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Heaven will not fall if your judgment is equitable, CJN tells new judges

THE

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Restructuring:

FG must stop vilifying agitators, says Atiku

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SATURDAY, JULY 15, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 408

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Why NHIS boss was suspended –Minister Ï He is being probed over alleged N960m fraud Ï Alleges engagement in award of frivolous contracts, training, discriminatory transfers of staff Ï No, I’m being punished for refusing monetary request –Yusuf Ï Says minister lacks power to suspend me

Andrew Orolua, Mathew Dadiya and Francesca Iwambe, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

More facts have emerged on the controversy surrounding the suspension of the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Prof Usman Yusuf. The NHIS is a parastatal under the supervision of the Fed-

eral Ministry of Health.

Contrary to the claim by the suspended NHIS ES and the House of Representatives that he was being punished for refusing to grant financial requests from the supervising ministry, the Minister of Health, Prof Isaac Adewale has given reasons why Yusuf was suspended from office.

Continued on page 6

FG reaches out to ailing Horror as kidnappers kill Ikeme Osun Perm Sec

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike (2nd r), in a handshake with President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, during a courtesy visit of the NLC President to the Governor in Port Harcourt, Rivers State… on Friday. With them are Deputy Governor, Ipalibo Harry Banigo (r); Rivers State NLC Chairman, Comrade Beatrice Otubo (2nd l) and others.

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Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

News 5

Immigration begins 48-hour Constitutional review: Ambode calls for issuance of work permit closure of Federal Land Registry in Lagos Myke Uzendu, Abuja Benjamin Omoike Lagos state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Friday described the continuous operation of the federal land registry in Lagos as an aberration which the current ongoing Constitutional amendment process must address in line with the principle of fiscal federalism.

Speaking at a joint working retreat of Senate and House Representatives Committees on the review of 1999 Constitution held in Lagos, Governor Ambode also called on the National Assembly to jettison the proposed stamp duties bill currently being considered, which according to him,

Ïd ƕ ƏƆƒƆ ƑƆ Əƈ Ƈ ƏƌƑƋ Ƒ Ƈ ƈƏè Ƒ ƅƅƆƍƐ ƄƋƆ Ï9 ƈ Ɛ Ɛ ƐƆ ƍ ƋƈƅƆè ƍƆƅƈ Ƌ Ɛ ƐƑ è ƏƆƒƈƆƓ Ƈ ƇƆƗƆƏ Ƌ Ɛ ƌƍ ƗƑƐƕ would cripple the internally generated revenue due to States in the federation if allowed to scale through.

While faulting the federal land registry in Lagos which was established when Lagos was Federal Capital Territory, the Governor said the continuous operation of the registry was an aberration and it ought to have been closed and all title therein moved to the Lagos state land registry, urging the federal lawmakers to urgently correct the anomaly.

He, also, called for the restriction of Land Use Act only to the Federal

Capital Territory on the basis of the fact that land had always been and should remain a residual matter for the State Houses of Assembly to legislate upon, hence the need for the Act to become Land Use Law of the States.

On the Stamp Duties Bill, the Governor said: “I will also like to express the imminent dangers inherent in the proposed Stamp duties Bill which no doubt seeks to cripple the internally generated revenue due to States in the federation in favour of a Federal Government agency- NIPOST. “The Bill is presently before the National As-

sembly and it is a grave threat to the principles of fiscal federalism and as representatives of the true beneficiaries of the Act as it presently stands, there is need to put an urgent and immediate end to its further coordination by the National Assembly which also has the noble tradition that once a matter is before the Court, all activities on the matter would be suspended.”

He said the call became imperative in view of a case currently pending before the Supreme Court between Lagos state government Attorney General and Attorney General of the federation.

ÏÏÏ

Nigeria has recorded another mile stone in the ease of doing business following the commencement of the issuance of Temporary Work Permit (TWP) within 24 hours through e-mail by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) bringing to an end the traditional issuance of TWP at the port of entry.

In a statement signed by the NIS Spokesperson, Sunday James, the Comptroller-General, Muhammad Babandede said that the measure was part of the ongoing automation of the service’s operations introduced by NIS and in line with the Ease of Doing Business in Nigeria.

He explained that applications for the TWP are to be forwarded to a dedicated email address: oa@ nigeriaimmigration.gov. ng and addressed to the Comptroller-General.

The statement also stated that the requirements and how to apply are available on the NIS official website:www.immigration.gov.ng, adding that some staff have been dedicated to attend to the request.

Other documents to accompany the application include a formal application letter from the Company/Employer accepting Immigration Responsibility on behalf of the beneficiary, among other requirements.

It added that the TWP application when approved usually within a timeline of 48 hours is forwarded to the Nigerian Mission in the country indicated in the application for the issuance of the facility.

“The expatriate is expected to proceed to the particular Nigerian Mission with his/her passport for the issuance of the TWP. “It must be stressed that the TWP is not issued at Port of Entry in Nigeria”, he said.

The spokesperson also announced the commencement of operations of the NIS Contact Centre which is meant to attend to complaints and enquiries of the general public.

“Members of the public with any complaints about NIS services to call the dedicated line: 07080607900 or e-mail:nis. servicom@nigeriaimmigration.gov.ng,” the statement concluded.

We didn’t recover $42m in Makarfi’s farm -EFCC Francesca Iwambe, Abuja Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola (r), in a handshake with the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Zonal Commander in-charge of Zone F, Assistant Commander General, Waheed Popoola, during a courtesy visit to the Governor at the Government House Osogbo, Osun State… on Friday.

Housewife, 45, remanded in prison for unruly behaviour Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏ

A Customary Court sitting in Agege on Friday ordered the remand of a 45-year-old housewife, Bosede Owonifari, in Kirikiri Prisons for contempt of court.

The court’s president, Mr. Phillips Williams, ruled that the accused should remain behind bars for 21 days for her unruly behaviour during the proceedings and also for tearing court summon when she was served.

Bosede was dragged to court by her 53-year-husband, Igbekele Owonifari, who had pleaded with the court to dissolve his 30-year-old marriage over

his wife’s adulterous life.

Igbekele, a driver who resides at Igbehinadun St., off Oluwakemi, Ojodu -Berger, told the court that his wife, Bosede, was having extra-marital affairs with several men.

He further told the court that his wife was troublesome and not submissive, and that he could no longer live with her.

The petitioner, said: “My wife is not trustworthy and she is also wayward.

“She has also trained my four children to be wayward and arrogant like she is. My wife and our four children do not have any iota of respect for me.

“My children refused to get a decent job after graduating from school and are

now into internet fraudsters, popularly known as ‘yahoo yahoo,’ which their mother supports wholeheartedly,” he said.

Igbekele told the court that whenever he tried to caution the children to desist from their wayward life, they would threaten his life.

“My wife keeps strange friends and started bleaching her skin which l was against and l told her to desist from it; she became adamant and refused to change.

“The trouble is too much; l can no longer bear her arrogant and promiscuous lifestyle.

“She became a party freak and was no longer trustworthy.

“There was a time l fell

seriously ill, I could not walk and was not getting better. “ I was told that my wife had placed a charm on me and was behind my predicament because she belongs to three different secret cults,” he said.

The husband said he had not had sexual intercourse with the respondent and had not eaten her food in the last 20 years.

“I am asking for a divorce because this marriage has already broken down irretrievably,” the complainant said.

The respondent, Bosede, an indigene of Ondo state, however denied all the allegations, saying she was not ready for the dissolution of the marriage.

ÏÏÏ

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), has warned the general public to be wary of some news making the round on social media that the sum of $42 million was found in Sen. Ahmed Makarfi’s farm.

He condemned the reports as malicious, false and misleading saying, the malicious reports emanated from Innocent Onyekachi, Oritsetimeyin Akpotedja,Adjenuhgure and Adeola Sam Opeyemi with the intention of tarnishing the image of the EFCC. This was contained in a statement signed by the commissions Head, Media and Publicity, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren.

According to the statement, the duo were alleged to have posted on

their Facebook page six hours after the Supreme Court judgment that was favourable to Markafi-led faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), that the sum of $42 million was found in Sen. Makarfi’s farm by the EFCC. The commission frowned at the actions of Oritsetimeyin, Adjenuhgure and Opeyemi saying, after several effort made by operatives of the anti graft agency for them to correct the report, they blatantly refused to correct it.

The statement added that the commission has considered it necessary to set the records straight by advising social media activists to be wary of the duo who according to them are out to sow seed of discord among Nigerians as there is no EFCC investigation on Senator Makarfi.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

NDDC boss to Niger gov cautions political appointees to shun corruption of the Chief Judge, Justice Maria your life. If you abuse the office bers function, saying “boards are Saka Bolaji traditional and steal, it will also not change not set up for ceremonial purpose Dzukogi.

Minna the new appointees, your fortune. Once you leave the rather for efficiency and functionrulers: Insist on ÏÏÏ Niger state governor, Alhaji theCharging governor noted that though office after 1or 2 years you lose ev- ality in the administration of the government.” public office can expose or tempt erything.”

Abubakar Sani Bello, has caudevpt initiatives, tioned political office holders to occupants He also advised the newly inHe then charged the newly into corruption, but adnot politics shun corruption and temptation vised that they should develop augurated board members to use augurated chairmen and board tick skin against ill-gotten wealth, their experiences in contributing members to establish a very good

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏ The Managing Director of

the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, Mr. Nsima Ekere, has called on members of the Traditional Rulers of Oil Mineral Producing Communities of Nigeria, TROMPCON, to insist that public office holders in their domains focused more on development initiatives, not politics.

The NDDC boss made the call when the executives and members of TROMPCON paid him a courtesy visit at the headquarters of the commission in Port Harcourt, capital city of Rivers state.

Mr. Ekere urged the traditional rulers to intervene by advising their subjects who were public office holders and politicians to play less politics and govern more, “so we can bring true development to the people. Let’s focus less on politics and allow governance to flourish.”

He acknowledged the role played by TROMPCON in ensuring peace and security in the various communities in the Niger Delta, adding that “as the hen that lays the golden egg, the region could not be ignored.”

Mr. Ekere added: “The royal fathers have played very key roles in ensuring peace in the region.

We cannot afford to joke with the traditional rulers. I recognize your role in fostering peace in the region.”

of amassing wealth illegally at the expense of the masses.

He gave this charge when he sworn in and inaugurated the chairmen and members of boards of 25 state commissions and agencies in Minna, the state capital.

The oaths of office and allegiance were administered on the chairmen and members of Niger State Independent Electoral Commission, NSIEC, and Niger State Civil Service Commission, NSCSC, by Justice Aliyu Mayaki of the State High Court on behalf

stressing that such acquisition hardly last long. He noted that serving in public office comes with challenges which require commitment, strong will, sense of purpose and prayers to be able to achieve set goals.

“As public office holder, you have to be prayerfully and consciously shun any temptation. Some of you will see millions and billions passing through your table, but with prayers and strong will you can ignore it. Such money won’t change

to the restoration agenda of his administration.

He told the new appointees that they were all appointed on merit after due diligence was conducted in making sure that right people were appointed to appropriate boards so as to enable them contribute meaningfully to the development of the boards and the state at large.

The governor then warned supervising ministries of these boards to allow the board mem-

R-L: Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma; USAID/Nigeria Mission Director, Mr. Stephen Haykin and the Acting Deputy Director, Erin Holleran, during the USAID delegation’s visit to the Minister in Abuja …on Friday.

Why NHIS boss was suspended –Minister

Continued from page 1

Adewale added that Yusuf ’s suspension was necessitated by series of petitions written against him, saying that the development was also compounded by the unsatisfactory response from Yusuf.

The minister had in a letter with reference number C.4051/T/132 dated 6th July, 2017, titled “Suspension From Office,” said thus, “I refer to the series of petitions against you which were forwarded for your comments.

“I am to draw your attention to your response which has been considered unsatisfactory, I have therefore directed the setting up of an investigative committee on the various allegations against you.

“Consequently, you are directed to proceed on 3 (three) months suspension with immediate effect to pave way for an uninterrupted investigation, in accordance with

relationship with their supervising commissioners and ministries.

Responding on behalf of all the appointees, the chairman, Niger State Civil Service Commission, Engr. Shehu Yusuf Galadima assured the government and the people of the state of their readiness to serve the people and the state.

The boards of 23 other commissions and agencies were also inaugurated by the governor.

Public Service Rule.”

The Daily Times had reported that Yusuf had handed over to an Acting Executive Secretary but reportedly claimed that his refusal to grant monetary requests to the minister was responsible for his suspension.

Meanwhile, the health minister has constituted a committee to investigate the allegations of fraud leveled against the embattled NHIS boss as contained in the letter of suspension issued to him.

The members of the probe panel are as follows: Permanent Secretary - Chairman; Director Hospital Services; Director Human Resources; Representative of Director of State Security and the Representative of Independent Corrupt Practices and other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

Others are the Director Finance and Accounts; Director ICT; Director of Procurement;

Head ACTU; STA Hounourable Minister; STA Permanent Secretary; Director Legal while the members of the Secretariat are the Head, Tertiary Hospitals Division; DD (APD) and ACCS (Charity Chibuzo).

The Daily Times further gathered that the Head of Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, had written a letter to Adewole on the matter.

In the letter addressed to the health minister with reference number HCSF/SFSO/ODD/ E&WP/51680/S.2/T dated June 9, 2017, titled: “Re: The Monumental Fraud, Gross Abuse of Office and Nepotic Acts Inimical To the set Objectives of the Scheme Happening in NHIS Under the Leadership of Prof Usman Yusuf”, the HoSF asked the minister to carry out necessary action and investigations over the petitions against Yusuf.

The letter which was signed on

behalf of the HoS by the Director, Organization Design and Development, Kehinde Adeyemi reads in part; “I am directed to forward to the attached letter received in this office from Coordinator of a group called the United Youths Alliance Against Corruption.

The HoSF has directed that the petition on ‘monumental fraud, gross abuse of office and nepotic acts’ against the leadership of the NHIS be referred to your ministry for proper investigation and necessary action.”

But a source told the Daily Times that the the HoSF had told the Permanent Secretary that Yusuf may not be familiar with public service rules, adding that the HoSF then directed the permanent secretary to find out from the ES if he was not familiar with the public service processes.

The newspaper further learnt that there are series of petitions against Yusuf while he is being

probed over his alleged involvement in N960million fraud.

Documents obtained by the Daily Times revealed that Yusuf ’s alleged infractions at the NHIS, include award of frivolous contracts, inflated training of members of staff and purchase of SUV totaling N960 million.

He was also alleged to have engaged in discriminatory transfer of 100 staff members out of the headquarters in Abuja to branches in other states.

The embattled NHIS boss was also accused of spending money without recourse to the laid down rules of the establishment and was awarding contracts without following due process.

Prof Yusuf was also said to have took delivery of a Prado Jeep worth N58million which was beyond his threshold of N2.5million.

But Yusuf has faulted his suspension, alleging that he was beContinued on page 14

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7 News

Restructuring: FG must stop vilifying agitators, says Atiku Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Former Vice President and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Friday declared that Nigerians have a constitutional right to peacefully agitate for restructuring of the country, with an appeal to the government to focus on identifying the reasons for the agitations.

Atiku, while noting that the country is in democracy now, pointed out that democracy and democratic freedoms allow people to express themselves freely, including questioning the political and economic structures of the country and their place in it.

The former Vice President spoke at the 3rd Policy Monitoring Dialogue Series on “National Unity, Integration and Devolution of Power/Restructuring,”

organized by the Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development at the Sheraton Hotels and Towers, Abuja.

The Turakin Adamawa, who maintained that it is important for the government to try to understand the basis for the agitations, called for a new compact rather than vilify the agitators.

He pointedly said that it was disingenuous to accuse everyone who calls for restructuring as trying to break up the county.

History, Atiku said, “tells us that that kind of cheap blackmail will not work as long as the underlying reasons for the agitations persist”.

The former Vice President insisted that it is okay to have different positions on restructuring as restructuring may mean different things to different people.

His words, “Like all

things with political and economic implications, those calling for restructuring have varying positions, which is not a bad thing.

But we won’t really find out how close our positions are to those of others until we sit down with them and start to talk and negotiate. “The biggest challenge seems to be that we seem to be allowing moderate voices on this issue to be drowned out by the reckless utterances of a few rabble rousers on all sides who may be tools in the hands of those who do not wish this country well.

“These are some of the people who arrogate to themselves the toga of spokespersons of our diverse groups.

“Restructuring will contribute to national cohesion and good governance”, he said.

He reasoned that restructuring the nation’s federal

system would contribute the following among other things: *Devolving more powers to the federating units and transferring more resources to them will help to decongest the centre and enhance greater manageability, efficiency and accountability. *There will be more clarity in the division of powers and responsibilities between the centre and the federating units, and there will be a reduction in the attention paid to the center. *Restructuring will ensure greater accountability.

People are more likely to hold their state and local governments to account once those governments are no longer able to convincingly blame the central government for their shortcomings. *Restructuring will promote healthy competition

among our federating units, which will encourage them to diversify their revenue sources. *Restructuring will ensure greater fairness and a perception of same among our constituent parts. *Beyond these, there is also another huge economic imperative for us to restructure: oil, which underlined and underwrote our excessive centralization and fragmentation into numerous unviable states, and which has been at the centre of much of our squabbles, seems to have reached its peak as source of revenues for our country.

Atiku, who said that he did not believe that any one single thing is the panacea for national cohesion and good governance in Nigeria, added, “But I have no doubt that effecting necessary changes to our existing federal structure will help to promote national

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cohesion and good governance.”

Continuing, he said, “Some have argued that what our country needs is just good governance, not restructuring. That is misleading.

“In fact, you may have good governance without necessarily having national cohesion and vice versa.

“Yes people want good governance, but often they also want to feel part of the governance process.

They like to have a sense of belonging. “They do not just want to see good governance; they also want fair and equitable governance.

And they want to be respected as bona fide members of the society. People like to see themselves represented in those doing the governing.

“Let’s not forget that some of the most efficient and effective governments in history were also exclusionary brutal dictatorships which maintained national cohesion until those regimes collapsed. “Equally important is that while restructuring our federal system would help ensure good governance, the latter does not depend on restructuring alone.

“People and communities at every level must continually demand good governance from their elected officials,” he stated.

The former Vice President noted with sadness that military rule and the civil war led to the steady erosion of our federal structure, while the increasing centralization of power and concentration of resources at the federal level, in the context of rising oil revenues and neglect of other revenue sources, weakened and relatively impoverished the states.

Heaven will not fall if your judgment is equitable, CJN tells new judges Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Chief Justice of Nigeria

(CJN), Justice Walter Onnoghen has called on Judges to be firm and un-wavered in the discharge of their duties, saying that heaven will not fall by their well founded and equitable judgments.

Onnoghen admonished Judges to be guided by the provisions of the 1999 Constitution, the laws, their conscience and oath of office and not allow personal interest to becloud their constitutional

responsibilities.

The CJN, who spoke in Abuja yesterday while administering the oath of office and allegiance on 19 newly appointed Judges of the National Industrial Court (NIC), stressed that judicial officers can checkmate impunity in the country by adhering strictly to the rule of law.

His words: “I advise judicial officers to always be guided by the Constitution, the laws and their conscience in the discharge of their duties.

“As judicial officers, if you

remain truthful to your oath of office, you will have no problem.

Just allow yourselves to be guided by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which is the supreme law, you cannot go wrong. Heavens will not fall by our judgments if we abide by the constitution and our conscience,” he said.

“We can only checkmate impunity by adhering to the rule of law,” he added.

The Acting President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo ( SAN), on Wednesday approved the appoint-

ment of 19 Judges for National Industrial Court of Nigeria.

The appointment was sequel to the recommendation of the National Judicial Council (NJC).

The new judges are Targema John Iorngee (Benue state); Namtari Mahmood Abba (Adamawa state); Nweneka Gerald Ikechi (Rivers state); Kado Sanusi (Katsina state); Adeniyi Sinmisola Oluyinka (Ogun state); Abiola Adunola Adewemimo (Osun state); Opeloye Ogunbowale A. (Lagos state); Essien Isaac Jeremiah (Akwa-Ibom state); Eliza-

beth Ama Oji (Ebonyi state and Arowosegbe Olukayode Ojo (Ondo state).

The rest are Ogbuanya Nelson S. Chukwudi (Enugu state); Bashir Zaynab Mohammed (Niger state); Galadima Ibrahim Suleiman (Nasarawa state); Bassi Paul Ahmed (Borno state); Danjidda Salisu Hamisu (Kano state); Hamman Idi Polycarp (Taraba state); Damulak Kiyersohot Dashe (Plateau state); Alkali Bashar Attahiru (Sokoto state) and Mustapha Tijjani (Jigawa state).

8 News

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 14, 2017

Woman, 42, arraigned for allegedly stabbing woman, released on N0.1m bail

R-L: Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris; DIG Investigation, Dagala Hycent and DIG Department of logistics and Supply, Diko Magari, during the opening ceremony of a training programme organised by the Nigeria Police in Collaboration with Nigeria Universities Commission on Administration of Criminal Justice in Abuja… on Thursday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Ozekhome kicks against proposed amnesty bill to looters A legal luminary, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN, has kicked against the proposed amnesty to treasury looters.

Describing the proposed bill as scandalous, retrogresive, immoral, obsene and counterproductive, Ozekhome condemned the bill in its entirety saying, it is already dead on arrival.

In a statement signed and made available to to Daily Times yesterday, Chief Ozekhome said that the proposed bill was bore out of malice, and that those canvassing for it

have corrupt tendencies.

He agreed with the provisions of section 270 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, 2015, which already allows for plea bargain, saying, “The section clearly provides that the prosecution may enter into a plea bargain with an accused person,either directly or through his representative, before the accused has entered his defence through giving of evidence in court.

“A plea bargain allows for the return of part, or the whole of loot or pro-

ceeds of crime,by an accused person,in exchange for a lesser punishment, where the prosecution’s case is weak,or where the accused has cooperated with the state and has agreed to make restitution for the victim of the crime”.

He however, stressed that a wholesome embrace and enactment of such a bill into a separate Act would amount to totally legalising and legitimizing corruption.

He said, “Such a law would send dangerous signals that corruption in-

deed pays, and that all that a corrupt public officer needs to do is to shamelessly steal the country blind and then quietly return part of the loot, whilst he and his family relax and enjoy the country’s treasury for the remaining part of their wretched and miserable lives.

Such a bill will undoubtedly ignite and encourage corruption, barefaced stealing of public funds and daring larceny of our collective national wealth and common patrimony in their naked forms.”

A 42-year-old, Rashidat Olafare, who allegedly beat and stabbed another woman during a fight, is facing trial at an Ile-Ife Magistrates’ Court in Osun.

She was, however, released on bail in the sum of N100,000 with two sureties in like sum after she pleaded not guilty.

Magistrate Olalekan Ijiyode, who gave the ruling, said the sureties must swear to an affidavit of means and also reside within the court’s jurisdiction.

One of the sureties must be a civil servant of not less than Grade Level 06, he said.

The accused, whose address was not provided, is facing a three-count charge of conspiracy, intent to commit felony and assault

occasioning harm.

The prosecutor, Sgt. Sunday Osanyintuyi, had told the court that the accused committed the offences on July 13 at Gbelenkan Street, Ile-Ife, with others still at large.

According to him, the accused assaulted a woman, Fasilat Omisore, gave her several blows and stabbed her on the left hand.

The offences contravened Sections 355, 356 and 516 of the Criminal Code, Laws of Osun, 2002.

Counsel to the accused, Mr. Adewale Adegbami, urged the court to grant her bail on liberal terms, promising she will not jump bail.

Further hearing in the case was adjourned until August 16. (NAN).

CVR: INEC displays voter register July 24-28 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would display the Voter Register for persons who registered in ongoing Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) between July 24 and July 28.

Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi, INEC’s Director of Voter Education and Publicity, stated this on Friday in Abuja in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

He said that the register would be for those who registered in the first quarter of exercise, which began in April.

Osaze-Uzzi said that the register would be displayed nationwide at the commission’s registration centres.

According to him, the display was designed to give the new registrants the opportunity to verify their biometric information as captured while registering.

“Persons who registered are advised to once again visit their registration centres and check the details of their registration,’’ he said.

INEC commended the registration on April 27 for the first quarter, to enable persons who did not register in previous exercises or have just turned 18 years to do so.

