Dtn 28 12 15

Army nabs 7 Boko Haram bomb experts Ï LƈƋƈƐ Əƕè ƆƅƐ ƈ Ɔ ƒƕ Ƒ Ƅ ƐƐƋƆ ÎÎÎNigerian Army troops in Kaduna

State have foiled another insurgent

attack, with the arrest of seven suspected Boko Haram members who

specialise in bombs and Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs).

A statement by the Army spokesperson, Colonel Sani Kukasheka Us-

man, said from all indications, the suspects were in Kaduna to coordiContinued on page 12

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MONDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2015 VOL. 2. NO. 10

GAINERS

N150

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 23rd December 2015.

FO

273

286.65

13.65%

NESTLE

790

800

10%

NB

121.8

115.72

-6.08%

DANGCEM 153

MOBIL

130.2

143

12.8%

WAPCO

94

96.8

2.8%

PZ

28.31

26.9

-1.41%

GUINNESS

123

152.3

-0.7%

122.5

-0.5%

Nigeria’ll import fuel beyond 2016 – Kachikwu Ï d ƕ 01 Ƌ Ɗƈ Ƈ Ə ƈ ƒƆ Ɛ Ə Ɛ ƅ éƋ ƅ ƐƆ ƆƓ ƏƆƇƈ ƆƏƈƆ ƍƏƆƌƈ Ɔ Ƈ ƆƔƈ Ɛƈ Ɔ Victor Jibrin, Kaduna

ÎÎÎMinister of

State for Petroleum, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, has said that Nigeria will con-

tinue to import fuel in 2016 and beyond.

He announced this on Sunday even as indications emerged that arrangements have been made

to ensure that Kaduna, Port Harcourt and Warri refineries start operating at full capacities by the first quarter of 2016.

The minister who spoke when

he visited the Kaduna Refinery and Petrochemical Company, informed that Kaduna refinery is already producing about 1.5 million litres a day while Port Har-

court will commence production of about 2 million litres a day by next week, just as Warri is exContinued on page 6

63% of air safety recomé mendations complied with – AIB gB1 spokesman

Meeting the deadline for Boko Haram g8

01 Ɛ ƈ ƒ ƋƒƆ &0 è #dd ƈ prosecution of pipeline vandals g12

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State (in red shirt) leading hundreds of power bikers, including Alhaji Sani Dangote and former Governor of the state, Mr. Donald Duke, to perform at the bikers parade in Calabar... on Sunday

Atiku blasts ‘mischief makers’, denies hosting political meetings in Dubai g12

Entertainers who got married in 2015 gL1

2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Banning importation of iron and steel products

I

t is no more news that Nigerians are amongst the biggest importers of finished products in the world. These imports include everything from vehicles, household utensils to toiletries, plastics and even toothpicks. Commentators have argued that such impulsive importation urge is responsible for the continuing depreciation of the Naira and embarrassing industrial underdevelopment of the country.

Over the years, there have been calls to impose stricter ban on importation of items that can easily be manufactured in the country.

Moreover, experts posit that without such far-reaching policies, Nigeria would forever be an import dependent country. That is why the observation by the Managing Director of Nigeria Gas and Steel Limited (NGSL), Chief Hasib Moukarim, that the country loses N2.3trillion annually on the importation of iron and steel products is worrisome. Speaking recently in Lagos, Moukarim raised alarm over situation where a total of 61,500 tons of steel pipes were imported into the country in 2014, even at the time Nigerian Manufacturers were terminating employments of workers due to diminishing demand.

Like Chief Moukarim, we are also worried by the country’s importation mania and the deleterious consequences on the economy and industrial development in the end. Definitely, we are at loss knowing why the authorities should ignore the importation of finished steel pipes, hollow sections, and even iron rods when such items are manufactured in the country. It is even more pathetic by the fact that the country’s Ajaokuta Steel Project lacks the capacity to meet the demands of local manufacturers. It is equally sad that successive administrations have not found it expedient to complete

the steel plant, even as it has over the years been enmeshed in both local and external politics.

Recall that the 32-year-old steel plant, which was conceived by the Gen. Yakubu Gowon military regime, was aimed to serve as a hub of industrial revolution and industrialisation of Nigeria. Furthermore, the Delta Steel Company (DSC), Owvian–Aladja that would have made use of product from Ajaokuta plant is also comatose.

There is no denying the fact that the steel plants were established by the Federal Government to generate upstream and downstream industrial and economic activities critical to the diversification of the economy.

We are aware that the sector also provides employment to millions of Nigerians, particularly in steel rolling companies, which produce steel materials. There is no doubt that industrialisation is central to national development. Regrettably, all past and present administrations are in the habit of making much noise about industrialising Nigeria without concrete steps to back the action.

Nevertheless, all the dreams of making Nigeria an industrialised nation would always remain a dream if the authorities do not provide infrastructure like electricity.

It may come as surprise that those importing steel products, in preference for locally manufactured ones may have considered costs. While we do not subscribe to such unpatriotic act, it may shock critics to know that the cost of imported finished products are most times lower than their Nigerian equivalent. This disparity is because the cost of production of imported ones is low. However, in all, the government should enforce the patronage of domestically manufactured iron and steel products in line with the Nigerian Content Policy.

Deputy Editor/Southern Bureau Chief Sam Nzeh Deputy Editor/Northern Bureau Chief Lateef Ibrahim

Group News Editor Segun Adio Politics Editor Akintola Akinjide Business Editor Friday Atufe Head, Graphics/Design King Ododoru

Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

ÏÏÏThe Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Col. Hameed Ali (rtd), appears not to be in a hurry to shed his military toga despite years of retirement and the fact that Nigeria from May 29, 1999 till date has been democratically administered.

This observation stems from Ali’s public statements since assumption of office most of which present him as someone not used to following due process in matters of public interest. He appears to see his main task at the NCS as that of dishing out orders, just the way he used to while in active military service and cares little about public perception of his actions.

For instance, on Novem-

ber 10, 2015, while addressing officers of the Sokoto/ Zamfara/Kebbi Area Command, Ali said: “The minimum jail term for corrupt officers is five years, but I will make sure that any officer found to be corrupt gets the maximum jail term of 10 years. This is to serve as a deterrent to any officer who finds himself in the Customs to make money and not to earn money”.

Ali has severally repeated the warning, leading many to wonder whether he realises that under the current democracy in Nigeria, the rule of law is sacrosanct and thus anything doing contrary to it no matter how good is null and void.

Ali’s warning is good talk and his stance on graft among NCS personnel should be commended.

However, mouthing it as if Nigeria is still under military regime where fiat

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takes precedence over due process is irritating.

Though he is right to threaten hell and brimstone on NCS personnel found to be perpetrating corruption, the Customs CG should be told in clear terms that he lacks power to jail any NCS personnel except in line with due process. At best, he can only dismiss personnel found to have contravened service oath and rules in line with extant laws regulating the service. But when it comes to sending any personnel to jail, Ali must be reminded that he lacks power to do so. He can only initiate the prosecution of NCS personnel before the courts. It is left for the courts to agree or disagree with him. So, the Customs CG should be reminded that Nigeria has past the stage where public officials rule by fiat. All actions of public officials, Ali inclusive, must be in tandem with the due process.

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Publisher/Editor in Chief – Fidelis Anosike Editor Biodun Durojaiye

Is Ali suffering from military hangover?

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Mathew Kukah

Martin Onovo

Leonard Umunna

“The only change that is urgently needed now is a clearly defined agenda for genuine reconciliation among our people. We do not have any other options.”

“Only reckless state governors have difficulty paying wages.

Effective state governors have been paying as and when due”.

“When leaders neglect to follow the proper way of doing things, they receive some resistance”.

44

Daily Times Nigeria Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015 Friday, November 13, 2015

‘PEACE ADVANTAGE’ Frequent Flyer Program

Overview PROGRAM OVERVIEW The Air Peace “Peace Advantage” Frequent Flyer Program is a customer initiative by Air Peace to show appreciation to & continuously reward its frequent flyers for their patronage from inception of Air Peace flight operations. The Peace Advantage FFP offers distinctive value to frequent fliers by delivering ‘recognition’, ‘rewards’ and differentiated service levels with an integrated customer interaction strategy to allow for continuous customer expression & feedback via a unique smartphone app (Android/iOS/blackberry 10 versions) and a dedicated website.

The “Peace Advantage” FFP aims to clearly communicate to Air Peace customers the value Air Peace places on their patronage & Air Peace’s commitment to building long lasting mutually beneficial relationships with its customers. The basic principle being that – The More You Fly with Air Peace, The More You Get Back From Air Peace.

The “Peace Advantage” Program rewards program members with an exchangeable loyalty currency called “Peace Points” for all their qualifying International, Regional & Domestic flights on Air Peace. Earned ”Peace Points” can be exchanged by program members for Air Peace flights nationwide, and in Future Air Peace promotional offers, gift merchandise, vouchers & other lifestyle related items from a dedicated online rewards catalogue – The Air Peace Loyalty Shop. In addition, program members will also be entitled to additional benefits – discounts & status benefits – from a network of Air Peace partners nationwide.

EARNING “PEACE POINTS” Peace Points are awarded to program members for flights flown as follows

The “Peace Advantage” program has 4 Member levels - Peace Bronze, Peace Silver, Peace Gold & Peace Platinum with the following benefits – TIER BENEFITS & QUALIFICATION

**Based on Availability

All individuals / passengers above 16 years of age will be eligible to enrol in the Peace Advantage Program, whilst to cater for our numerous passengers with families, Family Memberships will be allowed for passengers / individuals below 16 years of age, who will be enrolled under a parent / adult utilizing the Family Membership option.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

5

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Nigeria’ll import fuel beyond 2016 – Kachikwu Continued from page 1 pected to start early next year.

He said: “We are still going to be importing, even if you are in 100 percent capacity production. ”So until we begin to get individuals who can co-locate new refineries within the premises of existing refineries to expand the capacity, that’s the best way to go. And that is the only

way we are going to be committed to it.

“We are looking for investors who have the capacity, the speed and the time to be able to accomplish on that. But until we do that, we are going to be doing a mixture.

“Best case situation is a 25% to 40% of local production and the rest being imported, worst case situation is what we have seen in the last few months of

100% importation.”

The Minister also said that he directed the refineries to look at the commercial view of their plants in order to generate profit.

“A typical refinery will look at their looms, the petrochemical areas, will look at their power areas and see how they can probably expand the value chain and the potentials, that’s certainly what we are looking at, “ Kachikwu explained.

He expressed confidence that the queues in the filling station will end in next two weeks, noting “some of these factors are not in anybody’s control, one of the things I want people to understand is that NNPC is not setup to be a 100% importer for the country.

“We are a last intervention force, that is what we are and this business should be run by marketers who make money out of it,

bringing their products, selling in their stations.

It is not the business of NNPC really to be providing them hundred percent capacity but because there was over one year delay in payment subsidy.

“Because of the excess challenges that marketers have had, NNPC has had to rap up on the forty percent to about eighty capacity right now. And with that comes also with the responsibility in terms of

distribution, in terms of clearing and other related issues.

“And bad pipelines are not exactly helping matters. So it has been huge amount of work we have to do in the last nine weeks just keeping people on the roads. I personally never had window of three hours to sleep over that period.

Now we have been able to clear some of them but there is still a lot more work to be done.”

Police nab Pastor over charm buried in church premises ÎÎÎThe police in Benin ar-

L- R: Deputy Chancellor, Lagos Diocesan, Cathedral Church of Christ, Lagos, Hon. Justice Adedayo Oyebanji; Diocesan Bishop of Lagos, Most Reverend.

Ephraim A. Ademowo; former Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Chancellor, Lagos Diocese, Justice Adesola Oguntade; Deputy Chancellor, Asaba Diocese, Justice Sybil Nwaka; Mrs. Joy Ebeledike and Mrs. Sade Adetiba, during the 2015 Christmas Service at Cathedral Church of Christ, Marina, Lagos… at the weekend.

Photo: TAOFEEQ BABAJIDE

rested one Apostle Ikenna Okafor on Sunday for allegedly burying charm in his church premises in Benin.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the identity of what the suspect buried was unknown even though residents around the church located along Esigie St. in Benin alleged it was a live animal.

The police took away the suspect to avoid being lynched by angry residents who stormed the church.

An eyewitness, Mr Chinedu Nnamdi, said his fa-

ther woke him up around 2 a.m. on Saturday night to watch what the Pastor was doing.

According to him, the pastor buried something in front of the church and later performed a little ritual by walking round the church several times.

Confirming the report, the Police Public Relations Officer of the Edo Police Command, DSP Osifo Abiodun, said the suspect was under investigation.

The spokesman explained that the suspect has made useful statements that will assist the police in their investigation.

Minister suspends airport officials, orders probe into Turkish airlines fiasco Idu Jude Abuja

ÎÎÎThe Minister of

State for Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika, has ordered the suspension of three officials of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport Abuja over the recent incident involving Turkish Airlines at the airport.

Sirika disclosed this while briefing newsmen after listening to explanations by the airport officials on the incident on Sunday in Abuja.

He added that the Ministry had also ordered thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the breach, as well as why the airline brought in passengers without their luggage.

The suspended officials according to him are the Airport Manager, Terminal Manager and Head of Airport Security who were ordered to handover to their next in rank pending the conclusion of the investigation.

The minister said the explanation by the officials of the airport that the security personnel on duty were overpowered was not acceptable, ordering for thorough investigation into the incident.

He stated that the actions of the passengers by forcing their ways into the tarmac and blocked the aircraft from taking off was a security breach which must not be condoned.

``There has been an unfortunate incident where some agitated passengers of the Turkish Airlines arrived without their luggage making them to force their way into the tarmac which is a breach of security. ``The explanation given is not satisfactory because the primary purpose of the government is to ensure safety of lives and property of its citizens. ``The cardinal objective of this administration is to secure the country and manage it and we cannot fail in aviation and we cannot fail in this important assignment at a very important point. ``We have ordered for the investigation into the mat-

ter immediately and all the people that are manning the various places, Airport Manager, Terminal Manager and Head of Security should handover the next man in rank pending the outcome of the investigation. ``As to the airline also, the Consumer Protection Unit of the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has been ordered to find out what happened, how compliant they are and deal with it accordingly,’’ he said.

Sirika said the ministry was yet get the flight manifest to be able to ascertain the number of passengers involved which he added were many in number.

According to him, they got agitated and apparently they got access into the prohibited area because there was security lapse.

The Minister stated that the nation’s aviation sector had the capacity to grow, adding that it was already showing signal that it could tremendously contribute to the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to him, aviation is carrying by value, 31 per cent of the world cargo which make it a very important industry as the fastest means of transportation more efficiently. ``With specific to Nigeria, you could see how we grew from Kano Airport where the first plane landed in the

country to about 22 Federal Government owned airports plus several other private owned airports. ``On the whole, aviation I can say has grown to an appreciable level in the country and it has the capacity to grow more which is important to the economy of the country, he said.

Sirika added that the country also had good manpower such as pilots and engineers to move the industry forward.

He disclosed that the government was determined to deliver a more vibrant and efficient aviation sector in 2016 by making safety, security and efficiency its watch Continued on page 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Rural transformation key to national devt – Obasanjo Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta

ÎÎÎFormer

President Olusegun Obasanjo has described rural development as a collective responsibility, urging all and sundry in the society to come together to improve on their respective rural areas in the country.

Obasanjo, who made the call while delivering his goodwill message at this year’s edition of the Ibogun-Olaogun Day, which was held at his ancestral home in Ibogun Olaogun village, in the Ifo Local Government Area of Ogun state, last weekend, said “as responsible people to our respective rural areas, we should not wait for the governments.”

Obasanjo, who empha-

sised that government alone cannot satisfy all the infrastructural needs of the rural dwellers, also declared that the physical, social and educational development of the rural dwellers largely dependent on whatever contributions which individual members that have passed through the village settings can facilitate to their communities.

“We don’t need to wait for government before developing our communities, particularly some of us who were raised from the village. We should not wait for any ‘government ticket. Let us think of what we can do for ourselves and our communities; what can we do for ourselves to make the

village communities more habitable for us” Obasanjo said.

Obasanjo, who recalled that his paternal village in Ibogun-Olaogun lacked basic amenities such as latrine and bathroom during his growing up days, however, expressed happiness that the village could today boast of a Primary Health Clinic (PHC), modern toilet, good road network, as well as modern structure for the primary school, all which were constructed through the community efforts.

“When I was growing up in this community, there was no latrine, no bath, and a clinic. But today, there are over a dozen of people who would have died if the clinic we con-

structed through the community’s self-effort had not been in existence.

“Each of us can encourage village renewal; we don’t need to wait for government if we don’t want to tarry for too long. The need to raise fund for our community secondary school, is borne out of the need that, we cannot wait for government to do it for us. We have to carry our load by ourselves before we say government should come to our aide. That is the reality today.”

In his goodwill message, former Oyo state deputy governor, Hon. Taofeek Arapaja, toed the line of Obasanjo, with a call on his generation to heed to the former President’s clarion call.

L-R: Proto Presbyter, Methodist Church of Nigeria Trinity, Tinubu, Very Revd. Stephen Adegbite; Methodist Bishop of Tinubu, Rt. Revd. Oladapo Babalola; Prelate, Methodist Church Nigeria, His Eminence, Dr. Samuel Chukwuemeka Kanu Uche and Bishop of Evangelism and Discipleship, Rt. Revd. Edoka Amuta, during the 2015 Christmas Service at Methodist Church of the Trinity Tinubu Square, Lagos… at the weekend.

Photo: TAOFEEQ BABAJIDE

Oil communities chide FG over NDDC board ‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

ÎÎÎMembers

of the nine oil producing states that made up of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) have condemned the appointment of acting Managing Director for the Board following the controversies trailing the sack of three principal officers of the commission.

In a statement, issued and made available to journalists in Akure, the Ondo State capital, the oil producing states said the inability of President Buhari to constitute the board six months after its dissolution had created vacuum and caused tension in the region.

They bemoaned over projects meant to address the unrest and key develop-

mental needs of the people, noting that it had made the region to remain stagnant.

The statement, which was signed by the Coordinator of Oil and Gas Producing Community of Nigeria and Coalition of Oil Producing states, Prince Okoroboh Peter, and the Secretary Generaql, Charles Ebimomi, hailed the sack of the principal officers of the commis-

sion, but berated President Muhammadu Buhari for not constituting the board at the appropriate time.

They said the inability of the federal government to constitute the board at the right time had created tension and lack of trust on government’s ability to implement its cardinal promises to the people in the region.

13 News

Abia govt redeems Dec salary pledge to workers

Ikpeazu

Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÎÎÎIn

fulfillment of his pledge to Civil Servants in Abia state, the state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu paid their December 2015 salaries before the Christ-

mas festivities.

The Abia state government transferred the December 2015 salaries of all Ministries, Departments and Agencies in Abia state to their respective paying banks for onward disbursement to the workers that bank with them a week earlier.

The Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Obinna Oriaku, noted that the Abia state Ministry of Finance gave the directive to all the banks to ensure that all the workers receive their salaries latest Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

Group urges Kogi govt to pay counterpart fund ÎÎÎA Group, the Civil So-

ciety Platform on Health (CSPH), Kogi State chapter, has urged the state government to strengthen their counterpart obligations to international donor agencies for increased access to life-saving vaccines.

The chairman of the platform in the state, Mallam Sani Abubakar, disclosed this at the quarterly meeting of the platform held in Lokoja, last weekend.

Abubakar explained that statistics had shown that one out of every five children who die before the age of five, lose their lives to vaccine-preventable diseases,

adding that most of the unimmunized children live in the poorest and most remote communities.

He said that over 22.6 million children in developing countries do not receive vaccines that prevent lifethreatening diseases due to inadequacy of the vaccines and lack of accessibility especially to the rural areas.

According to him, Gavi Alliance for Vaccines and Immunizations (GAVI), Geneva, Switzerland was established in 2000 with mandate to save children’s lives and protect people’s health by increasing access to immunization among the poor.

Imo Police arrest 3 suspects over kidnapping ÎÎÎA crack team of police

officers in Imo state command have arrested threeman gang of suspected kidnappers who allegedly abducted, murdered and buried a 63- year- old woman, Mrs. Ogor Omereji.

Unfortunately, after collecting ransom of N500, 000 from the family members of their victim, the abductors, who incidentally were the nephews of the deceased murdered her.

According to the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Taiwo Lakanu, who spoke with journalists after the body of the

deceased was exhumed in a forest in Awara, Ohaji/ Egbema Local Government Area of the state, said the suspects had committed the crime on September 26 when the late Omereji had gone to her village, adding that she probably may have been abducted because her children were rich.

Lakanu, who was represented by the Command’s Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr. Andrew Enwerem, disclosed that the report had been made to the command which led to the investigation to be carried out, and the subsequent arrests.

8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Politics

Æs

Why we are concerned about my successor, by Oshiomhole

Oshiomhole

Lucky Igbinedion

Prof. Osunbor

Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole has spoken about the concerns of the people and his party for his successor in next year’s governorship poll in the state.

Speaking against the background of preparations for the election, he assured that someone who believes in the State and has the capacity to manage it will emerge as candidate of

the All Progressives Party (APC) and also win the votes of the people as the Governor in the 2016 gubernatorial election in the State.

The governor disclosed this while addressing Benin Palace Chiefs, led by Chief John Oviasogie, the Eribo of Benin, who paid him a visit at Government House. He said he is concerned about who will emerge as the

party’s flagbearer just like any other member of the party, assuring that there will be a levelplaying field for all.

