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DAILY

ƾƠơÖë PDP mulls shadow cabinet, draws roadmap to reclaim Aso Villa 7

MơƠƄ ƅ ƐƏ ƅƐ ë Saraki threatens legal action as Adeosun, Idris deny fraud B5

ƈƌ ƌ Ɨ Ɨƈƅ ƈƆë How powerful media man sexually assaulted me at 17 5

TIMES SATURDAY Police promote EFCC Chairman 5 Magu, 17 others

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SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018 VOL. 3. NO. 634

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18 years after, S’Court voids Mobil’s sack of 860 Nigerian workers Ï RƏƗƆƏ ƍ ƕƌƆ Ɛ Ƈ ƑƐ Ɛ Ɨƈ Ƌ ƏƈƆ è ƋƋ Ɠ ƅƆ Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Belatedly many may

say, 18 years after 860 Supernumerary Police officers (SPY) were unceremoniously removed from offices by the Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited, the Supreme Court, on Friday, voided their sack.

The Supreme Court, in a unanimous judgment of five justices, held that it was illogical and without legal backing for Mobil to have employed the Nigerians and sought to off-load them to the Nigeria Police through the back door.

The landmark decision was on an appeal marked:SC/33/2010 filed by Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited against the 2009 Court of Appeal judgment which upheld the Nigerian workers’ claim to being employees of the oil giant.

In the lead judgment delivered by a Justice of Supreme Court (JSC), Justice John Inyang Okoro, the Supreme Court upheld the Court of Appeal’s decision in the case, which agreed that the Nigerians, led by Okon Johnson, were and are still Mobil’s staff and should be accorded all benefits.

The apex court also ordered Mobil to pay the Nigerian workers all oustanding allowances and salaries from when they were purportedly variously disengaged.

While summarising his lead judgment, Justice Okoro said: “The summary of the facts is that the 1st to 15 respondents were employed by the appellants as Supernumerary Police officers (SPY) and issued with appointment letters.

“Thereafter, it (appellants) tried to off-load them (the 1st to 15 respondents) Continued from page 4

Bitter tears of Nollywood Queens

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Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

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18 years after, S’Court voids Mobil’s sack of 860 Nigerian workers Continued from page 1 to the Nigeria Police, a decision the Nigerian employees rejected.

“The court bellow upheld their argument that they are not police officers, but staff of Mobil Nigeria Unlimited “So Mobil appealed to this court. And after we have painstakingly looked at all the exhibits before us, including the appointment letters. And we have also looked at the Police Act as it relates to the mode of appointment of SPYs. “We agree with the lower court that the respondents were employed by Mobil Nigeria Unlimited as their security staff.

“There is nothing in the Police Act, which gives Mobil the authority to appoint security officers and then, off-load them to the Nigeria Police.

“If the Police Council wanted to appoint SPYs it would have done it in accordance with the Police Act, which it failed to do.

“The law is very clear. Whoever wants the services of policemen in its establishment, should apply to the Inspector General of Police (IGP). The IGP would then request for and receive clearance from the President of the country.

“After receiving clearance from the President, the IGP will now authorise the Police Council to direct the Police Service Commission (PSC) to appoint. That is the way the law puts it.

“The PSC will now appoint these officers and then, post them to any establishment that requires them.

“But, in this case, Mobil advertised for recruitment, conducted interview, issued them with appointment letters; and then, gave them that name: Supernumerary Police Officers (SPY).

“Whatever name you give them, the basis is, who appointed them? So, whoever appointed them is their boss, which is Mobil Nigeria Unlimited.

“So, this appeal lacks merit and its is hereby dismissed. The judgment of the lower court is upheld.”

The apex court also dismissed a similar appeal by the IGP, on the grounds that it was unnecessary and a waste of public funds.

The Nigerian workers were variously employed in early 1990s

by Mobil in its security unit. But for unknown reasons, the company chose to refer to them as: “SPY Police of Mobil Producing Nigeria Unlimited,” a decision that later created confusion over the actual status of the workers.

In 2000, a dispute arose about the status of the security guards, with Mobil claiming to have transferred their employment to the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

Mobil claimed it engaged them

as SPY police personnel, and not actual staff; a claim the affected workers disputed, with some of them refusing to be transferred out of their stations.

They (the Nigerian workers) alleged being victimised, with some sacked unceremoniously for insisting on right to being entitled to be treated as other employees of Mobil.

They further alleged that, aside from being subjected to harsh working conditions, they were compelled to sign a document identified as “Mobil Producing Nigeria status agreement for supernumerary police service condition agreement.”

Other JSCs, Justices Olabode Rhodes-Vivour, Mary Odili, Amiru Sanusi and Sidi Bage, who were also on the panel, concurred with Justice Okoro’s lead judgment.

The workers said although some of them succumbed and endorsed the documents, others stood their ground, and later sought the protection of the court by filing a suit at the Federal High Court, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, marked: FHC/UY/CS/2004.

In a judgment on January 24, 2006, Justice Gladys Olotu of the Federal High Court (now compulsorily retired by the National Judicial Council) ruled in favour of Mobil.

The judge said, among others, that although the Mobil did not fully comply with the requirement under the Police Act, in recruiting SPY policemen, it could be assumed that it complied, having substantially complied with some of the regulations The Nigerian workers appealed against Justice Olotu’s decision at the Court of Appeal, Calabar, Cross River State, which art aside the judgment of lower court on May 21, 2009, saying that the verdict was a nullity.

A three-man panel of the Appeal Court, in its May 21, 2009 judgment, held among others, that the Nigerian workers were Mobil’s employees and ordered it to assume its responsibilities as they relate to the Nigerian workers. The panel comprised Justice Kumai Akaahs, Jean Omokri and Theresa Orji-Abadua.

Justice Orji-Abadua observed, in the lead judgment, that: “It is clear in exhibits D and E (Mobil’s letters to the Police, requesting training for its security recruit) that the 1st respondent (Mobil) was referring to their own security men as Supernumerary Police recruit, and it wanted them to be trained by the Nigeria Police in respect of which it made application to the Commissioner of Police in charge of Cross River State.”

She noted that: “Section 18(1) & (2) of the Police Act expressly

stated the way and manner a supernumerary police officer will be appointed upon the application of the person desiring to take advantage of the services of police for protection of his property.

It is clear that any step short of the ones prescribed by the Police Act will be null and void.

“The appellants were not employed by the Nigeria Police Force and then appointed as Supernumerary Police Officers by the Police Service Commission on the directive of the Inspector general of Police for the protection of the 1st respondent’s property as envisaged by Section 18(1)

& (2) of the Police Act. “They were and still are the employees of the 1st respondent since there was no affidavit evidence indicating that the appellants’ employment had been determined by the 1st respondent,” Justice Orji-Abadua said.

Mobil and the IGP appealed against the Court of Appeal’s judgment separately while the appeals were dismissed on Friday by the Supreme Court for lacking in merit.

Responding to the apex court judgement, National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), Liason Officer

Ə Ƒƍ Ƈ 9 Ƌ ƌƈƅ ƑƐ ƅƏ Ɛ Ɔ M Ɛƈ ƈ ƄƑƉ Ƈ Ə Ɛ ƆƈƏ M Ɛƈ Ƌ ƕ ƑƐ ƌƆƆƐƈ ê

and National Organising Secretary, Comrade Alex Stephen, described the judgment ‘’as a landmark victory for Nigerian youths and workers”.

He noted that the development will send a strong signal to companies engaging anti labour practices.

Comrade Stephen, also restated NUPENG’s resolve to fight cases of anti-labour practices in the oil and gas sector, saying that the Supreme Court judgement has once again made good the axiomatic expression that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

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Court jails 36-year-old woman for human trafficking ÏÏÏ

Efforts by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) to eradicate incidence of human trafficking in Nigeria has yielded another result as a Benin High Court in Edo State presided over

by Honourable Justice Alero Edodo Eruaga, sentenced Mrs. Vera Imoh, 12 months’ imprisonment for human trafficking.

In the suit No B/2C/2015, the convict, who lives on No 1 Adunwa Street, off Uwelu Road, Benin-city, was charged on a two - count charge of Procurement for Prostitution and facilitating activity for trafficking in persons.

The offence is contrary to the provisions of the Trafficking in Persons (Prohibition) Enforce-

ment and Administration Act 2015.

Mrs. Imoh had recruited a 16-year-old school drop - out of Uwulu Secondary School, Benincity, in June 2015 for her brother, Solomon who lives in Mali.

She was promised a job in a boutique owned by Solomon, but on arrival in Mali, she was introduced into prostitution.

During the day, she worked as a sales girl in the boutique while at night, she worked as a prostitute.

Besides, all her earnings were collected by Solomon.

In her ruling, Justice Alero Eruaga held that the convict was one of those denting the image of Edo State and Nigeria by recruiting young girls for prostitution. She added that the convict

was not unaware of the kind of “job” the victim was going to do abroad.

But the judge gave the convict the option of paying N1million fine. The woman was sentenced on a two count charge for 12 months each which are to run concurrently, while the fine cumulative.

Reacting to the development, the Director General of NAPTIP, Julie Okah-Donli, hailed the judgement, saying that justice will always be served.

She pointed out that the conviction of the 36-year old woman would serve as a deterrent to all individuals still involved in the crime of human trafficking, adding that there is no hiding place for such individuals.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

5 News

Chimamanda Adichie: How powerful media man sexually assaulted me at 17 ÏÏÏ A celebrated Nigerian

Members and supporters of the Green Party of Nigeria matching through the streets of Port Harcourt...on Friday

Army launches ‘Operation Last Hold’ to destroy Boko Haram ÏÏÏ The Nigerian Army has an-

nounced the launch of a new operation to totally destroy Boko Haram.

In a statement made available on Friday by the Chief of Training and Operations, Major General David Ahmadu, the new operation will last four months.

He said “Operation Last Hold is expected to last for 4 months and it will entail deployment of 6 additional manoeuvre brigades and other critical assets in Borno State.

Over 100,000 people are believed to have died from the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009, majority of them in Adamawa, Borno, and Yobe states.

The military and the federal government have in the past announced that the insurgents have been “technically defeated.”

But Boko Haram, which has since split into factions, is still able to carry out attacks on civilian and military targets.

Ahmadu ,however, disclosed

that the new operation will “ensure the destruction of Boko Haram Terrorist camps and strong points in the Lake Chad Basin.”

He added that the operation will also facilitate the rescue of hostages.

The statement reads in part, “It has become expedient for the Nigerian Army to change operating tactics, techniques and procedure in the North East region. Accordingly, the Nigerian Army Day Celebration (NADCEL) 2018 will be commemorated with the conduct of an operation tagged Operation Last Hold in Northern Borno within the North East Theatre.

“The design is to deploy personnel and equipment to showcase the combat efficiency of the NA and thereafter conduct operations to totally destroy Boko Haram locations in the Lake Chad Basin.

“Operation Last Hold is expected to last for 4 months and it will entail deployment of 6 additional manoeuvre brigades and other

critical assets in Borno State. The operation is intended to facilitate the clearance of the Lake Chad waterways of sea weeds and other obstacles obstructing the movement of boats and people across the water channels.

“It will also ensure the destruction of Boko Haram Terrorist camps and strong points in the Lake Chad Basin. The operation will also facilitate the rescue of hostages. The operational endstate of Operation Last Hold is the total defeat of the Boko Haram Terrorist Sect. Strategically, the conduct of Operation Last Hold will facilitate the restoration of fishing, farming and other economic activities in the Lake Chad Basin. Additionally, it will facilitate the relocation of Internally Displaced Persons from IDP camps to their communities.

Operation Last Hold is conceptualised to involve the conduct of population influence activities targeted to improve CivilMilitary relations in the North

East region. It is pertinent to note that Operation Last Hold is set to record remarkable achievements that would make the nation proud of the Nigerian Army’s determination at sustaining its constitutional role of defending the territorial integrity of the nation as well as its commitment to aid the civil authority to bring about peace and security.

“In this regard, law abiding members of the public in Northern Borno State are enjoined not to panic as their safety and well-being have been deliberately factored in the operation. The general public is requested to remain vigilant and be security conscious, as suspected insurgents may be fleeing from military operations in the North East and finding safe haven amidst our communities. The public is also reminded to report any suspicious activity or movement to the nearest military formation or other security agencies for prompt action.”

Police promote EFCC Chairman Magu, 17 others Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Police Service Commission (PSC) has promoted the acting Chairman of Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr Ibrahim Magu and 18 other senior officers.

Magu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), has now been promoted to the rank of a full Commissioner of Police (CP).

Magu and other officers’ promotions were approved at the PSC’s 27th Plenary Meeting which ended on Friday in Abuja.

The meeting was presided over by the PSC’s Chairman, Sir Mike

Okiro, a retired Inspector General of the Police.

The PSC also approved the promotion of AIG Agbola OshodiGlover in charge of Zone 11, Osogbo, to the next rank of a Deputy Inspector General of Police.

Others are, CP Ghazzali Mohammed, Commissioner of Police, Administration, DLS, Force Headquarters and CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah, former Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command and currently , CP, Force Intelligence Bureau, Force Headquarters were promoted to Assistant Inspector General of Police.

DCP Ebere C. Onyeagoro, DCP

Administration, Kaduna State Command and DCP Moshood O. Gbolarumi, DCP Maritime, Lagos, were promoted to the next rank of Commissioner of Police.

Other promotions approved by the PSC include; one Assistant Commissioner of Police to Deputy Commissioner of Police, Nine Chief Superintendents of Police to assistant Commissioners of Police, one Deputy Superintendent of Police to Superintendent of Police, one assistant Superintendent of Police to Deputy Superintendent of Police and one Inspector to assistant Superintendent of Police.

Okiro also congratulated the

newly promoted officers and urged them to rededicate themselves to the service of their fatherland.

He assured them that the PSC will continue to pay attention to their basic entitlements which include regular promotions.

Magu was appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari as the Acting Chairman of the EFCC in 2015 to lead his administration’s anti-corruption war.

Despite his remarkable achievements, the Senate refused to confirm his nomination on two occasions while the Presidency insisted that Magu remains the best man for the job.

and award winning author, Chimamanda Adichie, has disclosed how she was sexually assaulted by “a powerful man in the media” when she was 17.

According to Adichie, the unnamed individual assaulted her in his office in Lagos when she went to seek his help for a book launch.

The revered author disclosed this while delivering the closing speech at the Stockholm Forum on Gender Equality in Sweden on Tuesday.

Narrating the incident, Adichie said: “When I was 17 years old, I wrote a book of really bad poetry which I hope no one will ever read. But true to the delusional ambition of youth, I thought that it was a wonderful book.

“And in Nigeria, when a book is published, it is customary to have a book launch, to introduce the book to the public. And so I set about planning a book launch for this terrible book.

“There was a powerful man in the media who I knew could help with this book launch. And so I found my way to his office in Lagos and I told him about my book. Would he please support the book? I asked.

“He was very impressed that while other teenagers were hardly reading at all, I was serious and focused enough to have written a book.

“He was pleasant, warm and then he got up from his desk and walked around to where I was seated, and he stood behind me, and in a move that was as swift as it was shocking, he slipped his hands under my buttoned-down shirt, under my bra and squeezed my breast.

“I was so taken aback that I did nothing for seconds. Then I pushed his hands away, but gently, nicely because I did not want to offend him.

“Later that day, I broke into a rash on my chest, my neck, my face, as though my body were recoiling, as though my body was saying what my lips were not saying.

“I felt a deep loathing for that man and for what he did. I felt as if I didn’t matter, yet I told no one about it and I kept talking to him, being polite, hoping he would help.

“I was a feminist long before I knew what the word meant. I did not read feminist text. I knew that the world will not give to women the same dignities it gave to men.

The author later went on to talk about how women are expected to be lesser than they are in a bid to make men feel secure.

6 News

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

2019: PDP mulls shadow cabinet, draws roadmap to reclaim Aso Villa Tunde Opalana, Abuja

ÏÏÏ In anticipation of

its wrestling power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), opposition Peoples Democratic Party will constitute a shadow cabinet and draw a roadmap for effective governance.

The National Executive Council (NEC), of the party has therefore directed the National Working Committee (NWC), to in earnest commences action towards the establishment of a shadow cabinet to pilot PDP’s roadmap towards national economic recovery and good governance, in line with the wishes and aspirations of Nigerians, ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The directive was part of resolutions made by the highest decision making organ of the party at its 79th meeting held on Thursday, in Abuja.

Kola Ologbondiyan, PDP National Publicity Secretary in a statement said the party which is preoccupied with the task of regaining power leads a strong conversation and discussion towards a formal coalition of democratic forces to guarantee Nigerians the much desired all-inclusive platform ahead of 2019 general elections.

In this vein, he said the party’s doors remain widely open to all Nigerians, groups and like-minded political parties to foster

a strong rallying point for the determined quest by Nigerians to rescue the nation from the misrule of the APC and enthrone good governance in the country.

According to him, “that the PDP deploys the instrument of its democratic structures at all levels across the country to legitimately and urgently rally all Nigerians to vote out the APC and return the nation to the path of national cohesion, stability and prosperity for the good of all”.

Besides, the NEC also urged all Nigerians to, in unison, condemn the assault on the National Assembly, particularly the Senate, leading to the seizure of the mace and disruption of proceedings in the highest lawmaking chamber in the land.

While it declared that the invasion is a direct attack on the sovereignty of Nigeria and her integrity as a democratic nation, the NEC called for immediate prosecution of Senator Ovie Omo-Agege and all those involved in the ‘‘treasonable’’.

It further, demanded for a system-wide inquest, particularly on the compromised security at the National Assembly and held that the matter be expeditiously dealt with.

“The NEC also strongly condemns the branding of Nigerian youths as lazy,

by President Muhammadu

Buhari, as a direct injury on the sensibility of our youths who are known worldwide to be hardworking.

“The PDP reaffirms its belief and confidence in Nigerian youths and boldly announces to the world that our youths are resourceful and agile.

“Our nation is blessed with hardworking young men and women and we enjoin them to team up with PDP Generation Next Movement in the all-important determination to vote out the APC, which has not only refused to show interest in their well-being and development but has also held them in the highest form of disdain”, the

NEC stated.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party has condemned the plan by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to create 30,000 polling units as a secrete ploy by the electoral body to compromise in the conduct of next year poll by creating the additional units in catchment areas of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The PDP describes the exposed plot of INEC and APC as wicked, horrible and totally unacceptable.

The party, through its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan said its investigation revealed that this is part of the grand design

by the commission under Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to rig the 2019 general elections in favour of President Muhammadu Buhari and the APC. “We are aware of series of clandestine meetings between compromised officials of the commission and certain agents of the Presidency and APC, where the plot to sneak in the 30, 000 illegal polling units in some remote areas and through which they plan to allocate votes to President Buhari and the APC were perfected.

The party said it has lost confidence in the integrity of INEC under Professor Mahmood Yakubu,

therefore, unequivocally demand that all processes leading to the 2019 must be subjected to open review of political parties and stakeholders at all levels.

It further demanded that INEC makes public the location and status of all polling units as well as the report of its investigation of under-age voters in various parts of the country, particularly, Kano and Katsina state.

The PDP urged Nigerians to remain vigilant and monitor all processes to ensure that INEC and the APC do not, at any point in the process, manipulate the 2019 general election and subvert the will of the people.

From left: The Ogun State Director of Sports, Mr Adesola Faleti; Representative of former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Chairman, Macpotec Nigeria Limited, Surveyor (Dr.) Segun Osifeso; his wife, Funmi; the Area Commander, Ota Police Area Command, Mr. Fayoade Adegoke; and the Chief Imam, Ona-Ara Central Mosque, Sango Ota, Ogun State, As-Sheikh Sulaiman Babatunde, during the opening ceremony of the second edition of the annual Ota Police Area Command football championship, held at the Nigerian Distilleries Limited, Sango Ota, Ogun State sports ground........... on Wednesday

Edo, APC Youth Wing to train youths on entrepreneurship, leadership at seminar ÏÏÏ The Edo State Govern-

ment Strategic Planning Team (SPT) and the Youth Wing of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State Chapter, have announced a one-day training session for youths on entrepreneurship, empowerment and leadership.

In a statement, Chairman, Edo State SPT, Prof.

Julius Ihonvbere, said the one-day seminar themed Owning Your Future will

take place on Tuesday, April 24, 2018 at Buvel Events Centre, in Uromi, Esan North East Local Government Area, Edo State.

He said the seminar will feature panel sessions by top government officials, business executives and professionals, including Chief Executive Officer (CEO), LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited, Dr. Godwin Ehigiamusoe, Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq., and

Special Adviser to the State Governor on Agriculture, Food Security and Forestry, Prince Joe Okojie.

He added that the seminar will focus on understanding the purpose of leadership, developing business plans, sourcing funds for business and grooming entrepreneurial skills. He said youths will also learn how to tackle hurdles in establishing businesses and prepare for the job market.

Explaining that the seminar is divided into two panel sessions, he said “In the first session, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Osarodion Ogie Esq., will deliver a paper titled Edo State Development Initiatives, while the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Skills Development and Job Creation, Ukinebo Dare, will speak on Skills and Personal Development for Employment.”

Other speakers billed for the first panel session are: “Special Adviser to the Governor on Agriculture, Food Security and Forestry, Prince Okojie who will speak on New Opportunities in Agriculture; and Commissioner for Wealth Creation, Cooperatives and Employment, Hon. Emmanuel Usoh, who will focus on Cooperatives and Accessing Small and Medium Entrepreneurship (SME) Funds.”

Ihonvbere said that the second panel session will feature the CEO, LAPO Microfinance Limited, Dr. Ehigiamusoe who will deliver a paper on Building a Future for the Youths through Entrepreneurship, while a resource person from Farmer Joe Limited, IK Ogbebor and CEO, Cake Island, Gregory Owie would deliver talks on Running a Small Business: Understanding Pitfalls and Opportunities.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

7 News

FG urges permanent secretaries, ministers to work in harmony

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja Government has called on the permanent secretaries, ministers and other stakeholders in public sector to put an end to the recurring rifts between them and work in harmony for the good of the country.

Head of the Civil Service of the Winnifred disclosed

Oyo-Ita, this on

L-R:Head Strategy and Corporate Transformation Group, Bank of Industry, Mr. Yinka Adeboye;1st Non-British Global President, Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply[CIPS], Prof. Bola Afolabi; General Manager, Supply Chain Management of Seplat Petroleum Development Company Plc, Engr.

Olubusola Ogunbanwo,Chairman, Local Organising Committee of CIPS Conference, Mrs. Uche Gob-Agundu, and General Manager Lagos State Public Procurement Agency, Mr. Onafowote Idowu, during the 2018 Annual Conference of Chartered Institute of Procurement & Supply[CIPS], Nigeria Branch, tag: The Strategic Role of Procurement and Supply Chain in the Nigerian Economy, at MUSON Centre, Onikan Lagos. Photo: Olatunji Wale

a keynote address at an induction programme organised for permanent secretaries in Abuja.

“Over time, my

JOHESU accuses NMA of insubordination

recurring tension between permanent secretaries and other stakeholders in public sector administration such as ministers and their aides, members of the National Assembly, heads of extraministerial agencies domiciled under them and organised labour unions.

“It has been observed that there are gaps

By Idu Jude Abuja As the strike action embarked upon by the joint health sector unions and assembly of health care professionals, JOHESU, enters its fourth day, the body has alleged that the Nigeria Medical Association NMA, has resorted to cheap black mail, to enable it achieve its ulterior motive of diverting patients to their private hospitals while the strike action lasts.

JOHESU through its leadership in a press the level of biasness by Health, as it has wrongly represented other health workers across the country.

It said that it has at the meantime, wish to intimate the general public of the purported provocative antics being played by the

open during the duration of the strike.

Also the reintroduction of ‘No Work no pay’ policy to intimidate the workers as well as the adoption of “JOHESU, is not averse to the protection of government properties, we wish to reiterate that whenever the Medical and Dental Practitioners were on strike, no such rules as churned out in the recent circular were enforced. We of President Muhammadu

Buhari and the general public to the discriminatory, suppressive and oppressive

out boast by NMA, is a case of blind people who knows nothing about trade unions.

health sector to all health workers other than Medical Doctors in managing health care delivery in Nigeria”.

The body argued that it has been on record that patients are always hurriedly discharged and diverted to their private clinics whenever Medical Doctors are on strike and thereby preventing other health workers from performing their duties and nothing like locum doctors employed to serve the public nor registers opened to enforce compliance, while the policy of ‘No work no pay’ has never been applied to the strike mongers who call themselves Medical Doctors.

doubt the body pointed out that, it is comprised

equally been drawn to an egoistic and self-serving press conference by the leadership of Nigeria Medical Association NMA where they branded JOHESU an illegal body which should not be listened to by government and the general public. It is indeed fool hardy for NMA to go to town with such fallacy when JOHESU, a registered and recorgnized trade unions by law and has all rights and privileges to negotiate for the welfare of its members, is being described as illegal”.

The executive body of JOHESU implies that the

unions such as tje medical and health workers’ union of Nigeria, MHWUN, The National Association of Universities, teaching Hospitals, Research institutes and Associated Institutions SSAUTHRIAI, the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives NANNM. Other associations under its body also includes, Nigeria union of Allied Health Professionals NUAHP and union of education and association institutions NASU. “While these unions have rights to go on strike collectively or separately, NMA and ARD have no such right but behave as trade union and enjoy recognition and patronage of Health and sit with government to negotiate for their members under the watchful eyes of the and Employment just because the Ministry of arbiter but chooses to close his eyes to such illegality, is himself a Medical Doctor”.

JOHESU however, call on the members national wide to disregard all forms of threat or intimidation from government and ensure that services are withdrawn

until our demands are met.