Osaze-Uzzi said that the exercise, which ran on quarterly basis, had July 31 as commencement date for second quarter. (NAN)

A’Court affirms Chibuike’s 2year jail term, forfeiture of $2.5m Andrew Orolua, Abuja The Court of Appeal Lagos Division on Friday, upheld the conviction of Mr. Ngene Linus Chibuike, to two years imprisonment and the forfeiture of his $2,506,998 to the federal government.

Justice Ibrahim N. Buba had on February 9, 2016 in a judgment convicted and sen-

tenced Mr. Chibuike to two years imprisonment and ordered the forfeiture of the undeclared sum of $2,506,998 The convict was arrested on October 8, 2015 at Murtala Muhammed International Airport during an outbound clearance for a journey to China en-route Addis Ababa, Ethiopia with an undeclared sum of $2,506,998.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), arraigned the convict, on December 22, 2015 on one count charge for “falsely declaring the sum of $11,500 instead of $2,506,998 which he had in his possession to the officers of the Nigeria Customs Service as required under the provision of Section 2(3) of the Money Laun-

dering (Prohibition) Act, 2011 (as amended by Act No.1 of 2012) and thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 2(5) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2011(as amended by Act No. 1 of 2012).”

Chibuike had pleaded not guilty to the charge and the matter went into full trial.

Justice Buba found him

guilty and sentenced him to two years imprisonment.

Not satisfied, the convict approached the court of appeal for reprieve, which was refused today.

The prosecution counsel, Ekele Iheanacho thanked the appellate court for affirming the judgment of the lower court in the interest of justice.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Politics

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We are prepared for Global competition in rice, wheat production - Gov Badaru –P10&11

9

Imperative of revisiting 2014 National Conference recommendations–P12

Supreme Court judgment: Oyo PDP FCT Minister inaugurates AMAC development appeals to warring factions to unite committee

The Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in Oyo State has appealed to all members irrespective of factional affiliation to unite and work towards the success of the party in future elections.

Mr Ismaila Asipa, the Publicity Secretary of the PDP in the state, made the appeal on Wednesday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Ibadan.

He was reacting to the Supreme Court judgment which declared Sen. Ahmed Makarfi as the authentic National

Chairman of the party.

Asipa urged all PDP members to see the judgment as a victory for all.

He said that the law had spoken and everybody was bound to obey it, adding that what mattered most was for both factions to unite for the progress of the party.

“I want to use this medium to call on all PDP members to come together and work for the party so that it will excel in future elections. “ The crisis has been put to rest, so all aggrieved members

should come back to the fold of PDP and give support to the Makarfi-led executive,’’ he said.

NAN reports that the Supreme Court in Abuja on Wednesday set aside the ruling of the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt that affirmed Sen. Ali Modu Sheriff as the party’s National Chairman.

Justice Bode Rhodes-Vivour, who read the judgment of the five-man panel, declared the Makarfi-led caretaker committee as the authentic leadership organ of the party.

S’Court Judgment: Babatope, Agbaje, Lagos PDP call for closing of ranks Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, has urged party members to close ranks and unite following the Supreme Court judgment that sacked Sen. Ali-Modu Sheriff as the party’s national chairman.

Babatope told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone in Lagos that the judgement was a victory to justice and all members of the party.

NAN reports that the leadership tussle in the party was finally resolved on Wednesday as the apex court nullified the leadership of Sheriff and ruled in favour of the Sen. Ahmed Makarfi-led National Caretaker Committee.

“Today, I am a very happy man. Today I am a proud PDP member, I am very happy at the judgment.

“I want to commend the Supreme Court for living up to the expectation as the last hope of Nigerians in this case.

“I also want to congratulate all members of the PDP for the victory on this day.

“I urge people in the Ali Modu Sheriff ’s camp to join hands with the other members so that the party would wax stronger,” Babatope said.

The PDP chieftain said he was particularly glad the dispute had been resolved at last and that the development was good for the party’s preparations for the 2019 elections.

Babatope equally expressed joy at the victory of the party in the Senatorial bye election in

AGBAJE

BABATOPE

Osun State on Saturday.

“PDP is staging a big comeback. The Osun Senatorial election is one big proof.

“We won because we deserved to win. We presented the right candidate in the person of Ademola Adeleke and also because we are still a popular party.

In its reaction, the Lagos State chapter of the PDP said the judgment was not only a victory for the party but for the stability of the polity.

“The judgment, for us goes beyond intra-party politics, but actually a successful surgery on the political stability of Nigeria which had been volatile before now,” the Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Mr Taofik Gani, said in a statement.

He said the judgment was particularly gladdening as it would now enable the party to show

that it was a viable alternative to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Gani said it was never too late for members who left the party in the trying period to return, especially those who won elections on its platform.

“We shall welcome them and forge ahead together if they are found suitable to be associated with,” he said.

Mr Jimi Agbaje, the party’s governorship candidate in Lagos State in the 2015 elections, said in his reaction that the party must remain strong and united.

“With the delivery of the Supreme Court judgment, it is now time to put our house in order.

“There is no winner, no vanquished. For the love of democracy, PDP must remain united and strong,” he said.

Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) has inaugurated a 12-ward community development committee in line with the National Policy on Community Development to help community members tackle facilities problems.

The FCT Minister, Alhaji Muhammad Bello, who was represented by Mr Justin Ishaba, inaugurated the committee on Wednesday in Abuja.

In his address, he said it was worrisome that 458 communities in the territory lack basic facilities such as water, electricity and convenience.

Bello said it was noteworthy that while AMAC was the seat of most corporate organisations in Abuja, these companies’ workers reside in overburdened communities.

He said the workers had been over-stretching the limited facilities available in the communities.

“Of the 458 communities in the FCT, how many have water, electricity, classrooms and health facilities?

“But how many of these will government do, or provide? We need to stand up and work together to develop our community.

“We can no longer wait for government to do things for us. Let us repair our roads and schools so that we all will enjoy the facilities.”

The minister however urged the management teams of companies in the FCT to support and help develop the communities by providing basic amenities to ease the people’s problems.

He commended the Chairman of AMAC, Mr Abdullahi Candido, for being the first to inaugurate the development committee.

The minister urged the Chairman to provide the materials the committee would need for development while the people provide the labour themselves.

He also advised the Chairman of the development committee to go round companies and seek support to develop the communities.

Candido, in his address earlier, said the community development committee was concerned with mobilising communities in the society to involve themselves in activi-

BELLO

ties aimed at self improvement within available resources.

He said community development was a structured intervention which gives communities greater control over conditions which affect their lives.

“The committee will help community members build confidence in themselves to tackle their problems.

“Also, members of the committee have been commissioned to go and mobilise people to be part of the development process of their environment,’’ he said.

The AMAC chairman urged the committee to be committed to the task which was more of a social service with the overall goal of self fulfillment and actualisation.

Earlier, Mrs Olayinka Adeneye, Chairman of the Community Development Committee, in her opening remark said community development was a way of strengthening civil society by prioritising their actions in the development of social, economic and environment policies.

“Good community development is action that helps people recognise and develop their ability and potential and organise them to respond to problems and the needs they share.”

She urged residents of the FCT to support the committee as its journey of touching lives and making great impact in the communities begin.

Mr Yusuf Danjuma, a member of the committee, in his response commended the chairman for taking the bold step and availing them the opportunity to serve.

“We promise to serve with honour and integrity,’’ he said.

(NAN)

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

We are prepared for Global competition in rice, wheat production - Gov Badaru There is a statistics released by the Ministry of Agriculture on the production of rice by the participating state, but with what we have seen on ground, it appears the statistics was not properly collected on Jigawa, what could be the reason?

I have gone through that statistic personally and I disagree with the figures.

What we have here in Jigawa State is far beyond what the statistics released. If they give you statistics, ask them, how many hectares do they put under cultivation in Jigawa, and what is the average yield? When you input the data you will realise it will be different from the figures provided. We try as much as possible not to over project the production because we work based on a realistic projection. This is a national issue and it has to do with the National Planning, therefore, if you give a very high figure and it turns out to be less, then it would distort the statistics. So it is better to give a very realistic figure that you know you would certainly achieve. Again, how the Ministry of Agriculture does its statistics I do not know because they have not visited us and our farmers to see what is on the ground. But luckily, you are here, you have seen things yourselves and you would be able to tell them what we are doing.

This is dry season, when the rain sets in properly, our production capacity will be more than five times what you have seen. Now, we have between 70 and 100 hectares under cultivation in the dry season, but when the raining season comes, you will see over five times what we are producing in dry season. During the raining season, we are expected to have over 400,000 hectares under cultivation, so we expect a minimum yield of five tons per hectare in the dry season while we expect four tons per hectare in the raining season, because we have no control over the rain and yield are not usually good.

We had instance where we have eight, nine and ten tons per hectare in specific fields and in most of our clusters, we get as much as 7 or 7.5 per hectare, but when you take general farmers average; those that have done good practice and those that have not done good practice, you have an average of five tons at the dry season and four at the raining season.

When we came in two years back, it was 2.5 tons average yield. But now because of the clusters, because of a lot of enlightenment and provision of fertilizer by the Federal Government at a discount rate, we are moving to about four tons per hectare. A lot of farmers are doing six, seven and eight while some are still doing 2.5 tons per hectare. But when you take the overall average, and take the numbers, you will see that 100,000 by 5 hectares would give you 500,000 tons and when you take 411 by 4, it’s about 1600 tons and if you add up it would give you about 2,100,000 tons. So that is the production capacity we expect, but if somebody ask us, we tell him we expect two million because we have to give you the correct statistics. In some states, I know they would tell you farmers are doing seven tones and they would compute the numbers by the seven tons per hectare which is the maximum yield production. When you take the general average, there are farmers that would just plant and would

Today in Jigawa, we are not looking at rice production, comparing ourselves with Kano or Kebbi, we are looking at Thailand, America, and what Chinese and Brazil are doing. Today we have rice variety from China and Brazil on trial in the state to see how we can improve our competitiveness. Today we are not looking at Nasarawa on sesame seed production; we are looking at Ethiopia and we want to compete internationally BADARU

In this era of economic diversification, Jigawa State government in collaboration with the Federal Government reiterates its preparedness for global competition in rice and wheat production. In this interview with selected agriculture correspondents in Dutse, Governor Abubakar Badaru speaks on this development and other topical issues. TOM OKPE was there for Daily Times not have money to buy fertilizer, it would just grow without yielding much, such farmers would not get more than one ton per hectare, but then the area would be marked as being cultivated. Therefore, when you are projecting, get the average accurately. We should be able to give the Federal Government accurate statistics so that the planning would be done well and there would not be shortage of rice, at the same time the price mechanism can be checked based on the production, and it has to be presented correctly.

The issue of rice smuggling is one of the biggest challenge that discourages farmers; having invested so much on rice production in Jigawa State, what do you think the Federal Government can do to address the problem?

First and foremost, the major target is for rice production to be competitive, which is what is important. If we are not competitive, no matter what mechanism we put around our borders, rice smuggling would persist. We have to produce rice competitively so that the consumers would buy the rice at cheap rate and that would discourage smuggling. Of course we know there are substandard rice being smuggled, some are expired and we also know that some of the countries

subsidised agriculture and that makes the price of rice cheap thereby attracting smugglers. I believe the states are willing and able to support the Federal Government in combating smuggling because all across the border lines we have communities and the communities would provide us with information on what is happening in the border towns and that would discourage smuggling.

Also, the issue of branding, we would try to see how best we can brand our rice adequately and there would be a market control to know the market that is not Nigerian made.

I believe we would do all within our powers to support the Federal Government to stop smuggling; at this initial stage that we are, if smuggling is allowed to continue, it would discourage our farmers, it would discourage our millers and then the whole rice revolution would be thwarted. But I believe in the next two years Nigeria would become more competitive in rice production and smuggling itself would reduce and the government would be able to control substandard rice especially those coming from the subsidised countries which is easier to control if we have some competitive elements in the production chain.

That is what we are targeting and that is what the government, state and fed-

eral are doing to see that we make rice farming competitive. The fertilizer price has already been reduced; we are working with the best companies that would produce insecticides so that it would also be controlled locally. The same thing applies to the equipment for mechanisation to see how best we can partner to produce the machines locally. If we do this, the cost of production would reduce drastically. We are introducing solar irrigation water pump system that would be used to pump water in dry season; this would reduce the cost of buying fuel and would in turn reduce the cost of production.

In most states like Jigawa where we have the cluster approach, we support the farmers with inputs and we buy in bulk. We do all these things to systematically reduce the cost of production and encourage more farmers’ participation so that they would spend less and still produce more. I have just told you that we have moved from producing 2.5 tons per hectare to an average of 5 tons per hectare with some clusters doing 9 tons per hectare. I believe the world average is about 7.5 tons and in the next two years we would be able to reach that average.

We know some rice farmers in China and Brazil are doing about 12 tons per hectare, that is the competition and we would certainly get there as we continue to support our farmers. Having improved production we would be able to produce competitively having an average of 8-9 tons per hectare, we could then beat our chest and say yes we would be able to compete with whoever is producing rice in the world. If we are able to achieve this, then the cost of rice would go down, the farmers would make more money and then we would be able to be competitive and the whole business would be favorable.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

What about Wheat production, what is the capacity of the state?

In wheat production we are currently doing 40,000 hectares with an average of 2.5 tons per hectare that gives about 100,000 tons in the last season. But now we are working on different varieties to boost the yield and increase production.

What we are doing as government is to provide modalities to reduce the cost of inputs for farmers. In the Ringim area, the wheat production is very high, but in some areas like Dutse, the production is poor. However, there were issues also with the quality of seeds last year and this affected most states that are producing wheat. We are working very hard to ensure that the problem is solved by providing the farmers with improved seed variety. This will be better and the production would be higher. But approximately we produced between 80,000 to 100,000 tons of wheat this year.

‘We are prepared for Global competition in rice, wheat production’ day, but up till now I have not seen any report of army worms. We don’t farm much maize in Jigawa State because it is not our line, but we are well prepared to tackle any sort of pest. Again, the 574 youths we trained on pest control are working, I am sure the moment they see any symptom they would raise the alarm because they would have to provide service to the farmers and make money from it.

What we do in case of any emergency, for instance, last year when we had flood in so many areas, we took the farmers and trained them on some residual crops; after the flood we supported them with cowpea seed and they planted immediately and made good harvest from it and made good money. Also, last year, around Taura, there was an issue of infestation in sesame seed, and we did the same intervention by supporting them with other crops after harvest, which they planted immediately and that helped the farmers to reduce the lost.

Is there any collaboration with offtakers to encourage the farmers?

Certainly we do have off-takers; the flour mill of Nigerian and the association of flour mill of Nigeria are the off takers, they are in Jigawa already and they have bought off a reasonable tonnage of wheat this year.

What about the price, does the state government agree with the off takers on a fixed price?

Definitely, we agree on a price with the off-takers. We agreed at N18, 000 per bag, but it is also very difficult for us to reach an acceptable agreement at the negotiating table because the price of the seed last year was N32, 000 per bag. Now the farmers had to sell at N18, 000 whereas they bought the seed at a very exorbitant price therefore they see the difference as being too much. When they started harvesting the price was at N25, 000 then it fell to N15, 000 and we have to intervene to fix it between N18, 000 and N19, 000.

How much did you say the state government invested in rice and wheat production within the two years of your administration?

What we do is to give loans to farmers or the cluster approach that we do. Approximately we have invested N3 billion in this program so far; but there is also the Anchor Borrower that is ongoing which is also about N500 million. Jigawa State government has invested over N2.5 billion in this agricultural program. But if you look at the whole value chain including support to empower women in agriculture, support to empower youth with agro processing and agro mechanical implements for the whole value chain, we spent close to N5 billion in the total package for agriculture.

The good news is that we are recovering and investing back most of it. For the rice, initially they used what was called logistical but now we have bought motorised harvesters and distribute to the farmers to use as empowerment tool and this has added as service provider for the farmers. There are two things done here, it has reduced the cost of production, it is faster and empowers the youths. We also brought in threshers because they were using drums but now we have supplied the youths with threshers. This has also created job and reduced the cost of processing for the farmers. Initially if you have to spend N10,000, but now you probably do the same job with N500 and you can do the same job faster and cheaper.

We also introduced pest control and we trained youths on how to control pest. We trained two persons per every political ward and we also plan to train another set of two persons per political ward on

11 Politics

BADARU

I have just told you that we have moved from producing 2.5 tons per hectare to an average of 5 tons per hectare with some clusters doing 9 tons per hectare.

I believe the world average is about 7.5 tons and in the next two years we would be able to reach that average.

We know some rice farmers in China and Brazil are doing about 12 tons per hectare, that is the competition and we would certainly get there as we continue to support our farmers. crop protection so that when there is any pest infestation, the farmer would notify them and they would serve as service providers to the farmers by spraying the farm and providing any technical support for the farmers.

We also have state government trained extension workers, one per ward and around 250 of them are moving per cluster zone to check what is happening in the farm. All the people we have trained, we provided with the needed tools and support to carry out their work effec-

tively. We also provided small scale rice processing mill to the women group so that add as service providers to the farmers. The farmers don’t have to sell their paddy and buy the rice that they would eat, now they can mill their paddy rice and eat. We also trained youths on paddy dealing; they buy paddy from the farmers from all nooks and crannies and act as suppliers to rice mills. That also creates jobs and helps the farmer to sell their produce without difficulty.

We are also working with the rice millers to train youths to buy for instance, 50 bags from the millers at company price and sell it at a retail price in the value chain development. We succeeded in helping the farmers to reduce cost of production and engaged the youths to provide support services to the farmers.

In addition, we have also trained some mechanics on the repair of tractors, harvesters and threshers. We gave them wielding tools and motorcycles and other tools to enable them move around to provide service to the farm clusters.

This gesture has helped the farmers and makes the work very attractive for both women and youths, and has created many jobs.

The Federal Government said army worm has infested some farms across the country and it will cost about N2.5 billion to address the problem. What are you doing to see that Jigawa State is not affected by this infestation?

What we did is that, when we heard the report that there was army worm in Kenya destroying maize farms, we raised the alarm. Jigawa State was among the first states that wrote the Federal Government calling their attention to the impending infestation. So we have been watching out in our state already, we have stocked agro chemicals to curtail the army worm infestation any time any

With what we have seen on ground, we commend your good leadership.

How did you come about this inspiration?

Jigawa State government is not unaware of the global trade and economic challenges confronting many countries.

The development in technology today is affecting global oil price; from 2013 to 2014, there was a little glut of about two million barrel per day and that created and generated the crash in oil prices from over $100 per barrel to $27 per barrel and we know very well the possibility of oil price returning to $100 per barrel is near zero. Solar technology is gradually taking over the functions of oil; solar batteries, solar cars, solar machines and renewable energy are also taking its place in the technology world and these are becoming cheaper. The electric cars have more luxury, faster and they drive longer and they are charged only once per day. Recently, it was announced that the electric cars have taken over the American market and are sold much more than the conventional cars. So with all these innovation in the world, Jigawa State is positioning to move in line with the trend. With these developments, we now know that the future of oil is over, therefore, we have to create a sustainable economic future for the state and indeed for the country.

In doing that we have to look at the things we have competitive advantage and that is agriculture. We have vast arable land and water body, we have to find out how we can create agriculture value chain to boost the local economy and also broaden the tax base of the state. So that is what drives us to agriculture and to do it successfully we have to do it very competitively. Today in Jigawa, we are not looking at rice production, comparing ourselves with Kano or Kebbi, we are looking at Thailand, America, and what Chinese and Brazil are doing. Today we have rice variety from China and Brazil on trial in the state to see how we can improve our competitiveness.

Today we are not looking at Nasarawa on sesame seed production; we are looking at Ethiopia and we want to compete internationally and globally. That is our focus on agriculture revolution in Jigawa State.

12Politics Chijioke Okoronkwo The Senate recently asked the Acting President Yemi Osibanjo to transmit the 2014 National Constitutional Conference Report to it as a bill for consideration.

The request was preceded by a motion sponsored by Sen. Ahmed Lawan (APC-Yobe) entitled: “The need for National Unity and Peaceful Co-existence in Nigeria,’’ cosponsored by 106 other senators.

Lawan’s motion had four prayers, but there was an additional prayer

by Sen. Mao Ohuabunwa (PDPAbia North), that the Federal Government should be urged to urgently forward the report to the National Assembly for deliberation.

The 2014 National Constitutional Conference headed by Justice Idris Kutigi recommended inter alia, the creation of 18 new states; three per geo-political zone.

The recommended states are Apa, Edu, Kainji, Katagum, Savannah, Amana, Gurara, Ghari, Etiti, Aba, Adada, Njaba-Anim, Anioma, Orashi, Ogoja, Ijebu and New Oyo. Aside the 18 proposed states, the conference recommended one new state for the South East to make the zone have equal number of states with the other zones except the North West which has seven states with a note that states willing to merge can do so on condition.

It recommended further that the sharing of the funds to the Federation Account among the three tiers of government should be Federal Government; 42.5 per cent, state governments; 35 per cent and local governments; 22.5 per cent.

On forms of government, it recommended Modified Presidential System; a home-made model of government that effectively combines the presidential and parliamentary systems of government.

It also suggested a bi-cameral legislature, in which all elected members of the legislative arms of all the tiers of government should serve on part-time basis, among other recommendations.

Ohuabunwa’s motion was seconded by Sen. Adeola Solomon Olamilekan (APC, Lagos West) and was unanimously adopted by the senators.

In agreement with the motion, Sen. Adamu Aliero (APC- Kebbi Central) said that there was need to deliberate on the report and implement the necessary recommendations.

Although some perceptive Nigerians are of the view that the conference report should be looked into for political development, others believe that revisiting it is uncalled for.

For instance, the Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) at the wake of a meeting of the Elders’ Council expressed its support to the Senate in that regard.

The President-General of the council, Dr. Kunle Olajide said “the

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15. 2017

Imperative of revisiting 2014 National Conference recommendations

PRESIDENT BUHARI

YCE commends the Senate for its resolution.

“We urge the executive to forward the report of the 2014 National Conference to the National Assembly as an executive bill.

“The YCE urges all Nigerians to support the initiative of the National Assembly in its decision to work on the report.

“The YCE also commends the efforts of the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in holding consultation with the leaders and elders of the six zones of the country. We assure him of our support,’’ he said in a communiqué.

Sharing similar sentiments, a rights group, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights said urgent implementation of the report was cardinal to addressing the socio-economic and political problems confronting the nation.

SARAKI

The chairman of the group, Mr Emeka Anosike decried the delay in implementing the conference report, saying that the group was in support of the current call by groups and notable Nigerians to implement it.

According to him, the current call and agitation by Nigerians from all works of life and ethnic backgrounds for the implementation of the report showed that the people are united on the call.

He said the document provided answers and solutions to the problems affecting the country since independence.

“We as a rights group have been privileged to peruse critically through the document; I want to say without any equivocation that the report is a masterpiece and has provided answers and solutions to our problems as a country and as a

people.

“We believe in the continued existence of Nigeria as one indivisible entity and we are also opposed to any violent disintegration hence the need to implement the report of the conference which undoubtedly has clearly provided the basis for this unity.

“What we are saying is that the implementation of the report is very strategic in addressing the rising ethnic agitations, separatist calls, clamour for resource control and power sharing, among others.

“The Federal Government should begin the process of making this document to become part of our law by presenting it before the National Assembly as an executive bill so that legislative action can commence on it,’’ Anosike said.

In the same vein, former Minister of Information, Jerry Gana recently

called on the Federal Government to implement the recommendations of the conference.

“In 2014, we gathered a very huge conference and over 600 recommendations were generated by consensus. Even if it is just 10 per cent of that was implemented, we are going somewhere.

“It is important that the Federal Government takes a look at the major recommendations of that conference with a view to examining them and implementing those that will help us to move forward,’’ he said.

Irrespective of this, the Arewa Liberation Movement says the implementation of the conference recommendations may not bring any benefits after all.

The group said in a statement issued by its National President Usman Usaman and its National Secretary Kabir Alfa that the outcome of the conference was drafted to favour a particular interest.

“Our members are of the opinion that the last national conference was convened in the interest of a few rather than all.

“We therefore recommend a more sincere and all inclusive national conference,’’ the group said in the statement.

The statement, nonetheless, restated that it neither supported nor encouraged violence for the attainment of whatever political goals or aspirations desired by any group of people.

By and large, observers note that if the purpose of revisiting the conference recommendation is for the unity and development of the country which will as well douse tension in the polity, so be it. (NAN)

KOWA urges Obaseki to be magnanimous in victory KOWA, a political party, has urged Gov. Godwin Obaseki of Edo State to be magnanimous in his political victory by working with all stakeholders, irrespective of political affiliations.

