daily Times of Nigeria

Investors sell-off stocks as fear of economic meltdown grows ÏÏÏInvestors went for the red button very fast

Emmanuel Ogbonnaya Business Editor

and hard on Monday morning in a frenzy of panic that swept through stock markets around

the world.

World stock markets plunged as a near nineper cent dive in China shares and a sharp drop

in the dollar and major commodities sent investors rushing for the exit.

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Continued on page 6 www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr https://twitter.com/DailyTimesNGR

TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.177

GAINERS

N150

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 21st August 2015.

NESTLE

965.98

83.98

8.69%

GUINNESS

119

3.00

2.52%

NB

120.02

-1.98

-1.65%

NIG-GERMAN

5.16

-0.55

-10.66%

FO

228.7

9.70

4.24%

TOTAL

155

2.80

1.81%

FLOURMILL

25.07

-0.93

-3.71%

WAPCO

99.5

-0.52

-0.52%

Buhari terminates oil swap agreements 6

UN to support war against Boko Haram Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏNigeria was on Monday given firm assurances by the Secretary General of the United Nations, Ban Ki-Moon, in the planned bid to rout the Boko Haram insurContinued on page 6

Why things fell apart for PDP in Anambra 8 – Sen. Anosike

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon laying wreath at the world body’s building in Abuja to mark four years of Boko Haram’s attack at the complex in Abuja ... on Monday

Photo: Temitope Balogun

Protesting lawyers disrupt NBA session

President probes weapons purchases by Yar’Adua, Jonathan

12

12

7 Stella Oduah removed me as Rector – Capt. Kalu

Arms cache: Trial of ex-NSA Dasuki begins

5

2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Politics Page Three

3

s

Editorial Legislators and salary cut

T

he recent declaration by House of Representatives members to take salary cut in line with the present financial realities of the country is most welcome. Disclosing this in Lagos, the House Chairman, Adhoc Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Mohammed Sani Zoro, said the lawmakers irrespective of party affiliation have indicated intention to abide by the new salary being proposed for the Eighth National Assembly in line with public demand for fiscal prudence at all levels of governance. According to Zoro, the need to streamline the funding of the House’s activities is in line with best practices all over the world and more so reflects the country’s current economic fortunes.

We are in agreement with the prevailing sentiments in the country, especially regarding the outrageous financial emoluments of lawmakers.

That is why we welcome the Clement Nwankwo Committee set up to make recommendations on oversight function, sitting and constituency allowance and all funding of the House of Representatives. For long, Nigerians have been criticising the sky-high salaries of National Assembly legislators.

They are also piqued that such emoluments are not in consonance with the country’s economic realities and even at variance with the living standards of ordinary Nigerians.

Only recently, there was hailstorm of condemnation over the outrageous wardrobe allowances earmarked for lawmakers which many believed was insensitive and reckless in the face of dwindling fortunes of the country and citizens. At a time, the country is facing Boko Haram insurgency and in need of resources to defeat the sect, the least expected of our lawmakers is another increase in the cost of governance.

Even at that, it is fact that Nigerians do not know the remuneration package of our legislators, let alone explain the source of funds for their conspicuous consumption and ostentatious life-

styles. Incidentally, they are yet to offer any reasons to justify the outrageous salaries.

Moreover, nowhere in the world do people with so little to show in the way of service get so much pay. Unfortunately, the country’s legislators lack the attributes of statesmen. Rather, they behave as if they were elected to ransack the country’s treasury. The cost of maintaining the more than 460 legislators in the National Assembly is unsustainable to say the least. We believe the huge expenditure is a flagrant betrayal of the expectations of all Nigerians who are wallowing in abject poverty while their elected representatives live like modern-day Pharaohs. In this new era of penny pinching, we expect the lawmakers to lead by example.

In doing so, they would be taking after leaders and legislators in other climes that have taken pay cuts in the interests of their countries. In this regard, President Buhari should initiate policies to reduce the spiraling cost of governance. Already he and Vice President Osinbajo have taken pay cuts in line with their campaign promise.

It is imperative to reiterate that legislative duties are not an avenue for money making. Curiously, Nigerian lawmakers have refused disclosure of their salaries and allowances, even as recent report in a London-based magazine ranked them as the highest paid in the world.

It revealed that the annual salary of legislators in the USA is $174,000; Ghana, $46,500; Indonesia, $65,800; Thailand, $43,800; India, $11,200; Italy, $182,000; Bangladesh, $4,000; Israel, $114,800; Hong Kong, $130,000; Japan, $149,700; and Singapore, $154,000.

These are very different from the annual salary of their Nigerian counterpart at the federal level, put at $189,000 (N34 million). It is logical therefore that our legislators trim their salaries and benefits of office. In doing so, they should be mindful that the country can no longer afford to live beyond its means..

PDP: How long will this buck-passing continue?

Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎAlmost 100 days after

losing power at the centre, leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) are expected to have put the defeat behind them the loss at the last general elections and to be committing greater energy to rebuilding the party for the future.

Unfortunately, this expectation is yet to materialise as many leaders of the PDP have since the 2015 general election not only continued to lament the party’s defeat but also blame others except themselves for the loss.

This was what the Acting Chairman of the PDP’s Board of Trustees, Dr.

Bello Mohammed, did last Wednesday in Abuja when he linked the party’s defeat to the abrogation of the policy of rotation and zoning in 2011 as well as the adoption of former President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the party for the 2015 poll.

It is good that Mohammed has identified factors which, in his view, led to the PDP’s loss of the Presidency in the last election, but blaming others is pure buck-passing and irritating. Other chieftains of the party are also involved in this.

Fact is that Mohammed and other leaders not only played key roles in the setting aside of the PDP policy on rotation and zoning in 2011 but also endorsed former President Jonathan as

Words On Marble :

the sole presidential candidate of the PDP in the 2015 poll.

In fact, it was Mohammed who moved the motion for the adoption of Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the party during the 2015 poll.

He also headed Jonathan’s Presidential declaration committee.

For Mohammed and other chieftains to continue to blame others except themselves for the PDP’s defeat in the last election is worrisome and capable of prolonging the schism in the party. So, until this buck-passing stops and leaders of the PDP like Mohammed admit that they failed and elect to right the wrongs, the chances of the party taking back the Presidency in the nearest future remain slim.

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Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

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Editor

Noel Anosike Afie Braimoh

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Ebenezar Babatope

Matthew Kukah

“If he (Buhari) says he wants to probe the administration of Goodluck Jonathan alone, that is good for him but all we know is that he must endeavour not to turn the probe into a kind of witch-hunt”.

“Today’s saint can become the worst crook.

Yakubu Dogara “With godfathers always breathing on the necks of their godsons who hold public offices, we can’t kill corruption and make progress.”

4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Lawyers in National Assembly demand right to be senior advocates Monday Agu Jnr Abuja

ÏÏÏ Legislators in the Na-

tional Assembly who are lawyers want the privilege of Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to be conferred on them, as of right.

They also want the right extended to lawyers in state legislative assemblies.

Currently, the title is reserved for legal practitioners with records of exemplary performances in advocacy. It is also conferred on top-notch law teachers.

At the inaugural meeting of the “Forum of Lawyers in the Nigerian Legisla-

ture”, held at the National Assembly complex in Abuja, the lawmakers argued that those being conferred with the title are not more hardworking in the development of law than those who make the law.

The forum was convened

by Senator Ita Enang who said that lawmakers deserve the title since they participate in passing all the laws being used for legal practice in the country.

Enang is a former Chairman, Senate Committee on Rules and Business.

According to him, it is an “insult” to say that a lawmaker is not qualified to become a Senior Advocate, while another person who

practises the profession could become one.

His words: “Legislative practice is an arm of legal practice and should be recognised as such.

“It is the legislature and the legislator that know the laws more than the practitioners because they draft the laws.

“All the laws that practitioners practise and they are celebrated and honoured are passed by the legislature, but you say that same legislator is not qualified to be a SAN.” In his address, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, said that the aim of the forum was to pro-

mote the productivity of lawyers in the legislature through capacity-building.

Dogara, also a lawyer, was represented by Hon. Uzoma Nkem-Abonta from Abia State.

He said: “The association is to promote cooperation, networking and interaction among its members, and to develop legislative practice as an enviable area of legal practice in Nigeria.”

The speaker said having been informed that there were about 200 lawyers at the National Assembly, he was convinced that the forum should transit “to a well-established association.”

5 News

Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Permanent Sec-

retary of the Ministry of Aviation, Hajya Binta Bello, on Monday, inaugurated a Ministerial Committee on the Establishment of a National Carrier, with a charge to its members to pursue the assignment with vigour.

She said the Committee had become necessary in view of the interest shown in the venture by President Muhammadu Buhari and his recent directives to the Ministry to commence the process of establishing a national carrier.

Bello said the establishment of a national carrier was not only justified by economic considerations, but also strategic national interest, pride and job creation potentials.

FG inaugurates committee on national carrier The Committee, which has a former Managing Director of Discovery Airlines, Captain Mohammed Abdulsalam as Chairman, is charged with reviewing previous consultants’ submissions and recommendations on a national carrier, review the report on the failure of the defunct Nigeria Airways and other failed private airlines.

It also has the mandate to consult widely with stakeholders on the establishment of a national carrier, including interested international partners on setting up a national carrier on the basis of public private partnership model.

World leaders’ tributes pour in for late General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏ The President of the

L-R: Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Mrs. Ojobo Atuluku; Tax Power Campaign Coordinator, ActionAid International, Ms. Luckystar Miyandazi; Head ,Return Payment Processing Unit, Federal Inland Revenue, Mr. Salisu Mohammed and Head, Tax Administration, Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria, Mr. Chris Onyegbule during the Inauguration of West Africa Tax Incentives Study Report in Abuja ....on Monday Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

DSS prosecutes ex-NSA, Sambo Dasuki Monday Agu Jnr Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Department of State Services (DSS) has dragged former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd) to court over alleged illegal possession of weapons and threat to national security.

Officials of the DSS had on July 16 stormed the John Kabiya street, Asokoro District residence of the former NSA, placing him a under house arrest for 24-hours.

The DSS, in a statement by one Tony Opuiyo on

Monday said a large cache of arms was found on the residence during a search, adding that credible intelligence linked the former NSA to acts capable of undermining national security.

The DSS stated: “The search operation led to the recovery of large cache of arms and ammunition among other things and for which further investigation was conducted.

“Consequently, on Monday 24th August, 2015, he was charged to court based on evidence so far obtained, but which relates to posses-

sion of fire arms without license.”

The alleged crime, according to the DSS, is punishable under section 27(i) (a)(i) of the Firearms Act Cap F28 LFN 2004, It added that the trial is “in line with democratic practice and our avowed commitment to the rule of law.”

Dasuki was removed as NSA on Monday, July 13,

by President Muhammadu Buhari after serving for three years as National Security Adviser, having been appointed on June 22, 2012 by former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Republic of Liberia, Madam Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, the government and people of Liberia and dignitaries from around the world, on Friday, August 21, 2015, heaped up praises, admiration and gratitude on the former Chief of Staff, Armed Forces of Liberia, the late General Suraj Alao Abdurrahman.

They generally described him as a rare and well-bred professional, whose place in the military would be hard to fill.

Provost accuses lecturers, others of sexual harassment, extortion Jacob Mbam Abakaliki

ÏÏÏ

Dasuki

In a posthumous ceremony, in Monrovia, to honour Abdurrahman, JohnsonSirleaf, the United Nations Mission In Liberia (UNAMIL) Force Commander, United Nations/African Union peace-keepers, the Coast Guard, members of the diplomatic community, national legislators, members of the Armed Forces of Liberia (AFL), the Nigerian Armed Forces and friends of Abdurrahman all showered encomiums on him, his military training and professional soldiering which, according to them, helped, in no small measures, to reshape the AFL.

The Provost Ikwo College of Education, Ebonyi State, Prof. Silas Omebe, has accused some lecturers and some leaders of the College of Education, Academic Staff Union, COEASU, Ebonyi State Chapter of alleged involvement in sexual harassment and extortion of huge sums of money as handout fees from students of the institution.

He told journalists, on Monday, that the lecturers and union leaders allegedly force students to buy handouts, which was against

the rules of the institution, adding that the students paid their school fees and should not be subjected to paying any other money.

Omebe, who was reacting to a petition written against him to the State Governor, Chief Dave Umahi, by trade unions leaders in the State College of Education also accused one of the signatories to the petition, Comrade Greg Esheya, of tarnishing the image of the college stressing that the union leader has been suspended as the Chairman of COEASU/ Joint Action Committee (JAC).

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Buhari cancels oil swap deals Chidi Okoye, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

”Your prayer 5 above approved – PMB” With those words, President Muhammadu Buhari on 13th August cancelled the controversial offshore processing and oil swap deals initiated in January this year by the outgone administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan for refined products.

The agreement was earlier billed to last till December 2016.

President Buhari’s approval is in a bid by the new leadership of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to ensure transparency and due process.

In a memo to the Presi-

dent on August 12, the NNPC sought approval to terminate all such current contracts following a presidential directive.

“This memo purports to seek Mr President’s approval to terminate all current Offshore Processing and SWAP contracts and commence a fresh re-tendering process to ensure transparency, due process and optimized contract terms in favour of the NNPC,” stated the letter signed by Ibe Kachikwu, the Group Managing Director of NNPC. Responding, the president approved the request in a memo dated August 13 and signed by the Permanent Secretary of the State House, Nebolisa Emodi.

The NNPC currently swaps a part of its allotted 445,000 barrels of crude per day to some oil companies and in return receives refined products.

Oil swap derives from the fact that Nigeria’s four refineries operate mostly below 50% installed capacity and since 2003, the NNPC has continued to allocate them 445,000 barrels of crude oil per day, which corresponds to 100% capacity.

The oil swaps have come under criticism following allegations that they have been opaque and the government has been short-changed in the deals.

In its audit between 2009 and 2012, the Nigerian Extractive Transparency Ini-

tiative (NEITI) revealed that crude oil swap arrangements are not cost- effective, especially when compared to product prices and proceeds paid to the NNPC. The audit exposed underdelivery of products by companies awarded such swap contracts to the tune of $866.189 million, and that this comprises Refined Products Exchange Arrangement of $500.075 million and Offshore Processing Arrangement of $366.114 million.

Civil society groups had repeatedly called for an end to the oil swap deals while also urging the Nigerian government to allocate to local refineries crude product based on operating capacity and the difference should be

sold directly as crude.

The Africa Network for Environment and Economic Justice (ANEEJ) had in an advocacy position paper sent to the House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) called on the National Assembly to do all in its powers to end oil swaps in Nigeria.

The House has, however, failed to progress on a motion moved in June by Michael Enyong (Akwa Ibom) seeking an “urgent need for a forensic investigation of the contracts known as Refined Product Exchange Agreement or Swap Contract.” The lawmaker had alleged that Nigeria has lost considerable revenue due to leakages in the account-

ing system and mismanagement of the economy.

“There is the need to ensure transparency and accountability by the NNPC in the management of revenue accruing to the nation from crude oil, particularly in the prevailing circumstances where major buyers of Nigeria’s crude oil such as the United States has discovered alternative sources,” he said.

With the presidential approval, the NNPC is expected to formally trigger the exit clauses in the current OPA contracts in order to close them and commence a fresh re-tendering process aimed at getting more favorable deals for the government.

UN to support war against Boko Haram Continued from page 1

L-R: Deputy Commandant, Ghana Armed Forces Command and Staff College (GAFCSC), Commodore James Kontoh; Director, Operations Gabon Navy, Commander Moudouna Loic; Maritime Advisor, IMO and Principal, The Heyl Group, Captain Phillip Heyl; Director of Operations, Nigerian Navy, Rear Admiral Tariworio Dick and Chief of Naval Group, Senegal, Commander Ibrahina Diaw during a three-day conference on offshore patrol vessel by the Nigerian Navy in partnership with the Inter Nation Quality and Productivity held at Victoria Island, Lagos…on Monday.

Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

gency.

The country was also urged to present a resolution to the world body for a global action against the terror sect which has continued to unleash violence on Nigeria and neighbouring countries in the Northeast.

Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar has also pleaded with the UN scribe to help Nigeria recover its stolen wealth being stashed away in different countries.

Ki-moon described humanitarian conditions in the Northeast as particularly worrying.

Ban also pledged to strengthen democracy in Nigeria after the peaceful election that brought President Muhammadu Buhari to power in March “I hope that this example will be emulated by many countries around the world ... I want to commend the people of Nigeria on the peaceful, free and fair elections,” Ban said in Abuja after meeting Buhari.

He said the two men discussed security and development issues “including the cause of troubling levels of violence and terror perpetuated by Boko Haram in northeastern Nigeria and beyond”.

Investors sell-off stocks as economic meltdown fear grows Continued from page 1 “Things are starting look like the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s. Speculators are selling assets that seem the most vulnerable,” said Takako Masai, head of research at Shinsei Bank in Tokyo.

“China could be forced to devalue the yuan even more, should its economy falter, and the equity markets are

dealing with the prospect of a weaker yuan amplifying the negative impact from a sluggish Chinese economy,” said Eiji Kinouchi, chief technical analyst at Daiwa Securities in Tokyo.

Equities transactions at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) reopened for the week on a downward trend as the market indicators decreased by 2.22 per cent.

The depreciation was due to price losses made by some capitalised companies.

As a result of the bearish trading, the market capitalisation closed lower at N10.013 trillion when compared with N10.240 trillion posted on Friday.

Equally, the All-Share Index decreased by 664.2 points or 2.22 per cent to close at 29,214.13 against the 29,878.33 achieved on Friday.

Analysis of the price movement chart showed that Seplat topped the losers’ table by N12.26 to close at N233.04 per share.

Dangote Cement came second with N7 to close at N170, while Guinness and Total Oil depreciated by N3 each to close at N116 and N152 per share respectively.

PZ Cussons declined by N2.90 to close at N26.93 per share.

On the other hand, Forte oil led the gainers’ chart by N10.90 to close at N239.10 per share.

Just as worrying was evidence that developed markets were becoming synchronised with the troubles.

London’s FTSE with its large number of global miners and oil firms, was down for its 10th straight day, its worst run since 2003.

The pan-European FTS-

Eurofirst 300 was last down 5 percent at 1,355 points, wiping around 400 billion euros ($460.16 billion) off the index and taking its losses for the month to more than 1 trillion euros.

“We are in the midst of a full-blown growth scare,” strategists at JP Morgan Cazenove said in a note.

A key measure of U.S. Continued on page 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25 , 2015

Gulder launches world largest poster in Enugu Mutiat Alli

ÏÏÏThe

management of Nigerian Breweries Plc, makers of the Gulder Ultimate larger beer, has unveiled the largest poster in the world to launch their brand's ultimate promo.

The unveiling, which took place at the Okpara Square, Enugu State on Monday, was attended by the Governor of Enugu State, who was represented by Barrister Sam Ogbu Nwobodo. The governor stated that the launch of the poster, which is over 5,300 square

meters, was an eloquent testimony to the image of Enugu as a warm and welcoming city, since the last government took over.

He added that the event positioned Enugu as the most excellent place for businesses in the country.

Also, during the event, an ultimate chase game was launched for over 200 journalists from various media houses in Nigeria. The event produced a winner of a Hyundai Elantra 2014 model car.

The winner of the car, Sir Chuka Nwanbuife, the managing director of National Light Newspaper, in Anambra State, emerged after a 3-phased game, expressed delight that he did not expect to win, but was thankful after serving the brand for the past 27years.

Stella Oduah removed me as NCAT Rector – Capt. Kalu Augustine Aminu Abuja

ÏÏÏFormer Rector of

the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria, Kaduna State, Captain Chinyere Kalu, has said that the circumstances surrounding her removal from office were more than meets the eye, noting that it was laced with political undertones.

Capt. Kalu, Nigeria’s first female commercial pilot, was removed in March 2014 in controversial circumstances along with some heads of Federal Government agencies.

The manner of the removal “left questions,” according to the former NCAT Rector.

Speaking to Daily Times, she said, “I was given the Centenary Award on the 28th of February and on the 4th of March the Nigerian Television Authority announced my removal.”

The former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, was fingered in the controversial sack by the pioneering pilot, who disclosed that she tried and failed to get along with the former minister. “The truth of the matter is that I desired and tried to work hand in hand with her, but it takes two to tango.

I didn’t get the best of cooperation from her.

“I had a difficult relationship with the Minister because we have different values and different personalities. She is a politician and I am a technocrat.”

Pointing to her achievements while at the helm at the NCAT, Capt Kalu insisted that, “It is not possible to say that I was found wanting. From improvement in the delivery of training in the College to Infrastructure development, I proved myself.

“I really don’t know how and why I was removed. It was un-

7 News

fortunate. As the time, I was not accused of anything, to state the reasons and why that was done. It is also worthy of note that the corruption that rocked the ministry under her leadership had nothing to do with the College or with me as a person.”

Capt. Kalu defended her record at the NCAT, saying, “We had bright ideas on where to take the industry, as a technocrat and long term player in the industry. Our accomplishments are there for anyone who cares to investigate.

She further noted that, “Brilliant innovation do not always attract commensurate appreciation in many settings.

Capt. Kalu insisted that she did not allow herself to be discouraged by perceived persecution at the hands of Oduah, now a senator.

Speaking of her time at the College she said, “It was a great opportunity for me to make a difference.”

She also expressed optimism about the industry, stating that, “We still have what it takes to reposition the Aviation industry and turn Nigeria into Africa’s number one air hub. In so doing, we can earn this country incredible revenue and create hundreds of thousands of jobs for our young people and professionals across our nation and the sub-region.”

