Dtn saturday 09 09 17

WQC: No more new invitations – Rohr 28

THE

DAILY

TIMES SATURDAY ON

NIGERIA INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER. EST. 1926 WWW.DAILYTIMES.NG https://plus.google.com/+DailytimesNgr/posts

dailytimesng

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 445

N150

GLOBAL FINANCIAL/COMMODITY MARKETS

CURRENCIES/CBN: CBN: N305.55 PER DOLLAR, Parallel Market: USD N365 POUND N475 EURO N424 NSE: ASI 37, 425.15 MARKET CAP 12.90 FMDQ O/N 22.50 OBB 22.00 COMMODITIES: Wheat US $455.00/MT Rice US $12.40/MT Cocoa US $2,004.00/Bag Coffee US $139.60/Scoop Cotton US $70.95/Unit Sugar US $14.15/Ounce METALS: Gold US $1263.10/Ounce Silver US $16.21/Ounce Copper US $2.87/Ounce ENERGY: Brent US $52.21/PB, N/Gas US $2.78/CB

Student prostitution: A ‘norm’ threatening academic system

The sorry state of students who offer sex to pay school fees, pass exams

Ojukwu Daniel, Lagos

has, fearfully, become one of the norms that have found a place of honour in societies across the world.

After a video of an Akwa-Ibom State University student who arrested a man that had picked her up and gave her N1, 000 against the agreed N20,00 for a night out lightened up the social media, reactions on the internet showed that the incident was not a Nigerian problem; it is a global nightmare.

A new study shows that eight in 20

ÏÏÏBetween offering sex to pass examina-

tions and prostituting to pay tuition, sex work as option for cash strapped university students have spread like the California inferno across the world. It got so bad that a study revealed that students in the campuses are selling their ovaries to raise money for tuition and survive campus life.

In Nigeria, academic prostitution and its growing acceptance amongst corporate professions - even the legal systems

Continued on page 6

Gov el-Rufai wants Buhari to recontest 5 in 2019, says Alhassan is disloyal Strike: FG, ASUU make progress as lecturers begin one week consultation 6

My greatest moment as an actor –Ramsey Nouah L2 & L3

Escapee killer of 8-year- old girl for ritual rearrested in Jos 5

2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

ǟǭǺǭdzDZǹDZǺȀ ǕǻǺǿȁǸȀǭǺȀǿ

XXX BMFSUND DPN &òFDUJWF )3. BOE -FBEFSTIJQ %FWFMPQNFOU *OTUSVNFOUT

1FPQMFhT QFSTPOBMJUZ BOE JOIFSFOU TUSFOHUI BOE QPJOUT PG BUUFOUJPO 1TZDIPMPHJDBM UZQF CFIBWJPSBM QSFGFSFODFT BOE UIFJS JNQBDU PO QFSTPOBM EFWFMPQNFOU FNQMPZFF NPUJWBUJPO QFSGPSNBODF DVMUVSF DPOøJDU NBOBHFNFOU BOE GPSXBSE MPPLJOH MFBEFSTIJQ &NCFEEJOH PSHBOJ[BUJPOBM IFBMUI JOUP QFSGPSNBODF 4QFDJBMJ[FE *OTUSVNFOUT

,0"/ 1 XJUI UIF BTTPDJBUFE 1SPGFTTJPOBM #BMBODF 4BMFT %/" BOE 1SPKFDU .BOBHFNFOU SFQPSUT "MFSU 5ZQF *OEJDBUPS "-5*

&YUFOTJWF QMBUGPSN PG GFFECBDL GBDJMJUJFT $PBDIJOH 5SBJOJOH BOE "DDSFEJUBUJPO 8F BSF IBQQZ UP TIBSF PVS FYQFSUJTF XJUI PSHBOJTBUJPOT DPOTVMUBOUT BOE JOUFSOBM )3. QSPGFTTJPOBMT

'PS B GSFF QFSTPOBMJUZ BOE MFBEFSTIJQ BTTFTTNFOU $POUBDU PVS $PVOUSZ 3FQ "HFODZ $POTVMUJOH -UE 0TVO $SFTDFOU .BJUBNB "CVKB /JHFSJB 1IPOF

&NBJM BOPTJLFD!HNBJM DPN

3

4

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

5 News

LASU Governing Council sacks ASUU chairman, others

Esther Taiwo

ÏÏÏThe

Lagos State University Governing Council at its Meeting of Thursday 7th September, 2017 has dismissed 15 Academic Staff and two Non-Academic Staff. The Council also demoted One Academic and One Non-Academic Staff.

Details as follows: In a press release signed by the Acting Head, Centre for Information Press and Public Relations Lagos State University, Mr Ademola Adekoya, According to Section 6(1) and (2) of the Lagos State University Law 2004 (as amended), the Council of the Lagos State University is the governing authority of the University, and exercises general oversight over the Institution and its affairs.

The Council at its 115th Meeting which held on

Thursday 7th September, 2017, considered among others the report of its Joint Council /Senate (Academic) Disciplinary Committee and the Joint Council (Administrative and Technical Staff) Disciplinary Committee. Pursuant thereto the Governing Council with immediate effect dismissed 15 members of the Academic Staff, two members of nonacademic staff, and sanctioned others for different acts of misconduct. Among those that were dismisssed and/sanctioned are : Dr. Isaac Akinloye, OYEWUNMI, Senior Lecturer, Department of Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education, Faculty of Education and Chairman, Academic Staf Union of Universities (ASUU) LASU chapter was established to have demanded the sum of N50, 000 (Fifty Thousand Naira only) from

2003 modular year students of Political Science Education on the sandwich Programme to process their results. He was found culpable of attempt to obtain money for himself as an inducement to carry out his duties, and consequently dismissed from the service of the University.

Dr. Adebowale ADEYEMI-SUENU, Senior Lecturer and Acting Head, Department of History and International studies, Faculty of Arts was established to have unilaterally altered the results of 12 (Twelve) students already advised to withdraw by Senate in the Department of History and International Studies in the 2015/2016 academic session, thereby changing their status from “withdrawn” to “good standing”. He also changed the results of some final year students and stragglers outside the scope

of the Departmental decision. Dr. ADEYEMI-SUENU also awarded grade point of 2.0 to two (2) students in an examination from which they were absent. This is tantamount to manipulation of Students results in contravention of provisions of the Conditions and Scheme of Service for Senior Staff. He was therefore DISMISSED from the service of the University.

Mr Olatoye Mubin RAJI, Assistant Lecturer, Department of Religions, (Islamic Studies Unit), Faculty of Arts, was established to have falsified his November /December 2000 WAEC O’Level certificate. He was therefore DISMISSED from the services of University.

Dr. Olugbenro Bankole ODOFIN, Senior Lecturer, Department of Education Foundation and Counselling Psychology, Faculty of Education was established

L-R: Gombe State Governor, Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo; Capt. Yaya Abubakar (rtd) and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar, during the inspection visit to Gombe International Conference in Gombe State… on Wednesday.

Escapee suspected killer of 8-yr-old girl for ritual re-arrested in Jos Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏThe Rivers State Police

Command has announced the re-arrest of the suspected ritualist, Ifeanyi Dike, a 23-year 200 level student of the University of Port Harcourt, UNIPORT, who allegedly raped, murdered, and cut off some organs of his 8-year old niece, Victory Chikamso, last August, for ritual purposes.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Nnamdi Omoni, who confirmed this in Port Harcourt, Friday, said that the fleeing suspect who

escaped from the CID of the police in Port Harcourt was arrested in Jos, Plateau State, Thursday night, by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Barkin Ladi local government of plateau State where he has been hiding.

He said that the suspect was re-arrested when he allegedly broke into a yet to be named home and stabbed the occupant who then raised alarm.

The state police command, he said, was already effecting its arrangements with their counterparts in Jos to return the suspect to Port Harcourt by

deploying some officers to extradite the suspect to face the consequences of his alleged criminal actions.

DSP Omoni said: “I can confirm that Ifeanyi Dike has been re-arrested in Jos. It is cheering news for the command. The command is better for it. We are in a happy mood. We are in a celebrating mood.

He was arrested Thursday night. The Commissioner of Police in the state has also sent men to go and get Ifeanyi Dike from the custody of the Jos police force back to the state.

“The unfortunate inci-

dent touched us. The CP was moved by that development. When the incident happened, the CP placed a reward of N1million for anyone that led to his arrest. All hands were on deck. Everybody assisted us. That innocent girl deserves justice,” the elated police image maker said.

Ifeanyi Dike, beat all the security personel and apparatuses in the state police and escaped from the custody of police the officer handling his matter, Johnbosco Okoroeze, in the presence of the victim’s father.

to have altered One Hundred and Eighteen (118) students results and also awarded scores to students who did not sit for the examination in a certain course. He was therefore DISMISSED from the services of the University.

Dr. Adebowale Adebayo ADEMESO, Senior Lecturer, Department of Theatre Arts and Music, Faculty of Arts, was established to have altered grades in sixteen (16)

courses. He was therefore DISMISSED from the services of the University.

Dr. John Olufemi ADEOGUN, Associate Professor, Department of Human Kinetics, Sports and Health Education, Faculty of Education was found culpable of acts of dishonesty which is tantamount to misconduct.

He was therefore demoted from the rank of Associate Professor to Senior Lecturer.

Gov el-Rufai wants Buhari to recontest in 2019 Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏKaduna

State Governor Nasir el-Rufai has disclosed that himself, a group of other governors and ministers whom he described as ‘Buharists’, want President Muhmmadu Buhari to recontest during the 2019 presidential election to complete his second term in office.

Governor el-Rufai stated this during an interview with the State House correspondents on Friday in Abuja after he visited Buhari.

He said that he would support the President for second tenure if he (Buhari) decides to contest the 2019 presidential election.

The governor also debunked rumours that he planned to contest as President, saying he and other ‘ Buharists’ are praying for his speedy recovery and are pushing for him to contest and return as President in 2019. el-Rufal said that all the supporters of the President will queue behind any person Buhari will support in 2019, adding that none of the supporters of the President has indicated interest for now to contest for the presidency in 2019.

The governor, who is the Chairman of APC Committee on Restructuring and Federalism also disclosed that the committee will start public hearing on true federalism from September 18 and that the committee has started receiving memoranda from different segments of the society nationwide.

On the reason for his

presence in Villa, he said “I just came to see the President and wish him very happy Sallah in arrears, I wasn’t able to go to Daura.

“Hours of works and interactions, today being Friday I happened to be in town and thought I should come and see him, pray with him and wish him well.”

Reacting to comments by the Minister of Women Affairs, Aisha Alhassan, el-Rufai has never been in the Buhari camp neither has she ever believed in President Buhari’s ideology, saying he was not surprised that the minister openly endorsed former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar.

The governor said Alhassan was not in Buhari’s camp during the presidential primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has never supported the President. el-Rufai said Buhari ignored reservations expressed by party members when selecting her as a minister.

The governor added that retaining or replacing her “is the prerogative of the President”.

The minister was at the presidential villa in Abuja on Thursday but did not meet Abba Kyari, chief of staff, whom she had come to see.

News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Student prostitution: A ‘norm’ threatening academic system Continued from page 1 British students have engaged in some kind of sex work; some were bold to justify their action when they talked to researchers about their experiences.

Quite recently, researchers at Swansea University released the findings of The Student Sex Work Project, the first comprehensive attempt to analyse UK students who are also sex workers. The report found that 5 percent of students have undertaken sex work at some point – which can mean either that they supplied “direct” sexual services, or did “indirect” work, such as modelling, cam shows or chat lines. While 5 percent represents a small but significant minority, a much greater number – 1 in 5 – reported that they had considered doing sex work to pay their way through higher education.

Some of the findings were not too surprising. With the increase in student debt, as well as the slashing of university funding for grants and bursaries, sex work has become an increasingly attractive prospect for cash-strapped students. A number of sex workers told researchers that minimum wage or zero-hours jobs just weren’t an option, while the most common reason given for undertaking sex work was “good money”.

The gay prostitute factor A surprise finding from the study however, revealed that the females are not the only cashstrapped students who take to sex to pay their way through; a greater number of male than female students are found to be sex workers. 2.4 percent and 3.5 percent of men had taken part in “direct” and “indirect” sex work respectively, compared to

1.3 and 2.7 percent of women, according to the study.

This is despite the fact that male and trans-sex workers are often written out of popular narratives and media reportage when it comes to sex work.

Investigation shows that a lot of students clearly enjoy sex work on its own terms. Flexible hours, good working conditions and sexual pleasure were among the most regularly cited positive aspects of sex work. But in almost every case, this enjoyment was balanced with stigma and enforced secrecy.

“That’s where I have a problem,” one student confessed, admitting that “it has turned into a giant secret. I have to be careful what I say, where I go and what I do.”

A close discourse with “practitioners” in confidence revealed some moving issues.

Mabel (not her real name) in a state university told our correspondent her parents know she is into academic prostitution while in school. “They have to.

Mum is a petty trader and my father was laid off as textile engineer when the industries closed down. But I made good grades and got admission, so what was I expected to do?”

Experiences of paying your way through university with sex work Angela (Maiduguri) “I’m a second-year studying Sociology and Philosophy.

I started working after my first year, trying various part-time jobs, I’d just moved town from the North. My family are not well off, so can’t afford to help me much.

“I didn’t know anyone in the university town so when I moved there, I started from scratch. At first, I lived in an overcrowded,

noisy flat with other students.

After I started sex work, I could afford a place of my own.

“I have regular clients through some hotel receptionists who have my number. I visit clients at home, in hotels and occasionally at their workplace.

It’s flexible and fits around my course; especially, I can work the hours I want at my convenience.”

Martins “The sex work I partake in is escorting. Men hire me by the hour, either for sex, company or dates. I got into the sex industry because I had no money left to pay my bills or do anything socially. I signed up to a website, thinking I wouldn’t get much of a response, but I did. And it felt good! It feels good to have the ability to make men pay for you; it gives you a certain power over them.

“My friends know what I do but I don’t talk about it to anyone, as there’s definitely a great deal of stigma attached (to sex work). One of my friends actu-

ally tried to get me down about it and tried to say I was “a dirty hooker on the street”, but it isn’t like that at all.

“The type of payment I receive is reasonably good. It lets me pay off my bills and I have money left over to spend on my social life. The income isn’t steady, though: the thing about escorting is that when the money runs out, you aren’t guaranteed to get another customer straight away, so you’re often back to having no money.

Mabel is not an isolated case.

Brazilians, Mexicans and Malaysians even boast a worldwide network of academic prostitution on streets and across borders but it is safe to say that it wasn’t a part of our culture. The issue now went beyond having young female graduates, dropouts or less privileged, litter the streets at odd hours, to creating an educational system that promotes this uncharitable act as the ‘only’ means of survival.

In Nigeria today, it is no longer strange when a chief or chair-

man drops off another man’s daughter at school on a Monday morning after a weekend of ‘Business Trip’. The smiling young student who now has a bulging purse to pay her school fees and buy books, blows a kiss to the waiting 50 year old man who in turn blushes like melted jelly. They are everywhere, in every higher institution, almost every department and level. The big girl clique; housing the ones who are ready to handle a sugar-daddy “aristo” and give him the same pleasures a ‘poverty stricken boyfriend’ would demand, with the added advantage of getting some of the allocation that should have gotten home to a patient housewife; a case of “using what you have to get what you want,” unfortunately.

The good old days It is sad that in this same country in the days of purity, sanity and sobriety, a lady, in ancient Hausa tradition, had no relationship with a man until she was in her teens and ready for Continued on page 7

Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El- Rufai (right), addressing the State House Correspondents during a visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja… on Friday.

Court fixes Sept 22 for final forfeiture of Diezani’s N2.62bn properties

Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏAn

application seeking the final forfeiture of four building properties scattered between Lagos and River States, and Abuja, valued at N2. 611, 592, 199 billion, linked to the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani AllisonMadueke and her associates will be entertained by a Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Justice Chuka Obiozor on Friday fixed a tentative date of September 22, 2017 for the application to be heard.

The said application was filed by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to get the properties finally forfeited to the Federal Government of Nigeria.

The judge equally declared that same day would be utilised to

hear the response of the 3rd, 4th and the 6th respondents in the matter.

Mr. Emmanuel Bassey, lawyer representing the respondents had informed the judge that there was a pending application requesting that the EFCC should serve the respondents with the exparte application which was used to secure an interim order of forfeiture of the said properties.

Bassey further claimed that the request became imperative sequel to an order made by the substantive judge, Justice AbdulAziz Anka of the same court, wherein he declared that the exparte application be served on the respondents.

But counsel to the anti-graft agency, ABC Ozioko who stated that there was no such order

mandating the commission to serve the exparte application on the respondents, argued that the companies involved have no directors and does not even exist.

Ozioko added that, “We have obtained an interim order in respect of this suit and the case adjourned until today for report and to also allow the respondents to show cause why the properties should not be finally forfeited.

“But this morning, we were served with a motion on notice by one Mr Nnamdi Eze Anochie.

“We ask for time to respond and to take the application for final forfeiture.”

It would be recalled that Justice Anka had ordered that four building properties scattered between Lagos and River States, and Abuja, valued at N2. 611, 592,

199 billion, linked to the former Minister of Petroleum, Diezani Allison-Madueke and her associates be temporary forfeited to the FGN, for being proceeds of corruption.

Justice Anka issued the order while granting an Ex-parte application marked FHC/L/ CS/1279/17, filed and argued before the court by counsel to the anti-graft agency, Ozioko.

Respondents in the suit are: Mrs. Diezani Alison Madueke; Mr. Donald Chidi Amamgbo; Chapel Properties Limited; Blue Nile Estate Limited; Azinga Meadows Limited; and Vistapoints Property Development Limited.

The properties ordered to be temporary forfeited to the Federal government of Nigeria are: 21 mixed housing units of 8 numbers of four bedrooms pent-

house apartment; six numbers of three bedrooms apartments; two numbers of three bedrooms apartment and one numbers of four bedrooms apartment, all ensuit, located at 7, Thurnburn Street, and 5 Raymond Street, Yaba, valued at N937 million.

Another property a 16-four bedrooms terrace, located at Heritage Court Estate, Omerelu Street, Diobu GRA, Port-Harcourt, River State, valued at N928 million.

Another 13-three bedrooms with one room maid’s quarter, situated at Mabushi Gardens Estate, Plot 1205, Cadastral Zone B06, Mabushi, Abuja, valued at N650 million; and six flats of three bedrooms and one boys quarter, located at Plot 808 (135) Awolowo Road, Ikoyi, lagos., valued at N805 million.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

7

News

‘A norm threatening academic system’ Continued from page 6 marriage. A Yoruba lady would not be caught dead in another man’s car in the name of dropping her off from school - and the issue of lecturers/students’ sex-for-marks was not heard of.

Where then did it all go wrong, how did we get there?

A lady who sought anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the issue, told our correspondent in core Pidgin English; “Ah, se na today you just de hear that one? Oga, everybody wan survive; so as man de make money, we sef go rub him back small, and e go drop bar, shikena. Na give and take.”

An executive of a private firm who paid her tuition through sex work told our reporter that sex work is far better, much better paid and suited her time better than any other work she could do.

“I found it very hard to budget and pay bills without anyone supporting you. I knew a lot of students who had to drop out and left courses due to financial pressures. I know a former roommate who exchanged sex with her landlord to cover the rent, and another woman I knew was a part-time sex worker to earn enough to travel home to visit her family.

“Mostly students doing sex work don’t talk about it, because if it comes out, it could affect your future and job prospects.

“Nowadays, sex work among students is much more common than people think, and is likely to increase as long as fees, rent and the cost of living is so high,” she confided.

The openness of this revela-

tion was shocking. Gone are the days when virginity and virtue were celebrated among young spinsters and bragged about by their parents. Who then is responsible for this ‘Give and Take’ mechanism?

The Home front Charity is believed to begin at home but when the home isn’t charitable enough to finance the upgrade from an underprivileged lifestyle to the ‘Big girl’ clique, it becomes an ultimate search to find a man who’s ready to cripple his own home to satisfy your needs, while shortchanging his own daughter who, in turn, gets herself a similar man in a cycle where no one is immune.

Sadly though, when the young girl who is supposed to be struggling without the books you couldn’t afford, strolls in with a new iPhone and bag of new clothes allegedly given her by a “close friend”, no one cares to probe! No one cares about the real story, after all, “she’ll one day live alone so it’s good that she can fend for herself.”

Peer Pressure “I prefer to look at this factor as the ‘Bandwagon effect”, said a lecturer in the University of Calabar. “Certain school of thought is of the opinion that we are what we see, read, hear and experience. It goes same for student prostitution. Every lady gets attracted to the material benefits and added attention derived from the flashy lifestyle and, no matter how cultured or religious they may be, it tends to cross the mind occasionally.

“These constant negative energy transform to reassurance of; “isn’t it just sex? He’ll have his way for one or two hours and I’ll

Heritage Bank, NIMASA support Ita-Giwa

Ebere Chibuzor

ÏÏÏSenator Florence Ita-Giwa, Chairman of the Environment Committee of the 2014 National Conference and leader of Seagull Carnival Band has received support from Heritage Bank and the Nigeria Maritime and Safety Agency (NIMASA) to stage a public enlightenment forum on Climate Change.

The discourse with the theme, Climate Change: A Time for Action’ is scheduled to hold Sunday September 10 at the Ballroom of the Oriental Hotel in Lagos. Senator Ben Murray-Bruce will be the special guest of honour, while environmental activist, and Chairman of the Nigeria Conservation Foundation (NCF) committee on awareness and fund raising, Mr Desmond Majekodunmi

will give a keynote address.

Tracing the history of her commitment to environmental matters, the prominent leader of Bakassi in Cross River State confessed that she knew very little about the devastation of the environmental until she was given the responsibility to chair the committee on environment during the 2014 National Conference.

She said, “I had the privilege to work with many academics and seasoned environmental activists from the civil society. I humbled myself to learn quickly from them.”

Ita-Giwa said she was happy when her state Governor Prof.

Ben Ayade chose climate change as the theme for the 2016/2017 Cross River State Carnival. She told the journalists that interpretation of the carnival usually involves serious intellectual work.

According to her, “it is

get what I need, at least I’m doing it for an important purpose,” he added.

School system A stakeholder blames the school system for being the cause of a norm that is now threatening to cripple the same academic system’s image by presenting it as a breeding ground for indecent activity.

What funny circle of this shame is the fact that over 80% of these ones who are responsible for patronising the academic hustlers, have their children schooling abroad in a much friendlier environment while the remaining ones are over here

shouting sermons into their daughters’ ears about how demonic men are looking for ladies for ritual. They ask their daughters to bring all their troubles home so as not to fall prey to the same demonic hustle gang that they belong to.

The lecturers aren’t left out.

