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Buhari lacks moral right to intervene in Gambia –Fayose

Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏ Ekiti state governor, Mr. Ayo Fayose,

has described President Muhammadu Buhari’s involvement in the meeting with President Yahya Jammeh to persuade the Gambian president to concede defeat as an aberration.

Fayose said that “a man like Buhari un-

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GAINERS AS AT December 14, 2016 STANBIC

14.00

14.50

3.57%

INTBREW

Continued on page 12

18.05

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016 VOL. 2. NO. 256

NSE QUICK BITE 18.94

4.93%

UNILEVER

44.98

N150

LOSERS AS AT December 14, 2016 43.84

-2.53%

BETAGLAS

32.99

32.00

-3.00%

2017 Budget: NASS lists 11 bills to revamp economy ÏÏÏ ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ Ɛ ƍƏƆ Ɔ Ɛ MƣêƾÖƤƐƏ ƍƍƏ ƍƏƈ Ɛƈ ƈƋƋ

Ï Power, Works, Housing, Interior, Education, Defence Ministries get lion share Ï Proposed laws to mobilise private sector capital in infrastructure devt –Saraki Ï Dogara asks Buhari not to focus on anti-graft war alone, but on full budget implementation

Chris Emetoh, Olufemi Samuel and Henry Umonu, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The

National Assembly (NASS) has listed and prioriContinued on page 6

NPDC loses N1.5trn to vandals 12

N4.7bn fund: EFCC re-arraigns Ladoja, Akanbi

5

Husband, wife to die by hanging in Osun 12

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Lagos to prosecute contractors, others

6

Lekki building collapse: Ondo State governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko (right), in a warm embrace with Ondo State governor-elect, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN) during a courtesy visit on Mimiko at the governor’s office, Alagbaka, Akure. Ondo State… on Wednesday.

PAGEANT GRAND FINALE

Venue: Eko Hotel & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos Date: Monday, 19th December, 2016

Time: 7:00pm

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

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Editorial Return of roadblocks in South East

W

hile Nigerians are trying to cope with the devastating economic recession that has made their lives a miserable wreck, some government security agencies are vowing to add to the miseries confronting them. These security outfits are no other than the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and the Nigerian Army (NA). Like thieves in the night, they have surreptitiously been erecting roadblocks and thereby disrupting the free flow of goods and people, especially this Christmas season. Incidentally, nowhere is this menace and disruptions to human and vehicular activities so pronounced as in the South East. According to reports, the police and army have in a brazen show of force turned the entire South East into a huge garrison with roadblocks dotting every inch and mile of the entire geopolitical zone.

Unfortunately, the timing of this action has been affecting negatively on the economic and social activities of the people in the area who are bewildered at this inauspicious show of force. Surprisingly, such disruptions and discomfort are coming in the heels of warning from the Police High Command against mounting roadblocks on any of the country’s roads.

Just two months ago, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 6 Command, Mr. Abubakar Marafa, warned police officers against roadblock, saying that since the policy on roadblock has not changed, any officer found indulging in the violation of fundamental human rights would face sanctions. In spite of this warning, Nigerians are aghast that the authorities are looking the other way while their personnel are through their actions causing interminable traffic gridlocks and harassing road users, in the guise of security checks. Question is why the concentration of roadblocks in the South East. The reason is not far to find. For the Army, it is to check the activities of Pro-Biafra independence agi-

tators, while the police ostensibly claim it is to check hoodlums and criminal activities. Nevertheless, we know that far from helping to reduce crime, these roadblocks have become avenues for soliciting and actually extorting bribes sometimes at gunpoint from motorists and commuters.

It bears repeating that these roadblocks do not only constitute nuisance, they are making travelling a nightmarish experience. Before now, motorists enjoyed a brief period of respite, even as the highways became open spaces for normal vehicular activity and serenity. Sadly, the coming of roadblocks is threatening to cripple the joy of road travel and commercial activities, even as it exposes the seedy side of those manning them.

We call on the government to immediately dismantle these roadblocks. They are not serving any useful purpose.

Rather, they constitute urban nuisance and have become avenue to corruptly enrich some uniformed personnel. The South East is not a war zone, even as people should not be subjected to indignities in the name of security checks.

Overtime, roadblocks have become regular scenes of bloodshed because fatal accidents occur when unsuspecting motorists are forced to stop abruptly.

Most times, security agents have killed motorists and commuters for failing to stop or refusing to pay illegal levies imposed at these checkpoints. In addition, numerous innocent passengers have also died from stray and directly aimed gunfire in the process.

The indiscriminate mounting of roadblocks is capable of causing serious tension and apprehension among the populace. This is because the presence of such checkpoints means that there is some kind of trouble in the vicinity. While we are not against mounting roadblocks to meet specific intelligence reports, we believe that it should not be seen as punitive or an avenue to illegally enrich those that erected them. We believe that the roadblocks should go.

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National Skill Acquisition coordinator, Stella Akande (middle), with other trainees of textile and design section during the women empowerment initiative, by the First lady of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Mrs. Aishat Buhari at Ikeja, Lagos… on Tuesday. Photo: Edokpolor Osayande.

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L-R: Executive Director, Personal and Business Banking, Mr. Babatunde Macaulay; Chief Risk Officer, Mrs. M’fon Akpan; Chief Executive, Mr. Yinka Sanni, all of Stanbic IBTC Bank; founder and Executive Chairman, Zinox Technologies Ltd, Mr. Leo Stan-Eke and Deputy Managing Director, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dr. Demola Sogunle; during the commissioning of Stanbic IBTC Bank’s first digital branch located at Maryland Mall, Lagos… on Wednesday.

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L-R: Lagos State Commissioner for Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation, Hon. Lola Akande; chairman & convener, Musical Youth Fiesta Initiative, Sen. (Mrs.) Oluremi Tinubu; wife of Lagos State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; her Osun State counterpart, Mrs. Sherifat Aregbesola, during the presentation of certificates to graduands of Leadership Academy for Girls, at the Musical Youth Fiesta 2016, tagged: “The Truth”, at Eko Hotels & Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos… on Wednesday.

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Any priest who preaches resurrection of Jesus Christ without seeing the resurrection of the economy - is wasting his time

Ibrahim Babangida

Wole Soyinka

“The work of Nigeria is not complete for as long as there is any one Nigerian who goes to bed on empty stomach.”

“The greatest threat to freedom is the absence of criticism.”

4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

5 News

N4.7 bn fraud: Ladoja, Akanbi re-arraigned Peter Fowoyo

ÎÎÎ

Eight years after he was arraigned before Justice A. R. Mohammed of a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, former governor of Oyo state, Chief Rashidi Ladoja, was on Wednesday re-arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) over alleged fraud of N4.7 billion.

The erstwhile governor was re-arraigned alongside Waheed Akanbi by the agency, which claimed that both Ladoja and Akanbi committed the offence sometime in 2007.

Their re-arraignment before Justice Mohammed Idris of a Federal High Court in Lagos, yesterday, followed the dismissal of their appeal against the charges, which went all the way to the Supreme Court over a period of seven years.

Seventy-two-year-old Ladoja appeared in court in a green Agbada of Ankara fabric, a brown cap and black shoes while Akanbi was dressed in a black suit.

The eight counts pressed against them by the EFCC bordered on money laundering and unlawful conversion and of funds belonging to Oyo State

to their own.

In one of the counts, Ladoja and Akanbi were accused of converting a sum of N1,932,940,032.48 belonging to Oyo State to their personal own, using a Guaranty Trust Bank account of a company, Heritage Apartments Limited.

The EFCC claimed that they retained the money sometime in 2007, despite their knowledge that it was proceeds of a criminal conduct.

In another instance, Ladoja was accused of removing the sum of £600,000 from the state coffers in 2007 and sent it to Bimpe Ladoja, who was at the

APC Governors contributed N1bn each for Rivers election -Wike Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÎÎÎ

Rivers state governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused four All Progressive Congress (APC) governors of bankrolling the activities of security agencies that he claimed unleashed violence across the state during the December 10 rerun elections.

Addressing the Rivers people in a statewide broadcast on Wednesday, Governor Wike said that the “brazen subversion of our democratic rights that took place on December 10, 2016, was carefully planned and orchestrated by some highly-placed and desperate politicians from the state in concert with the Governors of Bauchi, Benue, Kano and Plateau States, who reportedly bankrolled the plan with the sum of one billion naira each, at a time they cannot pay salaries of civil servants, let alone embark on development projects in their states.

He said: “If Rivers people could be visited with such a despicably high degree of violence, mayhem and killings by some renegade military and SARS operatives with impunity just to rescue the dying

political fortunes of the APC in mere legislative re-run elections, then we can now begin to imagine what is likely to happen in the state when the political stakes would be very much higher in 2019. “ He regretted the brazen manner that Federal Might was negatively used to ensure the return of APC candidates at all cost. He noted that the people of the state still need to thank God because the negative outcome could have been worse.

The governor said that the state government received credible information on the planned electoral theft and mass violence through the use of security agents, but all efforts to alert the nation were disregarded.

He pointed that that he has been vindicated by the ugly incidents of December 10 where two senior policemen, an Assistant Commissioner of Police, Steven Hasso and the Commander of Special AntiRobbery Squad (SARS), Chief Superintendent of Police, Akin Fakorede and other security operatives tormented Rivers people, killing many in the process.

He said: “They accused us of raising unnecessary alarms when we cried aloud over

time, in London.

The ex-governor was also accused of converting a sum of N42m belonging to the state to his own and subsequently used it to purchase an armoured Land Cruiser jeep.

He was also accused of converting a sum of N728, 600,000 and another N77, 850,000 at separate times in 2007 to his own.

The EFCC claimed that Ladoja transferred the N77, 850,000 to one Bistrum Investments, which he nominated to help him purchase a property named Quarter 361, Ibadan, Oyo State.

The EFCC told the court that

Ladoja and Akanbi acted contrary to sections 17(a) and18 (1) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004 and were liable to be punished under sections 14(1), 16(a) (b) and 18(2) of the same Act. The defendants, however, pleaded not guilty upon the charges being read to them.

The EFCC, lawyer, Mr. Oluwafemi Olabisi, consequently asked the court to fix a date for commencement of trial.

But the defence counsel, Mr. Bolaji Onilenla and Mr. Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, informed the court of their clients’ bail applications.

Onilenla, representing Ladoja, urged the court to allow his client to continue on the bail conditions granted him in 2008

by Justice Mohammed.

“The first defendant has kept full faith with the terms and conditions of the bail and there was no single incident of default,” Onilenla said, while assuring Justice Idris that his client would “behave himself” and make himself available for his trial.

He said in case Justice Idris was not willing to allow Ladoja to continue on the previous bail, he should grant his client bail in liberal terms.

From the Archives: Josy Ajiboye

their devilish plans to use the federally-controlled SARS to disenfranchise our people and manipulate the re-run election process towards achieving some pre-arranged outcomes against the will of the people.

“Today, we have clearly and eloquently been vindicated.

Despite the unprecedented deployment of over 28,000 police personnel, three helicopters and 20 gun boats for the re-run elections, we all witnessed how Stephen Hasso, Akin Fakorede and their gang of marauders took direct and complete control of the election process from INEC in the Rivers South-East Senatorial District, as well as in Ikwerre, Emouha and Port Harcourt Local Government Areas, and left unimaginable trails of mayhem, shootings, maiming and killing of innocent people.

“Indeed, never in our history have Rivers people been so physically, mentally and psychologically brutalized, traumatized and denied their rights to freely and fairly elect our leaders by shameless gangs of hired, power-drunk, triggerhappy and irresponsible security officers and their political collaborators.”

Akwa Ibom Christmas Carol holds this weekend ÎÎÎNext

generation network, Globacom, has thrown its weight behind the 2016 Akwa Ibom State Christmas Carol Festival. The company which also sponsored the festival in 2015 is the exclusive telecoms partner for this year’s edition.

The festival, whose theme is “Let Our King Be Lifted High”, will take place on Saturday, December 17, at the

Uyo Township Stadium. It will be broadcast live by the major television stations, including African Independent Television (AIT), Channels TV, DSTV (on Africa Magic and dedicated channels) and AKBC. Globacom explained that the success of last year’s carol which had award-winning artistes from all over the world, including two Gram-

my award winners performing, informed its decision to again sponsor the festival this year.

“We fully identify with the Akwa Ibom Christmas Carols festival which has become one of the biggest crowdpulling events of the Yuletide season. Our desire is to follow the passion of Nigerians and connect them with their passion”, the company said in a

statement released in Lagos.

For the 2016 edition of the festival, multiple awardwinning international gospel singer, Don Moen, the PRM band from the United Kingdom, the Kenya Boys Choir and the Kayamba Africa Choral Ensemble are billed to perform. Other artistes who will entertain guests at the event are some of the country’s top gospel musicians

including Sammie Okposo, Buchi, Steve Crown, Elijah Oyelade, Rev. Fr. Patrick Edet, Esther Edoho, Julius Nglass and Perfecta Ekpo.

The Ibom Orchestra, The Ibom Brass Band and the Akwa Ibom State Government Choir, which put up a brilliant performance in the 2015 edition, will also take turns to thrill the audience.

The climax of the show will

be the globally acclaimed 10,000-man choir which has a record of rendering remarkable Christmas Carols in a manner that had never been experienced before.

Chief host of the event and Akwa Ibom State Governor, Mr. Udom Emmanuel, has already sent a message of appreciation to Globacom for accepting to sponsor this year’s event.

News 6

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2017 Budget: NASS lists 11 bills to revamp economy Continued from page 1 tized eleven economic reform bills for passage alongside the 2017 appropriation bill in order to help resuscitate the ailing economy, Senate President Bukola Saraki has said.

Saraki disclosed this yesterday while receiving President Muhammadu Buhari to a joint session of the National Assembly, where he presented the 2017 appropriation bill totaling N7.298 trillion, which is tagged the budget of recovery and growth.

The budget estimate presented by President Buhari is in line with the Medium Term Expenditure Fremework, which the Senate approved a day earlier.

Buhari said the 2017 budget is based on a benchmark crude oil price of US$42.5 per barrel, as well as an oil production estimate of 2.2 million barrels per day, while the exchange rate is pegged at N305 to the US dollar.

He said the aggregate revenue available to fund the federal budget is N4.94 trillion, 28 per cent higher than 2016 full year projections.

He said revenue from oil is projected to contribute N1.985 trillion for funding the budget.

According to the 2017 budget estimate, the non-oil revenues, comprising Companies Income Tax, Value Added Tax, Customs and Excise Duties, and Federation Account levies are to contribute N1.373 trillion.

The budget also indicates a projection of N807.57 billion for Independent Revenues with projected receipts of N565.1 billion from various recoveries.

Other revenue sources, including mining, are expected to contribute the sum of N210.9 billion.

Break down of the Budget as presented by the president indicated statutory transfers of N419.02 billion; debt service of N1.66 trillion; sinking fund of N177.46 billion to retire certain maturing bonds; Non-debt recurrent expenditure of N2.98 trillion; and capital expenditure of N2.24 trillion (including capital in Statutory Transfers).

However, the N7.298 trillion budget, according to the president, constitute an increase of 20.4 per cent over 2016 estimates, 30.7 per cent of the budget will be for capital in line with determination by the government to reflate and pull the economy out of recession.

He said, “This fiscal plan will result in a deficit of N2.36 trillion for 2017, which is about 2.18 per cent of GDP. The deficit will be financed mainly by

borrowing, which is projected to be about N2.32 trillion. Our intention is to source N1.067 trillion or about 46 per cent of this borrowing from external sources, while N1.254 trillion will be borrowed from the domestic market.”

On recurrent expenditure, the president said a significant portion has been provisioned for the payment of salaries and overheads in institutions that provide critical public services.

According to the document, the budgeted amounts for recurrent expenditure to ministries and agencies showed that Power, Works Housing, Interoir, Education, Defence are amongst ones that got lion share of the budget.

The figures are as follows: N482.37 billion for the Ministry of Interior; N398.01 billion for Ministry of Education;N325.87 billion for Ministry of Defence; Power, Works and Housing: N529 billion.

The Senate president said that the NASS intend to get these bills ready alongside the 2017 Appropriation Bill as it believes that the core elements of these bills will aid the executive in mobilizing the required private capital into the general economy, but especially the infrastructure market.

“In the thinking of the 8th National Assembly, our country can no longer rely on the public sector alone to steer us out of recession. It is therefore critical that we mainstream private sector business and investment in the economy. To achieve this, we must make it much easier and efficient for people to invest and do business in our country,” the Senate president noted.

“Further to this, we are also aware that if we must attract private investments to play a central role in our economic recovery efforts, we must make deliberate efforts to market Nigeria as an attractive brand through a very robust and highly coordinated process of engagements. This effort must necessarily start with injecting confidence in the market through clarity and consistency of policies. We must speak the right language and show that we are open to and ready for legitimate business.

He noted that Nigerians must see that the singular preoccupation of government is the search for solution to the current economic hardship; and the commitment to ease their burden. They don’t want to know what political parties we belong, what language we speak.

He, however, assured that the

NASS would commit to work on the 2017 budget speedily to get its early approval in order to save all Nigerians from the current economic situation of suffering.

Meanwhile, House of Representatives Speaker, Yakubu Dogara, has challenged President Buhari not to focus only on fighting corruption but also pay adequate attention to the full implementation of the annual budget, end the distorted budget cycle, complete abandoned capital projects and end the era of white elephant projects as a means to unlocking the full economic potentials of Nigeria.

The speaker observed that it is frustrating that the country goes through the annual budget cycle/process of budget presentation, processing of the budget by the National Assembly, its passage and signing into law ev-

ery year, without unlocking the full potentials of such budgets for the benefit of Nigerians.

“This is because implementation and execution of the agreed budget is always a major challenge, year in year out. Sometimes, implementation rate is as low as 30 per cent; most times it is never higher than 50 per cent at the best of times. This has led to unacceptably high rate of abandonment of projects and distortions in Nigeria’s economic planning,” he added.

He recalled his last year’s advice that an Appropriation Act must be allowed to run for an uninterrupted period of 12 months, for the executive to have enough time to execute it.

This means that both Mr. President and the National Assembly must find a way to continue the execution of the 2016 budget, especially the capital component

till May 6, 2017.

Dogara therefore, enjoined the president to add the distorted budget cycle and abandoned capital projects /white elephant projects to the list of things, in addition to corruption, that he must kill.

“There is no better way by which real change is attained.

The real challenge before us is to make our annual budgets work for all our citizens, especially the poor and the vulnerable. This is a task all of us must be supremely devoted to,” the speaker added.

Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriation, Senator Danjuma Goje , briefing journalist shortly after the budget was laid by Buhari, said that legislators will go through the draft budget and do the necessary process as contained in the constitution.

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Lekki building collapse: Lagos to prosecute contractors, others Benjamin Omoike

ÏÏÏ The Lagos State Government on Wednesday, said it has concluded arrangement to commence prosecution of suspects linked to the collapse of a five-storey building on Tuesday March 8, 2016, in Lekki, Lagos, which led to the death of 30 persons.

The State’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem, in a statement, said government has concluded its legal advice on the incident and is now ready to prosecute a total of nine suspects deemed culpable in the collapse of the building.

He said: “Following the conclu-

sion of investigation by the Nigerian Police Force and technical reports of relevant experts, my office has concluded its legal advice and decided to prosecute the suspects for failure to obtain planning permit contrary to the provisions of the Urban and Regional Planning and Development Law, Ch. CU2 and Involuntary Manslaughter, contrary to the provisions of the criminal law of Lagos State, Ch. C17, Laws of Lagos State, 2015 respectively.”

The attorney general said a criminal charge has already been filed before the High Court of Lagos State against the suspects, while they would be arraigned on the alleged offence any moment

from now.

It would be recalled that on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at about 05:00hrs, a property being built

by Messrs. Lekki Gardens Estate Limited and Get Too Rich Investment Limited known as Horizon 1 Extension, House H15, Lekki, Lagos State, collapsed claiming the lives of 30 people.

While reiterating the commitment of Governor Akinwunmi Ambode-led administration to protecting lives and property of citizens, Kazeem assured the general public that government would leave no stone unturned to ensure that criminal negligence and any form of crime is duly brought to book.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday December 15, 2016

Customs seizes Dangote Cement truck loaded with contrabands Babajide Okeowo & Joy Anyim

ÏÏÏ

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Federal Operations Unit, FOU, Zone, A, has intercepted two Dangote cement trucks loaded with contrabands, including frozen poultry products, bags of rice and vegetable oil. Other items discovered by the NCS included, four containers loaded with second hand clothing, all put at a duty paid value of N325, 053, 085.00 only.

The Controller of the Zone, Comptroller Haruna Mamudu, who disclosed this while briefing journalists at a maiden press briefing in Lagos, said that about 210 different seizures were made between 25th October, when he took over the leadership of the zone in November, 2016.

He said, so far, some 77 suspects had been arrested in connection with the seizures.

Information revealed that the trucks, which were intercepted at Idiroko and Papalanto in Ogun state, were seized based on information received from good spirited members of the public, saying that, a swift action taken by men of the zone nipped it in the bud.

The seizures were said to also include, smuggled vehicles, various general merchandise and 1, 300 parcels of Indian hemp, which had

been handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, with three suspects-Itobo Egebe, Munirudeen Ekumopali and Aremu Hameed-for further investigation and prosecution.

While commenting on the other successes made by the zone, which was in line with the operational duties of the NCS, Haruna further said that six warehouse in Lagos had been sealed up for contravening the laws.

He said, “You will recall that since I took over here, we have also intensified our operations at various bonded terminals/warehouses to ensure compliance to the extant laws. To this end, about six warehouses in Lagos that have contravened the laws are under Customs’ seal, pending thorough investigation.”

Similarly, the zone also recovered N286,623,853,00 Naira only, from duty payments primarily from vehicles and general goods.

The Comptroller explained that the amount recovered was “from duty payments and demand notices on vehicles and other general goods that tried to beat the system from seaports, airports and border stations in the guise of false declaration, transfer of value, and shortchange in duty payment that are meant for the Federal Government, making a cumulative of N611,676,938,00 only.”

7 News

Senate calls for resignation, prosecution of SGF Olufemi Samuel & Chris Emetoh, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Senate, on Wednesday, called for the resignation and prosecution of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Mr. Babachir Lawal, following alleged complicity in the diversion of funds earmarked for North-East rehabilitation.

This followed presentation of the interim report of the Adhoc Committee on mounting humanitarian crisis in the North-East, by the chairman of the committee, Sen. Shehu Sani.

The Senate called for Babachir’s resignation following alleged contravention of the provisions of Public Procurement Act and the Federal

Government Financial Rules and Regulations pertaining award of contracts.

Presenting the report, Sen. Sani said that some of the contracts were awarded to companies belonging to top government officials’ cronies and family members.

He added that the committee found out that Rholavision Engineering Limited, a company, with Lawal as Director, for instance, was awarded consultancy contract.

The company’s major role, according to him, is the removal of invasive plant species in Yobe state on March 8. ``Although Engr. Babachir resigned the directorship of the said company in September, 2016, it is on record that he is signatory to the

accounts of the company,’’ he said.

Sani further said besides lawal’s complicity, The Presidential Initiative on North East (PINE), which carried out the entire procurement activities, contravened laid down rules.

According to him, those awarded contract took undue advantage of the provision of emergency situation contract award in the procurement act to inflate figures.

He also said most of the contracts had no direct bearing or impact on the IDPs who were living in deplorable conditions.

Sani lamented that in spite of the health challenges in the camps, there was absence of the Federal Ministry of Health, except for the Nigerian Air Force medical team

who had only few equipment at their disposal.

He added that the committee equally noticed the presence of the National Emergency Management Agency(NEMA) and State Emergency Management Agency(SEMA), working with other agencies. ``Despite the claim by some federal government agencies, what is on ground as seen by the committee does not justify or reflect the claims. ``For example, over 70 per cent of displaced children both in camps and with host communities were out of school due to lack of infrastructure ``Generally there is acute shortage of food amongst the IDPs, as observed in one of the IDPs visited,’’ he said.

23 rights groups seek review of EFCC Act by NASS Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏA

coalition of 23 concerned Nigeria Political Pressure groups has called on the National Assembly to review certain aspects of the Act establishing the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

This is even as the coalition frowned at what it described as the unwarranted persecution and ridiculing of the immediate past first lady of the country, Dame Patience Jonathan by the anti-graft agency.

The Coalition made the call at a news conference jointly addressed by Alhaji Ali Abacha, of the Northern Patriotic Forum and its national coordinator, Ogbuefi Fidelisuma Nnelirk-Mmalive, in the SouthEast.

The p called on President Muhammadu Buhari to order the immediate stoppage of the said persecution of Mrs. Jonathan.

The coalition, which tagged itself as “non-political and non-partisan”, advised that the EFCC, under its present Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu,

should not be made a monster organization to be used by the Executive against perceived opponents.

The EFCC, the coalition said, should desist from its lazy man’s posture which makes it often apply media trial on matters that ought to be tried in law courts.

According to the pressure groups, “the Commission must ensure that it rounds off investigations on matters on its table before going public as this would not only give its prosecution a sound presentation, but also win it a favourable judgment at the courts”.

The Coalition added, “we have been watching with keen interest in the past 15 months the prosecution of the anticorruption war of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari by agents and agencies under his administration who have been charged with driving this noble and well-conceived initiative.

“First, we must commend Mr. President for this irrepressible war which has earned him immense national and international recognition.

Members of the female football national team, the Super Falcons, in a peaceful protest over alleged non-payment of their allowances by the Nigerian Football Federation at the National Assembly, Abuja…on Wednesday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

CPC’s order: Consumers get N2.5bn as compensation Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Consumer Protection Council (CPC) has disclosed that it has ordered a redress of consumers of up to N2.5 billion between January and November as refunds and composition in the resolution of their complaints on unsatisfactory services and products.

The Director General of the CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, made this know Wednesday in Lagos during the public presentation of the agency’s 2016 Annual Report.

Mrs. Atoki said that the amount included foreign currencies of $31,948.87 and 1,406.

According to her, financial services recorded the highest value of the total amount, while insurance and pensions had the least value.

She stated further that out of the 5,000 total number of complaints received in various sec-

tors, 4,000 were resolved, while electricity/power and chemical and allied products sectors had highest and least number of complaints respectively.

Mrs. Atoki disclosed that under enforcement, the total value of substandard products removed from Nigerian markets was over N242.3 million with food and beverages taking the lion share of over N200 million and tobacco with the least value of about N300,000.

Further breakdown of the value of seized products showed that substandard products worth over N202 million were seized from malls, super and open markets, shops and warehouses, while the value of electrical and electronic products seized during the period is N40 million.

Shedding more light on the activities of the Council, the director general attributed the positive strides made by the

Council during her administration, particularly in the year 2016, to the adoption of sectoral intervention and other initiatives.

The DG emphasized that “the sectoral intervention adopted in the strategic plan enabled such result and provided speed and spread to consumer redress”.

She asserted that the achievements highlighted in the annual report “is a reflection of the work we have done to promote and protect the interest of Nigerian consumers”, pointing out that when she assumed office in May 2013, “consumer abuse in virtually all sectors was pervasive”.

The CPC boss said, due to the huge consumer abuse in virtually all sectors of the economy, “the Council in developing its 2013-2017 strategic plan, identified a tripod stand for a fast track delivery of its mandate via sectoral intervention, en-

hanced consumer awareness and collaborations with other sector regulators”.

Mrs. Atoki, who said the Annual Report has highlighted most significant achievements and interventions of the Council for the year 2016, disclosed that the organisation deployed the sectoral intervention strategy in the satellite television service, food and beverage with particular reference to the beer industry, banking, hospitality, aviation and electricity sectors.

She explained that the intervention of the Council in satellite television service, focused on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, out of which consumers have been enjoying improved services, while its action in the hospitality sector focused on the VIP Express Tourism Limited with its Order for the refund of over N25 million to over 60 of the company’s subscribers because of exploitative service.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Political change critical to S’Africa’s businesses in 2017 -consultant

Femi Ganiyu

ÎÎÎ

Businesses in Southern and East Africa may be threatened by a number of challenges, including macro-economic instability, especially induced by low oil prices and global economic sentiments.

