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Assets Declaration: Ex-Naval Chief, Jibrin to face CCB soon

Ï Violates Code of Conduct for public officers Ï He never declared his assets as required by law, says CCB Ï I served Nigeria meritoriously- Jibrin Tony Amokeodo, Abuja

ÏÏÏ Former Chief of Naval Staff

brin (rtd), may soon have a date with the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as he failed to declare his assets while in office, The Daily

(CNS), Vice Admiral Usman Ji-

Continued on page 6

THURSDAY, MAY 25, 2017 VOL. 3. NO. 372

www.facebook.com/dailytimesngr

GAINERS AS AT May 24, 2017

N150

LOSERS AS AT May 24, 2017

Dasuki, El-Zakzaky: Falana, HURIWA blast Presidency CONOIL

33.25

34.00 2.26%

INTBREW 20.98

22.00

4.86%

FO

49.89

45.60

-4.78%

OANDO

Ï Condemn justification of continued detention of ex-NSA, IMN leader Ï Action, a reckless demonstration of official impunity – Falana Ï ’A govt. desirous to secure conviction of persons, cannot treat courts orders with disdain, impunity’ Ï It’s recklessly lawless and a gross breach of constitutional principles - HURIWA

9.00

8.55

-5.00%

Patrick Okohue

ÏÏÏ Human

rights activist and Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana and a leading proContinued on page 6

Implement 6 National confab recommendations, Jonathan urges FG

Nigeria gets $908.3m capital importation in Q1 - Report 7

Senate orders IGP to arrest, prosecute killer herdsmen 7 nationwide

L-R: Chairman, Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote; Chief Executive Officer, Dangote Cement Plc, Onne van der Weijde; Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Olakunle Alake and Director, Dangote Cement Plc, Dorothy Ufot, SAN, at the 8th Annual General Meeting of Dangote Cement Plc, in Lagos… on Wednesday.

No coup plot against Buhari –Military Ï Says rumour of Coup plots unfounded Ï Pledges total subordination to democracy Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Defence Headquarters

said on Wednesday in Abuja that the mention of coup plots from some quarters are assertions which are not confirmed.

The Director of Defence Information, Major General John Enenche, who stated this at a press conference, also denied knowledge of rumours of plot by the military to overthrow the

democratically elected government in the country, adding that “nothing like that will ever be encouraged.”

“Let me assure all Nigerians and lovers of this country that the Armed Forces, is and will remain totally loyal to the Commander-In-Chief (C-in-C) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and in complete subordination to civil rule, “he said.

“Furthermore, all fears about a coup should be allayed as the

contemporary Nigerian Military is abreast with the best international practices in governance, which is democracy.

“In this regard, the military high and other levels of command will continue to ensure effective training and administration, to ensure that the Armed Forces of Nigeria, retain its place of pride amongst the military globally,” he added.

Continued on page 12

Dangote Cement’s N144.8bn dividend delights shareholders B2

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

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Ex-Gov Nyame’s N1.64bn fraud trial continues today Andrew Orolua, Abuja,

ÏÏÏThe trial of

a former governor of Taraba state, Jolly Nyame, continued before Justice Adebukola Banjoko, of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT High Court, Gudu, with his defence team presenting its third witness, Aminu Ayuba, on Wednesday.

Nyame is standing trial on a 41-count charge bordering on misappropriation of state funds to the tune of N1.64 billion while in office. He had earlier lost his “no case” submission and had to defend himself in court.

Ayuba, whose testimony began on May 22, 2017 under cross-examination

by Olalekan Ojo, counsel for Nyame is currently the acting accountant general of the state. He had earlier given evidence relating to payment vouchers and documents marked exhibit O1.

At today’s proceedings, his cross-examination continued with him testifying as to whether the processing of the documents underwent post-auditing.

After identifying the exhibit, Ayuba, told the court that “post auditing” was carried out on the documents.

“Every voucher raised for payment was usually examined by the regional auditor before payments are made and post auditing comes up at the end of a period, either a month, six months or annually,” he said.

According to him, such post auditing was “to ensure that the internal auditors confirm the attachments to the payment vouchers.”

He added that “post auditing is done after the compilation and computation by the office of the accountant general before it is sent to the office of the auditor general of the state for confirmation and certification before the accounts are published” He further noted that the memo by the executive governor was the first attachment, while others are those acknowledging the payment and the payment vouchers.

FAAN unions kick against FG’s concession of 4 Airports ÏÏSet to boycott meeting with Sirika today in Lagos

Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo ,

ÏÏÏAll the labour unions in the

Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) have vowed to take all reasonable measures to stop the planned concession of the four viable international airports (owned and operated

by FAAN) by the Minister of Aviation, Senator Hadi Sirika.

It would be recalled that following earlier objections by the unions about the lack of transparency in the government’s plans to concession the Lagos, Abuja, Kano and Port Harcourt airports, Sirika admitted a representative of the unions into a Committee he had set up to advise the Government on the exercise.

According to the unions, the committee had developed a work plan which it submitted to the Minister

and obtained the minister’s approval to implement the said work plan.

It was also gathered that one of the criteria for the appointment of transaction advisers on airport concession is one of the term of reference of the Committee.

The unions, however, expressed their lack of trust and loss of confidence in the Minister for the recent appointment of transaction advisers on airport concession without any input from the working Committee.

“It is a national shame; it shows the whole exercise is a charade,” the unions said.

They said at the time the Minister made the appointment, the Committee had prosecuted only about 45% of its work plan and had not even discussed the modalities for the appointment of transaction adviser”, said a

committee member.

For this reason, the unions have resolved to boycott the stakeholders meeting scheduled to hold today (May 25, 2017) in Lagos as a mark of protest.

“This Minister has the habit of making pronouncements before calling stakeholders for discussion” one of the labour leaders further added.

They vowed to continue to fight against forces within the government that are bent on ceding governments prime investments cheaply to third party cronies in the guise of concession.

Reacting further, the union members insisted that, until all labour issues are resolved, they will not allow the Minister to get away with “his draconian policies targeted at concessioning of the major sources of FAAN revenue.”

Children of the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) camp kushingoro, having fun under a tree in Abuja… on Tuesday. Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Court grants ex-NNPC boss, Yakubu, permission to travel abroad ÏÏÏ

The Federal High Court Abuja, on Wednesday, granted former Group Managing Director (GMD) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Mr. Andrew Yakubu, permission to travel abroad for medical treatment.

Yakubu was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) on a sixcount charge of money laundering and false declaration of asset.

At the resumed hearing of the case, the defendant, through his counsel, Ahmed Raji, pleaded with the court to allow him travel to the UK to complete his

medical treatment.

Raji told the court that the defendant was undergoing medical treatment before he was summoned by the EFCC to return to the country.

He also pleaded with the court to order the release of the defendant’s international passport which was deposited with the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court as part of his bail conditions.

In his response, counsel to EFCC, Ben Ikani, said he would not object to the application since it was based on health ground.

While leaving the request

to the discretion of the court, Ikani urged the trial judge to release the passport to Raji, the defendant’s lawyer.

In his ruling, Justice Ahmed Mohammed said he was disposed to granting the motion since it was not opposed by the prosecution.

He granted the defendant three weeks permission to travel to the UK for completion of his medical treatment.

The three weeks would commence from May 25.

The court directed that one sureties must file a separate affidavit agreeing to be held liable should the defendant fail to re-

turn to Nigeria to face his trial.

Before adjourning the trial till July 6, Justice Mohammed directed Yakubu to surrender his international passport with the Deputy Registrar of the court on his return to the country.

The defendant was granted bail to the tune of N300 million with two sureties in like sum.

The former NNPC GMD was arrested following a tip-off by a whistle-blower.

The EFCC raided his property at Sabon Tasha, Kaduna State and discovered $9.7 million and £74,000 hidden in a fireproof safe.

5 News Treason: Court denies activist bail Titus Akhigbe, Benin

ÏÏÏAn Edo High Court on Wednes-

day declined to grant bail application filed by a rights activist, Mr. Curtis Ugbo, charged with treason.

Justice J. Acha declined the application after reading the addresses in respect to the bail filed by defense and prosecution counsel, Mr. Olayewola Afolabi and Mr. Oluwole Iyamu.

Acha gave reason for his decline on the overwhelming evidence the respondent gave against the application.

According to him, “evidence provided by the respondent in response to the bail application is overwhelming and I hereby refuse the bail.”

The judge who urged for an accelerated trial, gave a week for the prosecutor to file the processes so that the case can commence.

Both counsels who spoke with newsmen after, gave an opposing view over the justice refusal of the bail application.

The prosecuting counsel while lauding the refusal, said it was for the interest and safety of the society.

Iyamu said the state intend to expeditiously pursue an accelerated trial.

On his part, the defense counsel who expressed misgiving on the bail refusal, said he would appeal the decline.

Ugbo, president of the Benin Solidarity Movement, was charged to court following a protest he led to agitate for a better deal from the Nigeria Petroleum Development Company for Benin youths.

Edo Government considered the protest capable of undermining the peace of the state, and consequently arraigned Ugbo before a magistrates’ court.

The magistrate court remanded him in prison custody on March 24, and adjourned the case pending the advice of the state’s director of public prosecutions. It later declined jurisdiction to entertain the case. Thus, the police charged Ugbo before the high court.

Ugbo’s counsel subsequently applied for a bail application, an application which the prosecutor urged the court to decline.

In his arguing for the bail application , Afolabi had told the court that Ugbo deserved to be granted bail since findings of the police did not support the charge.

According to him, “Findings of the police do not support the charges.

What my client did was simply to carry out a peaceful protest. How can a peaceful protest lead to evasion of the state?”

Opposing the application, Iyamu had said that granting the rights activist bail would be injurious to the society.

He had said that Ugbo was charged with a sensitive matter, adding that the state had begun the process of giving the case accelerated trial.

Iyamu had prayed the court to deny him bail.

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News 6

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Dasuki, El-Zakzaky: Falana, HURIWA blast Presidency Continued from page 1 Democracy and Non-Governmental organisation, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Wednesday, lambasted the Presidency for justifying the continued detention of former National Security Adviser, Col. Sambo Dasuki (rtd), the Leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria (IMN), Sheikh Ibrahim el-zakzaky and his wife, Hajia Ibraheema Elzakzaky, despite several court rulings asking that they be admitted to bail.

Recall that Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and

Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu, had on Tuesday insisted that Dasuki and El-zakzaky would not be freed in obedience to the court orders admitting them to bail because whilst El-zakzaky is being kept in protective custody, the immediate past National Security Adviser has other pending matters in other courts.

However, Femi Falana in a statement on Wednesday described as a reckless demonstration of official impunity the statement credited to the Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media and Publicity, Mr. Garba Shehu.

The Human Rights Writers

Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) in a statement on Wednesday also dismissed the Buhari administration’s position, describing it as being recklessly lawless and in gross breach of constitutional principles.

Insisting that the statement of Shehu issued on behalf of the Presidency to justify the detention of Sheikh Ibraheem Elzakzaky and his wife, Hajia Ibraheema Elzakzaky, was a reckless demonstration of official impunity, Falana in the statement he personally signed expressed surprise at the statement which claimed that the valid and subsisting order of the Federal High

Court made on December 2, 2016 would not be obeyed by the Federal Government on the dubious ground that the Sheikh is in “protective custody” while the justification for holding the wife is that he is taking good care of her husband in the illegal custody.

Falana said: “In the checkered history of Nigeria, this is the first time that a democratically elected government has openly justified the detention of any citizen in defiance of a valid and subsisting order of a competent court of law.

“Even under the neo-tarzanist Buhari/Idiagbon military junta,

court orders which directed that victims of the obnoxious Detention of Persons Decree No 2 of 1984 be released from illegal custody were complied with. But under a democratic government, Mr. Shehu wants Nigerians to believe that El-zakzakys are held in “protective custody” after the Federal High Court had declared such detention illegal and unconstitutional. Or has Mr. Shehu suddenly become so power drunk to the extent that he can conveniently set aside the judgment of the Federal High Court?

“Before now, the “Presidency” had claimed that the Continued on page 12

Assets Declaration: Ex-Naval Chief, Jibrin to face CCB soon Continued from page 1

L-R: Director, Admin and Human Resources, Lagos Ministry of Youth and Sports, Mr. G. O. Rufai; Director, Corporate Communications & CSR, Airtel Nigeria, Emeka Oparah and Commissioner, Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mrs Uzamat Akinbile-Yusuf, during the Lagos State Youth Leadership Conference in Lagos …on Tuesday

Implement National confab recommendations, Jonathan urges FG Amaka Agbu, Port Harcourt

ÏÏÏ Former President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, has advised the President Muhammadu Buhariled administration to consider implementing the recommendations of the National Conference conducted during his (Jonathan) tenure.

Jonathan said that he decided to conduct the national conference while in office in order to address some key challenges confronting the country, adding that the conference was organised in the interest of the nation and the recommendations were taken by Nigerians from across the country.

Speaking as one of the guests at the Golden Jubilee Anniversary Lecture and Documentary on Rivers State, in Port Harcourt on Wednesday, the former President noted that he resolved to conduct the conference after Prof. Ben Nwabueze led the Patriots to him, requesting for the conference and added that the reasons the Patriots gave him on the need for the

national conference were in the country’s interest.

He said: “I insisted on the National Conference after Prof. Ben Nwabueze led the Patriots to demand a National Conference to address those areas regarding our growth.

“Every decision taken at the National Conference was by consensus. If the government implements the recommendations, some of the things agitating our minds will be addressed,” he said.

The former President also spoke on the practice of true federalism, stressing that every part of the country is viable, but should be encouraged to generate revenue.

He also spoke on the Niger Delta, saying that a lot of funds came to the interventionist agencies saddled with the responsibility of developing the region, but that very little was done in terms of projects arising from the issue of tenure and the lifespan of the office holders.

He said that state governments should do more with the direct 13

per cent derivation that come to them.

“The interventionist agencies leave behind uncompleted projects. The 13 percent that come to the states, I have seen better utilisation of that money,” he said.

Speaking further, the former President argued that reforms should ensure that more resources get to the states, rather than the interventionist agencies already affected by politics.

Jonathan, who was accompanied to the venue by Governor Nyesom Wike, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, the factional chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and members of his National Caretaker Committee (NCC), took a swipe at the situation where council chairmen collected allocations without using them to impact on the people only to sit down and wait for another allocation.

The former President declared that the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, was working hard to transform the state and take it to greater heights.

Times findings reveal.

Though every public officer has been enjoined to declare his assets before the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) as stipulated in section 11 (1) (a) (b) of the CCB’s Public Officers Handbook, former Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) was unable to declare his assets while in office.

Jibrin, the former Naval Chief between 2013 and 2015, was listed as No 8 among the public office holders expected to declare his assets on assumption office.

But multiple sources at the Code of Conduct Bureau (CCB) confided in The Daily Times on Wednesday night that the ex-Naval chief never declared his assets as required by the law.

Incidentally, some elected and public officials including former Lagos State Governor Bola Tinubu and Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, among others had been arraigned before the Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) over false declarations of assets.

The said section 11 (1) (a) (b) of the CCB states that, “Every public officer shall within three months after taking office and thereafter (a) at the end of every four years and (b) at the end of his term of office; submit to the Code of Conduct Bureau a written declaration of all his properties, assets and liabilities and those of his spouse or unmarried children under the age of 21 years.”

Regarding the non-compliance on assets declaration, section 3 (e) of the third schedule, Part 1 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) states that, “ The Code of Conduct Bureau shall receive complaints about non-compliance with or breach of the provisions of the Code of Conduct or any law in relation thereto, investigate the complaint and where appropriate, refer such matters to the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”

But the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has in the course of its investigation over the various allegations against Jibrin, contacted the CCB over the assets declaration of the ex-Naval chief.

The CCB replied in a letter dated May 19 that the records before it showed that “Rear Admiral Usman Jibrin (rtd) has never declared his assets as required by the law.”

Meanwhile, the EFCC is prosecuting Jibrin and other accused persons before Justice Sadiq Umar of Abuja High Court over alleged involvement in the diversion of N600million funds of the Nigerian Navy to personal use.

But Jibrin in an open letter to the EFCC chairman, Mr. Ibrahim Magu, stated that he has served the country meritoriously, saying that it is regrettable that some members of certain cabals are using EFCC to settle personal scores.

Jibrin’s letter read in part: “I regret to state that my life has been under threat by operatives of the EFCC since my retirement from active service of the Nigerian Navy on the 14 July 2015.

“This is sequel to the fact that some cabals are hiding under the executive orders of Mr. President to settle scores against me on the perceived injustice allegedly meted on them by the Nigerian Navy during my tenure as the Chief of the Naval Staff.

“I decided to put my thought in writing because of information made available to me from very reliable sources that plans have been concluded to plant incriminating evidence against me by operatives of the EFCC. “This revelation has pushed me to the wall to speak out as I have observed that silence may not be golden after all in the face of some suspicious activities going around my properties by unknown elements.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

7

News

Nigeria gets $908.3m capital importation in Q1 - Report Mathew Dadiya, Abuja and OpeOluwani Akintayo, Lagos

ÏÏÏ Report by the National

Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on Wednesday showed that the total value of capital imported into Nigeria in the first quarter (Q1) of 2017 was estimated to be $908.27 million.

This is even as fresh data made available to The Daily Times has shown that Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account balance has dropped from $2.49 billion on April 25 to $2.29 billion on May 23, 2017.

According to the NBS, Capital importation consist of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), Portfolio Investment and Other Investments.

As Excess Crude Account balance crashes to $2.3bn This was an increase of 27.75% relative to the same quarter of 2016 but it was, nevertheless, 41.36% smaller than the value of capital imported in the previous quarter and the second lowest value recorded since 2007.

According to the NBS, there was a high-profile sale of (bonds denoted in a nonlocal currency) during the quarter, but it has not yet appeared in the data.

Other investment was the largest component of imported capital in the first quarter of 2017 and accounted for $383.28 million or 42.20% of the total.

This was despite a large quarterly fall of 58.34%, rel-

ative to the value of $920.03 million recorded in the previous quarter. However, last quarter’s value was unusually high and other investments recorded a year on year increase of 44.37%.

Loans continues to dominate Other Investment, and accounted for 96.35% of this category during the quarter, although marginal amounts of capital were also imported as Currency ($3 million) and Other Claims ($11 million).

“There is a lag between subscription and actual payment and therefore it is possible that this will show up next quarter,” the report stated.

Capital importation was

particularly low in January, at $187.90 million; making it the only fourth month since 2007 in which capital importation was less than $200 million.

NBS further noted that the main driver of the quarterly decline was a fall in other Investment, although Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) also contributed.

Portfolio investment was the only category to record an increase relative to the previous quarter.

The fall in FDI comes after four consecutive quarters of increase, and the fall in other Investment follows three consecutive quarters of increase. However, the data is volatile and there-

L-R: Governors of Kebbi State, Alhaji Atiku Bagudu; Plateau State, Simon Bako Lalong; Jigawa State, Alhaji Mohammed Badaru Abubakar and Niger State, Alhaji SaniI Abubakar Bello, during the progressive governors’ meeting with the APC National Working Committee in Abuja … on Wednesday.

Photo: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Senate orders IGP to arrest, prosecute killer herdsmen nationwide Olufemi Samuel, Abuja

ÏÏÏ The Senate on Wednesday took a hard stance against killer herdsmen in Nigeria as it ordered the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris, to urgently set machinery in motion for arrest of the killers of Mr. Solomon Ejoh and all armed killers masquerading as herdsmen in communities, forests, and farms in Delta Central and across the country in general.

The Senate insisted that herdsmen who allegedly killed Ejoh must be brought to justice, as it constituted an Ad-hoc Committee to investigate cases of killings by herdsmen noted to be involved in mindless killing of innocent souls nationwide.

The Upper Chamber took the resolutions following a motion raised under Order 43 of the Senate Standing Rule and matter of urgent

public national importance

by Senator Ovie OmoAgege (APC Delta Central).

The motion is titled, “Need for urgent National Security intervention to stop the gruesome killing of Urhobos and other Nigerians in Delta Central Senatorial District and other parts of the nation by terrorist elements masquerading as herdsmen in rural communities, forests and farms”.

Omo-Agege condemned the killings by alleged Fulani herdsmen, stressing that it was high time the rest of Nigeria rise to the occasion to stop the menace constituted by herdsmen who specialised in killing innocent people.

He said the “Senate notes that historically, rural dwellers in Urhoboland and other parts of this country have always lived in peace and harmony with themselves and citizens from other parts of this beauti-

ful country, including traditional herdsmen who are never armed with sophisticated war weapons and who go about their herding activities peacefully”.

He said lamented that most recently, the Urhobos and indeed other Nigerians, are being gruesomely and extra-judicially killed in rural communities, forests, and farms by terrorists and hardened criminals armed with sophisticated weapons and who masquerade as herdsmen.

He, however, condemned what he described as “The recent brutal killing of a young, vibrant, and popular youth leader, Solomon Ejoh, by terrorist elements/ hardened criminals operating under the cover of herdsmen in Ovre-Abraka, Ethiope East Local Government of Delta State”.

He said the Senate was “disturbed that there is a mismatch between the consistent oral assurances by

our national security agencies, more particularly the Nigerian Police Force, of their capacity and readiness to deal decisively with and arrest internal national security threats, notably the brazen killing of our people by terrorist herdsmen”.

Senator Omo-Agege in the motion averred, “the Senate cannot watch idly where national security agencies fail to protect the lives and property of our citizens as enunciated in and mandated by our Constitution and laws enacted by the National Assembly”.

The Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu who presided over the Wednesday’s plenary, said that Senate as an institution condemns in totality the act of killings and waste of lives and property, adding that governments at all levels and security agencies must wake up to their responsibilities to nip the problem in the bud.

fore the dip in Q1 may not be sustained.

Nearly all of the quarterly fall resulted from declines in capital imported into the Telecommunications and Oil and Gas sectors, which recorded unusually high values in the previous quarter.”

The second largest component of capital importation in the first quarter of 2017 was Portfolio Investment, which accounted for $313.61 million, or 34.53% of the total.

This represented growth of 10.34% relative to the previous quarter, and 15.71% relative to the same quarter of 2016; this was the only category to record both year on year and quarterly increases, and it was the first year on year increase since the third quarter of 2014.

This was possibly related to recent successes in stabilizing the Naira: during the quarter the Naira halted its continual decline, although it remains to be seen if this lasts. Portfolio investment is likely to be more affected than this than other investment types, due to its shortterm nature.

Meanwhile, fresh data made available to The Daily Times has shown that Nigeria’s Excess Crude Account balance has dropped from $2.49 billion on April 25 to

$2.29 billion on May 23.

The account details doled out from to the office of Accountant General of the Federation, Ahmed Idris, on Wednesday, revealed that the allocations from the Federation Account to the three tiers of government also declined by N52.

07 billion from the N467.8 billion shared in March to N 415.73 billion in April this year.

Also, there was a decrease of N57.47 billion recorded in gross statutory revenue from N331.58 billion in March to N274.1 billion in April.

The document revealed that Federal Government received N163.89 billion while states and the 774 local government councils received N117.59 billion and N87.77 billion, respectively.

The sum of N29.83 billion was shared to the oilproducing states based on the 13 percent derivation principle, while the revenue- generating agencies received N16.52 billion as cost of revenue collection.

The decrease in revenue to crude oil production, according to Idris, was due to sabotage and shutdown of installations, especially in the Niger Delta region.

“Despite the improvement (in prices of crude oil), production still suffered the perennial setbacks,” he said.

New Minimum Wage: FG constitutes 29-member committee ÏÏÏ

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has approved a 29-member National Minimum Wage Committee to negotiate with labour unions and arrive at a new minimum wage.

Minster of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, disclosed this development at the end of the FEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Ngige, members of the committee will be drawn from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Organised Private Sector, the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

The Daily Times recalls that the organised Labour had tabled a minimum wage of N50,000 as against the present minimum wage of N18,000.

Ngige had on Friday said that the FEC would review

the report of the joint committee on the National Minimum Wage.

He added that the 16-man Technical Committee on Minimum Wage and Palliatives had submitted its report to the main committee, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He said: “The report was adopted last week by the 29man joint committee. So, the report is now being taken to the Federal Executive Council for approval and then the Acting President will constitute a National Minimum Wage Review Committee.

“This National Minimum Wage Review Committee will then fix a new minimum wage for the country. “”It has become imperative for a new minimum wage, because the last minimum wage has a life span of five years – it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan — and it elapsed by August 2016.”

News 8 Bribery scandal: Court assumes jurisdiction over INEC staff’s trial Peter Fowoyo

ÏÏÏA

Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos on Wednesday assumed jurisdiction in the trial of an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Christian Nwosu.

Mr. Nwosu was accused of receiving the sum of N30 million from a former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke, to compromise the 2015 general election.

He had earlier admitted collecting the money in a plea bargain arrangement he had with the anti-graft agency. However, he had to back out following the rejection of the terms of agreement by the judge.

Nwosu was subsequently re-arraigned alongside another INEC official, Tijani Bashir, on an amended charge by the EFCC. They however pleaded not guilty to the charge.

Following their re-arraignment, EFCC’s lawyer, Rotimi Oyedepo, urged Justice Idris to transfer the case file to the Chief Judge of the court, Justice Ibrahim Auta, for re-assignment to another judge.

According to him, it is trite that a judge who had heard and rejected a plea bargain agreement of a defendant can no longer preside over the matter in the event that the defendant decide to change his plea.

He said though the commission has full confidence in the ability of the judge to handle the case, it will be in the interest of justice to allow another judge take over the matter in line with the provisions of Section 270(15) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA).

However, in its application, Nwosu urged the judge to reject the EFCC’s request and continue in his handling of the matter.

Arguing the application, Nwosu’s lawyer, Victor Opara, said the court has assumed jurisdiction in the matter the moment the plea of the accused person was taken based on the amended charge filed against them by the EFCC.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Certificate forgery: New judge presides over Plateau lawmaker’s forgery case Kingsley Chukwuka, Jos

ÏÏÏ

A new judge of the Federal High Court II, Justice D. V. Agishe, on Wednesday took over the case of diploma certificate forgery leveled against a Plateau state lawmaker, Hon. Ibrahim Baba Hassan, by one Abdul Nasir.

Justice Musa Kurya,

who was presiding over the case, has been suspended without reasons although there were speculations that he was invited by the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) over corruption allegations.

Recall that during the last sitting by the court presided by the suspended judge on October 12, 2016,

the Registrar of the University of Jos, Mr. Monday M. Danjem, was invited by the court where he tendered evidence against the lawmaker, clarifying that the said certificate did not emanate from the university.

At the resumption of the hearing, the counsel to the 1st defendant, Mr. M. M. Nyelong, drew the at-

tention of the court to his request at the October 12, 2016 sitting, wherein he demanded to amend his statement of defence by withdrawing the “diploma certificate” and to rely on the defendant’s secondary certificate.

In his response, counsel to the plaintiff, David C. Ibeawuchi, accepted the application of the de-

fendant’s counsel to regularise his statement of defence, saying that the application wouldn’t in any way affect the case since the bone of contention was based on diploma certificate submitted to Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before the 2015 elections.

The case has been adjourned to 14th of June, 2017.

Gov Umahi commissions 2 bridges to commemorate ‘Democracy Day’ ÏÏÏThe governor of Ebonyi

state, Engr. David Umahi, has commissioned two bridges recently completed by his administration at Amangwu Edda in Afikpo South local government area of the state.

He performed the ceremony during inspection of projects in Ebonyi South Senatorial Zone as part of activities marking the 2017 Democracy Day celebration.

Umahi was accompanied on the visit on Tuesday by some National Assembly members, including Senator Sam Egwu and members of the state Elders Council.

The governor, who also inaugurated street light at the Presbyterian Joint Hospital Road, Uburu in Ohaozara LGA, inspected some ongoing road projects in the town.

A statement on Wednesday by the Chief Press Secretary to Umahi, quoted the governor as explaining that the contract for the 28.5 kilometre Oshiri - Ezzama Road awarded to Nigucrem Nigeria Limited was terminated because the company failed to execute the job according to specifications.

Umahi added that the contract had been awarded to another company.

While the governor explained that he embarked on road construction and other projects to reduce the suffering

of the people, he announced that four-kilometres should be added to the road to link up a nearby community.

He further stated that his aim of using indigenous contractors in the execution of projects was to empower them, saying: “It is a debt I owe Ebonyi people to also empower indigenous contractors to come of age.”

On his part, a former gov-

ernor of the state, Dr. Egwu, commended Umahi for his performance, saying his achievements within so short a time had re-positioned the state.

At the border between Amasiri and Okposi, Egwu, who was highly impressed with the thickness of the concreted part of the road, said, “I must confess that you have surpassed all of us.”

He thereafter after asked

Umahi to walk along with him on the road and jocularly told him:”I think with the long stretch and smoothness of this road that I am seeing ,it can be a tarmac. Aircraft can land it.”

Umahi had told the team that the road, when completed would last 75 years.

Also, a member representing Ohanivo Federal Constituency, Linus Okorie, appreciated

the governor for the projects being executed in the area.

Other projects inspected were the Abakaliki Afikpo Road, 11.2km Okue-NzeremAkaeze Road and water treatment plant in Ivo Local Government Area; 25.3km Amasiri-Okposi- Uburu Road; a six- span bridge across Ebonyi River in Ishinkwo, Onicha LGA and St. Mary Road in Afikpo North LGA.

Sokoto State Governor, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal (m), with Managing Director, SG Adiya Farms, Alhaji Abdullahi S. Adiya, during a courtesy visit of the governor to SG Adiya Farms in Sokoto… on Tuesday.

Adamawa government to partner butchers on meat processing Tom Garba, Yola

ÏÏÏThe governor of Adamawa state, Senator Muhammad Umaru Jibrilla Bindow, has urged butchers in the state to adopt value chain mechanism in the distribution of process of meat from the state to other parts

of the country.

Bindow gave the advice when members of the newly elected executives council of the Butchers Union of Nigeria (BUN), Adamawa chapter visited him in Government House, Yola.

The governor stressed the need to invest more in the value chain production of meat for op-

timum benefits.

While assuring the union of his determination to support them to achieve such in venture, he urged them to strive towards upholding the global best practices in the meat industry.

He promised to look into their demands and decide on critical areas of intervention, while an-

nouncing a donation of a brand new Toyota Siena vehicle for the union.

In his remark, the Commissioner for Livestock Production, Alhaji Isa Ibrahim, said that the ministry was in discussion with the Bank of Infrastructure towards upgrading the Yola abattoir to a world class standard.

Ibrahim regretted the delay caused by contractors in the past, despite the award of contract by the previous administration.

He said that the ministry had already drafted as well as forwarded a memo to the office of the governor for the revocation of the contract by the contractor for his failure to execute the

contract.

Earlier, the newly elected chairman of the union Mr. Usman Danjuma, the poor state of the Yola abattoir.

He also decried the lack of support by the government in ensuring the hygiene of the meat, as well as decent transportation of meat for consumption.

Politics

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

s

20,000 Labour Party members dump party for PDP in Delta Nosa Akenzua, Asaba No fewer than 20,000 Labour Party (LP) members in Ughelli and its environs in Delta State have dumped the party for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

A chieftain of the party, Chief Felix Ogbodu who led others to decamp, told Journalists that their decision to dump the Labour Party (LP) to embrace the good work of the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa at the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was informed by the over whelming infrastructural development in the state in the last two years adding “it is a really difficult decision considering the fact that my numerous followers might not heed, but for the work of Governor Okowa.”

