Wednesday, may 11, 2016 by GLOBAL MEDIA MIRROR LIMITED

Saraki made anticipatory asset declaration –Witness

P.6

...worth $22m, £12m, 2.6m, N4bn before becoming gov Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

Saraki

witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes Com-

mission, EFCC, Michael Wetkas, yesterday admitted that Senate President Bukola Saraki, made anticipatory asset declaration.

Saraki is standing trial on a 16-count charge bordering on alleged false asset declaration and money CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

DHQ declares war on Niger Delta militants

Buratai

Britain labels Nigeria world’s most corrupt nation Vol. 6 N0. 1367

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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•We’re embarrassed by Cameron’s comment –Buhari

Rotimi Fadeyi ABUJA

ritish Prime Minister, David Cameron has described Nigeria as a “fantastically corrupt” country. Caught on camera yesterday making a remark ahead of the international anti-corruption summit scheduled for tomorrow in London, Cameron had labeled Nigeria and Afghanistan as two of the most corrupt countries of the world. Cameron was speaking at Buckingham Palace at an event to mark Queen CONTINUED ON PAGE 2>>

ABUAD’s P.8 alumnus rules world, wins global award FG prefers Doctors embark on P.4 ranches to grazing reserves 5-day strike from today –Lokpobiri P.7 FG to unveil new policy on fuel subsidy –Kachikwu P.4 Petrol queue at Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Berger, as fuel scarcity persists in Lagos.

PHOTO: ADEMOLA AKINLABI

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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Britain labels Nigeria world’s most corrupt nation CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Elizabeth’s 90th birthday. Obviously informing the queen about the conference, he described Nigeria and Afghanistan as “fantastically corrupt” nations. His words: “Actually we have got some leaders of some fantastically corrupt countries coming to Britain… “Nigeria and Afghanistan –possibly two of the most corrupt countries in the world.” But in a swift reaction, Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, intervened, saying (of President Muhammadu Buhari): “But this particular president is not corrupt... he’s trying very hard.” Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, in his own contribution said: “They are coming at their own expense, one assumes?” However, reacting on the scathing remark by Cameron, in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Mallam Garba Shehu, President Muhammadu Buhari declared the statement as quite embarrassing. The statement reads in part: “This is embarrassing to us, to say the least, given the good work that the President is doing. The eyes of the world are on what is happening here.” President Buhari said Cameron must be making his point from an old impression about the Nigerian nation as things had really changed since he took over government. “Prime Minister must be looking at an old snapshot of Nigeria. Things are changing with corruption and everything else.” Pleased by the comment of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, who argued that the president was not corrupt, he said: “Thank you to the Archbishop. We have great admiration for the good relationship between our two countries.” President Muhammadu Buhari is scheduled to attend the conference in London with the theme, “Exposing Corruption, Tackling Corruption and Driving Out Corruption.” He is billed to address a pre-summit conference on “Why We Must Tackle Corruption Together”.

At the occasion, Buhari will encourage the international community to move faster on the dismantling of safe havens for the proceeds of corruption and the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin. Expected to attend the summit with the president are the Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami and the acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Mr. Ibrahim Magu. A statement earlier issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, said Buhari would speak at the opening session of the summit with others, including Prime Minister Cameron and the President of World Bank, Dr. Jim Yong Kim. The statement reads in part: “As an internationally recognised leader in the global fight against corruption, President Buhari will play a prominent part in the summit which will be hosted by Prime Minister David Cameron of Great Britain with many other Heads of State and Government in attendance. “In his address to the summit and interactions with other participating leaders, President Buhari

L-R: Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed; Minister of Interior, retired Lt.-Gen. Abdulrahaman Danbazau; Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr Kayode Fayemi and Minister of State for Petroleum, Mr Ibe Kachukwu, at the second Town Hall Meeting in Kaduna, yesterday. PHOTO: NAN will urge the international community to move faster on the dismantling of safe havens for the proceeds of corruption and the return of stolen funds and assets to their countries of origin. “The President will also reaffirm his administration’s unwavering commitment to the fight against corruption and the Federal Government’s readiness to partner with international agencies and other countries to identify, apprehend and punish corrupt public officials.” Meanwhile, in further-

ance of the ongoing efforts by his administration to enhance the security of lives, properties and investments in Nigeria and neighbouring countries, President Buhari would host the second Regional Security Summit in Abuja on Saturday. According to a statement issued yesterday by Adesina, participants in the summit would include President Francois Hollande of France who hosted the first summit in Paris on May 17, 2014. Buhari and the French President who is scheduled to arrive Abuja on

Friday on an official visit to Nigeria would be joined by the Presidents of Cameroon, Niger Republic, Chad and Benin Republic. United States, Britain, Equatorial Guinea, the European Union, ECOWAS, Economic Community of Central African States and the Gulf of Guinea Commission would also be represented at the summit which would have the successful conclusion of ongoing military operations against Boko Haram at the top of its agenda. The speedy resolution of the humanitarian cri-

Saraki made anticipatory asset declaration –Witness CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

laundering, which he pleaded not guilty. Wetkas made the admission under cross examination by Saraki’s Counsel, Paul Erokoro, SAN, at the Code of Conduct Tribunal. “Based on the strength of the documents we have tendered, I agree that the defendant made an anticipatory asset declaration until proven otherwise,” he said. Wetkas admitted during cross examination that Saraki was worth $22m, £12m, 2.6m euros and N4bn in cash, movable and landed assets before he became Governor of Kwara State in 2003 as contained in his assets declaration form of 2003. Saraki, through Erokoro also alleged that his 2003assets declaration form was tampered with, hence the reason why the original copy was not presented before the tribunal. Erokoro led Wetkas in

reading from the asset declaration form which Saraki submitted to the Code of Conduct Bureau on assumption of office as governor in 2003. The lawyer said he needed to take Wetkas through the form to debunk the impression created by the witness earlier in his evidence-in-chief that Saraki would not have been able to buy property without obtaining a bank loan. Wetkas also said Saraki declared that he had cars worth N263.4m before he became governor. The analysis of the de-

fendant’s cars revealed that “Saraki has Mercedes Benz S320 (N16m), Mercedes Benz S500 (N20m) and Mercedes Benz G500 (N6m). Others were Mercedes Benz V220 N2m, Ferari 456GT (N25m) and Lincoln Navigator Jeep (N15m). Also in the list were Mercedes Benz ML280 (N8.5m), Peugeot 406 (N2.9m), Mercedes Benz CLK320 (N9m and Mercedes Benz E320 (N11m). The others were Mercedes Benz G500 (N45m), Mercedes Benz S500 (N30m), Lexus Jeep (N30

m) and Lincoln Navigator (N25m). He also read in the exhibit that Saraki had assets worth over four billion naira both in properties and the cars. He, however, said that property No. 15, Macdonald Street Ikoyi, Lagos, was sold to Saraki’s company Skyview Properties Limited which was not captured in his Asset Declaration Form. He further testified that Saraki bought property No. 15A and 15B Macdonald Street Ikoyi, Lagos, in 2000 through his company

to ensure a worthwhile celebration of the state. Gbadamosi, who spoke to journalists shortly after a meeting of the Committee, said the controversy surrounding Soyinka’s appointment was unnecessary. According to him, Soyinka is not only an authority

in the field of arts, but has become a celebrated symbol across the world. His words: “The excitement about our chairman, I hoped it has died down. Nothing warranted it because Prof Soyinka is an elder particularly in the field of the arts.

ses caused by the atrocities of the terrorist group would also feature prominently on the summit’s agenda. Before proceeding to the summit, Buhari would receive Hollande and the French delegation at the Presidential Villa on Saturday morning. It is expected that new agreements on further defence and cultural cooperation between Nigeria and France would be concluded and signed after talks between the two Presidents and their officials.

Tiny Tee Limited. He said the purchase violate the rules of the implementation committee on the sale of Federal Government property which suggested one person per one property. He said the committee when contacted informed the EFCC that only property No.15, Macdonald Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, was sold to Skyview limited. The tribunal Chairman, Justice Danladi Umar, adjourned further proceeding till May 11.

Lagos at 50: Soyinka’s appointment thoroughly deserving –Gbadamosi

o-Chairman of the Lagos at 50 Committee, Chief Rasheed Gbadamosi yesterday gave credence to the appointment of Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka to Co-Chair the Committee. He said his clout of experience will come in handy

“He has done marvelous things in the field giving effect to why he is being celebrated in our society and there could not have been a more celebrating occurrence or anything attributed to him than his winning the Nobel Prize for literature.” It would be recalled that CONTINUED ON PAGE 4>>

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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Doctors embark on 5-day strike from today Marcus Fatunmole, ABUJA

ational Association of Resident Doctors, NARD, yesterday directed its members across public hospitals in the country to suspend services, effective from 8 a.m. today. The hospitals are to remain shut till next week Monday, as NARD said it was embarking on a fiveday strike to press government to meet its demands. Consequently, both outpatients and in-patients in government hospitals will have to be treated by consultant (senior) doctors, who are often fewer in number than resident doctors. NARD’s President, Dr Muhammad Askira, told journalists at a briefing in Abuja that government had failed to meet their demands, even after recent assurances from the President, when he met with leadership of the Nigerian Medical Association, NMA. According to him, an indefinite strike earlier planned for last Monday was shelved. He explained that the association would further take a decision on the next line of action at the end of this month. Askira said after critical analysis of issues affecting NARD at an extra-ordinary National Executive Council, NEC, meeting, it was observed that there were some processes still ongoing in resolving the impasse between government and the doctors, and that efforts so far made by government had not yet met the doctors’ demands. Issues considered at the NEC meeting, according to him, include nonpayment of salaries of resident doctors, who work in states, unpaid December salaries of doctors in some federal hospitals, house officers’ entry steps not effected, skipping and nonpayment of accrued arrears for doctors in most hospitals in the country. The doctors argued that a committee promised by government on residency training was yet to take off, while some of their members sacked by government had not been recalled. “After exhaustive deliberations, the NEC made the following resolution: that the proposed indefi-

nite strike due to commence on 9th May 2016 has been shelved. “That a five-day nationwide warning strike will be embarked upon commencing from Wednesday 11 May, 2016 by 8 a.m. for work to resume on Monday 16 May, 2016 by 8 a.m. prompt. “That NARD will review the situation at our Ordinary General Meeting holding from 30 May, 2016. “This decision is to press home our demands for implementation, in one hand, and also to enable the government enough time to expedite action in areas not adequately addressed. “…NARD appreciates the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari, the leadership of the National Assembly, including all the members of the Senate and House Committees of Heath and Labour Matters, NEC members and all wellmeaning Nigerians for their positive roles since the beginning of this impasse,” NARD said. This is the first time medical practitioners would down tools nationwide, since President Muhammadu Buhari came to power. A similar action in 2014 resulted in former President Goodluck Jonathan ordering suspension of residency training for doctors, resulting in their sack from hospitals. The decision was soon reversed, following appeals from the public. Speaking on recurrent crisis in the nation’s health sector, especially among health professionals, Askira informed that non-medical practitioners were to blame. He argued that many non-doctors who had wanted to become doctors failed university admission test set by Joint Admission and Matriculation Board, JAMB, and eventually accepted to study other health-related programmes adjudged by the public to be lower in value than Medicine. He stressed that when such people graduate and find themselves in the working environment with doctors, they aspire to lord themselves over the doctors.

Senate President Bukola Saraki at the Code of Conduct Tribunal in Abuja on the continuation of his case, yesterday.

FG to unveil new policy on fuel subsidy –Kachikwu

inister of State for Petroleum Resources, Ibe Kachickwu, yesterday said the Federal Government would in the next few days unveil new policy to address the problem of fuel subsidy in the country. Kachickwu, who stated this during a town hall meeting in Kaduna, said the introduction of price modulation had helped to stabilise the problem. The minister, however, said it was necessary for the country’s oil sector to reflect global pricing of the product. “We are coming up with a policy in the next few days that will allow us develop the price modulation that allow us swing our price along with international pricing. “We are now transiting into fuel modulating pricing because we do not have sufficient foreign exchange to continue fuel importation we have been doing. “Therefore, NNPC has to produce about 100 per cent of the product, that is the cause of the scarcity,” he said. He said NNPC did not also have the logistics and coverage for effective distribution of the product. The minister said there was no budgetary allocation for fuel subsidy in the 2016 budget. He said: “The Federal Government has struggled to offset about N600bn subsidy balance when the administration came into power.” On the uncompleted Petroleum Institute in Ka-

duna, the minister said the ministry had created a Skill Learning Department to coordinate staff training and the running of its specialised centres in Warri, Lagos and Kaduna. Kachukwu said the department would provide research and training skills needed for effective refining and other services in the oil sector. He said the Kaduna Institute was programmed to provide skills to HND graduates in refining and solar energy to prepare them for hiring in the oil industry. On oil exploration in Northern Nigeria, the minister said government had invited investors to explore for oil in the region. “I am one of those who

believe that with modern technology, oil and gas exist in every part of Nigeria,” he added. According to him, research conducted in the last six months revealed that there is both oil and gas in the North. “We are putting a lot of investment and we are inviting people to invest money. We have set up a department which is doing three things for the North. “First, we are going bullishly and trying to find oil and it is in our own interest, especially given the problems we find with pipelines. “We are focusing on clean energy, Solar; we should be able to provide sufficient solar energy in the Northern part of this

country. “We are putting a concept of partnership in oil. Every system has a relationship with oil in different perspectives. “The programme is building 700 marketing outlets all over the country with one per local government, we are asking the state government to co-venture with us and give land to do this.” The Town Hall meeting was convened by Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammed. Five other ministers in charge of Solid Minerals, Communications, Interior, Budget and Planning and that of petroleum resources answered questions from the public during the event.

Lagos at 50: Soyinka’s appointment deserving CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

a group called Eko Foundation had raised eyebrow concerning Soyinka’s appointment as Co-Chair of the Lagos At 50 Committee on the ground that he is not an indigene of Lagos. But Gbadamosi said: “It does not matter what state in Nigeria that you would attach him to. In terms of performance and excellence, the fact that the Governor of Lagos State felt he merited being made the Chairman of Lagos At 50 Committee is a testimony to the great and the good of the Nigerian society.” He said it was a great honour to be paired with Soyinka as co-chair of the Committee, saying he felt humbled and honoured to be associated with a cel-

ebrated literary giant. On the celebration, Gbadamosi said Lagos deserves to roll out the drums, saying the ceremony will not only be all encompassing but will accommodate ideas from far and wide. “Lagos State, in its 50 years of existence has tried to be at the forefront of several events and there are several activities lined up to have a fantastic celebration. “There is hardly anybody whether in the arts or music and so on that would have taken off without passing through the waters of Lagos. “So playing host, irrespective of whether you originated from Lagos capital and entertainment city or not or you lived all your

life or not in Lagos, we have this hope of welcoming the exposure you have enjoyed by making sure that Lagos particularly has been a jumping up board for those who have excelled not only in our country, but in our continent. “We are quite pleased that Governor Ambode has seized the fantastic opportunity for us to highlight what Lagos has been about and what it is going to be about in terms of potentials,” he said. Gbadamosi also assured that the Committee is working hard to come out with a world class celebration that would be to the pride of not just Lagosians and Nigerians, but to the people of the African continent in general.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Shekarau, Wali dispel rumour of EFCC arrest Abdulgafar Oladimeji KANO

President of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejefor (right), with members of the association praying for FRSC Corps Marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi and his men during the Corps Marshal advocacy visit to the executive of CAN in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

3 feared killed at Peoples’ Daily fire outbreak Marcus Fatunmole (Abuja)

hree persons were feared dead at Utako area of Abuja yesterday, following a huge fire outbreak at the headquarters of Peoples’ Daily newspapers. The incident took place about 2pm and threw the entire section of the nation’s capital into great confusion. “I first thought it was a bomb explosion,” Emeka Chukwuma, an eyewitness, told National Mirror correspondent. Our correspondent, who monitored the event, could not confirm rumoured death of three persons from the inferno, but saw a corpse at the Emergency Ward of the Wuse General Hopsital at about 5:30pm yesterday. National Mirror could not also confirm if the inferno af-

fected the newspaper’s office, located on the second floor of the building. There are several firms operating on the premises. It took prompt response of the Fire Service, Red Cross, National Emergency Management Agency, NEMA, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, Julius Berger Construction Company among others to put out the inferno. However, only smoke enveloped the building, and there was no fire extinguisher in the entire premises to help the situation when the fire broke out on the ground floor. Many occupants of the four-storey plaza, located at 35 Ajose Adeogun Street, jumped down from all the floors without aid, resulting in deaths and various sorts of injuries. A lawyer, who was among

those who jumped from the fourth floor, is believed to have died because he bled profusely and was seriously injured upon landing on the floored ground. Others who did not die from the incident were seen at the Wuse Hospital. On National Mirror visiting the National Hospital where the victims were first rushed, private security guards at the Trauma Centre said the Red Cross and NSCDC officials brought seven victims to the hospital, but were referred to either Garki or Wuse Hospital, because there was no space. At Garki Hospital, a senior doctor at the Emergency Ward who did not give her name expressed sympathy, but denied that the patients were brought into the facility. A dead body lay on Wuse General Hospital bed, while six others were being worked on by medical officials at

about 6pm. Among them was a lady who was taken to the theatre section of the hospital, because her condition was critical. She kept shivering as she was wheeled down to the theatre. Others were Fidelis Tyoshar, Mgbechi Nonye and Grace Obadiah. Obadiah had just resumed work for the first day at Peace Micro Finance Bank, located at the building. She was widely rumoured to have died. Speaking with our correspondent at the scene, Head of Search and Rescue, Abuja Operations, NEMA, Labaran Ahman, said: “NEMA is not the first responder when incident like this happens. The Fire Service, when it is an incident of fire is the leading agency. What we did was to mobilise all other support like from Julius Berger Fire Service to join the Fire Service effort.”

EFCC arrests Adegboruwa, Lagos lawyer, for N61m fraud …to appear in court on Thursday Wale Igbintade

peratives of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission, EFCC, have arrested human rights lawyer, Ebun Olu Adegboruwa, for alleged unlawful sale of property. He was arrested yesterday afternoon at his Lekki office by operatives of EFCC. The commission is accusing him of obtaining money under false pretence by knowingly dealing in a forfeited as-

set without due authorisation. Adegboruwa was said to have conspired with some other persons to lease a property situated at House 105, Nicon Town Estate, Lekki Lagos, to one Shelf Drilling Nigeria Limited in the sum of N61,631,944.65 million. The said money was credited to his Zenith Bank account, from where he disbursed the funds to others who benefitted from it accordingly. The EFCC’s grouse is the impunity with which the

legal practitioner acted in leasing out a property which is subject of an Interim Forfeiture Order by a Lagos State High Court. The lawyer has been charged before Justice Oguntoyinbo Oluremilekun of the Federal High Court, Lagos division which is slated for arraignment on Thursday, May 12. Information in the charge signed by EFCC prosecutor, Mr. Rotimi Oyedepo Iseoluwa reads: “That you Ebun Adegboruwa and Jonathan Udeagbala on or about August 13, 2013, in Lagos within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, without due

authorisation by the Economic and Financial Crime Commissions, dealt with a property lying and situate at House 105 Nicon Town Estate, Lekki Lagos, subject of interim order attachment made by Justice Christopher Balogun of the Lagos High Court on June 18, 2012 by leasing same to Shelf Drilling Nigerian Limited in the sum of N61,631,944.65 million which sum was credited into your Zenith account No1010240758 and you thereby committed an offence punishable under section 32(1) of the Economic and Financial Crime Commission Establishment Act 22004.”

ano State was rife with the rumour that Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, arrested Minister of Education, Ibrahim Shekarau and that of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali, under the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday. Our correspondent gathered that Shekarau, former Kano State governor, was scheduled to honor an invitation by the commission yesterday. A source revealed that Wali was also extended an invitation by the anti-graft commission, but that the diplomat entered into a plea bargain with the commission. It was learnt that the former minister of education, who is alleged to have partaken in the Dasuki loot sent his lawyers requesting to be excused, noting that he is out of jurisdiction and would honor EFCC’s invitation at a later date. Unconfirmed sources spread information within the metropolis and suburb town that the former ministers had honoured an invitation by the anti-graft agency,

that they had been detained, thus enveloping the ancient city with the news that the duo have been taken into EFCC custody. Loyalists of Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Kano lamented the whereabouts of their party leaders. Mostly disturbed were PDP loyalists resident in the rural areas. But former Education minister, Ibrahim Shekarau, yesterday addressed a press conference in Lagos. The former ministers are accused of having collected over N800 million for the 2015 presidential campaign, which monies were alleged to have been derived from funds meant for arms purchase from the office of the former national security adviser, Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd). Efforts to get spokesperson of the Kano zonal office of the commission yesterday to comment proved futile, as agents of the commission directed this reporter to contact Abuja for official comment. However, Shekarau’s media aide, Sule Yau, dispelled rumor of the arrest of his boss. He said Shekarau’s camp was conversant with the rumour of the arrest of the former governor.

Ex-Deputy Speaker tasks APC to learn from PDP’s mistakes Kemi Olaitan Ibadan

ormer deputy Speaker of House of Representatives, Chibudom Nwuche, yesterday in Ibadan cautioned the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, to learn from the ‘collapse’ of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, by embracing internal democracy in its affairs in all its ramifications. Nwuche, who chaired this month’s lecture series of the Nigeria Institute of Social and Economic Research, NISER, titled, ‘Party Primaries and the Quest for Accountability in Governance in Nigeria,’ said imposition and lack of free and fair primaries led to the collapse of PDP. He maintained that APC has a lot to gain from doing things the right way for it not to suffer the fate of PDP. He said, “I hope APC can self-destruct if it does not manage its success well by making equity and social

justice its watchword at all times.” He said when party primaries are free and fair, and where there is internal democracy, governance is easier because the people’s wish are fulfilled as majority of candidates that are produced are well accepted. Nwuche then charged Nigerians to be more proactive in how they vote at future elections and also protect their votes to ensure their choice and their wishes translate to those who are elected at the polls. Guest lecturer, Dr. Hyacinth Nnaoma Iwu, of the Department of Political Science and Public Administration, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, in his lecture, bemoaned what he called the common phenomenon of imposition of candidates by political parties in Nigeria, a development which he said, undermines accountability and good governance.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

NEWS

L-R; Director, Ashakacem Plc., Mr. Michel Puchercos; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Rabiu Umar; Chairman, Board of Directors, Mallam Suleiman Yahyah and Company Secretary, Mrs. Zainab Silas-Umaru, during the 41st Annual General Meeting in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO: ROTIMI OSASONA

L-R: Pastor Trevor Akindele; Pastor I.D.; Pastor Yemo Adebayo; Pastor Segun Agboola and Pastor Weyinmi Jemide at the God’s Children Great Talent (GCGT) Season 6, Semi Finals in Victoria Island, Lagos, recently.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

L-R: Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya; Facebook Head of Public Policy, Africa, Ebele Okobi; Director of Product Partnership, Mr. Ime Achibong and Director, Global Operator Partnerships, Mr. Marku Makelainen, at the launch of Airtel/Facebook flex in Lagos, yesterday. PHOTO:ADEMOLA AKINLABI

L-R: Vice-Chancellor, Landmark University, Prof. Mrs. Aize Obayan; Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Enoch Oyawoye; Registrar, Dr. Daniel Rotimi and Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, Prof. G.O. Agbaje, during a workshop organised by the Association of Deans of Agriculture in Nigeria in conjunction with Landmark University in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, yesterday, PHOTO:NAN

National News

DHQ declares war on militants

...says they’re terrorists Ubong Ukpong and Nosa Akenzua

efence Headquarters, DHQ, yesterday declared war against the new militant groups in the Niger Delta region. The military high command, in a statement through the Director of Defence Information, DDI, Brig-Gen. Rabe Abubakar, declared the militants as terrorists, vowing to deploy its entire arsenal to crush them. DHQ said it was not unaware of the existence of the new militant groups, adding that they were committing economic terrorism against the Nigerian state. “The Defence Headquarters, DHQ, is not unaware of the emergence of a group in the Niger Delta region who has vowed to cripple economic activities through pipeline vandalism, oil theft and kidnap of expatriate workers in

that region; it will not hesitate to deploy every available resources to deal decisively with any threats to economic lifeline of the nation. “The military will employ all available means and measures within its Rule of Engagement to crush any individual or group that engages in the destruction of strategic assets and facilities of the government in the Niger Delta or any other location and they will stand to regret the consequences of their actions,” DHQ stated. It lamented that the whole world has seen what the militants were causing in terms of economic terrorism against the nation, and would be treated as criminals in line with the laws of the land. The military said in concert with other security agencies, it would continue to emplace more proactive measures within the creeks

and other places to fish out those responsible for the heinous crime. DHQ further said that it would remain focused, even as it reassured oil companies and law abiding community members of their safety and protection of their sanctity. It advised community leaders, traditional rulers and the general public to cooperate with security forces to ensure the apprehension of the culprits; stressing that no individual or group interest was above national interest. Meanwhile, traditional ruler of Gbaramatu Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State, Aketekpe, Agadagba, Oboro-Gbaraun 11, has condemned the renewed hostilities against oil and gas installations in some part of the Niger Delta. He called on those involved to desist from such act as it was inimical to development. The monarch made the

observation in a statement titled: “A call for peaceful coexistence among Nigerians”, and made available to newsmen in Warri yesterday. He said he abhors pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities capable of creating tension and under development of the region. “I wish to state my total abhorrence to pipeline vandalism and other criminal activities in the region because such would hinder economic progress and development in the region. “One of my priorities as the Pere of Gbaramatu is to ensure that the area is free of crimes such as illegal crude oil refining as such acts do not only affect the economy of the country, but also destroy the ecology, which is very dear to me and my people,” he stated. He spoke on the invitation of Chief Government Ekpemupolo a.k.a. Tompolo by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC. He said Tompolo is one

of his subjects and as such, would want the matter amicably resolved without creating tension. “High Chief Government Ekpemupolo is one of my illustrious subjects. It is therefore incumbent upon me to set machineries in place to intervene in this matter. “In as much as it is apparently a legal issue, political solution cannot be completely ruled out, and so I am desirous to see this matter resolved amicably. “Mr. President will agree with me that this matter has generated so much tension in the Niger Delta region in recent times, and in my considered opinion, such tension is unnecessary at this point in time, as peace is very necessary for this administration to deliver the promised dividends of democracy to the people,” he added. In a related development, a prominent Chief in the Kingdom, Godspower Gbenekama has condemned alleged military invasion of the area. Speaking with our cor-

respondent in a telephone chat, Chief Gbenekama called on the Federal Government not to allow the present crisis in the region to throw innocent citizens into fear, tension and panic for the sin they did not commit. Gbenekama, who is the Benemowei of Gbaramatu, disassociated his kinsmen from the activities of the Niger Delta Avengers, under the guise of fighting Niger Delta cause. He said the order to the military by President Muhammadu Buhari to go after those who perpetuated the recent attack on crude oil pipeline in the region is not enough for the military to invade their community, harassing and intimidating innocent citizens. While assuring that his people would continue to support oil exploration and exploitation in their kingdom, he stated that they will do everything possible to protect Chevron and any other company operating in their area and also oil faculties in the domain.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

INEC chairman appoints CPS, others Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

hairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has appointed Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi as his Chief Press Secretary, CPS. According to a release yesterday, also appointed were Professor Bolade Eyinla, as the Chief Technical Adviser, CTA and Professor Mohammed J. Kuna as Special Assistant, SA.

Lagos State Judiciary new magistrates, after Swearing-in-Ceremony at the Lagos High Court, Igbosere, Lagos yesterday.

Badeh concludes cross-examination of first prosecution witness Doosuur Iwambe ABUJA

mbattled former Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh and Iyalikam Nigeria Ltd, a company believed to be owned by him, yesterday concluded cross-examination of the principal witness of the Economic and Financial Crimes commission, EFCC, prosecuting him for alleged diversion of funds belonging to the Nigerian Air Force, NAF. Badeh, alongside Iyalikam Nigeria Limited, are being prosecuted by the EFCC on a 10-count charge of money laundering bordering on alleged fraudulent removal of about N3.97bn

George Oji

ederal Government said yesterday that the best way to address the menace of the rampaging herdsmen in the country is to set up ranches across the country to control the movement of the herdsmen and curb their nuisance. The position of government on the matter was revealed yesterday by the Minister of State, Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, in a paper he presented at a joint public hearing organised by the Senate Committees on Agriculture, Rural Development and National Security and Intelligence on the incessant violent clashes between herdsmen and farming communities.

from NAF’s account. The anti-graft agency accused Badeh of using the fund to buy and develop landed assets in Abuja for himself and two of his sons between January and December 2013. He however pleaded not guilty to all the charges preferred against him by the EFCC. When the matter came up for hearing yesterday, the defence counsels, Akin Olujimi (SAN) and Sam OlogunOrisa (SAN), respectively cross-examined the witness of the EFCC, Air Commodore Salisu Abdullahi Yusha’u, a retired Director of FinanceIn NAF. The witness denied authorising the transfer o

N150 million in two instalments for the construction of Badeh’s house in Yola. He said he is aware that Engr. Joe was hired to build the house but not aware that he owns Hafco Nigeria Ltd, which received the payment, and did not instruct Air Commodore Sinni to make the transfer. The witness also admitted that he never received instructions from the board of Iyazkam for the purchase of any property. He also confirmed that he did not know if Iyalikam Nig Ltd is a limited liability company. He said: “I have never received any instructions from the board of the company to acquire any prop-

erty. “The name of the company was given to me by Air Chief Marshal Badeh for the purchase of the property at Ogun River in Maitama. “I did not carry out any search with respect to this company nor any have power of attorney to act on behalf of this company, I did not receive or transfer money on behalf of the second defendant.” EFCC counsel, Tayo Olukotun, applied for adjournment to enable the prosecution re-examine the witness and present another witness. Justice Okon Abang adjourned the trial to today for continuation.

Mr. Rotimi Oyekanmi, until his appointment was a senior editorial staff of the Guardian. Eyinla was a Professor of History at the University of Ilorin. He was also National Election Expert at the UNDP-DGD. Mohammed J. Kuna, until his appointment, was Professor of Political Sociology at the Usman Dan Fodio University, Sokoto. He was also Special Assistant to the former INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega.

PDP convention: Reform Group wants old NWC members barred Obiora Ifoh ABUJA

group within the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the PDP Reform Group, made up of mainly youths, has stated that all members of the National Working Committee, NWC, whose tenure expired on March 21, 2016 should be barred from returning or getting reelected in the May 21 forthcoming national convention of the party. The Reform Group, a coalition of differing groups led by Ariyo Dare Atoye during a courtesy visit to the PDP press corps yesterday, alleged that “it is a shame that after mismanaging the post defeat era of the party and squandering the left over resources, some persons want to return.” Atoye said: “This is a big

shame. It is a collective feeling of all our members nationwide that none of them should come back. We consequently demand that every member of the old NWC should give account of their stewardship, individually and collectively.” The group pledged to ensure that the finances of the party in the last two years are investigated but devoid of witch-hunt or probe. The reform group lamented the return of the old order and jettisoning of the Senator Ike Ekweremadu zoning formula which they said has made PDP unattractive to Nigerians. He also lamented the lack of internal party democracy in the party, decrying “the allocation of offices to certain zones for targeted individuals under the guise of pleasing some stakeholders.”

FG prefers ranches to grazing reserves —Lokpobiri

…rampaging herdsmen not Nigerians —FG The minister also used the occasion to restate Federal Government’s position that herdsmen who are allegedly inflicting violence on some communities in the country are not Nigerians. Government insisted that the Fulani herdsmen who have been rearing and grazing their cattle and living amicably with their host communities could not engage in the reported killings and destructions being wrongly attributed to them. The minister stated that government’s position was predicated on the fact that none of the alleged perpe-

trators so far arrested by the security services is able to speak any of the Nigerian languages. On the issue of ranches, the minister disclosed that already, not less than nine states across the federation have donated 5,000 hectares of land each to the Federal Government. Heineken stated that the Federal Government is optimistic that the ranches when created would put to an end, the incessant clashes between the modern day herdsmen and farming communities. The minister said: “Available statistics to us in gov-

ernment show that contrary to media report that these violent herdsmen are the conventional Nigerian Fulanis, they are not, as none of those apprehended was able to speak any of the Nigerian languages, giving strong credence to the possibility of the violent herdsmen to be another form of terrorists in the mode of Boko Haram. “The problem is not Nigerian but regional, more so, when the Nigerian Fulani man has always been known to be a peace loving person.” Heineken said though the country has 415 grazing reserves for the herdsmen to

feed their cattle, most of the reserves being in the Northern part of the country, are grass less due to problem of desertification. Though stake holders from various ethnic nationalities like Tivs, Idoma, Ohaneze, South - South etc, through their representatives supported the proposal of government for the establishment of ranches by kicking against continuation of grazing reserves policy, the herdsmen under the auspices of Meiyetti Allah insisted that grazing reserves routes should be sustained. National Legal Adviser of

the group, Tukur Bello, submitted to the committee that ranches being planned by government have been personally created by some of the herdsmen in some parts of the country. He said creating grazing reserve routes across the country for the herdsmen will be the best solution to the incessant clashes between the herdsmen and farmers in addition to establishment of a Federal Ministry of Livestock Development in the country in line with what are available in Kenya, Tanzania; Ethiopia, Senegal, Mali, Burkina Faso.