We call on government to ensure equity and justice in the health sector instead Nigerians jeopardy by resolving the issues on the table than churning out the threatening circulars on registered, ‘No Work No Pay’ that have no universal application, as a diversionary tactic. We want the public know that what is playing out appears to be a situation where NMA and ARD, on one hand and government, on the other, have gone into an unholy alliance to workers’ rights even in a situation where doctors and other health workers remain the employees of the same government”.

JOHESU implore government to make every shot lived, in the interest of the poor and vulnerable Nigerians and not engage in activities that will further infuriate health workers and exacerbate an already bad situation. “ we have already directed all our health workers in the states and local governments to mobilize and join in the strike action nationwide in case government allows it to linger for the next two weeks and should that happens Nigerians should hold the present administration responsible for any single death in hospitals across Nigeria”.

to minimise areas of “There is also an urgent need to build mutual trust and all parties concerned service delivery to Nigerian citizens.”

Oyo-Ita said that the induction was part of government’s rebuild mutual trust parties concerned, adding that it would enhance service delivery to Nigerians.

She noted that permanent secretaries’ three generic roles come with a lot of challenges especially in the present era of resources and escalating competing demands.

The Head of Service said that the induction and other programmes have been designed to assist the permanent secretaries build their capacities to play their Describing it as the Ita disclosed that there are plans for a joint retreat of ministers and permanent secretaries

in the future as soon as the required funds are available.

The Acting Chairman of the Commission, Simon Etim, in his goodwill disbursement of funds and procurement of the frictions.

Etim said there was the need for constant consultation and dialogue between the permanent secretaries and ministers or other political heads.

He said, “There are insinuations in some quarters that the manners in which some permanent secretaries have exercised their responsibility appear to generate friction secretaries and their political heads.

“In most cases, the issues around such frictions are mainly on disbursement of funds and procurement “ P e r m a n e n t secretaries often complain of the overbearing pressures from political heads to breach extant rules as which they will be held directly accountable demands of political heads.

“Such situation requires tact and knowledge of extant rules which permanent secretaries should politely place at the disposal of such political heads. is need for constant consultation and dialogue between the permanent secretaries and their ministers/ political heads on the disbursement of funds.

“There should be rigidity on both parties without infringement on the rules.”

The chairman of the induction’s planning Esan, noted that the event was coming at a time the nation was witnessing evolution of the civil service.

She said that it was the obligation of the civil service to drive the implementation of government’s programmes.

News168 News

Daily Times Nigeria Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018 Saturday, April 21, 2018

Lagos trains 5,159 women at skill acquisition centres in 12 months The Lagos government

State has

government on women emancipation, economic progress and empowerment,

students have undergone training in its various Skill Acquisition Centres across the State in the last one year.

Disclosing this at the ongoing Ministerial Press Press Centre, Alausa, Ikeja in commemoration of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, Commissioner Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande stated that to tackle the unemployment structure of women in the State, the government has organised short and longterm vocational training programmes for women; young female, widows, vulnerable and disabled women across the State.

According to her, in a of the State government to ensure every citizen, irrespective of their social status and condition,

that the participation of the Ministry at the 62nd Session of the Commission on the status of women at the UN Headquarters in government the sustainable of women.

Akande disclosed further that 300 women

were exposed to digital entrepreneurial training to acquaint them with the modern method of marketing their products and compete with their contemporaries in the business world.

“To support the vision and invest in the future of girls and young women, the Ministry participated in the 2018 Olave BadenPowell Society Conference held at Tokyo in Japan. This

served as a forum to explore changes that assist young women to interact and develop their full potentials as a responsible world citizen who will lead their communities, countries and raise their voice on issues that concern them”, she enthused.

She also revealed that in the past one year, the Ministry has handled 1,313 domestic violence

were amicably resolved while some other cases were disengaged from the Ministry’s services due to family interventions.

The Commissioner added that government is not reneging in investing in women empowerment, skills acquisition programmes, access to loans and provision of working their lives and become self-

the economic development of the State and the Nation as a whole.

In her remark at the event, the Permanent Secretary, and Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Abiola Liadi encouraged women to seize the enormous opportunities provided by the State government to empower themselves and become responsible for the progress of the State.

ASUU hails professor’s suspension over sex-for-marks (ASUU), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, has hailed the suspension of Prof.

Richard Akindele, who was allegedly involved in a sexfor-mark scandal.

Dr Adeola Egbedodun, the Chairperson of the union, in a statement in sogbo on Friday, commended the university management for the prompt action taken on the recommendations of the

investigative panel.

Ogunbodede, in a statement, said he had received and considered the interim report of investigate the allegation, as revealed in the audio

recording.

The vice chancellor also said that the female voice in the audio had of Miss Monica Osetobe Osagie, a postgraduate student on the Master of

Business Administration programme.

It would be recalled that a recorded audio conversation of the don demanding for sex to increase the marks of a female postgraduate had gone viral.

intervention programmes and employment opportunities across the State, the government has continued to upgrade and expand the existing Skills Acquisition Centres.

While reeling out the achievements of the State

Opeyemi Bamidele loses dad Father of All Progressives Congress (APC) Ekiti State Gubernatorial aspirant Pa Ogunjuyigbe Stephen Bamidele is dead. He was aged 86.

A statement issued in Iyin Ekiti on Friday morning by his son Michael Opeyemi Bamidele and made available to newsmen, Opeyemi revealed that, he died at about 3:30pm at The NEWDAY Medical Center, Ijapo Estate, Akure on Thursday.

The late Bamideles” patriarch, according to his son, was aged 86. The statement said his remains had been deposited in the morgue.

Bamidele said burial arrangements would be released soon by the family. Pa Bamidele was a community leader and politician during his life time.

He was at a time the Chairman of Iyin Ekiti Ward B on the platform of both the Alliance for Democracy (AD) and Action Congress of Nigeria(ACN) in Ekiti State.

R-L: Representative of the Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon. Fatima Binta Bello, Chairman, Ad-Hoc Committee on Investigating the Legality and Modus Operandi of the Special Presidential Investigation Panel (SPIP) for the recovery of public property, Hon. Ahman Pategi and Deputy Chairman of the Committee, Hon. Bode Ayorinde, during the two -day stakeholders public hearing on the Committee, at the National Assembly, in Abuja....on Thursday Photo: Temitope Balogun

Presidency alerts on fake Zahra’s Facebook account The Presidency on Friday alerted the nation of the existence of a fake Facebook account being portrayed as belonging to President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter, Zahra.

According to a statement issued by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser to the President (Media and

Publicity), the account was the handwork of merchants of mischief.

The statement said: “Merchants of mischief have taken their antics against

account,

“‘Children of God, here is

the authentic one, was used to post a message on April 17, 2018, at 9.07 a.m.

“A picture of President

in the snow without cardigan

creating a fake Facebook account in the name of Zahra, President Muhammadu Buhari’s daughter.

all over him, and being welcomed to a foreign country was used, alongside this message:

“The

fake

economic status of Nigeria and some of you senseless people feel he travels too much, as if he travels for partying or merry making.

God bless Nigeria. Please share…’”

The Presidency repudiated the Facebook account, “as it does not belong to Zahra.

Members of the public are urged to be wary, and see through the intentions of those behind the fakery. do not mean well for our country.”

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday April 21, 2018

Politics

9

Not-Too-Young-To-Run campaigners seek Osinbajo’s help for presidential nod to bill The Not-Too-Young-ToRun Movement, the group seeking inclusion of youths in governance, has urged Vice President Yemi Osinbajo to facilitate presidential accent to the Bill backing young people’s participation in elective-politics.

Leader of the group, Mr Samson Itodo, told State House correspondents after visiting Osinbajo on Thursday in Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari’s accent to the Not-Too-YoungTo-Run Bill, the last stage of its demand.

parties and the democracy that young people.

“Young people have demonstrated excellent leadership endeavour. our minds from this narrative that young people are not ready; there

grateful to God. that opportunity.

“What Not-Too-Young-To-Run seems to do is to open up that space so they can demonstrate excellent public leadership,’’ he stated.

Another member of the group, Mr Chibuzo Okereke, stated that

on the executive, the Buhari-led of history by accenting to the NotToo-Young-To-Run Bill.

“We just came here to place that demand on the need to accent by the National Assembly to the Executive.’’

According to Itodo, the young people have been at the forefront of the country’s administration since the country’s independence.

“If you look through our history, even the development of political

people involved in mainstream politics.

According to him, the country currently lacks that participation and much has been said about it as being unjust.

“I believe that if you can vote, you should also be voted for; so

from pointing out some other areas, assured us of support and accent to the bill,’’ he stated. already being seen across the

sponsor Nigerian youths in many of the elective positions during “Once the bill is accented to, then the political process youths are gearing up and they

Buhari

FG’s anti-corruption fight insincere – Maduka Former Director General, of the Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Mr. Vincent Maduka has declared that the Federal Government’s

of our young people do amazing “When given the opportunity, you never really can under-

He

equally

decried

the

most responsibilities that have been given to young people, excellently,’’ he said.

Group debunks claim of Atiku Abubakar’s Dubai marriage, says allegation unfounded A pro-democracy advocacy group, the Centre for Good Governance and Accountable Leadership Initiative (CEGGAL Initiative) has reacted to the ongoing rumour in the social media that former vice President Atiku Abubakar got married in Dubai last Saturday to

have launched our penchant for leaving all failures and fate.”

Speaking during the 5th convocation lecture of the Nigerian Institute of Journalism, NIJ, Maduka said: “With regard to the current media participation in the Federal Government’s campaign against corruption, there appears not to be a link except, perhaps, the occasional report of court processes.

“There is, no doubt, the occasional insertion of a text or song in NTA and still more infrequent insertions by independent broadcasters, under their respective social service cause.

“The current presidential advisory body on corruption is composed of academics among

The Centre, in a statement issued on Thursday by its Executive President, allegation as “unfounded, demonic, lacking any iota of truth, and a cheap blackmail.”

launched our penchant for leaving all failures and and faith. Most of us simply treat religion as the solution to

‘Faith’ in the Coat of Arms,

minds can do.

Mr Jude Emeka Idimogu representing Oshodi/Isolo II Constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly, said he sponsored the bill in order to

Up until 1978, it read “Peace, Unity and Freedom.”

“By replacing Freedom

plenty of problems. ‘’Nigerians are more often than not, angry people, corners and often cheating. common practice; take English language, or

the the

practically barbaric, especially that of the notorious “danfo” (commercial) bus drivers in Lagos and on the trans-state routes.

be ideal if Nigerians could feel proud of their nation, and hold themselves out as dealings or external.

forces, as in sports, for example. you meet a Ghanaian abroad

last Saturday, not the former Vice payment does not arise.

“The video of the purported mother, Mrs Jamilah Nkoli Atiku Abubakar from Onitsha in Anambra

Ezugwu

Atiku

former Vice President for over a decade.

“As a Muslim, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar by his religious faith is

iota of truth, and a cheap blackmail meant to achieve political purpose,” the group said.

The statement added that “Atiku Abubakar’s large heart and his maturity should be celebrated for giving his step son equal treatment

“It is obvious that the allegation is unfounded, demonic, lacking any

his outstanding leadership qualities.”

scientific and fundamental.

Why do most Nigerians in a position of authority act out of impunity, abusing their

are Yoruba or Igbo.

On the unity of the nation, Maduka explained that, “Our coat of arms proclaims ‘Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.’

experience, even the Ghanaian can tell the Nigerian’s ethnic nationality by the Nigerian’s dress.”

nor cares, on the other hand, the

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Nigeria is derailing because youths don’t know their roles – James Bassey James is many things rolled into one. A renowned criminologist, security expert and cleric, James is the founder of the Akpabiosm Centre and also the National President, Southern Youths Development Forum among others. In this interview with PATRICK OKOHUE, James speaks about his desire for a new Nigeria and why the youths should come together to forge a front towards achieving a nation that can meet the challenges of the future.

Recently, there was the release of Dapchi girls that were kidnapped by the Boko Haram insurgents. It aroused some sort of controversy; many people see the Dapchi kidnap and how the girls were returned as a conspiracy theory. What is your view?

I think that President Muhammadu Buhari is a man of integrity and is also a man that is highly respected. He is a man that has been in power and he is a man that has large followers. He is also a man that Nigerians love, trust and appreciate. I may not really key into that theory because this is a man that has been a former Head of State, so his followers are intact. I don’t know what would have been the reason for the people to think along that line. I totally disagree with that theory.

I don’t think it is really what happened. The President Nigeria knows in I985 as a military Head of State, a man that became President in 2015 with large votes.

The issue of Dapchi has to do with security, and I think that there is need for those in the security team to build a new strategy, develop a new content and see how they can develop new ideas and secure especially the schools.

The government of Borno State also must not expose the children, the girls’ students to unnecessary

Federal Government should bring in Nigerians and there must be a security council meeting aside the normal security meetings.

There is need to engage other stakeholders. The government, Federal Government and state governments. It has nothing to do with whether you are in the government. There is need for everybody to put their hands in order to see how we can work to sustain and develop our country, because Nigeria belongs to all. It

Nigeria is not a party. Nigeria is a nation and every Nigerian must be able to contribute its own quota. I did in my state and I believe we can contribute. of this country, I put up a program last two years, the National Youth is what we want to do now, so that we can talk about issues of security, empowerment and how we can make contributions to the development of our great country.

On the issue of security, you were planning a National Youth conference and that conference I believe was aimed at bringing in everybody and trying to look for

engage beyond the military, there is need to bring in criminologist, people who in the military are either retired or serving. The issue of security is not just for the police or Federal Government alone.

Nigerians must come on board, everybody must come to collaborate. I designed a security communication network in 2012 for Joint Task Force for my state,

How far about that?

We talked to so many people.

We’ve gone to the North, South, East and West, but in Nigeria, if you are not in government, nobody listens to you. Everybody has something to contribute.

There is need for us to talk, there is need for the Nigerian youths to talk, because if you look at these people, the numbers of people that dies every day, from 1999 to now, we have not lost the number of people that we are losing now.

we have the best. It has nothing to do with whether you are a military person, whether you are in government. Everybody must come to collaborate. The government of Borno State, the

that have died. Whether you are talking about Odi, Zaki Ibiam, Benue, Rivers, the East, so much is happening around and the easiest way to deal with that is to bring the young men to talk and

Nigeria. I have no other country. to, Nigeria still remains the best.

There is no country that can

State. The issue is not whether I am from South South and I don’t care. The most important thing is that let us bring the youths from all parts of the country and see how we can develop content, but in trying to do this, I want to see how we can expand through the regions. There is nothing you lose when you talk. You even lose when you don’t talk.

You know the herdsmen are killing people and the IPOB issue is there, you know everywhere you go in Nigeria there is fear, people that can solve the tension are the Nigerian youths. We will tell them you cannot be used to destroy your own self. When you kill an Hausa man, you kill a Nigerian. When you kill a Benin

Bassey James tell them it’s not about party, or personality. Nigeria has to move forward and we are the young people that will move Nigeria forward. So the National Youth conference was an idea that God gave to me and we must do it.

For the South West, we will hold a program in Lagos. Bring all the Yoruba youths together to sit with the Northern, South South, Igbo youths and discuss the unity of Nigeria. We will move to Owerri. In Owerri we will do the same thing. Let us start talking to ourselves. It isn’t something the Federal Government should do.

It is something the Nigeria youths can do on our own. We can save Nigeria. Bring in the young men in the police, military, banking sector. Bring in people from all works of life. The government can get involved. The idea is that I don’t want the government to sponsor the program. We are going to do

be involved. What are President Buhari’s children doing? What are Babangida’s children doing?

What are the senators, ministers’ children doing? They must come to table and let us start talking Nigeria and this is the only way we can move forward, because the young men cannot be used for the purpose of election alone and after they dump them.

We want to see Nigeria beyond 2019. We want to see the role of the youths. Not taking one or two youths into government and say I have employed the youths.

We want revolutionary ideas among the youths, giving them hope and a sense of belonging.

What do you think will happen if the likes of Dangote can come and talk to Nigerian youths and share his experience. Everybody is trying to run away, but the more we run away the more problems come to us. It is not about Buhari

“

sons of past presidents should

We want to see Nigeria beyond 2019. We want to see the role of the youths. Not taking one or two youths into government and say I have employed the youths. We want a revolutionary ideas among the youths, giving them hope and a sense of belonging. What do you think will happen if the likes of Dangote can come and talk to Nigerian youths and share his experience. Everybody is trying to runaway, but the more we run away the more problems come to us. It is not about Buhari or APC. It’s not about PDP. It is about Nigeria.

”

man, you are killing your own brother. This is a mission, this is a vision that I have and we must do it. So the government, state government must partner with us. We must begin to talk to ourselves.

For instance, the Niger Deltans are not militants. We have Niger Delta people who are not militants. I don’t want to hear the word militant, amnesty for militant. Instead of giving amnesty, let us look for a way to engage the youths. Is not when you say I sent you to this, I have given you that, SureP didn’t work. SureP has never worked.

The government has no business in sharing money. Give the money to the banks. If you are a youth, if you are a businessman, you go and apply to the banks, under the Federal Government negotiated interests.

There is so much going on and we must wake up to stop that.

We must sit down to discuss these issues. The banks are in the right position to know those who will pay the loans. Those who collected the SureP loans, they didn’t pay. They will never pay. They can never pay. It has become a National cake so we must sit down to discuss these issues. Take 20 banks in Nigeria, Bank, bring in World Bank, whatever you want to do and say this is the numbers of people I want to work. We can create entrepreneurship development services. Let us start talking to Scheme, it is not working. It

Continue on page 11

Daily Times Nigeria Saturdday, April 21, 2018

11

Politics

...youths don’t know their roles Continued from page 10 can never work because when Federal Government brings up a programe, things they would do is to politicise the program. And it is only the people in the political parties. If it is given to APC state, APC people. If it’s in PDP state, 99% will be PDP. And we cannot achieve a nation based on political develop content outside politics.

This is how we can grow a nation. through the process of talking.

Look at what Tony Elumelu is doing, government must key into that kind of program. Every young man must be tutored by Dangote, by Tony Elumelu, by the president, and the president themselves, both past and present should release their children to engage other youths in talking.

Talking about bringing down tension, many people are saying that in the three years of this administration, they have largely failed in delivering on their promises which has gone a long way to creating the tension you talked about. Do you agree?

The tension didn’t start in Buhari’s government. The tension has been there, that was why Buhari became the President. I was a member of the presidential campaign team, which I regret, we was going to happen. Now that we have a new government, the tension continues because party cannot change the psychology of its people. It is the nation that changes the psychology of its citizens. So the tension will always be there. There is need for the Nigerian state to engage the young

cannot solve the problem except the Nigerian youths sit to talk listen to the great Zik of Africa talk about independence, he to him whether it was Awolowo, Abubakar, whether it was Tafawa Balewa that was going to be the president. It was not a problem.

The major problem then was how they can get independence and they got independence collectively. happened

after

independence?

come and have the spirit of the founding founders of Nigeria who came together to form a united front to confront the slave masters.

Considering all that you have said let me come back home a who campaigned for the present governor of your state, Akwa

his performance so far. How has he helped in empowering the youths in bringing some of these things to light and what is your relationship with him, especially in trying to bring forward these ideas?

The governor is my brother; I am not the best person to access my brother. It will be very wrong for me to say this is what my brother has done, but by the grace of God, he has done to the best of day. You know I worked for him.

I was one of the few young men that hosted him and I stand to be challenged. I hosted him in the Nigerian Institute of International of people. He came and addressed the gathering and we moved the show to Abuja and thousands of people came all over the Northern states and Akwa Ibom people. And not only that, we engaged them.

score him, people will not believe.

They will say because he is from man to say. But I pray for him to carry everyone along and I believe by the grace of God, it is the people of Akwa Ibom State that have the capacity to score the governor. An Eket man is always a successful man. Anybody from where we come from cannot be beaten. He knows where he comes from.

He is an Eket ambassador. Eket people believe so much that we have the capacity. Eket Senatorial District is the house that holds to be very careful with what we say and do but so far, so good, we

structures. I have gone back to the grassroots, that is why I am silent very soon. Even from the local government we are very visible.

spring up surprises from my point there was one issue that pushed me to do that. People say that Eket Senatorial District did not have a material and we say no we have to prove them wrong. In Eket, we have thousands of people that can be the governor. And we say that

and we supported him. I supported

Godswill Akpabio emerged as the governor even before he became the governor, I developed a content called Akpabiosm. And Akpabiosm is a major force today in Akwa Ibom State. Akpabiosm Ambassadors emerged in all nooks and cranny, across and beyond Akwa Ibom State. From the people, you know it became so powerful.

And Akpabiosm Ambassadors worked for the emergence of this governor.

For me, I didn’t work for my brother the governor to become a commissioner. I worked because I believe he has the capacity, the technical knowhow, that he was going to reform, rebuild and reposition Akwa Ibom State and it will be wrong for me to sit here and say I score him, because I am his brother and because whatever I

Don’t forget, I was a member of the presidential campaign team. And I am the founder of the Akpabiosm ambassadors and I am the founder and president of Southern Youth Development Forum. These are very powerful groups and the Eastern Youth Forum. I am in the politics of Akwa Ibom State. The Akpaboism that I founded was not Akpabiosm.

the issue of security is infectious, but why did you donate a well equipped, standard police station to the Akwa Ibom State Police Command, for which you got a Inspector General of Police, isn’t that government’s responsibility?

You see, by my training and experience, I have come to the understanding that for a nation or state to grow, the issue of security must be dealt with and there is no way the government alone can take care of all the security needs of its people. It is the responsibility of you and I and every well meaning member of the society to contribute their quota to building a safer,

“

Bassey James of the ways I can contribute my part is by supporting the police, which informed my donating the Police Station. God willing I am ready to do more according to my capacity and I appeal to other well meaning Nigerians to also play their role Nigeria.

The way you speak, it will be surprising if you do not have a political ambition. Do you?

I have. I am watching what is going on in my state, what is going on in my local government. My people want me to contest election and I know if I contest I will win.

So for me, my ambition is to make sure that we spring surprises from the state to local government, and to the National, because I have so many friends who are running even in government who are trying to reach out to us.

The blood of any Nigerian to be shed is not worth it, because if for instance my son is serving in the North, there will be no Akwa Ibom person there. Even if he sees some, they can’t give him comfort can give him in that particular area.

So, when I see an Hausa man in my state, I see him as my brother. I interact with them. So this is what I am trying to build.

Beyond party, beyond APC, beyond PDP, beyond political lines, let us build Nigerian youths and bring in our leaders to talk to them that Nigeria will not end. Nigeria will continue to be a great nation. make Nigeria greater. But there is

What is your view of the President Olusegun Obasanjo led Third Force coalition?

you help them to become whatever, they abandon the people that supported them. And that is what is fuelling this problem. You may not give money or appointment to everybody but even a greeting is enough. You can’t wake up in the morning and abandon

the right to create the Third force, Fourth force, Fifth force. But do

and build new friends because you are in government. It’s so we need infrastructures but we

I am not against the Third force, but what I am saying is that we are working with Nigerian youths because we are the larger percentage of people that will even vote.

So while they are building their Third force, I want to see how we can also build the Youth force. The Youth force that will not be violent, that will not be into cultism. We want to see brand new leaders from across the nation.

So we want to see a Nigerian youth that will say I will not kill for anything.

”

be pushed around by any political ideology when we know what to do. Nigerian youths must come up. force? I am not against the Third force, but what I am saying is that we are working with Nigerian youths because we are the larger percentage of people that will even vote. So while they are building their Third force, I want to see how we can also build the Youth force.

The Youth force that will not be violent, that will not be into cultism. from across the nation. So we want to see a Nigerian youth that will say I will not kill for anything.

infrastructure you want to build and develop, we need to have security more and those in security circle should bring in other people. I designed the security architecture for Akwa

villages in Akwa Ibom State.

There is need for the federal and state governments to build national integrated network. Let everybody begin to contribute to the development of Nigeria.

And let there be access to those in government, not just when they want to go in for campaigns.

Politics

12

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

INEC to redistribute 1.4m unclaimed PVCs in Lagos The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Lagos State has said that it was making plans to redistribute the unclaimed 1.4 million Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in the state.

Mr. Sam Olumekun, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, disclosed this in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

“We are actually working out a new strategy,” the INEC boss told NAN, as he explained the commission’s plan to redistribute the permanent voter cards.

Olumekun, who expressed concern over the number of uncollected PVCs in Lagos State, urged the owners to go to INEC offices in their local government areas for collection.

NAN reports that Lagos State has the highest number of unclaimed PVCs in the country.

INEC had said that it was still in possession of 7,920,129 Permanent Voter Cards yet to be collected from its offices across the nation.

A breakdown of the uncollected PVCs as at March revealed that Lagos had the highest number of 1,401,390

INEC boss, Mahmood Yakubu followed by Oyo with 647,586 and Edo which had 449,001 while Kano had 195,941.

The figure also showed Bauchi

State as having the least number of uncollected PVCs, 15,542, followed by Bayelsa and Plateau which had 28,533 and 25,300 cards respectively.

Buhari’s comment on youths: We’ll revenge with our PVCs, PDP youth leader vows The National Youth Leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Sunday UdehOkoye, has lashed out at President Muhammadu Buhari over his comments in London describing Nigerian youths as lazy and uneducated.

Faulting the President, UdehOkoye insisted, in a statement he issued in Abuja on Friday, that the Nigerian youths remained the “most innovative, enterprising, hard working, and patriotic” people.

He said: “We are saddened by what has become a habitual and and her citizens by President Muhammadu Buhari, especially anytime he steps outside the shores of the country.

“A President sincere about not go about running his citizens down, telling the entire world that his citizens are corrupt and now, that the youths, which constitute about 60 per cent of the country’s

population, are uneducated, lazy, and unwilling to work.”

The PDP National Youth Leader accused the President of standing the truth on its head before the international community.

