22.09.14
MONday
FOR GOD AND COUNTRY
No. 2,260
NIGERIA’S MOST INFLUENTIAL NEWSPAPER
Chibok Diary DAY 161
N150
Leadership Newspapers
@leadershipNGA
BBOG Group Donates Foodstuff, Clothing > Page 2 To 3 Displaced Persons' Camps
boko haram
Members Surrender, Hand Over Weapons As FG vows to restore power in Borno
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Leader of Sam4Nigeria Sam Nda-Isaiah (middle) with some chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), when they visited him in Abuja, recently. Photo By Jane Okeke
See story on Page 4
IBB Undergoes Surgery In Germany By Abu Nmodu, Minna
Former military president, General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (rtd) who left for medical treatment in Germany has undergone surgery for an undisclosed ailment at a highbrow hospital
in the country. It was learnt that the former Nigeria leader left Nigeria on September 6, 2014 and underwent a
successful surgery five days later. A source close to Babangida’s Hill Top residence said that the ailing former military leader
was to have travelled for a routine medical checkup before his last birthday on August 17, 2014, but was prevailed upon by family
Access Bank Emerges 2014 Best Local Bank In Nigeria > Page 22
members to stay behind to mark his birthday in Nigeria. It was however learnt that after the birthday he decided to make the journey but that he was not in any critical health ➔ CONTINUES ON PAGE 6
PDP Moves To Save Fintiri, Threatens To Sack Adamawa LG Chairmen > Page 6
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chibok diary 157
Monday, September 22, 2014
DAY
Chibok TweeTs
@mpstates300 South Africa is too soft for Africa. We were all chanting #BringBackOurGirls But now nobody cares about our 67 South Africans @EiENigeria 160 days! If one was a sister, a daughter or a friend. Would you keep quiet? Would you move on? Lend your voice to #BringBackOurGirls @hamletgarcia17 5 Months since Nearly 300 #NigerianSchoolgirls wr Kidnapped Did R Leaders Forget? #BringBackOurGirls @EiENigeria 160 Days. When will this end? Until our girls are back & alive!! What more can we do? #Abuja 3 pm. Unity Fountain #BringBackOurGirls
Members of the BringBackOurGirls group in one of their outings in Abuja recently. PHOTO BY OYEDELE OMOKAGBO
BBOG Donates Foodstuff, Clothing To 3 IDPs Camps In Karu by Chika Mefor and ejike ejike, Abuja
As part of its activities to commemorate Day 160 after 219 Chibok schoolgirls were abducted by the Boko Haram sect, the #BringBackOurGirls group visited three camps of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) situated at Karu village in Nasarawa State. The three camps, which have about @BringGirlsBack 700 IDPs, are being run by Stephano, a Who is still taking action non-governmental organisation (NGO), to #BringBackOurGirls ? and are host to displaced persons from Tweets and retweets do Borno, Adamawa and Yobe . Speaking during the visit, the group not count. This is not a rhetorical question: please stated that the visit was part of its activities to associate with the displaced reply. persons and emphathise with those who whose lives had been terribly disrupted by the very same situation that brought about the abduction of the Chi@BBOG_Nigeria bok girls. The kidnap of our “Having IDPs is as a result of the insurgency. The Chibok girls were abduct#ChibokGirls is not a ed because of this same situation. We northern problem, its felt, as part of our humanitarian service a Nigerian problem to the BBOG family, that it is important resolve #BringBackOurGirls in to reach out to them. “We know that to be a little bit comfortable, they need foodstuffs, clothing for women, men and children and toileteries. These are what we have brought to them. We met the head of the com@BBOG_Nigeria munity and told him why we were there. Day 155: At the Abuja We were told that there is another bigdaily sit outs, we spend ger camp that hosts over 1,000 people 1 minute everyday on but because of the rain, we were not positive thoughts for able to go there,” it said. the 219 #ChibokGirls While receiving the gifts, the leader of #BringBackOurGirls the group, Mallam Yohanna Wuruwa, expressed gratitude to the group, and said it would go a long way to making Compiled by Iroka Ugochukwu life more liveable for them.
WHY YOU SHOULD CARE ABOUT TOILETS SANITATION IS A GLOBAL NEED BUT A NEGLECTED PRIORITY
1/3
BECAUSE IN RURAL
AREAS OF DEVELOPING COUNTRIES 1 IN 3 PEOPLE HAVE NOCHOICE BUT TO DEFECATE IN THE OPEN
BECAUSE EVERY 20 SECONDS, A CHILD DIES AS A RESULT OF POOR SANITATION
BUT STILL SANITATION
REMAINS A NEGLECTED ISSUE. ONLY 1/4 OF TOTAL WATER AND SANITATION FUNDS ARE SPENT ON SANITATION
3
our stand Monday, September 22, 2014
Lessons From Scottish Referendum
O
n September 18, no one was left in any doubt that Scotland was on the cusp of history. 307 years after it joined the United Kingdom and 15 years after its own parliament, the independence referendum was an epoch-making one that made many view the country as a cliffhanger. Despite the enthusiasm of the ‘Yes’ side and a moribund campaign by the ‘No’ camp, the Scots chose to remain a part of the United Kingdom by a vote of 55.3 per cent to 44.7 per cent. The voter participation also broke records, with some precincts reporting 100 per cent turnout. In deciding to remain part of the United Kingdom (UK), the Scottish people embraced the pragmatic value of multiple identities in a globalised world where plural identity has become the rule rather than the exception. So, whether the Scots had voted yes or no, their country possesses a strong national identity that is not compromised by their being part of a larger political union in the UK framework. The vote shows clearly that majority of the Scottish people see the
advantages in the benefits of open trade, labour mobility and a strong currency — as long as they can govern their own affairs at home. Far from succumbing to the fear-mongering of the ‘No’ crowd about economic uncertainty or caving in under the threat that using the British Pound would not be guaranteed in the case of a ‘Yes’ vote, they made a practical calculation. In a modern, interconnected world, people are the sum of their various parts. They can identify with more than one group, culture, religion or nationality at the same time. This is the beauty of the modern, democratic nation-state, no matter how tantalising the dream of severing ties and striking out alone may be. The voting pattern is also
Editor Sadiq Abdullateef Deputy Editor Kazeem Akintunde Editorial Board Safiya M. Adamu, Chairman Christian Ochiama, Deputy Chairman Standards Aniebo Nwamu, Director ’Lara Olugbemi, Assistant Director
instructive. Much as it was decisive, it stirred up certain fundamental issues that cannot be permanently interred with the outcome of the referendum. The 11th-hour promises of politicians in Westminster to devolve maximum powers to Scotland will likely set off similar demands from Wales and Northern Ireland. Not only is that relevant to Great Britain, in a time of rising appreciation of national and ethnic differences, putting away the tribal flags may not be a pleasing prospect for millions across the world. It nonetheless calls to mind people with similar ambitions, like the Catalonians and Basques in Spain, the Corsicans and even the Sardinians in France, the Flemish in Belgium and the Venetians in Italy. The import of a ‘No’ vote should not be lost on nations with ethnic, religious and other plurality. Nigeria has a lot to learn. Those agitating for secession in various forms and guises should take a cue from Scotland. The tilt in the outcome of the Scottish referendum does not mean an endorsement of status quo; it means the national question and social justice issues should be returned to the front burner of political relationship.
Founder Sam Nda-Isaiah Chairman Hajiya Ireti Kingibe Group Managing Director Azubuike Ishiekwene Group Executive Directors Michael Okpere Dr Kazeem Durodoye Divisional Directors Iyobosa Uwugiaren Ademola Oladosu Salisu Alhassan Bichi General Managers Aminu Abubakar Sule Abdulmumin Balogun Zipporah D. Tanko Joy Adekanye
Leadership Holdings
Managing Director Abraham Nda-Isaiah Executive Director Nnamdi Samuel New York Office Mohammed Bello Shehu London Office Dr Bello Salihu Johannesburg Office Abiodun Oguntuase
LEADERSHIP is a national paper symbolically embedded in the nation’s capital. We shall stand up for good governance. We shall defend the interest of Nigerian people even against their rulers, and we shall raise our pen at all times in defence of what is right. These are the values by which we intend to be assessed. We shall never, ever for any reason forget the noble reason of our coming into being: For God and country!
4 news extra
Monday, September 22, 2014
Group News Editor: Tony Amokeodo 2015: North East APC Group Endorses Atiku A political group of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in the northeast yesterday unanimously declared its support for former vice president Atiku Abubakar’s 2015 presidential bid at a grand rally in Bauchi State. The APC group, which rallied under the aegis of Atiku Support Group 2015, said the former VP remains the best character amongst those angling for the number one office in the country who has both the carriage and requisite experience to rescue Nigeria from it present socio-political and economic problems. Director-general of the Atiku Support Group, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Namdas, explained that Atiku had all its takes to serve as the next president of Nigeria given his vast wealth of experience in public administration, business acumen and nationalistic disposition. The gathering also berated the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for what it described as monumental failure to solve the basic problems of the country even as they described the recent endorsement of President Jonathan as sole candidate as an insult to the generality of well meaning Nigerians. By Kareem Haruna, Maiduguri
3 Plaintiffs Sue INEC Over Additional Polling Units The Independent National electoral Commission (INEC) has been dragged before a Federal High Court in Abuja to challenge the creation of addtional 30,027 new polling centres recently created by the electoral umpire. The plaintiffs, Ikogi Joseph from Bayelsa State, Odumegwu Chinedu from Anambra State and Omotoso Nicholas from Ekiti State, are seeking to nullify the new polling centres. They want the court to restrain INEC from giving effect to the new polling units. Apart from INEC, the office of the attorney-general of the federation was also joined as a defendant. Their lawyer, Dr Olukayode Olatoke (SAN) begged the court to determine six questions posed to it. All the questions queried the basis for the creation and the legality of the new polling centres recently announced by INEC. The plaintiffs asked the court to declare that INEC acted beyond its power under section 73 (1) and (2) of the 1999 Constitution when it created the new polling units. They argued that a fresh national population census had to be conducted before new polling units could be created and that since no such census was conducted, the new polling units were illegally created. By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja
L-R: National leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, welcoming the emir of Kano, His Royal Highness Muhammadu Sanusi (II), to his residence at Bourdilion, Ikoyi, Lagos, yesterday.
2015: My Priority Is To Unite Nigeria – Nda-Isaiah By Bode Gbadebo and Ejike Ejike, Abuja
The founder of LEADERSHIP Group and 2015 presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Sam Nda-Isaiah, has said that he is in the race to unite the country. Nda-Isaiah disclosed this when he granted audience to the members of a think-tank group, the Broom Initiative, who paid him a courtesy visit at his residence in Abuja at the weekend. Nda-Isaiah said he played a leading role in uniting the different parties to form the APC because he believed that
Nigeria was better together and that only a strong, united platform could dislodge the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) next year. He lamented the insecurity in the country and noted that the government appeared incapable of solving the problem. He said, “I want to tell you the kind of president I intend to be. The first thing I intend to do as president is to unite the whole of Nigeria because Nigeria is so divided that it is not yet a nation. We are still a country of disparity and quarrelsome people; not quarrelling over serious issues but quarrelling over issues like
‘you are a Christian, you a Muslim.’ “Unfortunately, our country has come to this state now. No matter where you are - and I always ask my friends in PDP, ‘Is this the Nigeria that you want leave behind for your children?’ Most of them just keep quiet. There are some things that are beyond politics.” He urged the group to put all aspirants on the spot, adding that this was a time to be clear about the vision for the way forward. Earlier, in his speech, the leader of the delegation, Alhaji Saidu Malami, who stood in for the group’s chairman, Hon. Yusuf Tuggar, had told the as-
pirant that they were visiting him in their mission to interact with APC presidential aspirants, adding that the group was responsible for reconciliatory initiatives in the APC towards fostering unity among members. “We have been consistent in policy contribution within the leadership of the party. This evening, you are third in our programme of visiting presidential aspirants. Our objective is very simple: it’s to highlight the fact that for us to appreciate the precarious situation we are in is to understand that the bigger objective of rescuing Nigeria is bigger than all of us,” Malami said.
2015: Only Jonathan Can Decide Sambo’s Fate – PDP Says only NEC can grant automatic ticket to PDP govs, NASS members By Chibuzo Ukaibe, Abuja
The national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday said only President Goodluck Jonathan could decide if Vice President Namadi Sambo will be on the presidential ticket of the party in 2015. The party also passed a subtle warning to party members who intend to contest the adoption of President Jonathan at the party primaries on December 6. The national publicity secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, disclosed this at a press conference in Abuja, which unveiled plans by the party’s publicity
team to conduct a nation-wide media tour of projects by the party across the states since 1999. Metuh stated that the media tour, which begins today, September 22, became expedient because opposition governors were taking credit for PDP projects across the country. But responding to a question over whether or not the endorsement of Jonathan by the party includes the vice president as running mate, Metuh said: “I believe a lot of people are trying to speculate on this issue. Why don’t we wait till when Mr. President declares for such issues to be highlighted. “But I must inform you that PDP has mentioned that it is a winning team. The president has done very well and it is a winning team. I believe that there is no
need to magnify or attempt to import any differences between the president and his vice president. “They have worked so well. The vice president has continued to be the second most loyal vice in the history of this country besides President Jonathan when he was vice president. So I believe he enjoys the confidence of Jonathan; and in the 2015 election, if Jonathan accepts to run, then we will be able to take it to the next level”. Metuh, who also stated that the party will hold its convention as scheduled, however stressed that PDP believes that all responsible party members will comply with the decision of the NEC to abide by the sole candidature of Jonathan. Specifically addressing the is-
sue of other aspirants contesting the party’s presidential ticket, Metuh said: “This is a decision by the highest making organ of the party and we expect all responsible and respectable members of the party to comply accordingly.” Metuh, however, stated that automatic tickets for governors and legislators of the party can only be approved by the NEC of the party. He explained further that NEC’s endorsement of Jonathan does not apply to governors and other political office holders seeking re-election. “The NEC of the PDP, besides national convention, is the highest decision making organ of the party, and it is therefore only the national caucus and executive that can handle such decisions,” he said.
NEWS 5
Monday, September 22, 2014
Members Surrender, Hand Over Weapons By Bayo Oladeji, Abuja; Abdullahi Umar, with agency report; Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna, Maiduguri
Following a relentless onslaught by the Nigerian Army, many members of the Boko Haram sect have begun to surrender voluntarily. Some of them submitted themselves and their weapons to the leadership of the troops in Konduga during a further campaign at the weekend. The Defence Headquarters tweeted that, “As the heat on the terrorists continues, five terrorists surrendered on Saturday (September 20, 2014) with all their weapons to troops at Konduga, pleading for mercy.” Other captured terrorists who refused to surrender have also been giving useful information on the plans of the group, in an apparent offer to cooperate. In the last few days, the insurgents have made several desperate attempts to gain entry to Konduga, which the military in the area have continued to foil. Checks showed that the move by the insurgents was aimed at recovering the bodies of their prominent fighters who had died in the previous encounters in the area. Meanwhile, the Nigerian Army has recovered more weapons during mop-up operations, while some of the insurgents’ vehicles have been destroyed. Boko Haram: FG vows to restore power in Borno The federal government has said that it was doing everything possible to restore power supply in Borno, following an outage of power for about three months, caused by at-
Assorted arms and ammunition recovered from terrorists in Konduga, Borno State.
tacks on power facilities by the Boko Haram sect. Minister of State for Power, Alhaji Mohammed Wakil gave this assurance after inspecting some of the facilities in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital. “Mr President commends the patience of the people of Borno over the long power outage. This unfortunate incident has never happened in the history of the state. “The federal government has taken all necessary measures to secure power installations, not only in Bor-
LIVING LIVING TOTO BE BE 100100
One health tip daily Greener Grass May Not Be Better
Weed killers contain chemicals that are toxic to our nervous systems and have even been confirmed to cause cancer. If you want to live a long life, stop using chemical herbicides and artificial fertilizers on your lawns. Instead, fertilize with organic compost or manure, pull weeds regularly,
and reseed areas that are overgrown. Do not cut the grass too short, as this will expose the root system and leave the grass vulnerable to disease. Also avoid lingering on the golf course too long, especially under a hot sun: extreme heat can strengthen herbicides’ noxious effects.
no, but across the North East. I wish to appeal to our people to cooperate with security agencies for the protection of power infrastructure in the state,” the minister said. He further said that government had approved the upgrading of the Baga road power substation, to improve its output. “I want to assure you that work on all ongoing power projects in the state is being fast-tracked. Just few days ago, an approval was given for a new transformer to complement the Baga road substation, which is now over-loaded and aged. “This is the first addition to the transmission capacity in Borno since Maiduguri station was commissioned several years ago,” he said. ‘We know those behind the killing of innocent Nigerians’ The council of Imams and Ulamas, National Council of Muslim Youth Organisations and the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Northern States, yesterday said that with recent developments in the country, it was now clear who those behind the killing of innocent Muslims and Christians in the North in the name of Boko Haram were. The text of a joint press conference, signed by the vice chairman of the Ulamas Council, Sheikh Ibrahim Nakaka and the chairman MSSN, Yusuf Yakubu Arrigasiyyu reads: “You could recall that 9.3 million US Dollars was smuggled into South Africa for the purpose of purchasing weapons, which we believe would have ended up in the hands of either the Boko Haram insurgents or the deadly Niger Delta militants. “Two Nigerians and a Jew were said to be involved as Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor was implicated, and when the information spread all
over the world, shamelessly the Presidency tried to cover up the story to legitimise the scandal and exonerate the CAN President, whose private jet was used for the smuggling of the weapons. “The Federal Government position was not only ludicrous, laughable and untenable but a shame to the collective integrity of all Nigerians, but let Mr President be informed that by this scandal, we now know those behind the killings of our innocent Muslims and Christians in the north in the name of Boko Haram.” The Muslim groups said that this possibly was why the presidency had refused to equip the Nigerian military to substantially fight and end the insurgency. “Let it be clear to Mr President that not only Muslims but all patriotic Nigerians will no longer have confidence in him again and therefore cannot trust him. We call on the security agents as a matter of urgency to apprehend Pastor Oritsejafor to face the full wrath of the law. “We also advise the peace loving Christians to relieve Pastor Oritsejafor of his position as the President of the CAN for lacking the integrity and for deviating from the path of his predecessors, like Cardinal John Onaiekan who has been known for his peace loving and good interfaith relations.” Another Shekau allegedly killed Nigerian troops might have scored a strategic victory in the current battle against terrorists operating in the north east as military sources claim that the man who claimed to be the spokesman of the Boko Haram may have been killed on September 17. ➔ CONTINUED ON PAGE 6
Minimah
6 NEWS
Monday, September 22, 2014
PDP Moves To Save Fintiri, Threatens To Sack Adamawa LG Chairmen
BY Mohammed Ismail, Yola
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Adamawa State has given all the 21 local government chairmen, vice chairmen and councillors in the state up until September 26 to re-register as members of the party or lose their seats. The deadline came after the same group had voted in the September 6 governorship primary of the party in which the acting governor, Umaru Fintiri, Fintiri was given the party’s mandate. It was gathered that the Aminu, ex-PDP national chairmove was designed to secure man Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, Sir the government chairmen’s Wilberforce Juta, Air Commoloyalty to the acting governor dore Dan Suleiman and two to ensure the party’s victory at serving ministers, Boni Haruthe governorship poll on Octo- na and Zainab Maina, among ber 11. others. There was suspicion that A reliable source said: “The the local government chair- council chairmen and councilmen who are still loyal to the lors are expected to re-register impeached ex-governor, Alhaji as PDP members from SeptemMurtala Nyako, might work for ber 22 but they have up until the All Progressives Congress September 26 to complete the (APC) in the oncoming poll. process. It was also learnt that the “If they fail to re-register, step was taken to frustrate the councils will stand to be legal action against Fintiri’s dissolved by the acting goveremergence because all the local nor. This became necessary becouncil chairmen and council- cause they are still believed to lors were card-carrying mem- be the leaders of APC in their bers of the All Progressives local government areas. The Congress (APC) during the party and the acting governor primary. Some party members are jittery that the local govwere said to have faulted their ernment chairmen and counparticipation because they had cillors can sabotage Fintiri.” not been given the “re-admisAnother source said: “The sion” waiver by the PDP before deceit surrounding the Sepvoting at the primary, but the tember 6 primary has startDimeji Bankole-led elector- ed emerging because the panal committee was said to have el from Abuja and a gang of turned a blind eye to the mat- PDP leaders allowed non-parter because of ‘pressure from ty members to vote as delegates above’. to elect Fintiri According to findings by our “The electorate are begincorrespondent, the directive ning to realize the danger of was issued by the PDP chair- voting for PDP in the comman in the state, Chief Joel ing governorship poll because Madaki, at the party’s stake- they have fears that they can be holders’ meeting at Govern- shortchanged. ment House, Yola. “If Fintiri secured the supIt was learnt that the stake- port of all these people, why holders’ session was attend- the need for the deadline to loed by a former minister of pe- cal government chairmen, vice troleum resources, Prof. Jibril chairmen and councillors to re-
register as PDP members?” But in their separate reactions, chairmen of Mubi North, Mayo Belwa and Michika local government areas - Sahabo Jauro, Mohammed Bako and Vandi Favandza respectively, all denied the allegation, saying they were not aware of any such development. They reiterated their full support to the PDP and the Adamawa State government under the leadership of acting Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, saying that they are bona fide members of the party and do not need to be re-registered into the party again. Adamawa State chairman of the party Chief Joel Madaki, had, during an interactive session with newsmen recently, claimed that all the chairmen and councillors of the party did not need any waiver to partake in the PDP primaries as even members of the party who had defected to the party less than a week earlier were given waiver to contest party primaries. However, the publicity secretary of the party, Lawal Habu, confirmed the development, saying that the decision was reached during the party’s stakeholders’ meeting of Friday, where some people complained that some of the chairmen and councillors whose loyalty was with Nyako might betray the party during the coming by-election. According to Habu, following the complaint, it was resolved that from Saturday, any chairman or councillor who had not regularised his membership would be given four days to do so, starting from Saturday. He said, “We have no problem with those chairmen and councillors who had already registered but those who have not fully registered are given four days to do so from Saturday, for the party to have confidence of their full membership,” he said.