South West

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

ABUAD alumnus rules the world

...wins global award Tunbosun Ogundare

2015 Petroleum Engineering graduate from Afe Babalola University, AdoEkiti (ABUAD), Ekiti State, Mr Olamide Popoola has done his Alma mater proud again by leading the team that won this year’s edition of Unilever Idea Trophy in Category Number 1 Award for “Authentically on Brand,

Relevant to target Audience and Drives Talkability and Shareability (A.R.T)”. The Unilever Idea Trophy Contest is a Unilever, a bluechip multinational, programme, designed to develop and test the best students across the world. It begins with students from various universities in different countries participating nationally and then, they are grouped into random teams of three.

Lagos CJ swears in 29 new magistrates Matthew Irinoye

hief Judge of Lagos State, Justice Olufumilayo Atilade, yesterday inaugurated about 29 new magistrates into the state judiciary, warning their spouses, relations, supporters and friends not to interfere in their responsibilities so they could succeed on the bench. She however advised the new magistrates to refuse requests that would begin to come into the “no-go areas” following their inauguration into the bench. The inauguration of the 29 new magistrates, 22 of whom are women, held at The Foyer of the High Court, Igbosere, brought to 148 the number of magistrates in the state. Chief registrar, High Court of Lagos, Mr. Emmanuel Ogundare, in his remark, listed four guiding rules which he said the magistrates need to imbibe to succeed on the bench. According to him, they are “to

hear courteously, answer wisely, consider soberly and decide impartially.” Ogundare cautioned them against counsels engaging in banters or unscrupulous arguments either during or at the end of proceedings and that they should refrain from losing their temper with either of the counsels or litigants, stressing that they would find themselves in pitfalls if they disregard these admonitions. The chief registrar said substantial number of petitions written against magistrates either to the chief judge or the Judicial Service Commission bother on reckless comments and remarks by the magistrates in the course of proceedings. Executive secretary, Lagos State Judicial Service Commission, Mrs. Ayodele Odugbesan, in a brief remark, said the new magistrates were the best among lawyers who applied for the job as they were carefully screened before being selected and that their appointment was purely on merit.

These teams are then made to work together to solve real life challenges after which the best teams are called for semi-final and then finals at the global level. However, the alumnus genius of the six-year-old university as a leader of “Team Nigeria” won the global laurel organised and sponsored by Unilever in United Kingdom together with Adekunle Adepoju, a student from Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo

ormer managing director, Intercontinental Bank, Mr. Erastus Akingbola, has prayed a Federal High Court in Lagos, to issue an order, unfreezing his bank accounts. The plaintiff is suing alongside his companies Tropics Finance and Investments Ltd, Clifton Invest-

ment Ltd, Hijinks Ltd, Merry Thoughts Ltd, Bankinson Ltd and Tropics Securities Ltd. Joined as defendants in the suit are the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, and the Attorney-General of the Federation, AGF. The plaintiff is challenging the continued seizure of his assets and freezing of his bank accounts since December 31, 2009. He averred that the EFCC

fourth out of the five teams nominated for Imagine Cup Ability Award in the 2015 edition of Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition in Seattle, United States of America, on account of the potential impact their projects could have on the lives of people with disabilities and design principles, usability and potential in the market place. Celebrating the award winner last weekend at ABUAD’s campus in Ado-

Ekiti, the highly elated legal luminary and founder of ABUAD, Aare Afe Babalola said he was particularly happy that Popoola demonstrated the skills and knowledge he acquired while studying in the university, which is now a template for other universities in and outside the country. According to him, the achievement has gone a long way to confirm the quality that ABUAD is made of and it will be sustained.

Founder Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Aare Afe Babalola, in a handshake with the awardee, Olajide Popoola, while Yeye Aare Modupe Babalola (R) and Vice Chancellor, Prof. Michael Ajisafe, look on during the reception in honour of Popoola.

N100m fraud: Lawyer petitions Buhari over illegal detention Wale Igbintade

lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo, has petitioned President Muhammadu Buhari

Ex-Intercontinental Bank boss, Akingbola, begs court to unfreeze his account Wale Igbintade

and Jennifer Ikeokwu, a student from Babcock University, Ilishan-Remo, Ogun State. By wining the award, Popoola who is currently observing the one-year mandatory National Youth Service Corps programme has put ABUAD on the world map again. And interestingly, this is coming barely six months after the university’s Team LifeWatch, the inventor of AsthmaVisor, emerged

lacks powers to continue holding onto his assets and money when they were acquired before the purported allegations of crime. Akingbola argued that his companies, which assets were frozen, were not named in the charge. Besides, he argues that since the criminal charge had been dismissed since April 2, 2012, every order freezing his assets should be automatically vacated.

over his client’s alleged arrest and detention by the police. Emukpoeruo in his petition said his client, a director of Stephen Idugboe and Sons Limited, was arrested, detained and denied access to his lawyer at the police headquarters, Abuja, after he reported a case of N100 million fraud. According to him, the police have vowed not to release him unless he discloses the source of his information. The petitioner alleged that the police refused to search the house or office of the main suspect in the matter as well as refused to carry on with the investigation. He stated that Idugboe had reported the fraud to the Intelligence Response Team, IRT, of the office of

the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Louis Edet House, Abuja, where he informed the police that the company’s land, measuring approximately 6,637.073 square meters at Elf Road, Warri, Delta State, was sold to a firm for N250 million. He added that an unauthorised fresh Stephen Idugboe account was then opened “into which N137,000,000 was paid to give the impression that this was the purchase price of the property.” Emukpoeruo said the investigation of his client’s complaint was stopped by the police and he was detained “for over 48 hours” for not revealing the source of the evidence on the fraud. The police, he alleged, accused his client of hacking into a bank account to get

the evidence of the fraud, even though “there was no statement whatsoever from the bank that it suffered any cyber attack or crime at all. “Our client, who reported a crime of over N100m, was released on bail of N200m each from two sureties, totaling N400m while the suspects against whom serious allegations of theft of over N100m sauntered in and out of the station in a police escort vehicle.” Emukpoeruo urged the President “to intervene in this matter to ensure the identification and punishment of the police officer(s) behind the shielding of suspects and the harassment of victims, so as to serve as a deterrent and deepen the fight against corruption.”

South East

TWednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Police rescue Alvan Ikoku FCE worker from suicide

Commissioner for Transport In Anambra, Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili (4th-r); Sector Commander of the FRSC in Anambra, Mr Sunday Ajayi (4th-l) and other stakeholders, during the West African Road Safety Organisation Day celebration themed “If We Don’t Kill Over Speeding ; Over Speeding Will Kill Us”, in Awka yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Imo PDP congress postponed

…party members seek court injunction Chris Njoku OWERRI

eoples Democratic Party, PDP, state congress did not eventually hold yesterday in Imo State. National Mirror gathered that stakeholders with vested interest decided to conduct their own congress at different venues. It was learnt that Senator Hope Uzodinma and his supporters hijacked Dan Anyiam International Stadium, Owerri

through the assistance of officials of the state government who had earlier scared away the caretaker committee executives with N5 million price bid even when the caretaker committee executive put forward N2.5 million. Sources told our correspondent that when the party caretaker committee executives realised that Uzodinma had hand in the Dan Anyiam venue, they abandoned the place for Rosy Arts Theatre at Ikenegbu, Owerri where they allegedly paid

N1.5 million but unfortunately the congress did not hold. Also, the source said that Uzodinma also took some of his supporters to Disney Hotels and Resort along Owerri/Onitsha Expressway where they allegedly conducted the exercise to favour his interest. However, while these exercises were going on at different venues, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu and his group of supporters were busy conducting their own congress

at his Iwuanyanwu Glass Housem along Owerri/ Okigwe Road. Armed with this scenario, the Congress Committee Chairman, Sergeant Awuse, as it was gathered, invited all the major stakeholders of the party in the state, where they all agreed to propone the congress till Wednesday, May 11. It was however learnt that some aggrieved party members from Orlu zone extraction went to Federal High Court, Owerri and obtained a court injunction stopping the congress indefinitely.

Enugu APC says suspension of chairman illegal Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

ll Progressive Congress, APC Enugu State chapter yesterday faulted the purported suspension of Chief Anike Nwoga, the Vice Chairman, Enugu East Senatorial Zone. The party in a statement described it as an action taken “in utter disregard and at variance with the constitution and tradition of our great party.” The Publicity Secretary of APC in Enugu State, Mrs. Kate Ofor, who signed the statement, said the party observed that the said suspension was at variance with Article 2 Subsection I, and Section VI Section C of its constitution. Ofor insisted that since the said provisions were

not adhered to, the party “takes objection tio the action of those who head to the media with the slightest disagreement or provocation, their failure to abide by the tenets of the constitution of our great party which is quoted above is objectionable.” The statement noted that “recently, the footprints of PDP were being spotted in the way some of our members are tainting the image of the party in the public domain, hence these agents of PDP should be courageous enough to leave us in peace. “We are at a loss where Chief Anike Nwoga, one of the few founding members of our great party, who from the scratch has remained in the opposition can today be smeared with unfounded anti-party activity tag.

“The APC chieftain in question, Nwoga, has already contacted the state Chairman, Dr. Ben Nwoye, who is believed will summon a meeting of the state working committee to redress the obnoxious act. “It sounds irresponsible and irreconcilable for Enugu East APC to set up a three-man committee to investigate Nwoga after they had suspended him. “Our great party, APC, makes room for fair hearing, which is the bedrock of the rule of law, before sanctions of any description. It sounds strange that Enugu East APC took a reverse step. “Their action of putting the cart before the horse exposed their flanks as PDP agents. Our understanding of Chief Anike’s offense is the statement he made on May 6 in the Independent

newspaper Page 4, to the effect that APC will win in Enugu State and take over the governance by 2019. It goes with the old saying that the witch cried at night and the child died in the morning.”

olice in Imo yesterday rescued a female staff of Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri, from committing suicide. An eye witness told the News Agency of Nigeria that the woman in her early 40s climbed a water tank, about the height of a three-storey building, from where she threatened to jump down. The eye witness told NAN in Owerri that the woman was shouting at the top of the stanchion before people in the neighbourhood noticed her. He said the neighbours then alerted two policemen who climbed the facility and pleaded with the woman before she came

down at about 6.30 a.m. Public Relations Officer of the Imo Police Command, DSP Andrew Enwerem, confirmed the incident. Enwerem said the woman attempted to take her life but was rescued unhurt by policemen who were invited by her neighbours. According to the police spokesman, preliminary information obtained from the woman showed she was a staff of the Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri. “The woman climbed a high water tank stanchion as early as 6 a.m. and was shouting on top of her voice that she was frustrated and tired of life,’’ he said.

Enugu: Man jailed 3 years for illegal land sale

Federal High Court sitting in Enugu on Tuesday sentenced a man to three years imprisonment for sale of land belonging to one Nnamdi Okebugwu. The convict, Godwin Nnam Okeke, pleaded guilty to the one-count charge bordering on obtaining by false pretence. Okeke was said to have sold a parcel of land in Umuchigbo Iji-Nike community of Enugu East Local Government Areain Enugu State to the complainant for N1.8 million in March 2011. The witness, Mr Richard Anike, from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, said the commission got a petition from the complainant (Okebugwu) on the matter. “The accused was invited to our office and

was asked to write a statement which he wanted his brother to help him with,’’ Richard said. ``In the statement, the accused confessed to have committed the crime as written by the accused brother, Chukwubuike Okeke.’’ The prosecutor, Mr R. E. Ajobiewe, presented the receipt of N1.8 million and five other receipts with the agreements signed and the deed of lease as evidence. Okeke, however, pleaded with the judge that he was a first time offender who was ready to pay back the money in full to the complainant. Justice M.N. Yunusa while considering his plea for leniency and the years spent in custody, declared that the accused was guilty as convicted and was sentenced to a threeyear jail term.

Anambra, FRSC to partner on road safety

nambra government says it is ready to work with the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, to achieve safety on roads in the state. Commissioner for Transport, Mrs Chinwe Nwaebili, stated this yesterday during the 2016 Annual Rally of West African Road Safety Organisation in Akwa. The theme of the rally is: “If We Don’t Kill Over Speeding; Over Speeding

Will Kill Us.” Nwaebili said the theme of the rally was apt in view of the number of deaths resulting from speed-related crashes. She said the state government had been training officials of the State Traffic Management Agency, ATMA, on professionalism to enable them complement the efforts of the FRSC effectively. “This programme is good and we need more of

it; the Anambra government will continue to support FRSC. “We should no longer have deaths on the highway in Nigeria and Anambra, so road users must try to obey traffic rules,” he said. In his message, the Sector Commander of FRSC in Anambra, Mr Sunday Ajayi, said speeding was responsible for over 50 per cent of crashes on the road.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

South South

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Man killed, buried after family paid N3m ransom in A’Ibom Julius Onwuma Uyo

middle aged man, Mr. Chijioke Anyanwuor, has been killed and buried in a forest by his abductors after his family paid N3m ransom to secure his release. Chijioke, a native of Agulu in Anambra State, was abducted on January 25, 2016 at his residence in Ikot-Abasi Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State while returning from a church programme. The kidnappers succeeded in intercepting the businessman and zoomed off with his vehicle to an undisclosed location in Ikot-Abasi. The kidnappers, our correspondent gathered, contacted the victim’s family two days after, demanding a large sum of money as ransom but the family was able to gather N3m.

However, the kidnappers rather than release Mr. Chijioke after collecting the N3 demanded another ransom, but later killed him. It was also gathered that the desperate family who wanted the safe return of their son was willing to give the kidnappers the money but requested to hear the voice of Chijioke who had been in the kidnappers’ custody for some weeks. It was at that point that the abductors became incommunicado with the victim’s family. Meanwhile, the matter was reported to security agencies in the state; and two months after, the kidnappers were tracked down and apprehended by the Department of State Service, DSS, in collaboration with Security and Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, unit of the Akwa State police command. One of the kidnappers

Army arrests 17 cultists, robbers in Rivers •recover arms

Dennis Naku

Port Harcourt

peratives of the 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, have arrested 17 suspected cultists and armed robbers, even as arms and ammunition were recovered. Among the arms recovered from the hoodlums are dynamites which were recovered from various locations in the state. Assistant director, Army Public Relations, 2 Brigade, Nigerian Army, Captain Eli Lazarus, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Port Harcourt, the state capital, yesterday. Lazarus said the arrest was made during their operations in Ahoada East, Ogbogoro in Obio/Akpor, Omoku in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, Omuonwa and Isiokpo in Ikwerre Local Government Area of the state. He listed arms and ammunition recovered from the suspects and others at still large as 16 AK 47 rifles, five general purpose machine guns, two fabrique national rifles, six pump action rifles, 11 shot dane guns and three G-3 rifles. Others, according to him, are three G-3 magazines, 11

fabrique national magazines, 15 AK 47 rifle magazines, 508 rounds of 7.62mm (NATO) ammunition, 313 rounds of 7.62mm (special) ammunition, two Berratta pistols, three cartridges, 14 rounds of 0.9mm ammunition and two revolver pistols. Lazurus also listed 14 military boots, three military belts, one fragment jacket, three lane yard, one cartridge belt and nine pieces of dynamite as other items recovered during their ongoing operations. He said: “The 2 Brigade of the Nigerian Army has stepped up its operations to stem the tide of criminal activities in its areas of responsibility. To this end, several raid operations were conducted on suspected criminal/cultists hideouts.” Lazurus stated that the suspects would soon be handed over to the appropriate agency for further investigation. He assured that the brigade would continue to work tirelessly and make sacrifices to clear criminals in its area of responsibility. He added: “Therefore, the public is hereby enjoined to continue to provide security agencies with useful and timely information that could assist in arresting criminals in the society.”

apprehended denied murdering the victim in cold blood but explained that Mr. Chijioke took ill in their custody and died four days after his kidnap and they decided to bury him in a shallow grave around the bush he was held

hostage. He further revealed that he collected the ransom from the family of the victim after the death of the man, unknown to the relations that the man had passed away. Nevertheless, Chijioke’s decomposed body has been

exhumed from the shallow grave, where it was buried by the kidnappers. Members of the family are making arrangements on how to give him a befitting burial in his home town of Agulu, Anambra State.

According to a reliable source in the family of the deceased, the DSS is still carrying out vigorous investigation into the matter and he prayed that the full wrath of the law would take its course on the perpetrators of the act.

Suspected cult members paraded by the Second Brigade of Nigerian Army in Port Harcourt yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Group demands justice for murdered woman

Nosa Akenzua Asaba

n Abuja group under the auspices of Voice of Women in Nigeria Leadership Initiative, has vowed to seek justice for the family of a woman that was allegedly killed by a soldier in Warri, Delta State, adding that the soldier must be made to face the full wrath of the law.

President of the group, Mrs. Janet Oyubu, made this vow yesterday in Warri when she led a delegation of her team to the office of the Commanding Officer, 3 Battalion, Effurun, Major M. Nzaku, to hear his own side of the story. Mrs. Oyubu who spoke to our correspondent after the meeting, said they decided to visit the Army commander to hear his own side of the story and ensure that the sol-

dier who caused the woman’s death is brought to book. She said the meeting with the commanding officer was a success as they were able to discuss how the army would be able to resolve the matter with the deceased’s family and how to give the woman a befitting burial. She also told our correspondent that the army denied killing three other persons in the process of trying to douse tension when the woman was killed.

She said their mission to the Army barrack was to find out what actually happened and how the woman was killed, noting that the army has told their own side of the story and have promised to also punish the erring soldier. She said the Army commander assured them that he would not leave any stone unturned to ensure that the soldier is properly disciplined according to military laws.

axes. Douglas regretted that there were no armed security personnel in the complex when the assailants launched the attack. The CSO said he have not seen that level of security challenge before, noting that the administrative body of the judiciary had applied to the police to deploy its men in the area. He said the request was approved on Monday, but bemoaned that the operatives were yet to resume duty before the incident took place. “We have not seen this level of security challenge before, where killers will invade a public establishment and kill people with machetes and axe. “We applied to the police to give us police and the re-

quest was approved yesterday, Monday, and in the night this thing happened. “When the incident took place there was no armed security operative around.” The Rivers State police command has confirmed the incident, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Command, Mr. Ahmad Muhammad. Mohammad stated that investigation into the killings has commenced. He noted that the victims were not attacked with guns as speculated, rather they were attacked with machetes. Meanwhile, activities at the Rivers State judiciary yesterday were grounded, as the court complex was under lock and key following the killing.

2 axed to death at Rivers judiciary complex

Dennis Naku

Port Harcourt

nknown assailants yesterday invaded the premises of the Rivers State judiciary and killed two civilian security guards attached to the facility. This was as an attempt by unknown gunmen to free an inmate at the Port Harcourt prisons was foiled yesterday. The assailants who visited the complex that also houses the state High Court, attacked three civilian security personnel who were on night duty with machete and axes. Two of the victims died on the spot, while the third was inflicted with machete cuts and was rushed to a health facility in Port Har-

court, where he is now receiving treatment. A security source who spoke to our reporter said the victims were attacked with machete and axes. The source who pleaded anonymity stated that the killers gained entrance into the court premises through the gate. She narrated that the guards were asleep when the killers entered the complex and that they pounced on them with the weapons. The guard said the victims were on night duty when the incident took place. Speaking on the incident, Chief Security Officer, CSO, in charge of the judiciary complex, Mr. Batubo Douglas, confirmed that the victims were hacked to death with sticks, machetes and

North

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday May 11, 2016

Buhari wants states to partner investors for employment generation James Danjuma, Katsina

tates in the country have been called on to partner investors for employment generation and improved living condition of the people. President Muhammadu Buhari, who disclosed this yesterday in Katsina, said investment in states of the country would lead to generation of employment, which is “fastest way for our people to come out of poverty.” Buhari however said for investors to be attracted, states need to interest

them through creating the right environment and offering attractive incentives like tax holidays. He said with present economic realities, federal government alone cannot deliver on high expectations of the people as it needs states to complement the effort. He said federal government would provide incentives to states that plan to explore their agricultural and mineral sectors to make states economically viable. The President spoke

shortly before declaring open the Katsina State Economic and Investment Summit, with theme, ‘Unlocking Investment Potentials for Sustainable Development.’ He assured of federal government’s commitment to partner with states in the country to promote investment in areas where they have comparative advantage. He said the investment

effort in his home state was worth emulating, and that the effort was capable of generating thousands of employment opportunities for the teeming youths. Buhari however said the state’s investment journey would not be an easy one, but that by taking small steps, the state would be able to arrive at its projected destination. On his part, Governor Aminu Bello Masari said the state was open to in-

vestors in the areas of agriculture, energy, solid minerals, among other sectors. Masari said to encourage investors, the state would give a five-year tax break, issue Certificates of Occupancy within 30 days, and give long lease on lands for industrial development. He said vision of the summit is to see the state becoming an economic stronghold, depending less on federal allocation,

and for many of its citizens to be gainfully employed. Owner of Erisco Foods, a prospective investor, Mr. Eric Umeofia, promised to set up a tomato processing company in the state within the next three months. Umeofia also said similar companies would be established in Jigawa and Sokoto states, even as he ca-led on people to patronise made-in Nigeria products.

Police bust kidnapping syndicate in Kaduna GEORGE OPARA, ABUJA

igeria Police Force Intelligence Response Team, IRT, has smashed a notorious kidnapping syndicate terrorising Kaduna and Zaria area of Kaduna State. Members of the syndicate arrested are gang leader, Kashimu Shehu aka Baliago, Aliyu Mato aka yellow, Muhammedu Mamman, Hassan Bello, Bala Mohammed and Ishiaku Kabiru. It was gathered that the gang was responsible for the abduction of Rev. Yakubu Dzarma, Rev. Emmanuel Dziggan and

Rev Illiya Anthony on March 21 at Dutse village in Kaduna State while Dan’Azumi Mohammed was kidnapped alongside her sister, Hajara Mohammed on April 14 at Andun Jangwan village in the state, by the same gang. Though they were later freed, Rev. Illiya Anthony died in the custody of his abductors. However, the IGP while Cars queuing for petrol on Olusegun Obasanjo Way, Central Business District, as scarcity of the commodity resurcommending the Force In- faces in Abuja, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN telligence Response Team (IRT) and other police operatives involved in the arrest of the suspects for meeting up with the N13 N13 billion for this year; into at the beginning of their dedication and pro- James Abraham, billion target as internal- this is because we have the year as directed by fessionalism, said efforts Jos ly generated revenue for not yet included our ar- the Federal Government. were ongoing to apprelateau State govern2016 even as it disclosed rears of tax liabilities of hend fleeing members of He said PSIRS has ment yesterday exabout N2.06 billion had about N5 billion,’’ he said. high expectation from the gang. pressed optimism of already been generated Analysing the collec- MDAs, which he said in the first quarter of the tion for the period under were supposed to generyear. review, the chairman dis- ate more than the serActing Chairman, Pla- closed that the amount re- vice considering the vast teau State Internal Rev- alised was made of N350, opportunities opened to enue Service, PSIRS, Mr 720, 319. 98 (PAYE), N982, them. and people of the state.” absence of intervention. Dashe Arlat, disclosed 889, 890.67 (Pay direct) and The chairman said they The governor further reitOrtom at the ceremony this in an interview with N711,783, 427.50 (Remita). were looking at non-tax insisted that everything erated the determination of newsmen in Jos. The chairman said, revenue especially from humanly possible would be his administration towards Arlat described the rev- “From what we generated services being rendered done to petition his prede- ensuring that all the monies enue collected within the so far, it is a proof that we by government such as cessor before the Economic allegedly looted by the forperiod as “:very encourag- are doing better in spite water supply as well as and Financial Crimes Com- mer government were recoving’’ in comparison with of the economic down registration of business mission, EFCC, as well as ered with a view to replenish the N1.84 billion realised turn in the country. premises, hotels, schools, Independent Corrupt Prac- the state treasury and also to in the corresponding pe“We have heard from land documentation and tices Commission, ICPC and enhance and add value to the riod last year (2015). some quarters that we building plans to boost other relevant agencies to well being of citizenry in the “From the amount so are on the lower side in the revenue. enable us recover the funds state. realised this first quarter our collections, but this “It is our belief that Earlier, chairman of the to the state treasury. of the year, it is glaring will silence our detrac- harmonisation will take He explained: “If I am able Teaching Service Board, Mr. that we improved with our tors and equally encour- us somewhere if only to cough out this stolen loot James Pine, expressed gratirevenue generation hav- age my staff to do more,” we pursue it with vigour belonging to the state, it will tude to the governor for taking surpassed last year’s he stated. towards generating subgo a long way in solving the ing time to inspect the area with N219, 506, 232.86. Arlat attributed the stantial revenue that will enormous challenges such despite his crowded sched“In fact, by what we just boost in the revenue put the state government ule, and pledged to work asas unpaid salary arrears of realised, it’s a clear indi- collection to the Single on an advantage in proworkers and other exigen- siduously towards achieving cation that we shall defi- Treasury Account (STA) viding social amenities to cies that often pose an im- the set goals of the change nitely meet our target of which the state keyed the citizens. pediment to the government mantra in the state.

Plateau confident of N13bn revenue target

Ortom vows to recover N170bn allegedly stolen by predecessor Henry Iyorkase. Makurdi

overnor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has raised an alarm that former Governor Gabriel Suswam allegedly carted away N170 billion on the eve of his exit from office and pledged to implore arsenals at his disposal to recover the stolen funds. Ortom made the revelation yesterday while inspecting the ongoing renovation of structures at Benue State Teaching Service Board, TSB, where he commended chairman of the board for overseeing the neat and thorough work being done in the

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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Politics

2019: We are looking for credible people as our flagbearers —Ogun LP Chair 14

PDP State Congress EBONYI STATE

Umahi’s younger brother, 26 others emerge winners Aliuna Godwin ABAKALIKI

he younger brother to Governor David Umahi, Maxwell Umahi along twenty six others yesterday emerge winners of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, state congress election in Ebonyi state. The party elected Barr Onyekachi Nwebonyi as the state chairman while Maxwell Umahi becomes the deputy chairman and Simon Anyigor as the secretary as Emeka Uzor becomes the treasurer. The winners emerged without competitive election as they were elected unopposed. Addressing the people, David Umahi commended the people for conducting themselves in a peaceful manner by shunning violence. He noted that the conduct of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP Congresses held in the state was the best so far in the history of Ebonyi. Umahi who was speaking at the state PDP congress held at Abakaliki Township Stadium said he was very excited about the absolute peace

witnessed throughout the congresses. He disclosed that the congress committees were given free hand to conduct the elections and the entire PDP fold in the state was satisfied with the exercise. Umahi also applauded the maturity of PDP stakeholders who ensured that positions were harmonized such that every position was won unopposed. The governor said if not for the congress committee who insisted on formalizing the process, there wouldn’t have been need for any election since there was no contest against one another. Umahi said with his experience as a former state PDP chairman and deputy governor, he understood the dangers of imposition which was why it was not allowed during the congresses. He averred that Ebonyi remained PDP state and the party was growing with new spirit in the state. The Governor said with the new spirit of reunion among the people, he was optimistic that the new executives of the party would not indulge in bribery and corruption.

L-R: Deputy Chief Whip, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Omotayo Oduntan; Deputy Speaker of the House, Hon Wasiu Eshinlokun-Sanni; Britain’s Deputy High Commissioner, Mr Ray Kyles and Speaker Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa, during the Deputy High Commissioner’s visit to the Speaker in his office at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Ikeja yesterday.

OGUN STATE

Three parallel state chairmen emerge Femi Oyewes ABEOKUTA

hree executive party chairmen yesterday emerged for the Ogun state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP following parallel party state

EKITI STATE

Faction holds parallel congress, elects exco Abiodun Nejo ADO EKITI

faction of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Ekiti State yesterday elected Chief Williams Ajayi as the State Working Committee, SWC Chairman. Other SWC members were also elected through the ward, local government and state congresses of the PDP faction in Ado Ekiti, the state capital, yesterday. Delegates from all parts of the state converged to vote at the congresses of the faction believed to be loyal to the PDP South West Leader and senator representing Ogun East in the National Assembly, Buruji Kashamu.

Although suspected thugs attempted to disrupt the congress, delegates later regrouped to complete the election process. Other SWC members elected included Hon. Sunkanmi Ogunbiyi (Deputy Chairman), Ilesanmi Obe (Secretary), Dr Ayo Olaiya (Vice Chairman-North), Alhaji Gani Bankole (Vice Chairman-South), Mr J.K. Oni (Vice Chairman-Central) and Elder Obafemi Falayi (Treasurer). Others are Gbadebo Fayemi (Organizing Secretary), Deji Dada (Publicity Secretary), Niran Owoseni (Legal Adviser), Alhaji Adubiaro (Auditor), Mrs. Florence Olalegun (Women Leader) and Olusola Ajidulu (Youth

Leader). The factional chairman, Ajayi, who said the process was conducted in line with the PDP constitution and guidelines, said the new executive would give party members “sense of belonging, initiate reconciliation process and bring back all aggrieved members who had left the party.” Ajayi, who said there was no faction in the PDP in the state, added: “We don’t know of any other congress or faction, but we members of the Omo Ilu Foundation and other members who believe in due process and party supremacy have conducted our congresses even though some people attempted to disrupt the process.

congresses conducted by three factions of the party amidst unresolved intraparty crisis. The three factional groups, which conducted the state congresses to elect party officials included those loyal to the Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial district, Buruji Kashamu; those loyal to the ex- Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole as well as those loyal to former governor of the state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel being led by the House of Representatives member, Ladi Adebutu. The congress conducted by the Kashamu group which had in attendance all the 11-man Congress Committee approved for Ogun state however held at the state party Secretariat located at the Presidential Boulevard, Oke Mosan, Abeokuta and saw Engineer Adebayo Dayo returned as the state chairman of PDP for the second term in office. Former chairman of Ifo Local Government Area, Sikirulai Ogundele also

emerged as state chairman in the Hon.e Ladi Adebutu’s camp at the congress held at the Auditorium Hall of the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL), Abeokuta, the state capital. The Congress conducted by former Speaker Dimeji Bankole’s faction which held at the Ake Centenary Hall in Abeokuta however, saw a two- term former Commissioner under the Daniel’s administration, Wale Egunleti emerging as the tstate chairman of PDP in Ogun. In the same vein, similar factional party officers also emerged for other positions which included the state Secretary, Deputy Chairman, Publicity Secretary among others. The congresses however, went smoothly at the three factional centers monitored by National Mirror in Abeokuta, the state capital. Speaking with journalists shortly after the conclusion of voting at the PDP Secretariat, the Party National Congress Committee Chairman for the state, Muhammed El - Yakub said he

was not aware of any parallel PDP congress in Ogun. Feigning ignorance of the existing parallel congress he cited the party’s constitution regarding the guidelines for the conduct of the wards, local governments and state congresses. El -Yakub explained that accreditation and voting took place at the designated centres approved for such by the National Working Committee, NWC with official of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC present as unbiased observers. In his own reaction, Engineer Dayo who was reelected for another term of office pledged to bring all aggrieved members of the party back to the party for re - invigorated and united party in the state. Dayo said the trio of former Speaker Dimeji Bankole, former Governor Gbenga Daniel and ex - minister Tunji Ishola as people have been quite helpful to him and the party, adding that he would passionately appeal to them to return to the mainstream once again.

Politics

Comrade Abayomi Arabambi is the Acting Chairman of the Labour Party in Ogun State. In this interview with FEMI OYEWESO, Arabambi bares his mind on the state of the party in the State Excerpts:

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

2019: We are looking for credible people as our flagbearers —Ogun LP Chair not because they truly love a political party, but they were looking for a platform through which they can actualize their own dreams and objectives. But as long as that is not forthcoming, they dump any political party they are. Let Akinlade goes to the APC now and they tell him that the governorship ticket is not for him, he would run back. And that was what happened in 2015. From PDP, he ran to APC, then he ran again to Labour and then he again ran away from LP. At the end of the day now, you don’t even know where he belongs . So, the Akinlades of this world, if they realise their potentials and they know where they can achieve it, let them come to LP! We will sit down, talk together and give everybody his rightful place. One thing for sure is that two people cannot be in one office, it has to be “give and take”. As long as we refuse to play the game according to the rules, Nigeria will continue to be messed up by the people who do not even have an idea of what they are going to the office to do. Basically, what we are saying is that we want to form a formidable political party; yes like I said, we don’t have moneybags; we are not too rich, we are not poor people and we are neither beggars anyway. When we say we are workers, Nigerians workers are called labours, they are nor labourers. So, if Labour people now decide to bring in their potentials into usage, visa a viz, members of the NUJ, NUT, NLC e.t.c, there are so many retirees who want to play politics and have very good backgrounds and know what exactly what it takes to govern well. So, we are looking out for credible people who are respected in the society.