Noting that PDP is the only party in Delta State, Chief Ogbodu called on those who see Okowa as non performance to retrace their steps and join the winning party, PDP. Welcoming the decampees, the Political Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Omimi Esquire thanked the State Chairman of the Newforce movement for Okowa, Mr. Kinsley Odiaka Iweka, and urged the decampees to continue to show loyalty to their party PDP. Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party group known as ‘PDP Mandate’ has chided opposition parties for allegedly criticising Governor Ifeanyi Okowa.

The group’s National President, Chief Isaac Anwuzia who spoke to Journalists in Asaba said the group had been on “ground” since 2013 with the sole aim of making Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa the governor of the state.

Warning opposition party members

ÏÏÏ^#^ L Ɨ ƐƆ 1Ə Ƒƍ ƅ ƈƗƆ ƍƍ ƈƐƈ Ƈ Ə ƅƏƈƐƈƅƈƖƈ RƊ Ɠ

Okowa

to shut up their mouths, Chief Anwuzia said Okowa’s records speak volumes in the last two years of his administration.

His words, “with 2019 around the corner, we have seen Okowa working and nobody will criticise a good worker” saying that there was nothing wrong with the statement recently credited to the Chief

of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai for warning military personnel to desist from meddling in politics.

It would be recalled that in the last three weeks, opposition, parties in the state have described Okowa led administration as a “disaster”, saying his election as Governor of the state had brought pains and hunger to Deltans.

9

Katsina Bye-election: PDP wants INEC to conduct fresh poll Segun Olaniyan, Katsina The opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Katsina State has called for a fresh election in 23 polling units of Mashi/Dutsi federal constituency.

This followed an alleged ‘brazen abuse of electoral process’ during the conduct of last Saturday’s bye-election into the vacant seat in the National Assembly created by the death of the former member.

Addressing newsmen in Katsina, the state chairman of the PDP, Salisu Yusuf Majigiri alleged that the All Progressives Congress (APC) during the election used government resources and personnel including security agencies to deny the electorates of their rights to vote.

According to him, “the election, in our estimation was full of rancour, intimidation, ballot box snatching, show of power, illegal use of government resources and personnel including security personnel at the election venues.

“We are aware that the governor has issued order to intimidate and harass whoever goes against the wishes of the APC,” he said, adding that this threat has not deterred then, nor discouraged the voters.

Majigiri explained that the turnout was massive, recording more than 60 percent of the registered voters, stating that, “despite the huge turnout, what happened last Saturday was a threat to Nigerian democracy and rape to justice and freedom of expression.”

Kwara APC lauds lawmaker on road intervention

kehinde Akinpelu Ilorin

Defection: Adamawa lawmaker decamps to APC Tom Garba, Yola

Bindow

The Adamawa State House of Assembly has announced the defection of the member representing Madagali State Constituency, Hon. Emmanuel Tsandu who dumped the Peoples Democracy Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Tsandu who is the Minority Leader said his defection was caused by the long unresolved crisis rocking the PDP between the Ali Modu Sheriff and the Ahmed Makarfi led factions.

The member held onto the section of the party’s constitution which stipulated that any card carrying member or political office holder that came through the party structure is free to join or decamp to any party of choice if there is crisis in the party.

The Speaker, Rt Honourable Ibrahim Mijin Yawa and other APC lawmakers in the House amidst joy gave a hearty welcome of hugs and handshakes to the incoming member.

To many PDP member in the Northern Senatorial District of the state, it is a bitter story as the mood of Adams Ayuba who hails from Madagali constituency stated that Emmanuel is a strong politician not only in Madagali but in the entire state and the party should not have missed the star politician.

“It is indeed a sad moment today to me as one of the arrow head politician in our LGA has left for the ruling party,” he said

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Omu-Aran, Kwara State, has commended a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Funke Adedoyin over her Road Intervention Scheme aimed at boosting development in communities within her constituency.

The party gave the commendation in a statement issued on Tuesday in Omu-Aran, Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State.

The statement was jointly signed by Mr Tele Abifarin, Mr Kayode Yusuf and Chief Stephen Adewumi, the party’s representatives in Omu-Aran Ward 1, 2 and 3 respectively.

Adedoyin is representing Ekiti, Irepodun, Isin and Oke-Ero Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives.

The party described the approval and commencement of work on the reconstruction of the two-kilometre Olomun Way in Omu-Aran as deserving and commendable.

The road, traversing Omu-Aran High Court through Latinwo and Agan-Oru markets, is being handled by the Nigerian Army Engineers Corps.

The party said the commencement of the road project was in fulfillment of the lawmaker’s promise to be sensitive to the yearnings and aspirations of the people of her constituency.

Politics 10 Dr. Fredrick Fasehun is the founder of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC). In this interview with CHUKWUEMEKE IWELUNMO, the OPC leader speaks on the state of the nation, Buhari’s government, the menace of Fulani herdsmen amongst other issues.

By May 29 this year, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration would have been two years in office.

What is your rating of this government looking at their performance?

The government has not performed as it supposed to. Buhari himself has done very well, showing some form of leadership, but the government as a whole has performed below expectation. When they were preparing to come in, the whole country was agog; there was cheering and cheering and in another few weeks, they would have been there for two years and Nigerians are still yearning for the day that they will be able to say thank God we voted for this new government. In other words, they came with the people cheering and in two years, the people are no longer cheering; they are jeering because government is performing below expectation. They were hungry; they are still hungry; they were angry, they are still angry. An empty stomach is an angry mind. They still have the opportunity to change their method but one wonders if they will be able to change their strategies within two years. They have spent two years and there is nothing much to show for it, except identifying of those who have looted our treasury. Identification of treasury looters is not the main thing. Asking them to confront the law of the land is the main thing. Who doesn’t know that the Nigerian elites form the stealing group? Buhari has shown good leadership. He said he was going to probe and he is probing. A tree does not make a forest. Buhari on his own cannot hit his hands on his chest and say he has performed very well. He needs to say we have performed very well. The government is not “I” but “we”; then Buhari does not constitute the government. It is he and his advisers that constitute the government. I personally define democracy as the best form of bad government because no government is good.

What is the relationship between OPC and the present government of PMB? OPC has never had any relationship with any government because it is an organisation that is non-committal. We say it the way we see it. If government is doing well, we clap for them. If they are not doing well, we tell them they are not doing enough.

When APC government assumed power, there was so much expectation from the government. Where did you think we got it wrong?

We got it wrong in the sense that we over trusted those who were trying to convince us to vote for them. We thought that they were going to be truthful to their words.

Unfortunately, politicians are like leopards, they don’t change their spots. Some of us said it loud and clear; many of us did not even believe what some of us said.

The large majority that did not believe the critics are the ones that are regretting that they fell too easily to the government

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25. 2017

Buhari’s govt has fallen below expectation –Fasehun murder, robbery, kidnapping? It is just that the people have changed and become lawless. The people in power have changed and become corrupt. The lawmakers are not doing enough as they work only in three days and cart away millions of Naira as salaries. Because they smile home with N36 million per annum, the labour unions find it very easy to go on strike. That is why our economy is not improving. Factors like agriculture, education, power, SMEs have been neglected. That is why government is beginning to say let everybody be a farmer.

It should be part of us. We don’t make use of our land space. Lagos to Ibadan is virgin land and not cultivated. When foreigners come, they marvel at the amount of uncultivated forests. Virtually everybody in China is a farmer. Government is wasting its time telling people to go and buy palm nuts and sell to the government. You produce it and let government buy it. There was no longer in Nigeria until this social scientist came.

Fasehun vocalisation. We were shouting it at that time; Tunji Braithwaite talked and he was labeled a critic, Femi Falana said it and he was called a critic, we too were not left out.

But the best friends to governments are the critics because they are like people who are watching a soccer game from the side.

They see what players are doing wrong.

Unfortunately, people who are in power don’t believe critics are friends of the government. If I were in power, I would formulate a Council of Critics, so that we listen to them and take their advice. Leaders in this country don’t listen to those who are labeled as critics.

The Senate President, Olusola Saraki recently criticised the way government is handling the anti-corruption crusade publicly. Do you think that is right, judging from the fact that Saraki is part of the present government; or are we looking at 2019?

We have been looking at 2019. Since we finished 2015, we have been looking at 2019.

I wouldn’t be surprised if those who have their eyes on offices criticise those who are already in high seat. The challenge is not right because the Senate President is part of the government. He would have done that correction in a private room in Aso

Rock.

The CBN has been pumping out Dollars into the system to arrest the forex issues. Do you think that is the right approach to the current economic crisis in the country?

It is the “wrongest” solution to the economic crisis. The economy of any nation is dictated by its productivity. When you are not producing and only consuming, the country is not healthy because a consuming economy is not a healthy economy. We depend entirely on foreign import. How enough would you expect importation of toothpick support the economy. What can only support the economy is good productivity. South Korea came to political limelight at the same time with Nigeria and today, they are a productivity economy. South Korea was a backward country 30 years ago, but you will have no claim to say that it is a growing economy. It is grown and a self-sustaining economy.

How do you think the issue of kidnapping and Fulani herdsmen can be ended?

There is no crime that Nigerians commit now that doesn’t have sanctions in the past. Didn’t we have laws against rape,

Buhari himself has done very well, showing some form of leadership, but the government as a whole has performed below expectation. When they were preparing to come in, the whole country was agog; there was cheering and cheering and in another few weeks, they would have been there for two years and Nigerians are still yearning for the day that they will be able to say thank God we voted for this new government. In other words, they came with the people cheering and in two years, the people are no longer cheering; they are jeering

At a time, the Federal Government awarded a contract to OPC in March 2015 to secure Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) pipelines in the South-West zone of the country.

How far about the contract?

They have not paid a Kobo. We had to go to court because we signed a contract with them before we embarked on that job. It surprises me when a government has entered into a contract with its citizens to perform certain things and yet break it. The recommendations of that contract was made by the government and its agents and yet after completing the job without any query on the execution of the job, they cannot pay. It is very embarrassing. When we waited and nothing was done. We put about 4020 people on the pipeline and the government on its own recommended that they would pay N1, 500 per head a day. That was their own suggestion in the contract and we took the job.

No Nigerian should earn that, but because there is no work or job to do, we complied with the suggestion of the government.

They didn’t give us Kobo to sustain us. It was a three month contract and we did it judiciously.

After three months, we left the pipeline.

For years now, government has been dilly dallying. We lost six of our members; government didn’t even send us letter of sympathy, let alone pay the workforce. We are yet to be paid roughly N2 billion. They refused and said we should negotiate. I said I cannot negotiate after the contract and that is not democracy. We have gone to court 18 to 19 times. Now the government is saying pay them the daily per capital recommendation, but they will not pay anything to support the contract. Should we not be protected from the glare of the sun, rain, snakes, wild animals; should we not eat, have generators and torchlights? That is why we have these figures. And I have to pay to bury and the government is sitting comfortably at Aso Rock. However, they later said they would pay one third of what we agreed. But even that one third has not been paid. While we were doing that job, we didn’t steal one pint of fuel.

Which area precisely did OPC protect?

We protected from Shagamu, Mosimi to Ibadan CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25 , 2017

A Lagos lawmaker, Hon Segun Olulade, on Wednesday said that the outstanding performance of Gov. Akinwunmi Ambode would encourage taxpayers to pay more for development of the state.

Olulade, representing Epe Constituency II at the Lagos State House of Assembly spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos while reacting to the second year anniversary of Ambode-led administration.

“Nothing affirms that a government is working better than when the masses who have no political interest do say “it’s a great moment for us”.

“Truly, a working system is one that runs with development as its PR. No doubt, administration of a state that accommodates roughly 26 million people is no small business.

“Obviously, the economic, socio-political and environmental challenges far outweigh system performance, except the manager is a genius such as Akinwunmi Ambode.

“When tax payers’ money is working, the people are happy. Most importantly, the deployment of creative governance is sure indication that the governor is a global brand manager,” he said.

According to him, two years of Ambode has ushered in so many development projects that leave one to wonder how Lagos State will look like at the end of his tenure.

He said that if residents had him manage Lagos for a stretch of eight years, Lagos would compete favourably with modern cities around the world.

“Governor Ambode is not only wellschooled in modern city management, he is a ‘restless machine’ and something like a ‘bad system solution software. The level of infrastructural growth seen in Lagos in just two years is amazing.

“The human face of this government as it concerns the indigent is unequalled,” the lawmaker said.

He said that Ambode’s micro-economic development through the Employment Trust Fund is a smart way to secure the state’s economy in centuries to come.

According to him, Ambode, in spite of the economic recession, has demonstrated great ingenuity in ensuring that dividends of democracy get to all.

“A visit to Berger en-route Abule-Egba before a trip to Victoria Island and Ajah via Oshodi/Oworoshoki axis will affirm that development is obvious as you walk around the city.

“The newly commissioned road in Epe is a magnificent and unusual achievement for this administration. Since governance is an all-round thing, every sector has been touched impressively.

“The monumental beautification that

Lawmaker, NCP chieftain disagree on Ambode’s performance

Olulade

Ibu-Owo

has engulfed strategic locations across the state is evidently of 21st century modern city management acumen,” he added.

Olulade said that the state legislature had collaborated with the executive arm to ensure development and enhance welfare of residents.

However, Mr Fatai Ibu-Owo, Lagos State Chairman of National Conscience Party (NCP), told NAN that Ambode, rather than fulfilling his electoral promises to Lagosians, was `playing the Ostrich’ with the Lagos at 50 celebration.

According to him, the scale of the celebration is not commensurate with the level of development in the state, and the impact of government on residents has been negligible.

He said the huge money spent on the celebration was “sheer waste of resources’’ and should have been used for developmental projects.

“We at NCP find the elaborate way in which the state government is going about the celebration of Lagos at 50 as funny.

“Yes, it is good to celebrate that we are 50.

“But when you look at it critically, you will see the state has not achieved so much to warrant the 50-day celebration and the billions being spent.

“What are we really celebrating with so much carnival?

“Is it the rate of poverty in the state or the high unemployment rate and depression that is making people jump into the Lagoon to commit suicide?

“I’m sure the former residents of OtodoGbeme in Lekki, whose homes were recently cleared by government bulldozers without compensation, are not celebrating.

“Those that are being terrorised by kidnappers and armed robbers, due to the worsening security situation in the state, will have nothing to celebrate.

“Countries and states celebrate great inventions, innovations, and great achievements; what the state government is doing, to us in NCP, is showing nothing,” he said.

The party chairman said it was when residents began to feel the real impact of governance that the state could really celebrate.

‘Buhari’s govt has fallen below expectation’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 10

How were you able to convince your members that you have not been paid and also their confidence in you?

My people know me and I have been leading them for 24 years. They know me. They have not found me cheating in any form. I am not a rich man but I cannot go out of my way to destroy a name I have been building for 82 years. They know if I have collected money, I will not go to court. Some close to the government agencies must have also gone to ask and they will tell them no. The pride of OPC is that no organisation has lived as long as OPC. Since the government didn’t pay, how

were you able to manage the contract?

I borrowed because they have to be paid, buy food and other necessities. But government remained obdurate and unpathetic.

They don’t know that the consequence of their actions is futuristic.

Buhari has ill health and we have also had a similar situation when Umaru Yar‘Adua was in power. What do you think Buhari should do, looking at his present state of health?

I am asking Nigerians to dedicate a date for every Nigerian to pray for Buhari. The prayer of the righteous availath much.

When the Israel people cried up to him, he helped them. It is part of the underdevelopment of the country. You will not be right

11 Politics It took me 25 years to win Senate seat, says Urhoghide

Titus Akhigbe,Benin Senator Matthew Urhoghide, representing Edo South Senatorial District in the National Assembly has disclosed that it took him 25 years and many attempts to win an election into the Nigerian Senate, saying that his long journey to the Senate has accentuated his resolve to further develop his constituency.

Senator Urhoghide, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Tourism, recalled that before getting to the Senate in 2007, his political journey took him to the defunct All Peoples Party (APP), the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), the Peoples Demise Party (PDP) and some other political parties, adding that he has been humbled by his political journey and was now committed to bringing the dividends of democracy to the people of Edo South.

Senator Urhoghide who spoke in Benin, when he received an award given him by the Edo State chapter of the Congress of Registered Political Parties (CRPP) for his contributions as an outstanding politician and to the development of Edo State, said that, “I have about 100 projects in my first year in the Senate. I decided to do these things because I have no reason not to do them.

The reason is that I have a peculiar political journey as it took me 25 years to get to this position.

“I have been able to represent my people and attract development to my constituency. I took interest in some projects because I am emotionally attached to them.

“A Scholarship scheme was a high point of my campaign. I am committed to this for the time I will be in the Senate because education is the best legacy I can give to any youth.”

The pharmacist turned politician said that he was particularly interested in the education of indigent students in his constituency, adding that for that reason, he has given out scholarships to at least 88 students, just as he said that he was aware that many parents cannot afford a fee of N30,000 a year for the children.

Speaking, chairman of the CRPP in Edo State, Dr Samson Isibor, said the CRPP identified few individuals in Edo State and decided to honour them due to the progressive impact they were making in the Senate.

Others that were given awards at the event were Dickson Imasogie, Hon Ehiozuwa Agbonayinma, the member representing Ikpoba/Egor Federal constituency in the House of Representatives.

to assess Buhari, unless you assess him in good health. Health must be intact before you can assess the work. Nigerians should pray against premature death of their leaders. Journalists, traders, doctors, lawyers, teachers should pray for such not to happen. ******What are your views on self-determination and call for the restructuring of the country?

My message is that self-determination is social justice. Social justice is also an emanation of democracy. Democracy is social justice. If we don’t have a government that is practicing social justice, it is not democracy. There is great need to restructure Nigeria.

Urhoghide

News 12

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Dasuki, El-Zakzaky: Falana, No coup plot against Buhari -Military HURIWA blast Presidency Continued from page 1

Continued from page 6 couple could not be released on the nebulous ground that they constituted a threat to national security. When reminded that the Federal High Court has dismissed such unsubstantiated allegation, Mr. Shehu has turned round to say that “ElZakzaky is held for his own good.

“Is Mr. Shehu not aware that El-zakzaky has lost one of his eyes in the dungeon of the State Security Service and may lose the other eye due to denial of urgent medical treatment? Why has his request to travel abroad for medical attention at his own expense been refused by the Federal Government?

Expressing doubts that President Muhammadu Buhari or Acting President Yemi Osinbajo authorised the contemptuous statement issued on behalf of the Presidency, Falana advised that Shehu should be called to order and restrained from further exposing the Federal Republic of Nigeria to ridicule before the comity of civilized nations.

“However, since the Federal Government continues to proclaim loudly that it operates under the rule of law, it cannot be operated to treat court orders with disdain. To that extent, El -zakzaky and his wife must be released from the illegal custody of the State Security Service since the Federal High Court has hear and dismissed the official claim that they are held in “protective custody.”

Also speaking on the government’s refusal to release Dasuki, Falana wondered why the same government that charged the former NSA with criminal diversion of public funds and treasonable felony, frustrated his trial by refusing to take him to court.

“The reason adduced for detaining Col Dasuki is highly contemptuous as the three Nigerian courts trying him have admitted him to bail.

“Furthermore, the Court of Justice of the Community Court of Justice (ECOWAS) has directed the Federal Government to comply with the orders of its national courts which have admitted him to bail. Since no higher court has quashed the bail of the former NSA, the arrogant statement of Mr. Shehu on the matter is the height of official impunity in a democratic society,” he said.

“In the light of the foregoing, I hereby reiterate the call for the immediate and unconditional release of the Elzakzakys from illegal custody in strict compliance with the judgment of the federal high court.

“At the same time, Col. Dasuki

should be released on bail and be allowed to stand his trial in the Federal High Court and the high court of the Federal Capital Territory. A government which is desirous to secure conviction of persons charged with criminal offences cannot treat the orders of the same court with disdain and impunity.”

Speaking in the same vein, National Coordinator of HURIWA, Mr. Emmanuel Onwubiko,in a statement on Wednesday, dismissed the Buhari administration as being recklessly lawless and in gross breach of the Constitutional principles of Separation of Powers and section 6 of the Constitution which grants sole judicial powers of the federation to the Courts of competent jurisdictions including the various divisions of the Federal High Court that have in numerous binding rulings granted immediate bail orders to both Dasuki and El-zakzky.

Submitting that President Buhari ‘s flagrant disrespect of the Courts of competent jurisdictions amounted to a civilian coup de tat and tantamount to impeachable offences, the Rights group expressed consternation and absolute disappointment with the National Assembly for failing to commence impeachment procedure against President Buhari for failing to respect both the Nigerian Federal High Courts and even the Economic Community of West African States’ Court which ordered the immediate release from detention of the Department of State Services of the former National Security Adviser.

The Group said: “The current administration should blame itself should anything untoward happen to our democracy, because the willful disobedience of the Courts by the President and the Security agencies under the Presidency is an invitation to anarchy and chaos because democracy can only thrive in atmospheres of respect for the Rule of law, Respect for the Fundamental rights of all citizens and absolute compliance to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria of 1999 (as amended).

“Why is the Presidency continuing in the gross violations of lawful orders of the Courts and at the same time urging Nigerians to defend democracy in the case of a military incursions into the democratic government?

“This administration must be told that the wilful disobedience of the Courts is a breach of the Constitution which is as bad as military overthrow of constituted democratic order,” he said.

Enenche said the clarification was necessary following recent statement credited to Army about relationship between some civilians and army personnel.

He explained that professionally, it is a command responsibility to caution officers and men on routine basis to conform to the ethics of the military in all ramifications, which includes interactions and exchange of visits among others.

This command responsibility is exercised right from the high-

est echelon such as the office of the Service Chiefs down to the lowest levels of command. Hence, the caution from the Army in this case.

Secondly, administratively, officers and men are regularly cautioned to exercise command and control by Appropriate Superior Authorities through commanders at various levels. This is to prevent members of the armed forces from derailing from their core focus of total dedication to their oath of allegiance. Thus, it is a usual practice in military administration, he added.

“However, it is pertinent to state that, if there are signs of actions that point to likely breaches of military code of conduct as it were, cautions or warnings are issued with possible investigations following. Thus, in the present situation, the Armed Forces and the Army in particular has employed the due process to ensure that officers and men remain committed to performing their constitutional roles. As such, the mention of coup plots from some quarters are assertions which are not confirmed,” Enenche said.

Mr. Peter Owoade and his wife, Adeola with the baby boy delivered to their family through In vitro fertilization (IVF) after 20 years of marriage, in Ibadan… on Wednesday.

We have done well –APC Govs Tom Okpe Abuja

ÏÏÏ Ahead of

the two year anniversary of the current administration on May 29, 2017, Governors elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) havegiven the APC government in the country a pass mark, saying “we have done well” despite the absence of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The Governors rising from their monthly meeting at the party secretariat in Abuja on Wednesday spoke to the press through the Governor of Plateau State, Simon Lalong, said: “We ended a very successful meeting in continuation of our agreement at the last meeting that we will be meeting every month with the party’s leadership. Today is one of those meeting and we will have another one next month.

“The issue of the national convention was raised and we had even taken a decision on it at the last meeting but unfortunately the President is not here as the leader of the party. What we agreed was since we have an acting president, the team which was supposed to meet with the President with sug-

gested date; we now agreed that the same process should start again with the acting president.

“This is a convention which is constitutional and the leader of the party must also be at the convention. At the time, we agreed to meet with the President on the issue; unfortunately the president had to travel out. Since the approach was first to the President, we all agreed to meet with the acting president with the same process to agree on a date for the convention”.

On the party’s achievement so far, Lalong said: “There were issues like that but as you can see from this meeting, everyone is smiling. The party is smiling.

Those challenges have been taken over by events; that is why I am telling you that we are taking things serious now and we are meeting on a monthly basis. Issues like that are no longer issues.

Speaking on reconciliation where there were crisis, the Governor pointed that reports were received at the meeting that issues of minor disagreement in some states were received and emissaries’ sent there. The parties were invited and the issues settled.

In his earlier remarks, the National Chairman of the party,

Chief John Odigie Oyegun, said he is happy at the resolution of the APC Governors to be meeting monthly with the National Working Committee as the result is numerous already though this is the second meeting.

“I want to say that I am so happy that we have met twice and we are seeing the effects, very positive, very salutary effects are beginning to manifest in the party.

“The numbers, with which we turned out alone, is thus, an encouragement to members of the National Working Committee and I thank you for your commitment. Since we started, a lot of things are happening; I have invitations all over now to come for commissioning of projects.

“I had a wonderful experience in Zamfara State where I had distinct privilege of commissioning very two magnificent water projects with facilities to reticulate, redistribute water to over 6,000 km of pipelines. I said I am especially happy because their effect on the lives of people is obvious.

“It made me to see that our Governors are in fact, embarking on projects that touch the ordinary man and woman and made them feel that they have benefited from the APC government.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

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Editorial Youth unemployment and Graduate Entrepreneurship

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ecently, the Bank of Industry (BOI) set aside N2billion Graduate Entrepreneurship Fund (GEF) for graduates in need of securing loan facility for their businesses. The scheme, which is being implemented with the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), will identify the innate talents of young graduates to enable them build capacities for selfreliance and create jobs for themselves and others. Definitely, this is a welcome initiative, especially when it is meant to inculcate the culture of self-reliance in our youths and wean them from the perpetual search for non-existing white collar jobs after graduation.

There is no denying that Nigeria has one of the highest youth unemployment in the world and the figure continues to rise with no appreciable efforts by all tiers of governments and other stakeholders to ameliorate the situation. According to the Bureau of Statistics (BOS), the current youth unemployment in the country is 70 percent. This means that 70 million of youth population out of 100 million is unemployed.

The percentage is even more alarming among those with higher educational qualifications. It is fact that more than two million graduates enter the labour market every year with extremely limited opportunities for job. Given this dire statistics, it is imperative that the authorities make youth employment a priority through measures like the one being championed by the BOI. High youth unemployment has negative effect on the country’s development agenda. For example, it is responsible for terrorism, political unrest, economic instability, drug abuse, human trafficking and kidnapping. Sadly, unemployed youth lose their self-esteem and this is known to have negative effect on their families and the overall national productivity and contribution to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Moreover, jobless graduates are always feeling insig-

Publisher/Editor in Chief Group Managing Director Noel Anosike

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nificant and believe they are ostracised from the rest of the society and more so regarded as parasites by other people.

If government needed to know the gravity of the nation’s graduate unemployment, the trampling of job seekers to death during stampedes at the last Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) recruitment drive across the country, presents a graphic picture of the problem. That incident, tells us that something needed to be done urgently to address the scourge of youth unemployment in Nigeria. As a government agency, we also call on the BOI to liaise with some private sector organisations in the training of unemployed graduates for skill acquisition.

This they can do through taking responsibility for the payment of their stipends while the training lasts. We are advocating this because a large percentage of graduates do not have the financial wherewithal to sponsor themselves through skill acquisition programmes, especially those lacking the capacity to venture into businesses requiring technical and professional skills. This is why we are commending the NYSC Skill Acquisition and Entrepreneurship Development (SAED) Department, including the BOI partner Entrepreneurship Development Centres across the six geopolitical zones for their efforts in developing the capacity of NYSC members by de-risking them and making available business loans after completion of their programme.

However, graduate unemployment demands more pragmatic actions from both governments and the private sector. However, it falls on all tiers of government to initiate such work-friendly policies that would encourage the private sector to buy into the programme.

They should do this through tax reduction for businesses that undertake the training of unemployed graduates. By so doing, the government would have helped solve the scourge of unemployment and poverty among the youth

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Governor of Osun State, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, with shovel (l); his deputy, Otunba Titi-Laoye Tomori; Chairman of Osun State Broadcasting Corporation (OSBC), Hon. Kola Akanji, during the planting of 60 seedling of trees by OSBC in commemoration of Aregbesola’s birthday ceremony at the OSBC premises, Osogbo… on Wednesday.

Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi (r), with the former Governor, Sam Egwu, during the inspection tour of the Amasiri-Okposi-Uburu Road project … on Tuesday.

Words On Marble :

– Fidelis Anosike

Technical Adviser To Publisher Innocent Nwankwo 08033072614

L-R: National Caretaker Committee Chairman of PDP, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, his wife, Justice Eberechi Suzzette and former President, Goodluck Jonathan, during the Rivers Golden Jubilee Anniversary Lecture in Port Harcourt … on Wednesday.

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STATEMENTS BY THOSE WHO MATTER

Muhammad Ali

Kanayo O Kanayo

Nelson Mandela

“It isn’t the mountains ahead to climb that wear you out; it’s the pebble in your shoe.”

“You don’t have to be great to start but you have to start to be great.”

“The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.”

News 14

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25 2017

Lagos@50: Evander Holyfield donates $3m health equipment to LASG Ï6Ɔô ƏƆ ƐƆ Ɛ Ƌƈƒƈ Ƅ ƔƆƏè ƕ ƒƆƏ Ə

Benjamin Omoike,

ÏÏÏBudget

and National Planning Minister, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, told the Kano state government on Tuesday that Nigerians would like to see the state return to its former status as a major industrial and commercial hub in the country.

Former world heavyweight boxing champion, Evander Holyfield, has donated medical equipment worth $3 million to the Lagos state government.

The boxing legend, made the donation on Wednesday at the Lagos House, Ikeja, where he paid a courtesy visit to the governor in commemoration of the celebration of Lagos@50. He said he was in Nigeria to give back to the society, having achieved so much in life, especially in boxing.

While recalling how he started boxing at the young age of eight and became champion at nine, Holyfield said he felt like quitting after initially suffering defeats but his mother told him to hang on.

“I became the person I am because I listened, I followed direction and I did not quit even when I lost. In giving back to the society, I am here to say I got a Real Deal Promotion. We are looking for young fighters who want to listen and follow instruction.

“This is about giving back to the society. I want kids to learn from me, how I became four times heavyweight champion,” Holyfield said.

Holyfield, who is billed to slug it out with former Lagos state governor and National Leader of All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, at an exhibition boxing match, is in Lagos as part of activities marking the

Golden Jubilee Anniversary of the State, and to also give back to the society through his foundation.

The boxer’s kind gesture was highly commended by governor Akinwunmi Ambode, who urged other sports legends and individuals to emulate such. He lauded the achievements of the former World Cruiserweight and Heavyweight Boxing Champion, describing him as the greatest living boxer of all times.

He said he was personally proud of the achievements of the legend in the boxing field, and described him as a great role model.

The Governor, who described the visit of the boxing legend to Lagos as historic, said there was no better way to showcase sports as catalyst for growth than the collaboration of such an icon as Holyfield.

“This is an exciting and historic moment for us coming at a time Lagos is celebrating the 50 years of its establishment and we want to say a big thank you to Holyfield for collaborating with us to put this as part of events marking the Golden Jubilee anniversary of Lagos state.

“We believe strongly that in all sectors that we have tried to celebrate Lagos, this is one momentous topic that we really mean to celebrate. As a government, we have always wanted to use sports as a way of driving our economy and there is no way we can showcase sports as the catalyst for economic growth than bringing somebody who is a champion; a revered person and for him to use his God-given talent and resources to promote sports in our state,” he said.

Kogi plants 1m trees to mark World Environmental Day, seeks support of media Idris Ahmed, Lokoja Determined to combat environmental degradation and indiscriminate felling of trees, the Kogi state government said it is committed to planting one million trees across the state to mark this year’s world environment day.

The state Commissioner for Environment and Natural Resources, Mrs. Rosemary Osikoya, urged the media organisations operating in the state to intensify its support for the state’s awareness campaign on afforestation, sanitation and waste management.

Mrs. Osikoya, made the call on Tuesday during a courtesy visit to the state chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Alhaji Momoh Jimoh Adeiza, in his office in Lokoja.

Osikoya said that the visit had become imperative because media remains a critical stakeholder to the ministry of environment as it touches the life of everybody and affect people in one way or the other.

