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Kaduna, 10 other states to experience flood – NiMet Ï RƒƆƏ ǀèƢƠƠ Ƒ Ɔ destroyed in Kano

Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), on Monday, said 11 states in the country will experience severe floods between this month (August) and October, saying their Continued on page 7

Continued on page 7

ÏÏÏThe

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ÏÏÏThe All Progressives Congress

(APC) on Monday berated Rep. Abdumumini Jubrin, a former Chairman of the Appropriation Committee, for disregarding the party’s intervention moves.

This is contained in a statement released to newsmen in Abuja by

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Budget padding: APC flays Jibrin’s latest public outburst

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016 VOL. 2. NO. 169

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PDP not dead, BoT replies OBJ g7

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GAINERS AS AT 1st August, 2016 TOTAL

200.09

18.59

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AIRSERVICE

1.86

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5.07

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9 , 2016

RC 103022

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Page Three Æ s

PHOTO TIMES

Editorial Arresting the plummeting Naira

I

t is no more news that Nigeria’s currency, the Naira has tumbled to N390 against the dollar in recent days, which is the lowest in 42 years. Following this development, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has commenced rationing of the dollar in its weekly foreign exchange sale. Expectedly, everyone is blaming plunging oil revenues and relentless militant attacks on oil facilities for the current woes, especially in light of the fact that oil accounts for 90 percent of Nigeria’s foreign currency earnings. Before now, the CBN announced that the country’s external reserves has continued to fall to all time low.

Certainly, the depreciation of the Naira is going to have a domino effect on the capital market performance.

It is a fact that the Naira exchange rate depreciation will push up the domestic inflation through higher import prices, even as investors would want higher returns to compensate for the inflation, prompting the CBN to raise interest rates to fight off inflation and thereby pushing up interest rates even further.

Although the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has implemented several measures to slow the devaluation, it appears none has worked thus far, as there is now be panic in the Forex market due to either real concerns or fears spread by speculators.

Like every other Nigerian, we are worried at this development and the negative effects on the overall health of the economy. Analysts are of the view that the current devaluation would only worsen the situation for Nigerians as most of goods consumed are imported, even as it is clear that majority of raw materials for industries are imported too. It should be noted that Nigeria is not

the only country facing falling crude oil price. However, she has been slow at exploring alternative sources of revenue.

On several occasions, we have had cause to remind the authorities that the country has other mineral resources such as coal, bitumen, iron ore, gypsum, kaolin, phosphate, limestone, marble, barite, gold, bentonite, gemstones and others. Unfortunately, they are yet to be developed to a stage the country can fall back on such excruciating moment. Invariably, the current devaluation is bound to curtail foreign investments in Nigeria, as there are fears that any investor would have a rethink before coming to the country, since it appears there is little likelihood that any investment will produce a good return.

Even though the Central Bank Governor, Godwin Emefiele has been doing his best to curtail the free fall of naira, more still has to be done, as the continued devaluation will have a far reaching negative impact than the havoc the collapse of the capital markets had on the Nigerian economy.

If nothing is done to ameliorate the situation, there is likely fear the country would be experiencing a future stagflation because the economy is not only stalling; fact is that prices for goods will skyrocket due to importers passing the increased prices to consumers.

We therefore urge the Federal Government take immediate measures to diversify the nation’s economy.

The present over dependence on crude oil for revenue should be deemphasised and in its place a new regime of taxation, agriculture, manufacturing, international tourism and solid mineral prospecting should be emphasised.

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General Superintendent, Deeper Christian Life Ministry, Pastor Williams Kumuyi (left), in handshake with Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose during a visit to Fayose at the Government House, in Ado-Ekiti… on Monday.

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Former Vice President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar (left), National Leader, All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu during the wedding ceremony of Tinubu’s son, Seyi, at Iga Idunganran, Isale-Eko, Lagos… on Monday.

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Muhammad Ali

Tiger Woods

Fela Anikulapo-Kuti

“He who is not courageous enough to take risks will accomplish nothing in life.”

No matter how good you get you can always get better, and that’s the exciting part”.

“To be honest and truthful in all endeavours is an experience, not a regret”.

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News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Navy trains 23 officers Kashamu, Adebutu clash over Ogun PDP in ship management candidates’ list Segun Adio ÎÎÎA total of

23 naval officers, on Monday, in Lagos, commenced a four-week command level course on the effective management of ship and naval establishments.

The course, being hosted

by Naval Training Command (NAVTRAC) of the Nigerian Navy, was being attended by officers between the ranks of Captain and Commander.

Speaking at the opening, the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), NAVTRAC, Rear Adm. Ifeola Mohammed, said that the navy needed a well-trained naval personnel with the confidence and attributes to defend the territorial integrity of the country. ``The purpose of the training basically is to develop the requisite leadership attribute for the commanders at the various strata so that they are able to deliver to the people of Nigeria the service that we need, `` said the FOC. Also speaking at the opening ceremony, the Commandant, Nigerian Navy

Ship (NNS) QUORRA, Commodore Francis Isaac, said that the maiden course was aimed at improving the quality of command afloat and ashore.

According to him, ``The course is designed to assist the naval headquarters in determining the suitability of nominated officers for independent command level appointments afloat and ashore. ``Also, it would equip participants with adequate knowledge required for management of a ship or establishment,’’ Isaac said.

According to the Commodore Isaac, the course was to standardise the selection process of officers of the rank of Commander and Captains for command responsibilities afloat and ashore.

Present at the inauguration were the FOC, Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Fergusson Bobai, Rear Adm. A. Osinowo, the Commander NNS BEECROFT, Commodore Abraham Adaji, among others.

ÎÎÎCrisis

is gradually brewing in the Ogun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) as two gladiators in the state, Hon. Ladi Adebutu and Senator Buruji Kashamu, were said to have submitted separate candidates’ lists to the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC) for the Local Government election fixed for October 8.

This occurred, on Monday, at the screening of candidates exercise for the forth-coming local council polls. While Hon. Adebutu represents the state in the House of Representatives, Sen. Kashamu is representing Ogun East Senatorial district in the National Assembly.

OGSIEC’s Chairman of the screening committee, Barrister Mutiu Agboke, who made the disclosure, stated that candidates from both factions would be screened.

Agboke, who is also an

OGSIEC’s Commissioner III, further stated that his commission was yet to get a clear direction regarding the PDP matter in the election.

His words, “We have so many court judgments with us. They are not contradictory, they are judgment on different issues and we are not the court of appeal to decide on which judgment is superior to the other.

“We are still on the issue of PDP. INEC has not responded to our letter, no clear cut direction and that is the reason but we don’t want to be caught in the web, and that is why we are screening the two factions,” hen said.

Agboke, however, further hinted that 17 political parties would be contesting the October 8 local government election in the state said the Meanwhile, some of the PDP Councillorship candidates screened on Modnay

displayed sheer academic ineptitude as some of them could neither defined Democracy, nor understand the meaning of the acronym of their political party, PDP. While the PDP candidates were the ones substantially screened on Monday, one of the Councillorship candidates Adeitan Moruf, seeking to be elected into the Oke AgoOwu Area Unit of Abeokuta North East Local Council Development Area defined a Councilor as a sweeper.

Adeitan told the committee that he would be sweeping his ward from Amukankan to Ago - Owu if elected into office as a councilor.

When asked to define democracy, he consistently maintained that democracy is “different of the people, by the people and to the people”.

Another PDP candidate from the Isaga/Ilewo in

Oke-Ogun LCDA, Ojekunle Sarufu Ayinde told the screening committee that he couldn’t remember the names of his chairmen at the wards, local government and state levels.

When asked to give the full meaning of PDP, Ojekunle said, “Power to the People” and when asked again he said, “Political Democratic Party of Nigeria”.

Jimoh Ojoye, another candidate from Ikija area of Abeokuta North local government area who said he didn’t know the name of his ward, defined democracy as “democracy is people, by the people, ‘I don forget”.

The same was in the case of Adekanbi Oluwabunmi, a candidate of the party from Ago-Oko in Abeokuta North local government who also told the committee that he did not know the function of a local government in a democracy.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

7 News

Edo State Governor, Com. Adams Oshiomhole (7th left); APC Governorship candidate for Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki (8th left); Otaru of Auchi, HRH Aliru H. Momoh, Ikelebe III (6th left) and other royal fathers after the endorsement of Obaseki by all the traditional rulers in Edo North… on Monday.

PDP not dead, BoT replies OBJ Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja & ‘Tosin Ajuwon, Akure

ÏÏÏThe Peoples Democratic Party

(PDP) on Monday faulted the claim by former President Olusegun Obasanjo that the party has been weakened by internal crisis, and therefore is gasping for breath, saying the party is not dead.

This is even as former Senate President, Senator David Mark, on Monday, warned the party against impunity and imposition of candidates ahead of its national convention.

Hoevever, the South West meeting of the PDP summoned by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State was on Monday marred with crisis as some of its chieftains angrily stormed out of the venue.

Obasanjo, it would be recalled, had in a statement by his media aide, Kehinde Akinyemi in Abeokuta on Saturday, denied that he was plan-

ning to return to PDP. The former president noted that he left the party when it was alive and bubbling, and therefore, he could not have rejoined now when the party was divided, factionalised and gasping for breath.

However, the Chairman, PDP BoT, Senator Walid Jibrin while inaugurating an 18-member Board of Trustes (BoT) special reconciliation committee headed by former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, said it was only in the imagination of anyone to say that the party was dead.

He said: “We want to use this opportunity to clam down our members and to tell them that what is happening is normal in a democracy that efforts are being made to end the crisis.

“They should not listen to rumors, that this party is gone, it is not gone.

“Leaders who are talking in newspapers that this party is not alive,

the party is alive, It’s only in the imagination of anyone that is saying that this party is dead and that he will not come back.

“Such people should change their mind. If he (Obasanjo) comes back to this party, we are ready to receive him”.

On the reason for setting up of the 18-member reconciliation committee headed Prof. Gana, Jubrin said the problem presently facing the party is a normal in a democratic setting.

He was optimistic that the crisis in the party would end before the August 17 national convention.

He said: “We are gathered to inaugurate special committee of the BoT to reconcile our members. You are aware that the BoT have been meeting with some organs to review the situation in the party. We have therefore decided to set up a special committee with a view to resolving

the problem”.

According to him, God will not forgive members of the BoT if they sit down and do nothing while crisis in the party continues.

Jibrin revealed that PDP has over 15 cases in court over the leadership crisis, noting that there is the realisation that the best solution to solve the party’s problem is political.

The Chairman of the committee, Professor Gana, promised that the members would do their best to reconcile aggrieved members.

He admitted that not all political matters could be resolved in court rooms, adding that that was why PDP founding fathers recommended internal mechanism for resolution of party crisis.

Professor Gana appealed to the factional Chairman, Senator Ali Modu Sheriff to allow the committee to mediate in the crisis in the Continued on page 12

Kaduna, 10 other states to experience flood – NiMet Continued from page 1 various soil moisture had reached or were close to saturation and can no longer absorb more rainwater.

This is even as over 5,300 houses were destroyed in six local government areas of Kano State.

Nimet said the states to be affected by flood in August and October are – Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara.

NiMet Head of Corporate Communication, Eva Azinge, stated these in a statement issued in Abuja.

According to him, the NiMet report on Rainfall Situation and Prospects of Flooding in August to October 2016 revealed that the saturation of soil moisture in the affected states was due to cumulative high intensity rainfall in June and July.

To avoid the flood, NiMet in the statement, advised governments, communities and individuals in the vulnerable parts of the country to take proactive actions by clearing water channels and drainages, and also avoid activities that block the free flow of flood waters.

The agency said attention should be paid to its daily weather forecasts

and alerts, adding that relevant agencies should perfect their emergency evacuation plans and activate them as soon as necessary.

The statement reads: “NiMet, in exercise of its mandate to monitor the weather and climate of the country at all times, and working in collaboration with the Nigerian Hydrological Services Agency has been monitoring rainfall events across the country.

“After thorough analyses of rainfall data from our observatories nationwide for June and July, we wish to provide the following information and advisories to the pub-

Budget padding: APC flays Jibrin’s latest public outburst Continued from page 1 Mr. Timi Frank, the Acting National Publicity Secretary of the party.

Frank, in the statement, said the APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Sen. Lawal Shuaibu, had addressed a letter to Jubrin ordering him to avoid issuing public statements on the lingering budget scandal at the green chamber.

Jubrin had in his latest tweets, accused the speaker of conniving with two serving governors and exlawmakers of trying to change the media narrative against him.

Frank accused Jubrin of lack of respect for the Lawal-led committee, which it said, was working tirelessly to resolve the crisis. ‘’It is now obvious how disrespectful, mannerless and desperate Rep. Jibrin could be even to the leaders of our party. ‘’The trio of the National Deputy Chairman North, National Secretary, National Treasurer and othContinued on page 12

lic, especially those in the affected areas that soil moisture has either reached saturation, or near saturation levels due to cumulative high intensity rainfall in some parts of the country in June and July.

“The affected states include Akwa Ibom, Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Kaduna, Kwara, Nasarawa, Yobe and Zamfara. This means that floods should be expected in these areas because the soil is no longer able to absorb more rainwater in the coming weeks which coincide with the peak rainy season.

Continued on page 12

Jibrin

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Ebonyi police arrest contractor for dehumanising teenager Jacob Ogodo, Abakaliki

ÏÏÏ

The Ebonyi State Police Command has arrested the Coordinator of Ohaozara Development Centre, Mr. Ogbonnaya Ene Odi for his alleged role in the dehumanising a teenager, Ukamaka.

The JSS2 student was allegedly stripped naked, dragged around on the ground and flogged under the orders of the Coordinator.

Also arrested were the two policemen who allegedly arrested and took part in the inhuman treatment meted out to the 15 year old girl.

Though, the Police spokesman in the state refused to speak on the matter at press time, reliable sources in the Police command said the Police arrested the Coordinator after the news broke of his involvement in the incident.

According to sources in the com-

munity, the incident which was recorded and circulated on social media, took place inside the coordinator’s house.

It was gathered that the arrest followed an order given to the Commissioner of Police, CP Peace Ibekwe Abdallah that all those involved in the incident should be arrested.

The Police sourse said: “He has been arrested. The governor told the CP to make sure all those involved should be arrested and brought to book. The Police officers have also been arrested” The Police has since commenced investigation in the matter. But they are waiting for Ukamaka to come and identify the suspects.

That is stalling the investigation a little bit. By tomorrow we are expecting her back to the state from Abuja”.

A source in the community, who gave his name as Michael, said the claim by the Cordinator and oth-

ers that it was her dad that beat her for having sex with her lover was false.

He said: “On 28th July 2016, a rather disturbing video went viral.

According to reports, the so called young lady who was stripped naked was caught by her father with another man having sexual intercourse in his house. When I watched the video, I had doubts about it because it was just the girl who was been stripped unclad and flogged like a thief. I forgot it”.

“But, my investigations are very pathetic. On the said 28th July, 2016, one Uzoamaka from Ohaozara West Development centre of Ebonyi State, was caught and bundled into the house of the Coordinator of Ohaozara Development Centre, Mr. Ogbonnaya Ene Odi by his younger brother, Enekwachi Ene Odi and other boys loyal to the coordinator”.

“According to my source, the coordinator had alleged that the

Benjamin Omoike

ÏÏÏForemost Ag. IGP Idris

young girl was in the habit of prostituting and sleeping with almost all men and even the married ones in the Community. Therefore, he had to delegate his younger brother and a couple of other youths, to go bundle the girl to his house where he stripped her unclad and ordered his boys to film her and also to make sure it goes round so as to serve as deterrent to others who may intend or are already involved in such habits”.

FG gives N420m each to states to boost healthcare ÏÏÏThe

Federal Government has released the sum of N420 million to each of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory to revitalize the Primary Healthcare Centres across the country.

This was disclosed by the Minister of Health, Prof. Isaac Adewole, on Monday, in Ibadan, while speaking with journalists shortly after he paid a working visit to the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan.

He said the fund was a seed money from the Federal Government to the states to help them revitalize the primary healthcare in their areas so as to reverse the influx of people that need healthcare into tertiary hospitals.

According to him, states that perform well would be given more money in subsequent years as a way of compensating them for job well done.

Speaking on the working visit, Adewole explained that the UCH is capable of handling any medical case with the available manpower and facilities.

He said to boast the achievements of the hospital, the government has picked the hospital as one of the seven health facilities to be upgraded this year.

He added that the hospital is in best position to reverse medical tourism based on the available manpower and facilities he meet

Ogoni: Environmental groups to monitor clean-up environmental group - Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth (ERA/FoEN) has formed a coalition with other civil society organizations for the setting up of environmental vanguards to monitor the planned Ogoni clean-up.

The decision was an outcome of a one-day Advocacy Meeting on Monitoring Agenda for the Implementation of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Report on Clean-up of Ogoniland in Port Harcourt, Rivers State organized by ERA and supported

by Green livelihood Alliance of DGIS, Netherlands.

Members of the new coalition include, Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni (MOSOP), Oil Watch Africa, Community Forest Watchers, Association of Nigerian Women farmers, NGO Coalition for the Environment and ERA/FoEN.

Why we killed Oyo lawmaker — Suspect Remi Oladoye, Ibadan

ÏÏÏ One of

L-R: Head, Youth Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Olayiwola Onafowokan; Manager, Teen Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Ifeoluwa Oyeyipo; Group Executive Director, Dangote Industries Limited, Knut Ulvmoen and President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mrs. Nike Akande presenting Product of the Year Award (Education) to Etisalat Nigeria during the 2016 ICTEL Expo Award and Gala Night in Lagos… recently.

in the hospital.

Adewole who also used the occasion to commission the Total Quality Management unit in the hospital also paid visit to various departments such as NHIS desk, UCH PPP lab, wards, theaters and Intensive Care Unit in the hospital and the Kola Daisi Foundation (KDF) centre for primary and community health.

While expressing optimism on

the achievements of the 5-year old KDF, he pledged the commitment of the Federal Government to adopt the centre just like the 110 already adopted centres.

He said by adopting it as a centre of excellence for the comprehensive primary healthcare in the country, the number of adopted centres would be 111 across the nation.

He said, “The Federal Govern-

ment will adopt this facility as a model, we have already adopted 110 and this one will also be added. This model will be replicated throughout the country.”

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Temitope Alonge described the visit of the erstwhile Provost of the College of Medicine UCH, and immediate Vice Chancellor, University of Ibadan, as a homecoming.

the criminals involved in the murder of Hon Gideon Aremu, a member of Oyo state House of Assembly representing Oorelope constituencies was on Monday paraded by the Oyo state police command.

Ayobami Adedeji, 23, who confessed to be one of the four culprits that murdered the lawmaker, said they were on causal robbery trip when they sighted the man and pursued him to his gate.

According to him “we were four in number myself, Abbey, Kola Mission, and Yusuf Ikire and that day we decided to go and rob as usual when Abbey whose mother also resides in Adebayo where the lawmaker was killed identified him and we pursued him and later Abbey shot him at the entrance of his house. I don’t know why he shot him.

Adedeji, an ex-convict said he was given N40:000 and a Techno phone after the incident.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Politics MUHAMMADU BUHARI

Æs

DPC urges Buhari to ameliorate Nigerians’ sufferings Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja The Democratic People’s Congress has tasked the President Muhammadu Buhari-led federal government to provide dividend of democracy that will ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians saying this becomes necessary following

the government’s harsh economic policies.

The party, in a statement by its National Chairman, Rev. Olusegun Peters, said government should inject more funds into the economy and lower the banks’ interest rate to make loans accessible to small and medium scale enterprises.

According to the party: “The Federal Government should inject more funds into the economy and lower the banks’ interest rate to make loans accessible to small and medium scale enterprises with a view to revamping and di-

versifying the economy.

“The Central Bank of Nigeria’s fiscal and monetary policies somersaults have eroded investors’ confidence in the economy. The Treasury Single Account (TSA), despite its merits, also deprived banks access to governments’ funds. “The resultant cash crunch forced banks to retrench their staff for redundancy.

“The astronomical fuel hike, the highest hike in Nigerian history and increasing unemployment have all contributed to the economic woes of the masses.

“Definitely, this is not the change

9

the APC-led Federal Government promised Nigerians ahead of the 2015 general elections.

“President Buhari had repeatedly said the 2016 budget would address the nation’s technology, power, transportation, access to solar power and promotion of entrepreneurship - small scale businesses, stating that the future of Nigeria is bright.

“The reality is that the state of the nation is bad, very bad. Millions of Nigerians cannot have three-square meals a day while small, medium and big enterprises are closing shops daily.

50 years after, Oyo to immortalise Fajuyi The Oyo State Government has begun moves to further immortalise late Colonel Francis Adekunle Fajuyi, the first Military Governor of the Western region, by midwifing the construction of a memorial park and garden in the Lalupon area of the State.

This is a follow up to the promises the Senator Abiola Ajimobi led Government made at the just concluded 50th Adekunle Fajuyi Memorial Lecture and 90th Posthumus birthday organised by various groups in Ibadan.

It would be recalled that the state government pledged recently to further immortalise the late Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, by facilitating the construction of a monument and park in his honor at the

FAJUYI ABUBAKAR TAFAWA BALEWA

“I am pleased to see that we are now all agreed that the Federal system is, under present conditions, the only sure basis on which Nigeria will remain united.’’

NNAMDI AZIKIWE

No matter how old an individual may be, no matter if he is young or old, if he thinks in accordance with the times he is immortal.

FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI

“To be spiritual is not by praying and going to church. Spiritualism is the understanding of the universe so that it can be a better place to live in.”

very spot where he was killed in Lalupon. During a visit to the site where the late former Governor of Western Region and the late former Head of State Major General Aguiyi Ironsi were assassinated during the bloody coup of July 1966, the representatives of the Oyo State Government led by the Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr Toye Arulogun in the company of the traditional rulers of Lalupon, said that the gesture became imperative, considering the gallantry and selfless service the former military administrator displayed at the face of death, which projected the virtues of honour, bravery and loyalty.

Arulogun stressed that paying the supreme price was a mean feat

OBAFEMI AWOLOWO

“Those who desire to reach, and keep their places at the top in any calling must be prepared to do so the hard way.”

and rarity. He noted that although a previous administration in the state had immortalized the late Governor of Western region by naming a road after him, the opportunity presented by the availability of the spot where he and his supreme commander were killed fifty years after, is not just a divine but golden one that the present administration will not allow to slip by. The Oyo State Government has therefore taken the onus upon itself to further honor the worthy patriot to commemorate the fiftieth anniversary of his death.

Meanwhile, Arulogun at another forum, reiterated the state government’s commitment to partner with interest groups, associations and unions to deliver its electoral promises.

ALEX EKWUEME

“Ours is hardly a Federation except in name”.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Ondo governorship aspirants blast PDP, promises change Tom Okpe, Abuja A member of Board of Trustee (BoT) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and one of the governorship aspirants in Ondo State, Chief Jamiu Ekungba, has blasted governors of the oil producing states owing workers salaries in their states.

This is another aspirant, Moyosola Oladuni said the state, rich in human and natural resources needs a progressive change thereby requires a leader who will lead by example.

Presently, about four oil producing states; which include Ondo, Bayelsa, Imo, Delta and Cross rivers states are owing their workers’ salaries.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja, after submitted his nomination form to contest the governorship primaries of the party, Ekungba said most of the governors have ran out of ideas on how to run their states.

