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Ɗ Ƌ ƅƊ ƈ ƇƑ Ɨ Ƈ ƅƑ Ɛ ƌƆƏ ƓƈƐ ƑƐ yM Friday Atufe, Desola Akindele, Matthew Dadiya, Adeshina Oluwaseyi & Samuel Taiwo Mayowa

ÎÎÎCommercial banks in the Federal Capi-

tal Territory, Abuja and Lagos, on Monday, complied with Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive to restrict all accounts without a Bank Verification Number

(BVN) from October 31, 2015.

This is even as the CBN said it has extended the BVN registration deadline till January 31, 2016 for Nigerian Bank custom-

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ers in Diaspora.

Officials of some commercial banks told our correspondents that all accounts withContinued on page 6

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.222

GAINERS

LOSERS

NSE GAINERS AND LOSERS AS AT 2nd November 2015.

PZ

24

24.99

0.99%

GUARANTY

23.09

23.6

0.51%

NESTLE

FLOURMILL

21.16

22.05

0.89%

BERGER

9.77

10.1

0.33%

UNILEVER 38.68

825.01

N150

821

-4.01%

UACN

36.75

-1.93%

GUINNESS 125

26.48

25.16

-1.32%

123.75 -1.25%

ƋƋƆ ƆƗ ƗƈƒƆƏ ƈ Ƈ MơƐƏë

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Olufemi Samuel ƄƑƉ

pending probe of the Chairman of Economic and Fi-

nancial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ibrahim Lamorde, is set

to begin next week, as the Senate Committee to spearhead the

probe has started work on availContinued on page 6

NCC’s g17 $5.2bn fine: LjM ƏƆ Ƈ ƋƋ Öêƣü Cd& Umahi: zƆ ƏƆ Ə ƈ Ƒ ƗƆƏ Ƌ Ɠ ƋƋ ƅ Ɛƈ ƇƏ ƌ 01 g8 Overseas medical trip: d ƌƄ # ƑƊƈ Ɗ Ɠ Ƈ ƐƆ Ɛ Ɨ ƕ g7

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2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Alarming state of Nigerian roads

T

wo days ago, the Vice President, Prof. Yemisi Osinbajo lamented the poor state of roads in the South East of the country.

His lamentation came after seeing first hand the deplorable nature of roads in the area, which has made the movement of people and goods a horrible nightmare. The Vice President who was not only visibly moved by the large scale dilapidation of roads also promised to get Federal Government assistance in their rehabilitation. We share in the Vice President’s concern, especially as they affect the lives of those in the geopolitical zone that for long have been condemned to commuting daily on the treacherous roads.

Before now, the issue of bad roads in the South East has attracted little attention from the authorities. Even when the reality calls for urgent action, those responsible for rehabilitating the roads had preferred to play politics with the issue. While we await Federal Government’s intervention, it is pertinent to state that the terrible state of roads in the South East is symptomatic of a general malaise in the country.

From East to West and from North to South, the poor state of roads has become a source concern to all Nigerians.

To put it mildly, the state of most of the nation’s roads today has become a serious embarrassment.

It is not just that most of them are so impassable that we find very disturbing, it is also the fact that the dangerous spots along many of them have also become convenient operating centres for highway robbers that lay siege on unsuspecting

motorists and other road users. In addition, the poor state of these roads hampers economic activities as farm produce and other products cannot be transported to where they are needed. Moreover, in the rainy season, many communities are practically cut off due to impassable roads.

Unfortunately, we see the lack of funds holding up any serious intervention in this matter. Nevertheless, it is an issue of utmost national importance that should be tackled if the movement of goods and services is not to ground with deleterious consequences to the economy.

Incidentally, it is not too difficult to see how we got to this sorry pass.

Instead of maintaining the bad spots on the roads as they develop, the authorities and ministries would wait until the roads go completely bad and provide opportunity to award contracts at inflated rate. Eventually, many of the road contracts are abandoned after contract fees have been collected.

It is highly regrettable that in spite of Nigeria’s resource endowments, no administration has made it a priority to appropriate investment in the road infrastructure.

However, the blame for the poor state of roads should go to the Federal Government, which despite a whooping 1.4 trillion naira spent, on road infrastructure since 1999 has little to show for it.

It is therefore otiose on the Buhari administration to revamp the dilapidated roads in the South East and other parts of Nigeria. Only when this is done can we take comfort in the lamentation of the Vice President on the poor state of our roads.

Chairman of insight Communications, Biodun Shobanjo (left) being presented with a copy of the Daily Times by the Publisher, Fidelis Anosike...recently.

Graft: Are public officers truly innocent?

Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎRecently

when he appeared before the Senate for screening as a ministerial nominee, former Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, made a statement which has left not a few Nigerians wondering where to actually lay the blame for corruption in Nigeria.

While answering a question about corruption, Amaechi told the senators and those who were watching on television that he has never received bribe in his life, adding “if there is one man that doesn’t like corruption, I don’t like corruption”.

Though Amaechi’s assertion is yet to be proven, not

a few of his colleagues will also claim that they are not corrupt and never received bribe in their lives. This, at least, is the picture they present before the public.

For many of them, corruption is outside; they’ve never engaged in it directly or indirectly. It is others that are corrupt, not them. How sad!

Can this really be true?

If public office holders in Nigeria are not corrupt and have not received bribe in their lives as they often claim, then who is? Is it the ordinary Nigerian who is far removed from where public resources including money are domiciled and who does not know the button to press to divert these resources, that is corrupt?

It will be heart-warming if Amaechi’s assertion that he has never received or

Words On Marble :

given bribe in all his life turns true. So will be if the claims of other public officers that they are not corrupt turns out to be true.

However, facts on ground show that the claims of most public officers in Nigeria that they are not corrupt can only be believed by the naïve. Many of them cannot in good conscience defend their claims of not being corrupt as they use proxies to siphon public funds, acquire property, among others.

Public officers in Nigeria can only prove their hatred for corruption by the way they live, conduct state affairs and oversee resources at their disposal. Until the way the public office holders live privately and publicly show hatred for corruption, only the naïve will believe their sermons.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Publisher/Editor in Chief – Fidelis Anosike Editor Biodun Durojaiye 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 Group Executive Commercial/ Business Developement Ifeoluwa Isijiola 08086296714 Group Head Accounts & Control Samson Abiodun

Technical Adviser To Publisher Innocent Nwankwo 08033072614 Ag Head Operations Segun Bamigboye Adverts/Partnerships/ Corporate Subscription Ifeanyi Emefu 08086296714 Konnie Agu 09033765031

More info: www.dailytimes.com.ng https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts https://twitter.com/DailyTimesNGR

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Ayo Fayose

Chukwuemeka Ezeife

Ali Ndume

“Most of the time when accident occurs, it is not the fact that an accident has occurred that kills most people, but fear and trauma.”

‘’Either you like it or not, there is need for the North to improve their attitude towards the South-East. Because if you hear statements like Nigeria is better off without Igbo, you will never be happy’’.

‘’The Constitution of this country, which guides all of us, is very clear. Everybody is presumed innocent until proved guilty by a competent court of law.’’

4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

5

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Lamorde to face Senate panel next week Continued from page 1 able papers.

This is even as the antigraft body on Monday declared former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrsheed Maina, wanted.

There are allegations that Lamorde allegedly diverted the sum of N1 trillion from monies the Commission seized from those it has been probing.

Lamorde ought to have faced the Senate in August 25 to clear himself of the allegations against him, whereas there were discor-

dant tunes among Senators on whether he should be probed or not.

Specifically, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Caucus led by Minority leader, Senator Godswill Akpabio and Senators of “Unity Forum” had kicked against the probe of Lamorde, alleging procedural error in the probe of a petition against him.

Speaking with newsmen, the Chairman of the Committee on Ethics, Privileges and Public Petitions, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, confirmed that the probe of the petition against Lamorde

will begin next week.

Anyanwu said the tight schedule of the Senate was responsible for the delay in starting the probe.

He disclosed also that the Senate has ratified the procedural error on the petition against Lamorde.

According to him, the EFCC boss will appear before the Senate next week.

The Senate decided to delay the Lamorde probe because of the just concluded Ministerial screening.

The author of the petition against Lamorde, George Uboh, had told the Committee that EFCC di-

Flooded old toll gate area, Sagamu-Expressway after the heavy downpour… on Sunday.

verted the offshore seizures from a former Governor of Bayelsa, the late Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

The petition reads in part: “In a December 2011 letter EFCC sent to the Chairman, House Committee on Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes, EFCC stated that the aggregate recoveries from 2004 to 2011 (8 financial years) was N1,326,754,554,482.80.

“EFCC did not mention where the N1.3 trillion recovered was remitted to.

EFCC’s claim that it did not recover up to a trillion naira is complete false.

Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI

Banks lock in funds of customers without BVNs …As CBN extends enrolment for bank customers in Diaspora Continued from page 1 out BVNs had been frozen for debit bank transactions.

Some of the banks visited in Garki, Abuja, were United Bank for Africa, Diamond bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc., Guarantee Trust bank (GTB), Zenith Bank and Ecobank.

An official of First Bank, who preferred anonymity, said as at November 1, all accounts in the bank without BVN had been frozen. ``At the moment, any customer whose account is frozen cannot make use of any bank services, even the ATM cards will not function,’’ he said.

A customer with GTB, Mr.

Gabriel Ajonye, said he had done his BVN registration in another bank after which he received a message from GTB that he could update his BVN online.

Ajonye said, ``I went to the GTB link online as directed and submitted my BVN because it was convenient after which I was told the update was successful.

I later received a message from GTB informing me that my bank account has been frozen that is why I have come to rectify the issue in the bank,’’ he said.

Also, in an interview with our correspondents in Lagos, some affected customers reacted. One of them, Mr. Ajiboye Tunde, a cus-

tomer with Sterling Bank, said he could not beat the deadline because the mother was sick.

Another customer of the bank, Temitope Adeoye, said she had problem with her family and therefore did not have time to register for the BVN. A customer who wanted to anonymous said: “I had an accident last year when the BVN started. I was hospitalized for six months and before the accident I was not able to register for the BVN because of the nature of my work. I do close late. But following the restriction of transaction, I came in today (Monday) to register so that I could be able to withdraw.”

Another customer who craved for anonymity said: “I have two bank accounts I am operating and I have done my BVN with one of them (Ecobank) but I could not withdraw from my UBA account. I was asked to link the two accounts so that I could have access to both accounts and that is why I am here today.”

In a message to customers tilted “Your BVN is Your Key,” Guaranty Trust Bank Plc (GTBank) said: “In line with the CBN’s directive that all accounts without BVN belonging to customers resident in Nigeria should be restricted from debit transactions, please note that this category of Continued on page 12

“In EFCC’s `Summary of EFCC Monetary Recoveries 2003-March, 2013’ (11 financial years), EFCC stated that the aggregate recoveries was N497, 385,427,485.63.

EFCC did not mention where the N497.3 billion recovered was remitted to.’’

Uboh queried how recoveries of eight financial years will be more than recoveries for 11 financial years by over N 800 billion.

He wondered why recoveries for the same years differed on different reports.

Making reference to a letter allegedly written by a former EFCC Chairman, Farida Waziri, to then President Goodluck Jonathan, Uboh said the commission recovered over N975 billion between 2004 and 2007.

He added that EFFC recovered 316,137,596 dollars (N48.9bn), 32,106,510 Euros (N7.3bn) and 1,252,974 Pounds (N4 billion) between the three years he cited.

“Total recoveries to be remitted as confirmed by EFCC are: N1.995 trillion, N48.9 billion, N7.3 billion and N4 billion totalling N2.051 trillion.

“After recovering over 2 trillion, how did the funds melt away? “Two access bank recovery account statements tendered herein show opening balances of -0- as at 1 July, 2004, but no transaction occurred until June/July 2008.

“These transactions are expunged. Where are the funds deposited between July 2004 and June/July, 2008?

“EFCC diverted and con-

cealed N779 million of recoveries from Tafa Balogun in its record,” Uboh wrote.

The petitioner urged the committee to compel EFCC to remit N2.051 trillion to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

He urged that Access Bank be compelled to bring complete and unadulterated statements of EFCC accounts from 2004 till date. The petitioner added that Aminu Ibrahim and others, who audited EFFC’s account be made to come before the committee and shed more light on discrepancies relating to EFFC recoveries in question.

Though Lamorde wrote to the committee indicating his absence from the hearing, the Head, Legal Department of EFCC, Mr. Chile Okoroma, made an appearance.

The committee, however, asked Okoroma to leave since the EFCC boss had indicated in a letter that he would be absent.

Meanwhile, former Chairman of the Pension Reform Task Team, Mr. Abdulrsheed Maina, has been declared wanted by the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

Head of Media and Publicity of EFCC, Mr. Wilson Uwujaren, in a statement issued yesterday, said Maina is wanted for his alleged role in the fraudulent biometric contracts through which he and former Head of Service, Steve Oronsaye and two others allegedly mismanaged over N2 bilContinued on page 12

Jonathan visits Buhari Egena Egena, Abuja

ÎÎÎFormer

President Goodluck Jonathan on Monday visited President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He was received by President Buhari in his office at about 2pm.

The former President was seen off to his car by his host about 10 minutes later after a brief closeddoor meeting.

Dressed in his trade

mark black Niger Delta attire with bola hat to match, Jonathan was driven in black Mercedes Benz jeep and a similar backup car.

The purpose of his visit was not disclosed.

The former President just returned from Tanzania as head of the Commonwealth Election Observer Group in the country’s general election.

Jonathan’s visit is the second time since leaving office on May 29 that he would be in Aso Rock.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Oyetubo Olabimpe

ÏÏÏLawyers in Ondo State, on

Monday, boycotted the 2015 legal year celebration held in Akure, the state capital.

They demanded the immediate sack of the state Chief Judge, Justice Olasehinde Kumuyi, saying that he had made life difficult for them.

The aggrieved lawyers, who had, earlier this yea,r embarked on an industrial action for about six months, alleged that Kumuyi had commercialised the judiciary in the state. The lawyers threatened to continue to boycott all court activities presided over by the Kumuyi until he left.

According to them, Kumuyi had

Lawyers want Ondo CJ sacked introduced some unlawful policies in the system that made it difficult for lawyers to operate in the state.

Chairman of National Bar Association, NBA, Akure branch, Kayode Dare, said the state judiciary was now a money-making machine for the state government, adding that, “A situation where the head of judiciary participated actively in the foundation-laying of Shoprite and at the same time, presiding over the court case challenging the project is a sad commentary on how we run our affairs in this country.

Osun schools merger: Six masquerades lead protest Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

ÏÏÏNo fewer than six masquer-

ades on Monday led protest in Esa-Oke, Obokun Local Government of Osun State against the alleged plan by the state government to merge state-owned polytechnics and colleges of education.

It would be recalled that there have been claims that the state government was planning to merge the two colleges of education in Ilesa and Ila-Orangun including the two polytechnics in Esa-Oke and Iree.

The protesters, who were in-

digenes of the town, disrupted academic activities at Osun State College of Technology, Esa-Oke. They denied both the students and lecturers access to entering the campus.

They insisted that they would protest against any plan to merge the college with any other institution, warning that the move may have untold consequence.

Speaking with our correspondent, the Owamiran of Esa-Oke, Oba Adeyemi Adediran, stated that the protest was peaceful and staged to prevent Governor Rauf Aregbesola from embarking on his plan to merge the institution with another one.

Customs appoints 6 DCGs, 8 ACGs ÏÏÏThe Comptroller-General of

Customs, retired Col. Hameed Ali, has approved the appointment of six acting Deputy ComptrollersGeneral (DCGs) and eight Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACGs) in the on-going reorganisation of the service.

Announcing the appointments in a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the service’s Public Relations Officer, Mr Wale Adeniyi, said that the six Assistant Comptrollers-General would occupy the positions of Deputy-ComptrollersGeneral in acting capacity.

He said that officers appointed were ACG Idris Suleiman (Finance Administration and Techni-

Buhari

7 News

cal Service); ACG Iya Umar (Tariff and Trade) and ACG Dan Ugo (Enforcement, Investigation and Inspection).

He added that others were ACG Grace Adeyemo (Excise, FTZ& Industrial Incentive); ACG Austin Warikoru (Human Resource Development) and ACG Paul Ukaigwe (Strategic Research and Policy).

Adeniyi said that eight Comptrollers were moved up to Assistant Comptrollers-General (ACG) in the exercise.

He said that the new ACGs are Comptroller Umar Sanusi ( Headquarters); Comptroller Funsho Adegoke (ACG ICT); Comptroller Mohammed Abbas (ACG Board) and Comptroller Olatunji Aremu (Command & Staff College).

He added that other officers also included Comptroller Charles Edike (Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘A’); Comptroller Abubakar Dangaladima (Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘B’); Comptroller Azarema Abdulkadir (Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘C’) and Comptroller Chidi Augustine (Zonal Coordinator Zone ‘D’).

Traffic gridlock on Abuja-Zuba expressway at Kagini railway crossing in Abuja… on Monday

Court decides Dasuki's request to travel abroad today Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Federal High Court in

Abuja will today decide whether or not former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Mohammed Dasuki (rtd),who is standing trial for illegal possession of arms and money laundering can travel abroad for medical treatment.

Justice Adeniyi Ademola will give ruling on the application by Dasuki for the release of his passport to travel out of the country for three weeks to treat an undisclosed ailment.

In the application for permission to travel abroad for medical attention argued by his counsel, Mr Joseph Daudu, (SAN), Dasuki was said to be suffering from a sickness that required attention of his medical doctors abroad.

Daudu urged Justice Ademola to grant the application and order the release of the passport said to

be in the custody of the Registrar of the Federal High Court to the accused person.

Daudu had informed the court that Dasuki would return after the treatment and that he would deposit the passport in the court’s custody.

He further argued that the accused person was presumed innocent, in spite of the criminal charges against him and that since only the living could stand trial in any law court, it was only necessary that the accused person be allowed to go for the medical attention.

However, in a vehement opposition to the application, counsel to the federal government, Mr. Mohammed Diri, submitted that the sickness being complained of by the accused person was the type that can be successfully treated at the National Hospital, in Abuja.

Diri, who is leading the prosecu-

tion, told Justice Ademola that the three-week period being sought by the accused to spend abroad was a ploy to delay his trial on charges of unlawful possession of firearms and money laundering.

Besides, the prosecution claimed that Dasuki was being investigated for money laundering and that he may escape, if he is allowed to travel out of country.

Diri also argued that the travelling passport of the accused was the only condition used in granting him bail and that if the passport was released, the accused may bolt away since he had no surety in the bail condition.

In the same vein, the judge will also rule today on whether to try the former NSA secretly as demanded by the Federal Government, in order to ensure the security and protection of its witnesses who’d testify against Dansuki.

APC chieftains reject Sylva's campaign team membership Tom Okpe

Abuja

ÏÏÏSome chieftains of

the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) have rejected their membership of former governor Timipre Sylva's campaign team ahead the election slated December 5 this year.

The campaign council was inaugurated, on Monday, in Abuja, by the National Chairman of the party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, with so many of the members absent.

Speaking with newsmen after the inauguration in his house, a top official of the party and one of the selected members of the com-

mittee, said he could not be part of the campaign team because he did not believe in what was happening.

He said: “I was earlier briefed about the Bayelsa campaign council that was inaugurated by a text message, but practically I refused to attend that programme because I felt I don’t hide my feelings anytime any day. I am an aggrieved member of the APC in Bayelsa state. As much as I remain aggrieved, I will continue to stand my position. I will continue to stand on what I believe. I do not believe in what is happening as at today.”

When asked whether he was rejecting his membership, the top operatives of the APC, who was

identified as Chief Frank, said: “I am rejecting it in totally without fear or favor and I stand my ground. There is no way I could be part of it. How can I be part of it at this time of my life and with the level I have gone to in politics.

Since the primary election in Bayelsa till date as I speak the candidate has not been able to call me; has not been able to talk to me. So, how do you expect me to be part of his campaign team?”

Another member of the committee, who pleaded not to be named told our reporter, in confidence, that he accepted his membership of the campaign team because he did not want to disobey the party, saying that “the candidate is not the type to work with.”

8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Politics Be fair to Nigeria, Pa Osagie charges leaders, led

Æs

Pa Osagie

Daddy ALEX JOSEPH OSAGIE-ERESE, a Prince, is an indigene of Benin resident in Kaduna the political and administrative Headquarters of Northern Nigeria. Born in 1928, the ICON who spent substantial part of his life living in the north from 1943, turned 87 years this year 2015, an opportunity which he marked on Sunday 24th October 2015 with Thanks Giving Songs at Our Lady Catholic Church, Kaduna. In this interview with VICTOR JIBRIN to mark his Birth-Day, Pa Osagie spelt out the dos and don’ts that make one live long in life. He also took an over-view of Nigeria and called on the people to ensure its unity, support for President Muhammadu Buhari (aka PMB) just as he charged leaders at all levels to think Nigeria and behave Nigeria without ethno-religious sentiment in line with the philosophy of the founding fathers. EXCERPT:

Sir, by clocking 87 years this year 2015, you have fulfilled the Biblical age of 3scores and above. As one will congratulate you, how do you feel with life?

I am fine and good. I feel happy meeting people, making people happy and making me happy too.

No grudges, no anger. If somebody wrongs you, forgive him, probably it is a mistake. But if he does it again, then you can tell him that this action is not good and leave CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Umahi: We are groaning under low allocation from FG The Executive Governor of Ebonyi State, Chief Dave Umahi, who just returned from the Holy land had an interactive session with journalists baring his mind on affairs of state especially the economy and as it concerns the implementation of the property tax and environmental rvenue. JACOB OGODO was there, Excerpts: Why we travelled?

One of the reasons of this meeting is to show my myself having come back from the holy land fully transfigured and so the first people to appear to must be my disciples. That is why I said I must let you know I’m back. We travelled on Friday and came back on Tuesday; It was a very short one. It was quite revealing and also very instructive.

We also had to go there to thank the God and making sure that we match the footsteps that God matched at all the places that he went. We thanked God that he led us safely and peacefully and we are back.

In your absence?

While I was away, there were some developments which to me were very normal. There is nobody that prays he should not have challenges, but the prayer is that ‘let all challenges be our stepping stones’.

Sometimes, I used to wonder why God who is 100 percent human and 100 percent God had to pray. The bible tells us that he prayed until the sweat that coming out his body was as thick as blood.

One of the few issues some of you sent text messages on was that BokoHaram prisoners in Anambra State prisons were relocated to Abakaliki prisons. That was a very bad news for me and I said: ‘Father still help me to overcome this challenge’ and I started making phone calls but at the end of the day it turned out to be a false news. We need to be very careful because that was capable of disintegrating the

Umahi state and inflicting fears in our people. So we need to screen information we are getting and one of them said a prison official told him but that was not cautious. So there is nothing like that, our people should go about their normal businesses. If such a thing were to happen, what were the necessary criteria that will make Ebonyi State qualify to host such high calibre of criminals; the prison space is not there, security is

not there and Ebonyi is too small a place and of course, the Governor must be informed as the Chief Security.

What is the state government doing or intends to do to cushion the effect of the new tax implementation bearing in mind that the poor masses are seriously affected?

It is also very unfortunate that our revenue from the federal account

has continued to go down. In the last three months, Ebonyi State dropped

by N700 million; last month, we only got N2.3 billion and the local government got only N1.2billion. When I heard of it, tears almost dropped from my cheek because I know that is a very big problem for our state.

When you add our salaries at the state levels and subversions to our university and college of Education and you add what we need to do as a state and overhead to ministries you see that our commitment is about N2.2 billion in a month and money for running of government, all these your memos, incidentals comes an average of N30 million every day.

So, we are badly challenged. But of course, my Commissioner for Finance and accountant general told me that some states got N25 million take home. So, it was a very high level of crying and yelling after the allocation was unveiled and of course some of you would have read it in newspapers that the federal allocation dropped by N57 billion; that is dropping from last month. So it something that is not only for government because the highest company in Nigeria is government and the highest industry in Nigeria is government. So it is something that even in our home, we need to talk to ourselves, we need to rearrange ourselves, we need to know that we are quite challenged as people, as government and this challenge is not CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Falae

Why herdsmen attack on Yorubas is unjustifiable – Group A Lagos based group, Save Lagos Group (SLG) has warned the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) to stop using Islamic religion to support and encourage criminals and dastardly acts perpetrated by Fulani Herdsmen in the South Western region.

According to it, there is nowhere in the verses of the Holy Qur’an and Hadith of the messenger of Allah, Prophet Muhammed(PBUH) that encouraged inhumanty to human being on earth as being perpetrated by the Hausa/Fulani against other ethnic groups in the country under the guise of propagating religion since independence.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

9 Politics

I shed tears when I received low allocation from FG – Gov Umahi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

only in Nigeria or in Ebonyi State, it is a global problem. Oil has become the highest commodity in the whole world and oil price tends to control the global economy unfortunately.

So that is why we are pushed on the issue of labour. I said, let us look at October and November to see what happens and within that time we have lost an average of N700 million and it is painful to me because my greatest moment is when people around me are happy. Our hope was that by now workers in Ebonyi State will be happy because they fought for us but I am still very confident that God is able to do all things. And we are still five months in office and God knows why he allowed us to come into leadership at a time like this, that is quite a very challenging moment in the whole Nigeria.

As the country’s economy seems to be going into recession following the downturn in the price of oil, is the state government going to downsize her workforce to be able to pay as and at when due ?

You know a lot of states have been tinkering with the ideas that they want to cut down workers but we in Ebonyi, it is a very difficult thing for us to do. I will never think of cutting down the number of workers in the state because we are talking about unemployment. So if because of hardship, you scale down our workers, those who will be out of job how will they feed their families. Ebonyi State is like one family, brothers and sisters living together. So it is quite

Umahi a very difficult thing for us to scale down our workers because of the problems we are facing. So I want to assure our civil servants that we do not intend to scale down on our workforce no matter how badly challenged.

In the Education sector, there are some of the teachers who are not supposed to be there since they don’t have the experience or rather the professional teaching qualification. Will they be

shown the way out?

When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it. About the quality of our teachers, we will handle it but not by sacking those who are not supposed to be teachers but at time we will tell them another thing that they will do probably what they know how to do better.We not yet there but from weeks ahead we will begin to tackle he quality of our educational system.

Your administration has em-

barked on many projects even when you are saying that there is no money in the treasury following the dwindling economy and reduction in the federal allocation. How will these projects be completed?

People will be wondering whether a number of things we are doing will still be done. I want assure Ebonyians that there is no project we embark on that we will not complete within the next two years even if oil price goes down to 20 dollars per barrel, with the cooperation of my commissioners, Special Advisers and Personal Assistants.