The cost of attending a federal university may be relatively lower, but when placed in contrast to the recommended minimum wage, does it remain cost-friendly? Then we have the lecturers who expect you to get a ‘necessary’ textbook and greet them with a smile before coming to their offices for guidance and

academic counselling for ladies ONLY! The culture of the African child and society is gradually drifting to oblivion as we adopt a “new norm”. Moral decadence has fallen to levels beyond communal or personal repairs and what is currently needed is a nationwide sensitisation and criminalisation of the act of student prostitution, with stiffer penalties so as to deter anyone nursing ideas of joining the bandwagon.

But who will bail the cat – if the cat wants to be bailed at all?

With additional report from our Features Desk

L-R: Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Adm. Ibok-Ete Ibas and Commander, USA Naval Forces Europe/Africa, Adm. Michelle Howard, during her visit to the Naval headquarters in Abuja… on Friday.

Strike: FG, ASUU make progress, as lecturers begin one week consultation

Idu Jude and Samiat Odunoye Abuja

ÏÏÏThere

are strong indications that university students in Nigeria will have to wait for another one week to return to classes as the third reconciliation meeting between the representatives of the Federal Government of Nigeria led by the Minister of Labour and Employment, Senator Chris Ngige, who is also the chief negotiator, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASSU), are to embark on one more week consultations with its leadership before deciding whether to call off the ongoing strike or not.

This was one of the outcomes of the marathon reconciliation meeting with the Federal Government which ended 2.am on Friday.

The Daily Times gathered that the Federal Government of Nigeria has agreed to comply with the 7-point request of ASUU as well as the payment of salaries and allowances of all the striking lecturers.

Addressing the media after the meeting Ngige said that the deliberation with ASUU was concluded

and was expected to solve the rippling problems.

According to him, “the seven points enlisted by ASUU have been trashed and they include the revitalisation of universities, academic allowances and the issue of National University Commission (NUC) and salary shortfalls as well as states’ universities.

“Other issues agreed upon were on the implementation of failed 2009, 2013 MoU. Also agreed upon was the exemption of ASUU in TSA (Single Treasury Account) system.”

Ngige however, stated that non of these MoU was signed under the Buhari administration but since Government is a continuum, the administration is out to appraise these issues. We shall take all responsibilities; the fact that non of all these was reached in this present administration, does not mean the administration will run away from the responsibilities”.

Dr. Ngige who was in company of the Minister of Health, Professor Isaac Adewole and the Special Adviser on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enag, also confirmed that government in power

will stoop to conquer by exempting the university communities from the TSA system of payment.

“We also discussed and agreed upon the old payment system to ASUU and because government could not pay the N220 billion contained in 2013 MoU we then suggest that a committee will be put together comprising ASUU, FG, and representatives from other government agencies. The committee will be working on a proposal with specific terms of reference to the government. The committee should work for the revitalisation of the MoUs.” Meanwhile, the Federal Government of Nigeria on Friday announced that it has commenced payment of salaries and allowances of the university lecturers while the issue of upgrading states’ universities for quality education was also addressed.

In his remarks during the communiqué presentation, the Minister of Education, Adamu Adamu, stated that the decision taken by the federal government is sure to address the prayers of ASUU when it reports back to the Federal Government.

News 8

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Elumelu set for 2019 National Assembly’s WFP wants increased efforts ticket, meets Aniocha North PDP leaders to overcome Northeast crisis Azubike Nnadozie

Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏFormer

member representing Aniocha Oshimili Federal Constituency at the National Assembly, Mr. Ndudi Elimelu is set to grab the 2019 People’s Democratic Party (PDP) ticket for a come back to the National Assembly. It was reliably gathered that PDP caucus in the state had recently met at the instance of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa with decision allegedly taken for Elumelu to take over from Mrs. Mrakpor Joan Onyemaechi who currently represents the Aniocha/Oshimili Constituency. While Mrs. Mrakpor was allegedly drafted to take over from Barr. Peter Nwan-

boushi, who represents Delta North Senatorial district at the upper chamber of the National Assembly, strong indications are that the fight for Mrs. Mrakpor getting the senatorial ticket might be tougher even though she was alleged to have been endorsed by the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa. Investigation revealed that with serious horse trading ahead of the 2019 “PDP mafias’ have allegedly vowed that it will not be business as usual, especially seats for the National Assembles.

At the meeting, presided over the Party Chairman in the area, Prince Victor Egbune was held at the PDP Secretariat at Issele-Uku, the administrative head quar-

ters of the Local Government Area. It was attended

by Chieftain of the Party in the Area that included Chief Nkem Okwuofu, Hon. Engr.

Emeka Nwaobi, Hon. Barr.

Kress Njiokwuemeni, Mr. Sunday Nwaebuni, Chief Barr. Josephine Kachikwu, Barr. Andrew Odum, Hon. Chuks Oseme, Chief Junaty Okwudi, Ogbuefi Nnamdi Mohanye, Chief Val Okafor and Mr. Emma Chinye among others.

Speaking at the occasion, Mr. Elumelu said that the meeting, which was at his instance was to felicitate with the party over the Supreme Court Judgment that affirmed the leadership of the Markafi-led National Caretaker Committee of the

Party, adding that since after the congress that brought the Party Executives in the Area, he has not been able to come with a view to congratulating them.

“You know you are the ones that supported me when I went for the House of Representatives, and when I came back, I was to see you, but we went into the issue of the congress and when we were about to congratulate you the issue of the court process cropped in, “But God did it in his own way and it became pertinent for me to come to at least identify with the party and to appreciate God as well as commend you for keeping PDP in Aniocha North intact while the distraction lasted.” he stated.

L-R: Elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark; representative of Governor of Kano State, Alhaji Usman Alhaji, during the unveiling of a book on the Genius Orator, the late Alhaji Maitama Sule in Abuja... on Thursday.

Oando’s AGM holds Monday, SEC throws out petitions

Bonny Amadi

ÏÏÏThe

long awaited AGM of Oando Plc has been scheduled to hold Monday 11th September 2017, as the securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), has certified the meeting, disdaining the petitions against the organisation by a shareholder.

The management of Oando Plc has reassured its shareholders across the country ahead of its 40th Annual General Meeting slated for Monday, September 11, 2017, in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Following the response of the Securities & Exchange Commission to petitions raised by Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and Ansbury Inc. objecting to the AGM, the management of Oando Plc, led by the Group Chief Executive Offi-

cer, Wale Tinubu, has stated that it remains committed to acting in the best interests of all its shareholders.

It added that the company will continue to fully cooperate with the SEC in the discharge of its duties as the capital markets regulator.

Giving updates on the matter, Oando management noted that, “The Securities & Exchange Commission (SEC) constituted a Special Task Team to review the petitions

by Alhaji Dahiru Mangal and Ansbury Inc. To date the Company has fully co-operated with the SEC, availed them of all documents requested, and provided clarification and appropriate rebuttals to the issues raised.

“The Company received a letter from the SEC on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2017, requesting that Oando postpone its 40th AGM so that

the Commission could look into the shareholding positions contained in the Company’s 2016 Audited Financial Statements as it was at variance with those alleged by the petitioners.

“Oando responded officially on Wednesday, 23rd August, 2017 addressing all the issues raised by the SEC and concluded that it would not be in the best interests of the Company or our shareholders to postpone the AGM.” Furthermore, it stated that in a letter dated Thursday, 31st August, 2017, the SEC wrote to the Company and categorically stated: ‘Following the submission of an Interim report by the Special Task Team, the Commission is of the opinion that it is unable to identify any material findings that would warrant the postponement of the Company’s 40th Annual

General Meeting (AGM) scheduled to hold on September 11, 2017. Consequently, Oando PLC can proceed with its 40th AGM as currently scheduled.’

It added that “The SEC’s response is in line with the Company’s initial position that the request from SEC that Oando postpone its AGM, which was premised upon the allegations and claims raised by the petitioners lacked merit.

“The reason being that the issues raised by the petitioners were fully and properly disclosed by the Company in its audited financial statements and have received Board, shareholder and where required SEC approval. Other matters highlighted by the petitioners could have been directed to the Company and would have received the necessary clarification.”

ÏÏÏAfter

talks with top officials and people left destitute by the crisis in Northeast Nigeria, UnitedNations World Food Programme (WFP) Executive Director, David Beasley, has hailed the massive and joint push by Nigerian authorities and humanitarian workers to save lives, but warned the momentum must continue in the face of a complex and challenging emergency.

“We are seeing the power of humanitarian assistance,” said Beasley, following a trip to Maiduguri, the capital of Borno State that is hardest hit by the Boko Haram-driven crisis.

“It has changed the lives of malnourished children whose mothers once worried about whether they would survive,” he said. “It is giving hope to many displaced and hungry people, and to others who are now returning home.

Together, we are making a difference, but we must build on these fragile successes.”

Beasley’s two-day visit to Nigeria — his first since being appointed to head WFP in March — included meetings with VicePresident Yemi Osinbajo and Borno State Deputy Governor Usman Durkwa.

He also spoke with community leaders and young mothers at the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) camp in Maiduguri, a city that shelters hundreds of thousands fleeing hunger and conflict.

Across Northeast Nigeria this year, WFP through its partners has been delivering monthly food and nutritional assistance to more than a

million extremely vulnerable people. Thanks to generous donor contributions, our steady support helps to stabilize lives.

But the overall situation remains extremely worrying.

The June-September lean season has worsened malnutrition in many places.

Insecurity, poor roads and a backup at Lagos port are thwarting WFP’s current ability to reach more remote areas and deliver imported specialized nutritional supplements to some of the children who needit.

Beasley warned of the broader impact of the crisis that goes beyond Nigeria and spreads across the four-nation Lake Chad Basin region that also includes Niger, Chad and Cameroon.

“This is a major crisis that needs a security, humanitarian and development component — these are key to resolving it in the short and long term,” he said. “The international community cannot afford to ignore this problem, or it risks getting much worse.”

Beasley also noted the Nigerian government’s significant hunger-fighting commitments, which include a recent donation of 5,000 mt of rice to WFP’s operations. Authorities have launched a separate relief initiative aimed to distribute 30,000 mt of rice to hungry people in six Nigerian states.

For its part, WFP has purchased nearly $95 million worth of locally grown food for its operations, and injected an overall US$212 million into the Nigerian economy if cash transfers, transport, local salaries and other expenditures are taken into account.

We spent N10bn in education, says Masari

Kwasu Joseph Alhamdu

ÏÏÏ Katsina state governor,

Aminu Bello Masari has said that his administration spent about N10 billion so far on education.

The governor who stated this at the Maiden Matriculation Ceremony of Katsina State Institute of Technology and Management on Thursday, 7th September, 2017, added that his passion is to improve the standard of education in the state.

“That is why I have given an undivided attention to anything that would advance the boundaries of the education sector in the state. For years, Katsina is known to be the torch bearer of education in the northern part of Nigeria.”

“The evidence of this truism is the fact that most of the first, second and, even third generation leaders from the North had their secondary

education in Katsina. Several of them were at the famous Katsina Teachers College, now known as Barewa Collage in Zaria,” Masari said.

According to the governor, bringing back Katsina’s lost glory in education is not impossible adding that his administration has pulled out all the stops to ensure that nothing but 100% attention is given to the sector, especially at the foundation level.

“This is why we have to spent no less than N10 billion and counting, in the repair, rehabilitation and expansion of primary and secondary schools. We did not include the amount expended on the payment of teachers salary as and when due, prompt payment of pension and gratuity of retired teachers, promotion of teachers and recruitment of more teachers to bridge the acute deficit in teaching staff faced in the state,” the governor added.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Politics

s

Calls for breakup of Nigeria unnecessary -Fasheun ≥≥≥P.10

9

APC chairman visits Benue flood victims, promises relief materials ≥≥≥P12

PDP may sanction Kashamu, others over crisis in Ogun, S’ West Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja There are strong indications that the Senator Ahmed Makarfiled national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may wield the big stick against Sen. Buruji Kashamu and others over activities that are considered obstructive to the party’s search for unity in South-west.

An impeccable source within PDP, who disclosed this on Wednesday in Abuja, pointed out that the party’s leadership was being pushed to the wall over the actions of the Ogun East Senator with regards to the party’s stability in Ogun State and the South-West as a whole.

The source specifically said that the PDP leadership is not happy with the senator over allegations that he is behind some legal cases against the dissolution of the caretaker committees as approved by the recent non elective national convention of the party.

While however speaking after the inauguration of caretaker committees for Adamawa and Osun states at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja, Senator Makarfi insinuated that Kashamu was behind the crisis rocking the Ogun

Ïz Ə ƍ ƏƐƕ ƌƆƌƄƆƏ ƈ Ɛ ƏƑ ƈ Ɛ ƅ ƑƏƐ

MAKARFI

KASHAMU

State PDP. When specifically asked about the activities of Senator Kashamu and his co-travelers, Makarfi said “Did you see any sign of crisis here? Osun is here.

The crisis is in Ogun and it seems that

he (Kashamu) is fueling it.

“We have constituted caretaker committees in seven states and all of them are working well. Ask yourself why Ogun is the only one in crisis, it is because of one person.”

Speaking during the inauguration of the committees, Makarfi, however warned that the party will deal with members who run to court without exhausting internal mechanisms available in the party.

His words, “The only side that we know is against us is those taking us to court. It is unfortunate that some people still think that going to court is the way out.

“The party will take a very hard stand on any party member who goes to court without using the avenues available to the party to address grievances.

“The party will not deny anyone his fundamental human rights, but the party’s constitution says members must exhaust all internal mechanism for resolution of conflicts before you externalising the issue. But if you are quick to externalise the party will not take it lightly,” he said.

Makarfi however urged the caretaker committees to be fair to all members, just as he urged party members to be united.

While Ishola Sharafa heads the Osun State 39-member caretaker committee, Mohammed Imam leads the Adamawa State 27-member caretaker committee.

Leadership crisis hits AD as NEC suspends national chairman Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja A major leadership crisis has hit the camp of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) as members of the National Executive Committee (NEC), of the party has suspended its National Chairman, Chief Joseph Avazi, after passing of no confidence on him.

The NEC of the AD accused Avazi of gross misconduct, anti-party activities, incompetence, lack of accountability, lack of administrative acumen, perjury, taking unilateral decisions, lack of consultation, dictatorship and turning the party to a family affair.

The NEC of the party in a resolution at the end of its meeting in Abuja signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mrs Nola Morufat, further accused the embattled National Chairman of illegally engaging his brother to carry out the responsibilities of the National Secretary of the party without the consent and approval of the party.

The NEC of the party thereafter approved the setting up of a seven (7) man

Disciplinary Committee to investigate the allegations leveled against the National Chairman in line with relevant provisions of the A.D. constitution.

The NEC has also approved and mandated Alh. Ayodele Ismail to act as National Chairman, pending the outcome of the investigation on the allegations made against the National Chairman.

However, in a swift reaction, Chief Avazi declared that he remains the national chairman of AD, pointing out that the NEC of the party has not been held.

The embattled National Chairman, in a statement personally signed by him, reads, “This is to inform the general public that the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting of our great party has not been held as speculated.

“We are surprised to note that some disgruntled elements took advantage of the postponed NEC meeting of the Alliance for Democracy and gathered themselves at the supposed venue to announce what pleased them.

“Therefore, the general public is advised to disregard whatever has been announced as the outcome of the meeting.

“The date for the NEC meeting shall be announced and members are advised to remain calm as the party will not allow itself to be derailed into crisis by miscreants.

“I, Chief Joseph Avazi remain the National Chairman.

“We are not by this statement absorbing the National Chairman from the allegations leveled against him, however on strong terms we urge the accusers to back up the allegations with evidence when the NEC meeting is called up.

“We are quick to add that this illegality would not be allowed. If true the National Chairman is suspended what happened to the two Deputy National Chairman, six Vice National Chairmen that the National Auditor would be selected to act as National Chairman. The AD constitution is clear on this.

“For the avoidance of doubt, we announce to the general public that we have no gubernatorial candidate for the Anambra Election,” the statement said.

The NEC of the AD passed a vote of confidence on the party’s gubernatorial candidate, for the 18th November 2017

governorship election in Anambra State and resolved to work for the victory of the party in the election.

The NEC said it has filled the vacancies in the South East geo-political zone for the offices of the Zonal Chairman, Mr. Perry Iloegbuna and Assistant Legal Adviser, Barr. Ken Emekowa as well as filled the vacancy in the South West geo-political zone for the position of Assistant Zonal Secretary.

The Committee equally approved the uniformed conduct of State Congresses and mandated the National Working Committee (NWC) to fix a date and communicate same to all State Chapters.

The NEC urged the Federal Government to dialogue with the Academic Staff Union of Universities and Resident Doctors with a view to resolving their grievances which led to the industrial actions.

It sympathised with the flood victims in Benue State and urged the Federal Government, State Governments, nongovernmental organisations and wellmeaning Nigerians to assist the victims of this natural disaster.

Politics 10

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Calls for breakup of Nigeria unnecessary -Fasehun

If the country is divided, so many things would fall apart, you may collapse the economy of the country. I am not in support of the youths calling for division of the country: mind you all youths’ groups in the country are calling for the division of their region from Nigeria.

The Arewa’s have just rescinded their call for lgbos to leave the North. None of the groups calling for the division of Nigeria is serious about it.

Nigeria. The Arewa’s have just rescinded their call for lgbos to leave the North.

None of the groups calling for the division of Nigeria is serious about it.

What about the Biafra agitation, is it justified?

Such a call is stale. No nationality group is serious about dividing the country. What we are saying is that the country should be restructured. That is what serious politicians are saying, let us have true federalism, let us restructure the country, we had conference on that with restructuring as the theme, unfortunately someone came and put the report in the shelf.

FASEHUN

You recently said you were in possession of a video tape were Yoruba leaders were collecting money from the government after the death of Chief MKO Abiola, is that right?

Yes, what I said was that there is proof of some Yoruba leaders collecting money, few hours after Abiola’s death. I don’t know why they collected money, maybe it was for one favour or the other, but when we get to the bridge we will cross it. I would come out with the real identity of the people, but for now Mustapha’s case is still in court and may be this evidence could be used, so let us wait till after the judgement.

We don’t want to reveal the information that may be used in the ongoing trial at the Supreme Court. I have written a very voluminous book about that, but I have not launched it, I am waiting till after the judgement of the Supreme Court on the Mustapha case: but if I am not there to release the book, my publisher would release it. The nation should wait till after judgement is delivered on the Mustapha trial, then I would release the book.

Are you saying that there is more misery to be unraveled about Abiola’s death?

Abiola’s death is a good point of suspicious. We know Abiola did not die in his sleep, but what happened? Let us wait till after Mustapha’s judgement.

You know pictures don’t lie, so we will see all this when it is released.

But some of the Yoruba leaders

Dr Frederick Fasehun is the founder, Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) and Chairman of the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN). In this interview with INIOBONG IWOK, Fasheun says he has evidence which could reveal more about Chief MKO Abiola’s death. H e also speaks on the state of OPC, and his new party, among several other national issues. that held that meeting with Adulsalam Abubakar have said that nobody else was in that room, they disputed any recording took place?

Mustapha is an intelligence guru, you don’t know what he may have done to obtain his information from his people that were in Aso Rock at that time.

Mustapha is one of the most intelligent Officers the military ever had.

You founded OPC, so, some people still see you as a tribal leader how do react to such insinuation?

It is a wrong insinuation. The OPC was founded with some identical objectives: which was to defend, protect and promote the interest of the Yoruba Nation, and also protect the interest of other ethnic groups in Nigeria and we have been doing that.

I also founded the Coalition of ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and we came together to be fighting for the interest of ethnic groups in Nigeria since then.

If I did not believe in the unity of the country this would not have been possible. The OPC have been fighting for the interest of Nigeria also.

But some youths in the South West are advocating for Oduduwa Republic, are you in support?

I don’t believe anybody can divide Nigeria. Nigerians have inter-married, promoting division at this time is not the best thing to do. We have been together for about 60 years now, such relationship that stay so long cannot be easily broken.

We have the Igbo working in every part of the country, they are into trading, pharmacy, or you find them in agriculture. If the country is divided, so many things would fall apart, you may collapse the economy of the country. I am not in support of the youths calling for division of the country: mind you all youths’ groups in the country are calling for the division of their region from

Are you surprised that the APC whose members were the major agitators for restructuring, but now in power have abandoned that?

Every political group fights to win election and not to defend the country.

That is why most of them are jumping from one party to another. If Nigerian politicians like the country they would fight for true federalism. They know what to do, let them do it, but they are only after their interests. The government in power knows what the agitations are about.

But they said the last Confab does not have legitimacy because President Goodluck Jonathan selected most of the delegates?

It is not true. It’s unfortunate that we have attached everything bad to Jonathan and his administration. Is this the way we have to pay him back. It is unfair, such is not good.

You founded the OPC, but there are divisions and factions, are you still in the OPC? I am the president and founder of OPC, and if you remove me as the president you cannot remove me as the founder. I was at a meeting last week; we do not recognise any faction in OPC. And I don’t have any problem with Gani, he is the National Coordinator. I relate with Gani Adams. We had some group of people, they said they should now be called OPC reformed, they were CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Fayose’s deputy endorsement: Adeyeye resigns as Ekiti varsity pro-chancellor

11 Politics

LG Poll: Retired Army General joins Enugu chairmanship race Moses Oyediran, Enugu

PROF. OLUSOLA

ADEYEYE

Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

the party and political appointees as “a clear breach of the party’s constitution.”

The group which is working for Adeyeye’s governorship ambition, claimed that the gathering where Olusola was endorsed was “hastily convened”, saying “PAMM rejects the purported adoption of a sole candidate in its entirety as there are many other aspirants for the governorship race in 2018.

“This gathering was organised and supervised by Governor Fayose to impose a stooge as the sole candidate for PDP in EKITI State.”

Adeyeye didn’t tell his reasons for the resignation from the position he was appointed into by Governor Fayose after he became the governor in October 2014, but Ojo said the action was not unconnected with his desire to pursue his governorship ambition.

“His resignation is not unconnected with his desire to contest the Ekiti State governorship election and his rejection of the unilateral adoption of Prof Olusola, the Ekiti State deputy governor as the purported candidate of the PDP for the 2018 governorship contest by the state governor, Ayodele Fayose,” Ojo said.

Barely 12 hours after the endorsement of Governor Ayo Fauose’s deputy by some Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) stakeholders in Ekiti State as sole candidate of the party for the 2018 governorship election in the state, National Publicity Secretary of the party and governorship aspirant in Ekiti State, Prince Adedayo Adeyeye has resigned his position as the Prochancellor and Chairman of Council of the Ekiti State University, Ado Ekiti (EKSU).

Prince Adeyeye, who confirmed his resignation in a telephone conversation, said he resigned on Thursday, pointing out that a letter to that effect had been conveyed to Governor Ayodele Fayose of the state.

