Dtn 1 6 17

THE

DAILY

TIMES

NIGERIA INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER. EST. 1926 WWW.DAILYTIMES.NG https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts

NSE QUICK BITE

dailytimesng

Reps probes N5.1tn FG abandoned, on-going projects, $200m solar energy fund Henry Omunu, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The

House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved to investigate the status of 11,886 abandoned and on-going Federal Government projects estimated at about N5. 1 trillion located in vari-

ous parts of the country.

Passing this resolution following the adoption of the motion sponsored by Rep. Babagindda Ibrahim, the House mandated its committees on finance, national planning and economic developContinued on page 12

NASS will raise teachers’ retirement age to 65 –Dogara

47.45

48.00 1.16%

UACN

14.99

N150

THURSDAY, JUNE 1, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 377

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

GAINERS AS AT May 31, 2017 WAPCO

7

LOSERS AS AT May 31, 2017 15.00

0.07%

STANBIC

26.96

26.75

-0.74%

OKOMUOIL

52.99

52.50

-0.92%

N700bn contract scam: Heads to roll in N’Delta ministry Chris Emetoh, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The dramatis personae

Ï Č 0& ƏƆƅƆƈƒƆ è ƍƍƏ ƒƆ ƍƏ ƄƆ ƏƆƍ ƏƐ Ƈ ƌƈ ƈ ƐƏƕ ƇƏ ƌ ƾƠƠÖéƾƠơǀ Ï `Ɔƍ ƏƐ Ɛ ƄƆ Ƈ ƏƓ ƏƗƆƗ Ɛ ƆƅƑƏƈƐƕ Ɔ ƅƈƆ Ƈ Ə ƏƆƅ ƒƆƏƕ Ƈ ƗƈƒƆƏƐƆƗ ƇƑ Ɨ è ƍƏ ƆƅƑƐƈ Ƈ ƈ ƗƈƅƐƆƗ ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ Ə Ï óRƇƇƈƅƈ Ƌ Ƈ Ƒ Ɨ Ɛ ƒƆ ƅ ƈƒƆƗ ƓƈƐ ƗƆƇ ƑƋƐƈ ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ Ə Ɛ ƄƆ ƍƍƏ ƍƏƈ ƐƆƋƕ ƗƆ ƋƐ ƓƈƐ ô Ï #Ɔ ƍƈƐƆ Ƒ Ɔ Ƒƌ ƍ ƈƗ Ɛ ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ Ə è Ƌƕ Ɨƈ ƌ Ƌ ơƾ ƍƆƏƅƆ Ɛ Ƈ ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ ƍƆƏƇ Əƌ ƅƆ Ɠ ƏƆƅ ƏƗƆƗ - Minister

and errant public officials involved in the N700 billion contract scam in the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs will in the days ahead be made to refund embezzled funds and face prosecution Continued on page 6

Presidency: R ƈ Ƅ Ɖ Ɠ ôƐ ƈ ƾƠơƣ ƑƗ ƆƐ Ɛ Ɨ ƕ 6 How external reserves shed $268m in one 7 month

FG to ban sale, usage of tobacco in public places 12

dƆ ƐƆ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛè #Əê ƄƑƄ Ɗ Ə ƑƊ Ƌ d Ə Ɗƈ æƌçè ƍƏƆ Ɔ Ɛƈ Ƅ Ƈ ƏƈƅƆ Ɨ Ɛ ƆƏ Ƈ Ɨ ƈƐƆƌ Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ 9 ƐƆƏ ƋƋƕ #ƈ ƍƋ ƅƆƗ ^ƆƏ æ9#^ ç Ɛ EƑƅ ƈ Ə è Ɔ Ə Ɛ Ɔ 1 ƌƆ yƈƋƋ Ɔè ƄƑƉ Ɠ Ɔ Ɔ ƋƆƗ dƆ ƐƆ ƗƆƋƆ Ɛƈ ƒƈ ƈƐ Ɛ Ɛ Ɔ ƅ ƌƍêêê zƆƗ Ɔ Ɨ ƕê

Ƒ Əƈ ƈ ƇƆ Ɨ è ƋƆ Ɨ Ɔ ƏƐƕ 12 - Lai Mohammed

2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

3

4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

5 News

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June1, 2017

He is not the biological father of Reps Task IGP on Rescue of my son - Wife tells court Kidnapped Students Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏ

A Lagos housewife, Mojisola Ajiboye, on Tuesday told an Agege Customary Court that her husband is not the biological father of her son.

She made this revelation while testifying in the divorce suit she filed against her husband at the court.

The 30-year-old nurse, who resides at Shiaba St., Agege, Lagos, said she regretted her seven-year marriage to Samson Nkanang, 33.

She alleged that the husband usually abandon her at home and travel on official trips without any form of care.

“My husband is irresponsible and has turned me into a punching bag, I am no longer interested in the union; I want the loveless marriage dissolved,’’ she said.

Mojisola informed the court that the petitioner whom she has been married to for over seven years is not the biological father of her son.

“I was impregnated by another man during the period my husband travelled on an official trip,’ she said.

The estranged wife urged the court to dissolve the marriage so that they can go their separate way.

“Although l registered the child’s birth in the respondent’s name, he is not the father of my son,’’she said.

The petitioner further alleged that her husband is temperamental and he often beats her over mi-

nor issues.

In his response to the wife’s allegations, Samson denied the allegations of being an irresponsible husband and father but admitted that he beats his wife.

He told the court that he was on an official trip for two months in Akwa-Ibom when his wife told him she was pregnant.

“On my return, I even had sexual intercourse with her severally in order for her private part to be opened according to the doctor’s report.

“So I am amazed now that she claims I am not the biological father of my child.”

The respondent also informed the court that on the child’s dedication day, he did all the necessary things as a father and even named the child.

“Even my family and the petitioner’s family were all present and they all gave him different names,’’ he said.

Samson said he has also been responsible for the upkeep of the three-year-old child and the mother till date.

He alleged that he has been getting strange phone calls from an unknown person threatening him to leave his wife alone.

The husband pleaded with the court not to dissolve the marriage, saying he is still in love with his wife.’’

The court’s President, Mr Philip Williams, advised the estranged couple to maintain peace while he referred the couple to forensic centre to affirm the biological status of the child and deferred the divorce suit indefinitely.

FG spent N49trn on importing raw materials in 15 years Chris Emetoh, Abuja The sum of N49 trillion has been spent on importing raw materials and products between 2000 and 2015 by the Federal Government.

Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu, disclosed this on Wednesday after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting presided over by Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa.

He said that the nation has depended for too long on importation of raw materials and products and this has had very adverse effects on the economy particularly as it concerns job creation and the search for selfreliance.

Describing as a nation with abundance of natural resources, he said,FG it doesn’t make sense to be importing from outside when most of the materials are available in the country.

“For example, between 2000 and 2015, Nigeria spent as much as N49 trillion importing raw materials and products. At that time, not that it was sustainable, but our economy could manage such level of importation because crude oil sold most of the

time above $100 per barrel.

“But definitely now, such level of importation is unsustainable but we are paying a price right now because if we have depended on our own raw materials, we would have had a service. With the sharp drop in the prices of crude oil, Nigeria would have been able to withstand such a shock and we would not have had such problem that we are passing through now, he said”.

The minister explained that the Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is determined to buck that trend so as to change the direction that Nigeria is passing through.

He stated, “In the past 56 years, we have depended on foreign commodities. We have relied on importation. We have sacrificed jobs. We now want to move our economy away from that into innovation driven-

economy.

“So, Raw Materials Processing and Development Council, one of the agencies under the supervision of the Ministry of Science and Technology,, had to undertake very important study.

Ï Ɗ R d Ɛ ƆƐ Ƒƍ ƌƈƋƈƐ Əƕ Ƅ Ɔ ƈ Ƌƌ Ƈ ƏƆ Ɛ Emmanuel Iriogbe, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

House of Representatives on Wednesday tasked the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to as a matter of urgency ensure the rescue of the kidnapped students from a Lagos state school.

This is also as they urged the National Security Adviser, the Chief of Defense Staff, the Inspector General of Police and the Commandant-General of Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps to deploy security personnel to flush out bandits hiding in the Balmo forest, Bauchi state.

The House while acting on a

Motion, ‘Spate of Kidnapping in Lagos State and the Recent Abduction of Six Students of Lagos State Model College, Igbonla, Epe,’ sponsored by Rep. Olawale Raji mandated the committees on Basic Education and Services, Police Affairs and Navy to pay a commiseration visit to the Lagos state government. Also, to conduct an investigation into the state of insecurity in the riverine communities, waterways and schools in Lagos State and make recommendations on ways to permanently arrest the scourge of militancy and kidnapping in the state.

Speaking on the motion, Rep. Ige noted that the abduction of

six students namely; Peter Jonah, Isiaq Rahmon, Adebayo George, Judah Agbausi, Pelumi Phillips and Farouq Yusuf of Lagos state Model College Igbonla, Epe by unknown gun men marked the second time the school was being attacked.

He stated that the riverine communities in Lagos state were currently under siege.

He feared that if this spate of kidnaping is not arrested, it may pose a threat to the ongoing investments worth billions of dollars in the Lekki Free Trade Zone, which include the first indigenous private refinery in Nigeria and the Lekki

Deep Sea Port.

L-R: Information and Communication Technology Consultant, Mr. Damilola Bamiro; Director Test Administration, Joint Admission Matriculation Board Abuja (JAMB), Dr. Yusuf Lawal; Registrar JAMB, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede and Director Special Duties JAMB, Mr. Olujide Adisa, displayed malpractices items found from different centers at the just concluded JAMB examination, during a press conference in Abuja...on Wednesday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

NDIC Academy to lead Africa in deposit insurance Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) is set to lead the African Sub-Region in enhancing capacity building and bridging skills gaps in the banking industry and the Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS) in particular.

The NDIC’s Managing Director, Mr. Umaru Ibrahim, made this remark during the accreditation ceremony of the NDIC Academy as a training service provider for its staff and the banking industry by the Council of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) at the Bankers House, Victoria Island, Lagos.

Ibrahim, in a statement made available to the Daily Times said that with the NDIC Academy’s new status, it is positioned to fulfill the Corporation’s goal

of serving as a center of academic excellence for capacity building on the Deposit Insurance Scheme (DIS) for countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa.

He added that the Corporation prides itself on establishing high standards of professionalism and competency among its staff through the Corporation’s NDIC Academy and other human capital development initiatives, including the Chartered Banker/MBA program of University of Bangor, Scotland in partnership with the CIBN. The NDIC CEO emphasized the importance of continuous high level training in order to achieve the Corporation’s core mandates of deposit guarantee, bank supervision, bank distress resolution and bank liquidation. The ultimate goal, he said, would be to enhance depositor protection and public confi-

dence in the banking system.

In his earlier address, the president and chairman, Council of CIBN, Prof. Segun Ajibola, commended the Corporation for its consistent efforts toward meeting high standards for the benefit of the banking industry and larger economy.

Prof. Ajibola described the NDIC’s readiness to subject itself to the rigors of the accreditation process as a testimony of its Management’s commitment towards capacity development in order to equip its workforce with critical skills to enhance their performance and productivity.

He said that there would be periodic monitoring to ensure that standards were maintained, adding that the accreditation would last for three years after which the corporation would require re-certification.

2

8

9

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

N700bn contract scam: Heads to roll in N’Delta ministry Continued from page 1 accordingly.

This is the highlight of the report on the probe of the Niger Delta Ministry between its inception in 2009 and 2015, which was tabled the Federal Executive Council on Wednesday for approval.

The report indicated massive contract scams from the N700 billion released to the ministry within the period.

Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Usani Usani, disclosed this to State House correspondents after he presented the probe report to FEC. Despite the huge sums paid to contractors, only a dismal 12 percent of contract performance was recorded, which government now plans to recover the outstanding

balance from the contractors or have them prosecuted.

Useni further disclosed that the report would soon be forwarded to the security agencies for necessary recovery of diverted funds and prosecution.

He said: “The revealing content of the report shows that over N423 billion has been expended in the region by the Ministry alone, not other intervening agencies.

“From this amount, project execution rate has been at 12 percent, with an average completion rate of a project standing at five years and the impact rate is eight percent.

“So, today we have sought approval from Council to have the recommendations of this report conveyed to the legitimate agen-

cies charged with the statutory responsibilities of recovering government assets that are either misappropriated, misused or found to be idling in some quarters.

“With this, it means all those who have accessed government resources for one purpose or another must be compelled to make adequate use of same, otherwise face the recommendations that go with such violations, and that is our position concerning that report. And we have got Council approval for that.”

The Minister explained that the figures mean that 60 percent of the funds appropriated for 427 contracts were paid out to contractors who only managed a 12 percent completion rate.

“When we say 60 percent, it is 60

percent of the amount of money that was actually appropriated, being N700 billion. And so, 60 percent of that constitutes N423 billion.

“So, to find that N423 billion has been expended in the region with the type of result we see obviously shows that there is something tangibly and obviously wrong with how procurement had been carried out in the Ministry”, he stated.

On the punishment to be meted to defaulting contractors, Usani clarified that “the measure of action to be taken to address the shortfall of our expectations of commitment to contractual commitments will be the determinant of what will be done.

“So, those that require sanctions will be sanctioned; and the

sanctions may not be uniform, it will also be according to the measure of liabilities owed by each of those contractors.

“Some should be compelled to return to site. Some, of course, should be made to refund money - those who we have seen by action displaying criminal intent by collecting money and not appearing at site at all.

“The report is not just all about punishing people. There are also those who have performed well and are commended and the report recommends that they should be encouraged to carry on in their contractual commitments.”

He also warned that officials found wanting to have connived with defaulting contractors will be appropriately dealt with.

Presidency: Osinbajo won’t sign 2017 Budget today Olufemi Samuel, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Presidency has denied a

Former students of Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, Benue State, cutting a cake to mark the reunion of class of 91, in Lagos… recently.

Nigeria can’t be stampeded into restructuring - AGF Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN), has said that reforms and modifications of institutional arrangements, systems and processes are normal in federations, but these cannot be achieved in single swoop as being advocated in Nigeria.

The AGF stated this in his remarks at the opening of a ThinkTank Conference on ‘Federalism and the Challenges of Dynamic Equilibrium in Nigeria: Towards a National Strategy’, organised by the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru , Jos, Plateau state on Tuesday.

In a press statement made

available to newsmen in Abuja Wednesday by his Special Adviser, Comrade Salihu Othman Isah, the AGF emphasised that change is a gradual process that must be democratic and subjected to legislative and administrative processes as provided by law and indeed the constitution.

“We must use democratic means to reform our federal system. We need to recognise that both Federalism and democracy are mechanisms for managing diversity. Indeed , while federalism provides the institutional framework for managing diversity, democracy makes possible the negotiation of diverse identity claims by providing them with representation, voice and political mechanisms by which their competing claims are balanced and reconciled,” he stated.

Malami also pointed out that there is no true or false federalism but each federation, reflects essentially, the particular conditions and circumstances that produced it.

“We cannot wish away the particular conditions and circumstances that had produced the challenges in our federal system.

We must use democratic means to find solutions to these numerous challenges,” he cautioned.

The AGF, unequivocally, maintained that democracy is the best way to articulate citizen’s preferences and place limits on arbitrariness, adding that it is not out of place to state that as far as constitutional democracy is concerned, the idea of restructuring is not a function of advocacy or Continued on page 7

report that Acting President Professor Yemi Osinbajo is to sign the 2017 Budget into law today (Thursday) with the leadership of the National Assembly scheduled to be part of the signing ceremony.

President Muhammadu Buhari’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, made this known in Abuja, on Wednesday, stating that consultations on the signing of the Budget into law was were still ongoing.

Ita Enang had before now said that the Acting President does not enjoy the cover of the constitution to sign the 2017 Budget earlier passed by the National Assembly into law, insisting that President Buhari currently in London would assent to the Bill.

When newsmen sought his reaction on the report over signing of the 2017 Budget into law by the Acting President, Ita Enang said: “Further to several enquiries regarding action on the 2017 Appropriation Bill by the Executive, be informed that Assent to same is not yet scheduled as consultations and engagements are ongoing”.

Indeed, there has not been any official statement indicating that the Acting President would sign the 2017 Budget into law, as report already circulating on the issue quoted sources in the Presidential Villa to that effect.

The report said representatives of the President had concluded a meeting with the leadership of the National Assembly where the date and time of the budget has been announced.

The National Assembly on Thursday, May 18, passed the N7.44 trillion 2017 Appropriation Bill after over 4 months since it was submitted by President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly.

Both chambers of the assembly raised the figure from N7.30 trillion presented by the president to N7.44 trillion.

The National Assembly transmitted same to the President on Friday, May 19 for assent.

However, the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari has raised questions on who would sign the budget.

Earlier, the Acting President doused the controversy on the issue when he told Nigerians that he would sign the document into law as Acting President.

Osinbajo while presenting his Democracy Day speech on May 29 also promised that the budget would be signed soon.

Osinbajo

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

7

News

How external reserves shed $268m in one month Motolani Oseni

ÏÏÏ The nation’s external

reserves shed no less than $268 million in the space of one month, due to continual injections of the foreign exchange by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) into the official interbank market, the latest figure on its official website has revealed.

The reserve has risen by $4.7 billion since the beginning of the year, but as of May 25, 2017, standing at $30.49 billion, against $30.76 billion stood exactly a month ago.

The statistics further showed that the current balance $30.49 billion as of May 25, represents the lowest level since April 18 and down 0.87 percent from a month ago.

However, the figure as of May 8, 2017 stood at $30.93 but dropped by $145.7 mil-

lion or 0.48 per cent from $30.66 billion it opened two weeks ago to $30.5 billion last Thursday.

Although, the forex reserves, according to the apex bank’s data went up by 15.27 percent year-onyear, as the Africa’s biggest economy shrank by 1.5 percent in 2016 in its first annual recession in 25 years, hit by a shortage of hard currency and lower revenue from its dominant oil sector as world crude prices remained under pressure.

The central bank has been intervening on the official market to try to narrow the spread between the official interbank and black markets. It has sold over $4 billion since February, but analysts doubt that this pace can be sustained.

The reserves of the OPEC member country have grown by $4.4 billion

year to date due to recovery in global oil prices and increased production. The reserves stood at $26.09 billion at the beginning of the year and $26.45 billion a year ago.

Despite recent increased global oil prices, the external reserves continued to drop over CBN’s introduction of new windows.

For instance, the central bank on Tuesday intervened in the official foreign exchange market to the tune of $482.6 million, which has helped the local currency to jerk up by two points, closing at 378 per dollar at the parallel market.

The naira on Wednesday closed the trading at an appreciable rate of 387 to the dollar, and repeated the gains against the Pound sterling and Euro, respectively, closing at 420 and 490

against 422 and 492 traded on the unofficial market the previous day.

But dropped slightly at the official market to close at 305.40 compare to 305.35 to the dollar, a rate it exchanged for most part of last week.

The central bank has been intervening on the official market to try to narrow the spread between the official interbank and black markets. It has sold around $4 billion since February, but analysts doubt that this pace can be sustained.

The local currency was quoted at 380.33 per dollar at the investor window on Tuesday, according to the market regulator FMDQ OTC Securities Exchange.

Meanwhile, the price of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) basket of 13 crudes stood at $51.96 a barrel a

L-R: Mr. Ronald Plumridge Finance and Strategy Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc; Dr. DanAzumi M. Ibrahim Director General, National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion and Mr. Rotimi Odusola, Ag. Corporate Relations Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, presenting a copy of the Guinness Book of World Records to the Dr. DanAZumi, during a courtesy visit to the company in Lagos… on Wednesday.

NASS will raise teachers’ retirement age to 65, says Dogara ÏÏÏ The

Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has assured Nigerian teachers that the National Assembly will increase their retirement age from 60 to 65 years to retain more experienced teachers in public schools.

Dogara disclosed this when he received a delegation from the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) who paid him a courtesy visit on Wednesday in Abuja.

The speaker said that the house would support an upward review of teachers’ retirement age to benefit Nigerian children.

“We have done it for the Tertiary institutions and the Judiciary, so nothing should stop us from taking the bull by the horns.

“They say that wine gets better with age. It was the same consideration that motivated us to raise that of university lecturers, raised that of judges. So this is something we can pursue.

“Thankfully, it doesn’t require constitutional amendment, it is something we can achieve by amending the existing law.

“That is the responsibility of the parliament and we assure you that we will do something about that so that the benefit that comes with experience and wisdom will not be lost,” he said Dogara said that the welfare and working condition of teachers must also be upgraded to enable Nigerian

citizens compete with the global world and produce citizens that can achieve development that the country seeks.

“If we don’t have people who will sacrifice their time and energy to impact knowledge on our children, then like I said, we have lost the future.

“This government which is a government of change must be prepared to change the narrative by ensuring that teachers are motivated and the condition in which they work are conducive at all levels, so that they can deliver on their professional calling,” he said.

The speaker also advised the union to channel their request for salaries of teachers to be handed over

to state governments or paid from first-line charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission to the Constitution Review of the House of Representatives for consideration.

Comrade Alogba Olukoya, the National President of NUT, said the union preferred that payment of teachers’ salaries be handed over to State governments. He also canvassed for an increase in the retirement age of teachers from 60 to 65 years.

The teachers union also demanded that teachers’ salaries be paid from firstline charge from the federation account through the Universal Basic Education Commission.

week ago, compared with $51.34 the previous day.

OPEC last Thursday renewed an agreement to withhold some crude-oil supplies into March 2018, doubling down on its bet that it can raise prices despite soaring output from American shale producers.

Brent crude dipped before regaining some ground to $53.77 a barrel following reports of the extension until March 2018.

Non-OPEC members are also meeting to decide whether they will agree to more production cuts.

Kuwaiti oil minister Essam al-Marzouq has report-

edly confirmed OPEC’S agreement to extend the output curbs.

OPEC countries and 11 other oil-producing nations, including Russia, first agreed to reduce production last December in an effort to boost flagging prices.

The reduction was almost 1.8 million barrels per day - equivalent to about two per cent of global oil production.

Last Tuesday, the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the CBN concluded its two day bi-monthly meeting in Abuja, with retention of all status quo unchanged.

Nigeria can’t be stampeded into restructuring - AGF Continued from page 6 agitation but about constitutional accommodation.

He said, “As things stands, restricting requires amending the constitution to accommodate referendum or in the alternative an amendment to the 1999 constitution which must be supported by majority of legislators, 24 states of the federation as enshrined in section 9 of the constitution.”

“Whether that process is going to be an easy sell is a conjecture that should be left for deliberation of this forum, but one thing that is certain is the inevitable implication that abolishing states through restructuring process will certainly translate to the eventual multiplier effect of abolishing the states House of Assembly and perhaps downsizing the National Assembly.”

He urged the think-tank conference to make usable recommendations with clear implementation strategies to enable the country move forward.

Speaking earlier, the acting Director General, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Mr. Jonathan Mela Juma, represented by Professor Abu Galadima explained that federalism was adopted in Nigeria in 1954 to provide a dynamic equilibrium between centrifugal and centripetal forces in the country given its multicultural nature.

He stated emphatically that since its adoption, “federalism in Nigeria has been

experiencing disequilibrium between centralising and decentralising forces which had affected the union.”

Juma noted that concerns about the increasing number of centrifugal forces within the Nigerian federation had been expressed by experts, opinion leaders, civil society organisations and many others at all levels of government, which requires immediate attention.

In his words, the conference was aimed at “providing platform for you to conduct a problem solving discourse on the theme with a view to developing a national strategy for effective response to the current challenges of federalism in Nigeria.”

In his goodwill message, Venerable (Prof.) Akin Akindoyenimni, an alumnus of the NIPSS who chaired the occasion stressed that to retrofit current federating units; there was the need to have to establish a suitable solution to structural stability in politics.

He also added that solid foundation of procedural decision making for every facet of development and a suitable ambience for self-realisation for every Nigerian individual, community, ethic group as well as the nation as a whole is required to achieve it.

He expressed dismay on the inability of those in the governance driver’s seats to keep faith with the noble objective with which NIPSS was established which accounts for part of the impasse and social ills being experienced in the federation today.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June1, 2017

Masquerades attack Muslims in Ekiti, destroy mosque, properties worth million Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏ

L-R: Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Suraj Adekunbi; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga and Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, during the inauguration of members of the Advisory Council of Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in Ogun State...on Wednesday.

No overture by Nigeria govt. will end Biafra agitation -Uwazuruike Val Okara, Owerri.

ÏÏÏ

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and leader of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) on Wednesday in Owerri says no amount of overture

by Nigeria government will end agitations by pro-Biafra groups.

Uwazuruike who made his position known in a media briefing to end the weeklong 50th anniversary of declaration of Biafra independence by Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and the 18th anniversary of the formation of MASSOB said that pro-Biafra agitators have one agenda. ``There is nothing else that we are agitating for,

except for the Biafra independence and until that is achieved, we will not chicken out of the struggle for Biafra freedom. ``Yesterday (May 30), the football matches we had earlier scheduled to play was put on hold for all proBiafran groups to join in the sit-at-home order observed within and outside Nigeria. ``The struggle more than ever is gathering momentum and I am happy because the sufferings and marginalization of Biafran people rather than reduce is on the increase and the world is beginning to see why we are in the struggle,’’ he said.

Uwazuruike who equally founded the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) told journalists that his aim of championing the course of Biafra was not to become the president of Biafra Re-

public. ``I did not start Biafra to be the president nor to end the struggle which I began.

Nobody should think along such line because the materialization of Biafra depends entirely on God,’’ he said.

Uwazuruike urged all the pro-Biafran groups to focus on the actualization of the independence of Biafra rather than what the position they will occupy, adding ``the person to become the Biafra president may not have been born.’’

He called on all proBiafra groups to adopt the non-violent approach of MASSOB and BIM, adding that violent cannot fetch any success to the people of the defunct Eastern Region .

The MASSOB leader recalled the excruciating suffering the Biafran people

faced during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war, observed that with the rebuilding of all the areas, the 50th anniversary of Biafra called for a big celebration and thanksgiving to God. ``We are happy that local and international organisations including Nigeria government joined in the 50th anniversary celebration of Biafra, and we are equally glad that the week-long event climaxed with the sitat-home. ``While we use this medium to call on the interna-

tional organisations, especially the United Nations, to do the needful, we still stressed that Biafra adventures must be anchored on non-violence principles,’’ he said.

Oshodi LG primaries- Police on the hunt for perpetrator Oguntade Ismaila

ÏÏÏ

The Lagos State Police Command on Wednesday said that the command is on the hunt for perpetrators of the fracas at Shogunle following the All Progressive Congress (APC) primaries for councilors in Oshodi.

The Daily Times reports that the fracas which occurred on Monday, May 29, led to the alleged death of the chairman of the Motorcycle Riders Union in the state, Rasak Bello, popularly

called Hamburger.

Giving an update on the fracas, the command’s spokesperson, ASP Olarinde Famous-Cole said that normalcy had since returned to the place as investigation is on to arrest the perpetrators.

“Normalcy has returned to the place, no more violence, the place is now calm. We are working with those that have useful information on what led to the violence.

“Definitely there will be eye witnesses, its just that most of them don’t want to come out as they belong to same party.

“The police had commenced investigation to hunt down the perpetrators of violence as the command will continue to maintain law and order in the state.

“One life was however lost while another person was injured but I will have to get back to you to find out his status.” he said.

The Daily Times gathered that Hamburger had gone to observe the primaries at the venue for the Ladipo Sogunle ward when he was attacked.

The winner was declared when some hood-

lums invaded the venue in a bus filled with guns and loads of broken bottles.

The hoodlums shot sporadically and went straight to where Hamburger and his friends were staying and shot into their midst.

However, some hoodlums within the area had threatened to avenge the death.

The Daily Times Also gathered that many other persons were injured following the violence which marred primaries at Ilupeju, Mushin ,Ogudu and other places in the state.

There was pandemonium in Ikun Ekiti, a town in Moba local government area of Ekiti state on Tuesday when masqueraders attacked Muslims while breaking their Ramadan fast in the Central Mosque.

Our correspondent gathered that the attack took place at sunset around 7pm when the Muslims had gathered in the mosque to observe the Maghrib prayer after breaking their Ramadan fast.

Investigation revealed that the masqueraders were irked that the Muslims had the effrontery to call for prayers when they were still celebrating their Egun festival, following which they set out to attack the worshipers with cudgels, stones and iron rods, inflicting injuries on them.

Alt the time of filing this report, no fewer than nine worshipers have sustained varying degrees of injury due the attack while the two cars parked at the entrance of the mosque were smashed with axe and stone

by the hoodlums The acting Imam of the mosque, Alh. Abdul-Rasak Abubakar-Bello, was not speared in the attack as he was rushed to the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado Ekiti, where he received stitches on his head.

Speaking from his hospital bed with our correspondent, Bello said the Muslims were held hostage in the mosque for four hours by the masqueraders, who threatened to kill them.

“There was no way we could escape because they were waiting for us outside after initially attacking us inside the mosque with iron rods and woods. When we succeeded in locking ourselves inside the mosque, they started throwing stones at us.”

Bello accused the Divisional Police Office of snubbing the rescue calls made to him by the Muslim community as he allegedly refused to send his men there. The Muslim community also accused the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Olatunde Olusola, of supervising the attack on them.

Tap into tourism potentials in Nigeria, Gani Adam tells FG, states Iniobong Iwok

ÏÏÏ

The national coordinator of the Oodua Peoples’ Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adam, has urged the federal and state governments to harness the tourism potential in the country as it could be used as a veritable tool for national development and revenue generation.

Adams said that Nigeria has the potential to become the favourite tourism destination in the world, adding that tourism has become a huge business around the world due to the unfavorable oil price.

The OPC leader who stated this at this year’s edition of the Obatala festival held at the Baptist Primary School, Igangan, Ibarapa North Local Government Area of Oyo State, stressed that the Obatala festival was unique because it celebrates Obatala the god of purity who is respected all over the world, adding that the Olokun festival foundation is committed to the promotion of Yoruba culture across Nigeria.

Adams, who is the chief promoter of the Obatala festival said there was the ur-

gent need for the country to diversify its revenue source, adding that the country was blessed with great tourism sites which could be renovated and marketed while new ones built.

He said: “This is a time Nigerian government can use tourism as a veritable tool for national development, all the historic monuments in the country should be renovated and new ones built. I appeal to state and Federal Government to harness the tourism potential of the country.

“The Obatala festival is unique because we gather here to celebrate Obatala the African god of purity who is most respected all over the world. Today events are lending credence to our avowed commitment to promoting the Yoruba cultural festival,” he added.