Of course, we have told Ebonyians that the road from hilltop, Agbaja to Nwofe must be awarded to an expatriate and must be started and that of Nigercem and Amasiri/ Uburu roads must be started. These three projects must be awarded to an expatriate and we are also using some expatriate engineers together with the equipment we bought to start at least 15 kilometre asphalt road which every local government areas of the state will benefit and we also directed local government chairmen to do empirical examination of the electricity needs in their localities because we want to tackle that so that at the end of two years, there is no part of Ebonyi State that will not have electricity. That is what we want to do.

During the electioneering campaign, you made a promise to the students that their school CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Be fair to Nigeria, Pa Osagie charges leaders, led CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

it at that. Don’t keep anything, anybody in your mind. This is how I approach life and problems. In any case, I must tell you that I am very grateful to God for His Grace and Mercy over my life.

It is surprising that at this age, you are strong, walking and doing things unsupported. What is the secret sir?

It is simple. Do not put any weight in your mind. If anybody wrong you, overlook it or forgive him and tell the person that this thing is not good.

Don’t keep it in mind because it will weigh you down. Either as a Muslim or Christina, we all worship one God. As a true worshiper, believe and practice what you heard in that Church or Mosque to the glory of God. If you do that, you will have nothing to disturb you, knowing that God is in charge of everything.

Beside this, I don’t think there is anything you need doing to make you live long. Free mind, love and respect for one and another, no matter who you are and where you come from, believing that everybody is a human beCONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Don’t use Islam to support criminals, Lagos group tells MUSWEN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

Reacting to MUSWEN’s position through its Executive Secretary, Professor Daud O.S. Noibi on the resolution of the Yoruba SocioCultural organization, Afenifere, in respect of the recent abduction of the former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Chief Olu Falae and incessant attacks of Farmers by the Fulani Herdsmen in the region,the group maintained that it required the joint effort of all and sundry to stamp out the menace of Fulani herdsmen from the region.

In a statement by Convener of the group, Comrade Adeniyi, Sulaiman, he rejected the sentimental aspersion of the MUSWEN in their media advertorial, urging

the Islamic groups in the region, especially, Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) to strongly condemn the evil acts perpetrated by the Fulani Herdsmen, rather than supporting the satanic,ungodly,evil, and devilish acts of Fulani Herdsmen stylishly.

Comrade Sulaiman who is also a scholar in Islamic Comparative Studies, commended Yoruba sociocultural organization for taking the progressive and decisive stand against the satanic acts of the Fulani Herdsmen, cautioned the leadership of the MUSWEN from whipping political sentiment on the sensitive and important issue of dastard acts of Fulani herdsmen who have been terrorizing the people, particularly, farmers of the region from the years back now.

He supported his argument with the reference to the Holy Qur’an in Suratul Azhabhu Chapter 33 vrs 28 to 33,59,&60-62, Suratul AlImran Chapter 3 vrs 69 to 73, 78,104 and 118 to 120 and Suratul Nizahi Chapter 4 vrs 74 to 76,105-109 &135 and Suratul Bakorah Chapter 2 vrs 114 & 119-121 respectively.

He stressed that Islam as a religion of peace, preaching equity, fairness and justice and did not support any heinous and ungodly act in any form,noted that “it is totally condemnable and very unfortunate that Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) can be raising their pen and defending and the evil act of Fulani herdsmen by justifying their incessant heinous crime committed against humanity,especially, the

people of Southwest under the cover of religion loyalty.

He asked leadership of MUSWEN rhetorically that they should point out the time the religious leaders in the Northern part of the country tried insubordination against the position of Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF).

He reiterated the group’s support for the position of the Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere on the subject matter, urging Islamic organization to refrain itself from dragging its good name into the mockery of ethnopolitical issue of this nature.

According to him, MUSWEN should retrace its step from dabbling into ethno-political issue of this nature because they do not have the mandate to do so. “If we

may say, most of Islamic organizations in the region are used for selfish interest and not for the interest of any Muslim ummah as being claimed. This respected Islamic organization should not use the organization to support the unlawful and ungodly act of Fulani men in the region. Every one of us, Muslims, Christian, and pagans should join hands together to stamp out the evil act from our region.

“We do not belief that Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria (MUSWEN) will be rough shoulder with the apex Yoruba sociocultural organization, but we should let the MUSWEN knows that it does not have the same mandate with Afenifere and they should know that.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Nigerians should be patient and give Buhari a chance CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

ing is very important. Do not keep malice, grudges, pains that will long in you. These are the secret of good health and long life. The doctrine teaches us that we should forgive those who wrong us.

You have seen Nigeria before and after independence, will you say this is a country of your dream?

It is. I was a member of NCNC Youth association in those days when we were looking for independence. At that time, political parties were mobilizing us young people to match-round the street drumming support for the agitation. When eventually the independence came, leaders at that time tried their best. But sudden-

ly, they were overthrown by the military. Being a new way of life, whether they did well or they did not do well, coup was not and is still not the right way to take people out of power. Be that as it were, we thank God that we have seen the need for democracy and today the system has come to stay. In line with democratic system of government, all we need is for everybody in this country to be developed and allowed to contribute his/her own quota to the growth of the nation.

Looking back to sixties/seventies, what does your mind tells you about Nigeria today?

I think we are developing. Gradually we are beginning to know, respect and appreciate one another. It is imperative to know that whether you are from the north,

Pa Osagie east, west and south-south we belong to one country that enveloped all of us. On this premise, we should love one another, act as one, see and accept that where you are

is your home. Let us respect each other’s view, opinion and religion for the interest of Nigeria and its people. All things being equal, Nigeria will be great.

Towards giving birth to this country as an independent nation, you played active political role ….

Well I was not a politician but we were instrument that people, the agitators used to create awareness for the struggle and the need to be good citizens, doing something that is good for your country. Even after independence, this is what some of us have been trying to do.

On my own part, I have developed board-games and written books.

With the way things are going now, do you think your dream can be achieved in the nearest future?

Everybody hope and pray for his dream to be realized, especially good dreams. This country is great because God has endowed it in such a way that many other countries were not blessed with half of things that we have in terms of human and material resources.

We should not allow prejudice to overtake our love for the country.

We are equal stakeholders. We should be careful of our words and actions therefore because if the country breaks, it is going to be worse for every one of us. The unity of this country is a gift from God and it is our strength. For the benefit of all and sundry, let it be sustained. You may not know but I can tell you that many citizens of CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Despite financial hardship, we won’t retrench – Gov. Umahi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9

fees will be reduced to enable experience a new lease of life. Sir, is that still feasible?

Unfortunately for our people, though I don’t blame them, the word Governor means magic. It does not matter whether the revenue goes down that we don’t get anything from the federation account. Nobody wants to hear that, so, if you are a governor, you must do what governors have to do. We made promises during our campaign which we said we are going to reduce school fees and our children since then have been asking, when?

Unfortunately, they have not called to so thanks for the water; we now have water in the three campuses.

We are also planning that before the end of November, we should be able to put street lights in all the campuses so that they will be having full light at night. That notwithstanding, I want to do a meeting with the students body and then, the EBSU leadership. We want to know what their finances look like and if their finances are such that if we add our monthly subversion, it can accommodate reduction in school fees as soon as possible, we will have to affect that. If it is something we have to project till next year, we will have to do that but we are taking notice of the promises we made to Ebonyi people and we must live up to the expectations.

So, they should give us little time to talk with EBSU leadership and

Umahi see what we can do. If can’t do nothing this year, then, we let them know but the best we can also do will be to extend the deadline whereby students have to pay their school fees.

At least, we are in the position to do that, if it entails begging EBSU leadership to extend the date for two weeks, then, that will be good.

Recent drive for revenue in the state affected everything as traders and Landlords have increased the price of their com-

modities and accommodation outrageously. Did the state government take into account the economic status of the people before imposing such tax?

The most recent challenge is the issue of revenue. I am aware that revenue collectable has increased and we did that in the state executive council meeting. Before we did that, we had to look at what other eastern states are paying. We did that because when we are taking

about payment of workers salaries, we also said we cannot pay what Anambra State is paying because they are bigger than us.

That is why on the issue of revenue, we cannot tax our people what Anambra, Enugu or other eastern states are taxing their people because we are poorer than them and we don’t have businesses that are flourishing than them. Those states are totally developed and some of their capital cities are as old as 30 years or thereabout but for me we don’t yet have a state capital.

Yes, we have in the name but we don’t have it in place. And that is why one of the things EXCO considered is how to have a state capital and that is why we shall aggressively without apologies to anybody develop the capital city of Ebonyi state, Abakaliki. And that is what we are doing and I think people are happy with that So when things are good people seem not speak it out, they will only say within themselves, this thing is good but when things are bad that is when they start complaining aloud but I assure Ebonyi people that what we did was in their best interest and it is also mild.

But let me apologise to all Ebonyians, my people went beyond bounds. They went beyond agreement and I am not ashamed to tell those that elected me that I am sorry because we never directed anybody to collect tax for 2013 or 2014 and where such taxes were collected, it

must be refunded.

So, if you make payment for 2013 or 2014, you have to report to SSG with a proof of what you paid for these two years. Our interest is to look ahead and look forward; it is for 2015 and that is what we are interested in. There is no way with level of poverty in this state, we will ask our people to pay tax for three years and give them four days to do that. We are really very sorry about that. It is not our intention neither was it done by my people to impose hardship on you but I think it is misinformation. Normally, in tax law if you have not paid in the previous years, you are required to pay and that is what they have deployed but as your leader who also understands your feelings and the appeal of the Elders committee and CAN and a number of you, we are saying we are waving 2013 and 2014 and we must look ahead, we must look forward.

What plans does the state government have to ensure that sharp practices among the collector of these taxes is reduced to the barest minimum and also avoid abuse of human of human right.

I want use this opportunity to remind those who are collecting the tax whether they are here or not, the new tax law allows for imprisonment, if you arev supposed to collect N10 and you collect N20. If you encounter such, you place a call on SSG and we are going to put the CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

11 Politics

If not for coups, democracy would have grown in Nigeria – Osagie-Erese countries around the world would have wished they are Nigerians.

Looking at the emerging trends politically, are you not bothered that sustaining the unity of this country is questionable and if we survive the threat, can we achieve even development which is the dream of the founding fathers of Nigeria?

Well if the people put money before themselves above the reality of a good and united country, which is wrong, then we will have problem. But if everybody is considered, believed and accepted as stakeholder and allowed to partake in the affairs of the nation without discrimination as well as making it practically possible for dividends of democracy to trickle down to everybody, there will be no need for the fear that is being nursed today. In the absence of discrimination, hatred and selfish leadership, continued unity of this country and even development is guaranteed. Having said this, let me remind the young generation that there is always a rough road to whatever you want in a life time.

What is important is patience and understanding. So, whoever assumes position of leadership should sincerely see the whole country as his constituency and therefore be fair to all people in his

dealings. Nigeria is rich. Leaders should strive to shun corruption and nepotism. The money for the country should be used to develop the country so as to give sense of belonging to the citizens. Create jobs for people particularly the youths to prevent restiveness and the nation will be better for all.

That was the case earlier. Again, let everybody worship freely wherever they are. Religion is a personal thing.

You are a Prince. The role of traditional rulers in the administration of this country has always been debated. What is your reaction in this case?

They should be advisers, not necessarily taking active role.

They are merely adviser and a rallying point because of their closeness to the people at the grassroots and as such they must be highly recognized and respected by government and leaders of the day.

Indigene and settler syndrome is a serious case in our modern day Nigeria. What is your view?

Anybody who lives in any part of this country should be regarded as indigene, as a Nigerian and be allowed to enjoy any right accrued to the people of the area. I have been living in Kaduna since 1960.

I enjoyed this place and decided to settle here. Whoever wants to re-

Pa Osagie side in any part of Nigeria should feel free and be encouraged to do so for the benefit of unity and rapid development.

Nigerians were full of joy and hope for better turn of events but within the short period it came, the same people are beginning to grumble …

We should be patience. You don’t have to grumble when somebody

has just come into a position. He has to look at the records submitted to him for a better knowledge and understanding of situations on ground. So, give a new leadership chance and watch what is being done and see whether it is for the good of the people or not. It is too early to complain.

Leadership is a collective responsibility, as such, from your knowledge and experience of successive administrations, how will you advise this government under the leadership of President Muhammadu Buhari?

Leaders should be sensitive to the plights of the people and so, they should organize some people to go round and sample views and opinions of Nigerians so that they know what is the thinking and feeling of people who are always at the receiving end of anything does by government, for effective administration and good governance. Now what I have been saying and will continue to say is that anybody who becomes leader of this country should work for the whole country and the area that he comes from. We are all Nigerians, therefore we should benefit from the resources of this country. But then, contribution too matters. We are always thinking of benefits.

On your own, what are you doing

to make the country better and greater? You have to plant before you reap. We are very impatience people. The question should not always be what we can get. As a people, let us see what we can do to make this country great. This is a challenge to all of us as Nigerians.

Our right should not be limited to demands from government.

For the benefit of larger society, who is Pa Osagie?

Pa Osagie was a small boy that grew up by the grace of God to become adult and today I have turned 87 years of age. For that, I am grateful to God. I wish he will keep me up to 100 years, a number of that is used in measuring many things of success. At that level you can say you have everything 100 per cent in life. It is my prayer that God will grant me that opportunity. I was married to Maria who is now dead. She was a very loving woman. We were blessed with six children. We lost one and today we are left with five – a female and four males. Like I said earlier, I came to Kaduna in 1960 but before then, I came to Jos in 1943 where I had my western education. I got a job with UAC and after my retirement, I started my own company MALEX (Maria & Alex), a building material concern which I used to train my children. For my life, To God Be the Glory.

Umahi: Why we have not reduced school fees as promised CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

SSG’s phone number on the Television screen and the moment you defraud Ebonyian in this issue of revenue, you go to prison straight. There will be no mercy, there will be no lobbying. The moment it happens and we are gong to ask the commissioner for information to announce this repeatedly so that those who will go to humiliate our people, tax them unduly, to negotiate or issue papers without pin numbers or at the banks they are supposed to pay, they should know that prison is going to be enlarged if they continue to do that. overnment account and also those who have paid for 2013 and 2014 within the last two weeks.

If you have paid what you are owing in 2013 and 2014 before the increase in the tax, we will not do anything about that but from the point we increased revenue because even if they were to pay 2013 and 2014, it must based on old rate and

that is why we have waved 2013 and 2014. But please do everything possible to pay your tax for 2015 based on our reviewed rate. It will help us because there is no other way we can run the state without doing this.

In our meeting with CAN, we appealed graciously to them to also understand that religious bodies and schools and churches must have to pay for water if we give them water or sanitation if we extend sanitation to their premises. In fact, they are to pay for social services revenues; let not use the word tax because it could offend the church.

So, early next week, we are also going to have town hall meeting where all different groups like market associations, transport unions and so on will all meet to discuss about this revenue so that we can hear their own reasoning and also get information from them and we will come back as a listening government; where there is need for adjustment, we will adjust but generally, nobody

likes to pay tax including me. *In fact, the first time as the deputy governor, tax was deducted from my salary, I called the Accountant immediately and asked him, why do I need to pay this amount on tax?

And after much explanation, I accepted grudgingly because I had no option. So it is not a new thing; nobody likes to pay tax but everybody wants a light that is generated with a generator and run with diesel 24 hours. And that is the irony of life.

But there are still few people that are understandable, that understand what we are going through and are willing to make some sacrifices. So I think it is an appeal to Ebonyi people, let us make sacrifice and I assure that every kobo we get on your behalf, is it the ones we get from federation account or revenue will be chanelled to make the lives of our people much better. Look at our schools, that is not what we should have; a situation where children are sitting on the bare floor

to learn, learning without roof on their heads and also without learning materials. Look at our hospitals, roads, is that how we want to be?

What is the position of the state government on the International Market and the old Abakpa market?

Let me appeal to our market association, that by our new law of the state government, the markets here must be designated. Abakpa main is going to be a food stuff market and we are going redesign it. So if we have sales of forms to go to international market, I plead that you comply and buy your forms.

From the information available to me, those who are not presently within this market are buying all the forms and we advise you to buy your forms; we will still give some measure of consideration but not when you have not bought forms. I have directed the commissioner for Commerce and industry to extend sales of forms till end of November.

So I appeal to you to buy your forms so that during consideration

by EXCO, we will be able to give you preferential treatment because we have some reservation for each of the 13 local government areas but they must pay for it. So I want to appeal to you because when we move to international market, we won’t be selling any other thing other than food stuffs in the present market.

It is our responsibility to keep our environment neat and nobody will tell us how to do it. And please this idea of dictating for government, we have to slow it down, we are sovereign by reason of being a state and we have to understand that we are not defeated people. Anybody that is challenging anything should also try to check our sister states and find out what is happening in other areas. We must move forward like other people. We want to develop like other state and so before you condemn us find out what is happening in other states.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Presidency, Fayose at war over state of economy Ï dƐ ƍ ƍƏƆ Ɨƈ Ƈ Ƌ Ɔ Ɨ ƈ Ɛ Ƒ Əƈè ^ƏƆ ƈƗƆ ƅƕ Ɠ Ə 0 ƕ Ɔ Ï Fayose: We won’t let Buhari take back to Military era ÎÎÎThe Presidency and Ekiti

State Governor, Ayo Fayose, on Monday, engaged in a brickbat over the state of the nation’s economy.

While the Presidency warned the Ekiti State governor to stop making unsubstantiated allegations pertaining to the running of the economy by President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration, Gov. Fayose described the warning as a demonstration of military dictatorship mentality.

Fayose said it was sad that the Presidency could be warning a Nigerian, who is heading one of the country’s federating units on what to say and what not to say.

The Presidency’s warning was contained in a statement signed the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu.

Shehu, who described Fayose’s comment as reckless and typical of his past said “the governor didn’t get his facts correct.”

Fayose had specifically accused the Buhari administration of paying out the lowestever federally distributed allocations among the three tiers of the government.

According to the presidential spokesman, records of such past allocations showed “that the lowest-ever allocation to the three tiers was issued by the PDP-led Goodluck

Jonathan administration.”

While calling on the Ekiti Governor to be mindful of his utterances, Shehu said: “Governor Fayose needs to be advised to desist from spreading falsehood against the person and government of President Muahmmadu Buhari as has become characteristic of him. He needs to get his facts right before making accusations of the nature he makes.

“The governor equally knows full well that his party in government ruined the economy to the extent that workers in 27 states went for several months without salary. This crisis situation has now been reversed in nearly all the states. Governor Fayose is himself in line for the

collection of his state’s bailout.

“Under the PDP Federal Government, ministries were not given overhead costs for five months while the capital budget was unpaid for six months in the run-up to the exit of the PDP administration. Is there anyone in that party with a moral justification to criticise the Buhari administration which is working hard to clean up the mess they (PDP) left behind?”

Shehu, who used statistics in backing up his position, stated that the lowest monthly allocation in the last 12 months, amounting to N358 billion, was distributed in May this year under the PDP government, adding that the

figure rose to N380 billion in June before it fell to N373 billion in October.

The presidential spokesman further noted that the low allocation under the present administration was a temporary phase that would soon go away, “as the various measures put in place by the government to block leakages in revenue generation come to fruition”.

On how the problem of declining allocation would be addressed, Shehu said: “Nonoil revenue is expected to rise substantially with the effective take-off of the Treasury Single Account (TSA). With this in place, government now has a framework for understanding the picture of accruable revenues in ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs). They will no longer tax and spend, but do so only in line with their budgets.

Stressing that President Buhari did not need the unnecessary heckling by Governor Fayose to achieve all these, Shehu added that, “Neither is the country helped in any way by leaders peddling falsehood.”

Reacting, Governor Fay-

ose in a statement issued in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, and signed by his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said it was sad that the Presidency could be warning a Nigerian, who is heading one of the country’s federating units on what to say and what not to say.

Olayinka, who said he was sure that Garba Shehu must have spoken for himself, and not President Muhammadu Buhari, added that “Governor Fayose will continue to say the truth in interest Nigeria and its people because the Governor is not one of those that will go underground because of political persecution.”

He maintained that the country’s economy was in serious recession, adding that: “the president himself attested to this when he said that the country was broke and this has also been corroborated by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Group financial report, indicating that the corporation incurred a total loss of N120.07bn in the months of August and September.

Banks lock in funds of customers without BVNs Continued from page 6

L-R: Chairman, African Refugees Foundation, Mr. Jimi Olusola; National Coordinator, Civic Enlightenment Association of Nigeria (CEA), Dr. Remi Aroyehun and Project Manager, CEA, Mr. Oyeyipo Yahaya, during the press briefing on the alleged corruption in the Banking and Finance sector, held in Lagos…on Monday.

Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

Lamorde to face Senate panel next week Continued from page 6 lion of pension funds.

The statement said: “Maina was on July 21, 2015 charged alongside Oronsaye , Osarenkhoe Afe and Fredrick Hamiltonb Global Services Limited before a Federal High Court on a 24-count charge bordering on procurement fraud and obtaining by false pretence.

“While Oronsaye and two others were in court

and pleaded not guilty to the charge, Maina had been at large.

“However on July 21 when the court heard the bail applications of the accused persons, Maina through his counsel, Esther Uzoma told the court that he was not at large, claiming that the EFCC had never invited him.

“Consequently, EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs, SAN, pleaded with the

court to prevail on the accused’s counsel to produce Maina in court as the Commission had no clues as to his whereabouts.

“The court granted Rotimi’s prayers, yet Maina continued to shun court proceedings, leaving the Commission with no option than to declare him wanted.

“Indeed, since the Commission filed charges against Maina, more damn-

ing evidence have emerged on how the ebullient former Pension Task Team boss siphoned pension funds using secret accounts in a new generation bank in Abuja.”

Uwujaren implored anyone with information on Maina’s whereabouts to contact any of EFCC’s offices in Lagos, Abuja, Gombe, Kano, Port Harcourt and Enugu or report at the nearest police station.

GTBank accounts without BVNs have been restricted from debit transactions effective Sunday November 1, 2015.”

The bank added that this means that accounts without BVN had been classified as having inadequate KYC and could only receive transfer and deposits while payment or cash withdrawals from such accounts had been restricted.

GTBank said: “Please note that your account with us is still valid as the restriction placed on your account is temporary and will be automatically removed once you enrol your BVN at any of our branches nationwide or link with a BVN to your account.”

The bank said BVN registration would continue in all our branches nationwide after October 31, 2015 deadline, adding that: “Please remember that if you have obtained your BVN from an-

other Nigerian bank or an offshore enrolment centre, you can link it to your GTB account using our internet banking platform, corporate website and all GTBank ATMs nationwide.”

The CBN and Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) have said the BVN registration would still go on despite the expiration of the deadline.

CBN Director of Corporate Communications, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu, said the process would still go-on after the deadline, adding the deadline meant that any customer that failed to do the registration would have some restriction to operate his accounts.

Mu’azu said majority of the banks had captured the BVN of their active customers except for those customers that chose not to participate in the process.

He said: “Deadline was successful because the Continued on page 16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday November 3, 2015

US, S’Korea revise agreement on military control ÏÏÏ U.S. Defense Secretary Ash

Carter and his South Korean counterpart, Han Min Koo, warned North Korea that any aggression or military provocation by the isolated regime "is not to be tolerated."

Carter and Han met Monday in Seoul in an annual review of their nearly five-decade old military alliance. In a joint statement, the duo pledged to "work shoulderto-shoulder to demonstrate our combined resolve." They also expressed "grave concern" about Pyongyang's recent vows to carry out another long-range missile test or a fourth nuclear test.

The defense chiefs also signed an agreement that would transfer wartime operational control of South Korean forces from the United States back to Seoul when it improves its military and intelligence capabilities, including its counter-artillery operations against North Korea.

The two sides first agreed to transfer control back as early as 2007, but it was postponed several times after increased tensions on the peninsula, including the sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan that was blamed on Pyongyang.

The new agreement signed

stitutional Council on Monday confirmed the re-election of President Alassane Ouattara for five years in an official proclamation eight days after the vote.

"It is fitting to proclaim him elected" as president of the Republic of Ivory Coast, said Mamadou Kone, president of the council.

Kone earlier said that Ouattara had won 2 618 229 million votes out of a total 3 129 742 ballots cast in the west African country, giving him a score of 83.66%.

The council upheld the results issued by the Independent Elector-

U.S. Defense Secretary, Ash Carter (l) shakes hands with South Korean Defense Minister, Han Min Koo during a joint news conference after the 47th Security Consultative Meeting (SCM) at the Defense Ministry in Seoul, South Korea, recently.

Monday pushes that timetable to sometime after 2020.

Carter will travel to Malaysia later Monday for a meeting of defense ministers from the Southeast Asian region.

U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter called on North Korea to end its nuclear weapons program during a visit Sunday to the Demilitarized

Zone that separates the two Koreas.

Carter traveled to the DMZ from Seoul and walked up to Observation Post Ouellete, the closest point where South Korea's side of the DMZ meets with the North's.

Pyongyang abandoned negotiations on its nuclear program in 2009 conducted with five other

al Commission (CEI), which put the turnout at 52.86% of 6 301 189 registered voters.

Ouattara, 73, an economist whose first election victory in 2010 triggered several months of violence and bloodshed, solidly beat main opposition candidate Pascal Affi N'Guessan, who took 9.29% of the votes.

Affi N'Guessan represented the Ivorian Popular Front (FPI) founded by former president Laurent Gbagbo, who is behind bars at the International Criminal Court in The Hague facing trial in relation to the 2010-2011 post-election

violence.

Some of his supporters had called for a boycott of the election to show their solidarity with Gbagbo.Violence broke out at the last election, claiming 3 000 lives, after the electoral commission declared Ouattara the victor while the Constitutional Council said Gbagbo was the winner. The international community backed Ouattara, who took power in April 2011 after Gbagbo was arrested by force.

In sharp contrast with the violence, observers described the latest poll as generally smooth and peaceful.

13 UN hostages freed in South Sudan

ÏÏÏJuba - Thirteen United Na-

tions workers in South Sudan kidnapped by rebels have been safely freed a week after their abduction, the UN said on Monday.

Around 100 rebel fighters, who have been battling the government for almost two years, seized 31 members of the UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) last week.

While 18 Bangladeshi peacekeepers were freed soon after they were held, the 13 remaining UN workers - all South Sudanese

70 killed in Syrian market attack ÏÏÏThe medical charity Doctors

nations, including China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the United States.Carter said Washington remains committed to the negotiations, and called on the communist country to return to the talks.

"They should be on a path of doing less, and ultimately zero, in the nuclear field," Carter told reporters.

Ivorien council confirms Ouattara's re-election ÏÏÏ Abidjan - Ivory Coast's Con-

13 Africa

nationals - were released by the rebels on Sunday, UNMISS said Monday.

The UN had last week said only 12 were still being held. However, it said 13 were released on Sunday.