Adeyeye had on Wednesday, through the Prince Adedayo Adeyeye Movement (PAAM) kicked against the endorsement of Fayose’s deputy, Professor Kolapo Olubunmi Olusola, on Wednesday as the preferred aspirant of the party in the 2018 governorship election.

PAAM in a statement signed by Niyi Ojo, had described the endorsement of Professor Olusola by stakeholders of

A retired Army Brigadier-General, Felix Okafor, has joined the Enugu local government chairmanship race for the Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State slated for November 4th, 2017.

Okafor, while speaking with newsmen shortly after submitting his completed nomination and expression of interest forms at the All Progressive Congress (APC), secretariat in Enugu said he was spurred by the dogged fight against corruption by President Muhammadu Buhari, in the country.

He added that if voted as chairman of Ezeagu Local Government Area of Enugu State, he would replicate the graft war in his council area.

The retired senior Army officer, expressed satisfaction with the ruling APC manifesto and President Buhari’s philosophy of governance, which according to him motivated him in pitching tent with the ruling party.

Gen. Okafor, noted that he would anchor his administration on a six point agenda, which will include, Agriculture, education, Healthcare, employment and infrastructural development.

The aspirant also pledged to make security one of his top priorities if given the mandate to serve.

“My government will put in place zenith of security, which entails use of hard and soft security options to improve conventional and

UGWUANYI

community policing, surveillance and intelligence.

In a brief remark, Enugu State chairman of APC, Dr. Ben Nwoye, represented by the state Organising Secretary, Mr. Ifeanyichukwu Ede, wished the aspirant well in his ambition.

The chairman stated that APC is a party for the progressives who believes so much in internal democracy.

“In APC, it is only the people that determines who governs them or becomes their candidate during primary elections,” Nwoye stated, reminding aspirants for various positions in the council poll of the party’s primaries slated for Monday, September 11, 2017.

Senate Media and Public Affairs committee scribe bags NIM fellow Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja One hundred and eight professionals from different fields of endeavour, among whom is the Clerk of the Senate Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Mustapha Akangbe Oluwuyi, have been inducted as Fellows of the prestigious Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM).

The professionals, who were drawn from both the private and public sectors, were inducted under the 2017 NIM Fellowship Awards, which took place at the historic Lagos City Hall, Lagos.

Speaking during the presentation of the NIM Fellowship Award, the President and Chairman of the Council of

the Nigerian Institute of Management (Chartered), Emeritus Prof. Munzali Jibril, explained that the process of upgrading members to Fellow is rigorous and painstaking, which is why only those who are truly deserving of the award get honoured each year.

In his acceptance speech, Mr Oluwuyi, noted that the insatiable desire and passion for acquisition of knowledge and excellence have always being his propelling factors in everything he does in life.

Oluwuyi, who is currently an Assistant Director (Legislative) in the service of the National Assembly, was born in Gbongan, Ayedaade Local Government Area of Osun State.

‘Those for breakup of Nigeria are not serious’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

about 60 or 70 people, some of these people were suspended from the original group.

You are one of those who recently founded the Green Party and you are also the national chairman of Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), why Green Party?

The party is out to achieve the greatness of Nigerian. We have decided to work together as coalition with the Unity Party and the Green Party of Nigeria. There is no much difference between the two parties.

And we want to better the life of Nigerians. Nigerians should wait; we know they are always anxious when it comes to political issues. But I can tell you that

Nigerians would see a different party from the ones on ground. The two parties would work together to bring better life for Nigerians.

good roads, affordable health care and other good things of life and we are determined to do this. We are against impunity because we know it is bad.

Who are those in the party and do you have the finance to compete with others?

The former governors of Bauchi State, Issa Yuguda and all members of his cabinet have joined the party, and there are several other prominent Nigerians.

Impunity is bad; it is the problem in Nigeria. Even if we have money we would not encourage that. Nigeria has been bastardise with impunity, it is bad, it is a setback for the country. The Green Party would guarantee true federalism, we would create jobs, provide

How do you assess the President Muhammadu Buhari administration?

If the Buhari administration was the best I would join the administration.

I am not pleased with the administration: See what the various governors are doing to Nigerians. The Green Party would change things.

Do you still have confidence in the anti corruption war?

When he came, he started arresting people, but up till now we have not seen the result of his anti corruption fight.

When you fight corruption with corrup-

tion it would fail, that is why it is failing.

What is your view of the recent constitution amendment?

The National Assembly is not a complete altruistic group to do that. Look at their salaries, we are complaining and they are allocating more money. But I believe in local government autonomy which would promote good governance.

What is your view of the governments’ move at checking the media and free speech?

What is the use of the Freedom of Information Act? And you want to fight corruption, the press has to be free, there are laws that can check excesses of the press. Allow those laws to work. Once you stop press freedom you cannot fight corruption.

12 Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9. 2017

APC chairman visits Benue flood victims, promises relief materials Stories by Patrick Okohue with Agency Report National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on Thursday said that the party was packaging a relief programme for victims of the Benue floods.

Oyegun, who visited some of the areas affected by the disaster, told Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camped at the International Market, Makurdi that the party would strive to cushion the effect on those affected.

Represented by the National Deputy Chairman, South, Chief Segun Oni, Oyegun said that the party leadership was in Benue on a solidarity visit to sympathise with the state and the flood victims.

“APC is packaging a relief programme that will not only alleviate the sufferings of flood victims, but benefit the entire Benue people.

“The relief programme will be in batches; the first batch will arrive this week.

“The disaster is unfortunate and should not be a reoccurring decimal because it happened few years ago; we must now begin to dredge River Benue and other rivers, to put an end to it.

ODIGIE-OYEGUN

ORTOM

“We must also begin to make sure that we use the shore lands of these rivers as it is done in other parts of the world, for the public good,” he said.

Oyegun said that what happened to the Benue people had affected the entire country, adding that the APC family was with them.

Earlier, Gov. Samuel Ortom had commended the APC and the Presidency

for their quick response to the flood disaster, adding that he had received relief materials from NEMA, Nasarawa State Government, donor agencies, wife of President Buhari, among others.

He said that the flood and ecological challenges had affected 21 out of Benue’s 23 local governments, adding that some federal and state roads were equally washed out. (NAN)

LP appoints new acting chairman in C’River The Labour Party (LP) has appointed Mr Maurice Ekeng as the new acting Chairman of the party in Cross River.

The National Chairman of the party, Mr Abdulkadir Abdulsalam, said in a statement on Thursday in Calabar that the appointment became necessary following the resignation of the former Chairman, Mr Austin Ibok.

He said that “following the vacuum created by the resignation of our former chairman in Cross River, Mr Austin Ibok, we wish to notify you that Mr Maurice Eteng has been appointed in acting capacity.

“Mr Eteng will run the office of the Cross River Labour Party office for

now.”

Abdulsalam added that the newly appointed acting chairman had been mandated to mobilise, coordinate and revamp the party machinery in the state.

“We urge him to mobilise massive support from serious minded and prominent people into the party in consultation with the National Headquarters,” the national chairman said.

He urged party faithfuls in the state to henceforth recognise him as the authentic acting state chairman and cooperate with him accordingly.

It would be recalled that the party had, in a statement dated June 6, disowned Mr Baron Eyo as chairman in

ABDULSALAM

Cross River. (NAN)

Group tasks youths on involvement in politics for positive change A political group, the New Nigeria Nationalists (NNN) has advised youths to be involved in partisan politics for the country to sustain its positive change and promote national development.

The group’s national coordinator, Mrs Folusho Makanjuola-Oyenuga, told newsmen at an interactive session in Lagos that youths would be contributing to national development by participating in partisan politics.

“Our youths should stop talking and writing about the future they desire, but they should begin to contribute their quotas to achieve these desires,’’

she said.

“The youths should realise that efforts to reclaim the future could only be achieved by participating in events that would bring about positive national development which had to start now,” she said.

She said that the group was a movement planning to be registered as a political party and set machinery in motion for achieving the stated objectives.

Makanjuola-Oyenuga advised the youths to key-in into the visions of the group so as to build a country where peace, progress, sincerity of purpose,

integrity and prosperity would continue to thrive.

“We are expecting that all those who are genuinely concerned about the future of the country will join this movement,’’ she said.

Also, Mr Yinka Quadri, the administrative officer of the group said that it would continue to hold programmes that would sensitise the public toward national interest.

“We will continue to educate the masses on their rights and the need for them to vote for candidates that will actualise genuine change and national rebirth,” he said. (NAN)

Politicians task INEC on Eti-Osa Constituency 1 bye-election Some participating political parties in the impending Eti-Osa Constituency 1 Bye-election into the Lagos State House of Assembly, have urged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure that it would take proper charge of the election as its umpire.

The parties expressed their views in interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Thursday.

However, while some of the parties said they were fully prepared for the election, slated for Sept. 30, others said they would not be participating in it due to a dearth of candidates to present.

NAN reports that the House of Assembly seat became vacant following the death of Mr Kazeem Alimi, an APC member, who died on July 18, after a brief illness.

Chief Gboyega Adeniji, Lagos State Chairman of the KOWA Party, told NAN that his party would be fielding a candidate in the election, but urged INEC to resist every temptation from bad politicians.

“We have a credible candidate for the election. We, however, advise INEC to seize the chance to prove that it can organise a free and fair election and not be biased to get the full cooperation of all political parties, now and during the election,’’ Adeniji said.

Chief Ola Apena, the Lagos State Deputy Chairman of the PDP, urged the commission to justify its name as the referee.

“We are contesting in the election.

But as we prepare, we expect INEC to ensure it always justifies its name as the umpire.

“Independent youth corps members should be used as ad-hoc staff and not those attached to the ruling party, so that we can have a free and fair election,’’ he said.

Similarly, Mr Shola Omolola, Lagos State Chairman of Action Alliance, who said his party just submitted its form, urged INEC to ensure a level playing ground for all participating parties.

However, Chief Mazi Mike Okereke, Lagos State Chairman of the United Progressives Party, said his party would not be participating in the election.

“We are not able to get a candidate to buy the form because people want free things.

“We also know that the ruling party will not allow any other party to emerge the winner,” he said.

Okereke, however, urged INEC to ensure that all participating parties had a fair treatment.

In the opinion of Prince Adeshina Olayokun, Lagos State Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), the leadership crisis in his party stalled people from showing interest in the election.

“The leadership tussle, both at the national and state levels, has hindered a lot of things in the party.

“People do not want to vie for any position under the party’s platform.

Even the governorship position in the upcoming Anambra election is not going well,’’ he said.

The Lagos state Chairman of the National Conscience Party, Mr Fatai Ibuowo, told NAN that his party was busy putting its house in order and was currently pre-occupied with its case at the tribunal.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

News 13

Zenith Bank, GEF, FOTE empower over 100 women in Lagos

Members of Yoruba Liberation Command at Ibadan proclaimed Oduduwa Republic during the Pan-Yoruba Summit in Ibadan, Oyo State… on Thursday.

AIG decorates new CP, urge officers to respect public

Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia

ÏÏÏ

Officers and men of the Nigeria Police, Zone 9 were yesterday reminded of their duty not to disrespect the public they are serving.

The AIG in charge of Zone 9, H. H. Karma stated this in Umuahia while decorating a newly promoted Commissioner of Police, Olasupo Ajani at the zonal headquarter, noting that the public is the one they wil fall back to later in life.

“Threat the members of the public with respect as they are the people to fall back upon later in

the day”, Karma said and informed his men that “proper planning prevents poor planning”.

He described the new CP who was his course mate, as one God has rewarded with the new position an urged him to continue to serve the way he served in any place he will find himself.

He also used the opportunity to call on young officers in the zone to continue to serve their senior officers “as God will also one day reward them, pointing out to them that some o the men of the force has died in the course of their duties, but for the living he said, there is hope.

He also described the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade as wonderful, while praying God to protect and see him through the challenges that faced him in the state.

Earlier in his speech, the Abia State Commissioner of Police, Adeleye Oyebade expressed his happiness that one of their own was being celebrated, challenges in the zone not minding, stating “we are in control”.

The rank of Commissioner of Police, CP Oyebade said is an enviable one that I “not for the asking”, describing the promotion of Ajali from the rank of Deputy Commissioner of

Police, DCP to Commissioner of Police, CP as “promotion that comes from God”.

“He has shown himself as a man of candor and character and representing humility, honesty and hard work”.

Responding, the new CP, Olasupo Ajani said he was overwhelmed by the reception accorded him by then AIG Zone 9 and the Abia CP and happy with God over that, disclosing that he has not, fro a moment regretted serving under the AIG in the state as well as the Abia CP, and thanked other senior police officers in the zone for their cooperation with him.

Zenith Bank Plc, Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme and Friends of the Environment (FOTE) have empowered over 100 women in Ibeju-Lekki Local Government of Lagos State.

The empowerment programme titled ‘Campaign to promote LPG Use under FOTE Climate Change Initiative’, which started in July 2017, culminated with the workshop and sensitisation programme recently.

The event was held at the Iberikodo Community Primary School Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area in Lagos.

The ceremony had in attendance the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility Zenith Bank Plc, Mrs. Eunice Sampson; the Chairperson, Friends of the Environment, Engr.

(Mrs.) J.O Maduka; the Chairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Hon. Sarakat Semiu Olorunkemi, and the ViceChairman, Ibeju-Lekki Local Government Area, Hon. Abujeli Odofin.

The programme was organised by the Friends of the Environment and sponsored by Zenith Bank Plc. and the GEF Small Grants Programme of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

From the baseline study conducted during the preevent survey, it was apparent that majority of the women in Ibeju Lekki Lo-

Diversion of Sure-P funds: Court to hear motion Sept. 22 Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏ

Twenty-two days after the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) secured a temporary forfeiture from the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Productivity, Dr Clement Illoh Onubuogo, to the Federal Government, the agency yesterday filed a motion on notice before a Federal High Court, Lagos seeking the permanent forfeiture of the sums of N664,475,246.6, $137,680.11.

The anti-graft agency had on August 17, secured an order of temporary forfeiture of the money, a property described as “Clement Illoh’s Mansion” located at Ikom Quarters, Issala-Azegba in Delta State and a hotel at No. 19, Madue Nwafor Street,

off Achala Ibuzo Road, Asaba, Delta State, to the Federal Government.

Justice Abdul-Azeez Anka, directed the EFCC to notify the permanent secretary, in whose possession the property were found, to appear before the court and show cause within two weeks why they should not be permanently forfeited to the Federal Government.

The judge equally ordered the commission to publicize the interim orders in any national daily to allow any interested party appear before him to show cause within two weeks why the order should not be made permanent.

EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, however disclosed to Justice Chuka Obiozor, on Friday that a motion seeking the final forfeiture of the money

and property to the Federal Government has been filed.

He further disclosee that the motion brought pursuant to Section 17 (4) of the Advance Fee Fraud and other fraud related offences Act has been served on the permanent secretary, whom he said is yet to file a counter-affidavit.

He had earlier informed the court that as directed by Justice Anka, the EFCC had published the interim order on August 23.

Mr. Clement’s lawyer, T. S. Awhana, while acknowledging the receipt of the motion for final forfeiture, said he had already filed a counter-affidavit against it.

The lawyer added that he had equally filed a notice of preliminary objection challenging the court’s

jurisdiction to make the interim order.

According to him, it was improper for the commission to come before the Lagos court when all transactions leading to the suit were conducted in Abuja.

Awhana also informed the court of the pendency of another application seeking to discharge the interim order which he claimed was fraudulently obtained by the EFCC. He claimed that an attempt by a court’s bailiff to serve the processes on the EFCC was unsuccessful as an official of the commission he met at its official refused to accept the court papers.

The matter was consequently adjourned to September 22, to allow for exchange of processes between parties.

Arguing the ex-parte application dated August 15, 2017, EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, alleged that the property were owned by the permanent secretary and were reasonably suspected to be proceeds of stealing.

According to him, the said N664,475,246.6 consisted of N437,348,181.16, N97,300,613.44 and N129,826,452.00, found in Onubuogo’s bank account in possession of fifteen persons working under his supervision at the Ministry of Labour and Productivity.

The names of the fifteen individuals were given as: Salisu Bala Kura, Rabiu Said, Tonye Isokeiri, Buhari Maaji Dahiru, John Isokwa Kanku, Ahmed Mahmud Muazu, Muktar Sufian, Udoh Nnamdi and

Umar Bello Mashi.

cal Government Area use firewood, kerosene stoves and charcoal as their main source of domestic energy.

86 percent of the women cook with kerosene stove and firewood while 14 percent make use of Gas. Averagely the 86 percent of people surveyed spend between N5000 – N10000 monthly on firewood/kerosene while those who use the LPG spend averagely N3500 on refilling the gas.

On further discussion with the women using firewood and or kerosene stoves, all of them indicated their interest in the use of gas. However, they lacked the initial sum for purchase of the cylinder and gas burner.

Interestingly, a significant number of respondents had fears regarding the use of gas and assumed it was not a safe way of cooking. Another 24 percent stated they did not know how to operate the gas cylinder or burner at all, while others simply get free firewood from the adjoining forest.

The findings at Ibeju Lekki were instructive, as the level of awareness about LPG use was much lower than expected of a peri-urban location in Lagos.

The workshop and seminar which were carried out at the event were therefore very well received by the women of Ibeju Lekki.

The workshop in particular covered the use and benefits of cooking gas, and answered several questions asked by the women in the audience.

The event was also used to introduce the Zenith Wonderbag – a heat retention cooker, which saves more than 30 percent of regular energy costs.

The wonderbag was used in combination with the LPG burner to show how savings on any energy source can be made.

In her welcome address, Engr. (Mrs.) J.O Maduka, said one of FOTE’s aims for the women in Nigeria is to help prevent health hazards from environmental pollution, adding that the LPG awareness campaign was therefore a major project for the organisation.

Buttressing FOTE’s position, Mrs. Eunice Sampson advised the women of Ibeju Lekki to take advantage of the drop in LPG prices.

According to her, this would help improve health, and also the environment.

News 14

Daily Times Nigeria Friday, September 9, 2017

Two suspected ritualists nabbed in Lagos

OLX partners interswitch on e-payment

ÏÏÏNo fewer than two suspect-

foremost online marketers has partnered Interswitch, Nigeria’s pioneer service provider to financial institutions, on secured electronic banking and e-commerce in Lagos.

According to Mr. Paul Ohakim, Group Head, Industry and Retail Chains, Interswitch, the collaboration is to improve the e-commerce in Nigeria. He stated that why less than 30 percent payment is made online is that adoption is below expectations due to customers’ fear of insecurity, adding that people want to do payments that do not have issues. He said: “That is why OLX want to make the public know that there is no hunches in the payment platform.

“Our partnership is to give some level of trust and confidence to the public. For all the financial institutions in Nigeria to patronise Interswitch, that has given a high level of confidence which is to tell you that you are highly secured. We have worldwide certificate. “We have taken band wave into considerations and to ensure that no matter how bad the weather may be, we give you quality service as quick as possible.”

In her speech, Mayokun

ÏÏÏOLX, one of the Nigeria’s

Joy Anyim

ed Ritualists have been arrested by the police in Lagos State.

The suspects,Sarafu Yakubu Aged 25years,who hails from Ove Community in Magbon and 40year old Fatai Muritado and 40year old Fatai Muritado of Tologbo area,Magbon all in Badagry ,were all arrested in the wee hours of yesterday at Oble Community by a crack team of Police operatives from Area ‘K’ Command led by the Area Commander,an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP).

According to a reliable eye witness account (Names withheld),the suspects numbering Four ,were on the verge of sacrificing their female victim,Miss Ayomide Bello,after raping her in turns,when a distress call was sent to the Area Commander by a resident, who was alerted the victims distress shout for help.

ACP Okafor was said to have swung into action and succeeded in smoking the suspects in out of their hide out.

The two suspects said to be presently cooling off their heels at the Area ‘K’ Police detention facility,confessed to have kidnapped their victims Ibadan ,Oyo State on Monday the 4th of September 2017,and successfully moved her to Lagos.

CORRECTION OF NAME

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

In some of my documents my name was wrongly written as BABAYEMI OLALEKAN OLANREWA instead of BABAYEMI JOHN OLANREWAJU. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

This is to confirm that DARAMOLA MICHAEL and DARAMOLA MICHAEL OLUWASEGUN refer to one and same person.All documents reflecting any of the stated names remain valid and should be treated as one person.

Banks and general public take note.

MRS. UGWU NGOZI CECILIA

MRS OGBU NGOZI PRECIOUS I, formerly known and addressed as MISS SUNDAY BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGBU NGOZI PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ANIGBO CECILLA .N., now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. UGWU NGOZI CECILIA. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

Fadeyibi, Senior Manager, Business Development, OLX, stated that they want to ensure that value is shifted from offline to online. She said: “We are working with interswitch to make sure that payment would take you to interswitch page which will guarantee your transactions with OLX. This collaboration is also an assurance that all your online payments are secured.”

She noted that all users of OLX platform have access to post their items on the website for fee, stressing that adverts posted on its active front page is slowed to stay between there to five days. Fadeyibi pointed out that OLX has several packages, out of which is do-it yourself, and the use of Champ, which will attract commission from the seller.

She explained that a token fee has to be paid for someone to be posting its adverts for free on the OLX online platform, assuring users that they would have nothing to worry about with OLX handling the negotiations and sale of their advertised items.

She said: “As a seller, you do not need to worry about how the buyer will pay you. OLX will take all the calls and do the negotiations on your behalf, that is why OLX came up with do-it-for me services.

HIS ROYAL MAJESTY EZE AGABA-IDU IGWE SORONNADI NWABUEZE EZEWUIRO

I formerly known and addressed as CHIEF LEONARD NWABUEZE EZEBUIRO now wish to be known and addressed as HIS ROYAL MAJESTY EZE AGABA-IDU IGWE SORONNADI NWABUEZE EZEWUIRO All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

STELLA S. NNADI

I, formerly known and addressed as STELLA ELEE, now wish to be known and addressed as STELLA S. NNADI, All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

ONUOHA EMMANUEL ADIZIBE

ONAH LOVETH CHIEGEONU

STANLEY SUNDAY OKEKE

I, formerly known and addressed as ONUOHA MONDAY, now wish to be known and addressed as ONUOHA EMMANUEL ADIZIBE. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General Public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ONAH FAVOUR CHIEGEONU, now wish to be known and addressed as ONAH LOVETH CHIEGEONU. All former documents remain valid.

General Public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as STANLEY OKEKE, now wish to be known and addressed as STANLEY SUNDAY OKEKE. All former documents remain valid.

General Public should please take note.

ADDITION OF NAME

OGBODO PROMISE CHINAZA I, formerly known and addressed as NWACHUKWU CHINASA ANITA, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBODO PROMISE CHINAZA. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as HOPE ONYIA .C., now wish to be known and addressed as OWOH HOPE .C. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.