In two separate statements signed by the Marketing Director, Europe and Africa, Mr. Friederick Lyon and Charity Kahuki, on behalf of APO, a consulting firm, they identified internal political uncertainty

across a number of key nations, as capable of posing greater risks to the regions and their economies.

According to Kahuki, in her own statement, “Companies will pursue different strategies to protect value and seize opportunities”.

The statement added that, many organisations will be defined as Arks and OR Whales by their response.”

According to Lyon, “African businesses will remain vulnerable from failing to accord cyber

security risk the same value as more established security or political threats. Better governance has improved the business environment but plain sailing is not assured.”

The statement said that, “Macro-economic instability, fueled by low oil prices and global economic sentiment, will continue to be the main driver of business risks across Southern Africa in 2017. Governance improvements and the embedding of certain democratic practices and norms will limit the scope

of potential for deterioration among African nations.”

While quoting George Nicholls, Senior Partner for Control Risks in Southern Africa, the statement added that, “Macro-economic and domestic political changes are driving African nations to reinvent themselves in the hope of becoming Dubai or Singapore style commercial hubs. This will present lucrative new opportunities for business, but equally engender unknown risks and require a deeper understanding of the local political and regulatory environment.”

Uyo church collapse: APC, Oyegun Commiserate with Udom Tom Okpe, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe National Chairman of the

All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, has commiserated with the Akwa Ibom governor, Udom Emmanuel, conveying the condolences of the Party’s National Working Committee (NWC) over last Saturday’s church building collapse in the state which led to the loss of several lives and injuries of others.

Oyegun, in a condolence letter signed on Wednesday, said in spite of the tragic loss of lives, there was still need for thanksgiving as the situation could have been much worse as many lives, including that of the governor, were rescued from the wreckage of the worship center.

The APC national chairman prayed for the lost lives and wished the injured quick recovery.

The letter reads; “On behalf of myself and members of the NWC of the APC, let me convey our deep sadness and sympathies to you and the people of Akwa-Ibom State in respect of the unfortunate collapse of the Reiner’s Bible Worship Center, Uyo on Saturday December 10, 2016 that resulted in the loss of several lives and injury to many.

“In spite of the tragic loss of lives, there is still need for thanksgiving that despite the extensive damage as revealed by press photographs, the situation could have been much worse as many lives, including that of Your Excellency, the Governor, were rescued from the wreckage of the Worship Center. May the souls of those who lost their lives rest in peace while wishing the injured quick recovery.

“Once more please accept the deep sympathies of our Party and be assured that our prayers and thoughts remain with you, the government and people of Akwa Ibom State”, it added.

L-R: Team leader, Propcom, Mr. Collins Apuoyo; acting managing director, Bank of Industry (BOI), Mr. Waheed Olagunju; country coordinator, Competitive African Rice Initiative (CARI) Deutsche Gesellschaft Fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit, Dr. Andrew Efisue and executive director (Corporate Services) BOI, Mr. Tobin Jonathan during the AGRO Mechanization Fund MoU signing ceremony, in Abuja... on Wednesday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

C’ River begins screening of children against malnutrition

Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia

ÏÏÏ

The Cross-River state government says it has commenced the screening of no fewer than 750,000 children across the 18 local government areas of the state against malnutrition.

The Director-General, Cross River State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, Dr. Betta Edu, made this known on Wednesday in Calabar.

She spoke at the flag off of the second round of Maternal Newborn and Child Healthcare Week in the state.

Edu said that the week was a health intervention for mothers and children from zero to 59 months across the 18 local government areas.

According to her, in spite of the financial constrain facing the state, Gov. Ben Ayade is still

committed to ensuring that every woman and child benefits from free health services within the week and beyond.

“We are starting this maternal newborn week with the free screening of over 750,000 children against malnutrition across the 18 local government areas of the state.

“After the screening, any child that is malnourished will be referred to the nearest general hospital for treatment.

“We are also going to immunise and deworm the children against all forms of sicknesses; these services are free of charge.

“These services will reduce infant mortality and improve our health indices in the state.

“We want to keep our women and children alive by providing free quality health service for them,’’ she said.

Also, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr Inyang Asibong, said that the state government attached much priority to the health sector.

Asibong called on nursing mothers across the state to visit the nearest primary health centre closer to them and access the free health services.

Speaking, Dr Ekpo EkpoBassey, a lawmaker and the Chairman, State House of Assembly Committee on Health, said that the week was very important as it would offer free health service to mothers and children.

One of the beneficiaries, Mrs Theresa Edet, thanked the state government for the kind gesture.

Edet said that if not for the intervention, some of them could not afford the health services due to lack of money.

We have raised education standard in Enugu via radio school programme –Commissioner Moses Oyediran, Enugu

ÏÏÏEnugu

state Commissioner for Education, Prof. Uche Eze, said his ministry has used the ‘Radio School’ programme of South Saharan Social Development Organisation (SSDO) to improve the standard of education in the state.

Speaking on Wednesday during a town hall meeting in Enugu, Eze said that preliminary reports suggested improved learning by students who were the target audience since the programme started in September.

The radio school programme involves the broadcast of selected subjects by trained and experienced teachers while the target students listen and direct questions to their class teachers.

The commissioner, who was represented by the Director of Schools in the ministry, Mr. Frank Okoro, said that the state government was opened to such collaborations by development partners.

“SSDO is doing well in the programme as that is the way to reach the wider audience. We look forward to a better synergy and working relationship with you,” he said.

Eze said that though the radio school broadcast was embedded in the school curriculum as an in-school programme “it has improved mass literacy across the state as most people listen from their homes.”

Also speaking, the Executive Director of SSDO, Mrs. Grace Nwobodo, said the town hall meeting was a prelude to another flagship radio programme of the group aimed at addressing exclusion of youths in politics.

Nwobodo said that the latest programme tagged ‘The Awakening’ was a youth focused civic enlightenment aimed at reducing political apathy among young people in the South East.

She said that the programme was funded by the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA) and the Department for International Development (DFID).

“The overall objective is to deepen democracy and create an open society in Nigeria through the mass media by engaging the various youth strata on how to make constructive input to government plans.

“We observed that young people in the South East are excluded from discussing issues that are germane to their empowerment and this comes as an intervention,” she said.

Nwobodo said that ‘The Awakening’ would provoke the youth positive into actions of demanding full representation, involvement and participation in decision making processes.

“It will encourage them take ownership and assist government and other relevant stakeholders to drive the process of transparency, accountability and fair implementation of development progarmmes,” Nwobodo said.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Politics

El-Rufai

9

s

Bala-Bantex

Sani

La’ah

S’Kaduna killings: Frustration and dep gov’s olive branch Patrick Okohue To say that Nigeria is facing security challenges of huge proportion is to state the obvious, what with the challenges posed by the Boko Haram insurgency in the North East, the increasing raids and killings in various communities across the country by the Fulani Herdsmen, and many other crimes that has resulted in myriads of killings.

Many security watchers across the country have argued that there is more blood being shed in the country today than at any time in its history outside the time of the civil war.

Though such assertion is very debatable, one thing that is however not in doubt is that the nations’ security architecture is facing more challenges these days than in other times.

In all of this one thing that has defied solution is the Herdsmen killing across several communities in the country, but more especially in the Southern Kaduna part of Kaduna State of the country.

However, one thing that keeps many Nigerians wondering is the fact that while the security agencies are everyday talking about setting up task forces against cattle rustling which off course is another heinous crime across many parts of Northern Nigeria, very little is heard about what they are doing to combat the everyday menace of Fulani Herdsmen across the country.

While it may be true that the government is doing enough to address this issue much still needs to be seen especially in the case of Southern Kaduna, where communities are being sacked on daily basis, with several lives lost and properties worth several millions destroyed.

This development has pitched many political leaders against the governor of the state, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, because they believe he is not doing enough to address the situation.

Speaking on the crisis, the Senator representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District, Shehu Sani accused the governor of among other things incompetence and lack of genuine interest in the people’s welfare.

Also, the Senator representing Kaduna South in the National Assembly, Sen. Danjuma La’ah, who incidentally is the only Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state accused the governor of being behind the killings in Kaduna South, further accusing him of paying the Herdsmen being the killing.

The Senator challenged the governor to state how much he has so far spent in paying the killers and also state their where about since he has met with them on several occasions.

But, the deputy governor of Kaduna State Barnabas Bala-Bantex will not have any of that, to him, the attention Governor el-Rufai has paid to the issue of the killings in Kaduna

South is evidence of his love for the sanctity of human life.

Speaking on a life interview on Channels Television, Bala-Bantex said because the governor was desperate to get a solution to the problem he was ready to do whatever it takes including paying to ward off the attacks.

“You see, when you become desperate and you see life as sacrosanct; it is very unfortunate that we have gotten to a stage in this country when the taking of human life is such a very easy thing to do with very little consequences. For anybody who considers the sanctity of life he will go all the way to ensure he saves lives,” he said.

The deputy governor who blamed most of the killings on nomadic Fulani people who comes from several states and sometimes outside the country to attack in the state, also blamed the ECOWAS treaty on free movement for some of the difficulties being faced by security agencies.

“They just come and disappear into the thin air. One thing we have come to understand is that once you have a killing of a Fulani man, what they do is to send word round to different places, some could come from

They just come and disappear into the thin air. One thing we have come to understand is that once you have a killing of a Fulani man, what they do is to send word round to different places, some could come from Bauchi, some could come from Plateau, some could come from Niger Republic and they just meet there, strike and disappear.

Bauchi, some could come from Plateau, some could come from Niger Republic and they just meet there, strike and disappear.

“You know the ECOWAS treaty on free movement has also benefited cross border criminals more than even the good people.

We have a unique problem here and like I said there are many factors that we must bring to bear in all these, but unfortunately we are not prepared to understudy them, there is the issue of piracy, there is the issue of changes in the fortunes of the people as a result of climate change. What is important to me like I said is that these killings in Southern Kaduna we must look at it local government by local government, community by community, because there are communities were the elected representatives, the traditional rulers and the security committee of the place are acting proactively and nipping these issues as they come.

“So, what we have done as a government is to create the presence of the military in position. But like I said what we need first and foremost is the cooperation of the communities. In these communities where these things happen we have a well structured leadership, we have the traditional leadership, we have the religious leadership, and more importantly we have the political leadership and I want us to look at this crisis on local government by local government basis, because there lies the structure that is expected to know what happens at each instance and after that we can say we need the support of the government at the state level.

“At the local government level there is a security committee comprising of tradiCONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

North–East has been neglected since 1960 -Ibrahim Senator Bukar Abba Ibrahim is the Senator representing Yobe East Senatorial District of Yobe State in the Senate. In this interview with CHRIS EMETOH, on the level of implementation of the 2016 budget, he said North East has never benefitted from government budget, and makes case for free and compulsory education as the only way out of being marginalised Are you satisfied with the implementation of the 2016 budget even as we as President Muhammadu Buhari presents the 2017 budget before the National Assembly?

It is very difficult for me to say because ever since I came to this Senate my constituency has never ever benefitted from budgetary allocations, that is a statement of fact.

Irrespective of which ever government in power, we have not benefitted from Nigerian budgets so I don’t really know.

But reading from the newspapers and looking at the documents that have been laid before us, the budget has done very well, probably the best since I came into the Senate, so far within a very short time particularly from the middle of 2016 till date a lot of projects have been executed and a lot of money have been sank into the economy through capital projects and I believe they will continue sinking money until the next budget is ready. So to that extent looking at the percentages and looking at what has been on capital and so, it has performed very well, but as far as I am concerned, no budget has ever performed very well for me. Not just in my constituency but in the whole of the North East Geo political region. We have a problem of Boko Haram and even besides Boko Haram we have had a history of negligence by all governments since 1960.

No government in this country since 1960 I will say has done well for my state (Yobe) or for the North East geopolitical zone, so to that extent I will say that this and other budgets have not done well at all. But to the extent that this ‘change government’ has come in less than two years and within that period the number of projects they have executed in other parts of the country, they have done very well.

When you talk about budget performance, the 2016 budget did emphasise so much on diversification of the economy into different sectors, but it seems only agriculture received attention to the detriment of the others?

No, I don’t think that is correct. Agriculture yes of course got the highest consideration, but solid minerals development also is getting a very high attention by this government and of course the fight against corruption is receiving attention.

Corruption has a way of killing a country and making it poor. Corruption has a way of strangulating the poor people in a country.

And Mr. President in his words defined the three most important programmes of his administration for Nigeria to include, fighting corruption, diversification of the economy through agriculture and also solid minerals.

I think he has done well in these areas and will continue I believe, to do well in those areas at the expense of other areas, because there is no way he will give priority to all the sectors at the same time, especially in a country with a huge population like Nigeria.

So I think he has done well so far in all those areas. Let’s give him and his team more time

Ibrahim

at least for another two and a half years before we take a hard look at their achievements in other sectors. But those are the areas they choose for themselves as areas they are going to give higher considerations, but I think they have done virtually well.

You said that no government since 1960 including the present has impacted on your constituency and the entire North East through the budget….

Yes virtually none.

What can you attribute it to besides the rise of Boko Haram?

You know in a country like Nigeria once they leave you behind it will be very difficult

to catch up. The North East had been left behind right from the colonial era, we have been underdeveloped, we don’t have much education, our resources have not been exploited even up till now. Even before the coming of Boko Harm we have been left behind.

We are the least developed among the six geopolitical zones in the country today. The most marginalised , the least developed, the most neglected part of Nigeria , that is the North East.

But we have one third of the land mass of Nigeria and we are not doing very badly in terms of population, but we have been left behind for too long. We are struggling to catch

As far as I am concerned, no budget has ever performed very well for me. Not just in my constituency but in the whole of the North East Geo political region.

We have a problem of Boko Haram and even besides Boko Haram we have had a history of negligence by all governments since 1960. No government in this country since 1960 I will say has done well for my state (Yobe) or for the North East geopolitical zone, so to that extent I will say that this and other budgets have not done well at all.

up, but it’s not easy because other people are also struggling to leave us further behind.

However, in the long run I believe we will together with other marginalised areas of some other geopolitical zones in Nigeria (because in every zone there are areas that are marginalized) catch up.

The only hope of the North East and the others similarly marginalised lies in education. And because of our realization that education is the only way out of marginalisation, we are calling on the various governments to declare education free and compulsory. Free and compulsory because most of the people who are in power don’t come from the marginalised areas, they don’t pay much attention to us. They are fairly better off, so they are not thinking seriously about free and compulsory education, which is the only hope of the marginalised areas in all the six geopolitical zones in Nigeria. Especially in the North, our only hope is on free and compulsory education.

That way, in the next 15-20 years we will catch up with most other places, that is our only hope, free and compulsory education.

There is an unfolding drama about how funds meant for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the North East were misappropriated under the Presidential Initiative on the North East (PINE) are you aware of this?

I don’t have all the details, but I have heard accusations and counter accusations by PINE and the people in the North East over the misuse of huge sums of money spent on various issues, but I don’t have the detail. But I can always find out.

Excuses have been given that the Federal Government has been unable to achieve any meaningful thing in the North East from the 2016 budget as a result of the activities of the Boko Haram. Now that the insurgency is almost subdued are you optimistic that the 2017 budget will address some crucial issues?

I strongly believe that the coming of Buhari is a blessing to the North East. Buhari besides being a former military governor in the North East has always been assisting the geopolitical zone. He understands the North East because he was a governor there, he has travelled round all the states in the zone and he has been very sympathetic, that much I know.

Boko Haram has taken us back 20 years, but even before Boko Haram we were the most marginalised in Nigeria like I said earlier, and adding to that is the coming of Boko Haram, but I don’t think we are going to stay with Boko Haram for too long. With what I have been hearing and with what I have been seeing it will not last for too long. In fact now you can only find them in the country side, in the villages marauding, harassing and robbing people of their money and food just to survive and that makes it even worse for them. Before Boko Haram we were in a bad situation, but they only made it worse, but I believe that if we have leaders like President Muhammadu Buhari these neglected parts of the country will definitely be helped.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

11 Politics

Rivers Rerun: Abatemi-Usman congratulates Abe Former Vice Chairman, Senate Committee on Niger Delta Affairs, Senator Nurudeen Abatemi-Usman, has congratulated Senator Magnus Abe, the winner of Rivers South East Senatorial rerun election held last Saturday.

Magnus Abe of All Progressives Congress (APC) was declared winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, after he polled a total of 125,938 votes to defeat his main opponent, Olaka Nwogu of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who got 25,394 votes.

Abatemi-Usman who just returned

to the country from Ghana as a longterm ECOWAS election observer, described the outcome of the Rivers South East senatorial rerun poll as a great victory for the entire people of Ogoniland and triumph for democracy.

“I congratulate Senator Magnus Abe of the All Progressives Congress (APC) for his landslide victory in the just concluded Rivers South East senatorial rerun election. The outcome of the election is, undoubtedly, a victory for the Ogoni people. It is a great victory for democracy.

“More importantly, it has revealed

the impunity with which the 2015 election in Rivers State was conducted and the manipulations therefrom where a particular party cleared all the National Assembly seats in the state. I do know that the people of Rivers South East will not regret their decision as Magnus Abe did not let them down in the previous term he served in the Senate.

“As a colleague to Abe in the seventh Senate, I can attest to his valuable contributions on the floor of the Upper Legislative Chamber of the National Assembly. I wish him a huge success as he returns to the Red Chamber to

continue with his laudable representation of the good people of Rivers South East,” Abatemi-Usman said.

He equally commended the former governor of Rivers State and Minister of Transport, Rotimi Amaechi, for his role in the election of the APC candidates that emerged victorious in the Rivers rerun polls. According to him, “the outcome of the Rivers Rerun elections has clearly revealed a lot more about the leadership and acceptance of Rotimi Amaechi in Rivers States politics, as against the widely condemned outcome of the 2015 elections in Rivers State.”

Abe

How PDP crisis can be resolved, by Sheriff

Lateef Ibrahim, Àbuja

One of the two factional National Chairmen of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Senator Ali Modu Sheriff on Wednesday said that the crisis currently rocking the party will either be resolved through negotiations or judicial process.

Sheriff said this in Abuja while playing host to the executive members of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, chapter of the party, led by its Chairman, Hon Jeji Musa.

Senator Sheriff made it clear that the most important thing for now is to ensure that the PDP is returned to the people, who are its authentic owners.

The former governor of Borno State said if the crisis within the PDP is to be resolved amicably through negotiations, himself (Sheriff) and the other factional Chairman, Senator Ahmed Makarfi will have to resign from their positions, while a neutral and non-partisan committee should be set up to conduct a national convention to elect new national officers for the party.

Sheriff recalled that he once invited Senator Makarfi to his office during which he made the propos-

al of a committee being set up to organise a convention for the party, pointing out however that the suggestion did not go down with him (Makarfi).

The former Borno governor and two-term Senator stressed however that if negotiations

among the two factions failed to resolve the crisis, then the matter will be left for the Court of law to resolve.

The factional Chairman, who noted with regrets that he had been called all sort of names over his insistence that the right thing

Makarfi

be done, maintained that PDP is bigger than both himself and Makarfi.

According to him, “My mission is to build the party and give it back to the people, the grassroots people. PDP must go back to its owners.

Sheriff

“I will not keep PDP a day longer than necessary. There is no name that I have not heard. I Am not bothered about this.

“Only Nigerians should be allowed to determine who their leaders are. Governors or elected representatives should know that the people elected them and that they are accountable to them,” he said.

Continuing, he said, “If Makarfi believes in the PDP, then let the two of us resign and set up a committee and allow that committee to organise a national convention for the party.

“Enough of all this blackmail, we must go and chose our leaders.

If Makarfi wants negotiation tomorrow, we are ready. We will not allow a small group of people to decide our fate.

“Impunity must stop in PDP. Let the judiciary decide. In the absence of any negotiation, we will let the court decide on the crisis,” he stated.

Speaking about the court cases instituted by the party, Sheriff said that he and his team have tremendous respect for the judiciary and the rule of law, stressing that it (the judiciary is the last hope of the common man.

S’Kaduna killings: Frustration and dep gov’s olive branch CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

tional rulers of the areas, religious leaders and major stakeholders and when you go through the happenings, you will discover that it starts from little misunderstanding between two human beings, they don’t just start, you will discover that the reaction that follows thereafter in the form of a reprisal takes more than the life of that one person, so there is the need for communities to corporate with us, particularly the political class,” he said.

The deputy governor also blamed the upsurge in the killings in Southern Kaduna on a in a Northern based national newspaper

which reported that a Fulani was killed in Southern Kaduna, a story which he said he later found out not to be true.

Reacting to a question of whether the attacks is aimed at dominating a people and taking over their land for the purpose of grazing, Bala-Bantex said, “Like I said, “Personally, I am not aware of any displacement and taking over as it is so presented, but I do know that after such attack farmers make efforts to go back to their farms, but these people come and sometimes shoot at them and sometimes kill them and disappear. The idea of territorial ambition has not come to my knowledge “You know after all these, you know some

people like the indigenous people that have been displaced in several communities, indigenous Fulanis that some of us grew up to meet are no longer there, they have moved to neighbouring Bauchi State, they are not there in the course of this crisis, this displacement has affected them.

“My recommendation has always been that these people who have no other place other than those areas from where they come must be brought back, we have been doing a lot in that area, bring them back, reignite the old ways of living together harmoniously as it has always been, then collectively re-invent their communities against insurgents.”

He said if the crisis must be resolved the traditional institutions and the government must work together to address it, “It is both the government and the traditional rulers.

Government is ahead in doing that, but the question of who must accept that as a principal, as a solution, is the traditional institutions and the subjects of that community, they must accept that they are ready to bring back the old days.

“Look the indigenous Fulani communities are themselves farmers, but in the course of the crisis occasioned by people coming in from outside, they have been attacked as well by those coming from outside and also attacked in reprisals.”

News 12

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Buhari lacks moral right to intervene in Gambia –Fayose

Continued from page 1 der whose free, fair and credible elections no longer exist, lacks moral rights to preach obedience to democratic principles to anyone.”

The governor said great Africans like former President Goodluck Jonathan, President John Mahama of Ghana and others who have lost elections and conceded defeat were in the best position to intervene in Gambia and not someone like Buhari who lost election three times and never conceded defeat.

Last week, Mr. Jammeh, appeared on state television to concede defeat and heartily congratulated his rival in the presidential election, Mr. Adamma Barrow, after the December 1 polls.

However, in a surprise move that sent shock waves across a continent that is bedeviled by sittight presidents, Mr. Jammeh said that he was rejecting the results of the election that ousted him.

He also called for new elections.

“I hereby reject the results in totality,” said Mr. Jammeh, who has been in office for 22 years. “I will not accept the results.”

Jammeh’s sudden recanting of his earlier position of conceding defeat, which many described as statemanly, prompted an ECOWAS /AU/UN high-level joint mission to The Gambia on Tuesday comprising Buhari, Presidents Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf of Liberia, Sierra Leone’s Ernest Bai Koroma, outing going president John Mahama of Ghana, and Mohammed Ibn Chambas, UN Special Representative for West Africa.

But Governor Fayose wondered what President Buhari, whose government, he said, is desperately moving Nigeria from a multiparty democracy to a one-party state, would have told President Jammeh during their meeting in Banjul, the Gambian capital.

According to his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka,

the Ekiti state governor said “with what happened in Rivers State last weekend, it is certain that votes of Nigerians will no longer be allowed to count as the APC cabal in the Presidential villa has now assumed the roles of INEC, allocating votes to their party and using security agents to force their will on the people.”

Governor Fayose asked: “Did President Buhari face Jammeh and advised him to accept defeat the way he (Buhari) conceded defeat in 2003, 2007 and 2011 when violence was instigated and several people, including Youth Corp members were killed? Or did Buhari lecture Jammeh to take to democracy at gunpoint, which is now the norm in Nigeria?

“How can Buhari, who has destroyed the legacy of free, fair and credible elections that was handed over to him, be the one to prevail on someone else to adhere to democratic principles?”

He said Buhari should first remove the timber in his eyes before attempting to remove the toothpicks in other peoples’ eyes, describing the President as a physician who cannot heal himself but trying to heal others.

The governor said even though President Jammeh behaved dishonourably by reneging on his initial promise to accept defeat, involvement of President Buhari in the meeting to persuade him to step down was the height of hypocrisy.

The governor said that Nigerians are now more concerned with how to take back their country like the Gambians have done.

“Nigerians are worried about the possibility of Buhari behaving like Jammeh in 2019 after he must have been defeated and that the international community may need a high-powered delegation to pilot his rampaging bull out of Nigerians chinashop,” he said.

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NPDC loses N1.5trn to vandals in 2016 Opeoluwani Akintayo

ÏÏÏ The exploration and produc-

tion subsidiary of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), the Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (NPDC), said it lost N1.5 trillion to attacks on its facilities in 2016 alone.

Group Managing Director of NNPC, Dr. Maikanti Baru, revealed this at the opening ceremony of the 2016 NNPC Security Awareness Week with theme, “NNPC Security: A Task for All Stakeholders,” in Lagos on Wednesday.

Baru cried out against criminality in the society, especially in the oil and gas industry in particular leading to loss of much needed revenue.

“At industry level, we are all conversant with the seriousness and frequency with which na-

tional assets in form of pipelines, flow stations, etc., are vandalised and crude oil and white products stolen with impunity.

“In 2016 (January to date), for example, NPDC alone recorded 59 security incidents resulting in crude production shut down/ deferment and revenue loss of over N1.5 trillion,” the GMD lamented.

He called on Nigerians to help protect the national assets, saying that governments at various levels were doing much to end criminality.

He said success in the fight against terror can only be achieved when all stakeholders know that security was a task for everyone.

“At corporate level, you are all aware that the first item on my 12 Focus Areas is security. This is in recognition of the imperative

that without assurances of safety, NNPC, the oil and gas industry, and indeed the country cannot achieve appreciable growth to assure citizens of decent and productive lives”, he stated.

The GMD also launched the corporation’s Kidnap for Ransom Policy to raise staff awareness on the need to avoid actions that exposes them to being kidnapped, especially during the festive period when kidnapping for ransom has become very rampant.

Baru charged staff to participate actively in the activities of the Security Awareness Week to imbibe ideas that could help them not only in personal security, but also in the protection of national assets.

Security of oil and gas pipelines in the Niger Delta region has been a challenge for past administrations, especially

since President Muhammadu Buhari took over office on May 29, 2015.

Several cases of pipeline vandalism and bombings have occurred, shutting down oil and gas production and export, which in turn resulted in loses of revenue, including foreign exchange earnings for the country.

In its bid to nib the problem in the bud, the federal government had tried dialogue with various aggrieved groups in the Niger Delta region, all to no avail, leading to the use of coercion.

With the OPEC and non OPEC cut deal already in place, and oil already hitting above $57 per barrel, the government hopes the country could resume production and export, thereby making more money for the diversification of the economy and growth starting from 2017.

Husband, wife to die by hanging in Osun Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

ÏÏÏ A couple, Mr. Fatai Jimoh and Lateefat Jimoh, have been sentenced to death by hanging by an Osun State High Court sitting in Ile-Ife. The court, which was presided over by Honourable Justice Adedotun Onibokun sentenced the couple to death by hanging on Wednesday.

The convicts were arraigned on June 2, 2014 on three counts charge of murder, conspiracy to murder and armed robbery respectively.

These, the court said, was contrary to section (1) 316 and punishable under 319 Cap 34 Laws of Osun State and section 1 (1) 2 (a) of the Robbery and Fire Arms (Special Provision) Act, Cap R11 Law of Federation of Nigeria 2000.

It was gathered that on August 12, 2009, “the convicts conspired together to murder and rob Mrs. Bukola Taiwo (Deceased) at Ikeketu village via Garage Olode in Ife South Local Government Area”.

Delivering the judgment, the Judge said: “Mr. Fatai Jimoh went into the room of deceased let out to her, where she normally slept whenever she came from Ibadan to buy red palm oil.

“He strangulated her while his wife (Lateefat Jimoh) used a sledge hammer to smash the forehead of deceased, which led to her death and convicts took away untied wallet in the bosom of the deceased which contained the sum of N48,780.”

During the court hearing, the prosecuting counsel from Osun State Ministry of Justice, Barrister Moses Faremi (Principal State Counsel), called four witnesses.

They witnesses included a police inspector, pathologist from University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan, the Baale of Ikeketu and the neighbours, who saw what happened and alerted others.