What is the state of Labour Party in Ogun state as at today? Labour Party in Ogun remains what it used to be and I want to assure you that at all times, we will be proactive and be alert to our responsibilities. Everybody knows what Labour Party stands for and we want everybody to have their rightful positions in the scheme of things if given the opportunity to showcase our ability to govern at whatever level. There is a general impression that LP is an offshoot of the PDP. As it is now, do you see yourself dissolving into the PDP as the party is already getting set to hold its national convention ? Did I hear you say that we will be going into an alliance with the PDP? No, capital no! I want to also correct an impression that we are an offshoot of the PDP, no! Labour started as a political party perhaps after the 1999 general elections. LP came into being and of course, nobody is giving LP any iota of chance to win any election, which of course, had to be re-written by the electoral victory of Governor Olusegun Mimiko in Ondo. That was what gave LP a kind of a status boots here and people saw it as a future party then. Now, because Mimiko retreated his steps back into the PDP does not mean that the other people in the Labour Party are looking into his own direction. However, what we are saying is that LP is the party and we are going to go head on as a party; it’s not about money, rather, it’s about Nigerians and Nigerians are the full determinants of what happens in the country. But unfortunately, because we all rely too much on money politics, that is why we find ourselves where we are now. But in LP, we don’t have the “moneybags” neither do we have any god-father. So, it goes to the advantage of the electorates. This makes us to be able to go to the grassroots, talk to the people and let them see what we stand for. So we are not going into any alliance with either PDP or even APC. We are Labour Party and we are LP! But many electorates in Ogun are of the opinion that if political parties are to be classifies or ranked, LP would definitely come third. How do you intend to work on the electorates towards enhancing your chances of winning the 2019 general elections? That depends on our ability to carry our people along. I don’t want to be optimistic about one political party being first and another one being third or whichever. And again, if I say I don’t know, I could be trying to be economical with the truth. But the truth of the matter is that PDP started as a party one day, the All Progressives Congress, APC never started as APC; it is a coalition of smaller political parties. I call them smaller parties because they were then, running after the PDP. And since the PDP was then the political party to beat by anyone of them, they wanted to come together so that they could be able to win an election, which of course, they succeeded in doing. Having said that, LP is a political party that stands on its own with its ideological base. Most political parties in Nigeria don’t work on their ideologies. If they say PDP manifesto .......; you ask yourself, how much of that manifesto do the governors work with? How much of the APC’s manifesto are now being executed. In proper perspectives, you’ll realised that each individual comes with his own political agenda and games and that is the script they play when they get into the office. So, we are saying that those fall offs from APC, those fall offs from the PDP will all come to the LP; they won’t have any other available choice. Just like what happened in the pre-2015 general elections when the fall off of the PDP led

Arabambi

As long as we refuse to play the game according to the rules,

Nigeria will continue

to be messed up by the people who do not even have an idea of what they are going to the office to do. by former Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel came to join our party. They would have successfully made a perfect combination, but unfortunately, for hierarchical and different political ideologies, they were unable to form a formidable party. At the end of the day, their supposed enemy won the election. So this time around, that is what we are going to work against; we wouldn’t want a repeat of such. We want people that will be committed strictly to the ideologies and principles of the LP. At the end of the day, you’ll see that he who laughs last, has laughed best. Are you now saying that the people of Ogun should look out for a repeat of an alliance of these big names you have mentioned: the OGDs, Akinlades, GNIs, the Ladi Adebutus and so on who hitherto, courted LP before they went back? It is not an impossible task. You see, all the political playmakers have their own interests; I don’t want to use the word “selfish interests”; everybody has his own interest and it is their interests that they are out to protect. It is

Alright, back to the big names you mentioned the other time, to what extent have you been negotiating with the likes of Otunba Gbenga Daniel and others? To be frank with you, we have not been doing that. We are not going to go cap in hand to beg anybody, anyone that is interested in coming to us is free to do so. We don’t even want them to come as a group. Let them come as individual and we accept them in their own individual capacity. It is not that someone will now come and rabbleruse and starts messing up our new arrangements. With respect to the issue of Gbenga Daniel; highly respected, highly loved and all of that: but you see, until one seats down to jaw-jaw on matters like that. It is not question of “oga” to “omo’se” kind of relationship. What we are saying is that we are coming together as a people and we must respect ourselves; we must respect our views and opinions. We are not small boys any longer, we are not kids. So, what we are saying in effect is that we have not actually gone to people like that but when the time ripe, we’ll talk to everybody that is available to us, alright? And of course we cannot do it in isolation anyway, that is why we need all these people. To win an election, you mustn’t say that yesterday somebody offended me and so, I am going to retaliate, no! We must first burry our hatchets and work together as a team, that is what I believe in. We must be able to talk to ourselves, appreciate the little knowledge which everyone of us has. There is this issue of leadership crisis within your party. To what extent have you been able to resolve the matter towards ensuring that you have a generally acceptable State Executive Committee members before the next general elections? We have never had such problem, I want to state that with all emphasis and sincerity, at a point our former state chairman, Simon Olabode and the erstwhile Secretary General, Sunday Ogini decided to dump the party to join the PDP. They are individuals who have their own rights to association. The right of association under the Constitutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria gives them the freedom to go to wherever they may want to feather their nest, which of course they did and nobody quarrels with them. So, what we are now having is a united Labour Party in Ogun and very soon, I can assure you that we will have our own congresses too at the various levels of the party in the state.

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PDP State Congress DELTA STATE

Okowa’s aide emerges chairman Amour Udemude ASABA

ormer aide to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta state, Mr. Kingsley Esiso has emerged the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP state chairman and he will lead other members of the newly elected executive to run the affairs of the party for the next four years. Delegates from the 25 local government areas of the state yesterday cast their votes to elect the 27 member state executive headed by the former aide to the governor, Mr. Kingsley Esiso as chairman at the cenotaph in Asaba while the other positions that made up the executive were elected through voice affirmation. The congress presided over by the chairman of the electoral panel, Dame Uzor Nwandu, monitored by representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC was attended by party faithful including Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, his deputy, Kingsley Otuaro, for-

Politics

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

mer chairmen, federal and state lawmakers on the party’s platform, commissioners amongst others In his acceptance speech, Mr. Kingsley Esiso declared that Governor Ifeanyi Okowa shall be given the opportunity to govern for a second term, saying that he has performed beyond reasonable doubts. According to Mr. Esiso, this is a new era for the party and he promised on behalf of other members of the state working committee to promote peace and restore unity among party members adding that his tenure shall be fair, equitable and just but be very firm as party chairman, and solicited the support of party leaders to move the party to higher heights in the state. In his speech, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa congratulated the new executive and pledged the unflinching support of his government to them in achieving the set goals of the state working committee. He urged them to remain steadfast in piloting the affairs of the party.

ENUGU STATE

Ex-council boss, Nnamani emerges PDP chair Emmanuel Ezeh ENUGU

he Enugu State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP yesterday elected former Isi-Uzo local government chairman, Augustine Nnamani as the new Chairman of the party. New state secretary, Cletus Akalusi and other members of the state executive committee of the party also emerged at a state congress held at Okpara Square Enugu by delegates from the 17 local government areas of the state. Addressing the delegates, the state governor, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and the

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu expressed happiness that there is now genuine peace and harmony within stakeholders of the party in the state and called for cooperation of all to enable the new party exco and the state government to succeed. Ugwuanyi said, “I wish to congratulate all elected officials of our party at all levels, and I’m sure you will approach your duty with due commitment, zeal and valor “The task before you, that is the repositioning and strengthening of our great party especially in the light of the fact that we are now in the opposition in the federal level is one that you must indeed discharge without fail.

“It calls for unity and commonality of purpose of all party members; I can’t thank you all enough for a united family. We must all rally round the new party executive that we have elected today and give it the support it requires to move the party forward. “We also expected the executive to give all party members the opportunity to make their contributions to the progress of the party for everyone must play his part and everyone is important,” he said. The Deputy Senate President, Ekweremadu on his part stated that the new executive was lucky because it was coming at a time when there is unity among major

stakeholders of the party in the state, unlike its predecessors whose time were characterized by divisions between the governors then and the Abuja-based politicians or other party leaders. “Let me explain, with due respect to my friend Egungbe, he was our first chairman, and then we had the Nwodo, Jim Nwobodo, Chimaroke factions; when Nwanjoku became the chairman we had the Abuja group and the Enugu group; and when my brother and friend Vitta Abba became the chairman, we had the Sullivan group and Ekweremadu group. But today we only have the Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi group in Enugu state,” he stated.

GOMBE STATE

Adamu elected Chairman Williams Attah GOMBE

mmediate past Legal Adviser of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in Gombe State, Barrister Joel Jagafa Adamu yesterday emerged as the new State Chairman of the party. The emergence of Jagafa followed the consensus arrangement agreed by all the three contestants who also included the immediate past Chairman of the Party, Baba Shuabu Sabulu and Danladi Garba Haruna who agreed to step down for Jagafa. All other executive members of the party such as the State Secretary, Alhaji Buba Shanu and Alhaji Zakari Musa all returned unopposed during the peaceful State Congress held at the State Secretariat of the party. In his acceptance speech, the new Chairman, Barrister Joel Jagafa Adamu promised to reconcile all aggrieved members by immediately invit-

ing them for a parley. He said should they ignore his invitation, “I will personally follow them to whereever they are”. While promising not to fail the party, he also promised unflinching loyalty to the party and its leader, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo. Barrister Jagafa then described the new Party executive as a new and rebranded team that would not relent in sustaining the success already achieved by the party in the state. In his address at the occasion, Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo commended the peaceful conduct of the election and appealed for support for the new party executive. Dankwambo also called on the new Chairman to ensure that he reconciles all the aggrieved party members who had interest in occupying one position or the other and then appealed for the support of all party members to the Jagafa- led executives.

L-R: Guest Speaker, Dr Hyacinth Iwu; Chairman of the occasion, Prince Chibudom Nwuche and Acting Director-General Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER), Prof. Frank Odumosu, at the Seminar on Party Primaries and the Quest for Accountability in Governance in Nigeria in Ibadan, yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

We are ready for 2019, says Delta Speaker Nosa Akenzua ASABA

elta State House of Assembly Speaker, Hon. Monday Igbuya on Tuesday described the elected chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Delta State Chapter as “a man of huge ability and a politician of conviction and integrity.” Speaking with journalists after the party’s congress in Asaba, Igbuya praised Barrister Kingsley Esiso for his “intelligence,

hard work, commitment and consistency since the party’s inception in the state. “Barrister Esiso is no stranger to party administration. His success is no surprise to those who have observed his journey in politics. His victory is a clear sign of the trust and confidence that the people have in him”. He advised the chairman and other officials to strengthen the party. ‘The 2015 election brought new challenges to the party. Your leadership

will be crucial in 2019. You must work hard to overcome the challenges of 2015 with determination, courage and optimism.” He also expressed admiration for Delta’s tremendous achievements under the PDP’s leadership in the state. “The PDP has made outstanding achievements in the boosting of the state’s economic and social development as well as leading the people to overcome difficulties and challenges” he said.

“The PDP must continue to keep Delta State safe, grow opportunity for every man, woman and child. It must continue to be the party of assistance, aspiration and achievement. It must continue to defuse social conflicts and give a sense of belonging to the various ethnic groups. It must continue to spread employment opportunities across the state and ensure every youth has access to quality education that could secure them a place in a globalized and highly competitive job market”.

Mail Mirror

Politics

From The Senate with

George OJI

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Kidnapping: How rage, anger drove lawmakers to seek death penalty

here was no deliberate effort or programme in the business of the Senate last week Tuesday to legislate on kidnapping in the country. There was no bill or motion in the order paper of the day on the subject matter. What was simply slated for deliberation was the report of the senate joint committees on police affairs, national security and intelligence on the growing criminality in the country. Even at that, there was nothing in the six recommendations made by the committee in its report that suggested capital punishment for kidnappers. The additional recommendation seeking capital punishment for kidnappers literarily dropped from the blues. It was a spore of the moment decision. The six-point recommendations of the joint senators were mere call for stringent punishment to serve as deterrent to criminals, a resolution that the funding of security agencies be taken as a priority project while efforts should be geared to create employment opportunity to teaming unemployed youths. The lawmakers also recommended and it was approved that the security agencies should embark on training and re-training of their personnel while also urging state governments to enact laws to aid prosecution of kidnappers.

The upper legislative chamber further advocated more vigorous information sharing amongst security agencies, while also encouraging heads of security agencies to do more in checkmating kidnapping. The report further regretted that there was undue rivalry between security agencies which brought about lack of synergy. The senators were outraged that kidnapping and hostage-taking, which used to be contained in the South-south and South-east political zones of the country, was becoming widespread. The additional recommendation for capital punishment for kidnappers was proposed by Adamu Aliero (APC, Kebbi Central). The lawmakers were apparently angered by the recent spate of kidnappings and hostage-takings rampant across the country to, “smuggle in,” the issue of capital punishment for kidnappers. Besides other high profile kidnappings in the country, the kidnap, the previous week, of one of their own, Senator Iyabo Anisulowo may have contributed in no small way in the recommendation that the lawmakers eventually made about kidnappers. Anisulowo was abducted a fortnight ago at about 6.00pm between Sawonjo and Imaseyi junction in Yewa North Local Government Council Area of Ogun State by four armed persons and taken away to an unknown destination, from where the abductors later began to make moneytary demands before the release of the senator. As at the time the senators recommended death sentence for kidnappers, Anisulowo was still in captivity and yet to be released by his abductors. The Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu who himself had had previous experience in the hands of the kidnappers, having been once kidnapped when he was secretary to the Enugu State Government provided perspectives to the operations and psyche of the kidnappers. According to him, “Just recently one of my relations also was kidnapped so I believe I am talking as an expert or an experienced person in kidnapping. I know the psychology of kidnappers because I stayed for two days with them, these are normal human beings who are sometimes looking for money and also afraid of security agencies. “I think there are three types of kidnappers, there are some who kidnapped either to make a statement or to intimidate the government like the Boko Haram people and the Niger Delta militants. Then there is another type of kidnappers, these are just normal armed robbers, sometimes they just kidnap you, put you in the boot and they can even use the vehicle as an escape or they use it to rob; such ones once they succeed, either they take away the ve-

Ekweremadu

Aliero

hicle or using it they will dump their victim. The third type which is very dangerous is the professional kidnappers who kidnap for money and that is the one we are focusing on.” He regretted that, “We have encouraged this type of kidnapping because we panic and pay money most times. These kidnappers when they take you they put you somewhere else and they can refer you to negotiate so that they can set you free and go for another business,” noting that, “Most times our people are reluctant to delay or endure the inconvenience or the hardship and then they quickly negotiate and if we can discourage this kind of kidnappings, the only way forward is to insist that you will not pay.” Ibrahim regretted that kidnapping, which started in some regions had now become a nationwide menace. He regretted that the security agencies knew the mode of operation of the kidnappers but were usually hampered by availability of funds. The lawmaker stated that after sessions with the security chiefs, the committee discovered that though kidnapping started in the Niger Delta where oil workers, mainly foreigners, were targeted, nothing serious was done to stop it. He said the committee also found out that while security agencies were tackling kidnapping and hostage-taking, “kidnapping and hostage-taking is now nation-wide.” Senator Deno Melaye (Kogi West), asked the Senate to come up with measures to address kidnapping, proposing that, “kidnappers should die by firing squad or by hanging.” On his part, Senator Adamu Aliero (APC Kebbi) suggested that capital punishment should be prescribed for kidnapping. He blamed the upsurge in kidnapping on the get-rich-quick syndrome. Aliero insisted there should be a national law of capital punishment, saying leaving states to enact laws against kidnapping was not enough. Senator Abdullahi Adamu (Nasarawa West) queried the upsurge in kidnapping when the Federal Government had almost contained Boko Haram. He regretted that suddenly, kidnappers have shifted from South-south and South-east.

separately at both the Senate and the House of Representatives was intended to fast-track the process for the passage of the bill. The bill is intended to provide the legal framework for addressing the problems of insurgency and other related matters within the North-east zone of the country, which has been seriously devastated by the activities of the Boko Haram. The bill was jointly sponsored in the senate by all the 18 senators from the Northeast zone, with the Senate Leader as the arrowhead. Senate President, Bukola Saraki while declaring the public hearing open, stated that what had been witnessed in the North East demanded special attention from all well meaning Nigerians and not just from government. He said, “We must all rise up and say never again, retting that, “We have seen families wiped out, children orphaned, incomes plunged below a tenth of what they were a decade ago. “Families that have survived this onslaught have largely survived with little to live by and now rely directly on handouts for food rations.” He stressed that, “More than a quarter of the children in this area are either malnourished or in danger of malnourishment. Schools have become deserted and the social fabric of our national unity severely perforated in this area, threatening to create deep set divisions amongst us, fueling animosities amongst Muslims and Christians, leading to the entire economy of the region bleeding profusely.” Chairman of the Joint Committee on the North East Development Commission Bill, Senator Abdul-Aziz Murtala Nyako in his opening remarks urged that Nigerians should come to terms with the alarming fact that the North East zone is rapidly deteriorating as a result of the insurgency that began in 2009. He said, “We often consider death as the most noticeable effect of this insurgency, but we need to look at our current situation holistically.”

Move to Establish North East Development Commission Advances

The National Assembly on Monday held a public hearing on the bill for the establishment of the North East Development Commission, NEDC. The event, which held

The lawmaker in an emotion-laden voice revealed that, “Hundreds, if not thousands of schools, have been reduced to rubbles; magistrate courts that used to resolve communal conflicts have been destroyed; hospitals and small clinics that used to treat nursing mothers, children and the elderly are non-existent, police and law enforcement structures have been demolished; homes, markets, public parks and community centers are completely ruined; women, men and children fleeing their homes have been forced to take shelter in completely foreign communities; our fellow brothers and sisters have been murdered, tortured, raped, dehumanized and rendered homeless.”

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South West

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

MDCAN to audit members for laxity Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

L-R: President, Central Council of Ibadan Indigene Chief Wole Akinwande; Authors wife, Mrs Kudirat Akande; Author, Mr Adams Akande; representative of former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Femi Lanlehin; Chairman of the occasion; Olootudipo Sofowora and Oloye Lekan Alabi, during the Public Presentation of a Book “Memorable Quotes” written by Mr Adams Akande in Ibadan yesterday. PHOTO:NAN

Idiroko: Customs nabs 108kg of hemp, 170 petrol jerry cans Femi Oyeweso ABEOKUTA

gun State Command of the Nigeria Customs Service, NCS, has intercepted 170 jerry cans of Premium Motor Spirit smuggled out of Nigeria into neighbouring Republic of Benin. The product, 8,500 litres loaded in 50-litre jerry cans, was intercepted along the border towns of Idiroko and Ijohun in Ipokia and Yewa North local government areas of the state. This is coming just as the command also intercepted 108 kilogrammes of cannabis, popularly known as Indian hemp, neatly concealed in 20 bags to give the impression of ‘bible’ being smuggled into the country through the Idiroko border. The Customs’ Area

Comptroller for Ogun Command, Waindu Multafu, disclosed this yesterday in Abeokuta, the state capital while briefing journalists on latest seizures made by NCS operatives in the command and the revenue realised within the first quarter of 2016. On revenue realised within the first quarter of this year, Multafu also said that the command generated the sum of N2. 715 billion as against the total sum of over N2.356bn collected within the same period in 2015, stressing that the amount represented an increase of over N3.586 billion within the same period. The Customs’ boss further stated that the aggressive and effective anti-smuggling campaign and strategies the command adopted since his assumption of office in

January had compelled smugglers to make genuine declaration of imports and subsequent payment of duty, stressing that the command was working assiduously towards surpassing the monthly revenue target given it by the Federal Ministry of Finance. Multafu, who emphasized that his command had maintained a steady increase in revenue generation on monthly basis, however lamented that the Federal Government’s directive that placed embargo on importation of rice through land borders has greatly affected the revenue target of the command. He also stated that the directive against rice importation through the land borders had given rise to the activities of smugglers who illegally import the product into

the country, using motorcycles to convey them in four bags at a go. “In the anti-smuggling sector, a lot of successes are being recorded on daily basis. The tactics adopted in this unit by the command resulted to 279 seizures with Duty Paid Value of N336,427,357.00.” Multafu also said other items seized by the command within the period under review included a total number of 6,705 cartons of frozen poultry products; 8,721 bags of rice; 139 tokunbo vehicles, 199 motorcycles, 330 kegs of vegetable oil, 12 bales and 38 sacks of second-hand clothing, as well as 996 pieces of second-hand tyres. Others included 80 pieces of teak wood and 1,732 pieces of unprocessed wood confiscated along Idiroko border as well as from smugglers around the border towns.

Lagos uncovers 500 defective, abandoned buildings Francis Suberu

agos State government yesterday read riot acts to owners of defective and abandoned buildings in Lagos metropolis, saying about 500 of such buildings have so far been identified in the city. Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr

Wasiu Anifowoshe, at a press briefing on Tuesday, lamented the increasing rate of defective and abandoned buildings in the state, warning owners of such buildings to take charge of the structures and do the needful or face the wrath of the law. He said over 500 distressed and abandoned buildings have been identified and the occupants

evacuated. “We have sealed the buildings. It costs the government huge amount of money to pull down any building. And the government cannot put all its money in demolition alone. That is why we decided to embark on the exercise in phases. “The buildings we identified were those we know are dangerous for habitation and we gave

the owners three months ultimatum to correct the errors. By June 3, the ultimatum will expire. The marking of the buildings is ongoing,” he said. On integrity test for Lekki Garden buildings, the commissioner informed that some of the buildings had been reopened on the order of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode after they passed the test conducted on them.

edical and Dental Consultants Association of Nigeria, MDCAN, has declared readiness to institute a process of self-auditing to address alleged professional laxity by its members. This was contained in a five-point communiqué issued at the end of the NEC meeting of the association held in Sokoto, which was made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday. The MDCAN in the communiqué jointly signed by its president, Prof. Balarabe Sani Garko and General Secretary, Dr. Abdulkadir Rafindadi respectively, resolved to put in motion a machinery to actualise the self-auditing of members without further delay. While resolving to reactivate the Medical Defense Union as an instrument to provide support or cover to members who may suf-

fer vicarious liabilities in the course of pursuit of their legitimate duties, the association also pledged to continue to support members/ branches and the management of their respective hospitals who are currently embroiled in professional related lawsuits. It however enjoined all branches of the association to demand payment of skipping allowance to members from the management of their hospitals while insisting that MDCAN branches should be proactive to ensure its realisation. The association used the forum to commiserate with the government and people of Ekiti State, Ekiti NMA and families of the six doctors who died in a road accident on their way to Sokoto for NMA annual delegates meeting, while praying God to grant families of the deceased colleagues the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss.

Bishop warns FG against religious crisis Kemi Olaitan IBADAN

residing Bishop of Sword of The Spirit Ministries, Pastor Francis Wale Oke, yesterday appealed to the Federal Government and its agencies not to promote any policy that may erode the peace and progress of the country. He gave the charge in Ibadan while reacting to controversies trailing the new revised basic education curriculum seeking the merger of Christian Religious Studies and Islamic Religious Studies with other subjects, proposed by the Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council. The cleric, who is the proprietor of the proposed Precious Cornerstone University, described the new school curriculum by NERDC as “suspect,” stating that already there was speculation that the current administration has an Islamic agenda. He said: “There is huge speculation that the current administration has an Islamic agenda and we

shouldn’t be doing anything to strengthen that speculation. The merger of Christian Religious Studies, Islamic Religious Studies with Civic Education, Social Studies and Security Education is very curious and suspect of a hidden agenda.” He insisted that the argument of the Executive Secretary of NERDC, Prof. Ismail Junaid, for the policy was puerile and not convincing. According to him, religion cuts across the lives of most Nigerians and it has been a volatile subject, noting that the best thing is to leave it as it is. He said if the curriculum is going to be reviewed at all, NERDC should leave the subjects separate and not merge it, stating that then they should set up a body comprising stakeholders of the two religions to do their curriculum reviews by themselves and send it to NERDC. “Government shouldn’t force any curriculum down the throat of the people. I am saying this as a Nigerian, as a clergyman and as a parent. It is not right at all to enforce it.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Why Ikpeazu is called a philosopher king Godwin Adindu

overnor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State is a clinical biochemist by training, a teacher profession, an administrator and a refuse evacuator. He was a worker in the dunghills of Aba, sweeping the streets and evacuating refuse. These were the simple elements of his profile until the twist of fate. But, on Sunday, April 24, 2016, in the mighty Christ the King Cathedral, Aba, the Very Reverend Father Innocent Okechi Ajuonu, declared Governor Ikpeazu a ‘philosopher king’. “You are a brilliant intellectual, a wise man, a philosopher-king, and above all, a man who is dedicated to God,” declared the cleric with ecclesiastical affirmation. The occasion was a thanksgiving mass organized by the Aba Landlords Protection And Development Association (ALPADA) in conjunction with the Catholic Diocese of Aba. But, why did the Catholic clergy call Ikpeazu a philosopher king? How does he fit into Plato’s archetypal philosopher king the “best rulers” to fashion the ship of state because they are both morally and intellectually suited to rule? Is Governor Ikpeazu paying attention to the seasons? Connotatively, Plato’s “seasons” refers to the times, the circumstances and the realities of the day. The realities of his political birth are that Ikpeazu came to power at a very straitened time when the national and state economies were hanging

For the first time, the Aba River has

on a dangerous precipice. With backlogs of salary, pensions and gratuity arrears pursuing Governor Ikpeazu at the outset of his regime, he needed more than a transcendental knowledge to wade through the maze of troubles. Plato said the philosopher-king must be a “seeker of knowledge and ideas”. The wisdom exhibited by Ikpeazu in his public finance restructuring exercise and in sorting out the backlog of workers’ wages has been vindicated by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other offences Commission (ICPC). The ICPC singled out Abia and two other states as having judiciously managed the bailout fund. Is Ikpeazu paying attention to the seasons? The reality of the seasons was that Aba needed government attention in the area of roads and infrastructure development. Thus, a day after his inauguration, Ikpeazu landed on the roads of Aba and flagged off the construction of seven roads. He followed suit with the establishment of the Aba Urban Renewal Committee with the mandate to drive the government intended urban renewal drive. A year after, Abia is counting 65 roads dully constructed with 27 commissioned. The Governor has attended to other environmental and infrastructure deficits. He has waged a successful war against illegal structures and street trading and has also conducted a successful market review exercise with many markets relocated to new sites. For the first time, the Aba River has seen the dredger wading through its coastlines;

seen the dredger wading through its coastlines the Aba artisan and craftsmen have also received attention and the Aba Made Goods are being given a new status. The Catholic clergy would observe: “Your responsibilities are frightening because before you took over the mantle of leadership, our state had been plunged into deep waters. The Enyimba City and the “Japan of Africa” had decayed as a result of neglect for over 16 years – the glories of the past were lost”. Impressed by the uncommon developmental strides, the Catholic clergy added: “We must not fail to give kudo to you, for you began immediately at assumption of office to address aggressively the biting problems of the state.” Plato further identified that the philosopher king is dedicated to what is good for the city rather than for himself, stressing that as a guardian he must be virtuous and selfless. I would situate this in the new political culture introduced by Governor Ikpeazu, which has engendered a new paradigm shift in the way and manner govern-

Bello and the new face of Kogi Ademu Idakwo

hen the present Alhaji Bello Yahaya-led administration in Kogi State was inaugurated on February 27, 2016 at Lokoja Township Stadium in a very colorful ceremony many did not know that the pomp and pageantry that herald the historical occasion was a sign. This is because despite the endless distraction from within and outside the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), discerning minds are beginning to see that the fortune of the state, which had hitherto suffered from endemic socio-economic neglects due to bad governance in the past is beginning to change in line with the ‘change mantra’ of the present administration. Before Governor Bello took over the reins of power in the state those conversant with the political and socio economic landscape were very much aware of the state of suffering, desperation, desolation and even environmental impasse faced by Kogites; he has come with hope and an action plan to alleviate the suffering of the people. It is on record that few weeks to the exit of his predecessor, Captain Idris Wada, Lokoja, the state capital was a sorry sight, littered with heaps of refuse that attacked the eye and nostrils of people as workers of the state Sanitation Board embarked on an indefinite strike action occasioned by nonpayment of salaries. Despite the public outcry, the sanitation problem continued just like other myriad of problems without any

The Governor has

granted autonomy to

the LGAs in the state… response from the government of the day. The situation deteriorated to the extent that there was outbreak of cholera epidemics in Lokoja metropolis and environs. Consequently, the people awaited Governor Bello’s inauguration with optimism. He did not disappoint as he swiftly invited the organized labour in the state for dialogue on assumption of office, a dialogue that yielded immediate results and labour, including the sanitation workers, called off their strike. It is also worthy of note that while negotiations were ongoing Governor Bello had hired the services of a private firm in conjunction with some youth support groups to evacuate the refuse from the town before the full resumption by the sanitation workers. True to his inaugural promise, Governor Bello swung into action by setting up workers verification committee to determine the actual staff strength and ensure that the ghost workers syndrome which had been the bane of development in the state become a thing of the past. As it stand, the verification exercise has been declared a great success following stunning revelations and embarrassing facts relating to unbelievable atrocities committed by of some senior civil servants. Among the anomalies already discovered are ghost workers, ghosts school

and so many other irregularities used to defraud the state. The governor exhibited uncommon dexterity by appointing energetic young men and women of proven integrity into his administration, a clear testimony of his commitment to entrenching the agenda of the APC in the State. Little wonder, the old forces in the state have continued to bark endlessly, knowing full well that the Governor is already endearing himself to the people and sending them into political oblivion. Bello, who was determined to show his commitment to the unity of the state, equally displayed fairness, equity and justice in the appointment of even his immediate aides. In the history of the state, Bello is the only governor so far to have appointed his personal aides, including the Chief of Staff position, from other ethnic groups. This sign of the beginning of a new era has been greeted with new expectation, which is why in ensuring the state capital is given a face lift, the governor directed the demolition of the outdated roundabouts to pave the way for a decent structure that can compete favorably with others in the country. The action surprisingly, generated criticisms from political opponents and detractors, who pretended they did not know that the action was done to reposition the state capital as a modern one. In its bid to promote transparency and accountability in governance at the local government level, the Gov-

ment business is conducted in Abia. He removed all the pomp and ceremonies that help create the power mystique. He demystified the office and communized. He continued to live both in his mind and outwardly in the real world of the maddening crowd - the real world of his existence, not in the idealistic realm of power and opulence. Unlike Shakespeare’s lowly ambitious ladder climber, who “upwards turns his face until he reaches the utmost height”, Ikpeazu did not and has not “shun the base degrees from which he did ascend”. He has played a very delicate balancing act, managing every emotion and sentiment, yet remaining focused on where he is headed. He has displayed a very rare wisdom and knowledge that only the philosopher king can flaunt. “A true philosopher rises above all mundane allurements, all the trappings of self-seeking materialism. He is a man of integrity, vision and insight. A man of courage and fortitude…A man who refuses to be deceived by the self-seeking and greedy sycophants,” further observed the Catholic clergy. This is Governor Ikpeazu, for right from the outset, he banned praise-singers and award and title racketeers and told sycophants to hold their peace. He made that bold declaration that endeared him to the world: Don’t call me His Excellency. Adindu is Chief Press Secretary to Governor Ikpeazu

ernor has granted autonomy to the LGAs in the state and stopped deductions that have held down the smooth operation of the local government councils in the state. He had also recorded a giant stride in the erosion control, the menace which has been a major ecological problem facing some parts of the state. As part of his commitment, the Governor promptly paid the counterpart fund needed to enlist the support of the Nigeria Erosion Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP) to help tackle the erosion in the affected areas. The effort has made the state to be among the 18 elite states in the country to benefit from the Federal Government and World Bank drive to protect the land from environmental degradation. One of the major achievements of the Governor is securing N20 billon bailout sought by the state to address the problem of unpaid salaries or delayed payment of salaries. The Governor, during the last May Day celebration, promised the money would be used for paying outstanding salaries of public servants and thus relating the state’s economy. Idakwo is the Senior Special Assistant (Print Media) to Kogi State Governor Send your views by mail or sms to PMB 10001, Ikoyi, or our Email: mail@ nationalmirroronline.net mirrorlagos@ yahoo.com or 08164966858 (SMS only). The Editor reserves the right to edit and reject views or photographs. Pseudonyms may be used but must be clearly marked as such.

Editorial

Wednesday May 11, 2016

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

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

Prosecution of sacked judges

he recent sack by the National Judicial Council (NJC) of three judges - Justices Oluyinka Gbajabiamila, Idris M.J. Evuti and Tanko Yusuf Usman - allegedly for professional misconduct, with no provision to public knowledge as yet of any arrangement to prosecute them has in no small measure exposed how weak the nation’s criminal justice system still is. Gbajabiamila, according to reports, was given the boot for professional incompetence. The judge, among other egregious infractions of the course of justice, delivered judgement in a case over 20 months after written addresses were adopted and about 35 months after the close of evidence, in contravention of relevant constitutional provisions that say judgements should be delivered within a period of 90 days after the adoption of written addresses and close of evidence. Justices Evuti and Usman, on the other hand, were axed for falsifying the dates of their birth. Evuti allegedly falsified the date of his birth to read April 10, 1953 instead of September 15, 1950; while Usman changed his own from June 27, 1950 to June 27, 1951. However, Evuti and Usman are to refund from their gratuity the salaries they received for the extra period they were in office as a result of age falsification.