That I was formerly known and addressed as MAMAH OKECHUKWU that I now wish to add JONATHAN to my former name that I now wish to be known and addressed as MAMAH JONATHAN OKECHUKWU. My correct date of birth is 2/1/1980. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

TUNDE ADEGBOGO

I, formerly known and addressed as Tunde Adeworan now wish to be known and addressed as Tunde Adegbogo, all former documents remain valid, general public take note

BLESSING USUNOBUN OSUNDE

I formerly known and addressed as OSUNDE BLESSING BLESSING now wish to be known called and Address as~BLESSING USUNOBUN OSUNDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Lokoja welcomes Tuface, others to Glo Mega Music concert

OWOH HOPE .C

KAZEEM SHADIAT BAMIDELE

I formerly known and addressed as KAZEEM BAMIDELE SHADIAT, KAZEEM OLAMIDE SHADIAT and KAZEEM OLAMIDE ALIMOT now wish to be known as KAZEEM SHADIAT BAMIDELE. General public take note.

ÏÏÏToday, Saturday, September 9, 2017 will be the turn of Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, to host Globacom’s much talked about music concert, the Glo Mega Music Nationwide Tour. The show is scheduled for 4.00 p.m. at the Confluence Stadium Indoor Sports Hall.

A total of 11 first class entertainers, Globacom said, had been contracted to provide sublime entertainment to Glo subscribers and other guests at the show. The artistes include Korede Bello, Douglas Jack Agu, widely called Runtown, Timaya, and Innocent Idibia, popularly known as Tuface.

The others, according to the telecommunications firm, are Chinedu Okoli, alias Flavour, Chibuzor Nelson Azubike, a.k.a. Phyno, and Olamide Adedeji, popularly known as Baddo.

Regular anchors of Glo Mega Music Nationwide Tour, Lokoja-born Mercy Johnson-Okojie and Ghana’s Juliet Ibrahim, will anchor the show, while Nollywood legends, Patience Ozokwor, a.k.a. Mama G, and Richard Mofe-Damijo, will be the celebrity guests.

On how fun lovers can be part of the show, Globacom

explained: “It is a free show but, to attend, subscribers have to use a credit of N2, 000 for data or voice calls within a month. Once subscribers meet this criterion, they have to send SMS ‘MUSIC LOKOJA’ to a short code 207 and they will get a message inviting them to the show”.

It added that subscribers who did not use up to N2, 000 before the show but still wished to attend the concert, “are free to come to the venue of the show, recharge their lines with the same amount and they will be given the tickets for the show”.

The music show had touched down in cities and towns such as Awka, Owerri, Calabar; Asaba; Aba; Port Harcourt; Ajah in Lagos; Benin City; Abuja; Victoria Island, Lagos; Ibadan; Ikeja, Lagos; Ijebu Ode; Abeokuta; Ekpoma;. Suleja; Akure; Kubwa, Kaduna and Enugu before arriving Lokoja.

Makurdi, FESTAC, Lagos; Ibadan; Ayingba; Port Harcourt and Ikorodu, Lagos, are in line to also host the event.

The Glo Mega Music Nationwide Tour is a 27-week entertainment package designed to celebrate and reward Glo subscribers for their loyalty to the Glo Brand over the years.

ADEPOJU CONDE MICHEAL OLUWASEYI

UMANAH ADAHZION HAVIVAH

OLADUN STANLEY ADEYEMI

I formerly known and address as ADEPOJU CONDE SEYI. Now wish to be known and address as ADEPOJU CONDE MICHEAL OLUWASEYI. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Davah Adahzion.

Now wish to be known and addressed as Umanah Adahzion Havivah, all former document remain valid general public take note

I formerly known and addressed as OLADUN OLUSOJI BENSON. Now wish to be known and addressed as OLADUN STANLEY ADEYEMI, all former document remain valid general public take note

IDU BEDE ONYINYECHI I, formerly known and addressed as IDU BEDE OBINNA, now wish to be known and addressed as IDU BEDE ONYINYECHI, All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

NWOKOCHA GABRIELLA NGOZI

MRS PERPETUA NKEIRUKA OBIGWE

I, formerly known and addressed as NWOKOCHA NNAMDI GABRIELLA NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as NWOKOCHA GABRIELLA NGOZI, All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS PERPETUA NKEIRUKA IHEZUOH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS PERPETUA NKEIRUKA OBIGWE, All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

AKINADE YINKA I, formerly known and addressed as AKINADE OLUWAYIMIKA AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINADE YINKA. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

MRS EZEH NKIRU DIVINE I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHIME NKIRU DIVINE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZEH NKIRU DIVINE. All former documents remain valid.

IMT, WAEC, NECO, Imo State Polytechnic and General public should please take note.

MRS CHUKWUKANU PATRICIA NNENNA

MORGAN WILLIAMS STEPHEN I, formerly known and addressed as AMADI STEPHEN ALOZIE, now wish to be known and addressed as MORGAN WILLIAMS STEPHEN. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.

EZE EDNA NGOZI

GODWIN UDOH

I, formerly known and addressed as AMAEFULE EDNA NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as EZE EDNA NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as FRIDAY UDOH, now wish to be known and addressed as GODWIN UDOH. All former documents remain valid. General Public should please take note.

OKAFOR IFEOMA PRECIOUS I formerly known and addressed as OKAFOR IFEOMA now wish to be known called and addressed as OKAFOR IFEOMA PRECIOUS. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Ademola David sunday now wish to be known called and addressed as Ademola Yemi David. All former documents remain valid. That I was born on the 28 june 1990. General public take note.

ADEMOLA YEMI DAVID

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYEANWUSI PATRICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHUKWUKANU PATRICIA NNENNA. But my voter’s card was wrongly written as “NNEN”. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME This is to inform the general public that my name STEVEN NNENNA ORIEAKWU was wrongly written in my Voter’s Card but now wish to be corrected and addressed as STEPHEN NNENNA ORIEAKWU. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Times columnist 15

On Osinbajo’s Eid speech

Mohammed Adamu

On Saturday

‘

What we are hearing today are the noises and the pains of that great nation that God is about to give birth to… This is the type of country God has ordained. Where we have diversity of opinions, diversity of ideas…People saying their own things here and there. You cannot have birth without noise. No woman delivers a baby without some noise and without some pains.

After President Buhari made his beautiful inaugural address in which he deployed an excellent oxymoron to formally dedicate himself to the selfless ideal of belonging to “everybody” and to “nobody”, I did a celebratory piece titled ‘On That Buhari Speech’.

In it I said that after that salutary debut, I’d hope we had now “come to the age of enlightened inspirational speeches; (as in) persuasive speeches that touch the heart, the mind and the soul of the citizen-audience”. I was excited that with that Buhari magnum opus, we had, at last, “come off the clangor and cacophony of statistics-laden speeches and (were) now launched into the solemnity of the field of rhetorical metaphors –or should we say metaphorical rhetoric?”

I said that, that remark “I belong to everybody, I belong to nobody” was an excellent “species of the American-style of speechmaking by ‘figurative antithesis’ -or what others would say ‘contrapuntal turnarounds”. It was as inspiring as Kennedy’s “ask not what your country can do for you, (but) ask what you can do for your country’”; even as it was no less fascinating “than Daniel Boorstin’s paradoxes of toleration when he advised politicians to “disagree without being disagreeable” and to “dissent without dissension”.

Figurative speeches, we know have a tendency to rekindle hope where there is none; and in fact that Buhari’s inaugural address particularly was a veritable tap on the scraggy shoulders of national despondency, to announce to despairing citizens that this was now a President (Buhari) for all; and not one for ‘special interest. And this is notwithstanding the many baseless allegations of ethno-religious and geo-political bias that have continued to dog the heels of virtually every appointment that Buhari makes.

Alas, as rated as Buhari’s Inaugural Address was, and as much hope that it had raised that such would thenceforth be the norm and not the exception, it remains, till today, his best -ever. Our hope that more of such presidential outings would, by now, have bade bye-bye to our tradition of ‘bureaucratic speeches’, was dashed nor sooner than it was raised. My recent passionate defense of Buhari’s last after-London State broadcast was not to prove that it had ‘verse’ or that it had ‘metre’. It lacked both. Nor was it to prove that it was ‘figurative’ or that it had salutary ‘metaphor’. I had written my last piece to defend Buhari’s State broadcast against the charge that it was too ‘short’ -which I thought was lame- and that it had no ‘depth’, -which was untrue!

Osinbajo to the rescue But even as Buhari’s Inaugural Address seems to be his best ever, it appears that it will not be the only great speech to come from the Buhari government half way now into its checkered first term. Because Vice President Osinbajo’s Eid-el-Kabir lunch remarks at the Banquet Hall of the Presidential Villa, was indeed another excellent one since that inaugural address by his principal. That is if it has not bettered Buhari’s best. Osinbajo’s remark had all the qualities of a great speech:

Osinbajo it has ‘metre’ and it has ‘verse’; it has its own unique ‘figurativeness’ and its own blend of ‘metaphor; plus it is rhetorical without necessarily exerting itself to be so; -and, with ‘sacrifice’ as one of its major themes, it was pleasantly auspicious for the occasion: from its prophetic “This is a nation that will show forth in culture, in technology and in commerce”, to its divinely-descriptive notion of Nigeria as “God’s investment in the black race”. And from its emphatic “Our manifest destiny is to be a great nation”, to its divinely predictive “great nation that God is about to give birth to”.

Besides, in the tone of its presentation, Osinbajo’s Eid-remarks -brief as it was- has met that expert description of the ‘great speech’ as one which is marked by the profoundness of the ideal by which it stands, the modesty of its size and the humility of its delivery. It had deployed virtually all the devices and effects that especially great speeches

by American presidents are known for. It is at once an appeal to the ‘spiritual’ and ‘temporal’ realms as it is a solemn invocation of the ‘divine’ and the ‘earthly’. Two very powerful metaphors used by Osinbajo were those of ‘birth’ with the promise of ‘bringing forth’ life and ‘noise’ which as an inevitable –often necessary- palliative for the pangs and the agonies of delivery: All that “noise” he said “is part of the building…. “What we are hearing today are the noises and the pains of that great nation that God is about to give birth to… This is the type of country God has ordained. Where we have diversity of opinions, diversity of ideas…People saying their own things here and there. You cannot have birth without noise. No woman delivers a baby without some noise and without some pains.”

Sacrifice And to quote copiously from my previous title on Buhari’s Inaugural address, “Speeches by figures’ or ‘figurative speeches’ have

been known all through history as the veritable spices and condiments especially of political communication. Great speeches in history feeding on legions of figurative devices had incited people to anarchy and nations to wars; even as they had also helped to sheath the swords and to restore peace to warring nations.

Where the great writer Thomas Paine was credited with inspiring the soldiers of the American war of independence not to lose their mettle on the battle field, it took the figurative words of a thirty-eight-year old selftaught lawyer, Patrick Henry to ignite the American Revolution. In open rejection of British Colonialism, Henry had said at a local Virginia Church: “Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty, or give me death”. This was just enough to ignite the fire of martyrdom required to execute the revolution.

And to inspire patriotism and esprit de corps in America’s future leaders, General Douglas MacArthur in his speech to the West Point Cadets, not only invoked the virtues of “Duty, Honor, Country”, he educed the element of shared fate and personal camaraderie when he threw the triple-repetitive: “my last conscious thoughts will be of the corps, and the corps, and the corps”.

Osinbajo’s closure drew heavily again from the divine. It located ‘sacrifice’ as the fundamental virtue that lies at the heart of the Eid-el Kabir celebration –Abraham’s readiness, in deference to the divine will, to sacrifice his only son. This Osinbajo said is what underlies the duty of every citizen, ‘sacrifice’ which he said is “necessary to attain the destiny that God has brought onto our people”. And so as Douglas MacArthur’s device was alliterative, emphasizing “the corps, and the corps, and the corps”, Osinbajo’s was definitive, preaching only ‘sacrifice’.

This week’s POSTSCRIPT is excised from the piece ‘ON THAT BUHARI SPEECH’

‘

16

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

17

18

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Crime

Joy Anyim , Lagos Members of the Isunba Ijiri Royal Family in Ogun State have said that they have lost their peace and become slaves in their own property, as one retired Deputy Inspector General of Police identified as Adeola Adeniji and his cohorts has continued to make life unbearable for them all in a bid to forcefully take over their lands.

They claim Adeniji(rtd) had boasted of “using his police connection as a retired police officer to forcefully encroach and dislodge” the family from their five acres of land.

According to the secretary of the family, Chief Mutairu Odu, who spoke to journalist during a press briefing held in Lagos, family members who had confronted Adeniji over his actions had earned themselves police detention.

He alleged that the family no longer sleep with their two eyes closed as they are always on the look out for the unexpected following the many threats of Adeniji and his men.

He said, “our family members were recently arrested and

s Family cries foul as retired DIG forcefully takes over land detained for more than 14 days at the instance of one Aina Ajaguna who has been acting as a surrogate for Adeniji. It took our family members a fundamental rights enforcement proceedings to secure arraignment of our family members at the Chief Magistrate Court of Ogun state sitting at Ota in the charge Number MOT/623/2017, where their bail was secured.”

As though that was not enough, Odu claimed that Adeniji, Ajaguna and one Kazeem Aleshinloye have now stationed “fierce looking, Indian hemp smoking thugs armed with cutlass and guns” on their land and that the thugs shoot sporadically at will to cause fear amongst the villagers.

The family therefore called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Ibrahim Idris and the Commissioner of Police, Ogun State Police Command to come to their rescue.

Odu said, “we the entire mem-

bers of Isunba/Ijiri royal family of Ilogbo Asowo Ogun State do hereby draw the attention of all concerned security agencies particularly the Inspector-General of Police to the nefarious activities of the aforementioned people in respect of our family land. “ We therefore urge the Inspector General of Police, the Commissioner of police, Ogun State and all concerned citizens to help us nip the activities of these land grabbers in the bud. At present they are giving the impression that they are above the law.”

Called to also tell his own side of the story, the retired DIG, Adeniji, told our correspondent he was bereaved, when asked if he could respond via text message, he agreed. But our correspondent who had sent a text message to him on the allegations leveled against him was yet to get a responses from him as at the time of filling in this report.

Kidnap gang bursted in Anambra A three man kidnap gang have been intercepted by men of the Anambra State Police Command and a victim rescued recently.

The suspects, Chukwudi Nwabundo,Obiora Madubueze and Chinaza Udeezue (deceased) were arrested based on information from a good citizen of the state that a group of boys led by Nwabundo had invaded the house of one Peter Chukwuemeka of Isiokwe village, Aguleri and took away one John Ifediora of Umuganagu village to IYI OJI shrine where he was subjected to torture.

The State Commissioner of Police, CP Garba Umar revealed that detectives acting on the intelligence had stormed the bush at Aguleri in Anambra east, and suc-

The suspects

cessfully rescued the victim.

He said, “Two suspects were arrested on the spot and the third suspect who sustained gunshot injuries was certified dead at the hospital.”

The Commissioner said the suspects confessed to the crime and will be charged to court accordingly.

Similarly, 22 suspected cultists were arrested sequel to a report that a group of young men suspected to be cultists were seen at a scene of initiation at Nnewi.

CP Umar stated that Police teams from the Special Anti- Cultism (SPAC) had immediately swung into action, cordoned the area and arrested the suspects who were mainly teenagers.

The CP said the suspects

includes the following names, “Onujiobi Samson, Ebuka Chijioke, Chibuzo Mbonu, Chinonso Uwandu, Chijioke Nwoye, Osundu Uzoh, Chidiebele Okoyeobele, David Nwokoye, Ugbuagu Jonathan, Ofor Obinna. “ Chukwuemeka Onyeije, Richard Kenechukwu, Okoyeobele Oluebube, Onyema Bosah, Tony Chukwuemezie, Onyema Udoji, Ifeanyi Onu, Chukwunonye Nnamdi, Ugwu Chinaza, Valentine Eriobala, Chibuzo Okoro and Onyia Ejike” Exhibits recovered from the suspects includes one locally made revolver pistol with one live ammunition, one locally made pistol gun with 3 live cartridges,one muffler,one black turban, three black berets,two daggers, three

Odu

Disguised beggar-prostitute robs businessman N.2m in hotel Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

In a mild drama, disguised female beggar who operates at every nooks and cranny in Asaba, Delta State on Thursday night allegedly robbed businessman (name withheld) at a popular hotel behind Asaba township stadium N.2million before disappearing into the thin air. Sources at the ever busy hotel said the female beggar who doubles as commercial sex worker, often frequents the hotel to beg for arm, and in most cases offer her body for financial gains to sex hungry men lodgers.

It was reliably gathered that the beggar-prostitute had in the early hours of on Thursday fateful day allegedly hoodwinked the Businessman for financial help in pitiable manners and convincing complaints, a situation the businessman reported to have been in the hotel for days agreed to help but with attached conditions.

Expectedly, the beggar-prostitute our informed sources said, was well endowed with cherubic face and heavy bottoms” whom sex hungry men struggle to have in their beds often times, particularly in the hotel build with well over thirty-six rooms. It was further gathered that the businessman was to warm his bed for the night including sucking his dick all through for N50, 000.00 an offer the beggar-prostitute was said to have grabbed without hesitation.

But this was not to be during which she (beggar-prostitute) returned to the hotel room of the businessman after their discus-

sion and agreement were sealed in the night fall.

Before the love tangled, insiders said the disguised prostitute allegedly stumbled her host brief case containing huge sums of money after marathon sex bouts where the businessman was “exhausted” that left him slept like a dead wood”, and in the process allegedly removed estimated N.2million from the money and dashed out of the hotel room at 5.30am on Friday unsuspectingly.

But the manager of the hotel Mr. Chukwudi Abbah who confirmed the incident to our reporter said “we were shocked in the morning when our customer woke up around 8:20am shouting for his missing money, and on enquiry, we were told how the beggar who used to beg for money in the hotel slept with him and removed his money we have reported to the police at ‘A’ Division, the police are looking for her”. The victim who did not want his name in the print confirmed the incident, saying it was unfortunate and the devils act. Meanwhile, the police detectives attached to the state police command have swooped on fake labour employers who allegedly swindle unsuspecting Job seekers in Asaba and Ibusa communities.

The Police Image Maker in the state Mr. Andrew Aniamaka who confirmed move by the police to eradicate all forms of criminal activities in the state, said six of the fake labour employers have been arrested, adding that they would be charged to court on completion of investigation.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Crime

19

Police rearrest three suspects who escaped detention ... Dismiss three personnel for negligence

Stories by Joy Anyim

Three of the four suspects that had escaped from detention at the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department(SCIID) Umuahia and made away with two AK47 rifles have been rearrested by the Abia State Police Command.

The suspects, Kingsley Anyim, Chijioke Chukwu and Emeka Ukaegbu were been interrogated by men of the AntiKidnapping Section (D7) of the SCIID had escaped on September 2nd, 2017.

Parading the suspects at the State Police Headquarters in Umuahia, the State Commissioner of Police, CP Adeleye Oyebade stated that the negligence to duty as display by three police personnel who were meant to be on duty that day, led to the cell break.

He said, “ the suspects conceived the escape and nurtured it into fruition due to the negligence and absence from duty of the policemen scheduled for duty on that fateful day. “ However, three of the escapees have been rearrested and one of the rifles recovered while all the officers involved in the act of negligence and absence from duty have all been taken through the Force approved disciplinary action process. “ They have been dismissed from the Force, and will be prosecuted. Efforts to rearrest the remaining escapees is being intensified.

“Meanwhile, it need be mentioned that Ukaegbu confessed to where he kept the remaining AK47 rifle. I assure you that the rifle will be retrieved soonest. “ Also paraded were suspected cultists cum murder suspects who had on September 5th, 2017 shot dead a man identified as Nnadozie Ezinwa Onyema aged 36 years.

Rearrested suspects and the dismissed policemen

A distress call was made to the Police about the incident which happened early on the said day around ‘Early Learning’ road by Umueze in Aba. The police who responded promptly had arrested Godswill Okeke and Godwin Dada both males aged 26 years and 31 years.

According to CP Adeleye, “Consequent on the call, SP Gabriel Alobo, the Divisional Crime Officer Abayi Division led a team of patrol men from the division

to the scene of incident where the victim was found in a pool of his own blood. “ One locally made pistol and two live cartridges were recovered around the scene. Combing of the street and surrounding environment, resulted in the arrest of the suspects. Photograph of the deceased was taken and corpse taken to the morgue for preservation.”

The Commissioner of Police stated further that investigations were ongoing to ascertain the motive behind the killing as well as other facts that will facilitate prosecution.

Suspected assassin shoots reverend father in Lagos A Catholic priest of the St Thomas Catholic church Onilekere cement B/Stop Ikeja, was on Friday at about 8:30am shot by hoodlums suspected to be assassins.

The assassins who were three had disguised as church worshippers, attended the 6:30 am Mass which ended at about 8:30 am after which they had requested to see the Reverend Father, Daniel Nwankwo.

It was gathered that the Rev Father who unsuspectingly granted the assailants audience outside the church auditorium for a yet to be determined reason was shot at by one of the assailants who spoke fluently in igbo language with a locally made pistol.

Father Nwankwo had raised alarm after been shot, while the assailants had jumped the fence and escaped towards an adjoining canal.

According to a statement issued by the Lagos Police Command Spokesperson, for the Commissioner of Police, Ag/CP Imohimi Edgal, “the priest was immediately taken to LASUTH for medical attention where he is currently been treated and is under stable conditions.”

According to the statement, “ the Comissioner of Police Imohimi Edgal was at the scene and spoke with a witness who confirmed that Three (3) assail-

Lagos Ag/CP Imohimi Edgal ant of Igbo background who were not known to be members of the church were seen having a conversation with the Rev Father before he was shot.

“The CP Imohimi Edgal has also visited the Rev

Father Daniel Nwankwo, spoke directly with him and confirmed that the Rev Father is been given adequate medical care and he is recuperating fast.

“The CP also immediately ordered a crack team of detectives and operational officers from the police command who were dispatched to the scene and area leading to the canal where an eye witness confirmed the hoodlums ran towards.

“Five suspects have been arrested in connection with this act and they are currently being diligently interrogated for vital information to aid the Police investigation. “ The Commissioner however advised lagosians to be viligant and security conscious at this time and ensure they identify and report any strange faces and suspicious movement.

Ag /CP Edgal also ordered “ the deployment of static police guard and instructed the Area commanders and DPO’s to provide static police guard on 24hrs bases in all churches and mosque across the state instead of only on Fridays & Sundays like it had been done in the past .”

Edgal Imohimi has also assured Lagosians that every asset of the police command will be deployed to make sure the hoodlums that made an attempt on the Rev Father’s be arrested and brought to book.