The convicts reportedly confessed to some of the offences in a statement made by them at the police station.

According to them, the broke into the room where deceased kept kegs of palm oil and sold some of it and promised to return it before the incident occurred.

Justice Onibokun subsequently found them guilty on two counts - murder and armed robbery-and sentenced them to death by hanging.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

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14 Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Buhari, Sanusi, NCC and contradictions of Nigeria

T

Reno Omokri

he contradictions of Nigeria under this administration are quite pathetic. You have a state government that cannot trace the killers of the wife of an evangelist beheaded in broad daylight in Kano even though the event was caught on camera. Then, you have another state government that is able to trace killers of hundreds of its own citizens to Cameroon and Niger and when they traced them did not apprehend them.

Rather, they offered them money not to kill again. This is not an excerpt from Steven King’s latest horror book.

This is an excerpt of life in the new and improved Nigeria!

In addition, the contradictions continue. On Monday November 5 2016, President Buhari complained about the demands that Nigerians were making and ended his lamentations by asking them not to make expensive demands of him.

A president who built an expensive helipad for his personal use in Daura with taxpayers’ money now asks taxpayers not to make expensive demands! Indeed, #ChangeBeginsWithMe! If Muhammadu Buhari knew the demands of the office were too much for him then why did he contest for four times?

If I were to advice, I would tell him to choose his words carefully because his defensive words today may be offensive words tomorrow.

Yet, another contradiction is the ugly news from the NCC. When the madness from the Nigerian Communications Commission reared its head in the form of the attempt by the Buhari administration to hike the tariffs for GSM and Internet services, I immediately saw it as a desperate attempt by the federal government to source for funds to pay the 200,000 N-Power graduate employees it promised to employ.

After repeated promises to employ them and even more repeated delays, the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo eventually set a resumption date for the scheme as 1st December, 2016, the same date that the federal government through the NCC had set as the start date for the new tariffs.

Coincidence? As a life long student of mathematics, I am convinced that there are no coincidences and this latest ‘coincidence’ only crystallises my belief.

Like someone said on Twitter, other than Nigeria, I can not imagine another nation that will devalue its currency, increase fuel and electric cost yet leave wages the same!

Little did I know at the time I was reading that tweet the government was toying with another tariff increase.

In addition, when it suspended the data tariff hike, after public outcry, the NCC said it did so to enable it do consultations.

It is wrong really for officials whose electricity tariff, fuel and GSM plans are paid for by taxpayers to increase

fuel, power and GSM plans of the people!

In truly progressive nations, it is the regulator that forces telecommunications firms to lower prices. I am dumbfounded that in our case, the regulator is the one seeking an increase.

I thought the federal government said they were going to spend their way out of the recession. From the look of things, their plan seems to be to tax their way out of it!

Rather than direct GSM firms to hike rates, the NCC should invest in free public Wi-Fi for the advancement of knowledge in Nigeria.

It will enable unemployed youths gain access to a trove of publicly available information they can then apply to creative ventures that will lead to jobs, businesses and vocations. The human mind must be engaged and if it is not positively engaged then it will be negatively engaged.

I sympathise with the Buhari administration on its need to source for funds to pay for N-Power and other poverty alleviation initiatives. However, they should not tax the poor to provide for the poor. You tax the rich to provide for the poor.

On December 2, 2016, Forbes magazine reported that China has begun implementing a 10% additional tax on luxury cars.

In justifying the tax, the Chinese ministry of finance released a statement saying “In order to guide rational consumption and promote energy saving and emission reduction, the State Council [cabinet] has approved a consumption tax on luxury cars.”

Nigeria’s leaders expose their hypocrisy when they turn up for public events in their long convoys of very expensive and foreign cars!

Nigerian automobile manufactures now make bulletproof cars (partially made in Nigeria) so there is no reason for anyone, including the President, to drive in long convoys of obscenely

expensive Mercedes Benz and BMWs. The Nigerian currency (Naira) hardly circulates within. Rather, government officials make the dollar, euro or Japanese Yen stronger by their purchase of foreign products!

Rather than increase the tariff on GSM and Internet rates, the federal government should direct the Federal Inland Revenue Service to take a cue from China and tax the super rich.

Instead of taxing the rich, the FIRS announced that it is about to implement a policy where Nigerians would have to show a tax clearance certificate before applying for an international passport.

What type of authoritarianism is this? An international passport is a right not a privilege. A government cannot deny it to its people.

Rather than target the long suffering masses, wealthy Nigerians can and should pay their fare share! We are all witnesses to the larger than life lifestyles of the rich.

Additionally, we all read how President Buhari, who has only brought austerity where he met prosperity, recently had his daughter betrothed to the son of a billionaire who splurged dent’s daughter! The funniest thing is that a few miles from the house of the President’s would be in-laws are refugees from Borno who do not have enough to eat.

That these acts are occurring at a time when the government is toying with taxing the poor out of existence only shows that some are mourning while others are celebrating!

A situation where the cost of everything skyrockets except salary and wages should not continue into 2017 except it is a deliberate attempt by the Buhari administration to reduce Nigeria’s population through mass starvation!

Before former President Jonathan increased fuel prices, he increase salaries and wages for civil servants,

the military, the paramilitary and for members of the National Youth Service Corp.

Let me touch on the fourth contradiction and say that the presidency’s response to the Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II is most pedestrian. How can anyone in his right mind call Sanusi Lamido ‘ignorant’!

Even if Garba Shehu was directed to issue that statement, he should also direct his mind to know that there is life after directives!

The same Sanusi was the poster boy of the All Progress Congress (APC) when he made allegations against the Jonathan administration to the effect billion. At that time, the APC took out centre page advertorials promoting Sanusi and castigating the Jonathan administration.

I doubt if amongst the ministers and appointees of the Buhari administration there can be found any individual who is as knowledgeable as Sanusi.

Is it Buhari’s minister of finance who graduated from a polytechnic?

(University of East London was a polytechnic when Kemi Adeosun attended it.) (Moreover, her highest academic qualification is BSc Economics and a postgraduate diploma) Is it the minister of budget that does not know how much Nigeria owes, or the sports minister that thinks Nigerian athletes are too hungry to go for the World Cup? The Buhari administration would do well to listen more than it insults or the economy may collapse even further than it has. Then we will know who is truly ‘ignorant’!

They have blamed former President Jonathan, blamed ex President Obasanjo, blamed the Peoples Democratic Party, they have blamed Nigerians, they have blamed their perceived enemies and now after running out of people to blame, they are now blaming their friends

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

15 Opinion

Between Donald Trump and world peace

T George Umeh

he U.S President Elect, Mr. Donald Trump, extreme in his views before the election has continued unabatedly in his statements and tweets on social media. He has been lashing at Arabs, Mexicans and blacks before the elections, to Palestine, China and even African leaders (couched as sit -tight leaders) after the elections.

Much as I would like a stable, prosperous, peaceful and friendly United States, a recent US president, George Bush came in with such extreme ideas ended up leaving the world a hotter hell than he met it. George Bush Jr. came in 2000.His agenda was not peace but asserting US military might. Where Bill Clinton had virtually succeeded in securing peace in the Middle East, George Bush did not make a jot of an effort for peace there until the seventh year of his presidency. Rather he had a premeditated agenda to invade Iraq despite a UN team not finding any evidence of nuclear weapons development by the Saddam Hussein government.

The neglect on concluding peace between Palestine and Israel, deadlocked by Yasser Arafat’s insistence on Jerusalem as the capital of Palestine and relentless Israeli military actions in the West Bank, later snowballed into Arab and militant support for Palestine. Militant

and terrorist groups like Hezbollah and Al-Queda expressed active sympathy for Palestine. Osama Bin Laden became more vocal for the Arab cause threatening retaliations against Israel and its US ally.

Finally, George Bush’s invasion of Iraq added more fuel, as controls to Arab extremism were unplugged.

I had told a professor of history and international relations, a former provost of the Nigerian Defence Academy and a current traditional ruler in 2003, that if George Bush ever invaded Iraq, there will be no more peace in that country till God knows when. Today, Iraq is so mired in blood with sectarian suicide bombings, ISIS and terrorism reigning supreme.

George Bush extended his war mongering with neglect of a true search for peace by his invasion of Afghanistan. Al-Queda under Osama Bin Laden had succeeded in bombing the US and given Bush a justifiable cause to fight terrorism. The question is if Bush had followed the path of peace, would all these extremism and terrorism had widened.

The western world has never believed the Arabs exist in a very different environmental and religious world. The hot climate in the Arab world makes it a difficult place to live.

The western world has thus wrongly meddled in the affairs of the Arabs because of crude oil, arms contract, political or other commercial gains without giving due consideration to the geo-polit-

ical, religious and environmental nature of these places. Some meddling has been outright chivalry and war mongering as the invasion of Libya and Iraq, where many western nations have ended up creating situations far worse than they were. Libya is hardly controllable now with many extremist groups fighting each other. A Libyan interviewed on BBC some months ago put it succinctly thus, “We have killed one snake and created a million other snakes”. Britain and Tony Blair especially have kept trading blames and expressing regrets over Iraq.

Due to the nature of these regions, western nations should not intervene in them. Any leader, who can keep peace there, should be morally and spiritually supported.

If a certain group rebels, and if with the support of the army, such a leader fails to keep security there, then so be it.

For the new US president-elect, and Black Africa especially, I do not believe Trump has the intelligence and will to help it. Black Africa especially is not in his agenda, except in the fight against terrorism which the western world knows that if not controlled will spill into their countries. Black Africa’s problem is non-industrialisation, an excess of imports, unemployment and monetary and fiscal problems.

Black Africa should take its destiny in its hands, rally finance from within and start with priority consumer goods industries, followed by light engineering and later heavy

engineering industries, and not the other way round. Nigeria woefully failed in that aspect when it embarked on car manufacturing and steel industries in the 70s as China did in the 50s and failed under Mao Tse Tung.

Those Nigerian industries are all still -born and unprofitable today.

Trump should not breathe fire with the only agenda of restoring U.S military superiority and lost jobs. The U.S lost these through George Bush’s actions and more economically through China’s superiority in competitive cost advantage.

According to a top US economic analyst about three years ago, labour costs China to US is 1 to 40 while total production costs was 1 to 20.

Japan and Europe also beat the U.S steel industry through more efficient production methods leading to closure of U.S steel companies and loss of jobs. Trump should look inwards to solve U.S problems economically, socially and militarily.

On Africa and its leadership, Trump should also realise that there are underlying problems, which must be solved. Some of these problems started during the colonial era. Air borne operations to pick, behead or lock up African leaders, may end up creating more monsters than it intended. Congo is such a problem today. Democracy should be encouraged, not with hidden intents to exploit these countries. Pure hearted developmental aids should be offered. Trump should realise that his approach should be that of peace, not war.

Gov. Ikpeazu as a brand ambasador

B Okechukwu Ukegbu

rand ambassadors, also known as Corporate Ambassadors, are hired by organisations to represent brand positively as well assisting comapanies to increase the awareness of brands to promote sales.

Few characteristics mark out brand ambassadors. One is that they should have an appreciable knowledge of the core principles of marketing. Another is that they should reach out to a wide range of people.

Also, brand ambassadors have the capacity to influence people’s perception of products as well encourage them to patronise the product. Another important function of brand ambassadors is to foster strong relationships between the custonmers and the brand. They also gather feedback from customers about a product. This will enable the firm to improve an their products and services.

These and more are what Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State is doing for the made -in- Aba wears as thevbrand ambassador. The governor has not relented in his efforts to

ensure that these products capture the global market and attract huge patronage.

Ikpeazu has taken advantage of every opportunity to market the made-in Aba wears. One of the occasions is the 2016 Tony Elumelu Entrepreneurship Forum held in Lagos recently where Governor Ikpeazu did not take chances to launch made-in -Aba shoes. This excited former President Olusegun Obasanjo, who served as one of the panelists, to place an order for pairs of shoes.

This also prompted the Senate President, Bukola Saraki to urge other military and paramilitary outfits in the country to emulate the army by immediately banning the purchase of all imported foot wears in preference for locally produced ones. “ According to him, “this is the essence of the amendment of the Public Procurement Act by the Senate since June. The new law compels all Ministries, Department and Agencies of government to compulsorily give preference to goods and services, which can be sourced locally. We believe one of the gains that our country will derive from

this recession is to make our people look inward and patronise locally made goods”.

While Governor Ikpeazu is fulfilling his beat in marketing the brand” Aba”, the federal government should not hesitate in fulfilling its own beat. There have been calls from several quarters on the federal government tto ban importation of all goods that Nigerians have the capacity to produce locally.

The former Senate President, David Mark in 2013 during a trade fair to launch made-in Aba products in Abuja described Aba as the” catalyst of industrial revolution in Nigeria’’ and urged the federal government to discourage importation of foreign goods because Nigeria has no business importing those goods which do not measure to the quality being produced in the country.

He commended the people of Aba for doing the nation proud through the spirit of enterprise and innovation demonstrated in quality products and goods made available through local skills, he said``We have no business importing military boots when what is produced here locally is more superior to that which is brought into the country.

Mark also called for a radical transformation of the Nigeria’s industrial base by providing adequate facilities to support the efforts of indigenous producers to boost economic growth, and urged relevant agencies of government to create adequate awareness on the need for introduction of policies that would enable local initiatives to thrive.

Abians have no other option than to assist this great brand ambassador (Ikpeazu) in this his marketing efforts, especially now that serious pressure is exerted on our currency (the naira) because of import dependency. This situation is necessitated by weak, narrow export base where revenues generated from oil and gas account for over 70 percent of our foreign exchange earnings.

The time is ripe for us to encourage made-in-Aba goods. This effort if implemented will go along way in ameliorating the economic woes of the country by saving the nation the foreign currencies expended on importation of good and services (even those we have the capacity of producing).

Ukegbu, a communication strtegist, writes from Umuahia.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

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18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Features

s

Nigerians may soon pay more for petrol – SBM Harder times lie ahead of Nigerians, as, a research conducted by the SBM Intelligence, the Federal Government may, yet again, soon raise the pump price of petroleum motor spirit, PMS, otherwise called petrol, as the government seeks greater revenue and take advantage of the current rise in the price of the product at the international market. SBM also touched on other national issues, including, the new car policy, in this report

by FEMI GANIYU

Petrol subsidies are effectively back on the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s cards, following the sharp rise in crude oil prices after the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC, agreed to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day, on November 30.

This effectively means that Nigeria’s current 145 per litre retail price template for petrol, set in May this year, is obsolete. “We suspect that the importers, or at least, the NNPC, are taking the hit on their books as a result,” analysts at FBN Quest said in a December 2 note.

This is because, “the higher spot price clearly feeds into the costs of importers of petroleum products.” The price of Brent crude rose 6 per cent to $53.53 per barrel as at midday on Friday, from $50.47 per barrel on Wednesday, when OPEC and Russia agreed to cut output to 32.5 million barrels daily, 34.7 per cent of global oil demand.

The landing cost of petrol in Nigeria is 122.03 per litre, while distribution costs take total cost to 140/$, according to data from the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPRA. This template was reached in May, when oil prices traded at an average of $45 per barrel.

But with crude prices rising by 17.7 per cent to $53 per barrel from $45, the landing cost of petrol now exceeds the retail price of 145 per litre, calculations by independent analysts show.

Earlier this year, when the government

claimed that subsidies had been removed, we pointed out that subsidies were actually not removed – that what happened in effect was only the price point moved, taking advantage of low oil price impact on landing cost. As predicted, the dollar exchange rate, as well as, a recovery of oil prices, have increased landing cost and hence, open market price is now above pump price.

There are only two options to avoid a debilitating scarcity – do the politically expedient, but economically difficult thing of paying subsidies, or do the politically difficult, but economically expedient thing and liberalise petrol pump price as has been done for diesel. We urge the government to take the second option.

However, while reacting to this latest speculation on fuel increase, a finance expert, Mr. Adeleke Adetoyi said, although fuel issue has been with us for a long time, and that any effort by the government to raise additional revenue through fuel increase or taxation, was welcome,

such policy must not negatively impact the mass of the people.

According to him, government should endeavor to reflate the economy, especially by paying contractors, increase funds for capital projects and give soft loans to the people, particularly women.

But, the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, has vowed to resist any further attempt by the NNPC to increase fuel price in whatever guise.

The Trade Union Congress, TUC, an affiliate of the NLC, has through its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama, while reacting to an earlier speculation over fuel increase, which was later denied by the NNPC as untrue, the union said it was totally opposed to it.

Cars must now drive through Nigerian ports The FG has banned the importation of vehicles into the country through its land borders. Wale Adeniyi, Nigeria Customs Service spokesman, stated that, “the prohibition order covers all new and used

There are only two options to avoid a debilitating scarcity – do the politically expedient, but economically difficult thing of paying subsidies, or do the politically difficult, but economically expedient thing and liberalise petrol pump price as has been done for diesel.

vehicles”. Adeniyi also said the ban was pursuant to a presidential directive restricting all vehicle imports to Nigeria’s seaports only, adding that the order takes effect from January 1, 2017.

“The restriction on the importation of vehicles follows that of rice; import of rice through land borders has been banned since April, 2016. Importers of vehicles through the land borders are requested to utilise the grace period until December 31, 2016, to clear their vehicle imports landed in neighbouring ports,” Adeniyi said.

The trajectory that this action will take, and the impact it will have, have already been charted by another product - rice.

According to a 2015 PWC report, 410,000 vehicles were imported into Nigeria in 2014, 26% of them brand new. The figures for 2013 were similar, while estimates for 2015 are half that following the downturn. Preliminary estimates for 2016 indicate that the total imports are similar to those of 2015, despite the recession.

Banning the importation of a product, whose demand cannot be met by domestic production, does not mean that the demand will go away. It only means that the price will go up, ensuring that there is greater incentive to take the risk to bring it in. The effect of this is that the enforcement agency, will open a new avenue of seizures and turn the enforcement into a racket and, in the end, the government would have achieved nothing beyond making life more difficult for Nigerians.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

19

Crime

Cut down in his prime Joy Anyim Number 18, Shakiru Oyekan Street, off Kayode Shokanbi Street, Abule Alfa, Agric Bus Stop, Ikorodu, Lagos State, played host to a starnger in the wee hours of December 1st, 2016.

That starnger turned out to be an unwanted guest, as he was to commit a crime that led to the death of a young man, who was bubbling with life.

The suspect, Dolapo Olajimi,who the Police later identified as the killer of a man identified as, Mr. Ugochukwu Nwosu, like a thief that he was, scaled the wall of the bungalow where the innocent man lived together with his brother, Obina, and killed the man with a knife before any help could come his (Nwosu’s) way.

Our correspondent, who visited the quite community, observed that the bungalow, painted in wine colour now looked deserted.

Investigations showed that, palpable fear has enveloped the community, following the killing of the young man, moreso, as the Police was still investigating the actual cause of the death of Nwosu, as many believed the man must have been killed by a suspected assassin.

Many of those spoken to, described the killing as shocking and painful, especially as such heinous crimes were alien to that particular street.

A neighbour of the deceased, who identified herself as Mrs. Bayo, said, “ On that first day of December, at about past 2am, we heard someone shouting for help outside. Being a community where safety of everyone is valued, we chose to go and see what was wrong, since the person didn’t stop shouting for help. I and other neighbours came out and to our amazement, we discovered the shout of help was coming from Mr. Nwosu’s house”.

According to him, “We rushed in there and found him in the pull of his own blood. He was lying lifeless.

We immediately alerted police men from Owotu Police Division of the incident. The local Vigilante Group was also called upon for help. As at this time the suspect was on the run.

But thanks to the local Vigilante, who caught him down the street and subsequently handed them over to the police.”

She said that, “He, (Nwosu) wasn’t a troublesome fellow. Although we have been having pockets of robbery within the neighbourhood, we have never had a case of someone killed here.”

Another neighbour, who lives adjacent Nwosu’s house said,” The incident is really surprising; for my over ten years of living in this community, I have never heard of such. His death is just too painful. Since the incident, the house has been locked up. I don’t think anyone will ever want to live in

The house where he was killed

that house again because the blood stains are everywhere”.

A hair stylist, who operates a saloon next to Nwosu’s house,but who spoke on condition of anonymity, said she hadn’t been around for weeks. She said that, she had just returned about three days back to hear the sad news.

She said, “Oga is a quiet man. He wasn’t troublesome. I was shocked when I returned from my sojourn to hear of his death. I just feel that who ever did it didn’t start trailing him that day. It must have been a well planned attack.”

Investigations showed that Nwosu was an All Progressives Congress (APC) member. Nwosu, who contested as the party’s candidate for Abia North Constituency during the 2015 Abia State House of Assembly election.

Ugochukwu was said to have been attacked in the early hours of Thursday, the 1st of December, at his home, located at, No. 18, Shakiru Oleko Street, Alasalatu, Agric. in Ikorodu, Lagos State, where he was stabbed several times by a suspected assassin.

It was learnt that, despite the injuries he sustained from the attack, the father of one, with the help of his driver, managed to overpower the suspected assassin after struggling with, and weakened him in the process.

He was said to have died shortly after he was rushed to a private hospital in the area.

The Daily Times gathered that the 41-year- old politician, was a First Class graduate of chemical engineering from the University of Port-Harcourt; and holds a Masters degree in chemical analysis from Harvard University.

He was also said to be the Chief

Late Nwosu

Executive Officer of Idife Nwosu Investment limited and Business Info Based Business Directory.

His driver, one Obinna, narrated the incident saying, “On the day of the incident, my boss and I, were the only two people at home. At about 3am, we heard the sounds of empty crates of drinks parked in the compound falling. My boss, who was still working on his laptop in the living room, decided to go out to check what it was.”

Since the incident, the house has been locked up. I don’t think anyone will ever want to live in that house again because the blood stains are everywhere”.

According to him, “The sound also woke me up and I followed after my boss. Shortly after, I heard sounds like two people struggling with each other, so, I quickly ran out and behold, I saw my boss engaged in a physical brawl with a man; and he was bleeding on his hand. Immediately, I joined my boss and we overpowered the intruder, disarmed him and tied him down.”

He added: “That was when I noticed my boss was slowly passing out. I had thought he was only bleeding from his right hand, but I didn’t know the intruder had also stabbed him below the abdomen. I immediately drove him to a private hospital, but it was already too late to revive him, as he had lost so much blood. He was confirmed dead by the doctor on arrival.”

The suspected assassin, who was later handed over to the Owotu Police Division and later transferred to the

State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), identified himself, as Dolapo Olajiru.

The suspect claimed he wasn’t an assassin, but a member of a five-man robbery gang, who has been terrorising residents of Ikorodu.

He said upon interrogation, “I used to be a conductor, but in the last three months, things have been very rough for me. I have not had a vehicle to work with. In the process of waiting, a friend of mine, called Ayo, introduced me into robbery. We are five in our gang and we usually rob houses within Ikorodu area. When we robbed, we took away phones, money and valuables we can lay our hands on. We do not have a gun; we only use kitchen knives to scare our victims.”

According to him, “That night, I was just walking around to identify a house to rob. I saw the Honourable’s house, and I scaled the fence into the compound. I landed on some empty crates, which also fell down. The sound alerted the owner of the house and I heard a door being opened. I immediate hid myself behind the crates.”

“When he came close enough, I jumped on him and we started fighting (struggling). He was quite strong, but because I had a knife, I stabbed him on his right hand, and he was bleeding seriously. He held on and tried to take the knife from me, but he couldn’t. I also stabbed him by the waist and it was at this point another man joined in the fight. They later overpowered me,” he said.

He said, “I didn’t have the intention to kill the man or anyone. No one hired me to go and kill him. I was only looking for a means to survive the hard times.”

The deceased’s elder brother, Innocent Nwosu, also spoke to our correspondent on the tragedy.

“Ugochukwu was such a fine gentleman. He would always consider others before himself; I really don’t know why his life had to be cut short suddenly. He had a very bright future. This is, indeed, a terrible loss to my family and the entire Abia State.”

He said that, “We were even preparing for our fathers 83rd birthday, which is supposed to hold on the 29th December, 2016; and he was the one piloting the whole arrangement, and now he is no more. I really pray our father survives the shock.”

Meanwhile, responding to a text message sent to her by our correspondent, the Police Public Relations Officer, Dolapo Badmus, a Superintendent of Police, said, ‘I confirm the case, it’s a case of armed robbery!

The command received an emergency call about the robbery, our operatives rushed to the scene, but unfortunately, the man has been stabbed.

One of the suspects was arrested.

Investigation is ongoing and effort is on to arrest the fleeing suspect.

20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

ZAHRAU-N-NABIYYI ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NIGERIA

21 Public Notice

CHRIST GLORIOUS APOSTOLIC CHURCH OF SALVATION & DELIVERANCE

FORWARD EVER DIVINE SOCIAL CLUB INTERNATIONAL

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

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

TRUSTEES: 1. Hamuzat Musiliudeen Adek 3. Sanni Sulaimon Adisa 5. Adenuga Abiola Birikisu 7. Yusuf Rihanat Olayemi 9. Rasaq Kareem A

TRUSTEES: Oketayo Josiah Babs – Pastor (chairman) Odufayo Adebanjo Albert (Dr) Oketayo Joseph Temitope (secretary) Oketayo Adebisi (Mr.) Oketayo Ayodele Nathaniel Abogunloko Alice

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OKOYE MATHEW NWAMAKA 3. ONUIGBO CHIDIEBERE JOHN

2. Hamzat Sakarat Taiwo 4. Babatunde Musiliat Aduke 6. Worimegbe Abiola Idayat 8. Adenuga Fatai Olayiwola 10. Adegoke Omolola Muryat

2. IDIKA EMMANUEL UMA 4. ARIKABE STEPHEN CHINEDU

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To live in unity, peace and harmony.

2. To promote unity and understanding among members of the club.

3. To render unreserved support to members of the club where and when necessary.

4. To promote good relationship between the club and other organisations.

5. To raise fund for the advancement of the club.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE To propagate Islam To promote ISLAMIC solidarity through fostering brotherhood.

Aims and Objective To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ To teach and establish men in the truth of the Gospel

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar – General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Mataima Abuja Within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar – General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Mataima Abuja Within 28 days of this publication.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY EIGHT (28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Signed: Secretary

SIGNED: SECRETARY

THE FEEDERS FOUNDATION

MUPUN PROGRESSIVE UNION

THE PARENTS OF FUTURE LEADERS OUTREACH

The general public is hereby notified that the above Union has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990.

The public is hereby informed that the above named Organization has applied for Registration under the company and allied matters Act No 1 of 1990, Part C.

The public is hereby informed that the above named Organization has applied for Registration under the company and allied matters Act No 1 of 1990, Part C.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTESS ARE: 1) PASTOR ALEWI GABRIEL OJO - CHAIRMAN 2) EVANG OLAKUNLE ADEKUNLE OLALEKAN - SECRETARY 3) MRS. ALEWI VERONICA EBIMERUN 4) MR. ALEWI SAMUEL OLUWASEUN 5) MR. OLANREWAJU GIDEON OLAYINKA

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES ARE: 1) MR. HUNSU EZEKIEL OLUSEGUN - CHAIRMAN 2) MRS. HUNSU - LAWAL ADEJOKE - SECRETARY 3) MR. OLALEYE MATHEW DARE

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Simon Vilji Samuel 3. Mr. Nanle Panshik 5. Mr. Kefas koptung 7. Mr. Hosea Mashak Nsheng 9. Mr. Yilnan Sharben Filibus

2. Barr. Chindak James Dakas 4. Mr. Mashak Ngwan Gurumtung 6. Barr. Nuhu Zakka 8. Mrs. Suzan Dayol 10. Barr. Maksen Jidauna Dikak

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To feed the less privileged in the society 2. To help the less privileged, abandoned and orphaned live a well meaningful life by offering them a qualitative education.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the economic interest of its members 2. To provide members the opportunity for savings 3. To provide loans to members at a minimal interest and convenient way of payment

AIM AND OBJECTIVES To raise good future leaders in achieving their goals and seeing their dreams come true by involving the parents, adults, guardian, mothers, fathers and engaging them through seminar, prayer meeting, conferences, workshops, teaching and publications.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication

Any objection thereto should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja. Within 28 days of this publication.

Any objection thereto should be forwarded to The Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja. Within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Barr. Maksen Jidauna Dikak, Jos.

