Daily Times Newspaper for Tuesday 4th August 2015

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TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015 VOL. 1. NO.162 ABUJA Low 22°C High 29°C

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EFCC quizzes NAFDAC boss for eight hours g4

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President orders cut in g 4 recurrent budget

We’ll trace oil funds to banks – Buharig4 “US may review arms embargo on Nigeria”

I won’t stop saying the truth, says Obasanjog5

Boko Haram slits Policeman’s throat g 6 Amaechi: Day Jonathan abused the hell out of meg4

2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

3

Politics Page Three Æ s Editorial Appraising Obama’s African visit

T

he President of the United States, Barack Hussein Obama, was in Africa recently on an official visit. The two-leg tour, which took him to Kenya and Ethiopia, was ostensibly to reaffirm the longstanding relationship between Africa and the US. Before the latest visit, Obama had earlier visited Ghana in July 2009, after his inauguration as the 44th American President and first person of African descent to occupy the White House. Also, in 2013, Obama and his wife Michelle travelled to Senegal, South Africa, and Tanzania to meet with leaders from government, business, and civil society. On all these trips, the objective was to reinforce U.S. commitment to expanding economic growth, investment, and trade; strengthening democratic institutions; and investing in the next generation of African leaders. All through the tour, his most telling message dwelt on corruption, erosion of democratic ethos, bad governance and the sit-tight syndrome of some African leaders who have refused to relinquish power after exhausting their constitutional limits in office.

Definitely, Obama took the opportunity to let the world know that Africa now depends less on aid than it did some decades ago. According to him, many African countries are now being seen as global partners - and not minority shareholders - in generating wealth, fighting terrorism and climate change.

He made it clear that such a partnership demands recognition, dignity and respect, reiterating that in return, African nations need to embrace the principles of equality, meritocracy and opportunity for all, even if at times, it grates with the old ways of doing things or poses a challenge to traditional beliefs.

He spoke of the “power of youth”, while urging African leaders to create opportunities for young people to build on the economic progress achieved thus far. “With a demographic time bomb ticking in the background, most African

leaders know that millions of youths without jobs is not good for the economy and also for peace,” he said. Even at that, many analysts are of the view that Obama’s visit to the continent is coming a bit too late. Such views are against the ever-growing influence of China and the vast impact she is making, especially in the areas of trade, finance and infrastructure development across the continent.

Every indication points to the hypervisibility of the “Asian Dragon” and its footprints from South Africa to Egypt, which are fast eclipsing those of America on the continent. Reasons for China’s resurgence are not hard to find.

While America continues to preach human rights and democracy, China has been busy building dams, highways, power stations and other infrastructural projects that are creating hundreds of thousands of jobs for the continent’s population.

For example, while on the 2013 African visit, Obama had announced his signature ‘Power Africa’ initiative, a public-private partnership that aims to add 30,000 megawatts to serve 60m households and businesses. Until the present time, that initiative remains in the realms of a distant proposition.

That is why skeptics posit that Obama’s visit has more style but less substance on the continent. For example, trade between China and Africa increased by 700 percent during the 1990s and today that country is Africa’s largest trading partner. While America and her western allies are busy divesting from the continent, China has an estimated 800 corporations doing business in Africa, most of which are private companies.

Moreover, one-third of China’s oil supplies come from the African continent, mainly from Angola and Nigeria. In all, Obama’s message could do well to rouse African leaders towards encouraging economic growth by making the continent more attractive to trade and investment; end corruption; take democracy seriously and eliminate insecurity by ending wars and combating terrorism.

Oshiomhole’s new-found love Sam Nzeh

ÎÎÎIt

is doubtful if any governor in the country since after the last general election has made lampooning the immediate past administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan a duty as that of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.

The governor has been about town almost on a weekly basis leveling one accusation or the other as to how Jonathan ran the nation’s economy aground.

In an interview with Washington DC based online television during the

recent four-day state visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to the United States, Oshiomhole alleged that there was massive looting of the commonwealth of Nigeria during Jonathan’s administration.

The Comrade Governor also on July 27, 2015, while speaking with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa in Abuja after a visit to President Buhari alleged that a minister in Jonathan’s administration stole as much as $6 million based on information a US official made available to him during the President’s visit.

On and on the list goes.

However, the curious thing in all the allegations is that the Comrade Governor has

Words On Marble :

so far failed to substantiate them with any proof.

One therefore wonders what is behind Oshiomhole’s new found-love of hurling sundry accusations against Jonathan and his administration.

Oshiomhole, no doubt, is at liberty to make all manner of allegations against Jonathan and his outgone administration, but the onus is on him to provide proofs to back his claims.

This is because as is widely held in law, ‘he who alleges must prove’, else such allegations cannot stand. So, until Oshiomhole provides proof (s) to back up his allegations against Jonathan and his government, such allegations may just be mere belly-aching.

STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Publisher

Fidelis Anosike

Group Managing Director

Group Managing Editor

Chief Operating Officer

Editor

Noel Anosike Afie Braimoh

Molara Wood Yinka Olujimi

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Prof. Nwabueze

Tony Momoh

Yinka Odumakin

“You cannot tell me that you are giving Nigeria a new beginning if you don’t probe Obasanjo’s administration. I agree with Jonathan. If you are going to probe, and there should be probe, however long it will take.”

“I have confidence in Buhari and I believe strongly that he has all it takes to achieve all those things that you have listed. He is the only elected President of Nigeria that started by wanting to become President”.

“Most of the issues that made so many of us to conclude about the imperative of restructuring Nigeria are about to grind Nigeria”.

News 4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

President orders further cut in recurrent budget Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari on Monday ordered the National Planning Commission (NPC) to go back to the drawing board and produce the framework for a 2016 national budget that will reduce recurrent expenditure and prioritize developmental projects.

Buhari, according to a statement by the Senior Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, gave the order after receiving a briefing from the Executive Secretary of the Commission, Dr. Bassey Akpanyung at the Presidential Villa.

The President, Shehu added, told Akpanyung and Directors of the NPC that capital projects must now be given the fullest possible priority because

Nigeria cannot achieve real development without adequate investment in capital and infrastructural projects.

“In carrying out its role in surveillance of the economy, review and appraisal of policies, the Commission should devise a plan for a realignment of the budget so that capital projects can be really prioritized,” the President directed.

The Executive Secretary of the NPC had informed the President that Nigeria’s planning system was beset by many challenges.

These challenges, he said, included the nonalignment of national plans with the annual budget and inadequate capacity in the departments of Planning, Research and Statistics in the various government ministries.

Day Jonathan ‘abused the hell out of me’ – Amaechi Monday Agu Jnr Abuja

ÏÏÏ“He

asked me why and I explained that we were already in court on the issue of fuel subsidy.

The (former) President abused the hell out of my life. I have huge respect for the President, but the only thing that made me disagree with him was on the issue of the management of the country’s treasury.”

Those were the words of former Rivers State Governor, Hon. Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi, on Sunday night explaining the genesis of his open rift with ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Amaechi, who defected from Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC), was then the chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF).

His refusal to support the bid sparked outrage in Jonathan, who thereafter poured abuses on him.

Amaechi made the disclosure at a dinner held in his honour by a group of friends in Abuja.

The chairman of the committee of friends was former Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva; while the members included an ally of Amaechi, Senator Magnus Abe; the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Dakuku Peterside; and the governors of Plateau and Bauchi states.

As a consequence of his intransigence, he added, the then President Jonathan told him not to seek re-election as chairman of the NGF. The former Governor also accused the former President of superintending the tansfer of Rivers State’s oil wells to Jonathan’s home state, Bayelsa, a situation he said adversely affected the revenue base of Rivers.

His words: “When the trouble between me and Continued on page 6

(L-R): U.S. Congresswoman, Frederica Wilson; Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson Lee; President Muhammadu Buhari; Leader of Delegation, Rep. Darrel Issa and Member of Congress, Hon. Blake Farenthold during an audience between the President and members of the US Congress at the State House, Abuja… on Monday

EFCC quizzes NAFDAC boss for eight hours Mathew Dadiya Abuja

ÏÏÏOperatives

of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Monday quizzed the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr Paul Orhii, for eight hours.

Although he was released on self-recognition, Orhii was directed to appear at the commission’s office again on Tuesday (today).

Details of the allegations against him remained sketchy at press time, but sources in the EFCC told Daily Times that he is being investigated over a series of allegations levelled against him by a former Finance Di-

rector of the Agency.

Orhii had dismissed the allegations which, he noted were levelled by an ex-official of NAFDAC who did not complain about any financial crime for three years but went to town only after he had been reassigned from his duty.

The allegations against the NAFDAC boss run into billions of Naira. He was accused of approving contracts to some companies which were only his fronts.

A source at the headquarters of the anti-corruption agency in Abuja told Daily Times that Orhii was held under interrogation for over eight.

The source, who pleaded anonymity, also told our correspondent that the director

general was allowed to go home because there were documents he was asked to make available to the commission.

The former finance director of NAFDAC, Ademola Mogbojuri, had in a newspaper interview accused Orhi of financial recklessness.

He said Orhi refused to remit funds meant for the Federation Account, and instead funneled the agency’s internally generated revenues to fund political campaign in his home state, Benue.

“Some of the companies they used to carry out the deals have collected over N6bn in the last two years,” Mr. Mogbojuri had told Punch in July.

“Towards the general

election this year, he collected a lot of money and used it to buy vehicles, which he branded and gave to a governorship aspirant in his native Benue State. The financial recklessness of the DG has brought NAFDAC onto its knees,” he had alleged.

However, the DG described the allegation as false. He had said: “We have not indulged in reckless spending as claimed.

Take a look at the person making the allegations, the former director of finance and administration. He is the person who has been making the payments for the past three to four years.

Then suddenly when he was reassigned, he woke up to discover that there were irregularities.”

We’ll trace looted funds to banks, says Buhari Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari disclosed Monday in Abuja that his administration has taken efforts to recover looted Nigerian funds a step further by identifying banks, financial institutions and countries in which payments for stolen Nigerian crude oil have been deposited.

Speaking at an audience with visiting United States Congressmen, President Buhari acknowledged the support and cooperation his administration was getting from the international community in gathering required intelligence for

tracing and recovering stolen national resources.

This was contained in. a statement issued by Presidential Spokesman, Femi Adesina, in Abuja.

“We are getting cooperation from the international community, including information on ships that take crude oil from Nigeria and change direction, or pour their contents into other ships mid-stream,” Buhari said.

He added: “Some monies were paid to individual accounts. We are identifying the financial institutions and countries that are involved. I have been assured that when we get all our documents together, the United States and other

countries will treat our case with sympathy.’’

The Congressmen were led by Rep. Darrel Issa, according to Adesina.

President Buhari told the visitors that his Administration would welcome more regular meetings of the Nigeria-United States Bi-National Commission.

He noted that the Commission could serve as a more useful platform for the promotion of bilateral trade and economic relations as well as joint cooperation in the war against terrorism.

Rep. Darrel assured President Buhari that the United States would support Nigeria against Boko Haram by providing train-

ing, intelligence and military platforms.

“We look forward to helping you in many ways to end the Boko Haram insurgency and the theft of crude oil in the Gulf of Guinea,’’ he said.

Meanwhile, Issa has disclosed that the US is considering lifting its arms embargo on Nigeria.

He made the disclosure while speaking with journalists after a closed-door meeting with the nation’s defence and military chiefs at the National Defence College, Abuja, on Monday.

He disclosed that the US had begun the process of lifting the restrictions of the Leahy Law on NigeContinued on page 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Inspector General of Police, Solomon Arase (6th Left); Solicitor-General of the Federation, Mr. Abdullahi Ahmed-Yola (5th Left); DirectorGeneral, Nigeria Institute of Advanced Legal Studies,Prof.

Adedeji Adekunle (4th left); Chief Judge of FCT, Justice Ishaq Bello (4th right) and others at the training workshop for Nigeria Police in Abuja… on Monday

Nothing can stop me from saying the truth, says Obasanjo Abodun Taiwo

Abeokuta ÏÏÏFormer President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, has declared that he would remain blunt for life, adding that nothing can stop him from saying what he believed to be the truth.

Obasanjo, who also added that he never hates the media as is the belief in some quarters, stressed that irresponsible journalism should not be allowed in nation building.

He made this known while hosting the former Zonal Secretary, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Dimeji Kayode-Adedeji, to dinner to celebrate the journalist on his birthday held at Obasanjo Hilltop Private Residence in Abeokuta,

Federal College of Education Oyo gets new provost Egena Egena Abuja

ÏÏÏPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has approved the appointment of Professor Kamoru Olayiwola Usman as Provost of the Federal College of Education (Special), Oyo. The appointment of the 51-year-old Oyo-born Prof.

Usman is for an initial term of four years, a statement

by Presidential spokesman, Femi Adesina issued in

Ogun State capital.

“I remain myself and I will continue to remain myself in being blunt. I don't hate the media, but there are some bad eggs in the profession, and this must not be allowed, and the truth must be told. However, not all journalists are bad, hence, the need to celebrate the good ones, as we are all witnessing today’, Obasanjo emphasised.

He said he had equally dwelt extensively on this menace in the profession in his book, ‘My Watch’, stressing that bad journalism should not be allowed to strive, and he would not stop to condemn such act in all ramifications and would continue to celebrate the good ones.

Abuja on Monday said.

The academic qualifications of the new Provost according to the statement include a Bachelor’s Degree in Science Education, a Master’s Degree in Education (Mathematics) and a Doctorate Degree in Education (Mathematics).

Until his new appointment, Prof. Usman was Associate Dean of the Faculty of Education, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, it added.

Buhari

Obasanjo said journalists are expected to play meaningful roles in the society, explaining that he was not against genuine criticism from the media, but the practitioners must always be sincere and committed to the ethics of the profession.

Some notable dignitaries at the colourful ceremony include Iyalode of Yorubaland, Chief(Mrs.) Alaba Lawson, Prof. Oye IbidapoObe, (former Vice-Chancellor, University of Lagos), Segun Odegbami (former Green Eagles Captain), Aare Lekan Alabi (Veteran journalist),Tunde Oladunjoye (former PDP Deputy Governorship candidate in Ogun State), Engr. Dideolu Falobi (President, Ijesaland

Development Foundation), Ayinde Soaga (General Manager, Ogun State Television), Omooba Segun Adewale (former PDP Governorship aspirant), Tunde Sodeke (former Chairman, Ogun State NUJ) and Wole Shokunbi, (Chairman Ogun NUJ) among others.

Police confirm kidnap of 90-year-old grandmother in Delta The Delta State Police Command has confirmed the abduction of a 90-yearold grandmother, Madam Helen Ojeogwu, by gunmen.

The command said the nonegerian was abducted from her home in Azungwu quarters, Ogwashi-Uku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

Abolurin calls for synergy among security agencies ÏÏÏThe

immediate past Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr. Ade Abolurin, has stressed the need for synergy among security and intelligence agencies in the country.

He made the remark on Monday at the pulling-out ceremony held at the Civil Defence Academy, Sauka, along the Airport Road in Abuja.

According to Abolurin, the synergy among security and intelligence agencies will help boost their

5 News capacity and maximize government investment in the security sector. ``So, we must work together. This country requires the services of this corps. ``One agency cannot do it alone, except where there is synergy, collaboration and cooperation. ``This country does not deserve all these crises we are witnessing. But our weakness is that we don’t want to collaborate, cooperate and synergize. ``The time has come and that time is now,’’ he said.

He expressed optimism that vandalism of critical government infrastructure would be a thing of the past, adding that the corps was making large strides toward achieving the goal.

Police confirm kidnap of 90-yearold grandmother in Delta ÏÏÏThe Delta State Police

Command has confirmed the abduction of a 90-yearold grandmother, Madam Helen Ojeogwu, by gunmen.

The command said the nonegerian was abducted from her home in Azungwu quarters, Ogwashi-Uku, in Aniocha South Local Government Area of the state.

The Command’s spokesperson, DSP Celestina Kalu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday via telephone that the victim was kidnapped last Monday by a six-man armed gang who operated in a Mitsubushi L300 bus.

She said: ``On July 27, 2015, at about 9.46 p.m., one Ojeogwu Chike of 24 Umu-

zu St., Azungwu Quarters, Ogwashi-Uku, came to station and reported that one madam Ojeogwu Helen, aged 90 years, has been kidnapped. ``He said that the victim was kidnapped by six unknown gunmen who drove into the victim's family compound in a dark blue ten-passenger Mitsubushi L300 bus with registration number unknown and took her away to an unknown destination.’’

Kalu said that upon the receipt of the report, the police dispatched an anti-robbery team to the scene. The spokesperson said that the command had intensified efforts to rescue the victim and arrest the culprits.

Ooni's body may arrive Nigeria within 72 hours Ngozi Okafor

London ÏÏÏAs the uncertainty over the state of the Ooni of Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade Olubuse II, continues to generate controversies, the Daily Times can authoritatively reveal that the body of the monarch has not yet left London.

The family members of the king, including the wives who accompanied him on his last trip to London are “very busy preparing" to travel back to Nigeria, a Daily Times source revealed on Monday afternoon.

Family members, including a male nephew of the king, "are leaving on Wednesday," the source said. Asked if the body of the Imperial Majesty had been taken to Nigeria ahead of the burial ceremony, the source replied, "Not yet, they're leaving on Wednesday."

It was also revealed that some of his London -based family members will not be attending. "I don't know why," the source added.

On Monday, the Daily Times made more inquiries about the particular hospital where the 85- year-old

died, and checks carried out at Wellington Hospital and others in St John's Wood area and all three hospitals said he was never admitted there in the first place.

Another Daily Times source told this reporter that the Ooni's situation is quite unfortunate and "messy." On Saturday, she said, "he should not have died in Oyinbo's (white people) hands.”

Having been close to the Ooni himself, she wondered why the monarch had not built a "diabetic centre at either Obafemi Awolowo University, OAU Ile - Ife or

the nearby Seventh Day Adventist Hospital." Continuing, she said: "It’s a shame for ordinary diabetes to have killed him," and that "there's no reason why that man could not have built a national centre for diabetes or use his influence or some of his money."

The Late Ooni

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Day Jonathan ‘abused the hell out of me’ – Amaechi Continued from page 4

L-R: Head, Corporate Services, Workforce Group, Peju Nkemneme; Director, Winstitute, Mr. Foluso Aribisala; Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Group, Mr. Bolaji Olagunju; and General Manager, Stratorg Consulting, Ms. Chinelo Umeugochukwu during the inauguration of Workforce new name, logo and world class website in Lagos… on Monday

Again, Shekau absent in new Boko Haram video ÏSect slits Policeman’s throat

ÏÏÏSuspected

leader of Boko Haram, Abubakar Shekau, was once again conspicuously missing in a new video released by the militant sect on Monday, fueling rumours that he may, indeed, be dead as claimed by Nigerian military.

He was last heard from in March, when he released an audio message pledging allegiance to the Islamic State (IS) group.

Soon thereafter, military said it had recaptured all towns and cities from Boko Haram.

The military said on Sunday that it had freed 178 people held captive by Boko Haram in Borno State.

It had also killed militants and captured a commander following airstrikes on the group’s bases, it added.

In the eight-minute video, an unidentified young man speaks in the name of the Islamic State in West Africa calling on people to be patient, adding: “We are still present everywhere we had been before.”

The video shows the militants attacking a security checkpoint, seizing weapons, and slitting the throat of a man dressed in a police uniform.

Shekau also failed to appear in a Boko Haram video released in June.

The British Broadcasting

Corporation (BBC) reported its Nigeria analyst Naziru Mikailu, as saying that this will renew speculation that Shekau is either deep in hiding, or has been wounded and even killed.

Regardless of Shekau’s fate, it is clear from the video that some militants in Nigeria are still determined to fight, Mikailu says.

The video is gruesome, but its production sleek and this suggests that it was produced with the help of ISallied propaganda units, he adds.

The young militant spoke in Hausa language, with an accent from the Kanuri ethnic group, to which Shekau belongs.

Shekau became Boko Haram leader following the kill-

ing of the group’s founder, Muhammad Yusuf, in police custody in 2009.

Previous reports about his death proved to be untrue.

He sparked global outrage when Boko Haram abducted more than 200 girls from a boarding school in Chibok town in Borno state in April 2014.

He laughed in a video clip, and said: “I abducted your girls. I will sell them in the market, by Allah. I will sell them off and marry them off.”

The US government has offered a reward of up to $7 million for information about his location.

IS is based in Iraq and Syria, has a foothold in Libya, and has vowed to create a global caliphate.

We’ll trace stolen funds to banks, says Buhari Continued from page 4 ria because of the recent moves to professionalise the military by the Chief of Defence Staff and the service chiefs.

The Leahy Law is a human rights law of the US, which prevents the State Department and the Department of Defense from selling arms and ammunition.

The refusal of the US Government to sell arms to the country because of the Leahy Amendment, forced the country, under President Goodluck Jonathan, to explore other options including the black market to get desperately needed arms and ammunition to

halt the advances of the Boko Haram in 2014.

Issa added that much of American support to the country in the area of training, technical support and equipment provision was not tied to the Leahy law and had not been stopped.

He stated that the US was relying on President Muhammadu Buhari and the military chiefs to rebuild the trust of Nigerians in the military as an institution that would protect the citizenry.

The US Congressman said military chiefs and the American delegation discussed the issue of additional support in the area of aerial surveillance criti-

cal to the fight against the insurgency and the theft of the nation’s crude oil resources.

Issa said, “There are a number of things that we discussed today. Basically, there was the need for additional technical support, including overhead surveillance. This is important for Boko Haram but it is also important to stop the theft of this country’s oil by pirates and others.

“The fact is that this new regime with the new general staff have begun the process of ensuring that military professionalism in all post-civilians and combats has been made in a way that we can both be confident that the rule of

law is being obeyed.

“So the process has begun to lift the restriction of the Leahy. But let’s understand that the vast majority of support that US provides and would provide would be provided regardless of those. Our technical support, our training and most of the equipment we supply have never stopped and will continue.

“But we are looking forward to the President, with the new General Staff, to work to make sure the people of Nigeria can have the confidence in the professionalism of the military, something the people rely on when the military is trying to clear insurgents and protect civilians.”

the former President started, as Chairman of Governors Forum, the oil subsidy was N300 billion under President Olusegun Obasanjo.

It remained the same under (the late President (Umaru) Yar’Adua. Six months of President Goodluck Jonathan (administration), the oil subsidy rose to N1.9tr. Is it that the country now doubled its population or bought more machines or started manufacturing?

“As chairman of Governors Forum, I was in a position to get my own share of the N1.9tr but I chose the path of honesty and truth; you cannot catch me being dishonest.”

Amaechi said that he openly disagreed with Jonathan at another meeting where the issue of increasing fuel subsidy payment was tabled.

He said: “There was a time I walked into a meeting with the president (Goodluck

Jonathan) and in the meeting, the argument was that they wanted more money for oil subsidy. As the chairman of Governors’ Forum, I stood my ground and told the president I was not going to support that.

The former governor challenged those who claimed that he betrayed the South-South with his support for the APC and President Muhammadu Buhari to tell the world how Jonathan’s presidency benefited the region in particular and Nigeria in general.

He pointed out that by his own admission, the former President while seeking re-election, appealed to the people of the zone to give him a second chance because he did nothing for them in his first term.

Amaechi alleged that the nation’s resources were looted by people from all the geo-political zones, saying such act was superintended over by a President from the South South.

Tragedy in Bayelsa as car crushes woman, three children Akam James Yenagoa

ÏÏÏ

Residents of the Sagbama local Government area of Bayelsa were at the weekend thrown into mourning as a car crushed a woman and her three children along the East-West road section.

A female passenger of the killer Highlander SUV also died in the accident.

Our correspondent gathered that the incident, which occurred at about 3.40 pm drew uncontrollable tears from traders at the popular Adagbabiri junction along the East-West road.

The driver of the SUV, identified as Mrs. Meeting Okpekpe Mayor, was reported to have lost control and ran into the midst of the traders.

An eyewitness said that the woman was having lunch with her children

when the SUV ran into their kiosk and crushed them.

“The woman and three have been confirmed dead, while one is still struggling to life,” the eye witness told Daily Times.

The deceased mother is identified as Ruth and the children were Favour, nine years old; Godsgift, five; Oghenerho (one).

The name of the only surviving child, who was in critical condition at the Oghara Hospital at press time was given as T-Girl by the traders.

The spokesman of the Bayelsa Police Command, Astimin Buswat, while confirming the development, said the Highlander SUV numbered YEN 726 RG was coming from the Patani end of the East-West road when the incident occurred, adding: “The vehicle ran into the shops”.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

7 News

Stop abandoning babies, Niger Gov's wife pleads Pita Chikwem

Minna

ÏÏÏThe wife of

Representative of Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Tijani Musa (middle) inspecting some machines during the First Kaduna International Print Expo in Kaduna State… recently

the Niger State Governor, Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello, on Monday, lamented the increase in the rate of abandoned babies across the country, stressing that abandoning a baby is among the worst crimes anybody can commit against humanity.

Dr. Bello, who made this known after she inspected the orphanage facility in the state warned those in the habit of abandoning innocent babies to desist, emphasising that the act has a way of coming back to haunt those who do it in one way or the other.

While acknowledging that the economic situation in the country

might not be making things easy for some people, she said nothing on earth justifies throwing away babies, just as she urged parents to be patient, saying that things will improve in future.

The wife of the governor also advised people who are not capable of taking care of the needs of the babies to avoid having them as there are no laws that says that one must have children.

She further stated that there are ways to avoid getting pregnant if people are not capable of taking care of the children.