“President Buhari should have instead told the world that his All Progressives Congress (APC) administration has incurred a debt of over N11 trillion in just three years without any completed project, especially socio-economic infrastructural projects that will drive youth entrepreneurship, to show for it in his third anniversary as President.

“He should have told the international community that his poor management of the economy has wantonly devalued the Naira from N160 to a United States Dollar he inherited in 2015 to between N350 to N400 and has triggered countries like Ghana and demise uncountable businesses.

“Indeed, he should have confessed

to the world that over 16 million hard working Nigerians, most of them the youth, lost their jobs, 18 million became acutely underemployed, due to his incompetence and lack of vision.

“Therefore, to turn around to stand the truth on its head is unacceptable to the Nigerian youth,” he added.

Udeh-Okoye, however, enjoined the Nigerian youths to exercise patience as 2019 was already near.

“It is needless joining issues with Mr. President and his incompetent team, whom besides having nothing helpers and the entire world against us.

“The best answer to this assault on the sensibilities of the Nigerian youth is to obtain Permanent Voters Card and be ready to repay the President in his own coin in 2019 by showing him and the fumbling APC the red card across the country,” he stressed.

2019: We are not interested in coalitions, merger – APDA The Advanced Peoples’ Democratic Alliance (APDA) has said the party will not enter into any pact with other political parties or groups ahead of the 2019 general elections.

The Party’s National Chairman, Shittu Mohammed Kabir, made this known when he received a delegation of political youth groups from Imo State led by Chief Iheanacho Ezeakor, at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja..

Kabir, who maintained that the party’s nationalistic ideologies would never be compromised for selfish benefits, blamed the economic hardships experienced in the country on the errors of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the champions of the ‘third force’ movement.

His words: “APDA is not going into any coalition ahead of the 2019 general elections. We cannot be seen compromising our nationalistic ideology. We see Nigeria as one big family where the welfare of all citizens remains paramount. It is against that background that we cannot queue behind the PDP, the APC, or those promoting the ‘Third Force’ movement.

“These people brought the hardship in the country. Olu Falae as far back as the 1980’s was part of the Structural Adjustment Programme (SAP) that ruined our agricultural sector.

“I am a farmer. I grow beans, but I cannot export to Europe because Nigerian beans are banned abroad.

But, today, beans are brought into this country from Europe. Then, tell me, why did they sign us up to the World Trade Organisation in the first place?

“Look at the oil from the SouthSouth and South-East. How has these politicians advocating for coalitions

and mergers used that crude oil to better the lives of the people in those areas?

“So, our position is clear. We are not going into any alliance. However, we are open to all Nigerians who want to join us in the pursuit of our peopleoriented ideology. He further urged the youths to resist politicians who attempt to polarise the nation and heat-up the polity needlessly.

“You should never allow our political leaders to continue in power by means of ‘divide and rule’ antics.

Rather, develop passion for people and work to achieve a better life for them. That way, you can successful take over helm of affairs of the nation from these old politicians,” he said.

Earlier, leader of the delegation, Chief Iheanacho Ezeakor, said that the group had been mobilising the youths across the country to awaken their political consciousness and make contributions towards nationbuilding. Ezeakor said that one of the reasons for the visit was to spread the message of youth inclusion in governance; stressing that democracy without youth’s participation loses its vibrancy.

He also said that there was the need for youths to build inter-ethnic bridges and cross-fertilise ideas on ameliorating the sufferings in the land and avoiding the mistakes of the past.

“Today, we have been able to mobilise and motivate some young people across the country for a political renaissance because we realise that the reason older politicians looked down on the youths in political appointments and elective positions had to do with how the youths conducted themselves.

“However, we are poised to changing that story. We will continue to be a voice for the youths and set laudable examples in our states,” he said.

Shittu

Niger Delta youths poorer under Buhari - Group Some Niger Delta activists under the aegis of National Assembly of Ex-Militants (NAE) have said that youths in the oil-producing region have become poorer under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Acting National Coordinator of the group, Ibifuro Pureheart, who said this in a statement, asserted that Niger

Delta youths “cannot afford another four years of Buhari’s poverty-ridden regime or else we would all die.”

He said, “Buhari’s alleged pursuit of ethnic agenda had left Niger Delta youths poorer than he met them, whereas the President focused more on developing Northern youths at the detriment of their counterparts in the Niger Delta region.

“The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), was left in the hands of the members of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to polarise the youths of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the region. The President has shown enough disdain for those who worked for him, while patronising his political enemies.

“We cannot afford another four years of Buhari’s poverty-ridden regime or else we would all die. The poverty being spread currently brings hopelessness and death upon fellow citizens. It is time we tell Nigerians the truth. Even though the President had our support, we are now calling on the people of the region to chart a new course.

“Buhari has disappointed us, we

spent our fortunes to bring him to power, we invested our psyche and emotions yet, we have nothing to show for it. With our PVC, we are ready to sack him in 2019.

“Power resides in the citizens and we shall sustain the campaign to boot Buhari out of office in 2019. He’s a huge failure and it is time to bring a more trustworthy leader on board.”

TIMES SPORTS

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Champions League: Europe will not detract Liverpool

Kelechi Nwakali: Former cyclist Armstrong I want to play settles $100m law suit for $5m for Arsenal

Nigeria’s amputee football team plans friendly with Ghanaian counterparts SATURDAY FIXTURES FA CUP SEMI-FINAL Man United vs Tottenham Hotspur PREMIER LEAGUE West Bromwich Albion vs Liverpool Watford vs Crystal Palace SPANISH LA LIGA Eibar vs Getafe Celta Vigo vs Valencia SPANISH COPA DEL REY Sevilla vs Barcelona GERMAN BUNDESLIGA Eintracht Frankfurt vs Hertha Berlin Hamburg SV vs SC Freiburg Hannover 96 vs Bayern Munich RB Leipzig vs 1899 Hoffenheim VfB Stuttgart vs Werder Bremen Dortmund vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen ITALIAN SERIE A SPAL vs Roma Sassuolo vs Fiorentina AC Milan vs Benevento FRENCH LIGUE 1 Marseille vs Lille Amiens vs Strasbourg Guingamp vs Monaco Metz vs Caen Toulouse vs Angers

Wenger set to leave

Arsenal Tobi Amusan I wanted to break Commonwealth Games record

Rafael Nadal thrashes Dominic Thiem to reach Monte Carlo Cup final Briton ‘inspired’

by Anthony Joshua emergence

Pinnick

Why Nigerian clubs are struggling in Africa

Times Sports 14

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Everton refuse to rule out Ademola Lookman sale

West Brom, Stoke, Southampton relegated?

Time is fast running out for West Brom, Stoke and Southampton to save themselves from the trap door of Premier League relegation and the drastic loss of revenue it entails.

With Manchester City having already been crowned Premier League champions with five games to spare, and Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur looking well set to join them in the Champions League next season, attention has turned to the other end of the table for the final weeks of the season.

A report by financial consultants Deloitte revealed on Friday that Premier League clubs made a record pre-tax profit of £500 million last season in the first campaign of a bumper three-year TV deal to reveal the perils of dropping out the top flight.

Despite their heroics in beating United 1-0 at Old Trafford last weekend to gift City the title, West Brom could become the first side mathematically relegated this weekend should results not go their way.

The Baggies host Liverpool on Saturday where defeat, allied to Swansea avoiding a similar fate away to City on Sunday, would confirm their fate.

“You finish where you deserve to finish over the course of the season. For long periods of the season, we haven’t been good enough,” admitted West Brom’s Chris Brunt.

However, four points from their last two games under interim manager Darren Moore has at least kept West Brom alive and matched the points tally they got in their final 11 games of Alan Pardew’s ill-fated four-month spell in charge.

“He’s made everybody believe that they’re good players and that they can do the things that he’s asking them to do,” added Brunt. “I think the last two games have showed that.”

Stoke are also approaching the last chance saloon as they sit five points adrift of safety with just four games left to save themselves.

With a trip to Anfield to come next weekend, Sunday’s home clash with Burnley is virtually a must-win for Paul Lambert’s men.

“I must have walked under a ladder or broken a mirror, because I’ve had no luck whatsoever,” added Lambert.

“But there won’t be many stadiums rocking like ours will be next Sunday. We have to get a win and that will certainly drag teams into it.”

Southampton inched to within four points of Swansea with a 0-0 stalemate at Leicester on Thursday, but are in FA Cup semifinal action this weekend against Chelsea.

City may already be champions, but with Premier League points and goals records still well within their reach, they could do the bottom three a big favour against Swansea at the Etihad.

Crystal Palace and West Ham enjoy a cushion over the bottom three, but also still need points to guarantee their place in the top flight next season.

Palace travel to a Watford side that has taken just one point from their last five matches.

Meanwhile, West Ham’s chances of a shock win at Arsenal will be boosted by Gunners’ boss Arsene Wenger admitting his side’s focus will be on a Europa League semifinal against Atletico Madrid four days later.

FIXTURES: Saturday West Brom v Liverpool Watford v Crystal Palace Sunday Stoke v Burnley Arsenal v West Ham Man City v Swansea

Everton have refused to rule out the sale of Ademola Lookman after RB Leipzig expressed their interest in keeping the youngster.

Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick disclosed their interest in making the winger’s loan deal permanent, but that his parent club are in pole position to decide as his contract does not include a clause for such.

However, according to manager Sam Allardyce, the Toffees will be willing to accept an offer for the Anglo-Nigerian should a right price be tabled.

“It depends what we think as a board of directors and as a football department,” Allardyce was quoted as saying by Echo.

“Where are we going to go if we let him go?

“What are we going to do with the money that we’re going to accumulate from him?

“How much money are they going to offer?

“Everybody has a price so if the price goes to where we think we should accept it then I would recommend it but if the price doesn’t get anywhere near then we’ll have him back here and see how he goes on next season.”

Despite starting life in Germany on a positive note – hitting the matchwinner against Borussia Monchengladbach on his debut – the former Charlton Athletic forward has been faced with a similar problem he encountered at Everton.

Lookman has been restricted to seven Bundesliga appearances,

with three coming as starts, since swapping England for the German outfit in January.

“He hasn’t played as much as he wanted to,” Allardyce continued.

“His gripe with me was he wasn’t getting picked but in all fairness he’s had very limited experience on their pitch as well, hasn’t he.

“So if he wants to go there he may say he’s not played enough football so may say he’s not sure about going there, but if he does we would have to listen to what the offer is and that’s to be done between the board and the director of football.

“When it comes to me and they say ‘it’s this much’ I’ll have my say, they’ll have their say, everyone has a say, we make a decision and move on.”

Wenger set to leave Arsenal Arsene Wenger is to leave Arsenal at the end of the season, 22-year reign at the club.

The Frenchman departs a year before his latest was due to expire.

The Gunners are sixth in the league and set to on a top-four spot for the second straight season, hopes of reaching the Champions League resting on the Europa League.

Wenger, 68, won three Premier League titles and Cups, including the Double in 1998 and 2002.

Appointed on 1 October 1996, he is the Premier League’s current longest-serving manager and has of a record 823 games.

But some fans have turned on the Frenchman two seasons as a result of their league performances.

Sunday’s 2-1 defeat at Newcastle 11th in the league this season, their worst tally in a under

ending a near contract miss out with their winning seven

FA

taken charge over the past

was their equalling c amp ai g n Wenger.

They are 33 points behind leaders Manchester City, who have 87 points, and the same number away from bottom side West Brom, who have 21.

Arsenal finished outside the top four last term for the first time since Wenger arrived at the club, and are now 14 points behind fourth-placed Tottenham, with five matches remaining.

They face Spanish side Atletico Madrid, who are second in La Liga, in the Europa League semifinals, with the first leg on Thursday.

Wenger’s ups and downs Wenger won three Premier League titles and four FA Cups in his first nine seasons in charge.

In 2003-04, he became the first manager since 1888-89 to lead a team through an English top-flight season unbeaten.

But after winning the 2005 FA Cup, they waited another nine years – or 3,283 days – for their next silverware. It came as they beat Hull City to win the 2014 FA Cup, before winning the trophy again the following season.

Wenger won his seventh FA Cup last season, beating Chelsea 2-1 at Wembley, but finished 18 points behind Antonio Conte’s Premier League champions.

His side have struggled in Europe since losing to Barcelona in 2006 Champions League final.

They were eliminated at the last-16 stage for the seventh successive season on their last appearance in the competition in 2017, losing 10-2 on aggregate to Bayern Munich.

In 2006, they moved into the £390m Emirates Stadium after leaving Highbury.

The Gunners have consistently spent less than their main Premier League rivals on new signings, but Wenger twice broke the club’s transfer record this season.

France striker Alexandre Lacazette joined in the summer for £46.5m, while his final signing was Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for £56m in January.

Premier League club profits last season

English Premier League clubs enjoyed record profits last season, according to a report published on Friday by financial consultants Deloitte.

The report said the Premier League made a collective pre-tax profit of £0.5 billion, almost three times the previous record of £0.2 billion in 2013-14.

With strong broadcast revenues and Financial Fair Play rules keeping wages in check to a degree, England’s top-flight clubs also posted a record operating profit -- total revenues minus wages and other costs, apart from transfer fees, - of £1 billion, double the figure for the previous season.

Wages, however, did rise across the league by nine percent to a new record of £2.5 billion but overall revenue rose 25 percent.

Dan Jones, the head of Deloitte’s Sports Business Group, said the revenue increase was a result of last season being the first of a three-year domestic broadcasting deal with BT and Sky worth more than £5.1 billion.

Jones added the increase in wages was “nowhere near the level of revenue growth” and this “reflects both the extent of (the Premier League’s) financial advantage over other leagues and the impact of domestic and European cost control measures”.

Although the league has had difficulties in selling the next set of domestic broadcast rights this year, Jones forecast that clubs, who have made collective pre-tax profits in three of the last four years, would continue to record impressive financial figures.

“Despite the lack of growth in domestic broadcast deals announced to date, we still expect to see overall revenue growth in the coming seasons, and if this is complemented with prudent cost control, we expect that pretax profits will be achieved for the foreseeable future,” he explained.

The above figures do not include transfer costs, which for accounting purposes are spread over the length of a player’s contract.

Transfer fees are continuing to rise worldwide but Deloitte are confident the Premier League is well-placed to continue to compete with the likes of Italy’s Serie A and Spain’s La Liga for leading players, with a number of top footballers likely to be looking for new clubs after the World Cup in Russia in June and July.

“We have already seen some clubs utilising their significant revenue increases, with a record £1.9 billion spent on transfers in the 2017-18 season,” said Tim Bridge, a senior Deloitte consultant.

“We may again see similar levels of spending in the coming season, with the World Cup providing the perfect shop window for talent, but expenditure remains well within the means of clubs.”

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

15 Times Sports

Atletico Champions League: Europe slump, Malaga relegated

Atletico Madrid slumped to a 3-0 defeat at resurgent Real Sociedad on Thursday which means Barcelona need one more victory to wrap up a 25th Spanish La Liga title while Malaga were relegated after losing 1-0 at Levante.

Second-placed Atletico were outplayed by Sociedad from start to finish and fell behind in the 27th minute to a thumping strike off the post from forward Willian Jose after a cut-back from former Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj.

The Basque side have been on a good run of form since Imanol Alguacil succeeded sacked coach Eusebio Sacristan and they welcomed Atletico after hammering Girona 5-0 and winning 1-0 at Las Palmas in their last two games.

They continued to create chances against Atletico, who were missing striker Diego Costa through injury, and sealed a deserved victory when forward Juanmi knocked in a pass from Willian Jose in the 80th minute.

Juanmi struck again in stoppagetime to complete Atletico’s heaviest league defeat this season, sending Real Sociedad up to 11th in the standings.

Second-placed Atletico have 71 points after 33 games while Barca have 83 and third-placed Real Madrid 68. Barca, who drew 2-2 with Celta Vigo on Tuesday and are still unbeaten in the league, will clinch the title if they win their next league game away to Deportivo La Coruna on April 29.

“We need to analyse what has happened and take steps to improve in our final few games because recently we have suffered a lot away from home,” said Atletico coach Diego Simeone, whose side have lost three of their last four away games in all competitions.

“We had a bad first half and although we improved we couldn’t manage to score and Real Sociedad finished the game stronger than us and we have to congratulate them on the victory.”

Basement club Malaga dropped out of La Liga for the first time in a decade after losing 1-0 at Levante, conceding the decisive goal deep in stoppage-time when Emmanuel Boateng stabbed home from close range to take his side seven points clear of the drop zone with five games remaining.

Las Palmas are on the verge of being relegated after losing 1-0 at Real Betis, who snatched the win with a 93rd-minute goal from left winger Junior.

Las Palmas are 13 points adrift of safety with four games remaining and face a near-impossible task to avoid returning to Spain’s second tier.

will not detract Liverpool

Liverpool’s Champions League run will not be prioritised over their push to finish as high as they can in the Premier League, captain Jordan Henderson said ahead of Saturday’s trip to basement side West Bromwich Albion.

The Merseyside club are in contention to reach the Champions League final for the first time since 2007 when they take on Italy’s AS Roma in the semifinals, with the first leg to be played at Anfield on Tuesday.

Liverpool are close to securing a top-four finish with the club third in the standings with four games remaining, but Henderson says Juergen Klopp’s team will continue to target more victories.

“It’s really important to not only finish in the top four, but to finish as high up in the league as we can,” midfielder Henderson told Liverpool’s website. “It’s still a big focus of ours to concentrate on, to aim to finish as high up as we can.

“It’s very important (to stay focused). Just keep doing what we’ve been doing, keep working hard on the training field and keep putting that into games. Putting in good performances and getting good results is the most important thing.

“No matter whether it’s Premier League or Champions League, we always want to win. It’s a big couple

of weeks for us.”

West Brom’s shock 1-0 win at Manchester United helped the Baggies reduce the deficit to 17thplaced Swansea City to nine points and Henderson is anticipating another fiercely contested match as the hosts continue their fight to avoid relegation.

“It’ll be tough, they’re fighting to stay in the league. They’ll give everything and the crowd

‘Bayern will beat Real’

Bayern Munich chairman KarlHeinz Rummenigge has thrown down the gauntlet to Real Madrid ahead of next Wednesday’s home Champions League semifinal, first leg.

“We have to keep our concentration until next Wednesday, but if anyone can beat Real Madrid at the moment, it’s FC Bayern,” boasted Rummenigge.

Bayern host the first leg at Munich’s Allianz Arena with the return at Madrid’s Bernabeu on May 1.

The German giants warmed up by romping to a 6-2 win at Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday in the German Cup semi-final.

“It was a demonstration of the footballing quality of our team,” added Rummenigge.

“To be a FC Bayern fan must be paradise at the moment.

“The team clearly has a

tremendous quality for achieving everything it wants to.”

Bayern could repeat their 2013 treble.

They are in the German Cup final on May 19 and have already secured a sixth straight Bundesliga title.

The Bavarian giants ran riot in Leverkusen as Germany forward Thomas Mueller scored twice and helped set up the opening goal in a man-of-the-match performance.

Star striker Robert Lewandowski was credited with two more goals to add to his 38 in 42 matches this season for Bayern.

Having led 2-1 at the break, Bayern turned on the style in the second-half.

Arjen Robben, Thiago Alcantara and Mueller, twice, hit four goals in a devastating 26-minute spell.

Leverkusen are third in the Bundesliga, but trail Bayern by a

will be behind them,” England international Henderson added.

“They’ve just had a positive result against United, which maybe noone really expected, so they’ll be raring to go and a little bit more confident.”

West Brom held Liverpool to a 0-0 draw in the reverse league fixture this season and also knocked Klopp’s team out of the FA Cup in January. massive 24 points and the gulf in class showed.

“It was a football demonstration for a long period,” beamed Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes.

“We put in a top performance against a good opponent.

“We were incredibly motivated and focused.

“We’re in a really good mood.”

Heynckes heaped praise on Bayern goalkeeper Sven Ulreich, who made outstanding saves to twice deny Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi.

‘DOMINANT TEAM’ “We were the dominant team, but there were always situations where Sven Ulreich saved us. He was outstanding,” said Heynckes.

Mueller agreed.

“That was advertising for German football,” said the Germany forward.

“We were 2-0 ahead, then it was 2-1 and Ulle (Ulreich) kept us in the game with two saves.

“The team did a great job, of course we want more -- we feel it’s possible.”

Real Madrid knocked Bayern out of the Champions League last season at the quarter-final stage.

The Spaniards won 2-1 in Munich as superstar Cristiano Ronaldo netted two second-half goals before Bayern lost 4-2 in the second leg in Madrid.

Nevertheless, Bayern are in the mood to deny Ronaldo and his Real team a third straight Champions League title this season.

“If we play like we did (against Leverkusen), it’ll be hard for Real too,” said Bayern goalkeeper Ulreich.

Roy Hodgson urges Wilfried Zaha to play to strength Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson has asked Wilfried Zaha to continue running at oppositions’ defences, regardless of the harsh treatment he might be subjected to.

The Eagles face Watford in a bid to claim another victory which would ease their relegation fears, and with prospects of his star winger facing a tense atmosphere at the Vicarage Road, the tactician has urged him not to deviate from the norm.

“We want Wilf to have the ball, to do what he’s good at doing – beating players and running towards the opponents’ goal,” Hodgson told BT Sport.

“If that means the opponents foul him then he’s fairly used to that. We’ll have to accept that the referee will then need to take any necessary measures if he thinks the fouls are going behind the pale.

“The players who run with the ball and who are so good at running with the ball with such quick feet as Wilf has, I’m afraid are going to be the ones that draw the fouls.

I know he gets fouled a lot, because when we play the ball to him he holds onto it and beats people.

“I’m not particularly aware that teams are targeting him to foul him, and if they are, one has to rely upon the referee to do something about that. There’s nothing we as coaches can do about that.”

Zaha whose brace helped Palace to a 3-2 defeat over archrivals Brighton and Hove Albion last week will be eyeing another positive performance against Watford on Saturday.

Juve, Napoli clash in title blockbuster Napoli coach Maurizio Sarri warned his side are heading to Turin on Sunday determined to end Juventus’ long reign as the kings of Italian football.

Juventus could have sealed a seventh consecutive title at home this weekend but for a 1-1 draw at lowly Crotone and Napoli’s 4-2 fightback against Udinese midweek which reignited the Scudetto title race.

“You are stronger but we will come to Turin to play the game,” Sarri warned Juventus as his side look to add to their titles in 1987 and 1990.

“I saw the team playing with great sharpness again. We are mathematically second, the goal is reached, now we can have fun.”

Napoli have reduced the deficit to four points on Juventus with five games to play.

But history does not favour Sarri’s side, who have always lost in the Allianz Stadium.

Despite attempts to minimise the scope of Sunday’s direct clash, the game should decide the championship with a seven-point advantage probably meaning a seventh consecutive Scudetto for Juventus.

A Napoli win would reduce the gap to just one point with Juventus having a difficult run-in to the season against Inter Milan and Roma -- both fighting for Champions League places.

“It will be an important match that will significantly influence the end of the season,” said Napoli captain Marek Hamsik.

Times Sports 16

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, April 21, 2018

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Kelechi Nwakali: I want to play for Arsenal says he is in no position to determine his future but would be waiting on Arsene Wenger to give him a chance when preseason gets underway in the summer. revealed that his biggest wish in the into the star-studded Arsenal side in the summer, but he would have to wait on Wenger to decide his fate. encouraging words from compatriot Alex Iwobi have given him the right mentality and belief that his Arsenal dream can come

Uche Agbo: Henry Onyekuru will Pinnick: Why soon start playing for Anderlecht Nigerian Clubs Are

competition for places at one of the biggest clubs in the world, if given the chance.

“I love to play for Arsenal next season but coach Arsene Wenger would have to decide that, it is not in my position to

UCHE Agbo has said that fellow Super Eagles

said.

“MVV Maastricht have helped out in developing my career and I have had a nice season here but Arsenal is a great side and it will be an honour to wear that jersey next season, but I cannot really determine

on account of the injury, but he has since returned to full training.

Uche Agbo said he

next season or not.”

The Arsenal youngster’s second loan

when his club Standard Liege beat Anderlecht

The Chile 2015 U-17 World CupKelechi

2018 FIFA WC: NFF wants $2m from FIFA to pay Eagles qualification bonus

summer of 2021. MVV Maastricht are ninth in the table with 49 points from 36 matches.

game.

Uche Agbo saw 22 minutes of action as NIGERIA Football Federation is reported body, FIFA to release to it $2 million to bonus ahead of the 2018 World Cup tournament in Russia. According to an online medium, NFF general secretary April 9 requesting for the fund, which is to be drawn from the money to be paid the country for qualifying for Russia 2018.

Last year, the NFF and the Super Eagles reached an agreement as it concerns how much they should be paid for qualifying for the World Cup as well as their match bonuses at the various rounds of the global championship. It was to forestall last World Cup in Brazil. The NFF have also announced the team will be paid 30% of the prize money if they win the World

Nigeria’s amputee football team plans friendly with Ghanaian counterparts

made it impossible for Nigeria to participate in amputee cleared it,’’ he said. arrangements with the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to establish an Amputee Football League in the country.

“This is what is obtainable in Europe and North America where normal football clubs own amputee football teams,’’ he said. (NAN) Nigeria’s amputee football team

recovering (from injury), hopefully he will start playing because he has started training with his club,” he said.

“He is one of the Anderlecht and for sure they are missing him.” sidelines, Uche Agbo was introduced to last night’s game with 22 minutes to spare.

He was thrilled by the home win over champions Anderlecht.

“I am pleased that we third victory in the four matches we have played so far,” he reported “We are still pushing harder as we have six more matches to play.

“We hope we can get a

Kenneth Omeruo’s experience crucial for Eagles at World Cup – NFF official

SULEIMAN Isah, the President of Nigeria Amputee Football Federation (NAFF), on Thursday said the federation has invited the Ghanaian national amputee football team for a friendly match with Nigeria’s “Special Eagles’’.