“The state owes six months salaries. An oil producing state owing salaries can you imagine?

That is because we don’t have the right leadership”.

Speaking on his capacity to turn around the fortune of the state if given opportunity, Ekungba said that he has done it in his private business before and he could still do in the state.

He also pointed that as an accountant, “I restructured dead companies back to life so I would restructure Ondo State back to life.”

On his programme on education he said: “I am not going to build an educational system that looks at just speaking of English alone, I am going to look at Educational system that would have education in totality that is the development of the mind: mentally, academically, morally, physically and spiritually”.

He also denied insinuation that he was been sponsored by Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to be governor of Ondo State.

Oladuni who blamed conventional politicians on the poor nature of the state pointed out that he was not happy with the situation saying: “In the midst of

plenty, we are living in penury”.

The aspirant who described himself as a candidate with verifiable antecedent and legacy characterised by selfless service added that the people of the state will choose between light and darkness.

He said: “We have the natural resources. We have the land for agriculture and what we are simply going to do is, understand the business language that the private sector want to listen to and negotiate in the best interest of the people of the state, ensure that we promote small and medium scale enterprises. Once we promote small and medium scale enterprise, the revenue base of the citizens would increase and we are very optimistic that we will shore up the tax base”.

Oladuni who is confident of picking the party’s governorship ticket at the primaries said, “I am not a conventional politician I don’t think the problem of Ondo State now require a conventional politician to solve. We have come to offer our integrity; we have come to stake our in-

Mimiko

tegrity on this fight. I am not an incurable optimist just like you find most of these politicians, I am very sure that we have what it takes to rescue Ondo State from its present situation and the leadership of the party at the state and the National level.

We believe in them we believe in their intellectual ability and appraisal competence of the delegate to determine who among these aspirants is sincere about

the promise to rescue them. It is not about just talking, I have told you we have come up with a document that we are laying bare for the people of the state to assess.

We have traversed through the length and breadth of Ondo State to actually understand what the problems are, that is what we have used to produce that document that we have taken across for the people to evaluate and also determined”.

Ondo Guber : I’ll win and serve with integrity— Agunloye TosinAjuwon, Akure

Agunloye

Dr. Olu Agunloye, a governorship aspirant of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in Ondo State has expressed optimism that he would emerge victorious with the support of the electorate in the November 26th governorship race in the state.

Agunloye added that his political aspiration to govern the state was not borne out of any regional sentiment noting that he had already seen a beacon of hope in the SDP in the state.

He spoke at the SDP Secretariat in Abuja shortly after receiving his nomination form to contest the governorship primary election of the party slated August 20th.

Daily Times gathered that Agunloye and Pius Daodu are the two aspirants jostling for the ticket of the party ahead of the

primary election.

Agunloye said his government would eradicate all forms poverty in the state if given the opportunity to serve the people stressing that he would serve with all sense of integrity, modesty and sincerity.

“My desire to run in this governorship race is to take Ondo State away from the suffocating clutches of poverty” Agunloye said.

He disclosed that SDP is now a party to reckon with and the best alterative that can take the people of the state out of the yoke of poverty in the state.

He added that the party has already opened its door to receive any aggrieved politician from that political parties who are frustrated in both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

Agunloye noted that if given

the chance to fly the party’s flag he would ensure the mobilisation of his supporters to garner support for a landslide victory in the forthcoming poll.

The aspirant further reiterated that the agitation of who becomes the next governor of Ondo State come February 2017 after Governor Olusegun Mimiko must have ended his tenure should not be based on political sentiment as being agitated by different regions in the state. The former Minister of Power and Steel further assured that when elected his government would work together with the people to reap the dividends of democracy noting that there would be an end to poverty.

Deputy National Chairman of the SDP, Dr Abdul Isiaq Ahmed, urged the party’s members go and start gathering support for the party as the governorship election draws nearer.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Imo PDP holds parallel Congresses Val Okara, Owerri The crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) deepened on Monday as its Imo state chapter held two separate congresses in Owerri, the State capital.

Chief Hope Uzodimma and a former governor of the State, Chief Ikedi Ohakim organized a congress at the party secretariat, Okigwe road, while the former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives and 2015 governorship candidate, Chief Emeka Ihedioha led another party members where a another congress took place at the expansive Kanu Nwankwo Event Centre.

Armed mobile policemen were on hand to forestall possible clash between the two rival groups even as traffic jam impeded vehicular movements within the city While the Senator Uzodimma congress recorded a poor turnout, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, ex-governor Achike Udewa, members of the House of Representatives from the state, those of the State House of Assembly both present and past, local government party chairmen and elected council chairmen as well as numerous accredited delegates all participated in the Ihedioha led congress. Chairman of the Congress Committee and former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Austine Opara who addressed the delegates urged them to be orderly and peaceful for them to build a united and indivisible PDP family ahead of 2019.

11 Politics

Edo North monarchs endorse, donate to Obaseki’s campaign

OBASEKI Titus Akhigbe, Benin Traditional rulers in the six Local Government Areas in Edo North have endorsed the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, as their choice as the next Governor of the state .

They also made cash contributions to his campaign to enable him reach out to people in other parts of the state, assuring him that he will win the election with a landslide in the whole of Edo

North.

Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers who converged in his palace, the Otaru of Auchi, Alhaji Aliru H. Momoh, Ikelebe III said their support for Obaski stems from the fact that he was introduced by their son, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, who performed creditably as Governor.

He said: “this meeting is under the auspices of Edo North traditional rulers. The reason for it is that we have had one of our sons who has transformed Edo State

in various aspects of human life.

And from Edo Central, South and North, there has been a transformation of un-surpassing dimension. “So, we want to demonstrate in no small sense that the whole of Edo North traditional rulers are behind him (Oshiomhole) and the candidate that he is presenting for this governorship election in Edo State. Basically, that is the mission. And I want to say this, that Edo State traditional rulers have further committed themselves to this campaign by saying that whatever money you gave to traditional rulers at meetings at various locations of this nature, we donate it to the campaign that is on.

“I now wish to thank you for what you have been able to do in this state and Nigeria right from the time that you were president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), and I am particularly proud that in 2002, the title I gave you was truly inspired, truly divinely inspired. I want to say that we are proud of ourselves.

Traditional rulers in Edo State will make history all round, and will continue to make history all round. So, on their behalf, I want to specially congratulate you for what God has made you do for us in this state and Nigeria, and what he is going to make you do for Nigeria right from Abuja. My congratulations, sir.”

About Obaseki, he said: “To the man you have asked us to support in this election, we say, may God give you every support. Now, it is

necessary for us that he alone who is the majesty of the heavens and the earth, and the all-powerful, and the all-wise, Almighty God will go with you, and will guide you, to also add to what heritage that you have inherited this time you are going to inherit, and we say inherited because it has already been destined.

“What is destined by Almighty God, nobody can alter it, nobody can violate it; nobody can overtake it. So, we are happy to make that statement today because there is no doubt about the fact that the one who is propelling you and giving you to Edo State is a man that God has chosen for that assignment. And because of that, we are assuring you that we will continue to pray for your success in this exercise.”

Also speaking the Okuokpelagbe of Okpella, HRH Yesufu Dirisu “I want to say clearly that all he (Otaru) has said is hereby adopted by all of us, because words, in fact, are inadequate to tell you why. We have a reason to resolve that whatever our son is doing, whatever he was doing, we were behind him, and whatever he will be doing, we will continue to be behind him, the reason being that there is nobody who will argue that the traditional institution of this state has never witnessed what our son was able to do for us, is able to do for us and will continue to do for us because as he leaves here, he is going to higher level. And when he is there, he will continue to remember us.

Ogun Councillorship candidate promises to be sweeper if…

Abiodun Taiwo, Abeokuta There was mild drama on Monday at the councillorship screening exercise of the Ogun State Independent Electoral Commission (OGSIEC), as a candidate, Adeitan Moruf said if elected he will be sweeping all dirts in his ward.

Adeite, who vowed to be a sweeper, had earlier lied on his age, told the committee that he would be sweeping his ward from Amukankan to Ago-Owu if elected into office as a councilor.

A People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the candidate in Oke AgoOwu area of Abeokuta North East local council development area agreed that there were other functions of a councilor but

could not mention any before the committee.

The candidate, while asked to define democracy said consistently, “different of the people, by the people and to the people.”

Another candidate of the party from Isaga/Ilewo in OkeOgun Local Council Development Area, Ojekunle Sarufu Ayinde told the screening committee that he couldn’t remember the names of his chairmen at the wards, local government and state levels.

When asked to give the full meaning of PDP, Ojekunle said, “Power to the People” and when asked again he said, “Political Democratic Party of Nigeria”.

Jimoh Ojoye who hails from Ikija area of Abeokuta North

Amosu

local government area said he doesn’t know the name of his ward and when asked to define democracy, he defined it as “democracy is people, by the people, ‘I don[A1] forget”.

Adekanbi Oluwabunmi, a candidate of the party from AgoOko in Abeokuta North local government told the committee that he doesn’t know the function of a local government in a democracy.

When also asked to define democracy, he also said, “government by the people, for the people and the people.”

Alabi Ridwan who claimed to be an Electrical/Electronic HND II student of Moshood Abiola Polytechnic said he has never heard of anything called LCDA.

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Nigerians are hungry, says Shehu Sani ÏÏÏThe

Senator representing Kaduna central senatorial district, Sheu Sani, has lamented the current styate of the nation’s economy, saying many Nigerians are “facing the challenge of hunger” and can barely meet their basic needs.

Sani stated this during the launch ‘Street Parliament’, an initiative, which according to him, would enable him interact and share ideas with his constituents.

He explained that the objective of the initiative is to bring about development “We know that Nigerians are facing hunger, no money for school fees and no jobs,” he told residents of Nassarawa, a suburb in Kaduna, during the launch.

“I decided to come to Nasarawa community to launch what I called Street Parliament. I know that you are facing many problems in this community.

“Street Parliament is a new concept of bringing the government closer to the people. It is a concept of reaching out to people and giving the people a platform to talk to their elected representatives.

“Unlike in the past, when you see your elected representatives from a distance or on television screen, now I am introducing this forum to serve as a medium for interaction with you.

“The Street Parliament is a new idea aimed at carrying the masses along in the process of law making.

It is to afford the people express their feelings, ideas and those things you think should be a priority to those of us in the national assembly,” Sani added.

He attributed the economic situation to the 16 years of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but assured the people that the President Muhammadu Buhari administration would improve their lot.

He said: “For the past 16 years, the PDP government did not do anything for you, but this present government will do something for your community”.

“The government has promised to give N50 billion to revive the textile companies. The governor of Central Bank was the one who said this.

“A meeting had been held with the textile companies. It is important to ensure that those who were working in the textile should be there when the funds are being released so that the money will not be diverted to other things.

“During the administration of former President Goodluck Jonathan, some people collected about N70 billion in the name of reviving the textiles.

“This time around such mistake must not be repeated, so it is important that people in this community and Kakuri in general, should select representatives to the CBN and request to witness the the disbursement of the funds for textile companies.”

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (right), in handshake with Sub-Regional Coordinator for West Africa of Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids, Hilda Ochefu, during a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, in Abuja… on Monday. With them is Mr. Akinbode Oluwafemi.

PDP not dead, BoT replies OBJ Continued from page 7 party.

In a related development, former Senate President, Senator David Mark, has warned the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against impunity and imposition of candidates ahead of its national convention.

Mark gave the warning in a statement released to journalists by Paul Mumeh, his media aide.

He said leaders and members of the party should allow the will of the people to prevail at congresses and convention to avert the mistakes of the past.

According to him, delegates should elect rather than allow candidates to be imposed as was done in the 2015 election.

Mark attributed the defeat of the

PDP in the last general election to self-inflicted injuries due to imposition of candidates and the impunity of some of its leaders.

The former senate president said he would remain in the PDP no matter the challenges, as it had offered him the platform to contest and win elections since 1999.

He urged party faithful to work hard to overcome current challenges and offer credible opposition.

Meanwhile, the South West meeting of the PDP summoned by Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State on Monday was marred with crisis as some of its chieftains angrily stormed out of the venue.

This is even as the party’s Board of Trustees (BoT) on Monday has inaugurated an 18-man committee, headed by former Minister of Infor-

mation, Jerry Gana to reconcile aggrieved members of the party.

The Daily Times gathered that the chieftains included Senator Buruji Kashamu representing Ogun East Senatorial District of Ogun State in the Senate and Dare Bejide, the erstwhile Secretary to Ekiti State Government (SSG).

Sources told journalists that the aggrieved leaders of the party particularly Senator Kashamu decided to storm out of the venue of the meeting because Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe-led factional zonal executive was prevented from gaining access to the venue by security agencies.

Our correspondent learned that the South West meeting was held at the banquet hall of the Ondo State Government House in Akure, the

state capital.

The Daily Times further learned that those who were further prevented from gaining entrance to the venue of the meeting were Chief Abiodun Aluko, former Ekiti State Deputy Governor and Hon. Segun Adekoya, a member of House of Representatives, among other prominent factional members.

The aggrieved leaders left the venue of the meeting and reconvened at a hotel in Akure.

Speaking with journalists shortly after been disallowed entry to the meeting, Makanjuola Ogundipe accused Governor Mimiko of violating the party’s constitution by barring prominent and critical stakeholders of the party from gaining access to the venue of the meeting.

Kaduna, 10 other states to experience flood – NiMet Continued from page 7 “Governments, communities and individuals in these vulnerable parts of the country are advised to take proactive actions, such as clearing water channels and drainages, and also avoid activities that block the free flow of flood waters.

“Closer attention should also be paid to NiMet’s daily weather forecasts and alerts. It is further advised that relevant agencies should perfect their emergency evacuation plans and activate them as soon as necessary.”

Meanwhile, flood has destroyed over 5, 300 houses in six local government areas of Kano State.

Executive Secretary of the State Emergency Relief and Rehabilitation Agency (SERERA), Aliyu Bashir, disclosed this on Monday during an interview.

He said the affected local government areas include Bebeji, Dawakin Kudu, Kiru, Shanono, Bagwai and Garun-Malam.

“In Dawakin Kudu alone more than 2, 300 houses were affected, while more than 600 houses in each of the remaining five areas were destroyed by the flood,” he said.

Budget padding: APC flays Jibrin’s latest public outburst Continued from page 7 ers have been sleeplessly working to ensure that peace returns to the House. ‘’But if Jubrin does not have respect for the Speaker as a person, it is expected of him to respect the office of the speaker, the number four citizen of our party and the country. ‘’Jubrin should also be told that he has clearly shown disrespect for President Muhammadu Buhari who is the leader of our party by this singular act. ‘’His continuous show of shame does not only stop at him but has great negative impact on the party, its members and the President Muhammadu Buhari’s-led government.

“He should be also aware that disobeying party in this manner may attract sanction if the party deem it fit.”

“It is high time Jubrin keeps quiet and stop this public show of shame before his excesses will be made known to Nigerians and the whole world,’’ he said.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9 , 2016

13

Opinion 14

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Religious bigotry and killings in Nigeria

T Grace E. Achum

he evil of religious bigotry is being exhibited at an alarming rate in Nigeria.

Nigeria appears to have descended to the Hobbesian state of nature, where life is “short, nasty and brutish”. Nigeria is a nation of two great religious, respecting the rights and privileges of the other.

The recurrence of religious intolerance is worrisome. What people believe and worship is not subject to reasoning or logic, which is why freedom of religion finds expression in virtually all constitutions.

Even in theocratic countries, it does not imply that other religions are emasculated. The Vatican is a typical theocratic state. The Pope is the head of state but it does not imply that people of other religions cannot live there. The Vatican has a robust interaction with people of other religions to the point that a cardinal is designated to interface with them. Our own Cardinal Francis Arinze once headed that interface as President of the Pontifical Council for Inter-Religions Dialogue. I do not know how about Afghanistan, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Yemen, where the flag of theocracy is hoisted. I know that Nigerians live and work in Saudi Arabia even, when they do not practice Islam. Religion cannot be legislated or forced down people’s throats. One of the tenets of civilised societies is that people respect the rights of others to worship whatever they believe in. People of other religions ought to ignore or pity people who do not understand or follow them, or explain why they do what they do, even in the face of apparent provocation.

If someone is ignorant of what my religion, how can he know that he has blasphemed? I am quick to admit that the law hardly pardons your ignorance, but religion should not be put on the same pedestal as the law.

In Nigeria, there are two dominant religions. Christians and Muslims have largely co-existed and respected the right of others. However, the advent of the Islamic extremists and Fulani herdsmen has tended to end that with their attacks on churches.

We have since come to see that the insurgency only wears a toga of religion and hardly represents the tenets of the religion.

The fore going gives room for us to review the circumstances leading to the killing of Mrs. Bridget Agbahime, an Igbo woman, who lived in Kano with her family. She was killed for allegedly blaspheming Islam. She did not allow someone to do ablution in front of her shop. An eyewitness, Iruka Okoro, told reporters that shortly after the minor dispute resulting from Agbahiwe’s refusal,

some irate youths armed with daggers and knives stabbed her several times and slit her throat.

According to Okoro, “The murder of Mrs. Bridget Agbahiwe was a big slap on the Igbo Community Association. In addition, the witness recalled that the owner of the premises, where they both had their stalls, had on several occasion intervened in the dispute between the late Agbahiwe and the co-trader.

Reports also said that some irate youths stormed the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital mortuary, demanding the head of the murdered woman. It was gathered that security men at the mortuary turned down their request.

Reports say the woman was a Christian, which implies that she may not know what word translate to blasphemy in a religion she knew little or nothing about. Perhaps, her refusal to yield the frontage of her shop for religious use amounted to the kind of crime that attracts death sentence in a religion strange to her.

Though President Muhammadu Buhari condemned the incident and ordered an investigation. Ex-Inspector General Solomon Arase did promise speedy investigation and some people have been arrested in connection with the incident. There have been torrents of condemnation from the Senate and House of Representatives.

Everyone has spoken but what

will become of the culprits? At the heat of current emotions all kinds of promises will be made. At the end, the matter will abate and no one will ever get to know what happened thereafter. Kano had a similar incident in the early ’90s when one Gideon Akaluka was killed in a similar circumstance. In June 2016, students of Baptist school, in Osogbo, Osun State, attended classes in religious garbs. This was in response to the approval given by Governor Rauf Aregbesola for the Muslim students to wear Hijab to school. The situation attracted many comments and condemnation, the former minister of transport and aviation, Chief Ebenezer Babatope, warned Governor Aregbesola not to plunge the state into a religious war, saying that the South West had always had Christians and Muslims living in harmony, and no government should promote one religion against the other. On June 23, 2016, it was reported that a Catholic priest was kidnapped and killed; 60 days after his abduction, the Catholic Bishop of Otukpo diocese, Revd. Fr. John Adeyi, was kidnapped between Otukpa and Ugbokolo in Ogbadibo and Okpokwu Local Government area as the abductors cut off all communication with the family, until his skeleton was found according to Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State, who revealed this during a town hall meeting held with Igede

people on June 22..

On July 8, 2016, herdsmen kidnapped a pastor of Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA), at Kabene Surubu village, in Kauru Local Government Area of Kaduna State.

The tragic story of the hacking of Mrs. Eunice Mojisola Olawole, a deaconess in the Redeemed Christian Church of God. who was savagely killed in Kubwa, in the early hours of Saturday, July 9, for preaching the gospel of Christ by extremist youths is still fresh in our memory.

So, the questions in every body’s lips: “Is what happens to religious tolerance? What happens to freedom of movement and right to worship?

What has happened to the right to dignity of human person and right to life, as enshrined in our constitution?

The authorities have a duty to get to the root of this crisis fast, and bring the perpetrators to the path of sanity, rule of law and order. Sadly, after Pastor Olawole’s cruel murder, there have been other killings and destructions linked to religious extremism and intolerance.

In Niger State, alleged Islamic fundamentalists attacked a Catholic Church because they opposed Friday as a day of worship by Christians!

Extremist youths numbering 200 besieged the Catholic Church, St Phillips Catholic Church, Close to Zuma Rock in Niger State maiming, and destroying the church, while Catholic faithful who were having prayer session inside the church by 2p.m. ran in different directions for safety. Prophet Lawal of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), and four elders of the Church were on Saturday July 16, 2016, abducted from the church, in Lokoja, during a service by six gunmen. The Kogi State Commissioner, Mr. Yakubo Usman, confirmed the incident that the Christian clergy men were abducted from a mountain top where they were holding prayers, and not from the church.

Religion is the opium of the masses, says Karl Marx. In Nigeria, this opium is fast becoming widespread and intoxicating. Nevertheless, opium does not come cheap. Who is providing this opium? What is fuelling the renewed aggravation? The government must get to the root of this ugly scenario, fast. This state of affairs is completely unacceptable.

This must stop, before it degenerates to something else; something worse than Marx anticipated. Nigeria can survive an economic down turn but not religious and ethnic wars.

If we did not quickly tame the monster of religious bigotry, we could find it difficult, if not impossible, talking about one nation, one destiny. No nation ever survives a religious war.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

15 Opinion

Revolt of the royal fathers

L

Nasamu Jacobson

et me retell the story as reported in the newspapers.

On Thursday August 4, 2016, the campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the September 10 governorship election in Edo State, Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his running mate, Philip Shaibu, made a stopover at Uromi, Esan North East council area. As is usual the first point of call was the palace of the traditional ruler, HRH Anslem Eidenojie II, Ojuromi of Uromi Kingdom, who, by the grace of his ancestors, is the custodian of the customs and traditions of Uromi land. He acts as chairman of the traditional rulers’ council in the local government. I do not think anyone needs reminding that Uromi is the birthplace of Chief Anthony Anenih, the 83-year old politician and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Other notable Uromi sons include two-time Minister, Architect Mike Onolememen; two-term federal house member, Hon. Friday Itulah and former council chairman, Hon. John Yakubu, running mate to the PDP governorship candidate, Pastor Ize-Iyamu. Now, it is

copiously reported that there is a revolt, quite unexpected, in Anenih’s home. If all had seemingly been well between Anenih and the Ojuromi of Uromi, the visit of the APC governorship candidate and his running mate has exposed the frosty relationship between the two.

While receiving Godwin Obaseki in his palace, HRH Anslem Eidenojie said, most pointedly: ‘’I do not trust Pastor Ize-Iyamu enough to become governor. My people want Godwin Obaseki. Politics is not about sentiment but development’’. To remove all doubt as to what he meant, the royal father declared that he is in charge of the political affairs of the Uromi people and does not owe any political leader any explanation. The Ojuromi, who threatened to expose the dirty dealings of the opposition party in the state, frowned at what he described as the disrespect and desperation of Pastor Ize-Iyamu. He, however, said he was impressed by the performance of the APC governor in less than eight years in office. He recalled that he was on the entourage of the Comrad e Governor last year to commission three roads and a town hall in Uromi. “I supported Oshiomhole before and he has been nice to people of Uromi, so we have

no fear in Mr. Godwin Obaseki and his running mate. I will pray and the ancestors will support them” he said. The royal father has sounded clearly that as the person responsible for the political direction of Uromi Kingdom he is willing, able and capable of discharging that responsibility. Last Thursday’s bombshell from no less a personage of the Uromi monarch confirms the unanimity of Esan traditional rulers to break the political stranglehold of Chief Anenih in the Edo Central Senatorial District. Recently, the Onojie of Opoji and first Vice Chairman of Edo State Council of Traditional Rulers and Chiefs, HRH Ehidiamen Aidonojie 1, said that the traditional rulers in the state would back any governorship candidate endorsed by Governor Adams Oshiomhole. He described as tremendous the opening of rural communities and infrastructural development by the governor, adding that the governor has accorded traditional rulers in the state their privileges and respect.