Signed: SECRETARY

Signed; SECRETARY

TWO HANDS AND TOOLS VOCATIONAL CENTER The general public is hereby notified that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Euphemia Sijabala 3. Patrick Titigah 5. Abe Abrahalay

2. Julius Shemang 4. Philip Akurigo

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE ARE: To train and support persons with disability towards a goal of empowering them Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within twentyeight (28) days of this publication.

TILDEN FULANI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION The general public is hereby notified that the above Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990.

NOTICE OF FINAL GENERAL MEETING PURSUANT TO S.468 COMPANIES & ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1990

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Alh Abdulhamid Saidu Danbran Tilde 2. Alh Muhammad Shehu Tilde 3. Mallam Muhammad Auwal Usman 4. Alh Shehu Barde Tilde 5. Alh Suleiman Saidu Tilde 5. Alh Ahmed Muhammad Dass 7. Alh Salmanu Muhammadu Bako 8. Mr. Dauda Galadima 7. Rev. Umaru Bello Dikko

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the last General Meeting of Compass Offices Services Nigeria Limited in liquidation will be held on the 9th day of January 2016, at The Rock Towers, 4th Floor, 1 The Rock Drive, Lekki Phase 1, Lagos to transact the following business:

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To inculcate mutual understanding among the members of the association 2. To provide skills and resources to orphans and the widows Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication SIGNED: Secretary

SIGNED: Secretary

ACCORD FOR EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION

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

THE TRUSTEE ARE: 1. MR THOMAS OFURE - CHAIRMAN 2. MRS THOMAS IFEANY BECKY -TREASURER 3. DR. THOMAS IGHODARO ELUIS -SECRETARY 4. MRS THOMAS CHINDINMA PRECIOUS - P.R.O. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO CREATE ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL EMPOWERMENT FOR THE UNEMPLOPYED, YOUTH, WOMEN AND THE LESS PREVILEGED. 2. TO ASSIST SCHOOLS WITH INSUFFICENT FACILITIES AND MAN POWER TO MEET THEIR OBJECTIVES. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY

COMPASS OFFICES SERVICES NIGERIA LIMITED (IN LIQUIDATION)

DEEP FAITH PROPHETIC DELIVERANCE MINISTRY

ADDRESS NO. 68, IGBIHENDU STREET BEHIND MAGISTRATE COURT BOLADE

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

NAMES OF TRUSTEES: 1. FEMI EHIS OMOIKE 3. CHRISTINAH OMOIKE 5. GEORGE FAVOUR

2. JOSEPHINE OMOIKE 4. COLLINS OMOIKE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote understanding, peace, and unity among the various peoples and strata of society in Nigeria, through the propagation of the gospel.

2. To ensure that the people of God and the Custodians of the future of the church are united.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: TRUSTEES.

To lay before the meeting the Final Account of the Winding up of the Company by the Liquidator appointed under Voluntary Winding Up, showing how the Winding Up has been conducted, and how the property of the Company has been disposed; and any explanations thereof.

Dated this _______ day of December 2016.

Yomi Awotunde LIQUIDATOR

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Pastor Okechukwu Benjamin Ottorh.

2. Mrs Chisom Florence Ottorh .

3. Mr Chima Maxwell Iwuoha 4.Mrs Yemi Racheal Bello 5. Miss Roselyn Chidinma Ndibe AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B 198, GARKI ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY.

AUCTION SALES AUCTION SALES

ADESHOPE EMPOWERMENT ORGANISATION

PENIEL HOUSE OF GOD CHURCH

This is to inform the general public that the above named organisation intends to applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration of the organisation, under part “C” of the companies and allied matters ACT, 2004, (AS AMENDED).

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Kumapayi Olayinka Stephen - Chairman 2. Abari Mustapha Olanrewaju - Secretary 3. Nwabuisi Anthony Nnamdi 4. Ogundipe Bamidele Valentina 5. Alabi Olanrewaju Yusuf 6. Abari Olanrewaju Ismail

The general public is hereby notified that the above named initiative has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap C20 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

THERE WILL BE AN AUCTION SALES OF SCRAP MOTOR VEHICLES, SCRAP MOTORCYCLES AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS AT AREA COMMAND

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dikeocha Charles Anyaezechukwu 2. Dikeocha Faith.C 3. Onyeacho Samuel Nkemakolam.

Any objection to this publication should be forwarded to the Registrar General of the Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja – FCT, within 28 days of this publication.

1. ONE SCRAP MAZDA BUS REG. NO. BNG 324 XF. 2. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA FOUR-RUNNER JEEP REG. NO. BG 16 LSD. 3. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA HILUX VAN REG. NO. FG 229 UOI 4. ONE SCRAP PEUGEOT 504 REG. NO. AA 400 NSK 5. ONE SCRAP POINTAC JEEP REG. NO. RSH 808 JU. 6. ONE SCRAP MAZDA CAR WITHOUT REG. NO. 7. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA HIACE BUS REG. NO. GBB 591 FG 8. ONE SCRAP NISSAN BLUEBIRD REG. NO. XA 440 BKRR 9. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA HILUX VAN REG. NO. BY 482 PHC 10. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA SIENNA REG. NO. AH 685 BRRR 11. ONE SCRAP M/BENZ 200 REG. NO. BL 558 PHC 12. ONE SCRAP TOYOTA CARINA CAR REG. NO. AY 668 333.

Signed C.G ADOGAH MRS. 08067577348

SIGNED: POLICE AUCTIONEER , ABU OSODIONAHON - 08060382828

AIMS AND OBjECTIVES: 1. To raise public awareness on the needs of the widows and empower them through small scale businesses and vocational skills.

2. To help the poor, assist the physically challenged and donate to the sick and the Aged.

3. To act as resource to individuals and institutions caring for the widows and the less privileged.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 565, Ndola Square, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: ANTHONY BANJO ESQ. Solicitor. 2, Ojuelegba Road, Yaba, Lagos.

AIM & OBJECTIVE To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ.

POLICE HEADQUARTERS AHOADA AND AHOADA DIVISIONAL POLICE HEADQUARTERS OF THE RIVERS STATE POLICE COMMAND. AFTER 21 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

22

Public Notice

WORD OF FIRE SOLUTION BIBLE MINISTRY

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

YINKA OLATUNBOSUN FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO.1 OF 1990

The above named Foundation has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigirs Crescent, off Aguisi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja for change of Trustee under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.PROPHET IFEANYICHUKWU CHIKEZIE 2.MRS KATE IFEANYICHUKWU ZIBS 3.MR.NMADUABUCHI CHIKEZIE

OLD TRUSTEES 1. Pastor Olayinka Dipo Olatunbosun (J.P) ------- Retained 2. Mrs. Olayide Miriam Olatunbosun ------- Retained 3. Dr (Sir) Richmond Ibegbule ------- Retained 4. Prof. James Olukayode Omole ------- Retained 5. Col. Ebenezer Olusesan Oduyebo ------- Retained 6. Hon. Justice Omakiayo Charles Agbaza ------- Retained 7. Alhaji Habib Gajo ------- Removed

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS 2. TO WIN SOULS FOR THE KINGDOM OF GOD.E.T.C ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO REGISTRAR - GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION,PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI MAITAMA ABUJA,WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION

Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigirs Crescent, off Aguisi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days.

Signed: Secretary

SIGNED: SECRETARY

IGBOZURUMBA SOCIO- CULTURAL ORGANIZATION The general public is hereby notified that the above named ORGANIZATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Registration Under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HON. REV JONAS ONUORA - NATIONAL PRESIDENT 2. MR CYRIACUS ACHU - NATIONAL SECRETARY 3. DR. BEN NNADI - MEMBER THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To Promote Igbo culture and values across the globe 2. To revive the use of our Igbo language in our schools and society at large.

3. To create awareness for the needs to respect our traditional stools and royal fathers.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: HON REV JONAS ONUORA - NATIONAL PRESIDENT

INTERNATIONAL CHRISTIAN CHURCH FOUNDERS ASSOCIATION This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act,Cap C2O,LFN 2004.

TRUSTEES ARE:1. REV. NNA-NNE BESTGOD 2. REV. KOROKORO SUNDAY CERG 3. PST. BARA-OL-POPNWIN MONDAY 4. PST. BAAH OBADIAH 5. PST. LEBURA BABIA 6. PST. EMMANUEL EBENEZER 7. PST. THANKGOD MOSES UDOFIA 8. PST. OWATE SAMUEL -

PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER MEMBER

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To prepare the church for rapture and proclamation proper for the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Any objection to the registration should be directed to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGN: PRESIDENT

HAUWAU UMAR

OLIVER LETICIA

Formerly known and addressed as HAUWAU BALA LIKITA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. HAUWAU UMAR. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

Formerly known and addressed as UHARA LETICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as OLIVER LETICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MAMA PATIENCE MEMORIAL ORPHANAGE HOME This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act,Cap C2O,LFN 2004.

TRUSTEE ARE: 1. REV. FR. PETER NWAONYINYECHI ONYENSO 2. NWAIWU AUGUSTINA ONYINYECHI 3. UCHECHI ONYENSO -

PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To reach out to the motherless through quality care and support.

2. To give home to the homeless children.

3. To ensure that they get quality education 4. To raise Godly children that will be useful to God and the country at large.

IYAMA TEMITOPE HELEN

ADEDEHINBO IBILOLA FELICIA

Formerly known and addressed as OWOLOYE OLADEHINDE HELEN, now wish to be known and addressed as IYAMA TEMITOPE HELEN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as DEHINBO IBILOLA FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADEDEHINBO IBILOLA FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FESOGUN KAREEM TAIWO

JONAH ANIEKAN SUNDAY

QUADRI TAWAKALITU IYABODE

JIMOH AKEEM ALADE

Formerly known and addressed as ANIEKAN SUNDAY AKAI, now wish to be known and addressed as JONAH ANIEKAN SUNDAY. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as QUADRI TAWAKALITU OLAYINKA, now wish to be known and addressed as QUADRI TAWAKALITU IYABODE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as JIMOH AKEEM, now wish to be known and addressed as JIMOH AKEEM ALADE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AZEEZ KAREEM TAIWO now wish to be known and addressed as FESOGUN KAREEM TAIWO. All former documents remain valid.

General public and G.T Bank take note.

ONWUEGBULE NNAMDI UCHE Formerly known and addressed as OKAFOR UCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as ONWUEGBULE NNAMDI UCHE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CHANGE OF NAME / CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF BIRTH

LOVELY FRIENDS ASSOICATION This is to inform the general public that the above named Organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘’C’’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act,Cap C2O,LFN 2004.

TRUSTEES ARE: 1. OUT SAMUEL ENEMBE 2. TEE SUANU WISDOM 3. UDUAK OKON OBONUKUT 4. UGONNA GODWIN 5. NDUKA CHRISTIAN 6. IWUALA SILAS

-

PRESIDENT VICE PRESIDENT SECRETARY TREASURER PRESIDENT MEMBER MEMBER

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To render financial and social support to our members in times of need.

2. To learn how to be in unity, love and in one fold thereby being our friends’ keeper.

Any objection to the registration should be directed to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Any objection to the registration should be directed to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Maitama District, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

SIGN: PRESIDENT

SIGN: PRESIDENT

ADEBANJO OLURONKE KUBURAT

CHANGE OF NAME / CONFIRMATION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I formerly known and addressed as now ALARO BASHIR JIMOH wish to be known and addressed as ALARO BASHIR AKANBI. That my original Date of Birth is 27th July, 1973. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

BALOGUN SHUKURAT OMOWUNMI

Formerly known and addressed as ADEKUNLE SHUKURAT AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN SHUKURAT OMOWUNMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OREOFE ODUNAYO ABBEY

POGUMAI JESSE

Formerly known and addressed as BUODUN FRANCIS, now wish to be known and addressed as OREOFE ODUNAYO ABBEY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as POGUMAI JAMES, now wish to be known and addressed as POGUMAI JESSE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ANTHONY ABAH, now wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONY CHOSEN ABAH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ANTHONY CHOSEN ABAH

I formerly known and addressed as now AGBO ANTHONY GODWIN wish to be known and addressed as JOSEPH ANTHONY AGBO. That my original Date of Birth is 4th December, 1993. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OGUNAIKE RONKE KUBURAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADEBANJO OLURONKE KUBURAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FALADE ADERONKE OMOTAYO

ADESINA KOFOWOROLA OMOTAYO

UNAKA SYLVESTER CHINWENDU JULIET

ACHINONU OLUEBUBE JOHNBOSCO

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. YUSUF ADERONKE OMOTAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS. FALADE ADERONKE OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. WAHAB KOFOWOROLA OMOTAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. ADESINA KOFOWOROLA OMOTAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as DURUIBE CHINWENDU JULIET, now wish to be known and addressed as UNAKA SYLVESTER CHINWENDU JULIET. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MIRACLE PETER EBUBE, now wish to be known and addressed as ACHINONU OLUEBUBE JOHNBOSCO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OFUNE IDES MILDRED

OKEKE JANE ONYINYE

Formerly known and addressed as AZIEGBE IDES MILDRED, now wish to be known and addressed as OFUNE IDES MILDRED. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS. OKORO JANE ONYINYE, now wish to be known and addressed as OKEKE JANE ONYINYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABIODUN AYODEJI OLORUNTOLA

NWAULU MAUREEN ONYEMA

AJIBOYE LILLIAN ABIOLA

OSENI AYUBA AYENI ADEWALE

OMENE MERCY

ATTISSO KOKOU DOMINIC

Formerly known and addressed as DIKEOCHA MAUREEN ONYEMA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWAULU MAUREEN ONYEMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AMATOKWU LILLIAN ABIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AJIBOYE LILLIAN ABIOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OSENI AYUBA ADEWALE, now wish to be known and addressed as OSENI AYUBA AYENI ADEWALE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AHAMBA MERCY, now wish to be known and addressed as OMENE MERCY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ATISSO DOMINIC, now wish to be known and addressed as ATTISSO KOKOU DOMINIC. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as ABIODUN LUKE, now wish to be known and addressed as ABIODUN AYODEJI OLORUNTOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

23

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

ABDULAZEEZ-IBRAHIM ADISA.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as ABDULAZEEZIBRAHIM OLASUNKANMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ABDULAZEEZIBRAHIM ADISA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ELUWAH OBINNA GRACE NWAKAEGO

I, Formerly Known. IkPO GRACE NWAKAEGO now wish to be known and addressed as ELUWAH OBINNA GRACE NWAKAEGO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGUNDIPE TITILOLA MODUPE

Formerly OGUNDIPE TITILOLA AKEREJOLA. NoW OGUNDIPE TITILOLA MODUPE. Former documents remains valid. General public please note.

ADEAGBO AYODELE RAPHAEL.

Formerly IMOLEAYO ADEAGBO RAPHAEL Now Adeagbo Ayodele Raphael. Former documents remains valid. general public please note CONFIRMATION OF NAME. This is to confirm that OJEN AYO AYO and EPOM ANANG ANI refer to one and same person,now wish to be known and addressed as OJEN AYO AYO. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

OSHUA. HENRY. ADEBOBOYE.

. I. Formely known and addressed as. Henry. Adeniran.

Adeboboye. Now wish to be known and addressed as.

Joshua. Henry. Adeboboye. All Former documents. Remain valid general public should take note.

ERONINI OLUCHI NNEOMA I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NLEMCHI OLUCHI NNEOMA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ERONINI OLUCHI NNEOMA.All former documents remain valid. Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital , Enugu and General public should please take note.

IKEME PATIENCE NWAMAKA.

I formerly known as MISS IJEBUONWU PATIENCE NWAMAKA now wish to be known as MRS IKEME PATIENCE NWAMAKA. former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MICHEAL ADESOLA OLONI

Formerly known and addressed as MICHEAL ADESOLA AKINOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHEAL ADESOLA OLONI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

My name was wrongly written as OG KALU LUCKY instead of ORJI KALU LUCKY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKAFOR MAUREEN NGOZI

BALOGUN SENAMI SEMINAPA

Formerly known as ROSEMARY NGOZI ODOGBO, now wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR MAUREEN NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public please note.

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Dansu Senami Seminapa now I wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Balogun Senami Seminapa. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

AMADI CHARLES IZUCHUKWU I Formerly known and addressed as AMADI WILSON CHARLES IZUCHUKWU , Now wish to be known and addressed as ,AMADI CHARLES IZUCHUKWU ,All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLATUNJI FAYIDAT FOLAKE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLATUNJI FAIDAT FOLAKE. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

FASASI TAOFEEK FEMI.

I, formerly known and addressed as TAOFEEK FASASI now wish to be known and addressed as FASASI TAOFEEK FEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NWACHUKWU NELSON CHUKWUKA

I, formerly known and addressed as, NWACHUKWU NELSON CHINEDU, now wish to be known and addressed as, NWACHUKWU NELSON CHUKWUKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

FUNSHO RUTH OLADE

I formerly known and addressed as FUNSHO RUTH ALOBA now wish to be known and addressed as FUNSHO RUTH OLADE all former document remain valid general public take note.

MASAHUD. SHAMSUDDEEN. DANTANI

I. Formely known and addressed as. Masudu.

Dantani now wish to be addressed as. Masahud.

Shamsuddeen. Dantani all Former documents remain valid general public should take note.

ENE SHIRLEY ANUFOROM

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ENE SHIRLEY OCHE,now wish to be known and addressed as .MRS ENE SHIRLEY ANUFOROM All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

This is to confirm and certify that, UGWUANYI LEONARD EMEKA and UGWUANYI LEONARD refer to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as UGWUANYI LEONARD EMEKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

SAKAJOJO SHADE LATIFAT

Formerly known and addressed as LAWAL LATIFAT, now wish to be known and addressed as SAKAJOJO SHADE LATIFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLADEJO AFEEZ OLAMIDE

Formerly known and addressed as OLADEJO OLAMIDE OLATUNDE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLADEJO AFEEZ OLAMIDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

LATUNJI FAIDAT FOLAKE.

ANOSIKE ANASTASIA AKUDO

I, formerly known and addressed as OGUNDU ANASTASIA AKUDO ANOSIKE ANASTASIA CHINEDU now wish to be addressed as ANOSIKE ANASTASIA AKUDO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BASHIRU JIMOH

I, formerly known and addressed as BASH JIMOH AKANDE, now wish to be known and addressed as BASHIRU JIMOH. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

AANUOLUWAPO ENIOLA OGUNLEYE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AANUOLUWAPO ENIOLA BABATUNDE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AANUOLUWAPO ENIOLA OGUNLEYE all former document remain valid general public take note.

SOLAJA OLOLADE ADEDAYO

I formerly known and addressed as. Solaja. Mathias.

Adedayo now wish to be known and addressed as Solaja Ololade Adedayo all Former documents. Remain valid general public should take note EDOH NNEKA FELICIA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS NGWU NNEKA FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EDOH NNEKA FELICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME. This is to confirm and certify that, UBANAGU INNOCENT and UBANAGU INNOCENT IGBOANUGO refer to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as UBANAGU INNOCENT. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADENIYI YEMI MOSES.

Formerly known and addressed as ADENIYI YEMI K. now wish to be known and addressed as ADENIYI YEMI MOSES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OTONKO PHILIP OFREH

Formerly known and addressed as ODEY PETER EWEH, now wish to be known and addressed as OTONKO PHILIP OFREH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BALOGUN DOYINSOLA LEGIBLE.

I formerly known and addressed as Odeyemi Doyinsola Kehinde now I wish to be known and addressed as Balogun Doyinsola Legible.

All former documents remain valid. General public should please take OGUNDIJO ANNA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS THOMAS HANNAH MOMOH NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OGUNDIJO ANNA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GEN PUBLIC PLS TAKE NOTE. EJIGA OMIYAGOCHO JOHN

I, formerly known and addressed as OMEYAGOELO EJIGA now wish to be known and addressed as EJIGA OMIYAGOCHO JOHN. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

OGUJI PRECIOUS OBEHIE

OBINNA LINUS IDAM.

I formerly known and addressed as Obinna Egwu Idam now I wish to be known and addressed as Obinna Linus Idam. All relevant documents that read and bear the former name remain valid. General public should please take note I, formerly known and addressed as MR. SUNKANMI MORENIKEJI JOHN, now wish to be known and addressed as MR. MORENIKEJI SAHEED OLASUNKANMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGUNDIJO ANNA I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ANN THOMAS NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OGUNDIJO ANNA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID, GENERAL PUBLIC PLS TAKE NOTE

ERONDU PRECIOUS I, formerly known and addressed as NWANNUNU ONYINYECHI GIFT now wish to be known and addressed as ERONDU PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

THIS IS TO NOTIFY THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT I, MR. GEOFFREY EZEOKA ODOGWU, FORMALLY NAMED AND KNOWN AS MR.GEOFFREY OKEKE/ EZEOKA. THAT I NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MR. GEOFFREY EZEOKA ODOGWU.

MORENIKEJI SAHEED OLASUNKANMI

ALIMI SERIFATU AINA

I, formerly known and addressed as OGINE PRECIOUS, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUJI PRECIOUS OBEHIE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

FORMERLY KNOWN AS ALIMI SERIFATU AINA AND SERIFAT AINA ABIOLA BALOGUN) NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AS SERIFAT AINA ALIMI ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE

ONYEBUENYI HULDAH UGOCHI

CHUKWUEMEKA NWADIKE. FESTUS

I formerly known as NWOSU HULDAH UGOCHI wish to be known and addressed as ONYEBUENYI HULDAH UGOCHI. All former document remain valid, general public please take note.

Formely known and addressed as. Johnson. Emmy Festus now wish to be known and addressed a. Chukwuemeka Nwadike. Festus. All Former documents remain valid general public should take note.

MBAZU MIRIAM ADA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZE MIRIAM ADA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MBAZU MIRIAM ADA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note OKAIBE CHIOMA BLESSING

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UDEGBUNAM CHIOMA BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKAIBE CHIOMA BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

This is to confirm and certify that, MBA PETER HELEN,MBAH HELLEN DORATHY and MBA HELEN NWAKAEGO refer to one and the same person, now wish to be known and addressed as MBA HELEN NWAKAEGO. my correct date of birth 03/06/1976 All former documents remain valid. BNKS and General public should please take note.

IIOR TERKIMBI PAUL

Formerly known and addressed as IIOR TERKIMBI PAPILO, now wish to be known and addressed as IIOR TERKIMBI PAUL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ENEWAN UWEM.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ENEWAN BASSEY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ENEWAN UWEM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADEKOYA ESTHER WURAOLA.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ANDREW ESTHER AUGUSTA, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADEKOYA ESTHER WURAOLA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

EGBO MARTHA IFEYINWA.

I, formerly known and addressed as EKEH MARTHA IFEYINWA,now wish to be known and addressed as EGBO MARTHA IFEYINWA. All former documents remain valid. For banks only, please take note.

EDEH BENITA OBIAGELI

GEOFFREY OKEKE/EZEOKA.

JULIET ONOGU SYNGER

FORMERLY KNOWN AS JULIET ONOGU NOW WISHES TO BE KNOWN AS JULIET ONOGU SYNGER. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE EZEOGU. FRANCISCA.

I. Formerly. Known and addressed. As. Uguru.

Francisca. Now wish to be known and addressed as. Ezeogu. Francisca. All Former documents remain valid general public should take note NWACHUKWU CHRISTIANA OBIAGERI

I, formerly known and addressed as ELOGU MAUREEN NGOZI,now wish to be known and addressed as NWACHUKWU CHRISTIANA OBIAGERI. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

MICHAEL MIRACLE OLUEBUBE.

I, formerly known and addressed as EDEH OBIAGELI CALISTER, now wish to be known and addressed as EDEH BENITA OBIAGELI. All former documents remain valid. ACCESS BANK General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL MIRACLE UCHECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHAEL MIRACLE OLUEBUBE.All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OTENE JAMES

OPARA GINIKACHI MILLICENT RITA

JOHN: Formerly known and addressed as OKPEH GADAFFI JOHN, now wish to be known and addressed as OTENE JAMES. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BELLO OLAWALE KASIM.

Formerly known and addressed as SALAMI OLUFEMI OLAWALE, now wish to be known and addressed as BELLO OLAWALE KASIM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MARCELLINA ABEBI ADENIYI.

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. ABEBI ADENIYI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. MARCELLINA ABEBI ADENIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME 29. This is to confirm and certify that I, OPARA MILLICENT RITA is same person bearing OPARA GINIKACHI MILLICENT RITA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that I, ONWUKWE ARISA IGBOKWE as well as ONWUKWE ARISA SOLOMON. All documents bearing the above names are mine and remain valid.

General public take note.

ADENIYI OLALEKAN OLOTU

Formerly known and addressed as ADENIYI OLOTU OLADARA, now wish to be known and addressed as ADENIYI OLALEKAN OLOTU. My correct date of birth is, March 16m 1982. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

AUGUSTINE CHIDIEBERE COBED

I formerly known and addressed as CHUKS DESTINY AUGUSTINE now wish to be known and addressed as AUGUSTINE CHIDIEBERE COBED All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

MRS ESTHER NGOZI DIKE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ESTHER NGOZI OKPALA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ESTHER NGOZI DIKE All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

ELEKE UCHECHUKWU LIVINGSTONE.

I formerly known as Uche Uzoma Eleke wish to be known and addressed as Eleke Uchechukwu Livingstone. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

EDITH UCHECHUKWUKA HASSAN

OBISESAN OLUSEGUN GIDEON

I formerly known and addressed as OBISESAN OLUSEGUN OLASUNKANMI now wish to be known and addressed as OBISESAN OLUSEGUN GIDEON All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

OGHENERUKEVWE ITIE GOLD

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OGHENERUKEVWE ITIE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGHENERUKEVWE ITIE GOLD All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

IGE SAMUEL OLUWATOBILOBA .

I formerly known as Ige Samuel Damilare wish to be known and addressed as lge Samuel Oluwatobiloba . All former documents remain valid, General public take note.

THOMAS CHIDIMMA PRECIOUS

NNONYELUM CHRISTOPHER MADUKAIFE

I formerly known and addressed as NNONYELU CHRISTOPHER MIKE now wish to be known and addressed as NNONYELUM CHRISTOPHER MADUKAIFE All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME:

In some of my documents my mame was wrongly written ONYONUN MAIUERRN NGOZI instead of ONYOLU MAUREEN NGOZI. All former documents remain valid.

General public to take note AJANI - LASISI MORUF

I formerly known as Lasisi Ajani Morufu wish to be known and addressed as Ajani - Lasisi Moruf. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

CHINAZA CHARITY LAWRENCE

I formerly known as EDITH AISHAT OLADAPO wish to be known and addressed as EDITH UCHECHUKWUKA HASSAN. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

I formerly known as Iheji Chidimma Precious. wish to be known and addressed as Thomas Chidimma Precious. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. CHINAZA CHARITY ONUGHA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. CHINAZA CHARITY LAWRENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

KATE CHRISTOPHER AMAEWHULE

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. KATE UZOAGA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. KATE CHRISTOPHER AMAEWHULE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

YUGUDA ALKALI. I, formerly known and addressed as, JOEL ALKALI, now wish to be known and addressed as, YUGUDA ALKALI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

I, formerly known and addressed as, OYORO INEMESIT OYORO, now wish to be known and addressed as, OYORO INEMESIT SYLVANUS. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CHRISTIANA MICHAEL IBU

AMMY JEFFERSON HOPE

OYORO INEMESIT SYLVANUS

NGWOBIA FAVOUR UKO

AFAKHUMHE PATIENCE OBIYERO

I formerly known and addressed as AFAKHUMHE PATIENCE BENARD now wish to be known and addressed as AFAKHUMHE PATIENCE OBIYERO All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

TOYOSI AINA RIDWAN

I formerly known and addressed as TOYOSI RIDWAN now wish to be known and addressed as TOYOSI AINA RIDWAN All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

CHRISTOPHER DANIEL EMOVUON.

I formerly known as Christopher Daniel Aigbomodion wish to be known and addressed as Christopher Daniel Emovuon. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note ALOZIE EUCHARIA

I, formerly known and addressed as, ANOZIE EUCHARIA, now wish to be known and addressed as, ALOZIE EUCHARIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

l was formerly known as Olaleye Folake Rebecca and now wish to be known as Mrs Jimoh Folake Racheal.