Jonathan Heads To US For UN General Assembly BY George Agba, Abuja
President Goodluck Jonathan on Sunday left Abuja for New York, for the 69th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. A statement by presidential spokesman, Dr Reuben Abati noted that while in New York, Jonathan would attend receptions hosted by President Barack
Obama of the United States and the secretary-general of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Kimoon. “The President will address the United Nations Security Council High-Level Session on Threats to International Peace and Security Caused By Terrorist Acts and present Nigeria’s Statement to the General Assembly
on Wednesday, September 24, 2014,” the statement said. Abati also noted that the president, who would stop over in London for a brief private visit before proceeding to New York, would also hold bilateral talks with Mr Ban Ki-moon and the British prime minister, Mr David Cameron, before returning to Abuja on Thursday.
IBB Undergoes Surgery In Germany FROM FRONT PAGE
condition. The source, however, told LEADERSHIP that Babangida had been having complications resulting in some pains in his back and had decided to go for a comprehensive medical attention. “He went to Germany and underwent a minor surgery to cor-
rect some of the abnormalities causing the back pains. The surgery was successful. I can tell you we have not heard of any complications. In fact, we are expecting him back this week if everything goes as initially planned; if there is anything wrong, we should be aware, for not quite one hour ago, somebody from the house talked to him,” the source said.
Ebola: UN Launches Response Mission, Team Arrives West Africa Today By Abdullahi Umar, with agency report
Following the unanimous adoption of a key resolution by the 193-member UN General Assembly, the United Nations secretarygeneral, Mr Ban Ki-moon, has officially launched the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER) team, which is set to arrive its base in Accra, Ghana today. The secretary-general has announced the first-of-its-kind operation, which is in the bid to find ways to tackle the outbreak in West Africa. The Security Council, at its historic meeting last Thursday declared the Ebola outbreak in West Africa a threat to peace and security. The mission’s initial rollout is a major step in the UN’s expanding effort to tackle what World Health Organisation chief, Dr Margaret Chan has declared to likely be “the greatest peacetime challenge that the United Nations and its agencies have ever faced.” In a statement on its official website, the UN secretary-general explained that the mission
would provide the operational framework and unity of purpose to ensure the rapid, effective and coherent action necessary to stop the outbreak, to treat the infected, to ensure essential services, to preserve stability and to prevent the spread to countries currently unaffected. “I have issued instructions that UNMEER advance teams deployed to the mission headquarters in Ghana, and to Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, by Monday, 22 September 2014,” the statement said. The secretary-general also said in the statement, that UN system senior coordinator for Ebola, Dr David Nabarro, would provide strategic guidance for the mission. Mr Ban Ki-moon referred to the three countries hardest hit by the unprecedented outbreak of the virus, which has infected some 5,000 people and killed more than 2,500 others, according to WHO. The secretary-general, meanwhile, plans to appoint a special representative to head UNMEER and accelerate support for the countries and people most affected by the Ebola crisis.
Members Surrender FROM PAGE 5
The sources said that during a desperate attempt to capture Konduga in the insurgents’ delusion to eventually march on Maiduguri and capture the city, the man who had been mimicking the late Abubakar Shekau in recent videos might have been killed. It is widely believed within military cycles that the real Shekau had been killed in one of the clashes between the troops and the terrorists but few months later, another sect commander came out claiming to be Shekau. “It is getting more certain that the terrorists’ commander who has been mimicking Shekau in those videos is the one killed in Konduga on September 17, 2014,” senior military and intelligence sources said yesterday. The security sources said the suspected demise of the Boko Haram leader may be responsi-
ble for the scattering of the sect members in different locations in neighbouring countries, especially in Cameroon, as noticed in recent days. The security sources, however, cautioned that “the process of confirming that the dead body we have is the same as that character who has been posing as Shekau is ongoing. He is definitely a prominent terrorist commander.” Another high ranking military source insisted that the resemblance is too striking to be a coincidence. They cited his facial marks, beards and teeth, apart from the recovery by the Nigerian troops of some of the armoured vehicles and Hilux jeeps that had featured in the videos of the said Shekau. The officers gave the assurance that the Defence Headquarters would soon address the nation after full investigation into the latest discovery.
news extra 7
Monday, September 22, 2014
IGP Warns Against Re-emergence Of Road Blocks Worried about what he termed ‘serious violation of subsisting order on road-blocks,’ the Inspector-General of Police, Acting IGP Suleiman Abba, has warned of severe sanctions for officers found flouting the order. Forces spokesman, CP Emmanuel Ojukwu made this known yesterday in a statement made available to journalists in which he said the IGP stated unequivocally that the order banning the setting up of Police road-blocks nationwide was still strictly in force. Ojukwu said the directive was issued to all Commands and Formations of the Force, stressing that the IGP warned that all semblances of Police road-blocks and permanent check-points reportedly re-emerging in some parts of the country, especially in the South-East, SouthSouth and South-West geo-political zones of Nigeria should immediately be dismantled. “The IGP who described the trend as a serious violation of subsisting order on road-blocks warned that severe sanctions await any Police Commands, Formations and personnel who violate the order,” Ojukwu said. By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja
Falana Faults Conferment Of SAN On Onagoruwa At 77 Lagos,lawyer Mr. Femi Falana (SAN) has faulted the conferment of the rank of senior advocate of Nigerian on former attorney-general of the federation and minister of justice, Dr. Olu Onagoruwa at the age of 77years. To Falana, the rank should have been conferred on the former AGF long before now. He however, commended the Legal Practitioners Privilges Committee (LPPC) for deeming it fit to confer the award on him. The chief justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Aloma Murtar, will today administer oath on 17 lawyers who have been conferred with the rank of SAN. Falana, in a statement made available to LEADERSHIP said, “Like Chief Fawehinmi who was conferred with the rank of SAN towards the tale end of his life, Dr. Onagoruwa is being admitted, rather belatedly, when he can no longer take advantage of the title. Even though it is a mere psychological relief at this stage of his life he is likely to feel professionally fulfilled. “All the same, the members of the LPPC led by the out-going CJN Justice Maryam Aloma Muktar deserve commendation for ensuring that justice was done, at long last, with respect to the treatment meted out to Dr. Onagoruwa who is now over 77 years old.” By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja
Cross section of males intending pilgrims at the 2014 hajj operation at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa international airport in Bauchi, yesterday. PHO TOBY NAN
2015: 2 Lawyers, Activist Want Court To Declare Jonathan Ineligible By Kunle Olasanmi, Abuja
A federal high court sitting in Abuja has been asked to stop the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from fielding President Goodluck Jonathan and his deputy, Namadi Sambo as presidential and vice presidential candidates in the February 14, 2015 presidential elections. The plaintiffs who are lawyers and human rights activist, Mase Daphine Acho, Saeeq Umar Sarki and Murtala Abubakar said that Jonathan and Sambo were not qualified to be elected president and vice
president of Nigeria respectively in the next election. Jonathan, Sambo, PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) were joined as defendants in the case. The plaintiffs’ lawyers, Mustapha Ibrahim, Mr Abdul Mohammed and Aliyu Lemu, in the suit argued that by virtue of the Supreme Court’s decision in Marwa V Nyako (2012) 6 NWLR (Part 1296) at 199, the incumbent president and his deputy were not to stand for the election. They argued that Jonathan
and Sambo are barred by the provisions of the constitution which state that no person can stay in office of the president and vice president beyond a period of eight years. “The current holders of the offices of the president and the vice president, at the expiration of their current terms in office would have held their respective office for a period of five years”. They stated that Jonathan and Sambo had held office for two terms recognised by the 1999 constitution to wit: (i) the first term was held to conclude
the un-expired term of the late president, Umaru Musa Yar’adua between the 6th May 2010 to 29th May 2011; (ii) the second term is still being served from the 29th May 2011 to 29th May 2015. The plaintiffs asked the court to declare that Jonathan and Sambo do not have the capacity to serve as president and vice president respectively for another term of four years after the completion of their current terms in office in view of the combined effect of the provisions of sections 135(2) (a) and 137(b) of the constitution.
APC Warns Against Plan To Postpone 2015 Elections BY Bayo Oladeji, Abuja
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned those nursing the plan to postpone the 2015 general elections to perish the thought, saying Nigerians will not accept under any guise whatsoever, any scheme by desperate elected officials to get tenure elongation by subterfuge. In a statement issued in Lagos
yesterday by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said those who are flying the kite of pushing forward the election ostensibly because the nation is at war are trying to imperil the nation’s democracy. “Election is the lifeblood of democracy, the mechanism by which modern representative democracy operates. It is the only way for the citizenry to renew and refresh
the governing process so that they can get the most benefits out of democracy. Therefore, anyone that tries to sabotage this mechanism is aiming a dagger straight at the heart of democracy,’’ it said. APC said the statement credited to Senate President David Mark, that “there is no question of elections, it is not even on the table now. We are in a state of war,” reflects the thinking in government
circles, even though the Senate President, having run into a wall of opposition over his unfortunate statement, has tried to step back from the comments.“We in the APC saw this coming, and we have said it at several fora: that the Jonathan administration has deliberately allowed the insurgency in the North-east, an opposition stronghold, to fester to cash in on it to get re-elected.
9 Arrested Over Fake FIRS Jobs, Promotion By Juliet Alohan, Abuja
Months of painstaking investigations by security officials working with Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) have resulted in the arrest of nine suspects in connection with a fake recruitment exercise into the service. The suspects are presently being investigated for alleged forg-
ery of documents, impersonation of officials of the FIRS and other federal ministries, agencies and banks officials as well as for deceiving members of the public. Investigations revealed that the suspects who employed a vast network of websites, email addresses, computers, telephone lines and bank accounts have
their network spread across different parts of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT). They allegedly solicited and received money from members of the public on a non-existent recruitment into the FIRS and even promised to facilitate the promotion of several FIRS officials. A statement published on the
FIRS website yesterday reads in part, “This is to inform the general public that FIRS is neither recruiting nor replacing unfilled positions within its workforce.” The suspects who would soon be charged to court had their cup full when a member of the gang sent an sms soliciting payments from a very senior FIRS staff to facilitate the official’s promotion.
8 News north-central
Monday, September 22, 2014
2015: Remain With PDP, Mark Tells Constituents By Jonathan Nda-Isaiah, Abuja
Senate President David Mark has told his constituents to remain steadfast with the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) ahead of the 2015 general elections, just as he assured them that he would declare his political aspiration in due time. Addressing youth leaders from Ado Local Government Area in his Otukpo country home, Benue State, yesterday, Mark said he was yet to declare his intention but would make his decision known in due course, after due consultation with various stakeholders, and in accordance with the PDP guideline. The youth leaders had besieged Mark yesterday, asking him to contest the Benue South Senatorial seat in 2015 because, as far as they were concerned, he remained the choice of the Idoma nation for the seat. However, the Senate boss told his people: “I appreciate your interest in me, but I have not de-
short news Niger 2015: PDP Exco, Appointees Bicker Over Zoning Arrangement The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of Lapai Local Government of Niger State crisis has deepened as the chairman of the party, Alhaji Usman Hussaini Ndanusa, has faulted the zoning arrangement handed down by a commissioner and a special adviser. The crisis started when a stakeholders’ meeting was purportedly called under the leadership of the commissioner of livestock and fisheries, Dr Yahaya Vatsa and Umar Rofyan Bagudu, and allegedly excluded the party executives of the area to zone positions in the council. By Abu Nmodu, Minna,
clared my interest or intention to contest yet. I will make my intention known to you when the time comes. “I assure you that whatever decision I take will be in the overall interest of the Idoma people. I have nothing personal but anything that will make our society better and ultimately promote the security and well-being of all will be my mission and purpose,” he said in a press statement issued by his chief press secretary Paul Mumeh He reiterated that the agitation for state creation had not been foreclosed, assuring, “God’s willing , I will pursue the creation of Apa State from the present Benue State to the logical conclusion.” Earlier, leader of the youths, Ogenyi Ocheme, had praised the Senate president for attracting development to the Idoma nation. “It may not be your intention to contest this election but the desire of every resonable Idoma man and woman is that you return to the Senate in 2015,” Ocheme said.
Ali Decries Unstable Academic Calendar A legal luminary, Mallam Yusuf Ali (SAN), has decried the instability in the academic calendar of the nation’s tertiary institutions. The unstable academic calendar, he noted, has eroded the credibility of certificates being issued by the institutions. He urged the federal and state governments to institute a stable, progressive and workable academic calendar for the tertiary institutions. Ali spoke in Ilorin, Kwara State, at the fourth convocation ceremony of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, where 658 students, including 16 first class graduands, were graduated, Ali, who was awarded a honourary doctorate degree in Public Administrationat the ceremony, added that the distinguishing factor between Nigerian universities and other universities in the world is the stability of academic calendar. Vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Sulyman AbdulKareem, disclosed that the university had been waxing stronger, saying the institution’s law and postgraduate programmes would commence in the 2014/2015 session. By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin
short news PDP Rally: Chieftain Hails Alkali Over Conduct A PDP chieftain and former deputy national coordinator in the Obasanjo Campaign Organisation, Mazi Emmanuel Olugbuo has described the conduct of the recent Goodluck Jonathan summit as a huge success. Olugbuo made this known in a chat with journalists, weekend in which he affirmed that the appointment of Prof Rufai Alkali, the brain behind the rally, as the special adviser to president Jonathan on Political Matters, as putting “a round peg in a round hole.” Olugbuo, president of the Afrodezt Group, described the rally as well attended, and a demonstration of Prof Alkali’s political sagacity. By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja
Wife of Kogi State governor, Hajiya Halima Wada (front row), flanked by the chairperson, Omala Local Government Area, Mrs Ramatu Oyigebe, during the continuation of the monthly Food Outreach for Widows, Orphans and Disabled (FOWOD) programme in the local government.
Book On Gov Suswam’s Governance For Launch Tomorrow By Millie Ibe, Abuja
The book detailing the inner workings of politics in Benue State during the administration of the executive governor of the state, Gabriel Suswam will be made public tomorrow in Abuja. The book entitled, ‘Suswam: Politics and Governance in Benue’ by the special adviser to the governor on media and public affairs, Dr Cletus Akwaya, recounts on the transformation that has taken place since
his assumption of office as the governor. The subject of the book, Hon. Gabriel Suswam, and his wife, Yemisi Dooshima Suswam, will be the chief celebrant and cocelebrant respectively, while his deputy, Chief Steven Lawani, will be the chief host of the occasion. President Goodluck Jonathan is expected as distinguished guest of honour at the occasion with vice president Mohammed Sambo, Senate president David Mark and Rt. Hon. Aminu Wa-
ziri Tambuwal, Speaker House of Representatives, as special guests of honour. Other invited guests at the occasion include state governors, members of the National Assembly, members of the Federal Executive Council, members of the Diplomatic Corps, Speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly Hon. Emmanuel Terhile Ayua, Chief Judge of Benue State Justice Iorhemen Hwande, political party chieftains and business leaders and academics across the country.
Unions Seek Substantive Provost At Vom Veterinary College BY ACHOR ABIMAJE,Jos
The assembly of trade unions of Federal College of Veterinary and Medical Laboratory Technology, Vom, Jos, has called on the Minister of Agriculture to appoint a substantive provost to the collage in order to save the institution from total collapsed. The unions, in a letter to the minister entitled “Re - appointment of provost , Vom” and jointly signed by Comrade Ikechukwu Nebo (SSAUTHRIAI) and Comrade Titus Moses (NASU), a copy made of which
was made available to LEADERSHIP in Jos, said the vacancy for the position of provost of the college had been existing since 2010. According to them, it is on record that an advertisement was put out and interested applicants applied and short-listed candidates were invited for interview which was successfully conducted with three names recommended by Agriculture Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN) in the order of merit to the ministry for appointment of a new provost.
The letter reads in part, “As a stakeholders, we wish to express our apprehension here that, up until today, no practical steps have been taken toward the appointment of a substantive provost despite the fact that the result of the interview conducted was forwarded to the relevant authorities”. The unions further stressed: “This lack of coherent concern has created a pervasive leadership crisis which now stalled the college development leading to break down in academic and institutional confident.”
Ebola: MACBAN Targets 30 Million Herdsmen In Campaign By Abu Nmodu, Minna
The Miyyeti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) has targeted 30 million cattle breeders along the West Africa sub region for sensitisation on Ebola virus in view of the mode of movement of the cattle breeders in the region. MACBAN is championing the campaign aimed at preventing trans-border transmission of the dreaded diseases now ravaging some parts of West Africa.
Revealing this yesterday in Minna the President of the association, Mohammed kirawa said the disease has been recorded in some parts of west Africa making it imperatives for herders who transverse the sub-region to join in the fight against the disease. “When you speak to a gathering of Fulani herders like this one, before you know it the information has gone round to all herders in the sub-region; so we don’t have any problem of infor-
mation dissemination,” he said. The president who spoke at a conference of the association holding at UK Bello Art Theatre, Minna, emphasized the need for the herders to imbibe personal hygiene for their personal safety. He, however, urged the herders not to hesitate to expose people of questionable character among them and cautioned them against doing anything that would cause trouble for them.
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Monday, September 22, 2014
GOOD GOVERNANCE AND DEMOCRACY WATCH 5 SHEHU ADAMU STREET, BAUCHI, BAUCHI STATE
CRITICISM OF TAN RALLIES: DELIBERATE BLINDNESS TO REALITY The recent criticism of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) rallies could rather be dismissed as misleading and mischievous enterprise. Democracy as popularly defined, is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. Inherent in this definition, is the active role of the people in governance: freedom of speech, association, evaluation of government activities, support or otherwise of government policies etc provided they are exercised within an acceptable legal purview, and do not serve as a breach of law and order. A careful observation and review of the intent and activities of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN) reveal that the organization is a non-governmental, non-political organization designed to promote good governance. In the pursuit of this goal, the organization in its wisdom carried out evaluation of government programmes under President Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s administration, and was convinced that the government performed excellently well in several areas which they listed to include: Transport; Establishment of New Maritime University, Rehabilitation of Moribund Railways with procurement of 25 New locomotives which are now functioning; Refurbishment of 200 coaches, resuscitation of Inland waterways transportation and extension of the rail lines to all major locations. Water Resources; increased access to portable water, construction and rehabilitation of 61 Dams, and Doubling of Irrigated Farmland for enhanced food production. Women Empowerment: It is the most Gender friendly administration; exceeded 35% Affirmative action; women can now be admitted into Nigeria Defence Academy (NDA); appointed women into strategic positions; Chief Justice of Nigeria; President of Court of Appeal; Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Minister of Petroleum Resources and Permanent Representative to the United Nations. Youth Development: The administration promoted youth development through creation of over 30,000 youths under FERMA Sure-P; and Bankrolled Aspiring Entrepreneurs through YouWIN. Education: The administration created 13 new Federal Universities and Police University, Wudil, Kano State; modernized Almajiri Schools, enhanced Girl-child Education, gave Scholarship to first class degree holders; libraries in Federal Unity Schools etc. Health; refurbishment of 1500 Primary Healthcare facilities, Rehabilitation and Modernization of Teaching Hospitals, Increase of life expectancy of birth from 47 years to 52 years, Guinea Worm Disease eradication etc, ICT: Increased GDP contribution by Telecommunications Industry, Launching of Nigcom Sat-IR satellite, Increased use of ICT in Governance service delivery, effective take off of Digital Broadcasting in Nigeria etc. Sports; Golden Eaglets won under – 17 world cup, won 16 Gold in Commonwealth Games, 36 medals, Super Eagles won African Cup of Nations etc. Auto mobile Industry: Investment friendly automotive policy; enhanced local manufacture of vehicles in Nigeria and increased patronage of locally manufactured vehicles. Aviation: modernized 22 Airports; Achieved 100% Radar coverage of Nigeria; modernized navigational facilities in our airspace etc. Culture & Tourism; exceptional support of the Movie Industry. Housing: Built over 60,000 Housing Units in 6 Geo-political zones; Established Nigerian Mortgage Refinancing Company; etc. Economy; Doubled Tax Revenue to N4.8Trillion in 4 years; Nigeria has the largest Economy with GDP of $510 Billion; attracted $12 Billion foreign Investment; Doubledigit market value growth in Nigeria etc. Agriculture: Reduced food import by over 35% in 3years, increased silo capacity by 400%, attracted investment in 17 new rice mills in four years, have just approved the establishment of 16 additional rice and cassava mills; plans to exit rice importation by 2015 etc. Oil & Gas: Increased oil production from 700,000 bpd to 2.5m bpd; stable supply of Petroleum products, 8% reduction in Gas flaring; 72% increase in Gas supply to support the power sector, increase in Nigerians owned marine vessels from 54 to 388 and completion of 167km Gas pipelines (Oben Garegun and Itoki Olorunsogo). Port Reforms: created 7 days clearing time for Trouble-Free Cargo, Construction of Onitsha Seaport, River port, Baro port, Lokoja port, and Oguta port and streamlining of Bureaucratic procedures. Power: Unbundling of PHCN into 11 Discos and 6 GENCOS, Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trader (NBET), licensed 34 IPPS, Enhanced Power Supply nationally and improved power generation and distribution. Roads: Constructed and/or Rehabilitated over 2,000 Kms of roads; construction of 2nd Niger Bridge, Oweto Bridge, Benue State to Link the East to the North, Lagos-Ibadan Express Way, Maiduguri – Kano Express Way, Lokoja – Benin Express Way and reduced travel time significantly among others. In all of these, TAN as an organization believed that President Goodluck Jonathan has done well in his first term in office in spite of the numerous distractive and/destructive security challenges and that these grand achievements are sometimes buried in false media narratives both the local and international media. To this extent, they decided to embark on public enlightenment/sensitization and show case sufficiently the successful activities of the government under
President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration. They employed public advocacy, using cutting-edge technology and powerful social media content. To be convinced that the people have listened to their messages, they decided to go to the people in the various States and Zones to get their reactions in terms of support. They provided registers with names, telephone numbers and for people to sign up their signatures to affirm that the President has done well and therefore urge him to come out to contest for a second tenure to enable him continue with his good works. Considering the aims, objectives of TAN and their methodology, it is clearly a deliberate mischief for the critics of TAN to assert that the activities of the TAN are unconstitutional or illegal. One can observe with piteousness the contradictory and unsubstantiated presentation of claims. The kernels of their criticism are that: the presence of SGF, Anyim Pius Anyim at the rallies is a tacit endorsement of the project by the Presidency; that Mrs Diezeani Allison Madueke, the Minister of Petroleum is a powerful force behind the TAN project; other names mentioned to be behind the project include, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, Emeka Wogu, Prof. Chinedu Nebo, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, Prof. Jerry Gana and Mr. Osita Chidoka. The critics in their presentation failed to prove the involvement of these named persons. The big question in all of this is: EVEN IF THESE PERSONS ARE TRULY INVOLVED, WHAT IS THEIR CRIME? As Nigerians, Government officials have the right to participate in activities of any organization that operates within the ambit of the law. TAN is a nongovernmental organization and the focus of attention is Nigerians. Nigerians of all categories and parties voted massively for President Jonathan in 2011. TAN as an organization is deliberately focused on looking beyond the Political Parties in ensuring that President Goodluck Jonathan is re-elected for the second tenure. To this extent, the platform has become an umbrella for all persons in all political parties, non-political, professionals, artisans market women, youths etc who believe that President, Goodluck Jonathan has performed well in office and deserved to be re-elected. TAN since its emergence has been clearly involved in robust activities that are non-inimical to societal development and the organization needs to be commended for its concept and ingenuity. For the critics to assert that the President, his party and sponsors waste the tax payers’ money in conveying ill-conceived and sycophantic rallies clearly demonstrates the partisan attitudes of their thought process, and portrays them as working for the opposition. They surely are working for the opposition, but keep masquerading as critics when in fact many of them are clearly sponsored by the opposition and not a few are active members of the leading opposition party in the country. The critics of TAN activities have a burden of either accepting the achievements of President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration and in the process swallowing their pride and joining the boat of the second tenure of President Goodluck Jonathan or they should have the courage to declare their true identities as spokes men of the opposition. To equate the activities of TAN with that of Abacha’s ‘Two Million March Assembly’ or Abacha attempts to succeed himself, clearly shows their inability to decipher between military despotism and civil democratic governance. The critics, if they have clear conscience, would admit that citizens calling on President Goodluck Jonathan to continue through the instrumentality of TAN are acting within democratic principles and tradition and do have the right to engage in the marketing of their preferred candidates so long as their activities do not constitute disorder in any guise or collaboration. TAN has to its credit the fact that all the rallies it has organized so far do not have any records of violence, crisis or disorder. It has been peaceful and orderly in the conduct of its rallies and media campaign and advocacy for public support of President Goodluck Jonathan and his numerous and far reaching achievements as an elected democratic leader of our Federal Republic. Critics of government are better appreciated if they are engaged in nonpartisan and constructive discourse at this critical stage of our development where they offer genuine suggestions and political alternatives instead of vain and inglorious propaganda on behalf of vested interests in opposition to a government that has set the pace in key sectors of our economy and social life. Nigeria under President Goodluck Jonathan is clearly on a sustainable part to national transformation towards a prosperous and stable society for our future generation. TAN has done no wrong!