Onojie Aidonojie 1, who debunked the claim that Esan traditional rulers had endorsed Pastor Ize-Iyamu, after a meeting in Uromi, said: ‘’We want a governor that will have the kind of heart like

Oshiomhole. Oshiomhole has made sure that we are comfortable. We do not want a governor that will bring us back to poverty. What I mean is that whatever percentage you are sending to the council even when they say it is five per cent, they give you one and a half per cent or two per cent, we don’t want that kind of government’’. He alleged threats against Chief Anenih, saying the Uromi chief called him on telephone to threaten him for exposing the lie that Esan traditional rulers had endorsed Pastor Ize-Iyamu.

There is no doubt that, aside other areas of disagreement, the deputy governorship slot zoned to Edo Central Senatorial District (Esan Land) by the PDP has thrown a pebble into the political waters of Esan land Anenih once bestrode like a colossus. The Onojie of Opoji revealed that there was an agreement that what the area wanted was the governorship. ‘’Rather, what he brought to Esan people now was deputy governor. And that was the same thing we have been complaining, all the ministers have come from his place in Uromi and in every election, he will ask Esan people to vote PDP’’. It is, however, left to be seen how far this royal revolt can be sustained.

Buharinomics and the hedonistic Calculus

W Achum Valentine

e must start to place the interest and plights of our suffering people high on top of our action agenda –J. J. Rawlings In his book Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation,Jeremy Bentham proposed a method of working out the sum total of pleasure and pain produced by an act. He proposed that when determining what action is right in a given situation, we should consider the pleasures and pains resulting from it in respect of their intensity, duration, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity and extent. This idea is a utilitarian principle, which states that it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number of people that is the measure of right and wrong. This principle is the hedonistic calculus.

Since Bentham propounded this idea, the United Nations General Assembly, in 2011, has passed a resolution, inviting member countries to measure the happiness of their citizens to help guide their public policies. Although, the 2016 World

Happiness Report places Denmark as the happiest country in the world, Bhutan – a country in southern Asia – however, became the first country to officially adopt Gross National Happiness (GNH), rather than Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the main development indicator.

The variables, however used in ranking countries, include GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom of choices, generosity, and trust. With Denmark taking the lead in this ranking, Switzerland and Iceland are the second and third happiest countries, while Norway, Finland, Canada, Netherlands, New Zealand, Austria and Sweden follow respectively.

Of the 157 countries being ranked, Nigeria occupies 131 position. This means that Nigerians are happier than only 12 countries. Not a type of score sheet to be happy about. For, when one is beaten by excruciating sun, his frown unveils his teeth.

The least our government could do to put smiles on the faces of Nigerians has already been prescribed in Section 14 (2) (b) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, wherein lies that “the security and welfare of the

people shall be the primary purpose of government”. Perversely, when a set of people described as cattle herdsmen can kill and destroy it speaks volume about how ‘secured’ the life of the average Nigerian really is. When prices of basic commodities such as tomato, yam, garri, kerosene, are beyond reach without any corresponding increase in worker’s salary –it says a whole lot about how ‘guaranteed’ our welfare truly is. Our Naira, which was N1 to $1 under Muhammadu Buhari as military head of state, is now at its weakest and volatile state under Muhammadu Buhari as President.

When one could stay a week without electricity power, is a big smite on one’s happiness and a promotion of our misery rate.

Sincerely, the average Nigerian cares less about who is being investigated for corruption or how much is being recovered. What he cares about is security and welfare. Can he access the best medical attention without having to pay through his nose? Can he access good education for his kids, without having connections at the top? Can he access to loans to do business and fulfill his dream of being a successful entrepreneur? Can his income cater

for his family needs?

Fact remains that this government to make Nigerians happy has done not much. The reason why the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) became balkanised was that they were producing more guns than food. They were paying more attention to enemies than welfare of their people. As late Professor Claude Ake once instructed, man must eat before he does any other thing. Although, man cannot live by bread alone, it is true that man cannot live without ‘bread’. As CNN’s Richard Quest once warned, let us “never count dollars before bodies”. Buhari’s fight against corruption, would not be taken seriously if the suffering currently staring us in the face continues unabated.

It is not the fight against corruption that matters; it is the measure put in place to restrict people from engaging in corrupt practices. It is about making EFCC, ICPC and the Judiciary more independent and left to do their job – not doing their job for them. This is what President Barack Obama meant when he recommended strong institutions and not strong men.

What government must, focus on is how to put smiles on our faces.

16

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9 , 2016

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God will save Heartland from relegation – Madu N ew Heartland coach Ramson Madu has said he believes God will ensure the Owerri club are not relegated this season.

‘The Nzae Millionaires’ are second from bottom on the table with 25 points from 28 matches, seven points behind nearest rivals Warri Wolves.

In his first game in charge at

the Dan Anyiam Stadium in Owerri on Saturday, Heartland defeated visiting Nasarawa United 1-0 and the former defender said the victory was a good omen on his rescue mission at the club.

“The only reason Heartland will escape relegation is God. I’m telling you, the hand of God is on this team and that is why we’ll not be relegated,” Madu said.

“But as human beings, we must do our best to see that we don’t go down.”

Madu regretted that with only about eight games left to end the season, there would be no opportunity to tinker the team, but said he would have to work on the mistakes detected in the team from the matches they are playing.

“I have seen the areas I will go back and correct. We’ll work on their tactics, we’ll work on their technique and then we’ll work on their psychology,” he said.

“If we can get our own acts right, surely, God can do the rest for us.”

The coach is back at Heartland for the second time in four years.

Page 17

Madu

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Pogba

Mikel, others

stop Siasia from quitting Dream TeamVI

arrives for Man Utd medical

A

Pogba

F

rance midfielder Paul Pogba arrived in Manchester on Monday to complete his record-breaking transfer to Manchester United from Juventus, British media reported.

The 23-year-old had flown to Manchester from Nice in a private jet and would undergo a medical at United’s Aon Training Complex.

Manchester Airport posted a picture on Twitter of a plane sitting

on the runway, accompanied by the caption: “An important passenger has just touched down at the airport.

Can anyone guess who it might be?”

Reports suggest United have agreed to pay Juventus a worldrecord fee of 89 million pounds ($116.4 million, 105 million euros) to sign Pogba, not including agents’ fees.

United and Juventus confirmed on Sunday that Pogba, who has

been on holiday since Euro 2016, has been granted permission to undergo a medical by the Turin club.

He is expected to be officially confirmed as a United player today or Wednesday.

Pogba left United in 2012 after making just seven appearances, but returns as one of the world’s most famous players after winning four consecutive Serie A titles in Italy.

He will eclipse Gareth Bale as the world’s most expensive player.

The Welsh forward cost Real Madrid around 85 million pounds when he joined from Tottenham Hotspur in 2013.

United manager Jose Mourinho hailed Pogba’s arrival following his team’s 2-1 win over Leicester City in Sunday’s Community Shield at Wembley.

AbiaWarriors accept Boboye’s resignation

A

bia Warriors have announced they have accepted the resignation of Coach Kennedy Boboye, who threw in the towel after the club’s goalless draw with visiting Akwa United last Saturday in Umuahia.

He was in charge of the Warriors for eight months.

In the resignation letter he addressed to the club’s chairman Emeka Inyama, Boboye said he had to quit as it had become apparent that he could no t m e e t the target he set for himself a t t h e b e g i n ning of the season and thanked the club for giving him the opportunity to serve.

“I thank the club for giving me

the opportunity to serve and I wish them well in their future endeavours,”, said the former Sunshine Stars coach.

Boboye, who joined the Warriors at the beginning of this season, took the league by storm and emerged as the Manager of the Month for February following Abia

Warriors explosive start which saw them become first team in the Nigerian top flight to go 10 matches unbeaten from the beginning of the season.

However, the club’s form dwindled after a number of high profile players sustained injuries while national assignments and transfers took others away.

f r i c a n Fo o t b a l l . c o m exclusively revealed that it needed the quick intervention of Chelsea skipper Mikel Obi and other players to stop Samson Siasia from resigning as coach of Nigeria Olympic team.

A top source in the team told AfricanFootball.com: “Siasia wanted to quit his post after the win over Sweden, but the players led by Mikel begged him to rescind his decision.

“The coach complained that he has been badly treated by the authorities, he has not been paid for five months and his team have not received the necessary support to succeed.”

The outspoken Siasia has openly complained about his poor working conditions even before the Rio Olympics.

And at the height of the drama when the team were stranded at their training base in Atlanta, Georgia, Siasia shunned the calls of sports minister Solomon Dalung and directly called the Nigerian vice-president Y e m i Osinbajo to complain about his team’s plight.

Siasia

D

18

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

EXTRATIME

TRANSFERS…TRANSFERS…TRANSFERS…TRANSFERS…TRANSFERS…TRANSFERS…

Rodriguez joins PSG from Real Rodriguez

Vermaelen

Barca agree Vermaelen deal with Roma

Thomas Vermaelen will spend next season on loan at Roma with the Serie A club also having the option to purchase the Belgium international at the end of 2016-17, Barcelona have announced.

P

aris Saint-Germain have sealed the signing of Real Madrid forward Jese Rodriguez.

Unai Emery’s side confirmed on Monday that they have tied the 23-year-old to a five-year contract, with the transfer fee reportedly worth €25million.

Rodriguez becomes PSG’s fifth signing ahead of the defence of their Ligue 1 title, following deals for Hatem Ben Arfa, Grzegorz Krychowiak, Thomas Meunier and Giovani Lo Celso.

“I am delighted to join Paris Saint-Germain, who have become one of Europe’s most competitive clubs,” Rodriguez said.

“Like Paris Saint-Germain, I have big ambitions for the coming seasons and it will be a great pleasure to work under the direction of Unai Emery, who has developed an excellent reputation in Spain, and across Europe, for his quality as a coach. I can’t wait to begin this next challenge

Reds to signs new recoup £32.5m

Hernandez

Atletico Benteke fee deal

Liverpool will not consider selling Christian Benteke for less than the £32.5m he cost, according to sources.

The Reds met a release clause in Benteke’s Aston Villa contract last summer, but the Belgium international striker started just eight Premier League games after Jurgen Klopp replaced Brendan Rodgers as manager.

Klopp said at the weekend selling Benteke “makes sense” but warned interested clubs against trying to get the 25-year-old on the cheap.

And it is understood Liverpool want to recoup the money they paid Villa and are prepared to wait until next summer, given the player has four years to run on his deal.

Benteke’s agent says there is interest from several clubs, while a report from Turkey claimed he has agreed terms Benteke with Besiktas.Ibrahimovic

L

ucas Hernandez has signed a new four-year deal at Atletico Madrid.

The French defender came through the club’s academy and played

16 first-team matches last season, including the Champions League final defeat to rivals Real Madrid in May. Hernandez had been a regular in Atletico’s

Zabaleta

of my career.”

PSG chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi was overjoyed with the signing of Rodriguez and thinks he will help the squad to match his lofty expectations.

He said: “I am very happy to welcome Rodriguez to PSG. Over the past seasons, he has confirmed his status as one of Real Madrid’s, and Spain’s, most promising young footballers.

“After playing alongside some great forwards, he has chosen to continue his progression with Paris.

“His speed and creative qualities will complement our excellent attacking players.”

Rodriguez played in 38 matches – scoring six times for Madrid last season, although only 11 of those were starts as he struggled to win a regular role against stiff competition from Gareth Bale, Karim Benzema and Cristiano Ronaldo.

reserve team since 2014, while making a number of youth international appearances for France.

Upon securing a contract to keep him at the Vicente Calderon until 2020, the 20-yearold expressed his delight.

“I’m very happy to stay in the club of my life,” he told reporters.

Hernandez

Zabaleta:

I’m staying at City!

Pablo Zabaleta says he is staying at Manchester City after being told he is part of Pep Guardiola’s plans for the season. City’s long-serving full-back is inside the final year of his contract and told reporters in April he was considering his future after losing his place to Bacary Sagna.

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

EXTRATIME

19

RIO 2016…RIO 2016…RIO 2016…RIO 2016…RIO 2016…

D’Tigers stunned

by Argentina in basketball

P

erennial medal contenders Argentina eased past Nigeria 94-66 in each team’s Rio Olympic debut as Facundo Campazza scored 19 points on 5-of8 shooting from three-point territory.

Manu Ginobili of the NBA’s San Antonio Spurs added 12 points and the Brooklyn Nets’ Luis Scola 18 as the more experienced Argentines proved too much for the sloppy African qualifiers.

Argentina is the only country since 1988 to have won an Olympic basketball gold medal other than the USA. They won in Athens in 2004 on the strength of their “golden generation” of core players including Ginobili, Scola and Andres Nocioni.

But with Ginobili now 39 and the other two 36 years old, time is running out for that decorated cadre to take home another medal.

Cheered on by a boisterous turnout of fans from their nearby homeland, which borders on Brazil, Argentina jumped out to an 11-0 lead.

They never looked back, using tough defence and superior ball movement to set up eight first-half threepointers and take a 50-31 halftime lead.

More of the same followed in the second half, with the Argentines cruising to the final buzzer. They finished with 15 three-pointers.

Nigeria was led by Ikechukwu Diogu’s 15 points and 13 rebounds, and 14 points from Ebi Ere.

Action recorded during Nigeria, Argentina basketball clash at the ongoing Rio Olympics.

Djokovic in tears after Olympic defeat

T

op seed Novak Djokovic was beaten in the first round of the Olympic men’s singles by Juan Martin del Potro.

The Serb, who lost to Del Potro in the bronze-medal play-off at London 2012, was again overpowered by the Argentine, who won 7-6 (7-4) 7-6 (72).

The world number one, 29, was

Djokovic

in tears as he left the court after the match, which lasted two and a half hours.

“This is one of the toughest losses in my career,” said Djokovic, who was trying to win his first Olympic title.

Djokovic became the first man for 47 years to hold all four Grand Slam titles by winning the French Open in June.

Mexico lose Peralta, Pizarro to injury M

exico’s leading striker Oribe Peralta has left the Rio Olympics football event after breaking his nose, with midfielder Rodolfo Pizarro also returning home with a broken leg, the country’s soccer federation confirmed on Monday.

Mexico, the defending champions, are second in Group C of the Olympic tournament after two matches, having drawn 2-2 with Germany and beaten Fiji 5-1.

Their victory on Sunday came at a cost, with Peralta, Mexico’s key man in London four years ago, breaking his nose and Pizarro fracturing his right fibula.

Raul Lopez and Carlos Fierro have been named as their replacements.

“Oribe Peralta has been taken out of the national squad participating in the Games,” the Mexican Football Federation said in a statement.

“After having undergone the proper medical screening and after analysis of the best options, it’s been determined that he will return to Mexico for an operation on the broken nose suffered against Fiji.”

Paddy Barnes (left) was beaten by Samuel Carmona at the Rio Olympics on Monday.

Ireland boxer Barnes in shock defeat I

reland light-flyweight boxer Paddy Barnes blamed weight problems as he exited the Olympic Games with a shock defeat by Spain’s Samuel Carmona Barnes, 29, was level with his 20-year-old opponent after two rounds but Carmona, ranked 26 in the world, took the verdict in the final three minutes.

Belfast man Barnes was hoping to win a third Olympic medal having secured bronze at Beijing and London.

“It was so hard making the weight,” said Barnes after his defeat.

“I just made the weight this morning. About six weeks ago, I was 58 kilos and now I’m down to 49.

Halfway through the first round, I felt so tired.

“This weight category is not for me. I need to move up,” added Barnes, Ireland’s flag bearer at Friday’s

opening ceremony.

“The fight could have gone either way but I’m actually glad he got it because there is no way I could have had the energy to fight another fight at this weight.”

The Chinese judge gave the verdict to Barnes 29-28, but the Canadian and Uzbek judges scored it 29-28 to his opponent.

The surprise defeat of their captain is a further blow for the Irish boxing team after another member of the team failed a drugs test.

Barnes said he was “devastated” by Monday’s loss after going into the event as one of the favourites to win gold.

Barnes has hinted he intends to turn professional after the Games and acknowledged his Olympic career is now almost certainly over.

News 20

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Aregbesola laments FAAC’s ‘paltry’ N207b share for May d ƗƈƎ ƗƆƊƑ ƋƆ Osogbo

ÏÏÏ

The governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has lamented that the falling economy inherited by the President Muhammad Buhari was affecting governance at all levels.

Governor Aregbesola made this known while inaugurating the sevenman Governing Council of the Osun State University in his office, Govern-

ment Secretariat, Abere, Oshogbo.

Acknowledging some of the challenges facing the country in the areas of food, shelter, healthcare, clothing, transportation, governance and administration, technology and so on, Aregbesola said the university should be in a position of leadership in unravelling mysteries, dispensing myths, charting new paths and solving problems.

He said, “It is a financial

tsunami that swept away the finances of the country. Up till the middle of 2013, the distributable pool of the Federation Account topped N1 trillion, rising to N1.2 trillion occasionally. Towards the end of 2013, arising from an alleged oil theft and dwindling oil prices, the pool began to shrink.

“The nation’s economy got so bad that the total amount in the Federation Account pool for April this year, which was

Ongoing palliative work by the Julius Berger men at inward Lagos-Ibadan Expressway… on Monday.

shared in May, was a paltry N207 billion. The adverse effect has affected governments at all levels as the most prominent of which is the inability of many states to pay salaries and forcing many to reduce expenditure in all sectors.”

Aregbesola, however, reaffirmed his administration’s determination towards the continuous provision of quality, quantity and functional education at all levels.

BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI.

In new video, Shekau threatens to attack Abuja, others ÏÏÏ Factional

leader of Boko Haram sect, Abubakar Shekau, resurfaced in a new video released on Monday, threatened to carry out the “mother of all attacks” on Abuja, President Muhammadu Buhari and the entire world.

Speaking in Hausa and Arabic, Shekau said he has no intention of waging war against Muslims, and expressed loyalty to Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of Boko Haram affiliate, ISIS. He insisted that he would never recognise Abu Musab Al-Barnawi, as leader of Boko

Haram.

Al-Barnawi’s appointment was made known by the latest issue of an ISIS-owned magazine, but Shekau vehemently rejected the development, saying ISIS deceived him because he opposed their principles.

In the new video, Shekau said the Al-Barnawi group is only seeking to “create division” among Boko Haram sect.

He said: “I, Abubakar Ash-Shakawy (Shekau), the leader of Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati Wal Jihad, made it a duty for myself to fight Nigeria

and the whole world. We have no desire to fight our Muslim brethren. I’m alive by the permission of Allah.

“Let the government of Nigeria and West Africa not celebrate or gloat over the division between us and our brothers….We will shock them with attacks never seen before, in no-distant time.

“They [the Abu Musab group] do nothing but to create division among our people without an iota of contribution to the jihad.

“This is time to fight; it is the time of jihad. We are not killing fellow Muslims.

We are not calling Muslims

He said as parts of his administration’s efforts was to build a world class university that would be universally recognized and aspired.

While describing university education as a “license to greatness”, he stressed that “the current government has been building a university that will be a solution centre and as well providing leadership in ideas by guiding the society on the path to the future and at critical times.

non-believers. We fight and kill those who God has ordered to be fought, those we call non-believers are people so called

by God.” The video marks Shekau’s first appearance since March 2016.

Shekau

Court throws out Dangote’s motion against it in Modulous suit ÎÎÎA Kogi High Court sit-

ting in Lokoja has struck out a motion challenging its jurisdiction in the suit filed by a limited liability company, Modulous Nigeria Limited against Dangote Cement PLC. The trial judge and Chief Judge of the state, Justice Nasir Ajanah in his ruling held that the motion filed by the defendant (Dangote Cement PLC) was incompetent and therefore, struck it out.

Modulous Nigeria Limited and Ayodele Durotifa, the company’s Managing Director, had dragged the cement company to court in suit number HCL/25/2015 PLC over default in payment of agreed contract sum.

The company had in its Motion on Notice said that the defendant contracted it for the construction of a block of two classrooms and an Administrative Block at the UBE Junior Secondary School, Obajana in the sum of N8, 276, 109. 00.

The claimant averred that it took a loan and completed the first phase of the project in February 2014 after which it submitted for verification and payment of the monthly progress bill for the work certified satisfactory and valued at N2.18 million.

Edo is safe, Govt replies US Consulate jƈƐƑ Ɗ ƈ ƄƆ Benin

ÏÏÏ

Following the news report by the United States consulate asking its citizens to stay away from about 21 states in Nigeria including Edo State, the state government has described the travel ban placed by the US Consulate on her citizens as an error of judgment.

In a press statement made available to Daily Times in Benin, the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Prince Kassim Afegbai noted that barely a week ago, the Edo state Governor received a delegation of the United States Consulate led by the Consul-General, John Bray and Michael Harvey, Mission Director of the United States Agency for International Develop-

ment [USAID] on the 26th July in Benin City when the delegation visited the Azura Power Plant to ascertain the level of progress of this $1b investment in the power sector.

According to the Commissioner,“the delegation did not only have a hitch-free, two days fact finding visit to the power plant, they had opportunity to interact with other stakeholders particularly those who are contesting the September 10th Edo state Gubernatorial election.

“The delegation returned to Lagos without any security threat. Placing a travel ban on their citizens who are willing to visit; and or do business in Edo state following our huge investment in economic infrastructure.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

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OKULAJA GABRIEL REMILEKUN

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SIGNED...ALABA S. O. & ASSOCIATES 08034910106

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21

OKEOWO SAMSON OLABODE

Public Notice OYALOWO WAKEELAT WEMIMO

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

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CONFIRMATION OF NAME

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PETER EMMANUEL ETIM

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I, formerly known and addressed as, ATARA JOHN WILLIE, now wish to be known and addressed as, PETER EMMANUEL ETIM. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

MR SYLVESTER CHIKWENDU EBEJUO I formerly known and addressed as MR. SYLVESTER CHIKWENDU EBEJUWEH now wish to be known and addressed MR SYLVESTER CHIKWENDU EBEJUO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

MR. STEPHEN EBEJUO I formerly known and addressed as MR. STEPHEN EBEJUWEH now wish to be known and addressed as MR. STEPHEN EBEJUO. All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

SMILES OF LOVE INTERNATIONAL FOUNDATION

GREAT MUSTARD SEEDS COVENANT FOUNDATION

This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act N0. 1 of 1990.

The general public is hereby inform that the above named Organization has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, Degree No. 1 of 1990.

Trustees Are:.

1. Echereodo Peter Chigozie - founder president 2. Onyeiwu Francis - vice president 3. Maha Agatha - Administrative secretary 4. Ekezie Ngozi - Treasurer 5. ILozulike Chibuzo - P.R.O .

Aims and Objectives:.

1. To create an environment where everybody will have an access or a reason to smile.

2. To give meaning to the lives of the poor and society rejected people.

3. To evangelize the gospel of Jesus Christ through charity.

4. To give hope to the hopeless and a future to the down trodden.

5. To create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and skill development.

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

Signed by legal services Henry Nwosu.

Trustees Are. 1. Ifeanyichukwu Philip Chukwudi. 2.Muonuagolu Ifeoma Priscilla.

