to President, National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang; President Muhammadu Buhari; Senior Special Assistant to President, National Assembly, Hon Sulieman Kawu and Clerk of the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa, at the President’s presentation of 2016 Appropriation Bill to the Joint Session of the National Assembly in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

Senate constitutes 38-member Constitution review committee

...blames Jonathan for not assenting to last review ‘417 children born with sickle cell anaemia’

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Buhari promises 500,000 jobs for teachers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

working committee of the party, the President arrived the National Assembly at exactly 10.00 a.m. for the budget presentation before the joint session of the two chambers of the National Assembly. Clad in a white agbada and white cap to match, the President was accompanied by and received by Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Yusuf Lasun and the Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa. The President was greeted by a cheering staff of the National Assembly with shouts of Sai Baba! Sai Baba! A breakdown of the budget showed that Works, Housing, Power, Transport, Education, Defence, Interior, Special

intervention program received the highest allocations. The President announced increment of the capital expenditure portion of the budget from N557bn this to N1.8trn in 2016 to enable the administration deliver on its capital development programmes. “Capital expenditure will represent 30 per cent of our total budget. In future years we intend to raise the percentage allocation for capital expenditure. “This increased capital expenditure commits significant resources to critical sectors such as Works, Power and Housing – N433.4bn; Transport – N202bn; Special Intervention Programs – N200bn; Defence – N134.6bn; and Interior – N53.1bn. “Indeed, the future

looks bright. And I ask that we all work together to make this vision a reality. The 223 per cent year on year growth in capital expenditure demonstrates our desire to make Nigeria more competitive, and start the journey to deliver sustainable development in our country. “In fulfillment of our promise to run a lean government, we have proposed a 9 per cent reduction in non-debt recurrent expenditure, from N2.59trn in the 2015 budget to N2.35trn in 2016. “Furthermore, we have budgeted N300bn for Special Intervention Programs, which takes the total amount for non-debt recurrent expenditure to N2.65trn,” the President said. Buhari stated that his administration would devote a significant portion

of the recurrent expenditure to institutions that provide critical government services. In this regard, he said his government would spend N369.6bn on education; N294.5bn on defence; N221.7bn in the health sector and N145.3bn in the Ministry of Interior. According to him, the allocation would ensure that teachers, armed forces personnel, doctors, nurses, policemen, fire fighters, prison service officers and many more critical service providers are paid competitively and on time. He said N113bn would be set aside for a Sinking Fund towards the retirement of maturing loans; while N1.36trn has been provided for foreign and domestic debt service. The president expressed concern over the

difficulties Nigerians go through to secure foreign exchange to transact businesses. He said the problems were clearly due to the current inadequacies in the supply of foreign exchange to Nigerians who need it. The President said he had been assured that the Central Bank is currently fine-tuning its foreign exchange management to introduce some flexibility and encourage additional inflow of foreign currency to help ease the pressure. He also used the occasion of the presentation to urge Nigerians to believe in the country and to renew hopes that the future remains bright, even in the face of apparent dismay. He said: “Fellow Nigerians, the confidence of

L-R: General Overseer, Redeem Christian Church of God, Pastor E. A Adeboye; wife of Ogun State Governor, Funso; Governor Ibikunle Amosun; Head of former National Interim Government, Chief Ernest Shonekan; Chief Mrs. Bola Obasanjo and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, at the Ogun State Christmas carol in Abeokuta, yesterday.

FG files fresh six-count criminal charge against Kanu CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Magistrate Court had last week struck out the charge earlier filed by the Department of State Service, DSS, against Kanu. The new charge dated December 18 was filed by the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, and signed by Director of Public Prosecution, Mohammed Diri. The arraignment would have come up yesterday but for non service of the charge on some of the parties. In the new charge, Kanu was accused of treasonable

felony, maintaining an unlawful society and illegal possession of items. The charge also alleged that Kanu and some persons, who are now at large, plotted to cause crises that might force President Muhammadu Buhari, to concede certain parts of Nigeria to a purported Biafra nation. The accused was also alleged to have been maintaining unlawful society and retaining items belonging to IPOB. According to the charge, the offences are punishable under sections 41 (C), and 63 of the criminal code act; as

well as section 47(2) (a) Charged along side Kanu are Benjamin Madubugwu and David Nwawuisi. The court had last Friday, while granting bail to Kanu faulted the action of DSS for detaining him for over two months, without trial. Also, Chief Magistrate Shuaibu Usman last Wednesday struck out all criminal charges levelled against Kanu. The striking out was sequel to the notice of discontinuance brought by the Prosecuting Counsel, Moses Idakwo.

In his ruling on the bail application, Justice Ademola held that the continued detention of Kanu after two months without trial violated Section 158 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act 2015 and Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution. The court further noted that there is no law that permitted DSS or any other security agencies to detain any Nigerian for over two months, when in actual fact, the Service is not showing any readiness to bring him for trial. The court also held that his continuous detention is

illegal and should be released on bail unconditionally. “Especially in the light of the deposition of the counsel to the DSS that it has no charge against Kanu in any court of jurisdiction, it will be illegal and unconstitutional to keep him in detention. The applicant is here granted bail unconditionally,” the court held. At the magistrate court, Kanu was put on trial for criminal conspiracy, managing and belonging to an unlawful society and criminal intimidation contrary to Section 97, 97b and 397 of the penal code.

many might be shaken. However, I stand before you today promising that we will secure our country, rebuild our economy, and make the Federal Republic of Nigeria stronger than it has ever been.” The President said the answers to the country’s problems were not beyond the country, stressing that “they exist on our farmlands; our corporations; in the universities, in the hearts and minds of our entrepreneurs; through the gallantry of our Armed Forces; and the resolute spirit of Nigerians, especially the youth, who have refused to give up despite all the obstacles confronting them.” He added that the budget represents a major step in delivering a new opportunity for Nigeria. “It demonstrates our confident optimism that despite the challenging times, we have the will, resourcefulness and commitment to deliver prosperity to our people. And by the Grace of Almighty God and the sheer will and determination of the Nigerian people, we will come out stronger and more united than ever,” he added. He said the budget proposal, the first by his government, sought to stimulate the economy, making it more competitive by focusing on infrastructure development; delivering inclusive growth; and prioritising the welfare of Nigerians. The President reiterated his belief that the budget, while helping industry, commerce and investment to pick up, will as a matter of urgency, address the immediate problems of youth unemployment and the terrible living conditions of the extremely poor and vulnerable citizens. He stressed that the state of the nation’s economy, which is further worsened by the unbridled corruption and security challenges that have faced it in the last few years, remained a source of concern for many. “From those who have lost their jobs, to those young people who have never had a job, to the people in the North East CONTINUED ON PAGE 3>>

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Wednesday, December 23 , 2015

Senate constitutes 38-member Constitution review committee GEORGE OJI ABUJA

T 1999

he senate has begun a fresh process of amending the constitution with

the inauguration of a 38-member review committee. The committee comprises a senator from each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Terri-

tory, FCT, with the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu as chairman. The review committee was named yesterday by Senate President, Bu-

N202bn allocation to the Transport Ministry covering air, land and sea was too meager, given the rate of infrastructural decay in the maritime industry, especially the port access roads In his reaction, Chairman, International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawibe, explained that it was good for the government to adopt $38 per barrel as its reference price for the budget. He projected that oil prices would likely remain relatively low next year as a result of slow economic growth in major consuming nations, including India and China. National President, Oil and Gas Service Providers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Colman Obasi, also agreed with Fawibe on the oil benchmark price used for the budget in view of the current prices at about $33 per barrel. He said oil prices may continue to fall in the coming weeks because of excess supply and low demand. Managing Director of Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adonri, noted that the 30 per cent earmarked for capital expenditure is not good enough; saying capital expenditure propels the economy. According to him, when the government invests in capital projects, it enhances infrastructure, which is a foundation for economic activities. On the N2.2trn budget deficit, he explained that the Federal Government has continued to borrow money from the debt market, hence crowding out the private sector, which he said, is the engine room for development. President, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, PSAN, Mr. Boniface Okezie, said the budget as presented portended good promises for the economy. According to him, this is

because the President emphasised on the issues of job creation and fixing critical infrastructure.

Analysts, others hail budget’s thrusts, development prospects FRANCIS EZEM, UDEME AKPAN, UDO ONYEKA, DAVID AUDU AND JOHNSON OKANLAWON

takeholders in the nation’s economy yesterday reacted to the 2016 Appropriation Bill presented by President Muhammadu Buhari to the National Assembly, with most of them lauding its policy thrusts. In his swift reaction to the provisions of the proposed budget, President, Miners Association of Nigeria, Mr. Sani Shehu, said the implementation of the budget, would aid artisanal miners. For instance, he noted that the proposed allocation to solid minerals was long expected by the miners’ association. According to him, the fiscal proposal by the government represents the best step to boost mining activities based on international best practices. President, National Council of Managing Directors of Licensed Customs Agents NCMDLCA, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, who spoke in a telephone interview, said the N1.45trn revenue projection was realisable despite the sharp decline in the volume of imports occasioned by the new foreign exchange control policy, which excludes 21 import items from the official market eligibility list. According to him, Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, generated over N90bn from VAT alone last year, an indication that it might make the N1.45trn from all the revenue items covering import and excise duty, levies and other fees. While commending the government for allocating 30 per cent of the budget to infrastructural development, which is first of its kind in the recent past, he however believes that the

kola Saraki, shortly before the upper legislative chamber went into a joint session with the House of Representatives to receive President Muhammadu Buhari, who was at the National Assembly to lay the 2016 Appropriation Bill. Ekweremadu also chaired the constitution amendment review committee of the seventh senate. The product of the seventh amendment was not

assented to by then President Goodluck Jonathan because of some objections, which were not reconciled properly before he left office on May 29. Saraki, in a brief remark after announcing the new committee, said their work had been made easy because all they needed to do was to use the last review, which is still outstanding as a guide for the current exercise. He warned the com-

mittee against embarking on any fresh tours in the course of the review since the last document was a product of wide consultations among Nigerians. He said: “With the composition of the committee, the Senate had set the stage for the activities leading to the delivery to our people. The work already carried out by the Seventh Senate had made the jobs of the new committee easy.”

Executive Director (Finance and Administration), NICON Insurance Limited, Mr. Stephen Ojo (left) with Director-General of National Youth Service Corps, Brig. Gen. Johnson Bamidele Olawumi, during a courtesy visit to the NYSC Headquarters, Abuja, yesterday.

Buhari promises 500,000 jobs for teachers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

whose families and businesses were destroyed by insurgents, this has been a difficult period in our nation’s history, lessons that we must not forget or ignore, as we plan for the future,” Buhari said. He also seized the moment to reiterate his administration’s resolve to go after all those who have looted the wealth of the country no matter how well placed they are in the country. “We have demonstrated a strong will to fight corruption. I am sure you will agree that the sheer scale of corruption and impunity of the past explains in part, the economic challenges we now face. “On these initiatives, and the many more to come, we shall not be deterred. We will pursue the recovery of every-

thing that belongs to the people of Nigeria. No matter where it is hidden. No matter how long it will take,” the President vowed. On the issue of unemployment, Buhari stated that his administration would in the interim create employment for 500,000 teachers. He said: “As an emergency measure, to address the chronic shortage of teachers in public schools across the country, we also will partner with state and local governments to recruit, train and deploy 500,000 unemployed graduates and NCE holders. “These graduate teachers will be deployed to primary schools, thereby, enhancing the provision of basic education especially in our rural areas. “We also intend to partner with state and local governments to provide

financial training and loans to market women, traders and artisans, through their cooperative societies. “We believe that this segment of our society is not only critical to our plan for growing small businesses, but it is also an important platform to create jobs and provide opportunities for entrepreneurs. “Further more, through the office of the Vice President, we are working with various development partners to design an implementable and transparent conditional cash transfer program for the poorest and most vulnerable. “This program will be implemented in phases. Already, the compilation of registers of the poorest persons is ongoing. In the coming weeks, we will present the full

programme, which will include our home-grown public primary school feeding and free education for science, technology and education students in our tertiary institutions. Indeed, this will mark a historic milestone for us as a nation.” While sympathizing with Nigerians over the sufferings necessitated by the current fuel scarcity in the country, Buhari said he was retaining the current petroleum pump price of N87 per litre for now. Meanwhile, the senate also yesterday after the budget presentation by the President retired into a plenary where they amended the 2015 budget appropriation act to extend the implementation of the capital component of the budget beyond December 31, 2015.

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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

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L-R: Director, South Africa and English Speaking African Countries, ASUS Alvin Huang; Nigeria Country Product Manager, ASUS, Simplice Zaongo; On-Air-Personality, Inspiration FM, Rufai Oseni and Nigeria Product Manager (Phones/Tablets), ASUS, Lawrence Lin, take a selfie with the new ZenFone Selfie, during ZenFone Family Launch organized by ASUS in Lagos, Nigeria.

Newly Acting Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari (right), receiving handover notes from the immediate past Managing Director/CEO, Sir (Barr.) Bassey Dan-Abia, at the NDDC Headquarters, Port-Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday.

L-R: Globacom’s National Sales Coordinator, South East, Mr. Gabriel Okoli; Glo subscriber, Miss Sommy Eze; Glo Brand Ambassador and highlife music king, Flavour and Divisional CEO, Interswitch, Mr. Mike Ogbalu, at the Enugu edition of Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert in Enugu, recently.

L-R: Executive Director, Business Development, Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr. Haruna Jalo Waziri; President of NSE, Mr. Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede; Staffs of Stanbic IBTC Stockbrokers Limited (SISL), Titi Ogungbesan; Dolapo Akanni; Bimbo Moronkola, and Idris Toriola, at the 2015 NSE CEO Awards, where SISL received an award as 2015 Best Dealing Member Firm on The NSE, recently.

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FG targets $7.5bn through elimination of gas flaring Olufemi AdeOsun AbujA

inister of Environment, Amina Mohammed, said the country stands to earn $7.5bn by harnessing flared gas for other commercial purposes, including power generation. Mohammed stated this yesterday in Abuja, while addressing journalists on the outcome of Nigeria’s participation in the just concluded conference on climate change, held in Paris, France. Apart from participating actively in the climate talk during which a legally binding agreement to keep temperature below 2.0c was assented to by over 200 participating countries, the minister said the country was able to present its Intended Nationally Determined Contributions, INDCs, detailing government’s focus on reducing emissions by 20 per cent by the year 2030. She added that the document would act as a mean to achieving economic diversification and restructuring to facilitate inclusive growth with vast opportunities, to among other things, create a more efficient, lower carbon oil and gas sector.

According to her, by ending gas flaring and using the gas for commercial purposes, Nigeria could generate as much as $7.5bn worth of benefits. On what the Paris agreement holds for the country, she stated: “The agreement provides a framework for delivering the ambitious emission reductions that the world needs; recognises the importance of keeping average global temperature below two Degree Celsius (2.00 C) and, crucially, confirms that developed countries must continue to increase their financial support for developing countries as the world embarks on this transition. “We now have a once -in-a lifetime

opportunity to change the way we do things, and Nigeria will be at the forefront demonstrating what initiatives can work.” According to the minister, Nigeria has established that it is willing and eager to take a regional lead by announcing a bold and courageous INDCs that seek to ensure that the economy continues to grow, while reducing its carbon footprints. The minister also explained that the Paris meeting also afforded her the opportunity to hold discussion with representatives of the World Bank, African Development Bank, ADB, and a range of bi-lateral part-

ners with a view to attracting the funding needed to push the nation’s climate agenda. She however cautioned that to deliver on the change agenda for the nation, climate plans must align with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs, so that the country would have a more ambitious, robust and effective approach to tackling inequality and address the challenges of climate change. By building on the agreement coming out of the COP 21 process, she said “we can look forward to a healthier, wealthier and brighter future for all Africans”

Yuletide: FG declares Dec 24, 25, 28 public holidays

ederal Government has declared December 24, 25 and 28 public holidays to mark Maulud Nabiy as well as Christmas and Boxing Day, respectively. Minister of the Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau, made the declaration yesterday in Abuja in a statement signed by Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Mr. Bassey Akpanyung. “The Federal Government has de-

clared Thursday, 24th December, 2015, as public holiday to mark Eid-El-Maulud celebration. “Friday, 25th and Monday 28th December, 2015, have also been declared as public holidays to mark Christmas and Boxing Day celebration,” the statement said. The minister enjoined Muslim and Christian faithful to use the unique occasion to pray for the peace and unity

of Nigeria. He also advised Nigerians to cooperate and join hands with President Muhammadu Buhari in his efforts to build a peaceful, united and virile nation. Dambazau wished Nigerians, home and abroad, happy celebrations. Eid-Maulud is the celebration of the birth of Prophet Mohammed in Islam, while Christmas is celebrated by Christians to mark the birth of Jesus Christ.

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El-Rufai signs N171.7bn 2016 budget into law A zA msue KADUNA

aduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai yesterday signed N171.7bn 2016 Appropriation Bill for the state into law. The 2016 revenue and expenditure estimates add up to N171.7 billion, comprising N109.3billion (64%) as capital and N62.4 billion (36%) as recurrent. Signing the budget passed by the House of Assembly on Tuesday evening at Government House, Kaduna, El-Rufai commended the House of Assembly for the speedy passage of the document, saying the state’s legislature has shown it has the interest of the people at heart. He said Kaduna State has made history by being the first to pass the budget for next year, adding that it was an unequal achievement that should be commended by all. His words: “We have made double history as the first House of Assembly and the first APC state to pass the budget. I have reported it to the President and he has asked me

to commend members of the house,” he said. The governor, who recalled that he submitted the draft budget to the assembly exactly three weeks yesterday, emphasized that the assembly has done a thorough work while ensuring a speedy passage of the bill. “They have worked round the clock correcting errors and passing it today. They have done a speedy, but thorough work,” the governor stated and promised to work hard to implement the budget, saying the cooperation he received from the legislature has given him confidence that he will succeed. The governor also signed three other bills into law, they are Facility Management Bill, the Kaduna Geographic Information System Bill and the Kaduna Investment Promotion Agency Bill. Speaker of the House of Assembly, Alhaji Aminu Shagali, earlier said he was at Government House to submit the 2016 Appropriation Bill to the governor, having been passed by the Assembly earlier.

Borrowing N2trn to finance 2016 budget, fraudulent –PDP ObiOrA ifOh ABUJA

eoples Democratic Party, PDP, has queried President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to borrow N2 trillion, the biggest in the history of the country, to fund the 2016 budget as the height of recklessness and deceit from a government that trends on propaganda. The party also describes the N6.8 trillion 2016 federal budget presented by President Buhari on Tuesday as a big fraud and executive conspiracy tailored towards mortgaging the future of the nation. The PDP in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, on Tuesday, berated the Federal Government for trying to use their bogus welfare programme and phantom capital projects as cover and conduit to syphon the funds to satisfy partisan interests, particularly to settle huge campaign debts. “It is obvious that this budget is an extension of the campaign promises

of the APC government, presented as a manifesto filled with bogus promises, which implementation will be inconclusive, thereby allowing the APC to once again deny their promises. “There has never been any known economy in the world where government deliberately mortgages the future of its nation by borrowing excessively to finance partisan interests while hiding under bogus welfare programmes. This is more so important as the APC in reeling out their bogus campaign promises never informed Nigerians that they would mortgage their future through excessive borrowing. “We have it on good authority that this is the first in the series of APC borrowings, which would leave the future generation of Nigerians under the burden of huge debts after four years.” The PDP said the budget clearly shows that after seven months in power, President Buhari and his party, the APC, are yet to differentiate between governance and campaign propaganda.

Traffick jam caused by Christmas shopping at IKeja yesterday. Ikeja, along, Lagos,Lagos, yesterday.

PHOTO: SAMUEL ADETIMEHIN

Only NASS can alter minimum wage –Ngige

…says FG budgets N500bn to tackle poverty, mass unemployment in 2016 Olufemi AdeOsun ABUJA

inister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, yesterday responded to reservations being expressed by some governors over implementation of the national minimum wage, insisting that only the National Assembly was constitutionally empowered to alter it. He said despite the lean resources available to the Federal Government, it was not contemplating reducing the N18,000 minimum wage. Ngige made this clarification at a meeting with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, led by Ayuba Wabba.

He said: “When I hear of such agitations among governors saying they can’t pay the N18,000 minimum wage and Nigeria Labour Congress says you must pay, we see these arguments as heating up the polity. “These governors are also playing politics, but this is one matter they cannot play politics with because it bothers on the rule of law. The National Assembly derives the power to enact laws through the exclusive legislative list. This gives the National Assembly right to make laws for the country, including the national minimum wage. “So, anybody who wants to talk or argue about minimum wage

should go to the National Assembly. So, let us leave the sleeping dog to lie on this matter, the country is already passing through a difficult time, which requires the cooperation of all citizens.” While commenting on the 2016 budget presented before the National Assembly by the Presidency in Abuja yesterday, he said government intentionally earmarked N500 billion out of the N6.08trillion overall budget to tackle issues of poverty and mass unemployment. He added that one means through which government intends to tackle unemployment is conversion of graduates from other disciplines into teaching profession.

Moreover, Ngige said efforts were being intensified to withdraw some bills passed to the 7th National Assembly for review. He said there was need to review and inject fresh ideas into the bill as most of them were practically obsolete. The minister, however, noted that such review would start from the expatriate quota system. “That people are jobless does not mean you should under-employ them, we that are at the helm of affairs will do everything to protect Nigerian workers. The situation of trying to make Nigerians second class citizens in their own country will be resisted,” he stated.

gave the promise when a delegation of the Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, led by its Secretary-General, Professor. Ishaq Oloyede, visited him. He said the police and other security agencies were conscious of the citizens’ fundamental rights and would protect them. Arase appealed to the Islamic body to use its platform to caution all groups in the country against encroaching on

other citizens’ rights. “While they have the constitutional rights to express their views, it should not circumscribe the rights of others,” he said. The IG denied an online report, which quoted him as saying that relations of detainees would have to seek special clearance before they would be allowed to visit them. “The Inspector General of Police at no time said there would be special

clearance from anywhere before the Shiite members could be visited while still in custody,” it said. The statement made it clear that the detainees could be visited by their friends, relatives and lawyers, after undergoing necessary procedures. He reassured members of the public of police commitment to the protection of lives and property and adherence to the tenets of fundamental human rights.

Police promise to investigate Army, Shiite group clash

nspector-General of Police, IG, Mr Solomon Arase, has promised to carry out a professional investigation into the recent clash between the Nigerian Army and the Shiite Islamic group in Zaria, Kaduna State. This is contained in statement issued by Force spokesperson, Acting Assistant Commissioner of Police, ACP, Olabisi Kolawole, in Abuja on Tuesday. It stated that Arase

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We’ll hold Obiano responsible for Anambra killings –MASSOB ovement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, has vowed to hold Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State responsible for the alleged killing of some pro-Biafra protesters in the state. In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu yesterday by MASSOB leader, Comrade Uchenna Madu, he accused the governor of not protecting peaceful pro-Biafra members. The statement reads in part: “MASSOB holds Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State responsible for the killings, arrest, torture, maiming and wounding of non-violent/peaceful IPOB and MASSOB members in Onitsha, who were jubilating over the news of Nnamdi Kanu’s court release. “Anambra is not the only state in Nigeria where members of MASSOB and the IPOB demonstrated, protested or jubilated because of Kanu, but we have not recorded any killing, harassment, massive arrest, clampdown, shootings, torture and unguarded statements by state governments in other states, except in Anambra State. “During Governor Obiano’s condolence visit to Hausa residents in Onitsha over the

touching of mosque by sponsored hoodlums, he sympathised with them without mentioning or commiserating with non-violent Biafran agitators killed, arrested, tortured and wounded by security agents. “He tactically gave them back up to clampdown and disperse the non-violent MASSOB and IPOB members; this executive order prompted and motivated the army to kill, maim, arrest and injure many of our members in Onitsha, including those killed on the day of jubilation.” It added that “Anambra is the only state in Nigeria, which derives pleasure in killing, maiming, arresting and detaining our members. The governor has not condemned or commiserated with IPOB and MASSOB but has shown the Hausa/Fulani whose mosque was slightly touched commitment to their welfare. “The history of IPOB/MASSOB struggle for Biafra will not be complete without Governor Obiano’s sabotage. The same history will never forget a similar genocide against MASSOB members by Governors Peter Obi in 2006 and Achike Udenwa in 2003. “These exhibitions of inferiority complex by some Igbo governors and political leaders are a sign of weakness as well as fear of the Hausa/Fulani oligarchy.”

ness. Chairman, SCFN, Prof. Olu Akinyaju, reiterated the need for Nigerians to support people with SCD. “People should support persons with SCD; they should also support the centre and the clubs; there is a lot to be done in the area of SCD. “We do not get enough donations; research has to be done, and workers need to be paid; people with SCD need tests, counselling and medication. “We have a programme where we encourage everyone to give N5,000 monthly

to the centre; it will mean a lot. In 2016, we will do more capacity building; it is very important and it will involve periodic counselling, training for personnel, doctors and nurses for emergency situations,” he said. Akinyaju called for the establishment of at least one sickle cell centre in each state of the federation and advised people with SCD to always keep warm, stay away from dust, sleep under mosquito nets, take medication and drink a lot of water during harmattan.

E MMANUEL E ZEH ENUGU

Osun State Governor Rauf Aregbesola and his wife, Sherifat (middle), cutting Christmas cake with children after distribution of gifts to them in commemoration of the celebration, organised by wife of the governor at Government House, Osogbo, yesterday.

FG, states, LGs’ allocations drop by N103.95bn CHIDI UGWU ABUJA

ederal, states and local government councils may be in for hard times as their statutory allocation witnessed a decline of N103.95bn in November. They shared N369.88bn as against the N473.83bn allocation in October. Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, confirmed the decline in allocation, while briefing journalists yesterday shortly after this month’s Federation Accounts Allocation Committee meeting. She, however, noted that non oil revenue is beginning to make up for the shortfall in oil revenue. The meeting, which was attended by all com-

missioners of finance from the 36 states, was held at the headquarters of the ministry of finance in Abuja. The minister said the N369.88bn distribution for the month was made from revenue from three major sources. They are statutory revenue N297.45bn, Value Added Tax, VAT, N61.18bn, exchange gain N4.92bn and refund made by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, for debt owed the federation account N6.33bn. From the statutory revenue of N297.45bn, the minister said the Federal Government after deducting the cost of collection to the Nigerian Customs Service and the Federal Inland Revenue Service, FIRS, received N139.5bn;

states N70.76bn and local governments N54.55bn. Similarly, N25.6bn was allocated to oil producing states based on the 13 per cent derivation principle. For VAT revenue of N61.18bn, she said Federal Government after deducting cost of collection, got N8.8bn, states, N29.36bn and local governments, N20.55bn. She said: “The gross statutory revenue of N297.45bn received in the month was lower than the N400.3bn received in the previous month by N102.86bn. “Ongoing maintenance and the shutdown and shut-in of production for repairs at different terminals during the month continued to impact crude oil and gas revenue negatively.”

Apart from repairs and maintenance, a communiqué issued after the meeting said there was also a revenue loss of $19.43m as a result of reduction in federation export even though the average price of crude oil increased from $46.96 in September to $49.58 in October. The communiqué said non oil revenue also decreased by N114.2bn in November in comparison to the previous month of October. She said the balance in the Excess Crude Account remains at $2.58bn as at December 22 stating that the amount remained unchanged with what it was in November.

‘417 children born with sickle cell anaemia’ FRANKA OSAKWE

very day about 417 children are born with symptomatic Sickle Cell Anaemia (about 150,000 annually) and many of them die in infancy. Presenting this projections during the 2015 annual celebration of the Sickle Cell Club, Lagos, its President, Mrs. Ayo Otaigbe, explained that the high infant mortality rate was due to lack of information on the disease and inappropriate care of patients. Although some advancement has been made in its

treatment, Otaigbe said the disorder was still not well understood and has not yielded to the various drugs marketed in the country. Stressing the severe painful crisis sufferers undergo, she noted that more research was needed to find a rational therapy for managing the crisis beyond the use of analgesics. “More importantly, we will continue to show and advocate that affected persons can live a normal and healthy life if they are well managed, thereby dispelling the myths, rumours

and misinformation surrounding the condition,” she said. Also drawing attention to the issue of stroke in sickle cell children known to impede mobility, she called on families to take advantage of the Transcranial Doppler, TCD, ultrasound scan procedure which holds at the centre on week days. Otaigbe said although SCD is not only an Africa condition, over 80 per cent of affected children were born on the continent, yet Africa had shown indifference to it.

She called on Nigerians to make a difference and contribute/promote funding that would make meaningful research into SCD in Africa a reality. She said the club has, through its activities, continued to increase public awareness and knowledge of the disorder especially through the establishment of sickle cell clubs, partnering with the SCFN and other stakeholders. According to her, the focus for 2016 would be to consolidate on the successes recorded in 2015 and increase the level of aware-

South West

Wednesday, December 23,

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Ekiti to establish magistrate courts in prison •CJ frees 28 inmates ABIODUN NEJO ADO EKITI

kiti State judiciary is looking at the possibility of establishing two new magistrate courts that will sit within the precinct of the

Ado Ekiti prisons. Ekiti State Chief Judge, CJ, Justice Ayodeji Daramola, said this is with a view to further fast-tracking the administration of criminal justice system in the state. Daramola made the disclosure during his vis-

it to Federal Prisons, Ado Ekiti, where he ordered the release of 28 awaiting trial inmates. The order followed a review by the CJ of cases of 28 awaiting trial inmates in detention. Fourteen of the inmates were uncondition-

ally released by the CJ while the remaining 14 inmates were freed based on the advice of the state director of public prosecution, DPP, that they had no case to answer. One other inmate was however also granted bail. The CJ who restat-

ed his commitment to speedy dispensation of justice in the state, also disclosed that the state judiciary would employ Hausa and Igbo interpreters towards solving the age-long problem of getting accurate evidence from witnesses and accused persons who are

not proficient in English and Yoruba languages. Justice Daramola who praised the prison authorities for the clean environment and smart appearance of inmates, also lauded stakeholders in the justice/judicial sectors for their contributions to the dispensation

‘We want to prepare saints for Christ’s coming at this auspicious retreat –Kumuyi

Oyo State Governor Abioal Ajimobi (left), presenting the 2016 Appropriation bill to the Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr Michael Adeyemo, in Ibadan, yesterday.

Osun’s sack threat on doctors, assault on medical profession –NMA BOLADALE BAMIGBOLA OSOGBO

igeria Medical Association, NMA, Osun State branch, yesterday said it considers the directive by Osun State government that its members should resume work or be sacked as an “assault on the medical profession.” Addressing newsmen in Osogbo, chairman of the NMA, Osun State branch, Dr. Suraj Ogunyemi, said it is ready to

negotiate with government on issues that led to the industrial action, but warned that it is ready to ground the health sector in the state, should government go ahead to carry out its threat. The NMA chairman said the doctors went on strike due to the failure of government to pay outstanding salaries, deductions and other allowances of doctors, adding that instead of government paying or engaging them constructively, it resulted

to the self-help actions. According to him, the body would be willing and ready to cooperate with government to bring to an end the crisis only under an atmosphere of peace, mutual trust, understanding and respect. Osun State government had last Saturday issued a seven-day ultimatum to the doctors within which to resume duty or see themselves as having resigned their appointment with it.

agriculture, employment generation; education and human capital development; infrastructure development and peace and security in order to make the state conducive for all and consolidate on his administration’s efforts in repositioning the state. He highlighted key areas of the budget as the adoption of zero-based budgeting, restructuring of public service and restructuring of the ministries into 13, among others. He added that the state is targeting N48bn from

federal allocation in 2016, while efforts would be in top gear to increase the revenue base of the state’s internally-generated revenue to N 76.7bn in the new year. He explained that substantial amount of money from the capital expenditure would be used to open more roads in Ibadan and complete some major ones in other geo-political zones of Oyo, Ogbomoso and OkeOgun. He also informed the House that certain amount of money would be used to build more classrooms

Ajimobi presents N165.5bn budget KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

overnor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State, yesterday in Ibadan, presented a N165.5bn appropriation bill to the state House of Assembly. Ajimobi, while giving a breakdown of the budget, said N93.2bn is for recurrent expenditure and N72.3bn capital expenditure. According to him, the budget which is tagged, ‘Budget of Renewed Commitment,’ is targeted at

Ogunyemi however said all doctors in the state - both private and public sectors - have been put on red alert, adding that the tolerance of the body should not be taking for weakness. “To our patients, whom we owe a lot of regards and responsibilities, we seek their understanding. They also have a responsibility to appeal to the state government to pay is doctors as at when due,” Ogunyemi concluded.

and rehabilitate others in a bid to increase the performance of public school students. He urged the House of Assembly to support his administration in a bid to ensure full implementation of the budget. Speaker of the assembly, Hon. Michael Adeyemo, assured that the House is ready to ensure quick passage of the budget, urging ministries, departments and agencies in the state to cooperate with stakeholders to ensure full implementation of the budget.

he Deeper Christian Life Ministry has announced its national December retreat with the theme, ‘Readiness for Christ’s Return.’ The General Superintendent, Pastor William F. Kumuyi, said the focus this time around would be on preparing saints for Christ’s return, adding that it will also afford participants the opportunity of experiencing divine intervention in their lives. Pastor Kumuyi stated that although the current socio-economic challenges in the country may have so much agitated the minds of many citizens, he nevertheless urged Nigerians to lessen their apprehensions and fear about the coming year, urging them to place their absolute trust in God. The cleric’s assurances were contained in a statement signed on his behalf by Pastor Jerry Asemota, the Church Secretary, which formally announced the national December retreat. Pastor Kumuyi remarked that although it is the will of God that people should enjoy economic prosperity, yet the preservation of men’s souls for eternal bliss remains God’s greatest plan for mankind. “At this time, we must emphasise, once again, the need for people to think beyond their existence here; we want them to know that there is a place far better than this present world. Whatever anyone may be enjoying here cannot be compared to what God has prepared for those who love Him in Heaven.Whether we eat or drink, we must, always, be conscious of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ,” he said. “The year has been challenging. It is not strange to us because we have been fore-warned

that perilous times will come. It is against this backdrop that we urge everyone to come and experience Christ, the Hope of glory,” the GS added. Kumuyi urged all Nigerians to take advantage of the programme to plug into God’s Divine Master Plan and appropriate the best God has over the years prepared for mankind. He said that God has designed packages, through the annual camp meeting, because of the critical stage in the nation’s life so that as many as are willing might enjoy sacred divine direction and intervention in their lives even as God’s saints collectively pray for God to yet again, weigh-in in the affairs of the nation. The retreat, which starts from Thursday, December 24, to end on Sunday, December 27, will help participants to operate on a higher spiritual frequency, especially as the nation and indeed the entire world is experiencing turmoil and uncertainties which could be herculean without a divine intervention. The programme will hold at the Deeper Life Conference Centre (DLCC), Km 42, LagosIbadan Expressway, and in all the states of the federation. It will be streamed live via satellite from DLCC to other centres in Nigeria, Africa, Europe, America and other continents of the world where the church has its branches. The statement added that the retreat, like others in the past, will feature concentrated messages from Pastor Kumuyi and other anointed ministers in the church, seminars, workshops, soul-lifting choir renditions and prayer ministrations.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South West

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

CRIN’s staff jubilate over removal of director KEMI OLAITAN IBADAN

L-R: Director of legal services, Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria, (FAAN), Barr. Ngozi jipreze; MD, FAAN, Engr Saleh Dunoma; Director of Maintenance and Engineering, Engr Femi Oguode; Director of Cargo Development, Dr Uchenna Ofulue and Acting Director, Business and Commercial Development, Mr Tito Okpaise, during FAAN Management Team Inspection

Alleged revalidation of expired products: Guinness, NAFDAC to settle out of court WALE IGBINTADE

Lagos High Court yesterday adjourned the suit filed by one of Nigeria’s brewing giants, Guinness Nigeria Plc, against the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, till February 8, 2016, to enable parties meet for amicable resolution of the dispute. Justice Wasiu Animashaun adjourned the suit following submissions by counsel that a meeting was ongoing to resolve the matter out of court. NAFDAC had imposed N1 billion fine on Guinness Nigeria Plc “as administrative charges for various clandestine violations of NAFDAC rules, regulations and enactments over a long period of time.” The agency had in a letter addressed to Managing Director of Guinness Nigeria Plc, Peter Ndegwa, by Head of Investigation and Enforcement of NAFDAC, Kingsley Ejiofor, the regulatory agency requested for

ragedy was averted yesterday when a Lagos-bound train from Ogun State collided with a truck at Shogunle Railway Crossing in Lagos. A News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, correspondent aboard the train reports that the incident occurred at about 8am. NAN reports that the refuse clearing truck

payment of the N1 billion as administrative charges for infractions such as destruction activities carried out by the company without authorisation and supervision of the agency. The agency also accused Guinness of revalidating expired products without authorisation and supervision by NAFDAC, as well as failing to secure the gate of its warehouse as the raw materials used in the production of beer and non-alcoholic beverages by the firm were permanently opened to intrusion and exposure to the elements and rodents, which “invariably affect the integrity of the raw materials”. Guinness was also alleged to maintain poor documentation record and not complying with conditions contained in the certificate of validation of the revalidated malt extract, which required the storage of items in cool and dry place and elimination of exposure to sunlight. Dissatisfied with the N1 billion fine Guinness approached the court, asking it to restrain NAFDAC and

the Attorney-General of the Federation from enforcing the sanction pending determination of the suit. When the suit came up for mention yesterday, counsel to Guinness Plc, Mr. Olasupo Shasore (SAN), told the court that representatives of Guinness Plc and that of NAFDAC were meeting over the sanction imposed on the company, adding that he was hopeful the matter could be resolved. Addressing the court, NAFDAC’s lawyer, Mr. O. M. Abutu, acknowledged that parties met on Monday (December 21) but he was not privy to what actually transpired at the meeting. Abutu urged the court to adjourn the matter to enable the agency reply to the originating process filed by Guinness and for possible out of court settlement of the matter. In his submission, counsel to Attorney General of the Federation, Mr. T. Mokuolu, said he had no objection if parties decide to resolve the issue out of court.