Kalu

L-R: Director of Programme, Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA), Dr. Bunor Nduka; National Correspondent (GIABA), Francis Usain; Facilitator, Sissoko Diallo; Director General, GIABA, Mr.. Adama Coulibaly; Head Division, International Politics, (NIIA), Prof. Osita Agbu and other participants at the GIABA 3rd Regional Sensitisation workshop for Civil Society Organisations held in Lagos… on Monday Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Lalong begs Buhari to reinstate Immigration boss Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPlateau

State Governor, Simon Lalong, on Monday, met with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential villa, Abuja, to plead for the suspended Comptroller General of Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), David Paradang.

Paradang was suspended indefinitely from office the last weekend on allegations of illegal recruitment of his kinsmen and those of his cronies into the service.

Lalong told State House correspondents after the meeting with President that it was necessary to intervene on behalf of the embattled Immigration boss since he is an indigene of Plateau state.

He said: "I came to see the President on some issues affecting my state. I feel comfortable with the

response I got and that is why I am still smiling. "I told him about what we are doing on insecurity in our state. Also on the prevailing issue of the suspension of the Comptroller General of Immigration, who incidentally is from my state, when you have issues like this in a political period, you must find ways of looking for reasons. If anything affects any part of your body, you must show concern.

"Paradang's case is still under investigation. The man was suspended and he is from Plateau state, it is my concern because I am the governor of the state. For every appointment, we must show concern, no matter how small.

"The President is handling it. At the end of the day, whatever is the outcome I will agree with it, but I also need to get some explanation as the governor of the state."

He, however, declined to open

up on Buhari's response to his request, saying that was not for public consumption yet.

The governor also disclosed that the festering inter-ethnic conflagration in the state had not abated, wondering why crisis would continue to erupt after a resolution committee had been set up by government.

"There are still pockets of crisis in Jos especially between the Fulanis and the Beroms. Because of that, I set up a 13- man committee and I put credible people on the committee. While the committee was still sitting, crisis erupted again in some parts of that area.

"We still have cases of cattle rustling and farm destruction going on in the southern part, but in the last one week, we have taken very good measures and security agencies are working very well in terms of arrest" he said.

Kogi guber election: Wada, two others jostle for PDP ticket Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe sales of

nomination/expression of interest forms by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), for the forthcoming governorship election in Kogi State, on Monday, formally came to a close with only three aspirants picking the forms.

The three aspirants are, the incumbent governor of the State, Captain Idris Wada, former banker and one of those that aspired for the PDP gubernatorial ticket in the state four years ago, Alhaji Jubrin

Isah, and a relatively unknown aspirant, Mr Banjo Amota Moses.

Each of the three aspirants coughed out N11million for the Expression of Interest (EoI) and nomination forms.

On the other hand, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has 27 aspirants jostling for its governorship ticket ahead of the November 21 governorship election in the State.

The PDP national secretariat where the forms were being sold up till Monday night, was a shadow of itself, unlike in the past

when several aspirants will be struggling to pick forms for governorship elections in their states.

The Kogi aspirants will be screened on August 27, while the party primary has been scheduled for September 10.

Wada

8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Politics

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PDP strategises for 2019 -

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Olisa Metuh

Uche Secondus

Why things fell apart for PDP in Anambra – Sen. Anosike As the once harmonious relationship between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Anambra State and the national leadership of the party reached a worrisome stage, former Senator representing Anambra North District, Emma Anosike, addressed journalists in Awka recently on the genesis of the crisis among other matters. NKIRU NWAGBO was there. Excerpts:

Hon Mudashiru Obasa

Lagos Speaker: Corruption remains Nigeria’s greatest challenge

For some years now the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) in Anambra State and the national leadership has been enmeshed in an unending crisis that has robbed them of victory in elections.

What is your take on this?

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Anosike Emma

Jonathan

As a stakeholder, how do feel about the continued crisis in Anambra State PDP? -

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The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa has given reasons why corruption still remains the greatest problem of the country.

According to him, the endemic nature of corruption and lack of will of previous administration to checkmate it has made it continue to grow wings.

How do you think he will be involved in galvanizing the party when he rejected the position of the BoT offered him soon after he left office?

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

9 Politics

Jonathan should reposition PDP – Senator Anosike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

tional chairman from the same Anambra State where the past national chairman, Victor Umeh comes from. How do you see this development?

First, if you do not know where rain started beating you, you will not know where it stopped. I want to put on record that myself, the late Senator Chuba Okadigbo, Arthur Eze and Chekwas Okorie met and made sure that APGA was registered. I was then in INEC committee in the House of Representatives and I made sure it was registered.

Chekwas convinced us on why it should be registered and when it was registered, Checkwas said the compensation for me was to get a chairman from Anambra. Ikechukwu Onyeabor was brought by me to be the state chairman.

We were looking at Okey Nwosu to be the governorship candidate but was toppled by Peter Obi Surprisingly at the end of Victor Umeh’s tenure I was thinking APGA will get a seasoned politician to pilot the affairs of the party as na-

Anosike Emma

Jonathan

tional chairman. Whatever that is happening in APGA is also the small cousin of what is happening in PDP by the key politicians in APGA who also migrated from PDP. Therefore, I will appeal to the leadership of the party in Anambra and national leaders from the state to remember the dream of the founding fathers of APGA

which I am also one.

What is your assessment of Governor Willie Obiano’s achievements so far?

I would rate him high in the sense that he inherited very difficult burden, project and the state was left for him to midwife without enough resources and there is nobody you hand over such prob-

Lawmakers need to be close to their constituencies – Hon Isa Chairman committee on Appropriation, Budget and Planning of the Adamawa State House of Assembly, Honourable Abdulrahaman Abubakar Isa, who is also the chairman of the Integrity Group in the House represents people of Mubi South in the state legislative. In this interview with TOM GARBA in Yola, he spoke on many issues ranging from how the House is united behind the state government to transform Adamawa and his plans for the people of Mubi south. Excerpts: Who is Abubakar Isa? I’m Abdulrahaman Abubakar Isa, Member representing Mubi South in Adamawa State House of Assembly. I chair the committee on Appropriation, Budget and Planning.

Also I am the chairman of the group known as Integrity Group. It might interest you to know that, before becoming a lawmaker, I worked as a legislative aide to the former member

that represented the Mubi North/Mubi South, the Senator that represented the Northern zone and now the present Governor of the state, Senator Mohammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow.

Within few months, people have begun to notice your vibrancy in the House. What exactly do you have for your constituency and the state CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Gov. Bindow

lems that you will expect miracles. There were a lot of projects awarded by Peter Obi that were not concluded. Many workers were employed by Obi but instead of sacking workers he (Obiano) increased their salaries.

My fear is that some people are surrounding him and not allowing him to actualize his dream.

Some of our brothers from Anambra South and North are causing sabotage which I foresee in future and most of them are gallivanting in Government House in the name of being good administrators and advisers. Therefore, for us in Anambra North we know all such characters and we have been in the field with them before and if they feel they can sabotage the Obiano government they will fail.

How do you see Obiano campaign for second tenure by some politicians in his party when he has hardly done two tears in office?

The people going about this are saboteurs. I will advise they should reduce the pressure on the governor so that he will give us good governance because his

performance would give bad mandate. If any group wants to campaign for his second tenure they should start driving it on their own. It is not yet time. They should not involve the governor.

They should not distract him.

The governor’s 60th birthday which he recently celebrated has been raising dusts. Some of his critics especially the PDP and the APC allege that he used state fund that could have been gainfully used in the development of the state.

What is your take on this?

It is unfortunate that people are complaining about Obiano’s birthday. How many governors today have been as rich as Obiano before becoming governor. He has been a wealthy man before he became governor. Before he became a governor he has been eating on the table.

I do not see him being extravagant with Anambra money, rather, he could be stingy with Anambra money. I called on Anambra people to pray for him to succeed because if he does not, it would be shameful to us.

PDP strategises for 2019 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

approved the resuscitation of the e-registration project.

“This project, which was initially presented in the 52nd National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our great party on August 12, 2010, is aimed, among other things, at harmonizing our membership data, returning ownership of the party to the people and strengthening our various structures at all levels across the country.

“The NWC believes that the eregistration is indeed a decisive step towards enthroning internal democracy and giving every member a voice in the party.

“While details of the process will be transmitted to our various structures across the nation, the NWC announces that Edo State would be used as a pilot for the exercise. Consequently, the earlier scheduled Edo state congresses are by this announcement, deferred until the completion of the pilot e-registration exercise in the state.

“The national leadership, by

Uche Secondus this, charges all members in Edo State to make themselves available for the e-registration as well as work hard to win new members and more supporters for the party in the state.

“Finally, the NWC reaffirms its irrevocable commitment towards ensuring that the control of the party is returned to the people, in line with the ideals of the founding fathers, while urging all members to remain focused and continue to work together in furthering the rebuilding effort,” Metuh stressed.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

‘Lawmakers should be close to their constituencies’

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at large?

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We all know that there is not much coming your way constituency projects as government is yet to settle down; but you recently commissioned some projects in your constituency. How come?

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In four years to come what kind of Bills do you foresee to have been passed?

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

11 Politics

‘Why Adamawa House backs Gov. Bindow’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

by even wooing investors into the state which will no doubt generate revenue for the state.

I also intends to seek for amendments to the laws that governs how revenue is generated in the state. The state has low income in terms of internally generated revenue and the way the revenue formula is shared, it has to be revisited so that the state can begin to generate high revenue. I even discovered the treasury unit is not working; I will try my best to see that is working. I believe if is working, that alone, can enhance our internally generated revenue ( IGR) in the state.

I want to delve into education not to create law really, but to have a sort of scholarship that will help the less privileged to have good education.

You belong to the integrity group in the House and you are even overseeing their affairs, does it mean that you will be checkmating your

colleagues?

In fact I will be check mating myself because I will always make sure that I am in the right.

And for my colleagues, not really to be checkmating them, but I will make sure I give them the right advice on any critical issues before they run into troubles.

By the virtue of my position in the House as the chairman that heads the committee on appropriation, budget and planning, I have the constitutional powers to see that the finances of the state is in order and it will be a matter of religion to adhere to the core values of doing it the right way in all matters that have to do with budget and planning.

Adamawa State is afraid of due process, probably because some people have done some shoddy deals, not wanting to expose their shameful acts. But for me, due process must be daily followed in order to have a successful government in this state.

Can you describe the rela-

Gov. Bindow

Prepare for the worst under Ajimobi – Change Agents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

vants to the second term bid of the governor.

The organisation in a statement jointly signed by its chairman and secretary, Messrs Abolaji Adeosun and Malik Adehun, added that it was a great disservice to the people for someone who had barely been visible in the state in the last three months to be introducing policies that would further add to the existing difficulties in the town.

According to the organisation, “it is rather unfortunate for a government which does not see the urgency in paying workers outstanding salaries despite the federal government’s bail out plans to be introducing anti people policies. Just about two months ago, the governor withdrew the free trans-

port buses given to the workers for no just cause.

“This same Ajimobi administration has embarked on workers verification exercise while it hasn’t produced the results of the last verification or accounted for the funds used for the last verification exercise. Even the loot recovered for the state

by Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) which was claimed to have been expended on model schools are not visible.

“Nobody is saying it is mandatory for government to pay WAEC fees and provide free education for anyone, but we get pained because this same administration which used to being a welfarist during electioneering process to seek for people’s votes has suddenly turned around imposing anti people’s policies.

“We recall with nostalgia how the Ajimobi administration used deceit to shortchange thousands of indigent students on bursary award. The government had advertised in 2013 that indigent students who were qualified for bursary should pay N1000 as registration fee. Thousands of students registered but up till today, no bursary award was given. This action caused hardship for the students, many of who were striving to meet their educational financial obligation.

“We stand to be corrected that this Ajimobi administration would be a lesson to Oyo people rather than being a blessing”, the Organisation stressed.

It would be recalled that Ajimobi would be the first governor to win a second term in office, having broken that jinx in the last general election.

Ajimobi

tionship between the state legislature and the state Executive?

Honestly it is very, very cordial. The reason at times you see disagreement in the three tiers of government - the executive ,legislative and judiciary is interference from either the executive in the legislature or judiciary, whereas, the three tiers are supposed to be independent working without any form of interference.

Another thing is the formation of this present administration. The governor is new in terms of executive duties, though with wealth of experience in legislative matters while most of our lawmakers are new in terms of making laws.

Generally, I will say in all and all, we are having a corporate synergy to totally change the state for good. Most of us are from APC with our change slogan. Believe you me, all the members in the House are for change to develop our state.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Protesting lawyers disrupt NBA session over Amaechi Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏMembers of the PortHarcourt branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), on Monday disrupted a session of the law body’s annual conference over an invitation extended to former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Ameachi to address them.

The placard-carrying protesters opposed Ameachi’s presence on the ground that Amaechi’s

government shut courts in the state for one year during his tenure.

The protest degenerated into brawl when Ameachi, who was the co-chairman of the session, wanted to speak and another group of lawyers challenged the protesters.

For about 30 minutes, the NBA President, Augustine Alegeh (SAN) and security personnel had to plead with the protesters before order was restored and the continuation of

the session, tagged: “ Public perception of lawyers; is the esteem justified?”

Expressing his disappointment, the chairman of the session, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, said: “It is sad that people who claimed to be learned gentlemen are irresponsible.”

Oshiomhole added: “This is the height of irresponsibility, lawyers shouting like touts. My privileges have been violated, the rules of the pro-

fessional conducts thrown to the dust bin. I could not differentiate between the touts in motor park Benin City and the lawyers”.

Oshiomhole said that the scene must have been one of the most embarrassing moments for the Chief Judge of Kogi State, Justice Nasiru Ajana, who presented the lead paper.

In his remark, when he was allowed to continue, Ameachi said that while the disruption lasted he

was telling his lawyer that it was politics and whether it would be proper to get others to disrupt any similar speech by his successor, Nyesom Wike.

Earlier, Justice Ajana had listed public perception of lawyers to include liar, encourage impunity, promoter of injustice, desirous of high legal fees, and arrogant, While stating that the public perception must

Investors sell-off stocks, fear of economic meltdown grows Continued from page 6

L-R: General Secretary, Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Dr. Mohammed Sanusi; its Director General, Alh. Yahmut Alhassan; President Muhammadu Buhari; 2nd Vice President NFF, Shehu Dikko and President of the football federation, Amaju Melvin Pinnick during a briefing with Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja… on Monday

Buhari probes arms purchases by Yar’Adua, Jonathan Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has ordered a probe into the purchases of military weapons by Nigeria from 2007 to date.

The probe will thus leave out the tenure of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who was in office from 1999 to 2007.

A statement by his spokesman Femi Adesina on Monday disclosed that President Buhari gave the order to the National Security Adviser, Mohammed Babagana Monguno, who has consequently constitut-

ed an investigative committee headed by a retired Air Vice Marshal, J.O.N. Ode as “President.”

“The investigative committee’s mandate is to identify irregularities and make recommendations for streamlining the procurement process in the Armed Forces,” Adesina added.

The members include R/ Adm J.A. Aikhomu (rtd.), R/Adm E. Ogbor (rtd.), Brig Gen L. Adekagun (rtd.) and Brig Gen M. Aminun-Kano (rtd.).

It also includes Brig Gen N. Rimtip (rtd.), Cdre T.D. Ikoli, Air Cdre U. Mo-

hammed (rtd.), Air Cdre I. Shafi’i, Col A.A. Ariyibi, Gp Capt C.A. Oriaku (rtd.) and Mr. I. Magu from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Brig Gen Y.I. Shalangwa is the committee’s Secretary Adesina stated further: “The establishment of the investigative committee is in keeping with President Buhari’s determination to stamp out corruption and irregularities in Nigeria’s public service “It comes against the background of the myriad of challenges that the Ni-

gerian Armed Forces have faced in the course of ongoing counter-insurgency operations in the Northeast, including the apparent deficit in military platforms with its attendant negative effects of troops’ morale.

“The committee will specifically investigate allegations of non-adherence to correct equipment procurement procedures and the exclusion of relevant logistics branches from arms procurement under past administrations, which, very often resulted in the acquisition of substandard and unserviceable equipment.”

be taken seriously, Justice Ajana said that reputable lawyers all over the world are known for promoting fundamental rights.

Also in their contributions all the speakers agreed that negative public perception of lawyers erode confidence in the judicial system. They advised the lawyers to check the high legal fees and use their position as lawyers to improve the society.

the U.S. dollar and the euro.

With serious doubts also now emerging about the likelihood of a U.S. interest rate rise this year, the dollar slid against other major currencies.

Oil, others tumble Commodities were under heavy pressure across the board, with the Bloomberg Commodity Index slumping to its lowest level since 1999. U.S. crude oil prices plummeted 3.5 per cent to $39.02 a barrel, striking a fresh 2009 low. Brent crude, the global benchmark, fell below the $45-a-barrel mark for the first time since 2009. Copper, seen as a bellwether for global economic conditions, skidded 2.8 per cent to $2.24 a pound. Gold prices were little changed at $1,157.00 a troy ounce.

As commodity markets took a fresh battering, Brent and U.S. crude oil futures hit 6-1/2-year lows as concerns about a global supply glut added to worries over potentially weaker demand from the normally resource-hungry China.

U.S. crude was last down 3.3 percent at about $39 a barrel while Brent dropped to $43.60 barrel to take it under January’s lows for the first time.

Copper, seen as a barometer of global industrial demand, tumbled 2.5 percent, with three-month copper on the London Metal Exchange also hitting a six-year low of $4,920 a tonne. Nickel slid

6 percent to its lowest since 2009 too at $9,570 a tonne.

Traders cited concerns over deteriorating economic and financial conditions in China, worries the Federal Reserve could fumble its first rate hike since 2006, and mounting instability in emerging markets as factors that contributed to the steep retreat.

Rush to buy Yen Generally regarded as a safe haven asset that retains its value during periods of geopolitical or financial instability, investors rushed to buy more Japanese Yen, as China’s stock selloff extended into Monday.

The dollar dropped against the euro and the Japanese yen on Monday as investors worried that signs of slowing growth in China will prevent the Federal Reserve from raising interest rates at its next meeting.

The euro bought $1.1492, but briefly rose above $1.15, marking the first time it’s been at that level since February, FactSet data showed.

The shared currency late Friday in New York traded at $1.1360.

The dollar briefly dipped below ¥120 before returning to ¥120.15. Late Friday, it bought ¥121.96. The yen was up against its major rivals as a selloff in Asian markets prompted investors to seek the perceived safety of the Japanese currency. The euro was buying ¥137.93, down from ¥139.00 Friday.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 25, 2015

Burundi police torture anti-Nkurunziza protesters

A protestor against President Nkurunziza's third term in Bujumbura, Burundi capital

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Burundi's security forces have tortured suspected opponents of President Pierre Nkurunziza's third-term bid, Amnesty International said.

The rights group details how people arrested for allegedly taking part in demonstrations have

Bomb kills one Egyptian policemen, wounds 29 ÏÏÏA bomb struck a bus carry-

ing Egyptian policemen on Monday, killing one and wounding 29, police said, the latest attack against security forces who are being targeted by Islamic State group jihadists.

The attack occurred in the Nile Delta province of Baheira, 260km north of Cairo, while the policemen were travelling to work in a civilian bus.

"One policeman was killed and 29 others were wounded, including two seriously," Adel Khalifa, a health ministry official from Baheira told AFP. Jihadists from Egypt's ISIS affiliate have launched regular attacks against security forces since the army's ouster of president Mohamed Morsi in 2013. Most of their attacks are in the Sinai Peninsula, but deadly bombings have also been carried out in other cities including Cairo. Jihadists say their attacks are in retaliation for a police crackdown targeting Morsi supporters that has left hundreds dead and thousands jailed.

been mistreated to extract information. The government has not yet responded.

Burundi has experienced months of turmoil following April's announcement that the president would run for a third term.

Dozens of people died following clashes between police and protesters and many were arrested.

Another says that he revealed the names of other demonstrators after he was deprived of sleep and threatened with violence.

The rights group has called for

the beatings and torture to stop and wants an "independent and impartial investigation".

Mr Nkurunziza was re-elected in July after taking nearly 70% of the vote in a poll boycotted by the main opposition parties.

The African Union did not send observers - the first time it has taken such a stance against a member state, while the US and the European Union expressed concern that the elections were not free and fair.

In his inauguration speech last week, the president promised to end the violence within two months.

Meanwhile, a Burundian opposition activists was shot dead east of the capital Bujumbura, witnesses said on Sunday, as violence linked to the controversial election victory of President Pierre Nkurunziza persists.

Pontien Barutwanayo was gunned down at a bar in Isale, 30km east of Bujumbura late on Saturday. Three other people were injured in the attack.

Barutwanayo was a member of the main opposition party National Liberation Forces, which boycotted a parliamentary election in June and a presidential ballot a month later.

Tanzania ruling party suffers another defection as campaigns begin ÏÏÏCampaigning for Tanzania’s

October 25 presidential election began Sunday. The ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party has dominated Tanzanian politics since independence in 1964. This time, observers say, the race promises to be the closest in that country’s history.

The CCM has suffered two major defections to the opposition.

First, former Prime Minister Edward Lowassa, once seen as a possible ruling party nominee, left and became the presidential candidate for a coalition of four major opposition parties.

On Saturday Frederick Sumaye, who was Prime Minister from November 1995 to December 2005 under President Benjamin Mkapa, also left the ruling party, to join the opposition CHADEMA party.

Freeman Mbowe, chairman of CHADEMA, said the two former Prime Ministers left CCM because they are convinced the party has failed to bring meaningful development to Tanzania.

“Apparently Mr. Sumaye has left CCM because he’s convinced that CCM is not the party that will be able to really steer Tanzania into

fundamental development that is desperately needed in this country.

And in this case he has decided to join forces with other former Prime Minister who is our presidential candidate in the general elections in October,” he said.

There have been reports that Ibrahim Lipumba, chairman of the Civic United Front party, Tanzania’s second-biggest opposition party, had resigned in protest over Lowassa becoming the presidential candidate of the opposition.

