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2017 varsity cut off mark: Stakeholders flay JAMB, policy makers

Ï Say Nigeria not ripe for liberalized admission process Augustine Okezie Abuja

ÏÏÏ The dust raised by the pegging of admission cut–off mark to 120 has remained unabated

as stakeholders in the education sector have continued with their barrage of attacks on the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and the policy makers, sayContinued on page 7

FG faults extra judicial killings of Nigerians in S/Africa

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MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 440

N150

GLOBAL FINANCIAL/COMMODITY MARKETS

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Recession: 13 banks record N241.8bn bad loans –Investigation Ï Loans repayment default affecting lender-banks Ï Fitch affirms Nigeria’s sovereign ratings at B+; negative outlook

Motolani Oseni, Lagos

ÏÏÏ Nigeria’s current economic hardships, especially induced by recession, is believed to be responsible for the risContinued on page 5

NNPC announces steady fall on fuel, cooking gas prices nationwide 11 Corruption: SERAP asks Buhari to seek ICC arrest warrant for Diezani 7 Catholic priest kidnapped, murdered in Imo 5

President Muhammadu Buhari (middle) and his classmates of1953 set at the Katsina Middle School during their reunion in Daura, Katsina....on Sunday.

WCQ: Wounded Indomitable Lions set for Super Eagles rematch today in 30 Cameroon

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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Recession: 13 banks record N241.8bn bad loans –Investigation Continued from page 1 ing bad loans in 13 commercial banks.

Consequently, unpaid debts by the banks’ customers accounted for the N230.6billion Non- Performing Loans (NPLs) in the first six months of 2017.

But the latest Fitch ratings has affirmed Nigeria’s sovereign ratings at B+; negative outlook; and it says Africa’s largest economic ratings are supported by large, diversified economy, significant oil reserves, and net external creditor position, among other factors.

However, a look at commercial banks’ N230.6billion bad loans in half year (H1) 2017, showed that the amount was higher than N76.5billion or 3.4 per cent from N222.9billion provided by these 13 banks for bad loans in H1 2016; and confirmed macro economy challenges and banks’ prudential provision for 9mobile, the mobile operator, formerly known as Etisalat Nigeria.

The Daily Times’ findings revealed that Zenith Bank led other 12 banks in loan loss provision, followed by Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. According to information gathered by our correspondent, both lenders made huge provisions for the troubled 9mobile, which went bad, and it reflected in their half year results.

Specifically, Zenith Bank’s loan loss provision increased by 198 per cent to N42.9billion in H1 2017, from N14.23bn in H1 2016.

The Managing Director/ CEO of Zenith Bank Plc,

Mr. Peter Amangbo, had revealed that his bank made a provision on 30 per cent on its loan to the network operator.

Stanbic IBTC Holding loan loss provision increased by 65.1 per cent from N8.45bn in H1 2016 to N13.95bn in H1 2017; while Ecobank Nigeria’s loan loss provision rose by 62.4 per cent to N42bn ($138 million) from N25.99bn ($85m) in H1 2016.

Wema Bank’s loans loss provision in H1 2017 increased significantly by 43.7 per cent to N88m from N61m in H1 2016.

In a statement, the Chief Executive Officer, Wema Bank, Mr. Segun Oloketuyi, said: “In the first half of the year, the bank operated in an uncertain and challenging domestic economic environment.

“While we recorded notable improvements in the second quarter of the year, especially around foreign currency management, the execution of fiscal policies and the continued tight monetary policy impacted on consumers’ disposable income and invariably on banking sector performance.”

He said the bank commenced the second half of the year with cautious optimism, especially around the implementation of the needed economic reforms and execution of the 2017 budget to ensure stimulation of economic growth.

He said, “The expectation is that the country will exit recession in the 2018 financial year, but this will be dependent on a diligent execution of the reform programme.”

UBA’s loan loss provision

Oloketuyi, CEO Wema Bank also increased significantly by 38.4 per cent to N9.4bn from N6.8bn in H1 2016.

The lender recently said it has made a prudential provision on loans made to Etisalat Nigeria. But the lender did not give details of the provision, but said it had N38bn ($125m) exposure to 9mobile.

Sterling Bank’s provi-

sion gained 11.4 per cent to N4bn, as against N3.6bn recorded in H1 2016; while Diamond Bank’s provision for bad loans closed the H1 2017 at N20bn, an increase of seven per cent over N18.9bn in H1 2016.

Also, Diamond Bank’s loan loss provision rose by 6.9per cent to N20.3bn, from N18.99bn in H1 2016.

Both FCMB and Union Bank of Nigeria’s provision for bad loans dropped by 26.1 per cent and 38.8 per cent to N9.97bn and N5.4bn in H1 2017, respectively.

First Bank of Nigeria Holdings’ loan loss dropped by 13.6 per cent to N60.4bn from N69.9bn in the corresponding period.

It is against this backdrop that the Managing Director, Highcap Securities Limited, Mr. David Adonri, while commenting on these exposures, explained that

Enugu

ÏÏÏ

For Mrs. Nwakego Ochi, a 70 year old widow, the last three months has been traumatic as well as painful over the sudden disappearance of her son, Ejike Ochi. Ejike, 34, was said to have left his base in Lagos, three months ago to his village in Ezira-ogbu in Enugu state but never returned.

Married with two children, he was said to have told his family that he was travelling for a meeting called by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) but was neither seen at the meeting nor had spoken to anyone since then.

The troubled Mrs. Ochi gave an account to reporters in Enugu at the weekend of how her son suddenly went missing, “We were all in Lagos until June 10 when he told me that he would travel to the village the next day. I had asked what he was going to the village to do since, the last time he visited there was three years ago during the burial of his father.

“He said they actually have a meeting and since it is in Enugu, he would use the opportunity to go to the village. Many of us, including his wife, objected to the travel; but he insisted saying that it was a meeting of the IPOB and that as one of the leaders; he should be in

from their profit. If those loans are recovered in future, they will be written back as profit.

“The rate at which loans have become delinquent is much higher now because of the negative effects of recession on earnings of enterprises that have borrowed from banks.”

He added that as economy moves out of recession, some of those delinquent loans would start performing; and it is expected that banks will rewrite them into their profit.

Fidelity Bank loan loss provision inched up by 0.3 per cent from N 4.79billion in H1 2016 to N4.8 billion in H1 2017.

However, further investigation showed that GTBank’s loan loss provision dropped significantly by Continued on page 6

L-R: In-coming Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Spain, Mr. Juan Otamendi; President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Chief Nike Akande and the outgoing colleague of the envoy, Mr. Pablo Segrelles, during a courtesy visit to LCCI office in Lagos… recently.

Heartbroken widow recounts in pain

Moses Oyediran,

the country’s present recession has negatively impacted on loans provided by banks.

He said: “Nigerian economy is in recession. Any economy that experiences negative Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is in recession. It means that Nigeria is having economic crisis; and it is expected to impact negatively on bank loans as well.’

“As a result of the ongoing recession; this year, bad loans in the banking sector have increased, because companies that borrowed those loans have failed to pay back. Banks are doing the right thing by making provision for these bad loans.

“Since those loans are non- performing; and it is doubted if those loans can be recovered, banks are forced to charge the losses

the meeting.

“We agreed and he took off from home very early that day through a public transport. That was the last we have heard or seen him. When there was no call from him that day he left we started calling his number but it ranged out severally. We called our relatives in the village who said they did not see him.

“We started suspecting that something bad may have happened to him when we repeated the call the next day and discovered to our chagrin that his number had been switched off. We began to search for him. We have called the various bus stations that plied the Enugu

route that day and looked through their manifest but could not find his name anywhere. We have also reported to police stations to know whether there was any accident and made contacts in some hospitals.

As I speak with you, there is no indication anywhere about his where about”.

Mrs. Ochi, who was flanked by Ejike’s wife, Ngozi, is asking the public to assist in the search of her son, whom she said was the bread winner of the family “having taken over the burden of the family since my husband died.

It is a big burden on all of us because I don’t know for how long we will be into this”, Mrs. Ochi said.

Catholic Priest kidnapped, murdered in Imo Val Okara, Owerri

ÏÏÏ A Catholic priest, Rev. Father Cyriacus Onunkwo, was reportedly kidnapped in Orlu town in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo state on Friday morning by gunmen while driving his vehicle.

According to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Chris Ezike, who confirmed the incident said preliminary investigations indicated that the late Reverend Father’s body was discovered in the bush in Omuma Village in Oru East Local Government Area on Saturday.

The corpse has been identified by authorities of the Catholic Church while investigations are still on to unveil his killers.

The police boss said that the late cleric’s car was discovered intact, with nothing removed from it as the body bear no gunshot or stab wounds, leading to speculations that he may have been strangled.

No arrests have so far been made, but CP Ezike said that the police are still working to find the abductors of the priest.

At the time of filing the report, no official statement from Orlu Catholic Diocese has been issued.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

FG faults extra judicial killings of Nigerians in S/Africa Myke Uzendu, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The

Federal government has described the killing of another Nigerian in South Africa as “one death, too many”.

This was disclosed Sunday in Abuja by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Foreign Affairs and Diaspora.

In a statement, sgned by her Special Assistant on Media, Abdurrahman Balogun, the Presidential aide for the umpteenth time, condemned the incessant extra judicial killings of Nigerians living in South

Africa, saying “this is one death, too many” She said that all diplomatic talks between Nigeria and South Africa to put an early warning signal in place, “doesn’t seem to be working.”

Dabiri-Erewa described the latest extra judicial killing as “worrying and condemnable” and “unacceptable to the people and government of Nigeria”.

She reiterating President Muhammadu Buhari’s calls to Nigerians to avoid crimes like drug peddling which attracts stiff penalties, sometimes death, noting that the latest killing has increased the number of Ni-

gerians killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in the last one year.

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

The Presidential aide urged the South African government to ensure that justice prevails by carrying out investigation and bringing 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.

She also sent condolences

to the bereaved families and Nigerian living in South Africa. “My heart goes out to the families of the deceased and pray God to grant the departed soul eternal rest”, the SSA prayed.

Recall that the Nigeria Union in South Africa, last week confirmed the killing of another member, Kingsley Ikeri, at Vryheid town in Kwazulu Natal Province of South Africa on August 30.

Ikeri, 27, was a businessman and native of Mbaitolu in Imo State and the second Imo indigene to be so killed in the last two weeks.

Bartholomew Eziagulu, Chairman of the Nigerian Union in the province, told

the Newsmen on Friday that Mr. Ikeri was allegedly tortured to death by the police.

He said the union’s investigations revealed that the police arrested the deceased and a friend on suspicion that they were carrying hard drugs.

He said while interrogating him, the police used plastic to cover his face to extort information from him.

“In the process, they suffocated the deceased. When the police took him to the hospital, he was confirmed dead,” he said.

Adetola Olubajo, the Secretary General of the union, said the national secretariat had been informed about

the death of the Nigerian.

He said the body had informed appropriate Nigerian authorities and the police in South Africa.

Report has it that a senior Diplomat from the Nigerian Consulate in Johannesburg had visited Vryheid on a fact-finding mission.

Dabiri-Erewa had in February during a meeting in Abuja with South Africa High Commissioner, Mr Lulu Louis Mnguni said a total of 116 Nigerians have been killed in South Africa through extrajudicial means in the last two years.

Seven of every 10 of the killings were carried out by the South African Police.

Recession: 13 banks record N241.8bn bad loans Continued from page 5

L-R: Emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Faruk Umar; President Muhammadu Buhari and Katsina State Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, during Sallah in President Buhari’s Daura residence in Katsina Sate... at the weekend.

FG denies uncertainty over ASUU talk ÏÏÏ says negotiation continues this week Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige has dispelled speculations of uncertainty over talks between the federal government and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) A statement by the Deputy Director Press, Ministry of Labour and Employment, Samuel Olowookere said the Minister of Labour and Employment as the chief conciliator of industrial disputes in the country and the Minister of Education whose Ministry is the employer of the university lecturers are still leading the talks.

The statement further

said that the consultation at the office of the Vice President by both Ministers after last Wednesday’s Federal Executive Council meeting was in consolidation of the negotiations so far held with ASUU. “The Vice President has not taken over the matter. The meeting in his office was in consolidation of negotiations. Engagement of the striking ASUU members is still being handled by Ministers of Labour and Employment and the Minister of Education.”

“Issues of strike by an employee is a labour matter. The Minister of Labour and Employment is therefore synergising with his Education counterpart where the

strike occurred to resolve the dispute.”

“Just as the Minister of Labour and Employment led negotiation with the National Association of Resident Doctors in conjunction with the Minister of Health, the same applies in the case of ASUU”.

“As a matter of fact, the Minister of Education reported progress on the issue to the Federal Executive Council and together with the Labour Minister held a meeting with the Vice President subsequently.

This is normal procedure in government where Ministers brief/ report to the President or Vice President to streamline efforts and gains in

a given assignment. But that does not entail such assignment is no more being handled by the Minister charged with the responsibility. “ The statement added that the Minister of Labour specifically told reporters that government negotiating team on ASUU strike was to meet with the Vice President.

“It was reporters that erroneously interpreted it to mean the Vice President has taken over negotiation, it concluded.”

Meanwhile, in view of the determination of the Federal Government to end every disruption in the academic calendar of universities, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris

Ngige wishes to inform all stakeholders and the general public that conciliation with the university lecturers will resume immediately after the Sallah break as requested by ASUU.

Ngige

81 per cent to N7.2bn from N37.5bn in H1 2016.

The Daily Times recalls that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) after the global macro economy had espoused some critical indices, had set out prudential guidelines to provide guidance on recognition and measurement of loans, establishment of loan loss allowances, credit risk disclosure and related matters.

Meanwhile, Fitch’s negative outlook reflects downside risks from rising government indebtedness, possibility of a reversal of improvements in foreign currency liquidity.

It added that Nigeria’s ratings also are supported by low external debt service ratio, large domestic debt market, among other issues.

In a bid to rejig the economy, President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Governemnt has since enunciated an economic policy- Economic Recovery Growth Plan (ERGP) for the nation.

The new policy seeks to breathe life into the various sectors of the economy, including agriculture, road infrastructure, power, solid minerals, banking, among others.

Observers say that when the positives of this policy begin manifesting, capital accumulation, especially private sector players, would impact positively on loans’ re-payment, among other things.xxx

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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News

Corruption: SERAP asks Buhari to seek ICC arrest warrant for Diezani Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently “seek from the International Criminal Court an arrest warrant to bring Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke to face charges on crimes against humanity.

SERAP said allegations against Alison - Madueke are serious crimes against humanity for her to be sanctioned and prosecuted before the court.

The organization also urged the government to

“pursue civil actions to ensure that all the funds allegedly stolen by her are fully recovered and duly accounted for.”

In a statement signed

by SERAP deputy director Timothy Adewale the organization said that, “The allegations of corruption against Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke suggest the manifest failure of the government of former president Goodluck Jonathan to protect Nigerians from such heinous crimes.

“Your government now has the responsibility to take bold action to sufficiently redress this injustice committed against Ni-

gerians, and the significant long-term damage for the country.”

The organization said that, “By pursuing international warrant of arrest for Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke in order for her to be brought before the ICC, your government would be showing to Nigerians that it is indeed determined to match its stated commitment to combat grand corruption and its debilitating effects with concrete and bold action.”

SERAP’s request followed growing allegations of corruption against Mrs Alison-Madueke and the recent disclosure by the

Chairman, Presidential Advisory Committee Against Corruption, Prof. Itse Sagay that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had recovered about half a trillion naira from her. Several court orders have also seized millions of dollars from bank accounts and forfeiture of several houses both in Nigeria and abroad linked to her.

The statement read in part: “SERAP believes that as important as it is, the recovery of alleged stolen public funds from Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke is far from adequate to redress the crimes against humanity that have been commit-

L-R: Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, at the opening of the 15th National Council on Transportation meeting in Sokoto... recently.

Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏ The Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, has assured that it will continue to support the Nigerian Police Force and other security agencies in their efforts to provide security in the Niger Delta region.

The NDDC Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere, made the pledged at a ceremony to decorate 6 promoted police officers working with him at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

The policemen were decorated as Assistant Superintendent of Police, ASP, by the NDDC Chief Executive Officer and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki.

The elevated officers were Patrick Udoinyang, Peter

Diezani “We also urge your government should urgently propose legislation that would characterise the kind of corruption allegedly committed by Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke as crime against humanity within our national laws, and thus allow Nigerian courts to directly hear those cases.

2017 varsity cut off mark: Stakeholders flays JAMB, policy makers Continued from page 1

We will support security agencies in Niger Delta –NDDC MD

Amaka Agbu,

ted against Nigerians. The allegations of corruption clearly suggest the exploitation of Nigeria’s natural resources to the detriment of its people, and are serious enough to meet the requirements of crimes against humanity, thus bringing her within the jurisdiction of the ICC. “Pursuing this case before the ICC would also help to deter grand corruption and its devastating effects on Nigeria and contribute to the development of case-law in the field of corruption and citizens’ socioeconomic rights, and ultimately advance the right of Nigerians to restitution, compensation and guarantee of non-repetition. Such bold initiative would also improve public confidence in the fight against corruption.

Osimiri, Moses Adjarho, Ekong Daniel, Ibrahim Atabor, and Etim Ekpe.

Mr. Ekere said the Commission would not have been able to perform well without the support of the security forces, especially the police, adding that the Niger Delta region remained a volatile area.

He said the NDDC appreciated the services of the police to the society, adding that as an interventionist agency, the Commission had a responsibility to make sure that those who safeguard the lives and property of the people were given the necessary backing to enhance their capacity to maintain security in the Niger Delta.

Ekere said further: “We recently donated 9 gun boats to the police and have also assisted in sending marine police per-

sonnel abroad for special training to enable them effectively police our waterways.”

Addressing the newly promoted officers, the NDDC boss urged them to continue to discharge their duties efficiently and professionally, noting that their promotion should be seen as a reward for their sacrifices and the effort they had put into the job.

In his remarks, the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki, commended the NDDC for providing facilities to enhance the operations of the Police and other security agencies and urged it not to relent. He said that the police needed the cooperation and support of all organisations to succeed.

He said that the NDDC had demonstrated commitment to assisting the

Nigeria Police, not only in enhancing its operational capacity, but also in addressing the welfare needs of personnel of the force.

The Police Commissioner congratulated the officers for their promotion, charging them to continue to put in their best as more was now expected of them with their new ranks.

Nsima Ekere, NDDC MD

ing the decision has greatly undermined the standards of Nigeria’s education Former Minister of Education, Mrs. Oby Ezekwesili, while criticizing the decision to reduce the cut off mark for admission into universities to 120, described it as running a race from top to bottom, saying the examination body has outlived the purpose for which it was established.

Ezekwesili told newsmen in Abuja that rather than conduct entrance examination for university admission, JAMB should only play a regulatory role while universities are granted autonomy to conduct their entrance examinations to determine the quality of students they want to admit.

She said: “I will say no and there has to be much more intensity in determining what the qualification attribute should be and once we do that, it will set us way back to early child education.

“When I see society screening about this cut off mark they have done, I say you are wasting tears on a symptom.

“You need to go to the root of the problem and that means we need to go back to the first phase in education, which is early child care, basic education and secondary education which ultimately determine the readiness of our children to university education.”

She further explained

that the idea of establishing JAMB was that in a federal system, the government wanted to find a means of equalizing standards to ensure that you set the bar in a way that brings in everybody.

According to her, “What you then have to look at is, does it continue to be relevant as a standard setting mechanism to actually determine who gets to what university and how? I would say not anymore.

Meanwhile the management of Bayero University, Kano has kicked against the decision of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) to peg the cut off mark at 120, saying it is not bound by such decision Briefing newsmen in Kano, the Director Public Affairs of Bayero University, Kano Malam Ahmad Shehu said that the university’s senate pegged 180 marks as minimum cut-off after comprehensive evaluation of the minimum recommendation set by JAMB. Ahmed further revealed that BUK’s cut-off marks has always fall between 200 and 180 saying the new scheme will not in any form affect standard.

In a related development, the National Association of Nigerian Students, NANS, threatened to call for the scrapping of Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) if it failed to reverse the low Continued on page 11

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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2017 varsity cut off mark: Stakeholders flays JAMB, policy makers Continued from page 7

Representative of Lagos State Governor /Special Adviser on Community and Communications, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan (2nd right); presenting a cheque of N5milion to the widow, Mrs. Omodunni Omoregbe and children of late Osaze Omorogbe who was killed by kidnappers for foiling their operation, at their Ikorodu residence, Lagos... recently. With them are, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Community Affairs, Alhaji Tajudeen Quadri (right) and others.

NNPC announces steady fall of fuel, cooking gas prices nationwide

ÏSays petrol hovers between N145-143 per litre, 5KG cooking gas now N2,000 Augustine Okezie, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Nigerian National

Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), has declared a steady fall in the retail prices of PMS and cooking gas nationwide.

The corporation said the gradual fall in the price template of these critical products was due to its sustained strategic intervention and the efficient supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country.

The corporation, however, said prices of the products vary across the nation, going by available statistics at its disposal.

The NNPC said these in press release by its Group General Manager, Public Affairs, Ndu Ughamadu and made available to journalists in Abuja yesterday.

The statement quoted a national survey by Oil and Gas Forum, an NNPC’s weekly TV programme, as indicating that in the last few weeks, the price of petrol has fallen steadily from N145 per litre to between N142 and N143 per litre in

some stations across the country.

The study further showed that NNPC Mega and affiliate stations across the country are selling the product for N143 per litre, while the pump price ranged from between N142 and N145 per litre in some major and independent marketers in Lagos, Abuja, Sokoto, Enugu, Delta and other major cities.

One of the respondents in the survey and a manager at an independent fuel retail station in Abuja, Mohammed Abdullahi, said the station currently sells petrol at N142 per litre in line with the prevailing market situation in order to sustain the turnover of the business and to attract more motorists to the station.

Another independent marketer in Mosimi, Emeka Ikechukwu, said the going ex-depot prices of PMS had dropped from N138 per litre in most depots to N133.28 in NNPC depots and between N130 and N131 per litre in private depots.