In his words, His Royal Majesty, Oba Lasisi Adeoye, Asigangan of Igangan commended Otunba Gani Adams for his unrelenting efforts in the promotion of culture and tourism, adding that government at all levels should give tourism the needed attention.

Politics Ikenna Uwadileke The inauguration of the 8th House of Representatives on June 9, 2015, elicited optimism among Nigerians, even among the critics and political analysts.

While some analysts observe that after two years of its inauguration, the House of Representatives has not failed the expectations of many Nigerians, others differ.

Optimists insist that although there have been political tension, ethnic agitations and economic recession; the dexterity of the lower chamber has, in no doubt, helped in stabilising the polity.

According to them, all over the world, the legislature and the executive have always had issues to cause disagreement but the concept of separation of powers is designed to address that.

They note that Baron de Montesquieu, a French political philosopher, who articulated the need for the three arms of government to be separated with distinct functions, only envisaged that their works could be complementary.

To them, it is not unusual to notice the lawmakers and agencies of the Federal Government putting record straight through debate over some constitutional issues.

Analysts observe further that even when the arms of government become too close and constantly in agreement, it becomes a cause for worry for ideal democrats.

Observers, however, believe that in the case of the 8th National Assembly, the House of Representatives has put in place appropriate legislative agenda to avoid frictions with the executive.

They recall for instance that from the onset of the session, the House prepared the grounds for effective contribution to the Change Agenda of the present government through robust legislation.

Shortly after inauguration also, they note that the House aptly showed a clear understanding of Nigeria’s economic woes.

Beyond this, Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara called for application of emergency measures to address other numerous challenges confronting the country, particularly to pull it out of economic recession.

Presenting the legislative agenda to members of the House of Representatives, he advocated collective efforts to address the challenges rather than attributing blames.

“As leaders, we must take responsibility for the present economic situation although we are not directly responsible for it; everyone wants to blame someone for something that goes wrong.

“These are no times like any other. I, therefore, call on all of us and, indeed the National Assembly, to continue giving legislative support to the executive on all well-thought-out and effective solutions to our economic problems.

“More than ever before, we must be prepared to listen more, think more and work more.

“We must also consult the abundant pool of experts in Nigeria and abroad to fashion out short, medium and longterm measures for dealing with the crisis and setting our country on the path of sustained economic growth,’’ he said.

Dogara had, in the first quarter of

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

s

9

Legislative-executive synergy, national development and matters arising

President Buhari

Rt. Hon Dogara,

2017, assured Nigerians of the unwavering commitment of the House to enact legislations that would pull the country out of recession in 2017.

The Speaker said the legislature would implement reforms to the budgeting process that would make it more transparent and devoid of controversies.

According to Dogara, critical bills designed to stimulate the country’s economy such as the Public Procurement Act Amendment bill, Federal Competition Bill, Petroleum Industry bill will also receive expeditious consideration.

The Speaker, however, noted that the 2017 Budget remained the major tool to resuscitate the economy in addition to other fiscal and monetary policies.

“We must brace up and work conscientiously to give Nigerians a budget that will not only lift us out of recession but kick start the needed expeditious journey into Nigeria’s prosperity.

“The recent fiscal measures including import prohibition of certain items and the increase or decrease of tariff on some items should receive appropriate legislative scrutiny to ensure that the

economy and the interests of our people are protected.

“The House of Representative is not resting on its oars as it is currently working on 83 bills to reform Nigerian laws that would be passed before December,’’ he said.

He also observed further that the House of Representatives synergised with the Senate to pass the 2017 Budget of N7.4 trillion.

Spokesman of the House of Representatives, Rep. Abdulrazak Namdas, stressed that there was no better option than to expedite action towards having the budget passed, especially as the National Assembly and the Presidency were in agreement on key aspects of the Appropriations Bill.

“I can tell you that the leadership of the National Assembly met severally with the Executive’s team led by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, to streamline the budget to ensure it tallies with priority areas of the Federal Government.

Namdas added that due to the thorough nature of the work done on the

We must brace up and work conscientiously to give Nigerians a budget that will not only lift us out of recession but kick start the needed expeditious journey into Nigeria’s prosperity.

The recent fiscal measures including import prohibition of certain items and the increase or decrease of tariff on some items should receive appropriate legislative scrutiny to ensure that the economy and the interests of our people are protected.

budget; there would be little or no issues with the executive implementing it.

This notwithstanding, some Nigerians have called for a review of the country’s budgetary process to reflect a more transparent and robust procedure.

They observe that review of the process will eliminate all forms of delay in passing the budget.

In his view, Mr Sagir Tijani, a lawyer, expressed concern that the country may suffer repeated delays in passing its annual budgets because of inconsistencies.

“In most cases, issue of acrimony between the National Assembly and the Presidency has been responsible for budget delays since the inception of democratic rule.

“Since 1999, budget for a particular year was not passed until the middle of that year. This has consistently made nonsense of Nigeria’s budgets,’’ Tijani said.

Also, Mr Emmanuel Iroegbulam, a political analyst, said that the fundamental focus of the Federal Government’s proposal in the budget was to make practical impact in areas that mattered most to Nigerians.

“However, the controversy that surrounded the 2016 Appropriation Bill fell below this expectation.

“This is because the budgeting process gave room to padding, missing, subterranean and withdrawal attempt, among others,’’ Iroegbulam said.

But Rep. Ayoade Ojoawo (Oyo-APC) said that the 2017 budget of N7.44 trillion gave credence to every topical issue the country needed to address.

“This, in turn, will boost the economy if we only cooperate and ensure that the budgeting system works effectively,’’ Ojoawo added.

As Nigeria marks Democracy Day on May 29, perceptive observers are of the view that the current House of Representatives has become proactive, pragmatic, people-oriented and focused.

They observe that in the context of the House Agenda, sectoral debates are introduced on various aspects of the Nigerian economy as part of legislative initiatives to address national problems.

The first phase dealt with the diversification of the economy and has been largely concluded; the House of Representatives started the novel debates beginning with diversification of the economy.

The objective of the sectoral debates is to deepen engagement of lawmakers and the executive on national development policy issues and to promote the enactment of appropriate laws to enhance Nigeria’s economic growth and development.

At the inaugural debate, ministries of Information and Culture, Agriculture and Rural Development, Solid Minerals Development, Communications, Industry, Trade and Commerce and Finance, made presentations on the sectors they oversee.

Concerned Nigerians hold the belief that the debates have helped to improve executive-legislature relations. (NAN)

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1. 2017

Why I still want to become president –Duke A former governor of Cross River State, Mr Donald Duke, has explained why he would still take a shot at the presidency, if the opportunity presented itself.

Duke spoke at a programme, ‘The Nigerian Symposium for Emerging Leaders’, held in Lagos.

He said though he once aspired to the position but did not emerge the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he would still contest for the highest office in the country at the appropriate time.

Duke explained that it was because of his preference for the presidential seat that he did not vie for any federal legislative seat after serving out his terms as governor.

“I do not have the flair for the legislature; standing up and sitting down at the chambers to raise a point. That was why I did not contest for the Senate but the presidency, after serving out my term as governor.

“I have contested the presidency before; I will still give it a shot when the opportunity presents itself . I believe I still have the energy in me,” he said.

The former governor canvassed the reform of the country`s political system to accommodate wider participation and good governance.

He suggested the review of the electoral law to allow for independent candidacy.

Duke Duke said the country`s democracy would fare better if young people, who form the larger proportion of the population, took more active part in its political process.

He said most developed countries had young people as their leaders at one point or the other in their democratic history.

The former governor, however, said

power was never given easily, urging young people to participate in the political process and use their prime to add value to the country.

“I want to urge young people in the country not to see leadership as if it belongs to some people, but do everything positive to be part of it.

“You can only make a difference at the prime of your life. You can actually add value now, not when you are above 50.

“So, you need to be part of the political process and play your part. It is your right to be there; nobody is doing you a favour.

“You represent more than 60 per cent of the population; you don’t have to beg for it. Just make effort to make that change and contribute your quota to nation building,” he said.

Duke urged government at all levels to be accountable and challenged the governed to demand more from their leaders.

There is no alternative to democracy – Moro Patrick Okohue Former Minister of Interior, Comrade Patrick Abba Moro has emphasized the fact that democracy remains the best form of government and opined that under no circumstance can military rule ever serve as an alternative to democratic governance.

Moro, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) made the remark in an interview in Abuja while assessing 18 years of uninterrupted democracy in Nigeria.

The PDP stalwart noted that there was need for some sort of celebration having had an uninterrupted democratic experience of 18 years, despite failure on the part of the country’s leadership in meeting the yearnings and aspirations of the Nigerian people.

“Definitely, in the 21th century world, military rule is certainly not an alternative to democratic rule. It is not just there for you to compare the military rule to democratic rule. What we are involved in here is an appreciation, an appropriate appreciation of democratic rule whether or not governance has been able to meet up with the challenges and expectations of democratic rule as a form of government.

“We are talking about a system of government known in history as the only feasible system of government.

I have insisted over time that the fact that democracy have come to stay is enough reason for Nigerians to beat their chest and say that they have come

a long way. We have had a chequered history of military interregnum viz-aviz democratic governance. And generally people have concluded that military interregnum or military rule is an aberration, it is an anathema to democratic advancement.

“So for us as a country, against the backdrop of intermittent or periodic military interventions in our polity and governance, 18 years of uninterrupted democratic rule certainly calls for some level of celebration,” Moro said.

He added: “I think that it is not just enough to have democracy as a platform of government. Democracy comes with its expectations. What is popularly regarded in the Nigerian political parlance as dividends of democracy is a cornerstone of democratic rule. In other words, democratic expectations are usually anchored on infrastructural and human capacity development in all ramifications.

“So far given the challenges facing the Nigerian nation today in terms of decayed infrastructural facilities, in terms of some level of stagnation in economic advancement, in terms of the hunger in the land, I think that democracy and governance has not met the expectations of the average Nigerian.”

Asked if it was not a big minus for the PDP that spent 16 years in power out of the 18 years of uninterrupted democracy not to have been able to do much in meeting the expectations of Nigerians, Moro pointed out that, “We

Abba-Moro are talking about governance, we are not emphasising political party.

“I am not assessing political parties.

And so, for me, if the Peoples Democratic Party was in government for 16 years of the 18 years of our democratic rule and we still have epileptic light in this country; we still in spite of the enormous resources available to us have not been able to fix electricity supply in this country; if the PDP was in government for 16 years of the 18 years and I can still not find a road from Abuja to my country home in Ugbokolo (in Benue State), it means that all of us are guilty of leadership and governance ineptitude.

Also speaking, former governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi decried lack of transparency and accountability in government.

He said the situation was responsible for the level of corruption in the country and poor delivery of dividends of democracy.

Obi said the way out of the quagmire was for leaders to carry the governed along in budgetary spending and plans for effective tracking.

“The way forward is that governments should make their budgets more explicit and published. The plans and the money to be spent on them should be clearly stated.

“That is when people can track and make comparative analysis with previous budgets and then we can achieve some transparency,” he said.

The former governor also urged the masses to show more interest in the budget so as to keep leaders on their toes.

Mr Seun Onigbinde, Chief Executive Officer, Budgit, an organisation with interest in accountability in public finance, urged Nigerians to demand accountability from their governments.

He also urged governments at all levels to always carry the people along in their budgetary proposals and implementation to achieve accountability.(NAN)

Democracy Day: Ngige urges Nigerians to be patient, hopeful The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige has urged Nigerians to be patient and have hope in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

Ngige, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Awka on Monday, assured that the Federal Government was committed to the development and welfare of the people.

“I feel fulfilled even though the expectations of Nigerians have not been met.

“I feel that President Buhari has scored a pass mark within the resources available; special circumstances of terrorism; militancy in Niger Delta; global oil price slash; and low oil output,” Ngige said.

He said the Federal Government had within the two years annihilated Boko Haram, reduced corruption, managed the economy and ensured the welfare of citizens as guaranteed in Section 14 of the Constitution.

According to him, people are complaining because there is no free flow of money anymore, no leakages for corrupt people to take money and go and spend.

“People are complaining that the price of food has gone up. Yes, these things you should expect when you do what is called a shock therapy on any economy or system of government,” he said.

“Nigeria was producing 2.2 million barrel a day as per OPEC quota, but for most part of 2016, at least for three quarters of 2016, we were producing 1.2 million barrels and the prices fell from 100 Dollars per barrel to 35 Dollars per barrel.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1 , 2017

Bailout funds: C/Rivers APC wants EFCC to investigate disbursement in state Edem Edem, Calabar Given the alleged misapplication and misused of Federal Government’s bailout funds in the state, the All Progressives Congress (APC), Cross River State chapter has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) not to sweep the matter under the carpet.

The party said Cross Riverians are desirous to know the outcome of the investigations as the state suffered a lot of infrastructural decay and non payment of salaries, gratuities and pensions.

In a statement made available to our correspondent, the acting chairman of the party, Sir John Ochala, decried the misapplication and misuse of the funds by state governments. “The All Progressives Congress, Cross River chapter calls on the EFCC not to sweep the case of our looted bailout funds under the carpet, Cross Riverians are desirous of knowing the outcome of your investigations,” he stated.

Accusing the state government of being inept, the party boss said the government have succeeded in taking the state backwards in terms of developmental strides, adding that, “this is a very big challenge to us, but our greatest challenge is our mindsets.”

Assessing the two years in office of Governor Ben Ayade, the APC chieftain said the governor performed below average, “On May 29, 2015 when Governor Ayade took his oath of office, he promised commissioning his infamous signature projects in eighteen months, two years after, all the signatures we see and hear of are the MOUs that are never implemented.

The governor is at the verge of deceiving the Acting President to come and commission the Garment Factory, a fraudulent enterprise that belongs to the governor through his cronies.

“The government of Cross River un-

Ayade der Ayade have succeeded in making the state the dirtiest in the country, pensions/gratuities are not paid, no portable water, no meaningful project, governance is spontaneous and by impulse, in a state where the number one and two citizens (by default) claim to be Professional, we have the worst state library in Nigeria.”

According to him, the governor who is far older than the last three occupants of the Government House (as at when they became governors) pretends to be far younger than his age and in this self deceit, preoccupy himself with ‘Shoki dance’ while Cross River remains with a clueless leadership.

“The insensitivity of the state government and lack of empathy for Cross Riverians was made manifest when a levy of over 50 percent increase in the cause of loading a trailer of PMS was imposed on the tanker drivers without prior negotiations with critical stake holders. This led to serious hardship in the state, transport and the cost of general goods and

services was up by 300 percent.”

Consequently, assessing the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, the APC chieftain acknowledged some of the successes so far recorded by the Federal Government such as degrading of the Boko Harram insurgents to its minimum, restoration of peace in the Niger Delta region, securing the release of 106 Chibok girls and general security of lives and properties in the country as well as employment of hundreds of thousands of youths in various sectors of the economy.

He said the administration repositioned and revitalised the economy through various short term economic policies that have brought the nation out of recession and commended the government’s fight against corruption, “We commend the very positive results in the fight against corruption that is recovering hundreds of Billions of stolen Federal Government funds.

“Monumental infrastructural development across the country that is the Calabar Lagos rail, Calabar/Itu road, upgrade of airport, school feeding program, increases in direct foreign investment due to transparency of Federal Government etc”. The acting Chairman however, appealed to Nigerians to pray for the speedy recovery of the President and appreciated the Acting President for diligently holding the fort.

“The All Progressives Congress, Cross River State felicitate with the Federal Government on the occasion of our democracy day and two years in office. Let us seize this opportunity to thank President Muhammadu Buhari, his able vice, Yomi Osinbajo and the entire executive, legislative and judicial team for their enormous sacrifices towards nation building. We must not fail to salute the positive and resilient spirit of Nigerians; we say to the Nigerians citizens there is light at the end of this tunnel.”

11 Politics

Lalong, PDP bicker over Plateau LG polls Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos. Governor Simon Lalong of Plateau State has said that the date for the conduct of local government election in Plateau State is no longer in his hands having inaugurated the Plateau State Independent Electoral Commission (PLASIEC).

Governor Lalong stated this at a media interactive section with Journalists held at Government House in Jos to mark his two years in office.

He said, “The choice to fix date for the conduct of local government elections, is not within my powers as PLASIEC is an independent body saddled with the responsibility to determine a date convenient for the elections.”

However, the Chairman of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in Plateau State, Hon. Damishi T. Sango, on Tuesday challenged the state governor to conduct the LG elections stating that Lalong is afraid of losing at the polls because the people has lost faith in him.

“Lalong is afraid of going through the elections because the people are not with him; the Plateau people are waiting to use the opportunity of the local government polls to demonstrate to him that he has failed and are rejected.

“The same people that voted him to power are still on ground and have rejected him and that is why he is hesitant to conduct the polls,” Sango said.

The PDP state chairman also alleged that Lalong has mismanaged the over N97 billion received as subvention from the Federal Government in the first one year that he assumed office.

Sango also accused the Lalong led administration of embezzling the N18 billion taken from commercial banks in the first three months of his administration, also, the N4.5 billion spent in the first one year on exotic cars, and other miscellaneous expenses running into billions of naira.

APC has no electoral value for 2019 elections, says Wike Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt The Rivers State governor, Barrister Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has declared that the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state had no electoral value.

The governor alleged that the APC would depend on its planned reliance on the security agencies to rig elections in 2019 adding that the poor performance of the APC has totally devalued the party and that Nigerians had discovered that the APC was full of empty promises, with no accompanying implementation.

Commissioning the Igbogo road

in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Tuesday, Governor Wike said: “Several promises, not one fulfilled. I have challenged the APC to come to Rivers State and say what they have done. If not for the dependence on security agencies for rigging of elections, no APC member will come forward to contest elections.”

The governor said that where democracy was practiced in line with the rule of law, PDP members would have gone to sleep, knowing they would walk over APC in 2019.

On developments in Rivers State, Governor Wike said while other states ended their democracy day on Monday, his administration would

continue the commissioning of several projects in the coming weeks.

He said that for the people of Akpor Kingdom, the administration had executed projects in all the ten communities of the area and informed that the Rivers State Government would start to reach out to all supporters, which would be in form of direct empowerment.

Commissioner of Works, Mr. Iheanyichuwu Bathuel, said that the Igbogo road had revived the community, adding value to the residential houses in the area.

The Choba community, in appreciation of the new road, conferred a chieftaincy title on Governor Wike.

Wike

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Reps probes N5.1tn FG abandoned, on-going projects, $200m solar energy fund Continued from page 1 ment to ascertain the number and location of the capital projects either on-going or abandoned.

Also, the committees are to determine the amount committed into the projects, sums paid and the outstanding to date on all the on-going and abandoned projects and report back within eight weeks for further legislative action.

This is even as the House also resolved to investigate the $200 million clean technology fund meant for solar energy development in the North East geo-political zone.

Moving the motion, Rep. Ibrahim decried the alarming infra-

structure gap in the country over the past 17 years, considering that the country is bedeviled with poor and dilapidated road network, epileptic power supply, a moribund railway system, airports requiring rehabilitation and crumbling infrastructure in the education and health sectors.

He said that over the years, trillions of naira was committed by the Federal Government in a bid to provide critical infrastructure in areas such as agriculture, aviation, transportation, education, health, environment, security, science and technology as well as roads and power supply.

“Implementation of capital budgets annually has never, in the past 17 years, reached an aver-

age of 50 per cent, thus resulting in proliferation of uncompleted projects all over the country.

“As at May 2011, there were over 11,886 on- going projects that required over N10trillion and more than 10 years to complete even if an average sum of N1trillion is provided annually to fund the projects,” he stated.

Rep. Ibrahim added that of the total commitment of N7.8trillion for the 11,886 on-going projects, only N2.7trillion was paid to contractors, implying an outstanding commitment of N5.1trillion as at May 2011.

The resolution to investigate the $200 million clean technology fund meant for solar energy development in the North East geo-

political zone was sequel to the adoption of a motion sponsored

by Rep. She hi Aliyu Musa drawing attention to the negative image of Nigeria in the international donor community over what he described as the monumental loss or mismanagement of the funds.

Consequently, the House directed its committee on environment and health to interface with the ministers of environment and finance on the status of the project, evidence of the disbursement of the funds and report back within three weeks for further legislative action.

Rep. Musa while moving the motion had stated that the Clean Technology Fund is one of the two multi-donor trust funds with-

in the Climate Investment Funds meant to promote scaled up financing, deployment and transfer of low carbon technologies with significant potentials for long term greenhouse gas emissions savings.

The funding initiative, he said was intended to help overcome the financing and market barriers for low carbon investments and support the deployment and application of clean energy, and energy efficiency solutions in various industries, homes and service centres.

He however expressed concern that five years after the approval and subsequent release of the funds to the Federal Government, the project was yet to commence.

Buhari in safe hands, hale and hearty-Lai Mohammed Chris Emetoh, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Minister of Information and

Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has reaffirmed that President Muhammadu Buhari, is receiving adequate attention from his medical team in London.

Mohammed, who simply put it that “the President is hale and hearty, told State House Correspondents after the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at Aso Villa on Wednesday that President Buhari is in “very competent hands” in London, adding that there should be no cause for alarm.

Reiterating his position on Mr. President’s condition, Lai Mohammed said, “Once again, I want to make myself very clear on the issue of Mr. President. He

is in very competent hands and there is no cause for alarm.”

The Daily Times recalls that Buhari left Nigeria on May 7 for medical treatment in London.

On the state of the 2017 budget which the National Assembly has transmitted to the Executive for Mr. President’s assent, the minister explained that there is concerted effort by all the ministers to work with the Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udoma, to reconcile the 2017 budget.

According to him, “On the issue of budget, it is being reconciled and we are all coordinating with the Minister of Budget and National Planning”.

Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) received the official copy of the 2017 Appropriation on May 19.

Adamawa State Governor, Muhammadu Bindow (l); Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese, Bishop Dami Mamza (r) and other dignitaries at the commissioning of Adamawa State Catholic Secretariat in Yola… on Wednesday.

FG to ban sale, usage of tobacco in public places Ebelechukwu Ibeneme, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Worried at the rate of death

in the country resulting from the use of tobacco, the Federal Government on Wednesday announced its plans to ban the sale or offer for sale or distribution as well as consumption of tobacco products in public places.

The Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole made this known in Abuja at a media briefing to mark this year’s world “NO Tobacco Day”.

The ban will also include the sale of tobacco products to and by anyone below 18, sale of cigarettes in single sticks, prohibition of interference of tobacco industry in public health and related issues, prohibition of smoking in anywhere on the premises of a child

care facility; educational facility; and health care facility.

Other prohibited places for smoking include: Playgrounds; amusement parks; plazas; public parks; stadia, public transport vehicles, restaurants, bars, or other public gathering spaces.

The government said it would prosecute the owner or manager of any of the places listed above who permits, encourages or fails to stop smoking in the above listed places as well as the prohibition of tobacco advertising, promotion and sponsorship of any kind.

According to him, tobacco is the only legal drug that kills many of its users when used exactly as intended by manufacturers adding that tobacco use is currently responsible for the death of about 6 million people annually across the world with 80% of these

deaths occurring in low and middle-income countries like Nigeria.

“This includes about 600,000 people who are also estimated to die from the effects of second-hand smoke. Many of these deaths occur prematurely. Although often associated with ill-health, disability and death from chronic noncommunicable diseases, tobacco use is also associated with an increased risk of death from communicable diseases.”

The Minister lamented further “that Nigeria’s 2012 Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) states that over 20 billion sticks of cigarettes are consumed in Nigeria annually, and 5.6% adults (4.5 million) currently use tobacco products out of which 4.1 million are men and 0.5 million women.

In addition, 29.3% of adults (6.4 million) are exposed to second-

hand tobacco smoke when visiting restaurants, hotels and other public settings. Of the adults surveyed, 82.4% believe that smoking causes serious illness. Recent study among University Students in Abuja, alarmingly shows that 33.3% of the students are current smokers.”

The worst he noted, is that tobacco growing requires large amounts of pesticides and fertilizers, which can be toxic and pollute water supplies. Each year, tobacco growing uses 4.3 million hectares of land, resulting in global deforestation between 2% and 4%. Tobacco manufacturing also produces over 2 million tonnes of solid waste.

While assuring on protecting the public health, he said government will not rest on its oars in the fight against tobacco as it has

in pursuance with the provision of the Act, inaugurated the National Tobacco Control Committee (NATOCC) on the 12th of July, 2016 to advise on tobacco control matters as well as produce a draft of National Tobacco Control Regulations 2017 which will be transmitted to the National Assembly for approval as a legal framework for the effective implementation of the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act 2015.

Also, in order to sustain the gains in tobacco control in Nigeria Government has recently approved the establishment of the National Tobacco Control Unit (TCU) as required by sections 6 and 7 of the National Tobacco Control (NTC) Act 2015 to drive the plans, policies, projects and programmes of NATOCC and the Federal Ministry of Health.

Page Thirteen

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

s

13

PHOTO TIMES

Editorial Imperatives for encouraging Made-in-Nigeria goods

A

t last, President Muhammadu Buhari has joined the camp of those campaigning for purchase of Made-in-Nigeria goods.

At the 2016 edition of the NESG forum, Buhari supported the theme of the summit, which goal is to reduce the country’s over-dependence on imported goods. This is one of the rare occasions when the public and the private sectors would be subsuming their different interests in pursuance of the same economic goal.

Since the slump in oil prices Nigeria’s economy has gone into recession with attendant job losses, dwindling foreign reserves, capital flight and little or no foreign direct investments. Even with the parlous state of the economy, many Nigerians are yet to face the reality and curb their appetites for foreign made products. It is this weird and irrational behaviour that is behind the NESG, and other stakeholders to launch the buy made-in-Nigeria programme.

Apparently, the heavy dependence on foreign products threatens the domestic economy. According to the minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Audu Ogbeh, Nigeria imports food worth $20 billion, annually. Also, figures show that the country imports rice worth N356 billion; wheat, N635 billion; sugar, N217 billion; and fish, N95 billion. Paradoxically, Nigeria is blessed with rich vast arable where foods can be produced both for local consumption and export.

Apart from being a high-capacity employer of labour in the past, the textile industry has become a shadow of its once virile self. The Nigerian Textile Manufacturers Association says, “Nigeria currently spends over $4 billion annually importing textiles and readymade clothing.

The situation comes out starkly when the N400 billion per annum spent on the importation of paper products is added to the mix. Although Nigeria owns four refineries, they have been rendered moribund by maladministration and corruption. The result: the NBS, in its latest release on the oil industry, says the nation imported petroleum prod-

Publisher/Editor in Chief Group Managing Director Noel Anosike Group General Manager Olisa Egbunike 08034004224 Head, Operations Isaiah Udo 08033230673

ucts worth about N3 trillion between January 2015 and April 2016.

Similarly, Nigeria spent $3.3 billion on the importation of building materials in 2013. This is worrisome because these materials are produced from solid minerals, which are lying fallow in the country.

It is not surprising, therefore, when the NBS, in its second quarter report on the economy, said real GDP growth in manufacturing had contracted to minus 3.36 per cent. This must have informed the determination of President Buhari to restate the desire of his government to see the country produce all it needs.

But to translate this desire into reality, the administration must chart a fresh path. Yet, the fundamentals of the economy are so weak for this desire to be achieved. Manufacturing companies are closing down rapidly, eroding the capacity of the sector to produce goods and services needed domestically.

A major factor limiting local production is the harsh operating environment that business operators face. The 2016 World Bank Ease of Doing Business index ranks Nigeria 169 out of 189 economies. This says it all. In the basket of measurement, the Nigerian economy ranks 182 in “Getting Electricity,” 181 in “Registering Property,” 139 in “Starting a Business,” and 143 in “Enforcing Contracts.” Seriously, the economy is not tailored to production, which is an inducement for importation.

Without this, locally produced items will continue to lose out to foreign substitutes. And, this is where strong economies are different.

This gloom can, however, be altered with sound microeconomic and macroeconomic policies. First, the government has to demonstrate its commitment by changing its own habits. The campaign must take root among public officials. Their lust for imported items is a threat to the crusade; therefore, they have to retrace their steps.

Public procurement should likewise be restructured to accommodate local products as against foreign goods and services.

Technical Adviser To Publisher Innocent Nwankwo 08033072614

Group Head Commercial & Business Development Konnie Agu 09033765031

Editor, Daily Sam Nzeh 08050220692

Deputy Editor, Special Projects Lateef Ibrahim 08037872585

Abuja Bureau Chief/Nations Capital Editor Tony Amokeodo 08038099089

Features Editor Gbubemi God’s Covenent Snr 09095489889

Deputy Editor, Daily Ken Madueke 08059100364

Ag. Head, Graphics/Design Sunday Gabriel Idagwu 07030881423

News Editor Kelechi C. Ogbamgba 08050220561

General Counsel: ELIAS MORDI & CO 08068613825

L-R: Staff Attorney, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Mrs. Joke Fekumo; Centre for Ethics and Sustainable Development, Dr. Olajumoke Akinode; Executive Director, SERAP, Mr. Adetokunbo Mumuni and former Chairman, Lagos State House of Assembly Committee on Judiciary, Mr. Babatunde Ogala, during the media launch of a report in Lagos… on Wednesday.

Monsignor Livinus Ukah

More info: www.dailytimes.ng https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts https://twitter.com/DailyTimesNGR

R-L: Director General, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, Is’haq Modibbo Kawu; Group Managing Director, Gospel Digital Technology/ Chairman, STBMAN, Sir Godfrey Ohuabunwa and Director, TV Enterprise, Maxwell Loko, during the interactive meeting with the Ad-Hoc Committee on Digital Switch with NBC at the National Assembly in Abuja… on Wednesday.

PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Words On Marble :

– Fidelis Anosike Group Head Administration/ Special Project Geraldine Uba 07064933209

L-R: Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike; Deputy Governor Ipalibo Harry Banigo and former Rivers State Governor, Sir Celestine Omehia, during the Commissioning of Ulakwo II-Afara-Nihi Road in Etche Local Government Area… on Wednesday.

dailytimesng www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

Being rich is no longer fashionable if it cannot be used for human development.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Pastor Tunde Bakare

Pope John Paul II

What God purposed and did before time cannot be destroyed by time, because once upon a time, there was no time at all.

Christianity is called to offer a genuine ‘DNA’ for a universal humanity; a Trinitarian vision and life that can animate a civilisation of love.

14 Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

The imperatives of sustained political intelligence in Biraidu District

E

Dr. Akowe Joel

ven when the modern society emerged to escape from the savagery of the state of nature, it is yet to achieve the optimal application of common law to secure equal distribution of common wealth among the citizenry.