Mbowe said Sumaye had said he left the ruling CCM party to strengthen the opposition, and not to seek any leadership position.

“According to the press conference that took place in Dar es Salaam, where he announced his departure from CCM to the opposition, he (Sumaye) did mention that he’s not coming into the opposition because he is seeking any particular post. But he thinks it is high time that Tanzania strengthens the opposition so we will have two main political parties like the way it is in the U.S., where you have Democrats and Republicans or the way it is in the U.K. where they have the Labour Party and the Conservatives,” Mbowe said.

He said the opposition welcomes the defection of other experienced ruling CCM supporters because the opposition wants to form the next Tanzanian government.

Mbowe said both Sumaye and Lowassa have said they left the ruling party because it was corrupt and also because it failed to bring meaningful development to Tanzania.

“They both confessed that the government of the day in Tanzania under the CCM party is a very corrupt government. They also claimed that the government has mismanaged the economy lost mandate to lead the development of this country," Mbowe said.

Sumaye

13 Africa Sierra Leone releases last known Ebola patient

ÏÏÏHealth authorities in Sierra

Leone have released the country's last known Ebola patient from the hospital.

The patient's release on Monday now starts the clock for a 42-day countdown until the World Health Organisation can declare the country Ebola-free.

Such a declaration would leave just one country left in West Africa with Ebola cases — Guinea, where the epidemic first began in late 2013.

Sierra Leone's National Ebola Response Center director OB Sisay says authorities know there is still a high risk more cases could emerge. He says the "job is far from over."

Nearly 4 000 people have died of Ebola in Sierra Leone since the virus was first detected in May 2014.

The patient released Monday is the mother of a man who died in late July.

Mali separatists to suspend participation in peace committee

ÏÏÏSeparatists in northern Mali

will suspend their participation in a committee that monitors a peace deal until tensions are reduced with pro-government militias, the Co-ordination of Azawad Movements (CMA) said in a statement on Monday.

Fighting this month, when the Platform pro-government militias took the town of Anefis from the CMA, violated a UN-sponsored agreement signed in June between the two sides.

Mediators monitoring the June accord on Monday told all parties to uphold what was agreed and to free all prisoners of war to restore confidence in the peace process.

"We are going to suspend our participation in the work until stability returns on the ground," the CMA's Sidi Ould Ibrahim Sidatt.

He said the group would inform the peace committee set up at the June talks at its meeting on Monday.

"It's not just the situation in Anefis but the whole of the north because despite signing the peace accord we are not in a logic of peace but rather a logic of war. There are continual troop movements," the statement said.

Mali, along with the UN mission (MINUSMA) and mediators, is trying to break a decades-long cycle of Tuareg uprisings, the most recent of which allowed Islamist groups, some linked to al-Qaeda, to seize the desert north in 2012.

World14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Marathon Korean talks enters second day ÏÏÏSouth Korean President Park

Geun-hye on Monday publicly demanded that North Korea make amends for recent provocations, as ongoing high-level inter-Korean talks seem unable to reach a diplomatic settlement to avert war on the peninsula.

"We need a clear apology and measures to prevent a recurrence of these provocations and tense situation. Otherwise, this government will take the appropriate steps and continue its loudspeaker broadcasts," said Park at a meeting of her top aides. The emergency talks taking place at the Panmunjom truce village on the interKorean border began Saturday shortly after a Pyongyang issued deadline expired for Seoul to halt cross-border audio broadcasts into the North or face military attacks.

The negotiations have now continued for three days without any sign of progress. The two sides are each represented by a high-ranking military official and diplomat.

U.N. Secretary-General Ban Kimoon, a former South Korean foreign minister, urged both sides to "redouble" their efforts to reach a compromise.

While officials have not publicly

commented other than to say the negotiations are "tense," neither side seems willing to compromise on its public demands made to end the current crisis.

After accusing Pyongyang of planting landmines on the South’s

side of the border area’s demilitarized zone (DMZ) that wounded two soldiers, Seoul recently resumed anti-Pyongyang cross-border broadcasts in the border area for the first time in over 10 years.

The two Koreas last week report-

edly exchanged artillery fire in the DMZ near a loudspeaker tower.

The North denies any involvement in either incident and demanded an end to the cross-border broadcasts, calling them psychological warfare.

South Korean soldiers stand guard at checkpoint on Grand Unification Bridge which leads to truce village Panmunjom, just south of the demilitarized zone separating the two Koreas, in Paju, South Korea...on Monday

Guatemala President, Perez Molina resists calls to resign ÏÏÏGuatemalan President Otto

Perez Molina has said that he will not stand down over corruption allegations.

In a televised address to the nation, Mr Perez Molina dismissed claims that he had received money from a customs bribery scheme.

He insisted that his conscience was clear. Eight members of his government have resigned over the allegations and a former vicepresident has been arrested.

On Sunday, the agriculture and health minsters became the latest

Monday signed a petition urging the arrest of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for war crimes when he visits London next month.

The petition was launched earlier this month by British citizen Damian Moran and is posted on the government's website.

"Under international law he [Netanyahu] should be arrested for war crimes upon arrival in the UK for the massacre of over 2 000 civilians in 2014," Moran said, referring to the 51-day offensive

ÏÏÏSyrian

activists and the country's antiquities chief say the so-called Islamic State militant group has blown up an ancient temple in Palmyra, one of the the most historic sites in the Middle East.

Islamic State extremists destroyed the 2,000-year-old Baal Shamin temple with explosives powerful enough to severely damage the Roman columns that surrounded the ancient building.

The British-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights confirmed the temple's destruction Sunday. Last week it said the militants publicly beheaded the former antiquities director for Palmyra, Khaled Asaad. He had spent 50 years working to preserve the fragile history of the U.N. world heritage site.

Islamic State seized Palmyra in May and historians immediately issued a global alarm. The militants say ancient artifacts and statues are blasphemous. They have also destroyed other historic sites in Iraq.

Nepalese Police clash with protesters ÏÏÏGovernment Administrator At least six police officers and three protesters have been killed in western Nepal in clashes during demonstrations over a proposed new constitution, an official has said.

to resign.

President Perez Molina held a late-night cabinet meeting "I categorically reject any link" to the scandal, the president said.

"I will not resign and will fully submit myself to the legal process."

Mr Perez Molina's comments followed a late-night cabinet meeting held behind closed doors at the presidential palace.

Anti-corruption protesters have held daily demonstrations in the capital calling for the president to step down.

On Friday, former Vice-President Roxana Baldetti was arrested on corruption charges three months after she was forced to leave office.

She is accused of taking part in the same bribery scheme.

Nearly 30 other people have been detained, accused of taking millions of dollars from businessmen who paid bribes in order to avoid higher import duties.

Presidential elections are being held in early September, but electoral law bars Mr Perez Molina from standing for another term.

Molina

80, 000 sign UK petition for Netanyahu arrest ÏÏÏAlmost 80,000 people had by

ISIS blows up ancient Temple in captured Syrian city

by Israeli forces in Gaza last year.

If the number of signatories reaches 100 000, the petition can be considered for debate in Britain's parliament.

But Moran told media he doubted it would reach the chamber given the close relationship between Israel and Britain.

The British government was obliged to respond after the document received 10 000 signatories, saying that "visiting heads of foreign governments, such as prime minister Netanyahu, have immunity from legal process, and can-

not be arrested or detained".

"We recognise that the conflict in Gaza last year took a terrible toll," it added.

"As the prime minister said, we were all deeply saddened by the violence and the UK has been at the forefront of international reconstruction efforts.

"However the prime minister was clear on the UK's recognition of Israel's right to take proportionate action to defend itself, within the boundaries of international humanitarian law."

Britain is pushing for a two-

state solution to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and "will reinforce this message to Mr Netanyahu during his visit" in September, according to the response.

Any British citizen can launch a petition on the government's website, asking for a specific action from the government or parliament's lower House of Commons.

Only British citizens are meant to sign the petitions, but need only enter a name, email address and valid postcode.

Raj Kumar Shrestha told the AP news agency that protesters in Kailali district had attacked police enforcing a curfew.

The official said thousands of protesters attacked the officers with spears, knives and stones.

The wounded have been taken to the regional hospital and the death toll is expected to rise.

The AFP news agency put the death toll of police officers killed at seven. A new national constitution presented in parliament on Sunday aims to restructure Nepal as a federal state made up of seven provinces. The protesters argue that the new borders will discriminate against historically marginalised communities.

Monday's violence erupted as members of the Tharu ethnic minority had demonstrated to demand their own separate province.

Home Minister Bam Dev Gautam said the government would send troops to the area to try to bring the situation under control, and appealed for calm.

"At a stage when we are heading to a new era ... we must call on people to not be involved in activities that disturb social harmony and ignite ethnic hatred," Gautam told politicians.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

15 Opinion

Edo: World Bank loan and mischief makers

E Ernest Omoarelojie

ven the most acerbic critic of Comrade Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole will hesitate in calling for his head over allegations by his political opponents that he fell short of expectations in providing development for Edo state. Indeed, no one is truly in any doubt that he has performed creditably given the abundant evidence displaying the difference between his performance and those of his predecessors. It can be summed up in deplorable state of basic infrastructures in all sphere of its economy. Besides being functionally deficient, indigenes and residents alike lost hope about any possibility of redemption.

Against all odds, particularly as the state was also in dire economic strait, Governor Oshiomhole, turned the tide and made the state the cynosure of all eyes and a yardstick for measuring good governance. Noticeably, the manner he generated funds and managed same attracted on-the-spot assessment visits of both local and international development-conscious organisations, including UNICEF, World Bank and among others. Without

difficulty, they passed a vote of confidence on his performance both in fiscal prudence and management of the state’s lean resources.

Over the years, a number of some notable international organisations went further to partner by conducting due diligent studies, the end of which the World Bank offered $150m soft loan facility to the state.

The loan is divided into two tranches of $75m each and tied to specific projects. Instructively, Edo has collected the first $75m and has applied it as specified.

Unarguably, the judgement by the World Bank that the governor prudently applied the loan is the reason President Buhari did not hesitate in transmitting a letter to the National Assembly, requesting its approval for the second $75m. Unfortunately, it elicited hostile reaction from politically motivated mischief-makers who ignored its inherent benefits by projecting the assumption that the governor only requested for the facility for unscrupulous reasons, including claims that it will end up as dubious severance package for himself and officials of his administration.

Facts about the loan speak for themselves and they are verifiable. Only Lagos and Edo received

approval for the soft loan of $150m tied to specific projects. Only Edo is applying for the second tranche after being certified of applying the first part to specified projects.

In any case, opponents of the facility seem to forget that the World Bank does not give out frivolous loans. Indeed, the international financial institute is globally reputed for sticking to due diligence, prudent management, etc, in its assessment of whoever it deems fit for its facilities. In other words, the organization would never have approved the first $75m if it were not convinced that the Oshiomhole administration did not meet the requisite standard. In approving the second, the bank emphasised the point that the administration’s reputation for prudent resource management is intact despite claims to the contrary.

Let us not forget that President Buhari rode to power because of his reputation for standing for anything that is right. He will never support any course meant to swindle the country or it’s people. Indeed, there is hardly any doubt that he is very unlikely to agree to transmit a letter to the national assembly, as he did, knowing that in doing so, he is lending his hard earned reputation to a

dubious process designed to con the same people he vowed to redeem.

In the final analysis, I am of the opinion that rather than oppose, condemn or politicize the issue, everyone, includng politically motivated mischief makers, should be more concerned with the need to ensure that the facility is deployed solely for the benefit of providing development for the people of the state.

Indeed, we should be proud that in a country like ours where government officials are notoriously corrupt, both the World Bank and President Buhari adjudged our governor qualified in matters relating to prudent management of our collective resources.

In any case, we all are aware that government is a continuum. As true as it is that the Oshiomhole administration is winding up, it is doubly true that his exit will not mean the end of the state’s development process. Therefore, just as it is true that a continuation of the development process is assured, it stands to reason that the reason for which the state acquired the loan will continue. Mischief-makers calling for a wholesale disapproval of the loan must know that the right thing to do is to work towards making sure it is judiciously applied as specified.

Tackling threat of global terror

T Iyoha John Darlington

here have been terror attacks here and there which are still ongoing. Is there any country that has never experienced any terror-linked attack? I doubt! These attacks have always resulted in monumental loss of lives and property. Governments all over the world are increasingly becoming helpless and frustrated as to the mechanism to employ to end terrorism. We must first identify the root causes of terrorism to enable us know how to tackle the menace.

Since the destruction of the twin towers in New York, USA, efforts have been made to investigate the cause of that ill-conceived attack on the World Trade Centre by the George Bush administration. President Obama has also not relented in this regard. This has led to beefing up security in the United States and extending it beyond their borders. America stands today as the most advanced nation on earth and in that capacity has employed all means to ensure the experience of 9/11 is not repeated. It is a thousand pities that there is no battlefield solution to terrorism, if so, Americans would have long rooted out it from their land.

Long after the 9/11 attack, there have also been other terror-linked attacks in the United States calling to mind the botched attempt by a certain man to

detonate a shoe bomb aboard American Airlines Flight 63 on December 23, 2001. In September the following year, US security operatives for providing material support to al-Qaeda arrested six Yemeni-Americans.

Another terror plot was foiled in 2010 when a Nigerian went to Yemen and got radicalised and on return attempted to blow up an American Airliner over Detroit on Christmas day.

In Western Europe there have been many terrorist attacks before the sensational assault on Charlie Hebdo in the French capital of Paris early this year. Taking a cursory glance at Terrorism Database in Europe such countries as Britain, Switzerland, Spain, France, The Netherlands, Germany, Greece, Norway, Sweden and Belgium have fallen prey to terrorlinked attacks.

Further glance at Global Terrorism Database has more to tell us about terror attacks as of 2014 in other countries around the world namely Australia, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen , Somalia, Cameroon, Libya, Syria, Lebanon and Nigeria. From the foregoing there is no restating the obvious that terrorism has become a global problem.

What has terrorism cost the world if one may ask? There is no denying the fact it has set the world back in terms of human and huge material

resources. In Nigeria, Boko Haram that is fighting to actualise a sovereign Islamic state has destroyed West Africa, many lives and property in the northeastern of the country. Over 20,000 people have been killed since the insurgency.

In Iraq, terror attacks resulting in flight from the country indeed changed the country’s demography. Large-scale destruction of human lives has continued with undiminished intensity. Syria has been fighting a civil war from which a dreaded Islamist terror group ISIS eventually emerged. In Somalia, the Al-Shabab has been fighting for God-knows-why: Reports say the latter with Boko Haram has pledged allegiance to ISIS. Let us carefully identify the root causes of terrorism. Cultural globalisation transmits ideas and values around the globe. The circulation of cultural values across national borders remains one of the root causes which sparks off resistance especially when this is fundamentally opposed to the tenets of their religious beliefs and practices.

False doctrines and teachings should equally be discouraged. Many people are often led astray by the cloudy and ambiguous nature of some theological philosophies. False doctrines bring about extremism and fanaticism. In many places of worship, the contents of the Holy Writ are often misinter-

preted to suit a particular sect’s selfish interest. The writer has repeatedly heard that Islamist Jihadists are told in the event of death while fighting in the cause of Allah one is guaranteed a one-way ticket to Paradise. There is an urgent need for this falsehood to be debunked by respected Islamic clerics via enlightenment lectures, seminars and discussions because here is the place where young men and women who have barely enough to eat to keep body and soul together are often indoctrinated.

Unemployment reduces people to pawns. An idle mind , is the devil’s workshop. When people are busy and earning money to better their lots the propensity for violence would be reduced.

Corruption creates conditions that are favourable for terrorism. Misappropriation of government funds by political leaders in third world often creates hardship for the people. We see ostentatious display of wealth by money stolen from the public till thus reducing the citizens to thrive in dirty surroundings.

Tackling the increasing threat of global terror is a collective responsibility. The campaign must start from places of worship to deradicalise some religious faithful who have been brainwashed by terror masterminds.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Business Times

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

s

17

MTN blames dollar scarcity for inability to repay $500m debt

Emmanuel Ogbonnaya

Telecommunications giant MTN Group Ltd has skipped plans to repay a loan of $500million it owes in Nigeria, citing scarcity of the U.S currency in the country for its failure.

“We had looked to do the early resettlement but currently we are not able to,” Nik Kershaw, head of investor relations, said by phone on Monday. “In Nigeria there is limited availability of the hard currency.”

MTN, which has more than 230 million mobile-phone customers in 22 countries, said August 5, it was in talks with Nigeria’s Central Bank about the early repayment of borrowings to reduce exposure to the naira, which has weakened against the U.S. dollar this year. The Johannesburg-based company sees the naira deteriorating further, Kershaw said.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in a series of measures to control the volatility of Forex in the country and to save the plummeting value of the local currency which is currently pegged at 197 naira to a dollar, created a window of access for only those with legitimate requests for foreign currency for eligible transactions, normally referred to as “invisibles”, such as remittances for school fees, student maintenance allowances, Business Travel Allowance (BTA), Personal Travel Allowance (PTA), medical and other eligible transactions.

In a statement the apex bank said all such requests shall be fully met at the official/interbank exchange rate.

Sterling Bank makes education financing available to stakeholders

L-R: Sales and Distribution Executive, MTN, Mr. Omatsola Barrow; CEO, MTN Nigeria, Mr. Michael Ikpoki; Customer Relations Executive, MTN, Ms. Ugonwa Nwoye and General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN, Mr. Richard Iweanoge at the MTN Google Android One Launch in Lagos…

Industrialist calls for naira devaluation, parallel market ban Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti Calls for further devaluation of the naira has been amplified by an industrialist Rev. Dr. Adebayo Orire, adding that the federal government should also scrap the operations of the parallel currency market.

Orire, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stated that for the anti-corruption war of the President Muhammadu Buhari led Government to be more effective, there is the need for him to look into

Adesola Akindele In fulfillment of its commitment to raise the bar in education financing and support government’s efforts at repositioning the education sector, Sterling Bank Plc has rolled out various offerings that would make going back to school in September a lot easier for all stakeholders in the value chain.

The offerings include special gifts for children with the Bank’s I Can Save Account; School fees financing for parents; special

the ways of moderating and checkmating the naira devaluation in the country.

Making this call Ado Ekiti while speaking at a meeting of a group of industrialists in Ado Ekiti, Dr Orire, suggested scrapping of parallel markets for foreign currency added that the President could introduce a code of conduct for naira that would involve an Executive and legislative fiat pegging naira at a level and specifically mandating all banks to comply.

He however commended President Buhari’s efforts on industrialisation and job creation,

adding that his efforts in these areas would no doubt begin to yield good results that will have positive impact on the lives of the masses.

He lamented that it was very unfortunate that the value of the naira has plummeted uncontrolled.

“If you keep on doing the same thing the same way at all time, you will, keep on getting the same results, but if you change you will get a different result, thank God, Buhari government is a government of change, let there be new blueprint for this and we would

achieve it.

He called for improvements in industrialisation to boost export. “Then, we will be able to work for meaningful existence as part of the civilised vision, then, the ‘tokunbomania’ syndrome in the country will be eradicated naturally as our people will begin to prefer Nigerian products to the foreign ones, then, the image of the country will improve, the integrity of the country will improve, life would be easier, we would earn more a better self-image and honour in the country,” he added.

training programmes and household equipment finance scheme for teachers; school finance as well as sponsorship of events organized by them.

Sterling Bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Communications, Mr. Shina Atilola at the weekend told journalists that new and existing “I CAN SAVE customers can enjoy freebies such as school bags, raincoats, cultural heritage books, exercise books and other writing materials depending on the amount of savings in their account”.

Mr. Atilola explained that the Financing scheme advanced to parents was introduced to assist parents at the time of resumption of their wards. The introduction of the scheme, according to him, will allow parents put their wards in school while awaiting salaries and other receivables.

He assured that the Bank will continue to support capacity building in the education sector noting that schools with their salary domiciled will have the opportunity of having their teachers trained by the Bank under the

Bank’s Personal Financial Management training scheme.

He further spoke on other plans for teachers: “Teachers deserve the quality of living that employees in other sectors of the society enjoy. This informed the Bank’s introduction of the Household Equipment Finance. This solution allows teachers and other school staffers acquire household equipment like Refrigerating Sets and Television sets amongst other items with flexible repayment options spread over three months at discounted rates”.

Labour 18

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

NLC moves to resolve leadership crisis

Waba

Stories by Joy Ekeke The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) says the crisis rocking the leadership of the congress has finally come to an

end.

This was announced in Abuja by a former president of the congress and the Governor of Edo State, Adams Oshiomhole.

He said both factions have

agreed to work together while a committee of 7 officials has been created to ensure that the NLC is run on the basis of inclusion.

In the meantime, the National Deputy President of the NLC, Achese Igwe, has dismissed reports that Comrade Ayuba Waba has been confirmed as the President of the NLC after the reconciliation meeting held in Abuja.

He said at no time did the two factions agree to make Comrade Waba as the consensus president.

A statement signed by Comrade Igwe says the resolution reached at that meeting says three from each group should formulate modality to run a unity congress that would be all inclusive.

The NLC has been factionalised since May 14, 2015 as a fallout of the 13th Delegates Conference of the Congress, which led to the emergence of Ayuba Wabba as the President of the congress.

Cross River NUT chairman urges reintroduction of special allowance for teachers Mr Eyo Itam, Chairman, Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Cross River chapter, has called for the reintroduction of special allowance for secondary school teachers in the rural areas of the state.

He said that teachers in the rural areas needed extra motivation in order to remain committed to their duties.

Itam said the measure could also contribute toward improving the standard of education in the state.