Receiving the chiefs, Governor Oshiomhole said: “from my inner insight of what this job entails, I believe we should look for people who believe in the state and have the capacity to run it.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Meeting the deadline for Boko Haram In a few days time, the deadline given by President Muhammadu Buhari to the Nigerian Military to put an end to the Boko Haram insurgency in the country will expire bringing into focus the ability and capacity of our soldiers to bring peace to the country.

Few days ago, the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed and President Buhari had announced that the military had technically met the deadline with its commitment to reducing the capacity of the insurgents to attack as it used to do but now attack soft targets.

This perhaps was why for the first time in many years, apart from Borno, the Christmas celebration was marked peacefully in many states of the north east which had been ravaged by the insurgents in the last six years.

Residents of Damaturu, the Yobe State capital celebrated a hitch-free Christmas, five years after the Boko Haram insurgency prevented the movements of people to their places of worships for previous festivities and the yuletide.

The hitch free celebration was also recorded in other towns of Potiskum, Gashua, Geidam and Nguru, 245 kilomtres north of Damaturu.

Christian faithfuls as early at 7am were sighted in large numbers trooping to various Churches located at the Jerusalem residential areas of Damaturu; offering “prayers, praising God and rejoicing over the birth of Jesus Christ.”

At Saint Mary’s Catholic Church, the Assistant Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Yilar Emmanuel Apagu in an interview said: “The

Buhari significance of this celebration was to thank Almighty God for showing mankind yet another Christmas in the year 2015.”

He however regretted on how

Buratai the severe fuel scarcity has grounded the celebration of the birth of Jesus Christ that died on the cross for people’s sins.

He urged leaders to evoke

Olonisakin programmes that will reduce hardships of fuel scarcities that prevented many people from traveling and to visit their friends and relations in various parts of the

country.

“Despite these hardships, the people should cultivate the spirit CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Why we passed vote of Confidence in Buhari – Akpabio At a time the National Headquarters of the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP) is tackling President Muhammadu Buhari on his anti-corruption crusade, PDP minority leader in the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio has explained why the Akwa Ibom State chapter of the party passed a vote of confidence on

the President.

Akpabio, immediate former governor of Akwa Ibom State, said that the PDP stakeholders were in support of Buhari’s war on corruption and terrorism.

According to him, this was why PDP stakeholders in Akwa Ibom North West Local Government Area have passed a vote of confidence on President Bu-

hari.

Akpabio, who made this known to newsmen after a stakeholders meeting held on Friday in Essien Udim alleged that some people wanted to use the president victory’s in the 2015 general elections to foment trouble in the country.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Akpabio

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

9 Politics

Meeting the deadline for Boko Haram CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

of sharing at all times, particularly during the occasion and prayed for continuous guidance, protection and provision in the years ahead,” said Rev. Father Apagu.

He specifically thanked God for the restoration of peace in the country; particularly in the troubled northeast and hoped for its sustenance.

Other residents also thanked God for the successful celebration; despite the feared possible attacks by the Boko Haram militants; and prayed for peace to reign across the state, and the country at large.

However, no fewer than 14 people were killed and several others injured by Boko Haram gunmen in a Christmas Day attack on a village in northeastern Nigeria.

Using bicycles, the insurgents invaded Kimba village in flashpoint Borno State around 10:00 pm on Friday, opening fire on residents and torching their homes.

“The gunmen killed 14 people and burnt the whole village before they fled,” Mustapha Karimbe, a civilian assisting the military in fighting Boko Haram, said.

“Not a single house was spared in the arson,” another vigilante, Musa Suleiman, said after visiting the razed village.

Hundreds of Kimba residents fled to Biu nearby, where they were put up in a refugee camp already brimming with people running from Boko Haram.

The attack comes just days before Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s self-imposed deadline to stamp out the group expires on December 31 and in the same week he said that Nige-

Buhari

Buratai

ria has “technically” defeated the jihadists.

Buhari took office in May vowing to end the six-year insurgency that has killed over 17,000 people and distracted much-needed investors in Africa’s largest economy and foremost oil producer.

Nigerian troops have won back territory from Boko Haram, but in response they have increasingly resorted to suicide bombers — many of them young children — to wage war for an independent Islamic state.

The militants have damaged what little infrastructure existed in the country’s underdeveloped north at a time when the government is facing a cash crunch as a result of the free-falling oil price.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, a report released by the New York-based Institute for Eco-

nomics and Peace, it “has become the most deadly terrorist group in the world”.

The UN children’s agency said this week that over one million Nigerian schoolchildren have been kept out of school because of the conflict, warning that the lack of education will fuel radicalisation in and around Nigeria.

The insurgents have allied themselves with the Islamic State group, but experts doubt the scale and scope of the collaboration.

Still, there are growing fears that a once localised hardline Muslim movement is morphing into a regional Islamic threat as Boko Haram had equally launched attacks on Nigeria’s neighbours Chad, Cameroon and Niger.

Already, President Buhari has expressed government’s appreciation for the enormity of the secu-

rity challenges confronting the country, promising to do its best to make sure the Boko Haram elements allow peace to reign, even if it means persuading them.

He spoke on Friday while receiving top government functionaries who paid him the traditional Christmas homage in his residence at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

According to him, “We appreciate that the security agencies are doing their best and we have to continue praying for them.

“There can be no development without security, we have to continue to pray for them “If we have 2million people are IDP and 70 per cent are women and children and 70 per cent of them are children, some them are orphans, they grew up not knowing their parents, tradition or culture.

“As leaders, we have a weighty responsibility to ensure that infrastructure for the orphans are taken care of.

“As leaders, we wake with the feeling for those children, the most important thing is that they must not be denied education, schools must be rebuild, we also thank Danjuma and the G7 led by the U.S. they have been doing their best to help Nigeria to train our military.

“Boko Haram, this government is determined to make sure that we persuade them if they can be persuaded, we will use government institutions to persuade them to allow peace to reign.

“We need to come together and pull the country out of this probCONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Akpabio

Why we passed vote of Confidence in Buhari – Akpabio CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

He said the country was already facing enormous security challenges, adding that it would have been unfortunate to aggravate the situation with another political crisis.

“My Senatorial District PDP stakeholders passed a vote of confidence on Mr. President and supported his anti-terrorism and anti-corruption war.

“We are urging him not to allow people to use his victory to foment trouble in the country so that Nigerians can have peace,” Akpabio said.

He said that the stakeholders’ meeting was convened to review CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Why we are concerned about my successor, by Oshiomhole CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

We have the right to educate the people about the person whom we think will be safe. Be rest assured that I am as concerned as yourselves because we have seen the damage which the wrong driver can do to our collective vehicle.

“Everything is the same, the only difference is the person who heads the government.

May God give us a governor that will put Edo people first, that will respect the traditional institution and that will work for the unity of our people across the 192 wards.

“As I have said repeatedly, I think all of us must work to-

Oshiomhole

Igbinedion

Osunbor

gether to ensure that we have a governor who, first and foremost, believes in Benin, and who believes in the state, because if

someone does not believe in the state, and he has power, he will help himself. Running a government is different from running

a private enterprise. When you are working for a government, the interest is the people of the state.

“The second is to have the capacity to manage finances prudently because you may wish to do your best, but you cannot give what you don’t have. If you don’t have the brain, if you don’t have the knowledge and you don’t have the capacity, you will not be able to do it. So, we need people who can apply resources creatively.

“We haven’t solved all the problems, but we have made a lot of progress, and I am sure if the next governor will continue from where we will stop, for eight years of uninterrupted progress, I am sure that Benin Kingdom will be wearing a CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Saraki cautions on 2016 budget

Why we passed vote of Confidence in Buhari – Akpabio CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

Senate President Bukola Saraki has cautioned against the poor implementation of the 2016 budget which he described as a very good document but requires proper implementation to be meaningful to the people.

But he expressed worries about its implementation as he cautioned that the bureaucracy should not be allowed to defeat the good intentions of the budget.

Besides, he declared that the 2016 Budget proposal presently before the National Assembly will not have a difficult passage in the Senate and House of Representatives.

The budget proposal, he said, is a good document aimed at tackling the problems in the country.

Saraki, who joined other Nigerians to pay Christmas homage to President Muhammadu Buhari said: “You know as we said, we are going to work on the Budget as quick as possible. We are conscious of its importance to Nigeria and we are not going to waste time. As soon as we come back, we get down to work and do what we have to do.

“It is a good document, it has addressed the major issues, 70 percent capital and infrastruc-

Saraki ture. The key issue now are really implementation. We, as a National Assembly will ensure that we get our oversight right.

“By and large as a document, it is a good document and I am sure it will not have too much difficulty passing through the National Assembly. The key issue

Osinbajo is implementation to ensure that the bureaucracy does not kill the joy of the implementation of the Budget. We will do our part,” he stated.

Saraki, said that Nigerians have a lot to be thankful for, for sparing their lives and Nigeria.

He added that it will continue

to address the problems including security, economy and fight against corruption.

“I am hopeful that this time as we celebrate Christmas, we will continue to pray for this country that 2016 with everybody’s cooperation we begin to turn the corner for a greater country.” He added.

the state of things in the senatorial district as well as Akwa Ibom and the nation.

Akpabio expressed optimism that the PDP would be victorious if a rerun of the governorship election was held in the state.

He urged supporters of the PDP in the state to remain calm following the nullification of the governorship election of April 11 by the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja.

Akpabio also wished the Akwa Ibom people peace, love and unity during the Christmas and New Year celebrations.

He expressed optimism that President Buhari’s anti-corruption war will yield positive results.

He said the country was already facing enormous security challenges, adding that it would have been unfortunate to aggravate the situation with another political crisis.

He urged supporters of the PDP in the state to remain calm following the nullification of the governorship election of April 11 by the Appeal Court sitting in Abuja.

Meeting the deadline for Boko Haram CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

lem that we find ourselves, everybody in the world believes that Nigeria is a lucky country because of its natural resources. Our problem is how to organize ourselves and how to get the right leadership in place,” the President said.

Also, The Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan Ali and the Chief of Army Staff, Lt-Gen. Tukur Buratai tasked the troops to “remain focus and determined” to end Boko Haram terrorism in the country and meet the Presidential December deadline of ensuring peace in the North East Geo-political zone.

Dan Ali and Buratai gave the charge while on a two-day official operational visit of Operation Lafiya Dole at the Maimalari Cantonment, Maiduguri.

“Our troops in the battle fields of Sambisa Forest and Northern

Buhari

Olonisakin

Borno, have been doing a vice nice job of securing the lives and property of the people. And with the briefings the various commanders provided on their various operations against insurgency, indicated of a great job for the country and its citizenry,” said the Defense minister, in an interactive session.

He added that the troops are also up to the task of overcoming

the challenges of using Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) by insurgents attack soft targets in the affected states in the Northeast.

Buratai in a Christmas and New Year messages to the troops, also extended his warmest felicitations and the best wishes of joy, peace, and goodwill on behalf of the Nigerian Armed Forces, as

they continue to render selfless service to the nation.

“You have responded magnificently to various rigours and dangers within the Theater of Operations. You have struck fear into the hearts of the terrorists and overcome the resistance of insurgency in the Northeast,” he said, adding that the troops’ unconquerable spirit has attracted overwhelming admiration and respect.

Buratai said the esteem in which the Nigerian Army is held higher than any point it could be recalled to date.

On welfare and effectiveness of troops, he said: “I assured you of my commitment to ensure optimal sustenance of your welfare as well as that of your families as you continue to render selfless service to the nation.

“The President is making all

efforts to improve your effectiveness and capacity. I have no doubt that with this renewed vigour from the federal government and the support of all Nigerians, the end of the operation is within sight,” he said.

He however noted that the troops should discharge their duties in the best professional manner and in line with the Code of Conduct that was issued to them.

“Always be conscious of your responsibilities and what your commanders expect from you,” counseled the Chief of Army Staff. To the fallen heroes, Buratai said: “I pray to God to have mercy on their souls and continue to give their families the fortitude to bear their loss. We shall continue to support the families of our fallen heroes and esure that their noble sacrifices are always remembered.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

11 Politics

Trouble brews in Oyo over non-payment of traditional rulers’ salaries

Ajimobi

Grumblings in Oyo over non- payment of stipends to traditional rulers.

There are loud grumblings in Oyo State over the failure of the state government to pay salaries to traditional rulers in the state in the last three months.

Already, the state workers and members of the state House of Assembly are being owed salaries and allowances for between three to four months.

Many of the traditional rulers are said to be owed millions of naira as at last Christmas period making them to celebrate a bleak

Olubadan

Christmas.

Besides, some former governors are also said to be owed their monthly stipends running into millions of naira.

The situation had pitched the governor against many influential personalities in the state following their belief that the governor would have found means of paying them their entitlements if he actually wanted to.

They believed that the nonpayment by the governor was intentional even though the governor had on several occasions argued that there was no money

Alaafin

as the meager resources coming into the state’s purse was used to pay workers salaries.

The Daily Times gathered that amongst traditional rulers being owed are the Olubadan of Ibadan, Oba Samuel Lana, Odugade 1 and the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi.

This development, it was learnt had created a sort of wedge between the governor and the Obas as well as some influential persons who used to be very chummy with the governor and indeed, helped him into power especially in the 2011 when he

faced then incumbent, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala whom he defeated.

But Mr. Yomi Layinka, the governor’s media adviser who confirmed the development urged the traditional rulers to be more understanding over the issue.

According to him, the last allocation sent to the state was for October and it is even yet to drop into the account of the state saying only civil servants from Grade level 01-06 were paid in order for them to be able to celebrate Christmas in line with the arrangement reached with the

labour unions.

He said even the October allocation was just N2.8 billion while the total salary bill for the state in a month is over N5 billion adding that the government would have to find other means with which to pay the salaries first before thinking of other things.

According to him, contrary to insinuations the development was not intentional but as a result of the precarious financial situation of the whole country and assured that the rulers would be settled as soon as the financial situation improves.

Why we are concerned about my successor, by Oshiomhole CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

complete new look”, he stressed.

He expressed appreciation to the senior Palace chiefs for their visit, “I want to thank you for your kind words, and I also want to use this opportunity to repeat what I have said several times over. I have been extremely fortunate not only to have been accepted by His Royal Majesty, the great Oba of Benin, but also to enjoy the wise counsel, advice, prayers and all. We have had such a wonderful warm relation-

ship between the government and the palace.

“I was at Abudu a few days ago, just to see what we are doing, and the people were so happy. We have a similar work at Igbanke; and here and there within the Kingdom, we are ensuring that we spread development.

“Across Nigeria today, I believe that Edo State might be one of the two or three states that are able to pay salaries of December to workers before Christmas.

The labour leadership came see me yesterday to thank me for en-

suring the civil servants in Edo State got their salaries. So in a country where most states cannot pay, and we are not as rich as any of our neighbours. Our people have got their salaries, but our neighbours can’t, so, it shows that it is that capacity to manage.

Speaking earlier, the head of Iwebo from Benin Palace Chief John Oviasogie, the Eribo of Benin expressed gratitude to the Governor for his developmental strides in the State: “What you have done in our state is some-

thing we are very proud about.

You have virtually touched every place. We pray that God will continue to guide and protect you. Everyone of us as human being will aspire to the highest level of developing Nigeria. We thank you for the audience.”

Among the Benin Palace chiefs on the visit are Chief John Oviasogie, the Eribo of Benin, Chief Stanley Obamwonyi, Esere of Benin, Chief E.U. Uzamere, the Ine of Benin and Chief Morgan Obamwonyi, the Eguezigbon of Benin.

Oshiomhole

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Atiku blasts ‘mischief makers’, denies hosting political meetings in Dubai Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

ÎÎÎFormer

Vice-President and chieftain of All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, on Sunday, raised the alarm that political mischief makers were out to draw a wedge between him and President Muhammadu Buhari, in order to cause needless distrust and distractions in the President’s government.

Atiku has, however, advised the political mischief makers to allow him enjoy his peace and desist from such sinister propaganda.

The former Vice-President between 1999 and 2007 raised the alarm while reacting to insinuations by those he called “political mischief makers and enemies of unity”, who alleged that he has

been hosting political meetings at Burj Al-Arab, Dubai.

Atiku, who is the Turakin Adamawa, said contrary to the rumours being bandied around by political opponents, he is currently in Dubai with his family for physiotherapy on his injured knee.

A press statement by his media office in Abuja, which was signed by his Media Adviser, Mazi Paul Ibe, disclosed that the former Vice President is embarrassed by the deliberate falsehoods being spread against him by political opponents who are bent on causing distraction for President Buhari at a time all energies should be channeled into helping the President actualise his change agenda.

He described the rumour

mongers as ill-motivated busybodies that don’t wish the country well.

Atiku explained that his medical treatment is his private affairs, which should not be politicised by anybody to achieve sinister objectives.

The former Vice-President stated further that he is entitled to enjoy his private life, including the right to attend to his health, without being harassed and lied against by political opponents.

Atiku maintained that the success of the Buhari administration has been his preoccupation and that any true APC member should have the same zeal.

According to him, rumour mongers that seek to cause distrust and distraction in Buhari’s government do not

mean well for the APC administration.

The former Vice President says with the challenges of providing good governance for the country and creating job opportunities for Nigerians, including reducing the impact of poverty, President Buhari needs all the goodwill and support in this endeavour.

His words, “Whether at home or abroad, the Turaki is preoccupied with his unassailable support to President Buhari and his administration, especially in this critical time, as it works assiduously to turn the fortunes of our dear country around and make Nigeria work for the greater good of Nigerians”.

He added, “rumour mongers and mischief makers

are toxic to the progress of the APC and the country at large”, stressing that the campaigns are gone, and therefore, all energies should be constructively devoted to the success of the Buhari administration.

Continuing, Atiku said, “This is yet another plot of the enemies of our country and democracy to divide, di-

vert attention and distract the APC in its avowed commitment to secure the country, provide jobs for the mass of unemployed youths, build needed critical infrastructure, enthrone a regime of probity and accountability and pull the country out of the economic woods it has been consigned to by locust years of mismanagement”.

Minister suspends airport officials, orders probe into Turkish airlines fiasco Continued from page 6 word with regards to transportation.

According to the minister, “once you are safe and secured in the industry, you have nearly achieved 100 percent of what you are meant to achieve”. ``It is not about the beauty of the airports or planting flowers or other vanities, it is about safety, security and efficiency as far as aviation is concerned,’’ he said.

Earlier, Mr. Bashir Hausawa, Acting Head of Security,

explained to the minister that the security personnel were overpowered by the angry passengers over the non-arrival of their luggage.

Hausawa added that the shortage of manpower was responsible for the incident, adding that there was only one man manning luggage area of the airport during the incident.

He said they were 192 security men manning the whole of the airport resulting in the shortage of manpower distribution to various units of the airport.

Army nabs 7 Boko Haram bomb experts R-L: Former President Olusegun Obasanjo; Ogun State Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga; wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Funso Amosun and Mrs. Bola Obasanjo, during the Ibogun Olaogun Day held at Ibogun Primary School, Ogun State… at the weekend.

Photo: DAVID IDOWU

FG to involve EFCC, DSS in prosecution of pipeline vandals

ÎÎÎThe

Managing Director, Petroleum Products and Marketing Company (PPMC), Mrs. Esther Nnamdi-Ogbue, on Sunday, said the Federal Government will involve some security agencies in prosecuting pipeline vandals.

Ogbue disclosed this during a visit to Mosinmi Depot and Ajebo pipeline in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

She listed the security agencies to be involved as the Police, the Economic and Fi-

nancial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Department of State Services (DSS).

Ogbue said that the involvement of these agencies would facilitate the prosecution of the vandals at the courts of competent jurisdiction. ``We are looking at all ramifications on how to bring these criminals to book; they have to be treated as criminals and pipeline products thieves. ``The pipelines are the most efficient way of mov-

ing products and then for the first time in a very long time we are pushing products all the way to Ibadan. ``We intend to move to Ilorin, reduce bridging from Lagos area so that people can go and pick up their products in Ibadan and Ilorin,” Ogbue said.

She expressed optimism that partnership with EFCC, DSS, Police and host communities would yield positive results and the culprits would soon face the full wrath of the law.

Ogbue said that Federal Government would start deploying trackers on trucks carrying fuel from its depots to filling stations across the country to check diversion of the product.

The PPMC boss explained that with the trackers, government would be able to monitor the movement of trucks vis- a-vis their destinations.

Ogbue lamented that fuel diversion was a serious problem with undesirable consequences on the economy.

Continued from page 1 nate suicide bombings during the festive period.

Col. Kukasheka added that recently in Maiduguri, some of the terror specialists were arrested while trying to detonate IEDs carried in food containers in public places.

He said: “The arrest of these suspects would no doubt assist in the fight against terrorism in the country, more so as the military have technically defeated the Boko Haram terrorists in the field.

“The terrorists have resorted to attacking soft targets through suicide bombings, IEDs and harassing attacks on isolated communities”.

The Army spokesman advised members of the public to be more vigilant and security conscious by reporting suspicious persons and movements to the security agencies.

Meanwhile, gunmen believed to be members of the Boko Haram were on Sunday evening involved in a shoot-out with soldiers in Aladuwari village – about 2 km away from Maiduguri.

The attackers arrived the area at about 6 p.m. local time, it was gathered.

Also at about 8 p.m., two suicide bombers, believed to be females, detonated explosives near FOMWAN school in Jiddari area of Maiduguri. The casualty figure from the explosions is yet to be ascertained.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

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13

News 14 Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏAbia

state governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has commiserated with his Anambra state counterpart, Chief Willie Obiano, and the owner of Chikason Group of Companies, Chief Chika Okafor, whose company, Inter Corp Oil Limited (an LPG Gas Plant), was gutted by fire on Christmas Eve resulting in the death of about 100 people in Nnewi.