All were on a river barge carrying fuel for the UN mission. While the barge was also released, the UN said that rebels had stolen the 55 000 litres of fuel it was carrying, as well as communications equipment, an inflatable boat, and seven weapons.

The UN chief in South Sudan

Ellen Margrethe Loj said she was "relieved by the safe release of all UN personnel."

She had previously warned that the kidnap "may constitute a war crime".

The UN had last week said only 12 hostages were still being held.

However, it said 13 were released on Sunday.

At least 12 500 peacekeepers are deployed in South Sudan, which has been wracked by conflict since December 2013.

Tens of thousands of people

Without Borders says at least 70 people have been killed in an airstrike and shelling on a crowded, rebel-held neighborhood near the Syrian capital.

The group, known by its French acronym MSF, said Saturday that the attack on a marketplace in the Douma neighborhood near Damascus wounded another 550 people.

According to the group, a nearby MSF-supported hospital helped treat the first wave of victims.

In a statement, Doctors Without Borders did not assign blame for what it called "an extremely violent bombing." An MSF spokesman, Tim Shenk, told VOA the Douma area has been under sustained attack from Syrian forces for years. Opposition fighters have regularly traded fire with the Syrian military in Douma, which lies within a major rebel stronghold.

In other news, Turkish jets on Saturday launched bombing raids against Islamic State targets in Syria. A senior Turkish official told the Reuters news agency that American jets were standing by to assist.

Turkey vowed to take a more active role in combating IS in July, as part of a multipronged offensive that also involved Turkey ramping up attacks on Kurdish militants.

The Syrian conflict has killed an estimated 250,000 people since it began in 2011.

Burundi police battle criminals ÏÏÏEight

Quattara

have been killed, and UN-backed experts have warned of the "concrete risk of famine" before the end of the year, if fighting continues and aid does not reach the hardest hit areas.

Both sides are accused of having perpetrated ethnic massacres, recruited and killed children and carried out widespread rape, torture and forced displacement of populations to "cleanse" areas of their opponents.

At least 3.9 million people are in crisis - a third of the country's population - a massive 80% rise compared to the same period last year, the UN said.

gunmen were killed and 18 others captured in Burundi after clashes with police outside the capital Bujumbura, police said on Monday, the latest in months of violence in the troubled country.

The clashes with armed "criminals" took place in the rural Nyabiraba district, around 13km east of Bujumbura, police spokesperson Pierre Nkurikiye said.

Burundi has seen months of violence triggered by President Pierre Nkurunziza's successful bid to win a third term in office.

The UN has warned that Burundi risks sliding back into civil war after a dramatic rise in killings, arrests and detentions, with over 200 000 refugees fleeing to neighbouring countries.

About 200 people have been killed in Burundi since violence broke out in April, the UN says.

Opponents said Nkurunziza's re-election breached the terms of the peace deal that paved the way to ending civil war.

News14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

INEC clears 42 candidates for Kogi, Bayelsa guber polls Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

ÏÏÏForty-two

candidates have been cleared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to contest the November 21 Kogi State governorship election holding on November 21 and that of Bayelsa State scheduled for December 5, this year.

This was contained in the final list of candidates for the two elections released, on Monday, in Abuja, by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The breakdown of the list, which was displayed by INEC and signed by its Acting Secretary, U. F. Usman, showed that twentytwo candidates would contest the November 21 Kogi State governorship, while twenty political parties would field candidates for the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

The People Democratic Party (PDP), which is the ruling party in the two states, is fielding Captain Idris Ichalla Wada and Henry Seriake Dickson as candidates in Kogi and Bayelsa State, respec-

tively.

The All Progressives Congress (APC), which is the ruling party at the federal level, is fielding two former governors as candidates in the two states: Prince Abubakar Audu and Timipre Sylva, respectively.

Aside from PDP and APC, other parties fielding candidates in the two governorship elections are All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Accord Party, Alliance for Democracy (AD), Labour Party, KOWA Party, among others.

It would be recalled that Presi-

dent Muhammadu Buhari, just two weeks ago, forwarded the names of Professor Mahmud Yakubu as the commission’s Chairman and five National Commissioners, to the Senate for screening.

The candidates have since been screened and approved last week.

They are however yet to be sworn in by the president.

It is expected that the Ministersdesignate as well as the cleared INEC Chairman and Commissioners would be sworn in on Wednesday at the State House, Abuja.

Cleric raises alarm over ‘evil manipulation’ of BVN Monday Agu, Jnr

ÏÏÏPresident Muhammadu Bu-

hari has been urged to suspend the idea of implementing the just concluded Bank Verification Number (BVN) exercise and the cashless policy as it is the “666” mark of the beast so prophesied in the Holy Bible.

Making this revelation and admonition at a press conference in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Monday, Prophet Godfrey Gbujie of the St. Andrew’s Anglican Church, Ahiara Mbaise, urged Buhari to halt the implementation of “this satanic biometric code” which he said started in Cuba.

He called on all Christians, Muslims and others who believe in their faiths to resist this new satanic movement which he disclosed was developed by the European Union and Computer Centre, Brussels, Belgium, with the sole aim of having absolute control of the world economy.

“The code for BVN was developed at the end of 18 years of strategic research at Brussels and it was done in such a way that you cannot introduce cashless system without this universal code,” he stated.

Quoting the Biblical book of Revelation chapter number 13, verse number17 and verse 18, he said that God had warned that anyone that took this number will be tormented in the lake of fire.

“Both Christians, Muslims and those who want to make heaven should resist this satanic code.”

Buhari

L-R: Nigeria’s ex-Super Eagles International, Victor Ikpeba; beneficiary of Nigerian Bottling Company’s (NBC) Limited Women Empowerment Initiative, Gift Ogbebor; Public Affairs Manager, Lagos and West, NBC, Ifeoma Okoye; another beneficiary, Ifunaya Johnson and Corporate Communications Manager, NBC Limited, Akomen Omijeh, during the presentation of items to winners at the Copa Coca-Cola tournament held in Jakande Housing Estate, Isolo, Lagos… on Monday

Ita-Giwa to Omeben: Dele Giwa never a womaniser Oyetubo Olabimpe

ÏÏÏFormer Presidential Adviser

on National Assembly Matters, Senator Florence Ita-Giwa has faulted, the allegations made by retired Deputy Inspector General of Police, Mr. Christopher Omeben that her late husband, Dele Giwa was a womaniser.

Ita-Giwa, who extolled the virtues of the late popular journalist, who, with three other colleagues, founded the Newswatch magazine, wondered why the octogenarian would speak ill of a dead man that he once claimed he never knew or heard about in his previous interviews. She noted that Dele was career-driven and too pre-occupied with his profession to womanise and that because he cherished family values, he decided to remarry rather than playing the field or womanise as wrongly alleged by Omeben.

The outspoken senator also re-

iterated that from the time she separated from Dele Giwa, when they occupied a bungalow provided for him as official residence by the Concord newspaper, she never knew where he moved to, until after he was murdered neither did she know the location of Newswatch because she had moved on.

She insisted that the separation was amicable and was informed by the fact that both of them were ambitious and career- driven individuals and could not continue the relationship. The senator recalled that she was in Calabar when her mother called to break the sad news and she had to travel down to Lagos. When she got the name of the hospital, she was redirected to the Lagos Universityb Teaching Hospital (LUTH) mortuary, where she met the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, who told her “Madam, they have killed your husband.”

He later instructed the mortuary attendant to open his body saying

a wife is always a wife, and Dele’s wife is here.

She recalled vividly that she and his ex-American wife, Billy’s mother, present wife at the time, a few other family members and his colleagues like Ray Ekpu, Soyinka, late Stanley Macebuh were at the graveside till late evening and subsequently went to the village to commiserate with the Chiefs before departing.

Ita-Giwa noted that at that same period, because of the state of fear and anxiety, some miscreants did a letter of a ‘threat to her life’ and demand for ransom which she immediately proceeded to Alagbon to lodge a complaint about and made statement and that it was during the process that they asked her about her late husband. It is important to correct the impression as was alleged, in a recent newspaper publication, that she was invited. She stressed that she was never invited.

FCT Police arrest six cattle rustlers with 108 cows, 18 rams ÏÏÏThe Federal Capital territory

(FCT) Police Command said it had arrested five suspected rustlers with 108 cows and 18 rams.

The FCT Police Commissioner, Mr. Wilson Inalegwu, made the disclosure while presenting the suspects to newsmen, on Monday, in Abuja. Inalegwu said that the suspects were arrested on October 27 following a tip-off by police operatives. He said that the suspects had raided and rustled cows and rams from Paraqua village in Jaji, Kaduna State.

“The suspects were arrested at Chitima village, following a discreet operation carried out at the hide-out of the rustlers”, he said, adding that items recovered from the suspects included two dane guns, one locally-made revolver and a locally-made pistol, one double- barrelled gun, one cutlass and one magazine.

Besides, he said that the police had arrested eight robbery suspects following operations by operatives of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) on October 21.

DPR warns oil marketers against scarcity, profiteering

ÏÏÏThe Director, Department of

Petroleum Resources (DPR), Mr. Mordecai Ladan, has warned petroleum products depots and owners of filling stations across the country against diversion of the products.

Ladan, in a statement, on Monday, in Abuja, also warned oil marketers against hoarding, pump manipulation and selling the products above approved prices.

The statement came against the backdrop of the purported resurgence of fuel scarcity in parts of the country.

He warned that any marketer found to be under-dispensing or selling products above regulated prices would be suspended for a minimum of two months.

“Any marketer caught diverting or hoarding the products for profiteering shall be sanctioned with a fine of N2 million and will have his operating license revoked. Such operator also risk prosecution for national economic sabotage,” he said. Ladan also stated that DPR was collaborating with Petroleum Equalisation Fund and Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency to ensure that defaulters were sanctioned accordingly.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

15 Opinion

Kwankwaso: Where the North ends and Nigeria begins

F Joseph Rotimi

ormer Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso of Kano state, while speaking at an event in Ibadan recently, took exception to the call by Yoruba leaders [Afenifere] for the expulsion of Fulani herdsmen from their southwestern bases. Yoruba leaders were reacting to the incessant and rather ruthless ravaging of their communities by Fulani cattlemen, including the recent Olu Falae fiasco. The ex governor countered the threat to expel the herdsmen with an animated but disjointed, illogical and patronizing statements that amounted to looking at the collective face of Afenifere and boldly spitting on it - in Ibadan, of all places. There were no apologies or sympathies expressed for victims of Fulani terrorism in Kwankwaso’s statements which dripped with unabashed arrogance. His position was simple; “that is the way it is, live with it!”

The former governor appears to relish playing the role of spokesman for the northern political establishment without pulling any punches.

On previous occasions, Kwankwaso called for the removal of a sitting federal minister who expressed misgivings about Nigeria’s ‘accepted’ census

figures and curiously, the minister was eventually sacked. He promised PMB more than two million votes during the last ‘free and fair’ presidential elections by openly boasting of using street urchins as voters - he got what he wanted. He declared the less than stellar 1999 constitution “immutable” mostly because it guarantees, in perpetuity, the dominance of the north over the rest of the country by cherry-picking and enforcing what was amenable to northern interests.

Kwankwaso was also one of the arrowheads of rebellious politicians within the People’s Democratic Party that eventually formed the APC. In the present case, Kwankwaso suggested that the ‘unity’ of the country would be under threat if Fulanis were expelled from the southwest. He boasted that anywhere a man finds himself in the country should be his ‘home’ while forgetting that in the north, other tribes live a segregated life in Sabon Garis [so-called ‘new settlements’]. He further buttressed his suggestions by declaring most of the African continent as ‘home’ for the Fulani, since they are found ‘all over’. His argument next centered on the fact that the Fulani herdsmen were uneducated - hence their predilection for a nomadic existence.

He therefore called for government

to ‘educate’ the Fulanis and asked the southwest to show ‘understanding’ of the situation. But all these arguments fall down lifeless, if you consider the fact that most of the areas troubled by Fulani herdsmen are predominantly non-Moslem or outside of the ‘core north’. You hardly hear of Fulani herdsmen destroying crops and killing people in northern Moslem areas of the country. They confine their atrocities to north central states, including the ‘middle belt’ and the Christian areas of southern Kaduna.

In addition, they are now making forays into the southeast and southwest with galling effrontery. The Fulanis may be ‘uneducated’, but their selective, deliberate and ruthless activities suggests they understand what they are doing.

The so-called uneducated Fulani knows precisely whom to attack without repercussions and understands the need for political domination where he succeeds in eliminating the indigenous population. Ethnic cleansing is still an on-going reality in parts of Plateau and Benue states because Fulani herdsmen are known to employ mercenaries, in dealing with indigenous populations that resist them. The case of Olu Falae became a serious issue because of the stature of the person involved.

Thousands have died under similar circumstances but remain unsung.

Falae escaped with his life because he had the resources to bail himself out, others were not as lucky; their lives were taken and their land possessed.

In a separate and unequal society such as Nigeria, the underdog suffers.

In addition, the question is, “Who fights for the so-called minorities”?

For most of Nigeria’s beleaguered history, only the north [in cahoots with its military wing] appears to have been in government and in power at the same time. The north therefore shares the major blame for not educating its itinerant population and bringing them into the mainstream. Essentially, governments headed by non-Hausa/Fulani leaders have been aberrations.

The arrogance and reckless utterances of northern apologists is probably because the northern political establishment has never sought integration with others, based on mutual respect and justice. They have always maintained the attitude that Nigeria is the estate of Hausa/Fulani.

When the Hausa/Fulani talk about unity, Nigeria, government or make ‘nationalistic’ noises, it should be understood that Nigeria ends where the north begins and Kwankwaso [and his ilk] seemed to understand this.

Ambode’s call for civility in traffic management

D

Gbenga Olorunpom

riving in Lagos has always been a hassle. For an overpopulated city which has suffered from decades of lack of investments in road infrastructure, traffic congestion is expected to be an unfortunate part of its culture. New York, Cairo, London are just some of the few mega cities that suffer from the same challenge.

However, the traffic congestion in Lagos has become unbearable for many road users lately. The social media postings of Lagosians have been laced with frustrations about the situation. They complain that trips that usually take 30 minutes now take much longer.

When the former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu created the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) by signing it into law in 2000, many residents thought it was a timely idea. Finally, an agency of the government had been empowered to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses from traffic accidents, conflicts, congestion and delays on the public roads.. The agency also created jobs for many thousands.

Soon, Lagos residents began to see the wisdom in creating the agency.

In fact, some states now have their

versions of LASTMA. The officers of the agency became the most feared on Lagos roads. The fear of LASTMA became the beginning of wisdom.

Every driver’s worst fear was to see a man or woman in cream-coloured shirt and maroon trousers knock on their windows or sternly ask them to park their cars on the roadside. No one wanted that, so former offenders learnt to keep traffic rules.

However, the story changed when certain corrupt LASTMA officers began contravening the rules guiding the agency. They found loopholes to extort money from motorists. Instead of preventing traffic gridlocks, they began hunting motorists and collecting bribes. Some would create impossible situations on the roads and await unsuspecting victims.

Some tampered with traffic lights to ensnare innocent drivers. Cars properly parked were towed away and the owners left in distress. LASTMA officers became lawless.

One of the first things Governor Akinwunmi Ambode did was to seek to re-brand LASTMA and re-jig its operations. Having attended countless town hall meetings and read reports from focus group discussions, Ambode knew the LASTMA he was inheriting needed to change.

Therefore, he ordered that all confiscated vehicles be given back to their owners. The Transport Minis-

try also announced new guidelines for the agency, one of which meant adopting a system where traffic offenders are booked. Oluseyi Whenu, the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Transport, said the new policy aims at ensuring the free flow of traffic in the metropolis.

He said the government was implementing a better traffic management and documentation procedure where offenders are booked and given a grace period for payment.

Since the announcement, there has been a marked drop in the lawless of LASTMA officers. These days, private car owners and Danfo bus drivers are so bold that they would use the BRT lane right in front of the Government House at Marina. No one stops them because LASTMA officers are sulking.

That is why the city is experiencing such traffic gridlock. LASTMA has downed tools. Robberies in traffic are back. So are the heartaches that come with accidents and injuries.

It is heartening that members of the public now know who to blame for this. The Lagos State House of Assembly has summoned the General Manager of LASTMA, Mr. Bashir Braimah, to explain the persistent gridlock. Mr. Jude Idimogu, representing the Oshodi-Isolo II, said the gridlock was as result of the deliberate action of LASTMA officers in

reaction to the demand by Governor Ambode that they behave better at their jobs. “Many of the officers will be at the traffic prone areas, standing akimbo and be watching the situation unperturbed,” Idimogu said.

Mr. Tunde Braimoh, another representative for Kosofe II asked the Lagos Government to disengage those officers displaying disobedience to the Ambode’s instructions.

“Now that the governor came up with a modern way of enforcement, what the officers do now contradicts their ‘modus operandi’. If there is need to drop all of them and recruit others, we have to do so. They cannot disregard the law of the House and the state,” Braimoh said.

Mr. Segun Olulade, representing Epe II said, “(The) transport situation has degenerated because of lawlessness of drivers and LASTMA. I have seen some sort of collaboration in sabotaging the government.

Some so called LASTMA disobey traffic laws.”

Any society that allows a section to operate above the rule of law toys with danger. Lagosians must support Governor Ambode that LASTMA operates within bounds of civility while carrying out their duty. They must stand with the governor in his quest to modernise the process of traffic management in Lagos. LASTMA should not hold us to ransom.

News 16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Afenifere leaders meet over Fasonranti’s resignation ‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

ÎÎÎSome

leaders of the pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afemnifere, have begun consultation over the resignation of Pa Reuben Fasoranti, its chairman on Sunday.

The Daily Times learnt on Monday that the leaders have concluded plans to meet the erstwhile Chairman to rescind his decision.

It was gathered from the group’s Secretary General, Sehinde Arogbofa, that the leaders were planning to have a meeting over the sudden development which has thrown its members and

sympathisers into confusion.

Impeccable sources told journalists that some leaders of the group visited the elder statesman at his Fiwasaye residence in Akure, the Ondo State capital, but they could not have access to the octogenarian.

The source added that the excuse was that Pa Fasoranti was relaxing inside his private living room as some of his aides also barred visitors from entry into the expansive compound.

Leaders of the organisation including Chiefs Olu Falae and Sehinde Arogbofa who are both indigenes of

the state and close associates of Fasoranti have also been trying to reach out to him.

Also, it was gathered that the Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who received the news of Fasoranti’s resignation with surprise, may meet with the elder statesman before the end of the week.

Although, Afenifere has not met to accept the resignation of Fasoranti, it was gathered that an emergency meeting of the organisation may hold before the end of the week.

Fasoranti, who emerged the leader of Afenifere fol-

lowing the death of Chief Abraham Adesanya, announced his resignation as leader of the organisation through a letter on Sunday.

He cited alleged disloyalty of members as the major reason why he resigned as the leader of the organisation.

The Secretary General of the organisation, Chief Arogbofa, who spoke to our correspondent on telephone, said: “Afenifere is an organisation made up of intelligent people. We cannot rush to action in this kind of a situation. We are still consulting and I will inform you on the outcome of our

Comptroller-General, Nigeria Customs Service Col. Hammeed Ali (rtd) (2nd right); Managing-Director, Nigeria Export Processing Zones Authority (NEPZA), Mr. Gbenga Kuye (m), and Senior Officers of Nigeria Customs Service and NEPZA, during the Comptroller-General’s familiarisation visit to NEPZA in Abuja... on Monday.

consultation.”

He informed that some leaders of the organisation will soon meet with Chief Fasoranti, just as he added:

“We were shocked by the action because baba never discussed with me before he took his decision, despite the level of our closeness.”

40,719 Telcos customers ported in September – NCC ÎÎÎThe

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) on Monday said telecoms operators engaged in 40,719 mobile number-porting activities in the month of September.

This is contained in the `Incoming and Outgoing Porting Activities of Mobile Network Operators’ report obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos.

The report showed that there was an increase of 1,646 in the Mobile Number Portability (MNP) activities in the month of September, in contrast to 39,073 activities recorded in August.

It said that out of the 40,719 porting activities recorded in the month under review, 20,349 were incoming porting activities, while 20,370 were outgoing.

The report indicated in the outgoing table, that telecommunications giant, MTN Nigeria, lost 12,259 subscribers to other networks through the MNP activities in September.

According to the report, MTN is the worst-hit during the exercise, followed

by Airtel Nigeria which lost 3,635 customers in the month under review.

It explained that Globacom lost 3,212 subscribers, while 1,264 customers of Etisalat Nigeria ported to other networks in the period under review.

In the incoming table, the report showed that Etisalat enjoyed the exercise the most as it led with an additional 12,898 customers on its network in September.

It stated that Airtel came second on the gainers’ list, as it added 5,347 subscribers to its customers’ strength.

The report stated that on the gainers’ list, 1,505 subscribers moved into Globacom network, while MTN Nigeria gained 599 customers in the month under consideration.

The exercise was flagged off on April 22, 2013 by the NCC, with the aim of deepening competition in the industry.

Banks lock in funds of customers without BVNs Continued from page 12 awareness has been created for millions of customers and the banking halls were empty yesterday unlike the June deadline where there were chaos everywhere in the banking halls.”

The Managing Director of the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), Mr. Ade Shonubi, also said that the BVN is a continuous process and that it is the minimum requirement for Know Your Customer (KYC) as provided by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Bankers’ Committee.

The BVN, an initiative of the CBN, was launched in February 2014 and is being supported by the bankers’ committee.

It is aimed at protecting bank customers and further strengthening the Nigerian banking system.

It was among other things, introduced to address safety of customers’ funds, avoid losses through compromise of personal identification numbers and other criminal activities in the industry.

The BVN is a unique number that enables one person to have a single identity in the banking system.

It basically ensures that a customer’s identity is not stolen. A customer is only expected to register at one bank, irrespective of the number of accounts he has.

Meanwhile, in a quest to ensure the successful implementation of the Bank Verification Number

(BVN) project, the CBN has extended the BVN registration deadline till January 31, 2016 for Nigerian Bank customers in Diaspora.

The compliance rate of Nigerian Bank Customers in Diaspora has been low compared to over 90 per cent of Nigerians in the country who have complied with the Bank Verification Number (BVN).

The extension of the exercise for Nigerian bank customers in the diaspora was made public by the apex bank’s spokesman, Alhaji Ibrahim Muazu, during a phone conversation with our correspondent.

A circular published by the apex regulatory bank signed by Director Banking and Payments System

Department, Dipo Fatokun and dated November 2, 2015, read in part: “BVN enrolment for Nigerian Banks customers in Diaspora has been extended to 31st January 2016. This is to enable them complete the registration exercise and the attachment of their BVN to their bank accounts.

According to the circular, the CBN has observed with satisfaction the progress made so far in the implementation of the BVN project, especially for accounts operated by Nigeria residents. Consequently, Nigeria residents bank account without the BVN would be operated as NO CUSTOMER INITIATED DEBIT account until the account holder obtain and attach a

BVN to the account but such account will still continue to receive credit inflows (in cash and electronically and will neither be deactivated nor confiscated).

As many banks in Nigeria have initiated steps to ease the BVN registration in Nigeria, the CBN had in August released certain guidelines that could help customers in these cities — London, Dubai, Leicester, New Delhi, Washington DC, Johannesburg, Shanghai, Guangzhou, New York, Beijing, and Houston get their BVN numbers without the need to come to Nigeria.

Two options which are: The physical presentation of Nigerians staying abroad at their bank’s branches/ subsidiary, where facilities

have been made available, where scanners and devices expected to capture necessary data, generate a BVN and communicate same to the customers have been made available. After which the customers are expected to forward the assigned BVN to their banks, for linkage with their accounts.”

The second option is the Online-integrated solutions (OIS), engaged by CBN to record necessary data, and give out BVN numbers, but at a fee of £30 to the customer. The banking sector regulator explained that the company (OIS) had been engaged to establish stations for data capture and generation of BVN at the cost of £30 per transaction, to be paid by the customer.

Business Times Æ s Nigeria to earn $50bn through solid minerals - expert Opeoluwa Akintayo

A document obtained from Solid Mines Limited by Orient Energy Review has shown that Nigeria could earn a whopping $50 billion from abundant solid minerals if necessary structures were put in place to harness the resources.

By estimation, Nigeria has over 400 solid minerals, with just 40 of them available in commercial

quantities although, only 13 are being exploited at the moment.

The inability of government to fully tap into the potentials of its solid resources is believed to have reduced the sector’s contribution to national earnings to a merger 0.3 per cent, generating about $1.5 billion into the federal account.

According to Solid Mines Limited, the sector could add $50 billion to Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) thereby going

from a contribution of 0.3 per cent to 10 per cent in the next three to five years if necessary investments were made.

Also, if the government could fully tap the abundant solid minerals could also create over one million direct and indirect jobs and increase Africa’s intertrade activity, which currently stands at $110 billion.

The document stated in part: “The under-development of the mineral sector has resulted in Nigeria importing minerals that can be locally produced thus missing out on the opportunity to increase local output, earn foreign exchange and create jobs. Over 40 solid minerals have been discovered in commercial quantities in Nigeria.

“Some of these include; barites, gypsum, limestone, bismuth, marble, fledspar, mica, gold, coal, bitumen, considerate, silver and germ stone, iron ore, lead-zinc, talc, copper, kaolin, among others.

However, only small numbers

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

of these are currently being mined mostly by artisans and small scale miners (ASMs) also known as informal miners who have their activities curtailed by poor funding, lack of equipment and poor training,” it stated.

Analysis showed that Nigeria has over three billion metric tonnes (mt)-deposit of iron -ore worth over $1 billion; 27 billion mt deposit of coal worth about $1 billion; 2.23 trillion mt of lime stone worth over $1 billion; 14 million mt of barites of about $4 million; 10 million mt of lead zinc worth about $400 million; 40 million mt of talc worth $20 million; 10 million mt of copper worth over 700 million; three billion of kaolin of $50 million; and one billion mt of gypsum worth about $250 million accordingly.

The company, therefore, noted that the government must create an enabling environment to stimulate local and foreign investment by establishing new mining codes.

17

Arik Air to acquire six new aircraft Ï ƊƊƄ ƃƄ ƕ ƆƉƓ flight to JFK Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

L-R: Dr. Eddy C. Agbo, Chairman/CEO Fyodor; Dr. Muntaqa Umar-Sadiq, CEO, Private Sector Health Alliance of Nigeria, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, Chair, Nigeria Health Innovative Marketplace and GMD/CEO, Access Bank Plc; Dr. Victoria Enwemadu, winner, 2015 Health Innovation Challenge; and Mr. Oluwasoga Temitope Oni; Co-Founder/CEO, MDaaS at the Health Innovation and Impact Investment Summit which held at the Civic Centre, Lagos…. recently

NCC’s $5.2bn fine: MTN shares fall 9.7% on JSE Friday Atufe with agency report The value of shares of MTN Group Limited has dropped by about 9.7 percent on the Johannesburg Stock Exchange (NSE) since the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) on October 26, fined MTN Nigeria, its subsidiary, $5.2 billion for failure to disconnect customers with unregistered sim cards in line with the regulator’s directive.