He recalled that then Donald Duke-led administration paid teachers special allowance ranging from N5000 to N10, 000

monthly, to motivate them. ``This caused the movement of many teachers from urban centres to the rural areas. ``But now that the succeeding administrations have stopped the incentives, teachers in the rural areas are no more committed to their duties. ``Many of them now demand to come back to town because there is nothing special to enjoy any more. ``There are no subventions for teachers. The rural allowances have been stopped and nothing motivates teachers any longer; even payment of salaries is becoming something else”, he said.

Itam

SSANU urges FG to rescind decision on funding varsity staff schools The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) has urged the Federal Government to rescind its decision to stop funding universities’ staff schools.

Mr Alfred Jimoh, SSANU’s National Vice-President, Western Zone, said that the association might go ahead with its planned strike should the Federal Government privatise the schools.

Jimoh stressed that, the association, which had in June carried out a peaceful protest over the issue, disclosed that it had received a circular to the proposed privatisation.

He said the circular from the Federal Ministry of Education had directed the vice-chancellors of federal universities to stop accommodating teachers of staff schools in their emolument structure. ``SSANU, on receiving the circular, expressed dissatisfaction with the development by threatening to withdraw their services should government go ahead with its plan to stop funding staff schools,’’ he said.

He warned that the strike, which would be unprecedented, would not only affect students and the education sector, but would also question the current

administration’s promise of creating employment for Nigerians. ``In spite of appeals from concerned stakeholders, the government seemed resolute on going ahead with the planned privatisation. ``Ever since we called on government to review its stand on the issue, nothing seems to have been done on that because we have not received any feedback. ``Government seems to be going about it in an underground manner. ``But we are just watching because we shall resist any attempt by the government to carry out its plan if it goes ahead with it.

Pensioners’ appeal to presidency over unpaid entitlements

The President, Nigeria Union of Pensioners, Electricity sector, Malam Isa Olarewaju, has called on President Muhamadu Buhari to look into the issue of outstanding pension, including benefits and arrears.

Olarewaju made the appeal during a peaceful protest by members of the union on Friday in Bauchi.

He said that since December 2014, members have not received any payment, adding that has imposed on them serious difficulties.

Olarewaju said that harmonised arrears for 10 years were still not paid, claiming that in spite of the N16 billion pension funds pensioners were yet to be paid. ``President Buhari, should please look into our problems and address the issues of pensioners. ``Some of us are dead while others are sick; their families have to be moving them from one place to the other. `The union dues that we pay is what we use in catering for our sick members, and the sum of N16 billion is there and we are not paid anything out of it,’’ he said.

Members of the union were seen carrying placards with different inscriptions. Some of the placards read: ``Send unpaid gratuities and death benefits to next of kin’’, ``Pay us 12 per cent

PENGASSAN tasks Buhari on way forward for PIB National President of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association (PENGASSAN), Comrade Francis Johnson has urged President Buhari to hurry up with the Petroleum Industry Bill.

He made the statement during the National Association of Energy Correspondents (NAEC) 2015 August Conference held today Thursday, August 20th at Eko Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos.

According to Johnson, the new administration is taking too long with the policy, stressing that the delay can cause setbacks to the country’s economy.

“Government must come out with statement of where we are going with the PIB. We just can’t be there like that without a frame work because the industry will just go down and this is not too

of pension increase arrears and monetisation arrears’’, among others.

A retired federal civil servant in Bauchi, Alhaji Ahmed Abubakar, said that since his retirement in 1989, he has not received any benefit or gratuity from the federal government.

He said that he retired from the Nigerian Telecommunication Company (NITEL) as General Manager of the North-East zone.

Abubakar explained that several efforts to trace the problem proved abortive as such he has given up hope. ``Since when I retired in 1989, I have never in my life received any pension from government or gratuity, and I left office as a General Manager. ``I have contributed immensely to national development; I was part of those who re-organise the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, Nigerian Customs Service, among other parastatals, but I receive nothing up to date,’’ he said.

Buhari

Johnson

good for us as a country,” he said.

Titled “Energy Crises and Sustainable Development in Nigeria: The Way Forward”, the Conference saw two discussion groups take on core issues plaguing the Oil and Gas Industry.

The first group headed by Chairman/Managing Director, Mr.Tunji Oyebanji, tackled “Deregulation: A Key to Sustainable Development in the Oil and Gas Sector.”

Speaking, Oyebanji stressed that deregulation is the key to the growth of the Industry.

According to him, Nigeria may no longer afford to spend money the way it used to several years back, hence, the need to allow private industry investors to weigh into the business so the masses can have access to quality products and marketers can also benefit.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

19 Maritime

NIMASA records benefit of naval partnership for maritime sector The Acting Director General of the Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency, (NIMASA) Mr. Haruna Baba Jauro has described the partnership between the Agency and the Nigerian Navy as beneficial to the growth and development of the maritime sector and the nation at large.

The DG who stated this during the promotion and shipping of stripes of Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Ahmed Achaka, an officer of the Nigerian Navy posted to the Maritime Guard Command (MGC), at the headquarters of the Agency, noted that the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Nigerian Navy which midwifed the MGC has helped to boost security and surveillance activities on the nation’s territorial waterways.

He further pledged the Agency’s

Jauro

commitment to ensuring that Nigeria becomes a safe place for business activities to thrive, thereby achieving the status of being the maritime hub in Africa.

While describing the newly promoted officer as a disciplined, modest and hardworking officer, Mr. Jauro advised him not to relent in his commitment to his duties and service to the country.

Lt. Cdr. Ahmed Achaka was commissioned in 2007 as a member of Direct Short Service Commission (DSSC) course 17 as a sub lieutenant and has attended several military training in and outside the country. He is Medical Doctor by profession and has a Masters Degree in Orthopedic surgery from the Second Military Medical University in Shanghai China. He is currently serving as the Medical Officer Search and Rescue Clinic of the Agency at Kirikiri.

Container ship

Rising demand for mega container ships surges port investments Stories by Funmi Coker Rising global container port demand and ever larger vessels are driving terminal operators to make significant investments in additional capacity, according to the Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Report 2015 published by global shipping consultancy Drewry.

Drewry predicts average global container port demand growth of 4.5 per cent per annum through to 2019. This equates to an additional 168 million teu of port traffic, bringing the global total to nearly 850 million teu. Asia accounts for over 60 per cent of the forecast global demand growth. At the same time, the deployment of ultra large container ships and the

formation of new mega alliances are adding to capacity pressures on global/international terminal operators.

In response to this, a number of the 23 companies that are considered by Drewry to be global/ international terminal operators are making significant investments in additional capacity over the next five years.

APM Terminals and DP World are the most active in terms of the number of new projects in the pipeline, but PSA International is adding the most capacity in absolute terms, particularly in its home port of Singapore, Drewry says.

Hutchison, CMA CGM, TIL and ICTSI also have significant plans, with the latter’s expan-

sion representing a 40 per cent increase over the current capacity of its portfolio. The primary expansion focus of the global/ international terminal operators is greenfield developments in emerging market locations, with acquisition and divestment activity having reduced from last year.

According to Drewry, owning and operating container terminals on an international basis remains a profitable business but is facing significant challenges ahead.

“The typical EBITDA margins for global/international terminal operators remain in a range from 20-45 per cent and the 2014 financial results were much in line with previous years, illustrating the consistency and re-

liability of container terminal operators’ profitability. However, maintaining these margins will become increasingly challenging in the face of the demands created by bigger ships and alliances,” Neil Davidson, Drewry’s Senior Analyst for Ports and Terminals, said.

“The global container terminal industry is facing unprecedented challenges as a result of the deployment of ever larger container ships, combined with the creation of larger shipping line alliances. These two interrelated factors are placing significantly greater demands on ports and terminals and having far reaching consequences, driving up operating costs and capital expenditure requirements.”

NGO calls for probe of Nigeria’s oil sales An NGO, Natural Resources Governance Institute (NRGI), on Sunday urged the Federal Government to critically look into the nation’s oil sales in order to address revenue leakages.

This is contained in a statement issued on Sunday in Bwari, Federal Capital Territory, by the NGO’s Director of Communications, Lee Bailey.

The statement, which noted that oil sales had constituted Nigeria’s biggest source of revenue, added that the management of the process had worsened in recent years.

It said that based on the NGO’s findings, a single swap contract could have cost the previous government the sum of $16.09 per barrel of oil in a year.

According to the statement, the emergence of a new government and the current budgetary shortfalls offer Nigeria its best chance to overhaul NNPC’s oil sales.

“Everyone from trading companies to Nigerian citizens are waiting to see how the new government will approach these transactions, including the allocation of new exports or swap contracts.

“Our research maps the current state of play and we suggest what issues reformers in Nigeria ought to urgently address,” the statement said.

The statement said measures should be put in place to curb revenue leakages, select oil buyers through competitive rather than political processes, and change of NNPC’s swap agreement.

It claimed that NNPC sold approximately one million barrels of oil a day, adding that some oil buyers were unqualified intermediaries who added little or no value to the deals.

The statement also claimed that from its findings, several contracts, including oil-for-fuel swap agreements, were opaque and contained unbalanced terms.

“Records indicate that NNPC retained an estimated $12.3 billion from the sale of 110 million barrels of oil for more than 10 years from a single block controlled by a subsidiary.

“In 2013, the treasury received only 58 per cent of the value of the $16.8 billion worth of oil NNPC had earmarked from its underperforming refineries,” the statement said.

Global Business 20

Chinese President Xi Jinping

China stocks give up year’s gain Missed deadline: No pressure on BOJ to expand monetary stimulus – Abe Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said it was acceptable for the Bank of Japan to miss its self-imposed deadline to meet its inflation target, suggesting that the government was in no mood now to pressure the central bank to expand monetary stimulus.

Consumer inflation has ground to a halt mainly due to the effect of slumping oil prices, keeping the BOJ under pressure to do more to meet its pledge - made in April 2013 - to accelerate inflation to 2 percent in roughly two years.

Abe expressed confidence that Japan’s economy remained on a solid recovery path adding that with oil prices continuing to fall, the BOJ missing the two-year deadline could not be helped.

“Oil price falls are positive for Japan’s economy. We accept the BOJ’s explanation that hitting its price target (within two

years) has effectively become difficult,” he told parliament.

Abe also said the government won’t meddle in specific monetary policy decisions as he had “full trust” in BOJ Governor Haruhiko Kuroda’s handling of policy.

The BOJ has effectively pushed back its original twoyear deadline and now projects inflation to hit its 2 percent target by around September next year - a forecast many analysts still believe is too ambitious, given renewed declines in oil costs.

Kuroda has said he won’t hesitate to offer further stimulus if achievement of the target becomes difficult. But some aides close to Abe have signaled that additional easing was unwelcome as it could spur further yen falls that push up import costs and raise the cost of living for households.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Barron

China stock markets slumped again on Monday, giving up all their gains for the year on a massive selloff that dragged down regional markets, with even some state media saying the government rescue attempt had now failed.

Chinese markets were down more than 9 percent during the day and had only slightly recovered by the close of trade, the worst daily performance since 2007 and a hair’s breadth from the worst day since 1996, with traders blaming regulators’ failure to act over the weekend after markets lost 11 percent last week.

The downside was limited mostly by rules preventing any

given stock from losing more than 10 percent a day, and by the fact that many company shares are still under trading halts.

As much as 80 per cent of China’s tradable stocks hit the downside limit during the day, and ominously all index futures contracts, for the CSI300, CSI500 and SSE50 indexes were down the maximum 10 percent.

After a year of heady gains, Chinese markets have been buffeted by increasing signs that economic growth is faltering, and central government’s efforts to reassure and backstop stock investors have been sunk by a succession of weakening indicators.

Exchanges not only gave up all the gains made from Beijing’s unprecedented stock market rescue in July, in which hundreds of billions of state dollars were ordered into the market, but have also now for the first time entered negative territory for the year.

The CSI300 index of the largest listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen fell 8.8 per cent to 3,275.53 points and is now down over 7 per cent for the year, while the Shanghai Composite Index lost 8.5 per cent to 3,209.91 points, its lowest level since March and down less than a percentage point for the year.

The Hang Seng index fell 5.2 per cent to 21,251.57, and other major Asian markets slumped as global investors grow in-

Iran proposes OPEC emergency meeting to stop oil price slide

Zanganeh

Iran’s Oil Minister, Bijan Zanganeh, said on Sunday that holding an emergency OPEC meeting may be “effective” in stabilizing the oil price, Iran’s oil ministry news agency Shana reported.

Algeria said earlier this month that the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries could hold an emergency meeting to discuss the drop in oil prices but other OPEC delegates said no meeting was planned.

“Iran endorses an emergency OPEC meeting and would not disagree with it,” Zanganeh told

reporters in Tehran, according to Shana.

U.S. oil prices CLc1 fell below $40 a barrel on Friday for the first time since the 2009 financial crisis, pressured by signs of oversupply in the United States and weak Chinese manufacturing data. [O/R] OPEC is not due to meet until Dec. 4.

While OPEC rules say a simple majority of the 12 OPEC members is needed to call an emergency meeting before then, some OPEC delegates say a meeting is unlikely unless Saudi Arabia is in favour.

creasingly concerned at signs that Beijing’s policymaking has grown not only more erratic but less effective.

“Policymakers look lost,” wrote Oliver Barron, analyst at investment bank NSBO in Beijing in a research note, noting that confusion about intentions and approaches extended from stocks into monetary and exchange rate policy.

“But the market needs bigger things: growth, reform, easing.

Piecemeal support is not enough anymore.”

Domestic analysts said investors had hoped for central bank action over the weekend, seen as justified both by a surprisingly weak preliminary reading of manufacturing activity in August, and by last week’s stock market slide.

At the beginning of the stock market crash the central bank cut rates and explicitly said it was supporting the stock market. Beijing has invested much capital, both financial and political, in propping up markets, and many assumed it would be forced to continue to buy up shares to maintain its credibility.

But no easing came at the weekend, and in the past two weeks the “national team” of brokerages, mutual funds and other state-owned institutional investors have stood aside while markets fell.

Saudi Arabia, the world’s top oil exporter, and other Gulf states pushed OPEC’s strategy shift last year to defend market share rather than cut output to support prices.

Relatively wealthy, they are better able to cope with low oil prices than Iran, Venezuela or African members like Nigeria.

OPEC delegates see little chance of the exporting group diverting from its policy of defending market share, although the latest drop in prices is starting to sour the business mood even in Saudi Arabia.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 2015, 2015

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10”X2

131,839.81

6,591.99

5”X3

95,062.36

4,753.11

14”X2

296,551.80

10,327.59

9”X6

455,159.25

22,757.96

5”X2

63,374.94

3,168.74

FPS 6”X3

873,388.02

43,669.40

9”X5

379,375.23

18,968.76

4”X2

50,699.95

2,534.99

FPS 6”X2

582,257.81

29,112.89

9”X4

303,500.18

15,175.00

3”X3

43,874.94

1,864.68

BPS 6”X3

861,432.81

43,071.64

9”X3

21,0126.15

10,056.30

3”X2

29,249.98

1,243.12

BPS 6”X2

565,621.87

28,281.09

8”X6

404,666.92

20,233.34

2”X2

19,499.98

828.75

ROP2”X6

198,096.61

9,904.84

8”X5

337,222.43

16,861.12

1”X2

9,749.99

414.37

FPS 2”X6

582,257.82

29,131.09

8”X4

269,777.95

13,488.89

1”X1

4,875.00

207.19

BPS 2”X6

565,621.87

28,281.09

8”X3

186,801.63

9,340.08

BPS 2”X2

349,354.69

17,467.73

13”X5

479,495.25

23,974.76

8”X2

124,522.05

6,226.10

13”X2

164,774.84

8,238.74

7”X5

295,069.63

14,753.48

EARPIECE 2”X2

365,990.62

18,299.53

11”X5

463,680.84

23,184.04

7”X4

206,551.80

10,327.59

CENTRE SPREAD

1,497,234

74,861.71

11”X4

370,424.87

18,521.24

7”X2

88,724.91

4,406.24

DOUBLE SPREAD

1,330,875.00

66,543.75

11”X2

139,424.87

6,971.24

6”X4

186,801.62

9,340.08

DOUBLE SPREAD (1/2)

665,437.50

33,210.97

S/N

Vat

S/N

Black & White

Vat

S/N

Vat

1

F/PAGE

402,589.59

20,129.47

16

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124,611.09

6,230.55

31

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H/PAGE

229,476.11

11,473.80

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343,369.19

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Q/PAGE

124,895.04

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9”X5

286,789.47

14,339.47

33

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94,554.69

3,133.71

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14”X5

390,511.26

19,525.63

19

9”X4

229,536.51

11,476.82

34

5”X3

55,300.74

2,350.28

5

14”X4

312,409.60

15,620.48

20

9”X3

155,328.68

7,766.43

35

5”X2

36,867.18

1,566.86

6

14”X2

157,994.09

7,899.79

21

8”X6

306,019.70

15,300.98

36

4”X2

29,493.75

1,253.48

7

13”X5

362,617.60

18,130.88

22

8”X5

204,028.39

10,201.46

37

3”X3

33,180.45

1,410.17

8

13”X2

124,601.51

6,230.07

23

8”X4

204,032.45

10,201.62

38

3”X2

22,120.32

940.11

9

11”X5

350,647.44

17,532.37

24

8”X3

141,263.20

7,063.16

39

2”x6

48,173.99

2,047.39

10

11”X4

281,818.05

14,090.90

25

8”X2

76,631.55

3,831.57

40

2”X2

14,746.87

626.74

11

11”X2

105,440.15

5,272.00

26

7”X5

223,003.40

71,115.12

41

1”X2

7,373.44

313.37

12

10”X6

383,460.20

19,123.01

27

7”X4

157,994.09

7,699.67

42

1”X1

3,686.72

156.69

13

10”X5

320,067.93

16,003.39

28

7”X2

51,614.05

2,193.60

14

10”X4

255,041.86

12,752.09

29

6”X4

173,871.36

4,618.40

15

10”X3

191,666.80

9,583.34

30

6”X3

66,360.90

2,820.34

Political

Colour

Vat

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532,350.00

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PHOTO SPLASH 100,000.00

4,250

Pictures & Captions 1

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Classified Advert 1

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24,500.00

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71,662.50

-

(ABUJA) FEMI - 08033550468

32,903.96

44

DOUBLE SPREAD (1/2)

387,105.47

16,451.98

S/N

Vat

Vat

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341, 583.13

402,589.69

17,110.06

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206,155.46

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112,334.62

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123,595.04

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10”X2

55,476.05

2,357.73

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8”X2

44,380.56

1,886.17

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7”X2

38,832.99

1,650.40

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6”X2

33,282.11

1,414.49

8

5”X2

27,736.42

1,178.80

9

4”X2

22,187.85

942.98

Rate for Computer & IT/Educational Property/Vacancy/Home & Décor (Color)

1

F/P

Colour

2 3

Vat

10

451,680.17

22,584.00

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PLEASE CONTACT (LAGOS) IFEANYI - 08086296714

774,210.94

F/PAGE

-

1

DOUBLE SPREAD

Rate for Computer & IT/Educational Property/Vacancy/Home & Décor (Black & White)

Black & White

S/N

Loose Insert

43

11

3”X2 2”X6

17,079.15

16,640.27

707.21

33,283.03

471.54

(BOTTOM STRIP)

12

2”X2

11,094.96

471.54

13

1”X2

5,547.58

235.77

14

1”X1

2,773.79

117.89

OPERATIONAL HEADQUARTERS DTN COMPLEX LATEEF JAKANDE ROAD, AGINDIGBI, IKEJA, LAGOS CORPORATE HEADQUARTERS 44 ADETOKNBO ADEMOLA CRESCENT WUSE 2, ABUJA

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Nigeria to champion Africa’s devt through Science, tech Augustine Okezie

setta, said for Africa to keep abreast with global trends of technological advancement and perhaps succeed in solving its multifarious problems, efforts must be geared towards science and educational research as the bedrock, with Nigeria playing a leading role.

She described Mathematics as the very essence for any meaningful human activity and endeavour, adding that the staging of the Pan African Science Olympiad is timely and very much relevant in the struggle for economic growth and development.

She said: “Without effective training and research, Africa will be unable to build the knowledge base and capacity needed to help

Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Federal Government has pledged to lead the campaign in Africa’s speedy development through aggressive promotion of science education, research and development.

The Acting Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Education, Hajia Hindatu Abdullahi made the pledge on Monday in Abuja, while declaring open events marking the 23rd Pan African Science Olympiad, held at the ECOWAS Commission headquarters.

Hajia Abdullahi, who was represented at the occasion by the Director Technical and Science Services, Dr. (Mrs.) Isiavwe Ro-

the continent achieve its much needed sustainable socio- economic growth and create world class centers of excellence in mathematics.’’

In his welcome address at the occasion, the Director General of the National Mathematical Center, Professor A.R.T Solarin, advocated the declaration of a ‘’State of Emergency on Mathematics’’, as part of effort aimed at addressing the various challenges confronting the teaching and learning of mathematics in Nigeria.

In his words: “Most of the present crop of teachers of mathematics are not qualified, certainly not the best and not properly motivated.

There is the urgent need for

concerted training of teachers of mathematics and the review of the curriculum on the subject.’’

The Executive secretary of National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie in his address at the occasion, called for a review of the syllables used in the teaching of mathematics and the recruitment of qualified teachers.

within the period in review.

The Special Adviser on Politics to the governor, Alhaji Uba Sani, who made this disclosure in a chat with journalists, explained that the money was recovered from the free essential commodities, like rice millets, maize, sugar, groundnut oil etc, which were being shared to some wealthy people in the state during

Kaduna

ÏÏÏ

Less than three months of his assumption, Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has saved over N1.2billion for the government. This was made possible by his the policies of blocking leakages and cutting cost of running government, embarked upon

SHEPHERD STAFF CHRISTIAN CHAPEL

every Ramadan Fasting, Sallah and Christmas.