Governor Ikpeazu also extended his heartfelt condolence to the families and relatives of the victims of the inferno and to the good people of Anambra state, describing the incident as very painful and unfortunate and regretting that such mishap

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Nnewi fire: Abia govt commiserates with Obiano, Chikason could happen at a time when the entire world was in festive mood, noting also that the incident has spoiled the Christmas celebration for Anambra people and Nigeria in general.

He prayed to God to give Anambra people and particularly the families of the victim the fortitude to bear this this irreparable loss.

Picnickers catching fun at Magicland in Abuja… on Sunday.

Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

Buhari’s budget’ll improve Nigerians’ lives, says Fayemi Fayemi

Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏThe

Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has assured Nigerians that the budget is targeted at improving their lives, promising that it will be pursued with passion to realise

Kano govt revokes coy’s contract, directs refund of N460m Yakubu Salisu

ÏÏÏThe

governor of Kano state, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has revoked a contract for the construction of a multi-billion naira Kanawa International Markert. The project, which is located at Dangwauro along Zaria road in the state capital, was conceived as a partnership project by the Shekarau administration, based on Build, Operate and Transfer (BOT). It was aimed at de-congesting some markets in the state, especially the popular

its focus.

Speaking in Isan Ekiti on Sunday during a thanksgiving ceremony marking his ministerial appointment, Fayemi said, “The budget presented by President Buhari has a focus and the focus is to improve on the well-being of all Nigerians and to improve on the infrastructural facilities across the nation.

“So, what we need now is to prove our mettle by being innovative and be creative. We need to work very hard to actualize the focus of this budget and this will only be measured by the level of

Kwanar Singer market in Kano metropolis.

According to Ganduje, the partner company, Messrs IDIS Limited and their collaborating bank defaulted on the contractual agreement as a result of which the project remained at foundation level years after it was awarded.

Ganduje explained that the company has also been directed to refund the sum of N460 million which the government paid as compensation to the original land owners on which the project was sited because government cannot afford to waste its money, as a result of the lackadaisical attitude of the investor. He stated that government would soon unveil what it would do on the cancelled project site, hinting that people of Kano should expect another project that would bring in money to the administration, in view of its dwindling resources.

impacts we are able to make on Nigerian masses”.

The Minister, however, declared that there is no amount that is budgeted to develop a vast country like Nigeria that is too much.

He explained further that the N6.08 trillion 2016 budget presented by Muhammadu Buhari is not bogus despite being made in a non-oil dependent fashion.

Fayemi said the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing that received a staggering sum of N433 billion largest share in the 2016 budget could still not boast

that the amount would be more than enough to turn around the infrastructural facilities across the nation.

“The former governor of Lagos State who superintends over the Ministry of Power, Works and Housing with about N433 billion budgetary provision cannot say the amount is enough to turn around the facilities of this country if you look at what was involved.

“Lagos-Ibadan expressway alone will gulp a sum of N250 billion while the remaining amount may go with the second Niger

Bridge, so no Minister can say the amount budgeted is more than enough”, he said.

Fayemi also lamented the neglect of the mineral potentials of the country since independence, saying the sector has the capacity to turn around the country’s economy, considering its local consumption by industries and export benefits.

On the enormous mineral potentials of the country, Fayemi said the Nigeria’s self-sufficiency in cement production is enough to attest to the fact that the country is richly blessed.

Accept APC position on Kogi guber poll, kinsman tells Faleke Ibrahim Obansa Lokoja

ÏÏÏAs stakeholders are work-

ing round the clock to resolve the Kogi governorship tussle, a kinsman of Hon. Abiodun Faleke, Taufiq Isa has appealed to him (Faleke) to respect the decision of the party by accepting the position of the Deputy-Governor after the Kogi governorship election debacle.

Isa, who is also the All Progressives Congress (APC) chairman of Ijumu Local Government Area, (Faleke’s LGA) said Faleke’s decision to remain adamant may jeopardise the victory of the party in the state.

Speaking on Sunday with journalists in Lokoja, Isa also warned

the Deputy-Governor- elect to be wary of some politicians who are feeding fat from the crisis.

“I appeal to the entire APC membership in Kogi state to wake up, stand up and protect the interest of the party at this very crucial period against the pursuit of some people’s personal, wicked, and parochial selfish interest to trade off our party mandate.

“We must come together to salvage this mandate of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, for the benefit of the party and the entire people of Kogi state so as to move Kogi forward. It must be made known that some group of politicians have capitalised on this present crisis to enrich themselves and garner cheap popularity on the premise of representing the Okun people.

“I hereby appeal to Okun people not to allow these few political prostitutes to trade away our mandate” he stressed.

The politician, who said he had consulted some party leaders in Okun and some other places to ensure that the election fall-out is resolved amicably, said his efforts were being truncated by those politicians who are benefiting from the crisis.

He, however, appealed to the party members to allow peace to reign and not create political crisis in the area, “Moreover, let’s avoid any action or inaction that will be detrimental to fostering the unity, peace and progress of West and Central in particular, and the state at large.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

15 Opinion

Ikpeazu: Bringing hope to indigent Abia children

G Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu

od often speaks of the poor and needy in the Bible and always admonishes us to give generously to them.

Two biblical injunctions, among several others, aptly capture the need to attend to the poor and needy amongst us:” Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbour, “Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you”— when you already have it with you.

— Proverbs 3:27-28; whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will reward them for what they have done.

— Proverbs 19:17.

In tune with these injunctions, Gov. Okezie Ikpeazu has offered succour to the indigent school- child in Abia.

He has launched a pet project tagged “Feeding of School Pupils”.

This project, which will ensure the feeding of pupils in 170 primary schools in the state three times a week, targets the poorest and children from indigent homes.

By this initiative, Abia has joined the league of states that have adopted the free meal project. The Abia State model is timely and auspicious because free school meal is the in thing and states striving to cut down the rate of out- of school- children.

Recently, Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode of Lagos State , while presenting the year 2016 budget proposal said the government’s “A-Meal-a-Day” programme in the state’s Public Primary schools would commence in 2016.

Ambode, in attempt to drive home the import of feeding school children explained: “This programme promises not only to improve the daily nutrition of our children. “It will also create an economy of its own, with opportunities for job creation, income generation, poverty alleviation, and so on”.

The benefits of this project are multifarious. Isa Yunusa in a paper entitled “SCHOOL FEEDING PROGRAMME IN NIGERIA: A VEHICLE FOR NOURISHMENT OF PUPILS”, opined that “Malnutrition disorders affect more than 42% of school children in Nigeria and are responsible for 49% absenteeism of primary school age children. School Feeding Programme (SFPs) is designed to overcome malnutrition through regular school-feeding to improve the health/nutrition status and the education abilities of school children”. It is germane, especially in the face of a 2013 UNESCO report that Nigeria has 10.5 million kids out of school, accounting for 47 percent of out-of- school population in the world.

Like the saying goes “a hungry man is an angry man”, it is impossible for a child to learn well on an empty stomach. As Ifeanyichukwu Ochei captured in his article “School Meals for All Nigerian Primary School Children?” When I was in primary school in the 1970s in England, hot school meals were provided daily for every school child. School lunch was an integral part of the school day.

Abia feeding school project conforms with Article 24 (2c) of Convention on the Rights of the Child, which stipulates that” states parties shall pursue full implementation of this right and, in particular, shall take appropriate measures: (c) To combat disease and malnutrition, including within the framework of primary health care, through, the application of readily available technology and through the provision of adequate nutritious foods and clean drinkingwater, taking into consideration the dangers and risks of environmental pollution. To eradicate extreme poverty and hunger and reduce child mortality”.

According to Ochei, to maximise the benefits of providing healthy meals in primary schools, government should combine this policy with maintaining and upgrading learning education facilities.

Ikpeazu is noted for his proactive

approach to issues and he has taken steps to address the concern raised

by Ochei. He has also launched the “School Adoption Initiative.

The motive driving this project is the involvement of well- meaning individuals within and outside Abia to give back to the communities that moulded them, especially the schools that raised them.

This is a departure from the old tradition whereby government renovates and equips primary schools project in rural, urban and semi urban areas.

While the project aims at turning around the poorest primary schools across the state, it is also designed to give hope to pupils from poor schools by getting well-to-do individuals within and outside the state to adopt such schools.

This initiatives is not surprising as Ikpeazu has maintained the culture of keeping to his campaign promises.

Ikpeazu captured in his manifesto thus, “Our focus on education will be extensive as we believe that the strength of Abia lies in her people. “ We will promote the emergence of Abia as an education destination by attracting and diligently fast-tracking the establishment of internationally recognized education providers in the state”.

Ukegbu is SSA to Ikpeazu on media.

Shiite/Army clash and Human Rights management

T

Tajudeen Balogun

hese are not best of the times for Nigeria.

Giving the present state of things, Nigeria can be equated to a ‘compacted, congested and suffocated kitchen’ – where the survival of the occupants is only by the special grace of God. Right now, there are so many urgent national socio-economic issues, begging for quick attention and lasting solutions from the Government.

For instance, if the authority is not disturbed or distracted by retrogressive elements, which pretend to love the country so dearly I had thought critically over it and asked, what actually is the point of attraction to the “Nigerian Presidency”?

I have concluded that being at helms of affairs in Nigeria, is more or less like embarking on an adventurous journey, the like once made, in the fiction story, by those brave hunters to “Igbo Irumale” (The Spirit’s Jungle).

If you made a return from such hazardous trip, you are definitely a hero and these gallant feet are worthy of celebration.

It has happened again. The clash, killing, lamentation and debates over who has the right over what; then distracting the public attention. On December 12, 2016, came the news

of another bloody clash between members of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN) and soldiers.

The cause of the skirmish, which claimed still, controversial number of Sheikh Ibrahim Al-Zakyzaky-led IMN (members) is very clear to the public, but very regrettably, despite the reason (protecting the life of Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Tukur Buratai from being attacked), as adduced by the Army, arguments and debates on the matter – back and forth, have not abated.

Unfortunately, the incident has thrown up another round of tribal and religion debate across the country.

I must state clearly that, on this matter, three key issues are involved.

They are: religion; human rights and the law.

There is no denying the fact that IMN – about the only (not really sure) prominent Shiite Islamic sect (group) in Nigeria, has the record of muscle flexing with the country’s law enforcement agencies, in particular, the military. What happened recently was exactly the repeat of the similar clash that ensued last year. The 2014 clash also happened during its procession on Ashura day. It claimed many casualties, including Al-Zakyzaky’s son. who has the right of procession and who authorises it? Every Nigerian,

group, organisation and association has the right to organise rallies and processions. Still, there is need to be explicit on the right of permission.

Still on permission, the Public Order Act allows that the state governor can however delegate his powers to the Commissioner of Police (CP) of the state. In addition, any person who is dissatisfied by the decision of the CP may appeal to the governor and the decision of the governor shall be final.

For the critically minded ones, let this not be restricted to the Al-Zakyzaky members. Let me also support you by citing, the infamous OPC-led procession, sponsored by the immediate past administration, ahead of the last Presidential election in Lagos State. Of course, no one needs to be reminded of the recent processions by the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), in which lives of their members and non-members were lost.

You might also want to ask, what actually is the difference between the OPC, MASSOB/IPOB and IMN processions?

The Al-Zakyzaky Nigerian Shiite is reputed for its annual inter-state processions. I do not know how many kilometers involved in such a long trek on the express and highways. I watched about 10 minute’s

video released by the Nigerian Army on the soldiers’ encounter with the Al-Zakyzaky members.

The allegation by the army, which informed the killing of some IMN members, was very weighty.

However, in the face of law and human rights, the soldiers’ action is questionable.

Is Sheikh Al-Zakyzaky a Muslim?

Yes, he is (of the Shia sect). Are his followers/members also Muslims?

I will say yes and no. But I cannot vouch for the long train of the young and old restless members (including women), decked in black, who barricaded the road and kept threatening to stone and harm the military men their representatives engaged in chat.

By the way, does Sheikh Al-Zakyzaky and his members many over bearing tendencies have any political undertone. I doubt yes answer.

My reason is that the Shiat controls very small percentage of Muslim population in Nigeria. If at all they (Shiite) are in government, the representation is very insignificant.

In addition, what is the grouse the Shiite might have against President Buhari’s administration or Buratai?

I would not know, if not only about the agenda to establish their independent enclave.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

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18

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28 2015

Features Æ s

Of wealthy people and common wealth-related diseases When it is said that (good) ‘health is wealth’, not many of average income will opt for the former over the latter - if they have a choice.

In this internet, fast-lane generation that wants everything almost instantly, the nature of man has taken a turn for the worse, according to medical reports.

Recent statistics from authorities home and abroad are scary and mindboggling - who will believe these reports?

No fewer than 80,000 Nigerians die from various forms of cancer every year. That is coming from the National Cancer Prevention Programme (NCPP).

Then the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) reported last year that all of 3.9 million Nigerians are living with one form of diabetes or the other, and they are not done yet: The Stephen James Stroke Centre of Excellence in Abuja revealed that 168 people die daily of stroke in Nigeria. The body also announced that 18 fresh stroke cases are recorded every hour, which totals some 157,680 new cases of stroke annually and that, unarguably, is worrisome.

Not the least, President-elect, Nigeria Association of Nephrology and Chief Medical Director, St. Nicholas Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Ebun Bamgboye, informed that 36.8 million Nigerians (23 per cent) are suffering from various stages of kidney/renal disease in Nigeria.

Although a decline was noticed in the prevalence of many infectious or Communicable Diseases, Lucy Osuizigbo, writing for News Agency of Nigeria observed that there has been a steady rise in the burden of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) also referred to as chronic diseases.

Medics say NCDs are the leading causes of death worldwide.

They include heart/ cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes, chronic kidney and respiratory diseases and are responsible for the majority of NCD-related illnesses and deaths in Nigeria. This underscores the seriousness of the

Diezani going with cancer - Dora Akunyili gone with cancer problem of hypertension and the endemic nature of chronic diseases.

Dr Bamgboye confessed that the trend is not only becoming worrisome but has become more bothersome when even those who are wealthy in society and who can afford the high cost of medical treatment and management of these diseases are the most affected.

The list of notable Nigerians who are also perceived to be the wealthy in the society and who recently fell, that is, died, survived or are managing NCDs is endless.

Low income earners or the poor in the society are also affected, but the wealthy or people perceived to be the rich in the society and can afford the best of medical check-up

Those who are wealthy in society and who can afford the high cost of medical treatment and management of these diseases are the most affected. The list of notable Nigerians who are also perceived to be the wealthy in the society and who recently fell, that is, died, survived or are managing NCDs is endless - Dr Ebun Bamgboye, President-elect, Nigeria Association of Nephrology and treatment in the best of health facilities around the world are most hit.

Oftentimes, they manage and live with these diseases or never return

alive. It is a condition begging for an answer.

Medical Director of Providence Clinic, Isheri-Osun, Dr. Emmanuel Eche, in a media chat recently said

rich Nigerians are more prone to heart attack than the poor.

Declaring that these health conditions that can lead to sudden death are more common among the rich, Eche said the reason is because the rich can afford to eat foods that cause high blood pressure and high cholesterol every day and also hinted that obesity related to diet is one major issue why affluent Nigerians are dying. His reason is food for thought for the wealthy class.

“The affluence that comes with political offices in Nigeria is alarming. For instance, a man who used to be slim will suddenly CONTINUED ON PAGE 19

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28 2015

19

Features

Rich Nigerians are more prone to heart attack than the poor - Dr Eche CONTINUED FROM PAGE 18

become fat after taking up a political appointment: he will suddenly start drinking more alcohol and eating Westernised foods that encourage weight gain.

“They have chefs, drivers and others employed to do everything for them so they cease to task themselves physically - and the result is weight gain and the accompanying heart attack and sudden death,’’ Eche said.

The nutrition question A professor of human nutrition at the Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma, Edo state, Prof. Ignatius Onimawo said almost half of all deaths attributable to NCDs have nutrition as the predominant risk factor.

Nutrition, by the way, is the process of providing food necessary for health, growth and wellbeing; it plays a significant role in the quality of life and longevity.

Onimawo, a former President of

Cancer-med

Most chronic diseases experienced in adulthood originated from the kind of nutritional habit of the mother during pregnancy up to the first 1,000 days of the child’s life. The period is a unique window of opportunity to prevent these diseases – Prof Onimawo the Nutrition Society of Nigeria (NSN), explained that most chronic diseases experienced in adulthood originated from the kind of nutritional habit in the first 1,000 days of life.

Diezani-Madueke battling with cancer The period, he said, was a unique window of opportunity to prevent these diseases.

Onimawo said that from pregnancy to a child`s second birthday, if nutrition balance is not properly taken care of, whatever condition it creates is irreversible and could lead to the development of chronic diseases later in the child’s life.

“Seventy per cent of brain development and normal formation of the organs such as the heart,

kidney, pancreas, liver, body tissues and cells, take place in the womb.

“And when a pregnant woman does not eat the right foods to get adequate nutrients, the foetus will be compromised. This will result to low birth weight which is below 2.5kg as against normal birth weight which starts from 2.5 kg to 4 kg.

“The remaining 30 per cent of the child’s normal development takes place from when the child is born till his second birthday. If the

mother does not breastfeed this baby exclusively for the first six months of life, and later with timely and adequate complementary feeding till he is two, we have little or no control over what happens later in life.

“If the Pancreas is not properly formed, for example, it will not produce enough insulin to prevent diabetes.

“Now, when such individual CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

Features 20

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28 2015

Nutrition plays a significant role in quality of life and longevity CONTINUED FROM PAGE 19

grows up and is exposed to all the resources to eat those comfort foods without knowledge of adequate nutritional habits, the organs that were not properly formed during the first 1,000 days of life will not be able to cope with those nutrients and they begin to have problems and fail.

“So, once these diseases set in, no matter how wealthy you are, there is little or nothing that can be done to cure them, but such patients could manage and live with the disease throughout their lives,’’ Onimawo said.

The Professor also harped on the need to better educate expectant and nursing mothers to make informed decisions regarding nutritional care in the first 1,000 days of their babies’ lives.

By the same token, Prof. Ngozi Nnam, National President, Nutrition Society of Nigeria said that six months exclusive breastfeeding can remedy some of the problems associated with low birth weight.

Nnam lamented the low rate of adherence to exclusive breastfeeding in the country.

Nnam, a Professor of Public Health Nutrition, Department of Home Science, Nutrition and Dietetics, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, noted that most nursing mothers preferred to feed their babies with animal milk instead of the human breast milk.

“The protein content in the animal milk is higher than that of the human breast milk, which is why an animal will be delivered today and immediately it starts to walk.

“When you feed a baby with animal milk, it will cause the cells in the baby’s body to increase in number and size, more than it should.

“This is why a young child will grow fat, become overweight or obese and even look older than his or her age. Obesity comes with increased risk of chronic diseases and causes death such as hypertension, stroke, coronary heart disease, Type-2 diabetes, mental illness such as depression, breakdown of cartilage and bone within the joint and some cancers.

“Even when that obese child becomes an adult and tries slimming mechanisms, they may not work because those cells are still there in the body.

“Therefore, mothers refusing to breastfeed are disservice to themselves, the baby and to humanity. And when your child is fat, don’t take it as being healthy, that child is obese,’’ she said.

Recommending a check when the 1,000 days window opportunity has passed, Dr Kemi Odukoya, a

The affluence that comes with political offices in Nigeria is alarming. People who used to be slim will suddenly become fat after taking up political appointments.

They will suddenly start drinking more alcohol and eating Westernised foods that encourage weight gain. They cease to task themselves physically and the result is weight gain and the accompanying heart attack, then sudden death - Dr. Eche

Two sides of treatment

Mitograph

Cancer time bomb warning concept as a dangerous cancerous cell inside a human body with an explosive ready to explode as a symbol for spreading and growing Consultant Public Health Physician at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Lagos, said that affluence and urbanisation mean new kinds of unhealthy lifestyles.

It also implies new kind of diet, physical inactivity, alcohol consumption, tobacco use among others which can increase the risk

of NCDs. Odukoya said that Nigeria has witnessed a rise in the number of fast food restaurants serving meals with high salt and sugar content as well as preservatives, often containing saturated fat.

She said that this goes hand in hand with an increase in the availability of bottled drinks, adding that canned fruit juices were

becoming fashionable and replacing natural fruits.

“These eateries are patronised by people across all economic bands in the society; the working class and the wealthy in Nigeria consider eating outside as trending.

“These trends cause overweight, which is a risk factor for diabetes mellitus, hypertension, coronary heart diseases, renal disease

and cancer. Thus, an increasingly obese population will bear the increased burden of these chronic diseases.

“But one-third of these diseases can be prevented through lifestyle modification by eating healthily, maintaining normal weight, and exercising throughout life.

“Also, avoid tobacco use and consumption of alcohol to address disease prevention, control risk factors and sustain good health,’’ Odukoya said.

The case was made on the economic shortfall in the country which limits the ability of pregnant women and mothers to have full access to nutritional care practice.

Dr Emmanuel Enabulele worried that the environment and the economy in Nigeria have been unfriendly with unavailability of resources: how do you expect a pregnant woman to eat the required foods?k, he asked.

“Or what she does not have and cannot afford? This is because these good foods are very expensive.

“Government at all levels needs to do something about this problem by ensuring a better and affordable life for all the citizens.

“They can begin by ensuring that the health and nutrition of women and children are given adequate attention.

“Specific actions such as enlightenment and education programmes geared towards quality of diet to protect, promote and support breastfeeding need to be improved upon and sustained,’’ Enabulele said.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

21

Public Notice 22

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Fire razes petroleum jelly coy in Jos ÏÏÏA midnight inferno,

at the weekend, razed a petroleum jelly industry, Bowlis Industries Nigeria Limited, located at the Rafin-Pa area of Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The inferno reportedly destroyed goods worth more than N80 million at the company, which manufacturers of Vowles and Realine Pomade (Jelly) and perfumes.

