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TIMES

Elumelu, others accept, hail Daily Times for awards

ÏÏÏ Following

the nomination of some prominent Nigerians and corporate organisations by the board of the Daily Times of Nigeria (DTN) as its personalities of the Year, as announced after a recent emergency board meeting, four of the five individuals nominated for the awards, have sent in their acceptance, commending the organisation for the honour.

Continued on page 12

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

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GAINERS AS AT December 30, 2016 GUINNESS

80.00

83.05

3.81%

PRESCO

TUESDAY, JANUARY 3, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 269

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40.00

NSE QUICK BITE 40.10

0.25%

FO

93.54

N150

LOSERS AS AT December 30, 2016 84.43

-9.74%

Diversion of Abuja flights to Kaduna:

MOBIL

-3.79%

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

UK, stakeholders fret over safety Ï Query choice of Kaduna instead of Minna following airport closure Ï Operators, pilots also express concerns Ï Say runway lacks safety management programmes Ï Govt to provide buses with security agents to convey passengers Ï Minister to parley with stakeholders, Thursday

290.00 279.00

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The United Kingdom Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Harriet Thompson, has expressed fears over the safety of their citizens following recent announcement by the federal government to close the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja (NAIA) for six weeks to enable rehabilitation of its runway.

Thompson met with Nigeria’s Minister of State for Aviation, Hadi Sirika, over safety concerns with plans to divert all Abuja bound passengers to Kaduna Airport to enable the government rehabilitate the runway.

Federal government had announced last week that all Abuja-bound domestic Continued on page 6

L-R: Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Yari; Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike and his Sokoto State counterpart, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, during Wike’s visit to the Sultan’s Palace in Sokoto… at the weekend.

‘External reserves 6 declined by $3.3bn in 2016’

Fight against corruption should go beyond public denunciation –Onaiyekan 12

Dabiri-Erewa condemns killing of another Nigerian in South Africa 23

FG denies allocating N29bn to fight militancy 12

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Page Four

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PHOTO TIMES

Editorial Ending exodus of medical practitioners

R

ecently, a paediatrics consultant, Prof. Olufemi Jaiyesimi, raised alarm at the increasing exodus of medical doctors, paramedical consultants and other practitioners to overseas countries due to obsolete medical facilities and non-improvement of incentives to practitioners in the country. Prof. Jaiyesimi, therefore, called for a need to arrest the attendant growing mortality rate in the country through policies that would bring the country’s health institutions back to reckoning. We all but agree with the medical expert on his altruistic diagnoses of the state of the country’s health system. No one needs to go further to see the massive deterioration of Nigeria’s public health institutions. From the north to south and from the East to west, the spectacle of decay is all too palpable.

This unwholesome situation is responsible for the uncontrolled proliferation of private clinics and other health facilities across the country which are mostly patronized by the poor who are not only ripped off but more so are at the mercy of unlicensed practitioners and quacks. It bears repeating that the sorry state of Nigeria’s hospitals and other health institutions is responsible for the increasing exodus of the well -to -do citizens to other countries where the health facilities are not only modern but also manned by competent professionals. According the Nigerian Medical Association, over USD 500 million is lost annually to medical tourism, Sadly, the vast majority of Nigerians who are too poor to afford medical treatment abroad have become victims of the embarrassing rot in the country’s health sector. In fact, investigations show that since the Abuja Declaration in 2001, Nigeria has never spent

more than eight per cent of its annual national budget on health. Indeed, Nigeria and 27 other countries have worse health care systems than Liberia. A report from the non-profit organisation, Save the Children, published in March 2015, ranked 72 countries on six measures of health-care provision for children, including the newborn mortality rate, the number of health-care workers per 10,000 population, immunisations and skilled birth attendance. The result, found that 28 countries fared less than Liberia which ranked 44th with Nigeria coming a distant 70th.

Such report definitely, seems to confirm an earlier one by the World Health Organisation (WHO) that 50 to 80 per cent of medical equipment in low-income countries, including Nigeria is out of service. Over the years, the situation has remained worrisome even to non-professionals. To worsen an already bad case, we note with regret that corruption has permeated the system and is threatening to suffocate what is left of the rot. Due to corruption, our healthcare system has been neglected for an extended period, evidenced by the lack of funding, undersupply, inefficiency, decrepit equipment, poor quality, needless deaths and unhappy workforce.

Today, many of the country’s general hospitals stink (literally and figuratively) and are breeding grounds for infectious diseases – many also do not have sufficient beds so corridors are turned to sleeping wards. To solve the problems, there is need for increase in public health centres, fully equipped with adequate drugs and modern facilities and manned by specialists. The challenges of the Nigerian healthcare system are many. We, therefore, call on the government to prioritise them in order to have positive impact on the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

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

Ibrahim Babangida

Wole Soyinka

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

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

4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

5 News

EFCC faults claims on submission of reports to NA Tony Ailemen, Abuja

ÎÎÎ

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has described claims that it did not submit its 2016 annual reports to the National Assembly, as false and misleading The anti- graft agency while reacting to a report in a National daily, said “the 2016 report was duly submitted and acknowledged by the relevant Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives” The newspaper report had

among others, claimed that the Commission was in violation of its statutorily obligation to submit an Annual Report to the National Assembly

by September 30.

But in a statement signed by the EFCC’s head of Media and Publicity, Wilson Uwujaren, the Agency described the claim as “not only false but shocking, coming from an otherwise respected medium like Daily Trust” The statement explained further that “Going through the report, it is pathetic that no attempts were made to

verify the status of the report from either the EFCC or the relevant Committees of the National Assembly beyond the puerile claim that “ The chairman of the Senate Committees on Anti-corruption and Financial Crimes, Senator Utazi and his deputy , Senator Mustapha Sani(APC, Niger) were not available for comments last night”.

“Relying on anonymous sources purportedly from the National Assembly, Daily Trust proceeded to paint a picture that fits perfectly into a script that leaves nothing to

Wike to embark on extensive empowerment programmes in 2017 Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÎÎÎ

The Rivers State Governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has assured the people of the state that his administration would embark on an extensive and sustained empowerment programmes in 2017.

The governor also stated that the state’s share of the Paris and London Clubs Deduction Refund would be applied to aggressive projects execution in 2017 since the state government had already settled salaries and pensions arrears.

In his speech during the 2017 Rivers State New Year Banquet at the Government House, Port Harcourt on Sunday night, Governor Wike said that his administration would combine aggressive projects execution with the empowerment schemes.

“This year will be a year of the empowerment of our people. While we are doing projects, we will be doing stomach infrastructure. Our stomach infrastructure this year will go round the people. We will transform the state in all ratifications. We will increase the

tempo of projects execution in January to the level that our people will be amazed,” the governor said.

He continued: “Work starts on January 3, 2017. We will release more funds for the execution of the Ogoni AndoniOpobo-Nkoro Unity Road.

Sakpenwa-Bori road, Buguma Internal Roads and several road projects will be executed.

Between this year and early 2018 we will deliver on all our road projects. Within this period, Rivers State will witness total transformation.”

Commending the leaders of Rivers State for their support and loyalty, Governor Wike assured the people of the state that his administration would continue to invest in the maintenance of security, noting that he would never support the intimidation of the judiciary under any circumstances, pointing out that if the judiciary failed, democracy would collapse.

Speaking on the just concluded rerun election in the state, the governor reiterated that Rivers people deserved an award from the Independent National Election Commission, INEC, for standing up in defense of democracy during

the imagination” According to Daily Trust, “The source added that the non confirmation of the commission’s acting Chairman Ibrahim Magu contributed to the delay in the submission of the report”.

“Pray, how did the non confirmation of Magu on December 15, 2016 affect a report that was due for submission in September?”

“Not done, the newspaper claimed that, “Many lawmakers, former and serving are indicted in the EFCC reports, some before they were elected

and others even while serving in the House or the Senate. So also are officials at the Presidency” It is not convenient for lawmakers to start debating report that exposes them to ridicule.”

“Imagine an EFCC report that graphically presents eight principal officers and some members of the Senate and Reps and their fraudulent financial transactions including their hitherto unpublicised trails in a legislative session. There is also the pressure from the Presidency who are supposed to act on the

decisions of the National Assembly on such reports exerting pressures on lawmakers to step down the report and move on,” he said.

The EFCC Spokesman said “ the views purportedly attributed to National Assembly members are the invention of the authors of the story” The EFCC statement added that” No lawmaker worth his salt will make such comments as EFCC Annual Reports are not about individuals, but usually laden with facts and figures regarding its activities in a given year.

From the Archives: Josy Ajiboye

the rerun legislative elections.

He said that the state government would stand by the families of those who died while defending the integrity of Rivers State adding: “Nobody will intimidate or blackmail me. No one person can own Rivers State,” and noted that Rivers State would roll out the drums in 2017 to celebrate the State Golden Jubilee.

In his remarks, former Transport Minister, Dr. Abiye Sekibo said that Governor Wike’s style of governance must be applauded as it has brought development and stability to the state.

According to him, “This government has brought an inclusiveness that has never been seen for a long time in the state.”

In a welcome address, the Head of Service of Rivers State, Rufus Godwins said the leader of the state has revived the state’s economy when the entire country was in a recess.

Also speaking, the Solicitor General of the State, Mrs. Florence Fiberesima and Mr. Ken Chikere, member of the House of Representatives noted that the state has witnessed tremendous growth under the leadership of Governor Wike.

Delta Assembly committee commends DSCSTDA, seeks solution to Asaba floods Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÎÎÎThe Chairman, Delta State

House of Assembly Committee, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Hon. Sherriff Obarevwori has commended the high level commitment and managerial efficiency of the agency in provid-

ing high quality road network and sustained environmental cleanliness of the capital territory through daily sweeping.

Hon. Obarevwori stated that even in the face of obvious paucity of funds, the agency has steadly improved on the road network within the territory while also creditably discharging its daily responsibil-

ity of sweeping the roads and major streets, towards a clean and healthy environment.

Hon. Obarevwori, who was speaking on behalf of the members of the committee noted that the task the agency is saddled with is historically expedient and as such, would require improved and sustained funding for the much

expected result to be achieved.

The assembly committee urged the board and management of the agency to work tirelessly to come out with a lasting solution to the perennial flooding and storm water situation within the capital territory.

The Director-General, Delta State Capital Territory Development Agency, Chief

Clement Ofuani, while present the agency’s 2017 budget explained that comprehensive study had been concluded on the storm water situation and that with improved funding, either through appropriation or tenement funding system, a roust drainage network that will provide a lasting solution to the flooding situation will be

embarked on.

He also reported on the progress that has been made with respect to the development of the Delta Commercial City, which he assured will positively alter the socioeconomic life of not just Delta State, but the entire South east and South South parts of the Country.

News 6

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Continued from page 1 and international flights would be diverted to Kaduna for six weeks in 2017 to enable government upgrade the airport’s runway.

Passengers would then be transported by government-provided buses to Abuja, some 210 kilometres away.

Some stakeholders have expressed concerns about passengers’ safety amid reports of banditry and kidnapping along Kaduna-Abuja Road.

Piqued by the situation, operators and aircraft pilots had expressed concern over air safety occasioned by the deteriorating standards of most of the country’s airport runways, like that of Benin, Lagos and Enugu, saying, they pose danger to lives and equipment.

Group Capt. John Ojikutu, former airport military commandant, said the rehabilitation of the Abuja runway was coming too late, based on the initial attempt by the government four years ago.

According Capt. Ojikutu, “My worry is that, the runway like those in other airports has no safety management programmes, which should include regular surface cleaning depending on the number of landings. There had been and there is a proposal to build a second runway for Abuja where the average landings per annum, including that of Lagos, is much less than 10 per cent of the landings at Heathrow airport.”

He noted that if there had been safety management programmes for the runway, Abuja airport situation should not have been as critical as it is.

The stakeholders condemned the diversion of flights from Abuja to Kaduna, saying that Minna airport would have served as the alternate airport as it was closer to Abuja than Kaduna with runway that will accommodate aircraft take-off and landing, adding that the international airlines will be greatly affected.

Diversion of Abuja flight to Kaduna: UK, stakeholders fret over safety

“Must we divert Abuja traffic to Kaduna? Why can’t the Minna airport serve the purpose for the local flights, after all, it is closer to Abuja than Kaduna? The runway will still accommodate aircraft whose takeoff runs and landing runs are within 1000 to 2000 meters. Those that will bear the consequences of the rehabilitation are the international flights.”

He urged domestic airlines to commence talks with foreign airlines on how to distribute for them in-coming passengers, adding that international flights can be diverted to Lagos and Kano to boost business for the domestic airlines.

Comrade Abdulrazaq Saidu, Secretary General, Association of Nigerian Aviation Professionals, said corruption and negligence has left the aviation in near collapse stage.

Saidu said professionals were watching to see how the magic will be performed and the security to be provided for passengers from Kaduna to Abuja.

“When there is no action on time, or negligence, the result is what we find in our aviation of today.”

“However, so far the Minister of state for aviation has assured travellers of safety-related measures, and this is what am waiting to see the outcome,” Saidi said.

But an anonymous airline operator said it will not be possible for the runway to be closed for six weeks and passengers diverted to Kaduna without consulting them before commencement of works.

He said airlines will not agree to move to Kaduna considering the economic wastes to them.

Olumide Ohunayo, an aviation expert, said the system was badly structured while security re-

mained a great challenge.

He noted that seven years ago, there was plan to construct a second runway for the Abuja airport and it was stepped down as a result of over inflated contract figure.

Ohunayo noted that government was placing more emphasis on politics in aviation than economic, saying there was no need for closure of the airport for repairs. He argued instead that the airport should close windows at night when the last flight has landed and open in the morning before the landing of any flight.

Nonetheless, Sirika said government would provide necessary security to travellers, telling the envoy that the closure was to let the badly damaged airport runway be reconstructed.

“A robust security arrange-

ment involving the police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, Immigration Service and Customs Service have been made to escort passengers from Kaduna to Abuja during the period of closure,” said the minister.

The minister explained that there had not been any major repair on the runway since it was constructed in 1982, which ordinarily, was to last for only 20 years, adding that since the 20 years elapsed in 2002, no serious repairs had been carried out.

The Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja runway, which was constructed 34 years ago, has outlived its lifespan by over 14 years.

President Mohammadu Buhari had in August this year approved repairs of the failed portions of the Abuja Airport runway and reconstruction of the overdue run-

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‘External reserves declined by $3.3bn in 2016’

Motolani Oseni

ÏÏÏ

The nation’s external reserves closed the Year 2016 with a total balance of $25.781 billion, showing a decline of $3.288 billion compared with the $29.069 billion it stood by December31 of 2015, latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) data has showed.

This is even as the apex bank reiterated commitment to its pledge to ease the foreign exchange (FX) pressure on manufacturing and agricultural sectors through forward sales under the new flexible foreign exchange regime.

However, the latest foreign exchange reserves statistics represents a 12.7 per cent decline year-on-year(y/y), but increased by 4.2 per cent month-on-month, up from $24.69 billion on Nov.28 to $25.781, due to a slight recovery in global oil prices.

..As CBN eases FX pressure on manufacturing, agriculture Despite demand pressure, the nation’s external reserves and the volume of money or other assets held by the CBN have recorded an increase of $642 million in one month, after weeks of consistent and gradual gains.

The increase brought the stock of reserves to $24.57 billion as at November 24, up from $23.93 billion in the preceding month.

It also closed up a two-month decline to $247 million, after losing $836 million between September ($24.74m) and October ($23.91m) last year.

All these are in spite of a US$2.3 billion decline in average inflows of foreign exchange into the CBN every month over the last 26 months as revealed by the apex bank’s governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele.

way as the federal government would soon contract the major reconstruction out.

But a statement by director of press and public affairs to the minister of state for aviation, James Odaudu, said the minister will meet with stakeholders on decision of the federal government to temporarily shut down operations at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja for repairs on the runway and the taxi ways of the airport.

According to the minister, the stakeholders’ forum will afford him opportunity to officially inform the sector players of the decision, and also brief them on efforts being made to ensure that the use of the Kaduna International Airport as an alternate during the six-week closure of the Abuja Airport is seamless and hitch-free.

However, CBN disclosed in its data on foreign exchange utilisation for October 2016 that it granted access to about 7,792 requests for foreign exchange valued at over $867 million through the inter-bank window to enable them source vital raw materials and spare parts for their respective industries.

A summary of the Fx utilisation for the month showed that the raw materials’ sector received the highest allotment, getting access to foreign exchange valued at $355,744,861.05 or 40.99 per cent of the total value of Fx utilization for the month put at $867,834,186.26.

It, also, showed that manufacturing and petroleum industries got access to $91,276,699.30 and $150,815,804.73, respectively. Companies and other interests in the

agricultural sector got access to $13,714,552.83 for the period, while entities in the aviation sector received $10,313,648.29 for the same period.

Further breakdown showed that finished goods and others got allotments of $43,838,044.04 and $10,795,488.92, respectively.

Invisibles, comprising school fees, students’ upkeep and medicals, among others, received $191,335,087.10 or 22.05 per cent of the figure.

Meanwhile, the local currency, according to the apex lender statistics, showed that N1.9 trillion currency was in circulation for the month ended November.

Daily Times findings showed that the N1.9 trillion reported by CBN was the highest Naira in circulation reported in 2016, even

as the amount of Naira in circulation in November increased by 4.5 per cent from N1.8 trillion recorded in October.

According to data, the currency in circulation early this year was N1.7 trillion but it dropped by 0.78 per cent to N1.7 trillion in February.

Commenting on the external reserves data, the acting director, Corporate Communications Department of the CBN, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, said release of the figures underscored the transparency of the bank in Fx management.

It would be recalled that in the month of September 2016, manufacturing industries in Nigeria were given access to foreign exchange valued at over $660 million in the inter-bank market to source raw materials and spare parts for their industries, courtesy of the interbank forex market.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Unilorin dismisses fraud allegation against VC, JAMB Registrar Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe

University of Ilorin has rejected the fraud allegation made against its Vice-Chancellor, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali and his predecessor, Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, who is now the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), describing it as “largely empty merely rehashed to make it look real”.

Some officers of the South-West Zone of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) had last Wednesday submitted a petition at the Ibadan office of the EFCC in which they accused the two dons of pension fund fraud running into N2.5 billion and called on the anti-graft agency to institute a probe into the matter.

But reacting to the allegation at the weekend, the management of the University dismissed the petition, saying that those behind it “are enemies of progress who are aghast at the pace of progress and continual giant strides being daily recorded by the University, where transparency, honesty, accountability and due process are the key elements ofadministration”.

In a press statement issued on be-

half of the management, the institution’s Head of Corporate Affairs, Mr. Kunle Akogun, said there is nothing new in the allegations contained in the petition, adding that “the same fellows made the same allegations in August this year while shamefacedly kicking against the nationally acknowledged well-merited appointment of Prof. Oloyede as the Registrar of JAMB. And of course, no one took them seriously, as even President Muhammadu Buhari, who is well-known for his zero tolerance for corruption, is not unaware of the due diligence credentials of the successive administrations of the University of Ilorin”.

Debunking the allegation of fraud in pension fund deductions, Mr. Akogun said, “What the administration of Prof. Oloyede did was what the law and ICPC directed all universities to do: that instead of the 7.5 being hitherto deducted from the basic salary of workers, the deduction ought to have been from the gross emolument”.

He pointed out that it was that clarification that has since guided the University management’s action”, adding that the deductions were being credited to the Pension Fund Administrators’ (PFA) accounts as and

when due till the Government started long ago the deduction from source”.

“It is also fallacious to allege that the University management did not carry the unions along in all these.

The truth is that management met with the unions on the new develop-

ment and all parties agreed that the PFAs should be credited the full 7.5 per cent. It was the initial under-deduction that was spread for payment over a 24-month period. This had since been concluded a couple of years ago”, Mr. Akogun said.

Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has harped on the need for the All Progressives Congress, (APC)led federal government to change its policies of high taxations with almost non-economic activity as well as provide palliatives in 2017 to reduce the effect of the recession, and the country will be better for it in the coming years.

The Chairman, National Caretaker Committee, NCC, of the PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi said this in his New Year message to Nigerians.

The PDP further advised the APC led administration to, in this Year 2017, urgently employ the services of economic experts to put in place

viable policies that will revamp the nation’s ailing economy.

The PDP stressed that the country is presently in recession because of significant decline in government business in both internal and external spheres. The federal government, it advised, should increase money supply, cause rise in disposable income (spending) and decrease mindless taxations which have led to high inflation and multiple prices in money market.

The party charged Nigerians, in this New Year, to work harder and trust in their capacities to surmount the current economic condition in the country by the Grace of God. The statement by the PDP reads, “The National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Senator Ahmed Makarfi, CON, on behalf of all organs of the PDP and its family nationwide, compliment Nigerians as we usher in the New Year 2017.

“We charge Nigerians in this New Year to work harder and trust in their capacities to surmount the current economic condition in the country by the Grace of God. “The bad policies of the APC led government no doubt, have occasioned this economic recession with its attendant consequences of extreme hardship, starvation, deprivation, insecurity and rise in ethnic, sectional and political agitations for self-determination.

“The ‘Transformation Agenda’ of the last PDP Administration

brought a lot of hope to Nigerians, the African Sub Region and our economy at large.

“Nigeria economy before handing over to the APC in May 2015 was declared the largest and the fastest growing in Africa (number 1) which is now nowhere near number 30.

Why is that? Incompetence it is!

It is no gainsaying that the PDP had better policies and programmes of reforming Nigeria’s economy to provide better living condition for its citizens well-being, which it did.

“We hope the government of the day changes its policies of high taxations with almost non-economic activity while providing palliatives in 2017 to reduce the effect of the recession, and the country will be better for it in the coming years.

CAN calls for state of emergency in Southern Kaduna -says El-Rufai incapable of ending crisis

Chijioke Kingsley, Jos

ÏÏÏThe Youth wing of

Christian Association Of Nigeria (YOWICAN), has called on President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to declare state of emergency in Southern Kaduna, to bring to an end the wanton lost of lives as a result of crisis, that has hitherto bedeviled the region.

Speaking through the National

President YOWICAN, Engr. Daniel Kadzai, he said the crisis has gone beyond the control of the State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, who seems to be sleeping over the ungodly act perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen.

Kadzai also said that the continuous killings, had shown that El-Rufai “lacks the will power to arrest the situation and bring it under effective control”.

The Youth President accuse the Federal Government to have silently

On the charges for the students’ PC Tablets and other miscellaneous items, the University spokesman said, “These are statutory charges for extra facilities provided for the academic comfort of our students to make teaching and learning very conducive for them”.

According to Mr. Akogun, “It is on record that the University of Ilorin pioneered the one-student-one-iPad initiative in the country during the 2013/2014 academic session. And this policy has been steadily executed seamlessly since then”.

L-R: Executive Director Projects, Niger Delta Development Commission, (NDDC), Engr. Samuel Adjogbe; Sen. Peter Nwaoboshi and Chairman, Ika North East Local Government, during the launching of a youth empowerment programme in Delta State… recently.

PDP to APC: Change your economic policies in 2017

Lateef Ibrahim,

7 News

endorsed the ongoing genocide in Southern Kaduna, saying that the “FG perceived silence on the killings speaks volume on its hatred for Christians living in the region”, adding that the genocide is aimed at eliminating Christians, so that herdsmen will dominate and take control of the area.

He disclosed that a total of 808 people were killed in 53 villages across four local governments areas, giving a statistics of the killings and de-

struction that over 57 people has suffered various degree of injury while farm produce estimated at N5.5 billion were also destroyed.

Kadzai disclosed further that a total of 1,422 houses and 16 Churches were burnt during the attacks with the affected communities spread across Kaura, Sanga, Jama’a and Kauru Local Government Areas where there had been persistent attacks on communities by gunmen believed to be Fulani herdsmen.

Council for Islamic Affairs condemns Southern Kaduna killings Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, NSCIA, has condemned in totality the acts of destruction of lives and properties currently going on in Southern Kaduna.

The NSCIA described the acts as unjust, heinous and dastard.

The Council, in a statement by its Director of Administration, Ustaz Christian Isa Okonkwo, said that it is particularly grieved that as at the last count, no fewer than 808 lives of innocent Nigerians have been lost while nothing less than 57 Nigerians have suffered life-threatening injuries.

The NSCIA, which denounced the acts in its entirety, pointed out they run contrary to fundamental Islamic law which ordains human life to be sacred and strongly forbids its unlawful destruction except for a just course.

The Council therefore called on the Federal and Kaduna State Governments to, as a matter of urgency, step into the situation and put a stop to this inhuman and barbarous state of anomie. The NSCIA added that it would would like the Federal and Kaduna State governments to go a step further by proffering lasting solutions to these recurrent acts of hatefulness and savagery in Southern Kaduna.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Fire guts special anti-robbery, anti-cult units in Asaba Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÎÎÎ

Fire has gutted a building housing the Special Anti-Robbery and Anti-Cult units of the Delta State Police Command located on the Asaba-Agbor highway, close to IsseleAzagba in the state capital, Asaba.

The fire incident, it was gathered came from a nearby bush burnt four cars, two tricycles and some motorcycles parked in the police station s exhibits yesterday.

The cause and source of the fire that occurred during evening period of the day was unknown as at the time of filing this report, but it was learnt that fire from a nearby bush was responsible.

The situation caused panic and traffic jam on the ever busy Asaba/Agbor road before the fire was put off with the efforts of the Delta State Fire service.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Andrew Aniamaka, confirmed the fire incident in the police station, adding that four cars, tricycles and motorcycles,

including bitumen were burnt.

He used the opportunity to advise members fo the public to be careful with fire in the dry season to avoid fire incident.

Meanwhile a 5 years old woman, Mrs. Ngozi Biosah, has arraigned at the Asaba Magistrates’ Court for stealing.

Biosah was charged for stealing five Poli T-Shirts valued at N15,000 belong to one Mrs. Judith Ojie.

The Prosecuting Police Officer, Mrs. Blessing Okafor told the court that the accused committed the office don September 19, at Shop 1, DLR Road, Asaba.

She said that the offence was punishable under section 390(9) of the Criminal Code Law Cap C21 Vol. 1 Laws of Delta State of Nigeria 2006.

The accused pleaded not guilty and was granted bail in the sum of N80,000.

In grating the bail, the Magistrate, Mrs. Akanume Okonkwo, ordered that the surety, who must be a civil servant, should be resident in Asaba with evidence of employment.

The case has been adjourned to January 4, 2017 for hearing .

Anambra gets state polytechnic John Chinenye, Awka

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The Anambra State College of Agriculture Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area has been upgraded to a Polytechnic.

This announcement is part of the special new year message from the Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano to Ndi Anambra on the new year eve.

A statement signed by James Eze, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Media, said the upgrading of the College to the full status of a Polytechnic is part of the overall plan by the Obiano administration

to expand its efforts in building new manpower capacity to meet the growing dynamics of the time.

Offering deep insights into the development, the governor revealed that the technicalities involved in the transition of the College to a full fledged Polytechnic had been concluded and the change perfected.

Speaking on the New Year proper, Obiano expressed optimism that Ndi Anambra and their fellow Nigerians would sing a song of joy and victory in the New Year.

According to him, having survived the trauma and anxieties of the outgone year, Ndi Anambra and

their fellow compatriots have successfully crossed over to a new threshold of prosperity and growth.

Casting a long look at the outgone year, Governor Obiano lauded the resilience of the Nigerian people who he said stood firm against the storm of economic recession, internal restiveness and displacements and expressed hope for a greater happiness and fulfilment in the New Year.

“Ndi Anambra, we have come a long way as a people. But we didn’t get this far by crumbling under the weight of adversities.

No. We got to where we are by subduing seemingly impossible challenges and

carving a pathway to our own happiness. So, we shall know greater happiness and live our dreams this year,” he declared.