This is probably because in addition to the reality of power as being central to any alteration of differences in human community, the diversity of power centres and composition within the state or between states across the globe or the politics of who operates the power lever differs from place to place and from time to time. It is this dynamics that make the political space a theatre of struggle for power acquisition, power retention and power utilization among the component individuals and groups in such a manner that no normal member is expected to be innocent.

Accordingly, Aristotle maintained that when a man is selfisolated and unable to share in the benefit of political association, either through the expression of interest, observance of customs, rules, system of laws or self sufficiency, such a person is at best regarded as a beast or a demi-god and has no part in the city. He thus described political isolation as “one of the commonest political disorders with significant morbidity and wide spread notoriety.

Despite the fact that man is gregarious, he is at the same time, rational. While living in the community of his peers, he is daily involved in constant bargaining in his quest for fame, difference or glory. Thus, David Easton defined politics as the authoritative allocation of values in a society while Lasswell on his own part sees politics as a set of activities which define ‘who get what, when and how’. To Leeds in Puke (2004), politics is a continuous process of bargaining, negotiation and compromise (where necessary) among interest groups because the societal values which are needed on daily basis, are limited in supply.

There is therefore, every need for every leader or politician to apply political intelligence which involves gaining and using skills and knowledge of political strategies for the purpose of maintaining political advantage in a politically competitive environment.

Political intelligence also involves strategic advance planning for creating and maintaining viable alliances; efficient gathering, managing and utilizing political information for timely identification of political opportunities; confidence building among diverse clusters of

political units through needs assessments and intervention auditing; and ability to detect cheating in social exchange relationships.

In cognizance of this fact, Ferris et al, identified four dimensions of the political intelligent construct to be social astuteness, interpersonal influence, networking ability and (apparent) sincerity. These attributes are similar to what Ferris refers to as application of political calculus to gain advantage in a complex and competitive environment.

Reference made to interest groups here presupposes that every political space is a theatre of competition. Thus Mack Stan, refers to competitive political environment as a dynamic context in which diverse interest groups contend for limited political opportunities for the purpose of acquiring, maintaining and utilizing power for allocating resources from the common wealth of the people. The interminability of this struggle is predicated on the fact that the distribution of the benefits or the cost burdens of the union depends largely on who controls the state power. In such a competitive space, survival is highly dependent on the acquisition and application of strategic political knowledge and skills otherwise known as political intelligence or political calculus.

Thinking and acting ahead has a chance of taming the likely wildness of any phenomenon and its attendant disasters. According to Hornby (2015) intelligence refers to the ability to learn, understand and think in

logical way about things. Learning here covers the entire process of gaining knowledge or skill by studying from experience or from being taught, while understanding on the other hand, refers to accurate interpretation of the facts or symbols that are incumbent in the entire process of what is being learnt.

To this scholar, political calculus refers to calculation or reasoning of a specifically political nature and means to make evaluations and decisions which are primarily based upon politically expedient considerations. Thus, a politically intelligent individual or community therefore is not that which only secure votes through coercion, inducement or raw manipulation. Rather, it refers to that which secures co-operation through collaboration. While the later guarantees peaceful co-existence and fortifies a community against external manipulations, it equally ensures sustained calculations for enhanced pay-off in political transactions.

From the fore-going, even though politics may be described as “the clearing house of pressure (Keating 1944), the need for better access to power in a complex state requires that layers of decision centres should be created for efficient governance.

Thus, Uphoff (1985:70), Okolocha (1995:3) and Okoli and Onah (2002:161) that centralization in any form is opposed to meaningful development. To them participatory environment optimizes comprehensive identification of both general and specific problems of the community for

appropriate responses. To these scholars, centralization places the entire burden of planning and programming of such desirable change on a small stratum of the population at the centre which, more often than not, represent only a small proportion of the nation’s intelligence and skills. Accordingly, they proposed an effective local institution through which the people reach up to the national centre and become partners.

Since 1976 therefore successive Nigerian administration had progressively advanced this system beyond its inherited limitations to full fledge Local Government that should be capable of mobilizing local resources for responsible and responsive service delivery (Onah 1995), Nwankwo 1995, Okoli and Onah 2000). For instance, the 1976 reforms had among other things, conceived local government as a democratic and people-based institution with defined structure, functions and sources of revenue. Thus, between 1976 and 1996 too, the number of Local Government councils had surged from 301 to 774 while its revenue profile also improved significantly.

In Kogi state, the Local Government areas increased from the inherited nine (9) from Kwara and Benue state in 1991 to the present day twenty one (21) and between January 2007 and September 2009, in addition to t heir internally generated revenue and grants from both the Federal and State governments, these councils have received a net revenue of not less than N54,490,104,293.00 (Kogi State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs 2006 – 2009).

Despite the increased numbers of these councils and the corresponding improved resources at their disposal, the reports of Kogi State Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (KOSEEDS) (2007), Local Government Economic Empowerment and Development Strategies (LEED) (2009), and the post-mortem analysis of the MDGs decades have revealed an unmitigated poverty, mostly in the rural areas. These include poor access to clean and safe drinking water, hygienic waste disposal, properly maintained and manned primary health delivery systems, effective primary education, and all-season rural roads networks etc. consequently, this sector has been subjected to increasing waves of crimes, interpersonal and inter-communal conflicts and insecurity of lives and properties, etc.

Dr. Akowe Joel is of the Department of Public Administration, Kogi State Polytechnic, Lokoja

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June1, 2017

15 News

Gov Ahmed warns of imminent collapse of LGAs Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

ÏÏÏKwara

New Osun Commissioner for Health, Dr. Rafiu Isamotu (l), signing the oath of office before Governor Rauf Aregbesola, during the swearing-in-ceremony for the newly appointed commissioners and Special Advisers, at the Bola Ige House, Abere, Osogbo… on Tuesday. With them are, Deputy Governor Titi Laoye-Tomori (l); wife of the governor, Alhaja Sherifat Aregbesola (r) and others.

Health minister tasks health care givers on medical history of patients Ebelechukwu Ibeneme, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

Medical practitioners in the country have been called upon to always exhibit honesty and truthful character in their medical dealings with their patients to help foster good relationship that will help to ensure quick recovery of their patients.

Minister of Health, Prof.

Isaac Adewole, made this call on Wednesday in Abuja during an exclusive interview with Daily Times crew in his office.

According to him, keeping their patients’ medical records secrets, among others, remain one of the ways of maintaining a healthy relationship with their patients.

“Doctors should know that so many patients see them as mini gods and that is why when you tell them to take even water as drugs they believe you 100 percent and do that without asking questions.

“So there should be bonding which must be build on trust,once a patient cannot be assured of your trust in keeping secret his medical records,,he or she moves to another place to seek for medical help and the fear of not seeing trust from their doctors has made so many to any away from accessing proper medical care.

He describes the situation where patients medical files disappears from hospital and

their medical history known by others as a sad one noting that it has made so many not to patronize medical services.

“On our part, we want to see a situation where we rekindle the spirit of trust in our patients, having trust on us as health care giver if very important because a lot of illness will be treated early when we go to hospital early than when go late.”

He continued, ‘ and that is why the ethic of the profession does not allow us to treat our relations or people close to us to ensure their medical history are kept secret and to also avoid unnecessary panicking when you run into problems.

MMIA ready for emergency, certification

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏ

The manager, Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos, Nehemiah Auta, said personnel at the airport have been adequately trained and ready to handle emergency cases at all times.

Speaking at the mock emergency airport exercise held at the MMIA, Auta said the essence of the exercise was to test the capability of the personnel and the equipment on ground to ensure that they conform with emergency requirements.

The Airport Manager explained that with the required

personnel on ground, there was no reason why the response time will not be met in the event of emergency at the airport.

According to Auta, with proper coordination, improved level of alertness and cooperation from various sister organizations in the system, emergency remained a great task.

He stressed the need to improve on the level of alertness and communication among the agencies. “We have a structure on ground and all we need to do is to test the structure, to know how they will respond and if they are being reached.

“We are trying to improve on the level of our alertness

towards emergency because emergency can be in the day, at night or at anytime. The timely response is what matters. You can imagine an aircraft engulf in flames, the time response of the medical support matters.

That’s the essence.”

Auta said with the category nine status of MMIA, that the airport has adequate fire tender and was ready to handle emergency situations.

He also explained that the mock exercise was also to enable them display their might towards the certification of the MMIA airport adding in the next few months the MMIA will be certified.

state governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed, has warned of imminent collapse of local government areas in most part of the country should the dwindling federal allocation to the third tier of government persists.

The governor made the observation while speaking with newsmen in Ilorin as part of the 50th anniversary celebration. He maintained that the continuous dwindling allocation had continued to threaten the existence of the local government structure.

According to the governor, “if the problems of the local government areas must be permanently laid to rest, the revenue base of local government areas must be broadened. Local government areas require to be reformed along financial sustainability and independence if they are to carry out their statutory obligations at the grassroots.”

The governor, who de-

scribed as mischievous blaming state governments for the incapacity of some Local Government Areas to meet their statutory financial obligations of paying salaries, insisted that the state government did not deduct any penny from allocation due to the third tier of government.

According to the governor, the term Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC), does not imply a joint account between the state and the local governments but a joint account among the 16 council areas. He insisted that the state government did not share out of the local government allocation.

On his activities in the last six years, Governor Ahmed said his administration had invested in education, health, infrastructures and human capital development to improve socio-economic development of the state.

The governor promised to sustain his strategic approach to issues and programmes with a view to making the state more economically viable.

Igbo people, major victims of marginalization –Eze Ndigbo Oyo state Bolaji Omosanya, Ibadan

ÏÏÏ

The Igbo people of Nigeria have been described as the major victims of marginalization, injustice and untoward treatment amongst all the ethnic groups in the Nigerian federation.

The Eze Ndi Igbo of Ibadan and Oyo state in general, Dr. Alex Anozie, made this declaration in an exclusive chat with the Daily Times correspondent in Ibadan metropolis, Oyo state.

He said the recent stay-athome appeal to all Igbos in the Southeastern part of the country by some of their leaders was not a forceful one but voluntary.

Anozie said the whole idea behind the project was meant to remember the millions of lives that were lost during the civil wars of the nineteen sixteens and subsequent ill-treatments.

The Eze Ndigbo of Ibadan and Oyo state in general said that the Igbo people, whether represented by Independent Peoples of Biafra, IPOB, or any other such groups have the right

to agitate for freedom if they think that they can do better on their own.

Dr. Anozie said that everybody has divergent views about the issue but that majority of Igbos believe that they are the worst hit by the evils of corruption, killings, kidnappings and other viles.

“Everybody has a divergent opinion over the whole issue of Igbo being on their own or staging a solidarity show or protest.

It is like the injustice going on in the country, corruption, killings here and there affects the Igbo people more.”

“It is very distasteful to some people and that is enough foragitations to begin. Igbos believe that they are the worst hit by this evil been done in Nigeria.”

“This is the more reason why people like myself have been clamouring for justice for every ethnic group in the country, whether, Igbo, Yoruba, Hausa or any other ones that make up the country,” Dr. Alex Anozie added.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

17

Features 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Pastor Tunde Bakare of the Latter Rain Assembly, holding the product, while others look on

PALINIA: The making of new cookies The consumer segment of the Nigerian market has always been very dynamic.

From the colonial times till date, several products of different quality, tastes, sizes and colour have come and gone. However, the consumer, who has remained the ‘king,’ as players in the sector has to make their product appealing, or pocket-friendly to them given the serious competition that continually exists on the Nigerian business and challenging space.

And this is why Palinia, the new entrant into the cookies’ market, says it would be a product to beat, going by the worlds of the Board and Directors of pastries Confectionaries, makers of Palinia Scrumptious Cookies.

This assurance was brought to the fore, when, on Friday, May 26, 2017, the product was inaugurated at the Protea Hotel, located in the elitist Government Reservation Area, Ikeja, Lagos.

Indeed, to demonstrate its seriousness to give its competitors a run for their money, the company, apart from making the product available and pocket-friendly, it also sought the face of God. That was why the presence of the General Officer of Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, who prayed for the company and its man-

The entry of a new product, Palinia, in to the competitive Nigerian market, has the potential of growing the economy, in this report by FEMI GANIYU agement, led by Mr. Aremo Igbekele and wife, Bunmi, that they were on the path of success by their activities, was significant.

The occasion, which was compered

by Mr. Bode Adekanye, was also a parade of eminent personalities, including Mr. Abimbola Oladapo, a businessman and Chief Launcher; Co-launcher, Mrs. Mosunmola Olulade; Commissioner, Ministry of Wealth Creation, Employment, Lagos State, represented by Mrs. Abosede; Zonal Coordinator, South West and Centre Manager, Technology Incubator Centre, Lagos, Dr. (Mrs.) Julie Momah; Chairman, National Association of Small Industrialists, Lagos State Chapter, Mr. KutiGeorge; among others.

While taking his listeners through the conception and birth of his product, Chairman of the company, Mr. Igbekele said that, Palinia was the outcome of painstaking research designed to “Offer high quality and delicious cookies, cakes and pastries to Nigerians.”

He said that, the product is a combination of uniqueness- delicious, nutritious and satisfying. He said it also has local content, with 20

per cent cassava flour, while all his workers are Nigerians.

He said that the packaging materials being used compare with the foreign ones, pointing out that through effective collaboration with the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Bank of Industry, Lagos Agency for Poverty Alleviation, Palinia has, today, become a reality, and can be served as breakfast; meetings and is good for families.

According to the former national Sales Mnager, Funman Nigeria Limited, a fruit juice company, the product has Devine blessings, more so as, Pastor Bakare has sought God’s face for it. He said it would offer more, “Our cookies have multiple nutrients, and they can be used as snacks at breakfast, conferences and workshops” among other value adding benefits.

Speakers at the inauguration also commended the management of the company for their commitment, given the challenging economy facing the country.

For Mr. Kuti-George, Nigeria has potential to be great. He said with a vast arable land, manpower resources, the country has no business with

poverty.

The NASSI boss commended President Buhari, through the Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, for enunciating an Executive Order on local content; and urged Nigerians to patronise made-in- Nigeria products.

But the wife of the Chairman, Mrs. Bunmi Aremo told The Daily Times that it was due to her husband’s support and perseverance as a trained caterer, that enhanced the success of the product.

She urged governments at all levels to give loans to women in particular, to enhance their capacity, wellbeing, create more jobs and reduce poverty in the country.

For the Executive Secretary, Lagos State Employment Trust fund, who was represented by Mrs. Bose Alimi, the Agency, which was created about two years ago has been mandated by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, to, among other deliverables, create over 1 million jobs by 2019; provide capacity, as well as, “deliberate creation of market for Small and Medium Enterprises, SMEs.”

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Crime

19

s

Police brutality: Father of four seeks justice Stories by Joy Anyim, A father of four children, Alhaji Kasali Ojo, has accused the Police of torturing him and left him traumatised.

Kasali’s ordeal, runs contrary to the oftentrumpeted saying that, the police are the friends of the people. However, when circumstances arise where the Police dished out threats and exploited the people, these call for urgent action and redress.

This is exactly the case with a businessman, Kasali Ojo, 49, who was allegedly tortured and maltreated by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad of the Lagos State Police Command.

Ojo who is the Managing Director/CEO of Asaka Auto Investment Nigeria Ltd, was alleged to have led a gang of dare-devil robbers, who according to the five-man Anti-Robbery team that came for his arrest and subsequent torture, had killed two ADCs attached to a state governor (name withheld).

Information made available to The Daily Times revealed that the SARS’ Operatives, had stormed Ojo,’s office at No. 63/69, Ijebu Road, Car Wash Bus Stop, Ikotun, Lagos, on May 15th, 2017, at about 11: 30am.

In a petition written by Ojo to the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 Police Command, the petitioner called for the immediate investigation into the circumstances surrounding his ordeal over what he knew nothing about..

Narrating his own side of the story, in a chat with our correspondent, Ojo said. “On the fateful day, the SARS’ operatives invaded my office, brandishing firearms. Immediately they got into my office, they reached for me, began to slap me, such that it has affected my hearing capacity.”

He said, “They handcuffed me and threw me

Alhaji Kasali Ojo

into the booth of their vehicle and drove me all the way to Badagry. I was taken to the house of one of a one- time client, who had bought a brand new motorcycle from me in January, 2017.

It was while we were there that the reason for the visit of the SARS’ officers became clear to me.”

According to him, “They also started hitting my client; and alleged that he was the one who supplied armed robbers with bikes; and that he had sold the bike, which was used for the robbery operation, where two ADCs of a governor were killed.”

Ojo stated that he remembered someone bringing back the bike he had bought for repair work in March, due to a six-month warranty given. He said that the motorcycle was fixed by the engineer of the suppliers in his office at Ijegun, from where it was bought, and subsequently, when the rider did not return for the bike, the owner at whose house the unscrupulous SARS’

officials had taken him, came to claim the bike, presenting the original documents to him and saying, he was the actual owner, as the rider, who had brought the bike, was unserious.

In his petition, Ojo alleged that, “They also called me a supplier to robbery gangs, which my client immediately refuted; and he told them that I’m a genuine seller of new bikes with business branches known to people.”

“Instead of them to listen to him, they slapped him several times. They also asked him to disclose who bought his bike. He told them that he sold off his motorcycle when the rider became unserious. He also promised to take them to the Hausa man who bought the bike.”

After leaving Badagry, Ojo buttressed that they took him in the booth in handcuffs to their SARS’ office in Ikeja, where his people paid what he termed, a ransom to his ruthless and brutal “abductors,” who rampaged as officers of the Nigerian Police Force.

Ojo said. “While at SARS office, the operatives said that they were searching for the guns taken from the slain ADCs of a governor. I told them I knew nothing about what they were taking about. At this point, my family members and neighbours had come for me.”

He said, “ They were begging for my release, only to be told that I will be given bail with N1 million. They threatened them that the Commissioner of Police was aware of the matter; and that if they take me to him, my case would be worse than it was then. After much plea from my family and friends that the amount was on the high side, they collected N200,000 as bail. The leader of the officers, who was simply called, Alhaji Aliu, ordered me to return to the SARS on Friday, the 19th May, 2017.”

He said, “On getting to the SARS office Lagos State Police Command on Friday, the leader of the team just asked me to go, since the missing

Transformer vandals nabbed, arraigned in court Joy Ekeke Three persons were on Thursday, 25th May, 2017, arraigned before a Lagos Magistrate Court, for attempting to vandalize Ikeja Electric’s 500KV Transformer at Orisunbare, Ayobo area of Lagos State.

The suspected vandals, Sunday Olatunde, Michael Eyen and Aina Adebesin were apprehended on the 23rd May, 2017, at about 1.45am, by a vigilante group of the Orisunbare Community, Ayobo; and handed over to the police.

The offenders were arraigned before a Magistrate Court, Ogba, before Mrs. A.R Orilogbo, on a three- count charge bordering on conspiracy to commit felony; attempt to steal and vandalise distribution transformer cables; and unlawful possession of dangerous tools, rubber gloves and charms The accused persons were consequently remanded in Kirikiri Maximum Prisons, pending the fulfilment of their bail conditions, just as the case was adjourned to 19th June, 2017,

for mention.

Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ayobo Police Station, Chief Superintendent of Police, Anyanwu Emeka Kingsley commended the efforts of the community in apprehending the suspects, saying that the support by the vigilante groups in collaboration with the Nigeria Police, was an effective collaboration to curb crime in the communities.

The suspects

Prior to their arrest, about five transformers had been vandalised within the community, including, Igegu 200KVA, Ibukun (Promise land 3) 300KVA, Promise land 500KVA and Baba Abu 500KVA. Lamenting the rise in the cases of vandalisation, Head, Corporate Communications Ikeja Electric, Felix Ofulue said that the company had suffered over thirty attacks on transformer Sub-stations within the last four months, particularly in Igando, Ikotun, Akowonjo in Oshodi and Ayobo, among other locations.

According to him, repair works on the vandalised assets were a huge drain on the business, not to mention a major setback for the socio-economic well-being for the local community.

Ofulue further urged residents to remain vigilant at all times and report any suspected persons tampering with electrical items in their neighborhoods to the nearest police station.

riffles have been found.”

The businessman, who was still in shock, said he was yet to understand why he was handcuffed and kept in the booth for six hours, which he said was unjust, even if he was a cheap criminal. He also noted that even when neighbours around tried to intervene, they were chased with an AK47 by one of the SARS’ operatives.

He, therefore, called on top echelon of the police force and well-meaning Nigerians to look into the matter, so as to give him justice by bringing the unpatriotic officers to book, particularly as, his image in the eyes of the public, has been dented; and the fact that he was still traumatised.

EFCC re-arraigns ex-minister’s son over N1.2bn fraud ..four companies also face charges

Oguntade Ismaila Shamsudeen Bala, son of a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Bala Mohammed, was on May 30, 2017 re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, before Justice Nnamdi Dimgba of the Federal High Court, Abuja.

He was re-arraigned along with four companiesBird Trust Agro Allied Limited, Intertrans Global Logistic Limited, Diakin Telecommunications Limited and Bal-Vac Mining Nigeria Limited, on an amended 15-count charge, bordering on money laundering.

The amendment, which was effected in counts 10 to 15, according to prosecution counsel, Ben Ikani, “was to accommodate new information” in the alleged charge brought against them.

In one of the amended counts, the prosecution alleged that Bala, knowingly failed to declare “the sum of £472.26 standing to your credit domiciled at Standard Chartered Bank Plc, an offence contrary to section 27 (1) of the EFCC Act 2004.”

He was also alleged to have deliberately concealed the sum of $32,512.44 and 17.45 euros in the same bank, but with different account numbers, while declaring his assets, an offence contrary to the EFCC Act, and punishable by same.

Bala, also allegedly “without going through a financial institution, made cash payment of N200 million only to Faruk Saleh at Abuja, as payment for the purchase of House 2A, No. 7, Gana Street, Maitama, Abuja, which exceeded the statutory limit,” an offence contrary to the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act 2011, as amended in 2012.

He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges when they were read to him.

His counsel, Chris Uche, SAN, thereafter, urged the court to allow him to continue to enjoy the bail earlier granted to him on February 3, 2017, two days after he was first arraigned.

Uche, further requested for time to study the amended charge dated May 25, 2017, saying that he was “only being served” by the prosecution.

Ikani did not oppose his application for bail.

Justice Dimgba has adjourned to June 26, 2017, for “continuation of hearing.

20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June1, 2017

JESUS THE STONE OF LIFE BIBLE CHURCH INT’L ASABA THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1) ARINZE AMARACHUKWU 2) PATIENCE ETIAKA 3) NNAEMEKA EZECHI 4) ISRAEL NWUBA 5) NELSON OKEREKE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THISREGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: ARINZE AMARACHUKWU

BON PATRIMONE FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AKINWANDE RITA OLUBUNMI 2. AKINWANDE MAYOWA WANDE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. INSPIRING STUDENT FOR BRILLIANT AND GENIUS PERFORMANCE IN ACADEMICS ALL OVER AFRICA. 2. TO ORGANIZE TRANSFORMATIONAL NETWORK/SEMINAR ON ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND CAPACITY BUILDING ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

HOUSE OF HAGGAI EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER THE PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1) MRS GANSALLO FUNMI ADEBAYO - PRESIDENT. 2) MR GANSALLO ADEBAYO ABIDEMI - VICE PRESIDENT. 3) PASTOR OGUNYEMI FAVOUR. 4) PASTOR OLANIYAN AKINTOLA -TREASURER .

5) PASTOR AKINNOLA PATRICK - SECRETARY. 6) MRS LAMINA BOLAJI. AIMS & OBJECTIVES: 1. TO EMPOWER WOMEN AND YOUTH BY PROVIDING FACILITATORS, ENVIRONMENT AND FORUM FOR TRAINING ENTREPRENEURS AND ARTISCIANS. 2. TO FOSTER PEACE AND UNITY AMONG IT’S MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTIONS TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

21 Public Notice

THE MOUNT ZION SALVATION AND DELIVERANCE MINISTRY INT’L

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. FASUYI OMOLARA IFEOLUWA 2. IJIOLA ELIZABETH OLANIKE 3. IJIOLA IDOWU 4. IJIOLA ELIJAH OLUWADAMILARE 5. OSANYINRO SOLOMON FEMI 6. ADEOTI OJA FLORENCE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST TO ALL NATIONS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

CHRIST APOSTOLIC PRAYER AND EVANGELICAL MINISTRY THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PASTOR FEMI SAMUEL ALUKO 2. MRS. OLAYEMI JULIANA ALUKO 3. ADESOLA GRACE ODUWOLE 4. PASTOR JULIUS OLUWAGBAMILA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

FRUGAL EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. EHICHIOYA VINCENT AMIONABU 2. IBHASUEMOJIE EMAKHU INNOCENT 3. OSEZUA PETER 4. OSEZUA AIGBOJIE PRINCE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO EMPOWER, PROMOTE AND SUPPORT THE LESS PRIVILEGE AND SKILFUL INDIVIDUAL IN THE SOCIETY AND NIGERIA. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ASSOCIATION OF DEFENSIVE DRIVERS & FLEET SAFETY PERSONNEL THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. COL. IBRAHIM YISA (RTD) 2. MR. KAYODE OLANORIN 3. MR. HABIBU ZAKARI AMINU 4. MR. AKEEM AJIBOLA 5. MR. SELUMAN LECKY 6. MRS. ANNA DOOFAN NEV 7. MR. MOHAMMAD OKORIE THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO CREATE AWARENESS ON THE PREVENTION OF ROAD ACCIDENT ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: SECRETARY

LIBRARIES ACROSS NIGERIA FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OMOTOLA SAMUEL ONI - (CHAIRMAN) 2. ETIM OKON OFFIONG - (MEMBER) 3. ADEBOLA OMONIYI AKONI - (MEMBER) 4. GRACE UTIBE ONI - (SECRETARY) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO ESTABLISH LIBRARIES ACROSS DIFFERENT PARTS OF NIGERIA 2. TO CREATE AND FACILITATE AFTER SCHOOL LITERACY ACTIVITIES 3. TO SUPPORT LOCAL COMMUNITIES TOWARDS THE DEVELOPMENT OF LIBRARIES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE EASY SPOTLIGHT ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

TRUSTEES 1. OMONIRA DANIEL ADEBAYO 2. AJANI OLUFEMI DAVID 3. JAIYEBO OLUGBEMI OLUPELU. AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO CREATE LONG- LASTING SELF-EMPLOYMENT AND WORK OPPORTUNITIES FOR LESS PRIVILEGED PEOPLE AND THOSE WITH LOW INCOMES, INCLUDING WOMEN, THEREBY EASING THEIR SELF-SUFFICIENCY ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

TIMILEHIN LEUKAEMIA FOUNDATION

EXCELLENT VISUAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION

LANDMARK BELIEVERS MISSION

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2004.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED BODY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990 NAMES OF TRUSTEES 1.TELLA OLUSEGUN JOHNSON 2.TELLA DEBORAH OMOWUMI 3.TELLA OLADAPO SAMUEL 4.OLABIYI KOLAWOLE VICTOR 5.OLUTAYO MOFOLUWASO OLUSOJI

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: MRS. OYEDELE MODUPEOLUWA JANET MR. AYODELE ADEDIRAN MR. DAVID OLUBUNMI AJADI BARR. MICHAEL BAMIDELE THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1.TO CREATE AWARENESS OF LEUKAEMIA IN THE SOCIETY. 2.TO PROVIDE SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN LIVING WITH LEUKAEMIA. 3.TO ADVOCATE AND ENLIGHTEN PEOPLE ON THE PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF LEUKAEMIA. 4.TO HARNESS RESOURCES AND FACILITATE THE ESTABLISHMENT OF LEUKAEMIA CENTERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT,

TRUSTEES: 1. DR. LAWRENCE GOODLUCK EBERE -CHAIRMAN 2. EMEKA JAMES ONONIBA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. OFFERING FREE EYE SCREENING AND ADMINISTERING MEDICATIONS TO INDIGENT PERSONS. 2. PROVIDING OPTICAL AIDS SUCH AS GLASSES AND CONTACT LENS. 3. MAKING TIMELY REFERRAL IN SURGICAL CASES. ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B. 198, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY-EIGHT (28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

6.AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: TRUSTEES

ASSOCIATION OF PALMTREE PLANTERS OF NIGERIA

WORD TRIM CITY MINISTRY

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MISSION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT OF 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED MINISTRY HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AMAILO CHINWE FINE 2. AMAILO EMMANUEL 3. NNONYE CHRISTIANA IFEOMA

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OJO FUNSHO NEWTON 2. ELIZABETH O. AKINOLA 3. NWANKWO FESTUS IZUCHUKWU 4. IFEOMA MARGARET OKPALOGU 5. NKECHI PERPETUAL PETER 6. IYKE OKAFOR NNEKA EUCHERIA 7. UMEORA NGOZI EMELDA ORJI 8. HASSAN BOSE YETUNDE 9. UMEORA OBINNA PAUL 10. UMEORA OBIOMA EMMANUEL

GRACE AMEN MESSENGERS MISSION

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO DEPOPULATE HELL AND POPULATE HEAVEN. 3. TO BRING UP GODLY PEOPLE IN THE SOCIETY. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS 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: SECRETARY

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. TO CARTER FOR THE GENERAL WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1). PASTOR CHINEME OKEREKE - PRESIDENT 2). MRS. TEMITOPE OKEREKE - SECRETARY 3). ENGR. MICHAEL ALABI - MEMBER THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. TO WIN SOULS FOR OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST AND PREPARE MEN AND WOMEN FOR THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST. 2. TO EMBARK UPON PLANTING, ESTABLISHMENT OR BUILDING OF CHURCHES OR ANY OTHER PLACE FOR CHRISTIAN WORSHIP IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD. 3. TO ENCOURAGE THE STUDY, UNDERSTANDING AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS OF THE BIBLE TRUTH IN EVERY LIFE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_ GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED : ALFRED DANBABA ESQ.

Public Notice 22 GANIYU AKINTOLA ADESHINA

Formerly Akintola Adeshina Adeshina Now Ganiyu Akintola Adeshina.

Former documents remains valid. General public should please take note.

OGBODO EUCHARIA NWABUNKEONYE

Formerly Obioha Chioma Regina. Now Uzoma.

Chioma Regina. Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Weac/ neco and the general public take note.

ONYIAGWA LETICIA NDIDIAMAKA.