“If human activities are the rea-

sons that we are facing a lot of challenges, then we will need to talk to human beings and not ghosts on the need to change their attitudes to life.

“One major way to achieve this is through the support of the media; and that is why media is very critical to us as a ministry.”

The commissioner explained that government has a responsibility to provide framework and policies that are needed, but the people who are being led have the responsibility for good followership to obey the law.

“For us to achieve this, it is important to carry the media alongside to mobilise people across the state to maintain clean environments and active participation in the monthly environmental sanitation.”

She noted that individual’s responsibility for sanitation and waste management is enshrined in the laws and health education, sensitisation and communication are essential and therefore solicited the support of NUJ

Drivers, artisans protest against fuel scarcity in Ekiti Ï9 ƑƆ ƑƋƐƈƌ ƐƑƌ Ɛ ƈƋ ƗƆ ƋƆƏ è ƅƅƑ Ɔ ƌ ƏƊƆƐƆƏ Ƈ ƍ ƏƐƈ ƈƍ Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

ÏÏÏ

As the fuel scarcity lingers in Ekiti state following the indefinite strike declared by oil marketers, the amalgamation of transport unions, on Wednesday trooped to the streets to stage a protest, accusing the dealers of being sponsored by the opposition.

The protesters also issued 24 hours ultimatum to the seemingly uncompromising oil dealers to return to work or face the wrath of Ekiti people whom they said were badly affected by the halt of fuel supply to the state.

Fuel marketers in the state had since Monday last week stopped selling fuel to motorists

in compliance with the directives of the leadership of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN), National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) and Petrol Tanker Drivers (PTD), which ordered their members in Ekiti to stop bringing the product to the state.

The marketers embarked on indefinite strike over what they described as open victimization of members by Governor Ayodele Fayose.

The drivers and artisans, who marched from Fajuyi area via Ojumose to old garage, claimed that they were the worst hit by the fuel stations’ closure, appealing to the recalcitrant oil marketers to refrain from being used by the opposition against

Governor Ayodele Fayose.

They were led by the chairmen of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Clement Adekola and his counterpart in Lorry and Pick-up Transport Association of Nigeria, Adekunle Atowoju.

Adekola said: “We are for peace in Ekiti and the only way to sustain peace is for all of us to work with the government of the day. Let the oil marketers dialogue with government and if they can’t do it alone, they should contact other unions for speedy arbitration.

“The drivers and artisans are badly affected. Even most worrisome was the way the police had been maltreating our members who used to buy fuel from Ondo, Osun and Kogi states.

L-R: National Commissioner, Independence Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Antonia Okoosi-Simbine; INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu and another National Commissioner, Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu, during the INEC Chairman’s meeting with the Senate Committee on INEC, on the on-going Continuous Voter Registration, at the National Assembly in Abuja… on Tuesday.

NUPENG order closure of filling stations over levy Edem Edem, Calabar

ÏÏÏ

The Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas (NUPENG) has called out its members on industrial action and enforcing the closure of all filling stations in Cross River state. The group said the action was not unconnected with levy imposed on them by the state government. “We are embarking on the strike over the N12, 800 levy imposed on us by the state government,” a source told our correspondent in Calabar on Wednesday.

The group said the levy was a new way of destabilizing the economy, social and political activities in the state. More importantly, the group noted, was to extort money from the union and rendered them useless. The state government our source revealed tagged the levy, a develop-

mental and road maintenance levy.

The disruption and stoppage of sale of petroleum products brought about untold hardship on the residents who could not buy fuel and are force to trek several kilometres to their destinations. From our findings, each petroleum tanker was charged N12, 800 before lifting from and ply the road of Calabar.

At the time of filling this report, all the filling stations in Calabar were cl osed down and NUPENG enforcement workers were seen monitoring the order.

People are stranded in the entire city, due to the unavailability of vehicles to convey them to and fro their destinations. “As I am talking to you, all tanker drivers are poised with no movement and all petroleum and petroleum products filling stations are closed in Calabar,” NUPENG

official who pleaded for anonymity said.

Sadly, the transport fares within the city of Calabar, the state capital has gone up between 300 and 500 percent. A drop that was usually N50 has gone up to between N100 and N200 depending on the distance while fuel in the black market goes for N300 to N500 a litre.

Meanwhile, the state chapter of the Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria (PMAN) has also called out members on strike, it was gathered.

However, another source hinted our correspondent that the situation was a face-off between PMAN and the state government with the union directing fuel stations to shut down until certain issues, including multiple taxation and harassment of staff by ‘thugs’ and ‘agents’ employed by government, are addressed.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25 2017

15 News

Monarch urges Buhari to put more funds in Agriculture, solid mineral sectors Tom Garba, Yola

L-R: Conflict Transformation Expect, Dayo Kasu; Senior Legal Officer Africa Programme, Chidi Anselm Odinkalu and Executive Director, Africa Vision 525 Initiative, Okello Oculi, during the 8th memorial lecture of Dr. Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem, Themed: Democracy in Africa: Trends And Challenges in Abuja… on Wednesday.

PHOTO: TEMITOPE BALOGUN.

Lamido’s trial: Justice Quadri reserves ruling Andrew Orolua, Abuja

ÏÏÏ

Justice Babatunde Quadri of the Federal High Court Abuja on Wednesday reserved ruling till July 7 on the application seeking to transfer the criminal trial of former Governor of Jigawa State, Sule Lamido, to Justice Adeniyi Ademola, who initially was handling the case before he went on suspension.

Although, Justice Adeniyi Ademola’s suspension is yet to be lifted, Lamido alongside his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, and one Aminu Wada Abubakar who are facing 28-count charge for alleged N1.35bn kickback from state government contractors are insisting the trial should be remitted back to the judge.

However, their application for transfer is vehemently opposed by the prosecuting agency the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on the ground that the transfer would raise suspicion and erode confidence in the court on the fact that Justice Ademola, his wife and the defendant lawyer, Joe Agi (SAN), were jointly arraigned for corruption related charges and acquitted by an FCT High Court.

Joe Agi (SAN), the lead defendants lawyer had at the last sitting filed the application asking for an order transfer-

ring the case file back to Justice Ademola, adding the matter has gone far to be taken over by another judge.

He also sought speedy trial and disposal of the case.

When the case resumed Wednesday, counsel to Lamido, Offiong Offiong, holding brief for Agi, stated that after calling 18 witnesses, it was too late in the day to begin the matter afresh.

He said the Chief Judge of Federal High Court acted in ultra vires to have transferred the case to another Judge especially when Ademola was about giving judgment before his suspension.

According to Offiong: “The Chief Judge action was administrative, which is subject to the Constitution and court pronouncements.

“The power of Chief Judge to transfer case are specific as contains in the High Court Act and Administration of Criminal Justice Act in Section 98 (2), and when it comes to precedence the specific overrides the general,” he submitted.

He continued: “My submission is that he acted ultra vires in not keeping within the bound of his power and the act is invalid.

“The manner the case has been brought to your Lordship is invalid.

He argued further that the Chief Judge in transferring a case must keep

within power limiting him as contains in the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, saying “he does not have power to act outside the statues.

“Section 98 (3, 4) of Administration of Criminal Justice Act, set provisions if the Chief Judge is to transfer a case.

It states that there has to be a petition against a Judge and a panel set up to look into it and after reviewing the petition the Chief Judge can now act on that and in this case there was no such petition.”

Arguing on the issue of likely bias, Offiong said it cannot hold water, especially when the applicants were not members of same community or club with Ademola.

“Our contention is that the Chief Judge didn’t properly transfer the case and so this court does not have power to continue with the case.”

Offiong asked rhetorically, “When a judge has been tried and acquitted does it mean that he cannot hear a case relating to his friend again”.

The prosecuting counsel, Chile Okoroma, countered that, saying though the court discharged and acquitted Ademola and Agi, it did not make order that Ademola should go back as Judge.

Girl child education stressed as school marks 65th Founder’s Day Esther Taiwo

ÏÏÏ

The importance of educating the girl-child has once again been stressed as one of the ways to move the country forward.

Management of Reagan Memorial Baptist Girls Secondary School, Lagos, one of the leading schools for girls in Nigeria and owned by the Nigerian Baptist Convention, has stressed that the role of women in na-

tion building cannot be overemphasized.

As the school prepares to celebrate its 65th Founder’s Day anniversary, president of Reagan Old Girls Association (ROGA), Mrs. Oyinkansola Cole, said the school has a rich heritage of sharing, bounding and celebrating in love adding that this emanates from its motto which is ‘Love One Another.’

Noting that the theme for this year’s commemoration is ‘Love Will Keep Us Together,’ she said

that the association has assiduously taken over some projects within the school to make significant difference to future generations of the Reagan girls.

The week long event, which kicked started with a health talk on Monday, and career talk, prize giving and a novelty football match in subsequent days, would be rounding off this Sunday May 28, 2017 with the grand finale that would feature a thanksgiving service at Yaba Baptist Church.

ÏÏÏA traditional ruler in Adamawa state, Chief Feny Fwa, has urged the federal government to allocate more funds to the agricultural and solid mineral sectors as measures to attain economic growth.

Fwa, who is the acting First Class Chief for the Mbula people of Demsa stressed the need for the country to invest more in those sectors to achieve diversification of the nation’s economy.

He encouraged the president to maintain his stand on economic diversification, adding that improving agricultural production would reduce poverty and unemployment. ``We appreciate our president for this economic diversification especially in the area of agriculture and solid minerals. ``I can only encourage the federal government to direct more funds into these two sectors which is solid minerals and agriculture which can increase our economic growth. ``It is obvious that the two sectors have potentials to reduce poverty and unemployment and we are encouraging the president not to relent on these drive. ``Our farmers are in need of farm inputs especially fertilizers and even processing plants that

can engender value chain. ``The government must be willing to increase budgetary provision to agriculture and solid minerals because they are critical to the nation’s economic diversification and growth. ``We therefore expect a robust budget in these critical areas with the view to getting quick results that can reflect on the lives of our citizens,’ Fwa said.

The paramount ruler also advised the president to reduce the cost of governance, adding that the cost of governance was too high.

He said that the cost of governance had militated against investments that would have impacted more on the lives of Nigerians.

He urged President Buhari to liaise with the national assembly to reduce the cost of governance, so as to save funds for investment in sectors that would upgrade the quality of life of many Nigerians. ``We have being allocating huge resources to some unnecessary over heads leaving some important areas which have potentials to affect the lives of Nigerians positively underfunded. ``I can advice the President to seat down with the national assembly and narrow fiscal expenditures to ventures that can improve the quality of life of many Nigerians,’ Fwa said.

Professionalism will bring innovation to public service, says Ekiti HOS

*Receives report on sites for commercial purpose Gbenga Sodeinde, Ado Ekiti

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The Head of Service (HOS) of Ekiti state, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, has said that a shift from administration-dominated to professionalism-driven public service will bring about new ideas that would be used to run the “old public service system to conform to international best practice.”

He said this while receiving the president of the Nigerian Institute of Public Relations (NIPR) Dr. Rotimi Oladele, who paid him a courtesy call in Ado Ekiti, the state capital on Tuesday.

Dr. Faseluka, who stressed that the public service runs on rules and precedence, noted that the system is also open to innovations that could benefit the Public Service especially in the area of service delivery.

He expressed the readiness of the state governement to synergize with professional bodies that could add value to the public service of the state, adding that there is need to enhance the competence of new entrants into the service with professional courses that are relevant to the scheme of service.

Earlier in his remarks, the president of the Institute, Dr. Oladele had identified the need for the three tiers of government to pa-

tronize professionals, saying this would enhance effectiveness and efficiency in the public service.

Oladele, who lamented the mismanagement of the information system, said there should be feedback from citizens on the policies and performances of government. This, he said, would help benchmark government’s performances using the people’s yardstick.

In another development, the Head of Service, has received the report of the committee on Approval of Sites for Commercial Purposes.

Receiving the report, Dr. Faseluka commended the committee members for their patriotic effort at ensuring a rapid development of the state.

He called the attention of the committee to a master plan for the development of the state which he said would guide both government and citizenry in the area of economic and infrastructural development.

Faseluka called on public servants who are entrusted with power to actualize government’s policies not to lead the society into error; stressing that they must make good use of their offices for actualizing effective service delivery.

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Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

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Synagogue: A day with Pastor T. B. Joshua Pastor Temitope Joshua, is a renowned man of God, who has continued to touch lives across the world, especially through healings and humanitarian services, among his numerous God-given endowments, writes Femi Ganiyu, Ismaila Oguntade, Peter Fowoyo and Joy Anyim The Synagogue Church of All Nations, SCOAN, where Pastor Temitope Joshua, holds his court as the General Overseer, does not need any introduction.

Every day, particularly on Sundays, thousands of the church’s faithful from across the country and beyond, thronged the acres-long church, located at Ikotun, Ikotun Local Council Development Area, LCDA, Lagos State, not only to supplicate to God, but also to worship with and adore the man, who is popularly called, Pastor T.B. Joshua.

Last Sunday, May 21, was not different. This is because, as early as 7am, the expansive and high architectural masterpiece’s church has been filled to the brim by worshippers.

Scores of Nigerians, other Africans from Uganda, Ghana, Botswana, South Africa, Cameroun; Europeans; Asians, including Indians; and other people of the world, worshipped at the church, which was spiced with the state-of-the earth musical instruments, lightings, rendition of music by the choir, and, indeed, deafening singing and dancing by the faithful.

The service’s duration, which crept late into the night on that day, was really a day to remember, as several people with different ailments, got healed by the Pastor, just as others gave emotional testimonies about their healings and experiences.

Interestingly Pastor Joshua, who came into the Cathedral at 3.39 pm, took his first reading from 1 Timothy Chapter 1 to the end of that chapter, but with specific focus on verse 12; told the congregation to ‘learn a lot’ from it.

Sounding philosophical, and with the Bible in his left hand, he said, “God cannot use a discouraged servant”; adding that, “no matter how uneasy your life appears to be, stay steady!”

As his faithful erupted in loud jubilation in acknowledgment of his prophetic teachings, Joshua said again: “When your situation reminds you of God, know that your promotion

T.B. Joshua

is coming!”

Again, the man of God said he has changed his old style of reading from the Bible or laptops, but now to teaching his servants, the words of God, pointing out that, “As you can see, I talk to you from my heart.

My ‘enemies’ know that if there is any rumour about me, then, I’m promoted.”

Miracles Amidst praises: ‘I’m healed, thank you Prophet Joshua,’ by scores of those who had received Divine healings and miracles, Prophet Joshua was not even one to be swollen-headed; he, in fact, waved off any monetary inducement by the people he had healed, and declared instead, that, “The issue of money is nonsense; because, the healings are from God, and they are free. It is not even right for me to heal people and tie them down here in the Synagogue.

Go back to your church, if you like.”

Interestingly, The Daily Times gathered that Pastor TB. Joshua had, a week earlier, healed several people who had come to seek spiritual solutions to their ailments. They included victims of cancer, arthritis, paralysis; menstrual flow disorders; fibroid; veins seizures; visual impairments, etc., from across the world.

Also, they had individually, given testimonies about their experiences and how they had been healed by the Prophet in-

cluding getting healed by merely ‘watching’ the Pastor on his Emmanuel Television, or by just ‘touching’ it.

Among those who had received healings of various kinds from the Pastor included, 26-year-old Miss. Ntabeleng Ramoeli, from Lesotho, who had lived with muscle disorders, seizures of her veins; for 14 years. The young lady had said, though agonizingly, how orthodox medicine had failed her before her recourse to the Synagogue where she was healed by the Prophet, amidst praises and dancing by the church faithful and her relations.

Others, like, Mrs. Mpho Mantle; Mrs. Caroline Nwaneri, Chief Progress, who had a bullet lodged in his brain removed; Miss Ikogosi Rita, a former prostitute, based in Europe; and Rebecca Rhoda, 42, a South African, who suffered from bedwetting for 37 years, all of whom had sweet tales to tell not only their families, friends, but the entire world, as it is traditionally beamed on Emmanuel TV. Humanitarian services/ education While decrying poverty as inimical to Nigeria’s, nay, African development and global peace, Pastor Joshua also enjoined African leaders, including men and women of God, not to consign themselves and their countries to permanent begging from Europe and other developed countries.

Rather, he counselled that Africa should also give back out of their own local resources like, oil and manpower, to the West, in a reciprocal way.

To underscore his concern about the plight of the poor, Pastor Joshua and SCOAN recently travelled to a remote village in Quito, capital Ecuador, which was challenges last year by an earthquake.

Pastor Joshua said he was received by Army Generals in that country, who had acknowledged his philanthropic support for the people of that region and humanity in general.

Indeed, the video clips of SCOAN’s humanitarian services in Ecuador, were shown to the congregation; indicating the donation of the state-ofthe art primary and secondary schools’ complexes, with modern facilities, like furniture and boards, by Pastor Joshua to the community.

The clips also showed how, the Pastor, together with his team and their host, waded through many challenges, including trekking on rugged terrains and meandering through thick forests in that Central American country, even amidst weak limbs, to reach and return from the site of the school, where the ecstatic students and teachers applauded the man of God for his kind gesture in developing education and manpower resources for the country and the world.

For this example, Joshua said he was getting fulfilled, more mature and was ready to do similar gestures in all the seven continents of the world.

He said out of the little he has, he would continue to give the needy freely; and asked the congregation to repeat after him: ‘I refuse to live in poverty’.

The faithful responded thunderously, clapping, dancing and singing!

Corruption Pastor Joshua also had bitter words for corrupt people.

According to him, rich people should help the poor instead of starching their monies in foreign banks. He said that Nigerians, particularly the affluent ones, should go back to their villages and help the poor, rather than flaunting their wealth in the cities, and acquiring mansions, exotic vehicles, etc.

He said part of the cause of corruption in Nigeria was the sale of crude oil in return for foreign currencies like, the American Dollars, Pound Sterling, the Yen, among others.

Rather, he said, the country could exchange such oil with foreign technical manpower, critical infrastructure and deemphasis money in return for such transactions.

Amidst deafening choruses, the man of God also took time to again, heal people. They included, Mrs. Ibiso Talbot, the wife of the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Water Resources, Mr. Talbot, who was healed of arthritis; a soldier with broken leg; and several others, who went home happy. It was indeed, one of the rare moments to savour in this great church, where signs and wonders have become common its features and global acknowledgements.

And, as the scorching sun outside the church gradually paved way to dawn, members of the church did not show any sign that they were in any hurry to leave; they continued with their dancing, singing; and listening to the teachings and sermons of the one they so adored, Pastor TB Joshua.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

19 Crime

Arms smuggling: Experts warn of dangers ahead Joy Anyim Following the discovery of a catche of arms imported into the country by the eagle-eyed officers and men of the Nigerian Customs Servive, NCS, experts have cautioned security agencies to be more vigilant and prevent unauthorised weapons from coming into the country, given its security implications, like increase in crimes.

This, is especially so, as, there seems to be no end to crime, insurgency and other arms-related vices in the country, as the proliferation of arms continues to bedevil the country with the unauthorized importation and smuggling of various rifles through the land borders and even the sea ports.

Several attempts have been made by the various security apparati in the country, as well as, other government agencies, to ensure that unlawful importation of arms, which has caused more harm than good,is completely eradicated.

Experts have identified that the declaration of war on the illegal importation of arms is one of the ways of putting a stop or reducing drastically, crimes and insurgency.

One of such moves to fight crime paid off, recently, following the revelation by the Comptroller General of Customs, Col Hameed Ibrahim (Rtd), who on January 30th 2017, disclosed that upon discreet investigations, officials from the Federal Operations Unit Zone A Ikeja; had intercepted a container with 661 pieces of pump action rifles that had come in through the Apapa ports form China, and was falsely declared as doors and other household items by the importer, but which was intercepted along the Mile 2/ Oshodi express way in January by the Customs.

Exactly 112 days after, the Nigerian Customs Service, Tincan Island Ports, made another seizure, as the Area Controller, Comptroller Bashar Yusuf, disclosed that a 40- footer con-

Oguntade Ismaila Detectives from the FESTAC Police Division, Lagos State, have been commended for their uprightness in rejecting four hundred and fifty thousand Naira bribe from an alleged suspect.

The businesswoman, Mrs. Fatimo Alabi, who is in her early forties, has narrated how she had offered a police detectives officer, Inspector Peter Anyansi, from Festac Division, Area E of the Lagos State command, the money, when the police intercepted a truck load of cashew nut meant for export by the criminals, valued at N13.7 million.

Mrs. Fatimo Alabi, the buyer of the goods, hails from Ibadan,

xxxxxx

tainer, with 440 pieces of various rifles, had been intercepted.

As expected, the rifles which, were en route Nigeria from Turkey, were perfectly concealed in the container, which was falsely declared by the importer as Antisera and Cannule (chemical formular). Luck, however, ran out on the importer,already identified, when intelligence report had filtered into ears of Comptroller Bashar, who immediately called for the segregation and subsequent physical examination of the container by the enforcement unit.

Giving a breakdown of the consigment, the Area Comptroller said there were; 100 pieces of black Tornado single barrel rifle, 75 pieces of silver magnum single barrel rifles, 50 pieces of alter pump action rifle, 225 pieces of black single barrel rifles, 164 pieces of rifle nizzle, 103 pieces of arms grips, 110 pieces of trigger, 113 pieces of arm guard, 107 pieces of bridge block, 122 pieces of Allen keys, 117 pieces of Assemble butt and 516, 50kg bags of POP cement.

The Assistant Controller General of NCS Zone A, Monday Abueh, who represented the Controller-General of Customs during a press briefing at Tincan Island Port, where the revelation was made, said one person had

been arrested in connection with the import.

He said: “These are pump action of various designs. Based on intelligence report of the Tin Can Island Customs under Controller Bashir Yussuf, he was able to make use of the intelligence report made available to him; and the container was identified and intercepted. There is no question of any officer releasing container here, it was intercepted even before its declaration.

According to him,“We discovered that they used POP powder to conceal it in order to beat the customs checks.

We have one defendant, but for the purpose of indemnity, we don’t intend to detain him for long because of security reason. As of the consignee, we are still keeping it under wraps because investigations is still ongoing.

We have about 440 pieces coming from Turkey.”

Abueh emphasised that investigations were ongoing; and that Customs would do all it takes to ensure that those found capable are prosecuted.

Speaking further on the seizures, Comptroller Bashar said that, apart from the 440 pieces of pump action magnum brand, other accessories of the guns were found in the container; and we’re basically manufactured in the United States of America, USA

and Italy.

He said, “We have other accessories in this container, several parts dismantled, but definitely to be reassembled (CKD). Investigations would go deeper so as to know where the factory for arms’ assemblage is located in Nigeria. Generally, anytime we have interceptions like this, it requires a lot of intelligence and profiling of importers. The 21st century calls for that, you don’t have to wait for things to start happening before you start working.”

He said, “POP is a very safe item to conceal weapons because, it is not injurious to anyone. It is mainly used after effect of building, it is an attempt to distract the customs attention, but whatever anyone might use, would attract our attention”.

Bashir had also stated that Nigerians have been saved from the hazards of the riffles. This, he said, may not be unconnected to the alarm raised by the Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai against any attempt by senior army officials to engage in coup.

In a statemnet by the chief Of Army Staff, and signed by the Army Spokesperson, Sani Usman, reads, “This is to inform the public that the Chief of Army Staff, Nigerian Army, has received information that some

individuals have been approaching some officers and soldiers from undisclosed political reasons. On theat basis, he has warned such persons to desist from these acts”.

Others also hold the opinion that some politicians may have started preparing for a blood battle ahead of the 2019 general elections.

However, the unfolding of these trends in the recent months call for more vigilance by officials of the NCS, whose responsibility is to checkmate all unauthorised importation.

The 661 pump action riffles that were earlier intercepted was done after the consignment had left the Apapa ports where some three Customs officials: Abdullahi I, Odiba Haruna Inah and Yala Babakiri Ibrahim, were said to have been part of the syndicate that helped in the successful movement of the consignment unnoticed.

However, experts say proper infrastructure also needs to be put in place, such as, modern scanning devices, to ease assessment of consignment; and also to detect speedily where there is suspicion.

According to the NCS’ spokesperson, Jerry Attah, the NCS would conduct detailed investigation in the matter; adding that all who were found culpable would have to face the wrath of the law.

Police lauded for rejecting N.4m bribe but lives in Ajegunle area of Lagos State; she was arrested along with four (4) other suspects at about 2.00 am on Wednesday, at a location popularly known as, no man’s land, on Oshodi Apapa Expressway, while trying to off load some of the items into another bus; and divert the truck to an unknown destination.

The other four suspect, names withheld, including the truck driver, had confessed to the police about their involvement in the crime.

The Daily Times investigation revealed that, while the negotia-

tion for the money was going on, the leader of the team, Inspector Peter Anyasi, who rejected the bribery offer, decided to contact the owner of the goods through the waybill found on them.

When the information got to Mr. Bunmi Onumekun, the owner of the goods, about the arrest, he was surprised, just as further information showed that the woman had attempted to increase the money to N450, 000. 00 to aid her being left off the hook, but which the police also rejected.

Mr. Bunmi Onumekun, who is the Chairman of Relly Maritime

Limited, on arrival at the police station, told the police that the goods were worth N13.7 million; and were for export to his foreign partners.

He told our correspondent that, the truck was diverted from Ikeja to Apapa, where Police on Patrol, intercepted the truck; and expressed shock over the sudden diversion.

He explains that throughout his 25 years of engaging in cashew business, an incident of this kind, had never happened to him; and thanked the police for doing a good job.

IGP Idris

20

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

KAZEEM SULAIMON SUPPORTING FOUNDATION THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, NO. 1 OF 1990.

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21 Public Notice KARYN ALAN YOUNG FOUNDATION FOR AFRICA

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SIGNED BY CHAIRMAN

SIGNED: TRUSTEES

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LOSS OF DOCUMENT

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COMMUNITY CARE GIVERS INITIATIVE

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1)ILIYA WOKBEN- CHAIRMAN 2)MORESU MAMANI BITRUS- SECRETARY 3)MARKUS. JOHN. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1)TO BRING ATTENTION OF VARIOUS STAKEHOLDERS ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF LESS PRIVILEGE AND DISABLED PERSONS IN THE SOCIETY. 2)TO PROVIDE A GOOD PLATFORM FOR EMPOWERMENT OF THE POOR AND VULNERABLE AS WELL AS PERSONS WITH DISABILITY. 3)TO PROVIDE MATERIALS AND MENTAL SUPPORT FOR BOTH DISABLE PERSONS AND THE LESS PRIVILEGE.

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THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ADEGBOYEGA OLUWASEYI. O 2. TAIWO SAMSON OLUREMILEKUN 3. IKUNIKA OLUMIDE TARY 4. ASHIMI OLAMILEKUN

CHAIRMAN GENERAL SECRE-

THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. TO HELP IN COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT .

2. TO ASPIRE YOUNGER GENERATION IN AREAS OF LEADERSHIP AND ENCOURAGE TO ACQUIRE SKILLS. 3. TO ORGANISE TRAININGS, CONFERENCES, PUBLIC LECTURES IN EDUCATING YOUTHS AND EMPOWERING THEM .

ANY OBJECTION TO THE REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRARGENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, P.M.B. 198, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN TWENTY-EIGHT (28) DAYS FROM THE DATE OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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SIGNED: SECRETARY

SIGNED: SECRETARY.

YOUNG FEMALE LEADERS OF NIGERIA

TRIUMPHANT CHRIST THE FOUNTAIN OF LIVING WATERS AND SOLUTIONS ASSEMBLY

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

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

COMFORT AND MERCY TO THE GULF OF GUINEA INITIATIVE

TRUSTEES: (1)NWACHUKWU CHIKA VERONICA (2)STELLA MARRIS OGBENYEALU AKHIONBARE (3)ZAINAB BABA AHMED (4)NWACHUKWU IJEOMA LYNDA AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. REACHING OUT TO WOMEN AND GIRLS AT DIFFERENT LIFE CHALLENGES AND TO PROMOTE INTERGENERATIONAL ORIENTATION. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: OGECHI OSUNWA. SECRETARY

BORNGREAT APOSTOLIC REFORMATION CENTER WORLDWIDE

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ITIVEH JONATHAN OGENEKOME - CHAIRMAN 2. FARQUAH ENEYI - SECRETARY 3. OMEKE KHIMA ISRAEL 4. DECKON MARTINS OLUSHOLA THE AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE : 1. TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST AND THE WORD OF GOD. 2. TO PROVIDE SYSTEMATIC STUDY OF THE BIBLE TO THOSE WHO DESIRE TO BE FED BY THE WORD OF GOD. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

GROWTH AFRICAN SOCIETY

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED INITIATIVE HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.ELVIS OSAMEDE IGBINOVIA 2.NEKPENEKPEN ELIZABETH IGBINOVIA 3.OMOLOLU AKINBOBOLA 4.TREASURE OMOLARA ANAYE 5.EMMANUEL JOSEPH IDIBIA THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO ENSURE SUSTAINABILITY AMONG MEMBERS OF THE INITIATIVE. ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED : SECRETARY

GREEN SAHEL TREE TRUST FOUNDATION

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THIS IS TO INFORM THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ABOVE NAMED HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION (CAC), ABUJA FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART ‘C’ OF COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.MARTINS BORNGREAT JOHNSON 2.NANCY BORNGREAT 3.SUNDAY ANIAZOKA 5.MARGARET MOM JOHNSON

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) PROMISE IHEANYICHUKWU EKPO - PRESIDENT (2) CYRIL OKEY UMEH - SECRETARY (3) LESIUS CHIKWEM IHEANACHOR (4) OKECHUKWU VINCENT MUO (5) IGNATIUS UZODINMA NWOKEAFOR

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1.TO PREACH THE GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE : 1. FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT.

THE AIM AND OBJECTIVE ARE : 1. TO PROVIDE HOPE FOR THE HOPELESS AND LESS PRIVILEGED.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR_GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIR COMMISSION, PLOT 420, TIGRIS CRESCENT , OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET , MAITAMA , ABUJA WITHIN 28DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ABDULRAHMAN IBRAHIM FARIS 2. DANLADI ZUBAIR - SECRETARY 3. KAKA KYARI MOHAMMED MONGUNO - CHAIRMAN. 4. BARR. EDWARD IHEOKHAN.

SIGNED : SECRETARY

SIGNED : PRESIDENT

SIGNED: D. A. MOMOH ESQ.