ADAMU MUSA National Chairman
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stories of the Monday, September 22, 2014
...NEWS WITH A HUMAN FACE
AIRFORCE BRUTALITY: Painter Petitions Police By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City
A 35-year-old painter, Tony Oni, has petitioned the Nigerian Police and the authorities of the Nigerian Airforce to investigate allegation of torture by its personnel at the 81 Air Maritme Command in Benin City, Edo State capital. The petitioner said that he did a painting job for an officer, simply identified as G. O. Charles, which the officer claimed was not well done. While speaking to journalists in Benin City, legal counsel to oni, Otamere Otamere , said his client was introduced to the officer by a serving member of the House of Representatives from Edo State, Jim Adun to paint his house. He said his client was paid N475, 000 out of N500, 000 charged for the job. According to him, his client used the money to purchase materials for the job. He said the Airforce officer did not pay the balance of N25, 000 after the job was completed. About seven months after the job was done, Oni was called in May this year by the officer that part of the paint on the fence had faded, and accused him of using substandard products. “On the 1st of September, 2014, his residence at No 17, Uwa Street, off New Lagos Road was stormed by some Airforce officers in company of the said Charles and his property in the apartment were removed by the officers at gun point and taken to the Airforce Base, along Airport Road in Benin City. “Our client was subsequently abducted by the said officers and taken to the Airforce Base Guard room from 1st September 2014 till 10th September 2014 where he was given the torture of his life” It took the courage of his fiancé and other family members who approached the chambers, who in turn, petitioned the police before his client was released. Narrating his ordeal, Oni said the officer told his colleagues that he was a criminal. “They put a block with mucus from the gutter in my mouth so that I can’t shout and started beating me. They hit me with all sorts of things and then took me to the mess where he said I should be made to be cutting grass. For days, they did not give me food nor water. He instructed them that when I ask for water, they should give me grass. I was cutting grass and when some other officers saw me and asked who I am, he would tell them I am a criminal.” The victim now limps because of the torture he received from the personnel. A medical report from the Edo State Hospital Management Board prepared and signed by Dr Igbinobaro A., showed that Oni had “fracture dislocation of the ankle joint, associated with severe secondary degenerative changes” When contacted yesterday, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the Command, Flying Officer Evelyn Ochada, said on phone that the allegations were not true and that Oni and his lawyer were not saying the truth.
Fulani women at the yam selling point in Abuja yesterday. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH
SCANDAL: Politician In Oath Taking Over Illicit Pregnancy By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba A politician in Delta State, who is also a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), name withheld, is currently in a messy secret affair with a female banker in one of the new generation banks in Asaba, the state capital. Sources said that the politician was at the weekend subjected to oath taking at the popular Asaba shrine after the female banker allegedly claimed that she was pregnant for him in the presence of his wife. The wife was said to have mobilized family members to the popular shrine around Otuogwu quarters in Asaba where the politician was allegedly subjected to oath taking when he denied
responsibility for the pregnancy. The banker, identified as Jenny, our informed sources said, is a graduate of accountancy from one of the South East universities and has allegedly been dating sugar daddies for some time now. Jenny was said to have been employed because of her beauty as a marketer with the bank, an asset she explored to the fullest with the sugar daddies. Speaking to our correspondent, one of the priests in the shrine, who declined to have his name in print said, “We took the politician to take the oath when he denied the pregnancy of the female banker and if it is not true, he will be set free, but if it is true, the gods will do justice to the situation”.
bizarre: Female Undergraduate Dumps Newborn In Toilet By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba
A frustrated female undergraduate of the Delta State University, Abraka, who had been pregnant for an unidentified man before giving birth to a baby girl, has allegedly dumped the baby in a toilet pipe, hoping the baby would be flushed down the pipe last Friday. While inside the pipe, the baby was said to have been crying as the mother fled the scene but the baby’s cry attracted the attention of students who immediately raised the alarm, a situation where firemen were called to the scene and they rescued
the baby. An eye witness said the firemen had to break the pipe before they could get the baby out. Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, who spoke to journalists on the incident, disclosed that the police were on the trail of the undergraduate whose name could not be ascertained at the time of filing this report. While urging residents of the community to help intensify efforts in the search of the graduate, DSP Kalu assured that the police would do everything possible to fish out the fleeing nursing mother.
BANK ROBBERY: Police Foil Attempt, Kill 4 Suspects By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba
Determined to make the state crime free, the police operatives in Asaba, Delta State, in the early hours of Friday disarmed a 10- man robbery gang which attempted to rob a new generation bank around Inter-Bua roundabout leaving four of the robbery suspects dead during a gun battle. There have been reported cases of attacks on banks and bank customers in recent times in the state so much so that customers who go to the banks to withdraw money do so in fear. Eyewitness said that some of the victims attacked during the gun battle with the police had gone to the new generation bank to cash some money not knowing that they were being monitored by the robbery suspects. Expectedly, the hoodlums who came in a Toyota bus with no registration number, were said to have trailed their victim to an area they thought would be safe to rob them, but this was not to be as the police responding to distress calls immediately swung into action, and engaged them in a gunfight. Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, DSP Celestina Kalu, said the police acting on a distress call swung into action to save the bank customers around Inter-Bua roundabout. She added that the police disarmed the 10-man robbery gang and, in the process, killed four while the remaining six escaped with bullet wounds. DSP Kalu said the robbery suspects abandoned weapons that included an assault rifle with bridge number 070110089 while three other assault magazines with 13 rounds of 5.56 life ammunition were recovered.
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Monday, September 22, 2014
Photo News
DOCKED: Herdsman Remanded For Killing Boy By Abdullahi Olesin, Ilorin
An Ilorin Magistrate Court has remanded a 20-year-old herdsman, Umoru Abubakar, for macheting a young man to death. The suspect was arraigned by police on a one-count charge of culpable homicide contrary to section 221 of the penal code. The Police First Information Report (FIR) stated that the case was transferred to the department of criminal investigation, state headquarters, Ilorin, for discreet investigation from Banni Police Station. The FIR said on August 31, one Mohammed Usman of Fulani camp, Kosa village,
reported that the suspect “criminally ambushed and attacked his son, Abdullahi Usman with cutlass and inflicted multiple machete cuts on his forehead, which caused his untimely death”. The police said investigation conducted at the department of criminal investigation revealed that the suspect “immediately you committed the devilish act, you took to your heels to Patigi and a search party was conducted and later got you arrested. You thereby committed the above mentioned offence. Meanwhile investigation is still in progress.” The prosecutor, David Wodi objected to the suspect’s bail application.
L-R: Executive director, Small and Medium Enterprises, Bank of Industry, Mr. Waheed Olagunju, managing director/CEO, Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa and executive director, Large Scale Enterprise, Alh. Mohammed Alkali, during the bank’s launch of its agro processing fund, at the bank’s corporate head office, Marina, Lagos. PHOTO by BENEDICT UWALAKA
Robbery: Police Nab 2 Suspects For Robbing ASP, Others BY MATTHEW DIKE, Lagos
Lagos State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers who dispossessed a woman Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) and others of their cash, mobile phones and other valuables, at Mile Two area, in Lagos State. The police officer was said to be waiting for a vehicle when the hoodlums attacked her and some civilians at the bus stop. The divisional police officer of Layeni Police Station in Ajeromi/ Ifelodun Local Government Area of the state, CSP Chijioke Ndu, led a team of policemen to the scene and arrested two of the robbers
while others ran away. A police constable who pleaded anonymity at the station disclosed that the hoodlums were robbing people freely when Ndu moved in with a team of policemen. He said the hoodlums on sighting the policemen attempted to escape, but police arrested two of them. He said the policemen attached to the Special Anti- Robbery Squad (SARS), Ikeja, came at the weekend for the transfer of the case and both the suspects, case file and evidence have been handed over to them. He said the policemen at the station are still trailing the fleeing suspects.
L-R: Managing director/ CEO, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr Yemi Adeola; Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola and Lagos State Commissioner for Environment, Mr Tunji Bello, at the presentation of branded LAWMA highway/managers’ kits to the governor at the weekend.
Theft: 2 Arrested For Stealing Motorcycle By Andrew Ojih, Jalingo
The Taraba State Police Command has arrested two suspected armed robbers, Umaru Sai’du and Abubkar Jugulde for allegedly stealing a motorcycle with chassis no LEARCJOBAD6922 belonging to one Suleiman Danjuma of Sansani village in Gassol LGA of the state. Briefing journalists yesterday in Jalingo, the command’s public relations officer, ASP Joseph Kwaji, said the suspects, Umaru Sai’du and Suleiman Danjuma who are Fulani by tribe, snatched the motorcycle from one Suleiman Danjuma, along
Sabongida-Sansani Feeder Road in Gassol Local Government Area of the state. He noted that the suspects confessed to have been terrorizing and tormenting residents of Gassol LGA over a long period of time. He stressed that the suspects, Umaru Sai’du and Suleiman Danjuma have been charged to Chief Magistrate Court in Gassol LGA of the state for prosecution. “The suspects, Umaru Sai’du and Suleiman Danjuma, told the police that they were six in their group and that that they were responsible for series of robberies in Gassol LGA area of the state.”
L-R: HOD, Youth Affairs, PDP National Secretariat, Mr Vincent Aondoakaa, presenting certificate of registration for affiliation to the national coordinator, PDP Ward 2 Initiative, Mr Shekulomaso Kamal Karka, at the PDP national secretariat in Abuja.
ROBBERY: 182 Suspects Nabbed By Abu Nmodu, Minna
The Niger State Police Command has arrested 182 suspected criminals in 65 raids even as the command has also assured that the new method of breaking into houses by criminals would be checked. The new Commissioner for Police, Mr Emmanuel Olusola Amore, disclosed this over the weekend in Minna, at a press conference. He said that out of those arrested, 143 were charged to court while 39 of those arrested were not found wanting and were released. The commissioner for Police, said 103 exhibits were recovered from those arrested and that all the raiding took place in Sule-
ja, New Bussa and Minna in separate operations. The commissioner said within the month of August, 124 convictions were secured because all those arrested were arrested with exhibits to prove the cases. On the new method of operation where hoodlums followed people from work to their residence to force their way in, the commissioner said that the police was on top of the situation . He disclosed that recently, a medical doctor was followed from a first generation bank to his hospital where he was dispossessed of N434,000 but said with collaboration, the suspects were apprehended and the money recovered.
Coordinator, National Youth Summit (NYS), Norbert Onaga, presenting the National Youth Summit (Centenary Edition) document to the Minister of Youth and Social Development, Mr. Boni Haruna in Abuja. PHOTO BY OGOH JOSEPH
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Monday, September 22, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
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14 NEWS/BUSINESS
Monday, September 22, 2014
Airtel Named Customer Friendly Operator of the Year …As Segun Ogunsanya emerges telecoms CEO of the year By CHIMA AKWAJA, Lagos
FG Tasks State Governors Over Removal Of Telecom Charges By Chima Akwaja, Lagos
The federal government, through the ministry of communication technology, has called on state governments to sign up to the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the ministry for the arbitrary charges impeding the implementation of the Smart State initiative, a part of the National Broadband Plan already pioneered in Lagos, Cross River and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja and being tested in Anambra, Bayelsa and Ondo states. This was part of the summation of a communiqué issued at the end of the third meeting of the National Council on Communication Technology (NCCT) held last week in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, chaired by the minister of communication technology, Dr Omobola Johnson. The ministry and the Broadband Council chaired
by Johnson, is promoting a “Smart State” initiative geared at engaging governors and relevant authorities at the state and federal levels to address the issue of multiple taxation impeding the acceleration of the roll out of critical infrastructure across Nigeria. The main aim of the “Smart States” initiative is to ensure that effective measures are adopted to remove arbitrary charges and eradicate multiple taxations across the nation, impeding the roll out of critical ICT infrastructure across Nigeria. The communique also urged the Nigerian Postal Service (NIPOST) to use its post offices to deploy ICT services all across the country and leverage on existing Public Access Venues (PAV) infrastructure around the country to deploy its services. In her keynote address at the NCCT meeting, Johnson commended Bayelsa State for signing the “Smart State” MoU.
Telecom Subscribers: Airtel Loses No 2 Position To Globacom By Chima Akwaja, Lagos
19,390,285 customers which represents 15 per cent share of Globacom has moved to the the market. position of the second largest Instructively, while Glo and mobile service provider in the Etisalat made gains between the country, moving Airtel to the last time NCC released subscriber third place. figures in February, and now, According to figures just MTN and Airtel recorded losses. published by the industry The figures for the operators regulator, the Nigerian as at the end of February were Communications Commission 57,183,745 for MTN, 26,194,336 (NCC) on its website, Glo had for Airtel, 24,490,650 for Glo and 27,327,646 subscribers on its 18,119,397 for Etisalat. In effect, network as at the end of June, between end of February and 2014. June end, Glo added 2,836,996 The figure translates to 21 new subscribers to its network, per cent share of the Nigerian while Etisalat recorded 1,270,888 telecoms market, and places Glo new customers. On the other second to MTN with 56,516,759. hand, MTN lost 666,986 Globacom, which conceded subscribers, while Airtel lost the position to Airtel a few 892,176 customers, the highest months ago, achieved the feat loss within the period. by recording 2.8 million new Glo also retained its position subscribers between February as the network with the second and June, this year, the largest largest internet subscription in by any operator in Nigeria within the country with 14.3 million the period. Airtel, which occupied active subscriptions. MTN is in the second position briefly early the first place with 34 million, this year falls, to the third place while Airtel and Etislat have with 25,302,160 subscribers and 12 million and 6.8 million 20 per cent market share. Etisalat active internet subscriptions retains the fourth position with respectively. Follow these reports on leadership.ng/business
Airtel Nigeria has clinched the Customer Friendly Operator of the Year Award from the organisers of the Nigerian Telecoms Awards. The company’s managing director/chief executive officer Mr Segun Ogunsanya, was also named ‘Telecoms CEO of the Year.’ Both awards were conferred on
the recipients during the 2014 Nigerian Telecoms Award night, held in Lagos, at the weekend. According to a statement from the telecoms company, the awards panel nominated Ogunsanya, alongside MTN’s Mike Ikpoki, in an awards category branded as heavyweight by pundits and seasoned telecoms professionals who graced the occasion. The chief operations officer of Airtel Nigeria, Tolu Ojo, led a team comprising of the customer services director, Ajay Bakshi; supply chain director, Raghvendra Gupta;
IT director, Rajat Jain and regional operations director, Lagos Region, Femi Oshinlaja to receive the awards on behalf of the company. The citation on the Customer Friendly Operator award stated that Airtel has demonstrated it is intensely interested in its customer by its consistency in developing robust service platforms to boost customer experience as well as bespoke value-offerings that are not only innovative and affordable, but tailored to delight telecoms consumers.
L-R: Commissioner, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr Mike Onyia and Airtel’s chief operations officer, Mr Tolu Ojo during the Nigerian Telecom Awards 2014 where the company bagged the ‘Most Customer Friendly Network’ Award in Lagos.
‘Consumers To Repay CBN’s N213bn Electricity Bailout Fund’ By Juliet Alohan, Abuja
The N213 billion facility arranged by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to bailout the electricity sector will be repaid by electricity consumers over a period of 10 years, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has said. The CBN bailout fund which is meant to cover shortfalls in the Nigerian electricity market will be repaid through electricity tariff to be paid by consumers over the period, NERC chairman, Dr Sam Amadi, said. According to the commission, the repayment spread of 10 years is an advantage to the market and consumers in view of the fact that its recollection will be in piecemeal over the period. “They are giving us a 10-year period instead of five and this further reduces the tariff rate; it further reduces the amount that consumers will be paying. It is just like getting a loan and paying back in 10 years,” he said.
Amadi, who was speaking in Abuja at the weekend, stated that the N213 billion CBN facility now provides operators in the market handy funds which could be deployed to improve electricity services to consumers without the burden of a possible increase in electricity tariff. “Don’t forget that every cost in the industry is ultimately repaid by the consumers and so it has reduced the incident of burden of repayment by stretching it over a long period of time which could result in freezing tariff increase as the case may be,” Amadi stated. While emphasising that the fund will be deployed “only to meet established shortfalls in the market,” Amadi explained that the facility gives distribution companies (Discos) and generation companies (Gencos) money at hand that they will collect in piecemeal over the years as well as the opportunity to use the money for quick investments that will produce
quick returns in terms of service improvements. He, however, pointed out that any operator whose operating expenditure do not match up as being prudent and relevant to its obligations in the market will not benefit from the fund. Explaining further, he said, “Without this fund, consumers ought to pay for any shortfall in pricing. Essentially, the shortfall is a function of the price not being cost reflective and what we would have done is to put it back into the MYTO formula and work out the tariff increase that will cover it over five years. But the CBN fund gives opportunity for Discos and Gencos to have this money on time and for it to be paid over 10 years.” An inter-agency initiative of the federal government, led by the minister of petroleum resources, Mrs Diezani AlisonMadueke, with support from the CBN and ministry of power, had at the weekend, announced the intervention fund.
Monday, September 22, 2014
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16 NEWS/BUSINESS
FG To Set Up Mineral Buying Centres By Ruth Tene Natsa, Abuja
The federal government, through the minister of mines and steel development, Musa Mohammed Sada, has said it will set up mineral buying centres in its determination to curtail the rate of smuggling of the nation’s mineral resources out of the country. The minister made the revelation when he received a delegation of government officials from Oyo state, led by the deputy governor of the state, Moses Alake Adeyemi. According to Sada, “One of the biggest problems we have in mineral exploitation in the country is smuggling and gemstone is the biggest victim as 80 per cent of this mineral that is exploited in Nigeria is smuggled and that is worrisome.” He explained that the establishment of these centres was topmost in the agenda of the present administration, noting, “We are looking at setting up three mineral buying
centres. It does not have to be gemstone as it depends on what minerals are being exploited in each state. This is just a pilot programme.” Sada commended the Oyo State Government for their zeal and commitment towards the development of the country’s minerals and metals sector. Noting that the state is one of the centres of mineral activity, he added that 7080 per cent of gemstone exploitation is being done in Oyo State, resulting in the creation of a large number of value chain. He pointed out that the ministry was already working with private investors, Miners Association of Nigeria and other relevant stakeholders in setting up the mineral buying centres which would have Oyo state as one of the location. He asserted the need for more collaboration between the federal government and state governments towards ensuring sustainable development of its minerals and metals sector .
Monday, September 22, 2014
Intense Lobbying As Reps Set To Debate PIB Report
BY Edegbe Odemwingie, Abuja
The report of the Ishaka Bawa-led House of Representatives Adhoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) is ready and is billed for presentation and subsequent debate after “clearance” by the House leadership, investigations reveal. Some of the PIB report recommendations seen by LEADERSHIP reveals a complete review of licencing rounds and i nv e s t m e n t / c o n t ra c t renewals in the case of Joint Venture (JV) Licences and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) between International Oil Companies (IOCs) and the Nigerian government. The IOCs demand that the PIB explicitly recognise contract sanctity for existing JV Licences and (PSCs). New terms for JV Licences and PSCs IOCs
insist should apply to only new contracts and licences in view of the billion dollars up-front investments made by oil companies in old contracts with the Nigerian government. In other recommendations, the discretionary powers of the president to allocate oil blocs has been replaced by competitive bidding, except for Nigerian-owned oil companies. Also, the powers of the petroleum minister in the proposed National Oil Company and subsidiaries have been considerably reduced in line with the proposed commercialisation of staterun oil company. By this development, interests in the country’s oil and gas industry – government and private – have began intense lobbying ahead of debates of the report at plenary. A member of the House Committee on Petroleum
Resources (Upstream) disclosed to LEADERSHIP that the petroleum ministry last week took some lawmakers, including himself, to the United States capital, Washington DC, as part of lobbying on the PIB.However, this claim could not be verified as at the time of press. For a PIB that has been severally torn across regional lines in the National Assembly, the Northern elements are poised to dictate the direction of the clause by clause voting on the PIB report. The North have consistently rejected the 10 per cent Petroleum Host Communities Fund contained in the PIB. Southern lawmakers on the other hand are the most vocal supporters of the bill, a signal to how they will vote when the PIB report is debated on the floor of the House. The North has a superior numerical strength over
other parts of the country in the House. The North West, North East and North Central have a combined membership of around 191 out of the 360 legislators. The Speaker of the House, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, on September 16, 2014, gave the Bawaled Adhoc Committee on the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) a 21-day ultimatum to submit a report. Tambuwal gave the directive at plenary while declaring open the fourth legislative session of the Seventh Assembly. This is just as a PIB cashfor-passage allegation filtered round the National Assembly. It was alleged that the ministry of petroleum Resources and the state-run, Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), was being asked for cash to ensure the PIB’s passage, an allegation the House leadership dispelled.