All former documents remain valid. General public. please note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SAMSON ANGELA UDO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SAVIOUR ANGELA SAMPSON. All former documents remain valid.

That I was born on the 28th day of November, 1986. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ISKIL RAZAQ GBOLAGUNTE AKANFE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ISKEEL GBOLAGUNTE RAZAQ. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note ANICHINWENDU ANTHONIA.

Formerly known as OGBODO CHINWENDU ANTHONIA now wish to be known as ANICHINWENDU ANTHONIA. All former documen ts remain valid.

General public pls note

WILLIAMS, JANE ERESU

I, formerly known and addressed as, LEH-TOGI, JANE ERESU, now wish to be known and addressed as, WILLIAMS, JANE ERESU (MRS.). All former documents remain valid.

National Identity Management Commission and the general public should please take note.

NANCY NNALUNWA OGWE

ISKEEL GBOLAGUNTE RAZAQ

DOMINIC ICHICHE AFEN

I formerly known as OGUNTOSIN KOLAWOLE AKANBI wish to be known and addressed as OGUNTOSIN EZEKIEL KOLAWOLE. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note

DONALD ALAYE.

SAVIOUR ANGELA SAMPSON.

Formerly known as EMMANUEL IFE UCHIFA, now wish to be known and addressed as DOMINIC ICHICHE AFEN. All former documents remain valid.

General public please note

OGUNTOSIN EZEKIEL KOLAWOLE

EMENIKE VIVIAN CHIKA

JIMOH FOLAKE RACHEAL

OWOYEMI ADEWUMI OMOOLA

CORRECTION OF NAME:

CORRECT NAME. IKOTIDEM IDORENYIN ARCHIBONG AND NOT IDOREMBIM AREIHBONG I General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. OKIKE VIVIAN CHIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. EMENIKE VIVIAN CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, TAMMY JEFFERSON HOPE NWADIOZO, AND TAMMY JEFFERSON HOPE NWA, now wish to be known and addressed as, TAMMY JEFFERSON HOPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OLANIYI TOLA ADEWUMI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OWOYEMI ADEWUMI OMOOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned take note.

BABATUNDE LATIFAT

ALEX NWANYANWU

I, formerly known and addressed as, ALAYE-DDIBOYESUKU, now wish to be known and addressed as, DONALD ALAYE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

That on my bank account, my name was wrongly written as ALFA ELEOJO JOY insted of ADAMU AMIRAT ELEOJO. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ODEWUMI BUKOLA GRACE

I, formerly known, called and addressed as ABAYOMI BUKOLA GRACE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ODEWUMI BUKOLA GRACE. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, NANCY SUNDAY NNALUNWA, now wish to be known and addressed as, NANCY NNALUNWA OGWE. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that ADEBUKOLA ADEBIMPE ELIZABETH SIYANBOLA and ADEBUKOLA ADEBIMPE SIYANBOLA refers to one and the same person. That all former documents bearing both names mentioned above are mine and remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ADEYEYE MOTUNRAYO OLUFUNMILAYO

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OLADIPO OLUFUNMILAYO MOTUNRAYO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADEYEYE MOTUNRAYO OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

FRANCIS GODDAY OSARO.

NWANGENE FESTUS FRIDAY.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

MICHAEL SUNNY CHIDI MCDONALD-AGU

FELICIA EZIASHI.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OGBOE EMMANUEL, now wish to be known, called and addressed as FRANCIS GODDAY OSARO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note

I, formerly known, called and addressed as NWACHUKWU FESTUS FRIDAY, now wish to be known, called and addressed as NWANGENE FESTUS FRIDAY. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

This is to confirm that ADEWUNMI ADEYINKA EBUNLOMO is the same person known as OLUROMBI GBEMISOLA ADEYINKA. All former documents remain valid. General public Please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as SUNNY EBERECHUKWU AGU, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MICHAEL SUNNY CHIDI MCDONALD-AGU. That my date of birth is 8th day of June, 1962. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as FELICIA NTUEME EZIASHI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as FELICIA EZIASHI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

BIDEMI POSU

SUNDAY OJO

UDEBUIKE JOSHUA NJIDOKA. I, formerly known, called and addressed as JOSHUA WILSON, now wish to be known, called and addressed as UDEBUIKE JOSHUA NJIDOKA. That my correct and true date of birth is 2nd day of June, 1990.

All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note

ADDITION OF NAME I, formerly known, called and addressed as ODUNZE DONALD, but now wish to add ‘ONYEMAECHI’ to my name. That I now wish to be known, called and addressed as DONALD ONYEMAECHI ODUNZE. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

YAKUBU AYINDE

I, formerly known, called and addressed as MISS BIDEMI AKINTUNDE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. BIDEMI POSU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OISEWEMEN FRANCIS, now wish to be known, called and addressed as SUNDAY OJO. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ARIYO JACOB JOHNSON

I formerly known and addressed as ONASANYA SOPE SAMSOM now wish to be known and addressed as ARIYO JACOB JOHNSON All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as SALAUDEEN LATIFAT now wish to be known and addressed as BABATUNDE LATIFAT All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MR. SAMUEL ALEXANDER, AND ALEX UCHE NWANYANWU, now wish to be known and addressed as, MR. ALEX NWANYANWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, NGWOBIA FELICIA UKO, now wish to be known and addressed as, now wish to be known and addressed as, NGWOBIA FAVOUR UKO. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, CHRISTIANA MICHAEL, now wish to be known and addressed as, CHRISTIANA MICHAEL IBU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

IBRAHIM FOLAKEMI RACHEAL

I formerly known and addressed as OGUNDIPE FOLAKEMI RACHEAL now wish to be known and addressed as IBRAHIM FOLAKEMI RACHEAL All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as UALUDU AYINOLE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as YAKUBU AYINDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

MARY EFFIOM EMAN

I formerly known as MARY PHILIP UBANGHA wish to be known and addressed as MARY EFFIOM EMAN. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

GODWIN JULY KPEYOR

I, formerly known and addressed as, MR. GODWIN MUUMEE, now wish to be known and addressed as, MR. GODWIN JULY KPEYOR. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IBINABO DOOLE NAKWAASAH.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. IBINABO ALLWELL POLLYN, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. IBINABO DOOLE NAKWAASAH. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME I, IRINGE SUNDAY KOKO, wish to correct my name which was wrongly written as, SUNDAY IRINGE-KOKO, instead of, IRINGE SUNDAY KOKO, in my BVN details.

I now wish to be known and addressed as, IRINGE SUNDAY KOKO. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ADEDIGBA OLADUNNI

I, formerly known, called and addressed as ALABI OLADUNNI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADEDIGBA OLADUNNI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OLUWATOYIN OMOWUNMI DADA

I, formerly known, called and addressed as DADA TOYIN LAITAN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUWATOYIN OMOWUNMI DADA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note GOWONO AENEAS AHASO

I, formerly known, called and addressed as GOWONO AENEAS FUREAHASO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as GOWONO AENEAS AHASO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

JAMES ONAYE ESTHER.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as TUGAI ONAYE ESTHER, now wish to be known, called and addressed as JAMES ONAYE ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

25 News

Xmas: Arik raises frequencies, adds new aircraft Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÎÎÎArik

Air, West and Central Africa’s largest carrier, is increasing its flight frequencies to key domestic destinations ahead of the Christmas and New Year festivities to cope with passenger demands.

The airline’s decision, according to the airline’s PR and Communications Manager, Adebanji Ola, is to increase flight frequencies on the domestic.

This, he said, is to ensure that many Nigerians are able to travel home to share the joy of the season with family and

UNHCR to construct 500 houses for displaced persons in N’East Tom Garba, Yola

ÎÎÎThe

United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) has embarked on the construction of twobedroom permanent shelter for displaced persons in the North-East region.

The Adamawa state governor, Sen. Mohammed Jibrilla, and UNHCR representative in Nigeria and ECOWAS, Mrs. Angele Dikongue-Atangana, on Monday performed the block laying ceremony for construction of 60 units twobedroom permanent shelter in Maiha local government area of the state.

Mrs. Dikongue-Atangana said the 60 units of the permanent shelter for returning displaced persons was the first of 500 units of such shelters to be constructed for victims of the seven councils ravaged by the insurgency in the North East.

She added that shelter remained one of the most im-

portant need of the 3,000 displaced victims of insurgency who have returned to Maiha adding that UNHCR decided on building the houses to address that need in order to encourage other displaced persons to return to their habitual residence.

“The return of displaced persons for Adamawa was found to be peculiar because many of those displaced returned enmasse to their places of habitual residence without support.

“Most of the seven local government areas affected by the insurgency have experienced substantial levels of return and yet require support in attending to basic services in which shelter is paramount. It is my believe that construction of this 60 units two bed-room permanent shelter in Maiha, funded

by UNHCR, will be the beginning of a new dawn in Adamawa state for the returning displaced population within the conflict affected local government areas.

friends.

It will also enable it cope with the demands of its international passengers on the London Heathrow and New York JFK routes, the airline has leased a wide-body A340-300 from Portugal to supplement its wide-body fleet of two A330-200 air-

THE TRUSTEES ARE:-

1.

2.

3.

4.

JOHNSON EMEKA EZE DENNIS UDO IROHA CHRISTIANA UGBOMA EZE DONATUS OKAFOR ANAEROBI

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES:-

Bonny Amadi

ÎÎÎ

West Africa’s socio economic relation is poised to receive a boost with the strategic positioning of the National Association of Ghana Communities in Nigeria (NAGHACON) with the proposed establishment of a secretariat to attend to trade, immigration, residency and cooperation inquiries.

Nigeria and Ghana, two Anglophone counties with similar political developmental historical background have sustained economic and social cooperation’s over the years, a development which NAGHACON wants to take to the next level with the construction of a befitting center in Nigeria.

NAGHACON was established by the Ghana High commission in Nigeria to foster unity, provide welfare and support services to members far away from home and to promote economic and social wellbeing of the people and the two countries, which by extension would further economic and social integration of neighboring countries.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication SIGNED BY;

SECRETARY ADESOTE OLUBUNMI FOLAKE

Formerly known and addressed as ADEGOKE OLUBUNMI FOLAKE, now wish to be known and addressed as ADESOTE OLUBUNMI FOLAKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

FOR SALE ELIZABETH MODINAT OYEFESOBI

TO PREACH THE WORD OF GOD

TITILAYO OLUFUNMI TAYO

Formerly known and addressed as MISS TITILAYO OLUFUNMI OLAWOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS TITILAYO OLUFUNMI TAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Instead of the average 100 daily flights normally operated, Arik Air will during the festive period increase its daily flights to an average of 120.

The airline’s Managing Director/Executive Vice President, Mr. Chris Ndulue, explained: “For many of our guests, the Christ-

mas and New Year period is a time when families wish to be reunited at the end of a busy year.

Arik Air is therefore very pleased to announce that on many of our domestic routes, the airline will be scheduling additional flights and operating larger aircraft to cater for the increasing demand.”

Ghanaians union in Nigeria to focus on trade, others

HEAVENLY CONVENANT FAITHFUL MINISTRY INT L.

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

craft.

Arik Air connects 18 destinations within Nigeria, 10 in West/Central Africa and three international destinations enabling the airline to bring more Nigerian families together this festive season than any other carrier.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS OLUCHI ELIZABETH SUNDAY, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ELIZABETH MODINAT OYEFESOBI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm and certify that ADIGUN BUKOLA and ADIGUN OLUWABUKOLA OMOLARA is one and same person but now wishes to be addressed and known as ADIGUN OLUWABUKOLA OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

The association’s president, Mr. Frank Quaye disclosed recently in Lagos during the Association’s Awards/Dinner and fund raising night the proposed secretariat in Lagos, would serve the benefit of not only Ghanaians in Nigeria, but as data and information center for business cooperation between the two countries.

He said that the 2016 edition of the NAGHACON gala night, organised in collaboration with the Ghanaian business community ‘the great minds’ aimed at ensuring continual representation of the business community and Ghanaians in the diaspora.

The secretariat has the blessing of the country’s high commission as it would augment effort at delivering timely and effective information generation and dissemination.

He said that the secretariat when completed would not just help Ghanaians in Nigeria or those wishing to do business with either of the countries, but also help to cement the trade and cultural relations also with neighboring countries.

Nigerians would have easy access to the center when completed, for all relevant trade information, thereby reducing the burden on the High commission.

“I will use this time to appreciate our host country, Nigeria, for making the atmosphere so conducive for us that a lot of us pride ourselves as citizens of Ghangeria, being comfortable both in Ghana or our home country and Nigeria our host country.”

The personal assistant to NAGHACON president, Martins Amo-Ayesu, told Daily Times that the proposed center when completed would also aid in residency documentations for Nigerians and Ghanaians.

“Sometimes, the people have to go to the embassy and the embassy in turn will have to call the NAGHACON President for verification”, Amo-Ayesu said adding, “with the secretariat in place, other people or organisations that want to invest in Ghana, will have to utilize the manpower of the association to access information they cannot easily get at the embassy.”

Hence the High commissioner cannot go out looking for all Ghanaians and Nigerians with business intent in Ghana, this can easily be achieved by the association which already has a strong data base of over 2 million registered members and corporate organizations.

The secretariat, not to ensure that citizens meet residency rules of Nigeria, also would ensure seamless business relationship between Nigeria and Ghana.

Evangelist Daniel Obey Apori, one of the patrons of the association told Daily Times in an interview that when the secretariat becomes operational, everyone would be happy because instead of rushing to the embassy, one can easily get to the center and receive immediate attention.

He said that the center will provide easy place for submission of complaints, inquiry or due diligence for Nigerians and Ghanaian business community. these services, Apori said could easily be rendered without having to revert to the embassy.

Pensioners flay FG’s alleged refusal to implement rise in arrears Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÎÎÎ

Members of the Delta state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUOP) have flayed the Federal Government on its alleged refusal to implement the 33 percent pension arrears’ increase approved since July, 2016.

The pensioners also lampooned the state government for her unwillingness to pay their outstanding arrears, alleging that secret efforts to sabotage their interest in the scheme of things may prepare them for a protest in no distant time.

Unconfirmed sources had hinted our reporter that over six of the pensioners had re-

cently died of hunger after their efforts to receive their pension from the state government failed.

But the state chairman of the union, Ogbueshi Robert Chukwunyem, said his members are faced with serious hardship of paucity funds to meet some of their domestic demands, coupled with the present economy recession.

The state government, through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Patrick Ukah, had last Monday reacted to the unpaid outstanding arrears of the pensioners, disclosing that the state government had released over N2 billion since its inception for the payment of

pensioners.

Ukah, who spoke to journalists on Governor Ifeanyi Okowa’s giant strides in the state, said: “the state governor is very passionate about the welfare of pensioners and had released over N2 billion to settle their payments. He is ready to do more as soon as funds are available.”

Ogbueshi Chukwunyem, while calling on federal and state governments to address their plight as the yuletide season draws near, calling on them to step up efforts in the preparation and payment of December pension before Christmas, moreso as they carter for their needs.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Health

s

CONTRACEPTIVE PREVALENCE: FG

says 2018 target of 36% rate achievable Lara Adejoro Director and Head of Reproductive Health Division, Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Kayode Afolabi, has revealed that Nigeria is committed to achieving the set target of 36 per cent Family Planning (FP) Contraceptive Prevalence Rate by year 2018.

At the FP Watch final dissemination event held in Abuja on Tuesday, Dr. Afolabi said that notwithstanding the 2016 prevalence rate of 16 percent, the 2018 target is achievable as Nigeria is part of the global movement of Family Planning - FP 2020 -which the government of Nigeria has aligned with.

It will be recalled that the FP 2020 goal is designed to enable 120 million women and girls to have informed choice and access to family planning information and a range of modern contraceptive methods.

The FP Watch project is funded by Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Three Millennium Development Goal Fund.

The FP Watch is a survey coordinated by the Federal Ministry of Health and Society for Family Health (SFH) with support from Population Ser-

Lara Adejoro Saddened by the nation’s worrisome state of the economy, the Association of Medical Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria (AMLSN), Lagos State branch, has appealed to the Federal Government to approve the implementation of National Health Act. In a communique issued at the end of its 7th annual retreat, the association viewed with concern, the state of Nigerian economy as it affects the health of Nigerians.

The communiqué was signed by the association’s state chairman, Mr Kehinde Adegoke, the Secretary, Mr Olumide Fadipe and the Director of Publicity, Mr. Leslie Olanrewaju.

FG to achieve 36% Family Planning Contraceptive Prevalence Rate by year 2018

vices International (PSI).

“For the first time, the survey looks at the availability and access to family planning commodities and services nationwide,” Dr. Afolabi said.

“Meanwhile, we are happy to be part of the survey because it has significance to impact programming and policy that will enhance family planning programming, especially access and uptake of family plan-

ning in the country to improve maternal, newborn and child health,” he said.

In her remarks, the Deputy Managing Director, Programmers, of SFH, Dr Jennifer Andante, said that the FP Watch study visited 14,000 outlets across the country to ascertain the availability of family planning commodities and level of service to the teeming Nigerian population.

Part of the focus of the study, Dr. Anyanti said, was market share, which proportion of facilities were providing most of the services.

“When we looked nationwide, we found 75 per cent came from the private sector and 25 per cent from the public sector,” she said, and added that this was of great interest of the stakeholders “because usually, we place a lot of focus

on the public sector.”

Dr. Anyanti further said the study also looked at product availability in the sector, including products such as condoms, oral contraceptives, emergency contraceptives, injectibles, implants, IUDs and permanent methods like male and female sterilisation.

“From the presentations, we noticed that access to family planning is low in the North…, so it depends largely on the work that all of us - government, partners and media do in educating women about family planning.”

FP Watch, it will be recalled, is a multi-country research project designed to generate evidence on contraceptive availability through surveys administered to all modern FP methods. The standardised methodology and questionnaire were implemented in Ethiopia, Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Myanmar and India from 2015 to 2016.

FP Watch assesses the composition, performance and service readiness of the total FP market in high priority FP 2020 countries.

This includes range and availability of modern FP methods and services, private outlet, consumer prices, relative market share by method outlet type and market readiness for FP service delivery.

Association seeks implementation of National Health Act

“Our Association is saddened that the recession is hitting hard on the health of Nigerians.

The cost of effective healthcare has gone beyond the reach of average Nigerians as the cost of power, procuring laboratory consumables, re-agents and equipment has become prohibitory, thereby taking cost of laboratory service out of reach of needy Lagosians, while the high unemployment rate has made it difficult for more enrollment into NHIS. “As a result of this, our health institutions are overstretched

with admissions since our primary health care centres cannot cope with the demands.”

The association however called on the FG to fast track efforts on revamping our economy as its current state has worsen the health indices, morbidity and mortality of Nigerians.

While commending the Federal Government for the rapid result initiatives, the association called for the involvement of AMLSN in the policy formulation and implementation of the scheme.

“The retreat reiterated that, for effective coverage there is need

for the involvement of private laboratories in the scheme because many indigent patients may not have money to go to accredited hospitals.

“In a place like Lagos, the facilities are accessible to only elite patients in Mainland and Island due to cost of transportation and distance. If registered private laboratories are included, wider coverage would be achieved, as the centres will be a walking distance to the target Nigerians.”

The association also called on the Lagos state government to involve Guild Of Medical Laborato-

ry Directors (GMLD) in the state in the implementation of the community based health insurance scheme.

Lagos State Chairman, AMLSN, Mr. Kehinde Adegoke

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

27 Health

NICA urges adequate budget for infection prevention, control

Ebola infection control training session

Lara Adejoro The Nigerian Infection Control Association (NICA), an Umbrella body for Infection Prevention Control Practitioners has called on government at all levels to make sufficient provisions in their annual budgets for infection prevention and control.

The association made the call

at its 2016 annual conference held in Abuja recently with the theme: “Breaking the chain of transmission: Infection control and epidemics”.

The communique was signed by the chairman of the association, Professor FT Ogunsola and Chairman, Local Organising Committee of NCIC, Professor A.T. Olayinka.

While noting the conscientious efforts and steps the Federal Government of Nigeria is taking towards controlling life threatening infections within the country, the association solicits for the cooperation of all relevant stakeholders towards government’s determination to establish a National Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance

Network.

The association also implored government to compel all heads of government hospitals to make the establishment of Infection Prevention and Control programmes mandatory to enhance the prevention of transmission of infection as provided for in the National Health Act 2014.

“There is need for development of National Guidelines on infection prevention and control so as to operationalise the policy on it.

“Certification programmes and career lines should be developed for Infection Prevention and Control practitioners. There is need also for Nigeria to team up with the International Community on Global Health Security as it relates to Infection Prevention and Control,” the communique read in part.

The association also noted that infection prevention and control should be included in undergraduate Curricula of Medical and allied Health Care Professionals.

Furthermore, it says, research into infection prevention and control should be funded to ensure that local processes and procedure are developed to mitigate the impact of infections in the local environments.

Foundation opens sexual violence referral centre in Lagos Mutiat Alli Women and Risk International Foundation (WARIF) in active collaboration with Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre, USA, has officially opened its ultra-modern crisis flagship centre in Lagos.

Addressing journalists at a press conference recently, the founder and visionary of WARIF, Dr. Kemi DaSilva-Ibru said, being a specialist obstetrician and gynaecologist with decades of experience had exposed her to the devastating effects of sexual violence, especially among women and young girls whom she refers to as ‘survivors’ and not ‘victims’.

DaSilva-Ibru said, there was a high incidence of sexual violence against women with only a few well equipped centres to effectively offer survivors the physical and psychological attention needed, especially within the first 72 hours as well as their long term social support.

“The youngest child treated is

about 2 years of age and I have a young mother who is just over 11 years of age, both survivors of sexual abuse by those close to them. In spite of inadequate data, the figures are staggering.

“This is why WARIF was set up; to address this high incidence of this concern with the development and implementation of intervention and preventive initiatives; the first of which is WARIF Centre. These services will add to the existing number of sexual assault referral centres already existing which are doing a thorough and commendable job in assisting these survivors in getting back on their feet.”

According to her, WARIF is more than a sexual assault centre, it is a safe haven where social welfare needs of survivors are also met.

She said her NGO will be collaborating with several government and non-governmental organisations to accomplish short term and long term goals of ending gender based violence.

Also, the Executive Director of Washington DC Rape Crisis centre, Indira Henard, highlighted the importance of collaboration amongst the health practitioners, non-governmental organisations and government agencies in not only providing centres for survivors but also combating the surge in rape statistics and creating the needed awareness to rescue survivors from the circle of silent prevalence in the African society.

According to Henard, “the

work of a care-giver in a rape crisis centre is not simply hard work. It can be best defined as heart work. It is a call to service; a call to fight a seemingly invisible enemy that pushes survivors to suffer in silence because of the stigma of sexual violence.

We must collaborate with every sector of the society including the men who are sometimes survivors of sexual violence to change the present narrative of rape and sexual violence in our society.”

Executive Director of the Washington DC Rape Crisis Centre, Indira Hernard and Founder of WARIF, Dr. DaSilva-Ibru at the press conference.

Frequent skipping of breakfast harmful to human health — Nutritionist Edokpolor Osayande

A senior nutritionist at the Federal Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Yaba, Mrs. Olubukola Olatidoye, has said that frequent skipping of breakfast is harmful to human health and could lead to ulcer.

Speaking with The Daily Times, Olatidoye said that most Nigerians don’t think breakfast is important, but it can be disastrous when the right food is not given to the body regularly as at when needed. She added that not remembering to eat has been a major cause of ulcer, as it is better to skip lunch or dinner than skipping breakfast.

However, ulcer occurs when the worms in the stomach don’t get enough food to eat, hence they feed on human intestine and create wounds in the stomach.

She said that the right type of food for ulcer patients depends on the individual body system, saying that taking warm water in the morning and eating fruits like banana will help to ease ulcer pains.

Giving her personal experience, she said, “for me, I take warm water in the morning first before eating fruits, then after 30 minutes, I brush my teeth and eat breakfast; with that I don’t feel ulcer pains.”

Olatidoye cautioned that patients with ulcer should avoid eating dry bread, garri and using beans, as breakfast could be dangerous to their health.

She explained that, dry bread could cause pain to patients but if patients must take bread, it must be taken with tea or something soft while beans gives heart burn and if patient must eat, it must not be taken as breakfast.

Noting that garri is also not good for ulcer patients - especially when it is hard and heavy, but if individuals with the ailment must eat, it should be eaten light and soft.

She warned that ulcer patients should avoid food with too much pepper which could increase ulcer pains, adding that, it is preferable for patients to eat tomatoes stew if possible without pepper; and if there must be pepper, it must be very minimal that it will not be felt in the food.

s

Foreign 28 US new law to reorganize VOA, others ÎÎÎ

Control over U.S. government international broadcasting will be consolidated under a powerful chief executive, under legislation expected to soon be signed by President Barack Obama.

The changes were included as part of an annual defense funding bill, the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act, which was passed last week by both houses of Congress.

The bill restructures the leadership of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the U.S. government agency that supervises the Voice of America and other broadcast entities, several of which are organized as government-funded private corporations, known as grantees.

The bipartisan, nine-member board that oversees the BBG will be replaced by a smaller advisory board with no decision-making authority. Its power will be transferred to the chief executive officer, a new position established in September 2015. Future CEOs will be appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate.

The bill’s supporters say the changes will help streamline operations and do away with a part-time board that has long been criticized for ineffectiveness.

But critics say the board serves as a crucial firewall between BBG journalists and the political establishment, and argue that eliminating it could damage editorial independence and credibility.

The bill’s main backer was Republican Congressman Ed Royce, who says the changes to the BBG are long overdue.

“Our agencies that helped take down the Iron Curtain with accurate and timely broadcasting have lost their edge,” Royce said in a statement earlier this month.

“They must be revitalized to effectively carry out their mission in this age of viral terrorism and digital propaganda.”

Any new CEO named by the president must be confirmed by the Senate, which is controlled by Republicans.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

UN chief urges Gambian forces to vacate electoral commission office ÎÎÎ

Agency reports said that the United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon has condemned the takeover of Gambia’s electoral commission by security forces and is calling on the military to vacate the building immediately.

A statement Wednesday from the secretarygeneral’s spokesman also asked the Gambian military to take no further actions that could jeopardize a peaceful transfer of power in the tiny West

Gambian President-elect Adama Barrow African country.

President Yayha Jammeh initially conceded

defeat to challenger Adama Barrow in the December 1 presidential

UN worried over consequences of breakdown in Aleppo cease fire ÎÎÎU.N.

Human Rights Commissioner Zeid Ra’ad al Hussein says he is “appalled” by the apparent collapse of a cease-fire deal in Aleppo

U.N. Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon.

that would have allowed civilians to evacuate the war-torn Syrian city, where heavy fighting resumed on Wednesday.

“While the reasons for the breakdown in the ceasefire are disputed, the resumption of extremely heavy bombardment by the Syrian government forces and their allies on an area packed with civilians is almost certainly a violation of international law and most likely constitutes war crimes,” Zeid said in a statement Wednesday.

Zeid called on the Syrian government to provide medical aid to

those wounded during the recent bombardment, which he said was required by international law, and called the government’s apparent blocking of a convoy of buses sent to evacuate civilians “inexcusable.”

“The way this deal was dangled in front of this battered and beleaguered population — causing them to hope they might indeed live to see another day — and then snatched away just half a day later is also outrageously cruel,” he said.

Zeid’s comments came after heavy fighting resumed Wednesday in

are at least 81 journalists imprisoned in Turkey, which is more than are jailed in any other country, and accounts for almost one third of all imprisoned journalists worldwide.

According to the Committee to Protect Journal-

Aleppo and various parties and their backers traded blame for shattering a cease-fire, effectively scuttling a plan to evacuate civilians and rebels.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the violence included airstrikes on the remaining parts of opposition-held Aleppo, which the rebels seized four years ago.

Rebel areas were also hit by shelling, while Syrian state television reported that shelling by the rebels killed six people in a district that was recently recaptured by the government.

China builds military defense structures on artificial islands ÎÎÎThe

Chinese government appears to have constructed several large military defense structures on artificial islands it built in contested areas of the South China Sea. Aerial photos published

Wednesday in a report by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative show the build-up of large antiaircraft guns and what appear to be smaller missiledefense systems on each of China’s outposts in the

Spratly Islands.