Scores of other judges have been shown the way out over the years for different reasons. But the only justice done in virtually all the cases was their removal from office by the NJC. They were never prosecuted; and reports said this had been the tradition in the Nigerian Bench. While the routine self-cleansing the NJC carries out in the nation’s judiciary is encouraging, the Council’s non-recommendation of the affected judges to the relevant agencies – the police or anti-graft agencies – for prosecution is condemnable. For it smacks of an ungodly class or professional solidarity that portrays a criminal justice system that dispenses different versions of justice to varying categories of citizens, when all should be equal before the law. Are Nigerians being told that the law is a respecter of errant judges? Indeed, it is like justifying the saying made popular by Senator Francis Arthur some years ago, that ‘there is honour among thieves’. Perhaps only in Nigeria can such honour be tolerated. ‘Whatever is worth doing at all is worth doing well’ is a common saying. Therefore, if the NJC elects to spend good time in cleansing the judiciary and concludes its own part of the job, it should pass the baton to others whose lawful duty it is to thor-

Retiring and permitting them to coast home and enjoy the proceeds of their crimes or gratuity cannot deter potential felons in the

Nigerian Bench oughly investigate and prosecute those caught infracting the law, indicted judges inclusive. Those calling for a neutral body to handle matters concerning the discipline and removal of judges as opposed to the NJC that is largely constituted by those it is supposed to beat into line have a very strong point, particularly at this stage of the nation’s development. In Britain and America, two developed countries Nigerian leaders proudly cite as models, erring judges face prosecution and serve jail terms if found guilty of the crimes they are charged with. On May 1, 2014, for example, a British judge, Constance Briscoe (58), who was on trial was found guilty at the Old Bailey of three charges of attempting to pervert the course of justice by lying to the police, falsifying a witness’ statement and providing a false document to an expert witness.

She was arrested on October 6, 2012, bailed; and then suspended from the judiciary pending the outcome of police investigations. On May 2, 2014, she was jailed for 16 months. Reports said on August 6, 2014, Briscoe was removed as a member of the judiciary. The same month, she was stripped of her Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws which she earned from the University of Wolverhampton in 2011 by the university’s nominations committee. In the United States, a judge in Luzerne County (Pennsylvania) Mark Ciavarella (61) was in August 2011, jailed for 28 years. He was found guilty earlier in February that year of racketeering for taking a $1 million kickback from the builder of ‘for-profit’ prisons for juveniles. Ciavarella and another judge, Michael Conahan, were accused of recklessly sentencing youngsters to prisons they (judges) had a hand in building. Such firmness about the Nigerian criminal justice system is unheard of. But because of the enormous powers vested in them, judges that indulge in corrupt practices or trifle with their duties deserve to be brought to justice after being booted out. Retiring and permitting them to coast home and enjoy the proceeds of their crimes or gratuity cannot deter potential felons still in the Nigerian Bench.

ON THIS DAY May 11, 1996

May 11, 2010

On a single day, eight people died during summit attempts on Mount Everest. The 1996 Mount Everest disaster occurred when eight people died on the mountain during summit attempts. In the entire season, fifteen people died trying to reach the summit, making it the deadliest single year in Mount Everest’s history. The disaster gained wide publicity and raised questions about the commercialization of Everest.

David Cameron became the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom following talks between the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats to form the UK’s first coalition government since World War II after elections produced a hung parliament. In a parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when no single political party (or bloc of allied parties) has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament.

May 11, 2014 About 15 people were killed and 46 others injured in Kinshasa in a stampede caused by tear gas thrown into a stadium by police officers attempting to defuse a hostile incident. The 2014 Stade Tata Raphael disaster refers to a stampede that occurred at the Stade Tata Raphaël, Kinshasa on May 11, 2014. During a match between Congolese football clubs - TP Mazembe and Vita Club, missiles were thrown on to the pitch.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Health & Wellbeing Lessons from Ekiti doctors’ death

GINA to asthmatics:

Why Nigeria records high maternal, child mortality – NANNM VP 22

You can control your asthma!

Sam Eferaro

re you asthmatic? The Global Initiative for Asthma (GINA), a medical guidelines organisation working towards the global reduction of asthma prevalence, morbidity and mortality, says you can control the disease and live a normal life! That was the message to asthmatics worldwide last Tuesday on the occasion of the 2016 World Asthma Day amid reports that about 15-20 million people in Nigeria have asthma or symptoms suggestive of asthma. More than 400 million people are affected globally. According to GINA, effective asthma treatments now exist and with proper diagnosis, education, and treatment, the great majority of asthma patients can achieve and maintain control of their disease condition. This means asthmatics can live normally with no (or minimal) asthma symptoms, no waking at night due to asthma and no (or minimal) need to use “reliever” medication. Also, with effective control people living with asthma should be able to enjoy normal physical activity and exercise, normal (or near-normal) lung function test results (PEF and FEV1) and experience no (or very infrequent) asthma attacks. Unfortunately, experts say the incidence of asthma is on the increase in Nigeria along with its attending mortality. Majority of asthma patients are reportedly underdiagnosed while those diagnosed are not receiving adequate management. Also, there is a general low level of awareness about the disease, especially its chronic nature and various strategies for its treatment. In an address to mark the 2016 World Asthma Day, the President of Nigerian Thoracic Society (NTS), Prof. Etete Peters disclosed in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, that despite availability of different asthma drugs, a significant number of asthma patients are still limited with their asthma, while a sizeable number still die from the disease. “An estimated 75 per cent of hos-

Positive steps for coping with Asthma

•Prepare a personal asthma management plan with the help of your doctor. The management plan is tailored to the person with asthma and will cover which medications should be taken at certain times during the day and which risk factors of asthma to avoid. •Take relevant medications prescribed by your doctor which relieve symptoms of asthma and control related inflammation and swelling of the airways. •Educate yourself about the risk factors of asthma which can bring on symptoms and make the condition worse. •Learn to recognize when the symptoms are becoming worse. •Be prepared in case you have an asthma attack. This could include carrying a card which informs others about your condition and gives instructions on what to do when you have a severe asthma attack. Source: World Asthma Foundation

pital admissions for asthma and as many as 90 per cent of the deaths are avoidable, Nigeria has lost many gifted and illustrious sons and daughters prematurely due to asthma. This should not be so,” he said. Also, Prof. Cyril Chukwu, a consultant respiratory physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, noted that even though asthma control can be achieved, data showed that the majority of patients are still

uncontrolled despite frequent visits to their doctors or pharmacists. He described uncontrolled asthma as a serious concern as it causes patients to experience symptoms such as shortness of breath and disturbed sleep. Also, he said, uncontrolled asthma patients use more healthcare resources and because they overestimate their control and underreport their symptoms, it makes it difficult for doctors to assess asthma control

correctly. Prof. Chukwu however observed that cases of uncontrolled asthma is not peculiar to Nigeria alone, citing a Canadian report showing that out of 10,428 patients assessed, physicians considered 42% had uncontrolled asthma symptoms. According to him many asthma patients worldwide live in fear of asthma symptoms. For instance, studies in Britain showed that a quarter of patients over 65 described their asthma as “life-threatening”, while 27% of those over 55 described it as “frightening” The chest physician however disclosed that it is possible to reduce the morbidity of asthma and its impact on individuals as well as on society through government intervention. Asthma is a common chronic inflammatory disease of airways or respiratory system which swells due to various reasons like cold, cough, cold environment, smoke, dusts, pollens, and other factors that triggers bronchia. It is a long-term condition that can cause coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and breathlessness. Sometimes, asthma can get worse gradually or suddenly, this is often called an ‘asthma attack’. Asthma can be controlled most of the time by drugs but sometimes people have attacks that require hospital treatment. According to experts, asthma is caused by inflammation of small tubes called bronchi, which carry air to and from the lungs. People with asthma may have more sensitive bronchi than normal. When a person comes into contact with something that irritates his lungs, his airways becomes narrow and the muscles around them tighten. There is no cure yet for asthma but there is medication which helps to relieve symptoms and prevent future attacks. Most people take the medication using an inhaler.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lessons from Ekiti doctors’ death Marcus Fatunmole ABUJA

igerians woke up two weeks ago (Monday 25th April) to receive the tragic news of the death of six doctors and their driver along the Abuja-Kaduna highway while heading to Sokoto state for the 56th Annual General Conference and Delegates Meeting of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA). The deceased were among 12 passengers, all doctors, of an 18-seater bus conveying them from Ekiti state to the Sokoto meeting. Like the death of late Minister of State for Labour and Employment, James Ocholi (SAN) earlier on March 6 on the same road, the loss of the doctors was seen as a national tragedy. They were whisked away by death at a time their services were most needed in the country. As one of the survivors of the crash and Chairman of Ekiti state NMA, Dr John Akinbote, said, the doctors left behind a country where doctor-patient ratio stands at 1: 5,000. He specifically argued that 30,000 Ekiti people would have no doctor to attend to them, following the loss of the medical practitioners. It is heartbreaking that while the wave of shock of death of Ocholi, his wife and son still hovered over the nation, another tragedy struck. These deaths, no doubt, have implications for Nigeria. While one would hardly doubt that the medical practitioners were rich enough (not minding the fact they were leaders of their association in the state) to buy air tickets and fly to Sokoto, their death has increased the propensity of the rich to abandon the nation’s roads for the air. The nation’s roads have been widely described as death traps by many citizens. Efforts to fix them by successive governments in the country have failed. And, with the emergence of the “change” government which pledges to reverse cumulative ills in the nation, Minister of Works, Mr Raji Fashola (SAN), who also oversees

Power and Housing ministries, could be burdened with challenges of transforming the three ministries under his watch, as demonstrated by worsening power supply in the country. Who knows if by 2019, not much would have changed on our roads? In order to guarantee sustainable repair of the nation’s roads, tiers of government must build strong tie on road maintenance in the country. NMA’s tragedy reminds citizens and government of the need to ensure function-

al public health facilities across the nation. It is worrisome that the first hospital, a private facility where the deceased doctors were taken, according to the Ekiti NMA Chairman, did not have a doctor or basic first aid materials on ground to attend to them. Again, the NMA Chairman disclosed that the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) did not have fuel in its vehicles, after reportedly arriving the scene of the accident 40 minutes after the bus had somersaulted.

In a communiqué issued after its meeting, NMA said it “observed with dismay the absence of ambulances stationed along the AbujaKaduna highway for the purpose of prompt emergency care and evacuation of victims of vehicular accidents. It further observed the poor state of government owned health facilities located along the highway which were grossly ill-equipped and inappropriately staffed to provide emergency care to victims of vehicular accidents.”

NMA’s experience further confirms that anyone could need the help of a hospital at any location and time. Many poor Nigerians often lament how attitudes of health professionals result in the loss of their ailing relations. These attitudes metamorphose into incessant strike by doctors and non-doctors working in public health facilities in the country. Attitudes of health workers and strike should be carefully looked into by government. Government must strengthen its reward and punitive systems for health workers in Nigeria. Although the National Health Act stipulates that the Minister of Health must resolve any matter necessitating strike in the health sector within 14 days, the Minister must be pro-active and ensure medical and non-medical workers do not down tools for whatever reason. It is also noteworthy that Nigerians perish on highways across the nation daily, and many of such incidents go unreported. For instance, the Federal Road Safety Corps revealed that 254 people died in various road accidents in Kaduna, Kano, Katsina and Jigawa states in the first quarter of this year. None of such deaths got media and public attention as those of Ocholi and the doctors. Zonal Commanding Officer of the FRSC, Mr Victor Nwokolo, announced in Kaduna, at the flag-off of a special operation to curb road accidents in the zone recently that 305 road traffic crashes were recorded in the first quarter of this year, out of which 1,322 persons were injured. There must be sustained sensitization, training or retraining of all categories of drivers in the country by the FRSC, which had attributed the cause of accidents which killed Ocholi and doctors to over-speeding. No doubt, most accidents on the country’s roads could be averted. While death is the ultimate of every man, dying on the road could be the cheapest death for which any man could offer his life.

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Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Group seeks probe of NMEP over misappropriation of Global Fund’s grants Marcus Fatunmole ABUJA

civil-society group, Centre for Social Justice, CSJ, has called on anti-corruption institutions in the country to investigate the report of one of the leading donors to the nation’s health sector, The Global Fund to fight HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria (GFATM) which recently suspended its aids to the country, following alleged mismanagement of funds approved for the National Malaria Elimination Programme, NMEP. CSJ said in a statement signed by its Lead Director, Eze Onyekpere, Esq, that Global Fund made its decision to stop aid to the country through NMEP known in a letter it addressed on 28th April this year to NMEP National Coordinator, Nnena Ezeigwe. NMEP, a department under the Federal Ministry of Health, is responsible for malaria control in the country, and has operated through local and international funding. “The letter addressed

to Dr. Nnenna Ezeigwe, the National Coordinator of NMEP, raised issues of concern arising from a recently concluded audit including inappropriate and non-transparent procurement which is not in consonance with value for money; supply chain management challenges leading to stock out of critical medicines; inadequate financial and fiduciary management of the NEMP funds. Other challenges identified by The Global Fund include weakness in internal controls around data collation and reporting and inefficiencies in the monitoring and evaluation of the effectiveness of the program. “CSJ notes with regret the perennial under-funding of the health sector in Nigeria, especially preventive, primary health care and maternal, new born and child health. Nigeria consistently refuses to meet its obligation under the Abuja Declaration, to appropriate not less than 15% of its national budget to the health sector,” part of the release said.

UNODC pledges support against corruption

Franka Osakwe

he Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov, has emphasized his organization’s unwavering support for the country in the fight against corruption, crime and terrorism. This was contained in a release made available by Sylvester Atere, the Outreach and Communications Officer of UNODC. Fedotov commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his stance on corruption and pledged the UNODC’s support to its success. He said: “I think the commitment of President Buhari to eradicate corruption is a very important asset for us in UNODC as the guardian of the UN Convention Against Corruption. “There can be no doubt that Nigeria has suffered from the ravages of corruption, terrorism, piracy and other crimes; but it remains fully committed to working with international organizations such as the UN and the Europe-

an Union to counter these threats,” said Mr. Fedotov. “Such dedication calls for the international community to continue to display similar resoluteness and to redouble efforts to assist the country,” he said. Mr. Fedotov had informed President Buhari, that Nigeria could play an active role in encouraging every African country to fully implement the Doha Declaration, endorsed at the 13th Crime Congress, as well as the Joint Commitment adopted at the UN General Assembly special session on the world drug problem in April this year. To help, UNODC said it was working with partners on an integrated approach to achieving the 2030 agenda for sustainable development and urging countries to support security, justice, good governance and the rule of law as part of the promotion of development. “UNODC is ready and eager to work together with partners within and outside the UN system, including Nigeria, to offer firm support to implement the 2030 agenda,” said the UNODC Chief.

President Muhammadu Buhari welcoming the Executive Director of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Yury Fedotov to the State House, Abuja, last week

Lagos begins revamping of PHCs Franka Osakwe

o address the current gap in delivery of quality health service in under-served areas, Lagos State government says it has begun revamping the primary health centres (PHC). The State’s Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, said this while giving account of the activities in the health sector in the last one year. Dr. Idris disclosed that the state had begun reorientation training of PHC workers on Primary Health Care service delivery in all local government area (LGAs). According to him, there has been effective monitoring of the PHCs on ground since January 2016 till date with full pictorial

presentation of all PHCs, adding that the exercise is still ongoing. “We have also conducted training of 400 TBAs in 9 secondary Health facilities in collaboration with College of Health Technology, certificates to be awarded shortly. The state has already given approval for recruitment of 23 Health workers into Epe Flagship PHC to ensure provision of adequate workforce for effective service delivery”, he said. In addition, Dr. Idris, said the state had embarked on renovation of its secondary health facilities in order to provide quality services and decongest the tertiary health facility. With the renovation, he said, patients that could be appropriately managed at lower levels of care would

not need to go to the tertiary health facility. “We are not unaware of the state of our severely overstretched secondary care facilities. We are currently doing assessment of all those facilities, especially at the primary and secondary levels, and the renovation process will be done in phases for repairs,” the Commissioner stressed. He however noted that the burden on the state’s hospitals, especially the Mother and Child Centres (MCCs), was huge with patients coming in from neighbouring states to access services. Explaining the ongoing projects, he maintained that the state has begun construction and equipping of maternal and child health complexes at Eti-Osa, Badagry and Epe,

construction of four-storey basic medical sciences office block, LASUCOM, construction of sewage treatment plant in general hospital Lagos, renovation of staff quarters at Badagry General Hospital, among others. Some of the completed projects he listed include: Purchase of 26 ambulances for the General Hospitals and LASUTH, procurement and installation of 26 mobile toshiba X – ray machines in secondary health facilities & LASUTH, construction and equipping of accident and emergency centre in Ikorodu General Hospital, construction of Sewage Treatment Plant in Apapa and Somolu General Hospitals, Installation of internet facility at the Health Service Commission, among others.

AMLSN tasks FG on full implementation of 2016 budget Marcus Fatunmole ABUJA

he Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to ensure full implementation of this year budget signed into law by the President last Friday. AMLSN commended the President for signing the Appropriation Bill into law, following some hiccups that had preceded its signing into law. In a communique issued at the end of its National Executive Council, NEC, meeting in Makurdi, Benue State, last weekend, the association noted that

full implementation of the budget would impact positively on all facets of the nation’s economy, including the health sector. Signed by its National President, and National Secretary, Alh Toyosi Raheem and Surajudeen Junaid (Ph.D) respectively, the communique added that implementing the budget fully would be a positive departure from the past where it noted that less than 50 percent of the nation’s budget was implemented within the fiscal year. Besides, AMLSN called on legislators in all tiers of government in the nation to redouble their oversight functions, especially on budget implementation to

avoid undue bureaucratic bottlenecks that could slow down the process of budget implementation or create a window for diversion of public funds into personal coffers. “NEC commended the Benue State Government for prioritizing the health sector in her delivery of democracy dividends as seen in the establishment of Primary Health Care Development Board, graduation of MBBS students initially stagnated for 12years and the regaining of accreditation for School of Nursing and Colleges of health Technology in the state. “NEC noted with concern the protracted strike action by members of JOHESU of Jos University

Teaching Hospital over the aberrant refusal of the chief executive and management to implement extant circulars and court judgements. NEC is worried that health care services in the facility have been grounded negating the provision of the National Health Act which emphasizes on accessibility to health services. It is on record that a few days ago JOHESU members led massive protest to the Plateau State government house, Plateau State House of Assembly and the Gbong Gwom Jos palace with a clear statement of vote of no confidence on the CMD of the hospital for lacking administrative capacity to lead.

Health & Wellbeing

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Why Nigeria records high maternal, child mortality – NANNM VP

t is another World Midwifery Day, what are we looking at this year? We are looking at celebrating the midwives, and we are looking at midwives in the centre of the women and the new-born care. They are the ones that have the skills to care for them so that the nation can enjoy what is called human resources. One of the challenges we have in Nigeria is maternal mortality, that is, women dying during child birth. The role of the midwife is very critical to ensure that women don’t die. Are the midwives playing that role? We are playing the role. It is the government that is not playing its role as expected. What is government doing wrong? They are not really employing the midwives again. In the past, when we had community midwifery courses, we had them given automatic employment; through the rank and file of their career to the peak of their profession. But, unfortunately these days, you see them leaving out graduates of schools of nursing and midwifery in the labour market. They are not really absorbing them automatically into the system to do the work. Instead, they are using less-skilled attendants to attend to these women. It cannot work, unless the skilled birth attendants, the midwives, are used;. Permit me to tell you that in the market now, we have new graduate nurses and midwives not doing anything. Some of them are outside the county assiduously working in the area of maternal and child health. Majority of those in the country are retiring. And, government has placed embargo on employment. I don’t think placing embargo on employment should affect this part of health. There are many retired midwives out there. They are not tired. They are ready to do the work, if government can bring them back. We are not talking of midwife service scheme that after a year are thrown back into labour market. Let them (retired midwives) come back into the system. Let them come and do what they had been doing. They have the wealth of knowledge of the profession; they cannot be replaced by any lesser skilled birth attendants. Are you saying the community health extension workers are less skilled? Yes, they are the ones I am referring to. They are using them now to do the work of midwives. That is why there is increase in maternal and child deaths. Even in some of our federal institutions, they are not allowing our midwives to do the work. Attending to these women, taking deliveries, repairing episiotomy, laceration are all now done by doctors. It should not be. The midwives are there, let them do their work. They are the ones that have been trained and certificated to do the work. They are skilled to know what is to be done for a pregnant woman and a new born. Would you say shortage of midwives is responsible for frequent aggression by midwives in hospitals across the country? In a place where you have a midwife working on minimum of five women

Nigeria currently experiences high maternal and child mortality mainly because it refuses to engage the services of well-trained midwives in the country, says Vice President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Mrs Margaret Akinsola in an interview with health reporter, MARCUS FATUNMOLE, at the inaugural International Midwifery Conference in Abuja recently. Excerpts:

Mrs. Akinsola in labour, there is no how she can cope. And, there is a limit to human endurance, especially in the place of work. You know the kind of labour we are talking about. They (those in labour) are the aggressive type. They are the ones that want you to attend to them as at when due. Meanwhile, you have up to five to 10 women in the same condition. How can a midwife cope in this kind of problem? That is why most time you see them getting aggressive. However, if government can look at this area, bring in the midwives like I said, the ones that have retired but are still ready to continue with the work, and the new ones that are graduating from school, let them bring them back. Then, let us examine the area of community midwifery as it was in the olden days. They would train community midwives and bring them back. By the time they are brought back into the system, they would have the system populated with midwives. And, then, there would be reduction in maternal and child death that we are talking about, if only we want SDGs to really have an impact in this country. What is your appraisal of midwifery

schools in Nigeria? I will say about 40 percent of the schools are dilapidated now. Most of the equipment are obsolete. We don’t have what to teach with. We don’t have good classroom. The environment for learning is not conducive. It is not also conducive for teaching. But, we thank UNFPA; they have really been trying in this area. Some years back, they mobilized some schools by giving them module and even practical materials. They are even giving another set this year. I want NGOs to partner with us, together we can do it. Midwives cannot do the work with nothing to work with. If we have NGOs and other partners, with government coming to our aid to look at what are lacking in the area of our practice, we will have a better Nigeria to really have our children surviving and our mothers not dying as a result of not having enough care. Which states in the country do you think currently have poor number of midwives in their health facilities? If you look at it, because our work has to do with the three tiers of governance, we are at the federal, state and local gov-

They are modules for training. UNFPA found out that most of the schools have

obsolete equipment.

There are some that do not even have. UNFPA found these ones out when they single-handedly looked at the gaps in the education, the regulation and association of midwifery. They found out that most of the schools do not have what it takes to train their students.

ernment level. I will tell you that even all these tiers do not have enough midwives, especially the local areas. The tertiary, you can say they have more because they are in the cities. The states, you can say they are trying. But, the local areas don’t have midwives. And, we need them to really work there. It is the communities that are populated, it is in the communities that our impacts would be felt more; it is from these local areas that people come into the cities. When we go back to our roots, and take more midwives there, we will have more people not dying as a result of non-attendance by these skilled birth attendants – the midwives. Could you tell the public the difference between a nurse and a midwife? And, could a nurse do the work of a midwife? About 95 percent of nurses are midwives because the training goes hand in hand. You are trained as a nurse via-a-vis a midwife. You go for three years training as a post-basic nurse; you also go for one and a half years training as a midwife. If it is midwifery of the olden days, you go in for three years midwifery and two years post-basic, which is nursing. So, hardly will you find a nurse that is not a midwife. We do the work together, because in the course of your training as a nurse, you also have the opportunity to go through the course over. That is why it is easy for you when you go for midwifery training. What is your assessment of accreditation of programmes in schools of midwifery in Nigeria? If our education is anything to go by, we still want more to be done by government. We want government to look at the edicts establishing these schools of midwifery. We want our schools to be moved out of Ministry of Health. We don’t want our schools to be under Ministry of Health, we want it to be moved to Ministry of Education. Let them look at where exactly we belong, so that apart from sitting for our professional examinations, which qualify us for the licence to practice, we still want to be recognized academically. How important are kits donated to the schools of midwifery by the UNFPA today? They are modules for training. UNFPA found out that most of the schools have obsolete equipment. There are some that do not even have. UNFPA found these ones out when they single-handedly looked at the gaps in the education, the regulation and association of midwifery. They found out that most of the schools do not have what it takes to train their students. In 2014, UNFPA gave us modules for training for about 14 schools. We are giving to another 11 schools now. We are calling on other NGOs, let them fall in line and do what UNFPA is doing so that we can have more of these schools well equipped so that we can have more people admitted for training in midwifery.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

26 Obviously, the delay in the implementation of the National Book Policy has contributed to the bottlenecks affecting the publishing industry. The good news is that Nigeria can leverage on the digital alternative.

Literature conference seeks peace in Nigeria

My Journey to ACI Awards —Oyinkanade

Boosting Nigeria’s publishing industry with e-books A section of the library at Bayero University

Wale Busayo

ithout doubt, Nigeria has produced some of the brightest minds in literature. However, how a country like Nigeria that has produced sterling and well accomplished writers still mill around, finding it hard to excel in the publishing sector is a source of great concern to most publishers. Emmanuel Iduma, a blogger, essayist and book reviewer, highlights some issues facing the publishing industry. “One of the issues the industry is facing is marketing. What are the ways in which publishers can win the attention of the potential book market, get it to buy and read books, and sustain its interest in books which is, as highlighted, potentially huge in a country of over 150 million people? Also, have publishers in Nigeria sufficiently applied marketing concepts to the business of publishing in Nigeria? How much information is available to the publisher who is interested in researching the market? Are there channels through which adequate information about the market can be obtained? These questions and more needs to be answered for the publishing industry to excel” The long delay in the implementation of the National Book Policy (though in the works), many years after it was developed by the Federal Government, made it an herculean task for publishing to progress in Nigeria. The National Book Policy abhors a situation where one textbook is shared among five or more pupils. According to the policy, such situation is to say the least, disturbing and therefore, not suitable for learning. It recommends increase in the production of textbooks to reach a target figure of five textbooks per pupil. Ibrahim Sheme founder of Informart Publishers, Kaduna, inspired by the book publishing industry as a student in the United Kingdom, returned to Nigeria and established Informart in 1995 with a

focus to be publishing books written by new authors especially talented women writers .His view of what we call ‘indigenous’ book publishing industry in Nigeria actually began as a fall-out of the economic crisis of the early ‘90s. “The formal, more established publishing firms were before then mostly foreign owned, like Longmans and Heinemann or those aligned to foreign ones, such as Hudahuda in Zaria. But of course there were some university presses that offered publishing services. That economic crisis, which was occasioned by the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP), made life difficult for most businesses, including the book publishing ones. The publishers in particular devised ways of surviving, such as focusing more on publishing textbooks for schools and shunning new creative works except those in the exam syllabus. In comparison with foreign publishing houses, Ibrahim Sheme has this to say; “Well, as with most things, foreign-made products are always better packaged and are regarded superior to the local ones. There is the question of ethics; out there in developed countries there are rules and regulations for engaging in any kind of business. There are institutions that keep watch on anything one wants to do, all towards ensuring that certain standards are met. As a result, foreign publishers produce better books”

The world of publishing is experiencing a revolution driven by technological innovations In 2013, the Osun state government launched ‘Opon Imo’ – the Tablet of Knowledge, which is preloaded with more than 50 textbooks, a set of tutorial questions, past questions, and education-based games. With the trend, of Nigeria’s growing online community, Lagos state government followed suit. Could e-publishing be the solution to poor book publishing in Nigeria? Emmanuel Ifeduba, a mass communication expert and researcher reveals that the world of publishing is experiencing a revolution driven by technological innovations. “We are in the middle of a revolution. It’s a common observation that the technological advances of the past decade or two are changing publishing more profoundly. “The book industry is part of the communications industry being transformed by the internet. The internet, a super network of globally interconnected computers, has the capacity to convey any information that can be stored in digital form. This includes books set digitally with the relevant programmes. It is, in fact, the digitisation of books and their distribution through the internet that enabled Amazon.com (an

American internet bookstore) to account, within five years, for four per cent of American book sales. Mrs Caincross, an American researcher explains that internet power equipped Amazon.com to do better than off-line bookstores quoted in the stock exchange. Her words: ‘Amazon.com’s capital value overtook that of all America’s off-line bookstores, including Barnes & Noble and Borders, put together.” In response to the realities of the electronic book marketing era made possible by the internet, America’s leading book marketer, Barnes & Noble has found ways to use visits to its physical bookstores to recruit on-line customers” (Caincross 2001: 106). The following are the areas in which the internet is facilitating the publishing of books: Typesetting, layout and editing, Online distribution, On-line ordering, Marketing, Advertising, Pricing, Payments and Hiring. Books in digital form, distributed through the internet as on-line books are now common and sold directly by authors and publishers, or through on-line bookshops such as Amazon.com. Recently, publishers have introduced small, book-sized

hand-held electronic books known as e-book. To distinguish the downloadable on-line book from the ones printed on demand, the former is increasingly being referred to as D-book. In other words, electronic publishing, as operationalised in this study covers the whole gamut of books distributed by any form of electronic device. “The Federal Government of Nigeria has already assisted in the provision of some basic infrastructure to make E-publishing feasible in Nigeria. According to Adio (2004), the present idea of the N.U.C on Virtual Digital Library that links the university libraries to the rest of the world is a welcome idea, and this will serve as an impetus to other higher institutions, public and special institutional libraries to chart a new course in the discharge of their responsibilities. Implicit in this statement is that publishers who fail to digitize their current lists and future titles may lose out in the emerging Epublishing market, thereby leaving the Nigerian readers to the mercy of foreign publishers. Above all, the internet has become the most powerful driver of innovation the world has seen. One result has been to change the structure of the communication industry, shifting the focus of innovation away from the old giants and to drive forward communications technology at a formidable pace (Caincross 2001). This could be the reason why Harold Benson, an author, blogger and book reviewer revealed that after going through Okadabooks, an online book publishing site, and decided to publish his book with them. “I went through the Okadabooks site yesterday and read everything readable about the services. I must confess I was really impressed. I started having ideas concerning my book, ‘Young, Wild, Free’, which is targeted at the youth demography. It is a book for young people. “While writing the book, I had ideas on how to distribute it to a larger number of readers for free; this was because I was not writing the book to make money; I was writing because the issues canvassed therein were/are so close to my heart.

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

VOICES

The role of artists in re-branding Nigeria Art

Kunde Matthew

is the

rt is the centre of human life and it plays multiple functions in any given society (religious, economic, social etcetera). This means that its role in this period of rebranding is significant. Therefore, in all the sectors of the nation which are to receive serious attention from the rebranding project, culture is one of them. This is because culture entails a totality of life in a given society and art is regarded as a strong element of culture which represents among other things, a totality of all tangible aspects of human creations6. Its messages do not only interpret social events as they affect people in the society but also champion a course of change in the society when a situation demands. Hence, the paramount role of visual art/artists in this period of rebranding cannot be over-emphasised. In view of this, the incorporation of visual art into the project of rebranding Nigeria will ensure great success because artists will use concepts, motifs, themes and subjects matter that will cultivate the right attitudes in the minds of Nigerian citizens, revive the downward moral values of Nigerian youths which are leading to social vices, and inspire the spirit of excellence that will elevate Nigeria to a greater height. Therefore, the role of art/artists in this in the rebranding project can be historically derived (as well as understood) using the French society as an example. When the French Revolution advances, most artists change the mode of their artistic representations to portray the demands of French society at that period. Things became more severe and the type and quality of emotions changes even in the artistic representations. During that period, French artists greatly favoured human sensibilities in a manner that characterized moral virtue, civic dedication, heroism, and self-sacrifice against the gentleness and tenderness that were expressions inherent in art works done prior to that time like the portraits (paintings) of Mrs. Richard Brinsley Sheridan7, Lord Heathfield8, and The Swing (painted by Jean Honore F. in 1766). For example, the works of artists like Jacques Louis David greatly contributed to positive changes in French society during the revolution. The position David took in using art to contribute meaningfully to the growth and development of France as a nation is what is expected of Nigerian visual artists in this period of rebranding Nigeria. Aspects of visual art like cartoon, painting, sculpture, film among others should be areas of focus by the rebranding initiative. All these aspects of art have been known in the past, not only as a means of effective communication but also as a powerful way of influencing positive changes in human behaviour. The drawing and the text (cast within the cartoon as speech or set as a caption) may portray a joke or witticism, yet carries a message that either aim at correcting or educating the public for an intended action that will bring meaningful development. Rebranding Nigeria, therefore, requires visual artists to use cartoons in the same manner that Akinola Lasekon used during the nationalist struggle. Not to make jest of Nigeria’s

centre of human life and it plays multiple functions in any given society.