Firstnation Airways Seeks Resolution To Sealed Premises by Nkem Osuagwu, Lagos
Firstnation Airways said it has made representation to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) following the sealing off of the Skypower Catering Premises by FAAN over the weekend, stating that the premises was legally leased by the airline. The airline, which
claimed it had a six years lease on the premises of Skypower Catering services from which it conducts its operations at the Lagos Airport, said it has a “subsisting and valid lease on the premises. However, following the yesterday’s development, we have made representation to the Federal Ministry of Aviation and FAAN to find a resolution. The airline in a statement said, “We are
confident that the Federal Ministry of Aviation have good intention and will not pursue policies that are detrimental to industry growth and employment. “We will continue to work with both the Federal Ministry of Aviation and FAAN in good faith to ensure the maintenance of the support services provided at this location that is vital to the airline industry.”
Insurers Association Faults Government On Compulsory Insurance by Chika Izuora, Lagos
The two tiers of government have been identified as breaching some of the sections of the insurance policy and thereby setting the wrong precedence that has seen insurance not blazing the trail in the financial sector. The Nigerian Insurers Association (NIA) which raised the issue said government in particular has not deemed it necessary to provide insurance cover for public buildings under
the compulsory insurance policy. The association also said that both the federal and state governments’ contributions to the gross premium in the Nigerian insurance sector hovers around 25 per cent while the private sector and individuals policy holders account for the 75 per cent that makes up the balance. The NIA said the level of government patronage to the sector has remained insignificant when put side by side its contribution to
banks and the banking sector’s balance sheets. The NIA director-general, Mr Sunday Thomas, who gave the indication at a two-day insurance industry joint retreat for insurance journalists recently in Abeokuta, Ogun state, said that the federal government contributed only about N75 billion to the gross premium of the insurance industry in 2012 which stood at N300 billion, according to a report by the rating agency, Augusto & Co.
Monday, September 22, 2014
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Monday, September 22, 2014
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LEADERSHIP CONFERENCES LIMITED (A SUBSIDIARY OF LEADERSHIP NEWSPAPERS GROUP)
2014 ANNUAL
CONFERENCE & AWARDS CEREMONY Chairman MR. SAM AMUKA Publisher, Vanguard Media Limited Keynote Speaker MR. BABATUNDE RAJI FASHOLA, SAN Executive Governor, Lagos State STAR AWARDS 2013
LEADERSHIP PERSON OF THE YEAR General Yakubu Gowon GCFR LEADERSHIP GOVERNOR OF THE YEAR Dr. Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan
LEADERSHIP POLITICIANS OF THE YEAR The G-7 Governors Dr. Babangida Aliyu (Niger) Dr. Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) Alh. Sule Lamido (Jigawa) Alh. Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto) Alh. Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara) Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Ameachi (Rivers) Alh. Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) LEADERSHIP BUSINESS PERSON OF THE YEAR Mr. Olatunde Ayeni
AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE 2013 LEADERSHIP CEO OF THE YEAR Simdul Shagaya CEO, Konga.com LEADERSHIP COMPANY OF THE YEAR Chi Limited LEADERSHIP BANK OF THE YEAR Diamond Bank LEADERSHIP ICT COMPANY OF THE YEAR Jumia LEADERSHIP BANKER OF THE YEAR Mr. Philips Oduoza GMD, UBA LEADERSHIP GOVERNMENT AGENCY OF THE YEAR Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) LEADERSHIP AUTHOR OF THE YEAR Malam Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai
LEADERSHIP PRODUCT OF THE YEAR Nagari Farm Yoghurt LEADERSHIP MICROFINANCE BANK OF THE YEAR LAPO Microfinance Bank Limited LEADERSHIP TELECOM COMPANY OF THE YEAR Swift Networks Limited LEADERSHIP PUBLIC OFFICER OF THE YEAR Dr. Akinwumi Adesina Minister of Agriculture & Rural Development LEADERSHIP BRAND OF THE YEAR SAMSUNG LEADERSHIP ARTISTE OF THE YEAR Ice Prince LEADERSHIP YOUNG PERSONS OF THE YEAR The Golden Eaglets LEADERSHIP SPORTS PERSON OF THE YEAR Stephen Okechukwu Keshi
Venue: ThisDay Dome, Abuja Time: 9:00am Date: October 14th, 2014
Monday, September 22, 2014
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20 CAPITAL MARKET/BUSINESS
Monday, September 22, 2014
CAPITAL MARKET REPORTS
New NSE President Emerges This Week
L-R: Director, Obinna Ufudo; managing director/chief executive officer, Valentine Ozigbo and director, Emmanuel N. Nnorom all of Transcorp Hotels Plc during the signing ceremony of the hotel’s Initial Public Offer (IPO) held in Lagos, last weekend.
Boosting Literacy Level In Capital Market STORIES By OLUSHOLA BELLO, Lagos
The level of capital market literacy among Nigerians plays a major part in determining the number of retail investors that participate in the capital market. Capital market literacy is the level of education, learning, articulacy, proficiency and scholarship of a country’s population about capital market activities. In ensuring a more vibrant capital market, the capital market operators have engaged in a lot of investors’ education to attract retail investors. The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has set up a committee to look into literacy in Nigeria’s capital market and to draw up a 10 year capital market literacy master plan. Recently, at the quarterly Capital Market Committee (CMC) meeting, the chairman, SEC Literacy Committee, Mr Ariyo Olushekun, disclosed that research had shown that the level of capital market literacy in Nigeria stood at 16 per cent. While he acknowledged the numerous efforts being made to enhance capital market literacy, Olushekun said capital market literacy programmes in the country currently “lacks strategic direction and proper coordination. “There should be an increase in public awareness as the committee has suggested that capital market literacy programmes be included in the curriculum of professional bodies and schools. Others are exhibitions, road shows and annual public lectures and so on,” he said. The chairman of the capital market master plan committee, Mr Dotun Suleyman, said that capital market education level was still below par, considering the nation’s population.
Suleyman said that the poor literacy level contributed to the little impact the market made on the nation’s gross domestic product (GDP) in terms of relevance and active participation in key sectors of the economy, saying that the Nigerian capital market was underdeveloped and needed to be much more robust if it was going to play significant role in the national aspiration of being part of 20 top economies in the world by 2020. Speaking on the issue, the chief relationship officer of TFS Securities & Investment Limited said, Charles Fakrogha, “One of the core function of the SEC is to develop and create awareness about the capital market, saying that over the years, the SEC has tried on their own part in ensuring that the capital market education gets to the grass root.” He noted that investors’ education on the capital market could not be achieved by the SEC and the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) alone but by the collective effort of stockbrokers, adding, “since the stockbrokers are the one dealing with the investors directly, they should take it upon themselves to ensure that they don’t only concentrate in the urban area, they should go to the hinterlands to educate them on the importance of capital market investment.” He noted that there are a lot of companies in rural areas that can be listed on the small scale subsector of the NSE if they are properly enlightened and pointed out that the capital market literacy should be taken to schools. He further called for an overhaul of the curriculum of higher institutions to address the shortage of skills and poor financial literacy level. According to the managing
director of Dependable Securities Limited, Chinenyem Anyanwu, the SEC and NSE has been doing a lot in improving the capital market literacy of individuals. The more the people know about the potential in the capital market, the better for the market. “When it comes to investor education, every stakeholder in the capital market is supposed to be a part of this education. The most protected investor is the most educated investor. Right now, the capital market committee are putting together a 10-year master plan on the improvement of the capital market literacy and this is going to concern all investors and the entire capital market. All the initiatives that will come under that literacy arrangement will ensure that people begin to know what the capital market is all about: why they should invest, how they should invest, who to go to, and issues like that,” Anyanwu said. He pointed out that the NSE has its investors clinic just as the SEC, the Chartered Institute of Stock Brokers and other stakeholders have their own investor education initiatives. He added that a lots of reforms and initiatives would have to be put in place towards achieving increase in the number of participants in the market. According to the domestic and foreign portfolio participation investment report for July 2014, by the NSE showed that domestic participation at the nation’s bourse increased to N167.77 billion in July, up 81.77 per cent from January 2014, while Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) ceded about 49.66 per cent of trading to domestic investors as foreign transactions decreased significantly from 49.28 per cent to 25.17 per cent over the same period.
A new president/chairman of the council of the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) is expected to emerge on Wednesday immediately after the 2014 annual general meeting slated for that day. There are indication that the former group managing director of Access Bank Plc, Mr Aigboje Aig-Imoukhuede, will be stepping into the shoes of Alhaji Aliko Dangote as the next president of the NSE, being currently the first vice president of the council of the NSE. Market operators have commended Dangote’s leadership for successfully returning the exchange to a path of bountiful growth, restoring investors’ confidence in the market. They declared that the NSE has improved disclosure and governance level in the market, introduced market making, retail bond trading and raised the level of investors’ education with the support of the council under Dangote’s leadership. Dangote was elected the 17th president of the NSE in August 2009. The industrialist’s group of companies, comprising of Dangote Sugar, Dangote Flour Mills, and Dangote Cement, account for about 30 per cent of market capitalisation. The council of the NSE is made up of 14 members, consisting of the president, the chief executive officer, Oscar Onyema, and other members, including representatives of dealing member firms who are highly qualified in their respective professions with a wealth of diverse experience. The capital market activities for last week closed on a positive trend with market capitalisation appreciating by N125 billion to close at N13.553 trillion when compared with the N13.428 trillion posted the previous week. Equally, the All-Share Index increased by 376.94 points or 0.93 per cent to close at 41,049.27 as against the 40,672.94 achieved the previous week.
Transcorp Set To Raise N8bn, Eyes NSE Listing
Lots of reforms and initiatives would have to be put in place towards achieving increase in the number of participants in the market
Transcorp Hilton Hotel Plc has concluded plans to raise N8 billion via an initial public offer (IPO) in a bid to grow its subsidiary to full fledged enterprises. The Board of Directors of the company, over the weekend, held its Completion Board Meeting and approved the company’s plans to conduct an IPO and list its shares on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). The company intends to raise N8 billion by offering 800 million ordinary shares of 50 kobo each at N10.00 per share for subscription from September 24 and close on September 30, 2014. According to the managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) of the hotel, Mr Valentine Ozigbo, the proceeds of this offer would be used to fund the development of two new Transcorp Hilton hotels, one in Ikoyi, Lagos, and the second in Port Harcourt, with both due for completion in 2017. He noted, “Nigeria’s hospitality industry is experiencing significant growth with major demand for expanded capacity and enhanced quality and service. Transcorp Hilton Hotel Plc is ideally positioned as the existing owner of the largest number of hotel rooms in Nigeria. We have partnered with one of the world’s most prestigious hotel brands, Hilton Worldwide, to leverage this demand. “We are delighted to be able to offer the Nigerian public the opportunity to participate in our future success. This offer reiterates our commitment to creating sustainable value for all stakeholders.”
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Monday, September 22, 2014
Mediafacts: A Caveat Emptor Our attention has been drawn to some “facts” contained in the 2013 edition of one publication called “Mediafacts”. We would have ignored the “facts” in question but are constrained to respond because unsuspecting members of the public may take them seriously.
name. How the names of these publications not only appeared in a survey report in 2013 but also were rated as premium brands, only God knows. And would one believe that in the “National” ranking, Triumph made it from the dead to rank No. 10? A second life never looked so good, except that this is supposed to be a serious The first sign of this armchair survey passed off as “facts,” document, not material for the afterlife. appears under the heading “Key points – Economy” where 3. The same report list Compass and Sunset as “newspapers the authors claimed that oil contributes 80% of government read yesterday by region”, when these publications revenues, when, in fact, widely available data (including a have been off the newsstand for years and do not even report by McKinsey Global Institute and even the National have online versions. From where did Mediafacts get its Bureau of Statistics 2013 Q3) clearly suggest otherwise by a respondents? far, far lower margin. 4. The classification of the newspapers is another monumental injustice to research. How, in the name That opening inaccuracy was just a tip of the iceberg. We of research, can any serious survey classify specialised shall specifically concentrate on the following embarrassing newspapers, such as Complete Sports and Soccer Star and inaccuracies in the newspaper section of the report on page vernacular newspapers, such as Alaroye and Aminiya, 36 of Mediafacts: with daily and weekly general-interest newspapers 1. The section is entitled, “Newspapers read yesterday by published in the English language? And to confirm its region”. In the modern world of media convergence, status as the mother of all media fable, ThisDay, a top this title is, to say the least, archaic and meaningless. brand by any stretch, does not even appear at all on the What do the authors mean by “read yesterday?” Read on radar of the 135,120,664 respondents polled! Twitter, Facebook, mobile phone, tablet or desktop – all 5. Mediafacts should tell the world how in a population of modern extensions of many print brands? If the authors 178m people, it polled 135,120,664 respondents. How? were producing a resource for modern media consumers, it would have occurred to them that the “newspaper” is We know how difficult it is to obtain data, especially credible not the printed material but content. And, today, content media data, in this part of the world and have worked may be consumed across multiple platforms at different tirelessly with the Newspaper Proprietors Association of times of the day. A respondent, who is claiming to Nigeria and other stakeholder groups to establish a baseline. have read A or B newspaper “yesterday”, could actually But the difficulty in making progress does not justify the be referring to a consumption experience online, not sort of embarrassing and misleading conclusions contained necessarily in print. The title of this section sets the stage in the media fable produced by Mediafacts. for the comedy of errors that follows. 2. Mediafacts claims that, in the South-East, The Standard The errors are too glaring, too fundamental, and too brazen and Triumph newspapers are numbers one and two for the conclusions to stand. respectively. Except if these newspapers are “leading” from the grave, we do not know how this claim is We advise media consumers to be wary of the “facts” probable. The Standard, formerly published by the contained in this report. The public – and especially media Plateau State government, and Triumph, formerly agencies – should guard against any opportunistic attempt published by the Kano State government, were rested to hoodwink them by parading these “facts” as gospel or many years ago, very likely before Mediafacts found its medals. Signed:
Dr. Kazeem Durodoye Group Executive Director Technology & New Media FOR GOD AND COUNTRY
22 money market/BUSINESS
Monday, September 22, 2014
money MARKET REPORTS
ePayment: Merchants, Customers To Get Incentives
Customer during a biometric registration exercise
Biometric Registration: Many Customers Lack Awareness
Stories By Bukola Idowu, Lagos
Seven months after it was formally launched, banks have begun to intensify the education of their customers on the need for the Bank Verification Number (BVN) even as LEADERSHIP findings showed lack of awareness amongst bank customers. Although the banks had begun the BVN registration in July this year, many customers are yet to be aware of the project. Some bank customers who were questioned by LEADERSHIP in Lagos, last week, said they had received messages from their banks but do not know what the BVN was all about. Some others, especially the uneducated, said they have not heard about the BVN and do not know anything about it. The pilot stage of the BVN project was meant to kick start in Lagos in June this year but registration in banks fully commenced in July. However, awareness and mobilisation of customers have been low since the registration started. Last week, many banks sent emails to their customers as well as text messages, encouraging them to register for the BVN in any branch of their banks.
The message from one of the new generation banks read, “The Central Bank of Nigeria has directed that all bank customers participate in the Bank Verification Number (BVN) enrollment. “BVN is an initiative of the CBN with the aim of assigning each bank customer a unique identity across the Nigerian banking industry for easy identification/verification and reduction of identity theft/ exposure to fraud. We request that you visit any of our branches to enroll.” A visit to some of the banking halls in Lagos showed that few customers are complying with the directive to enroll for the BVN as in most banking halls visited by LEADERSHIP, there was no one enrolling at the time of the visit. Aimed at revolutionising the payment system in the country, biometrics are electronic verification tools for online and mobile banking that offer unique customer identification which gives unchangeable identification that helps in Know Your Customer (KYC) policy of the CBN. The introduction of biometric authentication is targeted at addressing cyber crime, ATM fraud and other kinds of financial frauds as
well as to safeguard customers’ funds to avoid losses through compromise of Personal Identification Numbers (PIN). Meanwhile, the CBN at the weekend said by March 2015, transactions, including transfers, loans or contingencies, valued at N100 million and above should only be allowed for customers with the BVN. Also, customers without a BVN by June 2015 will be deemed to have inadequate Know Your Customer status. In a circular issued to all Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) at the weekend, the CBN said, “In order to increase the tempo in the enrollment by DMBs customers on the BVN and start coupling the enormous benefits of the project, it is imperative to stipulate milestones for the implementation of the project. “DMBs should intensify efforts to sensitise their customers on the aforementioned development and enroll them for the BVN accordingly. DMBs are required to submit to the Nigerian Inter-Bank Settlement System (NIBSS), as part of their weekly returns on customers accounts, details of the account status of customers that have submitted their BVN.”
The introduction of biometric authentication is targeted at addressing cyber crime, ATM fraud and other kinds of financial frauds as well as to safeguard customers’ funds to avoid losses through compromise of Personal Identification Numbers (PIN)
Asides the cash back on purchases made through point of sales terminals, bank customers as well as merchants are being encouraged to make more use of electronic payment platform as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had cut charges and introduced incentives for the payment platform. The apex bank as a way of encouraging merchants to make more use of the POS, at the weekend, cut the merchant service charge (MSC) to 0.75 per cent or N1,200 effective from November 1, 2014, bringing it down from the current charge of 1.25 per cent or N2,000. With this development, the value customers get as cash back as well as the value that goes to the switch companies and the banks are expected to reduce with the reduced charges although the current sharing ratio was retained. Likewise, merchants will from November 1, 2014, no longer be charged commission on turnover (COT) on payments into their accounts through electronic payment platforms. The COT in the country is being gradually phased out with zero COT expected to be achieved by 2016. According to a circular issued by the CBN at the weekend and signed by the director, Banking and Payment department, Dipo Fatokun, “Free COT will be accelerated ahead of the dates on the Guide to Bank Charges for merchants.”
Access Bank Emerges Best Local Bank in Nigeria 2014 Access Bank Plc has further consolidated its position as a service focused bank in Nigeria by being adjudged the “Best Local Bank in Nigeria 2014” by EMEA Finance Magazine. The award recognises the impressive achievements made by Access Bank over the past year, having recorded a successful bond offering in June which raised $400 million of additional capital for the bank to finance the growth of its loan book as well as impressive financial results which demonstrate strong progress made in earnings and deposit growth. Access Bank’s chief executive, Herbert Wigwe, said, “We are honoured to receive this award. It is a formal recognition of the talents, expertise and hard work of all our staff and I want to take this opportunity to thank them. “In the last 10 years, Access Bank has grown from a start-up to being the fourth largest bank in Nigeria. But we have always remained true to our guiding principle of serving the customer first and foremost. We will continue to strive for excellence in all that we do,” he added. The bank was earlier this year adjudged the best Nigerian company in corporate citizenship in the first ever competitive index on corporate social responsibility in Nigeria by the CSR-inAction. It also won the Best Bank in CSR at the recently held Business Day award. Access Bank was rated B (Fitch) and A+ by Agusto & Co. Access Bank has also recently introduced several innovative business solutions this year like the launch of its online community “W,” which provides a forum for women to share information and experiences. It also unveiled the Maternal Health Support Scheme (MHSS) and exciting banking solutions designed to cater for the financial and lifestyle needs of women. According to the award organisers, the award recognises financial institutions that are industry leaders, consistently report strong financial performance and significantly contribute to the quality of service offered by the financial services industry within their country and across the African continent. The bank was chosen from several entries from around Africa.
BUSINESS/insurance 23
Monday, September 22, 2014
Insurers’ Association To Deploy Marine Insurance Module Stories By Chika Izuora,
Lagos
The director-general of the Nigeria Insurers Association (NIA), Mr Sunday Thomas, has said the marine insurance module would become operational by October this year. Thomas, who commended the implementation of the Nigerian Insurance Industry Database (NIID), announced the completion of the second phase of the marine insurance module, which according to him is now being test-run. The director-general, who gave this indication at a joint media retreat in Abeokuta, Ogun State, in his paper entitled, “The Media and the Promotion of Insurance Culture in Nigeria, said all the stakeholders in marine business, including banks, the Nigeria Customs Service, importers, clearing and forwarding agents and others, would
be adequately mobilised to ensure successful deployment of the NIID marine insurance module. The NIID is an electronic platform established by the NIA to serve as a vehicle for easy identification of genuine insurance documents by relevant authorised persons, monitor insurance transactions and reduce fraud in insurance transactions. “The NIID is not an alternative to motor insurance certificate because the law requires that drivers must carry their certificates. What the NIID provides is a verification that actually, what you are holding is what the law requires/ because the law requires that it is only registered insurance companies in Nigeria who can issue you with a valid motor insurance certificate,” Thomas said. According to him, it is currently being deployed to capture all the third party motor insurance
transactions in the country, with a view to extending it to other types of compulsory insurances in due course. The DG also stated that the NIID marine insurance module was designed to eliminate fake marine insurance certificates in circulation across the country. “The marine module should be ready… If they are able to conclude work on the module, banks would have to reach individual companies to get details of their marine insurance business. Rather, the banks would link up to the NIID marine insurance module to get such details. When it is ready, we will increase awareness on this,” he said. Meanwhile, Thomas said that the motor insurance business accounted for about 26 per cent of the industry’s gross premium income for 2012. According to Thomas, motor insurance accounted for about 15
‘Nollywood, Veritable Platform To Boost Insurance Culture’
The immediate past president of the National Association of Insurance Correspondents (NAICO), Mr Nnamdi Duru, has advised insurance operators to partner with the Nigerian entertainment industry, Nollywood. Duru believed the partnership would help drive the desired insurance culture and deepen insurance penetration in the country. He gave this advice when he shared his thoughts on “The Media and the Promotion of Insurance Culture in Nigeria” recently at a stakeholders forum. Duru, who is also a chartered insurer, said the music and entertainment industry in Nigeria falls into recording, television and radio, adding that since the traditional media, including print, television and radio, have not taken the industry where it should be, the industry should engage other media to drive the desired change in culture in
favour of insurance. He said that Nollywood could fill the media gap and bring back insurance to the consciousness of Nigerians generally, adding that members of Nollywood have the greatest followership in the country today and, therefore, should be mobilised to work for the industry. “The insurance industry should partner with Nollywood to drive the desired insurance culture in Nigeria. Entertainers have great number of fans among Nigerian children, youths, middle class and the elite. These are the target groups for the insurance industry,” he said. According to him, operators in the insurance industry should start imagining the level of insurance awareness, acceptance and penetration they could achieve with a little sponsorship from Nollywood activities and programmes.