Mr Thompson Osadolor, KOWA’s candidate in the 2016 Edo Governorship election, gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Benin on Tuesday.

Osadolor, who was reacting to Obaseki’s victory at the Supreme Court, described the victory as a call to unite all stakeholders for the purpose of moving the state forward.

He said just like his previous victory at the Tribunal and Appeal Court, the Supreme Court victory had again reaffirmed that the people truly voted for Obaseki to be the governor.

Osadolor said, “Now that the legal battle of the governorship

election has been put to rest, it is time for all, irrespective of political affiliations, to put the state at work.

“We must all now come together to work for the common good of the people and the state.

We must now put our individual interest or ambition on hold for the common good of all.

“As for the governor, I urge him to see his victory as a call to unite all, whether they worked for him or not.

“He should be magnanimous and humble enough to tap knowledge from his political opponents. What matters most is the overall development of the state,’’ he said.

Osadolor said many candidates that contested the election with Obaseki did so with the desire to uplift the standard of living of the people and for the overall growth of the state.

“In going into the contest

however, we were also conscious of the fact that only one will emerge as governor at the end of the day.

“My point here is that since Obaseki defeated us to the seat, he needs our support; let us avail ourselves to assist him when he request for it.

“Obaseki is the governor today; his time has come and it will definitely end one day for another person to take the baton of leadership, but the state remains while leaders come and go.”

Obaseki, who contested the election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), September 2016, defeated his closest rival and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Mr Osagie Ize-Iyamu.

Ize-Iyamu, who was not satisfied with the results of the poll, challenged the victory of Obaseki at the Election Peti-

OBASEKI

tions Tribunal alleging irregularity.

However, the Three-Member Edo Election Petition Tribunal in April dismissed the petition filed by the PDP and its candidate, for lack of merit.

Page Thirteen

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

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Editorial

13

PHOTO TIMES

Alarming incidence of building collapse

T

he rate at which buildings under construction collapse in Nigeria is giving room for concern. No day passes without Nigerians getting to hear of collapsed buildings in one part of the country or other.

Incidentally, most of the collapsed structures are those under construction or even completed with occupants. Much as Nigerians lament the frequency of these tragedies, the authorities seem to be powerless in tackling the frequency of building collapse. Much as these incidences are not spontaneous, the attitude of those responsible for checking their occurrence has become very predictable. That is why contractors, surveyors and town planning authorities involved at one stage or the other in building construction are never contrite whenever such tragedies occur. Rather, they carry on as if those incidents are meant to happen anyway.

Building experts have adduced many reasons for the frequency of building collapse in the country.

Prominent among them are the use of low quality building materials coupled with employment of incompetent artisans and weak supervision of workmen on site. Also, they posit that such tragedies were due to non-compliance with specifications/standards, use of substandard building materials and equipment and the employment of incompetent contractors. Moreover, they point out the non-enforcement of existing laws and endemic poor work ethics of Nigerians at large.

Others are faulty construction methodology, improper design, poor town planning approval/development process and economic pressure.

Some other remote factors include

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absence of soil test report, inability to carry out proper land survey, failure by foremen to understand and interpret building codes and lack of coordination between professional bodies in the industry.

We believe it is time the authorities take adequate and concrete steps to stem these incidence in the interests of the country’s reputation, including those unfortunate to find themselves at such spots when tragedies occur. But how serious government at all levels and their agencies take the enforcement of standards, supervision and regulation of building construction nationwide holds the key to stemming the malaise. For example, in 2014, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), in response to incessant cases of building-collapse in the country, gave October 1, 2014 as deadline for sand, concrete and allied products manufacturers to comply with new cement and block codes, among others. It is debatable how far the SON has gone in enforcing compliance till today. We therefore call on the authorities to enact a National Building Code and put in place a Construction Industry Commission (CIC), training and retraining of building practitioners and strict adherence to quality building materials according to specifications. Moreover, time has come when we desist from always passing the buck or putting the blame squarely on poor quality cement, fake iron rods, greed of foremen and utter disregard for building and construction laws with intentional neglect for the safety of the occupants to putting in place punitive measures to ensure engineers or architects who supervise the erection of such substandard buildings are made to face the full wrath of the law.

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Former Vice President/Chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar and Chairman of the occasion/former Secretary General of Commonwealth, Chief Emeka Anyaoku, at the 3rd edition of the Policy Monitoring Dialogue Series on National Unity, Integration, and Devolution of Power/Restructuring in Abuja… on Friday.

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One out of the 10 Super Mushshak aircraft from Pakistan, displayed by the Nigerian Air Force at 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna State… on Friday. Photo credit: Nigerian Air Force HQ.

Words On Marble :

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R-L: Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Speaker, Ogun State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Adekunbi Suraju; Minister for Industry, Trade and Investment, Mrs. Aisha Abubakar and Ogun State Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga, during the 7th edition of the Nationwide Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise Clinics (MSME Clinics) in Abeokuta, Ogun State... on Thursday.

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Goodluck Jonathan

Matthew Ashimolowo

Julius Nyerere

“Nobody’s political ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian”.

“If you must make a difference in life, then change your mind set”.

“Independence cannot be real if a nation depends upon gifts.”

News 14

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Why NHIS boss was suspended Continued from page 6 ing suspended because he refused to grant the financial requests from the Ministry of Health.

Yusuf also claimed that the minister had on 23rd March, 2017 wrote to him, requesting the NHIS to release N197.972million to the ministry from intervention funds to enable the ministry pay the contract awarded for the rehabilitation and equipping of Federal Medical Centres.

But six days after his suspension, Yusuf had in a letter dated 12th July, 2017 addressed to the Minister of Health titled; “Re:Suspension From Office,” acknowledged the receipt of the minster’s letter directing him to proceed on three months suspension with immediate effect to pave way for uninterrupted investigation of petitions against him.

Yusuf ,however, told the minister that he was unable to comply with his directive for certain reasons, saying that the minister lacked the power to suspend.

He said, “By virtue of the NHIS Act particularly section 4 and 8 therefore, my appointment and removal from office whether by way of suspension or otherwise is at the instance of the President.

“Except removed from office by the President under the circumstances specified in the NHIS Act, my appointment is for a period of five years subject to a further term of the same period at the discretion of the President.

But Yusuf further gave a contradictory response when he cited section 47 of the NHIS Act, saying that, “ Although you are empowered to give directives of a general nature to the governing council of the Scheme and in the absence of the council, you have

Presidential mandate to exercise the powers and functions of the council, but since the powers and functions of the council do not include discipline, suspension from office, the directive in your letter under reference cannot find comfort under the said section or Presidential mandate.”

He added that the minister that the petitions he (the minister) made reference to are currently being investigated by the ICPC. But the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo in a letter addressed to the Minister of Health, signed by his Deputy Chief of Staff, Ade Ipaye with reference number: SH/ OVP/DCOS/LGR&C/FMOH/133, Osinbajo directed Adewole to take necessary action.

The letter titled, “Re: Petitions

Against the Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Prof Usman Yusuf;” referred the two petitions in which allegations of fraud and abuse of office were levied against Yusuf.

A reliable source disclosed to the Daily Times that the probe has begun and Yusuf is expected to subject himself to probe on the grounds that he is a civil servant.

I’m being punished for refusing to grant monetary request - Yusuf But Yusuf claimed that the minister is out to punish him because of his refusal to accede to various financial demands from the ministry.

He also alleged that from September 2015 to November 2016, the NHIS former acting Executive

Service, Mr. Sunday Owoeye, on Friday confirmed the abduction and killing of the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of General Services, Office of the Governor, Mrs. Olufunke Oluwakemi Kolawole.

Owoeye, who confirmed the incident in a statement in Osogbo, said the killing of the permanent was a rude shock to the state government.

It was gathered that the kidnap victim was traveling to Abuja from Osogbo on an official assignment when hoodlums kidnapped her and took her to an unknown destination.

The deceased was said to be

when the minister requested for N197 million from the scheme “intervention fund” to execute some projects located across seven Federal Medical Centres.

The letter with reference number DFA/CORR/001 was signed by the ministry’s permanent secretary Mrs Binta Adamu Bello.

He also alleged that the ministry, again requested for $37,838 from NHIS through a letter dated May 12, 2017 with reference number C.2483/11, to enable six members staff of the ministry to attend the 70th session of the WHO, scheduled to hold in Geneva, Switzerland between May 16 to 31, 2017.

According to Yusuf, he refused to grant the minister’s request, citing the 2008 federal government circular.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwumi Ambode (r), with the Country Director, World Bank, Mr. Rachid Benmessaoud, during a courtesy visit to Governor at the Lagos House in Ikeja… on Thursday.

Horror as kidnappers kill Osun Permsec ÏÏÏ The Osun Head of

Secretary (Yusuf ’s predecessor) had severally approved between N3 million to N15million for the ministry, far above his approval limit of N2.5million.

He claimed that the minister was one of the beneficiaries of these illegal payments. For instance, he claimed that on November 19, 2015, the ministry via a letter with Ref.No.MH.8500/TI, requested N5million from NHIS as support to attend WHO meeting in Chad.

He alleged that the NHIS approved N5.1million on November 23, 2015 for the ministry, out of which N2million was paid directly to the personal account of the minister.

Yusuf further claimed that trouble started in March 18, 2017,

driven in her official car and was going to attend the inauguration of the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Mrs. Abiola Adewemimo, as one of the judges of Industrial Court when the hoodlums struck.

“On behalf of the Forum of Head of Service and Permanent Secretaries, Tutors-General, Accountants-General, AuditorsGeneral and Surveyors-General, and with rude shock and a deep sense of loss, I hereby painfully announce the untimely death of Mrs. Olufunke Oluwakemi Kolawole, who was brutally attacked by kidnappers while traveling along Okene – Abuja highway

on her way to Abuja on Thursday, July 12, 2017 for an official assignment.

“Until her death, Mrs. Kolawole was the Permanent Secretary, Bureau of General Services, Office of the Governor of Osun state.

“The Forum commiserates with the families of the deceased, the entire public service and the State Government of Osun on this irreparable loss,” Owoeye said.

Details of the burial programme shall be released as soon as they are announced by her family,” the head of service said.

Shortage of academic staff hampers accreditation of courses in Kogi state varsity Idris Ahmed, Lokoja

ÏÏÏ Acute shortage of academic staff at the Kogi State University, Ayingba, has been one of the major obstacles for accreditation of some courses.

The vice chancellor of the institution, Professor Mohammed Sani Abdukadir disclosed this yesterday when the Governor Alhaji Yahaya Bello visited in continuation of his tour of tertiary institutions in the state.

“As at today, this institution has a deficit of 361 staff out of the 780 needed for full accreditation by the National Universities Commission,” the vice chancellor said.

Also speaking at the occasion, the chairman Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUUKSU), Dr. Daniel Aina reeled out catalogue of problems facing the 17 years old institution.

According to him, the university has been hit by mass exodus of teaching staff including 40 professors in the last one year due to irregular and delayed salary payments.

According to Dr. Aina the irregular salary payment was capable of exposing morally weak ones to corrupt tendencies.

He also complained to the governor the inadequate security in the university community which he said has exposed staff and students to danger.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

News 15

Nigerian Navy foils attempted hijack of merchant ship Andrew Orolua, Abuja

Director, Domestic Violence Unit, Lagos State Ministry of Women Affairs, Dr. Toyin Jaiyeola (2nd l); Founder/President, Gods Wives International, (GWI), Olori Ayo-Yemisi Jaiyeola (3rd l); Members, GWI, Bolanle Ogunlusi(4th l); Patricia Kadiri (5th l) and others, during the GWI awareness for Widows to Mark the World International Widows Day in Lagos… recently.

I poured acid on my victim in dream, not in real life, suspect tells Delta police Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏ

A middle aged woman, (name withheld) who recently was arrested for allegedly bathing a 20-year old girl over relationship with the husband in Okpanam Community, Delta State, yesterday confessed to journalists at the Police Headquarters, Asaba that she poured the acid on her victim in her dream.

Upon the arrest of the suspect, the police, after investigation, paraded her along with other criminal suspects nabbed across the state.

But as police officers were bringing her with other suspects to the parade ground, the suspect surprised everybody as she started crying, saying “I am not the one who poured the victim, Miss Judith John-Paul the raw acid that sent her to hospital battling for life”.

According to her, “people are saying that I am the one who poured the victim the raw acid but I am not the one who did it; what happened

was that I poured the victim the acid in my dream but not while awake as people are claiming”.

She added, “As I said before, every day, I dreamt of the victim snatching my husband from me and in most cases, I saw her and other members of her family eating my unborn children in the dream”.

The suspect said that she used to quarrel with the victim and her family members every day because of the dream she was always dreaming about them.

She said that on the fateful day, the suspect again came in her dream trying to bathe her with acid and in the course of defending herself, the raw acid poured on her, but was able to throw the container with the acid away, though unfortunately, the acid poured on the victim.

According to her, “I was surprised when policemen came to my house to arrest me for what happened in my dream, saying that I bathed the victim with acid on her way to the church”.

At a point, journalists be-

gan to ask questions about the health condition of the suspect, whether she is insane or not.

But a closer look at the suspect who also had some little acid burn on her hands and other parts of her body clearly showed that she was putting up or acting so that policemen investigating the matter will conclude that she was insane.

Meanwhile, the victim is still at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, battling for life with high degree of burns that affected her eye, face and other parts of her body.

In another development, following the continued alleged extortion of commercial vehicle drivers by some policemen on the Asaba/ Kwale road, the IGP Monitoring team sent to the state has been called upon to monitor the activities of police officers on the road and sanction anyone caught in the act.

Some commercial bus drivers who spoke to our reporter said that though the presence of policemen in

checkpoints on that road is a welcome development, the extortion, particularly on commercial vehicle operators is alarming.

According to one of them, “we are happy with the visibility of policemen on the road, but the corruption going on is unbecoming and unacceptable”.

We are calling on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim to arrest the officers in another state who collected N50, 000 bribe from an innocent Nigerian.

They commended the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Zanna Ibrahim for reducing crime in the state; particularly the issue of herdsmen menaces, kidnapping, armed robbery, cultism and community clashes among others.

The drivers alleged that every trip they made, the officers allegedly forced them to part with between N100 and N200 per nipping point, which is too much for them, adding that at the end of every trip, each driver spent up to N1000.

FG matriculates 70 leather incubates, commissions infrastructure Ben Nwachukwu, Abuja The federal government has matriculated 70 trainees at the North Central Geo- political zone Regional Leather Centre, Utako District, Abuja in steps that will promote Leather Technology in the country and quicken industrialisation process.

Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, while commissioning the Leather training infrastructure said it will help to build the needed indigenous capacity that will enable the

nation domesticate this vital technology.

According to him, “this will also strengthen our capacity to convert our rich agricultural products into viable economic goods and services that we need for both domestic consumption as well as to strengthen export earnings.”

Onu added that the infrastructure will help in job and wealth creation, also help to restore national selfreliance and self-confidence and enhance prosperity and boost our economy.

Dr. Onu disclosed that the process of creating additional Leather Research and Development Center in other geopolitical zones of the country where none currently exits has reached advanced stage adding that it is expected that this would help strengthen greater grassroots participation in leather technology, thereby helping to stimulate more indigenous capacity for the ultimate benefits of our people.

Earlier, the DirectorGeneral of the Nigerian In-

stitute of Leather Technology (NILEST), Dr. Eucharia Oparah said the training is intended to address the shortcomings that are always encountered in the production process and hoped that the experience garnered at the training would be sustained.

“In a recessed economy such as the country is facing, there is no doubt that the involvement of organized scientific and technological approaches would provide the much-needed palliatives”, she added.

ÏÏÏThe Nigerian Navy has foiled an attempted hijack of a Merchant Vessel, MV UAL HOUSTON around Bonny fairway Buoy in Rivers State.

A statement by Navy Captain Suleman Dahun the acting director of information said the incident occurred on Thursday at about 7.45am when six suspected sea robbers boarded the vessel but were unable to access the ship’ s living quarters, bridge or machinery room as the ship was on lockdown by the crew.

Subsequently, on receipt of the ship’s distress call, the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny dispatched a boat to rescue the vessel. On sighting the naval patrol boat, the robbers abandoned their hijack plot and fled, the statement added.

Preliminary investigation revealed that no crew member was abducted or any item stolen during the attack.

In a related development, the Nigerian Navy has continued to record successes in its operations against crude oil theft, illegal bunkering and other illegal activities in the Niger Delta.

To this end, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) PATHFINDER has discovered and destroyed 7 illegal refineries around Bolo Creek and Isaka axis in Rivers State. The illegal refineries destroyed at Bolo Creek had several storage tanks and 2 wooden boats laden with about 80,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 65,000 litres of illegally refined Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

Furthermore, the illegal refineries destroyed in Isaka axis had storage pits laden with 45,000 litres of suspected stolen crude oil and 5,000 litres of illegally refined AGO. Similarly, a patrol team deployed by the Forward Operating Base (FOB) Bonny arrested a vessel, MT LEADERSHIP around Onne axis for conducting illegal bunkering operations.

The vessel was arrested receiving unspecified amount of petroleum products suspected to be illegally refined AGO from a barge without valid naval approval. The vessel had 12 crewmen while 16 men were on the barge. The vessel and the barge are currently under the custody of the Base while investigation is ongoing.

FG Committed to Stable Power Supply –Asuqwo Yakubu Salisu, Kano

ÏÏÏ

The Chairman House of Representatives committee on Power, Hon Dan Asuqwo has stated that the Federal Government is committed to providing stable Power supply in the country.

Asuqwo made this known in Kano on Friday while briefing news men during a Public forum organised by the Kano Electricity Distribution Company (KEDCO).

According to him, the committee were in Kano to restore confidence, and harmonious relationships between the power consumers and the electricity distribution company.

“Power is not cheap, consumers are expected to pay but the federal government will not allow consumers to be over charged or exploited.

Government is doing everything necessary to provide stable Power supply to Nigerians” During the forum, representatives from various areas of Kano tabled series of compliments such as over tariff, poor ser-

vices resulting from inadequate staffs, inadequate power supply, total black out in some areas of the state as well as discrepancies between Kano and Lagos in terms of electricity bills.

Responding to the series of complaints, Kedco stated that must often; consumers fail to lodge in their complaints through appropriate channels thus making it difficult for the company to resolve their various problems on time.

That issues regarding to collapse of poles and transformers are usually addressed within two weeks of former complaints.

Mr. Asuqwo finally stated that the management of the company took them round some of their facilities within the state for assessment and that the committee is impressed with new facilities provided by the company and urge them to do more by replacing dilapidated facilities and resolve issues concerning estimated bills immediately.

As the committee will not hesitate to sanction them should they be found wanting on same matters after the forum.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

17

Features 18

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

OGBEH’S YAM EXPORT: Govt is exporting our stomachs for dollars; don’t kill us with hunger, Nigerians tell FG It was a project conceived in desperation… and birthed in trouble. Stakeholders were not silent in sounding their warnings. Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Chief Audu Ogbeh himself did not feign ignorance either. He had, in the beginning, expressed fear of the export dream putting everybody in trouble ! Hear him: “I want this committee to begin to engage team of engineers anywhere in the world.

Can we design a plough that can make the yam heap? We have to mechanise heap making, otherwise, in the next five years, because of our aging farmers, you will find out that we do not have yams again - and we will get into fresh troubles!’’.

He was that apprehensive, but a calculated $8 billion dollars earning per annum, appeared too good to drop.

TAKE ONE: THE WARNINGS IITA: A stakeholder attached to the International Institute for Tropical Agriculture Ibadan, advised FG to develop improved strains through research and acquire the technologies to enable mechanised farming of the crop.

REASON “Until FG embarks on massive production of international-quality yams to compete favourably with other producers, we cannot talk about exporting yams.

Already, the cost of this national staple is still astronomical because our farming, preservation and transportation methods are outdated.

“Secondly, FG must not place too much emphasis on the exportation of yams - until we have produced enough for it to be easily available and affordable to ordinary Nigerians all year round.” He spoke in confidence because his advice to Ogbeh’s export committee went unheeded.

NACCIMA: The National Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Manufacturing and Agriculture said incentives were needed to produce enough yams for local and overseas consumption before we embark on export.

NLC: Denja Yaqub, of Nigeria Labour Congress: “The initiative could encourage farmers to increase output, earning foreign exchange for the cash-strapped economy, but government needs to reduce fuel costs for farmers, upgrade roads and improve storage facilities to cut waste in the supply chain - and ultimately lower prices of yam for our local consumers.”

Exporters: Mrs. Elizabeth Nwankwo, a yam exporter, representing Oklan Best Limited, listed some challenges experienced by

Disquiet, anger and fury across the land have greeted Federal Government’s Yam Exportation Programme which took off on June 29, 2017 in Lagos. Our features editor, GBUBEMI GOD’S COVENANT SNR, in a nationwide survey with states correspondents, presents the peoples’ reaction to Audu Ogbeh’s brainwave of earning foreign exchange from yam exportation to substitute failed oil, gas and other sectors. His report:

Yam and fruit market

exporters to include inadequate transportation and lack of quality seedlings. “Inadequate storage facilities also contributed to the rejection of the country’s agricultural produce at the international markets but I believe there could be zero rejection of the country’s agricultural produce, if these challenges are tackled.”

OGBEH’S OPTIMISM “Oil and gas cannot employ millions of people like agriculture would, so we must work hard to move from oil to earning foreign exchange from agriculture.

“Therefore, this programme has to succeed; we must sell whatever we produce to the world because we are buying too much.

We allowed ourselves to be deceived.

“I saw the figures of Ghana are earning from yam export and their targets for the future and it was quite impressive. If Ghana can aim at a few billion dollars a year from yams, there is no reason why Nigeria cannot quadruple that.”

Take three: Nigerians react

Ogbe

ENUGU STATE From 9 o’clock market (Afia Nine), a major produce depot at New Layout, Enugu, Chinenye Jessica Edeh reports for The Daily Times.

One of the biggest yam sellers here is Mrs. Justina Onyekperem; she tells FG what yam export is doing to their people: “What I should let the federal government know about this yam export business is that they are killing the poor families of the land.

If they did their research well, they would have known that farmers now are not many and the remaining are few. We have lands in Enugu enough for farming, but the same federal government has acquired the land here and there so planting crops we will eat alone, not to talk of selling them for cash, has become a problem here. Now they are exporting the little we have for dollars. Let me tell them the implication of the yam export: “Yam is not like gari, palm oil or beans they can preserve for a reasonable period; yam is fresh and it rots easily. If you store yam in a container, in a matter of one week or less, the yams will rot away, then you won’t get hour dollars, and our people will go hungry.

“Now, the price of yam here is frightening: before news of the export came, tuber

we used to buy at a manageable price of N120 or N150 had risen to N500 or more and this was very hard for poor families to buy, and I can tell you that is even more difficult for us sellers to sell.

“We go far to Abakiliki and Benue villages to buy yams we sell; if you don’t go on time, in just about four to eight weeks the yam tubers are all finished.

“An Abakiliki, we buy one heap of 100 tubers for N100,000, making each tuber N1,000 wholesale price.

“At Benue, the heap we used to buy for N30,000 is now sold for N70,000. The breakdown of that means that the tuber we buy at only N300 before export is now sold to us for N1,000 so, how much do you think we should sell to ordinary poor people? And this makes the sales slow and difficult.

“So help us ask that minister (Ogbeh), how can he be exporting yam that we are not having enough to other countries? They should lift this burden from us the sellers and the poor buyers because we are finding it very difficult to feed our families.”

PORT HARCOURT At the Choba (Zoba) main market, mother of three, Mrs. Rosaline Bob-Manuel said she had to chose between one tuber of yam for N1,250 and one derica of rice, “And I opted for rice because I could make rice-concoction even with vegetable and we can eat it twice.”

Her message: “Help us tell Federal Government that it is not yam they are exporting o: it is our stomachs they are using to earn foreign exchange to substitute the oil and gas sector. Ask them what they did with gas that has been flaring here since I was born.

“What about coal in the East or cocoa in the West? Or the one they call solid minerals in the North and even groundnut pyramids which I can still remember? If they could not manage all that successfully, is it yam that sustains poor families that will give them enough dollars to come out of recession?”

YOLA, ADAMAWA STATE CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Alh Manu at Yam market

19

Features

Yam rig

‘Govt is exporting our stomachs for dollars; don’t kill us with hunger, Nigerians tell FG’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Alhaji Danjuma Manu is both farmer and seller of yam. He spoke in Hausa to our state correspondent, Tom Garba at the Jimeta yam market, Jimeta, Yola North of Adamawa State.