3. Obijaka Prisca Kelechi.

Aim and Objective: .

Its to help the masses, Have an orphanage home or motherless and help the needy.

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

Signed Secretary

SUNSHINE ABLE MEN’S CLUB NIGERIA

LOSS OF DOCUMENT

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

This is to notify Land Registry, Lands Bureau,Alausa,Ikeja, Lagos State of Nigeria and the General Public that the Original Deed of Indenture registered as No.36 on page 36 in Volume 562 in respect of No.16, Johnson street, Onike, Yaba, Lagos state belonging to OSENATU ABIMBOLA (deceased) is lost and the Administrators of her estate are unable after due diligent searches to locate it among the property of the late Osenatu Abimbola or anywhere else.

THE NAMES OF TRUSTEES ARE:1. LEONARD EMUKA (CHAIRMAN) 2. DALINGTON CHUKWUEMEKA OKAFOR (SECRETARY) 3. EGWUATU IZUCHUKWU NNAMDI 4. OFOMA EMMANUEL CHIKE 5. GARUBA LUKUMAN BOLAJI THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE IS:TO PROMOTE THE UNITY OF THE COMMUNITIES Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abujawithin 28 days from the date of this publication SIGNED BY SECRETARY

HRH EZE CYRIL NDUKA MEMORIAL FOUNDATION

This public Notice is for record purposes.

Tunde Montana and Funmilayo Olaleye.

C/O S.O. Agiode & Co., (solicitors and Advocates), 400, Herbert Macaulay Way, Yaba-Lagos.

THE ARK OF NOAH CITY OF TRUTH CHURCH

Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above-named organization has applied to the Registrar: Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

Notice is hereby given to the general public that the above named church has Applied for registration under Companies and Allied Matters Act 1 of 1990 part “C”

The Trustees Are: (1). Chief Tony Nduka - Chairman (2). Prince Joe Nduka - Vice Chairman (3). Rev Sr. Ifeoma Nduka - Secretary General (4) Dr. Mrs. Christy Onwuka - Assistant Secretary (5) Rev Sr. Dr. Stella Onwubiko - Financial Secretary (6) Chief Sir Paul Ntamere - Treasurer .

(7) Rev. Fr. Raymond Odumuko - PRO. (8) HRH Eze Greg C. Nduka - Member (9) Chief Nnamdi Anozie - Member.

(10) Dr. Jude Nwokenkwo - member.

(11) Chief Innocent Opara - Member.

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE; 1. To help the less privileged with some free medical treatments, free medical observations and free supply of some medicals 2. To provide free medical treatment in its Area of focus 3. To provide free medical and free clinical facilities as eyeglass etc.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.Prophet Agboola Noah Adeleke Chairman 2.Pastor (Mrs) Agboola Oluwayemisi Arike Vice Chairman 3.Mrs. Okwudili Abosede Juliana Secretary 4.Miss. Osho Omowunmi Ramotu Member 5.Mrs. Areola Ajoke Wuraola Member 6.Mr. Shalokpe Patrick Ighadjere Member

Any objection to this Registration should be addressed to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigri Crescent, off Aguiyi-Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication.

Signed: Barr. Sunday Olabode Head, Searches & Registration Dept. chukwuma-machukwu ume, SAN & co (Firm of Lawyers) B12 AMAC Plaza, Zone 3, Wuse, Box 2848, Abuja

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE a. To preach the Gospel of peace to all nations b. To win souls for Christ. c. To worship the Lord our God in Spirit and in Truth. d. To have branches wherever converts are made, so as to mature them as Disciples of Christ. e. To conduct and perform the church ordinances of Baptism, Holy communion, Marriage, Child Naming, Dedication, Camp Meeting, House Fellowship and Organize crusade using internets and Television for the propagation of Gospel.

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

Signed: Mrs. Okwudili Abosede Juliana Secretary(Bord of Trustees)

News 22

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

NEMSA vows to rid Nigeria of fake, quack electrical contractors Augustine Okezie Abuja

ÎÎÎThe Nigerian Electric-

ity Management Services Agency (NEMSA) has vowed to rid the profession of quacks, fake and unqualified practitioners. Such elements have thus been warned against further practice in any part of the country.

The warning was handed down by Chief Executive Officer of NEMSA, Engr.

Peter Ewesor on Monday, in Abuja at the inauguration of Electrical Installation Contractors Certification

Panel.

The warning was a follow-up to the earlier one handed down by Minister of Power, Works and Housing, Babatunde Raji Fashola, recently.

According to Ewesor, the inauguration of the panel was to ensure that standards are adhered to, stressing that the panel must ensure that no compromise is entertained in the discharge of their assignments.

He further challenged members of the panel to identify lapses in the power sector, insisting that all

places where electricity is in use must have the installation done by experts, absence of which can result in unstable networks and fire incidences.

Engr. Ewesor also enjoined the panelists to comply with design format, and should not engage in improper planning and execution of electrical projects, stressing that the use of sub-standard materials, equipment, lack of adherence to over sight procedure and code of practice, to mention but a few, should not be mark of a qualified and professional electrical

contractor.

The National Certification Programme, by law, has provision for sanctions, as a defaulter is to pay a fine of N500, 000 or 3 months imprisonment or both. This position is contained in the NEMSA’s enabling law.

Certification co- ordination of NEMSA, Engr. Ibrahim Haruna, who spoke after the inauguration assured NEMSA boss that the panel will carry out its assignment in line with strict professionalism expected of them, adding that they will perform without fear or favor.

Kidnapping: Lagos to provide security for traditional rulers Benjamin Omoike

ÎÎÎThe

Lagos State Government says it has concluded arrangements to provide security for traditional rulers and their palaces in the state.

This followed the kidnap of the Oniba of Ibaland, Oba Goriola Oseni by kidnappers last month. The monarch was, however, released after a ransom of N15.1 million was paid to the abductors.

Speaking when he paid a visit on the Oba, on Monday, Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Muslim Folami, said the state government would now extend security to monarchs palaces across the state.

He stated that government did not want a repeat of what happened to the Iba monarch as the security of

Gov. Ambode its traditional rulers was key.

The commissioner added that the state government had provided a lot of equipment for the police for effective performance and that the police were on top of their business to police and secure the state.

Thanking God that the monarch was released un-

ANYAGWA CHIOMA PEACE

IGWE. KACHI SAMUEL

I, Formerly known and addressed as ANYAGINA. CHIOMA now wish to be known and addressed as ANYAGWA CHIOMA PEACE. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

ABORISHADE EDES PRECIOUS I, formerly known and addressed as, OIBOH EDES LINDA, now wish to be known and addressed as, ABORISHADE EDES PRECIOUS. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, CHIKEZIE KACHI WISDOM., now wish to be known and addressed as, IGWE. KACHI SAMUEL. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

JENNIFER ASUQUO MOSES I, formerly known and addressed as, JENNIFER ASUQUO E., now wish to be known and addressed as, JENNIFER ASUQUO MOSES. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

hurt; the commissioner said government was very much concerned all through the period the monarch was kidnapped and was working with the police to ensure his timely release.

He said government was doing much to open up the rural areas by embarking on the onstruction of 114 ru-

MRS. OKECHI OCHEZE SANDRA I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. NWANKPA OCHEZE SANDRA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. OKECHI OCHEZE SANDRA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

AKINNIYI MARIA MODUPEOLA

I, formerly known and addressed as, ADENIYI MARIA MODUPEOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as, AKINNIYI MARIA MODUPEOLA. All former documents remains valid. General public should take note.

ral roads across the councils in the state.

Speaking, Oba Oseni appealed to the government to provide security at the grassroots, saying that the police post in the community for long had not been upgraded.

He said he had never seen such sophisticated weapons used by the kidnappers in abducting him with any police officer.

The monarch lamented that many of the kidnappers were boys of 18 and 19 years apart from the few adult among them.

According to him, when he advised them that they ought to be in school rather than engage in such act, they told him that they did not have such money for school and that what they were interested in was how to make money through bunkering and kidnapping.

ALLWELL OLUAH. KALU I, Formerly known and addressed as OLUAH KALU ORJI now wish to be known and addressed as ALLWELL OLUAH. KALU. All former documents remain valid general public take note.

DIRISU YUNUSA IDRIS

I, formerly known and addressed as, IDRIS YUNUSA, now wish to be known and addressed as, DIRISU YUNUSA IDRIS. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Ewesor

Lawyer launches book on Northern crisis Mathew Dadiya,

lawyer, Edify Yakusak, who was touched by the incessant killings in the north has launched a book titled “After They Left” in response to the activities of terrorists and herdsmen killings in part of the north.

The book was launched on Sunday in Abuja at the glamorous conference hall of the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission.

The book narrates the life of a young woman, Mafeng and her two young children, Kim and Jugu, as they barely survive a mob inspired massacre. Separated from their mother, the children are forced to wander the jungles and hilly back roads of Plateau State, while their mother is kept locked up in the hospital. The children also come in contact with an international trafficking organization on their journey

to safety…

According to Yakusak, her life has been shaped up by the unfolding event in the country, but mostly influenced by her parent especially her father including her grandmother, with whom she has gained encouragement to bring the book to completion. After They Left is a journey filled with suspense, twists and turns, and uncertainty at the turn of every page.

The debutante author, Edify Yakusak, told the gathering at the launching that she witnessed the killings while in Jos which also aroused her intuition to document the horrendous story of loss and sadness, but also of hope and belief. She believes that her book could provoke government action to finding a lasting solution in curtailing future occurrence of such and similar sad events not only in the north but the country at large.

CHIOMA ORJI AKI

IKANI IDRIS AMODU

I, formerly known and addressed as, CHIOMA. OLUGU IROHA, now wish to be known and addressed as, CHIOMA ORJI AKI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, IKANI DRISU DELE, now wish to be known and addressed as, IKANI IDRIS AMODU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

EMMANUEL DANIEL. ASHAKA

PIUS EVELYN

Abuja

ÎÎÎA

I formerly known and addressed as EMMANUEL THOMAS ASHAKA, now want to be known and address as EMMANUEL DANIEL. ASHAKA. All former documents remain valid, general public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, OKOH EVELYN, now wish to be known and addressed as, PIUS. EVELYN. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

23 News

Buhari tasks heads of education agencies on service delivery Pita Chikwem, Minna

ÎÎÎPresident

Muhammadu Buhari has tasked heads of the 17 education agencies recently appointed by the federal government on better service delivery in order to improve the standard of education in the country.

Buhari’s charge was contained in the brief to the appointees before their nominations were announced last

week by the Minister of Education Alhaji Adamu Adamu.

This was made known in Minna the Niger state capital on Monday when the Registrar and Chief Executive Officer of the National Examination Council NECO Professor Charles Uwakwe took over the management of the examination body in the Niger state capital.

The President challenged all the stakeholders in the education sector put in their best to transform the sector as part

of the change agenda of his administration.

Uwakwe stated the President’s admonition while taking over from Professor Garba Abdulrasheed at the NECO headquarters.

The new helmsman at NECO stated that he would “work with the mandate given me and will ensure that I improve on the standard already laid by previous chief executive officers of this organization” he said.

“I am proud of the caliber

of staff in this organization I believe with the cooperation of all we will take NECO to the promised land”.

Uwakwe praised the former Registrar of the organization Abdulrasheed, saying that within the short period he was in charge, NECO’s image in the society improved tremendously and promised to continue to follow the template of activities left behind by the former registrar.

He assured management and staff that the new leader-

ship will carry them along but solicited for their support and cooperation while also warning that indolence and indiscipline will not be tolerated.

Handing over the leadership of the examination body to new registrar the former registrar itemized the giant strides taken by NECO over the years which he said included prompt release of examination results, reduction in examination malpractices and good relationship with the host community.

Buhari

Customer threatens bank with legal action over illegal deduction Tom Garba, Yola

ÎÎÎA customer of

a first generation bank, First Bank of Nigeria Plc, Yola main branch, has threatened to sue the bank except it reverses the alleged illegal deductions from his account. The client is also asking a compensation of N500, 000.

The customer, Muhammad Auwal Adam, represented by his lawyer, Barrister Sunday Wugira, has given the bank 30 days or else they would meet in court to sort out their differences.

Wugira, in letter to the bank management and made available to newsmen in Yola on Monday demanded for reversion of the said alleged illegal deducted funds within

thirty days.

“Notice is hereby given that you are to reverse the unlawful amount deducted from our Client’s account for two months of June and July, 2016.

“Forthwith tender apology for this unlawful act in writing to our client, pay damages for the hardship he underwent and is still undergoing as a result of your unlawful deduction to the tune of five Hundred Thousand Naira (N500, 000) or we shall proceed against you in a Court of Law for redress without further recourse to you.” Wugira warned.

He said that, his client, Muhammad Auwal Adam, a civil service, obtained a loan from the Bank in 2013 to be payable in thirty six (36) months.

Kwara NDLEA arrests 74 suspects with 391.26 kg drugs

Kehinde Akinpelu, Ilorin

ÎÎÎThe

National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Kwara state command has arrested a total of 74 suspects with 391.26 kilogramme of hard drugs between January and July 2016.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Monday, the state commander of the agency, Mr. Apeh Reuben, said that 62 of the suspects were males, while 12 were females.

The NDLEA boss, who revealed that 14 people had been convicted by the state high court, Ilorin on offences involving possession

and smoking of hard drugs, added that their sentences ranged from 12 months to eight years imprisonment.

He also said that five suspected drug users were arrested in an uncompleted building around Baboko area of Ilorin metropolis on Thursday, August 4, 2016, “with functionally sophisticated locally made pistols ready for operation.

“The drug situation in the state has turned to different dimension because they are very expensive. The addicts no longer afford the drug at their reach as usual. Therefore, they engage in pilfering and armed robbery in order to meet up with the cost of maintaining their habit.

Scene of an accident at Abuja-Kaduna Highway on the Zuba interchange… on Monday.

NBA chief urges wealthy Nigerians to assist less privileged Titilope Joseph

ÎÎÎVice President of

Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani, has urged wealthy Nigerians to extend helping hand to the less privileged in the society.

Ubani made this call during the launch of his foundation, Onyekachi Ubani Foundation in Lagos.

According to Ubani, miscreants will continue to increase in the society if those who are well- to -do, fail to assist the poor and less privileged.

“The consequences of not being our Brother’s Keeper is what bred Boko

Haram; it is currently breeding other societal miscreants all over the place. God knows what else, what next, where else, when next the next terror will hit us. The danger is growing within; it is drawing nearer and nearer to our door steps, just as the storm gathers. ”The Good news is that we can avert the next crisis, contain and correct the current crisis today. All we need to do is to extend a hand of help with a heart of love, however little, to that next door neighbor, or stranger seeking your assistance,” he said.

Ubani also noted that he has been committed to helping the poor in the

society on daily basis but that there is a limit to how many people he can help with his limited resources.

“There is a limit to how many Nigerians a Good Samaritan with limited resources can help, but I am convinced that if I get your support in your capacity as an empowered Nigerian, together we can create a system that will lift majority of Nigerians, young and old, out of poverty and hunger. It takes just a little more creative thinking and brainstorming to build that enabling structure outside of the box.

“This is the reason, I have come out to appeal for your support on the

platform of the Onyekachi Ubani Foundation to help save millions of Nigerians out of the indignity of want, lack, hunger and deprivation,” he said.

Ubani stated that his Foundation has laid out plans and projects contained in its founding document which includes; Youth Literacy Initiative, Youth Creativity and Media Forum, Men of Standard and Women of Substance.

In a keynote address, the General Overseer of the Latter Rain Assembly, Pastor Tunde Bakare, said that the Nigerian society promotes corruption through a warped expectation and demand culture.

News 24 2016 Hajj airlift kicks off in Sokoto Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

ÏÏÏThe

airlift of Muslim pilgrims commenced with the inaugural flight to Saudi Arabia from the Sultan Abubakar III airport, Sokoto.

According to Adamu Wakil, a director in the Ministry of Transport and Chairman of the Aviation monitoring committee, about 80, 000 pilgrims will be airlifted in the next five weeks through flight operations in 17 airports across the country.

Wakil said safety and security infrastructure is being given priority in all airports to ensure seamless passenger facilitation in the exercise.

Earlier, Directors from FAAN, Engr. Olufemi Ogunode and Capt. Henry Omeogu led various technical teams to supervise preparations for the exercise.

The inaugural flight was preceded by an airport ceremony attended by the Governor Aminu Tambuwal of Sokoto State, Governor Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari, the Sultan of Sokoto, His Eminence, Alh Saad Abubakar III and other dignitaries who gave goodwill messages.

Pilgrims from Sokoto and Zamfara states were amongst those that were airlifted on the inaugural flight amidst light showers.

In his welcome remarks, the chairman of National Hajj Commission, Bar. Abdullahi Muktar Mohammed, urged pilgrims to be good ambassadors of the country and shun acts that will bring dishonor to their faith and country.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Arson: Edo community gets N10m cash, relief materials

ÏÏÏThe Edo State Govern-

ment has presented a cash donation of N10 million and other relief materials worth millions of naira to the people of Bekuma in Akoko-Edo Local Government Area of the state as compensation to them over the attack by some

Airtel

that anyone who ever again resorts to arson and killings in the name of reprisals will be prosecuted and sent to prison if convicted.

Said he: “if we quarrel, we must not allow it to degenerate to madness as to begin to burn property, burn houses, destroy assets, or even kill

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ogunsanya (left), presenting a pack to the winner, The Voice Nigeria Season 1, Agharese Emokpae a.k.a A’rese during Emokpae’s courtesy visit to Airtel headquarters in Lagos… recently.

Erosion threatens N8b OKOPOLY structures

Nkiru Nwagbo Awka

ÏÏÏGully erosion measur-

Tambuwal

youths from a neighbouring community on March 30.

Presenting the cash and 150 bundles of roofing sheets to the traditional ruler of the community, Oba Moses Alabi at the palace of the Otaru of Igarra, Oba Emmanuel Adeche Saiki II, on Sunday, Governor Oshiomhole said

ing over 10 metres at the extension site of the Federal Polytechnic Oko is now threatening about N8 billion worth of structures in the area.

The public Relations Officer (PRO) of the polytechnic Mr. Obini Onuchukwu said in a press statement on Friday that the erosion is an extension of the popular Agulu/Nanka erosion site that had threatened the area.

Onuchukwu noted that

the whole run off from the school and some parts of surrounding communities like Amaokpala is emptying into the gully which had taken over a hectare.

He said it had become imperative for Federal, State Governments, cooperate bodies and well to do individuals to interven in order to save the structures from eminent collapse.

The image maker further noted that the extension site is where the Institution has the concentration of its buildings especially the virtual Library which is

the biggest in the Southeast zone of the country, worth billions of Naira.

Other structures located at the extension site under threat according to the onuchukwu included 1,500 capacity lecture theatre, Engineering Building, Science Laboratory Technology Building.

Entrepreneurship Development Centre, Skills Acquisition Centre, 1,500 capacity lecture Theatre, Dr Alex Ekwueme Resource Centre, Chinese language and Cultural Centre, Continuing Education Programme Building.

people; which is absolutely unacceptable. We must work together that is, the traditional institution, the local government and the state government, to identify criminals. It doesn’t matter what interest they pretend to canvass, arson is a serious crime.

“Destruction of property is a very serious crime. Killing is a very serious crime. It is a capital offence in our legal system. I want to make it very clear: if anyone further resorts to acts of destruction, of killing, of arson, Edo State Government will prosecute immediately, and if we secure a conviction, we will send the person to prison. People like that belong in prison. Nothing justifies those levels of violence as to render anybody homeless.”

He commended the royal fathers in Akoko Edo Local Government for fostering unity among the people, saying “let me begin by appreciating your royal fathers, your royal highnesses for working together as royal fathers in Akoko Edo Local government because by working together, meeting together, having conversation on matters affecting the people, and various communities in Akoko Edo local government, you are leading the people by example.”

He continued, “the important thing, therefore, is irrespective of our locations,

irrespective of our dialects, we belong to one race: the human race. And in this local government, you belong to just one local government, Akoko Edo local government, regardless of your dialect or language. We are bound to live together as one people because we are one people. We are bound to make friends across all divides. We are brothers; we are sisters.”

Oshiomhole further admonished that “when we see some of our brothers misbehaving, doing things that bring hardship to other people, we shouldn’t visit the sin of one on every other person. I want to appeal to you, the Chief of Bekuma and the people of Bekuma to accept what has happened as God’s will, and be consoled by the fact there is no one that I know that has not condemned it in heart, beyond words of mouth, the unfortunate incident that threw your community into untold hardship. It cannot be justified. No one has the right to resort to arson. So, I to appeal to you to sustain what you are already doing, preaching to your people to accept the pains with the hope that this will not happen again, and that you derive some relief from the empathy and sympathy that has been shown by all the royal fathers in Akoko Edo and beyond.

Police foil mob attack on kidnapper in Iwo Sodiq Adekunle Osogbo

ÏÏÏThere

was tension in Iwo on Monday over attempt by an angry mob to set ablaze an alleged kidnapper to ashes.

It was gathered that residents of the area had apprehended an alleged kidnapper and attempted to burn him when they were stopped.

According an eyewitness, after the angry residents were stopped from burning the kidnapper, they all marched to the palace of their traditional ruler to protest.

Some of the residents told our correspondent that they wanted to burn the kidnapper to serve as deterrent for others perpetuating the criminal act.

One of them, who identified himself as Sola, said, “We have been experiencing cases of kidnappingin this area too much. God now caught one for us and they still don’t want us to deal with him.”

Although, details of how the kidnapper was apprehended remained sketchy as at the time of filling the report, a source from the Iwo palace confirmed the incident.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

25 News

16 burnt to death in Kogi auto crash

ÏÏÏ No less than 16 peo-

ple who were reportedly burnt to death at the weekend in a road crash on Lokoja-Gegu-Abuja highway have been given a mass burial.

The Kogi State Sector Commander of the FRSC, Mr. Ogochukwu Ugboma, who disclosed this known to newsmen yesterday in

Lokoja said that the victims were burnt beyond recognition, a development that necessitated the mass burial.

He explained that the gender and the identity of the victims could not be ascertained as a result of the severity of burn they sustained.

The FRSC boss stated

the victims were buried in a mass grave at Alewu village on the highway, saying that the police and environmental officials from the Kogi Local Government participated in the burial.

He added that 17 persons were involved in the accident which occurred in the night of August 5 at Alewu village.

He said that all the occupants of the two vehicles involved died in the accident except only one man who sustained minor injury.

Ugboma said that the injured victim was later treated at Ideal Hospital, Koton Karfe and has since been discharged.

The Sector Commander said that the two vehicles

involved included a Lagos -Kano bound Toyota Hiace passenger bus with registration number Yobe 11A 10 YB and a private Nissan Xtera Jeep with registration number Lagos CV 516 LSD heading to Benin from Abuja.

He blamed the drivers of the two vehicles for the accident, stating that the

two of them left their lanes which resulted in a head on collision.

He attributed the daily traffic log jam on River Niger bridge between Lokoja and Koton Karfe,stressing that it was due to stop and search being carried out by the military Joint Task Force, urging commuters to bear with them.

Motorcycle operators’ protest, disrupt activities in Agbor Nosa Ogiugo Asaba

ÏÏÏ Protests by members

of the Motorcycles Association, popularly called Okada riders, in Agbor, on Monday, paralyzed business and commercial activities over recent measures being adopted by the local government to bring sanity to traffic situations.