Kunde T. Matthew image but to revive values this will be of tremendous impact to the development of the society. In this regard, the second National Visual Art Competition organised by National Gallery of Art is a good step towards achieving the role of art in the rebranding process. However, art exhibitions should be organised not only at federal (National) level but also at states levels as well as in various institutions of learning, with themes that will promote good values and inspire the spirit of civic dedication, selfless service, and national consciousness in Nigerians. The best works should be positioned in strategic places in public buildings where they can be seen and a short message to accompany them. This will certainly provoke the reasoning of Nigerian citizens who will strive to live up to their society’s demands; because the whole concept of rebranding (as understood by the writer) dwells on attitudinal change/character reformation that will result in positive/practical implications for meaningful developments of Nigeria. Alternatively, institutions of learning (especially the various art departments) should serve(s) as campaign stations where Nigerians can come and acquire visual representations that nourish the aura of Good People, Great Nation. Clubs like “Art for Good Governance” (AGG), “Rebranding Nigeria’s Image through Art” (RNITA), and other similar ones, should be sponsored either by the government or private organizations

for the participation of youths in higher institutions where standard values are inculcated into youth for the development of the society. This will encourage the cultivation of good values among youths who later will contribute to the growth and development of Nigeria. With these being done it is hoped that the project will not only achieve its aim of rebranding the nations image but also, it will lay a foundation of high moral consciousness for latter generations to come. The government should, therefore, through the help of cultural experts, draw up a blue-print that will not only involve active participation of cultural organizations like National Gallery of Art (NGA) and National Council for Museums and Monuments (NCMM) in the rebranding Nigeria project but will also sponsor national symposia on art using themes that will support the rebranding Nigeria initiative. This will hopefully reveal the positive imprints/historical landmarks Nigeria and her people have made in the progress of the subregion Africa and perhaps the world at large. The outstanding contributions selected from the total presentations can be published and circulated to Nigerians (home and abroad) and even to people of other countries of the world. This will not only go a long way redeeming the image of Nigeria and her people but will open new horizons in partnership with other countries for the growth and development of our loving nation, Nigeria.

MEMORABLE READS Which book did you just finish reading? It is called ‘The Ponder Heart’, a novella by Eudora Welty. Welty is popular as a short story writer from America. She created stories in multiple genres. Throughout her writing are the recurring themes of the paradox of human relationships, the importance of place (a recurring theme in most Southern writing), and the importance of mythological influences that help shape the theme.

What book are you reading

Sefi Atta zzz

now? Lolita. Lolita is a novel by Vladimir Nabokov, written in English and published in 1955 in Paris, in 1958 in New York City, and in 1959 in London. It was later translated by its Russian-native author into Russian.

Which book would you say is your most memorable? L’Etranger. The Stranger or The Outsider is a novel by Albert Camus published in 1942. Its theme and outlook are often cited as exemplars of Camus’s philosophy of the absurd and existentialism, though Camus personally rejected the latter label.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

ARTISTE UNCENSORED

My Journey to ACI Awards —Oyinkanade From his days of little beginning in the popular Project Fame, Oyinkanade Akande’s image is soaring.

After the competition, I was thinking of something different to bring into the industry

Oyinkanade

Regina Otokpa

ike almost every other Nigerian artiste, Oyinkanade Akande started his musical career jumping up and down the house and neighborhood with his guitar in what was viewed as a disturbance but few years later, he found himself leaving MTN project fame as the fourth runner up. That was in 2012 and to him this was “funny because I was actually not prepared for the competition I just had to try out I was in a group before then D BRIDGEZ which consisted of

Oyinkanade

four guys we used to go around churches just to sing but when I heard about MTN project fame I decided to try to see what comes out of it, not that I was really prepared for it but I found myself moving up to fourth place and it really assisted my coming into limelight. Before MTN project fame I was just a normal guy who only knows how to sing to the best of his knowledge but the platform taught me everything I know today. Though I came so close to winning the jeep which I found painful but I could remember our tutors told us it doesn’t matter if you come out as the winner or one of the finalists, what matters is how you push after the competition. I can proudly say that ever since I finished in 2012, I have been working hard behind the scenes; I dropped my first single Jekasere produced by TEE-Y Mix immediately after the competition followed by another single featuring Olamide titled Adura and also Honey. One may wonder why his choice of Olamide but the young artiste and 300 level student of Political Science in the University of Abuja, released Adura as a reflection of his career before, during and after MTN project fame, realising that God and prayers was the only key to achieving any level of success in life generally. His decision to feature Olamide in the remix was to get a better interpretation of the song and ability to grab the attention of young men hustling the streets of Lagos on a daily basis to make ends meet to also recognize the importance of God and prayers in achieving their dreams. Like his fans, he also has personal dreams to achieve ”My God! Fame without education amounts to nothing; Education is the best legacy parents can bestow on their children. Apart from my own Interest to complete my education, my father Olusola Akande and my mum Felicia Akande are disciplinarians. In fact my mother is a retired principal of the popular Loyola College Ibadan. Even if I don’t they will not support my musical career. There is also many more awards to win, still more things I want to achieve in this musical career of mine, there are lots of lives that I really want to touch, a lot of people I really

MIDWEEK JUMP

2Baba’s dancing contest

2Baba

2Baba, has announced that he will take some fans to Nairobi, Kenya on an all-expense paid, weeklong trip. He will select the fans via a dance competition tagged “Trip and Treat Trip 2016”. Interested persons should send a video doing a cool dance move to the chorus of 2Baba’s new song with Kenya’s Sauti Sol titled “Oya Come Make We Go” on Instagram and tag @official2Baba, @hypertekdigital and @officialhiptv

Oyinkanade want to bring up. I am dreaming of starting my own record label someday to start bringing up young talents so the next thing to do after winning the ACI award is to keep pushing, keep working till I get there Having recently been nominated for the Best New Artiste of the year in African Culture Image Awards holding in Atlanta Georgia ,United States of America which he hopes to clinch through the devoted assistance of his fans a click away on www. aciaawards.com, the future looks bright for the Urban Fuji RnB singer who has through his unique genre won four awards including the scream award in Oyo state, best vocalist while his song Adura won the song of the year in 2015. What a style of music, but he believes “There is something about being versatile and bringing something new to the table, you

ongs and traditional dance are bound to take the centre stage on Friday, May 13, as the paramount ruler of Oforola Ancient Kingdom, Herbert Mehara Obichere, Eze Ola 1 of Oforola, in Owerri-West Local Government Area, Imo State, begins his final journey home. The late Obichere died on Friday, April 15,at the age of 83. According to the burial

don’t have to sound like everyone else, you don’t have to repeat what someone else has already done out there. Before Project Fame, I was used to my RnB with my guitar but the traditional week at Project Fame, I was given a Fuji song to perform due to the fact that I come from a Yoruba background. I was wondering how I was going to pull it out being something I had never tried before but I tried it and realised it worked and right there people started calling me Mr Fuji man. After the competition, I was thinking of something different to bring into the industry and I decided to mordenise the fuji a little bit mixed with RnB flavour. Will ACIA be the last of his awards, No, “I have not won the Headies Award for next rated so there is still more awards to still win including KORA, AFRIMA and still more songs to drop.”

Songs, dance as Eze Obichere transits committee, headed by Eleazar Anele Ajare, President-General, Oforola Ancient Kingdom, the late paramount ruler will be buried in his home town on Friday, May 13. Meanwhile, there will be service of songs for the late Obichere this evening, at the Eze’s palace, followed by “Night of Tributes” which holds at the same venue, on Thursday, May 12. A commendation mass will take place at Christ’s Anglican

Church, Oforola, on Friday, May 13, followed by interment at the late traditional ruler’s compound. Eze Herbert Obichere, 84, was installed paramount king in 1980. He reigned for about 36 years . Under his rulership, Oforola underwent series of transformations from a neglectedremote town to a popular community in Owerri-West Local Government.

Eze

Arts Lounge

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

FAR AND NEAR

Literature conference seeks peace in Nigeria Richard Ndoma

he Head of Department (HOD) English and Literary Studies, University of Calabar, Associate Professor Francis Ibe Mogu and his Pan African University Lagos counterpart, Prof. Emevwo Biakolo at the weekend warned literary Arts students in the country against the consequences that is associated with joining hands with their kinsmen to fan the embers of tribalism, religious extremism, terrorism and primordial sentiments that are capable of disintegrating unity of Nigeria. Speaking at the 24th International Conference on African Literature and The English Language (ICALEL) held at the University of Calabar, the dons urged the students not to allow themselves to be used to foment trouble in any part of the country. The dons who spoke on the theme: African Literature: The English Language and

Transculturalism, advocated for peaceful co-existence of all citizens in the country irrespective of tribe, language, religion or cultural background. The dons stated that unless the Nigeria citizens desist forthwith, from following the lines of tribalism, terrorism and other social malaise, Nigeria will stand the risk of facing disintegration stressing that ICALEL is the only meeting place where “men of letters” not only meet to wine and dine on a round table but to rub minds on several intellectual issues for advancement. Also speaking at the event were the founder and initiator of ICALEL, Prof. Ernest Emenyonu of the University of Michigan who co-delivered his speech with former Head of Department (HOD), English Department, University of Lagos, Prof. Akachi Ezeigbo charged participants at the conference to embrace African literature instead of over concentrating on the study of Caribbean, African America, French and

European Literature. The dons also urged Nigeria literary artists not to over-indulge in sex and violence in their literary works stressing that sex is an obsessive thing that should be done with a measure of responsibility and not just for it sake. The lecturers also charged participants to apply what they had learnt at the conference in their daily lives so as to co-exist peacefully with other Nigerians without any religious, ethnic and primordial sentiments. “We need to work together tran-sculturally in the manner we do our religion, in a manner where one relates with one another even in gender issues. We need men and women,” said one of dons. “It is interesting to know that what we started here in the University of Calabar 1981, is actually what we are doing now in Michigan We bring African writers once a year to interact with students.”

Ibe Mogu, HOD, English Dept, UNICAL

Adamolekun presents ‘I Remember’ Tayo Irantiola

Adamolekun

rofessor Ladipo Adamolekun is a veteran scholar in the field of Public Administration, who has authored over thirty books and more than one hundred and ten articles and contributions to books on Politics and Public Administration. Adamolekun reveals his life and times in his autobiography, I Remember, which chronicles his rise from a humble background to a distinguished career in academia and public service. He pulls back the curtains on the riveting recollections of his beautiful family heritage; his transition as a young promising lad with a passion for reading to a ful-

filled adult who, through his doggedness and sheer dint of hard work, blazed the trail as a student at the University of Ibadan, Obafemi Awolowo University and Oxford University and reached the pinnacle of success in his careers – teaching at Ife, which peaked ata professorship at age thirty-six (36), and public Administration consultancy to several PanAfrican and international bodies. This book is in six parts, covering his early years; his educational maturation at Ibadan, Ife and Oxford; his “Ife Years” devoted to teaching, research and academic administration, as well as several national and international engagements; his “World Bank Years” of multidimensional development work; and his activities in retirement as an “Independent Scholar”. He closes with “A Note for the

Nollywood Queen pledges to

film on Jesus unveiled Palm Sunday

Tosin Adams

ast week in Papa Area of Abeokuta Ogun State history was made when when Nigeria first ever multimillion naira project was premiered. At the occasion was Ojo Ade who not only ministered but also entertained guests with his sonorous voice. The film according to the producer and director will soon be distributed nationwide from this month of May. “It was what God directed me to do and I did it that is to produce a film that will be distribut-

ed freely without thinking of the monetary gained. Though we don t have a sponsored now but if the sponsors comes fine, but is not a must” explained the man of God, who go on to revealed that the premiere of the multimillion naira movie will spread to other south west of the country. “This is just the first phase of the project; we are still going to premiere the films in other states of Nigeria before going to other western African countries. The film is sub titled in many languages” The film is from the stable of Corner Stone Films”, explained Pastor Shitu Ajao, the producer and director of the film.

Millennials: Nigeria and I” - an overview of what he experienced in respect of three fond memories of his early years that are missing in his early old age: educational excellence, meritocracy and strong institutions. The maiden presentation of I Remember to the public is scheduled for Thursday, May 12th, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Hall, 13/15, Kofo Abayomi Street, Victoria Island, Lagos at 11a.m. But there will be a second public presentation in Abuja on Tuesday, May 17th, at Merit House, Auditorium 1, 22 AguiyiIronsi Street, Maitama, at 11 a. m. prompt. I Remember is published by Safari Books Limited, a foremost publishing firm, renowned for producing well-edited books of international standards.

unify Nigerians

Regina Otokpa

he Queen of Unity Nigeria, Esther Williamson has promised to unify Nigerians before her tenure as first reigning Queen of Unity pageantry comes to an end. Speaking shortly after beating 28 girls to clinch the crown in Abuja, the 19 year old final year student of North America University, Cotonu, maintained that her pet project besides her primary task of uniting the country would target promoting the wellbeing of children. Although Esther is a newbie to the world of pageantry, she looks ready and equipped even in the face of daunting challenges she might encounter during her royal journey to ensure she serves the purpose of the crown resting on her head. She said: “I have always wanted to contest but I have never really had the time or the motivation. When I was told about this pageantry I was actually drawn to it because of the name, I liked the fact that it was not just pageantry but something that had a purpose of itself and then I decided to give it a try. “Before I got to camp I did not imagine I was going to emerge the winner, it is my first pageant I just came to give it a trial to see what really happens. During camp I wasn’t so sure but that was when I started wanting to win. On stage during the last five when I was called out I said to myself I might have a chance.”

Queen of Unity, Williamson The indigene of Akwa Ibom added that “I am happy with the crown; it is what I wanted when I came all the way from lagos to Abuja so I hope to try to do my best to promote unity and the importance of unity and how Nigeria would be if it was more unified.” The brain behind the pageantry and CEO Gozskej Entertainment, Gozskej Obinna, stressed that the idea was to use the beauty queens to shape the attitude and orientation of Nigerians towards attaining unity in the country.

Business

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Belgium tasks Nigeria on improved oil refining 30

Falling crude oil prices risky to Nigeria’s shipping industry –Ogbeifun 28

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Analysing pipeline vandalism threats to oil, gas output projections 33

Electronic retailing fraud may rise to $16.6bn by 2020 ….to account for 65% of online frauds

Isaiah Erhiawarien

he volume of electronic retailing, e-Retail, fraud committed globally is expected to reach $16.6 billion by 2020, which is 65 percent of the total online fraud that will be committed between 2016 and 2020. A study conducted by Juniper Research, an analyst house in the digital commerce and FinTech sector, showed that the banking sector expected online frauds will hit $6.9 billion while airline ticketing will be $1.5 billion. The report stated further that the total value of the online fraudulent transactions was expected to reach $25.6 billion by 2020. Juniper stated that the amount was almost twice that of 2015, which is $10.7 billion, noting that the study which identified three hot areas for online fraud observed that by the end of the decade, $4 in every $1,000 of online payments, will be fraudulent. According to the study, titled “Online Payment Fraud: Key Vertical Strategies & Management 2016-2020”, the implementation of CHIP and PIN services at POS (Point of Sale) locations in the United States is likely to be a key factor driving activity in the online fraud space.

Juniper discovered that the greater security afforded by CHIP and PIN would persuade fraudsters to switch their attention from the in-store environment to the CNP (Card Not Present) space. The study further showed that eRetail would be particularly susceptible to online fraud, with the value of fraud in this sector increasing at twice that of banking and seven times that of airline ticketing adding that the research highlighted two key areas for fraud within eRetail such as ‘buy-online’ pay in-store’ and Electronic gift cards.

The Juniper study said that the continuing migration to online and mobile shopping, of both digital and physical goods, reaching over $1.7 trillion in 2015 will provide a further incentive for fraudsters to focus their attention on these channels. The study expressed worried the successes of countermeasures stating that although banks are able to counter online banking fraud by deploying new technologies such as 3D-Secure and device fingerprinting , these measures often only provide temporary respite as fraudsters quickly find new

ways to defraud. It said further that while extensive efforts by the airline industry to deploy sophisticated Fraud Detection and Prevention (FDP) systems has reduced fraud significantly for some major airlines, this industry has also seen fraudsters shift their focus to other perceived weak spots in the system. Research Author at Juniper, Gareth Owen said: “A few larger airlines claim that they have reduced eTicket sales fraud to less than 0.1 percent or 10 basis points of revenues. When thwarted, however, fraudsters quickly move on to easier pickings such as frequent flyer fraud.”

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

L-R: Head, Lagos Zonal Office, Consumer Protection Council, Joshua Nggada; Acting Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mohammed Balarabe; Executive Director, Shared Services & Products, Fidelity Bank Plc, Mrs. Chijioke Ugochukwu and Manager, Regulation & Monitoring, National Lottery Regulatory Commission, Nwabuchi Durugo-Nwaohiri at the 6th and final draw of the Fidelity Save4 Shelter Savings Promo in Lagos yesterday.

ACF 2016: Winners to get $7m for Africa’s energy projects Abolaji Adebayo

enewable energy developers and entrepreneurs in Africa have been urged to take part in the ACF 2016, which will see developers across the continent compete for $7million funding and expertise to execute renewable energy projects in Africa. Access Power, a developer, owner and operator of power projects in emerging markets, urged the participants to register for the second edition of the Access Co-Development Facility, ACF, for renewable energy projects in Africa before the application closes on the 20th of this month. ACF 2016 is a competition dedicated to finding local power project developers with credible renewable energy projects in Africa who need access to funding, technical experience, and expertise to bring their plans to life. Following the competition’s successful launch last year, the ACF increased its funding from $5million in

2015 to $7million for this year’s winners as about three successful projects would be selected by a panel of expert judges whose decision would be based on commercial, technical and environmental merits, the local regulatory environment, and capability of the project team. According to the ACF Programme Manager at Access Power, Nasir Aku, the winners of ACF 2016 would be announced on Tuesday 22nd June, 2016 before a live audience during the Africa Energy Forum in London. He informed that the winners would enter a Joint Development Agreement with Access Power, which would take an equity stake in the winning projects and fund third-party development costs such as feasibility studies, grid studies, environmental and social impact assessments and due diligence fees. He added that Access Power would also provide technical support, financial structuring and development process management. He said, “With just one month to go until the ap-

plication deadline, we want to make sure that all local developers across the African continent are aware of this fantastic opportunity to secure valuable funding and expertise that can turn an idea for a renewable energy project into reality. “ACF 2016 is leading the way in demonstrating and supporting the type of renewable energy projects that will help meet Africa’s massive and urgent need for electrification. “Through this unique facility, we hope to encourage innovation and support companies in their efforts to deliver power to places that desperately need it. Last year we received a total of 55 submissions from 18 countries across Africa, including solar, wind, hydro, hybrid and bio-mass projects. The applications are coming in fast so 2016 looks set to build on that success.”

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, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Falling crude oil prices risky to Nigeria’s More than 100 years after its emergence, Nigeria’s shipping activities have inadvertently been limited to oil and gas activities. Chairman, Shipowners Association of Nigeria SOAN and Chief Executive Officer, Starz Group, Engr. Greg Obeifun, in this interview with FRANCIS EZEM, says the fall in crude oil prices is taking its toll on the industry and calls for the reinventing of the nation’s fleet towards moving into commercial shipping and sundry issues.

here have been accusations and counter-accusations over Federal Government’s directive that all the ship owners should come under one umbrella. What is your view?

If I may ask, do you think it is a good idea for the fragments of the ship owners not associations to come together under one umbrella and speak with one voice? Well in my opinion, I think it is good for us to come together and speak with one voice on issues concerning the ship owners in this country and that led to the formation of Shipowners Forum. Membership is strictly for ship owners or ship owning members of all the various associations or a ship owner that is not a member or registered with any ship owning association, who is properly registered with the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency NIMASA. The forum is not about Nigerian Shipowners Association NISA or Shipowners Association of Nigeria SOAN but for ship ownOgbefun ers. So anybody that makes issues out of this is just being mischievous. If you ship owners to be registered as a memretain their identities. are a ship owner and you operate your ber. This is the fundamental differfleet efficiently and properly and you ence between NISA and SOAN. NISA Some people have raised issues are making the industry proud in your is made up of both ship owners and over the requirement that one must own little way, you cannot be disenfran- non ship owners. That is the way they own and run a ship to be a member chised just because you do not belong to want it. But the statutes establishing of the forum. How do you react to SOAN or NISA. SOAN insists that you must not only be this? To your question, the Minister did a ship owner registered with NIMASA, If you are not a ship owner, you are that in his usual characteristic, which you must also have a track record of not a ship owner. If everybody is a ship he also did among the journalists, running them properly and effectively. owner then there is no problem and asked the ship owners to come together. This is also the way the members want. this can be verified through NIMASA But do you know why he did that? We There is no conflict in that regard. That and other available records. In SOAN, are our own problems. Some people is why we insisted that you must own a we insist that members keep their rehad gone to the Ministry to tell the Min- ship to be a member of Shipowners Focords. For me, I am a ship owner and ister and the Permanent Secretary that rum because non-lawyers or non mediI repair ships. When you guys visit there are problems among ship owners, cal doctors cannot sit with lawyers and me in Port Harcourt, I will show you there are divisions. But beyond this, I medical doctors in the Nigerian Bar my ships and ship repair structures. think it is a good thing for us to come Association NBA or Nigerian Medical In the last five years my company has together otherwise the Minister would Association NMA. This is the fundapaid in excess of N753 million and we hold a meeting with one group now and mental problem in NISA because non have contribute over $1million to the another group will come and say anoth- ship owners would sit and decide what Cabotage Vessel Financing Fund CVFF er thing so which counsel will he take? I happens to ship owners. It does not hapfrom the inception and a robust cathink speaking with one voice is better pen anywhere. So the forum is for the detship training. Many our members for us. We couldn’t do it all this while purpose of engaging the government are also contributing to the cadetship and the Minister did it for us, I think it because the various associations would training programme that is what we is good. Remember the Minister is not the first to suggest that, there was this e have to recognise that the shipping Captain Adewale, the elderly man has also asked me Greg, why is it that the industry as we knew it would not come ship owners cannot come under one back to the same herefore we have to be umbrella and speak with one voice?. Recall that when the Minister gave us innovative hank od for a government that counsel at the African Shipowners Association event in Lagos, the acting that has began to de emphasise the total president of NISA, Aminu Umar, myself, Temi Omatseye Chief Jolapamo reliance of the nation s economy on the and Mrs. Oraekwusi were there and we oil sector hey are now talking of non oil told the Minister that there was problem. That was in bad taste. So we needbased economy and so we in shipping must ed to prove to the Minister there was no problem and so a hall was booked wake up and follow them right there for the meeting. However, the only condition is that you must be

’

ought to be doing because we cannot just be ship owners by mouth. We must be training and employing people because when they say that the maritime industry has a huge advantage to the economy of every nation, Britain said last year that the maritime industry contributed over 11billion to the British economy and someone asks how? That is through the taxes that we pay etc. That is why as ship owners we can tell the government that individually, we have paid a certain amount of tax and we can tell the government that we are important and they will listen to us because they can verify such claims. It is same with the CVFF but when I read the newspapers and see the people that are shouting about CVFF and I laugh because I know that many of them have not contributed a dime to the fund. We have told all members of SOAN to compile the amount they have paid as taxes, contribution to the CVFF, number of people employed and cadets being trained over a period of time because we want the government to take us serious as ship owners and so we must have to come up with verifiable facts and figures of our contribution to the economy. What is the current capacity of members of SOAN in terms of ship ownership and other operational capacities? Incidentally, I have here a brochure of the members of the association, which is also on our website which captures the aims and objectives of the association, the mission, the vision and affiliation, members’ directory fiscal

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Executive Discourse

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

shipping industry –Ogbeifun

addresses and their ships, you can see real ships in there, which are verifiable. There was a time you had an airline called Okada Airline, Sosoliso, ADC and Belview, which no longer exist today. Can the owners of these companies still claim to be airline operators? If they do, the government will not take them serious. As ship owners, we must comport ourselves and our businesses so that the government would take us seriously. Now they see us as people blowing hot air.

In view of the economic downturn not only in the shipping industry but also in the macro economy, how can the shipping industry be more efficiently operated? Before now, shipping activities have been inadvertently limited to the upstream and downstream, which are basically oil and gas. So when you are talking about shipping, you talk about people who operate ships upstream of downstream of the oil and gas finish. Even the trawling business, they have all moved away because of piracy. So in the country that we are today, anything shipping is oil and gas, and as you rightly said, now the industry is struggling, the ship owners, as who are oil and gas related are finding things extremely difficult. The International Oil Companies IOCs, who are charters of ships upstream started by reducing the number of vessels they engage in order to reduce cost to stay afloat because they themselves are also affected. After they chose the ships, which are critical to their businesses, they started to negotiate the terms downwards. So you find that many of us who are there are operating on the skin of our body, the downstream the same thing so the shipping industry in this country is dying with the price of oil even when the oil price comes up again which we know can never go to what it was before, the shipping industry would never go back. Therefore, To answer your question, I have advocated that those of us in the industry should begin to put on our thinking cap. We have to start to think out of the box. We have to recognise that the shipping industry as we knew it would not come back to the same. Therefore, we have to be innovative. Thank God for a government that has began to de-emphasise the total reliance of the nation’s economy on the oil sector. They are now talking of non-oil based economy and so we in shipping must wake up and follow them. We are in a country that is going to still be import-dependent, especially on manufactured goods. Every day, you have thousands of ships coming into our waters, the Lagos Ports Complex Apapa, Tin Can Island or Kirikiri or Onne. There is no single Nigerian ship involved in that trade whether it is private, public or private –public. We are in a situation where our crude oil is being exported daily and there is no one single Nigerian ship involved in that trade. So why don’t we find a way of being involved in that trade and that

Every day, you have thousands of ships coming into our waters, the Lagos Ports Complex Apapa, Tin Can Island or Kirikiri or Onne. There is no single Nigerian ship involved in that trade whether it is private, public or private –public. We are in a situation where our crude oil is being exported daily and there is no one single Nigerian ship involved

in that trade. So why don’t we find a way of being involved in that trade and that will be a platform to begin to go back to commercial shipping. Why don’t we reinvent the Nigerian fleet?

will be a platform to begin to go back to commercial shipping. Why don’t we reinvent the Nigerian fleet? You do not have to call it a government fleet. Ship owners can come together, form a consortium, it does not have to be a forum, but two or three ship owners can come together and find a way of getting into that trade. To get involved in that trade, government has a role to play. The cargo coming into our country, there are policies and regulations that give any Nigerian ships the first right of refusal to some cargo. I am not even talking of crude because if you talk about that, you will be looking at ultra large or Very Large Crude Carriers VLCC, which we do not have the money to procure. I was recently discussing with some people and I said listen, all the containers coming into Apapa are not all meant for Lagos. Some of them are meant for Port Harcourt, Warri and Aba and I said

Ogbeifun

why can’t we get together and acquire some small feeders that can carry 200 or 300 containers and passengers and just be tramping from east and west of our coast, take it to Duala or Togo and start with the small that we can control. First of all, you can negotiate with that cargo, trying to go China, United Kingdom and Hong Kong to negotiate. Let’s start from engaging Maersk; these containers that are coming, how many of them are going to Warri? That is an initiative that we have to look for. If we have a small vessel like that, first of all, it is easier for it to comply with the requirements of the Coastal and Inland Cabotage shipping requirement, it will help our registry tonnage, create a training platform for the cadets, it will reduce unemployment and above all, reduce the number of containers that are being trucked on the roads etc. Agencies like the Nigerian Ship-

pers Council, which are dealing more with commercial shipping can help by bringing the people together-that is how the cargo comes and this is how we will be working with you people to engage the Maersk of this world, it has to be a joint venture discussion not a private discussion. You know about my appointment into the Commonwealth Advisory Board.. Because of my appointment, I have a lot of information about shipping in the UK. There is nothing the UK maritime is doing without the private sector driving it. The government is always there to support them to drive it. So we need to engage the government and that is why instead of me antagonising Amaechi, I would rather let him make mistakes. These are people that came into the industry without a clue because they are politicians. You see, once somebody begins to antagonise him, he will draw a battle line and this will not be good for the industry. So instead of fighting them, let’s bring them on board and work with them. The Federal Government has muted the idea of floating a new National Carrier and vigorously pursuing it. As an industry player, could you comment on this ? The Minister told us that a committee within the Federal Ministry of Transport has been set up. You see that is why I told you that it is not good to antagonise the government. Along the line they have realised that they cannot do it without the private sector. So they have invited the Shipowners’ Forum and also the Association of Marine Engineers, which I am a member. We will tell them, if they have not, they should invite the Master Mariners to the committee because you cannot float a ship without a Captain and Engineer and most of us have done this international trade and we will give quality pieces of advice. I am willing to use my appointment to bring information. For example, this country does not have the money to build ships, may be they are looking for investors, if you depend on investors funds, they will take control and then we are back to square one. So we have to think o something innovative. Those of us operating upstream, we know for example that if you have a five-year contract and you don’t have to own the ship, you go out there, bareboat charter the ship to meet the Cabotage requirements, the regime allows for that. So what you do is you pay your rates. I also know that internationally, there are a lot of shipping companies that are redundant, they have excess capacity that they have no cargo because of competition in their own climes, why can’t we go to them and tell them, old boy you have the ships, I have the cargo, so let’s partner, this is what my country’s regulation says, my country’s regulation allows me to bareboat charter your vessel. All I will be asking is that the government should guarantee the cargo for the benefit of the country at large.

Business News

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

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Belgium tasks Nigeria on improved oil refining Abdulgafar Oladimeji, Kano

he Kingdom of Belgium has urged Nigeria to improve its crude oil refining capacity to address the deficit in the transaction between both nations and increase foreign exchange earnings. The Belgian Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Stephane De Loecker, said last week in Kano that oil trade between his country and Nigeria had been in favour of his country and called for improvement in Nigeria’s crude oil refining capacity. The diplomat, who visited the state governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, noted that bilateral relations between the

two countries had been very cordial and warm. While lamenting the unending queues in filling stations around the country, he said that his country and the EU would continue to support the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari in the battle to tackle security issues ravaging Northern Nigeria. Loecker described Kano as very important to his country in view of its commercial status and its agricultural potentials, adding that Belgium is desirous of partnering with the state in agricultural development, in view of Begium’s expertise in crop production and raising livestock. In his remarks, the governor told the envoy that Kano

BoI restates commitment to youths’ capacity building Boladale Bamigbola, Osogbo

anagement of Bank of Industry, BoI, has restated its readiness to continue to enhance capacity of youths for them to be successful as business owners. The acting Managing Director of the bank, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, disclosed this while speaking at Ife Youths Economic Summit held the Oba Okunade Sijaude Hall, Enuwa, Ile Ife. Speaking on the theme: “IFEPRENEURSHIP: Building Entrepreneurship Competency and Self-Reliance Among Ife Youths,” Olagunju advised youths in the country to change their taste in order to be successful in business. Giving further tips on how to set up successful business, Olagunju said rather than seeking capital before capacity, capacity should come first to forestall lose of resources. According to him, nearness to raw materials and nature of people’s needs is also a factorsto be considered before choosing a line of business, adding that attitude and taste also go a long way in determining success of business ventures. Urging youths to be employers of labour, rather than seeking white collar jobs, Olagunju stressed that as part of measures to tackle challenges facing the country, efforts should be geared towards job creation. Addressing the gathering, the lawmaker representing Osun East Senatorial District, Senator Babajide Omowora-

re, explained that because of his position, many job seekers have been coming to him to seek his help for job placements. He however advised that the era of total dependent on white collar jobs has passed, calling on youths to establish their private businesses and employ job seekers. The blame for high rate of unemployment, the federal lawmaker posited must not be laid solely at the doorstep of government, saying the only way out of the menace of joblessness is through entrepreneurship.

would create enabling environment for Belgian Direct Foreign Investments, DFIs, especially in agricultural production and process.

“Corruption used to scare away investors from Nigeria in the past but the Buhari administration is now zero tolerant to corruption. Sto-

L-R: Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc, Mr. Mobolaji Balogun; Hon. Minister for Finance, Mrs Kemi Adeosun and Hon. Minister for Environment, Ms. Amina Mohammed at the 2016 Ogun State Investors Forum held in Abeokuta yesterday.