The Johannesburg Stock

Exchange allowed trading to resume in MTN’s stock after a three-hour stoppage earlier on yesterday. The shares had dropped as much as 9.7 percent following a report by CAJ News in Nigeria that MTN had failed to convince the Nigerian Communications Commission to lower its penalty. They traded 6.1 percent lower at 148.17 rand at the close in Johannesburg, valuing the company at 273 billion rand ($20 billion).

However, MTN Group Ltd., Africa’s largest wireless operator, said it remained in negotiations with Nigerian regulators, the Nigeria Communication Commission over a $5.2 billion fine for failing to comply with an order to disconnect customers with unregistered phone cards.

MTN has until Nov. 16 to pay the fine, which relates to the timing of the disconnection of 5.1 million subscribers and is based on a charge of 200,000 naira

($1,013) for each unregistered customer.

“Any material developments in these engagements will be communicated to shareholders,” the Johannesburg-based company said in a statement on yesterday, adding that investors should exercise caution before reacting to information.

Nigeria is MTN’s biggest market with 62 million customers as of September. The stock has declined more than a fifth since news of the penalty was reported a week ago, and is trading at about three-year lows.

Arik Air will in 2016 acquire six new aircraft to boost its intercontinental operations just as the airline is set to commence daily flights operations into John F Kennedy airport, New York.

The managing director of Arik Air, Mr Chris Ndulue at a press conference to mark the 9th anniversary of the airline said the airline which started operations nine years ago with four aircraft now has 28 in its fleet.

Ndulue explained that the airline now fly to 19 destinations in Nigeria and 12 destinations outside the country and have flown 17.3 million passengers since it started operations.

The Arik MD said with a staff strength of 3000, that it will extend its operations to AbidjanDakar, Senegal, Libreville, Garbon in the first quarter of 2016.

Mr Ndulue also announced that the airline will also commence flights to Rome and Jo’borg hence the acquisition of wide bodied air plane.

He disclosed that the airline will be enlisted in the Nigerian stock market in 2016.

Air lifting, 7000 passengers daily, Mr Ndulue said the airline has been faced with various challenges but expressed the hope that the challenges will be over as soon as the exchange rate normalised.

Arik Air began operations in October 2016.

Labour 18

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3 2015

NANNM urges Tambuwal to implement CONHESS salary structure

Tambuwal

The Sokoto State Chairman of the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Aminu Ahmad, Saturday appealed to Governor Aminu Tambuwal, to ensure

immediate implementation of CONHESS salary structure for the staff of College of Nursing and School of Health Technology Gwadabawa.

Ahmad made the plea yesterday, at the quadrennial delegate conference of the Association held at the Sultan Maccido Institute of Quran and General Studies, Sokoto.

According to him, the call became necessary so as to stop brain drain in those institutions.

He maintained that implementing the CONHESS salary structure for the staff of the two institutions, would go a long way in enhancing their performance.

Judiciary workers strike: Anambra appeals for understanding

L-R: Managing Director, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Mr. Peter Ndegwa; Marketing Manager, Malta & Apnad, Mr. Uche Onwudiwe and Ice Prince, at the internal launch of Malta Guinness ‘You Vs’ Campaign in Lagos recently.

Stories by Joy Okere The Anambra State Government has appealed for greater understanding and harmonious working relations with workers in the state judiciary which has recently been disrupted by strike action.

Addressing journalists at the weekend against the backdrop of threat by some officials of the Judiciary Staff Workers Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) to resist move by the judiciary workers to call off the strike, the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Professor Solo Chukwudobelu, wondered why the union is insisting on the implementation of an unrealistic promise by a government

which had increased the salary of state workers by 15 percent in January 2015 and is one of the few states in the country that continues to pay salaries regularly.

“Less than nine months after a salary increase across board for all workers and further assurances to JUSUN during negotiations that its agreement would be met when the IGR improves, a union which should be working in tandem with the government is going on strike to enforce a unilateral increase for its members, what is really their motive,” Prof Chukwulobelu noted.

He also expressed shock that some members of the union who were ready to resume work

were allegedly being threatened by their leaders and assured that the government under the worker-friendly governor, Chief Willie Obiano would ensure the protection of those who were willing to return to work.

He was however happy that other unions like the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria and other affiliate bodies appreciated the need to shelve their demand for an increase in salary until the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) improves and blamed some officials of the judiciary operating under the auspices of JUSUN for the industrial action, describing it as “ill-timed, unnecessary and insensitive.”

UK workers protest Trade Union bill

O’Grady

Workers from across the United Kingdom are to join a protest against the government’s controversial bill on strikes and union activities.

The Trade Union Congress (TUC) warned that the Trade Union Bill risks setting industrial relations back decades.

The bill, which sets a new threshold for strike ballots and allows agency staff to be hired during industrial action, has been described as the biggest attack on unions in a generation.

New restrictions would be imposed on picketing and the posting of information on social me-

dia during industrial disputes, while 50 percent of union members eligible to vote would have to take part in a ballot for the outcome to be lawful.

MPs will be lobbied to oppose the Bill today ahead of its third reading in the Commons.

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady will tell a rally in Westminster: “Working people from across the UK - midwives, steelworkers, dinner ladies - are travelling to London to show their opposition to the Trade Union Bill.

“I urge all MPs to listen to their concerns. The Trade Union Bill is an affront to all fair-minded democrats and a fundamental attack on the right to strike.

“In a year when we celebrate the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta, the Government is looking to take uncivil liberties with our basic freedoms.

“This Bill is both undemocratic and a threat to public safety.

Because how can it be fair to fine unions up to £20,000 if they don’t give two weeks’ notice about what they are going to put on Twitter and Facebook during a strike?

“And how can it be safe to allow untrained agency workers to be used to break strikes?

“Good employers agree that instead of picking a fight with six million workers ministers should be focused on building a stronger economy that delivers better jobs and wages for all.”

The TUC has launched a new advertising campaign about protecting the right to strike which will feature on billboards, motorway screens, at London Underground stations and at train stations across the country.

The campaign features workers - including a midwife, a firefighter and a cinema worker - who have “reluctantly” taken strike action in recent years.

Speakers at the rally will in-

clude Ms O’Grady, director of Liberty Shami Chakrabarti, comedian and writer Andy Parsons, workers who have taken strike action and trade union chiefs.

Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, said: “We will campaign vigorously until this disgusting Bill is seen for what it is - the attempted removal of the rights of hard working people.”

Claire Sullivan, the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy’s director of employment relations, said: “The Trade Union Bill is a regressive piece of legislation that will affect not only the right to strike but will undermine effective negotiations between workers and employers around pay and working conditions.

“This Bill has been criticized by the police, business, NHS managers and politicians from across the political spectrum.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Shipping charges: Crisis rocks STOAN as GDNL, ABTL pull out of suit against Shippers Council

19 Maritime

Ali

The Cyclonic in Customs

Ship

Stories by Funmi Coker There are strong indications that all is not well among Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) over the court case instituted against the Nigerian Shippers Council.

The Nigeria Shippers’ Council (NSC), Seaports Terminal Operator Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Shippers Association of Lagos State (SALS) and the Association of Shipping Lines Agencies (ASLA) have been locked in legal tussle over arbitrary hike in tariff It was learnt that some members have asked the association to withdraw the court case against the Shippers Council because they believed they are fighting for the benefit of Nigeria Shippers.

The terminal operators who are against STOAN are Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL) a subsidiary of Flour Mills and Greenview Development Terminal (GDNL) which is also a subsidiary of Dangote group.

The terminal operators hinged their dissatisfaction to the fact that their proprietors are also shippers who are also affected by the charges.

They however said supporting the court case would be fighting against the wish of their proprietors.

In a chat with an official of one of the terminals, he said they disapproved the continued pursue of the case as it would be to the detriment of some of them who ship in raw materials for their factories here in Nigeria.

His words, “The Shippers

Council is fighting for us and we cannot continue to support the privilege few who want to continue charging exorbitant price and arbitrary hike in tariff for service rendered.”

Terminal Operators have been locked in legal tussle with Nigerian Shippers’ Council after the latter had ordered restriction on increase in progressive storage charges and reversal to what obtained in May 2009.

Justice Ibrahim Buba of the Federal High Court, Lagos has ordered STOAN and Association of Shipping Lines Agencies (ASLA) to revert to the various charges as obtained in 2009 and, as directed by the NSC. The court ordered ASLA and STOAN to refund excess revenue made from 2009 to date to the Cargo Defense Fund.

Customs nab suspected banned poultry products smuggler in Lagos

The Western Marine Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has arrested a suspected smuggler with 206 cartons of banned poultry products worth N1.2 million.

The command also seized his fibre boat valued at N2.1 million, bringing to N3.3 million the total amount of seizures made from him.

Parading the suspect, Jephiter John, the Comptroller, Yusuf Umar, said he was arrested on Oct. 28 at about 10.30 p.m.

around in Badagry waterways.

Umar said the suspect was caught with smuggled 206 cartons of banned frozen products while trying to make away in a fibre boat of 175-horse power engine capacity.

According to the comptroller, the seized products are worth N1.2 million, while the fibre boat is valued N2.1 million, making it a total of N3.3 million worth of seizures made.

Meanwhile, the command had seized a total of 8,216 cartons of

The appointment of Col. Hameed Ali, a retired Army Colonel to head the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has been one of the most controversial appointments made by President Muhammadu Buhari since the inception of his administration.

Officers of the NCS and indeed stakeholders in the maritime industry were taken aback on August 27 when President Buhari, through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adeshina announced the appointment of Ali, a non-Customs officer as the Comptroller General of Customs.

Ali’s appointment was seen by many as a move by the President to sanitize Customs, which is perceived as one of the most corrupt agencies in the country especially at a time when the country’s oil revenue has declined.

While some have applauded the appointment of Ali, others expressed disappointment over the President’s choice saying that it may portend great danger for the revenue collection drive of the Service and its revered position in the World Customs Organization (WCO).

Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to the President, Mallam Garba Shehu had while fielding questions from journalists shortly after Ali’s appointment over the choice of the former Kaduna State Military Administrator to head the vital

revenue agency, said the need to optimise the potentials of the Nigeria Customs Service as the nation’s cash cow informed part of the reasons for his appointment.

He said the president believes Customs could triple its revenue target with Ali at the helms of affair in the Service.

Hammed Ibrahim Ali was born on January 15, 1955. He retired from the Nigerian Army as a colonel in 1998.

He served as Military Administrator of Kaduna State under late military dictator, Gen. Sani Abacha from August 1996 to August 1998.

He is married to one wife and has four children.

As Kaduna State administrator, in October 1997, he sacked about 30,000 striking civil servants in Kaduna State, and detained 18 local government chairmen.

A journalist who reported the sackings was allegedly arrested, severely beaten, then taken to the Government House and further tortured. The story published in Tempo Magazine was entitled “Goodbye Justice”. The story was later discredited and proven to be false.

After retirement from the Army, Ali became Secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum, a northerm lobbying group, and an ardent supporter of Major General Muhammadu Buhari in his bid to become the President of Nigeria.

frozen products valued N14 million under the service’s “Operation Hawk Descend”.

The comptroller said the latest seizures made it a total of N17.3 million poultry products the command seized under the operation since July.

He said Operation Hawk Descend was designed to have zero tolerance for smuggling in banned frozen products.

Umar said the special antismuggling operation continued beyond its initial period of July

to September due to the success it recorded.

The comptroller said the operation had enjoyed support from the Customs Intelligence Unit.

He added that the suspect would be prosecuted according to the law.

The destruction of the seized poultry products was witnessed by operatives of the State Security Service, a police officer and staff of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).

20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

21 Energy

Oando introduces Oleum Syn

NNPC/Chevron JV partners FG on National Art competition Stories Opeoluwani Akintayo The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and Chevron Joint Venture has partnered the Federal Government to sponsor the 2015 National Art Competition for Nigerian secondary schools.

The 10th edition of the competition was held recently in Lagos State .

The NNPC /Chevron Joint Venture (JV) in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education, initiated the National Art Competition for Nigerian secondary school students in 2005. African Artists Foundation (AAF), a non-governmental organisation dedicated to the promotion and development of contemporary African Art, is the implementation partner to the competition which creates a platform for students to exhibit their talents through their art works.

The competition which is in its 10th edition saw both public and private schools across the country participating to win coveted prizes.

In his address of welcome, Chairman and Managing Director, Chevron Nigeria Limited, Clay Neff, said the sponsorship of the competition was in line with the company’s vision of helping Nigeria lay a foundation for creative and productive youth who, by the virtue of their education, could stand tall among their peers in any part of the world.

“Through the vehicle of art, we are challenging our youths to develop problem-solving and team building skills while not losing

their competitive dispositions,” he said.

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode said the state under his administration was geared towards continuous funding of free education both at the primary and secondary school levels in the State.

The governor who was represented by the Special Adviser on Education, Mr. Bankole ObafelaMoore appreciated the NNPC and Chevron group demonstrating the spirit of corporate entity.

According to him, the competition will discover more talents in arts and students will be rewarded particularly.

Six hundred entries were received from 400 schools across the country and judges from non-governmental agencies were employed for the screening. Ten finalists each emerged from the primary and secondary categories, making 20 overall.

Each of the finalists was presented with awards, after which the 1st, 2nd and 3rd positions in each categories were presented with scholarships.

The 1st position got a scholarship ofN100,000, second position got 75,000 and the third position received the sum of N65,000. The scholarships will run for three years.

Commending the efforts of the initiators of the yearly scholarship, winner of the Senior School category, 15 year old Ukaegbu Christopher from Hallel College Boarding, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, said it was a rare privilege given to the Nigerian students by the organisers.

Oando Plc has launched a new lubricant, Oleum Syn into the Nigerian lubricant market.

The new product is an ultrahigh performance passenger car fully synthetic engine oil scientifically formulated with global ultimate active cleansing technology and designed for the most advanced petrol engines including Turbo charged ones.

With specifications such as SAE 5W-40, API SN, ACEA C3, MB 229.51, Porsche A40, BMW Longlife 04, Oleum Syn is formulated to meet the latest American Petroleum Institute, API’s SN. It will also help minimize engine noise, conditions and protects engines from the extra stress of driving in modern start-stop traffic conditions (drain internal) and guarantee longer oil life.

Speaking during the launch

Lubricants & Research Development Manager, Mr. Muhammed Dahini said the efficiency of the oil is guaranteed as it is different from the general mineral based oils.

According to him, it is specifically designed as a full synthetic lubricant.

When asked whether Oando’s other oils will go into extinction, he gave an affirmative “no”, saying the older lubricants are still suitable for older engines. “For performance cars like the Range Rovers, Mercedes Benz which are 2014 and 2015 models, the new synthetic products, will best satisfy them.”

Oando’s Chief Operating Officer, Marketing, Mrs. Olapori Williams, buttressed Dahini’s point, saying the Oleum Syn

which comes in a new type of bottle, was birthed as a result of request from the public. She also said the synthetic oil was needful because of the influx of new cars into the Nigerian market.

“We have done the research and seen what the public wants, that’s why we decided to come up with the Oleum Syn. It is for top-of-the-range cars,” she said.

Representing Fleet And Cosy Ltd, Damilare Osifeso, explained that although the Oleum Syn was specifically made for new cars, it could also be used in older engines if specifications requires. According to him before customers decide to use the product for their older engines, there is need to check on the “oil cover, engine number and service manuals for specifications.”

eft: Arik Air Chief Pilot, Capt. Adetokunbo Adekunbi, Managing Director, Risk Analyst Insurance Brokers ltd, Mrs Funmi BabingtonAshaye, Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue, Managing Director, OldMutual Nigeria General Insurance, Mrs Rachel Emenike and assistant Vice President Sales and Distribution, Arik Air, Mr. Trevor Henry, during Arik 9th anniversary press conference/launch of travel insurance in Lagos recently.

OTL Africa Downstream holds 2015 Expo week Oil Trading & Logistics Expo, popularly known as OTL Africa Downstream, has held its 9th conference and exhibition week in Lagos.

The annual OTL Africa Downstream Week is one of the continent’s leading business forum for unique insights on markets and emerging opportunities in addition to knowledge development, products showcase and recognition of excellence in the downstream Petroleum chain. It features a strategic conference dedicated to industry exhibition and the annual OTL Industry Dinner.

The yearly event sponsored by top oil and gas players in the industry, featured high-profile speakers such as Prof. Yemi

Osinbajo, SAN, Aliko Dangote, Dr. Ibe Kachikwu, Senator Bukola Saraki, Hon. Dogara Yakubu, Mr. Farouk Ahmed, Mr. Mordecai Ladan of Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, former Executive Secretary of Nigeria’s Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency, PPPRA, Mr Reginald Stanley, Admiral Dele Ezeoba, rtd, MD, Mobil Oil Plc , Mr Tunji Oyebanji, CEO, Oando Marketing, Mr Abayomi Awobokun, Executive Vice Chairman, Techno Oil Limited, Mrs. Nkechi Obi, past President of African Refiners Association and former Group Executive Director, Refining and Petrochemicals, NNPC, Engr. Tony Ogbuigwe, and a host of others.

The opening session had key industry themes like: The Future of Petroleum Products Supply, Sustaining Petroleum Supply in Africa, Fuelling Economic Growth through Petroleum Policy and Infrastructure: Downstream Agenda, and Expanding The Frontiers for Downstream Gas. Other issues such as, West Africa Tanker Forum: Managing Risk and Securing the Ocean for Efficient Shipping of Petroleum Products, Lubricants and Base Oils: Powering Growth by Oiling Engines, and Last Mile of The Supply Chain: Achieving Retail Bottom line and Great Customer Experience were also discussed in the second day of the conference.

Public Notice 22

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

JOHN VICTOR FOUNDATION

EDUCATION DIALOGUE ASSOCIATION

GRACE AND PEACE CHRISTIAN MISSION

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

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named ASSOCIATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 Trustees are 1. Prof. FABUNMI Martins 2. Dr. ISAH, Emmanuel Aileonokhuoya 3. Dr. Mrs. FABUNMI Beatrice Ayodeji 4. Dr. BABAJIDE Veronica Folasade 5. Miss FABUNMI Omohowa.

Aims & Objectives 1. To Provide educational service through research programmes.

2. To assist in the building human capacity by conducting seminars 3. To create Executive Capacity Development through Customized training and retraining programmes.

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

SIGNED BY BARR. OLUFEMI EGBEYEMI

The General Public is hereby notified that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990 TRUSTEES 1. PASTOR EKPENYONG SUNDAY........ CHAIRMAN 2. OKON INNOCENT MICAH....................VICE CHAIRMAN 3. SUNDAY ABRAHAM EKPENYONG.........GEN. SECRETARY 4. IBBI WAMBA ILIYA..................................FIN.SECRETARY 5. HARRISON ALICE RUBEN....................TREASURER 6. UDOH FRIDAY........................................P.R.O 7. ERIOKPE FIDELIS GEORGE..............ASST.GEN. SECRETARY AIMS/OBJECTIVES 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST 2. BUILDING GRACIOUS AND PEACEFUL SAINTS 3. TO PREPARE THE SAINTS FOR RAPTURE Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed PASTOR EKPENYONG SUNDAY CHAIRMAN BOARD OF TRUSTEES

THE JESUS LAID FOUNDATION MISSION WORLD-WIDE

HISBLOOD END TIME MINISTRY

TRUSTEES 1. OKORO PATIENCE 2. OKORO JOHN CHIBUZOR 3. OKORO VICTOR CHUKWUDIKE AIMS & OBJECTIVES 1. To reach out and assist the less privileged in the society by counseling financially, economically, emotionally and spiritually Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SINGED BY SECRETRY

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE:(1) CHINEDUM ZADOK GENERAL OVERSEER (2) PRECIOUS AMAKA ZADOK (3) OKAFOR EMMANUEL CHUKWENDU (4) OKOLI NELSON TOCHUKWU THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:1. To preach and propagate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. To mobilize and train believers for the great harvest 3. To organize interdenominational crusade that would foster love in Christian Community Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED BY:- GENERAL OVERSEER

This is to notify the General public that the above named Ministry has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission, for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Cap. 59, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004.

THE TRUSTEES ARE:1. PROPHETESS (MRS) BLESSING CHIGOZIE UGBESHE 2. FAITH NEBA UGBESHE 3. ANENE PATRICK IWORISHA CHRISTOPHER 4. DAVID IKOR-ISHOR UGBESHE 5. PASTOR TOYIN PRAISE 6. JOSHUA NMON-ISHOR UGBESHE 7. AMAECHI EPHRAIM EBERECHUKWU 8. PROPHET ADENIYI ADEDAPO OLUSEGUN THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE:1. To preach the full gospel of Jesus Christ with an infallible proofs all over the world.

2. To raise up a formidably militant army of Christ for the end-time harvest of souls into God’s kingdom.

3. To bring many sons unto glory through teaching, preaching and healing ministries as the LORD of the harvest has appointed.

Any objection to this application should be forwarded to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication Signed By:- Barr. Angela Adigwe

JESUS WARRIOS PRAYING MINISTRY

MECO LITTLE HELP INITIATIVE

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

TRUSTEES 1. EZE GODSWILL FRIDAY 2. EZE JOY NDIDIAMAKA 3. EZE IJEOMA MERCY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. TO ENBACK ON EVANGELICAL MISSION AND PROGRAMMERS THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, TO WIN SOULS FOR THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AND PREPARE THE SAINTS FOR THE SECOND COMING OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST 2. TO ORGANISE PRAYER MEETINGS, ESTABLISH PRAYER CAMPS AND CONDUCT PRAYER SESSIONS ON ANY MATTER AT ANY PLACE AND AT ANY ADEQUATE PERIOD. 3. TO PROPAGATE THE WORLD OF GOD AND TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: EZE GODSWILL FRIDAY

GREAT ZION CLUB OF NIGERIA The General Public is hereby notified that the above named ASSOCIATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part C of Companies and Allied Matters act 1990.

Trustees are: 1. MR. ODUFU KIZITO – CHAIRMAN 2. MR. KOYA ADEBANJO – VICE-CHAIRMAN 3. MR. MICHAEL IHEKIRE – SECRETARY 4. MR. OLAKUNLE PETERS – ASST. SECRETARY 5. MR. JAMES ANELE – FINANCIAL SECRETARY 6. MR. FELIX MUOKONYE – TREASURER 7. MR. BIMBO AYODEJI – P.R.O 8. MR. EZENWA VINCENT – PROTOCOL OFFICER 9. MR. YOMI ANIFOWOSHE – PROVOST AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To enhance and engender unity amongst Great Zion Club of Nigeria resident in Lagos 2. To give moral and material supports to any member in difficulty, who qualifies for such by the provisions in the constitution.

3. To promote peace in Great Zion Club of Nigeria in general.

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

Signed: Hon. Hope Anyim Esq. Hopewell & Co. 210 Ikorodu Road, Palm – Grove, Lagos.

AFRICAN MISSIONARY OUTREACH INTERNATIONAL Members Board of Trustee: 1. Bishop Solomon O.M Ogbevire; International President.

2. Rev Dr Christy Maimuna; National President Nigeria Chapter.

3. Rev Emmanuel Omophorikpe; National Secretary.

4. Apostle Chidi Memeh; National Director for Missions.

5. Bishop Joshua Abiodun; National Director of Projects.

6. Rev Dr Goodman Ubi; National Director for Church Development.

7. Rev Eugene Okworogun Unukpo; National Treasure.

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

Signed: Secretary

THE TRUSTEE ARE: 1. Njoku Emeka Joseph 2. Nnaemezie Jekwu Obi. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1) To see to the welfare of the motherless babies.

2) To assist young youths by providing cheap accommodation for them and give them the opportunity monthly without passing through Agents and other fees.

3) To visit and see to the welfare of prisoner and needy.

Signd Ezeogbuefi F.A. For: Gauduim Solicitors

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

TRUSTEES 1. REV. OMOJOLA ROTIMI ADEREMILEKUN - PRESIDENT 2. REV. OMOJOLA STELLA BOLATITO OLUWATOYIN – VICE PRESIDENT 3. PASTOR FATOBA OLORUNESAN ISREAL – SECRETARY 4. MR. NUBI MICHAEL OLUKAYODE – ELDER 5. OMOJOLA ROTIMI ADEDEJI – ASS. SECRETARY AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To preach the gospel of our lord jesus christ 2. To set the captive free from their bondage 3. To spread the new of his coming back to the whole world Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: SECRETARY

OKE–ODO HIGH SCHOOL STAFF WELFARE RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TRUSTEES 1 FATAI ABEL AKINNIFESI 2 OLATUNBOSUN JELILI ADEGBOLA 3 ADEOLA FUNMILOLA 4 OLUREMI OLUMUYIWA SEGUN 5 AKINNUBI ILESANMI SAMUEL AIM 1. TO PROMOTE THE WELFARE AND GENERAL WELL BEING OF MEMBERS 2 2. TO SUPERINTED AND MANAGE THE ESTATE Signed: secretary

BISINI-LAHI-TAHALAH ISLAMIC FOUNDATION

MORENIKE FADEYI FAITH FOUNDATION

The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990.

Trustees: 1. Monsurudeen Jimoh Bamidele 2. Yusuff Abati 3. Akinlade Teslim Temilola 4. Bankole Aremu Olawale 5. Izuafa Shuaib Saliu Aim & objective: 1. To propagate Islam Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi-Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Trustees.

This is to inform the general public that the above named Foundation has applied for additional Trustees registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 2014.

OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Festus Alani Fadeyi 2. Juliana Olayinka Fadeyi.

FOR CHANGE OF TRUSTEES OF SCHOENSTATT FATHERS NIGERIA

SALVAGE FOR DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVE

The general public hereby notified that the above named Schoenstatt Fathers Nigeria has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for Change of Trustees under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act. Cap 59 Law of the Federation of Nigeria 1990.

OLD TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REVD. FATHER ALFRED KISTLER - Removed 2. REVD. FATHER KLAUS DESCH - Retained as Vice President 3. BRO. CHARLES OZIOKO - Removed NEW TRUSTEES ARE: 1. REV. FR. KINGSLEY OKEREKE - Newly Appointed as President 2. REV. FR. CLAUDIUS UWAOMA - Newly Appointed as Secretary General 3. REV. FR. REGINALD IBE - Newly Appointed as a member 4. REV. FR. PAUL NWACHUKWU - Newly Appointed as a member The Aims and Objectives are remained the same.

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

Signed: Kayode Ali Balogun Counsel to the Trustees

ADDITIONAL TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Steven Femi Fadeyi, 2. Mr. Jason Toyin Fadeyi 3. Mrs. Connie Bukola Fadeyi-Ogundare.