“Before, I farm yam mainly for my family consumption; now I thank God that farming yam has introduced me to international business. With it, I can train my children to university.

“I want our federal and state governments to invest in the yam business because it holds a good future for the country. It is good also for government to empower young farmers to farm. Adamawa is the second largest state in yam production in all the Northern states after Benue and we need young people to come and take over from us.”

YENOGOA, BAYELSA STATE From Swali market (pronounced Osuali) in Yanogoa Local Government Area, Sister Peace Priye, a retired teacher responded with anger: “This Minister (Ogbeh) is confused. Is it not the oil that they used to make themselves rich and throw us into poverty, that destroyed our lands and waters that caused all these troubles in the Niger Delta?

“Oil has destroyed our farmlands so we cannot farm our own yams to eat. We cannot fish also because oil has killed everything that has live inside water. Now the yam we can still manage to buy and eat with palm oil and salt is what they have started exporting to overseas.

“Let government tell us if we have enough yams at the cost an average family can buy it, before they begin to export it to other countries.”

“Yam is too expensive for the ordinary family like mine,” laments Madam Janet, a widow in the same market. “And if you complain, the sellers say they are selling according to the price they bought. If we do not have yam abundantly in the country to feed poor families, where is the wisdom in

Omooba Adekunle Adeyemi

Yam barn

Joe Ezeobi

Rose Paul, a student

exporting it?”

happening now.

“If you know our leaders well, they make haste to do something only when they have personal interest in it. Do you think that minister is thinking of really revamping the economy to help the same government that ruined the economy since independence?

Let’s even pretend to believe that is his vision, so he has to do that at the cost of lives of Nigerian families who are living below poverty level?

“I managed to buy one sizeable tuber for N1,500 at Ikotun market recently. Now, the price of one tuber in our local market is more than the money an average trader will gain on a good market day, so where are we heading to as a country?”

“It doesn’t even make sense,” said stakeholder and activist, Comrade Lamide Spencer. “The minister said he wants his committee to engage team of engineers from anywhere in the world to design ploughs to mechanise yam heap making. I said at that time that this man (Ogbeh) knows what he was talking about because our farmers need help, they are old and young people, even though jobless, don’t want to do manual

LAGOS MAINLAND Household income under pressure, food prices on steady rise Close investigation shows that prices of key food items have continued to rise since end of June in most markets in Lagos metropolis putting severe pressure on the incomes of many families. Checks around Mile 12, Oshodi and Boundary markets in Lagos on Thursday revealed that a sizeable tuber of yam which sold for about N700 in May now sells for N1,200 to N1,500.

Grandma and business woman, Mrs. Blessing Evheoghene of Silva estate, Idimu, sees another face of corruption in Ogbeh’s yam export business: “Don’t be surprised that people who will gain from yam export are government officials who are doing the business. Is this not Nigeria? They will just go clear the tubers from local farmers at a cheap rate, export it away and leave the village people with little or no money and not enough yam to eat.

Then those who are not farmers will be buying it at cut throat prices, which is what is

farming.

“Then the next moment the same minister started exporting! Doesn’t that tell you that he and his team are after their own interests? Before EFCC will catch up with them many Nigerians would have died of hunger.

“That is how they claim they are producing enough rice and want to export. Show me one grain of government rice in our local markets: we still buy imported rice in our local markets; all that is government propaganda.”

AJEGUNLE, LAGOS Madam Tee Kay is one of the big names in boundary market in Ajegunle; she sells just about anything sellable, including yams.

She calculates that exportation of yam is government’s plan to “finish poor people”.

Her words (apologies for her pidgin; if modified, her message would be lost): “Look, government nor dey think? Dis country wey get cocoa, coal, cashew, even groundnut wey dem call pyramid; where all the money enter? If dem nor fit manage all that, na yam, ordinary yam wey be poor person last hope na’him go change economy?

“Even if minister head bend, Osinbajo wey be pastor nor dey see’am? This one na mother of corruption: you think say na poor man dem dey think about? Na dem pocket the money go enter. I don see them finish.

Make dem do’am; dem go come know say, there is God o!”

Warri, Delta State State correspondent Isaac Olamikan reports from oil rich Warri:

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Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

CBN boosts agricultural activities in Borno with N10.4bn Motolani Oseni

ÏÏÏ

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) on Friday said it had allocated N10.45 billion to augment farmer support services and encourage agricultural activities in Borno.

CBN’s Development Financial Officer, Mr. Mahmud Nyako, disclosed to newsmen in Maiduguri that the amount was provided under the Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) initiated by the nation’s apex bank.

The apex bank’s ABP scheme is generally believed to be a critical component of the Federal Government’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda (ATA), which was designed to enhance farmers’ support services, access to inputs, financing and add value to the produce as well as encourage farmers’ enterprising skills.

The programme, which is being executed in collaboration with Federal

and state Governments, currently targeting about 40,000 gfarmers in Borno, who were expected to cultivate rice and other cash crops, Nyako has disclosed.

He noted that no fewer than 20, 000 farmers had so far registered, while 5, 000 of them had been screened to participate in the programme.

“The programme will be run in two phases, some 20, 000 farmers will be supported under the first phase, while 20, 000 others or more would be captured under the second phase.

“It is a soft a loan revolving scheme and the bank has worked out effective modalities to ensure its sustainability,” he said.

He added that farmers would be provided with assorted fertilisers, seeds, chemicals, water pumps, knapsack sprayer and money to settle labour activities such as ploughing, harrowing, packaging and transportation.

News 21

Organised Labour takes local government autonomy case to lawmakers Workers from organised labour seeking autonomy for local governments on Friday staged a rally at the meeting venue of the National Assembly’s Joint Committee on Constitutional Review in Lagos.

The workers gathered at the entrance of the Intercontinental Hotel, Victoria Island, at about 8:00 a.m. with placards singing and chanting solidarity songs.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the workers, however, did not disrupt activities at the hotel but chanted various solidarity songs to express their grievances. .The workers were from the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Medical and Health Work-

ers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN).

Mr Femi Gbajabiamila, an All Progressives Congress leader in the House of Representatives later addressed the workers and promised that every request brought before the committee would be addressed.

According to Gbajabiamila, the request of the workers on local government autonomy and the enhancement of primary education were important.

He said that the committee, after its meeting, would convey their complaints to the National Assembly but advised the workers to also take their case to the State Assemblies. “ I suggest you focus on taking the issues to the State Assemblies but we

have heard and listened to you, we will take your issue to the National Assembly,’’ he said.

Mr Ahmed Lawan, the Senate leader, also assured that the law makers would continue to deliberate on the issues raised by the workers.

“We will convey your demand to our colleagues and will continue to engage the union leaders until we give you what you want,’’ Lawan said.

Earlier, Mr Michael Olukoya, NUT President, said that the workers held the rally because they wanted all the state governments to contribute to the development of primary education.

Olukoya reiterated that primary education was the foundation of all forms of

education and deserved to be properly funded by the three tiers of government.

He said that it was the responsibility of all union leaders to ensure that the welfare of their members were adequately catered for, saying that that was why the rally was holding at the meeting venue.

Also, Mr Ibrahim Khaleel, NULGE President, said that the workers converged to ask for autonomy for local governments, to ensure that governance was all inclusive.

The demand of the workers in their placards were for local government autonomy, primary school teacher’s salary as a first line charge on the federation account and unfettered operation of primary health care nationwide.

ActionAid calls for transparency in disbursement of N1.6bn ecological fund ÏÏÏActionAid

Nigeria, an anti-poverty agency, has called on Government to be fair and just in the disbursement of the N1.6 billion ecological fund to 16 states ravaged by flood across the country.

The Country Director of ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs Ojobo Atuluku, said in a statement on Friday that the intervention would lessen additional burden and pressure placed on the people as a result of the flood incidents.

“While this intervention is commendable, some of the incidences that have put a lot of the citizens, especially the poor, in misery should have been avoided.

“It is sad that despite its predictability, Nigeria put nothing in place to reduce the risk of flood disaster, even with the forecast of floods by its own metrological agency, the Nigeria Metrological Agency,” she said.

Atuluku said that in 2012, N12 billion was released by the Federal Government for similar purpose, yet failed to make much impact on the lives of those affected.

She said that in spite of previous investment and

intervention by the Federal Government, the most affected people were still left unattended to.

“In order to ensure that the new fund is judiciously used and does not end up in the corruption net, the release of the N1.6 billion ecological fund should be accompanied by a transparent accountability framework.

“We call on the Federal Government to restrain itself from releasing the fund to any of the states until they present with clarity, proposals and plans of how the fund will be utilised.”

“Each of the states should be made to demonstrate how they will involve the affected communities, especially women; what Early Warning and Early Response (Early Action) Mechanism they will put in place to forestall future re-occurrence.

“They should also demonstrate the framework they will put in place to build a culture of safety and resilience at all levels – state, local government and community, using knowledge, skills, innovation and education,” she said.

L-R: Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong; Acting General Officer, Commanding GOC 3 Armoured Division Nigeria Army, Brig.-Gen Benjamin Ahanotu and Secretary to Plateau State Government, Mr. Rufus Bature, during the GOC’s visit to the Governor in Jos… on Thursday.

Birth registration: NPC registers over 73, 000 babies in Bauchi LGA ÏÏÏThe

National Population Commission (NPC) in Bauchi state has registered no fewer than 73,500, 000 babies in Bauchi local government area within six days of commencement of Birth Registration in the state.

A correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) monitoring the exercise in the area, reports that most of the centres are crowded with parents who had brought their children to be registered.

Statistics made available to NAN at the Town Maternity, Bayan Fadan, collation center, showed

that each of the 210 ad hoc Registrars engaged by the commission had recorded at least 350 children.

It also showed that even registration centres in hard-to-reach towns like Tirwun, Gwaskwaram and others in Zungur and Galambi Districts across a river, also witnessed influx of children.

Yusuf Saka, NPC Monitor in charge of Bauchi Council Area, told NAN that in spite of little challenges, Registrars in all the nine centers for the area were doing well.

Saka said that 17 of them assigned to cover some parts of Zungur and

Galambi Districts had to engage local swimmers and divers to cross rivers and streams to reach their stations.

Mallam Sani Yunusa, NPC Comptroller in charge of Bauchi Local Government Area, told NAN that enough materials had been provided for the conduct of the exercise.

“I issued 100 certificates to each Registrar during the first day of the exercise to avoid wastage and to maintain quality control of the exercise.

“I have dozens of the booklets in my car; I move from one center to an-

other with it and give to Registrars,on request.,” said Yunusa, while refuting complaints of shortage of materials.

NAN recalled that Gov Mohammed Abubakar of the state had on Thursday, flagged-off commencement of 10-day Mass Birth Registration of children under five years in the state, aimed at collating data for development purposes.

The exercise followed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the European Union, UNICEF and the Bauchi State Government. (NAN)

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

NLC has lost its bite, says Gov Wike trouble you, defect to the oth-

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

L-R: Supreme Court Judge, Amina Adamu-Augie; representative of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Ibrahim Tanko-Mohammed and another Supreme Court judge, Mary Peter-Odili, at the opening of the first West African Sub-Regional Conference of International Association of Women Judges in Abuja… on Thursday.

Onu reiterates commitment for accelerated devpt

ÏÏÏ

The Federal Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, on Friday reiterated the commitment of the Federal Government to accelerate the pace of development anchored on the effectiveness deployment of science, technology and innovation.

Onu made this known during the inauguration of the National Waste-toWealth programme on “Using appropriate technologies on waste management,” in the Southwest zone in Akure.

He said that the ministry would continue to use science, technology and innovation for the transformation of the nation to attain the greatness Nigeria was destined for.

The minister said that the programme would enable the conversion of waste to valuable economic goods and services to help create wealth and jobs, reduce poverty.

He said that this would help to defeat hunger and stimulate national consciousness on the power of science and technology as important instrument

for nation building.

“I am happy with this collaboration between the Federal Ministry and the Ondo State Government.

“I am also confident that this programme, if properly implemented will help our great nation effectively and efficiently convert the huge amount of waste generated in abundance in both rural and urban areas into very useful products to promote happiness of our people.

“Through this programme, by using appropriate technologies, we will help ensure that what becomes waste for.one household can become useful for another.

“Indeed, waste generated in one household can become a source of income for the people. Science, technology and innovation will help make this possible,” he said.

Onu further urged Nigerians to lend their support to the programme and embrace it, while he expressed confidence that it would serve the people of the zone as well as Ni-

geria.

Earlier, the Ondo State Governor, Mr Oluwarotimi Akeredolu, SAN, said that the generation of waste and its disposal should form part of new learning for safe and healthy living.

“A discarded material announces the end of a purpose for which it is designed, waiting for a yet-to-be determined end.

Our material world is whole and indivisible.

“Therefore, Waste-toWealth brings forth a new freshness to a seeming despondent state of affairs in the polity.

“Domestic waste is generated and disposed in ways that are inimical to the well being of the society. This waste, both solid and liquid, often pose hazard to the health and safety of the society.

“Drainages are blocked with debris, buildings erected on easement and petroleum by-products such as polythene bags, nylon, plastic, disused boxes, household utensils, scraps of disused vehicles and machines,

among others, litter everywhere,” he said.

Akeredolu said that what would ordinarily constitute a challenge to man, by the very circumstances of existence now held the promise to be a veritable source of income, if humans learned new ways of doing things.

“This message is good music to the ears of the people of our dear state considering the financial difficulty which is our lot at present.

“The knowledge of the possibility of converting waste disposal to generation of wealth is exciting. More interesting is the availability of the technical know-how.

“We are more than excited that our state has been chosen as the pilot site for the programme which will be in the six geo-political zones in the country.

“Indigenes and residents of the state are more than ready to learn how to participate in this innovating scheme,” he said. (NAN)

Estate surveyor attributes building collapse to decadence in society Alphonsus Nweze, Awka

ÏÏÏ

A foremost Estate surveyor, and valuer, Chief Damian Okolo, has attributed the frequent collapse of buildings in the country to general decadence in the society.

Okolo who is also a lawyer and chartered administrator, said that it was because of the decay in the society that people build without approved plan designed by qualified

architects and structural engineers.

Against this back drop, said Okolo, such buildings right from the foundation has inherent problem because there was no input at all from the professionals in the building industry.

He said all the soil texture are not the same and therefore the foundation for buildings cannot be the same everywhere saying it was this faulty foun-

dation that caused building collapse.

“The soil texture in 3-3 Onitsha that is rocky cannot be the same thing with Lekki in Lagos. When you have faulty foundation, you will have building collapse. Here we use foundation for bungalow for storey building” he said.

Okolo also said the use of unsuitable materials such as inferior and substandard cements, rods as well as using of materials

that do not measure up to the size caused building collapse, wondering what town planners were doing that they allowed such buildings to spring up without detecting them.

He said before now any foundation was done the town planners came for inspection but get rich quick syndrome which is the consequence of total decadence in our society today does not allow that again.

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has stated that the infiltration of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, by political forces has rendered it ineffective and unable to positively respond to issues that affect less privileged Nigerians.

The governor who spoke on Friday at the Government House Port Harcourt when he granted audience to the President of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said the congress was no longer as strong as it used to be because of the division within its ranks.

He said: “Nigerians are not happy with the NLC. With due respect, you people are now politicians. You are no longer as strong as you use to be. “I remember when Jonathan was President; you wanted to pull heaven down just for the slight removal of petroleum subsidy. Now they have removed everything and nothing has happened “.

He regretted that the NLC has fallen to the level where it calls for strike and it records failure.

“You have allowed politicians to penetrate your ranks and you now have two factions. Factionalisation is not the best. I urge you to work for the union to be strong as this is in the interest of the nation “, he said.

While pledging his support for the NLC, he urged the congress to stand firm and work for the protection of Nigerians and the country’s democracy.

“Look at what is happening in the country today and nobody is talking. Nobody wants to go to jail. If you talk, EFCC will come after you.

If you don’t want EFCC to

er party. There was this ED Finance of the NDDC, who was a member of the PDP. EFCC was after him, when he defected to the other party, they dropped the charges “, he said.

He said the country should practice true federalism in all areas including the salary structures of the respective states.

The governor said: “If the new salary structure is agreed, if Rivers State can pay, can Ebonyi State pay?

There should not be a uniform condition of service. In Nigeria, you are paid same amount of money in Lagos as in Kogi State. That is why we cannot get it right.”

Governor Wike assured the NLC that his administration will continue to resolve all welfare challenges facing workers and retirees.

Earlier, the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba commended the governor for the regular payment of salaries and pensions.

“We have interfaced with workers and they said you have been regular in the payment of salaries and pensions.

“The trade unions asked me to express their gratitude particularly on the issue of regular payment of salaries.

This certainly, we have to appreciate because we are aware that in some states, they have difficulty in that aspect. In some states, they have even contemplated retrenchment “, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said.

He appealed to the Rivers State Governor to handle the challenges arising from recently retired workers, contributory pensions and the irregular meetings of the Public Service Joint Negotiating Council.

Badoo members docked in Lagos court July 5 at Powerline, ÏÏÏSeven alleged mem- and Agbala area of Ikorodu bers of the dreaded Badoo cult who have been causing unrest in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State were on Friday brought before an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court.

The accused, Afolabi Kessington (25), Ismaila Shaibu (36), Mutiu Nurudeen (26), Ibrahim Bello (25), Lukman Mohammed (35), Gift Itafa (50) and Sheriff Adewunmi (23).

The accused faced a four-count charge bordering on conspiracy and belonging to an unlawful society.

They, however, pleaded innocence of the charges.

The Prosecutor, ASP Fidelis Dike, said that the accused committed the offences between July 3

and also at Irawo Estate, Owode-Onirin in Lagos.

He said that the accused, who are members of the Badoo cult, had conspired and gathered in the above mentioned areas to have their meeting, which was deemed illegal.

The offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened Section 42(a) of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015.

The Magistrate, Mrs Kofo Ariyo, admitted each of the accused to bail in the sum of N200,000 with two sureties in like sum, one of whom must be a blood relation.

The case has been adjourned until August 9, for mention. (NAN)

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

OP Safe Heaven takes over Southern Kaduna Kingsley Jos

Chukwuka,

The joint military operation saddled with the responsibility to restore peace on the plateau and some parts of Bauchi state, otherwise known as Operation Safe Heaven (OPSH), has also extended its watch to Southern Kaduna.

The four Local Government in Southern Kaduna now under the supervision of OPSH are Sanga, Jema’a, Zango-Kataf and Kaura, which were before now, manned by 4 battalion under 1 division in Kaduna state.

In a brief handing over ceremony at the weekend, in Southern Kaduna, the Commander 4 battalion, Lt. Col. Hassan Muhammad Bello said 4 battalion has been nominated for a foreign mission by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai, adding that the Army Chief dimmed it fit to hand over the four

LGA in Southern Kaduna to OPSH, because of its proximity and accessibility to Jos. Bello said the crisis situation in Plateau and Southern Kaduna such as cattle rustling, armed bandit and farmers herdsmen clash are similar, hence OPSH haven managed the situation successfully in Plateau will in no doubt contain the situation in Southern Kaduna.

Responding, the OPSH Commander, Major General Rogers Nicholas, said his command is resolute to sustain the peace in the region, saying that OPSH effort in Plateau will be doubled to contain any crisis in the area.

His words, “I and my men are not religious or partisan, we respect people’s institutions and traditions; we call for corporation and synergy from all stakeholders and also call on them to share useful information with us”, he said.

23 News

Health minister, others pay tribute to late Osotimehin as wife vows to sustain his legacies Ibeneme Abuja

Ebelechukwu,

The Minster of Health, Prof Issac Adewole, has again described the death of Prof Babatunde Osotimehin as a huge loss not only to the nation’s healthcare but to the international community at large. He said his life was a service completely dedicated to humanity.

The minister, who made this known in Abuja on Friday during a tribute service organised by the Ministry of Health also described him as one committed to a life of service in both the academia and national service.

According to him, during his Osotimehin’s tenure as Minister of Health, he united all the 36 states to build a national health plan focused on primary health care as well as built a strong

relationship with Parliament ensuring resources were available to address critical health issues.

“From December, 2008 March 2010, he was the African spokesman of the partnership for maternal, newborn and child health.

He was a champion for youth, women and girls.

Young people remained his special focus at UNFPA. “Throughout his career, he chaired several international fora focused on health, population and family planning and was recipient of several awards and honours including the Nigeria national honourOfficer of the Order if the Niger (OON).

“This is one of my challenge task, talking about my mentor,friend,brother and big boss.we will however remain grateful for a life well lived and spent. Above all, he is bold,fearless and

deeply committed to the right,health and well being of our women and girl.”you stood by them,for them and fought for them.you are certainly immortal.”

Meanwhile, the wife of the late Osotimehin, Mrs. Olufunke Osotimehin, said his family will be committed in sustaining the legacies left by the husband especially in the area of protecting and promoting the health and lives of Nigerian women and children to help them realise their full potential.

She made this known yesterday in her breif remarks during the memorial service organised in honour of her late husband by the United Nations System in Nigerian.

According to her, that is the only way to mortalize her late husband’s passion of ensuring and promoting reproductive and maternal

health.

“Though i was not out there to work with him as his colleague but I speak today as his wife whom he continuously share his passion. He had always looked for opportunities to work and when the opportunity came he dedicated it passionately to mother and children. I also remember vivdely that in the process of living with him as his wife’s he impacted in us as a family,his passion and desire to increase the right, health and wellness beings of our Nigerian women and girl.

“We there stand here to say that we will not allow that passion to die. We will continue to fish out, withing our community those women and children that are in dire need of our services and we will contribute our own quota towards helping them.

NEMA enrolls 374,000 beneficiaries in North East Myke Uzendu, Abuja The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has so far enumerated and validated 373,479 Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) represent ing 63,966 households in Yobe, Borno and Adamawa states just as it has commenced the distribution of relief materials to the victims of MambillaFulani crises in Sardauna Local Government Area of Taraba State.

A statement signed by the Head of media and public relations, Sani Datti, disclosed that NEMA in partnership with the State Emergency Management Agencies (SEMAs), Volunteers and some IDPs in the past one-month have been enumerating and distributing food items to the affected persons through the doorto-door programme.

According to the statement, a total of 144,406 IDPs representing 24,068 households have so far been enumerated in Yobe State, in Adamawa a total of 17,892 IDPs representing 4,656 households have also been enumerated while 211,451 representing 35,242 households have so far been enu-

merated in Borno state as the exercise is still on-going.

The foods distributions, which started in Borno, have so far reached 18,000 households in Teachers Village, Bakassi, Dalori II, Magcolis and Goni Kachalari IDP camps while the distribution is still ongoing in CAN EYN and Farm Centre IDP camps. The enumeration in Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba states is starting this week according to the report.

The report stressed that “one of the critical aspects of the intervention was to identify and confirm the number of displaced persons in various states in the North East for effective planning and the need to verify same to ensure effectiveness of the programmes.”

The report also identified some challenges in the exercise as delays in the conversion of maize to masavita and masaflour, acquiring of new warehouses and the rains.

Meanwhile the distribution of relief materials by the victims to MambillaFulani crises also took off in Mbamnga, a mountain top community.

L-R: Chairman of Bayelsa State Council of Traditional Rulers, King Alfred Diete-Spiff; former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (rtd); his Wife, Lady Victoria; Governor of Bayelsa State, Hon. Seriake Dickson; his wife, Rachael and Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rear Admiral Gboribiogha John Jonah (rtd), during Gen. Gowon’s courtesy visit on the Bayelsa State Traditional Rulers Council, in Yenagoa, Bayelsa… on Wednesday.

Adeleke vasity holds 3rd convocation Angela Onwuzoo

Adeleke University, Ede, Osun State is set to release 2016 – 2017 academic session graduates known as class of Eagles during its forth coming 3rd Convocation Ceremony for the conferment of the Degrees and Award of prizes which will be held on Sunday, July 16, 2017 at the main campus of the institution along Loogun-Ogberin Road, Ede, Osun State at 10:00am.

