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Banks scale down on loans to check reckless spending

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

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Commercial and microfinance banks operating in the country have either slashed loans in December or halted disbursement till early 2017 in order to checkmate financial recklessness

14.92

Continued on page 12

4.96%

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THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016 VOL. 2. NO. 266

NSE QUICK BITE 15.66

usually associated with festive season as Christmas to take care of routine needs, investigation by Daily Times has revealed.

In preparation for such annual festivity, spending usually esca-

Train crashes into trailer in Kaduna

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GAINERS AS AT December 28, 2016 CADBURY

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10.88

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LOSERS AS AT December 28, 2016 10.34

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GUINNESS

84.30

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Airline operators worry over dearth of navigational aids Ï Disclose that 48 years ago, aircraft landed in zero visibility at Heathrow Airport Ï Regret that today, same can’t happen in Nigeria even at 800 metres’ visibility Ï Decry flight returns, cancellations, diversion to neighbouring countries Ï Blame situation on over-bloated workforce, lavish lifestyle of top officials Ï Challenge aviation authorities to be alive to their responsibilities

Ambode offers amnesty to cultists

12

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏ Airline

Operators of Nigeria (AON), yesterday, expressed displeasure at the deplorable state of navigational aids at airports across the country, which makes flying in the NigeriContinued on page 6

Civil servants yet to resume work after Christmas break 6

Army arrests 1,240 Boko Haram suspects in Sambisa forest 12

L-R: Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State; his deputy, Sir Ude Oko Chukwu; and immediate past governor of the state, Senator T.A Orji, during the swearing in of the newly elected Chairmen of the 17 Local Government Areas in the state....Wednesday.

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Strike paralyses 6 activities at Kano Orthopaedic hospital

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Page Three

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PHOTO TIMES

Editorial Power and continuing darkness in Nigeria

I

t will be stating the obvious that Nigeria is currently undergoing the worst electricity crisis in her history since independence in 1960. Definitely, the negative effect is being felt all over the country and in all areas that make for daily living.

There is no denying that these are hard times for both country and the citizens. Incidentally, nowhere is this pain and social dislocation more acute than in the power sector, which at best of times has remained erratic. It is a fact that irregular electricity is causing disruptions in the lives of Nigerians, which also poses serious challenge to investment and business activities. Nigerians do not need any clairvoyant to understand that, electricity is pivotal to the development of any nation, given that its use is directly correlated with any meaningful economic growth.

Sadly, the worsening electricity crisis is a hallmark that has marked Nigeria, out from the crowd of other well-organised societies in the world.

This sad reality is made starker by the fact that in past 17 years, more than N4 trillion has been spent by successive administrations to provide electricity for the more than 170 million Nigerians. At end of the day, over 80 percent of that fund was pilfered by a very few powerful but corrupt Nigerians. The consequence for the country is the pervasive darkness that has enveloped the land.

Nevertheless, how did we get to this sorry pass after having spent such huge sums ostensibly for the provision of electricity? It is even more absurd that the more the country pours money to boosting power supply, the farther it retrogresses into darkness. The nation’s woes in

the power sector began with the failure of successive military regimes to invest in power, which led to its stagnation and ruin over the years. In variably, an attempt by the Olusegun Obasanjo administration to tackle power instability led to grand corruption where more than $10 billion was wasted through corrupt means to achieve insignificant result.

Even when during the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan when the power production rose from 2,400 megawatts to nearly 5,000 megawatts, it was discovered that the distribution network were too obsolete to evacuate the power generated. Today, rather than improve, the amount of power being generated has not only scandalously fallen; it is very different from what it was only 18 months ago.

Suffice to say that without adequate power supply, the engine of industry and growth would slowly stop.

Without doubt, the consequences of lack of power to the economy is enormous, and these include high cost of running business, closure of multinational companies, prohibitive prices of goods and services due to individual investment in purchase of generators, poor investment climate amongst others.

Nigerians were elated when President Muhammadu Buhari came on board with his ‘Change’ mantra and promise to fix the power sector. Nearly 18 month into his tenure that hope remains a distant dream with a pervading atmosphere of hopelessness enveloping the country. We believe the Buhari administration can still rectify this national embarrassment and give Nigerians constant and reliable power. Meanwhile, the citizens are waiting to see a new dawn in electricity generation and distribution.

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Edo State First Lady, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki (right); wife of the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Mariann Shaibu jointly celebrating Christmas babies of Mrs. Salamat Maiza and Mrs. Aminat Momoh at Central Hospital, Auchi, Edo State… on Wednesday.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, December 29, 2016

5 News

Train crashes into trailer in Kaduna Yakubu Salisu, Kano

ÏÏÏ

A Lagos bound train from Kano collided with a trailer at a railway crossing in Kawo, Kaduna state, and cut the trailer into two, the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) said in Kaduna, the state capital on Wednesday.

Sector Commander of the FRSC in the state, Mr. Francis Udoma, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the incident occurred at 3 a.m., adding however, that no life was lost.

Udoma explained that the train, carrying Nigerian soldiers and civilians, crashed into the trailer, belonging to W.A. Group of Companies, carrying sugarcane.

He said the accident occurred when the driver of the trailer insisted on crossing the rail line even when the train was blaring.

He said the incident caused traffic jam that lasted for six hours.

Udoma said motorists coming from Kano and other northern states, as well as those coming from the southern and the eastern parts of the country were all stranded at the railway crossing.

“We deployed our men, including myself, when we received the call, and arrived there to manage the traffic jam for hours.

“We were there until 9 a.m. before we were able to open the road for motorists to pass through,” Udoma said.

He blamed the accident on the

impatience of the trailer driver, whom he said might be suffering from hearing problem.

“It could be that the driver had problem hearing, because train normally will blare, but this driver, even with the horn decided to cross.

“This is abnormal. Nobody with normal hearing sense would take such a risk’’, he said.

The FRSC boss advised drivers with hearing defect to get hearing aids to avoid accidents.

In a related development, Udoma said that no fewer than 14 people lost their lives and 160 injured in accidents involving 53 vehicles from December 1 to date in the state.

He said that the 14 people were

Bwacha offers scholarship to 263 students, distributes gift items Okerafor Athanatius, Jalingo

ÏÏÏ

Senate deputy minority leader, Emmanuel Bwacha, has given scholarship award to about 263 southern Taraba students in various tertiary institutions across the nation for their educational advancement.

Senator Bwacha, who represents Taraba South in the National Assembly under the banner of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), stated Wednesday on the occasion of, ‘Senator Emma Bwacha 2016 Scholarship Award and Distribution of Assorted Items to Constituents’, held at Atoshi Recreation Centre, Wukari, headquarters of Wukari Local Government Area of Taraba State said the Scholarship Scheme worth about N6.6million.

According to the lawmaker, the scheme was a continuation of his 2003 project when he was serving as a member of

the House of Representatives pointing out that since he came on board to represent his zone at the National Assembly, it has been his desire to initiate projects that have direct bearings on the lives of the people at the grassroots.

The Daily Times gathered that 3,500 bags of rice worth N32m, 177 Sewing Machines, 20 Grinding Machines and 6 Ambulance Busses were commissioned at the occasion and distributed to the 5 Local Government Areas of Ibi, Wukari, Takum, Donga, Ussa and Yangtu Special Development Area.

Senator Bwacha further explained that the items were aimed at empowering the youths and women from Taraba South for them to be self-reliant while the Ambulance Buses were part of his intervention in health sector for the zone.

He however, called on the beneficiaries to make judicious

killed in 11 fatal and 23 serious accidents involving 332 people.

Udoma, however, said the corps had rolled out several operations which began on Dec. 12 to ensure safety on roads throughout the yuletide.

“These include operation zero tolerance to accidents, special intervention patrol and traffic frequency monitoring.

“The operations are being carried out in collaboration with the police, Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps, National Emergency Management Agency and the National Union of Road Transport Workers, he said.

He said that marshals had been deployed to junctions to ease traffic flow in Kaduna metropolis,

FROM THE ARCHIVES

use of the items distributed saying, “Recession is biting harder but when you have something doing, you will be able to stand the heat.”

Emmanuel Bwacha assured that he is making frantic efforts to ensure that the rehabilitation of Ibi – Wukari road which according to him was captured in the 2017 Appropriation Act, estimated at about N1.5bn is implemented.

Earlier in his opening remarks, the Southern Taraba Senatorial zone Chairman of PDP, Mr. Bala Bako told the lawmaker that the Party and people from the zone are proud of him stressing that they will always identify and cooperate with him, promote and support him.

He enjoined other political office holders in the state to emulate Senator Bwacha and organize similar programmes to enable their people enjoy more dividends of democracy, which they are yearning for.

Pastor, 53, remanded for raping 5-year-old girl in Ekiti Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏ

An Ado-Ekiti Magistrate court has ordered that a pastor, Gabriel Asateru, 53, be remanded in prison custody over alleged defilement of 5-year-old girl.

The police prosecutor, Inspector Bayo Ajiboye, told the court on Wednesday that the accused committed the offence on December.23 at Ifishin-Ekiti.

He alleged that the accused, on the said date,unlawfully defiled a 5-year-old girl,(names withheld) by

petting her to sit on his lap.

According to him, the offence contravened section 31 of the Child Right Laws of Ekiti State.

He added that he had duplicated his case file and sent to the office of the Director of Public Prosecution for legal advice.

The plea of the accused was not taken as his counsel, Mr Tunde Olayemi sought for a date of adjournment pending the outcome from DPP. Magistrate Modupe Afeniforo who frown at the incessant case rape in the state consequently ordered

adding that officers had also been deployed to all flash points to assess the impact of the patrol.

He added that the operations were being conducted along with mobile court, being part of FRSC mandate to prosecute traffic offenders with a view to bringing sanity to the roads.

Legal Officer of the command, Ibrahim Tanko said so far, 210 motorists had been convicted by the mobile court from Dec. 7 to date.

He said 32 motorists were convicted in Kachia, 49 in Kaduna – Zaria toll gate, 59 on Kaduna– Abuja Express way, while 70 were convicted at Sabon Tasha, in Kaduna metropolis.

that the Asateru be remanded in prison custody pending the next adjourned date of February 15,2017 for further hearing.

Lagos Dep. Gov. tasks teachers on development plan The Lagos State Deputy Governor, Dr Idiat Adebule, on Wednesday urged public school head teachers to come up with a school development plan in 2017, to improve basic education and enhance students’ personalities.

Adebule, who is also the state Commissioner for Education, made the call at the end of the

year programme for Lagos State Primary Schools Head Teachers organised by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) in Lagos.

She said also urged them to make school improvement the first and foremost responsibility, to improve education standard.

“The government appreciates all your contributions to the development of primary education and has decided to approve teacher’s promotion with all financial benefits. Running cost to school managers has also been

increased.

“I’m appealing that we continue to do what is right, be dedicated, disciplined and shun all forms of malpractice in the profession so that the state government can do more for our teachers.

“Always be reminded that the duty of moulding leaders who will make or mar our nation’s future, is in your hands, “Adebule said.

Also speaking, the Wife of the State Governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode, urged teachers to be disciplined, dedicated and to double their efforts in moulding and preparing the students for leadership roles in future.

News 6

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Continued from page 1 an airspace virtually impossible during the harmattan season.

AON lamented the increasing sufferings of passengers and disruption of passengers and operators’ schedules and plans for the yuletide season due to flight cancellations.

Chairman of AON, Capt. Nogie Meggison, who made the position of AON known on Wednesday in Lagos, noted that 48 years ago, specifically on December 28, 1968, the first aircraft operated at Category III (CAT lll) and landed in zero (0) visibility at Heathrow Airport, Nigeria is still unable to land aircraft with visibility of about 800m.

The AON president pointed out that most international and local flights had to be diverted to Cotounu on Tuesday, which is rather unfortunate, adding that the issue of the harmattan haze is a yearly seasonal occurrence as Nigeria has mainly raining (thunderstorms) and dry seasons (Harmattan).

“If the world has been landing in zero or virtually no visibility since December 28, 1968, today, 48 years later (December 28, 2016) on the anniversary of the first CAT III landing at Heathrow airport, Nigeria still can’t land with 800meters of visibility?

“Why are the navigational aids not working or upgraded over the years? Why is there no solution to this issue after 40 years of the airlines crying out?

“It is rather shameful that today in the 21st century, we are still talking of operating at CAT l and unable to land at 800m at our airports,” the airline operator queried.

According to Meggisson, for the past three days, MMA in Lagos was shut down until 6pm before flights could land. Hence, no airline could fly and passengers were delayed with colossal loss of revenue to the operators.

He recalled that a certain DANA Air flight that departed Abuja at 10am, could not land in Lagos and had to return to Abuja until 6pm before flying back again, still leaving about 500 to 600 passengers to various destinations stranded at the airport.

“This is very unfair to operators who cannot charge passengers for the extra cost the airline has to bear on return or cancelled flights and we have to feed and lodge them in a hotel,” he said, stressing that the “Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) need to be more responsible to ensure that our airports are equipped with the right landing aids to allow 24 hours operations in any weather condition.”

“AON has been screaming about this situation for a long time now. The economic impact is too heavy on us. Fifty per

Airline operators worry over dearth of navigational aids cent(50%) of scheduled flights are delayed due to weather, shortage of Jet fuel, inadequate screening machines at the terminal boarding exit points, insufficient parking for airplanes on the tarmac, as well as VIP movement, etc…

“It is also instructive to note that the overstaffed agencies have over 18,000 staff servicing 3000 airline staff. FAAN alone has about 11,000 staff and NAMA has 4000 staff with only 250 air traffic controllers. According to the Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, a particular agency has about 48 general managers.

The huge funds made from passengers 5% taxes on Ticket Sales Charge (TSC); Passenger Service Charge (PSC), Over Flight Charges, Enroute Navigational Charges and Terminal Charge, landing fee and parking charges, are being used wrongly to pay for salaries and the lavish lifestyle of the over bloated workforce at the expense of improving the navigation and airport infrastructure,” AON stated.

The airline operators said further that “It is sad to note that Murtala Muhammed Airport, which is the nation’s biggest and busiest airport, is a CAT l airport.

This means flights cannot land at below 800m due to the obsolete Instrument Landing System (ILS) in place at the airport. Yet,

all the aircraft being operated by the airlines are fully equipped to do a CAT ll or even CAT lll landing. If our airports were CAT lll as in Heathrow airport this same day on December 28, 1968, flights would have been able to operate normally in this harmattan season.”

They also argued that “What we need is simple solutions. Get better equipment. If we had CAT lll equipment at our airports, the airlines will fly. The relevant agencies need to invest in modern navigation aids and runway lights so that we don’t have to come back again next year complaining

about the same thing as we have done for so many decades.

Meggison however, acknowledged that the planned concession of airports might be a way forward, provided it is transparent and with a clear agenda as the concessionaire would make sure these landing aids are in place.

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Strike paralyses activities at Civil servants yet to resume Kano Orthopaedic hospital work after Christmas break Yakubu Salisu, Kano

ÏÏÏ Activities

at the National Orthopedic Dala-Kano came to a halt early Wednesday morning as a result of indefinite strike embarked upon by staffs of the hospital.

The workers at the hospital were left with no choice than to embark on the industrial action to demand the immediate payment of their three months salary which they said is yet to be paid, and that every effort made to get their pay proved abortive even with a recent one week warning strike, hence the need to embark on an indefinite strike to emphasize on their demands.

Patients whom made it to the hospital in the cold and hazy hammatern condition were left stranded as most of them were given a new date of appointment while other few ones whom were lucky were attended to by the

few doctors and nurses that were available.

Efforts to speak to the hospital incharge was not successful as the management and the various heads of other department were said to be in a closed-door meeting.

Some persons who spoke with Dailytimes on anonymity explained that they can no longer cope with life as they have been thrown into debt as a result of the non-payment of their salary that some staff ‘s marriages have been affected at the moment as they can no longer provide for their families. They called on relevant authorities concerned to look into their plight and do something.

Industrial actions in Nigeria particularly in the health sector has been described by many as an unfortunate occurrence which the government must do all it could to prevent it in order to save lives in need of medical attention.

ÏÏÏ Civil servants in the FCT are

yet to resume work after the two days’ public holidays declared by the Federal Government to celebrate Christmas.

A correspondent of the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) who visited the Federal Secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday reports that activities were low with few workers seen going in and out of the complex.

NAN also reports that most of the major roads linking the secretariat, which were usually busy during week days as well as the car park, were scanty.

Some of the civil servants who spoke to NAN blamed the low turnout of workers after the holidays on the delay in the payment of salaries by the federal government.

A civil servant, Mr. Simon Olajide, said government’s delay in the payment of salaries was one of the reasons for the low turnout of workers after the Christmas holi-

days.

“Most of the civil servants that are yet to resume work may have spent all they have for the celebration and may not have money to come to the office.

“My appeal is that government should always put the interest of its workers in mind, especially in times like this to encourage them to put in their best in return,” he said.

Mrs. Hanatu Ibrahim, another civil servant attributed the low workers’ resumption to the fact that some of the workers were on annual leave.

She said experience in the past had shown that most of the workers preferred taking their leave during festive periods like this to stay with their families.

“As you can see, the secretariat is scanty and the reason is that most of the workers are on annual leave and may have travelled to their various communities for Christmas celebration.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Industrial action paralyzes Kano Orthopedic Hospital Yakubu Salisu, Kano

ÏÏÏ

Activities at the National Orthopedic Dala-Kano came to a halt early Wednesday morning as a result of indefinite strike embarked upon by staff of the hospital.

The workers at the hospital were left with no choice than to embark on the industrial action to demand the immediate payment of their three months salary which they said is yet to be paid, and that every effort made to get their pay proved abortive even with a recent one week warning strike, hence the need to embark on an indefinite strike to emphasize on their demands.

Patients who made it to the hospital in the cold and hazy harmattan condition were left stranded as most of them were given a new date of appointment while other few ones whom were lucky were attended to by the few doctors and nurses that were available.

Efforts to speak to the hospital in charge was not successful as the management and the various heads of other department were said to be in a closed-door meeting.

7 News

Guinea Bissau won’t relapse into crisis, says Buhari Tony Ailemen, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday assured that as the Chairman of ECOWAS Contact Group on Guinea Bissau, he will do his best to ensure that the country did not relapse into crisis.

A statement by the Senior Special Assistant to the President

on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, said President Buhari stated this when he received the Prime Minister of Guinea Bissau, Umar El-Mukhtar SissocoEmbola, at the State House.

The President expressed satisfaction on the gradual return of normalcy to the West African country.

Assuring the visiting Prime

Minister of Nigeria’s continued support to political stability in Guinea Bissau, President Buhari urged the leaders to work hard to reach a lasting solution to the political crisis in the country.

The President congratulated the new Prime Minister on his appointment and urged him to put the interest of the country and its people ahead of every-

thing else.

In his remarks, Sissoco-Embola described President Buhari as his role model, adding that his country will continue to thank the government and people of Nigeria for standing by them in their moment of crisis.

He also pledged his country’s commitment to improved ties with Nigeria.

Kwara flags off N41m women empowerment Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

ÏÏÏKwara State Governor, Dr.

Abdulfatah Ahmed, has flagged off a N41million empowerment for women in the state.

The Governor who made a symbolic presentation of N20million cheques to beneficiaries at the Banquet hall, Ilorin said his administration has prioritized the informal sector as a major driver of economic activities and as the area in which majority of the people are making a living.

He said the remaining balance of N21million will be released to qualifying women in the coming month noting that empowerment is part of his administration’s efforts to enhance the livelihoods of women.

According to him, “it is designed to assist women who are the powerful majority of the electorate and are in dire need of financial assistance to do their businesses.”

The Governor said the approach of his administration is to strengthen the informal sector, which is: The Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) under which micro-credit funds are disbursed via micro finance banks to qualifying cooperative groups.

L-R: Commissioner for Physical Urban, Infrastructure and Development, Abia State, Eboh Ihekwereme Okorie; former Chairman, Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Onyema Ugochukwu; celebrant, Lady Claris Aguocha; President General, Ohuhu Development Union, Obi Aguocha and Ugonna Uko cutting the 80th birthday cake of Aguocha in Umuahia, Abia State… on Wednesday.

PDP spokesman tasks Buhari to change failed economic policies Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Former Minister of

state for Works and Publicity Secretary of the National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Dayo Adeyeye has pleaded with the All Progressives Congressled Federal Government to use this Christmas period to have a rethink on its economic policy in view of the hardship being faced

by Nigerians.

Prince Adeyeye also advised the APC- led federal government to reflect on all its campaign promises of making life better for Nigerians.

The Publicity Secretary particularly tasked President Muham-

madu Buhari to change all his failed economic policies and engage the services of experts to pull the country back from drifting into economic depression.

The statement by Adeyeye reads: “As we celebrate the Birth of Jesus Christ, I wish to use this opportunity to charge adherents of the Christian Faith nationwide and Ekiti State in particular to be mindful of their religious vows which include giving to the less privileged and loving one another.

“The Birth of Jesus was a significant event in the history of mankind as it demonstrates God’s interest in the revival of our moral values and dedication to the fulfillment of the will of the

Almighty God. “My Christian brothers and sisters in Ekiti State should therefore eschew bitterness, violence and rejoice in the Lord with expectation for the rebirth of our dear nation, Nigeria and our dear Ekiti State.

“I wish to however advise us to moderate on our style of celebration during this Christmas season since it’s a ceremony to mark the Birth of Christ and to reflect the life style that Jesus left behind. It is also very important to for all Nigerians to reflect on the current economic recession in the Country and pray to God for his mercy to save us from this predicament.

“Finally, I wish to plead with the

Federal Government of Nigeria to use this Christmas period to have a rethink on its economic policy in view of the hardship being faced by Nigerians. The APC led federal government should also reflect on all its campaign promises of making life better for Nigerians.

“I particularly tasked President Muhammadu Buhari to change all his failed economic policies and engage the services of experts to pull the country back from drifting into economic depression.

Congratulations once again to all Christian brothers and sisters in Ekiti State on this auspicious occasion with a plea for sober reflection”, he said.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Thick dust haze atmosphere to prevail on Thursday – NiMet

L-R: Head Teacher, Praxis Catholic E-School, Mrs. Okoro Uchechi; proprietor of the school, Mr. Ben Onwudinjo and chairman of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Kuchingoro Camp, Abuja, Alhaji Usman Adamu, at a press conference announcing award of scholarship to IDPs’ children in Abuja ... on Monday.

ÏÏÏ

Wike presents N470bn 2017 budget Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏ The Rivers State Governor,

Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Wednesday presented a budget of N470billion to the State House of Assembly for the fiscal year of 2017. The budget estimate, the governor said, was projected at 2.1 million barrels of crude oil output per day with a bench mark of $40 per barrel.

Christened “the Golden Jubilee Budget for Accelerated Development”, the 2017 Appropriation Bill showed a remarkable increase from the N307billion budgeted by the government in 2016.

Breaking down the 2017 budget, the governor indicated that capital expenditure would gulp N329 billion representing 70 per cent, while N141, 000,000,000.00, representing 30 per cent was proposed for recurrent expenditure.

In his presentation, Governor Wike said: “Rivers State will be 50 years old next year, and to herald this historic landmark, we

have christened the 2017 budget “the Golden Jubilee Budget for Accelerated Development. This budget is premised on the need to consolidate on our achievements for 2016 and restore the State’s economy back to a sustained growth path and expand economic opportunities for all.”

Going further, Governor Wike stated that the budget was underpinned by the basic principles of enhancing the business environment, including tackling the security challenges for the private sector to grow, expanding the tax revenue base of the state, and driving its economy through the value chain into becoming one of the largest economies in West Africa.

The governor said that the budget would also basically commit a greater proportion of available resources towards infrastructure development and public works to stimulate economic growth, create employment, and reduce poverty.

He said that priority attention would be given to security of lives and property, infrastructure

development and maintenance, education, healthcare delivery, and empowerment.

The governor allocated the sum of N77, 409,275,000.00, representing nearly 40 per cent of total capital expenditures to the Ministry of Works to accelerate the development and expansion of infrastructure throughout the state in 2017.

The budget also indicated that N30 billion was allocated to the Ministry of Education for 2017 to invest in providing educational infrastructure and improving the quality of education in the State; the health sector got N27billion; Women and Youth Development was allocated N1b for empowerment programmes; while another N12billion was spread across the budget for women empowerment.

“As we have often stated, the days of wasting scarce public resources on frivolities or unviable social and economic programmes are over for good.

We have demonstrated in the last 17 months that focusing on real priorities not only delivers

progress but also enables us to do more with less, and we will not deviate from this position in 2017.

“Furthermore, we shall continue to encourage, support and attract private-sector investments, both local and foreign, in the diverse sectors of our economy to create well-paying jobs, reduce poverty, and improve the socio-economic conditions of our people,” he said.

Wike

Nigerians are disappointed in Buhari -Shekarau Yakubu Salisu, Kano

ÏÏÏ

Former governor of Kano state, Malam Ibrahim Shekarau, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari has failed Nigerians as a result of failure to fulfill most of his campaign promises.

Speaking to newsmen in

Gombe where he attended the closing ceremony of the Islamic Vacation Course (IVC), Shekarau stated that the performance of the president over the last 19 months is below average, considering so many unfulfilled promises he made during the 2015 campaign.

He said: “I think the assessment of the All Progressives Congress

(APC) government is very obvious on the table. As a teacher the best way to assess an individual is to assess him on the scheme of his work, on his own promises. If you say you will cover a scheme of work A to D in a given year then I will assess you on that.

“The government has made a number of promises, particu-

larly Mr. President himself and we have not seen things on the ground. There is hardly any concrete thing on the ground that you can see.

Shekarau said it is wrong for President Buhari to keep accusing the previous governments for his shortcomings.

The Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) has predicted thick dust haze conditions over the central states of the country on Thursday.

NiMet made the prediction in the Weather Outlook by its Central Forecast Office on Wednesday in Abuja.

It added that the region would have day and night temperatures of 25 to 34 degrees Celsius and 8 to 20 degrees Celsius respectively.

The agency predicted that the Southern states would experience dust haze conditions with visibility range of 1,000 to 2,000 metres in the next 24 hours.

It also predicted localised visibility values of less than 1,000 metres over Oshogbo and Akure with day and night time temperatures of 31 to 33 degrees Celsius and 18 to 21 degrees Celsius respectively.

According to NiMet, northern states will experience thick dust haze conditions with day and night temperatures of 24 to 31 degrees Celsius and 12 to 19 degrees Celsius respectively.

Christmas Holiday: We recorded minimal road crashes – Oyeyemi Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, the Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said on Wednesday that there were minimal vehicle crashes during Christmas.

In a statement signed by Mr Bisi Kazeem, Head, Media Relations and Strategy of FRSC, Oyeyemi said traffic situation and conduct of road users nationwide were commendable.

Oyeyemi commended the corps’ level of commitment and motorists for complying with traffic rules and regulations.

It was reported that the FRSC had commenced nine days’ nationwide patrol along designated routes and highways.

The patrol was carried out along 20 designated corridors of the “As at Dec. 27, 289 road traffic crashes were recorded involving 2,185 people with 1000 of them sustaining injuries.

“While 998 people were rescued alive, 187 people lost their lives”, Oyeyemi was quoted as saying.

The FRSC boss also noted that 9,619 offenders were arrested for 10,970 offences with 1,426 offenders arraigned in mobile courts, 1,292 convicted, five imprisoned and 129 discharged.

He said the deployment of personnel at Lagos-Ibadan corridor, the 9th Mile in Enugu, Onitsha Head Bridge and Sagamu construction areas, Ondo Round about, Ore and Asaba among other corridors, produced positive result.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Politics APC, Buhari mourn Okpozo, describe him as a leading voice in Niger Delta Tom Okpe, Abuja President Muhammadu Buhari has condoled with the government and people of Delta State on the death of Chief Francis Okpozo, a member of the Board of Trustees of the All Progressives Congress (APC), even as the national chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun has also condoled with the family of the Second Republic Senator and APC chieftain in the South-South, describing him as a leading voice of the people.

In a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr Femi Adesina, on Wednesday in Abuja, Buhari also commiserated with the family and friends of the deceased noting that the late senator’s championing of social justice in the Niger Delta during his long history of service to the people had endeared him to many.

Buhari also observed that as a stalwart of the APC in the South-South, the party had greatly benefited from the octogenarian’s charismatic leadership and wealth of experience as a politician.