UCHEGBU GODSPOWER UZUKA

MRS MBADUGHA CHARITY EBELE

MRS ANI ROSEMARY CHINASA

AGU: I, formerly known and addressed as AGU LETICIA NDIDIAMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYIAGWA LETICIA NDIDIAMAKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

UCHEGBU: I, formerly known and addressed as UCHEGBU GODSPOWER AKACHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as UCHEGBU GODSPOWER UZUKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CHUKWUZUBELU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHUKWUZUBELU CHARITY EBELE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MBADUGHA CHARITY EBELE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OLUBA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHINASA ROSEMARY OLUBA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANI ROSEMARY CHINASA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MRS EZEBUBE EUPHEMIA NWANNEAMAKA

ALMOND GEORGE BABAH

OLIVIA SUNDAY

OHN SUNDAY AJOGWU.

EDEH ANTHONIA UCHECHUKWU

CHIOMA REGINA. NNAMDI

ANI: I, formerly known and addressed as ANI EUCHARIA NWABUNKEONYE, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBODO EUCHARIA NWABUNKEONYE. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

ORJI: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ORJI EUPHEMIA NWANNEAMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZEBUBE EUPHEMIA NWANNEAMAKA. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note

UDECHUKWU SIMEON INNOCENT UGWU: I, formerly known and addressed as UGWU SIMEON INNOCENT and UGWU SIMEON OKEKE, now wish to be known and addressed as UDECHUKWU SIMEON INNOCENT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OKOLIE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKOLIE CHIKA CHARITY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBE CHIKA CHARITY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

NWEZE CHUKWUDI JOSEPH

MRS IBE CHIKA CHARITY

MBAH UGOCHUKWU CECILIA

NWEZE: I, formerly known and addressed as NWEZE CHUKWUDI NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as NWEZE CHUKWUDI JOSEPH. All former documents remain valid. Access Banks and General public should please take note.

MBAH: I, formerly known and addressed as MBAH CECILIA UGOCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MBAH UGOCHUKWU CECILIA. All former documents remain valid. CBN and General public should please take note.

OWOYEMI SEUN SAMUEL

TIJANI NURAT ADENIKE

Formerly known and addressed as OLUWASEUN SAMUEL OWOYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OWOYEMI SEUN SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS. ONYEBUCHI ANURIKA FRANCISCA I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKONKWO ANURIKA FRANCISCA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. ONYEBUCHI ANURIKA FRANCISCA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

BETSY CHIDINMA AKABUEZE I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS BETSY CHIDINMA UGWU NOW WISH TO BE ADDRESS AS BETSY CHIDINMA AKABUEZE ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAINED VALID GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June1, 2017

I, formerly known and addressed as NURAT ADENIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as TIJANI NURAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BABAH: I, formerly known and addressed as BABAH GEORGE FATAI, now wish to be known and addressed as ALMOND GEORGE BABAH. My correct date of birth is 26/09/1979.

All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

NWACHUKWU: I, formerly known and addressed as LINDA CHINEDU NWACHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as OLIVIA SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MADUMERE: I, formerly known and addressed as MADUMERE SUNDAY ONYEBUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHN SUNDAY AJOGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EDE: I, formerly known and addressed as GODSWILL EDE UCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH ANTHONIA UCHECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OZOCHUKWU CHINEDU FEDNAND

MRS EBEBE ANGELA OGOCHUKWU

ANYAEGBU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS PATRICIA CHINYEAKA ANYAEGBU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS PATRICIA CHINYEAKA NNAJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

MRS OLUWATOYE TEMITOPE OLAYEMI OGUNTOLU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OGUNTOLU TEMITOPE OLAYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLUWATOYE TEMITOPE OLAYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

EZEJIOFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as EZEJIOFOR CHENADU KENNETH, now wish to be known and addressed as OZOCHUKWU CHINEDU FEDNAND. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

EGBO: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EGBO ANGELA OGOCHUKWU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EBEBE ANGELA OGOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

OKOLIE LOVETH OLUCHUKWU

AJALA ESTHER CHIZOBA

LADI DIDI IBRAHIM

NWEKE OBUMNEME COLLINS

MRS PATRICIA CHINYEAKA NNAJI

OKOLIE: I, formerly known and addressed as OKOLIE LOVETH OLUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as OKOLIE LOVETH OLUCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

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

IBE AGNES NKECHI KING

ABDUL MORIAM YETUNDE

I, formerly known and addressed as OLIVER NKECHI AGNES JUSTINA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as IBE AGNES NKECHI KING. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABDUL-MORIAM YETUNDE ONIGBANJO, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ABDUL MORIAM YETUNDE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

BADMUS ADEBOLA BUSOLA

ADAMU PHILEMON

I, formerly known and addressed as ONAGORUWA ADEBOLA BUSOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as BADMUS ADEBOLA BUSOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as THOMPSON PHILEMON, now wish to be known and addressed as ADAMU PHILEMON. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

CHANGE OF NAME/CORRECTION OF DATE OF BIRTH

ADETUWO FUNMILOLA OLATOUN

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS OLATUNJI F UNMILOLA OLATOUN NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AS ADETUWO FUNMILOLA OLATOUN ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE .

SULEIMAN JUBRIL

MAIMUNA ABDULLAHI

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SULEIMANU .A. JIBRIL NOW I WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS SULEIMAN JUBRIL. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS MAIMUNA ABDULLAH NOW WISH TO BE CALLED MAIMUNA ABDULLAHI ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE .

WOMEN IN PUBLIC SERVICE FOUNDATION

OGUNNAIKE MOROUNKEJI ADENIKE I, formerly known and addressed as ADEYEMI ADEPEJU MOROUNKEJI ADENIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNNAIKE MOROUNKEJI ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. MONICA ADAEZE OGUNWALE I, formerly known and addressed a MISS MONICA ADAEZE NNAMANI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. MONICA ADAEZE OGUNWALE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ISAH: I, formerly known and addressed as LADI PETER ISAH, now wish to be known and addressed as LADI DIDI IBRAHIM. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

OLAYIWOLA LUKUMON ALANI

MRS IZUNDU VICTORIA.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OLAYIWOLA LOOKMAN, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OLAYIWOLA LUKUMON ALANI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

SARAH: , formerly known and addressed as MISS SARAH NGENTAP PHILLIPIAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IZUNDU VICTORIA. All former documents remain valid. Generalpublic should please take note.

ASEKUN TEMITOPE NOFISAT

BELLO-OKUWOGA RAHMOTALLAHI ABIDEMI

That I was formerly known and addressed as ASIBOR BOSE AFEWONKEKE on my bank account, while my date of birth was wrongly written as 20th of May, 1966 and on my BVN as 20th of June, 1966 instead of 20th day of May, 1969. That my correct date of birth is 20th of May, 1969. That I now wish to be known and addressed as ASIBOR ODUBOR BOSE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEYEMI ASEKUN TEMITOPE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ASEKUN TEMITOPE NOFISAT. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

AMEH IKWUBIAMECHE.

OKOPIDE EMMANUEL MERCY

I, formerly known and addressed as GABRIEL AMEH PHILIP, now wish to be known and addressed as AMEH IKWUBIAMECHE. That i was born on 15/03/1989. All former Documents remain valid. General Public should take note.

KAREEM MUIBAT ADENIKE Formerly known and addressed as KAREEM MUIBAT LAWAL, now wish to be known and addressed as KAREEM MUIBAT ADENIKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

MUSLIM STUDENTS SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION

COLLINS: I, formerly known and addressed as COLLINS KELVIN, now wish to be known and addressed as NWEKE OBUMNEME COLLINS. All former documents remain valid.

Generalpublic should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AKPAN MERCY DEBBIE, now wish to be known and addressed as OKOPIDE EMMANUEL MERCY. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BELLO RAHMOTALLAHI ADUKE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as BELLO-OKUWOGA RAHMOTALLAHI ABIDEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME My name appears as LAWAL IDIAT, FOLAKE OGUNTAYO on some of my Documents, and it also appears as OGUNTAYO FOLAKE IDIAT LAWAL in other of my Documents, this is to confirm that I am the same person bearing these names. All documents bearing the above mentioned names remains mine and valid. General public should take note.

PUBLIC NOTICE

AMUSAN OPEYEMI

I, Solarin Bosun Olajide hereby informed the general public of the terrorist attack on my cousin, Solarin Olabanji Bankole who was born on the 26th of July, 1979. He attended Rivers State University for his B.Sc, University of Lagos for his M.Sc and proceeded for his Phd in the University of Maiduguri, Borno State, the attack by Boko-Haram Sect at the University of Maiduguri led to the displacement of students including my Cousin whose whereabout is unknown till date.

I, formerly known and addressed as SAHEED OPEYEMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AMUSAN OPEYEMI. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank, general public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

WAZOBIA WIDOWS FOUNDATION OF AJEGUNLE LAGOS

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. UYI JENNIFER ODUWA-MALAKA 2. GLORIA ELUEBO ADAGBON

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MALLAM MOHAMMED AMIN -CHAIRMAN 2. HAJIA MARINA MOHAMMED - SECRETARY 3. MALLAM SHEHU MAISHANU - MEMBER 4. ALHAJI MOHAMMED SAIDU - MEMBER

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. FOR UNITY AMONG MEMBERS

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. TO PROVIDE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR INDIGENT MUSLIM STUDENTS.

TRUSTEES NAMES 1. VICTORIA OWEAWHO 2. ROSE EBEGULEM 3.TIMOTHY OVEROH 4. EVANGELIST BENJAMIN IGOH(CHAIRMAN) 5. MRS FELICIA IGOH(SECRETARY)

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED : STANLEY IJI LEGAL PRACTITIONER

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: TO ASSIST THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN THE SOCIETY ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: JACOB BLESSINGS (08184740407)

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Destined Ambassadors Club

LIVING BRANCH PENTECOSTAL CHRISTAIN CENTRE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for incorporation under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Pastor Micheal Adedayo Adediran - Senior Pastor/Spiritual Head 2. Pastor (Mrs) Dorcas Olajumoke Olusola - Secretary 3. Pastor Jamiu Olakanmi Olayeri - Member 4. Pastor (Mrs) Esther Oluwabunmi Adediran - Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To reconcile the world of humanity back to God, through the preaching of gospel of Jesus Christ.

2. To help people of God discover & recover their God’s giving destiny through the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. To preach repentance, righteousness & holiness as a condition for acceptable Christian Worship.

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

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for incorporation under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Tukur Kayode Musiliu 2. Raheem Folusho Mubeen 3. Osojese Marius Ehiebon AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To promote peace and unity among its members 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: Barr Sally

Signed: Abioye , Abioye & Co Barr. Mrs. Kehinde Abioye

x

ROSE CHIKA ABIOLA DIKE FOUNDATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for incorporation under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. KECHINYERE ANN ELEKWA 2. OWEI SWEET DONALD JNR. 3. VICTORY NNODIM ELEKWA

- PRESIDENT - SECRETARY - MEMBER

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To provide support and education relief for women, youth and less privileged in the society.

2. To organise health enlightenment campaigns, educational workshops and skills acquisition programs as means of alleviating poverty and self-help.

Any objection to this 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: PRESIDENT

x

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Akomolafe Saturday Collins 2. Olawole wisdom 3. Olayere Roland 4. Akande Olorunwa Cyprian 5. Ezekiel F. Andrew .

6. Alabi ebumada gaius .

7. Ashedun Emmanuel 8 . Omokugbo adeloye.

9. Akpaja Enerst 10. Agbabi aslem

(chairman) ( secretary) ( vice Chairman) ( treasurer). ( financial secretary) ( auditor)

AUCTION SALES! AUCTION SALES!!

1. ONE SCRAP DAMAGED TOYOTA COROLLA CAR WITHOUT REG. NO. 2. ONE SCRAP UNSERVICEABLE MAZDA 626 CAR REG. NO. EF 678 PHC. WITHOUT IGNITION KEY 3. ONE SCRAP BLUE TRICYCLE REG. NO. BRS 309 QB. WITHOUT IGNITION KEY. 4. ONE SCRAP SUMEC GENERATOR, ONE DAMAGED STANDING FAN, ONE PANASONIC TELEVISION, ONE COOKING STOVE. 5. ONE POLICE BELT, ONE PHILIPS TELEVISION, THREE PRESSING IRON, COMPUTER ADAPTOR AND CABLE, TWO STABILIZERS, ONE UNSERVICEABLE HP LAPTOP. 6. AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS.

Any Objection to the Registration should be Forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off AGUIYI Ironsi Street, MAITAMA, ABUJA Within 28 DAYS of This Publication.

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

ADDITION OF NAME

MRS. ATOYEBI TOMILAYO BUNMI

BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE : 1. Dr. Olajide Olayemi Joseph 2. Mr. Oyewole Aboyeji Lukuman 3. Mr. Olanrewaju Sallah Bolakale 4. Hon. Salaudeen Abdulfatai Abdulkadir 5. Mr. Basheer Luqman Olarewaju AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. To promote and advance qualitative education, youth empowerment and scientific development.

2. To relieve in charity the widows, the orphans and the sick.

3. To engage in environmental conversation, peace and conflict resolution.

4. To organise conductive programs in promoting community health care and livelihood development.

5. To foster unity and love among its member 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

BLIZZ ORGANISATION THE General Public Is Hereby Notified That The Above Named Has Applied to Corporate Affairs Commission For Registration Under Part “C” Of The Companies And Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OHENHEN JENNIFER(chairman) 2. OGBESOYEN WILLIAMS ORIMOLADE (sec) (3) OHENHEN JESSICA NEKPEN, (4)KINGSLEY DANIEL PEREABI. Aims And Objectives: 1. To help the less privileges in the society 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: ALH. UBALLO DANU AUCTIONEER

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

MBONU BETHEL CHINENYE

MRS. TOCHI ONYEJI

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MBONU UCHENNA DANIEL, now wish to be known and addressed as MBONU BETHEL CHINENYE. All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AGHALANYA TOCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. TOCHI ONYEJI. All former documents remain valid, First Bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

MRS. AHAMEFULE CHIOMA LYDIA

ONYEKACHI ANTHONY and IBRAHIM ABDULHAKIM ADEMOLA refers to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as ONYEKACHI ANTHONY. All former documents remain valid, Diamond Bank Plc, Fidelity Bank Plc and the general public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AHAMEFULE CHIOMA LYDIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AHAMEFULE CHIOMA LYDIA. All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

TAJUDEEN MUSTAPHA OLASUPO

Aims And Objectives: 1. To promote unity and peace among members

GLITTERING STARS CHARITY ORGANIZATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORM THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANY AND ALLIED MATTER ACTS NO 1 OF 1990.

Signed by : Abdul Wahab Yahaya & Co. (Solicitors)

THERE WILL BE AN AUCTION SALES OF SCRAP MOTORS, SCRAP TRICYCLE AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AT THE NIGERIA POLICE, DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS, OZUOBA TOWN DIVISION OF THE RIVERS STATE POLICE COMMAND. AFTER 21 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

OKPAMERI PROGRESSIVE YOUTH ASSOCIATION, AKOKO EDO THE General Public Is Hereby Notified That The Above Named Has Applied to Corporate Affairs Commission For Registration Under Part “C” Of The Companies And Allied Matters Act 1990.

23 Public Notice

OLADELE OLUWATOYIN OMOLABAKE

MRS. UMANA JULIANA ACHETU

AZEEZ MUSEDIQ TANIMOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OTOKPA JULIANA ACHETU, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UMANA JULIANA ACHETU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MUSEDIKU TANIMOLA OLAITAN, now wish to be known and addressed as AZEEZ MUSEDIQ TANIMOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as TAJUDEEN MUSTOPHA, now wish to be known and addressed as TAJUDEEN MUSTAPHA OLASUPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLADELE OLUWATOYIN OMOLA and YUSUF OLUWATOYIN OMOLABAKE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLADELE OLUWATOYIN OMOLABAKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

RAMAT IBRAHIM OMONIYI

MADUABUCHI RICHARD DOMIKE

AMOS BRIGHT JOHNNY

NDUKWE EBERE TESSY

I formerly known and addressed as MADUABUCHI KELECHI RICHARD now wish to be known and addressed as MADUABUCHI RICHARD DOMIKE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as BASSEY BRIGHT PATIENCE now wish to be known and addressed as AMOS BRIGHT JOHNNY .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as UZODINMA EBERE TESSY now wish to be known and addressed as NDUKWE EBERE TESSY .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I, formerly known as AJETUNMOBI SAMUEL, now wish to add GBENGA to my name, henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as AJETUNMOBI GBENGA SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OGEDENGBE TOMILAYO BUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ATOYEBI TOMILAYO BUNMI, due to marriage. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGBUNUZOR FREDRICK NWABUEZE

IMONAH OLUWAKAYODE

HUSSEIN RAZAK

FAOLA TIWALOLA IDOWU

FRIDAY OBOFONA

AGU LEO CHIKODI

I formerly known and addressed as OGBUNUZOR FREDRICK NWABUZOR now wish to be known and addressed as OGBUNUZOR FREDRICK NWABUEZE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as KAYODE EBENEZER DAVID now wish to be known and addressed as IMONAH OLUWAKAYODE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as HUSSEIN ABDULRAZAK now wish to be known and addressed as HUSSEIN RAZAK.All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ALADE TIWALOLA IDOWU now wish to be known and addressed as FAOLA TIWALOLA IDOWU.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as FRIDAY OBOFONA OKODOMI now wish to be known and addressed as FRIDAY OBOFONA.All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as KINU LEO CHIKODI now wish to be known and addressed as AGU LEO CHIKODI .All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

JAFAR JOY AMINAT

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

In some of my documents my name was written as OFODUM BLESSING CHINAZA and In some other documents my name was written as CHINAZA BLESSING and OFODUM CHINAZA FAVOUR.The names refer to the same person. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as OFODUM UBADIGBO IFEANYI and In some other documents my name was written as OFODUM CASIMIA IFEANYI.The names refer to the same person. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.

General public to please take note.

IGIEBONG RICHARD UNDIGWUNEYE

EZUN ADEBUKOLA ABIGAIL

EKPENDU ONYINYECHI NORAH

OSAYUKI DANIEL VICTOR

MARUF YUSUF OLA

MRS KATE JERRY KING

PATRICK CHINASA BLESSING

I formerly known and addressed as BELLO ADEBUKOLA ABIGAIL now wish to be known and addressed as EZUN ADEBUKOLA ABIGAIL. All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as EKPENDU UGBOAKU NORAH now wish to be known and addressed as EKPENDU ONYINYECHI NORAH. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I ITUOYO OSAYUKI VICTOR, DANIEL VICTOR and OSAYUKI DANIEL VICTOR are same and one person.that henceforth,wish to be called and addressed as OSAYUKI DANIEL VICTOR.former documents remain valid.general public ECOBANK,KEYSTONE BANK PLC please take note.

I formerly known and address as Morufu Ahmed Olanrewaju, now wish to be known and address as Maruf Yusuf Ola. All former document remain valid.

General public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as Miss EKAETTE UDUAK SUNDAY, now wish to be known as Mrs KATE JERRY KING. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, EGBO CHINASA BENEDICT now wish to be known and addressed as PATRICK CHINASA BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MUSTAPHA OPEMIPO HAMED now wish to be known and addressed as RAMAT IBRAHIM OMONIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

My name was wrongly written as FANCHI AK GABRIEL instead of GABRIEL ALPHONSE FANCHI. Henceforth I wish to be known and addressed as GABRIEL ALPHONSE FANCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as DANIA JOY AMINAT now wish to be known and addressed as JAFAR JOY AMINAT.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as GENTRY OLADOSU EMMANUEL and In some other documents my name was written as GENTRY OLADOSUN EMMANUEL.The names refer to the same person.

All the documents bearing all the names are valid.General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as OGBAJI RICHARD UNDIGWUNEYE now wish to be known and addressed as IGIEBONG RICHARD UNDIGWUNEYE. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

Public Notice MRS MARY EZINWANYI EMENYI

MRS MERCY EKEREBARI DORNU

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MARY EZINWANYI ANABA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MARY EZINWANYI EMENYI. All former documents remain. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS MERCY EKEREBARI ELOBARI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MERCY EKEREBARI DORNU. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

EKE OGEYOYE

OTIOMENA GOD’SPOWER ONO’S.

I, formerly known and addressed as, EKE BRIGHT GODSPOWER, now wish to be known and addressed as, EKE OGEYOYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, ONORWBORERHIE GOD’SPOWER, now wish to be known and addressed as, OTIOMENA GOD’SPOWER ONO’S. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

UZOMA CHINEDU ISAAC

EDET EMEM EFFIONG

I, formerly known and addressed as, ONWUEGBUCHI CHINEDU ISAAC, now wish to be known and addressed as, UZOMA CHINEDU ISAAC. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, EFFIONG PEACE EDET, EMEM EDET, AND EMEM EFFIONG EDET, now wish to be known and addressed as, EDET EMEM EFFIONG. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

MRS. GEORGEWILL GLORIA NNEOMA FRANCIS

ACHERU COVENANT CHIBUIKE

MRS. FAVOUR OGECHI OLISAKWE.

MRS. ONUKEM IHUOMA ROSELINE.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. GEORGEWILL GLORIA NNEOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. GEORGEWILL GLORIA NNEOMA FRANCIS. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, ENDURANCE CHIBUIKE ACHERU, AND ENDURANCE COVENANT ACHERU, now wish to be known and addressed as, ACHERU COVENANT CHIBUIKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. ALOZIE, FAVOUR OGECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. FAVOUR OGECHI OLISAKWE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. EKWE IHUOMA ROSELINE, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. ONUKEM IHUOMA ROSELINE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

MRS. VIVIENNE CHINONYE HYACINTH ANUCHA

ONOWA ELVYS PETER

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. VIVIAN CHINONYE ODOEME, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. VIVIENNE CHINONYE HYACINTH ANUCHA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. ENYINNAYA CHINAZAEKPERE HOPE

I, formerly known and addressed as, ONUOHA ELVIS PETER, now wish to be known and addressed as, ONOWA ELVYS PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MRS. JUSTINA OSA BUPO

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. UCHECHI CHINAZAEKPERE HOPE, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. ENYINNAYA CHINAZAEKPERE HOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known known and addressed as, MISS. GEORGE OSA JUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. JUSTINA OSA BUPO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ALBERT OMOLARA DIAMOND

I, formerly known and addressed as, ALBERT OMOLARA DORIS, now wish to be known and addressed as, ALBERT OMOLARA DIAMOND. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

UMEH SARAH OSONWA I, formerly known and addressed as, SARAH OLUGU OSONWA, now wish to be known and addressed as, UMEH SARAH OSONWA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

EDEHEUDIM SANDY

I, formerly known and addressed as, EDEHEUDIM NOAH, now wish to be known and addressed as, EDEHEUDIM SANDY. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME AUSTIN UZOCHUKWU and UZOCHUKWU AUSTIN UZOCHUKWU, refer to one and same person but, now wish to be known and addressed as, UZOCHUKWU AUSTIN UZOCHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

PAUL MBAMI

BOSSOU ALEX

EZENWOBI EGOYIBO ANDELENE

YINKA ADEWOLE RAMOTA

NWANKWO VERONICA EBERE

I, BASIL OGUBIE FRANCIS BENJAMIN, AND BASIL FRANCIS BENJAMIN, refer to one and same person but, now wish to be known and addressed as, BASIL-OGUBIE FRANCIS BENJAMIN. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

Old Name-BAUCHI MANASSA BULUS NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS PAUL MBAMI. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS BOSSON ALEX NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS BOSSOU ALEX. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS NWAOGU EGOYIBO ANDELENE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EZENWOBI EGOYIBO ANDELENE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Olayinka Odutayo Ramota NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Yinka Adewole Ramota. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Formerly known and addressed as Nwankwo Mercy Ebere now wish to be known and addressed as Nwankwo Veronica Ebere.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AMINAT OPEYEMI RAHEEM

MRS. PETERS PRECIOUS EJIRO

RONALD ANTAI LAWRENCE IBIA

OLUOHA IKENNA VALENTINE

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AMINAT BABALOLA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AMINAT OPEYEMI RAHEEM. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MISS. OJABUGBE EJIRO PRECIOUS NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. PETERS PRECIOUS EJIRO. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known as ANTAI LAWRENCE EFFIONG IBIA wish to be known and addressed as RONALD ANTAI LAWRENCE IBIA .All former documents remain

I formerly known as CLEMENT IKENNA VALENTINE wish to be known and addressed as OLUOHA IKENNA VALENTINE. All former documents remain

MRS. ADEYEMI OLANREWAJU YETUNDE

take note.

take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

AKINBOLU OLABISI BILIKISU I formerly known as Akinbolu Olabisi wish to be known and addressed as Akinbolu Olabisi Bilikisu .All former documents remain valid, note.

BELLO BOLAJI AGBEKE

AWARUN TOYIN

I formerly known as LAMIDI BOLAJI AGBEKE wish to be known and addressed as BELLO BOLAJI AGBEKE .All former documents remain

I formerly known as JULIUS TOYIN CHRISTIANA wish to be known and addressed as AWARUN TOYIN .All former documents remain

I formerly known as Imran Adedoyin Saliu wish to be known

take note.

take note.

please take note.

MR. UMENWAEKE OTUGO .L. IKENNA AGBARA known and addressed as Mr. remain valid, General public please take note.

NWACHUKWU I formerly known as Nwachukwu Ifeanyi Emmanuel now wish to be known Nwachukwu Ifeanyichukwu Emmanuel.

Former documents remain valid. General public take note CORRECTION OF NAME referred to as TUMBA MARK That whereas the correct name is ANDREW MARK BOYI Now wish to be known, called, addressed and referred to as ANDREW MARK

Authorities and the General public Please take note.

AKINSANYA ADETOKUNBO AKINSANYA ADETOKUNBO IDOWU and AKINSANYA ADETOKUNBO is one and same person but now wish to be known and addressed as AKINSANYA ADETOKUNBO.That I was born on the 6th march 1956. All former documents remain valid .

General public take note.

MISS RITA OKON EDET

I Formerly Known and addressed as miss Rita known and addressed as Miss Rita Okon Edet. All former documents remain valid.Bank and General public please take note.

NWEKE MABEL IFEOMA

I formerly known as Nweke Mabel Ifeonu now wish to be known as Nweke Mabel Ifeoma. Former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLAJUMOKE OLUBUSOLA OLUGBESAN

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS OLAJUMOKE OLUBUSOLA SOGBESAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLAJUMOKE OLUBUSOLA OLUGBESAN all former documents remain valid

take note.

OGBONNA JULIET CHIGOZIE

I formerly known and addressed as LAWRENCE JULIET now wish to be known and addressed as OGBONNA JULIET CHIGOZIE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME AND DECLARATION OF AGE

corrected Date of Birth is 2004-1973. All former documents

ADEOSUN OLUWAFUNMILAYO OLAJUMOKE

I formerly known as OLADIPUPO VIVIAN OLUFUNMI wish to be known and addressed as ADEOSUN OLUWAFUNMILAYO OLAJUMOKE .All former documents remain valid,

MRS IBIRONKE ABISOLA ROBINSON ( SHOKOYA ) I formerly known as Miss Ibironke Abisola Shokoya wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBIRONKE ABISOLA ROBINSON ( SHOKOYA ) . All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

MR OLUROTIMI ABAYOMI OLUGBESAN I formerly known and and addressed as MR OLUROTIMI ABAYOMI SOGBESAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MR OLUROTIMI ABAYOMI OLUGBESAN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

JAYEOLA OLUYEMI OLAOSEBIKAN Formerly known and addressed as Jayeoba Yemisi Olaosebikan now wish to be known and addressed as Jayeola Oluyemi Olaosebikan. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADDITION OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH

CORRECTION OF NAME

That I OKUNLOLA KOLAWOLE now add Tajudeen wish to be known and addressed as OKUNLOLA TAJUDEEN KOLAWOLE and corrected Date of Birth 2/3/1965. All Documents /

That I CHINYERE NJIDEKA written as NGBORO NJIDEKA CAMILIA wish to be known and addressed as CHINYERE NJIDEKA CAMILIA . All these names remain valid,

please take note.

MRS. ADETOUN GANIYAT BALOGUN

Formerly Miss. Adetoun Mrs. Adetoun Ganiyat documents remains valid.

General public should please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME That I was formerly known and addressed as THANKGOD ARINZEthat I now wish to add CHIKAMSO to my former name that I now wish to be known and addressed as ARINZE THANKGOD CHIKAMSO. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

OMOROJIE LILLIAN Formerly Christopher Lilian. Now Omorojie Lillian. Former documents remains valid. General public should please take note.

GOODNESS KWENYERECHUKWU OKEKE

I Formerly known and addressed as Okeke Smith Goodness now wish to be known, called and addressed as Goodness Kwenyerechukwu Okeke All

I formerly known as MISS. AGBE YETUNDE wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEYEMI OLANREWAJU YETUNDE .All former documents remain valid,

NNAMA CHINYELU MABEL

I formerly known as CHINE CHINYELE MABEL now wish to be known as NNAMA CHINYELU MABEL. former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS OKOLI CHINWENDU EBERE

I formerly known as Miss Onah Chinwendu. Ebere now wish to be known as Mrs Okoli Chinwendu Ebere. Former documents remain valid. General public note.

SUSAN OMOLOLA OLAJORIN I formerly known and addressed as SUSAN OMOLOLA SHOFOLAHAN Now wish to be known, called and addressed as SUSAN OMOLOLA OLAJORIN. All documents and

my former names remain valid

names remain valid Banks,

Authorities and the General public Please take note.

and the General public Please take note.

JIMOH MUTIYAT OMOWUNMI

ADEYERI OLAYEMI IBIRONKE

I formerly known and addressed as JIMOH MUTIYAT OMOWUNMI AZEEZ, now wish to be known and addressed as JIMOH MUTIYAT OMOWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ODUMOSU OLAYEMI IBIRONKE or ODUMOSU JAMIU YEMI, now to be known and addressed as ADEYERI OLAYEMI IBIRONKE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

SHOFOLAHAN IBRAHIM DAMILOLA

CORRECTION OF NAME

Formerly known and addressed as SHOFOLAHAN DAMILOLA OLAMILEKAN, now wish to be known and addressed as SHOFOLAHAN IBRAHIM DAMILOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

My name was mistakenly written as MURITALA SULEIMAN in my SULEIMAN AGBOOLA. My correct name is MURITALA SULEIMAN AGBOOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLAWUNI JOEL AKINLOYE

I Formerly known and address Now wish to be known and address as, Olawuni Joel Akinloye. All former documents remains valid, FIRST BANK, public should please take note.