She urged sexually active Nigerians to live up to their responsibilities to ensure the reduction of abandoned babies across the country.

Ex-militants laud Buhari over GOC seeks support for military appointment of Boroh as Amnesty boss against Boko Haram Akam James Yenagoa

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Former Niger Delta militants under the aegis of Leadership, Peace and Cultural Development Initiative (LPCDI), on Monday, commended President Muhammadu Buhari on the appointment of Brig-Gen. Paul Boroh (rtd) as the new coordinator of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in the Niger Delta region, stating that his wealth of experience will further enhance the programme.

Speaking through their national president, Pastor Reuben Wilson, the ex-agitators expressed hope that Boroh will play a key role in resolving the crisis surrounding the region since he was part of the struggle of the Niger-Delta.

Before now, he said a lot of political jobbers had tried to lobby

for the position but failed as their interest was to even make worst the benefit of the programme, adding that President Buhari looked inwardly and appointed a credible person to handle the affairs of the region.

Wilson assured of his immense contributions with other Niger Delta ex-militants to the newly appointed coordinator to enable him work effectively.

On the cancellation of a meeting of ex-Niger Delta militants at the Ijaw House recently, Wilson explained that a lot of people wanted the meeting to be postponed because many of them were not aware of it, noting that it wasn’t cancelled because of the tension that was raised.

“The meeting was not meant to spur any violence; its ideal was to deliberate the way forward for the Ijaw nation but was postponed as

the governor of the state was not also aware of its existence.

"So many people were not aware. Even the governor of Bayelsa State was not aware and the programme was scheduled to hold in the state capital. That was why many people came out to say the meeting should be postponed," he said. Speaking on his affiliation with a socio-political group known as Dickson Support Movement, Wilson explained that his support was based on the fact that they wanted Gov. Dickson to break the yoke of one tenure in the state.

Buhari

AMORAN official kills motorcyclist in Ogun Abiodun Taiwo

Abeokuta Hell was let loose at Ifo, in Ifo local Government Area of Ogun State, on Sunday, when a motorcyclists' ticket collection official killed a 25- year- old man, Azeez Ahmed.

It was gathered that the late Ahmed, who was a bricklayer but occasionally operated Okada, was confronted that fateful Sunday morning by his would be killer, an official of Articulate Motorcyclists Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (AMORAN), identified as Kola Adegbite, over ticket collection. According to an eye witness at the popular Bank Bus stop in Ifo, other AMORAN officials who

ÏÏÏ

were on duty along with Kola, joined in beating Ahmed.

The barrage of blows that hit him forced Ahmed to the ground, according to the eye witness, while other assailants retreated leaving only Kola who allegedly brought out a charm and hit him.

Our correspondent gathered that sensing that the charm had taken hold of Ahmed, Kola attempted to run away. He was however forced to carry the dying man to the general hospital, who eventually died on the way.

To prevent Kola from escaping, an associate of the late Ahmed, who did not want his name in print dragged Kola to Ifo Divisional Police headquarters, where he had

been in detention in order to avoid a jungle justice of lynching him by sympathizers’ of the late victim.

When our correspondent visited the station on Monday, friends and relatives numbering about 50 were seen milling around.

His brother, Azeez Akeem, told our correspondent that the late Ahmed was a gentleman, describing the attitude of AMORAN ticket officials as dangerous to the society. "The AMORAN people are a menace to the society. They harass riders all the time in the name of giving tickets. Less than three weeks ago, there was a case at Coker town in this local government where three riders were badly beaten over ticket issues.

ÏÏÏTowards completing and sus-

taining the rooting of the Islamic fundamentalists, Boko-Haram, who are causing great unrest in the North East area of the country, the outgoing General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 2 Div., Nigerian Army, Ibadan, Major General S. M. Muazu, on Monday, called for more concerted efforts from the members of the public.

The GOC, while speaking with journalists at the commissioning of a street name in Letmauck Cantonment, Mokola, Ibadan, in honour of Lt. Col. Yakubu Mohammed Anifowoshe (rtd), said the war against the insurgents was being won going by the recent development.

The Army boss, who was performing his last official assign-

ment in Ibadan, said the evidence that the Federal Government was winning the war could be seen in the manner of attack that the insurgents were now involved in, adding: "the insurgents no longer ambush the military convoy, they are losing every day, they now go for soft target.

"They are no more looking for land to occupy, they are looking for soft targets, and it is the nature of war, when you are losing, you go for soft targets and that is why we are calling on the members of public to give us more support.

What we require of the members of the public is information and intelligence. Bombs are not prepared on the streets, they are prepared in rooms in some houses", he stated.

Ganduje, Czeck envoy sign MoU for light rail project Yakubu Salisu Abuja

ÏÏÏGovernor

Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State and the Czech Republic Ambassador to Nigeria, His Excellency, Pavel Mikes, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on the provision of light rail (electronic train) system for Kano city metropolitan area, using the power generated from the Independent Power Project (IPP) at ChallawaGorge and Tiga dams.

The objectives of the MOU, which was signed at Kano Governor’s Lodge, Aminu Kano House, Asokoro, Abuja, include designing, manufacturing and assembling low-flow trams, electric locomotives, subway train units and

or trolley buses as the need arises: construction of standard gauge tracks within Kano metropolitan city.

Others are developing and management of data base of all passengers entering and exiting the trains and movement of the trains: servicing and repairs of the trains and supply of parts and training of staff and management.

Also a comprehensive light rail master plan for Kano will be developed which provide the basis for detailed terms of contract.

It added that while Kano state government will finance the project in different phases as identified and agreed upon, the Czech Republic Embassy and agencies will provide the services and materials also as identified and agreed upon.

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Politics

HON NKOLE UKO NDUKWE

Æs

Nigeria needs fiscal discipline – Hon Ndukwe

Hon Nkole Uko Ndukwe, member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency of Abia State in the 8th National Assembly. He retired from Federal Capital Territory Administration as a town planner in development control, Member Adhoc Committee on Restoration of Abuja Master Plan, immediate past Secretary Presidential Committee on International Affairs, Nigerian Institute of Town Planners. In this interview with MATHEW DADIYA, he said for Nigeria to develop competitively, there must be discipline in every sphere of the economy and discipline must be instilled amongst the citizenry. Excerpts:

Looking at the event that led to the emergence of Hon Dogara Yakubu as Speaker of the House of Reps, do you think the House is united behind his leadership and what should Nigerians expect from the 8th assembly?

First of all, what happened on the floor of the 8th Assembly on the 9th of June that saw the emergence of Hon Yakubu Dogora as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly is purely democracy at work. Democracy is about vot-

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

Buhari must start graft probe from 1985 – Gani Adams Otunba Gani Adams is the National Co-ordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). In this interview with AKINJIDE AKINTOLA, he spoke on the need for President Mohammadu Buhari not to single out his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan from investigation but go the whole hog by probing all past governments since his ouster in 1985. He also spoke on why Buhari must consider the report of the last National Conference and why the country must be restructured for any meaningful progress to be made. Excerpts:

Two months into his administration, a lot of people believe President Muhammadu Buhari is too slow with non-appointment of key positions. How do you react to this?

As far as I’m concerned, I decided that before I assess any government, it would be after a period of three months. I will reserve my comments on the Buhari-led government. It would be very difficult for me to criticise a government without a minister.

A tree cannot make a forest. If you are talking of anti-corruption, for you to see the level of his seriousness, you must be able to see the team of Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari cannot be a goalkeeper and at the same time be a scorer and be a midfielder. He

must have a team and from that team we can assess him. Even at that, by the time he’s swearing them in you can predict whether the government will be a better government. But without seeing the team it would be very difficult. I’m a kind of person that if I talk, I don’t want people to fault me. When I talk, if you don’t believe me now, you will believe me in the future. Let’s see what will happen, he has told Nigerians he will appoint his ministers. Let’s wait and see what will happen.

You talk about corruption.

Buhari has said that he will limit his probe to the Jonathan administration alone, how do you see this?

I totally disagree with that.

How can you have it in mind that CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

GANI ADAMS

National Co-ordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC)

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Gani Adams: Why Buhari must probe Obasanjo, Babangida, Abdusalami, Abacha too

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8

you will probe only Jonathan’s government? Definitely, he’s not ready to fight corruption.

If he targets only Jonathan’s government then it means he is sentimental and selective about fighting corruption. He started the job on January 1, 1984 and the job was truncated after he was removed from power after 20 months. I think he should start from where they truncated his crusade. He should start from when they stopped him, the probe should start from when he left power in 1985. How can he say the probe will be on Jona-

Jonathan

than alone? If he says that in an advanced country, they will call him to order. You told people you will fight corruption. I read about the town hall meeting of Baba Obafemi Awolowo who said as at 1983, Nigeria had been indebted to the tune of N14 Billion Naira.

And they were about to collect another N2.1 Billion Naira, making N16 Billion Naira. And in 1983, the Pound was 2: 1 while the rate of Dollar to Naira was like 1: 1. So, definitely, Nigeria has been in debt for a long time. That was in 1983 during the regime of Alhaji Shehu Shagari when we were owing over N16 billion Naira. So, as a result of this, I will advise

Obasanjo

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 8 ing. It was keenly contested and the majority opinion prevailed which reflected over all minds of the members. So, it’s something that one should see as a challenge on his own part to see that his colleagues are really behind him; and I want to see him as a speaker leading all of us together, making sure that we have a robust House and the

him to start the probe when his mission was truncated in 1985.

For him to say he would not probe other governments, I will believe it is because he served under late General Sani Abacha as Chairman of PTF, that’s why he’s not ready to probe them. And I will have the impression that it was because all these other people- Babangida, Obasanjo, supported him during the elections that’s why he wants to shield them. So, he must not be sentimental against Jonathan. Its not that I want Jonathan exonerated from probe, but he should start the probe from when his job was taken away from him. He knows

Abdusalami

9 Politics

what he wants to come and do by determining to come back to power; he contested four times before getting to power; and he had the same reason for taking over power from Shagari but he couldn’t finish his mission by then. He has to continue his mission. For him to say he will not probe them has a lot of reasons because one of the main reasons Nigerians voted for him especially in the west was for him to come and clean the system, change our mindset about corruption. But probing Jonathan government alone, I don’t believe it will solve 10 percent of our problems. It will just be like scratching the

surface while everything stinks underneath. So, he has to go deep to achieve something tangible.

But the level of corruption in Jonathan’s government is said to be mind boggling as recently, Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole said one of the former ministers under Jonathan was reported to have stolen as much as $6 billion?

I don’t know when Oshimhole turned to an EFCC official, he should talk less about corruption. We know how people in his own state have made allegations

Abacha

Babangida

CONTINUED ON PAGE 10

Wanted: Fiscal discipline in Nigeria –Ndukwe debates, the motion, the bills we are going to be bringing out reflect the will and the wish of the constituents and to make Nigeria a better place both at local and international level in line with best global democratic practice.

Being a first term legislator, what do you see as your priority areas with regards to

legislation and constituency projects to making sure your people enjoy dividends of democracy?

We are law makers and our role is very straight. We have three key roles: representation, law making and oversight functions. In the aspect of law making, I intend to go through adequate budgetary

provisions and see how we can address the dearth of infrastructure in my constituency especially road. In fact, we are almost cut off from road infrastructure, the roads are worst in the country. I therefore intend to take a media tour to highlight the problems for Nigerians especially the government to see for themselves and

understand our plight and what I am talking about.

A fortnight ago, I was opportune based on my previous relationship and where I was coming from and as a town planner, I had the opportunity of talking to my colleagues, I took them CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Oshiomhole should not accuse anyone of corruption Oshiomhole

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 of corruption against him too.

This is a governor who did not allow the local governments under him to control their allocation 100 percent. When we have governors on seat, they enjoy immunity but when they are out of power people write allegations of how they looted the state. He should leave the issue to Buhari, that statement should not be credited to him. If someone like Bisi Akande or Segun Oni were the ones talking now, one can listen because those were the ones who ran governments and did not soil their hands much. We monitor them in the southwest. They left government without amassing much. We know Oshiomhole; we know how Benin was before he took over. When you get to Benin, how many changes do you see? The local government workers are protesting, the judiciary workers are protesting over seven months salary arrears, while in the local government, you are not giving them their allocation directly, they are not collecting up to 20 percent of

their allocation from the federal government. Any governor that does not release the allocations to council chairmen cannot claim to be clean on corruption. We don’t know how some governors spent the allocation coming to their local governments in their state and Oshiomhole is one of them. They can’t continue to be deceiving people.

I was disappointed when Buhari was setting up a panel to investigate corruption and allowed the governors that served for four years to be members. We can still talk of el-Rufai who just came. But what about the governors who have been there for four years? Part of the people that he wants to investigate are the people that have been in power for four years. They should stop deceiving the people with propaganda. We have gone beyond the issue of election campaigns, let the election be a thing of the past. We should not continue to deceive the people when we are in government. Don’t continue to play on the plight of the people; we should not continue to disseminate false information to the

– Gani Adams people. Give us the facts; give us names of the ministers. All you are trying to do is to discredit Jonathan; the minister was not the target of Oshiomhole, but Jonathan or Mrs. Okonjo-Iweala.

If you have any fact about the woman that she embezzled money, provide the facts and details; bring it out. If you have facts against Jonathan, release it, not just because you went to US you now started to make all sorts of unverifiable allegations. What about the information provided to us too on the internet about the billions of dollars kept in foreign banks by 16 state governors and they have not denied it. It was put at 10 Billion dollars said to have been published by the FBI involving both serving and new governors. Till now, none of them has denied it. We realized that it was placed on the internet in the morning and by evening, it has been played down. They have removed it but we have it. So people like him should not have the guts to accuse people of being corrupt. We know the worth of the house he built in his village; was it through his NLC Presi-

dency, how much was his salary for eight years before becoming governor? In this country, you just like to deceive people; earlier you said you will be wearing only your khaki but in America, you put on tie and coat. Why do you change like a chameleon? So, if the minister embezzled 6 Billion Dollars as claimed, it is the duty of Buhari to probe any person that is corrupt, it is not for the governor to say. They should all subject themselves to probe.

They should declare their assets publicly before they can talk about corruption in public. Most of them have not declared their assets publicly. So, you can’t be deceiving the public or me.

The expectations of Nigerians from Buhari is very high; maybe he doesn’t know how Nigerians rate him. Nigerians are watching him, there is no room for excuse. You said you met an empty treasury, within two weeks of that, you released more than N1 Trillion. Where did you get the money? Is it not from the treasury? The external reserve is said to have about 31 Billion Dollars. You said there is no

money in the treasury and you have started earmarking money for projects? Billions of Naira to suppress Boko Haram involving other countries. Who will fund it? Is it not Nigeria? Do the other countries have that kind of money to fund such military operations? So, we don’t need to deceive ourselves. Its our money.

Now the war-torn area, you said you want to borrow $2.1 Billion to rebuild it when there is war going on there everyday. Which contractor will go to Yobe, Borno or Adamawa to go and build wartorn areas and risk his life? You will just give them money and they will run away. And we borrowed this money with interests.

The government should sit down and have a focus. If you want to probe Jonathan, go ahead and probe him. But if you want to probe Jonathan, you have to probe Obasanjo, Babangida, Abdusalami and Abacha. We know that Shagari had nothing, he left government without much. Most of the people that surrounded Shagari were the ones that had

and expulsion, was taken on the request of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson, who is the leader of the party in the State.

He, however, pointed out that, the lifting of the suspension was still subject to the ratification of the State working committee, which is expected to deliberate on it soon.

Keku commended them for keeping faith with the party, despite the pressures to defect, like a number of others, who could not resist the temptation, despite having reaped bountifully from the PDP, since the advent

of the present democratic dispensation in 1999.

Some of those affected by the decision include Senators Emmanuel Paulker and Nimi Barigha Amange, Ayakeme Whiskey, Mrs. Marie Ebikake, Hon. Waripamowei Dudafa, Ebikitin Diongoli and Mrs. Remi Kuku, among others.

At the meeting, all hands were said to be put on deck in order to ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) does not capture the state from them which they considered as an embarrassment for the former president.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

PDP moves to retain Bayelsa The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has moved on the offensive in a renewed bid to retain Bayelsa State, home state of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Following the cracks that threatened its chances, ahead of the forthcoming governorship polls in the state, a powerful stakeholders meeting was held at the weekend aimed at fence mending to place it in a vantage position to win the election.

The meeting between the PDP National Peace Committee for the state was held in Yena-

goa, the state capital, weekend, where appeals were made to all aggrieved members and stakeholders in the State to close ranks and work for the re-election of Governor Henry Seriake Dickson.

At another stormy meeting, which was convened by former President Jonathan at his country home in Otuoke, Acting Chairman of PDP Board of Trustees, Dr. Bello Haliru Mohammed chaired the parley.

In what is described as ‘Operation retain Bayelsa’, The meeting also resolved to rescind

the suspension and expulsion placed on some members of PDP, who have despite the internal squabbles within its rank and file, remained in the party, unlike those, who defected to the opposition.

Speaking with journalists in Yenagoa at the end of the meeting, the PDP State Secretary, Mr. Godspower Keku, said the decision was taken in the best interest of the party, especially with a crucial election around the corner.

According to him, the decision to rescind the suspension

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

11 Politics

Cut our salaries and aides? No way!

Ndukwe

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 down to our foreign partners to go and appraise or assess the water situation. Out of the 19 water schemes we have in Abia state, two that fell under my constituency are particularly in one local government. I represent two local governments, so to balance that, I am seriously working hard to see how we can address the rest by making sure that access to potable water is achieved. Access to quality water is part of my campaign promise to ensure the people have good water as soon as possible. This is because most of these diseases you see are water borne. By the time you drink from these surface streams, you may be infected by these diseases.

Where they take bath is the same place they fetch water to drink.

Again that is where all these cattle herdsmen take their cattle and all that. During this rainy season, it washes off all kinds of dirt from the up-hills down to the river valleys and they still go back to drink from it, consequently, all manner of sicknesses prevail. So it is a big priority to me which I have already started work on. As I speak to you today, I have done

- Hon. Ndukwe

Saraki

a hydrological survey taking note of areas we can get water knowing how we can harness and send to the people for continuous, serious and quick interventions. We will apply short time measure while we pursue the medium and long term measures.

In the area of healthcare, I will want to see a situation where primary healthcare centres are established in at least all the wards in my federal constituency so that people can have access to medical facilities when such issues arise. In the aspect of roads, honestly it’s a serious priority. The two federal roads that cris-cross the two local governments: Arochukwu and Ohafia end is terribly bad too. Then from my own village, Asem to Arochukwu is just a distance of about 20 minutes but because the inter-connecting bridge has not been in place you have to pass through Ohafia to access Arochukwu which is my local government headquarters. In that journey, the road itself is nothing to write home about. A journey that you should spend 20 minutes you end up spending 3 hours and at times during this rainy period,

those roads are subject to a lot of environmental abuse. During the rainy season, landslides, drainages most time times cut off the roads preventing the people from accessing their farms, even going to school.

In fact, it’s a very complex situation. I want to say that by God’s grace that, through appropriate budgetary allocation, those roads will be done. Then in terms of empowerment, yes I want to see the men and women, the youth having opportunities where they can improve on their skills. Don’t forget we are in agrarian society and most of the food products that are consumed in urban centres come out from our area. So I want to see a situation where they can be adequately empowered, see the level of mechanization that can be injected into it.

I will also work to see how they can access Small scale loans and SMEDAN programmes they run to see how cottage industries too can be built. There are a lot that can be done but I know I have tailored it down to having water, making sure good roads are built, empowerment and having good healthcare facilities for

now, while we chase other larger projects.

The global economy is under threat of recession, how do you think that the House can work with the executive to bring about improvement in financing most of these constituency projects such that all these project you are looking at can be actualized?

Nigeria is a mono-economic base which is the revenue from oil and the oil price has been nose-diving but I am aware too we have very good internally generated revenue. By the time we plug in the loopholes where there are leakages more money will come into the treasury. Some of the MDAs generate revenue and they don’t remit it to the Federation Account. So Nigeria needs fiscal discipline and internal discipline. Don’t forget we have oversight functions, so those are the areas we intend to use to plug the leakages. Though some people are clamoring that the federal government should cut the salaries of National Assembly members, but I think that is not where the issues are. I don’t think that is true that they want

to cut the salaries and even the members of legislative aides. We are talking about creation of employments, the President talking about giving a number of jobs per annum and you are cutting or downsizing. These are Nigerians; these monies are going to them. It has a geometric effect on people down home. By the time you take five people and multiply it by 360 members you have 1800. These same things apply in the Senate.

Do you know the number of families you have placed food on their table? And you are talking about reducing the number of staff, how you want those families to be surviving? It’s about making them to be productive and making sure the legislators are accountable to whatever monies that are given to them. It is even in the interest of the constituency that the bigger money is given to their representatives for their use the better. By the time those monies allocated are made public it is now left for them to make their representative to account for them. So, asking for these revenue to be cut, is even short-changing the constituency because these monies are meant for the constituents.

If Nigeria is not restructured, more states will go broke –Gani Adams CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10 access to money and most of them have died now. So, you have to probe them and not only the heads of state, you have to probe the ministers too and let’s see what will happen, maybe heavens will not fall.

As a human rights activist, are you not bothered about the activities of state governors unable to pay their workers for upwards of seven eight months?

We will continue to have that problem if Nigeria is not restructured. There is no way we can be depending on the central, there is no way we can continue with-

out diversifying our economy.

Let every governor search for the money to use in running their states. Not that they will not get money from the federal; the money they should be expecting from the federal should not be more than 40 percent of their expenditure. They should look for the rest from their state. Let every governor develop everything that will fetch them money.

If they have solid minerals, they should develop it. Let every governor build their power plantelectricity; let them provide security for their states. Nigeria is too big and has concentrated so many things at the federal; this is our recommendations at the

Gani Adams

National Conference. If we don’t restructure this country, we will kill this country. For us not to

kill this country, let us restructure this country. Unfortunately, Buhari’s government has been silent about the recommendations of the National Conference.

That’s why we see the new Speaker of the House of Representatives trying to review the Constitution. And I see the conduct of the new Speaker based on what the northerners were pushing at the Confab. The new speaker said the country must raise money to build the north-east, after about two weeks, Buhari went to the World Bank to borrow $2.1 Billion to rebuild north-east. Later the new speaker said they would review the Constitution. That’s not the solution, we need a total

restructuring because Nigeria is too big to continue with the unitary system of government that we are running not real presidential system.

Buhari has a reputation to protect, for him to protect that reputation, between now and three years, he should make sure that the recommendations of the National Conference are pursued to their logical conclusion. In a restructured nation, the states will have their police and electricity and their will be less blame on the President in case of power failure or security breach in the states. But his attention will be mainly on protecting the territorial integrity of the country.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Adamawa Assembly passes vote of confidence on Speaker Tom Garba Yola

ÏÏÏMembers of

Adamawa House of Assembly, on Monday, passed vote of confidence on the leadership of the House, under the Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa.

The development came as the house resumed from five weeks recess in the wake of rife speculations that the Speaker and other leaders of the House will be removed.

A letter endorsing the Speaker, signed by 23 out of the 25 members of the House, was read by the Speaker, who later called members one by one to confirm their signatures.

In their respective submissions at the plenary, members lauded the House leadership for its commitment to transparency and quality leadership.

In his submission, Abubakar Abdulrahman (APC-Mubi South), who is the chairman of the

House Integrity Forum, described the speaker as a team player who carries everyone along.

Speaking on the development, the Speaker, Alhaji Kabiru Mijinyawa, thanked the members for the confidence reposed in him and urged them for sustain support.

"I thank you for the confidence reposed in me and promise not to disappoint you in steering the affairs of the House", Mijinyawa said.

Mijinyawa said he was bombarded over the week with phone calls asking him what was wrong in the House.

"With this vote of confidence, I hope things have been put to rest", Mijinyawa said.

The lawmaker took the decision to lay to rest the incessant rumours crossing the corners of many residents of Yola of an impeachment plan to oust out the Speaker and his deputy.

Gombe guber election: Tribunal throws out ADC petition

ÏÏÏ

The Governorship Election Petition Tribunal, sitting in Gombe, on Monday, dismissed the petition filed by the governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Jaafar Abubakar, which challenged the declaration of Alhaji Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as Governor of Gombe State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The petition was nullified and dismissed by the tribunal over question of competency of the petitioner's counsel, Mr. Sam Kagbo, as a legal practitioner.

Ruling on the matter, Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Muhammad Sirajo referred to an earlier judgment of the tribunal, where the personality of the coun-

sel to the petitioner, Samuel Kagbo was challenged having signed the petition with the name Sam Kagbo.

According to the tribunal chairman, based on the provision of section 1(2) and 24 of the Legal Practitioner's act, only persons whose names are on the roll of Legal Practitioners can practice as Barristers or Solicitors in the court.

Earlier, counsel to the first respondents, Mr Solomon Umoh (SAN), submitted an application before the tribunal questioning the competence of the petitioner's counsel, insisting that the name Sam Kagbo, with which the petitioner's counsel appeared before the tribunal was not the same as Samuel Peter Kagbo and does not exist in the roll of Nigerian Legal Practitioners.

Surveyors drag Bureau to court over asset declaration Andrew Orolua Abuja

ÏÏÏThe

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode (2nd right); President, Africa’s Young Entrepreneurs (A.Y.E), Mr. Summy Francis (right); Vice President, A.Y.E, Mrs. Ibada Ahmed and South African Regional Head, A.Y.E, Mr. Steven Reed after a meeting with the governor in Lagos … on Monday

Mimiko swears-in 16 new LG caretaker chairs Tosin Ajuwon Akure

ÏÏÏ'

The Governor of Ondo State, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, has restated his promise to conduct a peaceful local government election before the expiration of his tenure.