Guinness Plc had in its originating motion prayed the court for an order restraining NAFDAC and the AGF from imposing any sanction on it other than as recognised by law and the constitution. The company also asked the court for a perpetual injunction restraining the respondents from imposing or continuing to impose any sanction whatsoever on it. The applicant is also asking for a declaration that NAFDAC refused to grant it an opportunity to be heard in relation to the allegation. The company urged the court to declare that the fine imposed by NAFDAC violated its right to fair hearing as guaranteed under section 36(1) of the constitution. Justice Animashaun had in a ruling delivered on December 14 restrained NAFDAC from enforcing the N1 billion fine pending hearing and determination of the suit. The matter has been adjourned till February 8 for mention.

orkers at the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, CRIN, Ibadan, yesterday went into wild jubilation following a directive by the Federal Government that the institute’s embattled Executive Director, Professor Malacky Akoroda, should proceed on an indefinite leave. National Mirror learnt that the workers on getting wind of the Federal Government’s directive defied the early morning harmattan to assemble at the main entrance of the institute for a special praise and worship service over the decision. Most of the workers were sighted in groups jumping, dancing as well as praising the government for asking Akoroda to step aside as the institute’s executive director. The workers, who during the special praise and worship service, which lasted for hours, lamented their plights in the past years, which they described as dark days, prayed that God would bring back all CRIN lost glory as well as compensate the workers, considering the hardship they were subjected to by the Akoroda-led management. The workers after the prayers embarked on clearing loads of sand used to prevent Akoroda and security agents from forcing their way into the institute during their prolonged protest. While reacting to government’s directive asking the embattled executive director to proceed on indefinite leave, Oyo State chapter of t Campaign for Democracy and Workers’ Rights, CDWR,

said the directive was long overdue. The group in a statement signed by its state Coordinator, Abiodun Bamigboye, said, “There is no doubt that the news of the Federal Government’s decision will definitely bring about a big relief to the current chaotic atmosphere that has characterised CRIN for weeks now.” The body stressed that based on wide range of allegations of corruption and high handedness levelled against the Akorodaled administration, “the decision that Professor Akoroda should proceed on a mere indefinite leave without taking any visible and practical step to immediately set up a panel to investigate and probe all allegations levelled against his administration will not only amount to an attempt to cover up these allegations, but to also make sure that other demands of the protesting workers and members of the community are ignored.” The CDWR in the statement urged CRIN workers as well as their host community to continue to demand the immediate and unconditional reinstatement of the 95 sacked workers of the institute; immediate and unconditional reinstatement of activities of proscribed unions in the institute; regular and timely promotion of staffs in accordance with public service rules; end to corruption, embezzlements, attack on democratic rights and mismanagement of resources meant for adequate and effective running of the institute and immediate payment of October and September 2013 salaries of workers in the institute.”

Tragedy averted as train hits truck in Lagos had tried to rush past the railway crossing ahead of the approaching train, but was unsuccessful. The train driver, seeing the partial blockage of the track by the truck, reduced its speed, an effort that reduced the impact of the collision and saved the train from derailing.

However, in spite of the speed reduction, the train hit the back of the truck, which was still on the track, the impact of which injured some passengers in the train. Following the impact, the truck hit the barrier at the crossing, which also hit a nearby electric pole. Passengers aboard

the train commended the driver for preventing it from derailing, as it continued to the Shogunle station where some passengers alighted and others came on board. Director of Operation, Nigeria Railway Corporation, NRC, Mr Niyi Alli, later told reporters

that the truck had been impounded by the corporation and taken to its headquarters at EbuteMeta station. “The owner of the vehicle too, is liable to the cost of damage, although, we are yet to ascertain the cost of damage,” Alli said. It would also be re-

called that on Friday, a Lagos-bound train from Ijoko in Ogun State derailed at Iju Station. The derailment disrupted the services of the corporation for the whole day, leaving hundreds of its passengers heading for Kano stranded at its terminus in Iddo, Lagos.

South East

EmmanuEl EzEh ENUGU

ears heightened yesterday that Senator Uche Ekwunife of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, may not participate in the rescheduled Anambra Central Senatorial election. Ekwunife was PDP’s candidate in the March 28, 2015, Anambra Central Senatorial election. Although she was declared winner, an Appeal Court sitting in Enugu voided the polls and ordered a re-run. However, in a full text of the certified true copy of the Appeal Court judgment made available to newsmen in Enugu yesterday, the court held that the 11th respondent (Ekwunife) “was not the product of a valid primary and was therefore, not duly and legitimately nominated. The court further held

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Anambra central senatorial poll rerun: Fear grips PDP over Ekwunife

that such situation “has disqualified her from contesting election into the Anambra Central senatorial District.” The court cited Supreme Court ruling on Wambai Vs Donatus (2014) that “a person cannot be qualified to be a candidate of a party except and unless he is nominated and sponsored by a political party. The court noted that neither Ekwunife nor the PDP led an evidence to prove that there was a primary and that those who participated in such primary where Ekwunife was elected. Chairman of the Appeal panel, Justice A.D. Yahaya, who read the judgment said, “After an election, if a person wishes to challenge the result of the election

on ground of nomination/ pre-election matter, he can legally do so before a tribunal under Section 138 (1) (a) of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, and it is wrong to hold that an election tribunal does not have jurisdiction to hear and determine such a matter.” He therefore, held that “nomination is part and parcel of qualification to stand for an election and since an election can be challenged on the grounds of lack of qualification, it follows that the appropriate forum to challenge it after an election has been held is the election

tribunal...” The court ruled that the tribunal was therefore, patently wrong in its decision. “It had completely interpreted the case presented in that vein and that had coloured its vision, denying it the composure and dispassionate consideration of the case.” It noted that once the tribunal held the opinion that the issue of nomination was an internal affair and not justiceable, denying it the jurisdiction to entertain the issue, it lost focus and that clearly was prejudicial to the interest

of the appellants. “The decision arrived at was perverse and the right course of aside the decision. “Consequently, the perverse decision, which held that the 11th respondent had been properly and legitimately sponsored by the 12th respondent, must and is hereby set aside. “In view of this, it is totally unnecessary to go into other issues raised for determination by the appellants, especially as we have set aside the judgment for being perverse. Nothing can be built on it.”

Speaking on the revelations of the detailed judgment, Chief Victor Umeh, APGA candidate in the election said, “The judgment has clearly removed Uche Ekwunife and the PDP from the next election,” arguing that if one was not qualified to contest an election, the person cannot be qualified to be part of the re-run election. “We have heard rumours that the PDP is planning to hold ward congress on January 7th and thereafter hold a primary on the 9th to nominate their candidate.

2015 Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce ends in grand style

he 18-week premium concert of Globacom, the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce, ended in grand style on Friday with a show attended by a mammoth crowd in Enugu. Held at the Golden Royale Hotel, Enugu, the show paraded top-rated Nigerian music stars like the inimitable contemporary highlife linchpin, Flavour, sensational female vocalist from Marvin Records, Di’Ja, and “sekem” crooner, MC Galaxy, who were on hand to entertain the crowd. Besides the trio, upcoming artistes within Enugu metropolis and neighbouring towns were also given opportunity to showcase their talents. Among budding artistes that performed at the concert were Caeser, Prince Leo, Mr. Lin, Leo H, Formula, Chidexy, Stumer, Snperkay, B Shine and a female dancer, Peggy, who dazzled the audience with her dance steps. The concert was attended by dignitaries such as Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Onah Solomon Izuchukwu, Divisional Chief Executive Officer of Interswitch, Mr. Mike Ogbalu III, Mr. Dozie Okolo, a top businessman and his wife, Mrs. Ifeoma Okolo, and a host of others. The Enugu show left indelible memories in the

minds of the audience. Narrating her experience after the show, Miss Louisa Chika, a student of Enugu campus of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, said she felt “fulfilled coming out to be part of the show. It was worth the while and I consider it as the biggest Christmas gift from Globacom to the people of Enugu State.” MC Galaxy, who gave a superlative performance at the concert said: “Globacom cannot imagine the extent of goodwill this show has generated for it among the people. The goodwill cannot be quantified and I keep asking myself: ‘why is Glo doing this?’ But I came to the conclusion that Globacom loves Nigeria and her people. The platform is too huge, and any artiste who has the opportunity to use this platform to reach out to his or her fans cannot but be eternally grateful to Globacom.” The Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce concert started in Ibadan on August 29, and the show was held in several cities such as Port Harcourt, Benin, Awka, Ikorodu, Ikeja, Abeokuta, Ijebu-Ode, Egbeda, Surulere, Victoria Island, Aba, Owerri, Anyigba, Nsukka, Makurdi and Uyo before coming to Enugu. The show was organised by Globacom to delight its teeming subscribers across the country.

Medical Officers attending to people during the National Agency for Control of Aids/Sure-P Free Medical Outreach at Isuochi Community of Umuneochi LGA of Abia State, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

NEMA proffers solution to disaster reduction

…establishes Imo operation office Chris njoku and Gloria usman

irector General, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Mr. Sani Sidi, has called for sustainable collaboration of stakeholders to proffer solution geared towards disaster reduction in the country. The director-general, who made the call yesterday in Owerri, Imo State capital, at the commissioning ceremony of NEMA Owerri Operation Office, donated by Imo State government, said with recent security and climate change challenges, there is every need to strengthen emergency response capacity.

“Emergency challenges are getting exacerbated by the recent security and climate change phenomena, which serve as a wake-up call to strengthen our contingency plan and emergency response capacity,” he said. Sidi added that the agency has upscaled disaster management from mere distribution of relief materials to disaster risk reduction, adding that continuous interaction and deliberation with stakeholders will proffer better solution. He said all relevant agencies and organisations in disaster management must complement each other and ready to make meaningful contributions toward reduction of incidences of natural disasters.

The director general commended Imo State government for the donation of NEMA office complex, assuring that the agency would continue to support the effort of both state and local governments in disaster management. Coordinator of NEMA Owerri Operation Office, Dr. Innocent Ezeaku, said there was need to find out the root cause of any disaster and tackle it from source. According to him, the reason why Nigeria recorded less death in 2015 flooding as against 2012 was because the country was better prepared. Ezeaku, who identified community clashes, windstorm, pipeline vandalisation, river flooding, among others, as major causes of

emergency in Imo and Abia states, also believed that sustainable stakeholders’ interactions would proffer better solution to the problem. Representative of the governor and Executive Secretary of State Emergency Management Agency, SEMA, Mrs. Uche Ezeonyeasi, said since the agency came to Imo State, responses to emergency situations have been very easy. She said both SEMA and the state government will continue to collaborate with NEMA in finding lasting solution to disaster management. Among stakeholders that participated at the interactive forum were FRSC, NSCDC, Fire Service, Red Cross Society, NESREA, and Ministry of Health, among others.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Gunmen kill 3 policemen in Rivers …PDP chieftain escapes assassination DenniS naku, Port Harcourt

o fewer than three policemen, including an Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, were killed yesterday morning during a gun battle with gunmen at the residence of a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic

Party, PDP, Pastor Jerry Needam in Woji, near Port Harcourt. Needam is special adviser on media and publicity to the state PDP. It was gathered that the slain policemen were part of a team that responded to a distress call by Needam following the invasion of his residence by the

gunmen. Speaking with newsmen later, Needam said his private security guard, who was wounded during the gun battle is currently receiving medical attention at an undisclosed hospital in Port Harcourt. He said the invasion and attempt on his life by the gunmen were the third

in the past 18 months. He said the dare-devil men stormed his residence in the wee hours of yesterday and shot sporadically for over two hours to gain entrance into the compound, before the arrival of policemen, who engaged them in a fierce gun battle. Needam alleged that

the mastermind of the kidnap and assassination attempt were his political opponents, who desperately wanted him silenced following his strong political views and penchant for truth. The PDP chairman’s aide said he had already spoken with the state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Musa Kimo, who ex-

Buhari committed to Niger Delta development, says NDDC acting boss

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (right) with State’s Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Stephen Okon, during the swearing-in yesterday.

Edo scraps Customary Court of Appeal SebaStine ebhuomhan, Benin

do State government has repealed an Act establishing the State’s Customary Court of Appeal. The court had hitherto existed alongside Edo State High Court. Addressing the press after signing into law the bill repealing the Act that established the Customary Court of Appeal yesterday, Governor Adams Oshiomhole said, “With effect from today, the Customary Court of Appeal ceases to exist and this amendment to the Edo State High Court provides for, among other things, the abolition of the Customary Court of Appeal. It also provides for the automatic transfer of all the judges currently serving in the Customary Court of Appeal to the State High Court. “With the abolition of the Customary Court of Appeal, the judges in Edo State High Court are now by reason of this amendment increased from 24 to

30 in order to provide our people with speedy access to justice. At the moment, we have close to 6,000 cases pending before the 24 judges of the State High Court. With this amendment, all 30 judges will now be able to hear any of these cases as may be assigned by the chief judge. “The second element to the amendment is that the judges now transferred from the Customary Court of Appeal, although they are required by law to subscribe to new oaths of office, they will retain their seniority in Edo State judiciary; so there will be no loss of seniority; and lastly, by this amendment, appeals arising from the decisions of Area Customary Court presidents will still be heard but rather than have six judges dedicated to hearing such cases, the state chief judge will now assign judges of the High Court to hear appeals from Area Customary Court. “That is the way it was before and it worked per-

fectly well. So, this amendment has not closed the door to appeals from customary court judgments. Customary court issues can still be heard at the appeal level, but the chief judge will be at liberty to designate judges more or less the same way the chief judge has designated some courts as criminal courts, revenue courts, and even what we call mobile courts. “So, the beauty of it is that no judge will now be restricted to hearing limited cases under the customary court alone. They will be able to hear those cases along with any other case, whether it is criminal or civil, or any matter that is brought before them. I believe this is in the best interest of Edo State, the public and even the Bar association should benefit because there will be greater efficiency and access to justice is also quickened. “It bears repeating that the customary court system remains. Judges of

customary courts are still there. “I know that this law is for the overall benefit of litigants. It is for the benefit of the judges, our state and our people.”

pressed confidence in the ability of the command to investigate the matter and fish out those behind the assassination attempt. Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ahmad Muhammad, who confirmed the attack and killing of policemen, said they paid the supreme price.

ew acting Managing Director of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mrs. Ibim Semenitari, says President Muhammadu Buhari is committed to proper repositioning of the Niger Delta region. Semenitari spoke with newsmen on arrival at the Port Harcourt International Airport, yesterday. She said President Buhari has charged the new appointees to clean-up the commission to serve the people of the region effectively. Semenitari, however, said her appointment was a confirmation of President Buhari’s commitment to active women participation in his government. “My appointment is in keeping with President Buhari’s commitment to ensure that the Niger Delta is properly positioned

and adequately taken care off. “It is also in keeping with the president’s commitment to guarantee women’s participation in his government, but beyond that, it is a call to service. “I have insisted all through my life that the Niger Delta deserves better attention and this is a chance to prove that the region will be all that God plans it to be.” She pledged to keep to the commitment of President Buhari to develop the region. Semenitari described the high number of women who thronged the airport to receive her as ‘’overwhelming and women support for women. “I have always said that women lift women; my bosses all through my career, who have enabled me to progress the most, have been women.”

Abudu people thank Oshiomhole for rehabilitating 8.2km roads SebaStine ebhuomhan, Benin

do State government has reconstructed intra-city roads in Abudu, headquarters of Orhiomwon Local Government Area, measuring about 8.2 kilometres. During an inspection of the roads yesterday, a crowd from the community gave Governor Adams Oshiomhole a rousing welcome while promising that his administration would continue to work in every part of the state until its last day in office. Although, the roads were at different stages of completion, the young and old in Abudu still trooped out to receive Oshiomhole and thank

him for the good work. Oshiomhole said, “When I said we will finish strong and finish well, it follows that until the last day, God helping me, we will continue to deliver. But we will also not give up on those who are refusing to pay tax. We will squeeze them until more communities can witness what we are witnessing in Abudu today. “So, the battle you see us fight with those godfathers who don’t want to pay tax, we prefer to continue to fight them so that people like those in Abudu will have things like this and other communities, too. “What excites me today is that for the first time the caterpillars came, the people didn’t quite believe it. They

were like, these politicians have started again. But as you can see, as the job progressed, they became excited. I am touched by the passion, the feelings with which those elders spoke by the roadside. “We will not only build the roads, we will also put streetlights, so that at night, Abudu will look like a local government headquarters. “We have had to cut down on many other areas so that we can deliver on these major projects. We will keep trying. Things are tight, but I have always said my responsibility is not to

lament what has gone bad, poor resources, drop in oil price; no, that is not what governance is about.”

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South South

Wednesday, December 23, 2013

Gunmen kill 3 policemen in Rivers …PDP chieftain escapes assassination DenniS naku, Port Harcourt

Buhari committed to Niger Delta development, says NDDC acting boss

Akwa Ibom State Governor Udom Emmanuel (right) with State’s Chief Judge, Hon. Justice Stephen Okon, during the swearing-in yesterday.

Edo scraps Customary Court of Appeal SebaStine ebhuomhan, Benin

customary courts are still there. “I know that this law is for the overall benefit of litigants. It is for the benefit of the judges, our state and our people.”

Abudu people thank Oshiomhole for rehabilitating 8.2km roads SebaStine ebhuomhan, Benin

lament what has gone bad, poor resources, drop in oil price; no, that is not what governance is about.”

North

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Sani Bello Foundation frees 30 prisoners in Niger Priscilla dennis MINNA

n a bid to decongest the Kontagora Medium Prisons in Kontagora Local Government Area of Niger State, no fewer than 32 inmates with various civil cases have been set free by the Sani Bello Foundation. According to Director General of the Foundation, Mr. Zakari Ikani, during a visit to the prison, he noticed that some of the inmates had civil cases and therefore, sought the permission of Chairman of the Foundation, Colonel Sani Bello (rtd), and it was granted for the release of the 32 persons. The cases of which the inmates were sent to prison this year included street fighting, night crawling and acts of thug-

gery. Addressing the ex-convicts shortly after their release, Director General of the Foundation urged them to make themselves useful members of the society by being law-abiding to prevent future recurrence. He told them that the Foundation was prepared to rehabilitate and train them on various skills to enable them integrate easily into the society. “The Foundation will continue to ensure that youths in the state are adequately re-oriented to become leaders in their given profession.” Various items were also donated to the prison such as grains, beverages, toiletries, blankets, bathing soaps, serving plates as well as 250 pairs of uniforms made for other inmates still in prison.

Wada inaugurates N300m general hospital

ogi State Governor, Captain Idris Wada, has inaugurated the N300 million Odu-Ogboyaga General Hospital in Dekina Local Government Area. The hospital, which is the first health facility in Odu community, was completed within 12 months. While speaking at the commissioning ceremony, Wada said the hospital was in fulfillment of the commitment of his administration to deliver quality health care to people in every part of the state. Wada, who promised that more equipment would be delivered to the hospital in the days ahead, said healthcare has been a cardinal part of the transformation agenda of the state government under his leadership. The governor commended contractors and the state’s Ministry of Health for their diligence, which he noted, ensured the project was of high quality. He admonished people of the community to see themselves as co-owners of the hospital by providing all necessary support for the workers and also protect all facilities at the

hospital. Earlier in his remark, Commissioner for Health, Dr. Idris Omede, said establishment of the General Hospital in Odu-Ogboyaga was in line with the promise by Governor Wada to set up a befitting health facility in the area during his first visit to the community in April 2012. Dr. Omede noted that the hospital was takingoff with a complement of medical personnel, said basic medical services such as general consultations, maternity, surgery, antenatal and post natal care, x-ray rooms, medical laboratories and general administration would commence in the hospital upon commissioning.

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Insurgency forces one million out of school –UNICEF … says $23m needed to educate affected children Franka Osakwe and adeOla Tukuru

nited Nations Children’s Fund, UNICEF, has said it will need nearly $23 million to provide access to education for children affected by conflicts in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, most of who live around Lake Chad region, in 2016. Across Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger, over 2,000 schools remain closed due to the conflict, some of them for more than a year and hundreds have been attacked, looted or set on fire. In far north Cameroun, only one of the 135 schools closed in 2014 has re-opened this year. UNICEF said it has received 44 per cent of the funding required in 2015 to respond to the humanitarian needs of children in

Niger, Nigeria, Cameroun and Chad. In a press statement by UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Director, Manuel Fontaine, violence and attacks against civilian populations in northeastern Nigeria and its neighbouring countries have forced more than one million children out of school. “The number of children missing out on their education due to the conflict adds to the estimated 11 million children of primary school age, who were already out of school in Nigeria, Cameroun, Chad and Niger before the onset of the crisis. “The conflict has been a huge blow for education in the region, and violence has kept many children out of classroom for more than a year, putting them at risk of dropping out of school altogether.

“Across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, over 2,000 schools remain closed due to the conflict, some of them for more than a year and hundreds have been attacked, looted or set on fire. In far north Cameroun, only one of the 135 schools closed in 2014 has re-opened this year,” he said. He further explained that in northeastern Nigeria UNICEF has supported 170,000 children back into education in the safer areas of the three states most affected by the conflict, where majority of schools have been able to re-open. However, many classrooms are severely overcrowded as some school buildings are still being used to house large numbers of displaced persons seeking shelter from the conflict. In these areas, Fontaine said some displaced teach-

ers, who themselves have fled the fighting, were involved in the schooling and classes are often given on a “double shift” basis to help more children attend school. “In other areas, however, insecurity, fear of violence and attacks are preventing many teachers from resuming classes and discouraging parents from sending their children back to school. In Nigeria alone, approximately 600 teachers have been killed since the start of Boko Haram insurgency. “The challenge we face is to keep children safe without interrupting their schooling,” said Fontaine. “Schools have been targets of attack, so children are scared to go back to the classroom; yet the longer they stay out of school, the greater the risks of being abused, abducted and recruited by armed groups.”

Kwara State Governor, Abdulfatah Ahmed, laying the 2016 Appropriation Bill before the State House of Assembly, Ilorin, yesterday.

IG approves promotion for 558 police school teachers GeOrGe OPara ABUJA

nspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase, has approved the promotion of 558 teachers in police primary and secondary schools across the country. It was learnt that the promotion, which takes immediate effect, was meant to address the complaints among teaching staff and also to motivate them for

better performance. Director, Directorate of Police Education, DCP Kabiru Ibrahim, who disclosed this in an interview with journalists on Tuesday in Abuja, explained that the teachers would soon receive their letters of promotion. According to him, the IG was interested in making police schools one of the best in the country, hence the increasing investment

in academic facilities and the teaching staff to ensure high quality of students. Meanwhile, the IG has said 400 residential apartments would be completed by January 2016 for purchase by retiring police officers. He added that the Nigeria Police Cooperative and Multi-purpose Society has developed and acquired a number of housing projects across the country,

which was being sold at affordable rates to police personnel. He advised retiring police officers, who are interested in acquiring the buildings, to go to their home states and apply through the Police Cooperative Multi-purpose Society. Speaking during inauguration of the Police Cooperative Multi-purpose Society’s shopping mall, Abuja, Arase stated that the

facility was conceptualised as a major retail outlet that would make available a wide array of stocks at the cheapest and most competitive rates to serving police personnel and members of the public. He lauded leadership of the cooperative society for constructing the mall, “which is in furtherance of my commitment to the enhancement of welfare needs of police personnel.”

Wednesday December 23, 2015

Osun has the worst form of opposition –Ilori

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Politics

Following the continuous criticism of anti-social media bill sponsored by Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah which sets out heavy sanctions for people who “falsely” criticise public officials or institutions, EBERE NDUKWU looks at the implication of the bill on Nigeria’s democracy.

Senate and the opposition against anti-social media bill

here is no denial that the rising and proliferation of social media in the country has positively helped in reshaping political ambiance of Nigeria in terms of educating and mobilising Nigerians. It is a podium for political analysis, debates, political campaign and political mobilisation as seen in the last general elections in the country where political office holders, politicians, including president and governors owned and managed social media account such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, WhatsApp, Blog sites among others to inform the public. During the last election, political leaders and political candidates shared their political agenda and mobilised people towards its propagation using the social media platform. The country’s ruling party, the All Progressives Congress, APC, benefited in no small measure using social media platform in selling its programmes and activities which led to its defeat of the incumbent president in the elections that took place in the first quarter of this year Unarguably, the advent of social media in the world of information has added a very unique dimension to the participation of more people in those affairs that particularly has direct effects on their day-to-day lives and survival. Social media has already occupied those spaces that were hitherto un-occupied by the orthodox media. The social media play great role world over in educating the people in a democratic set up, it also has its challenges. This is because while it plays some positive roles in enthroning democracy, its excesses also bring negative consequence on the populace. Possibly it is on the need to balance the roles of social media in a democratic set up that made the Deputy Senate Leader, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah, a member of the ruling APC from Kebbi State, to not long ago sponsored a bill which sets out heavy sanctions for people who “falsely” criticise public officials or institutions. The Bill titled “Draft Bill to Prohibit Frivolous Petition and Other Matters Connected Therewith” seeks to forbid social media operators from slandering members of the public including the lawmakers themselves. Put differently, the Bill seeks to gag the press and intimidate the users of the social media. The Bill not only prescribes two year jail term for offenders, it comes with the option of N2 million fine, or both sanctions could be applied. . The bill says, “Notwithstanding anything contained in any law, it shall be unlawful to submit any petition, statement intended to report the conduct of any person for the purpose of an investigation, inquiry and or inquest without a duly sworn affidavit in the High Court of a state or the Federal High Court confirming the content to be true and correct and in accordance with the Oaths Act. “Any petition and or complains not accompanied by a sworn affidavit shall be incompetent and shall not be used by any government institution, agency or bodies established by any law for the time being enforced in Nigeria.

Saraki

Na’Allah

Unlike many other bills, the bill received an UnUsUally rapid attention at the senate, with two

readings made within two

weeks of its introdUction, forcing many

nigerians

to slam the lawmakers “Any person who unlawfully uses, publishes or causes to be published, any petition, complaint not supported by a duly sworn affidavit, shall be deemed to have committed an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for six months without an option of fine.” It continues: “Any person who acts, uses, or causes to be used any petition or complaints not accompanied by duly sworn affidavit shall be deemed to have committed an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for a term of two years or a fine of N200, 000.00 or both.” The bill also states that, “Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes any allegation and or publish any statement, petition in any paper, radio, or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institutions of government, he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two years or a fine

of N4, 000,000.00.” For the social media, the bill says, “Where any person through text message, tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media, posts any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2, 000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment.” Unlike many other bills, the bill received an unusually rapid attention at the senate, with two readings made within two weeks of its introduction, forcing many Nigerians to slam the lawmakers. Since the bill was sponsored, it has continued to receive criticisms of all sorts, while some Nigerians have seen it as not only a significant clampdown on freedom of speech, but a deliberate targeting of critics of federal lawmakers and the National Assembly, others have called it a threat to democracy in the country In its reaction, Partnership for Media and Democracy in Nigeria, PAMED, a coalition of NGOs, called on the Senate to drop the Social Media Bill 2015 in order not to stand against the will of the people. In a statement jointly signed by members of PAMED, the Institute of Media and Society, IMESO, Media Rights Agenda, MRA, and the International Press Centre, IPC, PAMED said the call became imperative because “the bill is a threat to democracy in Nigeria.’’ The group in the statement signed by Dr Akin Akingbulu, executive director, IMESO, Mr Edetaen Ojo, executive director, MRA, and Mr. Lanre Arogundade, director, IPC, citing examples from sections 3 and 4 of the bill said that the bill seeks to gag both the press and the general public from expressing views and opinions. “If the bill becomes law, it would infringe on huCONTINUED ON PAGE 14

Politics

Wednesday December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Senate and the opposition against anti-social media bill

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 13 man rights to freedom of expression as globally recognised,’’ the group said. Saying that the bill completely negated important international conventions to which Nigeria was a signatory and which all affirmed the right of citizens to hold opinion, freely express themselves and freely disseminate information, they group described the bill as a subjugation of the constitution which the Senate swore to uphold. It stated that senators were representatives of the people and should be held accountable by the people they served by answering questions and responding to their criticisms. “PAMED has come to the conclusion that the bill constitutes a threat to democracy because it seeks to repress the social media, the conventional media, the civil society and the citizenry as a whole. “In the light of all the pressing development challenges confronting the country, which should be the priorities of the senators and all other persons exercising any form of political power or authority, the PAMED is of the view that the bill itself is frivolous and unwarranted. “The bill, through its frivolous content and malicious intent, seeks to achieve nothing other than undermining freedom of expression, press freedom, public participation in governance and democracy. “PAMED, therefore, affirms that the bill violates all the norms of democratic practise, freedom of expression, press freedom, transparency and accountability as well as open governance.’’ In its reaction, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, filed a petition to the United Nations against the bill. In a recent statement, SERAP executive director, Adetokunbo Mumuni, said: “SERAP can confirm that the Office of the UN Special Rapporteur is now considering our petition. We have received communication from Marcelo Daher at the Office of the Special Rapporteur to this effect. The Special Rapporteur has also requested a copy of the bill, which SERAP has promptly sent to Marcelo Daher. “SERAP appreciates the prompt attention to this matter by the Office of the Special Rapporteur. We urge the UN to pursue this matter to a satisfactory conclusion by ensuring that the Nigerian Senate is not allowed to strangulate media freedom and social media in the country. According to SERAP, “the only option for the Senate now is to withdraw this obnoxious bill without further delay and end this international embarrassment. SERAP will be prepared to withdraw the petition at the UN if the Senate can follow this honourable path.” However in defence of the senate on the bill , Senator Dino Melaye, (APC-Kogi State) raised a point of order, at the floor of the House lashing out on, Sahara Reporters while claiming that untrue stories had been published against him, warning that the Senate should not overlook the bill believed by many as anti social media. Melaye said: “While I celebrate the social media as one of the actors, this Senate should not be blackmailed. The Senate is a sacred hallowed chamber. The bill moved by Ibn Na’allah has been misconstrued by the same people. This Senate should not be quiet about it.” Other lawmakers also took turn to speak about alleged false publications in the media. The senate leader, Ali Ndume (APC-Borno State), said the publication of false stories was becoming rampant in the country, saying that the Senate as a lawmaking body should hold people responsible for their actions. “It is not only Sahara Reporters; there are other online platforms that wake up and post all sorts of things. At a point, one of the online platforms accused me of buying 400 Golf cars for Boko Haram”, he said. Biodun Olujimi (PDP-Ekiti State), who also expressed frustration, said she had to exit all the social media “because of these problems”.

Malaye

While many nigerians Want total freedom

for social media users, many also Would like to see an improved social media Which Will be able enhance better public mobilisation,

sensitisation and true democracy in

nigeria

through citizen sensitisation programmes Ruling on the matter, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki said, “We all support freedom of speech but as a Senate we should not be blackmailed. You can’t write false stories just because it is social media.” The matter was referred to the committees on ICT, judiciary and ethics and privileges committee. In its move to calm the mounting opposition on the bill, the leadership of the Senate recently through a statement by its spokesperson, Senator Aliyu Sabi as-

sured Nigerians that they will be able to make input and determine the fate of the controversial Act to Prohibit Frivolous Petitions and Other Related Matters bill. The Senate said that members of the public, including those for or against the Anti-Frivolity bill or parts of the bill will have the opportunity to shape its final outcome as there is an elaborate process which the bill must undergo before it becomes a law, nothing that some of the comments on the bill emanated from misconception and misunderstanding of the objective which is meant to protect all individuals and institutions, including journalists and social media users. Senator Sabi: “The senate is committed to freedom of speech and a fully inclusive and participatory democracy”. The process of passing a bill is comprehensive and provide for inputs to be taken from all and sundry. The first stage is merely to read the short title of the bill. The second stage is purely to debate the general principles. The next stage is committal of the bill to appropriate committee or committees for further detailed legislative action where the details, intendment and clause by clause implications of the bill is dissected by the committee. This stage also involve public hearing in which members of the public, civil society, nongovernmental organisations and all interested parties for or against the bill have the opportunity to shape and influence its content. “The outcome from this committee stage is what will be finalised and then represented to the chamber for clause by clause consideration and approval or disapproval by the Senate. Thereafter, if the bill is approved, then the clean version of the bill is forwarded to the House of Representatives for concurrence or otherwise”. According to him, the anti-frivolity bill will go through the whole hog and there is no intention to make the process of passing this bill any different. “Accordingly, the Senate wants to re-assure the public about this. So, all those who are either for or against this bill or its part and any other one have ample opportunities to reshape it”, Sabi stated. Different groups including Diaspora Nigeria Nationals Network, DNNN, with membership all over the world and its headquarters in New York, have called on Senate President Bukola Saraki to slam the brakes on the so-called bill, or risk members of the Upper House finding they are unable to travel in any direction whatsoever. While many Nigerians want total freedom for social media users, many also would like to see an improved social media which will be able enhance better public mobilisation, sensitisation and true democracy in Nigeria through citizen sensitisation programmes. With opinion against the bill daily gaining the ground only time has an answer to what will become of the bill.