REDEEMED CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP, UNIVERSITY OF BENIN ALUMNI FOUNDATION

ADVOCATING CHRIST IN EDUCATION AND EXCELLENCE FOUNDATION

SANI DAUDA FOUNDATION

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. PAUL AJAYI ISUKU - CHAIRMAN 2. UWAILA ADAMS 3. ABAYOMI JOSEPH AFE 4. KAYODE-YUSUF VIVIAN NKIRUKA 5. KENNETH ERIKUME 6. SUNDAY ABENIMUN FAVOUR THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO PROMOTE CHRIST 2. TO ASSIST UNDERGRADUATES IN SCHOLARSHIP SCHEMES 3. TO PROVIDE GRANTS FOR GRADUATE MEMBERS OF THE FELLOWSHIP 4. TO PROVIDE MENTORING FOR GRADUATES AND UNDERGRADUATES OF THE FELLOWSHIP ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL OF CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION MAITAMA ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION SIGNED: CHARLES OKEIBUNOR- SECRETARY

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

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT A TRUSTEE OF THE ABOVE NAMED, HAS CHANGED HIS NAME:

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. AKINLEYE SOWUNMI - PRESDENT 2. CHUKWUKA MADUMELU - SECRETARY 3. OGIDIAMA OGHAREOGHENE 4 . ADESOLA AJAYI 5. OLUFEMI SAMUEL SOFELA

THE NEW NAME OF THE TRUSTEE IS: BALA SAIDU MOHAMMED

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THE TRUSTEE’S OLD NAME IS: SANI DALHATU MOHAMMED

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Public Notice 22

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

YOUNG FEMALE LEADERS OF NIGERIA

ASSOCIATION OF E-COMMERCE COMPANIES OF NIGERIA

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

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

TRUSTEES 1. NWANCHUKWU CHIKA VERONICA 2. STELLA MARRIS OGBENYEALU AKHIONBARE 3. ZAINAB BABA AHMED 4. NWACHUKWU IJEOMA LYNDA

TRUSTEES: 1. MISS JACKIE OMOTALADE 2. MR SAMMY NKANSAH 3. MRS ADEBOLA FALADE

AIM 1. REACHING OUT TO WOMEN AND GIRLS AT DIFFERENT LIFE CHALLENGES AND TO PROMOTE INTERGENERATIONAL ORIENTATION.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. TO ACT AS AN UMBRELLA FOR COMPANIES INVOLVED IN E- COMMERCE AND ALLIED SERVICES

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR GENERAL CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION.

SIGNED OGECHI OSUNWA

SIGNED SECRETARY

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT EGBO UCHENNA MARK AND EGBO UCHENNA NNANNA ARE ONE AND THE SAME PERSON ALL DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID

MRS CHUKWUNENYE JULIETH CHIZOBA

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS NWOGBO (NEE EJIKE) JULIETH CHIZOBA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS CHUKWUNENYE JULIETH CHIZOBA . ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

OLUFUNMILAYO ADEWUNMI BODUNRIN

PRINCE SUCCESS BEN

JOGUNOLA OLUWATOYIN OMOLOLA

MRS. FOLASHADE MARY OGUNSEMORE

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS BODUNRIN FUNMILAYO O. NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OLUFUNMILAYO ADEWUNMI BODUNRIN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC TAKE NOTE.

I FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESS AS PRINCE BEN MOHAMMED, NOW WISH TO BE CALLED AND ADDRESS AS PRINCE SUCCESS BEN, ALL FORMER DOCUMENTS REMAIN VALID GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known and addressed as JOGUNOLA OLUWATOYIN SHAKIRAT, Now wish to be known and addressed as JOGUNOLA OLUWATOYIN OMOLOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MRS. FOLASHADE MARY TOBUN, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. FOLASHADE MARY OGUNSEMORE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MISS OLULOWO ELIZABETH ADURAGBEMI

DECLARATION OF DATE OF BIRTH

ALLEN JOY ADE FAJUKE

MRS. AUGUSTINA MONDAY

TAIWO FOLAKEMI GLORY

KUPOLUYI MODUPE ONIKEPO

I, formerly known and addressed as AUGUSTINA OSEMWEGIE, Now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AUGUSTINA MONDAY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as TAIWO FOLAKEMI TAIBAT, Now wish to be known and addressed as TAIWO FOLAKEMI GLORY. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as AINA MODUPE ONIKEPO, Now wish to be known and addressed as KUPOLUYI MODUPE ONIKEPO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS FALOWO ELIZABETH ADURAGBEMI, Now wish to be known and addressed as MISS OLULOWO ELIZABETH ADURAGBEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, ADENIYI SAMSON ADEROPO; that I didn’t have access to my birth certificate that was the reason why I had been using 8th of March, 1981 but now I have it and my date of birth is 11th of June, 1980. That this declaration is now required for record purpose, all formal documents remain valid. General public should take note.

HARUNA RABIU JEMILAT

ENIFOLO PATIENCE SANDRA

OKEKE ROSELINE ONYINYE

TIJANI RASHIDAT GBOGBOLOMO

AHMED KAOSARA BISOLA.

I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULKADIRI JEMILAT, Now wish to be known and addressed as HARUNA RABIU JEMILAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ENIFOLO PATIENCE TOSIN, Now wish to be known and addressed as ENIFOLO PATIENCE SANDRA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MEBA ROSELINE ONYINYE, now wish to be known and addressed as OKEKE ROSELINE ONYINYE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as OLADIMEJI-TIJANI RASHIDAT OYEBOLANLE now wish to be known and addressed as TIJANI RASHIDAT GBOGBOLOMO. All former documents remain valid. General Public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ABDULHAMEED KAOSARAT BISHOLA and ABDULHAMID KAOSARA BISOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as AHMED KAOSARA BISOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

VICTORIA ABIKE IDOWU

MRS. MARY NNENNAYA IMOKO

OKORIE PEACE KENNEDY

RECONCILIATION OF NAME

ANAELE AUGUSTINA NKECHINYERE

ANUKAM ROSELINE NNENNA

I, formerly known and addressed as OKPAN PEACE EKE and OKORIE KENNEDY OKWUN, now wish to be Addressed as OKORIE PEACE KENNEDY. All former documents remain Valid. General public please Take Note.

This is to certify that the name OKOROAFOR ONWUGBARAWUKO, EMMANUEL ONWUGBARAMUKE and EMMANUEL OKOROAFOR ONWUGBARAMUKO refers to one and the same person which is myself. Now wish to be known and Addressed as EMMANUEL OKOROAFOR ONWUGBARAMUKO. All former documents Remain valid. First Bank and General public please Take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ANAELE AUGUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as ANAELE AUGUSTINA NKECHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ODIMARA ROSELINE NNENNA, now wish to be known and addressed as ANUKAM ROSELINE NNENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

MRS IFENKWEM AMARACHI GOODNESS CHIDIEBERE

UZUEGBUNAM CALEB

AGUONYIA UCHECHUKWU THERESA

EZEA CHIAMAKA CYNTHIA

I formerly known and addressed as VICTORIA ABIKE AFOLARIN, now wish to be known and addressed as VICTORIA ABIKE IDOWU. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS MARY NNENNAYA 0NWUGBARAMUKO, now wish to be Known and addressed as MRS. MARY NNENNAYA IMOKO. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

ROBERT OBIOMA HYGINUS

JACKIE SUNDAY AGNES

I, formerly known and addressed as ONWUCHURUBA OBIOMA HYGINUS, now wish to be known and addressed as ROBERT OBIOMA HYGINUS. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ALLEN JOY ADEGBOYEGA, Now wish to be known and addressed as ALLEN JOY ADE FAJUKE. All former documents remain valid. general public take note.

DAVID AKPOMIEMIE SAMUEL

I, formerly known and addressed as DAVID AKPOMIEMIE AMRAIFURE, now wish to be known and addressed as DAVID AKPOMIEMIE SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

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

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKENGWU GOODNESS CHIDIEBERE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS IFENKWEM AMARACHI GOODNESS CHIDIEBERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as UZUEGBUNAM OBINNA CALEB, now wish to be known and addressed as UZUEGBUNAM CALEB. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SOPURUCHUKWU UCHECHUKWU THERESA, now wish to be known and addressed as AGUONYIA UCHECHUKWU THERESA. All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as EZEA NDIDIAMAKA EUPHEMIA, now wish to be known and addressed as EZEA CHIAMAKA CYNTHIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME

ANTHONY ALOMORE

AJADI HAKEEM OLANREWAJU

ILOEGBUNE BASIL CHINEDU

OCHIAKA UZOMA VINCENT

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZE MARYROSE CHINEKENWA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OGBOZOR MARYROSE CHINEKENWA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

This is to inform the general public that my name ODO OBINNA DESMOND was wrongly written during BVN registration but now wish to be corrected and addressed asODOH OBINNA DESMOND All former documents remain valid.

Banks and General public should please take note.

I formerly known as OKODUWA DELE FRANCIS wish to be known and addressed as ANTHONY ALOMORE .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I formerly known as LAWAL AKEEM OLANREWAJU wish to be known and addressed as AJADI HAKEEM OLANREWAJU .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I formerly known as MBANEFOR BASIL wish to be known and addressed as ILOEGBUNE BASIL CHINEDU. All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

SALISU HABIBAT OMOLOLA

NDUKA IGUEHI MARY

ABIODUN MARIAM MOSHOOD

SAMUEL UDUMA UKOHA

OLADIPUPO OLUBUKOLA OLAMIDE

ADEMOLA TUNDE JOHN

I formerly known as Samuel Uduma wish to be known and addressed as Samuel Uduma Ukoha .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ALADE OLUBUKOLA OLAMIDE NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OLADIPUPO OLUBUKOLA OLAMIDE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. NIGERIA IMMIGRATION SERVICE & GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADENIYI ADENOLA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADEMOLA TUNDE JOHN. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE. ADVERT SPACE FOR SALE

MRS OGBOZOR MARYROSE CHINEKENWA

I formerly known as Jimoh Fatimoh Salisu wish to be known and addressed as Salisu Habibat Omolola .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I formerly known as Obokhare Iguehi Mary wish to be known and addressed as Nduka Iguehi Mary .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

I formerly known as ABIODUN MARIAM ADENIKE wish to be known and addressed as ABIODUN MARIAM MOSHOOD .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

TAJUDEEN NIMOTA AGBEKE

EZENNIA AUGUSTINA OGOCHUKWU

OLANIYI JAMES AYOOLA

UCHENNA NWANYIBUIFE OMATSEYE

That DAGUNRO KEHINDE ABOSEDE and MARTINS ENIOLA KEHINDE is the same and one person.

ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

Formerly known and addressed as Tajudeen Idera AGBEKE now wish to be known and addressed as Tajudeen Nimota Agbeke. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS IHEZUO AUGUSTINA OGOCHUKWU NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EZENNIA AUGUSTINA OGOCHUKWU. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS AKEE AYOADE OLUWASEUN NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OLANIYI JAMES AYOOLA. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS UCHENNA NWANYIBUIFE ACHIKEH NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS UCHENNA NWANYIBUIFE OMATSEYE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I formerly known as Okafor Uzoma wish to be known and addressed as Ochiaka Uzoma vincent .All former documents remain valid, general public please take note.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

RIGHT EVANGELISM MINISTRY

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

THE TRUSTEES ARE: (1) APOSTLE NELSON AKAISO ATTIH (2) OKON SAM ABIA (3) BLESSING NWAFOR (4) TEMITOPE IGBALAJOBI DADA (5) ETIMA SYLVANUS UMOREN AIMS AND OBJECTIVES. (1) To reach the unreached in the utmost part of the earth, with words of salvation.

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

23 Public Notice

RELIEF SUPPORT EMPOWERMENT CENTRE This is to inform the general public that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Acts of 1990.

Trustees are : 1. ISAAC OLUKAYODE OJO 2. ELIZABETH OYEBOLA AGBESANYA 3. ABEL ADEKOYA ARO AIMS: 1. To establish an organisation to be known as ‘’RELIEF SUPPORT EMPOWERMENT CENTRE’’.

2. To provide funds for the poor and less privileged to enable them improve their living conditions.

Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General, plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi street Mariana Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed: Trustees

The general public is hereby inform that the above named club has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990 THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. ONYEKA AFAM VALENTINE - Chairman 2. OFFOR PATRICK IFAYI - Vice Chairman 3. OBI RAPHAEL MANGKONG -General Seccretary 4. IKPEAMAEZE CHIDI - Financial Assistance 5. OKEZIE PAUL CHIBUZO - Assistance Secretary 6. KINGSLEY AGHANTI CHUKWUNDI - Treasurer 7. OKEWERE CHIDI -Welfare Officer 8. IMO KELECHI - Member 9. IGBOKWE NELSON OGUBIE - Member 10.AMUZIE UCHECHUKWU DONATUS - Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

OMOOBA BOLAJI LADIGBOLU FOUNDATION

EJIKE JERRY OGWUEGBU FOUNDATION

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

HELPING HANDS ORPHANAGE HOME The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

OGWUEGBU EJIKE JERRY 2.

OGWUEGBU SANDRA 3.

OGWUEGBU STEPHENS CHIGOZIZE DAVID AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1.

To Help the less Privileged 2.

To help the needy and contribute to the society Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registration-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1.

HILARY AUGUSTINE ENYIEKERE 2.

INI-PHILIP ENYIEKERE 3.

BEAUTY MICHAEL EKONG 4.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To help the motherless and indigent children Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registration-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

Signed:Chairman

Signed:Chairman

VISIONAL OBLIGATIONAL POWER CLUB The general public is hereby notified that the above named has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: -Ladigbolu Bolaji Sunday. Chairman -Kehinde Oluwafemi Kehinde. Secretary -Ladigbolu Victoria Olufunke. Member -Yahaya Adenike Bukola. Member

THE TRUSTEES ARE: . Chairman =Comrade Emmanuel Akanbi, Vice =Mr Babmus Rafiu, Secretary =Pastor Bayo Matthew Oyeniran, Treasure =Evang Olutayo Daniel, Financial Secretary =Mr Samuel Oduwole.

SIGNED SECRETARY

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 1. To offer scholarship to students in schools 2. To make fund donations to the less privileged in the society.

3. To do general works of charity.

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

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

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. Youth empowerment 2. Educational sponsorship for indigents and youths 3. Social and economic empowerment for rural communities Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registration-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mr. Hameed Kasumu - Chairman 2. Mrs. Alaba Kasumu - Vice Chairman 3. Mr. Abdul Jamal Kasumu

Signed: TRUSTEES

Signed: APOSTLE NELSON AKAISO ATTIH

OGBAKO NDI OYI WELFARE CLUB OF NIGERIA

HAMEED AND ALABA KASUMU FOUNDATION The general public is hereby inform that the above named Union has applied to Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act No 1 of 1990

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To help the less preivlage Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registration-General Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days of this publication. signed secretary

ANNOUNCEMENT! ANNOUNCEMENT!! ANNOUNCEMENT!!!

The Alumni Association, Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education Owerri will hold her 2017 Elections on Saturday, June 3, 2017.

Interested members should visit the Alumni Notice Board at its Shell Camp Secretariat Alvan Ikoku Federal College of Education, Owerri from May 25th 2017.

Signed: Chairman, Electoral Committee

AMIOLEMEN BLESSING

MUMEEN SILIFAT

MRS OPARAUGO EVELYN .O.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

MRS ADELEKAN SEKINAT IBIYEMI

I, formerly known and addressed as IMAZE BLESSING, now wish to be known and addressed as AMIOLEMEN BLESSING. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ABDULKAREEN SILIFAT, now wish to be known and addressed as MUMEEN SILIFAT All former documents remain valid. The general public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYEGECHA AKA “O”, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OPARAUGO EVELYN .O. All former documents remain valid. Banks general public should please take note

OJEAGA MATTHIAS EROMOSELE SAME AS MATTHIAS EROMOSELE. Former documents remains valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OGUNBODEDE SEKINAT IBIYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADELEKAN SEKINAT IBIYEMI. All former documents remain valid.

General public should please take note.

EZEBUIRO CHIG0ZIRIM DAVID

MRS ESTHER IYABODE AKINTOLA

OGUNLEYE ADEBORI ADENIYI

CORRECTION OF NAME:

OKUNOWO LATIFAT FOLAMI

NWANYANWU FYNESS

CONFIRMATION OF NAME CHIG0ZIRIM DAVID SAME as EZEBUIRO CHIG0ZIRIM DAVID . former documents remains valid.

General public should please take note.

FORMERLY MISS ESTHER IYABODE OGUNDIPE now MRS ESTHER IYABODE AKINTOLA . former documents remains valid. General public should please take note.

Formerly OGUNLEYE ADEBORI SUCCESS now OGUNLEYE ADEBORI ADENIYI . former documents remains valid. General public should please take note.

POPOOLA OLATUNBOSUN MICHAEL : My name was wrongly written as MICHAEL POPOOLA BUKOLA instead of my correct name as POPOOLA OLATUNBOSUN MICHAEL. All former documents remain valid.

General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as FOLAMI LATIFAT BIOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OKUNOWO LATIFAT FOLAMI. All former documents remain valid. General public please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as Hanna Ozziabor Esther now wish to be known and addressed as NWANYANWU FYNESS Chidinma. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS UGWU SUSSAN EBERECHUKWU MABEL

MRS UGWU JULIET EKWUTOSI

UDEOBI AMAKA PATRICIA

ARINZE UCHENNA OLIVER

CHIKELU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS CHIKELU MABEL SUSSAN, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGWU SUSSAN EBERECHUKWU MABEL. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EZE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZE JULIET EKWUTOSI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UGWU JULIET EKWUTOSI. All former documents remain valid. BANKS and General public should please take note.

UDEOBI: I, formerly known and addressed as UDEOBI UKAMAKA PATRICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as UDEOBI AMAKA PATRICIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note

OKAFOR: I, formerly known and addressed as OKAFOR ONOCHIE OLIVER, now wish to be known and addressed as ARINZE UCHENNA OLIVER. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

HAUWA ELIZABETH OVBUDE

Former Miss HAUWA ELIZABETH IBRAHIM wish to be known as HAUWA ELIZABETH OVBUDE. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ANEZICHUKWUZO KENNETH

MRS OKORIE VIVIAN NGOZI

AGBALLA: I, formerly known and addressed as AGBALLA KENNETH ANEZICHUKWUZO, now wish to be known and addressed as ANEZICHUKWUZO KENNETH. All former documents remain valid.

BANKS and General public should please take note.

OKEKE: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKEKE VIVIAN NGOZI, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OKORIE VIVIAN NGOZI. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

MRS EZEUGWU NKIRUKA JUSTINA

MRS ABANA CHIOMA FELICIA

UDE CHIOMA NELLYN

MRS UBEDIFE NNENNA LAWRENCIA

MRS OZULU ANASTASIA UCHENNA

EZINNA JOSIAH EZINNAMECHA

EYA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EYA NKIRUKA JUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS EZEUGWU NKIRUKA JUSTINA All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

EZENWATA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS EZENWATA CHIOMA FELICIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ABANA CHIOMA FELICIA. All former documents remain valid.

Federal Neuropsychiatric Hospital Enugu and General public should please take note.

NEBOH: I, formerly known and addressed as NEBOH CHIOMA NELLY’S, now wish to be known and addressed as UDE CHIOMA NELLYN. All former documents remain valid. Banks and General public should please take note.

UGWU: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS UGWU NNENNA LAWRENCIA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS UBEDIFE NNENNA LAWRENCIA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ONYIRIMBA: I, formerly known and addressed as MISS ONYIRIMBA ANASTASIA UCHENNA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS OZULU ANASTASIA UCHENNA. All former documents remain valid. General public should please take note.

ENEOWELLE: I, formerly known and addressed as ENEOWELLE JOSIAH EZINNA, now wish to be known and addressed as EZINNA JOSIAH EZINNAMECHA. All former documents remain valid. BANKS and General public should please take note.

Public Notice 24

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

SULAIMON MOARUF ADEKUNLE

PATIENCE AGBAJI OMONIYI

DUROJAIYE SEKINAT AJOKE

NNADI IZUCHUKWU PETER

SHOYOYE OLUWASEUN ORIYOMI

Formerly known and addressed as RAJI MORUF OLALEKAN, now wish to be known and addressed as SULAIMON MOARUF ADEKUNLE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as PATIENCE AGBAJI, now wish to be known and addressed as PATIENCE AGBAJI OMONIYI. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as DUROJAIYE IFE AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as DUROJAIYE SEKINAT AJOKE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as NNADI IZUNNA PETER, now wish to be known and addressed as NNADI IZUCHUKWU PETER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as SHOYOYE VICTORIA OMOWUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as SHOYOYE OLUWASEUN ORIYOMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

ODUSANYA BIODUN BISOYE

OKEKE SANDRA AMUCHE

CORRECTION OF NAME/DATE OF BIRTH

EKEYOKPA ARI IGIRI ONA

ADENUSI AYOBAMI TITILAYO

ODENIYI ADENIKE EBUNOLUWA

. Formerly known and addressed as JOHN MATTEW, now wish to be known and addressed as ODUSANYA BIODUN BISOYE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OKEKE FRANCISCA AMUCHE, now wish to be known and addressed as OKEKE SANDRA AMUCHE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

My name was wrongly written as IWORAH ELISBERTH OLOKPOR instead of AKPALA YUSUF ELIZABETH OLOKPOR. My correct name is ZAKARI KPELAFIA RUFAI. That my date of birth was wrongly written as 25 August 1968 instead of 25 August 1965. All documents remain valid.

General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as IGRI ARI ONA, now wish to be known and addressed as EKEYOKPA ARI IGIRI ONA. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

. I, formerly known and addressed as RASAQ AYOMIDE TITILAYO now wish to be known and addressed as ADENUSI AYOBAMI TITILAYO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as IYIADE ADENIKE EBUNOLUWA, now wish to be known and addressed as ODENIYI ADENIKE EBUNOLUWA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS ITSUOKOR ALICE NKECHINYERE

Formerly known and addressed as MISS IGBOKWE UMEZINWA ALICE NKECHINYERE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ITSUOKOR ALICE NKECHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

AKINPELU BOLANLE OLAYEMI

. Formerly known and addressed as AFELUMO BOLANLE OLAYEMI, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINPELU BOLANLE OLAYEMI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

NWANI NNEKA YVONNE

Formerly known and addressed as OKON NNEKA, now wish to be known and addressed as NWANI NNEKA YVONNE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

UKASANYA JUDITH AMAKA

MICHAEL STANLEY OBINNA

ANAGBOSO OBIANUJU NDIDI

OMASHEYE MOSES EFEOTU

. Formerly known and addressed as OKONJOR JUDITH AMAKA, now wish to be known and addressed as UKASANYA JUDITH AMAKA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as CHRIS MICHAEL OBINNA, now wish to be known and addressed as MICHAEL STANLEY OBINNA. A former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as ONYEKWERE OBIANUJU NDIDI, now wish to be known and addressed as ANAGBOSO OBIANUJU NDIDI. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

.Formerly known and addressed as OMASEYE MOSES ORURHOMUOMAE now wish to be known and addressed as OMASHEYE MOSES EFEOTU All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OKAFOR OLADIMEJI OBINNA

ADDITION OF NAME

COREECTION OF NAME

CHUKWU CLEMENT

UMEH EMMANUEL EKENE

ARO-LAMBO ABIMBOLA AMINAT

Formerly known and addressed as OLAKINTAN OLADIMEJI now wish to be known and addressed as OKAFOR OLADIMEJI OBINNA All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

This is to state that I was formerly known called and addressed as LAWRENCE PRECIOUS.That I now wish to CELESTINE to my name.

That I now wish to be called and addressed as LAWRENCE PRECIOUS CELESTINE. All former documents remain valid.General public take note.

This is to state that my name was wrongly written on some of my documents as OSARHUMWENSE ASEMOTA instead of ASEMOTA OSAS. That my correct name is ASEMOTA OSAS. That I was born on the 10th December, 1978. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as CHUKWU MENITUS-O now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWU CLEMENT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as EDWIN EMMANUEL EKENE now wish to be known and addressed as UMEH EMMANUEL EKENE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as KADRI ABIMBOLA AROLAMBO now wish to be known and addressed as ARO-LAMBO ABIMBOLA AMINAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

MRS YAKUB REBECCA BOLA

JOHN OLUSOKUN DELANO

OGBODO EJIKE CHRISTIAN

UBUBE MARIA

SURAKAT-IDOGUN AMINAT OMOTOLA

AKINDAYO ABIMBOLA KAFAYAT

. Formerly known and addressed as OTUNLA MORUFAT BOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS YAKUB REBECCA BOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as OLUSOKUN OLU-DELANO, now wish to be known and addressed as JOHN OLUSOKUN DELANO. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as EZE SAMUEL CHRIS, now wish to be known and addressed as OGBODO EJIKE CHRISTIAN. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as UBUBE EDIGBE MARIA, now wish to be known and addressed as UBUBE MARIA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as ABDUL AZEEZ AMINAT OMOTOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as SURAKAT-IDOGUN AMINAT OMOTOLA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

. Formerly known and addressed as OBISANYA ABIMBOLA KAFAYAT, now wish to be known and addressed as AKINDAYO ABIMBOLA KAFAYAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

OYESILE MOSUNMOLA AMINAT

MRS ADEYI ADESUNMBO ABOSEDE

AGASHI CHARLES OZOEMENA

RE-ARRANGEMENT OF NAME

BELLO OLUWABUKOLA SILIFAT

MRS. AJAGBE AYODELE SHERIFAH

. Formerly known and addressed as AKANBI AMINAT MOSUNMOLA, now wish to be known and addressed as OYESILE MOSUNMOLA AMINAT. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as MISS APENA ADESUNMBO ABOSEDE, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS ADEYI ADESUNMBO ABOSEDE. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Formerly known and addressed as OZOEMENA UROKO CHARLES, now wish to be known and addressed as AGASHI CHARLES OZOEMENA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressd as BELLO OYINKASOLA AJOKE, now wish to be known and addressed as BELLO OLUWABUKOLA SILIFAT. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS. OLANIYAN AYODELE SHERIFAH, now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AJAGBE AYODELE SHERIFAH. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

OTOR ISIOMA KELVIN

OLUWADARE GBENGA

FATOYINBO OLUTOLA

XXXX

TITILOYE CATHERINE MODUPEOLA

MBA MANFRED MANFRED

I, formerly known and addressed as OTOR ISIOMA CHRISTIAN, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OTOR ISIOMA KELVIN. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLUWADARE GBENGA MAYOWA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as OLUWADARE GBENGA. That I was born on the 27th Day of January, 1998. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as OLADEINDE OLUTOLA BERNICE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as FATOYINBO OLUTOLA BERNICE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should

I, formerly known and addressed as MISS OKEREKE PERPETUAL UZOAMAKA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MRS. ODII PERPETUAL UZOAMAKA. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities

I, formerly known and addressed as TITILOYE DAMILOLA PHILLIPA, now wish to be known, called and addressed as TITILOYE CATHERINE MODUPEOLA. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities

I, formerly known and addressed as MBA URIAH MANFRED, now wish to be known, called and addressed as MBA MANFRED MANFRED. All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take

ONUCHUKWU CHUKWUGOZIRIM DARLINGTON

My name was wrongly written as YUSUF KAYODE instead of AROGUNDADE YUSUF KAYODE. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

FELIX ADEREMI ABIDOYE

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

OYEWUMI JOSHUA BUNMI

MRS SHAFE TOLULOPE AUGUSTINA

MRS. NSEOBONG UBONG AKPAN

I, formerly known and addressed as ONUCHUKWU EMEREMGINI DARLINGTON, now wish to be known, called and addressed as ONUCHUKWU CHUKWUGOZIRIM DARLINGTON .

All former documents remain valid.

General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as FELIX ADEREMI and PRINCE REMI ABIDOYE, now wish to be known, called and addressed as FELIX ADEREMI ABIDOYE. All former documents remain valid. General public and Authorities Concerned should please take note.

That on my Bank Account, my name was written as SIYANBADE IYABO OMOWUNMI, while it appears as SIYANBADE ASAKE OMOWUNMI on my BVN. That I am the one bearing both names mentioned above.

That I now wish to be known

I formerly known and address as OYEWUMI BRIGHT BUNMI.now wish to be known and address as OYEWUMI JOSHUA BUNMI. All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS OJEBISI TOLULOPE AUGUSTINA, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS SHAFE TOLULOPE AUGUSTINA. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. NSEOBONG CLEMENT UKPONG, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. NSEOBONG UBONG AKPAN. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

ANNUMS, MARGARET CHINYERE

MRS. UGWUANYI AMARACHI JULIET

MERCY UCHECHI KORIE

MRS. ASIEGBU VICTORIA CHINWENDU

MRS. CHARITY OKE OKOKON

I, formerly known and addressed as, UZOMAKA MARGARET, now wish to be known and addressed as ANNUMS, MARGARET CHINYERE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. ISIWU AMARACHI JULIET, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. UGWUANYI AMARACHI JULIET. All former document remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MERCY UCHECHI ANOSIKE, now wish to be known and addressed as, MERCY UCHECHI KORIE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. DURU VICTORIA CHINWENDU, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. ASIEGBU VICTORIA CHINWENDU. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. PATRICK BARITURE DORCAS, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. CHARITY OKE OKOKON. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

JACOB AUGUSTINE

MRS. ONYEMALI FOLAYEMI JANET

KINAH MERCY DAVID

I, formerly known and addressed as, JACOB AUGUSTINE NWEREGBU, now wish to be known and addressed as, JACOB AUGUSTINE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, MISS. AROWOLO FOLAYEMI JANET, now wish to be known and addressed as, MRS. ONYEMALI FOLAYEMI JANET. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, DAVID MERCY, now wish to be known and addressed as, KINAH MERCY DAVID. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CHANGE OF NAME AND CORRETION OF DATE OF BIRTH

I formerly known and addressas Hycent Esther Chiamaka , born on 5th of April 1986 , Now wish to be known and address as Hyacinth Esther Chiamaka. Born on 5th of April 1996 . All former document remain valid. General public should please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME/ CORRETION OF DATE OF BIRTH

UDU, ORIE AZU

SASORE OLUWATOYIN FUNKE

The above name SAMSON BENJAMIN and BENJAMIN ONUCHE refers to one and the same person but now wish to be known as SAMSON BENJAMIN.The date of was wrongly written as 16/9/1973 instead of 16/9/1975. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME I, UDU, ORIE and UDU, ORIE AZU refers to one and same person, but now wish to be known as UDU, ORIE AZU. All former documents remain valid.

General public should take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as, SHONUBI OLUWATOYIN ELIZABETH, now wish to be known and addressed as, SASORE OLUWATOYIN FUNKE. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Myke Uzendu, Abuja.

Plans have reached advanced stage to treat children to a scintillating 2017 Children’s Day bash following a lavish celebration being hatched by the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) in Abuja and Lagos with the theme: ‘Our Culture, Our Pride and Heritage.’

According to a statement signed by the Media Assistant to the Executive Secretary, Caleb Nor,

MRS. BABALOLA DAMILOLA MARY

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS OMOKOKU DAMILOLA MARY NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MRS. BABALOLA DAMILOLA MARY. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

25 Public Notice

CHILDREN’S DAY: NICO to organise Children’s Cultural Extravaganza.

NICO intends to use the Children’s Day celebration to further implement its statutory mandate which is to educate children on the gains of embracing their culture and communicating in their indigenous languages.

The Executive Secretary of NICO, Prof.

Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, according to the statement, will use the celebration to educate children on the need to

MOJISOLA BASIRAT ABOSEDE

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS KAFAYAT ADEMOLA NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS MOJISOLA BASIRAT ABOSEDE. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL

foster a sense of cultural identity, pride, cultural awareness among their peers, encourage the appreciation of Nigerian languages, dresses, cuisines, music and create a platform for the discovery of young talents in culture and creative arts.

The statement disclosed that Nollywood veteran actor, Sam Dede is expected to deliver a lecture on the topic: ‘Our Culture, Our Pride and

RAHEEM ADIJAT

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS ADEJUMO ADIJAT NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS RAHEEM ADIJAT. THAT MY CORRECT DATE OF BIRTH IS 6/4/1980. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID.

Heritage,’ which will center on the importance of indigenous languages for development.

The statement also stated that “the Cultural Extravaganza will foster a sense of cultural identity, pride and awareness in our children; promote cultural education and scholarship amongst students; encourage the appreciation of Nigerian Languages, dresses, cuisines and music at all

levels of social integration; create a platform to discover young talents in culture and creative arts as well as promote the culture of peaceful co-existence and unity amongst students from diverse ethnic and religious backgrounds.