20 News

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Fight for one other, Onyema urges Nigerians

Rights group attack Amnesty International over interference

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo

Patrick Okohue

ÏÏÏ

ÏÏÏA human rights

Chairman of the Foundation for Ethnic Harmony in Nigeria (FEHN), Allen Onyema has observed that until Nigerians fight for each other.across ethnic lines, Nationhood will continue elude the country.

Onyema therefore, pleaded to Nigerians from one part of the fight for other Nigerians in other parts of the country.

The FEHN Chairman gave the advice while speaking yesterday at the opening session of the 5-day training of OPC, IPOB, Arewa Members on Ethic Harmony, held at Limeridge Hotel in Lekki area of Lagos State.

“This country Will never know peace until we fight for each other.

Until we fight for each other. Nationhood will elude us”, Onyema said.

According to him the training which is solely sponsored by him will train 45 members of Oodua People Congress (OPC), Arewa Youths and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on ethnic harmony and how to entrench peace and unity in Nigeria.

According to Onyema, after the training in Nigeria by US based specialists in conflict resolution, the beneficiaries would also be taken overseas for further training at FEHN’s expense.

He said that the objective of the training is to make the beneficiaries to eschew all those things that create division among ethnic nationalities and to see and help to build Nigeria as one, united entity and also help to galvanise their members to unite and campaign for one united Nigeria.

Onyema who addressed the audience comprising of OPC, Arewa Youths, IPOB leaders, members and other Nigerians said that his Foundation has been promoting peace and unity in Nigeria, an effort started during the Niger Delta militancy, which contributed immensely in quelling the crisis in that part of the country.

“As first effort we are training 45 youths from OPC, Arewa and IPOB”, he said.

The FEHN Chairman, who is also the Chairman of Air Peace, said that the training of these youths would be part of his contribution to the quest for

unity and ethnic harmony in Nigeria.

L-R: President, Women Arise, Dr. Joe Okei-Odumakin and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Ag Chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, during a courtesy visit to Odumakin in Lagos… on Friday.

Abia First Lady builds, commissions market stall, borehole for community

Sunday Nwakanma Umuahia

ÏÏÏ

The wife of the Governor of Abia State, Mrs. Nkechi Ikpeazu yesterday commissioned new market stalls and a borehole built by her for Amaise Ukpakiri in Obingwa Local government Area with a call on the people to key into the governor’s vision to be productive and improve their personal income as well as the state economy.

Mrs. Ikpeazu gave the charge at Ukpakiri Primary School venue of the ceremony after cutting the tapes as part of

the events marking the 2017 August meeting of the women of Ukpakiri, and urged the women to focus their energy on carrying out complimentary projects that would help their community.

She pledged to embark on more infrastructural projects in other communities across the state so that the presence of government will be felt.

The first lady stated that the market and borehole will help rural women display their local wares and promote trade, reiterating that women August meetings have shifted from being an annual jamboree to

becoming a focused period for discussions and implementation of development projects.

Speaking the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Women Affairs Dr. Mrs. Nnenna Chikezie encouraged the women of Ukpakiri to develop themselves in areas that will make them relevant and professional, urging them to take advantage of the health lectures they received to improve on their health status.

In their separate speeches, the Chairman, Obingwa LGA, Mr. Hanson Amaechi and the chairman of the occasion Prince Nwabiaraije Eneogwe described the

present administration of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as public oriented with notable achievements and called on all to give him their maximum support.

In their remarks the traditional ruler of Abayi Ancient kingdom Eze Nwabiaraije Eneogwe and the Chairlady, Planning Committee of Amaise Women Conference Mrs. Ngozi Ijeoma extolled the virtues of the wife of the governor over her giant strides, humanitarian disposition and provision of dividends of democracy through the provision of market stalls and boreholes.

Customs command generates N183 bn in 8 months - Comptroller Yusuf Joy Anyim

ÏÏÏ

The Nigeria Customs Service Tincan Island Port Command has disclosed that the command had generated N183 billion Naira in eight months.

This disclosure was made by the Customs Area Controller, Comptroller Bashar Yusuf while profiling the activities of the Command on Wednesday.

He said the development was sequel to the coordinated activities and innovative spirit of the officers and men of the command.

In his words, “the success is courtesy of the deliberate creative policies and stimulus plans aimed at blocking all possible

areas of revenue loss. It would be recalled that the command has had a sustained high revenue profile since the beginning of the year. The revenue for August alone stood at over N28 billion, which is the highest in the annals of the command, particularly in the corresponding periods over the years past.

“Generally speaking, the command generated N183 billion between January and August, 2017 as against the sum of N156 billion during the same period in reference, despite global economic recession.

“It therefore implies that but for the exclusion of 41 items from Forex window; the command could have doubled its

revenue profile. A further analysis shows that the command is becoming more thorough in its revenue drive, to the extent that all high yielding revenue consignments are closely monitored to avoid circumvention of procedure.”

The controller stated that with the high expectations of the customs high command, the command will continue to develop adequate operational template and modalities that will be capable of entrenching integrity in the acumen of its operations.

He pointed out that all officers/men of the command have a compelling need to discharge their functions in line with the change mantra of the Comptroller-General of

Customs Col. Hameed Ali (rtd).

The Controller extolled the virtues of the customs management and vowed to sustain and surpass the revenue target of the command in line with the expectations of the Nigeria Customs Service.

In the same vein, the controller appreciated the compliance level of stakeholders in the Port to fiscal policies of the federal government in terms of trade while advising few recalcitrant ones to toe the path of sanity through honest declaration in their documentations noting that integrity, due diligence, honest declarations and transparency are key elements in 21st century customs operations.

group under the aegis of Coalition in Defence of Sovereignty and Human Rights has declared the Amnesty International an enemy of Nigeria.

Speaking at a protest march to the Amnesty International office in Surulere, Lagos on Wednesday, Adumashi Ayokunle, National Co-ordinator of the group said they would no longer fold their arms and watch those he tagged as ‘marauding horde’ ruin the nation.

Brandishing banners with inscriptions like “Amnesty International, we are ashamed of you”, “AI leave Nigeria alone; “FG, expel Amnesty International from Nigeria; and “Amnesty International, what do you want? who moved from Amnesty office through Barracks to NTA Tejuosho, said Nigeria is an independent country and AI should stop meddling into her affairs.

Ayokunle, who led the protesters to the AI office, noted that the recent revelation was a clear indication that Amnesty International is practically treating Nigerians like farmed game kept for the twisted pleasure of trophy hunters.

He said, “There has been a report that what we thought was innocuous is seriously insidious. Amnesty International that we had always seen as the friend of the helpless common man has proven to be the problem of the common man.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Doctors in DRC suspend strike after deal with government

Congolese doctors suspended a two week strike over better pay in public hospitals on Wednesday (September 06), the main medical union has said.

SYNAMED, Congo’s main doctors union said the Democratic Republic of Congo’s government had agreed to their demands for a salary increase.

Currently, Congo’s doctors working in public hospitals earn about 350 USD a month, and want their pay increased to 1,000 USD a month, to help them adjust to the high rate of inflation.

“The representatives of the medical union SYNAMED signed with government representatives and it’s stipulated in the agreement that the Congolese government will reinstate the doctor’s rights and act on their grievances,” said SYNAMED Secretary General, Juvenal Muanda.

The representatives of the medical union SYNAMED signed with government representatives and it’s stipulated in the agreement that the Congolese government will reinstate the doctor’s rights and act on their grievances.

The strike has caused havoc in public hospitals, where beds remained empty and patients were left to care for themselves.

“I didn’t know that doctors were on strike. I was brought here by people when I was involved in an accident. I have only seen one doctor once since I came here, he registered my ID and medical details then he left.

It’s been five days since I came here and I don’t know what to do,” said Paul Shinakusa, a patient admitted at the Kinshasa hospital.

According to SYNAMED, around 35,000 doctors across the country have not reciced salaries in th Congo’s is currently facing an economic crisis; with inflation now at 50 percent, while the Congolese franc has lost 30 percent making it one of the world’s worst In addition, the central bank is so low on forex it has barely three weeks of import cover left.

The government forecasts 2017 GDP growth at 3.1 percent, up from 2.4 percent last year. Standard & Poor’s sees GDP growth this year at 1.5 percent.

21 Foreign

Man dares hurricane in Florida after airline refuses to let him fly with dog A man who was trying to flee from Hurricane Irma was told by an airline that he couldn’t board a flight with his dog – so he decided to ride out the violent storm instead.

Agency report said that Matt Vargas was preparing to jet out of Miami, Florida as millions are leaving the state ahead of winds raging up to 155mph that are swirling towards its southern coast.

He rushed around to at least 10 pet shops to buy a carrier for his dog Mika – aware that it is the rule to cage an animal before it can travel in the hold area of a plane.

He failed to get one as the stores were all out of stock, so decided to chance his luck and arrived at Miami International Airport to buy a plane ticket with his pet in tow.

But workers at the only airline

with available seats out of Miami turned him away.

He eventually decided to return home to the Kendall area of Miami and brave Irma rather than abandon Mika because of the policy.

Mr Vargas said: “I waited an

hour in line and I don’t have a pet carrier – and they won’t let me on without a pet carrier.

Pensioners Harvey and Irma marvel at the storms bearing their names Irma is a ‘nuclear hurricane’ and could leave homes uninhabitable

Hurricane

Sex: Uganda launches online pornography fight

Museveni Uganda is launching a drive against online pornography that critics condemn as a diversion from deeper problems of graft, unemployment and crumbling social services facing President Yoweri Museveni.

Agency reports said that the campaign is the latest salvo in a culture war between conservatives fighting what they see as for-

eign moral influences promoting criminality and a more liberal, often younger population.

“This is an invasion, it’s Western culture,” said Simon Lokodo, a 59-year-old Catholic priest who serves as minister of ethics and integrity.

“Over consumption of pornography … the consequences are very dire,” he told Reuters this week.

The government had released 2 billion shillings ($556,000) to his office to combat online pornography. Some money would go to pornography-blocking software, he said.

Some Ugandans expressed anger at the cost of the ban, saying it served only to divert public attention from failures of President Museveni’s government.

Critics of Museveni, who has ruled for 31 years, say he presides over widespread corruption and

human rights abuses.

Parliament is considering a removing a constitutional age cap to allow Museveni to serve longer. He is also widely considered to be grooming his son, a presidential adviser and the former commander of an elite military unit, to succeed him.

Andrew Karamagi, a rights activist and lawyer in Kampala, said he could not understand government obsession with “what people watch, who sleeps with whom, how and when”, while it struggled to fund social services such as hospitals and schools.

Uganda’s only radiotherapy machine broke down last year and hasn’t been replaced due to funding shortages. Drug shortages are common in public hospitals where and in dilapidated public schools poorly-paid teachers often don’t show up for class.

Trump’s and Branson’s Caribbean homes destroyed by Hurricane Irma President Donald Trump’s 11 bedroom mansion on the Caribbean island of St. Martin is reported to have been torn apart

by Hurricane Irma, while the luxury home of billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson in the British Virgin Islands was also destroyed.

The extent of the damage to Trump’s property is not yet fully known, but French officials said that the four most solid buildings on the island

had “suffered serious damage,” making it unlikely Trump’s house had been spared.

A spokesperson for the Trump organization said precautions had been taken ahead of the storm without providing details of damage, according to media reports.

President Donald Trump has been trying to sell the property, a waterfront estate with a pool and fitness center, and lowered the listing price to $16.9 million

from $28 million in August, according to the Washington Post.

In another blow to Trump, his seaside Mar-a-Lago resort was ordered to evacuate Friday morning, along with the barrier islands and low-lying areas of Palm Beach County, the Sun Sentinel newspaper confirmed.

Trump has owned the private golf club since 1985. The president has vacationed and conducted business there numerous times early in his presi-

dency, including hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other foreign leaders, sometimes raising controversy over security.

The evacuation is part of a broad attempt to get people to safety before Irma makes landfall in the state, which is now expected to happen on Saturday.

Read: Hurricane Irma downgraded to Category 4, but remains ‘extremely dangerous’ on its path to Florida

Trump

22

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Features

23

s

NEMA, stakeholders trade blame over Benue flood victims Markudi after the floods deceive the world. They are not treating us well. They started sharing rice around 2 a.m.

“They didn’t give us bed. Even the mat they shared, they just gave one or two people and they say it’s finished. Since they are not taking care of us, I think it’s better we go home,’’ he lamented.

Ladesope Ladelokun, with Agency reports Food storage facilities and farmlands destroyed by ravaging floods in many communities in Benue State, have left over 110,000 people displaced.

The Daily Times gathered that some of the affected people have taken refuge under trees, churches, schools and in uncompleted buildings, while others are desperately seeking refuge in internally displaced people’s camps (IDP).

The flood, it was reported, also swept away variety of crops, livestock, bridges and culverts, causing untold hardship to the people.

It would be recalled that in the last two decades, flooding had visited different parts in Makurdi town, particularly in 1996, 2000, 2005, 2007, and 2008. Some of these floods displaced over tens of thousands of families, with thousands of buildings submerged. Flood-prone areas like Wurukum, Gyado villa, Wadata, Logo I and II bore the brunt with Agatu Local Government Council of the state also absorbing a large part of the devastation.

Statistics show that hundreds of people were reported dead with about two million people rendered homeless in 2012 alone when floods swept across 30 out 36 states in Nigeria.

Piqued by the devastating effect of these floods, Governor of the state, Samuel Ortom, called on the Federal Government to assist victims of the Benue flood, expressing readiness to level illegal structures and buildings as part of measures to stop the nagging problem of flooding besetting the North central state.

Vice-President Osinbajo and entourage smiling in face of the flood disaster in Benue during his visit “We do not have a choice but to embark on demolition of illegal structures and buildings on waterways and drainages, if this matter must be addressed appropriately so that people do not continue to suffer in this manner.’’

Opinions are however divided across board on the true cause of the recurring annual floods.

While some experts believe climate change is responsible for the Benue flood, others blame the disaster on blockage of tunnels, obstruction of drainage channels and building in flood-prone areas.

A public affairs analyst, Adebiyi Kolawole, said the flood in Benue is happening at a time Americans are also battling with flood in Texas, “But you can see the way American president was

This is Markudi after the flood

on ground with his family and VP, helping in distribution of materials. Little things like that matter.

“But what do we have here?

You see our President and his VP acting like the victims don’t matter. None of them considered the victims important enough to visit. Only a few days back – after almost two weeks did Vice President Osinbajo visit some of the victims.

“Even the National Emergency Management Agency DG didn’t visit early. It’s not enough for government agencies to draw salaries; they must be properly equipped to work and be seen to be working.”

But a civil servant, who pleaded anonymity, disagreed with Kolawole.

“Will visiting the flood victims change anything? Buhari must not visit because Trump visited, what is important is to assist the victims and work tirelessly to ensure it does not happen again.

We don’t have to politicise everything,’’ he said.

Relief materials are diverted – Victims A victim of the Benue flood in one of the IDP camps has alleged that materials meant for them are being diverted by camp officials. In a radio interview monitored in Lagos, the victim also alleged unfair treatment of their people.

“They are just treating us anyhow. To give us food is a problem.

When they bring small food, they display it before camera men to

We are doing credibly well – NEMA In a swift reaction, the Director-General of NEMA, Mustapha Maihaja, dismissed claims in certain quarters that NEMA is not doing enough to assist victims of Benue flood disaster. According to the DG, NEMA has done very well in keeping the situation under control. “It is not true that we didn’t respond quickly. We are doing credibly well to address the situation. We are providing the necessary relief and we are doing what we can to reduce the suffering. I monitor development there every day,” he said emphatically.

Meanwhile, experts have called on governments at all levels to make adequate preparations for flood prevention and disaster management, stating that people living in flood-prone areas should be relocated and temporary accommodation must be provided to encourage them.

A member of the Benue State House of Assembly representing Agatu Constituency, Mr. Sule, has appealed to the state and national emergency management agencies, corporate bodies and wellmeaning individuals to come to the aid of the Agatu people so as to ameliorate their sufferings.

He also solicited for medical facilities and foodstuffs for victims.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

24

All stories by Frank Jumbo with Agency reports broadcast production agreement was on Thursday in Abuja signed by the League Management Company (LMC) and the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) for production of matches of the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL).

The papers were signed by the LMC Chairman Shehu Dikko and Mallam Yakubu

A

NTA, LMC agree on match broadcasts Ibn Muhammed, the Director General of NTA. An official statement jointly signed by the heads of the two organizations indicate that the LMC and NTA would be setting up a private sector driven company to manage the business of the broadcast production.

According to the statement, “the com-

pany which shall be operated as a private, commercial venture will leverage its operations on the huge infrastructure, technical and human capacity and equipment of NTA spread across the country.

The equipment includes very high grade eight Outside Broadcast (OB) Vans specially designed for football and sports

I’m not scared of Zappacosta Signing - Moses

C

helsea spent all summer looking to buy another right wing-back — Moses ‘s current position but only succeeded when they acquired Davide Zappacosta from Torino for £23million on deadline day.

Zappacosta is a player whom Chelsea coach Antonio Conte knows well. He picked the 25-year-old in Italy’s initial squad for Euro 2016, although the player did not make the final cut.

Conte has not brought his countryman to Stamford Bridge to simply make up the numbers.

Only Juventus star Alex Sandro, a player Conte also wanted for a similar role on the left flank, has made more accurate crosses as a defender from open play in Serie A than Zappacosta since the start of 2016.

But Moses is not fazed one bit and told Standard Sport: “I am ready for the competition. We needed more players, to be honest.

We have a lot of games to play this season. You can’t expect to play 60 games or so. I’m ready to take on anyone that is coming here. I just want to play my football.”

Zappacosta may have some kind of relationship with Conte already, but the strength of Moses’ bond with his manager will be hard to break.

The 26-year-old still feels a debt of gratitude to the man who made him a regular in the senior side.

Chelsea bought Moses from Wigan for £9m in 2012, but after a promising debut campaign as a squad player, he was loaned out to Liverpool, Stoke and West Ham in successive seasons.

Few thought Moses would be given an opportunity last term, either, but he ended up being one of the biggest surprises in Chelsea’s title-winning story.

S

WCQ: No more new invitations – Rohr

uper Eagles technical adviser, Gernot Rohr has foreclosed the invitation of new players to the team, ahead of Nigeria’s all important World Cup 2018 Qualifiers clash against Zambia in Uyo. The Super Eagles handler has suggested he will maintain the squad that prosecuted the back to back games against Cameroon.

Nigeria need a win against Zambia to seal their spot in the World Cup in Russia, thanks to the four points picked up from the double header clash against Cameroon in Uyo and Yaounde respectively.

Coach Rohr who says he need his ward to finish the job of qualifying for the World Cup when they meet Zambia on the 7th October in Uyo. He has also hinted he will stick with the squad he worked with in the last two games.

Rohr however left the door open for Arsenal ace Alex Iwobi who missed the game through injury to return back to the squad, if he returns to full match fitness before the game next

Contd. on Page 29 Rohr

month. ” We will work with the same set of players for the game against Zambia.

Maybe Iwobi will return to the squad if he is fully fit. But for now, the players called up for the Cameroon games are same players we plan to call for the game against Zambia

We want Abraham in Eagles – Pinnick

T

Moses

Abraham

Wilmots

coverage, which had been acquired by the Federal Government at huge cost.”

However, in the new dispensation, the LMC treading the path of some European football leagues such as the English Premier League and Spanish LaLiga, is aiming to control the production and distribution of broadcast content across all media in-

cluding live streaming, terrestrial and cable platforms. This landmark venture has been facilitated and strongly supported by the Federal Government of Nigeria represented by the Honourable Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.

It is a culmination of strategic engagement initiated by LMC officials with the Minister of Information and Culture seeking to deploy the vast equipment procured by the Federal Government on behalf of NTA for past FIFA tournaments hosted by Nigeria.

Contd. on Page 25

ammy Abraham could yet trade England international duty for Nigeria if the Super Eagles federation president has his way. Amaju Pinnick, the president of Nigeria’s federation, believes Chelsea striker Abraham could choose the country of his father’s birth when he commits his future to a senior international team.

Abraham, 19, is spending the season on loan with Swansea and has played for England, where he was born, at the U18, U19 and U21 levels.

“We are working on getting Abraham,” Pinnick told reporters. “Tammy is like my son. His father and I grew up in the same neighbourhood.

“So when they talk about him, I just laugh because I know what to do.”

The Chelsea forward joined Swansea City on loan for the season and signed a five-year contract at the Premier League champions.

The Blues announced both the new deal and the loan agreement for the 19-year-old, where he will join Swans boss and former Chelsea assistant

Paul Clement.

Abraham spent last season on loan with Bristol City in the Championship and excelled, Contd. on Page 25

Pinnick

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

25

Why I signed for Fulham – Sheyi Ojo

D

espite offers from a host of Championship outfits, the Reds youngster opted for Slavisa Jokanovic’s side.

On-loan Liverpool winger Sheyi Ojo disclosed he chose Fulham ahead of other English Championship sides because of their ambition and style of play.

The 20-year-old who joined the Cottagers on a season-long loan this summer admitted that the team’s brand of football will aid his development having followed the team’s progress last campaign.

“I chose Fulham because of the way they’re going, obviously they missed out on promotion last year and I watched the game and they were unlucky,” Ojo told GetWestLondon. “This year, the way Fulham play football is the best in the Championship so I think that was the main reason and I feel that will hopefully develop my game even more.

“It’s a great bunch of lads, I knew Kevin McDonald from my time at Wolves so he helped me settle it but everyone is down to Earth and easy to get along with.”

Having made his debut appearance in Fulham’s 2-0 win over Ipswich Town, the Anglo-Nigerian is positive of helping the team to secure promotion to the Premier League with his goals and assists.

“I felt I did well against Ipswich but I feel there’s a lot more to come - physically I’m getting fitter and stronger but I didn’t really feel as strong as I would’ve liked,” he continued.

“Hopefully with games there will be more to come I’m positive on the ball and try to make things happen and get shots and crosses off.

“My ambition is to help get the team as much wins as possible with goals and assists so that’s my main aim this season as well as help get the team promoted.”

We want Abraham in Eagles – Pinnick

Seyi Ojo

Continued from Page 24 scoring 26 goals in 48 appearances for the club.

He became the highest-scoring teenager in Championship history in the process, while scooping up Bristol City’s Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year awards.

Abraham has two Chelsea appearances to his name, both coming in the 2015-16 season.

The striker is Swansea’s second signing of the summer after goalkeeper Erwin Mulder during their tour of the United States.

NTA, LMC agree on match broadcasts Continued from Page 24

NTA also enjoys a robust network spread in the country with stations in every state capital and which the LMC hopes to leverage on to take the NPFL to the homes of millions of Nigerians in cities and rural communities.