However, the situation is slightly different in Aba and Umuahia in Abia State;

and Calabar in Cross River State, where most independent fuel stations, as well as major marketers selling the product at N145 per litre.

The survey also showed a similar trend of drop in price for cooking gas with the average price for refilling 5kg cylinder at N2, 215.96 from the former price of N2, 500.00.

The study further revealed that states with the lowest average price for the 5kg LPG refill were Kaduna and Niger at N2, 000; Kogi at N2,005.00; and Oyo at N2,033.33.

At the NNPC Mega and retail stations nationwide, a 12.5kg of cooking gas that was sold for N4, 500 a few months ago, now goes for N3,800; while other retail outlets sell the same quantity for N4,000.

The corporation also disclosed that it has stepped up the resuscitation of some of its critical pipelines and depots, such as the Atlas Cove - Mosimi Depot Pipeline; Port-Harcourt Refinery – Aba Depot Pipeline; Kaduna – Kano Pipeline; and Kano Depot, which had enhanced efficiency in products’ distribution.

cut off points for admission into universities and polytechnics.

NANS National Public Relations Officer, Bestman Okereafor, who issued a statement to newsmen in Enugu, said if the demand of the association was not met in reasonable time, it would call for the scrapping of JAMB. He said “Conclusively NANS will not hesitate to call for the scrapping of JAMB if the decision is not withdrawn without further delay. “ “NANS sees this as a means of further degrading the level of the already falling and failing academic performance and excellence in Nigeria institutions. “In lieu of this, NANS under the able -leadership of the proactive NANS President is calling on JAMB to reverse this in-

imical act without further delay or face the anger of Nigerian students,’’ Not a few stakeholders are pointing accusing fingers on private Universities as having orchestrated the low cut –off mark following abysmal low student enrolment into their institutions in the country.

A data collated by Daily Times from the spokesperson of JAMB, Dr. Fabian Benjamin, showed that most private universities already had their minimum cut-off marks set at 120, even before the decision by the board and other stakeholders involved in tertiary education (including private and public polytechnics and colleges of education) nationwide.

JAMB which claimed it released the data following the outcry by several Nigerians and the National Association of Nigerian

Students (NANS) that it was lowering standards in the tertiary education sector by setting 120 as the minimum entry mark for admission into schools of higher learning, representing 30 per cent of the total score of 400,should not be blamed for the stalemate A review of the information provided by JAMB showed that of the 293 tertiary institutions in the country, only five universities – University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), University of Ibadan (UI), Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, University of Lagos (Unilag) and University of Benin (Uniben) – pegged their minimum cut-off marks at 200 (50 per cent out of a total score of 400), while only the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, among the entire tertiary institutions set 190 (47.5 per cent) as its cut-off mark.

Tambuwal hosts corps members to sallah feast, urges them to build a nation of their dreams ÏÏÏ Governor Aminu Wa-

ziri Tambuwal has hosted youth corps members serving in Sokoto State to a sallah feast with a call on them to always strive to build the Nigeria of their dream.

Speaking at the event attended by hundreds of the corps members in Sokoto Government House, Tambuwal commended them for their sacrifice and dedication to nation-building.

He said despite the challenges facing the NYSC scheme and the nation as a whole, the youths should not lose focus as Nigeria will come out of it stronger.

“We believe in the oneness of this country. Nigeria is better and greater as one strong nation. Every nation and country have their respective challenges. What we are facing in

Gov. Tambuwal Nigeria is a passing phase and I believe we shall come out of it stronger.

“As youths, you are all talented in your own rights and as leaders, it our duty to lay solid platforms which will help you all to excel in your chosen careers. IN Sokoto, we are happy with your contributions to the development of our state.

“For those of you who want to remain here with us after your service year, we will encourage you to stay. For those who want to go back home after your service, we pray to God to return you to your homes safely,” he added.

While expressing their appreciation to the Governor for his care and concern to their safety and welfare, the highly elated corps members described Sokoto as the most peaceful state in the federation.

“Coming here has changed a lot of negative perception I had about Nigeria, the North and Islam.

The people here are humble, hospitable and caring,” said one of the corps members who gave her name simply as Benedictta and a graduate of Data Analytics from one of the universities in Cyprus.

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Page Thirteen Editorial

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Publisher/Editor in Chief

Group Managing Director Noel Anosike Publishing Executive Enyinne Onwunwanne Group General Manager Olisa Egbunike 08034004224 Head, Operations Isaiah Udo 08033230673

time NERFUND which was established to fund small scale industries especially those in the agribusinesses seemed to have been left behind in the current efforts to wake up agriculture in the country.

There is no doubt that NERFUND has not done well in the last decade or so because of poor budgetary allocation to it for disbursement to its clients. At the same time, some of its staff, particularly those at the top echelon of the organisation might have entrenched themselves in corruption over the years.

The answer to such an organisation where the leadership is corrupt is not to abandon the organisation as the government has done but to make the corrupt officials account for their misdeeds while the organisation should be reorganised for better performance.

The country is focusing on agriculture to diversify the economy away from oil which took ascendancy over agriculture since the early 1970’s.

BOA understands the culture of famers and is well placed to provide funds for the production, processing and marketing of agricultural products by small, medium and large scale agribusinesses. The government should therefore fund BOA well so that it can in turn fund agriculture and agribusinesses in the efforts to revitalise agricultural production in the country at this point in time.

With the renewed interest in agribusiness across the country a virile agricultural bank is needed to service the needs of entrepreneurs in agribusiness. The high interest rates charged by commercial banks make them unsuitable as sources of funds for those in agribusiness.

Therefore, the government should also review upward the capitalisation of BOA from its present N1 trillion to at least N1.5 trillion so that it can better serve its clients and be able to give more funding to agribusinesses.

Group Head Finance/ Administration Tobi Oyeniyi 07060528139

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Deputy Editor, Special Projects Lateef Ibrahim 08037872585

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Editor, Daily Tony Amokeodo 08038099089

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Ongoing rehabilitation work on the failed sections of ApapaIganmu Road in Lagos... at the weekend.

INSET: Minister of Power, Works and Housing,Mr Babatunde Fashola,SAN (left);Director Highways, Construction and Rehabilitation in the Ministry, Engr. Yemi Oguntominiyi(middle), Project Manager, Reynolds Construction Company Nigeria, Engr.

Harley Vakin(right) during the inspection visit.

L-R: Head, Lagos State Law Enforcement Training Institute, Prince Adewale Ojora; Chairman, LagosIsland East Local Council Development Area, Comrade Kamal Bashua; Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Lagos State, Mr. Adeniji Kazeem; Chairman, LagosIsland Local Government, Hon. Adetoyese Olusi and his vice, Alhaji Bashorun Wadood, during Eid-El-Kabir celebration in Lagos... at the weekend.

L-R: Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Awujale and Paramount ruler of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona and Special guest, Chief Sulaiman Adebola Adegunwa, during the 2017 Ojude Oba festival in Ijebu Ode, Ogun State...on Sunday.

PHOTO: OLASUNKANMI BOLAJI

Words On Marble :

– Fidelis Anosike

General Counsel: ELIAS MORDI & CO 08068613825

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PHOTO TIMES

Revive Bank of Agriculture and NERFUND

he National Executive Council (NEC) of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) met in Lagos recently on the state of the nation and came out with some recommendations on how to move the nation forward.

In particular, the TUC National Executive Committee (NEC) called for the revival of Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and the National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) to help boost agricultural production in the county. Coming at a time when the government is diversifying the economy away from the oil sector to agriculture and urging the youths to embrace agribusiness, the TUC’s call is appropriate and timely.

It observed that government parastatals like Bank of Agriculture (BOA) and National Economic Reconstruction Fund (NERFUND) whose activities could boost government’s economic diversification programmes, are not given adequate financial subventions as at when due. The NEC- in session therefore, strongly advised the federal government to urgently revive BOA and NERFUND through adequate funding to enable them extend appropriate finance for economic programmes particularly to farmers in the rural areas and small scale businesses.

It is also important for government to reintroduce Export Expansion Grant (EEG) which was stopped some years back so as to encourage exporters of processed agro-allied products to increase their production for export and bring more inflow of foreign exchange into the country.

However, it is sad that the same government which is clamouring for the diversification of the economy is at the same time paying lip service to those programmes and organisations that could significantly help to ensure accelerated diversification of the economy. At the same

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Nelson Mandela

Obafemi Awolowo

Nnamdi Azikiwe

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

“Behind the ugly terrible mask of misfortune lies the beautiful soothing countenance of prosperity. So, tear the mask!

“There is plenty of room at the top because very few people care to travel beyond the average route”.

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Opinion

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

A case against restructuring

1 Shuaib I. Shuaib

960s Nigeria was a period rife with identity politics pitting one region against the other. And that was by no accident. The political structures of the country were crafted around the 3 major ethnic groups and they took on one another seeking dominance. In each premier of the regions was an ethnic champion with aspirations that led to deep divisions so much so there were frequent clashes between Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa who spoke for the country and the premier of the Northern Region, Ahmadu Bello who always put the North first. The January 1966 coup was the first fall out of the country’s governing structures and also the first in a series of events that ended in a 30-month civil war.

The response of the military government headed by Aguiyi Ironsi was to alter the political structures that were dividing the country. He did this by chipping away at regional/ethnic set up with the creation of states and concentrating more powers in the hands of the federal government.

Unfortunately for Ironsi, the existing regional structures had already done damage to the unity of the country and the seeds of hate were by this time planted in the hearts of many of its citizens.

After the first coup came the July counter-coup and the resulting civil war. One legacy Ironsi however left behind was the creation of states and concentration of power in a central government. Every successive government since then has found it in its wisdom to retain these structures and even strengthen it.

Without a doubt, those who do not know history are condemned to repeat its mistakes which begs the question why a number of enlightened citizens, some very influential are pushing to go back to the same structures that led to deep and violent divisions in the country. Now, there is a big difference between what is in the best interest of Nigeria and its unity, and building a loose federation that best carters of the interests of ethnic nationalities.

In the debate for restructuring, Afenifere’s Ayo Adebanjo cherry-picks which part of the past to remember, almost suggesting the military acted in a vacuum when abolishing the regional structures rather than responding to structural defects that had already turned violent with the threat of more to come. But somehow, he manages to find all the right words to raise people’s passions and emotions based on perceived injustice being meted out by rival ethnic groups.

In part, the push to restructure is being driven by the hope of accommodating the secessionist demand of the Indigenous People of Biafra

for the creation of an independent state based on ethnic character.

Maybe the most high profile person that has come out in support of restructuring is former vice president, Atiku Abubakar and with him, it is obvious his position cannot be separated from personal political goals.

But in recent times, he has been leaning more towards the devolution of powers as recommended by the last constitutional conference.

More generally speaking, those calling for restructuring represent tribal restrictions and are thinking of how to maximize political and economic gains from the federation even at the expense of the country’s unity and viability as a nation. The most extreme views want the dissolution of the country called Nigeria.

And the more moderate views are those couching their argument in economic and financial terms rather than political structures.

At the heart of this is the right to collect to taxes by the federal and sharing of this revenue by the units that make up the federation. In place of this present system again is the 1960s model where each region generates its own revenue, is selfsufficient and makes contributions to the government to the centre. The problem with this is that it will lead Nigeria down the same road as it did in the first republic, which could end in disintegration considering its level of development. One country that has a similar model and has

not led to disintegration is Germany.

But then it has an equalisation system where not only the federal government but also richer states make direct financial transfers to weaker states so no state is left undeveloped.

The equalisation law has been in place for over 60 years and will not be phased out until 2020.

Now Nigeria is no Germany. It is no secret that the Niger Delta, which makes up less than a fifth of the country’s population, is responsible for a chunk of its revenues. The present structures, taxation and revenue sharing laws are in a way an attempt at redistribution of wealth.

Nigeria will probably seize to exist without the mechanism to develop all parts of the country.

There is maybe no better phrase to describe the ramifications of income inequality than that of Jean-Jacques Rousseau: ‘When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.’ And when that inequality is between nations and states with one side living in riches and the other abject poverty, the result is an unprecedented and unstoppable level of migration that breeds hate, maybe even violence.

We don’t need to look any further than the rate young African are fleeing to a European continent. To address this, European nations are not only building walls to keep us out, they also coming up with urgent policies to lift the living standards of all across Africa.

President Buhari’s return from medical holiday

H Willy Bozimo

is homecoming from his medical holiday is no longer news but it has silenced all the discordant noises from many critics who felt he had overstayed his medical trip by 103 days in London.

His trip had afforded many politicians opportunities to take a Summer holiday trip to London to see Mr. President as a mark of solidarity with his ailment and share in his period of grief , they also took advantage of the Summer season in the UK to do some smart shopping for family and friends.

With his arrival back to his duty post to govern the many groups who had been disenchanted with his absentee style of governance from London via his Vice President , Yemi Osinbajo, who many thought was being overwhelmed by the cacophony of voices of dissent against a President who since his election on May 29, 2015 had made London hospital a second home.

There are a few items on his presidential desk for quick resolution which many believe he alone could find answers to.

Firstly, the AREWA youths and its Assembly in his absence had called for the incarceration of the IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu .If they are not too scared of the return of the Lion of Aso Villa in their back yard they should summon same courage they wanted to lure the Vice President, Yemi Osinbajo into.

Another thorny issue on his plate is the investigation the number 2 man was asked to undertake concerning the grass cutting saga by his suspended Secretary to the Federal Government, Mr. Lawal and the Director General of the Ni-

gerian Intelligence in whose chalet in Ikoyi huge foreign currencies in their millions were found by the EFCC. These two issues bothering on corruption could give further credibility to the trumpeted anticorruption war of his government.

The creeping restructuring catcalls by various ethnic nationalities loomed large during his London trip for more than 100 days.

The most recent was the Southern leaders’ giving notice of the fact that the 2019 general elections might not hold unless efforts at restructuring the country were done in advance.

One hopes the Southern leaders may have been speaking for a unified southern Nigerian peoples, across political lines and persuasions.

Apart from these hot airs emanating from the South of Nigeria, no strong statement had come out calling for either a violent or a peaceful disintegration of the corporate entity called Nigeria.

In the midst of these various voices President Buhari has returned to tackle them one by one, having been energised from the London hospital.

Another fairly overflooged issue is the continuing suicide bomb attacks in the North East amidst claims by federal government spokes-persons and military commanders that they had succeeded in decapitating the fire power of the Boko Haram Islamic fighters.

But contrary is the reality as more villages have now fallen under Boko Haram Jihadists into Adamawa causing mayhem and destruction on their paths. Where are the federal troops under Gen. Buratai? Were they on sick leave like

their Commander in chief? Now that President Buhari is back in the country are we sure enough logistics had been supplied to the fighting troops like it was being trumpeted when former President Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was in charge with CNN reporters filing out reports concerning lack of weapons to prosecute the war on terror.

The silence on how the antiterrorism war is being funded is deafening. The ball is now on the President’s desk in Aso Villa Abuja with greater clarity and news coming from the war fronts .

Recently some fighter Jets were bought from the US to help push the Islamic fighters away from the soft targets in the North East and Adamawa State.

In the President’s absence news report from the military headquarters had told Nigerians that Abubakar Sekau had been killed and too many Nigerians did not believe the news report which also equivocated in same report that there were many SEKAUS on the Boko Haram leadership.

As a war tested Maj. Gen. who took part in the civil war of the country from 1967-1970, President Buhari would be in a better position to throw more clarity in these confused reports on whether Abubakar Sekau is dead or alive ?

Nigerians have heaved a sigh of seeming relief in the sense that the man they voted into power since May 29, 2015 is back from hospital in London.

We must have a caveat here for Mr. President and I do not think we should expect many more miracles from him. To do so might run him out of gas that has been pumped into him and ensure that he never

again returns to London. .

While we appreciate the resilience of patient Nigerians and the many prayers for their President to get well quick and return to base.

One last message for any reformist president in Nigeria to never assume that he has all the answers to make Nigeria great . Whatever policies put in place should be guided by genuine love for the people he has come to serve.

All policies should not be anchored and driven largely by motiveless malignity, both in execution and intent .

With so much hunger in the land, how do we give voters in the country the courage to come out and vote in 2019? These are matters and questions for another day and column.

President Buhari is a man of history and destiny and after several attempts at the Presidential elections and he finally won an election to rule over 180 million Nigerians, he should be seen to do what he was elected to do- to give good governance to Nigerians, not as a sectional leader who feels he could only pander to the 95% who vote him to power but now that he is president he ceases to be a leader of only the APC members but for all Nigerians. Once he readjusts that mindset, the better for him and Nigerians. Welcome back from the harrowing experience in a London hospital. Nigeria needs you more than you need Nigeria, and if you ask me no Nigerian leader had been so lucky, plus OBJ, both of you had led Nigeria as civilian and military heads of state. Get down to work for Nigeria a country that had been so good to you both as a soldier and civilian heads of state.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

15 News

Deputy Inspector General in charge of Operation, Joshak Habila (right), addressing Police personnel deployed to curb kidnapping, car snatching and armed robbery on Bwari-Jere Road in Kaduna… on Thursday.

Group urges NAHCON to penalise tour operators over poor services to hajj pilgrims ÏÏÏA civil society group, the

Independent Hajj Reporters, has urged the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) to sanction service providers and tour operators who delivered poor services to Nigerian pilgrims in Muna and Arafat.

“There are complains of non- provision of some essential services like meals, transportation of pilgrims, nonallocation of tents for pilgrims by some Nigerian tour operators and their Saudi based service providers,” the civil society’s national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammed, said in a statement released in Muna, Saudi Arabia.

“This situation has made it difficult for the affected pilgrims to perform their act of ibadah under conducive environment,” he said.

“In view of the above, Independent Hajj Reporters, therefore, called on NAHCON to immediately begin investigation to unearth the reasons for the poor services experienced by some pilgrims in Muna, especially those served by Service No 18,” the statement said.

The civil society said a committee comprising of leadership of AHUON – the umbrella body of Independent Tour Operators, NAHCON’s inspectorate, evaluation and compliance unit, Mutawwif for African Non- Arab Pilgrims and Saudi Ministry of Hajj, and Umrah, be constituted to look into the issue.

“NAHCON should replicate what it did in 2015 by immediately commencing the process of compelling the service provider(s) to make refunds

back to pilgrims for service not rendered or rendered un-satisfactorily. Such moves will help the commission to apply sanctions to appropriate quarters,” according to the statement.

Independent Hajj Reporters team in Muna and Arafat frowned at some states pilgrims welfare boards officials who were found evading the genuine requests for information from their pilgrims and abandoning from their duty posts when it matter most.

The civil society said it will officially report such States Pilgrims Welfare Boards leadership to their respective state governors as their action have caused some pilgrims untold hardship during this year hajj.

Segun Olaniyan, Katsina

ÏÏÏKatsina state governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has declared that, nobody can threaten his life over his administration’s actions and policies.

Governor Masari stated this at the weekend when he received the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmummini Kabir Usman, who paid him a Sallah homage ‘Hawan Bariki’ at the old Government House, Katsina.

According to him, I grew up as an orphan, but Allah in his infinite mercy destined my emergence as the Governor of the state, no matter whose ox is gored. He said those criticising his administration had failed to get their facts together before airing there views, saying that, “no one could pocket or silence him in his ef-

forts to move the state forward.

“I will use the 30 years anniversary of the creation of the state to respond to those grudges to enable the people of the state understand better the situation,” he posited.

On the level of decay in the education sector, Governor Aminu Bello Masari remarked that education without morality would never be of any benefit to anyone and the society.

The Governor maintained that, presently over 70 percent of the state’s senior civil servants are teachers, urging them to return as volunteer teachers to address the dearth in the education sector.

He expressed the need for the retired teachers to come back as volunteers to help them benefit health wise and equally get rewarded in the hereafter.

Similarly, he appealed to parents to monitor their wards and ensure the completion of their studies rather than abandoning midway to become better informed citizens.

The Governor called for fervent prayers for President Muhammadu Buhari for good health to enable him complete his administration’s dreams of a better Nigeria for all.

Earlier, the Emir of Katsina, Alhaji Abdulmummini Kabir Usman who noted with dismay the decay in the education sector, especially at the primary school level, attributed the inefficiency to poor methodology of teaching.

The Emir commended the Governor for the efforts being made to engage retired teachers, as this he said would assist in addressing the problems of the education sector.

Gov Ahmed lauds FG on agric

Maize farmland

Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

ÏÏÏKwara state governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed has lauded the federal

government on its renewed efforts on agriculture in order to reposition the nation’s economy for sustainable development.

Speaking during the yearly Sallah

homage by the Chairman, Kwara State Traditional Council and the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, at Government House, Ilorin, the governor said the agricultural programme of the federal government is a focal point for diversification of the Nigerian economy.

The governor, who noted that the youths in the state have embraced agriculture, said the state has since commenced sustainable agricultural programme under the Off-Taker Demand Driven Scheme with the determination to translate it into wealth creation for the teaming youths.

Gov. Ahmed urged Local Government Transition Implementation Committees (TIC) in the state and the in-coming local government authorities to embrace agriculture as a

major economic activity for driving the economic affairs of their areas noting that reliance on federation allocation and 10% state IGR is no longer enough to support activities in the councils.

Governor Ahmed challenged Local Government Councils, especially those in urban environments, to take advantage of their environment to improve their IGR in order to be able to pay salaries and meet other necessary obligations.

“Our administration would continue to service its people in terms of Human Capital Development and provision of sustainable Infrastructure across the state. The road construction programme would resume immediately after the rainy season,” Gov Ahmed assured the people.

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Politics

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PDP has learnt from its mistakes, will work against repeating them -Alkali Prof Rufai Ahmed Alkali was the Special Adviser on Political Matters to former President Goodluck Jonathan. He was before then, the National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). In this interview with LATEEF IBRAHIM, Alkali speaks on wide range of issues including the moves by stakeholders to reposition the PDP ahead of 2019 polls Judging from the experience of the PDP in the 2015 general elections during which it lost the presidential election to the All Progressives Congress (APC), will you say that it (PDP) is ready to maintain the zoning formula in future elections?