“The cultural extravaganza will have students from the various schools participating in non-competitive events such as: rendition of our National

EBOKA JOY

MURITALA MONSURAT OMOLARA

I, FORMERLY KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS KADIRI FATIMAH JUMAT NOW WISH TO BE KNOWN AND ADDRESSED AS EBOKA JOY. ALL FORMER DOCUMENT REMAIN VALID. GENERAL PUBLIC PLEASE TAKE NOTE.

I, formerly known and addressed as GBEMILEKE MONSURAT OMOLARA, now wish to be known and addressed as MURITALA MONSURAT OMOLARA. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

Anthem in indigenous languages; traditional fashion parade; traditional music and dance; round-table discussions on ‘The importance of indigenous languages to national development’ and ‘Decent dressing and Nigeria dress culture.’

The event is slated to hold on May 25 and 26, 2017 in Abuja and Lagos among secondary school children selected from designated schools.

EMMANUEL ISRAEL MOSES

I, formerly known and addressed as OMENOKPE ISRAEL M. now wish to be known and addressed as EMMANUEL ISRAEL MOSES. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

ABANONU CHINENYE ESTHER

ORUNSOLU OLUFUNMILAYO

SODEKO ADEGBOYEGA SAMSON

KEKE IHEME ELIZABETH CHIZURU

AKINRINBOLA OLAYIWOLA CECILIA

OGUNTOLA MATHEW ODUNLAMI

I, formerly known and addressed as ABANONU CHINENYE BUNMI, now wish to be known and addressed as ABANONU CHINENYE ESTHER. All former documents remain valid. General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as ORUNSOLU-THOMAS MARGARET O. now wish to be known and addressed as ORUNSOLU OLUFUNMILAYO. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I, formerly known and addressed as SODEKO ADEGBOYEGA ADEOYE, now wish to be known and addressed as SODEKO ADEGBOYEGA SAMSON. All former documents remain valid.

General public take note.

I formerly known and addressed as KEKE ELIZABETH CHIZURU now wish to be known and addressed as KEKE IHEME ELIZABETH CHIZURU .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

. I formerly known and addressed as IGUN OLUWAKEMI CECILIA now wish to be known and addressed as AKINRINBOLA OLAYIWOLA CECILIA .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as AMOSU ODUNLAMI ABAYOMI now wish to be known and addressed as OGUNTOLA MATHEW ODUNLAMI .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

MRS CHRISTIANA UYOYO ODEWALE

I formerly known and addressed as MISS CHRISTIANA UYOYO OKOTIE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS CHRISTIANA UYOYO ODEWALE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

BONIFACE HAPPINESS CHIAM

7. I formerly known and addressed as HAPPINESS BONIFACE AMAH now wish to be known and addressed as BONIFACE HAPPINESS CHIAM .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

STANLEY OKECHUKWU EJIMBA

ABODUNRIN BOLAKALE OLUWADARE

OGAR FAITH ONYEDIKACHI

NONYELUM ADA OLACHUKWU

I formerly known and addressed as STANLEY PABLO EJIMBA now wish to be known and addressed as STANLEY OKECHUKWU EJIMBA .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ABODUNRIN BOLAKALE ABDULQUADRI now wish to be known and addressed as ABODUNRIN BOLAKALE OLUWADARE . I was born on 16/03/1989. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ERUGO FAITH ONYEDIKACHI now wish to be known and addressed as OGAR FAITH ONYEDIKACHI . All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as NONYELUM ADA OGALAGU now wish to be known and addressed as NONYELUM ADA OLACHUKWU .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

MUDASHIR AFUSAT TITILOPE

MR MICHAEL ADIGUN ADERIBIGBE

OLORUNLEKE OLUBUKOLA FAITH

ADERIBIGBE HANNAH OLAYINKA

CHUKWUDIKE JOY NKECHI

BRIDGET CHUKWUDI OB

I formerly known and addressed as MUDASIRU ADIGUN ADERIBIGBE now wish to be known and addressed as MR MICHAEL ADIGUN ADERIBIGBE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as JOSHUA OLUBUKOLA FAITH now wish to be known and addressed as OLORUNLEKE OLUBUKOLA FAITH .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ADERIBIGBE OLAYINKA OLUBUNMI now wish to be known and addressed as ADERIBIGBE HANNAH OLAYINKA .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as JOY NKECHI ATUKOSI now wish to be known and addressed as CHUKWUDIKE JOY NKECHI .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as BRIDGET CHUKWUDI AJOSE now wish to be known and addressed as BRIDGET CHUKWUDI OBI .All former documents remain valid. NITEL and General public to please take note

I formerly known and addressed as MUDASHIR AFUSAT TEMITOPE now wish to be known and addressed as MUDASHIR AFUSAT TITILOPE .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

AZEEZ SALAMOTU OLUWASHOLA

ANAEKE KELECHI

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME

ACHOLO MABEL UYO-OJO

ARUBUOLA OLUWASAYO SAMUEL

I formerly known and addressed as ABIODUN LATIFAT now wish to be known and addressed as AZEEZ SALAMOTU OLUWASHOLA .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as ANAEKE ALPHEUS KELECHI now wish to be known and addressed as ANAEKE KELECHI .All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as MONDAY JUSTINE and In some other documents my name was written as MONDAY JUSTINE UDOH.The names refer to the same person. My date of birth is 08/08/1977 not 08/08/1972. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as INNOCENT SUNDAY ANURIKA and In some other documents my name was written as ANURIKA SUNDAY. Please note that INNOCENT is my surname.The names refer to the same person.. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.General public to please take note.

CONFIRMATION OF NAME. In some of my documents my name was written as ACHOLO MABEL UYO and In some other documents my name was written as ACHOLO MABEL UYO-OJO.The names refer to the same person. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.

General public to please take note.

CORRECTION OF NAME. My name was wrongly written as SAMUEL OLUWASAYO ARUBUOLA instead of ARUBUOLA OLUWASAYO SAMUEL. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

AKANNI TAIBAT ARAMIDE

MRS AKINWANDE MOTUNRAYO AYODEJI

JULIANA E.UZOWURU

IDOWU SERIFAT ADEOLA

OKEKE ODINAKA STELLA

CONFIRMATION OF NAME.

I formerly known and addressed as JULIANA .E. IKPEAMA now wish to be known and addressed as JULIANA E.UZOWURU .All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as IDOWU SERIFAT now wish to be known and addressed as IDOWU SERIFAT ADEOLA .All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

I formerly known and addressed as OKEKE ODINAKACHUKWU STELLA ODINAKA now wish to be known and addressed as OKEKE ODINAKA STELLA .All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

In some of my documents my name was written as SUNDAY OLADIPUPO and In some other documents my name was written as OLADIPUPO SUNDAY DAVID. The names refer to the same person.

My date of birth is 25/08/1957 not 27/08/1957. All the documents bearing all the names are valid.General public to please take note.

THIS ADVERT SPACE IS FOR SALE

THIS ADVERT SPACE IS FOR SALE

I formerly known and addressed as YISA TAIBAT now wish to be known and addressed as AKANNI TAIBAT ARAMIDE .My date of birth is 06/12/1977 not 26/11/1977 and 28/11/1977.All former documents remain valid.

General public to please take note.

. I formerly known and addressed as MISS OMODARA AYODEJI RISIKAT now wish to be known and addressed as MRS AKINWANDE MOTUNRAYO AYODEJI.All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.

TITILAYO LAWAL

SALAWU-OKEOWO MICHAEL OLUWAFEMI

Formerly known and address as, Titilayo Olagundoye . Now wish to be known and address as, TITILAYO LAWAL , All former documents remains valid, the general public should please take note.

Formerly known and address as, Salawu Mukaila , Now wish to be known and address as, SALAWU-OKEOWO MICHAEL OLUWAFEMI , All former documents remains valid, the general public should please take note

THIS ADVERT SPACE IS FOR SALE

THIS ADVERT SPACE IS FOR SALE

26

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25 , 2017

Health

s

UNICEF, others urge investment in nutrition to end child malnutrition Angela Onwuzoo It is a global recognition that adequate food and optimal nutritional status are the foundation blocks for the building of healthy, secure lives and thus form the basis for development of any nation.

These foundation blocks for building a healthy nation are still lacking in Nigeria hence, the country is still battling with poverty and its attendant consequences such as malnutrition and diseases on the lives of the vulnerable group like women and children especially those in the north-east owing to insecurity in the area.

Apart from insecurity, the current economic hardship has further worsen the malnutrition level in the north-east, thereby making investment in nutrition indispensable and more urgent than ever before, considering the devastating impact of acute malnutrition on the health and future of the children in the area particularly those under-five.

A visit to some Primary Healthcare Centres (PHCs) in Adamawa state recently, one of the states in the north-east , clearly revealed the urgency of attention needed by most under five children in the zone as they were looking weak, pale and unable to do what their peers in other zones were doing owing to severe acute malnutrition. .

At Nanah Hasmau Primary Healthcare Centre also a Community Management of Acute

ÏÏÏƾƌƈƋƋƈ ƅ ƈƋƗƏƆ ƈ ƗƈƏƆ ƆƆƗ Ƈ ƐƏƆ ƐƌƆ Ɛ

Mrs. Abdullahi, feeding her malnourished child with Ready-to-Use-Therapeutic Food (RUTF), the major intervention for severe acute malnutrition, at a Community Management of Acute Malnutrition(CMAN) Centre in Yola South Local Government Area of Adamawa state..recently.

PHOTO ANGELA ONWUZOO

Malnutrition(CMAN) Centre in Yola South Local Government Area of the state, Mrs Hadisa Abdullahi,who brought her seven months old baby boy for treatment, told The Daily Times that most of the children in her neighbourhood were suffering from acute malnutrition.

She said the little boy became sick when he was three months old.

Her words: “ The baby is now seven months old, but he could

neither seat nor crawl. This is the first time I am bringing him to the hospital for treatment. My neighbour whose daughter was treated here of same problem told me to come that after 8-12 weeks of treatment with Readyto-Use-Therapeutic Food (RUTF) and other medications that he will be fine.

“And as you can see, the health workers have attended to him and have also explained to me how to use the RUTF at home

Women with their malnourished children at the CMAN Centre waiting to be RUTF and other medications

in addition to local foods rich in micronutrients like soya bean, guinea corn and groundnut ”, she said For Mrs Rukayat Abdullahi, her 14-month-old Aisha was better now than how she was four weeks ago, before the commencement of RUTF medication as the baby was very weak.

“Aisha could neither seat nor crawl but now, the baby can do all of those activities with ease,’’ she said.

Also, Mrs Saphia Mohammed , the mother of 11month-old Husanna , told our correspondent that she nearly lost her to acute malnutrition save for the quick intervention of the health workers when she rushed her to the hospital owing to the severity of her illness.

Mohammed who brought Husanna for medical examination said: “I thank God after five weeks of treatment, she has regained her health” The list of malnourished children seeking treatment in the PHCs is endless even as each PHC, sees not less than 15-20 new cases of acutely malnourished children every week.

Already, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), out of the 2.5m children suffering from malnutrition in Nigeria, only 500,000 has been treated so far as result of inadequate budgetary allocation to purchase RUTF, the major intervention for severe acute malnutrition.

UNICEF revealed that the remaining 2million children were in dire need of treatment, Malnutrition experts say account for 45 per cent under-five mortality in Nigeria, making the country second highest contributor to the burden in the world.

Insufficient funding, poor infants and young child feeding practices, high diseases burden, limited access to nutritious foods, vitamins and mineral deficiencies have been blamed for the prevalence of malnutrition in the country.

On what should be done to reverse the negative trend, UNICEF and some stakeholders highlighted the need to accelerate investment in nutrition if the country is to break out of poverty and achieve sustainable economic development.

Speaking at a two-day media dialogue on child malnutrition organised by UNICEF in collaboration with the Child Rights Information Bureau of the Federal Ministry of Information and

Culture, held in Yola, Adamawa state recently, Mrs Philomena Irene, UNICEF Nutrition Specialist, Bauchi Zone, said investing in nutrition would yield a better result.

Even as she stressed the need for more funding to treat the remaining 2million acutely malnourished children in dire need of RUTF and other medications to come of the illness.

The theme of the dialogue was “Investing in Child’s Malnutrition for the Future”.

For Irene, prevention is better than cure because it takes only $5 to prevent malnutrition while $71 was required to treat each malnourished child.

According to her:“ Research and evidence have shown that investment in nutrition boost the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of a country because nutrition in the first 1000 days of life of a child, from conception to 24 months is very important.”

Giving insight into the benefits of adequate nutrition in the first 1000 days of life of a child, Irene said: “ It is the time the child develops cognitively, physiologically and that is when the brain develops.

Studies have shown that governments that invested in the period for children to have optimal foods and optimal nutrition, spent less when they became adults because these children grew up with better cognitive development .”

According to her, as result of such early investment in nutrition and intervention in the life of a child, governments spent less for the cure of non communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and other forms of cancers.

Based on available research, Irene said one dollar investment in nutrition ,brings $16 return.

She emphasised that the first 1000 days period provided mothers a window of opportunity to nurture a great generation in Nigeria and Africa by simply ensuring that their babies were exclusively breast fed in first six months of life.

And by also giving their babies foods rich in Vitamin A, Iron, Zinc and other micronutrients during complementary feeding to be able to grow out of diseases, poverty and poor educational attainment .

Experts say the consequences of malnutrition during the first 1000 days of life of a child is almost irreversible.

She therefore, urged the federal and states government to invest in pregnant women especially because of the gains of the first 1000 days in the life of the child.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

27 Health

Healthcare professionals embrace teamwork, resolve to settle differences Stories by Angela Onwuzoo, As part of efforts to move the nation’s health sector forward through quality and effective service delivery to patients, healthcare professionals in the country, have resolved to settle their differences and embrace teamwork.

For many decades, the Nigerian health sector had witnessed unhealthy rivalry among the various professional groups in the sector over battle for supremacy.

Worried by the unhealthy relationship which observers say affects the quality of services rendered to patients, the Nigeria Academy of Pharmacy (NAPharm) in collaboration with the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria(PSN),decided to take the bull by the horn by organising a one day Symposium at the University of Lagos recently, where the leaders of various healthcare professional groups in the health sector, came together to chart the way forward.

The symposium with the theme,” Health of the Nation: The Imperative of Interprofessional Collaboration”, provided the health professionals ample opportunity to bury their hatchet and embraced collaboration, cooperation and teamwork which was the

PSN President, Ahmed Yakasi

thrust of the gathering.

Participants at the symposium were drawn from the health profession including medicine, pharmacy, nursing, medical laboratory sciences, among others. Keynote Address was delivered by Prof. Eyitayo Lambo, former Minister of Health.

In his remarks, President of NAPharm and former Minister of Health, Prince Julius AdelusiAdeluyi said : “ It is time to disap-

NAPharm President, Adelusi-Adeluyi

point those who have profited from the disharmony among healthcare professionals.” “ Unless we all come together and negotiate with humility and with a sense of accommodation, the distractions will continue. It is my belief that this landmark occasion would not be in vain”, he said.

According to Adelusi-Adeluyi, the disharmony among the various professional groups and lack of respect in the system was un-

necessary considering the fact that the sector has the brightest professionals in Nigeria.

On how to achieve effective collaboration in the sector, the former Minister called for the formation of inter-professional committees while appealing to the various health practitioners in the sector to imbibe the spirit of teamwork.

He noted: Working together is a sign of success . Now is the time to work together.”

In his Keynote Address, Prof.

Nose-picking leads to respiratory tract infection- Expert A public health physician with the National Blood Transfusion Service (NBTS),Abuja, Dr Baba Ahmed, has cautioned the public against nose-picking, warning that such habit could predispose one to upper respiratory tract infection.

Ahmed stated that the respiratory tract has cilia which could filter germs to prevent the growth of organisms.

Cilia are hair-like structures found in the respiratory tract where they help to move bacteria and mucous away from the lungs.

He said that burning of waste close to the house, dust; cold or very hot air and injured nose could cause organisms’ growth in the upper respiratory tracts.

Ahmed also affirmed that social habits like smoking could cause the lining of the upper

respiratory tract to be prone to infection.

According to him, a change in temperature could also distort the normal function of the pressure in the humidity of the nasal canal.

“The respiratory tract is a system of two wings collection of tubes of various sizes which starts from the openings of the nose deep into the lungs.

“Naturally, the respiratory

Lagoswantshandwashingwithsoapintensifiedagainstdiarrhoea Citing the importance of the practice of hand washing with soap in disease prevention, Lagos State Commissioner for Health, Dr Jide Idris, has called on mothers to constantly engage their children in the practice in order to prevent diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections which he said was responsible for over 3.5 million global deaths of under-five children annually.

Idris who made the call in response to recent studies which indicate that deaths resulting from diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections could be reduced by half if hand washing with soap was widely practiced thereby contributing to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals(SDGs.) According to the commissioner,

using soap to wash hands provides apple opportunity to break down the grease and dirt that carry most germs.

This, he noted is achieved by facilitating the rubbing and friction that dislodge them and leaves the hands smelling pleasant.

He said: “ With proper use, all soaps are equally effective at rinsing away the germs that cause disease.

It is also important that hand washing with soap be practiced especially at critical times such as after using the toilet, cleaning babies and before handling food”.

Idris explained that hand washing is the act of cleaning the hands with the use of water and soap for the purpose of removing soil, dirt, and/or micro-organisms, adding that keeping the hands clean

through the culture of hand washing is one of the most important steps to avoid falling ill and transmitting germs to others.

He noted that hand washing is a preventive method which does not require much time, money, or effort, yet it is the single most effective measure in breaking the disease transmission chain.

“The hands often act as means of carrying disease-causing germs from person to person, either through direct contact or indirectly via surfaces. Unwashed hands which have been in contact with human or animal faeces, bodily fluids like nasal excretions, and contaminated foods or water, can transport bacteria, viruses and parasites to new persons,” Idris said.

tracts just like any other opening in the body have protective layers around it. For the respiratory tract, it has a lining that covers it; secreting certain substances.

“Again it has cilia; hair-like structures so that it can trap out things; so if the condition is not conducive for the trapped, it will react.

“Most of the reactions are protective mechanism to prevent penetration of certain organisms because the positioning of the upper respiratory tract makes it prone to injury,” Ahmed explained.

He revealed that the upper respiratory tract shares communication within and outside the body; hence it could be prone to infection because of the openings at the tracts.

“This means for one to breathe in air, it must pass through the openings which are modified to serve different purposes such as filtering and warming the air.

According to Ahmed, upper respiratory tract infections can be caused by bacteria, fungi and other parasitic agents.

He noted that upper respiratory tract infections were characterised with catarrh or nasal congestion and cough, saying “if there is a bacterial infection, fever may occur.”

Gov. Gaidam donates land to NAFDAC, flags off sensitisation campaign Yobe State Governor, Alhaji Ibrahim Geidam has taken steps to ease the operational activities of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), by ordering the allocation of land to the agency, with a view to aiding thev ongoing war against fake drugs across the country.

To realise this goal, Gaidam has directed the state commissioner for Lands to immediately make available a parcel of land to the Agency, while also asking his Head of Service to provide office accommodation in the two other senatorial districts to improve the logistics challenges being faced by NAFDAC in the state.

Governor Gaidam, who also promised to provide an operational vehicle to the Agency to assist in patrolling the vast territory of the state, says the donation demonstrates his commitment in assisting NAFDAC to rid the state of the menace of drug misuse and poor handling of pesticides and agrochemicals.

He stated this while receiving the Acting Director General of the NAFDAC , Mrs. Yetunde Oni in his office, while she was on an advocacy visit ahead of the agency’s sensitization campaign on “Rational use of Controlled Medicines, Safe handling of Chemicals and Responsible use of pesticides and Agricultural Chemicals” in the state.

This, he said, would empower people with the right knowledge in the area of drug misuse and proper handling of agro-chemicals.

While declaring the sensitization workshop open, Governor Gaidam described the initiative, as a bold step taken by the NAFDAC to enlighten the public about the dangers posed by the irrational use of drugs, pesticides and chemicals.

In his words, “this way, the public will be kept abreast of the unpleasant consequences for society, if left unchecked.”

Earlier, the Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, who presented the request for support to the governor, said the parcel of land would house a NAFDAC’s stand alone office, warehouse and laboratory complex, to enhance the performance of the agency in the state, shorten registration process and bring the agency closer to the grassroots’ people.

Mrs. Oni also said that public enlightenment is one of the key strategies deployed by NAFDAC in the fight against substandard and falsified medical products, unwholesome and spurious regulated products. “We will continue to sensitize the general public on the public health implications of these substandard, falsified and unwholesome regulated products and the efforts of NAFDAC in tackling this ugly menace,” she said.

She added that effective collaboration and cooperation are essen-

News 28

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Lagos to review Newspaper Law Benjamin Omoike

ÏÏÏ

Indications have emerged that the Lagos State Government has concluded plans to review the existing Newspaper Law in the state, so as to effectively regulate their activities.

The state’s Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Steve Ayorinde, who gave the hint on Tuesday while addressing a press conference on the activities of his ministry in the past one year, said the exiting Newspaper Law in the state had become, in his words, obsolete.

According to him, the review was necessitated by the need to make the existing law more effective and in tune with modern day reality.

His words: “In view of the realisation that the State Newspaper Cap Law is obsolete, the state government has commenced the process of reviewing existing Newspaper Law Cap No2 of 2003 with a view to making it more effective and in tune with

modern reality.

“The review attempt is not to stifle the media. The idea is to move with the trends and development of the time. It is for the good of the journalism profession.”

He assured that once the review is completed, media stakeholders would be invited to a meeting in order to intimate them with the provisions of the law and their obligations before enactment.

“You can’t operate as a print medium and not registered with the ministry. The media space has been going through transformation and the review is in line with the changes in the media space,” he said.

According to Ayorinde, the unavailability of the true figure of the publishing media houses that operate in the state is a great challenge in terms of documentation and billing.

He said the review is about how the ministry can be empowered to register online media, tract who is

who and know from where they are operating.

While claiming that 90 percent of the online media are based in Lagos, Ayorinde enjoined online media publishers to come forward to identify themselves with their location, adding that the review was being looked at from the point of the media and the law.

In order to sustain the current tempo of development in Lagos Television (LTV), Ayorinde said plans were afoot in the coming year to purchase a new transmitter as a stop gap measure for the station before the completion of Digital Transmission switchover.

The Commissioner said the state government had repositioned its printing corporation, saying the Lagos State Governor Ambode recently unveiled a new state-ofthe-art printing press for Lagos Printing Corporation.

L-R: Assistant Comptroller, Nigeria Customs Service, Mr. Olawale Francis; Senior African Growth Opportunity Acts (AGOA) specialist, Mr. Muhammed Abou; Customs Consultant, USA, Mrs. Jan Forest; Regional Coordinator, South West, Nigeria Export Promotion Council, Mr. Babatunde Faleke; AGOA Specialist with USAID, Nexy and Project, Mrs. Liz Oluwadare and Deputy Superintendent of Customs in-charge of Cross River/Akwa Ibom Command, Mr. Amadi Nixon, during the capacity building programme on AGOA for Nigeria Customs Service officers, in Lagos… on Wednesday.

Delta monarchs flay NGC’s forensic investigation over alleged pipeline rupture Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

ÏÏÏ

. ThetraditionalrulersinGbaramatu Kingdom in Delta State have flayed the Nigerian Gas Company’s (NGC) Forensic Investigation over its alleged equipped ruptured as a ploy to conflagrate the crisis currently at the Niger-Delta Region. Acting Secretary to the Council of Traditional Rulers in Gbaramatu Kingdom, Chief Godspower Gbenekama in a statement issued and signed and made available to our reporter described the claim of the gas company that ruptured equipment was a result of “third party interference” as unrealistic and barbaric saying that the alleged ruptured pipeline could have occurred as a result of equipment failure as against what the gas company described as “Third Party Interference.”

Expectedly, the pipeline was alleged to have been ruptured around May 20, 2017 at about 2pm in the Gbaramatu

. As senior civil servants threaten work-to rule for unpaid salaries.

Kingdom, Warri South West Local Government Area of the state as it was said to have occurred few metres away from camp 5 in Benekrukru Community and not Gbaramatu town.

The statement further faulted the process or investigation, adding that the oil company would have involved the traditional rulers during its investigation part of the statement reads; “Genekama is also referred to as Benemowei, no Gbaramatu persons could indulge in such unwholesome activities to sabotage government assets, Gbaramatu people have no reasons whatsoever to bridge and destroy any pipeline or government facilities in its domain” insisting that the pipeline may have ruptured due to equipment failure or by enemies operating within the community.

The Traditional Rulers alleged that

the gas pipeline ruptured may have been in the same time the military was testing their weapon along the waterways, thereby causing serious tension within the area. Nobody, not even the militants have claimed responsibility for the ruptured pipeline, some perceived enemies of the Kingdom were using every means to scuttle the approved Maritime University in Okerenkoko, one of the communities in Gbaramatu” the statement added.

In another development, the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) Federal Government College (FGC) Warri has threatened that if the Federal Government fails to pay its members their November salaries, Transfer/DTA allowances as well as other fringe benefits of its members it will proceed on work to rule.

Man to spend 20-years in prison for killing business partner Titilope Joseph, Daniel Ojukwu

ÏÏÏ

A 23- year old man, Samaila Abubakar was yesterday sentenced to 20 years in prison by an Ikeja High Court for killing his business partner Sunny Muhammed.

The convict was charged before Justice R.I.B Adebiyi on a count of murder , an offense contrary to the law of Lagos state but he was later convicted for involuntary manslaughter.

While pronouncing her judgment, Justice Adebiyi said the convict has been sentenced for involuntary manslaughter because the prosecution has failed to prove that there was an intention from the defendant to inflict bodily harm on the deceased despite the fact that they have proved a case of death caused by the defendant.

Adebiyi, in her verdict said: “The defendant had committed a spontaneous and one off offence, but with a clean criminal record, he would face sentence for involuntary manslaughter as against murder”.

According to the prosecutor, Mrs. Akani Bukola, Samaila was said to have committed the crime on the May 13, 2013 along Ibira Street, Mushin, Lagos.

Samaila and Sunny were said to have gone to deliver oil to a doctor but unfortunately, the doctor rejected the oil, claiming that it had been mixed with water and was now adulterated.

The deceased, Sunny Muhammed, had been a friend and colleague of Samaila for some time and they had marketed black oil together.

Sonny allegedly gave the polluted oil to a third party who sold the same oil to the doctor without the knowledge of Samaila.

Samaila, on realising this, confronted the deceased and a fight ensured and he was said to have grabbed a knife and stabbed the deceased on his right chest and the deceased died shortly after he was stabbed.

The defendant was immediately apprehended by those who witness the scene and he was tied up and the police were alerted.

He was later taken to State Criminal Investigation Department, Yaba.

Mrs A. Bukola, further stated that the convict was initially charged for murder, an offense punishable under section 227 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, but the charge was later modified to “Involuntary Manslaughter” contrary to section 222 of the Criminal Law of Lagos, 2011.

However, the defence counsel, Y.A Ajayi in her pleading for mercy informed the court that the defendant was a first time offender while he pleaded with the court to tamper justice with mercy as he still has many years ahead of him.

NCPC to blacklist states with defecting pilgrims ... As Israel moves to dialogue with FG on visa issues Idu Jude, Abuja The leadership of the Nigerian Christian Commission has said that its leadership henceforth blacklist individual states of Nigeria, who indulge in submitting the list of defectors during the months of pilgrimage at the Holy Lands.

Executive secretary of the commission, Reverend Tor Ujor, stated this while receiving the security reports of the 2016 pilgrimage presented by the security committee, led by retired Maj. Gen Emmanuel Tehimba.

According to the executive secretary, one of the greatest thing that can happen to Nigeria, is proper security measure, to protect the lives of individual Nigerians, adding that one of the basic issues is to ensure that Nigerians stay alive. He believed that with adequate measures on on ground, guns will not be pointed at Nigerian

travelers.

Reverend Tor Ujor, further stated that people who appears to abscond while on pilgrimage, should be considered mentally unstable and the security agencies need to prevent such persons from traveling to foreign lands.

“What I am saying here is that Nigerians are wonderful people and we should realize that the country is fertile for every citizen of the country to enjoy”.

Continuing, the executive secretary revealed that there should be possible restructuring in the NCPC. He said that the administration should henceforth blacklist states that have this penchant for absconding for defecting while on pilgrimage. “We will be forced to start blacklisting such states from performing pilgrimage, and have names of their participants published in the dailies.

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

29 News

Thunder storm wreaks havoc in Delta community Nosa Akenzua Asaba.

ÏÏÏA

suspected mystery thunderstorm, which reportedly struck yesterday in the early hours at the residential apartment of a Catholic Priest’s house at Ugbodu, in Ika North-East Local Government Area, Delta State, electrocuted a teenager (name withheld), killed a pig, sheep and destroyed a greater portion of the family apartment. The suspected remote thunder bolt, allegedly sent to destroy the

young priest, Reverend Father, an assistant priest 11, Jude Iwediunor attached to St. John Bosco Catholic Church, Asaba struck barely a few minutes after his official car was sighted at his father’s compound, but miraculously, the clergyman, who was presumed to be in the car, was busy in a church programme outside his community.

The man of God had only sent one of his friends to see his aged mother, using his car for medical check-up in

the hospital. The alleged mystery thunderstorm suddenly began, to the astonishment of the people, sending down the deadly thunder bolt, with accompanying lightning and electrical waves, causing havoc. According to the testimony and praises made in relation to the incident in St. John Bosco’s Catholic Church, Asaba by the officiating priest, the thunder bolt descended on the Catholic Clergyman father’s house and destroyed the rooms and

household property, electrocuted and paralyzed a young boy, a son of one of their family friends and killed the fattest pig and biggest sheep.

Reacting to the issue, which reportedly set tongues wagging, our respondents, mainly St. John Bosco Catholic Church faithfuls, bared their minds, describing the alleged killer thunder bolt as very unfortunate.

They thanked God for what they described as the total handiwork of God.

Mr. Emmanuel Odiah, one of them, said that God is never sleeps and slumbers. Quoting the Holy Book, he said, “God who knows the heart of man, holds the key of life.” Mrs. Mary Nwanze, another of the faithfuls, called for fasting and prayer against possible mystery rainstorm, against anybody across the state, in the nation and globally.

She also prayed against any kind of natural disaster against the children of God.

Prospective voters registering, during the on-going Continuous Voters’ Registration exercise in Gombe… on Wednesday.

CPC, AFBTE to develop acceptable code for consumer compensation Mathew Dadiya, Abuja

ÏÏÏIn a move to provide more

succour to aggrieved consumers of beverages and food, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Association of Food, Beverage and Tobacco Employers (AFBTE), Wednesday, agreed to raise a technical committee to develop a mutually acceptable compensation code to address consumer abuse in the sector.

The decision to set up the technical committee was taken during the courtesy call of the association on the new Director General of CPC, Mr. Tunde Irukera, at the Council’s headquarters in Abuja.

Mr. Irukera, while commenting on the decision, observed that the code would modify the attitude and responses of the 100 industries that are members of the

association to complaints of aggrieved consumers in the sector.

The director general hinted that “the reality is that we have an aggressive consumer protection agency which frankly we must have, regardless of whatever approach one must take to protect the consumer and we have a responsibility to protect the consumer, to the extent of coming up with an approach that is in the interest of those consumers.

“So having to use a compensation policy as an example, if a consumer were to complain about a product, claiming that it made him ill, we could obviously come together and work with an acceptable methodology that would be fairer and more predictable across the board, rather than when a complaint occurs and gets out of hand... if we work together, we can come up with something that would be acceptable across the board

and you can go and percolate it as a kind of voluntary guide, and whoever doesn’t want to abide by it, that’s ok, but at least we should have something that we can work with. And in that regard we will be happy to work with you on mutually acceptable implementations and come up with key issues in respect to consumer protection” he said.