Mimiko made the promise on Monday during the inauguration and swearing-in ceremony for the new caretaker chairmen of local governments in the state.

Sixteen new interimchairmen out of the 18 Local Government Areas, took oath of office on the occasion held in Akure, the state capital.

Daily Times gathered that the Caretaker Chair-

men from Akure South, Adebayo Alarapon and his counterpart from Akoko Southwest, Wola Suru were not affected by the shake up as they retained their positions.

The governor, who swornin the Chairmen, observed that the vacuum created at the grassroots has really affected the development of people in the area.

He noted that soonest the local government election would be conducted in the state with an assurance to be transparent and credible.

"I can assure that this government would conduct a peaceful local government election which would be transparent and credible", he said.

Mimiko noted that there was need for the new helmsman to ensure a harmonious relationship with technocrats and improved on the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) mechanism for the rural area.

The governor added that the new council bosses must ensure prudent management of funds accrued to their local governments, and generate revenue without imposing unnecessary hardship on the people.

He said the responsibilities in the shoulder of the new chairmen are enormous and charged them to perform their duties efficiently in line with their oaths of office.

He, however, advised them to ensure the comple-

tion of all ongoing capital projects in their respective local council areas in preparation for the conduct of the local government election.

Remarking on behalf of other Chairmen, the Irele Local Government boss, Mr. Julius Adesanmi, promised to justify the confidence reposed in them with a commitment to work in line with the policy formulation of the state government.

Mimiko

registered trustees of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuer (NIESV) has gone to court to stop the Code of Conduct Bureau from accepting asset declaration form not backed by valuation report submitted to it by public officers.

In the suit filed at Federal High Court, Abuja, by Mr. Ikechi Gerald Nweneka, the Estate Surveyors also joined the Federal Government and the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB), the Attorney General of the Federation, the chairman of Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) Mr. Sam Saba as respondents.

World Bank to offer $6b grant to Oyo ÏÏÏ

The World Bank is set to grant about 6 million dollars to Oyo State Government to complement the state effort in its socio economic development drive.

The leader of the World Bank implementation mission on youth employment and social support programme, Professor Foluso Okumadewa stated this during a courtesy call on

In the legal action, the registered trustees of the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuer (NIESV) is asking the Federal High Court to restrain the Code of Conduct Bureau from accepting or receiving assets declaration from public officers that has no valuation report.

They contended that the practice of accepting assets declaration without a report by a registered estate surveyor and valuer to determine the real value of assets, is in contravention of section 3 (a) and (b) part 1 of the third schedule of the 1999 constitution. Other plaintiff in the suit is Olorogun James Omeru, who is the President of NIESV. Oyo State governor Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at the Governor's Office, Agodi, Ibadan.

"We want to commend you for your commitment enthusiasm and strong determination for the development of Oyo State as demonstrated through your intervention with which the World Bank had supported the state, we will continue work with you so that Oyo state will benefit more in the next year of administration" Okumadewa said.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 4, 2015

UN condemns killing of peacekeeper in CAR

African peacekeeping mission troops known as MISCA, listen to U.S Ambassador to the U.N Samantha Power in Bangui, Central African Republic, April 9, 2014.

ÏÏÏ United Nations Secretary-

General Ban Ki-moon condemned the killing of a U.N. peacekeeper

in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) who died Sunday after being attacked by gunmen in the

country's capital.

The U.N. said troops from MINUSCA, its mission in the C.A.R.,

were conducting a search to arrest a suspected criminal in Bangui when the armed group attacked, killing the peacekeeper and injuring eight others.

"The Secretary-General deplores in the strongest terms attacks against United Nations peacekeepers and calls for swift action to bring the perpetrators of this crime to justice," Ban's spokesman said. "He further calls on all armed groups to respect the impartiality of MINUSCA." The U.N. force took over from an African Union peacekeeping mission nearly a year ago with a mandate to protect civilians and support a political transition in the C.A.R., which is due to hold elections in October.

The crisis there began in 2013 when predominantly Muslim rebels ousted President Francois Bozize's government and committed widespread rights abuses.

In response, Christian militias formed, setting off sectarian fighting that pushed hundreds of thousands of Muslim civilians to neighboring countries

US, Egypt resume security talks with Kerry visit ÏÏÏDespite

persistent human rights concerns, the United States on Sunday resumed formal security talks with Egypt that were last held six years ago and kept on hiatus until now amid political unrest that swept the country in the wake of the Arab Spring.

Two days after the US delivered eight F-16 warplanes to Egypt as part of a military support package

Kerry

Burundi leader warns against vengeance

that the Obama administration is boosting to help Egypt counter an increasing terrorist threat, Secretary of State John Kerry restarted the so-called "strategic dialogue" with Egyptian officials in Cairo.

The dialogue was last held in 2009 and did not occur in subsequent years due to the Arab Spring and turmoil following the ouster of Egypt's authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Kerry said the administration is committed to working with Egypt to enhance its military capabilities as it confronts growing threats from extremists, particularly in the Sinai Peninsula. That aid had been on hold until earlier this year due to human rights and democracy concerns in the wake of the military overthrow of Islamist president Mohammed Morsi in 2013.

Before meeting with Egyp-

ÏÏÏBurundi's President Pierre

Nkurunziza has warned against vengeance following the assassination of a senior general. "Vengeance can wipe out an entire generation," he said, in an address to the nation on Sunday, urging calm. A presidential spokesman told the BBC it was too early to blame anyone for the killing of Gen Adolphe Nshimirimana in a rocket and gun attack on his car.

Mr Nkurunziza won a third term

tian President Abdel-Fattah alSisi, Kerry told Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry the US would "continue to provide robust training to the Egyptian military, as the military seeks it and desires it, in an effort to build capacity, and also to meet the highest expectations of your military for its professionalism." He noted that in addition to the F-16s, the US had provided Egypt with Apache helicopters, attack boats, armored vehicles and other weapons systems this year.

More aid is on the way, he said.

At the same time, he acknowledged stress in the US-Egypt relationship over human rights and said Washington would continue to press Cairo on the arrests of dissidents and journalists and mass trials.

"Obviously, there has been a little bit of tension over certain issues," he told reporters at a joint

news conference with Shoukry that was held shortly after a court in Cairo again postponed a verdict in the trial of three Al-Jazeera English journalists, whose arrests on have sparked widespread condemnation.

Shoukry said no journalists have been detained in Egypt for doing their jobs, only for terrorism and other offenses, and he rejected criticism that detainees were being denied due process. He said Egypt is committed to improving its human rights conditions but noted that all countries, even mature democracies, have imperfect rights records.

Kerry made the case, though, that freedom of speech, assembly and peaceful political dissent must be allowed if Egypt is to successfully combat extremism, especially ahead of parliamentary elections to be held later this year.

last month, amid deadly protests over his decision to run for office again.

Opponents argued this contravened the constitution and there was a failed coup attempt in May. "Adolphe Nshimirimana was the regime's number two, not officially, but unofficially. This assassination is a very serious blow to Burundi's government," International Crisis Group analyst Thierry Vircoulon told BBC Afrique.

The attackers reportedly targeted the general's car with machine guns and rocket launchers in the Kamenge district of the capital Bujumbura. Presidential spokesperson Gerve Abehayo rejected suggestions that the attack could have been carried out by elements within Burundi's own security apparatus, after witnesses reported four men in military uniform spraying the general's car with bullets.

13 Africa 2 Malian soldiers killed in suspected jihadist attack ÏÏÏTwo

Malian soldiers were killed and four others injured in a weekend ambush in an area notorious for jihadist attacks, officials said.

The soldiers were fired on Saturday afternoon near Nampala close to the Mauritanian border, where Islamist fighters have long been active.

"A Mali army escort was ambushed about 15:00," the government said in a statement.

"Two soldiers were killed and four others injured."

Light weaponry was recovered in a follow-up search, the statement said, without saying who the attackers were.

Ten Malian soldiers were killed by jihadists in an assault on their garrison base in Nampala in January in a raid claimed by al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (Aqim).

Egypt Postpones Al Jazeera Verdict ÏÏÏAn Egyptian court Sunday

again postponed its verdict in the retrial of three Al Jazeera journalists charged with supporting the banned Muslim Brotherhood.

A judge said the verdict is now scheduled to come on August 29.

It was originally expected last Thursday, but the court has repeatedly delayed the proceedings since Canadian national Mohamed Fahmy, Egyptian Baher Mohamed and Australian Peter Greste were arrested in December 2013.

The three men were convicted more than a year ago, with a judge sentencing Greste and Fahmy to seven years in prison and Mohamed to 10 years.

An appeals court ruled in January that they should be given a new trial after prosecutors failed to provide sufficient evidence to show they supported the Brotherhood.

Nkurunziza

World14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Police killed hundreds in Brazil – Amnesty

Brazil has one of the world's highest rates of gun crime

ÏÏÏCampaign

group Amnesty International says Brazil's military police have been responsible for more than 1,500 deaths in the city of Rio de Janeiro in the last five years.

Amnesty says it has found evidence that police killings were of-

Yemen conflict: President Hadi's loyalists storm key air base ÏÏÏPro-government forces in Ye-

men have launched a major offensive to oust Houthi rebels from an air base north of the port of Aden, military sources say.

They say a number of rebels were killed as troops loyal to President Mansour Abdrabbuh Hadi and militia units stormed the strategic southern base.

Al-Anad, 60km (37 miles) from Aden, had previously housed US troops overseeing drone attacks on al-Qaeda in Yemen.

Government forces have recently made gains against the Houthis.

Last month, they claimed to have advanced into the last part of Aden still held by the Shia rebels.

During Monday's offensive, government troops used tanks and armoured vehicles supplied by the Saudi-led coalition against the rebels, military sources say.

Coalition warplanes were reportedly providing air cover.

The coalition has carried out more than four months of air strikes against the Houthis, who still hold the Yemeni capital Sanaa.

ten illegal, with officers shooting suspects who had surrendered or had been wounded.

In Rio de Janeiro alone, 114 police were killed in 2014, according to the civilian police union Sindpol. Police officers have in the past denied being "trigger happy", say-

ing they act in self defence when they come under fire from drug dealers in Rio's sprawling favelas.

'Impunity' In a report published a year before Rio is due to host the 2016 Olympic Games, Amnesty said police were decimating a signifi-

cant part of a generation of poor, young, black men.

Police say they regularly come under fire in the city's favelas According to statistics released

by Amnesty, nearly 16% of the total homicides registered in the city in the last five years took place at the hands of on-duty police officers. In 2012 more than 50% of homicide victims were aged between 15 and 29, and 77% of them were black, the figures suggest.

Amnesty also said that incidents of police killings were rarely investigated and those responsible did not often face justice.

But the prosecutor's office in Rio de Janeiro state told BBC Brasil that 587 police officers were accused and brought to justice between 2010 and 2015.

Atila Roque, director at Amnesty International Brazil, said the country's strategy to tackle its drugs and violence problem was "backfiring miserably and leaving behind a trail of suffering and devastation". The pressure group says military police across Rio de Janeiro have regularly used unnecessary and excessive force during security operations in the city's poor neighbourhoods.

Saudi monarch leaves France after controversial eight-day stay ÏÏÏThe Saudi king's visit to his

family's French Riviera mansion is over after weeks of controversy surrounding the closure of a public beach during his stay, the top state official in the area said on Monday.

Sub-prefect Philippe Castanet said that the small, isolated beach was reopened after the departure Sunday of King Salman following an eight-day stay.

Castanet said in an e-mail to The Associated Press that the king had left as planned.

"There is nothing abnormal

Iran nuclear deal: Kerry tries to ease Gulf concerns

about his departure after eight days,'' Castanet said.

Workers were seen on Monday dismantling a temporary elevator leading from the beach to the mansion overlooking the Mediterranean. Among the conditions for installing the elevator was that it would be dismantled once the king left.

The king arrived with an entourage of more than 500. Reports put his staff at 1,000, a number not officially confirmed. Despite complaints about the closure of the beach, the presence of so many

ÏÏÏUS Secretary of

State John Kerry is visiting Qatar to try to reassure Gulf allies over the nuclear deal with Iran.

The US has argued that the deal, aimed at stopping Iran from making a nuclear weapon in exchange for sanctions relief, will make the region safer.

The Gulf states accuse Iran of stoking unrest in Syria, Iraq, and Yemen. Mr Kerry is also due to meet foreign ministers from Saudi Arabia and Russia to discuss the conflict involving Islamic State (IS) militants in Syria.

Russia, as well as Iran, is allied

Saudis was seen as a boon to the region, including nearby Cannes, where many stayed.

Jean-Noel Falcou, a town councilor in Vallauris who had mounted a petition against the closure of the beach, said in a blog post Monday that King Salman had left for Morocco.

"All that for just eight days of vacation for the Saudi king,'' Falcou wrote. Beachgoers had briefly won a halt to the preparations for his arrival, delaying the elevator construction and closure of the beach.

with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, while the Saudi government and the US have called for him to leave office.

However, all sides are opposed to IS, which has emerged as a major player in Syria's civil war.

On Monday, a Kremlin spokesman criticised US plans to provide air cover for Syrian rebel groups fighting President Assad's forces, as well as those fighting IS. "Helping Syrian opposition, let alone helping with financial or technical means, would lead to a further destabilisation of the situation in the country," Dmitry Pes-

Myanmar opposition leader, Suu Kyi visits flood-hit area ÏÏÏ Myanmar opposition leader

Aung San Suu Kyi visited one of the country's many flood-hit areas, raising her profile amid a national disaster that could have consequences in this November's general election.

President Thein Sein traveled Saturday to the Sagaing region in northern Myanmar, one of four areas where he has declared a state of emergency in response to a barrage of criticism in the press and on social media for failing to quickly mobilize relief.

"Many paddy fields were damaged. I'm here today with the flood victims to find out possible ways to support and replace their loss," he told reporters. "The water level is starting to drop slowly. Myanmar government team will try our best to help them for resettlement and recovery process."

The Ministry of Relief and Resettlement announced Monday that about 200,000 residents in northern and western Myanmar have been affected by the disaster, as the government, military and relief organizations scramble to carry out rescue operations and provide aid.

Weeks of heavy rains, made worse by a cyclone that hit late last week, caused flooding and landslides that have hit the western part of the country hardest. Some areas have seen floodwaters several meters deep.

Kyi

kov told reporters.

The US, working alongside Turkey, is hoping to drive IS from northern Syria by carrying out air strikes to support selected rebel groups.

Rebel groups - including the alQaeda-allied Jabhat al-Nusra - are fighting government forces and each other in Syria Mr Kerry is expected to discuss the Iranian nuclear deal with members of the Gulf Co-operation Council - a Sunni-dominated regional body bringing together Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Qatar.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

15 Opinion

Healing prescriptions for Nigeria (1)

I Okechuku Peter Nwachuku

n this testament, I set out to write what I consider an option of how the Nigerian state could reposition to manifest her naturally endowed glory. Since it is not an academic exercise, I have minimised reference to the research work of others. I reserve no apologies for those whose faith will find issues with my reference to the Holy Bible.

It is the only faith I know, whichever way my knowledge from it will reflect in any other I proffer. Kindly consider it. 1989, I was an Assistant Contract Manager with Julius Berger Nigeria Plc, Ijora. Lagos. One day I was in my office and suddenly went into a trance and saw an oversized animal with a very small head. There were cuts all over its massive body and many people were climbing all over it and causing it to bleed profusely. The more she bled, the happier those climbing it were. Out of pity, I started crying and asked the tormentors to stop but they were adamant. The beast said, I am Nigeria and these gnats are my children. At the fullness of time, I will be healed while these children will be driven from tormenting me.

As the vision disappeared, I came out of the trance and started weeping uncontrollably. The time for Nigeria’s healing may come with this change of regime. Again, the national handicap may be the unusually small

head (tiny brainpower) employed by Nigeria to deal with her economic, technological and managerial challenges. Nigerians are some of the most intelligent people in the world. Our handicap is that ethnicity; religion, sectionalism, selfishness and leadership selfcenteredness have fenced out our intellectuals from the challenges.

Solomon, the wealthiest King that ever lived was evidently associated with unusual management capacity, advised in Proverbs 14:34-35 34 that Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people. Proverbs 35, the king’s favour is toward a wise servant: but his wrath is against him that causeth shame.

In otherwords he said THINGS MUST BE DONE RIGHTLY AND PROFITABLY , WRONG DOING MUST BE IDENTIFIED AND DISCOURAGED, THE KNOWLEDGEABLE MUST BE SELECTED AND REWARDED, THE SINFUL MUST BE IDENTIFIED AND PUNISHED. A business and justice matrix may be derived from our unique challenges in keeping with the wise counsel of King Solomon. We must install a strong justice system that would ensure that the sinful and corrupt are excluded from every public fund including religious bodies and

those found guilty punished. We must install desirable value yielding and profitable organizations and close those not economically viable even if they belong to state and local governments or even the fourth tier government as is in Imo State , traditional rulership , corporations , autonomous communities, even religious bodies and other bodies affecting good governance in Nigeria. We must select, reward and protect our intellectual estate and position those that will run viable government departments and corporations. We must also encourage the private sector to run their organisations using the professionally competent to optimize profitable output.

We need to reinstitute our constitutional recognised three tiers of government: Federal, State and Local governments with well defined functions, objectives, systems of monitoring performance, evaluation of performance and control of resources. The reorganisation must be structured to do things rightly and profitably. Every wrongdoing must be identified and discouraged. To achieve this, the knowledgeable must be selected, protected, and rewarded for their input and those polluting the system prosecuted. The biggest challenges of any revolution are the rich and powerful who seek to evade justice.

The professional competences of the

ministries should be employed by the political leadership to direct and optimise the application of public funds. A new regime should take over the projects, schemes and plans of the preceding one and map out priorities for continuity in government. A government should have a minimum 30 year Development Master Plan thought through. It shall be the basis of determining the annual budget requirement. The ministries should resume their traditional function of data and statistics collection and dissemination, project planning and budget estimates, pre and post contract procedures and financial control of government expenditures. The colonial system of governmental control and expenditure has been replaced by hierarchical but ignorant ordering of expenditure most of which do not follow professional advice. Bring back and empower professional to reorganise the governance systems and limit politicians to policy making.

Before inception of any administration, the leadership must have a clear picture of where they going, the strategy to manage the change processes and capable people to take them there .

•Okechuku Peter Nwachuku. OP Strategic Management Company Ltd. Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

Okorocha: Penchant for expropriating public properties

T Ikenna Samuelson Iwuoha

his article is a continuation of one entitled Nigerian Workers at Mercy of State Governors. In the article, I gave information on how workers are being treated as fifth class citizens, using Imo State as example. The article elicited reactions from well meaning people all over the world.

It is no longer news that government officials convert public properties to personal use under many dubious and fraudulent methods.

The problem is that no one is making efforts to put a stop to this act of indiscipline and corruption. From the office clerk to ministers, commissioners, local government chairmen, senators, governors, and presidents, the evil desire to convert government properties to personal use have always been there.

It is very unfortunate that those who parade themselves as political leaders are guilty of this crime. In Imo State, a respected socio-political crusader, Comrade Kenneth Uwadi has exposed how Governor Rochas Okorocha converted state and local government allocations for personal use. Information confirms that Okorocha has appropriated N6 -13824

from each of the 27 local government areas of the state. I have also revealed how Okorocha criminally converted people’s lands to his own without having a thought on the consequences of his actions. There are examples to prove this.

It is a fact that the Imo Statesman was among the few newspaper establishments in Nigeria that had standard printing press. In his bid to appropriate the machines valued at more than N4 billion, he reportedly went to the newspaper premises three years ago to “Inspect” them.

On getting there, Okorocha declared all the machines obselete and quickly took them away to unknown destination, with promise to bring in new replacements. Today, Statesman Newspapers Ltd is comatose, while Okorocha’s Lamorde Printing Press is now a multi-billion-naira establishment. We hope anti-graft agencies and other security agencies are taking note.

Before now, the government of former Governor Sam Mbakwe created open spaces in Owerri. Today, all are now personal property of Okorocha.

He reportedly shared them out to his brothers, sisters, in-laws and wife.

Incidentally, there were more than 20 open spaces in the state capital.

In addition, the immediate past

government of Ikedi Ohakim embarked on the construction of a new Government House and spent billions of naira on the project.

Today, Okorocha not only stopped the project; he reportedly allocated the massive land to his wife (Nkechi) and son in-law (Uche Nwosu). His wife has already built a multi-million naira ‘Events Centre’ known as ‘WODDI’S PLACE’ there, while Uche Nwosu is currently building a five star Hotel valued at more than N2 billion within the premises. We hope anti-graft and other security agencies are taking note.

In a bid to defraud the state, Okorocha on assumption of office in 2011 embarked on what he called Imo State University, Ogboko in Ideato South LGA. The project is 70 percent completed, even as Okorocha has changed the university’s status to reflect private ownership.

The legislative quarters of the Imo State House of Assembly was built by the late Governor Mbakwe.

Okorocha has sold the plots of land to one of his principal partners and the proceeds diverted to personal use. It is a fact that Governor Rochas Okorocha has expanded Lamorde Guest Hotel (formerly known as Rochas Close) along Orlu – Amakohia Road from four to over 20 plots.

Question is; how did he convert the extra 16 plots of Government House land to his own? His son in-law now Chief of staff was a former Commissioner for Lands, Survey and urban planning.

Unfortunately, people of the state are yet to know the status and owner of the 10 storeys building on Hero’s square. Information from the grapevine is that Okorocha appropriated part of Hero’s square for the project, which was built from diverted local government funds.

Okorocha is reportedly planning to take expropriate the defunct AMA J.K Recreation Park. Honestly, the list is endless. Okorocha’s insatiable appetite to loot, steal, kill and intimidate anybody who exposes him is legendary. It is in the Holy Bible; what shall it profit a man to gain the whole world and loose his very soul?

Let Okorocha ponder this question.

Okorocha’s activities in Imo State should be something of national concern.

This land grabbing madness has reached alarming state and something must be done to stop this monster. It is time President Muhammadu Buhari intervenes and asks the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and EFCC to investigate these allegations.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Business Times Æ s

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

17

DPR shut, slams N2m fine on 23 petroleum products depots Opeoluwani Akintayo The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has slammed a fine of N2 million on 23 private petroleum products depots across the country.

They were also shut for selling Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) to marketers above ex-depot price of N77.66 per litre, a statement said.

The statement, issued by DPR Director, Mr Mordecai Ladan, in Abuja on Sunday, said that the shutting of the facilities took effect from last Friday.

It added that the depots were mainly in Lagos except for two in Warri, Delta, and three in Calabar.

“The clampdown on the private depots followed the report of a special investigation team set up by DPR to uncover some unwholesome practices by the private petroleum products depots following a tip-off,” the statement said.

It added that the depots would remain sealed until the some conditions were met by the owners, including payment of two million naira fine and an undertaking that PMS would not be sold to bulk buyers.

It also said that all subsequent sales would be at N77.66 per litre as approved by the Federal Government, adding that DPR would monitor the sale of the remaining and subsequent products.

The statement further said that DPR had directed all its offices to ensure that all filling stations sold PMS at government approved price of N87.00 per litre regardless of source of source depot.

SEC postpones committee sitting indefinitely

L-R: Nkechi Abii, Artist; Charles Odibo, Divisional Head, Marketing Communications, Fidelity Bank; Uloma Umeano, CEO, Customer Centricity, at the “Fragrant Kaleidoscope” art works exhibition in Lagos, sponsored by Fidelity Bank

Dangote Cement announces N121.8bn half-year profit Charles Okonji Dangote Cement has announced N121.808 billion as profit after tax (PAT) in the first half of the year 2015, which indicates a 21.65 per cent increase over the N95.440billion announced for the same period of 2014.

According to the half year results released on the floor of the Nigerian Stock Exchange at the weekend, the cement company achieved a 20.23 per cent growth in profit before tax.

The company’s profit before tax grew from N107.070billion to N128.726billion in the period under review, which means a sequence of 15.94 per cent rise in revenue, with the company realising N242.215billion revenue as against N208.909billion in the first half of 2014.

This explains that the compa-

Adesola Akindele The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has indefinitely postponed its Administrative Proceeding Committee (APC) hearing scheduled to hold on Aug. 4 and 5.

This is contained in a state-

ny grew its revenue to N114.7bn from N103bn in the Q1 of 2015 on the back of its expansion programme, which led to its commencement of operation in some African countries.

The Cement Company’s net profit for the quarter also witnessed an increase of 44.1 per cent which amounted to N68.6billion from N47.62billon in the Q1 of 2014.

According to the Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Cement, Onne van der Weijde, “Our new plants have made excellent starts across Africa in the first half of 2015 and our operations now stretch from Senegal across Ethiopia, down to South Africa, making us a truly Pan-African leader in cement.”

“Our strategy has been to enter markets with higher-quality cement produced at lower-cost factories and as a result we are building strong shares in key

African markets, despite wellestablished competition.

The increasing diversity of our business is demonstrated by the fact that 22% of volumes were sold outside of Nigeria and this has helped to offset some of the uncertainties in our home market. We will build on these early successes in Africa as we continue to expand our business across the continent.”

The CEO stated that the 1.5mmt factory in Senegal, which became operational in January, made an excellent start, particularly in the second quarter, adding that it provided more than 30 per cent of all the cement sold in Senegal while the new 1.5 million tonnes cementgrinding facility in Cameroon began operation in late March.