Any objection to this registration should forward to the Registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Area 11,Garki, Abuja, within 28 days of the publication.

Signed: Secretary

This is to inform the general public that the above named PROFESSIONAL GROUP has applied for registration under part “C” of the companies and Allied Matters Act of 1990.

The Trustees are; 1. DR GARBA MUHAMMED TAMBARI 2. TAYO AKINMADE AYINDE 3. ARIBO OLAYATO 4. AJAYI PETER OMOTAYO Aim and objective of the group is; To bridge the gap between the government and the governed.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrar General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Trustees

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

L-R: Group Managing Director, Forcefield Group, Mrs. Yinka Dosunmu; Operations Manager of Kevank Nigeria Limited, Mr. Kunle Ipaye; Group Head, Admin & Facilities Management of First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mrs. Wunmi Abiodun; Team Leader, CSR and Sustainability of the Bank, Mrs. Temitayo Ade-Peters and Managing Director of Queensbridge Limited, Mrs. Abiola Sanni, during a forum on sustainability organised by the bank for its vendors held in Lagos… on Monday

Okorocha solicits support for Buhari Val Okara Owerri

ÏÏÏGovernor

Rochas Okorocha of Imo State again, on Monday, distanced the South East Governors and other Igbo leaders from the pro-Biafra agitation, saying that the Igbo cannot use the separatist platform to attract infrastructural development to the zone.

Okorocha, who made observations during a breakfast briefing with media practitioners in the state at the Government House, Owerri, said that Ndigbo should not be seen antagonising other section of the country (zone), but engaged in mutual co-operation in order to be in the mainstream of the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led federal govern-

ment.

“The Igbos will not use the agitation for Biafra as a platform to negotiate the place of Ndigbo or Igbo Agenda, but will support the Buhari administration to attract the dividends of democracy”.

“We should try to jettison religious sentiments in our thinking and support President Buhari. The Igbo will not use Biafra as a front, so we condemn those agitating for Biafra because that is not Ndigbo need”.

Okorocha extend an olive branch to some leaders of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, including the former governors, Chief Achike Udemwa, Chief Ikedi Ohakim and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representa-

tives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, to join hands with him to rebuild the state and attract federal government presence in the state.

He described as untrue that his administration had concessioned every government parastatal, saying that, only seven state governments-owned unproductive parastatals had been concessioned.

On the health sector, Okorocha disclosed that investors from Israeli and India had takeover the management of all the 11 (eleven) General Hospitals and Health Centres in the state for effective management.

According to him, civil service is only a conduit pipe and as such his administrative had paid the sum of N60 billion to workers in

the state for the past former years, but had nothing to show on the huge sum paid to workers.

“We are not owing any worker in Imo State except the health workers who had rejected their salaries because of the new salary adjustment where some of their allowances were scrapped. We believe that they (workers) still have sufficient money in their banks”.

Okorocha

Friday Mosque blast: Eight students confirmed dead in Adamawa Tom Garba

Yola

ÏÏÏIt was a black day for

the community of Adamawa State Polytechnic, two weeks ago, when a bomb was detonated by a suicide bomber in a mosque situated in the school premises.

Now following the update of the incident, the authority of the tertiary institution, on Monday, confirmed that a total of eight students of the school died in the October 24 blast.

The blast took place during the opening ceremony of a Juma'at Mosque located at the School of Engineering of the institution in Jambutu.

The clarification was made through a press release signed by the information officer of the institution, Albert B. Matilah, and made available to newsmen on Monday.

Matilah noted that, so far, out of the 25 casualties, only four students and two

staff were currently on hospital admission.

He noted that in the aftermath of the bomb blast, security around all campuses of the institution was beefed as a thorough search was conducted on every one entering the school.

Matilah noted that as a result if the blast, the school authority has declared October 25 and 26 2015 as lecture-free days in honour of the dead students, just as it pledged to

assists victims on admission in the specialist Hospital and Federal Medical Center, Yola, in addition to free medical treatment by the institution's health insurance providers. He urged the students to be security conscious while on the campus and report any suspicious person or items.

The school authority also promised to identify and pay condolence visits on the families of the dead students.

23 News

Lions Club elects new president Maria Anifowose

ÏÏÏThe

International Association of Lions Club, Ilupeju District, has its 34th president. The investiture, which was held at Evenki Restaurant, G.R.A. Ikeja, Lagos, also featured a fundraising event.

The new President, Lion Oluwaseyi Micheal Akinade, said, “True happiness comes not from what you get, but from what you give,” quoting the words of Mother Theresa. He emphasised

Lagos Assembly increases committees Alade Tasma

ÏÏÏLagos

State House of Assembly, on Monday, increased its standing committees from 24 to 30 to enhance efficiency.

The move was sequel to a motion moved by the Majorıty Leader, Hon. Sanai Agunbiade, who said it was pursuant to the House Resolution dated Tuesday 16th June, 2015. A sevenman Adhoc Committee was set up with a mandate to review the business rules and standing orders with a view to breaking the bigger committees to enhance efficiency.

Agunbiade, who is the Chairman of the Adhoc Committee, further revealed that shortly after the constitution of the

that the sole vision which the Lions International Club was committed to was “Helping the Needy”, which is what he intended to press during his tenure as the President of the Ilupeju Lions Club (District 404B-2).

He further stated that, “I stand before you all, to say that I have accepted the responsibility to serve as the 34th President of my enviable club Ilupeju Lions Club. In so doing, I will not only be responsible and responsive, I will also give my time, talent and treasure in order to embark on charitable projects that will enhance our community positively.” committee, the Governor announced via an executive order ”N0.EO/AA 01 of 2015" changes in the composition , duties and nomenclature of some Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) of the state.

He explaıned that the changes in the ministerial responsibilities and nomenclature of the affected MDAs, informed the consequential changes in the oversight functions of corresponding House Committees.

Agunbiade maintained that the ratification by way of resolution would enable the House constitute the new committees.

BALOGUN OLADIMEJI LUQMAN FIMIHAN

Formerly OLADIMEJI LUQMAN FIMIHAN, Now BALOGUN OLADIMEJI LUQMAN FIMIHAN. Former documents remain valid general public please note.

TOOBOR, BEAUTY NUNAAELBABARI

ODUNLAMI OLUWATOSIN OLANREWAJU

Formerly MBEA, BEAUTY NUNAAELBABARI, Now TOOBOR, BEAUTY NUNAAELBABARI. Former documents remain valid general public please note.

Formerly MISS OJELABI OLUWATOSIN OLANREWAJU, Now MRS ODUNLAMI OLUWATOSIN OLANREWAJU. Former documents remain valid general public please note.

BORN TO WIN CHRISTIAN CENTRE The general public is hereby notified that the above named NGO have applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission For registration under Part C of the Company and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. ITOHAN IRORO 2. MR. DAVIS ALERU 3. MRS. TITILAYO AYOOLA 4. OSAMUDIAMEN GREGORY IRORO 5. IROGHAMA VIVIAN IRORO AIMS & OBJECTIVES 1.To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ 2. To help the youth discover, develop and release their potential 3. To give support to mission works and evangelism.

4. To assist the less privilege in the society.

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

HAZON SOLICITORS 08068156039.

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Protect your votes in Kogi, Bayelsa polls, PDP charges members Lateef Ibrahim, Bureau Chief Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Peoples Democrat-

ic Party (PDP) has charged its members and supporters to be on the alert and ready to defend their votes in forthcoming elections, especially the November 21 and December 5 governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states, respectively.

The opposition party made the call, on Monday, in a statement by its National

Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, in Abuja.

It explained that the call had become necessary following the continuous violation of electoral rules and intimidation of opposition by the APC-led Federal Government, as manifested in the conduct of the Borno Central Senatorial bye-election, which was won by the candidate of the APC. The PDP maintained that the bye-election “falls short of all acceptable standards

and was characterised by high-level manipulations by the APC, which used compromised electoral officers and security forces to muscle votes in its favour.”

It added, “We have repeatedly alerted Nigerians that our democracy is under threat in the hands of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led APC government.

Last Saturday’s Borno Central Senatorial bye-election, where compromised electoral officials and security

forces were brazenly used to intimidate the electorate and write votes for the APC, has brought this to the fore.

“This barefaced rape on our democracy is completely unacceptable and must not be allowed to continue in the country.

“In the light of this, therefore, the national leadership of the PDP charges all our members and supporters across the country, especially in Kogi and Bayelsa states to be on the alert ahead of

L-R: Acting Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Trade and Investment, Mr. Mohammed Badamosi; General Manager ,Regional Operations MTN Nigeria, Mr. Adekunle Adebiyi; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BTG Exhibitions Limited, Mr. Ifeanyi Agwu, during the 17th Abuja International Motor Fair in Abuja… recently.

Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN

20 convicted in Ekiti for sanitation offences Gbenga Sodeinde Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏTwenty

people have been convicted for flouting the State Environmental Sanitation laws in Ado-Ekiti during the October edition of the monthly environmental sanitation exercise in Ekiti State.

The convicts who appeared before Magistrate Modupe Afeniforo were sen-

tenced to jail terms ranging from one to two months for not participating in the exercise, as well as dumping refuse on the road medians and drainages.

They were, however, given options of paying between N1, 000 and N2, 500 as fines in lieu of the prison sentences.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Bisi Kolawole,

noted that the development would serve as a deterrence to those that hitherto had ignored the call to actively participate in the monthly exercise, stressing that it would definitely boost compliance with the directive to keep the environment clean.

Kolawole said that the house-to- house sanitation inspection and prosecution of culprits had commenced.

According to him, there

would be no sacred cow as no landlord that contravened the sanitary laws would be spared, since the special court set up to try offenders would continue to sit twice a week in the state capital.

He expressed satisfaction with the level of compliance so far recorded with the onehouse, one-toilet policy as landlords had started heeding the directive.

Proposed national carrier unnecessary – Arik Air MD Ogunyemi Esther

ÏÏÏ The Managing Direc-

tor of Arik Air, Mr. Chris Ndulue, has said that the proposed plan of the Federal Government to re-establish a national carrier for the country few years after the liquidation of the former, Nigeria Airways was unnecessary, but commended the government for rejecting further devaluation of naira

against major global currencies.

Speaking with aviation correspondents at the airline’s headquarters, at the Murtala Muhammed Airport, MMA, Lagos, on Monday, during the ninth-year anniversary of the airline, Ndulue insisted that rather than establish another national carrier for the nation, government should build on

the existing ones.

He said, “I do not believe that government needs to start setting up an airline just to call it a national carrier. I think we have to build on what we have already in place. By the grace of God, we are still growing.”

On the exchange rate, he lamented that the sharp drop of the country’s currency was having an untold

effect on players in the sector.

He noted that most transactions in aviation were import-based and lauded the government for jettisoning the idea of naira devaluation.

He however hoped that in the next few months, the naira would be stable, while players in the airline subsector would benefit more.

the November 21 and December 5 governorship elections and use every lawful means as citizens of Nigeria to protect their votes and ensure that no one, no matter the force or manipulation, is allowed to subvert the will of the people.

“As a party that nurtured and sustained democracy and the unity of the country for 16 years, during which we strengthened the safety net of ‘one man, one vote’, we in-

sist that the sanctity of the ballot box and the overall electoral process must be upheld at all levels and at all times.

Metuh

Ambode appoints ex-AIG, Olakpe LASTMA CEO Oyetubo Olabimpe

ÏÏÏIn a bid to revamp the

Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for improved performance and better relations with the public, Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, on Monday, approved the appointment of retired Assistant Inspector General of Police, Mr. Christian Akioja Olakpe, as the new Chief Executive Officer of the agency.

The Appointment of Olakpe, according to a statement signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Habib Aruna, was in response to the consistent complaints by the public on the situation of traffic on the streets of Lagos.

Olakpe’s wealth of experience was said to have sold him for the new appointment. Ambode, it would be recalled, had approved the

appointment of a new General Manager for the agency, but the decision to appoint a seasoned former AIG as its CEO was further said to have been necessitated owing to the fact that the impetus expected with the previous appointment was not fully actualized.

Olakpe is a graduate of Sociology and Anthropology from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka and the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies, Kuru, Jos. He joined the Nigeria Police Force in 1982 and traversed various commands including Bayelsa and Plateau where he served as Commissioner of Police.

He was also the Deputy Commandant of the Police Academy, Kano and Commissioner of Police of the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Lagos.

Okojie advocates privatesector-driven health sector Augustine Okezie

Abuja ÏÏÏThe Executive Secretary of the National Universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, has called on the government to overhaul the health sector and ensure that it was private-sector driven and adequately funded to enable it address the nation’s health challenges, and stem the tide of medical tourism.

Okojie, who made the call, on Monday, in Abuja, while declaring open a three-day workshop on the review of Academic Benchmarks for Medicine organised for Provosts of Colleges of Medicines of universities and allied tertiary institutions in the country, called for a regular impact assessment

visits to teaching hospitals and health facilities to ensure their functionality and efficiency He said, “Universities should be provided with minimum academic standards, and with constant improvements we can bring in new ideas into the system. We will work every reasonable stakeholder to ensure the system work. Impact assessment visits to health facilities is key.

Similarly, teaching hospitals should share in the NgREN technology and access.”

The keynote speaker, Professor Eugene Okpere said the workshop was designed to bring together health academics and practitioners to rob minds on how to improve the teaching and learning of medicine in Nigeria.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

L-R: An internally displaced, Mr. James Mamman; Executive Director, Abuja and Northern Directorate, Skye Bank Plc, Mr. Idris Yakubu; another displaced person, Mr. Moses Shehu; Head of the displaced Chibok community, Mallam Alhassan Idris; Skye Bank's Head of Human Capital Management, Mr. Taiwo Olupeka and others during the distribution of relief materials to the displaced persons at Kuje by Skye Bank employees …on Monday.

25 News

1, 000 quack lawyers operating illegally, says NBA ’Tosin Ajuwo Akure

North-East: Stakeholders demand effective disaster alleviation structure

ÏÏÏAbout 1, 000 fake lawyers have been identified by the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) through its stamp policy launched on the April 15 this year, the association disclosed on Monday.

Mr. Akintokunbo Oluwole, a Vice-President of the association (NBA) made the disclosure in his address delivered at the special court sitting to mark the 2015/2016 legal year in Ondo State.

Oluwole said the fake lawyers, who had also devised means of scuttling the implementation of the stamp policy, had become a threat to the legal profession.

Oluwaseyi fadoro

Andrew Orolua

ÏÏÏA call has been made

for a more effective disaster management structure in the North-East geo-political zone of the country, as it fights the Boko Haram terrorists.

The call was made by stakeholders in the management of humanitarian crisis at the of a two-day engagement forum in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The forum, tagged: “North-East Humanitarian Multi-Stakeholder Engagement (NEHMSE 2015)” with the theme ‘Co-ordination, Communication and Co-operation’, was held at the behest of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), in collaboration with the Office of the VicePresident and Borno State Government, with the aim of ensuring that activities of local and international

humanitarian actors were well co-ordinated, monitored and evaluated, to avoid duplication of efforts and waste of resources.

The forum pointed out that there was an urgent need to strengthen the existing disaster management structure in the country.

In a communiqué jointly signed by representatives of the Office of the Vice-President, International and Local non-governmental organisations, Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies, as well as security agencies, the forum agreed that co-ordination of humanitarian efforts by the lead government agencies needed to be developed to fit into the overall co-ordination mechanism of the country.

The stakeholders opined that State Emergency Management Agencies and rel-

evant bodies were not as effective and visible in some states during emergencies and needed to be strengthened to work effectively.

They also harped on a need for better management of communication in emergency situations, just as they recommended a need for regulations, as well as standards for monitoring, evaluating and transparency.

The communiqué read: “The National Planning Commission (NPC) is the point of entry for international NGOs and the United Nations system, while NEMA and SEMA are entry points for local humanitarian actors. There are frameworks for co-operation of relevant stakeholders, which needs to be strengthened. The needs of the country have to be harmonised with individual

organisations’ operational plan, while the regulation of national and international non-governmental organisations is carried out

by National Planning Commission and NEMA” Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo had, while declaring open the forum, commended the stakeholders for their efforts at proffering solutions to the humanitarian crisis being faced by displaced persons in the north-eastern region of the country.

He said the region had suffered tremendously in the past six years as a result of destruction of its infrastructure, farmlands, businesses, and trades, adding that “rebuilding, restoring and rehabilitation will cost money and time. But neither money nor time can fix the trauma of loss of family, relations and friends.

Make political office less attractive, Paseda urges Buhari Abiodun Taiwo Abeokuta

ÏÏÏThe

Ogun State governorship candidate of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the last general elections, Otunba Olatunde Rotimi Paseda, has berated political leaders in the country for their over zealousness and lack of continuity in the style of governance.

Paseda stressed that, Nigeria’s politicians were not matured enough to be managing the nurtured democracy gained by the earliest

nationalists like Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Alh. Tafawa Balewa and others.

The business merchant cum politician who addressed journalists at the 31st Sagamu Day Celebration, held at Makun High School, Sagamu, Ogun State, said the way political gladiators in the country were practicing democracy did not portray Nigeria as a developing country, and worthy to be called “the giant of Africa”.

“I totally disagree with

the way politics is being played in Nigeria. My style of politics differs from what is being played out among our political gladiators in the country today.

“Governance is a continuum. It does not matter who or which party that comes in, we must be able to bridge the lapses of the outgone government, rather than deface or discontinue past administrations’ projects.

“It is a mockery of our style of governance and turning it into shambles,

thus making us a laughing stock before the outside world.”

The Omu-Ijebu prince, therefore, applauded President Muhammadu Buhari for his bold step towards ensuring stable economy for the country, urging him to make politics less competitive and unprofitable for political office holders.

He said this would stabilise and balance the polity, as only politicians who were ready to serve the country selflessly would show interest.

Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Deputy Baba Ala-

dura, Eternal Sacred Order of Cherubim and Seraphim Worldwide, His Eminence Elder David Bob-Manuel, has called for prayers for world peace, stressing that the world needed prayer intercession to minimise its numerous crises.

Elder Bob-Manuel also enjoined Nigerians not to relent in prayers for the country and her leaders.

He said that if the country

He noted that the issue of quacks among lawyers which had become a cankerworm had already forayed into the cherished bar profession.

The Ondo State Chief Justice, Olasehinde Kumuyi, said many of the discoveries were made during the industrial action embarked upon by the judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN).

Kumuyi revealed that top on the discoveries was affidavit forgery noting that dubious individuals now carved out personal stamps for themselves.

He lamented the issuance of the forged affidavits to unsuspecting members of the public whom, he said, always fall victims of such.

Cleric urges prayers for world peace must be out of the woods and advance in all spheres of life her citizens must not only be up and doing, but be constantly in prayers.

He stated this on Sunday in Abuja at the 19th Adoption Thanksgiving Service of Abuja Province and Headquarters Annex of the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim.

CJN bags NJI Fellowship Award Andrew Orolua

Abuja ÏÏÏThe Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Mahmud Mohammed was, on Monday, in Abuja, conferred with the prestigious Fellowship Award of the National Judicial Institute (NJI) for his outstanding contributions to the development of the judiciary in his 31 years on the bench.

The award of a Fellowship of the National Judicial Institute is the highest recognition of distinction by the Nigerian Judiciary and was conferred on him at the Supreme Court complex along with another Justice of the Apex Court, Justice Walter Samuel Nkanu Onnoghen.

Speaking after the award conferment, the CJN remarked that with the honour, he and his colleague have again been charged and challenged to continue

to serve the country’s judiciary to the best of their abilities.

He pledged to reciprocate the gesture by throwing his full support to the judicial institute in its drive to provide professional capacity building and qualitative continuing judicial education to members of the judiciary.

The CJN recalled that he had been on the bench for the past 31` years during which he had seen many highs and lows but admitted that the conferment of the fellowship award was one of the highlights of his career as a judicial officer.

Mohammed

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Law Æ s

Akpedeye

Laws guiding legal education should be updated— Akpedeye Dafe Akpedeye, a Senior Advocate and former Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Delta state in this interview with PETER FOWOYO, gave a graphic analysis of academic performance of the law students and concluded that except drastic measure is taken to revive the fallen standard of education, the country might be the worse for it.

A large percentage of students failed the 2015 final Bar examination. What do you think is responsible?

The Council of Legal Education has released the results of both the Bar Final Resit examinations held in April 2015 and the Bar Final examinations for regular students conducted in May 2015 in which a total of 5588 candidates sat for the exams out of which 1805 candidates failed the exams. 2,736 students participated in the Bar final resit examinations for the 2014/2015 school year. Of this number, 1,648 students were declared successful at the exams, 98 students secured conditional pass, while a total of 990 students failed. The April results according to the law school DG translates to 60% pass, 3.6% conditional pass and 36.2% failure rate. For the May 2015 Bar Final Examinations conducted

for the regular students, 2,852 took part in the examinations out of which 4 candidates made a first class, 109 candidates made Second Class Upper, 418 candidates made Second Class Lower, 1,422 got Pass, while 83 others secured Conditional Pass and 815 failed the exams. This translates to 68.5% Pass, 2.9% Conditional Pass and 28.6% failure rate.

Previous Director-Generals of the school, have raised alarm over the falling standard of legal education in the country and the high failure rates being recorded in the bar exams. Even the Vice President Prof. Yemi Osinbajo has drawn attention to this development. In the last five years, with the exception of the 2013 set that posted impressive performance, results of the Law School examinations have returned high number of failures, raising serious questions on the curriculum, teaching methods and capacities

of individual students.

In my view, it is a reflection of the dwindling nature of the educational system in the country, legal education inclusive. The steady decline is alarming. Anyone that has been a student in a Nigerian university and the Nigerian Law School can attest to the marked contrast in the systems of these different educational institutions. The rigor experienced at the law school is second to known. The course are packed and rushed, the students barely have time for a breather before they are shipped out for the mandatory law office and court attachments, where in most cases they undergo certainly strenuous and energy-sapping tasks that further eats into their precious time needed for preparing for the bar exams.

Various factors have been adduced for this decline. These include lack of consistency on

‘‘Legal education does not end in the Law School. There is also a need for mandatory continuing legal education for even practicing lawyers. I would advise the NBA to take a cue from the practice in other climes where continuing legal education is mandatory and ensure that all lawyers take part in some form of continuing professional development. ‘‘ the part of both NUC and CLE in ensuring compliance with the Benchmark Minimum Academic Standards for law in Nigerian universities and other stipulated requirements by the Council for Legal Education; excessive admission of students, which is often not based on merit or candidates’ scores in the university matriculation examinations; grossly dishonest methods adopted by some universities/law faculties to secure accreditation when they are yet to meet the minimum requirements in terms of staff mix, facilities, student-staff ratio, library etc. stipulated by both NUC and CLE; poor quality and scope of the teaching and learning processes and poor funding/financing of education (legal education inclusive) in Nigeria. The falling standard of legal education has also been blamed on the lack of discipline on the part of the students.

What is the way out of this problem?

The Council of Legal Education (CLE) is the statutory body charged with the responsibility of ensuring standards in the teaching and learning of legal education. To arrest this development, I call on members of the council to ensure that the necessary restructuring and re-organization of the legal education is put in place so as to bring it to par with international standard. I urge them to immediately under-

take a review of the curriculum of Law Faculties and the Nigerian Law School. Efforts need to be geared towards developing a plan of action and strategic implementation framework to address the factors identified above, responsible for the falling standards of legal education. Also, the laws guiding legal education in Nigeria needed to be updated to reflect the demands of the time.

Legal education does not end in the Law School. There is also a need for mandatory continuing legal education for even practicing lawyers. I would advise the NBA to take a cue from the practice in other climes where continuing legal education is mandatory and ensure that all lawyers take part in some form of continuing professional development.

Do you support the clamour that Public declaration of assets should be made compulsory?

Provisions on the declaration of assets by all public officers in Nigeria are entrenched in the Constitution. Also one of the most important provisions of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers contained in Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the 1999 Nigerian Constitution relates to the declaration of assets. By paragraph 11 of the Code, every public officer shall immediately after taking office and thereafter, at the end of his term of office, submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his spouse and unmarried children under the age of 18 years. It goes on to list those considered public servants for the purposes of the Code of Conduct.

The law is clear on the matter. Public Officers are expected to declare their assets. However it is silent on whether such declaration should be announced or published by the maker. This lacuna inadvertently has given room to different interpretations by different persons on the issue.

Although they are not obligated by law to do so, public officers have gone ‘public’ on their assets declaration. This has in turn put pressure on others to do so.

Over the years in Nigeria, corruption and the massive mismanagement of public funds have been the order of the day.

Public officers treat the national and state coffers as their private fiefdom. Funds which ought to be for infrastructural and other social developments find their way into public pockets. The necessity

Continued on page 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Purification of system, not special court can curb corruption — Akpedeye Continued from page 26 for public declaration of assets cannot be over-emphasized. The main aim of income and asset declaration is to combat corruption. In a number of cases, information published in asset declarations has led to the exposure of substantial unjust enrichment in several countries. Those countries with detailed disclosure requirements have experienced a reduction in corruption. There is now a growing trend toward requiring financial disclosure by government officials, including publication of asset declarations, in order to combat corruption, foster public confidence in government, and encourage foreign investment. That is what the Freedom of Information Act is for. It is expected that the Code of Conduct Bureau will uphold the requirement of FOI, by making this information available to Nigerians who request for it.

How do you see the refusal of the People’s Democratic Party to display Buhari’s portrait in the party secretariat.

Is this a breach of the constitution?

The constitution does not provide for the hanging of the President’s portrait, however, it is the civic duty of all Nigerians to hang up the portraits in public places as a mark of respect for constituted authority. Convention requires that whatever public place within the area where a person is President, his picture must be seen, whether it is provided by the law or not.

Do you agree with the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC that corrupt officials should face death penalty?

Though the current level of corruption in Nigeria is so high

that it calls for drastic measures I do not believe the death penalty for corrupt public officials is the way to go. The Death penalty has been imposed on armed robbers since 1970. Has it stop robbery?

Capital punishment has not served as deterrent for crime and I do not believe it will do so now.

Furthermore I share the views of the NBA President, Augustine Alegeh SAN, that that government should evolve pragmatic measures to prevent people from looting the treasury. In corruption cases, the focus is on recovering of the money. Let us recover that money and use it to develop our country and not to kill the man.

Do you support the establishment of Special courts to try corrupt public officials?