The chairman of the Motorcycles Riders Association Ika South Local Government Area who spoke through their spokesperson, Comrade Victor Iweka, while leading other members to the council secretariat to protests what they called multiple levies said his members are going through difficult times and therefore want the council to rescind its position on fees for those that contravene traffic laws.

His words: “We members of the Motorcycles Association, will resist all forms of illegal levies’ imposition on us, many of us are graduates because of lack of jobs will jump into okada business, the council officials cannot milk us dry”.

His members, he said are being harassed, a development he contented had impacted negatively on their business, saying that their daily operations and income are being threatened.

Comrade Iweka said there is the need for the council to relax most of the conditions recently imposed and help their members remain afloat in their businesses.

Shops locked up due to fear of militants’ attack at Ebute Road, Ibafo, Ogun State… on Monday.

Photo: BOLAJI OLASUNKANMI.

MASSOB, IPOB in war of words over Biafra agitation Nkiru Orji Awka

ÏÏÏ The Movement for the

Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and Indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) have engaged in war of words, over allegation credited to the later against the former.

It would be recalled that recently, IPOB’s spokesmen, Emma Nmezu and Clifford Iwanya, had alleged that MASSOB de-

railed and betrayed Biafra’s struggle.

According to them, Nnamdi Kanu, leader of IPOB, as a patriotic Biafran freedom fighter, could not have sabotage Biafra like Chief Raph Uwazuruike.

Furthermore, IPOB alleged that they were not MASSOB that chickened out, or betrayed Biafra struggle when it mattered most.

But in a swift reaction yesterday through a state-

ment signed by its National Director of Information, Comrade Samuel Edeson, made available to reporters in Awka, MASSOB said the image of the group had been blackmailed by IPOB. According to the group, “MASSOB understands that IPOB, while making their statement is referring to Ralph Uwazuruike’s betrayal and sabotage on Biafra while upholding Nnamdi Kanu but not MASSOB as an

organization”.

“Uwazuruike’s deviation from Biafra struggle is the primary reason MASSOB expelled and chased him out of MASSOB headquarters Okwe since 2014” “MASSOB now under the leadership of Comrade Uchenna Madu continues with Biafrans struggle untainted, unblemished and unstained, highly energized with Biafra spirit of consistency and selfdetermination.”

“Uwazuruike, after his expulsion from MASSOB formed another group called Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), we advise that IPOB should attach or associate BIM with Uwazuruike not MASSOB.” “We shall continue unrelentingly in pursuit of Biafra actualization and restoration through nonviolence and also shall continue to partner with other Biafran groups dedicated and committed to Biafra”

Kwara Speaker seeks more lawyers’ participation in politics Kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

ÏÏÏ The Speaker of Kwara

State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad has said that Nigeria legislature is suffering due to the nation’s hostile system which discourage lawyers’

participation and involvement in politics.

The Speaker who bore his mind on the issue while fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin recently ‎according to his Media Aide, Shuaib Abdulkadir insisted that lawyers have a lot to contribute to make the country’s

legislature stable and work perfectly.

He lamented that even though both Nigeria and US were operating same system which is prescriptive and less of common law, Nigeria could not get it right due to the fact that majority of those at the National Assembly do not

have what it is required to be entrusted with such position.

The Speaker said further that another reason deduced for less involvement of lawyers in the nation’s politics is the fact that Nigerian politics has been tagged “dirty” as well as the issue of godfatherism. Abdulfattah

26

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Law Æ s Fred Agbaje, Lagos-based constitutional lawyer and activist in this interview with PETER FOWOYO, speaks on President Muhammadu Buhari’s assessment of the judiciary, the budget paddling by the legislature and the on-going trial of the Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy and sundry other issues.

FRED AGBAJE

Lagos-based constitutional lawyer and activist

Those involved in budget padding should go to jail-Agbaje Recently, the President accused the judiciary of not performing its duties and specifically accused the third arm of government of being clog in the fight against corruption. What is your opinion?

I don’t align myself with that assessment. It is not because I am a member of the judiciary.

I found it funny when the fish comes out of the water and say the crocodile is black. Are they both not from the same water?

Before Buhari throw any stones at the judiciary, there are certain templates that will be in place and the first is the financial autonomy of the judiciary and given it as at when due. In a situation where the Chief Judges

of various states go cap in hand to the state executives and beg for money to be given to the judiciary, what do you expect? A judiciary that behaves that way is losing its integrity otherwise why should it be until Olisa Agbakoba (SAN) went to court to assert the right of the judiciary that we can now begin to talk.

If the Federal Government and state governments have been doing their duties by giving to the judiciary what belongs to them, then Agbakoba wouldn’t have gone to court.

Judicial officers in some states are still threatening to go on strike because they are being owed. So for President Buhari to now throw stones at the judiciary is uncalled for. If

the executive headed by Buhari want judiciary to perform, he knows what to do. If he wants them to fail, he knows what to do also.

When Bola Tinubu was the Governor of Lagos State and Yemi Osinbajo, the Attorney -General, they supported the judiciary and Lagos became the envy of other states. The state introduced new rules which courts applied now and has helped in decongestion of courts and accelerated justice dispensation. Today, Osinbajo is the Vice- President and I hope he will do the same thing there.

Buhari could cry that the third arm of government is lagging behind but he should not forget his own executives contributed

to it. If he wants the judiciary to succeed, Buhari has the yam and the knife.

But the judiciary is also not clean?

I am not saying the judiciary is 100 per cent holistically clean.

There are cases where National Judicial Council (NJC) had come in to weed out some judges.

Judiciary also needs to purge itself. We don’t need to wait for the executive before we internally cleanse ourselves. There are internal control measures in judiciary. If internal purging in the judiciary is still going on, the President should not add more to it by calling us names.

If anyone has a case against any judge, such a person can

write to the NJC and they will investigate but it is not fair for the President to make blanket statement of condemnation. The Nigerian judiciary is one of the best in the world. They quote us in Britain and refer to our cases but when our own President begins to pull us down, it is not fair.

There have been some conflicting judgments given by courts. A case study is the current Abia governorship tussle. Don’t you think the judiciary is also heating up the polity?

It is the polity that is heating up the judiciary. It is the CONTINUED ON PAGE 27

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

27 Law

Those involved in budget padding should go to jail-Agbaje but a Senator only supervises a senatorial district. Look at President Barack Obama, his whole hair has turned white.

One can accept life pension for the President because of the nature of his job. Is it that type of men you will expect to just sit at home after their tenure without making provisions for them? The amount senators and House of Representative’ members take home on daily basis is enough pensions for them which is why the kind of revelation oozing out of the House of Reps recently about budget padding is incredible and I urge the President not to look back in prosecuting them. They should jail all those involved and these are the same people clamouring for pension for life.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 26

politicians that are causing problems. Is it the judges that brought the cases to their courts? Is it not the politicians that brought those cases? I will advise courts should distance themselves from political cases and let the tribunal handles them. But the way our Nigeria law is made create problems.

What is happening in Abia State is a test for the strength of judiciary. Judiciary will come out of it; it is the politicians that want to splash dirty water on everybody’s faces. If we as judicial members allow them to succeed; at the end, the same politicians will be laughing at us and throw stones at us.

There have been cases of conflicting judgments in the past before the Abia issue came up but by the time the Court of Appeal in one of the divisions decided on one of those cases, everybody will calm down until a further appeal is made at the Supreme Court. If there are no conflicting judgments, it means there is no improvement in the system. The doctrine of distinction in law distinguishes lawyers.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has been accused of bias in the fight against corruption.

The commission even arrests without getting court order and detain before conducting investigations. Is this not a threat to our democracy?

The EFCC and ICPC are all creation of the law. They cannot be greater than the law that created them which is the judiciary. The judiciary is expected to interpret the law.

If the EFCC loses a case and transgress the law, the winner can go to court and sue for contempt. I am aware that in most cases, the EFCC goes to appeal immediately but I believe they have to obey the law first.

They must not see themselves as above the law. Those who want to invest here will only do it in an atmosphere of certainty and rule of law.

However, if we continue accusing EFCC of bias, it is the same allegation we had during Obasanjo tenure when Nuhu Ribadu was EFCC chairman.

Before I can agree that EFCC is partial, they must have started arresting innocent people. How

Fred Agbaje many people has EFCC arrested today that are not connected to the Dasuki money one way or another? They didn’t go after innocent people. They must have investigated before arresting.

The day they will begin to pick bank directors that helped in siphoning Dasuki money; I will be the happiest person on earth.

All the money went through the banks and the directors knew they were illegal. Anybody EFCC picked is connected to it. If we look at it with a decent mind, we will not make blanket statement condemning EFCC. Can you imagine the amount Iyiola Omisore has ‘vomited ‘out and the same Omisore had earlier denied any involvement in it.

Talking about Saraki and Ekweremadu life pension issue, do you think it’s legal?

There is nowhere it is provided for in the constitution. Why the constitution is silent is that so many members of the National Assembly have at times had one political job or another before they came to the House. In other words, some of them are already on pensions like Saraki who is still collecting pension from Kwara State and David Mark who is collecting pension as

If we continue accusing EFCC of bias, it is the same allegation we had during Obasanjo tenure when Nuhu Ribadu was EFCC chairman. Before I can agree that EFCC is partial, they must have started arresting innocent people.

How many people has EFCC arrested today that are not connected to the Dasuki money one way or another?

retired army officer. So when you are talking about pension for life, is the job of National Assembly for life?

I found it funny. In any case, does the political economy of Nigeria today support such a reckless and mind bogglingexercise. The answer is no.

Millions of Nigerians is out of the university looking for jobs. I know how many CVs I get in my office on daily basis as if my office is an extension of government’s Ministry. So how can somebody talk of life pension when the money can be used to diversify the economy and create jobs? My position is that no to that life pension, the economy cannot support it.

You just mentioned that legislative job is not life time; however the job of the President is also not life time but the President collects pension after leaving office?

You cannot compare the two positions. For somebody to have become President, even if it’s one term you know what it means. If your argument is correct, then it means a councilor can come up one day and says he also wants life pension. As far as I am concerned, the President has the whole country to look after

The Senate President and deputy are now facing trials and many people have read political undertone into it, what do you think?

When something concerns Nigerians directly, they will begin to find excuses. Then whole thing started with criminal manipulation of the minutes of the Senate and some senate members said the minutes did not emanate from them. If Senate at that level condescends, what moral ground do they have to regulate law and order? When you ask criminals to make law, they make laws to suit themselves and those were the people that want life pension. That is why the way we go about immunity has become another name.

Immunity is now impunity and I am happy the Supreme Court has taken a stand that governors and political office holders can be investigated while in office and prosecuted after leaving office which is why the likes of Governor Ayo Fayose is now making noise. Nigeria law is developing otherwise we would never have known what is going on.

You are a vocal and blunt figure, could this be the reason you are not yet a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN)?

It’s quite unlikely. I don’t know why they are denying me but I won’t keep quiet. There is nobody in the committee who does not know me but they will continue to see my names applying for it

by God grace soon.

28

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Tech Times Æ s

NITDA, NCC to collaborate on effective, efficient service delivery 30

Internet users on Nigeria’s networks reduced to 92m in June – NCC

g

Delta to establish Innovation Development Fund- Okowa Stories by Tony Nwakaegho

g 31

Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has said that internet users on Nigeria’s telecommunications networks have reduced to 92,281,921, as at June 2016.

The commission disclosed this in its monthly Internet subscriber data, while a breakdown of the data indicated that the internet users on both the Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) and the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA)

networks reduced by 81,415. It further said that 92,363,336 subscribers surfed the internet in May, but that only 92,281,921 did in June.

The data showed that out of the 92,281,921 internet users in June, 92,181,178 were on the GSM networks, while 100,743 users were on the CDMA. Of the 92,181,178 internet users on the GSM networks in the month under review, the document showed that MTN Nigeria had 32,974,177 customers browsing on its network.

It stated that MTN suffered a decrease

of 134,609 internet subscribers in June, after it recorded 33,108,786 users in the month of May. According to the report, Globacom had 26,628,065 customers surfing the net in June, showing an increase of 272,674 from its May’s record of 26,355,391.

It also said that Airtel Nigeria network recorded a rise of users with 17,325,423 internet users in the month of June, as against 17,280,089 customers in May. The records, therefore, showed that Airtel Nigeria network users increased by 45,334 in the month of June.

The data also showed that Etisalat had 15,253,513 internet users in June, as against the 15,508,024 in May, recording a decrease of 254,511 users in the month under review.

It also revealed that the CDMA operators (Multi-Links and Visafone), had a joint total of 100,743 internet users on their networks in June. It showed that the only surviving two CDMA networks in the country listed a decrease of 10,303 internet subscribers in the month under review, from the 111,046 users they recorded in May. Visafone had 100,739 customers surfing the internet in June, showing a reduction of 10,303 users from its May record of 111,042.

Multi-Links had four internet users in the month of June, same as in May 2016.

The document harped on the need for more Nigerians to embrace the internet, to speed up the country’s progress towards achieving 30 percent broadband penetration by 2018.

Presidency selects 30 Nigerians to pitch tech ideas at Aso Villa In the quest to boost technology and encourage innovative ideas, the Presidency, through the platform of “Aso Villa Demo Day”,(AVDD) has selected top 30 Nigerians among hundreds that pitched at three different events in Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt in June.

The events it will be recalled was held in Lagos - June 23rd, Abuja- June 25th and PortHarcourt-June 29th, leading to the 30 selected Nigerians that will be hosted at the Presidency, Aso Rock, on a date to be announced soon to pitch their winning ideas.

Participating Nigerians during the pitch events presented ideas and solutions for Technology, Agriculture, Communications, Power, Fashion and Entertainment

which revealed talents, skills and critical thinking.

Each applicant was assessed in the selection process by a minimum of four judges, while some of the criteria used in assessing were: Can this idea make money? Has a revenue model been defined and is it realistic? What is the value proposition to customers? Is there a functional product?

Does it deliver a compelling and captivating user experience?

How resource- intensive is the idea? Is this idea scalable?

The first thirty were picked from the average total of the scores. Some of the winners and their ideas include: “One Medical created by OladimejiSofowora, Wole Ralph and LaoluOjeniyi. It is a connected health records platform with a patient

and doctor database and Emmanuel Okena’sTracology, a patent smart payment app for waste management. It is an application that will track and fine defaulters as bar codes will be scanned to confirm who has paid dues, levies and rates.

Also selected were: LouiAuta of Ceders Seeds Foundation whose idea is to build solar panels in strategic locations by disabled people; AbubakarGabar and Ahmed Gobir’s data capturing technology which uses radio frequency to connect; Ife Oladapo’s Grit Systems that produce generators that would reduce power consumption; ToluAdeyanju’s Red Bank idea which will help blood banks manage their records and connect them with donors and hospitals; Desmond Okoye’s

Doctor’s NG, a platform that has been designed in such a way that users will have free access to doctors and also book an appointment from the comfort of their homes; Peter Agada’s C4ISR infrastructure that has been designed as a surveillance and communication device for our nation’s military; Angela Adelaja’s Fresh Direct, a platform for Nigerian farmers where they take their products to the larger public and also be trained to use technology to sell their farm produce.

The 30 finalists will receive phone calls and emails shortly from the AVDD team on further instructions, some of which will state the Tech hubs each finalist has been assigned

to for incubation ahead of their presidential level reception in Aso Rock at a date to be announced soon.

Technology industry experts are confident that this is a revolution of significant proportions never witnessed in Nigeria.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

29 Tech Times

Number of mobile subscribers in Africa surpasses half a billion - GSMA Stories by Tony Nwakaegho More than half a billion people across Africa are now subscribed to mobile services as the continent continues to migrate rapidly to mobile broadband networks, according to a new GSMA study.

‘The Mobile Economy: Africa 2016 study was published at the GSMA Mobile 360 Africa event held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, 26th through 28th July.

The report also highlights the increasing contribution of Africa’s mobile industry to the regional economy, including employment and public funding, and mobile’s role a platform for digital and financial inclusion.

“More than half a billion people across Africa are now subscribed to a mobile network, providing them not just with connectivity but a gateway to a range of other essential services in areas such as digital identity, healthcare and financial services.

“The rapid move to mobile broadband networks is also unlocking new opportunities for consumers, businesses and governments, growing an ecosystem that last year added more than $150 billion in value to Africa’s economy,” said Mats Granryd, Director General, GSMA. Network investments and smartphones driving mobile broadband adoption

GRANRYD

Director General, GSMA

The report finds that there were 557 million unique mobile subscribers across Africa at the end of 2015, equivalent to 46 percent of the continent’s population, making Africa the second-largest – but least penetrated – mobile market in the world.

Africa’s three largest markets – Egypt, Nigeria and South Africa – together accounted for around a

third of the total subscriber base.

The number of unique mobile subscribers is forecast to reach 725 million by 2020, accounting for 54 percent of the expected population by this point.

African mobile subscribers are rapidly migrating to mobile broadband networks and services, a result of ongoing network rollouts and the increasing availability of

affordable mobile broadband devices and tariffs. Mobile broadband (3G/4G) accounted for just over a quarter of total connections at the end of 2015, but is expected to account for almost two-thirds by 2020. By mid-2016, there were 72 live 4G networks in 32 countries across Africa, half of which have launched in the last two years. Meanwhile, the number of smartphone connections in Africa is forecast to more than triple over the next five years, rising from 226 million in 2015 to 720 million by 2020.

Mobile’s contribution to African GDP, jobs and public funding to increase-GSMA The use of mobile technologies and services across Africa generated $153 billion in economic value last year, equivalent to 6.7 percent of the region’s GDP, according to GSMA report.

This contribution is expected to increase to $214 billion by 2020 (7.6 percent of expected GDP) as countries in Africa continue to benefit from the improvements in productivity and efficiency brought about by increased takeup of mobile services. Africa’s mobile ecosystem also supported 3.8 million jobs in 2015 and made a $17 billion contribution to the public sector through general taxation. The number of jobs supported is forecast to rise to 4.5 million by 2020, while the tax contribution is expected to increase to $20.5 billion.

FG to revalidate ICT directive to MDAs on local patronage The Minister of for MDAs not to patronize indigenous increase demand, thereby creating Communications, Barr. Abdul- ICT products and services because jobs and contribute to the job and Raheem Adebayo Shittu local content is vital in achieving wealth creation component of the has reiterated the government the overriding mandate of economic government’s Change mantra. readiness to revalidate its diversification and empowerment of He disclosed that Nigeria is ceding directive on the patronage of the ICT ecosystem in the country. about 70 percent of the country’s locally produced ICT products According to a press release technology market to the foreign and services by the Ministries, signed by his Special Assistant brands due to apathy for locally Departments and Parastatal (MDAs) (Media),VictorOluwadamilare, the made products thereby losing about as a means of promoting local Minister said this while declaring $2.8billion yearly to the continued content in the sector. open a plenary at the recent Afritex importation of ICT hardware and L-R:Shittu Mr.Kehinde OladipoHead of Administration(NCC); Mr. Godwin Forum Kienka- Director International Tennisflights from the said there will be no excuse ICT Export Industrial and services as capital Academy; Barr. Solomon Dalung- Minister of Youths & Sports; Mrs. Iyabode Sholanke-Director, Special Expo 2016, held at the Transcorp country.

Duties (NCC) Hilton, Abuja.

This trend, he stated, spurred the Local content, he said, is defined government to put in place policies as the amount of incremental value and implementation that will bring added or created in Nigeria through recognition to indigenous creativity the utilisation of Nigerian human and protect Intellectual Property and material resources for the emphasizing that the Local Content provision of goods and services in Policy and guideline would be the ICT industry within acceptable enforced to the letter. quality and standards in order “The Local Content Development to stimulate the development of Policy would be implemented to indigenous capabilities. protect indigenous players in the The minister asserted that the industry and the ministry would patronage is aimed to achieve galvanise right policies that would the development of local skills, see to the need of Small and Medium technology transfer, use of local Scale Enterprises (SMEs), let me manpower and manufacturing and emphasize here very strongly that Minister of Communications that it will have a triple effect to government’s role is to provide an

SHITTU

enabling environment within a free market economy.

“The Federal Government has expressed its readiness to boost local content in the Information Communication Technology (ICT) sector in order to make it compete favourably in the global market”, adding that “the Ministry had in March 2016 held a workshop in collaboration with NITDA on stakeholders’ compliance on the procurement of ICT products and services under the local content guidelines by MDAs. In addition to this,the minister said, Federal Government moved to replicate the successful implementation of the Nigerian Content policy in the oil and gas industry and other key sectors of the economy with the setting up of the Office for Nigerian Content Development in ICT. Berating the high consumption rate of imported ICT goods and services into the country, Shittu said “under my watch, Nigeria will not be a dumping ground for all forms of technologies”.

CSEAN to offer end–users CyberSAFE training to thwart cyberattacks Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN), a non-profit organisation made up of Information security professionals championing cyber security awareness in Nigeria has declared the inclusion of CyberSAFE to their public training schedule.

CSEAN disclosed in a release made available to Daily Times that this end-user cybersecurity training course and corresponding assessment were developed by Logical Operations with the goal of helping organisations combat cybersecurity threats through educating end-users.

End-users, the statement said, play a critical role in protecting an organisation’s data, but often times; they are the weakest link in the security chain.

“In fact, according to Reuters. com, end-user awareness and training reduces securityrelated risks for organisations by 45 percent to 70 percent,” the statement added.

Logical Operations’ new CyberSAFE instructorled training curriculum enables employees of any organisation to identify many of the common risks involved in using conventional end-user technology, as well as ways to use it safely to protect themselves and their organisations from those security risks.

The CyberSAFE training programmes is designed for nontechnical end-users of computers, mobile devices, networks, the Internet, and also prepare students to earn their Certified CyberSAFE credential.

Remi Afon, President CSEAN said: “CSEAN is delighted to incorporate CyberSAFE into our National Cyber Security Awareness Drive. The course contents that Logical Operations provides through CyberSAFE will go a long way in equipping businesses, government ministries, agencies and departments (MDAs) through CSEAN instructor led training to reduce the threats posed by cyber criminals in Nigeria. Considering that end users are the weakest link in most cyber-attacks, it becomes imperative to equip all employees on how to remain safe online” Bill Rosenthal, CEO, Logical Operations said: “We’re thrilled to announce the addition of CyberSAFE to our growing cybersecurity training portfolio, and welcome a partnership with Cyber Security Experts Association of Nigeria (CSEAN) to deliver this needed training”.

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

NITDA, NCC to collaborate on effective, efficient service delivery Stories by Tony Nwakaegho As part of current administration’s drive to create employment and diversify the nation’s economy with the volatility and disruption of oil revenue, the Acting Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Vincent Olatunji and his management Staff recently paid a courtesy visit to Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to explore areas of mutual collaboration between the two sister Agencies under the Ministry of Communications.

The Ag. Director General of NITDA said that, ICT is one of the few options government have to diversify the economy and to build capacity using ICT to improve productivity and service delivery for Nigeria to cope with the present economic reality and increase the ICT contribution to Nigerian GDP by 50 percent.

Olatunji added that, NITDA as an IT regulatory body oversees the overall development of the ICT industry in Nigeria in order to ensure a steady growth of the sector, and also increase the integration of ICTs across all sectors and under-served communities in a manner that supports diversification of the economy while achieving growth, job and wealth creation.

The Ag. DG NITDA stated that since inception, the Agency has embarked on a number of

programmes to drive inclusive development across rural and under-served communities by expanding the reach of IT to these communities.