There was a zoning formula before August 2017, but because the party had zoned the presidency to the North, it has decided that the chairmanship of the party should be zone to the South now. Subsequently, a zoning committee was set up to come up with a zoning formula. Now that the August convention has held, I think the party will look back and see whether the zoning formula will be adopted or if there will be need to do any adjustments. We are waiting for our party to take a decision on this matter. I don’t want to be preemptive.

Having zoned the presidential ticket of your party to the North, what will happen if persons from other zones contest the presidential ticket?

Ideally, if you have a zoning formula and it is approved by various organs of the party, it allows for everybody to fall in line because it is easier to handle and people know ahead what position they can vie for. If a position has been zoned to your place, then you can contest, but if it is zoned to another place, already you know that you are handicapped by it because it is not meant for you to contest.

The PDP has a history of impunity.

Would you say your party has learnt lessons since it lost power in the 2015 elections?

I don’t want to be specific in my comment concerning this, but what worries most members is that they want a level playing field. Everybody wants to be treated fairly and be given a chance to show what he can do for the party. No member wants to be short changed under whatever guise. I don’t think with what has happened to the party, anybody will want to come from somewhere and

Impunity is a tendency that people have complained about in the past. It is not the best. It is better for the party to carry everybody along.

This will minimise litigations and defections. It causes acrimony and tension. I believe the party has learned from the mistakes of the past. The new PDP must move away from anything that seems to be bad, that has been associated with us. We must consolidate on the gains we have made to rebuild a strong party. cannot control them again. Nigerians must remain calm and law abiding. We should allow the system to operate else it could undermine future elections.

PROF. ALKALI

insist that, a particular person must be given a certain position. Impunity is a tendency that people have complained about in the past. It is not the best. It is better for the party to carry everybody along. This will minimise litigations and defections. It causes acrimony and tension. I believe the party has learned from the mistakes of the past. The new PDP must move away from anything that seems to be bad, that has been associated with us. We must consolidate on the gains we have made to rebuild a strong party.

What impact do you think that those members, who had earlier left and are now returning to the PDP will have on the party?

The principle is that it is people that make a party. Yes there were people who abandoned the party during its difficult period but there were others that stood with the party till the end. But shutting the door against some people will not help the system. I am sure the party will come out with various guidelines on how to tackle this issue. Some people left the party for serious reasons which they feel they couldn’t take. You cannot force people to remain in a party. But you have to be fair because some members stayed with the party. We have to consolidate and see that people are treated fairly.

With the agitations coming up from various parts of the country, what impact do you think this will have on the polity ahead of the 2017 election?

This issue is very sensitive and delicate. If you look at the evolution of modern Nigeria, you will find that we have passed through difficult periods. This is not the first or second time we are going through a difficult time. In building a modern nation, you will experience such things. There are those forces that try to unite us and bring us together, but there are always others that come in between with the tendencies to move us apart. My take is that, people should not hide under the guise of democracy and right to freedom of speech and then cause crisis in the country. I will suggest that people should lower their voices. Whatever you are agitating for; it is easier managed when you follow the constitution. If you go outside of that, it is an invitation to anarchy. Today we have political parties, National Assembly, INEC, judiciary and the government. Off course the President is sick, but we are all praying for him. But people should not take advantage of the President sickness to cause division and confusion. It is not healthy.

I will suggest that those people with issues should seek redress constitutionally. If you allow these things to go on like this, it will get to the stage where you

Now that the PDP has concluded the non-elective convention, what is the way forward?

The non-elective convention was to give the Senator Ahmed Makarfi-led national caretaker committee time to conduct a proper convention where election for various offices will be held. We look at the time when the Supreme Court passed judgment on the party and the date for the convention, it was very short. So, we decided to go for the non elective convention so that we can extend the tenure of the caretaker committee which had almost elapsed. This is to give them time to do more consultation, tidy up party structures at all levels and then plan for the elective convention. It has been slated for the first week of December.

Is there a mechanism in place that will discipline those that caused the protracted leadership crisis in the party?

Traditionally, there is always a standing committee at the national level and sometimes at the state level, that is supposed to ensure that rules of the party are followed. Most times the party does not want to go for punishment. As much as possible, their objective is to allow people to express their displeasure so that it can be handled internally. Punishment is discouraged. It is just like the same members of a family that have issues, you will try as much as possible to resolve it within the party. Even after resolving the matter at the court, you find that there will be friction here and there.

So we have to bring in internal mechanism to solve it. Where somebody persists against good counsel and continue to do things that will affect the party, CONTINUED ON PAGE 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Patrick Okohue, with Agency report A cross section of Nigerian political leaders have cautioned the people on the need to embrace peaceful co-existence, promote unity and tolerance irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations.

Speaking in Daura when he paid Sallah homage to the emir of Daura, Alhaji Umar Farouk, the Kano State governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje urged Nigerians to appreciate the importance of peaceful co-existence, noting that peace was paramount to the country’s existence.

He described those who were in the habit of causing troubles through divisive statements and uncomplimentary comments as “greedy and unpatriotic citizens.’’

The governor who said he was in Daura to pay homage to President Muhammadu Buhari and the emir, added that Kano and Daura have similar traditions, customs and values.

He said that since the inception of his administration in 2015, he has created thousands of jobs and executed hundreds of projects that were beneficial to the people.

Also speaking in separate Sallah messages in Lafia, former Minister of Information, Labaran Maku and other stakeholders in Nasarawa State, called on Nigerians to live in peace and tolerate one another to ensure unity, peace and development of the country.

They said that peace was the only ingredient that would bring about unity and development in any society.

Maku, who is now the National Secretary of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said the diversity among Nigerians should be a source of unity and not disunity.

He said that the almighty God knows the reason why He created human beings with differences of tribe, religion and race.

“God also knows why He chose to make all Nigerians despite our diversity to be citizens of the same country.

“If God wanted all Nigerians to be the same tribe and religion, He could have created us as such.

“So why will anyone hate the other

Politics 19

Ganduje, Maku, others call for peace, understanding among Nigerians

GANDUJE

MAKU

person simply because he is of a different tribe or religion,” he asked.

Maku, therefore, urged all Nigerians to continue to live in peace with one another and work hard toward ensuring one indivisible country.

Similarly, Yusuf Agabi, gubernatorial candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2015 in Nasarawa State, called on all Muslim Ummah and indeed all Nigerians to love one another.

He said that the Nigerians should

always manifest the lesson of Eid-elKabir, which implied sacrifice and love for others at all times, and not just during the period.

He also called on Nigerians to continue to pray to God to grant President Muhammadu Buhari good health to enable him bring the country out of the current security and economic challenges.

On his parts, Mohammed Okpede, member representing Doma North at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, urged herdsmen and farmers to imbibe the spirit of the season and embrace peace.

He said that both farmers and herdsmen needed each other for life to thrive smoothly hence the need for farmers to ensure that cattle routes were not blocked and herdsmen not to deliberately destroy farm produce.

He, therefore, urged Fulani and other community leaders to preach peace among their subjects in order to give peace a chance the way it was in the past. (NAN)

Defunct CPC members demand for SGF appointment Tom Okpe, Abuja

…..Says they are marginalized

Southern members of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) have demanded that a member of the group be appointed as replacement for the position of the suspended Secretary to the government of the federation, accusing President Muhammadu Buhari of marginalisation.

The National Coordinator of Southern Mandate of Nigeria (SMN), a group of the defunct CPC, Comrade Ikonomwan Francis, said in Abuja that there are several incumbent cabinet members of the President “who have no business to be there.”

He reminded the President that there are persons that started the struggle,

stayed with him all through the hard times; some of them were his co-visionaries, who encouraged him to come into politics since 2003.

“When Mr. President came into politics these persons planned with him, struggled and at last won for him.

“We, core members of the defunct Congress of Progressive Change (CPC) from the seventeen Southern States of Nigeria wish to remind President Muhammadu Buhari of marginalisation of core members of the defunct Congress of Progressive Change in his government.

Even as we welcome him back Home from his medical trip abroad. We give God the glory for coming back home hale

and healthy.

“As you have returned, we want you to urgently address the burning issues of marginalisation of core members of the defunct CPC which led to our advocacy for the appointment of core members of the defunct CPC as a replacement for the suspended SGF. “We believe that the challenges this government is facing now would not have been there if the President had appointed these key persons into his government.

“These key leaders who are the driving force of Mr. President and consistently mobilising 12.5 million votes for him in 2003, 2007, 2011 and repeated same in 2015 general elections that gave him President of Nigeria today,” he said.

‘PDP has learnt from its mistakes, will work against repeating them’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 11

then disciplinary action will be considered. We give people opportunity to express their anger, we listen to them and then if there are ways to remedy it, we do it internally so that everybody will be carried on board.

Is the PDP planning to go into alliance with other parties towards the 2019 general elections?

This is not something we can discuss openly. Whether we will do it before or after elections, it is not something that we can talk about openly.

Anambra State gubernatorial election is around the corner. How prepared is the PDP for it?

Anambra is a PDP state. Since 1999, that state has produced people who made lots of sacrifices in building the party. But when they approach election, instead of the various actors to put their heads together, you find that there is always division and this has led to defections. At the end of it, votes are shared among our members. That is the tragedy.

At the end of the day, a small party wins the election. We hope they will learn from the mistakes of the past. This is a new season for PDP in Anambra State and we expect our members to show that we are having a new beginning. The people must put their heads together and show the new face of PDP because if we repeat what we have always done, it shows we haven’t learnt anything.

sire is for the party to move forward.

What are the chances of the PDP in 2019?

Having gone through the rescue mission, we are now consolidating. That is why you hear cases of reaching out to get new members and former members trying to come back. Our concern is to ensure that we consolidate the gains of the party. Even APC had to consolidate before they were able to stabilise. You don’t take things for granted. The Sen. Makarfi-led committee has done excellently well. He led the party at a most difficult time, they remain dogged, they refused to be dragged into controversy, and they focused on the larger picture. Even when the case was in court, they allowed things to follow due process. So our de-

There are reports that you are planning to contest for the governorship seat of Gombe State in 2019.

How far is this true?

Who told you that? My concern for now is for the party to stabilise. As Nigerians, we must defend and protect our democracy and ensure that this party is not allowed to go down the drain. It is only when you have a strong party that you can contemplate contesting an election.

My concern is to make sure we continue to do our bit so that when history is written on Nigeria’s democracy, our names will be mentioned. As for personal ambition, time will take care of that.

News 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Cult group threatens mother of two, forces son into exile

Afolabi Oladele

ÏÏÏThis is apparently not the best

In-coming Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Amina Shamaki (left), receiving a hand-over note from her predecessor, Mrs. Belema Wakama, at the Ministry in Abuja… on Thursday.

Osinbajo flags off Students’ anti-corruption campaign Idu Jude Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Vice President of

the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has flagged off the Student Christian Movement (SCM) anti-corruption war campaign tagged ‘Students SAY NO to Corruption.’

The Vice President who was represented by the Chaplain of Aso Villa

Chapel, Pastor Seyi Malomo, called on the movement and her partners to deploy their extensive network and influence in schools.

He equally charged them to mobilize the grassroots to be involved in the war as he assured them of the Federal Government support.

Earlier in his address, the national president of the SCM, Rev. Eric Ighalo said the fight against corruption

NCT, FG stakeholder recommend bicycle riding as means of transport

..Say, FCT to be used for pilot stage

Idu Jude Sokoto

ÏÏÏYears

after the dream of former Minister of Transportation, the late Chief Ojo Maduekwe, mooted the idea of bicycle riding as a major means of transportation in Nigeria, the National Council on Transportation (NCT) policy in a resolution yesterday in Sokoto state, recommended bicycle riding for solving the mystery of traffic jam in the country. The Minister of Transportation Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amaechi, disclosed this to the media shortly after presiding over the resolution committee of the

15th National council on transportation. According to Amaechi, the stakeholders, has took the resolution, based on research and the experiences of the effectiveness.

“The major resolution is that we are recommending bicycle as possible means of transportation, and do not forget that the NCT is a policy making body. And we approved that we should do a pilot project on bicycle riding in the FCT because it is the only state with facilities for cycling. “Other states would follow suit and construct such facilities before it can be introduced there.

seemed to be a long drawn one, but one that every Nigeria, especially the youths must committed to win as corruption had messed up their destiny as young people and of course the entire nation.

The SCM celebrated her 19th All Tertiary Institution Conference (ATIC) recently in Lagos.

The conference, which is usually held every two years, served as a plat-

form for students of the movement and youth constituency from all over the federation to meet, interact and exchange ideas.

The event was held at the University of Lagos Auditorium in collaboration with the Students Christian Movement of Nigeria and other related Anti-Corruption Agencies, especially the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Offences Commission(ICPC).

of times for the Idogei family of Esan central of Edo state as a dreaded cult group, Asigidi, has been for the past 10 years threatening members of the family.

A mother of two and the matriarch of the family, Susan Idogie, who is alleging threat to her life, is presently bedridden with stroke and has also been under serious depression.

The alleged threat is so much that she is now receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Lagos.

Also, Felix Idogie, the eldest son of the family has also fled the country for some time now after consistent physical attack and alleged threat of African mesmerism from the cult that is firmly rooted in every part of the country. Series of reports were made at the police headquarters, Sapele road, Benin without any corresponding reprieve from this group.

According to one of the elders of the family, Mr. Benjamin Osas, Asigidi, who is also an uncle to Felix Idogei, the dreaded cult group, has been mounting pressure on the family to produce Felix Idogei to succeed his late father who, in his life time, was a prominent member of the cult which allows the first son to succeed him. Their refusal to concede to this demand has allegely led to series of attacks against the family.

Felix Idogei the second son of the family had to flee the country after series of attempts on his life which eventually allegedly consumed Fidelis, his immediate elder brother. The heat is now turned on their mother who is currently suffering from mental sickness and presently recuperating at a Lagos hospital.

Benjamin Osas is therefore appealing to relevant security agencies on behalf of the Idogei family for adequate protection and immediate clamp down on Asigidi and many other occult group terrorising innocent families in Nigeria. According to him, “my family and I are devout Christians of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, we cannot serve God and mammon”. He is also urging prominent churches and other religious organizations to fervently pray against cultisim and occultic practices in Nigeria saying, the nation is gradually being taken over by evil and forces of darkness.

It is mischievous to say Gov Bindow abandoned APC chieftains

Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏThe Adamawa government has

refuted a report published in a national daily, that the state governor, Senator Muhammed Umaru Jibrilla Bindow, abandoned the usual EidEl-Kabir Sallah homage and left All Progressive Congress (APC) officials stranded at the Government House in Yola.

The government described the report as “mischievous carried to falsely portray that Governor Bindow shunned people coming for the routine EID-EL Kabir Sallah homage at the Government House.”

In a press statement issued by Special Assistant to the Governor on Media Affairs, Mr. Martins Dickson,

said the information contained in the report is not correct and it is misleading in its entirety.

According to him the government, through the Commissioner for Information, Ahmed Sajoh, had earlier

Bindow

issued a press statement on why the governor cancelled this year’s Sallah homage, and that was to allow all Muslims concentrate on the spiritual purpose of the festivity by having time to continue with prayers with their friends and families for the country’s leaders especially President Muhammadu Buhari, and for the unity of the nation and its lasting peace.

“There was no such visit by APC chieftains to the Government House as quoted in the report, as every stakeholder in the state is aware of the cancellation which was widely publicized in the media and the Governor’s position regarding maximizing the period of this Sallah to have spiritual gains for the benefit of the state and the nation at large.’’

Daily Times Nigeria Monday September 4, 2017

21 Public Notice

3 in coma, 7 injured as bus collide with taxi -

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SPACE IS FOR SALE

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OLAJOBI MORAYO SHUKURAT I Formerly known and addressed as BADMUS MORAYO SHUKURAT now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLAJOBI MORAYO SHUKURAT All documents and certificates bearing my former names remain valid. Banks, Immigrations, Relevant Authorities and the General public Please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

On some of my documents, my name appears as FALADE OLUWAFUNKE OLUWADAMILOLA and FALADE FUNKE DAMILOLA, while on other documents, it appears as FALADE OLUFUNKE DAMILOLA, FALADE FUNKE JACINTA and FALADE OLUWAFUNKE DAMILOLA. That I am the same person bearing all these names and any documents bearing all these names remain valid. General public take note

JOAN ONYINYECHI OBI

MISS ONYECHERE ESTHER NKECHI

I formerly known, called and addressed as JOAN ONYINYECHI ANYANWU. Now wish to be known, called and addressed as JOAN ONYINYECHI OBI. All documents bearing my former name remain valid, general public should please take note.

MRS. EZEABUCHUKWU HENRIETTA IFESINACHI

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS. NZEANOCHIE ESTHER NKECHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MISS ONYECHERE ESTHER NKECHI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS IHETIOBI HENRIETTA IFESINACHI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. EZEABUCHUKWU HENRIETTA IFESINACHI. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

THE COMMUNITY OF PROPHETS AND PRIESTS FOUNDATION The General public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) Banor Emeka Precious (2) Nancy Nkiru Banor (3) Winifred Kingsley Ubi (4) Nnamdi Caezar Sammy (5) Peter Nworise Onwughai (6) Abiodun Emmanuel Owoborode ( 7) Omeresan Etuwewe (8) Matthew Clement Onoja (9) Great Eniefiok Akpan (10) Obiageli F. Nwankwo THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE :(1) Creating New Mindsets, New Standards, Empowering African Ministers And Leaders For Effective Ministry (2) Challenging Preachers and Ministers Of The Gospel To Grow, To

NIGERIA LORRY DRIVERS ASSOCIATION (NILODA) The general public is hereby notified that Nigeria Lorry Drivers Association (NILODA) has constitutionally conducted National Officers General Election on 25th August 2017 at Hotel Antonia Enugu/Abakaliki Road Enugu. This was as a result of the expiration of the former elected officer’s tenure which expired on 20th July, 2017.

The following members of executives elected and sworn into office to run the affairs of the Association for another five years tenure are as follows: Mr. Onyebuchi Johnbosco National President Prince Hamza Danladi Akushonye National Vice President Hon. Ngozi Chukwumah Okeke National Secretary Mr. Peter Enibe Asst. Secretary Peter Nwoba National Financial Secretary Mr. Albert Ejiogu National Treasurer Mr. Osmond Ezenwaka National PRO Hon. Isaiah Okeakpu Asst. PRO Mr. Callistus Ochuaka National Provost Julius Okoro Asst. Provost The general public are warned not to transact any business with any other person in respect of NILODA except the above listed executives.

The General public, Co-operative Affairs Commission and the Security Agencies take note.

Signed:NILODA Management

UMUCHEKE VILLAGE UNION OKA UGA This is to inform the general public that the above named Union has Applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. NZE UMEH SAMUEL (Chairman) 2. UCHEGBU JOEL IFEANYI (Secretary) 3. UMEAKUBUIKE EDWIN 4. UMEAKUBUIKE MMADUGADI 5. UMEH JOSEPH 6. OKPALA STEPHEN 7. ENWEROGU FRANCIS CHINEDU AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: To promote unity among members 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 from date of these publication.

Signed: NZE UMEH SAMUEL (Chairman )

ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

CORRECTION OF NAMES We formerly known and addressed as: EZE ANTHONY IKECHUKWU MRS EZE ESTHER CHINYERE EZE OGECHUKWU COLLINS EZE SOMTOCHUKWU ANTHONY EZE ONYEMACHI EMMANUEL EZE OBIOMA CHIDIEBERE Now wish to be known and addressed as: CHIBUIKEM ANTHONY IKECHUKWU MRS CHIBUIKEM ESTHER CHINYERE CHIBUIKEM OGECHUKWU COLLINS CHIBUIKEM SOMTOCHUKWU ANTHONY CHIBUIKEM EBUBECHUKWU EMMANUEL CHIBUIKEM OBIOMA CHIDIEBERE All former documents remain valid. General public should please

BIBLICAL GRACE CHAPEL. 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 Trustees are 1. MOREBISE OYINLOLA 2. MOREBISE OLAYINKA IYABODE 3. LAWAL ADETAYO S. 4. LANISA BAMIDELE AYINLA 5. TUROTI ADEWOLE SAMUEL 6. MOREBISE OLUWAGBENGA OLUWATOSIN. AIMS 1. TO PROPAGATE THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST 2. TO WIN SOULS FOR GOD’S KINGDOM THROUGH BIBLE STUDY AND EVANGELISM. Any objection to this 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 the publication SIGNED TRUSTEE 08082610022

Public Notice 22

Daily Times Nigeria Monday September 4, 2017

MRS OREDOLA FLORENCE AKINBERU

ISRAEL CHINEDU UKAIBE

MRS. CHISOM LORETTA ADAOBI EZEANI

MRS. AMARACHI VICTOR NKEMAKOLAM.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. EBIERE EMMANUELLA EKPESE, now wish to be known and addressed, MRS. EBIERE EKPESE-OLANREWAJU OGUNYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I formerly known and address as Prince Oluwa Azeez Abiola, now wish to be known and address as ADEBAYO AZEEZ ABIOLA. All former document remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as, MISS. OREDOLA FLORENCE AJILORE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OREDOLA FLORENCE AKINBERU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, CHINEDU ISRAEL OTUN, now wish to be known and addressed as, ISRAEL CHINEDU UKAIBE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. OKOROJI CHISOM LORETTA ADAOBI, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. CHISOM LORETTA ADAOBI EZEANI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AMARACHI UGURU, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. AMARACHI VICTOR NKEMAKOLAM. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

MRS NWAFOR FRANCA NJIDEKA

MRS EZENWANI PATIENCE OGECHUKWU

AMADIANI GODFREY CHIKWUEMEKAOGO

MRS EGBO CHINELU CALISTER

MRS CHUKWUMA ODUGU NGOZI BLESSING

ONOH UKAMAKA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS MBAH FRANCA NJIDEKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NWAFOR FRANCA NJIDEKA. All former documents remain valid.