The acclaimed market leader in Africa’s is currently producing at 40mmt capacity which includes its three plants in Ni-

geria, an import terminal in Ghana and recently opened factories in Ethiopia, Zambia, South Africa, Senegal and Cameroon.

Dangote Cement is a fully integrated quarry-to-customer producer with production capacity of 29.25 million tonnes in Nigeria.

The Obajana plant in Kogi state, Nigeria, being the largest in Africa with 13.25 million tonnes of capacity across four its lines, while the Ibese plant in Ogun State has four cement lines with a combined installed capacity of 12 million tonnes and Gboko plant in Benue state has 4 million tonnes capacity.

Through recent investments, Dangote Cement has eliminated Nigeria’s dependence on imported cement and is transforming the nation into an exporter of cement, serving neighbouring countries.

ment signed by Mr Yakubu Oluleye, Head of Media, SEC, in Abuja on Sunday.

It stated that the commission’s attention was drawn to an ex-parte order obtained by the Plaintiffs in suit no: FHC/L/ CS/1050/2015 BGL PLC and 12 ORS VS SEC and 2 ORS direct-

ing that parties maintain the status quo. ``In view of the said order, the general public, concerned parties and stakeholders in the Nigerian Capital market are hereby informed of the notice. ``The SEC committee hearing in SEC APC/01//2015 Rivers

State Ministry of Finance and 31 others VS BGL PLC and 31 others scheduled to hold on the Aug. 4 to 5, 2015, at its office, has been postponed to a date to be announced later.’’

The commission apologised for inconveniences caused by the postponement.

Labour 18

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Gov. Obiano restates commitment to civil servants

Civil servants are the most visible representatives of the state and through them, the overall economic and social health of any state can be gauged for effective development, Governor Willie Obiano has said.

In his address at the 2015 Civil Service Day in Awka, Obiano restated his confidence and commitment to civil servants in the state, saying it was in view of this that he has made the civil service his administration’s priority.

“I am happy that the theme of this year’s celebration is ‘The Role of Public Service in Women Empowerment, Innovation and Accessible Service Delivery,’ and it is in agreement with Nwanyi bu Ife: Realising the Values of the Nigerian Woman,” he noted. “The civil service is the cornerstone of my administration. That is why I have always made great efforts to uplift the welfare of workers.

In the past one year, my administration has demonstrated a great deal of sensitivity to the plight of workers in state. “A few weeks after I was sworn in, in relation to the difficulties workers were having in transporting themselves to work, we provided four buses to convey workers from Onitsha, Otuocha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia to and from Awka.

We also donated three buses to the NLC, NUC and JNC. “Simi-

larly, less than one year, we increased workers’ salaries by 15 per cent. I also assured you that I would do more if our Internally Generated Revenue grows.

I plan to keep that promise. “Interestingly, we increased salaries at a time oil prices were crashing and governments were looking for bailouts.

In spite of the prevailing difficulties, we have kept our promise to always pay your salaries regularly. “We are also working on ensuring that promotion and conversion of some categories of workers are done in due time. We do all this because we know that you matter. We know that a government that does not place the people first is doomed.”

Sossion

N4bn WAEC debt: Pay up, TUC tells state govs Stories by Joy Ekeke

Obiano

Teachers call strike in fresh pay dispute in Kenya Teachers will go on a nationwide strike next term after the Teachers Service Commission appealed against a salary increase upheld by the Court of Appeal.

Kenya National Union Teachers Secretary-General Wilson Sossion Sunday said the decision by TSC to go to the Su-

Kaigama

preme Court was a “punitive way to deny the teachers their pay”.

He said the commission should have written to the National Treasury to release the money awarded to the teachers instead of taking them back to court.

The war has just began because this is a clear indication of the general hatred by the government and the commission.

“Teachers are running out of patience,” Mr Sossion said.

He went on: “Let all teachers buy rubber shoes, save their August salaries and prepare for a major strike in September.

Let the parents know that we will not be back to class unless the pay rise is awarded. We will not allow the government to abuse its teachers anymore.”

The lowest paid teacher is currently deducted Sh950 monthly for medical allowance and the highest paid part with Sh4,000.

Piqued by the failure of some state governments to pay West African Examination Council (WAEC) the fees for sponsored candidates from their states for the Council’s 2014 examination and the refusal of the latter to release the candidates’ results, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has urged the affected states to promptly pay up in order

not to disorient and dampen the hopes and aspirations of the candidates.

The Congress, asserting this in a press statement signed by its president, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Musa Lawal, wondered why politicians who promised heaven on earth during their electioneering campaigns do otherwise after assuming office.

3,000 teachers struck off payroll in Zimbabwe At least 3 000 teachers have been struck off the payroll and did not receive their July salaries because they were not present at their work stations when Government conducted a headcount of personnel in April.

The physical count of teachers and other workers sought to weed out ghost workers. Most of the affected teachers were on study leave, maternity leave, vacational leave and sick leave, while others had travelled after communicating with their superiors.

Zimbabwe Teachers Associa-

TUC cautioned that it is irrationale for state governments to put candidates resident in their states at risk of having their results withheld and losing their prospects for admission into tertiary institutions of learning in the forthcoming academic year by neglecting or reneging on their pledges to pay the WAEC fees.

“While we appeal to WAEC to stay action on its threat, we also urge the states involved to make the payments immediately. The nation cannot afford to deny over 600,000 potential students admission into various institutions at a time when we are spending billions if not trillions of naira to fight insecurity. An educated mind is liberated and reasonable.

Thus it pays us to educate our youths if we must build a strong nation. If we must stop running to the west for loans and grants to revive our industries every now and then, the leadership must stop paying lip service to education,” the statement noted.

The TUC called on WAEC to publish names of the defaulting states and take legal action against them to serve as deterrence to such negligence in future. “After all it is not the fault of the candidates, so they should not be made victims of the failings of their state governments.”

The Congress charged wellmeaning Nigerians to prevail on the state governments to come to the aid of the innocent candidates, and emphasized that the less privileged must not be at the mercy of the privileged few.

“Save the future of the leaders of tomorrow,” the statement concluded.

Ndlovu

tion chief executive Mr Sifiso Ndlovu last Friday confirmed the non-payment of the teachers, saying at least 3, 000 serving staff countrywide had lodged complaints.

According to our records, some 3 000 teachers have complained of not receiving their July salaries,” he said.

“The actual figure could be much higher, but so far that is the number that we have.

“We are actually mesmerised, worried or annoyed that the reasons for the non-payment are not good enough.”

Mr Ndlovu said Zimta received information that the unpaid teachers were not present when the audit was done in April, hence they were erroneously regarded as ghost workers.

He said Zimta was demanding an explanation from the Government.

“Maybe it is Government’s strategy to cut its payroll, but it is a fatal and wrong strategy because innocent and loyal teachers, some who were on study leave or sick leave, were unjustifiably struck off,” said Mr Ndlovu.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

19 ICT

U.S lawmakers propose resident visa for immigrant tech entrepreneurs

L-R: Honorary Chair, Global Connections for Women Foundation, USA, Chief Temitope Ajayi (Mama Diaspora; President/Chairman Governing Council, IIM, Ambassador (Dr.) Oyedokun Oyewole and MD/CEO Spindler International Chief Toyin Oloniteru during the 2015 Annual lecture, induction and investiture ceremony of Institute of Information Management (IIM), with topic: ‘Information Management as a tool for Economic Recovery and Business Integrity in Nigeria’, held at University of Lagos, Akoka, Yaba…recently.

Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

A new legislation to allow immigrants obtain residence permits in the United States is by pushed two U.S. House Democrats on the condition that the foreigners can obtain “significant” venture capital funding for a business or can otherwise establish a business that creates some jobs.

The legislation is from U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.), who represents Silicon Valley, and Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), who has been an immigration reform leader. By themselves, immigration reform bills by Democrats in the Republican-controlled House are dead on arrival. But Republicans are planning significant reforms to a program that

provides permanent residency to foreigners who meet certain investment and job-creation goals, and this is opening the door for Lofgren and Gutierrez to try to attach their reforms.

What’s prompting this legislative activity on immigration is a Sept. 30 deadline to renew a key element of the EB-5 visa program for immigrant investors. Investors today can gain permanent residency with an EB-5 visa if they make an investment of at least $500,000 in a jobcreating project in an area with high unemployment. This cashfor-visa program, available for up to 10,000 immigrants including family members, has drawn criticism over the years.

MTN blames 15% dip in profit to naira fluctuation Stories by Tony Nwakaegho MTN has blamed 15 per cent fall in its profit and slide in the company’s share to fluctuation in Nigeria’s currency.

In a statement, MTN said its headline earnings per share (EPS) will be between 10 per cent and 15 per cent lower for the six months through June 30 compared with the correspond-

ing period in 2014.

A Bloomberg report said MTN’s stock has declined by 8.2 per cent this year, compared with a 10 per cent gain by Vodacom, South Africa’s market leader.

In its statement MTN added that its earnings per share excluding one-time items declined to 6.20 to 6.56 rand in the six months ended June 30, compared to a year earlier when

earnings were 7.29 rand a share.

Furthermore, the value of the company’s shares fell by five per cent when it told investors to be expecting a decline in first-half earnings.

The telecoms giant said the adverse exchange rate in Nigeria especially hurt its international business, negatively affecting its operations by a forecast drop of between 10 and 15 per cent in attributable

earnings per share for the six months to end-June, over the same period in 2014.

The impact of the fluctuation in Nigeria’s currency on MTN’s earnings had a deeper impact on its local operator, with MTN Nigeria only generating 27 per cent of sales in the previous fiscal year.

However, both Nigerian and South African currencies were hit by fluctuations with

Experts advocate e-Govt to end corruption Experts have called on the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari for a holistic adoption of e-government strategies at all levels of government to minimize the stolen fund trends in Nigeria.

Few days there was uproar in the air that an estimated $150 billion had been stolen from the Nigerian government and stashed abroad in the last 10 years.

Experts at the just concluded two-day E-Government Summit 2015 held in Abuja suggested the solutions that will help in curbing cases of financial frauds in government circles.

The conference organised by the E-Payment Providers Association of Nigeria (E-PPAN), in collaboration with the Financial Services Strategy (FSS) 2020 and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) brought together experts from different sectors of the economy cutting across financial services, Information and Communication Technology, agriculture, among others.

Buhari

Anambra State Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano, while speaking at the special guest at the event, maintained that the adoption of e-government in Anambra, especially in the area of tax collection has raised the InternallyGenerated Revenue (IGR) of the state from less than N1 billion to its current N1.1 billion monthly with the ultimate objective to increase the IGR target to N3 billion monthly.

“In Anambra, our aggressive

pursuit of a vision and mission strategies through an efficient use of ICT has attracted an inflow of investment to the tune of N2.4 billion to Anambra State in the past one year.

Speaking at the forum, Deputy Governor, Operations at CBN, Alhaji Suleiman Barau, said the CBN’s introduction of electronic transaction policies was meant to ensure efficiency in financial transactions and curb financial corruption in the system.

He explained that the federal government and its paratstatals have also embraced a number of ICT-related initiatives in recent past in their services, with resultant cost-saving and ability to plug the leakages in its financial dealings, adding that “there is an urgent need to popularize wider and holistic embrace of egovernment in its totality.”

Barau opined that with the passage of three major bills relating to electronic transactions in Nigeria by the sixth National Assembly, the road is now clear for e-payment landscape in the country to exhibit increased sanity.

On his part, the E-PPAN president, Mr. Macaulay Atase, said the forum was organised to facilitate dialogues that result in the evaluation of how infusion of ICT into service delivery by the government at all levels can result in increased transparency, efficiency and accountability, especially in the area of financial management.

Bloomberg reporting the rand had fallen about five per cent against the dollar in the first six months of 2015.

The network’s operations was also threatened in Nigeria by a recent fuel scarcity while in the northern region of the country, the activities of the Boko Haram terrorist group negatively affected the telco operations and some of its installations there destroyed.

Nokia agrees to sell mapping technology to automakers A consortium of automakers comprising Audi, BMW Group and Daimler have reached a deal to buy ‘Here mapping’ a location services business owned by Nokia valued at an enterprise value of 2.8 billion (US$3.1 billion).

The deal fits with the plans of the automakers to progressively introduce more Internet-based services and automation to assist drivers. ‘Here’ is developing a location cloud that uses the data generated by vehicles, devices and infrastructure to deliver real-time, predictive and personalized location services, Nokia said in a statement Monday.

Money 20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Fayrouz L’original Expression 2 ends in glamour Opeoluwani Akintayo

L-R: Executive Chairman, Lagos State Board, Internal Revenue/Guest Speaker, Dr. Williams Babatunde Fowler; President/Chairman of Council, IoD, Mr. Samuel Yemi Akeju; 1st Vice President IoD, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Mohammed and Legal Adviser, IoD, Prince Ben Onuora, at the IoD ‘New Members’ evening’, with topic: ‘Change’, held at Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos recently. -Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI

Kaduna to boost rice production with N2bn zero interest fund Charles Okonji Rice production in Kaduna state is set to get a boost from the plans of the state government to disburse N2 billion noninterest fund to rice farmers.

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kaduna State on Sunday disclosed this during the 2nd town hall meeting in Zaria, he advised the rice farmers to access the loan to improve their revenue base, as his administration had put measures in place to pay off the interest rate.

The Governor said each state of the federation was given N2 billion to enhance rice production to enable the country become self-sufficient in rice production.

“It is disheartening to note that Nigeria spends N200 billion on rice importation; but with this

new development, it will soon be a thing of the past.”

He promised to revive cotton farming in the state, as part of efforts to facilitate the revitalization of industries.

On recent workers’ screening exercise, the governor said about N120 million that would have gone via ghost workers was recovered.

El-Rufa’i advised people who erected residential buildings on government premises to vacate such places before the expiration of the given dateline, to avoid any form of embarrassment.

“Those who erected structures on Alhudahuda College premises should note that Wednesday Aug. 5 is the dateline and there is no going back. Anybody who fails to remove his/her structures should

not blame the government.”

El-Rufa’i appealed to people to criticise him positively saying ``

criticism will enable me to correct my mistakes and do more for the people’’.

El-Rufa’i

Custodian and Allied half-year PBT surges by 21% Adesola Akindele The Custodian Group, a leading non-bank financial institution quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with investments in life and non-life insurance, pension fund administration, trusteeship and property holding businesses has announced an unaudited profit before tax of

N3.34 billion and profit after tax of N2.62 billion for the six months period ended 30 June 2015.

The profit before tax recorded in the reporting period, represents an increase of 21% over that of the corresponding period of 2014.

Similarly, shareholders’ funds grew by 8.5 percent to N24.42 billion from N22.49 billion, as at 31

December 2014, while total assets exceeded N54 billion as at 30 June 2015.

In furtherance of its tradition of rewarding shareholders, an interim dividend of 6 kobo on every 50 kobo ordinary share will be paid to shareholders whose names appear on the register on 14th August, 2015.

The directors are confident

that, barring unforeseen unfavourable circumstances, the positive trend would be sustained for the rest of the year.

The Custodian Group consists of Custodian and Allied Plc (the holding company), Custodian and Allied Insurance Limited, Custodian Life Assurance Limited, Custodian Trustees Limited and Crusader Sterling Pensions Limited.

The beautiful hall of Oriental Hotel, recently witnessed an unusual convergence of the most fashionable personalities in Nigeria to experience the glitz and glamour of the Fayrouz L’Original Expression Show, season two finale.

The event, true to its reputation as first of its’ kind fashion and lifestyle competition, treated guests to exciting fashion displays from the finalists, teams Meddlelane and Hai. The teams, each comprising a makeup artiste, model, designer and photographer, took turns to showcase their pieces, dazzling judges, guests and fashion lovers with the exquisite pieces which represented the theme for the night...

Enchanted.

Team Meddlelane later emerged winners of the competition and walked home with the grand prize of N4m while Team Hai received the sum of 1.5 million naira in second place. Both teams also went home with MacBook laptops as well as cameras for each photographer.

According to the jury, ace photographer, Kelechi Amadi-Obi, make up expert, Rhema Akabuogu from House of Tara and creative fashion designers, Mai Atafo and Kunbi Oyelese, the choice of Team Meddlelane as winner of the competition was in recognition of the team’s display of originality, creativity and confidence displaying the Enchanted theme, which was evident in their creation, ‘Success in the fashion world is based on how creative you can be and this is the yardstick with which we have been judging the competition from inception. Not just that, the confidence in which you defend your creativity also matter, we have found all of these in Team Meddlelane which is why they are winners of the competition’, Atafo explained.

Speaking shortly after the event, Nnenna Ifebigh-Hemeson, Senior Brand Manager, Fayrouz expressed her confidence in the judge’s decision and in the ability of the winning team to make positive impact in the fashion industry, ‘Tonight has turned out amazing not just for the participants but also for the Fayrouz brand because for the second year in a row, we are celebrating Originality, which is a key message of the Fayrouz brand.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, 9, 2015 Daily Times June Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

23 News

Tribunal dismisses APGA's petition against Wike

NUC lauds World Bank project in West Africa

Andrew Orolua

ÏÏÏThe

Abuja

ÏÏÏThe Rivers State Gov-

ernorship Election Petition Tribunal, on Monday, dismissed the petition filed

by All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and its candidate, Mr. Priye Harry, challenging the election of Governor Nyesom Wike.

Its Chairman, Justice Mu’azu Pindiga, dismissed the petition, while ruling on a motion, brought by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Wike, challenging the competence of the petition.

The tribunal dismissed the petition when it found

that grounds upon which the petition was based was not known to the Electoral Act. Secondly, it also found that the petitioner’s pre-trial motion was incompetent having been filed prematurely.

Although, the three man panel unanimously adopted its earlier ruling that it had the jurisdiction to hear the petition, it held that the petition was filed out of time allowed by the rules, and, therefore, it seemed abandoned.

Justice Pindiga said the petitioners had the right to appeal against the ruling when the counsel to the petitioner, Mr. Alex Egbero,

drew the tribunal’s attention to the fact the petitioners were not heard on their pre-hearing motion before the ruling.

Egbero, while reacting to the ruling, said it appeared the tribunal was adopting a double standard in the hearing of their petition when the same tribunal was granting other parties before it the leave to argue their cases.

“We were not given fair hearing and I have spoken to my client, who has directed that we should file an appeal,” Egbero said In another ruling, the tribunal refused the oral application by Wike seeking

Augustine Okezie Abuja

leave to move an application out of the pre-trial session to dismiss Dakuku Peterside’s petition. Justice Pindiga said the oral application was not in conformity with the Electoral Act. In the pending motion Wike’s counsel, Chief Okey Wali (SAN), is contending that the petitioner’s pre-trial motion was not paid for at the time of filing.

Executive Secretary, National universities Commission (NUC), Professor Julius Okojie, has described the World Banksponsored Africa Centre of Excellence (ACE) Project for Universities as capable of transforming the economy of the West African subregion Okojie, who made the observation, on Monday, in Abuja, at the ACE Project Post- Effectiveness workshop, said the project was designed to promote regional specialisation among

Ex-Lagos lawmaker empowers constituents, donates to orphanage

Wike

Alabi Tasma

sented Ajeromı-Ifelodun Constıtuency 02, in the 7th Assembly, had earlier reached out to another charity home in his constıtuency, where he donated several gift items before rolling out empowerment items worth millions of naira to the less privileged, widows, as well as his political supporters at the event, which took place at the premises of AjeromiIfelodun Local Government Councıl secretariat, at Ajegunle.The items donated included six mini buses for transportation, a brand-new fridge and 50 packs of table water for each of the 12 beneficiaries, gas cookers and cooking utensils, etc.

Court lifts ban on disputed Lagos praying ground

ance and counter affidavit filed to the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction in a suit by counsel to Alhaji Iginla, Barrister Adeniyi Adekanla.

“It will not be wise for me to extend the order of interim injunction, more so, when it was granted exparte without hearing other parties to the suit. Now that parties, especially claimants and 1st defendant (Mr. Abu Kazeem Iginla) have joined issues with both parties laying claim to the ownership of the subject matter of this suit, I am of the view that the justice of this case deserves that the order of interim made by the court on July 14, 2015 be discharged and the parties be heard on merit of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction,” the court said.

ÏÏÏA member of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (middle); Managing Director of PAN Nigeria Limited, Alhaji Ibrahim Boyi and Executive Director, Finance, PAN, Alhaji Jumat Alli Oluwafuyi during the PAN's Board of Directors' visit to the VP's office in Abuja… recently

Synagogue: Lagos govt opposes plea to stop prosecution

ÏÏÏ The Lagos State Gov-

ernment has opposed an application seeking to stop the prosecution of the two engineers who built the collapsed six-storey building belonging to the Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN).

The two structural engineers, Messrs Oladele Ogundeji and Akinbela Fatiregun, had gone to court to seek an order quashing the verdict of the coroner’s inquest, which advised the state to prosecute them for criminal negligence.

They are seeking an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Lagos State Attorney General or any officer under his authority

from initiating or commencing criminal proceedings against them on the basis of the coroner’s verdict that indicted them of criminal negligence.

They also prayed the court to stop the police from arresting and investigating them based on the verdict of the coroner.

Contrary to the claim by SCOAN that the collapsed building was sabotaged, the coroner had, after the inquest on July 8, 2015, found that structural defect was responsible for the collapse of the building, The coroner, Mr. Oyetade Komolafe, had then held the engineers liable for the death of the 116 persons

who perished in the September 12, 2014, tragic incident and recommended them for prosecution.

But Ogundeji and Fatiregun, who were displeased with the verdict of the coroner, approached a Federal High Court, in Lagos, to seek outright dismissal of the coroner’s findings and recommendations.

While seeking the protection of the court, the engineers, through their lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, disclosed that the police had been after them, claiming that their constitutional rights to dignity and personal liberty, enshrined in Sections 34 and 35 of the 1999 Constitution, were at stake as they could

participating universities in areas that addressed regional challenges and strengthened capacities of these universities to deliver quality training and applied research.

He said: “The higher order of objective is to meet the labour market’s demand for skills, within the specific areas where there are skill shortages affecting development outcomes and economic growth. Further, the project will, on demand basis, invest in well performing universities that can start building a foundation for Africa to increase technology absorption.’’

no longer move about freely.

They urged the court to make an order restraining the police from arresting or inviting them for questioning based on the verdict of the coroner.

The court, presided over

by Justice Mohammed Idris, after listening to Ojo, on July 22, 2015, ordered the police to suspend all actions in the matter until the suit filed by the Ogundeji and Fatiregun was determined.

However, at the resumed proceedings, on Monday, the Lagos State Government, represented by its Solicitor- General, Mr. Lawal Pedro, made a preliminary objection to the engineers’ prayers.

the Lagos 7th Assembly, Mr. Abdoulbaqi Ladi Balogun, has appealed to the well-to-do ın society to always remember the less- privilege as a way to reduce the socio-economic inequality among the citizenry. This according to him, would make the environment a better place for all to live in.

Balogun stated this while presenting gift ıtems worth several thousands of naıra to Bab-es-Salam, an orphanage home at Joel Ogunaike Street, GRA, Ikeja, as part of activities to mark his 40th birthday.

Balogun, who repre-

Titilope Joseph

ÏÏÏJustice

Ganiyu Safari of a Lagos High Court, at Ikeja, has lifted a ban placed on commencing construction on the Muslim faithful praying ground at Ayobo, Lagos.

An order of interim injunction had earlier barred Alhaji Abu Kazeem Iginla and a Lagos based businessman, Mr. Lateef Oladele Aregbesola, from carrying out further development on the praying ground.

However, Justice Safari nullified the order following a memorandum of appear-

News 24

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Govts urged to support orphanage homes Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏGovernments

at all levels have been urged to strengthen their support and assistance towards the well-being of children in the orphanage homes so as to improve and guarantee their upbringing in the face porous economic status of the nation.

The Chairman of the Islamic Orphanage Foundation (IOF), Architect SefiulOgun State Governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun (middle); Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Yetunde Onanuga (3rd left); Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Taiwo Adeoluwa (left); Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle (2nd right); Managing Director, Ogun State Property and Investment Corporation (OPIC), Mr. Jide Odusolu (right); Managing Director, Procter &Gamble Nigeria, George Nassar (4th left); External Relations Manager, Olanleke Abdul-fattah (3rd right);Government Relation Manager, Ikechukwu Ofuani (2nd left) and Corporate Communications Manager, Omolola Ola (4th right) when the management of Procter & Gamble Nigeria paid the governor a courtesy visit in his office in Abeokuta... on Monday

Group worried over illegal arrests, detentions by Bayelsa police Akam James Yenagoa

8, 873 mothers adopt exclusive breastfeeding in Ebonyi Jacob Mbam Abakaliki

ÏÏÏNo

fewer than 8,873 nursing mothers in Ebonyi State have adopted exclusive breastfeeding out of 15, 303 of them counseled between January and July this year.

Briefing newsmen in Abakaliki on this year’s, world breastfeeding week, the state Commissioner for Health, Dr. Daniel Uwazuruike noted that 5,127 moth-

ers were practicing complementary feeding up to 18 months, while 927 children were being assisted to eat by their fathers.

He enumerated the benefits of exclusive breastfeeding to include; prevention of diarrhea, acute respiratory infections, ear infections among others adding ‘’Optimal feeding practices including early initiation of exclusive breastfeeding and continued breastfeeding, while providing comple-

mentary foods could reduce mortality among children by up to 25%. ‘’Breastfeeding helps mothers and babies to establish a close and loving relationship. Exclusive breastfeeding and breastfeeding on demand especially in the night, delays the return of menses and ovulation, hence promoting child spacing. ‘’Breastfeeding is also important for women; assisting to prevent post-partum

hemorrhage and weight loss after delivery. It also helps to protect mothers from breast and ovarian cancer and other diseases such as diabetes and osteoporosis’’, he said.