According to him, over N500m each was recovered from both festivity gifts, sponsorship to Hajj and Jerusalem pilgrimages annually by the state government, while the rest was recovered from the bio-metric exercise of government workers, as well as the voluntary cutting of salaries

ÏÏÏ

The Chairman of Dangote Group, Aliko Dangote, on Monday, said Nigeria would be self-sufficient in rice, sugar and other commodities by 2019.

Dangote disclosed this in Abuja at a meeting with the United Nations SecretaryGeneral, Ban Ki-moon, Nigerian businessmen and some other philanthropists.

The billionaire businessman, who was speaking against the backdrop of his investment in the economy

in the nation, added that Nigeria would soon become the largest exporter of petroleum products and fertiliser.

He said he would not want to be known as the richest man alone, but would also lend his voice and other capacity to better the lots of Nigerians; and commended the steps being taken by the President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in addressing the challenge of corruption facing the nation.

AUN matriculates 600 students Tom Garba Yola

ÏÏÏ The American UniHajia Abdullahi

el-Rufa’i saves over N1.2b in three months — Uba Sani Victor Jibrin

Dangote promises Nigerians sufficient salt and sugar by 2019

to half.

Sani lamented that “before the coming of Governor Nasiru El-Rufai, Kaduna state government was running on N100m deficit every month”, consequently, “after the payment of salaries and overhead costs, the state will not be able to do anything again. No capital projects from anywhere because there is no money.

GOSPEL CAMPAIGN ENDTIME MISSION

versity of Nigeria (AUN), has matriculated 600 students for various degree programmes.

The 600 were the ones that qualified out of the 900 that applied for admission into the university this year.

Addressing the students at a ceremony to mark the official opening of the 2015/2016 Academic Year, the President of the university, Dr. Margee Ensign, re-iterated the institution’s commitment to promoting excellence and integrity.

“We shall continue to

strive for excellence in the work we do and practice the highest ethical standards in our day-to- day business of the university.

“To our students, new and returning, we pledge our very best efforts to provide you a rigorous and world-class education.

“It is our expectation that you, through honest hard work, will make the most of this precious opportunity” Ensign said.

GELOR ESESEASHI ARINOLA GRACE I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Ashore Eseseashi Arinola Grace now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Gelor Eseseashi Arinola Grace.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FOUNTAIN OF JOY EVANGELICAL BIBLE CHURCH

This is to inform the general public that the above named church has applied for registration under part ‘C’ of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named church has applied for registration under part ‘C’ of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that the above named church has applied for registration under part ‘C’ of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. Pastor Bassey Akpan Mbong 3. Pastor Okon Thompson Udo 5. Mrs. Lucy Yatau Joseph 7. Deacon Oseph John Effiong

TRUSTEES: 1. Rev. Patrick Chukwuemeka Romanus - Chairman 2. Pastor (Mrs.) Joy Evbarunagbe Romanus - Vice Chairman 3. Mr. wisdom Igwe Romanus - General Secretary

THE NAMES OF THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev. Adara Olutope Israel 2. Prophetess Adara Folakemi Comfort 3. Elder Joseph Ojo Oke

2. Dr. Victor Akpan Ekwo 4. Mrs. Ime Bassey Mbong 6. Mrs. Happiness Affiong Okon

AIMS: 1. To preach the gospel of our lord and savior Jesus Christ 2. To promote global evangelism 3. To publish the gospel through print and electronic media 4. To promote any Godly programs directing on the directing of the poor and needy.

AIMS: 1. To preach the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ 2. To build and mole character of people for the kingdom 3. To teach the word of God to the lost souls in all nations.

Any objective(s) to the registration of the ministry should be forwarded with 28 days of this publication to the Registrar General, Cooperate Affairs Commission. Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Signed: Trustees

Any objective(s) to the registration of the ministry should be forwarded with 28 days of this publication to the Registrar General, Cooperate Affairs Commission. Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

Signed: Secretary

SAGE YOUNG STARS ADVANCEMENT CLUB This is to inform the general public that the above named club has applied for registration under part ‘C’ of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

TRUSTEES ARE 1. Irechukwu Raphael Ifanac- Chiarman 2. Ihuonye Amara 3. Igwe Moses Chinazo, AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote love and peace and unity among members and Nigeria at large 2. To promote sprit of brotherliness among members 3. To support it members in financial matters 4. To promote social engineering among members 5. To do all such other lawful things as may be considered to be incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects or any of them.

Any objective(s) to the registration of the ministry should be forwarded with 28 days of this publication to the Registrar General, Cooperate Affairs Commission. Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

SIGNED: CHAIRMAN

CANON WORD INT’L CHURCH

AIM To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ Any objective(s) to the registration of the ministry should be forwarded with 28 days of this publication to the Registrar General, Cooperate Affairs Commission. Plot 420, Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

SIGNED: OLUWASEGUN OTEBOLA ESQ.

REALITY GARDEN ESTATE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

This general public is here by notified that the above named CHURCH has applied to the corporate affairs commission Abuja for registration under the part C of the companies and allied matters act NO1 of 1990.

This is to inform the general public that above-named Association has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under part ‘C’ of the companies and Allied Matters of Act 1990.

The Trustees are: 1. Rev’d David Olaoluwa-Albert 2. Pastor Margaret Olaoluwa-Albert 3. Brother Taiwo Lasaki 4. Sister Nsikak Ekanem

The Trustees are: 1. Murudeen Aliyu Muhammed 2. Eleja Abdulsalam Babatunde 3. Salahudeen O. AbdulRahman 4. Olaranmi Biodun Oye 5. Ajala Kayode Olayinka 6. Elelu Sheu Alimi

Aim and Objective: 1.To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to all Nations.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar general plot 420 tigris crescent off Aguiyi ironsi street, Maitama Abuja within 28days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Trustees

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. Community Development 2. Promotion of Peaceful Co-existence among the residents of the community.

3. To enforce strict compliance with the layout plan of the community.

Any objection to this registration should forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: A.B. Eleja (ESQ)

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

FG to deliver Abuja UN building in six months Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Permanent Secretary, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Mr. Obinna Chukwu, has assured the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, that the Federal Government of Nigeria will complete and handover the United Nations Common Building that was damaged by Boko Haram insurgents in six months’ time.

The Permanent Secretary gave this assurance after laying of wreath in honour of those who

died in the bomb attack on the UN House on August 26, 2011.

He said that the Federal Government would do everything possible to ensure that the entire renovation and reconstruction work was completed within the said time, as all logistics had been put on ground.

He challenged the contractor handling the job – Julius Berger Nigeria – to work diligently, to complete the work, in order to put behind the sad event.

His words: “The contractors have already said that they would need between five to eight months

to get the job fixed, but I have asked them to fast track their approach by working 24 hours to get it done within 5 months. We cannot afford to delay here anymore, this project is very important, because Nigeria government is committed to its obligations.”

Chukwu reiterated that the FCT Administration and the United Nations had sorted out all grey areas in meetings with UN experts.

Speaking on the occasion, a representative of Julius Berger Nigeria, Mr. Marco Braun, said that, with adequate funding, the firm would do its best on the job.

Abuja

ÏÏÏAhead

Ki-moon

Gbenga Sodeinde Ado-Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe

GIABA raises awareness against money laundering, terrorism Okeowo Babajide

ÏÏÏIn a bid to nip money laun-

dering and terrorist financing in thew bud, the Inter-Governmental Action Group against Money Laundering in West Africa (GIABA) has declared open a three-day Regional Sensitisation Workshop for Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) on Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Financing of Terrorism (AML/CFT) for Economic Community of West African State (ECOWAS) member States at the Best Western Hotel, on Victoria Island, Lagos, Nigeria.

The Director, Nigeria Financial Intelligence Unit (NFIU) and GIABA National Correspondent, Francis Usani, said that the influence of the CSOs in the anticorruption battle could not be overlooked, adding that the fight against money laundering and terrorist financing had received

prominence on the agenda of the international community since the mid-’90s, which resulted in the adoption of several regional and international conventions.

Declaring the workshop open, the Director General of GIABA, Mr. Adama Coulibaly, reiterated the need for all ECOWAS member states to unite in the fight against terrorism and money laundering.

“Every day, the ECOWAS region is facing a real security challenge mainly linked to the upsurge in extremism, terrorism and all forms of illegal trafficking ranging from drugs and weapons.

Stating the need for all hands to be on deck, in the fight against terrorism and money laundering, Coulibaly said that at a time when the ECOWAS region was grappling with the activities of terrorist groups, which posed a greater risk to its stability, it was necessary to review and analyse

anti-terrorist strategies, not only through their integrated, coherent and participatory features, but also through their resilience capacity, culture and promotion of citizenry values, as well as democratic best practices.

In the keynote address titled “The International Dimension of Money Laundering and Terrorism Financing Risks: Mobilising Total Societal Support,” delivered

by Professor Osita Agbu, who represented the Director General of the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA) Prof. Bola A. Akinterinwa, stated the need for concerted efforts and collaboration among all stakeholders to combat the risks associated with money laundering and terrorist financing.

According to him, “the fight against money laundering and terrorists financing requires concerted efforts and collaboration among all stakeholders. The case

INEC begins voters’ registration in Kogi, Bayelsa Sept 2 Lateef Ibrahim

‘NUC not out to witch-hunt, but regulate’

L-r: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo receiving a sourvenir from President of Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Augustine Alegeh (SAN), during 55th Annual General Conference of NBA at International Conference Centre Abuja on Monday. With them is ex-President of the NBA, Olisa Agbakoba (SAN).

23 News

National Universities Commission (NUC) has said the body has no mandate to witchhunt any university, but to regulate their activities for optimum performance.

A leader of NUC delegation to Federal University, Oye Ekiti, Prof. Irene Agunloye, made the statement on Monday during a visit to the university for assessment of its facilities to ease accreditation of some courses in the institution.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Isaac Asuzu, who received the delegations, revealed that the institution was seeking accreditation of all the 29 courses being offered in it.

Agunloye, a professor of African Literature and Women Studies from the University of Jos, Plateau State, said, “We are not here to witch-hunt you, but to carry out on-the-spot assessment of your facilities. Probably, at the end of the day, we will be able to come up with recommendations that will improve your facilities,” she said.

Agunloye led the NUC delegation for Humanities, while a Professor of Microbiology from the Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile Ife, Osun State, Prof. J.I. Muoghalu, led that of the Science . for societal mobilisation becomes even more strident in the vulnerability of West Africa states to money laundering and terrorists financing, due to the geography of the region, porous borders and existence of weak institutions and fragile states.”

of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has concluded plans to conduct continuous voter registration (CVR) exercise in the two states with effect from September 2. The exercise is scheduled to last for five days.

INEC said, on Monday, in Abuja, that the five-day exercise would afford eligible voters, to register, in order to vote in the election.

Those eligible to present themselves for registration during the exercise, INEC said, were eligible voters who failed to register before the 2015 general election; those whose names were not in the voter register, and those who had attained the age of 18 years, since the last voter registration exercise.

It further said that “The CVR exercise will take place at the Local Government Area (LGA) level.

It will also commence daily (during the scheduled five days of the exercise) from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.”

Arik Air, Irish Embassy partner on trade Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏThe Irish embassy in Nige-

ria and Enterprise Ireland are planning to partner with Arik Air on the Irish Trade Mission to Nigeria in December 2015.

This came to light when the Irish Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Sean Hoy, led a team of Enterprise Ireland officials to Arik Aviation Centre at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

Hoy stated that the trade mission to Nigeria was expected to be one of the largest in recent times and there would be a lot of interest in the aviation sector as there are about 250 aviation companies in Ireland.

He stressed that the Irish Embassy in Nigeria was committed to improving trade relations between Nigeria and Ireland.

The Head of Africa Region, Enterprise Ireland, Mr. Fred Klinkenberg said Enterprise Ireland was the government organisation responsible for the development and growth of Irish enterprises in markets around the world.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Boko Haram: Adamawa govt to partner with religious bodies ÏÏÏAdamawa

State governor, Senator Jubrilla Bindow, has approved plans to include religious and local non-governmental organisations to improve the state’s management of security response and rehabilitation of internally displaced people, hosted by the state.

The state government recently announced the setting up of a N200m security budget, of which over N50m will form a part of the state’s internal contribution

to co-funding the counterinsurgency operations, and vigilante and intelligence gathering, while about N50m will go into managing the internal refugee crisis.

Adamawa State currently hosts Nigeria’s largest population of IDPs, who have mostly come into the state from Borno and Yobe States. A part of the funds will be directly managed by organisations which until now had been helping to manage community based restoration and rehabilitation of victims of the insur-

gency.

Speaking to the newsmen, following a closed door meeting on security with stakeholders in the state, Senator Bindow remarked that local and religious organisations are closer to the people at the grassroots, making them valuable partners in local security response and post incident recovery.

"The country is facing a guerrilla-style insurgency, which is different from conventional warfare. We are affected, our neighbours are

affected too, maybe more than we are. It is important that the state adopts a community based approach to response, both in terms of assisting the military effort, and in rehabilitation. We must also contribute to the intelligence and vigilante effort, because this is our home. Our resources may be meagre, but we must assist the Federal Government’s effort in eliminating the insurgency.

“Contrary to press reports that the state is paying religious leaders to pray, the

L-R: Acting United States Consul General, Dehab Ghebreab; Assistant Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu; Homeland Security Investigations Special Agent, Ramon Oyegbola; Head of Lagos Operations, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Iliyasu Kwarbai and Director of Assets and Financial Investigations, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Victoria Egbase during the presentation of a Universal Two-Pocket Currency Scanner to the EFCC in Lagos… on Monday. Photo: U.S. Consulate General, Lagos.

Naval chief warns officers, personnel against oil theft Segun Adio

ÏÏÏChief

of the Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas, on Monday, called on officers and ratings of the Nigerian Navy to continue in the fight against oil theft on Nigerian waterways.

Admiral Ibas made the call while having a dialogue with officers and ratings during his familiarisation tour at the Nigeria Navy Ship (NNS) Quorra, in Lagos.

While addressing its men on total eradication on oil

Ondo Police arrest woman for causing death of toddler

state governor is adopting a grassroots based model, which incorporates stakeholders with clearly defined objectives – including partnering and supporting the peace building, charity and IDP support work of the religious and non-non-governmental organisations in the state" Bindow said.

The governor also stated that organisations like the Adamawa Peace Initiative (API), a non-governmental organisation, is one of the organisations the state intends to work with, due to

their history of positive results and accountability with resources.

"The API, which is an umbrella organisation, including Muslim, Christian, civil society, business and local leaders, has been active in promoting peace and mediating in conflicts within Adamawa, with very significant results. API has also been active in helping to manage the IDP crisis in the state, which is significant, because Adamawa is host to the largest concentration of IDPs in Nigeria.

Ex-Gov Obi urges CBN to re-consider monetary policies

He appreciated the motives behind some of the recent regulations, saying that the issue of domiciliary account should be reconsidered because of its far reaching implications on the economy, especially the small and medium scale businesses.

Obi observed that the small and medium scale businesses are the biggest employers of labour in the country.

Nkiru Nwagbo Awka

ÏÏÏThe

former governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, has called on the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to re-consider some of the recent monetary policies, especially those that their adverse effects outweighed their positive impacts on society.

Obi was speaking to journalists during the ordination of 2015 set of priests by the Awka Diocese of St. Patrick’s Cathedral, Awka, on Monday.

ÏÏÏThe

theft, the naval chief also warned officers to stay away from any form of illegal operation. ''I, the CNS, will not involve myself in any illegal act and I will not tolerate it.

Nobody will or should use my name to perpetrate any illegal operation. ''The nation is losing a lot through illegal activities and we must stop it,'' he said.

He also advised the officers to disengage themselves from every illegal group, warning that anyone caught would be pun-

ished accordingly.

Admiral Ibas also told the naval personnel that it was the responsibility of the navy to protect the country through the water ways, stressing that any breach in this responsibility was a sign of betrayal of the country's trust on the navy. ''Laxity of the past will no longer be tolerated, the navy must live up to its constitutional responsibility," he said.

The CNS also urged the officers to change their attitude in the way govern-

ment's property were being used.

He enjoined officers to maintain government properties, adding that 50 percent of naval ships were currently in bad conditions due to careless use.

He also commended the officers and ratings for their commitment and sacrifices in spite of challenging circumstances.

The general affirmation by the officers and ratings in fighting oil theft on the waterways was unanimously supported by the raise of hands by the officers.

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Monday, said that it would on Tuesday commence a twoday National Leadership Retreat in Calabar, to chart a roadmap in addressing the challenges facing the congress. This is contained in press statement signed by the NLC President, Mr. Ayuba Wabba.

Wabba said the retreat, which will hold from August 25 to 27, has its theme, ‘Returning to our Founding Principles: The NLC and the Challenges facing it''.

He said that the retreat would review the state of the labour movement and position it to meet present

'Tosin Ajuwon

the death of a young baby.

Akinrosotu, was arrested after she allegedly led some suspected thugs to beat up the mother of the deceased while the baby was tied at the back.

A heavy scuffle which ensued between the two wom-

en, led to the fall of the baby and reportedly died upon taken to the hospital.

The remains of the baby had been deposited at the morgue of the Alade Idanre General Hospital in the town.

Officers of the Criminal

Investigation and Intelligence Department of the state police told journalists that they would probe the cause of the fight that led to the death of the young boy.

The Ondo Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Wole Ogodo, told Daily

Akure

ÏÏÏThe

Police in Idanre, Ifedore Local Government Area of Ondo State has arrested a middle aged-woman, identified as Toyin Akinrosotu, for allegedly causing

Obi

NLC holds twoday retreat over leadership crisis and future challenges.

Wabba said that the National Leadership Retreat would also review the internal democratic practices and management within trade unions and how to strengthen them.

He said the retreat would identify factors engendering inter and intra union disputes and how to redress them and also review the challenges of organising and recruiting new members.

Times that the suspect was apprehended after the mother of the deceased reported the matter to the police for investigation.

Ogodo said the arrested suspect would be charge to court after investigation might have been concluded.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

PDP chairmanship: Bala, Fayose disagree on zoning

L-R: Professor of Management, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, United States of America; Kathy Pearson; Head, Human Resources, Access Bank Plc, Bolaji Agbede and Senior Director, The Wharton School, Suzanne Wharton during the Middle Management programme held at the bank’s Head Office in Lagos.. on Monday

Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe

Abuja lawyer accuses Buhari of violating constitution Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

National Secretary of the Labour Party and Founder/Chairman of Egalitarian Mission for Africa, Barrister Kayode Ajulo, has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of violating the Nigerian Constitution.

He told journalists, at the on-going 2015 Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA) conference, in Abuja, that the fact that the President was yet to appoint ministers, since his assumption of office, was a direct violation of the provision of the Nigerian Constitution.

He said: “The fact that three months after his inauguration and five months after his election as President, Buhari is yet to appoint ministers to oversee the affairs in the various ministries is,

in itself, a mockery of the Constitution.

"Without any resort to sentiments, discerning persons across the nation have continued to wonder why the president is going about his administration of the nation in such a counterproductive and archaic, oneman-show manner.

“Nigeria is a nation founded on law and the president’s approach to governance is fast becoming a travesty.

“What makes it even more ludicrous is the fact that the Constitution which the President has treated with such flagrant disregard is the very same document that creates, upholds and protects his office,” he said. Ajulo saluted Buhari’s anti-corruption war and asked that it should not be selective.

Continuing, Ajulo said:

“While I totally agree with the President that corruption is an abuse of human rights, he needs to know also that our Constitution is our right to governance, therefore any violation of the Constitution is a violation of our rights as Nigerians.” He asserted that there were cogent reasons why the Constitution made room for the appointment of ministers.

According to him, “The drafters of the Constitution envisaged the enormous responsibility of the office and the burden of governance and so made provision for the appointment of ministers to ease the burden and to ensure effective administration. This present resort to a solo voyage by Mr. President, under the guise of shopping for competent hands is an unacceptable aberration that should be

resisted by well-meaning Nigerians.

“Uncritical praise-singers of the President may want to argue that the Constitution never specified the dates on which ministerial appointments should have been concluded.

“The truth is that a fouryear mandate is what Nigerians have given President Buhari, and the questions being asked are: ‘At what point and time will the president come to terms with the reality of his emergence as president, and commence the serious business of governance and administration of the nation?’” Besides, he asked: “Does the president even realise that an attempt to bear the burden of governance and administration of the nation may be detrimental to his health, given the fact that he cannot be described as young and agile?”

Lagos Assembly Chief Medical Officer dies in office Alade Tasma

ÏÏÏThe

Chief Matron of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Mrs. Caroline Oriola, has reportedly died in her office. to the office on Saturday, August 22, but her dead body was discovered in the morning of Monday August 24, by a cleaner, who had gone to clean the clinic.

Sources at the House said that the woman had gone to her office on Saturday to take some drugs and was said to have put on the air

25 News

conditioner and locked the door.

It was gathered that the security men that were on duty were oblivious of the incident even when the signed in before she picked the keys to the clinic on a weekend.

“It is, indeed, a sad development; nobody expected that she would die, when she did. We were told that she was in the clinic to pick some drugs only for her dead body to be found on the floor by a cleaner,” said a source.

The source further disclosed that Oriola’s husband, who had waited endlessly for her to return home, had gone to check her in the assembly, but that he could not find her car in the car park, adding that he was unaware that she parked at the lawmakers’ car park in the House’s premises.

The body of the deceased was later conveyed to the morgue in the early hours of Monday August 24 with the House’s ambulance accompanied by some staff of the House, led by the Clerk, Mr. Segun Abiru.

Ekiti State governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose and the Ex-minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Bala Mohammed, have differed on the zoning arrangement for the next National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Mohammed made known his position on the issue when, in his ambition to be the National Chairman of the PDP, he visited Fayose at his Osuntokun Governor’s lodge in AdoEkiti, on Sunday evening, in the company of Ambassador Liya Damagon

Govt not doing enough for Northern Christians, says ECWA President Chijioke Kingsley Jos

ÏÏÏThe President of Evan-

gelical Church Winning All (ECWA), Rev. Jeremiah Gado, has decried the manner various government in the country had handled the matter of security as regards the Christians in the North and minorities across the country.