It was gathered that the fire started at about 11:00pm when power was suddenly restored to the area.

General Manager of the company, Malam Abubakar Muhammad, told journalists at the scene of the incident that

workers had closed from work early because there was electricity supply to the facility.

He added, however, that he was alerted by some neighbours that fire had engulfed the factory.

His words, “They told me that there was a spark from a high tension wire when electric city was restored, which dropped on the zinc of our production unit, they thought it was just the spark, they all went back into their home, but later discovered that the whole place was engulfed by fire,” Muhammad said.

He explained that as soon as he arrived at the company, he called the state fire service, who re-

sponded promptly with three of their trucks.

“One (truck) came first but the fire was too much, they called for reinforcement from Bukuru and the state Government house, and the fire was put out with the

combined efforts of the neighboring community at about 12.45 am,” he said.

He expressed gratitude to God that no life was lost and nobody sustained injury.

The fire which en-

ÏÏÏVenezuelan Gov Lalong

RABO WOMEN AGRICULTURAL AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

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

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TRUSTEES: 1. HON. HAMID GIWA AFOLABI 2. HAJIA AFOLABI NAFISAT AJOKE 3. ALHAJI AFOLABI MUFUTAU OLARENGBO.

TRUSTEES: 1. AMINA UMAR 2. ZAINAB ABUBAKAR GAJAM 3. BILYAMINU BELLO DANJO 4. ABDULMALIK ABUBAKAR 5. HARIRA AMINU DANJO.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION SIGNED. BARR. NNANNA OBASI. 08037240641.

EXECUTIVE MEN CLUB OF NIGERIA BAYELSA STATE

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO ENGAGE IN MEASURES THAT WILL PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION

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

TRUSTEES: 1. NWANI DANIEL CHUKWUMA 2. EZE VINCENT OLUCHUKWU 3. OKOYE UGOCHUKWU KENNETH 4. UZOCHUKWU VINCENT 5. CHUKWUJEKWU MICHAEL EBUKA 6. IZUCHUKWU NWAMBU

TRUSTEES: 1. NWACHUKWU AGWU - CHAIRMAN 2. EMEKA JONAH - SECRETARY 3. IGWE NWOKORO 4. KOFI NGWU

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President, Nicolas Maduro, on Sunday, expressed his solidarity with Nigeria after an explosion in a gas plan in the town of Nnewi, where more than 100 people were killed.

According to a statement from the Foreign Ministry published in the nation’s capital, in light of the accident, the government reaffirmed the ties of fraternity with the Nigerian people.

Preliminary reports show that Thursday’s

explosion in the Inter Corp Oil Limited plant, a subsidiary of the Group Chikason, occurred when a truck was downloading liquefied gas without complying with safety measures regarding the cooling time.

Passersby and clients of the plant’s services were killed by the explosion, which destroyed some nearby buildings, and several people were seriously injured.

Rescue workers took the injured to a local hospital in southeastern Nigeria.

SIGNED. BARR. NNANNA OBASI. 08037240641.

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AIMS AND OBJECTIVES TO ASSIST, PROMOTE AND PROTECT THE WELFARE AND INTEREST OF MEMBERS.

as small, medium and big fire extinguishers worth N4.4 million.”

He said consumable items destroyed by the fire were worth N 5, 701, 500, while other items destroyed were been quantified, adding, “In summary we have in the interim calculated our loss to over N80 million.”

Venezuelan President condoles Nigeria over Nnewi gas explosion

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gulfed the warehouse spread to the production, packaging and storage sections, and had caused loss of raw materials and finished products.

The GM said, “We lost raw materials worth N58.6 million while the finished products worth N10.7 million, Siemena mixer machines as well

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE OF MEMBERS. 2. TO HELP EACH OTHER. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION

DIVINE MANDATE GRACE CITY MINISTRY THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED FOR REGISTRATION TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION UNDER PART C OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT NO. 1 OF 1990 TRUSTEES: 1. PASTOR SAMUEL TOLU BADA -CHAIRMAN 2. ELDER ODUNSI OPE-OLUWA 3. PASTOR (MRS) YEMI SAMUEL BADA 4. PASTOR NGOZICHUKWU OSI 5. EVANGELIST EKAPONG UBI OFEM -SECRETARY 6. OLUSEGUN JOSEPH BADA 7. DR. (MRS) CATHERINE ALEX AGBOR 8. EVANGELIST EMMANUEL OKON EMA 9. BRO EMMANUEL EBENG 10. EVANGELIST ONUN, JOHN ARIKPO AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST ALL OVER THE WORLD. 2. TO TAKE CARE OF THE WELFARE OF ITS MEMBERS. 3. TO ESTABLISH LOCAL BRANCHES FOR THE PROPAGATION OF THE GOSPEL WORLDWIDE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL. CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET. PMB 198, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28TH DAYS FROM THE DATE OF PUBLICATION

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ALAKEYE SINCERE POVERTY ALLEVIATION FOUNDATION

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AFRO ASIAN COMMUNITY INITIATIVE FOR DEVELOPMENT

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TRUSTEES: 1) NDIFREKE AKPAN (2) OBOT,SUNDAY LAZARUS (3). DAVID,ABIGAIL MOSES, (4) ESAU,CHRISTOPHER AKPAN (5) UDOH JOSEPH (6) SUNDAY, ELVIS ETUKUDOH (7) MOSES DAVID - PRESIDENT

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Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

ÏÏÏProf.

AbdulHafiz Oladosu of the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan, has called on world leaders not to judge Islam from the negative attitude of some Muslims.

Oladosu made the call at the formal opening of the 100th edition of the Annual Islamic Vacation Course (IVC) held at IVC permanent site, kilometre 30, Lagos/Ibadan Express way.

At the event, organised

by Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Southern Zone, the don

23 News

Don’t Judge Islam by misbehaviour of some Muslims –Don said that the misbehaviour of some Muslims should not be used as the basis for judging what Islam really stood for. ``It’s not Islam that should be held responsible for the misbehaviour of some Muslims. ``The same way you don’t hold a car responsible when it has an accident; you need to question

the driver and owner of the car. ``Allah gave the religion of Islam to the Muslims; it is we the Muslims that are misrepresenting the gift from Allah. ``The world should try to read about Islam and not about Muslims,’’ Oladosu said.

He called on Muslims to find their way back to

the teachings of Islam so as not to allow the public to stigmatise Islam as a religion of trouble makers rather than religion of peace.

In his remark, Malam Muhammad Jameel, National President of MSSN, urged the federal government to disregard the banning of Islamic dress in the name of security as

such would lead to denial of fundamental right to practice one’s religion.

He also called on government to urgently address the myriad of problems facing the country. ``It is pertinent to call on our leaders to make concerted efforts to cushion the harsh socio-economic and education realities of today.

``These range from poverty, inflation, fuel scarcity to falling standard of education, among others,’’ Jameel said.

Highlights of the occasion were the recitation of the Holy Qur’an and presentation of award of appreciation to dignitaries for their contributions to the development of the MSSN and Islam.

‘Govt needs support to fund social needs’

ÏÏÏThere

is a need to raise funds from private initiatives such as ‘I Will Give’ (IWG) for government to finance costs associated with social needs of the people, a panel of experts said at a forum in Lagos.

The panelists, who featured at the formal presentation of ‘I Will Give’ to the Nigerian public included the Minister for Health, Professor Isaac Adewole, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris, the

Executive Secretary of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) Mr. Femi Akingbade and Mrs. Toyin Saraki, observed that it was becoming increasingly difficult for government at all levels to fund their health and social needs.

‘IWill Give’ is a domestic financing platform developed by Chestrad International for special intervention in health, education, women and youth, and empowerment using crowd funding strategy.

Dogara condoles Adamawa monarch, CBN gov on mothers’ demise

ÏÏÏThe Speaker, House of

Representatives, Mr. Yakubu Dogara, has commiserated with the Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Barkindo Musdafa, on the death of his mother, Hajiya Sa’adatu Musdafa.

Dogara also commiserated with Mr. Godwin Emefiele, Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria, on the passing away of his mother, Mrs. Alice Emefiele.

These condolences are contained in a statement signed by Mr. Turaki Has-

san, Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs to the Speaker, on Sunday, in Abuja.

Dogara, who described the death of the two women as a big loss, said they exited at a time when the country and its leaders needed their elderly, motherly guidance and wisdom.

According to the Speaker, Hajiya Sa’adatu and Madam Alice lived a fulfilled life, as they lived to see their children attaining higher positions of leadership in the country.

Ngwa group empowers 200 artisans in Abia Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏSince inception three

years ago, the Ngwa Day Annual Festival, comprising of 200 Ngwa people of the state have benefited from the empowerment scheme attached to the festival.

This empowerment programme was courtesy of Ngwa Patriots Forum headed by its President, Chief

Okey Ahiwe.

Speaking at the this year’s festival held at Ngwa High School, Aba, Ahiwe said a total of 100 indigent Ngwa sons and daughters have benefited from the bursary scheme and monetary grants for artisans to set up their own small scale businesses in 2013 and 2014, while in this 2015, 50 benefited, while the state governor, Okezie Ikpeazu complimented the gesture with additional 50 people.

R-L: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode; Alhaji Femi Okunnu and Chief Adebutu Kessington, during the Yoruba Tennis Club Christmas Eve Dance 2015 at the Club Hall, Onikan, Lagos… at the weekend.

Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏThe

Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), on Sunday, inducted 21 late and present heroes and heroines of Ilorin Emirate into its prestigious Hall of Fame.

Among the beneficiaries are the Emir of llorin, Alhaji lbrahim Sulu-Gambari, late Major General Tunde ldiagbon and former governor of the state, late Rear Admiral Mohammed Lawal.

A non-indigene of llorin and proprietor of the first private university in Kwara, AlHikmah University, Alh. AbdulRahim Oladimeji was also inducted.

Daily Times gathered that the award climaxed the week long activities that marked the union’s 50th Anniversary of its Annual National Conferences.

Those honoured posthumously included the

Ilorin group honours Sulu-Gambari, Saraki, Idiagbon, others 9th Emir of Ilorin, Zulukarnaini Mohammed Gambari, first Mufti of Ilorin, Sheik Muhammad Kamaldeen, and founder of Markaz School of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Agege, Lagos, Sheik Adam Abdullahi El-Ilori.

Others are third Waziri of Ilorin, and Second Republic Senate leader, Dr. Olusola Saraki, former Chief of General Staff, Supreme Headquarters,

General Tunde Idiagbon, former Minister of Works and Transport, General Abdulkareem Adisa, former governor of Kwara State, Rear Admiral Mohammed Lawal, among others.

Also inducted into IEDPU’s Hall of Fame were two female daughters of the Emirate, Arc. Halimat Tayo Alao, a former Minister of Environment and Hajia Halimat Yusuf,

Sulu-Gambari

Saraki

former Commissioner for Education in the state.

Responding on behalf of the family of Olusola Saraki, Alhaji Saka Onimago, a senior legislative assistant to the Senate President said the award was the greatest honour that could be bestowed on any indigene of Ilorin Emirate.

He said the honour will stimulate the family to continue to contribute to the development of the emirate.

In his address, the IEDPU National President, Alhaji AbdulHamid Adi said those singled out for the awards were honoured based on their contributions to the development of the Ilorin emirate He added that the award was done to encourage other indigenes of llorin to do so.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Jubilation in Ebonyi as Onu, Umahi meet Jacob Ogodo Abakaliki

ÏÏÏThere

was jubilation in Ebonyi as the Minister of Science and Technology, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, paid a surprise visit to Ebonyi state governor, David Umahi at his country home in Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area.

Neither Onu nor Umahi spoke to the press after the visit which was seen by a large gathering at the Umahi compound as ending a seemingly political animosity between the two Uburu-born politicians.

The governor belongs to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), while Onu, a former governor of the old Abia State, is a member

of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ohaozara LGA, Justice Ogbonna, described the visit as a sign of peace and unity in Uburu community. ‘’The visit has put to rest the peoples’ insinuation that Dr. Onu and our governor are not enjoying good relationship, forgetting that both of them come from the same community’’, the council chairman said.

He described governor Umahi as a special gift to the people of Ebonyi State who has within a short time of his administration recorded much achievements.

Others that paid Christmas homage to the governor were the state Commissioner of Police,

Onu

Peace Abdallah, a delegation from the Ezza South LGA, Association of Persons with Disabilities, Abakaliki Main Market Traders Association and Governor Umahi’s 1976 classmates in Uburu.

Addressing the people of Ezza South LGA, Umahi described the Ezza nation as a major force behind his success at the April gov-

ernorship election.

He saluted the courage displayed by them during the electioneering period even in the face of intimidation.

Explaining that the appointment of many Ezza people as his cabinet members was a reward for their strong support and commitment, he promised to energise Onueke in the first quarter of next year in the ongoing rural electrification in the state.

The member representing Ikwo/ Ezza Federal Constituency, Chief Lazarus Ogbee, assured Umahi of the continued support of the people of Ezza. He said that the National Assembly would remain focused in 2016 to make good laws that would improve the lives of every Nigerian.

L-R: Minister of Solid Minerals, Dr. Kayode Fayemi; his wife, Bisi; former deputy Governor of Ekiti State, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; wife of National Deputy Chairman (South West), All Progressives Congress (APC), Mrs. Olukemi Oni; her husband, Engr.

Segun Oni, during a thanksgiving Mass, in honour of Fayemi, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Isan-Ekiti... on Sunday.

Police commence investigation into Ekiti bloody robbery Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏEkiti

State Police command has commenced investigation into the bloody tragedy that struck in Okemesi Ekiti, in Ekiti West Local Government Area of Ekiti State last Thursday, where two persons, including a private security guard were killed.

The deceased, identified as Mathew and a 53-year-old carpenter, Ayo Alawode, were in a robbery bank operation on the eve of the Christmas festivity where the bandits were said to have held the staff customers hostage and carted away money running into millions.

Eye witness account told our correspondent that the 9-man gang dare-devil armed robbers,

had invaded an old generation bank in the town at about 5.30 pm, shot sporadically into the air and occupied the whole Odo Ese street in the town, where they disrupted commercial activities for about an hour the operation lasted.

Those in the market and other public institutions were said to have scampered in different directions, while passers-by rushed into any nearby shop for refuge.

It was reliably gathered that when it became apparently difficult for the robbers to gain entry into the bank, they blew off the security door with explosive device.

An eyewitness account revealed to journalists in Ado Ekiti that those who queued to withdraw via Automated Tellers Machine were matched inside the bank hall by four of the robbers, while

others positioned themselves at strategic locations outside.

The source revealed that one of the robbers had been at a nearby popular joint close to the gate of the bank reading newspapers before others came in a black Sienna car, where he immediately ordered the security guard and the carpenter to lie down.

He said as the robbers were on rampage, one of them was shot and died instantly by yet to be identified person, which infuriated his gang members.

They were said to be shooting those sighted outside, where Alawode, whose shop was located beside the bank was shot in the head and died on the spot while the guard died on his way to the hospital.

Yuletide: Anambra govt tasks citizens on safety Nkiru Nwagbo Awka

ÏÏÏAnambra state government

has enjoined the citizenry to be safety conscious and engage only in those activities that promote good neighbourliness and healthy environment.

The Commissioner for Information Culture and Tourism Dr. Uju Nworgu in her Christmas and New Year message to Ndi Anambra, said government will remain upbeat in its expectations for a pleasant and memorable yuletide, but the people

Groups protest Kano govt’s payment of N40m exam fees Yakubu Salisu Kano

ÏÏÏSome

community groups in Kano have criticised and protested against the decision of the state’s government to spend over N40 million as final year exam fees for students of Hassan Gwarzo Boys Secondary school which the government has shut down indefinitely.

The school was shut down some time ago after some students reported that they were sexually molested by some unknown persons, a development which made some parents withdrew their children while some parents who have shares in the school debunked the story out rightly.

However, the magnonimity of the alleged crime and the reactions of the people of the state and some influential persons from outside the state made the state government to set up an investigative committee which after a long time came out with its findings which confirmed the crime indicting the school.

As a result, the state government announced the continual closure of the school and that the state government would pay the exams fee of the final year students of the school and move them to three special private schools in the state.

Obiano

should be safety conscious.

While describing the period as “indeed a glorious season when our saviour – Lord Jesus Christ is born unto us for our salvation. This is a season of joy, a season of happiness and a season of love” she urged the citizens of the state and other residents, as well as visitors, to take advantage of Governor Willie Obiano’s premium successes in securing lives and property in Anambra state and enjoy pleasurable felicitations throughout the season.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

25 Opinion

Nothing less than Radical Mastectomy

Yinka Odumakin ÏÏÏ Breast cancer is the leading cancer in women, it is very deadly and has talked medical science .A mastectomy is the surgery to remove a breast that is under attack.. In the past, a radical mastectomy with complete removal of the breast was the standard treatment for breast cancer. But surgical breakthroughs in recent years have given women more options than ever before. Less invasive breast-conserving treatments are available to many women.

In a simple mastectomy, the doctor removes the entire breast, including the nipple. But the lymph nodes, the small glands that are part of the immune system, aren’t removed.

Women with stage I or stage II breast cancer may have this procedure.

It’s is a breast-conserving method in which the tumor and the tissue surrounding it are all that’s removed.

A radical mastectomy is the complete removal of the breast, including the nipple. The surgeon

also removes the overlying skin, the muscles beneath the breast, and the lymph nodes. Because radical mastectomy isn’t more effective than other less extreme forms of mastectomy, it’s rarely performed today. It’s only recommended when the cancer has spread to the chest muscle.

Nigeria’s breast cancer has festered over decades untreated and has spread all over with massive lymph nodes. It has become aggressive and in the final stage that only a radical mastectomy will save this receptor..

For decades, we were a land flowing with milk and honey. God blessed with abundant human and material resources but the devil afflicted us with ruinous leaders. In all our years of abundance, our leaders -military and civiliansbehaved like drunken sailors practically living the “money is not our problem but how to spend it”.

There was no Pharaoh to dream of the coming years of leanness talk-less of looking for a Joseph who could interpret the dream and proffer remedy. We raked billions of dollars from crude oil without adding any value. We could have made trillions more if only we were not a lazy country that could only haunt but not roast .

One man saw today coming but it was when we lowered his body into the grave that he was sworn in as “the best President we didn’t have”. The sage on June 12, 1967 from CELL DUP2,

CALABAR PRISON signed off his book “Thoughts On The Nigerian Constitution” where he warned us about the juncture where our vehicle of nationhood has broken down. Awo wrote on page 56 of the book: “Besides, it is not difficult to forecast that the work of government in Nigeria under a unitary constitution is bound to become unduly complex, inextricably tangled, extremely unwieldy and

W E A T H E R ABUJA

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wasteful, and productive of disunity and discontent amongst the people.

Unless we have veritable supermen at the helm of affairs, the administrative machinery would eventually disintegrate and break down under the crushing weight of ‘bureaucratic centralism ‘”.

We ignored him and continued on the road to perdition thinking the party would be everlasting .Now the party is over

and all that is now left is pity party. Banks are now sending messages to their customers that they won’t be able to use their debit cards outside Nigeria from January 1, 2016 because our foreign reserves are dry.The Yuletide message all over is “expect hard times next year”.

It is however worrying that we are taking no concrete steps to solve our problems.We have had enough moaning about how bad things are and it is time to begin to see steps being taken to make things better. .

Yes, there is the ongoing war against graft which every patriotic Nigerian should support but that is not the economic agenda to get out of the mess we are in. It would in the final analysis amount to orchestrated charade if we do not dismantle the architecture of looting that makes it easy for officials to do whatever they please with public funds. And we can only pray that the tales of extortions we are hearing in the name of anti-corruption are just not true.

Beyond exciting the public with tales of theft, a defining art of governance in Nigeria since independence, we need a re-engineering. Our case must not be like the trader calling on all the crowd in the market to join him in pursuing a thief who has stolen an item from his wares without the sanctified common sense to leave his shop with a minder. At a point, he found out he could not catch up with the thief only to return to see that

all the remaining goods in his stall have been stolen.

It is what the Yoruba call the double jeopardy of a man striking the rodent with a machete: the rodent escapes and the machete breaks!

If we are serious about salvaging Nigeria, we need a radical mastectomy now to reconstruct the entire political and economic landscape. It is time our leaders roll up the sleeves and throw away all the billowing regalia and get to work.

We cannot be having only “emergency” Federal Executive Council meetings seven months into the administration. When will regular meetings start?

The reality on the ground is that we can no longer maintain 36 governors with their retinue of officials with the only job description not more than crying for bailouts.We don’t need more than 6- 8 regions that would have unfettered access to the resources under their soil and pay taxes on them to maintain a lean Abuja that would deal with only common services like defense, external affairs, immigration, et al. There is no law we need that cannot be made by people who maintain regular jobs and are paid only sitting allowances for part of their time in the National and regional Assemblies.

This is not a time for power mongering but for the company of Nehemiah who would resolve “ You see the distress that we are in, how Jerusalem lies waste, and its gates are burned with fire.

Come and let us build.

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BENIN CITY Low 9°C High 23°C

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ENUGU Low 22°C High 36°C

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26

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Our Heritage Æ s I decided to yield to the calling of my first love music which is high life -Esho Agozino Agozino Back as a youth in the sixties, Femi Esho toyed dutifully with his dream like every other young man.

He often sneaked away out of Ijesha, Osun State, home town, to Lagos to watch a favorite highlife artistes play in many of the popular clubs around Alagomeji Yaba and Ojuelegba areas of Lagos on weekends.

Each trip cost him a reasonable amount of money which he usually paid with excitement to get a space on the old cocoa-loading Lorries coming to Lagos.