Uwazuruike maintained that the overall goal of the celebration was to promote child survival through optimal feeding of children as optimal infant and young child feeding practices, will ensure preventable developmental milestones in the first 1, 000 days of life.

Reform the judiciary, Lamorde tells Buhari Augustine Aminu Abuja

ÏÏÏ

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has identified the reform of the judiciary as the only way to succeed in the fight against corruption in Nigeria.

Such reform would reduce the conflict between the Act guiding the activities of the commission and the constitution of the country.

The observation came from the Chairman of the Commission, Ibrahim Lamorde, represented by the EFCC Director, Public Affairs Department, Osita

Nwajah, during a two-day workshop on Budget Monitoring and Tracking, organised for NGOs, CBOs, Media and Local Government staff in Akure, Ondo State capital.

The EFCC chief urged the federal government to establish a ‘Special Court’ that would only focus on corruption cases.

He said, “It was the EFCC that proposed the Special Court and we have not relented on that. If you study the EFCC Act very well, there is some movement in that direction which says that the court should not entertain interlocutory applications in the course of the

trial – that is people cannot come to say let us stop the main trial and let us argue the non-substantive issue.”

He, however, noted that this is inconsistent with the relevant provision of the constitution which guarantees every Nigerian access to the judicial system.

“So you cannot abridge that right and so far it is inconsistent with the constitution. That provision cannot operate, that is why we have this interlocutory things coming up so often.

“It is so bad that in the cases of two former governors we have on trial, some of the people you are hearing about would have gone

to the Supreme Court on Interlocutory applications.

They have dragged us to the Supreme Court, and the usual process in Nigeria is that anytime such process comes up you will keep the substantive matter aside and address the concern as raised by the defence.”

Lamorde

lahi Alege, stated this last weekend while speaking at the group's 2015 Orphanage Day. He stressed that the foundation had successfully produced graduates across all disciplines in different tertiary, secondary as well as primary schools across the country, while many others are engaged in trades and vocational trainings.

Alege, who disclosed that 205 orphans are currently under the care of the Foundation, frowned at the political office holders in Kwara state as well as other wealthy individuals for not fulfilling their promises towards alleviating the sufferings of the children among others.

ÏÏÏThe leadership of

the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO) in Bayelsa State, has petitioned the InspectorGeneral of Police, Solomon Arase, and the authorities of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) over the indiscriminate arrest of innocent persons, extortion and other shady activities of the rank and file of the State Police Command.

The group, in a statement issued by the State Chairman, Chief Nengi James, said though the men of the rank and file of the State Police Command, under the leadership of Police Commissioner, Paul Okafor, have the constitutional right to keep law and order in the state, but the recent cases of

indiscriminate arrest of innocent youths and elders in Bayelsa State is worrisome, wicked and without due regard to the rule of law.

The CLO, after a preliminary investigation by a special team of undercover comrades and youth leaders, discovered a shocking dimension to the illegal duties of the Bayelsa State Police through the men of the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS), and the various divisions of the State Police command.

The report showed that the Police command, on daily basis, engage in mass arrest of innocent youths and elders in the state capital, with an abolished charge of "wandering" and demand the sum of between N5,000 and N10,000, before they are release without paper works.

FG set to standardise herbal medicine - Odumodu ÏÏÏThe

Federal Government will work with technical experts from Africa to provide standards in herbal medicines to meet WHO Certification System on quality of pharmaceuticals internationally.

Dr Joseph Odumodu, Director General, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), made the statement in Abuja on Monday during a meeting with the committee on African Traditional medicine.

Represented by Mr Umar Kawu, Director, Legal and

Secretary, SON Council, said Nigeria was known to have a vast treasure of herbal medicines with high market potential.

Odumodu said that the products could not be exported as currently presented due to several reasons.

He said the committee’s aim was to articulate Nigeria’s contributions to the harmonisation process of African Regional Organisation for Standardisation Technical Committee on African Traditional Medicine (ARSO THC13).

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

2,000 families displaced in Anambra community Nkiru Nwagbo

Ă?Ă?Ă?A total of 2,000 families

have been displaced in Ufuma town,in Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State, following the collapse of a bridge.

The bridge, which was constructed, in 1950, by local mason men, in the area, collapsed, on Monday, after a torrential rain, which caused floods in the town.

Speaking with reporters, while inspecting the collapsed bridge, the First

Vice-President of Ufuma Progressive Union, Mr. Nnaemeka Nebe, explained that the bridge linked Ogbunike Nofige, Owerezukala up to Isuochi town in Abia State.

Nebe further said that the people there had been cut off from their neighbours and have had to relocated to the extremes of the town for commercial activities “More than 2,000 families affected and as I speak to you they do not have any other way of evacuating

their goods, mainly agricultural products to the Ufuma market and other markets in Orumba North and South local government areas.

The Chairman of Orumba North Local Government Area, Mr. Okey Elekwe, said that the road that led to the bridge and the bridge itself would be reconstructed soon. “This road is called AjaliNawfija-Ufuma Ogbunka road. It links Isuochi town in Abia State. We are currently making efforts to re-

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Kano to enact law on grazing reserves – Ganduje Yakubu ssalisu

habilitate the 2,000 displaced families.� “We urge the state government to commence palliative measures aimed at putting both the road and the bridge in good use pending when they are reconstructed.�

Elekwe lamented that Ufuma town was one of the food baskets of the state and that with the construction of the road and the bridge it would help the rural farmers evacuate their agricultural produce.

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AYOOLUWA ELIZABETH

BILLIAMINU PELUMI

I, former Miss Ayooluwa Elizabeth Ibiloye now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs Ayooluwa Elizabeth Ogunbona.

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

I, formerly known and addressed as Azeez Pelumi DurosimiEtti, now wish to be known and addressed as Billiaminu Pelumi Durisimi-Etti. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has announced that his administration would back a law to prevent grazing reserves from trespass.

Already, the state Commissioners of Justice and Agriculture have been directed to produce a draft bill that would be forwarded to the State House of Assembly for consideration and possible assent.

Ganduje, who stated this while receiving the report of a committee he set up on Development of Master Plan for Rivers and Streams, explained that the law, which would entail penalty for people who encroached on the reserves, would also help in curtailing clashes between Fulani herdsmen and farmers.

In addition, the law would complement other efforts of the government in general agricultural value chain addition, Ganduje said. He also disclosed that the state agriculture and water resources management agencies, would be reorganised and revitalised to promote agricultural production.

Change of Name

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ADVERT HERE

Ganduje

25 News

Med-View increases competition on Lagos-London route Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Ă?Ă?Ă?The competition on the

Lagos-London route would become more intense with the plans of one of the fastest growing carriers in Nigeria, Med-View Airline, to commence direct flight operations to the route, soon.

This is as the airline, on Sunday night, acquired another Boeing 767-300 ER for the annual hajj operations to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, which commences 16, August 2015. The aircraft is also being positioned for use on the United Kingdom route.

The Managing Director, Med-View Airline, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, told journalists all this during the unveiling of the new B767-

300ER with the registration number 5N-BQN at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport, MMIA, Lagos.

Bankole observed that Nigerians were regularly exploited on the LagosLondon route by the foreign carriers, assuring that with the coming on stream of the airline, such exploitation would reduce to the barest minimum, while air travellers would now have better choices on carriers to fly.

He lamented that the Nigerian government had opened the country’s gateways too wide for foreign carriers to exploit, saying that such opportunities were not given to Nigerian carriers operating into foreign cities.

Group endorses Daura as DSS boss Ă?Ă?Ă?A pro-democracy, non-

governmental organisation – Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has canvassed bipartisan and pan-Nigerian support for the newlyappointed Director-General of the Directorate of State Security (DSS), Mr. Lawal Daura, just as it has called on the political class in the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the ruling party of All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop overheating the polity with meaningless debates on whether the new Daura was a card- carrying member of any political party or not.

HURIWA made an appeal to the effect that: “Let the DG of DSS carry out his national assignments because Nigeria is at at crossroads in terms of security of life and property and those saddled with the national duties of protecting life and property of Nigerians must be insulated from political squabbles and must be supported to carry out their duties without let or hindrance. Enough of these market traders kind of brickbats by the two main political parties over the membership or otherwise of the new DG DSS of any political party. The job of

national security requires minimal or no distractions or politically- orchestrated, meaningless verbal exchanges capable of driving a wedge between the diverse configurations of our nation. Nigeria is in a time of delicate balance and only patriotism and multidimensional support base are needed now.�

HURIWA said it had since discovered that, indeed, Daura, at a time he was accused of being a card-carrying member of the then opposition party – the APC – and was made a member of the Intelligence SubCommittee of the Presidential Campaign Council, was, indeed, an independent Nigerian, who had left public service and so had the constitutional right to choose how to associate politically.

Its National Co-ordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, and the National Media Affairs Director, Miss Zainab Yusuf, offered that the political parties should concentrate their energies and efforts towards nation-building through the implementation of the programmes for her registered members on how to contribute constructively towards the socio-economic development of the nation-state and the citizenry.

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Law Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, a Senior Advocate is the Ondo state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. He bares his mind on the legal framework put in place by the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to ensure speedy dispensation of justice and the challenges encountered by the ministry in carrying out its judicial functions. PETER FOWOYO, met him.

You are one of the oldest commissioners in the cabinet of Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, what are the legal frameworks put in place to ensure a speedy dispensation of justice in Ondo state?

I am one of the longest serving members. I am still a young man. So I am not one of the oldest. The vision of this government at inception was to bequeath to the state a better administration of justice in terms of the laws, the personnel and the infrastructure and indeed a faster criminal justice system. To a large extent we have done that. The office of AG which I occupied is also charged with the responsibility of servicing all other ministries and also interfacing with the judicial arm of government.

Now to the extent that we draft bills and also ensure that we prosecute cases and to the extent that we are involved in prosecution of criminal cases and participate in all litigations at least on the side of government, we support the entire administration of justice.

Now, the legal framework is embodied in the relevant laws which we have codified when we came in. In respect of civil matters, it is embodied in the new High Court rules for the state and for criminal matters we have established High Court within the prisons to take care of capital offenses. The other side of it has to do with the processes leading to drafting of laws, preparing agreement and also litigations. Those three items are taken care of by the ministry of justice, and as it is said these days “under my watch.”

So the legal frameworks are frameworks that are already established first, by the constitution because it allows for functions and powers of all relevant stakeholders in the judicial administration, the laws of the state especially those laws that deal with judicial administration, the courts and the laws that are relevant in respect of inter-governmental relationship, the rules relating to practice in civil matters and also rules that regulate the rights and proceedings in respect of criminal matters.

What are the challenges facing your ministry as you carry out these judicial functions?

Well, the challenges are institutional challenges.

The position of the Attorney-General

Æs as a member of the executive that serves as a bridge between the executive and the judiciary. So much is expected from the AG from the judiciary while the executive in some instances see the AG as one of its own. Where conflict exist you need to put your foot down because as a lawyer, you are a slave to the law, you are expected to say it the way it is and interpret the law especially to the executive because you’re the chief law officer, you’re expected to interpret the law clearly to your principal that is the chief executive and also to other stakeholders within the executive. Don’t forget there are three arms of government, one arm is noted for being over bearing, the other is silent but vested with a lot of powers, you as the AG, you’re in the middle of these two powerful institutions. You belong to both. That in itself is a challenge.

The area of conflict most times is the funding, because funding is very critical to both the executive and the judiciary, they all draw from the same pool of fund that comes to the state and of course, because there are constitutional provisions that would ordinarily safeguard the access to those funds those provisions require and demand total obedience, you need to advise as honestly and as fearlessly as possible and ensure that the arm of government which you belong to majorly, does not trample on the rights of other arms of government. Your loyalty and obedience is first to the constitution, because you’re also a stakeholder in the judiciary, as a member of the Judicial Service Commission in the state and as the chief law officer.

The second challenge has to do with making the business of the AG’s office to run seamlessly within the protocol of the civil service yet, ensuring that you perform optimally and efficiently as a law firm which the AG’s office is and as a law chambers that is out there to compete with other lawyers from private offices who are not restricted by protocols and bureaucracy because when it comes to issues that has to do with court proceedings, no advantage will be given to you simply because you’re from the establishment or what we call official bar, and the competence that is required is also not in any way discounted because you’re from a bureaucratic set up.

You know civil servants resume work by 8a.m. and close by 4p.m. A private law firm works from 8a.m. to 7p.m. in most cases including weekends.

The challenge is how to make your colleagues in the ministry of justice remove the garb of civil servants and do the job as a professional. That is why I believe that the AG chambers should operate outside the rules in the civil services for optimum performance Because you work for government does not exempt you from the rules dealing with compellation of

FG didn’t bailout states but obeyed constitutional provisions –Jegede

Jegede

time. The rules of court enjoin you to file your papers the same time as other private law firms, the rule bind all of us. As a lawyer within the ministry, you are expected to operate as efficiently as lawyers who are in private establishment. That in itself sometimes pose a challenge, because even to assess funds to file your process is not just opening your locker bringing out money and say go and file, you’re to go through a process of request, approval, auditing, release and such other bureaucratic

expectations that would slow you down when ordinarily, you should be able to put your legs forward.

You mentioned the issue of funding as one of the challenges but the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) through a court judgment asked that the judiciary should be autonomous. How did Ondo state resolve the crisis?

The dispute between the members of JUSUN and the various governments of the states and

the federal government had to do with the implementation of the provisions of the constitution in respect of funding of the judiciary.

The issue of funding is related to the independence of the judiciary, but that is not all. Funding should be part of the necessary and indisputable requirement to have an independent judiciary. But then, it is more than that. Independence of the judiciary basically has to do with the freedom of our Judges to CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

dispense justice without fear or favour. This is aside the need for an enabling environment for our judicial officers to independently and fairly adjudicate on disputes before them. If you starve them of funds, they may not be able to live up to the constitutional expectations and responsibility. So coming to your question, we transferred the funds due to the judiciary directly to them, on the basis of funds released to the state from federation account.

Remittances therefore are first charge but such remittances are moderated by the quantum of funds released to the state. It is an improvement on the old order.

The issue of funding has been a problem all along, not caused by this administration or the previous administration but caused essentially by the inability and none readiness of critical office holders to comply fully with the provisions of the constitution relating to funding of the judiciary. That of course, led to the JUSUN strike that affected the entire states of the federation including the federal courts.

It is not a problem that is peculiar to a particular state, it is a problem that affected all the states of the federation including the federal government and if you ask me, I would say it is because all along the executive arm for whatever reason has not, and I say this with all sense of responsibility, been able to accord the judiciary the respect and the recognition that it deserves.

There has not been, and again, I say this with all sense of responsibility, a faithful implementation of those constitutional provisions that ordinarily are enshrined as a guarantee to ensure the independence of the judiciary.

I do believe that given what happened, all the states of the federation have now taken a second look again at those constitutional provisions and have taken steps to ensure that where there is need to adjust and correct any noncompliance, such corrections are being effected. The problem had been with us for a long time now, the solution will not likely be found in one day, the judiciary itself needs to continuously assert its independence.

Recently the Ondo state government banned the use of motorcycle as commercial vehicle and also the consumption of a local gin known as ‘ogogoro.’ Is there any legal backing to this ban?

It is not correct to say that the government banned the activities of ‘okada’ riders, what the government did was to regulate the activities of ‘okada’ riders and restricted the operations of motorcycle riders to areas that would not constitute danger to the riders themselves, their passengers and the entire society.

This is by restricting operations of ‘okada’ riders to locations that are not in the center of the metropolis.

The directives affected some streets in Akure, the state capital which are specifically listed, the activities of commercial motorcycle riders would

27 Law

JEGEDE: Clamour for separation of AG from Commissioner for Justice unnecessary no longer be permitted in those designated areas.

Now, going back to your question, there are extant provisions that permit regulation of motorcycle riders in Ondo state other than the Road Traffic Laws in the state and the local governments are permitted to give directions and directives to motorcycle operations. We have a law specifically on motorcycle activities.

The state also has a ministry of transport. So what we have done in the state is in absolute compliance with the provisions of the law.

We do not need new laws. All that we are doing is enforcing those laws. It’s like asking them to put on crash helmet, or insisting that you obtain registration license. Now you mentioned issue of local gin, we have public health laws in Ondo state and I believe these laws also exist in some other states. The law permits the state health officials to control the use of those consumables that would affect the health of those who are exposed to it; it cannot be a lawless society. Don’t forget that before these restrictions were imposed there were reported cases of death and what the government did was to find out the cause of death, it is the responsibility of government to safeguard and protect its citizens.

The advantages we have in Ondo state is that the Chief Executive himself is a medical doctor and we have at least four medical doctors in the cabinet, almost the same number as the lawyers in the cabinet, if I am correct, I think we have six lawyers in the cabinet.

A responsible government should put a stop to it having found that its own local populace and citizens were consuming substances that are harmful to their health. The responsibility of government does not stop at burying its citizens; the responsibility of government first and foremost is to prevent death of its citizens.

The federal government bailed out some bankrupt states including Ondo who could not afford to pay salaries of their civil servants.

With this scenario where state governments run to the center to share funds, what system of government is Nigeria practicing, is it federal or unitary system?

Let me start from the word ‘bailout’ which you have used. I doubt if it is correct to use the word bailout The federal government is the custodian of the funds belonging to the federating states and it’s the responsibility of federal government to distribute the funds to all tiers of government as provided in the constitution. This so called bailout was paid from proceeds of tax on the profit of Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas Company. That company operates our gas sector and with responsibility to pay tax after the period of tax relief allowed by government elapsed.

That tax paid to FIRS accrues to the federation and same was shared in

“The federal government is the custodian of the funds belonging to the federating states and it’s the responsibility of federal government to distribute the funds to all tiers of government as provided in the constitution.” line with the revenue formulae.

I do understand that this is the first time the NLNG will be paying tax to the federation account. That tax itself is an accruable fund that goes into the federation account. Once the funds gets into the federation accouent and in this case the funds were collected by the federal government for the federating state, the federal government and the local government. All the federal government did was to obey the provisions of the constitution that allows for distribution of funds. The federal government itself took about

Jegede

48.5 per cent of the funds, gave the states about 26 per cent and gave the local government about 22 per cent so if it is a bailout why did the federal government withhold about 50 per cent of the funds?

I think it is because these are political times, so you have a dose of politics applied to what is ordinarily a constitutional and simple exercise, what federal government has done is just share obedience to the provisions of the law. We run a federal system of government as provided in our constitution but the federal government has always been over bearing. The way forward is to weaken the center and strengthen the federating states in a way that the spirit of positive competition is engendered and encouraged. The center has too much money with limited responsibility while the

states and local governments just manage to pass by. If you ask me, for a start, the percentage of the funds for the federal government should not exceed that which accrues to the state.

The federal system should ordinarily comprise of the central government and the federating states, the structure of governance for the center and the states are set out in the constitution, you cannot say the same for the local governments. I concede that local government are also created by the constitution but, the administration, the structure, etc are provided for, under a law that is enacted by each state, in other words, you do not have the constitution spelling out in clear terms, the organs of government in the local government, that is the responsibility of the states.

28

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

EXTRATIME

Eaglets battle Jamba Academy in test match

Barca defence must improve, insists Enrique

L

uis Enrique called for improvement from his defence after Barcelona lost 2-1 to Fiorentina in the International Champions Cup. Federico Bernardeschi scored twice inside the opening 12 minutes as Barcelona’s final warm-up match

Yetunde Raji

ter Stegen for the fourth-minute opener at Stadio Artemio Franchi on Sunday.

The European champions were caught napping again eight minutes later, when Joaquin teed up Bernardeschi.

Luis Enrique, whose team pulled a

goal back via Luis Suarez in the 17th minute, bemoaned Barca’s defensive display, telling reporters: “We played against a very strong side, but we cannot just let men go clear on goal like that.

“I am not satisfied because we lost and the defence has to improve.”

Blatter not running for IOC re-election

N

igeria’s Golden Eaglets will today continue their preparations for the FIFA U-17 World Cup in Chile with another test game against Jamba Academy of Kaduna.

The test match is expected to kick off from 8am at the FIFA Goal Project at the National Stadium, Abuja.

Earlier last year, Jamba Academy put up a spirited fight when they lost 2-1 to Nigeria’s U-20 team, the Flying Eagles, in another test match.

Following the feat, several players from the academy were called up by the Flying Eagles coaching crew on the back of their superlative display.

“We hope to again showcase some of our young talent in the match against the Golden Eaglets,” said Jamba Academy president Barrister Jamba Zira.

before the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla on August 11 ended in defeat.

Barca’s back four - made up of Jordi Alba, Thomas Vermaelen, Gerard Pique and Sergi Roberto - were carved up as Borja Valero picked out an unmarked Bernardeschi, who glanced a header past Marc-Andre

O

Blatter

utgoing FIFA president Sepp Blatter is stepping down from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Thomas Bach, the IOC president, told members in Kuala Lumpur on Monday that Blatter had decided against standing for re-election.

A vote for the new FIFA president will be held on February 26 next year, marking the end of the 79-year-old’s reign.

In a letter to the IOC, Blatter said it was inappropriate for him to stand for re-election for an eight-year term given his time at FIFA was ending early in 2016.

Blatter would have had to step down next year regardless, with the age limit for members co-opted between 1966 and 1999 being 80.

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

EXTRATIME

29

Pinnick, Oliseh in London for exploratory meetings Andrew Ekejiuba

Sports Editor resident of Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Mr. Amaju Pinnick and Super Eagles’ Head Coach, Sunday Oliseh are in the United Kingdom for a number of meetings with prospective sponsors of Nigeria football.

A number of the meetings took place over the weekend, with more scheduled for early this week, and Pinnick will also be involved in sessions related to global football politics, with events heating up ahead of FIFA’s presidential election early next year.

“We have a number of meetings with some groups who have indicated interest in Nigerian football. It is my responsibility to expatiate on the direction that we want to take Nigerian football, and Oliseh is our Head Coach now and they needed to listen to his own development plans as well.

“The meetings we have had so far have been positive, and we expect great results. Ideally, it is not every move we make, or every plan we have, that we throw out there into the public.”

P Danso Reginald Omarion (left), first prize winner in the Mortal Combat category being presented with a cheque of N300, 000.00 by Mr. Okundola Bamgboye (right), Senior Manager, Sponsorship, MTN in Lagos recently.

GHANAIAN PLAYERS SHINE AT LAGOS GAMING CONTEST Andrew Ekejiuba

I

t was a happy ending for the three Ghanaian players that featured in the just concluded first edition of Tech+ Gaming Contest after they won various cash rewards in the FIFA and Mortal Combat categories.

The trio of Selasie Brown, Danso Reginald Omarion and Richmong Boampong defeated over 1000 other contestants to cart home the cash prizes in the mortal combat category as well as the deserved third-place prize in the FIFA Tournament held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos.

While Selasie Brown who led the team to Nigeria won the third-place prize of N100, 000.00 in the

FIFA Tournament, the same could not be said of Danso Reginald Omarion and Richmond Boampong as they both failed to make the last four.

The first and second prizes of N500, 000.00 and N300, 000.00 went to the Nigerian duo of Adedeji Opoola and Adeyinka Aregbesola respectively.

The mortal combat contest however, was all about them as they edged out all other contestants to take the available prizes. It was a straight fight between Danso and Richmond as they both battled for the top prize to the delight of the hundreds of spectators who took time to applaud anytime one gains a point advantage.

Danso eventually emerged the better of the two with a cash prize of N300, 000.00 while Richmond

settled for N200, 000.00 with Selasie completing their dominance with a respectable third-place performance that fetched him N100, 000.00.

Speaking about his performance in the competition, Selasie said he rued not taking his chances in the semi-final match against Yinka, but expressed joy that he represented his home country well.

The Gaming Contest was one of the cardinal features of the TECH+ conference and exhibitions powered by MTN Nigeria with sponsorship from Huawei, Jumia, Coscharis Motors, Samsung, Google, Uber and Terragon Group. Partners include Enplug Africa, Atlantic Exhibition and Lagos State Signage and Advertising Agency (LASAA).

‘NPFL status not over for Taraba’

F

C Taraba head coach, Ndubuisi Nduka has said his side have good chances of survival in the ongoing Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) season.

The Jalingo outfit sit at the base of the 20-team top flight log despite a spirited 1-0 win against Sunshine Stars in match day 20 clash on Sunday.

Nduka said the league is still an ongoing race which no team can rightly claim full ownership of title or

L-R: Martin Mabutho, General Manager, Marketing, MultiChoice Nigeria; Chioma Afe, Marketing Manager, DStv; Caroline Oghuma, Public Relations Manager, MultiChoice Nigeria and Chidozie Bede-Nwokoye, Marketing Manager, SuperSport West Africa during the live screening of NBA Africa Team vs the Rest of the World, held at The Arena, Bishop Aboyade Cole, Victoria Island, Lagos on August 1, 2015.

staying right until the last match is played.

“League is like a race you cannot say it is over until the race is completely seen to be over.

“When the season started some teams were leading the pack at the summit but today they are nowhere to be found.

“So I can confidently tell you that it is not yet over for FC Taraba as far as its status quo in the Nigerian top flight is concerned.

“I’m happy we claimed a morale

boosting win against a top side, Sunshine Stars in Sunday’s match day 20 clash.

“We will build on the momentum to claim more victories that will see us leave the base permanently.

“We are heading to Enugu to confront Enugu Rangers in the midweek clash, we are going to give it our very best,” said the former Heartland coach to supersport.com.