NYSC and General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS OKORIE PATIENCE OGECHUKWU now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZENWANI PATIENCE OGECHUKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AMADIANI GODFREY .C. now wish to be known and addressed as AMADIANI GODFREY CHIKWUEMEKAOGO. All former documents remain valid. Access Bank and General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS AGWU CHIKAMNSO REBECCA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EGBO CHINELU CALISTER. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NNODIM NGOZI BLESSING now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHUKWUMA ODUGU NGOZI BLESSING. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ONOH DORATHY UKAMAKA now wish to be known and addressed as ONOH UKAMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEBAYO AZEEZ ABIOLA

MRS UCHENNA BLESSING NKIRUKA

MRS NEBO LOVETH UKAMAKA

MRS OCHI UKAMAKA ETHEL

ONUDIOKA CHINEDU JOHN KINGSLEY

OBAMUWAGUN ADURAGBEMI TOBILOBA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS NJOM BLESSING NKIRUKA and MISS NWACHUKWU BLESSING NKIRUKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UCHENNA BLESSING NKIRUKA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS ACHU LOVETH UKAMAKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS NEBO LOVETH UKAMAKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as MISS UGWU UKAMAKA ETHEL now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OCHI UKAMAKA ETHEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NGWU JOHN KINGSLEYnow wish to be known and addressed as ONUDIOKA CHINEDU JOHN KINGSLEY. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ADEGOKE ADURAGBEMI TOBILOBA, now wish to be known and addressed as OBAMUWAGUN ADURAGBEMI TOBILOBA . All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CORRECTION OF NAME

MRS. EBIERE EKPESE-OLANREWAJU OGUNYEMI

I formerly known and address as PRINCE OLUWA AZEEZ ABIOLA, now wish to be known and address as ADEBAYO AZEEZ ABIOLA. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

ADEBAYO AZEEZ ABIOLA

ODUEZE JOHNPAUL

I formerly known and addressed as EZE JOHN C., now wish to be known and addressed as ODUEZE JOHNPAUL. All former documents remain valid.

Immigrations, Relevant Authorities and the general public should please take note.

OGUNDE OLAWUNMI TOLA . I, formerly known and addressed as MOTUNDE OLAWUNMI TOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNDE OLAWUNMI TOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, MRS. UGWUOWA CORDELIA CHIMA, wish to correct my name which was wrongly written in my BVN details as, MRS. UGWUOWA CORDELIA CHIMAOBIM, instead of, MRS. UGWUOWA CORDELIA CHIMA. I now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. UGWUOWA CORDELIA CHIMA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, ANIAGU CHUKWUDI POLYCARP, wish to correct my name which was wrongly written as, P. ANIAGU CHUKWUDI, instead of, ANIAGU CHUKWUDI POLYCARP, in my drivers license. I now wish to be known and addressed as, ANIAGU CHUKWUDI POLYCARP. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

News 23

Caution your followers against violence, Sanusi urges political leaders Yakubu Salisu , with agency report

ÏÏÏ

The Emir of Kano, Muhammad Sanusi, has called on political leaders to caution their followers against acts of violence.

Sanusi made the call on Sunday during the traditional Hawan Nasarawa at the Government House in Kano.

“I am calling on political leaders to caution their followers against political violence and thuggery,” he said.

He also urged government to create employment for youths in the country in order to reduce the economic hardship being faced in the country.

“If the youths are employed or empowered, the level of hardship faced by many families will reduce,” he said.

The monarch also called on the Federal Government to revive agriculture in order to attain self sufficiency in food production.

He prayed for peace,

tranquility and unity in the country and the safe return of Nigerian pilgrims from the Holy land.

Earlier, Gov. Abdullahi Ganduje had said that the state government had completed two hospitals with 500 beds. ”We completed two hospitals with 500 beds and we provided them with state of the art equipment,” he said.

He said President Muhammadu Buhari had recorded impressive success in the fight against insurgency and other security challenges in the country.

Ganduje restated his commitment to protection of lives and property of residents in the state.

He also said that the state government had distributed 30 vehicles to security agencies in the state.

“We will continue to assist security agencies as part of the government’s commitment toward ensuring sustainable peace and security in the state,” he said.

Edo council pensioners get over N212m for August Titus Akhigbe, Benin

ÏÏÏ

The commitment made by the governor of Edo state, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, to continue to cater to the needs of pensioners who are the state’s senior citizens, has again been demonstrated, with the payment of N212.8million to local government pensioners.

According to Obaseki, the state will continue to accord its pensioners the respect they have earned and deserve, in the scheme of things in the state.

He explained that the over N212 million naira was for the month of August and urged Edo pensioners and workers to support the ongoing reform embarked upon by his administration in key areas such as education, primary healthcare, infrastructure, security, job creation and industrialisation amongst others.

The governor tasked

heads of local government areas to creatively harness the huge human and natural resources that abound in all parts of the state for the good of all Edo people.

He assured that the newly commissioned BUA Cement company and the Edo Fertilizer and Chemical Company Limited have started impacting positively on the economy of the state through the creation of jobs, access to affordable fertilizer by farmers and the emergence of several allied businesses.

Edo State exited the committee of civil service states last week, when the Vice President, Professor Yemi Osinbajo commissioned the 60,000 metric tonnes fertilizer plant in Auchi and the two million metric tonnes BUA Cement plant in Okpella in the state, setting the stage for huge industrial activities in the two key sectors of the state.

L-R: Deputy Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Mr. Dongara Lot; Group Chairman, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria’s Export Group, Chief Ede Dafinone and Director of Export Development and Incentives, Mr. George Enyiekpon, at the stakeholders forum on reviewed guidelines on Export Expansion Grant scheme in Lagos... at the weekend.

SOS children’s village commences skill acquisition programme Myke Uzendu, Abuja

ÏÏÏThe SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria and CAP Plc have commenced YoithCan! programme which was designed to address the gaps faced by young people in determining their career path in life through developing the right set skills.

In a recent graduation ceremony for 25 young participants at the Dulux Painter’s Academy held in Lagos; in line with a partnership agreement between SOS Children’s Villages Nigeria and CAP Plc for their YouthCan!, the Managing Director of CAP Plc, Mrs. Elemide, stated that the project gives opportunity for staffs to impact on the lives of younger generation that can ultimately continue as a cycle for the next generation.

Mrs. Elemide reiterated that CAP PLC remains committed to improving the quality of life of people

and the environment through the quality of their brand and their contributions to the society.

The National Director of SOS Nigeria, Mr Eghosa in his response, appreciated the management of CAP PLC for taking up the YouthCan! partnership, saying that through it, Nigerian youths will be empowered as the rate of unemployment has gone beyond what government alone can handle.

Eghosa also charged the graduands on the need to upscale their skills to make themselves relevant in a fast moving technologically driven explaining world; that academic programme alone is no longer adequate for the average youth to excel especially with the current economic downturn in the country.

He further encouraged the youths to take advantage of

the opportunities presented by the academy to build their business mindset by mastering and gaining more insight to develop their entrepreneurial skills, ensuring best practices, insisting on quality in their chosen careers.

The YouthCan! is a project of SOS Children’s Villages International, which leverages on corporate partnerships and it is designed to address the gaps faced by young people in determining their career path in life; through developing the right sets of skills and capacities for employment and business sector. The YouthCan! which was also recently launched in Nigeria began its first corporate partnership with CAP PLC and this is a trickled down arrangement from their international Partners Akzo Nobel – Global partners for the YouthCan! project.

Some participant

namely Emmanuel, Oladimeji, Kehinde and Eunice shared their experiences on the programme, with stories of a worthwhile training and field engagement and promised to adapt the skills acquired into use to make better life for themselves, as the training has instilled technical skills and business confidence in them.

They equally thanked the academy’s principal, facilitators, CAP PLC and SOS Nigeria for the opportunity given to them.

The 25 pioneer participants of the YouthCan! partnership of the Dulux Painters Academy are among the total of 49 young people to have graduated since the inception of the academy in 2014. The Dulux Painters Academy is one of the two pillars of the corporate social responsibility projects of CAP PLC, for the YouthCan! partnership.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Delta govt plans to fight infant malnutrition Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

Ifeanyi-Okowa

ÏÏÏThe Delta state government at the weekend affirmed its commitment towards addressing the scourge of malnutrition among infants and children in the state.

The state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Nicholas Azinge, who made this known while exchanging views with journalists in Asaba, noted that most parents lack adequate knowledge of what it is required to bring up children, and in most times were as a result of mind set and background.

While blaming ignorance on the part of mothers and care givers as major causes of malnutrition in the state, Dr. Azinge disclosed that the issue of malnutrition has been age long following lack of political will on the part of

government, adding that most states currently doing well in agriculture were still plagued with malnutrition.

He stressed the need for Ministries of Health and other relevant sectors to prioritize their budgeting with respect to solving malnutrition and urged all health stakeholders to design appropriate work plan towards the implementation of Nutrition Programs to help strengthen measures that would reduce the scourge.

He further noted that inadequate advocacy among others were responsible factors fueling malnutrition adding that with proper advocacy program and well coordinated using the health facilities both at the Secondary and Primary School levels with a view to addressing the problems.

He avowed that consistency in the planning and implementation of policy account

had also been responsible for the high rate of malnutrition while some African Countries had been excelling in scaling up nutrition and other health care programs adding that the status of the state as the worst among the South South state was a call to action and held that the fight against malnutrition could be won when stakeholders formulate policies and political will aimed at ending the scourge.

In another development, three women at the Christian Training Centre daily market in Boji Boji Agbor have passionately appealed to the state government, particularly the state Commissioner for Women Affairs, Rev. Omasiola Williams, over the plight of a mentally deranged Yoruba lady allegedly put into family way by unknown persons as she continued to stay in the market square at the mercy of market women.

We inherited N14bn unpaid gratuity, pensions says Bauchi deputy gov Samuel Luka, Bauchi

ÏÏÏThe Bauchi state depu-

ty governor, Eng Nuhu Gidado, has said that the present governor Mohammed Abubakar administration inherited a whooping N14 billion unpaid gratuities and pensions from the previous government.

Accident Scene in Abuja

Engineer Gidado stated this while speaking to journalists shortly after Eid prayers at Ramat House, Bauchi, adding that the APC led administration in the state has set modalities on ground to settle outstanding gratuities of retired civil servants in the state.

He however said, “it

is practically impossible to pay off the arrears in block. His Excellency the Governor, has earmarked a large chunk of the Paris Club Refund to make payments of gratuities”.

The deputy governor used the opportunity to call on Muslim faithfuls in the state to imbibe the values of sacrifice, love and to

also continue to foster unity as they join their counterparts the world over in celebrating this year’s EidEl Kabir celebration.

Daily times correspondent reports that Sallah prayers were conducted hitch -free in all Eid grounds across the state, even as faithful were seen putting on new clothes to mark the religious festival.

PFN felicitates with Muslims

Samson Ayokunle

Titus Akhigbe, Benin

ÏÏÏThe Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has felicitated with Muslims in Nigeria on the celebration of this year’s Eid-El-Kabir.

National President of PFN, Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude, in his Sallah message congratulated the Muslims faithful and urged them to demonstrate the virtues of love and sacrifice which are the hallmarks of the Eid-El-Kabir festival.

Dr. Omobude, in the press statement endorsed by his media aide, Deacon Ralph

Okhiria, enjoined the adherents of Islam to be obedient to God by showing love towards one another.

“The two holy books (the Bible and Koran) talk about sacrifice.

Therefore, we should be ready at all times to sacrifice for another, irrespective of our religious affiliations and also to make the desired sacrifices for the peace, growth and development of Nigeria.

“With fervent prayer and love, Nigerians can live together in peace as brothers and sisters and contribute to the progress and unity of the country.

“It is important for all Nigerians to imbibe and adopt a spirit of living a selfless life for the purpose of moving our great nation forward.

“The PFN also use this opportunity to call on Nigerians, particularly the political class and tribal leaders to eschew hate speeches to engender a strong, virile and united Nigeria”, Rev. Dr. Felix Omobude added.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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26 Times Against Corruption

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

FEATURES

The peace meeting that ended in deadlock

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

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27

CNG leader, Yerima Shettima

Kaduna declaration: The quit notice, its caveat and suspension An analysis by Myke Uzendu, Abuja June 6th, 2017: The controversial Kaduna declaration, where a Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) ordered Igbos residing in the 19 Northern states to relocate to the Southeast before the 1st of October 2017 or be forcefully ejected may have come and gone, but ripples generated by the order still hang in the air.

According to the group, “the persistence for the actualisation of Biafra by unruly Igbos of SouthEastern Nigeria” necessitated the declaration, that “from the 1st October 2017, we shall commence the implementation of visible actions to prove to the whole world that we are no longer part of any federal union that should do with the Igbos” the Kaduna declaration reads.

The declaration was further followed up with correspondences to the then Acting President, Prof.

Yemi Osinbajo, and the United Nations asking that Ndigbo be assisted to actualise their Biafra struggle while Nnamdi Kanu should be treated as a terrorist.

Kanu’s abusive treatise a barrier Arewa youths claimed that the declaration was consequent upon the “abusive and confrontational ideology prompted and campaigned for by IPOB led Nnamdi Kanu, brought some of the most scariest and unacceptable treatise to the fore”, such that they were left with no option than to come together and form the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) to begin charting a new future for the population of Northern Nigeria.

The CNG accused the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), of rolling out drums of war, calling for violence on other tribes, making fake and exaggerated claims of marginalisation, alienation of

other countrymen from gaining access to trade and industry in the Southeast.

“While the Igbos are accommodated in every corner of the country to the point of owning landed and other immovable assets, they have on their part, foreclosed all reciprocal possibilities by denying non-Igbos access to property all over the South-East” CNG stated.

Another “sin” Ndigbo committed was that they refused to let the Fulani herdsmen overrun their region and allow cows feed fat on their farms.

“The claim that some of the Fulani herdsmen were involved in the commission of some crimes is a mere smoke screen as there is no law that says the offense of an individual shall be blamed on his entire race. Besides Igbo men are severally found responsible for the commission of many vices, yet they are tolerated and accommodated in other Nigerian cities, towns and villages without blanket stigmatisation,” they stated.

Furthermore, the group alleged that the Igbos peddled hard drugs and infiltrated markets in the North with fake and hard drugs, subjecting Northern youths to the menace of hard drugs.

Their words: “They infiltrate Northern pharmaceutical markets with fake, substandard, adulterated and hard drugs by some Igbo traders which persists despite modest efforts by some state governments to stamp it.

“Drug abuse and supply of substandard drugs are used as political weapons to smear the north. The National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency has placed Kano state, and by implication the entire North, as the first in terms of drug abuse in the country consecutively for several years, while a World Health Organisation research has pointed Kano as the location with the high-

est rate of fake anti-malarial drugs in Africa and, by extension, the world.

“While the North is the largest consumer of such products, its economic involvement is less than 5% of the total market value, with the rest hijacked and monopolised by people from the Southeast of the country,” CNG stated.

Enter Abuja counter-declaration The group admitted that they “came under intense persuasive pressure from genuinely concerned national, political, traditional, religious and cultural leaders, prominent among which were a section of the Northern Governors Forum under its Chairman, Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, Northern traditional rulers and the Directorate of State Security” to reverse the order.

“As a consequence of these vigorous engagements and as cultured people with a tradition of respect for our national values, leaders and elders, we are today pleased to announce the immediate suspension of the relocation clause otherwise referred to as the quit notice from the Kaduna Declaration.

“We are also pleased to announce here that the Kaduna Declaration has achieved most of its major objectives, chief among which include forcing the hitherto deliberately neglected dangerous Biafra issue to the front burner of the nation’s discussion agenda” the group stated.

Some caveat on the quit notice Suspension Although the CNG gave no conditions for the suspension of the order, some terms were attached which government was expected to address immediately.

Government, they said, should support and allow Ndigbo to hold

a referendum to decide their future either as Nigerians or as Biafrans.

“One of the key reasons why Biafra should be allowed to hold a referendum is because the principle of self-determination has, since World War 2, become a part of the United Nations Charter, which states in Article 1 (2) that, one of the purposes of the UN is “to develop friendly relations among nations based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of people.”

The group equally called for disarmament of all Ndigbo in the North, alleging that they are stocking arms to attack the North as well as the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and sanction on members of the National Assembly who endorsed his bail bond.

“We insist on immediate steps to be taken for the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu and for his appropriate prosecution while calling on the Nigerian Senate to demand that all Senators who stood surety for him in court rescind their bond or be suspended accordingly”.

Some responses on the Arewa youth allegations Some people have debunked the allegations leveled against IPOB and Igbos by the Arew Youths as vague and false.

The Ohaneze Youth league, led

by Chuks Dike, responding to the allegations that IPOB was going about their agitation in a violent manner, challenged the Arewa Youths to produce any evidence of violent attack on any person or public utilities by IPOB. “The IPOB group has been conducting their activities in a peaceful manner. Nobody has been molested or killed. No public building, vehicle, police station, hospital or school has been burnt down. There is no record of molestation of any Hausa or Yoruba man living in the

Southeast or constraining them to join the IPOB group,” Dike stated.

The Chairman of Ndigbo in Nasarawa, Ekene Okwuoto said that the greatest fear of the Northerners was the success recorded by the seat-at-home order organised by Ndigbo for those who lost their lives during the civil war and explained that it was not part of the agitation.

“Ndigbo just recognised some Biafra veterans who lost their lives during the civil war. The federal government also does same during the Armed Forces Remembrance Day. “Ndigbo just decided to seat at home that day, suspend all activities and dedicate that day to pray for our brothers who died fighting for what they believed in - and nobody was compelled to obey the order. So our brothers in the North should not be threatened by that show of solidarity,” Okwuoto said.

Nosa Akingbolu, in his reaction, said there is no evidence that Igbos are the sole marketers of hard drugs in the North, arguing that if they have facts, then they should approach law enforcement agencies for sanctions instead of indicting an entire race - including those involved in legitimate businesses.

“I stay in Kaduna and everybody knows that illicit drug is highly consumed in the North. The level of consumption has more to do with illiteracy and idleness as most of them do nothing.

“Most of those drugs are sold in shanties and even the police cannot go there to arrest the dealers because they have the backing of highly placed persons. Often, foreigners are not involved in illicit selling of drugs because the consequence will be so grave for a foreigner to handle,” Akingbola stated.

To be concluded

News 28

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Competition for education cause of widespread cheating in exam –WAEC Registrar

ÏÏÏWest

L-R: U.K Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, Boris Johnson; Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; U.K Secretary of State for International Development, Priti Patel; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama and Minister of Budget and National Planning, Udoma Udo Udoma, during a courtesy visit by a U.K delegation to the Presidential Villa in Abuja… recently.

Lai Mohammed debunks Buhari’s reported trip to US Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Minister of Information

and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has urged Nigerians to disregard the fake news being circulated via a parody Twitter account and an old NTA news video that President Muhammadu Buhari is travelling or has travelled to the US. In a statement issued in Lagos on Sunday, the Minister said one of the numerous parody Twitter accounts in his name, @MohammedLai, was used to disseminate the fake and ludicrous news that claims that President Buhari is due to leave Nigeria for the USA on Monday ‘’to condole with President Trump over the floods in Houston.’’

Also, he said, an old NTA News video being circulated on the Social Media claims that President Buhari has already left for the UN General Assembly in New York. ‘’This is a 2015 NTA News video that was repackaged to look current, and to give the impression that the President left Daura, where he is celebrating Eid-el-Kabir, directly for New York,’’ Alhaji Mohammed said.

He said Nigerians should disregard any news credited to any account in his name, either on Twitter or Facebook, adding: ‘’Numerous parody accounts have been opened in my name on the two platforms, when indeed I have no Twitter or Facebook accounts.’’

The minister recalled how the same parody Twitter account used to

disseminate the fake news about the President’s purported trip was employed to circulate a fake report that he sharply criticized Senator Dino Melaye for attending the Notting Hill Carnival in the UK. He said these two instances highlight the dangers posed to the polity by the purveyors of fake news and disinformation, and vowed that the Federal Government would soon fish out those behind the shenanigans. ‘’Fake news, disinformation and hate speech are the antics of the naysayers, those who are pathologically opposed to this Administration. That is why we are urging Nigerians to be more discerning and to double check any information emanating from the Social Media,’’ Alhaji Mohammed said.

Lai Mohammed

African Examinations Council (WAEC), on Sunday, said it had concluded plans to host international summit on malpractices in the sub-region as intense competition for access to education system led to widespread cheating in examinations.

The Registrar of the council, Dr. Iyi Uwadiae, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that for the purpose of obtaining higher scores to improve their chances of gaining admission to the next level of education, some students do everything available to them to indulge in cheating during examinations.

He added that “the board of WAEC has been troubled by the rising scourge of examination malpractice and it is set to organise an international summit to address it.

“The summit will take place in Lagos between Oct. 19 and Oct. 20 to provide platform for stakeholders to come together and share experiences to enable us to arrive at a workable solution to this endemic situation in the sub-region.”

He explained that WAEC, being a five-member country organisation, was expecting representatives of governments of the respective member countries.

He added that “we are also going to involve people from the academia such as teachers who are our main stakeholders and others” The WAEC boss, who noted that the summit was not going to be an annual event, expressed satisfaction with the performance of Nigerian candidates in Mathematics at the 2017 May/June West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

He said “efforts should be made to sustain the development. I must say that this year’s performance in Mathematics in the country is the best compared with results in recent past.

“I want to attribute it to more commitment on the side of both the teachers and students. I think teaching is becoming more effective and students are improving in their learning. My prayer is to ensure that this trend is sustained and improved upon.”

Reactions trail workers planned one-week warning strike in Benue Freddie Adamgbe, Makurdi

ÏÏÏAs workers in Benue state

are set to embark on a one week warning strike commencing tomorrow to press for the payment of their salary arrears, mix reactions have trailed the development which some viewed as badly timed.

Given reasons as to why the warning strike must be rescinded, a retired civil servant, Pa Akpatu Ogehe, who though is yet to receive his gratuity, observed that the strike is ill timed because the time some of them whom are affected were desperately seeking for strike, union leaders were busy enjoying with government.

“That was when I noticed that

government was eating the Bail Out funds the federal government released to clear our backlog of our arrears. But no one listens to me. Now, Benue state government has squandered all the available financial assistant the federal government gave them.