AGU NGOZI JULIET

Formerly known and addressed as AGUWENDU NGOZI JULIET, now wish to be known and addressed as AGU NGOZI JULIET. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

EZEH NOME FRIDAY I, formerly known and addressed as EZE EMEKA CHARLES and FRIDAY EZE, now wish to be known and addressed as EZEH NOME FRIDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS. AWONUGA MOTUNRAYO ESTHER I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OMITIRAN MOTUNRAYO ESTHER, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AWONUGA MOTUNRAYO ESTHER. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

xx ADAI ANITA MAGAJIYA I, formerly known and addressed as AJENE ANITA MAGAJIYA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADAI ANITA MAGAJIYA. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

OMAYELI ISIUWA UGBODE

CHIDINMA OBUREKE DAVID

I, formerly known and addressed as CHIDINMA UGOCHI OKORO, now wish to be known and addressed as CHIDINMA OBUREKE DAVID. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

AKINSANYA VICTORIA OLAJUMOKE

I, formerly known and addressed as BENEDICT CHIGEMEZU EKEZIE, Now wish to be known and addressed as BENEDITH NGOZI EKEZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

My name was wrongly written as PETER BISALA ADANSON instead of PETER BISALA ADAMSON. My correct name is PETER BISALA ADAMSON. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS. ADETAYO OMOLOLA JUMOKE Formerly known and addressed as MISS. SHOTUNDE OMOLOLA JUMOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADETAYO OMOLOLA JUMOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MOSHOOD ABDULRAHMAN DEMOLA

Formerly known and addressed as OGUNLOWO LIZZY ADEYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNLOWO LIZZY IBIRONKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

IKENNE ELIZABETH AFISATU Formerly known and addressed as MOMODU ELIZABETH AFISATU, now wish to be known and addressed as IKENNE ELIZABETH AFISATU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SOGA ABIOLA AFEEZ

GODWIN OLUWADAMILOLA DEBORAH Formerly known and addressed as ADESAYO OLUWADAMILOLA DEBORAH, now wish to be known and addressed as GODWIN OLUWADAMILOLA DEBORAH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADU GABRIEL JAMES

Formerly known and addressed as BOSUN SANNI, now wish to be known and addressed as SOGA ABIOLA AFEEZ. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MARTINS OLUWAKEMI OLUWASEYI Formerly known and addressed as FADIMU OLUWAKEMI OLUWASEYI, now wish to be known and addressed as MARTINS OLUWAKEMI OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHUKWUEMEKA ADAEZE CATHERINE

Formerly known and addressed as OJO JAMES SMITH, now wish to be known and addressed as ADU GABRIEL JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as AZOLUKWAM ADAEZE, now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUEMEKA ADAEZE CATHERINE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

CHANGE OF NAME/ CORRECTION OF BIRTH DATE

MRS. ETUMNU ANTHONIA CHIKA I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OPARA ANTHONIA CHIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ETUMNU ANTHONIA CHIKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

EBIRILEM JUSTINA CHINASA

MRS. NDEOBI GOODNESS UGOMMA CHINONSO

ANYANWU MODESTUS AKACHI

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EBEREONWU GOODNESS UGOMMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NDEOBI GOODNESS UGOMMA CHINONSO. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

COREECTION OF NAME

MRS.EKWURU UCHEOMA EVANGELINE

Formerly known and addressed as OKOLI EPHRAIM CHIJIOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as OKOLIE CHIJIOKE EPHRAIM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as IDOWU KAZEEM, now wish to be known and addressed as KAZEEM JAMIU IDOWU. That my date of birth was wrongly written as 5 September 1998 instead of 7 March 1998.All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

BENEDITH NGOZI EKEZIE

I formerly known and addressed as OSARO LUCKY AKOIBHOLE, now wish to be known and addressed as OSARO LUCKY JACKSON. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS EMUYINE BUKKY and JOSEPH ELIZABETH BUKOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as JOSEPH ELIZABETH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OTTIH LYDIA UGOCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UCHE LYDIA UGOCHI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as NDUBUWA SANDRA OJIUGO, now wish to be known and addressed as NDUBUWA ANGEL OJIUGO. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ADEYOMOYE AYOMIPO HANNAH, now wish to be known and addressed as OJEKUNLE AYOMIPO HANNAA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OGUNLOWO LIZZY IBIRONKE

MRS. UCHE LYDIA UGOCHI

I, formerly known and addressed as NJOKU KELVIN ONYEBUCHI, now wish to be known and addressed as AZARA KELVIN NJOKU. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

xOJEKUNLE AYOMIPO HANNAA

OKOLIE CHIJIOKE EPHRAIM

Formerly known and addressed as BOLAGUN MORENIKEJI OMOLABAKE, now wish to be known and addressed as KAREEM MORENIKEJI OMOLABAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as FOLARANMI OLABISI EUNICE, now wish to be known and addressed as FALADE OLABISI EUNICE. All former documents remain valid general public take

ADEKOGBE OYINLOLA BRIAN

JOSEPH ELIZABETH

KAREEM MORENIKEJI OMOLABAKE

AZARA KELVIN NJOKU

ADEMILUYI ADENIKE MODUPE I formerly known and addressed as ADEMILUYI ADENIKE MODUPEOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEMILUYI ADENIKE MODUPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ANYANWU MODESTY OBI now wish to be known and addressed as ANYANWU MODESTUS AKACHI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS AJAYI OLUWABUNMI AKINOLA

TAIWO OLATUNBOSUN JACOBS

I, Formerly known and addressed as Miss Filani Oluwabunmi Arinola now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ajayi Oluwabunmi Akinola.

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OLATUNBOSUN TAIWO DUROJAIYE, now wish to be known and addressed as TAIWO OLATUNBOSUN JACOBS. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

NDUBUWA ANGEL OJIUGO

FALADE OLABISI EUNICE

I, formerly known and addressed as OLUWAFADEKEMI OLAJUMOKE AKINSANYA (ADEGOKE), now wish to be known and addressed as AKINSANYA VICTORIA OLAJUMOKE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as SHASANYA OYINLOLA BRIAN, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEKOGBE OYINLOLA BRIAN. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. OSAYIMWENSE NORA BELLO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OSAYIMWENSE NORA OSARO JACKSON. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

Public Notice

I, formerly known and addressed as OMAYELI ISIUWA IKOMI, now wish to be known and addressed as OMAYELI ISIUWA UGBODE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

This to certify that my name was wrongly written as FORTUNE NNAJI instead of FORT NNAJI. That my correct name is FORT NNAJI. All documents remain valid. General public take note

MRS. OSAYIMWENSE NORA OSARO JACKSON

25

Formerly known and addressed as MISS.OLUA UCHEOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. EKWURU UCHEOMA EVANGELINE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ADESIGBIN OLUWAKEMI ZION Formerly known and addressed as ADESIGBIN OLUWAKEMI ELIZABETH, now wish to be known and addressed as ADESIGBIN OLUWAKEMI ZION. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ANYANWU IKECHI STEPHEN Formerly known and addressed as STEPHEN ANYANWU, now wish to be known and addressed as ANYANWU IKECHI STEPHEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

MRS IBEH ALICE I, formerly known and addressed as MISS KEYI BOYOMO CARLES ALICE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IBEH ALICE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

OSARO LUCKY JACKSON

Formerly known and addressed as MOSHOOD RAHMON DEMOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MOSHOOD ABDULRAHMAN DEMOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

MRS ELIZABETH OMOLARA OLORUNSANYA Formerly known and addressed as MISS BALIKIS OMOLARA OLAWUNMI YAKUB, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ELIZABETH OMOLARA OLORUNSANYA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

MRS BENEDICTA OSADEBE

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OKAFOR BENEDICTA KIDO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS BENEDICTA OSADEBE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

SANNI JAMIU AYOMIDE Formerly known and addressed as SANNI JAMIU SHOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as SANNI JAMIU AYOMIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABUR DANIEL SOO I, formerly known and addressed as ABUR JOSEPH DEMEKAA, now wish to be known and addressed as ABUR DANIEL SOO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS IZEKOR DORIS

UTHO OGHENEMARO ALEXANDER

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ICHAGBA DORIS, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IZEKOR DORIS. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as EGADAH OGHENEMARO ALEXANDER, now wish to be known and addressed as UTHO OGHENEMARO ALEXANDER. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

IFEANYICHUKWU NORBERT EKEMEZIE

Formerly known and addressed as IFEANYI JOHN OBI, now wish to be known and addressed as IFEANYICHUKWU NORBERT EKEMEZIE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

UTHO ESEOSA PHILOMENA Formerly known and addressed as EGHAREVBA ESEOSA PHILOMENA, now wish to be known and addressed as UTHO ESEOSA PHILOMENA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLONADE WAHAB LEKAN

MRS. AKOREDE MODINAT SADE

KOLAWOLE AYODELE FATAI

Formerly known and addressed as EBI-EBIRILEM JUSTINA CHINASA, now wish to be known and addressed as EBIRILEM JUSTINA CHINASA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MUSTAPHA OLALEKAN WAHAB, now wish to be known and addressed as OLONADE WAHAB LEKAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AFOLABI MODINAT SADE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AKOREDE MODINAT SADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Obadimeji Ayodele fatal now wish to be known and addressed as Kolawole ayodele fatai . All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MOHAMMED LAWAL BUKOLA BOLA

AUGUSTINE SULE

MRS.ISRAEL PRINCESS AMARACHI(NEE IHEDIGBO)

I, formerly known and addressed as LAWAL BOLA now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED LAWAL BUKOLA BOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NGBEDE ADA OYIMINU I formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL OYIMINU LOUIS now wish to be known and addressed as NGBEDE ADA OYIMINU. all former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as Simon Tenung Augustine now wish to be known and addressed as Augustine Sule . All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

EZI CHUKWUMA IKECHUKWU I formerly known and addressed as OBIAYOM CHUKWUMA MICHAEL now wish to be known and addressed as EZI CHUKWUMA IKECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I,Formerly known and addressed as MISS.IHEDIGBO PRINCESS AMARACHI , now wish to be known as MRS. ISRAEL PRINCESS AMARACHI(NEE IHEDIGBO) . All former documents remain valid. General public take note

MRS SABDAT JIMOH I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Sabdat Suleiman now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Sabdat Jimoh.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ABDULRASAQ OLABISI OMOBOLANLE I formerly known and addressed as ABDULRASAQ BARAKAT OLABISI now wish to be known and addressed as ABDULRASAQ OLABISI OMOBOLANLE. all former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1 , 2017

Health

s

Nigerians still awaiting Buhari’s 10,000 PHCs - two years on

Stories by Angela Onwuzoo

It is indisputable that the provision of quality healthcare service would reverse the poor health indices in the country.

The Nigeria negative health situation is still unacceptable when compared with some other countries of the world as it is responsible for over 10 percent of maternal and child deaths globally, the World Health Organisation (WHO), says.

Life expectancy is at its lowest ebb while the disease burden keeps skyrocketing amid lack of facilitates, equipment and healthcare personnel and this is compounded by lack of government’s funding for the health sector - and the moribund state of the nation’s Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) which, experts say, remain the foundation to a functional health system in any country.

But the hope of Nigerians was rekindled when the President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration was inaugurated on May 29, 2015, following its promise to revamp the health sector through its change mantra.

In consonance with the agenda of his All Progressives Congress (APC) party geared at providing succor to the poor and the entire society, Buhari promised to revitalise the 10,000 moribund PHCs in each of the 9,423 wards in the 774 local governments in Nigeria between 2016 and 2017.

Health Minister, Prof. Isaac Adewole, who gave insight into the initiative after his appointment had said: “There are about 30,000 PHCs in the country. Only 20% are working. Some are uncompleted, some are dilapidated, some are overgrown with weeds but what we plan to do is to make functional 10,000 of these 30,000 in the next two years. Nigerians will begin to see the dividends of our efforts before the end of 2017. I’m appealing to Nigerians to be patient.”

Buhari’s government also promised to implement the National Health Act, promulgated towards the end of the Dr. Goodluck Jonathan administration. The Act provides a framework for the regulation and provision of national health services, defines the rights of health workers and users, and stipulates guidelines for the formulation of a national health policy.

According to healthcare professionals, the Act provides for Free Medical Care for children under 5 years old, pregnant mothers, the elderly (above 65) and disabled persons, a guaranteed basic minimum health package for all Nigerians, Universal acceptance of accident cases by all Health facilities in Nigeria (public and private) and

President Buhari

Prof. Adewole, Health Minister

ensured quality of healthcare services through the issuance of Certificates of Standard (Public and Private) among other benefits.

On this premise, stakeholders agreed that the National Health Act has provided a good ground for the Buhari administration to take health care delivery to an unprecedented level in the country - if fully implemented.

But two years on, Nigerians are yet to see action, and it is doubtful

if the remaining two years would be enough for the President to fulfill his promise.

Information available to The Daily Times from the Federal Ministry of Health, revealed that the federal government has kick started the process with some wards. So far, only 133 wards spread across the six geopolitical zones have received attention. This spate of progress shows that eight years down the line, Nigeria might not achieve

much if the matter is not brought forward to the front burner.

Stakeholders’ suspicion was confirmed by the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who held brief for Mr. President on Monday May, 29, 2017, while marking Nigeria’s Democracy Day and second year anniversary of the APC led government because it became apparent that health was not on the top priority list of the government.

Enumerating most of the gains achieved so far which excluded health, the VP said, “Our administration outlined three specific areas for our immediate intervention on assumption of office: these were Security, Corruption and the Economy - and that we have done.

“In the next two years, we shall be looking at agriculture, hunger, power and infrastructure”, he said.

Acknowledging the challenges confronting the country would not be solved overnight, a critical look at his 23 minutes national broadcast, showed that there was no place that health was mentioned, not even once, which indicates government’s lack of attention towards the health of Nigerians.

Yet Osinbajo said government had rolled out different programmes and policies to revitalise the economy and create more jobs

for the teeming unemployed graduates.

According to him, these included the Social Investment Programmes, the ease of doing business, the executive orders he signed recently, amongst others.

This administration forgot that one of the most critical sectors that drive other sectors of a country is the health sector because the war against corruption and terrorism that the government is clamoring for, can only be fought and won by health officers, be it military or the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

If after two years nothing was done in the health sector, it is obvious that nothing would still be done in the next two years. What is clear however is that everything seems to be at the planning stage in the health sector in the two years gone.

It would be recalled that Buhari, at the kick off of the revitalisation of 10,000 primary health care centre had said: “I am hopeful that our women will no more be dying during childbirth; our children will no more be dying as a result of vaccine preventable diseases or common ailment and access to healthcare will not be limited due to lack of money.”

LUTH not on strike, protest baseless, says CMD The Chief Medical Director (CMD) of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Prof.

Chris Bode, has affirmed that the hospital was never on strike as claimed in some quarters, describing the recent protest carried out by a group of agitators at the hospital as baseless.

He affirmed that the hospital was open to patients and fully operational and not on strike as claimed by some reports.

Bode while briefing journalists on the recent protest by a group of workers of the hospital, said LUTH was being run efficiently to deliver healthcare services to the people, adding that over 3,000 workers of the hospital were at their duty posts.

“I would therefore, like to assure the general public, especially our patients, their relatives, clients and aspiring clients that LUTH is up and running and efficiently so. It is important to let you know that we did not stop work at anytime. Despite unsuccessful attempts by a group of disgruntled elements to disrupt our operations, our staff stood resolutely against forces of retrogression,” he said.

The CMD however explained that two days ago, “About a dozen workers of this institu-

tion tried to infiltrate the clinical space with miscreants and cause mayhem within the hospital.

“Allegations made by this group are either baseless or with ulterior motives, but we will continue to work.”

Bode therefore appealed to those who are hell-bent on service disruption to obey extant rules of engagement which recognised hospitals as “Essential Services Facilities” and all hospital workers as essential service workers.

He said the Police was invited in good faith to secure lives of over 500 patients in the various wards and dismissed allegations that one nurse serves 28 patients in the hospital.

Bode said the management had ensured that there were no strikes over the last nine months following implementation of government’s no work, no pay rule.

He said LUTH is embarking on service delivery, and recently carried out successful open heart surgeries for eight persons. ation of the breast. Do not waste any time and if you don’t have access to a Doctor, call BRECAN nearest to you. Breast Cancer is affecting our women

at an alarming rate, so what we are left with is information.

“With a well-equipped State Cancer Centre, you can screen women who are above 40 years old. For you to feel breast lump, it must have been there for over 10 years. It could be a birthday gift for your wife to go for such screening. You can imagine the sufferings of cancer patients in this country”, she stressed.

Calling on corporate organisations in Nigeria to play their part, Mrs Akeredolu stressed the need for a paradigm shift as early detection is cost effective, frowning at cultural practices that discourage women from seeking medical help.

The Chairman of the Occasion, Professor Friday Okonofua, who is the Vice Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State acknowledged the fact that this was the first time in the history of Nigeria that a First Lady is coming out on an activist ground to fight a cause.

“BRECAN was established in 1997 not 2017”, he affirmed.

Prof. Okonofua was however optimistic that when the history of Nigeria is written in terms of the fight against breast cancer, her name will be in the roll call. In his lecture titled: ‘Breast Cancer in Nigeria, the chal-

LUTH CMD, Prof. Bode

lenge and the hope’, the Guest Lecturer, Dr. Adewale Adisa affirmed that painless lump in the breast can be more worrisome while enjoining women to selfexamine themselves as early detection aids treatment.

While highlighting the different treatment options for breast cancer which includes chemotherapy, surgery, lump removal, radiation therapy among others as well as those at higher risk of contracting the disease, he enjoined women to take preventive steps by doing exercise and having healthy eating habits

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

27 Health

Tobacco is a major barrier to development globally - WHO

Angela Onwuzoo,

Those in the habit of smoking and using tobacco products may have a decision to make, as the World Health Organization (WHO) has revealed that smoking and use of tobacco kills more than seven million people each year.

Apart from its negative impact on human, WHO also warned of the dire impact of tobacco production, distribution and waste on the environment.

In a report released to mark the 2017 World No Tobacco Day yesterday (May 31st) with the theme, “Beating tobacco for health, prosperity, the environment and national development “, the UN agency urged countries of the world to intensify action to stamp out tobacco use, stressing that such action can help countries prevent millions of people falling ill and dying from tobacco-related disease, combat poverty and also reduce large-scale environmental degradation.

Lamenting the economic cost, WHO noted that tobacco use costs households and governments over US$ 1.4 trillion through healthcare expenditure and loss of productivity

every year.

WHO is therefore, calling on governments to implement strong tobacco control measures such as banning, marketing and advertising of tobacco.

Others are promoting plain packaging of tobacco products, raising excise taxes, and making indoor public places and workplaces smoke-free.

The report also revealed that tobacco use breeds poverty as around 860 million adult smokers live in low and middle-income countries.

According to Director General of WHO, Dr. Chief Margaret Chan, “Tobacco threatens us

all exacerbates poverty, reduces economic productivity, contributes to poor household food choices, and pollutes indoor air,” she said.

Her words: “But by taking robust tobacco control measures, governments can safeguard their countries’ future by protecting tobacco users and non-users from these deadly products, generating revenues to fund health and other social services, and saving their environments from the ravages tobacco causes.”

She stated that all countries have committed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable

Development, which aims to strengthen universal peace and eradicate poverty.

Also, Director of WHO’s Department for the Prevention on Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs), Dr. Douglas Bettcher, in his remarks, said: “Tobacco is a major barrier to development globally.”

He went on: “Tobacco-related death and illness are drivers of poverty, leaving households without breadwinners, diverting limited household resources to purchase tobacco products rather than food and school materials, and forcing many people to pay for medical expenses.”

“But action to control it will provide countries with a powerful tool to protect their citizens and futures.”

On its impact on the environment, a report revealed that tobacco waste contains over 7000 toxic chemicals that poison the environment, including human carcinogens. It pointed out that tobacco smoke emissions contribute thousands of tons of human carcinogens, toxicants, and greenhouse gases to the environment. And tobacco waste is the largest type of litter by count globally.

According to the report, up to 10 billion of the 15 billion cig-

Total Group gives free HIV/AIDS screening, tuberculosis, malaria preventive education in Onitsha Femi Ganiyu No fewer than 10, 000 persons have been screened for HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria by the Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria and Total Nigeria PLC in partnership with Nigeria Business Against AIDS (NIBUCAA) in Onitsha, Anambra state.

However, 22 persons have been trained from Total Service Station, as Peer Educators on basic facts on HIV/AIDS, Tuberculosis and malaria. They were drawn from 10 service stations in Onitsha to continue with the exercise even after the end of the two weeks’ screening period.

In his key note address at the official inauguration of the programme in Onitsha recently, the Managing Director of Total Nigeria PLC, Mr. Jean Phillipe-Torres; and Managing Director of Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, represented by Executive Director (Strategy), Dr. Jeff Nnamani, said that the programme was part of the companies’ social responsibility.

He said that the exercise commenced since 2006; adding that it has gone through 20 states across the country, and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, saying that free

... trains 22 peer educators

L_R: General Manager, CSR/SD, Total Upstream Companies in Nigeria, Dr. Charles Ngeribara; one of the trained Peer Educators collecting certificate from the Executive Director, (Strategy), Total Nig. Plc.; Dr. Prince Jeff Nnamani; Corporate Affairs Manager, Total Nig. Plc; Mr. Albert Mabuyaku at the inauguration of the HIV/AIDS’ Prevention Awareness Project by Total Upstream companies and Total Nig. Plc, held in Onitsha, Anambra state, recently.

VCT has been deployed to various locations across Onitsha, Awka, Nnewi, Ekwuluobia and Ihiala in Anambra, since May 15, to end on May29, 2017.

According to Nnamani, “Total group in Nigeria with her partnersNNPC/NAPIMS-over the past 11 years, has consistently made concerted effort under the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) initiative aimed at responding to the HIV / AIDS pandemic in Nigeria. The

Total Group is committed to positively impact the lives of Nigerians, through health education on preventive measure and awareness’ creation on HIV/AIDS’ management.”

He said, “Our fight against HIV/ AIDS is to protect our host communities, employees, families, organizations and society at large from the infection. This initiative has been adopted by the Total Group as an essential component of our Group’s Sustainable Development

policy’ and has been fully integrated into our global strategy.”

He said, “For us, the watchword is prevention, which is far less expensive and less complicated than cure. Today, the only known cure for HIV/AIDS is prevention. In the light of this, we are confident that with consistent efforts geared towards prevention, we can, indeed, have a near HIV/AIDS-free society.”

The Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Business Coalition Against AIDS (NiBUCCA) Mr. Gbenga Alabi in his address, said he was happiness to have forged a synergy with Total Group since 2006, to help in achieving the lofty goals for which the body was set up.

He said that the world, in the last three decades, had been challenged by the HIV/AIDS, which is a public health issue that has threatened and still threatening the fundamentals of human development, especially in developing countries, such as, Nigeria.

Alabi said that since the first incidence of the pandemic, an estimated 78 million people have become infected with HIV and 35 million people have died of AIDSrelated illnesses, saying that the current HIV prevalence in Nigeria was 3.0%.

Ondo State to get Cancer Treatment Centre - Akeredolu Afolabi Adesola

The Governor of Ondo State, Arakunrin Oluwarotimi Akeredolu has promised to make available in no distant time a Cancer Treatment Centre in Ondo State.

He made the declaration while speaking at the launching and investiture of Breast Cancer Association of Nigeria (BRECAN), Ondo State Chapter held in Akure, the state capital at an event graced by Royal Fathers, Medical Groups, Non-Governmental Organizations, WomenLed Associations, BRECAN members among others.

Assuring that his government is encouraged to do the needful, Akeredolu lauded members of BRECAN for their commitment to the cause of eradicating the scourge of breast cancer in the state.

“When I saw the membership, I was encouraged; people are committed around here. Elsewhere, most people want a leader to pay for him or just want things to fall on his or her lap. But I am encouraged because we will all do the talking.

“A challenge has been thrown to our state government and we are prepared to take it up. We will make available the report of our health sector committee. One of the things recommended was that we must have a cancer treatment centre.

“We are prepared to establish a Cancer Treatment Centre in no distant time. We will become the Mecca for treatment of cancer in Nigeria”, he affirmed.

Founder of BRECAN in Ondo state, Mrs. Betty Akeredolu, the wife of the Ondo State Governor in her remark applauded the Governor for promising to take the lead to build a State Cancer Centre noting that the fight against cancer is a collective one.

Her words: “Our women should pay attention to their breasts - feel for changes like lump or discoloration of the breast. Do not waste any time and if you don’t have access to a Doctor, call BRECAN nearest to you. Breast Cancer is affecting our women at an alarming rate, so what we are left with is information.

“With a well-equipped State Cancer Centre, you can screen women who are above 40 years old. For you to feel breast lump, it must have been there for over 10 years. It could be a birthday gift for your wife to go for such screening. You can imagine the sufferings of cancer patients in this country”, she stressed.

Calling on corporate organisations in Nigeria to play their part, Mrs Akeredolu stressed the need for a paradigm shift as early detection is cost effective, frowning at cultural practices that discourage women from seeking medical help.

The Chairman of the Occasion, Professor Friday Okonofua, who is the Vice Chancellor, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo State acknowledged the fact that this was the first time in the history of Nigeria that a First Lady is coming out on an activist ground to fight a cause. “BRECAN was established in 1997 not 2017”, he affirmed.

News 28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Norway plans to digitise Nigerian literature Tony Nwakaegho

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi (m); Deputy Inspector-General Manager, Research and Planning, Force Headquarters, Abuja, Valentintine Ntomchukwu (l) and Ebonyi State Commissioner of Police, Titus Lamorde, during a courtesy visit on the governor in Abakaliki … recently.

Anglican primate calls for synergy among churches to build Nigeria Jude Idu, Abuja Church leaders in Nigerian have been enjoined to rise up to the challenge of sponsoring Christian pilgrims to holy lands in order not to give room for unbelievers to exploit the advantages in pilgrimage. He also called on Christians to find means of

building spiritual force for the nation’s growth.

The Primate of Anglican Community, Bishop Nicholas Okoh, who stated this during the convocation of all church leaders and pastors organized by the Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC) in Abuja on Tuesday, also said that church leaders and

GOD’S ELECT RESTORATION MISSION INTERNATIONAL The general public is hereby notified that the above named Mission has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration in accordance with the provisions of Part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE 1.REV. CHIMA EMMANUEL OKPARA .........CHAIRMAN 2.BARR. MRS THERESA OKPARA ..............SEC. 3.PASTOR CYRIL CHINEDU OKPARA 4. ELDER EGEJURU BENJAMIN 5.EGEJURU FORTUNE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD. 2. TO WIN SOULS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD. Any objection to the registration should be addressed to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication SIGNED; CHAIRMAN

JACOB AND ABIGAIL EZE MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named Foundation hasapplied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration in accordance with the provisions of Part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE 1. IFEOMA BEATRICE MGBEMENA- CHAIRMAN 2.THELMA CHINENYE EZIBE - SEC 3.OBIORA PATRICK EZE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO HELP ORPHANS AND PAY SCHOOL FEES OF WIDOWS CHILDREN.

Any objection to the registration should be addressed to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication SIGNED CHAIRMAN

pastors, should see church proceeds as God’s money that should be spent on bettering the lots of the worshipers.

According to Bishop Okoh, who is also the board chairman of the NCPC, said the reason for the gathering of all the church leaders is to find a way to take up the challenges of the work of God, to avoid instituting ideas capable of disuniting the church.

“It has become imperative that Christians should take over the sponsoring of pilgrims to Holy lands

and due to Government withdrawals from given subvention, we have allowed native Doctors and politicians to hijack the sponsoring of pilgrims to their selfish ends,” the cleric stated.

He further noted that if churches in Nigeria, should take up the sponsorship of Christian pilgrimage, the purpose will well be archived, stressing that if allowed to be controlled by politicians, the integrity of pilgrimage would be defeated.

Bishop Okoh also lamented the challenges of

Police in Kog parades 20, kidnappers, armed robbers Idris Ahmed, Lokoja Twenty suspected kidnappers and armed robbers said to have been terrorising the people of the state in recent times have been arrested by the state police command.

Parading the suspects on Wednesday at the state police headquarters, the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department, Mr. Ibrahim Sabo Umar, said the arrests were made in the last one week across the state. He attributed the success to “the high level commitment, dedication and hardwork on the part of officers as well as proactive strategies rooted in intelligence policing” He said that on May 22, operatives from SARS Unit acting on a tipoff arrested a fiveman kidnap gang that have been terrorising members of the public along the Okene/Auchi and Lokoja/Osara/Okene roads. Those arrested, according to him, include Shehu Sule, Idris Abubakar, Mohammed Danguloba, Mosume Bangogo, Setto Aliyu and Baumo Moudu

theological variety which has become a negative influence on the growth and spread of the word of God. He stressed that issue of different existence of doctrines among churches introduce divergent opinions and disagreement.

Said he: “If we are not careful, the others would take the advantage to take over. Pastors and other church leaders, should see church money as God’s money and should use it to better the lots of their members, more especially sponsoring them to the Holy lands.”

The National Library of Norway said it would digitize literature from Nigeria sequel to a seemingly unprecedented agreement which the organisers hope will lead to an “African digital library.”

The National Library of Norway plans to digitize part of its Nigerian counterpart’s collection in the northern Norwegian town of Mo i Rana, at the rim of the Arctic Circle, while the library’s public division is located in the capital Oslo.

“Our goal is for this project to serve as a model for other countries and that we can help create a fully-fledged African digital library,” the Norwegian library’s director Aslak Sira Myhre said in a statement.

The agreement, the library said, which is to be signed on June 10 in Abuja, will initially cover works written in the Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba languages.

However, the costs will be shared with the library in Nigeria responsible for collecting the works and the Norwegian one for carrying out the digitisation, with the transport covered by the Norwegian embassy in Nigeria.

“The project has not been launched because the National Library wants to provide foreign development aid, but because it enables us to enlarge our foreign language library, so this becomes a win-win project for us and Nigeria,” a spokeswoman for the Norwegian library, Nina Braein, informed AFP. The National Library of Norway made headlines in 2014 when it announced it was putting virtually all Norwegian literature published before 2001 online and available free of charge, thanks to a pioneering agreement with rights holders on the thorny issue of royalties.

Okorocha dissolves cabinet Val Okara, Owerri The governor of Imo state, Chief Rochas Okorocha, has approved the immediate dissolution of the state executive council.

The press release signed by the Principal Secretary to the governor, Mr. Pascal Obi, urged all former members of the executive council to hand over to permanent secretaries or to the most senior director in their ministries, department, and agencies.