In a statement by the Acting Registrar of the University, Mr. Caleb Oyerinde, 250

students will be graduating from the faculties of Arts, Sciences, Basic Medical Sciences, Business and social sciences. According to him, the convocation Guest Speaker will be the President, Morgan State University, Baltimore, U.S.A. Mr. Ayorinde said that the programmes lined up for the convocation will commence on Thursday, July 13, 2017 with Pre-convocation Lecture to be delivered by Professor N’GomMbare of Morgan State University, Baltimore, U.S.A, unveiling of class of Eagles Proj-

ect (Eagle Square) which will hold on Friday, July 14, 2017, Thanksgiving service which holds on Saturday at performing Arts Theatre, Adeleke University at 9:00am and Pro-Chancellor’s, dinner Night which will take place at the University cafeteria at 8:00pm the same day.

He explained that Adeleke University is a faith-based University licensed to operate as a Private University by the Federal Government of Nigeria through the National Universities Commission (NUC) on March 6, 2011.

According to him, The University’s vision of “Excelling in high quality teaching, research and innovative learning with capacity to compete globally” is reinforced in its mission statement of “The Pursuit of truth and preservation of knowledge through highquality, general professional and vocational education towards preparing people for dedicated service to humanity,” and concretized on during force that is encapsulated in the motto of “Education, Excellence and Character.”

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Gombe govt. provides 140, 000 tonnes of fertiliser for farmers Gover nor Ibrahim Dankwambo of Gombe State says his administration has procured over 140, 000 tonnes of fertiliser for sale to far mers at a subsidised rate.

The gover nor said this in Gombe on Friday during the launch of fertiliser sales and distribution for the 2017 cropping season.

He said that the project was to improve the far mers’ productivity and boost food security in the state.

“This administration has procured over 140,000 metric tons of fertiliser since its assumption of office in 2011.

“This, we believe, would translate into increased income and empowerment of our far mers, improvement of livelihood of the citizens as well as the much-desired food security of the state,’’ he said.

Dankwambo said that Gombe State was among the first to indicate interest in the special Federal Gover nment’s fertiliser intervention programme,

procuring 20,000 tonnes of NPK 2010-10 fertiliser and 10, 000 tonnes of Urea fertiliser.

He gave the assurance that the fertiliser would get to far mers in the grassroots level, urging far mers to take due advantage of the scheme to improve their agricultural productivity.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the gover nor announced the price of a bag of NPK fertiliser as N4,800 and that of Urea fertiliser as N5,800.

The Commissioner for Agriculture Alhaji Buba-Biri, commended the gover nor for his support to far mers in the state.

He described the fertiliser distribution as the most important event in the life of far mers.

Buba-Biri also said that the Dankwambo-administration had repaired over 20 tractors, while distributing improved seeds at subsidised rates to far mers for this year far ming season. (NAN)

23 ships discharged petroleum products in Lagos ÏÏÏTwenty

three ships are discharging petroleum products and other commodities at Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos, the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) said on Friday.

The NPA said the ships were also discharging buck wheat, steel products, general cargo, petrol, containers, Brazilian cane, diesel, bulk corn and bulk fertiliser.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 31 other ships laden

with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive in Lagos ports between Friday and Aug. 19.

It said that the expected ships would bring general cargoes, bulk fertiliser, buck wheat, diesel, lubrication oil, containers, bulk sugar and petrol.

The NPA said 12 ships had arrived at the ports and were waiting to berth with bulk fertiliser, base oil, buck wheat and petrol.

L-R: Deputy Majority Whip, Hon, Pally Iriase; Deputy Speaker/Chairman Ad-Hoc Committee on Review of the 1999 Constitution, Hon. Yusuf Lasun and Chairman House Committee on Judiciary, Hon. Aminu Shehu Shagari, during the public hearing on bills seeking to further amend the constitution to reflect proposals initiated by the judiciary, at the National Assembly, Abuja… recently. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

FCT minister threatens to revoke allocations to fish farm allotees ÏÏÏThe

FCT Minister, Malam Muhammad Bello has threatened to revoke allocations to Fish Farm allottees who fail to move to the farms within two months from today.

Bello, who said this when he visited the farms sited at Bwari Area Council on Friday in Abuja, noted that the allottees would forfeit the allocations at the expiration of the two months.

According to him, government cannot just allocate the farms to people who refused to make use of the facility.

He frowned at a situation whereby only four people out of 100 who got allocations were presently doing the business, a

ÏÏÏ

Prof. Olanrewaju Fagbohun, Vice-Chancellor, Lagos State University (LASU), on Friday urged Nigerians to help preserve the environment by planting trees.

Fagbohun, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the institution, Prof. Olumuyiwa Noah, said this at the 2017 Lagos State tree planting ceremony organised by the university.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that tree planting, a campaign institutionalised by the Lagos State

development he described as unacceptable.

The minister said if the allotees failed to occupy the farms by the end of the two months period given to them, the allocation would be revoked.

He also directed the allotees to make N5,000 available every month to pay for security and maintenance of the farms, adding that if the 100 allottees paid, it would amount to N500, 000 which should be sufficient to take care of the farms.

Bello also frowned at the level of farm houses being built within the estate while the fish ponds were not developed.

“The allotees should suspend building of such

structures till they complete the ponds.

“Based on what is happening here and complains by the allotees that there is no water and road within the farms, I have suspended the construction of the roads from the budget.’’

The Bwari Fish Farm Estate is a government intervention that commenced in 2012 to encourage families to go into fish farming leveraging on the water resources available in the FCT as well as the enormous market.

This was based on the realisation that there was a huge gap between the demand for fish and supply of fish.

“So, I came in here as

part of my general policy drive in ensuring that all good projects that are meant to be of immense benefit to the residents of the territory started by the previous administration are completed.’’

Bello assured that based on what he had seen and interaction with the members of staff, the project would go a long way in boosting fish production in the territory.

He also advised beneficiaries of the N-Power scheme posted to the farms to acquire training on fish farming to reach out to the secondary schools and communities around as most schools have Young Farmers Club to impact knowledge acquired. (NAN)

Why we should plant trees –LASU VC Government, holds yearly on July 14.

The theme for the 2017 Tree Planting Day is `Think Green, Plant Trees and Live Green`.

“When we plant trees, we are simply helping ourselves; we must plant trees because felling trees endangers our environment.

“If you fell a tree, plant ten to save us from climate change,” he said.

According to him, plants are medicinal and essential for all that human beings do and so

planting must be supported.

He said by supporting the government initiative, the environment is beautified and also far from the risk of climate change.

A copy of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode’s of Lagos State’s speech also read by Prof. Noah stated that 500,000 trees are targeted to be planted this year.

He noted that the state government was determined to sustain the tempo of greener Lagos.

Also, the Lagos State

Commissioner for the Environment, Mr Babatunde Adejare, represented by Mr Taiwo Oluwasegun, lauded the state government for its campaign and effort.

Adejare said it is an offence to fell trees without the permission of Lagos State Park and Gardens Agency (LASPARK) and so residents must desist from such act.

He said that the 2017 exercise was the 10th of its kind, and urged Lagos residents to continue keying into the initiative. (NAN)

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

News 25

Transcorp Hilton Abuja celebrates 30-year anniversary Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The award winning hotel in Nigeria, Transcorp Hilton Abuja, is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, having officially opened its door to its first guest on the April 21, 1987.

The iconic hotel, which has through the years, hosted royalty, presidents, global leaders, celebrities and other dignitaries, gathered friends, partners, clients, its board members and staff to commemorate its legacy and rich history as a pioneer in Nigeria’s hospitality sector.

Built on 20 hectres of land, the 670 bedroom 5-star hotel began operations as Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel, a member of the Hilton family of brands.

To commemorate this milestone, Transcorp Hilton Abuja hosted a cocktail and dinner with an array of entertainment and activities, highlighting and celebrating the impact of Transcorp Hilton as an iconic landmark in Nigeria.

Speaking at the dinner, President, Middle East and North Africa, Hilton Worldwide, Rudi Jagersbacher, commended the Transcorp Hilton stating that its contribution to the brand equity and perception of Hilton Worldwide has been recognised all over the world.

“I would like to commend the entire hotel team for their incredible passion and commitment to delivering excellent experiences for our guests from around the world” he said Since its opening Transcorp Hilton Abuja, has played host to numerous high-profile and celebrity studded events, such as the ECOWAS, World Economic Forum Africa, Miss World Pageant, the Common-

wealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), amongst others.

Opening the anniversary event, Tony O. Elumelu, chairman of Transcorp Plc owners of Transcorp Hilton Abuja, thanked guests and shareholders for begin a part of the journey so far. “On behalf of the board of Transcorp Plc, thank you for your custom, patronage and your good will.

You are the reason we are celebrating today,” he said.

Elumelu added that Transcorp Hilton has transcended the description of being just a hotel to becoming one of Nigeria’s most valued icons.

“Transcorp is not just a company owned by people but an iconic institution owned by every Nigerian. Transcorp Hilton Abuja is beyond the Transcorp franchise; it is a national icon,” he concluded.

In line with its strategic goals, earlier this year, Transcorp Hilton Abuja embarked on a $100million renovation project to deliver on its promise of customer excellence. In 2016 alone, the hotel has won 11 awards and nominations on customer service and innovation.

The exclusive dinner was well attended, guests included Dr. Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, the Minister of State, Petroleum Resources; Executive Vice-President, Hilton, Europe, Middle-East and Africa, Simon Vincent; Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige; Director General and Chief Executive Officer of the National Institute for Hospitality and Tourism (NIHOTOUR), Chika Balogun; CEO/President, Transcorp Plc. Adim Jibunoh, and CEO, Transcorp Hotels Plc. Valentine Ozigbo, amongst others.

NAF takes delivery of Super Mushshak aircraft for pilot training Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) on Friday took delivery of the first batch of five out of ten Super Mushshak aircraft being expected from Pakistan.

The first batch of the trainer aircraft, which is for the primary flying training of NAF pilots at 401 Flying Training School, Kaduna, was received on arrival by the Air Officer Commanding Air Training Command, Air Vice Marshal Chris Okoye.

It would be recalled that the NAF inducted the Super Mushshak aircraft into the NAF inventory on 5 December

2016. This followed the kind gesture of the Pakistan Government to temporarily make 4 Super Mushshak aircraft of the Pakistan Air Force available to the NAF, at no cost, to immediately commence the training of NAF pilots.

Since then, the inhouse training of NAF pilots had resumed in earnest. With the arrival of the first batch of the NAF’s trainer aircraft, the local training of NAF student pilots will receive a boost at a much reduced cost.

The new aircraft will soon be inducted into service after assembly and successful test flights.

L-R: MD/CEO Stanel Group. Mr. Stanley Uzochukwu; Senator Obinna Joseph Ogba and former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Publicity Secretary, Mr. Olisa Metuh, during the commissioning of Stanel World Ultra-Modern Filling Station in Akwa, Anambra State… recently.

Nollywood producer urges Govt to establish cinemas to curb piracy

ÏÏÏVice

Chairman of the Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Abuja chapter, Mr. Sunny-Ken Awoji, has called on governments at all levels to establish cinemas in order to effectively curb piracy.

He made the call on Friday during an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

According to Awoji, establishing cinemas across all states in Nigeria is the best antidote against the menace of piracy which is currently hitting very hard on the movie industry.

“Government, both federal, state and the local level, should ensure that the cinema culture is promoted by investing in it.

“I urge them to establish cinemas centers in all the 774 local councils to enable producers screen their films anywhere in the country, before releasing them, and this will greatly re-

duce piracy.

“Since the pirates get copies of movies from the market, cinemas will prevent hasty introduction of movie to the market.

“If a movie shows in cinemas across the six geo-political zones for a month, the producer of the movie would have recouped his money before it enters the market,” he explained.

Awoji stressed that it was imperative for government to invest in cinemas, since establishing standard one was capital intensive which made it unattractive to private investors.

He added that the few centers currently serving the industry were available in few major cities, and were owned by private investors, which made them competitive and almost unaffordable.

“If you send your movie to a cinema in Nigeria today, it will be on the queue for over 10

months, and that is, if it is accepted in the first place.

“In most cases, the owners of the cinemas will demand for 70 per cent of the earnings from such movie, and the producer will be left with just 30 percent.

“This is why we want government to establish cinemas in all the local governments of the country for producers to get returns for their investment and be protected from piracy as well,” he said.

He however added that it was time for Nigeria’s Copyright Laws to be reviewed to effectively tackle piracy in line with modern realities.

Awoji explained that government investment in cinemas would also provide employment opportunities for Nigerian youths besides other job opportunities which abound in the movie industry.

“Producing single

movie, depending on the script, can have an average cast of 50 persons, besides the crew members.

“Before you now consider other auxiliary services attached to film making,” he said.

NAN reports that Nigeria’s movie industry, popularly known as Nollywood, is the second largest movie industry in the world, behind Indian’s Bollywood.

It has an estimated one million people directly or indirectly working in the industry; making distributing and screening of movies become the country’s second-biggest source of employment after agriculture.

In 2014, Nollywood reportedly contributed more than 1.4 percent of GDP – or $7.2bn to Nigeria’s economy.

However, piracy has remained a major challenge to the productive growth of the sector over the years. (NAN)

2 suspected cultists arraigned in Lagos, remanded in prison ÏÏÏTwo men, suspected

to be cultists — Charles Irikviwe and Aniefiok Udom, 28 — were on Friday charged with murder and membership of an unlawful society at an Ebute Meta Magistrates’ Court, Lagos.

They were, however, remanded at Ikoyi Prisons for 30 days pending advice from the State Director

of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The accused — Irikviwe, 29, and Udom, 28 — are standing trial on a threecount charge of conspiracy, murder and managing an unlawful society.

The prosecutor, ASP Fidelis Dike told the court that the accused committed the offences on March 23 at No. 20, Palace Road,

Ijanikin on Lagos-Badagry Expressway.

He alleged that Irikviwe, a member of Bukania Confraternity and Udom, a member of the Vikings Confraternity shot dead a man, Demi Ojetola, at Ijanikin.

Ojetola was killed with a locally made pistol, he said.

The offences contra-

vened Sections 41, 223 and 233 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2015. (Revised) The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the offence is punishable with death by hanging.

The Magistrate, Mrs Kofo Ariyo, adjourned the case until Aug. 15 pending legal advice.

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, July 14, 2017

Rwanda’s Kagame claims victory ahead of August election Rwnada’s president and presidential candidate in the country’s forth coming elections in August.

President Paul Kagame at his first campaign rally on Friday told supporters that the results of the vote were known in 2015.

He said that in 2016, more than 4 million Rwandans petitioned Parliament to change the constitution to allow him to contest for presidency again.

However, the two people challenging Kagame in the vote are Frank Habineza of the opposition Democratic Green Party and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana. Out of 11 registered political parties, eight have backed the ruling RPF-Inkotanyi party instead of fielding their own candidates.

Meanwhile, Kagame said his critics cannot change the will of the people. “You can choose not to hear the truth but you cannot deny what your eyes show you here today,” he said. “Pretending not to know the will expressed by the people during the referen-

dum would be a lie, not democracy.”

The country’s president has been in power since the end of the East African nation’s genocide in 1994. While he has been credited with bringing stability to the tiny country of 12 million people, human rights groups and others accuse his government of abuses such as executions over suspected petty crimes like the theft of bananas or a cow.

Kagame is widely expected to win another term on Aug. 4. The amended constitution allows him to remain in power until 2034 if he pursues it. The United States, a key Rwanda ally, opposed the change to the constitution. Kagame has accused some Western diplomats of meddling in the country’s affairs.

Rwanda’s government earlier this month disqualified all but three candidates for the election, saying they didn’t fulfil requirements such as collecting enough supporting signatures. Critics say the government is leaving no room for competition.

Madonna philanthropy berths in Malawi, opens world-class children hospital America’s musical icon Madonna has extended her philanthropy to children across Malawi, with the establishment of highly rated d children hospital in the country.

Global pop icon, Madonna, on Tuesday opened a world-class children’s hospital in Malawi, eliciting praises from the government and citizens in general.

The singer/philanthropist has a close relationship with the southern African country having adopted four children from the country. The Mercy James Center in the city of Blantyre is named after one of her adopted children.

The center was built through the efforts of her charity, Raising Malawi. It is touted as Malawi’s first paedratic surgery and intensive care unit (ICU). The facil-

ity’s full name is Mercy James Institute for Paediatric Surgery and Intensive Care.

The 58-year-old was hailed as a “symbol of a motherly spirit”

by Malawi President Peter Mutharika after the American singer opened a children’s hospital named after her adopted daughter Mercy James.

“We will ensure that not only will it be a world-class children’s hospital, but also a superior centre of learning. This is as much about healing as it is about empowerment,” Madonna said at the hospital’s official opening.

Madonna established the non-profit Raising Malawi charity in 2006 to provide health and education, particularly for girls. The charity has built 10 schools in Malawi, according to its website.

26 Foreign

American singer, Usher praises Tanzania’s Serengeti

Bonny Amadi with Agency reports

Africa’s rich culture and aesthetics has elicited global admiration as top American artist gave a glowing tribute to Senengeti of Tanzania, following a rcent trip with his family members to the country.

American award-winning singer, songwriter, dancer, and actor Usher Raymond was re-

ported to have visited the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania with his family over the weekend.

Expressing the hopes that Tanzania holds in tourism and his admiration for the country, Usher Raymond shared on social media his experience with his family at the UNESCO World Heritage Site which is home to one of the oldest ecosystem and

a population of lions, cheetah, elephants, giraffes, and birds.

“This trip has been amazing… so happy to experience this beauty w my family,” Usher tweeted.

This trip has been amazing...so happy to experience this beauty w my family. The photos of his trip were shared widely on social media by fans as well.

Usher and Family in Tanzania

Gambia searches Jammeh’s Palaces for stashed funds

In a warehouse on the sprawling country estate of Gambia’s exiled former leader, Yahya Jammeh, silver platters pile up beside dusty crates of empty champagne bottles with labels commemorating his 1994 coup.

A bailiff picks through the

boxes and scribbles down notes — the start of what the new government says is a search for tens of millions of dollars of looted assets, an investigation that Jammeh’s supporters have dismissed as a witch hunt.

A U.S. official in Banjul said Washington was planning to

Gambia’s former Gambian President Yahya Jammeh’s estate in Kanilai, Gambia

help, and government staff say they are counting on World Bank assistance. The size of the Kanilai estate — just a small fraction of Jammeh’s holdings, according to the government official leading the tour — shows the scale of the task ahead.

“We suspect most of the things were taken away before he left — the treasure, possibly weapons and most of the vehicles,” said the bailiff from Gambia’s high court, Modou Moussa Ceesay, taking an inventory of Jammeh’s possessions.

The former president, accused by opponents and rights groups of widespread violations and corruption, fled Gambia in January as regional forces descended on the capital, Banjul, to enforce the results of an election he lost.

China cautions Botswana over hosting separatist Dalai Lama

Dalai Lama

China warned Botswana on Friday against hosting the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama, who is due to visit there next month, saying it hoped Botswana could make the “correct” decision about the trip.

The Dalai Lama is expected to address a human rights conference in the capital, Gaborone,

on Aug. 17-19 and will also meet Botswana’s president. China is a major investor in Botswana’s economy.

Botswana’s neighbour South Africa has denied a visa to the Buddhist monk three times since 2009 in what opposition parties there, and Archbishop Desmond Tutu, say shows the extent of Bei-

jing’s influence over Pretoria.

China’s fast-growing demand for raw materials has made it one of the biggest investors in Africa and its largest trade partner. Chinese state-owned companies have been awarded contracts to build roads, dams, power stations and airports in Botswana As visits by the Dalai Lama to

foreign countries infuriate China, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang, was reported to have told a daily news briefing that the Dalai Lama wears the cloak of religion to engage in antiChina, separatist activities and China opposes any foreign official meeting him in any form.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Abuja council to light-up city Ï ^Ƌ Ɛ ƈ ƐƏ ƗƑƅƆ Ƌ Ə ƍ ƓƆƏè Ɠ Ə ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ Ə Idu Jude, Abuja The Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), has expressed readiness to ensure that adequate street lightining to illuminate and save the city from darkness.

In addition to the plan, which it is executing with Abuja Electricity Distributing Company (AEDC), out of 22 generating sets expected for the project, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) said that it has taken delivery of five, installed and is already using them to ensure a brighter city at night.

Coordinator, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), Hajiya Safiya Umar, who made this disclose during a meeting with the contractors of the project in her office last week, revealed that some of the street lights currently being powered by the newly installed generators are those on Herbert Macaulay Way, NEPA Junction, Wuse Zone 6 among others.

Addressing both the street lights and generating set contractors, Hajiya Umar tasked them to “always work hand in hand to attain the goal of brighter streets at night,” adding: “if there is no synergy among all the contractors, we will be in perpetual darkness.

“Do not strive to outshine one another, but work together for

the interest of the FCT. Always put the generating sets off when there is power from the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC) so that the Administration does not pay double.

“We do not want to any excuses that there is no light, because the FCT Administration expects to see minimal vandalization of transformers and other facilities. There should be no gap. If any gap exists, quickly report to supervisors who are civil servants assigned on monitoring of the operation of both the contractors.”

Another advantage of this move, she averred was the fact

that “the AEDC was gingering up to finish the metering,” knowing fully that billing for electricity consumption in this regard would automatically go down.

She also called for 24-hour surveillance of the transformers, noting that “though they belong to AEDC. Any event of darkness will set the babambola to work in vandalization. Unless you want us to be sacked, work hand in hand. The Hon. Minister, Malam Muhammad Musa Bello wants the streets in the city to be as bright as 20 years ago when the nights were like days in the city.

“Feel free to make suggestions that would bring about improve-

R-L: Governors of Oyo State, Abiola Ajimobi; Rotimi Akeredolu (Ondo State); Widower/former National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Bisi Akande; Acting President, Yemi Osinbajo; National APC Leader, Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; his Osun State counterpart, Rauf Aregbesola; his Deputy, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, during the Fidau prayer for Bisi Akande’s wife, Omowumi, in Ila-Orangun, Osun State… on

Fayose: I would have ceasedtt to be member of PDP if Sheriff had Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

The Ekiti state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose, on Friday declared that he would have tored and consequently burnt his membership card and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) flag if Senator Ali Modu Sheriff had won at the Supreme Court on Wednesday, saying “I never imagined myself being in the same party with impostors.”

The Supreme Court had in a judgment on who was the authentic chairman of the party declared the Ahmed Makarfi-led faction the genuine leadership, laying to rest a crisis of several months that had done colossal damage to the party.

Fayose, who spoke in Ado Ekiti during his triumphant entry into Ekiti from Abuja, pointed out that Sheriff and members of his faction had been forgiven but won’t go scot-free for causing the party

ments whenever you observe there should be a better way of doing things. No one has monopoly of knowledge. Nigeria belongs to all of us, so we have to be diligent, honest, dedicated and patriotic in all we do. Who thought that change (change of contractors) was possible, but here we are; so make the change worthwhile so that we do not regret making it.”

One of the street light contractors, Engr. Jerome Egbo while speaking later stated that maintaining “street light was a tedious job”, decrying high level of fake materials in the market.

members, so much pangs and pains.

The governor said with the victory, President Muhammadu Buhari and Acting President Yemi Osinbajo would be defeated in the 2019 presidential poll, stating that efforts will be stepped up to revive the party and fortify it the more to be able to play its opposition roles.

“I went to court with a perfume which I wanted to use to spray my premises if Sheriff had won, that was why I went to court.

“Though I believe that we remain the same PDP family but no one can cause our party such pains and embarrassment and expect that he would go without be asked to account for his actions.

“Even the reactions of Sheriff people shows that we remain together.

But the no victor, no vanquished that we said was a mere political slogan. Whoever that participated in this charade must show some

reasonable level of remorse for their actions”, he said.

He said the party would henceforth begin serious mobilization drives up to the grassroots level with efforts to reenergize the party to be able to defeat President Buhari and his deputy in one swell swoop.

“Our party had ever remained one indissoluble family, which is PDP. It was only these impostors that were causing troubles but such had been laid to rest . PDP is a formidable force and we shall work up to the grassroots level to convince our people that we are up to the task of rebuilding this nation and win election in 2019.”

When asked about his presidential ambition, Fayose retorted that; “It is still much alive. I am an early starter and that has been my style of politics. In 2003, I started earlier and I defeated Otunba Niyi Adebayo and likewise Dr. Kayode Fayemi in 2014.

27 News Asaba vigilante operatives arrests 6 suspected cultists Nosa Akenzua, Asaba No fewer than six suspected cultists were in the early hours of Friday arrested by men of the Asaba Community Vigilante Operatives during their routine service.

The suspects, the vigilante boss, Chukwuedo Nnamdi, confirmed, have allegedly been responsible for various attacks, and rape of girls in Ogbeke Square area of Asaba in past few weeks.