Fasehun condemns insincerity of Nigerian leaders Ayo EsAn

he National Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, Dr Frederick Fasehun has expressed concern over insincerity of Nigeria leaders saying the problems bedeviling the country can be traced to bad leadership. He also charged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently address the downturn in the economy. Speaking during the Quarterly Interactive Media

Roundtable in Lagos Tuesday, Fasehun said leadership’s insincerity is much pronounced in Nigeria and that, that explains why many promises made by government are not kept. He urged journalists to take it upon themselves to educate Nigerians on what is expected of their leaders. He observed that, most of the problem bedevilling Nigeria is caused by bad leadership saying there was also the need to strengthen established institutions to move the country forward.

Fasehun said that he does not believe in partisan opposition, saying once there is an election and a party emerged victorious, the government in power must take charge. Speaking on the economy, Fasehun said the economy is not improving, saying that explains why there is little or no celebration despite the fact that the yuletide period is around the corner . He said from all indication, Nigeria democracy can be described as seeming democracy, adding that de-

mocracy survive in America because of the economy. He further explained that, the change promised Nigerians by President Buhari when he was campaigning has not manifested and Nigerians are disappointed. He also called on Nigerians to impress it on the government in power to implement the resolutions of the just concluded national confab, saying that implementing the resolution will go a long way in solving most of Nigeria’s problems.

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Politics

Wednesday December 23, 2015

Osun has the worst form of opposition –Ilori

Hon. Bola Ilori is the Special Adviser to the Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola on Environment. He was at the 4th Africa Digital Forum and Award Night, with the themed: “Broadband: Catalyst for Tomorrow’s Economy Today” held in Lagos. He speaks at the event with ROBERT AWOKUSE on the financial condition of the state, the state position on broadband among other issues. Excerpts: The state of Osun and some other states of the federation have been in financial quagmire in recent time. How will the state wriggle out of this financial mess? Like you have said this is not peculiar to Osun state alone. 26 states got bailouts. Lagos with its Internally Generated Revenue, IGR is equally indebted. In fact, in the last four months of former president, Mr. Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, the federal government borrowed to pay salaries. So it’s a Nigeria problem but when you narrow it down to Osun it shows bias or that one is not conversant with the happenings in the country. But we are looking at the debt profile of Osun in relation to other states. The debt profile of Osun is not the highest. Kogi got the highest amount as bailout, it’s just that Osun was targeted for political reason, because Osun was totally opposed to PDP, so, it was easy to paint Osun as a worst hit. And I’m giving you fact now, go and find out. Osun is not the worst of all as painted by the opposition. The question is how do we find ourselves here as a country, and it is getting worst for the country. Buhari has declared that Nigeria is broke, so it’s not just about a state. Nigeria used to share N1.3 trillion on monthly basis but in the last three months the highest we have shared is N600 billion and that is why the states are now getting paltry sum which is not even enough to pay salaries. Forget about deduction for loan, the salary in Osun alone is N3.6 billion. So the entire gross allocation cannot pay salary. So where do we go from here? It’s IGR, people have to pay taxes. I remember growing up then, if you don’t pay your tax you can’t even marry. Our value system needs to change. The era of free money in this country is over and people need to realise this because the oil is not even selling again. The biggest challenges we have now is not even about the low price of oil but people are not even buying the oil; under 40 dollar per barrel they are not even buying. The Salaries, Wages and Fiscal Commission said in the next six months many states will go bankrupt. Osun will survive it, because Aregbesola is very sincere to have come out with the debt profile of the state, while many states in Nigeria did not declare their debt profile. You will see what will be happening in some months to come because they refused to put their debt profile on the table when the bailout facility was made available. You can see that in the last few weeks now, Osun is back and it has started doing projects, because we have realised our situation, we are facing governance squarely, no more frivolity. Beyond the tablet, “Opon Imo” initiative what other area has the State of Osun encouraged access to broadband penetration? We have a serious challenge of intermittent cable cut because of the distance between Lagos and Osun which is a little far. Nevertheless the government of the State of Osun has been very passionate about information technology. That is why we are trying to link all our institutions with broadband, virtually all the offices now in the state is connected to internet facilities. We tried having what they called digital canopy at a time so that people can have access to internet facilities. Once we get

The debT profile of osun is noT The highesT. Kogi goT The highesT amounT

as bailouT, iT’s jusT ThaT

osun was TargeTed for poliTical reason, because osun was ToTally opposed To pdp, so, iT was easy To painT osun as a worsT hiT over the issue of cable cut, our people can all be enjoying it. How do you intend to create more awareness for broadband use in the state, are you going to be taking the campaign to schools and so on? You will not be getting it right when you say we should take the campaign to them because it’s already a daily reality there, having the capacity is the key issue here not about awareness. We still depend largely on these mobile communication service providers and they are limited when it comes to what they can provide. We need dedicated internet provider to increase accessibility to broadband. Our people are aware already; we share “Opon Imo” to our students, you will be shock what the students do with it on their own; the extent they have taken Opon Imo to on their own and these are students from poor background. The distribution of Opon Imo in Osun kick started a revolution. People who ordinarily wouldn’t have access to it at age 12, age 13 are already playing around with it and that has opened their mind to the need for broadband. This “Opon Imo” has been described by the opposition as a means of just providing job for the boys and that it’s not sustainable given the economic crisis the state is going through currently, what do you have to say to this? The work of opposition is just to criticise and unfortunately Osun has the worst form of opposition; the people who are just destructive in their criticism. This Opon Imo has been adopted by UNESCO as a standard for education and don’t forget the United Nations had also awarded it as the best innovation in education in year 2013. Of course you know that it is not a local award. So, to say that Opon Imo is not sustainable is funny. It’s not as if we are buying new ones, the ones we have bought are what we upgrade. We only replace faulty ones. I went to school in those days of free education when books were being shared to students. What they did then was that at the end of the session you submit the books back to the school. When one is lost, you pay for it. That is exactly what we are doing with Opon Imo. It’s meant for SSS 3 students alone, and the moment you finish your SSCE, you submit your it before you collect your result. It is configured for individual student

Ilori

so you can’t take another person’s own. We reconfigure for the new set and upgrade as the syllabus changes. So what is not sustainable in that, it’s only poverty of idea and lack of vision that makes people think that way. Lastly, we learnt that the four tertiary institutions in Osun, colleges of education and polytechnics will not be admitting students for 2015/2016 academic session and that the governor has asked the schools to go into short courses in entrepreneur programmes, is this correct? Yes, this is still part of facing realities; life cannot go on as it used to be before now. When Aregbesola assumed office as the governor of the state, the percentage of students who passed WASC with five credits was three per cent. An average of 41,000 students annually sit for WASC in Osun, only three per cent of them will pass with five credits. Now it has improved to 21 per cent, though still bad, but far better than what we met. You now wonder what happen to the remaining 79 per cent of the students, they are going to become mechanics, bricklayers, tillers and so on. We sat down and look at it that we can’t abandon these people. Our society needs this kind of services. Most times, we travel as far as Togo to bring tillers. So instead of continuing churning out people who will be useless to the society every year, even the polytechnics that supposed to train technicians are just churning out people with academic qualification, so we are changing from paper based certificate to quality education. What becomes the fate of the candidates who have already chosen any of these institutions since the state did not officially write JAMB to remove them from the brochure so that candidates wouldn’t choose them? Anybody who is in this country should know that Osun is not admitting for 2015/2016 academic session, but if you say many people don’t know, then we will make a public announcement. You should know that with the state of things in Osun now, we need to reprioritize. We are not merging those institutions as rumoured out there, even though the interest of those who are protesting against this is the economic gain they derive from those institutions, not for academic reason. Majority of those who attend the institutions are not from Osun because if only 21 per cent of the students passed WASC, what happen to the rest, so we are looking at education in the real sense of developing human capacity not just churning out people with paper qualification who cannot translate their knowledge to economic benefit for the society.

Politics

Wednesday December 23, 2015

APC youths charge Dogara on empowerment ezekiel TiTus BAUCHI

renown political group known as All Progressive Congress Youths Talented Forum has challenged the House of Representative Speaker, Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara not to hesitate in empowering the youths in his immediate constituency and Bauchi state at large This was just as it urged Dogara to initiate policies and programmes that will have direct bearing in eradicating abject . Chairman of the Group, Halleluya Sule Kutaru in a chat with journalists in Bauchi said the call on the speaker becomes imperative following the need to engage the youths for self -reliance Kutaru had lamented that lack of political will has been a concern especially when elected public officers have continued to abandoned the electorates He noted with satisfaction that Dogara will surely look critically on the plights of Bogoro, Dass and Tafawa-Balewa restive youths with a view to address the various challenges bedeviling them most especially the unemployment rate The group had described the youths as catalyst to the

development of every nation and the backbone of decision and implementations of government policies . Kutaru attributed unemployment and poverty as responsible for the current security challenges especially In Northern region and charged President Muhammadu Buhari to give maximum support to Dogara apparently to consolidate on the gains of democracy in Bauchi state The group however, frown at the level of underdevelopment in TafawaBalewa saying this has virtually affected socioeconomic and political development of the area and urge the speaker to join hands with Governor Mohammed Abubakar in order to revamp and restore permanent peace and unity in the trouble constituency According to Kutari, government should revisit the purported relocation of Tafawa-Balewa council headquarters to Bununu. “ It is a dismay that since the purported relocation of the council headquarters from Tafawa-Balewa government official activities has been grounded with Local Government staff divided between Bununu and Tafawa-Balewa main town which is a serious disservice to the nation development, Kutaru said.

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Ekiti APC accuses Gov of deceit on financial status Abiodun nejo ADO EKITI

he All Progressives Congress, APC in Ekiti State has accused the state governor of not telling the truth about the financial status of the state which has been his excuse for not paying workers salary. The APC said the governor’s message to the civil servants that they should not expect salary in January was a mark of his uncaring attitude to workers, stressing that the current allocation to Ekiti State is enough to pay workers’ salary.

APC Publicity Secretary, Taiwo Olatunbosun, said in a statement that the October statutory federal allocation to the state and local governments totaling N3.6 billion was more than enough to address workers’ pay. The APC said: “A governor that sacked thousands of workers, cut running grants to civil servants, refused to fund security agencies despite collecting monthly personal security vote of N250 million, refused to pay pensioners and stop monthly social security stipends to the elderly” should have enough money to pay salaries.

Olatunbosun accused the governor of failing to comply with the Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC guidelines, including paying counterpart fund, saying that was responsible for banning the state from accessing Federal intervention fund to run primary schools. “He has also refused to pay counterpart fund in the running of the Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), the result of which has forced pupils to be paying fees in primary schools,” he explained. Olatunbosun accused the governor of refusing to pay counterpart fund in the

World Bank-Assisted Ekiti State Community And Social Development Agency (EKCSDA), saying that at present, all development initiatives of the agency were at standstill while its workers were being owed several months in salary arrears. But the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Lanre Ogunsuyi, said the government did not issue any circular to tell workers they would not get their salary, but explained that “what we know is that we may not be able to pay as and when due because of the state of the Nigerian economy which the president himself has amplified.”

APC chieftain lambasts Jonathan over bogus report Chris njoku OWERRI

chieftain of the All Progressive Congress, APC and erstwhile director (election planning) of the Muhammadu Buhari Campaign Organization, Dr. Theodore Ekechi yesterday lambasted former president, Mr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan for presenting bogus report about the nation to President Muhammadu Buhari. He argued that the nation’s economy was already in a state of abyss before President Buhari took over the affairs of the nation from his predecessor. According to him, most of the campaign promises made to Nigerians by Buhari prior to his election were purely on the basis of report from the Federal Ministry of Finance stat-

ing that the inaccurate report received by the president from the Jonathan administration was not the actual facts on ground. Ekechi, also a former Imo State commissioner for information and strategy stated this while fielding questions from newsmen at his country home, Umuoye in the Ngor Okpala Local Government Area during which he identified corruption as the bone of the nation’s economy. He dismissed insinuations in some quarters that President Buhari is being selective in his anticorruption war against former public officeholders insisting that those with unassailable, overwhelming evidence of having soiled their hands while in office are only those being compelled to face the music.

L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Mr Tunde Durosinimi-Etti; a recipient of Elderly Citizens Assistance Scheme, Elder Tayo Soyode and Convener, Sen. Oluremi Tinubu, at the 16th edition of Lagos Central Senatorial District Town Hall Meeting and 4th edition of Elderly Citizens’ Assistance Scheme in Lagos, yesterday.

Benue dismisses LG staff over fraud henry iyorkAse MAKURDI

pecial Adviser to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue state on Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Titus Zam has disclosed that some of the information and communication technology department staff have been booted out for fraudulently compromising the efforts of the bureau and government at sanitizing the payroll of the councils’ administration in the state. Zam while briefing journalists yesterday at

the bureau headquarters in Makurdi stated that some staff of its ICT department were summarily dismissed on the orders of the state Governor, Mr. Samuel Ortom for capturing names of non staff on the payroll without following due process and authorization and subsequently collecting huge sums of money. The special Adviser further added that Ortom has directed that the offenders must face the wrath of the law and the funds collected must be refunded to the coffers of the state treasury. The former chairman

of Gwer West Local Council stated that conscious efforts are being made to sanitize and streamline the system and called for collective efforts of all and sundry to enable him achieve the feat. He maintained that the Governor who is also a former council chairman of Guma local government area of Benue state stressed that, “we are putting heads together to re- orientate the councils towards achieving the desired result” He noted that for local councils to perform maximally and achieve result there must be tenure elon-

gation adding that the two years added to the tenure of the council chairmen is not enough to make any concrete impact. He therefore advocated for a four years tenure for local councils so as to coincide with their governors buttressing that in such a situation meaningful achievement will be recorded while the tenure lasts. According to him, the claims in some quarters that he diverted N3 billion naira is not true adding that such insinuation is coming from his detractors who are envious of his sterling qualities .

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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Yuletide and imperative of safety rules SUNDAY ONYEMAECHI EZE

uletide, a season of hope, peace and joyful celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ all over the world, is again around the corner. The season and reason for the celebration means different things to different people. To most of Christians globally, the central theme of this occasion finds a place in the fulfillment of the word of God as vividly captured in Isaiah 9:6 “ For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father; Prince of Peace.” Jeremiah 33:14-16 also declared: “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will perform that good thing which I have promised unto the house of Israel and to the house of Judah. In those days, and at that time, will I cause the branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land. In those days shall Judah be saved, and Jerusalem shall dwell safely: and this is the name wherewith she shall be called, The Lord our righteousness.” For many others, Christmas is a time for celebration and reunion, etc. Two day to the D-Day, the world and Nigeria are looking forward to this annual Christian event. Many are billed to journey home to reunite with families, friends and well-wishers. In Nigeria, apart from elaborately celebrating its significance in the birth of the saviour of the world, the season is often characterised by huge

vehicular movement of people, goods and services within the length and breadth of the nation. However, the joy of the festive period is more often than not short-lived owing to some prevailing human and environmental circumstances. Therefore, before you embark on that journey to the waiting warm embrace of your family far away home this Christmas season, it will not be out of place to put the following factors into utmost consideration. Think safety first! A journey is considered safe only when passengers arrive safely to their various destinations. Nothing kills on Nigerian roads like over-speeding. The stipulated 8kph for passenger buses are flagrantly abused while 100kph for private vehicles are contemptuously ignored to the detriment of the passengers and the society. The law guiding speed limits should be strictly adhered to, while seat belts must always be put on when driving. The rate of road accidents recorded within the supposed joyous period is very alarming. The Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) said that “120 persons were killed in road accidents between 19 and 28, December, 2014. This happened just within an interval of ten days. Interestingly, the figure translates to 42 percent reduction when compared to 2013 figure of 208 within the same period.” The Commission should be commended for the successes achieved through conscentising road users on the dangers of road accidents and for bringing high level of sanity to our roads. Although the casualty figure has drastically reduced, more needs to be

S AFETY

ON THE

ROADS SHOULD BE THE CATCHPHRASE FOR ALL

N IGERIANS

done to save human lives from road carnages. Most road users, including drivers, should be abreast of traffic rules. Therefore, before a driver moves the vehicle he must be at home with the enabling traffic laws guiding his driving conduct. The literates who can read and interpret road signs should be allowed to acquire driver’s licence before plying our roads. It has been established that most road accidents are caused by impatience of the drivers and other road users. Garments of patience are recommended apparels for everyone when using the road. Drivers should be extremely cautious and possess defensive driving skills, which is “driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others.” It is a form of training for motor vehicle drivers that goes beyond mastery of the rules of the road and the basic mechanics of driving. Its aim is to reduce the risk of collision by anticipating dangerous situations, despite adverse conditions or the mistakes of others. Many drivers and transport operators desire to make much during Christmas, thus they embark on as many trips as possible. The unfortunate aftermath of impatience, which would have taken may be five seconds of restraint, often leads to untimely death, hospitalisation of accident victims, hospital bills, trau-

ma, litigation, which could take more than one month to finally address. When was the last time you serviced that car you intend to travel home with? The state of private or public vehicles on our roads is a cause for concern. Evidences of old and rickety vehicles, which have no business plying our roads, are common sights to behold. One wonders what a moving caskets they all really are. There is always a noticeable tendency of primitive accumulation of more wealth for the season. The society witnesses increase in the nefarious activities of armed robbers and ritualists, who are on the prowl to making evil money to prove that they have arrived. Moreover, unnecessary hike in the cost of goods and services unfortunately characterises the celebration of the birth of Christ. We have come to terms with the culture and make desperate effort to shop one or two weeks before the celebration because of the above anticipated upsurge in costs of goods and services. Christmas is a season of joy and Jesus Christ is the reason for the celebration. The above narratives demean the significances of the occasion. If one must drink and drive, it must be cold natural water. The state of mind of the driver goes a long way in shaping the fate of every journey. Safety on the roads should be the catchphrase for all Nigerians. Eze, a media and communications pecialist, wrote via sunnyeze02@ yahoo.com and can be reached on 08060901201

Of Ezeife, Ndi-Igbo, Buhari and others DELE OGUNDELE

NDIGBO SHOULD WEIGH THE OPTIONS OPEN TO

Continued from last Wednesday

t is unfortunate that instead of these influential elders of Ndigbo to coalesce their residual wisdom, rally their kith and kin, and map out a grand plan of action with which they could curry the love and handshakes of the rest of Nigerians for future solidarity should there arise an opportunity for one of theirs to have a shot at the presidency, they are preoccupied with creating enmity across the divides. This is why an urgent convergence of Ndigbo at home and in Diaspora is thus canvassed. It will not be out of place for them to address this barefaced blackmail of Nigeria’s state and the protruding poke at Nigeria’s sovereignty, which this Biafra distraction represents at this particular time that all hands ought to be on deck in support of Buhari administration’s reform programme aimed at redeeming Nigeria from the throes of corruption to which the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan plunged it. And this was a government, which the Igbos dominated while it lasted; yet no one threatened secession at the time, especially from the people who are now vociferous in the dismemberment of the country now! The history of Nigeria can never be told complete without the mention of the Ndigbo as regard their contributions to the foundation and present architecture of the country and its

THEM WITH CLARITY RATHER THAN RESORT TO BLACKMAIL OF THE REST OF NIGERIANS

politics. First and foremost, the Igbos have clinched a number of firsts in the making of Nigeria. It is on record that Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged as the first president of Nigeria during the first republic, just as General J.T.U Aguiyi-Ironsi was the very first beneficiary of the first coup d’état, when he became the first military head of state following the coup led by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, who like Azikiwe, was born and bred in the northern part of Nigeria. It is also on record that Ndigbo produced another illustrious son, Oxford University trained historian, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who later joined the Nigerian Army, where providence propelled him to become the very first army colonel from the Eastern Nigeria to later launch an insurrection against Nigeria. Ojukwu later abandoned the cause and ran away to Ivory Coast leaving his then second-in-command; General Philip Effiong, to follow through the surrender process to Nigeria, thus ending the first attempt at Biafran secession!

These were part of the history the Igbo want to efface from the history books and blur their youths’ reasoning with a view to making it appear as if Ndigbo were nobody, or that they are being victimized or persecuted in Nigeria. This is not true as they laid the foundation in part, upon which the tripod called Nigeria, is standing till date, whichever way one look at it. However, it was the promulgation of that obnoxious Decree 34 by General Aguiyi-Ironsi, which aimed at unifying Nigeria as a unitary state, that brought apprehension into the polity then, as the rest of the country considered it a strangulating instrument of domination. This formed the unitary structure in which the nation is mired till date, and the reason for Biafran secession evangelism now hurting the polity. Should the nation travel this course again? It is doubtful whether Ndigbo would conscientiously answer this in unison and in the affirmative. But if they should, then the option open to them should be through a refined methodmaybe a United Nations’ supervised referendum. However, it should be on the strength of this that the Federal Government should let in the UN to supervise the referendum, the result of which should be abided with by both parties. However, Ndigbo should weigh the options open to them with clarity rather than resort to blackmail of the rest of Nigerians. Indeed they should not in their weirdest imagination think they can rail-road their immediate neighbours into their cause this time around, especially the people of Cross-Rivers, Rivers, Akwa Ibom,

Bayelsa, and even Delta states; and indeed, the South-South collective, into hosting the flag of Biafra, as the same referendum will allow them to make known them preferences without any attempt at arm-twisting by the Biafran irredentists. Finally, well-meaning Nigerians, especially the Igbo elite including the respectable Dr. Ezeife, should climb down from their high horse and appraise the consequences of the current Biafra adventure by re-educating their wards, especially the youths who are too young or were never born during their first attempt at secession, to comprehend the fact files in the archives as regard Biafra; the journey of a 30-month civil war and how the nation arrived at the famous pronounced “No victor, No vanquished” doctrine, and the declaration of the ‘3Rs’ vis-à-vis their current attempt to exhume the skeletons of the past; the stench of which could cause untold endemic debacle. A word, according to the sage, is enough for the wise! Concluded Ogundele wrote from Lagos via informediatech@yahoo.com 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

Editorial

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

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

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

Buhari, Shettima on anti-Boko Haram doctrine

resident Muhammadu Buhari, early last week in Abuja, when he had audience with the new Ambassador of Ecuador to Nigeria, Mr. Leopoldo Rovayo Verdesoto, voiced his expectation that religious leaders in the country should do more to support Federal Government’s efforts to strip the Boko Haram violent sect of all its religious pretensions and fully expose the group as vicious terrorists having no moral or philosophical direction. “What we have succeeded in doing is to separate terrorism from religion…Now, people cannot relate with their relevance anymore and they are only associated with the destruction of lives and properties…” the President reportedly said. Last July, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, one of the North East theatres of Boko Haram’s killings, destruction and absurdities, expressing similar sentiments, said that Islamic scholars were not openly speaking on the issue for fear of being killed. Shettima spoke in Abuja at an event organised by the national secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ). The governor’s words: “Changing the ideology of the Boko Haram will require intellectual roles by leading Islamic scholars with mass appeal. It is most disturbing to note that today in northern Nigeria, there is no single Islamic

AS IT IS, THE

GOVERNMENT SHOULD, IN ADDITION TO THE ONGOING MILITARY

CAMPAIGN, DETERMINE PAST FAULT-LINES

THAT CAN QUICKLY BE REMEDIED scholar that preaches against the Boko Haram ideology, and the reason is because everyone is afraid. Leading scholars like Sheikh Jaafar Mahmud Adam and Sheikh Albani Zaria, who vehemently preached against the (Boko Haram) ideology have been killed. In Maiduguri, scholars like Sheikh Ibrahim Gomari, Malam Bashir Gomari and over 30 different scholars who were opposed to the Boko Haram ideology have all been killed”. He stressed the huge importance of identifying Islamic scholars with the intellectual depth and mass followership to change the Boko Haram narrative so that ‘young souls’ could be saved from listening to the sect. While we agree with Mr. President that knowledgeable Nigerians now view the insurgent group as basically rudderless ideologically, as well as lacking in morals and respect for human life, it is difficult, as yet, to accept the argument

that religion is no longer one of the major attractions that drive the group’s recruitments. What with the under-aged children that still run suicide-bombing missions for Boko Haram, despite the invigoration of military onslaughts against its members since the President’s assumption of office. The major setback, it does seem, is that the nation’s leadership at both federal and state levels acted late in tracing and punishing the obvious political roots of Boko Haram insurgence; as well as countering the brainwashing of ignorant youths/minors and indoctrinating them into a campaign of violence they hardly understand the basis, essence or can coherently defend. In December last year, a 13-yearold girl who said her parents handed her over to the Boko Haram sect for use as a suicide bomber was arrested by the Kano State police command, a practical demonstration of religious extremism and contempt for the life of one’s own child ostensibly borne out of ignorance and illiteracy even on the part of some parents. She was picked up after the December 10, 2014 double suicide bomb attacks by her co-female suicide bombers near a market in Kano, which claimed the lives of at least four people, with about seven others injured. The girl in her ‘hijab’ when arrested, was still wearing

ON THIS DAY December 23, 2003 The PetroChina Chuandongbei natural gas field explosion occurred in Guoqiao, Kai County, Chongqing, China, killing at least 234 people. PetroChina Company Limited is a Chinese oil and gas company and is the listed arm of state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), headquartered in Dongcheng District, Beijing. It is China’s biggest oil producer. It is traded in the Hong Kong and New York stock exchange markets.

December 23, 2007

An agreement was made for the Kingdom of Nepal to be abolished and the country turned to a federal republic, with the Prime Minister becoming the head of state. The Kingdom of Nepal was formed in 1768 by the unification of Nepal. Founded by King Prithvi Narayan Shah, a Gorkhali monarch, it existed for 240 years until the abolition of the Nepalese monarchy in 2008. Nepal was formally under the rule of the Shah dynasty.

explosives that had not yet gone off. Indeed, it appears while Boko Haram was busy catching them young and violently digging in, the leadership busied itself with politics and underestimated the group’s capabilities until the chicken came home to roost. We recall, too, the outburst of Second Republic politician, Alhaji Isyaku Ibrahim, in 2012 in response to scathing criticisms against the perceived silence of elders from the North while the violent Islamist sect was on the rampage. “The government is economical with the truth when they say they do not know the originators of Boko Haram…I would not blame northern leaders because Borno leaders who really have the inside information find it difficult to talk for the fear of being attacked”, the politician told a national newspaper in an interview. Many mistakes have already been made in the name of tackling the menace in the past. As it is, the government should, in addition to the ongoing military campaign, determine past fault-lines that can quickly be remedied. If the intervention of Islamic clerics is one of them, those of them needed should be identified, given adequate security and put to task. Crying over spilled milk or sounding indeterminate this time is not acceptable.

December 23, 2010 A monsoonal trough crossed the northeastern coast of Australia from the Coral Sea, bringing mass flooding across Queensland. The floods forced the evacuation of thousands of people from towns and cities. At least 70 towns and over 200,000 people were affected. Damage initially was estimated at around A$1 billion before it was raised to $2.38 billion. The estimated reduction in Australia’s GDP was about A$30 billion.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing Fatal eﬀects of alcohol

Diarrhoeal diseases kill 500 children daily in Sub-Saharan 21 Africa –UNICEF

Cardiac arrest: when the heart stops SAM EFERARO

here were conflicting reports about the sudden death, on November 22, of Abubakar Audu, fomer Kogi State Governor and APC governorship candidate for the 2015 election. While it was rumoured that he only complained of stomach cramps the previous day, there was another account that he suffered a stroke twice and died while being rushed to the hospital. What was not in contention however, was that he appeared “hale and Hearty” while casting his votes on Saturday November 22 and no one who saw him on Television that afternoon would believe that was going to be his last moment on earth. Audu thus joined the growing number of Nigerians that had succumbed to sudden death. There was late General Sani Abacha who did not show any sign of ill health on Sunday June 7, 1998 but suddenly dropped dead on Monday June 8. Also, Soccer star Sam Okwaraji actually played for 76 minutes at the National Stadium, Surulere in a World Cup qualification match between Nigeria and Angola on August 12, 1989 before he suddenly dropped dead. There was also the renowned philanthropist, politician and business magnate, M.K.O Abiola who collapsed and died on July 7, 1998 on the day he was due to be released from incarceration, even when witnesses swore he was in good spirit and quite “healthy” minutes before he fell. The list is becoming endless. Although the cause death for most Nigerian victims of sudden death is not often stated, a large number have been traced to cardiac arrest - a heart condition that snuffs life out of its victims abruptly and almost without notice. Just what could make this organ break down so suddenly, terminating the life of a man in his prime? Why does sudden death syndrome appears to be on the increase in the country? Just what is cardiac arrest and why is it such a deadly condition? One needs to understand the functions of the organ to appreciate why it’s so crucial to man’s existence. Prof. Wale Oke, a physician/cardiologist and Chief Medical Director, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) in an interview likens the heart to a water pump which pumps water to the home for its many uses. Like the water pump, the heart pumps blood to various parts and organs of the body. It contains muscles and nerves which it uses to pump blood to the lungs for oxygenation and also to other organs such as the brain, kidneys

Late Abacha

Late Audu

and even the heart itself. According to him, a cardiac arrest occurs when there’s a sudden stoppage of this function and virtually all the parts of the body are deprived of blood. There are many factors that could cause such a sudden abruption to the function of the heart. Prof. Oke says the commonest cause of cardiac arrest in Nigeria is muscle problem commonly referred to as heart attack or Myocardial Infarction in medical parlance. It occurs when the arteries supplying the heart with blood is blocked. When this occurs, the area covered by the arteries is automatically deprived of blood and if a large area of the blood is affected, the heart dies. The cardiologist also lists very irregular heart beat or very fast electrical activities of the heart, very slow heart rate, electrical shock and drowning as factors which may result in cardiac arrest Then, there is the problem of hypertension which he says affects ten to twelve percent of the Nigerian ‘population and which has been identified as another common cause of cardiac arrest and also stress which he says contributes, to a large extent, to the incidents of cardiac arrest but which unfortunately is not usually reckoned with by most people. Other causes of cardiac arrest include cigarette smoking, sedentary life style, obesity, diabetes, and excessive amount of cholesterol in the blood known as hypercholesterolaemia in medical parlance. Certain conditions which can predispose secondary hypercholesterolaemia like nephrotic syndrome, a kidney problem characterised by swelling of the body and liver cirrhosis – hardening of the liver are all conditions which may lead to cardiac arrest when they are not properly managed. “Anybody with these conditions

Late Okwaraji

ALTHOUGH THE CAUSE DEATH FO FOR MOST NIGERIAN

VICTIMS OF SUDD SUDDEN DEATH IS NOT OFT OFTEN STATED, A LARG LARGE

NUMBER HAVE BE BEEN TRACED TO CARDI CARDIAC ARREST should be mindful of the fact that he is predisposed to cardiac arrest, Prof. Oke says. Like late Audu, most victims of sudden death, are usually believed to have been “hale and hearty” before their death. But the cardiologist says a victim of cardiac arrest is likely to have experienced some symptoms days or hours before it strikes. Notable among such symptoms is chest pain or angina. The individual, according to him may feel a crushing chest pain on exertion which may spread to the arm or jaw and he may sometimes feel dizzy or faint. These will however disappear after some rest but it may get to a stage where the pain gets so bad that he does not feel better even if he rests. According to the cardiologist, the chances of an attack increases as the

pain gets worse. Some patients may experience these signs two days before an attack, he says. Prof. Oke says cardiac arrest can be both reversible and irreversible. “This will depend on who is there to help,” he says. According to him, anyone experiencing a cardiac arrest requires Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) immediately to prevent an imminent damage-to the heart, lung, kidney and brain. CPR is a basic emergency procedure for life support consisting of artificial respiration and manual external cardiac massage. Although it is necessary in cases of cardiac arrest to establish effective circulation and ventilation in order to prevent irreversible cerebral damage. Like most killer diseases, cardiac arrest can also be prevented. All it takes, according to the cardiologist is a conscious effort by everyone to keep the heart in a good condition all the time. Indeed, Prof. Oke says we cannot afford to neglect any organ of the body, not to talk of the heart. Thus to keep the heart trouble-free, the cardiologist recommends that individuals should maintain a healthy routine. “Exercise and lose weight, if you are overweight, if you are hypertensive, see your doctor and check your blood pressure regularly at least every six months, cut down on cigarette smoking, sugar consumption and watch the amount of fat you eat.” Experts are also called for a policy that will compel every ac¬tive adult to have a regu¬lar comprehensive medical check at least once a year while people with hypertension or diabetes are encouraged to embark on such checks more regularly. Also, The Federal government has been urged to consider the inclusion of medical checkup as one of the benefits of the national health insurance scheme.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Nutrition for Health

ceae family, with botanical name known as Musa paradisiaca of plants along with plantains. Edible bananas originated in the Indo-Malaysian region reaching to northern Australia and other parts of the world. Commercially, it is one of the widely cultivated crops in the tropical and subtropical regions Bananas are natural performance enhancers and energy booster. A recent study, found that consuming half a banana every 15 minutes during a cycling time trial test was as effective as drinking a carbohydrate matched sports drink every 15 minutes. Bananas are a perfect fuel for athletes because they not only provide the carbs your muscles need, they also have the antioxidants that hat may help speed up recovery. Banana fruit provides ides many important health h benefiting anti-oxidants such as vitamin A, which is vital for protecting your eyes and normal vision and also lessens risk of night blindness. Vitamin n C, which helps to increase e resistance against infec--

Chizoba Benson chizobanwobu@yahoo.com 08120807588 (sms only)

banana or two each day keeps the doctor away because of its numerous health benefits. According to nutritionist Michael Van Straten, author of The Healthy Food Directory, “bananas are very healthy because they can alleviate 14 medical conditions, including diarrhea, fatigue, heartburn, insomnia, nausea, menstrual problems, kidney problems, fluid retention, and circulatory problems”. All of these factors combined make the banana a “super food” that forms an integral part of a healthy daily routine. The Banana is a seedless edible fruit that is loved by many all over the world. People love this fruit because of its aroma, natural sweet taste, a great source of natural energy, a fruit that comes in a germ proof safety package, and easy to eat. One important aspect of bananas is that it is cheap and readily available throughout the year unlike other fruits. Banana belongs to the Musa-

Health benefits of banana

tious diseases and scavenge harmful free radicals. Bananas are a good source of iron, which reduces symptoms associated with anemia including fatigue, dizziness, headaches, shortness of breath and a rapid heartbeat. Fresh bananas provides adequate levels of other minerals such as copper, which is responsible in the production of red blood cells; magnesium which is essential for bone strengthening and has a cardiac –protective role and manganese which is utilized by the body as a co-factor for antioxidant enzyme. Bananas are one of the best sources of potassium, an essential mineral which maintains proper heart function and regulates normal blood pressure, neuromuscular function, suppresses calcium excretion in urine which can lead to kidney stones, and reduces the risk of developing osteoporosis. A further research by New England Jour nal

of Medicine suggests that “eating bananas regularly in your diet can cut your risk of having stroke by up to 40%”. Banana is high in vitamins B6 which regulates blood sugar levels and help your overall mood especially during menstruation. Banana serves as a good source of soluble dietary fibre that prevents constipation and diarrhea due to their richness in pectin, that can normalize movement through the digestive tract and ease constipation. They prevent intestinal disorders like ulcers, because it contains compounds that seem to create a thicker protective barrier in the stomach against hydrochloric acid. Bananas have a chemical called tryptophan (a mood regulating substance). Daily consumption of bananas could help us overcome depression, reov duces stress, stres improve our appetite and helps to regulate good sleep patterns as a result of this mood regulating substance. The ripe banana is utilized in a multitude of o ways in the human diet, from simply being peeled, mashed and incorpom rated into ice cream, or r thinly sliced and cooked t with lemon juice and w sugar to make jam or s

Periodontal disease linked to breast cancer

eriodontal disease is a common condition that ranges from simple gum inflammation to a serious disease causing major damage to the soft tissue and bone that support the teeth, and loss of teeth. It has also been associated with heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as oral, esophageal,

head and neck, pancreatic and lung cancers. Previous studies have suggested that chronic inflammation could provide the link. Risk factors for periodontal disease include genetic predisposition, smoking and hormonal changes in girls and women, which can make gums more sensitive so that it is easier for gingivi-

tis to develop. People with reduced ability to fight infection due to diseases such as diabetes or treatment for cancer are also prone. Medications that limit the flow of saliva can also leave the mouth vulnerable to infections. Regular brushing, flossing and cleaning by the dentist can help to prevent it.