“The state government keeps acknowledging receipt of the funds from the federal government but the purpose for which it was meant was not achieved.

From Bail Out to Paris Club Funds to borrowing all went down the conduit pipe.

“Now we are told to embark on strike will this government get the funds to pay us. It is too late to go on strike....it is ill time.

All government will do now is to

plead with us to call the strike.

No, it is not realistic. Or are our leaders embarking on the strike so that government should divert the funds the federal government is about releasing to address the menace of flood disaster?”, Pa Ogehe reeled pessimistically.

The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Godwin Anya, and that of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Orduen Tartenger after a state council meeting declared a one - week warning strike which is to commence Tuesday, September 5, 2017 and end on Wednesday, September 13.

Reacting to the development while speaking to newsmen in Makurdi, Governor Samuel Or-

tom advised the workers to reconsider their decision bur look at the reality on ground since the payment of salaries is not peculiar in Benue but a problem that has affected other states including even those that receive 13% derivation from the federal government.

“The challenge we are facing about payment of salaries is not just in Benue State, other states too are also affected, even states that receive 13% derivation are also affected we need understanding, we need dialogue, we need to appreciate one another, we need to understand that this thing is not deliberate, so this meeting is meant to explain to the work-

force that yes they’ve been going through pains, we appreciate that fact as someone with the fear of God, I believe that a labourer deserves his wages.”

It could be recalled that about three months ago, the Benue State government declared state of emergency on salary payment and planned to seek funds or acquire funds from any source, through borrowing, various interventions and also do proper screening to expunge irregularities in the issues salaries. According to the governor, he has been able to reduce wage bill to N7.8 billion monthly from the N8.2 he inherited and implemented the minimum wage to primary school teachers.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

News 29

7 die, 200 treated of cholera in Borno IDPs camp –MSF Willy Anaegbunam with agency report

ÏÏÏHumanitarian organisation, Mede-

cins Sans Frontieres (MSF), on Sunday, said no fewer than seven persons died of cholera outbreak in Maiduguri in the past three weeks.

The organisation, otherwise known as Doctors Without Borders, made the disclosure in a statement in Maiduguri.

The statement, signed by Anna Cillers, the MSF Medical Coordinator, noted that 200 others were admitted at Muna and Dala camps’ cholera treatment centres.

Cillers stated that the seven persons

who died of the disease were at the Muna Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp in Maiduguri.

She attributed the outbreak to flood caused by downpour in the past few weeks, saying that flood compounded by the poor sanitary condition caused the outbreak of the disease.

She stated that “in the last 24 hours, we received over 50 patients at MSF Cholera Treatment Unit at Dala.

“Total number of patients admitted from the start of the outbreak till now is over 200, with 100 discharged and seven deaths.”

Cillers said the organisation had scaled up activities to contain the disease and had set up two treatment centres at Muna camp and Dala area of Maiduguri.

According to her, the organisation has set up a 40-bed capacity treatment centre at Dala area of Maiduguri and has conducted chlorine spray exercise of water points, as well as distributed rehydration therapy to residents.

She advised people to seek medical attention when they fell sick and drink rehydration solution as first-aid measure against the disease.

However, the Borno Commissioner for

Health, Dr Haruna Mahalia, said eight persons died of the disease.

Mshelia confirmed the death in an electronic message sent to NAN on Sunday in Maiduguri.

He disclosed that the state government had set up a 30-bed capacity clinic at Muna camp to enhance treatment and control of the disease.

The commissioner said that the Borno government had sensitised community leaders to mobilise their people on hygiene and sanitation, and the need to keep their environment clean. (NAN)

CCC Idunnu holds 7 weeks deliverance crusade ÏÏÏThe

Troops of 112 Task Force Battalion being served during the Eid-El-Kabir celebration, organised by Chief of Army Staff at Mafa in Borno State... on Sunday.

Apostolic arm of CCC Idunnu, Joshua Parish also known as Solution Centre, under the leadership of Prophet (Dr.) Abraham Oyebanji will hold a seven-week prophetic prayer session which started Wednesday August 24 and ending with a special anointing Sunday Service on October 8, 2017.

The theme of the crusade is Fulfillment of Glory (Imuse Ogo). Genesis 35 vs. 1.The session according to a release will feature deliverance, breakthrough, healing, salvation and much more.

The cleric while speaking with journalists called

on the good people of Nigeria to turn to God and shun sinful acts. Speaking further from the scriptures, “We understand that our God is a consuming fire and we also know that God’s word is, God in print, God has unlimited capacity to destroy all forms of evil deeds. Jeremiah 23:29.

He charged Nigerians to be spiritual up right , saying God has empowered us to dominate the powers of the darkness. For instance, darkness disappears automatically when there is light, similarly when we walk in the reality of God’s picture and guidance, we shall triumph over the power of darkness.

Youths warn against peddling false information about Amnesty boss Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏFollowing

recent campaign of calumny allegedly sponsored by ‘failed contractors’ using some sacked staff of the Presidential Amnesty Office against the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, Brigadier General Paul Boroh (Rtd), youths in the Niger Delta region under the backing of the Reformed Ex-Niger Delta Agitators Forum, have again warned that they will no longer tolerate “self-seeking politicians drag the name of the Amnesty boss in the mud.”

In a statement on Sunday by the Liaison Officer of the pro-

gramme in the Niger Delta, Mr Piriye Kiyaramo, said the Chairman of the Reformed Ex-Niger Delta Agitators Forum, Mr. George Gbala who condemned a recent statement credited to one Timi Angalabiri, pointed out that “while whistle blowing remains an essential ingredient to any democratic system of government, unethical and irresponsible whistle blowing acts by unscrupulous individuals with the sole aim of either causing disaffection in the polity or blackmailing a public officer for personal aggrandizement, should not be allowed.

He said that such act could be misleading and counterproductive, particularly in a time when the federal government

was doing its best to address the critical issues confronting the region.

Gbala, a beneficiary of the Presidential Amnesty Programme, hinted that “what these failed contractors in collaboration with some sacked staff of the Amnesty Office are trying to do is to whip up sentiments against the person of Gen. Boroh and the Amnesty Office, knowing that an illinformed society will always be vulnerable to such concocted lies and cheap blackmails.

The youth leader said he is aware that the Amnesty Office has trained well over 5,000 persons in the area of capacity development in education, in addition to others trained in various skill areas such as agriculture, automobile engi-

neering, aviation, sports and entrepreneurship development.

He maintained that all transactions in the Amnesty Office under Gen. Boroh followed due process, contrary to the unsubstantiated allegations made against the Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta and Coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme by sacked staff being sponsored by failed contractors, informing that the Amnesty Office under its new boss has paid all debts, including those owed by previous administration.

According to him, “on assumption of office, Gen. Boroh developed an exit strategy in order to achieve sustainable reintegration of the 30,000 ex-

agitators captured in the programme, with a view to providing sustainable livelihood through various educational and vocational empowerment packages”.

While commending President Muhammadu Buhari for sustaining the Amnesty programme, he noted that the ongoing vocational trainings for delegates of the programme serve as channel for entrepreneurial skills acquisition, geared towards improving the economic situation in the Niger Delta region, through production and distribution of goods and services in different areas of specialization, with a view to sustaining peace, stability and development in the region.

Monday, September 4, 2017

EXTRATIME

30

Kehinde Akinpelu,

O

Ilorin

ver four hundred up-coming athletes from the sixteen Local Government Areas will converge on Ilorin from today for the first All Kwara State Inter-Local Government Primary Schools Open Athletics competition.

Over 400 grassroots athletes storm Ilorin today Participants in the two-day programme will feature in seven events including 100m, 200m, 400m, mixed relay, medley, sack race and egg race.

The Chairman of the Kwara State Athletics Association, Alhaji Tunde Abdulkareem said the pro-

Super Eagles of Nigeria

WCQ: Wounded Lions set for Eagles’ rematch Andrew Ekejiuba with Agency Report

C

ameroon and Nigeria will resume hostilities today when they meet for a second successive 2018 World Cup qualifying clash. The teams are set to battle at the Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in Yaounde this evening, kick-off at 19h00 CAT. The teams met in a Group B match on Friday night and Nigeria powered to 4-0 victory on home soil in Uyo, thanks to goals from Odion Ighalo, John Obi Mikel, Victor Moses and Kelechi Iheanacho.

As a result of the comprehensive victory, the Super Eagles are on verge of qualifying for Russia 2018: a win in Yaounde, combined with a win or draw for Algeria against Zambia in the other Group B match on Tuesday, and Nigeria will be able to book their flights to Russia.

Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr dedicated the victory on Friday to goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, who is currently battling Leukemia, and praised gloves-man Ikechukwu Ezenwa, who put in a strong showing against the Indomitable Lions.

“Before the match we pledged to win it for Carl and that we delivered tonight,” said the German tactician after the match.

“Ezenwa kept well, just like the defence showed a lot of organisation and discipline.”

Rohr also outlined his plan for the remainder of the qualifiers, starting with the match against Cameroon.

“We need 11 points to qualify and now we have nine,” he explained.

“We must avoid defeat in Cameroon and fight for the remaining point in the remaining two matches against Algeria and Zambia.” Rohr added, “We had a good mix of experience and youth, which was key to our victory. It is not finished yet, that is why we remain very humble.”

As for Cameroon coach Hugo Broos, the Belgian has admitted that his side’s hopes of reaching the World Cup are gone after the heavy loss in Uyo. “There is no pressure anymore, Nigeria have nine points, we have two points,” Broos explained.

“But there is only an honour to defend, there is no importance to this. I just hope my players will have the same mentality that I have - that they will fight today till the last minute - to beat Nigeria.”

gramme was conceived in line with the policy of the State government to bring back the lost glory of Sports in the State in particularly and the Nation in general.

Abdulkareem explained that all arrangement had been concluded to ensure a hitch-free competition

aimed at discovering budding talents from the grassroots.

The Competition will hold inside the main bowl of the State Stadium, Ilorin starting at nine o clock in the morning each day.

Important personalities will grace the occasion.

Kwese Basketball League Final begins

Basketball Federation (NBBF), Olumide Oyedeji, said both the federation and Kano State government have perfected plans for a successful weeklong championship.

The former national team captain said the Final 8 this year will be more than just hostilities as the NBBF has lined up other programmes to make it first of its kind.

“All teams are on ground and Royal Hoopers who boycotted have been replaced with Oluyole Warriors of Ibadan.

Beyond the hostilities inside the court we have lined up other activities like holding basketball clinics for young boys and girls as well as visiting young people’s homes, homes for the aged and orphanages in our Community Outreach Programme.

Frank Jumbo

T

he 2017 edition of the Kwese basketball Premier League Final 8 commenced on Sunday at the Sani Abacha Stadium Kano with three games on Day 1. Declaring the Final 8 open, Vice President of the Tijjani Umar-led Nigeria

Hamed

Pillar of Sports, Ejidike hails high riding Eagles Andrew Ekejiuba

S

Kwese Premier League Basketball action

uper Eagles of Nigeria which devoured clueless Lions of Cameroon by four goals to nothing in 2018 World Cup African qualifier have been described by the Nigeria Pillar of Sports, Chief Donatus Agu Ejidike, as unstoppable. The Nigeria Pillar of Sports who hailed the Super Eagles scintillating performance sounded that the whipping of the dreaded African Champions, Cameroon is a restoration of hope that Nigeria will rise again.

Ejidike noted that the formation which was effectively supported with the line-up was the best thing that ever happened to the senior national team in recent times.

Monday, September 4. 2017

EXTRATIME

31

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP…

Liverpool signs Oxlade-Chamberlain from Gunners L iverpool have completed the signing of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain from Premier League rivals Arsenal for a reported fee of £35million.

The 24-year-old signed a long-term contract with Jurgen Klopp’s side on deadline day in a deal it is believed could reach a value of £40m, having passed a medical while on England duty at St George’s Park.

He had been tipped to join Chelsea after turning down a new contract offer from the Gunners worth a reported £180,000 per week, but he is thought to have rejected the champions’ advances in favour of a move to Merseyside.

“I’m currently away with England, so I’m at St George’s Park,” Oxlade-Chamberlain said in a message to Liverpool supporters.

“Firstly, I’m delighted to have signed

for Liverpool and a big thank you to everyone here at the FA that has made this possible, using the facilities. It has been a massive help.

“I’m not going to say too much today; I’m here with England and we’ve got two big games coming up, so I want to focus on them. But I can’t wait to get to Melwood.”

Oxlade-Chamberlain adds to Liverpool’s previous signings of Mohamed Salah, Andrew Robertson and Dominic Solanke.

Stories by Frank Jumbo with Agency Reports

Oxlade-Chamberlain’s departure comes after a turbulent start to Arsenal’s season saw them lose two of their first three Premier League games, including Sunday’s 4-0 humiliating reverse at Anfield.

Liverpool, meanwhile, have seven points from a possible nine and have also sealed qualification to the Champions League group stage since the start of the new campaign.

Kompany eyes coaching career

Wenger not giving up in V Lemar chase A

Stories by Andrew Ekejiuba

rsene Wenger has confirmed that Arsenal bid €100million for Thomas Lemar and the Gunners boss will renew his interest in the Monaco superstar when the transfer window reopens.

Arsenal had successfully agreed what would have been a club-record fee for the winger on transfer deadline day, only for Lemar to turn down a move to the Premier League.

Wenger confirmed on Thursday that they had come close to a deal, although the exact figure that had been agreed remained unclear.

On Sunday the Arsenal boss clarified the situation during an appearance on French television station. “€100m for Lemar? Yes it is all true,” he said. “I wanted him. He decided to stay at Monaco. “We will come back for him.”

Lemar was not the only Monaco star that interested Wenger during the window, as Kylian Mbappe was also someone he was keen on signing.

incent Kompany may have two years left on his contract with Manchester City, but the Belgium international is already plotting a career postretirement.

Kompany will be 33 when his deal at the Etihad Stadium expires and given his recent problems with injuries he has begun to look at the options open to him.

The City skipper has no intention of leaving the game once his playing days come to an end and believes he has plenty to offer to future generations as a coach.

“I don’t know where I will be in football when I finish, but it’s 100 per cent certain I will remain in football. It’s my passion,” the Belgium international said.

“I’ve played and lived this game since I was six years old so I don’t see a reason why I should throw all that experience away all of a

sudden.

“I have got good contact with the younger people here and I just love bringing across my experience and how I see certain things.

“I have learned from the best, from their mistakes as well as my own and hopefully I will be better because of that.”

Exactly when Kompany will hang up his boots remains unclear, but he is no rush to extend his City stay despite a strong affinity to the club.

“I’ve given myself the obligation to not think about anything regarding future contracts until my present contract is up,” he added.

“I’m really easy in my relationship with the club. It’s that good, there won’t be any panic on their side or my side.

“Let’s get the most out of these two years with City and international level and let’s see where we are at – no stress.”

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08038099089.

Editor Daily: TONY AMOKEODO

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2017

VOL. 3. NO. 440

Price: N150

Reminiscence of Nigerian Polity

Flashback in Times: September 4, 1964

News Hotline: 08050220561 Advert Hotlines: 08086296714, 08033228839

The need for any ruling party in Nigeria to give a hand of fellowship to other competent Nigerians in the opposition for the smooth running of the country’s business, had hitherto been reiterated by The Daily Times of Nigeria of edition of Friday, September 4, 1964.

The event of that period, today is antithetical to what we find in the country, where only party faithful and cronies of those at the helm of affairs are appointed to man strategic agencies of government, their competence and expertise notwithstanding.

The Anambra Times

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

CLO commends Obiano over AT2 security in Anambra

My target is to build a new AT 3 secretariat –new ONICCIMA boss Mojekwu lauds Obiano over projects in markets ÏÏÏFormer Chairman of

Deputy general manager, Nigerian Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), Onitsha, Mrs. Uche Amadi (middle) with Rear Admiral Thaddeus Udofia, Commandant, Naval War College, Nigeria (4th from right) and other directing staff and participants of Course One during their one week study tour of Anambra State on Maritime Security...recently

Why traders are backing Gov Obiano –Onitsha market leader

Stories by Alphonsus Nweze Awka

ÏÏÏThe

Anambra

T E A M

Special Assistant to the Anambra State Governor on Market Matters, Hon Ejike Ngonu, has said that traders in the state are backing Governor Willie Obiano because of his special interest and love he has for them.

Hon. Ngonu, who spoke to The Anambra Times in Onitsha said as part from his love for traders, Governor Obiano has done so well that he doubts if any of the flag-bearers in other political parties can match his performance.

Ngonu, who is a market leader in the premier market in the West African sub-region, the Onitsha Main market, said he was a beneficiary of Governor Obiano’s magnanimity to the traders in the state.

“This is why we are happy at his emergence as the Governorship candidate of our great party, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). It was a good one. We support him. Our support is based on his performance generally, since he came to power four years ago,” said

Obiano’s aide on Market Matters.

Ngonu enumerated Governor Obiano’s performance to include provision of maximum security in every part of the state, payment of workers’ and teachers’ salary as and when due, which has earned him the sobriquet “Alert Governor”.

He said in addition, the Governor still employs including the physically challenged, whom he has done enough to improve their status in the state by making one of them a Special Assistant.

For the first time, said Ngonu, in the history of Anambra State, Obiano has appointed traders, three of them into his cabinet, saying that no other Governor in the past had extended this gesture to the traders of the state.

“I think he loves traders more than any other group in the state.

And that is why he is doing everything to improve our markets. And we have consequently decided to give him support to govern Anambra State for the next four years again,” Ngonu said.

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondents: Alphonsus Nweze Philip Balepo John Chinenye

The Special Assistant vowed that the traders in particular and the Anambra people in general will vote Obiano and defend their votes, saying “we will ensure that our votes are counted, we will defend it.

I hope INEC will not play pranks; the security people should be fair in dealing with all parties. I urge everybody to remain calm. Hold your voter’s card very well. On 18th November come out and vote for

continuity. God will fight for us. We will win “.

He reminded all that the Governor as the Chief security officer of the state will ensure the security of the state during the campaigns and election.

“I expect all the relevant agencies in this election, INEC, Police, the Army and DSS should not allow themselves to be used by any party,” he warned.

Nov. guber poll: NUJ to organise political debate ÏÏÏMoved by the desire for Anambra State to produce quality governor during November 18, 2017 governorship election, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Anambra State branch has said it will organise a political debate for all the governorship candidates in all the political parties involved in the forthcoming governorship election in the state.

The chairman of NUJ in the state, Comrade Emma Ifesinachi, who stated this while inaugurating the executive and members of the newly formed “Onitsha Federated Chapel of NUJ,” also said the union will organise press week which will come up in a yet-to-be fixed date in this month.

He said the Press week will feature interactive session with leadership of all security agencies in the state,

lectures, awards presentation, while political debates will feature all candidates of all political parties contesting the governorship election.

He charged the members of the newly inaugurated chapel to be professional in approach to their jobs, warning that the union will not hesitate to apply the big stick if any of them tries to do anything that will drag the image of the profession to the mud.

The chairman said the union in the state had set up a committee to flush out quacks in the profession.

In his speech, chairman of newly inaugurated chapel, Mr. Okechukwu Akaneme, on behalf of the members, thanked the NUJ leadership in the state for their purposeful and resultoriented leadership in the state.

Electrical Dealers Association, Obosi in Idemili North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Mojekwu, has commended Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State for his wise decision to put up projects in various markets in the state.

Speaking recently while fielding questions from newsmen, Mojekwu said that it will be a laudable development for the State Government to help them construct secretariat as part of N10m development projects in all the markets in the state.

He also lauded the current chairman of the market, Evangelist Peter Obi, for his achievement so far in the market as well as commitment to take the traders to greater height.

Mojekwu said: “So far, so good. His efforts are paying off.

We have a good chairman who is attracting government’s presence to the market”.

Mojekwu said Obi has done well by striving to remember some of them who have in one way or the other contributed to the development of the market, saying that there were chairmen before him who did not recognise that some of them existed, hence there were crises here and there.

The Vice-president of the market, Chief Chukwuma Agwasinwa, was grateful to God for what we has used the current executive to achieve, especially restoration of peace, saying “God has been our strength. Without him, we couldn’t have succeeded. We also thank the people who has given us their support so far”.

He said that one of their greatest achievements was the restoration of peace in the market, recalling that before now there were 27 cases in the court from the market but within less than one year of their assumption of office, the cases have been drastically reduced to three.

He said those cases have been resolved and that is why patrons and Board of Trustees (BoT) of the market now attend their programmes.

A patron of the market, Chief Dominic Obichukwu, said that the current chairman, Evangelist Peter Obi was very close to him said he was proud of executive.

The Anambra Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Nov. guber poll: Woman will defeat Obiano, Mega Party flag bearer boasts ÏÏÏBasking in the euphoria of her

Bishop Okoye (extreme right); Prof. Chukwuma Soludo (third from right) and Commissioner for Chieftaincy Matters in Anambra State, Chief Greg Obi (4th right) at the peace summit recently to resolve the 20-yearold crisis that rocked Isuofia, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo’s community.

CLO commends Obiano over security in Anambra Stories by Alphonsus Nweze Awka

ÏÏÏThe Civil Liberties Organisation

(CLO) Anambra State chapter has lauded Governor Willie Obiano for his commitment to security which has reduced the incidence of kidnapping in the state.

The civil society organisation in a statement signed by its Chairman, Comrade Vincent Ezekwueme, Secretary, Chidi Mbah and Publicity Secretary, Nicholas Amoke, also asked the Governor to urgently review the activities of the state special security outfit codenamed “Operation Nkpochapu” to ensure effective service delivery.

In a press release entitled: “A call for the review of activities of the state special security outfit, Operation Nkpochapu” and other sundry social ills,” CLO noted that after its thorough and holistic appraisal of the economic and social situations in Anambra State, there was resurgence of crime within the past six months in the state most especially within Onitsha and environs.

They listed notable flash points

observed within the period under review to include Ezeiweka Road, Obosi Road, Oraifite Street, MCC Junction, Mgbemena Street, Nwaziki Street, Tarzan Junction by Owerri Road; Port Harcourt Road, Uga Junction, Ziks Avenue, Ozomagala Street, Upper Iweka with offshoot at Lagos Park and Abuja Park, Ugwunabankpa Road, Awka Road, Old Market Road, Modebe Avenue, Oguta Road, and New Market Road among other areas in the state.