Corruption has remained in the front burner of various discuss within and outside the country as an impediment to Nigeria’s development. It is against this backdrop that there is the need for concerted efforts to effectively curb the menace of corruption from our society. The reason special courts are being advocated is the failure of the court system to facilitate prompt prosecution of suspects. However my question to the proponents of the special courts is Will the Country import a different set of lawyers and judges to try the offenders? Since it may not be easy to change the system because perfect humans exist nowhere, the best bet is to purify the system. The Judiciary occupies a fundamental position in the fight against corruption as such remaking the judicial process should be a cardinal point in the reformation process. Our courts can be structured in such a way that it is more efficient and effective in the administration and dispensation of justice. We

27 Law

Akpedeye

also need to protect our judges and empower them. They also need to undergo trainings. We must also fund the judiciary and make it more independent. This also goes for the institutions created to fight corruption. Merely playing lip service to this is not enough.

Recently, lawmakers who are lawyers in the Senate and the House of Representatives said they should be considered for the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). What’s is your take?

The Award of the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is a privilege awarded by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who are in full time legal practice; have distinguished themselves as advocates or academic and have made significant contribution to the development of the legal profession in Nigeria. It is the equivalent of the rank of Queen’s Counsel in the United Kingdom, from which Nigeria adopted the rank. Over the years, the title of Senior Advocate of Nigeria has been conferred on lawyers who have practiced for at least 10 ten years and also distinguished themselves through exemplary performances in advocacy. It is also conferred on top-notch law teachers.

One of the criteria to be met for the award of the rank is that the candidate must be a legal practitioner called to the Bar and practicing in Nigeria as an advocate and must have been in active current legal practice for at least 10 years immediately preceding the date of application. Some of the lawmakers who are advocating for the conferment of the rank on lawmakers have been in the National Assembly for a long time

and have been out of active legal practice during this period. The fact that they make laws which lawyers in active practice apply does not qualify them or the title.

They are in the national assembly to enact laws for the peace order and good government of Nigeria. That is the task of lawmakers not to be hankering for honorific titles reserved for practitioner. After their tenures in office and they are back to active practice of law, then they can apply for the conferment of the rank.

Are you satisfied with the number of law lecturers awarded the rank of SAN in recent time.

As stated earlier the rank of Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) is a privilege awarded by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee as a mark of excellence to members of the legal profession who are in full time legal practice; have distinguished themselves as advocates or academic and have made significant contribution to the development of the legal profession in Nigeria.

The Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee may in appropriate circumstances, appoint an academic who has distinguished himself and has made substantial contribution to legal scholarship and jurisprudence through teaching, research and published works in any Nigerian University, Research Institute, Nigerian Law School and other recognized institutions. There are certain criteria to be met and if a lecturer meets this why not. A lot of academics have contributed to the development of the law through their publications and the training they give to law students in the course of their career.

The National Assembly is in process of enacting a law that gives immunity to lawmakers.

How do you see this.

Plans by the National Assembly to give lawmakers immunity from prosecution is a setback for transparency, accountability and the rule of law. The problem with such immunity in Nigeria is the fact that we are a country, or a people notorious for flagrant disregard for rule of law. We do not respect any law. In fact, Nigerians believe that when a law is made, it is meant to be broken.

This is why if parliamentary immunity is granted, the level of abuse, judging by the behaviour of our legislators, will be immense. I have no doubt that such immunity conferred on them will be further used to intimidate the citizenry and their political opponents.

The IBA conference has come and gone, what lessons shall we learn from the conference?

The IBA conference was held from the 4th -9th of October in Vienna Austria. The conference was well organized and over 6,000 persons were in attendance. As usual, a large contingent of Nigerian lawyers was in attendance.

But the heavy population of Nigerian lawyers has no impact on the stature that the Nigerian delegation ought to enjoy. I say the time has come for a rethink. It is indeed sad that Nigerians continue to attend the IBA conferences yet the impact is not felt at home.

We come back and it is business as usual. We go and listen to how lawyers in other climes have gone ahead to improve the laws in their countries and then we come home and sit and wait for another year to pass so we can attend the next IBA conference.

The time has come to close the gap that exists between our legal system and other climes if we hope to compete effectively in the global market.

28

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

UEFA: KOMPANY

fumes over Man City sanctions

Jose Mourinho has led Chelsea to their worst ever Premier League start

V

MOURINHO

faces Chelsea sack–Cascarino

T

ony Cascarino says Jose Mourinho is facing the “biggest week of his career” and believes the Chelsea manager’s reign at the club will come to an end if he loses his next two matches.

Chelsea were condemned to their sixth defeat in 11 Premier League matches on Saturday, losing 3-1 to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge, heaping further pressure on Mourinho.

Mourinho has led the Blues to their worst start to a league season for 37 years, losing nine of his last 17 games in

all competitions, which has left his side languishing in 15th place in the Premier League, 14 points behind current leaders Manchester City.

The former Real Madrid manager’s future may also be decided ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League home match with Dynamo Kiev.

Following the match with Kiev, the reigning Premier League champions will travel to Stoke City on Saturday and former Chelsea forward Cascarino feels the clash at the Britannia Stadium could be Mourinho’s last in charge.

“Jose is facing the biggest week of his career. Is there a fix for Chelsea? He is facing a week where he has to get results against Kiev and then against Stoke away.

If he loses both games, he will not be manager of Chelsea next Monday,” he told reporters.

“Even with a draw and a loss, I still think he could lose his job. It is coming to the stage where he has been given backing and Roman Abramovich has never done what he is doing at the moment, he is supporting a manager after a really difficult time and this has been a time like no ever.

incent Kompany has branded potential UEFA sanctions against Manchester City for fans booing the Champions League anthem as “a joke”.

Sections of the City support have heckled the pre-match music in European games by way of a protest against Financial Fair Play punishments levelled at the club in recent years.

UEFA confirmed an investigation into a potential breach of the ethics code after the latest incident at the Etihad Stadium prior to the 2-1 victory over Sevilla last month.

And club captain Kompany considers any measures taken against the club to be unjust given the incidents of racial abuse still prevalent in some matches.

A punishment handed down to CSKA Moscow for racist behaviour prevented City fans from attending the sides’ meeting in Russia last season.

“It’s a joke,” said Kompany. “We have played many games in Europe where there has been racial abuse and we have had to put up with it.

“And there have been times when we have been sanctioned in the same way as the team that was actually perpetrating those chants.

“In Moscow we weren’t allowed to have any support inside the stadium – I don’t see what our fans did wrong. I have

Kompany

experienced it as well when I was a kid playing at Anderlecht, certain games in Europe where you had a lot of racial abuse.

“So in that sense this is not justifiable – there is nothing holy about the Champions League anthem. If something is happening and fans are not happy about it, they are allowed to show their discontent.”

Ex-Blues doctor Carneiro sues Chelsea boss J ose Mourinho is to be the subject of an individual legal claim from former Chelsea team doctor Eva Carneiro.

Dr Carneiro’s lawyers have named Mourinho as a respondent in the ongoing legal wrangle. The news suggests that Carneiro holds Mourinho responsible in part or in full for her departure from Stamford Bridge.

Details of the claim have been lodged with the Employment Tribunal and Chelsea are now aware of the details in the claim.

Part of the case will focus on the events back in August and the final moments of Chelsea’s 2-2 draw against Swansea. With Chelsea down to 10 men, Dr Carneiro and the team physiotherapist were called on to the pitch by the referee to treat Eden Hazard. In the post-match press conference, Mourinho described his medical staff as “impulsive and naive.”

He went on to say: “Even if you are a kit man, doctor or secretary on the bench, you

have to understand the game.”

The two sides could well settle before the claims and counter-claims are aired in public at a tribunal, but Monday’s developments - and the naming of Mourinho as a main respondent - will do little to ease the pressure on the beleaguered Chelsea boss.

Mourinho has seen his side lose six out of 11 matches in the Premier League so far to leave the reigning champions in 15th spot in the table.

Eva Carneiro (left) and Jose Mourinho clashed on the touchline after Eden Hazard received treatment against Swansea.

COSTA ESCAPES FA ACTION

D

iego Costa will not face any action from the Football Association over his clash at Liverpool’s Martin Skrtel on Saturday, according to media reports.

The FA is satisfied that the matter was dealt with at the time by referee Mark Clattenburg, who was right on the spot when the incident happened during Chelsea’s 3-1 defeat to Liverpool at Stamford Bridge.

As a result, the FA believes there is no

need for retrospective action.

However, former Chelsea forward Tony Cascarino believes Costa was lucky not to receive a red card.

“I think it’s the first decision that has gone for Chelsea so far this season as he could have easily been banned,” he said.

“Diego has probably been guilty of doing this way too often, but he has definitely caught Skrtel and Chelsea have got anyway with one. Diego is fortunate.

“There is intent and in the modern

game that is a red card.”

In January 2015, Costa was handed a retrospective three-match ban by the FA after television replays picked up on him appearing to stamp on Skrtel’s foot while he was on the ground during a Capital One Cup semi-final.

The Blues striker was also handed a three-match suspension by the FA after being found guilty of violent conduct following his side’s 2-0 win over Arsenal in September.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

29

MATTHAUS

CRITICISES GUARDIOLA’S BAYERN COMMITMENT

F

ormer Bayern Munich star Lothar Matthaus has questioned Pep Guardiola’s commitment to the club over his reluctance to agree a new contract.

The former Barcelona’s coach’s current deal expires at the end of the season and he has repeatedly claimed talks over a renewal are not a priority, sparking rumours of a potential exit.

Manchester City have long been linked as a destination for Guardiola, while Chelsea’s dismal start to the season has seen him touted as a possible replacement for an under-fire Jose Mourinho.

Matthaus, however, cannot understand why Guardiola is refusing to pledge his future to the Bundesliga champions.

“What could be better for him than to be at Bayern? His every wish is fulfilled in Munich,” Matthaus told reporters. “What more could he want?

“Bayern have never been so dominant. They have long since reached a new level of quality.

“He’s already coached Barca, Real Madrid are taboo because of his origins.

“Of course, the English have a lot of money, but they lag behind in sporting terms at the moment.”

Matthaus is confident, however, that the Bayern board have plans in place should Guardiola confirm his intentions to leave at the end of his contract.

“Bayern bosses are prepared for his departure,” the World Cup-winner added.

Guardiola

BRIEFS

Rodriguez named in Real squad to face PSG

Rafael Benitez has confirmed James Rodriguez is in the matchday squad to face Paris Saint-Germain today. The Colombia international star has been struggling with a thigh problem and has yet to make an appearance in the Champions League so far this season. Benitez is wary of throwing James straight back into the starting line-up but he is ready to name the World Cup 2014 top-scorer in the squad for the visit of the French champions.

Rafinha agrees new Barca deal Rafinha has agreed to sign a new five-year contract at Barcelona, the Spanish champions have announced. The full-back is set to miss much of the remainder of this season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament but the club confirmed on Monday that he will sign a new contract with a €75 million release clause.

Verratti plays down Real interest

Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Marco Verratti always wanted to remain at the Parc des Princes despite interest from this week’s Champions League opponents Real Madrid. The sides meet at the Santiago Bernabeu today with Verratti having been the subject of heavy speculation linking him with a move to the Spanish capital during the close season.

Messi

MESSI RELIANCE IS GOOD FOR BARCA, SAYS

ANDERSSON

B

arcelona’s reliance on Lionel Messi should not be considered a bad thing, according to former centre-back Patrik Andersson.

The Liga champions have often been accused of so-called ‘Messidependencia’ in the past by detractors and they have looked short of their best during the Argentina international’s recent absence due to a knee injury.

A defeat to Sevilla and stuttering performances against Bayer Leverkusen and BATE in particular have led to more scrutiny of the European champions’

R

afael Benitez has no concerns that Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo is beginning to suffer from fatigue.

The Portugal captain scored his 13th goal of the season in a 3-1 win over Las Palmas on Saturday but his performance prompted some comments in Spain that a lack of rotation is beginning to wear down the 30-year-old.

His coach, however, claimed Ronaldo’s run of three goals in as many league games proves he remains as sharp as ever ahead of Madrid’s Champions League clash at home to Paris Saint-Germain today.

“My impression is that he’s the same as he was at the start of the season, the numbers he’s managed show us that,” said Benitez.

“Against Las Palmas he ran more in the second half. I can’t control the feelings on how the players run.”

Benitez, who confirmed the return of fit-again goalkeeper Keylor Navas to the squad, went on to praise the form of full-back Marcelo after confirming he is now one of Madrid’s vice-captains.

“Marcelo is one of the best fullbacks in the world. He’s attacking,

form without their star forward, but Andersson believes they should simply be glad to have him as part of their set-up.

“Barca are not the same without Messi, but I don’t think Messidepenencia is a bad thing, because it means you have Messi in your team,” the former Sweden international, who spent three years as a player with Barca, told reporters.

“It would be worse if he wasn’t there.

It’s a bit like Zlatan Ibrahimovic with Sweden. They’re decisive.”

Luis Suarez has emerged as a crucial part of the Barca side in Messi’s absence, having scored the winner against

Leverkusen and all three goals in the 3-1 win over Eibar.

Andersson has enjoyed watching Suarez adapt to life at Camp Nou but has nonetheless warned that Barca may find it difficult to defend their treble this season.

“I love how Suarez has adapted to this Barca,” the Swede added. “I like Luis Enrique’s team: it’s direct. They can repeat the treble, but it’s difficult: when you win everything, what else is there?

“It happened to Bayern Munich in 2013-14. The mental factor is important.

Winning takes a lot out of you.”

BENITEZ

rejects Ronaldo fatigue fears Ronaldo

too. He gives us a lot,” said the former Liverpool boss.

Fellow defender Pepe, meanwhile, is fit to play again after making the bench against Las Palmas following his

recovery from a muscle problem.

And Benitez is happy to have further competition for the centre-back places as Madrid head into a crucial phase of the season prior to the winter break.

30

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

EXTRATIME THE FIFA PRESIDENCY – MY JOURNEY

Segun Odegbami

T

his will be my last piece on my Fifa election odyssey, an experience so brief but yet so rich and beautiful.

My philosophy teacher tells me ‘not to curse the darkness but to behold it, for underneath it is a hidden treasure’. I rest my case on that wise counsel.

Now let me look at the main issues of the entire project.

To start with I knew that to become the president of Fifa was never going to be a stroll in the park.

It would take tears, sweat and blood as we are already witnessing in the unfolding drama in Fifa.

Everything tells me that the drama of the 2016 Fifa Presidential election has not ended.

I want to put the records straight for the purpose of history only. So, permit me to state some of the facts without delving too deep into the details of all that transpired.

Sepp Blatter had just resigned five days after winning yet another re-election. The stage was set for a massive purge of most of the executive members of Fifa following the corruption scandal that had engulfed the organisation. There was an opportunity for Africa to produce the next president because what the situation demanded was a brand new, untainted leader with the right pedigree and credentials.

I took the bait and, for the first time in my life, I did all the preliminary political strategising and

background consultations. I was very aware of the odds against me.

To start with, I am not considered a friend by the NFF because I do not belong to the system that has been controlling the strings of Nigerian football since 1993.

Being a writer and a newspaper columnist compounds the problem.

You cannot be an honest critic and have many friends left in the football system.

That’s why I am not Amos Adamu’s friend in the true sense. That’s why he came out, fresh from his global suspension by Fifa, when he should have quietly retired and lived his life without drawing too much attention to himself, to champion the call for former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu to run for the Fifa presidency, and for all Nigerians to support him and not me.

Since then he has been under investigation again by Fifa. Amos Adamu would never support me under any circumstance, and I know that fact.

I am not Sepp Blatter’s or even Issa Hayatou’s favourite person in football. There has not been a more virulent critic of both men about their perpetual stay in office and their absolute control over national football federations with the awesome power of incumbency at their disposal.

In the case of Amaju Pinnick, the president of the NFF, I believe, like so many others in the football system, that he appreciates my humble contributions to football but would rather I stayed away with my ‘puritanical’ ways and not stir up any unwanted dust in the activities in that govern-

ment agency.

So, against all these odds my chances of getting a straight-forward nomination by the NFF were slim.

What happened in the end, therefore, did not come as a complete surprise.

My only hope was based on the ‘change’ mantra of the new political dispensation in the country, of which I was a major actor in my community.

I believed the reforms in all other sectors would infect sports enough to ensure that no one dared deal with sports issues with the impunity of the past. I believed that the fear of President Buhari would affect attitudes in sports.

I was wrong, otherwise the shenanigans and rigmarole that went on in nominating me for the Fifa election would never have taken place.

The NFF President went on television several times and promoted Orji Kalu’s candidacy informing everyone that the NFF were considering who to nominate between the two Nigerians that had applied for nomination. This charade went on for seven weeks!

Not even once during that period did they contact me, or responded to my letter despite my public protests.

Even at the last minute when they finally did something on Thursday, October 22, four days prior to the deadline for submission of documentation to Fifa, they did not give me a letter as they were supposed to. The information was leaked to the press after Amaju called me, for the first time in seven weeks, to tell me that he was going to call his board mem-

SPECIAL FEATURE

bers and convince them to nominate me.

The fact is that the NFF were finally made to nominate me by the pressure coming from government when it got to know that the deadline was only two working days away.

With even more pressure from government, what did they still do?

The letter addressed to Fifa and copied to my email box was sent to me at 2pm on the final day of submission, October 26, following my protests to various persons in government and even outside it.

At that point, even if I was a magician, I could not have gotten five endorsements from five different countries in the last 10 hours to midnight of the final day.

I stood no chance of getting any country to endorse me.

Whereas, the endorsements could have been done weeks earlier when I traversed the West African coast, spoke with several of my friends in Caf, and hired a European consultant to seek out fringe European countries that could accept me as an option to Michel Platini should he fail to be accredited.

What every federation president I spoke to wanted was a letter showing that the well-publicised but nonexistent ‘crisis’ in Nigeria about whom the country was nominating had been resolved. Was it Orji Kalu, supported by the NFF publicly, or myself? No one would grant an endorsement when Nigeria had not nominated me. That was my dilemma.

Interestingly, as Amaju Pinnick was

seeking endorsements for me on the final day in Cairo, Orji Kalu’s aides in Nigeria issued a press release stating that the former governor never applied for nomination from the NFF in the first place, and curiously, at the same time, was withdrawing from the Fifa race. He thanked all those who had had been clamouring for him to contest.

That is a statement that speaks volumes. Were Nigerians being taken for a ride by the NFF? That’s why I believe that Nigerians must not allow this to go the way of old, where people in government just did whatever they wanted with impunity and got away with it.

Nigerians must look beyond the personalities involved and focus on what could have been lost through this impudent action - sending the wrong message to the youths that they cannot dare to dream, that individual interest replaces national interest, and that we can forfeit our rights to take a decision for our own good to an individual for paltry economic patronage.

That’s why it is important that an inquiry be set up to look at the cause of this colossal wastage of an opportunity.

The federal government, the national assembly, and the national sports commission, must probe and investigate what really happened so that this will never be repeated. Other African countries must also take away lessons from this.

Ï ƑƋƋƆƗ ƇƏ ƌ ƑƍƆƏ ƍ ƏƐêƅ ƌ

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

31 Opinion

Buhari and the Nigeria power sector

The mark of a great man is one who knows when to set aside the important things in order to accomplish the vital ones.”... brandon sanderson.

Lucas Anuforo ÎÎÎ

The Nigeria power inefficiency remains the bane of the country’s gateway to industrialisation.

The country economic power will only thrive when the government shows consensual effort through mettle mechanism in boosting the power sector.

The nation at moment consumes only 3,000 megawatts of electricity, which by any standard cannot sustain the demand of a country with a huge population like Nigeria. The Kainji dam is the main source of the nation’s power supply that was built between 1964 and 1968 by a consortium of Italian Civil Engineering Contractors and was designed by joint Consultants, Balfour Beatty and Nedeco a British company. The total cost of the project was £87 million with one-quarter of the said amount used for resettlement of people displaced. Other sub stations include the Shiroro Hydro Electric Power station in Niger State and Jebba Hydro Electric power station each with power capacity of 540 Megawatts (720,000 hp). Above all, none has ever met the demand of the country’s insatiable quest for steady power supply.

It is horrendous that successive administrations promised to stabilise the epileptic power system but failed, due to lack of plan of action and inherent corruption. Nigerian power system is amongst the worst in the world. Irrespective of transition and reforms, the power situation remains the same. The country has all it takes to be sufficient in power supply with enormous resources such as Coal and Gas. The coalfield at Enugu invariably, with proper and good utilisation policy, can give the country steady power supply it requires. It can equally export the excess to neighbours and, if well managed, can also create additional revenue drive to the economy and also employment opportunities.

As the world economy is changing with new technologies, the country needs to be part of the revolution. Germany recently, moved from nuclear power source to renewable energy (wind turbine).

This means by 2022 Germany will phase out all its nuclear power stations.

More so few months ago Ghana proposed passing a Nuclear Regulatory Bill into law. This details the establishment of regulatory authority to ensure, the safe and responsible use of nuclear materials that will help the country achieve building nuclear power stations. Although,

Buhari

Ghana for long has been enjoying steady power supply compared to other of its West African neighbours.

Many Nigerians now invest in Ghana especially in the area of real estate business and some now send their children to study there. Most Nigerians have relocated permanently to Ghana at least to where they can transact hitched- free business without power outage.

Eskom a giant South African power company generates about 34 000 megawatts of electricity through coal. The power plant is located at the proximity of the coalfield in Mpumalanga in the Northern Province which goes through plant process on the conveyor belt, crushed into fine powder and burned under controlled conditions in the modern boilers that pro-

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duce high pressure steam.

Then the steam drives turbines that generate the electricity. The country also has the nuclear plants that generate power. Iran with the population of 70 million generates 42, 000 megawatts, while South Korea with 35 million people generates 60,000 megawatts of electricity.

These are technologies a country like Nigeria needs to excel as an economic powerhouse. Regrettably, the corrupt leaders who run the affairs of the nation failed to put things right. According World Bank statistic, it shows that only about 48 percent of Nigerians have access to electricity. This has created serious consequences to the economy.

According to Vanguard newspaper publication of 14 August 2015 with a tabloid captioned ‘Power sector: Senate probe OBJ,

Yar’Adua and Jonathan.’

The newspaper stated that “While the administration of former President Olusegun Obansanjo reportedly spent $16bn (N3.52 trn), his successor, late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, expended $5.375bn or N1.183trn while the immediate past President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration spent $8.26bn (N1.817trn).

The Vanguard also revealed that “about 2,500 containers of imported power equipments worth about $5bn were abandoned at the Lagos ports with the demurrage generated by the abandoned equipments put at over N4bn. Investigation revealed that the equipment formed part of the $16bn that was expended within Obasanjo’s eight years.”

No country can develop its economy or have a rapid development with the type of waste the so-called leaders of Nigeria have subjected the country. Until President Buhari takes, a bold step to clamp down the mafia syndicates at the high echelon corridors of power corruption will continue to manifest in all facet of the country’s life.

If President Buhari really means business he should emulate the Chinese leader Xi Jinping who took a bold step to hunt down all corrupt bourgeois and politicians who tried run down the Chinese economy.

In essence the public are still waiting for the very day the long the arm of the law will finally caught up with all those who striped the nation’s commonwealth and plunge the poor masses of Nigeria into misery and poverty. In the civilized society leaders are accountable for their deeds; they never escape justice when they are found guilty. Unlike in Africa the where leaders who embezzled public funds brag and throw lavish parties and even use the stolen wealth to fight the government.

At present, President Buhari has shown resolute in his war against corruption he should extend this gesture with a holistic approach to other areas of the economy.

The President should be reminded that he is like an athlete representing the country in an international competition the prayers of the nation is for him succeeds. This reminds me of a quote from Brandon Sanderson in his book ‘The Well of Ascension’; “A man can only lead when others accept him as their leader, and he has only as much authority as his subjects give him. All of the brilliant ideas in the world cannot save your kingdom if no one will listen to them.” Buhari the country accept you! Let the change you bring reflect in the power sector.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 3, 2015

VOL. 1. NO. 222

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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

Today’s Matches FC Astana v Atletico Madrid 16:00 Real Madrid v Paris Saint Germain 20:45 Shakhtar Donetsk v Malmoe FF 20:45 Manchester United v CSKA Moscow 20:45

MESSI RELIANCE IS GOOD FOR BARCA, SAYS P.29 ANDERSSON

, A M A ENYE T MUSA

ANDREW EKEJIUBA SPORT EDITOR

MISSING O L G M O R F S D R A W CAF A T S I L T R O SH

PSV Eindhoven v Wolfsburg 20:45 Benfica v Galatasaray 20:45 Borussia M’gladbach v Juventus 20:45 Sevilla v Manchester City 20:45 Wednesday, November 4, 2015 Barcelona v BATE Borisov 20:45 Roma v Bayer Leverkusen 20:45 Bayern Munich v Arsenal 20:45 Olympiakos v Dinamo Zagreb 20:45 Chelsea v Dynamo Kyiv 20:45 Maccabi Tel Aviv v FC Porto 20:45 Gent v Valencia 20:45 Lyon v Zenit St. Petersburg 20:45

op 10 nominees for the 2015 African Player of the Year and the 2015 African Player of the Year (based in Africa) in the Glo-Caf Awards were announced on Monday by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) in Cairo with two Nigerian internationals, Vincent Enyeama of Lille, France and Ahmed Musa of CSKA Moscow, Russia, conspicuously missing on the list. The duo were initially included in the first list released by CAF in October.

The ten players were shortlisted from thirty seven players who earlier were nominated for the African Player of the Year, and 20 players who made the list for the Player of the Year (based in Africa) category.

The list of top ten nominees include Andre Ayew of Ghana and Swansea FC, Aymen Abdennor of Tunisia and FC Valence of Spain, Modather Al Tayeb of Sudan and Al Hilal FC OF Sudan, Mohamed Salah of Egypt and AS Roma of Italy, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang of Gabon and Borrussia Dortmund of Germany and Sadio Mane of Senegal and Southampton of England.

Others are Serge Aurier of Cote d’Ivoire and Paris St Germain of France, Sofiane Feghouli of Algeria and FC Valence of Spain, Yacine Brahimi of Algeria and FC Porto of Portugal and Yaya Toure of Cote d’ Ivoire and Manchester City of England.

In the African Player of the Year (based in Africa) category, the ten shortlisted players are Abdeladim Khadrouf of Morocco, Baghdad Bounedjah of Algeria and Etoile Sportive Sahel of Tunisia, Felipe Ovono of Equatorial Guinea and Orlando Pirates of South Africa, Kermit Erasmus of South Africa and Orlando Pirates, Mbwana Aly Samatta of Tanzania and TP Mazembe of Congo DR, Mohamed Meftah of Algeria and USM Alger of Algeria, Modather Al Tayeb of Sudan and Al Hilal, Robert Kidiaba Muteba of Congo DR and TP Mazembe, Robert Assale of Cote d’ Ivoire and Sewe Sports and Zinnedine Ferhat of Algeria and USM Alger.

The list of Top Five nominees will be released by CAF in the coming weeks.

The winners will be decided by votes from the Head Coaches and Technical Directors of the National Associations affiliated to CAF. The Glo- CAF Awards Gala nite will take place on Thursday, January 7, 2016 in Abuja, Nigeria.