The President expressed the hope that “all who mourn Senator Okpozo will carry forward his legacy of unwavering dedication to the unity of Nigeria”.

He said that the nation would continue to remember his contributions to peace, development and justice in the Niger Delta.

Also in a condolence message signed personally in Abuja, Oyegun also commiserated with the Ozoro community in Isoko North council area of Delta State, the home town of the late Senator; the entire people and government of Delta State over the death of the octogenarian politician who died at the age of 81 on Monday.

“Until his death, the late Sen. (Chief) Spanner Francis Okpozo was an elder statesman, nationalist and progressive critic whose commentaries positively influenced and shaped discourse and developments at the national level as well as in the South - South region and in his home state of Delta.

“The late Sen. Okpozo has left us at a critical time when he was needed to contribute to nation building, the Change Agenda of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as the growth of the party in the South - South region and Delta State. We however take solace knowing that the late Senator lived a fulfilled and impact life during his time on earth,” the message reads.

Oyegun prayed for the repose of the soul of Senator Okpozo and the Almighty God to grant the immediate family the fortitude to bear the loss.

9

s

2019: Ebonyi PDP adopts Umahi as sole candidate The Ebonyi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has adopted Governor David Umahi as its sole candidate for the 2019 governorship election in the state.

The state PDP chairman, Chief

Onyekachi Nwebonyi, who announced this on Tuesday when he led the working committee of the party to pay Christmas homage to the governor in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area, said they were in Uburu to felicitate

Umahi

with and thank the governor for his achievements within a short period of time, pledging their total support and loyalty to Umahi whom, he said, was the best in the country.

“On behalf of the state EXCO of our great party, we hereby adopt you as our sole candidate for governorship position come 2019,” the party chairman said in a statement on Wednesday by the governor’s spokesman, Emma Anya.

Nwebonyi thanked Umahi for increasing the monthly stipend of party executives and those at the ward level.

In his response, the governor thanked the PDP working committee for the gesture, but charged them to work assiduously by holding party meetings even in the local and ward levels to enlighten people on the activities of government.

Informing the delegation that his government would partner the PDP in 2017 in the area of agricul-

ture, he advised them and other stalwarts of the party to ensure they had a farm.

He said, “If you are in leadership at any level of our party, you must have to engage in rice production. We are looking at maize also, our yam is the biggest in the whole country, if not in the whole of Africa. One who doesn’t have farm land is not a member of PDP.” Umahi added that his administration would by January empower more than 4,000 people as over N1bn had been set aside to execute the programme.

Earlier, the National ViceChairman of the PDP (SouthEast), Deacon Austin Umahi, charged the state executive of the PDP to go down to their villages and wards to evangelise the good works of the governor.

He said those interested in running for the governorship poll in the 2019 must realise that there is no vacancy in Ebonyi State.

Ambode tasks politicians on campaign promises Alade Tasma Governor Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State on Wednesday charged political office holders to ensure the fulfilment of contracts made with citizens during electioneering campaigns, saying failure to do so would amount to crime against humanity and God. Ambode stated this in his message at the 10th Annual Hijrah lecture organised by the Lagos State House of Assembly and held at the Assembly complex, Ikeja.

The Lecture titled: “The Race for Paradise” had in attendance hundreds of Muslim faithful and members of the Assembly community.

Ambode explained that the people have choices to make at election period as they could have elected other people to represent them, saying it was a privilege to be chosen to lead.

“There is no better time to give back to those who are in need than now and to fulfill the contract we made between ourselves and our maker.

“We must fulfill the contract we made to the people before they elected us. They could have elected other people but put us there.

“We must always put the interest

of the people first. We should be very selfless. There should be that selflessness in our practice of religion and in our offices,” Ambode stated.

The governor however, urged residents to be good and just in all their dealings as people on the race to paradise.

Ambode while appreciating the guest lecturer, Prof. Abdulhafiz Oladosu for the powerful and thoughtful lecture on the subject as fundamental and fruitful, goes ahead to commend the leadership of the House for organising the lecture, noting that the lecture was apt and that it came barely two weeks after the state had its inter-religious parley.

He therefore congratulated Muslim faithful on the celebration of the Islamic New Year, 1438.

In his speech, the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa urged Muslim faithful to adhere to six articles of faith in Islam religion to enter Paradise. The six article, according to the Speaker, includes; belief in Allah, Messengers, Scriptures, Angels, Destiny and the Last Day. Earlier in his lecture, Oladosu, the Guest Lecturer described the race to paradise as “time” which everyone desirous of peace and comfort at the end must run.

Ambode

According to the Islamic scholar, the choice of the subject shows that the leadership of the House believes in life after death.

“The choice of this topic and talking about paradise is not only to please Allah but also to please people who elected you into offices.

“Paradise means a place of peace, comfort, prosperity, a land of luxury and fulfilment. Paradise is the holiest place.

“Paradise we are talking about is the one lost by Prophet Adam and Eve. It is a race of the fittest. Race to paradise is a race that is timed.

“We are all here for shopping but what type of shopping are we doing?”He asked.

The professor commended the governor for being selfless in his service to residents of the state and humanity in general.

Also speaking, Shaykh Al-Imam Daud AbdulMojeed (Alfa Nla), who delivered the second lecture on “Child Training for Paradise” said that parents remain the first teacher of any child.

AbdulMojeed urged parents not to abandon their children in their struggle for money, position and fame.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

2019: Group urges synergy among Igbo -oriented parties A group, Igbo Awareness Movement, has called for synergy and merger of Igbo-oriented political parties to give the South-East a strong voice in the 2019 general elections. This is contained in a communiqué issued by the group to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Wednesday.

“We call on Igbo political leaders to use this opportunity of Igbo reunion in the yuletide to get APGA, UPP, PPA and other political groups to a roundtable on how to build a strong political front for Ndi-Igbo.

“We believe that Ndi-Igbo have what it takes to form a formidable political and economic union capable of putting an end to the lamentable state of Igbo influence in Nigerian politics,’’ it said.

The statement called on the leaders of APGA, UPP, PPA and other Igbo political groups to embrace the new consciousness for Igbo emancipation.

In the communiqué signed by the Chairman of Board of Trustees and Chairman, Merger Steering Committee of the group, Chief Larry Iloh and Mr Ukaobasi Agbonma, respectively,

the group said, “The reality of Nigerian politics today calls for Ndi-Igbo from different political persuasions to stop the lamentations, divisive and selfish politics from within,” it said.

According to the statement, NdiIgbo should come together and birth a new political bloc that will pursue Igbo interests before any other interest, so that progress and development will return to Igbo-land.

Looking back at roles played by great Igbo politicians such as Zik, Okpara, Mbadiwe, Ekwueme and others before and after independence in

shaping Nigeria, the group said that “it is a huge disappointment’’ that no current Igbo leader could boast of any such feats.

“This vacuum of political leadership in Igbo-land has made it easy for the political leaders of other ethnic blocs to maneuver and marginalise Ndigbo in the scheme of things in Nigeria.

“It is, therefore, very important now, as other political blocs broker alliances against 2019, for Ndigbo to put our house in order. The time to act is now,’’ it said.

Lagos State deputy governor, Dr. (Mrs.) Idiat Oluranti Adebule; Wife of Lagos State governor, Mrs. Bolanle Ambode; Chairman, House Committee on Education, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Olanrewaju Ogunyemi; Board Secretary, SUBEB, Mrs. Abosede Adelaja and State Chairman, Association Of Primary School Head Teachers Of Nigeria (AOPSHON), Mrs. Oluwatoyin Edu during the 2016 End of Year Party for Head Teachers in Lagos State Primary Schools, organized by the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) at Oregun, Ikeja, Lagos, yesterday

Lagos Assembly Minority Leader reaches out to constituents at Yuletide Minority leader of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Akeem Bello has put smiles on the faces of not less than 200 widows in his constituency as he showered them with various gift items at Christmas.

Hon Bello who represents Amuwo Odofin Constituency 11 at the Lagos House of Assembly presented each of the widows with a branded bag containing some kg of rice, 6 yards of Ankara fabric, vegetable oil and cash gift for their Christmas celebration.

Speaking with newsmen in his Alausa office after the programme, Hon Bello explain that it was a programme he organises annually to ensure that widows who don’t have husband to take care of them and their children at Christmas are not left without being catered for.

“I do this every year just to put

smile on the faces of these helpless widows, it may look small to you but these little things matter to these people ,that is why they are all happy with me including APC members and they keep praying for me, you could see the happiness on their faces.

“These people voted me into the State House of Assembly even as a member of an opposition party PDP, they gave me over 3000 votes during the election which is unprecedented in the history of Amuwo-Odofin constituency 11, I surely owe them my appreciation.

“By Thursday again I will be going round all the wards in my constituency with my thank you gifts to appreciate my people for their support and prayer, I will not forget the CDA chairmen, the religious leaders, party leaders, the traditional leaders and so on,” Hon Bello said.

Speaking further on his programmes to make his constituents more happy he said that, “I am working on direct employment for the youth, so also skill acquisition programmes to get the youth busy so that they won’t be susceptible to criminal activities, I have just graduated a set, another set is coming on.

“In my ward alone we have about seven tank farms, at Ijegun we have not less than 14 tank farms too, we have a good number of companies in my constituency, I am already talking with these companies on how they can help me absorb some of the youths so that we can get them engaged doing something so we won’t continue to give them fish all the time,” Akeem reiterated.

One of the beneficiaries of Hon Akeem Bello’s benevolent hand, an APC woman leader, Mrs Kath-

erine Alakija of ward “D” who spoke with journalists at the event on behalf of others beneficiaries expressed her gratitude to the honourable member for the good gesture.

Bello

Buhari

Kano Assembly salutes Buhari over capture of Sambisa Forest The Kano State House of Assembly on Wednesday commended President Muhammad Buhari and the Military for dislodging remnants of Boko Haram insurgents from their enclave in Sambisa forest.

The Assembly made the commendation during plenary presided by the Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Rurum.

The lawmakers said every patriotic Nigerian must share in the joy of the feat recorded by the military towards ensuring lasting peace in the country.

In his contribution, the Speaker particularly noted that the success was not only for the people of the North East, but the country in general.

Rurum attributed the feat to the resolve of the President and doggedness of the military in meeting the promise made to Nigerians to secure the country at all cost.

“The success recorded by the Nigerian military is as a result of the tireless efforts of the President, therefore he deserves commendation from all angles,” he said.

He solicited for more support of Nigerians to enable the military provide effective security across the country.

Meanwhile, Kano State government has forwarded the 2017 budget proposal of N150.9 billion for the 44 local government areas of the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Speaker told the members that the proposal was contained in a letter forwarded to the Assembly by the government.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt The All Progressives Congress (APC), Rivers State chapter, has described the refusal of Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Wike, to cooperate with the panel set up by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, to investigate the violence that marred the December 10 legislative rerun elections in the state as a bad omen.

The state chairman of the party, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said in a statement circulated yesterday in Port Harcourt that Wike’s rejection of the panel was a direct affront to Federal powers.

Dr. Ikanya in the release signed by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, said that the position of the governor should be swiftly met with appropriate response by those whose authority he was allegedly challenging in order to deter others from following what he described as a dangerous example.

11 Politics

Wike’s rejection of police probe panel bad omen, says APC The party expressed dismay that Governor Wike “has the effrontery to set up a parallel Commission of Enquiry on the rerun elections. By so doing, Wike has clearly crossed the line and should be put in his proper place by the Federal Government whose powers he is brazenly challenging.”

The party alleged that Wike’s sole purpose in setting up the commission was to ridicule APC leaders and rubbish the efforts of the Police to probe and stop further killings in Rivers State.

“It is laughable and a mockery of civilised procedure for Wike, whom everybody knows is the brain behind most of the killings and insecurity in Rivers State, to set up a judicial commission on the said

killings instead of submitting himself to a Federal Panel set up by a neutral party.

“As much as we respect Hon. Justice Chinwendu Nwogu, we pray and hope that by accepting to chair this kangaroo commission, he will not end up allowing Wike to ridicule his hard-earned reputation. The truth is that, if the commission is to be taken serious, it should indict both Wike and the State PDP Chairman, Bro. Felix Obuah, for their belligerent acts that fueled violence during the rerun polls.

“We wish to caution all and sundry that Wike’s recent boast that no force even God can remove him from office shouldn’t be taken on its face value as this is one of his strategies to shout of an attack and later embark upon another act of hooligan-

ism and mayhem in Rivers State knowing very well that nobody or agency can call him to order,” the APC alleged.

Dr. Ikanya stated that Governor Wike’s alleged antagonism against the current Federal Government under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari must be condemned by all and sundry, adding that the continued treatment of Wike’s excesses with kid gloves was a bad omen which should, he continue, be decisively checked before it plunged the country into avoidable chaos.

The party, then, declared that Governor Wike must submit himself to the Police Probe Panel to throw more light on the audio tape in which he was allegedly heard threatening to kill INEC officials.

Why Kebbi is yet to conduct LG polls —Bagudu

Cross section of Elected Chairmen from the 17 LGAs in Abia State taking their oath of office and allegiance during their swearing-in at the Michael Okpara Auditorium in Umuahia. Photo Govt House Press

Kebbi State governor, Atiku Bagudu has said that litigation on tenure of past chairmen is what has delayed the conduct of local government elections in the state.

Bagudu who made the disclosure while conducting the swearing-in ceremony for 18 newly appointed sole administrators of local government councils in Birnin Kebbi yesterday, said the determination of the suit would enable his administration conduct fresh local government election.

The governor, however, urged the newly appointed administrators to ensure rapid development in rural areas by ensuring comprehensive implementation of policies and programmes of the state and Federal Government.

The new administrators includes Alhaji Shehu Dalijan(Gwandu), Alhaji Bello Zogirma(Bunza), Alhaji Muhammad Kardi(Birnin Kebbi), Musa Muhammad(Yauri), Abubakar Zagga(Bagudo), Alhaji Muhammad DanKaino(Dandi), Alhaji Abubakar Saleh (Aliero) and Muhammad Hamidu (Arewa).

Others are Alhaji Samaila Ahmed(Augie), Alhaji Musa Tungulawa(Argungu), Muhammad Abubakar(Zuru), ShehuSarkin-Kabi(Jega), Haliru Sambawa(Maiyama), Hajiya Tsahara Bawa(Danko/Wasagu), Muhammad Umar(Sakaba), Alhaji Garba Takware(Shanga), Garba Warra(Ngaski) and Umaru Maigari (Suru).(NAN)

Plateau council workers commends Lalong for paying salaries before Xmas Local government workers in Plateau State resumed work on Wednesday after the Christmas celebration with encomiums on Gov. Simon Lalaong for paying their salaries.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports in Pankshin that Lalong had paid the salaries and pension arrears to pensioners shortly before the Christmas.

At Mangu, Pankshin and Kanke local government areas in central Plateau, many of the workers were still in the euphoria of the yuletide.

Some of the few workers who resumed work in Mangu told NAN that they came to the office to do one thing or the other.

“I only came because I am the one holding

the keys to our department because I did not want a situation where my colleagues will come and meet the doors under lock and key,” said Mr John Dawash.

Dawash said he and his family had never had it so good at Christmas where all his salary arrears were paid before the celebration.

“We have every reason to thank Gov. Simon Lalong for paying workers their salary arrears and even those of pensioners,’’ he said.

At Kanke, a worker, Mrs Esther Gulet, said: “The cold we have been experiencing these few days could have discouraged a lot of workers from resuming work today.

“I am sure by tomorrow the number of

workers will increase compared to what we have today being the first day after the Christmas holiday, ’’ she said.

But the situation was different in Pankshin, were the workers, including their directors, came out en-masse even though they were just chatting and exchanging greetings.

Mr Pankyes Benwuk, the council’s NULGE Chairman, told NAN that the workers came out because there was something the management gave out for them to share.

“Last year, those who did not resume work missed some largesse that the management gave to each department to share on the first day after the Christmas holiday.

“Of course, no one wants to miss that lar-

Lalong

gess, which explains the reason you are seeing virtually all the workers in office today, ’’ Benwuk explained.

He said that this year’s Christmas was one of the best for workers in Plateau because “Gov. Lalong made it so wonderful for us and we are so grateful to him for that.”

News 12

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Banks scale down on loans to check reckless spending Continued from page 1 lates costs of certain goods and services and people look for available cash to make ends meet. This is also a period that people relocate, either by moving into their own houses, or rent new apartments.

Financial service operators, who spoke to our Correspondent, disclosed that this is not the best of time to lend, as there was always diversion of such facilities into frivolous expenses, instead of businesses that will bring income to aid repayment process.

To this end, commercial banks have thrown caution to the wind by reducing consumer lending, while microfinance institutions equally scaled down their loan portfolios.

Our findings showed that most loan seekers in November and December divert their facilities into meeting the festive expenses such as travelling to their villages, house rent, among others, a ploy that contradicts what the loans are structured for.

However, the move by both the commercial and microfinance banks, according to findings, was meant to avoid loan defaults that characterized this period in the past, a situation that has made most micro banks illiquid.

More so, since this is a period also characterized by relocation, people could move from their previous apartment to another one, making them not traceable for re-

payment.

By the time the festival elapses in most cases, it is very difficult to track these debtors, while those that could be traced are not in any financial position to repay, thus pleading for more time, a microfinance bank operator revealed.

Hence, while microfinance banks are reluctant in granting individual loans during this festive period, others have resorted to granting of group loans.

According to the Managing Director of Bosak Microfinance Bank, Mr. Kola Bello, the major reasons for loan defaults towards the end of the year, was because most bank customers lack financial discipline, as they want to spend whatever that comes their way to meet their immediate needs.

To this end, he called for education and enlightenment of customers on how to judiciously use credit facility, before disbursing loans to them, saying, such sensitization would lead them to fulfill their lending obligations.

Moreover, he said the last phase of the year, is not the best period to grant loans to new customers, adding that giving out credit to existing customers would involve using the group lending methodology if the lending banks intend to recover its money.

“You don’t have to disburse to new clients, especially, towards the end of the year. For existing

customers whose loan maturity expired, group lending could be the best method, because it would allow the bank to recover its money,” he explained.

A banker and financial analyst, Mr. Ajao Moses, stated that his bank has partially stopped individual loans and it has now subscribed to group lending.

“We have adopted that in my organization, where you ask people of like-minds to put themselves into a group. Under this method,

ÏÏÏ Lagos

state governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, on Tuesday announced readiness of the state government to offer amnesty to cultists willing to renounce their membership of cult groups and turn a new leaf.

Governor Ambode, who stated this in Ikorodu at the ongoing One Lagos Fiesta, said his administration has perfected plans to use 2017 to rehabilitate all those involved in one form of criminality or the other and that are ready to be law abiding, with the view to making them

1 ƒê ƌƄ ƗƆ

live normal lives and contribute meaningfully to the society.

While noting with concern the rising spate of cultism and other crimes, especially in the Ikorodu axis, the governor said in as much as the government had the capacity to deal with such crimes, amnesty is being offered to encourage those willing to turn away from their old ways and embrace new lives.

“In the last few months, we have been having a lot of challenges with cultism in Ikorodu area and a lot of issues that relate to kidnapping. So, we are going to strike a deal tonight, we are going to say ‘no to cultism’ and then we are going to encourage all of you. Anybody who is a cult member, we are going to offer you amnesty. I want to use the whole of 2017 to rehabilitate all those who have been doing bad things; we are going to provide money and we are going to provide jobs.

“We are going to encourage ourselves; wherever you find somebody that is not doing anything well, you can either tell the monarch here or come to us, we will give you protection; we offer you money and then we

Customers (KYC) before disbursing any credit facility, calling on them to verify whether the loan beneficiaries use it for the purpose meant for, one week after disbursement.

“Even, after taken the necessary precautionary measures, those who will default will default. All you (MfB) need to do, is to carry out due diligence. Make sure you do the necessary KYC to ensure that they use the money for the purpose meant for.

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Ambode offers amnesty to cultists Benjamin Omoike

we have group pressure, group monitoring and group self regulation. We just start group lending in August and the response is a little better than individual lending because you have group support,” he stressed.

Under this method, he said the group is responsible for the default of any member, as others would pay on his/her behalf.

Even at that, he called on his colleagues to be cautious, by doing the necessary Know-Your-

are going to offer you automatic jobs. So, we all agree to say no to domestic violence, kidnapping, rape and no to cultism. Once you sign on, we would offer you anything that you want,” Governor Ambode said.

The governor also stressed the importance of education and hard work to the youths, and urged them to strive very hard to be educated, and thereafter pursue their dreams.

While referring to an entertainer, Folarin Falana, a lawyer, popularly known as Falz, the Governor said it was highly essential for the young ones to be educated before thinking of other things in life.

“What I brought to you tonight is to let you know that education is very important.

You can be who you want to be.

If I was not a governor, I would be an accountant; if I was not an accountant, maybe I would have been an entertainer because I love music, I love arts, I love entertainment and that is why I want to encourage all of you.

First, we must all be educated and then you can now use your creative talents to be who you want to be,” he said.

Army arrests 1,240 Boko Haram suspects in Sambisa forest ÏÏÏ The Nigeria Army said it

has arrested about 1,240 suspected Boko Haram terrorists during a mop-up operation by troops inside the Sambisa forest.

The Theatre Commander, Operation Lafiya Dole, Maj. -Gen. Lucky Irabor, disclosed this while giving update to newsmen on Operation Rescue Final at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

Irabor said that 413 of the suspects were adults; 323 female adults; 251 male children, while 253 were female children.

He said that the suspects were apprehended during a mop-up operation against the sect members in the forest.

“We are interrogating them to know whether they are Boko Haram members, because there is no way somebody that is not their member would live inside Sambisa forest.

“We are still on the trail of the terrorists and I want to assure you that all escape routes

have been blocked.

“Within this period, also, about 30 fleeing suspected Boko Haram members have surrendered to the Niger Multinational Troops on the shores of the lake Chad and we learnt that they were taken to Difa in the Niger Republic.

“The suspects include; 24 males and six females.

“We would like to use this opportunity to encourage the terrorists to give up the fight because the window is still open,” the commander said.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

13

14 Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Time to scrap the EFCC

T

Jideofor Adibe

his piece was motivated by two interrelated developments: the first is the furore caused by several corruption allegations against some top officials of the Buhari government and the reported directive by the President to the Attorney General of the Federation to investigate the involvement of any top government official accused of any wrong-doing. The corruption allegations against top officials of the government coupled with similar allegations against some members of the National Assembly would seem to suggest that despite the government’s anti-corruption postures and rhetoric, corruption, or at least allegations of it, still thrive as in any other past regime.

The second impetus is the refusal of the Senate to consider approving Ibrahim Magu as the substantive chairman of the financial crimes buster, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) ostensibly because he failed the requisite integrity test. The development has triggered a media war between supporters of Magu and his traducers in which the issue is unfortunately reduced to the simplistic binary of the ‘good guys’ versus the ‘bad guys’. Here the ‘good guys’ are assumed to be those who want Magu’s nomination to be approved because he has “demonstrated good track record in fighting corruption” while the ‘bad guys’ are those opposed to his confirmation and therefore represent “corruption fighting back”.

I believe that rather than dissipate energy on whether Magu should be confirmed as the EFCC chairman or not- we should be posing the more relevant question of whether the EFCC is succeeding or not in the fight against corruption or whether it is exacerbating the problem of corruption by undermining, through its style, the evolution of institution- driven methods of fighting the ailment.

At this stage I believe it will be germane to come clean: I have never been a fan of the EFCC. In fact in a feature for the blog Nigeria Village Square (www.nigeriavillagesquare. com) on January 8 2009 entitled, “War on Corruption: Why EFCC Will Fail”, I wrote: “A major reason why the EFCC is likely to fail is that it is using exactly the same strategies employed by previous regimes and agencies – treating corruption as a moral lapse rather than a systemic problem.” I further argued that “corruption is a systemic problem, which is tied to the success or failure of the nation-building project, the level of poverty in the land, and the extent to which citizens believe they are valued as stakeholders in the state. Therefore fighting the malfeasance by a segment of the society for an ill that is generalized and expressed in different forms is unlikely to solve the problem of corruption.” I have over the years writ-

ten several other articles critical of the EFCC. From about 2012 I began calling for the granting of conditional amnesty against all accused of corruption because I felt the whole ‘war’ was a charade that had not achieved its aim. In fact EFCC’s ‘gragra’ method compounds the blurring of the boundary between the supposed fight against corruption and political vendetta.

But this blurred boundary is actually rooted in the country’s political history: For instance one of the earliest attempts to use charges of corruption to smear political opponents was in 1946 after the NCNC raised £13,000 from its well-publicised tour of the provinces (April 1946 to December 1946) to send a delegation of seven people to London to protest against the Richard’s Constitution, and its ‘four obnoxious ordinances’.

The delegation left for London in June 1947 and returned two months later. Though it was welcomed by an enthusiastic crowd of over 100,000, the initial euphoria was quickly overshadowed by insinuations of corruption. For instance the government-owned Daily Times, in its editorial of August 15, 1947, led the charge: “We would like to remind the delegation that what has been achieved could have been obtained in Nigeria by airmail at the very modest cost of one shilling, whereas the delegation has been ever so expensive. If therefore this is the sort of unthinking and wasteful leadership being thrust on us, we will have none of it”.

With the EFCC suspected to be the attack dog of any government in power since Obasanjo set it up in 2003, it has had the problem of legitimacy across the political divides amid accusations of selective targeting of the opposition and opponents

of the President.

Another reason why I have not been a fan of the EFCC and its methods is that there is nothing to suggest that it is succeeding in the fight against corruption – despite its ‘gragra’. Methodologically, the best way of assessing the impact of the EFCC in the fight against corruption is to use the ‘before’ and ‘after’ benchmarks - that is, to pose the question: what was the situation before the EFCC was set up and what is the situation now? Procedural issues like how much money it succeeded in confiscating or the number of convictions it secured are really mere details. The key question is: Has the incidence of corruption reduced since the inception of EFCC? If, as anecdotal evidence suggests (and from what succeeding governments tell us of their predecessors in office) the malaise seems to be rather increasing, one needs no further evidence to conclude that the EFCC and similar institutions used in fighting corruption in the past simply have failed. In the current situation where the structural and environmental factors that predispose people to corrupt practices are increasing, it makes it even more difficult for the EFCC to succeed. The EFCC, like the other contraptions before it, seems to spend too much energy fighting the symptoms of what is a more fundamental social malaise. That each chairman of the Commission since it was created ended up from being a hunter to the hunted and also has allegations of corruption against him or her, tells volumes.

An interesting question is why Nigerians seem to be fascinated with the EFCC and its methods despite lack of evidence that its succeeding: There are several possible explanations:

One, is that Nigerians like to behave like ostriches. Everyone pretends to be a sort of angel fighting corruption. This includes all sorts of shady characters such as professional conmen and the opportunistic car mechanics who will quickly exchange your new car battery for an old one if you step aside to answer a phone call.

Two, a society emerging from recent dictatorship seems to retain certain authoritarian impulses. For this, the EFCC’s strong arm tactics, which is sometimes short on finesse and rule of law (witness the impunity perpetrated by Ribadu during Obasanjo’s term in the name of fighting corruption) appeal to some who erroneously mistake ‘authoritarian dispositions’ for ‘strong leadership’.

Three, the EFCC’s, ‘naming and shaming’ of the ‘high and the mighty’ and the accompanying media trial taps into Nigerians’ distrust of the justice system. EFCC appears to have a strategy of ‘bypassing the courts’ and taking their cases directly to the courts of public opinion. In a country where the justice system is seen to be anything but blind and its wheels turn very sluggishly, some Nigerians express their distrust of such justice system by embracing the alternative ‘justice system’ of media trial. It is also very appealing to those baying for the blood of people they regard as their class, ethnic, religious and regional enemies.

Largely because of the above, rather than join in the fruitless discourse of whether Magu should be confirmed or not, I feel the conversation ought to be about the EFCC as an institution. I feel we should seriously consider scrapping the EFCC and strengthening instead the various institutions and mechanisms we find in the formal sectors of our national life that are meant to checkmate abuses and impunity. My feeling is that the EFCC undermines the development of such systems and mechanisms by making people believe that ‘gra-gra’ is the only method of fighting corruption. The truth is that a system can be very unobtrusive but effective as we have in the mature democracies. We need therefore to re-set the whole fight against corruption such that it will be institution-driven and without the ‘gra-gra’ from contraptions like the EFCC. Managing the politics of fighting corruption using the failed systems of the past in a society like ours is probably one of the reasons why many corruption cases get stalled in the courts. Harassing judges to get more convictions is also not the way to go. It is better for hundred criminals to go free than for one innocent citizen to be erroneously convicted.