Dikko, at the ceremony, explained that LMC will towards meeting modern broadcast standards, assist NTA to upgrade the OB Van equipment to ensure that contents produced will be globally competitive.

“The operation of the company, as envisaged will rely on the services of international technical partners and domestic expertise to provide the much needed vehicle for the production of high quality programmes and events for broadcast in the sports and entertainment industries’.

Also in attendance at the event which held inside the Conference Hall of NTA were the General Secretary of the NFF, Dr Sanusi Mohammed, Director-General of the NTA, Chief Operating Officer of the LMC, Mallam Salihu Abubakar, Samson Ebomhe, Legal Adviser to LMC and other top management staff of the NTA.

Flying Eagles skipper joins Lokomotiv Plodiv

T

hrough a statement on their official website, Bulgarian First League club PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv have announced the signing of Nigeria nationalteamer Musa Mohammed. The right back will spend the first half of the season at PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv on loan from Turkish Super Lig club Istanbul Bashkekkir.

A product of FC Hearts Abuja, Musa Mohammed spent the second half of last season on loan at Bosnian team Željezničar, for whom he made nine appearances.

In 2103, the defender captained the Golden Eaglets squad at the 2013 Fifa U17 World Cup and also skippered the Nigeria U20s in the World Cup two years lat-

er. Mohammed has not been called up to the Nigeria squad in 2017, missing games against Senegal, Togo, South Africa and Cameroon.

Patrick Ogunsoto and ex-Olympic National Team invitee Oladele Oshobe have played for PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the past.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

26

EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO…

Mourinho

You have no fighting spirit - Mourinho accuses Pereira

J

ose Mourinho has accused Andreas Pereira of lacking the will to fight for a place at Manchester United following his switch to Valencia.

The 21-year-old moved to Mestalla on a season-long loan on Spanish deadline day after United granted him permission to leave at the last moment.

Pereira, who spent 201617 with Granada in LaLiga, had been tipped for a big involvement in Mourinho’s plans this term after the manager was unable to make the fourth signing he wanted before the end of the transfer window.

And Mourinho admits he was disappointed that Pereira decided to leave, although he underlined that a clause in the agreement means they could bring him back to Old Trafford in January.

He told a news conference: “Andreas Pereira was a personal decision, a decision I don’t agree with and that I don’t think is the best for him and it disappoints me a little bit, because I feel he has the potential to be here fighting for opportunities.

“It can be considered a decision of a young player who wants to play every weekend,

but also of a young player who is not ready to fight for something difficult.

“You have to be ready to fight for a position and I’m disappointed he left. But I opened the door, he has a long-term contract, we have an option to bring him back on the first of January, so it’s not a drama.

But it disappoints me a little bit.”

United resume domestic action on Saturday against Stoke City, having won all three of their opening Premier League matches without conceding a goal.

However, Mourinho expects a difficult match at a ground where United have not won since 2013.

“It’s always difficult. It’s normally not easy for anyone to play against Stoke,” he said.

“It’s probably because in the last years United was not strong enough. Last season, we didn’t win because we didn’t play well enough.

“They are aggressive, defend with a lot of people, they are dangerous on the counterattack, at set-pieces. Hopefully we can be better than in previous years.”

Villa

Man City hit by Kompany injury

Hazard returns for Leicester clash Hazard

F

it-again Eden Hazard is set to feature in Chelsea’s Premier League visit to Leicester City this weekend, Antonio Conte has confirmed.

The forward fractured his right ankle while on Belgium duty in June, but was used by his country in World Cup qualifiers against Gibraltar and Greece during the recent international break.

Conte was initially baffled by his call up before admitting his minutes for Belgium may be of benefit to the Premier League champions.

And the Italian is now pondering how best to use Hazard for the first time this season at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

“I spoke with Roberto [Martinez, Belgium manager] and we tried the right way to improve his fitness. I was very happy for him to play against Gibraltar and 30 minutes against Greece. I totally agreed with him,” Conte told a pre-match news conference.

“Now he is available, he is in the list for the squad. He is improving a lot, he is working very strong to be ready.

“Now I can count on him. I have to decide the right minutes, but he is available now.

M

Kompany

anchester City captain Vincent Kompany will miss Saturday’s Premier League match against Liverpool due to a calf injury, manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed. Kompany has been ravaged by calf problems over recent seasons but recovered to start nine of City’s final 10 matches of 2016-17. The 31-year-old has been a mainstay at centre-back this time around as well but did not feature in Belgium’s World Cup qualification win over Greece last weekend after suffering a familiar setback against minnows Gibraltar.

“He picked up a calf problem with Belgium, when they won 9-0 against Gibraltar,” Guardiola said. “It will be short [absence] but the next time I do not think he will be able to play.”

City had an offer rejected for West Brom centre-back Jonny Evans towards the end of the transfer window but Kompany’s absence leaves them short ahead of the visit of Jurgen Klopp’s in-form side and the start of their Champions League campaign at Feyenoord next week.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

27

EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…EURO…

Coutinho out of City clash

P

hilippe Coutinho has been left out of the Liverpool squad for Saturday’s Premier League match at Manchester City, manager Jurgen Klopp has confirmed.

Coutinho’s future dominated the closing weeks of the transfer window after he handed in a request to force through a move to Barcelona, but Liverpool stood firm and reportedly rejected three bids for the Brazil playmaker – the last of which was understood to be worth in the region of £119m.

Barcelona director Albert Soler claimed Liverpool’s demands were closer to £180m.

The 25-year-old made two substitute appearances for his country during the international break, scoring in a 2-0 win over Ecuador.

Alli faces FIFA axe for gesture

E

ngland midfielder Dele Alli will face disciplinary proceedings from FIFA due to a gesture he made during the World Cup qualifying victory over Slovakia at Wembley on Monday.

Gareth Southgate’s side closed to within two points of a place at Russia 2018 with a 2-1 comeback win, thanks to goals from Eric Dier and Marcus Rashford.

In the 77th minute of the match, Alli failed to earn a free-kick after going down under a challenge from Slovakia defender Martin Skrtel.

Coutinho

Dele Alli

Koeman wants Everton to play like Spurs It would be disaster for Arsenal to lose to Bournemouth - Monreal

F

Monreal

ailure to beat Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday would “be a disaster” for Arsenal, according to defender Nacho Monreal.

The Gunners head into the Premier League clash sitting in an unfamiliar position of 16th in the table, albeit after only three games of the new season.

However, Arsene Wenger’s side have lost their last two league matches without scoring, including a 4-0 hiding against Liverpool at Anfield in their last contest before the recent international break.

All of which makes this weekend’s encounter with the Cherries - who have also endured a tough start to the campaign after losing their first three Premier League encounters - a must-win fixture, says Monreal.

“We did not expect to lose as we did,” he said. “You can play against Liverpool away and lose this game as they are a really strong team with good players, but we can’t play as we played.

“We need to improve a lot - our target is to win the Premier League and obviously we can’t win it if we play like we did against Liverpool.

E

verton manager Ronald Koeman believes Tottenham have set the example which his own side must follow if they are to meet their ambitions.

The Dutchman is an admirer of Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and what he has accomplished in a relatively short time at White Hart Lane and wants the Toffees to follow suit.

But after a summer of heavy recruitment and promotion of a number of academy prospects he admits it will take time to reach their level.

However, that does not mean he does not expect his side to be competitive when the two meet at Goodison Park on Saturday.

“In my opinion they are one of the strongest teams in the Premier League,” he said. “Maybe they haven’t had the start they expected (four points from three matches)

but they are a really strong side and I like how they play football.

“It is an example of how we need to make the next step as Everton.

“What they did is hard work, the development of young players and a really good manager.

“On one side we have made steps but on the other side still not. We need time if you bring in so many young and new players in.”

Koeman’s immediate concern is getting more goals out of a side which lost last season’s leading scorer Romelu Lukaku to Manchester United in the summer.

They have managed just two goals in the league so far, although they have faced two topfour sides in Manchester City and Chelsea, and after failing to sign a striker on deadline day Koeman has had to recall the previously unwanted Oumar Niasse.

Koeman

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

28

EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO…

Zidane

No LaLiga without Barca – Zidane

R

eal Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane says he cannot imagine seeing Barcelona leave LaLiga if Catalonia becomes independent.

The Catalan parliament plans to hold a referendum on October 1 on whether the region should separate from Spain, although a national court has this week blocked those plans.

It has been speculated that Barca and Espanyol, who meet in a derby match on Saturday, could have the chance to play in France’s Ligue 1 if the independence campaign is successful.

But Zidane feels any exit from LaLiga would be damaging to the competition, telling a news conference: “I can’t see a Spanish league without

Barcelona. It’s all I can say as a fan of football, of this sport.

“I’m not going to get into it because there are people who want it and people who don’t. I simply can’t see a Spanish league without them.”

Zidane went on to defend comments made by Madrid president Florentino Perez with regard to referees in Spain’s top flight.

Perez stated his belief that officials are not operating to the required standard in LaLiga and Zidane feels his opinion is justified.

“All Florentino said is that we all have to improve, the referees as well,” he said. “The president has the right to say what he thinks and I agree with him, that we all have to improve.”

‘I would have tried to sign Messi’ – Madrid Chief

R

Messi

eal Madrid president Florentino Perez revealed he would have tried to sign Lionel Messi as one of his Galacticos had he been a star in the early 2000s.

In his first stint at the helm of the La Liga giants, Perez helped Madrid sign the likes of Zinedine Zidane, David Beckham, Ronaldo and Luis Figo.

The 70-year-old, who first took over as president in 2000, said Messi – who arrived at Barcelona in 2001, coming through the club’s youth academy to develop into one of the greatest players of all time – may have been one of those signings, if he had been at his current level then.

“If there had been a Messi in my first stage [as president], I would have gone after him,” Perez told Cadena SER .

“He is a type of player like Zidane.”

However, Perez said there was no chance of signing Messi now with his ties to Barcelona.

The Argentina international has won eight La Liga titles and four Champions League crowns among numerous trophies at Barca, while claiming a record five Ballons d’Or.

LaLiga plan to stage oversea games

L

aLiga chief Javier Tebas says discussions have been held over the prospect of staging matches abroad.

Tebas has backed the proposal of staging certain fixtures on foreign soil in the past in order to encourage more lucrative broadcasting and sponsorship deals.

Kick-off times were altered for the 2017-18 season to suit audiences in Asia, with Tebas stating in March that Spain’s top flight “will continue to take steps to ensure that this part of the world can enjoy LaLiga as much as possible”.

And the 55-year-old has now reiter-

ated his support for games being staged abroad, although he says discussions are very much at a preliminary stage.

“LaLiga is global entertainment and we want to grow the international appeal of LaLiga,” he said, as quoted by the Financial Times. “As part of that effort we are discussing the option of playing some of the league matches outside of Spain.

“These discussions are still in early stages but, as LaLiga, we support the idea.”

It is reported that fixtures could be held outside Spain as early as 2018.

Mbappe

Mbappe: I said no to City, not Pep Guardiola

K

ylian Mbappe has told L’Equipe he loved speaking to Pep Guardiola, but rejected Manchester City’s approach because he had wanted to stay in France.

Mbappe was officially presented as a Paris Saint-Germain player this week after joining the club on loan from Monaco, who will receive up to €180 million after a purchase option is taken up next summer if PSG avoid relegation from Ligue 1.

The 18-year-old said he had met Guardiola after the end of last season to discuss a potential move to England, and had enjoyed their chat.

“He’s a coach who lives and

breathes football,” he said. “He has won everywhere and he transmits his passion, he really gives you a desire to play, to just think about the game, because he only talks about the game. He doesn’t talk at all about what happens around it.

“Coach Emery also talks a lot about the game. I love coaches who only talk about the game, because that is what interests us. Those two coaches have a passion for football that goes above and beyond their profession. It’s good to work with people like that.

“When I saw him, we talked tactical setups, the way in which he would

use me. We talked more about that than my qualities, because I know myself better than anyone. Even Guardiola can’t tell me what I already know. I didn’t say ‘no’ to Guardiola, I said ‘no’ to Manchester City.”

City were not the only team disappointed. Real Madrid were also in the hunt for the teenager, who has gone from promising youngster to established senior France international in the space of 12 frenetic months.

Mbappe said he had turned down the opportunity to join the European champions with playing time and his reputation in his native country uppermost in his mind.

Saturday, September 9, 2017

ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP… ENGLISH PREMIERSHIP

EXTRATIME

29

Valverde wants Dembele to make instant impact

B

arcelona coach Ernesto Valverde will be banking on new signing Ousmane Dembele to fill the gap left by Neymar’s departure as he looks to overcome offpitch difficulties when the Catalans take on Espanyol on Saturday.

Barcelona have enjoyed a winning start in La Liga and despite all the off-field drama, Valverde is determined that they make it three wins out of three when they face his former club.

Valverde had a two-year spell as an Espanyol player between 1986 and 1988, reaching the 1988 UEFA Cup final, and later guided Barcelona’s city rivals to the 2007 UEFA Cup final, where they also lost on penalties, during a two-year tenure as coach.

So fond are Espanyol of their former striker that he has a gate named after him at their stadium but on Saturday they will be hoping to take advantage of institutional instability at Barcelona to end their torrid run at the Nou Camp.

Barca have won their last eight La Liga derbies at the Nou Camp dating back to 2009, including 4-0, 5-1 and 5-0 victories in their last three meetings, although there is some hope in Espanyol of ending that dismal run.

Barcelona had a frustrating transfer window, failing to sign top target Philippe Coutinho after losing Neymar to Paris St Germain for a world record fee of 222 million euros ($266 million), and there have also been calls to hold a vote of no confidence against president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

There is also unease at Barca

over the future of talisman Lionel Messi and captain Andres Iniesta, who are both out of contract next summer and have yet to sign new deals.

“We haven’t had a good time at the Nou Camp recently, it’s always difficult and we have really struggled to win there, even to pick up a point, but I believe we can get something positive this time,” said Espanyol midfielder Victor Sanchez.

Barca are one of only three teams in La Liga to win both their opening games, beating Real Betis and Alaves 2-0 without hitting top gear but are set to be boosted by the debut appearance of striker Dembele on Saturday.

The France international, 20, joined from Borussia Dortmund as a direct replacement for Neymar, becoming the second most expensive player of all time at 105 million

euros, rising to up to 147 million including incentives, despite only playing professional football for two seasons.

Valverde has his whole squad

available after the international break aside from Ivan Rakitic, who sustained a hamstring injury while on duty with Croatia.

Valverde

Bilic keeps mum after failed Carvalho deal

S

Bilic

laven Bilic insists he will not be going public on the reasons for why West Ham failed to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho in the summer.

West Ham and Sporting have engaged in a war of words since the summer transfer window closed after the clubs failed to agree terms on a deal to take Carvalho to the London Stadium.

The Hammers are currently pursuing legal action against Sporting’s communications director, Nuno Saraiva, after he labelled Hammers coowner David Sullivan a “liar” and a “parasite” and claimed that the Premier League side made no offers for the Portugal international

Slaven Bilic insists he will not be going public on the reasons for why West Ham failed to sign Sporting Lisbon midfielder William Carvalho in the summer.

West Ham and Sporting have engaged in a war of words since the summer transfer window closed after the clubs failed to agree terms on a deal to take Carvalho to the London Stadium.

The Hammers are currently pursuing legal action against Sporting’s communications director, Nuno Saraiva, after he labelled Hammers coowner David Sullivan a “liar” and a “parasite” and claimed that the Premier League side made no offers for the Portugal international

SPECIAL FEATURE

Saturday, September 9 2017

EXTRATIME

30

The late Yekini

The search for the next Super Eagles predator Ademetan Abayomi

T

here was a time, from 1989 to 1994, when Nigeria’s national team had an abundance of good strikers, and ex-Super Eagles coach Clemens Westerhof had nothing but quality options to pick from when choosing the player to lead the line for his team.

There was hardly a national team in Africa that could boast striking options as good as Nigeria’s, striking options which included Rashidi Yekini painting the Portuguese Premier League with goals at Vitoria Setubal, and Samson Siasia, who was also at the peak of his powers, taking the French Ligue 1 by storm alongside Japhet Ngoram at Nantes.

Daniel Amokachi, too gave a fine demonstration of his capabilities, with his fearless and physical approach. Have your forgotten the aerial presence that Efan Ekoku brought to the attacking set up of the Super Eagles?

A certain Richard Owubokiri painted Europe with goals, yet he did not really get the chance to impress.

Upcoming lads Kanu Nwankwo and Victor Nosa Ikpeba were seen as the Next Generation stars, who didn’t disappoint during their time.

After the era of Westerhoef, Ben Akwuegwu, Yakubu Aiyegbeni, Julius Aghahowa, Obafemi Martins, Kalu Uche, Peter Odemwingie and Emmanuel Emenike all came to show the quality they possess.

But unfortunately for current Super Eagles boss

Gernot Rohr, those days are far, far gone.

Each of the aforementioned strikers have either retired or declined significantly, to the point where none of them are worthy of making the Nigeria national team squad any longer, let alone starting for the team.

Now, Rohr has been forced to look at Nigeria’s other options up front, and thus far, his search has been very frustrating at some stage.

Many hoped the likes of Brown Ideye, Odion Jude Ighalo, Kelechi Iheanacho, Ahmed Musa, Henry Onyekuru, Anthony Nwakaeme, Victor Osimhen or even Kayode Olarenwaju would prove good enough to succeed their predecessors.

Unfortunately, while some have proven themselves to be better international goal-getters than others, none have been able to really excel against the big teams of international football.

Ighalo has not really proved himself under Rohr, despite arguably possessing one of the most impressive resume among the group of strikers available to Rohr.

But he showed his qualities in the double header with Cameroun this month.

Again, success has varied. Some strikers like Stephen Odey and Anthony Okpotu, both prolific goalscorers in the Nigeria Professional Football League, have proven themselves to simply not be good enough on the international stage.

In the case of Iheanacho, his goals, with the excep-

tion of one scored recently in the World Cup Qualifiers against the Indomitable Lions, have been scored in extra-meaningless friendly against the weakest countries.

The case for Ideye is a little different. Though he’s never been quite as amazing as he was in the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations, where he introduced himself to the world.

Many have labelled him a “second-striker” a Del Piero might even be a bit generous, since he does enjoy dropping very far back. As such, while he’s an excellent option for the team, he’s not the answer they need up front.

Which brings us to the final group of players, the “unknowns” as I like to call them. These are players who are still early in their careers.

Players who fall into this group are Osihmen, Kayode, Stephen Odey, Junior Ajayi, Sadiq Umar and Onyekuru. Ideally, this group should be a bit bigger.

As for Osihmen, who emerged as the top scorer of the 2015 FIFA U17 World Cup, he is just coming into his own as a striker. He looks a very promising prospect, possibly the most promising prospect among Nigeria’s current options up front, but it may prove better to wait for him to get into a rhythm with VFL Wolfsburg before giving him enormous responsibility in the senior national side.

Odey is a promising prospect who could well develop

if he eventually completes his move to FC Zurich. With his consistent show for MFM FC in the Nigerian top flight, he is destined for the top.

Why forget the physical trident that Kayode is ready to offer to the team? He did his reputation a whole lot of good with a big move to Manchester City and his subsequent loan switch to Girona. You can trust Larry to deliver if given the chance.

Some have been asking this innocent question, who is Junior Ajayi? Ajayi is a player who delivered for First Bank FC and Shooting Stars before his move to Sfaxien of Tunisia. His stellar display made him a hot property and he earned a switch to Al Ahly of Egypt.

Lanky striker Umar, was outstanding at the 2016 Olympic Games held in Brazil but he hasn’t really been stable at Roma with loan moves in the Serie A. Right now, Rohr is doing all he can to keep the search for Nigeria’s next great striker alive, he’ll be able to take a wider and better look at the most in-form front-men.

It’s not been easy having to constantly search and search for a reliable player to put up front for the national team, and there’s no denying that Rohr’s work in this department is far from done.

If the former Niger Republic tactician can make the right moves and narrow his pool down to the players with legitimate potential, there is great hope that the answer to Nigeria’s striker problem will be found sooner rather than later. Ï ƑƋƋƆƗ ƇƏ ƌ ƋƋMƈ ƆƏƈ ƅƆƏêƅ ƌ

Saturday, September 9, 2017

EXTRATIME

31

EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO…EURO… EURO… US Open 2017: Stephens beats Venus Williams Sloane Stephens

U

nseeded Sloane Stephens held her nerve to beat Venus Williams in three sets and set up a US Open final against fellow American Madison Keys.

Stephens, ranked 83rd after recently returning from injury, won 6-1 0-6 7-5 in the first semi-final at Flushing Meadows in New York.

In another all-US contest, 15th seed

Keys then beat Coco Vandeweghe, seeded 20th, 6-1 6-2.

Both Stephens and Keys will make their Grand Slam final debuts on Saturday.

It will be the first time since Serena Williams beat Venus in 2002 that a US Open women’s final has featured two American players.

“Having four Americans in the semifinals, I think that says a lot about American tennis and where we are right now,” said Stephens.

“I don’t think I would have had it any other way. I’m just super proud and honoured to be a part of what these four girls were, what we did tonight.”

Amir Khan confirms wife’s divorce

B

AFROBASKET: Ochefu upbeat as d’Tigers begin title defence

W

ashington Wizards’ centre, Daniel Ochefu is hopeful and aiming for the trophy as Nigeria begins the campaign to retain the Afrobasket trophy they won in Tunisia two years ago.

The Nigerian national Afrobasket team, D’Tigers flew out of the country for Tunisia at 6.00 a.m. Wednesday from the Murtala Muhammed Airport in Lagos aboard an Air Maroc flight.

The D’Tigers will start their campaign in the Afrobasket championship with preliminary games against DR Congo, Mali and Cote d’Ivoire for the competition taking the tip off on Friday. The championship is being hosted jointly for the first time by

Senegal and Tunisia.

Coach Alex Nwora released the final team list on Tuesday after the team’s final work out at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Lagos.

The Nigerian men have added pressure to perform creditably well after the women’s team won the African cup in Mali barely a fortnight ago.

But despite the perceived pressure, Ochefu believes D’Tigers can return from Tunis with their heads held high.

“We’ll keep the same kind of mentality they (D’Tigers 2015 squad) had when they won the championship in 2015; that’s the way to go.”

The Nigerian team is entering the championship with a lot of players who have never played at the Nations Cup level previously.

And this includes Ochefu, who is making his debut but he believes that should not count.

“My profession is to play basketball; I am in shape and ready to go. It doesn’t matter whether it is my first time or not; we are going to play basketball over there and that I am very ready to do.

Nigeria will be the team everyone wants to work hard against for obvious reasons.

The men won it the last time and the ladies just beat the whole of Africa again.

oxer Amir Khan has announced he has filed for divorce from his wife Faryal Makhdoom following the couple’s very public break up.