But like a prophecy, he was unknowingly preparing himself for a career that he will later pursue throughout his life. At that time too, no trip was complete without Esho buying at least a work or two of those highlife masters. By the time he turned 20, Esho’s collections boasted of the works of highlife legends like Roy Chicago, Adeolu Akinsanya, Tunde Nightangle, Ayinde Bakare, Eddie Okonta, and J.O Araba. There were also other works from masters like Bobby Benson, Celestine Ukwu, Rex Lawson, Osita Osadebe, Orlando Julius, Zeal Onyia, Victor Olaiya, E.C Arinze and Fela Anikulapo Kuti who first experimented with highlife before creating Afrobeat.

Today, his Evergreen Musical Company located at No 34 Oguntolu Street, Somolu, Lagos, is a vast music library and highlife shop. In fact, walking into the one -storey building is like walking into an archive. As one arrive, he is welcomed into the building with excitement .The visitor will also find workers male and female trying to attend to you by wanting to know what brought you.

Daily, people besiege the office from every part of the country, including Ghana, Nigeria’s West African neighbour to buy one or two of their favorite highlife artistes and get good advice from him. So for anyone looking for yesteryears music as Esho calls it, his 34 Oguntolu Street, is the right repository.

Esho’s interest in documenting these songs for posterity began when, according to him, his mind told him there could be danger of the society losing these works of old masters,

Femi Esho, avid highlife music collector and Managing Director of Lagos-based Evergreen Musical Company, still marches on in his resolve to help preserve old highlife tunes in Nigeria, earning for himself fame, fortune and recognition in the process

I have said we need a music foundation where at the touch of a button, you can listen to the past works of Irewolede Denge, Tunde King, Ojoge Daniel, Ambrose Campbell, Ayinde Bakare, Rex Lawson, J.O. Araba and others

Esho, right and King Sunny Ade

going by the corruption in the music industry today. According to him, the cacophony going on in the world today in the name of music brought him close to tears. He attempted a comparison between the new computer backed music of present generation and the rich moral and philosophical words he grew up listening to in the fifties and sixties. And he made up his mind that something must be done to preserve whatever is left of those works of the old masters.

Thanking God for his late

father who also inspired him, Esho said that his works today wouldn’t have been possible if not the inspiration he got from his father when he was growing up.

“I will not say it is an accident but when I was very young in primary school at the age of 12.

My late father was a custodian of church music. The church organ was very important then.

And by virtue of his position, I started playing organ at a very young age to the extent that when the church organist was

not available I take his position as the organist. Not only that, I remembered in my primary school I bought flutes because of the love I have for great Ghanaian highlife master like E,T Mensah, Broadway Dance Band, Uhuru Dance Band and the Ramblers Dance Band.’’

The result is the small group of band known as Five Solas which he formed as soon as he entered the secondary school in 1959. As one who has deep passion for good music, he has promoted several highlife artistes all over Nigeria. He has also travelled extensively around Ghana and Nigeria collecting and preserving works of these masters. For instance, one of this resulted in the CD he produced many years ago entitled: 20 Evergreen Hits of Three Music Masters of Our Country. The release is a collection of 40 classic compositions of the late unde Nightangle, Ayinde Bakare and J.O Araba. The CD includes hits like Yoruba Tennis Club Anthem among others. In 2007, Esho presented to the public, repackaged complete works of Afrobeat legend, the late Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. It was a huge success and it was to be the beginning of greater things to happen for indigenous music lovers.

For a country like Nigeria, currently where many claim to be musicians, separating the

genuine from the chaff may just be the needed solution to know who is who in the music industry. Esho recalled with nostalgia the tremendous social and cultural impact those who are doing music in those days impacted on the society starting from the Doyen of highlife music like late Boby Benson. “We have several others under him such as Dr. Victor Olaiya, Roy Chicago, Adeolu Akinsanya , E.C Arinze etc. Then there were many notable clubs. They include the Palace club, the Independent Hotel where Orlando Julius was playing, Central Hotel, where Roy Chicago was playing. Apart that, there were others like the Ambassadors Hotel which was very famous at Alogomegi. Also was the Kakandu Hotel were Fela Anikulapo Kuti, was at that time playing jazz. Also the recently late C.C Arinze, who brought up Victor Uwaifo. Others that started their music there include Ebenezer Obe and others. We have the Lido where Osita Osadebe was playing under Stephen Amechi . Osadebe started with the maracas and there were several others. And Lagos was very good because there was no case of armed robbery or the kind of insecurity we have today.’’

According to him, one’s ethnic group was never an issue as everybody enjoyed and appreciated songs by these masters who cut across ethnic groups with their compositions.

The Nigerian civil war of 1967 to 1970, according to Esho caused a major break as the war drove many of the masters to their separate regions. , especially those from the East.

Esho however told Daily Times that this marked the beginning of the problem for the highlife music. “The war and its aftermath changed the face of highlife because some of the highlife musicians came from the East. The likes of E.C Arinze, Eddie Okonta, Stephen Osadebe, Inyang Henshaw, Celestine Ukwu and Rex Lawson.

And then, the economy became too bad. So many people stopped going to clubs.’’

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Traditional dancer at the Calabar Canival

The people’s paradise

Cross River State, Nigeria’s most beautiful city, is aglow this season for the yearly Calabar carnival which begins Christmas day, writes AGOZINO AGOZINO As the world celebrates Christmas, the people Cross River State are also in double joyful celebration. For those who may not know, Calabar is an acronym from a phrase, ‘Come and live and be at rest.’

It was coined by the people do depict the state as a place of beauty, peace and splendor. Calabar the capital of city of Cross River on the South Eastern fringes of the oil-rich state of the country is the peacock that illuminates the alluring beauty that goes with such acclaim.

Known as the ‘people paradise’ to tourists and fun-seekers, the serene urbanity of this first capital city of old Nigeria offers an irresistible charm that captivates the visitor with a disarming welcoming allure.

To the first visitor, this allure, though hardly physical, is o overwhelming that he would dream endlessly of a return to the old residency where the legendry Scottish missionary, Mary Slessory, once lived and worked.

The Cross River State ‘cuisine are mouth-watering delight and the hospitality of the people is almost boundless. The serenity that pervades the rich all year round greenery that is the horizon compare like no other in the region.

The abundance of the historical artifacts blends with a rich cultural heritage that runs several centuries back in time, making Cross River, named after a tributary of the Atlantic Ocean those crisscrosses its landscape, a preferred destination for tourists wishing to relish the beauty associated with the Niger-Delta region.

Historically, Cross River State has been in existence as a geo-political entity since May 1967. It was merely re-christened in 1976 when the late General Murtala Muhammed increased the number of states in the country to nineteen with an additional seven.

Cross River State occupies the south east comer of this country’s territorial expanse and lies between latitudes 4°25 and 70° (north), and longitudes 7. 15° and 9.300 (east).

The major towns in the state are Calabar or ‘Canaan City as it is fondly called by the indigenes, Ikom, Ogoja, Obubra, Ugep, Obudu and Akamkpa.

The cultural wealth of the state and its impact on visitors as well as indigenes are almost legendary.

However, the economic misfortunes experienced in the past few years threatened but failed to dim the vibrancy and dynamism of the state culture-wise until the emergence of the former Governor of the

State, Mr. Donald Duke, who made the revival tourism and culture one of its administration goals.

Since then, the State has remained a leading destination thousands of tourist every year. Ceremonies like Nkimand Ekpa of the upper Cross River, the Reboku of the Yakurr and secret societies like Obon and Ekpe have been handed down to the present day with hardly any serious changes. The effect of time on the peoples’ crafts and skills has been equally interesting.

As an attribute of the people, culture is also reflected in their hospitality, dance style, masquerade, historical and archaeology , monuments etc. Cultural activities in the state reached their pick recently when the State revived the Obudu Cattle Ranch. The state has continued to receive international visitors.

Cultural festivals are largely organised by the state tourism management though individual groups organise their internal festivals particularly during special seasons such as new yam celebrations.

Prominent among cultural groups in the State are Esop Mkparawa, the Nka Nkaiso, the Nka Ekpenyong Nnuk and Ogoja Community Association.

These bodies are working hard to promote cultural identity and unity.

A round trip of the State will undoubtedly reveal that Cross River State has enjoyed early western civilisation both in terms of education and Christianity. This is evident in the number of historical sites which exist throughout the State. These include the Tomb of Mary Slessor, a Scottish missionary nicknamed ‘The White Queen of Okoyong’ born in December 2, 1848 in Aberdeen, Scotland who worked so hard in eradicating some of the most horrible and inhuman practices of the time in the old Calabar . Other places of interest are the European cemetery located in Calabar . It is an exclusive grave yard for the colonial white men with tombs of famous colonial administrators associated with Nigerian history. The Hope Waddell Institute, first post-primary institution of its kind ill the State founded in 1895 and located in the state capital was where the first President of the of Nigeria, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and other nationals attended. Other structures of historical significance in the state include the residency and the old consulate, Calabar, which are relics of colonial days in this. part of Nigeria which, is now used as the official residence of the State Governors. Other historical sites are the Chief Ekpo Ekpo. Bassey’s house located at 19 Boco Street in Calabar.

27 Our Heritage

Sokari, N Junior Ajayi go down at Esperance

igeria U-23 stars Kingsley Sokari and Junior Ajayi started and finished for CS Sfaxien as they lost 2-1 at Esperance in a Tunisian league clash on Sunday.

Both Sokari and Junior Ajayi were transfer targets for Esperance this year before they eventually signed for Sfaxien.

Nigeria U-20 star Bernard Bulbwa was a 70th minute substitute for Esperance.

He was lively because at that point CS Sfaxien were playing a man short after

one of their players was sent off.

His mazy dribble run from 30 yards split open the Sfaxien defence, but his teammate crashed the final shot across the post for the last kick of the encounter.

It was a scrappy first half between the league contenders with long balls and flying tackles.

Junior Ajayi played from the left of attack and Chad international Ezequil Ndoussel led the attack and was a lot more effective.

Page 28

LVG calls for Red Devils’ response g 30 Monday, December 28, 2015

Ikeme salutes Wolves

fighting spirit S

uper Eagles goalkeeper Carl Ikeme has praised h i s

Ikeme

n a i t p y g E

fellow Wolverhampton Wanderers teammates for digging deep to get victory over Reading in an English Championship game.

Ikeme was in goal as Wolves won 1-0 on Saturday.

Wolves are now 16th on the league table with 28 points from 23 games.

e l b u o d b u l c y a p s ’ i h c u w Oha E gyptian club Wadi Degla have proposed to double the salary of Nigeria striker Stanley Ohawuchi, who is wanted by double champions Zamalek as well as several clubs in the Gulf.

Wadi Degla now want the leading scorer in the Egyptian league to extend his contract,

which will include doubling his salary as well as an “astronomical” buyout clause.

Ohawuchi’s contract has a year left to run.

The Cairo club have already demanded $2 million from Zamalek for the former Nigeria U-20 star, who has scored six

“Good result this evening, wasn’t pretty at times. But sometimes just need to dig in and thought the lads done that. Thank u for ur support,” Ikeme tweeted.

The Nigeria first-choice goalkeeper has been in goal 11 times this season.

Raja bid $300, 000 for unsettled Ohawuchi

goals in five Egyptian premier league matches this season.

“The interest in the Gulf is even more serious than Zamalek,” further informed a source.

Ohawuchi has played in Malta as well as for Nigerian clubs Heartland and Bayelsa United.

Mikel backs Blues for top-four finish

M

Mikel

ikel Obi will not rule out Chelsea finishing in the topfour in the English Premier League, though they now find themselves closer to the relegation zone.

“We have to win every game now. The top four is still achievable, we can still do it so why not? It is not beyond our reach,” the Nigeria international said.

“The cups are always important as well. We are still in the Champions League, the FA Cup is going to start very soon so we have to take those very seriously at the same time, but we also want to concentrate on the league because we know we have to push up the table.”

Mikel became the 21st player to make 350 appearances in the 110

Eduok

year Chelsea history after coming on as a second-half substitute in the 2-2 draw with Watford on Boxing Day. “I want to push on and see how many more appearances I can get. For me it has been a great time here, I still enjoy it and ever since I walked into this football club I knew this was the place for me,” he stated.

Eduok

T

op Moroccan club Raja Casablanca have tabled an offer of about $300, 000 for out-of-favour Esperance striker Emem Eduok.

This offer falls far short of the $500,000 the Tunisia club want for the Nigeria international, whose future in Tunisia continues to be very uncertain.

Raja had wanted the striker on loan till the end of the season, but Esperance rejected that.

Esperance agreed to pay Nigerian club Dolphins $250,000 when they signed him in January 2015, but it is believed they have only paid $100,000 of this amount.

The 21-year-old Eduok has fallen out of favour at Esperance after a nightclub incident, which has caused negative publicity for the club.

Esperance have considered shipping him out on loan, but it has now been known they will be happier to sell him outright.

Monday, December 28, 2015

EXTRATIME

Coach wants deserving athletes rewarded

T

he Head Coach of Nigeria Para-Powerlifting Federation (NPPF), Feyisetan Are, on Sunday urged states sports councils to reward athletes who excelled in their fields at national championships.

Are told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that such reward should be in the form of employment to enable the athletes to pass their experience to younger ones.

He said that it was through the effort of committed athletes that some states were able to top the medals table at national sports festivals and other competitions.

“Financial reward is a welcome development because it will temporarily help them take care of personal needs but I am more particular about subsequent and lasting reward.

ANDREW EKEJIUBA SPORT EDITOR

Adekuoroye

Y

outh and Sports Minister Barrister Solomon Dalung has congratulated 2014 Commonwealth gold medalist, Odunayo Adekuoroye on her victory over Ukraine’s Tatyana Kit at the maiden edition of the Pro Wrestling league which ended Sunday in New Delhi India.

Adekuoroye who was the only African in Team Mumbai Garuda defeated Tatyana Kit of Team Haryana Hammers by 9 points to 0 in the 53kg weight category.

The two-time African champion had earlier defeated Ukraine’s Liliya Horishna, Babita Kumari and Lalita Sehrawat of India and Priyanka Phogat on her way to the final.

“We just received the news of Adekuoroye’s victory in far away India and we’re so proud of her.

nsg ute ablra D cele

Adekuoroye’s wrestling victor y

Nigerian athletes are very talented and they will do more exploits with support and motivation.

“The President Muhammadu Buhari government has promised

reward for excellence, therefore, all athletes who have made the country proud through excellence in sports will be rewarded accordingly in the New Year,” Dalung said.

29

Adekuoroye is the only Nigerian wrestler to secure a slot for the 2016 Rio Olympics after winning bronze at the 2015 World Wrestling Championship in Las Vegas, USA. She also won bronze at the World Grand Prix held in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Dalung however promised to support Nigerian athletes as they prepare for the Olympic Games in Rio Next Year.

“Wrestling is one of the sports we’re expecting Nigeria to do well in at Rio. I believe that if Adekuoroye is given maximum support before the games, she will perform creditably well.

“I implore you and other athletes to keep up with the hard work as you continue to make Nigeria proud.

“The Ministry of Youth and Sports will make all provisions needed available to Nigerian athletes to ensure that they qualify for the Olympics and perform well in Rio,” the Minister assured.

Akinwunmi Charity Mini-Tourney ends in Lagos ANDREW EKEJIUBA

S

Line up of dignitaries at the Seyi Akinwunmi Charity Mini-Tournament with the NFF boss, Amaju Pinnick (middle).

eyi Akinwunmi Charity MiniTournament has ended at the Campos Square, Lagos, with much fanfare on Sunday.

Majority Leader in the House of Representatives, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila was there, as well as NFF President Amaju Pinnick; Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission Deji Tinubu; NFF 2nd Vice President Shehu Dikko; NFF Board Member Sunday Dele-Ajayi and Hon. Nduka

Irabor.

There were also the Seirki of Egbaland, Oba Tosin Fadare; President of the Nigeria Referees Association Tade Azeez; President of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club Rafiu Oladipo and Chairmen of Football Associations of Ogun and Oyo States, Ganiyu Majekodunmi and James Odeniran respectively. Former Ekiti State FA chairman Isaac Ayodele was also in attendance.

Akinwunmi, who captained the Igbobi College Old Boys Association

and Friends in the veterans’ game against Amaju Pinnick–led All-Stars said at the end: “I am very excited because this is only the second edition and yet, it feels like it has been going on for decades. The number of dignitaries, the atmosphere, the goodwill, I’m so happy.

“I believe there is no greater joy in giving back to the society, and I’m very comfortable with the cause that the Seyi Akinwunmi Foundation has chosen.”

30

Monday, December 28, 2015

EXTRATIME

ENGLISH PREMIER LEAGUE

LVG calls for

Red

Devils’

Louis van Gaal (right) must decide whether to restore Wayne Rooney to the Manchester United starting line-up for the Chelsea game today.

response

L

ouis van Gaal says it is vital Manchester United dare to play their brand of football against Chelsea today.

United go into the game having lost four games in a row in a single season for the first time since 1961 and are without a win in seven games in all competitions.

The 2-0 loss at Stoke City on Boxing Day has seen United slip to sixth place in the Premier League and Van Gaal has admitted his job is becoming “more difficult”.

Van Gaal is concerned about the short gap between the Stoke game and the match against the Blues, who themselves have endured a torrid season

which has culminated in the replacement of Jose Mourinho

by Guus Hiddink.

But Van Gaal has called on his side to return to winning ways against Chelsea and believes United must stand by the principles the former Barcelona manager has implemented at Old Trafford.

Lallana

G

uus Hiddink admits losing Diego Costa is a blow to Chelsea’s chances of picking up a positive result at Manchester United today.

The Spain international was in impressive form on Boxing Day, marking the first game

reveals Reds winning secret over Leicester

A

dam Lallana believes manager Jurgen Klopp’s demand for a greater fighting spirit was key to Liverpool’s 1-0 win over Leicester City on Saturday.

Christian Benteke’s second-half strike ensured the home side ended a run of four games without a victory in all competitions and secured a first three points at home since November 29.

Lallana felt Liverpool’s allround display against the Premier League leaders was hugely positive and credited Klopp’s rallying cry for inspiring the win.

“The manager said before the game that maybe we needed to get back to fighting and working hard a bit more and t h e quality would c o m e naturally, and I think you saw that out there,” he said.

“We all covered every blade of grass and the goal was eventually going to come – and it did.

“It was a big win. We’ve had a few difficult results lately and we wanted to put on a good performance – not just get the result – and I thought we did that.”

“You can say we can quickly get over this defeat by playing against Chelsea but in the time in between, you have to recover because the players have given everything,” Van Gaal said.

“Then you have to manage that you are very confident to start the Chelsea game, and that you dare to play football -

Hiddink rues

Costa’s

absence Costa

Birthday boy,

Lloris

thrilled

by Spurs win

H

of Hiddink’s second spell in charge with a well-taken brace as the Blues drew 2-2 against Watford.

However, the combative forward also picked up his fifth yellow card of the Premier

ugo Lloris was grateful for the perfect birthday present after Tottenham Tottenham convincingly beat Norwich 3-0 on Boxing Day to continue their push for the top four.

Spurs fans sang ‘Happy Birthday’ towards the end of the 3-0 win at White Hart Lane after Lloris made a superb double save to deny Cameron Jerome and

our football. It is very difficult to do that in just two days but we shall try.

“At Stoke we lost the game in the first half because we didn’t dare to play our football. I said we have to play football at half-time and you have seen the difference, but that is not enough, you have to start in the first minute.”

League campaign, meaning he will be suspended for today’s match, much to new boss Hiddink’s frustration.

“It’s a setback because he is now increasing his performance,” Hiddink said. “I can complain a lot but that’s not my nature. We have to go on and find a solution as soon as possible, but it’s a setback.

“We go there and it will be difficult, but we go with hope.

I hope this team will show in every game the ambition they showed on Saturday in going for a win anywhere.”

Manchester United are in a run of poor form at the moment and suffered a fourth straight defeat in all competitions when they were beaten 2-0 at Stoke on Boxing Day. However, Hiddink thinks the competitive nature of the English top flight makes such runs inevitable, and insists Chelsea’s season is still salvageable.

“This league is a very intense league,” Hiddink added.

“The teams who are, even in December, competing for being in the first four, like Leicester, Crystal Palace, and Watford, it’s not just by surprise, because they’re well-organised.”

preserve his seventh clean sheet of the season.

The French keeper, who turned 29 on the day, has been one of the Tottenham’s star performers again this year and he thanked his fans and team-mates for a memorable afternoon.

“It was a perfect day for me and I want to thank my team-mates and all the fans for this day,” Lloris told reporters.”

Iloris

BRIEFS

Sturridge

‘good to go’ for Liverpool

L

iverpool forward Daniel Sturridge insists he is ready for a return from his hamstring injury in a boost to manager Jurgen Klopp.

The injury-prone England international has been sidelined since suffering the injury in his side’s 2-0 loss at Newcastle United on December 6. With Divock Origi set for a spell on the sidelines, Sturridge’s return comes at a good time for Klopp. Liverpool visit Sunderland on Wednesday.

Bosnich

backs Mourinho to replace Van Gaal

M

ark Bosnich believes Jose Mourinho is the right man to take over at Manchester United should they lose patience with Louis van Gaal. Saturday’s 2-0 defeat to Stoke City only served to increase the pressure on Van Gaal, who has overseen a run of four straight losses and seven games without a win in all competitions. Afterwards, Van Gaal - who earlier this week stormed out of his pre-match press conference - intimated he could resign from his post as manager.

If the Dutchman does depart then Mourinho, who left struggling Chelsea on December 17, would be among the favourites to take over.