Mr Isah told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna that the federation has also sought approval from the World Amputee Football Federation (WAFF) for the match scheduled for July. the friendly match with the Ghana national team and we are hopeful that it will be approved,’’ he said.

Mr Isah added that the friendly match slated for Oghara in Delta State would prepare the Special Eagles for the Amputee World Cup slated for October in Mexico.

The federation president said it was pathetic for the sport that before now the team had trained hard for six years without any continental or international championship.

Standard Liege edges Anderlecht 1-0 in the on league.

“I met with Henry

action with Anderlecht after he has recovered

this season. to live that Arsenal dream next summer,

17 Times Sports

“We should note that all the other central defenders in line for the World Cup have yet to feature at the World Cup, which is a big stage where you have to combine experience with commitment.

Omeruo recently playing for his club and I strongly believe he has THE Omeruo will be vital for the Super Eagles at the World Cup in Russia, according to NFF Omeruo is one of the most experienced players in the Eagles having won the 2013 AFCON and played at the last World Cup in Brazil.

“Also, he has been to the World Cup before and his leadership quality will help the defence.” showing in the NPFL this season.

“I am glad that my boys are doing well in the league, we have come of age compared to last

experience will be important in the defence of the Super Eagles

the NPFL,” he said.

“The team are doing well and the people and government of

who also doubles as chairman

we are now fourth on the table,

Struggling In Africa THE President of Nigeria Football

that Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle in African club competitions if their present structure is not overhauled, Completesportsnigeria.com reports.

He said the solution to Nigerian clubs doing well in the continental championships is for them to be independent of government and build

to educate our football administrators, because they are our number one problem. They are dependent on government appropriations. They don’t and independently, they would have more money for themselves and their families.

“We have tried it for the past 20 years clubs and give them good structures and

clubs to the next level.

Of the four Nigeria Professional Football League clubs that started this year’s CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup, only Enyimba made it “I have said it openly that when we get re-elected by the grace of God, the

old.”

He urged Enyimba, Nigeria’s surviving team in CAF club competitions, to raise their game and ensure that they win the Confederation Cup to appease Nigerians who are unhappy over the crashing of

to ensure that all the clubs are independent of government and run Europe and North CSN in Abuja.

“Nigerian clubs will continue to struggle because they don’t have the structures and traditions of the Arab teams they are competing with on the continent. Enyimba is the only team that has the semblance of a professional side with history and tradition.

“Again, we need

NPFL Standing

Times Sports 18

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Trackdown

Performance status of Nigerian Professional abroad

Arsene Wenger: Ranks Iwobi high Lookman’s future depends on Everton - RB Leipzig’s Rangnick Alex Iwobi has, to date, only ever RB Leipzig sporting director Ralf Rangnick has disclosed that Ademola Lookman’s transfer situation depends on Everton.

The diminutive forward joined the on a six-month loan contract in January, without an option to make the deal permanent.

Lookman has been impressive since he arrived at the Bundesliga side games, scoring two goals in the process.

played under Arsene Wenger at Arsenal, and could be one of the players whose fortunes will be the most transformed by the Frenchman’s departure. The Nigeria international made his debut for the Gunners in 2015, although his progress has arguably stagnated this term after making paigns. Iwobi has the potential to be one of the breakout stars of the World Cup.

‘Victor was the star man’ – Conte CHELSEA manager Antonio Conte lauded an awe-inspiring performance from Victor Moses after his side’s Premier League victory against Burnley.

The 27-year-old capped a beautiful display with an assist and a goal as the Blues cruised to a 2-1 win in Conte’s

100th match in charge of Chelsea in all competitions.

Burnley looked set to claim a point thanks to Ashley Barnes’ leveler after Kevin Long had turned in Moses’ cross However, it was the Nigeria international - a threat down the right

all game - who had the

in a low drive that beat birthday boy Nick Pope.

“That was a fantastic performance from the Blues and a deserved three points,” Conte told Chelsea media after the game.

“Victor Moses, with an assist and the win-

ning goal, was the star man, but everyone performed admirably against tough opposition.

“Back-to-back wins is the perfect preparation for Wembley on Sunday.”

Moses who now boasts of three Premier League goals this term would be hoping to help the Roman Army into

Uche Ikpeazu agrees to join Hearts from Cambridge United UCHE League side Heart of Midlothian from Cambridge United on a two-year deal.

The former Blackpool player will move to the Tynecastle English League Two side.

In the summer of 2016, the Anglo-Nigerian teamed up with the Abbey Stadium side from Watford and in his debut campaign, though hampered by a hamstring injury which ruled him out of action for eight weeks, he managed eight goals in 36 appearances.

they tackle Southampton on Sunday.

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middle of the park was Mikel who, in all honesty, didn’t have his best individual display of the season, but was a catalyst in the comeback, evidenced by his equalizer in the 27th minute, before Jiakang Hui completed the turnaround two minutes later.

Tianjin Teda subsequently move to ninth on the log following the win.

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Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

19 Times Sports

Tobi Amusan I wanted to break Commonwealth Games record Former cyclist Armstrong settles $100m lawsuit for $5m

Lance Armstrong has agreed to pay $5m (£3.5m) to the US government to settle a long-running lawsuit that could have cost him $100m (£71m) in damages.

The American, 46, was accused of fraud by cheating while riding for the publicly funded US Postal Service team.

He was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles and banned from cycling for life in 2012 before admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs.

“I’m glad to resolve this case and move forward with my life,” said Armstrong.

Armstrong failed to block the lawsuit last year and a trial was set for 7 May in Washington.

In a statement on Thursday, he said he was “particularly glad to have made peace with the Postal Service” despite believing their lawsuit to be “without merit and unfair”.

“I have since 2013 tried to take full responsibility for my mistakes, and make amends wherever possible,” he said.

“I rode my heart out for the Postal cycling team, and was always especially proud to wear the red, white and blue eagle on my chest when competing in the Tour de France. Those memories are very real and mean a lot to me.

“I’m looking forward to devoting myself to the many great things in my life - my five kids, my wife, my podcast, several exciting writing and film projects, my work as a cancer survivor, and my passion for sports and competition.”

The lawsuit was filed by Armstrong’s former US Postal team-mate Floyd Landis in 2010, before being joined by the government in 2013.

Landis, who was stripped of the 2006 Tour title after testing positive for a banned substance, is eligible to receive 25% of the settlement as the original claimant. Armstrong has also agreed to pay $1.65m (£1.2m) to cover Landis’ legal fees.

He sued Armstrong under the federal False Claims Act, alleging Armstrong and his team defrauded the government by using banned substances while riding under the Postal Service banner.

The US Postal Service team ran from 1996 to 2004, with Armstrong winning seven Tour titles between 1999 and 2005.

The team were paid about $32m (£23m) between 2000 and 2004, with the government potentially able to pursue ‘treble’ damages under the lawsuit, resulting in the $100m figure.

In 2013, Armstrong agreed a settlement with the Sunday Timesafter it sued him for about £1m. The American had been paid £300,000 to settle a libel case in 2004 after the newspaper alleged he had cheated.

Later that year, he also settled a lawsuit brought by an insurance company that paid him $3m for successes while doping.

Athletics enthusiasts on Saturday lauded Oluwatobiloba Amusan’s 100m Hurdles won on Friday at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Australia.

They told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the victory was well deserved.

Bashiru Abdullahi, a 110m Hurdles African medallist, said Amusan performed excellently, adding that he knew from the heats that she would win.

“Tobi ran a fantastic race, when I saw her run in the heat, I knew she was going to win the final. Although, I was scared because she was still behind during the fifth hurdles.

“But her last three hurdles to the finish line was superb. She really did great. Congratulations

Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Tobi Amusan has said her target was to break the Games’ record in Australia.

Amusan ran 12.68secs ahead of Jamaica duo Danielle Williams and Yanique Thompson to win the women’s 100m hurdles to become the first Nigerian gold medallist in the event at the Commonwealth Games. Her medal is the only gold won by the country in athletics in Gold Coast.

The Commonwealth Games record in the event is 12.65secs set by Jamaican Brigitte Foster-Hylton at the Melbourne 2006 Games.

“I will rate my performance in Gold Coast as average because I came in with the target to break the Games record in the 100m hurdles but I didn’t get it,” the US-based hurdler said in a video post on Facebook.

“However, I won the event and that’s the most important thing.”

She added, “I have always prepared hard for every competition – the Olympics, the African Championships, and others – with the same positive energy and attitude. I knew that winning the event at the Games would be tough and I was prepared for it and I am glad it worked out well in the end.

“I believe the others who didn’t win medals at these Games would have learnt a thing or two, which will help them in future competitions.

“The team has a lot of young athletes and I believe that having competed with some of the best athletes in the world in their various events would have given them more confidence ahead of upcoming competitions.”

Fans laud Amusan’s 100m hurdles gold to Tobi for winning the 100m hurdles for Nigeria. I feel so happy,’’ he said.

A hurdles coach, Olalekan Soetan, told NAN from Gold Coast that Amusan’s gold medal was expected, especially with her recent performances.

“Tobi’s gold was no surprise, she ran a couple of 60mh indoor and placed 7th at World Championships, she opened her outdoor season with a 12.73secs wind.

“Later, she ran a lifetime best of 11.31secs in 100m flat, these were

strong indications that she was ready for the big stage.

“Added to these is the fact that she turned professional, she now can choose races she wants unlike last year, especially that she did over 45 races/Jumps at NCAA and international levels.

“Like I said earlier, we knew she would win gold, we are happy,’’ he said.

Amusan came first with a time of 12.68secs, Danielle Williams placed

second with a time of 12.78secs, Jamaica’s Yanique Thompson came third with 12:97secs.

Michelle Jenneke of Australia placed fourth with 13.07secs, her compatriot Brianna Beahan came fifth position with 13:11 secs.

England’s Tiffany Porter returned sixth position with a time of 13.12secs, Meagan Simmonds of Jamaica came seventh with 13.18secs, while Alicia Barrett returned eighth position with 13.64secs.

Commonwealth Games: Africa bags 97 medals, hosts Australia finish with 198 medals The 2018 Commonwealth Games came to and with dramatic victories in Netball and Rugby against this year’s hosts, Australia.

New Zealands’s women’s Rugby team beat Australia in the final with a try in sudden death extra time, winning 17 – 12, while England’s netball team also shocked title favorites Australia with a decisive penalty shot in the last seconds of the game winning 52 – 51.

They became the first team apart from Australia and New Zealand to win netball gold.

Australia still managed to lead the medal’s table with 80 gold medals, and a total of 198 medals.

Queen Elizabeth’s youngest son Prince Edward called on the athletes to gather again in Birmingham in four years time before officially closing the XXI Games.

“Every four years these Games bring the spirit of our Commonwealth alive,” the Prince said.

“So I call sportsmen and women from all countries and territories of the Commonwealth to come together in four years’ time in Birmingham, England, to celebrate the 22nd Commonwealth Games.

Medal haul for Team Africa Africa was represented on the medals’ table by

South Africa in the 6th position with 13 gold medals and a total of 37 medals, Nigeria in the 9th position with a total of 24 medals and Kenya in the 14th position with a total of 17 medals.

Other African countries on the medals table included Uganda with 6 medals, Botswana with 5 medals, Namibia with 2 medals, Cameroon with 3 medals, Mauritius, Seychelles and Ghana, each with 1 medal.

Final day On the final day of the games, Africa’s medals came from Namibia’s Helalia Johannes who won the women’s marathon in two hours, 32.40 minutes, Uganda’s Munyo Mutai who won silver in a dramatic men’s marathon where Scotland’s Callum Hawkins collapsed inside the final five kilometers after leading for most of the race.

English city Birmingham were awarded the next Games in 2022 after original hosts Durban were stripped of the multi-sport event for failing to meet Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) deadlines. ‘‘Congratulations Gold Coast, congratulations Queensland and congratulations Australia,” Martin said before the flag lowering ceremony. “You have truly delivered a golden Games for the Commonwealth.’‘

Hassan Trophy: Wales’ Bradley Dredge holds share of lead Wales’ Bradley Dredge holds a share of the lead after the first round of the Hassan Trophy in Morocco.

Dredge, 44, shot a five-under-par 67 that included seven birdies to open up a one-stroke lead alongside Spain’s Alvaro Quiros.

Englishman Oliver Fisher is in a five-way tie for third at Casablanca’s Royal Golf Dar Es Salam.

“I’ve been lacking consistency and today I drove it in play every hole and hit a lot of fairways,” said Dredge.

England’s Lee Slattery and Northern Ireland’s Michael Hoey are a further shot back on three under.

Yohan Blake avoids Usain Bolt after Commonwealth Games flop

Jamaica’s Yohan Blake admitted Saturday that he was doing his best to avoid sprint legend Usain Bolt after his Commonwealth Games flop in the 100 metres.

Bolt, who retired last year after dominating the sport for almost a decade, had joked to his countryman that he would not be able to return to Jamaica unless he won the title.

After Blake slumped to third in the final in Gold Coast, Bolt arrived in Australia looking to poke a little fun at his former teammate.

“I know Usain is going to trouble me a lot because he expected me to get gold,” said Blake after taking bronze in the 4x100m relay.

“I’m going to hide from him when I go back home,” added Blake, confirming that Bolt had yet to catch up with him at the Commonwealth Games village.

“He tried to contact me but I hid my phone. I just wanted to focus on the 4x100m but I know he’s coming to see me later so I’m going to hide.”

But Blake, who bagged a world title in 2011 after Bolt falsestarted in the final, played down the significance of his surprise Commonwealth defeat by South Africa’s Akani Simbine.

“If everybody saw what happened, I slipped at the start and couldn’t recover,” he said.

“It was a pretty easy race for me to win — I was in recordbreaking shape and I’m still in that shape. But sometimes a mistake can cost you.”

Blake had very little opportunity to prove his point with a makeshift Jamaica team in the 4x100m final, where England and South Africa were too far in front by the time Warren Weir had passed him the baton.

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Saturday, April 21, 2018

Negotiations for Joshua, Wilder fight intensify in New York Barca face Sevilla in Copa del Rey final

Barcelona and Sevilla will know the success of their respective seasons is on the line when they go head to head in the Copa del Rey final on Saturday.

The Cup would certainly have been third on Barca’s list of priorities only a month ago, but the shattering Champions League defeat to Roma has altered perceptions of what might have otherwise have been a stellar campaign.

Unbeaten in La Liga and virtually certain to win the title, a domestic double may not be enough to remove the lingering disappointment from Rome, particularly if arch rivals Real Madrid clinch their third consecutive European crown.

“I live with a little anxiety,” Barca midfielder Philippe Coutinho said on Thursday. “But it is a very important and very happy moment, playing a final only two or three months after arriving.”

Another surprise loss this weekend would certainly settle the argument, even if it seems strange to declare a team under pressure six days after they marked the longest unbeaten run in La Liga history.

In moulding his team around organisation, hard work and the irrepressible Lionel Messi, Barcelona coach Ernesto Valverde has steered this team away from the club’s more freeflowing, attacking traditions.

He has proven a master of extraction, drawing the very best from a squad that unexpectedly lost one of its star strikers in Neymar last summer, and owns far less talent than its predecessors.

Sevilla have fewer questions to answer in terms of entertainment.

Since Vincenzo Montella took charge in December, they have beaten Atletico Madrid, twice, Manchester United and drawn with Bayern Munich and Barcelona.

They have also conceded five goals at home to Real Betis and lost to minnows Alaves, Eibar and Leganes. In their draw against Barca, they shipped two goals in the 87th and 89th minutes.

“We know how they play, that they have quality and a fast counter-attack,” Coutinho said. “The most important thing is to think about ourselves, how we have to play and what we should do to win.”

Sitting seventh in the table and 17 points adrift of the top four, a trophy -- particularly with a win over Barca -would diminish a disappointing league position and enhance their run to the Champions League quarterfinals. Lose, and there will be little left to cling onto.

“We have a great opportunity to win a title for the club,” Sevilla midfielder Pablo Sarabia said. “We have to think about the good things from this season.

“It is true we have not been consistent in the league but in the Champions League we have made history and in the cup we have the opportunity to lift a trophy.”

While Barca, the defending champions, are chasing their 30th Copa del Rey triumph in the Wanda Metropolitano stadium’s first tournament final, Sevilla are bidding to win their sixth, and first since 2010.

Barca fans are expected to jeer Spain’s national anthem before kick-off amid ongoing political unrest between Catalonia and the Spanish government.

“I’m not going to say anything,” Valverde said. “I just want the players to respect each other.”

Promoter Eddie Hearn will hold a meeting with Deontay Wilder’s team in New York next week as negotiations continue for a fight against Anthony Joshua for all the heavyweight world titles.

Joshua is still waiting to receive a counter offer from WBC king Wilder, who did not accept a reported flat fee of

Tennis:

$12.5m for a massive showdown with the British star, the IBF, WBA and WBO belt holder.

But Hearn will head out to America to resume talks with Wilder’s backers about the blockbuster bout for the right to become the heavyweight division’s undisputed champion.

“I’m going to look to meet up with them in New York, get face

to face with them, look into the whites of their eyes, and just see if we can make a deal.

“We made an offer last week.

We haven’t heard from them yet,” Hearn told Sky Sports.

“There’s been a bit of talking behind the scenes.

“We are in New York next week for the Danny Jacobs fight and Katie Taylor unification.”

Watson to play Osaka in Fed Cup opener Heather Watson will play world number 22 Naomi Osaka in the opening match of Great Britain’s Fed Cup World Group II play-off tie with Japan.

Watson plays the Japanese number one, who is 55 places higher in the world rankings, at 05:00 BST on Saturday.

British number one Johanna Konta faces world number 100 Kurumi Nara in Saturday’s second singles.

GB will be promoted to the World Group for the first time since 1993 if they beat their hosts this weekend.

Osaka won the Indian Wells title last month and is the highestranked player on either team, one place above Konta.

Konta and Watson are joined in the GB team by doubles specialist Anna Smith and debutante Gabi Taylor.

The doubles rubber and the reverse singles rubbers take place from 04:00 BST on Sunday.

Rafael Nadal thrashes Dominic Thiem to reach Monte Carlo Cup final Rafael Nadal produced a stunning performance to thrash Austrian fifth seed Dominic Thiem and reach a record 14th Monte Carlo Masters semi-final.

World number one Nadal, bidding for his 11th victory at the clay court event, won 6-0 6-2 in just 67 minutes.

Nadal, 31, will meet Bulgarian fourth seed Grigor Dimitrov in the last four.

Dimitrov reached his first Monte Carlo semi-final with a 6-4 7-6 (7-5) win over Belgium’s David Goffin, who was leading 5-1 in the second set.

Later on Friday, second seed Marin Cilic plays Kei Nishikori, while Alex Zverev faces Richard Gasquet, in the other quarter-finals.

Thiem, 24, was considered by many as Nadal’s biggest threat in Monte Carlo, having beaten the Spaniard on his favoured clay surface in Rome last year and winning against Novak Djokovic to set up the quarter-final match.

However, the world number seven - aiming to become the first player to beat Djokovic and Nadal in the same clay-court tournament - was completely outclassed.

Nadal took the first set in just 31 minutes, winning four of his 11 break points and not facing one against his own serve.

Thiem avoided a double-bagel defeat by holding serve to trail 3-1 in the second set and was rewarded with a sympathetic ovation from the crowd.

But he failed to threaten Nadal’s serve and the 16-time Grand Slam champion eased to an emphatic victory.

Nadal, who is aiming for a record-extending 11th French Open title when the tournament gets under way on 27 May, has now won 31 of his past 32 matches on clay.

“I think I played a great match - the best of the tournament,” said Nadal.

“I played very aggressive, I knew I couldn’t give Dominic time to hit the ball and I didn’t.”

Amir Khan vs Phil Lo Greco: Briton ‘inspired’ by Anthony Joshua emergence Amir Khan says the emergence of “great” British boxers such as Anthony Joshua inspired him to take a fight in the UK for the first time in five years.

The British former lightwelterweight world champion faces Canada’s Phil lo Greco in Liverpool on Saturday.

Khan said world heavyweight champion Joshua “cleaning up, knocking guys out and selling stadiums” has put British boxing “on a high”.

“I’m like, ‘wow, this is where I want to be again’,” the 31-year-old said.

“I’ve done it in the past and I want to do it again. I know I’ve got a style where the crowd will come and watch me and want to see me.

“Fighters like Joshua out there give you that inspiration to come out and do well and sell out stadiums again.”

Khan has not fought since he was beaten by Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez in Las Vegas two years ago, while his last bout in Britain ended in a unanimous points victory over Julio Diaz in Sheffield in 2013.

Khan has signed a three-fight deal with Joshua’s promoter Eddie Hearn, whom he praised for “getting people to respect boxing more”.

“British boxing was really dying and Eddie’s brought it back alive again,” said Khan.

“I remember the days when I used to fight in America all the time because in Britain boxing wasn’t as big as what we wanted it to be.

“In America, I was fighting there because I wanted to make a big name for myself and globally become a star.

“Now fighters are coming from America to England because of what Eddie’s done. It’s only making boxing a bigger, better sport.

“You walk down the streets and people are talking about boxing.”

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

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Okonjo-Iweala chairs Commonwealth session ÏÏFormer

coordinating minister of the economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo - Iweala chaired a session of the

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Commonwealth Business Forum attended by many world leaders.

Some of the presidents at the session tagged ‘Is the Africa growth story still alive?’ were Paul Kagame of Rwanda; Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa; and Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya.

On Friday, she took to Twitter to share highlights of the programme which was basically about ways of improving business and trade on the continent.

“Heads of state candidly discussed the challenges before the continent in terms of the cost of trade and the cost of doing busi-

ness on the continent, including issues of transparency, corruption and the need for better governance,” she wrote.

“But they also pointed to the opportunities in trade, i.e. the need to fasttrack the implementation of the AfCFTA, the opportunities for investment in manufacturing, valueadded activities as well as infrastructure, Africa’s youth dividend that needs to be valued and validated.

“The discussion ended with presidents noting Africa is open for business and President Ramaphosa coined the phrase we want to be known as #AttractiveAfrica.”

AUCTION SALES! AUCTION SALES!!

THERE WILL BE AN AUCTION SALES OF SCRAP MOTORS, SCRAP MOTORCYCLES AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AT THE NIGERIA POLICE, DIVISIONAL HEADQUARTERS, ELELE DIVISION, OF THE RIVERS STATE POLICE COMMAND. AFTER 21 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. 1. ONE SCRAP L300 BUS REG. NO. RIVERS XA 840 KPR 2. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA CAMRY REG. NO. LAR AAA 887 AQ 3. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA COROLLA REG. NO. JH 303 AAA 4. ONE SCRAP UNSERVICEABLE BUS KIA REG. NO. AH 96 KMR 5. ONE SCRAP UNSERVICEABLE CARAVAN ES OLD BUS WITHOUT REG. NO. 6. ONE SCRAP QLINK MOTORCYCLE REG. NO. RV 864 KC 7. ONE SUMEC GENERATOR, ONE CYLINDER, SOME SPEAKERS OF LG/OTHER, 27 PIECES OF WINDOW PROTECTORS, EIGHTEEN PIECES OF G. M. P. FRAMES. 8. SOME SHOVELS AND MATCHETS, DODGE GRAND CARAVAN UNREGISTERED, ONE UNSERVICEABLE LEZUS STANDING FAN, DAMAGED SUNNY SPEAKER, TWO WELDING BOTTLES, SOME UNSERVICEABLE VCD/DVD PLAYERS, FIVE IN ONE SET INKE AMPLIFIED AND ITS ENGINE. 9. AND OTHER HOUSEHOLD ITEMS. SIGNED: ALH. UBALLO DANU AUCTIONEER

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

2.

3.

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6.

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News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, April 21, 2018

17 News

APC factions fight over state HQ, as Orji Kalu sues for peace

By Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia It was a show of disunity as two factions of the all Progressive Congress in Abia struggle for the party’s Umuahia.

The two factions were one led by Ikechi Emenike with Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe as the state chairman (as declared by the court recently and another led by the former Governor of the state, Orji Uzor Kalu with Donatus Nwankpa as the state chairman. court judgment was controlled

by Donatus Nwankpa-led faction and was mid-day Friday, forcefully taken over by the Ikechi Emenike-led faction other faction.

It became a fracas as the sacked Abia state chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC Donatus Nwankpa,

they have done, adding that they have served the police, DSS, Civil Defence and other security agencies in the state to alert them of their desire to take over the “The court order of 8th March sacking the former Exco was given to the state commissioner of police, the state director of DSS, the Commandant of Civil Defence and other security agencies in the state were given the court order alerting them of our desire to take over the party

hounded by the police”. the state deputy commissioner of police, Nwankpa with his group chasing everybody away while the police just looked on.

Nwankpa while addressing the press said that they were holding their caucus meeting when they got information that some hoodlums have taken quickly drove down only to see

“Therefore what we are doing here is not illegal and I wonder why the state Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP V. O. Brown is now asking to see me without delay while the meeting is going on”, he said.

those who are authorized to do that and when they saw us they

those the court sacked have been allowed by the security agencies in the state to move around freely, granting press conferences under the name of APC, “While we who have the authentic power are being

nothing and no right to be in the state party secretariat, adding that the police should do all within their power to arrest those found to be involved in breaking

the amount of money and other materials taken away by the hoodlums”.

Nwankpa said that those who

He

thanked

the

state

commissioner of police, CP Anthony Ogbizi for his timely intervention which he claimed has saved the state from unnecessary bloodshed and urged members of the party to remain calm. the Nwankpa-led group reconvened elsewhere where the leader of the party in the state, Orji Uzor Kalu pleaded with the Nwankpa to forget about the clash and accommodate Ikechi Emenike, pleading also that the party has room for reconciliation.