The CPC’s director general said the Council would be willing to collaborate effectively with the association because of its widespread influence in almost every home, noting that “I have found that professional and trade associations like this, when they are very strong, are perhaps the best partners because you can affect consumers far more when you come to some understanding with the association and they go back to enforce it within themselves than dealing with each member”.

‘Wellness aids spirituality, humanity capacity’ Simon Ugwu,

ÏÏÏWellness

for Humanity Pastoral Counseling and Spiritual direction services exist to enhance and facilitate life journey of coming home to real and authentic self.

The ministry, a non-governmental organization, NGO, is engaged in healing and enhancing human capacity through spiritual psychology and medical resuscitation.

The Spiritual Director, Wellness for Humanity Ministry, Rev. ( Dr.) Augustine Momoh, stated this in an exclusive interview with Daily Times in Ibadan.

Service to humanity, according to him, is run by the Dominican Order of Preachers of the Province of St. Joseph, the Worker Nigeria and Ghana.

According to him, “Wellness acknowledges that life is a process of coming home to ourselves, which continually invites us to deeper levels of healing and growth. On the journey , we may experience difficult situations, hard times and feelings which seem overwhelming.”

He said that overwhelming situations may trigger negative psychological variables that may require one to seek counseling or spiritual direction.

“Pastoral counseling affords one an opportunity to work through one’s reality with another, in supportive climate of wellness that fosters one’s growth and healing. In Wellness Ministry, counseling and spiritual direction are taken holistically in its approach, attending to and integrating body, mind and spirit in the process of healing and growth,” he said.

Check Fulani herdmen’s evil deeds now to prevent war -Ijaw monarch Isaac Olamikan, Warri

ÏÏÏThe Paramount ruler

of Seimbiri Kingdom in Delta State, His Royal Majesty, Pere (Dr.) Charles Ayemi Botu, has lambasted Fulani herdsmen for their criminal activities across the country.

In a statement made available to the Daily Times in Warri on Wedenesday afternoon, the monarch condemned the action of the Fulani herdsmen who traverse the length and breadth of the country causing havoc in their wake.

He asserted that they have turned out to become “invading Jihadist and an occupational force of the pre-colonial era that is worst than Boko Haram.”

According to him, “the rampaging Fulani Herdsmen that have been killing, maiming and raping innocent farmers in some parts of the country, especially in Delta State have gained unprecedented dimension since the inception of Buhari’s government two years ago.

“They have turned out to become invading Jihadist and an occupational force of the pre-colonial era that is worse than Boko Haram.

“Unfortunately, Mr. President has feigned ignorance with utter disdain and apparently turned deaf ears, neither the law enforcement agencies, the Inspector General of Policecould order their arrest and subsequent prosecution for illegal pos-

session of dangerous firearms.”

Going further, he stressed that “few days ago five farmers were killed in Ossisa bush by the herdsmen, who also kidnapped a monarch within Ossisa on 21st Decenber, 2016, on his way to Asaba to attend council meeting.

“The Obi of Ubuluku was kidnapped early last year and was murdered by the same killer herdsmen who have been rampaging the bushes of Delta State because they are above the law,” Pere Ayemi Botu affirned that “this canker-worm will soon overrun the entire country and there will ensue a bitter tribal war that is capable of engulfing the country into shreds.”

News 30

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Political appointees absent at Interdenominational Service to mark C’River 50th anniversary Edem Edem, Calabar Large number of political appointees in Cross River state were conspicuously absent at the first activity to mark the state’s 50th anniversary on Wednesday. The activity, which was an interdenominational service, was held at the cultural centre in Calabar, the state capital.

Governor Ben Ayade was also not in attendance.

The state had the highest number of special advisers and special assistants as well as chairmen of boards and directors. Disappointingly, some school pupils and students drafted from their schools to the occasion were not entertained as they left in annoyance and openly criticizing the government for ignoring them.

The poor turn-up may not be unconnected with lack of petrol as all the filling sta-

tions in Calabar remained closed by the order of National Union of Petroleum, Engineering and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG).

The group complained of arbitrary levy imposition on them by the state government. Government had asked tanker drivers to pay N12, 800 each as road maintenance levy.

The chairman of the Central Planning Committee of the anniversary had briefed newsmen that the celebration will featured several activities, including the interdenominational service, interaction session with traditional leaders, football match, cocktail party, city walk, cleanup exercise, planting of 50th anniversary trees, display of cultural play, signing of bills, command performance, and a live radio and television broadcast by Governor Ayade.

Enugugovtrestates commitmenttohuman rights Moses Oyediran, Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu state has reiterated his administration’s will remain committed to the protection of vulnerable peoples rights, as well as uphold ideals that had led to collaboration between his government and the Department for International Development (DFID).

Ugwuanyi gave the assurance at the handing over of TAMAR SARC, a rights advocacy centre and home for victims of abuse, to the state government by the British high commissioner to Nigeria, Mr. Paul Arkwright, in Enugu.

“We must ensure full realization of the centre and also assure you of our willingness for future partnership. The Department for International Development has assisted us especially in the key areas of development like Justice for All, state accountability, among others,” the governor said.

Mr. Arkwright commend-

ed the many positive steps taken by the Ugwuanyi administration to enthrone economic development in the state. He noted that it was gratifying that people could now resolve social issues amicably, adding that “the United Kingdom will continue to contribute to the development of Nigeria.”

The head of DFID in the South East and South South, Mrs. Olachi Chuks Romnie, thanked the governor for identifying with their programmes over the years and pledged their readiness to complement his administration’s efforts to develop the state.

While the Enugu state Commissioner for Gender Affairs and Social Development, Princess Peace Nnaji, canvassed support for the government’s policies, other speakers, including the executive director of Women Aids Collective, Prof. Joy Ezeilo, frowned at incessant violence and emotional abuse against women and girls and called for a concerted effort to stop the malaise.

A cross-section of beneficiaries of empowerment kits presented to 40 trained female artisans by the National Centre for Women Development (NCWD) in Abuja… on Wednesday.

NLC, ASUU to picket Force Hqtrs Augustine Okezie, Abuja The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, have jointly decried police brutality against their members and have declared their plan to picket the Headquarters office of the Nigeria Police Force, Maitama Abuja, over what they called’’ incessant harassment of union members and wanton police brutality’’ The Presidents of the two unions, namely Comrade Ayuba Waba and Professor Biodun Ogunyemi told news-

ÏM^0 ƄƆƆ Ə ƈ Ƒ ƈ ƌƆƌƄƆƏ Ɛƈ ƓƈƗƆé dnn ÏzƆ ƓƈƋƋ ƅ ƏƏƕ ƑƏ ƍƏ ƐƆ Ɛ ƆƒƆ Ƒƍ Ɛ 9GRéMG men in Abuja yesterday, during a routine visit by the NLC boss, designed to interface with the affiliates of the congress, that serial attacks by police personnel on their members even at the flimsiest of excuses will no longer be tolerated and will henceforth be resisted The ASUU boss who also accused the police of colluding with the authorities of University of Illorin to establish a regime of suppression and willful subjugation to forcefully deduct check off dues from members

,said the union will not give up in the struggle to instill justice and fair play in that university Biodun further cited instances of Police violence against members in Ekpoma where a Professor was brutally assaulted, the crises in FUTA Akure were the Nigerian Police Force where seen to have taken sides ,and the ongoing UniOsun crises where the Nigerian Police indiscriminately arrested members and branding them cultists and sponsors of cultism even after they

had properly identified themselves Comrade Waba who described ASUU as a consistent partner in the struggle for justice and fair play promised to continue partnership with the union to address the challenges facing the education sector He said’’ we believe so much in solidarity because injury to one is injury to all, we shall join you by carrying out protests to police headquarters, to drive home the demand for police reform and social justice

Zambia seeks collaboration with NEMA on disaster management Mathew Dadiya & Myke Uzendu, Abuja

The High Commissioner of Zambia to Nigeria, Dr. Solomon Jere, has requested the collaboration of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) with his country in the area of disaster management.

The envoy, who made the request in Abuja during a visit to the Director General of NEMA, Engr Mustapha Maihaja, said that he was impressed by the

outstanding performance of NEMA in the discharge of its mandates.

He said: “Your Agency is well organized. In Zambia we also have a department for the management of disasters under the office of the Vice President, but I am here to seek a collaboration that would be beneficial to both countries.”

The High Commissioner who went down the memory lane in appraising the major roles played by Nigeria in support of the struggle for independence

of many African countries, noted that it was still being held in high esteem and being looked up for supports when any need arises.

He explained that the desire for the collaboration with NEMA had been necessitated by his believe that “it is always better to prepare ahead.”

In furtherance to the request, he said, “we have created a space for Nigeria in Zambia and I am inviting your high level visit to build up the friend-

ship.” He also added that the High Commission had opened a channel of communication with NEMA on disaster management.

Responding, the DG of NEMA, Engr. Maihaja, expressed appreciation the desire for the collaboration but said the proper process would be followed towards the relationship.

In actualization of the request, he said, the agency and the High Commission would work the appropriate modality for the collaboration.

Thursday, May 25, 2017

EXTRATIME

Babatunde eyes Eagles return Ben Nwachukwu, Abuja

Q

atari Sports Club attacker Babatunde Michael has declared that he has no iota of doubt in his mind as to whether he would be able to make his way back to the Super Eagles.

Babatunde in a telephone chat with Extra Time said the coming of a German football technocrat Gernot Rohr would certainly uplift the country’s football and place her where she should be in the committee of world football nations.

He claimed that his absence from the team after a scintillating performance in the Brazil 2014 Fifa World Cup does not imply that he is out of the team rather the new coach is living up to his promise to give all Nigerian-born football players a chance to fight for a place in the team regardless of where they are born or the country they may have represented at the youth stage.

“I am not worried about my place in the Super Eagles. That I am not in the team now does not imply that I am out of the team forever. I know my chance to prove myself will still come and I am ready to grab it to prove that I am a better player now,” he said.

The player who emerged as the highest goal scoring Nigerian player in the current season with 25 goals and 10 assists that promoted his club to first league in Qatar noted that he is more of a professional now than when he was plying his trade in

Babatunde

Europe.

According to him, “Playing football in Qatar is not as easy as people may think.

I have played in Europe, North Africa and now in Qatar. In Qatar once you are signed, the expectation would be very high from your employers. They expect you to be at your best both in trainings and matches.

Any day you drop in performance, you would be risking sack.”

He argued that playing in Qatar should not be the criterion for the coach to drop him from the Super Eagles noting that the quality of a player is not judged by the league he is playing since football is a means of making a living.

Babatunde who disclosed that already four offers from China and Europe are waiting for his approval and that of his club for next season maintained that he is not in a hurry to jump at any of them and added that he is comfortable in his club and the city of Qatar is a home for him.

On the possibility of Nigeria qualifying for the Russia 2018 Fifa World Cup, Babatunde said, “We have everything it takes to qualify for the world cup.

Our Coach is world class and he has a pool of quality players to prosecute the qualifiers. Already, Nigeria is leading in our group and I do not see the magic that would pull us backward. We are as good as being in Russia. We need to maintain the tempo, win our matches and be not distracted by what our opponents are doing in their own matches.”

Ned Nwoko Golf Classic 2017 ends in Delta Nosa Akenzua, Asaba

T

he Ned Nwoko Invitation Golf Classic 2017 which teed-off at Linas Golf and Country Club, Idumuje-Ugboko, Aniocha North Local Government, Delta State, has ended on a good note.

The one-day event was contested by 25 players in both the male and female categories and the games were played in two rounds of 9 holes each to get 18

Onyali

holes.

The event was graced by dignitaries including former sports personalities like former Olympic Bronze medalist, Mary Onyali, and Olajide Fashikun, a former captain of Nigeria Handball team.

Speaking to journalists during the event, Onyali said that she came to show support to Hon. Ned Nwoko in what he is trying to achieve in the sporting world and also advised aspiring golfers and prospective sportsmen to take interest in sports and be passionate about them.

According to her: “Today’s event is more like a charity event to support my friend. Golf is a relaxing sport, because of the outdoor nature of golfing; it elevates and clears the mind of issues bothering us. Apart from being an expensive sport, athletes in the US, quickly get scholarship from it.

“I have always advocated for those that are in sports, to do it passionately because scholarship helps you and your family financially and golf is one of the sports I strongly advise athletes to take to.”

The former sprinter also spoke about developing different sports in Nigeria through the ongoing ‘Nigeria Sports Development Fund’ project that is being carried out by herself, as the Technical Director and Fashikun as the Director General, with other ex-sports internationals.

31

Channels International Kids Cup enters Group stage ANDREW EKEJIUBA

G

roup stage action has commenced the Channels International Kids Cup with Community Primary School, Lagos; Paragon Demonstration School, Edo; Mowoe Primary School, Delta and Jaafaru Primary School from Kaduna recording opening day victories.

Group A action got proceedings underway with Community Primary School from Lagos taking on Islamic Government Primary School, Modakeke, Osun State. The boys from Osun took control of the game from the blast of the whistle. But the boys from Lagos managed to survive and the first half ended goalless.

When the game resumed during the second half, Islamic Government Primary School continued where they stopped in the first half.

They controlled the game but couldn’t get the ball into the net.

With 10 minutes to stoppage time, the boys from Abule-Egba stunned the crowd. Idris Azeez stole the ball from the Osun defence and produced a fine finish to give Community Primary School a 1-0 victory.

Essrayri

Essrayri takes charge of Eagles, Bafana clash

ANDREW EKEJIUBA

T

he Confederation of African Football has appointed Tunisian arbiter, Youssef Essrayri as the referee for next month’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and the Bafana Bafana of South Africa in Uyo. Essrayri, 40, who became an international referee five years ago, will be assisted by compatriots Yamen Melloulchi (Assistant Referee 1), Hassen Abdelali (Assistant Ref-

eree 2) and Said Mohamed Kordi (Fourth Official).

The match commissioner is Andy Quamie from Liberia and Kotey Alexander Neequaye from Ghana will be referee assessor.

The encounter at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium, Uyo on Saturday, 10th June will open the curtain on the qualifying race in Group E for Cameroon 2019, with only the group winners guaranteed slots at the finals. Libya and Seychelles are the other teams in the

pool.

Meanwhile, the Super Eagles had their first training session in Ajaccio on Wednesday morning, ahead of Friday’s friendly match against the Corsica Senior Team at the Stade Francois Coty.

Expected at the team’s Best Western Hotel camp by Wednesday night are Ahmed Musa, Kelechi Iheanacho, Mikel Agu and Abdullahi Shehu. An interesting game is at hand for the three – time African champions, against a

team that has only lost once in the nine matches it has played since forming a squad in 1967.

The only defeat the Corsica Senior Team has suffered was a 0-1 reverse to the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in a friendly in Bastia on May 14, 1998. The Lions were then preparing for the 1998 FIFA World Cup finals in France.

The only time Corsica had played 1998 FIFA World Cup champions France was in February 1967, and the former won 2-0.

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Babatunde eyes Eagles return

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Messi loses appeal in tax fraud trial S pain’s Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected an appeal by Barcelona soccer star Lionel Messi and stood by a Catalan regional court’s 21-month prison sentence for tax fraud, court documents showed.

The five-time World Player of the Year is unlikely to go to prison, however.

Messi and his father Jorge were found guilty by a Catalan court last

July on three counts of tax fraud between 2007 and 2009 to the tune of 4.1 million euros on image rights and were also fined 2 million euros ($2.24 million).

The court reduced Jorge Messi’s sentence from 21 months to 15, however, for returning the defrauded amount to Spain’s tax authority.

Neither Messi nor his father are expected to serve time in jail, as under Spanish law sentences

under two years can be served under probation.

A court statement said Messi “unequivocally understood his obligation to pay tax on income obtained from exploiting his image rights...therefore it is not logical that he should ignore his duty to pay tax on them”.

The Supreme Court’s ruling brings an end to a case which began in 2013.

Messi, 29, and his father defrauded the Spanish tax office of 4.1 million euros between 2007 and 2009 by using a web of shell

companies based in Belize, Switzerland and Uruguay to evade taxes on income from the player’s image rights.

Messi, who has won eight La Liga titles, four King’s Cups and four Champions League crowns with Barcelona, finished top scorer in Spain this season with 37 league goals.

He is set to play in the King’s Cup final next Saturday in Madrid, the last game of the domestic season.

Messi is Barcelona’s all-time top scorer and their highest paid player. He is expected to sign a new contract with the Catalan club later this summer, with his current deal expiring in June 2018.

Baxter bent on caging Eagles!

S

Baxter

outh Africa coach Stuart Baxter is leaving no stone unturned to see that his side achieve a good result against the Super Eagles of Nigeria.

Bafana Bafana will travel to Nigeria for a 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier on June 10 at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo. Baxter, who is into his second spell as coach of the South African senior side, has already started making plans to neutralise Nigeria as he has been studying the tapes of Nigerian stars abroad.

The likes of Kelechi Iheanacho, Alex Iwobi and Victor Moses got special mention from the Bafana coach, who also revealed he has been reading Nigerian newspapers to get a feel for how they are thinking.

Baxter wants to take a look at Nigeria’s last three games and break it down to give him an idea of how the Super Eagles will set up for the clash.

Nigeria have been a bogey team for South Africa as Bafana have only defeated Nigeria once in competitive games. The last time the two teams met, Nigeria forced South Africa to a 2-2 draw in Uyo in a 2015 AFCON qualifier.

Messi

Business Times Daily Times Nigeria

Dangote Cement’s N144.8bn dividend delights shareholders Page B2

Naira stable at 380/$1, after retention of status quo

ARM wants investors to beat June 30 deadline on paper dividend Page B4

Page B3

PETAN wants $11bn investment in gas, power infrastructure Simon Ugwu The Petroleum Technology Association of Nigeria (PETAN) has stated that Nigeria would require between $9 billion and $11 billion to boost investment in gas infrastructure and power, including the construction of over 897 kilometres of gas pipelines, building of three power plants with capacity of 3,150 megawatts each, as

well as construction of gas industrial parks and western central processing facilities (CPF) in the country.

The association has also called for collaboration and assets sharing by upstream operators to create synergy and ensure reduction in the cost of logistics from $23 per barrel to $2 per barrel.

In a communiqué from the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) held recently in

Houston, Texas, United States, PETAN also added that the funds would also be deployed in the rehabilitation of the old refineries, co-location of refineries and construction of new ones to change the country’s status from crude oil exporter to exporter of refined petroleum products.

The communiqué also called on the states to be involved in the establishment of modular refineries, which must be po-

sitioned around private investors and independent producers with government guarantee and support.

The association stressed the need for assets sharing and the setting up of consortiums like Bonga South West to sustain build in-country capacities.

The communiqué, which was signed by the Chairman of PETAN, Mr. Bank Anthony OkoroCONTINUED ON PAGE B2

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Ltd, Avni Kigili; Chairman, Hayat Kimya Nigeria Ltd, Yahya Kigili; Governor of Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun; Commissioner of Commerce and Industry, Ogun State, Otunba Bimbola Ashiru; and Chief Executive, Stanbic IBTC Bank, Dr. Demola Sogunle; at the inauguration of Hayat Kimya factory in Ogbara, Ogun State on Wednesday.

Bio-fuel can make Nigerians economically self-reliant – PPPRA

The Executive Secretary, Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Mr Abdulkadir Saidu, on Wednesday said the bio-fuel sector had the potential to make Nigerians economically selfreliant.

Bio-fuels are fuels produced

BUSINESS TIMES Head Business Azubike Nnadozie Asst. Business Editor Simon Ugwu Capital Market Editor Bonny Amadi

directly or indirectly from organic materials including plant materials and animal waste.

Saidu said this at the annual conference of Women in Cleantech and Eco-Innovation Initiative (WCE) on Wednesday in Abuja.

The theme of the conference is “Enhancing Women Engagement in Domestic Bio-fuels Industry at all Levels for Sustainable Development”.

Saidu, represented by Mr Agbuje Olasupo, the General Manager, Gas and Renewable Energy said the bio-fuel industry was beneficial to all as it was domes-

tic product-based.

“Bio-fuel is a key part of the future in terms of energy.

“It is unique because it feeds off domestic production; so the issue of importation of products is significantly.

“It is a marriage between the petroleum industry and the agriculture industry; we have farmers engaged, our land is engaged and employment is generated,” he said.

Saidu said that deploying women in the bio-fuel industry was important; adding that women were more involved in the agricultural sector which

Thursday, May 25 , 2017

would enhance the production of bio-fuel.

“The percentage of women involved in agriculture in Nigeria is of significant percentage.

“In the rural areas, a lot of women are involved in small scale farming and bio-fuel production is significantly based on seedlings and farming.

“Women have a role to play because they do a lot in cultivation of crops,” he said.

Mrs Grace Udounwa-Ogolo, the Chief Executive Officer of WCE said that bio-fuel was being used as an alternative for hydrocarbon fuel.

Lagos spends N11bn on schools infrastructure Esther Taiwo In its efforts to provide conducive teaching and learning environment by making available adequate educational facilities in public primary and secondary schools in the State has committed the sum of Eleven Billion, Fifty-Nine Million, Four Hundred and Ninety –Five Thousand, Two Hundred and Three Naira, Fifty Kobo (N11,059,495,203.50) upgrading schools infrastructure.

Disclosing this on Monday at the Ministerial Press Briefing of the Ministry of Education, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Idiat Oluranti Adebule who also superintends the Education Sector explained that the sum of N2.4 billion was expended on the construction of 9 new school buildings, N3.7bn on the rehabilitation of 79 school buildings, while another 79 buildings had their blown off roofs replaced at the cost of N941m.

CONTINUED ON PAGE B2

Peace Currier customers groan over poor services Simon Ugwu Customers of Peace Currier services, a subsidiary of Peace Mass Transit have been groaning over poor services of the currier arm of PMT. A customer, Ossai Igwe, who couldn’t bear the poor services and arrogance of some of the staff of the company, told the Daily Times that an item was sent to him from Ogrute, a suburb of Nsukka, Enugu State, since Saturday. The item which was believed to be perishable goods moved on Sunday and was taken to Agboju, Mile 2 Lagos, instead of Charity in Oshodi, Lagos, the destination.

Since that Sunday the staff in Agboju office of PMT could not deliver the item to its Charity office where the item should be picked.

“I carried out an investigation and got the number of the man in charge of operations who confirmed that he got the complaint this morning (Wednesday, May 24, 2017) and promised that the items would be taken to Charity this morning. But nothing happened until this evening when I called him again and told him that I would go to press with this story.

Business News B2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Lagos spends N11bn on schools infrastructure

IFC, Google, others invest in CSquared to boost broadband in Africa

CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

Tony Nwakaegho IFC, a member of the World Bank Group, Google Inc., Convergence Partners, and Mitsui & Co. have decided to invest up to $100 million in CSquared, a partnership focused on deploying wholesale, carrierneutral, open-access fibre optic networks across Sub-Saharan Africa.

The investment will help boost broadband connectivity in a region where the lack of dependable internet access impairs economic growth, competitiveness, and the development of basic services. It will expand Google’s existing operations in Uganda and Ghana, with the goal of entering several new markets over the next five years.

The investment is part of IFC’s Digital Infrastructure Initiative, which aims to increase internet access in underserved regions. Improving broadband connectivity through the Digital Infrastructure Initiative is a priority for the World Bank Group—better broadband penetration has a direct impact on GDP growth, increases productivity and transparency, and helps bridge the gender gap.

Fiber optic cable, however, is expensive—just one kilometer can cost between $15,000 and $30,000—and Africa needs at least half a million more kilometers. Deploying and operating infrastructure on a shared basis—Csquared’s business model—can help lower installation and consumer costs. CSquared aims to offer high-quality, affordable wholesale services to all licensed operators.

L – R: Regional category marketing manager, Arla Foods, Fatoumata Doro; managing director, Mads Burmester, president, Nutrition Society of Nigeria, Dr. Batholomew Brai and the state nutrition officer, Lagos state ministry of health, Mrs Bunmi Braheem, during Arla Dano press conference in commemoration of world food day, held at the company premises in Lagos on Wednesday.

Shareholders of Dangote Cement on Wednesday were full of praise for the Board, Management and staff of the company after approving the dividend payout of N144.8 billion, which translated to N8.50 kobo per share as against N8 per share, which was paid in the corresponding period of 2015.

Speaking at the company’s annual general meeting (AGM), held in Lagos, President of Amiable Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Festus Akano said the shareholders were pleased with Aliko Dangote and his team. He said for the company to still pay a robust dividend despite the recession in the economy, which also affected their operations shows the doggedness and the fighting entrepreneurial spirit of the Management.

According to him: “We are very happy and pleased with this result. 2016 was very tough with the recession and fluctuation in the foreign exchange

Dangote Cement’s N144.8bn dividend delights shareholders market which the Chairman also said affected their operations, but despite all these challenges, the company was still able to pay us a very good dividend, better than last year, and even gave us hope of better returns on our investments in the years to come. This is very commendable and it is only a company like Dangote Cement that can achieve this laudable feat.”

Chairman of the company, Aliko Dangote while presenting the reports to the shareholders said the company’s strategy in every country of operations is to be the leader on costs, quality and service. He said the company build large, modern, highly efficient plants that com-

PETAN wants $11bn investment in gas, power infrastructure CONTINUED FROM PAGE B1

afor, called on the operators to collaborate to fund projects instead of raising funds in ‘silos.’

According to the association, the operators should synergise in all assets work to reduce logistics costs from $23 per barrel to $2 barrel “by working together and sharing vessels, security and management of assets.

“We can knock down cost by 40 per cent by adopting Brazilian model – standardise facilities, standardise 150,000

barrels FPSO (Floating Production Storage Offloading) vessels across all deepwater development, instead of several capacities,” the communiqué added.

To grow the country’s crude oil reserves to 40 billion barrels by 2020, PETAN said the exploration budget should be ring-fenced, while the country should have one function steel mill in the next five years as 90 per cent of all oil and gas projects need steel.

According to the association, a steel mill will be the catalyst for building all facilities incountry.

To build all facilities in-country, PETAN argued that lead

She added that the sum of N616m was spent on the construction of Sixteen (16) Schools fence to enhance security of students and staff alike. Procurement and supply of 100 Principals, 1000 Teachers and 40,000 dual bench and table students furniture cost N1.27 bn while installation of Laboratory fittings, furniture and supply of Science Equipment for 30 senior secondary Schools was completed at the cost of N512m.

The State Universal Basic Education Board also expended the sum of N1.5bn on projects in the primary education sector. According to her, 346 Junior and Secondary Schools benefitted from the distribution of these furniture while 707 double-bunk beds and 469 mattresses were supplied to our schools with boarding facilities at the cost of N48.4m.

contractors in every project must have solid infrastructure in the country.

It also called for the removal of emergency in projects, adding that emergency in projects removes local content.

“We need it now mentality must stop,” PETAN said.

While charging the National Assembly to conclude the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill, PETAN called for the “harnessing of local long term funds like Pensions, Sovereign funds into Long term productive and profitable infrastructure assets like gas, power, lines, refinery, utilities as done by other pension funds in developed countries.”

bine the latest equipment from Europe, China and beyond to enable it make higher-quality cement at lower costs, thereby giving it strong competitive advantages.

According to him: “Looking back at the 2016 financial year, I am pleased to report that our cement sales volumes increased by 25.0 per cent to nearly 23.6Mt. Of this, almost 14.8Mt was sold in the Nigerian market. Revenues increased by 25.1 per cent to 615.1B, of which 68.3 per cent was generated in Nigeria (excluding eliminations) and 31.7 per cent from Pan-African operations. Our earnings before interest, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) decreased

only slightly, to 257.2 billion, with Pan-African operations contributing 26.5 billion, excluding central costs. Earnings per share increased by 4.5 per cent to 11.34.

Aliko Dangote

Lagos prepares workers for pension transfer opening Joy Ekeke

The Lagos State Commissioner for Establishment, Trainings and Pensions, Dr. Akintola Benson, has said Lagos state government is preparing its workers for the opening of the transfer window in the pension industry.

Dr Benson disclosed this to journalists in Lagos, that the window will enable a contributor to move from one Pension Fund Administrator (PFA) to another.

“The Lagos State Pension Commission (LASPEC) which is one of the agencies of the state has also initiated and perfected electronic archiving of records of payments made to retirees of the state for preservation and protection in case of any unexpected eventualities.

He further stressed that, “this

will ensure preservation of records of paid retirees in electronic format. It will also remove the fraudulent “ghost worker or retiree” syndrome prevalent with the administration of old pension regime due to lack of adequate record.

“The Commission has not stopped the sensitisation of retirees on the activities of pension fraudsters. Despite the fact that one or two cases of these fraudsters are reported, this malaise has reduced drastically compared to what the agency used to have in the first half of 2016. ”Officers of the Ministry of Establishments, Training and Pensions have laboured and toiled to achieve exceptional feats in the first two years of the current administration and are committed to doing even more.

v

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Stories by Motolani Oseni A day after the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) concluded its two day bi-monthly meeting in Abuja, with all status quo unchanged, the Naira has been forced to remain stable at the same rate it has been trading since the foreign exchange market opened for the week.

The last time the local currency recorded any gain was last Wednesday when it strengthened by five points against the dollar, from 385 to 380 at the parallel market.

The local currency, on Wednesday closed at 380 to a dollar but weakened to the pound sterling at 490 compare to 485 it traded a week ago, while Euro remained unchanged at 420 at the unofficial mar-

Naira stable at 380/$1, after retention of status quo ket.

The closing rate at the official market yesterday was slightly weakened to 305.90 per dollar against the quoted rate of 305.45 last Wednesday.

At the Bureau De Change (BDC) window, the Naira remained at the regulated rate of N362 to the Dollar, while the Pound Sterling and the Euro closed at N495 and N423.

The naira, however, appreciated at the Investor and Export FX window, with an opening rate of 381.13 against 382.69 opened last week and 381.81 closing rate compare to 383.11closed last week Wednesday.

Keystone Bank empowers 100 small businesses Keystone Bank has empowered no less than 100 small businesses in Enugu State through its Ministry of Commerce & Industry, to boost Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) development in the state.

The latest partnership according to a statement from the bank, is in line with the bank’s continuous economic empowerment campaign aimed at raising the bar of small business which form by the bedrock of the nation’s economy.

In the partnership, 100 entrepreneurs were recently endowed with a financial aid of N50,000 each to enhance their various trades which ultimately translates to a boost in the local businesses in the state and the economy at large.

Speaking at the event which held at the city square in Enugu, the Executive Governor of the state, Mr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, lauded Keystone Bank’s commitment and support of the crusade for MSME growth in the State.

Acting Managing Director of Keystone Bank, Mr. Hafiz Bakare, represented by the Head, South Directorate, Mr. Rowly Isioro, said, “Keystone Bank has been at

B3 Money Market

the forefront of empowering MSMEs as they drive economic growth from the grass roots of the society. This he says also “helps to boost our drive for financial inclusion of the un-banked in Nigeria which is in line with Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) directive.”

Bakare stated that the importance of MSMEs to the development of the nation’s economy was significant, noting that they provide a means of employment generation, improvement of local technology, output diversification, development of indigenous entrepreneurship and forward integration with largerscale industries.

“Today in Nigeria, many factors have contributed to the underperformance of micro enterprises and their contributions to economic growth. We at Keystone Bank seek to help bridge the gap by not only providing finance, but by offering financial advisory service through relevant platforms to assist in business growth,” he said.

Bakare added that he third phase of this programme will hold at the end of May 2017 in order to benefit more micro scale enterprises.