The group, which has been monitoring the military construction via satellite since June, said China has constructed nearly identical headquarters buildings to house the de-

Turkey jails over 81 journalists in post-coup crackdown ÎÎÎThere

election but later retracted the concession.

On Tuesday, members of Gambia’s ruling party asked the country’s Supreme Court to void the election results.

Upon her return, Johnson Sirleaf said the parties concerned “committed themselves to peace and harmony,” and said the matter would be discussed at a summit of the West African bloc ECOWAS later this week in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja.

ists, the journalists jailed by the Turkish government in the aftermath of a failed July coup attempt sent the total number of jailed journalists soaring from 199 in 2015 to 259 now.

The 81 journalists imprisoned in Turkey have

been accused of anti-state activity, according to a CPJ report released Tuesday.

Anti-state activity makes up the vast majority of charges levelled against journalists jailed around the world.

Turkish President Recep

Tayyip Erdogan cracked down on journalists, academics, the military, and civilian government employees, following the July coup attempt.

More than 100,000 people have been removed from their jobs since government

fense technology on each of its four small islands.

The report says the defense structures likely would serve as a “last line of defense” against attacks on the soon-to-be-operational air bases located

forces blocked the coup attempt. More than 35,000 others, including military officers and opposition politicians, have been arrested for suspected collusion with the coup plotters.

China and Egypt follow Turkey on the list of most imprisoned journalists, with 38 jailed in China and 25 in Egypt.

Group accuses ISIS of manufacturing weapons ahead of Mosul attack

ÎÎÎIn the months leading

up to the assault on the Iraqi city of Mosul, Islamic State militants manufactured tens of thousands of mortar rounds, rockets, bombs and ammunition — part of an industrial-scale enterprise across the self-styled caliphate that’s been producing weaponry to a standard matching that of national armies, according to an arms monitoring group.

The militants’ production system is characterized by firm quality control and high levels of technical precision. Managed centrally, IS arms manufacturing could not be described as “improvised,” says Conflict Armament Research, (CAR), a London-based organization funded by the European Union that monitors the movement and use of conventional weaponry.

A team of CAR researchers was embedded with Iraqi forces as they advanced into eastern Mosul in October and November, gaining access to half-a-dozen production facilities abandoned by the militants in the Gogjali and Qaraqosh districts.

“Within a six-day period, CAR investigators documented more than 5,000 rockets and mortar rounds in various stages of production,” according to the monitoring group’s report released Wednesday.

“CAR also documented more than 500 finished mortar rounds, which Iraqi forces had recovered on the battlefield.

“These findings suggest that overall production

by IS forces in the months leading up to the Mosul offensive runs into the tens of thousands,” the report continued. Labels affixed to IS-manufactured weapons indicated they had been churned out a month before the Iraqi offensive commenced on Mosul, IS’s last major urban stronghold in the country.

Islamic State militants weapons and ammunition in the town of Bashiqa, east of Mosul, Iraq.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

29

L Ndidi dismisses Kante comparisons

eicester City-bound Wilfred Ndidi has dismissed comparisons with Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, insisting both players are different.

Premier League champions Leicester are believed to be struggling this season after they let go Kante to Chelsea and so the need to replace the work horse midfielder with a similar player in Ndidi.

However, Nigeria star Ndidi has

maintained he is a different player from the France star.

“I don’t have to be Kante. Kante is Kante. We are different players,” he said.

“I have my own style of play and I don’t want to be under pressure to be another player.

“I just have to go there (Leicester City) and play my own game.”

Genk star Ndidi also revealed he is now more comfortable playing in midfield as a destroy-

er.

“I am more comfortable in the midfield. I am now more used to playing there than in other positions,” said the player, who started out as a central defender and has also played at right and left back positions.

The 19-year-old Ndidi is expected to complete a big-money move to Leicester in January pending the issuance of a work permit in the UK.

Page 30

Thursday, DECEMBER 15, 2016

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

Action recorded during Nigeria, Switzerland clash at the recently concluded COPA Lagos Beach soccer tourney.

C

COPA Lagos: Kwande , Supersand Eagles thumb up Kinetic Sports Onyekuru fires 10th goal in Belgium

R

ed-hot Nigerian youngster Henry Onyekuru continued his impressive display for his Belgian top-flight team AS Eupen when he scored in a 4-0 thrashing of Kortrijk in a cup game to take his season’s tally to 10 goals.

He scored the fourth goal of the game in the 89th minute to seal

their passage into the quarterfinals.

He has now scored eight goals in the league and two in cup.

Onyekuru’s goals have already attracted several top clubs across Europe – from Fenerbache of Turkey to Hoffenheim in the German Bundesliga and CSKA Moscow from Russia.

Onyekuru

Gata,Okpako join Enyimba

S

Ndidi

triker Ismaila Gata and midfielder Solomon Okpako appear to have finally settled with Enyimba after they were initially linked with FC IfeanyiUbah.

Both players, who were in the camp of FC IfeanyiUbah a week ago are now having a new romance with ‘The People’s Ele-

phant’.

“I don’t want to make the same mistake I made last year playing for Warri Wolves without being paid as stipulated,” said Okpako, who has previously played in Greece and South Africa.

“Three clubs were after my signature, but I made a rightful

decision as a family man with responsibilities to now sign for Enyimba.”

Last season, big striker Gata featured for FC IfeanyiUbah after a mid-season transfer from Niger Tornadoes. He has also played for Shooting Stars and Kwara United.

hairman of Nigeria’s Beach Soccer Committee, Solomon Yahaya Kwande, as well as players and officials of the country’s beach soccer team, the Supersand Eagles have expressed their heart-felt appreciation to the management and staff of Kinetic Sports, organisers of COPA Lagos for arranging the international encounter between them and the Switzerland beach soccer team.

According to them, the match was the perfect test for the team in preparation of the 2016 edition of the AFCON Beach Soccer Nations Cup currently holding in Lagos.

They specifically thanked Mr. Samson Adamu for the Swiss test match, describing it as the perfect wakeup call they needed.

It will be recalled that Nigeria lost 8-3 to the Swiss in the COPA Lagos beach soccer tournament.

“Kudos to Kinetic Sports management who put all arrangements in place for the successful hosting of the AFCON Beach Soccer Nations Cup. Congratulations to Samson Adamu and his team for a wonderful job,” said Kwande.

Coach of Supersand Eagles, Audu Adamu spoke in the same vein: “The Swiss Match was a good test for my team.

First, playing against a group of professionals has made me see the lapses on my team’s side which I have quickly corrected.”

Team captain, Isiaka Olawale also thanked Samson Adamu and Kinetic Sports for the Swiss match. His words: “Special thanks to Samson Adamu and Kinetic Sports for hosting the Copa Lagos Beach Soccer Tournament ahead of the AFCON Qualifier and also making it possible for us to play the Swiss who are rated the third best team best beach soccer side in the world. While in Camp for the three weeks, we had no quality friendly game, apart from the match against the Swiss.”

His teammate, Ogbonnaya Okemiri agrees. “The Match against the Swiss National Beach Soccer team was all that was needed to put the Supersand Eagles in top shape for the AFCON qualifier, putting into consideration that we are not a beach league side. So it was a privilege to play the Switzerland National Beach Soccer side who are all professionals and the third best in the world,” he said.

Meanwhile, COPA Lagos, the annual global beach soccer tournament organized by Kinetic Sports returned with a bang with thrilling and exciting football matches including a celebrity match and an international game between Nigeria and Switzerland.

The day had begun with a thrilling beach soccer match between Enyimba FC beach soccer team and the Pepsi Football Academy, which the latter won by 6-5 in extra time. Next was a celebrity match between Team Dbanj and Team Victor Ikpeba. Team D’Banj consisted of top notch celebrities like Peter Okoye of P-Square, Samson Adamu, CEO of Kinetic Sports, popular comedian, K-10; popular Beat FM OAP, Jimiand; popular MTV base VJ ‘Dada boy Ehiz’ and Team Victor Ikpeba was made up mainly of ex-Super Eagles players including Aloy Agu, Waidi Akanni, Victor Agali, MutiuAdepoju, Ifeanyi Udeze, as well as popular celebrity, Frank Edoho of the ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’ show.

The celebrity match ended 2-1 in favor of the ex-internationals with Ikpeba scoring the winning goal with a penalty kick.

Thursday, December 15, 2016

EXTRATIME

31

Troubled Gabon‘ready to host AFCON’ G abon insists it is ready to host the African Cup of Nations despite concern about the state of preparations amid political instability just one month ahead of the opening ceremony.

The AFCON is due to run from January 14 to February 5 next year but was thrown into doubt after violence broke out following President Ali Bongo’s controversial re-election in August.

Call for Africa’s showcase football tournament to be moved to a different country were heard following rioting after the vote whose outcome is still contested.

Four cities will host the tournament and unrest was reported in at least two of them including Oyem, the northern city close to Cameroun, where delays in work on the football stadium are causing problems.

In September, Sports Minister Nicole Assele expressed her “concerns” when visiting the new stadium where the group made up of African champions Ivory Coast, Morocco, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Togo will play.

Assele was left in doubt over the “finishing of the changing rooms, the lifts and the exterior of the stadium”, while Gabon daily newspaper L’Union, which covered her visit, reported that the stadium had yet to be connected to electricity and running potable water.

The newspaper published a photo on Monday showing the stadium’s patchy grass covering, with a caption saying: “Given the holes in certain parts, there’s still work to be done to make it a quality pitch.”

However the fourth host city, Gabon’s main seaport,

Port-Gentil, presents logistical and other challenges for the organisers because it is an island with no bridge connecting it to the mainland.

That means fans of Group D, which comprises Egypt, Ghana, Uganda and Mali, will have to travel by boat or plane to the centre of the country’s oil and timber industries.

Two political activists in Gabon have called for the ‘boycott and sabotage’ of AFCON if it is not moved from Gabon “to a more stable country”.

Last month CAF said it had no plans to switch the event from Gabon, named hosts after Libya were stripped of its right in the wake of violence and instability breaking out in the north African country following the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.

Falcons’officials thrown out of Agura Hotel Omagbemi

O

fficials and coaches of the Super Falcons, who are protesting the non-payment of their entitlements, have been thrown out of the team’s Abuja hotel on the orders of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF).

The officials are led by coach Florence Omagbemi, who recently made history when she led Nigeria to continental both as a captain and coach.

The officials are on the payroll of the NFF. The Falcons have been on a sit-in protest at the Agura Hotel in Abuja since they returned from the women’s AFCON in Cameroun ten days ago.

The officials are therefore not part of Wednesday’s protest march, which was re-routed to the National Assembly, where President Muhammadu Buhari presented next year’s budget.

Falcons want to be paid in full their match bonuses and allowances from the AWCON. They have also not been paid match bonuses for several other official matches dating back to last year.

The Falcons are the country’s most successful football team after they won a record eighth women’s AFCON at the expense hosts Cameroun a fortnight ago.

Mikel

Mikel will quit Chelsea,

reveals Siasia

M

ikel Obi will soon quit Chelsea because he is not part of the plans of manager Antonio Conte, according to Coach Samson Siasia who worked with the Nigeria skipper at the recent Rio Olympics.

“He is ready to quit Chelsea because he said Antonio Conte does not have anything for him and that was what he told me before he came down to the Olympics,” Siasia revealed.

“That was why they bought N’Gola Kante.

“It will be better for him to leave now because he has done very well after 11 years at Chelsea, not even Didier Drogba did not last that long there.

“He already has a British passport and two girls, he has done very well and will now leave.”

Mikel’s contract at ‘The Blues’ runs out next year and he has yet to be listed by Chelsea after 16 rounds of the Premier League this season.

He has already been linked with several top clubs across Europe and beyond.

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Editor Daily: ROSE MOSES

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 15, 2016

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T

Falcons Protest!

Presidency summons Pinnick, NFF top shots

Super Falcons protest on Wednesday at the National Assembly in Abuja.

he Presidency has summoned president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Amaju Pinnick and his top officials following a protest march by the country’s women’s team.

Pinnick has also divided his executive committee after he unilaterally decided to contest for a seat on the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) next year.

The Falcons have been pressing for their entitlements since they won the women’s AFCON about a fortnight ago in Cameroun.

Earlier on Wednesday, the chief of staff at the Presidency Abba Kyari addressed the team when they stormed the National Assembly to protest the non-payment of their entitlements by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and promised they will be paid this week.

Falcons led by skipper Rita Chikwelu displayed various placards to kick against the shabby treatment they have been subjected to by the NFF. The Falcons have embarked on a sit-in protest at the Abuja hotel since they won a record eighth women’s AFCON almost a fortnight ago.

They have also held on to the trophy they won at the expense of hosts Cameroun, insisting they first be paid off.

They have defied the assurances of sports minister Solomon Dalung, who famously admitted no provision was made to pay them because officials did not expect them to win the championship in Cameroun.

Messi,Ronaldo

tempted by China cash

L

ionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo could eventually ply their trade in the Chinese Super League due to the ceaseless amounts of money available, China’s official Xinhua news agency said.

A number of highly reputable players have made the decision to leave the European leagues to play in Asia as China continue to build their reputation. Chelsea midfielder Oscar could be set for a €60 million switch to the CSL with Shanghai SIPG, which would beat the Asian transfer record of €58.5m which Shanghai paid for Hulk in the summer.

The 25-year-old has been a regular for Chelsea since joining the club in 2012 but has found himself playing a bit-part role under

Messi

Ronaldo

Antonio Conte and hasn’t started in the league since the 2-1 defeat by Liverpool in September.

And, while Shanghai SIPG have refused to comment on a potential transfer for the Brazilian, it is widely expected that another superstar will make the switch in the near future.

“The CSL is becoming the richest buyer in world football, with Jackson Martinez, Alex Teixeira and Gervinho all being recent arrivals. Everyone is anticipating the next superstar who’ll be on his way to China this winter,” Xinhua published. “Given the huge pay cheques on offer, Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are bound to be tempted to play in China when they are heading into the autumn of their careers.

“Latterly, both Arsenal talisman Alexis Sanchez and South Korea captain Ki SungYueng were also linked with a lucrative move to China.

“If CSL’s financial might takes hold, it is believed that a Ballon d’Or winner will come here within a decade.”

Ronaldo won his fourth Ballon d’Or award on Monday, a month after signing a new, long-term deal at Real Madrid.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

CSR: Ogun communities commend Dangote Cement Page B2

Plateaut receives N10 billion from London, Paris Club Chijioke Kingsley, Jos Plateau State Government (PLSG), yesterday said it has received a refund of N10,497,000,000, from the deduction on London, Paris Clubs debt exit, which is only 25% of the total sum expected.

Addressing Journalists in Jos, the Commissioner for Finance, Plateau State, Mrs. Tamwakat Weli, said her ministry is compelled to clearly correct the rumors and impressions making the rounds that the State and the 17 Local Government Areas received a total sum of N75 billion as its shares from the over deduction on the London, Paris Clubs debt exist.

According to her, “the expected refund that is due to Plateau State and the 17 LGAs is the sum of $89.7 Million and $59.7 Million respectively whose grant total is $149.5 Million.

“Of the expected total refunds, only 25% of the amount has so far been released to the State in the sum of $37.3 Million USD which translates to 10,497,000,000.00 (Ten Billion, Four Hundred and Ninety Seven Million Naira)”.

Weli stated that the release for the 25% funds was based on the agreement signed with the Federal Government, that 50% of the amount released shall be used to upset salaries and pension arrears, while the remaining 50% would be used for the payment of other obligations.

She laud the State Governor, Hon. Simon Lalong for utilizing the said money for the purpose which it was meant for, saying that the payment of salaries and pension arrears has commenced and all things being equal, the era of arrears will soon be over, she said.

BUSINESS TIMES Editor Andrew Odioko Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

Fitch fears for private sector funding of AMCON2 Page B3

Thursday, Deceember 15, 2016

FG urges youths to embrace agriculture

Page B7

Reps to investigate GOTV’s license status

Tony Nwakaegho

The House of Representatives has mandated its Committee on Information, National Orientation, Ethics and Values to investigate the license status of GOTV in the provision of Digital Terrestrial Television Services in Nigeria.

The committee is also mandated to engage the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to enforce the pay-per view scheme on the digital television broadcasting service providers for the benefit of Nigerians.

The resolutions followed the adoption of a motion titled “Call for Investigation of the License Status of GOTV in the

Provision of Digital Terrestrial Television Services in Nigeria’’, sponsored by Jones Onyereri representing PDP Imo State.

While moving the motion, Onyeriri argued that GOTV does not possess the licence to provide digital terrestrial television services in Nigeria, adding that “Details Nigeria Limited” was the company which

obtained a Digital Mobile TV (DSTV MOBILE) for 10 Nigerian cities in 2007.

“However, the licence granted to Details Nigeria Limited was converted by GOTV to provide digital terrestrial television through a high-tech manoeuvre without due process and in violation of the provisions of the law,’’ Onyeriri said.

CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

L-R: Pastor Omowumi Popoola; 1st Female SAN, Chief Folake Solanke; 1st Female Speaker of Oyo State House of Assembly, Senator Monsurat Sunmonu; first Lady of Zamfara, Hajiya Asma’u Abdul’aziz Yari Abubakar; representative of the MD/CEO of Heritage Bank Plc, Niyi Adeseun, Executive Director, Service Bank; Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, wife of Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Chief Onikepo Akande, President of LCCI and Miss Oluwotoyi Abdukadir, all awardees at the 5th Oyo State Officials` Wives Association (OYSOWA) National Women`s Summit 2016 held in Oyo State recently.

Nigeria, S’Africa okays two-year mining plan Charles Okonji Kayode Fayemi, the Nigerian Minister for Mining and Solid Minerals and Mosebenzi Zwane, South African Mineral Resources Minister, on Tuesday endorsed a two-year action plan for the implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on cooperation in the fields of geology, mining and mineral processing.

The two Ministers approved a plan to be implemented from January 2017, which would be fo-

cusing on areas such as advancing geo-scientific knowledge generation, contribution to energy security, contribution to agriculture and food security, the regulatory framework, mineral processing and value addition, as well as institutional capacity.

Moreover, this follows a commitment made by the South African Ministers during the state visit to Nigeria earlier this year, where President Jacob Zuma of South Africa and President Muhammad Buhari of Nigeria prioritised agriculture, energy

and mining for the economic development of the two countries.

The Ministers adopted to implement the MoU, which had been signed in 2013, but had not been ratified until the time of this meeting.

Zwane said; “With the implementation of this action plan, we will be able to better advance and ensure benefit to both countries from the development of our respective mining value chains, in line with our respective national priority programmes, which include

diversification of the economy, job creation, energy security and industrialisation.”

The MoU outlined about to 10 areas of co-operation which include geology, regulatory framework and licensing, mineral processing, metallurgy, artisanal and small-scale mining, investment promotion, and capacity building.

However, they agreed to jointly host a mining investment promotion conference in Nigeria during the second half of 2017.

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15, 2016

Agriculture, biggest employer of labour, says World Bank A General Household Survey of the World Bank, shows that the agriculture sector is the largest employer of labour and income-generating activity in Nigeria.

The study, which contains information on household socioeconomics in the country, was launched by the World Bank Living Standards Measurement Study in collaboration with the National Bureau of Statistics on Tuesday in Abuja.

Dr Amparo Polacios-Lopez, an Economist of the World Bank, giving highlights of the study, said work in a household nonfarm enterprises and external wage employment account for the rest kind of employment in Nigeria.

“Findings show that in the education sector, school enrollment among children aged five to 14 increased from 78.3 per cent in 2013 to 81.2 per cent in

Reps to investigate GOTV’s license status CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

The National Broadcasting Commission, he said is empowered to regulate the operations of Radio and Television stations, including Cable Television Services, direct broadcasting and any other medium of broadcasting in Nigeria.

“Section 2 (1) (g) of the Act empowers the Commission to receive processes and consider applications for the establishment, ownership or operations of radio and television stations in Nigeria. “The section of the Act specifically empowers the Commission to control and regulate the operations as well as upholding the principles of equity and fairness in the broadcasting industry.

“In violation of the Act, GOTV, a subsidiary of MultiChoice Nigeria, started operations of Digital Terrestrial Television Broadcasting in April 2012 at Ibadan, Port Harcourt and Lagos without passing through the due process of bidding for the private signal distribution.

“Nigerians are made to pay for what they do not consume through the monthly subscription scheme presently obtainable in the service charges of major Digital Television Broadcasting service providers like DSTV, Star times and GOTV.

2016.

“Access to electricity has gone up with 59.3 per cent of households having electricity in their dwellings with an average availability of 35.8 hours per week.

“Also, 88.9 per cent of Nigerians from the age of 10 have mobile phones while only 17.4 per cent have access to the internet.

“The main shocks to many households is the increase in the price of food items, increasing price of inputs and death or disability of a household member,” she said.

According to the report, the most commonly consumed food in many Nigerian homes are vegetables, grains and flours, and fat and oil, followed by meat, fish and other animal products.

Interestingly, food expenditure is highest for meat, fish and other animal products with a weekly expenditure averaging N1,359.

Vehicle import ban’ll reduce pressure at parallel market – Gwadabe The Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) has said that the proposed ban on vehicles through land borders will reduce forex pressure at the parallel market.

ABCON President, Alhaji Aminu Gwadabe, made the observation in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Tuesday.

The Federal Government had, on Dec. 2, issued a circular banning importation of new and used vehicles through land borders from Jan. 1, 2017.

According to Gwadabe, the restriction, in addition to the removal of administrative feat on 41 items, will also reduce reliance of neighbouring countries’ demand for dollars on Nigeria’s economy.

He said that if well put in place, the measures would engender sustained appreciation of Naira at the parallel market.

“The removal of administrative feat on 41 items and the restriction of used vehicles on our porous land borders will reduce pressure in the parallel market.

“It will also reduce reliance of neighbouring countries’ demand for dollars on our economy,’’ Gwadabe said.

The ABCON president noted that Naira had remained stable at the parallel market, exchanging at N485 to a dollar, in spite of the end of the year rush for it.

L-R: Manager, Devices and Terminals, Etisalat Nigeria, Clement Nwankwo; Marketing Director, Gionee Nigeria, Somoye Habeeb and Head, High Value and Mass Market Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Idowu Adesokan at the Launch of Gionee M6 LTE Smartphone in partnership with Etisalat, held in Lagos.

CSR: Ogun communities commend Dangote Cement The people of Ibese, the host community to Dangote Cement, Ibese, in Ogun State, have commended it for awarding multi-million naira scholarships to their students in various higher institutions of learning and secondary schools.

The gesture, they said would

Dangote

ensure cooperation and sustain harmony.

The scholarship awards which cover all fees payable in the schools were presented to the beneficiaries at the Ibese premises of the company, with parents of beneficiaries showering encomiums on Dangote Cement.

Chairman of the occasion, the Olu of Imasayi, Oba Gbadebo Adesola Oni, said the communities would forever be grateful to Dangote Cement for the gesture saying the organization has proven to be a socially responsible one worth the cooperation and support of all indigenes of the host communities.

He urged the management to continue to assist the communities pointing out that it was God that deliberately position the communities to have in abundance raw materials which attracted Dangote cement to the area and that the relationship between the communities and

Dangote cement would continue to blossom.

Oba Oni stated that the Company had also been helpful in other areas of need and urged the management not to relent in providing more infrastructure for the people.

The royal fathers equally charged the beneficiaries to reciprocate the good gesture by facing their books and coming out in flying colours reminding them that many of their colleagues are praying to have similar opportunity to get scholarship but couldn’t and therefore, they must justify the confidence reposed in them by the Company.

“I want to implore you all. This scholarship is meant to lift you and achieve. The company is not under any legal, compulsion to provide it but the management thought it wise to invest you by virtue of being an indigene of one of the communities within which it operates.

NIMASA pledges support for Amnesty Programme Babajide Okeowo The Nigerian Maritime Administration and Safety Agency (NIMASA) has pledged support for the Presidential Amnesty Programme in ensuring proper rehabilitation and reintegration of the ex-agitators in the Niger Delta Region towards achieving a safe and secured maritime industry and the economy as a whole.

The Director General of NI-

MASA, Dr. Dakuku Peterside who gave this assurance when the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (rtd.) and his team paid a courtesy visit to the Head Office of the Agency in Lagos stated that NIMASA and the Amnesty programme are strategic partners in ensuring lasting peace in the Niger Delta region.

While noting that the Presi-

dential Amnesty programme and NIMASA are jointly in pursuit of maritime security within the Niger Delta belt, without which shipping activities cannot thrive; the DG stated that the core mandate of both government bodies is to ensure that the young men and women who were agitating are rehabilitated into the society and reintegrated as a way of ensuring that we have relative security within that region.

Money Market B3 Stories by Motolani Oseni A new report by Fitch, the international rating agency, has expressed fears over the financial ability of the private sector to acquire non-performing loans (NPLs) from the banking system.

Dubbed AMCON2 after AMCON (Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria) created in 2010 by the federal government under the auspices of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) to vacuum bad debts from the banks, it is expected to undertake the same objective, but driven by the private sector this time.

Indications are rife that the government intends to fund AMCON2 by the private sector, but Fitch believes that convincing private investors to acquire NPLs at a time of heightened economic difficulty might prove challenging.

The rating agency new report came after the CBN and NDIC agreed on a committee to discuss plans to reduce NPLs in the banking sector.

The move by the two bank

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15,

Fitch fears for private sector funding of AMCON2

AMCON CEO, AhmedKuru

Why we financed EVAL auto plant – Keystone Bank The N5 billion ultra-modern automobile manufacturing\assembling plant in Enugu, when fully operational, would create thousands of jobs - especially for the youths in the country, Managing Director, Keystone Bank Limited, Mr Philip Ikeazor has said.

He disclosed this during the unveiling of the stone laying ceremony of the Eastern Vehicles Assembling Limited (EVAL) plant in Egede in Udi local government Area of Enugu state last weekend.

Mr. Hafiz Bakare, Executive Director, Keystone Bank, who represented Ikeazor, said the lender in partnership with EVAL would provide employment for the teeming unemployed Nigerian youths.

“This is a project we believe will create job opportunities for our teeming youths both directly and indirectly through expected increase in productivity of the feeder steel industry across the country. We know how much this government places emphasis on job creation and gainful employment.”

“30% of the input is coming from local sources and 100% of the body of the EVAL range of vehicles is made of steel. This not only facilitates industrialization through growth of the local steel industry but more importantly helps to reduce the

demand pressure on foreign exchange thereby ultimately contributing to enhancing the value of the Naira when the project becomes fully operational. This is why Keystone Bank decided to key in and contribute its own quota to national development and economic emancipation at this crucial period in the country’s socio-economic life”.

The EVAL is financed by Keystone bank under the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) real sector support fund in partnership with Hawtai Motors, China.

Speaking at the occasion,

KEYSTONE CEO, Philip Ikeazor

President Muhammadu Buhari stated that the major reasons the Federal Government banned importation of vehicles through land borders was to encourage Nigerians to patronize locally assembled vehicles, create jobs and move the nation’s economy forward.

President Buhari, who was represented by his Senior Special Adviser on Legal and Electoral Matters, Barr. Juliet Ibekaku, also promised to put in place an enabling environment to encourage and protect locally assembled vehicles.

The President said, “I commend the commitment of Eastern Vehicle Assembly Limited to key into the economic development agenda of this administration by building a vehicle manufacturing assembling plant in Nigeria. The Federal Government is solidly behind this project and will do everything to support you. We assure you that we will create an enabling environment to protect your investment.”

In his speech, Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State said the establishment of Eastern Vehicle Assembling Limited in the state is part of plans by both Federal and Enugu state governments to drive investments into the country.

regulators was to sell NPLs in the financial system, so as to ease-mounting assets-quality problem of the nation’s commercial banks.

Challenging is the fact that the level of NPLs in banks is increasing rapidly, reaching 11.7percent of gross loans at end-June 2016 from 5.3 percent at end of 2015.

Fitch, in its report, said: “The operating environment for banks is becoming increasingly difficult as recession, weak oil prices and exchange rate pressure combine to make it more difficult for borrowers to service their loans.

“The Nigerian authorities have allowed banks to speed up the write-off of fully reserved NPLs since July 2016.

“This is intended to encourage banks to clean up their balance sheets and help them comply with the five per cent NPL/ total loans ratio the central bank uses as guidance for the banks.