Researchers led by Jo L. Freudenheim, PhD, distinguished professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Environmental Health in the University at Buffalo’s School of Public Health and Health Professions, NY, set out to investigate if there was any relationship with breast cancer. The team monitored

Drinking coffee reduces chance of early death unclear, the research team believe the drink could reduce someone’s risk of death by “favourably affecting inflammation, lung function, insulin sensitivity and depression.”

rinking a certain amount of coffee each day might reduce your risk of heart disease and early death, reveals a new research. Coffee drinkers who drink four to five cups a day had the lowest risk of death from a whole host of causes, including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, influenza and even suicide. Those who drank two

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The team looked at the coffee habits and health of 90,317 adults who joined the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial between 1998-2001.

sauce, or may be used in salad together with other fruits. According to H.K. Bakhru in his book: The natural way to good health stated that, “the flour prepared from dried unripe banana is three times much richer in minerals than wheat flour. It is also more digestible than cereals and an ideal food for infants and invalids”. Banana skins have been used externally to treat skin conditions like acne, insect bites, burns, wounds, etc. It gives immediate relief. The skins or banana peals are also a good form of fertilizer in our gardens. When storing banana, unripe bananas should not be placed in the refrigerator as this will interrupt the ripening process. If you need to hasten the ripening process, you can place bananas in a paper bag or wrap them in newspaper, adding an apple to accelerate the process. For the most antioxidants, eat fully ripened banana fruit. The only downside with bananas is that some people may become constipated. If this is the case, then maybe you can mix your bananas with other fruits like papaya and watermelon to loosen your bowels. Taking in lots of water also helps.

SCIENCE

Compiled by Franka Osakwe 73,737 postmenopausal women who were enrolled in the Women’s Health Initiative Observational Study. None of the women had previous breast cancer, but 26.1% of them had periodontal disease. Periodontal disease raises risk of breast cancer by 14 per cent. Previous studies have suggested that smoking impacts the development of periodontal disease, so the researchers took smoking status into account. After a mean followup time of 6.7 years, 2,124 women were diagnosed with breast cancer. The researchers found that among all women, the risk of breast

cancer was 14% higher in those who had periodontal disease. Among women who had quit smoking within the past 20 years, those with periodontal disease had a 36% higher risk of breast cancer. Women who were smoking at the time of the study had a 32% higher risk of breast cancer if they had periodontal disease, but the association was not statistically significant. Those who had never smoked had a 6% increased risk, and those who had quit more than 20 years ago had an 8% increased risk if they had periodontal disease.

Standing up for 5 min could prevent diabetes

to three cups a day also had a lower risk of death, as did individuals who drank decaffeinated coffee or consumed coffee additives. The team even discovered that consuming four to five cups of coffee, about 400mg of caffeine, was not linked to any long-term health risks. Although exactly how coffee consumption lowers mortality risk is still

tanding up for just five minutes at a time could prevent diabetes, research suggests. The breakthrough says unhealthy lifestyles have put millions at risk of developing the Type 2 version. The findings add to growing evidence that sitting still for long periods could be putting millions at risk of serious illness. Previous research has shown standing up at regu-

lar intervals could help to ward off obesity and heart disease. Dr Joseph Henson, of the Leicester Diabetes Centre which carried out the research, said: “We are the first study to show simply standing at regular intervals during the course of the day significantly reduces diabetes risk.” Tests were carried out on 22 overweight or obese women at high risk of Type

2 diabetes. Researchers found that interrupting periods of prolonged sitting with five minutes of standing every 30 minutes reduced spikes in sugar levels after breakfast and lunch by 34 per cent. This was similar to the 28 per cent fall triggered by walking. Insulin concentrations fell by 20 per cent when standing, compared with 37 per cent for walking.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Diarrhoeal diseases kill 500 children daily in Sub-Saharan Africa –UNICEF

round 180,000 children under 5 years old die every year – roughly 500 a day – in subSaharan Africa due to diarrhoeal diseases linked to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), UNICEF said ahead of a conference in Dakar on financing

for the sector. “With children dying every single day, with millions stunted, with such a huge economic toll, it cannot be business as usual,” said UNICEF Regional Director for West & Central Africa Manuel Fontaine. “The pace of progress has to speed up ex-

ponentially – and it’s going to take strong policies; robust financing; and a major shift in priorities among those who have the power to act.” Currently, nearly half of the global population without access to improved drinking water lives in subSaharan Africa and some 700

million people in the region lack access to improved sanitation. With a population which has nearly doubled in the last 25 years, access to sanitation only increased by 6 percentage points and to water by 20 percentage points across the region in the same period, leaving mil-

L-R: Guest speaker from Alliance in Motion Incorporation, Dr. Rashidat Ameen Mubarak; Guest lecturer and Chief radiation therapist , College of Medicine, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, Dr. Omobolaji Saba and President, Jama at ul Islamiyya of Nigeria, Arch. Taofiq Agbaje during a seminar on cancer prevention and management organised by Jama at ul Islamiyya in Lagos, recently.

HERFON tasks Nasarawa state on FP, Child health FRANKA OSAKWE

ealth Reform Organization of Nigeria (HERFON) has urged the Nasarawa State government to address the issue of family planning, routine immunization, Nutrition and child killer diseases (Diarrhoea and pneumonia) to ensure better child and family health and the reduction of maternal mortality in the state. The organisation’s Programme Manager (headquarters) Dr. Adeleke Oluwaseun made the appeal

during an advocacy visit by HERFON in collaboration with the Partnership for Advocacy in Child and Family Health (PACFaH) to the State Deputy Governor, Hon. Silas Agara recently to facilitate the allocation and release of funds for family planning services in the state. Dr. Oluwaseun told the Deputy Governor that the state had family planning unmet need of 20.8%. According to her only N250, 000 was released in 2014 out of the allocation of N40, 000,000 in the state budget for 2012, 2013 and 2014. “The stunting rates for

children under-five years according to NDHS 2013 reveals the poor status of nutrition in the state and also revealed that the state has the highest rate of childhood diarrheal death rate among the seven North Central States,” he said. He further stressed the importance of allocation and timely release of funds to address these four issues as the only way of reducing the current health indices and saving the mothers from preventable causes of death. The team also advocated for the adoption of amoxicillin dispersible tablets as first

line treatment for pneumonia, and scale-up of Zinc/ ORS use for diarrhea treatment. In response to these request, The Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Hon. Silas Agara applauded PACFaH for selecting Nasarawa state as one of her focal states. He said the state government had ensured that all primary health care (PHC) facilities were coordinated and operational under the State Primary Health Care Development Agency SPHCDA under the PHCUOR initiative.

‘Indomie Santa’ visits Gbagada General Hospital

... Donates medical equipment SAIDAT ALAUSA

s a way of showing love and care to its core brand loyalists, the children, during this festive season, ‘Indomie special Santa’ paid a surprise visit to the Paediatrics unit of the Gbagada General Hospital to present gift items to the children in the hospital while also donating some medical equipment to the unit. The Indomie Santa surprise visit is an initiative of the Dufil Prima Foods, makers of the Indomie

noodles brand, to express and extend the love and joy of the season to those who, due to health challenges or difficulty cannot join their peers in the celebration. Speaking during the visit, The Head, Public Relations and Event Manager, Dufil Prima Foods Plc, Mr. Tope Ashiwaju, stated that the visit to the hospital was to celebrate with children who were admitted at the hospital and also to bring the celebration of Christmas to them on the sick bed. He said, “In the spirit of this season, the management

and staff of Dufil Prima Foods plc wants everyone to have something to cheer about during this festive season. “In as much as they are indisposed, they would have loved to be on their feet in their respective homes celebrating, Indomie Santa decided to pay them a surprise visit, in order to felicitate with them and also to present gift items to them and their mothers.” Ashiwaju further announced the donation of some medical equipment to the hospital. According to him, “We cannot leave government alone to the devel-

opment of our society. Corporate organisations should come on board to assist in their own little ways.” Receiving the medical equipment, the Medical Director, Gbagada General Hospital, Dr. Tayo Lawal, expressed management’s delight for the gesture and also for considering the hospital appropriate for the surprise visit. “We are grateful to Dufil Prima Foods for their kind gesture and we hope other corporate bodies will toll the path of Dufil in collaborating with the government’s drive for a healthy society.”

lions behind. UNICEF said that without speedy action, the situation can drastically worsen within the next 20 years, as rapidly rising populations outstrip the efforts of governments to provide essential services. For example, the number of people in the region who defecate in the open is higher now than it was in 1990. Meanwhile, open defecation has been linked to an increase in stunting among children. UN estimates are that global economic losses due to inadequate water, sanitation and hygiene amount to $260 billion per year. As the sub-region with the worst access, West and Central Africa carries a significant portion of this burden. No country in West and Central Africa has universal access to improved drinking water. According to the UNICEF/WHO Joint Monitoring Programme Report 2015, the highest coverage rates are in Sao Tome & Principe (97%), Gabon (93%) and Cabo Verde

(92%). At the other end of the spectrum there are countries where roughly half the population do not have access, with the lowest rates in Equatorial Guinea (48%), Chad (51%) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (52%). Access to sanitation is even more challenging. In the countries with the best coverage, as many as 1 in 4 persons still lack adequate sanitation. Equatorial Guinea (75%), Cabo Verde (72%), and Gambia (59%) are the top three in terms of access. The lowest coverage is in Niger (11%), Togo (12%), and Chad (12%). However, funding for the WASH sector is uneven and insufficient. No African country has allocated more than 0.5 per cent of GDP to WASH. Meanwhile, of the US$3.8 billion Overseas Development Aid (ODA) allocated for WASH in 2012, approximately three-quarters went to water, and the remaining quarter to sanitation.

... as over 16 million babies born into conflict in 2015

ore than 16 million babies were born in conflict zones in 2015 – 1 in 8 of all births worldwide this year – UNICEF said last week, a figure that underscores the vulnerability faced by increasing numbers of children. “Every two seconds, a newborn takes its first breath in the midst of conflict, often in terrifying circumstances and without access to medical care,” said UNICEF Executive Director Anthony Lake. “Too many children are now starting their lives in extreme circumstances – from conflict to natural disasters, poverty, disease or malnutrition. Can there be a worse start in life?” In conflict-affected countries such as Afghanistan, the Central African Republic, Iraq, South Sudan, Syria and Yemen, or on perilous journeys to escape fighting, newborn children and their mothers face enormous risks. Pregnant mothers are in danger of giving birth without medical help and in unsanitary conditions. Their children are more likely to die before they reach their fifth birthdays and to experience extreme – or “toxic”

– stress, which can inhibit their long-term emotional and cognitive development. In addition to conflict, poverty, the effects of climate change and lack of opportunity are making children increasingly vulnerable and have pushed millions on dangerous journeys away from their homes. • More than 200,000 children applied for asylum in European Union countries in the first nine months of 2015, adding to the 30 million children across the globe forced from their homes by 2014 due to war, violence and persecution. More people are displaced now than at any moment since World War II. • More than a quarter of a billion children – or 1 in 9 – live in countries and areas in conflict and face enormous obstacles to their health, education and well-being. • More than half a billion children live in areas where floods are extremely common and nearly 160 million live in high or extremely high drought severity zones. • Children represent almost half of all people living in extreme poverty although they make up roughly a third of the world’s population.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Fatal effects of alcohol – binge drinking linked with liver damage, heart disease, cancer, bone disease, inflamed pancreas, irritated stomach, type 2 diabetes, anxiety, depression and several others

FRANKA OSAKWE

wenty one-year-old Obinna, one of the patients at the male ward E-5, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), is currently battling with liver cancer. With a protruding stomach and yellow eyes, he will give anything to be free of his pains, especially the ones in his stomach. According to a Consultant Oncologist and Radiotherapist at LUTH, Dr. Muhammed Habeebe, Obinna’s problem is caused by chronic alcohol that overtime resulted in liver cancer as well as scarring of the liver. The physician told National Mirror that Obinna would require surgery to remove the part of his liver already damaged by cancer. He is lucky that his tumour is small so he will not be needing a liver transplant, Dr. Habeebe further said. Obinna’s friend who visited him at the ward narrated to National Mirror how alcohol consumption became a past time they could not resist on a daily basis. The young man who simply identified himself as Emmanuel, expressed remorse at the behaviour which has caused his friend his present predicament. Prior to his illness, Obinna and his friend would usually hang out every evening at the Suya spot on Ajao lane, off Awolowo road, Ikeja, smoking and drinking until dawn. “First we go take Skushi (a cocktail mixture of weed, whiskey, brandy with cucumber), then we go buy weed join am dey smoke. Because the drink dey expensive, about N1,500 for one glass, we normally buy the local gin known as Ogogoro”, he said. According to Emmanuel, he is presently out of job because of his drinking problem and is now trying to turn a new leaf. While Obinna and his friend battle to salvage their life from the effect of alcohol and binge drinking, many others are not even alive to tell their tales. It will be recalled that around April this year, a total of 18 and 38 people were said to have died in Ondo and River State State respectively after consuming Ogogoro said to contain high level of methanol. Despite being banned by the federal government few months ago, the drink still sells everywhere across the country. The incident and the ban have however not stopped many young people from taking the drink. At the popular “Under Bridge” in Ikeja, Lagos for instance, Street

urchins or “area boys” and commercial bus drivers could be seen as early as 5am every day, soaking themselves to stupor with ogogoro and marijuana. According to a virologist and Associate Professor of Medicine, Dr. Rotimi Samuel, methanol is extremely poisonous. As little as two tablespoons could deadly for a young person while about one cup could end the life of an adult. He said the symptoms of methanol poisoning include abdominal pain, coma, intestinal bleeding, slowed breathing, slurred speech, stupor, inability to walk normally and vomiting. The short-term

health effects of its abuse, according to the expert include a hangover and a bad night’s sleep while the long-term health effects usually come when it is too late, resulting in body organ failure. Speaking on the effect of excess alcohol drinks, a public health specialist and General Practitioner, Dr. Ibrahim Ogunbi, said drinking to excess can have many adverse effects on anyone’s health, including increasing their chances of liver damage, heart disease, cancer, bone disease, inflamed pancreas, irritated stomach, type 2 diabetes, anxiety and depression. “Heavy drinking can also cause blood pressure to

• Worldwide, 3.3 million deaths every year result from harmful use of alcohol,2 this represent 5.9 % of all deaths. • The harmful use of alcohol is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions. • Overall 5.1 % of the global burden of disease and injury is attributable to alcohol, as measured in disability- adjusted life years (DALYs).3 • Alcohol consumption causes death and disability relatively early in life. In the age group 20 – 39 years approximately 25 % of the total deaths are alcohol-attributable. • There is a causal relationship between harmful use of alcohol and a range of mental and behavioural disorders, other noncommunicable conditions as well as injuries. • The latest causal relationships have been established between harmful drinking and incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as the course of HIV/AIDS. • Beyond health consequences, the harmful use of alco-

hol brings significant social and economic losses to individuals and society at large. Alcohol is a psychoactive substance with dependence-producing properties that has been widely used in many cultures for centuries. The harmful use of alcohol causes a large disease, social and economic burden in societies. Alcohol impacts people and societies in many ways and it is determined by the volume of alcohol consumed, the pattern of drinking, and, on rare occasions, the quality of alcohol consumed. In 2012, about 3.3 million deaths, or 5.9 % of all global deaths, were attributable to alcohol consumption. The harmful use of alcohol can also result in harm to other people, such as family members, friends, coworkers and strangers. Moreover, the harmful use of alcohol results in a significant health, social and economic burden on society at large. Alcohol consumption is a causal factor in more than 200 disease and injury conditions. Drinking alcohol is associated with a risk of developing health problems such as mental and behavioural disorders,

rise. Over time, this effect can become chronic. High blood pressure can lead to many other health problems, including kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke. “Drinking can suppress the immune system, providing a toehold for infections, including tuberculosis, pneumonia, HIV/AIDS, and other sexually transmitted diseases (including some that cause infertility). Again, People who drink heavily also are more likely to engage in risky sex. Heavy drinking is associated with a three-fold increase in the risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease”, he said. A Professor of oncology, Remi

Alcohol Fact File including alcohol dependence, major noncommunicable diseases such as liver cirrhosis, some cancers and cardiovascular diseases, as well as injuries resulting from violence and road clashes and collisions. A significant proportion of the disease burden attributable to alcohol consumption arises from unintentional and intentional injuries, including those due to road traffic crashes, violence, and suicides, and fatal alcohol-related injuries tend to occur in relatively younger age groups. The latest causal relationships are those between harmful drinking and incidence of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis as well as the course of HIV/AIDS. Alcohol consumption by an expectant mother may cause fetal alcohol syndrome and pre-term birth complications. Ways to reduce the burden from harmful use of alcohol The health, safety and socioeconomic problems attributable to alcohol can be effectively reduced and requires actions on the levels, patterns and contexts of alcohol

Ajekigbe, also confirmed the dangerous link between alcohol consumption and cancer. “This risk increases for people who combines the drink with tobacco use,” he told National Mirror. “For women, the more alcohol a woman drinks, the higher her risk of developing cancer. Several types of cancer caused by alcohol includes cancers of the liver, bowel, breast, mouth, oesophagus and larynx,” Ajekigbe said. Scientists believe the increased risk comes when the body converts alcohol into acetaldehyde, a potent carcinogen. Abuse of hard liqour has also been linked with the cause of major road accidents in Nigeria. A safety expert and chairman, Institute of Safety Professionals of Nigeria (ISPON) Lagos Branch, Timothy Iwuagwu said: ‘This can become very dangerous especially if you’re driving a car. You could have just one mixed cocktail of hard liquor and that could be equal to having consumed four beers in a relatively short period of time. According to him, hard liquors such as Ogogoro, Skushi, Brandy, Rum, Whisky, Vodka, Gin, Tequila are distilled alcohol that contains about 40-90 per cent alcohol. This he said, causes people to drink above the alcohol limit. “So, just be careful when drinking all types of hard alcohol. If you have a history of addiction, then this is something you need to avoid all together. If you can drink socially, be aware of the proportions that you drinking and the actual amount of all alcohol that you are consuming. In this way you can avoid the trouble of committing manslaughter,” he advised.

consumption and the wider social determinants of health. Countries have a responsibility for formulating, implementing, monitoring and evaluating public policies to reduce the harmful use of alcohol. Substantial scientific knowledge exists for policy-makers on the effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of the following strategies: • regulating the marketing of alcoholic beverages (in particular to younger people); • regulating and restricting availability of alcohol; • enacting appropriate drink-driving policies; • reducing demand through taxation and pricing mechanisms; • raising awareness of public health problems caused by harmful use of alcohol and ensuring support for effective alcohol policies; • providing accessible and affordable treatment for people with alcohol-use disorders; and • implementing screening and brief interventions programmes for hazardous and harmful drinking in health services.

– Courtesy: WHO

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Arts Lounge

Excitement as BON 2015 holds

Dad never opposed my choice of career –May7ven

Carnival Calabar: Countdown to fun, glitz

Calabar, the capital of Cross River State, is wearing a new look, as visitors besiege the city, in search of fun. RichaRd Ndoma

he population density of the capital city of Calabar,Cross River State would soon astronomically increase to a greater proportion following the influx of visitors who are bound to troop into the city if not to catch fun but at least, to ease the boredom and tension which may have accumulated in their body systems from hassles of life. But those following with trends of the yearly “Africa biggest street party” say that the festival isn’t only a rendezvous for fun seekers but a ceremony that can help those with high blood pressure cool their nerves. Medical research claimed that apart from the fact that the Carnival Calabar festival can help tourists to come and learn and acquaint themselves with the rich and good cultural Heritage and expensive cuisine of the Efik people, this year’s celebration is going to help douse tension in the body of those who participate in the street party given the fact that the festival is going to be celebrated amidst laughter precipitated from hilarious scenes which are going to be created by notable comedians Akpororo, Bovi, ChiGal, Last Prophet and Robi Ekpo who have promised to make the carnival celebrators laugh their nerves to scorn. 2Face Idibia, Iyanya and Chidinma are among the Nigeria musical icons that will perform to entertain the audience at the musical entertainment galore. Resident DJ like DJ Waxxy, One Local DJ with one home grown artist would be among the entertainers to make the audience happy at the entertainment night to be led by Laffmattazz music and comedy at the stadium at exactly 8pm. However the Children Carnival is slated to hold at the Tinapa Water Parks at the Tinapa Business and Leisure Resort. Government said it had to shift the climax of the event which was supposed to hold on December 27 to 28 of this month given the fact that 27 is a Sunday so as not to coincide with church activities. The Commissioner for Information, Rosemary Archibong who disclosed this while fielding questions from journalists said that state government decided to change the venue from the Botany Garden along the Mary Slessor Avenue to the Tinapa Water Parks to avoid children roaming the streets of the metropolis. The Commissioner however dispelled allegations speculated by government`s crit-

ics that state government was scared of the criminality on-going at the Botanical Garden and that was why government took the carnival to the Tinapa. Meanwhile government had perfected a very sophisticated strategy to beef up security at the Christmas Carnival village to tackle the scare of “Skolombo boys”which brought fear to Calabar residents. The Commissioner called for objective contribution to the Ayade government and stressed that present administration is very poised to encourage economic activities adding that government was fully prepared to promote and market the state to the outside world through the Carnival festival to woe investors into the state. Archibong maintained that even though the state had gone through a lot of stress despite the loss of the state value system effort was on top gear to re-orientate the people to revive the value system. “We don’t want people to be saying government is their own and not our own, we want to adopt the culture of running the government in a good way”, she said. The information Commissioner maintained that one of the policy thrust of the Prof. Ben Ayade`s led- administration is to create room for objective contribution by the people of the state to governance. Speaking on the theme of the 2016 Carnival; Climate Change given the fact that climate change has in recent times posed a lot of problems to people within the West African sub-region said that this year`s carnival is going to witness beauty queens who would throng Calabar from Brazil, Burundi, aside Chinese acrobats. Other side attractions in the carnival festival would include power bike riders who would display their riding prowess to win prizes which has to do with the fastest bike man, loudest bike adding that Governor Ayade is going to lead a particular band called the Governors Band with all the beautiful queens who would be displayed on that band adding that government has done “Umombong”where all would thronged to the palace of Obong of Calabar to pay homage to the Efik monarch. Already the Governor of the state, Prof. Ben Ayade has promised to boost the Christmas festival with new offerings with several innovations like competition of power bikers who will showcase their riding prowess to enable them grab prizes making it possible for the fastest, loudest and most decorated biker to smile home with a star prize that when translated into naira and kobo can afford to make such a winner rest his nerves at home for some months before resuming back to the street to hustle again to fend for himself.

Calabar-carnival

Street parade at Carnval Calabar

“In his avowed determination and commitment to improve upon the annual Calabar Christmas Festival, Ayade, has introduced innovations and exciting offerings in line with international standards” said the Commissioner for information in the state Barr.Rosemary Archibong. Already, the Christmas Village, which is one of the centres of attraction and the carnival hot spot at the Calabar Municipal Council Square, had already been moved to the Old Calabar Botanical Garden, Mary Slessor Avenue by Target Road, which has natural tree canopies and green environment in accordance with the spirit of the 2015 theme for the festival: “Climate Change”.The scenerio has changed completely wearing a new look as thousands of persons do thronged to this beautiful garden on daily basis to catch their fun with their loved ones. Because of the carnival festival which is fast approaching and slated to kick-start on the December 28,the carnival village has become a cynosure of Calabar.The street lights which had some time in the past function at an epileptic way has been activated, the lighting system are now in order. On daily basis heavily armed police men are seen parading themselves within that vicinity just to scare the hoodlums and keep them at bay from launching attack or to steal from visitors to the village. Activities of pick pockets had been curtailed and viewed with an eagle eye by

The Carnival Calabar is made up of six CompeTing bands

all forms of security agents. The police authority said that they are fully in charge boasting that security had been beefed up and ready for any show down with hoodlums who want to tempt the authorities of the police. As one of the ways to boost this year`s festival celeberation, the state government through the Cross River Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Barr.Mrs Rose Archibong in a statement which she recently issued in Calabar stated that the Government has initiated exciting offerings to add colour to the street party. Already, the festival managers had commenced with town and street lighting and expensive decorations of major streets in strategic locations which include the famous Eleven Eleven Calabar Cenotaph, Rabana Roundabout, the Presidential Roundabout, Etta Agbor and Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida Roundabout to increase the aesthetic value of the city. Other side attractions to be witnessed by fun lovers include, Cultural Parade CCQ to be hosted by IK (Big Brother) Munachi (former Most Beautiful Girl in Nigeria Queen) again artistes like Omawumi, Timi Dakolo, Darey Art Alade with DJ Jimmy Jatt, as one home grown artiste will be on hand to spice up the Apart from wonders on wheels there is also going to be a night party of Africa`s Got Talent at the U.J Esuene Stadium, with artistes like KCee, Harrysong and Chocolate City’s group (Ice Prince, MI and Victoria Kamana).while the festival of carols and nine lessons will also be celebrated at the Eleven Eleven Cenotaph and rounded off with various choirs.

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VOICES

Cultural imperatives in national orientation

Ayakoroma Barclays ayakoroma

igerians have developed an insatiable love for foreign building concepts. Apart from the unnecessary craze to own houses abroad, people build houses here in Nigeria without taking cognizance of the climatic or environmental conditions. The same is the case in furnishing of houses. If the fittings are not Italian, then it is as if you have not started. Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory plays host to several sprawling housing estates that have been lying fallow, unoccupied for years. The question is: Are the houses not meant to be occupied? What are media professionals doing about this? Use of Nigerian Indigenous Languages: Language helps us to identify social groups (for example, Igbo, Izon, Hausa, or Yoruba group) and individuals. Through language, the individual interacts with others. Language serves to reinforce the individual; and in addition, it enables him to express and develop his personality. Incidentally, there is unmitigated dislike for our indigenous languages by Nigerians; children

have been brought up to see their indigenous languages as being unimportant. We have argued elsewhere that, parents, religious leaders, as well as the educational system are all liable. Parents have not attached much importance to the speaking of their indigenous language in homes. Chief Chika Okpala (Chief Zebrudaya of The Masquerade fame) was reported to have been verbally assaulted by a woman in Houston, Texas, USA, simply because he spoke Ibo to her son. I thought the woman was a Diasporan, only to be told by Zebrudaya that she was only on vacation; and that she lives in Enugu. This is just as our religious leaders and the school system have not helped matters. For instance, the teaching of Nigerian languages is not accorded serious attention. If our children learn foreign languages in Belgium, Brazil, China, France,

Germany, Japan, Russia, Ukraine, and other such countries, why should it not be a policy in our educational system? What are media professionals doing about this? Nigerian Dress Culture: People are not passionate about Nigerian fabrics; the example of kente and woodin from Ghana; batik from Indonesia, etc. in line with the popular dictum, “You are addressed the way you dress.” In other words, dressing makes the man or woman. Unfortunately, indecent dressing has become the order of the day in the Nigerian society. The entertainment industry has not fared better as most so-called stars feel the more weird the dressing, the more attention one would get. My question has always been: If you display all the essentials for free, what will be there for a man to explore? Due commendation goes to Sunday Sun’s “Fashion Court” with ‘Justice’ Bolatito Adebayo, which has been attempting to showcase outrageous dress orientations (for instance, see Sunday Sun, 23 Aug. 2015: 34). Needless to say the effort is more like a drop in the ocean. For instance, in NICO, we have instituted what we call, Dress Nigeria Days, for staffers: Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for Nigerian dresses, and Tuesdays and Thursdays for other dresses, except T-shirts, jeans or chinos trousers. The idea is for us to be really patriotic about our dressing. Do you know that even appearing in an adire outfit stands you out in a crowd abroad and you will be admired by others? Come to think of it: How else can we revive our textile industries if we do not patronise made in Nigeria dresses? Take the case of an 18 year-old girl that killed herself over a disagreement with her mother on her mode of dressing (Isiguzo 5). She wore a dress that exposed her body and her mother, who had always complained about her dressing, asked her to change the dress. She refused, threatening to harm herself if her mother did not allow her to wear the dress. As her mother insisted that she would not go out unless she changed the dress, she went into the house, came back with a bottle of a drink suspected to be poisonous, and swallowed the content. Of course, she died! Again, what are media professionals doing about this? Instant Miracles Mentality: Nigerians have gradually become very impatient. This has reflected in our food culture, in the sense that people for instant food. As a point of fact, many want their rewards on earth; they want results

IncIdentally, there Is unmItIgated dIslIke for our IndIgenous languages by nIgerIans; chIldren have been brought up to see theIr IndIgenous languages as beIng unImportant

Memorable Reads What’s your perception of reading in Nigeria? I think it’s important for everyone to read. Unfortunately, the book reading culture is dying. Our capacity to debate, think mature thoughts depends on the education we continue to give ourselves. The difference between the previous generation and now is that the previous one always had thought precede opinion. Because of the declining reading culture more and more you have opinion preceding thought. It affects reality, democracy, everything. And when children go to school they are uneducated because the book reading culture is dying. Newspapers have more pictures than stories, or shall I say the more successful newspapers tend to have more pictures than stories. Everybody is on Blackberry everyday and the English language and local languages are bastardised by

Femi Odugbemi Filmmaker

poor spelling and phrasing. There seems to be a relationship between writing a book and doing a documentary. If you are writing a book, there is a responsibility attached to your facts. Even when its fiction there has to be a way in which it is authentic. For documentary, while your opinions are contestable your facts should not be, which is why research is a critical element of both book writing and making a documentary. What’s your favourite book of all time? I come from the family of D.O. Fagunwa so it will be dumb not to say to you that it is ‘Ogboju Ode ninu Igbo Irunmale’ (The Forest of a Thousand Demons).

in the instant, not ready to wait for the appointed time of their blessings. This has led to many gullible ones resorting to various forms of rituals to amass instant wealth. Or they run to modern day Pentecostal Churches that place emphasis on instant miracles, ‘ojugbo jugbo,’ ‘sharp sharp,’ not salvation of their souls. Stories abound on such unscrupulous attempts by people to acquire blood money. What are media professionals doing about this? Hero-worshipping and Societal Demands: By this, we mean the way we reverence those who come into, most times, questionable riches. Nowadays, parents do not question how their sons and daughters come into money. In those days, if you got rich too quickly and visited your old man in the village, he would wake you up from bed, maybe around 4am and ask you how you got wealthy in so short a time. He would ask if there were trees in the city from where you plucked money; that he had a family name to protect. We know that this is not the case in the society now. As a point of fact, if you are appointed into any political office, it is assumed that you have arrived. They you will be called, ‘Excellency,’ ‘Chairman,’ ‘Honourable,’ ‘Chief,’ and so on. All the distant relations you did not know before will surface and make all sorts of outrageous demands. Again, let us ask: What are media professionals doing about this? Respect for Elders and Constituted Authority: The words of our elders are words of wisdom; so they say. Furthermore, what the elder sees sitting, the child cannot see standing on top of a table. The younger generation is losing grip of our cherished values of respect for elders and constituted authority. Courtesy appears to have grown wings even in the manner senior citizens are addressed. The media appears to be leading in this direction, as vituperative words are freely used on the elderly and leaders. What are media professionals doing about this? Sanctity of Human Life: We are living in a country now where the sanctity of human lives is no more paramount. Apart from the 30 months fratricidal Nigerian civil war, the country has witnessed several communal, ethnic, religious and post elections violence with devastating effects on the polity. After a seeming moment of respite from the debilitating offensive of the Niger Delta militants, the nation is currently facing the intractable challenge of atrocious activities of the Boko Haram sect. The audacious machinations of the sect have led to wanton destruction of lives and property. What are media professionals doing about this?