According to him, APC is not their candidates in a congress that will soon come up in the state, and thanked those who came to rescue the “house”.

He pleaded with Nwankpa to be soft with Ikechi Emenike, stating “All are party members and it shall be well. This is part of politics. People will quarrel and it is part of politics. He is our brother and our member”, pleading that Nwankpa should

cool down his anger.

Also speaking, the state chairman of APC faction, Donatus Nwankpa said “We are not talking about Ikechi Emenike, we are talking about a man who is thrives in rascality, and illegality”.

which will be free and fair.

On why they came for the gathering, he said “We are here to discuss issues and preparation for the congress”.

He said the congress will be transparent and fair as “all machineries will be put in motion; all steps towards the unity of the party in the state”.

“APC in the state has endorsed the second term for Buhari for the culture of continuity”, he said mentioning the Second Niger Bridge and other projects as the reason for the adoption.

“Come 2023, an Igbo person of south east extraction will

Emenike-led party members away while the state chairman, Dr. Emmanuel Ndukwe was addressing his members.

Trouble started when police interrupted Ndukwe, while he was addressing the party members that the party is not for sale by anybody or group of persons, stressing that some members of the party have been making plans to reap where they did not sow.

Speaking, Ndukwe said that they decided to take over outcome of the Abia state High Court which sat at Okpuala Ngwa on the 8th of March to sack the former executive council led by Nwankpa, stating that the court order has given them the impetus to take over the party secretariat which

L-R: Head of Voters Education, Independent National Electoral Commission, Federal Capital Territory, Mrs. Ndidi Okafor; A Guest Speaker, Rev. Oluoma John; Convener, Believers in Politics and Governance Forum, Mrs. Bolanle Olusola; Coordinating Chaplain National Ecumenical Center, Abuja, Bishop Peter Ogunmuyiwa and Head of Silverbird Communication Limited, Mrs. Omolola Oladimeji, during a forum for believers in politics and governance in Abuja. Photo: Temitope Balogun.

Disaster Prevention: FCTA embarks on area council sensitisation

By Idu Jude, Abuja In readiness for a free natural disaster 2018 rainy season.

The Area council service secretariat, has embarked on community sensitization, as this would propagate the need for prevention against any occurrence.

The Director of area council service secretariat Alhaji Musa Abdulraheem, while in a chart with the media, stated that has devised means of reducing disaster occurrence across the FCT area councils, which also is targeted at reducing pressure on the

Administration and the secretariat.

Alhaji Abdularaheem further explained that proper sensitization of residents in each community will ensure selfhygiene, through disposing of refuse, abiding to the environmental rules as well as the need for healthy living.

He said, “ as a secretariat, we usually go out our ways to sensitize the people, because people have devised the means of improper disposing of refuses. They dump it right inside the drainages which causes the blockage of the water channels and we

have issued bin in the past were the administration were called upon for rescue mission, to bury dirth or to provide relief materials.

We were at a cross road last season when a vehicle plunged into a gully and killed a man and his two kids at an Estate due to bad road caused by erosion, we would not allow this to occur again and we think what we adopt now is second to none”.

He revealed that the FCT, is currently taking cue from what happens at other areas like Lagos, Kano and Bauchi, with high rate with another record of

government

expenditure

mission.

Commenting on the places already blocked and begging for help, he said that the secretariat with proper collaboration with the satellite town development department STDD, whose activities is close to the grassroots with budget provision meant for it, “but you and I know that the country is currently having economic challenges prepared foe is to ensure that the occurrence will be limited and even if at all it happens that the agency responsible would swing

FEMA FCT, have sent relief materials to the victims of area council”.

Among other plans lined up in ensuring the end to the menace, he revealed that plans are on the way to use media jingles in reaching millions of FCT residents through native languages. he assured that the administration has mapped out some reasonable and undisclosed amount for the project, just as he said the administration wait for 2018 National Assembly budget approval.

president. Nigeria is built on tripod and the north and south west have taken their turns.

We have good leadership [ in President Buhari.rom Bende3 LGA, Sen. Speaking, Ben Kalu from Bende LGA, Sam Nkeire, Chris Akomas, Chinenye Nyerere Anyim and Hon. Acho Obioma assured that their party was in a position to snatch the leadership from PDP come 2019.

Labour Party condemns incessant killings, NASS invasion

By Mathew Dadiya, Abuja Labour Party (LP) has expressed concern over the continued killings of Nigerians in some states of the country.

LP in press statement issued on Friday, lamented that armed bandits have unabatedly continued to wreck havoc, mostly in the middle belt area of the country.

The statement signed by its National Chairman, Alhaji Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said that “The Leadership of our party expressed serious worries over the continued killings of Nigerians by the Armed Bandit”.

Abdulsalam, warned that the inability of the Nigerian Security agencies to contain them may spell greater doom for lives in susceptible areas.

He then called on the Federal Government to adopt a holistic approach and be proactive in its response to issues of security in order to abate the carnage.

Besides, the party condemned what it described as “the forceful invasion of the Senate by thugs and hoodlums describing the action as uncivilised.”

“We joined other Nigerians to condemn the recruiting of thugs to invade the Senate and remove the Mace at the plenary.

It is most uncivilised and portrays the high level of insecurity in the country. ‘‘If the motivation for the show of shame was to ingratiate himself to the 2019 tickets of the APC, then beyond being an unenviable role model and unfortunate proxy,” the party stated.

23 19News News

Daily Times Nigeria Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018 Saturday, April 21, 2018

Sen Bwacha facilitates rehabilitation of 36.5km Wukari-Ibi Road Senator Emmanuel Bwacha (PDP, Taraba South) on Friday facilitated the launching of the rehabilitation of the 36.5-kilometre Wukari -Ibi Road which is expected to gulp N1billion.

Speaking at the occasion, Bwacha, said the project, which was approved jointly by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture as well as Power, Works and Housing as a rural road initiative, had funds appropriated for it in the 2017 and 2018 budgets.

He also said work on the abandoned Akwana

Mobile Police Barack which he initiated years ago as a House of Representatives member, would soon resume as N1.3 billion had been appropriated for it in the 2018 budget.

The Senate Deputy Minority Leader, then urged the people of the community to cooperate with the contractor to ensure the project was completed in six weeks as scheduled.

He said when completed, the barrack would help in ensuring security on the fringes of the Taraba-Benue border.

Elated Governor of

Taraba State, Darius Ishaku, lauded the federal lawmaker for facilitating the road rehabilitation the people.

Represented by the state Commissioner for Works, Mr Tafarki Agbadu, Ishaku, also commended the Federal Government for approving funds for the project. And, appealed to the Federal Government to refund the N32 billion the state government had spent so far on the rehabilitation of federal roads.

Director of Moulds Nig. Ltd, the company

handling the Wukari –Ibi road project, Mr Samuel Oyafami, recalled

Commissioner for Information, Mr Emmah Okah disclosed this on

constructed in 1974 and had not undergone full rehabilitation.

Oyafami said his company would restore the road to its original state within a record time.

Wike to commission 34 projects on 3rd anniversary Rivers State Government has said that it had earmarked 34 projects for inauguration to mark Governor Nyesom Wike’s 3rd anniversary celebration.

The state

journalists after the State Executive Council meeting in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

Okah, who noted that all the 34 projects were completion, added that for the disbursement of the monthly N200 million interest free loans for traders and young entrepreneurs.

He said that the state government had called on all interested

traders and youths to avail themselves of the opportunity and secure the loan to boost their businesses.

He said the council was also briefed on the completion of the fencing of Bishop Okoye Street to keep street traders away from the road as part of government’s plan to rid the roads of street traders.

The commissioner said that following the expiration of the ultimatum given to street traders in Port Harcourt, the full implementation of the ban on street trading would commence as planned.

R-L: Clerk of the National Assembly, Muhammed Sani- Omolori receiving the stolen mace from the Deputy Inspector General of Police Joshak Habila at the National Assembly in Abuja... on Thursday.

Photo: Temitope Balogun

Ogun 20,000-capacity amphitheater for drum festival under way Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun, has said that the government is building a 20,000-capacity amphitheater for hosting the annual drum festival.

Amosun, who spoke on Friday at this year’s edition of the African Drum Festival Conference, Workshop and Exhibition held at the Olumo Rock Tourist Centre in Abeokuta, the state capital said that the

amphitheater would be ready by December and next year’s edition of the festival would be held at the facility.

The theme of the Conference, Workshop and Exhibition is “Drumming

for Advancement, Drumming for Socio Economic Development.’’

Amosun also stated that the three-day festival would be extended in the next edition, noting that the time allocated

to the participants to perform was short.

Amosun also said government was using the festival to create wealth for the youths as well as to promote social and economic development.

The director said that the lessons on morals in the book were necessary, especially in a society like Nigeria with moral decadence.

The festival started on Thursday, and would end today.

News 24 News 20

Daily Times Nigeria Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018 Saturday, April 21, 2018

Lagos family drags Custom DG, Ali to court over alleged land grabbing

By Patrick Okohue A Lagos family, the Edunjobi Ogundare family of Ogombo, Lagos has dragged the Comtroller General of Nigerian Customs, Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali (Rtd) and his agents before a to grab their family land and eject them from same.

The family in a press statement signed by Isiaka Ibrahim-Ogundare however said that despite an injunction of court restraining Ali, or his agents from trespassing the land, they have continued to

Green Party debuts in Rivers

By Memoye Oghu, Port Harcourt

ignore the order and continue to erect barriers on the said property.

Narrating their ordeal in the hands of the alleged agents of the customs boss, Isiaka Ibrahim-Ogundare said, “There is an area called Ocean View Estate in Ogombo, near Abraham Adesanya Estate, where the Edunjobi-Ogundare family has two plots of land by inheritance as a land-owning family.

“In fact we have an expanse of land in that area most of which has been sold except the two plots under reference which we retained for family use and some which we gave to some family members and which is covered by C of O No: 73/73/1996 AD issued to our descendant family on June 18, 1996 by the Lagos State government.

“We erected a bungalow on the said two plots of land in

2006 and I and my other family members have been living there since then.

“Surprising, on or about

and when myself and other family members expressed our discontent with the demolition, the armed men threatened to result of which we kept quiet

Practitioners on the instruction of Col. Hammed Ibrahim Ali dated 7th March, informing us to vacate our family property and that if we do not vacate within 7 days, immediate action will be taken to recover same without recourse to any persons or authority, not Abdulrahman Adegoke.

2018, some unknown persons came to our property to demolish our fence with the aid armed force men supervised the illegal demolition without any court order or legal process

of hand, we informed Hon. Noheem Adams representing Eti-Osa 1 constituency in the Lagos State House of Assembly and he visited the land on the 31st March, 2018, along with some other people, and when he asked who was working on gave him a number of a man who introduced himself as retired army General, General Nnoli who said it was the Area Commander of Ajah Police Station, Area J that gave them permission to erect a new structure on the land, but when Hon. Noheem called the said Area Commander, ACP Felix, he denied giving anybody

permission to build on our family land.

“On that same day, the man who said he is a retired Army General, General Nnoli said we should vacate our family land and not disturb the fence construction going on, we declined and he said if we disturb the construction, he will go and bring a pistol and use it on us.

“Thereafter, the fence construction was going on the Lagos State Task Force on Land Grabbers and met with the secretary, Mosunmola a petition No. 2368 dated 3rd April 2018 and when she or about 3rd April, the lawyer, Abdulrahman Adegoke said he will get back to his client and call back, but never called back or honoured the invitation

of the Lagos State Special Task Isiaka Ibrahim-Ogundare said when they realised that nothing they did was stopping the people from continuing with what they were doing on their land, they resorted court and subsequently got an injunction restraining further work on the land, but added however that despite the court order which was duly served on them, they have continued to work on the land.

However, when contacted, Abdulrahman Adegoke counsel to Col. Hammed about the case, but declined comments saying that he was a junior counsel in the chambers and that any question on the principal, but he however did not provide the contact of his principal.

The Green Party of Nigeria (GPN) has vowed to take over power from the ruling Peoples Democratic party (PDP) come 2019 general elections.

The party made the vow on Friday during a prayer and sensitization walk round the streets of Port Harcourt, the Rivers state capital.

The state coordinator of the party, Hon. Alphine Whyte told the Daily Times during the walk that the party has come and is ready to take over power from the incumbents, both at the federal and state levels in order to salvage the country.

“It is no longer going to be business as usual, we have come to change the narrative, we have come with a new political culture and orientation.

“Nigeria is in slavery, the land is like a cursed land that the glory of God has departed and what we have done today is for God to intervene in the land and Whyte frowned at the recent statement of President Buhari describing Nigerian youths as lazy and assured the youths of

Participants of National Defence University Pakistan visit Nigerian Air Force to strengthen bilateral relationship during their visit... on Saturday

Glo’s Professor Johnbull flays rising incidence of jungle justice

By Patrick Okohue

youths to be lazy,that is why we are telling the youths of this country and state that there is hope for them in GPN. As we march towards the forthcoming elections, it will begin to manifest and said.

He further assured that GPN as a party is ready to contest and win in the June 16th local government and ward elections.

The incidence of jungle justice occasioned by lack of faith in the security agencies takes the centre stage this week as television drama series, Professor Johnbull, airs at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday on DSTV Channel 251, NTA Network and NTA International.

Entitled Jungle Justice, the episode will also be beamed on Sunday on DSTV Africa

Magic Family and GOTV Channel 2 at 6.00 p.m., with repeat broadcast at 9.30 p.m. on Thursday and NTA on StarTimes at 8.30 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday, while Anambra Broadcasting Service will air it at 8.30 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday.

Professor Johnbull, played

by Nollywood star, Kanayo O. Kanayo, sheds light on the dangers and evils of jungle justice, declaring that the habit is “blind justice, archaic,

inhuman and barbaric as it just acts and does not ask

The episode equally pleads with the public to repose

While underscoring the need for people to verify facts before taking up weapons against others, the episode engages in advocacy for an orderly and egalitarian society where people do not, under any circumstance, take the laws into their hands thereby breaking the fragile cords of unity that binds the nation together.

agencies saddled with the responsibility of maintaining what jungle justice is, as it submits that not all victims of mob actions are actually crowd.

Viewers

will

see

how

at the slightest opportunity

the alarm which triggered the mob action in the episode.

Similarly, viewers will know why Olaniyi (Yomi Fash Lanso) left his primary role as a restaurateur to form a deadly vigilance group. The episode will also parade Jumoke (Bidemi Kosoko), the philanderer, Flash (Stephen Odimgbe) and the adjudicator, Samson (Ogus Baba) who were lucky to have escaped untimely death through mob action.

Features

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

25

8 surprising benefits of turmeric ginger tea

The impressive benefits of turmeric ginger tea include eliminating inflammation, increasing cognition, preventing cancer, strengthening the immune system, and easing gastrointestinal distress. It also aids in protecting the heart, regulates diabetes, soothes pain, counters depression, and improves the skin quality.

What is turmeric ginger tea?

Turmeric ginger tea is brewed by steeping ginger root and turmeric powder in the same beverage. Ginger is known as Zingiber officinale, while turmeric bears the scientific name Curcuma longa, and both are widely used individually for their nutritional and medicinal effects. These two powerful herbs are also widely available and have been heavily researched on due to their global popularity.

Nutritional value of turmeric ginger tea It is a delicious healthy low calorie and no caffeine drink. Most of the positive health benefits are the results of powerful antioxidants in the two, including sulfuric compounds, phytochemicals, curcumin, and gingerol, as well as magnesium, potassium, calcium, iron, copper, and zinc.

Turmeric ginger tea benefits Let’s look at the benefits of turmeric ginger tea in detail.

Protects heart health Numerous studies have found that both the extracts of ginger and turmeric have the power to lower cholesterol levels, primarily LDL cholesterol. LDL is largely responsible for plaque deposition in the arteries and blood vessels, that

can increase atherosclerosis and increase one’s risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Improves cognition The brain-boosting nature of ginger is well known, and the unique combination of antioxidants present in this tea can help stimulate neural activity, increase focus, and reduce the deposition of beta-amyloid plaque, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease, and dementia. Ginger also offers anti-inflammatory effects on brain tissue, which can reduce oxidative stress in that area.

Analgesic properties Curcumin and gingerol, the two most notable active ingredients in this tea, have analgesic properties, meaning that they can relieve [4] pain throughout the body. This is in addition to its antiinflammatory properties, which can help to relieve joint pain and other discomforts in the muscles and tissues of the body.

Prevents cancer Turmeric and ginger have both undergone intense scrutiny for their role in cancer prevention.

Ginger has been shown to prevent and slow down the progression of multiple types of cancers, particularly those that affect the gastrointestinal system. Curcumin, on the other hand, is a potent antioxidant compound that can reduce oxidative stress and free radical activity throughout the body, which lowers the chances of cellular mutation.

Boosts immunity Turmeric ginger tea boasts a number of antimicrobial, antibacterial, anti-fungal, and antiseptic qualities that make it an excellent

immune system aid. If you suffer from weak immunity and seem to come down with a cold all the time, this herbal tea may be your solution.

Furthermore, for a cough, colds, and congestion, a combination of these powerful ingredients helps speed up healing and eliminate the underlying infections.

Skin care The turmeric in this herbal tea has often been used to treat skin conditions, particularly acne and inflammatory problems like psoriasis and eczema. The gingerol within turmeric ginger tea is also an excellent antibacterial and antioxidant compound that protects the skin from infection, while also stimulating the growth of new cells and preventing signs of aging, such as wrinkles and blemishes.

Aids in digestion Ginger possesses strong anti-inflammatory properties that help settle the stomach, reduce nausea, and promote healthy digestion. It can help stimulate peristaltic motion and eliminate cramping and bloating, which can also eliminate symptoms of constipation. Turmeric ginger tea can also help treat Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS), ulcerative colitis, acid reflux disease, and even stomach ulcers!

Manages diabetes The blood sugar-regulating abilities of both ginger and turmeric are well known, so in combination, they are even more effective for managing diabetic symptoms. By keeping glucose and insulin levels balanced, turmeric ginger tea prevents the dangerous spikes and drops in blood

sugar that can be disastrous for diabetics or those at high risk of developing diabetes.

How to make turmeric ginger tea?

Turmeric ginger tea can be brewed at home easily and all you need is fresh ginger, turmeric, lemon, honey, and black pepper. Piperine, the active ingredient in pepper, helps to increase the bioavailability of turmeric, so if you want the full effect of curcumin, it is always wise to consume it along with black pepper. Honey and lemon are both included in the recipe to add sweetness and palatability to the drink. To begin with, you want a fresh ginger root, which can be grated for preparing tea. Similarly, turmeric is also a root in its fresh form and should be grated in preparation for brewing this tea.

Ingredients t DVQ PG XBUFS Ä•MUFSFE

t UFBTQPPO PG HSBUFE HJOHFS t UFBTQPPO PG HSBUFE UVSNFSJD t UFBTQPPO PG IPOFZ PS MFNPO KVJDF t UFBTQPPO PG CMBDL QFQQFS Recipe t 4UFQ #SJOH UIF XBUFS UP B CPJM JO B TBVDFQBO or stainless steel pot. t 4UFQ "EE UIF UVSNFSJD BOE HJOHFS BOE UIFO bring the heat down to a simmer. t 4UFQ "MMPX UIF NJYUVSF UP TUFFQ GPS minutes. t 4UFQ 4USBJO UIF UFB JOUP B UFBQPU t 4UFQ "EE UIF CMBDL QFQQFS MFNPO KVJDF BOE honey, and enjoy the beverage!

How often can you drink turmeric ginger tea?

This tea is extremely powerful, so drinking one cup of this potent brew each day is enough to enjoy the health benefits outlined above.

Consuming more than this is not only dangerous, but it does increase the risk of certain side effects.

Side effects of turmeric ginger tea The side effects of turmeric ginger tea largely result from excess consumption and include gastrointestinal problems. Also, they can occur as a result of drug interactions, complications with pregnancy, individual allergies, and excessive consumption of the tea, which is not recommended. t %SVH *OUFSBDUJPOT o *G ZPV BSF UBLJOH BOZ medication for treating diabetes or high blood pressure, the glucose-regulating and hypotensive nature of turmeric ginger tea may drop your blood sugar or blood pressure to dangerous levels. Speak with your doctor before adding this tea to your health regimen. Also, this tea has anticoagulant properties, so it may interfere with warfarin or blood-thinning medications. t .FEJDBM $POEJUJPOT o *G ZPV IBWF B IJTUPSZ PG gallbladder issues or kidney stones, this tea could exacerbate the conditions by increasing uric acid levels in the blood. t "MMFSHJD 3FBDUJPOT o "MMFSHJFT UP HJOHFS and turmeric do exist, and may result in skin irritation, headache, nausea, dizziness, swelling of the tongue, lips or throat, and other common allergic reactions. t 1SFHOBODZ o .PTU FYQFSUT BSHVF UIBU UIF potent medicinal effects can be dangerous to breastfeeding and pregnant women, so this herbal combination should be avoided. t (BTUSPJOUFTUJOBM %JTUSFTT o 8IFO UVSNFSJD ginger tea is consumed in excessive amounts, it can cause stomach upset, bloating, and cramping.

DVQ QFS EBZ JT TVÄ?DJFOU UP BDIJFWF UIF IFBMUI benefits of this drink.

Source: www.organicfacts.net

News 26

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Commonwealth adopts agenda to boost trade, investment In response to the risks to growth presented by rising protectionism, leaders at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) have expressed their strong support for the multilateral trading system and adopted a six-point connectivity agenda to boost trade and investment links across the Commonwealth.

In this vein, the leaders the vision of increasing intra-Commonwealth trade to US$2 Trillion by 2030, and expanding intra-Commonwealth investment.

According to a press release made available to The DAILY TIMES ‘‘this is to be achieved through the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment.

The Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda will leverage the Commonwealth Advantage by creating a forum for Commonwealth countries to exchange best practices, approaches and experiences to trade and investment. This cross-fertilization will

contribute to further reducing trade frictions among members.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said: “The Declaration on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment underpins our commitment to ensuring that we leverage the Commonwealth

on supporting the development of national digital economies, improving regulatory frameworks and best practice on digital infrastructure and Regulatory Connectivity focussing on improving understanding of regulatory regimes across the Commonwealth,

promoting good regulatory practice and mutual recognition.

Business to Business Connectivity supporting greater interface between the public and private sectors, as well as between Commonwealth businesses, in particular micro, small and medium enterprises, and assisting

investment, particularly with the aim of enhancing the private sector’s role in promoting the blue and green economy; Supply Side Connectivity to encourage the participation of all members in global value chains; and Inclusive and Sustainable trade

ensuring that women’s and youth’s economic empowerment are mainstreamed in all pillars.

Senior trade the Commonwealth will meet in June to begin operationalising the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda.

of all of our 53 member states.

“It recognises the importance of the multilateral trading system in ensuring the integration of small, vulnerable and least developed countries and countries in sub-Saharan Africa, the Caribbean and economy, and welcome initiatives which will support greater and more of these countries in international trade.”

The six points of the declaration are: Physical Connectivity focussing on trade facilitation, best practice on infrastructure development and trade information; Digital Connectivity focussing

Another Nigerian gets top UN appointment Another Nigerian has been appointed by SecretaryGeneral of the United Nations (UN), Antonio Guterres, to the Board of UN Global Compact.

The appointment of Bola Adesola, was announced in a statement issued in New York on Friday, by the UN. It noted that, Ms Adesola, who is the and Managing Director of Standard Chartered Nigeria and Paul Polman, of the Netherlands and Chief Executive were appointed to serve as the two Vice-Chairs on the Board of the world’s largest corporate sustainability initiative.

Both Ms. Adesola and Mr. Polman have served on the Board of the United Nations Global Compact previously, “and will bring to the

position a wealth of experience in the private sector, in the corporate sustainability space and United Nations Global Compact itself, it added.

Ms. Adesola has served as Chief Executive Director of Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria Ltd since 2011. She has over 25 years of banking experience, including at First Bank of Nigeria and at Citibank. Ms. Adesola holds degrees from Harvard Business School and Lagos Business School, as well as a law degree from the University of Buckingham.

It would be recalled that a former Nigerian minister, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, is currently the UN Deputy Secretary-General 2017.

President Muhammdu Buhari with the Queen of England, Elizabeth II during the retreat session of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting at the Windsor Castle in London... on Friday

Buhari’s declaration meets aspirations of most Nigerians - Dembo Buhari Support Group Centre (BSGC) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s declaration to contest for a second term ‘‘is a sound and logical decision that the majority of patriotic Nigerians have been yearning for in the last one year’’.

Director General of BSGC, Umaru Dembo, who stated this at a press that ‘‘by so doing, Mr. President has in good conscience exercised his constitutionally granted right to seek foe reelection for second term Dembo, recalled that

the centre has been in the fore front of the clamour for President Buhari to seek a second term given what he described as ‘‘tremendous achievements he has recorded just within the the saddle’’.

According to ‘‘our centre is

him, most

has been answered by Mr. President, … we are happy to assure him of our commitment and renewed dedication towards his re-election in 2019’’.

The DG further called on BSGC members nationwide to gear up for action for robust

electioneering campaign for the APC and President Buhari soon. ‘‘We in the BSGC are convinced that by the time our dear President

‘‘The improved security and war against insurgents more power to the nation are also part of President Buhari’s legacies that should endure after him. We in

laid the template for good governance in Nigeria. ‘‘Our desire is to ensure that his legacies of zero tolerance to indolence and corruption in public service endures, it is also on record that Nigeria has witnessed serious growth in agriculture and massive infrastructural development across the

to these legacies and shall mobilise the people to vote massively for the president in 2019.