“Many Nigerians watch home videos daily and these have continued to shape their attitudes and behaviours. If the insurance industry should invest in Nollywood, sponsor the works of movie writers, producers and directors to make them add insurance contents in their movies, it will go a long way to shape the attitude of their audience in favour of insurance. “Also, if we consider the followership of stand up comedians like Ali Baba, Gandoki, Gordons and Basket Mouth or show promoter, Opa Williams, one can imagine the impact it would have if insurers partner these entertainers, co-sponsor their shows and events or provide insurance cover for their audience, artists and equipment used for their shows. Any claim paid in this regard would go a long way to drive insurance awareness and penetration across Nigeria.
per cent of the insurance industry’s gross premium income in previous years, adding that this rose to 26 per cent in 2012. He confirmed that more Nigerians are buying genuine third party motor insurance since they have realised the folly in buying fake insurance. He advised those still patronising fake insurers to buy genuine insurance policies from registered insurers. As part of moves to shore up the level of compliance with the third party motor insurance law, the association would soon standardise the ratings of motor insurance to further enhance the profitability of the business. He said rate-cutting in some classes of insurance business was borne out of the desperation of some insurers to get businesses and assured that standardisation would not create a uniform rating, but would ensure that motor insurance risks are rated below a certain level.
Cornerstone Inches Toward Acquiring FIN Insurance Firm A special business resolution which was reached in Lagos by the management and shareholders of Cornerstone Insurance Plc has paved way for the foremost insurance company to firm up strategy toward acquiring one of Nigeria’s insurance firms and a subsidiary of FCMB, FIN Insurance Company Limited. The resolution made during the company’s annual general meeting followed a yes vote by shareholders, empowering the management to go ahead with the planned acquisition. The firm said in a statement that subject to the regulatory approvals, the company has been authorised to acquire 3.3 billion ordinary shares of FIN Insurance Company Limited or any part, thereof held by the shareholders of the target company which ordinary shares represent 100 per cent or the corresponding percentage thereof issued, or the share capital of the target company, in exchange for which the company will issue 6.1 billion ordinary shares of Cornerstone Insurance Plc to the shareholders of the target company. According to the group chairman, Cornerstone
Insurance, Adedotun Sulaiman, the company believes strongly that insurance remains fragmented and that there is the need for consolidation of the industry to fast-track building skill and capacity. He said, “Our efforts in this direction have continued through 2013, and we have identified a company with complimentary attributes and values and at this meeting, therefore, ask for your approval to proceed with the business combination.” The shareholders, however, excited by the development authorised the board to acquire 3.3 billion ordinary shares of FIN Insurance, which will offer Cornerstone 100 per cent ownership. Sulaiman said that in addition to providing a significant boost in the balance sheet size of the enlarged Cornerstone, Fin Insurance Company Limited, will create complimentary values in such areas as distribution channels, geographical spread and product opportunities among others. Announcing the 2013 financial year result, he disclosed that Cornerstone profit before tax grew by 60 per cent over the 2012 figures.
24 INTERVIEW /BUSINESS How is your bank coping in terms of increased regulatory headwinds? The first critical point I would like to make is the fact that regulation is a key component of banking all over the world. The ability of financial institutions to survive and to survive very well depends significantly on the ability to manage regulatory issues, regulatory pronouncement and being able to ramp their business strategy around exploiting such regulatory pronouncement and challenges. So in our own case, it is true that there has been significant regulatory headwinds over the past three months, we have responded by tinkering with our business model and we have repositioned our business in such a way and manner that enables us to continue to grow despite all those regulatory challenges. One of those regulatory pronouncements by the CBN is the introduction of ATM charges. What is your take on this? First and foremost, let me explain to you that withdrawal by customers from the ATMs owned by their banks continue to be free. That key point is very important. If you are a customer of First Bank, you can come and make withdrawals from our ATMs as many times as possible and there will be no charge. But where the challenge sets in is when they go to other banks’ ATMs to make withdrawal. Only then will they be charged. But even then, it is only when they withdraw more than three times that they will be charged. The way it works is that your bank gets charged each time you make a withdrawal from another bank’s ATM and somebody has to pay for that. But the fundamental thing is that when you withdraw from the ATMs belonging to your own bank, it is actually free and when you withdraw up to a certain limit even from other banks’ ATMs, it is also free. So what the CBN has done is not that it reversed the earlier rule as claimed but that it has tried to prevent abuses. People just go in frequently to make frequent withdrawals of even N500s, etc. and as such incur a cost of service and to maintain the machine also costs money. So, really the fundamental message that I would like to convey is that the usage of ATMs remains essentially free when you use the ATM of your own bank. And even when you are in a location where the nearest ATM is not the one from your own bank, it is still free up to a certain number of times. So I think that is the most important thing. What has been the impact on your bank in terms of withdrawal by customers since the introduction of the ATM charge?
Monday, September 22, 2014
interview
Withdrawal From Own Bank’s ATM Remains Free – Adeduntan Dr Adesola Kazeem Adeduntan was recently appointed the executive director/chief financial officer, First Bank Nigeria Limited. Before this appointment, he was a director and the pioneer chief financial officer of the Africa Finance Corporation. In this interview with newsmen in Lagos, he speaks on issues affecting the banking sector as well as activities of the bank. KAZEEM AKINTUNDE was there for LEADERSHIP. Adeduntan
The fundamental thing is that when you withdraw from the ATMs belonging to your own bank, it is actually free and when you withdraw up to a certain limit even from other banks’ ATMs, it is also free
It is very early days. As you probably know, First Bank is truly the leader as far as ATM is concerned. We actually own about 25 per cent of the ATM machines in the entire network. Our own customers are able to access our machines at virtually all the critical locations and we were very strategic at positioning our ATMs such that in most cases, our customers have an ATM relatively close wherever they are to withdraw cash. Let me also highlight that in addition to the ATM, this bank in line with modern trends, has also embarked on providing alternative channels to most of our customers. We have online banking, mobile banking that enables people to sit in the comfort of their homes, shops or offices to execute transactions. Again, in line with development of technology, people also need not physically visit either the bank’s branch or ATM for them to carry out banking transactions. This is fully in line with the cashless policy of the CBN and as the largest financial institution in Nigeria, we are fully working with the CBN to promote this particular agenda because it makes the economy more efficient and effective.
Afrinvest recently launched a banking report which shows that First Bank has high assets base and with a high exposure to oil and gas and telecommunications. What is the bank doing to ensure that what happened in the past that led to crash in the banking system does not repeat? First Bank is a bank that is managed very prudently. We do have a very strong governance structure, starting with our Board of Directors, which has very strong and knowledgeable people. We also have a strong executive management team under the leadership of our group managing director. What that does is that we have the platform and we have the knowledge and the technical base to be able to embark on those kinds of lending that we have embarked upon. We do have a very robust credit risk management system and framework. We have our credit strategy, we also do have a proactive credit risk management policy that limits our exposure by business sector, by geography, by products and by customers. What all these policies and framework do is that they
essentially cap our exposure within sectors, within subsectors and to certain categories of obligors. What I am saying in essence is that even though we are the largest bank in Nigeria, those exposures that you are seeing have been prudently determined, evaluated and they all fall within our internal benchmarks for those sectors. It is also very important to highlight the fact that a bank cannot exist in a vacuum. The balance sheet of a bank would be a reflection of the opportunities that are available in a domestic economy. For example, you should be surprised if you suddenly see First Bank lending into sectors that are non-existent in Nigeria; suddenly, you have five per cent exposure to diamond and diamond is not something that exists in the country. But if you look at all the sectors you in the report, they are critical sectors of the economy. Oil and gas is the back bone of our country. Telecoms in the last 10 to 12 years has become one of the most dominant sectors of the economy and one of the sectors that has demonstrated potential growth opportunity that is possible in this economy. The same thing with the manufacturing sector. The success story of Nigeria is the reemergence of the middle class and for the middle class, the most important thing is that they have the disposable income and because they have the disposable income, they also need to have goods and services. We are manufacturing consumables like cement, consumer goods, etc. Because of the critical mass and looking at the population of the country, one cannot question why manufacturing would continue to be a key sector and as the leading bank in Nigeria, we can’t but continue to lend to the manufacturing sector as it is part of the bedrock of the economy. Are you comfortable with the high interest rate charged by banks now and how can it be brought down? The interest rate that is being charged by the banks depends on a number of things. I will take you back to the inaugural speech of the new CBN governor. Part of his strategic objectives is to ensure that over a period of time, the interest rate regime in the economy goes down and we, as bankers, would definitely support that agenda. For that to happen there are a numbers of things that need to happen in the economy. It is not something you can legislate. It is something that reflects certain variables in the economy and it is a journey. It is not something that can come overnight; it is a gradual thing, and it is one of the key issues the governor of the CBN has promised to work on.
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Monday, September 22, 2014
2014 JOINT TETFUND/FIRS INTERACTIVE FORUM The Board of Trustees, Management and Staff of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) cordially invite all participants to the 2014 Joint Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)/Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Interactive Forum with the theme: “Impact of Strategic Partnership in the Collection of Education Tax” scheduled to hold as follows:
The Forum is being organised with a view to strengthening the cordial working relationship between Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Attendance is strictly by invitation, please. Signed: Management
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) No. 6, Zambezi Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Stree Maitama, Abuja, FCT 07098818818; 07098818817; 08033497675; 08056800927; 09-5236611; 08023092070 www.tetfund.gov.ng
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Monday, September 22, 2014
zonal watch
EDO DELTA BAYELSA RIVERS AKWA IBOM CROSS RIVER 2015: Kwankwaso Will Liberate Nigeria If Wike Saved PDP From Extinction In Rivers –Alabraba Elected President – Atasia-Oburu BY anaYo onukwugha, Port Harcourt
Coordinator of the Kwankwaso Presidential Campaign Organisation in Rivers and Bayelsa states, Mr. Sam Atasia-Oburu, has said that Kano State governor and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Rab’iu Musa Kwankwaso has the ability to liberate Nigeria if elected president in 2015. Atasia-Oburu, who disclosed this while speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, said Kwankwaso has done a lot in
BY anaYo onukwugah, Port Harcourt
transforming Kano State in terms of infrastructure, education and other laudable projects. The coordinator said, “Considering the laudable and landmark achievements of Governor Kwankwaso in Kano State, especially in the area of infrastructure, education and others, we strongly believe that he has the ability to liberate Nigeria if elected president in 2015. “We strongly feel and believe that this country is going in the wrong direction. We need change and this change is not going to come easy.
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State, Chief Ferdinand Alabraba, has said that the party would have gone into extinction with the exit of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to the All Progressives Congress (APC), if not for the intervention and support of the minister of state for education, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike. Alabraba, who disclosed this in an interview with newsmen in Port Harcourt, said Amaechi left the PDP with the party’s
governorship mandate as well as its financial war chest that were provided by the governor, his aides and associates. He said, “Without Wike, the PDP would have been extinct in Rivers State. Governor Amaechi practically took the structure of the PDP with him to the APC. When it happened most members of the PDP felt dejected but did nothing until Wike rose up to re-invent the PDP in Rivers State. “Most of those who are angling to run for the sole ticket of the party in 2015, are identifying with the party today because of
its popularity in the state. But it is sad that they have chosen not to identify with the running of the party. It is not feasible to run for a party position when you do not identify with the running of the party. “How can you show interest to run on the platform of a party without contributing to the growth and development of the party? They forget that we are running party politics. And for anyone to run on the platform of the party he or she has to identify with the party. How can they achieve their ambition if they do not identify with the party?
Bayelsa: APC Scribe, Others Rate Dickson High On Infrastructural Devt
Heads FROM tHe ZONe
BY anaYo onukwugha, Port Harcourt
➔ Bature, the commissioner of police, Rivers state, at the weekend announced the arrest of about 51 suspected armed robbers, kidnappers and cultists, less than three weeks after he assumed office in the state.
PDP aspirant for Anambra-central senatorial district, Chief Kodilichukwu Okelekwe, at Neni, Anaocha local government area of Anambra State, sensitising the public on Ebola Virus Disease(EVD).
ebola: 7,800 teachers Undergo Mandatory training In akwa Ibom BY Bernard tolani dada, Uyo
➔ Chief John Odigie-Oyegun Odigie-Oyegun, national chairman of the all Progressives Congress (aPC) is among eminent Nigerians nominated to be honoured with Commander of the Niger (CON).
➔ dr. Peter Odili Odili, former governor of Rivers state, a founding member of the Peoples democratic Party (PdP) is to be honoured with Commander of the Niger (CON) by President Goodluck Jonathan.
A total of 7,800 teachers from both public and private secondary schools have undergone mandatory training on how to monitor possible cases of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Akwa Ibom State. Declaring the training workshop open in Uyo, the state capital, the state commissioner for education, Professor Atim Antai, said that the mandatory programme was one of the efforts of the federal government to fight against the deadly virus.
Antai stated that since the death toll from the virus was rising by the day in the West African sub-region, it was necessary for teachers to be abreast of its implications and ways to prevent it from the school children. She said although the federal government has put necessary measures in place to prevent further spread of the disease, the state government had joined in the sensitisation process to stem its incursion into the state. The commissioner explained that the programme which came
up in 10 zones and 21 centres is to enable the trainees appreciate the danger of the disease to the society, adding that both the federal and the state government were resolutely committed in tackling and controlling the scourge of the disease from further spread and devastation. Antai announced that as part of the state government effort to monitor the health status of all the schools in the state government would provide infrared thermometers to check the level of students temperature.
Rivers: LG Commission Donates Bus To UNN BY anaYo onukwugha, Port Harcourt
Chairman of the Rivers State Local Government Service Commission (RSLGSC), Chief Nnamdi Wokekoro has announced the donation of an 18-seater bus to the Department of Public Administration and Local Government, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN).
Wokekoro announced the donation in Port Harcourt when a delegation of Local Government Service Commissions comprising chairmen, commissioners, secretaries and training officers from 10 states and staff of the Department of Public Administration, UNN, paid him a courtesy visit in his office
recently. He said the donation was in response of the appeal to commissions in catchment states by the department to ease movement, adding that the commission is committed in its support for the department to provide quality training programmes for staff of local governments.
Organising secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State, Comrade Tonte Okio, has commended the Governor Seriake Dickson-led administration in the state for its laudable high level of road and infrastructural development in the state. Okio spoke when Ijaw leaders, under the aegis of Ijaw Nation Forum (INF) embarked on an assessment tour of ongoing projects embarked upon by the Dickson-led administration in the state. Other Ijaw leaders on the INF team included the leader of the forum, Comrade Fred Brisibe, and the state chairman of Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), Chief Nengi James. During the assessment tour, the INF team were conducted round some projects executed under the Dickson administration by the state commissioner for culture and Ijaw national affairs, Dr. Felix Tuodolor. Okio, while commending the governor on road infrastructures in the state, urged him to do his best for the people of the state. He said, “Dickson had tried his best just as Sylva. I am not impressed with the houses that are there, but the roads. It is the most important thing and it is a good development. Houses are ‘toy-toy’ things. The main thing is the roads. Just like former Governor Timipre Sylva, who came and also tried his best, Governor Dickson too is playing his part in the development of Bayelsa State. “No one person can develop this state. And that is the spirit - any person that comes in must try his best and then leave the rest for God. At the moment, Dickson is trying. However, as I have said, these are projects that ordinarily ought to be encouraged but again with measure, are they commensurate with the income coming to the state? That is another question that ought to be asked. You get what I am saying? But so far, it is okay, I mean.” Shedding light on whether what were on ground was commensurate with the income of the state, he said between January and July this year alone, the state had gotten about N145 billion. The APC scribe said, “We can’t see any new project that has been started within this period that is commensurate with that kind of money. And just a few days back, the governor said we had only about N3 billion in our coffers, so where has the remaining, about N140 billion disappeared to?
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Monday, September 22, 2014
A call to the
Beloved of
Bishop Oyedepo PaPa is 60
The presiding Bishop of the Living Faith Church Worldwide PAPA DAVID OYEDEPO clocks 60 on September 27, 2014. The global church has its roots in Northern Nigeria, where LEADERSHIP remains the most influential platform. Don’t waste your felicitations. Talk to us.
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28 zonal watch (South-South)
Monday, September 22, 2014
news behind the news
Rivers: As Amaechi, Mbu Return To The Trenches
Mbu
Amaechi BY anayo onukwugha, Port Harcourt
The rivalry between Rivers State governor and chairman of Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), Mr. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and former commissioner of police in the state and now, Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) in-charge of Zone 7, Abuja, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, seems to have resumed. The face-off between Amaechi and Mbu, which temporarily ceased in February 2014, when the later was redeployed from the state, actually started upon the police officer’s resumption in the state in February 2013. Observers of development in the state believed that with Mbu’s romance with chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), especially, the minister of state for education, Chief Ezebunwo Nyesom Wike, and the chairman of PDP in the state, Chief Felix Obuah, it was obvious that he was in the state to play out a script. Also, the role he played in the crisis that rocked the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9 and July 10, 2013, where he provided security for only the five lawmakers opposed to the administration of Amaechi, and ordered policemen at the main entrance into the complex to vacant the area while the lawmakers engaged in a free-forall right on the floor of the House, showed his partisan posture. The observers further said the decision to send policemen and armoured personnel carriers (APC) to provide security during rallies organised by the Grassroots Development Initiative (GDI) a non-governmental organisation (NGO), financed by Wike, while he sends anti-riot policemen, armed to the teeth to disrupt gatherings of Rivers Leadership Advancement Foundation (RIVLEAF) and the
Save Rivers Movement (SRM), two non-governmental organisations loyal to Amaechi and the All Progressives Congress (APC). At one of such gatherings, held at the Rivers State College of Arts, Rumuola, Port Harcourt, the senator representing Rivers South-East senatorial district in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe, was allegedly shot at by policemen on the orders on the police chief. Apparently to get at the governor, Mbu withdrew several policemen attached to political appointees of Amaechi and in return, the governor withheld all state government’s support to the police in the state. The face-off lingered until February 2014 when the then Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar redeployed Mbu to the Federal Capital Territory Command, and replaced him with then commissioner – in-charge of the Special Fraud Investigation Unit (SFIU), and now Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Mr. Tunde Johnson Ogunsakin. In the renewed feud between the duo, it is believed that Amaechi threw the first bombshell when he described Mbu as a politician in police uniform who attempted to cripple the economy of the state. The governor, who spoke when the newly deployed commissioner of police, Mr. Dan Bature in company of Ogunshakin paid him a courtesy visit at Government House in Port Harcourt, the state capital, said Mbu deviated from his professional role of protecting lives and property by serving politicians of the PDP. He said, “Unlike Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, who clearly showed us that he was a registered member of the PDP; in your own case (referring to Ogunsakin) you know that we had disagreement, but you realised
The way Mr. Mbu was going, Rivers economy would have collapsed completely. Fortunately for us, they took him away and brought you (Ogunsakin) and you restored calm
your responsibility to ensure the security of lives and property as the paramount responsibility of the Nigerian police. It is important you keep that peace, and I wish to thank you for that peace. I am also sure Rivers people are happy about that. The way Mr. Mbu was going, Rivers economy would have collapsed completely. Fortunately for us, they took him away and brought you (Ogunsakin) and you restored calm. You tried to create a platform for all parties to have access to reach you. As you go, please, go with that same spirit. The Police in Rivers State should discharge their responsibility as it concerns the protection of lives and property. “Let me welcome the new commissioner of police and say that, if the federal government refuses, I will repeat what I said, when I was sworn in as governor in 2007. I said, if the federal government refuses to provide legitimate source of livelihood for Nigerians in our state, Nigerians will provide for themselves illegitimate source of livelihood, and that includes kidnapping, robbery, stealing by people who will hire or provide police or military uniforms. That illegitimate source of livelihood becomes its own economy which automatically frightens the legitimate economy.” Replying Amaechi’s bombshell, the AIG in-charge of Zone 7, Abuja, Mbu, described himself as a lion, who tamed the ‘leopard of Port Harcourt’, pointing out that it was only a lion that could tame a leopard. The AIG, who spoke in Abuja, while handing over to the new FCT commissioner of police, Wilson Inalegwu, advised his successor to be firm in his dealings with policemen in his command and avoid soiling himself. He said, “I advice you (Inalegwu) to carry the senior officers along in
your administration. It is only a lion that can tame a leopard. I tamed the leopard in Port Harcourt; each time he remembers my face, he would remember how I tamed him.” As expected, Amaechi launched another attack on Mbu when he scoffed at the Cross River Stateborn senior police officer’s claim that he is a lion, saying Mbu is a puppet who completely lacks the steel and strength of character of a lion, and is rather a shameless, corrupt puppet and toothless attack dog of a woman. The governor, in a statement issued in Port Harcourt by his chief press secretary, David Iyofor, said, “Indeed it’s very sad, pathetic, however ironic that Mbu called himself a lion. Which lion? This character call Mbu Joseph Mbu completely lacks the courage, steel, and strength of character of a lion. “Rather he’s a shameless, corrupt puppet of a woman. This is a man paid by taxpayers to protect, secure, and serve the interests of the people. But when he was in Rivers State, he spurned the people; he trampled on the masses and rather elected to be the partisan servant of one woman, to be the woman’s tool in causing disaffection, confusion, and crises in Rivers State. Mbu shamelessly and corruptly turned himself into the toothless attack dog of this woman to fight the government and people of Rivers State. “How can a man who has no strength of character to be himself, be a man and stand up to a woman, a man who willingly submits himself to serve as the puppet of a woman call himself a lion? How ironic! Mr. Mbu, no lion behaves like that! You are a disgrace and shame to the Nigerian Police Force.” Speaking further, Amaechi maintained that Mbu epitomises everything that is wrong with the police in Nigeria.
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Monday, September 22, 2014
Congratulations! The Chairman, Board of Directors and the entire Management and staff of
New Capital Properties Limited
heartily felicitate with Dr. Ahmed M. Mohammed FCCA, FCA Group Managing Director, New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC) on his conferment with the Fellowship of
Nigerian Institute of Management (NIM) Monday 22nd September, 2014
Undoubtedly, the conferment of this very important award on you is recognition to the progress and development of NNDC which would serve as a catalyst for the industrial development of the Northern States in particular and the nation in general.