•Ayakoroma is the Executive Secretary of NICO, Abuja.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

ARTISTE UNCENSORED

Dad never opposed my choice of career–May7ven May7ven is a singer, song writer, dancer and producer; above all she means business music-wise.

er performance skills have been said to have Missy Elliot jumping out of her seat, while her vocals, song writing and entrepreneurial ambitions have caught the attention of some of the biggest names in the industry. This was highlighted by her collaboration and performances for the biggest family names in the history music, The Jacksons! ‘Bo Aso la ra mi’, her debut single in 2009, and video enjoyed several weeks in the top spot of MTV Base UK, Europe and Africa and it appeared on various international charts including Music Weeklys Top 20 Charts, World DJ Charts and most notably holding the No.3 Top Club RnB track summer 08. It has been playlisted on Nigeria’s leading radio stations including Cool FM, Beat FM, Rhythm FM and City FM, where it was made ‘Song of the Week’. “My music is me, all of me and my influences growing up. I describe it as Fela meets Michael Jackson, it is beat orientated to the core and very catchy, danceable and melodic. It’s an amalgamation of beats and sounds that now represent May7ven. I created my sound; it isn’t a copy of anyone but an original sound and tone. It may take me longer but nothing great comes easy” The eldest daughter of veteran Nigerian footballer, Segun Odegbami also reveals that her father has never opposed her choice of career. “I am the eldest of 3 children born to my parents Chief Segun Odegbami and Jumoke Odegbami, my dad has 7 in total.. I was born in Ibadan and schooled there till I was 7years old till we moved to the UK with my mother. “My father never opposed my choice of career; I just think he didn’t believe I could make a real career out of it initially. He advised me to focus on studies;

however he certainly appreciated my talent and encouraged me to pursue my dreams as long as I continued my studies” How did the name Queen of Afrobeats come about? The multiple award-winning artiste reveals that the name came during a period when she started to introduce Yoruba and our culture into her music both here and the UK. “I listened and studied Fela’s music and got an opportunity to work with Tony Allen who used to play with Fela. A lot of people didn’t know that I played the drums so an idea was born by Kayode Samuels to produce an album with Tony Allen where we both played the drums and bring this to the stage, this was in 2005. For a few years coming back and forth to Nigeria, I realize there was a huge gap for sexy R and B female artist infusing Afrobeats so we coined the term Queen of Afr and B. I introduced this style out there in UK and managed to get a lot of mainstream attention on a song entitled ‘Bo Aso La Ra Mi’ which was on MTV, Radio, Print it was everywhere to everyone’s surprised. I brought the video here to Nigeria and I managed to win my very first NMVA Award for best music video, I was the first female to ever win that category. “I think my passion for music really kicked in when I discovered Michael Jackson when I was just 3 years old. I wanted to be just like him. I studied and watched him religiously. Nobody took me seriously or ever thought at that stage that I would become an entertainer”, she grimaced. The ‘Ten-Ten’ hit-maker, also shares with us about her relationship with Emi-

OmO Odegbami, as she fOndly calls herself disclOses that her message is really tO encOurage lOve and unity firstly amOngst

nado crooner, Tiwa Savage. “Tiwa is my sister, we grew up together in London. She was actually my sister’s best friend since school, they were inseparable, In fact twins; but we all sang together and use to enter competitions and all sorts. I am very proud of her and it is such a great thing to see how far she has come; I don’t know if anyone else in this world can share our experiences growing up and challenges faced trying make it in music. Omo Odegbami, as she fondly calls herself discloses t h a t her message is r e ally to encourage love and unity firstl y amongst women. “The most important campaign for me right now is #SistasUnite which is a song loosely based on the Chibok situation. I executively produced a song and brought together 14 female artistes on one track which has never been done in Nigeria as us women do not tend to unite in anything let alone in the music business. “The focus is to support women and children and use our voices to reach our other sisters and I guess the entire world. The overall impetus and agenda is Women & children facing abuse world over and encourage unity. #SistasUnite has been extensively covered and supported by mainstream media such as the BBC and BBC World for months and the message is we won’t stop until the abuse ends. It may take a lifetime to achieve but hey at least we are trying”. Perfoming in London

wOmen

MIDWEEK JUMP

‘Oxford Gardens’ in Nigerian cinemas Lagos Shutdown Party

At Oxford Gardens’ screening

bi Emelonye’s latest film, Oxford Gardens, which opened across cinema houses in Nigeria continues to thrill as Christmas is around the corner. The film, shot in conjunction with Africa Magic parades former boxing champion, Ngoli Okafor, Savannah Roy and Ngozi Thompson Igwebike amongst others. With rave reviews, the film has been attracting hordes of movie-goers in Nigeria, more so with options by online retailing outlet, Yudala to reward lucky members of the audience with gift items for watching the film.

t is the biggest Christmas Eve party. Make sure you don’t miss it with Djs from all over the world and surprise appearances, Lagos shutdown party is just the best place to be on the 24th of December 2015 Fill the guest list to get a boarding pass to the Lagos shutdown party. Which will take place on Thursday, December 24, 2015 at 7:00pm, at Muri Okunola Park.

Xclusive

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FAR AND NEAR

Excitement as BON 2015 holds Olaseni DamilOla

he Nigerian film industry, otherwise called Nollywood temporarily relocated to Akure, the capital of Ondo State for the 7th edition of the Best of Nollywood Awards, BON 2015, hosted ostensibly by the Ondo State Government at the newly-completed ultramodern dome. As expected, it had all the glitz an event of such calibre should have, as movies like Dry, Stigma, Invasion 1897 and October 1 dominated the table in the race for honours; while directors Stephanie OkerekeLinus, Kunle Afolayan, and Lancelot Oduwa-Imaseun struggled for awards for their directorial skills. Explaining the rationale behind the honours given out at the event, the head of the BON 2015 Jury, Niran Adedokun, harped that his experience as the head of the jury showed that filmmaking in Nigeria has improved tremendously, even as the jury tried to recognize film making efforts by Nigerians. “The Best of Nollywood Award looks out for the best of efforts made by filmmakers in Nigeria to employ their art in the projection of the best of Nigerian culture as well as identify societal ills to which government and the governed need to attend to, for the attainment of sustainable development of the country. While we are interested in how much movie makers marry the innate ability of African to tell stories and the unrestrained access to those stories with the language and culture of filmmaking, we go the extra mile to see those things which are essentially a promotion of the Nigerian culture. One of the things that should worry all of us for instance, is the chance that some of our indigenous languages may go into extinction if we do not make conscious efforts to entrench them. Films remain one of the most useful vehicles for this purpose and that is the opportunity that BON offers. For instance, people ask questions about the use of Nigerian food category. Let me use this opportunity to explain that it is not just about preparing sumptuous meals in movies; it is also about celebrating our foods and the benefits that they might have for those who consume them. From about 150 entries that we had at the beginning of this process in July, we streamlined into 60 in October and today, we will honour 38 winners in the competitive categories while there will be about six honorary awards. However I do not think that there is anyone here who is not a winner. Without any fear of contradiction, this jury would like to register the fact that movie making in Nigeria has taken a great leap. From the quality of stories and the treatment of those stories, to the quality of acting, competent interpretation of roles, to directing, scenery and photography. We also saw some very daring and innovative attempts to go beyond the norm in the movies submitted this year. And at the end of it one can say boldly that Nigeria filmmakers have this last one year, moved steps towards excellence, in spite of all the odds. We are particularly impressed with the standard of some of the indigenous movies, in Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. And here,

Beauty queens presenting the nominees for best kiss category

Seun Oleketuyi, CEO, BON

Invasion 1897 Nollywood actresses on the red carpet

‘Tales of Eve’ Best Use of Nigerian food in a movie ‘Ayo mi’ Best Kiss in a movie ‘Roseanne Marcel and Seun Akindele in One Minute Man’

Best Supporting Actor(Igbo) ‘Osuji Spider in Chetenna’ Best Supporting Actress (Igbo) ‘Ebube Nwagbo in Chettana’ Best Supporting Actor (Hausa) ‘Yakubu Mohammed in Sai Lahira’

Revelation of the Year Male ‘Adeyemi Okalanwon’

Best Supporting Actress (Hausa) ‘Nafisat Abdullahi in Ya’ Daga Allah’

Revelation of the Year (Female) ‘Genny Uzoma’

Best Child Actor in a movie ‘Etochi Ejike Asiegbu in Little Ryan’

Best Actor in a Leading Role (English) ‘Sadiq Daba in October 1’

Best Child Actress in a movie Zubaida Ibrahim Fagge in Dry

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Yoruba) ‘Muyiwa Ademola in Fimidara Ire’

Movie with Best Social Message Dry

October 1

we should pause to advise movies makers in the Igbo and Hausa languages to kindly see the BON Awards as their own and come forward with more of their works next year. We had only one Igbo film this year and five Hausa films this year, all of them very outstanding, but not a true representation of the body of works in those languages. It is been a thing of absolute joy for us to be part of this history making event that the Best of Nollywood is everyone. We thank everyone for being here tonight and wish you a very pleasant evening.” In terms of performance, BON 2015 also lived up to its billing, as comedians, musicians and dance troupes, ranging from Gbenga Adeyinka and Adekunle Gold amongst others took time to thrill the audience. At the end of the event, the following works and persons emerged winners at the various categories: Most Promising Actor ‘Ademola Adedoyin in October 1’ Most Promising Actress ‘Tayo Sobola in Bella and Roseanne Marcel in One Minute Man’ Best Comedy in a Movie ‘Diary of the Triplets’ Best Short Films ‘Deluded’ Best Documentary of the Year ‘The World is My Stage’ Best TV series

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Hausa) ‘Ali Nuhu in Ya’ Daga Allah’

Movie Best Special Effect ‘Highjack’

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Igbo) ‘Chigozie Atunanya in Chetanna’

Movie with the Best Screenplay ‘Dry’

Best Actress in a Leading Role (English) ‘Nse Ikpe Etim in Stolen Water’

Movie with the Best Editing ‘Invasion 1897’

Best Actress in a Leading Role (Yoruba) ‘Faithia Balogun in Torera’

Movie with the best Sound Track ‘Invasion 1897’

Best Actress in a Leading Role (Igbo) ‘Queen Nwokoye in Chetanna’

Movie Production Design ‘October 1’

Best Actress in a Leading Role (Hausa) ‘Fatima Washa – Ya’ Daga Allah’

Movie with the best Cinematography ‘Dry’

Best Supporting Actor (English) ‘Kalu Ikeagwu in Bad Drop’

Best Use of Nigerian Costume in a film ‘October 1’

Best Supporting Actress (English) ‘Omowumi Dada in Ojuju’ Best Supporting Actor (Yoruba) ‘Kunle Afod in Trust’ Best Supporting Actress (Yoruba) ‘Opeyemi Aiyeola in Alabi Opomulero’

Best Use of Make up in a movie ‘Ojuju’ Best use of indigenous Nigerian Language ‘Stigma’ Movie of the Year ‘Invasion 1897’ Director of the Year ‘Lancelot Imasuen’

Business

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Effective outdoor regulation is money spinner for states Budget 2016 benchmarks at risk, Brent price hits 11-year low

How low oil prices, limited investments affect NPDC, 33 indigenous firms

Tola akinmuTimi

Nigerian legislators serious concern on what benchmark the budget should be anchored in the face of growing volatility of the market. An analysis of the slumping oil market showed that oil had collapsed below levels last seen during the 2008 global financial crisis on signs the market’s oversupply will worsen, compelling Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, to effectively abandon output limits at a Dec. 4 meeting, while the U.S. on Friday passed legislation that lifted a 40-year ban on crude exports.

An analyst at UBS Group AG in Zurich, Giovanni Staunovo, was quoted as saying that “excess supply to the tune of 1.3 million barrels per day, and OPEC’s divide will keep prices depressed in the near term”. He projected that while supply adjustments were already under way, “non-OPEC production growth slowed almost to a standstill, and should decline next year” Brent for February settlement slid as much as 83 cents to $36.05 a barrel on the ICE Futures Europe exchange, the lowest level

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Nigeria’s non-oil exports value below 14% in Q3, 2015 30

in intraday trade since July 2, 2004. The contract was at $36.14 at 12:55 p.m. London time. Prices are down 37 percent this year, set for a third annual loss. Bloomberg also reported that Futures fell as much as 2.3 percent in London after a 2.8 percent drop last week. In the face of the worrisome development, Qatar Energy Minister Mohammed Al Sada, was quoted as saying at a gathering of Arab oil-exporting nations in Cairo that producers were focusing on reducing costs amid the price decline.

atest signals from the international oil market have raised another planning hurdle for Nigeria’s Budget and National Planning Ministry with Brent crude price slumping to its lowest ebb since mid-2004 at $36.17 a barrel on Monday. The slide in Brent crude price, equivalent of Nigeria’s Qua Iboe crude, was orchestrated amid speculation suppliers from the Middle East to the U.S. will exacerbate a glut as they fight for market share. Brent for February fell below Nigeria’s crude oil benchmark of $38 per barrel to $36.17 a barrel on the London-based ICE Futures Europe exchange, the lowest level in intraday trade since July 13, 2004. The contract decreased 18 cents to $36.88 on Friday, the weakest close since December 2008. Prices are down 37 percent this year, set for a third annual loss. What this implies is that Nigeria budget planners may have to again re-adjusts the provisions in the Appropriation Bill to avoid huge deficit gaps despite prospects of a likely price rebound, as predicted by analysts, as from June next year. Over the past week, the oscillating price trends in the global L-R: Enugu State Commissioner for Lands and Urban Development, Hon. Onah Solomon Izuchukwu, Glo Brand oil market has continued to give Ambassador, Hadiza Blell (Di’Ja), and Divisional CEO, Interswitch, Mr. Mike Ogbalu III, at the Enugu edition of the Glo Slide ‘n’ Bounce held at the Golden Royale Hotel, Enugu last Friday.

SEC to compensate 580 investors, revokes 84 licences Johnson okanlawon

ecurities and Exchange Commission has announced the official takeoff of the National Investor Protection Fund, NIPF, with 580 complainants/investors to be compensated pending approvals. The NIPF was the inaugurated on November 26. The Commission stated that the verification committee of the NIPF hadconcluded a rigorous verification of investors’ claims against Mega Asset Managers Limited and subsequently recommended approval of appropriate compensation to the affected investors.

“Consequently, the Board of the NIPF at its sitting of 14th December, 2015 has approved payment of compensation to the complainants/investors of Mega Asset Managers Limited who appeared before the Commission’s Administrative Proceedings Committee (APC) in the matter,” it added. The 580 complainants/investors were advised to contact the Lagos and Onitsha zonal offices of SEC with proof of identification, account details and Bank Verification Number, BVN before December 23, 2015 for further details. Meanwhile, the Commission also hinted that it had revoked the operational licences of 84 Capi-

tal Market Operators, CMOs, for various offences, saying that the CMOs’ accounts had remained inactive in spite of the commission’s earlier notice to them to rectify their accounts. The capital market regulator cited Section 30 (1) and (2) of the Investment and Securities Act (ISA) 2007 as instrument invoked to revoke the operational licences of athe affected CMOs. It would be recalled that the Commission had in November advised 94 Capital Market Operators, CMOs, to comply with the minimum capital requirements. In a notice titled, “Cancellation of Certificates of Registration of

Inactive Capital Market Operators,” the commission said CMOs have consistently failed to render their statutory returns to the commission. According to the notice, the operators may have been unable to comply with the new minimum capital requirements before the deadline stipulated by the Commission which expired on September 30, 2015. “In view of this fact, the Commission hereby directs the affected CMOs to make presentations to the Commission, on or before 4th December, 2015, giving reasons why their registration as CMOS should not be cancelled.”

AIRLINES’ FLIGHT SCHEDULES Med-View Airline Lagos- Abuja (Mon-Fri): 07.00, 08.50, 12.00, 16.30. Abuja- Lagos (Mon-Fri): 09.00, 14.00, 15.00, 18.30. Lagos-Yola (Mon-Fri): 8.50am. Yola-Lagos (Mon-Fri): 13.00. Lagos- PHC (Mon-Fri): 17.00. PHC-Lagos: 19.00. Abuja-Yola: 11.00. Yola-Abuja: 13.00. Lagos-Abuja (Sat): 08.00, 08.50. Abuja-Lagos (Sat): 10.00, 15.00. Lagos-PHC (Sat): 17.00. PHC-Lagos (Sat): 19.00. Lagos-Yola (Sat): 08.50. Yola-Lagos (Sat): 13.00

Dana Air Abuja-Lagos 9am, 1pm, 5.28pm daily Lagos-Abuja 7am, 11am, 1.23pm,3.30pm daily Lagos-PH: 7.20AM, Ph-Abuja9.54am, Abuja-ph: 3.30pm and Ph-Lagos: 5.28pm daily Lagos-Uyo: 9.20am, Uyo-Abuja: 11.07am, Abuja-Uyo 1.05pm, Uyo-Lagos: 3pm daily Weekends Lagos-Abuja: 7.02am, 9am, 3.30pm Abuja-Lagos: 9am, 2.20pm and 5.28pm Lagos -Phc: 11.07am Phc-Lagos: 1.05pm Phc-Abuja: 12.51pm Abuja-Phc: 10.50am Lagos-Uyo: 9.18am Uyo-LOS -3.03pm Uyo-Abuja: 11.07am Abuja-Uyo: 1.05pm

Aero Contractors Lag-Abj: 06.50, 13.30, 16.30, 19.45 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun), 12.30 (Sun) 16.45 (Sat) Abj-Los: 07.30, 13.00, 19.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat, 10.30, 14.30, 19.30 (Sun, 18.30 Sat) Lag-Benin: 07.45, 11.00, 15.30 (Mon-Fri/Sat/ Sun) 12.30 (Sun 15.30 (Sat) Ben-Lag: 09.15, 12.30, 17.00 (Mon-Fri/Sat/Sun) 17.00 (Sat) 14.00 (Sun)Lag-Owe: 7.45am, 2pm daily

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Effective outdoor regulation is Mr. Yinka Adepoju, is a seasoned professional in the marketing communications industry. In this interview with David Audu, the former Director General of Oyo State Signage and Advertisement Agency, OYSAA, and Managing Director, First Class Productions Limited, identified proper outdoor regulation as internally generated revenue, IGR, gold mine for states, if its opportunities are carefully explored. Excerpts: What would you say attracted you to the outdoor business?

must confess that I was actually attracted into outdoor when I saw the way a company called Media Link Limited was practicing then. The way that company was practicing outdoor actually attracted me. The company was innovative, and donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t forget they also came unto the outdoor scene relatively new; I saw that they brought lot of innovation into the outdoor business, and so, I was attracted and I told myself I want to be part of this young, dynamic and innovative team I joined the company and was with them for close to seven years. I was employed as senior billboard executive, then rose to the position of outdoor manager, and Adepoju later became the commercial manager. From there I became the first General Manager of the company. Everything went on fine but like every human endeavour, there comes a time you need to move forward. of the south west committee, we have not members of the OAAN, which is the So in 1995, I set up my own company reasons to visit all the states in the south sectoral group responsible for Outdoor called Royal Communications limited. I west part of Nigeria to see how the out- in Nigeria, were doing the business but was the MD/ CEO of Royal Communica- door business was being practiced. So, the way they were doing it leaves much tions till 2011 when somebody spot me, we had opportunity to know how the to be desired. They were not keeping to the then Governor-Elect of Oyo state, outdoor business was in all the states. the rules. In every sector you have your Senator Abiola Ajimobi. He brought At that time we came to a conclusion rules and guidelines but they were not me into a committee set up then to look that one day somebody must be able to keeping it. They just thought it was into how to midwife his own govern- correct all the anomalies in the outdoor an all comerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s affairs; they just put up ment into action. I was part of the 30 industry in this part of the country. And structure indiscriminately everywhere. wise men put together. We worked for in all of our visits, we discovered that They were robbing Peter to pay Paul. about two months in 2011. By the time a lot of quacks were into the business. They were taking money from advertiswe were through we came up with a 268 We discovered that a lot of people not ers, innocent advertisers; some of them page blue print and the governor appre- registered by the regulatory body, the will not even display the materials for ciated our efforts by appointing some of Advertising Practitioners Council of a period of time after collecting money us from that committee into his cabinet Nigeria, APCON, and also who were from them. And, unfortunately, those and I happen to be one of them. I was given the position of pioneer Director hen you manage Well When you General of OYSAA. I was there for three years and I regulate very Well the money Will thanked God for what we were able to come in naturally he moment We achieve. Honestly, before we came in the outdoor life of Oyo State was in total disstarted putting things in good shape array, it was in a very bad shape.

How bad was it then? Having seen what happened to outdoor landscape in Lagos, how would you compare the two states? Even when I was in Lagos doing my business I come home regularly because am an indigene of Oyo State, and by virtue of my position in the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN, of which I was the 1st Vice President and also doubled as the chairman

the moment We started adding value to the environment by making sure that billboards and other signage Were Well regulated, advertisers started coming in, practitioners started coming in

and by so doing We started making the money

who were aggrieved have nowhere to report them. So, a lot of them suffered losses without having the confidence to complain. However, when it was time for me to come down to Oyo State we have to re-engineer and restructure the outdoor in Oyo State. It was not an easy task at all, especially in a place where a lot of lawless activities were going on. When we came in initially, it was a tug of war because some of them who were into illegal practice for several years were not going to comply but we put our feet on the ground. We said things must change. Change is important, and we called the stakeholders and rolled out new order and told the practitioners that henceforth this is how thing will be done. Oyo State by nomenclature is a pacesetter state when you look at the importance of the state in national economic life, you will discover that Oyo State is not a place where people will just do what they like. Our focus, in collaboration with the leadership, was that we must change the state from what it was then to make it a role model state. How did you deal with political patronage set to undermine your efforts? It was not an easy task but like I said earlier, God was on our side because when you have a desire to allay or remove sufferings and you take it

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Executive Discourse

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

money spinner for states to God, he is there to back you up. Initially, it was not easy; we had confrontations here and there. Some people even threatened us that we have to go back to wherever we were coming from, saying that was how it was several years back and that was how it was going to be. They said that ‘we will tell you that this is wild wild west and whatever you did in Lagos, don’t bring it down here’. But we insisted. And all these while the Governor kept assuring us that we must not yield, that we must carry out the reforms. The political will was there and with that backing, the courage and boldness was there was there. We also thank God for the people that were assigned to work with me. We came together as one serious group and we launched out. We started by removing substandard structures from the road. We also told the people and practitioners that there was no room for impunity, lawlessness in Oyo State outdoor. This we carried out to the letter. It was tough but we were on the road almost every day to remove the dilapidated structures that almost turned the State to an ugly thing. Then, for those that were left, we created a data base whereby we have the records of what we have in terms of advertising structures throughout the length and breath of Oyo state so that if I go to my data base I can easily tell you the number of what we have. However, during the electioneering campaign earlier this year, the political parties came out and were so unruly and uncivilized. But because we were determined that whatever effort put into it will not be rubbished, we put out our feet down, yet, there were areas where they messed up. Honestly, when it was becoming a do or die affair, the governor in his wisdom intervened and said we should just allow the period to pass away, which we also saw reason with him. By the time the elections were over, we went back to the street to clear the mess. Can we say then that where outdoor business is in Nigeria today owes a lot to government regulation and not entirely market or self regulation? Absolutely! Without regulation I imagine where we would be. That is why I am an advocate of regulation. I have said it at different fora and I am still saying it again. What would have been the best is self regulation, but where the people involved are not doing it then government need to come in; and that is exactly what we are witnessing in the country today. But coming to the sectoral body, the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, of which I am a part, we did our best but I must confess to you that it was difficult for us because a lot of government interest did not allow us to be in control. That is why I keep saying that for the environment to be good, it has to be a collaborative effort. That is, government has a role to

Anything thAt is good will be expensive. some of these things thAt you see on the roAd don’t come cheAp. for instAnce, we hAve some electronic boArds, the iconic ones thAt cost As much As n50, n75, And n150 million to put them up play, the practitioners themselves have role to play and then the stakeholders. You were alluding to market forces in shaping outdoor directions, yes! The stakeholders, we are talking about the advertisers, the agencies that hire the spaces, all have roles to play. For government they need to provide enabling environment, which some of the states are already doing. Take for example, LASAA in Lagos, OGSAA in Ogun, OYSAA in Oyo, KWASAA in Kwara and many others. They are making efforts but it can be better than what it is now. Let me also say this, even those setting up the regulatory agency, the governments of the different states, by virtue of the people in control also have a role to play by ensuring that that those who have the knowledge and expertise of what it takes to regulate, manage and control should be put in such offices. It is not enough to say you are setting up regulatory agency and what you are doing is like tax collecting. It is more than collecting tax. I want to confess that in my three years at the helms of affairs of OYSAA in Oyo State, the most important thing, in as much as collecting money on outdoors boosts the internal revenue generation of the state, but for me and many other professionals, the most important thing we look out there was managing the outdoor life of the state. And that was our focus. When you manage well, when you regulate very well the money will come in naturally. The moment we started putting things in good shape, the moment we started adding value to the environment by making sure that billboard and other signage were well regulated, advertisers started coming in, practitioners started coming in and by so doing we started making the money. Money was flowing in naturally and by so doing we made our modest contribution to IGR in Oyo state. What am saying is that where you do not put the right person, those who have the knowledge and a professional in place, they will just come there and think it is all about money. It is not all about money. We need to see to the arrangement and standard structures of billboards are put in place around the city. There must be standards. We also need to apply the rules too. We have witnessed the evolution of outdoor advertising over the years until now technology has taken over with the LED digital display

and interactive videos. How would you evaluate this evolution within a short span of time? Laughs… You see me laughing and why am I laughing? You see we have witnessed the evolution and it is an interesting thing. I happened to be part of it from the beginning. I remember in those days when we used to buy planks and woods. That was when the practitioners missed the opportunity. They had everything that it takes to regulate them then. Back to the issue, we still have some few metal boards, but the latest now are the 21st century compliant billboards which are referred to as LED electronic. They are beautiful. People call us a developing country, but are we going to remain like that forever. Nigerian economy is so big that we can’t afford to play a back role and that is why some of us are so happy about the evolution of the billboard. Now we live a country where the outdoor has developed so well such that what you see here is what you will see in any developed part of the world.

Adepoju

How expensive are these LED billboards, and the complaint out there is that getting space on them do not come cheap? Anything that is good will be expensive. Some of these things that you see on the road don’t come cheap. For instance, we have some electronic boards, the iconic ones that cost as much as N50, N75, and N150 millions to put them up. N150 million will give up some good houses and some people will put this money into billboard. Don’t forget these investments are on the highway, so you need to quickly get your money before future development can affect them. What do I mean by future development, infrastructural development such as road construction. The point is that we should appreciate those who have brought these innovative ideas. They have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria. These things are nice to see and the advertisers in particular are also enjoying them as they beam the message of their products and services to the public. Apart from using them as advertising platform, they also add value to the environment, they beautify the landscape. They help in lighting up the environment. If anybody is saying they are expensive they should know that good things don’t come cheap. Again, what we are saying is that not everybody that come unto these platforms. The multinationals are on them because they have value for whatever they spending on them. For those who cannot afford, we have the static board, and even then they are in sizes.

Business News

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

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Nigeria’s non-oil exports value below 14% in Q3, 2015 Tola akinmuTimi

ndications that sustained efforts by the federal and state governments to boost non-oil value in Nigeria’s merchandise trade are not yielding the desired results have shown with the total value of the sub-sector accounting for less than 14 per cent of the nation’s merchandise exports in the third quarter of this year. Even then, the value of manufacturing, non-oil mining and agro processed goods exported during the period, which should naturally reflect the virility of the non-oil sector and success of the economic base diversification agenda of the governments, is estimated to be less than eight per cent of the exports trade value. An analysis of the latest Foreign Trade Statistics Report by the National Bureau of Statistics for the third quarter showed that while Mineral Products exports totalled N2,025.8 billion or 86.8 per cent of the nation’s exports merchandise trade, the about 13.2 per cent non-oil contribution could not be linked to improved activities in

the economy. For instance, when assessed on exports by session basis, vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof; vessels and some other related items, most of which are not manufactured locally, accounted for N216.2 billion or 9.3 per cent of the exports’ value. A semblance of what could be how the local economy is performing can only be captured in the exports value of items such as Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; and tobacco with total value of N33.1 billion or 1.4 per cent and Vegetable products which also contributed N9.3 billion or 0.4 per cent of exports, totalling N2,333.2 billion. The NBS reported: “The value of the nation’s merchandise exports totalled N2,333.2billion in Q3, 2015 a decrease of N320.6billion or 12.1 per cent, over the value (N2,653.8billion, Revised) recorded in the preceding quarter. This decline was attributed to a fall in crude oil exports by N372.8b or 18.8 per cent over the preceding quarter. “Nevertheless the structure of exports is still dominated

L-R: Bode Aregbesola, Relationship Manager, Corporate and Investment Banking Division (CIBD) Access Bank Plc; SolomonBegashaw, GM Ethiopian Airlines; Elias Igbinakenzua, Executive Director, CIBD, Access Bank; and Serome Akoroda, Relationship Officer, CIBD, Access Bank at the partnership agreement between Access Bank and Ethiopian Airline in Lagos… recently

by crude oil, which contributed N1,611.5 billion or 69.1 per cent to the value of total domestic exports in 2015. Natural liquefied gas recorded N265.2 billion of the total export value during the period under review. “Exports by Section revealed that Nigeria exported mainly “Mineral Products”, which accounted for N2,025.8 billion or 86.8 per cent of the total exports. Other products exported by Nigeria in-

clude “Vehicles, aircraft and parts thereof; vessels etc.” at N216.2 billion or 9.3 per cent, “Prepared foodstuffs; beverages, spirits and vinegar; tobacco” at 33.1 billion or 1.4 per cent, and “Vegetable products” at N9.3 billion or 0.4 per cent of total exports”, the Bureau stated. A further analysis of the exports trade by direction showed that Nigeria exported goods mainly to India, Netherlands, Spain, United Kingdom and Brazil, whose values stood at N408.2 bil-

lion or 17.5 per cent, N245.1billion or 10.5 per cent, N211.4 billion or 9.1 per cent , N192.2 billion or 8.2 per cent and N169.4 billion or 7.3 per cent respectively. On the exports flow trend based on continent of destination, the Foreign Trade Statistics Report showed that Nigeria mainly exported goods to Europe and Asia, which accounted for N925.0 billion or 39.6 per cent and N682.5 billion or 29.2 per cent respectively during the period under review.

slumped due to unfavorable exchange rates. South Korea’s largest automaker will have to sell at least 50 percent more than its monthly average this year in December to reach its full-year target of 5.05

million vehicles. Such a feat is unlikely, according to five analysts surveyed by Bloomberg. They also predict that Hyundai’s 2016 sales will be lower than the target set for this year given the absence of new best-selling models and continued weakness in Russia and Brazil. Hyundai has benefited in recent years from the surge in demand for automobiles in China, which became the largest market for the carmaker in 2009. The increasing reliance turned into a drag after economic growth moderated this year and a summer stock-market rout dented consumer confidence. Hyundai’s push into emerging markets has also met with a slump in the real and ruble this year. “I don’t think anyone expected sales in China to plummet as it did this year because we were all used to China being the white knight,” said Lee Sang Hyun, an analyst at IBK Securities Co. “Although sales in China may improve in 2016, from how the market situation is expected to play out, things don’t look all that exciting.” The last time Hyundai missed its sales target was in 2008, when the company fell about 327,000 units short of its 3.11 million goal as U.S. demand tanked in the wake of the financial crisis that led to a global recession. The automaker didn’t issue a target the following year. (Source – Bloomberg)

JP Morgan Chase to pay $150m to settle ‘Whale’ suit Hyundai to miss sales target for first time since 2008

PMorgan Chase & Co. agreed to pay $150 million to settle investor claims that it hid from them as much as $6.2 billion in losses caused by a trader dubbed the London Whale. A group of pension funds accused JPMorgan of turning its chief investment office in London into a “secret hedge fund” that caused the losses. The bank told investors that the office’s primary role was managing risk when in fact it was engaging in trades to generate profit, they said. The settlement “reflects a reasonable compromise concerning the merits of lead plaintiffs’ claims” and “the obstacles to prevailing at trial,” the pension funds said in a filing seeking court approval of the deal. Ohio pension funds and other plaintiffs in the case claim they incurred tens of millions of dollars of losses because their fund managers were given “false and misleading information.” Bruno Iksil, who amassed positions in credit derivatives so big and market-moving he became known as the London Whale, made the trades for the bank. Joe Evangelisti, a JPMorgan spokesman, declined to comment on the accord. The settlement was described in court papers in in New York on Dec. 18.

The complaint was filed on behalf of JPMorgan shareholders who bought stock between Feb. 24, 2010, when the company filed its 2009 earnings report with regulators, and May 21, 2012, when the bank announced it was halting a $15 billion share buyback program until it could control the losses. The lead plaintiffs include the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System, the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System, and the state of Oregon. In July, the U.K. Financial Conduct Authority abandoned efforts to pursue a fine of about 1 million pounds ($1.5 million) and an industry ban against Iksil. The former trader signed a non-prosecution agreement that prevents him from being charged by U.S. prosecutors in exchange for his cooperation. Iksil’s former boss, Javier Martin-Artajo, and a junior trader, Julien Grout, were indicted in the U.S. in 2013. Prosecutors alleged the pair committed securities fraud by hiding the true extent of the losses from bank management. The case is In re JPMorgan Chase & Co. Securities Litigation, 1:12-cv-03852, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan) (Source – Bloomberg)

yundai Motor Co. is poised to sell fewer vehicles than it projected for the first time since the global financial crisis, after an economic slowdown sapped demand in China and emerging-market earnings

Ogun Ministry rakes in N197m in 10 months

gun State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Bimbo Ashiru, on Monday said that the ministry generated N197 million in the 10-month period ended last October. Disclosing this while defending the 2016 budget proposal of the ministry before the State House of Assembly Committee on Finance and Appropriation in Abeokuta, the Commissioner said that the amount collected in the 10 months was less than the N3 billion for the year. He explained that the ministry had proposed N4.2 billion as its expected Internally Generated Revenue(IGR) for 2016 in the belief that the target is feasible. Ashiru clarified: “The 2015 IGR was generated from trade and artisan registration, road haulage, registration of business premises and inspection

fees. The ministry has mapped out strategies to improve on its IGR. The ministry proposed the sum of N962.9 million as its total expenditure for 2016, with N647 million as capital expenditure and N315 million for recurrent. “We will continue to promote empowerment of Micro Small and Medium Enterprises through credit support facilities. This ministry would also promote the production of quality exportable garments along with apprenticeship skills acquisition to alleviate poverty,’’ the commissioner added He also hinted of plans by the ministry to develop a detailed geological survey document to map new mineral deposits in the state and produce reports that would attract investors to consider the state as investment haven.

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Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Business News

Port reform has not impacted positively, 10 years after –NAGAFF FRANCIS EZEM

ort stakeholders under the aegis of National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders NAGAFF, at the weekend took a swipe at the Federal Government and some of its agencies, especially the Bureau of Public Enterprise BPE, over the shoddy nature of the port reform programme, saying it has yet to achieve its core objectives nearly10 years after.

The Government had in 2003 embarked on a port reform proramme, which adopted the land lord port model of the Port of Antwerp, which saw the coming on stream of private terminal operators, which took over the job of cargo handling from the Nigerian Ports Authority NPA. Founder of the association, Dr. Boniface Aniebonam, who spoke in Lagos at the week-

end, regretted that Nigeria’s seaports have yet to become competitive, user-friendly, reduced cost of operation and generally efficient, which were the core objectives of the reform programme more than 10 years after it was concluded. According to him, nothing much has changed in the nation’s port system because of the nature of the programme, which saw the alleged transfer of the port terminals to the friends and cronies of those in government. Can you look at the companies that won the concession bids? Are they not the same people who have worked within the port system either in NPA or somewhere else and they are still the same people running the terminals, so where is the efficiency, competitiveness or reduced cost

of operation?, he questioned rhetorically. He also said: “About 10 years ago, as NAGAFF president, we had advocated for the creation of a truck terminal; we also advocated the creation of a deep sea port around Badagry in the Badagry area of Lagos and no one listened to us and all these challenges have hindered the ports from achieving the core objectives of the reforms” “The core objectives of the port reform programme were to enhance efficiency and make the port competitive, reduce cost of doing business and promote efficient service

delivery. But today, can we say that the cost of doing business at the port has reduced? The answer is no, it is even up to 500 times higher now”, he also said. Aniebonam also regretted that the nation’s port system has yet t embrace the multimodal transport system, which connects the seaports with other major modes of transport such as the roads and rail with the attendant delays in the delivery of cargo in and out of the seaports occasioned by perennial gridlocks on the port access roads. In addition to the lack of truck terminals, it was also

gathered that the decision of the port regulating authorities to allow the establishment of factories such as cement and flour factories, has created a fundamental and peculiar problem, as such factories have taken over spaces that would have helped in expanding the port facilities. The NAGAFF-boss, who also took a swipe at the port concessionaires for taking undue advantage of the Nigerian system, accused most of the terminal operators, especially the foreign ones of not bringing in offshore funds to develop their facilities as envisaged by the government.