We urged all those who have chosen to oppose Mr. President to support the popular desire of Nigerians to give President Muhammadu Buhari another overwhelming chance next year to complete the good works he has started’’, Umaru Dembo emphasised.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

27 News

Oyo rehabilitates Eleyele Dam to end flooding in Ibadan The proposed rehabilitation of the Eleyele Dam, in Ibadan, Oyo State capital, will substantially enhance residents’ access to potable water, as well as save the city incidents.

The Governor of the state, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, stated this at a rehabilitation project, held at the premises of the dam, in Eleyele, Ido Local Government Area, Ibadan, on Friday.

Ajimobi, who was represented by the

Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Chief Isaac Isola, said the rehabilitation project was one of the to be remembered for.

He said that the contractor handling the overhaul of the dam, Messrs CGCCHWE Joint Venture, and other partners, had been given a maximum of 24 months to complete the project.

The governor explained spurred the government into embarking on

control measures across the city, including dredging of river channels and construction of bridges.

Ajimobi said, “One of the major challenges administration upon our 2011 was the devastating an unfortunate incident that ravaged many parts of Ibadan.

“This Eleyele Dam, which was approaching its 70th anniversary then, was badly hit, leading to and degradation of the appurtenant structures.

“The implication of this was that one of the the Eleyele Dam, which through its reservoir holding capacity, had been compromised!

“Unlike the piecemeal and largely reactive responses of past administrations in the state, we decided to take the bull by the horns in to change the narratives Ibadan. The ceremony we are holding today is one of

“On completion, the dam will have improved capacity and around Ibadan.

Yet another derivable capacity of the dam to supply treated water to the city of Ibadan and would be greatly boosted.”

In his address, the Commissioner for Finance, Planning and Budget, Mr. Abimbola Adekanmbi, said the contractors and supervising consultants for the project were selected through World Bank standard competitive bidding process.

He explained that the project scope included raising of the dam embankment crest from its existing height of 183.6m to 185.4m ask, erection of 1.0m high concrete parapet wall and increase on the discharge capacity of the spillway from 368.9m3/s to 1269m3/s.

Adekanmbi added that there would also be an increase in the width of the spillway channel to enhance its discharge capacity, rehabilitation of the intake tower in order to fully restore its capacity to supply raw water from the reservoir to the treatment plant, among others.

Youth groups disagree over Niger State’s utilisation of N21.5bn loan

By Saka Bolaji, Minna

Special Adviser/CEO, State Public Works Corporation/Drainages, Engr. Temidayo Erinle; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Olujimi Hotonu; Chairman, House Committee on Works & Infrastructure, Hon. Abiodun Tobun; Commissioner for Works & Infrastructure, Engr. Adebowale Akinsanya; his counterpart for Information & Strategy, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan; General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Maintenance and Regulatory Agency (LASIMRA), Mrs. Olayemi Oni and General Manager, Lagos State Infrastructure Asset Management Agency (LASIAMA), Mr. Oladeji Williams during the on-going Y2018 ministerial press briefing at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.

My life in danger, Ex- Kwara majority leader alleges

By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

adviser on special duties and

A former Majority Leader of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon. Kayode Omotose has sought police protection over an alleged threat to his life.

Omotose who is the chairman of Alanamu ward stakeholders’ forum under the aegis of the All Progressives Congress(APC) claimed in a petition to Kwara state police commissioner that a former member of the House of Representatives, Hon.Mashood Mustapha was after his life.

Mustapha, a former special

to Senate President Bukola Saraki, was on Wednesday suspended by the APC, Alanamu ward over an alleged anti- party activity.

The motion for his suspension was moved

by Omotose during an emergency meeting of the ward executives of the party at Isale- Aluko, Ilorin.

Omotose in his petition titled “ Threat to my life and that of my family “ and dated 19th April, 2018, said since the announcement of the suspension of Mustapha” I have received numerous warming threatening

my life and that of my family. However,the most pugnacious was a direct call from Hon. Manhood Mustapha himself on his line(08033589553) to my line (08036665281) at exactly 12.33 pm this afternoon ( yesterday) calling me a “bastard’ a couple of time. “ This is clearly a have received about his threat to my life and family. I hereby forward this petition to elicit his invitation by your humble police in Kwara state as I seek your protection for me and my family “.

Meanwhile, the APC

in

Alanamu

ward

has

members for dissociating themselves from Mustapha’ s suspension by the party. are

Iyabo

Auditor,

Momo,

vice-

AbdulGaniyu

Yahaya, welfare secretary and AbdulGafar Hassan,publicity secretary.

Their suspension AbdulRahman Jimoh and AbdulWasiu Kehinde, chairman and secretary of the party in the ward respectively.

Ahead the 2019 general elections, Journalists have been urged to strictly adhere to their professional callings and shun any report that may bring division and crisis while reporting electoral issues.

The Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council, Mr. Nnamdi Njemanze made the appeal in his welcome address at a workshop organized for Journalists in the Southwest States by Nigerian Press Council with the theme, “Responsible Media Coverage of Elections”, held in Akure, Ondo State.

Njemanze said the Council decided to organize the workshop in order to reiterate the fundamental roles Journalists are supposed to play during the build up to 2019 general elections.

He warned media practitioners to guide against hate speech warning, “it is capable of inciting discrimination and violence”.

“We at the Council feel greatly concerned about the use of hate speech as one of the causes of communal crises and disunity among the Nigerian Citizens”.

He advised media practitioners not to let their contributions to democracy be one that will jeorpadize the interest of the nation.

The Secretary who explained that hate speech is fast becoming a predominant feature in the content of media and has the power of inciting discrimination and violence, admonished journalists to write stories that will bring about unity, common purpose respect for one another and national development.

On his part, the Resident Electoral Commissioner, INEC, Ondo state, Ambassador Rufus Oloruntoyin Akeju, who noted that the Commission depend on the media to inform the electorates on dates, timelines and procedures at the poll with fairness .

He urged Journalists to take media’s roles as watchdog for the society with utmost sense of responsibility in order to ensure transparency.

He appealed to Journalists to assist INEC in conducting a free fair and credible elections in Ekiti and Osun States in July and September respectful and 2019 general elections by adhering strictly to laws that protect electoral laws.

News 28

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Invasion of Senate condemnable, threat to democracy - SDP

By Saka Bolaji, Minna

The Social Democratic Party SDP has described as condemnable and great threat to democracy the invasion by hoodlums of the upper chamber of the National Assembly last Wednesday.

The party in a statement

said all lovers of democracy should rise against “ this dangerous development” while the security agencies should do more than recovering the mace, the authority of the house but dig deep to get and prosecute the sponsor (s) of the invasion.

National Publicity

Secretary of the Party Alhaji Alfa Mohammed said the development was also a rehearsal for the orchestration of crisis on a larger scale in the country which “ we should all resist”.

“We have all struggled to get this democracy we are now enjoying we

should not allow any over ambitious politician or surrogates of politicians to derail it” Alfa Muhammed said “We have no doubt in our mind that the Senator allegedly behind the “ignoble and disgraceful act is not alone in the undemocratic act, as

we suspect a grand conspiracy to unleash violence and intimidation on the Nigerian legislators in order to coarse them into doing the biddings of the government in power” Alfa Mohammed said the SDP therefore urge Nigerians to stand with the legislature in their resolve to protect the sanctity of the red chamber and by extension our hard earned democracy.

The SDP has also observed with great concern the perpetration of executive rascality against the national assembly a development which has continued under the current APC government unabatedly and we believe that “unless we all stand in solidarity with our lawmakers our hard

earned democracy may “Be that as it may, we call on the Nigerian police to do a thorough investigation and bring all those involved to book in order to avoid future occurrence.

“We also call on the APC controlled federal government to avoid any temptation to continue to violate the principles of separation of power as enshrined in our ground norm, the 1999 constitution as amended by staying clear of the legislature and the judiciary” “ APC as a party should either check it’s elected take the responsibility for any disruption or mockery visited on our hard earned democracy” Alfa Mohammed said.

Ibolo, others allege exclusion from Kwara democracy dividends

By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Lola Akande (middle), flanked by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Mrs. Kofoworola Awobamise (right) and her counterpart in Ministry of Women Affairs & Poverty Alleviation, Mrs. Adetutu Abisola Liadi (left) during the on-going Y2018 ministerial press briefing as part of activities to mark the third Year in Office of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, at the Bagauda Kaltho Press Centre, the Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja... on Friday.

‘We represent hope for better Nigeria’

By Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin The Mass Action Joint Alliance (MAJA), has said that the party was formed to save Nigeria from maladministration of past leaders.

Hon. Chief Mrs. Chika Ibeneme (Ugomba,) the National chairman of the party said this in Ilorin while speaking with the party members during her two-day working visit to Kwara..

Ibeneme, said that the party represented hope for the masses as it had come to liberate Nigerians from failure. “The logo of our party, which is a growing school boy, represents a hope for the future of this country.

“The hope for the country lies in MAJA party and it is the party that can re-

germinate the dead seed of the country”, she said.

Ibeneme, said that MAJA, envisaged a Nigeria where a child of nobody would become somebody and a society based on equality and social justice.

She, however, warned party members against politics of polarisationalong religious or tribal lines.

Ibeneme , who noted that Kwara needed political liberation, advised electorate to vote according to their conscience and shun

can collect the money; it is yours but do not vote for them because of the money.

“Vote according to your conscience”, said the MAJA national chairman.

She promised to look into the various requests of

the state chapter of the party in readiness for a successful outing in the 2019 general elections.

In his own remark, Chief Philip Adekeye, the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of the party, urged party executives to ensure that the constitution and the manifestos of the party are put to action.

Adekeye said these was to ensure the success of the party in the forthcoming elections.

He sought for contributions and donations from members of the party to drive the party forward.

He said that he was against bank loan and overdraft in the implication.

Mrs Rodiat R Omowumi, the national women leader of the party said it was the time of the youth to take over the

leadership of the country.

She said that MAJA party has provided a platform for the youth and women in the country to achieve their political ambitions and aspiration.

She urged the party members to be loyal and faithful to the cause of the party at ensuring that the oppressors are ejected out of the governance in 2019 elections.

In his welcome address, Mr Agboola Ashaolu, the state chairman of the party sought adequate funding and logistic supports for the party to extend its tentacle to the nooks and crannies of the state.

Ashaolu noted that Kwara was a peculiar state, where the electoral activity has been ‘monetised’, hence “the need to re-strategise and take power from the oppressors”,

Three ethnic groups in Kwara south senatorial districts namely Ibolo, Igbomina and Ekiti speaking people have alleged exclusion from democracy dividends from successive ruling governments in the state since the 2003.

The groups under the aegis of Arometa, have vowed to work together to put an end to politics of godfatherism in the state.

The people made their stand known in a communiqué made available to Daily Times, in Ilorin at the end of its political summit which was jointly signed by Engineer Adebayo Simon Daramola and Alhaji Niyi Abioye .

The communiqué reads ‘‘The people of Ibolo, Igbomina and Ekiti under the aegis of their umbrella association named Aro-Meta held a political summit to review their political situation since the

advent of the 4th Republic, particularly since 2003 till date and resolved as follows; ‘‘That dividends of democracy continue to elude the three ethnic groups since 2003 till date. ‘‘The summit noted that the lack of quality representation of the area at both the executive and legislative arms of government at local, state and national levels is responsible for the deterioration of the social economic development of the area. ‘‘The summit called on all indigenes of the area to work with other developmental, loving persons and groups across the state, toward the enrolment of good governance at all levels. ‘‘While, urging INEC to correct the lapses in the oan-going voters registration exercise in the area, summit urged all concern to do the needful, that they can exercise their civil rights’’.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

29 News

2019: Ohanaeze Ndigbo FCT dissociates self from Buhari’s rally

By Idu Jude, Abuja As 2019 general election draws near, the FCT chapter of Igbo socio politics group, has dissociated itself from the purported plan of a political rally meant for the endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for a second term, as such move was never in the know to its leadership or followers.

In a statement issued by the President of the Abuja chapter of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Prince Odozi Nwaodozi,

the group said some unscrupulous elements plan to ridicule the image of the Igbo nation while pusuing their personal aim.

According to Prince Odozi Nwaodozi, “It has come to the knowledge of Ohanaeze Ndigbo FCT chapter that renegades from the disbanded Okechukwu Isiguzoroled Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths Wing and the Callista Adimachukwu Ohanaeze Ndigbo Women are presently in Abuja for a purported endorsement of President Muhammadu Buhari for the 2019 Presidency”.

He further stated that the exercise is being coordinated by some highly placed

the existing Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership with the crystallization of the vituperations of these discredited groups.

“It should be noted that while Ndigbo are not against the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari in the 2019 polls, since he has the constitutional right for a second term, endorsement for any candidate including Buhari will be after wide consultations.

“However, it is important to let the public know that these characters engaging in the exercise are not

L-R: Minister for Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun receiving the Chief Executive, Crown Agents, Fergus Drake; Events and Meetings Consultant, Jacqueline Romoff and Partnership Manager, Duncan Hart, during a meeting between Nigeria and Officials of the British Firm on the sideline of the 2018 IMFWorld Bank Spring Meetings in Washington D.C... on Thursday

mandates have since expired at the dissolution of their groups. And elections for both organs are scheduled for Friday, April 20 and Saturday April 21, 2018 in Enugu where new leadership will emerge.

“And for some highly placed Igbo sons and daughters, present administration who and orchestrating the macabre dance of the disgraced youths and women leaders for the past two months, their desperation for relevance and display of grip of the Igbo socio-political structure should be guided, else they exhaust

from the South East with the aim of destabilizing

have left in Igbo land.

Herdsmen have chased us from our homes, farms – Plateau Community

By Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos Inhabitants of Ron/Kulere Community, Bokkos Local Government area of Plateau state have raised the alarm over the incessant herdsmen invasion of their farms and the alleged destruction of over 1017 houses which have made them to abandon at least 12 km land space.

Addressing a press conference Friday in Jos, spokesman of the community, Mr. Makut Daniel Macham lamented that with the onset of the rainy season, his people were expected to return to their farms, but they could not do so for fear that they could be As immediate measure to

tackle the insecurity, Macham urged government to deploy more security personnel to the area, to enable his people go back to their farms. He also called for the establishment of State Police, which he said will assist the existing security architecture.

Macham also called for the adaption of livestock alimentation practice as panacea on farmers’ crops in Nigeria.

He said, “We are very sad to note that even the nation’s security chiefs, the chief law enforcers of the federation as well as the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, President Muhammadu Buhari have primordial

and

proprietary

Promote unity among your people, SWAN urges Taraba chief

By Tom Garba, Yola

The National President, Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Mr. Honour Sirawo on Friday urged the newly appointed Majidadin Muri emirate in Taraba, Alhaji Aminu Jika, to promote unity among various ethnic groups in the state.

Sirawo made the plea in Jalingo when he presented the chief, who is SWAN’s patron in the state.

He commended the Emir of Muri, Alhaji Abbas worthy of such a “well deserved” appointment.

The President expressed

perform his leadership function with high sense of responsibility, having positions in the in the past.

Represented by SWAN’s Vice President, North East Zone, Alhaji Sadiq Moyoyo, Sirawo said the association would continue to maintain cordial working relationship with the chief as he commenced his new assignment.

Responding, Jika , a former commissioner for Information and Secretary to the State Government(SSG), urged journalists to use their skills to de-escalate tension arising from historical

grievances among ethnic groups in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that since 1804, Fulani people had conquered and ruled over various ethnic groups in Muri, a territory comprising of eight local government areas in the state.

He said nursing grudges rooted from alleged injustice meted on the ethnic minorities during the conquest was not only divisive but partly responsible for violent “Help us in sensitizing our people against the dangerous habit of escalating our historical

wounds and grievances, which is capable of consuming all of us. We are supposed to not only tolerate but accommodate one another.

“The origin of man is the same; even though with things when we are united than when we are divided, and this where journalists have a critical role to play,” he said.

While thanking SWAN for to devote most of his time in addressing friction among ethnic groups in Muri for peaceful coexistence and socio-economic development.

claims.

“We consider such level of the governance structure of the federation as a subteranean, nay direct way of stoking the crisis and allowing it to continue to fester rather than pushing for a credible incentive-based framework for resolution.

“No doubt, governments at every level and many other stakeholders have called for an end to the herdersthrough the establishment

livestock alimentation practice involves a system of keeping animals within providing them with adequate nutritional and medical care without having to expose them to open grazing in the country side for pasture.

“The proposed alimentation practice seeks to replicate the existing practices in poultry farming for cows, pigs, goats, and sheep among others. This will require a transformation of the

ranches and the suggestion These measures as appealing as they may seem, have shown from research to have long-term negative

otherwise known as hoggo in Fulfulde or shinge in Hausa to feedlots.

“The alimentation practice or feedlot system

complex multi-ethnic society like ours.

“It is noteworthy that grazing reserves that were basically introduced in the 1960s have turned out as stopgap initiatives.

“Ranching which appears popular requires a stocking density of two cows per hectare. In other words, a normal ranch should have not more than two cows in one hectare (that is, 10,000 square metres or 2 football

successfully employed to resolve Tutsi/Hutu genocide in Rwanda.

“The proposed policy has a strong potential to rouse a symbiosis between livestock herders and crop farmers as well as spur the emergence of a new economy at the grassroots”.

In pursuing the livestock alimentation practice, Macham said government at every level would need

He observed that, “after

provide subsidies as is done elsewhere in the world for agriculture, adding

of experiences livestock herders and crop farmers in other climes, we have come to a conclusion that livestock alimentation practice is the safest and herders on crop farmer in Nigeria.

“In simple terms,

infrastructure would need to be put in place value chains in livestock breeding.

He said that massive public awareness campaign on livestock alimentation practice was required for the policy being advocated to be a success.

For the Record

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Buhari, best option for Nigeria’s unity in 2019

By Wahab Shittu Ahead of the 2019 Presidential elections, analysts are already making projections and permutations.

This intervention examines the reasons why the candidacy of President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 is compelling for the country’s unity and developmental aspirations.

Expectedly, diverse reactions have trailed the declaration of President MuhammaduBuhari to run for second term in 2019 at the expiration of bid for a second term. Notably, foremost elder statesman, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, former Head of State, Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida and of course, elements in the opposition party who also desire to capture power in line with the tenets of the democratic tradition. Of course, there are those who have expressed support for the bid, understandably, elements in the ruling party, including recently, the Buhari Diaspora Support Organisation led by Mr. Charles Sylvester who met the President in London to express solidarity.

Let me say quite clearly that the two contending sides to the debate are entitled to their views and I must say clearly that the stand point they represent is consistent with the fundamentals of the democratic tradition, emphasizing the element of free choice.

Former Nigerian Bar Association President, Chief Wole Olanipekun made this point clear when he said: “Running for the Presidency is a constitutional right of Buhari and other Nigerians interested in that This inintervention is my own perspective based on the consideration of the unity of Nigeria. I believe the President should run for a second term and I join the bandwagon of those who clamour that he should be re-elected based on the popular votes of Nigeria across the geo-political zones for the following reasons: ground, he has recorded modest achievements such as agricultural revolution, the ease of doing business, commitment to anti-corruption war, the employment of youths through the N-power Programme, the blockage of leakages in the public sector through the security challenges notably the speed with which the abductedDapchi girls were recovered and the release of many of the Chibok girls under captivity.

There are however, those who think there are still challenges on security, economy, anti-corruption, poverty and many other areas where it is argued that the government is yet to make appreciable impact. elements loyal to the ruling elite fault on the ground not objectively and consistent with the realities on the ground.

This intervention is not intended to cast aspersions on any of the two sides in the controversy even if recorded modest achievements based on what the the polity and the economy within the time frame the administration is privileged to be on the saddle.

My intervention on the choice of President Muhammadu Buhari as the preference for the 2019 election is based on the reality that all the geo-

political zones that make up the country namely: North-West, North-East, North-Central, SouthWest South-East and South-South all aspire to the Presidency of Nigeria in the nearest future and speaking objectively, talents abound everywhere Inspite of the foregoing however, all the geocandidate in the 2019 election based on the theory that the North is yet to exhaust its term. It is therefore safe to assume that all the mega parties namely: APC, a Northern candidate to take advantage of the block votes from the North to win the presidential election and thereafter cede the presidency to another geopolitical zone to take its turn.

This is where this intervention becomes critical and realistic in the circumstances. If any of the parties choose a Northerner outside President MuhammaduBuhari, such a candidate is likely postpone the right of other geo-political zones to aspire to the presidency with all the implications.

However, if President Muhammadu Buhari is unanimously allowed to take the slot having spent one term, President MuhammaduBuhari can only rule for another four years thereby giving any other geo-political zone an early shot at the presidency.

Not even the ruling party, the All Progressive of a presidential candidate other than President MuhammaduBuhari because such a candidate will naturally insist on ruling for two terms thereby delaying opportunities available to other geopolitical zones in the country.

I am also of the view that any of the political parties at this stage of our political history and evolution, will have to contend with a Northern candidate and based on the calculations on ground, is likely to be defeated because Northerners are united in the view that they are yet to exhaust their term of eight years.

Based on the foregoing realties on ground and political calculations, President MuhammaduBuhari unity, cohesiveness and sense of belonging.

I should not be misinterpreted to say that President Muhammadu Buhari should be elected at that in terms of moral standing and rating locally and internationally, President MuhammaduBuhari candidacy comes across as credible, compelling and a master stroke. He is highly respected in the sub-region. African leaders hold him in high esteem because of his anti-corruption posturing and credentials. Great countries of the world including The United States and Britain believe that President Muhammadu Buhari is not corrupt, will not be perception is a huge capital investment for Nigeria I am also of the view that President Muhammadu Buhari has put in place measures to revamp the economy as well as safeguard the country against security threats. The president is therefore a very There is another compelling reason why President MuhammaduBuhari should be elected for the second term i.e. the impressive performance of the Vice

President Buhari

President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo SAN. GCON who parades am very positive that President Muhammadu Buhari running for a second term is likely to zero in on the choice of Professor Yemi Osinbajo to run as his Deputy. Who will deny today that touch? A professor of evidence (I am one of his students) with tremendous oratorical skill who is adjudged a motivational speaker and erudite scholar per excellence. Among his several accomplishments, Professor Yemi Osinbajo was a member of the conduct and discipline, a United Nation’s Organisation for Peace Keeping around the world, he is also a co-founder and board member, Convention Business Integrity, and the Justice Research Development and Administration, The Annotated Civil Procedure Rules of the Superior Courts in Nigeria, Cross Examination: A Trial Lawyer’s most potent weapon and many other articles in local and international journals etc. What about the impressive performance of Professor Yemi Osinbajo as Vice President of the country since The point I am making is that the joint ticket of President Buhari pose a serious challenge to any other presidential aspirant in the race of 2019 presidential elections.

For these and many other reasons, my choice of president for 2019, is President Muhammadu Buhari. There is no other compelling choice other than his candidacy and I humbly urge all Nigerians to rally round his candidacy for our country’s progress, unity, cohesiveness and development. These are my humble thoughts.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

31

Foreign Affairs

Parliament summons Mugabe over diamond theft claim Zimbabwe’s parliament has summoned former president Robert Mugabe to give evidence on a claim he made about hugescale diamond theft.

Mr Mugabe accused foreign

‘World’s worst’ supergonorrhoea patient gets cure A man in the UK who caught the in the future. gonorrhoea has been cured. vaginal, oral and anal sex.

He picked up the superbug having sex with a woman in South East Asia, despite

run TV in 2016.

when urinating and bleeding between periods.

However, vaginal and rectal infections An untreated infection can lead to

will agree to appear before the

antibiotics, but now two similar cases have been reported in Australia.

The original case came to light last month and was linked to travel earlier in

He was forced to resign last

The main antibiotic treatment - a

earned.

takeover, and still has the privileges of a former head of state.

Meanwhile, the UK has said

and can be passed on to a child during

ceftriaxone - failed to treat the disease. that he still had one remaining antibiotic

Mugabe

Zimbabwe’s return to the Commonwealth group of nations, following talks in London between

human rights abuses under Mr Mugabe.

and his Zimbabwean counterpart

several companies, including the

explain the disappearance of the

suggested one last antibiotic might work and he has since been treated with ertapenem.

Dr Gwenda Hughes, the head of report that the case of multi-drug resistant

might be no antimicrobials that will She said people needed to be aware that the risk of picking up superbugs is higher in countries that use antibiotics less

However, last month Mr Mugabe concessions to mine diamonds at the in November, which led to Mr Mugabe’s resignation.

Themba

Mliswa,

who

the world, unlike in the UK where a prescription from a doctor is needed.

heads

Zimbabwe still had to ensure that fair, his statement was condemned Zimbabwe left the Commonwealth in 2003 after it was criticised for

told Zimbabwe’s state-run Herald paper that the panel had interviewed former Marange mining executives

owned Zimbabwe Independent.

If Mr Mugabe does appear before

intelligence services. resignation.

the UK.

overused, driving up rates of resistance.

and the European Centres for Disease Control agreed this was the most serious case of antibiotic-resistant gonorrhoea ever detected.

pick up. come back before having sex with other She also warned cuts to sexual health

Ethiopia’s new PM constitute cabinet

in South East Asia, the other reported no foreign travel.

have to tackle multi-drug resistant gonorrhoea and rising incidence of

announcement on state television. that includes the former mining minister as defence

and the new appointment of 10 decade, the fastest in Africa, but

and foreign ministers from his predecessor’s cabinet.