He said that the suspects upon interrogation confessed that they were also responsible for the rape of an 18-year old lady at gun point around Umuagu last weekend. He said that the suspects have been handed over to the police at the ‘A’ Division Police Station.

It was also reliably gathered that the suspected cultists have also allegedly killed a popular trader (name withheld) who operated at the popular Ogbeogonogo market after a prolonged quarrel which ensured between her and they (cultists) at her residence, Ogbeakeze Quarters, Asaba.

But the Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Ifeanyi Okowa on Youth Development, Mr. Innocent Eseweize, said he had embarked on vigorous campaign against cultism in the state, adding that the campaign against cultism in the state.

Jonathan reversed electricity tariff to win 2015 poll- Fashola The Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Mr. Babatunde Fashola SAN, has said that the President Goodluck Jonathan-led government reversed electricity tariff “to win electoral votes in the 2015 general election.”

Speaking at a public lecture organised by the Department of Economics, University of Lagos, Fashola said that the privatisation of the country’s power sector was delivered with “some deception.”

He said that after the privatisation process was concluded, the previous administration failed to explain to Nigerians that a lot of work was required.

The minister noted that the reduction of electricity tariff created “massive debt” for Nigeria as it did not conform to the realities of the country’s economy.

“While I fully support privatisation, I believe what took place in 2013 in the heat of politics was a privatisation that was well intentioned since 2005 but delivered with some deception in 2013 with the expec-

tation of political profit,” Fashola said.

“It led many uninformed Nigerians to believe that once the privatisation was concluded, the assets sold to the distribution companies (DisCos) and the Generation companies (GenCos) there was immediately going to be power. I cautioned then that people’s expectations were being unduly raised without telling them that there was a lot of work to do.

“Government must also not interfere with the power of the regulator when it fixes tariff in the way the last administration ordered a reversal of tariff in order to win electoral votes in 2014.

“It created a massive debt for Nigeria, because while the government ordered a reversal of tariff, it did not reduce exchange rate, interest rate, cost of wages or cost of gas and other inputs necessary to produce power. Why should Nigeria carry a debt created by an individual’s electoral ambition? This is what the Buhari administration has to contend with.”

28

Saturday, July 15, 2017

EXTRATIME

Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

N

o fewer than 66 Ex-agitators, including some selected youths from crisis impacted communities in the Niger Delta were on Tuesday offered scholarships to study sports management fundamentals at the Johan Cruyff Institute in Barcelona, Spain.

31

Ex-Niger Delta agitators bag sports management scholarship Speaking at a press conference organized by Sia-One Sports Academy at the Uyo Township Stadium, the facilitator of the programme in Africa, Alhaji Faruk Yabo, who also is the CEO of “To Be Connected Nigeria,” said that the programme is meant to blend academic with sports.

Yabo said that the course con-

tents of the Sports Management Fundamentals which is being delivered in Africa for the first time, was put together by the University of Amsterdam.

He said that the beneficiaries would combine their studies with training sessions, while in camp where they would take three hours lectures every day, adding that, at

Cilic reaches first Wimbledon final ANDREW EKEJIUBA with Agency Report

C

roatia’s Marin Cilic reached his first Wimbledon final with a four-set win over American 24th seed Sam Querrey on Centre Court.

Seventh seed Cilic won 6-7 (6-8) 6-4 7-6 (7-3) 7-5 in two hours and 56 minutes, and will next face Roger Federer or Tomas Berdych.

Cilic, 28, is into his second major final after winning the 2014 US Open.

“It’s unbelievable,” said Cilic, the second Croat to reach the men’s final after Goran Ivanisevic won in 2001.

“The way this tournament has unfolded I’ve been playing really great tennis.”

Querrey, 29, had played three successive five-set matches to reach his first Grand Slam semi-final, and almost forced a fourth before Cilic finally saw off the American’s challenge.

Both men had more than 100 aces to their name heading into the semi-

finals, and it was the Croat who had more success in breaking down the big serve.

Cilic won more than twice as many points on return and earned 14 break points to Querrey’s three, but the American saved 10 and was two service holds from taking it to a fifth set.

He edged the first set from 4-1 down in the tie-break before Cilic earned the first break of the match at 3-3 on his way to levelling at one set all.

the end of the four months course, successful participants would be awarded certificates in foundational of sports management. The Presidential Amnesty Programme in a statement by Mr Piriye Kirayamo, said that the sports programme could lead the ex-agitators to post graduate diploma in sports management, marketing and promotion.

The match was over two hours old before two loose shots from Querrey - a backhand error followed by a forehand into the net - separated the pair in the third set tie-break.

However, Cilic played a fine game to level at 4-4 with a drop volley and an attacking return of serve, and avoided the need for a third tie-break when he earned two match points at 6-5 and found a forehand winner on the second.

Yabo said: “The first stage of the course is four months foundation in sports management and when you pass that you can go for post graduate diploma and once you complete the post graduate diploma, then you are qualified for the master’s degree in sports marketing, sports promotion and sports management,” he maintained.

BRIEFS

Orlando Pirates hook ‘terrific’Obiozor

South Africa Premier League Soccer side Orlando Pirates have via official channels announced the signing of Nigerian striker Christian Obiozor. Orlando Pirates finished in 11th place on the PSL log at the end of last season and will look to bounce back to reclaim the title by boosting their attack options with Obiozor. The lanky striker will move to the Buccaneers from NPFL side Enyimba after Pirates beat competition from PSL rivals Mamelodi Sundowns. Obiozor will link up with his compatriot, goalkeeper Daniel Emmanuel, at the South African side as they look to wrestle the title from Bidvest Wits.

NPFL: Ezenwa plots Enyimba’s fall FC IfeanyiUbah goalkeeper, Ikechukwu Ezenwa has promised a watertight cover in the oriental derby against six-time champions, Enyimba. The Anambra Warriors are hosts of the People’s Elephant in Sunday’s top-flight matchday 29 clash at the FC IfeanyiUbah Stadium in Nnewi. Ezenwa said his side will not joke with the whole three points at stake as it’s crucial to help push up their placement on the league log. The Nnewi side are sixth on the 20-team top-flight log on 42 points nine behind league leaders, Plateau United.

Cilic

Simon scores for Gent in pre-season

FG reaches out to ailing Ikeme ANDREW EKEJIUBA

T

he Federal government of Nigeria has expressed sympathy for foremost Super Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme who was diagnosed with leukemia last week.

The Minister of Youth and Sports Barrister Solomon Dalung who spoke on behalf of the federal government, reassured the keeper who is currently receiving treatment at the Christie Clinic in Manchester, in a telephone conversation.

Barrister Dalung prayed God to grant Ikeme divine healing, assuring him that Nigerians were praying for his quick recovery.

“On behalf of the Federal Government, sports loving Nigerians and football fans at home and abroad, I wish to convey our sympathy and solidarity over your current health challenges. Since the unfortunate development, we have received overwhelming outpour of emotions on your behalf from all parts of the

country. We share in your pain.

Though you’re thousands of miles away from home, we are with you in spirit and in prayers.

“You have been our source of pride and your performances as goalkeeper for the Super Eagles stands you out like a star. We are indebted to you and will stand by you to support, pray and encourage you in this trying period. We wish you a quick recovery and hope you leave the hospital soon.”

In his response, Carl Ikeme who was reportedly in high spirit thanked the federal government for reaching out to him through the phone call.

An elated Ikeme expressed happiness when he received the call.

“I am so happy to hear from Nigerians through the federal government and my spirit is lifted. I am responding to treatment and I can’t wait to leave here and be with my teammates. This call is worth more than money so I appreciate

Moses Simon scored for Belgian club, KAA Gent in their latest instalment of pre-season; a 2-3 loss to French club, OGC Nice on Thursday. The Nigerian winger got off the mark in 66th minute to temporarily peg the score at 2-2 after Mario Balotelli and Arnaud Souquet had put the French 2-1 up following Birger Verstraete’s opener for the Belgians in the 13th minute. Alassane Plea scored the winner for Nice late on as both sides completed a good work out. Simon has been one of Gent’s most impressive performers in the last two seasons.

Bashiru tips MFM for NPFL crown

L-R: Super Eagles coach, Gernot Rohr, Carl Ikeme and NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick. this show of love from Nigerians, my coach and the NFF President who also took time to come here to visit me. Thank you so much for your love and care,” Ikeme said.

Earlier the President of the Nigeria Football Federation Amaju Pinnick and the Super Eagles Coach Ger-

not Rohr had flown to Manchester to visit the ailing goalkeeper.

Pinnick also thanked the government for their show of love for one of its own adding that this will go a long way in speeding up the healing process of the goalkeeper.

Mountain of Fire Miracles Ministries (MFM) FC centre back, Monsuru Bashiru has said outright that his side will emerge champions at the end of the on-going topflight. The Olukoya Boys are hosts of Wikki Tourists in Sunday’s Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) matchday 29 clash at their fortress, Agege Township Stadium.

Bashiru said his side envisage a difficult match against the Bauchi Elephants that is why the Lagos landlords are leaving no stone unturned in their preparation for the clash. The Lagos side are second on the 20team top-flight log on 46 points five behind league leaders, Plateau United.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

EXTRATIME

P.29

EURO TRANSFERS… EURO TRANSFERS… EURO TRANSFERS… EURO TRANSFERS…

Deulofeu rejoins Barca

Stories by ANDREW EKEJIUBA with Agency Report

S

pain winger Gerard Deulofeu has completed his return to Barcelona from Everton.

The LaLiga giants exercised a buyback clause in the deal that saw

the 23-year-old move to Goodison Park in 2015 two weeks ago after he impressed while on loan at AC Milan during the second half of last season.

Deulofeu, 23, completed his medical at Barcelona on Friday before signing a contract running until June 2019 at the club’s offices.

Barca did not disclose the fee paid for Deulofeu, although it has been widely reported to be €12million.

Full-back Nelson Semedo was also unveiled as the second signing of Ernesto Valverde’s tenure at Camp Nou on Friday.

Valencia send Bakkali on loan to Deportivo

V

alencia have sent winger Zakaria Bakkali to Deportivo La Coruna on a season-long loan deal.

The 21-year-old winger had been linked with Arsenal, Manchester United and Liv-

erpool before signing a five-year deal to move to Valencia from PSV in July 2015.

Bakkali made 18 league appearances for Valencia last season but he started just one game in LaLiga as the club finished 12th in the table, four places

above Deportivo.

Belgium international Bakkali has won two full international caps and was part of an unsuccessful qualifying campaign for the European Under-21 Championship in Poland.

BRIEFS Moses, Omeruo in separate trainings Deulofeu

Bayern loans Gnabry to Hoffenheim

S

Mbappe

Mbappe unsure of Monaco stay

M

onaco star Kylian Mbappe says he does not know if he will be at the club next season as speculation continues to mount over his future.

The 18-year-old has been linked with practically every major side in Europe following his standout 201617 campaign, in which he scored 26 goals in all competitions.

Arsenal have been linked with a stunning £123million bid most recently, while possible moves to Real Madrid or Ligue 1 rivals Paris SaintGermain continue to be put forward.

Mbappe has largely kept quiet on rumours around his future but suggested that he would be open to a transfer when quizzed by the Spanish media during Monaco’s pre-season training in Switzerland.

“I don’t know if I’m going to stay,”

he told reporters.

The France international was Monaco’s most exciting player as they claimed the Ligue 1 title and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League last term.

It has been speculated that he would be prepared to leave before next season given that he is set to watch a number of team-mates move on to other clubs.

Bernardo Silva has joined Manchester City and Benjamin Mendy has been tipped to follow him to the Etihad Stadium, while Tiemoue Bakayoko is reportedly on the brink of finalising a move to Chelsea. Valere Germain has left for Marseille and Thomas Lemar is said to be a target for Arsenal, although Radamel Falcao, Kamil Glik and Djibril Sidibe have all committed to new contracts.

erge Gnabry has joined Hoffenheim on a one-year loan deal from Bayern Munich, the Bundesliga champions have confirmed.

The former Arsenal winger, who turned 22 on Friday, joined Bayern from Werder Bremen last month for a fee believed to be in the region of €8million. However, he will spend the first season of a three-year deal on loan at Hoffenheim, who are set to make their Champions League debut this term.

Gnabry impressed as part of Germany’s victorious team at the European Under-21 Championship and his arrival offsets Hoffenheim’s loss of Niklas Sule and Sebastian Rudy, both of whom begin their Bayern

Gnabry

careers this season after securing moves back in January.

“It was the explicit request from Serge to be loaned out for a year so he could get more experience,” said Bayern chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“From my perspective, that will be guaranteed to be at a high level at Hoffenheim.”

Bayern bolstered their creative midfield options earlier this week with a surprise swoop for Real Madrid star James Rodriguez on an initial two-year loan deal, although Douglas Costa was allowed to join Juventus on loan.

Gnabry shone in the Bundesliga for Bremen last season, scoring 11 goals in 27 appearances.

Super Eagles stars Victor Moses and Kenneth Omeruo worked separately from the rest of the Chelsea first team on Thursday morning.

The two Nigerian internationals, who are classified as defenders, worked out in the gym, while the strikers and midfielders were sweating it out on the pitch. This Saturday, Omeruo is in line to make his unofficial debut for the Premier League champions when they take on Crawley Town. The central defender is attracting interest from Turkish Super Lig teams in the summer transfer market. ÏÏÏ Ojo in Newcastle’s radar!

English Premier League new boys Newcastle United have not thrown in the towel regarding their pursuit of Sheyi Ojo. The Magpies remain in the hunt to take Sheyi Ojo on a season-long loan from Liverpool, despite interest from Middlesbrough.

Rafa Benitez attempted to sign the winger last season but Liverpool refused to do business as the player was struggling to overcome an injury. The 20-year-old sparkled in Liverpool’s 4-0 rout of Tranmere Rovers on Wednesday night, with his pace causing the defense problems and won a penalty for the Reds, which was converted by Milner. ÏÏÏ Asante Kotoko loses Asare in bus accident Ghanaian club Asante Kotoko were involved in a fatal traffic accident Wednesday night when their team bus struck a stationery vehicle on the return trip from a league match against Inter Allies. The vehicle was en route to Kumasi from Accra, where the team had suffered a 1-0 defeat, with the accident occurring in Nkawkaw. It has been confirmed that Kotoko’s assistant kit man, Kofi Asare, was sadly killed in the accident.

Saturday, July 15, 2017

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BRIEFS

Kagawa seals Dortmund extension

Shinji Kagawa has signed a two-year contract extension at Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga club have confirmed. Japan international Kagawa, in his second spell with Dortmund having rejoined from Manchester United in August 2014, was due to be out of contract at the end of the forthcoming season but is now committed to a stay at Signal Iduna Park until June 2020. Over a combined five campaigns with BVB, Kagawa has won two Bundesliga titles and twice lifted the DFB-Pokal. Dortmund take on Klassiker rivals Bayern Munich in the DFL-Supercup on August 5 before a DFB-Pokal tie at Rielasingen-Arlen. They get their 2017-18 Bundesliga campaign up and running away to Wolfsburg on August 19.

Campbell

Arsenal’s Campbell suffers knee injury Alves

Stories by BEN NWACHUKWU, Abuja

A

rsenal forward Joel Campbell has confirmed he requires surgery on a knee injury suffered during Costa Rica’s 1-1 Gold Cup draw against Canada.

The 25-year-old is thought to have torn a ligament during the meeting in Houston and is

reportedly facing up to six months out of action.

“We will see what the doctors say, but it is a pretty big tear and I will have to undergo an operation,” he said to reporters.

Campbell said: “It’s sad and difficult to have to leave the national team, it’s tough when injuries like this stop you from competing and defending your country.

Swansea not ready for Sigurdsson sale

S

Sigurdsson

wansea City’s owners insist the club will not be “bullied” into selling midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Everton are reportedly eager to sign the Iceland international but are said to have seen a £40million bid rejected, with Paul Clement’s side holding out for £50m.

Sigurdsson did not travel with the squad for their pre-season tour of the United States, with Swansea stating that the 27-year-old “did not feel in the right frame of mind” due to the speculation over his future.

However, the Swans’ American owners, Steve Kaplan and Jason Levien, have now warned potential suitors that they can forget about signing Sigurdsson unless they

meet the club’s asking price.

“We are disappointed Gylfi has taken the decision not to join his team-mates in America where they are working with the coaching staff to prepare for the upcoming season,” they said.

“At this time we have not received an offer from any club which represents a fair valuation of Gylfi given his importance to our club.

“As we have stated, we will not be bullied or forced into a decision until a club meets our valuation of the player, no matter whether they believe they have an agreement with the player. Any such agreement would obviously be in contravention of Premier League legislation.

“I gave everything, as I always do. Now I have to think about recovering to come back stronger and to support my team-mates 100 per cent. The objective remains the same.”

Campbell had been tipped to leave Arsenal in the transfer window after failing to force his way into Arsene Wenger’s first-team plans.

He spent last season on loan at Sporting CP, making 29 appearances in all competitions.

Ibrahimovic exit could help Martial – Silvestre

Z

latan Ibrahimovic’s Manchester United exit will give Anthony Martial a chance to take a step up, according to Mikael Silvestre.Martial, 21, scored just four Premier League goals last season after starting 18 games as Ibrahimovic took centre stage at Old Trafford.

Ibrahimovic netted 28 times in all competitions for United, but a knee injury brought his campaign to an early end and he left the club at season’s conclusion.

Silvestre, who won five Premier League titles at United, believes that will give Martial an opportunity after the France international struggled to back up his breakout 2015-16 campaign, during which he scored 17 goals.

“Zlatan’s aura was big. So was his character, his ego, and what he was spreading around him was sometimes intimidating for the younger players,” he said.

“It also gives you an example to follow, so it was good to have him around. But for the younger players and Anthony, you’d expect them to score more goals.”

Injured Boateng to miss Bayern’s pre-season tour

Jerome Boateng has been left out of the Bayern Munich squad for the club’s preseason tour as the defender continues to recover from a thigh injury. Boateng missed Bayern’s title celebrations after being injured in the final Bundesliga game of the season against Freiburg in May, but he had been expected to return for pre-season. But, with high-profile matches against Arsenal, AC Milan, Chelsea and Inter Milan coming up for Bayern, Germany international Boateng will stay in Munich to work on his fitness.

Boateng made only 13 league appearances for Bayern last season, with a shoulder injury seeing the 28-year-old miss a chunk of the campaign from December until March.

Perisic future to be decided soon

Manchester United have a “strong interest” in signing Ivan Perisic but Inter will not let him leave on the cheap, technical director Walter Sabatini has insisted. Jose Mourinho’s side have long been linked with a move for the Croatia international, who is reportedly valued at close to £50million by the Serie A club. Perisic was pictured looking unhappy in an Inter team photograph this week and has already begun planning for life at Old Trafford, according to reports in England. Inter sporting director Piero Ausilio made it clear this week that they had not received a satisfactory offer for the 28-year-old.

Honda joins Pachuca after quitting AC Milan Japan star Keisuke Honda has signed for Pachuca, the Liga MX club have confirmed. The 31-year-old was a free agent after leaving AC Milan at the end of last season. Honda had been training in Orange County and was linked with a possible move to MLS, with La Galaxy said to have been interested. However, the attacking midfielder has opted to move to Mexico, with Pachuca confirming his arrival via their official Twitter account.The former CSKA Moscow man, who had also been linked with Galatasaray, made just nine Milan appearances in all competitions under Vincenzo Montella last season.

Hamann slams Klopp’s tactics

F

ormer Liverpool midfielder Dietmar Hamann has questioned whether Jurgen Klopp has the tactical acumen to mount a title challenge in 2017-18.

The Reds finished fourth last season to secure a place in the Champions League play-offs, but their campaign was somewhat disappointing given that they failed to win a trophy and effectively surrendered their Premier League titles hopes with a run of one win in seven games at the turn of the year.

Klopp has won widespread praise for instilling an exciting style of play into the team since his arrival at Anfield two years ago, but last term’s inconsistency and defeats in the

finals of the EFL Cup and Europa League the season before have cast doubt on his prospects of delivering consistent silverware.

Hamann won eight major trophies – including the Champions League – during his Liverpool career but is not convinced that his compatriot’s methods will bring the club the success they crave.

“I think it will be very interesting how it’s going to pan out,” he told the media. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t know if they have the tactical nous, whether they’ve got the capabilities to play 55, 60 games the way they play and be competitive.

“I think they’ve got to find another way of

winning games. You can’t go at 100 miles per hour for 90 minutes every three days, it’s simply not possible. Because other teams are too good and you need to be streetwise and you need the tactical nous about you, about them.

“I think we’ll find out a lot about the team and the manager this coming season. They did well to get in the top four, now they have to prove they can compete in the Champions League and get in the top four again.

“Because I think what has been lacking the last eight or nine years was consistency, that’s why we haven’t been successful, that’s why we haven’t won trophies. Hopefully they can make up for that next season.”

Klopp

Saturday, July 15, 2017

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NFF, Rohr must qualify Eagles for Russia 2018—Mustapha Ben Nwachukwu, Abuja

S FIFA boss, Gianni Infantino

FIFA lifts ban on Sudan

ANDREW EKEJIUBA with Agency Report

W

orld’s football governing body, FIFA has lifted the suspension on the Sudan Football Association.

The move comes after the Sudanese government has reportedly annulled the decision that prompted the ban.

Sudan was banned earlier this month following government interference in sport and the world’s football governing body decided to disqualify the national team and local foot-

ball clubs from international competitions.

Following the ban, three Sudanese clubs in Al-Merreikh, Al-Hilal Omdurman and Al-Hilal Obeid were banned by CAF from their participation in the CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup respectively.

“Under the circumstances, FIFA decided to lift the suspension with immediate effect,” said FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura.

Although the ban will receive a warm welcome, the announcement comes too late for Sudanese clubs in African club competitions.

Merriekh and Al-Hilal Omdurman were dis-

qualified from the Champions League because of the FIFA suspension whilst Obeid was eliminated from the second-tier, Confederation Cup. Following the new decision by FIFA, Sudan will now be able to contest a forthcoming 2018 CAF African Nations Championship qualifier against Burundi.

Sudan earned its ban after the Ministry of Justice ordered the removal of Mutasim Gaafar Sir Elkhatim on June 2 as president of the country’s FA after two rival groups claimed control of the body.

McGregor, Mayweather tour hits NewYork ANDREW EKEJIUBA with Agency Report

N

ight three of Conor McGregor and Floyd Mayweather’s war-of-words world tour is done. On Thursday, it was New York.

On Friday, they headed to London.

If Wednesday night’s event in Toronto was a huge success, Thursday in Brooklyn was the opposite, with questionable comments and unsightly scenes marring the third leg of the tour.

After two news conferences as the noticeably smaller man, Mayweather arrived wearing trainers with huge boosted soles to take him up to the Irishman’s height when they went face to face. Meanwhile McGregor’s attire, shirtless underneath a mink coat he described as “polar bear”, stood out.

Unlike in Toronto, there were few magic moments from UFC lightweight champion McGregor, 28, this time around.

Instead it was the former five-weight world boxing champion who called the shots, throwing bundles of cash into the air and over McGregor, who remarked that the dollar bills he was being showered with were “only ones”.

The most notable moment of the event came when Mayweather, 40, instructed his team to “form voltron”, prompting his entou-

enior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Abdulakeem Usman Mustapha has charged the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and the Technical Adviser of the Super Eagles Genort Rohr to do the needful to ensure Nigeria crosses the hurdles of Cameroon and Algeria to hoist her flag in Russia in the 2018 Fifa world cup finals. Mustapha (SAN) who has been vocal on matters concerning football in Nigeria as a former Chairman of the NFF Electoral Committee for the 2010 NFF Elections that midwifed the Aminu Maigari-led board said the fact that Nigerians including himself believe that Cameroon cannot hinder Nigeria from making it to the finals of 2018 Fifa world cup in Russia, those saddled with the responsibility must not go to sleep.

He noted that discriminating against any player because of the league or country they are plying their trade will not give Nigeria the opportunity to select best legs to represent her in these decisive matches.

“The fact that a player is playing in the Chinese League or any other League than England, Spain, Germany or the so called big leagues should not be a minus for that player.

The coach should give every player a chance to prove self. He should not invite players based on the country they are playing,” he said.

Using Skipper Mikel Obi to buttress his points, the erudite lawyer stated that it is better for a player to play regularly in competitive matches in China than to be warming the bench in England arguing that the future of football is Asia and China is the destination.