Recalling the giant strides recorded by Anambra State in the outgone year, Governor Obiano observed that the tour of the industrial sector of the state by Vice President Yemi Osibanjo and the tour of the Minister of Agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe and the governor of the Central Bank, Mr. Godwin Emefiele as well the visit of the Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola were important events that signpost a brighter future for Ndi Anambra.

2017: Year of many surprises, Adeboye prophesies Tom Garba

ÎÎÎ The world respected

preacher of the Gospel and the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian church of God (RCCG) Pastor Enoch Adejere Adeboye has revealed through a word of prophecy that this is going to be a year of many “Surprises.”

The prophecies are seen to be nine giant controversial prophecies of 2017 were he made mentioned that “word for 2017 is surprise “and predicted a large number of weddings in 2017.

The general overseer said there would be surprises for many world governments.

The nine revelations which were divided into three groups – individual prophecies, predictions for Nigeria, and what the world should expect in general.

According to Adeboye, the prophetic word for 2017 is ‘’surprise’’.

Read his prophecies below.

For Nigeria

. 2017 will be a year of surprises both for the oppressed and the oppressor.

Surprise is a two edged sword. . Those deliberately making life for the common man will be relocated. . The downward plunge will slow down, stop and reversal will begin.

For individuals: . It will be a year of surprises. . For prophets both true and false it will be a year of surprises. . There will be quite a large number of weddings. . Soul winners will see their prophecies fulfilled almost as soon as they are uttered.

At the international scene: . There will be surprises for many world governments . They are coming in twos: monster earthquakes, monster floods, hurricanes and typhoons, monster tornadoes and monster fire outbreaks.

L-R: Dr. Chales Oladeinde Willies; President Family ARK Mission, Dr. Oludare Okusanya; CLAM Church Elders, Pastor Akin Dania and Sole Administrator, Mosan Okunola LCDA, Hon. Rotimi Ogunwuyi during the World Elders’ Day organised by Family ARK Mission in Lagos... recently.

NAPPS flays Delta govt over alleged multiple taxes, may go to court Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

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the National Association of Proprietors of Private Schools (NAPPS) in Delta state have flayed the State Government’s alleged Multiple Taxation on them, threatening that they might be forced to seek redress at the Law Court if steps are not taken to reduce the taxes.

The Chairman of the Association, Comrade Chuks Osazuwa who spoke to Journalists on Monday in Asaba, alleged that members of the NAPPS over years and in the present Okowa led administration, had suffered untold multiple taxation in the hands

of government appointed agencies.

Comrade Osazuwa who spoke on behalf of other members of the Association, disclosed that major problems owners of private schools across the state had been facing had been multiple taxation, introduced by the State Government Ministries and agencies, noting that arbitrary taxation subjected them to had dealt serious blows on them.

His words, “We are subjected to multiple taxation introduced b y the State Governments agencies, such Ministries of Commence and Industry, Environment, Ministry of Health, Waste Management Board, Delta State Fire Ser-

vice, we pay our renewal fee yearly to the Ministry of Basic and secondary Education, pay our tax to Board of Internal Revenue which is statutory, our demands are not acceptable anywhere in the world, school business is not for profit as most people would want to believe, we might be forced to go to courts.

Further Alleging that various authorities of Local Government Councils were not left out in the demand for tax, the NAPPS Chairman explained> His more of ethics and values to make meaningful contributions to humanity, government cannot do it alone, that us the more reason they should encourage in-

dividuals who have passion for education to partner freely and smoothly with it.

But in a swift reaction, the State Government through the commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Barr.

(Mrs.) Mary Iyashere faulted NAPPS’s allegation, saying that what the Association described as multiple taxation clearly indicated deploy by it to evade taxes.

Her words: “There is no way NAPPS can evade taxes, people companies’ owners party tax every where, tax is very compulsory, the State Government will not subscribe to the basis of NAPPS’s argument. NAPPS knows taxes sustain the state government’s internally Revenue generation.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Politics 2017 will bring an end to recession, Olulade assures Nigerians The member representing Epe Constituency II in the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Segun Olulade has expressed optimism that the Year 2017 will bring an end to recession in Nigeria.

Olulade in his New Year message to Nigerians maintained that Nigeria just like countries that have experienced recession, will in 2017 witness a positive turn around in her economy.

Olulade, who is the Chairman, House Committee on Health Services, said in line with God’s plan through His various prophets, 2017 would usher in a period of economic buoyancy and new lease of life for the country.

According to him, “the current economic downturn in the country no doubt is biting hard, but I believe that as we transit to the New Year and with what the administration has so far put in place, the country will surely witness a turnaround early in the New Year.

“I am very hopeful that the

country will move out of the current recession into economic prosperity for the good of all. We all as citizens only need to support the current administration in its drive to rid the country of corruption.

“We should remember that as at this time in 2014, insecurity was the order of the day; Nigerians, especially those in Northern parts, were not too confident to go to places of worship to pray their way into the New Year.

“But today, the situation has changed for good; the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari has been able to defeat the Boko Haram sect and we can now confidently say security has returned to those troubled places in the North.

“So I want to urge us all to approach the New Year with hope and excitement for national prosperity and new lease of life for all, having it at the back of our minds that 2017 will usher in a new beginning for this great country,” Olulade added.

s Anambra Guber: We have no anointed candidate, says APC chairman The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State have said it has not anointed any candidate for the governorship election billed to hold in the state in November 2017.

Mr Emeka Ibe, the state chairman of the party, made the announcement while addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Awka.

He spoke on the side line of a meeting of the party’s executive and other stakeholders with governorship aspirants under the platform of the party.

Ibe, who assured the aspirants of a level playing ground during the party’s primaries, said the APC was committed to transparency and fairness.

“The number of people that you see today coming into the party is an indication that APC is the party to beat in 2017 Anambra governorship election.

Gbajabiamila urges lawmakers to touch lives of electorates The Majority Leader of the House of Representatives (APC-Lagos), Femi Gbajabiamila, has urged lawmakers at state and federal levels in the country to go beyond enacting laws and reach out to the electorate particularly the vulnerable groups.

“It cannot always be about representation and legislative work, it is also about caring for those around us, those we represent and even those we do not represent.

“I urge members of state and national assemblies to reach out and give support to the people they represent so that they can continually feel the presence of government and the impact of democracy,’’ he said on Sunday in Lagos.

Gbajabiamila spoke during a visit to the Maternal and Childcare Centre at Randle General Hospital and the Heart of Gold Children’s Hospice, both in Surulere, Lagos, as part of activities to usher in the New Year.

He said reaching out to the vulnerable in the society would go a long way to improving their lives and give them hope.

“This is part of my duties of representation in the National

9

Gbajabiamila

Dogara

Assembly. We are in a celebration mood and thanking God for our lives, especially the vulnerable ones.

“I am here to look out for the baby of the year 2017 in my constituency (Surulere federal constituency) and support the family and also to celebrate with children who have one form of health challenge or the other.

“For me, this gesture goes a long way in impacting on their lives.”

Gbajabiamila commended the hospital Medical’s Director, Dr Olakunle Oni and the Director of

the Hospice, Mrs Laja Adedoyin, for their commitment to the care of the needy and children with mental or other challenges.

The lawmaker urged Nigerians to be patient with the Federal Government in its effort to put the economy back on track as well as pray for its success.

“We are going through difficult times as a nation due to the current economic recession. But we still need to cooperate and support all government’s efforts to ameliorate the situation.

“In APC, we have a history and culture of fairness and transparency. The assurance I am giving to them is that there will not be an anointed candidate.

“If you join the party today, you have equal status with members who were on ground during the time of the merger.

“The only people we do not want are those who would create problems. We want people who would support President Mohammadu Buhari’s anti-corruption programme,” the chairman said.

He disclosed that more than 10 aspirants had so far indicated interest to fly the party’s flag at the governorship poll.

Ibe said: “we are in touch with serving legislators at state and National Assemblies as well as serving commissioners, who have indicated interest to join the party.

“What it shows is that APC has become the number one party that will take over the seat of power in the state in 2017.”

The chairman said the party had not considered zoning the governorship position in the state, noting that the party would rather support any candidate that emerges as its flag bearer.

“The government of APC will not be a propaganda government, but a government that will show the people the reality and will lead them out of the current quagmire,” he emphasised.

Among the governorship aspirants who attended the stakeholders’ meeting were: Chief Obinna Uzor, Chief Johnbosco Onunkwo, Mr Tony Nwoye, Mr Donatus Okonkwo, Chief George Muoghalu and Dr Patrick Ifeanyi Ubah. (NAN)

Ex-council boss tasks community on peaceful co-existence in Kuje Former chairman of Kuje Area Council of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr Samuel Lanto, has called for unity and peaceful co-existence among the residents of Shadadi Community in the area council.

Lanto, who doubles as the leader of the community, made the call on Monday in Kuje at the inauguration of the community’s elders and electricity committees.

He said that the inauguration of the 21-man elders committee was aimed at promoting unity and peaceful co-existence among the residents.

“We have decided to constitute and inaugurate the two committees today to meet up with the challenges of a growing community like Shadadi.

“Selection of members of the committees was done without sentiment, but on the recommendations of the various tribes in the community.

“So, I urge you to put in your best to ensure that peace, unity and developments as re-

corded in the past are consolidated upon,” he said.

Lanto attributed the successes recorded in the community that led to the purchase and installation of three electricity transformers through community efforts to the support of the residents.

He urged the residents to support members of the committees to achieve the desired development.

Mr Olumoh Shafaradeen, who spoke on behalf of members of the committees, commended Lanto for the opportunity given to them to serve.

He described the inauguration of the committees as `timely’ considering the efforts of the Federal Government to ensure peace and security in the country.

While pledging the commitment of the members to deliver on their mandate, Shafaradeen appealed to Lanto to give them the free hand to perform the task given to them.

10 Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Buhari has failed Nigerian youths -Ibidapo Habeeb whyte Ibidapo, a lawyer is a United Nations Award winner, writer, advocate of youth in governance and initiator of #stillonOgunstatematters on twitter. In this interview with INIOBONG IWOK, Ibidapo says that the Nigerian youth population are disillusioned and marginalised and that the current APC led administration of Muhammadu Buhari have failed the youths.

He also speaks on other issues.

How will you assess the administration of President Buhari so far?

Those that voted the present government into power are the youths. The youths so much believes in the manifesto of the APC government, most youths followed the APC manifesto and believes it as a good paper work that if implemented it would lead the country to development.

Most youths followed it on social media, they talked about politics, campaign and fought the former administration of Goodluck Ebele Jonathan out of power through their vote. I was the country coordinator of the Buhari youths evangelise, I never knew Buhari or Tinubu before, we took it upon ourselves to campaign for the President with some friends and I thought we would help to change our country.

But I was so disappointed when the government came into power and you hardly found the youths in the scheme of things. We hoped and thought this government would bring hope for Nigerian youths, especially when it comes to governance, their involvement in governance, but were disappointed when the government came into power and you hardly found any youth in government .

One of the manifesto of the APC is priority for the youths, but how many youths can you find in the government? How many youths are personal assistants to the President or ministers? The youths there are their cousins, sons and daughters, I use to be a good supporter of this government, but we have been disappointed.

You mean you regrets voting this government?

As at now, when it come to youth activities; I am very disappointed with the level of youths involvement in this government, we used our money to campaign for them, most of us were unemployed and jobless and we used our savings and our little pocket money from our parents to campaign for this

government.

The President promised Change are you disappointed with the progress so far?

Change takes time. But right now, nothing has changed in Nigeria, the only thing that have changed in Nigeria is politicians saying I have this money somewhere, it is for Nigeria let me return it. The only thing that has changed is that some people do not want to steal money again and even if they are stealing they have another way of stealing. How many capital projects have been commissioned? How many youth programmes is being inaugurated? How many health centres are being commissioned? Except for Npower that we don’t know the beneficiaries. Look at the anti corruption war; we are seeing the effect, but the Vice President promised that the looters name would be published, that has not been done and what are they using the money for?

But the anti graft war is on and there seems to be a gradual shift in mindset among Nigerians?

How many people have been convicted of corruption or corruption related cases? How many investigations have been completed. Today you are taking this person and the next day it is someone else, leaving plethora of work for the judiciary.

The level of youths engaging in online fraud, internet hacking have increased since the advent of the Buhari administration.

But the present -day youths have been accused of having corrupt mindset, believing in instant gratification and quick wealth mentality?

Am a youth, money was never my intention when I campaigned for the Buhari administration. We wanted change, assuming the Buhari government had empowered the youths am sure he would eliminates this vices. You can’t remove the fact there would always be bad eggs any were; who are the immediate cause? It is our politicians,

Ibidapo when one or two youths come to your office and you give them one million, two million what impression is that?

Don’t you think this is a problem of lack of investment in the youths population, their access to education?

It is a leadership problem. I have always said it that the Nigerian education policy is bad. They go to schools, serve our father land and there is no job and they become useless to themselves and the society. Education is no more encouraging, a lot of people have left schools to be engaging in internet fraud and that is a big problem to the country.

If you are to meet with the President today, what would you tell him?

I have met the President, I may not have met him one on one. I have written several letters to him, and I wrote one that he acknowledged and replied. I told him then that he should develop the youth constituency and he replied that we should pray for him, he also said he would fulfill all his promises to the youth’s constituency.

What is the greatest challenge facing the youth?

The greatest challenge facing the youths is unemployment, the average youth is idle and don’t have what to do, what do you expect from an idle mind? Because most Nigerian youths have been trained to be dependent, the education curriculum need a total overhaul from primary to tertiary level; it is what our fore- father were taught that we are still being taught and the

country cannot develop with that.

What informed the #stillOgunState matters on twitter project?

There are a lot of great politicians that have come out of Ogun State; like Awolowo , Ademola Tokunbo, Osibanjo etc. This people have contributed to the development of the state so I said to myself that I need to come home and contribute to the development of the state. A lot of people don’t know what is happening in the state. I said if we cannot approach our politicians to know what is going on, why not use the social media where a lot of youths are. Let them come and speak to the youths; if we invite you and you don’t answer us you have already created an image in the mindset of the youths.

That is why we started this initiative of education programme online, the first edition was a success and the second edition too was highly successful. It is not only a political thing; the focus could be business, education or environment, etc.

Instead of wasting your time on twitter you just come online and speak to your leader, it would come to a time that when contesting you would have no choice than to come on that platform and speak to the youths. #stillOgunstatematters on twitter. So there are so many ways of calling our leaders to order and one of them is the social media.

What is your assessment of Governor Ibikunle Amosu’s administration so far?

If I am going to access the government of Amosu I would give it a

We hoped and thought this government would bring hope for Nigerian youths, especially when it comes to governance, their involvement in governance, but were disappointed when the government came into power and you hardly found any youth in government .

One of the manifesto of the APC is priority for the youths, but how many youths can you find in the government? How many youths are personal assistants to the President or ministers? The youths there are their cousins, sons and daughters fair mark, if I was to access his first term in office he did pretty well; he changed the face of the state. But if you want development it should be proper and go round the state, of course there has been massive investment on road and infrastructure, but a lot of the roads are bad and several others are being abandoned.

If I have to go with the government of Amosu, I would tell him that we need fresh minds and people in his government, he needs to involve the youths in governance, but so far he has failed woefully in that area.

What is your view on the fight against corruption?

Between morality and legality there is a thin line. I want to say categorically that what you think is morally wrong could be legally right. But to those under trial if you say it is one sided you may be wrong, it is the opinion of those saying that. But what you should asked is are they guilty? And are they Nigerians? Did they serve in the previous government? Whether they have siphoned our money?

Rather than complain of the President being selective; If you have any other person that is corrupt and not arrested and tried let Nigerians write petition against those people. The President has set up a panel to probe his SGF.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

11 Politics Lamido tasks Nigerians on unity, patriotism

Lagos State governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (4th left); Senior Special Assistant on Information & Strategy, Mr. Idowu Ajanaku; Commissioner for Information & Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Shakirudeen Olayiwola; Special Adviser on Education to the governor, Mr. Obafela Bank-Olemoh; Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem; Special Adviser on Audit & Finance Control, Mr. Adeniyi Popoola and Administrative Assistant, Songhai Lagos Initiative, Miss Aminat Matthew during the governor’s inspection of the Fish Ponds at the Agric-YES (Songhai Model Farm), Avia-Igborosun in Badagry, Lagos, at the weekend.

Ganduje confident Buhari will reverse economic recession Kano Stategovernor, Abdullahi Ganduje has expressed confidence in the ability of President Muhammadu Buhari to tackle the current economic challenges facing the country.

The governor said this on Sunday in Kano in his New Year message to the people.

Ganduje, who spoke through the State’s Commissioner for Information, Youth and Culture, Mr Mohammed Garba, also expressed optimism about year 2017.

He prayed that it would be full of opportunities, blessings and happiness for all Nigerians.

He said the past year had indeed not been very smooth

on account of the economic recession in the country, expressing optimism however that the dogged commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari would bring about a turnaround.

According to the governor, dwindling revenue from the Federation Account has been affecting the fortunes of the state as is the case with other states in the country.

He said notwithstanding, the state government had been judiciously utilising the little resources coming via internally generated revenue to initiate and finance laudable and beneficial projects and programmes.

The governor listed

the projects to include construction of new roads, bridges, underpass, flyover and the provision of potable drinking water.

“Such projects and programmes have been positively touching the lives of the people. We have been doing that and we will continue to do it for the general development of Kano State.

“Other areas we have focused on include health, agriculture, youth and women development, education, rural development, sanitation and environmental protection,’’ he said.

Ganduje commended the citizens for what he called their understanding and

support to government policies and programmes, urging them to continue to pay their taxes as and when due to enable the government execute more meaningful projects.

He also commended President Buhari for the gallant and heroic capture of the Sambisa forest by the Nigerian Military and other stakeholders, saying this signaled the final conquest of the insurgents in North East.

The governor said it was heartwarming in view of the fact that Kano State had been badly affected by the activities of the insurgents, and urged the people to report any suspicious movement to the right quarters.

Lalong seeks prayers for peace, assures on dividends of democracy Plateau State governor, Simon Lalong has called on the people of the state to intensify prayers for God’s mercy, while expressing gratitude to God for the return of peace to the state.

Lalong expressed the gratitude on Sunday at New Year/Thanksgiving Mass at St. Stephen’s Catholic Church in Ajikamai, his place of birth.

“I want to appreciate God’s supremacy and faithfulness for the relative peace witnessed in the

state in 2016.

“I wouldn’t have been here today if there is no peace and I want to appeal to you to continue to pray for lasting peace in the state,” he said.

The governor stated that with the prevailing peace, the people of Plateau would enjoy more dividends of democracy in 2017 under his stewardship.

In his homely, Very Rev. Fr Michael Kyelong, said that peace was key to human existence.

Kyelong said that there would be no Plateau and indeed Nigeria, if there was no peace and unity among the people.

He called for humility and team work for good governance to thrive in the country.

The cleric also urged Christians to always create time to pray for the country, their leaders as well as themselves.

“Only God through his son Jesus Christ will save us. Anybody who believes in other gods is only

wasting his or her time.

“Therefore, you must make out time to pray no matter how tired you are because it is only through prayer that we can communicate and receive God’s blessings,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)reports that the Chief Judge of Plateau, Justice Pius Damulak, the Secretary to Government (SSG) of Plateau, Mr Rufus Bature were amongst the dignitaries that participated in the service.

Former of Jigawa State governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, has charged Nigerian youths to be united and shun ethnic and religious divides for the sake of a prosperous country.

Lamido gave the advice when he received PDP youths from various platforms across the country that paid him a visit at his Bamaina village residence in Birnin kudu Local Government Area of the state.

He explained that youths were vanguard of change who should ensure the country remains one for the betterment of their future.

According to him, there were still some irresponsible elders who preach hatred to divide them, to remain relevant in power.

“I am urging you to please ignore the preaching of hatred by some elders who want to remain on top by using your innocence and ignorance to manipulate you.

“The youths from the South must see his Northern counterparts as brothers and vise versa, and culture of hatred where they say these people are not part of us because they are from the North or South, Christians or Muslims, should be disregarded.”

The ex-governor said that most Nigerian past leaders fought for a united Nigeria, therefore, youths must work to restore the dream of the founding fathers.

He urged them to be their brothers keepers and ensure there was peace and stability all over the country.

Lawmaker commends FG, urges Nigerians to keep hope alive The Chief Whip of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Rotimi Abiru has implored Nigerians to be patient with the government of President Muhammadu Buhari in its efforts to turn the country’s economy around.

Speaking to newsmen at the Assembly Complex, Alausa, Hon Abiru stated that “Nigerians have indeed gone through a very difficult period” but he is optimistic that year 2017 will be a turning point for economic growth and development of our nation.

“It’s a fact of life that, there is no success without a bit of hardship, but the Nigerian people have gone through that, it’s time to experience the good we’ve all laboured for,” he noted.

Abiru also stressed that all Nigerian citizens must support the anti-corruption war of the President Buhari led administration for the greatness of the country amongst great nations of the world.

The lawmaker hailed the federal government on the success recorded by the military in flushing out the Boko Haram militants from the Sambisa forest, describing the feat as indications that the country is capable of achieving greatness in unity.

Hon Abiru who represents Shomolu Constituency 2 in the State Assembly stressed that if there were state police departments, insurgents like the Boko Haram would not have succeeded.

He reasoned that there was the need to begin the framework for establishing state police saying that it is the way to go in freeing the country from the problems of insecurity.

News 12 FG denies allocating N29bn to fight militancy Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Federal Government has dismissed the allegations that it made a provision of N29 billion in the 2017 budget to fight militancy in the oil producing Niger Delta.

Minister of Budget and National Planning, Mr. Udoma Udo Udoma, made the refutal in a statement signed by his Media Adviser, Mr. Akpandem James, and made available to the Daily Times on Monday in Abuja.

Disputing the allegation, the minister said there was no such provision in the 2017 budget proposals presented by the President, adding that the government has no idea where the story emanated from.

The statement reads:”The attention of the Ministry of Budget and National Planning has been drawn to a story in the Monday, January 2, 2017 edition of a national daily, with the headline PANDEF expresses displeasure over N29b budgeted to fight militancy in 2017.

The story, which quotes a statement reportedly issued Saturday night and signed by a member of the Central Working Committee of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Dr. Alfred Mulade, gave the impression that the Federal Government has earmarked the sum of N29 billion in the 2017 budget, specifically to fight militancy in the Niger Delta. The story is erroneous.

According to the minister, the relevant section of Dr. Mulade’s purported statement did not even indicate that the speculated provision was contained in the 2017 budget. Instead, it stated: “To make matters worse, the government is reported to have earmarked a whooping N29 billion of oil revenue to fight militancy in the Niger Delta region.”

“It must be clearly stated that there is no such provision in the 2017 budget proposals presented by the President, so we have absolutely no idea where this story is coming from.

Indeed, the President has consistently and categorically stated that the focus of his administration in 2017 will be to ‘continue to pursue peace initiatives in the Niger Delta’ through dialogue and engagement. It is for this reason that, amongst other projects earmarked for the Niger Delta, the sum of N65 billion has been provided in the 2017 budget proposals for the re-integration of transformed ex-militants under the Presidential Amnesty Programme.”

Daily Times Nigeria jƑƆ Ɨ ƕè C Ƒ Əƕ Ƣè ƾƠơƣ

Elumelu, others accept, hail Daily Times for awards

Continued from page 1

Reacting to the award, Chairman of United Bank for Africa (UBA), Mr. Tony Elumelu, who is being honoured as DTN Man of the Year (2016), said he appreciates the award, while commending the DTN board and management for the recognition and honour done him.

Also reacting, Borno State governor, Kashim Shettima, who is being honoured as DTN Governor of the Year (2016), described the

award a pleasant surprise to begin 2017.

Thanking God for His mercies, protection and blessings in 2016, the governor said he does not only hope for greater accomplishments in 2017, but also the entrechment of peace, serenity of mind, good health and prosperity.

For the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations (UN) and Nigeria’s former Minister of the Environment, Hajiya Amina Mohammed, who is be-

ing honoured as DTN Woman of the Year (2016), the award is very humbling and a proof of the fact that the newspaper really belongs to the voiceless and the less seen amazing Nigerian Women.

While thanking the DTN board and management for the honour, chairman, Pinnacle Communications Ltd, Sir Lucky Omoluwa, whose company bagged the award for DTN Company of the Year (2016), said it was exciting finding pinnacle broadcast worthy of this wonderful award.

C Ɠ Ə Ɨ ƅƆƏ ƍƆƏƇ Əƌƈ ƗƑƏƈ MƆƓ Ɔ Ə ƅƆƋƆƄƏ Ɛƈ ƈ M Ə Ɠ dƐ ƐƆČ L Ɨ ƕê

IG disagrees with CAN over alleged southern kaduna killings ÏÏÏ Inspector-General of

Police (IG), Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has disagreed with the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the number of people killed in the Southern Kaduna crises.

The Catholic Archdiocese of Kafanchan had alleged that the unrest in Southern Kaduna had claimed over 808 lives in 53 villages in the area.

But Idris disputed the claim in Abuja weekend, at the New Year dinner organised by the Nigeria Police Force for its personnel.

He stressed the need for religious, community and political leaders to be patriotic in their endeavors for peace to reign in the country.

The IG cautioned Nigerians to avoid unnecessary tension which could lead to destruction of lives and property.

He said that Nigerians had no other country than Nigeria; hence the need to do those things that would bring peace and unity to the country.

Idris advised Nigerians to live in peace with one another in spite of religious and ethnic differences.

He commended officers and men of the force for their commitment to providing security to all Nigerians across the country.

Idris restated the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to providing adequate security without bias to any section of the country.

Fight against corruption should go beyond public denunciation -Onaiyekan Tom Okpe Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, has said that the fight against corruption embarked upon by the present administration should go beyond public denunciations and arraignment before sensational tribunals.

He also advised that the federal government should create channels for quiet refund of stolen public monies and amnesty for the looters caught in the act for sake of peace.

Cardinal Onaiyekun believes that if such method is entrenched it will make it possible to repatriate a lot of stolen money in foreign banks.

In his New Year message delivered at Saint Peter and Paul Catholic Church Nyanya Abuja,

on Sunday, he said, “Can there be offer of channels for quiet repentance, refunds and amnesty?” adding that “this is more likely to be effective, especially for repatriating of funds lodged in foreign banks.

“Already, we hear that Mr. President is applying this system quietly with some of his friends. This should be made an open policy available to everyone with good intention.

“The endemic corruption that we have seen may have sucked in many decent people with no real intention to steal public funds.”

He advised that the corruption war should be made an open policy to everyone with good intention “and those who refuse to avail themselves of such an opportunity for amnesty should be pursued, prosecuted according to law, and if found guilty, made to

face the full wrath of the law.”

The Archbishop pointed that peace and progress will continue to elude the country, unless justice is embraced by all and sundry.

He said, “Men often say they are seeking for peace but act many ways against it therefore continue to be elusive; peace be with you, says Jesus Christ to his followers, but not as the world gives it. The path of Christ is the only sure way, through love, forgiveness and active non-violence.

“It used to be said, “If you want peace, prepare for War” this is the logic of enforcing peace by force arms, the logic behind the scandalous arms buildup, huge National armies and non-state combatants of all kinds, huge defense budgets in the midst of poverty; remember, if you prepare for war, you must get war. It becomes the survival of the fittest, the vic-

tory of the more powerful and not of the righteous, unjust peace, silence of the weak becomes the triumph of the powerful.”

The leader of the Catholic faithful in Abuja emphasized that it was in this regard that Pope Paul VI in the 1960s challenged the world to take another path, the path of justice.

“If you want peace, work for Justice. For the development of man, blatant injustice and inequalities in the world build up social tensions eventually leading to breakdown of the unjust structures abhorred by nature.