Such programmes include: increase access to the knowledge; content and information through ICT tools; creating jobs and wealth amongst the youths; bridging the digital divide between urban and rural areas; empowering Nigerian youths, expanding and deepening frontier of IT knowledge within Nigeria.

According to him, NITDA have identified the challenges of ICT and the need for multi stakeholder partnership to brainstorm and formulate policy to drive the ICT sector, the agency over the years have two platforms for bringing stakeholders together to brainstorms on thematic areas identified and highlighted in the Communiqué for implementation so as to accelerate the growth of ICT , these programmes are the Annual eNigeria Conference in Nigeria and the Gulf information Technology Exhibition (GITEX) which takes place in Dubai UAE. e-Nigeria is a platform that brings together IT experts and solution providers within and outside the country to brainstorm on emerging technologies, local content innovations and relevant IT issues for sustainable socioeconomic development of Nigeria and added that the programme has been sustained for more than 10 years.

ATCON partners NiRA, UI to host IPv6 Int’l workshop

L-R: Acting Director General of National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Dr Vincent Olatunji and Executive Vice Chairman (Chief Executive Officer) Prof. Umar Garba Danbatta at NCC Headquarters in Abuja, recently.

Olatunji said GITEX is an annual Information and Communication Technology trade show, exhibition, and conference that takes place in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

The inaugural event took place in 1981 and NITDA has coordinated Nigeria’s participation at the event since 2013. Nigeria’s presence at the event is designed to foster attention on ICT startups, the burgeoning ICT sector and attract offshore investments and partnerships between local and foreign ICT companies as part of the present administration drive to develop human capital and indigenous capacity in ICT. He disclosed that the agency has set up the Office of innovation and entrepreneurship OIIE and office of Nigerian Content in ICT to drive that aspect.

He said the Management of NITDA is open to various ways of inter-agency collaboration to meet the yearnings and aspiration of all Nigerians in better service delivery in the IT industry which telecoms play a major role, adding that, if broadband penetration is available to the majority of Nigerians and IT infrastructure, service delivery will improve and the underling impact on other sectors of the economy will increase the GDP. He therefore stressed the need for NCC and NITDA to work harmoniously in helping president Buhari’s

administration find solutions to the economic challenges through ICT by concentrated harmonised effort.

NITDA seeks to collaborate with NCC, he said with zeal to deliver effective and efficient IT services to the public which will yield impact in line with the change mantra of the present administration towards making Nigeria to become the number one center for IT diffusion in Africa.

The Executive Vice Chairman (Chief Executive Officer) Prof.

Umar Garba Danbatta, who was delighted with the visit thanked the Ag.DG/CEO NITDA for his brilliant strides since his assumption of office in repositioning the ICT sector , adding that NCC will be very much interested to play pivotal role in GITEX and e-Nigeria respectively.

Prof. Danbatta affirm that NCC is ready and willing to collaborate with NITDA towards effective and efficient service delivery to the public in the area of job creation in ICT as economic cash cow of the country.

Highlight of the meeting was the constitution of eight man committee to work and submit report towards the integration process and the way forward in respect to service delivery and non-duplication of services being rendered to the public within 2 weeks.

NIPOST advocates ‘National Addressing System’ as panacea against crime In order to promote effectiveness of mail delivery and foster security in the country, the Federal Government through the ministry of Communications has been urged to establish a national addressing system across the country.

The admonition according to a press release by the Special Assistance on Media to Minister of Communications, Victor

Oluwadamilare was contained in a recent paper presented by the former acting Post Master General of Federation, Mr. CYB Ndahi, to the minister of in Abuja.

According to him, the new development will help individual to secure a legal identity, facilitating the planning and implementation of public policies and to fight against any national disasters and diseases.

He further explained that this is necessary to reinforce national and international security and helps in sending mails, adding that people need addresses to be recognized as members of their communities.

“The national addressing system will help individual secure a legal identity and facilitate the planning and implementation of public policies and services.

The Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) and University of Ibadan (UI) in partnership with Africa Network Information Center (AfriNIC) are set to organise a 4day International Workshop on “Internet Number Resources Management (INRM) and IPv6 Planning and Deployment” in Lagos.

According to a press release jointly signed by Ajibola Olude, executive secretary (ATCON), Edith Udeagu, chief operating officer of NiRA and Dr. SeyiOsunade, director (ITeMS), UI, the workshop shall hold from August 23 to 26, 2016.

The workshop the trio said is part of AFRINIC annual free extensive training programme for over 600 network engineers, with priority given to AFRINIC members.

“Participation at the workshop is targeted at Network Engineers in the Nigerian ICT ecosystem including the academics.

“Resource persons for this workshop are international experts coming from outside Nigeria. For more details, visit AFRINIC dedicated training portal at http://learn.afrinic.net”, the statement read.

The workshop is expected to “provide impetus for Nigerian Network operators to migrate from IPV4 to IPV6 with its attendant advantages; provide qualitative training for those engineers that managed our networks which would help, as we tackle the problem of quality of service in the telecommunication industry Provide Nigerian Network Engineers with the required knowledge to compete favourably with their counterpart in the global market.

“Enhance, as well as upgrade, the performance of our Network Engineers on network management with the ultimate goal of ensuring the sustainable growth of the Nigerian ICT ecosystem. Boost the productivity level of our network engineers”, as contained in the press release.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

31 Tech Times

Delta to establish Innovation Development Fund - Okowa Stories by Tony Nwakaegho

In pursuance of the initiatives to sustain its innovation and science agenda, Delta State Government has commenced moves towards establishing a “Delta State Innovation Development Fund – IDF”.

Dr. IfeanyiOkowa, Governor of Delta State, revealed the plans in his speech titled “from oil to knowledge-based development”, at the forum of the Ministry of Science and Technology on Delta State Innovation hub forthe newly established Delta State Innovation Hub. The Governor highlighted that innovation is critical for long-term economic growth and sustainable development in both developed and the developing world, as it fosters regional, national and global competitiveness, creates employment and helps to address and resolve major social conflicts in any given society.

He stated that all donors to the fund will be recognised and honoured as it will encourage all youths to acquire computer skills; encourage e-governance and digital literacy skills in the civil service and other institutions.

“Our land administration is being fully digitalized, with greater ease of doing business.

I wish to urge all Deltans and willing partners to support this

OKOWA

project.

According to him, moving away from oil to a knowledgebased development, the Ministry of Science and Technology has come up with a comprehensive economic development blueprint and strategy to build technologically based skill capacities, support and empower entrepreneurs, generate new

ICANN sells .web domain for record $135m A sought after Internet domain known as the “.web” extension has been sold for anenormous $135 million through auction, while the winning company now plans to licence the domain name out.

The “.web” Internet domain has been purchased by a company called Nu Dot Co. The domain is likely to be popular and the company expects to make a profit on licensing out the easyto-remember link to websites.

Meanwhile, the $135 million tag exceeded the previous most expensive domain name, which was “.shop.”

This consumer-oriented

domain name was valued at a ‘mere’ $41.5 million.

The “.web” name was fiercely contested and Nu Dot Co defeated some big name rivals in the bidding war.

Contenders included Google, as well as companies that specialize in Internet registry firms like Afilias, Radix and Donuts.

Report has it that not only had the bidding outcome been the most expensive, the bidding process, has been long and drawn out.

The process began way back in 2012 and took until July 29, 2016 to complete. Leading up to this there was a lot of legal wrangling; even

Governor of Delta State

employment model for our youth, create wealth and reduce poverty.

“In driving the State’s economy, we are developing an innovation and science agenda as a key component in bridging the huge gaps and deficiencies in our education, health, industry, entertainment, governance, social and state security systems.

“The State aims to achieve

leading up to the decision an attempt was made by Radix and Donuts to block Nu Dot Co from the process.

Even though little is known about Nu Dot Co, the Register speculates that VeriSign, an established company, is behind the winning bid or has a stake in it.

The decision was made by ICANN, a body that oversees the net’s address system. ICANN, or to give its full name The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, is a nonprofit organisation responsible for coordinating the maintenance of several databases containing the “namespaces” of the Internet.

A full list of winning domain name bids indicates: WEB won by NU DOT CO LLC for $135,000,000; SHOP won by GMO Registry, Inc. for $41,501,000;

this through a Private-PublicPartnership model strategy on innovation development.

In this regards, we have resolved to partner with Mobile Software Solutions Limited, a renowned content solutions provider in the Information and Communications Technology industry and the winner of World Summit Award 2014 for Africa Best Mobile Content Developer in the Life-Style and Entertainment category,” he stressed.

Commenting on the Delta State Innovation Hub - DS-IHUB, he said, “can attain noble heights if we put our minds to work. In moving this project forward, we will rely on the support and patronage of Delta State citizens at home and in the Diaspora, entrepreneurs, the academia, students, industry leaders, stakeholders, and indeed, all friends of Delta State, to ensure that this enviable knowledge venture is not only successful, but significantly beneficial to all concerned and sustainable for generations yet unborn.

“We realise that our success story will be dependent on how much support and partnership we get out there. We must pay glowing tributes as a State to Zenith Bank Plc, for donating this complex, and look forward to partnership with as many that may wish to develop positive minds for our greater tomorrow”.

APP won by Charleston Road Registry Inc. (which is Google) for $25,001,000; TECH won by Dot Tech LLC for $6,760,000; REALTY won by Fegistry, LLC for $5,588,888; SALON won by Outer Orchard, LLC for $5,100,575; BUY won by Amazon EU S.àr.l. for $4,588,888; MLS won by the The Canadian Real Estate Association for $3,359,000; BABY won by Johnson & Johnson Services, Inc. for $3,088,888; VIP won by Minds + Machines Group Limited for $3,000,888.

Global tablet shipments decrease 8% in Q1 Global tablet shipments decreased 8 percent year-onyear in the second quarter to 46.7 million units, while average selling prices increased 9 percent over the same period, according to Strategy Analytics. Advanced tablets, such as the iPad Pro and Microsoft’s Surface Pro 4, helped drive the price increase, as consumers and enterprises alike turned to 2-in-1 type devices that offer the features of a real computer.

The market researcher estimates that Apple was largest vendor in the period, with a 21.3 percent share of shipments, little changed from a year ago.

Samsung’s share fell to 13.2 percent, after an estimated fall in shipments to 6.1 million from 8.0 million a year ago. Lenovo was in third place with a share of 5.4 percent, and Huawei took 4.8 percent of the market. Whitelabel tablets accounted for 29.1 percent of the market.

Cisco releases 2016 midyear Cybersecurity report The Cisco has released the 2016 midyear report with a warning of more sophisticated ransomware issues in the future and organisations being unprepared to face it.

Fragile infrastructure, poor network hygiene, and slow detection rates are cited as factors opening doors for attackers.

According to the report, the struggle to constrain the operational space of attackers is the biggest challenge facing businesses and threatens the underlying foundation required for digital transformation.

So far in 2016, ransomware has become the most profitable malware type in history.

Cisco expects to see this trend continue with more destructive ransomware that can spread by itself and hold entire networks hostage.

According to Cisco, future ransomware attacks will evade detection. It is possible by being able to limit CPU usage and refrain from command-andcontrol actions.

The study found these new ransomware strains will spread faster and self-replicate within organisations before coordinating ransom activities.

If that happens, visibility across the network and endpoints will remain a primary challenge.

On average, organisations take up to 200 days to identify new threats.

Cisco notes that faster time to detection of threats is critical to constrain attackers’ operational space and minimize damage from intrusions.

Published by FOLIO COMMUNICATIONS LTD, Lateef Jakande Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja. email: info@dailytimes.ng Tel: 08034197567.

AG. DAILY EDITOR: SAM NZEH

TUESDAY, AUGUST 9, 2016

VOL. 2. NO.169

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frica’s biggest corporate supporter of football, Globacom has commended the U-23 National team, Dream Team VI, for qualifying for the quarter finals of men’s football event of the on-going 2016 Olympics in Rio, Brazil.

In a press statement in Lagos on Monday, Globacom commended the fighting spirit and doggedness of the team which saw them defeating Group B opponents, Japan and Sweden by five goals to four and a lone goal respectively.

According to Globacom: “The Dream

Glo congratulates Dream TeamVI, Eaglets

Siasia

Team VI has so far, been outstanding in the tournament. We urge them to sustain the momentum during the last Group B match against Colombia on Wednesday so as to top the group and remain in the commanding position.”

Globacom also praised the team for making Nigeria and Africa proud and said it looked forward to seeing them progress to the final and ultimately win the Gold medal. The feat will also make them equal the record of the first Dream Team which won the soccer Gold at the 1996 Olympics Games in Atlanta, USA. However, the Company also praised the U-17 national team, Golden Eaglets, on their victory over Junior Menas of Niger Republic.

The Eaglets defeated them by a lone goal in Abuja on Saturday in the final qualifying match for African U-17 Championship. The two teams will meet in the second leg encounter in Niamey in a fortnight.

Globacom urged the technical crew of the team to remain focused as they intensify efforts to qualify for the next championship.

“The team should work assiduously towards victory in Niger.

“We appreciate the support given to both teams by Nigerians and the Nigeria Football Federation in particular. We enjoin all to continue to support the teams until the ultimate victory is achieved,” Globacom concluded.

R o n a l d to miss Reao l,

Sevilla UEFA Super Cup clash

Ronaldo

Real Madrid will be without Cristiano Ronaldo and four star names for their UEFA Super Cup clash against Sevilla today.

Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Toni Kroos, Keylor Navas and Pepe were all firstteam regulars last season who were not named in the club’s 20man squad for the match in Trondheim.

Ronaldo’s absence as he rests a knee injury picked up at Euro 2016 was known, while Bale, Kroos and Pep e – who were given extended holida y following the tournament – have not recovered enough fitness to play.

Goalkeeper Navas underw ent surgery on an Achilles problem in Jun e and is hoping to be fit for the start of the new La Liga season, with Kiko Casilla set to dep utise.

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Total Nigeria Plc sends forth Momar Nguer, welcomes Page B2 Mittleman

Fraud: CBN orders banks to embed BVN data in Page B3 payment cards

Tuesday, August 9, 2016

NLC warns against destabilising NASS over budget Page B4 padding

Buhari saved MTN from bankruptcy via reduction of mega fine Tony Nwakaegho Mr. AbdulRaheem Shittu, minister of Communication, has said that telecommunications giant, MTN escaped bankruptcy courtesy of the intervention of President Muhammadu Buhari,

who reduced the fine imposed on the company for failing to disconnect mobile lines not registered by it.

Shittu, while speaking in Ibadan, Oyo State in a chat monitored through Radio Nigeria said that the Nigeria Communica-

tions Commission (NCC) would start sanctioning any telecom companies that fleece customers through unsolicited messages.

Shittu explained that the fine imposed on MTN was huge and that its strict enforcement would have crippled the company; re-

sulted in loss of jobs; investments and unpleasant consequences for the economy.

“President Buhari saved MTN from bankruptcy, because of his intervention in reducing drastically the hefty fine imposed on the telecom giant.

AMCON L-R: Mr. Kola Ayeye, Executive Director, Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria, (AMCON); Mr. Ahmed Kuru, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer and Mr. Olugbenga Ataiyero, the Corporation’s Head, Finance & Budgeting when Kuru briefed the media in Lagos at the weekend.

Oil price rises upon OPEC’s ... Members to revive renewed freeze call freeze talks in September Opeoluwani Akintayo Oil rose more on Monday after some members of the Organisation for Petroleum Exporting Countries, OPEC called for a restraint in output.

International benchmark on Monday, Brent futures LCOc1 traded at $44.87 per barrel as at 1115 GMT, up 60 cents, or 1.36 percent, from their last close.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures CLc1 were at $42.40 per barrel, up 60 cents, or 1.44 percent.

The rise came on due to re-

port late last week about fresh calls by some members of OPEC to freeze production levels to reduce output that has consistently outweighed demand.

Qatar’s energy minister also said on Monday that the oil market is on a path to rebalancing.

Still, Russia, the world’s top oil producer and a non-OPEC member, was quick to dismiss calls for a freeze.

Russian Energy Minister Alexander Novak told reporters that “the position of Russia is that the prerequisites for this have not yet come to pass, con-

sidering that prices are still at a more or less normal level”.

Meanwhile, report has it that several OPEC members want to revive the freeze talk in September as Iran regains much of the crude oil production it lost during years of Western sanctions.

The countries, including Venezuela, Ecuador and Kuwait, want to again try cooperation between the 14-nation oil cartel and non-members like Russia, according to Kallanish Energy.

The freeze talk met with a brick wall in April during talks in Doha, Qatar, when Saudi Ara-

bia backed out over Iran’s refusal to join in a production freeze until it had reached pre-sanctions levels of oil production.

If the freeze talk was successful, countries would have agreed to limit their production to January levels so that oil prices would rise.

Now, Iran’s production has grown to 3.6 million barrels a day (MMBPD), about 180,000 barrels a day (BPD) above its levels in April, and almost 600,000 BPD higher sanctions were lifted in January.

CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

“If as telecommunication operators, there are laws that forbids you from selling GSM lines without registering them and there are also rules that proclaim certain amount as fines for doing so (in this case, N200, 000 per each CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

NCC, NITDA set up joint committee for ICT development Tony Nwakaegho The Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), and the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), has agreed on a joint committee to design a framework for collaboration to optimize development efforts for the telecommunications industry in Nigeria.

This is the outcome of the interactions between Professor Umar Garba Danbatta, executive vice chairman of the NCC, when Dr. Vincent Olatunji, acting director general of NITDA, led his team to pay a courtesy visit to the NCC headquarters in Abuja.

The chief executives said that a new era of interagency collaboration, especially within the sister ICT agencies would bring about desirable results, in line with global best practices.

The Joint committee, chaired

by Dr. Agu Collins Agu, a director at NITDA, is expected to provide detailed areas of collaboration and terms of reference, which will be initialed by the two organisations in due course.

CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Local production cuts down sugar import bill Joy Ekeke Data from the National Sugar Development Council (NSDC) has shown that the country recorded a drop in its sugar import bill for 2015 as a result of rising local production.

Specifically the sugar sector’s CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

NCC, NITDA set up joint committee for ICT development

Buhari saved MTN from bankruptcy via reduction of mega fine

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Professor Danbatta said the initiative will prove to the world that sister agencies in our clime can work together in the interest of the nation, and urged the committee members to work assiduously to ensure that the objective of the collaboration is realised.

“We must concentrate on those things that we know that with the right investments and involvement of our human capital resources, we would realise things that we can show the world about the giant strides that are being made in this country, especially in the area of Information and Communications Technology”, he stressed.

Professor Danbatta highlighted that the agreement to collaborate is consistent with the mandates of the two entities to ensure pervasive penetration of ICTs. “But we have to be mindful of the fact that, the more you introduce services, the more your burden the infrastructure on ground.

I hope that you (committee) will take cognisance of what you need to do to address the existing capacity of infrastructure.

“What we are looking at is the progress we are steadily making by the day to ensure we reach the destination of what we call a networked society, a society that is e-driven, a society that is ICT driven, as well as a society that will be relying on the power and leveraging on ICT to conduct all kinds of businesses”, he said.

unregistered line) and you still go ahead to sell millions of lines after the fact, you should be ready to face the music.

“It is true that Nigerians have bought MTN shares, a lot of Nigerians are employed by MTN and that a lot of people might suffer due to the loss posted last week by the company because of the fine.

It however, doesn’t mean we have to tolerate their negligence.”

The ministers warned that with the president’s gesture at saving MTN, companies operating in the sector should show commitment and abide by the rules put in place by government.

Local production cuts down sugar import bill CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

That brings Iran close to the 4 MMBPD to 4.2 MMBPD Iranian officials said they would require before agreeing to a freeze.

Some OPEC members said they believe they could pass a freeze deal as early as the week of Sept. 26, when oil producers meet for the International Energy Forum in Algeria. By then, Iran could be closer to 4 MMBPD, OPEC delegates told Reuters.

Venezuela’s Oil Minister, Eulogio Del Pino, said the country’s president, Nicolás Maduro, had contacted the cartel’s Secretary-General, Mohamed Barkindo, to propose a discussion on coordinating output.

Renewed talk of an oil-production freeze comes as crude prices remain stuck at levels far below what most OPEC nations need to balance their budgets.

L-R: Postmaster-General, Nigerian Postal Service, Mr. Bisi Adegbuyi; Minister of Communications Technology, Mr. Adebayo Shittu; Director, Telecom and Postal Service, Ministry of Communications, Mrs. Ngozi Ogujiofor and Director, Human Resources Management, Ministry of Communications, at the Investiture of the New Postmaster-General in Abuja... recently.

Global system failure: Delta airlines cancels over 300 flights Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Delta Air Lines yesterday experienced a global system failure leading to the cancellation of over 300 flights.

Consequently, the airlines as at 3:40pm cancelled approximately 300 flights due to a power outage impacting Delta operations systemwide. As of 3:30pm, Delta had however, operated 800 of its nearly 6,000 scheduled flights.

According to the airline, while systems are improving and flights are resuming, delays and cancellations continue.

It warned that “customers heading to the airport should expect delays and cancellations. While inquiries are high and wait times are long, our customer service agents are doing everything they can to assist. There may also be some lag time in the display of accurate flight status atdelta.com, the Fly Delta App and from Delta representatives on the phone and in airport”.

The airline further apologized to customers who are affected by this issue, assuring that their teams are working to resolve the problem as quickly as possible.

On Rescheduling of Flights, the airline stated in its website on the 8th of August, 2016 that “If your flight is canceled or significantly delayed, you are entitled to a refund. Even if your flight is not canceled, you may make a onetime change to your ticket without fee if you are scheduled to travel to, from, or through the following destination(s) on Delta, Delta Connection, or Delta-coded flights during the specified time periods listed below”.

It also stated that travellers tickets affected on 8th August, 2016 must be reissued on or before August 12, 2016 and that rebooked travel must begin no later than August 12, 2016.

“When rescheduled travel occurs beyond August 12, 2016, the change fee will be waived. However, a difference in fare may apply. Final travel must be completed by end of ticket validity, one year from date of original issue. If travel is not able to be rescheduled within these guidelines, customers may cancel their reservation and apply any unused value of the ticket toward the purchase of a new ticket for a period of one year from the original ticket issuance.

Total Nigeria Plc sends forth Momar Nguer, welcomes Mittleman in these past years while enjoining On 9th of June, 2016, Momar Nguer handed over his position as Total Nigeria Plc’s chairman to Stanislas Mittleman. This was following his appointment as the President, Marketing & Services, and member of the Executive Committee of Total Group. In the same vein, Stanislas Mittleman was also appointed Senior Vice President, Africa/Middle East, Total Marketing & Services on April 15, 2016.

During the handover ceremony, Momar Nguer expressed appreciation to the management, staff, shareholders and key stakeholders for their immense contribution to the company’s success and growth

Mittleman

their continued support to the new Chairman. Thereafter, Stanislas Mittleman was formally introduced amidst cheers and well wishes by the distinguished audience as he was handed the key of office by his predecessor.

Stanislas began his career in 1987 in the Retail Division of Total France. In 1990 he became the Retail Development Manager in Total Nigeria Plc. He went back to France in 1993 to join the Finance Division in Total Outremer. Between 1994 and 1997, he held the position of Deputy General Manager, in charge of Marketing and Finance in Vietnam LPG Co. He was appointed Managing Director, TotalGaz Philippines in 1997. Between 2000 and 2007 he held various Management positions in France, Zimbabwe and the United Kingdom. In 2008 he was appointed Vice President West Africa, Total Marketing & Services, Africa/ Middle East. During this appointment, he was the Chairman of Total Nigeria Plc. In 2012 and 2015 he was appointed Head of M&A and Corporate Planning, Total Marketing & Services, Strategy Division and President, Total Marketing France respectively.