While securing convictions is important, it is even more important to pose and answer the question of why the incidence of corruption and corrupt practices are not abating despite the EFCC and similar institutions.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

15 Opinion

South East Summit: Day President Buhari could not visit Igboland

T Jude Ndukwe

hat day was Thursday, December 22nd, 2016. The occasion was the Economic and Security Summit of South East Nigeria. President Muhammadu Buhari, the tough-talking, body language-fear-inspiring, retired army general Commander-inChief of the armed forces of the federal republic, was scheduled to be at the occasion as chief guest of honour. But as we heard, Buhari did not turn up.

Rumours have it that the president stayed away because of a certain threat by members of the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) who vowed to resist his entry into the south-east. Assuming that is true, a president who really cared and wanted to attend the summit even if to prove critics wrong that he is anti-Igbo would have found ways to neutralize the threat by IPOB by reaching out to them. There is Anyway, the summit ended successfully, but many were already blaming IPOB for the president’s absence. Those who seem to know better say with the president’s statements, his body language and actions against the Igbo, it was a sealed fate that there was no way he was going

to be attending such a summit by the region.

Following that ill-advised absence, a statement by the presidency through Mallam Garba Shehu, giving some of the most bizarre reasons why a president would not visit a particular region. Part of the statement read: “…some other stakeholders from the South East came and advised him to not go in view of the closeness of the date to Christmas; that given the sensitivity of the period to the people, a presidential visit may come with overexertion and possibly, be disruptive of Christmas”.

The first question one would want to ask is who are “those other stakeholders from the South East” who came to advise the president?

The feeling here is that there was no such advice. This part of the excuse could have been cooked in order to continue to lay the blame of the president’s failure to be at the summit at the feet of some imaginary “stakeholders”.

Furthermore, it is most ridiculous that the reason a president of Nigeria gives for not attending an occasion in the South East is because of its closeness to Christmas.

Everyone knows that the Igbo man’s best moments to receive August visitors to his abode are at Christmas and the New Yam festival.

How come Buhari does not know this?

That was nothing but a lame excuse for the president’s deliberate refusal to be at the summit. It is nothing new but this administration’s continued flagrant display of hatred for the Igbo is well-documented.

It is quite ironical that while Buhari would not attend a security and economic summit in the south east, he was very quick and happy to send all manner of security agencies including the military, which are currently doing a python dance there.

The disruption which these security agencies have since been causing to the region since the inauguration of this administration is unimaginable. For example, it is reported that about seventy military/ police check points are mounted between Onitsha and Owerri alone, a distance of just about 85km.

This has caused untold hardship to a people and a region that is not in any way at war.

As if that is not bad enough, the presidency has also unleashed men and officers of the Nigeria Customs Service on travelers to the south east. Many Igbo sons and daughters travelling from especially Lagos and other south west states have complained bitterly how they have been

forced to part with money ranging from between N5, 000 – N50, 000.

Question is why there are no such checkpoints by the Nigeria Customs Service and other security agencies in the north even where terrorist activities and murderous invasions of communities by the notorious Fulani herdsmen are at their peak? Are the Igbo the only ones who drive cars that need to be checked by the Customs? Are they the only ones who travel at Christmas which is normally a public holiday season that sees Nigerians of different ethnic origin and religious background travelling to different places?

When has the south east turned to Seme border or any other border as to attract the heavy presence of the Customs if not just to deliberately add to the inconveniences and sufferings imposed by the Buhariled administration on Ndigbo and disrupt their Christmas?

This proves that Buhari’s excuse not to attend the summit was nothing but exactly what is, just an excuse!

The good thing is that the summit held and was successful even without the president. Ndigbo have since learnt to live without him, and they are sticking together now more than ever before, thanks to Buhari and his anti-Igbo postures!

Autarkists and import substitution development strategies

S

Uddin Ifeanyi

ince the incumbent government’s accession to office, the responses to the foreign currencyinduced part of the nation’s current economic crisis have ranged from mild (import substitution) to outlandish (arguments for economic autarchy). To hear most commentators who rail at the nation’s propensity to import and how this is the main cause of the naira’s woes, you would not know that the distributive trade sector is a major contributor to domestic output.

By all means, therefore, ban all imports (beginning with the infamous rice) in the hope that demand for those goods will drive domestic production, and create jobs in those sectors of the economy that will meet this demand. But remember as you go along that “Trade’s contribution to nominal GDP in the third quarter (2016) was recorded at 19.83%”. The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) from whose report the preceding quote was taken describes “trade” as growing “by 15.36% in the third quarter of 2016 in nominal terms”.

Add the workforce engaged in wholesale and retail trade across the economy, and calls to shut down imports should ordinarily enlist admonitions of caution.

An economy is a “system” with

considerable dependencies across it. Therefore, economists try to build robust models of economies in their attempt to understand how policy prescriptions work.

But these models are indicative, at best, and nearly never predictive.

Accordingly, the unintended consequences of shutting down a part of any economy are always going to be far more than even the best model presumes.

Take the naira’s woes, for starters.

When folk discuss the economy, and how our love for imports hurts the naira’s exchange rate, one could be fooled into thinking that we have a disproportionately large import bill.

Yet the truth is that compared with other countries, Nigeria’s importto-GDP ratio is one of the world’s lowest. This ratio was 12.4 percent two years ago, going by data from the World Bank. In the same period, the ratio of imports of goods and service to domestic output in India, China and South Africa was 25.5 percent, 18.9 percent, and 33.1 percent respectively. We evidently do not import far more than other countries do. Indeed, in Europe and North America, this ratio is a lot larger.

Clearly, the problems with this economy lend themselves to far more think than the glib recommendations dominating discussions on this suggest. In dimensioning these

problems, a useful point of departure is constantly to remind oneself that irrespective of the economy, people only respond to the available structure of incentives.

One example of such incentives is the fate of the naira. Appeals to patriotic instincts notwithstanding, much of the demand for the U.S. greenback in the country today is the result of the erosion of the naira’s value. The naira rusts and it is beloved by moths — at least figuratively up to this point. The new hunger for dollars, therefore, is the result, not so much of speculation, nor of the uncaring activities of economic saboteurs. It instead is but a symptom of the precautionary impulse — we are all (increasingly at the retail level) concerned to keep our savings where moth and rust will not touch it.

At the import substitution and clamour for autarchy levels, this inversion of the cause-effect relationship is already hurting. To make the famed “local rice” affordable, sub-national governments across the land have set about subsidising the price at which people buy it.

Rather than address this more fundamental issue, we tend to head the way of cop-outs: improperly targeted subsidy schemes end up supporting wasteful consumption by segments of society who would ordinarily

have been able to afford the goods and services; the absence of sunset clauses in the design of our myriad subsidy schemes mean that they then become a self-reinforcing drain on the exchequer.

Remarkably, the effort by the Lagos State Government to get its rice to rich households in the state was not without useful lessons, all of which reinforce the point about tackling the fundamentals rather than symptoms. While India has developed Aadhaar (a biometric identification system) that allows its government target subsidies at the needy, subscribers to the Lagos State Government’s rice distribution scheme confronted long queues, dense bank tellers, and long walks to close-by bank branches to pay into designated accounts before they could pick up their consignments.

The Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) reports that as at mid-December 2016, 1.09 billion citizens (85 percent of the country’s estimated 2015 population) had been issued Aadhaar numbers. The scheme is used to distribute US$40 billion of subsidies annually; and the current edition of The Economist reports further that about “300 million biometric entries (on Aadhaar) are linked to citizens’ bank accounts, so that money can be paid to them direct”. No queues!

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Features

s

17

Abandonment, recession taking toll on properties, as people relocate

Abandoned Federal Secretariat, Lagos

Ladesope Ladelokun Taking a walk into the main entrance of the old Federal Secretariat, one is greeted with the location of an old generation bank just by the gate.

Business transaction is perhaps the most feasible attraction in the once thriving area, and, according to one of the policemen, who were on guard in the gigantic, but now abandoned structures, that is what usually kept them busy.

It would be recalled that the old secretariat was erected by the Federal Government, which used to be the seat of civil service.

But, when a customer or visitor moves beyond the boundaries of the bank, they are immediately accosted by gun-wielding and fierce-looking policemen, whose duty is mainly to stop members of the public from going anywhere near the once-imposing, but now decaying structures planted when Lagos was still the seat of power in Nigeria. ’’If not for the presence of this bank here, we would have locked this place and no one would be allowed anywhere near it. We were sent here from Abuja to guard this place. And there is a case in court between the Lagos State Government and the Federal Government on this place. You are only lucky to come in because of the bank here, ’’a policeman told our reporter.

However, the squalor that has become the hallmark of the old secretariat cannot be hidden. From the overgrown weeds that aspire to kiss the summit of the structures to the fading

Abandoned building in Lagos

paints on the walls of the gigantic structuresall bear testimonies to the fading glory of a national monument.

Meanwhile, in Ibadan, just directly opposite the University of Ibadan, is the Agbowo complex. Originally built for business purposes, there are heavy buildings of three floors each, occupying an acre or more. Sadly, part of it now stinks. Most of the shops are vacant. The complex looks deserted, as its brown paint has faded. Where you see few activities in the complex are front shops facing UI ,other parts are dead ends.

The Daily Times gathered that huge revenue losses were recorded everyday by the Oyo State government for lack of proper utilization of the complex.These are just few cases around us. In all the remaining states and Abuja, Federal Capital, scores of public and private buildings are being abandoned or lack occupants.

In recent times, there have been rising cases of abandoned buildings within the Lagos metropolis in particular.

From Obalende to Ikoyi, Ikoyi to Victoria Island, scores of buildings have been discovered abandoned by their owners. For instance, just beside Union bank on Obalende road, is a vacant 4-storeyed building.

According to Jimoh Alade,’’the building is only useful to labourers that came from other states to work here. They sleep here since they can’t rent a house. On why the building was abandoned, he said, ’’Government asked the occupants here to quit due to the failing structure of the building. The son of the owner

used to have his hospital on the first floor.’’

To halt the spate of abandoned buildings on the Island, the Lagos State Government had recently compiled a list of over 100 abandoned properties in Ikoyi and VI with a special committee set up to rid the highbrow areas of abandoned buildings and miscreants.

The chairman of the Task Force on Environment and Special Offences, Yinka Egbeyemi,said, ’’The committee is resolute about it’s determination to rid Ikoyi and VI of abandoned buildings and miscreants.’’

The rising cases of abandoned monuments is due to the negative attitude of the government to its property .According to Omojuyigbe,’’ monuments and buildings are abandoned because of government’s indiscretion and poor attitude towards maintaining public property. If you check critically, you will realize that the concerned authorities do not abandon their properties that way. It is colossal waste of tax payers’ money and a pointer to government’s lack of seriousness in its drive towards putting this country on a strong economic pedestal.’’

He added: ”Our leaders are not business-like in their handling of public property; and that is the reason we are this backward.

Government shows interest in erecting gigantic structures, but shows little or no interest in maintaining them. That is not the way to go. Again, when you appoint inexperienced, lazy or corrupt people as managers of such monuments, you shouldn’t expect good returns.

‘’Meanwhile, these were once beautiful structures, which everybody wanted to identify with being the pride of the nation.’’

On why private buildings are abandoned, a structural engineer, Mayowa Moses, said: ‘’Private buildings are abandoned for a combination of factors. For instance, I had a client that bought N750 million worth of land at Banana Island. He was working with those in power then, but when there was a change of government at the centre, we stopped work on the building. And since July last year, the structures there have remained abandoned.

Another reason could also be a difference in valuation between the quantity surveyor of the client and the contractor. And when the project manager does not endorse it, the contractor handling the project could abandon it.

The reasons are many and I can go on and on.’’

For Mr. Japhet Ogunniyi, who is into roofing business, recession cannot be divorced from the cause.

He said, “At a time when companies are laying off workers to reduce staff strength, it is not unusual for offices to be closed, especially, those you see on the Island. Even those that are located in the high brow areas are relocating to places that are less expensive.”

He said, ‘‘And for residential buildings, some are abandoned because no one is coming to rent them, because the market is not just there.

I know a 3-bedroom apartment that was vacant for two years until the building was reconstructed. A bedroom apartment became available and in a month, everywhere was occupied.

Features 18

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Budget 2017 not a panacea to nation’s woes -SBM Intelligence While x-raying the 2017 budget, SBM Intelligence, in its latest research on the Nigerian economy, predicted poor budgetary implementation in the New Year. FEMI GANIYU reports President Muhammadu Buhari presented the 2017 budget proposal of #7.298 trillion to the National Assembly on December 14. The proposal, named, ‘Budget of Recovery and Growth,’ seeks to increase agriculture output and productivity, promote domestic manufacturing and ‘Made in Nigeria’ goods through intervention funds, eliminate costly cash calls for the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and increase funding for infrastructure, especially roads, rail and power.

The budget will also borrow heavily to plug a #2.36 trillion deficit for 2017, which is estimated at about 2.18 per cent of Gross Domestic Product, GDP. The 2017 budget is based on a benchmark crude oil price of $42.5 per barrel; an oil production estimate of 2.2 million barrels per day; and an average exchange rate of #305 to the US dollar.

The 2017 budget proposal is 20.4 per cent higher in nominal terms over 2016 estimates with 30.7 per cent of this expected to be allocated to capital expenditure.

We learn from President Buhari’s first full year in office that talk can be cheap particularly with regards to budget funding and implementation. The 2017 budget presented continues on the tradition of the 2016 budget. It is steeped in assumptions that do not match the reality that even the most casual of observers can see.

Now, the government is being more aggressive with its proposal, particularly with regards to crude production. When we look at what actually played out in 2016 in terms of actual budget performance, we can make an informed guess at how the 2017 budget will end up: high performance of recurrent expenditure fueled by borrowing, and non-performance of capital expenditure. We disagree that this budget is aptly named. It will not get Nigeria on a path of growth.

The CBN has a self-inflicted crisis of confidence on its hands Several banks will not renew agreements worth billions of dollars with the Central Bank of Nigeria, highlighting the erosion of confidence in the monetary authority, several top bankers told the Financial Times this week. The move, which relates to foreign currency swap agreements between banks and the central bank, risks depleting the country’s dwindling foreign reserves as Nigeria faces a

Buhari

severe dollar shortage.

Gross reserves have plummeted by 40 per cent to $24 billion since oil prices crashed in mid-2014, as the country grapples with its worst economic crisis in decades. As a result, the CBN has sought to use foreign currency swaps to bolster dollar reserves, swapping large amounts of Naira in return for dollars with about six of the country’s 22 banks. The report says bankers have been refusing to allow the CBN to renew these swaps – most of which expire within the next year – because they have lost confidence in Governor Godwin Emefiele’s management of the currency and the Forex market.

This is perhaps the most emphatic statement from the domestic economy of a loss of confidence in the ability of the leadership of the Central Bank to manage monetary policy. Just yesterday, the government attempted to sell #100 billion worth of Treasury Bills but got an uptake of only #44 billion in spite of very high rates. This speaks to one thing. Confidence and trust are the currency the financial system runs on, and the Nigerian government and the Central Bank are incredibly low on this in the eye of the public as well as the rest of the

financial system at the moment.

The Fed may wake up the CBN, or maybe not For the second time in a decade, the US Federal Reserve on December 14 voted to raise interest rates.

The committee took the rate to zero per cent during the financial

This immediately led to a stronger dollar, pushing the global currency to a 10-month high and directly hurting the Naira. The Nigerian currency opened at the interbank market at #315/$. The parallel market, as at the time of writing this, is yet to react to the rate hike, as the US currency still trades at #485.

crisis of 2008, but in the light of improving consumer confidence and an improving domestic employment picture, the Fed voted to tighten monetary policy. It said it would raise the rate on the federal funds rate by a quarter percentage point, to between 0.50 per cent and 0.75 per cent, a move that would raise the borrowing costs of virtually every fund in the US economy.

This immediately led to a stronger dollar, pushing the global currency to a 10-month high and directly hurting the Naira. The Nigerian currency opened at the interbank market at #315/$. The parallel market, as at the time of writing this, is yet to react to the rate hike, as the US currency still trades at #485.

Federal funds rate in the US is equivalent to Nigeria’s monetary policy rate. However, in the US its impact is felt more because of housing, which captures a huge chunk of the market. An increased fund rate means long-term mortgage rates will be reprised upwards and that will impact savings, investments and eventually the entire economy. That is what a mature economic system looks like. In Nigeria, high borrowing rates for short and middle term

funds for non-prime borrowers are pushing 30% presently. Very few businesses can make enough returns to offset such rates hence the huge obstacle Nigerian businesses face compared with their American counterparts. And that is just regarding finance. Perhaps someday we will get inflation under control and single digit interest rates will become attainable.

With more aid comes more responsibility The United States has announced an additional $92 million (#44 billion) in aid for people affected by the Boko Haram insurgency and food insecurity in North-Eastern Nigeria and the Lake Chad Basin region. It follows warnings from the United Nations that 120,000 people were at risk of dying from starvation in the region as a result of the conflict, which it called the “greatest crisis on the continent”. The latest aid brings the US contribution to $291 million, money that will go to the UN and NGOs to provide food, water, shelter, health services and food.

The Boko Haram insurgency has left over six million people in need of emergency food assistance, and has displaced almost three million people, the US said. The UN has appealed for an additional $1 billion to meet humanitarian needs in the region in 2017.

Just this week, the World Health Organisation, WHO, said a third of the 743 health facilities in Borno had been “completely destroyed,” with a further 29% “partially damaged” by the abeyance of a Boko Haram seven-year insurgency that has experienced a renewed surge in the dry season months. The humanitarian need in the NorthEast is enormous, the resources to address it are paltry, the political will to make it a reality is virtually non-existent. The new aid commitments, while welcome, fall well short of funding a $1 billion UN humanitarian funding appeal for North-East Nigeria. Even more critical is the distribution of these badly needed relief materials – SBM had reported earlier in the year of the difficulties NGOs face in wading through Nigeria’s notoriously corrupt, insensitive and inefficient bureaucracy in an honest bid to do their jobs. Getting the money may be one thing, ensuring the aid reaches the people who actually need it is the ultimate challenge. On that front, not even the US can help Nigeria.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

19

Crime

Notorious fraudster in police net, dupes Chinese firm $400,000

Oguntade Ismaila & Joy Anyim Detectives from the Police Special Fraud Unit (SFU), Ikoyi, Lagos, have apprehended an alleged fraudster who used charms in defrauding unsuspecting members of the public.

The suspect, who gave his name as, Saheed Mosadoluwa Audulahi (a.k.a Ibile), met his Waterloo, when he allegedly duped a Chinese company, JI Chu Industries Nigeria Ltd, a footwear company, located in the Ejigbo area of Lagos, of a whooping sum of $400,000 ( N165,480,000) on the pretense of transferring the money to the business partner of his victim in China.

The Daily Times gathered that Saheed, who operates a business name, called BMTC Logistics, had, after receiving the alleged sum, generated a fake telex transfer slip and gave same to the victim as proof of transfer of the money to China.

Upon receiving the telex, the company was said to have contacted their business partner in China to know whether the money was received, but surprisingly, their response was negative.

According to the unit’s spokesperson, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Lawal Audu, who paraded the suspect recently in Ikoyi, Lagos, a petition written by Akande & Akande on behalf of JI Chu Industries Nigeria Ltd, was

received by the Unit on the matter on the 8th November, 2016.

He said investigation was immediately launched into the matter; and it was discovered that the suspect had been elusive for four months after swindling his victim.

Lawal said, “ Detectives from this unit immediately swung into action; detailed and extensive intelligence paid off, as he was eventually apprehended at his hideout in Magodo Phase 2, Lagos, on 17th

of December, 2016.”

According to him,”When detectives with search warrants eventually gained access to his house, a shocking discovery of a fully equipped juju shrine, believed to be a powerful tool in deceiving his victims, was discovered.”

Details of how the Saheed had squandered the large sum was also stated by the Unit’s image maker.

He said,”investigation revealed that N4.5 million out of the money

On the concoctions and other fetish items found in his house, the suspect said he was a traditionalist and had a right to practice whatsoever religion he chooses to do. was immediately used to purchase a Highlander Jeep, No.452AH and three other exotic cars, Corolla Benz, No.APP 591AX, and two customized GLK 350 and QX56 Jeep, all of which were recovered from his compound.”

He said, “Various incriminating items such as international passports, different forged certifi-

cates purportedly authorizing him to recruit students from Nigeria to institutions abroad, were also amongst the other items recovered.”

Lawal added that,“The suspect is also operating as a fake freight forwarder at the port. He is also not a licensed Bureau De Change operator, or a licensed custom’s clearing agent.”

On his part, the 38-year-old Saheed, who hails from Oyo State, denied being a fraudster; claiming that he is been falsely accused. He alleged the disputed sum was being withheld in the United Kingdom, following some irregularities about it.

“This all started with a container that the victim had asked me to help him clear. He had asked me to help transfer the fund to China through London, saying, he (victim), did not want to pay the actual custom duty.I did hand over the fund to our contact that has been assisting for close to two years.

“But due to the some irregularities in the invoice, the United Kingdom (UK) bank has to query the transfer and categorised it as money laundering since all goods they said they are bringing from China to London had not been forthcoming,” he said.

According to him,” when I discovered the issue on the ground, my client told me that it will take him two to three months before the matter could be sorted out. As a result of this, I have squeezed out N60 million from my pocket to settle part of the debt, which wasn’t my fault.”

The suspect, lamented saying, “I have earlier sought redress from the court of law, which I have served the notice to the police, that am not a fraudster and I did not defraud anybody. The passports you are seeing, are for my passengers going for lesser Hajj, Umura, I know my case is political and I don’t have anything to fear.”

On the concoctions and other fetish items found in his house, the suspect said he was a traditionalist and had a right to practice whatsoever religion he chooses to do.

He said, “the juju has nothing to do with the Chinese business; ‘am a Yoruba man; I believed in phenomena of my culture, I am a pioneer of Ibile assembly comprising 87 members, I used those charms to preserve and protect myself.”

Lawal also revealed that the suspect had attempted to bribe the team handling the case with the sum of N5 million, but was turned down by the detective, as the police had insisted that the law takes it full course on the matter.

Crime

20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Man kills cyclist, steals bike Joy Anyim A man who identified himself as, Emeka Iwu, 25, has been arrested by the police in Lagos, for murdering one Jubril Alji, 22, and stealing his bike.

Investigation revealed that on the 18th November, 2016, Jubril, who hails from Bornu State and a commercial motorcyclist, was on his routine business within the Ajah area, when Emeka asked him(Jubril) to take him to somewhere.

Not suspecting a plot to take his life and steal his bike, Jubril, on the instruction of Emeka, had driven him to a very remote and bushy area in Ajah, where the suspect had perfected his plan to commit the crime.

It was only two days after the sudden disappearance of Jubril and the inability to reach him through his cell phone that his elder brother, Salisu Jafaru, who, sensing danger, had gone to the Ajah police division to report a case of a missing person.

The police swung into action, and acting upon the facts gathered, the body of Jubril was recovered on the 22nd November 2016, from a bush near Lafiaji Bus Stop, Ajah.

Further investigation also paid off, as the suspect was also later arrested.

According to the Imo State-born Emeka, his intention was not to kill Jubril. He claimed he had only tried to defend himself from an attack from Jubril, which unfortunately led to his death.

“I am a tiller and I have been doing the job since 2012, when I gained freedom. My job is on contract basis.

“I took Jubril’s bike from Eleganza Bus Stop to Lafiaji. I alighted and when he requested for his money, I told him I had no money,” he said.

IGP, Idris

He said that, “I explained my ordeal to him, but he refused to understand and insisted that I must pay him. He carried a big plank by the bus stop and said he would strike me with it. We started arguing, and then, it resulted into a fight. I collect the plank from him and hit him on his back.”

He said “Jubril fell face down and was unconscious. I had to quickly run away; so, I took the key to his bike which had fallen off his hand and zoomed off with it. I took the bike home.”

He speaks further: “Over the knight, I thought of what to do with the bike, a thought crossed my mind to sell it off, since I needed money. So, the next day, I took it to my brother’s shop to spray it into another colour. I also removed the plate number and packed it in front of my brother’s shop for a possible buyer.

“I didn’t even know he had died when he fell down. I sincerely had no intention to kill him. I am not a thief, as I am being termed. I have never stolen before.”

The police, however said investigation is ongoing, and when completed, the suspect will be charged to court for trial.

Iba PCRC seeks upgrade of police station Oguntade Ismaila The Police Community Relations Committee (PCRC) Area E Command, Adoff Ojo, has called on the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, to make good his promise of upgrading the Iba Police Station to a Divisional Headquarters.

PCRC said the call became necessary following the need to forestall rising atrocities, such as, kidnapping, armed robbery, ritual killings and among others.

The appeal was contained in a

statement jointly signed by the PCRC chairman, general secretary, and grand patron of the zone: Messrs. Phillip Uzor, John Leo Okpala and the Oniba of Iba land, Oba Goriola Oseni.

It would be recalled that Oba Oseni, a first class king in Lagos, was abducted by kidnappers in his palace on Saturday, July 16. He was however released on August 16.

The statement stated in part: “Sir, the population of Iba at present stand at 25000, according to the 2006 census. Besides, Iba town, which has

over 36 communities, has been the traditional headquarters of the old Ojo. Some of its jurisdiction include: Okoko division, Ishashi and Lagos State University (LASU).

In a chat with The Daily Times in his palace on Monday, Oba Oseni, who thanked the NPF for coming to his rescue when he was in the kidnappers’ den five months ago, recalled that the former Lagos State Commissioner of Police , Umaru Manko, visited him shortly after his (Oniba) release where the issue of the upgrade was discussed.

23-year-old cultist nabbed in Lagos

The suspects

Police arrests notorious transborder robbery suspect Joy Anyim The Zonal Intervention Squad, Zone 2 Police Command Headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, has arrested a notorious trans- border armed robbery suspect, who is said to be responsible for many car snatching activities within Lagos and Ogun states’ axis.

The suspect, whose name was given as, Shile Adegun, was arrested alongside one Ume Victor, who is the receiver of the stolen cars.

Parading the suspects in Lagos, the Assistant Inspector General of Police in Charge of the Zone, AIG Kayode Aderanti, stated that the suspected armed robber, who is from Benin Republic, was arrested based on a tip-off from well-meaning members of the public ,on the 6th and 16th December, 2016. The suspect was said to have also led the police to the receiver.

Aderanti said, “The suspected robber came all the way from Benin Republic with the intention to rob a boutique in Sango -Otta,Ogun State, but luck ran out on him and he was arrested. In his possession, were one locally made shot gun with seventeen rounds of live ammunition, one locally made single barreled shotgun loaded with ammunitions, three Toyota Camry cars and one Infinity jeep. Investigation is still ongoing, as some facts available to us showed that they were not alone in the illegal act. We will do everything within the ambit of the law to track the others.”

On his part, the 45-year-old Ade-

gun attributed the reason for his actions to frustration. He said. “It was a friend of mine who gave me some local guns when he came to Benin Republic. He begged me to help him transport the guns to Sango-Otta, Ogun state, in Nigeria. He also informed me of a robbery operation we needed to carry out. While I was sitting outside where I had gone to deliver the gun to him, he went out to get a bike that would take us to where we were supposed to meet other gang members.”

According to him,“Surprisingly, while I was sitting and waiting for him to come, some men just came in, surrounded me and identified themselves as police officers. I was immediately arrested. We had wanted to go and snatch a car. Although I had gone to prison for five years in Benin Republic for same offence, I just couldn’t help, but to return to the same way of life, because I had lost my two children while in prison, and my wife had also left me. I just felt all hope was lost.”

Ume, who is 46 and hails from Anambra state, confessed to have been receiving stolen vehicles from Adegun. He said, “I usually buy vehicles from Adegun and his gang.

I knew the vehicles were stolen. I buy Toyota Camry between N200, 000 and N300, 000, depending on the year and I sell it for N700, 000 and above. I am a businessman and I own a cargo company in South Africa. I believe my arrest was a setup. I believe things happen the way they are destined to happen.”