“Greater justice and sharing between and within nations create more conducive environment for peace to reign in a sustainable way. The famous “Sustainable Development Goals” of the United Nations are therefore steps in the right direction,” he added

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

13

14 Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Key Drivers of Change Series (1): Land Reform

I

Tunji Olaopa

n the popular discussion of the elements that serve as the condition for national development in Nigeria, there is often a deserved focus on socioeconomic issues and ideas relating to infrastructure, capital utilisation, power, human capital development, and other economic dynamics we could regard as constituting a major development framework tried and tested everywhere around the world. The issue of national development is a multidimensional matrix around which the progress of any nation is calibrated. And very often, attention is usually directed at other factors of production— capital, labour, and entrepreneurship—except land. The critical nature of land as a significant factor in national development is not a popular topic for discussion.

The transformation of the development profile in Nigeria is often hinged around a paradigm shift in productivity. I have equally written on the imperative of recalibrating Nigeria’s productivity paradigm through the reform of the public service institution. Productivity, for instance, is often stalled when government invests enormous costs on administrative activities without requisite returns in terms of productivity. And labour, for instance, automatically becomes the focus of such increased productivity. The bloated nature of the public service in Nigeria has remained a source of concern for many successive governments, as well as reformers and scholars of public administration.

Yet, there are only a few reformers who have staked their reputations on the transformation of the existing legal architecture concerning land use in Nigeria.

That land has not received the deserved attention it deserves as a critical element in national development is best demonstrated by Nigeria’s stubborn fixation with the Land Use Act of 1978, and the political intrigues that have stalled any serious attempt at connecting the dots between the legislative intelligence that went into the crafting of the Land Use Act thirty eight years ago and the exigencies of development that confront Nigeria in the twenty first century. Land use in Nigeria is enmeshed in a lot of factors, beginning from the principle of primogeniture down to the idea of kinship. While the modern state in Nigeria exercises immense control over most dimensions of people’s lives, land use in Nigeria is still essentially a community and customary affairs. More than this, land use in Nigeria has been integrated within the dynamics of the political economy and the struggle for socioeconomic relevance that dictates how, for instance, the state

governors in Nigeria have been reacting to proposed amendments of the Land Use Act in consonance with the imperatives of socioeconomic development.

At a superficial level, it is very easy to be incensed at the continued existence of an Act, since 1978, which contradicts all essential lessons of land use everywhere on the globe. It is even very easy, but more frustrating, to interpret the governors as mere political obstacles who are content to sit as lords of the manor and collect revenues accruing from the exiting state of land use in Nigeria. One’s frustration will definitely be compounded with the awareness that in the Ease of Doing Business Index for 2016, Nigeria is 169 out of 190! However, no matter how frustrated one might be, there is a need to see the big picture in order to be able to achieve a composite understanding of what is on ground and what needs to be done.

The Land Use Act and all the political drama that have attended its proposed amendments fall squarely within the ambit of a lopsided federalism with a unitary intent. The promulgation of the Land Use Act undermines the very spirit of federalism because the Act is a federal law which overrides any peculiar customary or legal dynamics existing within the states. In a true federal situation, land belongs with the local communities, and hence with the state governments. In this context therefore, the reluctance of the state governments to actively get involved in the amendment of the Act should be seen as one of the fallouts of a controlled reaction against a “federal” legislation which has consigned all sources of revenue to an exclusive constitutional list. The Land Use Act ought to be on the concurrent list which permits some levels of flexibility in the relationship between the government at the federal and state levels.

Such a structural hindrance to the insertion of land use into the socioeconomic calculation of national development in Nigeria has even a

bigger implication. In The Mystery of Capital (2000), Hernando de Soto, the Peruvian economist, explores the question why capitalism is triumphant everywhere else in the West but its development charm has so far failed to rub off on the third world. Why, that is, has capitalism failed to deliver the kind of development wealth it has given to western societies? His answer: third world countries have all that it takes to reproduce the trappings of capitalism, but they lack the most essential requirement in capitalism—capital. According to de Soto, the nonWestern societies may have huge resources, but they mostly “hold these resources in defective forms.”

One example he gives is relevant to our discussion on land. In most third world societies: “houses built on land whose ownership rights are not adequately recorded, unincorporated businesses with undefined liability, industries located where financiers and investors cannot see them.” When, as is the case with Nigeria’s knotty land use dynamics, lands are not properly documented, then they cannot be turned into capital for investment and other purposes. Elsewhere, a house on a parcel of land together constitutes a huge investment capital for the owner because the government has already mapped out the procedural requisites for purchasing, leasing or owning lands.

It becomes immediately obvious to the discerning that the achievement of capital for development purpose requires sustainable institutional capability and capacitation. I remember that in his autobiography, Prof. Akin Mabogunje dedicated a chapter to his concern about land reform in Nigeria. He narrated the enthusiasm with which the late President Yar’Adua inaugurated the committee on land reform and how that led to the establishment of a larger commission that was to take up the herculean task of a cadastral mapping and registration of all land in Nigeria.

His narration documented the po-

litical hindrances the committee witnessed in the attempt to put together the initial institutional conditions for the possibility of land reform. Could we then infer that the reason the chapter in Mabogunje’s autobiography ended so abruptly on the land reform initiative is that the enthusiasm for that critical reform apparently died with the late president?

Whether we know it or not, the land use act, and the structural hiccups it keeps engendering, continues to negatively affect individual and national socioeconomic growth and development. If de Soto’s argument is correct, Nigeria cannot replicate the conditions that will allow for the generation of developmental wealth. The administrative encumbrances that come with registering a business or obtaining a Certificate of Occupancy alone explains why the ease of doing business in Nigeria is so frustrating that it stifles capital inflow into the country.

Institutions matter. And where institutions are dysfunctional like they are in Nigeria, then a reform dynamics is facilitated by the urgency of the demands that development is making on the nation.

Land reform begins as an administrative and legal engagement with the Land Use Act. If such a legal engagement with the Nigerian Constitution seems daunting, the preliminary cadastral mapping fieldwork, the type of which was assigned to the Mabogunje Committee some ten years back, signals the type of robust reform blueprint that the Buhari administration requires enormous political will to push the change agenda through to a successful transformation of Nigeria.

Change does not often speak to a gigantic project of comprehensive development. On the contrary, a change dynamics only requires that a government picks up from where another government stops. It requires also the committed government to outline specific elements of national development whose reform could be set in motion in creative ways that will ignite short-term, mid-term and long-term development objectives.

The land reform project involves a long term objective of registering all the land in Nigeria for the purpose of generating enormous revenue for the government, as well as injecting capital investment into the country.

Putting in place the institutional procedures that will make deeds and titles to land easy to obtain and the land blueprint of Nigeria ready at hand is an arduous project. But then, one of the mandates that Nigerians gave the Buhari administration is not only to intend some good policies, but to also put in place the administrative dynamics that will translate good intention into good policies.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

15 Opinion

Awaiting the New Year with many expectations from God

E

Livinus Ukah

very Human Being wants a better living. If human beings were to see God face to face, they would have poured their hearts to Him who designed their destiny. Once you are born, your destiny is grounded in God so there is no guessing work, no checking horoscope or going to fortune tellers or “Baba Lawo” to know your destiny.

With years passing away, our life rolls away and every year is full of struggles, our ups and downs in life, and no one likes to remain the same. Man needs a change after scrutinizing his life in the year that has handed over to this 2017. Man’s hope is in the God of tangibility, the God that deals with his problems here and now. Not God of “ex-machina” but he is a God of patience and a God of concern in spite of man’s atrocities. He is a God that does not deal with us as we are and does not judge us according to what we do, otherwise nobody can escape his judgment.

Nobody likes to experience again what had happened in the past, especially bitter ex-

periences, just like the Israelites that say “we cannot go back to Egypt again”. So the ritual of the New Year is very spiritual and existential and it involves humility before God to forget our rotten past and contradictions of life. It is a time for sober spiritual reflection and sincerity of heart, to God of mercy to help us resolve the contradiction that daily interpret our lives.

In his “Sitz in leben” (life situation), he says good bye to the past and embraces a life rooted in justice and peace. He promises to avoid divide in the community of God and dehumanization of individuals created by the God whom he is supposed to serve.

There are many miserable people today in the world; it is not God that put them in that situation.

There are many people who cannot eat three square meals today; there are many people who lost their shops and means of livelihood, and it is not God that caused that situation. There are many people whose rights are trampled upon by oppressive regime. There are many people who lost the election because of election mal-practices. There are many people who assume the position of authority through wrong means and fabri-

cation of lies. All these people are expecting God to allow them enter the New Year and live. The rich would beg God to allow them enter the New Year and continue to live their lives tut continues a life of intimidation of the poor and continue amassing wealth at the expense of the poor.

If man reflects honestly, and sees the new year as a crossing over to new life, new way of thinking, acting and new ways of seeing each other globally, life go better, as a local parlance says.

If man makes an honest New Year Resolution, there would be less conflict, less xenophobia, less racism, less killing of others and less political bickering. If our politicians make real New Year Resolution, there would be concern for the average man. And if the Christian politician goes to new year mass and hears the priest preaching about the qualification of entering into a new year, he can come out to be a good politician who understands that being in power is to empower people to be who they are and not intimidate them by their wealth and power.

In the senate, the Christian politician does not gang up with those who have no respect for human rights while their fellow citizens

wallowing in poverty and misery.

The Christian politician is in politics to help his constituency strive for a better life. His own conflict of interest should not jeopardize the life of his people.

If he is voted when he was in PDP he should not change party as he changes his dazzling cars for social respectability.

The government of today should not put our lives in jeopardy through political rhetoric and imperfect interpretation of when the economy would boom.

According to some Newspapers, it was predicted that this recession will end in 2017. What a big consolation! If they work with God, it is believable. But when there is divide in public opinion, in administration and lack of including God in their decision, how can this be possible?

This New Year is a year where we can cooperate with God and make Nigeria a better country, where our country men will feel happy and when Nigeria’s National Anthem is sang anywhere, they stand firm, singing the national anthem without mimicking it.

The Very Reverend Monsignor Livinus Ukah is the Parish Priest of St. Alponsus Catholic Church, Aboru, Lagos

Soyinka’s recent comments,ill advised

R Fred Nwaozor

ecently, the respected Prof. Wole Soyinka was apparently drowned by myriad of public opinions that he thought it wise, albeit ignorantly, to put his America’s Green Card at stake, forgetting that politics does not share common features with literature. On hearing the bet, I could not help fisting my chest amid the laughter. Although if the reality must be faced squarely, at 82 his entire life ought to be domiciled in the clan he hails from.

After the US 2016 presidential polls that informed the aforementioned expensive joke, everyone worldwide was only interested in seeing the don fulfill the pledge that was made publicly, though subconsciously. Subconscious, in the sense that if given a second chance, he would want to retrieve the ill-advised utterance.

Nigerians were not left out in the picture of those who earnestly looked forward to embracing that moment when he would ascend the podium and do as promised.

It’s noteworthy that most well meaning Nigerians are in the first place, unhappy that Prof. Soyinka could go that far. Everyone was

surprised that he could tender such an answer to an interview pertaining to elections in which he was never one of the contenders, or a citizen of the affected country. It suffices to say that they saw his reaction as mere tantrum.

Rather than admitting the goof, which could be made by any mortal or anyone who possesses the human skin, he went ahead to constitute further embarrassment. In an interview granted to him lately upon his arrival to Nigeria, he unequivocally said “I’m going to hold a private wake on inauguration day not to mourn the decision of Americans in the choice of President but to mourn the death of Nigeria common sense.” It didn’t stop at that; he went further to call Nigerians names including imbeciles, barbarians, illiterates, and blabbermouths. “I’m embarrassed that I’m occupying the same nation space with these imbeciles …” he stated.

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t have considered coming up with this critique, considering that senility can be characterised by various antics. But in view of the fact that silence could mean more harm, I was left with no option. What

he displayed is a clear indication that one of the worst moments of critics is when they are being criticised; they detest being criticised but enjoy criticising others.

How do you reconcile this?

Prof. Soyinka indeed underestimated Nigeria as a nation, and Nigerians as a people, to have summoned the impetus to publicly display such an effrontery. Countless great Nigerians of note existed before him, but none, despite the numerous challenges faced at one time or the other, let Nigeria down by using abusive words on her. Even at the moment, there are many who share the same greatness with him, yet living a quiet life. I am not in any way opining that everyone ought to possess the same character, because every unique character was created for a purpose, but one is required to realise when his/her boundary is being overstepped.

Most importantly, at a time when one is unanimously being celebrated by his people, their interest or happiness should be placed first before any other. But, at that interview, it appeared Prof.

Soyinka was beclouded by his boiling temper. People, especially public figures, must learn to con-

trol their temper at all times.

However, he still has a chance to make amends if only he has realised his mistakes, which are not peculiar to his person.

As for me, I’m damn willing to forgive if he is ready to jettison his ego towards doing the needful.

I truly want him to retrace his steps, because even if he means nothing to my person, I’m not unaware that he’s being adored, if not worshipped, by millions of Nigerians; and this set of individuals cannot afford to miss him.

So, on their behalf, I urge him to have a rethink. Nigeria, no doubt, comprises a set of understanding personalities, thus would be ever prepared to accept his unalloyed apology when tendered.

By making that utterance, Prof. Soyinka has refused to convince me that, ab initio, he had meant well for this country. But he still has the opportunity to disabuse me of my thoughts; hence, I alongside fellow aggrieved Nigerians have decided to give him the benefit of the doubt. If he chose to remain adamant of the pains he had caused us, I’ll then consider it that he has already turned his back on a country that made him.

Think about it!

16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Bala N happy with NPFL squad

iger Tornadoes technical adviser, Abubakar Bala has described as winning squad the 35-man list named for the 2016/17 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

The Minna-based side named 35man list on Monday to prosecute the side’s campaign in the upcoming Nigeria top-flight due to kick-off on Sunday, January 15.

Bala said his side are almost 80% prepared for football hostilities in the upcoming Nigerian top-flight.

“Of course, the 35-man list for the

NPFL will deliver the goods at the appointed time.

“I’m satisfied with the crop of players we were able to assemble for the upcoming Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

“The 35-man list is a product of painstaking screening exercises that cut across the nooks and crannies of the country.

“The players are from the NPFL, Nigeria National League (NNL), Nigeria Nationwide League, academies, among others.

“We have been able to replace some

quality players we lost to other teams in the off season.

“The players’ responses to the team and playing character we are putting in place for the season are quite impressive.

“So far so good, I can comfortably say I’m 85% confident the 35-man list will take us successfully to the height we set for ourselves in the coming season,” said the former FC Lokoja coach.

The Minna outfit resumed camp after the yuletide break on Monday for the final phase preparation for the topflight.

Bala

Page 17

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Rohr

works as TV pundit

at AFCON 2017 S

uper Eagles coach Gernot Rohr will work as a pundit for a French television channel during the AFCON in Gabon according to a reliable source.

“Rohr will be a pundit for a French television network at the AFCON in Gabon,” a top source told AfricanFootball.com African football’s showpiece event will kick off on January 14 in Gabon, but Rohr will still be on vacation as the Super Eagles

failed to qualify for the tournament for a second straight time.

Rohr has a track record working in Africa for the past eight years after he first handled Tunisian club Etoile du Sahel in 2008.

He has bossed Niger, Burkina Faso and was also in charge when co-hosts Gabon reached the quarterfinals of AFCON 2012.

The Franco-German, who has been

holidaying in Madagascar, the birthplace of his wife, has said he will use the AFCON to spy on World Cup rivals Cameroun and Algeria.

Nigeria lead their World Cup qualifying section with six points from two matches.

They resume the series in August, when they welcome second-placed Cameroun to Uyo in the first leg of a crucial double header.

Rohr

Lafia Stadium return boosts Nasarawa —Dogo Chukwu considers

N

asarawa United head coach, Kabir Dogo has called a huge boost the side’s return to their home ground, Lafia Township Stadium for the upcoming topflight.

The Solid Miners will be staging a comeback to the ground after a season’s sojourn at the Aper Aku Stadium in Makurdi.

Dogo said the management has equipped the side adequately for a successful campaign in the upcoming 2016/17 Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

“It’s a big plus to play our home matches once again on the home ground, Lafia Township Stadium.

“It will be huge playing before our teeming fans after a season’s sojourn in Makurdi, Benue state.

“It’s a welcome development and we hope to

profit maximally from the latest development.

“I’m confident the return to our home turf will impact positively to our performance in the upcoming NPFL. “The government has given us adequate supports to excel in the NPFL by taking care of the welfare of the players and coaches.

“I strongly believe we will perform far better than we did in the immediate past top-flight.

“However, we want to appeal to our teeming fans to show understanding even when results seem not to be coming their way,” said the former Abubakar Bukola Saraki (ABS) FC coach.

The Lafia outfit will be the guests of Wikki Tourists in NPFL matchday 1 clash in Bauchi while the side will host champions, Enugu Rangers in matchday 2 clash at the Lafia Township Stadium.

foreign offers

Dogo

Nigerian striker Daniel Chima Chukwu will this week consider several offers including from top Polish club Legia Warszawa, Major League Soccer (MLS) as well as clubs in Turkey, Japan and China.

“We have four, five offers we are looking at,” the striker’s agent Atta Aneke revealed.

“We will make a decision when we meet in Europe later this week.”

Last year, the 25-year-old Chukwu featured for Shanghai Shenxin as they missed promotion to the Chinese top

league.

He has previously played for Norwegian clubs Lyn Oslo and Molde.

He won three Norwegian championship winners’ medals and two cups with Molde.

18

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

EXTRATIME

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP…

Defoe punishes ambitious Reds

Defoe

J

PREMIERSHIP BRIEFS

Leicester clean sheet delights Ranieri Claudio Ranieri was thrilled to see Leicester City keep a second consecutive clean sheet in their 0-0 Premier League draw at Middlesbrough. A poor encounter on Monday saw champions Leicester extend their run without an away win to 10 top-flight matches this season, although they have now drawn each of their last two. The point at Boro comes after a 1-0 home win at West Ham on Saturday and Ranieri has been keen to re-focus on a defence-first strategy.

Clement gets nod to discuss Swansea job Bayern Munich have given assistant coach Paul Clement permission to hold talks with Premier League strugglers Swansea City. Clement emerged as the favourite to take the reins at the Liberty Stadium after Bob Bradley was sacked by the Welsh club last week. A Bayern statement read: “Assistant coach Paul Clement (44) has asked FC Bayern Munich for permission to hold talks with Premier League club Swansea City about the position of head coach. Bayern head coach Carlo Ancelotti and the management board of Bayern Munich have fulfilled this wish.”

Burnley: Aguero saves 10-man City

Aguero

Substitute Sergio Aguero proved Manchester City’s hero as they overcame Burnley in a tense 2-1 victory at the Etihad Stadium, despite playing almost an hour with 10 men.

The Argentinian striker surprisingly dropped to the bench for City’s second game in 48 hours after their 1-0 defeat to Liverpool - was introduced as a second-half replacement for Kelechi Iheanacho and subsequently proved the matchwinner, after stand-in captain Fernandinho had beenIbrahimovic sent off.

ermain Defoe scored two penalties as third-bottom Sunderland prevented Liverpool from significantly trimming Chelsea’s lead at the Premier League summit in a 2-2 draw on Monday.

Liverpool twice went ahead, through Daniel Sturridge and Sadio Mane, but Defoe’s two spot-kicks mean Chelsea will move eight points clear if they win at Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday.

Liverpool, who were denied a fifth successive league win, were left five points adrift of Chelsea in second place, with City two points back in third place.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp made just one change to his starting XI, Sturridge replacing the injured

Jordan Henderson, and the England striker gave his side a 19th-minute lead at the Stadium of Light.

Dejan Lovren miscued his volley from a corner, but Sturridge reacted sharply to swivel and redirect the ball past Sunderland goalkeeper Vito Mannone with his head.

Defoe equalised six minutes later, netting his 10th league goal of the season from the penalty spot after Didier N’Dong was fouled by Ragnar Klavan.

Mane restored Liverpool’s lead in the 72nd minute, tapping in from a corner, but then conceded a penalty for a needless handball, allowing Defoe to equalise for the second time with six minutes to play.

Valencia helps Everton sink Saints

E

nner Valencia came off the bench to make a decisive impact as the Colombian striker inspired Everton’s 3-0 win over Southampton on Monday.

Valencia hadn’t scored a club goal since netting twice for West Ham against Manchester City in January 2016.

But the 27-year-old was back on the scoresheet at Goodison Park as he bagged his first goal in 12 appearances since joining on loan from West Ham. Valencia’s second-half strike was followed by late goals from Leighton Baines and Romelu Lukaku, ensuring

Everton manager Ronald Koeman could savour a winning start to 2017 at the expense of his former club.

After Everton lost 1-0 on Koeman’s first return to St Mary’s earlier this season, the Dutch coach condemned Southampton to a third successive defeat that represented their worst losing run in the league for more than two years.

It took Southampton just 41 seconds to score when they faced Everton in November, but the early stages weren’t so kind to them this time.

In the third minute, Saints right-

back Cedric Soares was forced off in the third minute after sustaining a nasty gash in his head following a collision with an advertising board around the pitch.

Everton’s second goal owed much to the threat posed by Valencia as he forced a rash challenge from Saints defender Maya Yoshida in the 81st minute, earning a penalty that Baines dispatched with typical efficiency.

Lukaku sealed Everton’s late goal blitz in the 89th minute when the Belgium striker took a Tom Davies pass and blasted into the top corner.

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

EXTRATIME

19

NIGERIAN PLAYERS ABROAD WITH FRANK JUMBO

Ohanachom

joins

Uzoenyi trains with Rangers

Enyimba E

x-Eagles star Ejike Uzoenyi has maintained he still has a running contract with African champions Mamelodi Sundowns even though he has been training with former club Enugu Rangers.

Uzoenyi has not played for his South African club Sundowns for the past two seasons fueling speculations surrounding his future.

“I am just training with my former club to keep fit, any moment from now I am going back to South Africa. I don’t know the time, but I know I will leave soon,” Uzoenyi said.

“If I don’t have a contract again what will I

Ohanachom

F

orward, Chinedu Ohanachom has successfully completed his transfer to the former Nigerian champions, Enyimba.

The former FC Taraba marksman campaigned for the top-flight side, El Kanemi Warriors in the immediate past Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

Ohanachom said his mission to the twotime African champions is to win the NPFL title.

“Yes, I’m a full-fledged Enyimba player right now as I have completed my transfer to the side.

“I’m well welcomed to Enyimba as I was made to feel instantly at home by all and sundry.

“I’m satisfied with what was offered and I strongly feel the offer will serve as catalyst to deliver the goods at the right moment.

“My mission to Enyimba is to win the NPFL title and return the side to the continent.

“I believe the task to win titles at Enyimba will be quite easy with the quality of players in the side’s camp,” said Ohanachom.

go and do in South Africa? I have an existing contract.”

It is understood the contract pays him five million Rands (about 100 million Naira) a year.

Uzoenyi, whose career has been hampered by injuries, trained fully with the Rangers squad Monday morning at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Stadium in Enugu.

He looked sharp and lively not like a player who has not played competitive football for almost two years now.

His agent has previously hinted on a move away from Sundowns and he even trained with another South African club SuperSport Uzoenyi United but nothing came out of it.

Ex-Flying Eagles star Anubi joins Sunshine F

ormer Nigeria U20 star Kola Anubi has joined NPFL club Sunshine Stars.

“Yes, it’s true I am now with Sunshine Stars,” disclosed the midfielder, who played alongside Chelsea star Mikel in the country’s U20 team.

“Last season I was with Rivers United.”

Anubi has yet to play overseas, but he has insisted he still has a lot to be grateful about his career.

“I have played in the league for like 10 years now. I have travelled on countless occasions (for trials) but for ill luck, I have yet signed a contract.

“I have been to Turkey, Brazil, South Africa Holland and so on. But I just believe in the appointed time, I will play abroad.

“I don’t wish to be compare myself with some of my youth national team mates because everyone’s destiny differs.

“I remain grateful to God for what I have achieved in football - I have been to two World Cups, U-17 and U-20. I have been invited to the Super Eagles, both CHAN and the main team. I have also played international football with Dolphins FC. So, I give God the glory.”

Anubi

Katsina United clear new signings P

Dami Paul has joined Katsina Utd from Nasarawa Utd.

romoted Katsina United have shown they mean business in the forthcoming NPFL season after clearing most of their new signings.

“We have cleared our new players as we hope to be competitive in the Nigeria premier league,” disclosed Katsina United chairman Aminu Balele Kurfi.

“We have fully paid for their clearance.

“This is another sign that we are in the NPFL for serious business.”

Among the new signings cleared are Abdulwahab Bidemi (FC Ifeanyi Ubah), Dami Paul (Nasarawa United), Tasiu Lawal (Niger Tornadoes), Eric Gwammy, Franky Eghervba (Mighty Jets), Kingsley Ajaero (Heartland), Franke C.Kappe (Abuja Football College) and Michael Nelson (El Kanemi).

20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

21

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

DAUSAYIN ALHERI AWARENESS FOUNDATION

THE EMMANUEL IVORGBA FOUNDATION

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

LIFE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT & SUCCESS INITIATIVE

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE FOUNDATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, OF 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

Ibrahim makama Misau 2.

Yakubu Ibrahim 3.

Abdullahi Umar Alkaleri 4.

Usman Ahmad Adamu

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

EMMANUEL ANDE IVORGBA 2.

HOPE ANDE IDOT

TRUSTEES. 1 Mrs Favour Adaeze Felix-UZOR......PRESIDENT. 2 Mr Gory Ayemere Elebhose....... Secretary.

3.Mr Oladotun Paul Ayoola.

4.Mr Kayode Christopher Olorunsola.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.

To inculcate mutual understanding among the members of the association 2.

To provide skills and resources to orphans, widows and the less privileged in the community Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris Crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1.

TO ENHANCE ACCESS TO QUALITATIVE EDUCATION AND VOCATIONAL SKILLS DEVELOPMENT 2.

TO SUPPORT AND EMPOWER YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR WITH RESOURCES AND TOOLS TO BECOME SUCCESSFUL ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED: Secretary

SIGNED: SECRETARY

Signed. St.Gordy Elebohose Esq.

KAMORUDEEN ISLAMIC CHARITABLE ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA

INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY CHRISTIAN REVIVAL 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 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 NO. 1 OF 1990

TRUSTEES: 1. ABDUL KABIRU YAYA -CHAIRMAN 2. ISMAILA AJANI 3. QOZIM-ABDUL RASHEED 4. ABDUL HAMEED HAMZAT 5. ABDUL KAREEM SULAIMON 6. HAZAN BUSARI 7. QOZIM OLAWALE 8. SAHEED ABOLADE 9. KEHINDE AZEEZ YAZIR 10. ONIYIDE SULAIMON AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROPAGATE THE DOCTRINE OF ISLAM ALL OVER THE WORLD. 2. TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEEDY AND THE LESS PRIVILEGE IN THE SOCIETY. 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. SIGNED: BARR FRIDAY OKOH 08032656137

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. REV. ORJI ISRAEL MALACHI 2. PASTOR MRS. ORJI BLESSING NNENA 3. BRO. NDUBUISI NWAMUO 4 DEACON UKATU MARTINS IZUCHUKWU 5 BRO. EZE PAUL EMEKA 6 BRO OKORO FRIDAY CHIEDOZIE 7 SIS. DORATHY UJU OKOTIE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1 To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2 To win souls for Christ by carry out missionary works and give also to the needy 3 To uphold the spiritual faith and doctrine as laid down by our lord Jesus Christ Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar general, corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: PROPHET SAMUEL OLABANJI

PAPA-AJAO MUSLIM ASSEMBLY

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named body has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990 TRUSTEES ARE (1) AIhaji Jamiu Salis Ololade (2) Alhaji Uthman Ilyas Balogun (3)Alhaji Abdul-razaq Mubashir Woleola (4) Alhaji Salaudeen Abdullah Babatunde Aims and Objectives of the Body Are. 1. To foster unity and progress among all Muslims within the community and beyond 2 lnculcating into the minds of our children the importance of the tenets of Islam and to see to it that they are carried out from time to time 3. Holding Monthly meetings Annual Ramadan and Hijrah programmes at any designated place 4. Engaging in all necessary Muslim activities that can protect the image of Islam throughout Lagos State ,the Federation of Nigeria and the world at large Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

Signed Secretary

YUSUF SUNMOLA I, Formerly known and addressed as, AMBALI YUSUF OJONLA , now wish to be known and addressed as YUSUF SUNMOLA. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

UGOCHUKWU CHINYERE GIFT

Formerly known and addressed as UKAEGBU GIFT CHINYERE, now wish to be known and addressed, as UGOCHUKWU CHINYERE GIFT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

TRUSTEES: 1 ONWENONYE CLETUS GENERAL OVERSEER/FOUNDER 2 OKONJO, EMORDI HERBERT 3. OKOYE, COLLINS IGWEBUIKE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST IN ALL THE NATIONS OF THE WORLD 2 TO WIN SOULS FOR CHRIST THROUGH PREACHING AND CONVERTING SINNERS AND TEACHING THEM THE TRUE WORD OF GOD. 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. SIGNED: SECRETARY

GOD IS GREAT HEALING BIBLE CHURCH

AGUGUO DESTINY NKEIRUKA

I, formerly known and addressed as DESTINY CANICE NKECHI, Now wish to be known and addressed as AGUGUO DESTINY NKEIRUKA. all former documents remain valid. general should take note .