NIPOST to issue Nigerian passports, Drivers’ licences –Minister TOLA AKINMUTIMI

he Federal Government has unveiled plans to turn the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) into a mega conglomerate offering services in E-Commerce, E-Learning/Library Services and issuance of the Nigerian Passport and Drivers License among other security documents. The Minister of Communications, Mr. Adebayo Shittu, gave this hint when the Acting Director

General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE), Dr. Vincent Akpotaire, paid him a courtesy visit in Abuja last week. A statement by the Head, Public Communications of the Bureau, Alex Okoh, quoted the minister as saying that to achieve the objective, government was planning to constitute a technical committee to proffer solutions to the issues militating against the Nigerian Postal Sector and present a policy direction to harness the economic

Purchasing Institute’s boss proffers solutions to fuel scarcity crisis Kemi Olaitan, Ibadan

he President of Certified Institute of Purchasing and Supply Administrators of Nigeria (CIPSAN), Dr. Mufutau Adebowale, has called for improved local refining of petroleum products and recalling of old engineers and technicians in order to end the perennial scarcity in the downstream market. Adebowale, who gave the advice during an interactive session journalists in Ibadan, Oyo State, said constant production of petroleum products locally could reduce the price to as low as N30 per litre for Premium Motor Spirit (PMS). While expressing his opposition to the sale of refineries, he canvassed the recalling of old technicians who have peculiar experience back to the refineries, saying such would make

len money is being returned to the country and the government is working with our neighbors and the EU, among other partners, to ensure security”, Ganduje assured.

the refineries work and safe the nation from subsidy payment. The CIPSAN boss urged President Muhammadu Buhari to appoint a Special Assistant on Turn Around Maintenance (TAM), stating that the lingering acute scarcity of PMS in the country was self-inflicted as it is a long time project hatched deliberately by powerful cabal in the oil industry. He said: “These powerful executives are fond of manipulating successive presidents through misguided advice in adopting policies that are beneficial to them. Though the masses may suffer hardship but they do not care.’’ Adebowale also claimed that the Fuel Supply Distribution Commission established by former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime was part of his idea to government then but that through manipulation, it

was turned to Petroleum Product Price Regulatory Agency (PPPRA). According to him, several wrong advices to successive presidents had led to various problems , saying that Obasanjo had already sold two of the refineries but were withdran from buyers by the late President Umar Yar’Adua. While stating that a personal investigation he did revealed that capable technicians and engineers handling the refineries were deliberately kept away and some retired, he said persistent efforts of these powerful cabal kept returning the refineries to a comatose state, thereby making local refining impossible. He added that the use of local technicians and engineers by President Goodluck Jonathan on his advise in 2014 allowed for 60 percent capacity utilisation of the refineries.

potentials of NIPOST. While acknowledging the significance of reforms for the communication sector and the key role of BPE in sector reforms, Shittu said the Bureau would be included on the committee. He expressed optimism that an all inclusive participation of all stakeholders would steer NIPOST towards the desired direction to harness its commercial potentials. On the Nigerian Communications Satellite Ltd (NIGCOMSAT), the Minister asked the Bureau to carry out a research and come out with the best option to either commercialise or privatise the company as findings have revealed that it was under patronised because it has only one signal. In his response, the Acting BPE boss, noted the yet untapped potentials of NIPOST, adding that though in a state of comatose now, NIPOST still has sufficient assets to generate economic and commercial services. He said that in view of the Central Bank of National Financial Inclusion Strategy, NIPOST could kick off skeletal services within the scope of the resources set aside by the CBN and that through the vast postal network available to NIPOST; it is equipped to deliver financial services to remote areas currently excluded by financial institutions. To facilitate the process, Akpotaire said that the Bureau would present a comprehensive proposal that would serve as a platform to drive the required sector reforms to the Minister within a week.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Business News

UBA Group Chairman advocates inclusive growth in East Africa ...meets President Museveni, Uganda’s Central Bank Governor TOLA AKINMUTIMI

nited Bank for Africa, a pan-African banking group which operates in 19 African countries, New York, London and Paris, has unveiled plans to deploy more resources to its East African subsidiaries in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. The initiative for the bank, which serves more than 11 million customers through over 1000 business offices and touch points across the continent and globally, was in recognition of the increasing importance of Africa to its growth and diversification strategy as well as the need to enhance the capacity of the UBA subsidiaries in financing development initiatives in the region. Indications to the effect emerged Tuesday during separate meetings in Kampala by the

UBA Group Chairman, Mr. Tony Elumelu, with President Yoweri Museveni and Governor of the Central Bank of Uganda, Mr. Emmanuel Tumusiime-Mutebile. At the meeting with Elumelu were Chairman of UBA Uganda, Dr. Eric Adriko and other members of the Board of UBA Uganda. “We are deeply committed to the markets in which we operate and have established a strong track record of supporting critical infrastructure and other development initiatives that drive inclusive growth and job creation” Elumelu said. He told the President and Central Bank Governor of the Group Board’s approval to boost the operating capital of its East African subsidiaries, including UBA Uganda, adding the move “will strengthen their capacity to explore and finance emerging op-

portunities in the entire region. East Africa is a good investment destination for the UBA Group” In his remarks at the meeting, Ugandan Central Bank Governor expressed his confidence in UBA’ just as President Museveni when he met with the bank’s Board in Entebbe indicated that the Ugandan Government would

be pleased to work with UBA on collections and other mutually beneficial areas in infrastructure financing and mobile payments. Though the protracted weakness in commodity prices has impacted many African economies, the UBA Group remains optimistic especially as governments of various African countries embark on macro economic reforms to stabilise and diversify their respective economies.

It is on this backdrop that UBA Group recently decided to expand into 6 more African countries which will bring its footprint on the continent to 25 countries, especially as it aims to extract synergy opportunities in its unique pan-African platform. “We believe that African economies have the resilience to overcome the current economic slowdown and will emerge stronger” Elumelu projected.

CBN orders banks on installation of camera-fit ATMs Niyi Jacobs

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has ordered all banks in the country to programme their Automated Teller Machines (ATM) in such a way that it would not dispense cash if the user blocks his or her image from the security camera. This is stipulated in the Guidelines on Operation of Electronic Payment Channels in Nigeria just released by the Central Bank of Nigeria. According to the guideline, all ATMs must be fitted with security cameras which will be hidden such that it would not be tampered with. “Every ATM shall have cameras, which shall view and record all persons using the machines and every activity at the ATM, including but not limited to: card insertion, transaction selection, cash withdrawal, card taking, etc. “However, such cameras should not be able to record the key strokes of customers using the ATM. Where a surveillance camera is used, it should be kept secret to avoid illegal removal or damage or compromise. “Where the user of an ATM blocks his image for camera capture, the ATM shall be capable of aborting the transaction” the guideline stipulated. Also, banks are required to treat all cardholders complaints within four days, that is transaction date plus three days from the date of the receipt of the complaint. The apex bank in the guide-

line noted that sanctions, in the form of monetary penalties / or suspension of the acquiring/processing service (s) or both, would be imposed on erring institutions for failure to comply with any of the provisions of this Guidelines. Also as part of security measures, the guideline stipulated that ATMs be cited in locations and in a manner that guarantees safety and security of users and confidentiality of their transactions. The guideline on Operation of Electronic Payment Channels also covers the use of point of sale terminals, mobile PoS and web transactions. The CBN also is issued guidelines on transaction switching in the country.

L-R: Managing Director/CEO, FBNInsurance Limited, Mr. Val Ojumah, receiving his commemorative plaque as Fellow of the Risk Managers Society of Nigeria (RIMSON) from Barr. Luke Aghedo, during the 2016 Risk Management Conference and Awards Ceremony in Lagos, last week.

World stock markets rise while yen falls back

orld stock markets rose on Tuesday, helped by solid corporate earnings in Europe, progress on Greek debt talks, and a new pledge by Japan that it was prepared to weaken its currency. The MSCI All-Country World index .MIWD00000PUS climbed 0.4 percent, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index advanced 1.3 percent, while the MSCI Emerging Market index .MSCIEF also edged

higher. U.S. equity index futures ESc1 1YMc1 rose around 0.5 percent and oil prices also climbed, driven by supply disruptions in Canada and elsewhere. European stock markets built on positive momentum from earlier on in Japan, where the Nikkei rose 2.2 percent after Japan’s Finance Minister Taro Aso reiterated his resolve to intervene in the currency market if the yen’s gains last long enough

Solar shares plunge lower than coal’s

or all the upbeat forecasts about the growth of solar power, this is a punishing year for the industry. And it won’t improve anytime soon. SunEdison Inc., the world’s biggest clean-energy company, is bankrupt. Yingli Green Energy Holding Co., once the top panel maker, warned it may be inching toward default. SolarCity Corp., the largest U.S. rooftop installer, scaled back its installation forecast Monday for the third time in seven months, prompting shares to plunge. A Bloomberg index of 20 major solar companies has slumped more than 30 percent this year, with every member in the down column. Solar shares are performing even worse than coal

stocks. The tumult comes as installations soar and demand for clean energy reaches records. Falling prices, renewed U.S. tax breaks and the Paris climate deal are fueling sales worldwide. That’s been eclipsed by investors’ concerns that the debt-fueled strategies employed by SunEdison and Yingli are endemic to the industry. “They call it the solarcoaster for a reason,” said Nancy Pfund, managing partner of DBL Partners and a SolarCity director. With so much happening, both positive and negative, “it’s been hard for investors to follow.” Solar turbulence isn’t new. The past decade has been marked by booms, busts and

failures that included Suntech Power Holdings Co. and Q-Cells SE, which both were once the world’s biggest panel producers. Despite the ups and downs, the general trend is up. Developers will install 48.4 gigawatts of solar by the end of 2020, more than double the amount in the prior five years, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. Problems at a few major companies don’t necessarily carry over to the rest. At least they shouldn’t. “It’s more perception than true fundamentals,” said Angelo Zino, analyst at S&P Global Market Intelligence. “The fundamentals continue to improve.’’ (Source – Bloomberg.com)

to hurt Japan’s fragile economic recovery. Aso’s comments sent the yen to its lowest level in almost two weeks against the dollar, and reinforced the backdrop of central banks around the world looking for ways to boost the global economy. Hampstead Capital hedge fund manager Lex Van Dam said record low interest rates from the European Central Bank meant equities still offered more attractive returns than cash or bonds, while Clairinvest fund manager Ion-Marc Valahu added that he had bought up European equity positions over the last week. “Rates are not going anywhere, so buying any dips on the stock market might still be the best strategy,” said Van Dam. European equities were also helped by some decent corporate results. Shares in Credit Suisse CSGN. VX rose after the Swiss bank reported a smaller-than-expected first quarter loss, while jewelry maker Pandora surged after posting higher profits and raising its financial outlook. Greek shares hit their highest level in 2016 after euro zone finance ministers offered to grant Greece some debt relief, with the move causing Greek 10-year bond yields to fall below 8 percent for the first time in more than six months.

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Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Commerce & Industry

MSMEs: Tackling funding hurdles to optimize enterprises’ performance Developing the Micro, Small And Medium Enterprises, MSMEs, sector and ensuring their impactful contribution to Nigeria’s GDP require supportive institutions, infrastructure capacity and other financial resources. In this report, ABOLAJI ADEBAYO captures financial experts’ views on the imperative of sustaining funding of MSMEs in the country.

inance is a critical factor in any business and no matter what type of business, there is no avoiding the fact that finance can be fundamental to success. It remains the tool for the attainment of poverty reduction, removal of barriers to economic participation by women, youths and those at the bottom of poverty. Access to finance is often cited as one of the major drivers of economic growth as it affords entrepreneurs the opportunity to grow in their businesses and as a result, allows families to have access to decent standard of living which will reduce the level of poverty in country. Financial access promotes growth for enterprises through the provision of credit to both new and existing businesses. However, many entrepreneurs especially the micro, small and medium enterprises, MSME, have continually faced with the challenge of having access to fund for development. Consequently, many of the businesses that would have helped the nation’s economy growth wind up at their startup or evolving stages. Despite the various lending schemes available in the financial institutions across the country including Bank of Industry, BoI and Bank of Agriculture, BoA, majority of small business owners lament inability to access those funds while those who got the fund complain about high interest rate. For instance, the Bank of Agriculture is known for its range of loans facilities that could be explored. These include Agricultural Micro Loans; Non-Agricultural Micro Loans; SME Loans; Cooperative & Farmers Group Loans; On-Lending Loans; Agri-Business Loans and Collaboration –Funded & Guaranteed Collaborations At present, the BOA’s interest rates include 14 per cent for SME Agricultural production; 14 per cent for SME Agro-processing; 20 per cent for SME Agriculture Marketing; 12 per cent for Micro Credit Loans (agric); 20 per cent for Micro credit loan (Non Agric) and 14 per cent for YARN and GEM products. However, an official of BoA, Agege branch, Lagos, Mrs Tokunbo Afolabi explained that the Bank had micro loans scheme service that availed credit facilities for financing both Agricultural and Non-Agricultural initiatives and activities including traders, arti-

Cotton factory

Acting Bank of Agriculture MD, Sadiku

BoI’s Acting Managing Director, Olagunju

HOW A FINANCIAL SYSTEM IS STRUCTURED OR OPERATES CANNOT BE DEVOID FROM THE ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH IT IS OPERATING. DERISKING THE ENVIRONMENT AND THE MSME SPACE IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE ATTITUDE TO CREDIT AND GUIDELINES FOR ALL SCHEMES/ CREDIT POLICIES GOVERNMENT MONEY, DMBS, NPL VS. SUSTAINABILITY OF DFIS AND DMBS VIABLE BUSINESS IS WIN- WIN FOR LENDER AND BORROWER sans, arable/field crops farmers, Fisheries, Horticulture, Agro-Processing, Livestock, Agric Produce Marketing, Tree Crop Production, and others. But to access most of the loans, what the applicants need to do, according to her, is to open and maintain account relationship with BOA Office nearest to their project location for a minimum period of 12 weeks before purchase and processing of loan application. She explained that there were some micro credits not exceeding N250,000 for a period not exceeding two years depending on the project type that could be granted to individuals and members of co-operative societies/groups. She added that the credit facility was non-collateralised loan but required two acceptable guarantors and 20 per cent lien deposit.

She further said that Grow and Earn More, GEM, was another non-collateralised loan targeted at women of all ages and classes in recognition of their place in Nigeria’s economy and to address the challenges to women’s access to finance. The Acting Director General of BoI, Waheed Olagunju, revealed that the problem of many small business operators laid in their inability to meet up with the requirements of the financial institutions. He summarized the challenges in an acronym, which he termed MISFIT - Market Access (weak local patronage); Infrastructure (power, transport, water, etc); Support services (Business Development Support); Finance/Capital (Perceived risky by DMBs); Information (What to do and how to go about it) and Technology (dependence on expensive sophisticated imported technology). Analysing the five canons of credit, Olagunju itemised character, which encompasses lender’s subjective impression, perception, integrity, social /business reputation, lifestyles, measures of willingness to repay, credit history of borrower, single most important component of a borrowers make-up, credit bureaus, still Emerging Data capturing System – National ID Card. He also mentioned conditions to include borrower’s circumstance, overall economy, and environment, while saying that capacity, such as sufficient cash flow to repay loan, receipts – expenditures were among the factors limiting the SMEs access to fund. He further said that financial institutions considered borrower’s equity, savings, net worth (what is at stake), as well as collateral - asset to secure exposure to be forfeited in

case default, asset or guarantee before releasing loan to a borrower. All these are beyond many SME owners. Also analysing access and challenges, the BoI boss said on demand side challenges, the big corporates had no problem because they could raise funds from domestic and foreign sources. He said there were much problems with the medium sized indigenously promoted firms especially run mostly by the elites with sense of entitlement. He noted that MSME was the most challenged due to the high risk involved. Speaking on financial value chain, Olagunju said, “How a Financial System is structured or operates cannot be devoid from the environment in which it is operating. De-risking the environment and the MSME space is of utmost importance attitude to credit and guidelines for all schemes/credit policies government money, DMBS, NPL vs. sustainability of DFIS and DMBS viable business is win- win for lender and borrower. In its efforts on the way forward, he disclosed that BOI had been consulting relevant authorities and stakeholders. Some of the efforts include, appointment of 122 BDSPs target of 10 successful applications per annum - 1,220 Vs 2,800 in 13 years amounting to N683billion with five per cent to MSMEs; collaboration with EDCS operated by CBN, all universities through NUC, other higher institutions, institute of entrepreneurs, SMEDAN, ITF under NEDEP those mandated to build capacity of potential and current entrepreneurs. Others are, launching of single digit special funds; signing of MoU with 10 MSME friendly commercial banks, concessional rates, leverage branch network. In addition, he said the bank also had linking innovation and research centres with industry research institutions such as FIIRO and PRODA for affordable tested locally fabricated equipment, and domesticating of Nigeria’s production capacity. He said: “SMEs are recognised as playing key roles in the economy of any society and Nigeria is not an exception. Job and Wealth Creation However, they face numerous challenges including access to finance which can be overcome by appropriate strategies that must address their peculiar characteristics. VCF is one such strategy that can facilitate access to finance by MSMEs. “Since Challenges Facing MSMEs are numerous and Multidimensional Holistic Approach Required to De-Risk MSMEs. “All hands must be on deck: entrepreneurs, governments, operators along the financial value chain, foreign development partners, governments at all tiers lg, state, federal- legislations, policies, regulations – enabling environment.” Meanwhile, a business expert, the CEO of Nextzon Business Services Limited, Wale Ogunsola, advised the SME operators to exploremore of non-traditional financing since SMEs didn’t have enough assets as collateral for asset base lending. He said non-traditional financiers only needed strong management in place and good governance.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

EnergyWeek Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Exploring solar energy options ‘ll ensure cost effective electricity –Yusuf 36

PTD refutes industrial action rumour 35

MSMEs: Tackling funding hurdles to optimise enterprises’ performance 32

Analysing pipeline vandalism threats to oil, gas output projections

The Federal Government had projected to produce 2.2 million barrels of crude oil daily at $38 per barrel for the implementation of its 2016 budget. But UDEME AKPAN reports that the present militancy in the Niger Delta may adversely affect such projections if drastic steps are not taken to restore lasting peace in the volatile region. 33, 34, pix pipeline vandalism, Buhari, Kachikwu and Osagie Okunbor, MD, Shell

here are strong indications that militancy may be returning to the nation’s oil and gas industry. Last week, militants launched an attack on Chevron Nigeria Limited platform in the Niger Delta. A Navy spokesman, Mr. Chris Ezekobe said the attack occurred about 40 nautical miles from the Escravos terminal, around the southern city of Warri. The attack seemed to have crippled the operations of the company; especially as its Okan offshore production platform was badly hilted. Specifically, Chevron said it lost about 105,000 barrels of oil production in three days. The company general manager in charge of policy, government and public affairs, Mr. Deji Haastrup is said to have remarked that: “This is a very difficult time

for the country because it needs the revenue it can get from oil production. Incidents such as this have the potential to impact that. We do hope that it does not seriously affect the country.” The spokesman said he did not know which militant group was responsible. However, a group known as the Niger Delta Avengers claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it blew up the platform. However, Chevron was not alone. On

Monday, this week, Shell Petroleum Development Company, SPDC started evacuating workers from Bonga, its major offshore facility in the Niger Delta because of increased hostilities. The chairman of the Warri branch of the National Union of petroleum and Natural Gas Workers, NUPENG, is said to have remarked that: “We are aware of the development and the evacuation is being done in categories of workers and cadres,” Cogent

Expectedly, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the military to crack down on a new militant group, the

Niger Delta Avengers, which has been attacking oil installations. Some observers have

already commended the step taken by the government.

But they also doubted the effectiveness of the military intervention because of some reasons

Ojobor, chairman of the Warri branch of the NUPENG oil labour union, said. The company said that oil production has not been affected. “Our operations at Bonga are continuing,” a spokesman for Shell Nigeria Exploration and Production Company, SNEPCo said in a statement, adding that it will continue to monitor the security situation in its operating areas and take all possible steps to ensure the safety of staff and contractors. Investigations showed the industry which had witnessed a long period of relative stability has been thrown into chaos. Many International Oil Companies, IOCs, indigenous operators and service providers are worried about the situation. A Port Harcourt-based energy analyst, Mr. Bala Zaka said it portended a bad omen the nation’s economy. According to him, the situation could affect the ability of the nation to produce the 2.2 million barrels per day benchmark of budget 2016. He disclosed that revenue generation could also be affected should the government failed to meet such production target. Bala said, it could turn out to be a double tragedy for the nation because of the present low crude oil prices in the international market. He noted that the development should not be taken lightly because of not only the CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

Energy Week

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Analysing pipeline vandalism threats to oil, gas output projections CONTINUED FROM PAGE 33 implications on the nation’s economy but also the positions that the two companies. This seems true as available records showed that Shell’s operations are concentrated in the Niger Delta and adjoining shallow offshore areas where it operates in oil mining lease area of around 31,000 square kilometres. The company has more than 6,000 kilometres of pipelines and flowlines, 87 flow stations, 8 gas plants and more than 1,000 producing wells. It maintained that the company employs more than 4,500 people directly of whom 95 per cent are Nigerians. “Some 66 per cent of the Nigerian staff members are from the Niger Delta. Another 20,000 people are employed indirectly through the network of companies that provide supplies and services. SPDC is the operator of a Joint Venture Agreement involving the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), which holds 55%, Shell 30%, Total Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (TEPNG)10per cent and Nigerian Agip Oil Company limited (NAOC) 5per cent. “SPDC was originally known as Shell D’Arcy and later as Shell-BP which was jointly financed by the Royal Dutch/Shell Group of Companies and the British Petroleum (BP) Group on an equal basis. The Company discovered the first commercial oil field in the country at Oloibiri Bayelsa State, in 1956 and through a sustained exploration effort had since discovered more oil fields that have firmly established Nigeria as one of the world’s major crude oil producers with significant gas potential. “Together with its Joint Venture Partners, SPDC is capable of producing some 1 million barrels of oil per day on an average. Through its community investment programme, SPDC is demonstrating its commitment to improving the quality of life for all those who live and work in the Niger Delta,” it added. Chevron also has it that it holds a 40 percent interest in nine concessions under a joint-venture arrangement with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). The company disclosed that in 2014, its net daily production in Nigeria averaged 240,000 barrels of crude oil, 236 million cubic feet of natural gas and 6,000 barrels of liquefied petroleum gas. The company has interests, ranging from 20 percent to 100 percent, in three operated and six non operated deepwater blocks in Nigeria. Specifically, Chevron operates the Agbami Field, which lies 70 miles (113 km) off the coast of the central Niger Delta region and spans 45,000 acres (182 sq km). Discovered in 1998, the Agbami Field is at a water depth of approximately 4,800 feet (1,463 m). Chevron has a 67.3 percent interest in the field. The company noted that in 2014, net daily production averaged 134,000 barrels of crude oil and 15 million cubic feet of natural gas. It maintained that Agbami is a subsea development with wells tied back to a floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO) vessel. The company disclosed that a 10-well Phase 2 development program is expected

Kachikwu

,,,,

to offset field decline and to maintain production capacity. It indicated that as of early 2015, eight of the wells were producing. The company noted that the next phase, Agbami 3, is a five-well drilling program that began drilling in early 2015 and is expected to start production in 2016. Drilling is scheduled to continue through 2017. It observed that Chevron has a 30 percent non operated working interest in the Usan Project, in 2,461 feet (750 m) of water, 62 miles (100 km) off the coast of the eastern Niger Delta region. The company said net daily production in 2014 averaged 32,000 barrels of crude oil and 3 million cubic feet of natural gas. It said that additional development drilling is planned through 2018. The company said that the Aparo Field and the Bonga SW Field share a common geologic structure and are planned to be developed jointly. It stated that the structure lies in 4,300 feet (1,311 m) of water, 70 miles (113 km) off the coast of the western Niger Delta region. The company added that it also operates and has a 95 percent interest in the Nsiko discovery in OML 140, which lies in roughly 8,000 feet (2,438 m) of water, 90 miles (145 km) off the coast of the western Niger Delta region. “An exploration well at the Nsiko North prospect was drilled in the fourth quarter of 2014, and more exploration drilling is

planned for 2015. In 2014, we drilled two exploration wells and discovered crude oil in the Usan area. In 2015, the company plans to evaluate development options.” “Chevron is involved in natural gas projects in the western Niger Delta and Escravos areas, including the optimization of the Escravos Gas Plant (EGP), the Escravos Gas-to-Liquids (EGTL) facility and the Sonam Field Development Project.” “CNL operates and holds a 40 percent interest in the EGP development. The EGP Phase 3B project is focused on eliminating routine flaring of natural gas associated with crude oil production. The project includes, installation of 74 miles (119 km) of subsea pipelines and modifications to the production platforms. The project is expected to be completed in 2016,” it added. Expectedly, President Muhammadu Buhari has directed the military to crack down on a new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers, which has been attacking oil installations. Some observers have already commended the step taken by the government. But they also doubted the effectiveness of the military intervention because of some reasons. First, the military has not been able to completely eliminate violence and instability from the region despite the deployment of various task forces. Second, the topography of the region, made up of

Security in the Niger Delta remains a major concern with persisting incidents of

criminality, threats from militant elements, violent host community agitations and most recently, offshore piracy.

Crude oil theft

and related damage to oil and gas facilities in particular continue to present significant security concerns

creeks and canals often made it difficult for them to crack down the activities of the militants. But many companies disclosed that the attacks are not directly targeted at them but the government. The companies believed that since they have made contributions toward the development of area, they don’t deserve such attacks. For instance, Shell noted in its report that the company flagship youth enterprise development programme has enabled young entrepreneurs to convert ideas into real businesses that create products or services as well as employment to the community. “LiveWIRE supports Nigeria’s National Youth Policy by encouraging and training young people to start their own businesses by providing start-up funds. More than 250 people were trained in 2015. To date, the programme has trained 6,200 Niger Delta youth in enterprise development and management, and provided business start-up grants to 3,100. “The LiveWire programme was broadened in 2014 to focus on people with physical impairments; 180 physically challenged people have already benefited from training and grants over the last two years. LiveWIRE was also extended into Ogoniland in 2014, with the objective of raising living standards and reducing crude oil theft through the promotion of alternative livelihoods. The first trainees graduated in February 2015. “Security in the Niger Delta remains a major concern with persisting incidents of criminality, threats from militant elements, violent host community agitations and most recently, offshore piracy. Crude oil theft and related damage to oil and gas facilities in particular continue to present significant security concerns. Oil and Gas operations in parts of the region are severely impacted by these criminal activities. Armed robbery and kidnapping for ransom are also ongoing threats,” it concluded.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Energy Week

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

PTD refutes industrial action rumour

he Petroleum Tanker Drivers, PTD denied the plan of its members to embark on strike. The National Chairman of PTD, Comrade Salimon Oladiti disclosed in a statement that there was no such plan. He debunked the purported strike action and enjoined all members to continue in their strive to effectively distribute fuel products across the country. Oladiti commended Government effort at ameliorating the hardship faced by Nigerians in the wake of the fuel scarcity and thus warned any member that joins in any strike action does so at his own risk. A survey showed that fuel supply has shown improvement in many parts of the nation. A visit to some depots, including Mossimi showed that normal loadings were ongoing because of improved monitoring. A top official of the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) who preferred not to be named, maintained that the profits and other margins of stakeholders have been factored into the price. “There are no reasons for any marketer to sell at arbitrary prices because at the current price of N87 per litre of fuel, every operator can recover costs and make reasonable profit. The government that seeks to sustain the current fuel subsidy is strongly opposed to any

Fuel tanker

forms of exploitation. We are aware that the Department of Petroleum Resources has initiated efforts targeted at tackling the unacceptable situation,” he maintained. The DPR, has cautioned oil marketers against buying or selling petroleum products above government regulated prices. According to the statement, the warning stemmed from the persistent sharp practices in the petroleum products supply chain with regards to the official pump price of products. “Dealers in petroleum products who are either sellers or buyers are hereby warned

against buying or selling above the government regulated prices. Unlicensed third party buyers that operate outside of the Petroleum Products Marketing Company, Depots and Petroleum Pricing Marketers Association of Nigeria (DAPPMA) and Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) are hereby warned to desist or face the wrath of the law,” it said. The statement warned marketers to desist from illegal diversion of the products. It said that any marketer caught diverting petroleum products would either be fined N200 per litre or prosecuted.

Oando extends gas supply to Northern Nigeria UDEME AKPAN

ando Gas & Power Limited has commenced development of a mini Liquefied Natural Gas, LNG facility through its Transit Gas Nigeria Limited, subsidiary in Ajaokuta, Kogi State. The company, in a statement, indicated that the pioneering 20 mmscf/day liquefac-

tion plant is primarily directed towards fulfilling the gas supply requirement for captive power plants, embedded generation, and industrial clusters in the Northern region, as well as stranded customers in the South. It stated further that off-takers, particularly, power plants and industrial customers who currently utilise liquid fuels such as diesel and LPFO, will be able to lower energy

Total Nigeria’s Awango resellers’ SME programme debuts in Delta community

otal Nigeria commenced the pilot Awango Reselling SME Project (ARSMEP) in Koko, a community in Warri North Local Government Area of Delta State with two beneficiaries. This is even as 10 other beneficiaries have been listed to benefit from the program in the coming months in Kaduna, Ibafon, Apapa and Kirikiri. General Manager, Human Resources & Corporate Services, who doubles as the Company’s Secretary Mrs. Bunmi Popoola-Mordi, while presenting the starter packs to the beneficiaries, told them to make the best use of the opportunity to expand their businesses, benefit their communities as well as provide opportunities for other potential beneficiaries. Mrs. Popoola-Mordi said that a good start

of the pilot project will determine the growth and success of the scheme, urging the beneficiaries to approach the project with utmost seriousness. ARSMEP, a CSR oriented program, is implemented in collaboration with the company’s Awango Resellers Club (ARC) program organized by the Solar Services team of Total Nigeria Plc. Beyond providing startup funds to the Awango solar lamps resellers of Total host communities, ARSMEP also provides economic empowerment, job creation to the people while also lighting up communities. This forms part of Total’s CSR strategy of inclusive participation of stakeholders in our activities through consistent engagement. This process ensures our positive impact is felt by communities specifically where it is essential and beneficial to them.

costs by up to 40per cent, while significantly decreasing carbon emissions. The chief operating officer of the company, Mr. Bolaji Osunsanya said, the establishment of the Ajaokuta mini LNG project is in firm alignment with our mid-to-long term gas conversion strategy. He said the venture further emphasises the company’s push to broaden our asset portfolio and strengthen our market play within the gas sector; and by providing the gas advantage. The CEO said the company will help spur the development of self-sustaining industrial clusters to bolster the country’s socioeconomic growth. He said LNG was a viable provisional solution and an industry game-changer for the development of gas markets ahead of the actualisation of a far-reaching nationwide gas pipeline network as stipulated by the Nigerian Gas Master Plan. The company maintained that with an unlimited supply radius across the country, the Ajaokuta mini-LNG project will provide the solution to the perennial power challenges suffered in certain regions by supplying gas to key foundation off-takers including strategic power plants and commercial concerns. It disclosed that the initiative provides gas and power solutions to over 170 industrial and commercial customers nationwide ensuring cost-savings across board, power-

Commodity

Units

Price

Change

% Change

Time(ET)

Crude Oil (WTI)

USD/bbl.

44.42

+0.98

+2.26%

2:10 PM

Crude Oil (Brent)

USD/bbl.

45.28

+1.65

+3.78%

2:10 PM

TOCOM Crude Oil

JPY/kl

29,630.00

+1,080.00

+3.78%

2:08 PM

NYMEX Natural Gas

USD/MMBtu

2.15

+0.05

+2.48%

2:10 PM

Source: Bloomberg as at May 10, 2016

ing economic development, and engendering environmental awareness. The company commissioned its expanding Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) program in 2013, and is currently spearheading several long term projects including a 400km SouthWest to North-Westgas pipeline and a Central Processing Facility (CPF) which will serve as the primary gas gathering and processing hub in the Niger Delta. Osunsanya said, “We are focused on aggressively developing Nigeria’s gas infrastructure and the Midstream sector at large as evidenced by the ongoing expansion efforts of our various assets. We are poised to conclude the 10km Ijora to Marina expansion of our Greater Lagos pipeline to increase our supply capacity and market, while providing a cheaper power solution for industries and commercial enterprises along the axis.” “In cooperation with the Rivers State Government, we have also begun the 8km build out of the Central Horizon Gas Company pipeline franchise within the Trans-Amadi area which will have a socio-economic multiplier effect via the availability of power generated, job creation, and the growth of businesses.”

Energy Week

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Exploring solar energy options ‘ll ensure cost-efficient electricity – Yusuf Suleiman Yusuf, is the CEO of Blue Carmel Energy Limited, an indigenous company in the business of off-grid solutions, including energy generation, storage and distribution. He spoke to Senior Correspondent, CHIDI UGWU, on the sidelines on “Seeing is Believing: Renewable Option at Work Exhibition” a programme designed to showcase the efficacy of renewable energy in the country. Excerpts: battery bank when fully charged can run a duplex with all the electrical appliances for 18 hours without any sign of weakness. So around 5pm when the sun goes automatically the load transfers to the battery. And each battery life starts from three years, that batteries that are used with PHCN because of frequent recharge and discharge, but if you are using the battery with solar, if the standard of the battery is right it can go for from 5, 9 to 10 years depending on quality of the battery.