Joy Anyim

...says my friends call me ‘poison’

Detectives attached to the Zone 2 Police Command, Lagos, have arrested a notorious cultist and an armed robbery suspect, who has been terrorizing residents of the Ijegun area for over two years.

The suspect, who was identified as, Uche Madueke, was arrested after attempting to take the life of a fellow cult member, who narrowly escaped death.

The family of the victim was said to have reported the matter to the police, who acted on the complaint and tracked down the23-year-old indigene of Enugu state.

The Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Kayode Aderanti, who paraded the suspect at the com-

Sergeant, bank staffarrested for robbery

mand headquarters, advised members of the public, especially the youth to desist from all forms of vices, as the command is posed to purge her jurisdiction of all criminal elements from operating there.

Uche, who confessed to being a member of the Vikings confraternity, said he was lured into the group by one Ugo. He said, “I used to own a shop at Ladipo Market, Lagos, but during the demolition of some segments of the market, my shop was destroyed. I started hanging around the market and worked for many as a sales representative. It was at this point that I met one Ugo. who was so helpful to me.”

According to him,“He was a

Oguntade Ismaila

friend-turned brother; so, when he brought up the issue of joining a group he belonged to, I couldn’t object. I got initiated two years back, but I have never killed anyone. I am known as ‘poison’ amongst my colleagues. The phones the police recovered from me were not mine, but they belong to my friend I live with in Ijegun. I was arrested at Ladipo Market for fighting with a fellow cultist who I stabbed severely on the leg; and he reported me to the police.”

The AIG said the suspect is assisting the police in arresting other members of the cult group, and he will be charged to court when investigation is completed.

The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of one Sergeant Promise Ukwuoma and an employee of Access Bank, Rumuolumeni Branch, Samuel Ndudiri, identified as, members of a criminal gang ,who attempted to rob the bank.

The policeman and the bank worker , were said to have been apprehended after a discreet investigation by operatives of the Intelligence Response Team with assistance from the Technical Intelligence Unit of the Nigeria Police.

According to an online statement, which was confirmed by the State Police Public Relations Officers, Mr. Nnamdi Omoni, the duo, was arrest-

ed at about 11.35 hours last Friday.

It will be recalled that operatives of the Command on Thursday, foiled what would have been a major bank robbery in the state and arrested three suspects.

The three suspects and others on the run, had brought a filled gas cylinder to the Access Bank premises in Rumuolumeni and were cutting the main door leading to the bank, when security operatives stormed the place.

However, some members of the gang, including a police corporal, Gabriel Igwe, of the 19 Police Mobile Force, are currently on the run, while two AK 47 rifles belonging to the serving police personnel, were recovered during Friday’s operation.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

21

MOMENT TOGETHER IMPACT OUTREACH

TOLA ODUNSANYA LIFE ADVANCEMENT FOUNDATION ( TOLA FOUNDATION )

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for Registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990

LIBERTY HOUSE OF GOD & FAITH RESTORATION MINISTRY

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

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

THE TRUSTEES 1 ODUSANYA AYORINDE TOLA –CHAIRMAN 2 DOPAMU OLANIYI –SECRETARY 3 ODUSANYA ABEKE ESTHER -DIRECTOR 4 ODUSANYA OLUJIMI OLALEKAN -DIRECTOR

TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR ADEWALE MALLON (GENERAL OVERSEER) 2. PASTOR (MRS) OMOBOLANLE MALLON 3. MRS TABITHA UGBAJA -SECRETARY 4. PASTOR SUNDAY AKINBULU 5. PASTOR BOLAJI OMOJOWO 6. BRO PASCAL OBILIANU 7. MRS ADEBOLA OLUFUNMILAYO

THE TRUSTEES 1 TEMITOPE ADESANYA -CHAIRPERSON 2 MODUPE ADESEGHA - SECRETARY 3 JOSEPH NWABUEZE ANYANWU -MEMBER 4 DEBBIN UDEME ROBBIN -MEMBER Aims and Objective 1 To give life to the hopeless and lessprivileged 2 To build homes for women in distress 3 To bring women children together in order to lmpact into their lives and welfare 4 To reconstruct broken marriages and put abandoned children back on their feet Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registra General Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi street Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Singed Secretary

ANOINTED BIBLE BELIEVERS INT’L

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1 TO PROMOTE AND SUPPORT DISABLED IN NIGERIA BOTH LNDIVIDUALS AND ORGANISATION ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI LRONSI STREET MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED SECRETARY NO 105 OJUELEGBA ROAD, SURULERE LAGOS

KINGDOM ADVANCEMENT OUTREACH INITIATIVE

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

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES..

1. PASTOR ELUGBE ANTHONY-CHAIRMAN, 2. MRS ELUGBE LOIS-SECRETARY, 3..PASTOR DAVID ONAH, 4..PASTOR OLUSEGUN OGUNDEKO

TRUSTEES: (1) SAMUEL OJO ADETULA (2) MRS OPEYEMI ESTHER ADETULA (3) OLAYEMI LATEEF YAKUBU (4) MRS OLOMIYE IDOWU NIRAN-AKINOLA (5) PELUMI JOHN KINGSLEY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES...

TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROMTHE DATE OF PUBLICATION. SIGNED... SECRETARY

This is to inform the General Public 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.

- General overseer.

- Secretary.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:(1) TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST (2) TO PROMOTE UNITY AMONG CHRISTIANS (3) TO PROPAGATE THE NEED FOR PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE AMONG OTHER RELIGIOUS SECT (4) TO DELIVER THE OPPRESSED, HEAL THE SICK, SET THE CAPTIVE FREE AND ESTABLISH FAITH CLINIC (5) TO ORGANIZE BIBLE TEACHING, PRAYER MEETINGS , CRUSADE/OUTREACHES, AND CHRISTIAN SEMINARS (6) TO IMPACT MEN AND WOMEN TO THE DISCOVERIES OF THEIR GIFTS, TALENT AND CALL Any objection to the 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

OMEH JULIE IJEOMA. I, formerly known and addressed as OKORONKWO JULIANA IJEOMA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OMEH JULIE IJEOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OPAKUNLE MARIAM ABOSEDE OLUWAFUNMILOLAA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEBAYO MARIAM ABOSEDE OLUWAFUNMILOLA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. OPAKUNLE MARIAM ABOSEDE OLUWAFUNMILOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: TRUSTEE

ELIJAH CHARIOT OF FIRE PECULIAR MINISTRY.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1, EZEALA AMARA LOVE. 2, EZEALA EDWIN OBINNA

AIMS ANDOBJECTIVES: TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST.

VIOLET ONYEJI ATTAH.

I, formerly known and addressed as VIOLET ONYEJI EZEJI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as VIOLET ONYEJI ATTAH. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OLAJIDE ADEOLA OMOLAYO.

ARICHA JACOB ISRAEL

AKAJIOFOR ONYEBUCHI SARAH

I, formerly known and addressed as GABRIEL JACOB PHILLIP now wish to be known and addressed as ARICHA JACOB ISRAEL. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONYEBUCHI ANAGWONYE SARAH, now wish to be known, called and addressed as AKAJIOFOR ONYEBUCHI SARAH. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

GAMBO MOHAMMED

SIGNED: FUNMI SHOBOWALE 08066745868 SOLICITOR

CORRECTION OF NAME:

In some of my documents my name was wrongly written as NWALIEDI VERONICA ANULIKA instead of NWALIEJI VERONICA ANULIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

MODUPEOLA CHRISTIANAH AKINJOLIRE

I, formerly known and addressed as Miss Modupeola Christianah Oladapo, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS MODUPEOLA CHRISTIANAH AKINJOLIRE. Former documents remain valid. N M C N, LASUTH and the general public should please take note.

MOHAMMED ADEJOH SULE

CORRECTION OF NAME:

In some of my documents my name was wrongly written as AKIS JUNIOR instead of AKISSI KOMLAN JUNIOR.My date of birth was wrongly written as 9/8/1985 instead 9/8/1983 All former documents remain valid. General public to take note.

EGUABA UYI JOHN.

Formerly known and addressed as lgbokwe Prince now wish to be known and addressed as Eguaba Uyi John. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

I formerly known and addressed as MOHAMMED ADEJOH ALIMOH. Now wish to be known and addressed as MOHAMMED ADEJOH SULE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

My name was wrongly written in my bank account as KAZEEM SEGUN SANYAOLU instead of my correct name KAZEEM OLALEKAN SANYAOLU All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

ADEWOLE OMOBONIKE RACHAEL

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

I, formerly known as Babo Mohammed, now wish to be known and addressed as Gambo Mohammed. All former documents remain valid.

General public please note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OGUNWANDE RACHAEL OMOBONIKE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ADEWOLE OMOBONIKE RACHAEL. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I am the same person bearing AJIBOYE RILWAN FOLAKUNLE and AJIBOYE RILWAN . Henceforth, I wish to be known called and addressed as AJIBOYE RILWAN FOLAKUNLE . All document bearing any of the above mentioned names remains mine and valid.

General public should take note

PRINCE AUSTIN NNOKO. I, formerly known and addressed as PEACE AUSTIN NNOKO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as PRINCE AUSTIN NNOKO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

OKUSANYA OLUWAFUNMILOLA OLASUNKANMI

ADDITION OF NAME I, formerly known and addressed as LADOYE ADEDOKUN, but wish to add “MATHEW” to my existing name, henceforth wish to be known, called and addressed as LADOYE ADEDOKUN MATHEW. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as SHOKOYA-ELESIN MODUPEOLAOLUWA ADEBOWALE JEMIMAH, now wish to be known, called and Addressed as OKE MODUPEOLAOLUWA JEMIMAH (NEE SHOKOYA-ELESIN).

All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

EMMANUEL OKORIE JOHN.

OMAGBITSE OYOWE JOHN

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

OLATUNJI OLANREWAJU OLANIYIA

I, formerly known and addressed as OGUNLEYE ADEOLA OMOLAYO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLAJIDE ADEOLA OMOLAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLATUNJI LANRE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLATUNJI OLANREWAJU OLANIYI. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as EHIMIGBAI RUTH, now wish to be known, called and addressed as EHIMIGBAI CONSTANCE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note

ANI EMEKA FRANKLIN CHUKWUEMEKA: i formerly known and addressed as ANI CHUKWUEMEKA .O. now wish to be known and addressed as ANI EMEKA FRANKLIN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should take note

OKONKWO i formerly known and addressed as MISS OKONKWO LOTACHUKWU ROSEMARY now wish to be known and addressed as MRS DILLIBE LOTACHUKWU ROSEMARY. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should pls take note

Formerly known as MISS SANI AISHAT IDREES now wishes to be known and address as MRS ADAMU AISHAT IDREES. Public should take note

YEMI SHAKIRU RASHEED I Formerly known as SHAKIRU ARIYO OGUNDEKO, now wish to be known as YEMI SHAKIRU RASHEED and the Owner of SHAKIRU ARIYO (NIG.) ENT. and SHAK ARIYO (NIG.) ENT. All former documents remain valid.

General public to take note

YEMI SHAKIRU RASHEED I Formerly known as SHAKIRU ARIYO OGUNDEKO now wish to be known as YEMI SHAKIRU RASHEED formerly residing at 38, Omididun St., Lagos now of 29, Omididun St, Lagos. All former document remain valid. General public take note

CONFIRMATION OF NAME:

IDAHOR ANDERSON OSASUMWEN

EHIMIGBAI CONSTANCE.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE TO PREACH THE GOSPEL AND CARRY OUR EVANGELISM ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MATIAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION.

DILLIBE LOTACHUKWU ROSEMARY

THIS IS TO COMFIRM THAT TODJINOU GBENGA AIMENO IS ONE AND THESAME PERSON BEARING OGUNTOLU GBENGA AIMENO. All documents bearing all the names are valid. General public to take note

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

ADAMU AISHAT IDREES

I formerly known and addressed as IDAHOR ANDERSON now wish to be known and addressed as IDAHOR ANDERSON OSASUMWEN All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

OKE MODUPEOLAOLUWA JEMIMAH

I, formerly known, called and addressed as OYOWE OMAGBITSE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OMAGBITSE OYOWE JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AROWOSAFE SEUN EZEKIEL

I formerly known and addressed as AKINWUNMI WASIU LEKAN now wish to be known and addressed as AROWOSAFE SEUN EZEKIEL All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

UCHE EMEASO POLINUE.

I formerly known and addressed as SIRACH UCHECHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as UCHE EMEASO POLINUE. My date of birth is 7/8/1983 All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

IYOHA ODION BLESSING.

I, formerly known, called and addressed as EHIAGBONARE ODION BLESSING, now wish to be known, called and Addressed as MRS. IYOHA ODION BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

YUSUF ABIODUN ABDULLAMID

I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAMID YUSUF GAHZALI, now wish to be known, called and addressed as YUSUF ABIODUN ABDULLAMID. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

UFUOMA ILIAS

I formerly known and addressed as UFUOMA TAJOMAVWO now wish to be known and addressed as UFUOMA ILIAS All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

In some of my documents my name was written as ORIBHABOR ANITA while in some other documents it was written as ORIBHABOR ANITA OSEMUDIA.I am the one bearing all the names. All documents bearing the names are valid. General public to take note.

22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

EVERY GIRL EVERY WOMAN AND EVERY FAMILY DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION.

SUNFLOWER GROWERS, PROCESSORS AND MARKETERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

BETTER ENVIRONMENTAL AND FOOD CONSERVATION INITIATIVE

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

TRUSTESS: I. MADAM EKAETE UMOH. 2. BISHOP JOHN OLOYA JACOBS. 3. DR HEPHZIBAH SUOBO. 4. MRS ROSE AIRAOMONOHI UWADIA - JACOBS.

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. HON. KASSIM MUHAMMAD KASSIM 2. WILLIAM ADAMA MALLAM

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: I. TO CREATE AWARNESS ABOUT THE ESSENCE OF FAMILY AMONG PEOPLE 2. TO BE AN ADVCATE FOR THE GIRL CHILD. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

TRUSTEES: (1) BELLO NUHU DOGONDAJI. CHAIRMAN. (2) LAWAN ALI. MEMBER. (3)GODSWILL LOVEDAY CHIDI. MEMBER. (4) OKEKUNLE AKINTUNDE CHRISTOPHER. MEMBER. (5)JIBRIN BUKAR. MEMBER. 6. SAYINA RIMAN. SECRETARY. 7. BAKARE PETER AADENIYI OKEDARE. MEMBER. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: I. TO PROMOTE THE INTEREST OF MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

REGY AND HENRY AMAZING GRACE FOUNDATION This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES: I. DURU HENRY ELOCHUKWU. 2. DURU REGINA NGOZI ( NEE OBI ) 3. PROF JAMILA MOHAMMED NASIR 4. DR CHIKAS DANFULANI 5. EVANG. ( MRS) UBA NKECHINYERE M .

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: I. To preach salvation as taught by Jesus Christ.

2.To rehabilitate repented sex workers and violated women.

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

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

NDUBISI STELLA & SONY ENVIRONMENTAL INTERVENTION & SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS INITIATIVE.

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. NDUBUISI NWIGWE 2. DR. EMMANUEL SONNY OGULEWE. 3. WINIFREDSTELLA AGBIM.

SIGNED: SECRETARY VIVA HEALTH FOUNDATION & SUSTAINABLE WELFARE DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE.

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

TRUSTEES: 1. NDUBUISI NWIGWE 2. DR. EMMANUEL SONNY OGULEWE 3. WINIFREDSTELLA AGBIM.

AIMS ANDOBJECTIVES: 1. TO CREATE AWARENESS ON HOW TO SUSTAIN THE ENVIRONMENT .

2. TO EDUCATE PUBLIC ON HOW NOT DESTROY THE ENVIRONMENT THROUGH BUSH BURNING AND REFUSE DUMPING. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO CREATE AWARENESS FOR HEALTHY LIVING AMONG THE PUBLIC. 2. TO HELP THE LESS PRIVILEGED ON HEALTH MATTERS. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

GIDEON ‘S GLOBAL YOUTH INITIATIVE

MACHIANI FOUNDATION FOR THE NEEDY AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Oboh Anwulika Winnie.

2. Esonanjor Onyebuchi.

3. OKPACHA Onome Gladys,

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE: 1. To provide information for the need to conserve the environment and food.

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MERCY OTAH 2. KANU MONDAY 3. EKE ANGELINA.

The aim and objective: 1. To take care of indigent youths Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General of Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

The aim and objective: (1)TO EXTEND THE HANDS OF CHARITY TO THE LESS PRIVILEGED IN TIE SOCIETY. (2) TO ENCOURAGE AND INCULCATE INTO THE DOWNTRODDEN THAT THERE IS ABILITY IN DISABILITY. (3 )TO ALLIVIATE NIGERIA FROM HIGH DEPENDENCY RATE OF THE DESTITUTES AND THE NEEDY. .

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

SIGNED: Oboh Anwulika Winnie

SIGNED: SECRETARY

OVERCOMERS VOICE OF GOD REVIVAL CHURCH.

DUTY TO ORPHANS AND WIDOWS FOUNDATION (DOWIF), LAGOS This is to inform the General Public that DUTY TO ORPHANS AND WIDOWS FOUNDATION (DOWIF), LAGOS has applied for registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission under “Part C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 The Trustee are: 1.

AREMU ABOLORE ISMAIL 2.

3. RAJI-SALAMI AMINAT OLAYEMI 4.

5.

YUSUFF OLALERE AHMAD 6.

7. LASISI MUSBAU KOLAWOLE

EWUOSO HADIR OLASUNKANMI BALOGUN NASIRU OLATUNJI BOLATITO ISLAMIAT AJIBODE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES The aims and objectives of the foundation shall be: 1, To awaken Muslims to the precarious state of the widows and orphans in the society and the world at large.

2. To render selfless humanitarian services to the most neglected fraction of the society-the widows and orphans.

3. To forge a link between the haves, who are willing to give and have not, who are ready to take.

4. To hold periodic talks/seminars/symposium on the concerns and issue relating to widows and orphans.

5. To provide financial and other forms of assistance to widows and orphans in economic pursuits and self-empowerment Any objection thereto should be addressed to the Registrar – General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: NASIR SALAU & CO. 84, LEWIS STREET, LAGOS ISLAND, LAGOS.

NEEMRISH CHURCH OF ALL NATION.

THE WORD OF SUCCESS MINISTRY INT’L

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

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. OSAKWE ROLAND - PRESIDENT. 2. ONWUBOLU NKECHI - SECRETARY. 3. OSAKWE GRACE. 4. ONICHA CHIBUEZE.

THE TRUSTEES ARE : 1. PROPHET IROBO ANTHONY AVESE. 2. IROBO ADAEZE VERA. 3. DR. LEO LARRY EGWEY. 4. ALUMONA DARLINGTON

The general public is hereby inform that the above named has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ .

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES : 1. To preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to all Nations.

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.

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.

AIM AND OBJECTIVE: To propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tiqgris Crescent, Off Aguiyi ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this Publication

SIGNED ; OSAKWE ROLAND (PRESIDENT)

SIGNED ; PROPHET IROBO ANTHONY AVESE.

Signed: B.C Ferguson & Associates 080295161

OKI COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION

MANNAT FARMS FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby inform that the above named has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990.

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Yesiru Remi Aluko (BAALE) 2. Oluyombo Onafowokan (Chairman) 3. Oliseh Godwin Oyibo (Vice Chairman) 4. Yusuf Abdul - Rahman Hussein (Financial Secretary) AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To live together in peace and harmony as one body .

2. To promote community peace.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tiqgris Crescent, Off Aguiyi ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this Publication Signed Secretary

Trustees 1. NVOU DAVOU ZI 2. OVAJIMOH SHEGUN IPEMIDA Aim and objectives 1. To produce farm proceeds 2. To empower youth on agriculture to earn a living Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affair Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this Publication.

Signed: Secretary

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev Emmanuel Success 2. PST Mrs Vivien Success 3. Zino Oboba, Keme Gbefa 4. Modinat Abeke Adebayo 5. Mary Irene, Kennedy Ighomor 6. Deacon Festus Ugboh 7. Augustinah Oliweh

CHERUBIM AND SERAPHIM CHURCH OF ZION BOLOWOU HEADQUARTERS The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, of 1990.

Trustees 1. RT REVD. AP (DR.) PRINCE EPISTLE JEREMINE (JP). - CHAIRMAN 2. SNR. BOANERGE OMOMO ZION AYUBAKEDI JONAH 3. BOANERGE EMPEROR INAIBO. JP 4. SNR. BOANERGE JOHNSON OLAYE 5. SNR. BOANERGE EGBEMA ERURU 6. SNR. BOANERGE LAWRENCE GBAMIRE 7. BOANERGE VICTOR KOKOBRISE IKEREMOR ZION 8. BOANERGE DUWO ANGALABIRI GOD’SWILL. 9. SNR. BOANERGE TORUOSEIGHA CHRISTOPHER. 10. SNR. BOANERGE IKIENKUMO OMIEBI 11. SNR. BOANERGE AMAKIRI FILATEI 12. SNR. BOANERGE FOLOKI IJAW - AKPO 13. BOANERGE ANDREW. EKPEBIDE 14. SNR. BOANERGE OJUKONSIN IBAMUGHAN BINAREDE 15. SNR. BOANERGE GODDAY OMOKO. (JP) 16. BOANERGE AJATOBOU PERE GANFO 17. BOANERGE ZEBLON ABOYEWA 18. SNR. BOANERGE REVD (PROF) DADIKUMO TOIKUMO 19. BOANERGE BELELE MIKE KUROKIMI Aim and objectives 1. To preach the gospel of jesus Christ round the world 2. To help the widows,orphans $ the needy Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affair Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this Publication.

Signed Barr. GABRIEL OKPATA. -- 08063100525

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

CORRECTION OF NAME

NWACHUKWU S. RUTH

NWANMUGHU KELECHI CHOSEN

I, formerly known and addressed as,EZEOKAFOR OGECHUKWU VIRGIL, now wish to be known and addressed as, CHRISTIAN OGE ASHERR. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IVUOBE ENOMA FAVOUR

I, formerly known and addressed as, KELECHI CECILIA UWAZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as, NWANMUGHU KELECHI CHOSEN. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS EBOIGBE ENOMA FAVOUR, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. IVUOBE ENOMA FAVOUR. All former documents remain valid the General public take note.

MADUBUKO OBIAGELI FLORENCE

ZIPPORAH MGBO OLUIKPE

I, formerly known and addressed as,EKANEM JOSEPH FLORENCE OBY, now wish to be known and addressed as, MADUBUKO OBIAGELI FLORENCE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as,ZIPPORAH MGBO AMADI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. ZIPPORAH MGBO OLUIKPE. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OCHIGBO JOHN

MICHAEL EMEKA

I, formerly known and addressed as, OCHIGBO JOHN OLU and OCHIGBO JOHN ELECHENU, now wish to be known and addressed as, OCHIGBO JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MICHAEL EMEKA JOHN, now wish to be known and addressed as, MICHAEL EMEKA.That my correct date of birth is 27th October 1992.

All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ADIGWE ANGELA CHUKWUDUMEBI

COLLINS AMADU.

CHIBUEZE MICHAEL OGBONNA

STEPHEN OSHASUME DANIEL

I, EFFIONG MARY ROSELINE, wish to correct my name which was registered as, CHIBUZOR ROSELINE, in my bank account details. I now wish to be known and addressed as, EFFIONG MARY ROSELINE. All former documents bearing CHIBUZOR ROSELINE still remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as NGONZI STELLA ONYEMELEM, now wish to be known and addressed as NWACHUKWU S. RUTH. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as STEPHEN OSHADUME AKALAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as STEPHEN OSHASUME DANIEL. All former documents remain valid the General public take note.

ADEOLU EJIDE MAYOKUN

OLUMIDE MOSES ADESOLA I, formerly known and addressed as,OLUMIDE ADESOLA EYINADE, now wish to be known and addressed as, OLUMIDE MOSES ADESOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, OKORO MERCY IKODIYA wish to confirm that am the same person bearing MERCY UGORJI and OKORO MERCY IKODIYA. All former documents remain valid. The general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ORJI THERESA ONEDI, now wish to be known and addressed as ANUKWUOCHA THERESA ONEDI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AJAYI AMISU AYINDE. I, formerly known and addressed as AJAYI AMISU now wish to be known AJAYI AMISU AYINDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLUA KELLY E

JACK ROSELINE OLUCHI I formerly known and addressed as MISS. MGBIKE ROSELINE OLUCHI, Now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS JACK ROSELINE OLUCHI . All former documents remain valid. The genera public should take note.

I formerly known and addressed as FAITH MICHAEL UKO, Now wish to be known and addressed as FAITH AKANIYENE UKO . All former documents remain valid. The genera public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as,EJIDE ADEOLU MAYOKUN, now wish to be known and addressed as, ADEOLU EJIDE MAYOKUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAMES

I formerly known and addressed as OLUA ENDURANCE EDIM, Now wish to be known and addressed as, OLUA KELLY E. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

ANUKWUOCHA THERESA ONEDI

BAKARE OYENIKE RUKAYAT

FAITH AKANIYENE UKO .

CHRISTIAN OGE ASHERR

23

I, formerly known and addressed as NWABUOKEI ANGELA CHUKWUDUMEBI, now wish to be known and addressed as ADIGWE ANGELA CHUKWUDUMEBI . All former documents remain valid.

I formerly known and addressed as FRANK O. OZOWHOR, now wish to be known and addressed as COLLINS AMADU. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

I Formerly known and addressed as, JIBUEZE MICHAEL OGBONNA , now wish to be known and addressed as CHIBUEZE MICHAEL OGBONNA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

NWOGBU CHIBUZOR OGADI JULIUS

I, NDIOKWELU EBERE TESSY , wish to correct my name which was wrongly written as,NDIOKWELU OGOCHUKWU GLORIA , instead of.NDIOKWELU EBERE TESSY . I now wish to be known and addressed as NDIOKWELU EBERE TESSY . All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

This is to confirm that, I,NWABEKE NWAKANMA ENYINNAYA and NWABEKE ANDERSON ENYINNAYA refers to one and same person.

But Now wish to be known and addressed as , NWABEKE ANDERSON ENYINNAYA. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as CHIBUZOR WOGU, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOGBU CHIBUZOR OGADI JULIUS All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note

I formerly known as Odita Nike wish to be known and addressed as Bakare Oyenike Rukayat. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

TAIWO MUBARAKAT LADEPO.

I formerly known as ADEMARATI Bukola Aminat, wish to be known and addressed as ALARAPE Bukola Aminat .All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

ERUKA SHIOKA. I formerly known as Sunday Iruka Offia wish to be known and addressed as Eruka Shioka. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

ADEBAYO OLUKAYODE SODADE

I formerly known as ABDULJABAR ZHIKRULLAHI ABOLORE ABIOLA. wish to be known and addressed as ABDULJABAR MATTHEWMARIA GEORGE. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

I formerly known as ADEBAYO SODADE. wish to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO OLUKAYODE SODADE. All former documents remain valid, General public please take note.

I formerly known as TAIWO MOFIYINFOLUWA LADEPO. wish to be known and addressed as TAIWO MUBARAKAT LADEPO. .All former documents remain valid, General public please take note

MOSES WILLIAM ONOME.

SAMUEL AMAKA ANI. .Formerly known and addressed as OKAFOR AMAKA AMAOBI, now wish to be known and addressed as SAMUEL AMAKA ANI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OSAGHAE EDITH.

AYOMIDE DEBORAH MUSTAPHA

ADESANYA JUMOKE BUKOLA.

I, formerly known and addressed as MOSES ONOME AGBARIKO, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MOSES WILLIAM ONOME. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OSAGHAE FLORENCE EDITH, now wish to be known and addressed as OSAGHAE EDITH. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AYOMIDE DEBORAH FALADE, now wish to be known and addressed as AYOMIDE DEBORAH MUSTAPHA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

PIUS PERPETUA

Formerly known and addressed as MISS ANIYIKAYE JUMOKE BUKOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADESANYA JUMOKE BUKOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as CHUKWU ODINAKACHI PERPETUA, now wish to be known and addressed as PIUS PERPETUA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MICHAEL OLUMUYIWA ELDERBELLO.

AKINBOWALE OPEOLUWA AYINKE.

EDIKE DICK ETITEM

Formerly known and addressed as OGUNDIMU OPEOLUWA AYINKE, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINBOWALE OPEOLUWA AYINKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

DADA BISI TAWA.