Life&

TIMES Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Vincent

Opurum The unassuming thespian

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P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

It’s time mediocres are stopped from running Nigeria’s movie industry –Vincent Opurum Mutiat Alli Simply known as Vincent Opurum, is one of the rising hunks in the movie industry. A recent chat with the Imo State born actor revealed the other side of him which many yearn to know. The amiable actor who is also an ambassador of peace opens up about his life and why he sometimes likes to keep his personal life private.

Life&

T E A M

How did your journey to acting begin?

It started in Kaduna in the year 2000. I was in Kaduna when I had an opportunity to be part of a movie my very first movie actually called Pain of a teenage mother sponsored by the Ministry of Women Affairs Commission. The story was about teenage mothers and the pains they go through when they are denied by the society they live in. Before my first movie, actor, Ramsey Nouah was my role model and he visited Kaduna with Genevieve Nnaji back then for a movie that was directed by Lancelot Imasuen. I saw them on location doing their thing and instantly decided to be an actor. So when the opportunity presented itself, I made up my mind to follow my calling.

Did you continue with your career in Kaduna?

No I came into Lagos in 2003 to continue my career.

So which movie would you say gave you your big break?

Honestly I can’t tell because I acted in so many films at that time but I suddenly realized that people were beginning to take note of me and in no time the celebrity bug caught me too.

How would you describe your rise in the industry?

I will simply say, to whom is chosen

by God, comes a King. I give God all d glory People say you are one of the most handsome actors in the industry right now. How does that make u feel?

I am simply humbled What do you look out for when accepting a script?

Anything that is not the norm. It has to be challenging.

How would you describe the transformation of Nollywood from the days of Living in Bondage till date?

It’s changing for the better now. The Nigerian movie industry has a long way to go, but with hard work and creative talents coming up these days , I am sure we will get soon.

What do you think are some of the shortcomings of the film industry in Nigeria?

We lack a standard to operate with amongst movie practitioners. It is high time mediocres shouldn’t be allowed to run the show.

Are you implying that the present crop of people into movie production are not professionals?

Music Correspondent Akintayo Opeoluwani

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

What I said is a general food for thought. But if there is a standard in our movie industry, mediocrity won’t come in through the back door. We have a large number of well respected professionals in this industry but mediocres and pirates are our major challenge.

How much do you think is needed to shoot a standard Nollywood movie today?

It all depends on the story line, number of casts, the locations\logistics etc. These are the primary things that your budget. So it’s not a stable budget.

How many movies would you say you have to your credit till date?

Honestly I have lost count.

But have you shot past the 100 mark?

Of course, it’s over hundred movies now and counting.

A lot of your colleagues have gone into movie production and directing. Do you have plans to follow suit ?

I have my plans and aspirations close to my chest and with time, you will see and hear from me.

Who are your role models in the industry?

Locally, like I said, it is Ramsey Noah. Internationally they are Leonardo Di Caprio, Russell Crowe, Al Pacino, and Denzel Washington.

So how would you rate the various award platforms for the film industry in Nigeria?

We will get there, there is room for improvements, at least Nollywood is now ranked 3rd in the world in terms of movie making.

What do you think the government should do to further assist Nollywood as a body to develop its steady growth ?

It is obvious. We need an enabling environment such as building of a film village which is currently on going, make available financial assistance to help improve on what is already on ground. And if I may add, Power (PHCN) should be better improved to aid movie production better. And finally, to put Pirates in the place they belong to so that the industry will move forward.

Away from Nollywood what else occupies your time ?

My business Which is ........?

What I do isn’t for public consumption.

People say you are a womanizer citing your looks as a tool. Is this true?

My look has nothing to do with my attitude. I am a God fearing and helpful citizen of Nigeria.

But there is no smoke without fire.......

If you can point out a few of these victims then maybe I will agree with this saying. People just sit their homes and concoct stories about other people with no proof. May I remind you that what you see on television is the total opposite of who I am. I am a humble person and even shy most times. I only do my best to interpret roles given to me, that’s all.

So are you saying that you have never broken any heart since you came to limelight?

Never. Tell me if you know any?

What lessons has life taught you as a person?

Life is a combination of the good, the bad, the ugly. All what we need is God’s direction and not to fall into the wrong hands. Though the road to success is full of mysteries, only God knows it all.

How do you relax when you aren’t on movie sets?

I love to play football, lawn tennis, table tennis, basketball, reading and watching movies.

Graphics Onyemali Kingsley

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Relationship

L3 Relationship

crisis and

Ann Izedunor

solutions

Most of us want to find a partner to share our lives with. When we finally fall in love and commit to a relationship that we believe will last us to old age, we have expectations that we will act together to realise our dreams. Inevitably though, every couple will experience relationship difficulties. Couples will always be confronted and sometimes overwhelmed by challenges they face, but mostly they are able to deal with them and move on. However, sometimes these challenges leave each partner feeling alienated and alone and unable to sort out the issues, no matter how hard they try. The same old arguments occur, with the same frustrating outcomes, and both partners can feel stuck. As time goes on, one or both may start considering separation. Sadly, separation and divorce statistics are high, yet many of the difficulties that threaten the survival of relationships can be sorted out, with the right help.

Relationship problems Communication: All relationship problems stem from poor communication. You can’t communicate while you’re checking your BlackBerry, watching TV, or flipping through the sports section. You have to communicate with one another; you’ve got to create time for one another.

Even if you don’t know what to say, you can at least talk of anything, it keeps the love going.

Conflict Occasion conflict is a part of life.

You and your partner can learn to argue in a more civil, helpful manner. Make these strategies part of who you are in this relationship.

Realise you are not a victim: It is your choice whether you react and how you react.

Be honest with each other: When there is misunderstanding, always learn to make things right.

Say sorry when the times call for it.

Change your attitude: If you continue to respond in the way that’s brought you pain and unhappiness in the past, you can’t expect a different result this time.

Just one little shift can make a big difference. If you usually jump right in to defend yourself before your partner is finished speaking, hold off for a few moments. You’ll be surprised at how such a small shift in tempo can change the whole tone of an argument.

Apologise when you’re wrong: Sure it’s tough, but just try it and watch something wonderful happen.

Lack of trust Trust is a key part of a relationship. Do you see certain things that cause you not to trust your

partner? Or do you have unresolved issues that prevent you from trusting others. Trust is mostly important in a relationship, because when both partners find it difficult to trust each other, they will end up doing things that will do nothing but destroy the relationship which they spent time building. So learn to trust your partner so as to enjoy a healthy relationship. These are the few ways of earning your partners trust: Be consistent.

Do what you say you will do Don’t lie -- not even little white lies to your partner Be fair, even in an argument.

Call when you say you will Call to say you’ll be home late.

Don’t overreact when things go wrong.

Never say things you can’t take back.

Don’t dig up old wounds.

Respect your partner’s boundaries.

Don’t be jealous.

Be a good listener.

Even though there are always going to be problems in a relationship, you both can do things to minimize marriage problems, if not avoid them altogether.

Be considerate and have sense of humour -- learn to let things go and enjoy one another more.

Emotional or mental health issues This is probably the biggest cause of problems in a relationship: unresolved emotional or mental health issues in one or both partners. If something in your life is holding you back from participating in a healthy relationship, talk to a counsellor. Find ways to

Ways to a healthy relationship deal with your personal problems so they don’t destroy your relationship.Fear of intimacy A surprising number of people are scared to get too close to the ones they love. Why? Shame and guilt are often the reason for this type of relationship problems. We feel ashamed of ourselves and guilty for the things we’ve done or the things we were told we did and we don’t feel we deserve to be loved. We feel we aren’t lovable, so we put walls up. We’re scared to be vulnerable.

Addictions Substance abuse, gambling, workaholism, overeating, and other forms of addictions are a huge problem in relationships. There are so many good things in life that become the main thing that overcome our hearts, minds, and souls. We become a slave to what drives us, instead of a healthy happy partner in a relationship.

Addictions are especially difficult to overcome when the addict can’t or won’t admit there is a problem.

Infidelity It depends on the reasons for the infidelity. Emotional disconnection is one of the main causes of relationship problems that lead to infidelity. If you and your partner aren’t connected on a heart level, you’re more likely to stray into other relationships. Being unfaithful in a relationship terminates it and it also brings nothing but pain and discomfort to both partners. So try as much as you can to be faithful so as to enjoy a healthy relationship. In every problem, there must be a solution. These are the few ways of having a successful relationship:

Respect: Respect your partner, and act in a way that earns their respect, both inside and outside the relationship. Respect them even when you’re disagreeing. Listen without judgment. Accept them as they are, and don’t try to change them, but help them to change in ways they want to change. Focus on your partner’s strengths and cultivate a high opinion of them. When there is no respect in a relationship, the relationship falls! Yes! It will, because both partners disregards one another. Both partners must learn to respect one another so as to enjoy the relationship.

Gratitude: Don’t take the relationship for granted. You are becoming an amazing person, in the fortunate position to be highly selective about whom you spend time with. You have chosen a wonderful person to build a life with, and you are blessed that they have chosen you as well.

Love: Without love, time turns couples into enemies or strangers.

With love, anything is possible.

When two people love each other as much as themselves, the tug-of-war disappears, and compromise and sacrifice become meaningless concepts because what’s best for one is best for the other. When you love another as much as yourself, working at the relationship becomes a joy and not a chore, and you celebrate the opportunity to help your partner’s inner radiance shine more brightly. Love unites both partners together.

Expectations: Discuss what you each expect out of the re-

lationship, what you’re committing to, and what your respective roles will be.

Expect ups and downs in even the best relationship, and realize that love isn’t an absolute that you’re either in or out of but something that ebbs and flows over time.

Attraction: Remember that we don’t choose what we’re attracted to, but we do choose whether to be attractive. Do the things that your partner finds attractive, and tell your partner all the things you find attractive about them, inside and out. Always appreciate your partner, both when you two are outside and inside in any environment. Never tell your partner things that will do nothing but ruin his\her life or even make them feel bad and full of regrets. For a successful relationship, appreciation matters a lot!

Positivity: Have the celebration of life and of each other. Be the emotional tone of the relationship. Say positive things to and about your partner at least five times more often than you say negative things. Being insultive all the will do nothing but ruin the relationship. Always pet your partner stay positive always.

Constructive Disagreement: When disagreeing, don’t criticize, don’t blame, and don’t be hurtful or bitter. Most relationship problems start with hurt feelings that escalate. Always learn to manage differences and conflict through communication, negotiation, and cooperation.

Solve problems as they arise, and never go to sleep angry.

Fashion & Style L4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Effective weight loss with just one spoonful Eyola

Although Mary Poppins’ hypothesis ‘just a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down’ has yet to be scientifically proven, there are other spoonful’s that are guaranteed to help with weight loss alongside a healthy diet and regular exercise A spoonful of...

Thyme is perfect for seasoning and adding flavour to many dishes (chicken, turkey etc) but did you know that it also helps you to shed the pounds? Filled with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, cells in the body are kept healthy and protected. This herb helps the body to manage stress and also releases water weight and toxins from the body.

Simply add a spoonful of chopped or grated Ginger to your cooking or add it to freshly squeezed juice. This spice gives food and drinks a deliciously spicy kick and specifically targets fat - ridding the body of fat - while also improving digestion and metabolism, reducing joint inflammations and blood pressure, regulating cholesterol levels and boosting the immune system.

Turmeric is jam-packed with antioxidants and anti-inflammatory properties. Also a fat-burner and pain reliever, turmeric can be consumed in many ways. A spoonful will add flavour to your cooking or can be enjoyed as a hot beverage by simply mixing with water.

Apple Cider Vinegar will keep you hydrated, gives you a feeling of fullness and stabilizes your blood sugar levels - a great way to maintain your weight and prevent you from adding extra pounds once you’ve reached your goal. Limit consumption to 1-2 tablespoons (mixed with water) per day.

Flaxseed (or Flax) contains antioxidants and is packed with omega-3 which prevents nutrient deficiency. There are lots of different ways to add flax to your diet. Sprinkle a tablespoon over salad, soup, yogurt or add to a glass of water. Flax also dissolves unhealthy fats in your digestive tract which would otherwise have been stored as body fat.

Rich in fatty acids, Coconut Oil contains saturated fats.

So you can enjoy its delicious taste without worrying about pilling on the pounds. Use a teaspoon while cooking or take it orally to stop you snacking in between meals while also increasing your metabolism, which helps you burn fat naturally.

Cinnamon helps you to maintain a healthy weight after weight loss. A tablespoon added to hot water will boost your body with the recommended daily intake of minerals including potassium, iron, zinc and magnesium. Add cinnamon to a small portion of your favourite dessert on your cheat days as a naughty-but-nice way to include it to your weight-loss dietary plan.

An excellent source of Vitamin C, Lemon Juice cleanses the body and ensures that the immune system, colon, lymphatic system and digestive system are all functioning properly, while keeping bad breath at bay and giving your skin a healthy glow. Add a spoonful of freshly squeezed lemon juice to hot water first thing in the morning to get the best results.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

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Teens World L6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Teens addiction to

Uzoma Judith Internet addiction, like we all know, is referred to as cyberspace addiction or online addiction, manifest itself in different ways in today’s teens.

If your child spends his or her lovely weekend going through updates and notification, foregoing a trip with the family to an amusement park, he or she may be showing signs of addiction. You might check your Internet browser’s history only to find out your innocent, whereas your naïve teenage son has spent the last five afternoons accessing pornographic Web sites where the titles alone are enough to make you scream, engage himself in sex chats, through that he may be addicted.

Therein lays the problem. The Internet is perfect for teens. Today’s social networking sites like Myspace, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter let them represent themselves as whomever, or whatever, they want. Everything is edited by them, chosen specifically to present the face they want the world to see. And if they decide to change that face, then they just delete some pictures, add some new friends Experts all over say that as many as 10 percent of Internet users may be considered addicted, although some mental health professionals balk at using that term in a clinical sense. They argue that an activity can only be addictive when it causes a certain type of chemical reaction in the brain, and that’s hard to determine. But when you’re arguing with a teen about the amount of time she’s spending online and she just can’t

get her assignment done because her AOL Instant Messenger keeps alerting her something new and exciting is happening with her best friend, then call it what you like, it’s a problem – for the child, and the entire family.

Most parents feel torn, about limiting their children’s time on the computer. If a teen is struggling socially, some parents believe any human interaction, even though the computer, is preferable to none. And with teens that are risktakers or have questionable taste in friends, some parents feel they can better monitor and keep their children safe by letting them stay home, downloading music files and creating quizzes for their Web pages. And many parents just want to avoid the tantrums, the cold shoulder, or the arguments that flare whenever the issue of computer time management comes up.

Teen Addiction to Social Media refers to the behavioral disorder in which teens become so preoccupied and obsessed with social media that it distracts them from doing what they were meant to do and engaging in the real world, and in turn, causes a disastrous effects on different aspects of their lives.

While many teenagers engage in some form of social media (including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Vine, Snapchat, palm chat) and consider it a daily part of their lives, Teen Social Media Addiction is characterized by the level of this use being so extreme that it negatively affects the relationships and responsibilities in the teens’ lives.

The two most dominating char-

internet

acteristics of Teen Social Media Addiction is the large amount of time that teens spend on social media and the underlying reasons why they’re doing so. Teens with Social Media Addiction have an almost constant desire to check updates, write statuses, share a picture, play a game, or engage in their social media world in some way. They’re often much more interested and participatory in this online world than they are the real world that they inhabit with actual people, having real conversations, and undergoing real experiences.

Along these same lines, another negative effect of such overuse of social media is teens become more willing and skilled at socially interacting online than they have the ability to, in person. Especially considering that adolescence is a time when the development of social skills is especially valuable and necessary in their lives, teens may likely be harming their in-person social skills by retreating to the online world, choosing to interact in the cyber realm rather than developing real social skills. This can, in turn, hurt the teen’s ability to function well and succeed in required social settings, like time at school and making friends during extracurricular activities.

It’s also become common for teens to actually view and take part in their real experiences, with a concentration on how it can “appear” in the social media realm, as opposed to just being present in what they’re doing. For instance, teens might be more dedicated to appearing like they’re having fun in

a photo at the beach than actually spending their time at the beach, enjoying it. While some level of this desire to record their experience is understandable, too much of this concentration becomes yet another way for teens to be distracted from the present moment, and constantly searching for a way of convincing an audience of a certain self-image. For so many adolescents that already experience this time of life as being full of pressures to be “good enough” in so many different ways and struggle with understanding their own identities, we find that the overuse of social media is distracting and confusing to experiencing their own lives honestly as well as discovering their identities in an authentic way.

Teen Social Media Addiction Treatment The most primary function of Teen Social Media Addiction Treatment is to reduce the amount of time that teens spend on social media. This may look different for different teens, but will be implemented according to the teen’s specific situation. By helping to limit and restrict the amount of time teens spend interacting in the social media realm, it automatically helps to reduce the amount of time they spend preoccupied and distracted from engaging in the real world. Therapists simultaneously begin working with teens to evaluate and address what are the underlying reasons, triggers, and beliefs connected to this overuse of social media, as well as the negative effects which this overuse

has had.

As teens begin to make the connections between their overuse of social media and things like strained relationships, trouble in school, and a constant feeling of being distracted and anxious, therapists can lead them toward the bigger, more underlying things that are at play. In this sense, Teen Social Media Addiction Treatment often overlaps and intersects with other treatment the teens might be engaging in, sometimes for things like a Mood Disorder or Substance Abuse struggles. Gradually, therapists want to help teens gain an awareness to make the connections between all different areas of their lives, so that they understand that their actions have consequences that may extend beyond what they’re even aware of. This integration of Teen Social Media Addiction Treatment into the teens’ overall treatment plans is exemplary of our holistic approach to all Teen Substance Abuse and Mental Disorder treatment.

One of the most important and helpful things you can give to your teens, despite all of their insistence against it, is structure. Though adolescents often insist and battle parents for more freedom and independence, in truth, it’s often too much of their own freedom that leads them into struggles. Providing some reasonable limitations on our teens’ social media time, including cell phone time, is one great way to help encourage them to enjoy visiting that online world which tends to keep them a little bit distracted from the internet.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

L7 Movie & Music Chart Movie Chart

Foreign Chart

Foreign 1. The Martian 2. Goosebumps 3. Bridge of Spies 4. Hotel Transylvania 2 5. Burnt 6. The Last Witch Hunter 7. Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension 8. Our Brand is Crisis (2015) 9. Crimson Peak 10. Steve Job

1. The Hills- Weekend 2. Drake-Hotline Bling 3. Justin Bieber-What do you mean 4. Stitches- Shawn Mendes 5. Taylor Swift-Wildest Dreams 6. Fetty Wap Ft Remy Boyz-679 7. The Weekend- Can’t Feel my face 8. R.City Ft. Ada Levine-Locked Away 9. Silento-Watch Me 10. One Direction-Perfect

Top ten movie chat English

1. First Lady 2. Once upon a Time 3. The Visit 4. A Soldier’s Story 5. Shattered Romance 6. One fine Day 7. Beyond Disability 8. Dark 9. Lunch Time 10. Silence

Top ten movie chart Top ten music chart Nigerian

1. DJ Shabsy Ft Kiss Daniel &Sugarboy-Raba 2. Banky-W- High Notes 3. Phyno-Connect 4. Mz Kiss-Owo Meta 5. Skales-Lo Le 6. Niyola-Go on 7. Harrysong-Reggae Blue 8. Tomi Thomas-Ready or Not 9. Tekno-Duro 10. Waje Ft. Patoranking-Left for good

Yoruba

1. Pitan 2. Koto 3. Adufe 4. Idakeji Ife 5. Atupa 6. Bella 7. Ijogbon 8. Lori Afefe 9. Ayomide 10. Matade Maxwell

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

L8 Television Showing on

Showing on

153 Africa Magic Urban

139 M-Net Movie Zone

02:30

01:25

Tue, 03 Nov | 16

Tue, 03 Nov | 16VSNL

AMOF. A Casanova receives a rather interesting birthday surprise when his three girlfriends show up at his house at the same time - uninvited. Felix Omokhodion, Chukwudi Oji. (2014) Ehizojie Ojesebholo.

In this quirky and fun romance Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen stars as a depressed mom whose family is healed by her son’s new love interest. Virginia Madsen, Graham Rogers.

(2013) Sarah Siegel Magness.

101 M-Net West

00:35 Hellion 02:20 Grassroots 04:00 Britain’s Got Talent 05:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 The Big Bang Theory 06:30 Proof 07:30 Idols SA 09:30 Resurrection 10:30 The McCarthys 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 Britain’s Got Talent 13:00 State Of Affairs 14:00 Revenge 15:00 Madam Secretary 16:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 17:00 Playing House 17:30 America’s Got Talent 18:30 Chicago PD 19:30 Mr. Robot 20:30 Battle Creek 21:30 State Of Affairs 22:30 Secrets & Lies

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo 00:30 Elena’s Ghost 01:20 Cruel Love 02:10 For Love And Justice 03:00 Part Of Me 03:50 Queen Of Hearts 05:20 Elena’s Ghost 06:10 Husband For Hire 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 For Love And Justice 09:30 Cruel Love 10:20 Husband For Hire 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 For Love And Justice 13:40 Cruel Love 14:30 Husband For Hire 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 For Love And Justice 17:50 Cruel Love 18:40 Husband For Hire 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 For Love And Justice 22:00 Cruel Love 22:50 Husband For Hire

00:45 The Weakest Link

12:25 Top Gear

01:31 Mad Dogs

13:20 Come Dine With Me

02:20 Come Dine With Me

14:15 Live At The Apollo

03:05 EastEnders

15:05 The Weakest Link

03:35 QI

16:00 EastEnders

04:05 Top Gear

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

05:00 Miranda

17:10 Pointless

05:30 QI 06:00 My Family: Christmas 2008

18:00 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

06:35 EastEnders

19:00 QI

07:05 Antiques Roadshow

19:35 QI

08:00 The Weakest Link

20:05 Would I Lie To You?

08:45 Pointless

20:40 Mr Sloane

09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

21:15 Miranda Special Xmas 2014

10:20 Deal Or No Deal

22:25 Mrs Brown’s Boys

11:00 My Family 11:30 Hell’s Kitchen USA

154 Africa Magic Family

00:00 Tinsel 00:30 Star Gist 01:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 02:00 Good Morning Africa 03:00 Good Morning Africa

04:00 Music Block 05:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 05:50 Behind The Scenes: Nemesis 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Separate Lives 08:45 Coco Bill 09:00 Katemba Mu Kkooti 09:30 Kumwesu 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 12:00 Music Block 13:00 Tinsel 13:30 Star Gist

14:00 Nowhere To Be Found 14:30 Rolling With Faith History 15:00 Lies That Bind 15:30 Lies That Bind 16:00 At Home With Michelle Attoh 17:00 Kumwesu 17:30 Mashariki Mix 18:00 Katemba Mu Kkooti 18:30 Kakibe Ki 19:00 Tinsel 19:30 Star Gist 20:00 Karma 20:30 The 5 Brides 21:00 Jara 21:30 Break In

21:50 Mrs Brown’s Boys

155 Africa Magic World 00:30 Jara 01:00 Good Morning Africa 02:00 Music Block 03:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 04:00 Jacob’s Cross 05:00 Good Morning Africa 06:00 City Of Kings 09:00 Good Morning Africa 10:00 So Wrong So Wright 10:30 Prem 11:00 Jacob’s Cross 12:00 Jacob’s Cross 13:00 Music Block 14:00 Music Block 15:00 Star Gist 15:30 Star Gist 16:00 Star Gist 16:30 Star Gist 17:00 Jacob’s Cross 18:00 Jacob’s Cross 19:00 So Wrong So Wright 19:30 My Good Will 21:25 Music Block 22:25 Music Block

128 SONY MAX

00:20 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 01:10 1000 Ways To Die 01:35 1000 Ways To Die 02:00 Where The Day Takes You 03:45 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 04:35 What Went Down 05:00 World’s Wildest Police Videos 05:50 World’s Wildest Police Videos 06:40 Video Zonkers 07:05 Whaddyado 07:30 Hole In The Wall 08:00 Sports Gone Wild 08:30 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 09:30 What Went Down 10:00 World’s Wildest Police Videos 11:00 World’s Wildest Police Videos 12:00 Whaddyado 12:30 Hole In The Wall 13:00 Sports Gone Wild 13:30 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 14:30 What Went Down 15:00 Max Knight: Ultra Spy 16:30 Video Zonkers 17:00 Hole In The Wall 17:30 Sports Gone Wild 18:00 Whaddyado 18:30 Extreme Reality Clips 19:00 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 20:00 Bad Ink 20:30 Guy Code 21:00 Online Dating Rituals...

22:00 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 22:30 World’s Wildest Police Videos

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Tech Times Æ s

TT 1

Inye Kemabonta, Editor, Tech Times inye@technologylaw.com.ng

NITDA, Nihilent award winners to be declared @ e-Nigeria Conference 2015 Jack

Stories by Tony Nwakaegho The winners of the 2015 joint National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Nihilent awards will be declared on the 18th of November, during the NITDA-Nihilent e-Governance Awards Ceremony as part of the e-Nigeria Conference.

NITDA has decided to make the Programme an annual affair and a permanent feature of the e-Nigeria Conference due to the overwhelming response to the e-Governance Awards Program in 2014.

It was said that the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) and Nihilent, a global consulting and solutions integration Awards Committee team led by the Director General, Mr Peter Olu Jack have been working closely to formulate

the programme as it will comprise multiple phases in the run up to the final event.

The team proposes to finalize the Award Categories and criteria on the basis of which respondents will be assessed.

The EoI forms will soon be made available on the official NITDA portal for access to potential respondents. The respondents will be required to submit their responses online.

Further, the e-Governance awards assessment team will visit project sites of identified entities to check the ground realities and interview the concerned Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Directors’ and other officials – all of which forms a part of the rigorous assessment process. The results of the assessment will be declared on the second week of November, 2015.

ATCON celebrates 21st anniversary, set broadband agenda for government Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON) have hosted stakeholders, captains of industries and the telecoms sector to celebrate its 21st anniversary in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, Engr.

Lanre Ajayi, president of ATCON, said while the Association recognises the achievement the country has recorded in telecommunications sector, sought more government attention in critical infrastructural development to spur broadband penetration, adding that they have also realised that there is still more work to be done.

“Our broadband penetration only grew from 6% in the year 2013 to a mere 10% in 2015, midway into the year 2018, which our broadband plans targets we should reach a broadband penetration of 30%.

“If we do not expedite the implementation process of the broadband plan and come up with new ideas and vigour, it is

obvious that we may not meet the 30% penetration goal,” Ajayi said.