Monday, December 28, 2015

EXTRATIME

31

EURO ‘Incredible’

P

aris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic has suggested he could continue his career in Qatar.

The 34-year-old’s existing contract with the Ligue 1 champions is due to expire at the end of the season and he has yet to make a decision on his future.

Ibrahimovic has been heavily linked with a move to MLS, but he has hinted that a move to the Qatar Stars League is an option as well.

“My current situation is new to

trio below Messi —Xavi

B

arcelona legend Xavi describes Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Luis Suarez as “incredible” players, but says none of the trio are on the same level as Lionel Messi.

Debate frequently rages over who, between Messi and Real Madrid star Ronaldo, is the greatest talent in world football.

The discussion has widened over the past 12 months, though, with Neymar and Suarez influential in inspiring Barcelona to a La Liga, Copa del Rey and Champions League treble last term.

Suarez was the unfortunate one of the quartet to miss the final shortlist for the Ballon d’Or award, which will be contested between current holder Ronaldo, Neymar and favourite Messi.

Xavi paid tribute to all four players, but the World Cup winner with Spain is adamant that Messi is a cut above the rest.

“Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar and Suarez are extraordinary, incredible players, but they are below Messi,” he told reporters.

“It is now more difficult to attack and dribble. Players are more physical, there is space to play and Leo gets haggled, creates spaces, scores goals, and makes a difference in every game.”

Messi and Ronaldo have dominated the Ballon d’Or awards in recent times, the duo winning the past seven between them.

Some pundits feel Xavi should have won football’s greatest individual honour during his career, but he insists that he never felt he should have won the accolade.

“I never felt worthy of the prize,” he added. “Many people tell me, I should, but there is Messi, the best footballer in history. It is normal that he won.

c i v o m i Ibrah ints at Ibrahimovic

h e v o m r a t Qa

B

arcelona star Neymar has confirmed he is aware of Manchester City’s interest in signing him.

The 23-year-old is currently negotiating a new contract at the Nou Camp but his father Neymar Santos Snr recently cast doubt over his future at the club over tax issues.

Neymar’s father also confirmed

in October that Manchester United made a world-record offer for the Brazil international forward in the summer, which Barcelona flatly rejected.

He returned from a short Christmas break with his family to Barcelona’s El Prat airport on Sunday and, when asked

by Spanish media whether he was aware of City’s interest, he

Neymar

confir ms Man City interest

Neymar

B

ayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has just one wish for 2016: to stay clear of the injuries that have restricted him to two appearances so far this season.

The former Marseille man returned from a ninemonth injury lay-off caused by an ankle problem in

Ribery

prays for injury-free 2016

said: “Yes, yes.”

Neymar was also asked about possibly leaving Barcelona in the future, and he added: “I don’t know, life is long.”

Neymar’s current five-year contract, signed when he joined from Santos for £49m in 2013, runs out in 2018 and Barcelona are keen to renew it and increase his £140m release clause.

But father and manager Neymar Santos Sr said last month: “We’ve begun contract renewal talks, but there are outstanding issues that concern us, and which need to be resolved.

“We are not thinking of leaving Spain but we have a problem. We’ve never experienced such major tax issues.”

December but, after scoring as a substitute in defeat to It was subsequently announced Borussia Monchengladbach, he lasted just 45 minutes that he had suffered an unspecified of the Champions League win against Dinamo Zagreb. muscle injury meaning he would miss the remainder of 2015.

Although Bayern’s strength in depth means they have continued to lead the way in the Bundesliga they hold an eight-point advantage at the midway point - Ribery himself is itching to get back to full fitness to aid the club’s challenge domestically and in Europe.

Asked for his new year’s wish by the club’s official website, he said: “That I am fit again as soon as possible. I am really motivated to Ribery return.

me. I have an expiring contract and that is a new experience. I am free to do what I want,” Ibrahimovic said.

“I am focused on PSG for now.

I still have six months to go on my current contract and I want to give my best for the team. I do not have a next destination in mind.

“A move to Qatar? I have a good relationship with PSG president, Nasser Al-Khelaifi, and with the people of Qatar, but I cannot say anything at this stage. Let’s just say that a move to Qatar is an option.

“I am enjoying my football at the moment and I’m feeling well both mentally and physically. I am enjoying myself each game. We will see what happens.”

Ibrahimovic has worked with coaches such as Jose Mourinho, Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti and Laurent Blanc throughout his career and he has revealed that he could pursue a career on the bench as well once he hangs up his boots.

BRIEFS

Messi has changed Barca’s history, says Bartomeu

B

arcelona president Josep Maria Bartomeu has stressed Lionel Messi is one of three players to have changed the Camp Nou side’s recent history and feels the club can only make do without their star player for a number of weeks.

The Argentina international spent two months on the sidelines earlier this season due to a knee injury, but his absence had little impact on Barcelona as Luis Suarez and Neymar stepped up to the plate.

A

Atletico expect Simeone stay

tletico Madrid Coach Diego Simeone will remain in charge at the club for a “very long time”, according to club president Enrique Cerezo. The Argentinean has been linked with Chelsea, who will have a new manager at the helm next season after Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

“The two or three weeks in which I was fit in December were lovely and it’s where I belong.

“I hope all the injured players are fit again soon. We want to fight together for many titles.”

Ribery insisted he never feared for his career but conceded he may have returned too soon prior to the winter break.

“My head was ready but the muscle was still weak,” he added.

“It’s important that my ankle no longer causes me any problems.

Now it’s just a muscle injury. I need rhythm and matches.”

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mondaY, dEcEmBER 28, 2015

VOL. 2. NO.10

Price: n150

Ibrahimovic

hints at Qatar move g 31

F

IFA presidential candidate Prince Ali bin Al Hussein has called for the immediate publication of Michael Garcia’s report into alleged corruption within world football’s governing body.

Garcia stated that his investigation into the decisions to award the World Cup hosting rights to Russia and Qatar in 2018 and 2022 showed “serious and wide-ranging issues” in the bidding process.

The 54-year-old resigned in protest 12 months ago after accusing FIFA ethics judge Hans-Joachim Eckert of publishing an “incomplete and erroneous” version of his findings.

Ali, who confirmed his candidacy to succeed Sepp Blatter in October, has urged FIFA to adopt “some basic norms, like publishing the Garcia report immediately, because even those who are running for the position of FIFA president need to know what has been going on in this organisation, and the public needs to know as well.”

Speaking at a Dubai footballing conference, he added: “There have been a lot of proposals for reform within FIFA, but the main issue is not the proposals themselves, but the implementation of these proposals.”

FIFA had initially declined to publish the full version on the grounds that those who gave evidence on condition of remaining anonymous could be compromised.

UEFA general secretary Gianni Infantino, who has also submitted a bid to become FIFA president, spoke alongside Ali about the importance of “transparency of the money flow” within the organisation.

The Swiss’s remarks come following the eight-year suspensions of Blatter and UEFA boss Michel Platini over a n

Today’s Matches Crystal Palace v Swansea City 16:00 Everton v Stoke City 16:00 Norwich City v Aston Villa 16:00 Watford v Tottenham 16:00 West Brom v Newcastle 16:00 Arsenal v Bournemouth 18:30 Man United v Chelsea

FIFA scandal!

e c n i r P

i l A

Prince Ali

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP RESULTS Stoke City 2 - 0 Man United Bournemouth 0 - 0 Crystal Palace Aston Villa 1 - 1 West Ham Chelsea 2 - 2 Watford Liverpool 1 - 0 Leicester City Man City 4 - 1 Sunderland Swansea 1 - 0 West Brom Tottenham 3 - 0 Norwich City Newcastle 0 - 1 Everton Southampton 4 - 0 Arsenal

irregular payment made in 2011.

“Once you know how the money comes in and how the money goes out, and this is transparent, this is documented, this is clear, you have solved 95 percent of the real or perceived problems of FIFA,”

calls for publication of Garcia report he said.

“So the transparency of the money flow is key.

“How do we develop football? By investing, of course. The money is there... but by investing it in a proper way.”

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

CBN denies ban on use of Nigerian ATM cards abroad Page B3

IFC, LAPO MFB to expand Page B6 microfinance access in Nigeria

Intels commended for activities in oil, gas sector Integrated Logistic Services Nigeria Ltd., (Intels) received 183 letters of commendation from clients between 2012 and 2015, a compendium on appreciation letters received by the company has shown.

This is contained in a statement made available to newsmen on Thursday in Lagos by the company.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Intels was established in 1982 at Onne Port and is a major participant in the development of the Oil and Gas CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Accident Investigation Bureau, AIB, has said that over 63 per cent of its safety recommendations have been closed in the past 15 years while 14 others are partially closed.

This is as the agency further said that air safety had improved in the country in the past 10 years.

Speaking in an exclusive interview in Lagos, the spokesman, AIB, Mr. Tunji Oketunbi informed that since year 2000,

NAICOM explains why operators are being penalised Page B7

PENGASSAN seeks autonomy for refineries managements

Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi (left), Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the United Nations Office for West Africa (UNOWA), Mohamed Ibn Chambas when he paid a visit to Fayemi in Abuja at the weekend.

63% of safety recommendations complied with – AIB spokesman Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Monday, December 28, 2015

the bureau had made 158 safety recommendations arising from major incidents and accidents in the sector, adding that 63 per cent of these had been complied with by affected parties, players in the sector and closed while 14 per cent were partially.

He added that additional 23 per cent of its safety recommendations remained opened and yet to be closed.

He further recalled that the Ministerial Committee set up by the immediate past Minister of Aviation, Chief Osita Chidoka

in 2014 also in its recommendations disclosed that no fewer than 100 of its safety recommendations had been closed with 36 open gaps and 22 partially closed.

Oketunbi declared that the investigative agency by law had no right to force compliance to its recommendations, but noted that it had safety monitoring exercise, which confirmed if its recommendations had been complied with or not.

He said, “Right now, a lot of safety recommendations have

been implemented. There are still some that are open while others have been partially implemented. Since 2000, we have issued 158 safety recommendations and 63 per cent of them have been closed, 14 per cent partially closed and 23 per cent still open.

“That’s the current status on implementation of our safety recommendation; it is very ingenious for anybody to continue to use a data of a year or two years ago to talk about the current status.”

Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has called on the Federal Government to grant adequate autonomy to the managements of the four state-owned refineries in the country.

The union stated that the refineries can only function at optimal capacity if their managements have authority and financial autonomy.

In his opening remarks during the 4th Triennial Delegates Conference of the Nigeria LNG Limited, PENGASSAN President, Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson, commended the efforts of the Federal Government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari’s determination to put back the refineries on stream thereby boosting local refining.

He explained that one of the impediments against the optimal performance of the refineries and increasing local refining in the country is the inability of the managements of the refineries to take some decisions on certain levels of financial and administrative issues.

“We demand that adequate CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Association lauds CBN new guidelines on loans for SMEs

Emefiele

Executive Secretary, Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME), ke Ubiji has lauded the proposal of CBN to take education certificates of promoters of startups as collaterals to access loans.

Ubiji told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Sunday that inclusion of startups in the revised Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Fund (MSMEDF) Guidelines would reduce the level

of unemployment among the youths.

The CBN launched the MSMEDF with seed capital of N220 billion on August 15, 2013 to bridge the huge financing gap in the MSME sub-sector.

Initially only existing businesses had access to these loans, but the revised guidelines made provisions for Participating Financial Institutions (PFIs) to fund startups with BVNs. “Collateral for startups shall

be educational certificates which may include; SSCE, National Diploma (ND), National Certificate of Education (NCE), National Business and Technical Examination Board (NABTEB).

“Others are Higher National Diploma (HND), University degree (NYSC Certificate if any) alongside guarantor, “It is a positive development that will drive entrepreneurial zeal among many aspiring

youths who are incapacitated from pursuing their dreams because of lack of funds.

“Due to limited revenue or high interest rate, most of these small scale operations are not sustainable in the long-term without additional funding.

“I believe that the high unemployment rate in the country coupled with complaints from SME operators necessitated the apex bank to review the guideCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Intels commended for activities in oil, gas sector

Court orders Nigerian Navy to pay N200m damages over illegal detention of vessel Funmi Coker

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Free Zone.

According to the statement, the compendium showed that the letters were received from Oil Producing Companies, Oil Servicing Companies, the Senate, the House of Representatives and government agencies. ``A breakdown showed that 82 letters which expressed satisfaction with the high quality of services provided by Intels Nigeria Ltd. and the dedication of its staff were received from Oil Producing Companies within the four years under review. ``The list of Oil Producing companies that put their appreciation in writing included: Chevron Nigeria Ltd, Nigerian Agip Exploration Ltd., Shell Petroleum Development Company, Mobil Producing Nigeria Ltd. and TOTAL Premier Services Nigeria Ltd. ``In the category of Oil Servicing Companies, 90 commendation letters were received between 2012 and 201 consisting of 36 letters in 2012, 24 letters in 2014 and 30 letters in 2015. ``Oil servicing companies that expressed appreciation are: Schlumberger Nigeria Ltd, Dawoo Nigeria Ltd., West Atlantic Shipyard, Seadril Mobil Unit Nigeria Ltd., Saipem Contracting Nigeria Ltd. and Del Waste Management Company Ltd., ‘’ Intels said.

The statement noted that appreciation letters were received from Ports Authority Police Command, Onne Port Division, Nigerian Shippers’ Council, Nigerian Navy (NNS Pathfinder) Naval base Port Harcourt, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation.

Sokefun

Ogun lawmakers collaborate with agency on mass food production ÏProposes N4.78b total budget for agriculture Charles Okonji In its efforts towards boosting food sufficiency for the local consumption, and export to other parts of the country, Ogun State House of Assembly stated is readiness to collaborate with the Ministry of Agriculture to make available the required land for large scale farming.

The lawmakers including gave the assurance while hosting the State Commissioner for Agriculture, Mrs Ronke Sokefun on the budget defence of her ministry in Abeokuta.

The legislatures assured that they were committed to mass food production and storage for export with a view to creating wealth for the people of their constituencies.

They pledged their commitment towards creating a conducive atmosphere for agricultural practice, while calling on the man-

agement of the ministry to find a lasting solution to the menace of Fulani herdsmen who terrorised farmers in the cause of finding grassing zones for their cattle.

In her response, Mrs. Sokefun said the ministry was committed to achieving self-sufficiency, improved security and increased foreign exchange earnings through agricultural practice, noting that Government was tapping on the State’s agricultural potentials and sustain its value chains.

The commissioner stated that 1,000 acres of land would be opened for the production of food and animals’ husbandry, cultivation of farmland, crop plantation, birds and fish for investors across the three senatorial districts.

“Ministry proposed N4.78B total budget and N4.06B would cater for capital expenditure to complement private sector driven initiative through rocurement and distribution of agro-inputs delivery system, adding that the Ministry would embark on dry season crop farming to create a responsive agricultural sector in tune with current global practice,” she explained.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

PENGASSAN seeks autonomy for refineries managements Johnson

authority and financial autonomy be granted to refineries’ management to boost operational effectiveness. A situation that the managements have both authority and financial approval limits, which is always delayed bureaucratic bottlenecks,” he stated.

He also called on the government to create enabling environment to attract private investors to take advantage of the Downstream Liberalization Policy so

A Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered the Nigerian Navy and its Chief of Naval Staff jointly and severally to pay an oil company, Mercury Oil Limited the sum of N200 million damages for illegally detaining its vessel, MT SAPPHIRE 1 and siphoning 280,000 litres of Automated Gas Oil (AGO) contained in the said vessel.

In his judgment, the trial judge,Chukwujekwu Aneke said, “The present case brought to the fore once again the arrogant, brutal, callous and capricious manner our law enforcement agencies commonly adopt in the exercise of their functions to the consternation and embarrassment of any discerning and decent minds around.

We are in a democracy and must do everything to enthrone and nurture democratic ethos for the good of the society.”

The judgment of the court was sequel to an enforcement of a fundamental right suit filed

by Norrison Quakers (SAN) before the court on behalf of Mercury Oil Limited, its vessel MT SAPPHIRE 1, and four crew members on board, Folorunso Olayiwola, Joshua A. Arthur, Asabalashe O.Johnson, and Wale Alade.

In an affidavit in support of their application sworn to by

the Managing Director of Mercury Oil Company, Osita Onumonu and argued before the court by Quakers, the deponent averred that sometime in February 2014, Mercury Oil company was engaged in offshore operation to load Automotive Gas Oil (AGO).

According to him, relevant approvals were gotten. However, the vessel and its crewmembers were arrested on suspicion of engaging in illegal operations.

After due investigation by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), which is the body responsible for such investigation, the vessel was cleared of any wrong doing or illegal activities and recommended that the vessel should be released, but the Nigerian Navy refused.

Ibas

Association lauds CBN new guidelines...

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

lines for accessing the intervention fund,”he said. ubaji urged startups to undergo intensive capacity building programmes with the aim of acquiring skills in accounting, managing human and material resources.

According to him, the training will instill in them the prerequisite skills to guarantee their survival in the business world.

Ubaji said that the CBN’s reviewed guidelines would translate to poverty alleviation, job creation, economic growth and development in the country.

as to invest in refining business to enhance self-sufficiency in locally refined petroleum products.

Comrade Johnson said that Government at the Federal and State levels can also build new refineries using a financing and operatorship model that can make it run efficiently and competitively.

He said that local refining can only be enhanced to meet local demands for petroleum products if the refineries are func-

tioning at optimal capacity, adding that this is the only way the government can remove subsidy on imported petroleum products without inflicting hardship on Nigerians.

“Nigeria’s quest to turn the tide of import-driven petroleum products and achieve self-sufficiency in local refining of petroleum products will be a forlorn hope if the refineries are still in moribund state. We advocate that Government should ensure that the refineries adhere to the

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

B3 Money Market

Rating agency affirms Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank BB+ The Global Credit Rating (GCR) has affirmed Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc (ITMB) BB+ credit rating with positive outlook in the long term and A3 with positive outlook in the short term for 2015, based on the mortgage firm’s 2014 financial results.

According to its recent rating report, the GCR, which rates about 3000 local and international organisations spanning four continents, stated that ITMB was given the rating due to improvement in the bank’s competitive capacity, brand perception, corporate governance practices and robust financial performance, among others.

The statement added: “In 2014, GCR rated ITMB Plc BB+ with positive outlook in the long term and A3 with stable outlook in the short term. The 2014 rating was an improvement over the 2012 and 2013 rating of BB+ with stable outlook in the long term and A3 with stable outlook in the short term.

“The 2015 rating takes cognisance of Infinity Trust Mortgage Bank Plc’s improved competitive capacity, enhanced brand perception resulting from its transformation from a private limited liability company to a public company in 2013, and the subsequent upgrade of its license to a National Primary Mortgage Bank in 2014.

“ITMB is considered well capitalised. Total shareholders’ funds were N5.5bn at 31 December 2014, relative to minimum capital requirements of N5.0bn for a National Primary Mortgage Bank, translating to a robust risk weighted Capital adequacy ratio (CAR) of 122 per cent, against the regulatory minimum CAR of 10 per cent.”

Olabanjo, MD, ITMB

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi (middle); Deputy Governor Kelechi Igwe (3rd left); Commissioner for Works, Fidelis Nweze (left); his counterparts for Power, Emmanuel Uguru (2nd left); for Finance, Dennis Ekumankama (3rd right); SSA to the Governor on Religion and Welfare Matters, Abraham Nwali (2nd right) and Commissioner for Culture and Tourism, Euphemia Nwali, at 2015 Ebonyi State Merit Award in Abakaliki at the weekend.

Stories by Motolani Oseni Contrary to speculatiin that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has directed banks to halt all foreign (non-naira) transactions on naira Automated Teller Machine (ATMs), debit and credit from January, 2016, the apex bank has denied giving such order to Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) in the country to stop or ban customers from using their Nigerian cards abroad.

For instance, some banks had sent text messages and emails to their customers informing them to stop using their debit and credit cards abroad, a development they termed a ‘temporary Access to foreign online retailers are expected to be affected when the ban takes effect on 1 January 2016.

In an exclusive response to a text message enquiry at the

CBN denies ban on use of Nigerian ATM cards abroad weekend by Daily Times Nigeria, Director Corporate Communications Department, CBN, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu, disclosed that that it’s not CBN directive but decision of individual banks.

He explained that it is not a ban but temporary measure on the Naira cards, based on each bank’s ability to meet customer demand, adding that some banks allow limited amount like $1000 a month on the naira card.

“It is a banking service being abused which compelled the banks to review their position”, he noted.

Also, Deputy Director, Bank-

ing and Payment Systems Department of CBN, Mr. Musa Itopa Jimoh told our correspondent at the weekend that apex bank did not direct banks to stop the usage of Nigerian cards abroad.

According to Jimoh, “It’s the decision of each bank to control its usage based on risk and settlement obligations.”

Similarly, a credible industry source had earlier confided in us that the directive was not authorized by the regulator, but was as a result of personal decision of the banks.

However, this decision by DMBs has met with opposition

from some Nigerian students studying abroad, saying it would put them under unnecessary constraints.

The students, at the weekend wielding placards took to the streets in protest, calling on the federal government to find an alternative solution to the problem.

Meanwhile, the unofficial value of the nation’s currency, naira, has plunged because of the fall in the oil price - its main export.

The country has spent billions of dollars propping up the currency since it fixed the exchange rate in February and tightened trading rules to curb speculation.

Microfinance banks total assets hit N356b in 2015 Despite the harsh operating environment in the Microfinance sub sector of the economy, the total assets of (MfBs) across the country, has risen to N356 billion.

This was an increase of 18.39 per cent, when compared with N300.73billion, posted in December 2014, meaning the microfinance industry might not have been badly affected by the sorry state of the Nigerian economy.