FLORENCE JAIYEOLA ADESANYA.

Formerly known and addressed as MICHAEL OLUMUYIWA BELLO, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHAEL OLUMUYIWA ELDERBELLO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OYESANYA BISI TAWA, now wish to be known and addressed as DADA BISI TAWA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as AKPAN VICTOR PHILIP, now wish to be known and addressed as EDIKE DICK ETITEM. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AGNES OJOCNEMI JOHN.

Formerly known and addressed as FLORENCE JAIYEOLA OYEWO, now wish to be known and addressed as FLORENCE JAIYEOLA ADESANYA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OJOCNEMI HANNA ENENCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as AGNES OJOCNEMI JOHN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ALARAPE AFISI ALABI.

HELEN ADEJOKUN. Formerly known and addressed as HELEN AKINBOBOYE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. HELEN ADEJOKUN. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OGUNDARE ESTHER BISI

CHRISTI DESTINY OKHIAFE.

Formerly known and addressed as ADEBOBOYE ESTHER, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNDARE ESTHER BISI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OKORO CHRISTI, now wish to be known and addressed as CHRISTI DESTINY OKHIAFE. All former documents remain valid. General public take

ENIOLA FATAI ADEBARE.

OMABU NGOZI ASSUMPTA.

Formerly known and addressed as ENIOLA FATAI OLATUNJI, now wish to be known and addressed as ENIOLA FATAI ADEBARE. All former documents remain valid. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME This is to confirm that BEATRICE NKEMDILIM BALOGUN and BETTY NKEMDILIM BALOGUN is one and same person. All documents bearing these names remain valid. General public take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

This is to confirm that I am ADELEKE RAMONI ADEYEMI All documents bearing the name is mine and remain valid. General public take note

FELIX LYDIA.

ABDULJABAR MATTHEWMARIA GEORGE

Formerly known and addressed as ALARAPE AFEEZ LEKAN, now wish to be known and addressed as ALARAPE AFISI ALABI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AKETAN FEYISOLA OLADAPO Formerly known and addressed as AKETAN-IKUEJUYONE FEYISOLA ANISTON, now wish to be known and addressed as AKETAN FEYISOLA OLADAPO. All former documents remain valid.

ADAMS MARIAM IBIWUNMI. LASISI: Formerly known and addressed as LASISI MARIAM IBIWUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as ADAMS MARIAM IBIWUNMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

JESUDUNNI BOLUWATIFE OLADIPO

JESUDUNNI: Formerly known and addressed as MISS. JESUDUNNI BOLUWATIFE AJAYI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. JESUDUNNI BOLUWATIFE OLADIPO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ALARAPE BUKOLA AMINAT

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

BOLAJI TAIBAT ASHABI

FAJOBI: Formerly known and addressed as FAJOBI TAIBAT ASHABI, now wish to be known and addressed as BOLAJI TAIBAT ASHABI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

My name was wrongly written as NANCY CHIEDOZIEM ASAGWARA instead of NANCY CHIEDOZIE ASAGWARA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

APURUCHUKWU VENATIUS OKWARAOHA

I, formerly known and addressed as CHRISTIAN OKWARAOHA now with to be known and addressed as APURUCHUKWU VENATIUS OKWARAOHA. All former documents remain valid. Union Band and the general public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as SAMUEL LYDIA and FRIDAY LYDIA OWOIREKENE now wish to be known and addressed as FELIX LYDIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

EJORHOBU HOPE OGHENEKARO.

I, formerly known and addressed as ZENITH SMITH now with to be known and addressed as EJORHOBU HOPE OGHENEKARO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OMABU CHIBUZOR NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as OMABU NGOZI ASSUMPTA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NWAIMOH SAMUEL CHUKWUDI.

Formerly known and addressed as IMO CHUKS SAMUEL now wish to be known and addressed as NWAIMOH SAMUEL CHUKWUDI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

USIRADA OLUSOLA WUMI. I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKUNBOLADE OLUSOLA WUMI now with to be known and addressed as USIRADA OLUSOLA WUMI. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Again, Arik Air passengers stranded at Lagos Airport

Yuletide: Gunmen kill 3 in Uratta robbery

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Umuahia

ÎÎÎ

Barely 24 hours after the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) slammed Arik Air N6m and US$150 fine over passengers’ baggage, the airline is still to get its acts together as it stranded passengers at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) on Wednesday without staff of the airline addressing the situation.

It was learnt that there were some cancelled international flights of the airline on Monday with the passengers being on ground.However, the airline has also sold tickets to add more passengers going to London on W3 101, with

an Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) 12.45 and Johannesburg with ETD 13.30.

At about noon yesterday, no Arik staff was on ground to address the situation as the airline’s counters were empty with officers of the NCAA Consumer Protection Department (CPD) facing the heat as passengers threatened fire and brimstone and almost attacked staff of the CAA. By 12.45, it was discovered that the airline had not airlifted its London bound passengers and still at 1.30 pm the situation remained the same for the Johannesburg bound passengers who were seen lying down around the airport like refugees.

As at the time of fil-

ing this report, Daily Times could not receive any official word from the airline and efforts to reach them to ascertain why the airline has not airlifted its backlog of passengers proved abortive.

A source at the NCAA confirmed to our reporter that they were watching the situation and would act accordingly.

Just two days ago, NCAA fined the airline N6 million and also directed the airline to pay each affected passenger, within 30 days of the date of this letter, the sum $150 as compensation for inconveniences suffered as a result of delayed arrival of their luggage on their service.

OGBU CAJETHAN SUNNY.

FIDELIS EDITH

ADDITION OF NAME

I, formerly known and addressed as OGBU CAJETHAN SUNDAY but now with to be known and addressed as OGBU CAJETHAN SUNNY. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please

I, formerly known and addressed as AGBONMHERE EDITH EHIS but now with to be known and addressed as FIDELIS EDITH All former documents remain valid.

The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as IKHUORIA EBOSETALE but now want to add BLESSING to my name.

I now wish to be known and addressed as IKHUORIA EBOSETALE BLESSING All former documents remain valid. The

SAMODI SUNDAY BANKOLE.

EDORHE BLESSING.

Formerly known and addressed as SAMOD OLAWALE BANKOLE, now wish to be known and addressed as SAMODI SUNDAY BANKOLE. All former documents remain valid. FCMB, General public EZEKIEL ADENIKE OLUFUNMILAYO

EDORHE: I, formerly known as EDORHE ANGEL BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as EDORHE BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

OKIKIJESU SEGUN SAMSON

EZEKIEL: I, formerly known as OLA-OYEDEJI ADENIKE OLUFUNMILAYO, now wish to be known and addressed as EZEKIEL ADENIKE OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKIKIJESU: I, formerly known as AKANBI SEGUN SAMSON now wish to be known and addressed as OKIKIJESU SEGUN SAMSON. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

RAFIU DANIEL KOLAWOLE This is to notify the general public that I was formerly known, called and addressed as RAFIU AKEEM KOLAWOLE but now wish to be known, called and addressed as RAFIU DANIEL KOLAWOLE.All former documents remains valid. General public please

DAHUNSI TOLULOPE BIOLA

LIVINUS KENNEDY I formerly known and addressed as Ezekiel Kennedy Valentino now wish to be known and addressed as Livinus Kennedy. All former documents remain valid. General public to please note.

Formerly Dahunsi Nicholas Tolulope Now Dahunsi Tolulope Biola.

Former documents remains valid. General public please note.

CHIOMA NWEGEDE ANNE

I formerly known as SAMUEL CHIOMA ANNE now want to be known as CHIOMA NWEGEDE ANNE . former documents remains valid. General public please note.

ROGERS ELIZABETH IDOWU.

Sunday Nwakanma,

ÎÎÎ

It was fear and apprehension at Umuoha community, Uratta in Isiala North local government area of Abia state as un-identified gunmen struck the community in a reprisal attack following attempted robbery, where three members of the community were reportedly killed.

A member of the gang also lost his life in the attempt that was reportedly resisted by the community youths last weekend.

Reports have it that several other members of the community sustained bullet injuries and are receiving medical treatment in nearby communities.

According to the reports, the robbers had at the weekend came to rob in the community, but

VINCENT FELICIA KEMI.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS BALOGUN FELICIA KEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. VINCENT FELICIA KEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take BALOGUN AYOMIDE RACHEL.

were not successful as the community resisted their moves.

Luck was said to have ran out on a member of the gang as he was said to have been apprehended by irate youths of the community who meted out jungle justice on him, killing him in the process and set a motorcycle he was trying to escape with ablaze.

However, unknown to the community, members of the gang, days later regrouped for a reprisal attack and, in a commando style, attacked the community during the yuletide festivities, shooting sporadically into the air and at any moving objects.

At the end, according to a source who pleaded anonymity who confirmed the incident and the death of some members of the community, informed that

many are receiving treatment at undisclosed hospitals and clinics around the area.

Following the development, coupled with palpable fear and air of uncertainty, the source said that the community is still in shock over the development, while many members of the Umuoha community have fled the community for safety over fear of possible further attack as an unconfirmed warning had indicated.

When contacted, the Abia State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Ogbonnaya Nta, said he was yet to be briefed about the incident.

Nta, who promised to get back to our reporter after calling the Isiala Ngwa North Divisional Police Officer (DPO) to get details of the matter, was yet to do so even as at the time of filing this report.

NGOZI EUCHARIA IGBO AKINHANMI

ANUWOBI UCHECHUKWU FRANKLIN

I formerly known and address as miss.Ngozi Eucharia. Igbo now wish to be known and address as Mrs.Ngozi Eucharia Igbo Akinhanmi.All former document remain valid.

General public should please

Formerly known and addressed as UCHE MICHEAL, now wish to be known and addressed as ANUWOBI UCHECHUKWU FRANKLIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take

ENO CLEMENT UDOH

FALANA BUKOLA ABOSEDE

ROGERS: I, formerly known as ROGERS ELIZABETH EBERE, now wish to be known and addressed as ROGERS ELIZABETH IDOWU. All former documents remain valid.

BALOGUN: I, formerly known as AYOMIDE MODUPE BALOGUN, now wish to be known and addressed as BALOGUN AYOMIDE RACHEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note

ENO: I, formerly known as EFFIONG JOSEPH OKON, now wish to be known and addressed as ENO CLEMENT UDOH. All former documents remain valid. General public

FALANA: I, formerly known as ADEEKO BUKOLA ABOSEDE, now wish to be known and addressed as FALANA BUKOLA ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

CLAUDIA AYOMIDE ADEMUYIWA

ALIUNA CHUKWUEMEKA EMERSON.

EDWARD POGAH. I Formerly known and addressed as Edward Sam Pogah now wish to be known and addressed as Edward Pogah. All former documents remain valid, the general public should please take note.

IKEORAH, SOLOMON ONYEKACHUKWU

ADEMUYIWA: I, formerly known as MISS CLAUDIA AYOMIDE HUNGE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. CLAUDIA AYOMIDE ADEMUYIWA. All former documents remain valid.

FBNL mortgage and general public take note.

GEORGE MARY BIOLA

Formerly known and addressed as Genesis Mary Biola and now which to be known and addressed as George Mary Biola. DOB: 25/07/1990, 1,Oyesile Olabode avenue, magboro. general public please note.

OLAJIDE TOJUDOLA ALEX. I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Talabi Olajide Alex, NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS Olajide Tojudola Alex. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC

I, formerly known as ELOANYI FRANKLIN CHIZOBA, Date of birth 20th august 1989 on (BVN) Now wish to be known and addressed as ALIUNA CHUKWUEMEKA EMERSON. Date of birth 16th January 1988.

All former documents remain valid. Unity bank, other banks OGUNMO OMOLARA ABOSEDE.

Formerly known, called and addressed as Omolara Abosede Daniel now wish to be known, called and addressed as Ogunmo Omolara Abosede. All former documents remain valid. General public note.

I Formerly Known as UCHECHUKWU, SOLOMON ONYEKACHUKWU Now Wish To Be Known as IKEORAH, SOLOMON ONYEKACHUKWU. All Former Document Remain Valid and The General Public Please

NJOKU NWEZE PAUL.

I formerly known and addressed as Mr. Paul Ndokwe now wish to be known and addressed as Njoku Nweze Paul.

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

FOR SALE

OGBE JASON OGHENEKOME.

I OGBE JASON KOME, wish to add OGHENEKOME, to my name which was formerly, OGBE JASON KOME. Now wish to be known and addressed as OGBE JASON OGHENEKOME. All former documents remain valid. General public and authorities concerned should

FOR SALE

FOR SALE

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Ghanaian President honours Unilorin Pro-Chancellor, Okonjo ÎÎÎ The President of

Ghana, John Mahama, has conferred the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council, University of Ilorin, Prof. Chukwuka Okonjo, with the Member of the Order of the Volta (MV).

This is contained in the university’s current bulletin which said that Okonjo was among 33 people recognised on Oct. 29, for their distinguished services to national development.

The bulletin said that the pro-chancellor was honoured for his outstanding contributions to the development of education in Ghana, especially in the field of Population Studies.

It stated that Okonjo, a

holder of the honours award of the Officer of the Order of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (OFR), is also the Obi of Ogwashi-Ukwu Kingdom, Delta State.

The honouree, a Professor of Economics, joined the United Nations (UN) in 1974 and was posted to the University of Ghana, Legon, cofunded by the Government of Ghana and the UN, as Director of the Regional Institute for Population Studies (RIPS).

Quoting the Ghanaian President, the publication stated that Okonjo left the UN in 1985, and served as an Advisor at the Ministry of Education of Ghana from 1987 to 1990.

“During this period, Okon-

jo was instrumental in conceptualising and implementing reforms on the structure of the Ministry of Education and the educational system itself,” President Mahama said.

The bulletin stated that the pro-chancellor also contributed to the length of the pre-tertiary education being reduced from 17 to 12 years, with the contact hours taught being raised from 12,392 to 12,400.

“Secondary School admission was increased tenfold from 26,000 to 260,000, and Primary school enrolment grew at a rate of 12 per cent per annum, twice the rate proposed for the country by the World Bank.

“Plans for the rationalisa-

tion of tertiary education were completed and a mass adult education programme commenced during the period that Prof. Okonjo was an Advisor at the Ghanaian Ministry of Education,” it quotes the Ghanaian president as saying.

According to the publication, Okonjo’s tenure as the Director of the RIPS Institute, Ghana, witnessed the establishment of a $350,000 Computing Centre.

It stated that he developed the first African Population Information Network, the Population Information and Documentation System for Africa (PIDSA) in addition to producing two journals.

25 News

You’re CSOs, chief farmers of communities, Umahi tells monarchs ÎÎÎ The Governor of

Ebonyi State, Engr.

David Nweze Umahi, has told traditional rulers in the state that they are the chief security officers and chief farmers of their various communities.

Umahi, while donating 18 brand new IVM jeeps to some monarchs in the state at Government House, Abakaliki, said they were expected to use the vehicles to drive agriculture and ensure adequate security in the areas.

The governor, according a statement on Sunday by his spokesman, Emma Anya, informed the traditional rulers that they were not expected to pay for the jeeps.

He however solicited their support for massive food production in the state.

Umahi said, “We are naming you our chief security officers of each of your community and we are naming you the number one farmers. This is principally for you to use for agricultural programme and that’s why this vehicle will not attract any VAT or tax or education levy because it is for agriculture and you’re all farmers and so we expect your cooperation.”

He also announced that fund for the procurement of vehicles for other traditional rulers was intact, stressing that he saved the money to avoid price increase which may affect the purchase of the additional vehicles in 2017.

The governor added, “I want to assure you that the money we are going to use to pay for about 80 of you is already made available. We already have it. So if you don’t have your own today and you want that money, you show me the vehicle I will give you.”

While he disclosed that the Local Government Chairmen would pay 50% and the state government 50% for the purchase of the vehicles, he also announced that the monarchs would be given inconvenience allowance every three months to enable them look good.

The governor added, “Even though the local government is ready to pay 100%, the state government said No. We’re going to do 50 -50. So we will contribute 50% and they(LGs) will contribute 50%.

“We may every three months try and give them wardrobe allowance.”

Rep vacant seat: Apostle Suleman backs Agbomhere ÎÎÎ General Overseer of

National Organising Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Sen. Osita Izunaso (left), receives a chieftaincy title of Ebubedike (Brave Warrior) from Dr. Nelson Obasi, the traditional ruler of Dim Na Nume in Nwangele Local Government Area of Imo State, during the coronation/ thanksgiving service of Obasi… on Monday.

Sokoto flags off community contributory health scheme with N100m

ÎÎÎ Sokoto State Wednesday

set the marker in healthcare delivery when launched the community contributory health scheme.

Speaking at the event, Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal described the take off of the scheme as one of the most important interventions of his administration in the healthcare sector.

He said government has set aside the sum of N100m as seed fund for the take off of the scheme which will ensure the implementation of the universal health coverage

through contributions from various stakeholders.

According to him, the scheme is an important policy whose impact will positively be felt on the lives of the people.

“It will also protect families from the financial hardship of huge medical bills and limit the inflationary rise in the cost of healthcare services in all parts of the state.

“Apart from ensuring equitable distribution of healthcare costs across different income groups, this scheme will improve and harness

private sector participation in the provision of healthcare services in Sokoto,” the Governor added.

In his remarks , Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, dispelled the notion that Islam is against contributory health scheme, saying the religion encourages members of the society to help each other at all times.

Giving an insight into the benefits to be derived, the state commissioner of health, Dr. Kakale Balarabe Shuni, said the new policy would ensure that all residents of Sokoto

have access to effective, quality and affordable healthcare services.

“It will facilitate training of human resource development and ensure availability of alternative source of funding to the health sector for improved service,” he added.

While commending the Sokoto state government for its foresight in implementing the policy, the Executive Secretary of the National health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), Professor Usman Yusuff said the benefit of this policy will be felt for generations to come.

the Omega Fire Ministries Worldwide, Apostle Johnson Suleman, has backed the aspiration of Mr. Blessing Agbomhere to replace Hon Philip Shaibu in the National Assembly.

The Estako Federal Constituency seat became vacant after Hon Shaibu was sworn-in as the Edo State Deputy Governor.

A date for the bye-election is yet to be fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission but about six persons have indicated interest to contest the election under the All Progressives Congress platform.

Apostle Suleimen gave his support to Agbomhere when the latter attended service at the church headquarters in Auchi, headquarters of Estako West Local Government.

Suleiman said God has ordained Agbomhere for a national assignment.

He promised to sup-

port the aspiration of Agbomhere even though he does not campaign for politicians but because Agbomhere is a son who is passionate about Etsako development.

According to him, “You are a son of Omega Fire Ministries. You have been ordained by God for a national assignment. You started worshiping with the church right from the inception of the church at the Auchi Council Hall.

“God will engage you and when He does do not forget God. I do not campaign for politicians but I will support you because you are a son of Omega who is passionate about Etsako Development” Agbomhere said he was honored to have the backing of Apostle Suleiman and urged others to join him for the voice of Etsako to be heard at the national level and to also make national opportunities assessable to Etsako people.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Health

s

2016 review: Health sector still struggling for survival The actions and inactions of the Federal Government, stakeholders and medical doctors have challenged the health system from achieving its set goals.

15 years after the Abuja Declaration, Nigeria is yet to fulfill its pledge of allotting 15 per cent of its annual budget to health.

In 2014, the country only allotted 6.3% of budget to health and it plummeted to 5.7% in 2015; and in 2016, only a paltry 4.3% of the total budget was allotted to the health sector.

The way a country finances its health care system is a critical determinant for achieving universal health coverage (UHC), but the budgetary allocation to health in Nigeria tells remains otherwise for the over 170 million Nigerians.

According to the coordinator of Africa Health, Human and Social Development (Afri-Dev), Rotimi Sankore, Nigeria has no public health system. He said, “It does not exist. There is a skeleton and intention. Let’s stop deceiving ourselves, what we have now is the normalisation of death.”

He said, a situation where the per capital investment in health in Nigeria is $31 compared to between $1,500 to $2,000 per capital investment in the West world like Britain and Germany, does not augur well for the country. He said there was a 20-year gap in life expectancy between Nigerian and the developed countries.

Again, industrial actions have become common occurrences that also challenged the nation’s health sector.

In fact, strike is seen by public health workers as a means of pressing home their demands.

Almost all the hospitals in every state in Nigeria has had its own share of strike actions by doctors and health workers over disgruntled issues, ranging from unpaid salaries to unfulfilled promises, disagreement among doctors and health workers, hospitals’ management actions, etc, leaving patients to bear the brunt.

Already, the National As-

Poor budgetary allocation, incessant strike actions, resurgence of polio outbreaks, brain drain, medical tourism, Lassa fever, among others, characterised the health sector in 2016.

LARA ADEJORO writes

Health Minister, Prof. Adewole

sociation of Resident Doctors (NARD), had issued a three-week strike notice that is expected to end on Jan. 2, 2017, as they agitate for a uniform template for the Residency Programme, infrastructure for tertiary health facilities, proper grading of doctors and payment of outstanding salaries amongst other issues.

In the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), IdiAraba, Lagos, alone, about 20 doctors of the LUTH branch had left the teaching hospital in the last one year.

The Daily Times also gathered that more doctors at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, (UBTH), Edo State,

are planning to travel abroad for the proverbial ‘greener pasture’.

A doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said, “As I speak to you, I’m planning to travel abroad with my family.

My wife and I are both medical doctors in the hospital, but we have to go. The hospital’s management isn’t helping matters, it wasn’t this bad, but this year has been rough for us.”

According to him, many doctors are processing their exit from the teaching hospital. “As I speak, people are in different stages of the processes of leaving the hospital.”

The chronic shortage of medics and health workers in Nige-

ria is becoming worse, resulting in lengthy queues, long waiting times and patients’ dissatisfaction.

Figures show that the country can only boast of not less than 25,000 medical doctors, about 170,000 registered nurses and insufficient pharmacists for the populace-one of the highest shortages among middleincome.

Medical tourism has been on the rise in Nigeria in recent years. Nigeria is the leading African country in medical tourism. It leads by 42.4%. It is estimated that Nigeria spends $1 billion on medical tourism annually.

The rise in the growth has

largely been attributed to the poor healthcare system in Nigeria.

According to the Indian High Commission, Indian hospitals received 18,000 Nigerians on medical visas in 2012; 47% of Nigerians were in India to receive medical treatment and spent approximately $260 million USD. On the 11th of August, 2016, the fight against polio suffered a setback, as the Federal Government reported that two children were paralysed by the disease in Borno state, North east Nigeria.

However, Chairman, Nigeria National PolioPlus Committee(NNPPC), Dr.Tunji Funsho, in an interview with The Daily Times, said, “as long as we are able to confront complacency, intensify our efforts on surveillance and encourage routine immunization, we will get to the end of polio in Nigeria.”

The Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), recently said Nigeria recorded the largest outbreaks of Lassa fever in its history between 2015 and 2016, with 273 reported cases resulting to 149 deaths.

Of these, 165 cases and 89 deaths have been confirmed through laboratory testing (CFR: 53.9%). The cases were reported from 23 states in Nigeria, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In a letter signed by the Director, Department of Hospital Services, Dr Wapada Balami to all Chief Medical Directors, Medical Directors and Federal Tertiary Hospitals on resurgence of Lassa Fever, it said that with the resurgence of the fever in Ogun state, all CMDs, MDs and federal tertiary institutions are to “activate their surveillance systems, maintain universal precaution and embark on community mobilization, to ensure that this resurgence does not escalate to epidemic proportions.”

However, stakeholders have said that, there is need to prioritise healthcare in Nigeria, as health is wealth.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

27 Health

E-health set to improve communication system delivery

ARD Exco, LASUTH chapter and keynote speakers at the 9th AGM/Scientific Conference

Edokpolor Osayande The chief executive officer & co-founder of e-health4everyone, Dr. Ime Asanganasi has said that e-health would improve communication system in the health care delivery in Nigeria, if hospitals have integrated system that are datadriven.

He made this known while addressing journalists in Lagos during the 9th Annual General Meeting/Scientific Conference of the Association of Resident Doctors of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, (LASUTH).

He said, “e-health is the application of information and communication technology into health care delivery and

m-health refers to the use of mobile technology in rendering health service.”

Asangansi stressed that ehealth system entails the information and data collection that would enable the public health communication system and government officers to plan for the health budget in the sector, adding that they would need a system that would collect data through the entire state and a system that would monitor the epidemic trend of health care system.

According to him, “The monitoring system would help to improve the promptness of the entire community in cases of disease like Ebola and Lassa fever.”

Asangansi said that e-health focuses on different aspects such as, electronic health, that includes behavioural change, health care communication system and how to improve patient’s health using digital medicine to prove better health service-based on knowledge accessed by physicians.

He said that, “The system would help physicians applying to take care of patients to get prompt reminders on information about such patients, like what drugs are contradictory to their health, information management and logistics.”

Asangansi, urged on the need for interoperability and integration system amongst hospitals in the country, say-

ing, “If they have system that enable them talk to each other it will seem less for patients and even for a public physician, who want to know what is happening in the health care sector of Lagos State, if the physician had integrated system that collects data through the entire state for all hospitals, it would make it easier for the physicians to know how many malaria attacks a patient has had in the past and other diseases.”

Also, speaking, Consultant Psychiatrist, Federal Neuro Psychiatrist Hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, Dr. Adeboyega ogunwale, said that information management is key to ehealth communication system in the health care sector, saying that e-mail intended for a particular recipient should be made confident, as a third party should not be given access to such information.

According to him, “Information must be secure before connecting to a network, as the responsibility of a network is plus and to ensure that data sent has not been intercepted or seen other than the intended recipient”.

He however warned medical practitioners to be careful about information sent through the Internet, as emails can be hacked, urging them to take all possible measures to protect their e-mails from being hacked, as data and information collected needed to be kept secured for the intended recipient.

Know your HIV status, NACA urges Nigerians

Lara Adejoro

As Nigeria celebrates the festive season, the National Agency for the Control of AIDS (NACA), has urged Nigerians to take bold steps to know their HIV status and avoid risky behaviors that can increase the spread of HIV/AIDS. In a goodwill message, en-

titled; “Christmas and HIV/ AIDS: Call for Massive HIV Testing in Nigeria,” the Director General of the Agency, Dr. Sani Aliyu urged Nigerians to shun indiscriminate sexual and other negative activities during the Yuletide that can lead to uninformed decision making.

He said,“Statistics show

that only about 10 per cent of Nigerians has ever taken an HIV test once, this is a major challenge, which must be addressed urgently. The only gateway to HIV prevention, care and treatment, remain HIV counseling and testing, so, if we must win the battle, the percentage of Nigerians that test for HIV must move from the current statistics to at least 90 per cent.

According to him,“Our New Year resolutions must include knowing our HIV status and showing love affection to person’s infected and affected by HIV. As we go about enjoying the Christmas and New Year holidays, let us do everything moderately, avoid risky behaviours that can lead to HIV in-

fection.”

He said, “It is good to abstain from sex if you are not married, use condom consistently and correctly if you cannot abstain and remain faithful our spouses. Let us avoid the abuse of alcohol/drugs, it is important to drink responsibly if you must as most decisions taken under the influence might not be the best, which may be regrettable later on.”.

According to him, “Get tested today, however the outcome of the result, if you are negative, you will learn how to remain negative and if it turns out positive, you will commence treatment “immediately which is free in all government hospitals and selected private hospital. It’s still a win-win.”

LUTH doctors get new exco Lara Adejoro The Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba chapter of the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD-LUTH) has elected new executives to run its affairs for the 2016/2017 executive year.

The new elected executives are; Dr. Sekumade Adebayo, President; Dr. Ojo Femi, Vice President; Dr. Oba Fatai, General Secretary; Dr. Makinde Kayode, Assistant General Secretary; D.r Osuntokun Temitope, Financial Secretary; Dr. Ewedemi Folashade, Treasurer and Dr. Akiije Adedeji, Social Secretary.

Following the association’s Health Week/ Annual General Meeting/ Scientific Conference with the theme: “Leaving no one behind, the sustainable development goals in Nigeria and how healthcare can get us there, there were opportunities for interactions among the members.”

The association organised an extensive community outreach in Idi-Araba community, where the beneficiaries’ blood pressure, blood sugar, weight and height were checked. The parameters are effective to screen for hypertension, diabetes mellitus and obesity for about 150 beneficiaries.