But at the interbank market, the naira traded at 319. 99 to the Dollar, 414.79 per pound sterling and 360.24 to the Euro.

The MPC on Tuesday left the Monetary Policy Rate unchanged at 14 per cent, as well as the Cash Reserves Ratio at 22.5 per cent.

The CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emefiele, who announced the decision of the committee at the end of a two-day meeting held at the apex bank’s headquarters in Abuja explained that the members of the committee agreed to maintain the current monetary policy stance.

The governor said the committee also voted to

retain the Liquidity Ratio which was left at 30 percent; and the Asymmetric Window which was left at +200 and -500 basis points around the MPR. Even as some financial experts had earlier in the week called for a downward review of the Monetary Policy Rate (MPR) by the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) to 12 per cent from 14 per cent, to enhance economic recovery.

But the apex bank within the week lifted the foreign exchange forex market with a $255 million intervention to ease pressure on the naira.

The injection assisted marginally to stabilise the

naira against the greenback and deepen dollar inflow into the market.

A breakdown of the intervention showed that $100 million was released for the wholesale segment of the market for both spots and forwards. Basic Travel Allowance (BTA), which comes under invisibles segment, got $50 million. The Small and Medium Scale Enterprises (SME) segment received $55 million.

Traders, citing a notice from the regulator, said the currency forwards being auctioned would be settled within 60-days and backed by customer demand.

The naira was exchang-

ing at N381 to the dollar in the parallel market, and could strengthen further as currency speculators abandon the market over fears of recording huge losses.

The naira has firmed on the black market from its record low of N520 to the dollar in February, before the CBN’s intervention in the foreign exchange market.

Besides, the rates convergence, which the World Bank and international investors have been demanding from the CBN, is gradually being achieved as more confidence returns to the market.

CIBN tasks risk managers on ethics, professionalism

L-R: Victoria Adewunmi of Prinsult Global Consult; Managing Director, Prinsult Global Consult, Raliat Oyetunde, and Chef Tonia at Prinsult Unique Business Model Canvas Seminar, held in Lagos, recently.

The President Chattered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Prof Segun Ajibola has stressed the need for risk managers to always uphold the profession’s ethical values at all times.

Speaking at a dinner organized by Risk Managers Association of Nigeria

(RIMAN) in Lagos recently, Prof Ajibola stated that ‘the integrity of risk managers must never be compromised. Risk managers should make themselves reference point when it comes to character checking. They are the conscience of their establishments, their hands must

be clean, and they must not be tempted. Failure of risk management creates gaps or can cause calamities.’

Speaking further, he said that risk management affects every facet of our lives from political leadership to civil service, family and corporate life. Accord-

ing to him, every staff in an organization is a risk management ambassador.

Risk must also be managed.

‘For instance, lack of risk management caused immigration problems that led to stampede some years ago. It is also failure of risk management that causes problems in the aviation industry.

Similarly, RIMAN President, Mr Jude Monye noted that the mission of RIMAN is to facilitate the creation and sustenance of credible risk management practices; through proactive advocacy, capacity building, knowledge sharing, promotion of high professional standards and corporate governance He added that ‘RIMAN has commenced professional certification in risk management called Certified Risk Managers (CRM) exams. it is the first in Nigeria and the second in Sub-Saharan Africa.

‘RIMAN also collaborates with regulatory authorities in policy advancement to ensure best practices in the financial and non-financial industries. Typical of such was the collaboration with Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in the establishment of Credit Bureau Services in Nigeria and continuous provision of capacity building platforms for organizations.’

v

Capital Market B4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Shareholders increase Jaiz Bank capital to N25bn

L-R: Mortein Regional Sales Manager, East, Mr. Udoka Ekwueme; Honorable Commissioner for Health, Abia State, Dr. Chigozie John Ahukannah,; Executive Chairman Ikwuano L.G.A. Abia State, Honorable Ezinne Ngozi Oji and Brand Manager, Mortein, Mrs. Ebunoluwa Longe, at the sensitization exercise CoSponsored by Reckitt Benckiser in Commemoration of the 2017 World Malaria Day in Abia State.

Afolabi Adesola

NSE maintains growth, as investors’ worth improve by N67bn Afolabi Adesola

Transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Wednesday continued on an upward trajectory as market indices recorded a mild appreciation at the close of trading activities.

The market capitalisation rose by N66.8 billion to close at N9.778 trillion against the N9.712 trillion recorded on Tuesday.

Similarly, the All-Share Index increased by 193.13 points or 0.69 percent to close at 28,286.43

compared with 28,093.30 on Tuesday.

Vitafoam recorded the highest percentage gain, leading the day’s 27gainers’ table with 6.32 percent to close at N2.69 per share.

Cement Company of Northern Nigeria came second with a 4.99 percent growth to close at N4.84 and International Breweries increased by 4.86 percent to close at N22 per share.

Axa Mansard appreciated by 4.85 percent to close at N1.73, while UAC-Prop improved by 4.84 percent to close at N1.95 per

share.

Conversely, John Holt topped the day’s 19 losers’, dropping by 6.35 percent to close at 59 kobo per share.

Oando trailed with a loss of 5 percent to close at N8.55, while May & Baker lost 4.97 percent to close at N1.53 per share.

Forte Oil dipped 4.78 percent to close at N2.29, while Champion Breweries declined by 4.63 percent to close at N2.06 per share.

Zenith Bank drove the activity chart, exchanging 94.8 million shares worth N1.7 billion.

Jaiz Bank followed with an exchange of 35.1 million shares valued at N34.4 million and FBN Holdings traded 34.4 million shares worth N143.7 million.

Diamond Bank sold 16.6 million shares valued at N14.6 million, while Fidelity Bank accounted for 15.1 million shares worth N14.4 million.

In all, investors in 4,194 deals, staked N3.45 billion on 311.3 million shares compared to N2.18 billion on 212.69 million shares transacted in 3,908 deals recorded in previous trading session

ARM wants investors to beat June 30 deadline on paper dividend Bonny Amadi Arms Investments, has called on investors to take advantage of ongoing free e-dividend registration sponsored by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to enhance documentations on electronic dividend payment.

The company its mails to diversified investors titled “The SEC calls for the investing public to take advantage of the on-going free e-dividend registration period” emphasized that in order to facilitate the e-Dividend registration exercise, the SEC has provided a platform for all investors to search for their names and as-

certain their registration status by clicking a link.

Arms counselled unregistered Investors for e-Dividend, to take the electronic registration route that is simplified and easy.

“All investors, whose name(s) appear, are advised to simply download the registrar’s e-mandate form, fill it, and submit at the nearest branch of their Bank or Registrar to register for the collection of their unclaimed dividends and subsequent dividends electronically, as well as for the proceeds from their secondary market transactions to be credited directly to their preferred Bank Account (Direct Cash Settlement”

Meanwhile, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has reechoed that that, as part of measures to curb the growth of unclaimed dividend in the Nigerian capital market, all investors are required to register for the payment of their dividends electronically

(e-Dividend).

The capital market apex regulator reiterated the deadline of 30th June, 2017 to end paper dividend payment. The date SEC said will mark the end of issuance of physical dividend warrant and the end of free registration for e-dividend.

Shareholders of Jaiz Bank have increased the bank’s authorised share capital from N15 billion to N25 billion.

This was one of the resolutions passed at the bank’s annual general meeting in Abuja on Wednesday Hassan Usman, its Managing Director, said the bank had recorded lots of successes in five years and the bank was now well established.

According to him, these successes had manifested in the bank’s growth in its financial assets by 38 per cent and strong deposit inflow by 30 per cent.

Usman said that these figures were as a result of consistent and sustained focus on the needs of customers and employees.

He said that the bank’s N343 million profits in 2016 was the culmination of the bank’s performance over the past 12 months and its customers’ loyalty formed over the years.

Usman said that the bank’s robust risk management system made the profit possible in this era when banks were shying away from lending to the real sector.

Summary of activities on NSE ASI

28,286.43

DEALS

4,194.00

VOLUME

311,276,249.00

VALUE

3,458,118,047.84

CAP

9,778,776,558,908.11

Austin Laz closed 2016 year at N146 million LBT Bonny Amadi The challenging business operating environment continued to impact negatively on manufacturing companies in Nigeria, reflected

by Austin Laz Plc 2016 audited financial statement.

The company’s 2016 financial year result recently released showed that it recorded loss before tax of N146,038 million in 2016 financial year, against N58,499 million posted in 2015 financial year During the period, the company which specializes in the manufacturing and sale of Building materials, and thermoplastics as it principal activities, made tax payment of N88 million, while in 2015 financial year, N593 million was expended in tax.

The result further showed that in 2016 financial year, Austin Laz recorded profit after tax of N146, 126 million, which reflected growth by about 120 per cent, from N59.092 million in 2015 Profit for the company brought forward stood at N33, 916 million, against N25,176 million profit brought forward in 2015.

The result showed that in 2016, profit carried forward stood at N180,042 million, while in 2015, it was N33,916 million.

Based in the result, the Directors did not recommend payment of any dividend to members.

The result further showed that turnover stood at N217,428 million, from N261,055 in 2015.

Gross Profit dropped to N9,167 million, against N33,742million in 2015.

B5

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

D aily M ark e t Ro u n d U p E q u i t i es M a r k e t su st a

Top 10 Gai ners

NSE A SI u p 0. 5 %

session as t he be nchm a r k inde x gr e w 0.5 % t o close a t 28,286.43 points, w hile ine d buy int e r est in SEPLA T (+4.6 %), NI G ERI A N BRE W ERIES (+1.4 %) a nd G U A R A N T Y (+1.5 %) as w e ll as r e ne w e d int e r est in D A N G C E M (+0.6 %).

A ccor dingly, invest ors ga ine d N 45.9 bn as m a r k e t ca pit a liz a t ion r ose t o N 9.8 t n. Sim ila rly, m a r k e t a ct ivit y im pr ove d as volum e a nd va lue t r a de d gr e w 50.2 % a nd 68.7 % t o 311.3 m u nits a nd N 3.5 bn r espe ct ive ly.

I n d u st ri a l G o o d s Se c t o r e m e r g es Lo n e Lo se r Pe r f or m a nce a cr oss se ct ors w as la r ge ly posit ive as a ll indices a dva nce d sa ve f or t he Indust ria l G oods inde x w hich slid 0.7 % . T he B a nk ing inde x a ppr e cia t e d t he m ost , clim bing 1.5 % on t he ba ck of ga ins in G U A R A N T Y (+1.5 %), ZE NIT H (+1.7 %) a nd ETI (+1.9 %) w hile ga ins in M A NSA R D (+4.9 %) a nd N E M (+1.0 %) dr ove t he Insur a nce inde x 0.7 % nor t h w a r ds. Lik e w ise , t he Consum e r G oods a nd Oil & G as indices a ppr e cia t e d 0.7 % a nd 0.3 %

Ti ck er VIT AF O A M CCNN I NTBRE W M ANS ARD UAC-PROP SEPL AT STERL NBANK TRANSEXPR F BNH UCAP

Pr i ce (N) 2. 69 4. 84 22. 00 1. 73 1. 95 390. 00 0. 76 0. 78 4. 25 3. 12

Pr i ce Chg % 6. 3 % 5. 0 % 4. 9 % 4. 8 % 4. 8 % 4. 6 % 4. 1 % 4. 0 % 3. 4 % 3. 0 %

Pr i ce (N)

Pr i ce Chg %

0. 59 8. 55 1. 53 45. 60 2. 06 0. 63 1. 31 25. 01 3. 36 0. 86

-6. 3 % -5. 0 % -5. 0 % -4. 8 % -4. 6 % -4. 5 % -4. 4 % -3. 8 % -2. 6 % -2. 3 %

Top 10 Tr a des by V ol um e Ti ck er V ol um e (m) ZENITHBANK 94. 8 F BNH 34. 4 DI A M O NDBNK 16. 6 FI DELITYBK 15. 1 TRANSCORP 13. 9 STERL NBANK 13. 8 GUARANTY 10. 3 ACCESS 8. 4 F CMB 6. 3 ETI 6. 1

Top 10 L osers Ti ck er

Pr i ce Chg % 1. 7 % 3. 4 % -2. 3 % 1. 1 % 0. 0 % 4. 1 % 1. 5 % 1. 4 % 1. 8 % 1. 9 %

Top 10 Tr a des by V al ue

J O HNHOLT O ANDO M AYBAKER FO CHA MPI O N CILE ASI NG NPF MCRF BK ST ANBIC CUST O DYI NS DI A M O NDBNK

Ti ck er ZENITHBANK GUARANTY NB DANGCE M SEPL AT F BNH ACCESS ETI O ANDO ST ANBIC

V al ue (m)

Pr i ce Chg %

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NSE Al l Shar e I nde x

29,000

NSE All Share Index

Naira Value (m)

28,000

80,000

r espe ct ive ly due t o ga ins in NI G ERI A N BRE W ERIES (+1.4 %) a nd SEPLA T (+4.6 %).

27,000

se nt im e nt

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-

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22,000

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19-Mar 22-Mar 25-Mar 28-Mar 31-Mar 03-Apr 06-Apr 09-Apr 12-Apr 15-Apr 18-Apr 21-Apr 24-Apr 27-Apr 30-Apr 03-May 06-May 09-May 12-May 15-May 18-May 21-May 24-May

m a cr oe conom ic f unda m e nt a ls r e m a in a m a jor drive r of a ct ivit ies in t he

M a c r o e c o n o m i c G ist T he a pe x ba nk is m a k ing pla ns t o se ll dolla rs in or de r t o r esolve a ba ck log of f or e ign e xcha nge de m a nd f or a irlines, f ue l a nd r a w m a t e ria l im por t e rs. T he CBN has sold

Term o f t h e d ay

m or e t ha n $4 bn t o va rious se ct ors of t he e conom y since it be ga n its int e rve nt ion in t he of f icia l m a r k e t in Fe br ua ry 2017. T his has incr e ase d f or e ign e xcha nge liquidit y

DBe emu a r tRa u aliz i d atio n is w h en a mu t u al c o mp any o w n ed by its users/memb ers c o nv erts in t o a c o mp any o w n ed by A be a r r a id is t he ille ga l pr act ice of ga nging up t o push a st ock's price lo w e r sh areh old ers. In ef f ec t, t h e users/memb ers exc h a n g e t h eir t hr ough d shor t se lling e a tding r umany ors a bout t he rig h ts oconce f user tfeor sh ares in t ha endd spr emu u aliza dve ed rse c o mp

T he na ir a close d a t N 381.91/US$1.00 a t t he Invest ors & Expor t e rs FX w indo w on

t a r ge t e d com pa ny. A be a r r a id is som e t im es r esor t e d t o by unscr upul ou s

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shor t se lle rs w ho w a nt t o m a k e a quick buck f r om t he ir shor t posit ions.

se t t ling a t N 381.00/US$1.00 a t t he pa r a lle l m a r k e t f r om its r e cor d lo w of

a nd he lpe d t o e ase pr essur e on t he na ir a .

Brands & Marketing B6 Stories by Godwin Anyebe Jordan Rittenberry, Ederman MD for Africa has said that trust in the global scene is in crisis. This, he ascribed to the pervasiveness of Fake News.

Ederman who made this known during a presentation of the 2017 survey of trust recently in Lagos disclosed that, for the first time in the seventeen years history of the survey, there was a decline on all four of the parameters measured According to him, “trust has declined in twenty one countries of the twenty eight surveyed with a three point drop across board in the Trust and Integrity Index. The result showed that the masses are rejecting established authority and determining how government acts so we see an inversion of the

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Trust, endangered species in global scene – Expert pyramid where the Authority or Informed Public are having to deal with economic and political decisions driven more by popular sentiments. In the summation of the report ‘Facts matter less’. According to the report, he continued, 52% of people never or rarely change their positions and they believe search engines more than human editors. People believe Social media is more credible than traditional media.

Ha! Although, social media also declined, Traditional media shows the steepest decline. Official sources are also suspect

and peers are just as trusted as experts. God help us!

“Although this survey did not include Nigeria, South Africa being the only African country surveyed, the results very much speak for us. We are in serious trouble. I became somewhat obsessed with truth in public communication as I witnessed an unprecedented level of misinformation in traditional and social media in recent years which shape public perception and of course inform action.

Fake news, alternate facts and post truth are new words and

phrases that have crept into our lexicon of late for a term which I previously called ‘the public lie’ adopting Professor Wole Soyinka’s definition. It is a matter of concern that feelings now matter more than facts in determining a course of action.” He noted.

On his part, Isreal Jaiye Opayemi MD of Chain Reactions equally noted, the rise of populism has seen the mass population wrestle control from the elite (Brexit and Trump). This has implications as it can sweep governments to power and

sweep them out in a whim. There are huge concerns where people are more inclined to trust news on social media with all the fake news and manipulations more than traditional media. The challenge is as a result of traditional media following social media as opposed to setting the agenda and ensuring that they report ‘ the most credible version of the truth’ The Nigerian media must reinvent itself and shake itself from the overbearing influence of Publishers who impose their agenda and politics on the editorial content of their media.

Chivita offers refreshing boost for complete breakfast Chivita 100% fruit juice has launched Breakfast with Chivita100% television advertisement. The campaign is meant to drive awareness for a complete healthy breakfast.

The television commercial engages consumers by portraying internationally renowned football stars like Wayne Rooney, Juan Mata, Marcus Rashford and Eric Bailly having glasses of Chivita 100% as part of their complete breakfast meal for an active day.

Speaking on this development recently in Lagos, Head of Marketing, Chi Limited, Probal Bhattacharya said; “Breakfast gives us all a chance to start each day with a healthy and complete meal. Chivita 100% fruit juice is a convenient, delicious and nutritious beverage to complement breakfast.

Through our new breakfast with Chivita100% campaign, we have reiterated the value of Chivita 100% as a healthy breakfast addition. Chivita 100% offers active and health-conscious consumers a range of refreshing and nourishing fruit choices for a complete breakfast diet” According to him, “whatever the combination, a breakfast meal will not be complete without a complement of fruit or Juices as it provides important nutrients for overall health.

They are an important part of a healthy breakfast because they are excellent sources of minerals, vitamins and fiber. Nutritionist recommend daily intake of 100% fruit juices to complement fruits because they are made from real natural fruits and offer the range of nutrition

benets whole fruit offers. 100% fruit juice like Chivita 100% makes it easier to try a variety of colourful fruits as part of a complete breakfast throughout the year” “For instance, including a glass of Chivita 100% fruit juice each day, as part of a healthy and varied breakfast diet, is a great tasting way to improve intake of important nutrients which are vital for wellbeing.

Each glass of Chivita 100% fruit Juice is a powerhouse of antioxidants, essential minerals, vitamins, and phyto-nutrients that can provide long term benefits for your health. With no preservatives, no added sugar, no artificial colour, Chivita 100% fruit Juice is a perfect addition to breakfast as it is easy to digest” he said.

L-R: Honourable Commissioner for Wealth Creation and Employment, Babatunde Durosinmi-Etti; CEO, HCDC, Mrs. Abisola Longe; CEO SB Tel & Devices, Afolabi Abiodun; CEO,IBILE Holdings, Abiodun Amokomowo and CEO, Alphamead Facilities & Management Services, Femi Akintunde at the 2017 edition of the TAMS Productivity Summit held recently in Lagos.

TAMS summit addresses productivity in a challenged economy

Exemplary corporate leadership, employee engagement and good grasp of changing work dynamics have been identified as non-financial motivators which can boost employees’ productivity in the workplace. These were part of the submission by experts at the 2017 edition of the TAMS Productivity Summit entitled “Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits”.

In his welcome address, last week in Lagos, Afolabi Abiodun, CEO of SB Telecoms & Devices and convener of the summit, said the theme for this year’s

summit addresses the need to boost labour productivity in a challenged economy.

He added that “the easiest way to motivate employees is to increase wages, a position advocated by organised labour. However, most if not all organisations do not have the means to sustain this in a challenged economy.

Rather, companies are laying-off staff, some of whom are excellent employees.”

Abiodun therefore urged corporations to adopt the trimming up strategy which entails identifying excesses in the system and investing such in relevant areas that will boost performance and

productivity. “It is that concept of cutting waste and investing in areas that will boost productivity that was a source of inspiration for the theme of this year’s TAMS Summit- Boosting Employee Performance Beyond Pecuniary Benefits. Motivating our human resources has to be a key priority for all organizations, because it is an essential condition for productivity. If we have productive individuals then we have an assurance of a productive and prosperous nation.”

On his part, Dr. Doyin Salami, a renowned economist and Associate Professor at the Lagos Busi-

ness School, while delivering the keynote address, lamented the rising case of unemployment and severe skill shortage in the country. He said a great number of today’s graduates are not fit for purpose. “The potential Nigerian employee cannot read, write, speak and most importantly, cannot think. It explains rising unemployment and acute skill shortage crisis facing the country. It is sad that we have a labour force that is fundamentally not fit for purpose. Good education which should be a public cost has now been passed to the private sector as necessary challenge to be tackled.”

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Some farmers in the South-West part of the country on Tuesday decried the delay in starting of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) Anchor Borrowers Scheme in the region.

The farmers told newsmen in Lagos that the inability of the scheme to begin in the zone was militating against food production.

They said that their counterparts in the northern part were already benefiting from the programme and wondered why the delay in the South-West.

Mr Temitope Odetola, President, Association of Youth for Unity in Agriculture (AYUA), said that farmers in Ogun and Lagos states had not benefited from the programme.

Odetola said that there had been series of meetings but the drivers of the scheme were not getting it right in terms of plan to favour all (farmers, commercial banks and off-takers) involved.

B7 AgriBusiness

S/West farmers decry delay in Anchor Borrowers’ Scheme “We have not benefited from anchor borrowers’ because the process is somehow difficult.

“We do not know if the strategy they are using in the SouthWest is different from the one in the North.

“Maybe we are doing something wrong because last year, we wanted to plant cassava in Ogun under the scheme, we had off-takers already on ground.

“Each person was to open a WEMA Bank account with an equity contribution of N50,000.

“Each person will also take two hectares of land and the cost for cultivation will be N500,000, which the CBN will provide for

the purchase of stems, sprayer, fertiliser and others, and the equity contribution of each farmer is N50,000.

“Interestingly, interested individuals have paid this money and prepared their lands.

“Yet, the CBN has delayed the release of fund to kick start the project and people have been calling to complain,” he said.

According to Odetola, the farming year for cassava is almost over.

“We are in May going to June, and cassava is a year project while the hybrid is eight months.

“If we do not start now, by then, it will be impossible to

make good this farming season,’’ he said.

Odetola, however, said that there should be more commitment and collaboration between farmers and governors in the South-West, including the commercial banks and the CBN. Mr Nurudeen Tiamiyu, an aquaculture expert, said the cap on the amount for interested farmers under the scheme could not fund aquaculture.

Tiamiyu said that the cap under the scheme was N500,000, which could not feed 1,000 pieces of fish, which would require between N560,000 to N600,000.

“Unfortunately, the government does not understand aqua-

culture and there is no mincing of word about it.

“There was a time I was called upon to be a part of the programme in CBN to look at the cost of production for both catfish and tilapia which we gave them.

“Anchor borrowers’ scheme cannot fund aquaculture with the cap that cooperatives get.

“To feed 1,000 pieces of fish today, you will need nothing less than N560,000 to N600,000 which is not guaranteed.

“What the aquaculture sector needs is far more different; the funding mechanism for aquaculture is different from funding grains in the poultry industry and rice sector.

Stallion Farms bags outstanding rice value chain award Azubike Nnadozie

Stallion integrated rice value chain approach has been bequeathed with the Feed Nigeria Summit “Agro Processor of the Year Award” at the just ended Nigeria Agriculture Awards.

The award, which is its second, after the IBCA“Outstanding Projects and Business Leaders of the Year Award” recently bestowed on the company in March was in recognition of Stallion Popular Farms & Mills Limited concerted efforts at integrating rice value chain in Nigeria agrarian economy as well as its dogged resolves to humanize farmed rice and self-sustainability in food production.

“We owe this accomplishment to President Muhammadu Buhari’s leadership aptitudes and his agrarianbusiness agenda, Stallion Popular farms & Mills Group Director Hapreet Singh remarked.”

He said the farm is leveraging on the policy impetus of the Federal Government’s Agricultural Transformation Agenda to bring sustainable and scalable growth to farmers.

The farm’s effort to increase cultivated rice yield began in 2007 and has since been at the forefront of paddy agronomists in the country, working tirelessly to enhance rice production through scientific agricultural practices.

Singh, while receiving the award, on behalf of the farm at the occasion in Lagos, said it hopes to increase locally farmed rice to 1.5million tonnes yearly from 450, 000 metric tonnes.

He said the farm has already deployed enhanced milling activities and set up more milling facilities through structured farming techniques.

“Our vision has always been to preserve and enhance rice production in

Nigeria by ensuring genetic integrity of seeds, encouraging scientific agricultural practices and promoting world-class processing techniques to emerge as industry benchmark for product quality,” Singh said.

Also noting that part of its sustainable efforts was to integrate rice growing values among the locals, the group director said it has established procurement and collection centres; introduced co-operative associations as well as logistics and postharvest epicentres and marketing midpoint, while it act as a catalyst for achievable growth.

A farm division of Stallion West African conglomerate, Popular Farms & Mills Limited recently established collection centers across rice producing states in Adamawa, Taraba, Benue, Niger, Kaduna, Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Zamfara and Kebbi to not only help farmers embrace modern farming tech-

niques but help distribute farm inputs through farmers cooperatives and associations to inspire rice revolution in Nigeria.

Popular Farm is today renowned for producing premium varieties of rice from farmed paddy, which are branded and distributed nationwide as Royal Stallion Shinkafa, Tomato Aroso and Super Champion.

The agrarian establishment however promised to safeguard timely provision of certified seeds and fertilizers, and offer advisory irrigation, crop management and buy back mechanism to help farmers get good and profitable yields from their harvest.

While also thanking Feed Nigeria Summit for creating a platform to acknowledge real positive change makers in the agrarian sector, Mr. Singh said the creation of integrated agricultural operations such as world-class rice mills at strategic locations would promote milling and paddy cultivation in the captive areas and consequently make Nigeria self-sufficient in rice production.

Chi Farms partners Nollywood to train aquaculture farmers Chi Farms Ltd says it is partnering with Nollywood to produce “Èdutainment Series’’ of programmes that would help to build the capacity of farmers in the country.

Mr Martin Middernacht, Executive Director, Chi Farms Ltd, said on Tuesday in Lagos that the company had started to shoot its first mini-series of eight episodes in Epe with a focus on catfish farming.

Middernacht said the series would cover the daily struggles of a catfish farm-

er in running their businesses profitably.

He said the Chi Farms Aquaculture Customer Focus Team would provide practical solutions that help to maximise the profit of the catfish farming business.

According to him, Chi Farms is using the series as part of its large scale training effort for catfish farmers under its ongoing “Feed the Future’’ initiative.

He added that the series would also be made avail-

able online through social media and was expected to be aired on a major Nigerian Television channel.

“Agricultural trainings must be as practical and hands-on as possible.

Edutainment clips are a great way to reach a large number of farmers even in areas where our Customer Focus Team cannot access directly.

“The project is part of a larger strategic initiative by Chi Farms to create win-win models with smallholder farmers by

providing fish feed, catfish juveniles and water testing kits in combination with certified trainings and regular technical assistance.

“Chi Farms produces highest quality of feed and juveniles. However, farmers need knowledge and understanding to choose the best quality product over the lowest price product,’’ Middernacht said in a statement.

He said the project was supported by the United States Agency for International Development (US-

AID).

The statement said that in return, Chi Farms had committed to conducting

significant investments into the expansion of its feed milling and catfish hatchery capacities.

Motoring B8

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 25, 2017

Ford replaces CEO in an executive shake up Chukwuemeke Iwelunmo Ford has announced the departure of Chief Executive Mark Fields in a broad management shake-up that will see 62-year-old James Hackett taking the helm.

Hackett, who Ford describes as a “transformational business leader,” previously headed up Ford’s autonomous vehicles unit.

Ford shares are down nearly 40 percent since Fields, 56, took over three years ago, at the peak of the US motor industry’s recovery. Now US sales are slipping and Ford’s profit margins are trailing those of larger rival General Motors.

Ford’s board of directors and Chairman Bill Ford Jr have been unhappy with the company’s performance, and sought more reassur-

ance that investments in self-driving cars, electric vehicles and ride services would pay off.

“Hackett, together with Bill Ford, will focus on three priorities: Sharpening operational execution, modernising Ford’s present business and transforming the company to meet tomorrow’s challenges.” Ford’s statement said.

Ford also named leaders to three new roles under Hackett: Jim Farley has been appointed executive vice president and president of Global Markets, Joe Hinrichs is now executive vice president and president of Global Operations and Marcy Klevorn is executive vice president and president of Mobility.

Challenging times The turbulence at Ford comes as all three Detroit carmakers are under pressure to prove

CEO FORD, JAMES HACKETT

they can avoid losses as the US auto market, the source of the bulk of their profits, is slowing down after last year’s record sales.

Fields outlined a vari-

ety of initiatives to confront challenges from technology companies such as Alphabet that want to control a future of autonomous, data intensive vehicles. “You

have to have one foot in today... but also one foot in the future,” Fields told reporters last month. “I think investors understand our strategy.”

Among Fields’ bets on technology is a plan to invest $1 billion (R13.2bn) over the next five years in tech startup Argo AI. Ford has churned out strong profits under Fields. However, Ford dismayed investors earlier this year by forecasting lower profits for 2017 and higher costs for its investments in “emerging opportunities.”

On Friday, Silicon Valley electric car maker Tesla Inc. was valued at $51 billion (R670bn), more than Ford’s $43 billion (R565bn). The contrast is a dramatic sign of how little confidence investors have that oldline carmakers can transition to a future where software substitutes for

BMW spills the beans in all new M5 BMW cannot be said to have invented the Gentleman’s Express (that honour belongs to Marc Birkigt of HispanoSuiza) but with the original M5 of 1984 it defined the category forever: a luxury fourdoor, five-seater sedan that can whisk you to work on weekdays and spank most sports two-seaters at the weekend.

Now, with the sixth generation M5, due for release later this year, the Blue Propeller Boys have upped the ante with the first Mspecific xDrive AWD setup, very much rear-biased, using the traction of the front wheels more as a driver aid than a prime mover.

But let’s start, as did the universe, with the Big Bang: in this case, a further improved version of BMW’s biturbo 4.4-litre V8, with higher fuel-injection pressure, new turbochargers, higher-flow lubrication and cooling systems, and a lighter, freer-breathing exhaust system with a more authoritative crackle to its soundtrack.

No output numbers have come out of the M skunk works in Munich

BMW CAR

yet but, given that the current M5 Competition Edition is good for 441kW and 700Nm, the speculation buzzing around the cybergarage of ‘more than 440kW’ is likely to be conservative.

Whatever the final figures, it’s a safe bet that the new M5 will be quicker than its predecessor in a straight line despite the extra weight of the trans-

fer case and all-wheel drive hardware.

That hardware is modulated by an eight-speed M Steptronic transmission with paddle shift and the ability to make sporty multiple downshifts on demand, accompanied by all the right noises.

The transfer case uses an electromechanically operated multi-plate clutch to channel torque

between front and rear axles, bringing the front wheels into play only when rear wheels can’t lay down any more power and more drive is needed, while an active M differential splits the drive between the rear wheels. And for purists, there’s also a 2WD setting in the drive select menu. À la carte handling You can choose between five different configura-

tions based on combinations of the Dynamic Safety Control modes (DSC on, M Dynamic mode and DSC off) and M xDrive modes (4WD, 4WD Sport and 2WD).