Local production cuts down sugar import bill CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

import bill fell to $80.2 million by the end of last year as its production capacity appreciated to 15,000 MT. Production capacity of sugar firms rose from 12,345 metric tons (MT) in 2014 to 15,000 MT last year, just as the value of sugar import fell from a record

$632.72 million in 2014 to $552.54 million by the end of last year, Experts, however, said production capacity was still very low, casting doubt over the possibility of the nation achieving sugar self-sufficiency by 2018 according to government permutations.

Data show sugar consumption rose from 1,433, 471 MT in 2014 to

1,499,724 MT last year.

The trajectory of sugar consumption suggests a spike since 2012, a situation attributed to growth of retail and chain stores and that of the local food and beverage firms, as well as high demography.

Dr. Lateef Busari, NSDC Executive Secretary said the upward swing in injected capaci-

ties of operating companies’ investments shows possibility in achieving self-sustainability.

According to him, the refineries, particularly Dangote Sugar Refinery has expanded refurbished its factory operations site at Savannah Sugar Company (SSC) in Numan, Adamawa State with about 6,000ha of sugarcane plantation.

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

B3 Money Market

NAHCON clears air on foreign exchange waiver to pilgrims The National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has said that the Federal Government has not given foreign exchange waiver to Nigerian pilgrims performing hajj this year.

Few days ago, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had extended a concessionary exchange rate of N197 per US Dollar to them. In its circular entitled ‘2016 Hajj Operations: Purchase of Pilgrims Travelling Allowance (PTA)’ sent to all authorized dealers and general public which was obtained by our correspondent.

The apex bank stated that arrangements made for the Hajj op-

erations including the pegging of the US dollar at N197 was to enable the intending pilgrims purchase their PTA. But NAHCON’s Head of Media, Alhaji Uba Mana, made the clarification in a statement issued in Abuja that if there was one thing that the Government did for the Nigerian pilgrims, it was to allow the exchange rate prevalent at the time of payment of Hajj fares in February when the current flexible exchange rate was not in action to subsist.

According to him, “It is therefore wrong and mischievous for some persons or media organisations to peddle unfounded claims

that the Federal Government gave the Nigerian pilgrims a waiver,” he said in the statement.

Also, the presidency had earlier clarified the concessions of foreign exchange rate of N197 to one dollar for the 2016 intending pilgrims to Hajj and Jerusalem.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President, Media and Publicity Garba Shehu said the policy was non-discriminatory.

He said that it had been approved before the current foreign exchange regime came into effect.

He also said that that the Central Bank of Nigeria had confirmed the approval, wondering why the apex bank had not noti-

fied the public earlier.

Meanwhile, the CBN circular on the 2016 Hajj Operations, noted that no commission shall be charged by the banks for the sale of PTA to the intending pilgrims, adding that CBN shall sell the PTA to the designated banks in Lagos and Abuja and the accounts of the respective banks shall be debited as soon as the funds are disbursed.

“Each designated bank is required to sell to the CBN the unutilised funds not later than two weeks from the date of the last inward flight to Nigeria from Jedda, while the accounts of the banks shall be credited promptly,” utility stated.

Etisalat L-R: Head, High Value and Mass Market, Etisalat Nigeria, Idowu Adesokan; Actor and Etisalat Ambassador, Hakeem KaeKazim and Director, Brand & Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Elvis Ogiemwanye during Hakeem’s visit to Etisalat Nigeria’s head office in Lagos... recently.

Sterling Bank improves education with back-to-school campaign In a bid to improve educational system in the country and reduce the burden faced by parents, guardians, teachers and proprietors of schools in Nigeria, Sterling Bank Plc has launched what it called Back-To-School campaign.

The campaign is aimed at providing succor for all stakeholders in the sector as schools resume in September. The primary target for the campaign are the primary and secondary schools (administrators, owners and teachers) while the secondary audience are all primary and secondary school-students and their parents.

Areas covered under the campaign include School financing, Asset Finance, Textbook and Educational Materials Finance for schools; School fees finance for parents; Coding and Robotics Summer Boot Camp for children, Household Equipment finance and Training for teachers to mention a few.

The Bank’s Group Head, Strategy & Finance, Mr. Shina Atilola in a statement made available to our correspondent, explained that the school fees financing solution was introduced to provide parents with instant financing for school fees and allow them put their kids in school while awaiting salaries and other receivables.

He explained that under the Bank’s Asset finance scheme, existing and new account holders will qualify for short-term financing against receivables while “Sterling Bank can finance acquisition of Buses, ICT Infrastructure, Interactive Boards and other items the school may wish to purchase in the Back-to-School season under the asset finance scheme”.

Fraud: CBN orders banks to embed BVN data in payment cards Stories by Motolani Oseni In furtherance of its efforts at strengthening the Nigerian payments system, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), has directed Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) to begin embedding BVN biometric data in payment cards issued henceforth.

The apex bank said that this will facilitate off-line Biometric Verification Number (BVN) verification and biometric-based customer authentication on payment devices such as, Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), Point of Sale (PoS), Kiosks, among many more.

Director, Banking & Payment System Department, CBN, ‘Dipo Fatokun, in a circular issued

cited that the new directives on payment system in the country, would also discontinue fixed interest rate on credit cards.

Fatokun, stated that commercial banks operating in the country must discontinue actual address verification in account opening, for customers with the BVN. He added: “Approval of BVN Watch-listing modalities and release by CBN of necessary Credit Risk Management System (CRMS) data, to facilitate its use for enriching the BVN watch list.”

Fatokun further stated that savings account customers with BVN should be allowed to deposit cheques not more than N2,000,000.00 (two million naira)

in value into their accounts, per customer, per day.

It would recall that the BVN was launched in February 2014 by the apex bank, as part of its cashless policy to capture customers’ data and check fraud in the banking system.

The BVN launched by the former CBN governor, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi is targeted at creating a stronger Know Your Customer (KYC) for banks, to strengthen the various security platforms and also facilitate increased lending to customers.

Accordingly, the BVN gives each bank customer unique identity across the Nigerian banking industry that can be used for easy identification and verification at point of banking operation.

Labour B4

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

NLC warns against destabilising NASS over budget padding Stories by Joy Ekeke The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has warned politicians not to use the current budget padding controversy to destabilise the leadership of the National Assembly or settle political scores.

In a statement issued by its president, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, NLC said the current controversy is showing evidence of weakness in the nation’s budgeting system and the fact that projects are not conceived and

implemented based on the needs of the people, but those behind the projects.

The congress said rather than go after individuals; government should do a soul searching and x-ray the nation’s budgeting system that has failed to address the needs of the people.

The statement reads: “The ongoing controversy over the padding of the 2016 budget is an incontrovertible evidence of the inherent weaknesses in our budgeting process and accordingly underscores the need for a thor-

PENGASSAN

ough revisit.

“It also reveals the imperfections and the distrust in project identification and implementation system and consequent failure of the present model of capital budgeting without a developmental framework. It shows that projects are not implemented according to needsvalue or priority but who is behind which.

“In light of the foregoing, we wish to state that instead of going after individuals, government should do a soul-search as

Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, met with oil firms and an agreement was reached not to sack their workers and to recall sacked workers in the oil sector.

PENGASSAN wants oil firms sanctioned for not recalling workers

The Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) has urged the Federal Government to sanction oil firms that have refused to recall sacked workers.

The union wants the federal government to prove that these agencies and oil companies are not more powerful and above the law of the land.

Speaking at the Third Women in PENGASSAN National Conference in Abuja, PENGASSAN President, Comrade Francis Olabode Johnson said such attitude was not acceptable to the union.

Recently, the Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr. Chris Ngige, met with oil firms and an

agreement was reached not to sack their workers and to recall sacked workers in the oil sector.

According to PENGASSAN, some of the oil firms reneged on the agreement.

He said: “We have been having a series of meetings with the government team. You cannot have an agreement with the minister standing in for the President of the Federal Republic and when it’s time to take action, you say no. We only suspended our strike.

If these issues are not addressed properly, we may have to resume the strike.

“But we don’t like taking that route. That is why we are imploring every agency of the govern-

ment that whatever agreement reached must be respected. We will abide by our side of the agreement, but if they are not ready to honour theirs, we will have no choice than to resume our suspended strike.’’

“We had an understanding, but today what we are hearing is that some of them are reneging, especially Fugro Nig Ltd. I must be specific here. They are reneging.

If the minister, who is standing in for Mr. President, took a decision and they are reneging, that is an affront on the President of Nigeria. If you know you have no respect for the President, then you pack your things and get out of the country.’’

well as x-ray a budgeting system that fails to address the needs of the people.

“We caution against the use of the present development to settle political scores or unduly weaken the National Assembly.

“A strong National Assembly is a necessity for a vibrant democracy. We urge Nigerians to be slow to anger in matters of this nature even as they have little or no reason to be too trusting of any political office holder, so that in the end, they do not end up victims of other peoples’ wars.

“Even as vitriol and bile have risen, it is important to distinguish between genuine and phony constituency projects, for in truth, constituency projects are obligations owed constituents by parliamentarians.

“Finally, we call for caution, because how the issues in contention are resolved will shape the direction of our democracy; deepen or weaken it. Equally important is the fact that it avails us an opportunity to revisit our budgetary system and the need for development planning.”

FG flags off new housing scheme for civil servants

breaking ceremony of Federal Civil Servants Housing Estate, a project of the Federal Integrated Staff Housing (FISH) Progrmme, in partnership with ABSI Building System International at the Apo Tafyi, District, Abuja, representative of President Muhammadu Buhari, Minister of State for Power, Works and Housing, Mustapha Baba Shehuri said the initiative of the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation was commendable, as the scheme would enable workers to deliver their services with optimum leverage.

He said that Government is targeting about 5000 housing units in all the States within the next three years. “I therefore, urge the workers to rededicate themselves to good governance. This Government is committed to workers welfare”, President Buhari said.

In a bid to address housing challenges, the Federal Government has formally launched a comprehensive new housing scheme for Federal Civil Servants in the country.

Mrs. Winifred Ekanem OyoIta, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, said the aim of the programme is “to provide cost effective and affordable housing for various categories of workers, as a means to uplift their moral commitment, stewardship and quality of life during and after service” The Head of Service said that the occasion also signposts the development agenda of the present administration, in addressing the housing challenges facing Federal Civil Servants across the country, and to provide mass housing for Nigerians.

She appealed to the Federal Government for a special intervention fund, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), to be channeled to Civil Servants as loans, through the Federal Government Staff Housing Loans Board.

Mrs. Oyo –Ita added that the assistance would be recoverable from monthly salary payments of beneficiaries.

Speaking at the ground

Fashola

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

B5 Energy

SPE NAICE L-R: Mr. Nathan Meehan, President, Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) International; Engr. Yemi Akinlawon, Africa Region Director of SPE; Dr. Olumide Phillips, Pioneer Chairman, SPE Nigeria Council; Mr. Cletus Egbuzie, General Manager(Operations Technical)Exxonmobil and Engr. George C. Kalu, Chairman,SPE Nigeria Council at the Opening ceremony of the on-going SPE NAICE 2016 conference in Lagos.

Uncovering ‘fraud’ behind FG’s Ajaokuta deal with Global Infrastructure Holdings Company (1) Opeoluwani Akintayo On August 1, 2016, Nigerians were excited over Federal Government’s bold decision to revitalise the steel sector when it signed a renegotiated concession agreement with an Indian steel company, Global Steel Holdings Limited, GSHL, for the Nigerian Iron Ore Mining Company, NIOMCO, Itakpe.

The new agreement indicates that Ajaokuta Steel Complex is now reverted to the Federal Government, while GSHL retains NIOMCO. The move, according to the Minister of Solid Minerals Development, Dr Kayode Fayemi is in line with President Muhammadu Buhari’s repeated promise to diversify the Nigerian economy and create jobs through agriculture and extraction of solid minerals.

Despite the federal government’s finest intention to diversify the nation’s economy away from crude oil, apprehension is on red alert that this new agreement might be heading toward the wrong direction-a direction of impossible redemption if urgent steps are not taken.

How Global Steel came to Nigeria The Justia US Law filed a case tiled Memorandum Opinion, No. 04-06-00731-CV .Solgas Energy Limited, Appellant v. Global Steel Holdings Limited f/k/a Global Infrastructure Holdings Limited, Appellee. From the 38th Judicial District Court, Uvalde County, Texas. Trial Court No. 05-09-24,865-CV

Honorable Mickey R. Pennington, Judge Presiding; Opinion by: Karen Angelini, Justice; Sitting: Karen Angelini, Justice, Sandee Bryan Marion, Justice, Steven C. Hilbig, Justice; Delivered and Filed: July 3, 2007, obtained by Business Times, gave a detailed background information on how Global Steel Holding Limited came to Nigeria.

The case stated that: “In June of 2003, Solgas Energy Limited, a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, entered into an agreement (“Concession”) with the federal government of Nigeria and Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited, a Nigerian company wholly owned by the federal government of Nigeria.

The Concession obligated Solgas to complete, refurbish and expand the Ajaokuta Steel Plant in Nigeria and to build a gas processing plant to supply the steel plant with electrical power.

In 2004, Solgas began searching for a subcontractor to assist it in preforming its obligations under the Concession. Solgas asserts that a subcontractor was sought to increase the efficiency and profitability of the steel plant. Global Steel counters that Solgas was primarily a natural gas company and needed the assistance of a steel company to fulfill its commitments.

Solga’s principal business office is located in Uvalde, Texas.

Thomas Russell, the chairman and CEO of Solgas, stated that Solgas received e-mail correspondence from numerous representatives of the “Global Steel corporate family” “push[ing] hard for the opportunity to participate in the project.”

Russell stated that the representatives identified themselves as working for “Ispat,” “LNM Holdings,” and “the Mittals.” Russell further stated that “[w]e were consistently told that we were dealing with ‘Ispat,’ a well-known Indian steel conglomerate, recognized for its expertise in revitalizing steel plants in the developing world.”

In late 2003 and early 2004, Russell received four telephone calls from different representatives of LNM Holdings originating either in India or the United Kingdom expressing “Ispat’s interest in working with Solgas on the Ajaokuta Project.” In response to a request for information regarding LNM Holdings, Russell stated that he received information via e-mail “regarding Ispat and Lakshmi Mittal, the President and Chairman of LNM Holdings/Ispat.” During the spring and summer of 2004, Pramod Mittal, president of Global Steel, contacted Russell at least three times by telephone to express thanks for inviting him to Nigeria to view the steel plant facility and to express interest in the project.

Global Steel also is incorporated under the laws of the Isle of Man, and its principal place of business is in Dubai. No representative of Global Steel ever traveled to Texas or the United States in connection with the project or conducted any negotiations or performed any work in Texas. No documents relevant to the project were executed in Texas.

In May of 2004, Solgas and Global Steel entered into a Confidentiality Agreement. Global Steel was identified in the agreement as

“Global Infrastructure Holdings, Ltd. (“GIHL”), their Subsidiaries and Affiliates, hereinafter referred to as (“LNM”).” The purpose of the agreement was to maintain the confidentiality of information exchanged as the parties pursued “discussions specifically regarding the possibility of pursuing a mutually beneficial business venture concerning the production of steel, the generation of power, and an LPG gas processing plant located in or near Ajaokuta, Kogi State, Nigeria.” The Confidentiality Agreement provided that it would be governed by Texas law.

On July 18, 2004, Solgas and Global Steel entered into a memorandum containing the terms pursuant to which the parties intended to pursue the fulfilment of the Concession obligations. The agreement was subject to the consent of the federal government of Nigeria.

The memorandum provided that it would be governed by English law, and any dispute was to be resolved by arbitration “under LCIA Rules in London.”

On August 11, 2004, Solgas sent a letter to the federal government of Nigeria stating that Solgas had been unsuccessful in securing the necessary capital required to fulfill its obligations. The letter stated that Solgas sought to dissolve the Concession. On August 12, 2004, Solgas and the federal government of Nigeria entered into an agreement terminating the Concession. After the termination of the Concession with Solgas, Global Steel entered a new concession agreement with the federal government of Nigeria relating to the steel plant.

Why Nigerians should be worried Global Infrastructure Holdings Company is an Indian company.

However, what some do not know is that this same company that Ajaokuta was signed back to was the same that ran it years back before late Yar’adua terminated the contract. As at the time the contract was terminated, the company had used just three years out of the 10 years contract it was given.

Put it this way- Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited is part of the global company called Global Steel Holding Company. So when you hear GSHL or GINL, they are the same company. The company is owned by Pramod Mittal who is the younger brother of Lakshmi Mittal. Lakshmi is a renowned guru in the steel industry with successful track records in South Africa, England and other countries. He had a successful relationship with his younger brother, Pramod until he felt uncomfortable with his younger brother’s business style.

They finally went their different ways which prompted Pramod to set up Ispat Steel Company.

Ispat started operation in India but got itself into Corporate Debt Restructure, CDR. CDR is going to places in the guise of reviving industries but processed in collecting loans from banks, selling assets among others without the intension to pay back or revive any industry.

In 2003, the Indian government took over Ispat from Pramod Mittal as result of owning 18 Indian banks over 800 million euros.

Capital Market B6

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Investors lose N10.6 billion in bearish trade

Afolabi Adesola

The Nigerian equity market on Monday ended on a negative note with the market capitalisation dropping by N10.6 billion to close at N9.408 trillion compared to a loss of N112 billion incurred on Friday to close at N9.419 trillion.

Also, the All-Share Index dipped 30.88 points or percent to close at 27,394.98 basis points compared to 325.48 points or 1.17 percent decline recorded in the

prior trading session to close at 27,425.86 basis points.

With market analysts attributing the market downturn to a reflection of the general weakness in the economy, Dangote Flour led the day’s 18 declining stocks with a loss of 5.25 percent or 23 kobo to close at N4.15 per share. Total Oil Plc followed with a decrease of 4.99 percent or N12.07 to close at N229.95 per share, while MRS Plc dipped 4.98 percent or N2.13 to close at N40.60 per share.

Berger Paints Plc dropped 4.98

percent or 38 kobo to close at N7.25 per share and Custody and Alliance Plc lost 4.76 percent or 19 kobo to close at N3.80 per share.

Conversely, FCMB Plc topped the day’s 15 gainers with an appreciation of 5.51 percent or 7 kobo to close at N1.34 per share, Dangote Sugar Plc followed having gained 4.96 percent or 33 kobo to close at N6.98 per share and NPF Micro Finance bank Plc garnered 4.44 percent or 4 kobo to close at 94 kobo per share.

AIICO Insurance Plc improved by 4.41 percent or 3 kobo to close at 71 kobo per share and Airservice Plc added 3.83 percent or 8 kobo to

close at N2.17 per share.

The volume of shares traded in the course of Monday’s session was 118.4 million worth N1.27 billion and exchanged in 2,899 deals an un-improved performance when compared to 120.84 million shares worth N1.27 billion bought and traded by investors in 3,307 deals last Friday.

FBN Holdings was the most active, accounting for 32.9 million shares worth N108.5 million, Access came second with a total of 17.1 million shares valued at N95.4 million and Fidelity third with a sale of 8.4 million shares worth N8.8 million.

N112b Nigerian equity market on Monday ended on a negative note with the market capitalisation dropping by N10.6 billion to close at N9.408 trillion compared to a loss of N112 billion incurred on Friday to close at N9.419 trillion.

Dividend warrants can now be paid into savings accounts – SEC The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has announced to the investing public that dividend warrants can now be deposited into savings accounts. This follows the directive from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) via Circular referenced BPS/DIR/GEN/CIR/03/005 dated 28th July, 2016 instructing banks to allow customers with BVN to deposit cheques into their savings account.

The SEC said it had engaged the CBN and other stakeholders on key initiatives to put an end to the growth in unclaimed dividends in Nigeria.

“In particular, we set up a committee comprising the SEC, CBN

and representatives of Registrars in 2013 to work on the e-Dividend programme. The committee’s work and advocacy played a crucial work in facilitating the significant progress already achieved, including the new directive on accepting cheques into savings accounts.” SEC stated “Through excellent collaboration with the CBN, the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS) and deposit money banks, the Commission was able to develop and deploy the eDividend Mandate Management System (e-DMMS) as an online portal for enrolling investors. Retail investors have since then been enrolling onto the platform using

their Bank Verification Numbers (BVN). Investors who successfully register on the e-DMMS will be able to receive their dividends directly into their accounts.”

In addition to the e-DMMS, investors with previously-received dividend warrants can now deposit same into their savings accounts in line with the CBN circular under reference. This is an important achievement investors have been clamoring for in Nigeria since the inception of the capital market.

For decades, investors who only operate savings accounts could not claim the dividends from their investments due to the inability to deposit dividend warrants into

savings accounts. This limitation contributed to the growth in quantum of unclaimed dividends in Nigeria. With this new directive from the CBN, Nigeria is moving ever closer to an era where retail investors can have increased comfort to return to the capital market.

Axa Mansard reconstitutes board

... Names Ohis Ohiwerei Independent Non-Executive Director

The Board of Directors of AXA Mansard Insurance Plc has unanimously approved the appointment of Mr. Ohis Ohiwerei as an Independent Non-Executive Director of the Company subject to regulatory approvals from the National Insurance Commission.

Mr. Ohiwerei is an experienced professional with over 23 years cognate experience in banking, which started in 1992 in Guaranty Trust Bank plc (GTBank) and worked in various departments in the bank until 1998 when he joined Ecobank Plc as Country Treasurer for Nigeria and a member of the regional treasury audit team, a position he held till 2000 when he joined Diamond Bank Plc. He served as Chief Financial Officer of Diamond Bank Plc and became Executive Director (Corporate Banking) of Diamond Bank Plc from 2005 till his retirement in 2010. While at Diamond Bank, he also served as the Chief Financial Officer and (Non-Executive) Director of ADIC Insurance Limited.

In October 2011, he was appointed as an Executive Director of GTBank, where he was responsible for Commercial Banking, Lagos Division and Public Sector of the Bank for four (4) years, until his retirement from the Bank in October, 2015.

During his banking career, he served on various Boards and acquired strong financial/currency analysis and risk management skills from his exposure to multicurrency and multicultural institutions through international trade and finance, asset and liability management, currency trading and money market operations.

He holds a Bachelor of Engineering degree from the University of Benin and a Master of Business Administration degree from the same institution. He has attended various courses and seminars locally and abroad including the Advanced Strategic Management program at the prestigious IMD, Switzerland and an Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI

27,394.98

DEALS

2,899.00

VOLUME

118,371,981.00

VALUE

1,270,508,658.86

CAP

9,408,790,941,936.79

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

B7 Business Feature

Uncovering ‘fraud’ behind FG’s Ajaokuta deal with Global Infrastructure Holdings Company (2) Opeoluwani Akintayo The first part of this writeup focused on how the Federal Government gave back concession of Ajaokuta Steel to same company, Global Infrastructure Nigeria Limited or Global Steel Holding Company, GINL/ GSHL to run for another 7 years as completion of its original 10 years contract.

But GINL/GSHL has been enmeshed in controversies about its reputation and whether or not the company has the managerial and human skills to successfully operate Ajaokuta and Itakpe.