The doctors also donated about 50 pints of blood to the blood bank of LUTH for hospital patients in dire need of blood, e.g., accident victims, mass casualties etc.

Dr. Sekumade

News 28 End-of-year tragedy: Man, 35, commits suicide in Osun Sodiq Adekunle, Osogbo

ÏÏÏTragedy

struck at Oke-itase area in Ile-Ife, Osun State on Tuesday when a 35-year-old man, Sunday Onifade, hanged himself to death.

It was gathered that the deceased, who resides in the area, is a barber by profession.

Eyewitnesses said the deceased hanged himself on an iron rod attached to the ceiling fan in his living room.

The reason for his action was yet to be ascertained as at the time of filling this report.

When our correspondent visited the area where the deceased hanged himself, no one was willing to speak on the cause of his action.

After the incident, the younger brother of the deceased, Omotayo Onifade, reported the incident to the ‘A’ Division Police Headquarters in Ile-Ife. When contacted, he lamented the death of his elder brother, saying family members were shocked when they saw Sunday’s lifeless body.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Fimihan Adeoye who spoke through the Police Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Folasade Odoro, confirmed the incident.

The police chief said investigation has commenced on the matter.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Brothers arraigned in court over alleged assault Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏ

Two brothers, Salisu Salawu and Salisu Kabiru who allegedly assaulted a man and his sister was on Wednesday docked before an Ikeja Magistrates’ court Lagos.

The defendants who resides in Ipaja, Agege, Lagos were arraigned on a three-count charge bothering on assault and illegal use of arm before Magistrate Bola Osunsanmi According to the prosecutor, Insp.

Simon Imohoma, the defendants committed the offense on Dec. 27 at about 11:30am in their residents.

Insp. Imohoma told the court that the duo do assault a middle age man,

Hassan Adamu and his ten-years-old sister, Halimat Adamu by attacking them with screw driver thereby causing then bodily harm.

Part of the charges against the defendants read that: you; Salisu Salau and Salisu Kabiru on Dec. 27, 2016 at about 11:30am in Ipaja, Agege area of Lagos state do assault one Adamu Hassan and his sister Habibat Adamu The charge also read that you: Salisu Salau, Salisu Kabir at the aforementioned time and address, unlawfully inflicted injury on the two siblings by using a screw driver to cause them bodily harm.

The duo however pleaded not guilty to the charges against them.

Counsel to the defendants, Chief Y.O Ajao prayed the court to grant the duo liberal bail condition. He averred that the parent of the defendants are working on settlement with the complaint.

The presiding Magistrate, B.O Osunsanmi, after listening to the counsel, granted the accused bail in the sum of 100,000 each with two sureties in like sum.

Osunsanmi said that the sureties must be gainfully employed and should swear to an affidavit of means and produce evidence of two years tax payment to Lagos State.

She adjourned the case till Dec. 9, 2017.

L-R: Regional Sales Director, Suntory Beverage and Food Nigeria Limited (SBFNL), Mr. Dotun Somoye; Human Resources Director, SBFNL, Mr. Ola Ehinmoro; camp chairman, Durumi IDP camp (DIC), Abuja, Mr. Ibrahim Ahmudu; coordinator, DIC, Alhaji Baba Idris and women leader, DIC, Mrs. Liyatu Ayuba, during the donation of relief materials to Internally Displaced Persons by SBFNL in Abuja…Tuesday.

Thirteen countries attend 2016 Africa Biggest Street Party carnival in Calabar Edem Edem, Calabar

ÏÏÏ Thirteen countries of the world

attended the Africa biggest street party, carnival in Calabar, Cross River State capital. Disclosing this Wednesday while inviting Governor Ben Ayade, executive governor of the state to make his remark before the flag-off, the chairman of the state carnival commission, Mr Gabe Onah listed the countries to include Brazil, Turkey, Croasia, U. K., Spain and others.

He said that former Akwa Ibom State Governor, Senator Godswill Akpabio, now senator and Governor of Imo State, Rochas Okorocha, were also in attendance. According to him, the 2016 carnival has been expanded in conformity with the vision of the governor.

In his comment, Governor Ben Ayade however said that the state was the melting point of African hospitality and invited the entire African countries and the world to the Africa Street Party, the carnival. “We have recognized the fact that carnival represent the true vitality, unity and harmony of African countries and invited Miss Arica Queen to flag-off the carnival.

Flagging off the Africa biggest street party, Miss Africa Queen explained that Africa has been in the eye of the world for years for organizing one of the best and the most popular street party in the world, “It is my honour to come from my country to represent Africa beauty queen in the carnival and flag-off the event.

Calabar Carnival festival in Nigeria, also tagged, Africa’s Biggest Street Party”, was created as part of the vision of making the Cross River State, the number one tourist destination for Nigerians and tourists all over the world. The carnival started on December 1, and last till 31 December 2016.

Panic grips residents as suspected toxic waste hits Asaba/Ebu Road Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏ

Suspected substances of alleged toxic waste has hit Asaba/ Ebu/Illah road as residents of the areas are currently gripped in the fear of the unknown. Some of the residents who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity alleged that the strange substances in ash/white sandy colour, may have been dumped by a northern based giant cement manufacturer (name withheld) workers/drivers who ply the road often to Abuja.

Investigation revealed that frequent dumping of the suspected substances, especially along the busy Asaba/Ebu/Illah Road within Oshmili North and South

Local Government Areas of the State allegedly by workers/drivers of the big time cement company, has set tongues wagging among the defenceless people of the agrarian communities who have also called for immediate intervention of the State House of Assembly to save them from the suspected carcinogenic toxic related substances.

But the State Government through the Commissioner for Environment, Mr. John Nani on Wednesday allayed fear of the unknown, disclosing that experts known to be evacuators would evacuate the substances within the next few days, noting that the substances feared to be harmful to health, especially at close con-

tact, is assured of the safety of the people, adding that measures have been taken to check perpetrators of the menace.

Further investigation revealed that the substances were dumped closer to the source of domestic water, such as rivers/streams and other bodies of drinking water of the people; a situation, an Elder statesman in Ebu community, Chief Ndidi Nduka said might portend bad omen for them if urgent steps are not taken to ensure the substances are not persuasive.

A few weeks ago, a community within mile 2 (name withheld) near Asaba experienced a similar incident when its residents woke up on the fateful morning to see

littered substances packaged in cement bags at every nooks and cranny.

They were said to have raised the alarm which resulted in a search party conducted fortunately, the alleged perpetrator, one of the owners of numerous trucks conveying cement with registration number KMC 407 XC after allegedly dumping the substances was caught and taken to Illah police station where he was reportedly quizzed before he was left off the hook. At the Illah police division, police officers who did not want their names in the print said: “The villagers brought the suspect and he was detained before released on bail”.

Worse still, are loads of packaged materials allegedly dumped on the sloppy side of a drainage system, a few metres away from Iyi-Uku River, the only source of drinking water for Ebu/Illah people.

But an old woman, Madam Eunice Akpolor said “We are appealing to the state government, House of Assembly members to come to our aid, we are deeply afraid of the substances, we don’t know what they dumped”.

Sources close to the speaker, Mr. Monday Igbuya confirmed that on resumption in January 2017, the matter would be at the front burner during plenary session.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

29

Iheanacho K

makes EPL history

elechi Iheanacho’s second half strike for Manchester City in the 3-0 win over Hull City in a Premier League game on December 26 was significant for many reasons.

First, it gave City the needed momentum and ‘breathing space’ to finally overpower a plucky Hull City side that looked more than capable of coming back into the game.

More poignantly, from a statistician’s perspective, it meant Iheanacho has now achieved what no one has

ever done in Premier League history.

That goal at the KCOM Stadium makes the Super Eagles attacker the player with the best goals-to-minutes ratio of any other in the League’s history.

Iheanacho is now the most prolific footballer in Premier League history.

The former Golden Eaglet is now scoring a goal every 96 minutes in the Premier League - the best goal ratio for any player with 10 or more in the league’s history.

Page 30

His accomplishment means he dwarfs stellar and storied names like Sergio Aguero, Thierry Henry, Cristiano Ronaldo, Alan Shearer and other greats who currently grace or have made their marks in the league in years gone by.

In comparison to Iheanacho, fellow City striker Aguero has scored his 112 Premier League goals at a rate of one every 107 minutes and former Arsenal ace, Henry scored his 175 Premier League goals at a rate of one per 122 minutes.

Iheanacho

Thursday, DECEMBER 29, 2016

N Rohr

NFF to finalise Rohr’s

sponsorship in April – Pinnick

FF president Amaju Pinnick has disclosed a concrete sponsorship package for Super Eagles coach Gernot Rohr will be finalised by April.

Pinnick admitted it has been difficult paying Franco-German Rohr his $47,000-a-month salary, but the NFF remain up to date on the payment.

“We are not owing him (Rohr).

We are struggling but we are paying,” he said on a television programme on Wednesday.

“By April, March we will have something concrete (sponsorship) for the Eagles and other national coaches.”

Questions are still being asked how the cash-strapped NFF have been paying the coach particularly as the identity of the current sponsors remain shrouded in mystery.

Former Gabon, Niger and Burkina Faso coach Rohr has posted a perfect record with Nigeria after his first three matches in charge of the Super Eagles.

The Eagles are now top of the 2018 World Cup qualifying group with six points from two matches, ahead of Cameroun (two points), Zambia (one point) and Algeria (one point).

SanusiYouth Cup final ends in Birnin Kebbi ANDREW EKEJIUBA

T

he fourth edition of the Mohammed Sanusi Cup competition came to a close in Birnin Kebbi, Kebbi State, on Tuesday, with Matawalle FC of Birnin Kebbi emerging the champions.

Indeed, it was a huge gathering of political heavyweights, football leaders and stakeholders, leading academicians, emirs, chiefs,

ex –international players, philanthropists and well –wishers, as last year’s losing finalist Matawalle FC pipped Wambai FC of Yauri 1-0 in the final.

Kebbi State Director of Sports, Alhaji Usman Umar Ladan revealed that a total of 20 teams registered for this year’s competition, including two teams from Argungu, four teams from Jega, one team from Yauri and 13 teams from Birnin Kebbi.

Sponsor of the competition and NFF General Secretary, Dr. Mohammed Sanusi said: “It is a competition that gives me tremendous joy and I am even thinking of how to expand it in the coming years. I am excited to be able to give back to the society. It is a great feeling.

“The teams that take part are non-League teams, and over the past four years, I can say that it is a championship that the youth of

Kebbi State look forward to with much expectation.”

The Deputy Governor of Kebbi State, Col. Samaila Yombe Dabai (rtd) represented Governor Abubakar Atiku Bagudu, with the Kebbi State Head of Service, Abubakar Udu Idris, Kebbi State FA chairman Abubakar Ladan (also Commissioner for Lands and Housing) and the Permanent Secretary, Higher Education (Kebbi State), Dr. Isa Mohammed Sama also present.

Oparanozie tasks Falcons on form N

igerian Super Falcons striker Desire Oparanozie insists that her country must do better than just winning the 2016 Africa Women Nations Cup. The Nigerian woman’s national team beat Cameroun in the final earlier this year with

Oparanozie finding crucial goals in both the semifinal win over South Africa’s Banyana Banyana and in the final itself.

In total the striker found the back of the net three times after a slow start to the tournament and now she is hoping to take

on the rest of the world.

“I am honoured to have scored the only goal in the semi-final and the only goal that made us beat Cameroun in the final,” said Oparanozie.

“It didn’t matter whether I started all the matches or not.

What was important was that we won and made history.

“The level of women’s football in Africa is really on the high.

“A couple of teams are coming up and we now know there are a lot of teams that really want to give us a run for our money.

Oparanozie

Thursday, December 29, 2016

EXTRATIME

31

EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…

Genk team mates bid Ndidi farewell

Algeria bonus:

Eagles allege NFF

shortchanged

them

Players of the Super Eagles have alleged they have been shortchanged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) in the payment of their win bonus for a 2018 World Cup qualifier.

The Eagles have received the bonus for the 3-1 home win over Algeria in November courtesy of a special government bailout.

The players are entitled to $5,000-a-man, but they received a million Naira each at the rate of 200 Naira even when a press statement by government clearly spelt out an official rate of N305 to the US dollar.

At the government rate of 305 Naira to the dollar, each player is due 1,525,000 million Naira and not a million Naira NFF paid to each of them.

Twenty three players made the match day squad against Algeria in Uyo. They received a total of 23 million Naira, when they should have been paid over 35 million, an excess of 12 million Naira.

Klopp warns Reds against complacency Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp warned his players against complacency, telling them they will be dropped if he senses overconfidence.

Despite being held by Southampton on Saturday, Klopp’s side sit second and just a point behind Premier League leaders Chelsea. But the German – who led Borussia Dortmund to two Bundesliga titles – is wary of complacency, advising his players not to worry about their position in the table

Ogunbote:

Enyimba will be champions again!

E

nyimba will hope to reclaim the Nigeria league championship, according to new coach Gbenga Ogunbote.

Last season, seven-time champions Enyimba failed to retain the championship after they finished a disappointing 10th.

“I want to win the league with Enyimba, a team who are used to winning titles, so we are going for the championship, nothing less,” he declared.

“Enyimba are a professional club with the right attitude for work.”

‘The People’s Elephant’ have lost several top stars like skipper Chinedu Udoji, Razak Aliyu, Daniel Etor, Ugwu Uwadiegwu and Ifeanyi George.

But they have also signed Ghana international goalkeeper Fatau Dauda and striker Ismaila Gata from FC Ifeanyi Ubah.

Ogunbote

Ndidi

P

layers of Belgian club Genk have wished Nigeria star Wilfred Ndidi the best at Premier League champions Leicester City after he played his last game which they won 2-0.

Ndidi is set to complete his transfer to Leicester in the New Year.

He will cost Leicester an initial 15 million pounds, which could rise to 18.6 million pounds with add-ons going forward.

His teammate and closest friend Leon Baily said on snapchat:”Good luck in Leicester City bro, we will meet again.”

Genk defender Omar Colley wrote on Instagram: “Great victory tonight and good luck to Ndidi in Leicester. We’re gonna miss you.”

Ndidi has already confirmed the Gent game was his final game for Genk.

The 20-year-old said it was an emotional evening on Tuesday and gave thanks to Peter Maes, sacked from his role as Genk boss earlier this week.

“I really want to thank Peter Maes,” Ndidi told reporters after coming through 90 minutes on Tuesday night.

“Am I emotional? Yes, a little, especially with the situation surrounding Maes. He made me the player I am today. I got my transfer thanks to him.”

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08051000448.

Editor Daily: ROSE MOSES

THURSDAY, DECEMBER 29, 2016

VOL. 2. NO. 267

Price: N150

NFFto finalise Rohr’ssponsorship inApril –Pinnick P 30

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Amuneke

Amuneke bags chieftaincy title in Eziokele

E

x-international Emmanuel Amuneke has been conferred with a chieftaincy title in Eziokele Community in Owerri West Local Government Area, Imo State.

The honour was bestowed on him on Tuesday, December 27 as part of events celebrating the sixth anniversary of the community’s creation, as well as the sixth anniversary of the coronation of His Royal Highness, Eze Osuji, Eze Udo 1 of Eziokele Community.

Amuneke was conferred with the title of Aka Welitere Mba 1 (the hand that promotes the community) by King.

“Our community could not have been heard and known outside this area if not through Amuneke,” said Eze Osuji.

“Through his football career, Amuneke lifted the name of our community. He also ensured that other youths from this area followed suit and earned their living without resorting to vices.”

Also honoured were Amuneke’s father and Emeka Amajiriaku, founder of ASJ Academy which produced the likes of Chidiebere Nwakali, Kelechi Nwakali and Chukwudi Agor.

Aside from winning the 1994 African Player of the Year, having helped the country win the Africa Cup of Nations and participating in the 1994 FIFA World Cup, USA – the 46-year-old led the Golden Eaglets to win the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup in Chile.

ExpandedWorld Cup gets backing —Infantino A

48-team World Cup has the backing of global football federations, according to FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

When running for election to the role, Infantino’s manifesto included a proposal to increase the number of teams in the finals from 32 to 40.

Infantino

And in October, Infantino hinted it could be expanded even further to include 48 countries - a vision he now believes can be realised, as it has the necessary support.

“I am still convinced to expand the participation in the World Cup to more than 32 teams,” he said at the International Sports Conference in Dubai.

“We would still consider to increase the competition to 40 or 48 teams. A tournament of 48 teams would have the same period of the current one, and federations are all clearly in favour of a World Cup with more teams.”

Any revision to the existing format would not be likely to be implemented before 2026, but a decision on the matter will be taken in January.

UEFA made a similar move in increasing the European Championship from 16 teams to 24 ahead of Euro 2016.

Earlier this month, the European Club Association (ECA) wrote to FIFA imploring global football’s governing body not to proceed with plans to expand the tournament.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

20,000 barrels refinery: Integrated Oil boss calls for FG’s support Page B2

Heritage Bank distances self from Heritage Capital

Page B3

Thursday, Deceember 29, 2016

Stanbic IBTC declares 5 kobo dividend for 2015 financial year

Page B4

Ngige wants private sector in NSITF scheme Joy Ekeke Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, has urged the management of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) to extend the Employee Compensation Scheme (ECS) to the private sector.

Ngige, who gave the advice on a visit to the corporate headquarters of NSITF in Abuja, also demanded the prosecution of all companies that had defaulted in complying with the ECS.

The acting Managing Director of the Fund, Ismail Agaka said that NSITF has so far registered about 51,576 employers since inception, 16,909 of them between January and November 2016.

Senator Ngige said the ECS was a beneficial scheme that should involve everybody in the country, and even people in the informal sector.

“I want the NSITF to drag more recalcitrant companies to court over infractions. And I want as many companies as pos-

sible to go to court for not obeying the law of the land, and the legal department must be active in this regard. The companies that are not complying are shortchanging their workers because, in those places, workers are still treating themselves when they sustain an injury in the course of work. This is completely unfair and the government will not sit by and watch Nigerian workers suffer unnecessarily,” he declared.

“We want the little money they earn to stay in their pock-

ets. Employers have a responsibility towards their employees and they must be made to fulfill those responsibilities, which employees’ compensation scheme is a major part.”

He said many employers of labour in the country were cheating their workers who spend their own money to treat themselves, especially when involved in industrial accidents.

The minister, who said the Fund had not lived up to the expectations, challenged the management to spread the dragnet

and carry out a compulsory turnaround of the fund in other to achieve its mandate of providing social protection for Nigerian workers.

According to him, the ECS was one of the nine social security initiatives contained in the International Labour Organization Convention 102, adding that the Nigerian government was doing everything possible to domesticate the convention which also includes health Insurance and conditional cash transfer.

Stakeholders predict weak 2016 results, sluggish market recovery

Bonny Amadi

Stakeholders in the Nigerian capital market have predicted that the 2016 financial year end results would be depressed due to the harsh operating environment confronting the country.

The expected reduced earnings and losses which would characterize the 2016 financial year result, the stakeholders said, would further worsen the paucity of disposable income, hence the expected dividend payment would either be meager or non-existent.

David Imafidon Adonri, a stockbroker, who spoke to Daily Times, said that 2016 earnings expected to be released in the first quarter of 2017 would be poor, even as very few would break even during the financial year.

Imafidon said that the market recovery measures that have

L – R: Mr. Chinedu Makata, AGM, Corporate Banking Group Keystone Bank, Mr. Jeffrey Zhang Vice GM Hawtai Int’l Group, Enugu State Governor,. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi , Mr. Joseph Okechukwu, Chairman/CEO, EVAL, Mr. Hafiz Bakare Executive Director, Keystone Bank during a courtesy visit to the Governor at the State house Enugu...recently.

Why companies find NSE listing difficult – Nwosu Bonny Amadi

CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

BUSINESS TIMES Editor Andrew Odioko Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

Many companies do not want to list on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), contrary to the expectation at the beginning of the year.

Among such recalcitrants are many multinationals and public sector companies that have avoided listing for the generality of Nigerians to benefit from the profits they make.

The National Coordinator of the Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria (ISAN), Sir Sunny Nwosu, said that with the challenging operating environment and a non-legal requirement for companies to list, many companies qualified for listing have evaded listing on the NSE. “I recall that when the Nigerian Bottling Company was delisting from the market, we kicked against it and the authorities told us that the market guarantees

free entry and free exit. The government should understand their plans before they make any pronouncement. If they had mismanaged that exit then and others that went out of the capital market, I don’t think that it is appropriate to force anybody to list in the stock market.”

Nwosu called on the government to ensure that before companies come into the country, they should be made to sign an undertaking for listing on the exchange

few years after commencing operations in the country.

He called for a free agreement between the government and business organizations before any multinational comes into the country. The agreement, he said, should relate to listing the company’s stocks on the stock market after a given number of years.

“There should have been an agreement with them. The agreeCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

20,000 barrels refinery: Integrated Oil boss calls for FG’s support Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho, Chairman, Integrated Oil and Gas Ltd, yesterday appealed to the Federal Government to provide the enabling environment for operators to achieve ongoing 20,000 barrels modular refinery targets.

Iheanacho made the appeal in an interview with newsmen in Lagos against the backdrop of government’s importation of refined petroleum products into the country.

The support, according to him, includes policy framework that will compel financial institutions to make the fund available to indigenous players that intend to build modular refineries.

“Financial support is one major area we need government’s help if government realizes that there is a eed to have a lot of the

small scale refineries to turn around the economy.

“We can now start exporting refined products than we are currently importing. Government should make provision for financing because it is key requirement to do 20,000 barrels per day.

“It requires an investment of over $100 million. “So we need government to assist modular refinery operators; we are not asking to be given grants and

handout but to be assisted in the process of being able to secure financing in the major finance institutions,’’ he said.

Iheanacho suggested that if government could assist the operators to secure finance, it would assist them to realize some of the benefits that would drive the country’s economic growth geometrically.

He said that Integrated Oil’s $116 million proposed refinery

Why companies find NSE listing difficult – Nwosu CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

ment should say “before you take advantage of the profit you are making through dividend payments and also providing entrepreneurs capital.”

Nwosu argued that where companies were not made to sign for listing before they commenced business operations in the country, it will be a bad management for the Nigerian government to force multinationals to be quoted.

“Also, has the government been able to prepare its own companies or corporations to also get listed?

There was a time they unbundled NEPA, and they said they had six companies from unbundled NEPA. They then said that the six companies will be listed on the exchange.

Till today, there is no sign that the companies have started work towards listing on the exchange.

The federal government, he said, also unbundled the Nigerian Ports Authority, assuring that the companies that emerged from the exercise would be listed on the exchange, but they are yet to commence bringing the companies’ on the Exchange.

Nwosu said that charity should begin at home. “Take MTN, for instance. Pascal Dozie was told that since you are getting a lot of money from us through MTN, get them quoted, and out of pressure from us they sold shares to Nigerians through private placement and that is why Nigerians are having shares of MTN. Otherwise, we wouldn’t have had any opportu-

Iheanacho

would be a reference point in Nigeria when completed.

He said that the 20,000 barrel per day (bpd) refinery was coming at a period when stakeholders have faulted the move by government to establish co-location refineries and rather advised them to give support to holders of modular refinery licenses.

According to him, the Tomaro refinery sited on a 90-hectare land in Amuwo Odofin, Lagos, was expected to begin production with Automated Gas Oil (AGO) known as diesel, Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK), export quality aviation fuel, Naphta and fuel oil.

He said that the plant would be upgraded to produce Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol, as operations progressed.

According to him, the facility is designed as one-stop shop to comprise refinery plant, storage facility, flour mill, ship repair yard, helipad for aviation operations to offshore platforms and resort centres.

He said the project would also create massive employment for the teeming youths of the country.

Recall that stakeholders at a recent industry event called on government to provide the necessary support to companies investing in modular refineries, to make the country self-sufficient in local production of petroleum products.

Stakeholders predict weak 2016 results, sluggish market recovery CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

been implemented in 2016 will start having effect in 2017 and the instability in the foreign exchange market will gradually be taken care of. This points to the fact that the market will recover in 2017 as the companies would be expected to have cleaner and predictable operating environment.

“Corporate earnings will be depressed, don’t forget that there is a recession in 2016, and dividend payout will also be depressed.’’

He said that because companies faced very harsh operating environment, and liquidity crunch which negatively impacted earnings, worsening operating expense, and heightened provisioning. According to him, when earnings drop or when companies record loss, the possibility to pay a dividend will no longer be there.

He, however, said that the few companies that will likely pay a dividend for the 2016 financial year in 2017 will likely be higher than expected.

Speaking on measures that will revive the capital market in 2017, he said that countries in stagnation need to embark on policies that would revive the vibrancy of the economy by further boosting business operations and the operating environment.

KACCIMA targets more foreign companies for Kano Trade Fair The President, Kano Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (KACCIMA), Alhaji Umar Dansuleka, said yesterday that the chamber would woo more foreign companies to its 2017 Trade Fair.

Dansuleka said in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Kano that the participa-

tion of more foreign companies would enhance the status of the fair and open up new opportunities for businesses.

“If we invite more countries during the trade fair, more revenue will also be generated’, he added, saying that 12 countries participated in the 2016 edition of the Kano Trade Fair.

He said that in spite of

the recession, the chamber would forge ahead to explore new sources through which Nigeria would gain maximally.

Dansuleka stressed that the chamber would introduce innovations to attract local and foreign participants, and challenged its workers to be more innovative in order to overcome current economic challenges.

KACCIMA President, Dansuleka

28 ships laden with petroleum products, food items to arrive Lagos Twenty-eight ships laden with petroleum products, food items and other goods are expected to arrive Apapa and Tin-Can Island ports in Lagos from from today to Jan. 7.

The Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) stated this in its pub-

lication – Shipping Position – a copy of which was made available to the media yesterday in Lagos.

The authority stated that five of the expected 28 ships would berth with petrol and aviation fuel.

NPA said that the remaining 23 ships contained buck wheat, general cargo, base oil, frozen fish, soya beans, aviation fuel, bulk charcoal, steel products and containers.

It noted that three ships had arrived the ports, waiting to

berth with bulk fertiliser, frozen fish and petrol.

According to NPA, 13 other ships are at the ports discharging empty containers, bulk wheat, bulk fertilizer, frozen fish, containers, aviation fuel and petrol.

Money Market B3 FRC boss clinches Africa leader of integrity merit award The Executive Secretary of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRC), Mr. Jim Obazee, has won the African Leader of Integrity Merit Award for exemplary leadership and Economic Development in Africa.

The Media/Communications Consultant to the Council, Mr. Mack Ogbamosa, said in a statement that the award was bestowed on the FRC helm in recognition of his enormous contributions to the nation’s economy through his resolved efforts in entrenching transparency and accountability in financial reporting.

While Conferring the award on the FRC CEO, Obazee, who was represented by Mr. Adeshola Amao, of the Directorate of Corporate Governance of the Council at the 13th Africa Leadership Development Conference and Awards Gala Night held at the University of Ghana,Legon, Ghana, the president of Proven Integrity Communications Network Limited, the organizers of the award, Mr. Onwordi Onichabor, said the award was for those Distinguished and Notable Personalities who have excelled greatly in their respective businesses and professional endeavours.

He also said Obazee was particularly recognized because of his relentless efforts at sanitizing the financial sector of the country through formulation and enforcement of financial standards.

The recipient, while receiving the award, thanked the organizers for the recognition and dedicated the award to members of staff of the FRC, adding that the honour was not only in recognition of his personal efforts but also that of the entire staff of the Council.

The FRC boss noted that the impact of the Council’s enforcement of accounting, auditing, actuarial and valuation standards as well as the entrenchment of good corporate governance is already manifesting in this era of adherence to rules, regulations and standards as the hallmark of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The council was established under the Financial Reporting Council Act No 6, 2011, and is charged with regulating accounting, auditing, actuarial and valuation standards as well as development, issuance and enforcement of the code of corporate governance to ensure transparency, probity and accountability in both public and private sectors of the nation’s economy.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Naira at 490/$1 as year nears end Stories by Motolani Oseni The Naira exchanged for 490 per dollar on Lagos streets yesterday, as the foreign exchange market opened to trade for the remaining days of the year.

The currency, however, depreciated from the 485 per dollar it traded on Tuesday at the parallel market.

At the official interbank market, it traded at 305.25 per dollar, while the euro and the British pound exchanged for N330 and N388, respectively.

Analysts envisage further depreciation of the naira to 500 against the greenback before the end of the year.