Once again congratulations for an honour well deserved. Signed:
Management
Dr. Ahmed
M. MOhAMMeD FCCA, FCA Group Managing Director, New Nigeria Development Company Limited (NNDC)
New Nigeria Development Company Limited Address: 5 Modibbo Adama Road/Ali Kilu Road, P.O. Box 2047, Kaduna - Nigeria Telephone: 0812 7276458 E-mail: newcapitalpropertiesltd01@gmail.com
30 zonal watch (South-South)
Monday, September 22, 2014
news behind the news
Edo: Oshiomhole, PDP And The Chicago Convention BY patrick ochoga, Benin City
Edo PDP chairman, Chief Orbih, again exhibited his talents for lies and contempt for facts last weekend with a ludicrous claim that Oshiomhole chartered a private jet on a private trip to Maimi, USA last month at the cost of N18 million
It is no longer news that the relationship between the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo State and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can best be described as that of cat and mouse where today, the ruling party has been pushed to defensive position with torrent of allegations against the Governor Adams Oshiomholeled administration. Interestingly, last week, the annual Edo National Convention which is usually held in the United States of America (USA) became controversial when the leadership of the opposition PDP accused Oshiomhole of allegedly wasting N428 million of state resources on foreign trips. The 2014 convention, which was held in Chicago, among others was aimed at fostering development; provide a forum for the reunion of all sons and daughter of Edo State where critical issues affecting the state can be deliberated upon and provide a platform among the youths for positive interaction with their peers from around the world. The annual event, it was gathered is packaged by an Edo indigenous organisation known as Akuge Oretin Club of Chicago, United States of America. However, no sooner had the entourage of the state government, that had attended the event arrived the state, that the PDP hierarchy, at a press conference lambasted the state government over the trip and demanded that the government offer an apology for embarking on what it described as “picnic to Miami, Florida” in a private jet with Edo tax payers’ money. The state publicity secretary of the party, Hon Mathew Uroghide, said the party is in possession of approval made by the governor to his ‘protégés’ to attend the said picnic in the US, alleging that government impropriety had further improvised the people. According to Uroghide, “The PDP, Edo State demands an apology from Governor Adams Oshiomhole to all Edo people on the reckless waste of the resources of the state to the tune of N428,000,000 (four hundred and twenty eight
Oshiomhole
million naira) in two months. “We also demand the immediate resignation of Anslem Ojezua, the APC state chairman; Mr. Louis Odion, the state commissioner of information and Mr. Godwin Eghahon, the APC publicity secretary from the offices they hold for reasons that they wilfully distorted the facts about the waste of government resources on personal and social engagements. “The financial impropriety from the governor has impoverished the alreadycash-strapped state making physical and human capital developments unachievable. Our people groan under the hash times whilst these government protégés, and several not mentioned in the present government dip into the commonwealth to undertake expensive journeys to the United States for picnics. “The PDP is in possession of proofs of the estacodes and BTAs approved for the governor and his cronies to attend a picnic in Miami, Florida. Such monies include approval for millions of naira to the governor to procure security details in the already-
secured United States. “This development is unacceptable and as responsible opposition machinery, the PDP, Edo State shall expose these insensate lots for what they really are. That is, enemies of Edo State and its people.” However, the Edo State government, while debunking an earlier statement credited to the state chairman of the PDP, Chief Dan Orbih, that Oshiomhole’s recent visit to Miami in the United States of America was not a private one, said the governor’s trip was on the invitation of Edo community in that country as a special guest to their annual convention. A statement issued in Benin City, the state capital by the state commissioner for information and orientation, Mr. Louis Odion, explained that the governor travelled by commercial airline and not a hired private jet that costs N18 million as alleged by Chief Orbih. Odion said, “Edo PDP chairman, Chief Orbih, again exhibited his talents for lies and contempt for facts last weekend with a ludicrous claim
that Oshiomhole chartered a private jet on a private trip to Maimi, USA last month at the cost of N18 million. Ordinarily, one would not have bothered to dignify yet another of Orbih’s outbursts with response, but for the sake of the gullible, this clarification is made contrary to his mischievous lies. The governor visited Chicago not privately, but to honour Edo community in the United States on invitation as a special guest at their annual convention. “Governor Oshiomhole travelled by commercial airline. Anyone who bothers to double-check would find that Oshiomhole is one of the few governors today who travels with the smallest entourage, if not totally alone, with a view to saving costs.” Similarly, piqued by the allegations, the APC, in its reaction said the Dan Orbih led-PDP in the state lacks the moral justification to question Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s expenses, saying that the memo which contained the alleged travel expenses of the governor as read by Orbih was an indication that the expenditure was authorised from the appropriation law as passed by the Edo State House of Assembly. Recalling that the World Bank had hailed Oshiomhole’s administration as regards its transparency in award of contracts and other government expenditure, the APC through its state chairman, Barr. Anslem Ojezua, said Orbih should give credit to Oshiomhole for being transparent by “putting up a memo which he claimed he saw unlike his PDP that does not follow due process when it comes to expenditure”, adding that the party should be worried with the “scandal as regards the $9.3 million smuggled into South Africa by the PDP-led government.” According to Ojezua, “Orbih is making mountain out of a mole hill because from the documents he exhibited, you could see that the document was a memo emanating in accordance with the public service rules, indicating compliance with the law as relates to public expenditure. It is also evident that the expenditure itself is authorised from the appropriation law from the Edo State House of Assembly.
health
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Monday, September 22, 2014
N200m
The federal government on Wednesday last week approved the sum of N200 million for the the Rivers State Government in the control of Ebola virus disease in the state.
F E AT U R E S N E W S T I P S I N T E R V I E W
1000
The medical director of Nordica Fertility Centre, Dr Abayomi Ajayi, said that the centre which was opened 10 years ago, has recorded more than 1000 babies for couples who had fertility problems. health@leadership.ng, 08116706845
Top 7
Causes Of Male Infertility Sperm ➊ delivery trouble: Premature ejaculation and a blockage in the testicles. Health and ➋ lifestyle concerns: Obesity, alcohol use, bad nutrition, smoking. Drug use ➌ or abuse: Some drugs can impair fertility. Environ➍ mental factors: Exposure to chemicals such as pesticides or the hormones used in birth control pills
The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Ebola Virus Disease
The outbreak of the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the country was an eye opener to both the government and the governed. There are many sides to it as WINIFRED OGBEBO writes.
Top 3 Headline ➊ Sugar Not Salt
Could Be Major Risk Factor In Hypertension – Study
➋ ributes
➌ We Need
Stricter Tobacco Law In Nigeria – Erameh
Since the death of the Liberian importer of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), Patrick Sawyer, in Lagos over two months ago, the fear of the virus has remained the beginning of wisdom for every Nigerian. Despite assurances by the federal and state governments that the disease is being contained, many Nigerians have not only remained sceptical but also chosen to err on the side of caution. As the panic spreads, so does the propaganda surrounding its cure. Nigerians woke up on August 5, 2014 to be inundated by text messages on how bathing with a mixture of salt and water prevents
the Ebola virus. People who got the message were advised to spread the ‘good news’ to their friends and loved ones. One of the messages read: “Important news to avoid Ebola disease. Everybody should add salt into water and bathe this morning, and then drink the same solution by day.” The Health Minister, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, got one of such messages and quickly reacted, describing it as “wicked and malicious.” The brine solution, a mix of large salt quantity in water, suggested in the claim, actually may cause more damage, he said. That was not all. The bitter kola was bandied about as a cure for the deadly disease. This rumour immediately catapulted the sale of bitter kola around the country to an all time high. Before you could say Ebola, many Nigerians had gone in search of the bitter kola. At the popular Akpan Andem market in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital, five nuts or seeds
of bitter kola sold for as much as N100 as against N10 before and in some instance, buyers paid about N200 for six or seven of the nuts depending on the sizes. A hawker along Abak road, Joseph Okon who could not understand the sudden increase in the demand for bitter kola told LEADERSHIP that he was smiling home every day from the sale of bitter kola. Another bitter kola seller at Urua Okpoko at Ekom Iman junction, Mrs. Alice Ukponam, said the outbreak of the Ebola virus was a blessing in disguise for her and others in her line of business as the patronage for bitter kola had increased. “Many people now besiege the market looking for the magic kola which is said to be the only solution and cure for the dreaded Ebola virus. We thank God o, the bitter kola is now well sought after, unlike before when buyers come to us only during ceremonies such as marriage and burial or
child dedication,” Ukponam said. A secondary school teacher at Mbioto 1, in Etinan Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Ebong Enebong who spoke on the sudden demand for the bitter kola, said he did not doubt the efficacy of the kola since it had been used for centuries to treat cough and chest colds in traditional medicine. He explained that bitter kola had been used for centuries in traditional folk medicine to treat ailments from cough to fever and was still being extensively used in the preparation of herbal drugs either as stimulant supplement or as herbal remedies. “Bitter kola is the number one sexual enhancement for weak men. No other product can match the sexual benefits of bitter kola as it gives unlimited performance in bed. This has made the kola a hot cake before now,” Enebong said. But the Information Minister, Labaran Maku, who heads a national communication
Sperm ➎ production problems: There are a number of reasons why you might not be producing sperm or enough sperm. Age: Fertil➏ ity tends to decrease significantly beginning in 30s, with a marked decline after the age of 45. Stress: ➐ There is evidence to suggest that regular unmanaged stress can be a factor in infertility.
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32 HEALTH/NEWS
Monday, September 22, 2014
Sugar Not Salt Could Be Major Risk Factor In Hypertension – Study For years the public have been urged to slash their salt intake which is believed to increase the risk of strokes resulting in three million deaths yearly. VICTOR OKEKE examines the findings of a new study.
A heart disease research scientist also contradicts experts who claim reducing salt consumptions will lower levels of obesity and heart disease.
Sugar - not salt - is to blame for high blood pressure, researchers claim, saying that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. Earlier studies have found higher blood pressure levels in individuals who consumed more glucose and fructose, both sweeteners that are found in high-fructose corn syrup, the most common sugar sweetener used by the beverage industry. The researchers found that sugar intake in the form of glucose, fructose and sucrose was highest in those consuming more than one sugar-sweetened beverage daily. They also found that individuals consuming more than one serving per day of sugarsweetened beverages consumed more calories than those who didn’t. But in an article in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers led by Dr James DiNicolantonio, said, ‘It is sugar not the salt that may be the actual causative factor
for high blood pressure. ‘This notion is supported by Meta analyses of randomised control trials (large-scale studies) suggesting that sugar is more strongly related to blood pressure in humans than sodium.’ He said ‘encouraging consumers to hold the sugar, not the salt, may be the better dietary strategy to achieve blood pressure control.’ But the average adult consumes 15 teaspoons largely due to the high levels of hidden sugar in fruit juice, drinks, yoghurts, sandwiches and ready meals. According to the World Health Organisation, in 2013 about 57 million Nigerians- 22 per cent of the population are affected by high blood pressure. It is called a silent killer because it doesn’t show signs or symptoms till it becomes too fatal. The American researchers believe that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain called the hypothalamus which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. They also think it may cause our bodies to produce more insulin, a hormone, which may also speed up the heart rate. Dr DiNicolantonio, a heart disease research scientist also contradicts experts who claim reducing salt consumptions will lower levels of obesity and heart
Cubes of sugar
disease. ‘We argue the opposite. A reduction in salt intake may lead to an increased intake in processed foods (and added sugars) and, thereby, increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease,’ he said. Dr Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, a campaign group, said the public health risk posed by sugar had been underestimated. ‘We know that sugar does not provide any
nutrients and there is growing evidence it is an independent risk factor for many diseases,’ he explained. But Professor Graham McGregor, an expert in cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary, the University of London, said the evidence blaming sugar rather than salt for high blood pressure was ‘incredibly weak.’ He said that research spanning several decades had shown a strong link between salt and high blood pressure.
The Good, Bad And Ugly Of Ebola Virus Disease
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strategy against Ebola counselled Nigerians not to listen to any of the unfounded claims flying around in the wake of the Ebola outbreak, warning that they could be doing more harm than good to themselves. Then, before the Ebola outbreak, a bottle of Dettol hand sanitiser gel sold at N250, but all that has changed. The price has shot up just as the patronage has increased. Ms. Janet Okolo told LEADERSHIP she had actually bought three for her children at N250 each before the Ebola outbreak and was surprised when she went back a month after and was told that they had run out of stock. “When I went to buy in other super markets, I was told the price is now N1,000, which is really astronomical,” she said. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) last Wednesday raised the alarm over the proliferation of fake hand sanitisers in the market. It quarantined over 104 brands of sanitisers even as it arrested three Nigerian businessmen for alleged importation of expired hand
sanitisers and fake Ebola test kits into the country. While the bitter kola sellers are counting their gains, the bush meat sellers are bemoaning their losses. The government had counselled against the sale and consumption of bats and bush meat as a way of checking the spread of the virus which scientists say is transmitted through the handling of infected wild animals. The sellers of bust meat across the country have been lamenting their misfortune as most Nigerians have continued to shun bush meat in their determination to keep the Ebola virus away. The once delicacy in many homes is now seriously being avoided. LEADERSHIP check at the popular Ekiosa, Uselu, Santana and Ikpoba Hill markets in Edo State known for assorted bush meat ranging from grass cutter, squirrel, monkey, antelope, and alligator etc, revealed low patronage from buyers. Mrs. Rose Osawanta, who has been selling bush meat for over 15 years in Benin, the state capital said since the outbreak of the virus, some of her big time
customers who own eateries had not placed order with her again. “This is not the best of times for us, even when we try to explain to them, they refuse to buy fearing that bust meat is the cause of the disease. You can see yourself that only those selling fish and chickens are having sales. We really want government to do something urgent because we have never seen this kind of thing before,” she said. Another bush meat seller who declined to disclose his name simply added “you people should first of all find out if the late Sawyer that died in Nigeria ate bush meat? For me, nothing will discourage me from eating any kind of bush meat. In the past, it was HIV/AIDS and today, is Ebola,” he stated. For some curious reason, however, a number of Nigerians believe the virus is either a western invention to exploit Africa through drug sales or in short, a play being acted out by western actors and directors. Afolabi Kola said, “America and their play… America created it so they must have its drug. Don’t be fooled by this white play, they did it just like in their film.” Another respondent, Daluta
Haruna said, “We already know, this Ebola is not a natural disease. It is a disease created by the whites to facilitate the process of exploiting our resources.” But Governor Wada Idris of Kogi State said, ‘ignorance and disbelief are the leading cause of the spread of Ebola”. He said Kogi had begun a sensitization of health workers who are now going round the rural communities to spread the message of Ebola while enlightening the populace on possible signs of the virus. Meanwhile, the director, Disease Control and Immunization, of the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA), Dr. Emmanuel Abanida, has called for caution in spreading and dissemination of information so as not to heat up the system. “Please we all need to be alert, the virus is not a respecter of persons, if a child has fever and you give panadol and the fever does not subside then begin to suspect the worst and rush to the nearest health facility. “The virus multiples very fast and can affect hundreds of persons at a time through transfer of fluids”, he warned.
As the panic spreads, so does the propaganda surrounding its cure.
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Monday, September 22, 2014
We Need Stricter Tobacco Law In Nigeria – Erameh but we as advocates believe that when you sum up the effects of unregulated tobacco consumption, it far outweighs the economic contribution these industries claim to actually provide. Tobacco is the only commodity or the only proof that you as a consumer, consume and it affects me, a non-consumer of the product. Take for instance, alcohol, it has no second hand effect but in terms of smoking tobacco, just the puff can affect a non-smoker. So it’s actually a public health issue. Very recently, there was a workshop which actually brought to bear and exposed the mode of manufacturing that actually goes into the industry. It is highly mechanized. So when the industry comes with arguments that they provide jobs, in real sense, the number of jobs that it provides is highly exaggerated. In terms of the farmer, we believe and that is why we advocate for an alternative cropping system that could actually replace tobacco crops and in its stead actually become more environmental friendly. So we are taking these entirely not singularly but on a more comprehensive basis. So we believe that cumulatively, it’s not something we have not considered but we believe that in terms of the economic reasons the tobacco industry provides, it’s really nothing to go by.
Erameh
short BIO OF Austin Erameh
Erameh is the programme officer of the advocacy group, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy, a civil society organisation, and a research and advocacy-based group in Abuja
The Civil Society Legislative Advocacy, a civil society organisation, is a research and advocacy-based group in Abuja. It has been working with another organisation called the National Tobacco Control Coalition for the passage of the National Tobacco Control Bill which is before the National Assembly. The programme officer of the advocacy group, Austin Erameh, in this interview with WINIFRED OGBEBO, talks on the need for a stricter tobacco law in the country. Why the interest in Tobacco Control Bill?
Our interest in this bill is that it should not just get passed as soon as possible but also the executive bill which we believe is a more comprehensive bill should actually get to be harmonized with that of the private-member sponsored bill. The provisions in this bill actually contain far reaching exceptions which we believe will go a long way in being a veritable control tool for distribution as well as manufacturing of tobacco in the country. We believe too that the media has a crucial role to play considering the fact that the media is a good source of information dissemination as well as formation of public opinion across the
society. On the other hand, we are not so insensitive. We also know that smokers also have the right to smoke but we on the other side believe that inasmuch as they have their own right, non smokers’ right should also be protected. So we actually feel for the tobacco industry but we as advocates believe strongly that the control of this tobacco should come into immediate force. What is the effect of tobacco consumption on people?
The health risk is enormous. The industry gives economic reasons of providing jobs; since we came on board, we have undertaken research and various and numerous reasons are put forward
What is the global figure on the dangers of smoking?
Globally, six million cancer patients are recorded annually from tobacco uses. Nationally, the recent release of Global Adult Tobacco Survey (GATS) stated that about 50 per cent of youths become victims of tobacco use through second hand smoking and all that. We are calling on government to support the tobacco farmers to diversify their products and other means of living. What are your expectations concerning the bill?
We have a well-researched memorandum that has been put forward as an independent advocacy organization as well as members of the coalition. Contained in this memorandum are facts and figures on the amount of taxation the federal government actually gets from tobacco industry. Like I mentioned earlier, in terms of generating income for the federal government, the tobacco industry, like other industries, is highly subsidized. They give them high level of incentives as companies. In terms of tax generation, they are not really taxed heavily.
Surgeon’s Turf Dr Biodun Ogungbo MBBS, FRCS, FRCSEd, MSc. Consultant Neurosurgeon
08122221616 (SMS only)
How Do We Improve Radiology Reports? Radiology reports are appalling in Nigeria and it underscores the paucity of training for radiologists. Some of the radiologists who report MRI and CT scan of the brain and spine are untrained in neuroradiology. They dabble, moonlighting in the many diagnostic centres, reporting on scans they know nothing or very little about. The fact is that doctors rely on the reports to make a diagnosis and guide treatment. We rely on the reports to know if the patient should be referred to a specialist or not. In essence, the reports can be the difference between life and death for the patient. MRI and CT scans are so expensive that the quality of the report is equally as important as the quality of the imaging. Since, many imaging centres utilise poor quality equipment, the radiologist has to be particularly astute. To have bad equipment and a bad radiologist therefore compounds the problem. There are pertinent issues of course that bedevils medical practice in Nigeria. There are also special problems related to the practice of radiology through our diagnostic centres. Some of these issues are as below: Information One problem is that radiology requests are often deficient in information that will help the radiologist. Many do not state the correct age of the patient preferring to write ‘ADULT’ in the column for age. Yet, many diseases are age related. Secondly, full history and suspected diagnosis are often missing, so without adequate information, the radiologist sometimes needs a crystal ball or the services of a clairvoyant to make the right diagnosis. Garbage in, garbage out! Communication There is disconnection between the radiologist and the radiographer. In many centres, the radiographers do the imaging and send the patient away. The radiologist then comes later to report on what may be inadequate or incomplete imaging. Other types of images that may have helped are then nigh impossible since the patient has already left the building. Of course, fresh imaging often means additional costs that may be unaffordable for the patient. So, radiologists make do with inadequate examination to the detriment of their reputation and the patient. Secondly, of course and more important is the recognition of urgent cases and diagnosis. The radiographer and the radiologist need to be able to recognise cases that are emergencies and flag this up immediately. Conditions such as pneumothorax (air in the chest cavity outside the lungs), massive stroke and bleeding into the brain sometimes require immediate attention. There is therefore a duty of the radiology personnel to highlight these conditions with despatch. Delays often lead to loss of limbs and life. Collaboration It is rare for radiologists to phone the referring doctor to ask for more information. It is also rare in private practice especially for them to ask for feedback from the surgeon. This is sad, does not improve learning and perpetuates ‘quackery’ in radiology.
34 OPINION
Monday, September 22, 2014
Re: PDP And The Game Changer Or Game Planner By shekulomaso karka
On August 26th 2014, a certain National Democratic Frontier organisation, in a two-page newspaper article launched a very lengthy but largely incoherent diatribe, ostensibly against the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), but heavily-laden with a mishmash of grievances against anything and anyone remotely connected with the wind of change blowing across the party. The group calls itself the National Democratic Frontier, but it could well be an SPV (Special Purpose Vehicle) created for the sole purpose of executing a clearly poorly conceived, extremely terribly crafted and very fruitless hatchet job against what they themselves inevitably referred to as the PDP renaissance (in their own precise words “The PDP and the Game Changer”). They called themselves concerned members of the PDP but it is highly unlikely that the group has any legitimate affiliation with the party. The reasons for this deduction are very obvious. In the first instance, the group demonstrates little (hardly any) knowledge of the organisational processes of a party whose visibility transcends political affiliations, demographic communities and national boundaries. The second indicator was very evident in the fact that the Group went to great length to try to communicate their association with the PDP, using all kinds of nominal qualifications (in parenthesis), and never failing to attach footnotes (even to the title of their publication) in order to explain their identity. Ordinarily, we would have preferred to get straight down to the ‘substance’ of the matter with the very first sentence of this rejoinder. But where exactly was the substance in an article that was so long (literally) on inanities and so pathetically deficient in reason and common sense? In the first place, the group did not seem particularly sure about what it was that upset them the more –the stewardship of the national chairman of the PDP or the role of the ‘godfathers’ whom the group (and their sponsors) appointed for the national chairman? They weren’t quite sure which was their bigger headache between what they weirdly described as the PDP chairman’s “historical prelude” and the even more weirdly constructed reference to the chairman’s “style of administrative engineering”; between the story they invented about a certain style of “corner shop politicking” and what, according to them, is the chairman’s “cocktail of towering ambition”.