Ahmed, who was appointed month and sworn in as prime minister on April 2, made the

ministers

from

the

previous

Syrian forces capture 9/11 attacks suspect

of 100-million people led to the

A

Minister Hailemariam Desalegn

on the United States, who was said to have praised

seat parliament is from the ruling Source: REUTERS

man

linked

to

the The 9/11 Commission report, a Congressional account on

Syrian forces capture 9/11 attacks suspect A man linked to the September

was captured more than a month

States, who was said to have

passing information to Al-Qaeda operatives, and Mohammed

an alliance of militias in northern and and passing information to Al-Qaeda

German national, was captured more their ongoing operations to defeat ISIS

The 9/11 Commission report, a Congressional account on the

ongoing operations to defeat

are an alliance of militias in

there are hundreds of foreign militants who belong to Daesh in

partners to obtain additional

QUOTABLE QUOTES

Spirituality does not come from the Religion, it comes from the Soul

Haile Selassie

Former Emperor of Ethiopia

SATURDAY, APRIL 21, 2018

VOL. 3. NO. 634

Price: N150

FLASHBACK in Times: April 21, 1956

News Hotlines: 08050220561 Advert Hotlines: 08037862794, 08057041525

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

Senate encourages innovation in FinTech space in Nigeria –Saraki Page B3

We are focused on ‘Need to address menace of empowering Nigeria’s Nigerian market flood with youth through technology, mass-produced shoes’ Page B4 innovation –Osinbajo Page B3

IMF worries over ‘lack of trust’ among global trade partners Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Christine Lagarde, has raised concern over what she described as ‘lack of trust’ among global trade partners stressing, “must be fixed.”

Lagarde raise the concern at the ongoing World Bank’s and IMF’s Spring Meetings 2018 conference in Washington.

Tensions in global trade have spiked in recent months, with the U.S. imposing new metal tariffs on countries including allies. Donald Trump’s administration has since announced duties specifically on Chinese goods for breaking intellectual property rules in the U.S. Beijing prepared retaliatory measures, but said it is willing to talk trade with the United States. Trump has since threatened to impose further tariffs worth $100 billion on China.

When asked if imposing duties was a successful way to force partners to negotiate trade terms, Christine Lagarde, the IMF’s managing director, said, “I believe there is an issue of trust that needs to be preserved.

She added: “And when opera-

tors, investors, companies are uncertain about terms and conditions under which to organize the supply chain, terms and conditions under which they are going to trade, types of tariffs that they are going to have to pay, they step back and they don’t invest, they delay, they wait.”

Trump had said Wednesday

that the U.S. and Japan would be discussing ways to boost their trade partnership. The president added that this is his favorite approach to trade bilaterally.

However, Lagarde told CNBC that in order to deal with trade imbalances “all countries have to be at the table.”

“We have seen protectionist measures on the rise for the last three years, there are issues about intellectual property, there are issues about subsidies to state-owned enterprises, and those have to be debated, they have to be discussed so that there is free trade,” she said.

Calling for a “determined” at-

titude to address trade issues, Lagarde said: “At the end of the day, enterprises, companies, corporates they operate on a cross-border basis, they know no boundaries. ... We know from history that unilateral barriers, measures, tariffs decided unilaterally are not particularity effective.”

L – R: Ms. Tinuade Awe, Executive Director, Regulation Division, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Michel Puchercos, Group Managing Director/CEO, Lafarge Africa Plc; Mr. Mobolaji Oludamilola Balogun, Chairman, Lafarge Africa Plc; Mrs. Mosun Belo-Olusoga, Chairperson, Access Bank Plc; Herbert Wigwe, Group Managing Director/CEO, Access Bank Plc; Oscar N. Onyema OON, Chief Executive Officer, NSE; Mr. Tony Elumelu, Chairman, United Bank for Africa (UBA); Kenedy Uzoka, Group Managing Director, UBA; Mr. Austin Avuru, Chief Executive Officer, Seplat Petroleum Plc and Mr. A.B.C. Orjiako, Chairman, Seplat Petroleum Plc during the presentation of certificates to the companies migrated to NSE Premium Board at The Exchange on Monday.

Customs seizes smuggled rice, vegetable oil worth N65m Ladesope Ladelokun Items worth over N65 million were seized by The Federal Operation Unit Zone B of Nigeria Customs Service Thursday. Comptroller of the unit, Usman Dakingari, displayed the smuggled items, which he said were loaded in two trailers and hidden using raw groundnut and ginger.

He opined that the trucks contained over 1,500 bags of rice with duty paid value of about 60 million naira while the vegetable oil has duty value of N5 million, adding that the items were recovered based on intelligence information from officers and some patriotic Nigerians.

The seized drugs were handed over to the National Agency

for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), The Daily Times has learnt.

Dankingari, however, warned that he would not condone any act of smuggling, noting that economic saboteurs will not go unpunished.

“The command will not tolerate any act of smuggling activities in the zone and we are ready to bring all economic

saboteurs to book,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mrs Nzekwe Mukosolu, an Assistant Director with NAFDAC, who received the hard seized drugs, admonished members of the public to desist from patronizing unregistered dealers. Her words: “If you check for NAFDAC number and it’s not there, then the quality of the drug is not certain.

“The seized drugs will not be allowed into the market because they will be injurious to health; we will take them to our holding facilities and destroy them.

“In terms of collaborative effort, this is just a further proof that we are working hand in hand in this regard and looking forward for more of this landmark relationship,” she said.

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

FG tasked on effective regulation of employment agencies Motolani Oseni Human Capital Providers Association of Nigeria (HuCaPAN), an umbrella organisation of registered/ licensed recruiters has called on the Federal Government to make effective regulatory laws to regulate the activities of recruitments through Agencies in the country.

The Association’s President and former Executive Secretary of the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers, Mr. Aderemi Adegboyega made this call while speaking

SGF lauds motor dealers’ contribution to economic growth The Association of Motor Dealers of Nigeria (AMDON) has been commended for their contributions to employment, economic diversification, and gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha made the commendation when he received a delegation led by the National President of the Association, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin in his office on Thursday in Abuja.

Mustapha noted that their annual turnover of over N400billion was a “very welcome investment” in the administration’s drive for economic diversification away from oil.

He commended them for the many multiplier effects of their business, which provided the citizens with access to needed motor vehicles.

Earlier in his address, the National President of the Association, Prince Ajibola Adedoyin asked for Presidential amnesty on customs duties on imported vehicles for their members.

He said the amnesty sought was like concessions already granted to some manufacturers in the country.

The leader of the group disclosed that the association would reorganise its structure, business outlets and membership to help in reducing crimes and contribute to economic development.

at the Association’s 7th Annual General Meeting (AGM) held recently in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Adegboyega said, HuCaPAN has made several efforts at ensuring that Nigerian workforce is treated with respect and dignity, noting that the quest for labour flexibility led to manpower structure in most companies where over 60 per cent of the workforce has paled into informal and agency employment, decrying a case of a Nigerian telecommunications giant that does not employ any staff directly.

He said, though, Agency work and outsourcing in Nigeria is a legal and approved business model, the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment insisted that such activities must

follow laid down regulations to ensure and fair labour practice to the citizens.

He further said that ‘as apart the Association’s efforts towards ensuring that Nigerian workers are engaged in decent work and properly treated in their workplace, it has collaborated with International Labour Organisation (ILO), Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment embarked on a project which gave birth to the Code of Conduct for PEAs that has become the standard practice for Employment Agencies in the country.

“In ensuring that stringent measures are taken to guide against sharp practices in employment processes through

outsourcing, the Association has made several Presentations to the National Assembly, organised education and training workshops with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, as well as carried joint inspections and made alliances with Central Labour Organisation to guarantee that Nigerian workers in the employment of Private Agencies would be employed under decent working conditions to wit: the National Minimum Wage would be paid to the least paid person, stressing that such workers must be granted freedom to Associate and be eligible for Pensions while also ensuring that they work under conditions that are not injurious to their health”, he said.

Similarly, Adegboyega said,

HuCaPAN at most of its interactions with outsiders and Federal Ministry of Labour have coined a mantra that “Wherever a Nigerian is found working; he or she must be engaged in decent work”. The creation of decent work standards in employment of Agencies or largely in the informal sector is a standard that the whole country need to sustain, so that its citizens do not fall below the acceptance minimum threshold for people in employment.

Established as an employment providing professional organisation, HuCaPAN aims to develop and promote standards and ethical practices n recruitment, deployment and management of outsourced personnel among Service Providers in the country, among other numerous objectives.

R – L shows Oscar N. Onyema, Chief Executive Officer, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) and Karim Hajji, Chief Executive Officer of Casablanca Stock Exchange signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate with each other for the growth and development of the two exchanges, in the presence of the President, Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Muhammadu Buhari and the King of Morocco, Mohammed VI in Abuja.

PETAN to coordinate Nigerian Pavilion Offshore Tech Conference in US Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has said it would coordinate the Nigerian Pavilion at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) holding at Houston, Texas from APRIL 30 to May 3, 2018.

The OTC is the premier gathering of professionals and opinion leaders in the global oil and gas industry, and it provides excel-

lent opportunities for positive portrayal and promotion of the great potentials of Nigeria and the Nigerian oil and gas industry.

It also provides a unique platform for close interactions with leading international and major Nigerian oil service companies, indigenous oil companies, industry executives, government policy makers and political leaders, to share ideas on improving the Nigerian oil industry.

Publicity Secretary of PETAN,

Ranti Omole in a statement on Friday said that PETAN member companies and many other indigenous oil service companies would be part of a robust contingent, to showcase the dynamism and potentials of Nigeria’s Petroleum Industry.

About 2,500 professionals and industry leaders from Nigeria and beyond her shore would attend this year’s event.

PETAN has been organizing and hosting the Nigerian pavil-

ion at the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC), Houston, Texas since 2005, Omole said.

“PETAN is committed to the promotion and the development of the oil and gas industry in Nigeria, through the organization of and participation in conferences, seminars and workshops, as well as creating opportunities for Nigerian oil and gas companies to develop, in a highly competitive environment,” the PETAN PRO added.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

B3 Business News

We are focused on empowering Nigeria’s youth through technology, innovation –Osinbajo Motolani Oseni The Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, has said the Federal Government of Nigeria under the Buhari led administration is focused on empowering Nigeria’s youth through technology, innovation.

Prof. Osinbajo, also, stated that youth employability remains a major part of the

current administration’s Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP), and that the Federal Government will continue to drive its support for Nigerian youths to unlock more opportunities in the technology and innovation.

The Vice President, disclosed this when he was paid a courtesy visit at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, by a

delegation from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) led by Mr. Edward Kallon, the UN Resident/Humanitarian Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative.

Osinbajo, who noted the country has huge potential in the area of technology and innovation, added that the Federal Government remains focused on growing

the economy through its support for the sector.

It would be recalled that during his visit to seven technology and innovative hubs in different parts of Lagos State on Tuesday, the Vice President had said that the Federal Government will establish an Innovation and Technology Advisory Council to harness and support the creativity and innovative

ingenuity of young Nigerians and thereby drive the growth of the sector in the country.

Prof Osinbajo also noted that innovation hubs are being set-up in the six geopolitical zones in the country, including the North East innovation hub.

“We are putting our resources in ensuring the growth of these hubs. The

Director General, Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) Dr. Dakuku Peterside (3rd from left), President of the World Maritime University (WMU), Malmo, Sweden, Cleopatra Doumbia-Henry, Executive Director, Finance and Administration of NIMASA, Mr. Bashir Jamoh and others in a photograph after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between NIMASA and the WMU in Sweden.

whole idea of investing in our people remains the pillar of our Economic Recovery and Growth Plan,” the Vice President noted.

In his remarks, Kallon commended the Federal Government for the efforts in getting the country’s economy out of recession and in its plan to set up the Innovation and Technology Advisory Council.

“The GDP growth rate is a manifestation in the right direction, and I think whatever we need to do we have to continue in that effort. I think the Economic Recovery and Growth Plan is on the pathway to delivering on this transition. Added to that is also the candid effort of the Government on the Ease of Doing Business which has been quite instrumental moving forward and improving the country’s business climate.”

In the same vein, the UNDP solicited for Government’s partnership in launching a nationwide youth employability and entrepreneurship programme in Nigeria.

Meanwhile, the Vice President also received a delegation from the Creative Youth Initiative Against Corruption (CYIAC) at the Presidential Villa, Abuja yesterday.

The Vice President said the Federal Government will support the objectives of the organisation in its anticorruption drive, educating children and youths so as to build a new Nigeria. The CYIAC was named the 2018 UN SDG Action Award winner in the Innovation category.

Senate encourages innovation in FinTech space in Nigeria –Saraki Ladesope Ladelokun President of the Senate, Dr. Bukola Saraki, has said the Senate will continue to encourage innovation in the Financial Technology (FinTech) space in Nigeria, as well working to ensure the digital financing in the country.

Saraki, according to a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Sanni Onogu, in Abuja, stated this in his address before the Africa Finance Forum, organized by the Corporate Council on Africa, at this year’s Spring Meeting of the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) holding in Washing-

ton D.C. He said that the Senate is desirous to see Nigerian banks expand with capacities to create opportunities for financial services penetration and support for enterprises.

He further averred that the Red Chamber, through its Committee on Banking, Insurance and other Financial Institutions is engaged in legislative interventions to ensure financial inclusion for all, “especially in the rural areas where a large percentage still remains unbanked by bridging services between the banking and telecommunications sectors.”

While commending the Corporate Council on Afri-

ca for convening the event and its inspired focus on the FinTech environment on the African continent, he added that Financial Technology has enjoyed a tremendous upsurge in the global economy and is currently creating a lot of excitement in Africa in general, and Nigeria in particular, as the next frontier in the industry.

Saraki said: “The net impact of our legislative interventions; through the relevant Committee’s oversight and engagement will be to expand the ability of our banking sector to facilitate digital financing, expand the opportunity for financial services penetration and reach with the

SMEs, and for enterprise support.

“We believe that these will give a fillip to the development of innovation and private sector capacity across the country. You will agree with me that innovation is the engine that powers financial inclusion.

We are therefore working assiduously to encourage innovation in the FinTech space in Nigeria, and we shall continue to do so,” he stated.

He noted that challenges militating against the growth of FinTech in Nigeria include but not limited to issues about consumer protection, intellectual property, concerns about money laundering and

fraudulent activity.

He said: “FinTech growth requires us to pay attention to all of these, and to come up with regulatory frameworks that will safeguard our people.

“Therefore, as we seek to improve the business environment for SMEs and tech entrepreneurs in Nigeria, we are also committed to passing legislation that strikes a balance between facilitating the sector and maintaining a secure financial system.

“We are continuously working to reframe our payment systems, strengthen mechanisms for electronic commerce, reduce non-performing loans and strengthen the credit mar-

ket for SMEs through a broad range of legislative interventions,” he said.

He said the Senate has continued its legislative interventions by passing the Electronic Transactions Act; the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act (Repeal and Re-Enactment) Bill; the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission Act. He said while the Consumer Protection Commission Act creates a Consumer Protection Commission to safeguard consumers from fraud and price manipulation; the Consumer Credit Agency Act allows lenders to better assess the credit worthiness of loan applicants.

Personal Finance B4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

‘Need to address menace of Nigerian market flood with mass-produced shoes’ At a time that the clamor for “Made in Nigerian” goods is at its crescendo, a Nigerian indigenous footwear company; Yiko Deen Footwear, incorporated in 2016 is taking up the gauntlet and ensuring that capital flight associated with importation of foot wears from countries like Taiwan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, India, Indonesia becomes a thing of the past.

This is even as the Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr. Atunde Shamsideen Olayinka, exclusively told our correspondent that the company is determined to tackle the menace of Nigerian market flooded with mass-produced of shoes from all over the world.

According to him, there was the need to arrest the trend and this is a challenge that Yiko Deen; an indigenous Made in Nigeria shoe making factory is delicately poised to take on.

The company, with a state of the art factory located in Surulere, in Lagos, has said it would give the likes of Lennards, Footwear and Accessories Manufacturing and Distribution PLC (FAMAD) a run for their money.

“Yiko Deen Footwear is poised at ensuring that it produces made in Nigeria Shoes that can compete in the global Market at an affordable price.

“We are producing quality footwears for Oil companies, factories, Military and paramilitary organisations. This is our own way of contributing to the development of the Nigerian economy and boosting the efficiency and overall productivity of these entities”, he said.

The Lagos based company, boasts of a capac-

ity of 1000 pairs per day and built to the best acceptable international standard has produced boots for Nigerian Army, Nigerian Police, “Back To School” shoes for numerous nursery, primary, and secondary schools; industrial safety shoes for construction and oil & gas companies; and combat/jungle boots & service shoes for the military and paramilitary institutions.

Consequently, Yikodeen, in 2017 has already manufactured and supplied over 6,000 of pairs of shoes and boots to the Nigeria police and over 2000 pairs of children school shoes and much more.

The passion that the founder Mr. Olayinka has for his trade is palpable and this he said the goal that drives the company; to produce valuable and comfortable footwear at an affordable price.

His words: “Most of our designs are signature designs. The level of our creativity will always keep us ahead of our competitors while we don’t joke with the training of our staffs.

They are all experienced and they got the best training, so with that, our handmade shoes are one of the best products in Nigeria.”

Olayinka, also revealed that the raw materials used by the company are sourced locally giving their products the indigenous feel. Hence, assisting the federal government of Nigeria in conserving the scarce foreign exchange and in the short to medium term boost the forex proceeds into the country.

Among their achievements in the shoemanufacturing sector was the huge success in bringing back the glamour of uniformity

CEO,Yikodeen Footwear Limited, Mr. Olayinka in school dressing code, as regards quality guaranteed leather shoes for numerous schools across the country.

He revealed that Yiko Deen Footwear designs were exhibited at the Micam shoe festival at Milan, early last year having the opportunity to be showcased alongside designs made by renowned brands like Gucci.

“Within the last seven months, the company has introduced a number of interventions to recalibrate the footwear industry in order to allow it to become a major contributor in the country’s economy in terms of employment and earnings”, the company stated.

In 2016 and 2017, Yikodeed has produced quality footwears for Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army and Oil companies. With much concentration in strengthening the local shoe industry in Lagos and areas like Abia and Onitsha which have a small stake in the shoemaking industry have benefited, in smaller measure.

In their strife to achieve their vision of having a shoe made by Yikodeen Footwear in

every home in African, they have begun with West Africa by producing and supplying Oil companies in Serria Leone with 1000 pairs of safety boots this year.

“We are determined and would continue to champion the course of boosting the nation’s economy as well as reducing unemployment rate in a time like this, where the country is in dying need of indigenous production and manufacturing”, Yikodeen Footwear boss has said.

Financial prudence: Women who retire early can miss out Mathew Dadiya with agency news Women have a math problem when it comes to retirement: On average, they retire two years earlier than men but they live five years longer.

The obvious solution is to make sure women save enough money to cover the longer spread and to work as long as possible, but that is not what is happening out there in the real world.

When it comes to early retirement, which most define as before 65, a study from Fidelity released Thursday found that the top rea-

son women leave the workforce early is because of a health concern.

This health matter typically relates to a spouse, but also sometimes to elderly parents or even grandchildren.

According to Reuters, a financial planning client presents a common scenario. This woman stopped working when she was 63 to care for her husband until he died of lung cancer.

Rather than return to the workforce, she shifted to caring for her grandchildren so her daughter could work.

She will probably have enough funds for her later years, but Ringer, who is based in Boston, has other clients he worries about.

“With any type of financial planning, we’re operating with a certain degree of uncertainty,” he said.

Healthcare costs are one of the most unpredictable factors of retirement. The Fidelity study estimated than women over 65 will need $147,000 for healthcare in retirement, while men will need just $133,000. That number does not include long-term care.

Those who retire be-

fore Medicare kicks in at 65 have additional costs because they have to pay for coverage - either cost-sharing with an ex-employer or on the open market, said Katie Taylor, vice president of thought leadership at Fidelity.

To avoid running out of money, there are several areas where women can make strategic decisions: One of the major reasons women save less than men is that they spend 44 percent of their adult lives out of the workforce, compared to just 28 percent for men, according to a study from Merrill Lynch on Women and Financial Wellness released Thursday.

The result: A potential cumulative wage gap of over $1 million.

To combat this, working women need think about the long-term impact of stopping work.

“Retirement is no longer a switch that you turn on and off,” said Maddy Dychtwald, cofounder of Age Wave, which conducted the study with Merrill Lynch At the very least, try to keep one toe in the workforce. “Part-time work is so impactful,” said Ringer.

He has one client who stopped working in her early 60s, because her husband was older and was retiring. Now he is ill, and Ringer is worried her funds will run out after he dies, so he is counseling her to pick up consulting projects.

“I am awestruck at the women who have started over,” said Catherine Collinson, president of the Transamerica Center for Retirement Studies. “They go out and look for part-time work, and then demonstrate how good they are. It’s really inspiring.”

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

B5 Business Extra

N10bn contract saga: Saraki threatens legal action as Adeosun, Idris, Dogara deny fraud Mathew Dadiya, Abuja The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki has directed his lawyers to initiate a legal action against an online publication, Premium Times for publishing a news item alleging his involvement in receiving or sharing from a hefty N10billion national treasury.

The Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the Accountant General of the Federation (AGF), Mr. Ahmed Idris and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, who were also alleged to have received or shared from the fund have refuted the allegations.

The online medium had reported that the money was not part of the obscene N125billion appropriated for the federal legislature in the 2017 fiscal year for recurrent and capital expenditures, adding that It was also not part of the N100billion allocated for the controversial zonal intervention projects through which lawmakers have always enriched themselves.

It also reported that the money was arbitrarily and illegally approved for the lawmakers by the Minister of Finance in collusion with the Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris and that the N10billion was different from the controversial zonal intervention projects for which N70billion of the N100billion appropriated in the 2017 budget so far “eleased to contractors handpicked by lawmakers.”

Apart from the N10billion cash given to the National Assembly, the online medium further alleged that another N485million was released for a project conceived by Mr. Saraki for construction of model junior secondary schools across Kwara Central Senatorial District.

Reacting to the allegations, the Senate President, Bukola Saraki described the allegations as false saying that “Premium Times which unethically alleges without any proof, reference, attribution or justification that the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, was involved in receiving or sharing any unauthorized funds.”

Saraki, in a Statement on Friday to the Daily Times by his Special Adviser on Media & Publicity,Yusuph Olaniyonu, said he has nothing to do with any payment, receipt or disbursement of any extra-budgetary funds.

“It is also important to state for the record that the Premium Times article in question is pure and unmitigated false news. A simple check by Premium Times would have revealed that all funds in the National Assembly are in the custody of the National Assembly Management, which is headed by the Clerk, and not its presiding officers.

Additionally, all contract awards are equally overseen by the National Assembly management, not the

Saraki presiding officers.

We are aware that for some weeks now, Premium Times has had this story. However, they only contacted us on Wednesday, and the Clerk of the National Assembly, after a phone call from the Special Adviser on Media & Publicity to the Senate President, promised to give them all necessary explanation and documents on this issue.

However, it is obvious that in the bid to rope in Senator Saraki, the reporters of Premium Times could not wait to see the Clerk and rushed to publish the story with outright falsehoods less than 24 hours after the clerk made the aforementioned promise.

We are surprised that without any proof whatsoever, Premium Times was using expressions like: “Senate President Bukola Saraki and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, have just illegally received and shared”; “Saraki and Dogara submitted”; and “Investigations by PREMIUM TIMES showed that at least 44 of the 82 contractors Messrs Saraki and Dogara…” These are highly defamatory and careless expressions,” Saraki stated.

He added “It is expected, that the Editors of Premium Times will not be ignorant of the internal procurement and payment process in an organization like the National Assembly that they have covered and “investigated” for as long as they (Premium Times) has been in existence.

We consider this as part of the orchestrated campaign of calumny being waged against Dr. Saraki by some political elements using media platforms in which they have interests.

In this regard, for this careless and unwarranted assault on the person of the Senate President — after several previous warnings — the lawyers of the Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki,

Dogara will be initiating legal action on this particular matter.”

Saraki asked the public to disregard the online report and “take it for what it is, and will continue” to be: “Fake News.

On her part, the Minister of Finance said that Premium Times was on a smear campaign adding “warrants are issued in accordance with Appropriation.”

Adeosun, in a statement Daily Times on Friday by her Special Adviser, Media & Communications, Oluyinka Akintunde debunked “the entire mischievous and madeup report of the online medium which negates the ethics and professionalism of journalism.”

She said that the article displayed a worrying lack of understanding of Appropriation, Payments and Control, and therefore be disregarded by the public.

The Minister further stated that warrants were issued in accordance with Appropriation and after due approval by the Cash Plan Committee chaired by the Minister.

Attempts to link her to this factually defective and incorrect report

by Premium Times are highly regrettable, the Minister stated.

“There is absolutely no truth in the report of the Honourable Minister being involved in any fraudulent scandal as alleged by the mischievous online medium,” Adeosun added.

Also reacting, the Accountant General of the Federation Ahmed idris who also refuted the news report; said that the N10bn payment to local contractors was provided for in 2017 Budget.

Head, Press and Public Relations of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF), Oise D. Johnson, in a statement to the Daily Times on Friday, disclaimed “the malicious reports as there was no extra-budgetary spending over the release of the funds for contractors’ liabilities.”

Adeosun

Idris

“The Office of the AGF had in recent times observed that the Premium Times has formed the habit of distorting and concocting allegations against the Federal Government, the Federal Ministry of Finance and OAGF in a bid to achieve a hidden agenda despite all efforts made to set the record straight before representatives of Premium Times and also present documents to support the transparency and accountability in the release of funds to the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and institutions of Government,” he stated.

Mr. Idris clarified that the alleged N10 billion was duly appropriated for under the Service Wide Vote.

He said, “The payment of the sum of N10 billion for local contractors’ liabilities was not outside the budget, and its release followed laid down extant financial regulations.

This money was appropriated for in the Service Wide Vote.

“In fact, the sum of N20 billion was provided for local contractors’ liabilities under the 2017 Appropriation for all Ministries, Depart-

ments and Agencies (MDAs) and institutions of Government, including the Independent National Electoral Commission, National Assembly, Judiciary and other statutory bodies.”

He explained further that the procedure for application of the funds was that the money had to pass through the agencies and institutions of Government which awarded the contracts.