He explained that as a way of mobilising the stakeholders and get them to generate new ideas, ATCON National Executive Council (NCE) approved the formation of the Telecoms Industry Advisory Council (TIAC), which is a platform that brings people with deep experience but may have retired with current actors in the industry together to brainstorm on contemporary industry issues with the aim of guiding the industry by issuing advisory notes to the industry, through ATCON NEC. He also disclosed that as a way of ensuring good ethical and business conduct which is aimed at improving the business environment and build public confidence in the industry practitioners, a code of conduct approved at ATCON AGM was launched at the 21st Anniversary venue.

He reminisced that 21 years ago, at the time ATCON was formed, the state of telecommu-

.L-R: Representatives of Lagos State and Imo State Governors; Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, Sokoto State Governor and Engr. Lanre Ajayi, ATCON president, and Olusola Teniola Ist Vice President ATCON during the inauguration of Nigeria Telecoms Industry Advisory Council’ (NTIDC). and code of conduct for ATCON members in Lagos, recently.

nications industry in Nigeria was quite unimpressive, as there was less than 400,000 telephone lines to a population of 105 million people as at 1994, resulting in a telephone density of less than 0.4.

“In 1994, a number of remark-

able things started to happen. Not only the ATCON was formed, but it marked the beginning of the evolution of the Internet in Nigeria. On March 8, 1994, the first internet host set up in Nigeria at the Foundation for Environment

in Nigeria (FEDEN), located in Yaba, Lagos.

“Today, the telecommunication landscape has improved, we have progressed rapidly from a teledensity of 0.4 to a teledensity of CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 3

Tech Times TT 2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Ntel promises pure 4G LTE mobile network across Nigeria Stories by Tony Nwakaeho

The Natcom Development and Investment Limited, trading as ntel said it is ready to launch into the Nigerian market, a pure play Fourth Generation (4G) Long Term Evolution (LTE) mobile network commencing with Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

4G is an International Telecommunication Union (ITU) specification that is evolving for broadband mobile capabilities and enables Internet Protocol (IP)based voice, data and streaming multimedia at higher speeds and available at least 100 Megabit per second (Mbit/s) with high mobility and up to 1 Gigabit (GBit/s) with low mobility also known as nomadic.

Chief Executive Officer, ntel, Mr. Kamar Abass gave this assurance at a media launch with journalist in Lagos, explaining that in their scale of portfolio roll out the company which took over the assets of former Nigerian Telecommunications (NITEL) and its mobile arm, MTEL plans to launch a pure play 4G LTE mobile service that would offer high-speed data, high-definition voice and video.

“In its first phase ntel will launch international bandwidth services over SAT-3 and a 4G mobile network covering Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt,” he affirmed.

5 L-R: Osondu Nwokoro, Director External Affairs, Ntel, Mr. Kamar Abass, Chief Executive Officer, ntel, and Inusa Bello Director Consumer Marketing & Sales,Ntel at the Launch of Ntel in Lagos, recently.

According to him, ntel would in the first phase deploy estimated 800 cell sites with the projected plan to increase this figure to 2,000 sites.

Abass maintained that ntel was absolute about the offer of a pure play 4G LTE mobile service and so would not join the league of 4G pretenders in the country.

He also said that ntel would leverage its SAT-3 for international voice terminations, stressing that

the SAT-3 partnerships would enable direct exchange of International Direct Dialing (IDD) traffic with 35 partners and the expertise of its 75 man-work force who will bring their local international experience to bear on the company.

“Since July 2015, ntel has delivered 10 million IDD minutes to Nigeria,” he said.

Commenting on the international bandwidth delivery, Abass said, with SAT-3/WASC, ntel pro-

vides connectivity from Lagos to Sesimbra, Portugal and Lagos towards Cape Town in South Africa and countries in between.

Interestingly, he disclosed that ntel provides international bandwidth cum Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to carriers and major corporates between Nigeria and international destinations.

Abbas posited that while on metro bandwidth with over 1,100 kilometres of ducts and

over 4,000 kilometres of fibre route in almost all states in Nigeria, ntel is enabled to offer fibre capacity services to all across the country. ntel CEO explained that the company would in the future provide fixed network services to homes and businesses where extant infrastructure could be leveraged at minimal incremental cost.

He noted that they are coming into that market with great optimism for the Nigerian market because they believe in technology based on broadband usage, which drives growth drawing its strength from 4G. Commenting on the business plans, he noted: “We expect over time to spend over 1billion dollar. The market has evolved over time, we can collocate and that will reduce our expenditure.

And since it is impossible to leave space, we have to develop our data centre. Nigeria will expect to get something better, and we want to ensure that Nigeria get high quality broadband experience, while we get decent return on investment to continue to remain in business.”

Broadband usage, he said would spur telecommuting, facilitate forestry preservation from less paper with some new services paving the way for smart homes and grids, adding that people would be better connected because they would have better social relationships with improved education through electronic learning (e-learning) as well as impact on the gross domestic product (GDP) of the nation.

Huawei unveils “eClassroom” solutions at GITEX

Ren Zhengfei

Huawei, a leading global ICT solutions provider, has unveiled live eClassroom and Executive Desktop Presence solutions at this year’s GITEX Technology Week, a major IT show which

ended recently in Dubai, UAE. Edwin Diender, chief technology officer of UC & C product line said: “We endeavour to bring the latest products and solutions to market by offering the public the

chance to experience for themselves cutting-edge ICT innovations.

“In fields such as education, new technologies are changing the way that classes are being taught, where they are being hosted, and the desire of both students and faculty for more flexible and creative learning environments. These same principles are also being prioritized in the workplace as businesses desire immediate communication with regional and global teams—extending the meeting experience from the conference room to your office desktop.”

The new eClassroom solution offers more opportunities for students to receive a better quality of education. The solution combines Huawei’s latest HD video conferencing and smart directing systems, giving access to digital education resources remotely through real-time interaction, live streaming and video-on-

demand (VoD). Such capabilities help in promoting efficient use of educational resources between classrooms, school networks and remote learning sites.

The Huawei live eClassroom provides educators and students with 1080p HD dual stream visuals and CD-quality audio, creating a real-life and immersive environment where teachers and students can collaborate “face to face”. In addition, Huawei’s voice recognition technology enables the system to automatically and easily track the speaker and capture their image so that the communication between teachers and students doesn’t require extra microphones.

The eClassroom also employs dual-channel directing to switch and sends content concurrently to remote classrooms. The solution employs the latest H.264 High Profile (HP) technology, Huawei patented Video Motion Enhancement (VME), and Huawei’s Su-

per Error Concealment (SEC) 3.0 technologies to enhance compression rates and enable 1080p images to be delivered at the bandwidth of 512 Kbit/s.

Executive Desktop Presence DP300 The device adopts an all-in-one design, integrating codec, camera, microphone, speaker and touch screen. The DP300 provides end-to-end 1080p and 60 dual HD streams, bringing customers more vivid meeting experiences.

The 27-inch display operates by tapping and sliding the screen. Its unique voice dialling functionality allows people to voice dial to connect and participate.

The DP300 can also be used as a room presence system and transformed into a computer monitor with the touch of a button. In addition, it enables users to take calls, hang up, cancel and reject calls easily via the touch screen or via the Bluetooth headset or earpiece.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3 2015

TT 3 Tech Times

MCI N197Bn set-top box plant to fast-track digital switchover Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Media Concepts International (MCI), a Set Top Box (STB) manufacturer licenced by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said it choose to go into local production of STBs for digital broadcasting viewing in other to create jobs, fast track digital switchover and bridge the digital divide in the country.

MCI has partnered with the world’s number three set top box manufacturer from South Korea, KAON to commence the building of a massive N197 billion ($1bn) manufacturing plant in Abule Egba, Lagos to tackle one of the most important aspects of digital migration.

MCI is one of the 13 indigenous companies licenced by the NBC for the manufacturing of STBs in the country.

The STBs will be used to convert analogue television sets to show digital channels at the homes of millions of Nigerians.

The company said that construction of the manufacturing plant will begin in January 2016 and will be completed by the end of December with manufacturing activities taking off thereafter will kick off.

Footprint to Africa gathered that the STB plant will employ over 1000 technical staff that will be trained on local assembly in the first instance and full manufacturing of set top boxes locally.

Nigeria’s digital switchover (DSO) driven by the private sector will lead to production of set-

ATCON marks 21st anniversary CONTINUED FROM PAGE TT 1

more than 100, which means; we now have more telephone lines than human beings in Nigeria.

From a mere dial up access to the Internet in 1994 to a huge internet Bandwith capacity of over 11 terabytes per second at the seashores of Nigeria and more than 65million internet subscriptions in the country, a figure that is more than the population of South Africa, South Korea and the United Kingdom,” he said.

Also speaking, Engr Olawale Ige, former minister of Communication and Chairman of the

top boxes and viewing of digital channels by TV viewers in line with the directive of the International Telecommunications Union (ITU).

It will be recalled that Media Concepts International (MCI) and South Korean firm, KAON recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the establishment of a N197 billion ($1bn) Set Top Box (STB) manufacturing plant, the first by any company in Nigeria.

This move will assist Nigeria to realise its digital switchover milestone of June 2017 for migration from analogue to digital broadcasting services in the country.

Mr. Babatope Agbeyo, chairman of Media Concepts International (MCI) speaking at the MoU signing agreement said their technical partner, KAON of South Korea which is among the top three STB manufacturers in the world will not just bring its expertise but will ensure technology transfer in the manufacturing and maintenance of STBs as well as invest as an equity holder in the Nigerian plant.

He said it is a massive project that will redefine digital media broadcasting and fast track the digital migration process with the conversion of analogue television sets digital broadcasting.

“We chose KOAN as our technical partner because it is among the top three STB manufacturers in trrhe world with footprints in Asia, Europe, Latin America and now Africa.”

Agbeyo said KOAN recently es-

L-R: Young Kang, sales director, Europe, Middle East and Africa region for KAON; Babatope Agbeyo, chairman of Media Concepts International (MCI and Emeka Mba, director general of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), during the signing of Set-Top box manufacturing plant agreement between MCI and KAON in Lagos recently.

tablished set top box manufacturing plant in South Africa and will be helping the digital migration processes in South Africa, Kenya, and Senegal and in addition to Nigeria. “In the less than one year, we will come back and show the STBs manufactured locally” he said.

Mr. Young Kang, sales director, Europe, Middle East and Africa region for KAON said on the long term, the manufacturing which will be located in Abule Egba, Lagos will be expanded to manufacture mobile phones, tablets, routers and television sets in the country to encourage technology transfer. “It is a really big step for Nigeria to build its STB factory.

“We are here to invest and ensure technology transfer. We are here for the long term as an investor in the plant and the Nigerian broadcasting industry. We will not limit ourselves to technology transfer but encourage local production of STBs, phones, tablets, TV sets, routers, etc. We have just opened a factory in South Africa and we will team up with MIC to open another here that will produce STBs that are full high definition (HD)” he said.

On his part, Mr. Emeka Mba, director general of Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC), said MCI was the first STB manufacturer licences that paid its N50 million authorisa-

tion fee over a year ago and has now commenced the process for local manufacturing of set top boxes.” As you know, we missed the June 17, 2015 deadline but we have made progress since to ensure that will meet the 2017 target.

“We see a digital future driven by set top boxes that can give digital channels, internet access and enhance digital lifestyle and shorten the digital divide in Nigeria. We believe this is the future which requires bold steps. Local investors like MCI are making investments that will create technology transfer that will permeate beyond television to bring job creation and economic growth.

NOTAP’s technology transfer office establishes 38 IPTTOs, trains IP Ajayi

occasion, said Nigerians will remain grateful to founding fathers of the Association for their vision and championing of the course for telecommunications revolution in the country.

He added that the present government should rely on the foundations laid by the past leaders to create more robust industry.

Highlight of the event was the presentation of awards to those that distinguished themselves in the telecommunication industry since inception and the launching of the ATCON code of ethics by the Governor of Sokoto State, Alhaji Aminu Tambauwal.

National Office for Technology Acquisition and Promotion (NOTAP) said it has through its Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer Offices (IPTTO) programme established 38 IPTTOs in Tertiary institutions and research institutions across Nigeria.

A statement from the office explained that usually during the commissioning of these IPPTOs, training of the IPTTO personnel forms part of the commissioning programme. These trainings are to enable the IPTTOs start functioning. Though the purpose is to enable the IPTTOs commence work, the effectiveness of the IPTTO personnel is limited.

The reasons adduced by the office for the establishment include: Inadequate staffing of the offices; the appointment of the IPTTO personnel is without regard to their background in relation to the functions of the office;

ssssss

the above situations make it necessary for the IPTTO personnel to undergo further training to acquire the level of proficiency needed to perform effectively; due to the political avarice in the institutions, the IPTTO Coordi-

nators are changed frequently, usually with the emergence of a new Vice Chancellor/ Chief Executive and the new coordinators, in most cases, have low level of awareness of Intellectual Property (IP).

CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 4

Tech Times TT 4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Nigeria, other African countries urged to leapfrog IoT technology Nigeria and other African governments have been called upon for as a matter of necessity to leapfrog to the new technology of Internet of Things (IoT) that is currently causing some forms of ripples in the global technology world.

Vice President of Alibaba Group, Mr. Sicheng Yu, gave the charge while speaking at the just concluded 35th Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) Technology Week in Dubai on the topic: “The Future of Innovation and the Converging Forces of Change”.

Sicheng Yu said that “the world is currently experiencing a number of converging forces that will

both rewrite the rules of business and redefine the world of innovation. Each of these driving forces has the potential of blindsiding us if we do not spend time crafting stories about the world to come.”

Significantly, the call for African countries to embrace the technology of IoT is due to the new technology innovations that are driving business efficiency and profitability that are invariably disrupting the old ways of doing businesses globally.

According to him, the technology of IoT would, in the future, help cars to communicate with other cars on the roads and help in decongesting traffic caused by vehicular movements.

He added that more innovations were on the way and urged African countries to harness the innovation by promoting big data, cloud computing and the internet.

“We are already experiencing increase in the demand for big data services across the globe, but big data cannot work effectively without cloud computing that is largely driven by the internet,” Yu said.

Yu pledged that Alibaba Group would continue to make use of its platform for system and applications to work faster for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), in order to create business efficiency that will drive down cost of business.

Nigeria was represented at GITEX by the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), the government agency responsible for the implementation of Information Technology (IT) policy in Nigeria.

NITDA used the GITEX event to present Nigerian technology start-ups, who displayed various technology solutions that were developed by them locally, in the Nigerian pavilion at GITEX. The Agency also used Nigeria’s participation at this year’s GITEX to showcase local technology from Nigeria with a view to attracting offshore partnerships and investment to Nigeria.

Female tech

CWG unveils openmall. ng at Int’l Trade Fair Complex Lagos

Agada

Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Computer Warehouse Group plc has unveiled its e-commerce platform tagged Opemall at Balogun market in International Trade Fair Complex, Lagos.

Mr. James Agada, chief technology officer, Computer Warehouse Group plc, said that the main aim of this innovation is to allow entrepreneurs showcase their products and have full au-

thority of their site.

“The world is an ICT world and a medium to reach more end users than you can imagine, because everyone uses phone and computers these days, people prefer to do their shopping online because it gives them a wide range of choice from different stores and it is very convenient in reaching people’s doorstep because it will be delivered to them by the store. Most times people get scared of internet theft but on

this Openmall platform you can pay on delivery”.

“Our distinguishing feature is that we give 20 per cent discount on our sales. A customer service desk is available which interface with us and the shop and this makes it more effectively.”

Openmall allows entrepreneurs to have their own website without the help of a web designer. It gives a wide range of publicity to products or services.

Openmall enables entrepreneurs to project their business properly and effectively.

On her part, the CWG’s Head of marketing communications, Mrs. Success Hilario-Matore said Openmall is designed to give maximum exposure to store owners as well as enable buyers shop with ease, emphasizing that the Openmall will showcase products from different stores on one front for buyers to access.

“Openmall allows online shoppers to buy from numerous stores from one single location. The platform selects different products from a number of stores on our eCommerce platform and puts them together so the online shopper can meet all their household needs without having to surf endlessly”, she added The Pan-African company said the mall will serve as an aggregator that showcases products from the different stores on the www.openshopen.ng, powered by CWG.

Yu

MDs excite techpreneurs at AIG/Idea Hub fireside Muoneke

Startup founders recently converged to meet with the Managing Directors of the Rocket funded Africa Internet Group (AIG) at the recent Idea Hub Fireside Chat, to share knowledge, case studies, exchange notes and possibly co create.

In AIG companies and present at the chat were Carmudi and Easy Taxi which now have female MDs; these companies have joined the league of the inclusion of more female top executives in tech firms.

At the event Amy Muoneke, Managing Director, Carmudi Nigeria advised startup founders to focus more on identifying their target market so they can properly utilize their resources.

She said “it’s been great contributing to Carmudi’s innovative growth. Carmudi offers convenience and we are constantly developing new ideas and innovation that allows the buying and selling of cars online via the Carmudi platform easier.”

Adaora Asala, Managing Director, EasyTaxi Nigeria, encouraged the founders to put

chat proper internal structures in place so it can last throughout the business cycle.

As for differentiation, she said Easy Taxi was a pioneer in the Nigeria and is still expanding. ‘’In big cities taxis will never go away as a means of commuting so having others in the taxi app space allows for diversity and gives customers an option (but it is important to ensure your business stands out) to choose based on why this business is here and it’s immediate impact on the livelihood of residents,” she said.

Their pedigree in ICT led organisations is not by happenstance as Muoneke was once at the helm of affairs of bus.com. ng.

In addition to her role as MD Carmudi Nigeria she was recently made Head of Sales Carmudi Africa.

Also, Asala is an MIT alumnus and has over five years’ experience in the tech industry designing and implementing technology solutions before taking over as MD Easy Taxi Nigeria from Bankole Cardoso.

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

AMUNEKE

SALUTES BUHARI, AS FIFA TSG COMMENDS EAGLETS ANDREW EKEJIUBA

G

olden Eaglets’ Head Coach, Emmanuel Amuneke has yet again thanked Nigerians with special kudos for President Muhammadu Buhari (GCFR) after his wards decimated the A Selecao of Brazil 3-0 in Sunday’s quarter-final match at the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Vina del Mar. Among the goals for the fourtime champions within a spate of five minutes in the first half, were Victor Osimhen, who took his tally to eight goals in five matches, as well as midfielder Kingsley Michael and Udochukwu Anumudu.

“Today is one of my happiest days because there were so many who doubted our abilities since we started this journey,” Amuneke said. “But I’m grateful to God for making this victory possible for us. We have qualified for the semi-finals against all odds.”

He continued: “I want to use this opportunity to thank the players as well as my technical team and backroom staff because we are a team. We believed in what we were doing right from the beginning. This is a joyful moment for us and we want to give God all the glory for our success so far in this competition.”

Speaking further, Amuneke had some good words for PMB, as President Muhammadu Buhari is fondly called, for orchestrating changes in the polity of the county, saying the success of the Golden Eaglets so far at Chile 2015 represents an audacity of change.

“Today’s victory represents change for our country in the sense that

many who doubted us will see that hard work, merit and truth are nonnegotiable terms in this team.

“Personally, I give kudos to President Buhari for introducing changes in our country; and if all of us can embrace those changes, we can confidently say that everybody irrespective of where they come from can be given an equal opportunity to play for the country.”

Meanwhile, the FIFA Technical Study Group (TSG) saddled with the responsibility of ‘monitoring international matches and identifying latest footballing trends’ has applauded the tactical savvy of Coach Emmanuel Amuneke-led Golden Eaglets after they booked their semifinal ticket of the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile after dispatching Brazil 3-0 on Sunday.

Desmond Curry, Member of the TSG had sought out Amuneke ahead of their trumping of the A Selecao of Brazil at the Estadio Sausalito to explain briefly his seemingly obstructive tactics which have confounded opposing teams at this tournament.

The team, according to TSG’s elderly man from Northern Ireland, has brought to bear a new trend with varied styles and deployment of players when ‘having or not having the ball,’ hence the need for clarification.

The TSG was introduced 49 years ago by FIFA at the 1966 FIFA World Cup England and current Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh was on the panel at the last FIFA U-17 World Cup in the United Arab Emirates.

X1

SIASIA

escapes NFF sack!

N

igeria U-23 coach Samson Siasia has escaped Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) sack and has been issued a final warning after his critical comments against his employers.

He has also been fined 500,000 Naira and ordered to apologise in the media after he revealed he was owed

three months’ pay and his team have been abandoned, thus they were not ready for the Africa U-23 Nations Cup in Senegal later this month.

An official said: “Siasia has been very sober since his bosses came down hard on him.”

Siasia was queried for his media comments and the NFF had already

placed Eagles assistant coach Salisu Yusuf on standby to lead Dream Team VI to Senegal.

The African U-23 Nations Cup, which will also be a qualifying tournament for next year’s Rio Olympics, kicks off November 28 in Dakar and Nigeria are drawn with Egypt, Mali and Algeria in the group phase.

ENUGU SPORTS CLUB INDUCTS UGWUANYI AS PRESIDENT Moses Oyediran Enugu

G

overnor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State was at the weekend inducted as President of Enugu Sports Club.

The governor affirmed that his inauguration as the President of the Club would further spur him into more result-oriented actions that would shore up sustainable socio-economic well-being of the state.

Ugwuanyi in a speech after his investiture as the president of the club in Enugu expressed appreciation to the people of the state for making it possible for him to serve the reputable

club through their votes that brought him into power as governor, and promised to justify the trust reposed in him.

While assuring that his administration would give support to the club, he called on the wealthy members of the club and others to key into its programmes and projects to let the elite club make its desired contributions to society.

Responding in his address, the chairman of the club, Barr. Obum Arum thanked Governor Ugwuanyi for appointing some of the club’s members into positions of authority in the state, adding that elections and appointment of their members into positions is a veritable factor that would ensure

cooperation that could translate to rapid development of the state.

Also in a speech at the event, a philanthropist, Chief Arthur Eze donated N25m to the club, saying it is a unifying instrument for the Igbo race. He called on all people of Igbo extraction to give President Muhammadu Buharia’s administration the necessary support that could attract the needed benefits to them.

Enugu Sports Club is an elite and family membership club formed in 1929 as then an exclusive European club. It now has a nominal membership of over one thousand families drawn from across Nigeria and beyond.

VIVIAN CHUKW

UEMEKA

ay 4, 1975) is a emeka (born Mtim e Olympian.

Vivian Chukwupu otw d an r tte e Nigerian shotgold medal in the shot put atnthth ree She won the wealth Games and has wofrom on m es m m Co Ga a 02 20 es at the All Afric consecutive titl .

07 20 to 99 19 the event in an Champion in She was the Afdric2008 and also competes in world 2002, 2006 anand hammer throw, but not on discus throw level. metres, st throw is 18.4ut3. This is the Her personal be aln W in 2003 achieved in Ap.ril African record mer Olympics at the 2000 Susmin 2003 and 2005 She competed Ch hip ns ampio and the World g the finals. She won a silve. r Games without reachin Commonwealth medal at the 2006 c University in from Azusa Palcifi ork.

W She graduated ch cia So elor of 2006 with a Ba athletics m fro n ba a two-year 2009 Nigerian She received ug e test at th se for a failed dr s. Chukwuemeka had an inten ria.

Championshipthe Athletics Federation of Ni, ge stand-off with had several clerical errors and Her “B� samplesistencies in bottle numbersn, including incon which the sample was take the meeting atrefused permission to have ang and she was e present at the second testi g representativ a. She accused Nigerian dopin t, in South Africrruption and sexual harassmen officers of co cusing the federation presidentunam as well as acba of coercing Amaka Ogoegb Solomon Og r in drug distribution. to implicate he panel by the appeals ed. re dismissed th ain m re AF IA e Her claims we ban from and her two-year 20 tition in 12c returned to costm-pe r the anaboli fo Chukwuemekaco nd drugs te re the Olympic fo and failed a se be lol - shortly en a lifetime steroid stanozo uently, she was giv Games. Subseq tition. ban from compe

About

X2 Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

X3

Vivian

Chukwuemeka

EXTRATIME

X4

Tuesday, November 3, 2015

EXTRATIME

IGHALO

THRILLED BY GOALS RUSH

O

dion Ighalo has voiced his pleasure at netting the brace which helped Watford overcome West Ham United 2-0 in the English Premier League last Saturday.

Ighalo’s double means that he has now scored seven league goals this season.

He has also scored 70% of Watford’s league goals this season and states that helping his side win matches is more important than achieving personal glory.

“I’m happy about my goals, but I’m most pleased about the team’s performance. We played very well and we deserved the win and the three points,” Ighalo said.

Ighalo’s teammate, Ben Watson also had words of praise for the Super Eagles man who is fast cementing his place in the history of the club.

No one has scored more Premier League goals than the Nigerian in the club’s 134-year-old history and Watson says Ighalo can always be relied upon to deliver the goods.

“We had created chances against West Ham United, and if we didn’t score it would have been very disappointing.

“Maybe that’s been the case at home, as we probably haven’t scored as many goals as we would like. But you can always rely on Ighalo to get you a goal,” said Watson.

Ighalo

MIKEL BACKS EMBATTLED MOURINHO C

Embattled Chelsea boss, Jose Mourinho (right), shakes Mikel Obi as the midfielder takes his exit from the field

helsea midfielder John Obi Mikel insists his teammates are behind embattled manager Jose Mourinho, stating the Portuguese can improve fortunes for the Premier League champions.

Mikel was part of the Chelsea side beaten 3-1 at home by Liverpool on Saturday as their dismal title defence continued - Mourinho having come under intense pressure after six defeats in 11 league outings.

Four points from three Champions League games and a League Cup exit at the hands of Stoke City have added to Mourinho’s difficult campaign, with reports suggesting an element of unhappiness in the Chelsea dressing room.

But Mikel told reporters: “We are

right behind the manager. There’s no doubt about it.

“In training we work very hard.

If anyone can turn this around, we definitely think Mourinho is the one.

Last year we were champions. We won two trophies. Jose knows this club more than any other manager. He’s the most successful manager in the club’s history.

“I definitely think that, if anything is wrong, if anything can be fixed, he is the one.”

As speculation regarding Mourinho’s future continues to swirl, former Chelsea bosses Guus Hiddink and Carlo Ancelotti are said to be targets over a short-term return to the club.

However, Mikel maintains any desire to see an end to Mourinho’s second

reign at Chelsea comes from outside the dressing room.

“There’s no one out there that is going to come in and fix what’s going on,” he added.

“If you tell the team that we are not giving 100 per cent then there is the doubt, but we are giving 100 per cent, we are playing for the manager, we are right behind him.

“He has come out a few times and said the players are not giving 100 per cent and then you look at the next few games, the players come out and play better.

“He is doing everything that needs to be done. It’s just that right now things aren’t going well, so everyone outside wants him to go. I don’t think it’s the right way to go.