The group expressed fears that if urgent and drastic actions were not taken, the serene, conducive and congenial environment already created in the state would be eroded by the activities of some misguided and undesirable elements.

“We commend the Governor for reducing kidnapping to the barest minimum in the state. In fact, he deserved all the avalanche of awards coming his way in this regard but we call for a holistic review of Operation Nkpochapu. The personnel should be overhauled for effectiveness and efficiency. There should be renewed motivation and reinvigoration to officers of the Security outfit,” the group said.

The CLO also noted that within the period under review, the activities of the state revenue collectors were becoming nightmarish to road users and called for special monitoring of their activities and also giving them codified uniform with code of conduct for easy identification.

They also called for the extension of street lights from Borromeo Roundabout to Upper Iweka and other major streets in Onitsha as a way of helping to reduce crime in the state.

“It is simply pathetic and disgusting seeing the level of gangsterism and hooliganism going on in the name of collecting revenues for government. The city of Onitsha is simply under siege in the hands of these revenue collectors. Oftentimes they go as far as beating and dispossessing their victims of valuable property – especially money and goods.

One worrisome aspect is that, if one approaches them to exhibit civility and tranquility in their approach, they become boisterous and aggressive with statements like, “Don’t you know Governor’s office”, “We are on contract, so don’t tell us how we will recover our money,” the group stated.

Monarch emerges MPPP flag-bearer, promises to refocus Anambra ÏÏÏThe flag-bearer of

Mega Progressives Peoples Party (MPPP), His Royal Highness, Igwe Angus Chuma Ojukwu, of Awka -Etiti, has promised to remain focused in his avowed campaign to reposition Anambra State if voted into power in November18, 2017 governorship election in the state.

He spoke at the weekend shortly after he was adopted the candidate of MPPP in the coming November election at a special primary Congress held inAwka, the state capital.

He said the people of Anambra State deserve a better deal and urged them to support him in this worthwhile venture.

Enumerating his 10-point agenda which include education, security, industrialisation, agriculture, road construction, water and electricity, Ojukwu said his call was a divine one.

He said: “I so much believe that nothing is impossible for God. My call is divine. I thank God for this opportunity. This election will be a monarch versus the incumbent. You are witnesses to what happened here today. King David will use his ordinary catapult to kill Goliath”.

He said when he unleashed his 10-point agenda which include education, no child in Anambra State will hawk again on the streets the

state as all of them would be in school.

He declared that education would be free from primary to tertiary to afford every child in the state basic education.

Ojukwu said Governor Willie Obisno tried in the area of security especially protecting property but failed woefully in the area of protecting human lives, saying that securing human lives would be his priority because “we have to be alive to have possessions”.

Thanking the officers of the party both at the national and state levels, Igwe Ojukwu invited his party members to join him in his campaign to clinch the governorship of the state.

victory at the Mega Party of Nigeria gubernatorial primary election held at the weekend at Umudioka Hall, Awka, the Anambra State capital, the flag bearer of the party for the November 18, 2017 gubernatorial election in the state, Pastor (Mrs.) Praise Okechukwu, has said she has been divinely destined to defeat the incumbent Governor, Chief Willie Obiano, to become the next Governor.

Speaking shortly after emerging as the consensus candidate in a well-attended delegate Congress, Mrs. Okechukwu contended that it was the turn of women to pilot the affairs of the state, stating, “As the name of the party implies, it is a big party for all to embrace.”

She said: “It was God that touched the hearts of four others that were contesting with me in the primary election to step down and they did by agreeing that I should be a consensus candidate of the party after consultations and it will happen in a similar way same during the main election but in a different dimension.

“This time around, I will use the electorate’ votes to win other candidates including the incumbent Gov-

ernor Willie Obiano as it is destined

by God that a woman will win, and that is myself. I will be the next governor of the state”.

She commended the leadership and members of the party for the support given her during the primaries, promising to carry everybody along during the campaigns.

In his contribution, the state chairman of the party, Mr. Stephen Chuk said: “Pastor Okechukwu is a very credible person to occupy the number one seat in the state and with her victory here today we are getting to the Government House.

“When we started this journey, it was like a joke but now all are happy with her emergence and those who stepped down for her to emerge as the consensus candidate have all embraced her.

“My appeal to the electorate is to vote en masse for Mega Party of Nigeria for better welfare especially in Anambra State because it is the hub of the South East”.

He commended all who made it possible for her to emerge including the INEC officials and the National Working Committees of the party present, adding “you did well for it is the turn of a woman to govern the state”.

…Forum drums support for APC governorship candidate

ÏÏÏNdigbo Unity Forum (NUF), a

socio-political group, says Dr. Tony Nwoye, All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, is the only candidate with the pedigree to transform Anambra to a model state.

The President of the forum, Mr. Augustine Chukwudum, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu on Saturday that Nwoye had the needed charisma, dynamism and exposure to lead Anambra to the next level.

Chikwudum, therefore, called on Anambra people to vote en mass for Nwoye for the needed transformation on the November 18, 2017 governorship poll.

He expressed optimism that an APC-led administration with the support of from the Federal Government would fix all existing infrastructure and developmental lapses in the state.

“Nwoye is the only person who

can continue from where the former governor Chris Ngige stopped in terms of building an enduring developmental infrastructure because since Ngige left office, the state has remained stand still.

“No solid road; no water both in the urban and rural area; no free education; hospital has been overgrown with weeds and no new jobs creation,’’ he said.

Chukwudum said that other notable areas where the state had been doing well previously had continued to retard behind.

“While agriculture, tourism and industry, where the state had been faring well in the 80s, 90s and early 20s is nothing to write home about now.

“To correct all these ills is why Ndigbo Unity Forum endorse Nwoye because he is well equipped to lead Anambra to higher level of development,’’ he said.

Court grants bail to 14 suspected cultists ÏÏÏAn Ogidi Magistrate Court in

Idemili Local Government Area of Anambra State presided over by A.N Okoli has granted bail to 14 youths accused of belonging to a cult group called Junior Vikings Fraternity.

When the case came up for hearing, the prosecuting police officer, Sergeant Cyril Ogbodo, told the court that they were arrested at Awada, Idemili North Local Government Area on August 15, 2017.

The cultists were arraigned on a two-count charge of conspiracy to commit felony to wit: cultism and belonging to a secret cult known as Junior Viking Confraternity (JVC), and thereby committed offence punishable under section 495 (a) of criminal code cap 36. Vol. 11, revised law

of Anambra State of Nigeria 1991 as amended and section 3(1) secret cultism and similar activities laws of Anambra State of Nigeria, 2004.

In their defence, the accused persons through their counsel- seven lawyers in all, pleaded not guilty to the charges and prayed the court to grant them bail since the offences were bailable.

The prosecuting Police officer opposed the bail for two of the accused, Anayo Samuel and Pascal Ozim, for not presenting a surety.

After hearing from the counsels to the accused and the prosecutor, the Presiding Magistrate granted all bail except Anayo Samuel and Pascal Ozim, ordering that they be remanded in prison custody until their bail conditions were met by reliable sureties.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Nov guber election: ADP elects Okonkwo flagbearer ÏÏÏThe

Action Democratic Party (ADP), Anambra State chapter has elected Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, as its candidate for the November 18, 2017 governorship election in the state with a firm promise that it will sustain the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

The ADP National Secretary and returning officer in the Governorship Primary election committee, Dr. James Okoroma, said Mr. Okonkwo polled a total of 1,062 votes out of 1,072 votes cast by delegates accredited to emerge the party’s candidate.

Dr. Okoroma presenting the party’s flag to Mr. Okonkwo in Awka, the State capital, said the governorship candidate was elected by direct voting conducted in the three senatorial zones, saying that the exercise was peaceful.

“Having satisfied all the constitutional requirements of ADP, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Okonkwo, is hereby declared winner and the candidate

for the November 18 governorship election in Anambra State.

“The race to take over Anambra State government started today. With the outcome of the party primary, ADP is the party to beat in the election,” he said.

He called for support from the electorate to realise the dreams of forming the next government in the state.

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Okonkwo said Anambra State cannot afford to go back to Egypt, and promised to ensure that his government continues the crusade on anticorruption, impunity, insecurity, law and order, if voted as governor.

Okonkwo said his administration would tackle problems in the education sector by increasing its budget and payment of grants to assist infrastructural development in schools, invest money in human capital development as well as development of sports and sporting infrastructure in every local government in the state.

… Nkwoka emerges Accord Party candidate ÏÏÏHon.

Stanley Chigbo Nkwoka has emerged the governorship candidate of the Accord Party in November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State.

The Governorship primary election committee Chairman, Engr. Udo Ijere, who announced the result in Awka, said Nkwoka was elected by affirmation, having scored 105 votes out of the 108 accredited delegates.

Engr. Ijere, who was also the returning officer, said the emergence of Nkwoka as their candidate will help transform Anambra State a better state if Accord Party wins the election.

He said the current administration has impoverished Nigerians, promising that the Accord Party will work to improve the lives of the people, provide food on their tables and give the people of Anambra a new sense of belonging.

“The poverty situation in the country is much that people have lost hope in government. Accord Party will work to address these issues.

We must go for the party with good

ideas because politics is about bringing changes in the lives of people”, he said.

While criticising the zoning formula adopted by some political parties the state, he said, “Accord Party is tired of zoning arrangement which does not give people equal opportunity in governance.

“With the crisis trailing Nigeria politics, it is time to drop zoning for people who have mental capacity to be in government.

“Our little effort must cause some changes, it will help in the filtration prices. Then the government that will sanitise our system will emerge.

What we are doing today will help to improve the society politically, economically and socially,” he added.

Addressing party members, Hon. Nkwoka promised to run a transparent government where all communities, groups and sectors would be carried along, stating that security of lives and property, rule of law and order will take top priority of his government if elected.

One armed robber lynched, two arrested in Onitsha ÏÏÏLuck ran out of a suspected mo-

torcycle armed robber during the weekend as he was lynched by irate mob near Electronics International Market, Onitsha, along Expressway.

Following the incident, the Police from Fegge Police station arrested two other accomplices.

According to eyewitness account, one of the two arrested robbers was shot on his leg while trying to escape on sighting the police.

The Okada robbers, who have been terrorising the area in their bid to rob unsuspecting traders, were attacked by some people who challenged. They succeeded in catching one of the robbers which attracted the mob which lynched the unlucky hoodlums, and burnt their motor bike.

As the second was trying to escape, the police that was alerted immediately swung into action and shot him on the leg which incapacitated him.

The third robber was mentioned

during interrogation by the Police, who immediately went and arrested him. He on his part mentioned a kingpin who supplies them arms and ammunition.

Rabiu Garba, Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Fegge, Onitsha, who confirmed the incident, said the Police was still trailing the kingpin.

He said his boys recovered from the hoodlums, burnt motor cycle used in the operation.

Garba said the robbers were among ones who have been reported to be terrorising the area in recent time.

“We have been trailing them because what they do is that occasionally they enter Fegge, strike and leave.

So we spread our dragnet in strategic locations to track them down and people have reported that they rob people in that area”.

He reiterated his warnings to criminals to leave Fegge and environs because he would go after them.

The Anambra Times 3

My target is to build a new secretariat –new ONICCIMA boss Stories by Alphonsus Nweze Awka

ÏÏÏ The new chairman of

Onitsha Chamber of Commerce Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr. Donatus Ebubeogu, has said that his pre-occupation as the helmsman of the Organised Private Sector in the commercial city was to build a brand new secretariat.

Ebubeogu, who spoke to The Anambra Times recently when he was inaugurated, vowed that the chamber will park to its own permanent secretariat before his tenure winds up in the next two years.

In the interim, he said, the present secretariat of the Onitsha Chamber at Achike House in Oguta Road would be relocated to a new office at GRA Onitsha.

Advising the candidates that

emerged from the recent primaries of different political parties, the ONICCIMA President lamented the high cost of campaigns and elections.

He appealed to the candidates and their political parties to drastically reduce the cost of running campaigns and elections for the overall interest of the people they claim they want to serve.

Ebubeogu said unfortunately the expensive nature of our politicking was not in the best interest of the citizens, saying that the huge money being spent on election, supposed to be used to provide basic infrastructure for the people, pay workers and create jobs for the teeming youths of the state in particular and the country in general.

Ebubeogu took over from Uchenna Apakama, a pharmacist, as the 12th President of Onitsha Cham-

ber of commerce.

In his speech, Apahama said that Ebubeogu, who was elected with his executives, at the 29th Annual General Meeting (AGM) of ONICCIMA on June 29, 2017 for a two -year tenure from 2017/2019, is a distinguished industrialist and managing director of Tiger Foods Limited.

Describing Ebubeogu as “a dynamic, energetic, visionary and ambitious young man,” Apakama said he was effectively positioned to bring “greater glory, growth, visibility and relevance to our chamber”.

Apakama pledged his support and that of the members of OPS in Onitsha and urged them to embrace and support the chamber movement as a major voice of private sector enterprises.

The new president of Onitsha Chamber, Mr. Donatus Ebubeogu (middle); the immediate past President, Pharmacist Uche Apakama (right) and former president, Rob Emeka Eze, during the 29th Annual General Meeting of the chamber...recently.

Ex-HDP chairman emerges party’s candidate for governorship poll ÏÏÏThe

immediate past Anambra State Chairman of Hope Democratic Party (HDP), Chief Sam Oraegbunam, has been nominated as the party’s flag bearer for the November 18, 2017 governorship election in Anambra State.

Oraegbunam was unanimously nominated by a 450-man delegate at the primary election held at Jesse Hotel, Awka on Wednesday.

The National Chairman of HDP, Chief Ambrose Owuru, while giving the Certificate of Return to Oraegbunam, said the unanimity of the party members in nominating him was due to the confidence they had in him.

Owuru, represented by Chief

Samuel Ogbonna, the Abia chairman of the party, said the journey of the party to Anambra Government House had just begun.

He expressed the hope that going by the grassroots presence of the party in Anambra and the peaceful conduct of the primary election, HDP was prepared to go to the poll.

In his remarks, Oraegbunam, a member of the Nigerian Society of Engineers, said that he was the “game changer” in the Anambra gubernatorial race.

The candidate said he joined the race because Anambra people were fed up with the ruling All Progressives Grand Alliance and they were desirous of change.

He promised that if elected, he would conduct Local Government election within three months, as the non-existence of duly elected officials at that grassroots was alienating youths from political participation.

Earlier, the Chairman of HDP primary committee, Mr. Carl Mbanefo, said the exercise fulfilled the constitution of the party and committee guidelines.

Mbanefo congratulated the winner and urged party faithful to work harder ahead of the poll.

Officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and some officials of the HDP from other states witnessed the exercise.

The Anambra Times 4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Politics

Emergence of Nwoye, Obaze tightens race for Obiano Alphonsus Nweze, Awka

ÏÏÏ With the conclusion of

the primaries by the major political parties, leading to the emergence of the standard bearers, we have reached a very critical stage in the Anambra Governorship election which holds November 18, 2017.

After a brief rest, which will afford the parties and their candidates the opportunity to strategise for the campaigns, they will hit the road to market their respective candidates, telling them innovations they will bring in the governance of the state if any of them wins.

With the emergence of Tony Nwoye, a member of House of Representatives, representing Anambra West and East in the House of Representatives as the All Progressives Congress (APC) flag-bearer and former Secretary to Anambra State Government, Oseloka Obaze as Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governorship candidate and the incumbent, Governor Willie Obiano for All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the coast is now clear for the kick-off of the electioneering.

But one thing that came out clear in these primaries is that the major political parties either out of design or omission have come to endorse zoning in Anambra State as political arrangement to stabilise polity in the state as the three major candidates are from Anambra North political zone of the state.

Another significant highlight in the primaries is that the three major candidates are Catholics, which had more or less determined who becomes the Governor of the state since the emergence of Mr. Peter Obi in the politics of the state. So on these two critical points, three of the candidates stand on equal pedestal.

It is however important note that the other two candidates in in the race Mr. Godwin Ezeemo of Peoples Progressives Alliance (PPA) and Osita Chidoka of United Peoples Party (UPP) are Anglicans.

Many see the emergence of both Nwoye and Obaze as major threats to Obiano’s second term ambition. Nwoye, a medical doctor, former National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) President, former chairman of PDP in Anambra State and currently member of House of Representatives representing Anambra West/East, is seen by many as a grassroot politician.

As a former Students’ Union leader, Nwoye is believed to have capacity to mobilise boys who can intimidate and unsettle his political opponent any day. Perhaps Nwoye’s most potent weapon in this election is his party which controls the l Federal Government.

Typical of Nigerian politics, many including arch supporters of Nwoye believe that Federal might would be brought to bear in this election and Governor Obiano would not be able to contain it. And what is Federal might anyway? - the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Security (DSS), the Civil Defence and indeed the security apparatus in the country are expected to work to install APC candidate no matter the odds.

Nwoye is said to be more approachable and accessible politician and this no doubt will work in his favour. Election is survival of the fittest. The end justifies the means. For his supporters, this is where Nwoye thrives best.

For the PDP candidate, Henry Oseloka Obaze, he is counting on his background as ex-Foreign Affairs and United Nations Career officer and the Secretary to the Government of the Anambra State under Governor Peter Ob and briefly under Obiano.

Obaze’s strength in this race will be the support of the former Governor Obi. Obi is expected to bring to bear his perceived tremendous goodwill to bear in his support of Obaze who he was instrumental to his emergence as

the PDP standard bearer in this race.

But Obi’s support is akin to two-edged sword as the people of Anambra State will not accept god-fatherism by Obi who during his period relentlesly fought against it.

It is in the same vein that Nwoye’s support in this race by multi-millionaire businessman, Chief Arthur Eze is both asset and liability to him.

While Eze’s deep pocket is a significant fillip to Nwoye, many in the state believe that his funding of Nwoye will bring back god-fatherism, which has been routed in the state since the administration of Dr. Chris Ngige. It is believed that the combination of Nwoye and Eze will leave Anambra State in comatose just like Premier Breweries was left since it was acquired during the military. Already it has been reported in the media that Nwoye allegedly struck an agreement with Eze to control the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state if he (Nwoye) wins.

But beyond all these, APC as a party would be a hard sell in Anambra State because the party is generally perceived in the South East as an anti-Igbo and anti-Christian. As somebody pointed out, what is APC programme for Ndigbo? It is even particularly more difficult Gov. Obiano given the fact that party has not performed at the national level where it hold sway.

Another odd against Nwoye and Obaze is the fact that political class in both Anambra South and Central who want a shot at governorship of the state will prefer working for the victory of Obiano who will leave the stage after the next four years than Nwoye and Obaze who of course will want to go for a second, giving the North 12 years of unbroken slot.

Baring Governor’s imperfections as a human, what will greatly favour him in this election is that he is an incumbent, who has not done so badly given his performance in the area of security of lives and property in the state. It must be placed on record that since last four years Obiano has been in the saddle, there has never been any kidnapping and major armed robbery in the state. Those who have been residing in the state especially the commercial nerve centre, Onitsha, will appreciate this better.

In an era of pervasive non-payment of salaries among state governments, the workers of Tony Nwoye Anambra State would be very skeptical to vote Oseloka Obaze another candidate except Obiano because they may not know if the coming governor over at Unizik junction, Awka but Obiano has in the state. will be able to pay as and when due.

The traders on strength of that have assured It is pertinent to note that Obi in his eight been able to complete three bridges in Awka.

There are many other achievements, his supthat they will sink and swim with Obiano. Al-year tenure did not even employ a single civil porters would continue to reel out endlessly . though one cannot vouch for these traders as servant or teacher. But on the twilight of his Even with the threat of boycott of election many of them have their vested interests and administration, he employed over 10, 000 by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), the allegiances with some the candidates, there is workers for the incoming Obiano, who has All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Obievery indication that most of the traders will not only continued to pay them salaries as and ano’s party , is still the party to beat in Anamgo with Obiano. when due but has not dropped a single workFor candidates like Chidoka and Ezemmo, er rather continued to employ and increase bra State because of its pro-Igbo ideology.

The church especially the Catholic Church their parties do not have the structure that workers’ salary. and to some extent the Anglican Church have will upset the big three party in this race. ChiIt would be recalled that Ngige and Obi at a played key roles in determining who becomes foka’s UPP’s anchor on Biafra and Igbo ideoltime were quarrelling over who built the fly the Governor of Anambra State especially ogy may not be enough to push him to victory. since after the inglorious days of Dr. Chin- The same thing is applicable to Ezemmo’s woke Mbadinuju. The church in the state will PPA. The candidate’s perceived humane and likely prefer to work with Obiano they know humanitarian nature will not be enough to than Obaze, Nwoye or any other candidate clinch him a ticket. For these duo to challenge they have not worked with before. Sources the big three party, they must be able to pump said that there is a nexus between APGA and in enough money to attract politicians who the Catholic Church in the state. will work for their victory from the grassroot Although the two candidates in this elec- to the state level. tion are Anglicans and therefore supposed to No doubt the odds in this election favour attract their sympathy and support, they may Obiano not only because he is the incumbent go for Obiano given the realities on ground but due to a combination of factors. However, and the recent rapport between Obiano and he must be a very shrewd politician to contain the Church. That is Chief Osita Chidoka of Nwoye’s challenge who is bringing his own United Peoples Party (UPP) and Mr. Godwin personal charisma and the Federal might into Ezemmo of Progressives Peoples Alliance the race.

(APGA).

In all, there is a God that reigns in affairs of There has been a certain degree of relation- men, who promotes one and demotes another, ship that have existed between the traders in although most politicians do not reckon with Anambra State and Governor Obiano’s Gov- this, but ultimately He determines who will ernment especially in providing infrastruc- emerge as the next Governor n Anambra Sate ture worth N10 million to each of the market come November 18, 2017.