What informed your organizing the “Seeing is Believing: Renewable Option at Work Exhibition” programme? What we are showcasing today is a 10 set of apartment that has been running for the past 11 months totally off the grid. The whole idea is to prove number one that solar works, because some people do not believe that solar works, so we need to do something like this for people to see and believe that it works. Secondly, this is something that we are using to demonstrate a business model that shows that solar energy is cheaper than the grid energy that is available today, in most cases unavailable. Besides that, the solar energy is also affordable. Most people think it is not affordable, but they only think so because if you give them the startup cost, they do not look beyond the immediate cost. They want to compare it with buying a generator plant or buying fuel. In a solar solution, if you want to make the best of it, you should do a 10 to 25 year business and will prove that solar is definitely far cheaper than the cost of the grid electricity. Can solar be deployed for industrial use? Yes, you know the thing with solar is that it is scalable, and industrial use is even cheaper because most industrial use you can choose to run your machineries when the sun is out. For residential you have to store that power for use at nights. So that storage which we use the battery to achieve makes the solar solution expensive. So if you are doing a solution where you are using the power during the day for industrial use it is cheaper than the residential solutions. It is scalable that is what I can tell you. There is argument really that solar solution is a costly project, how affordable is it? I will tell you how affordable. Here now if I do an analysis. It costs N25 million to put solar in these 10 houses that is N2.5 million per house. If you add N1 million cost of battery replacement over 10 years that will bring you to N3.1 million per house. If you divide N3.1 million by one year, that will give you about 970, per day. I can tell you that any uninterrupted power supply available to you at less than N1000 per day, to run a house is far cheaper than PHCN. Even if you run PHCN at 24kilowatt hour you multiply it by N24 per kilowatt hour that will give quite some numbers. But then, PHCN is never there 100 per cent. So if you say 75% PHCN and 15% generator, that holds your energy cost, and that makes it somewhere around N2000 to N3000 per day. And here for solar, we are looking at N1000 per day. And it is this expensive because there are so many other areas that government can intervene to make it cheaper. For example, cost of accessing finance, when we borrow money at 20% interest rate to be able to buy these equipment it transferred to the customers. Keep in mind that after borrowing that money at that high interest rate, you go to the parallel market to buy the dollar, because government has not identified what we are doing a critical infrastructure, let alone listing us on the list of those that can access Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) funding. So if we could access CBN fund alone that will reduce the cost of our deployment by 50%. Then, come to the Nigerian Customs area, we are being billed 20% for importation of batteries which are the major components of every solar deployment. So, I think that if take the issue of energy mix seriously, if we understand that energy is

Yusuf

WELL, I DO HOPE THAT WE HAVE A DIFFERENT GOVERNMENT NOW. BUT FROM MY EXPERIENCES IN THE PAST EVEN THE JOB THAT WE HAVE BORROWED MONEY TO DO FOR GOVERNMENT SINCE 2010 WE HAVE NOT BEEN PAID. AND WE HAVE EVEN WRITTEN IT OFF AS BAD DEBT. THESE SOLUTIONS WERE DONE THROUGH CONTRACTS THAT WERE AWARDED, DULLY EXECUTED, JOB COMPLETED BUT WHEN THE ELECTIONS CAME THEY SAID NO THEY HAVE USED THE MONEY FOR ELECTIONS responsible majorly for the unemployment level, the inability of companies and factories to run optimally, the inability of so many small and medium scale businesses to hit their profit margin, then we should e able to take energy mix seriously to the extent of setting up a specific bank for energy which will probably be targeted at providing consumer financing. I think that is the only thing because we end up spending more buying fuel every day without feeling it. But cumulative saving on that fuel expenditure can give us the solar. The sun is there every day. Zero maintenance, it is just to use water to clean your solar panels for the next 25 years. Some users they have issues with this type of solution because it is wholly dependent on sun, can you explain how it can be sustained even at nights? At the nights the battery is there to back up. The

Could you give an insight to this emerging technology? I will tell you that technology innovations are usually children of circumstances. I had a rough time with energy, at a point in time I was running three generators in my apartment. My wife just had a baby and we could not sleep at nights when the weather is hot and there is no electricity. So we had a separate generator we put on at night and go to sleep whether PHCN comes back or not. You do not want to run and put it off and then before you get back to your house the light is gone again. So, that small one is there for night runs. We had one for running refrigerator, a 2.5kva, and then we had another one for air conditioners and for ironing occasionally, just one house household. So that got me thinking and I felt like exploring renewable energy for a solution. That is how it all started. I was a civil servant, I was working with one the agencies of government but I had to resign my appointment because I felt I will be more useful doing my own business. Government has been talking about developing renewable energy to complement the capacity of the national grid. Have you made attempts to bring government into what you are doing to see how they can key into it and offer necessary support? Well, I do hope that we have a different government now. But from my experiences in the past even the job that we have borrowed money to do for government since 2010 we have not been paid. And we have even written it off as bad debt. These solutions were done through contracts that were awarded, dully executed, job completed but when the elections came they said no they have used the money for elections. One story or the other. So, since that time I focused my business on private sector and individuals. And I became very much uninterested in dealing with the government especially the way it used to be I do not know if anything has changed. Can solar solution be this effective in the Southern part of the country where there is less sun? Yes, every region has what we call sun hours. Maidugiri 7, Sokoto 7, Kano 6.5, Abuja 6, down south 5, you know 3.5 is the minimum sun hour you can get in country. So what it means is that the solution that will work in East and the one that work in Maidugiri, the cost will be like 100% extra because you need twice the number of solar panels and twice the number of batteries for storage. So it works, in United Kingdom and other parts of Europe where they do not have our kind of sun light it works. In their own case they actually use trackers to be following the sun, here you do not need tracker, just put your solar panel flat in case you do not get the desired angle and you still get your energy generation daily.

Energy Week

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Yusuf

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

From The Civil Service NEITI moves to unmask real owners of oil firms Chidi Ugwu Abuja

he Nigeria Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (NEITI) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to initiate policies and laws mandating public disclosure of the real owners of companies that operate in Nigeria, especially in the extractive sector. The agency, in a statement, yesterday, said the presence of anonymous companies was a threat to Nigeria’s economy and security adding that even when not always illegal or misused, secret companies were hardly in the interests of developing countries. NEITI in its maiden policy brief titled: “The Need to Know Who Owns What in Nigeria’s Extractive Sector,” explained that the policy brief was coming at a time new developments such as the Panama papers’ leak which had revealed some of the prominent business executives and politicians including Nigerians behind some offshore companies, had put the danger of secret companies on the front burners of the society. The agency noted that

“Anonymous companies are used to deny countries of valuable revenues through tax avoidance, and sometimes outright tax evasion. “Then, the shroud of secrecy around them is used not only to mask possible corrupt relationships with government officials but also to obscure probable links to money laundering, drug trafficking, and terrorism financing.” NEITI stated that beneficial owners were not necessarily the same as legal owners, explaining that beneficial owners were the flesh and blood humans who benefit from, and exercise control over the running of companies. While urging government to consider such laws, NEITI explained that it was in the best interest of Nigeria and Nigerians as full ownership disclosure had practical implication for increasing government revenues, reducing the incidence of corruption and money laundering, and cutting off funding for drug lords and terrorists. “It is therefore important for the President Buhari administration to prioritise this aspect of transparency and

champion policy and legal frameworks for lifting the veil of secrecy on ownership of companies in the extractive sector in Nigeria. “Apart from Nigeria being seen to be in the vanguard of a global movement, the promotion, expansion and deepening of ownership disclosure of all companies that operate Nigeria’s oil, gas and solid minerals sector align

with the change agenda and the ongoing oil sector reforms of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration,” the agency stated. It further maintained that as an agency mandated by law to promote transparency and accountability in Nigeria’s oil, gas and solid minerals sector, a good place to start the disclosure of beneficial ownership would be the coun-

try’s extractive sector which it said still had some complex ownership structure. Emphasising the need for Nigeria to key into the beneficial ownership drive of the global Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), NEITI said, “Nigeria

The World Health Organisation, WHO, only offers polio-free certification after interruption by any polio-endemic nation after three years, without any case of the disease recorded within the period. Nigeria interrupted the scourge in 2014, and was delisted as polio-endemic country by WHO last year. Only Pakistan and Afghanistan are two remaining countries currently battling the disease, worldwide. At the conference with the theme “Celebrating a Gift to the World,” Ra-

vindran said: “Rotary membership is on the rise worldwide. With Rotarians serving in more clubs than ever before, it is our responsibility to keep looking, both within the Rotary family and outside of it, for new members, finding ways to smooth the path from our youth programmes to Rotary membership, while continuing to reach out to older members who still have so much to give. It is also our responsibility to keep up the momentum; to ensure that every new member finds value and meaning in

Rotary, and becomes an asset to their club. “As we look ahead to Rotary’s future, we look forward as well to our greatest achievement yet - the eradication of polio. We hope and believe that in this year, the world will see its last case of this terrible disease. Yet, as we all know, reaching this milestone does not mean that we have reached the end of our work. Three years must pass before the world can be certified polio-free. During that time, we must continue to immunise chil-

Marcus Fatunmole

Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu (r) in a handshake with the Acting Managing Director, News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), Mr Jones Afolabi, at the NAN Forum in Abuja.

Rotary targets 3 years for world-free polio Marcus Fatunmole Abuja

resident, Rotary International, Ravi Ravindran, hopes people across the world would see a world without polio disease come 2019. Ravindran said in Abuja at the 7th District Conference of Rotary International District 9125 that the club expected every country currently fighting polio to interrupt transmission of the virus this year, and continue vaccination against the disease till 2019.

We are ready for 2017 population census–NPC

P.38

Continued on Page 39>>

Ghanaian envoy proffers solution to farmers, herdsmen crisis P.39

can and should establish its public register of beneficial owners of companies involved in exploration, production, trading, import, export, and provision of other services in the extractive sector of the country well ahead of the 2020 deadline.

Unskilled midwives worsening maternal, child deaths in Nigeria – UNFPA, others Abuja

takeholders, comprising local and international experts in health have blamed the high rate of maternal and child mortality in Nigeria on failure of the country to engage its trained midwives whom they said were supposed to be in health institutions to offer needed services. The experts said at the inaugural International Midwifery Conference in Abuja recently that apart from the

neglect of trained midwives in the nation, many young girls in the country no longer have keen interest in midwifery as they once did, and that many schools of midwifery in the country were in dilapidated states. Resident Representative of United Nations Population Fund, UNFPA, in Nigeria, Ratidza Ndhlovu, said teachers in many midwifery schools in the country were ageing, and on the verge of retirement. She informed that the trained midwives only chose

Continued on Page 38>>

Edo guber poll: DG urges corps members to be neutral

P.38

Civil Service

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

We are ready for 2017 population census–NPC Joel Ajayi Abuja

he National Population Census, NPC, yesterday reiterated its readiness for the proposed 2017 population and housing census even though it is yet to receive proclamation from the presidency. The chairman of NPC, Chief Eze Duruiheoma, stated this in Abuja when he declared open a workshop on the next population and housing census for members and management staff of the commission, organised by the United States Census Bureau, USBC, with support

of United States Agency for International Development, USAID. He maintained that the objective of the workshop was to enhance technical capacity and skills of top functionaries of the commission to prepare for execute and disseminate data from the next population and housing census. According to him, the conducts of this capacity building marked another milestone in the determination of the commission to conduct an accurate, reliable and acceptable census. He said: “The conduct of the training is a step in the right direction in boosting the professional and man-

…as USAID trains 360 staff power base for the next population census. “Census taking is a very complex exercise that requires adequate skills and deep knowledge on the part of those who have the onerous task of carrying out the exercise. “There is a need to process, store and disseminate the data in the appropriate format for data users. There is no way this huge task can be undertaken unless the functionaries are properly

trained and retrained for this complex.” While highlighting the effort made so far by the commission, the NPC boss said: “May I seize this opportunity to assure Nigerians and our development partners that the commission remains committed to the conduct of an accurate, reliable and acceptable census that will provide demographic data for sustainable national planning. “With the successful com-

pletion of the first and second phases of enumeration area demarcation, preparation for the next census are on course. “Not only that the selected staff from various department of the commission has been trained on planning and managing the census, uses of android for data capture, migration to enterprises GIS are also carried out. “Over 182 staff were trained in previous training programmes and another set 162 participant includes

federal commissioner, states directors and key technical staff will be trained in a couple of week in this round of training by USCB. WHILE speaking, the Director of Health Population and Nutrition Office of USAID, Dr. Nancy Lowenthal, said US did not give money to other countries to finance its project but it’s ready to offer technical assistance in terms of capacity building to ensure successful conduct of 2017 population census in Nigeria.

Edo guber poll: DG urges corps members to be neutral J oel Ajayi Abuja

orps members that will be engaged in the conduct of Edo State governorship election later this year have been urged to maintain high level of neutrality in the conduct of their assignment. The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General Suleman Kazaure, made the call while addressing the 2016 Batch ‘A’ Corps members at the NYSC Orientation Camp, Okada, Edo State. He warned them against interfering in the activities of political groups in the state, adding that they should uphold the trust that would be reposed in them. Kazaure said the NYSC would, on its part, liaise with relevant stakeholders to ensure their safety before, during and after the election. Earlier, the state coordinator, Mrs. Atineh Japhet Akyam, said the Corps members

were of good behaviour and had been participating actively in all camp activities. During a similar visit to the NYSC Temporary Orientation Camp, Kaiama, Bayelsa State, the Director-General advised Corps members to shun all forms of vices. Kazaure, who told the youths to safeguard their own future, particularly warned them of the consequences of consuming illicit drugs. He further told the Corps members to be securityconscious and to avoid risky engagements such as attendance of late night parties as well as unnecessary and unauthorised journeys. Earlier in his welcome address, the NYSC state coordinator, Mr. Anthony Ekeocha, told the DG that the camp was a temporary one with limited facilities and water-logged environment. He, however, said the state government was constructing a befitting permanent orientation camp, which had reached advance stage of completion.

L-R: Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, Dr. Suleiman Dikko, Deputy Director, Engineering Services UBEC, Engr Sadiq Saad, Director, Office of the Executive Secretary UBEC, Alh. Aliyu Kardi, Chairman, Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Alh. Alhassan Niworu and the Chief Executive Officer, Zimtain Resources Limited, Mr. Ashiru Jibia during the commission’s working visit to Kuta for the inspection of ongoing project at Junior Girl Model Secondary School, in Niger State.

Unskilled midwives worsening maternal, child deaths in Nigeria – UNFPA, others CONTINUED FROM PAGE 37

to run to cities for apprenticeship and other jobs that could fetch them money when they were denied employment. She explained that consequently, women in rural communities and hard-to-reach areas who needed their services would not see them, and might lose either their babies or themselves at the point of birth or thereafter.

JONAPWD demands all inclusive budget implementation Joel Ajayi Abuja

oint National Association of Persons with Disabilities (JONAPWDs), an umbrella body of all Disabled Peoples Organisations in Nigeria, has commended the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration for the signing of the 2016 appropriation bill into law. The budget tagged “The Budget of Change”, according to the body was put in place to reposition the econ-

omy for effective delivery of democratic dividends to the citizenry. In a statement signed by the National President, JONAPWD, Ekaete Judith Umoh, the group demands budget implementation in an all-inclusive manner. According to the statement, upon the official signing of the 2016 appropriation bill into law on Friday 6th May, 2016 and the President’s official statement in this regard that “We hope this budget will impact

positively on the greatest number of the Nigerian citizenry; we anticipate that conscious efforts would be made to integrate the over 25 million Persons with Disabilities (PWDs) in Nigeria into the implementation process of the budget in all sectors of the economy. “It is necessary for Nigeria to intensify and diversify current efforts to bridge her disability discrepancy gaps in governance and implement budgets in an all-inclusive manner.”

“We need strong institutions; schools of midwifery should be funded by government to meet global standard,” she said. Ndhlovu added: “How do we expect the midwife to deliver life when there is no road, accommodation, water and other basic amenities. We need water system and light in every primary health centres.” Wife of the President, Mrs. Aisha Buhari, who was represented by wife of Speaker, House of Representatives, Mrs. Gimbiya Dogara, recalled the role of Mary Slessor in stopping the killing of twins in Nigeria. She urged midwives to believe in themselves, and promised that she would thenceforth improve her support for them. In her remark, President of International Confederation of Midwives, France DayStirk, said government of the country should do more to

improve maternal and child health. This, she noted, could be done mainly through the empowerment of midwives in the country. According to her, every woman around the world should have a midwife. Quoting the State of the World Midwifery Report 2014, she informed that Nigeria and India accounted for highest maternal and child deaths globally, with Nigeria coming first. She said to reverse the trend in the country, roles of midwives must be appreciated in saving lives and empowerment of women. “Midwives care for women, with skills and compassion; the best partnership for a pregnant woman is with a qualified midwife,” she stated. Similarly, a Professor of Midwifery, Dr. Jacqueline Dunkley, said it was the right of every woman around the world to have access to mid-

wives. She added that the role of midwives were not just physical, but psychological. She also challenged midwives in the country to be professional and friendlier. Vice President, National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives, Mrs. Margaret Akinsola, called on government to remove ban on employment in the health sector. She said communities were paying for the ban with lives of their people. Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewole, also said at the event that midwives were important to the realisation of health agenda of the federal government. Represented by Director, Human Resource Management in the ministry, Mrs. Didi Jack, the minister said plan by government to guarantee availability of 10,000 wards in the country would lead to employment of more midwives.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Civil Service 39

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Ghanaian envoy proffers solution to farmers, herdsmen crisis Adeola Tukuru Abuja

he Ambassador of Ghana to Nigeria, Mr. Williams Azumah Awinador, has stated that because herdsmen/farmers conflict has assumed a regional dimension, there is need to adopt a sustainable regional solution to end the crisis. He noted this when the Minister of Interior, Lt. General Abdulrahman Bello Dambazau, hosted him in Abuja. The Ghanaian envoy in his remarks recounted the age long beneficial ties between his country and Nigeria. Noting the numerous similarities in culture, religion and tradition between both countries,

he stated that Ghana was also contending with herdsmen/farmers crisis. He therefore sought for deepening of ties between both states to tackle common security challenges. The minister, in his response, thanked the visiting ambassador for the courtesy of his visits and posited that the two countries needed more collaborations in the areas of intelligence sharing, to track down movement of arms and ammunition, transnational criminals, trafficking in persons and cyber crime. He assured the Ghanaian Ambassador to Nigeria’s willingness to also share ideals on finding lasting solutions to pastoralist/ farmers conflict which is now a regional security concern.

Rotary targets 3 years for world-free polio CONTINUED FROM Page 37

dren, continue to monitor the environment for signs of the virus, and keep awareness high. In these most critical days, every one of us has a role to play in ensuring our success,” he added. Meanwhile, Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, at the event, called on Nigerians to imbibe the key objectives of Rotary, commonly referred to as the four-way test. Dogara, who was represented by the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Hon. Pally Iriase, said if people in the country lived by the four-way test advocated by Rotary, things would be positively turned around as desired by the majority of the nation’s population, and as has been intended by the present federal government. His words: “The four way test of Rotary is all about building good character and positive change in society. A citizenry that identifies itself with it will become more patriotic to the fatherland. “In the same way, public servants who practise the four way test will eschew

corruption and sharp practices in the discharge of their duties. Besides, if government policies and programmes are guided by this uniqu e four way test, the country will definitely change for good.” Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Muhammad Bello, commended the organisation at the event. He said wherever there was need, Rotary would always be ready to assist. Bello, who was represented by Mr. Buba Gumawa, urged other organisations across the globe to emulate the club. District Governor of the club, Dr. Mike Omotosho, while assuring that Rotary would continue to positively impact on humanity, especially the lessprivileged, gave awards to prominent personalities in the country who had made immense contributions to empowering people in the country on behalf of Rotary International. The recipients include Mai of Kaltungo, Gombe State, Sale Muhammadu Umar (OON), Speaker, House of Representatives and the FCT minister.

L-R: Benue State Governor Samuel Ortom; Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike; Kwara State Abdulfatah Ahmed and President Huhammadu Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Femi Adesina after a meeting at the Villa, recently.

Head of Service tasks Environmental Officers, MDAs Richard Ndoma Calabar

ross River State Head of Service, Barr. Ekpenyong Inyang Henshew, has canvassed for a synergy between the state chapter of Environmental Health Officers Association of Nigeria and the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies so as to achieve the objectives in which the association was formed. Ekpenyong made the remark while receiving the association`s presi-

dent, Mr. Silvanus Bassey Peter and the exco members of the association, when they paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Calabar over the weekend. The Head of Service who was represented by the Permanent Secretary, Public Service Office, Office of the Head of Service, Barr. Geraldine Akpet-Ekanem, lauded the association for living above board and urged them to build a strong partnership and working relationship with relevant MDAs to enable

them work for the overall improvement of healthcare delivery system of the people of Nigeria. Akpet-Ekanem stated that the Office of the Head of Service was making arrangement to clear all the backlog of promotions arrears and salaries up to 2016 so as to alleviate the sufferings of civil servants in the state. He stressed that all issues related to recruitment of young graduates into the service was receiving top priority attention. The Cross River State

number one civil servants recalled how members of the association had made impact on the society in the past when there were Sanitary Inspectors. He added that because they were so dreaded people used to observe sanitation in order not to be faulted or taken to sanitation court for subsequent prosecution. Earlier in his address, the president of the association, Mr. Silvanus Bassey Peter, said they came to visit the Head of Service to congratulate him on his appointment.

to return the maritime industry to its pride of place in the Nigerian economy. He assured the stakeholders of his commitment to move the sector forward, saying that the agency was about to draft a Medium Term Maritime Growth Strategy to cover the next three years. The director-general said that the strategy would be stakeholderdriven, ``which has necessitated the organisation of the forum’’. He said that NIMASA was undergoing structural, cultural and performance reforms. Peterside said that the

focus of the agency’s performance would no longer be measured by how much revenue it derived but on how well it could stimulate the necessary growth of the sector for the benefit of indigenous operators and other Nigerians. ``Our performance will be service-based and not metric-based. The focal point of which will be to create the enabling environment to gainfully engage as many stakeholders as possible,’’ The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes him as saying.

He said that this was ``with a view to creating wealth and generating employment.’’ Peterside thanked the stakeholders for turning out in their numbers for the agency to draw from their wealth of experience and assured them that their contributions would be noted and treated appropriately. According to the statement, stakeholders who attended the event applauded the initiative and offered varying contributions aimed at charting a new roadmap for the development of the maritime industry.

NIMASA on mission of self-recovery–Peterside

he Director-General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA), Dr. Dakuku Peterside, has said that the agency is on a mission of self-recovery to actualise its core mandate. A statement by the Head, Public Relations Department of the agency, Hajia Lami Tumaka, said the director-general stated this at a Stakeholders’ Forum in Lagos titled: ``Repositioning the Maritime Sector for Greater Impact’’. Peterside urged stakeholders to collaborate with the agency in order

Capital Market

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

Borrowed funds to be utilized on capital projects – DMO boss Johnson Okanlawon

he Director General of Debt Management Office, DMO, Dr. Abraham Nwankwo has restated the Federal Government’s commitment that all money to be borrowed to finance the 2016 budget will be dedicated to fund capital projects. Nwankwo said this yesterday in Lagos at a one-day workshop by DMO on “Public Debt and the Challenge of Financing Nigeria’s Economic Recovery” organised for Capital Market Correspondents Association of Nigeria, CAMCAN. “The DMO is committed to making sure that we raise money to fund the 2016 budget deficit from appropriate sources and sthrough appropriate mix during the fiscal

year to make sure that capital projects are funded,” he said. The DMO boss stressed that the Nigerian debt level is highly sustainable, noting that the nation still had a lot of idle potential, which the administration is currently working to harness for effective growth of our national economy. According to him, while comparative tax revenue to GDP ratio of Nigeria is less than 7.0 per cent, its peer group has a ratio of 18 per cent. He therefore, stressed the need to widen the tax net to generate more revenue for the government. “The debt to GDP ratio is 13 per cent, compared to the 56 per cent of peer group. So in that essence, our debt is still very sustainable. In this respect, I am encouraging

all Nigerians to continue to make sure that they pay their taxes fully as at when due because our tax revenue GDP ratio is relatively lower to countries in our peer group. “As our economy grows, as our GDP grows, as we are collecting enough in taxes from individuals and corporates bodies to be able to fund capital projects, our economy will continue to grow” he said. He said the debt sustainability and overall economic sustainability can be significantly influence by individuals and corporates bodies paying taxes fully. Speaking on the economic recession caused mainly by unfavourable structural change in the fall of oil prices globally, he said the Nigerian gov-

Again, market capitalisation drops N63bn Johnson Okanlawon

rading in equities closed lower on the Nigerian Stock Exchange yesterday, as some investors took profit from the gains recorded the previous days. The All Share Index depreciated 0.70 per cent to close at 25,646.56 points, compared to the increase of 0.49 per cent recorded the preceding day to close at 25,828.30 points. Market capitalisation lost N63 billion to close at N8.82 trillion, in contrast to the

rise of N44 billion recorded the preceding day to close at N8.88trillion. The depreciation recorded in the share prices of Dangote Cement, FBN Holdings, Lafarge WAPCO, Forte Oil and United Bank for Africa were mainly responsible for the loss recorded in the index. The total value of stocks traded was N1.36billion, down 78.87 per cent from N6.44billion recorded preceding day, while the total volume of stocks traded was 237.83million in 3,885 deals.

Tiger Brands Plc led the gainers’ table with 41 kobo or 9.81 per cent to close at N4.59 per share, followed by Diamond Bank Plc with 14 kobo or 9.52 per cent to close at N1.61 per share. Flour Mills Plc added N1.59 or 6.79 per cent to close at N24.99 per share, while Wema Bank Plc gained five kobo or 6.67 per cent to close at 80 kobo per share. Unilever Plc appreciated N1.77 or 4.98 per cent to close at N37.31 per share. On the flip side, University

ernment is addressing the challenge through diversified, self-sustaining growth in agriculture and agro processing, solid minerals, manufacturing and ICT. According to him, in the medium to long term, Gainers and Losers debt sustainability in NiStart Date 09/05/2016 through End Date 10/05/2016 geria hinges on the overPrint Date 10/05/2016 all sustainability of the economic, and the overall Market indicators Gainers and Losers economic sustainability Start Date 09/05/2016 through End Date 10/05/2016 Gainers for Equities All-Share Index 25,646.56 points Print Date 10/05/2016 hinges on diversifying the 2016-05-09 2016-05-10 S/N Symbol Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) Market capitalisation 8.82trn economy in a sustainable 1 TIGERBRANDS 4.18 4.59 manner. 2 DIAMONDBNK 1.47 1.61 3 FLOURMILL 23.40 for Equities 24.99 Gainers “That is what the gov4 WEMABANK 0.75 0.80 2016-05-09 2016-05-10 ernment is doing in agri5 UNILEVER 35.54 Closing Price(N) 37.31 Closing Price(N) S/N Symbol 61 UNIONDICON 11.70 12.28 TIGERBRANDS 4.18 4.59 culture, solid minerals, 72 IKEJAHOTEL 2.23 2.34 DIAMONDBNK 1.47 1.61 ICT and manufacturing. 83 STERLNBANK 1.63 1.71 FLOURMILL 23.40 24.99 94 UNITYBNK 0.66 0.69 And to do that we need WEMABANK 0.75 0.80 10 HONYFLOUR 1.57 1.64 5 UNILEVER 35.54 37.31 a strong infrastructure 11 AGLEVENT 0.94 0.98 6 UNIONDICON 11.70 12.28 base and that is why gov12 SKYEBANK 1.03 1.07 7 IKEJAHOTEL 2.23 2.34 13 NEM 0.78 0.81 8 STERLNBANK 1.63 1.71 ernment is spending what 14 NEIMETH 0.81 0.84 9 UNITYBNK 0.66 0.69 is borrowing on capital 15 0.86 0.89 10 MAYBAKER HONYFLOUR 1.57 1.64 16 2.80 2.87 11 AFRIPRUD AGLEVENT 0.94 0.98 projects,” Nwankwo said. 17 12 18 13 19 14 20 15 21 16

been investigating diversion of arms funds, otherwise known as Dasukigate, named after the former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd). The bank stated further that while the reason for the visit by the EFCC last Wednesday was not immediately clear, it has now been confirmed that the investigation was related to the banking relationship of a non-bank financial institution that is a client of Sterling Bank Plc. “We affirm for the public records that the bank does not hold the account of the public officer from the previous administration to which this matter has been linked either officially or otherwise; the nonbank financial institution (Asset Management Company) in question purchased a number of loans on a recourse basis from Sterling Bank Plc on com-

mercially acceptable terms and this is the link of the concern raised by the EFCC to Sterling Bank Plc,” the bank stated. The lender’s share price rose by 4.91 per cent yesterday, the eighth highest percentage gain within the five-hour trading session. Sterling Bank’s share price closed at N1.71. The gain by Sterling Bank helped the banking sector to a positive close in a market overwhelmed by losses by several highly capitalised stocks. Analysts at Afrinvest Securities stated that the gains by Sterling Bank and two other banksDiamond Bank and Zenith Bank, were largely responsible for the extended bullish run of the NSE Banking Index, which rose by 0.6 per cent. The overall market position closed negative yesterday with average decline of 0.70 per cent, equivalent to a loss

4.66 1.03 20.62 0.78

CUTIX NEIMETH ETRANZACT MAYBAKER

12.77

MPR

Crude oil price

$42.41

Exchange

Rates (N)

WAUA

270

USD

197.00

EURO

214

CFA

0.32

YEN

1.64

SWISS FRANC

202

POUNDS STERLING

293

SDR

273

3.95 2.87 8.47 4.77 1.04 21.05

1.03 20.62 1.14 1.55

1.15 1.58 5.85 3.96

5.80 3.90 116.70 3.90

117.51 3.95 6.71 8.47

6.67 8.38 4.28 1.03

4.30 1.04 13.80 1.15 4.57 5.85

13.75 1.14 4.56 5.80

18.60 116.70 18.00 6.67

18.63 117.51 18.01 6.71

Gain(N)

% Change

0.41

9.81

0.14

9.52

1.59

6.79

0.05

6.67

1.77 Gain(N) 0.58 0.41

4.98 % Change 4.96 9.81

0.03 0.05 0.07 1.77 0.04 0.58

4.55 6.67 4.46 4.98

0.11 0.14 0.08 1.59

4.93 9.52 4.91 6.79

4.26 4.96 3.88 4.93

0.04 0.11 0.03 0.08

3.85 4.91 3.70 4.55 3.49 4.46

0.03 0.03 0.03 0.07 0.07 0.04 0.11 0.04

2.50 4.26 2.36 3.88 2.09 3.85

0.43 0.03 0.03 0.03

0.06 0.03 0.05 0.07

1.94 3.70 1.54 3.49 1.28 2.50

0.01 0.03 0.05 0.06

0.88 1.94 0.86 1.54

0.09 0.11 0.01 0.43

1.07 2.36 0.97 2.09

0.81 0.05 0.04 0.09 0.02 0.01

0.69 1.28 0.60 1.07 0.47 0.97

0.01 0.04

0.16 0.69 0.06 0.60

0.05 0.01 0.01 0.05 0.03 0.81

0.36 0.88 0.22 0.86

4.28

4.30

0.02

0.47

13.75

13.80

Losers 4.56for Equities 4.57

0.05

0.36

0.01

0.22

18.60 18.63 2016-05-09 2016-05-10 Closing Price(N) 18.00 Closing Price(N) 18.01 5.70 5.42

0.03 Loss(N) 0.01

0.16 % Change 0.06

-0.10

-4.83

2.07

1.97

-0.28

-4.91

Losers for Equities 2016-05-09 2016-05-10 Closing Price(N) Closing Price(N) 5.70 2.07

Description

Bid

Loss(N) Page % Change1 of

5.42

-0.28

-4.91

1.97

-0.10

-4.83

Offer

Price

Yield

Price

Page

Yield

15.10 27-APR-2017

1.08

105.02

10.05

105.17

9.91

16.00 29-JUN-2019

3.25

114.57

10.57

114.87

10.47

15.54 13-FEB-2020

3.88

112.93

11.31

113.23

11.22

16.39 27-JAN-2022

5.83

120.16

11.53

120.46

11.47

14.20 14-MAR-2024

7.96

109.78

12.24

110.08

12.18

12.50 22-JAN-2026

9.82

100.55

12.39

100.85

12.34

Rate (%) Inflation

1.58 0.84 3.96 0.89

3.90 2.80 8.38 4.66

of N62 billion. The All Share Index (ASI)-the value-based index that tracks all quoted equities on the NSE declined from 25,828.30 points to close at 25,646.56 points.

4.77 1.07 21.05 0.81

1.55 0.81 3.90 0.86

NAHCO AFRIPRUD

Press Limited lost 28 kobo or 22 17 NASCON UBN 23 18 FCMB PZ 4.91 per cent to close at N5.42 24 19 NPFMCRFBK CUTIX per share, while Portland 25 20 DANGSUGAR ETRANZACT 26 21 NB NAHCO Paints Plc declined 10 kobo 27 22 CCNN NASCON or 4.83 per cent to close at 28 23 ACCESS FCMB 29 24 ZENITHBANK NPFMCRFBK N1.97 per share. 30 25 OANDO DANGSUGAR Mansard Insurance de31 UACN 26 NB 32 27 GUARANTY CCNN preciated nine kobo or 4.43 28 ACCESS per cent to close at N1.94 per 29 ZENITHBANK 30 OANDO share, while Fidson Health31 UACN S/N Symbol care Plc dropped nine kobo 32 GUARANTY 1 UPL or 4.23 per cent to close at 2 PORTPAINT N2.04 per share. Forte Oil Plc fell N9.26 Symbol Published by TheS/N Nigerian Stock Exchange © FGN Bonds or 4.22 per cent to close at 1 UPL 2 PORTPAINT N210.00 per share.

Sterling Bank’s share price up, as lender clarifies slush deals saga terling Bank Plc’s shares were the toast of the stock market yesterday, as investors rallied the lender’s clarification over the recent issue involving the institution and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). In a statement to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), sourced by National Mirror the bank affirmed that it did not hold account for “the public officer from the previous administration to which this matter (EFCC visit to the bank) has been linked either officially or otherwise”. Some reports – most especially online, had linked last week investigative visit by the EFCC to the bank to the slush political dealings involving former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs Diezani AllisonMadueke, generally known as Diezanigate. EFCC had also

UBN SKYEBANK PZ NEM

Source: NSE

Closing Market Prices of March 29, 2016

Treasury Bills Maturity Date

Bid

Offer

30-Jun-16

7.89

8.06

22-Sep-16

8.29

8.64

16-Mar-17

9.31

10.23

NIBOR Tenor

Rate (%)

O/N

12.8333

10.4872

12.2247

13.6227 CBN Clearing Rates of January 7, 2016

1 of

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

World News Isolationism has never served Britain well. Whenever we turn our back on Europe, sooner or later we come to regret it. –BRITISH PRIME MINISTER, DAVID CAMERON

Hiroshima tour highlights Obama’s Japan visit Afolabi Gambari

WITH AGENCY REPORT

eports yesterday indicated that United States President, Barack Obama, will visit Hiroshima during his one-week tour of Asia beginning on May 21. Obama will be the first serving US president to travel to the Japanese city since it was hit by a US nuclear bomb in 1945 and reports said he will also visit Vietnam. The Hiroshima bombing on August 6 1945 killed 140, 000 people. Along with a second bombing on Nagasaki, it is credited with ending World War Two. Interestingly, the White House said yesterday that there would be no apology for the bombings. “The President will make an historic visit to Hiroshima with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to

President Barack Obama highlight his continued commitment to pursuing peace and security in a world without nuclear weapons,” a statement by Obama’s Communications Adviser, Ben Rhodes, said.