Deutsche Bank tally of suspect Russia trades at $10bn

eutsche Bank AG has identified as much as $4 billion in suspicious transactions related to its Russian operations, in addition to $6 billion in so-called mirror trades it is examining, said several people with knowledge of the bank’s review of the matter. That means the Frankfurtbased bank flagged as much as $10 billion in total trades that may not have been vetted for money laundering as clients moved money out of Russia. Among the previously unreported trades under scrutiny are ones that consistently went in the same direction -- primarily buy orders, for example -according to people familiar with the matter. Germany’s largest lender shared those findings with international authorities in September, according to two people familiar with the bank’s report on the trades. U.S. prosecutors were previously reported to be looking into whether Deutsche Bank’s handling of the mirror trades

may have violated U.S. anti-money laundering rules. The U.S. officials have also been made aware of the additional suspicious trades, said the people familiar with the matter. While Russia’s central bank levied a small fine on Deutsche Bank after looking into some of the bank’s trading in the country, the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation continues. Should regulators find violations in laws or regulations, the overall tally of trades could be one factor in deciding an ultimate fine or penalty. U.S. Justice Department spokesmen declined to comment. Deutsche Bank’s internal review, conducted over the past year, came as many of the lender’s other activities drew international scrutiny. During that time, the bank paid about $2.75 billion to settle a U.S. probe into sanctionslaw violation and U.S. and British investigations into the rigging of benchmark interest rates, admitting misconduct in both cases.

L-R: Executive Director, Corporate and Investment Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Kayode Lawal; Managing Director/ CEO, Mr. Yemi Adeola and Executive Director/Chief Operating Officer, Mr. Yemi Odubiyi, during the lender’s 2015 Annual press conference in Lagos last Thursday.

CIS woos OAU students on professional studies’ enrolment

n pursuit of its on-going enlightenment campaign on the benefits of its Professional Diploma Programme in Securities and Investment to the youths, the Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers, (CIS), has addressed the Nigerian Students of Economic and Technology Conference (NISETEC) at Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) Ile-Ife .

The enlightenment campaign, under the aegis of the OAU chapter of the Nigerian

U.S. Labour Bureau predicts health care jobs in 2016

s some new jobs created since the recession are lowpaying with no benefits as well as little chances of advancement, the Bureau of Labour Statistics have predicted impressive health care sector, offering career paths that may lead to generous compensation and secured future. In its latest statistics for ten-year projections for industry growth, spanning from 2014 to 2024, the

Bureau forecasted that the health care and social assistance industry would produce one in three of the net new jobs in the US Extended longevity and an aging population, combined with expanding insurance coverage under Obamacare. According to the report, there will be an increasing demand for many health professionals from audiologists to physical therapists, meaning that nearly 3.8 million

net new jobs in the sector would be created by 2024. A ten-year-old job search website in Carlsbad, just released a list of the 10 jobs it deems to be the best in health care. These jobs, according to a heart surgeon, do not pay in the mid-six figures, but the top jobs like pharmacist and optometrist pay more than $100,000 with less stress or harsh working conditions.

Universities Accounting Students Association, attracted presentations from seasoned professionals focused on the integration of the youths into the financial market. Addressing the students, the Institute’s Head of Membership, Mr Edikan Ekong, explained that the Capital Market had always served as a bridge between technological advancement , youth empowerment and economic development. Ekong who represented the institute’s Registrar and Chief Executive, Mr Adedeji Ajadi, noted that the Nigerian Capital Market has consistently kept pace with the global technological developments. According to him, the CIS has been outstanding in harnessing technological innovations to connect with, and empower Nigerian youths by securing their future career wise.

Ekong announced that the CIS had elevated its examinations to another level by being the first professional Institute to conduct a whole diet of professional examinations, using Computer Based Testing (CBT). He explained that the institute had just introduced another innovation by way of Video Lectures. With this, students in the hinterland communities or those who do not have access to standard tuition centre can learn conveniently by watching the world class tutorials on video. The CIS representative stated that the future of Nigeria depends substantially on the quality of empowerment resources available to its youths. Ekong cited the United Nation’s forecast which classified Nigeria as the third most populated country in the world by 2050 with a population of around 400 million.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Commerce & Industry

NSITF to sue firms over compensation scheme’s infraction OLUFEMI ADEOSUN AbujA

igeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has threatened to institute legal actions against any public or private organisations that refuse to comply with the employees compensation scheme. This is even as it said that defaulting state governments would also not be left out in the efforts to ensure strict compliance with the provisions of the enabling law on the scheme. By the Act establishing the NSITF, it was mandatory for employers of labour, whether public or private to enroll their staff into the employees compensation scheme, especially to protect them against workplace injury. Managing Director of the Fund, Umar Munir Abubakar, gave this indication, at the weekend, saying, “the legal department of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) has been given marching order to prosecute every non-compliant employer. “The Fund will soon drag these recalcitrant employers to court for prosecution. Any state government that does not comply will also be dragged to court. “We will ensure that every employers that have not keyed in will now pay from July 2011 to date because this payment is a product of the law and those who flout the law must be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Buhari

Abubakar

“We have given enough grace to employers; we have cajoled them and explained why their employees must be covered under the Employees Compensation Scheme Act.” He said over the years, NSITF has been interacting with state governments on the need to enroll their employees in the scheme. Abubakar also disclosed that seven million workers have been duly registered into its database and are beneficiaries of the employees compensation scheme in the country. He said a total of 33,900 job providers drawn from public and private organisations are currently listed with the

agency, too. His words, “There are about 33,900 job providers that are participating in the scheme. There are also about seven million employees now on the scheme.

ABEN seeks legislation on internet usage to protect businesses ABOLAJI ADEBAYO

he Association of Business Educators of Nigeria, ABEN, called on the governments at all levels to regulate use of internet and social media through adequate legislation. In a communiqué signed at the end of its 26th annual conference by its national president, Dr. Titus Umoru, the association stated that this should be done without infringing on freedom and rights of citizens. The communiqué identified potential of social media as instruments for projecting business education and called on parents and guardians to monitor young ones so that social media are employed for acquisition of knowledge rather than for engaging in vices. The association, which also noted that Nigeria was moving towards a period when social media would hold centre stage in socioeconomic development, urged stakeholders to see Facebook and other social media as veritable instruments for social and economic changes anywhere in the world. It also cautioned the legislature from restricting the use of social media in the country, stating that its advantages outweighed its vices especially for the

socioeconomic development. The association also charged heads of institutions as well as members of ABEN to desist from the practice of deceiving accreditation agencies in respect of physical and human resources available for programmes being presented for accreditation. It also wanted TETFUND to remove all barriers inhibiting legitimate access to funds for research, training and infrastructural development. The communiqué, which observed that business education facilities were inadequate in quality and quantum in most Nigerian institutions, added that they were often poorly maintained where they were adequate. It also condemned instability in higher education sector in the country, saying incessant labour and student unrest had handicapped efforts to produce qualitative business educators. “The acquisition and mastery of business skills are not enhanced by spasmodic learning, but by intensive and continual engagement of learners with equipment and faculties. We thus call on all stakeholders to critically examine all contentious issues and reach agreement to ensure academic calendars are not continually disrupted,” it stated.

The increment of employers on the Scheme is influenced by the fact that now they see the Scheme as a move by government to promote safety in the workplace and a step to show concrete commitment to ensure that injured workers are not only treated but are rehabilitated. “In case of death, NSITF pays the survivors of the deceased worker. This Scheme does not only ensure the safety of workers but also promote efficiency and enhance productivity because workers now know that they can work without inhibition because they would be looked after even in injury or death. Any employer that fails to enrol its workers on the Scheme shows such employer does not care for its workers.” He said that the Federal Government had continued to lay example by consistently paying for its employees on the Scheme.

Chinese share of global exports set to reach 13% in 2015

hina is expected to account for 13 per cent of the world’s total exports this year as the country shipped more high-value products to both developed and emerging markets between January and November, the Ministry of Commerce said on Thursday. China’s proportion of exports amounted to 12.4 per cent of the global market last year. The country’s exports of rail equipment, as well as power and telecommunications products to developed markets rose 10 per cent year-on-year in the first 11 months. Shen Danyang, spokesman for the ministry, said even though China’s foreign trade seems weaker than expected due to lower global demand and rising production costs, the country has continued to optimize its range of products and approach to the global market through new trade routes and regional cooperation arrangements. “The World Trade Organization’s central role in global trade liberalization should be maintained,” said Shen. “All members should stick to the Doha Round’s goal to create a balanced and feasible work plan to complete the talks.”

Small scale farming in Nigeria

Commerce Minister Gao Hucheng told the WTO Ministerial Conference in Nairobi on Wednesday that the biggest challenges which currently confront the multilateral trade system are trade protectionism and a proliferation of regional trade agreements. China’s foreign trade dropped 7.8 per cent year-on-year to 22.08 trillion yuan ($3.39 trillion) from January to November. Of this, 12.71 trillion yuan was exports, which were down 2.2 per cent. The nation’s trade surplus during the same period surged 63 per cent to 3.34 trillion yuan, according to the General Administration of Customs. The country reported 3.16 trillion yuan of trade with the European Union, its largest trading partner, in the first 11 months, down 7.7 per cent year-on-year, while the figure was 3.15 trillion yuan for the United States, the nation’s second-largest trading partner, up 1.9 per cent. “Based on the current trading volume, China will remain the world’s largest trader this year,” said Gu Xuebin, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation in Beijing. (Source - customstoday.com.pk)

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EnergyWeek Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Low investments hamper NPDC’s productivity 36

HoS to commence electricity bills payment upfront

Power generation accountes for 40% of manufacturers’ 35 cost

Low oil prices, dearth of investments hampering NPDC’s, others’ operations Contrary to predictions by some analysts that the prices of crude oil will pick up towards the year end, market forces have kept down prices in the global market. In this analysis, UDEME AKPAN reports that the lingering low prices have continued to undermine operations of oil companies, especially the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC, as well as indigenous operating entities.

here are strong indications that planners may not have had a clear picture of what the global oil market portended when they set out to work on the 2015 budget. They first proposed $78, then $73 before adopting $53 per barrel as the nation’s budget oil benchmark for the financial year. Even then, oil prices have since fallen below that range, thus compelling the Joint ventures to cut their budgets by as much as $40 per cent. The National Petroleum Investment Management Services, NAPIMS, which issued the directive on behalf of the government, had reminded them that the budgets were drawn early in 2014 when crude oil prices hovered at over $100 per barrel. NAPIMS, which manages government’s investments in the JVCs, production sharing companies, PSCs, and services contract companies, SCs, had explained that the directive essential because it would be impossible for the joint ventures to execute all their projects earlier drawn up for implementation. The agency, which also engages frontier exploration services in basins where the multinationals hesitate to venture, including the Chad Basin, indicated that the 2015 budgets had to be slashed in line with the present funding constraint. Expectedly, the development has affected the capacities of the various

international oil companies, IOCs, including Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, Total Exploration and Production Limited, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Nigerian Agip Oil Company, that operate the joint ventures with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, to finance new and ongoing projects. Investigations showed that the activities of indigenous companies that provide specialised services to the majors in the oil and gas industry are not spared. While many of them have managed to hang on, others have gone as far as sacking their personnel because of significant reduction in their volume of

projects and programmes. The situation has also affected operations of the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company, NPDC. The minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, gave the indication during an interactive session with members of the National Assembly in Abuja recently. In a presentation titled “The Roadmap for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector,” Kachikwu noted that the average national oil production as at July 2015 stood at 2.1million barrels per day and that the equity production from NPDC was a paltry99, 000 barrels per day. The issue of funding constraints, the minister said, must be urgently addressed going forward, especially with

the average gas to power generation is currently estimated at about

3,000

megawatts, in addition to a domestic gas supply of one

billion standard cubic feet (scf) and with the contribution of

600

million standard cubic feet from

npdc

the collaboration of the private sector and international investors into the nation’s petroleum industry. He maintained that the average gas to power generation is currently estimated at about 3,000 megawatts, in addition to a domestic gas supply of one billion standard cubic feet (scf) and with the contribution of 600 million standard cubic feet from NPDC. This has attracted the comments of some stakeholders. For instance, the Chairman of International Energy Services Limited, Dr. Diran Fawibe maintained that indeed, every close watcher of the volatile oil market should be worried at least for a reason. He maintained that the nation’s 2015 budget was based on the crude oil price of $52 per barrel. “This is contrary to some analysts, including the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC as who had expressed hope that prices would rise from the second quarter of this year. The cartel had predicted that the prices of crude oil would start to leap in the second quarter of 2015. The Secretary General of OPEC, Dr. Abdalla Salem El-Badri at the 19th Middle East Oil & Gas Conference that the global oil market which was oversupplied by about two million barrels per day, bpd should return to balance during the secCONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Energy Week

Wednesday, December 23 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Low oil prices, dearth of investments hampering NPDC’s, others’ operations

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33

ond half of the year.” “The OPEC Secretary General said that, over the years, the global oil and gas industry had gone through a number of cycles and changes that had required the industry to adapt and evolve. He said while prices will no doubt rebound, as they have done lately, it is clear that the industry is currently witnessing a landscape that is shifting the global oil industry. He said it was essential to maintain research and development initiatives and to continually develop technologies that could help in discovering, extracting and producing more hydrocarbon reserves in an ever more cost-effective and sustainable manner.” “From all indications, the second quarter that he talked about is fast running out with crude oil prices hovering between $55 and $65 per barrel. This is very instructive. While we continue to have hope, we should learn to keep an open mind and not to be over-ambitious because the market would continue to be volatile and speculative in nature,” he added. A Port Harcourt based consultant, Mr. Bala Zaka, indicated that the situation has greatly been worsened because of Nigeria’s inability to pass the Petroleum Industry Bill, PIB, into law. He said the PIB has been designed to attract more investments into the industry. Zaka observed that the expectation would not be achieved because of the nation’s inability to pass it into law. He indicated that that the situation would continue to impact negatively on investment, exploration and production of crude oil and natural gas. Consequently, there are indications that Nigeria will fair lower than some nations in oil and gas exploration and production, given the fiscal and other policy regimes in the nation’s oil and gas sector. For instance, Angola is set to beat Nigeria as a leading oil producer in Africa from the 2020s because of the prevalence of regulatory irregularities, especially uncertainty and oil theft in the country. The International Energy Agency, IEA, in its latest report predicted that Nigeria stood the risk of losing its leadership position as a big producer because of the uncertainties. “Nigeria is the richest resource centre of the oil sector, but regulatory uncertainty, militant activity and oil theft in the Niger Delta are deterring investment and production, so much so that Angola is set to overtake Nigeria as the region’s largest producer of crude oil at least until the early 2020s,” it stated The agency noted that the value of the estimated 150,000 barrels lost to oil theft each day, amounting to more than $5bn per year, would be sufficient to fund universal access to electricity for all Nigerians by 2030.

Buhari

Kachikwu

The agency disclosed that with regional production falling back from above six million barrels per day (mb/d) in 2020 to 5.3 mb/d in 2040, but demand for oil products doubling to four mb/d – an upward trend amplified in some countries by subsidised prices – the result would squeeze the region’s net contribution to the global oil balance. It added that natural gas resource-holders could power domestic economic development and boost export revenues, but only if the right regulation, prices and infrastructure are in place. The agency maintained that more than one trillion cubic metres of gas had been wasted through flaring over the years, a volume that – if used to provide power – would be enough to meet current sub-Saharan electricity needs for more than a decade. Despite the challenges, the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board, NCDMB has charged investors to continue to do their best. For instance, it urged investors to increase investment in line pipes used in the oil

and gas industry. Speaking at a meeting with the investors held at the Board’s headquarters in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State on Tuesday, the Executive Secretary of NCDMB, Mr. Denzil Kentebe stated that the Board had spent considerable time stimulating investments in line pipes and it was high time the firms brought their investments to fruition. He pledged the Board’s preparedness to assist the companies overcome challenges they may be facing with their projects, urging them to suggest interventions they would require from Government. Kentebe informed the investors that the Nigerian oil and gas industry required over 800,000 metric tons of pipes per annum, listing opportunities for the utilisation of line pipes to include the Gas Master Plan projects, major upcoming Engineering, Procurement and Construction projects and planned replacement of aged pipes used in transporting crude and refined products. The Managing Director, Brentex Petroleum Service Limited, Mr. Chidi

The NCDMB also iNDiCaTeD ThaT iT has giveN ouT sTarTer paCks To The

arTisaNs TraiNeD iN DiffereNT CoNsTruCTioN skills uNDer iTs CapaCiTy BuilDiNg iNiTiaTive for youThs of seleCTeD oil BeariNg CoMMuNiTies

Nzerem thanked the Board for its support, pointing out that the company had begun extensive work at its pipe mill site in Calabar, Cross Rivers State. He stated that when completed, the pipe mill would be the largest in Africa with a production capacity of 300,000MT of LSAW pipes. Nzerem also confirmed that his company had acquired 65 percent of the equipment required to start production and shipped them to the Calabar. According to him, Brentex had signed a technical agreement with Petrojet Haeusler International Pipes Industry Company (IPIC) and plans to begin operation in the second quarter of 2018. The NCDMB also indicated that it has given out starter packs to the 92 artisans trained in different construction skills under its capacity building initiative for youths of selected oil bearing communities. The hand-over of the work kits marked the formal end of the artisanal training programme which was organised for six months in collaboration with the Federal University Utuoke, Bayelsa State. The participants got classroom and practical exercises in areas like carpentry, tiling, scaffolding, iron bending, plumbing, electrical installation, painting and mason. Denzil Kentebe explained that the Board conceived the training to improve the skill levels of select artisans to the standard required by the oil and

gas sector. He expressed hope that their abilities had been enhanced reasonably such that they would contribute meaningfully to the growth of the Nigerian economy.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

HoS to commence electricity bills payment upfront

Energy Week

Stories: Chidi Ugwu ABUJA

he Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoCSF) has directed the Budget Office to remit electricity bills upfront to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) while it intervenes on the debts of ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). The Head, Mrs. Winifred Ekanem Oyo-Ita pledged to assist AEDC in getting all MDAs to settle their electricity bills last Thursday when the Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Neil Croucher and his team visited her on the issue. A statement from AEDC’s spokesman, Ahmed Shekarau read: ‘She noted that already, her Office had written to instruct the Budget Office in the Federal Ministry of Finance to deduct the monthly electricity bills of the Office of the Head of Service upfront and remit same to the AEDC. She said upon resumption in her Office six weeks ago, she found unacceptable the huge backlog of electricity bills in the Office adding that, “I will not like a situation where we would have frequent disconnections because of unpaid electricity bills in this office. Such a disconnection can disrupt our operations and I don’t want any such kind of incident.” AEDC statement said the Head of Service assured of presenting the matter at the next Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting holding early January

Power plant

2016. Earlier, Mr. Croucher said the team’s visit was in return of her earlier visit to the AEDC headquarters in Abuja. Commending Mrs. Oyo-Ita for her visit, Croucher also appealed for her support in getting some of the indebted ministries, departments and agencies to clear their outstanding electricity bills. Meanwhile, AEDC has assured its customers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Kogi, Nasarawa and Niger states that its offices will be opened to respond to faults, customers’ complaints and also distribute the electricity allocated to it by the System Operator (TCN) during yuletide and even beyond.

The Company said it had been working relentlessly to ensure that all its customers in the franchise area get sufficient power supply to enhance their comfort and joyous moments during the season, adding that barring any unforeseen hitches from the other arms of the value chain or any local fault, such steady supply is guaranteed. The AEDC reiterated its commitment to improved quality of its services to all classes of its customers, saying that with the renewed vigour by the present administration to grow the Nigerian Electricity Supply Industry (NESI), its customers should expect the very best at all times.

Power generation accounts for 40% of manufacturers’ cost

he Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) has said that because of insufficient power supply, over 40 per cent of production cost in Nigeria goes to electricity generation by manufacturers. A member of MAN and Chairman, Technical Committee on Operationalisation of Micro-Grid for Industrial Initiative, Mr. Regard Odiah, disclosed this in Abuja when he presented the report of the committee to NERC. The committee was inaugurated two weeks ago by NERC and mandated to take a critical look at the energy laws in Nigeria. The committee was also required to come up with implementable policies and regulations that would address the numerous power challenges facing industries, especially the manufacturing sector.

Transformer

Odiah said: “Over 40 per cent of our production cost goes into provision of electricity supply for our manufacturing. Also when other infrastructural deficiencies are added, Nigeria becomes one of the most expensive coun-

tries in the world to set up a business venture.’’ He explained that the combined power generation capacity of MAN nationwide was 15,000mw while the maximum generation from the central/national

Commodity

Units

Price

Change

% Change

Time(ET)

Crude Oil (WTI)

USD/bbl.

34.69

-0.04

-0.12%

14:11:45

Crude Oil (Brent)

USD/bbl.

36.34

-0.54

-1.46%

14:12:12

TOCOM Crude Oil

JPY/kl

27,170.00

-60.00

-0.22%

13:59:56

NYMEX Natural Gas

USD/MMBtu

1.92

+0.15

+8.49%

14:12:11

Source: Bloomberg as at December 21, 2015

grid was less than 5,000mw and unreliable. According to him, this leaves a huge gap of power insufficiency to the sector. He listed time and fund as the two factors that posed challenges to the committee in producing the report. The President of MAN, Mr Frank Jacobs, said that there were 28 industrial clusters in Nigeria, adding that the association spent N73 million every month on power generation to manufacture goods in the clusters. Jacobs explained that with adequate supply of electricity, the association would manufacture more goods and the economy would be better and people enjoy improved standard of living. Earlier, the Chairman of NERC, Dr Sam Amadi, expressed happiness and appreciation to the committee for preparing the report and coming out with the report on time. He assured the committee that the report would be submitted to government for approval.

Energy Week

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Abuja Disco denies link with $2.1bn armsgate

Low investments hamper NPDC’s productivity

CHIDI UGWU

ABUJA

ABUJA,

he Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) has disassociated itself from media reports that the company also got its share from the allegedly misappropriated $2.1 billion voted for security by the Goodluck Jonathan’s administration, and for which the former national security adviser, Sambo Dasuki, is currently standing trial. In a statement by its communication officer, Ahmed Shekarau, refuting any link to the deal, the company referred to recent media reports to the effect that it received the sum of N125, 503,255.11 from the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). It stated that the said sum was paid by the ONSA as part payment for electricity consumed by the Presidency. It would be recalled that Dasuki being prosecuted over a controversial $2.1 billion arms deal alongside the chairman of Daar Communications Plc, Raymond Dokpesi, and former Sokoto State governor Attahiru Bafarawa, amongst others.

African Petroleum enters Cote d’Ivoire PSC with Ophir Energy

est Africa-focused energy firm African Petroleum Corporation Limited announced Monday that it had entered into a new production sharing contract with Ophir Energy plc covering the CI-513 license area in Cote d’Ivoire. Under the terms of the new PSC, Ophir Energy will hold a 45 percent operated interest in the license area. African Petroleum will have a 45 percent interest and Petroci, the National Oil Company of Côte d’Ivoire, will hold the remaining 10 percent carried interest. Ophir Energy will make a contribution of $16.9 million towards African Petroleum’s historical investment in 3D seismic and the transaction costs. In addition, Ophir will contribute 10 percent towards the drilling of the first exploration well on the block. The new PSC has been signed by African Petroleum, Ophir Energy, Petroci, and two out of three of the relevant government ministries. The final ministry signature is expected to be signed in the near future, according to an African Petroleum statement. Jens Pace, CEO of African Petroleum, said in a company statement: “We are pleased to have signed this new PSC with Ophir Energy who bring a wealth of experience and technical expertise to Block CI-513 in Côte d’Ivoire. We look forward to working with Ophir Energy and Petroci to jointly explore the potential of this exciting block. (Source - rigzone. com)

CHIDI UGWU

nadequate and low investments into oil assets have driven the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC) into low and declining equity production in its Joint venture reserves with international oil companies (IOCs) operating in the country. The minister of state for petroleum resources, Ibe Kachikwu, stated this recently during an interactive session with members of the National Assembly in Abuja. In a presentation titled “The Roadmap for Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Sector,” Kachikwu noted that the average national oil production as at July 2015 stood at 2.1million barrels per day and that the equity production from NPDC was a paltry99,000 barrels per day. The issue of funding constraints, the minister said, must be urgently addressed going forward, especially with the collaboration of the private sector and international investors into the nation’s petroleum industry. He also informed that the average gas to power generation is currently estimated at

about 3,000 megawatts, in addition to a domestic gas supply of one billion standard cubic feet (scf) and with the contribution of 600 million standard cubic feet from NPDC. On the current state of the nation’s refineries, Kachikwu confirmed that on the basis of available reports, two of the refineries may be re-streamed before the end of December 2015. He explained further that his ministry was currently making efforts to engage private investors for the construction of new refineries within the old ones in order to enable them share power, pipelines and other resources necessary for their sustainable optimum, and profitable performance. According to him, the new agenda for the Nigerian oil and gas industry is centered on having the right people, doing the right things, at the right time, for the right purpose to yield the right results. He also said that the petroleum sector under his watch would ensure that the Nigeria content policy would transform the oil and gas industry into a viable and central economic engine for job creation and national growth. Kachikwu said he was

Oil rig

obliged to cancel the Offshore Processing Agreements (OPAs), the crude-for-products-exchange arrangement, popularly known oil swap, and other unprofitable product and Crude arrangements, all in a bid to avoid rent seekers and add value to the Nigerian hydrocarbon asset base to the greater advantage of the national economy and the Nigerian people. On the downstream sector, the minister said he strongly advocates for the introduction of a private sector model that would reinvigorate the efficient supply and distribution

of petroleum products, especially in the area of pipeline assets. According to him, the menace of pipeline vandalism has led to huge losses of crude and petroleum products, even as about 27, 967 incidents of pipeline vandalism were recorded in the last few years. He further noted that unutilized pipelines and poor pipeline integrity also led to high cost of trucking and impact on the roads. Responding, the House Committee Chairman on Petroleum Downstream, Joseph Akinlaja, urged the minister and his team to ensure a seamless flow of premium motor spirit otherwise known as petrol during the yuletide season.

PPMC to plug fuel supply leakages ISAAC ASABOR

he Managing Director of the Pipelines and Product Marketing Company, PPMC, Esther Nnamdi-Ogbe has assured Nigerians that petroleum queues seen at different service stations across the nation would ceased before Christmas. She gave the assurance on Monday as she lists the efforts which the company has made to ensure that the prevailing

scarcity of petrol in the country would become a thing of the past in the next few days. Nnamdi-Ogbe disclosed that 800 litres of petrol had arrived the country but distribution had been hindered as a result of poor tracking of trucks. According to her, in order to move forward the company is going to add trackers to ensure that the products discharged at various depots get to the station. She explained that PPMC had sent employees to state capitals

Total Nigeria Plc’s representatives, Albert Mabuyaku, Corporate Affairs Manager and Chinwe Ifechigha, Corporate Social Responsibility Manager with representatives from Ugogomeje Nursery & Primary School in Koko, Delta State during the commissioning of newly donated school furniture to the school.

in view of the perceived gap in knowing what trucks are coming in, as the company can no longer rely on other agencies alone. The company’s boss pointed out that this was done so that it can monitor the ones that are being diverted or sold in other places outside the stations. “There have been instances in some states where they do not pay for products yet they are having products being sold. There has to be an explanation of how they got the products because they did not get it from us,” she added. Nnamdi-Ogbe said that the PPMC was working assiduously with Directorate of Petroleum Resources, DPR, to track trucks with electronic devices, saying that the situation was an emergency that has to be tackled as fast as possible. This is even as she hinted that the company had noticed that there were delays in movements of trucks from Lagos to Abuja, saying that some 857 trucks that departed from Lagos on December 16, 2015 were just arriving Abuja.

In order to avoid similar delays in future, she said that the company would resort to making available to Nigerians list of trucks that would be expected to arrive in each state capital to enable Nigerians monitor the movements of the trucks. Apart from delay that is often caused by tanker drivers, she attributed the scarcity of petrol to pipeline vandalism which, she said, had made distribution of petroleum products through pipes to other state depots difficult. According to her, the use of pipelines in the distribution of petrol has been an issue for a long time, and said it would have been better to monitor the activities of vandals with drones. “We cannot fold our hands and watch this happen. We will track every trucks. We will not sit down and watch Nigerians face perennial suffering. Whatever it is, if it is a cartel, we will break it and this will be the last time it will happen,” Nnamdi-Ogbe added.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

From The Civil Service We’ll revive tourism sector to improve economy –FG •Seeks private, public partnership Joel AJAyi ABUJA

he Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday, reiterated the federal government’s determination to revive culture and tourism sector with a view to improving the country’s economy. Consequently, the minister sought the collaboration of the private sector in the areas of infrastructural development, establishment of Tourism Development Fund and many others. Lai Mohammed, who stated this at a workshop on Mainstreaming Tourism into the Economic Agenda of Government, in Abuja, promised to do everything within its powers to provide an enabling environment for investors and tourists to thrive. The minister said that the tourism sector is capable of employing millions of youths and

L-R: Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu; Minister of State for Education, Prof. Anthony Anwuka, and the Minister of Trade and Investment, Okechukwu Enalema, at the Federal Executive Council meeting in Abuja, yesterday.

improving the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, the minister said that Nige-

ria was determined to fully exploit its potential for tourism as one of Africa’s major tourist destination. According to him, oil and minerals which are non-renewable could not

effectively address the challenges the country was facing currently. His word: “The uniqueness of tourism, as an important economic sector, is also evident in its ability to employ

both the skilled, semiskilled and unskilled manpower. “However, for the tourism sector to meet the country’s development expectations, the government on its own part is

NEMA sets up operational office in Imo

n a move to strengthen disaster management in the country, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has established Owerri Operation office in Imo State to provide proximity of response in timely manner to locations within its area of coverage. This was made known in a statement issued on Tuesday by the Senior Information Officer of NEMA, Sani Datti. Speaking on the new

office, the Director General, NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi, urged state governments to always give support to their own State Emergency Management Agencies to be fully operational while local governments were encouraged to also form their emergency management committees. He noted that states were encouraged to develop their coordinating systems in line with the national coordination mechanism, as that would

Ministries of Finance, Health, Women Affairs rated low on FRI –Report

P.38

reduce cost and shorten response time. The DG who was represented by Director, Relief and Rehabilitation, Mr. Eugene Eze, stated that the Owerri operation office was saddled with the responsibility of disaster management in Imo and Abia states and also coordinates the activities of government and nongovernmental organisations that are involved in disaster management in the states.

Owerri Operation Office was carved out of South East zonal office in Enugu State and is located at new Owerri, Imo State. The head of the office is Dr. Innocent Ezeaku. With the creation of Owerri Operation Office, the agency now has six (6) operations and Six (6) zonal offices across the country. Representing the Imo State governor, the Executive Secretary, Imo SEMA, Mrs. Ezeonyeasi Uche,

2016: UNICEF projects $23m on education P.39

stated that before now, NEMA South-East zonal office in Enugu was the closest point of contact for emergency responses but that the presence of Imo operation office is a blessing to the state. In attendance at the commissioning were members of the Red Cross, Federal Road Safety Corps, SEMA, Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, NESREA, Ministry of Information, and other stakeholders.

determined to provide a more conducive environment for investors and potential tourists. “In spite of all these, there is still room for development and improvement which requires the collaboration of both the public and private sectors. “I wish to assure you that the government is statutorily expected to provide unique opportunities and the enabling environment for development of a consistent and long-term framework on which the private investors can base business decisions. “Our experience in the recent past, also clearly demonstrates that oil and mineral resources that are not renewable have very limited potential for addressing the development challenges that face the country today, over the medium and long-term period.” In her remarks, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, who spoke through the Director of Planning, Research and Documentation, Alhaji Inuwa Garba, said the current economic situation necessitated the need to revamp the nonoil sector, of which the workshop was designed to address. “The current economic downturn as a result of the dwindling oil price in the international market further emphasises the urgent need for diversification through other major non-oil sectors,” she said.

Ex-ministers reiterate importance of Science and Technology

P.39

Civil Service

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Ministries of Finance, Health, Women Affairs rated low on FRI –Report •Environment ministry comes top with 69.36% olUfemi AdeosUn, ABUJA

he Centre for Social Justice has unveiled the Fiscal Responsibility Index for Federal Government MDAs scoring the ministries of Finance, Health and Women Affairs low. The report which was put together by the CSJ with funding and technical support from the Open Society Initiative for West Africa and the Fiscal Responsibility Commission, studied how ministries, departments and agencies of government have complied with the provisions of the Fiscal Responsibility Act, the Medium Term Expenditure Framework, the national budget and the vision 2020 document. Besides, the index also covered sub indexes on policy based on budget comprehensiveness and transparency; budget credibility; budget implementation,

monitoring and evaluation; accounting and external auditing. According to the report, a total of 16 MDAs were studied in the pilot survey with the Ministry of Environment coming tops on the index with 69.36 per cent. This was followed by the Ministry of Lands and Housing (67.62 per cent), Works ( 67.49 per cent), Mines and Steel (66.86 per cent) and Agriculture (66.65 per cent). The report said while none of the agencies could score up to 70 per cent, they were able to cross the 66 per cent minimum threshold which is the accepted level of fiscal responsibility in MDAs. However, it said about 11 ministries in the study scored below the 66 per cent benchmark line for fiscal responsibility. According to the report, the ministry of health, for instance, recorded the least

score of 39.08 per cent on the index, while Women Affairs and Finance ministries with 52.14 per cent and 55.59 per cent followed respectively. It said, “The final scores of the fiscal responsibility index shows that there are still lots of work to be done at every MDA. None of the MDA could make it to 70 per cent of scores. There is every need for improvement across the MDAs whether at the top or at the area of the index. “This is important because sound fiscal policy and its attendant fiscal

responsibility can have important long-run effects on the health of the Nigerian economy through its desired impact on not only national saving but on the growth of productivity.” The Acting Chairman, FRC, Barrister Victor Muruako, said since it began operation in 2009, the agency had recovered the sum of N367 billion as at August this year being operation surplus by MDAs to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. He said the need for fiscal responsibility, accountability and transparency

had become important in the light of the present administration’s quest for good governance devoid of corruption. He said, “The government’s fiscal and budget system is a powerful tool for ensuring growth, productivity and prosperity. However, poor budget implementation and public expenditure have, over the years, become a constraint to effective governance. “Of recent, there has been a renewed call for government agencies not to shirk their responsibility in remittance of their oper-

ating surplus. “Since it began operation in 2009, the commission had made remittance of operating surplus by MDAs it’s battle cry such that it has induced payment of over N367bn operation surplus by MDAs to the CRF.” Also speaking, the Lead Director, CSJ, Barrister Eze Onyekpere said the collaboration is the beginning of a process that would flow with the goals of the current administration to entrench transparency, accountability and value for money in the management of the nation’s resources.