Traders said the currency had been trading at 485 per dol-

lar at the parallel market a day before the market opened operation officially.

The naira had been selling for 495/dollar since Friday and all through the weekend, but firmed against the greenback at the black market on Tuesday.

“There is an acute shortage of dollars in the market because of supply being slashed by half to Bureau de Change (BDC) operators from international money transfer agents, pushing the naira down,” one trader said.

The BDC operators are now getting $8,000 each per week from Travelex against the usual $15,000 hitherto.

The naira had tumbled against the dollar to 490 on Tuesday from 485 it sold on

Monday, as traders linked the drop to acute shortage of the greenback.

A week ago, precisely last Monday and Tuesday, the Nigerian currency traded flat at 490 after closing at 487/dollar the previous Friday.

The naira has been under unrelenting severe pressure as the scarcity of the US currency continues to create ripples in the financial market and the economy.

“The challenge at the forex market is still the supply issue; price (exchange rate) is determined by the interplay of demand and supply,” a currency analyst at Ecobank Nigeria, Mr. Kunle Ezun, said.

A few weeks ago, the naira closed flat at 470/dollar against

the greenback for some days.

The naira plunged to 470/dollar, down from 455/dollar on the back of a fresh dollar shortage at the official and parallel forex markets.

The naira has, however, consistently closed around 305.5 a dollar level since August via the official window.

The local currency has been under persistent pressure both at the official and parallel foreign exchange markets owing to the acute shortage of the United States currency.

Currency dealers said the consistent clampdown on black market operators by security agents had driven some currency retailers underground, putting more pressure on available dollars.

L-R: Head, Marketing and activation, RB West Africa, Mrs. Omotola BamigbaiyeElatuyi; Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Dr. Babatunde Adejare and Marketing Director, RB West Africa, Leferink Aliza during a courtesy visit by RB team to the office of the Commisssioner in Lagos…recently.

Heritage Bank distances self from Heritage Capital Heritage Bank has said that there is no business relationship or association with Heritage

Ifie Sekibo , Group MD, Heritage Bank

Capital Market Ltd recently suspended by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

In a statement issued yesterday, the management of Heritage Bank stated: “Our attention has been drawn to a certain recent publication in some of the national dailies regarding the suspension of a certain “Heritage Capital Market Limited” by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

“Our concern stems from the resemblance in its name to our organization, and the impression that this might leave on the minds of our dear customers.

“We wish to hereby state that Heritage Bank Plc has no business relationship or association with the affected company - “Heritage Capital Market Limited.”

“Heritage Bank Plc remains resolute and committed to our customer’s upholding in trust the privilege to partner with them in fulfilling your financial objectives.”

It would be recalled that SEC, in a circular, stated that it suspended Heritage Capital Markets “in connection with the unauthorised sale of shares belonging to an investor.”

SEC also suspended the directors and sponsored individuals of the company, including two former presidents of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), Mr. Chidi Ajaegbu, and Mrs. Ibironke Osiyemi. Ajaegbu is the Managing Director of Heritage Capital Markets Limited while Osiyemi chairs the board.

According to SEC, Heritage Capital Markets failed to comply with the Commission’s directives to restitute the affected investor.

Other suspended directors included Dr. Elijah Ogbuokiri, Prof Emmanuel Emenyonu, and Oluseyi Olanrewaju. Suspended sponsored individuals included Paul Onalo, chief compliance officer, and Oyafemi Titus, a stockbroker.

Incorporated in November 1997, Heritage Capital Markets Limited is licensed by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), SEC and FMDQ to operate as brokerdealer in the Nigerian capital market as well as offer brokerage services in fixed income securities. It has authorized share capital of N2 billion and shareholders’ funds of more than N1 billion.

w

Capital Market B4 Stories by Afolabi Adesola The stock market began the last week for the year 2016, remaining in positive territory from the previous session as market indices recorded a growth of 0.76 percent.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange All-Share Index (NSE ASI) closed at 26,688.25, up 202.23 from last week’s close at 26,486.02.

Market capitalization grew N69.6 billion to close N9.183 trillion from last Friday’s closing figure of N9.113 trillion.

The positive trend sustained for the third consecutive session showed that most sector indices trended northwards except for the Industrial Goods Index that dropped 0.02 percent consequent on profit taking in Wapco that lost 0.12 percent to close at N40.95 per share.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Trading upbeat as Market Cap adds N69.6 billion The Consumer Goods Index gained the most, recording a growth of 1.49 percent due to bargain hunting in Nigerian Breweries that added 3.26 percent. Cadbury added 7.98 percent, while International Breweries appreciated 3.12 percent.

The Insurance Index followed with a growth of 1.13 percent on the back of positive sentiments in Axamansard that recorded an appreciation of 4.49 percent.

The Oil & Gas Index also grew by 1.01 percent on account of increases recorded in Mobil that grew by 4.29 percent, and Total that added 1.10 percent.

The Banking index gained 0.70

percent fuelled by price appreciation in Union Bank UBN) that rose 9.79 percent, Stanbic IBTC that added 4.96 percent, and Access Bank that recorded a growth of 4.92 percent.

Overall investor sentiment showed improvement as market breadth strengthened with 30 gainers against 18 losers. UPL led the gainers with 10.03 percent to close at N4.06 per share.

UBN followed with a growth of 9.79 percent to close at N5.16 per share, while NEM added 9.09 percent to close at 96 kobo per share. Nigerian Aviation Handling Company of Nigeria added 8.99 percent to close at N2.79

per share while Nascon Allied Industries appreciated 8.48 percent to close at N8.19 per share.

On the flip side, Guinness declined 5.10 percent to lead the losers chart, having closed at N80 per share. ETI dropped 4.96 percent to close at N10.34 per share, Custodian and Allied Insurance fell 4.83 percent to close at N3.74 per share, while Livestock Feeds depreciated 4.76 percent to close at 80 kobo per share and Ekocorp lost 4.75 percent to close at N3.21 per share.

The day’s transactions, executed in 2,257 deals, showed investors moved 131.7 million units of shares, a decline of 5

percent from 139.1 million units of shares, exchanged in the previous session, while value traded dropped 14 percent to N1.2 billion from N1.4 billion.

The most-traded stock of the day was International Breweries with 16.2 million shares valued at N289.2 million. Transcorp followed with 12.4 million shares worth N10.9 million, while FCMB traded 11.7 million shares worth N12.6 million.

Access Bank exchanged 10.7 million shares valued at N63.1 million and Zenith Bank emerged the fifth most-traded stock with 7.6 million shares worth N110.8 million

Summary of activities on NSE

VALUE

26,688.25 2,257.00 131,741,386.00 1,247,784,851.83

CAP

9,182,796,720,390.84

ASI

DEALS VOLUME

Coming attraction: Derivatives trading on the NSE

By Bonny Amadi

Cross section of participants at the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) workshop on ETF

Stanbic IBTC declares 5 kobo dividend for 2015 financial year Stanbic IBTC Holdings is proposing a dividend of 5 kobo to its shareholders for the fiscal year ended 31st December 2015.

The group in a notice to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) disclosed that the dividend is to be approved by shareholders at its annual general meeting on a date to be announced, while the Date of Payment will be three working days after.

The group’s 2015 full year financial results recorded a 45.2 percent decline in profit after tax to N18.89 billion, compared with N34.5 billion recorded in 2014.

Meanwhile notes to the consolidated and separate annual financial statements for the year ended 31 December 2015 reveal that the group was penalized by market regulators namely the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the

NSE for defaults in regulatory compliance.

The NSE penalty was N2.1million for failing to obtain prior approval before the publication of a press release.

The CBN placed a penalty of N2 million on the banking entity of the group for providing new credit facilities to customers without BVN, and another N10 million fine imposed for AML/CFT related issues arising from the AML/ CFT spot check in some of the branches.

The CBN further imposed a penalty of N2 million on the banking entity for failure to display conspicuously at its branches notices informing customers of the transfer of non-proprietary assets to custodians and that brokerage will be charged for the purchase of financial assets on their behalf.

Another penalty of N100,000 fell on the banking entity for the late rendition of a monthly return on mobile money scheme; and another N75,000 for the late rendition of daily returns for 21st September 2015, 22nd October 2015, and 30th October 2015.

David-Borha, Chief Executive Officer, Stanbic IBTC

Stakeholders of the Nigerian capital market have expressed confidence that the Nigerian capital market will receive a further boost in 2017 with the expected introduction of derivatives to boost market offering.

The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) currently only offers shares, bonds and exchangetraded funds (ETFS).

The derivatives expected to have been introduced in 2016 based on NSE’s earlier plan, is however expected by stakeholders to be welcomed into the NSE offerings in 2017.

Some stock brokers who spoke to Daily Times on condition of anonymity said that even as the market has remained largely bearish, the anticipated introduction of derivatives in the market will boost market offerings, vibrancy, and depth.

The expected introduction of derivatives is in fulfillment of the exchange’s earlier promise to introduce five asset classes in five years on the assumption of

office by Oscar Onyema as the NSE’ Chief Executive Officer in April 2011.

A financial derivative is one of the financial instruments used in sophisticated stock markets.

The financial instrument’s price is dependent upon or derived from one or more underlying assets. The derivative itself is merely a contract between two or more parties. Its value is determined by fluctuations or growth in the underlying asset.

The most common underlying assets include stocks, bonds, commodities, currencies, interest rates and market indexes “A lot of work is going on,” Onyema had assured earlier, adding: “The market is considering futures and options on both single stocks and equity indices among financial derivatives”.

Before the introduction of Index/Exchange traded funds (ETF) following approval by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) the NSE CEO assured that bourse “would also consider the addition of Options and Derivative”.

B5

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

B6 Brands & Marketing

Digital Marketing: Innovate or die in 2017, says Duncan Southgate Stories by Godwin Anyebe Global Brand Director, Media & Digital at Kantar Millward Brown, Duncan Southgate, has said that marketers around the globe must strive to deepen their understanding of the needs, aspirations and behaviours of their markets to survive in the new year. According to him, the unveiling of Generation Z concept, also called postmillennials and centennials will give marketers a run for their money in 2017.

Southgate who made this known recently through the Kantar Millward Brown annual digital and media predictions

for 2017, disclosed that brands will have to create better connected consumer journeys that are less intrusive with a smarter and more measured approach that discourages ad blocking.

For the ninth year running, the company’s predictions have provided marketers with a clear guide to the challenges and opportunities of the next 12 months, helping them shape their digital marketing strategies.

According to him, “marketers will also need to develop creative content that appeals to the imagination and emotions of the postmillennials consumer, if they want to be accepted by this key

group, who number a staggering 2 billion people worldwide – approximately 27% of the world’s population was born between 1997 and 2011.”

“The post-millennials will not only change how brands communicate but also create challenges in how brands demonstrate authenticity and transparency in digital. Strategies that are likely to be successful include investment in digital platforms that allow consumers to co-create a shared brand experience; Generation Z will be hands on – they want to try it, take it apart and re-create it.” He noted.

Brands will have to be more open, share their story, their

purpose and details of their production processes to allow Gen Z to determine if the brand’s values match their own.

He pointed out that; “marketers will have to move away from their current focus on the linear, factual and linguistic in favour of digital content that appeals to the imagination via technologies such as Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR); immersive formats that allow for stronger visual imagery.

Genneration Z will also respond much more than Millennials to emotional, musical narratives, creating new opportunities for creativity that appeals to all of people’s senses.”

L-R The Unit Secretary, Food, Beverage & Tobacco Senior Staff Association (FOBTOB), Comrade Ayoade Adekunle; the Regional Public Affairs Manager (North), Nigerian Bottling Company, Aminu Mohammed, the Legal Public Affairs and Communications Director, Nigerian Bottling Company, Sade Morgan, one of the Internally Displaced Persons in the camp and the Branch Officer, National Union of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employees (NUFBTE), Comrade Auwal Bikos during the donation of Relief Items to IDP Camp in Borno, recently.

PRCAN mourns Osita Ike The Public Relations Consultants Association of Nigeria (PRCAN) has described the recent passage of Prince Osita Ike as a great loss to the communications industry in Nigeria. Ike, the principal consultant of Oyster St Iyke Limited, a PR and communications consultancy, was an active member of both PRCAN and the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR).

In a statement made available to newsmen recently in Lagos, John Ehiguese, President of PRCAN, said that the sudden nature of Ike’s death left his colleagues and the larger communications sector far more saddened, given that he still had aged parents.

Ike served PRCAN as an exofficio member between 2004 and 2010 and remained an active member up till his last day attending functions in Lagos even when he had relocated his firm out of the former Federal capital, and supporting the association in various ways.

“We mourn our dynamic and enthusiastic colleague whose commitment to the public relations profession was never in doubt,” Ehiguese said. “No doubt the outpouring of emotion and tributes since his sudden transition is a confirmation of how well he played his part in the advancement of his cherished profession and his belief in humanity.”

The PRCAN president urged Ike’s family, loved ones, partners and colleagues to know that the PR sector in Nigeria shared in their grief as “we pray that God Almighty will comfort his aged parents, wife, children and all whose lives our brother and friend Ike impacted on.”

PRCAN, the umbrella body of Public Relations consultancy firms operating in Nigeria, has as its primary objective the promotion of professional reputation management in Nigeria, in both the public and private sectors. It is also committed to maintaining professional standards and discipline among members.

Goldberg tries for affinity with Lagos consumers

The determination of the Nigerian Breweries Plc to further strengthen the affinity of Goldberg Lager Beer with consumers in the South West has been identified as the basis upon which the brand’s new credential campaign was recently activated in Lagos and Ibadan. The brand unveiled its new identity in a credential campaign tagged: ‘Your Excellency’.

Patrick Olowokere, Corpo-

rate Communications/Brand PR Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc said the activation could not have been held at any other place because Goldberg is the number one brand in the South West region. “Your Excellency could not have commenced its journey from any other place apart from the South West of Nigeria where it is the favourite beer brand of the people”, he stated.

Due to the brand’s cultural af-

finity with the people in South West Nigeria and the loyalty of consumers there, Olowokere said the unveiling was held at the two locations to strengthen the bond that has developed over the years between consumers in the South-West and Goldberg lager beer.

According to him, the people of the Southwest and Goldberg lager beer also share a common bond – respect for traditional values and institutions. That

is why the brand has thrown its weight behind festivals like Ojude Oba in Ogun State; Udiroko in Ekiti State and the OsunOsogbo in Osun State, festivals that define and capture the essence of the cultural ethos of the people.

Corroborating him, Emmanuel Agu, Portfolio Manager, Mainstream Lager and Stout Brands, Nigerian Breweries Plc said as a brand that demonstrates its high regards for

the culture and traditions of its target consumers, Goldberg is a befitting beer that deserves the befitting title: “Your Excellency”. “No other beer brand matches Goldberg’s respect for the people’s culture. Goldberg has demonstrated that it occupies a class of its own in adding value to the way of life of the people”, he stated.

Osasona

Motoring B7

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Kia receives two Good Design awards Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Kia Motors has won two 2016 GOOD DESIGN awards, for the Telluride Concept and the production Cadenza sedan, in the programme’s ‘Transportation’ category.

This is the seventh consecutive year in which the Korean manufacturer has received GOOD DESIGN awards, which are organized annually by The Chicago Athenaeum. Previous Kia winners include

the 2014 GT4 Stinger concept car, the Soul EV, and the 2016 Sorento CUV. Both the first generation and current generation Cadenza premium sedan have now been recognized by the GOOD DESIGN awards.

The GOOD DESIGN jury – comprising independent design professionals, industry specialists and design media – evaluated entrants on a range of criteria, which included innovative design, new technologies, form,

materials, construction, concept, function, utility, energy efficiency, and sensitivity to the environment. Kia’s Telluride Concept and all-new Cadenza impressed judges in all areas.

Bryan Cho, Vice President of the Overseas Marketing Group at Kia Motors Corporation, commented: “The strength of Kia design has been a key driver for our international growth, attracting many new customers to our brand. This accolade under-

lines how far we have come and endorses our approach for taking Kia’s design in exciting new directions.”

Kia has three design centres worldwide: in Namyang, Korea; Irvine, California in the USA; and Frankfurt, Germany.

The GOOD DESIGN awards this year marked its 66th anniversary, making it one of the oldest and most influential design awards programmes anywhere

in the world. Established in 1950 and organized annually by The Chicago Athenaeum, the GOOD DESIGN awards programme celebrates the most innovative and contemporary designs from around 50 nations each year.

In previous years the jury has honoured products and designs from a wide range of industries, including the latest jet airliners, space craft, and even the paperclip.

The Next Titan Season Three winner gets Ford EcoSport from Coscharis Motors Ford, in collaboration with its local partner, Coscharis Motors, has rewarded the winner of Season Three of Nigeria’s entrepreneur reality TV show, The Next Titan, with a 2017 Ford EcoSport.

The Ford EcoSport was presented to the winner, Marvis MarshalIdio, by the marketing team of Coscharis Motors at the Season Three grand finale held recently in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, the General Manager, Marketing and Corporate Communications, Coscharis Group, Abiona Babarinde, said that the company’s support for the show is borne out of its commitment to growing the business community and encouraging budding Nigerian entrepreneurs.

“Coscharis is the official automotive sponsor of The Next Titan Season Three. We congratulate Marvis Marshal-Idio for her determination and great spirit throughout Season Three of the show. We are committed to growing and supporting initiatives geared towards the

development of Nigerian entrepreneurs. Nigeria is a nation of entrepreneurs.

We encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship in young Nigerians through practical business exposure and mentorship,” Babarinde explained.

According to the Executive Producer of the show, Mide KunleAkinlaja, the Ford sponsorship has helped to fulfill the objective of the show to encourage young Nigerians towards entrepreneurship, rather than waiting for elusive paid employment.

Kunle-Akinlaja said: “We are indeed grateful to Ford and Coscharis Motors for the invaluable support and sponsorship that gave birth to the success of the third season of the show, which aims at encouraging and inspiring young and talented Nigerians with business ideas that can be built into new enterprises that are innovative, exciting and sustainable; and also contribute towards the social development of Nigeria through job creation.”

Mr. Felix Mahan, Ford Brand Manager, Coscharis Motors; Mrs. Marvis Marshal Idio, Winner of The Next Titan Season 3; and Mr. Olalekan Adenuga, Divisional General Manager, Dealer Network Development, Coscharis Motors; during the presentation of Ford EcoSport 2017 model to the winner of The Next Titan Season 3 at Oriental Hotel, Lagos...recently.

Honda builds 100 millionth car

Honda has just reached the huge milestone of 100 million cars in cumulative global production.

Soichiro Honda founded the company named after him in 1948 to make first clip-on engines for bicycles, and later complete motorcycles, with the stated intention of putting wartorn Japan back on wheels.

Honda began production of four-

wheelers in 1963, with the introduction of the T360 mini-truck and S500 sportscar, but it wasn’t until the opening of its first dedicated car factory a year later at Sayama City in Saitama Prefecture, and the release of the iconic S600 roadster, that Honda car production really took off.

Five years later, the first Honda car plant outside Japan began assembling

N600s and TN360s in Taiwan.

Cumulative production reached five million in 1978, 10 million in 1983, 20 million in 1990, and 50 million in 2003.

Today the company has 34 car plants on five continents, focusing on global models such as the Jazz hatch and Civic sedan, as well as the HR-V, CR-V SUVs, and the NSX supercar.

Hyundai Elantra wins best new small car award

Volkswagen Tiguan SUV seven- seater version

The Hyundai Elantra Sport has won the Best New Sports/ Performance Car title by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC).

First introduced in 1991, the Elantra compact sedan – now in its sixth generation – has sold over 500,000 units in Canada and more than 10 million units worldwide. Meanwhile, the

Sport version is new to the Hyundai line-up and stands as the most powerful Elantra model ever produced.

The previous generation Elantra won both the Canadian Car of the Year and North American Car of the Year titles in 2012, and this new recognition continues Hyundai’s recent

winning ways in the Canadian competition. Since 2011, the Tucson, Accent, Veloster, Elantra GT, Santa Fe Sport, and Sonata have also received honours from AJAC. As category winners, Elantra and Elantra Sport are both now on the final list of contenders for the 2017 Canadian Car of the Year title to be announced

February 16, 2017.

“We could not be more thrilled to receive these awards.

It’s especially rewarding for the engineers and designers who worked tirelessly to bring to market the best vehicle Hyundai could possibly develop,” said Don Romano, President and CEO of Hyundai Auto Canada Corp.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29 , 2016

B8

The Edo Times

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

I’ll continue to give out rice - Ken Imansuagbon ET 4

Obaseki’s wife pays Christmas visit to ET 3 patients, babies in hospitals Yuletide: Govt embarks on urgent road rehabilitation

ÏÏÏGovernor Godwin Obase-

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (left) and his deputy, Philip Shaibu, (right) waving to children during the IDPs children’ Christmas party in Benin...recently

Waste to wealth mechanism coming, says Obaseki Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

The Edo

T E A M

win Obaseki, has said his administration’s desire was to turn the excessive wastes generated in the state into wealth and from it, create job opportunities for teeming youths in the state.

Governor Obaseki said this while speaking on Saturday with newsmen during an inspection visit to the existing dump sites and the proposed dump sites in Benin City, the state capital.

The Governor said his inspection of the sites was to properly have a grasp of the refuse disposal system in place.

He disclosed that the state government had perfected plans to de-congest existing dump sites, create new

dump sites that would meet with international best practices within the Benin metropolis.

The governor said that the planned waste disposal system would be effective ``that does not pollute the underground water in the state.’’

Governor Obaseki said with the planned blueprint, investors would be wooed to come to Edo State to invest in waste recycling management which would ultimately turn excessive generated wastes to wealth.

His words: “There are plans for waste recycling - this is just an intermediate measure.

“In the New Year, we are going to ensure that we progress the conversations we are having with some investors who have indicated interest in investing in recycling plants.

“We have come today to make

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Titus Akhigbe

sure we have an established system and process by which managers will now dispose their wastes properly in the dump site.”

On the location of the new dump site, he said: “I am particularly pleased with this location because one of the concerns we had before with the other dump site was that it was not sealed.

“And therefore, we ran the risk of polluting our underground water. But in this case, we are going to make sure adequate preparations are made and that the land is properly prepared and properly sealed so that they can receive wastes in the way it should be done.”

Speaking on the measures put in place by government to address the ugly trend, the Governor said: “Ultimately, we have to recycle these wastes. That is a sustainable solution.

“We have to open up more lands to make sure the new lands are properly sealed so that they do not pollute our underground water. `”That is what we have planned to do – open up more lands and more

properly prepared lands, but more importantly to now begin to collaborate with people who will make the investment of turning these waste to wealth.”

Speaking further, Governor Godwin Obaseki said: “You would notice that since we changed the structure of waste disposal by the waste managers, they have now been encouraged to pick more wastes from the city.

“But unfortunately, the process to dump the waste effectively into the dump site has not been properly managed. And that is why most of the managers have taken the short cut of dumping their wastes on the road.”

Also speaking, the Secretary to Edo State Government, Barrister Osarodion Ogie said: “We have been concerned about the state of the dump site at Ikhueniro.

“We’ve had to deploy several machines to go and clear the place so that people can begin to dump their wastes in the proper way, because as you know our people, the level of indiscipline is so much.

ki of Edo State says his government will strengthen its communication structure that will guarantee unhindered and effective transmission of government activities to the public.

Speaking while receiving Mrs. Pauline Igbanor, the Zonal Director, Nigerian Television Authority and her team in Government House, Benin City on Tuesday, Governor Obaseki said the platform would ensure transparency and openness of his administration.

“We also need to begin to rethink government’s communication. So, we are going to be strengthening our own in-house communication structure. ``Both infrastructure and people are to ensure that we put out activities of government to you on a timely basis and also very accurately. ``We are one government that has nothing to hide.

Our whole platform is built on transparency and openness.”

The governor therefore called for collaboration to develop quality contents, saying: “Let’s begin to work together to develop quality contents, particularly as regards to governance in Nigeria. ``We are clear that we have always been a bastion of the best this country has to offer, particularly in the area of communication. ``Whether it is public or private, Edo people dominate the communication space in this country.”

Obaseki assured that his administration will continue to listen and respond to the needs of the people of the state at all times.

His words: “I assure you that you have in us a government that is responsive, a government that listens, a government that is very clear-sighted as to what its objectives are.

The Edo Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Allocation: LGAs share N1.8b for Nov., absolves EDSG of interference

ÏÏÏ The eighteen local government

councils in Edo State have received the sum of N1, 777,639,808.24 from the federal allocation for the month of November, 2016 and absolved the State Government of any interference with revenue accruing to local government areas.

Briefing newsmen after the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in the state held at the Government House, Benin City, on Wednesday, the spokesman of the heads of local government administration, and head of Esan South East, Barrister Macaulay Ehonor, said the LGAs have received the sum of N1, 777,639,808.24 from the federal allocation for the month of November, 2016, out of which the total mandatory deduction came up to the sum of N1, 181,401,139.16.

Ehonor said: “We have just held the joint allocation committee meeting of local governments in Edo State presided over by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Edo State, Godwin Nogheghase Obaseki. The total allocation received by local governments in Edo State for the month of November, shared now in the month of December is N1,777,639,808.24 (One Billion, Seven Hundred and Seventy Seven Million, Six Hundred and Thirty Nine Thousand, Eight Hundred and Eight Naira, Twenty Four Kobo).

“Of this amount, the total mandatory expenditure came up to N1,181,401,139.16 (One Billion, One Hundred and Eighty One Million, Four Hundred and One Thousand, One Hundred and Thirty Nine Naira, Sixteen Kobo).”

He said the bulk of the mandatory expenditure went into the payment

of teachers’ salaries while three local governments received negative allocation and would have to look elsewhere for funds to meet their financial obligations.

“The bulk of this mandatory expenditure went in for teachers’ salaries, and in this month’s distribution, three local governments received negative allocation. That is to say, what accrued to these local governments cannot pay their teachers’ salaries.

“In other words, they are supposed to go out looking for money to augment, and these local governments are Oredo, Orhionmwon and Uhunmwode local governments.

These received negative allocation after the deduction from the mandatory expenditure.

“Arising from this development, His Excellency has promised that the State will intervene to ensure that these local governments are able to meet some commitments to the staff of the local governments this month.

The government has also promised to assist the local governments to carry out an assessment of our economic potentials of each and every local government. That is, to establish our base revenues and also our base monthly expenditure, to see how viable each and every local government would be in the months to come.

“The local governments are also to carry out physical verification of teachers in the respective primary schools as soon as schools resume.

The National Union of Teachers, (NUT) has also been sensitized by the State Government towards this assignment. This administration will abhor absenteeism of its staff, both teachers and non-teaching staff.”

We’ll create largest auto market, says Obaseki

Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Governor Godwin Obaseki says

his administration will establish the largest auto-market in Benin, the capital Edo State, as part of his administration’s effort to encourage technological growth in the state and Nigeria.

The governor made the disclosure when executive members of the Nigerian Automobile Technicians Association (NATA) paid him a courtesy visit in government House in Benin.

He said such auto-market, aside the fact that it would assist in the creation and assembling of motor parts, it would also help to mitigate the high current foreign exchange rate and boost Nigeria’s foreign reserve.

Gov. Obaseki added that government would through the auto market help to strengthen and regulate the activities of auto technicians in the

state.

He said: “We want to create the largest auto market in this part of Nigeria, in Benin City. We will come back to you early in the New Year with designs so that we can think about it together.

“Because of the unique location of Edo and Benin City, people must drive through our state, and when they have issues or problems, they always stop here to get service. ``That is why your business is big. So, we as government are interested. We want to understand and have enough data on the traffic and see how we can now constructively structure that opportunity so that you people can get more benefits from this special advantage which we have. ``So, we have to work together in a very collaborative manner. You need to give us information, share data with us and we will also share information with you.”

Furthermore, Gov. Obaseki said: “One of the reasons I want us to quickly build this park is what is going on in Nigeria today. Not very many people can replace their cars. ``So, we have to be able to maintain what we have. And that has a lot of implications. I think at a point, we should be able to begin to make and assemble parts, especially as foreign exchange is scarce. ``I don’t believe in working from the top to below. If you work from the bottom and you work from the top, you get to where you are going faster. ``So, that is another opportunity I want us to start exploring very early in the New Year.”

He said government would strengthen and regulate the activities of auto technicians, adding that “I was very clear and definite that I want to help you to strengthen your association so that we can regulate your business better.