FC Taraba are at the bottom of the top flight log on 16 points from possible 60 in the 20-week old league.

Saviour

Nnabue

defends Saviour’s move to KVO

G

eneral Manager of FC Sports of Jos, Benny Bons Nnabue, has given several reasons why Nigeria U-23 forward Godwin Saviour did not take up offers from top Belgian clubs Anderlecht and Club Brugge and instead opted for modest KV Oostende (KVO).

Saviour, who on Sunday played all 90 minutes as Nigeria held home team Congo to qualify for the CAF U-23 Championship in Senegal, has agreed to join Oostende ahead of interest from Anderlecht, Club Brugge, Gent, Genk, Olympique Marseille and Montpellier.

Nnabue revealed that besides the genuine interest KVO showed in the player, Saviour will grow with the club.

“Oostende knew they faced bigger competition for Saviour from top teams like Anderlecht and Club Brugge, but that did not deter them in their quest to sign the boy,” said the FC Sports top official.

“He’s a young player and they will give him playing time so that he can grow into a better player in Europe.

“We all believe he is a very big investment and with the remarkable progress he has shown since his days with the Golden Eaglets two years ago, it is certain this transfer will pay dividends to all the stakeholders involved.”

Interestingly, Saviour’s new club are joint top of the Belgian league table with Anderlecht after the first two rounds of the new season.

30

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

EXTRATIME

EURO TRANSFERS Marotta: Juve could lose Pogba!

J

POnOniLa return LIVhEinR g Brita relis

n o s r e d n e H – L iverpool captain Jordan Henderson is determined to avenge last season’s humiliating defeat at Stoke City, when the two teams resume hostilities on the opening weekend of the 2015-16 Premier League season.

Henderson and Co. return to Britannia Stadium on Sunday, almost three months on from their nightmare 6-1 loss to Stoke in the final match of Liverpool’s 2014-15 campaign.

It was a forgettable farewell for former skipper Steven Gerrard, who netted a late consolation goal as Liverpool conceded six or more goals in

England’s top flight for the first time in 52 years.

Henderson, however, is relishing the return to Stoke.

“There couldn’t be a better place for us to start and put what happened there last season to bed once and for all,” said the England international midfielder.

“The lads who were playing that day will remember it for quite some time. It was a horrible day for everyone involved.

“We have a determination to do better and to improve as a team. We are focusing on the future and that is the first game at Stoke. They

Henderson

are a good team but so are we.”

Liverpool’s travelling party is arguably stronger this time around, according to Henderson, following a number of high-profile signings.

Manager Brendan Rodgers has invested heavily to recruit Christian Benteke, Roberto Firmino, James Milner and Nathaniel Clyne.

Joe Gomez, Danny Ings and Adam Bogdan have also arrived on Merseyside, while Gerrard, Raheem Sterling, Glen Johnson, Rickie Lambert, Iago Aspas, Sebastian Coates, Brad Jones and Javier Manquillo have departed.

PALACE

Palace

New Atletico signings excite

Garcia S

seal Wickham swoop Crystal Palace have swelled their attacking options with the addition of Sunderland striker Connor Wickham on a five-year deal for an undisclosed fee. Alan Pardew was eager to seal a move for the former England Under-21 striker ahead of the new Premier League campaign, and Wickham will go straight into contention to face Norwich City on Saturday after completing his switch to Selhurst Park on Monday.

uventus will struggle to keep hold of prized asset Paul Pogba if mega-rich rivals come calling for the France international, says Giuseppe Marotta.

Pogba is one of Europe’s hottest prospects after three impressive seasons in Italy, and has been linked with a host of clubs during the close-season.

Barcelona and Manchester City are reported to be leading the chase for his signature, but Juve have so far been able to resist their advances.

In Marotta’s ideal world, the 22-year-old will remain with the Serie A champions for his entire career, but the managing director acknowledges they will not be able to compete with some of the figures put in front of him.

“Pogba’s future? In modern football the decision of the player is paramount, like with Tevez,” he told reporters.

“It’s obvious that we would like to keep him until he stops playing, but we can’t afford to do anything crazy in terms of salaries and some clubs can guarantee twice what we can.”

Coloccini

Coloccini to end career at Newcastle –McClaren

Steve McClaren has moved to end speculation that captain Fabricio Coloccini wants to leave Newcastle United and says the defender wants to end his career at St James’ Park. Coloccini has yet to feature under McClaren in pre-season and was once again a notable absentee as Newcastle lost 1-0 at home to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.

Kante completes Leicester switch

Leicester City have made their fourth acquisition of the close-season with the signing of Caen midfielder N’Golo Kante on a four-year contract. Kante was unveiled by the Premier League club on Monday, his switch still subject to international clearance and league approval. The 24-year-old made 37 appearances for Caen in Ligue 1 last season and will provide much-needed competition in Claudio Ranieri’s midfield.

panish midfielder Raul Garcia is happy with Atletico Madrid’s transfer business, claiming competition will only improve the squad.

Atletico have been busy in the market, signing Jackson Martinez, Luciano Vietto, Filipe Luis, Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, Stefan Savic and Bernard Mensah, who will spend the season on loan at La Liga rivals Getafe.

The six recruits follow the departures of Arda Turan, Mario Mandzukic, Toby Alderweireld, Miranda and Mario Suarez, but Raul Garcia believes Atletico are well positioned to challenge champions Barcelona and Real Madrid.

“Since I came to Atleti there’s always been competition.

Competition in the squad makes the team better,” Raul Garcia said.

“The new players are going to give us a lot and each will have to fight for his place.

“Competing to the maximum every day, that’s something that doesn’t let you down. And hopefully we can celebrate titles.”

Tuesday, August 4, 2015

EXTRATIME

RONALDO, BENZEMA TO MISS AUDI CUP R

Robben rubbishes injury talk

B

eal Madrid will be forced to cope without injured duo Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema for the upcoming Audi Cup. Ronaldo, who scored 61 goals in all competitions for Real last season, misses out after suffering lower back pain in training.

Benzema, meanwhile, has picked up an injury to his right thigh and neither will be risked by Rafael Benitez with the start of the new La Liga season looming on August 23.

Benitez’s side travel to Germany for the tournament, and take on Tottenham in Tuesday’s semi-final before either a final or third/fourth place play-off with Bayern Munich or Milan.

Rooney moved by Everton welcome

W

ayne Rooney was clearly moved and relieved by the glowing reception he received at Goodison Park during Duncan Ferguson’s testimonial match.

The Manchester United striker, who came up through the ranks at Everton before leaving for Old Trafford during the 2004-05 season, admitted it was “a bit weird” to return to Goodison Park as a ‘home’ player again on Sunday.

While Everton would eventually

lose 2-1 to Villarreal in the testimonial match, Rooney was thrilled with 15 minutes back in blue and the way the home fans welcomed him back.

“Obviously a bit different today, going into the home dressing room again and it was a bit weird at first,” he said. “I didn’t know what to expect with the reception but it was a great reception and I appreciated it.”

Rooney added: “It was great for my kids to come along today and see me wearing an Everton shirt.”

Ronaldo

Terry expects tough EPL title race for Arsenal

J

ohn Terry admits losing to Arsenal in the FA Community Shield was a painful experience but insists the result will have no bearing on the Premier League title race.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s strike saw Arsenal run out 1-0 winners at Wembley as Arsene Wenger inflicted defeat on Chelsea counterpart Jose Mourinho for the first time in 14 meetings.

But Chelsea skipper Terry does not believe Arsenal’s victory gives them any kind of psychological edge in the race for the title this season.

“I don’t think so,” Terry said, when asked if the result can impact the Premier League title race.

“I think it’s one of them where they’ll probably come out and say differently. They do mean something, but win or lose, I don’t think you can say that it will affect the league.

“Losing is just horrible in all aspects... forgetting the record, it’s a trophy that’s gone now.

“It means a lot, because you’ve earned the right to be here so we’re just disappointed. It hurts.

It doesn’t matter if it’s a friendly or the Community Shield - it’s a trophy at the end of the day.”

Jovetic

ayern Munich winger Arjen Robben has rubbished reports that he missed the club’s pre-season tour to China because of an injury.

The Netherlands international played little part in the closing stages of last season due to a muscular problem, and has not featured in any of Bayern’s friendlies prior to the upcoming season.

Reports suggested that was due to injury, but Robben quashed that speculation after making his return in Bayern’s penalty-shootout defeat to Wolfsburg in Saturday’s DFL Supercup.

“I’ve read a lot of weird stuff,” Robben said. “That I was injured at the time. Nonsense! I wasn’t at all.

“I just choose to work at the base and have a very good structure for the remainder of the season. That’s what I’m going to take advantage of.”

Robben netted Bayern’s goal in the 1-1 draw before Wolfsburg prevailed 5-4 in the shootout, and admitted he was surprised to play the full 90 minutes.

“It was the first game at a high level after being injured for nearly five months,” Robben said.

“It is also surprising to me how it all went. I thought I would be involved for 15 minutes, but Pep Guardiola didn’t substitute me.

Every time there was a change, I thought it was me who would be taken off.

“I noticed in the first half I lacked rhythm. I came a little less on the ball and had to really get used to it again. But in the second half I was able to play my own game and I think I’ve played well.”

happy with Inter debut

S

Rooney

tevan Jovetic said he felt good following his first outing in Inter colours, with the Montenegrin attacker coming on as a 63rd-minute substitute in a 1-0 friendly loss to Galatasaray.

Jovetic debuted for Inter on Sunday, just days after completing his move from Manchester City.

The Montenegro international was unable to prevent Inter from tasting defeat, though the recruit was happy just to get some minutes under his belt.

“I felt good. I hadn’t played for a while, the last time was with the national team, then just training sessions with Manchester City,” Jovetic told reporters.

31

“I’m pleased, given it was my first game, I feel good physically.

Obviously there’s still work to do so I can link up well with my teammates.

“There are three weeks to go until our first competitive game and we’ll need to be at 100%. I’m sure we have a good squad, let’s hope we have a good start to the season.”

Brazilian defender Miranda also made his debut for the Serie A outfit in Istanbul.

Miranda, who arrived from Atletico Madrid, partnered Jeison Murillo in the heart of defence throughout the full 90 minutes in the Turkish capital.

Robben

ÏÏÏ

8

United Nations SecretaryGeneral Ban Ki-moon condemned the killing of a U.N. peacekeeper

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Politics

Æs

Nigeria needs fiscal discipline – Hon Ndukwe

Hon Nkole Uko Ndukwe, member representing Arochukwu/Ohafia federal constituency of Abia State in the 8th National Assembly. He retired from Federal Capital Territory Administration as a town planner in development control, Member Adhoc Committee on Restoration of Abuja Master Plan, immediate past Secretary Presidential Committee on International Daily Times Nigeria Affairs, Nigerian Institute ofTuesday, Town August Planners.

In this 4, 2015 interview with MATHEW DADIYA, he said for Nigeria to develop competitively, there must be discipline in every sphere of the economy and discipline must be instilled amongst the citizenry. Excerpts:

Looking at the event that led to the emergence of Hon Dogara Yakubu as Speaker of the House of Reps, do you think the House is united behind his leadership and what should Nigerians expect from the 8th assembly?

First of all, what happened on the floor of the 8th Assembly on the 9th of June that saw the emergence of Hon Yakubu Dogora as the Speaker of the 8th Assembly is purely democracy at work. Democracy is about vot-

g Politics 26

in the Central African Republic (C.A.R.) who died Sunday after being attacked by gunmen in the

US, Egypt resume security talks Opeoluwani Akintayo

g Law P26

ÏÏÏ

Despite persistent human that the Obama administration is rights concerns, the United States boosting to help Egypt counter an on Sunday resumed formal securi- increasing terrorist threat, Secrety talks with Egypt that were last tary of State John Kerry restarted held six years ago and kept on hia- the so-called "strategic dialogue" tus until now amid political unrest with Egyptian officials in Cairo.

L-R: Executive Chairman, Lagos State Board, Internal Revenue/Guest Speaker, Dr. Williams Babatunde Fowler; President/Chairman of Council, IoD, Mr. Samuel Yemi Akeju; 1st was last held in 2009 Vice President IoD, Alhaji Ahmed Rufai Mohammed and Legal Adviser, IoD, Prince Ben Onuora,The ‘New Members’ evening’ , with topic: ‘Change’ , held at Eko Hotel and that the country in the wake at the IoDdialogue Suites, Victoriaswept Island, Lagos recently.

-Photo: OLAWALE ROTIMI and did not occur in subsequent of the Arab Spring. years due to the Arab Spring and Two days after the US delivered eight F-16 warplanes to Egypt as turmoil following the ouster of part of a military support package Egypt's authoritarian leader Hosni Mubarak in 2011.

Kerry said thecriticism administration will enable me to cornew development, it will soon be not blame the government.”

Charles Okonji El-Rufa’i appealed to people to rect my mistakes and do more for a thing of the past.” is committed to working with He promised to revive cotton criticise him positively saying `` the people’’.

Rice production in Kaduna state is set to get a boost from farming in the state, as part of Egypt to enhance its military cathe plans of the state govern- efforts to facilitate the revitalizament to disburse N2 billion non- tion of industries. pabilities as it confronts growing On recent workers’ screening interest fund to rice farmers.

Gov. Nasiru El-Rufa’i of Kadu- exercise, the governor said about threats from extremists, particuna State on Sunday disclosed this N120 million that would have during the 2nd town hall meeting gone via ghost workers was relarly in the Sinai Peninsula. That in Zaria, he advised the rice farm- covered.

El-Rufa’i advised people who ers to access the loan to improve aid had been on hold until eartheir revenue base, as his admin- erected residential buildings on istration had put measures in government premises to vacate lier this year due to human rights such places before the expiration place to pay off the interest rate.

The Governor said each state of the given dateline, to avoid any and democracy concerns in the of the federation was given N2 form of embarrassment.

“Those who erected structures billion to enhance rice producwake of the military overthrow tion to enable the country become on Alhudahuda College premises should note that Wednesday Aug. self-sufficient in rice production. of Islamist president Mohammed “It is disheartening to note that 5 is the dateline and there is no goNigeria spends N200 billion on ing back. Anybody who fails to reMorsi in 2013. rice importation; but with this move his/her structures should El-Rufa’i Before meeting with EgypKerry

g News

g Business

Law must Æ sFG didn’t Buhari US, Egypt Kaduna to P13 P 19 P 8 bailout states resume start graft boost rice Buhari must start graftFGbut didn’t bailout obeyed security talks production probe from 1985 but obeyed Kaduna – Gani Adamsstates probe from 1985 to boost rice constitutional with Kerry visit withproduction N2bn zero constitutional – GaniAdams with N2bn zero interest fund provisions interest fund provisions –Jegede –Jegede HON NKOLE UKO NDUKWE

TUESDAY, AUGUST 4, 2015

VOL. 1. NO.162

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

TRANSFORMATION With

Reno Omokri

“ Slowly but surely, the incongruence between Nigeria’s words and her body language begins to take its toll on your psyche.”

Price: N150

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ÎÎÎIt

Otunba Gani Adams is the National Co-ordinator of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC). In this interview with AKINJIDE AKINTOLA, he spoke on the need for President Mohammadu Buhari not to single out his predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan from investigation but go the whole hog by probing all past governments since his ouster in 1985. He also spoke on why Buhari must consider the report of the last National Conference and why the country must be restructured for any meaningful progress to be made. Excerpts:

has been proven time and again that if your body language conflicts with your words, people subliminally believe the body language, not the words.

What then is Nigeria’s body language and what are her words?

Nigeria’s words, especially from the government at the centre, are that we are a Federal Republic of Nigeria with a Federal Government. From that pedestal, the Federal Government rightly advocates unity among the multiple ethnic nationalities in Nigeria.

Right from the cradle, the official word communication we get from the government is that we are one people and it does not matter where you come from.

We believe those words and it works fine until we start formal education and words begin to conflict with behaviour.

At the Local Education Authority primary school, the first thing officials want to find out through the paperwork is not whether you know your

Two months into his administration, a lot of people believe President Muhammadu Buhari is too slow with non-appointment of key positions. How do you react to this?

As far as I’m concerned, I decided that before I assess any government, it would be after a period of three months. I will reserve my comments on the Buhari-led government. It would be very difficult for me to criticise a government without a minister.

A tree cannot make a forest. If you are talking of anti-corruption, for you to see the level of his seriousness, you must be able to see the team of Muhammadu Buhari. Buhari cannot be a goalkeeper and at the same time be a scorer and be a midfielder. He

must have a team and from that team we can assess him. Even at that, by the time he’s swearing them in you can predict whether the government will be a better government. But without seeing the team it would be very difficult. I’m a kind of person that if I talk, I don’t want people to fault me. When I talk, if you don’t believe me now, you will believe me in the future. Let’s see what will happen, he has told Nigerians he will appoint his ministers. Let’s wait and see what will happen.

You talk about corruption.

Buhari has said that he will limit his probe to the Jonathan administration alone, how do you see this?

I totally disagree with that.

How can you have it in mind that

dailytimesng

CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

as a member of the executive that serves as a bridge between the executive and the judiciary. So much is expected from the AG from the judiciary while the executive in some instances see the AG as one of its own. Where conflict exist you need to put your foot down because as a lawyer, you are a slave to the law, you are expected to say it the way it is and interpret the law especially to the executive because you’re the chief law officer, you’re expected to interpret the law clearly to your You are one of the oldest principal that is the chief executive commissioners in the cabinet of Dr. and also to other stakeholders within Olusegun Mimiko, what are the legal the executive. Don’t forget there are frameworks put in place to ensure a three arms of government, one arm speedy dispensation of justice in is noted for being over bearing, the Ondo state? other is silent but vested with a lot I am one of the longest serving of powers, you as the AG, you’re in members. I am still a young man. So the middle of these two powerful I am not one of the oldest. The vision institutions. You belong to both. That of this government at inception was in itself is a challenge. to bequeath to the state a better The area of conflict most times is administration of justice in terms the funding, because funding is very of the laws, the personnel and the critical to both the executive and the infrastructure and indeed a faster judiciary, they all draw from the same criminal justice system. To a large pool of fund that comes to the state extent we have done that. The office and of course, because there are of AG which I occupied is also charged constitutional provisions that would with the responsibility of servicing all ordinarily safeguard the access to other ministries and also interfacing those funds those provisions require with the judicial arm of government. and demand total obedience, you Now to the extent that we draft bills need to advise as honestly and as and also ensure that we prosecute fearlessly as possible and ensure cases and to the extent that we are that the arm of government which involved in prosecution of criminal you belong to majorly, does not cases and participate in all litigations trample on the rights of other arms at least on the side of government, of government. Your loyalty and we support the entire administration obedience is first to the constitution, of justice. because you’re also a stakeholder Now, the legal framework is in the judiciary, as a member of the embodied in the relevant laws which Judicial Service Commission in the we have codified when we came in. In state and as the chief law officer. respect of civil matters, it is embodied The second challenge has to do in the new High Court rules for the with making the business of the state and for criminal matters we AG’s office to run seamlessly within have established High Court within the protocol of the civil service yet, the prisons to take care of capital ensuring that you perform optimally offenses. The other side of it has to do and efficiently as a law firm which the with the processes leading to drafting AG’s office is and as a law chambers of laws, preparing agreement and that is out there to compete with National of three the Oodua Congress (OPC)offices also Co-ordinator litigations. Those items Peoples other lawyers from private are taken care of by the ministry of who are not restricted by protocols justice, and as it is said these days and bureaucracy because when it “under my watch.” comes to issues that has to do with So the legal frameworks are court proceedings, no advantage frameworks that are already will be given to you simply because established first, by the constitution you’re from the establishment or because it allows for functions and what we call official bar, and the powers of all relevant stakeholders competence that is required is also in the judicial administration, not in any way discounted because the laws of the state especially you’re from a bureaucratic set up. those laws that deal with judicial You know civil servants resume work administration, the courts and the by 8a.m. and close by 4p.m. A private laws that are relevant in respect of law firm works from 8a.m. to 7p.m. inter-governmental relationship, in most cases including weekends. the rules relating to practice in civil The challenge is how to make your matters and also rules that regulate colleagues in the ministry of justice the rights and proceedings in respect remove the garb of civil servants and of criminal matters. do the job as a professional. That is why I believe that the AG chambers What are the challenges facing should operate outside the rules your ministry as you carry out these in the civil services for optimum judicial functions? performance Well, the challenges are Because you work for government institutional challenges.

The does not exempt you from the position of the Attorney-General rules dealing with compellation of

Mr. Eyitayo Jegede, a Senior Advocate is the Ondo state Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice. He bares his mind on the legal framework put in place by the administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to ensure speedy dispensation of justice and the challenges encountered by the ministry in carrying out its judicial functions. PETER FOWOYO, met him.

Custodian and Allied half-year PBT surges by 21%

GANI ADAMS

Adesola Akindele

ÏÏÏ

Burundi's President Pierre that, barring unforeseen unfacircumstances, the posiNkurunziza has vourable warned against tive trend would be sustained for the rest of the year. vengeance following the assassiThe Custodian Group consists of Custodian and Allied Plc (the nation of a senior general.

"Venholding company), Custodian and Insurance Limited, Custogeance can wipeAllied an Limited, entire dianout Life Assurance Custodian Trustees Limited and Crugeneration," he said, in anPensions address sader Sterling Limited. to the nation on Sunday, urging calm. A presidential spokesman told the BBC it was too early to blame anyone for the killing of Gen Adolphe Nshimirimana in a rocket and gun attack on his car.

Mr Nkurunziza won a third term

Who will federate Nigeria? (I) CONTINUED ON PAGE 9

ABC or your 123, no! They want to know where you come from. Are you an indigene or a settler?

If you are an indigene you have easier access to primary schools and your tuition is likely to be free.

But if you are not an indigene of the state, your parents may have to consider enrolling you in a private school as you might be faced with several obstacles in your bid for a public school.

Then it is time for secondary school and you are enrolled for the Common Entrance Examinations.

When the results come out you rush to your best friend’s house. ‘Guess what, I scored 98 in my exams! What did you score?’

He responds, ‘I scored 59’.

It gets interesting. You cannot get admission into the secondary school of your choice though you scored 98 points, however, your friend who scored 59 gets in.

Your dad does his best to explain but ends up stammering, unable to find the words to explain the manufactured reality where 2 + 2 = 5 or sometimes 7 but

country's capit The U.N. sa

Fayrouz NUSCA, its mi L’original Expression 2 ends in glamou

Jegede

time. The rules of court enjoin you to file your papers the same time as other private law firms, the rule bind all of us. As a lawyer within the ministry, you are expected to operate as efficiently as lawyers who are in private establishment. That in itself sometimes pose a challenge, because even to assess funds to file your process is not just opening your locker bringing out money and say go and file, you’re to go through a process of request, approval, auditing, release and such other bureaucratic

never 4.

Slowly but surely, the incongruence between Nigeria’s words and her body language begins to take its toll on your psyche.

You end up going to a school that was not your first, second or even third choice.

You finish secondary school and apply for a place at public universities through the Joint Admissions and Matriculations Board’s University Matriculation Examination (UME) and it is the same old story.

Your cut off mark is specific to your state and not your intelligence.

By this time, you are no longer surprised at Nigeria. Your cynicism is gradually reaching the point of no return. But the best is yet to come.

After six years studying a four year course (ASUU strikes are more common than thunder strikes in Nigeria) you graduate, serve your country for the mandatory one year National Youth Service Corps and then try your luck with the civil service.

You go to your commis-

expectations that would slow you down when ordinarily, you should be able to put your legs forward.

You mentioned the issue of funding as one of the challenges but the Judiciary Staff Union of Nigeria (JUSUN) through a court judgment asked that the judiciary should be autonomous. How did Ondo state resolve the crisis?

The dispute between the members of JUSUN and the various governments of the states and

Burundi leader warns against vengeance

The Custodian Group, a leading non-bank financial institution quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) with investments in life and non-life insurance, pension fund administration, trusteeship and property holding businesses has announced an the federal government had to do unaudited with the implementation of the profit before tax of

N3.34 billion and profit after tax of N2.62 billion for the six months period ended 30 June 2015.

The profit before tax recorded in the reporting period, represents an increase of 21% over that of the corresponding period of 2014.

Similarly, shareholders’ funds grew by 8.5 percent to N24.42 billion from N22.49 billion, as at 31

provisions of the constitution in respect of funding of the judiciary.

The issue of funding is related to the independence of the judiciary, but that is not all. Funding should be part of the necessary and indisputable requirement to have an independent judiciary. But then, it is more than that. Independence of the judiciary basically has to do with the freedom of our Judges to CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

sioner at the Federal Civil Service Commission’s Head Office in Abuja where you find out that your state has no more quotas.

At this point your understanding of Nigeria is complete. You know where you fit. You know the cards Nigeria dealt you. From that point on, when you hear the current set of leaders mouthing the usual platitudes that ‘it does not matter where you come from in Nigeria’, you roll your eyes and mutter a barely audible puh-leeze!

You are now wise to the fact that their moral compass does not always point in the same direction.

This is the reality of Nigeria. I can say this because I am not angling for any political position.

I am content with where God has put me. If anybody is foolhardy enough to investigate me for financial misappropriation I will open all my accounts to them.

Many others know that this is the truth, but because it is not politically expedient, they will never

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. website: www.dailytimes.com.ng; email: info@dailytimes.com.ng. Tel: 018447948. EDITOR: YINKA OLUJIMI News Hotlines: 08138773277, 08173901838. Advert Hotlines: 08086296714

December 2014, while total assets exceeded N54 billion as at 30 June 2015.