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in its Financial Stability Report for the first half of the year, noted that MfBs’ paid-up capital decreased by 0.61 per cent to N81.94 billion from N82.44 billion at end of December 2014, while shareholders’ funds increased by 6.61 per cent to N97.03 billion at end of June 2015, from N91.01 billion, at end of Decem-

ber 2014.

The apex bank, however, attributed the decline in the industry’s paid-up capital to the non-rendition of returns by some MfBs operating in the North East.

In addition, the CBN said the subsector’s total deposit liabilities and net loans & advances increased by 9.31 and 9.34per cent to N159.40billion and N178.12billion in June 2015, compared with N145.83 billion and N162.91 billion at December 2014, respectively.

Also, the regulatory body said MfBs’ reserves increased

by N6.52billion to N15.09billion at the end of June 2015 from N8.57billion at the end of December 2014. According to the CBN, the continued improvement in the operations of functional MfBs was due to the ‘sustained

regulatory oversight and improved compliance by operators.

On the other hand, Managing Director, Nigerian Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC), Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, said, as at June 2015, a total of 936 MfBs in Nigeria could only mobilise total deposits, in the region of N173.3 billion.

This low level of performance in deposits mobilisation by these institutions, he said, suggests a low level of micro banking penetration in the country and requires to be looked into for immediate action and improvements. The NDIC boss was unhappy with the state of affairs in the industry, stating that microfinance banks should be financially solid to be able to increase microfinance adoption and penetration level.

Taking a cursory look at the industry generally, the NDIC boss listed factors such as drop in crude oil price by 50 per cent since 2014, increasing supply of shale oil and impact of treasury single account as being probable causes of low performances of those operating in the microfinance industry.

The Managing Director, Ospoly Microfinance Bank, Mr. Femi Fapohunda, said for proactive board and management of microfinance banks, this economic challenge would rather be an impetus for higher performance.

Such MfB, he said, will have to go to the drawing board once again, plan new strategy and reengineer all their policies for enhanced performance, which will also lead to higher profitability and productivity.

Capital Market B4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Stock market last week

Financial services lead with 653m shares It was a three-day trading week at the Nigerian Stock Exchange as the Federal Government of Nigeria declared Thursday 24th and Friday 25th of December, 2015 as Public Holiday in commemoration of the Eid-el-Maulud and Christmas Celebration respectively.

Meanwhile, a turnover of 743.117 million shares worth N6.591 billion in 8,325 deals were traded this week by investors on the floor of The Exchange in contrast to a total of 1.457 billion shares valued at N13.803 billion that exchanged hands last week in 13,648 deals.

The NSE All-Share Index and Market Capitalization appreciated by 1.26% to close the week at 26,871.24 and N9.238 trillion respectively. Similarly, all other Indices finished higher during the week, with the exception of NSE Insurance and NSE Consumer Goods Indices that depreciated by 1.02% and 0.44% respectively, while the NSE ASeM Index closed flat.

Twenty-six (26) equities ap-

preciated in price during the week, lower than Twenty-seven (27) equities of the preceding week. Twenty-seven (27) equities depreciated in price, lower than Forty-one (41) equities of the previous week, while one hundred and thirty-seven (137) equities remained unchanged, higher than one hundred and twenty-two (122) equities recorded in the preceding week.

The Financial Services Industry (measured by volume) led the activity chart with 652.872 million shares valued at N3.583 billion traded in 5,226 deals; thus contributing 87.86% and 54.36% to the total equity turnover volume and value respectively.

The Consumer Goods Industry followed with 30,540 million shares worth N2,080 billion in 1,332 deals.

The third place was occupied by the Conglomerates Industry with a turnover of 29.052 million shares worth N154.209 million in 483 deals.

L-R: Bishop of Anglican Diocese of Ijebu-Ode, Rt. Reverend Ayo Awosoga; Founder of FCMB Group, Otunba Subomi Balogun and Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (Ijebu-Ode area), Reverend Father Martin Ajayi, during the Christmas Carol organised by Otunba Balogun at Ijebu-Ode, Ogun state. at the wekend.

Omatek Ventures grows PAT by 56%

Seriki, MD Omatek

Stories by Adesola Akindele A report made available by the Nigerian Stock Exchange has showedthat the Sub-committee on Ethics and Professionalism of the Bankers Committee has ruled in favour of Honeywell Group, in its dispute with Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

The report held that both parties agreed in July 2013 that Honeywell would pay the sum of N3.5 billion in full and final settlement of the indebtedness of 3 member companies of the Honeywell Group – (Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Anchorage Lesiures Limited and Siloam Global Services Limited) who obtained facilities from Oceanic Bank for commercial purposes between 2006-2008.

It also said Ecobank for its part claimed “the agreement reached by both parties was an “in–principle understanding” and that the

Omatek Ventures Plc posted its results for the full year ended 31st December, 2014 via the NSE site yesterday. The results revealed a 56 per cent appreciation in Profit After Tax (PAT) from N182.3 million achieved in 2013 to N284.8 million posted in the same period of 2014.

The result showed that revenue rose by 11.8 per cent from N1.024 billion in 2013 to N1.144 billion in 2014, while Gross Profit dropped 7 per cent from N612.9 million in 2013 to N569.5 million in 2014, due to a 40 per cent increase in the company’s cost of sales to N575.1 million.

Profit before tax increased by 104 per cent to N320.13 million from N157.22 million depicting a 104 per cent increase.

Its total assets rose 0.07 per cent to N8.609 billion from N8.603 billion recorded in 2013, while Total Liabilities dropped 7 per cent from N5.215 billion in 2013 to N4.871 billion in 2014.

The ICT company’s stock is priced at 50 kobo per share with market capitalization of N1.5 billion and 2.9 billion shares outstanding. Omatek Ventures is tasked with Assembling, Sales and Maintenance of Computers, Inverters and Solar Power Products.

Bankers Committee asks Ecobank to honour agreement with Honeywell N3.5 billion paid by Honeywell was only a partial payment. It also asserted that the Chairman of the Honeywell Group was a related party to the bank at the time the debt repayment was negotiated, and as such it would not grant a discharge letter to Honeywell. All these claims were made about a year after Honeywell had completed the payment and to our mind, were afterthoughts.”

The subcommittee however issued a ruling in favour of Honeywell directing Ecobank to honour the agreement for Honeywell to pay the bank N3.5 billion as full and final payment.

The Committee said: “After

several offers and counter offers with respect to the amount for the settlement, the parties agreed at the meeting of 22nd July, 2013, involving your bank’s MD/CEO and the Honeywell Group Chairman that Honeywell would pay the sum of N3.5 billion in full and final settlement of the indebtedness of the three companies. It was also agreed that Honeywell would immediately proceed to pay the sum of N500 million as a sign of faith towards the agreement.”

According to the report the subcommittee based its rulings on the following findings that: “It was not in dispute that Management of Ecobank consummated

an agreement with the Chairman of Honeywell Group on the 22nd of July 2013 to accept the sum of N3.5 billion in full and final settlement of the total outstanding sum of N5.5 billion being the Group’s indebtedness to the bank; The sum of N500 million was paid on 23rd July 2013 and payment of the balance of N3 billion was completed on January 10th, 2014; and that as at the time the transactions were consummated with Oceanic Bank (legacy bank), the Chairman of Honeywell Group, Dr. Oba Otudeko CFR was not a member of the Board of Directors of Oceanic Bank.

The Bankers’ Committee said

that “based on legal opinion and clarification sought from the Banking Supervision Department of the Central Bank of Nigeria, the Chairman of Honeywell Group was not a ‘related party’ to the transaction, as he was not a member of the Board of Directors of Oceanic Bank at the time the transactions were consummated.” The report however noted that the issue is yet to be resolved as “Contempt proceedings have been initiated against the bank for violating the order of the Court that parties should maintain the status quo.” further stating that the matter comes up for ruling on the 15th of January 2016.”

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

B5 Capital Market

NSE DAILY ACTIVITY SUMMARY ( EQUITIES) 23-12-2015

Business News B6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

NCAA wants domestic airlines to liquidate outstanding debts to agencies

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The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has appealed to domestic airlines to liquidate all outstanding debts to the authority and other aviation agencies in the country.

The NCAA made the appeal in a statement issued by its Acting General Manager, Public Relations, Mr Sam Adurogboye, on Sunday in Lagos. ``Safety is a collective responsibility and we appreciate the cooperation from all stakeholders, particularly the airlines, toward safe operations in the outgoing year.

Funmi Coker Managing Director of Nigerian Ports Authority, Mallam Habib Abdullahi has called for better economic cooperation that is mutually beneficial between Nigeria and the Republic of Korea.

Abdullahi made the call while receiving the Consul General of the Republic of Korea who paid him a courtesy visit in his office in Lagos.

The NPA boss noted that both countries have a lot to benefit from each other especially in the area of maritime trade and expressed optimism that the Korean visit will not only bring more business enterprises to Nigeria but also strengthen the existing business relationship between the two countries.

Earlier the Consul General

``The authority has, however, noticed with serious concern, the huge debts of airlines as a result of failure to promptly settle invoices as at when due. ``This poses serious financial challenges to the various Parastatals that benefit from the five per cent Ticket, Charter and Cargo Sales charges. ``Consequently, the authority would be pleased to see that the Airlines put plans in place to ensure the full liquidation of all outstanding debts. ``We thank God for a safe operation in the outgoing year and we look forward to safe and secure operations in the coming years,’’ the NCAA said.

According to the statement, the settlement of the debts will go a long way in assisting NCAA to fulfill its statutory obligations to the country.

It added that the authority was fully committed to strict enforcement of compliance to safety regulations in order to engender safe operations at all times.

NPA boss seeks stronger ties with South Korea Younghoan Lee had told Abdullahi that the visit was to express his country’s appreciation to NPA for the tremendous support and cooperation his country had enjoyed from it over the years, While expressing satisfaction with the services rendered by NPA, which he described as meeting international standards, he said the Republic of Korea anticipates continuous cooperation between the two countries.

Highlights of the visit were the exchange of gifts between the Managing Director and the Consul General.

L-R: Regional Manager, Custodian Life Assurance Limited, Mr. Olubusayo Akinwale; Managing Director, Mr. Larry Ademeso; Regional Manager, Mr. Chris Uzor; Regional Manager, Mr. Oyeniran Ibrahim and Executive Director, Mr. Ngozi Nlebemuo, at the Company’s 2015 Agency End-of Year Party in Lagos recently.

IFC, LAPO MFB to expand microfinance access in Nigeria IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, has signed an agreement to work with LAPO Microfinance Bank Ltd to pilot and roll out agent banking that will increase access to financial services for low-income customers, small-scale entrepreneurs and rural communities.

Following a recent agreement signed in Lagos, IFC is also providing a 2 billion Naira (approx. $10 million) loan to support LAPO MfB’s lending to micro-entrepreneurs. This is the largest investment IFC has made in a microfinance institution in Sub-Saharan Africa.

As the first local microfinance organization to successfully transform into a fully regulated national microfinance bank, LAPO MfB is a pioneer in the Nigerian microfinance sector. It has grown its

Eme Essien Lore, IFC’s Country Manager for Nigeria, said, “One of IFC’s core objectives is to promote inclusive finance that benefits the small-scale business sector—an engine of inclusive growth and job creation. Our relationship with LAPO MfB will help us reach out to the low income people in Nigeria to improve financial inclusion and help grow the economy.”

IFC is a leading investor in microfinance in Sub-Saharan Africa, with a fast-growing, wellperforming portfolio of equity, debt and advisory projects. IFC’s portfolio includes 25 microfinance institutions across 13 countries in Sub-Saharan Africa, which have reached over 2.6 million borrowers and 12.7 million depositors among microenterprises and lowincome households.

GTB introduces innovative payment solution Ï& ƄƋƆ ƏƆƅƆƈƍƐ Ƈ zƆ ƐƆƏ Ƒ ƈ ƇƑ Ɨ ƒƈ jL

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client base from 700,000 in 2012 to more than 2 million, across 28 of Nigeria’s 36 states, and it aims to increase its client base to up to 5 million by 2017.

In 2012, IFC provided an 800 million Naira facility to LAPO that has contributed to the expansion of its lending activities.

Godwin Ehigiamusoe, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of LAPO MfB, said, “LAPO Microfinance Bank has remained committed to its goal of economic empowerment through access to finance. We are taking further steps to increase our reach to more low income earners and more micro, small and medium enterprises. IFC’s long term support has helped us and we hope this new project will lead to enhanced financial access for more financially excluded Nigerians.”

Guaranty Trust Bank plc has reaffirmed its position as a leading provider of e-payment solutions with the introduction of a new service that allows customers receive Western Union funds directly into their GTBank account via any of the Bank’s Automated Teller Machines (“ATMs”) in Nigeria. The service is also available on the Bank’s Internet Banking

platform.

The introduction of this service coincides with a time when the need to move money quickly, reliably and much more conveniently across international borders has risen rapidly. This has necessitated an increased demand for digital solutions to aid payments, transfers, and remittances. As a Bank renowned for innovative solutions, GTBank takes pride in leveraging technology to make life better for its customers by creating value oriented products suited to their varied needs.

To receive Western Union funds via any GTBank ATM nation-

wide, customers simply need to press any key on the ATM; click the Western Union option; agree to terms and conditions; select account type; select the country where the funds were sent from (sending country); and where country is not available, enter the sending country code / ISO Code; enter the expected amount in Naira; enter the GTBank NUBAN account of the receiving party; and enter the 10-digit Money Transfer Control Number (“MTCN”). Upon confirmation of the transaction, the transfer amount will be credited into the receiving GTBank account.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

B7 Insurance

NAICOM explains why operators are being penalised National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has denied collecting levies outside the prescription of the law.

The Commission of recent had been accused by stakeholders of impunity, charging so much levy, imposing anti-growth sanctions and corruption.

But the Commissioner for Insurance Alhaji Mohammed Kari strongly put up a defence on the issue when he spoke at the 2015 Champion Insurance Day organised by Champion Newspapers in Lagos, insisting that the regulator has always acted within the ambit of the law.

He explained that the one percent insurance levy charged by the commission on insurance firms is a statutory provision contained in the law and not a regulation of NAICOM. Kari noted that section 16 (1)(b) of the NAICOM Act 1997 mandates all insurance institutions to remit one per cent of their gross premium to the commission as insurance levy adding that the system of funding of regulators also applies to most sector regulators in Nigeria - the FIRS, CBN, SEC, NDIC, PenCom.

The commissioner described the pressure by shareholders onthe penalty levy on insurance firms as deliberate misinformation and misleading as well as usage of the shareholders as stooges by management of some insurance companies to cover up their gross financial mismanagement of their companies.

He however said the commission sympathises with the shareholders because they have a right to be aggrieved over the nil returns on their investments, adding that operators, who choose to play in the sector must be prepared to do so in strict compliance with the extant insurance laws.

“Fines and sanctions for any default/infraction by an operator are clearly spent out in the respective laws to the knowledge and understanding of the operators. The law may not be perfect, but as long as it remains the law, its provisions must be complied with and it is the responsibility of NAICOM, as the statutory regulatory agency of the sector to ensure every operator play by the rule” he said.

He challenged shareholders of

L-R: Friend to Dubai trip winner, Cynthia Edokwe; Airtel’s Vice President, Segment, Usage & Retention, Dinesh Balsingh; another friend to Dubai Trip winner, Joy Njoku and Head, Mass Segment, Oladipo Jolaosho during the departure gathering held for the winners in Lagos on Saturday

insurance companies to demand explanations from their respective management to ascertain reasons why they continued to incur sanctions from the regulator; incur high management expenses; fail to take advantage of the huge potentials in the market and as well, the various market development initiatives introduced by NAICOM to expand their businesses.

NAICOM, he continued has continually introduced market development programmes and initiatives aimed at increasing penetration and assisting insurance institutions enhance their premium revenue generation and, by so doing, increase the industry contribution to the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP).

According to him, in 2009,

the Commission launched the Market Development and Restructuring Initiatives (MDRI) programme, which is a medium term industry development plan designed by the Commission with focus on the Enforcement of compulsory insurance products, Increase insurance awareness, Reduction in incidences of fake insures/insurances and Increase agency reform.

Pension industry optimistic of robust growth in 2016

Chinelo Amazu-Anohu, DG Pencom

Linkage Insurance boss advocates autonomy for NAICOM

Chief Executive Officer of Linkage Assurance, Mr, Godwin Wiggle, has said autonomy for National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) would make the commission more effective and responsive to the challenges of the time.

“The bureaucracy and red tape is said to hinder decision making in the Commission thus slowing down efforts for growth within the Insurance Industry” Wiggle said.

Pension Industry is looking forward to a robust growth next year as Federal Government creates new avenue in the 2016 ‘Budget of Change’ to bring in more micro companies into tax paying bracket.

Mr. Adeolu Adetola, group head of research of ARM Insurance in his comments on the 2016 federal budget, remarking that the incustry foresee a booming sector in the coming year.

According to Adeolu Adetola,who is the Group Head Research, of ARM insurance, The government has set out to deal with recurrent and expenditure issues in the budget.

Adetola said from the budget of change, government was ready to deal properly with recurrent structure and with the TSA government would be more accountable and save more funds, adding that one of the benefits is that salaries will be paid on time and pension remittances will be timely.

Also by the N5 trillion company income tax target and VAT, government is widening its dragnet to bring more companies into the tax bracket.

What this means is that government will identify small businesses and bring them into corporate organisations and recognise

them as tax paying entities.

This will help to generate some revenues for government expenses and in turn bring them into pension fold, and ultimately grow the number of companies that will key into the Contributory Pension Scheme” he anticipated.

He said, over time the industry has tried to identify these small companies which the Pension Act 2014 (Amended) has covered as eligible to key into the CPS but now with government efforts to expand its tax collection most of these companies would be identified and that will bring in more informal sector operators into the scheme.

Immediate past commissioner for Insurance Fola Daniel before end of his tenure had canvassed for autonomy for the commission but was unable to realise the dream.

But Wiggle in his position to the move suggested that such request should be granted to free the regulator from interference.

Speaking on investment of foreign insurance companies which has resulted in mergers

and acquisitions, the CEO said the development has its good side and ugly side.

According to him, It signifies that our market has large potentials and is also attractive to foreign investors It will bring transfer of knowledge, skills and global standard into the Nigeria Insurance Industry. For instance AXA group of France is globally recognized in the Retail Insurance Market space.

Coming into Nigeria as AXA Mansard will without a doubt help improve the Nigeria market in this regard. There is also the issue of healthy competition with the entrance of these foreign players.

Speaking on development of Takaful and Micro Insurance in the country, Wiggle said there have been a number of Workshops and Conferences geared towards creating awareness and knowledge on those products.

Business Interview B8

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28 , 2015

More maritime institutions should be created to produce more professionals — Prof Alex Okwuashi ‘‘First of all, they have to build institutions and then train the human capital, and this has to be in the critical areas like Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture and so on, because you cannot build a ship without these people, so the government should catch them young.’’

Okwuashi

Professor Alex Okwuashi, a Professor of Maritime Administration and the Rector of the Certified Institute of Shipping (CIS), in this interview with Funmi Coker, reviews the challenges of the maritime industry, potential and suggests the way forward to get the best out of the sector.

What is your assessment of the maritime industry in the last three quarters?

The industry has a lot of challenges because the Nigerian Maritime Industry is still in its nursery stages, despite several years of organised shipping sector and ageless maritime activities. The assessment of the industry resources and its relevance to National Development indicates the need for functional maritime administration, lack of maritime domain awareness-environment, safety and security, economics/

business opportunities and under exploration of our marine resources like fish, oil and gas, and marine exploitable resources.

Can you explain why maritime administration is not effective in Nigeria?

First of all, there is a problem of inconsistency in the leadership of maritime administration. There is poor infrastructural development, which is slow pace of capacity building.

There are frequencies of Antimaritime activities, piracy, illegal bunkering and smuggling, also, environmental degradation, massive pollution of the seas and creeks. The government has to look into these issues. There is lack of adequate professionals, poor profitable display index on maritime balance sheet and lack of financial support from banks and government institutions.

How do you think Nige-

ria can use the maritime industry to boost the nation’s economy?

First of all, we have to look at the complete importance of shipping in maritime. It creates employment, there is development of road, rail, and other related infrastructure and business. Nigeria can also use the maritime industry to boost the nation’s economy by making contributions to GDP and National income and balance of trade and foreign exchange generation.

What is your school doing to improve capacity building in the sector?

We all know that Nigeria is a country that does not have adequate number of maritime institutions, this is what triggered some of us who have worked in the sector for a while to think of a way to help the government bridge this gap in the maritime education of this country. After many years, I saw this black hole, so I decided to work hand in hand with a few persons to establish the college, so that we can fill that gap in the maritime industry.

How do you think government can assist the private maritime institutions in Nigeria?

The maritime industry is capital intensive and institutional infrastructures are very expensive. In our engineering workshop, we have to buy machines and these machines cost millions and private individuals might not have the resources but if you are determined, you will start from somewhere.

Can you explain why Nigeria is still operating FoB term of trade?

It is one of the biggest tragedies that has happened to the shipping sector. When the 1986 shipping policy came, government tried to come up with a shipping policy, but there was a clause that Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation can sell its oil on FoB biases. Whereas this was supposed to be a protectionist policy but yet, there was a great gap in that policy. I don’t see why it should be that way. Other countries of the world make policies to favor their people but this one was a suspect, because if we had that

Stop importation of second hand electronics, WAPCEH registrar Registrar and SecretaryGeneral, West African Postgraduate College of Environmental Health (WAPCEH), Ibadan, Dr. Sunday Ojewole, on Sunday urged Nigerians to stop importation of second hand electronic gadgets.

Ojewole made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

He said that most of the second hand electronic gadgets constituted wastes which were dangerous to human health.