“If you like it or not, the future of football is Asia and the Chinese League will be the best in the world very soon. They have the resources and capacity to actualise this and the whole world knows, so shutting the Super Eagles doors at these players because they are playing in China or Qatar is not the best for our ambition to qualify,” he added.

Nigeria suffered a humiliation on her soil against South Africa in the first fixture without the likes of Mikel Obi, Odion Ighalo, Brown Idehen, Bsbatunde Mikel and other quality Nigerian players who are either in the Chinese or Qatar League but the Senior Advocate of Nigeria insists “that should not be the case if we must come out tops in our group and qualify for the world cup.”

rage to surround McGregor and get in the Dubliner’s face.

In the briefing afterwards McGregor made light of the incident, calling the American’s musclebound bodyguards “juiced-up fools” and said the incident was nothing more than “handbags”.

“A lot of media seem to be saying I’m against black people,” McGregor said.

“That’s absolutely ridiculous. Do they not know I’m half-black? I’m half-black from the belly button down.”

His comments drew criticism on social media and later from Mayweather himself.

“He’s crossing the line, but I can’t really focus on that right now. I’m here to do a job, and my job is to go out there and entertain. But he’s losing a lot of fans by doing that,” he said.

After the event McGregor tried to explain, telling reporters: “That doesn’t sit well with me. I’m a multicultural individual and I don’t have any ill feelings towards anyone. I don’t even see colour.

“I just wanted to say something and have a little fun with it. I wanted to play with it and address it in my own little way. It’s stupid and it’s ridiculous is basically what I was getting at.”

As for Mayweather, it was simply a case of

McGregor

rinse and repeat, as the boxing superstar regurgitated the same material we’d heard at the earlier events.

With McGregor saying he was caught off guard by the format [and having his mic cut off], the common consensus is Mayweather edged the first meeting in LA, but McGregor came roaring back in style in Toronto. If it is scored using the 10-point must system, Mayweather took round one 10-9 but McGregor dominated round two to score a 10-8.

Here in Brooklyn McGregor’s antics proved a major mis-step, while Mayweather’s intimi-

dation tactics probably gave him the edge and another 10-9 on my card. But in terms of a war of words, neither man came close to delivering a knockout blow.

Given what’s happened in the three events so far, I’d suggest the scorecard is even, but the momentum is certainly with Mayweather as the tour heads to the final leg in London.

A crowd of 13,165 were in attendance for the event, with the arena initially sounding like a pro-McGregor crowd. But as things developed it became clear Mayweather also had his fair share of support in the Barclays Center.

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Business Times Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Investors stake N14bn on 1,272 billion shares in one week

Page B2

VAIDS, a golden opportunity for companies to regularise tax affairs

Azubike Nnadozie

Medview’ll continue to make Hajj pilgrims happy – Animashaun

Business School’s worst idea

Page B3

Page B4

Transcorp Hilton Abuja celebrates 30th year Bonny Amadi Award winning Transcorp Hilton Abuja hotel in Nigeria is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, having officially opened its doors to its first guest on the 21st of April, 1987. The iconic hotel, which has through the years, hosted Royalty, Presidents, Global leaders, celebrities and other dignitaries, gathered friends, partners, clients, its board members and staff to commemorate its legacy and rich history as a pioneer in Nigeria’s hospitality sector.

Nigerian companies and entrepreneurs that don’t have their tax affairs in order should act now to take advantage of the government’s Voluntary Assets and Income Declaration Scheme (VAIDS), says Magnus Nmonwu, Regional Director for Sage West Africa. The scheme runs from 1 July 2017 to 31 March 2018.

According to Nmonwu, VAIDS gives taxpayers an opportunity to Built on 20 hectres of land, the voluntarily declare all previously 670 bedroom 5-star hotel began undisclosed assets and income, and thereby regularise their affairs.

VAIDS applies to all taxpaying entities (individuals, companies, executors, trusts, partnerships and so on) and encompasses most tax categories, including company income, personal income, capital gains, VAT and stamp duty.

Implemented by the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) in collaboration with the State tax authorities, the scheme aims to increase Nigeria’s tax base, improve the tax collection to GDP ratio and clamp down non-compliance, he said. Adding, “This is a perfect opportunity to come clean for people and companies who have underdeclared or failed to declare their assets and income,” he adds.

“When the window closes on 31 March, companies and individuals that do not have their tax affairs in order may be subject to stringent penalties, punitive interest and even criminal prosecution. They Transcorp Hotel may be named and shamed in a register of tax evaders, harming their personal and business reputations.”

Nmonwu said that the first step to compliance was getting your Motolani Oseni business’s books in order, irrespective of whether you’re running a The Managing Director, registered company, earning freeWestern Lotto Nigeria, Elvis lance income or working in a partKrivokuca, has said that the nership. newly launched company was entering the Nigerian gaming industry with a thrilling approach that involves the infusion of fun and BUSINESS TIMES excitement into the lottery experiBusiness Editor ence.

Ganiyu Obaaro Krivokuca made this disclosure Deputy Business Editor during the launch of Western Azubike Nnadozie Lotto Nigeria and the unveiling of its chain of brand ambassadors in Asst. Business Editor Lagos recently.

Simon Ugwu The list of ambassadors for the Capital Market Editor Western Lotto Nigeria brand in-

operations as Nicon Noga Hilton Hotel, a member of the Hilton family of brands.

To commemorate this milestone, Transcorp Hilton Abuja hosted a cocktail and dinner with an array of entertainment and activities, highlighting and celebrating the impact of Transcorp Hilton as an iconic landmark in Nigeria.

Speaking at the dinner, Rudi Jagersbacher, President, Middle East and North Africa, Hilton Worldwide commended the Transcorp Hilton stating that its contribution to the brand equity and perception of Hilton Worldwide has been recognised all over

the world.

“I would like to commend the entire hotel team for their incredible passion and commitment to delivering excellent experiences for our guests from around the world” he said.

Since its opening Transcorp Hilton Abuja, has played host to numerous high-profile and celebrity studded events, such as the ECOWAS, World Economic Forum Africa, Miss World Pageant, the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM), amongst others.

Opening the anniversary event, Tony O. Elumelu, chairman of Transcorp Plc owners of Trans-

corp Hilton Abuja, thanked guests and shareholders for begin a part of the journey so far. “On behalf of the board of Transcorp Plc, thank you for your custom, patronage and your good will. You are the reason we are celebrating today,” he said.

Elumelu added that Transcorp Hilton has transcended the description of being just a hotel to becoming one of Nigeria’s most valued icons.

“Transcorp is not just a company owned by people but an iconic institution owned by every Nigerian. Transcorp Hilton Abuja is beyond the Transcorp franchise; it is a national icon,” he concluded.

Western Lotto out to instil gaming with entertainment – MD

Bonny Amadi

cludes Nollywood actors Olu Jacobs, Zack Orji, Ramsey Nouah, Alex Usifo, Jide Kosoko, Osita Iheme. Also on the list are Nigerian music icons, 2face, Olamide and ace comedian, AY. Speaking on the choice of entertainers as brand ambassadors, Krivokuca affirmed that lottery is entertainment and Western Lotto is out to ensure Nigerians have fun while playing the games.

He said: “our explanation is centred on the nature of lottery as entertainment. Lotteries are number-based games of chance used mainly for entertainment, winning of prize and redistribu-

tion of wealth. Western Lotto Nigeria offers Nigerians the opportunity to experience and play the famous Power Ball, Euro millions, Euro Jackpot, UK Lotto and Mega Millions games, with a chance of winning a jackpot of N15 million. With these brand ambassadors, we are telling Nigerians that lottery is fun and they should enjoy themselves while playing the games. “ Added to the entertainment touch, Western Lotto also launched with a mobile application which is a disruption in the Nigerian lottery market.

The company further disclosed

that plans are on-going to add an African and Nigerian- centric game to its offering. The new game which would be unveiled soon, will add a Nigerian touch to the Western Lotto lottery experience, while the society would benefit from the proceeds.

According to Director of Western Lotto Nigeria, Mr. BiodunAkintaju, “Western Lotto is about you. It’s about that boy in Mushin, that girl in Maiduguri, about that madam in Yenagoa. It is 100 per cent Nigerian. It’s a Nigerian initiative through and through. Your payments are in Naira. You can play and win in Naira.

Capital Market B2 MRS Oil new Chairman drives growth agenda The board of Directors of Forte Oil Nigeria Plc has appointed Mr. Patrice Alberti, as the new chairman of the company, following resignation of the substantive Chairman, Alhaji Sayuu Dantata.

A statement signed by Mrs. Jafojo, the company’s secretary, published by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), revealed the appointment as well as the opportunities the new chairman brings on board.

Alberti, the statement said , holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Paris Academy and has been with the Mrs. group since 2004, and currently serves as the group Managing Director MRS Group of companies and director on the board of Corlay Global S.A. The company in the first quarter ( Q1)2017, inaugurated Dantata Jetty, a terminal, which has the capacity to berth vessels of 80,000 – 120,000 metric tonnes capacity, at the Tin Can Island Port in Lagos.

Cross section of experts have said that the company’s mew chairman would bring his many years of

experiences to bear in the company and enhance actualization of the company’s growth and expansion programmes of Forte Oil Plc. The company’s new Dantata jetty, facility said to be the first of its kind in Africa can monitor the loading of every drop of petroleum product in computers, and a new earning and growth opportunity for the company.

Minister of state for petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, lauded the project and reechoed that with the computerization scheme in the facility, the company can monitor loading from anywhere in the world.

Meanwhile, prior to joining Mrs. MRS Group, Alberti , the new chairman held a number of positions over a period of 20 years in various banks in Europe, PN Paribas Paribas, Banque Arabe International D’ Investment, Banco Central, amongst others.

Daily Times recalls that MRS Oil Nigeria has sustained enhanced business growth initiatives that would position the company to enhance growth potentials and return value to shareholders funds.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Investors stake N14bn on 1,272 billion shares in one week Stories by Bonny Amadi Investors on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) for a trading period of five days ended Friday July 14 2017, staked a total of N14 billion on 1,272 million shares in 19,385 deals.

The week’s turnover reflected decline in volume, value and total number of deals, compared with turnover in the preceding week which stood at 1.061 billion shares valued at N12.295 billion k in 18,847 deals.

The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization appreciated by 2.47

per cent to close the week at 33,261.66 and N11.464 trillion respectively. Similarly, all other Indices finished higher during the week with the exception of the NSE ASeM index that closed flat.

The Financial Services Industry measured by volume led the activity chart of the equities market for the week with 1.086 billion shares valued at N9.743 billion traded in 11,229 deals; thus contributing 85.33 per cent and 69.63 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Consumer Goods Industry followed with

44.786 million shares worth N1.536 billion in 2,853 deals.

The third place was occupied by Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 38.104 million shares worth N75.759 million in 727 deals.

Trading in the Top Three Equities namely, United Bank for Africa (UBA), FBN Holdings (FBNH) and Zenith International Bank, measured by volume accounted for 505.388 million shares worth N5.454 billion in 4,009 deals, contributing 39.73 per cent and 38.98 per cent to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The week’s price advanc-

ers table showed that 48 equities appreciated in price during the week, higher than 16 equities of the previous week. The decliners table also reflected that 27 equities depreciated in price, lower than 51 equities of the previous week, while 97 equities remained unchanged lower than 105 equities recorded in the preceding week.

Traded during the week, also were a total of 25,540 units of Exchange Traded Products (ETPs) valued at N2.646 million executed in 10 deals compared with a total of 5 units valued at N484.85 transacted last week in 1 deal.

Equities Market sustains gains with 0.04% growth in ASI Afolabi Adesola Nigerian equities market maintained an upward trend as the All Share index (ASI) added 0.04 percent on Friday, extending gains on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to the 7thconsecutive trading session.

The ASI advanced by 14.75 points to close at 33,261.66 points, while market capitalization added N5.1 billion to close at N11.463 trillion.

The day’s performance increased Month-to-Date gains to 0.8 per cent while the Year-to-Date return improved to 23.82 per cent.

The market breadth closed positive with 27 gainers against 15 losers. Unity Bank led the day’s gainers by 7.35 percent to close at 73 kobo Union Bank followed with a gain of 5.35 per cent to close at N5.51, Forte Oil was next with an appreciation of 4.99 percent to close at N56.17 per share. Betaglas also grew by 4.98 percent to

close at N54.77 and Fidson appreciated 4.95 percent to close at N2.97 per share.

On the other hand, Oando topped the losers with a loss of 9.58 percent to close at N7.55, Linkage Assurance followed with a drop of 5 per cent to close at 57 kobo. Conoil lost 4.98 per cent to close at N29.98 per share, Jaiz Bank declined by 4.76 per cent to close at 60 kobo while CI Leasing depreciated 4.62 per cent to close at 62 kobo.

Total volume of shares traded in 3,113 deals increased to 311.6 million, valued at N3.3 billion. This is in contrast to 288.9 million shares valued at N3.8 billion traded in 3,631 deals during previous session.

UBA topped activity chart with the trade of 103.2 million shares worth N924.1 million. Diamond Bank exchanged 44.8 million units at N57.4 million, while First Bank sold 36.9 million shares worth N224.6 million.

Chairman Transnational Corporation of Nigeria, Tony Elumelu & Chris Ngige, Minister of Labour and Employment are all smiles #HiltonAbuja@30 in Abuja on Thursday.

MSMEs need enabling economic policies to thrive – Lawson Managing Director CEO, Accion Finance bank Limited, Bunmi Lawson has emphasized that the Micro, Small Micro and Medium Scale Enterprises (MSME) are key to Nigerians economic development and should be supported with enabling policies.

Lawson stated this during a panel discussion at the Citi Journalist training Programme organized by the School of Media and Communications (SMC) of the Pan Atlantic University Lagos, adding that there is need to boost capitalization of micro finance banks to further advance their roles

as real sector economic drivers.

She said that globally, SME’s make up 90 per cent of enterprises and provided 50 to 60 per cent of jobs, but has been struggling due to prevailing lack of funds to expand and grow business, a trend that is supported by policy direction of the government.

She said that it was based on the understanding of the role that MSMEs play in the nation’s economic development that Citi Bank Nigeria advanced N500 million loan to the bank to ensure that more MSMEs in the country access funds to grow their

business and empower many other micro business operators through loan advancements.

She stated that though there has been N220 billion provided by the federal government to assist the MSMEs, but there is also,

no incentive that would attract financial institutions to access the funds. Operating cost, she said is high for the banks coupled with high interest rates which tend to eat deep into the opportunities the funds provide for financing institutions.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

33,261.66 3,113.00 311,608,792.00 3,270,753,850.82 11,463,653,641,409.80

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, July 14, 2017

B3

Business Interview

Medview’ll continue to make Hajj pilgrims happy – Animashaun Engineer Lookman Animashaun is the Chief Operating Officer/Accountable Manager of Medview Airline, a leading domestic carrier in Nigeria. In this interview with CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO, the COO speaks on the airline’s preparations for the 2017 Hajj operations to Saudi Arabia, stressing that the airline will continue its culture of making Hajj pilgrims happy every year. Excerpts: The Hajj is here again. What preparations are on ground by Medview Airline for the 2017 Hajj operations?

Yes, it is true we are back to the Hajj season which supposed to commence officially on the 24 of July this year. However, Nigeria may not want to commence on that day; Most times, Nigeria always joins in airlifting of pilgrims, perhaps, two or three days later. But officially, all over the world, airlifting of Hajj pilgrim for 2017 will commence on 24th July, 2017. On the preparations by the Medview team and characteristics of Medview, we commenced the preparation for the next year as soon as we finish one Hajj for a particular year. For example, we commenced this year’s preparation November, 2016, ahead of time. As far as Medview Airline is concerned; as at January, we had concluded all the preparations that we are in control of. The ones we do not have control over which has to do with the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) and the government are the ones that are pending.

From Medview side, we have concluded arrangements for the airlift of minimum of 25,000 pilgrims in 2017. We are only waiting for NAHCON and the government to conclude their own end, so that we can commence the final preparation for the airlift, this year.

Why do Nigeria always wait for few days before they start airlifting?

Most times, Nigeria doesn’t want to start airlifting from that particular day in order to reduce the days the pilgrims would stay there in Saudi Arabia. That is just the main thing; it is not that there is anything attached to it.

How many pilgrims are Medview Airline targeting to airlift in the 2017 Hajj operations?

Like I mentioned, from the capacity we have given to NAHCON, we are actually looking at a minimum of 25, 000 pilgrims What has kept Medview Airline on top of Hajj operations over the years? Your airline seems to be leading in Hajj operations in Nigeria? What is the strategy?

Hajj operation in Nigeria is synonymous to whatever you can relate with Medview Plc now. Medview is standing out because from the onset, Medview did not just venture into doing Hajj. We started with charter operation, where we started as a consultant to Lagos State Government. We helped

and assisted them to make sure that they had hitch free Hajj operations. From there, we ventured into doing charter to Hajj and that culminated to domestic operations and now regional and international operations. For us, Hajj operations, even though that is what we started with, is still one of the huge points for Medview Airline and we take it so seriously. We will continue to do that and also continue to improve on what we have done in the previous years to make sure that we give the best services to the pilgrims. That, we will continue to maintain and that has always been our standard.

Do you think NAHCON is giving the domestic airlines enough pilgrims that they are supposed to airlift?

NAHCON will always tell you that they have reasons for whatever they do. Before the Saudi Airline started airlifting in Nigeria, NAHCON has been fair to all the national carriers by making sure that the state governments actually picked the choice of carriers that would carry their pilgrims.

But since one of the designated carrier from Saudi Arabia started airlifting, it has always been that the domestic carrier or the Nigerian carriers have always been short changed one way or the other. Before, all carriers go to the field to canvass for the state to airlift them. None of the local carriers were given preferential treatment of awarding states. But these days that is what happens. The national carrier will award states to the designated Saudi Arabian carrier, while the remaining states are left for the Nigerian carriers to share amongst themselves. Although, the government still has a lot do in that direction; they must support the local carriers; they must give them the necessary and enough pilgrims to airlift because this is our country. We employed Nigerians and we pay our taxes. You cannot compare us with somebody from outside and does not have the prerequisite of whatever we are having in Nigeria.

Recently, you started Kano and Kaduna routes. Will that enhance the Hajj operations in any way?

No, because it is domestic operation. So it has nothing to do with the Hajj operations. In fact, it supposed to add to whatever that is going to happen in those states. For example, it means we are no longer new in Kano and Kaduna states.

That means if we have privilege to

Animashaaun

airlift them, they know us and that will give them comfort. I think that would be a kind of a plus to Medview.

What are the major challenges airlines face during Hajj operations?

The major challenge is the issue of pilgrims coming out to be airlifted on time. Most times, we do have visa problems that do affect their flight. What that means is that if a particular set is supposed to go for a particular day and the visas are not ready, there is nothing they can do. They will not come out. It is the NAHCON that processes it.

Whether they are starting on time to process it or not, is not for the airlines’ to know. The only problems airlines are having is that, as at the time they are giving you this slot, the schedule to operate, you know the state you want to carry at a particular date and time? NAHCON and the states put together should make sure those pilgrims are ready for us to airlift. This is because, at the end of the day, if you don’t go, you pay penalty. To me, that is the major challenge.

Is there anything new in this 2017 Hajj operations from the side of Medview airline?

For Medview, it has been services and comfort for the pilgrims.

In all the states we normally give

the pilgrims meals and hijab for the ladies. It is only Medview that is doing that. That is why when you go to the harams during the Hajj, you see Medview all over in their cloths. Those are some of the complimentary things that we provide for them. Not only that, we also give them purse, where they can put their passports and monies. These complimentary items are branded. Although, it is not Medview that is responsible for states in terms of accommodation, but those who follow us as international pilgrims are well catered for and their houses are very close to the haram. We make sure we give them meals three times per day.

They are always very happy and we will continue to do that.

Where and from which states in Nigeria or zones will Medview be lifting from?

No, it is not that it is designated to certain airlines. The ones that are designated are the ones given to Saudi Arabian carrier that is coming. While they remove those ones from the ones we can contest for to airlift pilgrims, the others are left for the local carriers to share amongst themselves. It is not that a particular state is earmarked for certain carrier. They allow people to pick their choices, apart from those states that have

been reserved for designated Saudi national carrier. You can’t go to those states but we are allowed to canvass for pilgrims outside those states.

Which types of aircraft are we expecting for the 2017 Hajj operations?

Medview is using three types of aircraft. We are using Boeing 747; Boeing 777 and the Boeing 767. Those are the three types of aircraft we are deploying for this year’s operations.

What is your message for intending pilgrims for the 2017 Hajj?

There is one thing they should put at the back of their mind.

They should know that they are going there for holy pilgrimage.

That should be the first thing they should be thinking anytime they are in Saudi Arabia. They should make sure all those social vices are left behind Nigeria and let them go and do whatever they want to go and do there. They should also make sure they don’t go there with hard drugs. In Saudi Arabia, there is no “abeg”. If you are caught, you face the consequences and you all know it. They don’t joke with it and they don’t compromise it.

Do you have a platform to create awareness on what the pilgrim should do?

Yes, there is this joint seminar they do give to the pilgrim. NAHCON will do their own and the states do theirs. At one point or the other, the carriers join them to do such presentations. Lagos own will be coming very soon. In cases of pilgrims caught with drugs, we don’t intervene. We can only educate them not to do it because we are not even in charge in the screening; it is the agencies that are responsible for that. So the only thing we can do is to reiterate it during the seminars and making sure that the pilgrims listen to us. We also tell them the consequences of doing such things.

What is the role of the aviation agencies? Are they making any input during the Hajj operations?

They have a role to play because they are the ones providing facilities at the airports. My advice for them is to make sure that most of these facilities should be put right and let them be functional.

Remember, Hajj operation is about people. They should put that at the back of their mind and anywhere they don’t have facilities that are not up to date, they try and put it in order.

v

Entrepreneurship B4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 14, 2017

Business School’s worst idea Why the “Maximise Shareholder Value” Theory Is Bogus, Short-termism, encourages underinvestment, and a preoccupation with image management - Part 2 A recent study

by McKinsey & Company, the blue-chip consulting firm, and Canada’s public pension board found alarming levels of short-termism in the corporate executive suite. According to the study, nearly 80 percent of top executives and directors reported feeling the most pressure to demonstrate a strong financial performance over a period of two years or less, with only 7 percent feeling considerable pressure to deliver strong performance over a period of five years or more. It also found that 55 percent of chief financial officers would forgo an attractive investment project today if it would cause the company to even marginally miss its quarterly-earnings target.

As we’ve stated before, we’ve been hearing this sort of thing from McKinsey contacts for more than a decade. And the “55 percent” figure likely understates the amount of short-termism.

First, even in a presumably anonymous survey, some CFOs might be loath to admit that. Second, for any project big enough to impact quarterly earnings, the CFO is almost certain not to have the final say. So even if his team approves it, it could be nixed by the CEO out of concern for earnings impact.

It empirically produces worse results.

We’ve written from time to time about the concept of obliquity, that in a complex system that is affected by interactions with it, it is impossible to map out a simple path to a goal. As a result, other approaches are typically more successful. From a 2007 Financial Times article by

John Kay, who later wrote a book about the concept.

Obliquity gives rise to the profit-seeking paradox: the most profitable companies are not the most profitoriented. ICI and Boeing illustrate how a greater focus on shareholder returns was self-defeating in its own narrow terms.

Comparisons of the same companies over time are mirrored in contrasts between different companies in the same industries. In their 2002 book, Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies, Jim Collins and Jerry Porras compared outstanding companies with adequate but less remarkable companies with similar operations.

Merck and Pfizer was one such comparison.

Collins and Porras compared the philosophy of George Merck (“We try never to forget that medicine is for the people.

It is not for the profits.

The profits follow, and if we have remembered that, they have never failed to appear. The better we have remembered it, the larger they have been”) with that of John McKeen of

Pfizer (“So far as humanly possible, we aim to get profit out of everything we do”).

Collins and Porras also paired Hewlett Packard with Texas Instruments, Procter & Gamble with Colgate, Marriott with Howard Johnson, and found the same result in each case: the company that put more emphasis on profit in its declaration of objectives was the less profitable in its financial statements.

Some more commonlycited reasons for why a focus on shareholder value hurts performance is that it dampens innovation.