In furtherance of its tradition of rewarding shareholders, an interim dividend of 6 kobo on every 50 kobo ordinary share will be paid to shareholders whose names appear on the register on 14th August, 2015.

The directors are confident

say it.

We keep on deceiving ourselves that Nigeria is a genuine Federation and that where you come from does not matter but we all know that is not true.

A friend of mine had a case with the police and he would go to his local police station only to be told they were waiting for Abuja.

That same scenario plays itself out in multiple government agencies across the country.

Governors are deceived into believing they are some sort of Chief Security Officers of their state when they cannot even command the most junior police officer in their domain.

The central Government does not even trust the states with vehicle registration.

Even the term ‘state’ is a misnomer when applied to Nigeria because how can you call a geographical area a state when its financial dependence and existence are tied to central government?

TO BE CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

The beautiful hall of Or tal Hotel, recently witnessed unusual convergence of the m fashionable personalities in N ria to experience the glitz glamour of the Fayr L’Original Expression Show, son two finale.

The event, true to its rep tion as first of its’ kind fash and lifestyle competition, trea guests to exciting fashion plays from the finalists, tea Meddlelane and Hai. The tea each comprising a makeup tiste, model, designer and pho rapher, took turns to showc their pieces, dazzling jud guests and fashion lovers w the exquisite pieces which re sented the theme for the nig Enchanted.

Team Meddlelane l emerged winners of the com tition and walked home with grand prize of N4m while Te Hai received the sum of 1.5 lion naira in second place. B teams also went home with M Book laptops as well as came for each photographer.

According to the jury, ace p tographer, Kelechi Amadi-O make up expert, Rhema A buogu from House of Tara creative fashion designers, Atafo and Kunbi Oyelese, choice of Team Meddlelane winner of the competition wa recognition of the team’s disp of originality, creativity and c fidence displaying the Enchan theme, which was evident in th creation, ‘Success in the fashion w is based on how creative you be and this is the yardstick w which we have been judging competition from inception. just that, the confidence in wh you defend your creativity matter, we have found all of th in Team Meddlelane which why they are winners of the c petition’, Atafo explained.

Speaking shortly after event, Nnenna Ifebigh-Heme Senior Brand Manager, Fayr expressed her confidence in judge’s decision and in the abi of the winning team to make itive impact in the fashion ind try, ‘Tonight has turned out am ing not just for the participa but also for the Fayrouz br because for the second year row, we are celebrating Origi ity, which is a key message of Fayrouz brand.

tian Presiden Sisi, Kerry tol Sameh Shouk "continue to pr ing to the Egyp military seeks an effort to bui to meet the hi of your militar alism." He not to the F-16s, th Egypt with Apa tack boats, arm other weapons More aid is on At the same edged stress in lationship over said Washingt to press Cairo dissidents an mass trials.

"Obviously, little bit of te issues," he told

last month, am over his decisi again.

Opponents a vened the con was a failed co "Adolphe N the regime's nu cially, but unof sination is a v Burundi's gov tional Crisis G erry Vircoulon

Life&

TIMES Tuesday, August 4, 2015

Dan

Foster The radio genius

L2,6

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 4, 2015

My objective is to rebrand City Fm When it comes to radio presentation, give it to Dan Foster. From Washington D.C, United States, he is a broadcast and drama graduate of the Morgan State University, Baltimore. An award-winning radio personality, he started his radio career with Cool Fm, Lagos, from where he moved on to Inspiration Fm in 2008 before finally berthing at City Fm in 2014 in a rebranding strategy. He currently hosts the ‘Morning Show’ on weekdays and ‘Praise Jam’ on Sundays. In this interview, he speaks of his passion for radio and the secret to his mastery.

Judith Frank-Edet How do you feel being one of the top notch on-air- personalities gracing Nigeria’s air space?

I feel honored and grateful, really grateful, because experience counts and ever since I was a little kid, I just wanted to be good at something. I just wanted to be a professional, it just sounded like a big word to me then. I just kept saying that since I wasn’t the smartest kid in the class. There were smarter kids in my class that I resented.

I wasn’t good at math and I thought I was never going to make it. I just wanted to be good at something and I am glad that I found that thing that I am good at.

How has the journey been so far?

It has been great so far. I have so much content to give. I have learnt so much, and now the key is to give. The journey is now as you give, you just want to sit back and see what you will be receiving.

So as I continue to give, I am just waiting to receive more of what I have done.

What is your typical day like?

It is getting up early in the morning that is tough. But I have no choice, I have to get up and start the day. But once I get up in the morning, I get going. Staying up late makes it a little rough. I have a problem sleeping and then I have to wake up early in the morning to be creative with the little time I managed to carve out to rest and to rejuvenate. I am still working that out. A normal day for me is getting to the office between 5.15am to 5.30am. At about 6 am I am ready to go and 6.25. When I am in the shower in the mornings, I get lots of ideas hitting me up

in the mornings. There are lots of things I want to talk about but those ideas really get to express themselves at 6.30am What would you say is responsible for your success on radio?

I think it would be my relationship with God, people and music.

When I hear good music, it inspires me, it moves me. The anointing from certain songs motivates me, so does the word of God. I also believe my experience in life has also helped me; everything I have ever gone through, the good, the bad, all the people and places I have ever been, my upbringing, being passionate about people, being able to teach because if I wasn’t doing this, I will be a teacher. I am working on the business part of reaping where I sowed. I think winning so many awards and being number one is because I give to people. Making radio relevant is my goal because people have options, they don’t have to listen to you, so you have to do something really captivating to hold their attention. How can I hold people’s attention, when I am speaking? I think that comes naturally, it is a gift, because I can sense it when I am already boring people.

How did it all

start for you?

For me radio is in tandem with acting and I liked doing a little acting and expressing myself when I was coming up. I loved reading out loud, I liked hearing my voice. I can articulate and I think that is a really good gift that I have.

There are media reports suggesting that you left Inspiration Fm because of clashes between you and Sony Irabor as well as your disrespect to authority. How true is this?

Rumours! Rumours!!

Rumours!!! I don’t know how that got out, but that is what happens sometimes when you leave a certain place.

Some people even said I left Inspiration Fm because I was too much of a

Christian and they didn’t want the radio station to be too much of a religious station. They said that I was turning it into a bible school, or into a church. For me, I have the anointing to do my job and position Inspiration Fm the way it should be, which is to be a family oriented radio station that should focus on Godly values and things like that. I was the one that created the radio format and I designed it as a family radio. So anything that wasn’t in line with that format, I just thought it didn’t fit. So all of a sudden, they wanted to be more secular, bring in more alcohol and stuffs like that.

But you can’t sit on the fence, you have to either stand for something or another and if you try messing up that brand, then it is going to be confusing.

Yes there were a couple of clashes along the way but we worked it out.

There is a word I learnt in Nigeria called bad belle. People have a lot of bad belle and when you leave, there is even more bad belle going on. But I just let sleeping dogs lie.

The Inspiration brand is still solid and they are doing well.

What is your relationship like with him now?

Soni Irabor is on the board of Inspiration Fm and he was part of the people that recommended me to work at Inspiration Fm. He was the one that hired me to be able to program the inspiration format. So he was a good friend, he still is a good friend.

Do you think Inspiration Fm lost a lot of audience after you moved to CIty Fm? Of course, the fans and people that love you follow you. It’s a good thing. They follow the personality if they find the person to be honest and humble. For me it is all about programming. I always have a unique way of programming because it is what I do. I am a radio consultant. I know all the good points and bad points of radio stations. I can make Smooth Fm so much better, I can make Classic Fm so much better, even WAZOBIA because I have got ideas to make that brand better. I am a true radio personality. You can prove that from what is happening in City Fm or any other radio station I go to next or when I finally have my own radio station, I will prove it that I am a radio guru and I am able to meet people’s attention.

Are you planning to move to another radio station soon?

Right now my objective is to make sure that City Fm takes off fully and then we make a lot of noise about it. I am tuned into that now; how to fly the brand City Fm and make it better, that is my goal.

However, you never Continued on L6

Life&

T E A M

Dan Foster Editor Nkarenyi Ukonu Music Correspondent n.ukonu@dailytimes.com.ng Akintayo Opeoluwani 08029030427

Movie Correspondent Mutiat Alli

Society Correspondent Isaac Oguntoye

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Adebambo Segun

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 4, 2015

L3 Relationship

Managing workplace relationships Omena Daniels Traditional meeting places such as the church, the neighborhood, family events, and leisure time activities do not present the same pool of candidates as they did in earlier times.

In contrast, the office provides a pool of people who share at least one important interest: people who work together also live within a reasonable dating distance, share a location, so they see each other on a daily basis, be approximately the same age, and share similar interests both inside and outside of work.

Dating a co-worker is not for the faint of heart, but despite the emotional upheaval and professional risks, it’s becoming the workplace norm and workplace romances will continue to rise because more and more people are spending more time on the job. I mean if you’re going out less, and working more,

Check the company’s policies Before launching into an office romance, be clear on the company’s policies regarding office relationships, if any. A few companies actually have hard and fast rules against relationships developing amongst co-workers. Before getting involved, ask yourself: “Is it worth it?” And, if it is, be discreet and prepare for any consequences.

Date someone you know You will have a certain confidence if you already have a relation of friendship with a person before getting involved in a relationship of another kind. Also take it easy until you are able to realize if you both have the necessary emotional maturity to manage a romance at the workplace.

Maintain decorum and professionalism It’s a good practice to keep your social and business lives separate and that means not letting a romantic relationship affect the quality and efficiency of your work. When it’s an office romance, the stakes are even higher. If there’s evidence that an office romance is affecting work, one

you’re likely to form closer bonds and have feelings of attraction toward your co-worker. As you spend more time worrying about your work, it makes sense that those in search of a relationship end up scouting their work colleagues.

A typical example is America’s first family, Barack and Michelle Obama. They met at a Chicago law firm, Sidley and Austin in 1989 when Michelle was asked to mentor the future US president when he worked as her summer associate. The Obamas buck the trend.

So also Bill and Melinda Gates, one of the richest couples in the world. They both met at Microsoft where Gates was and still is the head honcho.

Workplace romance is a worry to employers because there is usually no formal or written romance policy in most work

or both of you may be asked to end your romance or, worse yet, find another job.

Avoid dating someone in a higher or lower position, if you can Office politics and hierarchy should be top-of-mind, particularly when it comes to office romances.

With colleagues, there could be rivalry and competition that may harm the relationship. Uncomfortable situations may arise after the breakup when career advancement issues come into play. With subordinates, there could be false accusations of favoritism, as well as accusations of sexual harassment after the breakup. With the boss, it may be false accusations of favoritism, getting fired after the breakup or you end up looking like you’re trying cheap tactics to get to the top. However, office dating really makes the most sense between peers.

Save the romance for out of the office Absolutely no public display of affection at work. Maintain proper distance and save the romantic acts for locations that are not often visited by co-workers.

Address issues after-hours Never have or bring fights or arguments to work. Any personal disagreements should be dealt with outside the office.

Plan for the worst Agree in the beginning of the relationship how you will handle a potential break up. Avoid at all cost, a messy break up. It isn’t just you and your partner that are involved, it’s your entire office and the future of the company’s dating policy, if any.

Consider leaving If the relationship does get serious, one member should consider a new position outside the company if the relationship gets too hot to handle.

Be honest with each other Honesty is, of course, important in any relationship, but dishonesty can add to the bitterness that often accompanies the end of a romance.

You don’t want to end on bad terms, particularly because you will have to see each other regularly. Transparency is the best policy when you are involved in an office romance.

place. In a recent survey on office romance, respondents said that marriage is the most likely outcome of office romances they have experienced. Other studies have reported a higher level of productivity in dating couples at work. Respondents who however discourage this, cite concerns about potential sexual harassment, retaliation and workplace disharmony, potentially lowered morale and the productivity of both the dating couple and their coworkers if the relationship doesn’t end well.

While work place romance remains complex and tricky, possibly not easy to manage, ensuring it occurs within an open and fair environment where employees are recognized as mature and responsible individuals is. If you find yourself in a relationship with a co-worker, a subordinate or your boss, these rules may help minimize the (negative) impact on your career.

Be discreet With social networking sites and television reality shows encouraging us to let the world into our most private moments, discretion may be a dying art. When it comes to a workplace romance, it is much better to keep your relationship private than it is to flaunt it. This doesn’t mean you should lie about it. Just don’t put it out there for everyone to watch unfold.

Watch your appearance Don’t try too hard to catch his attention. It only takes a bit more lipstick and a slightly shorter skirt for people to start talking. If you don’t want colleagues to suspect your motives and to avoid malicious comments, keep your look understated.

Set rules and have an exit plan Make sure you and your partner are on the same page. Decide how you will proceed with your relationship as far as the office is concerned. Also figure out how you will handle it if your relationship doesn’t succeed.

Stay within the law Sexual harassment suits are un-

pleasant for everyone involved. Be aware of what constitutes sexual harassment and avoid doing anything that can invite those accusations.

Make sure you’re the only one With any office romance you’ve got all your eggs in one basket, you’re very vulnerable. If you’re going to risk your career, friends and livelihood then make sure he’s worth it. If you know you’re not the first office conquest, steer clear. Worse, if you didn’t know, give yourself time to cool off.

Be honest with your expectations When you date someone from the workplace, you must have similar expectations regarding the direction in which your relationship goes and to discuss about this from the beginning. If one of you wants a long term relationship and the other just wants to flirt a little, you will have problems.

Omena Daniels is the CEO of avenue3 Media Company, Brand Architects, Media Consultants and Publishers of BLOKE and blokeonline.com

L4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 4, 2015

Beauty

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 4, 2015

L5

Eyola

eyola@aol.com

theat

ips to beat e

Primer:

Applying a small amount of primer before makeup will prevent smudging, creasing and will give you a smooth base for flawless-looking skin. Primers are sweat-proof and waterproof and as a result your makeup will stay in place throughout the day, no matter how hot the weather gets.

Always apply moisturizer before the primer to keep the skin hydrated and to keep the primer in place.

Blotting paper: Always have a pack of blotting paper sheets handy to eliminate the shine across your T-zone - the forehead, nose and chin, which usually secretes more oil than the rest of the face. Oil-blotting paper can be purchased from leading cosmetic brands.

Lipstick: Apply lipstick twice to ensure that it stays on Mascara:

Waterproof mascaras have improved significantly in recent years making flaking, dry and brittle lashes an error of the past. Invest in a good quality waterproof mascara to prevent smudging and smearing during hot or humid weather.

your lips all day long. After your first application, seal the lipstick in place by blotting your lips with clean tissue paper. Then reapply the same lipstick a second time to ensure a longer lasting lip colour.

conditions the skin produces a larger amount of natural oils and moisture. Therefore it is best to avoid oil-based products which makes the skin look greasy and causes makeup to slide off the face. Check beauty products before purchase and opt for products labelled ‘oilfree’.

Store in refrigerator The heat activates the solvents in cosmetics, distorting the consistency of beauty products. Contrary to popular belief, it is not recommended to store nail polish and makeup in the refrigerator. Beauty experts advise that cosmetics and nail polish should be stored at room temperature. However, experts give the green light to storing moisturizers, eye creams, serums and toners in the fridge. Chilling these products will not only give a cool sensory feeling to the skin but can also boost circulation and reduce puffiness.

Avoid liquid makeup Liquid makeup is a big no-no in hot climates. When temperatures and humidity soar, your makeup will melt and run down your face due to heat and sweat. Choose powder-based products which are less likely to melt and also helps soak up some of the perspiration.

Oil-free make up: In hot

Ice: For smoother, longer-lasting makeup gently rub an ice cube over your face then let the skin dry naturally before you apply your chosen foundation, blusher or eye shadow.

Ice encourages the skin to tighten and also closes the pores, reduces oil production and gives your skin a fresh healthy glow.

Interview L6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 4, 2015

My objective is to rebrand City Fm Continued from L2 know what happens because people move, they come and go. I can get hit with an offer or someone can say, Dan I have a new radio station, I want you to help me brand it and I will be glad to help them do that.

Are you saying that you could leave City Fm if you get a more mouth watery offer?

Definitely. I have got school fees to pay, I have got three children.

How do you relax?

I relax with my children, I teach them swimming and a host of other things. I teach by nature so I like spending time with them and teaching them great things. I have got a three year old, a five year old, a six year old and I have a teenager in America. I have my hands full. I relax spending time with them.

You once said you hope to start a radio school. How is it

Issue

coming along?

It’s coming along really good. I want to start it before the year runs.

I want to start training and holding seminars to teach radio presentation, how to get into radio. Some people don’t know how to get into radio and some others are trained but are still not able to learn the serious tactics on how to hold people’s attention and I can help them with those kind of things.

What do you think about fake accents in the radio industry?

When someone says you should say something in your radio voice, you want to be as natural as possible. I think gone are the days when you had to fake your voice to become someone else. If you are an actor or a comedian you can probably hold on to it but a good communicator should be natural. If you go ahead and fake it, then it is a show. Naturalness helps you develop your true self, character and

the true essence of who you are.

What advice do you have for up and coming on air personalities?

Get trained. Training is good, being articulate and reading is good.

You also have to be able to sell.

You have got to be able to sell a product and you have got to become a good communicator. Being a good customer service person and being nice will help. Quite a number of people who started out working at the front desk have ended up in radio. You also need to work your voice in a customer service way with an understanding of sales. You need to utilize your real voice and make it sell. You have to be reader as well, you have to read everything. You also have to learn to read out loud without stumbling.

If you can’t read out loud, don’t get into broadcasting. Some people say they want t to be presenters but they can’t even read a copy.

Miss Nigeria launches Break the Silence campaign The current Miss Nigeria, Ezinne Akudo, has begun a viral weekly campaign against sexual violence tagged ‘Break the Silence’. The impactful campaign is motored through her NGO, The Eight Foundation which she founded in 2014 with the strong goal of supporting victims of sexual assault. The mission of the foundation is to provide help, hope and healing to those affected by sexual violence. The Eight Foundation provides free services in the areas of crisis response, counseling and support, court advocacy, education and outreach with the support of the Lagos State Office of the Public Defender, The Domestic and Sexual Violence response team and the Mirabel Center. The ‘Break the Silence’ campaign has been put together to encourage survivors of domestic violence to speak out. The weekly campaign is expected to last for a month with different participants expressing their thought about sexual violence with different quotes. Ezinne Akudo is being supported by a long list of celebrities and influencers who have taken photos to be shared globally in order to assist in ‘Breaking The Silence’ against rape and to properly educate people on how to seek help in an incident of rape or domestic violence.

Most importantly the campaign is geared towards the trend, ‘suffering in silence’ by being vocal about it and getting help.

Dolapo Oni

Dimeji Alara

Timi Dakolo

Niyola

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 4, 2015

L7 Music & Movie Charts

Tolulope Adebamiro

Ebuka Njoku

Top 10 music chart

Top 10 movie chart

International

Yoruba

1. Taylor Swift featuring Kendrick Lamar, Bad blood 2. Wiz Khalifa featuring Charlie Puth, See you again 3. Walk the Moon , Shut Up and Dance 4. The Weekend, Can’t feel my face 5. OMI, Cheerleader 6. David Guetta featuring Nicki Minaj, Bebe Rexha & Afrojack, Hey Mama 7. Jason Durelo, Want to want me 8. Andy Grammer, Honey, I’m good 9. Rachel platen, Fight song 10. Fifth Harmony featuring Kid Ink, Worth it

1. Wazo 2. Orilowo 3. Ojo Iwaju 4. Richest Boy 5. Aye le 6. Iyawo Ajanpe 7. Amu Idunnu 8. Hadiza 9. Aditu 10. Okan Mi

Top 10 movie chart

English

1. Mummy Dearest 2. Mum, Dad Meets Sam 3. Silence 4. Unforgiveable 5. Secret Room 6. I will take my chance 7. Love Lorn 8. House of Gold 9. If Tomorrow Never Comes 10. Head Gone

Top 10 music chart

Nigeria

Top 10 movie chart

International

1. Pixels 2. Ant-Man 3. Minions 4. Trainwreck 5. Southpaw 6. Paper Towns 7. Inside Out (2015) 8. Jurassic World 9. Terminator Genisys 10. Magic Mike XXL

1. Yung6ix featuring Oritse Femi, Blessing 2. Di’ja Amen 3. Patoranking featuring Wande Cole, My woman, My everything 4. Davido featuring Meek Mill , Fans Mi 5. Maleekberry featuring Wizkid, One Life 6. Joe EL featuring Iyanya, Chukwu 7. Angel Featuring Fuse ODG, Leyla 8. Tekno, Duro 9. Becca featuring Ice prince, Steady 10. Kcee featuring Diamond platnumz, Love boat

L8 TV guide

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 4, 2015

Showing on

Showing on

103 M-Net Movie Premier

125 FOX Channel

23:05

01:25 Tue, 4 Aug | 13SL

Tue, 4 Aug| 16VL

‘S8/E12 - Hope For The Hopeless’. Richard performs his 10 000th surgery on a pair of bickering sisters. Derek and Lexie take on a neuroblastoma case that was previously deemed inoperable.

Christian Bale heads up a star-studded cast in this crime drama about two brothers - and the cruel twist of fate that lands one in jail and the other in trouble with a crime ring. Zoe Saldana, Christian Bale, Casey Affleck. (2013) Scott Cooper

101 M-Net West

01:30 The Story Of Luke 03:15 Caught On Camera 04:00 MasterChef Australia 05:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 06:00 Two And A Half Men 06:30 Arrow 07:30 Celebrity Masterchef South Africa 08:30 The Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale 10:00 Entertainment Now! 10:30 The Middle 11:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 12:00 MasterChef Australia 13:00 Elementary 14:00 Mysteries Of Laura 15:00 Grey’s Anatomy 16:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 17:00 2 Broke Girls 17:30 MasterChef Australia 18:30 Chicago Fire 19:30 Gotham 20:30 NCIS: Los Angeles 21:30 The Fixer

120 BBC Entertainment

118 Telemundo

00:30 The Del Monte Dynasty 01:20 The Impostor 02:10 Labour Of Love 03:00 Part Of Me 03:50 Queen Of Hearts 05:20 The Del Monte Dynasty 06:10 Labour Of Love 07:00 Part Of Me 07:50 Queen Of Hearts 08:40 The Impostor 09:30 Forbidden Passions 10:20 Labour Of Love 11:10 Part Of Me 12:00 Queen Of Hearts 12:50 The Impostor 13:40 Forbidden Passions 14:30 Labour Of Love 15:20 Part Of Me 16:10 Queen Of Hearts 17:00 The Impostor 17:50 Forbidden Passions 18:40 Labour Of Love 19:30 Part Of Me 20:20 Queen Of Hearts 21:10 The Impostor 22:00 Forbidden Passions

00:35 The Weakest Link

11:30 Hell’s Kitchen USA

01:20 Silent Witness

12:20 Top Gear

02:15 Total Wipeout UK

13:15 Come Dine With Me

03:10 EastEnders

14:10 Total Wipeout UK

03:40 QI

15:10 The Weakest Link

04:10 Top Gear

16:00 EastEnders

05:00 Spy

16:30 Deal Or No Deal

05:25 QI

17:10 The Cube

06:00 The Thin Blue Line 06:30 EastEnders

18:00 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

07:00 Antiques Roadshow

19:00 Big School

07:55 The Weakest Link

19:35 QI

08:45 The Cube

20:05 Would I Lie To You?

09:35 Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?

20:40 The Graham Norton Show

10:20 Deal Or No Deal

22:10 Michael McIntyre’s Comedy Roadshow

11:00 My Family

21:35 My Family

155 AfricaMagicWorld

155 AfricaMagic Family

00:00 Tinsel 00:30 Living With Trisha 01:30 Family Ties 02:00 At Home With Joselyn Dumas 03:00 Good Morning Africa 04:00 Music 05:00 At Home With Joselyn Dumas 06:00 Good Morning Africa 07:00 Star Gist 07:25 Save The Day 08:35 Living With Trisha

09:25 The African Child 10:00 Good Morning Africa 11:00 Tinsel 11:30 Star Gist 12:00 Music 13:00 At Home With Joselyn Dumas 14:00 Prem 14:30 Ise Dale 15:00 Family Ties 15:30 At Home With Michelle Attoh 16:30 Living With Trisha 17:30 Comfort Zone 18:00 Meet The Adebanjos 18:30 Jane And Abel 19:00 Tinsel

00:00 Noose Of Gold 00:30 Good Morning Africa 01:30 The Dzigbordi Show 02:30 Good Morning Africa 03:30 Good Morning Africa 04:30 Prem 05:00 Good Morning Africa 06:05 Golden Moon

09:00 Good Morning Africa 10:00 So Wrong So Wright 10:30 So Wrong So Wright 11:00 Lies That Bind 11:30 Lies That Bind 12:00 Jara 12:30 Jara 13:00 Series TBA 14:00 53 Extra 14:30 53 Extra 15:00 Kakibe Ki

15:30 Noose Of Gold 16:00 Foot Print 16:30 Lies That Bind 17:00 Lies That Bind 17:30 Star Gist 18:00 Star Gist 18:30 Star Gist 19:00 Prem 19:30 So Wrong So Wright 20:00 Johnbull And Rosekate 22:35 Series TBA

128 SONY MAX

00:25 Most Shocking 01:15 Kenny vs Spenny 01:40 1000 Ways To Die 02:05 1000 Ways To Die 02:30 Lock Up 04:15 Most Shocking 05:00 Criss Angel Mindfreak 05:30 Exposed 05:55 Exposed 06:20 Video Zonkers 06:45 Repo Games 07:15 World’s Wildest Police Videos 08:15 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 09:15 South Beach Tow 09:45 Most Shocking 10:45 Most Shocking 11:45 Video Zonkers 12:15 Repo Games 12:45 World’s Wildest Police Videos 13:45 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 14:45 South Beach Tow 15:15 Primal Force 16:40 Video Zonkers 17:05 Repo Games 17:30 World’s Wildest Police Videos 18:30 South Beach Tow 19:00 Disorderly Conduct: Video On Patrol 20:00 Upload With Shaquille O’Neal 20:30 Hip Hop Squares 21:00 Freakshow 21:30 Poorman’s Bikini Beach 22:00 Kenny vs Spenny 22:30 Tool Academy

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 4, 2015

Tech Times Æ s

TT 1

Inye Kemabonta, Editor, Tech Times inye@technologylaw.com.ng

NITDA commissions SIDMACH for research on ICT sector based risk analysis Stories by Tony Nwakaegho The National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) has commissioned Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited survey team for a research on the usage of ICT equipment and its associated risks among Nigerians.