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

That I Alleluya Hope is the same person as Adeyemi Hope Emmanuel. All Documents/Credentials bearing all this names remain valid, General public please take note.

FOLASADE MORAYO FLOODE

I formerly known and addressed as FOLASADE MORAYO AKADIRI now wish to be known and addressed as FOLASADE MORAYO FLOODE. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

ATAVWODA BRIGHT JAMES.

Formerly known and addressed as Major Bright J Atavwoda now to be known and addressed as Atavwoda Bright James. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

This is to confirm that JIMAH CLEMENT MOMODU and MADAIKI MOMODU refer to one and same person,now wish to be known and addressed as JIMAH CLEMENT MOMODU. All former documents remain valid. Banks and general public should please take note.

ODERINDE JOHN ADETUNJI.

Formerly known and addressed as ODERINDE ABIODUN ADEKUNLE, now wish to be known and addressed as ODERINDE JOHN ADETUNJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OTUNLA OLAMILEKAN SALAU

Formerly known and addressed as OLAMILEKAN SALAMI OTUNLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OTUNLA OLAMILEKAN SALAU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

EGBA AUGUSTINE ORI

I, formerly known and addressed as GODWIN AUGUSTINE EGBA, now wish to be known and addressed as EGBA AUGUSTINE ORI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Aims and objectives.

1 To collaborate with the govern in creating and promoting economic policies for the development of Nigeria. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Maitama Abuja within 28days of this publication.

ANIOKE NKEMDILIM CYNTHIA

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONUORAH NKEMDILIM CYNTHIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ANIOKE NKEMDILIM CYNTHIA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and Generalpublic should please take note.

OKAFOR ADAKU MELINDA

I, formerly known and addressed as OKAFOR MELINDA ADA, now wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR ADAKU MELINDA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

OGBU STEPHEN CHINECHEREM

I, formerly known and addressed as OGBU STEPHEN and OGBU CHINECHEREM, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBU STEPHEN CHINECHEREM. All former documents remain valid.

Banks andGeneral public should please take note.

ADEBAYO OLAOLUWA IBUKUN

I formerly known and addressed as ADEBAYO OLAOLUWA HEZEKIAH now wish to be known and addressed as ADEBAYO OLAOLUWA IBUKUN All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note

ADEDAYO OLUBUNMI FASINA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

I formerly known and addressed as ABDULLAHI HASHIM DANLADI now wish to be known and addressed as ALHASSAN ABDULLAHI GAMARYA. All former documents remain lid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ADEDAYO OLUBUNMI AKADIRI now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEDAYO OLUBUNMI FASINA All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

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

OLANIYAN AISHA OLUWAKEMI

ADEDOKUN ADENIKE VICTORIA OMOLARA

OYENIRAN BOSE OGBODO COMFORT

I formerly Miss OLABIYI ADENIKE VICTORIA OMOLARA Now MRS ADEDOKUN ADENIKE VICTORIA OMOLARA All former documents remain valid general public take note

Formerly known and addressed as Ogbodo Comfort Bose now wish to be known and addressed as Oyeniran Bose Ogbodo Comfort.All former documents remain valid, general public take note.

ALHASSAN ABDULLAHI GAMARYA

I formerly MISTURA FEHINTOLA ADUKE Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OLANIYAN AISHA OLUWAKEMI All former documents remain valid UBA and general public take note USMAN HALILU

KUYE ORIYOMI OLUWASEYI.

I formerly known and addressed as Kamal sulieman now I wish to be known and addressed as Usman Halilu.

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

I, formerly known and addressed as KUYE ORIYOMI OLUWAJUWON, now wish to be known and addressed as KUYE ORIYOMI OLUWASEYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

OLUFUNMILAYO MOTUNDE OLAGBAJU

LAWAL ANOTA TAIWO

Formerly known and addressed as OLUFUNMILAYO MOTUNDE ALONGE, now wish to be known and addressed as OLUFUNMILAYO MOTUNDE OLAGBAJU. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

BASHEER KAZEEM ADEDOYIN

Formerly known and addressed as MRS. ANOTA KOLAWOLE T, now wish to be known and addressed as LAWAL ANOTA TAIWO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MOBOLAJI OWOEBUTE OKEDEJI

Formerly known and addressed as BASHIRU KAZEEM ADEDOYIN, now wish to be known and addressed as BASHEER KAZEEM ADEDOYIN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as BARR. LAWAL MOBOLAJI OKEDEJI, now wish to be known and addressed as BARR. MOBOLAJI OWOEBUTE OKEDEJI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ELECHI FAVOUR IFEOMA I, formerly known and addressed as ELECHI JANCINTA IFUNANYA, now wish to be known and addressed as ELECHI FAVOUR IFEOMA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as NNADOZIE CHRISTIAN UCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as NNADOZIE CHRISTIAN UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NNADOZIE CHRISTIAN UCHENNA

NWOKOLO JOSEPHINE NKEMJIKA

TONY-OLORONDU: Formerly known and addressed as MISS. TONY-OLORONDU JOSEPHINE NKEMJIKA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. NWOKOLO JOSEPHINE NKEMJIKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ONUKAEZI ELEBECHI FAITH

Formerly known and addressed as ONUKOSI FAITH, now wish to be known and addressed as ONUKAEZI ELEBECHI FAITH. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note KAYODE THERESA ABIKE

I, formerly known and addressed as AKINYEMI THERESA ABIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as KAYODE THERESA ABIKE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

FAKOLUJO ELIZABETH ADETOLA.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS. ONANEYE ADETOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS FAKOLUJO ELIZABETH ADETOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Baale, Abule- Odi, Ojora Kingdom, Chief Hakeem Olatunji Abolade (left) and Ojora of Ijora Kingdom, Oba Abdul Fatai Oyeyinka Aremu Aromire Oyegbemi 11, during the installation of Abolade

by Oyegbemi in his palace, Lagos… on Monday.

Wike to embark on extensive empowerment programmes in 2017 Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt The Rivers State governor, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has assured the people of the state that his administration would embark on an extensive and sustained empowerment programmes in 2017.

The governor also stated that the state’s share of the Paris and London Clubs deduction refund would be applied to aggressive projects execution in 2017 since the state government had already settled salaries and pensions arrears.

In his speech during the 2017 Rivers State New Year Banquet at the Government House, Port

Harcourt on Sunday night, Governor Wike said his administration would combine aggressive projects execution with the empowerment schemes.

“This year will be a year of the empowerment of our people.

While we are doing projects, we will be doing stomach infrastructure. Our stomach infrastructure this year will go round the people. We will transform the state in all ratifications. We will increase the tempo of projects execution in January to the level that our people will be amazed,” the governor said.

He continued: “Work starts on January 3, 2017. We will release more funds for the execution of

the Ogoni -Andoni-Opobo-Nkoro Unity Road. Sakpenwa-Bori road, Buguma Internal Roads and several road projects will be executed. Between this year and early 2018, we will deliver on all our road projects. Within this period, Rivers State will witness total transformation.”

Commending the leaders of Rivers State for their support and loyalty, Governor Wike assured the people that his administration would continue to invest in the maintenance of security, noting that he would never support the intimidation of the judiciary under any circumstances, pointing out that if the judiciary failed, democracy

would collapse.

Speaking on the just concluded rerun election in the state, the governor reiterated that Rivers people deserved an award from the Independent National Election Commission (INEC) for standing up in defense of democracy during the rerun legislative elections.

He said that the state government would stand by the families of those who died while defending the integrity of Rivers State, adding: “Nobody will intimidate or blackmail me. No one person can own Rivers State.” He noted that Rivers State would roll out the drums in 2017 to celebrate the State Golden Jubilee.

Saraki launches contest to promote made in Nigeria products Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has launched a contest to promote made in Nigeria products.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the contest scheduled to run for three months, is aimed at showcasing the process and raw materials used in producing such locally made goods.

In a statement personally signed by Saraki, he said that the contest would identify the good products that could be matched with investors and government agencies.

He said that such agencies or investors would drive the products to the extent that they compete favourably with any similar

product being imported.

“Today, as promised, we kickstart the soft launch of the #MadeInNigeria Challenge.

“This campaign is organised to showcase everyday products that are used by Nigerians and produced by Nigerians locally that serves as an alternative to imported products.

“The next few weeks, we hope to identify products and ideas that can be matched with investors and government agencies.

“To wrap up the challenge, in March, we will be inviting some of the finalist to a Made In Nigeria Roundtable at the Senate.

“This Roundtable will allow us, legislators, Government Agencies, business owners, and ev-

eryday Nigerian consumers to participants are to shoot a video review and update the report of of between 45 seconds to three the National Assembly Business minutes showcasing their prodEnvironment Roundtable (NASS- uct or service that is an alternaBER), which was held in 2016 to tive to imported ones. improve the ease of doing business in the country,” he said.

Saraki added that the roundtable would also be used to get feedback on the Public Procurement Act passed by the Senate in 2016.

The amended Act mandates government agencies to give preference to local manufacturers in Procurement of goods and services.

He wished all the participants good luck and called on Nigerians to use the hashtag #MadeInNigeria in all your submitted videos.

To participate in the contest, Saraki

7 News

Dabiri-Erewa condemns killing of another Nigerian in South Africa Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora, Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, has described the latest extra judicial killing of a Nigerian in South Africa as “worrying and condemnable.”

Dabiri-Erewa, in a statement by her media aide, Abdur-Rahman Balogun, in Abuja, said the latest gruesome killing of Tochukwu Nnadi by police in South Africa, is unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria.

While reiterating President Muhammadu Buhari’s calls to Nigerians to avoid crimes such as drug peddling, which attract stiff penalties, sometimes death, she however noted that the killing of Nnadi has brought to 20, Nigerians killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in 2016.

According to the presidential adviser, “The barbaric behaviour of the perpetrators is not only unacceptable, but also calls for urgent attention by diplomatic authorities in Nigeria and South Africa.”

Dabiri-Erewa urged the South African government to ensure that justice prevails by carrying out investigation and bring the culprit to book.

She reiterated her calls to Nigerians living abroad to always respect the laws of their host countries and be good ambassadors of Nigeria.

Her words, “While appealing to Nigerians to avoid crimes, the extra judicious killing of Nigerians is condemnable and unacceptable.”

Tochukwu Nnadi, was allegedly choked to death by police in South Africa on Thursday December 29, 2016 after he was arrested for allegedly selling drugs.

According to eyewitnesses, the man, popularly known as King Kingsley, was not struggling after he was arrested and handcuffed, but one of the officers held onto his neck and squeezed tightly until blood started gushing out.

“My heart goes out to the families of the deceased and pray God to grant the departed soul eternal rest”, the SSA prayed.

The Nigeria Union in Pretoria has confirmed the latest killing.

Secretary of the union, Mr. Adetola Olubajo, told newsmen in Pretoria that “Nigeria Union is calling on the Nigerian Mission to demand results of investigations of all murder cases involving Nigerian victims from the South African authority.’’

Olubajo said that the union was not happy that all murder cases involving Nigerians in South Africa were never resolved.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Kerosene scarcity: buyers sleep at filling stations as price rises 300%

By Edem Edem, Calabar

ÎÎÎNigerians

who use kerosene for domestic purposes particularly for cooking, lighting and other business such as marketing slept in few filling stations, expecting the product which has been scarce forabout two weeks or more in Calabar and its

environs.

Sadly, a few stations that have the product have increased the cost per litre by 300 per cent. Government’s approved price for kerosene is N50 per liter but the price in Calabar has gone up as high as N500 or more per litter.

The high cost make it difficult for the low -income earners to purchase, a development that has become frustrating to

the users who mostly use same for cooking (stove) and lighting (lantern).

Most filling stations visited by our Correspondent in Calabar have no kerosene except for a few ones with long queues of rubbers and customers seen waiting endlessly to buy the product. A customer told Daily Times that he has been at the filling station since last night when he heard that the station

has the product and may start to sell soon.

“I don’t even know whether they will sell today or not, but as long as they assure us, I will still be here because I don’t have any for my domestic use” he stated.

Lamenting too, another customer who pleaded anonimity said in anger, please help us tell this people that this is new year, we need to prepare

food for our husbands and children, I don’t have kerosene in my house. So if they have in their pumps, they should please sell to us, we have been here since yesterday morning.”

Effort to speak with officials of Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Cross River/Akwa Ibom Zone on the causes of the scarcity was unsuccessful even as they have not

RIWAMA to restore Garden City status of Port Harcourt

Seek peace with Tinubu, Akande, others, Ajulo tells Ondo Gov-elect

Amaka Agbu,

Lateef Ibrahim,

Port Harcourt

Abuja

ÎÎÎ

ÎÎÎAn Abuja- based Lawyer

and former National Secretary of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Olukayode Ajulo, has advised the Ondo State Governor-elect, Mr. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu (SAN), to reach out to all those who might have been hurt by his actions and/ or inactions since he declared his intention to rule the Sunshine state.

Ajulo who gave the advice in an open letter to the Governor-elect titled, “Make Peace With Tinubu and Others” specifically told Akeredolu that it will be of great importance for him to reach out to those national and sectional leaders like Sen Bola Tinubu, Chief Bisi Akande and Gov Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State among others, stresssing that he stands to gain from their experience.

He reminded the Governorelect, that the battle has been fought and won, pointing out that the time is now to take firm steps to win the peace.

“You must consider it imperative to reach out to all those that might have been hurt by your actions and/or inactions since your intention to rule our dear state has been declared”, he said.

Continuing, Ajulo said, “Without a doubt, even those perceived as your foes played a pivotal role in this great odyssey of yours. It would be heartwarming if one could see all those peers of yours like Segun Abraham, Prof Ajayi Boroffice, Olusola Oke etc (against whom you contested) at your inauguration.

come out with the reason for the development.

However, an expert in the oil industry who does not want his name mentioned said, “Do you know that NNPC here in Calabar is not functioning, I’m a marine engineer and a key player in the oil and gas industry”.

The happy thing is that the price of fuel has remained stable even as some of the marketers reduced the pump price from N145 per litre to N140 but the pump price of kerosene still remained N400N500 per litre if at all it is found. Before now, it was sold at N200 per litre.

Travelers boarding a taxi at Zuba park after the New Year holiday in Abuja… on Monday.

Ex-lawmaker wants NJC to investigate murder suspects incarceration in Ekiti Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÎÎÎ

A member of the seventh House of Representatives, and Governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Engr. Bamidele Faparusi, has described as “unlawful and political”, the continuous incarceration of suspects linked to the murder of the former Chairman, National Union of Road Transport Workers(NURTW) in Ekiti State, Mr. Omolafe Aderiye, alleged close ally of Governor Ayo Fayose.

Specifically, the governirship aspirant who accused Fayose of allegedly deliberately incacerating the accused because of their political link with All Progressives Party (APC), called on the National Judicial Council(NJC) to investigate what he described as

“prolonged unlawful imprisonment”.

Faparusi, an APC who expresed concern over the families of the accused in a chat with journalists in Ado Ekiti on Monday, said those being tried by the State High Court over their complicity in the gruesome murder of the NURTW’s boss were allegedly being victimized by Governor Fayose for their political beliefs, using the instrumentality of the judiciary.

Aderiye was murdered in 2014 by unknown gunmen in Ado Ekiti and eight persons, who are known APC chieftains are being incarcerated in court on the order of Justice Lekan Ogunmoye since December 2014.

Those being tried included: two former chairmen Road Transport Employers’ Association of Nigeria, Mr Rotimi

Olabiwonnu(aka Mentilo) and Bayo Adeyiye(aka Ojuigo), Mr Sola Durodola, Oso Farotimi, Ajayi Kayode, Sola Adenijo and Chief Niyi Adedipe(aka Apase).

Faparusi who had earlier visited and presented gifts to the families of the suspects , pointed out that the NJC as regulatory body on judicial officers in Nigeria must probe into why the accused persons were being imprisoned without justifiable reasons.

He said he decided to reach out to the families of the accused persons as a way of identifying with them at this trying time, when their breadwinners were being imprisoned over allegation that cannot be proven.

“It is very unfortunate that Governor Fayose is using judiciary to take a pound of flesh against political foes. It was

clear that these accused persons were being persecuted over trumped-up charges. As we speak now, no veracious evidence linked them with the murder of Aderiye.

“Any country where justice is not being served stands the risk of violence, so NJC must do the needful in this matter.

The court has been hiding under technicality to prolong their stay in the prison.

“The plaintiff, which is now the state government has been frustrating attempt to bail them out of the prison. These accused persons are notable people who cannot jump bail.

“For two times now, the families had lost the opportunities of celebrating the Christmas and new year with their breadwinners and this was a great injustice which must be corrected ”.he added.

The Sole Administrator of the Rivers State Waste Management Agency (RIWAMA), Chief Felix Obuah, who is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, has called on all contractors doing business with the agency to ensure that their operational areas were kept clean and tidy as they commenced the New Year in order to restore the Garden City status of Port Harcourt, the capital city.

In a statement signed by the Special Adviser to the Sole Administrator on Media and Publicity, Mr. Jerry Needam, the RIWAMA Chairman advised the contractors to heed to the directive, warning that it would not hesitate to sanction any contractor who flouted that order as the agency would stop at nothing to keep Port Harcourt clean.

The Sole Administrator said that RIWAMA remained resolute in its quest to restore the Garden City status of Port Harcourt and its surroundings, noting that the onerous task rested squarely on the contractors to make it happen.

Chief Obuah observed with dismay that the Oroigwe Road

by Mini Wondugba Bridge was currently blocked as a result of huge refuse, urging the contractor in charge to move to the area immediately and clear the refuse without further delay.

Expressing his appreciation to those contractors who had worked assiduously to achieve the present state of cleanliness of the city, Chief Obuah charged them to maintain the tempo to ensure a cleaner Rivers State in 2017.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

25

News

Nigeria ranks high in global aviation safety rating Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÎÎÎ

Nigeria has attained another high level safety rating which places it amongst the world leaders in aviation safety by climbing to Level 3 State Safety Programme (SSP) Implementation Process.

With this feat achieved, Nigeria has therefore, joined countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom etc in this echelon.

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority NCAA which made this known yesterday in an official

statement signed by the General Manager, Public Affairs, Sam Adurogboye stated that this categorisation is dependent on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which tracks the SSP implementation process of member-states via its Integrated Safety Trend Analysis and Reporting System (iSTARS).

NCAA further stated that member states in tandem therefore, deploy this platform to undertake Gap Analysis, define their action plans and benchmark their progress, adding that

“only two member statesAustralia and Sri Lankahas achieved full implementation of the SSP according to ICAO records. Nigeria is striving to achieve Level 4 which is 100% by the end 0f 2017”.

The State Safety Programme (SSP) process is inaugurated in member countries in compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) requirements as contained in Annex 19 on Safety Management.

Consequently, Nigeria’s advanced level has put its SSP implementation pro-

cess amongst States that have defined an action plan for all non-implemented Gap questions.

In other words, Nigeria has completed its Gap Analysis, implemented 43.6% of the required SSP tasks. In addition, the country has developed a detailed action plan for the accomplishment of the outstanding tasks with an established and approved timeline.

In pursuant to the above, Nigeria has commenced the implementation of the SSP processes and has achieved several milestones. These include the completion of

the SSP Gap Analysis and the establishment of the Implementation Plan approved by the DG, NCAA. According to NCAA, “Other completed SSP tasks are the official authorisation of the DG, NCAA as the Accountable Executive of the SSP and the designation of the NCAA as the Placeholder Organization of the SSP in Nigeria by

the Honourable Minister of State (Aviation), Senator Hadi Sirika.

The approval and publication of the State Safety Policy Statement, the Enforcement Policy in an SSPSMS environment including Nigeria’s Voluntary and Confidential Reporting System etc, are among the tasks that have been concluded”.

EFCC boss Reassures IDPs Oguntade Ismaila

ÎÎÎ The acting chairman

of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, Ibrahim Magu has told persons displaced by the insurgency in the North East not to be demoralized by their present predicament but to remain strong, adding that there will soon be an end to their travail.

He gave the assurance over the weekend, during a visit to two internally displaced persons’ camps in Abuja. “I am aware that most of you never expected that you will find yourselves in this predicament.

There are things we as human beings cannot change.

But whatever situation we find ourselves, we can make the most of it. That is the reason I am here today to tell you that I feel your pains and to celebrate this special season with you”,Magu said.

He urged the IDPs to be disciplined and stay out of crime, assuring them that government was determined to bring an end to their suffering. He said with peace gradually returning to the North East, it would not be long before they return to the comfort of their homes.

OSAYMWEN QUEEN

ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

I, formerly known and addressed as OSAYMWEN DYNA, now wish to be known and addressed as OSAYMWEN QUEEN. All former documents remain valid. The general public should take note.

Bishop of Egba African Diocese, Rt. Rev. Peter Ade Oyero (right) in a handshake with Osile Oke Ona Egba, Oba Adedapo Tejuosho, during the Year 2017 church service at St. James Church, Idi-Ape Ago-Oko, Abeokuta, Ogun State… at the weekend. Photo: DAVID IDOWU.

Lagos police apprehends four man suspected rapist Joy Anyim & Oguntade Ismaila

ÎÎÎ Four

members of a gang that have been terrorizing and raping girls and women around Charity area of Oshodi have been arrested by operatives of Rapid Response Squad (RRS) of the Lagos State Police Command.

The suspects were arrested by the operatives during a raid on their criminal hideout last weekend.

Twenty seven years old Sunday John, the leader of the gang in his confessional statement to the police said that members of his gang had in the past raped nine women at the bus stop .

Other members of the gang are Saviour Daniel (23), Daniel Olayemi (18) and Abdulwahab Yusuph (17).

The operatives had on last Tuesday being 27th December 2016 arrested one of John’s colleagues, Daniel Owoyemi, while fighting with another group of boys over a Samsung tablet in Oshodi.

The suspect, Daniel Olayemi, had confessed to interrogators that he stole the tablet from a lady that was gang raped during one of their escapades in Charity Bus stop.

The revelation prompted an early morning raid of Charity Bus Stop near Oshodi, where three other members of the gang were arrested.

He had disclosed to the investigators that they were four in the gang. He further revealed that in the last two weeks, the gang had robbed 12 passers - by and raped

no fewer than nine ladies in the bush at Charity Bus Stop.

“In all the rape cases,our leader, John takes the initiative and the lead. He dragged the ladies into the bush before calling us to take our turns. He is the leader of the gang. None of us dare challenge him. He doesn’t share with us whatever we made from the robberies. That was why I stole the Samsung tablet from that lady”.Olayemi stated .

He added that “We also robbed men too. I participated in the robbery of about three men at the charity Bus Stop. In all the instances, John took a commanding lead, seizing the victims and dragging them into the bush where we either rape or took their valuables .”

On his own, Saviour Dan-

iel said, “I didn’t partake in all the raping. I was only involved on three occasions.

John was the one who dragged them into the bush and undress them. He took the lead and ordered us to take turns.”

He is our leader. He is stronger than us and he instructed us to have sex with them. Whenever, he is exhausted, he ordered us to take our turn. I go after him. It is the youngest of us, Olayemi that came last.

At times, they distanced themselves whenever we were taking turns”.

The leader of the gang also confessed to the crime but insisted that his gang was not the only one operating in the area and that other gangs from Agege and Agbado also operate at Charity .

THRONE OF GRACE SANCTIFIED AND REVIVAL MISSION 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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) DAVID OLUSEGUN. (2) ORE ABOSEDE ADESOLA. (3) OLAOLU OLUWARINDE. (4) OLUDAVID AGNES. (5) OLATUNDE THANI. THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:(1) TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST. (2) TO WIN SOULS FOR JESUS CHRIST. 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 : MARY BODEDE ESQ.

ALFA & OMEGA MIRACULOUS CHURCH ORI-OKE ANU CHERUB & SERAPHIM 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.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) Prophetess Adeoye Iyabo Nosimat (2) Apostle Okeowo Emmanuel Bolaji .

(Founder )

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:l. To propagate the gospel of our lord Jesus Christ to all the World, 2. To establish and maintain churches and missions in nigeria and foreign lands.

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 : TRUSTEES

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Times Law

s

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

The duty of the prosecuting counsel is not to win, but to place all the relevant facts before the court to enable it decide the merit vel non of the case. Manipulation of the facts implies a deliberate distortion of the facts to mislead the court in its decision and this would amount to unethical conduct on the part of a prosecuting counsel.

-- Ngwuta JSC. in Dariye v. FRN & 2 ors (2015) 2 S.C. (Pt.1) 120

EDITOR: Ibe Uwaleke, 08033151041, ibeuwaleke 2012@yahoo.com

I remain legitimate chairman of NBA Ikeja branch -Dele Oloke INTERVIEW Prince Dele Oloke, is a lawyer for over 29-years. He read law at the University of Ife and is the current chairman of Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) Ikeja branch. In this interview with TITILOPE JOSEPH, Prince Oloke who refers to himself as the legitimate chairman of Ikeja branch of the NBA chapter popularly known as the Tiger branch clears the air on the crisis rocking the branch. He also shares his view from the point of law on the prosecution of arrested judges and lawyers in the country as well as other sundry issues.

Having practised law for a long while, how would you rate the practice of law ten years back from what we have presently?

So many vices have crept into the practice of law in Nigeria. I think I can say this because I have been employing young lawyers since 1994 and I see the downward trend in the quality of training of lawyers and that has taken it’s toll on the practice of legal practice.

When you look at the universities in Nigeria where lawyers are supposed to be trained in substantial law before they go ahead and learn procedural law at the Nigerian Law school but there are not too many qualify lecturers and professional lawyers to teach well at our universities and the law school. University lecturers should also teach the would-be lawyers the etiquette of the profession. Again, if you look at the student unionism that we used to have in our universities in those days, it has been replaced now by thuggery. Student leaders are now gangsters, cult members, and so with their conducts while in school, you know the kind of lawyers they are going to become if they graduate and this is very worrisome.

The year, 2016 has been historic for the judiciary, as judges and some senior lawyers were arrested and prosecuted, do you think they were being prosecuted justly?