In all, there is a God that reigns in affairs of men, who promotes one and demotes another, although most politicians do not reckon with this but ultimately He determines who will emerge as the next governor in Anambra Sate come November 18, 2017.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

External reserves hike by $968m in one month – CBN Page B3

SEC hopeful CBN may open liquidity window for market operators Page B4

Monday, September 4, 2017

NHIs’ implementation should focus on poor people - NACA DG

Page B7

FG commences allocation of 1,025 housing units to civil servants Hannah Akano

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Stock market declines 0.95% in August ÏL ƕ ƏƆƄ Ƒ Ɨ Ɛ ƈ ƓƆƆƊ Afolabi Adesola Trading activities on the Nigerian Stock Exchange, NSE, will resume tomorrow (Tuesday), as the country observes a national public holiday in commemoration of the Eid-el Kabir Muslim Festival.

However, analysis of equities market performance in the week ended Thursday, August 31st,

2017, showed repressed figures, as profit taking by investors drove last week’s WtD returns to a negative 3.12 per cent, Month-to-Date to a negative 0.95 per cent, while Year-to-Date return moderated to 32.11per cent.

The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization depreciated by 3.12 per cent each to close the week at 35,504.62 points and N12.237 trillion respectively, while

all other Indices finished lower during the week with the exception of the NSE Insurance and NSE Oil/Gas Indices that appreciated by 1.90 per cent and 0.29 per cent respectively. The NSE ASeM Index, however remained unchanged.

The four-day trading week shortened by the Federal Government of Nigeria’s declaration of Friday,1st and Monday 4th of Sep-

tember, 2017, as Public Holidays in commemoration of the Eid -elKabir celebrations, ended with the Consumer Goods recording the largest loss of 2.88 per cent This was as a result of sell-offs in Guinness, which declined by 7.36 per cent, Nigerian Breweries that dropped -5.25 per cent, and Unilever that lost 4.87 per cent.

Similarly, the Industrial Goods CONTINUES ON PAGE B2

China’s new energy vehicle threatens auto industry ÏRƒƆƏ ǀƠƣèƠƠƠ Ƒ ƈƐ ƋƗ Ƌ Ɛ ƕƆ Ə BUSINESS TIMES Business Editor Ganiyu Obaaro Deputy Business Editor Azubike Nnadozie Asst. Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

Ganiyu Obaaro, with Agency report

China’s new energy vehicle (NEV) industry has seen rapid growth in the past few years, with growing sales and an improved industry ecosystem, according to an industry association.

Production and sales of NEVs have surpassed one million units so far, with an annual growth rate of over 200 per cent, said Dong Yang, vice director of China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM).

With more than 50 per cent of the world’s NEV production, sales, and ownership in 2016, Chi-

na is now a global leader in NEV development.

Domestic battery makers, motor producers, and other enterprises in the supply chain have become internationally significant suppliers, with more than 70 per cent of the global shipments of NEV batteries coming from China, Dong said.

CONTINUES ON PAGE B2

The federal Government has commenced allocation of 1,025 housing units to some beneficiary civil servants under the Federal Integrated Staff Housing programme.

Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Chris Ngige, supported by the Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Mrs Winifred Oyo-Ita, handed over the keys of 70 housing units out of the 1,025 completed housing units to the lucky subscribers at De-Ita Emeks Nigeria Ltd Estate, Kurudu, Abuja.

The allocation of some of the completed housing units to some of the off-takers of the mass housing programme, was part of the programmes making the 2017 Federal Civil Service Week.

According to Ngige, said the symbolic allocation of the 70 housing units to the beneficiaries at the De-Ita Emeks Nigeria Ltd Estate, was to show the commitment of the current administration to deliver on its promise of mass housing for Nigerians.

He said one of the cardinal campaign promise of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), was provision of mass housing for Nigerians, adding that apart from the housing programme for the civil servants, other housing programmes were being executed by different Ministries, Departments and Agencies, especially the Ministry of Power Works & Housing.

However, the Head of Service, explained that the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) programme, was targeted at construction of 22,000 housing units of various categories to be made available to workers within the recently approved Federal Executive Council approved long-term 2017-2019 Strategic plan of the OHCSF. Oyo-Ita, added that over 48,000 off-takers have registered into the programme with unprecedented passion being expressed by even those outside the Federal Public Service.

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

iflix secures $133m to boost service for emerging markets Motolani oseni As part of efforts in delivering its vision of bringing the world’s best entertainment to its audiences, iflix, the world’s leading Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD) on Tuesday, announced completion of $133 million funding to boosts service for emerging markets.

The funding round, which attracted significant interest from both new investors and existing shareholders, was led by Hearst, one of America’s largest diver-

sified media, information and services companies, and also included additional new investors Singapore-based EDBI and clients of DBS private bank. Existing shareholders Evolution Media, Sky PLC, Catcha Group, Liberty Global, Jungle Ventures and PLDT Inc. also increased their investments.

Since going live in May 2015, iflix rapidly established a clear leadership position in emerging markets, setting a new standard for delivering a world-class streaming entertainment service, passionately focused on local customer

experiences.

Over the last 12 months, the service has seen extraordinary growth across all segments of the business, expanding from four markets to 19 across Asia, the Middle East and Africa. The company has additionally built deep integrated distribution partnerships with 27 leading telecommunications operators to bundle the iflix service with customers’ mobile and data subscriptions, all sponsored by the telecommunications provider.

During the period, iflix also

achieved tremendous growth across subscriber numbers and engagement by 3x and 2x respectively, and recorded some of the highest average active mobile viewing durations of any service in the world at 2.5-2.75 hours per session.

The company saw 230 percent growth in year on year revenue, and increased its commitment to localization, producing 26,000 hours of subtitles in nine languages, with locally-curated content in every market. iflix’s full content library showcases thousands of

award-winning and iconic first run programs and library content from over 230 studio partners from 30 countries.

The new round brings total funding raised by iflix this calendar year to an excess of $220 million. Proceeds from the round will be used to invest in its local content strategy. iflix recently unveiled its first exclusive original production, Oi Jaga Mulut, an audacious, uncensored, no holds barred stand-up comedy series, which since debuting in Malaysia last week, has skyrocketed to the leading show on the service.

Stock market declines 0.95% in August CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

and Banking indices recorded negative returns of 2.48 per cent and 2.36 per cent this week, driven by profit-taking in the shares of Dangote Cement that dropped 5.09 per cent, and UBA that fell 6.19 per cent.

On the other hand, the Insurance index rebounded from previous week’s loss to record the largest gain of 1.90 per cent, following renewed interest in the shares of Continental Reinsurance that appreciated 13.95per cent, Custodian and Allied Insurance that grew 5.26 per cent, and MANSARD that increased 2.63 per cent.

Following the 13.01 per cent and 1.76 per cent gains recorded by Total and Seplat, the Oil & Gas index posted a positive return of 0.29 per cent last week.

The NSE’s weekly report revealed that Cutix with a growth of 24.38 per cent, led 19 equities that appreciated in price during the week, lower than 32 of the previous week.

Mobil now 11 Plc, lost 14.25 per cent to lead 48 equities that depreciated in price, which were higher than 40 equities of the previous week, while 104 equities remained unchanged higher 99 equities recorded in the preceding week.

Meanwhile, a total turnover of 998.973 million shares worth N11.455 billion in 13,626 deals was traded last week by investors on the floor of the Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.538 billion shares valued at N24.218bn that exchanged hands last week in 19,187 deals.

NSE CEO, Oscar Onyema

L – R: Executive Director, Commercial, Benin Electricity Distribution Plc., (BEDC) Mr. Abu Ejoor; Delta State Commissioner for Urban Renewal, Mr. Ilolo Oghenekaro; Managing Director/ Chief Executive Officer, Benin Electricity Distribution Plc, Mrs. Funke Osibodu; Managing Director of Thames Energy, Mr. Akpovi Oyo, during the Signing Ceremony of Memorandum of Understanding between, BEDC Thames Energy and Delta state Government to build 20MW Power Plant for Ozoro in Isoko LG Delta State At BEDC Head Office, Benin...Thursday.

LPG terminal to advance S’African oil & gas Simon Ugwu South Africa-based energy infrastructure company Sunrise Energy, has established an open-access liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) import and storage terminal, in Saldanha Bay, which will enable the import of LPG in large quantities.

News report says that the R1.02 billion ($76 million) facility, which is Africa’s largest openaccess LPG import terminal, was launched on Tuesday.

The facility is intended to boost regional energy security and increasing downstream competition, strengthening the country’s oil and gas sector.

The facility is a public–private partnership between Mining, Oil & Gas Services (Mogs) and the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).

“Sunrise Energy is 60% owned

by Mogs, with the IDC holding a 31% stake and another company, ilitha, holding 9%. Royal

Bafokeng Holdings owns 51% of Mogs, with the balance being held by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC),” stated the report.

Speaking at the facility launch was economic development minister, Ebrahim Patel: “The 140km corridor contains the most diversified energy mix in the country, including petroleum, gas, renewables, oil and nuclear energy.”

The investment into this facility according to Patel would provide economic opportunities to distribute gas to end-users.

Present at the inauguration was South African energy minister Mmamoloko Kubayi who commented on the importance of having a sustainable energy mix: “The sustainability of the country’s energy supply includes a diversified energy mix.

For cooking and space heating, the efficiency of LPG is unrivalled.

“Access to energy is critical to markets for economic growth.

Having realised the benefits of LPG, it should be promoted on the same level as other energy sources.”

According to PIC corporate affairs head Deon Botha, the investment in Sunrise Energy was a significant PIC contribution to energy security and inclusive economic growth, Engineering News reported.

“It is part of our impact investing programme,” Botha said.

“We believe that meaningful economic growth can only be achieved when there is enough energy to keep it going,” he added.

Sunrise Energy CEO Pieter Coetzee said LPG had the potential to displace 1.2GW of electricity during peak hours: “LPG could help transform South Africa’s energy space into a more favourable mix. LPG is between 20% and 50% more cost effective than electricity for light commercial and domestic thermal applications.”

China’s new energy vehicle threatens auto industry CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Public charging facilities within China have surpassed 180,000, with their coverage increasing in residential areas, along highways, and in other public space.

Companies operating NEV charging have also emerged with innovative business models, while favourable government policies have made NEVs cheaper and the licensing procedures simpler, he said.

Some 507,000 NEVs were sold in China last year, the most in the world for a second year and up 53 percent from 2015, CAAM data showed.

According to an official plan on auto industry development, China will see NEV output and sales hit two million annually by 2020, about four times the current level.

Analysts urged Nigeria and Africa in general to brace up to the new auto challenge and key into the ongoing trend in the sector.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Stories by Motolani Oseni The Nigerian external reserves has recorded a total gain of $968 million with the current figure of $31.8 billion, as of August 29, 2017.

This represents an appreciable 3.14 per cent in August, compared to the opening figure of $30.8bn, latest Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistics has disclosed.

On Tuesday, August 8, 2017, the nation’s foreign reserves stood at $31.222bn, which at the time indicated highest figure declared in the last 23 months, Daily Times findings showed.

Although, reasons for the recent rise in the nation’s external reserves, according to forex dealers and financial analysts, was not farfetched from crude oil price rise, which settled around $52.10 per barrel, as the foreign exchange reserves gained a whopping $5, 303,556,521bn in just one year, when compared with the lat-

B3

Money Market

External reserves hike by $968m in one month – CBN Ï ƏƑƗƆ ƈƋ ƍƏƈƅƆ Ɔ ƅƆ ƏƆ ƆƏƒƆ è ƈ ƐƆƏƒƆ Ɛƈ est balance of $31, 222, 178,576bn from $25, 918,622,055bn.

The nation’s forex reserves had recorded an upward swing to $31 bn, after declining to a near $30bn mark two months ago, but the apex bank’s latest update showed significant increase on the reserves table, since the global crude oil prices had been on the rise, while contributing immensely to the upswing in reserves in the past one month.

However, The Daily Times exclusive findings showed that the foreign exchange reserves opened the year at $25.8bn, up 23.1 per cent from a year ago, still far off a peak of $64bn in August 2008.

For instance, in eight months,

CBN Governor, Godwin Emefiele the Nigerian forex buffer has appreciated by estimated an $5.97bn from $25.8bn it opened this year despite CBN’s unrelenting intervention in the foreign exchange

market.

However, financial experts noted that steady increase in global oil prices continued to impact on the CBN’s foreign exchange buffer; though it dropped to $49.41 a barrel last Wednesday; compared with $49.51 the previous day, Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) daily basket price has explained.

But traders said high production by the OPEC is capping prices.

OPEC and other producers, including Russia, have promised to restrict output by 1.8 million barrel per day until March 2018, to help support prices and draw down inventories.

The CBN had disclosed that reserves appreciated by $554.7m or 1.8 per cent in July when it closed July at $30.8bn from $30.29bn it opened the month under review.

The $30.8bn foreign reserve reordered by CBN was the highest since May 12, 2017, as global oil prices stabilized; and inflow from International Money Transfer Operations continued to increase.

The foreign reserves appreciated by $4.45bn in first three months (Q1) of 2017 amid the CBN’s sustained pressure in bridging the gap between official foreign exchange and parallel market rates with the introduction of several foreign exchange windows.

Ecobank boosts savings’ culture with new promo - Kuponiyi ...targets assets,travels, others Ecobank Nigeria, has said it instituted the ‘Target Saving Promotion’ to encourage savings among Nigerians.

The bank said, the product offering, is, especially to enable them to acquire valuable assets, save for travels or save for the rainy day, which they cannot achieve in one go.

The Head, Consumer Banking, Ecobank Nigeria, Ayotunde Kuponiyi stated this fact during customer sensitization exercises in different parts of Lagos. He observed that the excitement, enquiries and patronage generated by the promo was commendable.

According to Kuponiyi, the promo is intended for customers who want to build up savings with the bank to meet their future financial goals or execute specific desired projects, stressing that, winners would be promptly compensated as stated in the terms and agreement of the promo.

“Ecobank has a long history of recognizing customer loyalty which is the focus of this promotion.

The level of enthusiasm shown by members of the

banking public is laudable.

This may not be far from our history of customer reward. People of different backgrounds, age and sex are all embracing the account,” he said.

Kuponiyi urged those who are yet to open account with the bank to do so, because of the attendant benefits; and enjoined existing customers of the bank to also increase their savings to qualify and win in any of the numerous draws.

The promo, tagged: ‘Double Your Target Savings Promo,’ which commenced in August, is designed to reward both new and existing customers of the bank within the six months period. It is expected to run from August 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018.

Target projects could be saving for school fees, holidays, pilgrimage, weddings, purchasing personal assets, among others On the dynamics of the promo and draws; customers are expected to save a fixed amount of money, from N10, 000 monthly to qualify for entries into monthly draws starting this August, where 30 winners will emerge every month.

Naira gains five points at parallel market in one week The Nigerian currency, Naira, at the parallel market over the weekend, strengthened by a total gain of five points at 365 to the dollar, against 370 sold a week ago, Daily Times findings have revealed.

This however, not the case at official foreign exchange market, as the local currency traded flat at 305.85 per dollar, compared to 305.65 traded during the period under review, even as it fell to 359.67 as at Thursday when the official forex market had to close earlier for the week, due to Friday and Monday declared as public holiday by the Federal Government of Nigeria

ÏjƏ ƗƆ ƇƋ Ɛ Ɛ ƇƇƈƅƈ Ƌ 0 ƌ ƏƊƆƐè M 0& Ɠƈ Ɨ Ɠ

in celebration of this year Eid-el Kabir festival.

But at the parallel market during the weekend, the naira stood at 365 to the dollar, indicating a stronger position compared to 370 exchanged a week ago, while pound and euro was seen at 467 and 432 respectively, as against 475 and 432 traded in the previous week.

Further checks, also showed that the autonomous FX window, which has been tipped to contribute immensely to the revival of the nation’s currency, closed the four days traded week on a downward note,

as it ended the week low at 359.67, weaker than 359.56 traded per dollar in the earlier traded week.

Although, going into the last trading day of the week at the NAFEX window showed no indication of the likely drop because, it opened at 360.79 the same rate it did on Wednesday, a day earlier before the official closure of the forex market, but eventually shed 0.19 per cent on Thursday, to close at 359.67 against an appreciable rate of 359 to the dollar on Wednesday, latest data obtained from FMDQ OTC showed.

Considering, closing turnover at the Investor and Exporters FX window at the last trading of the week, showed a settled figure at $81.82m, representing a significant drop of $131.39m, compared to $213.21m stood a week ago (w-n-w).

This, despite the effort by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to continuously boost liquidity in the official FX market, so as to ensure convergence rate and the local currency, gains with the fresh injection of $297m, totaling $547m into the foreign exchange market in just one week.

Capital Market B4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

SEC hopeful CBN may open liquidity window for market operators Bonny Amadi The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has raise raised hopes that the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, may soon open liquidity window for capital market operators for funds to boost the Nigeria’s capital market.

This optimism was expressed recently by the Director General SEC, Mounir Gwarzo in Lagos, as he revealed that discussions were ongoing between the commission and the CBN on the issue.

He said that though the apex bank’s regulator was hesitant to such funding window initially, but with sustained conversation, it is expected that grey areas would be sorted out in due course.

SEC DG, Mournir Gwarzo Gwarzo said, “At the last meeting we had with the CBN, they were very comfortable with the ar-

rangement; and they have raised a few concern issues; and we are convinced that at the next stage, we will address those concerns.”

According to him, initially, the CBN did not understand the concept, adding: “but, we are happy that the CBN was able to have that conversation with us. What we are saying is for the CBN to be able to allow the capital market operators to leverage the discount window to get liquidity. All what we want from the CBN is, what kind of criteria do you want capital market operators to meet?”

He said that the commission was also interested in knowing the conditions that market operators would meet before accessing funds from the CBN. “And also, what type of securities do you

want capital market operators to place as collateral? So, that they should have the opportunity to do that.”

According to the DG, SEC, it is only the capital market operators that are denied access to the CBN’s funding window, as all other value chains of the market are leveraging on that.

He said,“In fact, the entire value chain of the capital market has access to liquidity for a long period of time, but it is the capital market operators that don’t have that liquidity.

What they can do is to go to a bank and borrow money at a very high rate; and we say that if we needed liquidity in the capital market, the capital market also needs to have that opportunity.”

The NDDC Managing Director, Mr Nsima Ekere (left) and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Ahmed Zaki (Right) decorating ASP Ekong Daniel with his new rank at the NDDC headquarters in Port Harcourt.

International Breweries receives merger approval Afolabi Adesola The proposed merger between International Breweries Plc (IBPlc) and two other brewing companies has been approved by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE).

A regulatory filing on Tuesday by the company via the NSE, stated that under the terms and conditions of the proposed scheme of merger, all the assets, liabilities and undertakings of lntafact and Pabod, including employees, real property and intellectual property rights, will be transferred to IB Plc upon completion of the proposed merger.

The statement advised shareholders that the consideration to shareholders of Intafact and Pabod will be ordinary shares of IB PIc. It added that the share exchange ratio, as well as other terms and conditions of the proposed merger are provided in the scheme of Merger Document which will be dispatched to all shareholders of IBPlc, Intafact and Pabod upon receipt of an order from the Federal High Court (“FHC”) to convene separate court-ordered meetings of the merging companies.

IBPlc also noted that the completion of the proposed merger is subject to the approval of the respective shareholders of lBPlc, lntafact, and Pabod and the final regulatory approvals from SEC, The NSE, Federal Inland Revenue Service, as well as the sanction by the FHC.

Guinness: Revenue rise due to favourable expansion, says MD Afolabi Adesola Guinness Nigeria plc announced its 2017 full year results on Thursday, August 31st with a 23 per cent boost in revenue to N125billion.

The results, also showed a gross profit of N48.3bn, which is 16 per cent higher versus the previous year; and an operating profit of N10.2bn representing an increase of 131 per cent year on year.

Commenting on the results, which were released to the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), Managing Director/CEO, Guinness Nigeria, Peter Ndegwa,

...as coys’ distribution of MacDowell’s, others aids growth

said that the company’s results were driven by a relentless focus on executing our strategy and keeping costs down.

He said, “Despite the challenging economic conditions, we have remained focused on executing our company’s total beverage strategy, which gained further traction with strong growth in our international premium spirits portfolio following our first full year of distribution.”

According to Ndegwa, in December 2015, Guinness

Nigeria Plc became the first total beverage alcohol company in Nigeria when it acquired the rights to distribute International Premium Spirits (IPS), including Johnnie Walker Scotch whisky and Bailey’s liqueur in Nigeria. This was quickly followed in January 2016, by the acquisition of the rights to distribute McDowell’s, a United Spirits Limited (USL) whisky brand.

Ndegwa also stated that, “Our gross profit of N48.3bn is as a result of volume growth, pricing

benefit and a favourable sales mix as we continued to invest in our expanded brand portfolio during the year. Part of that investment includes the N4.7bn spirits line for locally manufactured spirits, which we commissioned in Benin.

These strategic acquisitions and expansions have filled the gaps in the spirits brand base allowing us to compete across all categories of the alcoholic beverage market in Nigeria.

We remain committed to executing our productivity

agenda with a strong focus on cost reduction, distribution and operational efficiencies.”

Also speaking to the results, Chairman, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Babatunde Savage, said that the com-

pany remains committed to the Nigerian market, adding that, “It is pleasing to see that the decisions we have taken in recent years have helped to position the company for sustained business growth.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI DEALS VOLUME VALUE CAP

38,198.60 4,079.00 353,645,485.00 6,301,038,739.32 13,166,018,346,824.49

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Monday September 4, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

Emerging markets: How transparency, others, can aid corporate social responsibility Ï ƕ Ɠ Ə ƆƗ Ɛ Ɛ ƈ ƐƆƏ Ƌ Ɔƌ ƈƋ óƈƋƋ Ɔ Ɨ ƕ ƄƆƅ ƌƆ ƍƑƄƋƈƅ Ɗ ƓƋƆƗ Ɔ Ï Ƒ ƈ Ɔ ƑƋƗ Ɛ ƄƆ Ƅ ƑƐ ƍƏƈƒ ƐƆ ƏƆƆƗè ƄƑƐ ƍƑƄƋƈƅ Ɨ

Stories by Godwin Anyebe The concepts of Corporate Social Responsibility, (CSR), Business Ethics and Corporate Governance – as practiced in Nigeria and in other West African countries, like Ghana, Liberia, remain a major source of concern to stakeholders.