Buhari Mu’azu
The other insinuations, which bother on the libelous, would have merited more serious attention from us if they were not so deliberately non-committal and totally irrational. Essentially, these were claims made to the effect that the chairman was (is) purportedly in possession of funds which he allegedly collected and administered on behalf of the party in “prosecuting the two elections” in Ekiti and Osun states. We assume here that the authors were referring to the governorship elections that held successively in each of the two states. The presumption in this allegation is first that the chairman became the sole fund-raiser, treasurer, accountant and campaign manager for both elections; that his personal bank account became the receptacle into which donations “both in foreign and local currencies” were made by “notable high net worth ministers, heads of prime parastatals, corporate individuals with deep pockets and government officials”. Secondly, this group seem to be suggesting that while all of this was happening without the knowledge of members of the National Working Committee and the respective campaign organisations in Ekiti and Osun, the purported donors were taking turns to brief members of a largely anonymous group (if they ever existed) about the “humongous amounts” they were donating for the Ekiti and Osun elections. In both scenarios, the only logical submission that any one with even a tad of intelligence would contemplate is that such assertions would hardly survive a basic test of rationality long enough to be subjected to a standard test of verifiability. And it is very simply that the PDP is not a puppet party without form, without structure, under the sole administration of
In the first place, the group did not seem particularly sure about what it was that upset them the more –the stewardship of the national chairman of the PDP or the role of the ‘godfathers’ whom the group (and their sponsors) appointed for the national chairman?
a 21st century Czar, because it is not primed (not ever, not in its present size and composition) to function as one. It has never been operated on a leash and cannot suddenly become the kind of village association that our friends at the ‘Frontier’ organisation envision. It also seems to be the same kind of organisation that the authors of the article characteristically invented in their description of Dr. Adamu Muazu’s leadership style in the very brief but remarkable seven months that the PDP chairman has been in office. Ironically, it is perhaps the only allegation that is specific enough to be addressed on the basis of measurable indices and observable parameters. The authors claimed that the PDP chairman “does not favour periodic statutory meetings of the National Working Committee (NWC) and the National Executive Committee (NEC)”. It is obvious from these wild allegations that the group did not consider at least the effort and resources they put into that project valuable enough to warrant even minimal effort to look up the meaning of the phrase “periodic statutory”. For arguments about statutory requirements, it does not even take a card-carrying member of the PDP (or a member of any organisation) to make accurate judgments about the conduct of statutory obligations. For an organisation with the kind of global profile as the PDP’s, precise information about the statutory responsibilities, functions and operations of key organs of the party is just one mouse-click away from anyone even remotely interested in the activities of the party. Now we close our rejoinder with quick, short reflections about motives and grievances. Whatever their gripe (or that of their sponsors) with the PDP chairman or with the other people they mentioned in the article, it is not exactly clear since they were all over the place with a weird assortment of complaints and supplications. As for their motives, it is obviously not a very noble one as the reasons were neither cogent nor their petition altruistic. If they can’t even recognise the sheer phenomenon of our current transfiguration, then they are simply not who they claim to be.What’s more, these same people who did not huff, could not puff (we didn’t see them) when things were really deteriorating, cannot now show up to throw tantrums during our season of revival. It is simply not logical behaviour and these people (and their sponsors) cannot be up to any good. –Karka is national co-ordinator, PDP Ward 2 Ward Initiative
Every Monday With Ibraheem a. WazIrI iawaziri@yahoo.com, 08035167963 (SMS only)
Nigeria’s War Against The Insurgents
T
here was a documentary by Channel 4, titled, Nigerian Hidden War, and as shared on Youtube on 23rd August, 2014. The video acknowledged the brutal nature of the Boko Haram (BH) insurgencies. It then attempted to show, quite convincingly, the other side of the war, detailing–with facts, figures and gruesome images–how, “the elements of Nigerian state could be guilty of war crimes”. The video came as a huge indictment on the Nigerian military and the Civilian Joint Task Force (CJTF). The sum total image projected from this shows the Nigerian Army and the BH insurgents as antiordinary Nigerian people. Later that week! There came a declaration of the caliphate by the armies of the insurgents. They claimed total control of some parts of Borno and Yobe states. Add to that was the open indictments of the former Borno State governor, Ali Modu Sheriff alongside the recent past Nigeria’s Chief of Army Staff, Lt. General Azuibuike Ihejirika. It is said they are the logical and emotional supporters of the insurgents. This of all, by the governments’ hired negotiator with the insurgents over the release of the almost 300 Chibok girls kidnapped by them some months ago. Of course there were opinions dismissing the allegations by Davis Stephen as bordering on conspiracy theories and as such must be out rightly dismissed. It should be understood here that conspiracy theories by their nature are attempts at pre-empting people and claiming to unveil motives. Though some of these conspiracy theories have eternal basis, many are baseless or even senseless. They are also peddled by the hurt or disgruntled. The allegation by Davis did not come as such in anyway. It did not impugn motives to the people it indicts. Its claims are to discoveries done on the line of legal assignment. While we were on this, another shocking revelation came. A private jet with a Nigerian and an Israeli was caught in South Africa stashed with smuggled cash to the tune of 9.3 million dollars. The cash is said to be meant for purchase of illegal arms. The jet is owned by the notorious President of the Nigerian Christian Association, Ayo Oritsejafor. The government claims to be in the know of the deal and ownership of the arms. Its officials, according to Premium Times (17.09.2014), blamed the US–another conspiracy theory–for frustrating its legal bids to own armory to defeat the insurgents. In other words the US is seen as frustrating Nigeria’s fight against the insurgency, and so the government looked through an alternative of going illegal and covert. Whatever the case may be, and if all the stories that carry official stamps are to be taken on face value then the Nigerian government will seem to have nobody with it in this fight against insurgency. Everybody looks like a conspirator to bring it down. This, from the people of Maiduguri who are accused of harboring and hiding those who double as their brothers and terrorists; the military who defect to Cameroon in their hundreds; the others of them that were charged for mutiny and sentenced to death; the politicians of the opposition parties; those of the ruling party PDP like former governor Ali Modu Sheriff; the Nigerian Army as symbolised by the office of the Chief of Army Staff with its one time occupant General Ihejrika; and now the US government!
ISSUES 35
Monday, September 22, 2014
Maximising The Use Of Nigeria’s Natural Gas By chijoke nwaozuzu
Nigeria is one of the top ten nations in the world with huge natural gas reserves. Nigeria’s estimated proved plus potential reserves stood at 184 trillion cubic feet (tcf) as at 2007. This is made up of 95 tcf of associated gas and 89 tcf of non-associated gas. The combined total of proved, probable and possible reserves is estimated at 300 tcf. Unfortunately, there have been no significant gas exploration activities and the modest developments in gas reserves are largely connected to oil exploration (i.e. associated gas). As at 2006, estimated daily gas production was 4.6 billion cubic feet per day (bcfd), and nearly 55% was flared. The balance 45% was channeled towards gas reinjection into producing oil wells, domestic usage and as feedstock for the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) project. Gas development in Nigeria has been constrained by the absence of clear fiscal terms; gas pricing mechanism; legal and regulatory framework; and inadequate financing. Consequently, government introduced a natural gas policy and a gas master plan. The natural gas policy was targeted at promoting a public – private sector partnership for an orderly and speedy commercialisation of the nation’s gas reserves, and so contribute to the development and diversification of the domestic economy. Similarly, the gas master plan was developed as a framework for maximizing the value inherent in the nation’s gas reserves, and thus ensure the multiplier effect of gas usage in the economy and enhance the high value gas export market. The gas master plan has three main components: the national domestic gas supply; pricing policy and regulations; and the gas infrastructure blueprint. The domestic gas supply obligation is meant to deal with the issue of improvements in
By musa wada
The recent call by the Attah of Igala and other Igala elders for the retention of the present set of lawmakers representing the senatorial and federal constituencies of the eastern part of Kogi, mainly dominated by the Igala nation is indeed, a great service to the Igala race. The significance of that call underpins the place of continuity for consolidation and excellence in representive democracy. The call demonstrates a clear understanding of the challenges
domestic gas supply by imposing supply obligations on petroleum upstream operators. The gas pricing policy is predicated on a pricing framework that segregates the demand sector into three categories (domestic, industrial, and commercial), to which the different pricing regimes apply. The domestic category consists of the use of natural gas for domestic cooking and for power generation. This category has direct multiplier effect on the economy. The industrial category comprises of industries that consume natural gas as a raw material (feedstock) for the production of secondary products, such as methanol, fertilizer, gas– to- liquids (GTL). The commercial category consumes natural gas as an industrial fuel for manufacturing firms. The gas infrastructure blueprint was developed as an integrated infrastructure strategy to support domestic, regional, and export LNG markets.
Dawha
majors, and so their bias towards
The gas master plan was developed as a framework for maximizing the value inherent in the nation’s gas reserves, and thus ensure the multiplier effect of gas usage in the economy The key challenge to realising the objectives of the gas master plan is ensuring the availability of gas for power generation and domestic consumption. Oil and gas resources are internationally traded products, and domestic pricing for these has been an issue in this country. Therefore, pricing these resources below their international prices for domestic consumption is considered in certain quarters as providing subsidy and so, unacceptable. As a result, the core international oil companies (IOCs) have developed a strong portfolio interest that is biased towards export of liquefied natural gas (LNG). The gas market (associated gas) is controlled by the few oil
the export market creates a major conflict with, and resistance to, plans for a significant boost in domestic usage of natural gas. Furthermore, this bias impedes plans to put a stop to gas flaring. The joint UNDP/World Bank Energy Sector Management Assistance Programme commissioned a study on the strategic gas plan for Nigeria in 2004. The report indicated that the gross monetary value of Nigeria’s natural gas reserves is roughly US $2.5 billion per year and the environmental impact of gas flaring was highly significant (70 million metric tons of CO2 emissions per year). In response to these findings, the Nigerian government
developed strategies for curtailing the financial loss and environmental impact of gas flaring, and to encourage the oil companies to develop programs for gas storage, processing and utilisation. For example, the Petroleum Act (Cap 350 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990) specified under Regulation 42 (Petroleum Drilling & Production Regulations) that oil producing companies are required to submit work programs for the utilization of associated gas in oil fields within five (5) years from the commencement of production. Similarly, the Associated Gas Reinjection Act (Cap 26, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 as amended) also stipulates that oil producing companies should provide detailed plans for gas processing and utilisation. It also prohibits gas flaring without the written consent of the Petroleum minister. However, the initiation of new export projects (GTL plants) from 1999 began an era of steady decline in flares. These
projects were the NLNG project in Bonny, the Brass LNG (US $3.5 bn) and OKLNG (US $7.0 bn). Government has since then put in place a ‘flare-out’ policy, as encapsulated in the provisions of Section 3 of the Associated Gas Reinjection Act. Flare-out targets have been set for oil producing companies, but these have not been strictly monitored. For instance, the initial target was set for 1st January, 1994 and was subsequently shifted to 31st December, 2008. Now the current zero gas flare directive is being expected. The absence of a clear monitoring system for the legal and regulatory framework has been a serious obstacle to achieving the objectives of the gas master plan and the national gas policy. The second impediment is the lack of a negotiated agreement with the oil majors on a mutually acceptable pricing regime for domestic gas consumption. The penalties for gas flaring are very mild, and the right policy should be to incentivise natural gas storage, processing and distribution. The Downstream Gas Act and the Fiscal Reform Act were developed in 2005 to deal with the issue of gas availability. Subsequently, their provisions were subsumed under the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB). The National Assembly has had numerous public hearings on the PIB, but there is no clear signal on an early passage of the Bill. The potential loss in revenue to the government, owing to prevarications on the PIB, is estimated at $5-$6 bn. The passage of the PIB still holds the key to unlocking the potentials inherent in the national gas policy. The new fiscal terms for gas production, as contained in the PIB will likely encourage further investment in the gas sector. –Nwaozuzu, a petroleum expert, wrote from Port Harcourt
Attah Igala’s Voice Of Reason of growth and development in the Igala kingdom by well meaning patriots. Representative democracy can only yield its best when there is room for consolidation, sustenance and advancing on previous efforts. The bane of our democracy, sadly stems from the frequent, inordinate change of representatives and senators in the National Assembly. That is so because every new comer representative has to go through learning the legislative process and in the meantime time, valuable time is lost in
learning and acculturation rather than deriving the dividends of democracy for the constituents. It is curiously disheartening that some individuals are so selfseeking not to know the wisdom underlying this call by the elders. The problems of the Igala nation are legion, and creating rooms for leadership continuity could be the beginning of solution to our problems. Thus the antecedental legislative wisdom and experience of Senator Aidoko, for example is a ready asset in the hands of the Igala people in the march towards the attainment of higher political
returns. These people truly deserve further opportunity because it is the only way we can proudly say we have
Personal grudges against the senator must not be allowed to hamper the greater public good of the Igala people mature, stable and established people in the legislature. It is
therefore laughable and shameful to hear one Hajiya Halima Alfa who claims to be one of the constituents of Senator Aidoko deny any knowledge of the distinguished senator’s activities, or qualification for the general endorsement canvassed by the elders. Personal grudges against the senator must not be allowed to hamper the greater public good of the Igala people. All must rally to the endorsement of continuity of our most distinguished senator. –Musa wada wrote from Ankpa, Kogi State
36 ISSUES
Monday, September 22, 2014
After The National Conference
by Ahmed Joda
The National Conference convened by President Jonathan, has completed its assignment and submitted its Report and Recommendations. The President has said that he will submit the documents to the National Assembly which is the body mandated by the 1999 Constitution with the duty of making Constitutional changes. Since the political crisis which followed the annulment of the June 12 elections, which no doubt was won by Chief Moshood Abiola there has been strong and continuous agitation for a new and more acceptable constitution for the country. The agitations were always for a fundamental restructuring of the country; for true federalism to be brought about by a Conference of the Sovereign Nationalities of the country. In discussing these issues, it is relevant to trace a brief history of the Constitution Making Processes which our country experienced since the early fifties to the eventual emergence of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as an independent country of three Regions; then four to twelve and to now thirty six states with one Federal Capital. The delegates to all the Constitutional Conferences before Independence were made up of the undisputed leaders of the country, most of whom were elected serving members of the House of Representatives or the States Houses of Assemblies and a selection of natural or traditional rulers. Post Independence Conferences; officially
named Constituent Assemblies contained majorities of elected Members of Constituent Assemblies created by Law and duly empowered to draft appropriate Constitutions for the country. Truly they contained elements of members nominated by Governments then in power. However, all those Constitutions were criticized as being unrepresentative and, therefore, not acceptable to all the peoples who make up Nigeria. Yet the just concluded National Conference under this dispensation contained not one elected Member. The body is, at best an administrative concoction of men and women nominated largely and single handedly by the President. The basis of membership and, therefore, the credentials and credibility of National conference have been questioned in many quarters. Suspicions of a Hidden Agenda and Motives dogged the proceedings of the Conference from its beginning to its very end. Eventually a whole draft of the Constitution, not discussed by the Conference in any of its Committees nor any one of its Plenary Sessions surfaced as the work of the Conference to be adopted and presented. When this was found not possible, the document, nevertheless formed part of the Report and Recommendation of the entire body. The facts that the composition of the Conference 1. Was not balanced and, therefore, not truly representative of the Nigerian Communities and peoples; 2. Has no legislative backing for its existence;
3. Its outcome, reports and recommendations are suspect and, therefore lacks credibility; These deficiencies are not likely to satisfy either the critics of previous constitutions who demanded for a more representative forum for making an acceptable constitution for the country; nor many sections of the country. The intention of the President is to submit the Report and Recommendation of the Conference to the National Assembly. However, and although the Constitution vests powers for the review of the National Assembly, it is unlikely to satisfy the powerful voices of critics of past Constitutions nor even a significant part of the silent majorities that make up the country. We must also never forget or, at least bear in mind that part of the reason for the dissatisfaction and disillusionment of Nigerians is the fact that our elections that bring in Presidents and Members of the representative Assemblies have never been free, fair or credible. Therefore, the Nigerians unwillingness to trust their future and leave everything to the President and the National and State Assemblies. Hence the demand for Sovereign National Conference. Now we are facing several critical issues in our National Life. They include the following: 1. A crucial General Election within the next six months; 2. Making important Constitutional Amendments, if not drawing up an entirely new Constitution; 3. Putting down a serious emer-
gency in many parts of the country; therefore, an atmosphere of general political and social tension and instability; 4. General and persistent threats to law, order and good government; All these issues require the undivided attention of the President and all structures of Government. As we are now the entire military apparatus is bogged down in one section of the country. The Police Force is spread thin everywhere. The other Security Services are perceived to be totally ineffective. The morale of not only the Military and other fighting forces; but the people are at their lowest ebb. The work of Government at every level is virtually at a stand still everywhere. It is doubtful that we can in this present environment be able to solve all these issues the way we are now governed. It is in these circumstances that I want to seriously suggest that we take the following steps to change our direction and concentrate our efforts in resolving those four important issues. In order to be able to do so we should: 1. ostpone the 2015 elections until October 2016 to give us time to sort out all these very weighty issues and save our country; 2. Urgently pass the necessary law to make 1) above possible; 3. Form a Government of National Unity with President Jonathan as President until 1st October, 2016. The National and State Assemblies and all the Governors to remain in office
Kobis To Be Honoured? Come On!
By babayola m. toungo
In years gone by, it was a mark of recognition for one to be considered for the award of the national honour in any category but the list in the recent past is becoming more and more controversial and fast losing its lustre. The current nominees for the conferment of the various categories of the national honours is a case in point. Those saddled with the selection process are either negligent in their duties or are becoming outright careless. There are names of people in the list who I would think twice before having my name appear alongside theirs in a thousand years. I take strong exception to the inclusion of such people like Mr. Aris Kobis Thinmu, the immediate past Secretary to the Adamawa State Government; a man whose name has become a byword for corruption, incompetence and a poster boy for bad governance. Though I do not know the criteria for one to be qualified for consideration and inclusion in the list, at least the fact that it is supposed to be a “honours” list is enough to dis-
qualify the likes of Kobis from being considered if we still give the word its proper meaning and definition. This is a man who had to be threatened with arrest by a Judicial Panel of Inquiry in his state before he put in an appearance. A man whose office is supposed to be the engine room of government but chose to turn that office into a conduit pipe for siphoning public funds and institutionalising sleaze as government policy, being honoured instead of being hounded. I never knew our values have been so desecrated by state institutions to this level. If those with the responsibility of choosing persons to be honoured are vigilant, they will have known that Kobis has ceased to be the Secretary to the Adamawa State Government since July 15th, this year. They ought to have also known that he is wanted in his state to come and answer questions bordering on criminal activities while he held sway as the SSG. The Selection Committee ought to have known even from the newspapers that Kobis has been a guest of the Economic & Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for about
three months now. So though it may be an honest mistake or oversight on the part of the Committee, to me it is crass dereliction of duty. For the benefit of those who do not know the man, he was the SSG to the Nyako administration for six of its seven years in office. It was during his tenure as SSG that governance stagnated to pre-historic levels and corruption took a live of its own. Absenteeism became the norm rather than aberration. The office of the SSG became the epicentre of sleaze and not the engine room of governance it is supposed to be. An office listed in the constitution and even assumed to be part of the succession line in the event that the line will go down that far. An office held in the past by the likes of the late Hamidu Alkali, Zakka Nagga, Sa’idu Ahmed, John Manassah was violated by the presence of Kobis. The level of administrative decadence can be seen right from the State Secretariat where the office of the SSG is located. The unmotorable road network within the complex is the first eye sore one is confronted with the moment you drive into the complex. The once
well-paved roads look like the practice field of those who enjoy using IEDs and bombs as toys. The complex itself looks like a ghoulish castle – dark, dank and smelly. There was no electricity or pipeborne water throughout the complex. What you have for electricity are small generators in all the ministries polluting both the air and the noise, including the office of the SSG. This is a man who found nothing wrong in providing electricity and potable water to his home but couldn’t do that for his office but chose to steal the money and buy properties in Abuja and other cities – ventures that are of no benefit to the people of the state. Is this the man the national honours Selection Committee chose to honour with the fourth highest medal that Nigeria can bestow on its finest? What have we done to deserve such gratuitous insult from the Jonathan government? The mere thought of someone of Kobis’s pedigree once occupied the exalted office of the SSG is enough punishment for the people of the state without us having being affronted in this manner. If
until that Date; 4. Charge the President and the Government of National Unity and all other National Institutions, that is State Governments and State Assemblies with the continuing duty of normal governance; but in addition the following important duties: a) Conducting a free and fair elections in which the President and Governors will not be candidates so that these can be seen to be free, fair and credible not only by Nigerians but by the entire world. This cannot be so If the present incumbents are contestants. b) Immediately create by Law a Constituent Assembly of an entirely elected delegates; empowered to draw up a Constitution for Nigeria; Such an election should not be based on Political party basis. Political parties and all other groups should, under the supervision of INEC establish a basis for the eligibility of candidates for the contest. All those elected and who serve in the Constituent Assembly should not become eligible in the elections that follow .for any elective office under the new Constitution; c) Solve the present crisis and insurgency now afflicting the country; bring about peace and stability and restore normalcy and respect for law and order. d) Design and implement programmes that will restore confidence between and among the peoples of Nigeria and rehabilitate all Displaced people —Joda sent this piece from Abuja
the spate of allegations coming out of the Justice Bobbo Umar Judicial Panel is a yardstick of Kobis’s administrative prowess, then not only that he shouldn’t be honoured, but he should be prevented from mingling with civilised human beings. In societies that are already in the twenty first century the man will have been locked up long since and the keys to the gaol thrown into the Atlantic. In China he would have been dead times over. With the inclusion of the likes of Kobis in the list, I can now understand the reasons behind the late Achebe’s rejection to be honoured by his country twice. Guyuk Local Government is home to Senator Silas Zwingina, two Michaulums – Paul and Harold – while one is a Professor of Geography, the other is a retired bureaucrat. Any of the three could well have qualified to be honoured and will be more deserving. And if the nominee must come from the state secretariat complex, then I nominate Sadiq, an ubiquitous beggar at the secretariat who has seen his share of SSGs. All of them are better than Kobis. —Toungo wrote from Abuja
politics today Monday, September 22, 2014
REPORTS ANALYSES REVIEWS INTERVIEWS
Why I Don’t Support Removal of Immunity Clause – Gov. Orji
Orji
The governor of Abia State, Chief Theodore Orji, in this exclusive interview with Adesuwa Tsan, speaks on the need to retain immunity clause for presidents, governors and their deputies in the constitution, insecurity in Abia State and Nigeria, why INEC must be placed on first-line charge and other national issues.