He revealed this to our correspondent in Jos, the Plateau State capital, adding that the bombing of churches in Jos and other parts of Northern Nigeria was ungodly and government should act fast to make safe places worship. He called on the governments to rise up to their constitutional responsibility of protecting life and property.

He made reference to the irate youths who took ad-

vantage of the most recent bomb blast that occurred in a Jos mosque, to start burning churches and various other attacks Christians had suffered in the hands of Muslims, especially since 2008. In his words, “Christians are the target and we have been at the receiving end for a long time. I am not afraid to say the authorities in Nigeria are not doing enough to protect the interest of Christians. In Nigeria, they only pay lips service to the freedom of worship, because the present reality reveals the opposite. It has shown that there are some at the helm of affairs who oppress Christians. We don’t force anybody to believe in Christ, but there are Christians who are being persecuted right now for believing in Christ,” he said.

Kogi inaugurates taskforce on Child Rights Act in 21 LGs

ÏÏÏThe Kogi State Govern-

Oriola

and Ahmed Gulak, former Special Adviser on Political Matters to Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Fayose told journalists that the time was not right for the party to have a substantive chairman and that the present care-taker chairman, Mr. Uche Secondus, should be allowed to pilot the affairs of the party for the next five months, to enable him conclude the ongoing restructuring and reorganisation of the party.

Faose said: “It is a normal thing to have ambition.

It’s a good development, but in my opinion, I think the party needs the caretaker committee now rather than a substantive chairman.

ment has inaugurated task forces in each of the 21 Local government areas of the state for enforcement and implementation of the Child Rights Act. The Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajia Bilkisu Momoh, disclosed this when children of Osara and Osaragada communities paid her a visit in Lokoja.

The visit was facilitated by the European Union (EU) Project on Promoting Rights of Children, in collaboration

with ActionAid Nigeria.

Momoh said that the task forces to function alongside the Child Rights Implementation Committees (CRIC) and Child Protection Network (CPN) were on ground in the council areas to enhance prompt report of violation and rights abuse.

Momoh, who was represented by Mr. Stephen Ojo, Director of Administration in the ministry, said that the ministry was also in the business of prosecuting abusers and violators of children’s rights.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Law

Akpedeye

Dafe Akpedeye, a Senior Advocate and former Delta state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice is one of those presenting papers in the on-going 55th annual general conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA). He highlighted some of the benefits of the conference and concluded that it will serve as a guide to government towards formulating policies for the general good of the nation.

PETER FOWOYO, met him.

Lawyers’ body of the NBA is meeting at the annual conference in Abuja, what is the benefit of this conference to the country especially in terms of speedy dispensation of justice?

The annual Bar conference serves a constant barometer for

s

Akpedeye: NBA conference helps to identity problems besetting practice of law the Bar to take stock of how it has fared every year. It helps it to identify problems besetting the practice of law in Nigeria and brainstorm to find solutions. The practice of law in Nigeria is not done in isolation; it impacts either negatively or positively as the case may be on the entire polity of the Nigerian space.

This explains why the Association strives each year to

choose and x-ray themes that are germane to the improvement of the socio-economic and political well being of the Country. This year’s theme is: Lawyers and National Development. You will agree with me that this theme is quite apt in the light of the current clamour to fight and exterminate corruption in all its facets. It might interest to note that one of the topics to be dis-

cussed under this theme is the Challenges of Cyber-crimes in Nigeria. For the fight against corruption to yield the desired results, lawyers must of necessity be an integral part of the campaign. So in a nutshell the Annual Bar Conferences part from affording the practitioners the platform of looking at how to improve their lots also affords the Nation the opportunity of using the communi-

qué that is issued at the end of every conference as a guide to Government towards formulating policies for the general good of the Nation.

The keynote speaker is the Chief Justice of Kenya, who was an activist until his appointment into the Bench, is the judiciary trying to bring back days of Elias, Judge CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

Bola Ajibola SAN, to mention few who were appointed to the apex court?

Well I am not part of the Nigerian Judiciary but an active participant in the administration of justice as a practicing lawyer, so I would not be privy to the policy direction of the Nigerian Judiciary which is headed by the Chief Justice of Nigeria except if it is made public. To the best of my knowledge the Judiciary has not indicated that it consciously wants to radicalize the bench. Having said this however, the eminent jurists you cited as examples of radical lawyers that were subsequently appointed to the bench were among the finest breed that that sat on the bench and if radicalism was common to them I would then bring it on.

We still need people like them on the bench today. Just to add that to my mind, every lawyer is a radical of some sort.

Does the constitution support appointment of a CJN outside the Bench and if so, will that not affect promotion of judges especially at the apex court?

The regnant Constitution of Nigeria would to my mind not expressly stop/ bar the President from appointing the Chief Justice from outside the existing Justices of the Supreme Court. A combined reading of Section 231 subsections (1) – (5) dealing with the qualifications and appointment of the Chief Justice supports my view. The closest the Constitution came to suggesting that the appointment be from the hierarchy of existing Justices can be seen in subsection (4) of Section 231. This Subsections makes it mandatory that the acting CJN must be the most senior of the Justices next in line to the CJN if for any reason the CJN is not capable of continuing in that capacity. Remember the appointment of the CJN involves the recommendation of the NJC and the confirmation of the National Assembly sequel to the appointment of the President. For Judicial harmony I think the NJC in its wisdom has adopted the practice of recommending in the order of seniority. I believe it has been working well thus far but there is nothing unconstitutional about reinventing the wheel.

What are your expectations at the end of this conference?

My expectations are that at the end of this Conference those participants would be able to look back and satisfac-

27 Law

Lawyers must be an integral part of campaign against corruption –Akpedeye torily say that it was a worthwhile exercise and not just a jamboree. That Paper presenters and discussants like me would avail the nation workable solutions to some of the nagging developmental problems presently nagging Nigeria. That the atmosphere of camaraderie would also have afforded colleagues the opportunity to unwind and take time off to relax and be primed to face the challenges of the new legal year with more vigor and zeal.

Constitutional lawyer, Ben Nwanbueze , has described failure of this government to appoint members of cabinet as unconstitutional, do you share his view?

Honestly I do not share the sentiments of the learned erudite professor on this point.

The issue of the appointment or non appointment of Ministers is exclusively the Prerogative of Mr. President. Why do I say so? Section 147 (!) of the constitution clearly provides;’ there shall be such offices as Ministers of Government of the Federation as may be established by the President.’ The emphasis is mine. So my interpretation is that it is absolutely a discretionary matter but once he elects to exercise this discretion in favour appointing then he must follow the conditions stipulated in the constitution.

For now there cannot be any sanctions against him, no matter how absurd it may seem, for his non appointment of Ministers thus far.

How do you see the recent directives from presidency that federal ministries and agencies should open single treasury account, is it constitutional?

I do not see what is unconstitutional in an executive directive of Mr president aimed at ensuring probity and accountability in the public sector. This is a welcomed development to check impunity. I believe that your people in the Fourth Estate of the Realm should laud and support positive steps by government to make our coun-

Akpedeye

“The practice of law in Nigeria is not done in isolation; it impacts either negatively or positively as the case may be on the entire polity of the Nigerian space.”

try better by making conscious effort to harp on the benefits of the policy rather than looking for how to fault them. As a a firm believer in due process I believe this is a welcome development. Its benefits far out weighs any negative which I do not see.

Mr Femi Falana SAN has described as unconstitutional the decision by West African Examination Council to withhold results of students whose state government owe the council exam fees. Do you share his view?

I totally disagree with my good friend Femi on this score.

We have a contract which you do not want to keep your part of and you say my treating you in like manner is against your fundamental right. It is really unrealistic. Who will provide the funds for running WAEC to keep serving you? It will be unconscionable to beat a child and at the same time deny it the luxury of crying. Right does not enure in one direction alone.

This will be quite absurd to test it in court as it will be dead on arrival. The last time I checked, WAEC was not a charity.

28

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

OPINION

EMULATING

Okwaraji’s

Aderonke Ogunleye-Bello

T

he remembrance of Samuel Okwaraji will be forever celebrated as long as football is loved and enjoyed in Nigeria.

Generations coming will always read about him.

Of course, I was a kid when he died on August 12, 1989 while in active service for his fatherland, Nigeria. He was a patriotic soul and the memory of his death will continue to linger on for many years to come.

Much have been written to eulogize the legendary footballer, but on my part I want to address his educational prowess, and his belief in sound education. I remember how arduous it is to pursue a Ph.D. programme; I enrolled for my Doctorate Degree in 2013 but had to drop out after a few months because of the stress and commitment that have to go with it in combination with my career schedule.

Sarcastically, I have said many times that some institutions should just dash me an honorary doctorate degree for my contributions to the

society. On a serious note, it was an arduous task!

Kudos to all the Ph.D. holders out there, especially the ones in Nigeria; we know how difficult it is to go through that hurdle, I don’t envy you at all!

Having said that, Okwaraji is dead, but his legacy lives. The legacy that I want to pick from is the fact that, he was an educated footballer which was a rare endeavour in modern day footballers.

Undoubtedly, education is good, it enlightens and guide you through some issues and helps your outlook towards life. It is good to be educated and when you are, you rightfully command respect and can be a good analyst especially for humanity.

This great soccer legend had a university degree, a master’s degree and almost a PhD, at a time when education had value in Nigeria; unfortunately, many of his teammates didn’t’ share his foresight about the value of education in their life after a short football career.

It can never be easy to combine education with football

quest for education and football

commitments, thus I want to say kudos to the dead, for getting himself educated, and it was a short life worthy of emulation!

If Okwaraji were to be alive today, he surely would have retired from football and gone into something meaningful and not looking up to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to revive his career like some exfootballers do.

Many ex-internationals have gone broke after their careers, by surrounding themselves with fairweather friends that misguide and lure them into putting their hardearned money in showdy business ventures which liquidates. For example, a Super Eagles player once opened a multi-million naira night club that folded up quicker than it started and we heard nothing about it again. There are many other failed businesses attributed to these exInternationals.

As a matter of fact, businesses can foldup without adequate research and application especially when an entrepreneur is not educated.

Mary Onyali although a former

athlete is duly employed by the National Sports Commission; Segun Odegbami is doing well because he received education; Sunday Oliseh, is another intelligent guy with good writing skills and analytical mind.

These are a few of many other educated footballers!

I recently interviewed a top player, and I asked what plan he has for the future, he said, it’s in God’s hands as he is focusing on football now.

I advised him to get an online course, enroll there and to my surprise he is studying an online course in one of the top universities

in Europe.

Also, Steven Ukoh, a Nigerian player from Switzerland is playing and studying Law, he once told me that he may likely fall back to sports law.

Finally, my point here is that footballers should get themselves educated. It is never too much, and never too late.

With Okwaraji’s Master’s degree in law, he might have opted to practice law with a big chamber on retirement if he happened to be alive. Rest on Nigeria’s midfield dynamo, Okwaraji!

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

29

cs

eti l h t A

World Ch’ships 2015:

Fraser-Pryce retains 100m title J

amaica’s Shelly-Ann FraserPryce narrowly held off Dafne Schippers of the Netherlands to retain her 100m world title in Beijing.

Fraser-Pryce, 28, started strongly but was almost caught by Schippers on the line as she crossed in 10.76 seconds.

It was a sixth career gold at the World Championships for FraserPryce, who won the 100m and 200m

GOLF

E

urope now know eight members of their 12-strong team for next month’s defence of the Solheim Cup against America.

The Spanish pair of Carlota Ciganda and Azahara Munoz, as well as Anna Nordqvist of Sweden and Germany’s Sandra Gal, booked their places through their world rankings on Sunday.

England’s Charley Hull and Melissa Reid had already secured their spots in Germany, along with Suzann Pettersen (Norway) and Gwladys Nocera (France).

Four wildcard picks will be added.

double in 2013.

Schippers, a heptathlete bronze medallist two years ago, finished ahead of American Tori Bowie in third.

It was a national record for 23-year-old Schippers, who only committed to sprinting in June, while Bowie, 24, herself a former long jumper, collected her first major medal.

Fraser-Pryce, the fourth quickest

woman of all time over 100m, expressed disappointment at not breaking her personal best of 10.70 seconds.

“I’m getting tired of 10.7s. I just want to put a good race together and hopefully in the next race I get the time I’m working for,” she told reporters.

“I definitely think a 10.6 is there.

Hopefully I will get it together.”

Solheim Cup 2015: Four earn places in Euro team Europe captain Carin Koch will make that choice today after the qualification period ended following last weekend’s Canadian Open.

The United States have 10 players confirmed, with captain Juli Inkster restricted to two wildcard picks under her country’s selection policy.

The qualified players for the US team are led by world number three Stacy Lewis, who lost in a play-off in Canada

on Sunday.

Also sure of their places are Lexi Thompson, Cristie Kerr, Michelle Wie, Brittany Lincicome, Morgan Pressel, Angela Stanford and Gerina Piller.

The Solheim Cup, a biennial team tournament for women played in a Ryder Cup format of foursomes, fourballs and singles, was won by Europe on American soil for the first time in 2013,

Fraser-Pryce

: 5 1 0 2 s e h As

Bell has England future, says Strauss et k c i r C

Nibali, Astana

sorry for Vuelta tow V

incenzo Nibali and his Astana team have apologised after the Italian was disqualified from the Vuelta a Espana for being towed by a support car.

Nibali was pictured being helped up the road for five seconds as he tried to regain ground after a crash on Sunday.

The 2010 Vuelta winner, one of several to fall, had lost 88 seconds with around 30km of stage two remaining.

“I want to publicly apologise for what happened. Especially for the people who are angry or ashamed of me,” he said.

Images showed the Astana team car pulling alongside Nibali, Tour de France winner in 2014, before both he and the car accelerated rapidly.

Judges decided Nibali was either towed by the car as he held it or as he

grabbed on to a water bottle extended from the window - which is not an uncommon sight in cycling.

“There are lots of episodes like this and especially so after a crash,” Nibali, 30, added in a statement on his Facebook page.

“I thought I’d get a fine and time penalty that would take me out of the overall classification. After all, I won’t be the first or last to do this kind of thing.”

Colombia’s Esteban Chaves leads the general classification at the Vuelta by five seconds after two stages of a race that ends on September 13 in Madrid.

Britain’s Tour de France champion Chris Froome is chasing a Vuelta-Tour double that has been done just twice before.

Cycli

ng

Nibali

Bell

I

an Bell remains an important part of the England Test team, says director of cricket Andrew Strauss.

The 33-year-old batsman said he would “take stock” when asked about his future on Sunday as England celebrated a 3-2 Ashes series win over Australia.

“If he’s got the motivation and drive to continue then he’s still got an important part to play,” said Strauss.

“We know the number of highquality performances we’ve seen from him over the years.”

Warwickshire right-hander Bell has now played in five Asheswinning teams, in which time he has scored more than 7,500 Test runs for England in 115 games.

He was moved up to number three

in the batting order this summer, but his form has slumped - he averaged 26.87 against Australia in this series compared to 62.44 in the last Ashes series on home soil in 2013.

“He’s at the stage of his career when he’ll be thinking about what his future looks like,” Strauss, who played alongside Bell for England and captained him for three years said.

“For all those players who played an important part in the Ashes it’s time to sit down and take a couple of days off reliving the whole series in their mind without all the pressure on their shoulders.”

Captain Alastair Cook said after England’s Ashes win: “Ian is a class player and I hope he’s around for a few more years.”

30

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

EURO TRANSFERS

BALOTELLI prepares to join Milan M

Balotelli

I’m going nowhere, says

ario Balotelli has assured AC Milan that he is a ‘changed man’ as he closes in on a return to the Italian club with the transfer boss basically telling him he is in last chance saloon.

The controversial striker’s Liverpool career failed to take off, and Brendan Rodgers is keen to offload him after finding a more reliable central striker in Christian Benteke, who

BENZEMA

R

eal Madrid striker Karim Benzema as hit out at the “clowns” who continue to link him with a move away from the club.

Benzema has been repeatedly linked with a switch to Arsenal in recent months, although Emirates Stadium boss Arsene Wenger has frequently denied a move will materialise.

Real coach Rafael Benitez has also been moved to dismiss the prospect and Benzema took to social media to have his own say on Monday.

Accompanied by a picture of himself in the Real Madrid changing room, Benzema tweeted: “For all those clowns who want to make believe things at my fans. Here this is my home! #HalaMadridYNadaMas.” Benzema missed Real’s season-opening goalless draw at Sporting Gijon having suffered with a thigh problem in recent weeks.

Bale

Real’s not for sale!

R

eal Madrid will not contemplate selling Gareth Bale even if Manchester United make a world-record bid for the player, according to sources.

It has reported that United remain interested in Bale and it has been suggested they could make a fresh attempt to sign him before the transfer window closes.

The Wales international has been a target for United for the last two seasons, with the Premier League side missing out to Real Madrid in the summer of 2013 when they signed him from Tottenham for a reported €100 million.

There have been suggestions that the 26-year-old could be tempted away after a disappointing second season and having faced criticism from the club’s fans, and there are indications that United would be willing to pay £95m (€130m).

However, Bale has always insisted he is happy to stay at the Bernabeu and Real are adamant the forward is not for sale.

Bale, who has scored 28 goals in 59 La Liga appearances, is set to be given an instrumental role under new coach Rafa Benitez, and played more centrally in their opening La Liga game at Sporting Gijon on Sunday.

Sterling

A

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger has rejected claims that Raheem Sterling caused a fuss over his protracted switch from Liverpool to Manchester City.

Speculation was rife towards the end of 2014-15 and through the offseason that the England international would depart, with the switch finally completed last month for a reported fee of

the manager feels gives him more options.

Balotelli feels that becoming a father for the first time will have a calming influence, and that his volatile nature is a thing of the past. At least that’s what he’s told Milan bosses during his weekend discussions over a loan move back to Serie A. The Liverpool outcast is due to undergo a medical today with details

still to be finalised over the £2.2m deal which will mean the Anfield club will still pay up to half his wages.

Balotelli left Milan for Liverpool last summer for £16m but only scored one Premier League goal under Rodgers whose decision is proving costly.

Milan coach Sinisa Mihajlovic worked with Balotelli at Inter Milan under Roberto Mancini and the two held talks on Saturday evening.

WENGER DEFENDS STERLING OVER CITY SWITCH £49million.

The manner of Sterling’s departure - the 20-year-old rejecting a contract offer of £100,000 a week at Liverpool - drew the ire of many, but Wenger believes the player did little wrong.

“I personally rate Raheem Sterling, we will see that in the longer term,” said Wenger.

“I personally don’t think that Sterling was making a lot of drama. It’s just during the transfer window that that happened.

“During the season the boy was quiet,

BRIEFS

never made any stupid statement. I don’t think he made too much noise.

“Will they miss him? He’s a quality player. But they bought Roberto Firmino.

We will see what he will produce. He is a similar player.

“But let’s remember two years ago with Luis Suarez, Daniel Sturridge and Sterling, they scored over a hundred goals.

“Score more than a hundred goals in the Premier League, you need special quality to do that, and Sterling was part of that.”

Man United chase Barca star Neymar

United’s transfer guru Ed Woodward has commenced discussion on a stunning £137.8m deal with Spanish giants, Barcelona over Neymar. Recently, it has been suggested that Neymar, who is currently on the sidelines with mumps, is attracted to the prospect of playing for the Red Devils and has told close friends he is open to a move to the Premier League. The stunning claim comes less than 24 hours after Barca chief Luis Enrique refused to rule out selling the Samba star.

Varane wants to join Chelsea The France international Raphael Varane has been chased by Jose Mourinho - who managed him at Real Madrid - for a long time. And Varane is now unsettled at the club and wants to join Chelsea because the 22-yearold is far from pleased that Pepe and Sergio Ramos have been handed new contracts at the Bernabeu. He is said to be worried that he will be frozen out of the first-team picture by new boss Rafa Benitez as it’s expected that the Spaniard will stick with the centre-back pairing throughout the season.

Norwich make bid for Murray Norwich City have made a bid to sign in-demand Crystal Palace striker Bale

Glenn Murray. The Canaries become the second Premier League team in a week to bid for Murray, joining fellow newly-promoted side Bournemouth.

Murray enjoyed an enjoyed a productive spell under Pardew last season after returning from a loan at Reading in January as he seized a starting role and scored seven goals in the second half of the season.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

EXTRATIME

EURO

31

SUAREZ

not worried about injured duo L uis Suarez believes Barcelona will be able to cope without Dani Alves and Sergio Busquets, after both were substituted with injuries on Sunday.

The pair had to be withdrawn during Barca’s 1-0 win over Athletic Bilbao on the opening day of their Liga title defence.

Suarez netted the only goal of the game in the 54th minute, having earlier won a penalty that was missed by Lionel Messi.

“We know we’re walking a fine line, they’re players who add a lot to the team, but we have a match ahead next week and we have quality players that can play in their place,” Suarez said

Suarez

of the injured

duo.

“These games inspire us to win the league. We won the game and that’s what’s important, we had to wait for the right moment to create some scoring chances.”

Sergi Roberto filled in for Alves at right-back against Athletic, and says he is happy to continue to do so if called upon by Luis Enrique.

“If Dani Alves is out and the coach gives me the opportunity to play at that position I’ll play there and try to give my best to help the team beat Malaga, get the three points, and achieve the ultimate goal, which is to win the league,” he said.

SHAQIRI TO MISS LUTON CUP TRIP

X Shaqiri

herdan Shaqiri is definitely being rested from today’s Capital One Cup second round trip to Luton but there is a place for Bojan on his comeback from injury.