“We should all look out and see that Nigeria is not used as dump-

ing ground for all these used electronic gadgets.

“Most of these electronic gadgets, after buying them, you will discover that they are not working and you decide to throw them away.

“Most of these electronic gadgets have mercury which is hazardous to our health.

“There is no need to buy these gadgets when we known that they will create problem for us.

“It is sad that when some Nigerians travel out of the country, some of them pick these things by the roadside and bring them

home. ‘`Apart from their effects on health, these electronic gadgets are contributing to the wastes we are generating in the country,” he said.

The registrar, however, said that the College had started turning bio-degradable waste products like nylons and plastic materials to economically useful finished products through recycling.

He called for more assistance from government and private companies in this direction to make the country neater and environmentally-healthy.

Odumodu, DG SON

policy saying that we could sell oil at CIM, our local insurance company would make money as well as the shipping industries, which would make money from freight. It would have a lot of multipliers effect, but this FoB (Free on Board) is very dangerous, it would not make us build capacity to compete in that market. If the government wants to arrange another shipping policy, that area must be taken care of.

What kind of advice will you offer the president to move the maritime sector forward?

First of all, they have to build institutions and then train the human capital, and this has to be in the critical areas like Marine Engineering, Naval Architecture and so on, because you cannot build a ship without these people, so the government should catch them young, it is not late because in the next 10 years, they can bring out the first set of graduates that are core professionals in the technical areas so that the issue of ship building would be taken care of.

Life&

TIMES Monday, December 28, 2015

Entertainers who got married in

2015

Couple L2

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Mutiat Alli

Entertainers who got married in 2015

As 2015 draws to an end, lots of couples have started counting down to their wedding anniversaries next year including our celebrities who walked down the aisle this 2015. Some of our Nigerian celebrities had mouth-watery wedding ceremonies while others chose to have a small wedding with just a select few in attendance. In this wrap-off segment as we count down to 2016, we bring to you in no particular order glamorous celebrities wedding.

Dolapo Oni and Adegbite Sijuwade The TV gal’s wedding to son of the late Ooni of Ife was one of the most talked about nuptials in the last quarter of this year. Oni and Sijuwade had their traditional wedding in August after a one-year engagement. The couple’s white wedding took place in London.

Ivie Okujaye and Ezie Egboh

Tonto Dikeh and Churchill Olakunle Oladunni No one can say when the Nollywood actress and her husband got together but it wasn’t news that Tonto constantly called herself ‘Mrs. X’. Mr. X finally put a ring on it (actually a yellow canary diamond ring) and along

Tosyn Bucknor and Aurélien Boyer

The Amstel Malta Box Office alumnus and her husband had a wedding to remember.

From Ivie dressing in snickers and wrapper at the traditional wedding ceremony to performing a complete split during couple’s first dance shortly after exchange of vows at the church.

The actress surely wowed invited guests who had turned up to celebrate with the couple.

Gbenro Ajibade and Osas Ighodaro

Life&

T E A M

The ex-Tinsel actor and actress tied the knot far away in New York.

The couple got engaged in 2014, had their traditional wedding in Benin City, Edo State capital. Gbenga and Osas’ nuptials was one of the most anticipated in 2015.

Movie & Music Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Sunday O. Emmanuel

with showing off her beautiful ring, her mystery fiancé was also revealed on her Instagram page.

The pair had their introduction ceremony early in August and traditional marriage at the end of the month.

On-Air-Personality and her French beau sealed the deal last month after two years of dating. Bucknor and Boyer’s interracial wedding was Paristhemed hence the hashtag #yorufrench2015.

Boyer, fondly called ‘Omowale Ajala’, proposed to the entertainment industry’s ‘Area mama’ while on a romantic getaway in Corsica, France.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Chris Attoh and Damilola Adegbite

Akpororo and Mary Josephine Abraham

Known as one of Nollywood’s hottest couples, Attoh and Adegbite had a low key wedding ceremony on Valentine’s Day. The Ghanaian actor popped the marriage question in 2014 before the birth of their son in September.

The popular comedian and his beautiful bride tied the knot in November after a funny church proposal three months before.

Akpororo and Mary’s traditional and white wedding ceremonies were graced by personalities from different walks of life.

L3 Couple

Entertainers who got married in 2015 Rotimi Alakija and Tinuke Ogundero One of Nigeria’s most handsome celebrity DJ tied the knot with his lady love after a one-year engagement.

Alakija and Ogundero had their traditional wedding on October 1 and their white wedding two days later.

Duncan Mighty and Vivien

Lilian Esoro and Ubi Franklin

Many celebrities gathered in Port Harcourt, Rivers State capital, for the wedding ceremony of the singer and his bride in July.

The self-acclaimed ‘first son of Port Harcourt’ proposed to Vivien in 2014. The couple welcomed their baby boy in November.

The Nollywood actress and Triple MG CEO had one of the most talked about celebrity weddings in 2015. The pair got engaged early this year and after much controversy, had their introduction in August. Ubi and Esoro finally married in a traditional ceremony on October 30 and had their white wedding November 1.

Susan Peters and Koen Croon The Nollywood actress’ wedding to her Dutch lover came as a surprise to her fans.

Peters and Croon got engaged in December 2014 and had their traditional and court wedding ceremony in October attended by close friends and family.

L4

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Brazilian queens arrive, say ‘ ÎÎÎPreparations for 11th edition of the Carnival Calabar gathered momentum yesterday with the arrival of the Vai Vai Samba Band of Brazil.

The Brazilian band is among bands from15 foreign countries participating in this year’s Carnival Calabar which over the years has earned the tag of Africa’s biggest street party.

Decked in yellow T-shirts with the inscription “Terra Da Garoa Sao Paulo Brazil”, the team on arrival at the Margaret Ekpo International Airport, disclosed to news-

men that “we have come to stay”.

Expressing optimism about this year’s carnival, the team leader Tobiasz Da Silva of the queens, Leticia, said they were pr of it.

“Brazil is back for 2015 biggest stree whole of Africa and we look forward to a nival like never before,” said the duo, add going to take a new dimension completely Furthermore, they added that Vai Va remains special and declared: “this time

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

‘we’re here to stay’

s edition of the a as well as one roud to be part

et party in the wonderful carding that “it is y.” ai Samba Band around, Brazil

has come to stay” while lauding Governor Ben Ayade for what they termed “his vision and effort to take the carnival a notch higher,”. They urged him to sustain the feat.

The Samba Queens gave a hint of what they have on offer as they spared some time to showcase their Brazilian stuff to the rhythm of a Brass band on hand to welcome them into the state.

The carnival which is in its 11th year has seen its content evolve with the addition of new events with over ten countries confirming participation in the global fiesta.

L5

Wellness L6

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Agboola Oluwarantimi

Stress, Modern life is full of frustrations, deadlines, and demands. For many people, stress is so commonplace that it has become a way of life. Stress isn’t always bad, though. Stress within your comfort zone can help you perform under pressure, motivate you to do your best, even keep you safe when danger looms. But when stress becomes overwhelming, it can damage your health, mood, relationships, and quality of life. Stress is your body’s way of responding to any kind of demand or threat.

When you feel threatened, your nervous system responds by releasing a flood of stress hormones, including adrenaline and cortical, which rouse the body for emergency action. Your heart pounds faster, muscles tighten, blood pressure rises, breath quickens, and your senses become sharper.

These physical changes increase your strength and stamina, speed your reaction time, and enhance your focus.

These are different healthy ways to manage stress: Get moving: Physical activity plays a key role in reducing and preventing the effects of stress, but you don’t have to be an athlete or spend hours in a gym to experience the benefits. Just about any form of physical activity can help relieve stress and burn away anger, tension, and frustration. Ex-

ercise releases endorphins that boost your mood and make you feel good, and it can also serve as a valuable distraction to your daily worries. You can also keep your music on and dance around or spend time with your family and loved ones.

Engaging yourself in regular exercise: Once you are physically active, engage yourself in regular exercise like running, swimming, dancing, walking, etc. These exercise are very effective to relieve stress. Pick an activity you enjoy and stick with it. Instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts while you exercise, make a conscious effort to focus on your body and the physical (and sometimes emotional) sensations you experience as you’re moving. Adding this mindfulness element to your exercise routine will help you break out of the cycle of negative thoughts that often accompanies overwhelming stress.

Engage socially: Social engagement is the quickest, most efficient way to rein in stress and avoid overreacting to internal or external events that you perceive as threatening. There is nothing more calming to your nervous system than communicating with another human being who makes you feel safe and understood. This experience of safety, as perceived by your nervous system results from nonverbal cues that you hear,

see and feel.

Avoid unnecessary stress: While stress is an automatic response from your nervous system, some stressors arises at predictable time. It’s not healthy to avoid a stressful situation that needs to be addressed, but you may be surprised by the number of stressors in your life that you can eliminate: Ò Learn how to say no Ò Avoid people who stress you out Ò Take control of your environment Alter the situation: If you can’t

the silent killer

avoid a stressful situation, try to alter it. Often, this involves changing the way you communicate and operate in your daily life. If something or someone is bothering you, be more assertive and communicate your concerns in an open and respectful way. If you’ve got an exam to study for and your chatty roommate just got home, say up front that you only have five minutes to talk. If you don’t voice your feelings, resentment will build and the stress will increase. Poor time management can also cause a lot of stress. But if you plan ahead

and make sure you don’t overextend yourself, you’ll find it easier to stay calm and focused.

Adapt to the stressor: How you think can have a profound effect on your stress levels. Each time you think a negative thought about yourself, your body reacts as if it were in the throes of a tensionfilled situation. Regain your sense of control by changing your expectations and attitude to stressful situations.

Accept the things you can’t change: Many sources of stress are unavoidable. You can’t prevent or change stressors, such as the death of a loved one, a serious illness, or a national recession. In such cases, the best way to cope with stress is to accept things as they are. Acceptance may be difficult, but in the long run, it’s easier than railing against a situation you can’t change.

Make time for relaxation and fun: Beyond a take-charge approach and a positive attitude, you can reduce stress in your life by nurturing yourself. If you regularly make time for fun and relaxation, you’ll be in a better place to handle life’s stressors.

Adopt a healthy life style: In addition to regular exercise, there are other healthy lifestyle choices that can increase your resistance to stress. Always eat a healthy diet, reduce caffeine and sugar and always be happy.

&

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Make your skin naturally glow Abdullahi Zaheenab

appearance of your skin. These could actually makes your skin looks prettier without you using any product that promises to give you clear and glowing skin.

The solution to your skin glowing are as follows:

Cucumber

excessive smoking and drinking alcohol.

There are thousands of skin and beauty care products that promise to give you clear and glowing skin. Instead of relying on these products, you can try some simple and easy home remedies to improve the overall health and

Baking soda Coconut oil

Turmeric Honey

Aloe vera that help soothe irritated skin, and astringent properties that help heal scars. Plus, Aloe Vera moisturizes the skin and stimulates new skin cell growth.

1, Extract the gel from an aloe Vera leaf.

2, Apply the gel on your face using a cotton ball.

3, Allow it to dry on its own for about half an hour, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

4, Follow this remedy daily or several times per week.

5. Baking Soda Baking soda balances pH levels of the skin, which is very important to maintain clear skin.

Plus, its mild antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties help deal with problems like acne, pimples and spots. It also works as an excellent exfoliating agent to keep the skin free from dirt, impurities and dead skin cells. Ò Mix one teaspoon of baking soda with one teaspoon of water or lemon juice to make a paste. Cleanse your face and use the paste to gently exfoliate the skin. Finally rinse your face with lukewarm water and pat it dry with a towel.

Follow this remedy two or three times a week. Ò Alternatively, mix one teaspoon each of baking soda and raw honey. Apply this mixture onto damp skin and massage gently for just one minute. Then wash with lukewarm water. Finally, splash some cold water on your face to close the pores. Follow this remedy once a week.

6. Cucumber Cucumbers contain hydrating, nourishing and astringent properties that are very good for skin. They can improve the overall appearance

Mints

Papaya

1. Lemon Lemon is one of the best ingredients that you can use to promote clear skin. The citric acid present in lemon helps keep the skin clear by removing dead cells, and its vitamin C content helps reduce dark spots by increasing the cell renewal process. Lemon also has bleaching properties that will help improve your overall skin complexion. Apply fresh-squeezed lemon juice to your entire face and neck. Leave it on for 10 minutes and then wash it off with lukewarm water. After this, rub cucumber slices on your skin to soften and moisturize it. Do this daily or every other day. Another option is squeeze the juice of one-half lemon and mix one to two tablespoons of raw honey in it. Apply it on your face, leave it on for 15 to 20 minutes and then rinse it off. To exfoliate your skin, mix two teaspoons each of lemon juice and sugar. Apply the mixture on your face, neck and hands. Scrub in a circular motion and leave it on for 10 minutes. Then rinse it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once a week to enjoy glowing skin.

2. Turmeric Turmeric is an excellent antiseptic and skinlightening agent that helps minimize scars and other marks. Plus, turmeric can alleviate allergic, inflammatory and infectious skin disorders that make your skin look dull and lifeless. Home remedy to get clear skin Mix one tablespoon of turmeric powder with enough pineapple juice to make a paste. Apply the paste to your face and neck. Leave it on until the paste dries completely. Then wash it off with lukewarm water. Follow this remedy two or three times a week to reduce the appearance of spots on skin. Make a paste by mixing equal amounts of turmeric powder and gram flour with a little water or milk. Apply it evenly on your skin and leave it on until it dries.

Wash it off with lukewarm water, scrubbing your skin gently in a circular motion. Follow this remedy once a week to lighten your skin tone and remove scars.

3. Honey To enjoy clear skin, you need to keep your skin well moisturized. Honey is a great moisturizer and also has antibacterial properties that help ward off infection. Apply raw honey directly on your skin. Let it dry naturally and then rinse it off with lukewarm water. The water content in honey will deeply moisturize the skin, making it soft and supple. Do this simple remedy once daily or every other day. Alternatively, mix two teaspoons of milk and one teaspoon of honey.

Then add one teaspoon of gram flour and mix it in well. Apply it all over your face. Leave it on for 20 minutes and then rinse it off with warm water.

Use this face mask once a week to enjoy radiant and clear skin.

4. Aloe Vera Aloe Vera has many benefits for the skin. It has antibacterial properties that help kill bacteria that cause acne, anti-inflammatory properties

you feel beautiful as well. Your skin care regimen and lifestyle habits are the primary predictors of your skin’s health. Some of the leading factors that take a toll on the quality and texture of your skin are stress, lack of sleep, poor nutrition and pollution, damage from the sun’s ultraviolet rays,

give it a charming look

Lemon

Looking good should be your number one priority, you should always maintain the look and also give it the best treatment it needs. Every woman wants picture-perfect, flawless skin.

Clear and beautiful skin is one of the main elements of a person’s beauty. Healthy skin helps

L7 Nutrition

of your skin by repairing damaged skin cells, removing dead skin cells and adding a fresh glow.

7. Papaya Papaya can be used to improve your skin’s texture and maintain clear skin. It has natural bleaching properties that help reduce the appearance of scars. Plus, the enzyme papain present in papaya has antibacterial and wound healing abilities and also aids in removing dead, damaged skin. Chop a ripe papaya into small pieces. Combine the papaya with one teaspoon each of sandalwood powder and honey. Grind these ingredients into a paste. Apply the paste all over your face and neck. Leave it on for half an hour. Then rinse it off with cool water and pat dry your skin. Finally apply some rose water on your face. Follow this remedy once a week to notice a visible change in your skin tone. Walnuts can bring a beautiful glow to dull, dry and lifeless skin.

8. Walnuts Walnuts have antioxidants that help repair skin cells and promote radiant skin. Walnut in powder form can be used to exfoliate your skin and remove impurities and dirt that an ordinary cleansing product cannot do. Ò Mix two teaspoons of walnut powder with two tablespoons of plain yogurt to make a paste.

Apply this paste on your face and neck. When the paste dries, scrub the mixture around your face and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

Use this face mask once a week. Ò Soak three walnuts in water overnight. In the morning, mix in one teaspoon of rose water to make a paste. Apply the paste on your face.

Leave it on for an hour and then rinse it off with

Walnut lukewarm water. Follow this remedy once a week.

You can also eat two or three walnuts with a glass of milk every morning.

9. Coconut oil Coconut oil is very rich in antioxidants that prevent free radical activity, which is one of the reasons behind dull and lifeless skin. Also, its antibacterial and antifungal properties help maintain clear skin. Plus, it will keep your skin soft and moisturized as this oil can penetrate deep into underlying tissues of the skin. Gently warm up some coconut oil in a microwave. Apply the warm oil to your face, neck, hands and legs.

Gently massage it into the skin for 10 minutes.

Finally rinse it off with lukewarm water. Use this treatment once daily.

10. Mints Main ingredient in mint is menthol, which has cooling and soothing properties that help keep the skin healthy and glowing. Also, it has wonderful healing properties that help fight off skin infections.

1, Put one teaspoon of mint powder and one tablespoon each of plain yogurt and fuller’s earth in a bowl.

2, Set it aside for half an hour so that all ingredients get soaked properly. Then stir it to get a smooth paste.

3, Apply this homemade face pack on your face and neck.

4, Leave it on until it dries naturally, and then rinse it off with lukewarm water.

5, Use this face mask once a week to enjoy clear skin.

Daily Times Nigeria Monday, December 28, 2015

Tinsel

Showing on

13:30

Mon, 28 Dec | PG13

Showing on 150 Africa Magic Showcase ‘S8/E1536 - 8/1536’. Tsav takes a huge risk to deliver a personal message to Amaka. The girls adjusts their travel plans as the Baale and Prince Ojo pay a very special visit. Bimpe confronts Nina and causes trouble for Soji.

101 M-Net

L8 Television 166 Channel

Married Again

08:00 Mon, 28 Dec | PG

‘S1/E94 - 1/94’. Yash’s father is accused of having another child outside his marriage. He agrees to take a DNA test to prove he is not the father. Aarti breaks into Radha’s house in search of ammunition and is shocked at her findings.

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

128 SONY MAX

00:20 Would I Lie To You? 00:50 The Cube 01:40 Call The Midwife: Christmas...

03:00 EastEnders 03:30 EastEnders 11:00 Ellen’s Design Challenge 12:00 The Voice 13:00 Royal Pains 14:00 Arrow 15:00 Resurrection 16:00 Ellen’s Design Challenge 17:00 The Goldbergs 17:30 The Voice 18:30 Grey’s Anatomy 19:30 Mysteries Of Laura 20:30 Elementary 21:30 Carte Blanche 22:30 Hello Ladies: The Movie

154 AfricaMagic Family

00:55 Out Of The Ghetto 02:30 Jane And Abel 03:00 Good Morning Africa 04:00 Scarlet 05:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Redial 08:30 Living With Trisha 09:25 Mashariki Mix 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 11:30 Star Gist 12:00 Music Block 13:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 14:00 Goge Africa 14:30 Nowhere To Be Found

04:00 EastEnders 04:30 EastEnders

03:50 The Impostor 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions 22:50 Labour Of Love

15:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 16:00 Prem 16:30 Tenant 17:30 Mary Slessor 18:00 Jane And Abel 18:30 Jane And Abel 19:00 Tinsel 19:30 Star Gist 19:55 Paul’s Puzzle 21:00 Nowhere To Be Found 21:30 Goge Africa 22:05 Living With Trisha

05:00 Mr. Bean: The Animated Series

14:10 Total Wipeout UK

05:25 QI

16:00 EastEnders

06:00 The Thin Blue Line

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

06:30 EastEnders

00:30 Killer Karaoke

17:10 The Cube

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

01:30 Tattoo Nightmares

07:55 The Weakest Link

18:05 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

02:00 Most Shocking

08:45 The Chase

19:00 Celebrity MasterChef

09:30 Total Wipeout UK

20:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

10:30 The Cube

21:00 Hell’s Kitchen USA

11:20 New Tricks

21:50 The Graham Norton Show

12:20 Top Gear

22:40 Would I Lie To You?

13:15 Come Dine With Me

22:30 Would I Lie To You?

15:05 The Weakest Link

155 AfricaMagic World

03:00 Most Shocking 04:00 Exposed 04:30 Exposed 05:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak 05:25 Exposed 05:50 Exposed 06:15 Video Zonkers 06:40 Video Zonkers 07:05 World’s Wildest Police Videos 08:05 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 09:05 South Beach Tow 09:35 Most Shocking 10:35 Most Shocking 11:35 Video Zonkers 12:05 Video Zonkers 12:35 World’s Wildest Police Videos 13:35 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 14:35 South Beach Tow

00:05 Music Block 01:10 Good Morning Africa 02:10 Deal Or No Deal SA 03:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 04:00 The Dzigbordi Show 05:00 Good Morning Africa 06:00 The Heart Of A Shepherd 07:50 Star Gist 08:25 Star Gist 09:00 Good Morning Africa 10:00 The Dzigbordi Show 11:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 12:00 Deal Or No Deal SA

13:00 Music Block 14:00 Star Gist 14:30 Star Gist 15:00 Star Gist 15:30 Lies That Bind 16:00 The Dzigbordi Show 17:00 So Wrong So Wright 17:30 So Wrong So Wright 18:00 The Dzigbordi Show 19:00 Kumwesu 19:30 Kumwesu 20:00 Revelation 21:20 Jara 21:55 Music Block

15:05 Most Shocking 16:05 1000 Ways To Die 16:30 Video Zonkers 17:00 Video Zonkers 17:30 Caught On Camera 18:30 What Went Down 19:00 South Beach Tow 19:30 Hardcore Pawn: Chicago 20:00 Enemy Territory 21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 22:00 Sexy Car Wash 22:30 Most Shocking