“The write-off measures have little impact on our assessment of a bank’s asset quality because

we take a view on the adequacy of a bank’s loan loss reserves and consider its NPLs less loan loss reserves in our assessment of loan quality.”

The company noted that Nigerian banks’ NPLs at end-June 2016 were reserved at 62 percent.

“Our ratings already factor in an assessment of loan loss cover adequacy.

Fitch therefore believes that the new development would be more significant and credit-positive measure.

“If successful, and depending on transfer pricing agreed, it could result in real improvement in the banking sector’s asset quality. Sectors experiencing difficulties include oil and gas, utilities, manufacturing and trading. AMCON 2 would follow AMCON, established in 2010.

“This company, funded by the issuance of federal government zero-coupon bonds, the central bank, and later by a levy on banks’ assets, removed NPLs from the banking sector, making banks better positioned to lend to the real economy.

Sterling Bank shines at 2016 Lafferty Global Awards Sterling Bank of Nigeria and South Africa’s FNB, have emerged winners of “The Excellence in Mobile Banking” award at the 2016 Lafferty Global Awards, according to a statement issued by the Lafferty Group.

Other winners include Diamond Bank of Nigeria which won the Excellence in Financial Inclusion award, and Voyager Innovations of the Philippines, winner of the Excellence in Fintech Lending category.

The awards showcase innovative services and products in retail banking, cards and payments and merchant services, with a diverse range of winners from North America, Europe, Asia and Africa.

“One thing that struck the judges is that almost no area of banking is untouched by mobile technology,” said Lafferty COO, Rónán Lynch.

“It’s clear to us that banks and payments businesses are

STERLING BANK MD Yemi Adeola

spending a lot of their innovation budgets on mobile - and there’s probably a lot more innovation to come in the area of mobile banking, mobile payments and mobile technology.

That applies whether we’re talking about wealthy parts of the world or poor parts of the world.”

w

Capital Market B4 Anxiety over coys with free float deficiencies as Ashaka delists Bonny Amadi The recent delisting proposal by Ashaka cement Plc on free float deficiency has elicited concern of many retail investors on what becomes the fate of other companies with free float deficiency.

Some of the retail shareholders that spoke to Daily Times said that the delisting proposal by the Ashaka board of directors which is expected to be perfected on December 19th in Abuja at the forth coming Extra ordinary General meeting(EGM) of the company, may trigger other companies with float deficiency to take the delisting option.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) stipulates that in order to ensure an orderly and liquid market for their securities, listed companies are required to maintain a minimum free float for the standards under which they are listed.

According to the NSE, Companies listing on the main board requires a free float of 20 per cent, while the Alternative Securities Exchange Market (ASeM) listing requires 15 per cent free float.

The following companies in schedule 8 that have free float deficiencies have applied for waivers from the Quotations Committee of Management specifically provided compliance plans with tentative timelines to support their requests.

The Quotations Committee of Management considered and approved an extended timeframe for the companies to regain compliance with the listing requirement. The companies are however required to also provide quarterly disclosure reports to The Exchange detailing their level of implementation of the compliance plans.

Meanwhile Caverton Offshore support group Plc is leading other nine companies in

their effort to meet with market requirement on free float as the year draws to a close in next 15 days.

The company which is tagged “below listing standard (BLS) by the NSE in its compliance schedule Like other companies, Caverton Offshores has written to the quotation committee of the NSE for extension of time of compliance which was also granted with deadline of December 31st 2016.

Caverton which is expected to have a free float of 20 per cent, presently has a float of 17.40 per cent, with 2, 60 per cent to float to comply to erase the bellow listing standard (BLS) tag on it.

Findings by Daily Times reveal that ten companies currently have free float deficiencies and have been granted grace by the NSE to meet the market provision.

The companies with free float deadline of 2016 include Great Nigerian Insurance with 16.00 per cent float and deadline of 08 July 2016, Chellerams Plc with 14.87 free float and deadline of 08 July 2016 and Great Nigerian Insurance with 16.00 per cent free float and 08 July 2016 deadline for compliance.

Others are Infinity Trust Mortgage with 1.13 per cent float and 31 October 2016 deadline for compliance. Union Bank of Nigeria has 14.94 per cent float and a deadline of 30 June 2017 for compliance while A.G. Leventis currently has 11.64 float and a compliance deadline of 31 March 2017.

Capital Hotel currently has 2.23 per cent float and 31 January 2017 deadline for compliance, African pains with 9.82 float, which has been given grace of December 31 2017 to meet the regulatory requirement and Transcorp Hotels with 10.80 per cent float on a compliance deadline of 12th December 2017.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

26,407.64 3,275.00 205,404,024.00 4,278,607,587.55 9,086,245,759,672.53

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15, 2016

Equities market sustains gaining streak as market cap hits N9trn Afolabi Adesola The equities market closed Wednesday on a positive note, for the fourth consecutive session, as the Nigerian Stock Exchange All Share Index (NSE ASI) appreciated by 1.29 percent to close at 26,407.64 basis points, compared with a 0.98 percent growth recorded previously to close at 26,071.16 basis points.

Its Year-to-Date (YTD) losses reduced to -7.66 percent, while market capitalization rose by

N116 billion to N9.086 trillion from N8.970 trillion.

Performance across sectors was largely positive as all indices recorded growth except the consumer goods index that dropped on the back of a 2.5 percent loss on Unilever.

The market gainers table showed that Forte Oil led 32 gainers against 11 losers led by Fidson Healthcare Pharmaceuticals at the end of trading session on Wednesday.

Market turnover also increased as value traded rose to

N4.3 billion from N2.4 billion recorded previously, while volume dropped to 205.4 million units of shares in contrast to 376.7 million units exchanged in previous session.

UBA led the list of most active stocks to boost market turnover, as it exchanged 54.7 million units of shares valued at N235.9 million, while Diamond Bank followed with 22 million shares worth N19.3 million and Zenith Bank with 21.2 million stocks worth N306.7 million.

From Left: Tunde Mabawonku Chief Finance Officer, Wema Bank Plc., Oluwole Ajimisinmi Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Wema Bank Plc., Haruna Jalo-Waziri Executive Director NSE, Ademola Adebise, ED, South South Wema Bank Plc and Olukayode Bakare, Treasurer, Wema Bank Plc. at the listing of Wema Bank’s series 1 7-year bond on the NSE.

Wema executes dual listings of 7-year fixed rate bonds …as NSE approves N20bn fund raise by real estate firm

Wema Bank Plc has announced the completion of dual listing of its series one, 7-year bond, under a N50 billion Wema Funding SPV Plc debt issuance programme.

The bank’s Managing Director, Segun Oloketuyi, said that the bond which was jointly listed on the Nigerian Stock Exchange and the FMDQ OTC Exchange, due in 2023, is set to raise about N6.3 billion for the bank to ensure enough liquidity for the instrument and invariably increase the pool of potential investors.

With regards to the proceeds from the Bond issuance, Mr. Oloketuyi said that despite the current economic environment, there are indeed opportunities for growth, with the government, individuals and corporates now focused on the primary and/or value chain industries. As such, the proceeds

would be used in growing the SME portfolio of the Bank’s business.

Qualinvest Capital Limited served as appointed stockbrokers for the debt programme, while Union Capital Market Limited; Greenwich Trust Limited; Cowry Asset Management; FBN Capital Limited; First Ally Capital Limited; FSDH Merchant Bank Limited; Qualinvest Capital Limited; PanAfrican Capital Plc; and United Capital Limited, stand as its issuing houses and financial advisers.

Meanwhile, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) has also approved the application tendered by Top Services limited and to raise funds amounting to N20 billion.

According to a document obtained by the Daily Times, Top Services Limited, a real estate firm, plans to raise close to N20

billion through an initial public offering (IPO).

The document noted that the company’s application to offer for Subscription 20,000,000 units in Top Services Limited Real Estate Investment Trust (“TSL REIT”) at N1,000.00 per unit, was approved one week ago 7th December 2016, and that the company has appointed FSDH Securities Limited as its stockbroker, while the issuing houses are First Ally Capital Limited and CardinalStone Partners Limited.

With the listing of TSL REIT, which is expected to take place following the IPO, a boost of the REITs sector at the NSE is probable as three REITs already listed on the NSE namely; Skye Shelter Fund, Union Homes REIT and UPDC REIT currently have total market capitalisation of about N40 billion.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15, 2016

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15, 2016

B6 Brands & Marketing

NIMN’s new president and tasks ahead Stories by Godwin Anyebe Although, the election of leaders of the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (NIMN) which coincided with the institute’s Annual General meeting (AGM) recently in Ibadan has come and gone, the intrigues that it engendered will linger in the memory of many marketing professionals for many years to come.

After years of setbacks, occasioned by internal crisis and discrepancies among its leaders, the National Institute of Marketing of Nigeria in the last few months has been a stable body.

For over a decade, the institute was enmeshed in internal crisis as a result of the existence of two parallel bodies; Nigerian Marketing Association (NIMARK) and the Chartered Institute of Marketing of Nigeria (CIMN).

In 2007, the two bodies had approached the House of Representatives separately for their acts to be chartered but the process was scuttled in the Senate. The upper house thought it was unwise to have two marketing bodies and called for harmonisation. Meanwhile, the institute was originally granted power through Act No. 25 of 2003, which was promulgated into law on 25 July 2003 by former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo.

Prior to the last election that

saw the emergence of Tony Agenmonmen as the new president of the Institute, industry watchers were reported to have entertained fears that the outcome of the election may once again take the activities of the institute to its past days when NIMARK and CIMN) jostled for supremacy in the institute for many years. But to the delight

of many, the sacrifices made by key players, from the immediate past president, Ganiyu Koledoye, the new president, Tony Agenmonmen, and the major contender, Rotimi Olaniyan and all stakeholders in order to have an election that is devoid of irregularities have been quite commendable.

Now that the election is over,

Tony Agenmonmen

Tony Agenmonmen, NIMN President

NB award reinforces importance of best practices among corporate – Femi Dipe The Nigerian Breweries Corporate Governance Award reinforces the importance of best practices amongst corporate entities and is open to outstanding corporate bodies quoted on The Nigerian Stock Exchange, Femi Dipe has said.

Femi Dipe, a former journalist with the Punch Newspapers who made this known on behalf of the Institute of Directors of Nigeria (IOD) recently in Lagos, said that its governing council committee responsible for awards in collaboration with The Nigerian Stock Exchange received three nominations of companies quoted on the Exchange that were Corporate Governance compliant. Out of those companies, Nigerian Breweries emerged as the Institute winner of the Corporate Governance Award for 2016, as endorsed by the Governing Council.

According to him, “to be recog-

nised in the category, companies have to demonstrate a high level of effectiveness across the four pillars of corporate governance – Accountability, Transparency, Fairness and Responsibility. They also have to achieve an enterprise-wide culture of governance and ethics in risk and probity compliance, among other factors, to be presented with the award.

While receiving the award on behalf of the company, the Chairman, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Chief Kola Jamodu, CFR, said “We are delighted to receive this award in recognition of our effort in ensuring that we integrate corporate governance principles into our organizational culture. More importantly, we are encouraged to have been voted the winner of the Institute of Directors Corporate Governance Award for 2016. This is a worthy

recognition and an incentive to encourage us to do more.” The Chairman attended the award ceremony with the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde.

It would be recalled that in 2015, Nigerian Breweries Plc was named the winner of The Nigerian Stock Exchange NSE-CEO’s Distinguished Award for Compliance. The award also known as the Most Complaint Listed Firm award is given by the NSE to the company that demonstrates the highest degree of compliance with the rules and regulations regarding disclosure obligations of listed companies to the exchange in a particular year. Nigerian Breweries Plc also demonstrated its recognition for the importance of corporate governance in 2015 by clinching the coveted award.

members of the public are expecting the council members and fellows to settle down and work together in order to consolidate on the legacy of the immediate past president of the institute, Ganiyu Koledoye. There is no doubt that, with Tony Agenmonmen as the new president, he will bring to bear his experience as a marketing professional and former brand manager to reposition the institute.

Again, analysts are of the view that the withdrawal of Rotimi Olaniyan at the eleventh hour from the contest, and his reaction after the election, which demonstrated the spirit of comradeship will be beneficial to the new exco on how to take the institute to the next level.

Speaking on this issue, the chief executive of Advantage, and president of experiential marketers association of Nigeria (EXMAN), Dr. Rotimi Olaniyan said; “it was a difficult sacrifice for me because I really wanted to serve the institute at the capacity of the president but what can I do? I want to thank all my supporters over the campaign, and I am confident that better days are ahead of us. I want to wish the new president and council well.”

In the course of the electioneering, both candidates worked with manifestoes that will change the face of the institute if adhered to. In a chart with Daily

Times, the new president, and former Senior Strategy Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Tony Agenmonmen hinged his desire and aspiration on integrity and transparency. To this end, many are expecting the new president to live up to expectation by way of running the institute like a professional that he is.

During the chart, the new president also admitted that the equity of the institute is abysmally low and promised to boost it. Like he did on some of the brands he worked on at the Nigerian Breweries Plc, he promised to turn the institute around and make it more attractive to students, government, and corporate organisations in Nigeria.

“I must confess, there is really nothing on ground per say. We really need to start afresh. If I were to evaluate the situation using proper marketing language, I will say the equity of NIMN is weak.

But all marketers know that that in itself is not something for you to throw up your arms in surrender,” Tony said.

According to him, “the brand is there, same with the people and the resources. All that is required for us to do is to replicate what we did in turning some products into great brands with the institute. At least we have managed brands into greater height. I remember that at some point, star was in the number one position.”

Dana Air selects Spectranet for Free Wi-Fi for travellers In order to further deepen its market penetration in Nigeria, Dana air, one of leaders in Nigeria aviation industry has joined Spectranet 4G LTE, an internet company for its customers to enjoy free wi-fi while onboard.

Disclosing the partnership with Dana Air recently in Lagos, Chief Executive Officer of Spectranet, David Venn, said “its gladdening to note that the Spectranet brand is now a wonderful bride of great and aspiring brands within and outside Nigeria. Just right after we got selected to warehouse the only Netflix server in West Africa, here we are again with an indigenous world class airline company, with a great spirit of service, joining with us to provide excellent service to passengers of Dana Airline”.

The significance of this partnership, according to Mr Venn, is that it shows and confirmed the Spectranet brand as an innova-

tive brand and a leader in its sector based on its relentless effort to provide the best Internet experience to consumers.

Speaking on the relationship with Spectranet 4G LTE, the Chief Executive Officer of Dana Air, Mr. Jacky Hathiramani said “as an airline of repute and strong pedigree in the aviation sector, we took our time observing the broadband service providers and came to the conclusion that Spectranet is the brand we should associate with.

According to him, “Spectranet 4GLTE is the obvious choice for us as we searched for a partner and the awards speak glowingly of the strength of character of the Spectranet brand as it is probably the most awarded internet service provider in the country today. We, at Dana Air, appreciate the service offering of such a young and dynamic brand in the market”.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15 , 2016

B7 AgriBusiness

FG urges youths to embrace agriculture Stories by Charles Okonji The federal government has called on Nigerian youths to embrace agriculture in order to tap its huge employment opportunities.

Chief Audu Ogbeh, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, who made this call during the last edition of the 2016 Role Model organized by the Centre For Values in leadership (CVL) held in Lagos, noted that Nigeria is growing rapidly in the area of agriculture, and there is a need for youths to focus on the sector, especially during this time of recession.

“With the huge opportunities we have, I see no reason we should continue importing tomato pastes and rice from China,

even when it is not qualitative,” he said.

The minister advised them to go into any of the areas in agriculture, such as animal rearing, ranching, and crop farming, among others, pointing out that this would curb youth unemployment.

“I grow cashews and bees for honey. There is huge amount in castor oil, cattle rearing and even bees which is imported from China when there are vast opportunities in this country. For example, pawpaw is good for surgeries in the hospital; different fruits have their major fuctions in human body. Let the youths think of Agriculture,” Ogbeh stated.

He commended the organizers of the forum for impacting knowledge on the minds of the youths to curb unemployment.

Audu Ogbeh

Prices of foodstuffs may crash before Christmas As recession continues to ravage the economy, prices of commodities have no doubt been unfriendly with the pockets of Nigerians..

However, a market survey carried out in Mile 12 and Iddo markets in Lagos reveals that prices commodities could be far lesser in the northern part of Nigeria and other states with a high population of farmers.

Most people attributed this recent development to the fact that such products come into Lagos from other states where they have more producers of such commodities with lesser population.

The report however reveals

that a basket of tomatoes at the popular Mile 12 and Iddo markets which previously cost N9,000 now sells for N5,000.

The report also shows that pepper now sells for as low as N4,000, as against N8,000 in November.

According to the report, the price of onions has also fell, with a bag now selling for N17, 000 as against N28, 000, while a plastic container of garri now sells for N650.

The spokesperson of the Mile 12 Traders Association, Mr Femi Odusanya, explained that the prices of the commodities dropped due to massive harvest of the items for the Yuletide sea-

son.

Said Odusanya: “Most farmers are harvesting their produce now leading to surplus and drop in prices of the items in the market. Our appeal to government is to mop up the excesses through preservation because prices will further drop until April when the produce will not be in season. We do not want a repeat of previous experience that we had much food waste due to our inability to preserve the excesses.”

He called on the government at all levels to take urgent steps to encourage farmers to massproduce crops and ensure food sufficiency in the country.

Moreover, the report shows that at the Daleko market, the price of a 50-kilogramme bag of rice ranged between N16,000 and N24,000, depending on its brand.

A rice seller, Mrs Yinka Okunola, explained that the price of rice was still high as a result of the current exchange rate of the Naira and non-availability of local variety in most markets.

She was quoted as saying: “We do not have the locally produced rice in the market, and when available it competes favourably with the imported rice and forces a reduction in the prices of rice.

Herdsmen, community okays peaceful coexistence The Nikyob Community Ranch has reaffirmed its commitment to promoting a new concept of community peaceful coexistence through building the capacities of both farmers and herdsmen to produce healthy pasture in Kaduna State.

Stakeholders of the Nikyob Community Ranch in Southern Kaduna State disclosed this during a dialogue session as a follow-up of the first forum where the issues that have driven the conflict be-

tween the farmers and herdsmen were discussed.

This one-day forum had in attendance participants from the Nikyob host communities of Ambam and Dangoma, Kaduna Agric Development Programme (KADP), Jema’a Vigilante Group, Divisional Police Officer, Miyetti Allah, Federation of Moslem Women Associations of Nigeria, Christian Association of Nigeria, National Council for Women Societies, Pastoral Resolve, Community Peace

Partnerships, Jema’a Local Government Area and Fantsuam Foundation.

According to a communique issued at the end of the dialogue meeting and jointly signed by Magani Peter, the Chairman of Nikyob Community Ranch; Asabe Danlami, Chairperson, Jema’a National Council of Women Societies; and Kazanka Comfort, the Chief Executive of Fantsuam Foundation; disclosed that the concept of organic pasture is certainly a new concept, which makes the Nikyob

Community Ranch both unusual, special and ground-breaking in several respects.

It stated: “This project in its attempts at building community peace has gone further to use a technological development which has global support although it is yet to be widely recognized and practised in Nigeria. The Nikyob Community Ranch Dialogue Committee has accepted the observations made during the project site visit and has started implementing the recommendations,.

Appetite for local rice rises A recent market survey carried out on commodity prices across the Nigerian market shows that consumer appetite has increased for locally grown rice, popularly called “Ofada Rice” in the run up to the festive season.

The sudden change in taste has been attributed to astronomical increase in the price of polished imported rice which now range between from N22,000 to N26,000.

“It is cheaper, more affordable and even more delicious than foreign rice. So I cannot spend as much as N26, 000 just to buy a bag of rice simply because it is foreign. In this Christmas, I am going for locally made rice and that is what my family and everybody in my house will eat until January. I go for our own made rice, no matter what people think about it, I prefer it, in fact I like it more than the so called foreign rice,” a respondent,Raymond Ubi, noted.

Another dealer of the commodity, Fidel Egoro, who is one of those farming the rice in an interview with the press, said: “We are under serious pressure to deliver on demand and that is why we cannot accept people paying us through banks. We do not have the time to go to the bank, so we prefer cash to save time; many people have placed orders for rice and we are trying to meet up before the close of the season.”

Egoro added: “One bushel of rice (equivalence of half bag) sells for N7,250, while two bushels (equivalence of one bag) sells for N14,500). This may increase before the close of the season, depending on changes in cost of production.”

However, there are fears that rice may experience another increment in price at the peak of the season as it was revealed in a recent market survey conducted ????s. at Agege market in Lagos, which shows a slight increase in the price of rice, beans, groundnut oil, palm oil, onion and other foodstuff items.

Rice mill

Motoring B8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, Deceember 15,

Mercedes-Benz holds “artificial intelligence” future talks in Berlin A major focus of the recently concluded Mercedes-Benz “Future Talk” was on the integration of artificial intelligence in the field of mobility and the interaction of humans and machines. The Future Talk is a dialogue format successfully established

by Mercedes-Benz in 2013.

By exchanging ideas with vanguards from various disciplines, the brand shares its visions and, as the inventor of the automobile, demonstrates its expertise in shaping a desirable, mobile future.

Speaking at the conference, Anke Kleinschmit, Head of Daimler Group Research,

stated: “Artificial intelligence is a key future topic for Mercedes-Benz, in-car and beyond, such as in the fields of mobility services or in development and production. Artificial intelligence has ceased to be science fiction and the progress in autonomous driving is an impressive proof of this. Likewise, AI already assists the development phase and production by providing intuitive access to global knowledge and knowhow – Always tailored to the individual needs, experiences and knowledge of the employee”.

In addition to the technical development

and data security, a basic prerequisite for the sustained success of artificial intelligence in all application cases is the acceptance by society and consumers. “Artificial intelligence will only be successful on a long-term basis if we succeed in building up trust between man and machine”, says futurologist Alexander Mankowsky. “We must define the division of tasks between human and artificial intelligence.”

A necessary prerequisite is also to be aware of what artificial intelligence is able to do and what it isn’t. Because ultimately

Nissan introduces driverless towing system Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo N i s s a n has announced the introduction of Intelligent Vehicle Towing (IVT), a fully automated vehicle towing system, at its Oppama Plant.

Nissan has worked on making the relationship between people, cars and society more exciting under its Intelligent Mobility vision, a framework for how cars will be driven, powered, and integrated into society.

This new project, which utilizes mapping and communication

technologies to link an intelligent and all-electric car to infrastructure, is a step towards the realization of Nissan Intelligent Integration.

The IVT system uses a modified Nissan LEAF to autonomously tow trolleys carrying finished vehicles between designated loading and unloading points at the plant.

Unlike conventional automatic guided vehicle systems for transporting parts, which often require the installation of rails or extensive use of magnetic tape, this system does not need any special infrastructure to operate.

The towing car is equipped with an array of cameras and laser scanners that detect lane markings, curbs and potential obstacles or hazards around the vehicle.

By cross-referencing this information with map data, the towing car calculates its own location, negotiating the route to its destination unaided. The towing car travels within the speed limits of the factory, and automatically stops if it detects an obstacle or hazard ahead, before setting off again when it has determined that the road ahead is clear.

Stallion Hyundai Motors begins seasons sales Hyundai Motors Nigeria Limited (HMNL) has announced a starting price offer of N2,595,000 in an ongoing 2016 Yuletide sales offer for prospecting customers seeking to buy Hyundai cars in the company’s periodic sales campaign, ‘Hyundai Seasons Bonanza.’

Announcing the offer in Lagos, HMNL Head, Sales and Marketing Jatin Nadkarni, said the 2016 Hyundai sales bonanza coincides with the recently announced vehicle imports restriction through the land borders by the federal government.

Mr. Nadkarni advised intending buyers to take

advantage of the sales to buy choice Hyundai vehicles currently restricted to select Hyundai vehicles including two made-inNigeria models, Hyundai Grand Xcent (MT) and i10 (AT) cars with Veloster hatchback sport car.

The sales could afterwards be extended to cover other models in the Hyundai line-up, the Hyundai Motors sales and marketing helmsman assured.

He said: “Stallion Hyundai Motors manufacturing and sales conglomerate is already putting in place potent strategies to introduce customer-friendly initiatives to fill whatever vacuums the just announced

prohibition on vehicle imports through the land borders could have on the vehicle market.”

Buyers of homemade Grand Xcent saloon car for instance would during the sales be offered free annual maintenance contract and one year or 20,000 kilometres (or whichever comes first,) while buyers of Hyundai i10 and Veloster are allowed free registration and accessories respectively.

These incentives are in addition to Hyundai standard five-year or 100, 000 kilometre warranty, Hyundai Motors representative explained.

Ford unveils South African-built Everest for SSA market The Ford Everest is set to become a more compelling and competitive choice in the highly contested sport utility vehicle market in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) with the launch of the South African-built model range at the Ford Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria.

“The all-new Ford Everest seven-seater created a huge stir in the SUV segment when it was launched as a fully imported vehicle in September last year, delivering outstanding levels of sophistication, luxury, all-terrain performance and versatility,” says Tracey Delate, General Manager, Marketing – Ford Motor Company, SSA

Region.

“Today, following an investment of R2.5-billion in the Ford Silverton Assembly Plant in Pretoria, we are delighted to officially launch the locally produced Everest, which will soon be available from Ford dealers across the region.”

Aside from the investment, localized production created approximately 1 200 new jobs at Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa and within its supplier network.

“As one of the most sophisticated vehicles in its segment, the Everest is the first model to feature the latest-generation SYNC®3

integrated communications and entertainment system that provides even more innovative ways of staying connected on the move,” Delate adds.

Model range Localized production of the Everest sees the full line-up of models being exported to markets in Sub-Saharan Africa, replacing the original imported models from Thailand.

A total of eight models are available, all built to Ford’s stringent global quality standards. This includes five 2.2-litre versions in XLS or XLT trim, as well as three 3.2-litre models in XLT or Limited specification.

The Edo Times

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

ET 3 Yuletide: FRSC to deploy 475 personnel, 500 special marshals in Edo

When stakeholders brainstormed on Edo’s future

ET 4

No cabal should hijack, sabotage Obaseki`s govt, APC warns

ÏÏÏ

L-R: Capt. Hosa Okubor; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Governor Godwin Obaseki, when the ex-president visited Obaseki at Government House, Benin City...on Wednesday.

My administration will not tolerate frivolities -Obaseki

Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

The Edo

T E A M

win Obaseki, has assured the people of the state that his government would neither indulge in frivolities nor play to the gallery in the implementation of government policies and programmes.

He gave the assurance in a remark at the end of the three-day strategy dialogue with permanent secretaries, political class, members of the civil society among others recently in Benin- City.

Governor Obaseki said he would in the next six weeks, priortise the implementation of each of the recommendation made by the various thematic groups of the strategy dialogue workshop.

While saying “what we are do-

ing here now is very deliberate”, Obaseki re-echoed that “I want to make it abundantly clear that your government under my leadership, will not indulge in frivolities neither will we play to the gallery”.

Obaseki assured the participants that the reports of the six thematic groups would be comprehensively looked into, studied with actionable projects and programmes extracted for implementations.

He also promised to evaluate those that would be fortunate to be appointed into state executive council and other government ministries, department and agencies no matter how highly placed such person would be.

His words: “I will cut wastefulness and unwarranted expenditure through efforts at running a transparent, accountable and prudent

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Titus Akhigbe

government to free up resources to enable the implementation of most of the projects identified by the participants at the workshop”.

He also promised to intensify efforts in revenue collection but which strategy and implementation would be with a human face to make the tax liability friendly.

The governor added that all the recommendations would be comprehensively looked into and studied with actionable programmes and implementation plan.

“Our promise from the beginning was that we are going to stop and desist from a situation where contractors and service providers will be the one defining government agenda and policies”.

“The plan was to build consensus. So we have built general consensus at high level across six thematic areas. Over the next six weeks we will prioritize each of those thematic areas,” he said.

Obaseki then reeled out four critical consensus of the resource persons at the workshop to include the need to invest in data collec-

tions, planning, enforcement of established government laws and implementation and execution of government policies and programmes.

He said: “Over the next six weeks, we now need to galvanize each of those thematic areas. So, we will have sessions like this, focusing on specific things and bringing them down to actionable steps.