Shaqiri is still feeling the effects of Saturday’ 90-minute debut in searing temperatures at Norwich.

And assistant boss Mark Bowen

Zaha

under pressure, says

Pardew

C

rystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha must step up or lose his spot, according to manager Alan Pardew.

Zaha, 22, was substituted at half-time of Palace’s 2-1 win over Aston Villa on Saturday – with Scott Dann and debutant Bakary Sako scoring second-half goals.

The two-time England international needs to raise his game to keep his spot in what is an improving Palace side, according to Pardew.

“We’ve stepped up a level, this team, and he has to step up with us,” he said.

“I’ve seen good reactions from him, but he is under pressure.

Sako is going to put him under pressure, so will Yannick Bolasie when he returns from compassionate leave.

“And we haven’t seen Lee Chung-yong yet. It’s a real nice problem there.”

Palace host Shrewsbury Town in the League Cup today before visiting Chelsea four days later.

confirmed on Monday afternoon: “He was very stiff yesterday and consequently won’t be involved against Luton.”

Bowen added that there could be several other players putting their feet up tonight in readiness for West Brom on Saturday.

“We will be going down to Luton with a strong squad,” he stated, “and

there’s four, five, six players who won’t go down and will benefit from training here.”

He confirmed that Bojan would travel and the only decision was whether he would start on the pitch or among the subs.

He added that Jon Walters, who has recovered from illness, was back in the shake up for Kenilworth Road.

United, City were interested in me

–Pedro P edro has spoken of having interest from Manchester City and Manchester United but stated his decision to join Chelsea from Barcelona was down to their increased interest in him.

The Spain forward completed his move to Stamford Bridge last week, having been at the centre of a long-running saga over a potential switch to United.

At a farewell news conference in Barcelona on Monday, Pedro told reporters: “There was interest from other clubs in England.

“United, City and Chelsea, who resolved the issue quickly and showed the most interest in me.

“I’m happy to go there because of the chance to win titles, like at Barca.”

Pedro - who scored on his Chelsea debut against West Brom on Sunday - agreed a new four-year contract at Barca in June.

However, he always anticipated a move away from Camp Nou was on the cards, with his playing time having been limited by the presence of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez.

Neymar

ENRIQUE MUM OVER NEYMAR’S SPECULATION

B

arcelona coach Luis Enrique refused to comment on speculation linking Neymar to Manchester United.

The Brazil international, 23, has been linked to a sensational switch to the Premier League, with United his most likely destination.

Luis Enrique, whose team claimed a 1-0 win at Athletic Bilbao on Sunday, is disinterested in the reports.

Asked if there had been any contact between the clubs about Neymar, the coach said: “I heard Neymar and another club and I am no longer interested in this question.

“I don’t talk about rumours and this kind of thing. I am just focused on analysing my team. In perfect English. You got it?”

Neymar, who is contracted until mid-2018, played no part in Barca’s victory as he continues his return following a bout of mumps.

Pedro

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 25, 2015

VOL. 1. NO.177

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MTN blames dollar scarcity for inability to repay $500m debt P17

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NSC: non -justifiability of alienation of south east Emmanuel R ƒƐƃƇƉ ÎÎÎ President Muhamma-

du Buhari is only a month and half old as the democratically inaugurated president but he has so far made major appointments, especially in the key security sector, that have generated a groundswell of criticisms of alienation of the Igbo people.

President Buhari appointed new Service Chiefs and a National Security Adviser, after sacking their predecessors a few days back.

He appointed Major-General Abayomi Gabriel Olonishakin as Chief of Defence Staff; Major-General T.Y. Buratai as Chief of Army Staff; Rear Admiral Ibok-Ete Ekwe Ibas as Chief of Naval Staff; and Air Vice Marshal Sadique Abubakar as Chief of Air Staff.

He also appointed Air Vice Marshal Monday Riku Morgan as Chief of Defence Intelligence; Retired MajorGeneral Babagana Monguno as National Security Adviser.

Constitutionally, these appointments and the negation of the South East imply that nearly 45 million Nigerians of Igbo extraction won’t be represented in the nation’s highest defence policy making body - the National Security Council.

Apart from the implicit discriminatory tone of these appointments which are in violation of section 42(1) of the Chapter IV of the 1999

constitution, as amended, on the imperative of avoiding discrimination of any ethnic bloc in the formulation of governmental policies, the failure to include the South East in this allimportant security forum amounts to alienation of the Igbo-speaking population current government.

Even as one of the most vociferous supporters of Buhari, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State, recently insulted our national psyche by playing the role of overzealous interloper in admonishing the South East to look for projects and not appointments.

He alongside his ilk forgot that the fundamentals of policy making influences are facilitated by key occupants of strategic insider positions in the various power configurations and political layers of authority in Nigeria. When people pontificate against respect to the constitutional principle of Federal Character representations in the allocation of political offices and decide to hide under the deceptive canopy of merit and competence, they conveniently remain in denial of the fundamental reality that Federal Character principle accommodates competence and merit. It also prevents a scenario where persons from a segment of the society that produces the President would be picked to man strategic brats in government to the total exclusion of other component parts.

In a letter addressed to Buhari and signed by its

president, Emeka UgwuOju and Secretary, Dagogo Karibi-Whyte, the group, which described the two zones as “major enablers of the Nigerian economy”, highlighted some recent events that fuelled its fears that the areas may indeed be on the road to alienation.

In the letter dated July 29, 2015, the SESSPN drew the attention of President Buhari to some “extant issues” which included the speech of the President during a visit to the United States of America, alleged lopsidedness in key appointments by the Federal Government and the threats against Senator Ike Ekweremadu’s emergence as the Deputy Senate President.

The letter, which was copied to many political leaders of the two zones across political divides, however expressed the readiness of the people of the zones to work with the rest of the country to achieve the change dream that the APC government desires.

Highlighting the causes of the fear of marginalization, the SESSPN referred to: “(1). A recent remark

by Your Excellency whilst being interviewed at the Institute of Peace, Washington DC by Ambassador Johnnie Carson, former US Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs. Whilst responding to a question regarding the Niger Delta, Your Excellency stated, inter alia; “the states that voted 97 percent for me will be treated differently from

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those that voted 5 percent for me”. In other words, all Nigerians will not get equal treatment under your administration. Based on the last Presidential election results, the people of the South-East and South-South zones will of course be classified as those that voted 5 percent for you. “(2). Whilst delivering the keynote address at the Special Dinner organised in Mr. President honour by the US Chamber of Commerce and the Corporate Council on Africa to mark Your Excellency’s state visit to the USA, you singled out a prominent African entrepreneur of South-East South-South extraction for public embarrassment.

Your Excellency declared that the gentleman in question was not expected at the Dinner and was probably brought to the dinner by the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) while another entrepreneur whom you acknowledged his presence was expected to be in attendance being a relative of one of your key political ally. Unfortunately the in question is the chairman of a major African Banking institution that is also a member of the Corporate Council of Africa, a co-host of the dinner. As a demonstration of patriotism, the gentleman in question was instrumental to the bank being a Gold Category Sponsor of the dinner. Again, Mr. president’s comment on the CBN governor’s purported role in this matter has also exacerbated

the strong rumours making the rounds that the CBN governor, being of SouthEast extraction, is being demonized as a forerunner for his orchestrated forced resignation as a “pay back” for the immediate past CBN Governor’s suspension by the last administration. “(3). The recent action by your barely two-month old administration pronouncing the dissolution of the governing boards of the Federal Government’s parastatals and agencies singled only one chief executive for outright dismissal and no reason was preferred. This particular chief executive is of South-South extraction.

Also, when this dismissed chief executive handed over to an executive director who happens to come from the South-East zone in an acting capacity, the handing over was reversed a few days later following instructions from Abuja in favour of another executive director from the North-East zone. “(4). The unabated threats to illegally remove Senator Ike Ekweremadu as the elected Deputy Senate President. We believe that Senator Ekweremadu’s colleagues saw an opportunity to have a qualified candidate from the South-East South-South zone elected to the position of DSP in the overriding national interest taking into cognizance the current state of the nation. “(5). The key appointments so far made by your administration in major national institutions such as the armed forces and

other security agencies, for instance, virtually excluded Nigerian nationals of South-East South-South extraction.

“The foregoing action of Mr. President, we are sorry to state, would appear to give the impression they are the latent undercurrent of the policy thrust of the new administration. This ought not to be the direction.

We are indeed surprised that the change mantra of Mr. President, which had buoyed the hopes of majority of Nigerians that things would be done differently in the new dispensation, appears already stymied in needless controversy that does not augur well for the future of our democracy. We expect you to heal and unite the nation but your recent actions and speeches seem to be further dividing the nation.

“This is why we appeal to Mr. President to re-examine the issues raised and take steps to redress them to assuage the misgivings already pervading the psyche of the people South-East South-South zones.”

For the specific purpose of maintaining public peace and equity let President Muhammadu Buhari do the needful to redress this scheming out of the South East in the National Security Council. *Onwubiko is Head of Human rights Writers association of Nigeria and blogs @www.huriwa.blogspot.com, www. rightsassociationngr.com, www.huriwa.org.

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Life&

Times Tuesday, August 25, 2015

DJ

Legend On taking over the entertainment industry

L2

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

I want to be a living legend

–DJ Legend Mutiat Alli

Born Oluwaseun Akinola Oladimeji but more popularly known by his fans as DJ Legend, entertainment industry who has succeeded in carving a niche for himself. The Ondo state born entertainer opens up on his journey into the Disc Jockey profession, his new single as well as other issues.

off?

Oh y

Ose out now in which

Ose

Life&

T E A M

Ose.

Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu n.ukonu@dailytimes.com.ng 08029030427

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Luke Utomi

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

REASON #1

A BLOKE WILL WITHDRAW: You’re not who he “thought” you were.

How many times have you noticed a “quirk” or a potential “red

3

L3 Relationship

Top

Reasons men withdraw

in relationships

REASON #2

A BLOKE WILL WITHDRAW: He feels like the “hunted” instead of the hunter.

She projects her expectations on him

rd

or

She makes excuses for his negative behaviours important questions and communicate what you

situations like this do whatever they can to make the man in their

REASON #3

A BLOKE WILL WITHDRAW: He senses desperation or neediness from you.

Omena Daniels is the CEO of avenue3 Media Company, Brand Architects, Media Consultants and Publishers of BLOKE and blokeonline.

Fashion & Style L4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Wardrobe staples for men Eyola eyola@aol.com

Classic accessories T-Shirts Start off with solid white, logo- and wrinkle-free, crew neck and high quality cotton T-shirts. Then expand to other neutral colours and necklines. Polo shirts are a smarter alternative to T-Shirts.

Whether worn for sports or smart-casual attire polo shirts always look fetching, no matter your age. Solid muted colours in soft cotton or wool make for a smarter look, while coarse rougher cottons and prints are the most casual.

Leather belt

A high quality leather belt and briefcase are two accessories worth investing in. socks should always match your belt. Unless you are playing sports or lounging at home, keep white socks at bay. To ensure your socks go with all items in your wardrobe, pick black socks that are smooth (no ribbing) and fairly thin with reinforced toes. The popular colour of choice for belts are brown and black, so begin with these two colours. A well-crafted leather briefcase demands authority and status, deals.

Roll-neck sweaters

Roll-neck, or turtleneck, sweaters are an acquired taste for men. Nonetheless it is fashionable and practical for colder seasons, especially climate. Wear it casually over jeans or over tailored suit trousers for a formal slant. sweater will be disappointed to learn that the turtleneck suit combination is not always accepted or suitable for conservative formal business attire.

Denim

Briefcase

Footwear Lace up, slim, pointed or rounded toe leather shoes will serve you well. Square toe shoes should be avoided. intended for casual wear, is highly suggested. To keep safe while playing sports, it is wise to invest in sportdifferent trainers for different sports with the intention of keeping your feet, toes and ankle safe while playing.

Wardrobe staple guidelines Avoid clothing burdened with unappealing accoutrements, prints or patterns and invest in eight staple colours which are black, white, brown, tan, khaki, charcoal grey, navy blue and dark cream.

Before even picking up a suit, a touch of tailoring, to some degree, should be considered. Seek a highly skilled alterations tailor for off the peg suits or if your budget will allow get both your African (kaftan, buba, sokoto and/or agbada) and British traditional suit A well-cut suit will never go out of style. Whether navy or grey, a beautifully crafted two-piece suit is one of the most versatile garments, a two-button suit in either tone covers weddings, job interviews and board meetings.

Avoid being tempted by jeans with unnecessary accoutrements and stick to a solid dark blue wash.

Straight-leg jeans are the perfect balance of tailored and leg room.

Burgundy (or navy) corduroy trousers are a great alternative.

Shirts Start with white and expand to shades of blue and pink, the darker the colour the less formal the shirt. Opt for solid plain colours before you consider semi-solids, stripes and checks.

Tailored trousers Khakis and chinos are a great alternative to jeans, ideal for warmer climates with colours navy and cream the best choice Similar to jeans, this casual-smart essential has endless styling opportunities. These trousers are not always stain-proof, so invest in a stain-resistant pair.

Blazer jacket Traditional, modern, casual, preppy, formal - blazer jackets are a universal must-have. Solid navy blue, single-breasted, one- or two-button blazers are season less, versatile and effortlessly coordinate staple item, is an absolute must.

choose thick soft cottons or silks for longevity and for a professional and timeless look.

Striped dress shirts are perfect for business wear although they are slightly less formal than solid whites and blues, making them less suited for conservative events such as job interviews, court appearances, job interviews and business meetings.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

L5

Teens World L6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Kimberly Anyadike, stands in front of her single-engine Cessna plane during her historic cross-country flight.

Be inspired!

Nigerian

Kimberly Anyadike

conquers the world to become first black teen to fly across the US She departed with a dream and returned home a record-breaker. Inspired by the Tuskeegee Airmen, then 15-year-old Cessna cross-country from her hometown of Compton, California to Newport News, Va. Kimberly Anyadike is thought to be the youngest African American female pilot to complete the journey, which took 13 days.

Aeronautical Museum, which offers aviation lessons in an after-school program for disadvantaged youths and ultimately turn them away from drugs and violence, came up with the idea for the trip on her own, the Petgrave said.

“I told her it was going to be a daunting shoulders” Petgrave said.

Along for the historic ride were an adult safety pilot and 87-year-old Levi Thornhill, one of the Tuskeegee Airmen during World

part of Operation Torch, then also active in Sicily and Italy, before subsequently deployed as bomber escorts in Europe where they were very successful.

“They left such a great legacy,” Anyadike

Kimberly had determinedly paid her way through the lessons through several regular jobs and odd jobs. She was reported to have washed airplanes as well as done other errands to earn what was called,

combat unit. “ they wanted to do was to be patriots for

variety of art courses at the Plaza De La She maintained an outstanding academic record during this period which was a criterion for remaining in the programme.

“I wanted to inspire other kids to really Anyadike said.

Born to Nigerian parents in Los Angeles

stunning and exemplary record at the age She intends to become a cardiovascular surgeon after her college education but has

American female to travel in space among others. Her journey into the world of piloting

took up the role of a youth leader. During that time in the church, she engaged in more learning, especially how to read music She is also learning how to play the piano, violin and guitar. Completing a course in Los Angeles Trade Technical College at the Saturday Science Academy

super cross-country journey that brought her to fame that, “

Earlier in life, Kimberly had the opportunity of engaging in other extracurricular activities such as being a years, and also learning to surf at the time.

Having an interest in dancing, she had gone ahead to attend the Lula Washington Dance Academy. While she was there, she learned ballet and hip-hop and tap dance.

She was also active in church activities and

some charity work as a volunteer to feed the homeless in downtown Los Angeles

hope Kimberly keeps up the fantastic work and that she would achieve all that she has lined up for her future.

This story should inspire young Nigerians

inspire other young people with her story has inspired you to go out there and

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

L7 Movie & Music Chart

Oparaugo Christian

Top ten music chart Foreign

1. Cheerleader by OMI 2.

(PICS) by The Weekend 3. Watch me by Silent 4. Lean on by major Lazer and DJ Snake ft. M0 5. The hills by the weekend 6. Fight song by Rachel Platten 7. Trap Queen by Fetty Wap 8.

by Fetty Wap featuring monty 9. Bad blood by Taylor Swift ft. Kendrick Lamar 10.

by Selena Gomez featuring A$AP Rocky

Top ten movie chart Foreign

1. Straight outta compton 2. Mission Impossible - Rogue Nation 3. The man from U.N.C.L.E 4. Fantastic Four 5. The Gift 6. Ant-Man 7. Vacation 8. Minions 9. Ricki and the Flash 10. Trainwreck

Top ten movie chat Yoruba 3 Abike 5. Asika 6. Ro kan mi

9. Ebitani

Top ten music chart Nigerian

1.

by Olamide 2.

by Kiss Daniel 3.

by Patoranking ft Wande coal 4. Bobo by Olamide 5. Applaudise by Iyanya 6. Ashimapeyin by Wande coal 7. Orente by Adekule Gold 8.

by Tomi Thomas 9.

by Darey 10. Bad by Mocheddah ft. Olamide

Top ten movie chart Nigerian

2. Code of silence 3. Unblissful 5. Lunch time 6. Silence 7. If tomorrow never comes

10. Secret room.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 25, 2015

L8 Television Showing on

Showing on

153 Africa Magic Urban

139 M-Net Movie Zone

02:30

01:25

Tue, 25 Aug | 16

Tue, 25 Aug | 16VSNL

interesting birthday surprise when his three girlfriends show up at his house at the same

In this quirky and fun romance Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen stars as a depressed

101 M-Net West

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

128 SONY MAX

03:00 Part Of Me 03:50 Queen Of Hearts

00:35 Hellion

Show 06:00 The Big Bang Theory 06:30 Proof 07:30 Idols SA

06:10 Husband For Hire 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts

10:20 Husband For Hire 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 01:31 Mad Dogs 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts

15:05 The Weakest Link 03:35 QI 16:30 Deal Or No Deal

13:00 State Of Affairs 15:00 Madam Secretary

19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts

05:00 Miranda

17:10 Pointless

05:30 QI

18:00 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

19:00 QI

Show 17:00 Playing House

19:35 QI 22:50 Husband For Hire 08:00 The Weakest Link

20:05 Would I Lie To You?

09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

21:30 State Of Affairs 22:30 Secrets & Lies

155 Africa Magic World 00:30 Jara

154 Africa Magic Family

Patrol

07:05 Whaddyado 07:30 Hole In The Wall

10:20 Deal Or No Deal 11:00 My Family

Patrol 01:10 1000 Ways To Die 01:35 1000 Ways To Die 02:00 Where The Day Takes You

Patrol 09:30 What Went Down

02:00 Music Block 03:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 12:00 Whaddyado 12:30 Hole In The Wall

05:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 05:50 Behind The Scenes: Nemesis

15:00 Lies That Bind 15:30 Lies That Bind 16:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh

10:00 So Wrong So Wright 10:30 Prem

Patrol

13:00 Music Block

17:00 Hole In The Wall 18:00 Whaddyado

19:00 Tinsel 00:00 Tinsel 01:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh

11:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 12:00 Music Block 13:00 Tinsel

Patrol 20:00 Bad Ink 20:30 The 5 Brides 21:00 Jara 21:30 Break In

19:00 So Wrong So Wright 21:25 Music Block 22:25 Music Block

Videos

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 25, 2015

Tech Times

s

TT 1

Inye Kemabonta, Editor, Tech Times inye@technologylaw.com.ng

NITDA set to align CPN, others on ICT for national development Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Mr Peter Jack, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) said the Agency is set to align with the Computer Professional (Registration Council) of Nigeria (CPN) and other stakeholders to press forward the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in the country.

Jack explained that there is a need for all the stakeholders to come together and develop a curriculum that will guide the activities of the partnership, adding that ICT is a catalyst in the production sectors like plants and pipeline, oil and gas and the maritime industries.

The DG NITDA further stated that the Agency will work towards provision of funding for CPN in the next budget for research, partner with them

Jack, NITDA DG

to complete the ongoing building and one of the floors in the CPN building in Abuja will be used as a capacity development centre.

In his response, CPN chairman of Council, Professor Vincent Agor, commended NITDA over its recent achievements and how it is representing the whole ICT body, pointing out that NITDA has through its activities become a household name in the ICT sector.

Prof. Agor also commended NITDA for the role it played in the just concluded Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) Conference in Akure, noting that they are proud of the partnership existing between NITDA and major ICT stakeholders in the country.

The CPN Chairman of Council implored NITDA to use the third floor in the CPN building for its programmes when completed.

MainOne’s Tier III emerges Nigeria’s first certified data centre MainOne’s premier Tier III Data Center, MDX-I, has emerged as the first Tier III Data Center operator in Nigeria to achieve both Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) and ISO 27001:2013 certifications.

This was disclosed by the company’s Chief Executive Officer, FunkeOpeke, during an event where company was presented with certification documents at its Head Office in Lagos, recently.

It was gathered that the certifications ensure the Data Center’s compliance to globally accepted standards on Customer Data Security as well as commitment towards the security and protection of the company’s information assets, while the PCI DSS accreditation is the most comprehensive, internationally recognized data

security standard focused on promoting payment card data security.

MainOne is a wholesale communications services company delivering connectivity services to institutions across West Africa. Since its market launch in 2010, the company has grown to become the largest wholesale Internet provider in West Africa and has deployed a world class IP NGN backbone network that is peered with major Internet exchanges globally. MainOne delivers communication services to Telecom Operators, Internet Service Providers, Governments, Large Enterprises and Educational institutions with requirements across the region. Leveraging on a growing regional terrestrial network, world class data centre facilities, a part-

MainOne staff presented with certification documents at its Head Office in Lagos, recently.

nership with Tier 1 upstream carriers and various Internet exchanges, MainOne ensures reliability and affordability of its services and has become the preferred wholesale communi-

cations service provider in West Africa.