With my experience in practice, I honestly think majority of them are being justifiable tried, there could be one or two not too grounded investigation but with what I have seen ; honesty, the federal government of Nigeria is not persecuting any judge. In as much as I have never offered any judge bribe in my practice life, I cannot clearly say there is no corruption in the judiciary, and a lot of lawyers who are alleging persecution are willing tools

Oloke, Chairman (NBA) Ikeja branch

The latest I can tell you is that there is no way Ogunlana can be the NBA chairman of Ikeja or any branch of NBA in Nigeria. The reason is that in 2015, the constitution of NBA as amended and adopted at NEC and AGN became operational and by the virtue of that , anybody who have held branch office for a period of five-years preceding the year of election is not eligible to contest election until five- years after. in the hands of corrupts judicial officers.

If the federal government of Nigeria is to go out totally to stop holistically corruption in the Nigerian judiciary, I bet many judges in the country will be undergoing prosecution. When this issue first started, the National NBA president, Abubakar Mahmoud, was of the opinion that people should follow rule of law and they should not persecute any judge but let me tell you something, after several meetings with the likes of the Chief judge of the federation and the Attorney General of the federation, he came out at another forum to say that the trend in the judiciary, in terms of corruption is worrisome and it’s a canker-worm that could kill the country because it is not just few of them that are corrupt, it is like a systematic problem that has perpetrated into the Nigerian Judiciary. So if anyone will have a soft-spot for the judges, it is Mr Mahmoud because he is a husband to a serving judge in one of the northern states in Nigeria. Lets not get ourselves wrong, all other institutions have failed in Nigeria

and this includes the police, legislature, so corruption is not only peculiar to the judicial system. I have once said that judges are regarded as second to God and anybody who is perceived as being next to God should behave in a godly way and this is what put judges in a special circumstance so they can not just sit down somewhere and say, after all there is also corruption in other arms of government therefore, we must join them too. I can also tell you that there is no school of judges, they are appointed among lawyers and therefore when we say the judiciary is corrupt, we shouldn’t limit it to

judges alone, it also involves lawyers who practice their profession in the courts headed by judges; because it takes two to tangle. For every corrupt judge, there are scores of corrupt lawyers.

As for me, I think what the federal government is doing is very good though not even holistic enough for me because there are still many corrupt judges that are still sitting in our courts in Nigeria and the idea that DSS or police should not go and arrest anybody is immaterial because even an individual can arrest anybody and hand them over to the appropriate authority and if we can do that why can’t DSS arrest anyone suspected to be have committed a crime and the kind of the alleged crime they have said to have committed, they can never give in willing to questioning as gentle men which they ought to be as they could also destroy the evidence that may aid prosecution and the trail will not be successful.

Yes, there is rule of law but the society must learn to live decently, lets not turn our judiciary to a laughing stock so that people will not forget those eminent men and women on our bench who are very straight-forward, God-fearing and are dispensing justice without being biased.

So those who are corrupt should allow the good ones among them to enjoy that position of eminence that the society has placed them.

It’s often said that the judiciary enjoys immunity, what do you think has happened to the supposed immunity ascribed to these judges?

Let me say this to you, people believed that living a criminal influenced lives is synonymous to the principles of the rule of law and fundamental rights, but in my practice life, I have never come across any law whether remotely or otherwise that grants judges immunity against arrest and prosecution where they have been found wanting. So it is a mis-normal for anyone to say judges are protected against arrest and prosecution when they are involved in any criminal act. Nigerians are not a reading public because the argument is puerile. What law did those who are saying judges are immune or are not supposed to be prosecuted, cited to justify the claims, I call it mere media hype.

We all know that judges are respected members of the society because the work

Legal JOKE GUESS WHO When a person assists a criminal in breaking the law before the criminal gets arrested, we call him an accomplice. When a person assists a criminal in breaking the law after the criminal gets arrested, we call him a defence lawyer.

they do is the work of God in heaven on earth, being done by then on behalf of God and if they have respect for themselves and God in heaven, they will not misbehave. With the kind of salaries they take home and all other incentives, they are not supposed to make nonsense of government efforts through the bar. As for me, I don’t share that sentiment because there is no part in the Nigerian law that says judges should be immune from prosecution where they have been found wanting.

Why do you think it took this long for some of the bad eggs in the judiciary to be fished out?

The problem that is now associated with our judiciary is not a thing of yesterday, it has always been there. If a fish wants to go rotten, it starts from the head.

The National Judiciary Council (NJC) is in charge of discipline of our judiciary officers and it has composition, so when you look at the appointment of judges and the states where they are going to practice, you will realize that it has always been there. I think what happened now is that it got to a stage that the practice is now undermining the security of the country and that is why everything blew out because Nigerian can no longer manage it and we can also tell that president Buhari is one who does not tolerate the kind of conduct that is associated with our judicial system in the last fifteen- thirty years. Maybe it becomes open now because of the leaders that we have now because there is no longer a hidden place for these people. I can tell you for real that corruption in the judiciary has always been there.

Again, when you mentioned senior lawyers that are also been prosecuted, how senior are they in terms of their conducts and what is expected of them as role models. The title of a Senior Advocates is not one that allows you to misbehave. I honestly believe that if anybody misbehave, let him go and prove his innocence in a regular court.

Can you brief us on the latest developments on the crisis relating to the chairmanship of NBA Ikeja branch?

The latest I can tell you is that there is no way Ogunlana can be the NBA chairman of Ikeja or any branch of NBA in Nigeria. The reason is that in 2015, the constitution of NBA as amended and adopted at NEC and AGN became operational and by the virtue of that , anybody who have held branch office for a period of five-years preceding the year of election is not eligible to contest election until five- years after. That law, which is section 63 of the uniform bye-law of the NBA branches in Nigeria which is conCONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

27 Law

Nigeria’s legal, institutional framework too weak to fight corruption -NBA The Nigerian Bar Association, (NBA), on December 9, 2016 joined the rest of the world to mark the International Anti-Corruption Day. It is a day set aside all over the world by the United Nations General Assembly as a way of raising awareness of corruption and highlighting the role of the UN Convention against corruption in combating and preventing it. The UN was concerned about the seriousness of problems and threats posed by corruption to the stability and security of societies, undermining the institutions and values of democracy, ethical values and justice and jeopardizing sustainable development and Rule of Law. The president and spokesman for the association, Mr. Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud (SAN) captured the essence of the day and how Nigeria stands in the global world in her effort to fight corruption in this speech. Excerpts: ‘’NBA identifies with the global theme for this year’s International Anti-Corruption Day, which highlights that fighting corruption is everybody`s responsibility, we are also determined and committed to the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

The NBA is deeply concerned about the high level of endemic corruption in Nigeria and its devastating effects.

We note that corruption is an issue that affects all countries around the world. It damages economic development, impedes the ability of developing countries like Nigeria to attract foreign investment, and undermines the growth of institutions consolidating democracy, creates unstable government, weakens institutions and affects the growth and development of countries. Indeed it is one of the biggest tragedies of mankind for the simple reason that it is still ongoing and extremely difficult to combat. Hence a day like this to address issues of corruption.

Today, the issue of corruption has led to loss of confidence in Nigeria by its citizens both home and abroad due to the activities of fraudsters, corrupt public officials and bad governance by our leaders. On the international scene, Nigeria has been blacklisted as a state in which integrity and transparency are alien and where no transactions occur without greasing of palms. . It is regrettable that in spite of all the

efforts against corruption Nigeria is still rated very low in the annual anti-corruption index of Transparency International. ‘’We observe that although the Federal Government of Nigeria has established Anti-Corruption Agencies, these institutions are bedeviled by certain institutional and structural constraints. In view of the fact that anti-corruption crusade is part of our public interest programme especially at the Bar and Bench, the NBA calls for urgent structural, legal and institutional reforms of the EFCC for more effectiveness and efficiency. While the NBA commends the current efforts to fight corruption, we note that the present legal and institutional framework which is in place is defective in structure and substance. To combat corruption successfully, a combination of strong legal and ethical framework and the presence of effective institutions are important for success. We further recommend that the mechanisms for investigation and prosecution against corruption must be restructured and strengthened.

We note with grave concern that the current anti-corruption crusade seems to be much more focused on fighting corruption after it has occurred, but not much attention is paid to preventive measures with a view to minimizing the incidence of corruption.

We strongly believe that prevention must equally be robust and effective. The current system is

Mahmoud (SAN), NBA president not sufficiently robust to prevent corruption from occurring within the public service system.

We call on the Federal Government of Nigeria to initiate measures that seek to prevent corruption from occurring, in addition to the fight after corruption has occurred.

Like I had already stated, the NBA is committed to the fight against corruption especially judicial corruption as it is only the existence of an independent Judiciary that can fight corruption. Judiciary has a significant role to play in the anti-corruption crusade. But for the Judiciary to fight corruption effectively and efficiently, it has to be fearless and financially and institutionally independent. This means that the

independence of the Bench and Bar is key to the campaign against corruption. But when the Judiciary is underfunded and perceived to be weak, those who thrive in corruption will continue in their fraudulent acts with impunity believing that nothing will happen. ‘’We call upon the Federal Government to ensure that adequate funds are allocated to the Judiciary as it presents the 2017 Appropriation Bill to the National Assembly. It is expected that adequate funding will contribute to independence of the Judiciary and reduce the incidence of judicial corruption.

With regards to the Bar, the Nigerian Bar association shall spare no effort in weeding out corrupt lawyers in the legal profession

through diverse means including our disciplinary mechanism. We strongly believe that imposing punitive suspensions from practice and series of disbarment will serve as deterrent to potential corrupt legal practitioners some of whom may be candidates for appointment to the Bench. As I stated before the NBA will fight judicial corruption. We shall make the legal profession unattractive for corrupt lawyers. We must devise ways of identifying and flushing out bad eggs at all levels of the Bar and the Bench.

The Nigerian Bar Association calls on the National Assembly and the State Houses of Assembly to utilize their immense legislative powers, not only to strengthen existing anti-Corruption Laws and Institutions, but also to consider the enactment of new anti-Corruption Laws in Nigeria that will be prevention focused. ‘’As we celebrate the International Anti-Corruption Day today, the NBA calls on all stakeholders in the anti-corruption crusade not to forget the essence of marking the International Anti-Corruption Day. It is a day of wake up call to keep up the good fight against anti-graft. It is a day to remind us our responsibility to campaign against Corruption and to remember that the anti-graft crusade begins and ends with each of us’’.

I remain legitimate chairman of NBA Ikeja branch -Dele Oloke CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

tained in the third schedule of our 2016 national constitution has caught up with him but in his own wisdom, he believes that the law must does not apply to him bt that law has a commendment day and the Nigeria bar association majority agreed to that law and he was also aware about the development. A letter was also written to him shortly before he pronounced himself as the winner of Ikeja NBA chairman that he was not eligible to contest as the chairman, while the letter was signed by Dafe Akpebeiyi SAN, a Warri-based lawyer who is the chairman of election monitoring committee of the NBA before the election that was held in June in Ikeja. So in defiance of the Sec. 63 of the National constitution, Ogunlana pronounced himself the chairman of the branch but three days after the election, he attended the NEC meeting in Benin and when the reports of the election was

read, NEC declared the election void because it was held in violation of the NBA constitution. Even if the election was conducted based on our 2011 branch byelaw , he wouldn’t have emerged the chairman of the branch because he did not qualify as he only paid his due on May 19, shortly before the election, so he also violated the law of the branch too. Their arguments is that ; Why should anyone in Ikeja branch petitioned the national NBA that he is not qualified to contest for the election and if such people had kept quite, the national wouldn’t have known that he is not eligible for the post. In any case, a branch of NBA of 120 branches cannot claimed to be independent, autonomous and cannot be controlled by the national NBA, that is why we are where we are today.

So after he came back from NEC meeting on June 16, after his election

has been nullified because it was contrary to our law, they did not impose anybody on Ikeja NBA branch. NEC appointed Mr. Nurudeen Ogbara, the former chairman of Ikorodu branch and urged him within seven-days to come and conduct bye-election into the chairmanship office of the Ikeja branch and it was out of the election that I emerged an unopposed chairman of the branch. Let me also tell you; Ogunlana picked form for the bye-election but he did not participated in it. Therefore, it is only a person that contested for an election that can challenge the result of the election.

He approached the court on June 20, to challenge the nullification of the election and you remember that the election was nullified on June 16, so he went to court not as chairman of NBA Ikeja, so on what legal basis ex-

cept out of thuggery will he still be laying claim on the chairmanship of the branch.

How true is it that as the chairman of the branch, you still don’t have access to the office of the chairman as Mr. Ogunlana still hold the keys?

Not only Ogunlana but also members of his group and if you know Ikeja branch very well, you will know that it has been some groups recycling themselves into office. So that place has always been their homes and what he is doing there now is not new, so what would I have done as a Senior member of the bar? The first attempt to correct a young lawyer who is being misguided has turned to what we are seeing recently in the media now that he was assaulted by a senior lawyer. Ogunlana has about

three cases in different courts and he can not await the decision of the court. As I speak to you, Ogunlana has been referred to the Disciplinary Committee of the NBA because of his infamous conduct at every of our meeting since I emerged the chairman.

I am not a lawyer that sit down at the bar center to steal dues of members, instead, I spend my money on the bar; I am blessed.

As the chairman of Ikeja NBA, what are your plans for the branch in the new year?

By the grace of God, we will like to accomplish all our traditional programs and we will continue to appeal to those who are challenging the constitution of NBA by extending hands of fellowship to them.

28

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Tech Times

NBC creates digital access fund from annual TV licence fees Page 30

NIPOST to begin e-Commerce, e-Government services Page 30

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90% of Africans still lack Internet access – IWS Stories by By Tony Nwakaegho The Internet World Statistics (IWS) has declared that despite the growth of Information Technology (IT) on the continent of Africa, some 90.7 percent still remain without Internet access, leaving only 9.3 percent with access.

However, Dayn Amade of Mozambican technology start-up company Kamaleon has canvassed the need to increase Internet access, adding that it was vital to providing wider access to education and health awareness in rural communities, especially in Mozambique where 24 million people, in a population of 28.3 million, has no Internet connection.

“A few years ago anyone who could not read and write was considered illiterate, but today this concept goes further, encompassing people who do not know how to use information and communication technologies. Health organizations and schools in Africa often face a unique set of obstacles, including a lack of access to much-needed health education and counselling platforms. The Community Tablet was created to help solve these problems,” Amade stressed.

Amade highlighted that today’s digital world which is tailored towards bringing Internet access to rural communities is a huge step towards social development and education, hence Kamaleon developed an innovative and engaging way of promoting digital lit-

eracy through a shared platform called the “Community Tablet”.

Community Tablet, Amade said, is a solar powered mobile computer with touch screen displays and virtual keyboards built in on a trailer to provide Internet access to remote areas.

In order to facilitate interaction with the virtual world, Amade said that Kamaleon also offers training on how to use the Internet and its features to members of the community and the local workforce.

The Community Tablet, launched in November 2016 in Mozambique, aims at promoting digital inclusion and a knowledge-based society in Africa.

Amade further stated it will be used

to support campaigns on various health and education initiatives in partnership with governmental and private organizations.

“Spreading up-to-date messages and interactive lessons that showcase symptoms, prevention and treatment options – replacing the need for leaflet distributions to convey life-saving information; Kamaleon is on a mission to close the digital divide and empower more people in Africa to engage in the digital economy and its educational benefits,” Amade emphasized.

“I believe technology and digital literacy can contribute to the greater effectiveness of civic education campaigns in various communities.”

I-Naira.Com unveils distinctive auction solution for corporate bodies

ICT University to commence Q1 2017 Shittu

Page 31

In a unique move to deliver value added service to corporate entities in Nigeria, i-Naira. com has added a distinctive auction solution Private Room Online Auction (ProAuction) - to its bouquet of services to achieve the auctioning goals.

Hillary Nwaukor, CEO at i-naira.com, said that “the solution is designed to support agencies of government and corporate Nigeria such as banks, telecoms, real estate and insurance companies with a seamless process of auctioning their items.”

Nwaukor explained that most reputable businesses in Nigeria invest recurrently on liabilities associated with operational assets which include vehicles, generators, office furniture and equipment that ultimately depreciate and are replaced.

He lamented that “these depreciated items are often time disposed of via non-competitive ballot auction systems that limits what the company can recoup from such items.”

He hinted that recovered assets from defaulting customers of banks and accidented vehicles from insurance companies can be auctioned through the ProAuction solution.

In his words: “This product gives the vendor (Nigerian Company) the flexibility to hold auction event without being physically present at a location where the properties are to be auc-

tioned.”

Commenting on how it works, Nwaukor explained that “when a company signs up to use the platform to officially dispose of liabilities and assets, they will be assigned a private room for the auction event where all items slated for disposal will be uploaded. Each room has an admission fee which can also be set at (0) if the vendor prefers not to charge an entrance fee.

The fee effectively deters unserious internet users from bidding and gives confidence to serious bidders to participate.

“The vendor (Corporate Company) will set the number of days, hours, seconds that the items will be visible for bidding, subscribed bidders are at liberty to bid for all listed items within the time frame. After the expiry, the private room closes; winners are contacted and instructed on payment and procedure for taking ownership of their won items.”

In response to the question on what makes the platform better than the traditional auction system currently in use across most business, Nwaukor pointed out that the difference is that the number of bidders per room is limitless unlike when a physical auction is being held.

According to him, the system is an available and scalable system that captures auction time in milliseconds to determine accurately

who the last true bidder on an item is. This enthrones probity, accountability and when a final winner is determined there is a bid history that is available for review in instances where a dispute emerges.

He urged well-meaning Nigerians as well as corporate entities to avail themselves of this innovative product that will help increase their

Hillary Nwaukor potential returns from auctioning activities.

I-naira.com render services that close service quality gaps in terms of reach in the Nigerian market sphere where consumers are adjudged to be hugely underserved due to the limitation of sales channels.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

29 Tech Times

Stakeholders urge FG to declare October National Cyber Awareness month

By Tony Nwakaegho Cyber security stakeholders in Nigeria have urged the Federal Government to declare October the National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NASCAM) in line with global best practices.

This call was made at the recent National Cyber Security Awareness Month (NASCAM) conference held in Lagos, which had in attendance representatives of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Navy, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, the Department of State Security, civil society groups, Lagos State government, students, developers, start-ups, entrepreneurs, banks, insurance companies, and ICT media and agencies.

The stakeholders described this call as a national priority, adding that cyber security should be given additional attention by the federal government of Nigeria going by the exponential growth of Internet-related activities in the country and the growing vulnerability of the government, corporate and individual citizens to the threats of cybercriminals.

In his presentation on Internet Jurisdiction: A Catch-22 Situation and the Trajectory of Nigeria’s Judicial System, Kunle Adegoke, Managing Partner M. A. Banire and Associates said, “The evil effect of cyber crimes can be hardly exhaustively appreciated as same may seem to be limitless.”

According to a report, “Cybercrime costs the global economy about $445 billion every year, with the damage to business from the theft of intellectual property exceeding the $160 billion loss to individuals from hacking.”

A 2012 report says that Nigeria lost over N2 trillion to cyber

KUNLE ADEGOKE

Managing Partner M. A. Banire and Associates

crimes in 2012 and $200 million per annum. The amount of loss annually occasioned now can be better imagined as youths today see cyber crime as an open sesame to sudden riches.”

Adegoke commended the Nigerian government for enacting the enabling law to deal with cyber criminality but called for the strengthening of the existing laws.

Said he: “The computer has created a different world of cyber existence, where a man can live without the laws of the ancient regime. The benefits of the burden of human relations have occasioned cyber-crime as well.

It is not good for technology to run faster than law. Whenever technology moves faster than law, what you will have is a legal vacuum. Nigeria suffered this legal vacuum for a long while.”

The immediate past DirectorGeneral, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Mr. Emeka Mba, called for increased citizens and government’s participation

in awareness creation and pragmatic interventions in the cyber security issues and challenges.

Mba revealed that even the broadcast industry that used to have a sense of immunity against cyber-attacks is now more vulnerable like other IT entities because of the convergence of technology which has allowed for the integration of Internet Protocols in the broadcasting industry and the emergence of Smart television sets.

He cited the incident that occurred on April 8, 2015, where hackers penetrated the French broadcaster TV5Monde, crippling email and production facilities, hijacking social media accounts and disrupting the transmission of 11 channels for three hours.

Mba added: “A few years ago, the major headache for a pay Tv service was smart card hacking and piracy. Today, it’s much worse.

“A new report on Digital TV Europe showed that Cybercrimi-

nals target broadcasters up to 1,000 times a day.”

For years the industry has been moving away from traditional, analogue audiovisual broadcasting technology towards digitalonly, network-based infrastructures. According to him, this is a logical and necessary process for broadcast companies to keep pace with technological development, and to benefit from the efficiencies of digital media network distribution, but lamented that any system based on delivering digital media over the internet is potentially vulnerable to cyberattack from outside.

“Broadcast signal intrusion is the hijacking of broadcast signals of radio, television stations, cable television broadcast feeds or satellite signals. Hijacking incidents have involved local TV and radio stations as well as cable and national networks,” he added.

Reverend Sunday Afolayan, president, Nigeria Internet Registration Association, who spoke on Internet governance, underscored some of the issues that have made it pertinent for the Nigerian government to speedily consider the presidential proclamation of October as the national cyber security awareness month.

He pointed out that the proliferation of Internet of Things (IoT) has led to breaches and surveillance by the Government or Individuals “because most of our data are online.” He added that broadband penetration is also narrowing digital, physical, economic and educational divides, due to global Gross Domestic Product growth.

Afolayan disclosed that the cyberspace is now a veritable channel for the dissemination of “… propaganda to promote violence, including radicalization, recruitment, and financing organized crimes using the Internet; Online

child sexual exploitation; the internet as both tool and object of militant protest either for liberation or for domination.”

Shina Badaru, the publisher of Technology Times, appealed for a presidential amnesty for cyber criminals in order to allow government access the potentials of the IT savvy individuals for positive trajectories in building a wall of defence in the nation’s electronic boundaries across the board.

The nation’s conventional security forces, he said, might have been over-stretched and illequipped to tackle the dynamic tactics and strategies of the cyber goons, stressing that those granted the amnesty could be converted to the nation’s strategic ‘army’ to combat the looming threats from the new frontiers to national security.

Victor Phikparobo Idohor, director-general of Cyber Security Challenge Nigeria, warned that no one or organization is immune to the real and present danger in the cyberspace.

He agreed with the submission of Badaru on the establishment of dedicated law enforcement agency particularly for cyber security in Nigeria, stressing that the emerging threats in the cyberspace are beyond amateur hacks to the looming attacks on corporate entities and businesses.

The attacks on infrastructure, he noted, presents a picture of the threats to the nation at large.

Brandish Publisher, Collins Onuegbu, who spoke on the break away from the silos of expert discussion on cyber security to a more inclusive citizens’ participation at all levels, highlighted that cyber security challenge has gone beyond the experts’ enclave and should now be broken down in the common man’s language in order to have a comprehensive frontal defeat of the menace.

FG inaugurates N700m Contact Centre in Abuja The Federal Government has inaugurated a N700 million Government Contact Centre in Abuja to boost ease of doing business through technological innovations and information dissemination.

Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, who inaugurated the platform, said job opportunities would be created in various fields through the initiative, while the country’s

economy would witness a turnaround.

“The Centre is essentially a technology-enabled multi-channel and multi-lingual platform developed to improve accessibility to government services and information by interested parties.

“This robust platform presents citizens and interested stakeholders with an avenue to obtain information on (or pro-

vide feedback to) government MDAs (Ministries, Departments, and Agencies). It also provides access to services via telephone (in Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba, English and pidgin. Other languages can be incorporated subsequently) email, chat, and social media),” the minister said.

He hinted that the Centre already had in its platform all the parastatals under the Ministry

of Communications, while the Ministries of Power and Aviation have also keyed into the platforms.

All federal agencies and parastatals, the minister said, would key into the platform by the time it becomes fully operational, adding the service delivery and performances of MDAs would also be monitored through the system in conjunction with SERVICOM.

Buhari

Tech Times 30

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

NBC creates digital access fund from annual TV licence fees Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, director general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has said his agency will create a Digital Access Fund where N1000 annual TV licence fee paid by each TV owners will be deposited.

Kawu, who made this known recently at the official launch of the Digital Switch Over (DSO) in Abuja, said the fund would be used to help content developers in the industry.

The DSO, according to him, would help deepen the democratic process in Nigeria and access to freedom of information and feedback.

The DG said that the agency would engage the Nigerian

Governors Forum in the next phase of the digitization process, stressing that after Abuja, the next port of call of the DSO would be one state each in the six geopolitical zones.

He said over one million direct and indirect jobs would be created after Nigeria completed its DSO in June 2017.

With the Abuja DSO, analogue TV owners who have not purchased the Set-Top-Boxes will still be able to watch TV till June 2017 when analogue broadcasting would be switched off in the country.

President Muhammadu Buhari, who officially launched the DSO in Abuja, said Nigeria now stood at the threshold of massive job creation with the launching.

KAWU

Director General of National Broadcasting Commission

Buhari, who was represented

by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said the digitalization of the country’s broadcasting in-

dustry couldn’t have come at a better time when the country’s economy needed a lifeline.

NIPOST to begin e-Commerce, e-Government services The Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) would begin providing e-commerce and e-government services in 2017.

Mr. Adebayo Shittu, Minister of Communications, who made this disclosure, said the e-commerce and e-government services would be in addition to its mandate of letter and parcel distribution.

Shittu stated that ICT was the way to go for all economies today, whether an economy under recession, under slow growth or a fast growing one.

“ICT assists in making life better; it enables businesses to be run more efficiently and even enables governments to be run properly and more beneficially to the citizenry.

“That is why NIPOST wants to leverage on it to expand its

Bisi Adegbuyi scope of service delivery by engaging in e-commerce.

“Today in Nigeria and throughout the world, individu-

als have set up companies for purpose of e-commerce. NIPOST has a better reputation and better logistic facilities to provide this e-commerce services.

“If you are in Abuja and you want to buy something in Kano, you simply go to a NIPOST facility, pay there and then the money is transmitted to the seller anywhere they are.

“NIPOST will assist in bringing those goods you have purchased to your doorstep. This will happen through NIPOST e-commerce services,” the minister said.

He explained that this would be of great advantage to citizens because NIPOST has a wide reach across the country so that distance or the weight of the goods would not be a hin-

drance.

Speaking on e-government services, the ministry was prepared to make good use of technology to promote good governance and engage NIPOST optimally, while technology would be used to ensure that everybody who needed government service got it and on time.

“For instance, rather than go to the passport office, if you want to renew your passport, and you know that in most states there is only one passport office you have to go from wherever you are to the state capital to get your passport renewed.

“With our NIPOST e-government services, you don’t have to go there. You go to a postal agency or a post office, you pay and fill the form online and the passport is renewed for you.”

Cloud communication platform market to attain $4.45bn by 2021 The report “Cloud Communication Platform Market by MarketsandMarkets shows the market is estimated to grow from USD 1.36 Billion by 2016 to USD 4.45 Billion by 2021, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 26.8 percent from 2016 to 2021.

The tremendous growth of the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) sector and its inclination towards cloud-based solutions and the significant requirements of business organizations for greater flexibility/ scalability have provided immense

opportunities to the cloud communication platform solution and service vendors, who cater the business organizations with advanced cloud communication platform solutions.

“The reporting and analytics solution is expected to show a significant growth during the forecast period” The reporting and analytics solution is expected to grow at the highest CAGR and the Unified Communication and Collaboration (UCC/UCaaS) solution is expected to have the largest market share during the forecast period.

The reporting and analytics solution

helps in tracking the data related to the usage of calls and SMS delivery status, such as the time of the call, duration of the call, result of the call, confirmation of message delivery, explanation of delivery failure, and others.

The UCC/UCaaS solution is expected to have the highest market share because it enables seamless and unparalleled communication among the employees irrespective of their location or device further eliminating the communication complexities.

“Asia-Pacific (APAC) is expected to be the fastest-growing region in geo-

graphical segmentation of the cloud communication platform market.”

Considering the regional analysis of the cloud communication platform market, North America is projected to hold the largest market share.