The governor appreciated the “invaluable contributions” of the affected appointees to the success recorded by the rescue mission administration and wishes them well in their feature endeavours.

The Secretary to the State Government, the chief of staff,chairmen and members of

statutory commissions such as ISEC, Civil Service Commission, Local government service commission, State universal Basic Education Board, Judicial Service Commission, and House of Assembly Service Commission are not affected on the dissolution.

In another development, governor Okorocha has approved the dissolution of the 27 transition committee of the 27 LG councils in the state.Consequently the TC chairmen are directed to hand over to the directors of administration and General Services of their respective LG councils the governor appreciates the contributions of the TC chairmen to the success of the rescue mission and wishes them well in their feature endeavours.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

29 News

N13.4bn advertising vote not executed by media houses -Report Myke Uzendu, Abuja

L-R: Executive Secretary, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria (MBAN), Mr. Kayode Omotoso; Managing Director, MBAN, Mr. Adeniyi Akinlusi and National President, Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN), Rev. Ugochukwu Chime, during the meeting between FMBN, Mortgage Banking Association of Nigeria and REDAN, in Abuja… on Wednesday.

Violence: Three feared dead in cult clash, two assassinated in Rivers State Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt At least three persons are feared dead following a violent clash between two rival cult groups over a disputed piece of land in Rumukwashi community, in Abio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State. The clash also left five people seriously injured and receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

The clash, according to a reliable source, began following a dispute over the ownership of a piece of land in the area. It was revealed that trouble started when one of the disputants, alleged to belong to a cult group, invited his members to protect the land and the other group got wind of the development and arrived at the scene.

The source also revealed that the traditional ruler of Rumukwashi community and some persons have been invited by the State Anti-Robbery Squad, SARS, for interrogation.

Commander of SARS, Rivers State, Akin Fakorede, who confirmed the cult clash in Rumukwashi community axis of Port Harcourt, capital city of the state, declined to give further details on the matter but stated that the traditional ruler and those arrested with him were already giving useful information to the Police.

He said that investigation was in top gear to dig out the remote and immediate cause of the clash and to ascertain all those involved in the clash.

In another development, two persons identified as John

Barida and Goodluck Didi, have been assassinated in Tai local government area of the state.

It was also gathered from a source within the area who identified himself as Hycinth Anah that the suspected assassins laid ambush for the victims outside their residence and then opened fire on them.

The two victims are said to be related to a notable politician in the state. One of them, Goodluck Didi was said to be the politician’s gateman while the second victim, John Barida was his uncle.

The victims had stepped out at the fateful hour to check the source of a noise behind the fence of the building when they were gunned down by the killers.

LUTH doctors injured as mgt eject them from secretariat Angela Onwuzoo

Many resident doctors were injured in the face-off between security operatives at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, in the early hours of Wednesday.

According to some of those who spoke to our correspondent, LUTH’s management had sent security personnel to take over their secretariat around 2 am.

The chairman LUTH’s Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Dr. Adebayo Sekunmade, said that although the management had served them two notice

to quit the secretariat, they had pleaded with the authorities to give them time to get an alternative venue.

Sekunmade said: “We were in a meeting at the secretariat around 10 pm on Tuesday, when we were alerted to the fact that security operatives were outside to evict us. We stayed there till 2 am. When they got tired of waiting, they left.

“But they came back around 10 am and attacked those who tried to go inside the secretariat to pick their books and other belongings. They (the security personnel) came and chased some

of us out; and many people got bruises and injured in the process.

“We’ve been appealing to the management to give us time to get another place. We had sent many letters after they gave us eviction notices to make our stand known.”

He accused the LUTH management of victimising doctors, saying, they were the only body that has been sacked from their secretariat at the tertiary hospital.

Sekunmade described the notice as “illegal” adding that it was not issued by any competent court.

An independent investigation has disclosed that an estimate N13.4 billion representing 54 percent of the total amount voted for media advertising in 2016 are either not executed at all or not implemented on time as agreed between the media and business owners.

The report went further to state that there seems to be a tripartite conspiracy in the Nigerian media market, insisting that lack of standards in the media monitoring space, abuse and fraud is not limited to some media monitoring service firms and broadcast organizations but has extended to their employees.

This was contained in a special investigation, conducted by Intelligence Desk of Marketing Edge, a leading marketing and advertising publication, in the first quarter of 2017.

Marketing Edge went further to disclose some media monitoring service providers connive with radio and television owners to issue false compliance certificate, stating that a radio station in the North which claimed to have carried out all its advert obligations in January but was

faulted after a closer study by a monitoring service provider.

“According to the discovery, an estimated N13.4bn of media advertising which would have been paid for was either misplaced (i.e. advert not carried as planned and ordered) or unaccounted for (i.e. advert not monitored to be sure it was carried in the first place).

“The situation is compounded by allegations that some media monitoring service providers may have been conniving with some radio and television stations as well as media agency employees to issue questionable, even fraudulent media compliance report over the years” the report revealed.

The company stated that the wrath in advertising fund has gone so bad that some broadcast stations have been penciled as being in the habit of doctoring advert logs.

“Our intelligence team discovered the case of an Ibadan based TV station which after a lot of back and forth with an advertiser had the dispute resolved only after the station’s logs for that particular month were backed with air-side-audio files from a media monitoring service provider.”

FG to partner with May & Baker to produce Vaccines - Health Minister Chris Emetoh, Abuja The Federal Executive Council (FEC) has approved a joint venture agreement between the federal government and May and Baker Plc to commence the production of vaccines in Nigeria beginning from 2017-2021.

The agreement stipulates that the federal government will own 49 per cent of the joint venture while May and Becker will have 51 per cent stake.

The Minister of Health, Isaac Adewole, made the disclosure shortly after the FEC meeting presided over by acting President, Yemi Osinbajo, at the Presidential Villa.

The board of the company will comprise seven people, four from May and Baker and three from the federal government.

He said the federal government is using existing facility at the Federal Vaccine Production Production Lab, Lagos, as their equity and that has been costed

by Federal Ministry of Works and Housing, is about N1.27 billion and May and Baker will put in about N1.3 billion in keeping with the 51, 49 per cent equity participation.

He recalled that between 1940-1991, Nigeria was not only producing vaccines such has smallpox, yellow fever, and antirabbis vaccines but also exported to Cameroon, Central African Republic and a few other countries.

Adewole decried that in 1991

the Vaccine Production laboratory stopped production ostensibly because government wanted to reactivate and upgrade the facility which did not take place till today.

“FEC approved a joint venture agreement between the federal government and Becker plc to produce vaccines from 2017-2021.

“Federal government will own 49 per cent of the joint venture while May and Becker will own 51 per cent. “ What council did today was to was put life into this joint venture agreement that proposes to establish a company called bio-vaccines LTD which will be jointly owned by federal government of Nigeria and May and Becker Plc. “The board of the company will comprise seven people, four from May and Becker and three from federal government. The equity participation will be 51 per cent May and Becker, 49 percent federal government.

“The company between 2017 and 2021 will produce basic vaccines that we need. We have considered vaccines as a security issue, it is not only health but we need to consider the security of all Nigerians particularly our children.

“So, with this agreement we will be able to produce those command vaccines and from 2021 and beyond every other vaccines that are necessary will also be out in board for administration to Nigerians.

News 30

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Okowa advices Ugborodo community on the way forward

L-R: Chief of Policy and Plans, Nigerian Navy, Rear Adm. Henry Babalola; Chief of Naval Transformation, Rear Adm. Ralph Osondu and Naval Secretary, Rear Adm. Sylvanus Abbah, during a press conference to commence activities to mark the 2017 Naval Week in Abuja… recently.

Isaac Olamikan, Warri The governor of Delta state, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has urged the people of Ugborodo to pursue their divergent interests maturely, in a manner that will not negatively affect local and international investments in their area.

The governor gave the admonition during the inauguration of the Austin Oborogbeyi-led Ugborodo Community Development Committee, held at the Government House Annex, Warri.

Dr. Okowa who was represented at the occasion by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Ovie Festus Agas, emphasised that the inaugurated committee was not a brainchild of the state government, but a result of a long stretched community consultations and compromises, which saw to the fusion of representatives from various interests within Ugborodo community.

The governor noted that the committee would operate for only a year. He also rolled out the terms of reference by which it would function, among which is the task to review the community’s trust constitution and the nomination of registered trustees.

“I wish, therefore, to appeal to our people in Ugborodo community to at all times explore every available means of consultation, engagement and dialogue to settle their differences whenever they occur.

“Crisis is inevitable in any human community, but if it is left unchecked, it becomes inimical to orderly development of progress of society.

“There’s no doubt that all people of Ugborodo are interested in the socioeconomic well-being of the community.

“This, I am sure, is the common trend that runs through the mind of every well meaning son and daughter of Ugborodo community.

NUP wants Okorocha charged for executive murder

Moses Oyediran, Enugu

The Nigerian Union of Pensioners (NUP), South East Zone has suggested that Imo state governor Rochas Okorocha be charged for Executive Murder of pensioners in his state.

The group decried the plight of Imo state pensioners by raising the alarm at the South -East Zonal Meeting of the NUP in Enugu adding that pensioners are fast being becoming endangered species due to injustices against them.

Chairman of NUP in the zone, Comrade Udensi Chukwuma, who also doubles as the state chairman of the NUP in Abia state, lamented that everybody seems to have abandoned them after serving the country for many years.

He stressed that the payment of pensioners in the country ought to take priority but reverse is the case as those in authority are now treating them like orphans.

“We are advocating for a new Pension Minimum Wage for all retirees as we are not satisfied that pensioners still earn very little emoluments inspite of the fact that most of us were not captured in the 18,000 naira minimum wage policy.

Also, Chairman of NUP, in Anambra state, Comrade Anthony Ogozor, expressed regrets that most pensioners in Imo state have died while waiting for their pensions to be paid; he called on Okorocha to resign over his inability to carry out his statutory responsibility on pensioners.

He said it was unfortunate that Okorocha asked pensioners to forfeit a huge percentage of their pensions.

Ogozor, however commended Enugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for sending a quality representation to the event and appealed to him to buy vehicle to NUP in the state to enable them move around in their own vehicle like other states.

Earlier in his speech, the chair-

man of NUP in Enugu State, Comrade Damian Udeani said that Nigeria is fast becoming a country where retirement is next to suicide.

“The media is awash with not so encouraging news about pension payment, the failure of the Federal Government and some of her agencies to remit their own part of the contributory pension.

“The firing of the PENCOM Director General, embezzlement of various sums of pension benefits funds, the reluctance of some state governors to pay accumulated pension arrears.

“One is left with no other impression than to conclude that Nigeria is fast becoming a country where retirement is next to suicide” he stated.

Udeani described Ugwuanyi as a listening governor, he appealed to him to include in the payroll those pensioners who missed the bio-metric verification exercise of pensions recently carried out in the state.

House c’ttee summons Emefiele, others over virtual currency scheme Henry Omunu, Abuja The House of Representatives Committee on Public Petition has summoned the Central Bank of Nigeria Governor, Godwin Emefiele, over the continued freezing of N12 billion held in accounts with Diamond Bank and belonging to the Virtual Currency Scheme.

Others expected to appear before the committee on June 6 are the Attorney General to the Government of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, acting Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Magu, Managing Director of Diamond Bank, Mr. Uzoma Dozie and the Inspector General of Police, Abubaakar Idris.

Chairman of the House committee, Rep. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta issued the summons following the failure of the invited persons to honour two previous invitations in respect of a petition written by Dr. Philemon Gora on behalf of 60, 000 other Nigerians, who are participants in the Virtual Currency Scheme.

2017 UTME: JAMB to conduct supplementary Exam for 3811 candidates

Augustine Okezie, Abuja

The Joint Admissions and matriculation Board, JAMB, is set to conduct a supplementary examination for about four thousand candidates who for one reason or the other could not write the just concluded exercise which ended on May 2oth this year.

The Registrar and Chief Executive of the Board, Professor Ishaq Oloyede who made the above disclosure in Abuja yesterday while briefing newsmen on

the outcome of the exercise said the date and time for the examination will be announced later after extensive consultation with relevant stake holders including chief examination officers.

He also disclosed that the number arose from the extended registration carried out as ordered by the House of Representatives which was carried out even while the examination had already started.

Oloyede further disclosed that majority of those who par-

ticipated in the extended registration had earlier registered ,participated in the concluded examination with good scores, but that the board will go ahead and allow them to participate where they may not even perform better.

On the total number of result released so far, he disclosed that a total number of 1,606,901 candidates have had their results released within 24 hours leaving a balance of 80,889, out of which 76,923 candidates results were

withheld for further investigation because of alleged examination malpractices .He stated that the board may not release the result within 24 hours during next year’s examination until all pending issues surrounding the examination are cleared and taken care of.

Commenting on the general outcome of this year’s examination the JAMB boss said candidates with Biometric verification challenges were to be subjected to further investigation. He said

that about 640 candidates could not do their biometric verification partly due to the activities of fraudsters The JAMB boss further blamed the intensity of examination malpractices in this year’s examination on the parents who rather than encourage their wards to study harder collude with private CBT centers to commit fraud and pay as much as two hundred thousand naira to secure high marks for their children.

Thursday, June 1, 2017

EXTRATIME

Nwanu: Iheanacho Needs To Play Regularly For New Club F ormer Super Eagles defender Chidi Nwanu has advised Manchester City striker Kelechi Iheanacho not to be in a hurry while deciding which club he might play for next season.

There has been transfer speculation about the Super Eagles star who is likely to spearhead Nigeria’s attack in Thursday’s international friendly against Togo in Paris.

West Ham United have strongly linked with Iheanacho, who did not have much playing time under Pep Guardiola last season.

“My advice for the young man (Iheanacho) will be to weigh his options carefully and not be in a rush,” Super Eagles USA ‘94 World Cup star Nwanu told reporters.

“There will be offers surely for such a promising player but he and his representatives need to look carefully at what the suitors are offering him. “He needs playing time

31

Bafana Manager Confident Of Victory Over Eagles

A

Nwanu definitely and not just head to a ‘big’ club where playing will be difficult.

“On the international stage he is an important player for

Nigeria so needs to play regularly.”

Iheanacho has also been linked with Everton and Borussia Dortmund.

ccording to Bafana Bafana’s team manager, Barney Kujane, the South African senior national team has prepared well ahead of their clash against Nigeria next month.

Bafana are set to travel to Nigeria for their 2019 CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifier under new coach Stuart Baxter on June 10.

However, Kujane says he does not like surprises, insisting he is well prepared for whatever happens when the national team faces the Super Eagles.

According to the Sowetan, Kujane travelled to the West African country in an aim to inspect facilities before the encounter.

Kujane

Eagles Trio Key For Victory Over Bafana - Esin

T

he trio of Victor Moses, Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho will be the Super Eagles’ key players for their clash with South Africa, according to former Nigeria international Etim Esin.

Nigeria will host Bafana Bafana next weekend in the opening round of Group E matches in the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

Both teams failed to qualify for the 2017 AFCON held in Gabon earlier this year and they are expected to wrestle for top spot in the group, which also includes Libya and Seychelles.

Esin, who is fondly known as the ‘African Maradona’, believes the above-mentioned Premier League trio could be tilt the game in Nigeria’s favour.

“I’m happy new players were given the chance to play for the Super Eagles,” Etim Esin told Brila FM. ”South Africa are more organised when it comes to preparations. It’ll be a bad omen to miss out on another African Cup of Nations. ”Victor Moses is in my top list. Alex Iwobi and Kelechi Iheanacho are the players we can look to.”

Iwobi

Iwobi Hits Camp Ahead Of Friendlies

A

lex Iwobi joined up with his Nigerian team-mates as they prepare for Thursday’s friendly fixture against Togo.

Arriving alongside Chelsea fullback, Ola Aina, the 21-year-old will be eager to add to his nine international caps under current manager Gernot Rohr and

with important fixtures coming up, preparations will intensify as the days go by.

Iwobi updated his Instagram account on Tuesday afternoon with pictures of him alongside teammates in the winning side from training and it’s clear that the international break will do the youngster

some good after a lack of regular first-team minutes in the final few months of the Premier League campaign.

Following their friendly encounter with Togo later this week, the Super Eagles will then begin their final preparations for the 2019 AFCON qualifying fixture against

South Africa on June 10.

Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, Manchester City forward Kelechi Iheanacho and Henry Onyekuru, linked with a £6.8m switch to the Emirates, are all involved within the 19-man squad currently.

against South Africa in Uyo on June 10.

Nigeria’s last friendly game against a Corsica XI on Friday ended 1-1.

Ekpo, who was in the Super Eagles squad that beat Togo 3-0 in Lagos and drew 0-0 against them in Lome during the 1992 AFCON qualifiers, advised that the game must not be taken lightly.

“Togo is a very strong nation ever since they came to limelight, and they’ve been trying to keep that status,” Ekpo told Completesportsnigeria.com.

“They too are going to play the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers so they are going to parade a strong team against Nigeria. So I hope Nigeria parade a very strong lineup too.”

The 1992 AFCON bronze med-

al winner played down the absence of key players for the Super Eagles for the Togo friendly, positing that the players currently in camp should do well.

He added:”The likes of Mikel (Obi), (Ogenyi) Onazi and (Victor) Moses are not with the team now, but with the calibre of players currently in camp, they should be able to put up a good performance.”

Esin

Ekpo: Eagles Can Handle Togo Without Mikel, Moses

F

ormer Nigeria international, Friday Ekpo, says the Super Eagles should expect a strong performance from Togo in Thursday’s friendly in Paris, France, Completesportsnigeria.com.

The Super Eagles will play their second friendly in France when they face Togo as part of preparations towards the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD,

email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08050220692 Editor Daily: SAM NZEH

Thursday, June 1, 2017

VOL. 3. NO. 369

Price: N150

Nwanu: Iheanacho Needs To Play P.31 Regularly For New Club

News Hotlines: 08050220561 Advert Hotlines: 08086296714, 08033228839

Eupen, Arsenal Agree Fee For Onyekuru K

AS Eupen and Arsenal have agreed on a fee of £6.8-million for the transfer of Nigerian attacker Henry Onyekuru, according to Sky Sports.

The Gunners have been in talks with the Belgian side since last week, with Onyekuru also linked to the likes of Everton, Southampton and West Ham United.

Personal terms have yet to be reached, but the player is reportedly an avid Arsenal fan and is keen on a move to the Emirates Stadium.

Onyekuru enjoyed a prolific 2016/17 season in Belgian football and at just 19 years of age

Saraki

is regarded as one of Europe’s brightest young attacking talents.

The player, who has already turned down potential moves to Belgian giants Anderlecht and Brugge, is currently on international duty with Nigeria and may see action in a friendly against Togo on Thursday.

Senate passes NFF Bill T

he Senate on Tuesday passed the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Bill 2017 after third reading. The passage followed a clause by clause consideration of the bill and a voice vote by the lawmakers.

Sponsor of the Bill, Sen. Obinna Ogba, had presented the report of the Committee on Sports and Youth Development before the passage.

Presenting the report, Ogba, explained that it had become important to repeal the extant law guiding activities of football in the country in view of controversies surrounding its implementation.

He said there had been series of court cases relating to football and that the passage of the bill would bring such to rest as issues regarding the NFF would be tackled by the Court of Arbitration and not regular courts.

“It has become necessary to repeal the Extant Act. This is because it requires a lot of amendments to bring it into agreement with FIFA required international best practices. It is to give the desired boost it requires.

“The Bill has no financial implication because it is only seeking for a change in the name of the football body in

order to achieve greater and better results in future.

“It seeks to ensure that only those who are actually involved in competitive football matches are members of the Federation and not just organisations and establishments as contained in the extant act.

The bill also makes provision for the election of a President to lead the Executive Committee as against the existing law where the governing body of the association is a board appointed from different organisations.

“It further seeks to ensure mandatory systematic development of football through institutional, age and gender competitions.

“Also, the bill makes provision for development of coaches and referees to enable them participate in international competitions,’’ he said.

Onyekuru

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Dangote’s $300m investment puts DRC on path to cement Page B2 sufficiency

Naira strengthens to 378/$1 at parallel market

Tony Nwakaegho Nigeria Electronic Fraud Forum (NeFF) annual report 2016 has declared that the electronic payment space transaction fraud rose by 82 percent in 2016 with an estimated N2.19 billion lost to cyber criminals in Nigeria.

The report titled: ‘a changing

payments ecosystem: the security challenge’ said “the industry recorded about 82 percent increase in the reported fraud case, when compared to 2015 and over 1200 percent compared to 2014.”

The report however noted that “despite the 82 percent increase in the reported fraud cases, with

FG creates new millionaires through farming – Minister

Page B7

Page B3

Cyber fraudsters steal N2.19bn in 2016 – Report an estimated N2.19 billion loss to fraud, the industry was able to reduce fraud by 2.7 percent, when compared to the 2015 figure.”

A breakdown of the fraud according to various payment channels revealed that N511.1 million fraud occurred across the counter, N464.5 million through

Thursday, June 1, 2017

ATMs, N320 million through internet banking, and N243.3 million through POS. A further breakdown also indicated that mobile banking saw N235.1 million fraud, eCommerce N132.2 million, web fraud N190.9 million, Kiosk N10.1 million, cheque N4.5 million and N190.9 million through other platforms not categorized.

Aggregately, electronic platforms had the highest level of fraud with 77 percent, while the non-electronic platforms witCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Group seeks agency to monitor power operators The Association of Power Generation (APGG) in Nigeria has called for the establishment of an independent agency that will closely monitor the activities of power operators in the country.

The Executive Secretary of the association, Dr Joy Ogaji, told newsmen in Abuja on Wednesday that when set up, the agency should help mitigate the challenges in the sector.

Ogaji said that in spite of the privatisation of the sector, there was still some gap in the monitoring of various stakeholders operating in the sector.

“One major problem, I see as a Nigerian is there is a big monitoring gap.

“Nigerians must know that the reason why privatisation took place was not just for Federal Government to sell to private owners and go and sleep, it sold that power will improve.

“Now you have given somebody a very critical sector of the economy.

“The pivot upon which every other sector revolves and then you did not put in place a firm knowlCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

First Vice President, National Council of Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Mr Abimbola Ogunbanjo; Chairperson, Moroccan Capital Market Authority, Ms Nezha HayatOscar ; President, African Securities Exchanges Association (ASEA), Mr Oscar Onyema and Chief Executive Officer, Casablanca Stock Exchange, Karim Hajji, at the Capacity Building Seminar in Casablanca, Morocco recently.

Oil output rises in May as Nigeria, Libya pump more OPEC oil output rose in May, the first monthly increase this year, a Reuters survey found on Wednesday, as higher supply from two OPEC states exempt from a production-cutting deal, Nigeria and Libya, offset improved compliance with the accord by others.

According to Reuters sur-

BUSINESS TIMES Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Asst. Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

veys, a drop in output in Angola and Iraq and continued high compliance from Gulf producers Saudi Arabia and Kuwait helped lift OPEC’s adherence with the supply cut deal to 95 per cent from 90 per cent in April.

OPEC pledged to reduce output by about 1.2 million barrels per day (bpd) for six months from Jan. 1, 2018 as part of a deal with Russia and other non-members.

Oil prices has gained some ground but an inventory glut and rising supply by outside producers has kept prices below the 60 dollars a barrel that Saudi Arabia wants.

A sustained output rise from Libya and Nigeria poses further challenges.

To provide additional support for prices, the producers decided at a meeting last week to prolong the deal until March 2018.

They discussed whether to include Nigeria in the output cap but decided against for now, OPEC delegates said.

Nigeria and Libya were exempted because their output has been curbed by conflict.

However, supplies from both nations staged a partial recovery in May, lifting overall OPEC output by 250,000 bpd to 32.22 million bpd.

The biggest increase came from Nigeria, where the Forcados production stream began loading cargoes for export.

The Forcados pipeline had been mostly shut since it was bombed by militants in February 2016.

In Libya, the state oil firm said output had reached 827,000 bpd on Wednesday, around levels last seen in 2014.

But production is still half the 1.60 million bpd Libya pumped before the 2011 civil war.

While the exempt nations pumped more, those bound by output targets boosted compliCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Why hotels shun PHED as primary power source Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Worried by the high rate of tariffs and electricity rates which have turned into huge debts, most hotels in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital have stopped patronizing the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company (PHED).

Managing Director/CEO of De B Gardens, Port Harcourt, Chief Kennedy Worlu who disclosed this yesterday, also informed that over 50 per cent of Hotels in Port Harcourt have resorted to using power generating sets which they see as a more reliable source, despite the inconveniences associated with it.

According to Worlu, these hotels CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Picketing of PHEDC resumes as resolution fails

Cyber fraudsters steal N2.19bn in 2016 – Report

Simon Ugwu Electricity workers under the aegis of the National Union of Electricity Employees, NUEE, have resumed picketing of facilities and offices of the Port Harcourt Electricity Distribution Company, PHEDC, over unresolved labour issues as the intervention of Police and Department of Security Services which halted the earlier picketing.

The Rivers State Organising Secretary of NUEE, Mr. Innocent LordDouglas, stated that the union had obtained a court judgement to picket PHEDC facilities, adding that members of the union were not tired of picketing.

LordDouglas said the date given by Rivers State Commissioner of Police and Department of State Security Service has expired without the management of PHEDC attending to their demands.

“Our picketing was suspended because of intervention by the Police and the DSS. Within this period, the Federal Ministry of Labour stepped in and invited us for a talk, but, the meeting was postponed till May 25,” he said.

“The 16th of May date that the Police and DSS gave us has been exhausted and we have not heard anything from them, though we believe they (security agencies) orchestrated this meeting with the Federal Ministry of Labour, but so far we are not going to relent, we are just holding on till that May 25. We may resume our strike because the issues why we went on that strike have not been me,” he added.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

L-R: Head, MSME Sterling Bank Plc, Omolara Akinfolarin; Founding Partner, Hartford Green Consulting, Mr. Adebayo Akinwunmi; Founder, LEAP Africa, and Chief Marketing Officer, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Henry Bassey, at the press conference on the 12th Annual CEO’s Forum in Lagos... on Wednesday.

Joy Ekeke Dangote Cement is set to increase the total capacity of cement production in Franco-Phone Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) by 1.5 million tonnes per annum with its Bouansa Plant.

The added capacity will ensure that DRC surpasses its national demand to become a net exporter of cement to its neighbours which will increase its foreign exchange earnings.

Dangote Cement has become a major player in the production of cement in African countries, starting from Nigeria which it helped to attain self-sufficiency and commence exports recently.

This much was recently acknowledged by Nigeria’s Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who commended the Cement giant

Group seeks agency to monitor power operators CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

edgeable agency that is capable of benchmarking them to ensure that they deliver on the terms of the contract, there is no way you will get your solution.

“Until the Federal Government put together, impartial, unbiased, knowledgeable strict independent agency, to monitor this firms, the results we will not have it as much as we are all expecting.

She said it was also important to also establish an independent regulator devoid of interference, for the sector.

“We must have an independence regulator, if today, the regulator wants to implement a sanction and he gets a call somewhere

saying don’t do it, the regulator is incapacitated.

“So we need an independent regulator that can wield the big stick as it is done in other jurisdictions.”

On the announcement by the Federal Government that Generating Companies (GenCos) can now generate and sell power directly to consumers, Ogaji said the move would end the issue of load rejection in the country’s power sector.

She also said the declaration of “eligible customers “would also increase the capacity of the GenCos for improve power generation in the country.

nessed 23 percent fraud cases.

But “comparing the attempted fraud against the actual loss, the industry was able to salvage 49.7 percent of the total amount attempted by these fraudsters within the years” the report said adding that “these figures informed us that there are more attempts on yearly basis with different innovation tricks or modus operandi to take advantage of the system.”

The report envisioned that in 2017, the financial industry as a whole must collaborate to ensure a wider gap exists between the attempted fraud and actual loss.

Dangote’s $300m investment puts DRC on path to cement sufficiency for its major role in spear-heading government’s backward integration policy, after the company exported 0.4 million tonnes to neighbouring countries in 2016.

Prior to this feat, Nigeria was one of the world’s largest importers of cement, importing 5.1 million tonnes of cement at a huge expense to the nation’s balance of payments.

Dangote Cement, a fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer with production capacity of 29.25Mta in Nigeria alone, is Africa’s leading cement producer with nearly 46 million tonnes annual capacity across Africa.

The new DRC plant is coming on the heels of the ongoing

million metric tonnes capacity cement grinding plant in Cote D’ivoire.

Speaking on Tuesday, the Plant Director for Congo Operations, Ganapathy Balasubramanian explained that the factory which costs the company CFA 133 billion or about $300 million is expected to meet the nation’s cement demand and cater for the export market in neighbouring countries within the region.

The Bouansa Plant, according to him, is sitting on 80 hectares of land expanse and is expected to strengthen the nation’s economy.

“Satisfying the current de-

mand of the construction market in general, saving foreign currency expenditure and generating employment opportunities, are some of the benefits of this project,” he added.

Aliko Dangote

Why hotels shun PHED as primary power source CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

prefer to use their power generating sets because it affords them the opportunity to use power at any point in time without exorbitant bills as in the case f PHED. Worlu said “Power is one of our challenges. The hotel association has met with the Power Holding Company and we have let them know that the rate and tariffs are too much. First, most of us don’t sell. Looking at this big hotel like mine, how many guests have you seen here? At the end of the month the Power Holding Company would just bring a very huge amount that you don’t expect” The De B Gardens boss said that his hotel had since stopped using PHED because of the high tariff

without service delivery, stressing “I use generator and we prefer using it because anytime I need light, I put on my generator, no matter the consumption. This is because when you use NEPA you don’t get them when you need them. So t is just like somebody using generator, so it is better to use generator; again the tariffs are too much and that is another big challenge we have. We don’t even have light the time we suppose to get it”.

Worlu who rated the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike high in terms of support to the hospitality and tourism sector said the hotel operators in the state are already working out modalities with the state government to centralize it tax and revenue generation system.

He condemned a situation

whereby different kinds of faces and groups come to hoteliers for tax payment adding that with the governor’s support, the issue of multiple taxation would have been a thing of the past.

“The tax is something that we are appealing the government to look into. Just like the Rivers State Government is doing. The Governor of River State, Barr Nyesom Wike has invited Hotel Association of Nigeria, Rivers State branch to his office and we had a meeting with him. He promised the hoteliers that he is going to look into the taxes and different kinds of revenues that make the business difficult, haven been briefed that many companies and hoteliers are complaining of multiple taxations”.

v

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Stories by Motolani Oseni A day after the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), intervened in the official foreign exchange market to the tune of $482.6 million, the local currency appreciated by two points to close at 378 per dollar at the parallel market.