GINL/GSHL is owned by Pramod Mittal who is the younger brother of Lakshmi Mittal.

Lakshmi is a renowned guru in the steel industry with successful tract records in South Africa, England and other countries. He had a successful relationship with his younger, Pramod until he felt uncomfortable with his younger brother’s business style. They finally went their different way which prompted Pramod to set up Ispat Steel Company.

Ispat started operation in India but got itself into Corporate Debt Restructure, CDR. CDR is going to places in the guise of reviving industries but processed in collecting loans from banks, selling assets among others without the intension to pay back or revive any industry.

In 2003, the Indian government took over Ispat from Pramod Mittal as result of owning 18 Indian banks over 800 million euros.

The takeover of Ispat Steel by the Indian government forced Pramod Mittal to establish and registered Global Steel Holding Limited, which later came to Nigeria to do business. As at today, findings revealed that Global Steel Holding Limited has no record of any successful steel business anywhere in the world.

The deal signed by the Federal Government happens to be the biggest deal for Pramod in recent time. The question on the lips of some Nigerians is: What do we expect from a company that has no record of successful mine or steel business anywhere in the world rather than debt accumulation and assets stripping?

GSHL/GIHL and Bulgaria’s Kremikovtzi AD Kremikovtzi AD was Bulgaria’s largest metalworking company.

The construction of its facilities began on 5 November 1960 and the first production capacities were put into operation in 1963 to produce cast iron and coke, with pro-

duction extending to cover other areas in the 1960s and 1970s. The company was privatised in 1999, 71% of it was acquired by a Bulgarian owned company — Daru Metals (later to change its name to Finmetals Holdings). In 2005 Valentin Zahariev and Kiril Zahariev sold 100% of Finmetals Holdings for US$110 million to Global Steel Holdings Limited (GSHL), owned by Pramod Mittal, brother of the highly successful Lakshmi Mittal. Kremikovtzi is not related to the Arcelor Mittal group.

In November 2006, the debt obligations of the company were subject to extreme price volatility as speculation mounted about the depth of commitment to the business by GHSL. Pramod Mittal, the company’s owner, issued a statement to reassure investors of his ongoing interest in Kremikovtzi’s success; but this was not sufficient to dampen the ongoing volatility of the debt price. At the beginning of December 2006, GSHL issued another statement, this time committing to inject cash into the business on an ongoing, quarterly basis.

Mittal withdrew from the company a year or so later, and since then the company is being kept afloat by the socialist government, desperately seeking for a potential investor. All negotiations ultimately failed, but fuel and salaries were not being paid during that period, creating additional debts for the company.

Since December 2008 the factory is virtually non-functioning, kept in a safe-standby mode.

On May 15, 2009, the coke production plant - one of the most controversial symbols of the company - has been shut down forever.

Gas supply (main fuel for the factory’s operations) has been cut off, although it can be restored. The fate of the company is unknown, but prospects are gloomy.

For this reason Alexander Tomov, former president of the CSKA Sofia football club and former CEO of the Kremikovtzi steel plant, was sentenced Wednesday to a total of 9 years in jail for embezzlement.

The Sofia City Court sentenced Tomov for document fraud and large-scale embezzlement while he was in the management of the now bankrupt steel mill. Another defendant, Ivan Ivanov, received the same sentence, while Bozhko Bonev was acquitted on the same charges.

Late president Yar’ Adua to the rescue and the Mogaji Inuwa report In 2008, late President Umaru

Yar’ Adua terminated the contract and ordered the arrest of Pramod Mittal for breach of contraction, debt, and rip-off of the Ajaokuta Steel and NIOMCO, Itakpe. GIHL left the country and took the case the Arbitration Court in London Yar’ Adua led government inaugurated a five-man administrative panel of inquiry to probe the concession agreement it entered with GIHL on the Ajaokuta Steel Company and the sale of other related Steel companies.

Minister of Mines and Steel Sarafa Tunji Isola inaugurated the Committee at the Conference Hall of the Ministry in Abuja.

The panel was chaired by Magaji Inuwa, a former General Manager and Chief Executive of Ajaokuta Steel Company while other members include Ibrahim Gubio, a retired Police Commissioner, Emmanuel Nwodi Ekeh, Vincent Odafe while Kunle Bolajoko is to serve as Secretary to the Committee.

The report of the five-man panel submitted to the steel minister, Chief Tunji Sarafa Ishola, said GIHL failed to deliver on the terms of the concession agreement, instead it used the companies to secure loans without corresponding investments.

According to the committee, the N24 billion secured from Zenith, Ecobank, UBA, FBN, Oceanic, FCMB, Bank PHB and Sterling Bank went into private pockets.

The report expatiates: “As at November 15, 2007, the aggregate borrowings from the Nigerian banks is a little over N24billion.

These borrowings are allegedly secured with the assets of Delta Steel Company. BPE confirmed that there have been no board approvals for any of these borrowings and for the assets of DSC to be used as collateral for ASCL and NIOMCO. The figure (N24billion) supplied by the finance director of the GIHL could be more considering the interest of about 14% per annum. One is therefore forced to ask what happened to the funds borrowed.”

The report further found innumerable cases of diversion of value from the ASCL to either DSL or out rightly sold abroad for cash. The bottom line, the panel said, is that ASCL is gradually being crippled while GIHL’s interest is being buoyed in Nigeria and overseas.

“On the resumption of GIHL management at the ASCL and NIOMCO, processed iron ore stored at ASCL were carted away to Warri and sold to interested groups overseas.”

Buhari Sales of the said processed iron ore had continued for a while before the Monitoring Committee assessed what was left at a little over $2, 077, 545, 00. GIHL paid about $1, 000, 000 and just a week into the life of this panel the processed iron ore should not have been sold in the first place. It is a vital raw material for production at ASCL. “Mention has been made of the issue of Essential Premium Scraps needed by ASCL which Global carted away to DSC. These scraps are worth N203, 371,260.27 at today’s prices. This money is yet to be paid to FGN. The scrap should not have been sold because ultimately ASCL will need to import similar premium scraps at a higher price sooner or later.”

The panel chaired by Magaji Inuwa called for a review of the approval given to GIHL by the National Office for Technology Acquisition and Development (NOTAP).

One of the ways the GIHL claims to have spent money on Ajaokuta is through technology transfer. GIHL said it has transferred US $17,356,896.02 using NOTAP approvals.

In order to ensure that it does not part with a penny on the Ajaokuta deal, GIHL, in concert with its Nigerian sponsors, came up with a report that put the value of the Ajaokuta Steel Company at a paltry $300 million.

The company also submitted a letter to Bureau of Private Enterprise, BPE that says it has spent the sum of $250 million on the Ajaokuta Steel Company since August 2004 when it took over the management of the Nigerian steel giant.

With the $250 million expenditure it submitted and which it claims to have spent, GIHL maintained it had already spent far more than it was expected to pay for the 60 percent share of the company it is targeting in the privatisation deal.

B8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday, August 9, 2016

Equities

O Sustain

Bearish

Trend

‌NSE

ASI

down

11bps

The Nigerian bourse sustained bearish momentum as sell offs in NIGERIAN

BREWERIES

(-2.3%),

STANBIC

(-4.3%)

and

FLOURMILL (-9.0%) pulled the All Share Index 11bps lower, closing at 27,394.98 points. Also, market capitalization declined N10.6bn to close at N9.4tn while YTD loss worsened to -4.4%. However, activity level was mixed as volume traded declined 2.0% to 118.3m units while value traded rose 0.3% to N1.3bn.

Banking Sector Index Rises 1.3% The Consumer Goods and Oil & Gas indices were the only declining sectors yesterday, down 1.1% and 0.5% respectively on losses in NIGERIAN BREWERIES (-2.3%), FLOURMILL (-9.0%), OANDO (3.1%) and TOTAL (-5.0%). On the contrary, the Banking index led sector gainers, advancing 1.3% due to renewed interest in ACCESS

32,000

Naira Value (m)

NSE All Share Index

(+2.2%) and GUARANTY (+3.6%). Similarly, the Insurance and

14,000

Industrial Goods indices closed in the green, up 0.6% and 0.2% respectively.

Investor Sentiment Remains Soft

29,500

10,500

27,000

7,000

24,500

3,500

Investor sentiment remained soft yesterday, as market breadth settled at 0.8x (same as last Friday) after 15 stocks advanced while 18 declined. The top gainers were FCMB (+5.5%), DANGSUGAR (+5.0%) and NPFMCRFBK (+4.4%) while DANGFLOUR (-5.3%), TOTAL (-5.0%) and MRS (-5.0%) were the worst performers.

08-Aug

05-Aug

30-Jul

27-Jul

24-Jul

21-Jul

18-Jul

15-Jul

12-Jul

09-Jul

`

02-Aug

hunting in the short term.

06-Jul

market but we believe sustained sell pressure may trigger bargain

22,000 03-Jul

Performance is likely to stay weak in the absence of cheery news in the

Life&

TIMES Tuesday, August 9, 2016

A ’rese The journey to stardom

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Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 9, 2016

My parents have always nurtured our love of the art For 28-year-old Agbarese Emokpae better known as A’rese, the journey to musical stardom has beckoned on her as she was recently crowed the winner of the first edition of music reality show, ‘The Voice Nigeria’. A stage actress from Washington and Lee University, A’rese is quite familiar with popularity and limelight having featured in various musical and theatre productions. For instance, A’rese distinguished herself through her delivery prowess in the popular musical-dance stage drama ‘Wakaa the Musical’. Cornered at the presentation of her prizes, A’rese is who from a family of creative minds, spoke with MUTIAT ALLI, on winning the coveted star prize, next project, how her coach shaped her musical career amongst others. Enjoy…

Life&

T E A M

How do you feel emerging as the winner?

To emerge as the winner, I feel grateful, I feel overwhelmed and I’m still so excited to get to work and show to the world who believed and voted for me the stuff I am made off. I have been rebranded and trained on how to excel in this industry.

Did you ever think that you will get to this stage?

I think all of us contestants just wanted to do the best we could and see what happened. I think that’s how I came in. Let me try this new thing and learned a little bit. Of course who doesn’t want to win? But it’s the main thing of the many experience I’ve had. So, I’m grateful.

After The Voice, what is next for A’rese?

I just have to keep working hard. So I will keep working hard as far as music goes, as far as stage and just keep chasing my dreams.

How has the background you had in stage performance been a major factor that helped you to win in this contest?

I think my work as a stage performer probably influenced my song choices, influenced the way I chose to interpret the music and brought something special and something different to the competition.

So what should Nigerians expect from you?

Nigerians should expect me to just keep working hard and I’m am literally going right into the studio and I’m going to bring out something that they will like.

During the competition, who was your greatest threat?

I don’t know about anybody else but I didn’t think of other contestants as threats. I saw them as colleagues that I respect, that I learn from and gain knowledge from and with that mind-set, I didn’t think anybody as a threat. We are good friends.

With Waje being your principal, what is that thing you learnt from her?

There are so many things I learnt from Waje. But the biggest thing is confidence and being her own woman and a strong woman, she really thought me a lot about that.

How strong is A’rese now?

Ahhh…. A’rese is strong o… (Laughs}. She has been through a lot in the last three months and she has come out stronger than she

Entertainment Correspondent Mutiat Alli

has ever been before.

Any plans of having a collaboration with Waje your coach?

Ah! I hope so. I mean Waje is a huge deal, she is an amazing vocalist, so I would love to do one with her but I think that’s in the future... we’ll see what the future brings.

What advice will you give youths who want to take part in the next season of the competition?

I would say to young people coming up in this industry or competitions like this - it is very important to be yourself and to stick to what you believe in. If you want to be a reggae artiste, do that.

Don’t be afraid of being different and just be true to yourself.

Take Theatre and music out of A’rese, who is A’rese?

I’m not sure you can have A’rese without music and theatre. It lives in me. Even when I wasn’t performing, I just love watching shows and listening to music. It’s just part of who I am. A’rese is an easy going person, a goal getter who won’t stop at being the best and on the top of her game at all times.

What was growing up like for you?

Growing was fun and exciting for me majorly because I came from a very creative family. My parents have always supported us as far as being musical or wanting to paint or draw, they’ve always nurtured our love of the art and I am very grateful that I have parents who gave me so much emotional support as far as doing something as difficult as entertainment for a living. I’m the eldest of four, I have three younger siblings... Two girls, two boys.

While you were performing Hallelujah, you performed so passionately like something was ringing in your head... What was happening while you were singing Hallelujah?

I was just so grateful to have gotten that far. Each week my prayer was just that I will have the grace and confidence to carry out whatever destiny God had planned for me. So in that moment, I made it all the way to the final top four and I was able to sing that song and just say thank you. It meant a lot to me.

Society Correspondent Abimbola Obatayo

Photography Quadri Olowolagba

Graphics Adebambo Segun

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 9, 2016

L3 Travel

Get spoilt in the Gold Coast country –Ghana Ghana is arguably one of Africa’s true jewels. Formerly called the Gold Coast, Ghana’s rich tradition means that it is truly one of the best places to visit in West Africa.

Throw in a growing tourism industry as well as an incredible energy about the capital Accra that makes it ideal for a getaway.

Ghana is one accessible to Nigerians by road, and there are quite a number of transport companies which ply the Lagos-Accra route. For those who prefer to travel faster, the Kotoka International Airport in Accra is the gateway to Ghana.

Of course, citizens of West African countries do not need visas to visit Ghana but an ECOWAS passport is a requirement.

Despite the ethnic diversity in Ghana, English language is widely spoken and communication is unlikely to be a problem regardless of the parts of Ghana you find yourself. What is likely to create some measure of confusion however, is the Ghanaian currency.

The 2007 redenomination changed the old Cedi and rates, most Ghanaians however, still think and calculate in terms of the old Cedi and this can be rather confusing.

A tourist is likely to be spoilt for choice in Ghana as to places to visit because Ghana has a bit of everything.

The Beach

The Market

The Kokrobite and Winneba beaches are great places to relax, kick your feet up and enjoy some of that famed Ghanaian sun. It’s an added attraction that you get to watch fishermen at work while you’re catching up on your vacation.

The Volta Lake and Lake Bosumtwi are more inland if you’d prefer to be away from the beaches.

The Kejetia market in Kumasi is reputed to be the largest market in West Africa and it is not without reason. With over 11,000 stalls, you’ll find yourself struggling to take it all in as every possible commodity is for sale here.

Have you really been to Ghana if you didn’t have Banku?

You should also try the Ghanaian Jollof rice, a delicacy that is an endless source of rivalry between the Ghanaians and their Nigerian neighbours.

The park The Kakum national park is reputed to be the perfect spot if you enjoy bird watching or other animals in the forest. If you want to catch the sight of big cats and elephants, the Mole National park is recommended.

Ghana’s rich history can easily be explored by visiting sites such as the WEB Du Bois centre, the Independence square as well as the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum.

The National Museum in the capital city of Accra is also great if you’re into history.

Delicacies & Restaurant & Hotels The local delicacy is nothing strange as it contains many familiar dishes. Fufu, plantains and a lot of rice based meals.

The top picks of restaurants in Ghana are, Khana Khazana, where there is an offering of affordable Indian delicacies. La Chaumiere is a lot more upscale and grand with their posh interior and classical music.

If you’re wondering where to stay in Ghana, the Golden Tulip Hotel, Polo Heights Hotel, Crystal hotels and Fiesta Residences are some of the best hotels in Accra.

Here are three fun facts about Ghana • The Volta River is the longest in Ghana.

• Rich in Gold, it was formerly called the Gold Coast.

• Ghana was the first sub Saharan country to gain Independence from the British.

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 9, 2016

Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 9, 2016

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Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 9, 2016

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Daily Times Nigeria

Tuesday August 9, 2016

L7

Eyola

eyola@aol.com

ealth & Beauty ome Remedies 1ne

Reduce the size and redness of a pimple by using Listerine mouthwash. Dip a cotton bud into some Listerine and then dab it onto the pimple. Alternatively, try replacing Listerine with lemon juice, dab it onto the pimple and leave overnight.

2wo

Get rid of a headache or a migraine by placing your feet in a bowl of warm water, with a bag of frozen peas (or frozen vegetables) on the back of your neck.

Three Are you feeling anxious or stressed? Instantly relax with a simple acupressure technique. Use your three fingers, side by side, to measure from your wrist, up your arm. Where the third finger rests is where you place your thumb and apply pressure.

If you’re at home, another great way to release stress is to lie down on the floor with your legs up against the wall.

4our According to some studies, regularly adding lemon juice to your water will help control high blood pressure and boost your metabolism.

5ive

mation, fill a plastic bottle with water, about three-quarters full, and put the bottle in the freezer. When cold or frozen, lightly step on the bottle to soothe the feet.

6ix Trouble sleeping? Take two teaspoons of raw honey before bedtime. This bedtime routine can also help you burn fat faster and you’ll wake up without that tired feeling.

7even To relieve constipation, add a mixture of natural honey and lemon juice (two teaspoons of each) to hot water and drink on an empty stomach each morning.

8ight An instant dandruff treatment: massage the juice of a lemon into your scalp. Wait for ten minutes before washing the hair as usual. Then make your hair shine by applying one teaspoon of vinegar, leave for a few minutes, then shampoo your hair as usual. Make sure to test a small part of your hair first. Finally, treat split ends by applying raw honey onto the ends of the hair.

Leave for 20 to 30 minutes and rinse thoroughly before shampooing the hair as usual.

Let me know which of these natural remedies works for you.

To relieve tired, aching feet and reduce swelling and inflam-

Mouth wash

Get in touch with Eyola on Twitter: @WorldEyola

Honey

Water

Lemon juice

TV guide L8

Daily Times Nigeria Tuesday August 9, 2016

Showing on

Showing on

Movies ACTION+ Channel 106

Movies Comedy Channel 104

11:20

18:00 Tue, 9 Aug|PG

Tue, 9 Aug| PG 13

Gru, the world’s most lovable villian, and his minions are back in this Oscar-nominated adventure.

This time Gru is recruited to help bring down a bad guy. Benjamin Bratt, Kristen Wiig, Russell Brand, Steve Carell. (2013) Pierre Coffin, Chris Renaud.

Andrew Garfield returns for a second round of web-slinging action. Dangerous new enemies and family secrets weigh heavily on young Peter Parker as he struggles with his destiny. Jamie Foxx, Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone.(2014) Marc Webb

101 M-Net West

23:30 Chicago PD 00:30 The Real Housewives Of Atlanta 01:30 The Longest Week 03:00 Other Plans 04:25 Away And Back 06:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 07:00 MasterChef Australia 08:00 The Big Bang Theory 08:30 The Last Ship 09:30 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 10:30 Begin Again 12:30 The Middle 13:00 MasterChef Australia 14:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 15:00 Code Black 16:00 Blue Bloods 17:00 Made In Hollywood 18:00 The Ellen DeGeneres Show 19:00 Mom 19:30 MasterChef Australia 20:30 Chicago Med 21:30 Chicago Fire 22:30 Chicago PD

23:40 The Face Of Destiny 00:30 Elena's Ghost 01:20 Broken Angel 02:10 Broken Angel 03:00 The Face Of Destiny 03:50 Fearless Heart 05:20 Elena's Ghost 06:10 Husband For Hire 07:00 The Face Of Destiny 07:50 Fearless Heart 08:40 For Love And Justice 09:30 Cruel Love 10:20 Husband For Hire 11:10 The Face Of Destiny 12:00 Fearless Heart 12:50 For Love And Justice 13:40 Cruel Love 14:30 Husband For Hire 15:20 The Face Of Destiny 16:10 Fearless Heart 17:00 Broken Angel 17:50 Broken Angel 18:40 Husband For Hire 19:30 The Face Of Destiny 20:20 Fearless Heart 21:10 Broken Angel 22:00 Broken Angel 22:50 Husband For Hire

152 AfricaMagic Epic

23:17 Mary And Martha 01:01 Behind The Scenes: The Place

01:10 Royal Guard 03:13 Forest King 05:10 Twins Of The Rainforest 05:38 Behind The Scenes: Secret Room 06:03 Secret Adventure 08:43 Behind The Scenes: October 1st

09:11 Behind The Scenes: The Place

120 BBC Brit Entertainment

118 Telemundo

09:20 Igbotic Love 11:19 Igbotic Love 13:13 Healthy Snacking 13:25 Implication 15:29 Above Implication 17:50 Behind The Scenes: Next Dean 18:00 Africa Rising: Behind The Scenes 19:00 The King Is Coming 21:21 The King Is Coming

23:22 Moone Boy

11:10 Would I Lie To You?

23:47 Moone Boy

11:45 QI

00:12 An Idiot Abroad

12:15 The Cube

00:58 The Cube

13:05 Top Gear

01:46 Police Interceptors

14:15 Police Interceptors

02:33 Ben And James Versus The Arabian...

15:05 Undercover Boss USA

03:25 Undercover Boss USA

16:30 QI

04:12 Pointless

17:05 Pointless

05:00 The Cube

18:00 Top Gear

05:45 Would I Lie To You?

19:00 Youngers

06:20 QI

19:30 QI

06:55 Police Interceptors 07:40 Top Gear

20:00 Travel ManThe Graham Norton Show

08:45 Pointless

21:05 Top Gear

09:35 Undercover Boss USA

22:05 Very British Problems

15:55 Would I Lie To You?

10:25 Ducks Quacks Don't Echo

155 AfricaMagicWorld 23:15 Music On Africa Magic 00:15 Behind The Scenes: The Place 01:15 Good Morning Africa 02:15 53 Extra 02:45 Star Gist 03:15 Star Gist 03:45 Jara 04:20 Jara 05:00 Goodmorning Africa 06:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 07:00 53 Extra 07:30 Star Gist 08:00 Jara 09:00 Good Morning Africa 10:00 Lies That Bind

10:28 Lies That Bind 10:53 Lies That Bind

11:20 Lies That Bind 11:41 Behind The Scenes: Broken 12:00 Deal Or No Deal SA 13:00 Music On Africa Magic 14:05 Music On Africa Magic 15:00 Music On Africa Magic 16:00 Star Gist 16:35 Deal Or No Deal Sa 17:25 53 Extra 18:00 Jara 18:30 Tinsel 19:00 Lies That Bind 19:30 Lies That Bind 20:00 Princess Tyra 18:00 Star Gist

128 SONY MAX

23:00 Most Shocking 23:45 World's Wildest Police Videos 00:35 World's Wildest Police Videos 01:25 Enemy Territory 02:55 Sexy Car Wash 03:20 Sexy Car Wash 03:45 Video Zonkers 04:10 South Beach Tow 04:35 South Beach Tow 05:00 World's Wildest Police Videos 05:45 World's Wildest Police Videos 06:35 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking 07:25 Video Zonkers 07:50 South Beach Tow 08:15 South Beach Tow 08:40 Most Shocking 09:35 World's Wildest Police Videos 10:30 World's Wildest Police Videos 11:30 Baywatch 12:30 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking 13:30 South Beach Tow 14:00 World's Wildest Police Videos 15:00 World's Wildest Police Videos 16:00 Most Shocking 17:00 Top 20 Countdown: Most Shocking 18:00 South Beach Tow 18:30 South Beach Tow 19:00 Baywatch 20:00 Extreme Reality Clips 20:30 Rude Tube 21:00 Rude Tube 21:30 Freakshow 22:00 Sexy Car Wash 22:30 Sexy Car Wash