The company’s specialties are in submarine cabling, wholesale internet, interconnectivity, Broadband Local and Interna-

tional, Integrated Connectivity and Technical Sales, SDH - IPLC, IP Access and IP Transit, communications service, world class IP NGN backbone network, data center, and collocation.

Tech Times TT 2 NIG designs annual conference as platform for broadband penetration strategy

Banjo

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 25, 2015

Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), a non-governmental organisation that promotes Internet usage in Nigeria has announced plans to host her Annual Conference and Exhibition 2015 edition slated for August 27 and 28, 2015 in Lagos, with the theme ‘Internet Penetration: The Way Forward’.

The President, Nigeria Internet Group (NIG), Engr.

Adebayo Banjo said the organisation’s annual conference and exhibition is designed as a platform for industry stakeholders and the public to gather and strategize on contemporary industry issues.

Banjo stated that topics slated for discussion include issues of critical success factors to the infrastructure provision, improved broadband penetration, appropriate legal and regulatory frameworks and political-will of the government to implement right policies.

The NIG boss said the conference has plans to invite Nigerian and international experts to address key issues especially as it regards the theme of the conference, while the event will serve as a vehicle for corporate bodies and organisations to display their products and services before stakeholders and guests.

The former Honourable Minister of Communication, Engr. Olawale Ige will serve as the Chairman of the occasion while the Director General, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr. Peter Jack will present keynote address.

The NIG president said there will be the NIG Annual General Meeting (AGM) on the second day of the conference and commended Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) and the MTN Nigeria for their supports.

NITDA to leverage on GITEX 2015 for development of entrepreneurial skills The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has said it will leverage on its participation at this year’s Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) billed to hold in Dubai this October to develop and promote Nigerian youths with entrepreneurial skills.

Nigeria has participated in the annual GITEX Technology Week for the past two years; appearing in the 2014 edition as ‘Country Partner’ while showcasing local companies with their services at the event that attracted over 135,000 participants from140 countries.

Mr. Peter Jack, the director general of NITDA, disclosed that Nigeria would leverage on the theme of this year’s event ‘The Internet Future of Everything’, by featuring array of young innovators that can deliver society changing solutions across all sectors including education, health care, agriculture, security, oil and gas, and the retail industry.

“We want to ensure promotion of local start-ups, projection of

the country’s vast and untapped Information Technology potential, organisation of Nigeria’s IT Investment Forum within the Nigerian Pavilion as well as distribution of IT intelligence material from Nigeria to the rest of the world at GITEX,” Jack said.

According to him, NITDA has embraced multi-sector stakeholders in the Local Organising Committee (LOC) to ensure full participation of the public and private sectors as well as the education/research institutions.

He explained that the committee will provide the framework and implementation activities for participation of stakeholders inside the Nigerian Pavilion at Gitex 2015 in order ensure a successful participation.

GITEX Technology Week is the most widely recognised annual ICT trade event across the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, as it continually identifies the hottest global technology trends led by industry thought stakeholders and leaders.

NCC declares defective SIM cards national security threat, blocks 10m telephone lines Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) has declared defective SIM cards threat to national security and blocked about 10.7 million telephone lines in the last two weeks in the ongoing de-activation of pre-registered Subscribers Identification Modules (SIM) cards of mobile network operators in Nigeria.

The Head, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement at the Commission, Mr Efosa Idehen, disclosed that such SIM cards portend risks to the nation’s security, particularly in the latest battle against terrorism.

Idehen said that Commission will not rest on its oars till telecommunication operators comply with the deactivation of invalid and improper registered SIM cards.

Idehen said that as at September 2014 when the data base was scrubbed, various numbers were sent to the telecom operators for re-validation and warning the operators to adhere strictly to instructions by deactivating SIM cards with defective registration.

He stated further that 18.6 million numbers were sent to MTN; Airtel got 7.49 million numbers; Glo and Etisalat networks received 2.3 million and 10.46 million numbers, respectively for re-validation.

According to him, the enforcement team recent visits to the operators after the expiration of the deadline showed that they were not prepared to conform to Regulator’s directive, adding that “When we appeared on their doorsteps unannounced, they were caught napping.”

He explained that when NCC visited MTN, earlier in August 2015, findings showed the telecommunication company had not complied with the directive, while Airtel, Glo and Etisalat networks had achieved partial compliance, with only 2.3 million, 3.5 million and 3.3 million lines barred, respectively.

The Head, Legal and Regulatory Services, NCC, Mrs. Yetunde Akinloye, on her part appealed to Nigerians to bear the pain of re-registration if they are asked to do so, stressing that the exercise requires

Danbatta

some patience and understanding of the users who might be required to visit operators’ customer centres/outlets for re-

registration.

Some of the cancelled registrations were the fallout of inadequate or non-provision

of characteristics such as finger prints, facial capturing and contact addresses among others.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 25, 2015

TT 3 Tech Times

Phase3 Telecom wins award at Technology Africa’s ‘Titans of Tech’ 2015 Stories by Tony Nwakaegho

Phase 3 Telecom, West Africa’s largest independent fibre optic infrastructure and telecommunications services provider, has won the “Pan African Broadband for Enterprise Solution Provider of the Year” at Technology Africa’s ‘Titans of Tech’ 2015 Awards.

Managing Consultant for Titans of Tech 2015, Mr. Pedro Aganbi, said that Phase3’s win is well deserved after going through meticulous voting exercise against top contenders including Computer Warehouse Group, Signal Alliance, Resourcery and Business Connexion; to come out as the chosen enterprise broadband services provider.

Aganbi stated that the company’s unique approach to amplifying regional connectivity puts the customer’s need first thus

gaining a strong market niche with discerning corporate customers.

The organisers believe that Phase3 has demonstrated time and again that it is committed to enhancing the availability of fast and reliable internet to the unserved and underserved parts of the West Africa Sub-region through investment in infrastructure and human capital.

According to him, the company’s recent opinion pieces in influential national dailies prove that its strategic insight and blueprint for Africa’s telecommunications industry is achievable, sustainable and key to eradicating the current digital divide.

Aganbi reiterated that Phase3’s active collaboration with critical partners has enabled it to broaden its reach in the West African sub-region hence is undeniably an indigenous telecom service provider of repute and one of

the critical broadband champion of the socio-economic development of Africa.

This is evident in the company’s just concluded network upgrade for high performance connectivity that allows its clients all over West Africa, to interconnect their operations in multiple locations over a dedicated link.

Phase3 chief executive officer, Mr. Stanley Jegede, said that “we are grateful for the outpouring of recognition and support from the region and international community for our vision to ensure the sustainable development of Africa through the provision of the most reliable telecommunications services.

Speedy broadband penetration is a major focus to what we do and we will continue to ensure that the region enjoys quality of service, reliability and exceptional customer experience as we continue on this journey”.

Jegede

Jegede maintained that the company hopes to continue to deliver on the promises made to its clients, partners and the industry, especially in the area of network expansion in West

Africa as well as investment in communications technology that enables its clients to share critical and big data within a secure, reliable and scalable infrastructure.

Huawei Marine & WACS Consortium completes upgrades Huawei Marine Networks (Huawei Marine), a global submarine network provider, has revealed that it has completed upgrades on the section from South Africa to Portugal and Portugal to United Kingdom of the West Africa Cable System (WACS) using Huawei Marine’s 100G transmission solution.

With the length of the Digital Line Segment (DLS) between South Africa and Portugal beyond 11,450 km, it’s been dubbed as one of the longest 100G submarine links in the industry.

WACS was commissioned in 2012 as the largest submarine cable directly linking Southern Africa to Europe and is the culmination of investment by eighteen leading international operators and regional carriers. At 14,530 km in total length, WACS initially offered a design capacity of 5.12 Terabits per

Constable

Telecom firms make N690bn from mobile tower sales

Nigerian mobile operators have raked in N689.96 billion ($3.45bn) from the sale of mobile towers otherwise known as base transceiver stations (BTS), which has led to massive fall in their capital expenditures.

MTN, Airtel and Etisalat have transferred their towers to third party infrastructure companies

in the recent months.

Etisalat Nigeria recently completed the transfer of 555 telecom towers to IHS Holding Ltd, leading Africa mobile tower provider for about $400 million, the second tranche of a sale and leaseback deal.

Etisalat Nigeria sold 2,136 of its towers to IHS and leased

second (Tb/s) split among fourteen countries including: South Africa, Namibia, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Republic of the Congo, Cameroon, Nigeria, Togo, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Cape Verde, Spain (Canary Islands), Portugal and the United Kingdom.

The upgrade solutions over 11,450 km utilize Huawei Marine’s innovative 3rd generation Soft Decision-Forward Error Correction (SD-FEC) and bit interleaved technologies which guarantee the compatibility of 100 Gb/s channels with 10 Gb/s channels on the existing network, thereby optimizing the available optical spectrum.

“Our aim is to provide an advanced, stable and seamless communications network which contributes to the social and economic development of the African region,” Chairper-

them back as part of plans to expand its coverage in Africa’s largest economy.

Etisalat, which presently has the highest quality network in Nigeria, said the partnership with IHS is designed to promote network sharing, ensure higher quality, sustain reliable mobile services, lower overall costs and

son of the WACS consortium’s Management Committee, Vishen Maharaj said.

We are constantly working to improve the capabilities of the WACS network while maintaining an economically viable and flexible service for customers.

It is our pleasure to cooperate with Huawei Marine to significantly expand the WACS network, which is a key part of this effort.”

Mike Constable, Chief Executive Officer, Huawei Marine Networks said, “With our advanced technology, Huawei Marine has achieved 100G ultra-long haul transmission and offered the WACS consortium a cost-effective solution that substantially increases and enhances network connectivity, operational efficiency and the end-user experience in these growth regions.”

also promote a cleaner environment through reduced diesel usage and increased investments in alternative energy solutions.

Bharti Airtel has sold more than 4,800 mobile phone masts in its Nigerian operation this year to American Tower Corp for $1.05 billion, as part of its CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 3

Tech Times TT 4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 25, 2015

Alomo-Oluwa canvasses growth of IT advo cacy in Nigeria ChamsAccess Limited has canvassed for the growth of Information Technology (IT) advocacy in Nigeria, noting that the country could remain backwards if the sector is neglected.

Managing Director, Chams Access Limited, Funke AlomoOluwa made this position known at the reception in honour of the newly inaugurated National President of the National Computer Society (NCS), Professor Sola Aderounmu, recently in Lagos.

Alomo-Oluwa who was the guest speaker, presented a paper with the theme, “Nigeria Computer Society: The need for IT advocacy in Nigeria” noted that despite the growing presence, adoption, and influence of technology in the country, various factors still mitigate against the holistic development and advancement of the sector.

“The development of Information Technology in Nigeria is hindered as a result of problems such as corruption and nepotism, poor procurement policies, and little or no IT governance. These issues negates the progress recorded and could further diminish them if not checked,” she said.

She cited predicaments such as data mining by foreign countries, lack of knowledge and skill transfer, loss of national/ military security intelligence to foreign forces, massive economic loss in international trade, lack of standardization, and low contribution of IT towards the nation’s Gross Domestic Product, as consequences of maintaining the status quo on ICT. She urged the relevant government regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders to massively devise strategies aimed at encouraging the development of

the sector in the country, adding that the present administration need IT that can bring about the needed accountability and transparency in public expenditures.

The MD Chams Access Limited implored the NCS to ensure they promote the importance and membership of the society, engage in the continuous education of its members and young people through periodic seminars and workshops, push for the review and update of ICT laws in Nigeria, and help campaign for funding of start-ups in the IT sector.

Also speaking at the event, Mr. Peter Jack, director general, National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), who was represented by Dr. Armstrong Takang, said the agency would continue to team up with the NCS to sustain the standardisation of the ICT sector as a means to further position the country as a frontline IT player globally.

According to him,”NITDA continues to demonstrate its commitment to standardising and promoting regulations for IT practise in Nigeria and is ready to support the Nigeria Computer Society in the cause to drive growth of our IT sector by promoting Local Content initiatives and programmes through support for start ups and indigenous technologies.”

In his response, the President of NCS, Professor Sola Aderounmu, said the leadership of Nigerian Computer Society will remain committed to its goals and statutes which include uplifting the standards of the profession, safeguarding the interest of our members, adding that through this, NCS will find its tasks easier, relations improved, and achievements and contributions enhanced for the growth and development of Nigeria.

L-R: Demola Aladekomo, Chief Host and Founding Managing Director, Chams Plc, Mrs. Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, Country Manager, Google Nigeria, Prof. Sola Aderounmu, President, Nigeria Computer Society (NCS) and Funke Alomo-Oluwa, Managing Director, Chams Access Limited, at the reception by Chams Group for new NCS president in Lagos recently.

L- R: Jeremy Doutte, Chief Executive Officer, Jumia Nigeria; Micheal Ikpoki, Chief Executive Officer, MTN Nigeria; Caesar Sengupta, Vice President, Product Management, Google and Benjamin Jiang, Managing Director, Infinix Nigerian, at the Android one launch announcement in Lagos recently.

Infinix Hot 2 redefines Nigeria’s smartphone industry Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Infinix Mobility has unveiled the new Infinix Hot 2 phone in collaboration with Google™ to bring high-performance, low-cost Android™ and to redefine Nigerians’ smartphone experience.

The device, which is the first smartphone on the Android One™ programme in Africa, will enable all users enjoy the latest version of Android with guaranteed software upgrades after release, premium hardware specs and a wide range of customized apps.

Speaking on the device, Managing Director, Infinix Mobility, Benjamin Jiang, stated that the new Infinix Hot 2 will redefine the smartphone industry in Nigeria.

“At Infinix we believe that Nigerian end-users deserve to experience the latest in trendy smartphones at competitive price. That is why we are pleased to collaborate with Google to deliver this unique smartphone; the Infinix Hot 2. We are confident that the phone will push the frontiers of smartphone technology to the next level,” Jiang said.

Firms make N690bn from mobile tower sales

The Infinix Hot 2 is made of glossy materials that give users a luxury experience. Its cutting edge style was precisely designed to fit in the palm of a user; its style, display and architecture gives it a unique design.

There are two versions of the Infinix Hot 2, 16GB ROM+1GB RAM and 16GB ROM+2GB RAM. They both come with a 1.3GHz Quad-Core Processor and 16GB internal memory.

The smartphone has a 2200mAh battery that allows users to enjoy the device for longer hours.

Powered by a Mediatek 1.3GHz Quad-Core Processor and a 2GB RAM, users can play 3D games on the Infinix Hot 2 in addition to an extraordinary experience while watching videos in highdefinition (HD). The device runs on Android Lollipop and there will be automatic update to the latest version of Android when it becomes available.

Vice President, Product Management at Google Caesar Sengupta, expressed delight at Infinix collaboration with Google, adding that “Google is pleased to collaborate with Infinix Mobility on Android One, a programme designed to help bring high-qual-

ity, low-cost Android devices to emerging markets. We’re looking forward to working with Infinix Mobility to empower the next billion people”.

As with other phones running the latest Android Lollipop, users of the Infinix Hot 2 can automatically enable the new battery saver feature to extend battery life by 90 minutes.

Users can also see the estimated time left before they need to recharge. And when charging, they can also see the estimated time for the battery to become fully charged. The operating system offers users more control over data usage by offering a two-quick swipe control to turn data on or off; they can also easily check data usage.

The Infinix Hot 2 also comes with a 5.0 inch display and highdefinition (1280 x 720 pixels) resolution that provide users with enhanced gaming and video experiences, allows users to read and respond to messages directly from the lock screen and provides quick access to tools like the flashlight, Bluetooth, WI-Fi, and more- also standards available on the latest Android Lollipop.

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plan to cut costs and reduce its debt. Bharti Airtel agreed to be the anchor tenant on the masts it is selling to American Tower, firstly for 10 years.

Chief Executive Officer of Bharti Airtel Africa, Christian de Faria, said this year that Nigeria is the largest mobile market in Africa and a key one for Airtel.

“American Tower has a proven track record in passive in-

frastructure management, and we look forward to benefiting from the best practices from all other countries it operates in,” he said.

Bharti Airtel also disclosed last month, that it had raised $1.3 billion with the sale of its mobile towers in five African countries from Helios Towers, IHS Plc and American Tower Company. The proceeds will go towards reducing the $10 billion debt used in its African operations in 2010.

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

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Tosin

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Poster!

TOSIN OKE

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EMULATING OKWARAJI’S 28 QUEST FOR EDUCATION AND FOOTBALL

About TOSIN Tosin Oke (born October 1, 1980 in London,

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e c y r P Fraser s n i a t e r e l t i t m 100

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prepares to join SUAREZ Milan 30

not worried 31 about injured duo

OKE

About TOSIN Tosin Oke (born October 1, 1980 in London,

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EXTRATIME Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Tuesday, August 25, 2015

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Tosin

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Tuesday, August 25, 2015

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SPECIAL FEATURE

Future stars! Joe Erico (right), Mutiu Adepoju (2nd right) and MTN’s Richard Akinwale (3rd right) in a handshake with the products of MTN Football Scholar before a match.

MTN FOOTBALL SCHOLARS AND UNEARTHING FOOTBALL TALENT Andrew Ekejiuba

W

hen the MTN Football Scholars program kicked off, its mission was clear- unearth budding football talent between the ages of 14-17 years and provide them with a viable platform to excel and become top flight footballers.

Five years later, this unwavering commitment remains unflinching and a change to many multi-national companies doing business in Nigeria.

If anything, MTN Football Scholars platform, a unique program that combines education with soccer has successfully delivered on its promise of putting smiles on the faces of beneficiaries by providing them with a once in a lifetime opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

Little wonder when the 2015 edition of MTN Football Scholars kicked off, expectations where quite high that the initiative will meet up to the lofty standards of previous editions. Interestingly, this year’s edition had a unique twist. Organizers decided to focus on home-ground leveraging of the Scholars who have been on the program. The USA returnees went on a tour of novelty matches against four higher institutions across the country; University of Abuja, University of Nigeria (Enugu Campus), Federal

University of Akure and University of Lagos.

For 19-year-old Isaac Sampson, a beneficiary of the initiative who is currently in the American International College studying Physiology, the promise of achieving his dream started unfolding the moment he was selected for the program. It afforded him an opportunity to dream of having himself wear the green and white jersey of the Super Eagles.

To him, every step of partaking in the program is a giant one towards donning the country colours. That explains when he audaciously said that: “Studying in the United States and at the same time playing football is a wonderful experience for me.

Football is my passion and I hope to represent Nigeria one day.”

To MTN, Sampson had nothing but profuse thanks. He would forever remain grateful of the chance they afforded him to reach onto great heights and it is expected that companies and individuals who do business in Nigeria should emulate this gesture by contributing their quota to sports development in Africa’s largest economy.

“I am very grateful to MTN for providing us this opportunity to set in motion the processes to achieve our dreams. There are many young footballers like me who have dreams of playing at the highest level. This

program has undoubtedly proved a very good launching pad for us and we are thankful for this,” Sampson enthused.

Seeing the program’s immense impact, it comes as no surprise then when football icons and ex-internationals showered commendations on the initiative.

To them, it is a needed and very welcome development for Nigerian football.

“It is not that we lack good footballing talent in Nigeria, but what we require is a credible platform where sought out talent can excel and expose them to the world. Programs like this MTN Football Scholars are what we need to achieve this. As I am sitting here, I have spotted some talented boys in this match. Kudos to MTN for putting this together,” ‘Headmaster’ Mutiu Adepoju told Extra Time while in attendance at one of the novelty matches.

Accordingly, former Green Eagles skipper, Henry Nwosu did not hold back good words as he expressed his joy at the development of the players who have returned from a football cum education training in the United States of America on the platform of the initiative.

“The progress of the players is amazing and they are doing quite well. If we were encouraged like this during my time, the sky would have

been the limit.

“MTN has really done well with this program and I urge other corporate organizations to emulate them,” he said as he watched from the sidelines when the scholars trounced Unilag Warlords on their own turf.

Joe Erico who is the permanent coach of the program was in joyful mood as he saw his charges take on each University team; a testament of their development having benefited immensely from the program.

“I am very delighted at the progress of these boys. They have developed very well on this platform.

I have been involved in this program since its inception and the good thing about it is the joy you derive from it.

It gives the kids room to be educated and alongside their talent and that is key,” Erico said.

The University of Abuja edged the Scholars 3-1 in an entertaining first of the novelty matches. The Scholars improvised as they thrashed the UNEC team by the same score-line.

They managed a one all draw against FUTA and rounded off a successful tour with a 2-1 victory over National Universities Games hopefuls, the Unilag Warriors.

The Universities’ teams on their part also emerged winners in varying degrees. Yakub Yahaya, Joseph Okorie, Salami Ismail and Owolabi Ifedunor all emerged the MVPs for

their various universities team and were handsomely rewarded with a N250, 000 scholarship each, for their on-field exploits. This is in addition to Samsung Galaxy smartphones awarded to them and to other best players.

Beyond football thrills, the 2015 edition was a potpourri of everything exciting, especially for the youths and spectators who thronged the match venues. MTN Project Fame success story and the telecoms giant ambassador, Iyana Mbok was the headline act that toured with the Scholars. At every stop, he held the spectators spellbound with good music from his array of hit tracks.

His performances capped a gifting spree of freebies and gift items for the spectators as ample reward for their participation. At each location, raffle draws held where the winners became proud owners of new Samsung Galaxy smartphones.

Others went away with goodie bags and airtime equally to light up a momentous 2015 edition of the MTN Football Scholars The 2015 edition of the MTN Football Scholars may have come and gone, but its impact and legacy will never be forgotten. Perhaps, it is the chance these young lads have been waiting for to be the next Rashidi Yekini, Peter Rufai or Kanu Nwankwo of our time!