Every time you start the engine it defaults to 4WD mode with DSC on – which will still allow a little bit of oversteer before the electronic nanny steps in.

But for the full monty M5

pistons and transportation is sold by the mile or the minute.

At the same time, GM is turning up the pressure on Ford in the North American truck and SUV business, the source of 90 percent of Ford’s profits.

GM is gearing up an “onslaught” of trucks for the North American market, the automaker’s President Dan Ammann told Reuters last week, including a new generation of the Chevrolet Silverado large pickup truck that competes with Ford’s primary profit machine, the F-series.

Ford is moving to cut costs to offset declining US sales. Last week, the carmaker said it would cut 1400 salaried jobs in North America and Asia through voluntary early retirement and other financial incentives.

Motoring journalists’ annual training workshop holds in June In collaboration with industry stakeholders, Nigerian Auto Journalists Association (NAJA) has concluded plans to hold the second edition of an annual training workshop for its members across the country.

The 2-day training edition is scheduled to hold between June 8 and 9, 2017 to enhance the participating journalists’ garner more knowledge and depth of reporting the industry and also equip them with necessary intellectual tools with which to analyse critical issues as it affects the automobile and allied industries.

It would be recalled that the maiden edition of the training workshop held in Lagos last year titled Driving Skill For Life (DSFL) had Ford Motor Company of South Africa as the major with the sponsor with support from industry stakeholders in the country while Dr. Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshal of the Federal Roads Safety Commission (FRSC).

The Edo Times

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

Return our stolen artifacts, Oba of ET 2 Benin tells British Govt

Obaseki is repositioning Edo ET 4 – Prof. Ihonvbere

Failed impeachment: My seat remains secure –Edo Assembly speaker ÏÏÏ Less than 24 hours after

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki with members of the State Library Joint Revival Implementation Committee after their inauguration at the Government House, Benin…on Tuesday

Obaseki inaugurates Edo Library revival committee

Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ

The Edo

T E A M

Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State has followed up on his promise to revive Edo State’s Library system by inaugurating the State Library Joint Revival Implementation Committee on Tuesday and mandating the members to reposition reading culture and library services.

Tasking the committee members at the Edo State Government House in Benin City, where he also inaugurated the committee, the governor reiterated that his administration was poised to revamp public libraries and key into e-library services, which was the contemporary international standard.

“I pledged to set up a committee to work on the revamping and remodelling our public libraries. I was displeased with the dilapidated facilities at the state library when I visited it and I decided to task the

best brains with carrying out this job,” he said.

The governor also listed the committee’s terms of reference, including reviving the state of public libraries in the state, recommending ways of reviving reading culture among students and youths, and suggesting possible public private partnerships and initiatives in the library sector.

Others, he continued, are maintaining library infrastructure across the state, suggesting the best ways of archiving government books, documents and historical materials, considering e-learning opportunities in the library sector and helping to establish and manage a public library in the state’s government house.

On the management of the committee, Governor Obaseki disclosed that the Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, would coordinate it, while the members would submit a report on the terms of reference within a

Special Project Editor Sam Nzeh

Correspondent Titus Akhigbe

four-week period.

For her part, the committee head, Mrs. Grace Sanni, who is also the librarian of Benson Idahosa University, commended the governor for his interest in upgrading the state’s

library to world standards, noting that constituting the committee was a step in the right direction.

She said members would adhere to the terms of reference given to them, adding that a good library

Canadian investors visit Oba of Benin to seek for collaboration

ÏÏÏThe effort of

the Oba of Benin to woo international investors to help develop the agro-allied sector of the state economy is yielding positive results as a Canadian group has indicated interest to collaborate with the palace to develop the agro allied industry to create wealth, generate employment and reduce poverty.

Addressing the Canadian group, the Benin monarch expressed gratitude to them for showing interest in Benin Kingdom, and for their willingness to also invest in Education, Science, and technology.

His Royal Majesty assured the visiting Canadian group of the support of the palace in ensuring that the initiative and collaborative effort is actualised, more so that Can-

ada is renowned for its potentials in agro-allied industries.

Oba Ewuare II also expressed readiness to tap from the Canadian group loan facility in order to be able to achieve success in agro-allied investment.

The Benin monarch promised to continue to act as a stabilising force for the people, and ensure that the people uphold integrity and uprightness in all their dealings.

The head of the Canadian group, and member of Canadian parliament, Hon. Ramesh Sangha, said they were in Benin Kingdom to foster and promote global collaboration, especially in the areas of agriculture, Education, Youth unemployment, Health, Science and Technology and creation of wealth to reduce poverty.

he narrowly escaped being impeached, Speaker, Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Justin OKonoboh, on Wednesday, said his seat remains secure.

Resumption at the State House of Assembly slated for this week Monday after two months holiday was consequently postponed over alleged plot by majority of the legislators to oust the Speaker.

Meanwhile, security was beefed up at the famous King Square, housing the State House of Assembly, with the presence of men of the Department of State Security Service (DSS).

Okonoboh said there was no impeachment plot, adding the House only adjourned plenary sitting to enable it fix the generating power plant currently malfunctioning so as to avoid embarrassment during plenary.

Okonoboh said he currently enjoys cordial relationship with his colleagues and denied knowledge of alleged move by the former Speaker, Victor Edoroh, representing Esan Central Constituency, to stage a comeback.

He posited that the absence of rancour between the legislative and executive arms should not be misconstrued as weakness on the part of the Assembly, adding that the State Assembly under his leadership has passed no fewer than seven bills.

“Postponement is very convenient for us. There was no impeachment. The generator was malfunctioning and I came early Monday morning to inspect some of these work needed to be done so as to avoid embarrassment during plenary sitting,” he said.

The Edo Times 2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

Benin Baptist prelacy: Appeal Court voids Rev. Usuanlele election ÏÏÏ

The Court of Appeal sitting in Benin, the Edo State capital, has set aside the judgment of a High Court in Edo State that affirmed the appointment/election of Rev. (Dr.) Osama Usuanlele, as prelate of the United Baptist Mission (Church) of Nigeria.

In setting aside the judgment in an appeal brought pursuant to the case by Rev. (Dr.) Arnold Osaheni Emwanta, for himself and on behalf of the Executive Elders Committee United Baptist Mission, Benin, and Elder (DN) G. S Obanor, chairman, investigation committee and two others, the appellate court held that it found merit in the appeal and set aside the judgment of the lower court that granted the respondent’s claims.

Justice Baloukuromo Moses Ugo, who read the lead judgment, said: “In the final analysis, I find merit in the appeal and it is hereby allowed and the judgment of the lower court granting respondents claims is set aside and in its place, an order dismissing his claim in that court is hereby made”.

Justice Ugo’s judgment which

was supported by his learned brothers, Justices Hamma Akawu Barka, and Adekunle Owoade, held that the whole election/selection process from which the respondent purportedly emerged was a comedy of error and so voided by section 1 (3) of the United Baptist Mission’s Constitution.

The judgment read in parts: “Yes, the late Acting Prelate who later turned around to impugn the process was the same person that set this illegal process in motion, but that fact contrary to the reasoning of the lower court and the respondent, does not make any difference to its obvious invalidity of the process given the clear provisions of the Mission’s Constitution”.

The judge held that it was the lower court and the respondent and his counsel that read the Mission’s Constitution upside down in the sense that the Constitution is clear in section 29 (3) (b) and further reinforced in section 31 (1), to the effect that the minimum priesthood requirement to contesting the mission’s prelacy is 10 years post ordination experience.

Obaseki shuts down Edo Line, relocates staff to Transport ministry Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr.

Godwin Obaseki, has shut down state-owned transport outfit, Edo Line, indefinitely and directed that its staff be relocated to the state Ministry of Transport.

The governor gave this directive in Benin as he paid an on-the-spot assessment of Edo Line to ascertain the state of the transport company, which had allegedly been systematically collapsing for several years.

During the assessment, Governor Obaseki discovered some buses in disrepair

with major departments, including the mechanic unit, the courier section and the staff office, among others, quite out of kilter.

The governor, accompanied by the Secretary to the State Government, Barrister Osarodion Ogie, his Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele, and other top officials, lamented the condition of the stateowned transport company.

He said: “We will shut down this place, clean it up, and decide on how to liquidate the debt and plan how to use the premises for other ventures”.

Noting that the company’s debt was about N1.5 billion,

Obaseki said: “This is a typical waste. Can you see how many vehicles are around?

We have been paying people close up to four years without doing any work. The company has a huge amount of debt and as a government, we cannot continue in this situation. What we are doing is that we are absorbing the staff ”.

The company, which last operated on May 2015, had workforce that was 186-people strong with its headquarters located at James Watt Road, Off Mission road, Benin City and other outlets in Lagos, Abuja, as well as other parts of the country.

Oba of Benin recalls ostracised woman ÏÏÏ

The Benin monarch, Omo N’Oba N’Edo Uku-Akpolokpolo, Oba Ewuare II, has recalled Mrs. Victoria Orhue, who was unjustly ostracised from her native community by the Odionwere and Ohen of the village over alleged communal issues.

Omo N’Oba also directed that all her lands and other properties belonging to her that were reportedly confiscated by the Odionwere and Ohen of the village be returned to her immediately.

The traditional order was given at Ugha-Ozolua venue of the native court at the palace ground while presiding overs matters affecting individuals, families and villages.

The palace authority in its ruling condemned the bias and unacceptable unilateral decision of the Ohen and Odionwere of the village, saying they have no powers to banish anyone from the village.

The palace authority further warned that decision on certain traditional matters must be taken to the palace for due consultations before adjudicating on them by traditional and village heads including Ohens in Benin kingdom.

It also directed the Ohen and Odionwere to desist forthwith from such decisions and make peace with Mrs. Orhue and her children including all the residents of the village.

Edo State Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki in company of Secretary to the State Government, Osarodion Ogie Esq; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Wole Iyamu Esq; Chief of Staff, Mr. Taiwo Akerele and Mrs. Edugie Agbonlahor, MD, ECTS, during the inspection of Edo Line by the Governor…recently

Lucky Way gets lucky as Edo commences reconstruction

Return our stolen artifacts, Oba of Benin tells British Govt

nin City, the Edo State capital, can now heave a sigh of relief due to the ongoing rehabilitation work to reconstruct their road by state governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki.

The link road, connecting Ramat Park to Upper Mission, had been in horrendous shape for years and had caused severe heartache, with several motorists and residents noting that the road could not get any worse.

Describing the ongoing rehabilitation as long-awaited, Madam Peace Paulinus, whose tailoring shop was along Lucky Way, said the road was in such a condition that rains rendered it virtually unmotorable.

“The absence of tricycles is a big challenge to all because it makes it difficult to get to your destination. I

N’Edo Uku-Akpolokpolo Oba Ewuare II, has told the British government to return all Benin artworks illegally carted away by the British and other European countries during colonial rule in Nigeria.

Omo N’Oba said the Benin artifacts which are the best works of art in the world were largely looted by the whites during the Bini invasion in the 14th century.

The royal father said this at his palace in Benin City when he played host to the Deputy British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Laure Beaufiks.

The Bini monarch also told the British Deputy High Commissioner that the palace will

ÏÏÏResidents at Lucky Way in Be-

was the happiest person when l noticed that government had deployed contractors to Lucky Way Road to rehabilitate the road. I will be glad if the road is rehabilitated”.

For his part, Benedict Okeke, a tricycle rider plying Lucky Way, lamented the road’s condition, saying: “We take our tricycles for repairs on daily basis because of the dilapidated state of the road. Most importantly, we the riders left no longer find passengers to carry. The road is a death trap to motorists and tricycle riders.”

Commending Governor Godwin Obaseki, Okeke said: “Now that we are aware that Governor Obaseki has deployed contractors to the road, l feel very happy. We thank the state governor for the good work he’s doing in the state. Now, everybody is happy over this recent development.”

ÏÏÏ Oba of Benin, Omo N’Oba

seek cooperation with British authority to ensure return of all artifacts stolen from the kingdom which represent the Bini identity and culture.

Oba Ewuare II also volunteered the palace collaboration with the British government in the battle against human trafficking, prostitution and illegal migration which is currently ravaging the nation.

He maintained that the palace is working out several measures, including skill acquisition and agro businesses to turn youth’s attention away from illegal migration and other social vices He however solicited the cooperation of the British government in the area of development and export of artifacts

and tourism, adding that the palace authority is developing an international museum gallery centre where most Bini arts will be displayed.

Earlier the visitor, Laaure Beaufiks, told the monarch that she was in his palace to seek collaboration with the palace authority in combating human trafficking, prostitution and illegal migration.

The British Deputy High Commissioner said when curbed, it would save lives and prevent diseases.

It would be recalled that the British government had earlier in 2015 returned Ahianmwen - Orhor (ancient bird) and Agogo (Traditional bell) which were looted during invasion of the kingdom.

The Edo Times 3

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

Buhari, Fashola were supportive of my election into CAF, Says NFF chair ÏÏÏ

HRM Oba Ewuare II, the Oba of Benin, presenting royal gift to the National President of NUJ, Waheed Odusile, during a courtesy visit to the Benin monarch…recently

Obaseki tasks AAU on revenue generation, management Stories by Titus Akhigbe Benin

ÏÏÏ Concerned about the finances

of state-owned Ambrose Alli University (AAU), Ekpoma, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, on Monday, apprised the institution’s management on revenue generation and management, noting that the school had to be a world-class university.

This was at the Edo State Government House in Benin City where the institution’s management fed the governor in on the school’s status quo, adding that although the school rated highly in use of technology it still needed about N2 billion to accredit 32 courses.

The university’s Vice Chancellor, Professor Ignacious Onimawo, revealed that the institution had 12 faculties, 50 department and 65 ac-

ademic programmes and called on the governor to urge the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) to complete their projects in the school, as it would go a long way to solve some challenges confronting the school.

“As a University, we have done our very best to reposition the institution amongst the community of universities in Nigeria,” he said.

Governor Obaseki, however, while admitting that the school was a source of pride to Edo State because of its past glory, it had to be upgraded to international standards, continuing that the management had to improve its finances to develop.

The governor said: “The priorities are different now. We do not have the kind of money, resources we erstwhile spent, so we need to

review and focus on those key things that are important; this will enable us save resources for more important things”.

He explained that the state had set a standard with Edo University, Iyamho, and expressed the belief that he could work with the management of AAU to upgrade the quality and standard of the infrastructure of the institution.

Governor Obaseki also charged the university to be more innovative, especially with its student population of 28,000, advising that since it offered high quality service, it should also be able to generate enough funds and revenue to sustain the university.

“I do not know if you have a master plan and when it was last updated. The starting point is to see the master plan for the school to know exactly where we are working towards and the timeline.

EDSG to domesticate school feeding programme

ÏÏÏ Edo State Governor, Mr. God-

win Obaseki, has revealed his administration’s intention to adopt and domesticate the Federal Government’s Home Grown School Feeding Programme (HGSFP) in the state before the year runs out.

The governor made this disclosure at the National Home Grown School Feeding Programme Workshop in Benin, on Tuesday, where he said that the benefits of the feeding programme outweighed the promotion of basic education, but would also boost agricultural and economic activities in the state.

He continued that the HGSFP was critical and important, and was one of the key policies that the state would prioritise and adopt.

“The only reason we have not yet adopted the programme is because

we were trying to understand how the programme would work without hitches. This is a programme we are committed to and we will do everything to make it work because we believe in it”, he said.

The governor said that the state would make funds available to extend the feeding programme beyond Primary 1 – 3 to accommodate pupils in primary 4 – 6.

He said: “When children are hungry, their attention and retentiveness reduces and this makes the learning process tedious, but when they are mindful that they will be given a meal in school, they will like to go to school to learn’’.

To facilitate this, Governor Obaseki explained that access roads would be linked to farms to allow for easy evacuation of farm produce while people would be

encouraged to invest in storage facilities, adding that his administration would work with the Federal Government to provide electricity to enhance efficient use of technology in primary schools in the state.

Meanwhile, the National Operation Manager of the programme, Mr. Dotun Adebayo, said the HGSFP national workshop was to build capacity of stakeholders on the implementation of the programme in Edo State.

In addition, he disclosed that the workshop would develop a statespecific framework that was compatible with the state in the domestication of the programme and that the commitment of the state governors was key as they would need to legislate for the sustainability of the programme at the state level.

President of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) and member of the executive committee of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Pinnick Melvin Amaju, has given kudos to President Muhammadu Buhari and some key officials of his cabinet for giving him their support in the course of his ‘battle’ to be elected as a member of the CAF committee.

He specifically mentioned the Minister of Works, Housing and Energy, Barrister Babatunde Raji Fashola, as being one of those who gave him full support throughout the period.

The NFF boss made the disclosure on the occasion of a reception hosted in his honour by the Edo State government inside the state Government House last weekend.

Amaju promised that with his membership of the CAF committee, the days when Nigeria will be sidelined as a result of not matching up with the political antics of the game of football internationally is gone forever as he will always strive to ensure that the game is improved on in the country as well as ensuring that our teams perform creditably in competitions

on the African and world scene.

He also assured that the days where the heroics of Nigerian footballers and coaches is not well rewarded is gone forever as the NFF will in a couple of months embark on paying outstanding debts owed some former national team coaches who with their teams have made us proud with their successful outings in global competitions.

Earlier, the Edo State Governor, Godwin Neghoghase Obaseki, poured encomium on the NFF boss for his unending zeal to ensure that Nigeria takes its pride of place in the comity of top football playing nations.

Obaseki advised Amaju not to relent in his desire to right the wrongs affecting the game of football in the continent.

According to him, “now that you are where it matters in the administration of football, it is your duty to correct the mistakes of the past and ensure that Nigeria and indeed Africa takes its pride of place in the game.”

He promised that the state government will always be there to give support to the football administrator whenever it is required.

Textile Mill Road set for reconstruction as Obaseki heeds media feedback

ÏÏÏThe government of Edo State

has responded to complaints from residents and motorists plying the popular Textile Mill Road in Egor Local Government Area of Benin City, the state capital by awarding the contract for drainage construction and asphalt overlay on the road.

In a statement from the Office of the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, it was revealed that reports and pictures from the social media went a long way in making the government understand the plight of the people and facilitating the award of contract for the road.

The statement said: “On a daily basis, we receive reports from social media-savvy people, who constructively inform us of things happening in and around the state.

It was the same with Lucky Way; the contract has been awarded and work has started. The Governor is very active on social media and he believes it is a way of hearing undiluted information from the people”.

Continuing, the statement noted that soon enough, the contractors would resume work at Textile Mill Road and the drainages would be

constructed, after which an asphalt overlay would be performed to complete the road repair going on there.

It added that the road was a major one that linked many parts of Benin and was even an alternative route to Lagos from Benin City as well as a major route to other parts of Edo State.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary reminded the public that the state Governor, Mr. Godwin Obaseki, had promised to run an open government with information at the centre of it.

He said: “It would be recalled that Governor Obaseki mentioned in the early days of his government that he would make sure information played an important role in his administration. I believe that if people want to pass across information to him, they do not have to come to the office.

Information reaches him faster through the media, traditional or social, than if you schedule appointments”.

He, however, advised that the social media should be used to pass constructive information, as the governor would not heed unconstructive comments or posts.

The Edo Times 4 Former Secretary to Edo State Government, Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, spoke with reporters in Benin City, the state capital, recently, on the Godwin Obaseki administration, and other issues. TITUS AKHIGBE was there for the Edo Times. Excerpts: What is your assessment of the Obaseki administration?

The Obaseki’s administration is building on the legacy of his predecessor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole. Since Obaseki came in, he has addressed different issues in different ways. Oshiomhole started to rescue the state; infrastructure, education, health, public transportation, urban renewal, etc. All these sectors were completely in disarray. Oshiomhole administration achieved a great stride in reducing examination malpractice in the state, which made the state to move to the second and third position in NECO and WEAC respectively. That is one major legacy this present administration is building on.

Secondly, Oshiomhole administration did a lot on road construction and rehabilitation, we are building on that and improving on the technology by using Concrete instead of relying on Bitumen all the time, we are now using cement. The technology has proven effective and we have done one major road already and we are going to continue with it.

Another thing I will say is new is that we have engaged the system of revenue collection.

Prior to this administration, we relied on persons, companies we thought could do a good work to but along the line, we discovered under this administration that there was no order and the returns were being diverted, the method being used involved a lot of violence, manipulation and intimidation and we wanted to get out of that. So we stopped strong men from collecting revenue for the state. We are putting new technology and we are putting in more of public education and advocacy for people to live up to their responsibility. And I think the revenue is steadily growing up from where it used to be.

The governor said he will not want to play politics…

We are also engaging the issue of politics differently. We want to address the issue of politics at two levels. First is the relationship between the party and governance The party is enjoying an increasingly higher level of autonomy, involvement and participation and consultation and I think they are enjoying it.

Even in the selection of political appointees, we have given the party to the grass roots level the opportunity to nominate people at all levels to be recommended

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

Opinion/News

Obaseki is repositioning Edo – Prof. Ihonvbere to a screening committee here at the state level. They have gone through screening at the local level, party level. We then set up another committee chaired by Prof. Dennis Abonlahor to do further screening. So we want to be sure that those who are coming on board are persons who are morally up right, intellectually solid, ICT compliant to a large extent, who have experience and who have some legitimate bearing, so that when they are put in position, they will hit the ground running and not trying to learn how government works.

Could you shed light on the civil service reforms in Edo? The other level is to restructure the entire civil and public service.

A committee was set up made up of previous head of service and I happen to chair that committee. I think we made far reaching recommendation; reducing the number of ministry say from about 23 to 18 for example. We recommended the abolition of moribund committee that have been overtaken by time, and whose continuous existence constitute impediment to the flow of policy initiation and implementation.

Then also restructure of some of the ministry to make them more efficient, stronger to deliver services to the people, we recommended a whole lot of training for the public, civil servants in particular to increase efficiency.

We also recommended new technology capacity building mechanism to enable them work effectively in the 21 century and to key into the developmental objective of the government.

One thing the Obaseki government has done is to set up the strategic planning unit to bring together critical stakeholders including opposition members, youths, NGOs, traditional rulers, public servants; serving and those who have retired into what we call a strategic dialogue for over two-three days, to look at all sectors in the state and come up with clear implementable recommendations on how to do things differently at all sectors.

I think the success of that event was that in the history of Edo State, it was the first time such dialogue session was held to come up with principles in which the administration would be anchored. Whether Agribusiness, economy infrastructure or development, education, culture and tourism, tourism, all aspect were examined. I think that strategic document that came out from the dialogue session informed

Prof. Ihonvbere the budget speech of the governor and so far it’s informing the implementation of government policy.

So, essentially, the Godwin Obaseki administration is moving in a direction that is carrying everybody along; communities, the grassroots, nothing is being done in secret. Everybody is aware of every step the government is going to be taking. And I think what this has done is to not just support from the government but has generated new discussion and discusses at the grassroots level, so the feedback from the communities at the grassroots level is equally substantial.

I think one other thing that is different here, I will say is that governance is being seen now from the perspective of transparency, accountability, due process and the focus on social justice.

We had different parties contest for governorship and the APC candidate, Godwin Obaseki, won. Having won, he becomes a governor to the state, to everyone. Whether some people went to court should not disturb governance and we believe whatever policies government is taking will impact on opposition and those in office alike. So it was important to reach out to them to say this are the policies the government will like to implement come to this workshop and express your own views articulate an alternative vision.

The government did not go to say this is what we want to do, they gave them strategic pillars, now you fill in the pillars with

Essentially, the Godwin Obaseki administration is moving in a direction that is carrying everybody along; communities, the grassroots, nothing is being done in secret.

Everybody is aware of every step the government is going to be taking. policies and programmes. That is what the strategic policies unit is trying to put together for the administration as a guiding path to achieving his promises and programmes and the traditional rulers that came there and the religious leaders that came there, the students, national youth council were well represented, labour was represented.

What is Obaseki doing differently in Edo? We have never been short of blue prints, but if you look closely, the blue prints we’ve been used to have been turned down. What we are doing in Edo now is that, at any time, before you change any sector, involve the practitioners, the professionals, the end users of that sector so that you can know what has gone wrong and those who made it go wrong will be there themselves and what

should we do differently, what have succeeded elsewhere. Now, in the next six months, one year what you will see in Edo would be strategic development pointers that would move this state away from where it used to be. We strive to be number one, we don’t have all the resources of Lagos or some of the major Oil producing states but we know it’s not necessary money that promotes development.

We used to have a PPP office, an economic team and the ministry of investment we have combined the three into an investment promotions bureau so when an investor comes to Edo, you don’t have to deal with the commissioners or the bureaucrats, you go to the investment bureau with your proposal. There you have professionals and it’s a one stop shop. The Ministry of Lands has a deck there, the Ministry of Environment has a desk there, and the Edo Internal Revenue Service has a desk there and so on. So when you get there, you discus your business with the professionals. You meet with the relevant desk you need to meet and in 24 hours you are before the governor to discuss how to implement whatever you came to Edo to do. Things that normally will take you six months will be done in less than a week, that’s the new Edo you will see.

We want to make it an investment destination. Edo in several ways is the heart of Nigeria. In this state, in whatever direction, in two to two and half hours, you are in another state. We have about nine universities here, those are shoppers, and those are people who patronise the market.

We have growing urban population and an enlightened community, eighty percent of Edo people can speak English, so communication is not a problem.

We are redesigning the traffic infrastructure, so it’s not just rehabilitating roads, expand them and create walk way but the traffic infrastructure in such a way that when you come in from the airport to the city centre, from the city centre to any part of the state would be a straight direct journey and we are redesigning the security structure. We used to have neighbourhood watch, vigilante, surveillance, all of that we are putting together into an Edo State Security architecture at the grassroots level to the city centre; people who like will work in collaboration with the SSS and other security agencies to ensure that any person that comes into the state will be secure.

Life&

TIMES Thursday, May 26, 2017

Months after Big Brother Naija, Bisola signs with Temple Management Company L2

P

Gist L2

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

Mutiat Alli

Small Doctor ignites Ibadan fans at Lekan Salami Stadium

Music meets tourism as Lasgidi All-Stars 2017 takes centre stage The

annual

premium

music

and it is expected to coincide with the

Company and Epic Media Africa, organisers of the bespoke concert have put all in place to ensure that the premium music concert party and their fans under one roof, is one

Sean Tizzle

landmark in the life of any individual, Brymo

Small Doctor

Fast- rising music star, Small Doctor, treated fans of Shooting Stars of Ibadan and Ifeanyi Ubah FC to an afternoon of music and fun between the two teams.

The popular Agege-born artiste known for his energetic stage presence and streetinspired lyrics brought an exciting experience to fans at

football and music experience during live matches in the domestic football league.

In addition to giving the football fans an unforgettable beer also rewards fans with exciting prizes.

bring music and fun to live

Ibadan.

Sunday performance follows a similar one by Falz the bahd guy at the Agege stadium in surprise appearance at the the match between Enugu Rangers and Rivers United year.

An obviously excited Small Doctor said:

the obvious energy and fun we, artistes, meet our fans at music shows, but this new platform by Star and unique and interesting as I get to entertain my people during and after a live football

So I say a big thank you to Star and my many fans for always supporting me.”

The music appearances

Tokunbo Adodo, stated that alread with Reekado, Agege with Falz the bahd guy, and now we brought Small Doctor to thrill Football and music fans in the historic city of Ibadan. committed

to

bring live music performances to football matches.

And you can see the fans had a swell time irrespective of whether their team won or lost. It is that spirit of brotherhood, sportsmanship fun park.”

The fun and excitement of the Star fun park will come to a stadium near you in the season. Keep rooting for your

coming weeks.

Life&

everything

artistes expected to light-up the stage performances that will dazzle the on the night of event include Skales, May. The concert which is expected audience at the show.”

Timi Dakolo, CDQ, Sean Tizzle, to parade a galaxy of established for the concert, Ahmed Boulor performers who are expected to thrill revealed that the event will uphold its music fans, enthusiasts and media other talented acts who are expected usual tradition of marking the success drawn from different parts of the to perform at the concert tagged country,” he said. “music meets tourism”.

The organsiers of the event are also According to Akpor Gbemre, the beyond. executive producer of the concert “This “This years edition as usual will mark other established and next rated artists leg of the concert which is tagged the the continued growth and success of “Island Edition” will as usual celebrate and lovers of great music are in for to perform at the concert.

Big Brother Nigeria’s Bisola reunites with Iyanya, signs with Temple Management Bisola Aiyeola, has made her show by signing a deal with creative agency powerhouse, Temple Management Company The multi-talented actress, who emerged as fan favourite show, now aligns herself with industry professionals to help actualize her talent.

She committed to an agreement with TMC on of

her

representatives

and

of the organization.

TMC, which began operations over a year ago, is working to transform the career of some of

Speaking after the signing, Bisola said excitedly: “I am elated and happy that a close-knit organization like Temple Management Company is bringing me into their fold. The reception has been warm and amazing. I wish you could see my insides right now. I am looking forward to greatness and I am very happy.”

Giving an insight into her plans, she revealed that she would be

more music, movies and other giveand the least I can do is to give back to society by impacting the lives of other people. There is so much that I want to do which I am going to share with TMC and my fans will soon hear

entertainment, sports, arts and media. Some of the talents currently represented by the agency include Mavin Records, Iyanya, 9ice, Seye Ogunlewe, Ebi Onome, Marylove Edwards, with TMC. She explained: “After

Also speaking, Terfa Tilley-Gyado, Director Of Communications, TMC said, “Bisola is an exceptionally talented individual. During the show, a nation fell in love with her and we want to collaborate in some exciting

Iyanda.

her fans and also create new ones.”

Daily Times Nigeria

Thursday, May 26, 2017

Nollywood actor, Dele Odule, fights Charles Inojie in ‘The In-Law’

E-News L3

IB Josh Drops ‘Your Style’ Video featuring Korede Bello the video depicts teenage vivacity as an array of stunning looking girls are seen showing off their beauty while dancing to

portrays prince charming; seemingly putting the ladies in a trance with his Produced by popular producer and

and has received a plethora of comments

Odesola hits Cinema with ‘Journey to Egypt’

Nigerian movie lovers will soon be thrilled to an entertaining and family friendly movie which will soon be hitting the cinemas was shot and produced by Bolakale

who

is

the

a company with a team of professionals that consistently push the boundary of marketing channels and dedicated to helping clients build and nurture more meaningful relationships with their

of the executive producers who is set to marry a retired

Working with various hands

infuse

his

disapproval turn the lovebirds

to the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on

engage in illegal marriage with a citizen of the land in order to get their permanent stay but

in search of greener pastures has been premiered almost but end up being deported after

basis that they are born again Christians but Richard went back and agreed to the arranged

craftsmanship

the intentions of giving the industry a new lift in terms of Film Service Media is

which was acted in the lead character played by Shola with his friend Femi played by Odesola recently premiered

same friend who introduced the idea to him and was arrested and

Mixed Grill L4

Daily Times Nigeria Thursday, May 26, 2017

If not for God, I almost quit music –King Ebony Singer Oluwadamilare Fakan a.k.a king Ebony Singer, is a gifted inspirational singer whose musical dexterity cut-across all and sundry. He has been in the music industry for the past 17 years. Recently, he dropped his debut album titled Oja Si Ope. The sonorouse singer who describes his genre of music as Juju gospel combination is leaving no stone unturned as he promised to continue to wax stronger in the highly competitive industry. In this interview with MUTIAT ALLI he spoke on his journey into the entertainment industry and the challenges. Excerpt...

Pat Utomi, Sam Adeyemi, others attend Teju Babyface’s ‘Secrets of the Streets’ book launch