Nigerians in Diaspora urge FG to embrace BRISIN for national growth Chidi UgwU, ABUJA

igerians in Diaspora have called on the federal government to embrace concepts of Basic Registry and Information System In Nigeria (BRISIN) in order to solve some challenges bedevilling the country. The group made the call recently in Abuja in an interactive session with journalists, saying solutions for solving the nation’s numerous challenges could be proffered through effective communication. ``Nigerians abroad want government to use BRISIN as a critical instrument to carry people along and solve unacceptable situations crippling the nation’s economy, including insecurity in every state of the federation. ``Also we that are living overseas will want to request from the Federal Government `to have BRIZIN’s Sensitisation Conference in UK.’’, they said. One of the Nigerians living in Canada, Mr. Ikechukwu Ogoke, told our correspondent that Nigeria ought to have built this system immediately after independence and today the country would have been great. According to him, with

proper planning development would be a lot easier. Mr. Abdul Hassan, living in New York USA, said if this new government would focus on BRISIN virtually 90 per cent of Nigeria’a problems would be solved. He said a nation could fight corruption, criminality, create employment and solve social welfare problems with primary sourced integrated data. Hassan said if government undertook the concepts of BRIZIN it would have strong economy because it would enable it have all the data of its citizens from local, state and federal government. He added that with this, government could plan very well for its citizens in all its policies.

Special advisers to Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, taking oath of office in Owerri on Monday.

NOA boss charges civil servants on accountability Joel AJAyi, ABUJA

s part of its efforts to key in into the present administration’s anti-corruption programme, the National Orientation Agency, NOA, has charged the entire public servants in the country to be the arrow head in promoting good behaviour, attitudinal change, transpar-

ency and accountability in the public sector. Director General of NOA, Mr. Mike Omeri, made this call while declaring open a two-day trainthe-trainers workshop organised by the agency for its accounting, procurement and auditing staff in Abuja on Anti-corruption, Revised National Chart of Accounts and the Implementation of the Inter-

FRSC sensitises on new drivers’ licence olUfemi AdeosUn, ABUJA

ederal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, has kick-started awareness programme on the new driver’s licence to improve the safety of all road users. The programme is aimed at eradicating all forms of corrupt practices and racketeering that prevail in the issuance of a

fresh and renewal of driver’s licence. Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of Federal Road Safety Corps, Boboye Oyeyemi, who was represented by Corps Commandant, Omo Kagho, disclosed this in Abuja, during a one day sensitisation programme on the new drivers’ license in Nigeria. According to him, the new drivers’ license was formally launched on 2nd

September 2011 in line with the collective quest to enthrone order and decorum in the nations’ motor vehicle administration. The FRSC boss, however, disclosed that the scheme had also been designated in different locations across the country for simultaneous awareness drive to further strengthen the desire to enthrone sanity on the highways.

national Public Sector Accounting Standards (IPSAS) Accrual Accounting. Representing the NOA Director General, the Agency’s Director, Planning, Research and Strategy, Mr. Bonat Tagwai, said the training became necessary to ensure the agency’s adherence to high standards and international best practices as the agency champions’ attitudinal change in the three critical areas of accounting, procurement and auditing of the federal government’s public sector anti-corruption campaign. He charged NOA staff to shine the light of transparency and accountability for other public servants, adding that the trainees at the workshop would be deployed to further train other staff of the agency in the states. In his address, the Director, Finance and Accounts in the Agency, Mr. Pascal Okolike, stressed that all

staff of the agency involved in the management of public funds would from January 1, 2016, be expected to comply with the provisions of IPSAS Accrual Accounting. Speaking earlier, the representative of the IPSAS secretariat, Alhaji Usman Abubakar, noted that IPSAS Cash, an introductory component of the policy, had been in operation in the public sector from 2014 through 2015 while IPSAS Accrual Accounting was scheduled to take effect from January 1, 2016 and President Muhammadu Buhari was expected to make a formal declaration to that effect soon. He said under the new component, all assets of public sector entities, including non-financial assets, must be valued and included in government statements of account, which had not been the case so far.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Civil Service 39

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

2016: UNICEF projects $23m on education •Launches National Health Workforce Registry AdeolA Tukuru, ABUJA

nited Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) has said it will need nearly $23 million to provide access to education for children affected by conflicts in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, most of who live around the Lake Chad region, in 2016. Across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, over 2,000 schools remain closed due to the conflict, some of them for more than a year. In far north Cameroon, only one out of the 135 schools closed in 2014 has re-opened this year. He said, so far, UNI-

CEF had received 44 per cent of the funding required in 2015 to respond to the humanitarian needs of children in Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad. In a press statement by UNICEF’s West and Central Africa Regional Director, Manuel Fontaine, the body said violence and attacks against civilian populations in North East of Nigeria and its neighbouring countries had forced more than one million children out of school. His words: “The number of children missing out on their education due to the conflict adds to the estimated 11 million children of primary school age who were already out of school

in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger before the onset of the crisis. “The conflict has been a huge blow for education in the region, and violence has kept many children out of the classroom for more than a year, putting them at risk of dropping out of school

altogether.” “Across Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad and Niger, over 2,000 schools remain closed due to the conflict – some of them for more than a year – and hundreds have been attacked, looted or set on fire. In far north Cameroon, only one out of

the 135 schools closed in 2014 has re-opened this year,” he said. He further explained that in North East of Nigeria, UNICEF has supported 170,000 children back into education in the safer areas of the three states most affected by the conflict,

where the majority of schools have been able to re-open. However, many classrooms are severely overcrowded as some school buildings are still being used to house the large numbers of displaced persons seeking shelter from the conflict.

FHA urges govt to recapture social housing into budgetary allocation Chidi ugwu

WITH AGENCY REPORT

he Managing Director of the Federal Housing Authority (FHA), Prof. Mohammed Al-Amin, has called on the federal government to return its social housing programme to its budgetary allocations. Al-Amin told our correspondent in Abuja that the government should also enhance the authority’s housing finance to boost the sector. He said that there was a laudable social housing programme before 2003 when it was removed, leaving the FHA to fend for itself. Al-Amin also said that the authority was scheduled for commercialisation in 2003 but that nothing had been done in that regard. He said that the authority had found it difficult to provide com-

mercial housing as well as social housing to the citizens. The managing director said that the removal of the FHA from the statutory budgetary allocation had negatively affected it. ``We would like the new administration to look into housing finance in the housing sector, particularly with regards to the position of FHA. ``It was during my administration that we were able to bring life into the departments of social housing as well as that of commercial housing. ``We designed a department called mandate department to see to housing finance,’’ he said. Al-Amin noted that adequate shelter for the citizens was enshrined in the constitution under the fundamental principles of state policy.

Permanent Secretary, Plateau Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Mr. Thomas Chollom (left), presenting hand-over notes to the new commissioner for the ministry, Mr. Ezekiel Daju, in Jos, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN

Ex-ministers reiterate importance of Science, Technology reginA oTokpA, ABUJA

ormer ministers of Science and Technology have called on the federal government to make science and technology the cornerstone of the nation’s development. The call was made at an interactive session with the present Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, in Abuja. According to them,

science and technology, if properly explored, would become the nation’s inexhaustible oil for the future, the cornerstone of development, and wealth creation. They added that the sector would undoubtedly create jobs in an unprecedented manner for teeming youths in the country. Commending Onu, whom they described as a “round peg in a round hole”, they admonished him to use

his wealth of experience to change the fortune of the ministry by engendering the needed attention from government and the undeserved perception from members of the public about the critical role science and technology play in national development. Earlier on, Onu noted that government was desirous of delving into the valued experience of the past ministers in the quest to ensure that

science and technology assumed its rightful place as the key to solving national challenges, especially the economy, security and the rule of law. In attendance at the interactive session were Alhaji Abdulahi Ibrahim (SAN), General (Rtd) Sam Momah, Dr. (Mrs.) Paullen Tallen, Prof. Turner Isoun, Chief (Mrs.) Grace Ekpiwehre and the immediate past minister of the ministry, Dr. Abdu Bulama.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

World News

The best scientific minds tell us we have a real chance to make groundbreaking progress on curing the Alzheimer’s disease. –US DEMOCRATS PRESIDENTIAL HOPEFUL, HILLARY CLINTON AfolAbi GAmbAri

WITH AGENCY REPORT

he number of migrants and refugees crossing into Europe by land and sea illegally this year has passed one million, representing a fourfold rise on the total last year, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) said yesterday. Most crossed by sea, with more than 800, 000 travelling from Turkey to Greece and half are migrants from Syria. Eleven more migrants drowned yesterday, adding to the IOM toll of 3, 695 dying or missing at sea. Seven people were rescued by Turkish coast guards after the craft went down, apparently en route from Kusadasi in Turkey to the Greek island of Samos. One report said the dead were Syrians. The huge influx of migrants has caused significant political rifts within the EU, with some states inside the border-free Schengen area putting up fences and re-imposing frontier controls. Hungary and Slovakia are taking legal action at the European Court of Justice to challenge EU plans to share asylum seekers across EU states. Meanwhile, many migrants and refugees are pressing to be allowed to settle in richer northern countries like Germany and Sweden.

‘One million migrants enter Europe in 2015’

Burundi President, Pierre Nkurunziza

Iraqi forces march on Ramadi Iraqi government forces yesterday advanced into the centre of the city of Ramadi, which is controlled by jihadist group Islamic State (IS), officials said. Security sources said troops and allied tribesmen, backed by air strikes, had already retaken two districts, and entered two others as they headed towards the main government complex against snipers and suicide bombers. Ramadi fell to IS in May in an embarrassing defeat for the Iraqi army. Last month, government forces completed their encirclement of the predominantly Sunni Arab city, about 90km (55 miles) west of Baghdad, cutting off militants inside the centre from their strongholds elsewhere in Anbar province and in neighbouring Syria.

India toughens juvenile crimes’ law

The government has not yet responded to the Amnesty report. But it said soon after the violence on December 11 that those killed were responsible for attacks on government installations. Unrest has blighted Burundi since an attempted coup in May

and protests over President Pierre Nkurunziza’s continued rule. The attempt to overthrow the president followed his decision to seek a third term in office, which he won in a disputed election in July. Ethnic conflict between Hutus and Tutsis which began in Bu-

rundi in the early 1990s claimed an estimated 300, 000 lives. “While the government faces an extremely challenging security situation, including armed attacks on the security forces, it must confront these challenges in a manner consistent with human rights and the rule of law,” the Amnesty reports also said.

The Indian parliament has passed a bill which allows juveniles between 16 and 18 years of age to be tried as adults for serious crimes like rape or murder. At present, those under 18 can be sentenced to a maximum of three years in a reform facility. The move to change the law gathered momentum after the youngest convict in the notorious 2012 Delhi gang rape was recently released from detention. The parents of the victim were among those campaigning to change the law as the Juvenile Justice Bill was passed yesterday by the Rajya Sabha-the upper house of the parliament after the bill was approved by the Lok Sabha-the lower house-in May. It will now have to be signed by the president to become lawwhich will be a mere formality.

Continued from back page

award what it does not have? Why should NUC keep mute at this illegality and gross abuse of regulation? It is very clear that the Visitor to KASU, who is the Governor of Kaduna State, is at the forefront of this manipulative scheme to rubbish the university system and smear the good name of the president of the country. Or why did he dissolve the Governing Council of the university simply because they allegedly drew his attention to the illegality and immorality of awarding honoris causa to a serving elected public officer? And the VC who was appointed by Governor Yakowa was rattled to his nerves with an array of queries to get him to accept political interference in the running

of the university. My third reason is even more scary. Is the Minister of Education so incompetent as not to draw the attention of Mr. President to all these violations? Why wouldn’t he draw the attention of the president to the Keffi Declaration? And to the NUC guidelines on approved universities with graduate courses? If the minister of education is kept in the dark on the KASU honoris causa brouhaha, then our country is in trouble. It means the president will be relying on informal and unofficial (most of the time, misleading) suggestions to run the country. The earlier that crisis is resolved the better for our country. For me, President Muhammadu Buhari can still save the

Keffi Declaration, save himself from further embarrassment and save the university system in this regard by doing two things. One, cause his handlers to issue a public statement returning the illegal and undeserved honorary degree back to the awarding university and stating his commitment to respect and protect the Keffi Declaration. Two, investigate and punish any persons that had hands in misleading him into this embarrassing misstep. Fighting corruption is not just about stolen wealth. It is about respect for regulations. It is about staying on the moral high-grounds. Over to you “Sai Mai Gaskiya.” •Dr. Imran wrote from Santa Clara County, City of San Jose, California, USA

Majority of the migrants arrived in boats at a perilous cost

“Migration passed the symbolic milestone today (yesterday),” the IOM said, adding, “With the total for land and sea reaching more than 1, 006, 000.” The EU agreed last week to in-

crease the numbers of Frontex border agency staff in Greece, a key arrival point. Germany alone has received a million refugees and migrants this year, although many were al-

Burundi forces accused of repression he security forces in Burundi systematically killed dozens of people during violent repression that took place in the capital Bujumbura on December 11, Amnesty International said yesterday. The human rights body also said that some of the scores of people who died during the single bloodiest day of Burundi’s escalating crisis were killed extrajudicially. At least 87 people were killed, including eight security force members.

WORLD BULLETIN

ready within Europe, particularly in the Balkans. Macedonia is now refusing to allow anyone through its Greek border who does not come from a war zone.

Moral dilemma of Buhari’s honorary degree award How can you have an honorary doctorate graduand, when you don’t have the regular programmes with regular students pursuing doctorate studies? More so, the Keffi Declaration, section 2 subsection (e) states explicitly that: “A university shall not award honorary degrees if it has not graduated any PhD or has no postgraduate school or programme” The question is how many people graduated with PhDs at the December 12 convocation when President Buhari was decorated by KASU? Have KASU ever graduate a PhD since its establishment? When did they get the approval from the NUC to commence PhD programme? How could KASU

National Mirror North www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Ahmed presents N116bn budget Wole AdedeJi, ILORIN

wara State governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, yesterday presented a budget of N116,164,643,075 for 2016 - recording N1,574,163,831 less than the 2015 budget which is 1.3 per cent - to the state House of Assembly. The budget proposal contains a recurrent expenditure of N48,423,844,385 which is 42 per cent, and capital expenditure of N57,616,564,138 which is 49 per cent of the budget size. However, the governor, while presenting the budget said nine per cent of it which is N10,124,235,253 would go for the state’s public debt servicing. Governor Ahmed told the House that his projected revenue estimate for the budget he christened ‘Budget of Sustained Expansion’ through statutory allocation (FAAC) is N25,363,255,217, representing 21 per cent of the budgeted revenue.

Others, he said, include Valued Added Tax, VAT of N7,393,607,048, which is 6.4 per cent of the total revenue budget; non-oil revenue, N4,292, 723,330; internally-generated revenue, IGR, N29,677,818,989; bond facility from the capital market, N4,200,000,000 and capital development fund of N25,837,237,232. Highlights of the budget, according to the governor, include sectoral allocations to education of N30,435,998,594; economic affairs, N37,709,061,132; health, N1,428,772,818; general public service, N27,906,273,300; and housing and community amenities, N3,439,588,812, among others. Meanwhile, the governor was particular about his resolve to dualise the Sango/UITH road, Michael Imoudu Labour Institute/ Ganmo road, construction of a fly-over between Geri Alimi/Sawmill road and construction of Kishi (Oyo State)/Kaiama (Kwara) road with a specially earmarked N8 billion.

A zA Msue, KADUNA

aduna State yesterday announced that a group known as GE is to equip and modernise 255 primary healthcare centres, PHC, and 23 comprehensive healthcare centres in the state at a cost of N1bn. Briefing journalists in Kaduna, Commissioner for Health, Prof. Andrew Jonathan Nok, said the state Executive Council approved the contract at its meeting on Monday. Nok described the project as a vital aspect of the government’s agenda to expand access to healthcare and improve the facilities, equipment and staffing of the health delivery system at the grassroots. According to him, the state cabinet also decided to establish genotype testing facilities in five public hospitals. Nok said Kaduna State “is delighted to bring a company with worldwide reputation – GE - to upgrade its primary healthcare facilities in a way that ensures each of the 255 wards in the state has an apex PHC to which community health posts, dispensaries and clinics can make referrals. “GE will equip all the 255 PHCs with facilities for antenatal and obstet-

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Gunmen kill two in Taraba Justin tyopuusu, JALINGO

nknown gunmen suspected to be Fulani militants yesterday killed two persons and injured three others during a night attack in Aungwan Agbadorough, Bali Local Government Area of Taraba State. Fulani herdsmen have been terrorising farmers in central and southern parts of Taraba State especially Tiv farmers since 2013, forc-

ing thousands to flee their ancestral homes. The incident, according to an eyewitness, Abel Kume, happened at about 2.30am when the villagers were deep asleep. “We heard gunshots at about 2.30am and we quickly rushed out and took cover. At day break, we discovered that the attackers had killed two and left three others in their pool of blood and we called the police who came and evacuated the corpses and the in-

jured. ”The injured are currently receiving treatment at a private clinic in Bali. This renewed attacks have raised serious doubt about the security of farmers, especially Tiv farmers, in the central and southern parts of the state,” he said. Agbadorough village is less than two kilometers from Bali, headquarters of Bali Local Government Area. The attack came less than 48 hours after irate youths had killed six other

persons in Bornon Kurku area of the local government, forcing people to flee for safety with some relocating to Dan-Anacha and Jalingo, the state capital. When contacted, Taraba State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, ASP Joseph Kwaji, said he was holding meeting with the commissioner of police and all the DPOs and would get back to our correspondent which he was yet to do at the time of filing this report.

CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as IYINOMEN FRANCA IBHAGBOSORIA, now wish to be known and address as IYINOMEN FRANCA KIKELOMO . All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

GE to equip 255 PHCs, 23 hospitals in Kaduna for N1bn

ric screening, including hand-held scanners. The contract will also provide materials essential for the care of newborns, such as warmers, mask and resuscitation equipment.” The commissioner said the contract would further equip 23 comprehensive health centres, one in each local government, with capabilities for surgical care and cardiovascular screening and anesthesia care. “This GE contract is designed as the first phase of a process that aims to modernise all the health centres in the state,” he added. Nok said the present administration is determined to improve the dismal health indices which it inherited. His words: “This government has a priority to improve the standard of health services delivered to the citizens of the state. We are intervening to address issues with maternal and new-born child health and improve diagnosis and management of noncommunicable diseases through cardiovascular screening.” Nok disclosed that the council also approved the procurement of equipment to help in the early diagnosis of sickle cell disorder which accounts for six per cent of childhood mortality in Nigeria.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

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BALOGUN : This is to confirm that BALOGUN ORELOPE TAJUDEEN and BALOGUN ORELOPE refer to one and same person, henceforth wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN ORELOPE TAJUDEEN . All documents reflecting any of the Stated names remain valid. Banks and the general public take note

IFETAYO: Formerly known and addressed as IFETAYO ADELEKE now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM ADELEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AKINDE: Formerly known and addressed as AKINDE MONSURAT ADEWUNMI now wish to be known and addressed as SANNI MONSURAT ADEWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

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IKAPE: Formerly known and AKINBOWALE: Formerly known OPELOYERU: .Formerly known addressed as IKAPE MICHAEL and addressed as MUNIRAT and addressed as OPELOYERU OKORE now wish to be known OLA AKEEM now wish to OLAYEMI AKINBOWALE now and addressed as OKWUTE be known and addressed as wish to Agency be known (NOA), and addressed as Bauchi State Governor, Mohammed Abdullahi Abubakar (left) with Director-General, National Orientation Mr. Mike AUGUSTINE ODOH. All former ADETAYO AKEEM WALE . All MUNIRAT OLAYEMI ADEMOLA. documents remain valid. General Omeri, at the Grand North East Stakeholders’ Dialogue on the Nexus between War Against Corruption, Good Governance and former documents remain valid. All former documents remain valid. take note. Security organized by NOA, National Troupe Nigeria State Government in Bauchi, yesterday. General publicof take note and Bauchipublic General public take note.

Lack of fund stalls production of Nigerian-made satellites –Centre CHANGE OF NAME

irector, Centre for Satellite Technology Development, CSTD, Dr. Spencer Onuh, yesterday said lack of fund stalled the centre’s plan of manufacturing Nigerian-made satellites. Onuh told the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN, in Abuja that satellite technology remains the driving force behind most developed and developing economies. “Nigeria empowers other developed countries by buying their satellites and this trend can be reversed when local satellites are developed in the country,” he said. He said CSTD had been on the establishment of the Spacecraft Assembly, Integration and Test, AIT Centre. He said the centre would serve national and international space programmes for spacecraft assembly, integration and test activities. He said the AIT infrastructure is capable of supporting the Nigerian space sector to manufacture its own local satellites and sell to other

DJAN: I, formerly known and addressed as AGNES DJAN, now countries at aand reasonable wish to be known addressed as AGNES AKPOKODJE NEMU. fee that could be a source All former documents remain of revenue generation. valid. The general public should He take expressed worry please note.

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FADARE: Formerly known and addressed as MISS FADARE ABIMBOLA OLUWASEUN now wish to be known and addressed as MRS KEKEREOWO ABIMBOLA OLUWASEUN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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PETER: I, formerly known and addressed as TONY PETER, of handicapped now fund wish tohas be known, called and addressed as EVOH TAIWO. the centre fromTONY achieving All former documents remain valid. the AIT design and operaGeneral public and Authorities tion. Concerned should please take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed and known as Ajiwe Oluwatomilola Abidemi now wish to be known and called as Jimoh Tomilayo Abidemi. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

EGBEYODE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EGBEYODE OLUWABUNMI ELIZABETH, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OLUWABUNMI ELIZABETH ALFRED. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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OKENE :Formerly known and addressed as SALIHU KOKORI HASSAN now wish to be known and addressed as SALIHU KOKORI OKENE . All former documents remain valid. General public take note

EMEKA: Formerly known and addressed as EMEKA KENNETH DAMIAN now wish to be known and addressed as EMEKA KENNETH EZEUDEFUL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME MBONU: Formerly known and addressed as MISS IJEOMA MIRIAM MBONU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IJEOMA MIRIAM OBIJE . All former documents remain valid. General public take note

EKWEOBA : Formerly known and addressed as EKWEOBA KENNETH SUNDAY now wish to be known and addressed as EKWEOBA KENNETH CHUKWUEMEKAOSAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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ADELEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as ADELEKE OLADUNNI MULIKAT, to that in spite of now thewish huge be known, called and addressed as benefit AJIGBEWUNigeria MULIKATstands ADUNNI to . All former documents remain valid. gain from manufacturGeneral public and Authorities Concerned should please take note. ing its own satellites, lack

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AKINNUOYE: I, formerly known and addressed as AKINNUOYE DESMOND SUNDAY, now wish to be known, called and addressed as KAYODE OLUSEGUN ALANI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned to take note.

ACHEBE: I, formerly known and addressed as UCHENNA ACHEBE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MARTINS U. NWAFOR. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and adderessed as Ajemi Aji, now wish to be known and addressed as Ali Usman Ajimi. All former documents remain valid. general publicplease take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Miss Adesina Grace Idowu Ajoke now Mrs Akindolani Grace Ajoke. All former documents remain valid,Ondo Local Schools Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME ADEBAYO: Formerly known and addressed as ADEBAYO RAMON BOLA now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWADUMIYE TAIWO ADEJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.. CHANGE OF NAME IHEMESON: Formerly known and addressed as IHEMESON GULDER now wish to be known and addressed as IHEMESON CHRISTOPHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME OJO: Formerly known and addressed as BOSEDE OJO now wish to be known and addressed as OLAJUBU SAMUEL OJO All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank PLC, Union Bank PLC and General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that I formerly bearing BAJOWA KEHINDE OLAJUMOKE that I later changed to OMOTOSO KEHINDE OLAJUMOKE. Now wish to change from OMOTOSO KEHINDE OLAJUMOKE TO BAJOWA KEHINDE OLAJUMOKE. That henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as BAJOWA KEHINDE OLAJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid. All Authorities concern and General public take note.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as JOSEPH TAYO now wish to be known and addressed as JOSEPH IBITAYO PAUL. All former documents remain valid. First bank and General public take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Ogunsakin Mojisola Mary, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Adekanye Mojisola Mary.All former documents remain valid.UNITED BANK OF AFRICA PLC,FIRST BANK PLC and General public take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as Olatunji Taiwo Hassan, now wish to be known and addressed as Hassan Matthew Rafiu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as Miss Bakare Bilikis Omosalewwa now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ojelabi Bilikis Omosalewa. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Adeoye Raimot Adekemi Afolashade now wish to be known and addressed as Adeoye Adekemi Raimot. All former documents remain valid. Moshood Abiola Polytechnic and General public take note

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I formerly known and addressed as Zakariyah Balqeez Opeyemi , now wish to be known and addressed as Olawumi Bilikis Opeyemi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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I formerly known and addressed as OGAH DORIS UFUOMA now wish to be known and addressed as OGAH DORIS OMO . All former documents remain valid.The general public should please take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as Ayoola Racheal Tinuola joke, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Egunlusi Racheal Tinuola joke. All former documents remain valid.FCMB Bank plc and general public take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as HADIZA ALIYU, now wish to be known and addressed as DIJE ALIYU ADAMU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olabode Oladunni Remi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Bamgboye Oladunni Remi. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

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Formerly known and addressed as Folarin Dupe now wish to be known and addressed as Gbenleke Felicia Mulikat. All former documents remain valid. Union Bank Plc and General public take note

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This is to confirm that ,FRANCIS MAKILO is the same person as GBEREWEI MAKILO FRANCIS as reflected in my UBA account documents .That, any document bearing any of the names remains valid. UBA Bank and the general public should please take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Daniel Moses Ogirima am the same person as Aliu Abibu Ogirima, Henceforth i wish to be known and addressed as Daniel Moses Ogirima.All former documents remain valid.UNION BANK PLC and general public take note.

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, ISAH MARIAM is the same person as ISAH MARYAMA. Henceforth, i want to be called and addressed as ISAH MARIAM all formal documents remain valid, FCMB and general public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, Joshua Gbabere Ademola am the same person as Gbabere Ademola victor.All former documents remain valid.Access Bank,FCMB Bank and General public take note. CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as miss TANINOWO BOSEDE now to be known and addressed MRS ADARAMOLA BOSEDE. All former document remain valid, general public to take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Iyabo Anifowoshe, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Iyabo Sahadat Raji. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Adebayo Khadijat Olabisi now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Sakariyau Khadijat Adebayo. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to confirm that I Abigael Olabinjo Temidayo is the same and one person as Oshinkoya Nike Abigail as appears on my Voter’s Card and some other documents. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Popoola Omowunmi Afusat now wish to be known and addressed as Oloyede Omowunmi Afusat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Kunrunmi Olagoke now wish to be known and addressed as Kunrunmi Olagoke Boluwatife. All former documents remain valid. GT Bank and General public take note

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Formerly Known and addressed as Ogbu Christopher Cherish now wish to be known and addressed as Ogbu Sunday Idiyo. All former documents remain valid. Uba bank and General public take note

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Formerly known and addressed as Aminu Kabiru Yusuf now wish to be known and addressed as Bashir Hamisu Sani Dadu. All former documents remain valid. UBA, First bank and genenal public take note

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CHANGE OF NAME I, known and addressed as SANUSI SHAKIRAT OPELOYERU, hereby declare that l am still the same person known and addressed as DABIRI SHAKIRAT OPELOYERU. All former documents remain the same. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Mr Chigbogu William Obiora, now wish to be known and addressed as Chigbogu Igweonu William Obiora. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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ASALU: Formerly known and addressed Miss Asalu Olayinka Victoria, now which to be called and addressed as Mrs. Fakunle Olayinka Victoria. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank Plc and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Samdudine Dosugan, now wish to be known and addressed as Idowu Samadu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Olaleye Oluwabunmi Toyin now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Isaac Oluwabunmi Oluwatoyin. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to certified that Ali Saheed Adeboye and Aliu Saheed Adeboye is the same one person as Adeboye Ali Saheed, that henceforth wish to be called and addressed as Adeboye Ali Saheed. All former documents remain valid, WAEC, NECO, Osun State Polytechnic Iree and general public should please take note.

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Formerly called and known as Mboshud Taiwo Biola now wish to be called and addressed as Agboola Taiwo Biola. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

Formerly known and called as Miss Olawore Idayat Olawumi now wish to be addressed and called as Mrs Akibu Idayat Olawore Olawumi. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

Formerly addressed and known as Miss Agbonzee Sarah Osasu now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Omo-Ojugo Sarah Osasu. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as SAMUEL CHUKWUEMEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVID EREODO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly miss Sunmonu Sekinat Motunrayo now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS BATURE SEKINAT MOTUNRAYO. All former documents remain valid. Fist bank and General public should take note.

This is to certified that Ezeagu Grace Bose is the same one person as Grace Eseagu Emerhu, that henceforth wish to be known and called as Grace Eseagu Emerhu.All former documents remain valid, United Bank for Africa (UBA), Ecobank Plc and general public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss Owolabi Faosat Folasade now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Ibrahim Faosat Folasade. All former document remain valid, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Zenith Bank Plc and general public should please take note.

Formerly addressed and known as Muritala Rabiat now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Francis Rhoda Agata. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that i, Christopher Mfon Udoh is the same person as Mfon Queen. All former documents remain valid. Authority concerned and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as NYENEIME AUGUSTINE USORO, now wish to be known and addressed as FAVOUR NNAMSO BASSEY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as LAZEEZ NURENI ALAO, now wish to be known and addressed as NURENI LASISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

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CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as GIFT SAMSON, now wish to be known and addressed as GIFT AKPOMEDAYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as CHINENYENWA PRECIOUS OJIEGBE, now wish to be known and addressed as CHINENYENWA PRECIOUS UWAOMAH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as NNEKA FRANCIS, now wish to be known and addressed as NDIDI PAUL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as NWEKE UCHENNA OKPIKPUNERAGU, now wish to be known and addressed as NWEKE UCHENNA OGONNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Benjamin Blessing Jummai, now wish to be known and addressed as Shaibu Salibutu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Kwaponu Medewheho Zacceous, now wish to be known and addressed as Kwaponu Zaccheus Oluwasegun. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known as Agbaje Hannah Tosin now wish to be known and address as Hannah Emmanuel. All former documents remain valid. First Bank and general public take note.

Formerly known as Ikechukwu Nwosu now wish to be known and address as Ikechukwu Nnamdi Nwosu. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly KNOWN AS MRS OLUOKUN FATIMOH BUNMI NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN,CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS MISS LAWAL FATIMOH BUNMI.ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Adigwe Nkemdilim Sylvia, now wish to be known and addressed as Ibeke Nkemdilim Sylvia. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as KINGCHIGOZIRIM ESTHER CHINONSO, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOSUIWUOHA ESTHER CHINONSO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Muse Olajumoke Falilat , now wish to be known and addressed as Muse Jumoke Falilat. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE JESUS CHRIST ARMY OF GOD INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY The general public is hereby notified that above named ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for her Change of name to JESUS RECOVERY ARMY MINISTRY INTERNATIONAL. The constitution will also be amended to reflect the new name.

The TRUSTEES still remain. 1. EVAN OKONKWO GLORIA CHIDINMA – Coordinator 2. IKE JULIET IMO 3. OKONKWO FELIX ONYEKWELU 4. ANEKE CHARLES ONYEBUCHI 5. REV. JAHSON CHUKWUKELU 6. MOSES METU Any objection to this change of name should be forwarded to the Registrar – General, Corporate Affair Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, PMB 198, Garki, Abuja. within Twenty-Eight (28) days from date of this publication

Signed: Evan Okonkwo Gloria Chidimma Coordinator

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly adderessed as Atinuke Oluwafunmilayo Adamu now wish to be known and address as Atinuke Oluwafunmilayo Esan, former documents remain valid general public note

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MISS FANIYI OLAPETAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AJADI ALICE OLAPETAN. All former documents remain valid, OYO SUBEB, OGBOMOSO SOUTH LGEA and General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. FAMOROTI SADE BIODUN. Now wish to be known and addressed as OLORI ADETILOYE SADE BIODUN. All former documents remain valid. Ikole Local Government, Ikole-Ekiti and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR.CHARLES IKECHUKWU ANYA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR.IKECHUKWU CHARLES ONYENWENA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OGUNDARE OLUWAKAMIYE TOPE. Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. SEGUNADEBAYO OLUWAKAMIYE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR.RICHARD CHUKWUEMEKA ANYA. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR.CHUKWUEMEKA RICHARD ONYENWENA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC SHOULD PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as IYINOMEN FRANCA IBHAGBOSORIA, now wish to be known and address as IYINOMEN FRANCA KIKELOMO . All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as DELE BAMIDELE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLAKUNLE BAMIDELE KOLADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Ajemi Aji now wish to be known and address as Ali Usman Ajimi,former documents remain valid general public note CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as KAREEM TITILAYO FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as KEHINDE TITILAYO FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ESEZOBOR THANKGOD, now wish to be known and addressed as ESEZOBOR THANKGOD VICTORY. All former documents remain valid. Fidelity Bank plc, FCMB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly Musa Usman now wish to be known and address as Destiny Usman John, former documents remain valid general public note CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known as Mrs. TANI D. UMAR now wish to be called Mrs. BINTA DANLADI ILIYASU All my former documents remain valid. Ardo-Kola local government and the public should please take note.

I formerly Olawunmi Hassan now wish to be known and address as Olawunmi Yunus, former documents remain valid general public note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly addressed as Andrew Dan Ebute now wish to be known and address as Ebute Inalegwu, former documents remain valid general public note

I Formerly known and addressed as UDEOZOR.OLUCHUKWU.ROSE and now wishes to be known and addressed as ILO.OLUCHUKWU. ROSE. All former document remains valid, general public should please take note.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known, called and addressed as Akinyemi Olayosade now wish to be called, known and addressed as IGBEKOYI BAYONLE RASHEED . All former documents remain valid. Diamond Bank plc, U.B.A Bank Plc and General public take note.

Formerly MR LAISI SARUMO now wish to be called, known and addressed as MR SALAU FESTUS OGUNS. All former documents remain valid. SKYE BANK PLC and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that the name MARGARET ADEODEWALE OLUBUNMI is one as they appear in my documents, but now wish to be known and addressed as ADEODEWALE MARGARET OLUBUNMI. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and the General public should please take note.