The naira on Wednesday closed the trading at an appreciable rate of 387 to the dollar, and repeated the gains against the Pound sterling and Euro, respectively, closing at 420 and 490 against 422 and 492 traded on the unofficial market the previous day.

But dropped slightly at the official market to close at 305.40 compare to 305.35 to the dollar, a rate it ex-

B3 Money Market

Naira strengthens to 378/$1 at parallel market changed for most part of last week.

Although, the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, recorded no changes yesterday as the naira steadied at the regulated rate of N362 to the Dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N495 and N423.

On the Investors and Exporters FX window, the naira opened at 380.67 and eventually closed at 381.11 per US dollar.

It would be recalled that the CBN, upon resumption from the democracy celebration holiday, injected

$482.6 million, allocating $285,779,350 to the Retail SMIS, while $100 million was offered in the Wholesale SMIS auction window.

The Small, Medium and Enterprises (SMEs) window got an allocation of $52 million, while the invisibles segment, comprising Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), Personal Travel Allowance, medicals and tuition fees, among others, was allocated the sum of $45 million.

According to the Acting Director, Corporate Communications at the CBN, Isaac Okorafor, the inter-

ventions are in line with the Bank’s resolve, echoed by the Governor, Godwin Emefiele, at the briefing after the last Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meeting.

While expressing pleasure that the intervention of the Bank had ensured stability across all segments of the forex market, Okorafor voiced his optimism that the Bank’s objective of exchange rate convergence would be achieved soon.

He, therefore, reiterated his call to all stakeholders to play their respective

roles in ensuring a smooth running of the foreign exchange market for the overall benefit of the economy.

Africa’s biggest economy shrank by 1.5 percent in 2016 in its first annual recession in 25 years, hit by a shortage of hard currency and lower revenue from its dominant oil sector as world crude prices remained under pressure.

The central bank has been intervening on the official market to try to narrow the spread between the official interbank and black markets. It has sold over $4 billion since Febru-

Emefiele

ary, but analysts doubt that this pace can be sustained.

The reserves of the OPEC member country have grown by $4.4 billion year to date due to recovery in global oil prices and increased production.

GTBank excites customers with ‘GTWorld’ Guaranty Trust Bank (GTBank), on Wednesday unveiled a new digital banking mobile application ‘GTWorld’ to excite its customers.

The bank said that the mobile banking app is designed to cater to all that’s important to customers easily and seamlessly.

The lender explained that it was built on the back of the bank’s customercentric digital strategy, GTWorld is now available for download from the Google Playstore for Android phones and the Apple App Store for iPhone.

GTBank further notes that the new mobile app features biometric authentication, such as facial recognition and fingerprint, which recognizes a customer and adapts to how and when they want to bank.

The Mobile banking app also features a seamless switch to GAPS Lite, the online banking platform for small businesses which offers a flexible and secure channel to make payments and collections anywhere in the world.

With the rapid growth of Smartphone penetration in Nigeria, there has been a steady increase in the adoption of mobile banking solutions.

Smartphone users are however very conscious about the security and efficiency and convenience of such applications; and on those three fronts, the GT-

World app excels remarkably.

The mobile banking App offers customers access to more than 90 percent of the Bank’s services on their Smartphones, guarantees further security through biometric authentication and ensures convenience through the Quick feature, which enables a user to perform transactions without signing in, among others.

GTWorld empowers customers, like never before, to make payments and access in-branch services swiftly and seamlessly, without going to a branch.

Some of the App’s, amongst several others.

When switched to GAPSLite, the app offers small business owners access to real-time monitoring of all transactions and the ability to make bulk and single transfers on the go to any account in the world.

Commenting on the launch of GTWorld App, Segun Agbaje, the Managing Director of Guaranty Trust Bank plc, Stated that “We are delighted to be at the forefront of digital banking solutions that are making banking faster, easier and safer for our customers.

The Simplicity of GTWorld and innovations such as facial recognition and fingerprint also ensure that our customers enjoy a seamless experience, anywhere, anytime and anyhow they choose to bank.

L-R: Head, Marketing and Communications , Stanbic IBTC, Mrs. Nkiru Olumide-Ojo; Executive Chairman; Phillips Consulting Limited and Guest peaker, Mr. Foluso Phillips; Head, Personal Banking, Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc, Mrs. Nkolika Okoli; and Human Resources Manager, Seven Energy Limited, Mrs. Titi Aboderin, at Stanbic IBTC Bank Plc’s Inaugural Work Place Banking Seminar in Lagos on Wednesday.

ICAN tasked on professionalism, accountability The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) has been tasked on professionalism, as well as responding appropriately to the increasing demand for transparency and accountability, particularly in the public sector.

These were the advice given by the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, who spoke in Lagos at the investiture of Mallam Ismaila Muhammadu Zakari as the 53rd President of the Institute noted that at no other time in history of the nation has the need for transparency and accountability been more compelling than now.

The Governor, who was represented by the State Head of Service, Mrs. Olabowale Ademola added that the State Government was already showing leadership in this regard by being one of the States in the fed-

eration that have adopted IPAS accrual stressing that this was in line with the State Government’s commitments towards ensuring transparency in governance as a key requirement towards making the State economy globally competitive.

“I am proud to say that Lagos State is showing leadership in this regard by being one of the States in the Federation that have adopted IPAS accrual with effect from 2016.

This is line with our commitment to ensure transparency in governance as a key requirement towards making Lagos economic globally competitive,” the governor said.

Ambode stressed the need for the Institute to be in the forefront of ensuring that the profession is properly positioned to meet global standards and best practice as a way of meeting local expectations

adding that it must also key into the new order through appropriate manpower development strategies and strict compliance with relevant standards.

His words, “One of the key expectations to which we must continue to respond appropriately is the increasing demand for transparency and accountability with more emphasis on the public sector. It is a global issue which I am happy to note is being responded to by the Institute.

“However, we must continue to be at the forefront in ensuring that the profession is properly positioned to meet global standards and best practice as a way of meeting local expectations. We must key into new order through appropriate manpower development strategies and strict compliance with relevant standards.”

v

Capital Market B4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Glaxosmithkline shareholders approve 30 kobo dividend Afolabi Adesola

L-R General Manager, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals, Nigeria Ltd, Mr Bhushan Akshikar; Board Member, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Samuel Kuye; Managing Director, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr Thandalam Sriram Dayanand and Chairman Board of Directors, GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc, Mr Edmund Onuzo at the GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Nigeria Plc’s 46th Annual General Meeting, held in Lagos... Wednesday.

SEC’s silence over N841m fraud at Mainstreet Registrars worries shareholders … Urges SEC to demand for probe of Skye bank

Bonny Amadi

A cross section of retail shareholders have expressed dismay over the preponderance of crime in the Nigerian capital under the watchful eyes of the apex capital market regulator.

Daily Times Nigeria recalls that five employees of Main street Registrars , formerly Afribank Registrars, including others at large are currently charged to court for collective sum of N841 million, fraud from unclaimed dividend in Main street Registrars.

They amounts , respectively are N760 million, N28 million, N13.5 million and N40 million respectively, total of which amounted to N841.5 million unclaimed dividend funds allegedly defrauded

from Mainstreet Registars’ acquired by Skye banks as subsidiary of Mainstreet bank.

Shareholders under the aegis of Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN) have once again raise the alarm on the long silence of the Nigerian capital market regulator, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), since whistle of fraud was sounded on Maninstreet Registrars, formerly Afribank registrars.

According to the Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN) , the Securities and Exchange Commission must prove its commitment to ensure crime free capital market, by urging its supervising ministry, (The Central Bank of Nigeria ministry

of finance) to probe complicity of Skye Bank on the alleged fraud of N760 million in Afribank Registrar’s acquired by Skye bank.

National coordinator, PSAN, Mr. Boniface Okezie told Daily Times in a telephone interview that his group earlier raised fraud allegation of unclaimed dividend fraud in Mainstreet Registrars, which the SEC earlier said it was investigating, before another fraud cases of N760 million from the same Registrar was charged to court.

Okezie who regretted that the SEC was yet to open up on its findings before the issue was dragged to court said that it was expected that the unclaimed dividend funds of Afribank Registrars (Mainstreet registrars) would

Stock market sustains growth as NSE-ASI rallies by 0.8% Afolabi Adesola The positive growth in Nigeria’s equities market has extended to the fifth consecutive trading day as overall market indicators improved 0.8 percent on Wednesday.

The All share index appreciated 221.7 points and settled at N29, 498.31, while market capitalisation improved by N76.8 billion to close at N10.197 trillion.

This is compared to a growth of 0.73 percent recorded in previous session, when lead indicators, i.e. All Share Index

and Market Capitalisation closed at 29,276.99 points and N10.121 trillion respectively.

The day’s performance further increased the Month-to-Date and Yearto-Date gains to 14.46 percent and 9.74 percent respectively. The market closed with 31 gainers, against 19 losers.

Uac-Property led the gainers with 9.82 percent increase in share price that closed at N2.46. It was followed by Ada Mansard that grew 8.17 percent to close at N2.25 per share and Lawunion which added 7.69 percent to close at

98 kobo per share.

Champion Breweries and Custodyins likewise appreciated 6.51 percent and 5.34 percent each to close at N2.29 and 3.55 per share.

On the other hand, Guaranty topped the losers chart with a loss of 5 percent to close at N34.01 per share. NEM and Seplat also dropped 5 percent each to close at 95 kobo and N351.99 per share respectively. 7up and Panda came fourth and fifth on the losers chart shedding 4.99 and 4.95 percent each to close at N94.77 and N8.45 per share.

have been locked up, before the bank was sold to Skye bank Plc. “Why have SEC allowed this financial related fraud to continue to last all this while, without wielding into the matter, is a serious cause for concern” the Shareholders group queried “What is in the mind of the apex regulator to come and arrest the situation in Main Street Registry’s formerly Afribank Registrars , where over N760 million naira were withdrawn from its accounts by staff of the Registrar, led by its former managing Director, Mr. Oluwadare Akingbola who was seconded to the Registrar by Skye Bank Plc, without making public its finding over a very long period”

Bonny Amadi The board and management team of Grief Nigeria Plc, has shown commitment to growing the company as well as returning value to investors, with its 2017 second quarter result which shows remarkable growth in key indices.

The company’s un-audited management financial statements for the half year period ended 30 April 2017, released by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday showed that revenue grew by 77 per cent to N768,603 million , from N434,304 million recorded in second quarter 2016.

Profit before taxation for the second quarter rose remarkably by 98 per cent to N73,699 million, from N37,

Glaxosmithkline Nigeria Plc held its 46th Annual General Meeting in Lagos on Wednesday with shareholders approving a total of N359 million or 30 kobo dividend per share, amidst a profit before tax decline of 83 percent.

Mr. Edmund Onuzo, Chairman, Board of Directors, attributed the company’s decline in profit to a number of factors including the challenging operating environment, such as a period of recession in the year under review.

According to him, the divestment of the company’s drinks business in Q3 was also a factor which led to decline in profit.

“This divestment has however enabled the Company to align with the global strategy and focus on its core businesses with the aim of driving improved margins and sustainable growth.” he said.

Explaining further, Onuzo said despite the immediate outcome of the divestment, which is a leaner and nimble company, the focus on healthcare would enhance GSKs brand portfolio.

For the 2016 financial year, the company recorded a turnover of N14.4 billion. Profit before Tax dropped 83 percent to N185.9 million from N1.1 billion in the previous year, but Profit After Tax increased by 172 percent to N2.4 billion from N873.1 million declared in the same period of 2015.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI

29,498.31

DEALS

4,905.00

VOLUME

343,192,321.00

VALUE

3,338,701,460.15

CAP

10,197,729,667,498.41

Greif Nigeria grows PBT, revenue by 98%, 77% in Q2 2017 190 million recorded in the corresponding period of 2016.

Greif Nigeria, is primarily involved in the manufacturing and marketing of steel drums. GREIF Nigeria Plc is a manufacturing company incorporated as a limited liability company under the Company Ordinance (CAP 38) with the name Metal Containers of West Africa Limited on 20 January 1940.

The name was subsequently, changed to Van Leer Containers (Nigeria) Limited by a special resolution on 4th July 1969. The Company’s name was eventually changed to “Greif Nigeria Plc” by a special

resolution on 12th May 2004. The authorized share capital is allotted to Greif International Holdings B.V. Netherlands (51%), .The Van Leer Nigerian Educational Trust (23%) and other Nigerians.

The company’s 2017 Q2 result showed further that Earnings per share grew by 101 per cent, from to 137 Kobo from 68 Kobo in the Q2 2016.

The company which is however gearing to dividend payment, made no proposal for dividend payment. Its Net assets per share grew by 9.1 per cent, to 869 Kobo, from 796 Kobo in the preceding year.

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

29,000

NSE All Share Index

Naira Value (m)

100,000

28,000

80,000

27,000 60,000 26,000 40,000 25,000 20,000 24,000 -

23,000

31-May

28-May

25-May

22-May

19-May

16-May

13-May

10-May

07-May

04-May

28-Apr

(20,000) 01-May

`

25-Apr

22-Apr

19-Apr

16-Apr

13-Apr

10-Apr

07-Apr

04-Apr

01-Apr

29-Mar

26-Mar

22,000

Brands & Marketing B6 Stories by Godwin Anyebe An expert in the experiential marketing subsector of the integrated marketing communications industry (IMC) and Chief Executive Officer of GDM Direct, Mr. Gbenga Afolabi, has advised that agencies in the industry, irrespective of their core areas of competence must work hard towards stimulating consumers’ demand in order to increase purchase of their clients’ products.

Afolabi who made this known recently in Lagos disclosed that agencies should stop complaining of budget cut but rather should forge ahead by stimulating consumers’ demand for their clients’ products.

According to him, one of the characteristics of a recessed economy is that there is a slump in the demand of goods and ser-

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

IMC agencies work hard towards stimulating consumers’ vices but by stimulating customers’ demand there is the likelihood that brands could have amazing returns and high customer patronage.

Afolabi stressed that agencies that know their onions experience a boom during a tumultuous recessionary period like Nigeria experienced in 2016, citing GDM Direct as a typical example. The agency, he disclosed, grew its billings by 27% in that year.

He explained that from the lay man’s perspective, a recessed economy depicts a shrink in consumers’ disposable income, high cost of living, low patron-

age, amongst others, noting that this is the time when agencies play crucial role in stimulating consumers’ demand to boost the sales of their clients’ products.

“Recession for an average man on the streets is not GDP, it is the fact that the amount of money that they have as disposable income has shrunk, things have become more expensive, there are things that I want to buy, I cannot afford, so I am forced to make rational choices, low patronage, yet cost of materials are going up, so the only way brands need to stay afloat and stay profitable is more patronage; I need more patronage

yet the consumers want to spend less, that is the definition and the interplay of the forces of recession, not GDP for the consumer on the street,” he noted.

Continuing he said: “However, this is the time where agencies play crucial role because the role of the agency, basically, is to stimulate demand, that is the job of the agencies, our job is stimulation, so if the characteristic factor of a recessed economy is a slump in consumer demand, a slump in product off-take, that is when agencies should experience a boom because they should deploy their expertise to ensure their clients

have more patronage..”

Further, he pointed out that clients that had enjoyed what is called a natural pull over the years are forced to engage advertising, experiential, and public relations agencies to connect with their customers in order to keep a top-of-the-mind awareness about their products amongst consumers.

“Once an agency person does not understand the fact that my key role is to create stimulation of demand and patronage, then there is an issue. So with a recessed economy, demand is low, agencies have found themselves very relevant,” he said.

The SERAS Awards announces 2017 call for entry

TVS King Deluxe unveil new brand of tricycle

The organizers of the sustainability, enterprise and responsibility awards otherwise known as The SERAS CSR Awards have announced the commencement of submission of entries for the 2017 edition.

The annual SERAS CSR Awards, which first held in 2007, has grown to become the prime corporate awards promoting and measuring corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Africa. Key industry stakeholders rate it as the industry gold standard recognition for impactful investment in CSR and sustainability. Though in its eleventh cycle, the tenth edition saw participation from organizations from across Africa such as Angola, Uganda, Kenya, South Africa, Botswana and Ghana for the first time.

It is the biggest event on the CSR & Sustainability calendar in Nigeria and Africa. From inception to date, the SERAS has registered 710 entries from 115 organizations (87 of them rate top in their industries) The theme for the 2017 awards is-Transformational Sustainability: From Social Responsibility to Social Impact.

This edition of the awards seeks to uncover the brands that have walked their talks in the real sense and unravel the links between investments/interventions and the actual impacts of these in communities where organisations do business and the general society at large.

The award is open to large, medium and small scale, not- for- profit organizations, as well as public sector organizations. Twenty honors would be up for grab in line with the sustainable development goals as set by the United Nations.

Wandel International Nigeria Limited, sole distributor of TVS brand in Nigeria, announces the launch of its best in class tricycle, TVS King Deluxe, Nigeria’s first tricycle that combines the best performances, a unique style and a break through Built-in MP3 player and FM radio.

Speaking at unveiling ceremony recently in Lagos, Wandel international’s Head of Business, Mr. SunilGondhali, disclosed that TVS strategy has always been to be two steps ahead of competition when it comes to innovation. Indeed in 2010 when TVS just introduced its first tricycle, they took the bold decision to launch a four stroke engine that would be more performance and environmental friendly, in a hundred percent two stroke engine environment. With big focus on service activities and training of mechanics, TVS proceeded in less than four years from new in the market to undisputed market leader in Nigeria.

However, in today’s challenging environment, TVS decided to literally change the game with the TVS King Deluxe.

According to him; “End –users have always dreamt to have builtin stereo in tricycle, today we are at the edge when it comes to robustness and performance of the tricycle, so we needed to go the extra mile and provide these highly demanded extra features.”

“We believe that the new brand will set a new standard in the tricycle industry and comfort our market leadership position. Our Mission Statement is to develop and deliver locally relevant, contemporary innovative solution in partnership with global organizations to become the first choice of Nigerians.”

L- R: Founder, Wandel International Nigeria Ltd , Vinay Grover; National Sales Manager, Deji Olaniyan; General Manager, Ravl Naik; Marketing Head, El Hadj Seck and Business Head, Sunil Gondhali, during the Launch of TVS King Deluxe Tricycle, recently in Lagos Digital pay-TV service provider, GOtv, has assured subscribers that it will continue to dispense quality content and introduce innovations that offer the best of digital TV experience. This was disclosed at a roundtable organised for a cross-section of the media recently in Lagos.

Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing and Sales, MultiChoice Nigeria, told journalists that GOtv received immensely positive feedback in the previous year owing to its top quality content offered to subscribers at affordable prices.

He also assured that GOtv subscribers will continue to have access to top programmes.

“Top content that are not within the reach of average Nigerians, are now available on GOtv. For instance, for the first time our reality TV show, BBNaija, was aired on GOtv

GOtv promises better quality content, innovations

and it was exceedingly successful, not just in Nigeria but across Africa”, he said.

He stated that, “we also brought key football tournaments like the Emirates FA Cup. GOtv subscribers will have access to live broadcast of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup in Russia as well as other FIFA tournaments on SuperSport”.

Akinola Salu, General Manager, GOtv said that they looked forward to an even better year, as more channels will be launched and innovations that will wow subscribers will be introduced soon.

“2017 is going to be a very interesting year. Expect to see the same digital quality and great content. As a way of rewarding our subscribers for their loyalty,

we introduced an incentive programme in March called GOtv WOW. All customers on GOtv Plus and GOtv Value, who stay continuously connected for three months and more, will have uninterrupted access to two extra channels and monthly airtime bonuses at no extra cost,’ he said.

Salu reiterated that GOtv Lite, a N400 subscription package, was launched to bring more people into the digital space with 20 exciting channels. He further stated that GOtv Lite is the most affordable in the payTV market, offering subscribers more choices and flexible payment options at N400 monthly, N1050 quarterly and N3100 annually.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday said that the Federal Government through its agriculture empowerment programme had created a new set of millionaires in farming.

The minister stated this when he featured on a special edition of Channels TV programme, “Sunrise Daily” on the mid-term report of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration.

Mohammed said that many young farmers were empowered through the Central Bank of Nigeria’s Anchor Borrower Programme and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture’s Soil Map initiative.

He said that the programme, which recorded huge success in rice and grain productions, particularly in Kebbi, Kano, Jigawa, Ebonyi and Sokoto states, had made farming attractive to young people.

Mohammed said the initiative had also helped in boosting the lo-

B7 AgriBusiness

FG creates new millionaires through farming – Minister cal production of rice, increasing yields per hectares in grains production and reducing importation of rice.

He said that in 2015, the country imported 580,000 metric tonnes of rice, which had been brought down to 58,000 metric tonnes in 2016 with the successful implementation of the programme.

The minister noted that though the price of local rice was still higher than the imported one, but the situation would change when production increased.

He said the imported rice was being subsidised and dumped into the country but assured that the trend would change by next harvest.

The minister said that the government had also been able to

bring down the cost of fertiliser from N9, 000 to N5, 000 following a bilateral agreement it signed with the Kingdom of Morocco.

Mohammed said that the country was gradually moving out of recession, particularly in the agriculture, manufacturing and solid minerals sectors.

He explained that it was made possible because of committed investments in infrastructure, ease of doing business and increased budgetary votes for capital projects.

“When we came in, we inherited about N1.7 trillion in debt owed to contractors; 202 roads were abandoned. In the entire 2015, only N18 billion was spent on roads and N5 billion spent on power.

“In 2016/2017 we released N1.2

trillion for capital projects only; we spent N260 billion on roads and N99 billion on power generation.

“We have constructed 320 kilometres of roads and fixed 460 kilometres of road: We have built 24 bridges and repaired about 21 “On rail lines, we have commenced the construction of the 150 km per hour standard gauge from Lagos to Ibadan and working on others across the country,” he said.

The minister reiterated that looking at what the government had done in areas of the economy, security and in fighting corruption it had fulfilled its electoral promises.

Mohammed said the situation would have been worse than it is

Youth farmers want support to boost food production

Youth Farmers

The Concerned Youth Empowerment Association of Nigeria (CYEAN) has called on the Federal Government to support youth farmers to help the country achieve self-sufficiency in food production.

The National President of the association, Mr Noble Adaelu, made the call in Abuja on Monday while speaking on the achievements and challenges of the Federal Government in the past two years.

Adaelu said the youths were yet to receive the needed support from the Federal Government in the areas of subsidised farm input supplies and access to low interest finance.

“Democracy day, what are we celebrating, Democracy that is well dependent on foreign donors or foreign food items. No, we have to move away from that.

“The Federal Government has not involved the youths in agriculture.

“In fact, all the programmes outlined by previous governments for agriculture advancement have not been replicated.

“We have the one we call Nigeria Agriculture Payment Initiative, that programme was done for farmers’ inclusion but up till now, that data has not been implemented.

“We need to be serious. If we really want to advance our industrial growth, the

Federal Government has to take a lead; the Federal Government has to call all the actors in the field.

“You cannot have a very harmonious approach to it without involving the youths. We should end the lips service. It is time for us to move forward.

“What I want them to do is to bring implementable programmes that will really restore our pride of place in agriculture.

“Youths are not being represented. What belongs to us is not given to us. The farm inputs are no longer subsidised, we don’t receive any farm inputs,’’ the national president said.

He faulted the approach to the CBN-BOA ‘Anchor Borrowers Scheme’ in

some states, adding that only few portfolio farmers benefitted from it.

The national president, however, appealed to the government to involve genuine farmers in agricultural programmes to encourage them to boost production.

Adaelu, who regretted that cassava production was being neglected in the country, said it could supplement wheat in bread production if adequately tapped.

The Concerned Youth Empowerment Association of Nigeria is a co-operative society that promotes and clamours for the rights of youths to enable them attain agreeable democratic atmosphere.

Osinbajo

now if Buhari was not in power, adding that he was proud to be a part of the administration.

NSDC to raise sugar production to 1.5m tonnes p a The National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) says it will increase the production of local sugar to 1.797 million tonnes per annum.

Dr Latif Busari, Executive Secretary of the council, told newsmen recently that the increase in production would be achieved through the Nigeria Sugar Master Plan that was adopted.

The production of sugar in the country as at the end of 2015 was 15,000 tonnes per annum.

Busari said the plan was to implement the roadmap for the attainment of selfsufficiency in sugar production for the country.

“The key strategy is to motivate private investment in the Backward Integration Programme (BIP).

“It will see the existing refineries gradually substitute the imported raw sugar with locally produced sugar over a 10-year period that is 2013 to 2023.

“The plan has estimated that our demand for sugar will breach the 1.7 Million Metric Tonnes (MMT) mark by 2020.

“To be able to satisfy this from domestic production, we will need to establish some 28 sugar factories of varying capacities,’’ he

said.

Busari said for the takeoff of the second phase in 2018, the council would take some immediate steps to encourage the operators to prepare for the new revised regime.

He said the mid-term review would enable the terms of the BIP agreements be revised and the revised guidelines unveiled.

Busari said the council would carry out revision of the concessionary tariff regime to 10 per cent duty and 5 per cent levy to take effect when the 2017 Fiscal Policy measures would be released.

He said the plan would enable the council to generate 37,378 permanent jobs and 79,803 seasonal jobs.

According to him, it will also save for the country between 500 million dollars to 650 million dollars in foreign exchange utilised on raw sugar importation.

Busari said that challenges faced by the council were difficulties in land acquisition, community hostility, flooding of sugar estates by the release of water from the Kainji and Jebba dams and inadequate commitment to BIP targets.

Motoring B8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Weststar associates unveils Fiat Tipo in Nigeria

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Weststar Associates Limited, Authorised General Distributor of Mercedes Benz, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge and Ram in the Federal Republic of Nigeria has finally presented the allnew Fiat Tipo to the Nigerian motoring press in Lagos. The unveiling of the new car was held recently at the Weststar showroom along Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos.

In his welcome address, Managing Director and CEO, Weststar Associates Limited, Mr. Mirko Plath said by unveiling Tipo, the auto firm has started an evolutionary journey which was announced earlier in the year.

Plath pointed out that Weststar had listened to their customers and, after many months of planning, research and business meetings, the company finally bring Fiat back home.

According to him, Fiat

Tipo is a product that thoroughly satisfies and excites despite the present economic circumstances and the challenging times.

“Let us focus on the Fiat brand slogan, driven by passion. This slogan inspired us to deliver more for less. Fiat is finally here in Nigeria, it is no longer a dream - it is a reality! This Italian brand promises to match the superior standards set by all the other brands we represent here in Nigeria”, Plath said.

He further added that Weststar as a company is motivated to provide the best variety of automobile brands and this is why they relentlessly work towards delivering impeccable sales and aftersales services to their customers.

General Manager for the FIAT Chrysler brands in Nigeria, Mr. Stavros Diamantidis took the Nigerian motoring journalists through the features of the new Fiat Tipo, saying that the car will

FRSC, Caleb University, others to grace Auto Journalists workshop All is now set for the second edition of the 2017 Nigeria Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) Training and Capacity building workshop slated for June 8-9, 2017 at Nero Hotel & Conference Centre, Ajah, Lagos.

At this year’s event, Boboye Oyeyemi, Corp Marshal of the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) and Prof Deji Aina, Vice Chancellor of Caleb University will be delivering papers on critical industry issues that would help to shape and galvanise conversation within the country’s automotive industry. Also expected at the event are Anofiu Olarewaju Elegushi, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation and other industry stakeholders.

While the FRSC chief will be taking a look at ‘’Decade of Action on Road Safety; The Gains, The Pains’, Professor Deji Aina will be speaking on ‘’The Political Economy of Nigerian Automotive Industry Crises: Outsider Perspective’’.

The annual programme with Ford Motor Corporation as lead sponsor, is aimed at updating the motoring journalists drawn from the print, electronic and online media with the basic knowledge and practical details and recent developments within the local and global automotive industry. Coscharis Motors is the sole franchisee of all Ford brands in Nigeria.

General Manager for the FIAT Chrysler brands in Nigeria, Mr. Stavros Diamantidis inside the car while members of the Nigerian motoring press having a feel of the all-new Fiat Tipo shortly after the official unveiling at the Weststar Associates showroom along Lekki-Epe Expressway in Lagos recently. serve owners very well.

According to Diamantidis, the new Fiat Tipo comes with some key safety features such as six airbags and Electronic Stability Control (ESC) with Hill Holder, AntiLock Brakes (ABS) complete with Electronic Brake Force Distribution (EBD), fog light

with cornering function and Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS).

Identifying the new FIAT Tipo as a sedan, Diamantidis noted that its features are enhanced by Italian design, inside and out, which makes the car unique in its C segment.

The Fiat Tipo is 4.54 meters

long, 1.79 meters wide and 1.49 meters high. The 2.64-meter wheelbase emphasizes its excellent internal comfort.

Two alloy rim patterns (16” and 17”) are available with a wide variety of body colours (pastel and metallized) as well as four different interior segments.

The FIAT Tipo also has a rigid, lightweight body chassis. This results in lower weight, first-class handling dynamics and impressive strength in the event of an impact. Under the hood is a 1.6V E.torQ Petrol (gasoline) engine with 109hp that yields an economical fuel consumption of 15.9km/l.

It also comes with a fivespeed transmission and a Front-wheel drive. Thus, the weight of the engine and transmission is directly over the driven wheels to reduce weight and production cost, improve fuel economy and deliver better traction. The Tipo comes with McPherson independent suspension up front and interconnected wheels with lateral dynamic control at the rear. Thus, the suspension system is lightweight, efficient and reliable while the Frequency Dependent shock absorbers filter out stresses more effectively to reduce body roll when cornering.

Here comes the £10m world most expensive Rolls-Royce

World’s most expensive car. Rolls-Royce

This is not an existing Rolls-Royce model with special features added by the Bespoke division at Goodwood, nor is it a show car.

This is a unique coachbuilt two seater designed by and for a customer who also collects classic yachts and vintage aircraft (yes – he is very, very wealthy) as a modern interpretation of the flamboyant streamlined bodies fitted to Rolls-Royce chassis in the 1920s and 30s by iconic coachbuilders such as Jonckheere, Park Ward and Gurney Nutting, with more than a nod to the exquisitely fashioned boattailed roadsters of the day, most notably the Hispano-Suiza H6 Torpedo bodied entirely in tulip-

wood for liquor magnate Andre Dubonnet by the Nieuport aircraft company in 1924.