The market in APAC is in the growth phase and is the fastest-growing region for the global cloud communication platform market.

The key reason for the high growth rate in this region is the increasing demand for converged communications and product differentiation among the service providers.

Stakeholders advocate improved local internet content hosting Stakeholders in the internet ecosystem have called for improved hosting of local internet content in the country as a way of developing the sector.

They believe that apart from saving foreign exchange for the country, domestication of content will help the springing up of hosting companies especially now that the country can boost of commercial Tier 111 data centres.

Mohammed Rudman, managing director, Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria (IXPN), said that keeping local traffic local and avoiding international links would help local operators and users reap substantial cost savings, provide substantial local bandwidth and significantly improve local internet performance.

He revealed that only 20 percent of internet traffic from Nigeria are directed at local content, while 80 percent goes out of the country.

He advised local content providers who host their servers outside the country to consider relocating them here in order to boost local traffic and save money for the country.

“Media and entertainment contents are generated locally but hosted abroad. The day we experience cut to undersea cable infrastructure that links Nigeria to the outside world, we won’t have access to those content which is generated here and are meant for Nigerians,” he explained.

Rudman decried the high cost of hosting servers at data centres located in the country which makes it difficult for content providers except for banks that have the financial muscle to afford the cost.

Attributing the high cost of the service to power issues in the country, he stressed: “More so, availability is important in driving local traffic. Taking content to the edge of the network makes cost cheaper, making the service closer to the end user. Uptime also plays a crucial role. This is why most data centre providers seek international certification.”

Mark Tinka, head of engineering at Seacom, a submarine cable operator with a network of submarine and terrestrial high-speed fibreoptic cable that serves the east and west coasts of Africa, said that 90 percent of Africa’s Internet traffic comes out of Europe.

He stated, “Much of that content was traditionally hosted in North America, but the content owners have, over the years, expanded their presence into Europe and the AsiaPacific to improve the experience of their users and customers.”

“Most African Internet users tend to get much more of their content from Europe than from the US. Seacom’s dream is to one day be able to keep the majority of traffic on the continent, thereby reducing the amount of money Africa spends on transporting traffic to Europe. That will also help to drive more Internet penetration in Africa because of a reduction in the cost of business.”

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

31 Tech Times

ICT University to commence Q1 2017 -Shittu Stories by Tony Nwakaegho The Information and Communication Technology (ICT) University proposed by the Federal Government will commence in the next three months, according to Minister of Communications, Adebayo Shittu.

He disclosed recently in Abuja at the News Agency of Nigeria Forum “This is with the sole purpose of providing a training environment and facilities to make the industry have enough skilled manpower in various sub-sectors of the ICT sector.

“I am happy to say that we already have what is called the Digital Bridge Institute which

is for short term training programmes in six locations across the country and we hope to transform this institute into the ICT University of Nigeria.

“I am already talking to a lot of operators at the international level, Facebook, Motorola, Ericson, all of them. We are encouraging them to come and adopt the university campuses as their own.

“They can bring in money and bring in faculties and a lot of logistics to assist in training Nigerians and we can now export these trained skilled facilitators to African countries to work.”

Shittu said that this would also give Nigeria a lot of for-

Adebayo Shittu eign exchange, adding that the ministry was at the stage of discussing with the Ministry of Education and the National University Commission, NUC. “And all of these have already

given us support, so we think that within the first quarter of the year, the implementation committee will be set up with a view to putting things in proper place for the eventual takeoff,” the minister said.

Shittu said that the ministry had also inaugurated the National Digital Literacy Council, stressing that the council would drive the process of encouraging Nigerians to love digitization and to love ICT “which is one thing that will eventually become the soul of business in this country.”

“ICT is like electricity, you don’t see electricity but you feel it. Without electricity, no other sector can survive.

“In the same vein, ICT is one enabler of every other facet of development at the national level, local level, even at the personal level. So, this digitization is to ensure that everybody keys to it.

“We are looking at a situation within one or two years, various files in offices will disappear and digitization will take over instead of people piling up files, all that they have is their I-pad and computers.

“You as journalists, if you want to send news, you don’t have to write it in hard copy, you send it through digitization and we hope that it will cut across all sectors of our economy,” he added.

UPS unveils Chatbot, fast-tracks path toward use of artificial intelligence UPS has unveiled a beta version of a chatbot, an artificial-intelligence-enabled platform that mimics human conversation to help users easily find UPS® locations, get shipping rates and track packages.

The UPS chatbot, available through Facebook Messenger, Skype, and Amazon platforms, provides users with a convenient and conversational interface that is different from those offered on the UPS website or UPS mobile apps.

For example, UPS customers can use simple phrases like “shipping rates” to get prompt voice responses in English.

Amazon users can access the UPS chatbot through Amazon’s virtual assistant Alexa, which features voice-recognition capabilities.

“At UPS, we’re bringing our

first chatbot to life to make it easier for our customers to access information about their packages and shipments through messaging apps and voice-enabled platforms.

“Our long-range plans are much bigger than that. We see chatbots becoming an important communication channel for our customers over the next few years, and we’re setting the stage for the incorporation of artificial intelligence throughout our customer-facing technologies,” said Stuart Marcus, UPS vice president of customer technology marketing.

UPS, which invests more than $1 billion a year in technology, developed its chatbot in-house and plans to continue to update its functionality, including integration with the UPS My Choice® platform. With the ad-

dition of UPS My Choice service, customers will be able to manage the delivery time and location of incoming packages through this conversational user interface.

Elements of artificial intelligence are becoming a bigger part of various UPS technologies. For example, the company’s new virtual assistant on UPS.com uses natural language understanding to help customers track packages. The assistant becomes more skilled at its tasks as more people ask it questions.

“The UPS chatbot and the upcoming integration with UPS My Choice service exemplify the company’s dedication to customer service enhancements,” said Andrew Van Beek, UPS senior director of applications development.

UPS My Choice members receive an email or text message the day before a shipment arrives. If they won’t be home to receive a package, they can reroute eligible packages to their workplace, a neighbor’s home or a nearby UPS Access Point™

location.

More than 30 million people now use the service in 15 countries. In the U.S., roughly one in four households are UPS My Choice users, the company claimed.

CWG powers UBA to win two awards from Finacle Computer Warehouse Group (CWG) Plc said that by deploying cutting-edge technology to the Nigeria’s banking industry in the last two decades, it has given one of the country’s leading financial institutions, the United Bank of Africa (UBA) the opportunity to cart home two prestigious awards at this year’s Finacle Forum.

At an awards ceremony held in India by Infosys Limited, UBA, which prided itself as Africa’s Global Bank won the Process Innovation and Project Management Awards.

In a statement issued in La-

JAMES AGADA

Chief Executive Officer CWG gos and made available to Daily Times, CWG expressed its pride at having played a major role in UBA’s double recognitions; revealing that the technology

with which the bank got the recognition is powered by CWG, the Pan-African Information and Communication Technology Company.

“Today, we yet again stand proud, with UBA, one of the foremost banks in Nigeria, who is also our partner and customer; as they are adjudged winner in two categories of Process Innovation and Project Management. We are elated that our team at CWG Plc provided the technology which got them these awards,” said James Agada, chief executive officer of CWG in the statement.

United Bank for Africa Plc

has received the two global recognitions for using cutting-edge technology to provide simple and convenient banking services to its customers.

The bank won the ‘Award for Process Innovation’ on account of its innovative approach to transaction authentication and reconciliation.

Meanwhile, the award for ‘Project Management Innovation’ is as a result of UBA implementing a “multi country migration” of Finacle banking solution using the clustered rollout concept.

The awards were keenly contested for by financial institu-

tions with over 160 nominations received from across different banks in 94 countries globally.

Infosys provides business consulting, information technology and outsourcing services to financial institutions across 19 countries.

It is a renowned IT company and has built the world’s biggest corporate training facility in Mysore.

This indeed is a testament to the great strides being made by Nigeria’s indigenous IT firm, CWG Plc, as they live up to their promise of consistently providing Tech-driven solutions that enable growth.

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email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08051000448.

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Valencia in talks to sign Mikel C

Mikel

Genk coach tips Ndidi for greatness

F

ormer Genk coach Peter Maes, who has described Leicester City-bound Wilfred Ndidi as ‘Golden Boy’, has said the Nigeria international could best be compared to Manchester City’s Yaya Toure.

The Premier League champions are set to splash on the Nigeria star as they hope to replace the influential N’Golo Kante, who in the summer moved to Chelsea.

However, Maes, who was recently fired as Genk coach, has maintained Ndidi could best be compared to Ivorian star Yaya and he could go on to be a world beater.

“Ndidi can be compared to Yaya Toure,” Maes said of the midfielder.

“He should become a top player.”

Ndidi initially played as a centrehalf, but his versatility saw him

deployed as a full-back under the guidance of Alex McLeish.

Maes, who replaced the Scotsman in the summer of 2015, decided that the Nigerian’s talents would be of greater use in midfield, largely because he had the lung power to keep running for 90 minutes.

Ndidi

helsea’s out-of-favour midfielder John Obi Mikel is in talks with Valencia over a possible switch to La Liga.

The Nigeria international, who moved to Stamford Bridge in 2006, has not played a single minute of competitive football under Antonio Conte this season.

With Chelsea six points clear at the top of the Premier League and on a 13-match, record-equalling

winning sequence, opportunities for his return to the matchday squad appear slim.

Speculation has been rife that Mikel will move on during the January window, with the Spanish club’s sporting director, Jesus Garcia Pitarch, confirming Valencia as an interested party.

“In the case of Obi Mikel, I I met with him in London on Christmas Day or the day before,” Pitarch

said.

“I asked permission with Chelsea to meet with him and gave him this possibility.

“He told me that he would think about it and now it is a situation to assess.”

Mikel has also held “advanced talks” with Marseille, according to Nigeria head coach Gernot Rohr.

The Abia Times

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Buhari should review his leadership mechanism AT 4 –Eze Ibeakanma

AT 2 No amount of threat will make me misappropriate N10.6b Paris Club fund –Ikpeazu

New Speaker resigns as another emerges after one day

ÏÏÏ

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu (middle) presenting the 2017 Budget at the State House of Assembly. With him on the right is the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kanu and on left, the Deputy Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Cosmos Ndukwe.

New Year: Hope on God, Ikpeazu urges Abians

Stories by Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏ Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie

The Abia

T E A M

Ikpeazu, has urged indigenes of the state to hold unto God’s unchanging hands, believing that year 2017 will be better than past years.

In his New Year message to Abians, Gov. Ikpeazu said: “We remain grateful to God for His mercies and protections. It is not by our power that we have made it to 2017, it can only be God. Therefore, I urge us to keep holding into God’s unchanging hands.

“As Government, we are not yet in the land of Canaan. Therefore, we remain resolute in our efforts to continue in the infrastructural redevelopment of our state, as we shall embark on construction of more roads and bridges this year.

“Our agricultural revolution will take a more serious dimension this year, as we shall launch the community palm plantation in all our com-

munities.

“You must have noticed a recent upsurge in the conversation around Made-In-Aba products such that even President Muhammadu Buhari gave personal assurances in his 2017 Budget Speech that attention will be paid to the manufacturing power-houses of Aba. “This is the result of our sustained advocacy blitz to showcase the ingenuity of Aba Producers to the world and boost the GDP of Aba, which is today, the SME capital of Nigeria.

“Even more impactful is the fact that because of the sustained campaign, people are now proud to acknowledge that they are wearing or using Made-In-Aba products which has in-turn led others to pivot towards Aba for their goods and services.

“Made-In-Aba is a conversation that has taken National space and we encourage you to help sustain the conversation as you go back to your bases to help us take it global.”

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Sunday Nwakanma

“I urge Abians to resolve to be more united in this New Year. Let the interest of Abia override our

individual interest. This is the only way we can arrive at the Abia of our dreams.”

Gov Ikpeazu presents N102.549b Appropriation bill to House of Assembly

ÏÏÏ Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie

Ikpeazu, on Friday, presented a budget estimate of N102, 549, 340,283 to the state House of Assembly for the 2017 fiscal year.

This represents a 3.14 percent decrease over the 2016 outlay of N105, 875, 924,320.

The 2017 budget proposal for Recurrent Expenditure is N57,364,207,283 (Fifty-seven billion, three Hundred and sixty four million, two hundred and seven thousand, two hundred and eighty- three naira) only while the sum of N45, 185,133,000.00(Forty-five billion, one hundred and eighty-five million, one hundred and thirty-three thousand naira) only is proposed as capital expenditure.

Presenting the budget christened “Budget of Prudence and Self Reliance” at the floor of the House, the Governor said that revenue projections from external sources is put

at N61,200,000,000 (sixty-one billion and two hundred million naira) only which will accrue to the state from Statutory Allocations of the federation while internal receipts is N21,950,340,283.00 (Twenty–one billion, nine hundred and fifty million, three hundred and forty thousand, two hundred and eighty-three naira) only.

According to him, the 2017 budget is packaged with the right policy formation, fiscal planning, budget analysis, accountability and routine financial, adding that the state is committed to fiscal management process in line with international best practices.

In his speech, the new Speaker, Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Chikwendu Kalu, assured the Governor that the House will look at the budget with a view to ensuring its speedy passage and pledged to do all to partner with the executive for the overall development of the state.

Subsequent to the emergence of the member representing Osisioma state constituency, Bishop Kennedy Njoku as the new Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly barely 24 hours, the House at its plenary session on Friday, elected another member as its newest Speaker.

This was few hours to the time the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, was scheduled to appear at the floor of the House to present his 2017 Budget proposal to the Assembly.

The new Speaker is the member representing Isialangwa South, Chikwendu Kalu, who actually lost to Bishop Kennedy Njoku by 3 votes to 16 at the floor of the Assembly, Thursday.

Inside reports confirmed that the emergence of Njoku was contrary to the choice of the state Governor, Okezie Ikpeazu, who actually wanted Chikwendu Kalu to be there.

The reports have it that the member representing Isialangwa South, Chikwendu Kalu who was even the governor’s choice, but when other members saw that Hon. Kalu himself voted for Hon. Njoku that Thursday, the rest of the members of the House who were to favour the governor by voting for his candidate backed out, except three other functionaries of the House loyal to Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu who still gave him the three votes he garnered, stating that it was only the Majority Leader and two others that voted for Kalu.

According to the reports, Kennedy Njoku “resigned” after being speaker for one day only, “probably with palatable inducement”.

Because of this, the appearance of Gov. Ikpeazu at the House of Assembly was delayed for hours, “while consultations were going on at the appropriate quarters”, only for him to be at the House after Njoku had “resigned” and Kalu enthroned as the newest Speaker.

This drama has been on following the impeachment of the Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Martins Azubuike last Thursday afternoon

by House.

The Abia Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Monarch tasks Olokoro professionals on No amount of threat will make me misappropriate innovation, advancement in technology N10.6b Paris Club fund –Gov. Ikpeazu ÏÏÏ Olokoro Professionals have been

challenged to make innovation and advancement of technology part of their culture and called upon to work for the establishment of a polytechnic in Olokoro.

The resource person and traditional ruler of Amangwo-Olokoro autonomous community, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, HRH Eze (Dr.) Chris .N. Onyegbule, made the challenge during the maiden conference of Olokoro Professionals’ Forum (OPF) worldwide, recently, held with the theme “Olokoro in the 21st century: Prospects and challenges in development and empowerment.”

Presenting a paper on the theme at Olokoro Civic Hall, Eze (Dr.) Onyegbule said with the favoured topography of Olokoro, the people should think about development of clusters of small scale industries, adding that in the face of a competitive and technology driven 21st century, the people of Olokoro need to engage in serious strategic planning (at least for a period of five years) with a view to determining where they want to be in the future and develop benchmarks.

The royal father said in order not to lag behind in the world that is now very competitive, the community needs to go for qualitative and motivational leadership at all levels of the clan, adding that such leaders must undergo regular training to ensure effectiveness.

Interacting with newsmen shortly after the event, the OPF coordinator, Don Ndubuka, said the forum is about moulding the future of Olokoro by connecting people, ideas and resources and to cater for the welfare of members, and inspire the people to be best they can be in the clan.

He said the theme of the conference is apt and timely as it will encourage Olokoro people to know where they should be in the 21st century.

“The conference has achieved its goal because the message has been delivered, the people will now take the message home that our people should respond to the modern trend of life that is visible in the 21st century,” he said.

The coordinator advised Olokoro youths to be innovative in what they are doing.

“For instance, a young man whose parents happened to be traders should try to understand how his parents were able to make it through trading and were able to pay their school fees through trading. So if your mother or father is a trader and you are an engineer and there is no engineering job for you, what do you do! You buy into the trading your father is into and that is what we call comparative advantage.

Instead of carrying your certificate, going around the town, looking for job, there is already developed business in the system for you. That is the advice we are set to give them”, Don Ndubuka pointed out.

Stories by Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏ Governor Okezie Ikpeazu says

no amount of threat or intimidation will make him misappropriate the 50 percent of the N10.6 billion Paris club inflow meant for payment of salaries.

Ikpeazu made this disclosure at Ohanze primary school field during a grand civic reception organised by the Ohanze Isiahia community in Obingwa Local Government Area for him and his wife, Nkechi, pledging that “no kobo from the funds will be unaccounted for”.

He announced that to make good his promise, his government will begin the payment of Abia State staff salaries through individual cheques to ensure that ghost workers are checked.

While reiterating that the 50 percent of the Paris Club refund must be used to pay salaries in line with the instruction of the Federal Government,

Ikpeazu assured Ohanze people that their secondary school will benefit from school renovation that will soon commence in the state.

The Governor, who provided N1.5 million for Ohanze Congress to be used for school fees of indigent youths in tertiary institutions, promised to assist them in building their civic centre, informing that he is indebted to them as they gave him the best wife on earth.

Ikpeazu warned his aides, stakeholders and the people of the state not to bring to him proposals that will distract him from using the fund for salaries, lamenting that the issue of ghost workers in the civil service has been distracting his government through loss of fund.

In his welcome address, the Chairman, Reception Committee, Ven. (Dr.) Felix Erondu, said the people of Ohanze chose to honour the Governor because of his efforts and achievements in the last 19 months as the State Governor, stating that in spite of the reces-

sion, the Governor has made giant strides in infrastructure, health, security, housing, education among others.

Venerable Erondu pointed out that Ohanze Secondary School was proud to have taken delivery of school desks, a three classroom building, and teaching equipment as well as benefited from his free school meal initiative.

According to him, people are happy that their daughter and wife of the Governor, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu, has been a strong tower complementing him in many ways including building houses for indigent persons, payment of hospital bills for sick people, giving scholarship to students, sponsoring people to learn various skills, providing empowerments and others.

The Committee Chairman, who thanked the Governor for appointing their sons and daughters to positions of authority, pleaded with him to renovate their secondary school and assured the Governor of that the people of Ohanze are solidly behind him.

Buhari congratulates Eze Ikonne on 88th birthday

ÏÏÏ President Muhammadu Buhari

has felicitated with His Royal Highness, Dr. Isaac Ikonne, Enyi 1 of Aba, as he turned 88 years on January 1, 2017.

A statement issued by Mr. Femi Adesina, the president’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity in Abuja on Saturday, Buhari joined the government and people of Abia State, the Abia State Traditional Council and Ohaneze Ndigbo in celebrating the octogenarian.

The President noted that 42-year reign of the Celebrant had witnessed tremendous improvement in community relations, peace and prosperity of his domain, Aba. President Buhari extolled the sterling leadership qualities of the royal father, which had over the years earned him the position of the Chair-

man of Ohaneze Ndigbo Traditional Rulers, and other numerous recognitions and awards.

He affirmed that Eze Ikonne’s entrepreneurial spirit and large heartedness in helping the underprivileged made him an exemplar to younger traditional rulers.

He also acknowledged that the royal father had demonstrated uncommon loyalty, commitment and patriotism in nation building by counseling many governments, and mobilizing his citizenry for civic duties.

President Buhari prayed that the almighty God would grant the royal father longer life, good health and more wisdom to serve his people and humanity.

Dr. Ikonne is one of the oldest traditional rulers in the South East and the first to receive staff of office in the old Imo State.

Boxing Day tragedy: “Mad” man kills 2, lynched in Umuahia ÏÏÏ

A middle aged man, supposedly mad, last Monday (Boxing Day) clubbed to death two youths in Umuahia, the state capital, while he also met his death at the hands of angry mob.

Reports have it that the known mad man in his mid-30s in Umuahia was used to getting irritated most times, while threatening people with clubs.

He as alleged to have, that Monday, clubbed a passing young girl yet to be identified to death by hitting the unsuspecting youth at the head with the rod in his hand.

While standbys were musing on that, the fleeing mad man clubbed another small boy to death by also hitting the youth three times at the head with the stick.

Eye witness account said the mad man started running and was later clubbed to death at Niger by Awukuzu Street in Umuahia where the corpse lay for some days.

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer, Nta Ogbonnaya Nta, said he was yet to get any briefs from the Divisional Police Officer, promising to get back and which he never did as at the time of filing of this report.

David Ogba Onuoha Bourdex (left); Enachioken of Abiriba (centre) and a guest during the Egwuena Age Grade historic occasion of their traditional “Ime Uche this Xmas...recently

Traditional ruler’s wife moves to improve lots of the indigent ÏÏÏ

The wife of Okpu Isingwu Autonomus Community, Ugoeze Ngozi Emekobum, at the weekend launched her pet project for the benefit of the less-privileged in the community and beyond.

In her speech during the occasion, the founder, Ugoeze Ngozi Emekobum Okpu-Isingwu Foundation (UNEOIF) said her mission was to help the less-privileged in the community and beyond with a belief that the little help people will receive from the foundation will grow mighty seed through funding, supporting, and encouraging them to be stronger and better.

Inaugurated in 2015, she said, the foundation was “committed to actively raising the quality of life for our community, reaching out to the less-privileged. We want to reach and support those in our community and beyond who are sometimes overlooked or by-passed, either by omission or commission, to achieve their potentials”.

She highlighted the role of the foundation to also include providing practical step-by-step assistance in

areas that include education, trading, health, apprenticeship, training and employment.

So far, the UNEOIF founder said, people in the community have been empowered by her foundation in the areas of trading, health, education and trainings, stating that the vision was given to her by God. Earlier in his address, Chairman of the occasion held at the Community Secondary School, Isingwu premises, retired Senior Magistrate Christian Nwakanma described the occasion as one that touches the heart as the indigent will be benefiting, stating that such gestures should be expected from more of the community citizens, even those in diaspora.

He urged beneficiaries to make good use of the opportunity to be useful to themselves and their families.

Also speaking, the member representing Umuahia North in the State House of Assembly, Kelechi Onuzuruike, highlighted the obvious need to support the foundation in its bid to uplift the needy in the community.

He called on those that are affluent

to always support the cause of the less-privileged in the society, while commending the Ugoeze Ngozi Emekobum on the worthy cause she is championing.

In his speech, the traditional ruler of Okpu Isingwu Autonomous Community and the husband of the founder of UNEOIF, HRM Eze Kingsley Alozie Emekobum, stressed the need to carry along the needy in the society, especially as the harsh economic condition of the present-day Nigerian society persist.

Eze Emekobum said filling the gap by his wife will go a long way to ameliorate the critical conditions of the indigent in the community and beyond.

The occasion featured dancing competition by women of component villages, raffle draws, medical outreach, auction sales and empowerment by the foundation, and attended by dignitaries from and beyond the community, including HRM Eze Nzenwata Mbakwe of Umuosu Nkwoegwu Autonomous Community who led other traditional rulers to the occasion.

Interview

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

3 The Abia Times

Buhari should review his leadership mechanism –Eze Ibeakanma Eze Godfrey Chikwendu Ibeakanma is the traditional ruler of Ezeleke Autonomous Community in Umuopara, Umuahia South Local Government Area of Abia State, and member of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, South East Council of Traditional Rulers and member, National Council of Traditional Rulers. He recently awarded chieftaincy titles to some deserving members of his community after the last about 14 years ago. In this interview with SUNDAY NWAKANMA, in his palace after the occasion held during last Christmas period, Eze Ibeakanma urged President Muhammadu Buhari to review his leadership mechanism by placing the right people on the right job. He also used the occasion to advise traditional rulers in the country not to monetize conferment of chieftaincy titles, especially to people without integrity. Excerpts: Why has it taken you more than 13 years to award chieftaincy titles to your subjects?

This is because these recognitions and titles are not to be proliferated or monetized or bought. If it is that the richest should grab, all will be working towards being decorated with the eagle feather. The traditional ruler has to ensure that he installs people with integrity.

This is because whoever you install is your ambassador wherever he is found. But this issue, as they say in Igbo land that everybody is a chief is wrong and that is why many times in some areas, both within and outside, or in Diaspora, you find out that some of these socalled yahoo-yahoo people identify themselves as chiefs. Then, who installed them? What were their antecedents for which you are recognising them? So you must have to screen and identify people with integrity before you give them recognition.

This is how it is supposed to be. The people we installed are those who have passed through the crucibles of the civil service, retirees, and people who have served the Federal Republic of Nigeria for not less than 35 years and such people who meritoriously served and retired. Why shouldn’t you recognise them in their communities as it is not easy to serve for that period impeccable and forcefully removed or sacked. So they deserve to be recognised and not to monetize the titles.

So you mean chieftaincy titles should not be monitised?

Yes. You do not pay tithe because you want to bribe God. You do not go to steal or do whatever you want to do, then go to the church, donate billions and believe that you are bribing God. Salvation is not for sale. Therefore, I have not recognised any of these chiefs because of what they gave to me as a person, but because they have worked hard for humanity. Service to humanity is service to God. They are retirees and people who have distinguished themselves in their professions, and not necessarily donated millions of naira. So I admonish fellow traditional rulers to be careful when they are giving titles to people. When you monetize the institution, then you corrupt the institution, I advise that integrity should come first. As a traditional ruler, you are honouring your subjects.

You asked your awardees not to see the award as an opportunity to use their new positions to intimidate or undo others. Can you make clearer your position?

You will agree with me that some beneficiaries will sometimes use their exalted position to undermine the interest of their communities or the generality of the society that placed them on that pinnacle.

By the time your start deceiving people simply because you are recognised in the society,

Eze Ibeakanma you sort of swindle, cheat, deceive or technically steal from them simply because you have been honoured, then you are undermining the base of that your recognition. I do not subscribe to that in any manner.

If any goes against your advice, will there be any sanctions?

There are provisions in the law of Abia State and generally of Igbo land which even states categorically and emphatically that even when you are recognised as a traditional ruler, there are certain things against the law, some ills of the society in which when you are found doing, you will be stripped of that recognition by the government. So if my recognising you predicates on the authority I have from the government, then, if you now involve yourself in some of those stated vices, then I can strip you of the title as it belongs to me as the traditional ruler and to the kingdom that so recognised you the way the staff of office and certificate of recognition that I am having that confirms me as the traditional ruler belongs to the government of Abia State. So if I am found wanting, and there is evidence, proof of default, for which the government can say, thy are withdrawing my recognition, then what stops me from withdrawing the recognition I have given to my chief ? It has happened in so many places. That you were given a title does not mean it is irrevocable.

No, it is revocable.

So I admonish fellow traditional rulers to be careful when they are giving titles to people. When you monetize the institution, then you corrupt the institution, I advise that integrity should come first. As a traditional ruler, you are honouring your subjects You now mean that there is the need to give traditional rulers constitutional roles?

Well, the constitution predicates from the western politics.

Bu the traditional rulers and the institution have been there before advent of the white man.