This is to confirm that the name AWE OLUWAKEMI and OLUWAKEMI. A. OJO is one as they appear in my documents, but now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWAKEMI. A. OJO. All Former Documents Remain Valid. Authorities concerned and General Public Take Note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that the name CHIKA BRIDGET and BRIDGET OCHI is one as they appear in my documents, but now wish to be known and addressed as CHIKA BRIDGET. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Bulus Bako now wish to be known, called and addressed as Sagir Bala. Former documents remain valid. General public note. CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

SADIQ : Formerly known and addressed as SADIQ MOMOH JIMOH now wish to be known and addressed as SADIQ JAMIU. All documents, records and certificates bearing my former names remain Valid. General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME

OLOKODANA: Formerly known and addressed as OLOKODANA OYEFUNMIKE IYABODE now wish to be known and addressed as ALAGBE OYEFUNMIKE IYABODE. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

JOSEPH : Formerly known and addressed as SUNDAY JOSEPH now wish to be known and addressed as ISTIFANUS TAMBAYA. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General Public Take Note

FAVOUR : Formerly known and addressed as NWOYE FAVOUR DAVID now wish to be known and addressed as NWOYE NKECHINYERE DAVID. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME

OLORUNTOBA: Formerly known and addressed as OLORUNTOBA DAVID KAYODE now wish to be known and addressed as OSASEYI IBILOLA DAVID. All former documents remain valid. United Bank for Africa(UBA) PLC and General Public Take Note

AGWULONU: Formerly known and addressed as AGWULONU UGOCHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as CHINAKA UGOCHUKWU SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

OKOYE: Formerly known and addressed as EMEKA CHUKWUEMEKA OKOYE now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA GEOFFREY CHUKWUEMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

USMAN: Formerly known and addressed as USMAN IBRAHIM now wish to be known and addressed as NAFIU SANI BARAU. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

CHUKWUKA : Formerly known and addressed as CHINONYE IFEOMA CHUKWUKA now wish to be known and addressed as CHINONYE NWOKOLO. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME IKARAOHA : Formerly known and addressed as MISS MERCY IJEOMA IKARAOHA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MERCY IJEOMA CHIOKE. All former documents remain valid. NYSC and General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYIA UGOCHI GLORIA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS DIKE UGOCHI GLORIA. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

Formerly known and addressed as BELLO RAHMAT FUNKE now wish to be known and addressed as LAMIDI RAHMAT FUNKE. All former documents remain valid. General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Emeh Augustine now wish to be known as Emeh Augustine Chiemela. All former documents remain valid. First bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly addressed as Abdullahi Ibrahim now change to Abubakar Ibrahim. All former documents remain valid. First bank, Ecobank and general public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME NDUBUISI : Formerly known as Ndubuisi Samuel Ikechukwu now wish to be known and address as Ndubuisi Samuel Ekenedilichukwu. All former documents remains valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I fomerly known as Justina Kehinde Arowa, now wish to be known and addressed as Justina Kehinde Ogunsanya. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as MISS LYDIA ADEBUNMI MOBOLAJI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS LYDIA ADEBUNMI AKINTAYO. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as Chuks Atubu. Now wish to be known and addressed as Henry Chuks Jonah. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Anthony Chukwumaoge Rich now wish to be known and addressed as Anthony Chukwumaoge Ozoh. All former documents remain valid, general public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss. Ogbevire Ufuoma Sophia, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Okuagba Ufuoma Sophia. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known, called and addressed as, DARAMOLA STELLA SILEOLA now wish to be called, known and addressed as ADESUYI STELLA SILEOLA . All former documents remain valid. First Bank plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and adderessed as Ajemi Aji, now wish to be known and addressed as Ali Usman Ajimi. All former documents remain valid. general publicplease take note.

NUSIRAT: Formerly known and addressed as MISS NUSIRAT ABIODUN AJIBOYE now wish to be addressed as NUSIRAT ABIODUN MUSTAPHA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

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

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ALABI KUDIRAT BOLANLE, now wish to be known and addressed as KOSOKO KUDIRAT ABIBAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known as REGINA JOSEPH INAHI and REGINA JOSEPH OGA, now wish to be known as REGINA FRANCIS EKPO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. IBIROGBA IBIJOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBIJOLA E. KEHINDE. All former documents remain valid.The Nigeria Police Force, First Bank, Union Bank and general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as LAZARUS OBETEN DAN. now wish to be known and addressed as OBETEN DAN ARONG. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME OGBU: I,formerly known and addressed as OGBU ONYINYECHUKWU GIFT, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBU GIFT EUPHEMIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

This is to confirm that the name AKINBUWA SUNDAY and AKINBUWA SUNDAY RUFURS is one as they appear in my documents, but now wish to be known and addressed as AKINBUWA SUNDAY RUFURS. All Former Documents Remain Valid. Union Bank, Guaranty Trust Bank and General Public Take Note

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly DESMOND CHUKWUEMEKA now wish to be called, known and addressed as OKAFOR DESMOND. All former documents remain valid. Eco Bank plc, Diamond Bank plc and General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formally Known As Raimi Adeshina Tawakalitu Elizabeth. wishes to be address as Abdulquadri Tawakalitu Olayemi. All former documents

remain valid, general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as KAZEEM I. AMIDA , now wish to be known and addressed as KAZEEM ABAYOMI OMAR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that that Obiaso Ngozi Augustina and Augustina Ebuka Obiaso belong to one and the same person. All documents bearing these names to remain valid. General public take note CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as ENO OBONG OKON UDOH, now wish to be known and addressed as UDOH GIFT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

Formerly known and addressed as MELVIN CHRISTOPHER, now wish to be known and addressed as OBI TOCHUKWU HENRY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

This is to inform the general public that the names; ONAH RAPHAEL FAVOUR and ONAH RAPHAEL OSITA are my names. Any document that has any of the above names refers to the same person. All former documents remain valid. First bank and the general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AKPEVWE OMODEKO now wish to be known and addressed as AKPEVWEOGHENE CHRISTOPHER TEVANE OBARE (M). All former documents remain valid.General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Mrs Ahmed-Salako Aminat Iyabode now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Akinbo Aminat Iyabode All former documents remain valid General public note

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly Miss Bangbose Aminat Adunni now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ganiyu Aminat Adunni. All former documents remain valid General public note

Formerly known and addressed as OMOSEGBON ADEDUNOLA ABIODUN, now wish to be known and addressed as OMOSEGBON OLAOSEBIKAN ADEDUNOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEKOYA ESTHER ADEYINKA, now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. OSHO ESTHER ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME ABBAS: Formerly known and addressed as AMINU ABBAS now wish to be known and addressed as ABBAS JAFARAU AMINU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly Miss Adesina Grace Idowu Ajoke now Mrs Akindolani Grace Ajoke. All former documents remain valid,Ondo Local Schools Board and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Fomerly known and addressed as Happiness Obioma Ejiogu, now wish to be known and addressed as Chimezie Stephen Ejiogu. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UGWUANYI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EDITH UCHENNA UGWUANYI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EDITH UCHENNA UCHEAMEH. All former documents remain valid. Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria, Enugu State Government and Enugu State University Teaching Hospital Parklane Enugu and general public should please take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

RANDA CARE INITIATIVE The general public is hereby notified that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

CHANGE OF NAME

Ahmed Ahmed Bawa Dinatu Stephen Joshua Sarah Yahannah Ryaghan Aisha Sule Katagum Usman Bawa Baba Tijjani Ahmed Alhaji Ismail Mohammad Abubakar Aminu Idi

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

1. To provide Education, counseling and medical assistance to orphans and widows. 2. To provide skills and resources to orphans widows. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication SIGNED: Secretary

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Oluwatoyin Itunuoluwa Hassan, now wish to be known and addressed as Oluwatoyin Itunuoluwa Adewole. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Tigbegbe Cordelia Gbemisola, now wish to be known and addressed as Abdulganiyu Gbemisola Cordelia. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as known as ADAMU MOHAMMED, now wish to be known and addressed as ISA JIDDA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as ABAELU IKECHUKWU ANTHONY JUNIOR now wish to be known and addressed as ABAELU IKE ANTHONY JUNIOR. All former documents still remain valid, general public should please take note .

IROH: I, formerly known and addressed as IROH UCHENNA KINGSLEY now wish to be known and addressed as OKOH MICHAEL UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME To confirm that I am one and same person bearing BABALOLA SEKINAT OLAIDE and BABALOLA SEKINAT OLUWASEUN OLAIDE as obtainable in some of my documents.

Formerly known and addressed as ELUFERE SUNDAY GRIFFITH. ‎ now wish to be known and addressed as OLUWAFERE SUNDAY GRIFFITH‎. ‎ All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

This is to inform the general public that EBEREKPE ENAJEFE EKO is the same one person as EBEREKPE ENAJEFE QUINCY. That henceforth wish to be known, called and addressed as EBEREKPE ENAJEFE QUINCY. All former documents remain valid.first Bank, Sterling Bank and General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Okon Peace now wish to be known and addressed as Peace Edem Thompson. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL OLAMIDE GABRIL. now wish to be known and addressed as MICHAEL OLASHILE GABRIEL. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

MICAH: I formerly known and addressed as MISS. MICAH NAANA VIVIAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. JOEL - THOMAS NAANA VIVIAN. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SHADRACK ABIDEMI OWADAPO now wish to be known and addressed as DARA ABIDEMI OWADAPO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known, called and addressed as COLLINS AKARI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as LUCKY T . O AKARI - BALE. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

I formerly KNOWN AS MRS OLUOKUN FATIMOH BUNMI NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN,CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS MISS LAWAL FATIMOH BUNMI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

CORRECTION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME

SOUKEME: I formerly known, called and addressed as SOUKEME EBIMENE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AGBAI EBIMENE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Adamu Garkuwa Nuru now wish to be known and addressed as Okenwa Joshua Chinonyerem. All for documents remain valid general public tak note

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME OKIYA: I formerly known and addressed as LILIAN IWEAWELANWA NWOKORIE, now wish to be known and addressed as LILIAN OKIYA. All former documents remain valid. The general public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as IBRAHIM ASMAU. now wish to be known and addressed as AROWOLO IBRAHIM SALAWUDEEN. A‎ll former documents remain valid. General public please take note. CHANGE OF NAME JERRY: I formerly known and addressed as JERRY IYEPADE, now wish to be known and addressed as JEREMIAH IYEPADE. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known and addressed as AKPOMUDARI TEBITE, now wish to be known and addressed as JOE MARTINS. All former documents remain valid. Authorities concerned and General public should please take note.

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

CHANGE OF NAME

I Formerly known and addressed as IYINOMEN FRANCA IBHAGBOSORIA, now wish to be known and address as IYINOMEN FRANCA KIKELOMO . All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Awoyemi Adejoke Kofoworola now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Adewoyin Adejoke Kofoworola all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Mukaila ismaila Ayinla is same person as Adebanji Ismaila now which to be known and addressed as Mukaila Ismaila Ayinla all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Taiwo Oluwasegun owolabi is same person as Dairo Oluwasegun Owolabi and now which to be known and addressed as Taiwo Oluwasegun Owolabi all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ZAKARIYAU: Formerly known and addressed as ZAKARIYAU YEKEEN WALE now wish to be known and addressed as SAKARIYAHU ABDULYEKEEN WALE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as Olawuyi Musibau Balogun now wish to be known and addressed as Olawuyi Musibau Yusuf. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that I, MARTINS SULIAT ADEOLA, that in my skye bank documents my name appears as GBADAMOSI SULIAT ADEOLA, while on my marriage certificate, my name appears as MARTINS SULIAT ADEOLA, I am the same person bearing MARTINS SULIAT ADEOLA and GBADAMOSI SULIAT ADEOLA. All documents with these names remain valid. General public take note. .

CHANGE OF NAME HASSAN: I, formerly known and addressed as HASSAN SHEU TIJANI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SHOSANYA TIJANI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS OLAWOYIN JIDE AMOO NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN ,CALLED AND ADDRESSED AS AKINTAYO OLAJIDE AMOO ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

I, former MISS RABIU TEMITOPE OLUWATOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. TEWOGBOLA TEMITOPE OLUWATOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as miss Somuyiwa Bukola Omolayo now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Ogunbade Bukola Omolayo all former documents remain valid ,Banks and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Mrs Morakinyo Olajumoke Rachael now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Bello Olajumoke Rafiat all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Akanji Rukayat Yetunde now which to be known and addressed as Sofuye Elizabeth all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Funmi Esther Akindele now which to be known and addressed as Esther Chiyere John. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Abdulsalam Olatunde Taofeek now which to be known and addressed as Soetan Olatunde Taofeek. All former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed Kehinde Soyebo now which to be known and addressed as Kehinde Runsewe all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

Mrs Olatunji Latifat Apeke is same person as Saka Latifat Apeke all former documents remain valid and general public take note .

Formerly known and addressed as miss Odunfejo Kehinde Florence now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Oyekunle Kehinde Florence all former documents remain valid Ogun SUBEB and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME Peter Victoria was Mistaken as Pachew Victoria Emmanuel now which to be known and addressed as Peter Victoria all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as miss Joseph Joy Aen now which to be known and addressed as miss Joy Joseph Agbor all former documents remain valid First bank PLC and general public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that i am the same person bearing ONOH MENTUS PAUL and ONOH EKWU PAUL. All former documents remain valid. FIDELITY Bank and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME Formerly known and addressed as Ubi Sylvester, now wish to be known and addressed as Stephen Ukaba. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as miss Ogunbajo Ayisat Abolanle now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Temola Ayisat Abolanle all former documents remain valid NSCDC and general public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Badmus Fatai now which to be known and addressed as Badmus Fatai Ayo all former documents remain valid Ecobank and general public take note .

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that I, ABIMBOLA OMOLARA YINKA is one and the same person as ADEGBESAN OMOLARA YINKA and my correct date of birth is 1st October 1979. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AVORTRIE: I, formerly known and addressed as AVOTRIE SAMUEL ANIM, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AVORTRIE SAMUEL OFORI ANIM. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IBRAHIM: I, formerly known and addressed as HASSAN SHOLA IBRAHIM, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ABAYOMI SHOLA IBRAHIM. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

UCHE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UCHE JOY ERIMA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. JOY ERIMA OBASEKI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

NGOTON: I, formerly known and addressed as MONDAY NGOTON, now wish to be known, called and addressed as DALANG RITJI ISHAYA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME LAWAL: Formerly known and addressed as MR. MUKAILA ADEYEMI LAWAL now wish to be known and addressed as MR MUKAILA ADEYEMI ADEGUNJU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

I, Formerly known and addressed as MISS CHINENYE OKONKWO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. JUSTINA EZUGAGU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as ALOYSIUS GABRIEL, now wish to be known and addressed as EMEAGI ALOY ONYEMAUCHECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

CHANGE OF NAME

UNWABA: Formerly known and addressed as PAULINA UNWABA now wish to be known and addressed as IFENE PAULINA ZENEBU. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank and the general public take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

CHANGE OF NAME

I FORMERLY KNOWN AS AKINYELE IYABO ANTHONIA, NOW WISH HENCEFORTH BE ADDRESSED AS OSUNTUYI IYABO ANTHONIA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

CHANGE OF NAME I FORMERLY KNOWN AS MISS AMINAT ATINUKE JIDDA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS MRS SALAUDEEN AMINAT ATINUKE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID PUBLIC TAKE NOTE

CHANGE OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as DR. (MRS) BILKEES TOYIN OGUNGBOYE, now wish to be known and addressed as DR. (MRS) BILKEES TOYIN ABDULAZEEZ. All former documents remain valid. Medical and Dental Council, West African College of Physicians and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

Uzochukwu Gracemark Udegwe is same person as Uzochukwu Gracemark Udegwe, Uzochukwu Mark Udegwe, Uzochikwu Gracemark Jehova now which to be known and addressed as Uzochukwu Gracemark Udegwe All former documents remain valid Banks and general public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IDIO: I, formerly known and addressed as IDIO ETIENO JOSHUA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EVIE ETIENO EMMANUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as OLANIYI WALIYAT ABIDEMI now wish to be known and addressed as OLAYINKA WALIYAT ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OBAGORIOLA: I, formerly known and addressed as OBAGORIOLA GODWIN OGHENESIGHAMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as LAWRENCE JOSEPH OGHENESIGHAMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

JOHN: Formerly known and addressed as JOHN BOSE REBECCA now wish to be known and addressed as WHESU BOSE REBECCA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

BLESSING: Formerly known and addressed as MISS BLESSING JAMES now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ILUARIOMA EDOREH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

PUBLIC NOTICE

THE TRUSTEES ARE:

TRUSTEES ARE : 1. GODWIN AUGUSTINE UDOFIA 2. PASTOR (DR.) FRIDAY HARRY ETUKUDOH 3. BROTHER PAUL GODWIN AUGUSTINE 4. BROTHER JAMES UDOH UDOH 5. ELDER NSE UDOH UDOH

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed: Trustees

CHANGE OF NAME

OJUKWU: I, formerly known and addressed as OBIAGELI UCHENNA OJUKWU, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OBIAGELI UCHENNA OGBATA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

- General Overseer - Adviser - Secretary

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To propagate the word of God. 2. To preach salvation and save souls throughout the world. 3. To engage in missionary activities. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. Signed General Secretary.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME To confirm that I am one and same person bearing BABALOLA SEKINAT OLAIDE and BABALOLA SEKINAT OLUWASEUN OLAIDE as obtainable in some of my documents.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as HARRISON NNAMDI GOGO, now wish to be known and addressed as DOKEY NNAMDI ORUMEZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ANTHONY: I, formerly known and addressed as ANTHONY EJIM ANDREW, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ABONU ANDREW EJIMOFOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AYILARA: I, formerly known and addressed as AYILARA FATAI OJO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OJO FATAI AYILARA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MUHD: Formerly known and addressed as HUSSAINA GARBA MUHD now wish to be known and addressed as HUSSAINA IBRAHEEM LAWAL . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME I formerly known as SUBAIR RASAK now wish to be known and addressed as LAWAL RASAK. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

IFETAYO: Formerly known and addressed as IFETAYO ADELEKE now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM ADELEKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

This is to notify the general public that the above named church has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1 of 1990.

To engage in philanthropic activities. To assist indigents students through scholarship. To promote peace and orderliness in society. To render financial assistance to hospitals, schools and other social institutions. 5. To encourage and sponsor sports activities.

CHANGE OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as OKOTO DANIEL FRIDAY, now wish to be known and addressed as ECHEYODA ACHAWU JOHN. All former documents remain valid. APA Local Government Area, Benue State and general public take note.

UGOCHUKWU: I, formerly known and addressed as NGOZI CYNTHIA UGOCHUKWU, now wish to be known, called and addressed as NGOZI CYNTHIA NWACHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named THE COPIOUS CLUB has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), Abuja for registration under Part ‘ C ‘ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act CAP C20 LFN 2004.

1. 2. 3. 4.

CHANGE OF NAME

OKOLOCHA : Formerly known as Michael Nnaemeka Okolocha now wish to be known and address as Michael Nwoye Ndibe. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

BLESSED PEACE REIGNTH CHURCH

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:

Formerly known and addressed as miss Ogunsanwo Oluwafunmike bolanle now which to be known and addressed as Mrs Olutimehin Oluwafunmike bolanle all former documents remain valid and general public take note.

OLAITAN: I, formerly known and addressed as OLAITAN FOLASHADE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AJALA OLAITAN FOLASHADE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

THE COPIOUS CLUB

1. BELLO AKINGBADE 2. AYOADE FREDRICK KEHINDE

Victoria Raphael same person as Janet Raphael now which to be known and addressed as Victoria Raphael all former documents remain valid and general public take note .

CHANGE OF NAME

IBE: Formerly known and addressed as IBE EMEKA now wish to be known and addressed as IWUALA RAPHEAL CHUKWUEMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

DJAN: I, formerly known and addressed as AGNES DJAN, now wish to be known and addressed as AGNES AKPOKODJE NEMU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

IKAPE: Formerly known and addressed as IKAPE MICHAEL OKORE now wish to be known and addressed as OKWUTE AUGUSTINE ODOH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

ADELEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as ADELEKE OLADUNNI MULIKAT, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AJIGBEWU MULIKAT ADUNNI . All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

AKINDE: Formerly known and addressed as AKINDE MONSURAT ADEWUNMI now wish to be known and addressed as SANNI MONSURAT ADEWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

MAODACHI: Formerly known and addressed as SAIDU NUHU MAODACHI now wish to be known and addressed as SAIDU NUHU ABDULLAHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME

OPELOYERU: .Formerly known and addressed as OPELOYERU OLA AKEEM now wish to be known and addressed as ADETAYO AKEEM WALE . All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME

AKINBOWALE: Formerly known and addressed as MUNIRAT OLAYEMI AKINBOWALE now wish to be known and addressed as MUNIRAT OLAYEMI ADEMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME PETER: I, formerly known and addressed as TONY PETER, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EVOH TONY TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

Wednesday December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sport

Certainly if we are still on top of the log by the end of April, I can then say we have won the EPL title

Chukwu heads Rangers’ screening committee

–Leicester City Manager, Claudio Ranieri

Kingsley Sokari on duty for his former club, Enyimba

Sokari

CHAN

Eagles go on break for Xmas

ome-based Super Eagles who are in camp preparing for the 2016 Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) which starts next month in Rwanda will be given two days off to go and celebrate the Christmas festivities. The Super Eagles B Team has been in Abuja for about a week preparing for the tournament which has Nigeria in Group C alongside Tunisia, Niger and Guinea. Supersport.com reports that this is to enable the players join their families for the holidays expected to take effect from December 23 and last until Decem-

ber 28th. Bature Yaro and Usman Mohammed, who were part of the title winning U-23 side at the CAF U-23 Nations Cup will join up with the squad after the break, having served up the one week break granted them. Lobi Stars centre back, Samson Gbadebo, is also expected to join up with the team as a possible replacement for Christian Madu who was injured in training and might not be fit before the tournament starts Without Chief Coach Sunday Oliseh in camp, the team has been tutored by Salisu Yusuf, Jean Francois Losciuto and

Tijani Babangida as they get set to hit South Africa where they are to camp before heading to Rwanda for the tournament. General Secretary of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi, revealed that the team would play some friendly matches in South Africa before the championship begins in Kigali on January 16. The team is expected to depart Nigeria for South Africa on January 3 for the last leg of preparations and will take on the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire on 9th or 10th January in Pretoria if plans by the NFF pan out.

debuts for CS Sfaxien today N

igeria midfielder, Kingsley Sokari, will debut for new Tunisian club, CS Sfaxien, today against HammanLif after his international transfer papers came through yesterday. “We have received the player’s ITC and he will now make his debut on Wednesday (today) at home in Sfax,” his representative, Vincent Alumona, disclosed to africanfootball.com. A lot is expected of the former Enyimba midfielder after he scored in CSS final training playing for the probables.

Sokari, who has signed a three and a half-year contract with CSS, was set for his debut last weekend at Etoile du Sahel, but the Tunisian club could not complete the payment of his transfer fee for Enyimba to approve the release of his ITC. CSS have been toppled at the top of the league by Etoile after they lost 3-1 to the 2015 Confederation Cup winners last weekend. Both teams are on 25 points after 10 rounds of matches. Hamman-Lif are 12th on the 16-team championship with 10 points.

Sports

Wednesday December 23, 2015

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Top marathoner withdraws from Access Bank race Olumudi shuns race

gold medallist at the United States Irving Marathon, Aderonke Olumudi, says she will not compete at the forthcoming Access Bank Lagos City Marathon. The event has been scheduled for February 6, 2016. The Kogi State born athlete who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos, said the time for the event was short for her to prepare adequately. “I will not be competing because it is a full marathon. If I want to participate in a full marathon, I ought to have started training since October. “Just one or two months to the competition is not enough time for me. If it is half marathon, I will not have hesitated to take part.

“To me, it is not really about the prize money, although it is mouthwatering but the time is short for me,” the marathoner said. NAN reports that $50, 000USD would be up for grabs by the winner, while the runner-up would go home with $40,000. The third place marathoner would get $30, 000. According to the organisers, any Nigerian that tops other local participants would receive N1million, the second placed Nigerian would receive N750, 000, while N500,000 would go to the third place winner. Olumudi, also a silver medallist at the 42km ICPC/Splash fm Marathon in 2010 also appealed to sponsors to help her to participate at international competitions.

Shearer joins Ighalo praise singers

Ighalo

ewcastle United and England legend, Alan Shearer, has praised Nigeria international, Odion Igha-

lo, for carrying his club, Watford, in the English Premier League. Ighalo scored a brace against Liverpool last weekend to increase his goals’ haul to 12 in the EPL. “Watford too strong, too quick and too good for #LFC today (Sunday) @t_ Deeney & Ighalo both superb,” Shearer tweeted. Ighalo scored 20 goals in the English Championship last season to help Watford secure promotion to the Premier League. The former Udinese striker rejected a mouthwatering deal from China to remain with Watford for the EPL challenge.

Moses Simon

Moses Simon is hooked

uper Eagles forward, Moses Simon, will marry his girlfriend, Sarah, in Ibadan on December 29. The engagement was staged in Abuja earlier this year. Several NFF and Eagles officials are expected to grace the occasion.

It has been a most eventful year for Kaduna-born Simon after he helped Gent to clinch the Belgian league championship and established himself in the Super Eagles. He also featured at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand.

Why NOC chose Yankari Games Reserve for AGM –Gumel

he Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC) rounded up its activities for 2015 on December 15 with an Annual General Meeting (AGM) held at an auspicious environment - the Yankari Games Reserve. The reserve, a massive 49,119 sq km virgin forest, is tucked away in the interior of Bauchi State and according to documents provided by the Bauchi Tourism Development Authority is home to 52 species of mammals, 350 different kinds of birds, 17 types of reptiles, seven amphibians. These include lions, African elephants, Buffalos, roan antelopes, bubal hartebeasts, patas monkeys and tantalus monkeys. The facility commenced operations in 1958, but opened to the public in 1963 and was eventually on demand, handed over to the Bauchi State in 1976 in the same year that the state was created. The unruffled reserve, no doubt, provided a most appropriate setting to the leadership of the Nigeria Olympic Movement to hold its strategic meeting to plan for the best way forward to attend the upcoming Rio Olympic Games in order to make the right impact. Indeed, preparations for the Rio Games, scheduled to run from August 5 to August 27, 2016 have reached the ‘home stretch’. According to President of the NOC, Habu Ahmed Gumel, the choice of the Yankari Reserve was indeed, to offer the members of the Olympic Family the opportunity of converging on a good venue that provides a fresh start to a new vision for the Movement. “The facility provided us a good venue to brain-storm in order to evolve a winning formula to target gold medals at the Rio Olympic Games, after the 2012 debacle in London, where the country failed to harvest medals,” Gumel told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN). “This time, the NOC and the National Sports Commission (NSC) as mutual partners have resolved to work toward reversing the trend, by ensuring that the contingent to the upcoming Olympics returns from the Rio Games with a bag full of gold medals.”

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Wednesday December 23, 2015

Chukwu heads Rangers’ screening committee

nugu Rangers have named former Super Eagles coach Christian Chukwu as head of the Flying Antelopes’ screening exercise, it was yesterday gathered. Chukwu, a former captain of Rangers served as Technical Consultant of the club in the 2014/2015 Glo Premier League season.

He, alongside the technical crew of the club headed by Imama Amakakpabo, were relieved of their roles at the end of the season following what was termed ‘below par performances of the club in the season’. It was learnt that after a board meeting of the club on Monday, there was a decision that a screening committee be

set up with the general manager, Ozor Paul Chibuzo. The screening exercise will be supervised by Chukwu. Chukwu revealed that the screening exercise will commence in January 2016. “We’re looking at the first week of January,” Chukwu said.

Rangers FC

Warriors to retain 70 per cent of old players

n their resolve to winning their first Glo Premier League title and pick a continental ticket next season, Chairman of Abia Warriors Football Club of Umuahia, Emeka Inyama says the club will not sign too many new players but rather rely mostly on their old hands to realise their ambition. Inyama who disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Umuahia, said the team would retain most of the players who featured last season with about 90 per cent of the technical crew also retained for continuity. “Apart from Ladan Bosso who left at the end of last season, all the other coaches have been retained.

…unveil Boboye as manager

“Chijioke Osuagwu is the assistant manager while the others Willy Udube, Fancy Ewulu, Igwe Madubuike and Kelvin Ejeh are designated as coaches. “We’ve been able to synchronize all the positions and the order of flow. So I hope that retaining 70 per cent of our players, and retaining all other coaches apart from Bosso, would help the new manager, Kennedy Boboye to key in easily into the team and I am assuring him we will give him all the support he requires. We’ve also allowed

him to come with his trainer, all in the interest of Abia Warriors”, Inyama stated. Meanwhile, the Umuahia- based outfit, yesterday, unveiled the immediate past chief coach of Sunshine Stars of Akure, Kennedy Boboye as their new Manager. The 37-year-Old former U-23 star was unveiled in Umuahia in a ceremony which attracted football enthusiasts. He replaces former Flying Eagles tactician, Isa Ladan Bosso, who led Abia Warriors in its first two Premier league seasons.

HotSports Christmas Carol holds tomorrow

T Ige

he Christmas season is here again and in its usual manner, Hotsports Limited will be busy with a Christmas Carol night targeted largely at the Nigerian sporting community and friends. Proceedings on the night will be led by the Archdeacon of Opebi Archdeaconry of the Anglican Communion and Vicar, Anglican Church of

Ascension, Opebi, Venerable Yemi Agbelusi. The event, which is the 5th edition, will take place on Thursday 24th, December at the poolside pavilion located at 4, Femi Deru Close, Opebi, Lagos. It will be graced by members of Nigeria’s sports circle, sports media personalities and many top flight professionals. Managing Director

Midweek League with PAUL EREWUBA 08032138738

Table Teams

Enyimba

Wolves

Nassara

Wikki

Giwa

Sunshine

Heartland

Pillars

3SC

Abia

IfeanyiUbah

Rangers

Lobi

Akwa

El-Kanemi

Dolphins

Sharks

Kwara

Taraba

Bayelsa

Ahead new season: Enyimba poach Kwara, Bayelsa Utd

G Boboye

HotSports, Mr. Taye Ige, explained that the annual programme is not just about singing, wining and dining, but aimed at setting the tone for reflection about the essence of Christmas. He also enjoined all to imbibe the spirit of Christmas in sharing God’s goodness and love to all mankind. This year’s event will start by 7:00pm

lo Premier L e a g u e champions Enyimba have completed the signing of Dare Ojo and Olufemi Oladapo from Kwara and Bayelsa United respectively, it was gathered. The People’s Elephant Completesportsnigeria.com

learnt have agreed personal terms with both players as well as the transfer fee with the clubs. Combative midfielder Ojo scored eight goals for relegated Kwara United last season and was unarguably the Harmony Warriors’ best player in the campaign.

Bosso joins El-Kanemi Warriors

ormer Nigeria U-20 coach, Ladan Bosso is set to be unveiled as the new head coach of Glo Premier League side, El-Kanemi Warriors, it was yesterday gathered. Bosso who left his former side Abia Warriors at the end of last sea-

son, recently held talks with the management of the club. The talks it was learnt were fruitful and the deal could be announced before the end of the week. Bosso is one of the most experienced coaches in the local scene in Nigeria.

WORLD RECORD

Most subscribers on YouTube Vol. 05 No. 1270

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

N150

As of 7 July 2014, “PewDiePie”, aka Felix Arvid Ulf Kjellberg (Sweden), had 28,292,944 YouTube subscribers for his comedic video g aming highlights.

Moral dilemma of Buhari’s honorary degree award

n Saturday, December 12, 2015, President Muhammadu Buhari received honorary doctorate degree (Honoris Causa) from Kaduna State University (KASU), Kaduna, barely seven months after his inauguration. On the surface of it, one pertinent question to ask is if the president was being honoured for his records of yesteryears or for his performance in the last seven month? If it is for his past records, the natural question is why now and why by KASU? That university existed for over a decade, why didn’t they honour Buhari last year or five years ago? If the honour is as a result of his present assignment, what has he done to earn the award? Isn’t it a case of moral corruption for a serving president, who has a lot of favours

Guest Columnist

to dish out, to accept to receive an undeserved honorary doctorate degree from a state university whose vice chancellor was, in the last six months, queried by the Visitor to the University about three times? Is it the case that after the KASU formula the president will not attend the convocation ceremony of any university unless that university includes him as one its recipients of honorary doctorate degree. Over a dozen universities have held their convocation ceremonies since the coming of PMB to office and he attended none; do we now assume that his failure to attend was because they never honoured him with a degree? These universities include University of Ibadan, University of Benin, Obafemi Awolowo University, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, etc. The president’s action is shocking for three reasons. First, his receiving an honorary doctorate degree, from any Nigerian University, while holding and elected public office is immoral, illegal and a crass violation of the existing regulation guiding the award of honoris causa in the Nigerian university System. Section 2 subsection (a) of the famous Keffi Declaration, which was enacted on September 24, 2012 by the Association of Vice Chancellors of Nigerian Universities (AVCNU), states that:

FIFA ejects Blatter from apartment

IFA has told its banned leader, Joseph Sepp Blatter, he will have to leave his presidential apartment by February 26 when a successor is elected, a source close to the world body said yesterday.

Mohammed Jibo Imran

The apartment in an old Zurich house that has been divided is one of the perks Blatter, 79, will lose after his eight-year suspension pronounced on Monday. He automatically loses his FIFA mobile phone

THE ERA OF IMMORAL IMPUNITY IN THE AWARD OF HONORIS CAUSA HAS EFFECTIVELY RETURNED “AVCNU member-universities hereby make it a policy not to honour with honorary degree anybody holding political office (elected or appointed) while such officers are still in service.” In 2012, worried by the spate of irregularities and the erosion of academic culture and university tradition, especially in the indiscriminate award of honorary degrees in the university system, the vice chancellors of all universities in Nigeria, public and private, met at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi and collectively resolved that the agelong best practices of university culture be restored and maintained.It was the case that politicians, public office holders and all manner of money-bags and favour-flaunters will be conniving with governing councils, vice chancellors or visitors to state universities all in the bid to cajole or hoodwink the university into awarding an undeserving honorary degree. It was so rampant that the credibility of any honoris causa by any Nige-

rian university was suspect. The Nigeria’s academic community was relieved when the Keffi Declaration on “Sustaining Academic Tradition in Nigerian Universities, Including Guidelines for the Award of Honorary Degrees”, was made. It was even more refreshing seeing that all the federal, state and private universities at that time have signed the Declaration. But President Buhari’s acceptance of honoris causa of KASU, in complete violation of the Keffi Declaration, has done one of the greatest damages to the university system since the enactment of the declaration in 2012. The president has just killed the Keffi Declaration, and therefore, opened the floodgate of irregularities and moral corruption in the award of honorary degrees. Will the president refuse to accept another honoris causas from other universities? No. All the remaining 140 universities will now line up with their ceremonial academic robes ready to decorate the president with honorary degrees. It will be a moral dilemma for him to refuse to accept after receiving one from KASU. And not only that, the president cannot stop his cabinet members, other public officeholders, and including civil servants from haggling-and-bargaining to ‘buy’ honorary degrees and even stand on the same podium with the president to be decorated. The era of immoral impunity in the award of honoris causa has effectively returned. And it was declared open by the action of Mr. President. Second and even more disturbing is the fact that Kaduna State University is not competent to award honorary doctorate degree to anybody. Information available on the National Universities Commission website indicates that there are only 22 out of 40 state universities with approval to run masters and PhD programmes, and KASU is not one of them! Continue on page 40

Sport Extra and his professional email address, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity. But the disgraced Blatter, found guilty of a conflict of interest over a two million Swiss franc ($2 mil-

lion/1.8 million euro) payment to Michel Platini does not lose all privileges. “He is still protected by his labour contract” under Swiss law, said the source. So Blatter will get his salary – for which he has re-

fused to reveal the amount – his FIFA car and apartment until the contract ends on February 26. A FIFA congress is to be held on that day to elect a new president and agree reforms to the scandal-tainted body.

Blatter

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