He brought his ideas to RollsRoyce as long ago as 2013, where he and design director Giles Taylor quickly developed an understanding of what the customer was asking for – a two-seat coupé with a long, sweeping all-glass roof over a boat-tail rear deck; a contradiction in terms, if you will, but a strikingly dramatic one.

Over the next four years Taylor and his team joined in what became an intellectual journey, bringing the customer’s distinct vision to life - and the result of this one-off coachbuild project is the completely unique Rolls-

Royce Sweptail.

The classic upright front treatment is centred on the largest grille on any modern-era RollsRoyce – but instead of being fabricated by hand from nickelsilver sheet (which is why no two are ever exactly identical) the Sweptail grille was carved out of a single huge block of aluminium alloy and hand-polished to a mirror finish.

Then, in perhaps the most contentious design element on the car, a brushed-aluminium frame was added to the front treatment in place of a conventional bumper.

The rather American-looking profile echoes the ‘streamline’ sedans of the 1930s, with the

most dramatically stretched but still beautifully understated C pillar we’ve ever seen - even were the rest of the care absolutely standard, that C pillar would still guarantee the Sweptail a place in any museum of design.

The macassar ebony dashboard is the cleanest to date on any Rolls-Royce, with only one control, and the iconic dashboard clock. Its face is made of macassar veneer, to match the dashboard, but so thin that the hour marks can be backlit, so the only physical elements on the front of the clock are the hands, made by hand in titanium. The faces, numbers and pointers of the three handcrafted driving instruments are made the same way.

Concealed inside the body trim behind each door is a compartment containing a special leather-wrapped carbon-fibre case exactly made to measure for the customer’s own laptop, but the cherry on the top has to be the handmade mechanism inside the centre console chiller. At the touch of a button, it brings up two champagne flutes and a bottle of champagne, tilted to the perfect angle for the owner to pick it up.

The cost of this exercise in automotive perfection is estimated at around £10 million making it arguably the world’s most expensive new car.

The Edo Times

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Obaseki inaugurates ICD, TTP project committee ET 3

ESDG commences enforcement of town planning law, demolishes shopping

ET 2

Army sacks Edo mobile court

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki with members of the State Library Joint Revival Implementation Committee after their inauguration at the Government House, Benin…on Tuesday

EDSG determined to enforce CDA law, says Obaseki …inaugurates PPP Law task force

Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏEdo State Governor, Mr. Godwin

Obaseki, has restated his administration’s determination to enforce the Community Development Association (CDA) law, stressing that the long arm of the law would catch up with anyone found contravening any section of such law.

This was on Tuesday in Benin City where the governor inaugurated the committee, led by the Chairman and

former Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase.

Governor Obaseki noted that the activities of the so-called CDAs not only posed challenges to the political climate of the state, but also retarded economic growth and development in the communities particularly and the state in general.

The governor also expressed displeasure at the CDAs’ flagrant disregard for the Rule of Law to achieve their selfish interests, explaining that the task force on Private Property

Protection (PPP) law set up to enforce the law was one of the provisions enshrined in the CDA law.

The committee, meanwhile, was mandated to enforce the PPP law, monitor the CDAs and other groups’ activities, ensure compliance with the provisions of the law, prohibit CDAs and other groups from selling landed properties or collecting any related fees or levies, and help apprehend or direct to the security agents any person or persons found contravening the law.

In addition, he directed the Secre-

…commissions electricity project in Benin ÏÏÏGovernor

The Edo

T E A M

Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has inaugurated a 300KVA transformer substation valued at over N40 million in Ogbekpen Community of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of the state.

Constructed and donated to the com-

munity by PRESCO Plc, the project is one of the company’s corporate social responsibilities to provide better living conditions for people in the community.

The governor commended the company’s gesture, noting that partnership between the private sector and rural

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Titus Akhigbe

communities was necessary to drive development in the state, while also commending members of the community for actualising the project, urging them to protect it from vandalism.

He said: “As government is bringing the needed infrastructure, communities should also provide peaceful atmosphere for companies to do business and employ people in the community.

Ogbekpen is now a priority community for us because we want to reposition Edo as the Rubber hub in Africa”.

tary to State Government (SSG), Barrister Osarodion Ogie, to make available ten thousand copies of the law to the committee, which in turn would distribute them to all the communities so that nobody would claim ignorance of the law.

For his part, Arase said that the committee would ensure that the purpose of promulgating the law was achieved, while also appreciating the Oba of Benin, Oba Eware II, for his passion and love for the people of the state in criminalising the activities of the CDAs. Obaseki commended the 3.5km road opened up by PRESCO in the community, promising to begin construction of the road and build a primary school in the community, as well as train 20 selected people to teach in the school before the commencement of the next academic session in September.

Earlier, Managing Director of PRESCO Plc, Mr. Felix Nwabuko, said that the electrification project included the extension of high-tension line from Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) to the community, the 300KVA transformer substation at the community centre square and opening up a 3.5 km road for the community.

ÏÏÏSome army personnel recently stormed the mobile court trial venue of the ‘Clean Up Edo Project” unleashing brutality on the officials, with about 25 violators who were to be arraigned escaping in the ensuing fracas.

An eye witness, who does not want his name in print, said that one of the soldiers prevented members of the task force from carrying out their legitimate duty of arresting offenders who were caught trading on the walk way at Butcher Street, Mission Road, Benin City, the state capital.

According to the source, when he failed in that attempt, he mobilised five other colleagues who came and sacked the mobile court, causing chaos while people scampered for safety.

In the melee that ensued, more than twenty-five accused persons who were arraigned and undergoing trial escaped in different directions.

In the process, court books, files and other records of the mobile court were allegedly carted away by yet-tobe identified persons.

Chairs, tables and canopy used by the mobile court were destroyed, Magistrate Ihenyen Aigbediofe, escaped by the whiskers, while members of the Edo State Environmental Sanitation Task force including police men were beaten by the rampaging army personnel who were said to be six in number.

They allegedly engaged officers of the Nigeria Police in a free for all, thereby causing pandemonium around the Kings Square.

It was learnt that members of the task force successfully grabbed two of the army personnel whose identities could not be immediately ascertained as at press time.

Speaking on the incident, the General Manager, Edo State Waste Management Board, Prince Aiyamenkhue Akonofua, confirmed the incident and said law enforcement agencies including the military should be advised on the consequences of disrupting constituted court of competent jurisdiction set up by the state government to sanitise the environment.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Haliru Gwandu, after meeting with both parties promised to follow the exact procedures for investigating military officers as contained in the police law.

Meanwhile, the state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Moses Nkonbe, said the case was being handled by the Criminal Investigation dDepartment of the Command.

The Edo Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

ESDG introduce e-learning in schools ÏÏÏ Governor Godwin Obaseki has

revealed that the state government would introduce the use of computers and notepads as tools for teaching and learning in primary and secondary schools across the state from September this year.

The governor announced this as he celebrated the 2017 National Children’s Day with young children and parents at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City, on Saturday.

Governor Obaseki revealed that the move to introduce technology in primary and secondary educational institutions of the state was in line with his administration’s goal to improve the quality of education in the state.

He said: “We want to key into President Muhamandu Buhari’s vision to reposition the nation’s education system as a foundation for economic and social development. As a first step, we will start from Primary 1 and JSS 1 to introduce computers and notepads in the learning process of the state.

“Pupils and students will start to receive lectures and instruction with computers and notepads this year,” he said.

In addition, the governor stated that his administration would also subscribe to the Sustainable Development Goals campaign and reduce instances of child trafficking and violence against children through the domestication of Federal Government laws against human trafficking.

He therefore called on stakeholders to collaborate with the government to ensure that the children’s rights were protected and they were morally brought up.

Meanwhile, the governor’s wife, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, launched a childfriendly version of the Child Right Law, saying that the state government produced the easy-to-read version for children in the state to understand and be acquainted with their basic rights.

From right, Secretary to Edo State Government (SSG), Barrister Osarodion Ogie; Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu and Governor Godwin Obaseki at the Governorship Election Appeal Tribunal that started sitting in Benin...on Tuesday.

ESDG commences enforcement of town planning law, demolishes shopping complex Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏThe Government of

Edo State has declared its commitment to enforcing all physical and town planning laws in the state to restore integrity to the environment’s master plan.

A statement endorsed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. John Mayaki, said: “There are town planning rules and laws in the state, and nobody is bigger than the law.

So, for the development of Edo State and to upgrade the people’s standard of living, there should be full compliance from everyone to the law”.

On the issue of the building recently demolished along Mission

Edo First Lady, MWAN to establish health facility ÏÏÏ Wife of

the Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has disclosed that the Office of the First Lady would collaborate with the state’s chapter of the Medical Women’s Association of Nigeria (MWAN) to establish a Well Women Clinic in the state.

Mrs. Obaseki also assured of the state government’s support to collaborate with the Association to establish a youth-friendly centre to handle reproductive and other health issues of adolescents and youths.

She received executive members of Edo State MWAN, led by the President, Dr. (Mrs.) Anthonia Njoku, at the Edo State Government House in Benin recently and stressed that the goal of the present administration was to improve access to health care and to make the state a medical tourist destination.

She also commended the association for promoting improved

health care for women and adolescents, saying: “I am glad that you are up to the task. There is a lot of work to be done in the state. I will like to support the Well Women Clinic and Youth friendly centre and institutionalise some of these projects. I will also work with you, and by the grace of God, we will do many things together in the state”.

She also intimated the association on the Obaseki-led administration’s ongoing reforms in the state’s health system including restructuring the schools of Nursing and Health Information and the proposed establishment of clinics in market places.

Meanwhile, Dr. Njoku revealed that the association planned to launch its Adolescent Health Manual and a youth-friendly centre while declaring the wife of the Governor as a patron of the association.

Road in Benin City, the state capital, which had about 150 shops, the Governor’s media aide said: “The structure, for which the owner sought the government’s approval, was at variance with what was erected. In other words, the structure which was built was in contravention of what was approved.

“Before the demolition, notices were served, which have since expired. And, as you may as well be aware, nobody is above the law, neither is anyone’s interest bigger than the public’s interest”.

He continued that no parking space was provided for owners of the would-be shops at the property, as well as there was no parking space for those who would go there to shop.

The property, he explained, was being constructed at the heart of the city and shoppers and shop owners would have had to park by the roadside, which could stifle traffic and cause congestion on the roads.

“In specific terms, Mayaki revealed, “the plan, for which the owner sought approval, provided for 30 shops with adequate allowances for space and internal staircases, but what Edo people later discovered was a structure with 150 shops and external staircases, just as there were no provision for parking”.

The structure therefore constituted a breach on the property and to all known town planning laws and even to the plan, which was submitted for approval.

The governor’s CPS also stressed that one person could not create a crisis to disturb other people, adding that the building would have inconvenienced many people.

Meanwhile, the land would remain the owner’s property but the property erected on it should not aggravate the very crisis, which the government was avoiding at the King Square, also called Ring Road.

“I am also glad to report to you that the government exists for the good and interest of the public and that is the interest the administration of Governor Godwin Obaseki is serving. The public is even happier that the government is creating the right of way for them,” he further explained.

Obaseki pledges to deploy democratic ideals to develop Edo ÏÏÏ Governor Godwin Obaseki

of Edo State has assured the people of state that his administration is committed to adhering to democratic conduct and that it would deploy democratic ideals to develop every sector of the state to make it an international model of good governance.

This was as the governor released a statement congratulating Edo State and Nigeria or sustaining democracy and remaining united and focused on its path to greatness.

The governor explained that democracy entailed many features and connoted different meanings to different people in the world, vowing to promote

it in the state by observing the Rule of Law, orderliness in the society, fair distribution of resources, and welfare and infrastructural enhancement.

Governor Obaseki, however, stated that democracy, like Rome, could not be built in a day and that it took conscious efforts from both the people and the government to make the system of governance work.

He said: “Needs and demands are in their legions, but the resources available are inadequate. Democracy requires all hands to be on deck. The people democracy should uplift have a number of roles to play just as the government which repre-

sents the interest of the people cannot afford to run away from its responsibilities.

Meanwhile, he thanked the people of Edo State for the trust they reposed in his administration, promising to fulfil the mandate he was elected to execute.

In addition, the Governor also remembered those who sacrifice for the realisation of democracy day, paying tribute to their struggle and calling for emulation of their labour, continuing that democracy and its tenets must be protected and nurtured to establish an enduring culture for generations yet unborn.

The Edo Times 3

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

Assembly approves N11bn Agric loan for Obaseki

Oba of Benin offers scholarship to poor boy ÏÏÏIt

ÏÏÏLawmakers

in the Edo State House of Assembly have given the nod to Governor Godwin Obaseki to access Federal Government fertilizer programme and loan to fund agricultural programme in the state.

The lawmakers gave the approval after letter from the governor seeking their approval was read during plenary.

Governor Obaseki said the loan was to fund agro-projects, make fertilizer affordable, encourage production and revitalise moribound fertilizer industry in the state.

The motion to approve the governor’s request was moved by the Majority Leader, Hon. Foly Ogedegbe.

Speaker Justin Okonoboh noted that the approval was for the overall benefit of Edo people.

Okonoboh said the loan would help to address unemployment and boost agriculture.

Obaseki with Managing Director of PRESCO Plc, Mr. Felix Nwabuko, during the commissioning of a 300KVA transformer substation installed by the company in Ogbekpen Community of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area of

Obaseki inaugurates ICD, TTP project committee Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

win Obaseki, has inaugurated the Edo Inland Container Deport (ICD) and Truck Transit Park (TTP) Implementation Committee, mandating them to uptick economic activities in the state.

Inaugurating the eight-man committee, chaired by Engineer Charles Akhighe, Governor Godwin Obaseki said members of the team were chosen without partisan invidiousness, but that their technical knowledge and experience as experts selected them.

He said the implementation committee had become necessary given his administration’s strategy to make Edo a logistic hub.

He said: “As a government, we have taken these transactions seriously and are putting our support behind the transaction. As an implementation step, we have to set up a committee of experts. This team is not a statutory body of government, but the government is facilitating the take-off by giving the impulse and push”.

On the committee’s terms of reference, the governor charged the committee to work with promoters to ensure that all federal

and state permits required for the project take-off are obtained, to conduct road shows within and outside the state on potentials for industrialists, manufacturers, innovators, small and large business owners, to conduct meetings with stakeholders and partners on the importance of the ICD, to make recommendations on solutions for outstanding facilities, live roads and other infrastructure on the container deport and truck transit pack as well as processes and procedures to increase Edo’s IGR and to set targets and plans ahead of commencement.

On his part, Engineer Akhigbe

expressed the committee’s interest and readiness to work with the government in developing the state.

“You have given us the mandate of turning Edo State into a globally competitive state and we are here to encourage exports, especially in cash crops. It will create innovation, as this is an opportunity to boost the state’s economy,” he said.

Other members of the committee include Theophilus Okoh, Austin Atakpu, Francis Ehiguese, Chief Chris Orode, and Princess Biddy Adele. Other representatives of the government in the committee are the MD/CEO of ECTS and Edugie Agbonlahor.

Edo First Lady launches child protection policy ÏÏÏ The Wife of

Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, has launched the Edo Child Protection Policy to strengthen the child protection system in the state.

Launching the policy book with executive members of the Edo Children Parliament and members of the State’s Child Right Implementation Committee at the Edo State Government House in Benin City recently, she expressed delight that Edo State pioneered the development and launch of such a pol-

icy in Nigeria.

In addition, the governor’s wife noted that the Obasekiled administration prioritised child protection and provision of quality education for Edo children, as well as vocational education for students to facilitate skill acquisition and selfreliance.

“This administration wants to produce medium manpower through vocational skills acquisition because when people don’t have skills they are helpless. I will also like the introduc-

tion of vocational skills/handwork into the curriculum of primary and secondary schools in the state”, she said.

Meanwhile, the First Lady commended the proactive steps of members of the Edo Children Parliament to prevent abuse of children’s rights, emphasising that the government was set to end child trafficking, strengthen the newly established family court with better staffing and provide help lines for children to report cases of abuses.

On the nature of the Children

Parliament, Miss. Abieyuwa Efeomo, its speaker, revealed that the Parliament was established in 2015, aiming to advocate for the protection of children’s rights, but also called on the government to create awareness about the existence of the Family Court so that abused children could take full advantage of it.

She also decried the rate of child abuse and rape in the state, calling on the government to act against violence directed at children in the state.

was emotion laden section during the weekly open mediation held at Ugha-Ozolua in the Oba Palace Benin City as the Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, Oba of Benin, offered scholarship to Master Efosa Divine Omoruyi, whose mother and siblings were being oppressed by their family members after the death of their father, Mr. Omoruyi Okunmafiyi.

Engineer Okunmafiyi, an uncle to Efosa, had led other members of their family to accuse Mrs. Angela Omoruyi, wife of Omoruyi Okunmafiyi, now deceased, of single handedly burying their late brother without the consent of family members, denying ever knowing the woman as their brother’s wife or the children.

Narrating her side of the matter, Mrs. Omoruyi said her husband has been having a rift with his siblings, and as a result he was abandoned and neglected for the past twenty years.

Mrs. Omoruyi however explained that when her husband eventually died, she informed the family members, who instead of arranging a befitting burial for her husband, began to demand for the children’s birth certificate and document of her husband’s house.

Having listened carefully to the two parties, the Oba of Benin condemned in strong terms the wicked and inhuman treatment meted on the woman and her children by members of Okunmafiyi family.

The Benin monarch chided them for not giving their brother a befitting burial or take care of the children left behind, instead were after the deceased property.

Oba Ewuare II said the palace would continue to give hope to the hopeless as no one will be discriminated against on the basis of tribe, race, religion or status in the society.

Obviously happy with the judgment, everyone present, including array of Palace Chiefs joined Mrs. Omoruyi and her children to thank the Oba of Benin for the kind gesture.

The joy and happiness of the poor widow, her children as well as their uncle Mr. Michael Aigheyisi knew no bounds as they described the judgment as that of King Solomon in the Bible.

They expressed gratitude to the Oba of Benin for the judgment and thanked him for the scholarship, adding that the Oba has removed shame from them and wipe away their tears and sorrow.

The Edo Times 4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

EDSG set to improve primary education with technology Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has indicated his administration’s readiness to work with Bridge International Academies, which has expressed interest in improving the standard of Primary School education with technology.

This was at the Edo State Government House in Benin City where the governor also restated his administration’s priority to continually upswing education standards in the state by consolidating on the work of the past government, which, he noted, had already improved infrastructure in primary schools by 60% and in secondary schools by 30%.

The governor said: “My agenda is to improve the quality of education, especially at the primary school level. If you do not get it right at the primary school level, such pupils will struggle all through life. Therefore, it is imperative for this administration to fix the system”.

He commended the organisation for the initiative to collaborate with his administration using technology to improve the system, noting that technology was key to plugging up the vacuum in the state’s education system and added that his administration was committed to improving the quality of teachers for effective service delivery.

The governor however urged the academy to set up a teaching

laboratory in the state before the commencement of the next academic session.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Adesuwa Ifedi, Head of Policy and Partnership Department of Bridge International Academies, said the educational body would support the state government with technology to increase learning outcomes in 100 primary schools in the state in the next 3 years.

She explained that the academy would also leverage on the use of technology to improve the quality and performance of teachers, which would translate to better learning outcome in pupils.

“Teachers from the selected schools would be trained on the use of e-service teachers’ guide

and classroom management procedures that would effectively drive learning outcomes in the schools. We want to establish a learning laboratory in a college of education to provide optimal training for teachers in Edo State.

“We will also teach them to prepare lesson guide for each subject of each day and ensure every teacher has the core content and activities for the day at their fingertips. We will also Supply each teacher with an e-reader tablet to which all lessons and teacher resources library will be published’’, she said.

Also with the governor were co-founders, Jay Kimmelman and Dr. Shannon May as well as members of a global team of the organisation.

… To collaborate with private firm on School feeding programme ÏÏÏThe

Edo State Government has revealed that it would collaborate with Dufi Prima Food Plc, a private firm, to domesticate and implement the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

Governor Godwin Obaseki, represented by his Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, made this known in Benin City as he received the management team of Dufi Prima Food Plc at the Edo State Government House where the food company indicated its interest to collaborate with the state government on the Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

Commending the initiative of the company, the governor revealed that the state government would draw out a plan in line with the state’s procurement law on engaging service providers to bid for the Home Grown School Feeding Programme.

He said: “We are going to come up with a proposal. We have the state procurement law and we will open up the procurement process for invitation to everybody who is into this line and see that the best in terms of production and output is chosen”.

Meanwhile, Dufi Prima Food consultant, Efosa Cliff-Ogiugo, congratulated the state government on the successful launch of school feeding programme held in Benin City, revealing that the company’s visit was to officially introduce its products and develop a partnership on the use of its products for the programme.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in company of Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Wole Iyamu Esq; Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele and Mrs. Edugie Agbonlahor, MD, ECTS, during the inspection of Edo Line by the Governor…recently

Treason: Court denies activist bail ÏÏÏAn Edo High Court has de-

clined to grant bail application filed by a rights activist, Mr. Curtis Ugbo, charged with treason.

Justice J. Acha declined the application after reading the addresses in respect to the bail filed by defence and prosecution counsels, Mr. Olayewola Afolabi and Mr. Oluwole Iyamu, Edo SolicitorGeneral, respectively.

Acha gave reason for his decline on the overwhelming evidence the respondent gave against the application.

According to him, “evidence provided by the respondent in response to the bail application is overwhelming and I hereby refuse the bail.”

The Justice, who urged for an accelerated trial, gave a week for the prosecutor to file the processes so that the case can commence.

Both counsels, who spoke with newsmen after, gave an opposing view over the justice’s refusal of the bail application.

The prosecuting counsel while lauding the refusal, said it was for the interest and safety of the society.

Iyamu said the state intends to expeditiously pursue an accelerated trial.

On his part, the defence counsel, who expressed misgiving on the bail refusal, said he would appeal the decline.

Ugbo, President of the Benin Solidarity Movement, was charged to court following a protest he led to agitate for a better deal from the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company for Benin youths.

Edo State Government considered the protest capable of undermining the peace of the state, and consequently arraigned Ugbo before a magistrates’ court.

The magistrate court remanded him in prison custody on March 24, and adjourned the case pending the advice of the state’s director of public prosecutions.

It later declined jurisdiction to entertain the case.

Thus, the police charged Ugbo before the high court.

Online cab booking debuts in Edo

ÏÏÏAn

online Internet Taxi Cab booking services has been launched in Benin City to satisfy the growing request for such services in Edo State.

The all Internet based car rental scheme is known as Smart Cab and request can only be effected from a client mobile phone who will then develop a Driver Passenger Relationship.

Its operations revolves round application which is available on all Android and IOS Devices and has three packages with a base fare of N350, a change of N80 per km/h and N8 per minute while the Smart saver

Vehicles are equipped with free Wi-Fi services and anti-riot security.

Unveiling the scheme in Benin City, the country manager, Smart Cab Nigeria, Jubril Arogundade, said the business which targets youths was launched in Lagos on February 28, 2017 and that its successes informed the need the introduce the scheme in Edo State.

He explained that the software Development Company has the potential for riders to get connected to their Drivers and enjoined customers in Edo to key into the scheme.

Benin City Manager Smart Cab,

Mr. Samson Bakare, noted that the firm is a Technology Company which is first in the state that has brought gainful opportunities to all.

He said the firm has limitless opportunities for youth car owners and would-be clients and emphasised need for citizens in Edo State to embrace the company.

The Public Relations Officer, Federal Road Safety Commission zZone RS.5.1 Mr. George Oshoke, encouraged the operators to go through the established process of Licencing Drivers who will be engaged in the scheme.

Oshoke stressed need for Nigerian to embrace the Nations Road Safety Code in order to reduce Road Traffic Crashes.

The launch also featured goodwill messages from Smart Brand ambassadors who include the greatest exporter of Nigeria music, 9ice, Muyiwa- the comedian and Amazing Cleff.

Other packages in Smart Cab services are Premium class with a base fare of N450, and a charge of N100, per km/h and N10 per minute as well as the pro package with a base fare of N650, and a charge of N120 per km/h and N12 per minute.

Life&

TIMES Thursday, June 1, 2017

Ayuba Adewale

I have never been to a club house

L2

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017

We are trying to popularize Fuji music to the western world...

I have never been to a club house –Adewale Ayuba

What has the Bonsue Fuji star been up to all this while?

We are trying to rebrand musically and artistically; rebranding the name we are doing and we are trying to digitalize Fuji music .We are trying to bring the analogue into the digital level. We are trying to go on tracking not like the normal way of releasing album like seventeen minutes long, so those are the things we are trying to do.

Your starting point seems interesting, so how exactly did you see music in the beginning?

Adewale Ayuba also known as Mr. Johnson the king of Bonsue Fuji, is an easy- going person who is set to up his game despite that the music trend in the country has diverted into another dimension.

He is a traditional style singer, a drummer, an actor and an artiste. In this interview with ABIMBOLA OBATAYO, he spoke on issues affecting music in Nigeria and the way forward. Ayuba has released approximately 26 albums, he writes his lyrics and Co- produces some of his released tracks. Excerpt:

What else have you done apart from music?

“Ibere” beginning.

So when you look back to those days, what do you really remember?

What I remember those days is that before you release any album,

I will say we have good one, we have bad one but the one we call the

but we thank God. What is your staying power in music?

What do you think can be done in the Nigeria music industry now because when we look at those days you started, the content of the are dancing to. What do you think can be done to make things right? form that before you release an album, you need to take it to the organized two things that can be done What would you have loved to change about your music if you could turn back the hands of time?

know that when you want to listen to Ayuba, its original Fuji music you will listen to.

How would you rate the music industry?

I will say we are doing very well, we have beautiful talents in Nigeria. I and the government needs to come down on how to assist to make money from it.

The Ayuba we know those days can really dance, can he still do those things?

before, so that is that.

What was your break in music?

When you write your songs, what kind of issues do you put in content?

Most of these artistes now have their own record label, they have artistes they groom and do you also have something like that?

-

With the rise of hip hop which is rendered in our local dialect, how has your music been able to cope?

studio also belongs to us and anybody can come in to record.

How can you describe your personal style?

I will give glory to God and my woman in the house and children. When

to the

western world.

wardrobe manager; so I thank God for that.

Do you see them as a threat to your own music? to do, you have to think of your fans because if you do the right thing, your

thing international is better than us even to the food we eat. We see our own Did you now strategise to meet up to that standard?

from a bad background, it will affect your style too; so we give glory to God

Can you say there is a future for Fuji?

know that when you are a singer, no matter how good you are in singing,

ing Femi Kuti. When you see Fuji artiste or juju artiste, embrace them, talk to them even if they are doing things that are not right.

What kind of a person is Ayuba?

stop what you are doing now, there is nobody that will take over? house. That is me.

you sit and listen to good music and it the same time doing your work, you are

&

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, June 1, 2017

Gist L3

Mutiat Alli

Mavin rapper, POE excites UK fans Yaw, Sound Sultan address Nigeria’s Mavin Records rapper, POE, is certainly not slowing down and taps producer of the moment, Bankyondbeatz, alongside the amazing songstress, DJ Yin, for something fresh. While his Man Already tune continues to make waves, the rapper released a freestyle to appreciate his UK fans for all the love shown towards him while in the European city as he returns to Lagos. The freestyle titled They See

banger, Did You See by British recording artiste, J Hus. The song which peaked at Number 9 on the UK Charts is off the Sense.

In typical Bankyondbeatz

fashion, does

smash originally done by Jonathan Mensah, better known as Jae5.

problems through stage play, ‘Apere’ Onu, otherwise known as Yaw alongside veteran singer, Sound Sultan, addressed an array of issues plaguing the country through

Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The duo through their commendable acting skills in the comic stage play were able to include the disconcerting MMM Ponzi scheme, failed youth empowerment system, celebrities social media antics, economic recession, among others.

The mammoth audience in attendance also witnessed Yaw and Sound Sultan address matters of national concern in a satirical manner,

Iyanya

was entirely introspective, leaving the average Nigerian to question their very own morals and societal contribution as several more; leaving the audience gasping for breath as they laughed hysterically. in attendance who all delivered memorable performances, escalating the euphoria of the evening, including Woli Arole, Asiri, Funny Bone, Kenny Blaq, Ambassador Wahala, Emma Oh My God, Skales, Tiwa Savage, Humble Smith, Sugarboy,

Poe

Other esteemed personalities and socialites in attendance include, former Lagos State First Lady Abimbola Fashola,

Skales drops ‘The Never Say Never Guy’ album

Amusa, Kemi Afolabi, Adeniyi Johnson, Seyi Edun, popular Cool FM OAP Dotun, Nollywood actor Saheed Balogun and a host of others.

released his sophomore album

Dance Queen, Kaffy drags Ali Baba, P-Square, Kate Henshaw others to dance workshop …As international dance Choreographer, Hollywood storms Nigeria

held a listening party at Industry Nite disclosed his album can be purchased on iTunes, Spotify, Google Play Stores, Deezer amongst others.

Skales who made the announcement on his Instagram page wrote:

commercial success.

together! Guys, I present my

repost, buy and drop good messages all around. With you,

Nigerian international dancer and Guinness world record holder, Kaffy, is bringing the unusual to the entertainment industry with the maiden edition of ‘The Dance Workshop’ billed to hold in five locations that include Accra, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ibadan and Lagos.

With the theme’ Dance business is serious business,’ Kaffy is set to inspire aspiring dancers through the workshop on the nitty-gritty of becoming a successful dancer through the theoretical and practical session of the workshop.

According to Kaffy, attendees will have the opportunity to learn the ethics and business in dance as the workshop is expected to cover areas that include Branding and the best use of social media, Attitude & Talent, Finance in dance business, importance of techniques and skill acquisitions amongst others.

#TheNeverSayNeverGuy.

with three bonus tracks, featuring

musical act PJ Morton of Maroon 5, American actor and singer Rotimi, Sarkodie, Wande Coal, Burna Boy, Phyno, Lil Kesh, Davido, Timaya among others.

Skales

Kaffy

Hollywood

As part of creating a meaningful relationship between Nigerian dancers and those outside the world; Kaffy has equally employed the services of Hollywood, an international dance Choreographer who has worked with several big names in the world of music that include Beyonce, Chris Brown, Ciara, Nick Minaj, and Jennifer Lopez amongst others.

However, facilitators who will mentor the attendees are in high spirit as they look forward to speaking to all guests present. The facilitators ranged from celebrities, entertainment professionals, and media relations experts amongst others.

Some of the facilitators include Kate Henshaw, Ayeni Adekunle, P-Square, Ali Baba, Omawunmi, and Lamboginny, Daddy Showkey to mention but few.

L4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, June 1, 2017