“In the past, payments were directly made to contractors but this created a lot of reconciliation problems. The procedure was however changed in 2017 for accountability purposes.

“The funds now pass through originating MDAs and Institutions of Government with returns in respect of the Authority to Incur Expenditure (AIE) required to be forwarded to the Director, Cash Management Department and should include a list of and supported by copies of all payment vouchers which have been authorized,” Idris further expatiated.”

Tourism B6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

‘Why infrastructure development key to tourism growth’

Some Nigerian states are gradually tilting towards tourism because they now recognise the undeniable fact that tourism is a major cash cow that can earn them enough revenue to run their states.

Cross River is leading the pack as it has developed her tourism and hospitality sector to the point that the first destination anyone within and outside Nigeria thinks about is Calabar. As such, the Cross River Government can confidently say that it plans to make the state a tourism destination by generating N1.7 billion from the sector annually as part of efforts to boost the state’s economy.

Another state that also plans to explore tourism to boost its economy is Lagos State.

The State recently organised a Tourism Summit where her Tourism Master Plan was unveiled. These grand plans are all well and good. However, a major drawback is the dearth of infrastructures. This was clearly pointed out by different speakers at the summit.

Does infrastructure matter in tourism development?

Simply put – no infrastructure, no tourism. This is the bane of tourism in Nigeria.

There are no supporting tourism infrastructures in the country. While the ones available are begging to be revamped.

Tourism infrastructure can come under three categories, namely: Commercial (Hotel, gastronomy, tourist information, and tourist arrival servicing); Public (transportation and communication facilities, security, trade and service facilities) and invest-

ment in tourism destinations.

Although the commercial category has been taken care of by the private sector, the public and investment category which are also critical are yet to be given their deserved attention.

For example, the access roads to some of these tourism destinations are very poor.

And the security of tourists is not guaranteed except in some states. A good example of how security is key to tourism is what happened in Egypt after the 2011 revolution. The North

African country became unstable and experienced several terrorist attacks. This discouraged many tourists from visiting the country due to instability and insecurity.

Who will provide the infrastructure?

When it comes to the provision of infrastructure, the government is charged with this responsibility. It has to create an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. However, the government cannot do it alone.

They have to partner with

the private sector through Public Private Partnership to provide these much-desired infrastructures and investment in tourism destinations.

For example, a corporate organisation can adopt the National Museum in Onikan, Lagos, turn its fortunes around and perhaps share proceeds with the government.

The returns The returns of developing tourism infrastructure are perfectly embodied by Dubai.

According to reports, Dubai aims to triple its annual in-

come from tourism to $82 billion by 2020, which would involve doubling the number of its hotel rooms. Meanwhile, in 2015, tourism added $36.4bn to UAE’s GDP. What is attracting Nigerians to Dubai? It is because the country has positioned itself as an exciting destination where you can have fun and feel safe at the time. We can do better because Nigeria has some of the best beaches, flora and fauna as well as the most beautiful tourist destinations in Africa and the world.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); former President of Republic of Ghana, Mr. John Dramani Mahama (middle); Minister of Information & Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed (2nd left); former Minister of State for Defense, Chief Demola Seriki (left) and Commissioner for Tourism, Arts & Culture, Mr. Steve Ayorinde (right) during the Lagos Tourism Summit with the theme “Destination Lagos: Towards A Sustainable Tourism-Driven Economy” at the Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island…recently

Drum Festival: FG vows to revive rich cultural heritage of Africans The Minister for Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has said the Federal government would continue to identify and support Ogun State to revive the rich cultural heritage of the African continent.

The minister made this disclosure at the third edition of the African Drum Festival tagged, ‘Drumming for Advancement’, held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta.

According to the Minister, the festival has become a pride of the nation and Africa at large, hence the decision of the government to include it among the country’s festivals.

He, however, noted that the festival has received international recognition, while promising that it will be included in the National Calendar.

“As a government, we will con-

tinue to support the Drum Festival by creating more awareness for it within the country and at the international communities. More importantly, we will also ensure that it will be included in the nation’s calendar,” the Minister said.

Mohammed expressed delight that the festival has not only expose the cultural potentials of the country, but also provided job opportunities for the people, saying the festival was in line with the programme and objectives of the Federal Government in re-positioning and diversifying the nation’s economy.

In his opening remark, Governor Ibikunle Amosun appreciated the Federal government for associating with the State and its decision to support the festival by including it in the nation’s calendar, reiterating that his administration would continue to encourage pri-

vate partnership, in order to take the festival to a greater height.

On the importance of the festival, Governor Amosun said the Drum Festival was the State’s contribution to Africa’s social cultural drive, adding that drums have not only been tools and sources of communication, but also veritable means of entertaining and educating the people.

Amosun reaffirmed that the festival would showcase the rich African culture to the world, as it would bring out the cultural skills of troupes from Nigeria and across Africa, saying, the next year’s edition would be richer in content and innovation.

While calling on Africans not to allow outsiders to interpret the African culture, the Governor submitted that the festival was majorly private sector driven, assuring that the State would benefit

economically, as about 20 States, 70 Private Troupes, 15 African countries, as well as others from the Caribbean Island are participating in this year’s event.

Speaking at the Festival, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, noted that the festival has become part of him since its inception because of its potentials to open doors for economic development.

“Throughout the world, Ogun State is known for developing and promoting cultural heritage and as you can see, the Drum Festival has gone beyond Nigeria and even Africa. There are troupes from other parts of the continent. So therefore, I thank God for making Ogun State a pioneer and fore-runner of the festival,” Ogunwusi said.

In his remark, the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, highlighted the importance of Drums

in modern society, saying the instruments are philosophical and goes beyond dancing, as the Yoruba forefathers used them to communicate, entertain and even pass message during wars.

Also speaking at the event, the Obong of Calabar, Edidem Bassey Ekpo, expressed delight for witnessing the festival, appealing to other state governors and particularly, traditional rulers, to give attention to their cultural values before it goes into extinction, pledging to ensure that his State was fully represented in subsequent editions.

“The joy of this is that I have seen something different from what we used to have in our Yam Festival in Calabar and other cultural festivals in the country. I will continue to preach this so that it will raise the awareness of Africans,” the Monarch said.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

B7

Photo Times B8 Business Photo TimesBusiness Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday , April 21, 2018

Scenes from the ongoing 2018 spring meeting of the International Monetary Fund-World Bank in Washington DC, United States...on Friday.

L-R: Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; Chief Executive, Crown Agents, Fergus Drake; Events and Meetings Consultant, Jacqueline Romoff and Partnership Manager, Duncan Hart, during a meeting between Nigeria and officials of the British firm.

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun fielding questions from Nigerian journalists after participating in the G-24 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors

Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun departing after participating in the G-24 Meeting of Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors.

L-R: Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun; the Events and Meetings Consultant, Jacqueline Romoff; Partnership Manager, Duncan Hart and the Chief Executive Officer of Crown Agents, Fergus Drake, during a meeting between Nigeria and Officials of the British firm.

L-R: GLOBAL SISTERS-Treasurer and Vice President of the World Bank, Arunma Oteh; Deputy Secretary General of United Nations, Amina Mohammed and Minister of Finance, Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, during the IMFWorld Bank Spring Meeting.

Life&

TIMES Saturday, April 21, 2018

Bitter tears of Nollywood Queens L2, 3

P

L2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Bitter tears of Nollywood Queens Without any doubt Nollywood is awash with heavenly beauties and sexy goddesses who are exploiting their divine beauties and natural talents to the full in an industry that thrives more on physical attributes than on talent. But some of these queens have beautifully married their talents with their physical endowments. But behind their talents and beautiful faces, there line a lot of worries to these beautiful damsel. AJIBADE ALABI & MUTIAT ALLI, x-ray their silent tears.

Life&

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Bitter tears of Nollywood Queens to legalise her marriage with Daniel Ademilokan

to announced that she was months pregnant and

number of people are getting tired of seeing them accused to married another s man s husband

all sorts of paparazzi in her new found love in far

she is still searching for that “man�

different roles has been dishing out a scintillating

opted out of the marriage institution to return to

her fame and talent she could not see through institution of marriage as she was forced out of the marriage that was well celebrated in Nigeria institution of marriage

social media to denied the wicked rumour as she described it far as their careers are concerned but in other

wears the crown�

Rita

L3

Society circle L4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Isaac Oguntoye

On Building Investment boss, Lanre Howells

Lanre Howells

There are vast and lucrative opportunities in Real Estate as it has become a viable business for the rich and Nouveau riche.

Real Estate has some techniques, which must involve professional know-how and expertise.

And that is why Lanre Howell of Beyond Building Investment Limited, has created a Real Estate company that offers all the professionalism you need to invest and reap opimum returns in real estate sector.

Accorsing to Lanre Howell “There are vast opportunities to invest in real estate but how many are brave enough to take the plunge? Unless you break the fear barrier, you can never start, and unless you start you can never win. But if you are ready, this series offers you much more. It is about a new approach to real estate investment and wealth creation,

rience in real estate and property development. It will guide you to break through in the pool”.

Beyond Building Investment Limited, as a diverse commercial real estate investment company provides a range of services to the capital markets which include: Acquisition, Asset and Property management, Leasing, Construction Management, Investment Advisory Services, as well as Development and Disposition.

Lanre Howell being so emphatic about the services his Real Estate company provides says this “Beyond Building Investment Limited aims to enrich investors by providing safe and sound real estate investment services to reduce systemic risk and also generate positive returns

Gbenga Daniel in joyous mood time for the former governor of Ogun state, Otunba Gbenga Daniel and his family as one of his son who is physically challenge, Adebola Irede Daniel will be walking down the aisle. Adebola was so elated few days ago when his girlfriend has accepted to marry him after he proposed to her. According to Debola, the pretty queen has been an old time intelligent 26-year-old who will be 27 by September could not hold back the joy taking to Instagram to announce the engagement and share photo.

Meanwhile, Debola who is suffering from paraplegia— a rare condition with no medical clarity, is in a happy mood currently.

Debola, who bagged a Masters with distinction

in Mechanical Engineering from the University College London, in 2017, wrote: “ENGAGEMENT! “So last night I asked my best friend and my closest con-

her life with me and she said YES! @tash_loves I love you more than words shown me what love is and the rest of my life with you.”

Rahama Indimi moves on…

through real estate and agriculture.

Young Entrepreneur 2018 holds One of the talked about events of all time in Lagos State remain the Lagos Young Enond edition after a successful debut of the event last year, 2017.

Rahama Idimi

Rahama who got married to Mohammed Babangida, son of former Nigerian military leader Ibrahim Banally put the past behind her as she stunned in new pictures. Few days ago, the pretty dark in complexion

positive to say about this as it featured a lot of great individuals who talked on being a very successful entrepreneurs, and also a time to celebrate Young Entrepreneurs within the metropolis, mainly the youths in Lagos. The purpose of the event are to inspire the younger generation of entrepreneurs, reward hard work, promote entrepreneurship and raise awareness about the key roles that Lagos Young Entrepreneurs play in building the economic wealth of Lagos state are you successful young entrepreneurs below the age of forty years or you have being inspired by a young enterprising trailblazer who deserve to be celebrated, then log on to www.layeawards.com and summit a nomination.

and nail to regain the custody of her children share some sexy pictures on her instagram page looking radiant and absolutely gorgeous. In

Olusola Saheed

daughter of Alhaji Indimi, the Maiduguiri, Borno State billionaire, owner of Oriental Energy Resources Limit-

ed and a major player in the United Kingdom-listed independent oil and gas producers, Afren Plc. Rahama who moved o palatial Hill Top mansion in Minna, Niger State have decided to take the bull by the horn by moving on with her life and business. The very pretty but endowed Rahama runs a store that sells aphrodisiac products in Abuja. It was also said that, ever since she packed out of her matrimonial home a few months ago, she has been putting up with her sister in Abuja, FCT.

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, April 21, 2018

Mutiat Alli

Senator Gbenga Ashafa endorsed

Gist L5

Corporate guru, Abdul Imoyo honoured Rewarding good performance is just as important as managing, motivating and monitoring performance. Abdul Imoyo, the Head Media Relations Access Bank was not only praised or pat on the back for his unique performance and improve efforts but was recognized by TimelineNG as Media Manager of the Year for his ability to analyze a situation and position Access amazing. The event that took place at the Sheraton Hotel Lagos State penultimate Thursday 19, 2018 was chaired by former senate minority leader, Senator Olorunnimbe Mamora. Meanwhile, over the years Imoyo as the industrious, dynamic cool aggressively managing the corporate affairs portfolios of Access Bank taking the bank to a greater heights in the very competitive and volatile setting of the banking sector. Imoyo is an enigma in the banking industry especially when it comes to customer relation with all vigour, astuteness, industriousness and aggressive deep and applicable understanding of the system.

Gbenga Asafa

As 2019 general election hot up, the Lagos East Senatorial District APEX leaders of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have endorsed the senator representing Lagos East Senatorial District at the Senate, Senator Gbenga Ashafa for another term in the upper chamber. The leadership of the group according to information arrived at its decision after considering the quality of representation Ashafa has provided the District in the upper chamber of the National Assembly. Since

the inception of the 8th Assembly, Senator Gbenga Ashafa has successfully sponsored several motions touching on national issues, issues affecting Lagos East and Lagos State as a whole. He has also sponsored a total of 7 bills including the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency Act Amendment Bill and the City University (Lagos) Establishment Bill. His contributions on

East Senatorial District coupled with the various evident empowerment

the people of Lagos East, all culminated in the decision of the Apex Group.

He was also instrumental in the recent award of the Ikorodu – Shagamu road rehabilitation project by the Federal Ministry of Power Works And Housing. Just few weeks ago, we scooped that; some youths from his constiturelentless and consistent ency have started camprotection of the interest paigning endorsing him for of the people of Lagos another term.

Rumour trails Omisore campaign poster of Otunba Iyiola Omisore as gubernatorial aspirant is out. But the question on the lips of both youth and political stalwarts is whether the former senator is battle ready judging by series of court case hanging on his neck. Though, it is not clear whether the material was leaked or not. The poster which further concial Democratic Party (SDP). And the poster shows the popular politician as an SDP chieftain. Information also has it that, the campaign poster is the handiwork of his supporters which will be eventually released when election guidelines permit. Omisore is still in Iyiola Omisore cratic Party aspirant leaked is no ing� last minute details of his planned clear at the moment. But if the indefection according to inside sources. formation is to be considered then, the governorship aspirant must be campaign poster as a Social Demobattle ready.

Imoyo

Seyi Tinubu breaks jinx That the son of the amiable Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, a top chieftain of the APC, Seyi Tinubu is the Chief Promo, an advert agency is no longer a news. But without mincing enjoying attention as we speak and raking in good money from it. Many would have thought as the son of wealthy and National chieftain he would have folded his arms enjoying his father wealth but the reverse was the case.His brand we hear has stakes in Shazam and AirPush, two well-known international brands.

Loatsad Promomedia is connected to Promomedia, the biggest outdoors and media supplier in the Middle East, number one in Lebanon and Iraq. The dark skinned trained lawyer has over the years been notching up mega-projects with his a couple of successful activations Seyi Tinubu with other leading brands in Nigeria, Pepsi Nigeria team a few weeks ago to mark the launch of their new

The law graduate of the University of Buckingham with both his LLB & LLM degrees has had his hands in some very lucrative pies as of recent and if things continue to unfold as fantastically as they have been of late, dude should emerge soon as one of the biggest players

branding sub-sector.

A testament to that connection are some of those in your face, one of its kind, LED outdoor billboards owned

by Loatsad Promomedia and mounted strategically in some exclusive areas on the island, displaying plenty of adverts and promos.

The very energetic dude and avowed Polo buff, also has hands in Construction and energy. But what he is best known for albeit very quietly is his philanthropic drive.

Gis L6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Mutiat Alli

Tobi, Cee C, Nina, Alex or Miracle: Who wins Big Brother Naija tomorrow?

Tim Kubart & Bisola

#RespectNaijaCreativity: Grammy Award-winning Tim Kubart and Space Cadets storm Lagos for World Intellectual Property Day concert…Iyanya, Bisola, Jeff Akoh also lined-up The Grammy Award-winning singer, Tim Kubart and his band, the Space Cadets, are gearing up to bring their live music charm to nized by U.S. Mission Nigeria marking World Intellectual Property Day. Also joining the Grammy Award-winning band are popular Nigerian artists including Iyanya, Bisola Aiyeola, and Jeff Akoh.

Organized by U.S. Mission Nigeria, in collaboration with leading talent agency and event the night of music, fun, and enlightenment is

Big Brother Naija House, fans and Nigerians are anticipating on who will win this home with a whooping N45M and brand new SUV jeep amongst the remaining contenders that includes Miracle, Tobi, Nina, Alex and Cee-C. While predictions have been coming in, Ric-hassani Nigerians are anxiously waiting for who will emerge the eventual winner at a colourful event tomorrow in South Africa.

Earlier in the week, Cee-C was made the head of house but was dethroned less than 48hrs into her tenure due to leadership mishap and Alex emerging the was a huge drama outburst by Cee-C to

Tobi which earned her a warning strike for reigning insult on her fellow housemates which is against the Big Brother House rules.

As part of their usual house task and this time comes the Close up challenge that saw Miracle and Alex emerging winner of the challenge by winner a sum of N1M each.

“This concert highlights the creative energy of Nigerian and American artists,” said U.S. Ambassador W. Stuart Symington. “On World Intellectual Property Day, it also recognizes

the importance of copyright in encouraging tivize people to produce and share the work economic power.”

In his remarks, Terfa Tilley-Gyado, Director of Communication, TMC, said “It is an honour to work with the U.S. Embassy on this important project. This is the second time we are collaborating with the U.S. Mission in Nigeria and we promise a very fun night.”

The concert will be open to all members of the public and is billed to s to share, on their social media platforms, their thoughts on intellectual property rights (IPR)

Tiwa Savage, Tuface, Shina Peters, others to perform at Ooni’s concert

with electrifying performances by the duo of Pepsi Ambassador, Davido and Tekno.

It will however be recalled that the last bash of housemates to evicted from the Khloe, the trio who polled the least number of votes.

Singer Kcee floats underwear line Five star music act, Kingsley Chinweike Okonkwo, better known as Kcee has opened a new page in his career with the launch of an underwear line for men;

Tiwa & 2face

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has called on corporate organisations and good spirited individuals to support the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, OonAdeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja in his commitment to the well being of orphans and less privileged in this country.

The GiveBack Concert which was recently endorsed by the former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is slated to hold on 24th June, 2018 at the Eko Hotel and Suites in

The artiste made the announcement on his Instagram page when he posted several photographs of himself modeling the underwear.

“Hi guys meet my lat-

ies are expected to be in attendance as all hands will be on deck to ensure the orphans

luxury underwear line for launch date coming soon,” he posted on his handle, iam_kcee.

Kcee

met.

Chief Olusegun Obasanjo while speaking about the Concert said this is going to be the

member the orphans and less privileged in a positive way without government interference. He then implored all well meaning Nigerians to support by donating in their capacity to the lives of these less privileged ones.

The GiveBack Concert is aimed at raising funds to cater for the needs of the orphans and less privileged people in the country.

The Ooni began this journey through Hopes Alive Initiativ need for everyone to participate by sowing a seed into the lives of all underprivileged.

According to him, many young less privileged succumb to peer pressure and eventually choose criminalism as a way of life because they lack proper care required to positively shape their future.

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, April 21, 2018

L7

Nigeria Pageantry is well developed than pageant in Ethiopia-Misker Kassahaun Teka, Miss African Beauty Queen 2018 For Misker Kassahaun Teka, representing Miss Ethiopia, the 2018 winner of the Miss African Beauty Queen (MABQ) her journey to winning the pageant came with lots of passion, determination and more importantly making her country proud. Having won the pageant and defeating other 13 contestants from countries that Somalia, Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria amongst others Misker is sure prepared for the challenge ahead and plans towards execution of her two pet project that includes Women Empowerment and Mental Health Awareness. In this chat with MUTIAT ALLI, Misker takes us through her journey of emerging winner, her dreams, why the Nigeria entertainment industry is bigger than Ethiopia industry, her love for Nigerian food and weather condition amongst others.

from different countries. Among them all, I love the culture of Miss Zambia, she represented her country so well that whenever she discusses with you, there is always something to talk about her country. Not forgetting she is eloquent, she shares stories about her life and the foundation she runs too.

You came all the way from Ethiopia for this pageant; what was your drive coming to Nigeria?

My aim of coming all the way from my country was to partake in competition as huge as this with the sole aim of going back home with the winning prize.

Tell us about growing up and life in Ethiopia?

Life in Ethiopia is very good because I had a normal life like every other child with good educational background. I am in the university and

What do you think gave you an edge over other contestants?

I think my experience in participating in other pageants before this gave me a clear cut edge and also I have partook in several modelling classes, worked with different designers, photographers and several pageant coaches.

During the competition, who among the contestants was a threat to you?

Seriously all the contestants are beautiful with lots of things to offer; but my greatest competition was Miss Ghana and Miss Somalia because they are taller, gorgeous and eloquent. At times the sight of seeing them every time makes me ponder

As the Queen now, what do you intend to achieve?

As a queen and a brand ambassador of the pageant, I know and understand that I have a lot of responsibilities and projects to work with. Since I was a child; I have always have two passions which is woman empowerment and mental health awareness. My plan is to bring more change as possible in the two projects but more focus on the mental awareness because I am medical student and I know there are some area of mental health awareness that have not touched which I want to dwell on and my major passion is to be able to make an impact not just in Ethiopia alone but across African countries.

Doctor.

You are beautiful, where did you get the beauty from?

I think I got my beauty from both parent; I got my eyes from my dad, my skin colour is from my this beautiful.

With additional responsibilities as a beauty queen, how do you manage up with academic?

First I have a supportive family member and friends; then I want to use this opportunity to thank my school provost, he is always giving me leave of absence whenever I need it. My school management loves students who are adventures who can prove that you can be beautiful, passionate, educational sound and still stand your ground in situations.

The moment you were announced the winner, what happened and how did you feel? it was unbelievable for me that I could not even utter a word for a moment because coming all the way from Ethiopia for the competition was not just about me but how to make my country proud at the end of the day and representing the tall image of Miss Africa Beauty Queen.

What memories of Nigeria are you taking back to Ethiopia?

I am never going forget the food; Nigerians are

With your interaction with other contestants;

What are your dreams?

My dream is to inspire young girls so that one day passionate woman like me can stand up and say they want to look up to me as role model.

The unique thing about this competition is the fact that it exposes you to different cultures and values knowing full well that we had 14 contestants

forget in a hurry is the heat because Ethiopia is very cold and coming here just makes me feel Nigeria is the equator between Ethiopia in terms of weather.

What is your description of your own ideal man?

My man has to be honest, smart and caring.

What is your advice to parents who may hinder their children from participating in beauty competition? their children especially girls to partake in beauty competition because you hear a lot of things behind them. If you have a dream and principles and you have a child who wants to go for competition; they should let them go. I for once never got my parents support from the initial stage even when I won one the competition I had participated in, I could not even tell parents about it because all my parents wanted is for me to have my studies. them but at the end of the day they are proud of me. My advice for parents is that when they see this potentials in their children; they should coach them, give necessary advices where needed and support them in prayer too.

in Ethiopia and Nigeria?

For me I think the Nigerian entertainment industry and pageant organisation is more organised and well developed while in Ethiopia the fashion industry is still very young and we have a lot to learn in Nigeria and Ethiopians are always willing to learn.

From this pageant, which other top pageant are looking forward to partake in?

When I complete my studies and there is still time, I look forward to participating in Miss World or Miss Universe because it is a big platform where my voice can be heard to a larger audience.

Home Affairs L8

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, April 21, 2018

Folarin Leonard

Factors to consider when transforming your sitting room How would you like to discover various ways to transform your living room to somewhere you never feel happy to leave? These tips include that which even works for a tiny budget. To all dĂŠcor lovers,

Available space You must consider your available space before minimum effort. Sometimes the simplest changes can have a dramatic effect on the appearance of a

location. Your items should be kept in designated areas.

Curtains You may have formerly used heavy curtains that prevent rays of light. You may want to consider simpler be amazed how much larger a room will appear and

Color Have you maintained a particular color? You may want to Change the color scheme at this point. This Plan your scheme carefully before you so as to keep you on-track both with the balance of color and pattern in the room and also the budget. For busy homes that receive visitors often, a hard-wearing paint is essential.

Wallpapers To achieve a sophisticated look without overspending, a single panel of wallpaper within a large architrave frame can be as impressive as a whole feature wall.

use of cable concealers.

Play zone Create a Play Zone

where there might be

Lightening Other steps include; adding warm and proper lightening and if you use a carpet, replace with a rog

you have a lot of small, Have your books and

clean, fresh feel. Tiles are recommended for solid

the room.

sofa and a couple of chairs, consider a scaled-down

Wall spacing You should also leave space between the walls

Your Houseplants in cute plant stand or several decorative pots. The type of houseplants you

single couch, small sectionals make perfect sense for a cramped space by offering as much seating as a separate sofa and chairs but in a smaller footprint.

against a wall, the room can seem cold and unwelcoming. Pull the furniture inward on at least two or three sides to create a more intimate area.

You can replace some furniture with glass or less

use glass-item tables either at the center or forward center of the room.

Keep Flat Surfaces Clutter-free. Papers, books,

doors, or open doorways make a room more spacious. Furniture with thinner bodies on raised legs reveal more space to the eye.

surfaces all around the house, and the sitting room is no different. You will need a household information center where you can access entertainment like that.

The tangle of wires in the house can be really annoying. Fortunately, there are several options for taming cords in the sitting room. You should make

Center attraction You should have a center of attraction. The most common focal points are up against one large windows. Place seating arrangement along the other three sides of the room, at right angles or angled slightly toward the focal point.