Well, inasmuch as there is no defined constitutional role for traditional rulers, you find out that technically, they have a sort of that overseeing function over every other politically defined office and that is why members of the state council of traditional rulers’ role include to advice the government and the governor. Then who do you want to recognise or to give traditional rulers roles? Is it not the Governor? Is it not the President? Whereas technically, the traditional ruler has the oversight function, this is why

every traditional ruler has the capacity to advise the President of this country and he will not just wave it off like that, but to be taken into serious consideration whatever is the opinion of the opinion molders at the grassroots. Inasmuch as it is not defined, I am one of the people, and as a member of Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers, South east Council of Traditional Rulers and member, National Council of Traditional Rulers. We have had conferences where we sat and made recommendations for constitutional roles. Not that it is a new role going to be assigned, but are roles that we are already had been in before the advent of the white man. We want the roles to be specifically embedded in the constitution.

But since as at now, those roles are not in the constitution, it does not mean our roles are not defined. They are still defined and that oversight function by traditional rulers and other institutions cannot be overemphasised. That is why, any time there is any problem in any community, the traditional rulers will be held accountable, not the President, governor or the local government chairman, but the traditional ruler because he has the relative oversight function.

What will then be your advice to the President Muhammadu Buhari?

The President is trying and no doubt about that. But I want to make him know that his manifestoes relatively are falling short of proper execution over this period. I am saying what I know the people are saying and how they are feeling.

We are in a very acute recession. Without the economy of the nation being buoyant, that of the individuals cannot be.

We ask ourselves, “What is causing this recession? Corruption is one of it. We know he has his mechanism for fighting corruption, but he should ensure that the square pegs are in the square holes otherwise his fights will be a waste. Let him do good appointments and not give appointments as a favour to individuals but should be on merit so that there will be proper accountability which will maximize productivity, which in turn will make recession not to be in our dictionary.

The Abia Times 4

Interview

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017

It’s sad that people use NGOs to dupe donors -Mrs. Sunday

Mrs. Carol Emeka Sunday is the Chief Executive Officer of CONNAK Nigeria Ltd and CONNAK Foundation, a non-governmental organisation that is into community empowerment, training and scholarship offering to the less-privileged in the communities. This foundation is based in late Michael Okpara’s home town of of Umuegwu Okpuala, in Ohuhu clan of Umuahia North Local Government Area.

During the yuletide period, the foundation empowered more women, admitted more students for training and offered scholarship to more students from the community and beyond. In this interview with SUNDAY NWAKANMA, Mrs. Carol Emeka Sunday gave a vivid account of what the NGO is all about among other issues. Excerpts: What is CONAK Foundation all about?

It is an NGO that is geared towards helping educational development, youth empowerment, women empowerment and Youth Initiative Support, as well as community development.

So we have about 47 children under scholarship in secondary schools and all the children in senior secondary school are being kept in boarding houses, while the others in junior secondary schools are taken to school every day in our air-conditioned buses because we bought buses also for the children. Now for the women, we give non-interest loan to them on yearly basis to trade with, do their businesses, return the main money, keep your interest, increase your business and we have empowered over 40 women since we started. For the children, we have 47 of them right now and the most beautiful thing about our foundation is that for the education part, it is not just within our locality, it is all over Afuguri and we have reached about 10 villages and have children from the 10 villages in our foundation.

For the youth empowerment, we have been able to buy four tricycles (Keke Napep) for four of the youths and that was what they said they wanted to do. Others said they wanted to learn carpentry job, while others said they want to learn how to sow cloths, interior decoration, hair barbing salon and other trades. We paid for all of

them and today, their display was quite amazing on what they have been able to do within 8 months. On the community development aspect, we have been able to create and tar a ring road named, Eze S O Utah ring road with the help of NDDC and have opened access roads in the area, as we’ll as have completed the first phase which have been tarred.

Soon the second phase will be completed. So that means that our community is begging for development, and there is nothing like, “there is no road to enter into the bush and build houses”. So we did a fantastic ring road that one can drive in through one end and come out through another village, devoid of traffic and other road inconveniences. It is also a wonderful opportunity for our people to come in and develop. If you come to this community, everybody is building on the road and as such, people do not want to get into the bush and build. We now have lots of fantastic access to our lands through the creation of the good access roads so that people can now come and build and bring home all the beautiful edifices we build in the west, south, North, Abuja and even outside the country. That is actually one of the reason we have to set up a first-class resource centre too. Apart from that, we have also set up street lights throughout Umuegwu Okpuala. This resource centre was actually established to crystallize what we have started doing five years ago and was established not just for our children, for individuals, our people for them to come here and study.

We have a world class e-library with internet facilities, where one can download any book anyone wants to use. All the systems and other internet accessories are there in the computer room for training, where even organizations can sponsor people to come for training here. Our children also have access to the computer for not just computer training, they also do computer hardware engineering. We also have the 200-seater hall which is open for public use in terms of trainings, seminars and other ceremonies or events. There is also an amazing multi-functional volleyball court, net and basketball, as well as table tennis court. People visiting our centre can also use the facilities to refresh.

When did you set up this foundation and what inspired you to do so?

It was set up five years ago. The foundation was born out of the fact that we have talented children in the community, but because they were not given the same opportunity their counterparts in the cities were given, it looked as if they are dullards.

We actually started with about ten of them and gave each of them lap-

der your care this time?

For now, they are over 100, including the skill acquisition, the children, women empowerment and the rest.

Mrs. Sunday tops. Over time, we have increased.

This gave them the opportunity that are in the regular schools and then put them in those regular schools, pay their school fees and monitor them. But6 what we found out is that the initial school we put them in the community was not good, we then decided to move all the girls to the Holy Rosary Secondary School, while the boys were taken to Government College, Umuahia. But because taking the junior boys students, who are day students from here to Government College, Umuahia is a far distance, we decided to allow them remain in the community school until they get into senior secondary school and then, we relocate them to the Government College, Umuahia.

In which school in the community are the junior boys?

They are in the Williams Memorial Grammar School, Afuguri, while the girls, day students and boarders are in the Holy Rosary Secondary School, Umuahia.

What are the criteria for selecting your beneficiaries?

The children write entrance examinations before we take the best out of them. But then, it is for the indigent students and not for those whose parents are working, but for people that are poor. We also investigate their claims to be indigent to avoid funny claims. Take for instance, we started with widows when empowering women, but there were some women whose husbands are alive and who came to collect money on the pretext that they are widows.

For the children, it is actually for those whose parents could not pay for their school fees.

How did you raise the fund for all these and what is your estimated monthly or annual expen-

We started with widows when empowering women, but there were some women whose husbands are alive and who came to collect money on the pretext that they are widows. For the children, it is actually for those whose parents could not pay for their school fees diture on these projects?

I will just say it costs us huge money. We actually started off on individual basis, but right now, we are open to other organisations like the NDDC to partner with us and others like the United Nations because we are doing real things and we encourage them.

Take for instance, some women in the communities do not do anything, but we do not want them to be loitering about. You can actually send them here for training, you pay for them and CONNAK will monitor them.

You pay for them through CONNAK as part of us and we monitor them for you and give you reports. We are open for sponsorship. When we started the library, somebody we do not even know, and who heard about what we are doing, have donated some books for our library. So we need things like that.

Can you give us a fair idea of how many beneficiaries are un-

How do you view people that form NGOs and use them to dupe international donors?

You know why they would do that?

It is actually that here in Nigeria all have to have a form of politics inside it and it is so sad. Why can’t you come out and help another person? For five years since we started, we have not opened up to anybody or solicited for help from anybody. It was a joy to me watching the children dismantling computers and putting them back perfectly again. I love working with children. So my joy was that the children initially could not read simple sentences. We collected their results before we took them and red (biro) was all over, but now, you need to see their results. One man was amazed when he saw these children speaking English at the event. They did not cram these and their vocabulary has changed. If we will be able to raise them we will not have issue in our community any more. The boys we empowered no longer smoke weeds and are now totally useful. Other boys now come up for us to help, but we are doing so in batches. So I would advise other people to be sincere. God would raise you up. The foundation of our organisation is Christ and was started by a Christian family.

We would like other organisations to come and assist so that we can expand more and can take up more children up to 100 at once. We can also empower more women and create more ring roads instead of taking the organisation to outside the state or zone to other areas like Abuja Port Harcourt or Lagos. Our facilities are up to date and can compete with others elsewhere in the world. So I am encouraging other NGOs to be sincere as sincerity pays, as according to the Bible, righteousness exalts a nation.

Is there any governmental role, either from the federal, state or local government in your foundation?

No, not yet, but we do not mind their coming in to assist us. We would want them to come in with sincerity, and not with politics, but clean hands. If they want to come in politically, we are not into it. We want them to come and partner with us. If government want to pay for those people through us, they will register them through us and carry their money go there and pay, while we will monitor the people under CONNAK so that it will not look as if they have given us their money. Their assistance will also help us employ more hands because with these facilities, we really need more hands.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Nigeria moves up in global aviation rating Page B2

CBN, Katsina to boost rice production in Nigeria

Page B3

Economy tops NLC’s 2017 Agenda for FG Page B6

CBN’s T-Bill auction tomorrow to further reduce system liquidity Bonny Amadi The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) auction of Treasury Bills (T-Bill) tomorrow would further mop up liquidity, as this may further weaken expected new inroads into the equities market.

Some of the last T-bills auctioned by the CBN in 2016 are on two respective instruments on 12/14/2016 and 12/21/2016, representing 91 days and 182-day in-

struments respectively.

The 12/14/2016 instruments are of 91 days and 182 days, while the 12/21/2016 instruments also consist of the same tenors, 3/23/2017,6/22/2017, 3/16/2017 and 6/15/2017 maturity dates respectively.

For the 12.21.2016 T-bills, N13176.98 and N26557.73 were raised, with subscription rates of 13,320.48 and 29,368.91 respectively.

Meanwhile, money market

rates trended southward across all tenors at the close of trading in 2016. The 1 month, 3 month, and 6-month NIBOR rates contracted by 12 bps, 78bps, and 43bps to settle at 17%,18 per cent and 22 per cent levels respectively.

However, as CBN conducts Tbill auction tomorrow, experts predict the auction would further lead to a decline in system liquidity, and consequently, put upward pressure on rates.

The bond market was bull-

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

ish as at the close of 2016 financial year on December 30th as increased demand compressed yields across all tenors, with the exceptions of MAR 2024 and JUN 2019 debt instruments.

While the yields on both the 5yr, and 10yr benchmark bonds thinned by 6bps and 5bps to 15.72 per cent and 16.08 per cent respectively, yield on the 7yr benchmark bond closed the year with increased by 5bps to 15.69 per cent.

L – R shows Mrs. Edith Onwuchekwa, Legal Counsel, Lafarge Africa Plc; Mr. Haruna Jalo-Waziri, Executive Director, Capital Markets Division, The Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE); Mr. Bruno Bayet, Chief Finance Officer, Lafarge Africa Plc; Mrs. Folashade Ambrose-Medebem, Communications & Public Affairs Director, Lafarge Africa Plc; Kemi Awodein, Director, Investment Banking, Chapel Hill Denham and Dipo Omotoso, Head, Secondary Markets, NSE at Lafarge Africa Plc Bond Listing and Closing Gong Ceremony at The NSE recently.

Oil sector contributes over 8% total real GDP OpeOluwani Akintayo The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) latest economic report has said that the oil sector contributed 8.19 percent of total real GDP in the 3rd quarter of 2016.

The sector’s 8.19 percent is down from figures recorded in the corresponding period of 2015 and the preceding quarter of 2016 recorded at 10.27 percent (2nd quarter) and 8.26 percent (1st quarter) respectively.

In the First Quarter of 2016, oil production stood at 2.11million barrels per day (mbpd), 0.05mbpd lower from production in Q4 of 2015. Oil production was also lower relative to the corresponding quarter in 2015 by 0.07mbpd when output was recorded at 2.18mbpd.

As a result, real growth of the oil sector slowed by 1.89 percent (year-on-year) in Q1 of 2016. This represents an improvement relative to growth recorded in Q1 2015 when growth slowed by 8.15 percent. Growth also increased by 6.39 percent points relative to growth in Q4 of 2015. Quarter-onCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Trading resumes on positive note as investors take medium-long term positions Bonny Amadi Activity resumes on the Nigerians Stock Exchange (NSE) today, the first trading day

BUSINESS TIMES Editor Andrew Odioko Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

of the year, with high expectations and fresh positioning.

Trend analysis shows that some investors would be divesting from moribund companies, while the banking sector will generate more bids, as dividend-savvy investors buy in expectation of high dividend payment from the banking subsector.

This falls in line with analysts’ forecast that the year’s first quarter will attract high

activity and bullish trade, leading to high equity price appreciation by companies hitherto trading at low. High demand for banking stocks is expected as trading resumes, in continuation of the last trading session which saw OMOSAVBNK and Guaranty Trust Bank accounting for the bulk of trades with 50million and 33million units respectively.

InvestmentOne Analysts, however, advised investors to go

for gradual building of positions in blue-chips, especially for investors with a medium to longer term horizon.

Daily Times recalls that Nigerian equities rounded off the year on a positive note, as the NSE – ASI recorded a marginal gain of + 0.34 percent, bringing the end of 2016 (YTD) return to -6.17 per cent.

The year-end trades were principally influenced by buying brewing companies and

banking stocks.

For instance, Nigerian breweries grew by +138.28, Guinness +13.37 while Access Bank appreciated by +7.58. These upticks hedged the negative impact of declines in Forte Oil (FO), Zenith Bank and Mobil.

Through the year, the All Share index (ASI) ranged from 22,456.32 to 31,071.25. It, however, closed at 28,642.25, shedding -1767.63pts on annualized basis, with a corresponding market capitalization of N9.25 trillion.

Business News B2 Oil sector contributes over 8% total real GDP CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Quarter, growth also improved by 10.27 percent. As a share of the economy, the oil sector contributed 10.29 percent of total real GDP, marginally lower from the share recorded in the corresponding period of 2015, yet higher from the share in Q4 of 2015 by 2.24 percent points.

At the 2nd quarter, Oil production was estimated at 1.69million barrels per day (mbpd), 0.42 million barrels per day lower from production in First Quarter of 2016. Oil production was also lower relative to the corresponding quarter in 2015 by 0.36million barrels per day when output was recorded at 2.05mbpd.

As a result, real growth in the oil sector was negative 17.48 percent (year-on-year) in the Second Quarter of 2016. Growth declined by 10.68 percent points and 15.59 percent points relative to growth in the Second Quarter of 2015 and First Quarter of 2016 respectively. Quarter-on-Quarter, growth also slowed by -19.11 percent. As a share of the economy, the Oil sector contributed 8.26 percent to total real GDP, down from the contribution recorded in the corresponding period of 2015 and the First Quarter of 2016 by 1.54percent points and 2.03 percent points respectively.

At the 3rd quarter, Oil production, according to the NNPC, averaged at 1.63million barrels per day (mbpd), lower from production in second quarter of 2016. Oil production was also lower relative to the corresponding quarter in 2015 by 0.54million barrels per day when output was recorded at 2.17mbpd.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3 , 2017

Nigeria moves up in global aviation rating The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) on Monday said Nigeria had attained another high level safety rating which placed it among the world leaders in aviation safety.

The NCAA made the announcement in a recent statement by its General Manager, Public Relations, Mr. Sam Adurogboye.

The statement said that the country climbed to Level Three State Safety Programme (SSP) Implementation Process, joining countries like the United States of America, United Kingdom, and others in the echelon.

“This categorization is dependent on the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which tracks the SSP implemen-

tation process of member-states via its Integrated Safety Trend Analysis and Reporting System (iSTARS).

“Member states in tandem, therefore, deploy this platform to undertake Gap Analysis, define their action plans and benchmark their progress.

“Only two member states Australia and Sri Lanka - have achieved full implementation of the SSP according to ICAO records.

Nigeria is striving to achieve Level Four, which is 100 percent by the end 0f 2017,” it said.

According to the statement, the SSP process is inaugurated in member countries in compliance with the ICAO requirements as

contained in Annex 19 on Safety Management.

The statement added that Nigeria’s advanced level had put its SSP implementation process among states that defined an action plan for all non-implemented Gap questions.

It said in other words, Nigeria had completed its Gap Analysis, implemented 43.6 percent of the required SSP tasks. ” In addition, the country has developed a detailed action plan for the accomplishment of the outstanding tasks with an established and approved timeline.

“Pursuant to this, Nigeria has commenced the implementation of the SSP processes and has achieved several milestones.

Expert charges FG on hindrances to TSA transactions

L-R, Branch Manager, Keystone Bank Limited, Kano (France Road), David Obasa; Head of Kano Cash Management Unit (CMU), Umar Jahun; Resident Internal Control Officer Kano Mamudu Okogwa; CMU Officer, Suleimon Idris, displaying the trophy (Best Bank in Currency Processing for the Year 2015) won by Kano branch of Keystone Bank during the 2016 Kano Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) dinner and award night held recently.

Nigeria’s agriculture on right track – Expert The Former Country Representative, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Dr. Atsuko Toda, yesterday said agriculture was on the right track to becoming the bedrock of the economy in Nigeria.

Toda, who was recently ap-

pointed the Director of Agricultural, Finance, and Rural Development, African Development Bank (AfDB), stated this in an interview with News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

According to her, Nigeria, being the biggest country in Africa, gets a lot of media attention all

over the world but its complexity, richness and culture will only be appreciated when one visits the country “My four years in Nigeria has taught me so much about resilience, entrepreneurship and the strong nature of Nigerians. As an Asian, for me, it is an opportunity

for to learn from Nigeria.

“I think agriculture in Nigeria is on the right track, I pray that agriculture will become the genesis of many opportunities for youths in Nigeria.

“I hope, through agriculture, there will be more jobs and wealth creation for the youths’’, she said.

Nigeria initiates investors’ match-making platform Nigeria is to establish a matchmaking database for international business interconnectivity and stress-free investments, says Foreign Affairs Minister Geoffrey Onyeama.

Onyeama told newsmen in Abuja yesterday that the 119 Nigeria missions abroad would serve as one-stop shops to spur investments through information sharing and elimination of bottle-

“These include the completion of the SSP Gap Analysis and the establishment of the Implementation Plan approved by the Director General-General (DG), NCAA. “Other completed SSP tasks are the official authorization of the DG, NCAA as the Accountable Executive of the SSP and the designation of the NCAA as the Placeholder Organization of the SSP in Nigeria by the Minister of State (Aviation), Sen. Hadi Sirika.”

It said the approval and publication of the State Safety Policy Statement, the Enforcement Policy in an SSP-SMS environment, including Nigeria’s Voluntary and Confidential Reporting System, were among the tasks that have been concluded.

necks.

He said the initiative would enable Nigeria’s products and investors to access the world market easily and also enable foreign investors have unfettered access to informed and genuine information concerning business opportunities in Nigeria.

The minister explained that the scheme would be implemented through a matching-making data-

base aimed at promoting exports and enhancing the country’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI).

According to Onyeama, the design is an economic diplomacy which is a framework to address the severe economic challenges facing Nigeria.

He said that Nigeria has representations in 119 countries and the ministry could leverage on the advantage to deliver concrete

economic benefit to the nation.

“It is a pet project. It is a matching making database for our Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and export promotion.

“So this database will essentially enable any Nigerian business to upload to our database that could be managed from Foreign Affairs together with the ministry of trade and investment,” he said.

A financial expert, Dr. Samuel Nzekwe, has advised the Federal Government to intensify efforts in addressing the bottlenecks in the running of Treasury Single Account (TSA) in the country.

Nzekwe, former President, Association of National Accountants of Nigeria (ANAN), gave the advice in a chat with newsmen yesterday in Ota, Ogun State.

He said that such a step would improve transactions through the TSA. The expert said that there were lots of bureaucracies affecting the smooth running of TSA and this might affect the success of the policy.

“The bureaucracy on TSA should be reduced by the Federal Government so that transactions carried out through the account would be easy.

“They should also look into areas the people are complaining of the TSA and effect the necessary changes,’’ he said.

According to him, the introduction of TSA by the Federal Government had left the financial sector with insufficient funds to give to investors since they depended heavily on public funds to do business.

He, however, urged banks to drop their armchair banking and regulations, but to double their efforts in attracting more customers into the system to enable them to have adequate funds to operate.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3 , 2017

B3 Money Market

Naira remains 490/$1 at parallel market Stories by Motolani Oseni Contrary to some financial analysts’ prediction that the Naira would hit 500 per dollar before the New Year, the currency has remained steady at N490 against the dollar.

The naira has maintained the N490 per dollar rate it traded on the last day of 2016 and has held steady for the first two days of 2017 on the parallel market segment of the foreign exchange market.

The local currency closed at 490 to the dollar on Friday, from 495 against the dollar last Friday at the parallel market.

At the official interbank window, the naira was

quoted at 310.25 to the dollar on Thursday, but it was expected to close at around 305.25, the same level it has traded since August. .However, currency dealers believe that the naira may depreciate against the dollar by the time more businesses resume operations on 3 January 2017 from the holiday, as dollar liquidity remains thin in the market.

The naira has been under severe and continuous pressure as the scarcity of the US currency continues to create ripples in the financial markets and economy.

However, with the closing rate of the naira in 2016, it has shown that the currency beat analysts’ ex-

pectation, as it was sold on the streets of Lagos, Ogun and Abuja at 490/dollar throughout the holiday.

A director at Union Capital Markets, Mr. Egie Akpata, said it was really difficult to predict the direction of the naira shortly before the New Year because part of the currency market had shut down for the year.

“You can’t really predict the market because part of the market had shut down for the New Year. Things will really take shape this week,” he said Also, on Thursday, the naira closed at 490 to the dollar, the same level it closed on Wednesday. Although, it fell against the greenback from 485 to 490

on Wednesday, reversing part of the gain it recorded the previous week.

The CBN had about two weeks ago sold about $1billion on the forward market to clear a backlog of dollar obligations in selected sectors.

Outstanding dollar demand was about $4 billion before June when the 16-month-old peg was removed. Efforts to cut dollar demand have been largely unsuccessful due to low oil prices.

Traders said the CBN told banks to prioritize airlines, manufacturing firms, petroleum products importers and agriculture sectors, the sectors worst hit by the dollar shortage, in the auction.

CBN, Katsina to boost rice production in Nigeria Katsina State Government has keyed into the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Programme (ABP) to boost local rice production in Nigeria.

Highlighting the state’s plan to tackle challenges currently facing the agricultural sector, the state governor, Aminu Bello, said that there was the need for adequate food security for the ever increasing population remained ideas capable of generating new thinking, attitudinal change and empirical measures reflecting the essence of change.

Speaking at the launch of the programme at

Jibia, Bello unfolded his restoration agenda for the sector and how his administration would actualise this dream on fresh rice for the people of the state and Nigerians.

As part of the strategies to bolster irrigation activities at the Jibia irrigation site for the farmers in the ABP on rice production, Masari said the state government shouldered the operational and maintenance costs in the interest of its people who are the major beneficiaries of the project.

“This year (2016) alone, over N58m was expended for the repairs and maintenance of generators, water pumps and provi-

GTBank appoints Soyoye into board Guaranty Trust Bank has appointed Mr. Babatunde T. Soyoye as an independent non-executive director to fill the vacancy created on the Board by Mr. Andrew Alli, who retired from the bank as independent nonexecutive director.

Already, the Central Bank of Nigeria has statutorily approved the appointment of Soyoye, a professional with over 24 years’ work experience, 21 of which have been in investment/financial advisory services.

The bank in a statement noted that he was a

co-founder and managing partner of Helios Investment Partners LLP, a private investment firm with its principal office in the United Kingdom, formed to pursue alternative asset class investments in sub-Saharan Africa, specializing in investment in companies, growth capital for private enterprises, restructurings, joint ventures, start-ups and structured investments.

Prior to co-founding Helios Investment Partners, Soyoye was a principal responsible for Telecoms & Media investment across Europe for TPG Capital.

Lagos State sells N47 bn bonds Lagos State has sold 47 billion naira (154.50 million dollars) of bonds maturing in 2023 to help finance basic infrastructure, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode has said in a statement, according to the News Agency of Nigeria.

He said 16.5 percent coupon was the first tranche of a 500 billion naira debt issuance programme approved by the state’s parliament in September.

The state had offered 60 billion naira of the bonds.

Ambode said “despite the continued challenges in the economy and difficult market conditions …the The state sold some 80 percent of the bonds it offered at 57 basis points

spread to the sovereign.

“Lagos state government remains committed to improving the physical and social infrastructure base of the state …,” he said.

Lagos state in April agreed to pay off holders of an outstanding 167.5 billion naira bond before maturity to cut its interest payments after a plunge in oil prices slashed government revenues.

The state is home to the commercial hub of Africa’s most populous nation, a sprawling city of more than 21 million people which seriously needs infrastructure upgrades.

Lagos is the first state to issue a bond since the country’s recession in the second quarter of 2016.

New one-pound coin for Brittain

Bello

sion of diesel for irrigation purposes,” he said.

He also promised farmers in and outside of the project in the state that rehabilitation works in

seven irrigation schemes of Kwanar Are, Yartsaku, Makera, Ruwan Sanyi, Daberan, Sankaya and Bakori were nearing completion.

The British government is to launch a new one-pound coin at the end of March and scrap the current one pound coin by October.

An announcement from the British Treasury said that the new 12-sided one pound coin would become legal tender on March 28 and the new coin would be produced by the Royal Mint in Wales.

A total of 1.5 billion of the coins will be issued in the first minting.

The new coin has been introduced to deter sophisticated counterfeiters who can now replicate the cur-

rent coin, which has been in circulation for 30 years.

The new one pound has a distinctive 12-sided shape, recognizable even by touch and it is made of two metals, the outer ring is goldcolored (nickel-brass) and the inner ring is silver-colored (nickel-plated alloy).

And if the coin is tilted it shows a latent image, like a hologram, which changes from a pound sign to the number one.

The coin will also feature the fifth coinage portrait of Queen Elizabeth II, the world’s longest-serving monarch who began her reign in 1952.

B4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3, 2017Ã&#x;

Capital Market Budget implementation, others to shape stock market in 2017 - Analysts Stories by Afolabi Adesola As challenging as the nation’s stock market in 2016 was, analysts say that the situation for investors in the market could get tougher except the right policies are put in place.

“As the market resumes for another year today, investors are already taking positions in the sectors the budget will touch but if we are out of recession with good GDP number, the market will be better for it.” an analyst with Dependable Securities told our correspondent According to him, another issue to determine the direction of the stock market is the harmonization of the foreign exchange market.

There are long-term investors who invest in certain periods as this; however, speculators are sitting on cash currently. Nevertheless, with budget implementation, Cement, Agriculture and Construction sectors are likely to benefit the most from the budget once implemented.

The federal government had earmarked over 30 percent of the N7.3 trillion budget to capital expenditure. This amounts to about N2.24 trillion.

Another analyst said there would be an improvement at the Federal Government level in 2017, going by the various fiscal policy measures being articulated to stimulate the economy.

Dr. Glenn Prince-Abbi, the Chief Executive Officer, Espera Global Corporation, had in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria, said Nigeria’s foreign reserves would likely improve in 2017 with sustained stability in crude oil production output and through a

progressively diversified export revenue structure.

Last year, the Chief Executive of the NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, had anticipated the return of investors who had remained on the sidelines throughout 2015, according to him, the return of investor confidence depended on the effective implementation and communication of the government’s economic blueprint; credibility in monetary policy stance; relative stability in the macro economy (Oil price stability above benchmark targets, increase in tax collection to GDP ratio, etc.); and improved security.

These issues still crave attention

GWARZO

as, one year after, the criteria for the return of investors, according to the nation’s stock market boss, is far beyond desiring. Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) recorded a negative growth of -2.1 percent, while the Naira exchanging for N304 per dollar at the official market in the latter part of the year at the Foreign Exchange Market.

Another analyst, however, believes the exit of foreign investors had a negative impact on the stock market though this might have contributed to the reduced volatility in high-priced stocks such as Nestle Plc.

Director-General, SEC

Jaiz Bank, Medview Airline to list on NSE Jaiz Bank and Med-View Airline have both received the approval of the Quotations Committee of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to list their shares on the Exchange.