Group solicits support for implementation of Edo 2017 budget estimates ÏÏÏ A non-political organisa-

tion, Benin Integrity Group (BIG), has called for total support for Governor Godwin Obaseki in the overall implementation of the 3027 budget estimates.

The group which stated this in a press statement issued by one of its notable diaspora members in Benin City, Dr. Abel Edosuyi, also appealed to all the Civil Servants, Consultants (whether public or private) and other administrators who are to be involved in the execution, supervision and evaluation of the budget during implementation to have the fear of God and be honest in the prudent management of the resources approved for the budget implementation, in the overall interest of Edo people.

“This is a clarion call to honest and committed service

to our dear Edo State which has become compelling because it will not be business as usual again in the reckless management of Edo people’s common wealth as all those to be involved in the budget implementation shall be called to account for their stewardship, “ the group said in the statement.

The social-economic, cultural and non-partisan political pressure group, which comprised notable and patriotic sons and daughters of Benin origin who have carved a niche for themselves in their chosen professional and human endeavours also expressed satisfaction and confidence in the ability and capacity of Governor Obaseki to lead Edo State to the next level of social-economic and political prosperity.

Mrs. Betsy Obaseki admiring a set of new born twins during her visit to one of the three specialist hospitals in Benin...recently

Take your rightful positions in nation’s affairs, Mrs. Obaseki urges women ÏÏÏ The wife of the Edo state Gov-

ernor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki last Friday feted women in the state with a charge to them to rise up and take their rightful position in the affairs of the nation in general and state in particular.

Mrs. Obaseki gave the charge at Christmas and end of year party organised for Edo women by the state Government, Office of the Wife of the Governor.

The first lady said that she was optimistic that a woman could become a Governor of the state only if they showed love, eschewed pettiness, fighting and quarreling among themselves.

Appreciating the women for their support which guaranteed the victory for her husband at the September 28, 2016 Governorship election, she said women remained a formidable and active political vocal voice in the state.

The wife of the Governor said that in view of this, the Governor had directed party leaders across ward, local government and state level to ensure that out of every three leaders, one must be a woman.

She disclosed that the present administration is therefore open to all not just APC members as the office of the Governor and Wife of Governor was for Edo people.

She said: “We are in office to look

after everyone. We feel special to be called God’s children, because God is interested in us.

“God has chosen to visit Edo. It is time for governance and time to do what God has chosen us to do”.

She stressed that the present administration would build on the foundation of the previous administration and gave an assurance that Edo would become the new Lagos State.

Mrs. Obaseki also noted that the present hardship in the country was not peculiar to Nigeria alone, but noted that it was time citizens began to do self-appraisal.

She emphasised that humans become ingenuous in adversity.

Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

3 The Edo Times

Obaseki’s exciting 2017 budget

Obaseki’s wife pays Christmas visit to patients, babies in hospitals

ÏÏÏ On December 19, 2016, the Ex-

ÏÏÏ

john Mayaki

ecutive Governor of Edo State Mr. Godwin Obaseki, proposed a budget before a session of the Edo State House of Assembly. Contained in the speech are nuggets revealing a progressive philosophy for the generation and expenditure of state funds, and pointers to the governor’s sense of administrative awareness and sensitivity to the people’s welfare.

To his credit, Governor Obaseki has tickled critical fancy by continuously generating positive reviews for the practicability and transparency of the budget. Furthermore, there is a general air of satisfaction that the current administration has its priorities in the right places – improving the people’s standard of living.

The Coalition for Good Governance and Economic Justice in Africa (CGGEJA) has described it as “a realistic budget estimate with a good title which appositely reflects the content.” Clearly, the budget is scaling initial hurdles. However, it still has to run through the gauntlet of scrutiny at the House of Assembly before it can materialize as law.

The rub of many budgets lie not only in projecting income and expenditure, but also in implementation. On both frontiers, Governor Obaseki’s proposed budget is doing good.

The CGGEJA condemned the prevalence of mismanagement of funds in the country but seemed optimistic about Edo’s proposed budget saying that: “The problem with budgets in Nigeria over the years is poor implementation, but there is no doubt that this budget will perform positively if passed into law,” the body explained.

Accordingly, both grave problems did not escape the governor’s notice, and it is deducible from the budget speech that not only can the proverbial camel find itself making an appearance at the river at a handler’s behest, but it can also be disciplined to drink of it.

The speech proposed to employ the zero-budgeting policy also promising that the TSA system currently employed by the federal government can be a lifeline to consider as per implementation of the budget.

Here, Governor Obaseki must tread with caution and sound judgment, for the TSA system has come under media scrutiny due to the tedious procedural obstacles that impede speedy disbursal of funds.

Again, at the session before the House of Assembly, the governor listed certain promises and reiterated several commitments such that when the anticipated budget was eventually in the open, the audience had sufficing knowledge of where the money was likely to go. It will be a noteworthy accomplishment if the governor has been able to prove with his speech that the final desti-

Obaseki nation of the people’s money is not an errant contractor’s pocket, but in the state’s infrastructure.

Caesar’s wife, it is unanimously agreed, must be above suspicion.

Governor Obaseki, taking cognizance of this, dedicated time to explaining the philosophy that governed the formulation of the 2017 budget.

The governor explained in the speech that: “The policy directions of this budget are largely informed by my interactions with Edo people during my campaign which was validated in a strategy dialogue comprising political, religious and traditional leaders, professionals, civil society, women and youth groups.”

A commentator, Felix Osemwengie Isere Esq. expressed satisfaction that the ratio of recurrent and capital expenditure leveled at 50:50. He interpreted it to mean that that the Government is serious. Who would not?

The identified areas around which the budget is hinged include Economic Revolution (Agribusiness; Electricity Generation & Distribution Extractive Industry Development & Expansion; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprise (MSME) development; Skills Development and productivity enhancement; Tourism, Culture, Leisure and Hospitality; Health Care Services; Utilities), Infrastructural Expansion, Institutional Reform, Social Welfare Enhancement, Culture & Tourism and Environmental Sustainability. One thing all these areas have in common is that they can promote multiplicity in revenue if they explored.

It is noteworthy that the Obaseki administration is aware of the need to grow the state’s economy and reduce reliance on the national coffers. This is depicted in the following quote from the speech; “...we shall engage our people more and explore ways to assist in making them more productive, for herein lies our prosperity; the prosperity of our people.

We shall therefore take deliberate steps to improve the ease of doing business in Edo state, but drastically reduce the bottlenecks currently ex-

The policy directions of this budget are largely informed by my interactions with Edo people during my campaign which was validated in a strategy dialogue comprising political, religious and traditional leaders, professionals, civil society, women and youth groups perienced by business people. Time limits will be set within which citizens can and should obtain permits such as building approvals, C of O, licenses etc from MDAs. We will establish a business bureau in the office of the Governor to co-ordinate and give effect to these government initiatives.”

Another commentator echoed similar optimism saying that: “The budget presented by Governor Obaseki is a pointer that this government means business. The normal tradition in Nigeria is formulating budgets with recurrent expenditure usually surpassing capital expenditure. Now, we have a 50-50 budget and I commend the governor for this bold step.”

Should Governor Obaseki maintain the momentum he has garnered in less than two months in office, perhaps he may bring about the change, which the All Progressives Congress is bent on heralding in the country. Needless to say, this position will remain an exciting pipe dream until the proposed budget survives scrutiny at the House of Assembly.

Mr. John Mayaki is Chief Press Secretary (Interim) to Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki PHILIP SHAIBU: THE MULTIPLE-AWARDS WINNING DEPUTY GOVERNOR

Wife of Edo State Governor, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, in the spirit of Christmas, visited three specialist hospitals in Benin, to offset the medical bills of some patients as she facilitated with others wishing them speedy recovery.

Mrs. Obaseki, on Sunday, celebrated with patients, especially children at the Stella Obasanjo Hospital, Central hospital and the University of Benin Teaching Hospital, all in Benin respectively.

At the Stella Obasanjo hospital, Benin, she offered to pay the medical bill of an unconscious child as she celebrated Christmas with newly born babies, children and patients in the various wards.

In her remarks, Mrs. Obaseki said: “That’s what life is all about, to make ourselves instruments in God’s hands, to be used to bless other human beings. ``Whatever we do, it is God that is doing it, not human beings. To me, it is a privilege and opportunity to be used by God’s hand. I am very glad to find myself in that position. I thank God for everything.”

The governor’s wife was also at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital where she commended the management for the commendable hygiene and high sanitary condition of the environment.

Mrs. Obaseki said she was delighted to visit the patients and babies on Christmas day, adding that “I am very pleased to be here. I have thoroughly enjoyed myself. ``I have to commend the hospital; this is like being at home. No smell of anything foul or vile or unpleasant. ``It’s highly commendable and for a big hospital as yours, second largest in the country, and you are keeping the standard so high. Please keep it up, and well done, sir. `` Congratulations on that. “By God’s grace, when next i visit, I want to see the standard improving. You have done well, but there is always room for improvement. ``I will be looking forward to coming here every year and enjoy as I have enjoyed today,’’ she said.

Dr. Isaac Omorogiuwa, the Medical Director of Stella Obasanjo Hos-

pital, while thanking the wife of the Governor for the visit, thanked her for the magnanimity for paying the medical bills of the unconscious patient.

He said: “I want to say on behalf of the management of this hospital that we appreciate your coming.

More importantly, her Excellency has just informed me that she would foot the bill of that unconscious child. ``This goes to show your magnanimity and human kindness. We appreciate you.”

At the UBTH, its Chief Medical Director, Prof. Mike Ibadin, who thanked Mrs. Obaseki for attending the Christmas party, said the essence of the event was to share the joyous moment with patients who could not celebrate in their homes.

He said: “What we are doing today, the essence is for us to share the joyous moment with patients in the wards, who for circumstances beyond their control are compelled to do their Christmas in the wards. ``At the ward you have just visited is one of the maternity wards.

The hospital is an 860 bedded-ward hospital, the second largest in the country. ``We are happy this is your first official assignment here. So, we wish you well, and we hope and pray that by this time next year, you have occasion to repeat an event like this.” ``The Christmas baby of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital who weighed 2.8kg at birth was born

by Mrs. Serah Amadin at 00. 50 in the morning.

At the Central Hospital, Mrs. Obaseki visited patients, babies and their mothers and shared the joy of Christmas with them with the presentation of gifts to them. `` Among the babies she visited was the Christmas baby born by Mrs. Anita Okoro, a male delivered at 1.59 am and weighed 3.5 kg at birth.

The Medical Director of the Central Hospital, Benin City, Dr. Barry Uwadiae, thanked the wife of the Governor for remembering them at this festive period and expressed gratitude for the gifts she presented to patients, babies and their mothers in the wards.

Surprise, excitement as Governor Obaseki, Deputy pose as Santa Claus for IDPs ÏÏÏ In the spirit of the season, Edo

State Government hosted the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) at the International Christian Centre to a Christmas party where Governor Godwin Obaseki and Deputy, Comrade Philip Shaibu, played the role of ‘Father Christmas’ to the admiration and excitement of the children.

The event, which was hosted by the Office of the Governor’s wife, Mrs. Betsy Obaseki, is unique in this part of the world – if not the first in recent history.

The event also afforded the children the opportunity to engage in various fun-sports activities such as bouncing castle, merry-go-round, coconut ride, electric train, moun-

tain climber, giant water slide, swimming pool, giant shark attack, aero plane rocking ride, dolly coin machine, princess castle, superman castle, children boogie bike, octopus, and inflatable football among others.

It was also not in short supply of assorted food and drinks with gifts for everyone.

However, a new dimension was introduced – the pleasant surprise – Governor Obaseki and his Deputy, Rt. Hon. Comrade Philip Shaibu, emerged from the ‘blues’ posing as ‘Executive Santa Claus’.

On hand to support Mrs. Betsy Obaseki was the Deputy Governor’s wife, Mrs. Maryann Shaibu.

The Edo Times 4 Ken Imansuagbon.

Popularly known as Rice Man is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Edo State. In this interview with TITUS AKHIGBE, he speaks on a variety of issues in the polity, asserting that he will continue to give out rice to the people of the state. Excerpts: Peoples are of the view that this year’s annual rice distribution exercise which you started long ago will not take place again given the belief that you lost the 2016 Edo governorship ticket and that the empowerment scheme has been for political reason. How would you react to this?

Well, we have said this many times that my love is natural for Edo State, it is not politics; my love for Edo people is not defined by politics neither is it defined by tribe, neither is it defined by religion or economic or social or educational status. My love for Edo State is God given. I am passionate about it, it is from the heart and the deepest point of my heart. So, what has been propelling me to share rice all these past eleven years is basically and principally because of my love for Edo State, it is not political and it can never be. Politics will come and go but my love for Edo people remains. My dear, we are one people under God irrespective of your tribe or religion. When I give rice, I give it to the Muslims, I go to the mosque to share rice. When I give I do to the Christians, I go to the churches; on the streets, I give it to peasants, to the farmers, bike riders, tomato sellers, tailors, shoemakers and shoe shiners, even to doctors, lawyers, not because of social status but because that is God’s given, an innate love for humanity; my innate love is what defines me, my innate love is what moves me for Edo people; my heart is where Edo is and Edo state is where my eye is.

Given this long years of annual ritual of rice distribution, many people are of the opinion that rather than buying rice to distribute or importing it to distribute that you should go into rice production as a private sector driven exercise.

What is your take on this?

Yes, very good question. That is exactly what I would have done if the cabal in Edo, the criminals and the rascals and thieves who subverted the will of Edo people had allowed me to win the primaries to become the governor of the state. Edo State would have been the land of rice cultivation; that was what I wanted to do but the evil men; in every society, there are evil men who will not want the good or progress. They stopped me at the primaries but if they stopped me at the primaries, can they stop my will and my love for Edo people? The answer is no, they can’t. You can see now that is why it is beyond them and that is why I have embarked on the rice sharing.

However, the second aspect to what you asked is that I am not a rich man, I don’t have the financial muscle to have rice farm or plantation. If I do yes that is the best way to go. If I had made it to be governor I promised during my campaign that there would be three rice farm settlements in each of the

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, December 29, 2016

Interviews

I’ll continue to give out rice - Ken Imansuagbon three senatorial districts of the state.

My contacts would have determined which one to bear but I hope Governor Obaseki takes the challenge and initiative to learn from what I would have done. It doesn’t matter who is there now but what is important is for Edo and humanity to progress. But let me quickly say that those who muscle election process are criminals, they should be tried and be hanged, because when you tamper with the will of the people when you print ballot papers, when you bring thugs, force INEC to write false results you are putting curse upon your head and your children’s’ children. You can’t go scot free; a sinner never, never goes unpunished. God might be patient with you, he can take time but punishment will surely come.

So, those who are destroying our democracy should beware. It was at this table that I said that I foresee a revolution in 2015, this same chair; those who are tampering with election results should beware because great consequence is coming. With the election of Donald Trump and the world’s populist direction, now Nigeria cannot be left behind. You think Nigeria allow this to continue to happen because will revolt on the streets for the revolution, pure revolution on the streets when people vote and tamper with their will. That is the greatest crime you can commit against your country. This can bring in a military coup. People will queue on the line, tax payers’ money will be used to conduct election and you come, write results in INEC or print names of people during primaries, which is criminal, disgusting and barbaric. So, if the primaries of APC was allowed to be free and fair, you know I would have emerged as the candidate of the APC and today I would have been governor and Edo people would have had the privilege of better things. Of course, it is my will and passion that is important.

But sir, it is clear that the leadership of your party, the APC, believes in consensus and once the leadership meets and resolves on such issue as zoning, it is binding and therefore the zoning of the governorship sloth to Edo South senatorial district played a major role to your loss during the primaries because you are from the Central senatorial zone. What’s your take?

Those who fan the ember of zoning are enemies of democracy. What is democracy, that the greatest number of people will have their way while the minority will have their say; that is what democracy is all about. When you go to vote, that voting card is your sovereignty, you are surrendering. So, those who fan the embers of zoning are subverting democracy, there was not time APC zoned primaries to Edo south, no. If the APC primaries was free and fair you know I would have won Edo south, I would have won north. But there would have been consequence, make no mistake about it but those who cheated the people will be punished.

Now, you lost at the primaries and the governorship election had

Ken Imansuagbon

Politics will come and go but my love for Edo people remains. My dear, we are one people under God irrespective of your tribe or religion.

When I give rice, I give it to the Muslims, I go to the mosque to share rice been conducted and won and the government in power under Governor Godwin Obaseki and the party leadership has been reaching out to those who are aggrieved and we learnt that you were reached but you conspicuously shunned the inauguration of the new government. Is this true?

Look, let me tell you, my brother, what do I really want in life? How much does a man need; garri, eba, pounded yam, goat meat, bush meat, is that what I will be there for? Not Kenneth Imasuangbon, God forbid. The day my house cannot feed me, God should better take my life. Obaseki never reached me because it is shame; he stole my mandate and never got to me because he knows the consequence of the election. My dear, for me, it is not a big deal at all. The future is greater than what a few people are doing now.

Is the world ending today? Must I be a governor? Let Oshiomhole and I take a stroll to the Ring road and let us see whom the people will eulogize and praise high. It is not about governor, governor or no governor; twenty years ago who was the governor of Edo state and the people know. Awolowo was not the President of Nigeria but Nigeria’s political life and times is measured by Awolowo’s actions and inactions. Who is the greatest? Okay, because people

are poor that is why you think the governor is important. What is governor or minister or permanent secretary or local government chairman? A chairman of a council and you are looting, you are a thief; a governor and you are a thief. You steal the peoples’ money, are you a lunatic? You are a common criminal it is juts that you are looting as governor or president or as chairman of a council. So, I you are governor or minister or chairman and you are stealing, you are a common criminal. In a civilized country people in government serve; you are just there to serve. That is why I ask, let us remove immunity. I call on the National Assembly and the House of Representatives, they must remove immunity clause so that when you are serving as governor even as President you can be tried. That’s why on the same page with Buhari on the issue of corruption because corruption has finished the country. It is a cancer that all Nigerians have to deal with. It is a shame that as a people at this our age; I am 50 and at my age you are still talking about inability to conduct primaries. We are still talking about our inability to choose our leaders. In animal kingdom there are lions there but there is order. All the fish in the Atlantic Ocean there is order but look at us, beheading policemen. Is that not a shame, are we animals? Quite honestly, Nigeria Police, it will take us time but if they don’t take time I, Kenneth Imasuangbon and others will lead a revolution in Nigeria very soon. You can’t take this shit any more. My country and it is a big shame. Instead of talking how we create jobs for our younger generation, how the roads will work, how electricity will be steady; how Nigeria will travel to the moon, how Nigeria will be a strong member of the United Nations Security Council; who is taking us serious as a people? Now, travel out of the shores of the country, if you are Nigerian you don’t work in a sensitive organization; little Ghana or Ethiopians, you them in serious areas whether in London, UK, Netherland, Paris and they are more regarded because as we do things other are watching. Okay, you stole money as governor whether as a sitting outgoing governor

is that what defines you? If God inflicts you with cancer will that money save you? You have tumour or you have tissue in the heart or you have palpitation of the heart will that help you? So, why are you deceiving yourself; we are just deceiving ourselves. I don’t need money my dear, see where I am in Benin City, it is simple. When I share rice that is who I am; when I give scholarship that is who I am. In my school, if you are the child of a military officer or police you get discount that is who I am.

If your father or mother dies, you don’t pay school fees at all. I have over one hundred students not paying school fees in Pacesetter Schools in Abuja.

That is who I am. So, quite honestly, my time in politics I wasted it with criminals, rascals and people who don’t love the country and don’t love their neighbours, those are the people I meet; who will tell good morning and they mean good night. But, again, that is my dissatisfaction with politics and so also my hope and inspiration that we must not allow criminals and rascals to continue. We went to the streets to share rice and see hunger everywhere. Those are Nigerians and humans like us. So, when we do anything as we are in government let us remember that we will face our creator in judgment.

Have you lost confidence in the APC because the same thing you experienced in the PDP which made you to leave the fold was what you had in the ruling?

Quite honestly, it is the same set of criminals are having parading themselves. It is not a political party, it is, look you are what you are; if even a new party comes today this same people wil go there and pollute them.

We are politicians, show me what you have done. You the press why not ask questions, you want to go the House of Reps or you are a senator, what have you done tell us your score card. The money you are spending where did you make it from? You want to be governor or you are a governor, how did you come to power or when you are leaving it? Nigeria is the only country where nobody asks you question on how you made your money, look we are talking about our country. At 50, I don’t fear anybody anymore, what I fear is the rule of law. What I fear is my creator now and my legacy now; how Ken will be judged when I am gone. By next year the real political battle will start.

Are you thinking of leaving the APC? Look, it is not about party; next year Nigerians will assess President Buhari on whether he will come back or not. I have said that Nigeria will give Buhari two, three years. By next year, I will assess him and now tell Nigerians. So, after two years, the President must be able to show his scorecard and whatever the issue is, we will meet with the people who did well or not. Let me tell you no man can rig the 2019 election, forget all those Edo, Rivers and others, nobody can rig the 2019 election. Can’t you see Donald Trump now and what he is saying that Nigeria must get it right? If we don’t get it right ourselves, external people will come and help us.

Life&

TIMES Thursday, December 29, 2016

From Rhapsody to glory!!!

Olamide shut down Lagos for the 3rd time

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Thursday, December 29, 2016

Mutiat Alli

If Olamide can shut down Eko Hotel, filling stadium could be next idea He is a street lover and his performance dexterity is second album, chronicles his growth as an artiste and tells his story. The same story that has made these people abandon the as he has proved for the third time that he understands the comfort of their homes, the sweet lull of street better than any other artiste. From his performance sleep and made the exasperating drive, delivery, one is quick to say that Olamide gave his all towards money for a chance to be a part of that The Beast Mode 3. He unleashed the beast in him with story. his performance, high energy that refused to drop at every But there were too much of them. moment. As someone who grew up in Bariga, his movement More than Eko Hotel can handle, hence prestigious Eko Hotel & suites for the third time in three years, Baddo is set to shut down the stadium.

Everywhere, there were people, from the adjoin streets that stretch out to other streets that form a network on Victoria Island down to the source of all these people; Eko Hotels & Suites.

These people came from all over Lagos and beyond, seeking for a chance to see rapper and Hip-hop evangelist, Concert”. A show which began in 2014, the rapper has made it three in three years, transcending from just a concert to an artistic celebration of his success and an opportunity to promote his albums, which are another yearly affair.

This year, his new project – “The Glory” – which was released on the day of the concert, marked his sixth studio

the edges of Victoria Island. Many were left stranded outside, without a chance to gain access to a show they paid for. Their tickets hung limp in their hands, useless.

Many others could not exchange tickets for access wristbands into the venue.

Eko Convention Centre, the mega concert Hall that has been the Mecca of performing pop concerts in Lagos has staved off competition over the years

from rival venues, due to its location in a core center, and its capacity.

The Eko Convention Centre is the largest multipurpose

has the capacity to cater for dinner and conference events for up to 3,000 people and concerts with audiences of up to 6,000 people.

Olamide who once boasted on his single “Eyan May

“When… anybody wants to talk about rapper or whatever, go of his bigger successes and the growth of his celebrity and the exponential expansion of his fan base, which cuts through He no longer needs Eko Hotel, what he needs is a stadium.

Yes, he is at that level.

Olamide should move his concert to any of the two major stadia in Lagos. The Teslim Balogun Stadium which boasts of

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which will provide him with space to accommodate 55,000

Entertainment Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Abimbola Obatayo

people.

Doing this might not be easy, but it makes more sense for his fans. He has the political connections to make that happen. The Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode, Senator Dino Melaiye, and Oba Saheed Ademola Elegushi were all present at OLIC3. Between them, he has state support for use of the facility and adequate security to make that a reality. What remains is adequate pricing of the tickets and everything falls into place.

Just recently, Phyno accomplished a similar feat in the

Stadium with a total of 30,000 excited fans screaming excitedly while over 5,000 fans who were not allowed entry due to security challenges camped at the entrance as an expression of their love for the rapper.

In theory, Olamide is a greater artiste with more spans the entire country. If properly marketed, these will be rookie numbers for him. up to the glory of stadia.

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, December 29, 2016

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Mutiat Alli & Abimbola Obatayo

Don Pedro Aganbi emerges as AGN Chairman

Ex-Miss Nigeria Queen, Lessi Peter-Vigboro, to host Music Runway today In yet another edition of the Music Runaway gig, the year rounds up with ace fashion designer Frank Oshodi today Thursday December 29, 2016 at popular celebrity hangout, Maison Fahrenheit, Adetokunbo Ademola, Victoria Island, Lagos.

It will interest you to hear that the 39th Miss Nigeria pageant winner, Lessi Peter Vigboro, who

recently ended her tenure will be hosting the show for the second time running in a year.

The event is expected to attract fashion and music lovers as it promises to be an event of top notch with performances and fashion showcase by international designers, international models and eye- popping performances by Skikane, Toby Grey, Kola soul amongst others.

The Actors Guild of Nigeria, Lagos Chapter recently inaugurated its newly elected state executives led by Actor, Producer and TV host, Don Pedro Aganbi, at Ojez Restaurant in Lagos.

The inauguration ceremony had in attendance notable Nollywood Icons like Adebayo Salami, Popularly called Oga Bello, Patience Ozokwo (Mama G), former president of Association of Movie producers, Paul Obazele, Chidi Nwakobia, Ejiro Okurame, Mary Ogbonna (Biliki) Actors Guild of Nigeria founding Chairman, Prince Dr. Ifeanyi Dike among others.

Speaking during his hand over ceremony, the immediate past chairman, Victor Osuagwu, charged the new Chairman to pay attention to artist welfare and ensure he takes AGN Lagos to greater heights. “You are taking the leadership of AGN Lagos at very crucial and challenging times. You and your team should endeavor to work

assiduously to restore the pride of this great guild. My challenge to you is never to leave the Guild the way you met it, the members believe in you and that is why they voted for you, do not take this responsibility lightly,” Osuagwu said.

The newly elected Chairman Don Pedro Aganbi in his response promised to build on the innovative welfare and insurance scheme for the to put in place a formidable task force to from Lagos state.

“Today, we are moving forward because of you. We are moving forward that has prevailed over division, the spirit that has lifted AGN Lagos from the depths of miasma to the great heights of hope, progress and unity,” Aganbi said.

He said, I stand here today humbled by the task before us, grateful for the trust you have bestowed, mindful of the

Don Pedro

today because of what we did on the day of we have picked ourselves up. We can only be stronger together, Aganbi said.

Yomi Peters set to release Igbeyawo album

Frontline juju musician, Yomi Peters, has disclosed that his highly anticipated album, Igbeyawo, will be released any moment from now by an international record label, MJG Records.

According to him, Igbeyawo is being released due to the massive demand its promotion on radio and TV has created.

And just as his album is already in enormous demand even before its release, his weekly Friday night gig at posh R&A City Hotel, Oshopey Plaza B/Stop, Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria has become the toast of the town.

The gig holds from 7pm to about 12 midnight and no serious fun lover can say his Friday or even his week is golden voice.

Such is the success of the gig that even white people are attending it to dance to his melodious music.

Yomi Peters

Lessi

‘The Wedding Party’ movie grosses N120m in first week The romantic comedy stars Adesua Etomi as Dunni Coker, Banky W as Dozie, Alibaba and with FilmOne Distribution, Koga Studios and Inkblot Productions, has grossed 120 million naira in one week of its release in the cinema.

The comedy movie is currently the biggest opening week in history of Nollywood with its 66 million naira.

Kemi Adetiba who directed the movie took to Instagram to share the news with the caption, “You guys... Are AMAZING!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!!! CONGRATULATIONS to the team.”

Before its latest record, the movie had set weekend in Nollywood after grossing 36 million naira in three days.

“The Wedding Party”, also, stars Zainab Balogun, Enyinna Nwigwe, Frank Donga, Saka, AY, Ikechukwu, Beverly Naya, Emma OhMaGod, Lepacious Bose amongst others.

Set in Lagos, Nigeria, “The Wedding Party” is a riveting tale of the complexity of love. It is the story of Dunni Coker, a -24 -year old art gallery owner and only daughter of her parents about to marry the love of her life, IT entrepreneur Dozie.

The couple took a vow of chastity and is looking as a married couple.

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