The study in which NITDA commissioned SIDMACH researchers stem from the Agency commitment to unravel the level of electromagnetic and other risks Nigerians are exposed to while using ICT equipment.

In a recent introductory message sent to respondents, the researchers said, “You have been invited to offer your valuable opinion in an important survey that is being conducted by Sidmach for NITDA on the usage of ICT equipment and its associated risks.

“Your feedback will directly and immediately impact the lives of people in the way they use their ICT equipment” According to the Survey Team at Sidmach Technologies Nigeria Limited the question-

naire is addressed primarily to be filled by ICT equipment users residing in Nigeria.

The research is targeted at users of ICT gadgets such as laptop, desktop computers, mobile phones, tablets, multimedia projector, printers, scanners, and photocopiers, cameras and television sets.

It is to analyse likely risks as result of the impact of usage of these ICT equipment and suggest recommendations arising from respondents’ views and contributions.

The research is in line with the Agency’s goal to create a framework for the planning, research, development, standardization, application, coordination, monitoring, evaluation and regulation of Information Technology practices, activities and IT systems in Nigeria.

NITDA was created in April 2001, currently headed by the Director General, Mr. Peter Jack. The Agency is saddled with the responsibility to implement the Nigerian Information Technology Policy and co-ordinate general IT development in the country.

NCC critics not fair, misunderstand regulatory roles, others— Ojobo

Ojobo

L-RDr. Dr.Vincent VincentOlatunji, Olatunji, Director Corporate Strategy and Research, NITDA, Mr.Okeke, Chris Okeke, and L-R thethe Director Corporate Strategy and Research, NITDA, Mr. Chris DirectorDirector SoftwareSoftware and Outsourcing, Outsourcing, NITDA, Jully Ambi, Permanent Secretary, Plateau Stateand Ministry Science andNCS Technology atheld the in NCS NITDA, Mrs. Jully Ambi,Mrs. Permanent Secretary, Plateau State Ministry Science Technology at the conference Akure, conference held in Akure, recently. recently.

Its role therefore is to develop Information technology in the country through regulatory standards, guidelines and poli-

cies.

In addition, NITDA is the clearing house for all IT projects, infrastructure develop-

ment, e-government implementation, Internet governance and general IT development in the country.

The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) is often seen by some critics as a law enforcement agency that should perhaps arrest and prosecute erring operators. Apart from its core functions of ensuring robust regulation of telecommunication service providers, they mediate so that the operators treat the subscribers fairly.

However, the commission have viewed the actions of some critics as being unfair to it and misconstruction of its roles. The commission therefore has embarked on phonein-live programme on radio stations across the country in an interactive format what its activities and limit are discussed. Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo explained the issues often raised by critics during some monitored radio programmes that took place in the South South and South East geopolitical zones of the country, recently:

Mandate Director, Public Affairs, NCC, Mr Tony Ojobo said that NCC as a regulator of choice in Africa carries on its mandate according to the NCC Act of 2003 and several regulatory templates and guidelines.

In response to what role NCC plays Ojobo said: “The Nigerian Communication Commission is the agency of Government that is responsible for regulating the Telecommunication Industry and our role includes licensing of all Telecommunication Operators, including vendors of telecommunication equipment, it also includes Type Approval of telecommunication equipment and devices including cellphones.

“The NCC Type-Approves all of these kinds of equipment.

The Commission’s functions also include Consumer Education, Consumer information and Consumer Protection, setting up of standards for opera-

tors in the industry.

“It includes monitoring the compliance of operators and service providers to the terms, the conditions and obligations that we have in their licenses.

It also includes creating access and ensuring that there is access to telecommunication and that there is competition in the industry in such a way that Nigerian Consumer have value for money for services that are provided for them . In a nutshell I will say these are the functions of the Commission”.

He said the NCC has offices in Abuja, Enugu, Port Harcourt, Kano, Ibadan and Lagos.

“We have a customer contact center which is a toll free Number, 622, which is our contact center Number for resolving complaints from services, provided from the Telecom operators. We are also on the Facebook, on Twitter and on CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 2

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 4, 2015

Critics misunderstand NCC’s regulatory roles CONTINUED FROM PAGE TT 1

YouTube.

“Our website is www.ncc.gov. ng now if you go to that website there is a lot of information including subscribers statistics , including policy statements.

We also have the icons for the Facebook, YouTube and Twitter when you go to the Facebook icon, click on it and you are right there on our Facebook page, click on the twitter icon and you are there on our twitter page, the same thing goes for you tube and all are very active and as matter of fact, while we are on air a staff of the commission and the department is actually uploading the information we are generating here real time online now , on our Facebook page, that is exactly the kind of thing and those are the platforms that are used to reach out and are quite interactive on our Facebook also people post their complaints and they can get response and they will get answers on the

Facebook and on the twitter as well”.

How sector fared?

He said: “We are absolutely proud of what has happened, what we have done. As at January 2001, Nigeria had a population of 90 million to 100 million and all we could boast of were 400, 000 active lines throughout the federation, now as at May this year, 2015, there were about 146.5 million active subscribers on the networks and you know this is an industry that operates on a 24/7 hour basis.

“We haven’t talked about Data, where we are talking about the internet, now as at today, we have about 89 million active subscribers on the internet in Nigeria which is actually the highest in the world.

“In terms of internet usage, now that is phenomenal and what that has done is that it has changed the way businesses are done in Nigeria, for instance, from the comforts of where you

Ojobo

live, you can do your banking transactions, you can transfer your monies.

“Society has gone cashless because of telecommunication.

The online business is the inthing today, which you call ecommerce where from the comforts of your home, you can do your shopping and make your payments and they deliver to

your house, you are having a number of such organizations springing up today, people would have heard about Konga, and Jumia, there are here and there and also creating jobs for people and also making life easy so these are some of the things that have happened, so that is why I have told you that I am excited because it has changed

the way we live our lives. There is communication, there is content”.

Tariff rates Regarding issues related to the tariff rates in Nigeria in comparison to other countries, Ojobo said, “We have actually done a study and soon we are going to come out with the publication, looking at the pricing of the Telecommunication services in Africa, especially in West Africa region.

NCC as a Referee The commission, Ojobo said, “It is like referee, a referee is unbiased. A referee has the duty to tell the truth at all times, are you getting what I’m saying. Now as a matter of fact some people would like to use the service for free, free things don’t really last, you know. Service Providers could not be charity organizations as they run their businesses.”

Penalties CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 4

BICSI Nigeria to host ICT stakeholders conference on nation building

Aboslema

Stories by Tony Nwakaegho BICSI Middle East and Africa District are set to host a oneday conference and exhibition for ICT industry stakeholders in Nigeria in its continued effort to provide industry support.

The 2015 BICSI Nigeria confer-

ence and exhibition is themed: “IT/Telecoms for National Growth and Development” with the focus on how industry standardization and best practices can assist in Nation building, holds on Thursday, August 20th, 2015 from 8 am prompt at the Muson Centre, Onikan, Lagos.

The event will play host to industry egg heads, BICSI members and non-members in the ICT industry with the aim to chart a renewed course for ICT practice in Nigeria.

BICSI is a global professional, non-profit association that supports the advancement of the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) through knowledge and skill advancement for individuals and businesses.

BICSI’s worldwide membership spans nearly 100 countries with nearly 23,000 ICT professionals, including designers, installers and technicians. These individuals provide the fundamental infrastructure for telecommunications, audio/video, life safety and automation systems.

Its conferences provide amazing benefits and resources to help increase your knowledge, build your career and also provide growth for your business.

This event brings together attendees, exhibitors, Exhibit Hall visitors and guests from around the world seeking to enhance their knowledge of the information and communications tech-

nology (ICT) industry.

BICSI conference delegates represent several aspects of the ICT and telecom industries.

The gathering will afford participants and attendees to know more about 100G Testing, Fibre Inspection, Data Center, Codes & Standards etc.

Also to share knowledge areas that encompasses the design, integration and installation of pathways, spaces, optical fiberand copper-based distribution systems, wireless-based systems and infrastructure that supports the transportation of information and associated signaling between and among communications and information gathering devices.

BICSI Nigeria Country Chair, Boye Oyerinde, in his remarks stated that “BICSI Nigeria in line with other global affiliates is drawing up a timely evaluation that will reposition the industry.

We are set to impart industry stakeholders with standard requirement knowledge that are germane for the development of both private and public sectors of the economy. Our appreciation goes out to organisations like Resourcery, Commscope,

EXFO, Bolide Technology coy, BT Technologies Ltd and the likes that are providing us with the requisite support.”

The BICSI Middle East & Africa District Chair, Ayman Aboslema, declared that “BICSI MEA district recognizes Nigeria not just as a leader of the West African region but as the Giant of Africa in spite of current challenges. Nigeria economic potentials will be better enhanced with the ICT Industry stakeholder’s embrace of BICSI standards which will further reinforce her global positioning as one of the fastest growing economies” Presently, Nigerian economy is the largest in Africa. And with this trend, it has been projected by United States National Intelligence Council (NIC) to be among the handful of countries that would determine global economic trends by 2030.

This statement was supported by Price Waterhouse Coopers, a consultancy firm which stated that Nigeria’s economy is to grow faster than those of France and the United Kingdom by the year 2030.

Nigeria is set to be the first CONTINUED ON PAGE TT 3

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday,August 4, 2015

TT 3 Tech Times

ISPON urges Nigerian banks to invest in technology start-ups

Okigbo

Stories by Tony Nwakaegho Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), the umbrella body for indigenous software companies in the country, has recommended that Nigerian banks should emulate their foreign counterparts by investing in technology startups.

As technology startups increasingly penetrate traditional banking segments, including payments, wealth management and billing, major global banking giants are not sitting on the sidelines. Six major American banks - Bank of America, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, Morgan Stanley, and

BICSI to host ICT Stakeholders’ conference CONTINUED FROM PAGE TT 2

African country with an economy larger than $1 trillion according to the latest projections from the U. S. Department of Agriculture.

BICSI is a professional association supporting the information and communications technology (ICT) community.

ICT as defined by BICSI covers the spectrum of voice, data, electronic safety & security, project management and audio & video technologies.

It includes the design, integration and installation of pathways, spaces, optical fiber- and copper-based distribution systems, wirelessbased systems and infrastructure that supports the transportation of information and associated signaling be-

tween and among communications and information gathering devices.

BICSI provides information, education and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies in the ITS industry.It serves more than 23,000 ICT professionals, including designers, installers and technicians. These individuals provide the fundamental infrastructure for telecommunications, audio/video, live safety and automation systems.

Through courses, conferences, publications and professional registration programs, BICSI staff and volunteers assist ICT professionals in delivering critical products and services, and offer opportunities for continual improvement and enhanced professional stature.

Wells Fargo - have made strategic investments in 30 technology companies since 2009, according to CB Insights data.

In a statement issued by ISPON and signed by its President, Pius Okigbo, the institute commended Nigerians banks for their foresights in funding various tech startups in the 1990s and 2000s such as Interswitch, ValuCard (Unified Payments Limited), ATMC, NIBSS, Credit Registry and CRC Credit Bureau, all financed by various consortia of Nigerian banks.

ISPON suggested that a second wave of investments in tech startups would require the establishment of Special Purpose Vehicles [SPVs] following global precedents, as was the case with Citi Bank that incorporated Citigroup Venture Capital business through which it invested in i-Flex Solutions Limited, driving the “FLEXCUBE’ suite of products to adoption by more than 100 financial institutions in over Okigbo noted the six major American banks have invested in 30 tech companies since 2009, according to CB Insights data.

Out of the six banks, he added, Citigroup has been the most active primarily through its Citi

Ventures, which has invested in fintech startups ranging from Betterment, Jumio and Square. Goldman Sachs has already ventured into fintech startup with thematic investments across payments technology and big data finance.

Therefore, ISPON urged the banks to study how Deutsche Bank is building a strong ecosystem for innovations and take a lesson from it. Deutsche Bank would open three innovation laboratories in Berlin, London and Silicon Valley, as part of a EUR1 billion spend on digital initiatives over the next five years.

According to him, the giant German bank would help the organisation to develop new products and services from three global tech hubs, strengthening its ability to innovate and deepening relationships with smart tech startups.

“Nigerian banks should take advantage of the huge innovation awakening that is sweeping across Africa and particularly Nigeria to refocus their plans and place their bets on fintech startups. It is particularly sad that no bank is participating in DEMO Africa, a flagship launch pad for emerging technology and trend hosted in Lagos in 2014. Many

venture capitalists from around the world were present”, he said.

Meanwhile, Okigbo informed that DEMO Africa has already released a list of 30 technology start-ups from across Africa that will pitch at the 2015 edition of the event.

Topping the list of the technology startups with eight representatives is Nigeria and followed by Kenya with six. South Africa is third with three representatives while Ghana, Egypt, Cameroon and Zimbabwe each have two.

Uganda, Tanzania and newcomer, Ivory Coast has one start-up each.

The presence of Ivory Coast on the list of giants is “a strong signal that more African nations are warming up” to the ability of the continent to craft own solutions to various needs.

The highest represented category on the 2015 list is finance and banking with eight products.

Other categories are education, transport and logistics, retail, communication and media and entertainment.

He noted that, “We expect Nigerian banks at the Demo Africa 2015. There is no better opportunity for the banks to cherry pick the nascent tech startups they can place their bets.”

NIGF urges use of internet governance ecosystem for Nigerian economic growth Stakeholders at the just concluded 2015 edition of the Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) held at the NAF Conference Centre and Suites, Jabi District, Abuja have beckoned on all Nigerians to embrace the use of Internet Governance for economic growth.

The pre-event, which was a Youth workshop, held on the 20th of July 2015 with the theme “Internet of Everything and Your Business Opportunity”.

The aim being to stimulate the youth and their interest in the opportunities the Internet provides.

Several business opportunities were discussed, and several success stories outlined to encourage the Youth on available prospects.

They were made to understand the importance of the Internet as a base for entrepreneurship, having successful brands and creating job opportunities.

The youth were informed that

with over 3billion Internet users worldwide, they definitely have a large audience to market their successful brands.

NIGF aims to encourage proper usage and conduct on the Internet.

The Youth session was chaired

by Dr. Nasiru Shehu Zarummai, commissioner, Federal Character Commission.

Director General, National Information Technology Department Agency (NITDA), Mr. Peter Jack who declared the Youth programme open, stated that NITDA had plans in place to create 1.2 million jobs across the country for the youth through ICT opportunities.

He explained further, that NITDA plans to partner with the Central Bank of Nigeria,(CBN) Bank of Industry, (BOI) and other agencies to create these opportunities.

Sunday Folayan, president of NiRA in an e-newsletter titled, “Nigeria Internet Governance Forum (NIGF) 2015 – Retrospect”,

said, “Permit me to say the Internet has come of age in Nigeria. We must now take the bull by the horn and harness its potentials for our people”.

The Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) has described this year’s forum with the theme: “Harnessing the Potential of Internet Governance for sustainable Development in Nigeria”, critical in invoking dialogue amongst stakeholders on how the Internet Governance Ecosystem potentials should be harnessed for Nigerian economic growth and ability for sustenance.

“The outcome of the forum will further enhance consensus building among stakeholders on the framework for Internet governance in Nigeria, address the nation’s most critical and evolving issues on Internet governance, while advancing the nation’s position at the regional and global IGF Forum.

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NCC‘s critics ignorant of role as telcos regulator CONTINUED FROM PAGE TT 2

On why NCC penalises operators, he said, “It’s actually laughable really, this kind of insinuations that you have from the public, but you see, the regulator tries to maintain a very delicate balance. Now, let me put it this way, could you just imagine if one of these networks; let me just say MTN that has about 63 million subscribers if they shut down today because, for instance we revoke their license and shut them down and say they cannot operate any more, 63 million subscribers actually shut off including businesses, including hospitals, including radio stations.

“So, you know what people want sometimes is just to withdraw licenses. All over the world regulation is a very intricate thing where you are aware of all the action including consequences of every action you take even the sanctions that you impose have consequences.

Performance Indicators “NCC has set up what we call key performance indicators (KPI’s) which are measured on monthly basis and every quarter we look to see if the operators have been having breaches in terms of meeting the thresholds that is what is gaining to delay the sanctions.

“Now you also look at the situation where there are circumstances or factors beyond the control of the operators that led them not to be able to meet these targets. For instance if you look at places like the North East where there have been issues for a very long time, you were not having services because people couldn’t even move, where there are bombings, you are not having services because there are bombings. We look at communities where you have restiveness, where they won’t even allow the engineer to fix the problems you are having with the base stations and towers.

“We also have situations where Service providers have applied for base stations in states and are waiting for 12- 18 months to get approval to build additional base stations that will improve the quality of service. So when there are issues like these, what we do is that we look for the network to explain why they are not able to meet the threshold now if we look at the reasons adduced and those reasons are genuine so we let them be. But when the factors that led to the degradation are factors that are avoidable, what the commission does to the service providers is sanction.

Consumers demand for compensation from NCC: “We also have issues when people say look when you sanction them the money should be given to the consumer. The argument is like this: when a man goes to court and is fined, who takes the money, the money goes to the government, because it is a penalty.

“A penalty is not a compensation, there is a difference between a penalty and a compensation but of course that is not what we are saying here because you will agree with me that the Quality of Service has improved; it is not what it used to be years back. It hasn’t gotten there yet, it is a work in progress and we believe that in time as we begin to put infrastructures on ground and the governors begin to remove bottlenecks that make it difficult for operators to put infrastructures on ground.

Fight against cybercrime, terrorism Speaking on whether the NCC assists law enforcement agencies to curb terrorism, Ojobo explained: “You will recall that some years ago, we embarked on a SIM card registration, the objective of this exercise was to ensure that there was a face to every number. We believe that this has helped substantially… in terms of strategy and what they used these information for, but of course suffice it is to say, that the SIM card registration has helped security agents to substantially address the issues of kidnapping and other types of criminal activities where people use phones before now, people could mask numbers to make calls and you are not able to trace them. But today they can be traced, essentially technology has improved quite a bit now to the point where you are able to track any one that is making a call from any location. There are technologies now that wherever you are using your phone, you can be tracked”.

Unsolicited text messages: Ojobo said: “What we have done in the area of unsolicited phone calls we need to probably differentiate between positive and negative unsolicited text messages.

“Unsolicited text messages are those messages gotten without prompting but of course you also know that there are those that come with benefits for phone users, like all those freebies…… there are also those unsolicited phone messages that bother on issues that are advisory, health issues, security issues where you have been given some tips on what to avoid.

L-R: Ibrahim Dikko Vice President Regulatory and Corprate Affairs Etisalat, Joseph Tegbe Partner Management Consulting KPMG, Ms Funke Opeke, CEO MainOne and Frank Aigbogun Publisher/CEO Business Day at the MainOne- BusinessDay Broadband Summit 2015 held in Lagos, recently.

MainOne tips increase broadband penetration as driver for Nigeria’s GDP growth Stories by Tony Nwakaegho MainOne, West Africa’s leading Broadband Communications provider, has tipped increased broadband penetration as the driver that would boost the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

The Company played host recently to stakeholders in the telecommunications industry at a Broadband Summit held in conjunction with BusinessDay in Lagos with the theme ‘Driving Accelerated Broadband Penetration in Nigeria’.

MainOne organised the summit with BusinessDay as part of activities to mark its 5th year anniversary of entry into the market. The summit which featured major industry players including Mobile Network Operators and the country’s Telecoms Regulator, reviewed the country’s current broadband status and brain stormed strategies to achieve more effective and pervasive broadband coverage across the country.

In her welcome address, Chief Executive Officer, MainOne, Ms Funke Opeke , urged for further collaboration in

the industry in order to provide broadband connectivity services to more of the Nigerian populace.

She harped on the need for stakeholders to jointly address the challenges of low broadband penetration as a community of concerned parties for improvement poised to accrue to all.

“The Broadband Summit provides a platform for the telecom industry to articulate its perspectives on the landscape, and devise strategies that will hasten Broadband penetration in Nigeria. We are excited to bring the industry together in partnership with BusinessDay towards the achievement of this critical developmental objective for Nigeria”, she said.

She called on all stakeholders in the industry and the government to take necessary steps towards achieving the massive infrastructure rollout required to bring broadband services to more Nigerians, stressing the role of broadband in driving GDP growth in the economies of developing countries.

In his remarks, Frank Aigbogun, publisher, BusinessDay said, the choice of MainOne as the host for this year’s Broadband Forum was easy given

the company’s reputation as a foremost organisation in the broadband landscape in Nigeria and what the company had achieved over the past five years.

MainOne is a leading provider of innovative telecom services and network solutions for businesses in West Africa.

Its world-class infrastructure enhances the productivity and profitability of our customers online.Since its launch in 2010, MainOne has developed a reputation for highly reliable services to become the preferred provider of wholesale Internet services to major telecom operators, ISPs, government agencies, large enterprise, and educational institutions in West Africa.

MainOne’s world class submarine cable system running down the coast of West Africa, state of the art IP NGN network, growing regional and metro terrestrial fiber optic networks, and data center facilities enable broadband services for businesses needing solutions in West Africa.The network is interconnected and peers with leading operators and internet exchanges worldwide to provide global reach to our customers.

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EXTRATIME Football

Cahill expects Arsenal title challenge Chelsea defender Gary Cahill is unsure if Arsenal are his team’s biggest Premier League title threats this season, but he expects Arsene Wenger’s men to challenge.

A first-half goal from Alex OxladeChamberlain helped Arsenal claim a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Community Shield on Sunday.

The Manchester clubs and Arsenal are considered among Chelsea’s threats as Jose Mourinho’s men look to go back-to-back.

Asked if Arsenal were the biggest threats, Cahill said: “I don’t know

Rugby

North to wait for Wales return

North

about biggest.

“But they’re certainly going to be up there. I’ve seen they’ve had a great pre-season, they look sharp, and they’ve got fantastic players, so for sure they’re going to be up there.”

Cahill said the loss hurt Chelsea, despite the importance of the Community Shield often being played down.

“It matters a lot, we want to win, you play at Wembley you know it’s a big game. We get the feeling it’s a big game,” the England defender said.

George North is unlikely to play in Wales’ first World Cup warm-up against Ireland on Saturday - but could make his return in Dublin on August 29.

The British and Irish Lions wing, 23, missed the final 10 weeks of last season after suffering his third concussion in a five-month period.

“I wouldn’t have thought he will be involved this weekend,” said Wales skills coach Neil Jenkins.

“I’m sure three weeks down the road he could well be involved in Dublin.”

This Saturday’s game takes place in Cardiff - and Jenkins added of North’s prospective return: “We will wait and see how things go over the next couple of weeks.”

Liam Williams, 24, is unlikely to feature in any of Wales’ warm-up games, with Italy on September 5, to follow after the two Ireland games.

Rooney wins Worlds Athletics

omission appeal G

reat Britain’s Martyn Rooney has won his appeal after he was not selected for the individual 400m at August’s World Championships in Beijing.

Rooney was in the 400m relay squad but appealed to UK Athletics over his failure to make the individual event.

The 28-year-old said it was a “shame” he had to go to appeal but felt like he had “won a massive court case”.

Steeplechaser Lennie Waite and

Cycling

American cyclist Danielson fails drug test

American cyclist Tom Danielson has tested positive for synthetic testosterone - but denies doping.

The 37-year-old CannondaleGarmin rider has been suspended by his team pending the result of his B sample results.

“I have not taken this or any other banned substance,” he said in a series of tweets.

He has admitted to doping earlier in his career and gave a testimony during the US Anti-Doping Agency’s (Usada) investigation into Lance

Danielson

Armstrong.

A spokeswoman for Usada told BBC Sport: “We can confirm what Mr. Danielson has already reported, that he has had an adverse analytical finding.

“It is important to note that it is very early in the process and all athletes are innocent until proven otherwise through the established legal process.

“We appreciate Mr. Danielson voluntarily removing himself from competition at this time.”

Rooney

10,000m runner Andy Vernon last week lost their appeals over being omitted.

Rooney will now be part of the 62-strong Great Britain squad heading to China.

He ran a season best of 45.41 seconds to finish third in the 400m at the Stockholm Diamond League meeting last week in a performance which may have helped his appeal.

Rooney beat fellow Briton Rabah Yousif Bkheit, who had been included for the individual

400m in the original GB squad, as well as American Tony McQuay, who won silver at the 2013 World Championships.

“Unfortunately, there are some things that I am not allowed to say with the appeal process,” Rooney said. “I don’t think Stockholm hurt my chances. Beating the people that I beat in Stockholm showed that I’m more than capable of racing against the best guys in the world and that’s pretty much the criteria they wanted us to hit.”