The way that businesses in emerging markets cope with these challenges – both effectively and ineffectively – revealed many of the “new dynamics of management. Hence, analysts are of the view that, CSR abuses and business ethics transgressions in Nigeria and beyond may be more widespread and more tolerated; if measures are not put in place to properly check mate the activities of CSR. For these analysts, the situation is impossible to quantify, especially within local regulatory frameworks; and where there are few active and independent journalists.

The Daily Times’ findings revealed that, corruption, abuse of human rights, a lack of data protection, financial fraud, copyright piracy, low levels of transparency and high levels of anonymity, workplace discrimination, oppressive economic colonization, an absence of fair competition, poor levels of corporate governance, no respect for intellectual property, the perpetration of monopolies and the tolerance of leaders of dubious accountability and respectability among others, are the reasons for lack of transparency in CSR .

Addressing this issue, an expert in marketing communication

L-R: Chairman, Nigeria Institute of Public Relations, Lagos, Mr. Segun Mcmedals; Director Press Relations, Ministry of Information; Mrs. Chinenye Priscillia Ihuoma, Dr. (Mrs.) Winifred Awosika, Founder/Chairman, Chrisland Group of Schools and Founder and Chairman, Silverbird Group, Senator Ben Murray Bruce, at the 4th Lagos NIPR Stakeholders’ Conference, held in Lagos...recently. field, Bernard Okhakume told The Daily Times that, “while, corruption may be seen as one of the most important issues, and may be a way of life in countries with low salaries, but powerful officials – and greedy business people, human rights abuse is an ongoing issue, and is seen as especially negative by individuals and group.

Financial scandals and fraud have been sending shock waves throughout Nigeria and beyond, with billions of dollars simply going missing.

“Copyright piracy is not unknown in Nigeria, but the scale can be alarming, together with the issue of transparency and ease of

doing business in entering several emerging economies, often related to governance. Prospects of equal opportunities for members of different races are important issues when it comes to transparency in CSR,” he said.

According to him, “Economic dominance by some Western countries – and China – in many emerging countries is seen as an example of the economic colonization of one country by another, raising several CSR issues, including protection or the matter of unfairly excluding competition.

“The concept of corporate governance used to be a preserve of the West, but is gradually im-

pacting developing countries, especially those trying to attract foreign investment, and is, especially concerned with ensuring independent management control.

Intellectual property is another concern, and so are state-endorsed monopolies.”

He added, “Greater transparency is an unstoppable force. It is the product of growing demands from everybody with an interest in any corporation - its stakeholder web - and of rapid technological change, above all the spread of the Internet, that makes it far easier for firms to supply information, and harder for them to keep secrets.”

Global Interns gets commendation Students from various senior secondary schools and tertiary institutions have commended Global Interns for broadening their horizon on career planning and internship opportunities at the Career Connect Series held recently in Lagos.

The workshop, which took place at The Incubator in Victoria Island, had in attendance, seasoned facilitators including Greg Malize, Founder and Executive Director of ImpactGen; Oluwaseyi Adeoye, Chief Executive Officer of Pierrine Consult-

ing; Caesar Keluro, Principal Partner of Ideasvibe Media; and Olufunmilayo Modupe, Principal Adviser of Global Interns Company, who provided educative career planning tips on various topics that enriched the students’ knowledge in career decisions.

Roberts Ayanfe, a final year student of English Language at the University of Lagos, said that The Career Connect Series has broadened his horizon, as it would help him to think for himself and engage in new challenges.

He said, “Before now, I used to depend on my parents for assistance, but the Career Connect Series has sharpened my perception towards self-sufficiency.”

He expressed his optimism to embark on new ventures. “What I have realised from this workshop is that at this point in my life as a final year student, if I do not start doing certain things on my own and making logical decisions, it would affect my career choices; and ultimately my life’s goals,” he said.

Sifon Ediomo-Abasi, a fashion

designer and Fine Art student of Yaba College of Technology, commended the organizers, saying that the workshop has given her a new orientation.

“This workshop deserves huge commendation from every quarter of our society, because if we have guidance in our career choices, students and young adults would make informed decisions that would add value to them and ultimately bring about an improved performance both as an entrepreneur, as well as in workplaces,” she said.

B6 CSR Airtel, Cocacola, Fidelity, Shell, 80 others beat deadline for SERAs

The organizers of the sustainability, enterprise and responsibility awards, otherwise known as The SERAS CSR Awards Africa, have announced a list of 84 organizations that beat the deadline for the submission of entries for the 2017 edition.

The organizations include, Fidelity bank, GTbank, Diageo, Lafarge, Sahara Energy, Shell, Chevron, Tolaram group, 9Mobile, FCMB, FrieslandCampina, Multichoice, Access Bank, NetCare SA, SOSA SA, Airtel, Nigerian Breweries, NCC, Safaricom, iSON group, CocaCola amongst so many others.

In a statement made available to journalists recently in Lagos, the media officer of the SERAS, Mr. Michael Ogunbanwo said; “We are indeed delighted at the quality of participation thus far.

We have so many first time entrants for The SERAS this year.

For us, this clearly is an indicator of the wide acceptability of the worksTruContact CSR Nigeria- initiators of the awards, in promoting and standardizing corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Nigeria and Africa. We have continued to receive enquiries from organizations from other parts of Africa seeking to participate.

“This informed our decision to extending the deadline for entries coming from the southern and eastern Africa regions till September 10th, 2017. Next stage would be the verification exercise which would see us going to the fields to verify and authenticate claims made by entrants and also gather visual materials for the judges’ panel.”

The annual SERAS CSR Awards, which first held in 2007, has grown to become the prime corporate awards promoting and measuring corporate social responsibility and sustainability in Africa.

Key industry stakeholders rate it as the industry gold standard recognition for impactful investment in CSR and sustainability.

Fidelity Bank DG, Okonkwo Amangbo

Insurance B7

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

NHIs’ implementation should focus on poor people - NACA DG Stories by Bonny Amadi

Nigeria needs to go back to the drawing board on implementation of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), in order to be able to retool the populist insurance scheme to care for vulnerable poor.

The Director of the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA, Mr. Sani Aliyu, who said this recently, expressed worry that the entire budget for health insurance in the UK ‘was bigger than that of Nigeria.’

He said the NHIS in Nigeria was not designed in ‘a ‘progres-

sive way’; and that it should begin by ‘appropriating health care from the vulnerable perspective by making sure the poor get quality care.’

Aliyu said this in his keynote speech at the commencement of a two-day national health dialogue in Abuja, adding that it was wrong to begin the insurance scheme with the government workers.

The establishment of the NHIS came about by the desire of the federal government to better serve the health needs of the population. The scheme made it possible for the insured to seek immediate care whenev-

er there is imminent need to see a physician.

However, the scheme, which was set up to ensure financing of health care costs and management for Nigerians through pooling and judicious use of financial resources to ensure cost burden sharing for patients through pre-payment mechanisms, has been enmeshed in several controversies.

Since its establishment 12 years ago, the number of Nigerians covered by the scheme is about 1.5 per cent of the population who are mostly civil servants and corporate workers in the private sector.

OSHINOWO

NECA DG

L-R: The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi Ojaja II; Adeola Olajide, an auto mechanic and beneficiary of Isedowo’s 300,000 business grant; Franco Maria Maggi, Marketing Director, Nigerian Breweries Plc at the unveiling of Goldberg’s Isedowo, a youth empowerment initiative, at the Ooni’s palace in Ile Ife, Osun State on Thursday.

NDIC trains Ghanaians on financial stability In line with Africa’s systems and business integrations, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC) has committed to training g its Ghanaian counterpart from the Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation (GDPC), further aimed at achieving financial system stability.

The NDIC in a statement signed by Hadi Birchi, said the training modules that were designed for the fiveday capacity building programme covered very wide and strategic areas.

The enriched programme, he said would beef up the delivery of the senior officials of Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation (GDPC), as well as the overall performance of the GDPC. Pioneer Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Deposit Protection Corporation (GDPC), Mr. Franklin Belnye, in his remarks on the programme, commended the achievements of the NDIC; and its readiness to boost capacity and experience sharing on DIS across the African.

Occupiers’ liability Insurance boosts security of life, property –AIICO retail Bonny Amadi One of the strategies to enhance continence of living and comfort has been identified as taking occupiers’ liability insurance policy.

This disclosure was made by Head of Retail Sales at AIICO Insurance, Taofik Ayeni, at a training organised for members of the Capital Market Correspondents’ Association of Nigeria, CAMCAN, in Lagos at the weekend.

The event, part of the association’s capacity building initiatives to enhance members’ skills in financial market reporting through the knowledge of industry-specific operations covers different segments of insurance, including risks and financial management.

Ayeni, who spoke on “Safety, Risk and Financial Management,” with emphasis on Insurance, pointed out that business activities globally, had become more complex in recent times.

He pointed out that most owners of academic institutions have remained reluctant to buy into Occupiers’ Liability Insurance meant to provide cover to pupils, students and workers in their institutions against building collapse.

“Can you imagine the fatal outcome of a school building collapsing on children and teachers when classes are in session? He said He said that he calamity arising from incidences of collapsed buildings, is the reason for the existence of Occupiers’ Liability Insurance. He said that Occupiers’ Liability Insurance would transfer the risk of such accident to the insurer, which will take the responsibility of providing the required compensation in favour of the assured.

Gemrock ‘ll participate in our offering – Standard Alliance Bonny Amadi Gemrock Management Co Limited, a related party to Standard Alliance Insurance Plc., currently controlling 28 per cent holding in the company, will participate in its forth coming capital raising process, in order to further enhance its control of the company’s management.

Though, Gemrock, with 28 per cent equity holdings in Standard Alliance, currently controls higher stake as single investors, with Standard Alliance Investments Limited controlling 16.72 per

cent,FCMB, 9.34 per cent and the general public with 33.90 per cent shareholding, the core investors, it has been disclosed, will boost its investment value to 51 per cent.

Standard Alliance Insurance CEO, Mr. Bode Akinboye, disclosing this recently in Lagos in an interview, affirmed that Gemrock would participate in the company’s proposed share offering.

He said “Gemrock will participate in the new offer, and based on existing agreement, special allotment would be done for Gemrock and also to existing share-

holders so that at the end of the offer Glenrock would have enough funds to amass 51 per cent majority share of the company.”

According to him, Standard is strategizing and restructuring, both its shares and operations to ensure that profitability is restored, loss positions cleaned u and dividend payment re-commenced and this would be achieved through innovative process, digitalizing and deepening retail sector.

He said, “The only way to check the performance of the company and products is to be more innovative;

however, we are not heavily reliant on the public sector, as we are very strong in the private sector. Be that as it may, we introduced more retail products; and like I said earlier, we are enhancing our technology, digital channels and platforms to roll out health insurance products with Unisure.”

“We are looking at health insurance, we are looking at agric insurance and we are also looking at such insurance like loss of employment. The loss of employment insurance, he revealed has continued to enjoy huge subscribers akin to pension, he added.

vv

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, September 4, 2017

How would you access current state of the capital market?

The market has been doing well in recent time or since the beginning of the year. Companies are still dishing out some profits and declaring dividends; and some investors are regaining a bit confidence and re-entering the market.

I mean, some people who left the market in the past as a result of injustices done to them are gradually returning to the market.

Then the banks were more attractive than the ordinary sector, so many people invested in them; and later some of the listed banks were nationalized by the government; and people lost their investments in them. This drove many indigenous investors out of the market.

Looking at that regime, government did not act well as at that time to do everything within its own power to ensure that its policy did not negatively impact the capital market.

A lot of people didn’t want to burn their fingers again. A lot of people died untimely death because of their experiences in the Nigerian capital market.

Government policies and impact on the capital market The government has said that they want to attract foreign investors into the country which ensures different regimes of foreign exchange rates, but they first have to establish enabling infrastructure, which include processes and procedures to always do things right irrespective of who you are.

This also would involve the ability of the judicial system and public office holders to operate with allegiance to the people instead of allegiance to head of government and also for the judicial system to function without reading the body language of some one in government. .

You must tackle insecurity, which is number one priority and if you don’t tackle insecurity, foreigners will not invest here.

Investment is just like tourism, people will come here to invest and also be assured that they are safe and also their investments are safe.

You must also address the issue of infrastructure, as this help existing businesses to thrive and

B8

Business Interview

Why bonds, treasury bills are now investors’ toast – Okezie Mr. Boniface Okezie is the national coordinator, Progressive Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN). He has remained committed to the promotion of sound corporate governance in the Nigeria’s capital market. In this interview with BONNY AMADI, Okezie said, among other things, that the Federal Government’s economic policy must have positive impact for the market to grow while bonds and treasury bills are now investors’ toast... Excerpts ing here will be defeated.

In concrete terms, government must be honest to say that they want to revive the economy and would be seen to be doing same.

The capital market is the barometer to measure the growth and development of any economy, if our market is fluctuating on daily basis, which means that our economy is at zero level.

Impact of government debt instruments on the capital market The government is trying to raise money to finance its budget deficit, from the same capital market their policies have negatively affected, that is why we have been calling on the government to make positive pronouncements that will lift our economy and the capital market.

Okezie record good earnings, while prospective investors will also have the opportunity to overcome the challenge of poor infrastructure.

The infrastructure include friendly regulation, roads, light, water, health facilities, functional educational institutions, safe recreational havens and others. A foreign investor cannot establish where there is rigid law that could be bent to favour some people and oppress others.

The market thrives on infrastructure and good policies, because of the

uncertain exchange rates, investors were frightened out of the nation’s investment space, but when it appeared to have become a bit friendly, some came back to play short term investments.

Again, when a government brands its citizens as thieves, what do you expect a foreign investor to think about investing in that country?

The security officials should be made to serve the state and not individuals in power, and project the state in the global

community as transparent and credible investment destination and not a country where general good or interest could be jettisoned for selfish interest of very few.

The act of branding every citizen as corrupt scares investors, who now would discard every opportunity of making higher returns from investment in the country.

For a foreigner to come here to invest, there must be a Nigerian who will introduce him to the market and the system, where he sees every Nigerian as a thief, possibility of invest-

Have they also taken into consideration that people have been hunted by this same market? And you are now showing interest to borrow from the same market that government did not help?

So, if you want to borrow money from the market, you need to give some incentive to it and encourage that market to thrive.

This also extends to the SEC, which is arm of the government and a regula-

Again, when a government brands its citizens as thieves, what do you expect a foreign investor to think about investing in that country?

tor of the Nigerian capital market, need to work hard to sincerely re-position the capital market knowing the importance of the market to the economy and Nigerians.

The government needs to encourage local industries and businesses to thrive so that earnings would increase and reduce borrowings from government which works against the equities market, as more investors now prefer Treasury Bills and government bonds, than buying shares.

Why Bonds?

T-Bills

and

Since the government is paying high coupon rate on bonds and T-bills, investors see these instrument as better way to invest their money instead investing in shares, that you are not certain of whether you will get dividend or price growth.

That will not help the nation and the economy because with T-Bills you are talking of short-term, instead of long-term consideration of the overall economy.

When you are borrowing, you must also specify the area of need that such funds would be channeled to, is its railway, water, electricity, health or other forms of infrastructure development?

What is your view on unclaimed dividend’s fraud?

I heard that the Director General, Security and Exchange Commission, (SEC) said that he was not aware of any unclaimed dividend fraud. it is unfortunate for the regulator to make such a statement.

Almost a billion naira had gone out of the unclaimed dividend fund. It is said to have taken place in Afribank Registrars, which is a subsidiary of Main Street Bank.

Life&

TIMES Monday, September 4, 2017

Mike Aremu: L The unique Saxophonist P

2

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday, September 4, 2017

I went into Jazz because I fell in love with it –Mike Aremu

to play it. Of course a lot of stations play my songs and those are the ones that love good music. They play the songs not because of who I am but because they love good music.

Everything has changed about the industry. I have chosen a genre of music that I know would appeal to people who love good music. When it comes to I can do it. I get award nominations a lot but I feel somehow when I have to campaign for votes. I did it the last time and I cleared a lot of awards but in my heart I asked myself why I had to campaign for vote.

That is just my school of thought.

I went into jazz because I fell in love with it. When I started out there was no incentive. I began to play jazz because I love it and I want to be a blessing to From the time I was a trumpet player, people said that I sound like a saxophonist. The sound of the saxophone itself is something that appealed to me. I listened to a few saxophone playing.

blowing the saxophone. The only thing is that blowing the saxophone affected my front tooth because of the way my teeth griped the embouchure of the saxophone so it made

award considerations; it was solely because I have a passion for it. Everything I have done, even Sax Appeal is because of passion and not because of what I can get from it. When I began Sax Appeal people questioned my reasoning because there was no money to be made in the venture, I had to even sell some of my property but I have no regrets. I like the fact that I am able to create something for a certain people who care about good music. When we started Sax Appeal for instance, I wanted to do the kind of music that would be on the mainstream and not in the background. That is why the kind of publicity we did for it was similar to that of a normal hip-pop concert. As it is, jazz is not a very popular genre of music and it is

was very discoloured. Other than that to be honest there is no health hazards associated with blowing the saxophone.

The truth is that I actually do a lot of things in Nigeria. I is more like, is my music being played or is it as popular as it used to be? The honest truth is that the industry has have to chase after people to play your music, if your music was good, they would play it, unlike what we have now.

Life&

T E A M

to grease palms to get your music played. That is an issue we need to address; that style of greasing palms to get your music played does not sit well with me. I am not ready to compromise before my music is played on the radio. I believe my music is good enough. When I give my album to some On Air Personalities, I tell them to enjoy my music.

happened that it appeals to that set of people. Someone once met me at and event and asked how much I was paid and when I replied, he was shocked. Those that value the music really appreciate it.

She loves it and she is crazy about it in a good way.

She will always refer to the way I looked in Sax Appeal 3, where I kept a full beard. She likes it, different women with off because it suits me a lot. She does not mind and I think it is her thing.

Is it right to say that you are keeping the beards because of your wife?

Yes, and I think it is a good enough reason; anything to keep your wife happy.

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday, September 4, 2017

Wellness L3

Nwaokocha Daniel

Boost your Metabolism A countless number of individuals frequently want to head to the gym to either gain muscle, lose body fat or just keep their bodies in shape. But many of them fail to accomplish these results because most of the time, they do n0t understand the metabolism of their bodies. So, before we speed up our metabolism, there are some basic things we need to understand so as to effectively speed up our metabolism. Metabolism is a term that is used to describe all chemical reactions involved in maintaining apple off the living state of the cells and the organs in our bodies. We took it upon ourselves to share with you ways in which you can speed up your metabolism before hitting the gym this summer.

Components of Your Metabolism Your metabolism consists of three primary parts. Your resting metabolic rate, or RMR, which makes up about 60 percent of your metabolism, is the number of calories you use daily for essential bodily functions, such as breathing and pumping blood.

Physical activity can comprise as much as another 30 percent of your metabolism.

Formal exercises, as well as everyday actions such as bathing and walking around

Substances in foods that can speed up your metabolism 1. PROTEINS some food ingredients — including caffeine, tea and capsaicin from hot peppers — may modestly increase your metabolic rate for short periods of time. Protein has a high thermic effect, which means your body burns more calories to digest high-protein foods, according to a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2008.

2. CAPSAICIN Capsaicin is the only one of these ingredients that has proven metabolicreadily into some juice recipes. Capsaicin is the compound in hot peppers that gives them their intense, spicy bite.

Consuming red pepper as part of a meal increased energy expenditure and promoted a higher body temperature in in Physiology and Behavior. The higher after the meal, during which participants

metabolism is called the thermic effect of food i.e. the calories your body uses to digest food and process its nutrients.

to people who did not consume red pepper.

3. Natural, Spicy Juice Recipes To keep calories low, use a variety of veggies and hot peppers in your natural juice recipes. The hotter the pepper, the greater the capsaicin content, but too much hot pepper could make your drink

ture, blend cherry tomatoes, celery, carrots, spinach, cilantro, arugula, garlic, lemons and jalapeno. Stir in a drizzle of honey if your mix comes out too bitter for your taste. An Asian-inspired juice uses hot Serrano peppers, celery, sugar snap peas, scallions, red bell pepper, cherry tomatoes and lime. Finish with a splash of refreshing coconut water.

4. Other Effective Ways to Boost Metabolism An occasional fresh juice drink can be a nutritious addition strategies, such as strength-training. Lift weights to add muscle

compared to fat tissue. Move as much as you can all day. Forjuice, add small slices gradually until you mal exercise helps burn calories, but so do small movements — known as non-exercise induced thermogenesis, or NEAT. reach the desired intensity. Try a little Tapping your foot, walking to the water cooler, climbing stairs fresh cayenne, habanero, jalapeno or and doing laundry are examples of NEAT that boost your caloSerrano pepper added to a green mix rie burn. Eating at regular, predictable intervals during the day of kale, cucumber, lemon and green can also maximize the thermic effect of food. Individuals, who apple or juiced with pineapple, lime and spinach makes for a spicy juice that revs consumed the same number of meals per week with the same number of calories, but in an erratic pattern, experienced a lowyour metabolism just a bit. Or make a low-calorie, spicy juice that plays on the er calorie burn after meals than people who ate at six regular intervals, showed a 2004 study in the International Journal of bloody Mary cocktail. Juice tomatoes, Obesity and Related Metabolic Disorders. Do your best to eat lemon and celery and stir in a pinch of powdered cayenne pepper for extra kick. each meal around the same time daily and snack on healthy foods between meals. Quality snacks include whole fruits and For another spicy, tomato-based mixvegetables, a scant handful of raw nuts or low-fat yogurt.

Fashion L4

Daily Times Nigeria

Monday, September 4, 2017

Mutiat Alli

10

amazing commandments of lipstick -

1. Exfoliate: -

2. Moisturize: -

3. Consider your skin tone: -

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4. Mix and blend:

7. Be a lip lining pro:

8. Avoid lipstick on the teeth:

9. Blot:

10. Never throw out a broken tube:

5. Consider your formula:

6. Start with a base:

-