Pearlstein describes another, how it demotivates workers: Perhaps the most ridiculous aspect of shareholder–überalles is how at odds it is with every modern theory about managing people. David Langstaff, then–chief executive of TASC, a Virginia–based government-contracting firm, put it this way in a recent speech at a conference hosted by the Aspen Institute and the business school at Northwestern University:

“If you are the sole proprietor of a business, do you think that you can motivate your employees for maximum performance by encouraging them simply to make more money for you?” Langstaff asked rhetorically. “That is effectively what an enterprise is saying when it states that its purpose is to maximize profit for its investors.”

And on a societal level, it erodes social capital and trust, which are the foundations for commerce.

It is our social capital that is now badly depleted.

This erosion manifests in the weakened norms of behavior that once restrained the most selfish impulses of economic actors and provided an ethical basis for modern capitalism. A capitalism in which Wall Street bankers and traders think peddling dangerous loans or worthless securities to unsuspecting customers is just “part of the game,” a capitalism in which top executives believe it is economically necessary that they earn 350 times what their front-line workers do, a capitalism that thinks of employees

as expendable inputs, a capitalism in which corporations perceive it as both their fiduciary duty to evade taxes and their constitutional right to use unlimited amounts of corporate funds to purchase control of the political system—that is a capitalism whose trust deficit is every bit as corrosive as budget and trade deficits.

As economist Luigi Zingales of the University of Chicago concludes in his recent book, A Capitalism for the People, American capitalism has become a victim of its own success. In the years after the demise of communism, “the intellectual hegemony of capitalism, however, led to complacency and extremism: complacency through the degeneration of the system, extremism in the application of its ideological premises,” he writes. “‘Greed is good’ became the norm rather than the frowned-upon exception. Capitalism lost its moral higher ground.”

Many elite professionals are deeply upset with Trump’s win. Yet the ideology that he represents

is very much in line with the logic of corporate raiders, many of whom, like him, went to Wharton Business School. And many elite professionals, in particular lawyers and consultants, profited handsomely from the adoption of the buccaneer capitalist view of the world and actively enabled much of its questionable thinking and conduct. As CEO pay rose, so too did the pay of top advisers.

They couldn’t be all that good, after all, if they were in a widely different income strata.

So as Lambert has warned, unless we hear a different economic and social vision from The Resistance, which looks troubling to have more failed Democratic party influence behind it than either of us like, the best we are likely to get is a restoration.

And if you remember the French Revolution, strongman Napoleon was succeeded by the Bourbon Restoration, which then led to the Second Empire under his nephew. So if we want better outcomes, status quo ante is not good enough.

If you are the sole proprietor of a business, do you think that you can motivate your employees for maximum performance by encouraging them simply to make more money for you?” Langstaff asked rhetorically. “That is effectively what an enterprise is saying when it states that its purpose is to Nwaodu Chukwuemeka, is a consultant with IDEAS Exchange Consulting, Lagos. He can be reached at nwaodu.lawrence@hotmail.co.uk (07066375847)

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Bonny Amadi Irrespective of recovery of the global market from the financial meltdown, which reigned in 2008-2009, the Nigerian capital market sustained a depressive trend. Confidence was eroded while value of investor’s holdings were battered.

The equity price of First bank of Nigeria, now having become part of a Holding Company (FBN Holdings) embarked on free fall, from a height of N15.50N18.00 in 2009, to abysmal low of N2.90 in as at April, 2017. This was as equity prices of other non-holding company banks, remained upbeat.

However, at the close of trade on Friday, 2nd June, 2018, FBNH shares attained a new high of N6.42, year- on- year, the Holding company’s shares has appreciated by 64,62 per cent.

Due to the new holdco’s arrangement, First bank lost fate of its investors, the Nigerian Pension Commission (PENCOM), stopped investments by Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs), in the company, hinging reversal of the policy on five years moratorium.

This triggered hearsay, which negatively impacted the bank.

The systemic impact did not only affect the other holding companies, other listed banks, but also the Nigerian capital market and new issues. Market confidence declined erratically.

This was at the time when the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) embarked on yet another banking sector regulation, which made provisions for banks to either function as a holding company or selloff all it’s none-banking subsidiaries or face purely banking business.

Prior to the 2010 banking sector reform, of which First bank adopted a holding company status, FBN, had remained the leading tier one bank in terms of performance, corporate action, liquidity and other key measuring indices that defines a top performer.

In 2019 for instance, First bank’s increased gross earnings to N218.3 billion, from N155.7 billion in 2008, the heat of global meltdown.

The Group’s capital adequacy ratio (CAR) was then at 24.3%, from 42.3 per cent in 2008, significantly higher than the regulatory requirement of 10%, and then internal target of 16%. The Bank recorded CAR of 29.7 per cent, relative to 48.2 per cent in 2008.

Ejikeme Nonso Alo in his piece, “The Pains and Gains of Governor Sanusi’s Banking Reforms, an unprecedented effect of over-rated professionalism” noted that. “From the fore-go-

B6 Business Feature

How Holdco’s regulatory failure denied FBNH investors’ funds

EMEFIELE ing, Mallam Sanusi’s banking reforms was well appreciated by majority of Nigerians, but from a more critical point of view the aftermath was disastrous and had a reverberating effect on economic development in the country” Following assumption of Holding company status, PenCom, Nigeria’s pension industry regulator, stopped PFAs from buying bank holdcos’ shares or other instruments, which affected three banks – FBNH, FCMB and Stanbic – IBTC. Reliable sources revealed that PenCom took the decision because there was no CBN’s framework for regulating the holdcos; and they were not up to five years old, as stipulated in the Pension Reform Act 2004.

However, this has now been rectified with the release of the official gazette of the Pension Reform Act 2014, which removed the five-year dividend declaration and payment requirement for stocks eligible for PFA funds, even though FBNH has observed the mandatory give years by Pencom.

There is no doubt that the impact of the Pencom regulation on the holding companies, in many ways contributed to the Nigerian capital market depression, post global meltdown, hence the market has assumed a more formidable stand, as the

CBN Governor new Pencom act is being implemented.

Mr. Godwin Anono, coordinator, Standard Shareholders Association of Nigeria, told Daily Times in an interview, that the decline in the fortunes of FBN, may have been strengthened by the apex bank’s regulation, which, however, did not envisage, challenges that cropped up.

Describing the debilitating fate suffered by FBN shares as a result of policy summersault, Anono said that, hence the impact was most on holding company banks’ showed that regulation , if any, negatively impacted the banks, and this also had its systemic impact on the market and other listed companies, hence, the decline in market confidence.

“The market is down because retail investors are not patronizing the market” in Nigeria, policy summersault is the in thing. You can have one policy in the morning and in the evening, another policy, and this has destroyed investments of many companies and investors” Anono said that the policy challenge is currently being played out in the money market where multiplicity or rates is been offered for forex transaction, creating now room for long -term planning and more room for abuses ‘ why should we have

parallel money market rates on forex” Anono queried.

However, Mr. Boniface Okezie, National Coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria, reacting to the impact of policy challenge on investments and businesses, said that the deficit in policy formulation is currently playing out in Nigeria’s cashless policy.

Inconsistent policy was the cause and now that you have seen that the PENCOM act has been amended to correct the anomaly, the holding companies have stated performing better in the market, this you can see in Fundholding’s, and Stanbic IBTC Holding.

Okezie told Daily Times in an interview that that the new banking licensing policy created challenges for the financial institutions, which impacted negatively on the shareholders earnings and the market as a whole.

‘The CBN has inconsistent policy on regulation of the banks and the economy and will always ask you to comply without objection. For us, they will ask us, the shareholders to go to court because they know that you will spend do much time in the courts. Thank God that the courts are ruling on our favour in all our actions challenging policy of the apex bank on listed banks.”

He added that FBNH’s reinvigorated performance, is also added by the performance of the bank’s new board that continued to address problems created by the policy direction.

According to him,“The bad loans has been provisioned for and cleaned up, the future is very bright as there would not be that level of provisioning again.

And this has returned the bank to its lost glory; the new banking model policy was hurriedly arranged, but now the issue has been resolved and PFAs have started investing in Holding company banks.”

Dr. Oba Otudeko, Chairman FBNH Plc, recently assured shareholders of better performance and returns on their investments in the present year said “we are confident that our group’s sound governance structure, resilient business model and the continued momentum reflected in our strategic business will, guarantee valuable returns in 2017 and beyond.”

The chairman said that though, First bank Limited, the group’s commercial banking subsidiary made the highest contribution of 91.5 per cent during the year, the profit was retained to grow the banks business and to boost its capital adequacy ratio (CAR).

The FBNH’s chairman said that the N7.18 billion dividend, representing 20 kobo per share, was made possible by the contributions of the merchant bank/ investment and insurance subsidiaries, which contributed 6.2 per cent and 2.1 per cent respectively to the Holding company’s earnings in 2016.

Mr. UK Eke, Group Managing Director, FBNHoldings, also revealed that the N50 billion profit recorded by the commercial bank’s subsidiary was retained to enhance the future operations of the bank, adding that deploying the funds to pay higher dividend and returning to the market to raise funds, would be counterproductive.

Eke said, “If your non- performing loan ratio is above 10 per cent, then regulation restricts you from paying dividend: adding that, if the N50 billion were deployed to dividend payment, shareholders would have received N1.43 per share.

With the current developments in PFAs, the economy and the 64, 62 per cent so far recorded

by FBNH, experts have said that attaining pre- holding company equity price N18 per share, could be on a short-term basis from its new high.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

B7 Business Feature

Digital Banking changing the fortunes of Nigeria’s Biggest Bank The emergence of the Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD) introduced to Nigerian banking customers first in 2015 to facilitate ease of transactions and enable quick service delivery is fast catching on as Digital banking services users are set to hit 3 billion globally, by the year 2021 says Juniper Research- A global data research company. AFOLABI ADESOLA looks into how this evolution is poised to shape the fortunes of Nigeria’s biggest bank-- First Bank Nigeria Limited, in terms of total deposits and gross earnings (FY2016) through innovative financial services delivery for wealth creation and prosperity for Nigerians

In line with a drive to remain competitive and deepen financial inclusion in the digital banking space, First Bank launched the USSD *894# banking service in 2016, enabling customers to perform banking transactions without the use of smart phone or internet service.

By the end of the year, the service recorded a total of 1 million active users, positioning the commercial banking group as one of the fastest growing banking product providers in the industry.

In 2016, the bank received the Digital Bank of distinction award from global finance magazine, reflecting a commitment to using a cutting edge to drive revenue in electronic banking.

The bank also sustained its leadership position as the first financial institution in Nigeria to achieve the milestone of 100 million electronic banking transactions per month.

From the financial perspective, revenue generated from electronic banking fees in 2016 alone stood at N21.8 billion.

This reflected a 42 percent increase from N15.4 billion recorded a year earlier. Electronic banking fees also made up 31 percent of the total fees and income of 71.4 billion realised by the bank in the 2016 financial year.

With over 12.4 million active customer accounts in over 12 countries, the bank has pledged its commitment towards increasing consumer convenience and meet the need of consumers who need to be closely connected and have control over their funds.

“We continue to invest in our people, processes and technology to enhance our unique financial services Group, offering relevant business solutions that meet the needs of our customers.” The financial holding group’s Chairman, Dr Oba Otudeko said recently.

As the banking business

ADEDUNTAN evolves, First Bank of Nigeria Limited has remained committed to empowering the Nigerian populace with the *894# Quick Banking service as part of its financial inclusion drive.

The service is set to deliver the power to bank anywhere and at any time. It is quick, convenient and easy to use and beneficiary accounts are credited instantly with alert notifications. Built on the innovative USSD technology, the *894# quick banking service transmits information through GSM network channels via mobile phones.

USSD technology facilitates sessions of communication that can be used in various areas of life including banking.

The *894# USSD service makes banking services available across all GSM networks, on any type of handset or device; iPhone, Android, Blackberry

GMD, First Bank

and even simple feature phone famously referred to in Nigerian lingo as ‘kpalasa’. It requires

USSD technology facilitates sessions of communication that can be used in various areas of life including banking.

The *894# USSD service makes banking services available across all GSM networks, on any type of handset or device;

no internet service connection and can be used in remote locations across Nigeria. This USSD service is delivered on the customers’ registered phone numbers linked to their FirstBank accounts.

With *894#, the mobile phone has become a mobile branch and FirstBank customers can activate this service in three steps: dial *894*0#; enter a fourdigit Personal Identification Number (PIN) linked to the debit card; create a five digit PIN, and the registration is complete. Customers can transfer money to FirstBank and other banks in Nigeria; buy airtime for themselves and their loved ones; check account balance on their phones, and do lots more wherever they are. PIN reset on this service requires only a quick dial of *894*0#.

Banking transactions can

now be performed on the go irrespective of location or time as there is no worry of internet connectivity or a token device, but only a Personal Identification Number (PIN).

To send money, simply dial *894*Amount*Account Number#; select beneficiary bank; confirm the amount, beneficiary name and enter five-digit PIN; then select account to debit. For airtime recharge: simply dial *894*Amount# to recharge for self; to recharge for others, dial *894*Amount*Phone Number# and enter five-digit PIN. FirstBank customers can transfer up to N100,000.00 per day and recharge airtime up to N10,000.00 per day. To generate account mini statement, dial *894*Account Number#, and to check account balance, the magic code is *894*00#.

FirstBank has always been at the forefront of seamless banking transaction in a convenient and secure manner and is committed to ensuring its customers are fully served with the USSD service.

First Bank has also confirmed, it will soon launch on the *894# Quick Banking service bouquet, the utility bill payment, payment for goods and services at any retail store in Nigeria, opening of savings account and linking customer BVN to the new accounts.

Statistics show that consumers are increasingly opting for banking services that offer, convenience, multi-channel digital services, speed and innovation all of which First Bank is passionate about driving rigorously.

A perusal into the performance of the bank at the stockmarket shows its performance is at an optimal level. The shares recorded a positive year to Date return of 90.5 percent for investors at Half year 2017 that ended June 30. It clinched the position of the second best perfoming stock in the banking sector for HY’17

B8

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15 , 2017

Life&

TIMES Saturday, July 15, 2017

Ebeye

Amanda

Nothing can make me regret giving birth L2 & 3

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

I bagged my degree at 19 – Amanda Ebeye

Delta State- born actress, Amanda MikeEbeye, is one of the Nollywood stars whose interpretation of role is second

her dexterity and acting prowess. The

So what has Amanda been up to?

I have been up to so many things; you know joggling parenting and schooling at the same time.

I am enjoying every bit of it.

School and single parenting, how do you cope?

I cope perfectly well. My son goes to day care, I

do. Then when he is sleeping, I sleep a little too.I just work around him. Everything I do has to correspond with his and it makes parenting so much easier that way.

birth surfaced on social media; how did you take the backlash at that moment?

In all fairness, I smiled when I saw the hate comments and all that because in actual sense, it does not affect me in anyway neither will it change any situation. Everyone is entailed to his/her own opinion and your ability to handle them all makes you stronger and that I am.

Did you at any time in the cause of reading the hate comments regret getting pregnant?

Nobody in this world can make me regret in my life.

You have been off the movie industry for a while, does that make you feel bad? my character, I would be back soon. But for now, I need to look in to other fields first and school in Canada.

What inspired you to take that step to study more?

Life&

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, July 15, 2017

I look forward to producing, directing my own movie ---Amanda Ebeye

Interview L3

Society Gist L4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15 2017

Ajibade Alabi

Yul Edochie declares interest to run for Anambra governorship election Nollywood hunk, Yul Edochie, shocked his teaming fans yesterday when he declared his intentions to run for the next Governorship elections of his state, Anambra.

According to what the father of three wrote on Instagram, the

Leading video entertainment company, MultiChoice Nigeria, has Summer Besties competition in Ni30, 2017. challenging kids between 5 and 12 to explore their creativity by answer-

about time the youths take over. running for Governor of Anambra State 2017. #TheLastBusStop. We need a new brand of leaders who will put the masses The older ones have failed us for too long...They have come to THE LAST BUS STOP!!!, he wrote.

However, when his publicist, Rita Okoye, was contacted, she clared his intentions to run for the post and would do everything possible to make his dreams see the light of the day.

MultiChoice announces ‘’DStv Summer Besties’’ competition

will be required to post a 30 second to one minute video of themselves describing what friendship means to them either in form ofart and craft, song, speech or poem.

Entries can be submitted online either on Facebook.com/dstvng or Instagram.com/dstvnigeria with the Yul Edochie

winners will emerge, one from each category. Each winner will receive a scholarship worth N300,000, laptops, bicycles and coloured printers. In addition, their respective dish with a one year premium subscription. Other fantastic prizes up for grabs include: cinema tickets, add on, educational tabs and many more. Entry is restricted to active -

older leaders have done their took over. So, we are out to put smiles on the faces of the people,” she assured.

When asked the Political Party, Yul would be running under, Ms Okoye, added that the plans to unveil the party is still in the wraps and would be announced

Martin Mabutho

sions will be judged for creativity and originality. A selected panel of judges will pick overall winners.

The deadline for receiving entries is 11 August, 2017.

“This competition encourages kids and pre-

teensin the country to explore their artistic talent while also having lots of fun”, said Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Sales and Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria.

Rukayat Gawat-Oyefeso organises prayer for missing father Gawat after 5 years

Marv goes romantic with For You Started at a very young age, Babatunde Bello, also known as MARV, was a gospel singer whose talent got him far while he was just a child. choir, he developed interest in playing the drums and learnt up to quite a professional stage.

Marv, after secondary school, took his love for music to another level by studying at the Music Society of Nigeria (MUSON), Onikan where he received an advanced diploma in VOCALS. His multi-talented nature and willingness to learn and improve got him a spot on his management team - TOT EMPIRE, home to Reekado Banks and Awanjo not stopped improving his craft.

Having written over 40 songs and co-written over 10 with industry friends, Marv is set with his first official single titled FOR YOU. FOR YOU is a simple expression of how much love a young man feels for his lady, inviting her to join him in a romantic dance.

The visuals, directed by Lucas Ried, features some of his friends in the industry, including Reekado Banks, Falz The Bahd Guy, AtFresh, Sess and the delectable Ashleigh Naila from the UK. MARV aka Mr Melody is sure here for our girls and looks like one who would stay a long time, judging by the depth of his musical knowledge and ability to deliver consumable music.

Cross section of Islamic clergy during the prayer One of the reigning Islamic singers, Alhaja Rukayat Gawat-Oyefeso, has organized

Rukayat stressed that she was so disheartening every day that she wakes up to realize that her father was still missing.

ago.

with the knowledge that you are missing. My darling dad is the secret behind my success after Almighty Allah. I will forever appreciate the good legacy you gave to me and the

sad day news broke that the famous Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) 10 senior staff got missed.

Since then, family and associates have been searching for him. He has not been pronounced dead but missing.

The prayer was held at Alhaja Rukayat of Islamic scholars were present at the event.

yet and I strongly believe you will return home hale and hearty one day. Life without you has been so lonely and meaningless to thing, I pray that the peace of Almighty Allah will be with you wherever you are .I am patiently expecting your return soon.

6

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, July 15, 2017

Relationship L5

ingredients to spice up your relationship

By: NWAOKOCHA DANIEL

Seeing what the relationship of this our century is turning into, where we tolerate ourselves then call it love, guys cheat on their girlfriends and vice visa. One could say to himself that we need help and healing, if I am permitted to use that, for a change of perspective about what truly a relationship is and suppose to look like, which drives us to the question of: How many of us are truly really happy in our relationship today?There have been numerous misconceptions about Nigerian relationships, liars with the list of others going on and on like that.But the truth still remains that though some of this believes/ thoughts or misconceptions are true but none of the listed is 100% true, this been because it all depends on who YOU are dealing with and who you claim to be in love with. So today, we took it upon ourselves to highlight key ingredients of a happy Nigerian relationship.

1.

Expect down times The average Nigerian mentality is to stay positive and not realistic in trying times. Which is good; but, we you guys should expect that there would be down times in your relationship that would require you to build skills that

there is time for everything and understand that nothing each other up when the down times come. That is where the real beauty is.

2.

Honesty First of all, let us establish the fact that there is nothing attention to them fully. This way, you guys are happier.

5.

Never compare your relationship with another

relationship you need to be 100% truthful even when it one of the strong relationship our older generation with happy relationships and long lasting relationships have involves the both of you arises, wear your grown up understood. Honesty is a key to a happier life. Be honest pants and meet each-other in the middle and be done

relationship to another relationship. Never.

to the other party. They might not show it in the open, but in secret, it hurts. You should let that happen to your relationship.

look at Chioma she cooks daily for her boyfriend�

Those statements are in all the shades of wrong there is. Comparisons in relationships have a way of making people feel less of themselves, incompetent and stupid; it leads to gradual withdrawal from both

trouble.

3.

Compromise Remember love brings two people with different ideologies, background, interests, and maybe religion together. The key word here is TOGETHER. It is no

4.

Pay 100% attention If you are in a serious/long term relationship, you would probably understand the urge to be taken to be about the both of you.When a tough decision that seriously. Not many people do.People love to know that they are being heard, felt and understood. When in a relationship every detail is important, every complaint is is particular about it.Note this attentive and being obsessive, you need to know your partner well. For my Fellas, your woman goes to make her hair or get her hair done, compliment her, compliment her dress, or her hair.

Let her know that you have seen it and you like and appreciate her for it. Foe my ladies, you man goes to get a new haircut, compliment him. Let him know that he looks more handsome.

That way, both parties know that their partners are paying

what you want or making you happy talk about it instead of nagging them about it. Put it out on the table in an understandable manner so that both of you can deal it whatever it is.

6.

Communication Communication is a very vital and most important key to a healthy relationship. When issues arise between you and your partner, do not patch it, or make excuses for it or sleep over it; instead

what they are saying, but also on what they are not saying. Sometimes the nonverbal signs tell you to pay attention to body language. Whether it is coming from you partner or going out from you.

I hope we have been helpful to you love birds out there. You should start making a checklist from given list above to be sure you are doing this right.

L6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Showing on

Movies Stars Channel 111

17:02

Showing on

Movies Romance Channel 107

11:50

Wed, 23 Nov | PG 13

101 M-Net West

118 Telemundo

152 Africa Magic Epic

Wed, 23 Nov | PG 13

120 BBC Brit Entertainment

155 AfricaMagic World

128 SONY MAX

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, July 15 2017

Mixed Grill L7

Photos: Ejiro Amos Tafiri, Lanre Dasilva, Taibo Bacar, David Tlale other showcase at the GTB Fashion weekend

The GTB Fashion weekend which held at the Landmark centre, Oniru might have come and gone but the will never be forgotten easily from the retail stands to master class and the breath-taking run-away show. Life &Times brings to you fantastic run-away models in top Lanre Dasilva, Taibo Bacar, Ejiro others.

Wellbeing L8

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, July 15, 2017

Nwaokocha Daniel

Get rid of that body odour

Amongst the many things you could do that are very wrong to turn people off or possibly drive them away forever, is having a body odor. It becomes a pathetic case relationships has to do with the terrible fact that people do to the other party which then causes the other party to venturing into a deeper and more intimate relationship

1.

Keep Yourself Squeaky Clean It is no new news that you should shower at least twice odorless. But when microscopic bacteria that live naturally for products that say on the label they are higher strength due to ingredients. If you

thoroughly, especially areas prone to sweating can reduce body odor. If you sweat normally, you might have more of a problem with body odor than people who sweat too

antiperspirants. Apply the deodorant or antiperspirant twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening. This way you tend to smell nicer and more pleasing to the people around.

the sweat tends to wash away the odor-causing bacteria.

2.

Use Antibacterial Soap When it comes to choosing a soap to use when you want to have your bath, we advise strongly that you choose antibacterial bath soap. Washing thoroughly in

3.

Towel Off Thoroughly

5.

Keep Your Wardrobe Squeaky Clean This is one place where a lot of people tend

the count of germs and bacteria that have planted wear. You need to change clothes often when you have a busy day and sweat heavily. Fresh clothes going ahead with the purchase.

Please change your underwear regularly. It is totally wrong for you use your underwear more you dry your towel immediately corner. This causes the towel to an easy camp ground for germs and bacteria which in turn causes 4.

Apply “Industrial Strength” Deodorants or Antiperspirants Once you are clean and dry, use a strong deodorant or antiperspirant on your underarms. While deodorants do not prevent sweating, they

in your shoes, replace insoles frequently, and go barefoot if possible.

6.

Cut Out or Cut Down “Offensive” Foods or Drinks more often, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods, also contribute to body odor. And the aroma of foods such as onions or garlic can be carried caffeine or alcohol may also cause you to sweat food. And if you must eat these foods, be sure to

aluminum chloride, a chemical that reduces sweating, and often also contains a deodorant.