“So, we will now decide which programmes, what do we have the money for, when do we get what done, the timelines and who will be responsible. ``And this will be done before commissioners and other political appointees are made. We will know the requirements before we appoint people, and after appointing them, we will have specific deliverables for them to achieve.”

He, however, commended all the participants for sparing their time to participate in the seminar and to contribute their knowledge and experience for the development of the state.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State has called for support, prayers and patriotism to help protect Governor Godwin Obaseki from sabotage or hijack by any cabal.

The party said such cabals are enemies of the society and the political parties in which they operate by playing politics as a conspiracy against the society.

The party’s position was contained in a goodwill message the state publicity secretary of the party, Mr. Godwin Erhahon, delivered to the Edo State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), during her annual Press Week.

Erhahon, who is a former State Chairman of the Edo NUJ also said that such cabals thrive on negativism, always scheming to hold the ruler hostage by brainwashing.

He said the cabal insists that, “everybody outside the cabal is an enemy of the administration and that the administration cannot survive without the cabal whereas they only fight for their own selfish interest to remain seemingly indispensable to the authority”.

“APC suffered this almost to a point of self-destruct in the last dispensation. Vestiges of this moribund cabal are still strategically planted our new administration like land mines,” he added.

Erhahon said the State Executive Committee of the APC will support Governor Obaseki and protect him from all manners of sabotage and diversionary antics as it is “satisfied with his loyalty to the party”.

“We are satisfied with his loyalty to the party and commitment to due process as demonstrated so far. We shall deal mercilessly with any group or individual who attempts to derail him from his laudable course,” he warned.

The Edo Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

UNIBEN mourns death of three lecturers in road crash

Recession: We will make Edo most prosperous economy in S’South, says Obaseki

ÏÏÏ

Stories by Titus Akhigbe

ÏDeceased given mass burial, as Obaseki commiserates with UNIBEN VC Management of the University of Benin (UNIBEN) has confirmed the death of the three of its lecturers in the road crash that occurred last weekend at Abudu village in which over 20 persons were roasted.

It said the three lecturers were in the Department of Pharmacy and that they were returning from Awka in Anambra State.

Names of the deceased lecturers were given as Prof. Lucky Okunrobo, Head of Pharmaceutical Chemistry; Dr. Godwin Joseph, Ag. Head Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Dr. Saturday Idemudia, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology.

A statement signed by Public Relation Officer of the institution, Mr. Micheal Osasuyi, said the university’s Vice Chancellor, Prof. Faraday Orunmwense, expressed shock over the death of the three lecturers.

The statement said the VC commiserates with families of the deceased.

Meanwhile, the deceased lecturers and other victims of the accident have been given a mass burial near the site of the accident.

Public Relations Officer of the Edo Sector Command of the Federal Road Safety Corps, George Otoaviokhai, said the victims were buried last Saturday.

He said the charred victims could not be identified by their

families.

Meanwhile, Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, has commiserated with the Vice Chancellor, the management staff and students of the University of Benin on the death of three lecturers in the recent multiple road accident in Abudu, Orhiommwon Local Government Area of the state.

The governor, who in his condolence statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. John Mayaki, described the number of loss of lives in the incident as `”unfortunate and mind boggling”.

Regrettably, he said, “This, indeed, is an unfortunate incident in which several lives including three members of the academia have been lost in one fell swoop.

“I, on behalf of the good people of Edo State, commiserates with the Vice Chancellor and management of the institution and family members of the deceased lecturers for this great lamentation.

“Our heart-felt pain also go out to family members who lost their loved ones in the sad incident.

“While the state government will liaise with the relevant agencies to know the actual cause of the accident, the state government however, encourages motorists and other road users to comply with traffic safety measures at all times, especially during this festive period.’’

Benin

ÏÏÏ Governor Godwin Obaseki has

expressed his administration’s desire to make Edo State the most prosperous economy in the South-South zone within the next three years.

According to a press statement endorsed by the Chief Press Secretary, Gov. Obaseki said his desire is to position the Edo State as the number one economy in the country in another seven to ten years.

The Governor made the statement while declaring open a 3-day strategic policy dialogue workshop with the theme: Setting Agenda for the new Administration with Permanent Secretaries in the state civil service as participants as well as political leaders and critical stakeholders in the state.

“15 to 20 years, we want to be the number one investment destination in the continent,’’ adding that to achieve this vision for the state, “first class institutions capable of nurturing transformation policies must be built”.

He noted his administration’s

quest to deliver on infrastructure that would be better than what is available in the Federal Capital Territory.

“We must deliver on infrastructure that is better than what is available in the Federal Capital Territory.

We must aim at generating revenues much more than Lagos without putting unbearable tax burden on our people.

“We must therefore aim at developing our institutions because in the cause of this workshop, we shall be working on six thematic areas, which are the key pillars of our goal for the state,’’ Obaseki added.

He said the workshop would address issues such as how the state would achieve economic revolution that would translate to having a developed world class infrastructure.

The governor noted that in the case of the economy revolution, the thematic group should focus on how the state would establish investment bureaucracy that could begin to attract world class investment.

He added that focus should be on strategic plan that could create minimum of 200,000 jobs as well as many small scale and medium enterprise

that was sustainable.

Obaseki further urged other thematic groups on their expectations from the government at the end of their three-day brain storming session, adding that their resolution would be the working document for developing the state.

Earlier, the chairman of the occasion, Justice Samson Uwaifo (rtd), stated that effective leadership required good decision making, describing the workshop as revolutionary approach to governance.

The former Supreme Court Judge therefore urged the people not to misunderstand or abuse the dialogue platform as it was a sign that the governor was ready to serve with the best of intentions.

His words: “I think the move to set the Agenda for the new administration in Edo State is well conceived. No doubt it is the first of its kind and the essence of it is revealed in the vision and mission set out. The vision for the thematic pillars so systematically analyzed is quite attractive and demonstrates a revolutionary approach to change in the art of governance.

Obasanjo visits Obaseki, Wells Farm to boost Edo’s economy

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

win Obaseki, on Tuesday, received in audience, former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Billionaire businessman, Capt. Hosa Okubor (rtd), as part of government’s efforts to create conducive business environment in the state.

A Government House statement by the Chief Press Secretary, Mr. John Mayaki, said Obasanjo was in Government House to give his blessings to Governor Obaseki, his policies and programmes, especially in the area of job creation, industrialisation and wealth creation.

The statement added that both investors - ex-President Obasanjo and Okunbor had visited “Wells Sam Carlos Farm” within Benin metropolis – along Sapele Road Bye-Pass before calling on Governor Obaseki.

It said former Obasanjo, who

parried reporters’ questions, said: “I have come to visit the Governor and the Governor has accepted my visit.’’

In his normal humorous manner, Obasanjo said, “I come salute Governor and Governor don pick my salute. That one no do?”

When prodded further, he said again, “I say, I come greet Governor, I come salute Governor and Governor don pick my salute,” and laughed his way through the crowd of reporters who besieged him to extract words over his visit.

It would recalled that Capt.

Okunbor had recently started a multi-billion naira agro-allied business in the state in partnership with a Mexican firm, Wells Sam Carlos Farm, worth $750million (about N150 billion).

The farm, designed to create 85,000 jobs in the state, will create 25,000 direct jobs and 60,000 indirect jobs.

L-R: Chairman, Edo State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Rt. Rev (Dr.) P.O.J Imasuen; Governor Godwin Obaseki; Secretary of the Board, Sir Patrick Ihayeri (JP); and Chaplin of the Board,Pastor Eghosa Omoruyi, when the Pilgrims Welfare Board paid a courtesy visit to the Governor at the Government House, Benin City, recently

Election guber: PDP commends tribunal for sitting on public holiday

ÏÏÏ Counsel to the Peoples Demo-

cratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, Emmanuel Okala, SAN, has commended the panel of judges sitting on the Edo State governorship election tribunal, for agreeing to sit on a date (last Monday) which was a fixed public holiday.

He thereafter asked the tribunal’s permission to withdraw a motion asking for a variation of the tribunal’s earlier order on the inspection of ballot papers, which the petitioner’s filed on the 9th December 2016.

But counsel to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Onyechi Uneadi, SAN, objected on

grounds that the session was for prehearing and not the entertainment of applications.

On his part, N. O. Fagbemi, SAN, counsel to the All Progressives Congress (APC) aligned himself with the submission of the INEC and said that since the date has been set aside for hearing, the court should proceed accordingly.

At this stage, the tribunal chairman, Mr. Justice Ahmed Badamasi commended counsels to both petitioner’s and respondents for the maturity displayed in meeting and agreeing that all applications will be heard during the final addresses of

the pre-hearing session.

He then urged them to continue in the spirit of making the task of the tribunal smooth, as the Christmas holidays was around the corner, by putting heads together to come up with a schedule as to the modalities of the pre-hearing, the issues for determination, the admission of exhibits and calling of witnesses.

It was at this stage that Fagbemi asked the court for about a one hour recess, so that counsels to both parties can put heads together and do that which the tribunal chairman, who granted a 2-hours recess requested.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

Obaseki bids pilgrims farewell, warns against abscondment

Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Governor Godwin Obaseki of

Edo State has charged the contingent of Edo State Christian pilgrims to the holy lands of Rome, Greece and Israel to be ambassadors of the state and to shun any act that is capable of tarnishing the image of the state, warning that government will not tolerate such misconduct.

Addressing the members of the Edo State Christian Pilgrims at the Government House, recently, Gov. Obaseki said: “Your pilgrimage to the three cities of Italy, Greece and Israel is a journey of spiritual renewal. In this regard, you go not only for yourselves but as ambassadors of our dear state. It is our expectation that you will serve as points of contact for all Edo citizens and Nigeria whom you represent.

Your journey to the holy land is sacred.”

Obaseki, who asked the pilgrims to pray for the country, said: “We expect you therefore to pray fervently for the restoration of all that is good and all that is lost in Nigeria. You will therefore be making a grave error if you choose to abscond and seek to remain in the holy lands or indeed relocate elsewhere in search of greener pastures”, adding that “such an act would not be condoled by this government because we shall hold your guarantors responsible”.

Continuing, the Governor said “unholy and unwholesome conduct will jeopardise our relationships with the host nations and also deny other potential persons from experiencing what you are about to experience.”

Furthermore, he admonished them, saying: “I want to urge you to be of humble character and reverence in your conduct on this pilgrimage. I also urge you to be ob-

servant and note the elements that make the holy land a very compelling attraction for pilgrims all over the world. Though Nigeria may be going through a number of economic, social and political challenges, it is my belief that we all need to play our part in repositioning our country for good.

“Let me thank all of you for being considered worthy pilgrims. Edo State is on the cusp of something new. Your prayer for peace, security and prosperity of the state will be much appreciated. On behalf of all the citizens of the state, I wish you a wonderful and spirit filled journey to the holy lands”.

Earlier, the Chairman, Edo State Christian Pilgrims Welfare Board, Bishop Peter Imausen, represented by Sir Patrick Ikhayere (KSJI), thanked the Governor for the opportunity given them to embark on pilgrimage to Rome, Greece and Israel.

3 The Edo Times

Obaseki tasks NYSC members on development of host communities ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki has tasked members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to contribute their quota in the development of their host communities and build on the successes recorded by their predecessors.

Gov. Obaseki gave the charge on Wednesday at the official closing ceremony of Batch ‘B’ 2016 Stream 1 Corps members, held at the National Youth Service Corps Orientation Camp in Okada, Ovia North East Local Government Area of Edo State.

The Governor, who was represented by his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Philip Shuaibu, said the strength of national cohesion is the vibrancy of the youth and their ability to explore areas that needed growth and development in their host communities and to try through hard-work, dedication, loyalty, discipline and commitment to improving on the lives of the people they come in contact with as that is the only way the objectives and set goals of the NYSC scheme could be attained.

The governor affirmed that the effective realisation of the scheme will not only promote unity but will also quicken the real integration amongst Nigerians and effect the most meaningful development in

the country.

He further implored the Corps members to integrate themselves with their host communities and respect their culture.

He urged them to work towards achieving excellence by contributing to the growth of their host communities especially through their Community Development Service (CDS) which at the end of the service, might qualify them for the ‘State Honours Awards’.

Earlier, the state coordinator, Mrs. Atine J. Akyam, said the corps members are now fully equipped for the challenges of the service year following what they have been taught at the orientation camp, adding that 90 percent of them have been posted to various educational institutions in the state to teach young ones in compliance with the posting policy of the scheme while others consisting of doctors, paramedics and lawyers were posted to the rural healthcare centers and the Ministry of Justice respectively.

A total number of 2036 Corps members participated in the official closing ceremony of Batch ‘B’ stream 1 exercise and have been dispatched to serve in their Primary Places of Assignments (PPA) in the state.

Govt deploys 3,171 volunteer teachers ÏÏÏ

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (right) with his Delta State counterpart, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa at the burial rites of the late Olorogun Michael Ibru...recently

Yuletide: FRSC to deploy 475 personnel, 500 special marshals in Edo

ÏÏÏ

The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) would deploy 475 personnel and 500 special marshals in various highways in Edo State for patrol to ensure safety during the Yuletide.

The Sector Commander for the state, Mr. Samuel Odukoya, said this on Monday during the flag-off of the `Ember’ month campaign tagged “Crash the Crash, Speed Kills”.

The event took place in Auchi, Etsako-West Local Government Area of Edo State.

“We have 475 officers and 500 special marshals that will be on patrol in strategic routes within the various commands and units of our zone in Edo. “You know Edo State is stra-

tegically located; and motorists travelling to any part of the country must pass through Edo. “The volume of vehicles that plies our roads are so enormous that we need to be proactive to ensure the roads are safer for the people during this festivity,” he said.

Odukoya, who advised motorists to always plan their journeys to reduce accidents, urged them to ensure that their vehicles were roadworthy before embarking on any trip.

“Motorists should not overload their vehicles and should also not travel at night because of insecurity to ensure hitchfree journey,’’ he said.

Earlier, the FRSC unit commander in Auchi, Mr. Moses

Bature, said the campaign was geared toward educating the public on safe driving during and after the `ember’ month.

“The essence of the public enlightenment is to bring road traffic crash on its knees as road traffic crash has been a cankerworm to most families over the years. “ However, it can be avoided if drivers obey traffic laws,” he said.

Bature said that motorists still engaged in overloading their vehicles and violating traffic rules.

He said that the unit had intensified its enforcement on overloading and speeding, especially, in this `ember’ months.

Edo State government has deployed 3,171 volunteer teachers across the eighteen local government areas of the state.

The state government also re-emphasised its commitment towards technical education and vocational studies, adding that Tayo Akpata University of Education would assist government to deliver on 200, 000 jobs which the state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, promised Edo people.

A statement endorsed by Mr. John Mayaki, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, said the Governor Obaseki also proposed a robust Curricula development in the education sector that would help address the current challenges facing the sector.

Mayaki said the governor dropped this hint during the presentation of a book entitled: “Realities of Nigerian Education”, written by the Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe, recently in Benin City.

Gov. Obaseki said: “We will start with a minimum of three faculties at Tayo Akpata University of Education next year with emphasis on the Faculty of industrial and agricultural technology.

“For me, this is the compass I have been looking for - if you note, my assignment has been focused on education because if not for the education I received, I wouldn’t have been Governor today. And for me, it is a priority that if I have anything to give back

to my society and my people, it must be to ensure that they have very educated families.

“We had a much more fundamental issue which was the quality of people who were instructing our children in those schools. So, the phase we have to tackle, and that is why yesterday I had to go to Ekiadolor to see what was going in Tayo Akpata University of Education. The next phase is to now create institutions and begin to train our teachers in the 21st Century methods of teaching and also organise our curriculum.”

He congratulated the author of the book and described the book as a compendium and compass for the future.

The Governor, who unveiled the book, said he would on behalf of the state government pick five hundred copies of the books for colleges and university of education in the state.

Speaking earlier, the author of the book and Iyase of Benin Kingdom, Chief Sam Igbe said he wrote the book to join forces with others to return the educational system to its rightful place in order for Nigeria to achieve the desired goals.

Chairman of the occasion and former Minister of Defence, Major-General Godwin Abbey (rtd), said the Octogenarian, Chief Igbe, “has indeed given a good account of himself’’.

The 12 Chapter book among others, attempts to address the nagging questions arising from Nigeria’s education system.

The Edo Times 4

When stakeholders brainstormed on Edo’s future

Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ From Thursday, December 8

-Saturday, December 10, the Edo State Government held a Strategy Dialogue with the theme “Setting the Agenda for the New Administration” under the chairmanship of Justice Samson Uwaifo (rtd).

The Randekhi Hotel venue of the programme was for the three days filled with important personalities like politicians, policy makers, administrators, former and serving officials of the state government among many others.

In attendance were notable personalities like the state governor, Mr, Godwin Obaseki; the Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu; Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie; Chief of Staff, Taiwo Akerele and the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Professor Julius Ihonvbere.

The opening day activities included the arrival and registration of participants, and networking. In his welcome address, Justice Uwaifo charged the participants to engage in serious deliberation and proffer ideas to move the state forward.

On the second day, Friday, December 9, the participants went into the technical sessions. Focus of the sessions was on six thematic areas namely: Economic Revolution; Culture and Tourism; Environmental Sustainability; Welfare Enhancement; Infrastructure Development and Institutional Reform.

By the time the sessions came to a close that night participants were sure that the outcome of their deliberations will go a long way in addressing key issues of governance in the state such that the current administration under the leadership of Governor Godwin Obaseki would have its ideas bank filled to capacity.

On the third and final day (Saturday, December 10), the participants made the presentation of their different ideas. To underline the seriousness he attached to the programme, Governor Obaseki was in attendance throughout the final day programme.

In his reaction to the outcome of the programme, the governor in part said: “I am fortunate to have the distinct pleasure of listening to most of the submissions. And I must say that I am gratified to have the privilege of your wisdom, your commitment and support of our ideal. I know that many of you continue to wonder what would happen to our deliberations. Some of you might even feel that this may be another talk shop. I had a view of

Features

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 15, 2016

L-R: Edo State Deputy Gov. Philip Shaibu; Governor Godwin Obaseki; a guest and other participants at the event. it from the last submission from the group on governance.

“I want to assure you that what we are doing now is very deliberate and that under my leadership, I would not indulge in frivolities neither would I play to the gallery. I want to assure you that all the reports would be comprehensively looked into and studied with actionable programmes and implementation plan. In fact, our promise from the beginning was that we are going to stop and desist from the situation where contractors and service providers were the ones who were defining government agenda and policies.

“Because when we came into government eight years ago (Comrade Adams Oshiomhole immediate past governor of the state’s era) government policies were the ones which was driven by the wishes of contractors which is to tell us ‘you need to buy this, you need to build this’ because they wanted to promote their own self-interest. That was how government policies was run eight years ago. “ Governor Obaseki asserted that this has become a thing of the past as every action of government would henceforth be well planned and accounted for, adding that “people would be responsible and things would be done before commissioners and other political appointees are made so that we know the requirements before we appoint people. And after appointing them, we have specific deliverables for them to achieve.”

He averred that the people of the state would evaluate his performance at the end of his first four years in office which will inform the decision to re-elect him for a second tenure. He stressed that for anything meaningful to be achieved, there must be availability of data.

“We’ll have to invest significantly in gathering data across all spectrums of the themes we

I want to assure you that what we are doing now is very deliberate and that under my leadership, I would not indulge in frivolities neither would I play to the gallery. I want to assure you that all the reports would be comprehensively looked into and studied with actionable programmes and implementation plan have talked about because without data we cannot determine the size and extent of the issues neither can we then proffer solutions for resolving the issues,” he stressed.

Governor Obaseki also spoke about the need for careful planning, enforcement of laws and implementation of the policies.

He promised to cut out wastefulness, adding that from his findings within the one month he has been in office t is noticeable that “our biggest problem is waste.

We are too wasteful.

He promised to intensify revenue collection but would not impose more charge burden on the people. He asserted that he intends to make the process of revenue collection “a lot more efficient.”

Then came the golden moment when the whole of the people in the hall gave the governor a standing ovation that lasted for a whole of five minutes. His comment that elicited the positive response was: “We will not accept the situation any more where non-government groups collect government revenue. The reason is simple. If we fail in this direction, one day this government will be routed out by those people.”

Philip Shaibu: the symbol of loyalty Austin Otas-Osegbe Benin

ÏÏÏ

”By their fruits, you shall know them”- The Holy Book.

For me and every discerning mind, Edo State Deputy Governor, Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu, comes across as a progressive democrat whose unquenchable passion to serve the people attests to his candor as a dependable and trusted loyalist in actualising the prosperity agenda and visionary ideals of his principal - Mr. Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki, the Governor of Edo State, who won by popular mandate in last governorship polls.

Frankly speaking, let me place on record that before now that I have never encountered the Comrade Deputy Governor one on one. It suffice to say that over the years, he has been a delight to watch on prime time television- particularly during the period he was an active member of parliament- first at the state level for eight years and later, as a federal legislator, in the green chambers of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives for almost one and half years.

Without mincing words, his was one unmistakable voice that always resonated in the hallowed chambers of parliament making invaluable contributions on topical issues or debates that would move the state/ nation forward and improve the lot of the masses. Indeed, he was and remains a true representative of the people and beacon of hope for the majority of voiceless Edolites in particular and Nigerians in general.

Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu is one patriotic Nigerian whose faith in Almighty God as the ultimate decider of a man’s destiny is unshaken, unshakeable and deeply rooted in the divine encounters he has experienced so far in his journey on planet earth.

On Monday, November 14, 2016 when he arrived Osadabey Avenue, Government House, to officially assume duties as Deputy Governor of Edo State, he was accompanied by his amiable wife, relatives, friends, associates, well- wishers as well a reverend father who offered prayers at the expansive reception of his office, before proceeding to sanctify the complex with anointing oil and was later conducted round the various offices by the Permanent Secretary (Office of the Deputy Governor), Barr. Stephen Ehigie Omordion.

In one of the interactive meetings he held with staff of the Deputy Governor’s Office, Comrade Philip Shaibu stated inter alia;” I am grateful to Edo people for their massive support and overwhelming votes for the APC and Governor Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki at the recent governorship polls. By the grace of God, my position as Deputy Governor is to support the governor to actualise his vision for our dear state

and deliver

Shaibu the dividends of democracy to Edo people as we promised during the electioneering campaign. Let me assure our people that we shall not disappoint as we are poised to take Edo State to the next level”.

The Deputy Governor was not yet done. He continued: “I wish to state in very clear terms that I am not a bully and as such, I will not victimise or intimidate any staff.

Mine is an upon door policy and I am determined to work with our Governor harmoniously so that the present and future generations can acknowledge that as servants of the people, our service was selfless and for the good of our state”.

So far, so good. True to his words, Rt. Hon. Shaibu has demonstrated that he is a man of impervious honour, integrity and a team player whose singular objective is for the common good of all.

No wonder, when his former and present colleagues at the Edo State House of Assembly led by the former Speaker, Hon. Uyi Igbe, fondly called the Stabilizer, paid him a courtesy visit in Government House, Benin City, recently, they variously described Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu as a worthy ambassador; a round peg in a round hole; a positive bridge - builder between the executive and legislative arms of government; a grassroots politician with great pedigree and antecedents, etc.

Like they say, conscience is an open wound; only the truth can heal it. The truth of the matter is that the combination of Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki – a renowned technocrat cum financial expert and Philip Shaibu – a grassroots politician, indomitable mobilizer and former student’s activist- is a formidable pair for the progressive governance and sustainable development of Edo State.

Truly, the person of the Deputy Governor is a shining example to all young men and women who aspire to leadership positions for selfless service to country and humanity.

He is a symbol of loyalty for a sustainable democratic polity in Nigeria.

In conclusion, I make bold to say without any reservation that Rt. Hon. Philip Shaibu is a typical example of the literary classics “He Stoops to Conquer.”

Austin Otas-Osegbe is the Public Relations Officer, Office of the Deputy Governor, Government House, Benin City.

Life&

TIMES Thursday, December 15, 2016

Omowuni Dada, others win at 2016 BON awards

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Mutiat Alli

Korede Bello, Bovi, others prepare for Oritsefemi rewards winner of Alibaba’s #January1stConcert 2017 Ongbalarami dancing competition Mavin signed artists Reekado Banks, Akpororo, Bovi, Korede Bello alongside Afro-pop sensation Harry Song, Simi, Waje and a host of others have joined the star-studded line up of artists set to perform at January 1st Concert by Alibaba which is scheduled to hold on the 1st of January, 2017 at EKO Hotel Convention Centre, Victoria Island, Lagos.

The sophomore edition of the annual comedy concert by the highly lauded comedy pioneer was held on January 1st 2016 and witnessed

personalities, A-List celebrities and moguls across Nigeria in attendance.

Alibaba who has been in the comedy business for Korede Bello over two demuch bigger than the 2016 edition which received favorable comments from attendees and the media.

Produced by the renowned Bunmi Davies, the 2017 edi-

Simi) tion of the concert will also witness performances from ebrated comedians, including Omo Baba, Funny Bone, Okey Bakassi, Still Ringing, Ushbebe, Senator, Acapella, and Ajebo among others.

Baseone out with Ronaldo

Aquila Records versatile singer, Baseone, has proved his versatility as an act who understands the game better than no other.

Known for his usual rapper moniker; Baseone goes calmer, more subtle light as he professes to his love interest, with him not just

Tagged young sugar daddy, Baseone released both the audio and visual of the as produced by Aquila re-

Multiple Awards winner, Oritsefemi Majemite, has given huge amount of money to Onibon Abdul-hamid Temitope, winner of Ongbalarami dancing competition on instagram.

Onibon won the highest view on instagram ahead of his rivals as the musical Taliban revealed while delivery speech at MSN Gang villa, Lekki , Lagos at the weekend. “ I want to continue encouraging young people.

They need platforms to

exhibit their talents. That is the idea behind this. If Oritsefemi had not seen this fortunate platform, I would not be successful today.

More rising stars will be discovered soon. I congratulate with the winner, Onibon Abdul-Hamid,” Oritsefemi said.

It would be recalled that Oritsefemi released Ongbalarami musical video penultimate week. It video was directed by Clarence Peters. The video is topping musical chat currently.

Onibon & Ortisefemi

More theatres for Lagos State, says Ambode

Bizzouch while the visual was shot in the UK by Alex (PressPlayVidz). favorite and is bound to

time ever, showing the side of him that sings.

airwaves everywhere busy.

Omowunmi Dada, Alex Ekubo others win at BON 2016 …As ‘Something wicked’ emerged overall movie with 6 awards

Omowunmi Dada

Life&

T E A M

Top Nollywood stars that include Alex Ekubo, Omowunmi Dada, Judith Audu, Seun Jimoh, Toyin Aimakhu, and Yomi Fabiyi were some of the winners at the just concluded Best of Nollywood awards (BON) held in Aba, Abia state.

Hosted by the executive Governor of state, Dr. Godwin Ikpeazu, the governor relishes on

the state been the home where the genesis of Nollywood started and however pledges support to the creative industry as Abia state transforms into one of the best tourist center.

Talented actress Omowunmi Dada alongside Gabriel Afolayan won in the Best Kiss in a movie category, Alex Ekubo clinched the Best actor in a leading role (English), and Judith Audu emerged the winner in the Best actress in lead role (English). It is, however, important to note that the movie, Something Wicked, emerged as the overall winner clinching six awards that includes Best supporting actor, Best Supporting actress, Movie with best screenplay, Movie of the year , Best Kiss in a movie and Director of the year category.

Entertainment Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Abimbola Obatayo

Governor Akinwunmi Ambode; Tunde Kelani; Olu Jacobs among others during the grand ate more opportunities for the youth through art and entertainment; the executive governor of Lagos state, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, disclosed during the stage play presentation son center, Lagos that the state is planning strengthen not just the creative industry alone but the state at large.

He said that the theatres are expected to be functional before the end of 2017 as all hands are currently on deck towards the proper execution of the project.

While commenting on the stage play put

together by veteran act, Olu Jacobs and Joke sit down for two hours, I thought I would just some and fantastic. I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I believe strongly in arts, entertainment and sports. Before the end of next year, we are

and we are speaking to another consultant.

We want to have the theatres in Badagry, Epe, Ikorodu, Alimosho and on the Mainland.

We already have one in Victoria Island. This is where the energy of Lagos is and that is where we should go.

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