“The US will be eternally proud of our civilian leaders and the men and women of our armed forces who served in World War II. “President will not revisit

the decision to use the atomic bomb at the end of World War II. Instead, he will offer a forward-looking vision focused on our shared future. “The visit will offer an opportunity to honour the memory of all innocents who were lost during the war. “The President and his team will make this visit knowing that the open recognition of history is essential to understanding our shared past, the forces that shape the world we live in today, and the future that we seek for our children and grandchildren.” Obama will also take part in the G7 summit in Japan’s Ise-Shima peninsula and hold bilateral talks with Abe, before which he will meet Vietnam’s leadership and deliver a speech in the capital, Hanoi, on US-Vietnam relations.

Anti-Islam stance: London Mayor dismisses Trump

he new Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has criticised Donald Trump’s stance on Islam, describing it as ignorant and warning it could make both the UK and the US less safe. Khan, whose win last week made him the first Muslim mayor of any Western capital, made the comments yesterday after Trump suggested the Londoner would be exempt from his proposed ban on Muslims entering the United States. “Donald Trump’s ignorant view of Islam risks alienating mainstream Muslims around the world and plays into the hands of the extremists,” Khan said. He rejected Trump’s sugges-

tion that he could be an exception to the proposed Muslim travel ban, saying: “This isn’t just about me-it’s about my friends, my family and everyone who comes from a background similar to mine, anywhere in the world. “Trump and those around him think that western liberal values are incompatible with mainstream Islam-London has proved him wrong.” Asked by the newspaper how his proposed temporary ban on Muslims entering the country would affect Khan, Trump replied: “There will always be exceptions.” “I was happy to see that,” he said, referring to Khan’s win.

“I think it’s a very good thing, and I hope he does a very good job because frankly that would be very, very good.” Trump sparked controversy when he called for “a total and complete shutdown of Muslims entering the United States until our country’s representatives can figure out what is going on” in the wake of the Paris terror attacks in November. In the UK, a public petition to ban Trump from the country for hate speech attracted more than half a million signatures.

The petition prompted British parliamentarians to hold a non-binding debate on the issue in January, with one MP opining: “I don’t think Donald Trump should be allowed within 1, 000 miles of our shore.”

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan

Al-Sisi hits satirists hard

ive members of an Egyptian group whose satirical videos have mocked President Abdul Fattah al-Sisi have been arrested, their lawyer said

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi

yesterday. Four of the six men in Atfal alShawarea (Street Children) were held on Monday on suspicion of insulting state institutions and inciting protests. The fifth was detained on Saturday on similar charges. Last week, they posted a video online that criticised the crackdown on anti-Sisi demonstrations and journalists. More than 1, 200 people were detained in April after people took to the streets to protest against the

president’s controversial decision to hand over control of two Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia. At least 577 people are reportedly facing charges including violating a law banning unauthorised public gatherings of more than 10 people. The government has also been condemned by the journalists’ union for sending police into its headquarters this month to arrest two journalists from a website critical of the president. Prosecutors have accused the two journalists of inciting the protests. The first member of Atfal al-Shawarea, which has a large following

on Facebook, to be detained was Ezz el-Din Khaled. The 19-year-old was arrested at his home in Cairo on Saturday and accused of inciting protests and publishing a video that insulted state institutions. It was not clear which of the group’s videos prosecutors had deemed insulting. In one recent selfie-style clip filmed on a street, the men pretend to interrogate each other. “What do you have to say about the charges against you?” one of them asks.

WORLD BULLETIN

Racist SA judge faces probe A white South African judge, Mabel Jansen, is to be investigated for alleged misconduct after she purportedly said on Facebook that rape was part of black culture. The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) said a top black advocate had lodged a complaint against Jansen, even as the Justice Minister Michael Masutha has been asked to put her on special leave, while the complaint is dealt with. Jansen was widely condemned after her purported comments went viral on social media at the weekend. She said, in posts attributed to her, that the gang-rape of babies, girls and women was seen as a “pleasurable” pastime by black men. The judge said the comments had been made in a private Facebook exchange with South African activist Gillian Schutte, and had been taken out of context.

Sudanese group frees Ethiopian kids At least 19 Ethiopian children held captive by an armed South Sudanese group for nearly a month have been freed, Ethiopian state media reported yesterday. The 19 were freed following mediation by South Sudan’s government, according to the report. This is the first group to be released since about 125 children were abducted in the cross-border raid. Members of the Murle community carried out the attack. They have previously been accused of stealing livestock and children to raise as their own. More than 200 people from the rival Nuer community in Ethiopia’s western Gambella province were killed in the April 15 raid. Ethiopian forces crossed into South Sudan, encircling villages where the children were held.

WHO sounds Yellow Fever alert Scientists in the US have warned that the shortage of yellow fever vaccines could spark a health security crisis. An outbreak of the mosquitoborne viral disease has killed 277 people in Angola since December, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). An article in the Journal of the American Medical Association warned that it could spread to other continents. WHO said almost six million people have been vaccinated in Angola, which has a population of 24.3 million. In April, WHO said the emergency stockpile of vaccines had ran out. The virus has already spread to neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya and China.

North

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Lalong tasks Plateau Assembly, signs 2016 budget James Abraham JOS

Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State signing the 2016 Appropriation Bill into law in Jos, yesterday. With him is the Plateau Commissioner for Finance, Tamwakat Wali.

Gombe begins polio immunisation in six LGs

Williams Attah GOMBE

ombe State Primary Heath Care Development Agency has begun polio immunisation exercise in six local government areas of the state following the emergence of the virus in Abaganaram, a border town in Borno State. Deputy director, immunisation, of the agency, Mr.

Musa Ibrahim Kuna, who stated this during the flagoff the exercise yesterday in Gombe State said the virus was detected at Abaganaram in Borno State. According to him, the agency found it necessary to embark on the exercise to ensure that the six local government areas in Gombe State that share boundary with Borno State are not be affected by the virus.

He appreciated the government for supporting the agency with logistics to ensure the success of the exercise. The deputy director also appealed to the public to, as a matter of urgency, immunise their children to avoid being infected with the virus. He said government has provided necessary logistics to enable the agency

carry out its function effectively and vowed not to take any chances during the exercise. He explained that the exercise is expected to last four days, beginning from May 9 and ending May 12. Speaking further, he said there is need for the public to be sensitised about the virus to ensure that a good level of awareness is created.

Katsina students get N569m scholarship James Danjuma KATSINA

atsina State government said it has released over N569.1 million to effect payment of scholarship allowances to students of institutions of higher learning in the state. A statement signed by spokesperson of the Department of Higher Education in the state, Aminu Badaru, quoted the director general of state Scholarship Trust Fund, Shehu Muhammad on the release of the amount. The statement added that last year, N338.5 million was disbursed to settle the allowances of 26,697 continuing students. The director general, in the statement, said 35 law schools students were paid N10.5 million as their scholarship allowances. In addition, he said gov-

ernment, despite its lean financial resources, was able to release more than N220.1 million for the payment of scholarship to 17,943 fresh students for the 2014/2015 academic session. It said the director general expressed gratitude to members of the board of trustees of the scholarship board for managing the resources of the funds judiciously. In a related development, special adviser on Higher Education, Prof. Badamasi Lawal, has expressed gratitude to Governor Aminu Bello Masari for releasing the funds despite shortage in the revenue from federation account. Prof. Badamasi commended the “foresight and sense of maturity exhibited by the students” for while waiting for alerts for the allowances. He spoke while meet-

ing with representatives of the students’ union government in the state. The special adviser however appealed to the students to always take their studies seriously and shun ills like cultism, drug abuse and hooliganism. Responding, president of the National Association of Katsina State

students, Comrade AbdulRahman Maska, commended the timely release of the allowances to the students. Maska assured of of the students’ continued support and cooperation with the present state government in order to bring about positive development in the education sector.

lateau State governor, Simon Lalong, yesterday signed the 2016 budget into law with a call on the state House of Assembly to be alert to its responsibilities of checks and balances to ensure proper implementation of the budget. The budget of over N146bn was signed into law by the governor during a brief ceremony which held at the Rayfield Government House in Jos yesterday. The amount showed a decrease of about N7 billion from the over N154 billion presented by the governor to the state House of Assembly in December last year. The amount also showed over N73.37 billion as capital vote and over N73.25 billion as recurrent expenditure for

Kano bans foreign scholarship Abdulgafar Oladimeji KANO

ano State government has described its study abroad scholarship programme as unsustainable, declaring that the state indigenes would no longer enjoy the study grant. The state’s Commissioner for Information, Youths and Culture, Mallam Mohammed Garba, yesterday in Kano noted that majority of the courses studied abroad on scholarship are equally offered in Nigerian universities. He said the state government, after taking into account areas of study

Syndicate behind attacks on pipelines –Task Force Wale Ibrahim LOKOJA

he task force set up by the Federal Government against pipeline vandalism in the Niger Delta said it has identified syndicates responsible for recent pipeline attacks in the area. The task force also said it is on the trail of five members of the syndicates who are the arrow heads of the criminal gangs.

Leader of the task force, Commander E. O. Lamidi (rtd) revealed this to newsmen yesterday in Okene, Kogi Sate, during its visit to some neighbouring states around the Niger Delta area to seek synergy. Lamidi said the security agents also discovered bunkerers’ properties worth millions of naira in the Niger Delta region of Warri South - West Local Government area of Delta State. Said he: “We are on the

the year. The governor who described the 2016 budget tagged ‘Budget of Rescue and Hope’ as unique, said his administration would use it to address critical development projects and work assiduously towards addressing the outlined interventions that would deliver on government’s five policy thrust of Peace, Security and Good Governance; human capital development and social Welfare; Agriculture and Rural Development; Entrepreneurship and Industrialisation; Physical Infrastructure and Environment “We desire to multiply the impact of our interventions by strategically exploring and exploiting the wealth of resources and opportunities that we have in the agricultural, mineral resources and tourism sectors,” he said.

trail of the syndicates. Among them is Master John Oko who is the head of the bunkerers; Chief Tortor who stays in the river without coming to land; Akingbi, Shola, Aroli and host of others. “These people will be brought to book to serve as deterrent to other criminals.” He said their efforts to curb incessant pipeline vandalism and oil theft have started yielding positive results.

usually embarked upon by the beneficiaries, it was discovered that majority are undertaking courses not in core technical disciplines. He disclosed that so far in 2016, the state government has spent over N100 million in payment of school fees and other entitlements to foreign institutions of learning where the state indigenes are undertaking their studies. Garba said, henceforth, the amount spent on the training of one person in a foreign school would be used to train three persons in home-based tertiary institutions. According to him, the state government would lay emphasis on strengthen the state-owned institutions of higher learning by ensuring the accreditation of more course by the National Universities Commission, NUC. He assured that 1,150 Kano indigenes currently schooling abroad at the expense of the state government would complete their programmes, adding that the decision to halt such venture by the present administration would not affect their studies.

Wednesday, May 11, 2016

West Ham hint at Moses, Emenike exit

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Sport

Italian men and Russian women don’t shave before a race – Eddie Ottoz

Korea invitational

Awoniyi, Ajayi, four other pros listed S

ix overseas-based professionals led by Liverpool loanee Taiwo Awoniyi have confirmed they will be available for Nigeria’s Olympic team in an invitational tournament in South Korea later this month. Other pros confirmed for the tourney are Imoh Ezekiel, Sodiq Popoola (Belgium), Azubuike Okechukwu (Turkey), Junior Ajayi (Tunisia) and Usman Mohammed (Portugal). The Samson Siasia-coached side was initially scheduled to participate in Toulon, France Football Festival which will involve several of the teams involved in the Olympics as part of its build up to the Rio 2016 Olympics but the NFF failed to pay 80,000 participation fee before opting for the Korean event. Siasia invited 30 players who were drawn mainly from the Nigerian league in preparation for the Korea tournament and the Olympics in August. Some of the players currently at the team’s Abuja camp are Emmanuel Daniel, Yusuf Mohammed, Daniel Emmanson, Omasteye Alex, Sincere Seth, Oduduwa Segun, Obanor Er-

hun Ahamefule Chizoba, Ndifreke Effiong and Chima Akas. Others are Timothy Danladi , Stanley Okorom, Harrison, Ubong Ekpai, David Itoho, Kabiru Moshood, Bright Onyedikachi ,Ifeanyi Mathew, Tiongoli Tonbara and Olisah Ndah, while Julius Emiloju, Joseph Osadiaye , Daniel Etor, Austine Dimgba, Ezekiel Mbah, Abdulrahman Taiwo ,Godwin Obaje, Kufre Ebong , Uchenna Agha and Godwin Aguda complete the squad. Awoniyi, who described the invitation as honour, assured Nigerians of his involvement in the build-up to the Olympics. “I am happy that Coach Siasia has considered me worthy to be part of his Olympic preparation,” Awoniyi said. “The dream of every player is to represent his country at the international level and I am glad to be part of the plans for Rio 2016 Olympics and I will not disappoint him”, the FSV Frankfurt player who is on loan to English Premiership side Liverpool added. “I look forward to the tournament to enable him justify his inclusion in the team even as he

stated that the competition will be tough especially with the participation of another Olympicbound team Honduras. “All the invited players are eagerly awaiting the commence-

ment of the championship in South Korea to enable everyone justify his inclusion in the team. “Personally, am looking forward to contributing my quota not only in the Korea tour-

nament but at the Olympics proper.” Awoniyi represented Nigeria at the 2015 FIFA U-20 World Cup in New Zealand after winning the 2015 African U-20 Championship in Senegal.

NPFL expulsion fear grips Giwa FC

he threat of expulsion from the league again hangs over Giwa as they look set to stay away from Nigeria Professional Football League match against Akwa United today in Ilorin, where the Jos club has been banished to after crowd trouble at the Rwang Pam Stadium in Jos. Giwa FC was also fined N6.7 million as the League Management Company ordered the club to play its remaining home matches behind closed doors while the club’s supporters are banned from all league match venues for the remainder of the season. Giwa has already failed to honour a game in Ilorin against Wikki Tourists of Bauchi, who have since been awarded the match’s maximum points. The side would have missed two matches if it failed to turn

...club set to boycott Akwa clash

up against Akwa United, al- we are going for the match or though it also has a home game not and we are confused at the left to play in Ilorin to complete moment,” the player offered. Interestingly Giwa FC honthe sanctions imposed on it. According to the league’s oured its Match Day 15 fixture against Abia Warrules, a team will be thrown out riors in Umuahia of the competition should it last weekend to miss a total of three matches prevent a poswithout an acceptable reason. sible ban by the A GIwa player who spoke LMC. on condition of anonymity stated that the team was in Jos at press time yesterday and was not sure of travelling to Ilorin. “Nobody has given us any infor mation i f Giwa

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PUBLIC NOTICE

FESTACTOWN COMMUNITY BUILDERS INITIATIVE

NKA RINA EVANGELICAL OUTREACH

YOUTHS CENTRE FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND CIVIC EDUCATION

This is to inform the General Public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. AZIKE OLUMUYIWA – CHAIRMAN 2. OLORUNFEMI OLUWASEUN – VICE-CHAIRMAN 3. AGABU CHUKWUEMEKA – TREASURER AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE 1. To showcase and promote talents in the festac town community by organizing social events and also creating initiatives that will improve lives in the community. 2. Create an environment where disadvantaged student can learn without the burden of financial expenses. 3. Help entrepreneurial youths in festac town community fulfill their ambitions by creating opportunities for them. Any Objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent , Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, P.M. B 198 Maitama, Abuja within twenty eight(28) days of this publication Signed: AZIKE OLUMUYIWA

This is to inform the general public that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘c’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 6. Mr. Yakubu Kadiya 1. Pastor David Rabwo 7. Mr. Chinge Dodo 2. Ismaila Ransa 8. Rev. Thomas Dogo 3. Hon. Lumumba Dah Adeh 9. Rev. Sambo Breh 4. Barr. Sunday Gye 10. Mr. Sunday Audu 5. Mrs. Hanatu Giwa AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the gospel of Christ 2. To promote human right, good governance through organized sensitization programs 3. To plan ways of meeting the spiritual, social and physical needs of converts, widows and orphans 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 twenty-eight (28) days of this publication. Signed: Pastor David Rabwo

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Association has Applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Odo Victor Enyi - Chairman 2. Odo Celine Nneka 3. Madu Emeka 4. Odo Chukwuebuka Vitus 5. Odo Mary Nebechukwu THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote Human Rights ideals amongst the youths and individuals. 2. To preach against Human Rights abuses 3. To enhance youths employable skills and development 4. To develop special skills and abilities of youths through formal and informal education. 5. To preach peace and obedience to law and order amongst youths in the society. 6. To foster peace, Social Justice, human Rights democracy and good governance 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: Chairman

Sports

Terry deserves huge goodbye –Hiddink

Thursday, March 5, 2015 Wednesday, May 11, 2016

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Emenike

Terry

helsea interim manager Guus Hiddink believes John Terry deserves a public farewell -despite being banned for the final two games of the season. Terry, 35, looks set to leave Stamford Bridge this summer after saying he would not be getting a new contract. However, Chelsea say an offer could still be made to keep their longserving captain at the club. “Whether he stays, whether he goes in the last option, he deserves a huge goodbye,” Hiddink said. “But it’s never goodbye with those players, because I think in the near future, whatever happens, they can have a big impact in clubs.” The Blues defender made his debut for the club in 1998 and has since made 703 appearances in all competitions. He was sent off in last Saturday’s 3-2 loss at Sunderland and because it was his second dismissal of the season, he is suspended for Chelsea’s final two games against Liverpool and then Premier League champions Leicester City at Stamford Bridge. However, Hiddink admits the decision over Terry’s future does not rest with him as new head coach Antonio Conte is set to arrive in the summer.

West Ham hint at Moses, Emenike exit

est Ham United cochairman David Sullivan said that the Hammers have made a big-money transfer bid for an unnamed striker. He not only confirmed that the Champions League hopefuls had made a move for an attacker, but also that they are planning another high-profile move later this week. “We’ve put a bid in today for 30m for a player and other bids will be going in,” Sullivan began. “We’re going to make a £20-25m for a player in England, maybe later this week. Speculation is rife as to the identity of the hitmen referred to by Sullivan, with Liverpool’s Belgian flop Christian Benteke and Olympique de Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi; another Belgian, the two names prominently linked with a switch to East London. While Sullivan sought to play

down the revenue boost the club will receive from a switch to the Olympic Stadium, it’s understood that the Irons will be looking to reinvest some of the windfall they receive from over 52,000 confirmed season ticket holders in the squad. But where does this leave Nigerian pair Victor Moses and Emmanuel Emenike? The duo moved to the club earlier this season on loan, Moses from Chelsea at the beginning of the campaign, and Emenike from Fenerbahce during the winter window. Despite impressing sporadically, neither have truly had the impact that could have been expected for Slaven Bilic’s side this term; 29-year-old Emenike has featured 13 times in the EPL, but failed to contribute a goal or an assist although he did find the net twice during the Hammers’ run to the FA Cup semi-final. Turkish source Miliyet reported when the forward moved to the

Premier League that West Ham would be obliged to make a bid for Emenike should he make at least 10 starts during his loan spell. He’s fallen well short, and it’s hard to see a future for him at the Olympic Stadium, particularly

ITTF Nigeria Open: Nigerians can break the jinx - Toriola

Lagos holds individual open tourney for boxers Ifeanyi Eduzor

s part of its effort to keep the state’s boxers in top form, Lagos State Sports Commission in conjunction with Lagos State Boxing Association have organized a tournament which brought together boxers from various clubs to fight for honours. The tournament, tagged “Individual Open Championship” was held at the Indoor Hall of Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Yaba at the weekend. With 152 boxers in contention from no fewer than 43 clubs across the state, Rowe Park was a beehive of activities during the three days event which finals were held last Saturday. Director General of the Sports Commission, Ayodele Agbesan-

wa, Chairman of the Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame, Wale Edun and other top officials of the Commission were on ground to witness a tournament designed to discover boxers for the state ahead national championships before the year runs out. Agbesanwa described the performance of the boxers at the Open Championship as excellent, adding that the plan of the Sports Commission is to expose the young pugilists to more and regular tournaments to keep them in good shape. “We have good plans for these boxers. Apart from the local competitions, we are also looking at bringing boxers from the neighbouring West African states to Lagos for them to rub shoulders with our boxers. “Though there won’t be any camping for now, the plan is to

have series of competitions for the boxers between now and the National Sports Festival which holds very soon,” Agbesanwa said. Some of the boxers who won gold medals in the tournament included Akintayo Aminu of Calisto Boxing Club, who competed in the 49kg category. Lagelu’s Salau Nurudeen (52kg), Kafor Chinedu of Smart Club (56kg), Rlwan Lawal from Nigeria Army (60kg), Mohammed Rufai (64kg) from No Shaking Club, Olusegun Mustapha (69kg) from Aso Rock Boxing Club. Gold medals winners in the female events are Balikis Olanrewaju, Kusimo Funlayo (84kg) from Atlas Club, Fatimo Aramokola (57kg) from Tiger 2 Club, Akinremi Azeezat (60kg), Onome Odion (64kg), Afusat Bakare (69kg), Adama Olajumoke (81kg) and a host of others.

with players the calibre of Benteke and Batshuayi being mooted. Moses has contended with injury and fitness concerns, managing just one goal and two assists in 20 EPL showings.

Toriola

he jinx of not winning the title since its inception may be broken by Nigerian players at the 2016 ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open. According to the most decorated table tennis player in Africa, Segun Toriola, there is possibility of Nigerian players dominating the tournament this year. Twice Nigerian players have made it to the final of the ITTF Premier Lotto Nigeria Open but they have not been able to clinch the title, and with just few days to the kick off, former African champion, Segun Toriola believes the title will not be beyond the reach of Nigerian players. Toriola, a finalist at the 2013 edition of the competition said he is optimistic that Nigerian players have the wherewithal to claim the laurel but three-time winner, Egypt’s Omar Assar has been ‘extra-ordinary lucky’ to have claimed

the titles ahead of the local players. “I think Nigerian players have always been capable of winning the title in all the three editions of the competition. It was just that we were unlucky not to have won the title having made it to the final twice. I played the final in 2013 and Aruna Quadri made it to the final in 2015. Apart from this, Nigerian players have always been making it to the semi-final stage. I believe we can win the title this year because most of the foreign-based players have been doing very well in their various clubs and the skills and talents of the local players cannot be underestimated,” he said. The former Commonwealth champion who will be attending his seventh Olympic Games in Rio, Brazil was however thrilled with the turnout of players particularly participants from Europe and this he says would help raise the standard of the sport in Nigeria.

National Mirror www.nationalmirroronline.net

Sports

Wednesday , May4,11, 2016 Thursday September 2014

NPFL Match Day 16 Fixtures Giwa FC v Akwa Utd v Lobi Stars Ifeanyi Uba Ikorodu Utd v Plateau Utd v Enyimba MFM Nasarawa Utd v Abia Warriors Niger Tornadoes v Heartland Rivers Utd v Wikki Tourist Shooting Stars v Warri Wolves Rangers Sunshine Stars v

Action recorded during a Premiership match

MFM seek to upset Enyimba

FM FC are aiming to recover their fast fading impressive form in the Nigeria Professional Football League when they welcome reigning champions Enyimba on Wednesday. The game expected to attract thousands of spectators to the Agege Stadium will see Fidelis Ilechukwu’s men face the People’s Elephants for the first time in their history. Following their 1-0 defeat at Lobi Stars on Sunday will see them move up the NPFL log subdue Paul Aigbogun’s men who remain undefeated after six games in all competitions. On the other hand, an away win for the Aba giants will push them up into the top 10 on the log. They defeated Niger Tornadoes 2-1 on Sunday.

Boboye dreams NPFL title K

ennedy Boboye has insisted that he will be disappointed if Abia Warriors do not win the Nigeria Professional Football League title having missed out of the Federation Cup. With a game at hand, the Umuahia based outfit are a point behind leaders Enugu Rangers after defeating Giwa FC 1-0 and have lost just once in 14 outings. And the Super Eagles’ interim assistant coach insists he will regret if they fail to keep up their recent form. “We give thanks to God for the victory against Giwa and our focus is how to get a result against Makurdi against Nasarawa United,” Boboye told Goal.

“I think the presence of experienced players like John Ghaddi, Valentine Nwabil and Stanley Okoro is one, but most importantly we are a team that work so hard and that is why we keep getting good results. Apart from this, we all nurse the same ambition of winning

Junior private soccer challenge enters second round Ifeanyi Eduzor

rganisers of the on-going Lagos Junior Secondary School, Soccer Challenge has announced that the second round of the season 5 of the competition will hold on

Sunshine Stars target Rangers’ scalp

Rangers coach, Amakapabo

fter a 0-0 draw against Plateau United, Sunshine Stars will hope to secure maximum points when

the NPFL title and also playing in the Caf Champions League. And in achieving this, that means we have to be very solid in defence and brilliant in the attack not forgetting other departments of the game, but most importantly we must be able to convert our chances and avoid being complacent.

they host Nigeria Professional Football League leaders Enugu Rangers at the Akure Township Stadium today. Rangers are starting to feel the pressure of sitting on the summit of the table after earning just one point in their last two fixtures. The head-to-head starts of the sides is even, with each of the teams winning six matches and playing four draws since 13th October 2007. Players expected to light up the game are Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Dele Olorundare, Stephen Eze, Chisom Egbuchulam, Godwin Aguda and Bobby Clement.

Saturday at the play ground of Vicsum, School, Gbagada Phase 2, Lagos. According to the fixtures released by the coordinator of the championship, Prince Adewale Atiba of Atico Global Concept Limited, Sagas College will lock horns with Dansola College while Landmark College will meet Barachel College just as Caleb International School will test the might of Elias College in the competition organized for U-13 secondary school students. Meanwhile in some of the matches decided in the first round, Royal Star College defeated Taqwa College by 4-0, Vicsum College beat Al- Miyzan College 4-1 while St Joseph College recorded a 2-0 victory over Princeton College. Also, El- Shaddai College lost 0-4 to Strong Tower College; Yintab School lost 1-2 to St Anthony School while Al Faroq College defeated Ifako College by 2-0 just as Ronik School recorded a 3-0 victory over Honeyland College.

Biffo expects tough Heartland tie

iger Tornadoes head coach, Abdul Usman Biffo has said his side are expecting difficult match against the oriental foes, Heartland. The newcomers will host the Naze Millionaires in today’s Nigeria Professional Football League match day 16 clash at adopted ground, Confluence Stadium in Lokoja. Biffo said the encounter is predictably going to tough but his side cannot afford to lose to Heartland after the weekend’s loss at champions and oriental neighbours, Enyimba. “The clash against Heartland will certainly be tough given the quality of their head coach, Alphonsus Dike. “I have great respect for him but that will not change the match plan or the fact that we cannot compromise on the whole three points at stake. “We have found it tough on the road so far but that’s not to say we are going to give up on the fight for points. “However, we have made it a duty to be at the top of our game once we are opportune to

be on home ground. “Niger Tornadoes belong to the summit not where we are at the moment so no effort will be spared to take the side to its right spot. “We do not consider or see any team or match either cheap or less important so the clash against Heartland is quite key tie we must fight hard to win”, said the former Giwa Fc and Kogi United Coach to Supersport.com. The Minna-based side are 16th on the 20-team Nigerian top flight on 17 points from possible 45 in the 15-week old league.

Biffo

WORLD RECORD

Largest hairy family Vol. 06 No. 1367 Wednesday, May 11, 2016

N150

Victor “Larry” Gomez, Gabriel “Danny” Ramos Gomez, Luisa Lilia De Lira Aceves and Jesus Manuel Fajardo Aceves (all Mexico) are four of a family of 19 that suffer from Congenital Generalized Hypertrichosis.

APC: Change with analogue thinkers

y physics teacher taught me that change is a vector quantity with magnitude and direction, which could be negative or positive. By now Nigerians would have come to terms with the reality that change is not always positive no matter how optimistic you are. Unfortunately, most Nigerians think more from their heart rather than with their head when it comes to taking political decisions. They fell flat and swallowed hook, line and sinker the All Progressives Alliance’s (APC) lies and propaganda during the 2015 general elections, which explained why they voted APC into power at the centre and in most states of the federation. To this writer, events in the past 12 months (almost) have taught me that you can win an election with lies and propaganda against your opponent, but you cannot succeed fully govern with propa-

ndy Murray is prepared to appoint another former top player as his coach after splitting with Amelie Mauresmo. Murray decided to part Company with the ex-world number one before his run to the Madrid Masters final, citing a lack of time together as a chief concern.

Guest Columnist

Chris

Enyinnaya

ganda when you come to power. The cardinal APC propaganda against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) led government was that President Goodluck Johnathan was clueless. Let us see who is clueless against the background that I am writing as a political neutral - not a card carrying member of any political party, or their hired writer. It is now history that President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) sought to be Nigeria’s president for 12 odd years. The passion with which he fought at the polling booths and the law courts up to Supreme Court will make one to believe that he has an economic blueprint he wants to implement, which is by far better than that of PDP-led government that will lift Nigeria out of her economic quagmire. He had two full months to spare after winning the presidential election in March 2015, before his inauguration on May 29, 2015. He spent five months before after his inauguration before he put together a cabinet that immediately went on retreat before starting work. Dramatically, after another five months in office, they went for another retreat, this time with state governors to find solution to Nigeria’s economic problems. On the other hand, the PDP government they succeeded had an economic blueprint called Vision 20:20 which they were implementing faithfully. Nigerian economy was moving in a known direction. Unlike now, food was cheap; petroleum products were available in every filling station across the country with no queues for most of the

Nigeria is fast moving backwards because we do not learn from history to build our nation…

time, just to mention two indices. After nearly one year in office, APC-led Federal Government has no documented economic blueprint. Economic managers are mere civil servants working with defined bureaucracy. Buhari is still searching. Who then is clueless? Like I said earlier, you can win election with lies and propaganda, but you cannot successfully govern with propaganda. The most worrisome aspect of APC government is that in PMB, Nigeria has an analogue thinking head of government in who is pursuing change in a digital era. He is still thinking the way he did in 1984/1985, when he was military head of state, whereas we are in 2016, an era of information and communication technology, which drives thinking and policy formulation in governance. Another development is that Nigeria is fast moving backwards because we do not learn from history to build our nation, so we keep making the same mistakes. A case in point is the Treasury Single Account (TSA), which the FG is using as a tool to fight corruption in the public sector. This writer by no means is not against fighting corruption. I am for it because

as an Igbo man I have suffered a lot in this country due to institutionalized corruption that denies me merited advantages in the name of state quota, catchment area, educationally disadvantaged, equality of states, ETC. In fact, the worst corruption in Nigeria is the operation of a system that sacrifices merit and enthrones mediocrity in all spheres of endeavour. The point I am making is that you do not fight corruption by holding Nigerian economy on the jugular. TSA was introduced in May 1989 under the IBB military regime by the then Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), who ordered all ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to close their accounts with deposit money banks and transfer same to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) within 30 days. The circular also abolished foreign loans backed by naira-based securities. That order forced banks to terminate all fixed deposits before the contracted maturity date. Thus the then AGF violated the cardinal principle of banking, which anticipates that all bank customers will not withdraw their money at the same time. I t was akin to a run on the banks with the banking system suffering systemic maturity mis-match in their asset and liability portfolios. Many merchant banks in particular were most hit as they went insolvent. The result of holding Nigerian economy on the jugular was swift. By June 1990, not less than eight merchant banks failed. The worst hit were merchant banks with big names like Icon Ltd; Continental Merchant Bank; Nigeria Merchant Bank; Merchant Bank for Africa, etc leading the pack. Ironically, these were the banks that headed the call by the FG that was pursuing the policy of import substitution by lending to small and medium manufacturers, relying on government deposits. You can see how analogue thinking killed the banking industry at that time. The APC can fight corruption without strangulating the economy. Enyinnaya, author and FCIB, wrote from Ikeja, Lagos

Sport Extra

Murray to appoint ex-player as Coach Prior to Mauresmo, Murray, 28, worked with Ivan Lendl, who guided him to US Open, Wimbledon and Olympic success. “It doesn’t have to be, but it’s definitely possible it could be an explayer,” the Briton told BBC Sport.

He said coaches who had played at the very top can “help around the Slams, in the big moments, the big matches”. The world number three added: “They’ve been there and done it and they understand that.”

Murray said he was unlikely to appoint a new coach before the French Open, which starts on 22 May. Lendl, who won eight Grand Slam singles titles, worked with Murray for just over two years before the partnership ended in 2014.

Murray

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