In a report obtained by our correspondent, Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first non-interest bank, applied to the NSE to list by introduction 29.5 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N1.25 each. Finmal Finance Services and Kundila Finance Service are the company’s stockbrokers, while issuing house and financial advisers are Finmal Finance Services and Inverness Wealth Management.

Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s only fullfledged Islamic Bank, recently obtained approval from the Central

bank of Nigeria for a national operating licence to enable it to operate all over the country.

The bank plans to increase its current capital base from N15 billion (USD$75 million) to N25 billion (USD$ 125 million). The bank said this upgrade will enable it to position itself towards the actualisation of its vision of serving the sub-Saharan African markets effectively in one of the most thriving sectors of the African economy.

On the part of Med-View Airline, its application to list 9.8 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N1.50 each, was also approved by the Quotations Committee. This represents a start-off market capitalization of

about N14.7 billion. Trust Yields Securities and Kedari Capital would be working with the board of Med-View Airline to facilitate the listing.

The listing will be by way of introduction, implying that Med-View Airline will be available initially through the secondary market, though the airline was said to be interested in floating its initial public offering as the market condition improves.

Two other aviation-related companies listed on the NSE are Airlines Services and Logistics, an in-flight catering company, currently trading at N2.50 while Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), a groundhandling company, trades at N3.16 per share.

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3 , 2017

Jaiz Bank, Medview Airline to list on NSE Jaiz Bank and MedView Airline have both received the approval of the Quotations Committee of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) to list their shares on the Exchange.

In a report obtained by our correspondent, Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s first noninterest bank, applied to the NSE to list by introduction 29.5 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N1.25 each. Finmal Finance Services and Kundila Finance Service are the company’s stockbrokers, while issuing house and financial advisers are Finmal Finance Services and Inverness Wealth Management.

Jaiz Bank, Nigeria’s only full-fledged Islamic Bank, recently obtained approval from the Central bank of Nigeria for a national operating licence to enable it to operate all over the country.

The bank plans to increase its current capital base from N15 billion (USD$75 million) to N25 billion (USD$ 125 million). The bank said this upgrade will enable it to position itself towards the actualisation of its vision of serving the sub-Saharan African markets effectively in one of the most thriving sectors of the African economy.

On the part of Med-View Airline, its application

to list 9.8 billion ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N1.50 each, was also approved by the Quotations Committee. This represents a start-off market capitalization of about N14.7 billion. Trust Yields Securities and Kedari Capital would be working with the board of Med-View Airline to facilitate the listing.

The listing will be by way of introduction, implying that Med-View Airline will be available initially through the secondary market, though the airline was said to be interested in floating its initial public offering as the market condition improves.

Two other aviation-related companies listed on the NSE are Airlines Services and Logistics, an in-flight catering company, currently trading at N2.50 while Nigerian Aviation Handling Company (NAHCO), a ground-handling company, trades at N3.16 per share.

Med-View Airline started in 2007 and has grown to become an emerging major domestic airline. The coming of Med-View airline into the Nigeria scene came with Hajj operations that year shortly after its incorporation, as a litmus-test, and changed the whole concept of pilgrims airlift in Nigeria.

SEC probes N300mn complaints against Transglobe Investment & Finance The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is investigating various complaints of over N300 million against Transglobe Investment & Finance Company Ltd, a stockbroking firm.

In a notice issued by the market’s apex regulator at the weekend, the SEC noted that a meeting with the Directors and sponsored Individuals of the firm has been scheduled in a bid to resolve the complaints.

The Commission said it had exchanged several correspondences with Transglobe Investment through its Managing Director, but the company has failed to resolve the complaints.

The commission said

as, at July 2016, there were five unresolved complaints still pending against Transglobe Investments involving over N300 million. It extended an invitation to the company’s Directors and sponsored individuals to meet with its officers in order to deliberate on ways of resolving all the outstanding issues.

The commission had placed suspensions and outrightly banned several market operators for being culpable of market infractions in a bid to protect investors in 2016, most recent was the suspension of Heritage Capital Markets Limiteda capital market operator over unauthorized sale of shares.

Labour B6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,January 3 , 2017

Economy tops NLC’s 2017 Agenda for FG

Stories by Joy Ekeke

The Nigeria Labour Congress has stated a number of expectations from the federal government in 2017, placing priority on getting the economy out of the doldrums.

The General Secretary of the NLC, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, advised President Muhammadu Buhari to address the plight of workers by commencing the process for the determination of a new Minimum Wage in the country.

Ozo-Eson, who spoke over the telephone, also advised the government to sustain the ongoing campaign against corruption, though He said, “The single most important thing he (President Buhari) should do is that he should put his economic policy act together to fix the economy, get the economy out of recession. That is number one because it impacts on everything else.

“The other things that they would need to do from our own perspective are that they need to visit the plight of workers and then commence the process for the fixing of the minimum wage.

“Thirdly, we need to sustain the fight against corruption, but we need to carry that fight on within the ambit of the law.”

Ozo-Eson who also commented on the killings in Southern Kaduna said that the crisis was indicative of security breakdown across the country.

He criticized the government for failing to respond to reports of mass killings in Southern Kaduna stressing that the life of the average Nigerian should not be portrayed to be so cheap.

He argued that celebrating the exploits of troops in the North East especially the taking over of the Sambisa Forest would not translate to happiness if the defeat of one security threat was being marred by the emergence of several security threats in other areas of the country.

Ozo-Eson called for a comprehensive evaluation of the nation’s security into order to deal comprehensively with the causes of insecurity in the land.

“What is happening in Southern Kaduna is unacceptable, but it is part of a larger collapse of security across the country. We have been inundated with all manner of killings in various parts of the country, whether it is an attack of herdsmen, or attack of cattle rustlers, all manner of security

breakdown across the country.

“And I think that this needs to be put into perspective. Nigerian life should not be regarded as so cheap that we hear of this massive killings and it does not ginger the government to act.

“We are celebrating the liberation, as it were, of the Sambisa Forest; we are right now celebrating the achievement of our military in fighting the Boko Haram, but if you are just defeating one security threat in one place and several of it are resurfacing in other places, then that does not call for happiness.”

However, he advised Nigerians against attributing the attacks to ethnicity, saying that such attacks should be situated within the larger breakdown of security across the country.

2017: Lagos to Create 25,000 sanitation jobs The Lagos state government has announced plans to create as much as 25,000 jobs in the environment sector under the newly launched CLEANER LAGOS INITIATIVE (CLI).

Commissioner of Information, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, disclosed this while announcing a robust plan to employ over 2% of its entire population over the next few years with the implementation of new environmental policies and procedures.

According to him, the CLI will employ 25,000 community sanitation workers (CSW) who will be engaged mostly as street sweepers within the next 12 months.

“Every sanitation worker will reside in the Ward they operate for convenience and to curb the high cost of transportation to work.

They will be well-trained and given an attractive compensation package. In all, we hope to generate a total of about 45,000 new jobs directly in the waste management sector over the next 5 years.”

The main idea of the CLI is to create value and empower those at the bottom of the value chain. It allows citizens to finally be a part of the solution by taking responsibility for their immediate environment all while solving the challenge of poor waste management in their communities.

The sanitation workers will be well trained and equipped with protective

gear (uniforms, gloves, and boots) and equipment such as picks, brushes, carts as well as mobile phones to communicate with the control centre, and will be well paid above the current federal minimum wage.

The benefits of a mass employment scheme such as this unprecedented effort tie back directly to the Lagos State Government’s sustainability goals.

For example, CSWs will only be allowed to work in the communities they live in thereby reducing carbon footprint because they will not need to take public transportation which is better for the environment but also has the added advantage of virtually no transportation costs. This will also free up more disposable income which they will be spending within their local communities.

The local multiplier effect of a progressive policy that pays above the federally mandated minimum wage in distributional terms is immeasurable. The positive impact on low-income households is particularly beneficial not only to direct beneficiaries within the household but also within the local economy as higher spending by workers typically results in an increase in demands for goods and services within their local communities.

An increase in wages for almost 2 percent of the population of Lagos State also translates to an overall improvement in public fi-

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige.

TUC vows to pressure governments to honour deals in 2017 The Trade Union Congress (TUC) has said it will mount adequate pressure on governments at all levels to honour agreements with labour in 2017.

In the TUC’s New Year message by its President, Bobboi Kaigama, and Secretary General, Musa-Lawal M. Ozigi, the labour union said its decision to be silent on some disturbing and unpalatable national events in 2016 was deliberate in expectation that the Buhari administration would take the opportunity to settle down and hit the ground running.

TUC cited health and education sectors, as areas in which the government failed to honour agreements it voluntarily entered into with unions, just as public servants are still being owed, though the Federal Government disbursed money to some state governors for the payment of the salaries.

It admitted being labeled weak as it kept quiet in the face of non-payment of salaries and sacking of workers.

But in 2017, the TUC promised not to close its eyes to job losses, non-payment of

salaries and allowance of workers, even as it called for the upward review of wages of workers.

“Our position is, any governor who cannot pay salaries as and when due should not earn his, let alone pay his aides. We are going to work tirelessly in conjunction with our state councils to actualize that.”

The labour union noted that the devaluation of the naira and other unfriendly economic measures are taking a toll on workers and Nigerians generally, arguing

that the usual excuse of no money because of the activities of the Niger Delta militants and drop in oil price does not subsist.

“Our suggestion is: see to the demands of the Niger Delta militants, pass the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) into law, diversify the economy, reduce the cost of running the government, jail looters of our treasury and there would be money to do much more than Nigerians are yearning for. We hope governments at all levels listen to the voice of reason.”

Kaigama

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,January 3 , 2017

By Simon Ugwu The Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) recently organized a workshop for Business Editors and Finance Correspondents Association of Nigeria (FICAN) in Kaduna, with the theme, “Economic Recession and the Nigerian Banking Sector: Opportunities, Challenges, and the Way Forward.” The workshop was to tackling the current economic recession being experienced in the country.

The Principal Consultant of B. Adedipe Associates, Dr. Biodun Adedipe, in his presentation on “Impact of Economic Recession on the Nigerian Banking System,” observed that the sources of government revenues and foreign exchange earnings are not broad enough.

The finance expert said growth was robust until the end of 2014, averaging an annual 6.4 percent from 2001 to 2014. But he said in 2015, it grew by 2.79 per cent, dragging the 15- year average down to 6.16 per cent. Adedipe pointed out that growth was, however, not accompanied by jobs so it was not – inclusive and extended inequality resulting in dismal development indices.

“This is the best time to get ready for the impending economic recovery and stop whining about the recession. The signs are already there, no doubt. The recession is not all bleak; if it has a message that eludes most people, it is that recovery is inevitable. What you do then matters more than what you do during a recession,” he said.

The acting Director, Trade, and Exchange, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Wutrika Dauda Gotring’ spoke on the “Challenges of Foreign Exchange Management” in his presentation. He said Foreign Exchange rate is one of the most important means through which a country’s relative level of economic health is determined. A country’s foreign exchange rate provides a window to its economic stability, which is why it is constantly watched and analyzed.

The presentation, he said, was to highlight the experience of the CBN in foreign exchange under recession and what the bank was doing to ensure stability and favourable trade flows in Nigeria.

According to him, investors can still retain confidence in a currency, even if the economy is in recession depending on prospects for renewed growth and underlying competitiveness.

“The sustenance of flexibility in the Foreign Exchange (FX) market remains the most viable option for Nigeria in the light of dwindling external reserves and the motivation to drive exports and support import substitution consumption,” he said.

He listed the way forward for Nigeria to include diversification of the economy, increased investment in agriculture, mining and solid

B7 Business Feature

NDIC, finance correspondents take aim at recession

Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim (middle), National Chairman of FICAN, Mr. Babajide Komolafe (left) and a member of FICAN, Mr. Bashir Ibrahim, during the 2016 FICAN Workshop organized by NDIC in Kaduna State. minerals, increased investment in infrastructure to lower cost of doing business, enhancement of local manufacturing capacity and import substitution. Others include policy consistency that would encourage capital flows and promote local production, fiscal discipline, increased implementation of the cashless initiatives and closer collaboration of the CBN with fiscal authorities.

The CBN’s Director of Research, Policy and International Relations, Mohammed Umar,’s examined the “Implication of Economic Recession to Deposit Insurance System (DIS) in Nigeria.”

He said that there is no disputing the fact that prolonged economic recession occasioned by the collapse of the global oil market in 2007 and the attendant sharp fall in foreign exchange earnings adversely affected economic growth and development globally. He stated that the Nigerian economy has been hard hit by the current sharp decline in oil prices, and by extension decline in revenue. Umar pointed out that it is a well-known fact that the oil provides the bulk of government revenues and accounts for over 90 percent of Nigeria’s exports in value.

“The economy slipped into a recession in the second half of 2016 because of foreign currency shortages, a sharp reduction in power generation, and vandalism of the oil installations, lower oil production, and weak investor con-

fidence,” he said.

“It is important to note that economic recession does not imply economic stagnation, this is because the recession is just a cycle it comes and goes and will end at a point in time. What is important is our ability as policy makers and stakeholders to develop an appropriate response mechanism to ensure that it does not last and also reduce the likely impact it will have on the Deposit Insurance System, the financial sector and the economy in general,” he stated.

Umar charged the NDIC and other regulatory agencies to be more vigilant in terms of regulation and supervision in order to address any problem that could arise as a result of the consequences of recession on the insured institutions.

“In order to address the likely issues of reduced collection of premium payable by the insured institutions and by extension the growth of its insured funds as a result of economic downturn and the fluctuations in the treasury bill rates, the NDIC needs to begin to explore other investment avenues/ channels in which to invest its funds,” he said.

The Director further stated that the government needed to remain focused on its efforts at diversifying the economy and other policies put in place to ensure quick recovery from the current recession.

When that is done, the economic environment, according to him, will be conducive for the banks to

operate safely which reduces that risk of failure and hence negative consequences on the NDIC. “There should be more intensive and synergetic collaborations between and among the safety net participants who incidentally are also members of the Financial Services Regulation Coordinating Committee. The activities of the committee through regular meetings as well as subcommittees and working groups should be intensified. Considering the interconnectedness of the sub-sectors in the system, such collaboration should include cooperation with regards to issues of smooth information sharing, capacity building for all regulators and greater coordination of regulatory activities in the financial system”.

This, he said, could lead to efficiency in activities of all the members, greater ability to take prompt decisions as well as better position all the regulators to tackle any challenge that may arise in the various sub-sectors resulting from the downturn being experienced.

The Director maintained that this would, therefore, encourage continued stability of the entire system as well as confidence in the system despite recession being experienced.

The presentation of NDIC’s Director, Special Institutions, Joshua Etopidiok, was on the “Effect of Falling Oil Prices on the banking sector performance in Nigeria (MFBs/PMBs Perspectives).”

He said Nigeria is experiencing stagflation and cost- push inflation which has been caused by an increase in the cost of production due to the devaluation of the Naira occasioned by the drop in the price of crude oil. “Since Microfinance Banks (MFBs) and Primary Mortgage Banks (PMBs), according to him, operate within the same economic environment, they are not insulated from the challenge.”

The MFBs were not left out among those hard hit by the effect of the crash on the oil prices as it has affected their operation negatively.

“Slow growth of the financial inclusion indicator, dwindling liquidity, declining solvency (capital adequacy ratio), reduction in advances portfolio, declining volume of deposit liabilities, and job losses in the microfinance banks are all effect of the crash on the oil prices,” he said.

The Director, Bank Examination of the NDIC, Adetayo Adeleke, made a presentation on “Refocusing Banking Supervision in Nigeria in an era of economic recession.” He said the underpinning for banking system supervision is inextricably linked to the economic cycle characterized by Bubble and Burst. Each of them, he said, has the asymmetric impact on supervision.

The bubble according to him has a profound impact because of the tendencies to ignore the trail risk, and the pretence that the bubble will not burst.

Energy

B8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, January 3 , 2017

Where are oil prices going?

Opeoluwani Akintayo After two years of fighting for market share, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) agreed in November 2016 to cut production by 1.2 million barrels per day, capping output at 32.5 million barrels per day (MBPD). With Non-OPEC producers also agreeing to reduce production by 600 million barrels per day, this should reduce global output by one percent.

Before the agreement, analysts were skeptical about a cut deal, especially with the very public rivalry between Saudi Arabia (OPEC’s largest producer) and Iran (OPEC’s third largest producer). Talks to freeze production had been sunk before by disagreements between the two, and many worried that Iran’s determination to return its production to pre-sanction levels would prevent the deal.

Thankfully, the deal was signed, going a long way to lay to rest side talk that OPEC had lost steam when it comes to controlling the world’s oil market.

As part of the deal, Indonesia has suspended its membership in OPEC, allowing Iran to set its production cap at 3.797 MBPD, almost three percent higher than the 3.69 MBPD it produced in October.

“Before, we were thinking that, optimistically, we could reach market balance at the back-half of 2017 or the front-half of 2018,” Wunderlich Director of Equity Research and Chief Market Strategist, Art Hogan, told Oil & Gas 360. “Now I think we can get there in the front-half of 2017.”

One of the major concerns following the deal was whether or not OPEC members would comply especially because the cartel had a record of cheating in such deals, with Saudi Arabia often shouldering the majority of the burden. Given that OPEC has continually increased production over the last two years and is now likely producing near capacity, the group has little room to cheat, said Hogan.

“Saudi Arabia will probably shoulder the bulk of the burden, but the rest of OPEC will be producing at levels similar to where they are now, except for maybe Iraq,” he explained. “But if there’s cheating, I suspect that it’s going to come from non-OPEC countries that say they’re complying and are just along for the ride.”

Nigeria’s Minister for Petroleum, Ibe Kachikwu, also assured that OPEC would follow through with the cut.

As part of the deal, it was announced that Russia plans to cut its own production by 300 MBPD,

The Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Dr. Maikanti Baru (right), and the Director General Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Alhaji Yakubu Ibn Mohammed, during the courtesy visit to the NNPC Towers, Abuja, recently while other non-OPEC producers will reduce their output by a collective 300 MBPD, and possibly more. Whether or not Russia and other non-OPEC producers will follow through on this promise remains to be seen, however.

“The risk here, in my mind, is not non-compliance, but how strong the dollar gets,” said Hogan. As the dollar increases in value compared to other currencies, it becomes more expensive for buyers to purchase dollar-denominated commodities like crude oil.

“The dollar will probably strengthen in 2017, but not at the same rate that we’ve seen in the last three weeks. The recent strength is a knee-jerk reaction to a Fed that is clearly going to be tightening,” Hogan added, saying that the currency markets usually do a good job of self-correcting.

On Nov. 27, Wells Fargo issued a research report on what to expect of oil prices in 2017.

“For 2017, we remain comfortable that oil prices will continue to slowly recover towards a near-term equilibrium of $55-60/bbl by H2 2017. Providing confidence for this outlook is the recent trend in global inventory data which indicates modest declines in Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) crude oil and product inventories since mid-2016. It is also important to note in our view that our supply/demand model implies that inventories should have grown by approximately 180 mm bbls yet actual inventory growth is less than one-third that volume.

The clear takeaway – the global oil market is a bit tighter than

anticipated year-to-date in 2016.

Higher demand, lower supply or some combination of the two is the simple and straightforward explanation. Regardless of the how we believe this is a situation likely to persist into 2017.”

“As a result, our oil price deck is approximate $3-4/bbl above consensus in 2017 with the majority of the separation occurring in H2 2017. That said we are nowhere near the optimistic crowd which foresees oil rising well above $70/ bbl for an annual average. In our view, there is simply too much oil available for development and far too much in easy access storage for oil to sustain above $70/bbl for a full year. Also, we are skeptical that demand growth would be immune to a near doubling of oil prices from the 2015/2016 averages.”

Doug Terreson, head of energy research at Evercore ISI and Institutional Investor’s top-rated analyst for integrated oil, certainly believes the recent OPEC deal will further improve the prospects for the sector in 2017. . He expects oil companies to double their earnings in 2017 on the back of a sustained increase in crude oil prices and low oilfield service costs.

“We’re unrepentantly bullish here. Investors’ portfolios in our view should be overweight energy and this includes integrated oil, E&P, and oilfield service stocks,” he told CNBC’s “Fast Money: Halftime Report”. “Our call this year has really been not to over think it because with the oil price rising and costs declining, performance would probably be pretty good, and so far so good,” he said.

“This deal is significant. It sends a very strong message to the market and it should help the market find a balance,” said Simon Flowers, chief analyst at Wood Mackenzie. Flowers forecasts Brent to average $55-$60 a barrel in 2017 but cautioned this would “depend on OPEC being very careful to meet the terms of the agreement,” according to Reuters.

“The main thing about this deal is there’s a lot less risk that oil prices go back to $40, or below that,” Desjardins senior economist Mathieu D’Anjou, told Business Financial Post.

“Our overall financial picture is set to improve in a meaningful way as we move into 2017,” Patricia E. Yarrington, CFO of San Ramon, California-based Chevron, said Oct 28. “Our objective is to get cash balanced in 2017, assuming $50 Brent prices.”

Similarly, Shell is also confident to increase cash flows from $21 billion this year to mid-$30 billion next year. “I’m sure we can cover even the dividend with organic cash flow” in 2017 at $50 oil, CFO Simon Henry told investors.

The official news service for Iran’s oil ministry, Shana, published an article on the country’s position. The report quoted Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh as saying that reviving Iranian oil output was “the national will and demand of the Iranian people.”

In the article, Zanganeh said Iran was excluded from the production-cut decision adopted in late September in Algiers. Saudi Arabia is opposed to exempting Iran completely from the deal, so

far only accepting Libya and Nigeria as special cases.

“We expect demand to recover in 2017, then prices will stabilize”, Saudi Arabia’s Al-Falih said in Dhahran, eastern Saudi Arabia, according to the local newspaper, Asharq al-Awsat.

In the past, Russia said any cuts would be made from a baseline that includes projected increases in output in 2017, so they would amount to a freeze rather than a cut.

In summary, the deal amounts to around 786,000 bpd of cuts pledged by Saudi Arabia and its allies, plus an uncertain amount of extra cuts by non-core OPEC and non-OPEC. The deal will be partially offset by increases in production from Nigeria and Libya, assuming that they can improve security around their oil installations.

Traders nonetheless seem convinced the deal will make a real difference to the supply-demandstocks balance next year.

Kachikwu said in Abu Dhabi that the price of oil is expected to be about $60 per barrel in a year’s time and also that he expects the country’s oil output to touch 2.1 million barrels per day in January.

“I am hoping that we are heading towards $60 per barrel and I don’t see higher than that,” said Kachikwu when asked about the expected oil price, one year down the line in December next year. He said the price range of $60 per barrel would be beneficial for both consumers and oil producers.

Speaking of Nigeria’s oil production, he said the country moved from 1.4 MBPD early 2016 to about 1.6 MBPD in December.

He expects the country’s output to touch 2.1 million barrels per day this January. “You are not likely to see additional soft impact of our production on the market.

The market should be stable,” he said.

Power and the renewables sector For Nigeria, owing to the fact that President Buhari earmarked the largest share, N529 billion of the N7 trillion 2017 budget to the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing, the country is hopeful that there would be the implementation of more power projects, leading to a boost in electricity supply in 2017.

Also, late 2016, the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) took delivery of 77 containers at the Duncan terminal in Apapa.

According to the Minister for Power, Fashola, the development is part of the federal government’s effort in ensuring that the country experiences stable power supply, hopefully from 2017.

Life&

TIMES Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Ireti Osayemi: On handling stardom, home front

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Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Being an actress has been wonderful -Ireti Osayemi of role will you reject?

With a million dollar, will you act nude?

Ireti Osayemi is resourceful and well informed. She has won a number of awards, one of which is an Afrohollywood award. She about her. The mother of two is full of hope for the future. So why

Most celebrities of your status are known to

What is the secret of your beauty?

God. For some reasons, you have been able to keep your size intact, what has been your daily routine?

At what stage did you discover you could act?

was it like at the outset?

different?

You are a beautiful woman, how do you handle your admirers?

How many movies have you featured in so far?

What size is Ireti Osayemi now and what size is your goal eventually?

How have you been able to manage acting, motherhood and the admiration you get from men?

How has it been being an actress?

Many of your colleagues are going into music, are you looking into that line too?

You are one of the few Yoruba actresses that have been able to stay off scandal throughout the acting career, what do yo u say is the secret behind that?

Now that you are a versatile actress, how many languages can you speak?

If you were to work with an international Bollywood actor or actress, who will it be?

Out of the Nigerian actors, who have you enjoyed working with the most?

You are usually known with this traditional role, do you still have a dream role?

that so?

Life&

T E A M

How many roles have you rejected and what kind

Entertainment Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Abimbola Obatayo

What do you consider before taking up a script? cast.

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

L3

Abimbola Obatayo

Tips on how to create a lasting relationship Have you ever heard the old saying that “Relationships take work?” How does that make you feel when you hear that? Tired? A little frustrated? Do your eyeballs roll back in your head when

Relationships can be a lot of work. Sometimes, they can just be plain hard. Many of us have been through relationships, or are in struggling ones. But even if we have given up once, we absolutely need to give ourselves a second chance at love. Here are a few things that could help you stay happy in your relationship and make it work.

Never Assume, Always Ask: I do not care if you have been together for over 20 years and believe you know what the feelings are hurt and more communications misunderstood because of a simple assumption. Cut it out. Do not assume want, what they need or how they are going to react to a situation. Respect them enough to be upfront and ask them. You may be surprised at their response.

Make sure to keep yourself happy: We often forget that keeping ourselves happy and healthy is imperative – if we even want a shot at making anyone else happy. Whether its grabbing coffee with your friends, or going to the gym post than what your partner suggests, do it!

Practice Active Listening: Yes, this goes together with never assume, always ask. If you are going to ask,

Do not interrupt them to insert your own response – when you are already thinking about what you are going to say be present and fully aware of what they are saying. Think about how it feels to you when your partner actually hears what you are trying to communicate and give them the gift of listening actively.

Be willing to adjust: Sure, if your partner really wants to do something with you, or has somewhere important to go to and asks you to come along, you should. But remember that there is no point doing what they want and resenting them for “making” you do it. Do it because you love them and want them to be happy too.

Leave the Skeletons in the Closet: You know exactly time you had long forgotten and thought you would never hear about again until that one disagreement or argument when any past hurt or misdeed rises up from the depths of the past as ammunition for the current moment. Stop holding on to past hurt, or do what you must to heal if you are using the past as an excuse for present situations. Keep current disagreements about current events. You will have more credibility and get more respect Confront compassionately: If you attack someone, their natural instinct will be to immediately jump to their defense. This gets you nowhere except to a point where two people are having a rather loud conversation wrong. The situation however, is rarely black and white. You both have valid points in all probability, but are being too stubborn to meet on a middle ground.

Celebrate Each Other: Male or female, we all want similar things in our

relationships. To be appreciated, acknowledged, nurtured, supported, respected and loved. So, do one small thing each day to celebrate each other. Tell him he looks handsome in that new blue shirt, that she is beautiful taking the trash out or putting the kids to bed. Tell her you appreciate everything she does for you. Leave love notes the little things that make such a big difference. Make the time to celebrate each other so you build a solid foundation of connection that will last the test of time. people may do things intentionally or doubt their honestlyto believe that your boyfriend was trying to hurt you by not inviting you out with his friends or that he double booked someone who loves you, they want you to be happy. So whether it was calling you back or the movie plans you had, if they say it just slipped their mind, try and believe them.

Tell them you trust them, and mean it: As easy as it is to get upset in certain situations, if you trust your partner there is very little room for negativity. Trust your gut, but if

Very often, we react before we think. Whether it is based on our past experiences seen them behave a certain way before, understand the situation before you come up with your own theory.

Teen World L4

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday, January 3, 2017

Mutiat Alli

Everyday life skills teens should know

Here is a list of life skills for teenagers