But he questioned his estranged wife’s claims she is pregnant during a video message to fans on Snapchat.

Khan and his estranged wife are going through a bitter separation after the collapse of their fouryear marriage, with both accusing each other of cheating.

Speaking to his followers on Snapchat today, Khan said: ‘So me and Faryal are not together. I have filed for a divorce.

‘I hear that she has just announced that she is pregnant. She didn’t tell me. I had to read it on social media.

‘I’m always going to be there for my kids [if] we’re not married.

We’re not together but my kids are everything to me.

‘I don’t know if it’s true that she is pregnant or not but time will tell but in the meantime I’m there for Lamaisah. She’s everything to me.

‘If there is another kid then I am going to be there to show my support and be there for Faryal but we both think it’s not healthy to be together.

‘It’s not healthy for the kids. I don’t want my children to see us fighting. We are officially not together.’

Faryal wrote on Twitter to-

Khan pictured with wife Faryal in 2013 day saying ‘Morning sickness you suck!!’ before adding: ‘As long as Allah is with you what more do you need.’

Yesterday she uploaded an image of a baby scan to Snapchat along with a heart emoji and praying emoji calling her child ‘my angel’.

The warring couple married in 2013 at New York’s Waldorf Astoria hotel, with rights to the £800,000 bash sold to a glossy mag.

But he announced the shock split on Twitter and accused her of seeking a fling with fellow British boxer Anthony Joshua, which she and the world heavyweight champion have strongly denied.

I can KO McGregor in two rounds – De La Hoya

E De La Hoya before his retirement from boxing

ven though Floyd Mayweather vs.

Conor McGregor is in the past, that doesn’t mean that Oscar De La Hoya isn’t done trashing the superfight.

The CEO of Golden Boy Promotions appeared on radio in New York to promote the Sept. 16 bout between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin, but couldn’t resist taking more shots at the fight that he has consistently called a “farce.”

It didn’t take long for De La Hoya to go on the offensive and call out MayweatherMcGregor for being a disgrace to the sweet science.

“I was pissed because Mayweather

knows better than that,” De La Hoya said while comparing the quality of the two fights. “He’s one of the best boxers on the planet today that we’ve had in the past several years. But, come on, knock the guy out in two or three rounds! Don’t carry him for 10 rounds!”

De La Hoya even went so far as to suggest that he could finish McGregor today if he stepped in the ring as the 44-year-old retired version of himself.

“Yeah,” De La Hoya responded when asked if he could beat Conor McGregor in a boxing match today with proper training. “It can’t go more than two rounds.”

He also suggested that it was convenient that Mayweather attempted to bet on himself to win in the 10th round, which is reason enough to believe that Mayweather carried his overmatched opponent. For the record, Mayweather attempted to place a $400,000 bet that he would win the fight in under 9.5 rounds and not specifically in the 10th. Nevertheless, De La Hoya’s assault wouldn’t let up.

Although, he expressed that he respected Mayweather’s ability, De La Hoya believes that his selection of opponents is the reason why he won’t recognize him as the greatest boxer of all time.

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

Editor Daily: TONY AMOKEODO

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2017

VOL. 3. NO. 445

Price: N150

Flashback in Times: September 9, 1966

News Hotline: 08050220561 Advert Hotlines: 08086296714, 08033228839

v

Business & Economy

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Lack of maintenance culture, bane of property development – Ejiogu Page B2 Pension: LASACO settles N1.063 bn legacy funds Afolabi Adesola Insurance and financial services listed company, LASACO Assurance Plc has settled the N1.063billion Pension Legacy Funds in its custody, in compliance with the directive of the Federal Government, through the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD).

The company paid the sum to PTAD as a final settlement of the funds meant for pensions of 6 Federal Government parastatals under the Defined Benefit Scheme (DBS).

While disclosing this in Abuja after receiving the transfer, the Divisional Manager, PTAD, Christiana Adebote commended LASACO for its compliance with the FG’s directive.

She said the transfer by the underwriting firm is an execution of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the directorate and the company.

Adebote said the directorate, last year, issued demand notices on the insurance companies holding legacy funds meant for payment of Pensioners under the DBS to transfer outstanding funds into ‘’our dedicated e-Collection account with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)’’ She explained that the Pensions Reform Act (PRA) 2014, vested all pension assets, funds and liabilities in PTAD and warned that it has become imperative for other concerned companies still holding onto the legacy funds to transfer them to PTAD without further delay, noting that the intention of the Federal Government’s request for the release of these funds is to grow them for the prompt payment of pension to pensioners.

How our cultural practices are showcasing tourism – Udeagbala Page B3

The Federal Government has restated

BUSINESS TIMES Business Editor Ganiyu Obaaro

Deputy Business Editor Azubike Nnadozie Asst. Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

Page B7

Enugu DisCo commits N10bn to prepaid meters in S’East

Simon Ugwu

The Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) says it has committed over N10 billion to see that its customers in the entire South East were metered, describing its electricity consumers as the company’s major core values.

Head of Communications of the EEDC, Mr. Emeka Ezeh, disclosed this to thousands of the company’s customers during a town hall meeting in Nnewi, Anambra State, to explain the activities of the company and also know the problems

facing the electricity consumers in the South East. He said that the EEDC would continue to work hard until it closed the metering gap.

He told the audience that one needed not to spend one kobo to get the prepaid meter but would only apply and follow the due process.

He also informed the customers that transformer repairs is the responsibility of the company which must be done free of charge.

For those who complained that some of the time they were billed for energy not consumed, the company’s image maker said it was

not the practice at the EEDC, saying that any such claim would be investigated and advised customers to always contact the customer’s care unit of the company in an event of any foul play.

He said that the primary responsibility of the EEDC was to distribute electricity to the five Eastern States. He explained that the money customers paid for the services of the EEDC was always used to pay for nine percent electricity generated and supplied to the company which he said was not enough to meet the demands of electricity consumers within

the region.

In his remarks, Chief Frank Ejiofor in charge of security who represented the Managing Director of the company said the essence of the town hall meeting was to feel the pulse of the EEDC customers and to know where the company was getting it wrong in other to make some amends.

“We know we are not perfect and it is your duty to tell us where to improve. But our only regret is that some of our customers do not pay their bills and that naturally has to affect our services to you, ” Ejiofor told the consumers.

CBN assures of liquidity in Forex supply Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

L-R: Director-General, Industrial Trust Fund (ITF), Sir Joseph Ari; representative of Plateau State Governor, Mr Rufus Bature; and Director-General, Plateau State Micro Finance Development Agency, Mr Haggai Gutap, during the inauguration of one-stop-shop for micro small and medium enterprises clinics for viable enterprises in Jos on Thursday.

FG plans ICT Dev Bank to boost tech funding

Tony Nwakaegho

PIB: The USD15 billion bill

its commitment in setting up an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Development Bank to boost technology funding.

The Minister of Communications, Barr. Adebayo Shittu gave this assurance in Lagos at the 3rd Edition of Indo-Africa ICT Expo which was held for the first time in Nigeria, adding that the bank will assist in providing the needed funding for the ICT industry instead of depending on commercial banks which charges high interest rate.

Shittu said government recognize

research as a key component in stimulating sustainable ICT growth, adding “In this direction, the Ministry in pursuance of its mandate of leveraging ICT in its entire ramifications and in order to promote local manpower of the ICT sector, is establishing a proposed ICT University of Nigeria with specialized programme on ICT across the six geopolitical zones in the country.”

According to him, the Ministry has reached out to a number

of ICT companies locally and internationally for the Public, Private Partnership (PPP) management of the proposed ICT University, while many have and still counting who have expressed enthusiasm towards investing in the project.

The Ministry, he said has reached an advance stage for the establishment of a befitting ICT Park and Exhibition center in Abuja, stressing that “This is to develop Nigeria’s ICT sector towards

The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has assured of its continued intervention in the interbank Foreign Exchange market in order to sustain liquidity and stability in the sector.

The Acting Director, Corporate Communications Department, Mr. Isaac Okorafor, gave the assurance in Abuja on Friday, stressing that the measures being taken by the apex bank had yielded positive results as far as forex supply was concerned.

While acknowledging a marginal fluctuation in the exchange rate, Okorafor noted that the naira remained stable against other major currencies around the world.

He also observed that activities in the foreign exchange market remained dynamic.

According to him, the interventions of the apex Bank were in line with its commitment to sustain liquidity in the market to meet genuine requests as well as deepen flexibility in the foreign exchange market.

Okorafor warned speculators against nefarious activities, adding that the CBN had put necessary checks in place to guard against sharp practices in the forex market.

While stressing that there was nothing to suggest that the CBN planned to discontinue its forex intervention, he noted there had been accretions in the country’s foreign reserves from $30 Billion to about $32 billion.

He therefore urged those who genuinely require foreign exchange for their transactions to approach their banks, noting that the banks had enough forex to meet the demands.

Business Interview B2

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

Lack of maintenance culture, bane of property development – Ejiogu What does it entail to be into facility management? Can you throw more light on that?

We are a construction company that specializes in furnishing other companies’ projects with the intention to achieve their clients’ dreams in respect to the type of facility they want to have, based on how prestigious, how clean and how fanciful and how efficient it is supposed to be. However, when the construction fails, it is left to the clients and the facility management service provider to achieve such companies’ dreams. The construction itself cannot just only give you the service but with the structure there and sometimes the structure is done properly but after a while the fancy look of that structure will start coming down and as a result of how it is handled, post construction will determine whether the luxury and the deluxe of the construction is still maintained. So for this reason construction companies have started making sure that, they hand over prestigious construction projects to professionals in the facility management; people that can effectively look after what they intend to achieve with the construction.

So, with that in mind, some companies opt for in-house facility management providers and some go into partnership with established iconic facility management providers that are doing it as their own core business. This is to ensure that proper and effective maintenance strategies are put in place after completion of such projects. So if you have that post construction contract, you can always guarantee that a building or the structure will be fit for the purpose of which it is built.

So the experts in service provision in terms of facility will look at what is done and then start to make sure that they look at what is required, the expectation of the owner. We are experts in service provision in terms of facility management and AGE is a specialist in providing service in the facility World. AGE stems from years of experience in looking after prestigious projects and facility internally. AGE has operated in Dubai and other countries where quality and prestige is the order of the day. AGE principles have ran big prestigious facility like the Mall Of Emirate and Skii Dubai and all the Five Star hotels and have ran big facilities for companies like Glaxo Smithline, Pfizer, and other big pharmaceutical Companies. We have also done a variety of services for

Mr. Alex Ejiogu is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of AGE Facility Management. The CEO practis ed facility management services in Saudi Arabia for 8 years before he moved to Dubai to manage one of its biggest Shopping Malls. In this interview with EBERE CHIBUZOR, the facility manger says lack of maintenance culture is bane of property development in the country. the end product. We work with the entire of their sub contractors to make sure that their desires are achieved and that a sustaining period is maintained to give a proper life circle of the facility. That is what AGE specializes for.

AGE pride itself and also makes sure that their clients are satisfied with the quality of services they needed.

Ejiogu areas where quality is required.

Some people develop properties without proper maintenance arrangement. What is your view on that?

It is like a nightmare and also a white elephant project because that is what we have seen so far in Nigeria really. Nigerians are one of such people that don’t seem to have maintenance culture and Nigerians travel quite a lot. They go all these prestigious countries like UK Dubai, US and they stay in very good hotels. However, when they come back they discover that their own country’s similar projects may have spent about the same money to develop similar projects but they are not being maintained. Is like saying to them, well why spend all these money in developing similar structures but you don’t have the strategy of maintaining them. It is the key to bear in mind that the bedrock of those prestigious building in Dubai, US, UK is maintenance and that is why they remain what they are, why they remain five star, six star and 7 star.

Why do people go to these countries you have just mentioned and have the kind of comfort?

People go to them because somebody is behind the scene taking care of them. The facility manager are always at the back of prestigious and fancy building doing the hard work of making sure that service are intact completely. Though you don’t see them often but they are the people providing the services. And it is just not the human factor or resources as required;of course budget has to be set out to ensure that those services are done. So budget in terms of spare parts, in terms of material to use, in terms of salary to pay the people doing the work, environment to function to do what you want to do with that building and allow you to concentrate to your core business . However, what AGE does in generally is to act as an outsource service instead of having people trying to run around within the organization trying to fix their services, find out if your toilet is running, find out if your water is flowing, find out whether the air conditioner is working.

With the expertise that they have gained in international practices and international services, they will look at your facilities and give it the best in class while they proceed in their core businesses.

So to answer to your question- it will be a nightmare for someone to invest in a prestigious building and don’t have a strategy, or plan or budget to have maintenance attach to it. And AGE will not encourage that.

AGE in the years of operations has always encouraged people whose existing facilities worth millions; those with existing facility that are around us, do what they call condition survey. By this they find out what is not working; we help them to understand what is needed to be done to get them working, agree with how much is going to cost them working, review their existing practices and advise them accordingly and get them into place, providing the budget fund. As for those that are starting newly as it were, they come in as early as possible at conceptual stage. We look into their cases and reason with them to know exactly what they want to do and whatis

What do you think is the best strategy for AGE to penetrate into the Nigerian market?

In Nigeria business is not easy as it were . In Nigeria business is difficult in the sense that people still believe that the best way in looking at the property particularly the commercial project is just the capital cost of construction. They don’t realized that to achieve the proper life circle of that project, they have to build a maintenance strategy to make sure that things that need to be done is done properly and also maintained properly.

So to penetrate into Nigeria market, this is important; let Nigerians know that what they are getting in Dubai, what they are getting in US and UK is achievable in Nigeria if only they can maintain their facilities. Let them understand those things that are being done in those countries are paid for, there is a budget for it.

They should understand that life is too short; if your environment is bad, there is no point having a luxurious life outside and having a stinking environment inside your bed room.

So environmental concern and ability to live right is something we can always take as priority. Forget about spending money on staying in Dubai for two weeks in Dubai as it does not replace 20 months in Nigeria. So it is better to look at where one spends much of your time and think of how you make it comfortable.

What do you think that AGE can do differently?

AGE manages the source of right partners, right clients and right customers that really want to spend their money where their mouth is.

AGE can demonstrate that what is achievable in Dubai, achievable in UK and US can also be achievable in Nigeria. Therefore, AGE can boast of the right kind of skills and can make sure that they get the best of their facility easy.

Tours&Travels

s

B3

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

How our cultural practices are showcasing tourism – Udeagbala

FACTS BOX *Ide John Chinyere Udeagbala noted Stakeholders in Anambra State have plans to partner ASA-SA to promote the nation’s culture. *The monarch also spoke extensively on ways to actively encourage best practice within tourism sector. *Chief John Chinyere Udeagbala has assured, Anambra traditional rulers would play a prominent role for the revival of Nigeria culture. *Ide Udeagbala said, “ASA-SA has a mandate to take our culture to South Africa. *According to him, “The identity of any country or nation is culture and tradition. * Udeagbala equally noted, the kind of life that was in existence 10 to 20 years ago conflicted the ideas of the youths. *Again, he said that the society needed to be re-oriented by changing their perception.

He stressed, “Nobody talks about salvation but it’s all about prosperity by magic.”

Chibuzor Ebere The traditional ruler of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo Local Government Area of Anambra State, Ide John Chinyere

Udeagbala has noted that some stakeholders in the tradition, history and culture sector in Anambra State have plans to partner Anambra State Association South Africa(ASA-SA) CONTINUES ON PAGE B4

Vegie/Vegan delights in Lagos Page B4

Golden Stardom boosts sports tourism with Golden Independence Cup Page B6

Lagos state to participate at Akwaaba Travel Market 2017

Page B6

Cultural practices showcasing tourism – Udeagbala to promote the nation’s culture.

In an exclusive interview with The Daily Times during a visit to his Palace in Ozubulu, the monarch also spoke extensively on ways to actively encourage best practice within tourism industry to the benefit of cultures, traditions, youths and travelers, thereby creating more jobs for for youths in the society, greater income for the citizens; whilst at same time minimizing negative impacts on tradition and culture.

The monarch, who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Judeagbala Holding Company, Chief John Chinyere Udeagbala has assured that Anambra traditional rulers as custodians of Anambra tradition, history and culture would play prominent role for the revival of Nigeria culture.

Ide Udeagbala said, “ASASA has a mandate to take our culture to South Africa. We are going to partner together.

Already, they are having new yam festival in South Africa; and more other. It is promoting our culture . For me, I will like to key into that project and one of these days will participate in the activities for them to know and understand that we are in support.”

According to him, “The identity of any country or na-

IDE UDEAGBALA tion is culture and tradition, and that is happening here and ones you loose it you have no where in history.”

The Traditional ruler, noted,

the people are fast allowing influences from the West to erode their cultures and traditions.

Speaking further therefore, Udeagbala who said that he

would always asked God for wisdom and guidance to stay on the part of the truth, equally noted, the kind of life that was in existence 10 to 20 years ago conflicted the ideas of the youths.

“We are counseling youth, speaking to them, trying to get them to acquire skills. Because of the economic downturn in the country has resulted in a lot of hardship and so many young people that left school are looming about the streets without work.

According to him, “This has change the thinking of the people, the people now think that success is all about riches.

Again, he said that the society needed to be re-oriented by changing their perception.

He said,”So, we need to reorient the society per say to let them know that hard work has to come first by change this perception that riches come so easy.”

He also charged the Pastors to come to the point where they will really kind of shun the idea of prosperity by magic, which he said was a big problem. “Nobody talks about salvation, but it’s all about prosperity by magic,” he stressed.

On the contrary, chief Udeagbala urged that ASA-SA came to discuss a way forward to move Anambra State forward in the area of culture, education, youth

empowerment and skills’ acquisitions.

He said, “I indeed overwhelm by their visit and to the programs they have and with the calibre of people that came.

Coincidentally, everyone exchanged ideas, but because of the connotation that followed the crime in South Africa that it’s crime- related, but by the time we discussed and exchanged ideas, we found out that that they are really trying and helping to make our society better.

On ways to assist them, “I am a custodian of our tradition.

So, by implications I am duty bound to ensure that laudable programmes like this needed to be encouraged. By this position, I will assist them get in touch with the government and also various local authorities and town unions to assist them.

He said that ASA-SA has got a

On ways to assist them, “I am a custodian of our tradition. So, by implications I am duty bound to ensure that laudable programmes like this needed to be encouraged. By this position,

Ide Agbara with ASA-SA group during a courtesy visit at his palace in Ozubulu, Ekwusiego LGA, Anambra State. big responsibility before them.

First of all, they have to work assiduously to ensure that the impression that South Africa is crime infested being powered and fed by Nigerians or that is

by Nigerians’ crime-related life that is powering the zenophobic activities in South Africa.

So, they have a whole lot of responsibility to clear that and to ensure that a more positive image is created for Nigerians

in South Africa, particularly the Anambra people in South Africa.

He said, “In addition, with the calibre of people I don’t have any doubt that they will excel and carry on with these responsibilities and my message to the Association is to carry on with these responsibilities, knowing that nothing good comes easy.”

Incidentally, the traditional

ruler of Uzuakoli Ancient Kingdom in Bende local Government area of Abia State, Eze Kanu Onyedikachi Ikonti has noted that the culture of his people are gradually dying a natural death.

The king in a chat With our correspondent in his Palace in Uzuakoli also spoke extensively on the importance of Uzuakoli New Yam Festival even as he described yam as the king

of all crops in Igboland.

He said, “Some of our cultural practices are dying a natural death. I think we need to improve on them. For instance, during the New Yam Festival, everywhere was quiet. One scarcely knows there was something happening here except in Ngu whose is known with Ikolo. Well, next year with the help of other traditional rulers, it would be a different

As a tourist destination, Lagos ticks all boxes when it comes to a great travel experience: lots of entertainment and attractions, scenic landscapes, impressiveneighborhoods, and numerous transport options but one thing its is not known for is its vegan food culture. The concept of “vegetarianism” is not very popular in Lagos, in spite of how metropolitan the city is. A majority of its people love meat and hardly acknowledge the existence of beets, radishes, lettuce and kale; except during special occassionswhen they include salad as a side dish. This however does not mean that all hope is lost for vegetarians who dare to visit the Lagos.

Be very clear about what you want Not everyone will understand what you mean by vegetarian, so rather than simply asking if a restaurant offers a vegetarian menu, be specific about what you want to eat and what ingredients you are looking for. That way they do not just say ‘No’ to your order, when in fact they may have those options you actually are looking for. If there is nothing on the menu, make a request. Simply ask for a meal to be prepared with your favorite vegetable(s) instead of chicken or fish. This usually works with a la carte meals.

Rent an apartment The best option for a vegetarian visiting Lagos is to rent an apartment rather than a hotel or inn. This affords you the flexibility to cook your own meals and takes away the worry of possibly consuming something that is not completely made from vegetables. It also takes away the stress of having to explain to the hotel kitchen staff the ingredients that should be included in your meal.

There are a number of apartments within the city and you can find several on here.

Seek out restaurants with vegetarian options Vegetarian food is not hard to come by in Lagos; you just have to know where to look. Actually, from delis in large shopping malls like Park ‘n’ Shop and Shoprite, to proper restaurants, especially Indian and Chinese, there are plenty of places to get healthy vegetarian meals. There are also some cafés and bakeries that specialize in meatless dishes. You will find vegetarian sandwiches, quiches or other baked products that are way cheaper than wholemeat meals.

ball game all together. We would make some noise. Next new yam festival, we would expect to see all the Uzuakoli people in Diaspora, we would set up a vibrant Vigilante Group.”

He charged all the other traditional leaders in the neighbouring communities to discharge their duty effectively by stating that they should be meeting, at least, once in a month to discuss vital issues facing the community. Eze Ikonti said.

Speaking on the significance of the new yam festival in the Ancient Kingdom of Uzuakoli, the traditional ruler, said that the natives would not eat yam until the festival day.

“We plant our yam between March and April every farming year and it matures around this time”, he said.

He disclosed that the throne is a life time something. “I was in my 60s when they elected me as the Eze in my community”, he recalled.

“We have been trying to fulfill government’s policy and good leadership on the people to ensure peace and stability in our community. Since 20 years ago, I have been on the throne; and there has never been any serious issue. I make sure there is peace in Uzoakoli”, he maintained.

According to the king, raising funds for rural development has remained his major challenge.

“We don’t want to live it to the government all alone, he said.”

Stick to Local beverages While visiting the city of Lagos, it would certainly be great to try local cuisines and delicacies; especially those available on the streets, however, aside from fruits and leafy vegetables, it will be safer to stick to beverages, as most times the local cuisines have meat and fish or the stock included as ingredients.

With beverages however, you are safe as they are mostly made from roots and leafs.

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

B6 Tourism

Africa:

Golden Stardom boosts sports tourism South African Embassy with Golden Independence Cup celebrates women’s month in Nigeria

Stories by Ebere Chibuzor To drive the “Movement Of Hope For Nigeria”, such that synergy is built amongst various sectors in Nigeria, Nigeria’s Golden speaker for Fitness & Sports, Mr. Sam Sodje in collaboration with other professional football stars have finalized arrangements for the “Nigeria’s Golden Orator Project 2017”.

The programme which is currently at the second stage of the project is organised in form of a corporate football game targeted at serving as precursor of “Hope For Nigeria’ Already, eight brands have been selected based on merit, to represent their sectors.

According to the organisers, “this project is aimed at restoring “Hope For Nigeria”. Bridging the

gap between Start-up companies and Multinational Brands, hence business ideas are being polished and appropriately channeled through Nigeria’s Golden speakers of hope representing various sectors in Nigeria.

The sponsors further added that “this measure ensures that golden ideas are sustained towards boosting the economy of Nigeria. It is also a leverage for corporate brands to exhibit products and services, thereby increasing her business network and collaboration amongst corporate brands”.

This project, It was gathered is also staged to steer up hope for Nigeria, a platform for Nigerians to partake in the “Movement Of Hope”, by being optimistic about Nigeria in a 60 seconds video speech. It will also create a platform for the participants to pledge

supports for their choice of brand that has added value to the economy of Nigeria.

Other benefits are, that it is a Leverage for government to applaud corporate brands that are committed to nation building, and investing in human capital.

The Daily Times was reliably informed that there would be Nigeria’s Golden Speakers Lounge at the venue, a leverage for the general public to connect live with Nigeria’s Golden Speakers of “Hope For Nigeria”.

Such forum would equally create room for consultations in areas of mentorship, trainings, speaking engagements and execution of golden business ideas.

To celebrate the Golden Heritage of Nigeria, there would be a discovery of skillful players who get signed afterwards with top

Africa:

Recently, the South African Embassy in Nigeria celebrated Women’s month at Federal Palace Hotel, Lagos.

For South Africans, it’s the year of celebrating the life and legacy of O.R. Tambo and the Embassy invited media partners, and stakeholders to share in the celebrations.

The National Women’s Day is a South African public holiday celebrated annually on 9 August. However, the entire month of August is celebrated as women’s month. The month commemorates the 1956 march of 20 000 women to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country’s pass laws that required South Africans defined as “black” under The Population Registration Act to carry a pass, that served to maintain population segregation. The first National Women’s Day was celebrated on 9 August 1994.

The Federal palace doors opened to welcome guests and delegates led by Consulate General Darkey Africa, NANTA president Mr. Bankole Bernard, Mr. Zom Chizura, Ms. Arese Ugwu, Ms Ayanda Mzulwini, amongst others. Mr Oluwaseyi Adegoke Adeyemo of Inside Watch Africa compered the event, firstly paying homage to the women who have paved the way for parity and who continue to do so. Arese Ugwu, the author of Smart Money Africa, spoke at the event discussing the evolution of generational women over the years.

“Africa is the next frontier but in order for African women

to be a significant part of that growth story we need to learn how to collaborate to compete” – Arese Ugwu Mr Darkey Africa, South Africa’s Consul-General in Lagos participated actively in the struggle against Apartheid and is passionate about the struggle for equality at all levels.

Discussing the struggle for equality in the South African government, Consulate General, Darkey Africa explained that Women’s month had a deeper meaning for him. He mentioned that “the views of the generation of 1956 is about us being one society: a society constituted by both men and women and South Africa wants women to participate more in the government. At the moment, we are striving for 50/50 parity: women and men rights to be equal in terms of our policies, we already have women massed at the local and government level”.

Mr. Africa also stressed that Nigeria and South Africa must continue to unite and celebrate through, culture, traditions and the arts.

The event ended with a toast and cutting of the cake by South African Embassy Corporate Service Manager, Ms. Ayanda Mzulwini, entertainment and lots of refreshment. As a support of the female empowerment, solidarity and strength, South Africa came to Lagos, Nigeria to share Women’s day and it was a day of joy and celebration as the South African Embassy alongside partners to honor the role of women in our society.

Lagos State to participate at Akwaaba Travel Market 2017

The Lagos state government has announced her participation at the 13th Akwaaba African Travel Market.

The Permanent Secretary led the 3 man team of tourism officers expressed their delight in partnering with Akwaaba Travel Market.

He promised that Lagos will host international visitors to Akwaaba 2017 on a post event city tour of Lagos on Wednesday the 13th of September after the 3 day event.

He said that Lagos will utilize the ideas and goodwill offered by

organisers of this event and promote Lagos as a destination for tourism, they will be at stand 2-3 at the Akwaaba exhibitions from 10th to 12th September.

From the outcome of the meeting, going by the excitement and satisfaction that beamed on the faces of the parties, it was obvious that tourism efforts would begin to achieve needed dividends in the years to come in the state.

It will be recalled that Lagos has positioned itself as a leading tourism destination state in the country.

Group at the event.

Business Review B7

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

PIB: The USD15 billion bill Silvia Lambiase Nigeria has long struggled to diversify its monoeconomy, as the oil and gas sector still represents about 35% of GDP and over 90% of exports. In light of the plunge in commodity prices in 2014, Nigeria and other oil-dependent economies have embarked on an aggressive diversification drive; however, despite these efforts, most Nigerians have also resigned themselves to the fact that the oil and gas industry is—and will be for many years to come—its growth pillar and driving force, with some arguing that Nigeria needs the revenues from its extractive industry in order to develop other sectors. Whether Nigeria’s oil revenues are necessary for economic diversification is debatable, but what is sure is that this economic diversification will not happen overnight. Therefore, any way of maximizing revenues from oil in the meantime while adapting to the new normal of oil prices betweenUSD50-60 a barrel will indeed be welcomed by the country’s oil and non-oil businesses, policy makers, and people. A historic move in this regard was made in May 2017 when the Senate, after 17 years of consideration, finally passed the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB), which constitutes the first part of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

In October 2015, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Emmanuel Ibe Kachikwu, stated that the country was losing NGN3 trillion (approximately USD15 billion as of mid-2015) due to the non-enactment of the bill.

To address this, the government launched the bill, which was split into four parts: the PIGB, fiscal regime bill, upstream and midstream administration bill, and petroleum revenue bill.

The main objectives of PIGB are to create governing institutions with clear and separate roles; to establish a framework for the creation of commercially viable oil and gas entities; to ensure accountability and transparency in the oil and gas industry; and to create a more favourable business environment for oil and gas operators. Many are the benefits the bill is set to bring to the country if it scales through the House of Representatives and, subsequently, signed by the President into law. The execution of the bill will enhance exploration of petroleum resources; it will optimize domestic gas supplies with positive impacts on power generation and industrial development, will establish a

The Nigerian Senate in May 2017 passed the first tranche of the much-anticipated Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), representing a historic move toward the enhancement of the country’s oil and gas sector.

clearer regulatory framework and, therefore,encourage investments into the Nigerian oil and gas sector, and will increase government oil revenues and promote the development of local content in Nigeria’s extractive industries.

An important measure proposed by the bill is the reduction of the control that the President and the State Minister of Petroleum Resources can exercise on the oil and gas industry. As for the role of the State Minister for Petroleum Resources, the bill reduces his/her powers, as he/she will no longer be able to grant, amend, extend, or revoke any license. The duty will, henceforth, be assigned to the National Petroleum Regulatory Commission, which will act as a one-stop regulator.A significant reduction of powersalso applies to the President, who in Nigeria is controversially also the Federal Minister of Petroleum. Furthermore, the bill will help to reduce corruption. Bukola Saraki, the President of the Senate, explained how corruption practices within the oil and gas industry would be reduced to the bare minimum, “The bill will stimulate the oil and gas industry; it will reduce the area of corruption and inefficiency in the oil and gas sector.”

Another crucial step forward is the bill’s vision of the gradual privatization of the petroleum industry.PIGB requires the government to privatize up to 40% of

Ladi Bada, Managing Director of Shoreline Resources, told TBY: “Passing such a bill is vital because it will give investors confidence. If investors know the terms under which they will invest, it is easier to put money down because they know the terms will not change overnight.

We will not see the effects immediately; however, we expect that in a few months’ time, once people digest the new legislation and start making important investment decisions, we will see increased exploration activities moving forward.”

Ibe Kachikwu assets of the newly-established National Petroleum Company (NPC) within 10 years from the incorporation of the new commission. Also, the government must give up at least 10% of its shares within the first five years, and a further 30% over the next five years.The divestment is required to be conducted in a transparent manner and can include the sale or transfer of shares to

Minister of State for Petroleum

institutional or strategic investors. This means that citizens can also own a stake in the national oil company subject to any terms put forward for the privatization exercise.On the passage of the bill, back in May 2017, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Gas, Akpan Bassey said, “It will create the right signal to international community that Nigeria is ready for business.”

The senate, by as soon as 2018, is expected to then pass the second tranche of the bill, which regulates taxation in the sector. It is interesting to consider where Nigeria’s oil and gas would be today if the passage of the bill had been implemented during the golden times of USD100 per barrel. Nevertheless, history is not made of “what ifs” but rather pivotal changes, such as the much-anticipated PIGB. Nigeria can only look ahead to the full implementation of the remaining three bills and inflows of investments, working toward transparency, efficiency and competitiveness of its oil and gas industry, which today still is the bedrock of the country’s economy.

v

B8 Personal Bonny Amadi Bonds are debt instruments issued by governments, organizations or institutions to raise money through issuing debt instruments. Such funds are issued to source funds for targets developmental purposed.

Bond is times and a coupon or interest is usually paid either quarterly, biannually or annually to the investors.

However, investopedia defines bond thus: a bond is a debt investment in which an investor loans money to an entity, typically corporate or governmental, which borrows the funds for a defined period of time at a variable or fixed interest rate. ...

Owners of bonds are debt holders, or creditors, or the issuers.

Finance

Daily Times Nigeria Saturday, September 9, 2017

BONDS: Understanding coupons and maturity dates

Why it is called bond Oxford living dictionary defined bond as a thing used to tie something or to fasten things together, an agreement with legal force.

The investment instrument bond, ties the lender and the borrower together as the dictionary explains.

Dave Kansas, in his book “The Complete Money and Investing Guidebook” pointed that bonds are a form of debt. Bonds are loans, or IOUs, but you serve as the bank. You loan your money to a company, a city, the government, and they promise to pay you back in full, with regular interest payments. A city may sell bonds to raise money to build a bridge, while the federal government issues bonds to finance its spiraling debts.

How safe is bond?

Bonds guarantee fixed income and settlement at the time of maturity, and this serves as major form of attraction for investors who prefer assured earnings form their investments than unsure earnings from investing in shares.

Kansas in his book, said that, nervous investors often flock to the safety of bonds – and the steady stream of income they generate, especially, when the stock market becomes too volatile.

High risk or low risk?

Investment parlance requires that younger people should be more aggressive in their investing and take higher risks which is more rewarding, while much older people are usually advised to take less investment risks with assured but less returns.

However, the investment expert said that younger investors need to carve out a portion of retirement accounts for about 15 per cent or less, depending on one’s age, goals and risk tolerance for fixed income investment, in order to balance out riskier stock-based investments.

Are

bonds risk free?

That bond guarantees steady income, doesn’t mean that all bonds are risk-free. Some bonds may be riskier. As with all investments, you’re paid more for buying a risky security. However, in the bond market, risk comes in a few different forms.

Troubled bonds are in some cases identified in municipal bonds, corporate bonds or states bonds, however not all in these categories are of higher risks, as they pay higher coupon than the federal government bond.

The first is the likelihood the bond issuer will make good on its payments. Less credit-worthy issuers will pay a higher yield, or interest rate. That’s why the riskiest issuers offer what’s called high-yield or “junk” bonds. Those at the opposite end of the spectrum, or those with the best histories, are deemed investment-grade bonds.

Investing safe and earning low The safest of the safe are issued by the Nigerian govern-

ment, they’re backed by the “full faith and credit” of the government and are deemed virtually risk-free. As such, a Treasury bond will pay a lower yield then a bond issued by a company.

However, while federal government bonds pay less interest or coupon, corporate or municipal bond which is of higher risks pay higher coupon.

How long you hold the bond (or how long you lend your money to the bond issuer) also comes into play. Bonds with longer durations – say a 10-year bond versus a one-year bond – pay higher yields. That’s because you’re being paid for keeping your money tied up for a longer period of time.

FGN Bond FGN Bonds are debt securities (liabilities) of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN) issued by the Debt Management Office (DMO) for and on behalf of the Federal Government.

The FGN has an obligation to pay the bondholder the princi-

pal and agreed interest as and when due. When you buy FGN Bonds, you are lending to the FGN for a specified period of time.

The FGN Bonds are considered as the safest of all investments in domestic debt market because it is backed by the ‘full faith and credit’ of the Federal Government, and as such it is classified as a risk free debt instrument. They have no default risk, meaning that it is absolutely certain your interest and principal will be paid as and when due. The interest income earned from the securities are tax.

Interest rates and bond prices Interest rates have relationship with bond prices, interest rates however, probably have the single largest impact on bond prices. As interest rates rise, bond prices fall. That’s because when rates climb, new bonds are issued at the higher rate, making existing bonds with lower rates less valuable.

Holding to maturity and selling in secondary market The bond investor has the rights to either hold his investment till maturity or sell in the secondary market to recoup his money. Meanwhile, if you hold onto your bond until maturity, it doesn’t matter how much the

price fluctuates. Your interest rate was set when you bought it, and when the term is up, you’ll receive the face value (the money you initially invested) of the bond back — so long as the issuer doesn’t blow up.

However, if you need to sell your bond on the secondary market before it matures, you could get less than your original investment back.

Features of FGN Bonds Denomination: minimum subscription of N10,000.00 + multiple of N1,000.00 thereafter.

Yield: - Interest payment Fixed interest rates: Most FGN bonds have fixed interest rates which are paid semi-annually.

Floating interest rates: Some FGN bonds (e.g. 3rd & 4th tranches of the 1st FGN bonds) have floating rates of interest which fluctuates around a reference rate(NTB rates) on the basis of specified parameters.

There are also zero-coupon bonds (not yet in issue in Nigeria) whereby both interest and principal are repaid at the final maturity date of the bond.

Tenor: Minimum of two (2) years. There are bonds with maturities of 3. 5, 7 and 10 years, in issue and for the future we may have bonds with maturities of 15, 20,30 years or more.

Default Risk: FGN bonds as a sovereign debt are the safest investment instrument. Default risk is nil. The Government always pays what is due to subscribers on the agreed date.

Life&

TIMES Saturday, September 9, 2017

My greatest moment as an actor –Ramsey Nouah L2 & 3

P

Interview L2

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

My greatest moment as an actor –Ramsey Nouah Ramsey Nouah is one of the most-sought after actor in the movie industry.

Having played several roles from lover boy to Major General and most recently a woman role; it will amaze you that Ramsey still have dream roles. For some, his personality can be misjudged as the tough and serious . Ramsey on the TV screen is fun to be with, in person he is quite reserved. in this exclusive interview with MUTIAT ALLI , the father-of-three, opened up on his role in overtime, his greatest and lowest moment as an actor amongst others. Enjoy:

How did you get the role in the movie my wife and I?

Is this the most challenging role you have taken?

dress?

So how did your fans respond to the movie?

Was it very challenging?

Are we getting there in Nollywood? Are we improving or drawing back to where we started?

So what do you look out for in the script? comes to script or there are not coming?

Life&

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

itself, how important is my character to the entire story.

So will you reject a script because a particular actor you are not comfortable with is in movie?

Interview L3

‘You can’t receive all scripts that come your way’

that.

You have played a number of remarkable roles; so do you still have a dream role?

or expressions on camera to show your emotions. But on What convinced you to take up this role in My Wife & I?

with it.

stuff like that. Professionally, one of my greatest moments

You are over 40 and still looking good; what is the secret to your youthful look?

y o u r low moment in the industry?

Your marriage appears to have stood the test of time. You have been married for 15 years now. Some of your colleagues have been unlucky in this regard. so hence when the cinema came in, I was very happy to As an actor, what will you consider as

were in charge of the home. Our mothers took charge

What has a crazy fan done to you? embarrassing?

Maybe

In terms of chemistry, will you play any love scene in terms of seeing an actress?

What has Fame done to you?

What determines the chemistry with the co-stars?

so many factors. You can also talk of attraction factor.

A lot of people say there is a thick parallel line between the actors and the stage performers?

A lot of your colleagues have dived into music. Is Ramsey Noah going to sing?

L4

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

L5

Mixed Grill L6

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Mutiat Alli

Reminisce, Pepenazi, Ali Baba, others for D’Good, D’Bash & D’ Funny this weekend

Veteran actor, Sadiq Daba down with Leukaemia

-

empathize with me….. this

weekend,

Sept.

Centre, Onikan. comedian,

Bashiru ter known as Bash, the

-

Sadiq Daba

Davies, the event is

Veteran actor, Sadiq that the Leukaemia soap operas such as Daba has debunk news has been arrested and Cockcrow at Dawn and -

entertainment

top notch entertainers that cuts across both

-

cancer which attacks marrow better known as Leukaemia cancer.

2008) and had an award

with cancer, the October 1st star has stated

recent times.

-

dexter-

Felabration: The Legend Is Coming

What Lies Within rules with 8 Award nominations at BON awards -

consequences

on

their

movie touches on theme -

-

-

-

nominations

as

-

October 15; which coincides with

-

Best -

nominations at the Best (BON).

The movie which was Utomi

and

-

-

-

-

mer minister, Femi Fani-

-

Vanessa -

-

-

nominations.

-

-

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

Society L7

Ajibade Alabi

When Motunrayo Adeleye dragged Obat MD, Prince Femi Hon Obasa and others to Abeokuta Akinruntan, reflects on life @40 Talk of one of the biggest society in Nigeria today and a young millionaire one name that

Hon. Motunrayo

it was a lock down in Abeokuta the capital of Ogun State last week when Hon. Motunrayo Adeleye Oladapo a two-term house member drag who is who to the rock city of Abeokuta when male member of moonlight section, Abeokuta sport club. The event which still remain the talk of the town was held at the Oba lipede gardens Abeokuta.

Chaired by Bode Oseni while Lagos house of assembly speaker, Honourable Mudashiru Obasa was the spe-

cial guests of honour, the event came

day gave out his best while performing during the occasion which is the club and if there is any time to show what they have been missing by not been inviting him, Omo Oko show it by dishing out a grade a performance via

will be Obat oil MD, Prince Femi Akinruntan who recently celebrated her 40th birthday. However the ever looking youthful young man disclosed that he has been looking forward to that prestigious age of 40 “I have actually looked to being 40 and I have a series of plans tentatively, but I later look back. I have done a lot of lavish birthday in life, so I just decided to do something from the usual grant style celebration” he also spoke about

Femi Akinruntan

what he intend to do having reach 40 “ As I am 40 now I look at and sixties people like

Dangote Otedola and Wale Tinubu. I think we will be the next generation of business tycoons”

OAP Toolz celebrates her father in style

was told that Hon Adeleye and Obasa

CBN Governor, Emefiele, in low key celebration Central Bank of Nigeria, is incredibly reclusive when it comes to social matters.

It was his 56th birthday recently, but rather than the high drama and fanfare that usually accompany the birthday celebrations of other men and women of his status, there was only a quiet celebration with family members and friends. So quiet, in fact, that the day came and went with many people caught unawares. the amiable beau of Margaret was said to have been wary of any noisy celebraand economic situation remains precarious, hence he opted for a low key celebration with close friends and family members who only joined him in thanktimes, while asking for strength to successfully navigate the tasks ahead.

Toolz & Father

Though she did not make noise or throw big party about it, but Tolu Oniru –Demuren aka Toolz an On Air Personalities did all he could to celebrate her father who recently clock 80 years. The beautiful lady who is highly endowed at the back posted pictures of herself and her dad on Instagram that was taken on her wedding day, to mark his 80th birthday.

She wrote “Today is a great day!!!

Happy 80th Birthday to my daddy Oba Idowu Abiodun Oniru!!! I cel-

ebrate you today and thank God for your life! May He grant us many many more years of celebration with you. May you live to see your grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Love you, Daddy! #DaddysGirl #Thanksgiving” Toolz at the beginning of the year celebrated her one year wedding anniversary to her pilot husband, Tunde Demuren.

In May 2017, announced she is expecting a child with her husband, Captain Tunde Demuren.

Living & DĂŠcor L8

Daily Times Nigeria

Saturday, September 9, 2017

5 Steps to keep your child in their room

Folarin Leonard

Children are heavenly gifts and the evident result of love. This love should naturally be extended to these children. Children live in their own world and have a completely different perception to life compared to adults. Therefore, it is important to make them feel comfortable in that world that produce outstanding children. Sleep is essential and for children who have less to worry about, their comfort zone should be considered.

Their bed! your approach should be much different from decorating an adult bedroom. For kids, their bedroom is where they play, rest, have personal time and maybe have friends over for games or sleep over, read, listen to music or just day-dream.

So apply these few steps of providing comfort.

Know your child This step is essential in every sense as a parent or guardian. Their hobbies, likes, dislikes even favorite movies should be part of your knowledge.

Talk to your child, Find out what activities and fantasies he or she enjoys, what their favorite that a theme could portray. This will determine their bed and room elements and properties.

Make it Functional You should make the room multi-functional.

Since children use their room for many activities besides sleeping, it should have several different zones, such as a play area, reading area, and entertainment area. Some beds are designed with book shelves and compartments.

Warming Comfort Soft and comfortable fabrics should be used and versatile. Patterns should be repeated in other items in the room, such as in pillows, bed sheet, both task lighting for homework and reading, and important.

Use wallpaper or paint to add color and texture You can apply borders along the top edges of the walls, and clouds or stars on the ceiling. Make sure walls are washable, so if you are using paint, bright colors.

Allow your child to select the design theme be it angels, rainbows, unicorns, baseball, a bedroom for a princess or kings, underwater scenery, outer space, race cars, airplanes, trains, jungle motifs, wizards and dragons, and dinosaurs.

Decorating with your child offers a great opportunity to display your playful side, while doing some memorable family bonding. While doing this and the choosing, make sure you consider the safety of the child as well, usually, it is advised to avoid iron and wood with sharp edges. If you are installing a bunk bed, attach a step to the bunk and discourage jumping.

Furthermore, if you have babies, ensure safety measures are taken every step of the way. Your stairs in the home is expected to be baby-friendly and without sharp edges. A Remember that babies aged eight months and

older like to copy what adults are doing. Your baby mostly wants to play with the items he sees you using.

So paper and scissors, Mp3 players, tablets, phones, cookware, and tools all have enormous appeal.

Also remember their convenience. You may need to urinate directly in the water closet. This will reduce the messiness of the toilet seat. This water closet however, should be locked and kids will need the presence of an adult so as not to fall in with his/her butt.