That immunity is not for protecting the governor against any crime, it is not. After all, if you commit a crime, when you leave office, they can still get you to come and answer for that crime
How do you feel about the conferment of the honours of Commander Of the Niger (CON) on you by the federal government? Naturally, I feel highly elated, extremely happy because it is recognition not coming from an individual, not coming from an organisation but coming from my own country. This is one of the highest honours that the country can give you so I feel proud and I thank the federal government, particularly the president and members of the committee that participated in fishing me out, placing me on the scale and I scaled through. I’m happy about that. Before you became the governor of Abia State, the state was notorious for been a haven for kidnappers and all kinds of criminals. How was security restored in the state? This is one of the major achievements we have in Abia, combining both the tangible and intangible to arrive at this. The scenario I met is just this one you painted-armed robbery, kidnaping, violent crimes, polarisation of the polity and elders
absconding from Abia because they were no longer comfortable. That was the situation I met when I came on board and it was a very big task. First and foremost, the primary function of government is to make sure that lives and properties are protected for its citizens. So that we faced, not only by providing only logistics for the military at all, but by doing other things to assist them. Even though the security agencies tried very much, the federal government also tried and the state government too in supporting the security agencies in fighting criminality but then, stakeholders in Abia polity, we had to bring them back to help us. So we started running an inclusive government, not an exclusive government where some people were sent away from governance and it doesn’t cost us anything. Some of these stakeholders, all they need from you is just respect. Just call them to a meeting and say, ‘please oga, this and this and this are this I want to do for the state’, and you listen to their opinion. If you like you take it, if you like you leave it because you are the final arbiter but they must
have gotten a sense of belonging that their governor is consulting and they will be happy and give you support. That is what we did and they realised that Abia belongs to everybody, it is not the heritage of one man or one family. If as I am sitting down here now, I summon a meeting in Umuahia now against tomorrow and mention the names of stakeholders that I want present at the meeting, even those that have travelled to America, you will see them rushing home because they have now love their state. The governor is not all-knowing, they give you ideas. Apart from what I told you that we energised the army and other security agencies, equipping them with vehicles and other, but then, human are the criminals, we sent people who knew them to bring them so we can talk because we wanted to try amnesty as done in Rivers State and they came. We asked them why they were in the crime and they told their problems. Some were graduates that didn’t have jobs for years. That gave us an idea that these young men, most of them were young men, needed to be empowered and we started our empowerment programme. What is your take on immunity clause, should it be expunged or retained in the constitution? Personally, I want it to be retained. I’m being very sincere because if you don’t retain it, they will be a lot of distraction on the governors. Most people will want to take the governor to court on alleged crimes, including those that don’t exist, land disputes, every issue. You know our people are now wise, everybody want to exercise his rights so the governor will spend most of his time on litigation. That immunity is not for protecting the governor against any crime, it is not. After all, if you commit a crime, when you leave office, they can still get you to come and answer for that crime. Back to constitution amendment. As the countdown to 2015 elections begin, there have been agitation for INEC to be put on first-line charge for it to be able to conduct quality elections. I agree with that. I agree that INEC must be put on first-line charge, that is why it is called independent. Being
independent to conduct a free and fair election, it must also be independent financially. For them to perform, you have to give them money. They have to have money to perform so I totally agree that they should be independent in all that they do; in terms of money, in terms of conduct of elections and laws. In Abia, the commercial nerve centre is Aba. A lot of people have said one area they would have loved you to work on is the state of roads in Aba. The problems of Aba are complex; erosion, sanitation and erosions cause bad roads. Let me take your mind back when Abia had not been created, when it was part of Imo State. Remember the governor of Imo State then, Chief Sam Mbakwe? There was a time he was called a weeping governor, have you ever reflected on what gave him that name? It was Aba! Aba gave him that name because of this erosion and flood and the roads. At a stage, Mbakwe was not coming to Aba because people would jeer at him, they would make caricatures of him that time of he ever he ever came to Aba. Why I am telling you this story is to let you know that the problem of Aba didn’t start today, it started a long time ago. Now, if a governor of Abia State decides to take all the money that the state gets from federation account and all internally generated revenue and face Aba, it will not solve the problem. So what every governor tries to do is make an impact and I believe that if people are sincere, that this administration has made its own impact in Aba. There was a time before now when Aba-Owerri Road was impassable because of refuse. How did the challenge of godfatherism end in Abia? The issue of godfatherism is in many, many places. If you are a victim, you should listen to a majority of your people because godfather is usually one or two people. Usually, it is even one person. You should open your ears, put your ears to the ground on what majority of the people are saying because it is going to affect them. And once you listen to them and heed to their advise, you’ll liberate yourself and the people. Donald Ojogo, Group Politics Editor
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senate diary
Monday, September 22, 2014
As Senate Backs Plan To Produce Made In Nigeria Cars, Tyres
A bill seeking production of cars and tyres in Nigeria narrowly scaled through second reading in the Senate last week. JONATHAN NDA - ISAIAH, in this report, takes a look at the importance of the bill.
N
igeria is one of the major car importers in the world. According to a Senate report, Nigeria spent N600 billion on car importation in 2012, a testimony to the fact that the country is one of the major car markets in the world. Worried by the huge amount of money involved, the Senate has moved to keep revenue in the country by passing a bill titled Nigeria Automotive Industry Development Plan ( Fiscal Incentives, assurance and guarantees) Bill through second reading, a stage which is very critical to the survival of any legislative proposal. Leading debate on the bill, Senate leader, Victor Ndoma Egba, said the bill is designed to confer pioneer status, provide tariff incentives and income tax reliefs on automobiles and automotive components as well as specify federal government assurances and guarantees to the automobile and tyre enterprise under the Nigerian Automotive industry Development plan. In many countries of the world,the automotive industry plays both a strategic and catalytic role in economic development in respect to employment creation, GDP generation, economic linkages which serves as veritable platform for small, medium and micro- enterprises development, innovation, skills and technology development. According to the international organisation of motor vehicle Manufacturers( OICA), the auto industry directly
Mark
Mark noted that while on paper, this is an excellent bill and there is absolutely no doubt about it, but what is more important is that the bill alone will not solve the problem of the automotive industry employs over nine million people, which represents 5% of the world’s total manufacturing employment. In South Africa for instance, the automotive industry alone contributes 7% of GDP and 12% of exports and is the second largest employer of labour in the country. The Nigerian automotive industry represented by Peugeot Automobile of Nigeria (PAN) Kaduna, Volkswagen of Nigeria, Lagos, Styre Nigeria, Bauchi, Leyland Nigeria, Ibadan, ANAMCO, Enugu, NTM, Kano etc, at its peak,
SENATORIAL
had a combined annual output of well over 150,000 automobiles at an estimated value of N450 billion. Employment by the sector hovered around 20,000 Nigerians and local value added exceeded 27% on the average.Equally, the country had local capacity to meet all its tyre needs way back in the 1960s but by mid 1980s, the government took some policy decisions that compromised the fortune of the industry so it crashed. Consequently, capital utilisation in all the assembly plants collapsed as new and second hand vehicles were freely imported. Leading debate on the bill, Senate leader, Victor Ndoma- Egba said passage of the bill will create about 770 thousands jobs in the country, adding that there is a huge market for vehicles in the country and in the sub region and this bill will enable the country to key into the opportunities presented by the automotive industry which will in turn enhance the standard of living of citizens, reduce social vices and earn revenue for the country. He said the objectives, institutions, pioneer status, income tax relief, tariff re-adjustment, administration and assurances will enhance the prospects of a viable automotive development in the country. According to him, the current operations of the Nigerian automotive is primarily limited to the assembly of commercial vehicles because of the economics of production but what the country needs is car assembly and production facilities to fully tap into and benefit from the industry’s global potentials. “A total of about 400,00 vehicles( 100,000 new and 300,000 used) valued at over N550 billion were imported in 2012. The bill will thus facilitate the injection of foreign direct investment into the economy”, he told senators “In a similar vein, Nigeria ‘s tyre plants have disappeared along with all the quality jobs and opportunities. Rubber produced locally is now exported while finished tyres worth over N100 billion are imported annually. The current operations of the Nigerian automo-
tive industry is primarily limited to the assembly of commercial vehicles because of the economics of production but what the country really needs is car assembly and production facilities to fully to into and benefit from the industry global potentials “. “The bill will help address the country’ balance of payment concerns. Automobile imports represent the second highest forex user in Nigeria today and the current strain on the country’s balance of payment by the reckless importation of vehicles at the expense of local industry is significant. And if nothing is done to reverse the trend,the economy will continue to be undermined, resulting in monumental socioeconomic consequences “ Most of the senators argued that while the policy is good, the factors on ground are not conducive for the success of the policy, citing the case of Ajaokuta steel industry which has not been functioning. On his part, Senate president, David Mark noted, “while on paper, this is an excellent bill and there is absolutely no doubt about it, but what is more important is that the bill alone will not solve the problem of the automotive industry.” According to him:”Beyond this bill, practically on ground, we are not just prepared because no investor is going to put his money here if you cannot guarantee him power.If he is going to run on generator 24 hours, he will never be able to compete in the international market. “It is not a matter of producing rubber for Michelin, it is beyond that. DICON, which is in Kaduna today was established the same time with the one in Brazil and India. Today the equivalent in Brazil is building ships, aircrafts, armoured cars, DICON in Nigeria is producing furniture.” “We are missing the point, not by this bill, but you know because we have not laid the foundation for which this bill can become sustainable.I agree that the Ajaokuta Iron Steel Company is very important and so are
$9.3 million : Senate Summons NSA, CDS, COAS
That the South Africa police detained two Nigerians and an Israeli for been in possession of $9.3 million in cash, allegedly meant for arms transaction, caught the attention of the Upper House as the Senate has summoned the national security adviser(NSA), Col Sambo Dasuki (rtd), chief of Defence Staff, Air Marshall Alex Badeh and chief of Army Staff, Kenneth Minimah.
Chairman, Senate Committee on Defence, Senator George Sekibbo disclosed that the security chiefs will appear before its committee on defence tomorrow to brief them on the alleged smuggled $9.3 million dollars seized by South African government. He said, “ I don’t want to preempt issues because have not heard details about it but they will be here on Tuesday next week.”
On death sentence passed by a military court martial in Abuja on 12 soldiers found guilty of committing mutiny against their general commanding officer in Maiduguri, the chairman said it is not a surprise as the soldiers were aware of the implication of mutiny before they joined the army, adding that before the judgment was passed, the army had carried out their investigation on the matter.
FACES oF thE RED ChAMBER
➔ When we talk about corruption in the system, the least anybody expects is that there should not be corruption in the judiciary because if we have corruption there, it is like saying the head of the fish is rotten and the rest of the body is gone. Members of the judiciary must be sanctified in their behaviour and the NBA has a critical role to play in this respect to ensure that people receive justice, no matter who is involved. Deputy president of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweramadu, giving assurance that all justice sector reform bills pending in the National Assembly would receive attention.
➔ The National Assembly ( NASS) has established five new directorates and secretaries consequent upon an amendment of the National Assembly Service Act. Clerk to the National Assembly, Alhaji Salisu Maikasuwa
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Monday, September 22, 2014
THE
ELECTABLES On September 30th, 2014
Who
Makes The List?
The best among Nigeria’s politicians; the best among those who aspire for political and elective office; the most popular candidates; the traiblazers; Nigeria ‘s most presentable candidates and those who have the vision and sense of mission to lead.
This is a must read!
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40 THE NATION’S CAPITAL
Monday, September 22, 2014
Ebola: UBEB Sensitises Principals, Head Teachers, PTAs By Chika Mefor
In the wake of the resumption of schools today, the FCT Universal Basic Education Board (UBEB), at the weekend, trained principals, head teachers and Parents Teachers Association (PTA) members on preventive measures of Ebola in Gwagwalada area council. Speaking at the sensitization workshop, chairman of the board, Alh. Umar Barau Ningi, disclosed that the board had taken all the necessary measures to ensure the safety of students and teachers alike against the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Ningi said, “as schools resume next week all hands most be on deck to ensure the safety of the future leaders of the country.” He urged teachers not to relent in performing their duties diligently, urging them to take their positions as teachers to teach the students healthy living lifestyles as they return to school. Earlier in his welcome address, the council chairman, Alh. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, assured that his administration remains committed to the safety of lives and property of residents. He urged the teachers to take what they have learnt during the workshop not only to the classroom but to communities where they live. Participants in the programme commended the board for organising the programme and promised to use what they have learnt to help protect the lives of school children.
Cleric Urges Fear Of God Teaching At Home By Igho Oyoyo
Revd. David Yako, ECWA Good News Church, Action Area 2 in Kuje area council of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has urged parents to teach their children how to respect God to enjoy divine intervention in their lives. Yako gave the advice, yesterday, in his sermon titled, ‘children are building blocks in the Christian home’ to mark the ECWA children’s 2014 harvest service which held at the church. He described children as the future generation that will take over from their parents in spreading the word of God, and therefore should be taught the ways of God. According to him, “every Christian has a goal and to achieve them one has to be consistent with the word of God in order to fulfill our covenant with God by teaching our children the right way of life, to enjoy divine empowerment from God. “Training children means you want to reproduce the same you and whatever you build today determines the generation of the future. Children are copy cats and will always learn from what they see from their parents and people around them.” He frowned at parents who derive pleasure on talking about other people’s children forgetting that their children could be worse, quoting from the book of Exodus 20, that God will punish the fathers of those who disobey Him and those who fail to adhere to his teaching.
Traders at the banana section in Kuje market, at the weekend. photo by ogoh joseph
FCT Sure-P To Train 1000 Youths On Vocational Skills By Catherine Agbo
The Federal Capital Territory Subsidy Reinvestment Empowerment Programme (FCT SUREP) is set to commence training of about 1000 youths in the territory in 21 vocational skills. This follows the recent graduation of 227 youths in the territory in various vocational skills in the entertainment and fashion industry. To kick-start the process, the FCT SURE-P has already organised an interface with the registered 1000 youths, ahead of commencement of the
training. Speaking during the interface, a senior consultant with the training centre, Mr. David Martins, explained that those who complete the training would be given starter kits to enable them set out on their own, and warned that the programme is for serious and hardworking entrepreneur who will be trained to be employer of labour and those who do not meet the criteria need not continue with it. “I must commend FCT Sure-P for coming up with this Social Safety Net Programmes aimed
at bridging the unemployment gap in the territory. As you can see, over 1000 unemployed persons have been captured in this exercise to embark on various vocational trainings. Let me assure you that at the end of this training, some persons will identify their skills either in hair dressing, tailoring, shoe making, auto mechanic and other vocational skills that will catapult them to become employers of labour. “However, let me sound a note of warning that the programme is not designed for lazy people. It is for serious minded
businessmen and women. I’m saying this because most unemployed youths are misled into thinking that Sure-P is a government agency that dole out free money to unemployed people. It is for empowerment to future entrepreneurs and not for loafers. Therefore, the startup packs will be for those that truly deserve it,” he emphasised, and urged the trainees to take the programme serious. According to the organisers, the training programme will span from four to 12 weeks depending on the vocational skill being learnt.
Aesthetics: AMMC Prosecute Defaulters In Wuse By Nkechi Isaac
The development control department of the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), at the weekend, prosecuted residents of blocks 61 and 63 in Mambolo Street, Wuse Zone 2, Abuja, for failing to comply with an earlier directive to redecorate their building and environment. Reading the charges against the defaulters before a mobile court in Wuse, the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) prosecutor, Barr. Arome Tokula, said the offence was failure to comply with Provisions of Section 35 1(e) and punishable under Section 35 2 (b) of the Abuja Environmental Protection Board (AEPB) Act of 1997, which stipulates that residents must redecorate their
houses after every two or three years as the case may be. Delivering judgment, the magistrate, Jibril Kutigi, ordered the residents who have already contributed to an internal levy of N26, 000 to redecorate their block within seven days while those who failed to comply with the levy and those who failed to show up for the court sitting were fined N5, 000 and also ordered to comply or risk having their flats sealed. Speaking to journalists, the head of aesthetics and amenities division of the department, Arc. Dominic Odenigbo, said that the residents had been served with the notice of redecoration late last year, but they had failed to comply with directive until enforcement was initiated. He promised that the exercise will be a continuous one that might be
extended to satellite towns at the right time. Earlier in his remarks, the public relations officer of the department, Mr Kalu Emetu, said the exercise was to maintain the aesthetics of the FCT as a world class city. “the Minister, Sen. Bala Mohammed, in the best interest for the FCT directed that public high rise buildings be renovated and redecorated every two to three years, in collaboration with the residents of such buildings so as to retain the beauty of the city,” he added. Meanwhile, the chairman of 61 block residents association, Capt. Negedu Jack (rtd), said that the residents are respectable and law abiding citizens, saying that they will comply with the directive of redecorating and renovating their block within the stipulated time.
news north-East, north-west 41 2015: Group Urges APC To Produce Atiku As Presidential Candidate
Monday, September 22, 2014
Yero Rejects CAN Award, Describes Southern Kaduna Killings As Reprisals BY MIDAT JOSEPH, Kaduna
Kaduna State governor, Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, on Saturday night rejected an award given to him by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN). Officials of the Kaduna North local government chapter of the CAN, who had organised the
award night, were surprised when the governor interrupted the master of ceremonies (MC) to announce his rejection of the award. The governor challenged the CAN officials to tell him what he has done to deserve the award before he could accept it. “Sometimes I don’t accept awards; you have to tell me what
I have done to deserve this award,” he said. The governor also frowned at religious conflicts, which he described as unjustifiable misrepresentation of teachings contained in the Bible and Quran. He further said that Christian and Muslim leaders must stand up against hate and division in the so-
ciety in view of the consequences, adding that the society must reject those using religion and ethnicity to divide them, in order to achieve sustainable development. “There is no need to be fighting on religious and ethnic lines; religious leaders must work hard and ensure that we overcome all these challenges.”
Adamawa State acting governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri with a large crowd during his visit to the internally displaced persons’ camp at NYSC Orientation Camp, Yola, yesterday. PHOTO BY GOVERNMENT HOUSE
short news Host Community: Jigawa Varsity Releases N143m Compensation
The newly established Jigawa State University, Kafin-Hausa has earmarked over N143million for the payment of land compensation to its host community. This was disclosed by the vice-chancellor of the university, Professor Abdullahi Yusufu Ribadu, while addressing the village heads of Abdallawa, Yandarman, Ashura and Kafin-Hausa, who were on a courtesy visit to the university. By Muh’d Zangina Kura, Dutse
Polio Immunisation: Sokoto To Arrest Noncompliant Parents By Ankeli Emmanuel, Sokoto
As the September round of polio immunisation kick-starts in Sokoto State, some of the National Programme on Immunisation managers have threatened to resort to the use of security agents to arrest any parent who fails to comply with the exercise while it lasts. They, however, maintained that the exercise has been a huge success as they have been able to use the traditional, religious and opinion leaders to convince parents on
the efficacy of the immunisation programme. Speaking at Isa local government, one of the managers, Garba Muhammed Isa, noted that they are targeting over 68,700 children in the local government in this September round. He disclosed that the local government, which borders Niger Republic, only recorded 100 cases of non-compliance from the last round, out of which they were able to resolve 65 with the help of traditional and religious leaders from
that area. Giving reasons for the non-compliance, Garba noted that some parents insisted that their wards should not be immunised based on their personal conviction, the consistency of the immunisation exercise and religious grounds. At Sabon-Birni local government, the manager, Ibrahim Mohammed Gatawa, said they are targeting 96,100 children, even as he confirmed that they have the cooperation of every stakeholder including the security agencies.
Zainab Dakingari Wants NGOs, Agencies To Assist Orphans By Yahya Sarki, Kebbi
The wife of the Kebbi State governor, Hajiya Zainab Usman Dakingari has appealed to non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and other agencies to complement the efforts of government in bringing succour to orphans and other vulnerable children in the state. She made the call at the commissioning of two renovated and furnished classrooms carried out by the Fidelity Bank, Birnin Kebbi.
She said that orphans were left behind by their dead parents without any protection, hence they deserved to be loved, cared for and protected by the society. Hajiya Dakingari, who was represented by the wife of the deputy governor, Hajiya Fatima K. Aliyu, also explained that the Huffaz Educational Foundation was established to give children in the orphanage access to both Western and Islamic education. She appreciated the bank for living up to its corporate social re-
sponsibility to the community and applauded the selection of the educational centre for intervention. In her speech, the permanent secretary, state Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Hajiya Rafatu Garba Hamani said that the two classrooms were constructed two years ago by a patriotic individual who did not wish to be mentioned. ‘’He was passionate in improving the Islamic and Western education of all children and decided to build this block to support our effort,’’ she added.
short news
Sokoto Youths Should Embrace Peace – Gidan Kanawa PDP youth leader in Sokoto State, Alhaji Nasiru Aliyu Gidan Kanawa has called on youths in the state to embrace peace and progress of the state rather than becoming tools of political destruction among political groups. Gidan Kanawa stated this in a statement made available to Leadership in Sokoto, yesterday. He said youths as the future of the nation need to be decisive on their future by aligning with people who recognise their talents toward achieving development and progress of the society. By Ankeli Emmanuel,
As the 2015 general elections draw near, a political group, North Progressive Youths Movement (NPM), has urged the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) to produce the former vice president, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its presidential candidate to contest against the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan. Speaking to newsmen shortly after the North East rally in support of Atiku Abubakar’s aspiration which held at Zaranda Hotels, Bauchi over the weekend, the national coordinator of the movement, Alhaji Babangida Muhammed Doma opined that for the party to triumph in 2015, it needs to have a credible candidate like the ex-vice president who has national acceptability. According to him, the opposition parties have continued to lose the presidential election in the country to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because “they failed to present someone that could be supported by all and sundry in the nation but produced candidates who had only regional acceptability. By Najib Sani, Bauchi
Ebola: Kaduna Schools Get Thermometers, Resume Today Ahead of schools’ resumption today, the government of Kaduna State at the weekend distributed thermometers to the over 6,320 public and private primary and secondary schools in the state. The infrared clinical thermometers and kits were purchased and supplied by the state government to curb the spread of Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The commissioner of education, Hon Ibrahim Ali, said although no case of the virus had been reported in the state, the state government’s effort was to prevent such occurrence. The commissioner also warned the schools to ensure strict compliance with the usage of the thermometers and preventive kits, saying the government will not tolerate any misuse or nonusage of the kits which he said cost the state over N116million. The resumption of the schools followed the training of two teachers each from all the schools on how to operate the thermometers, effective hand washing and general hygienic measures to keep the teachers and students healthy and away from vectors. “We inaugurated the screening and training of teachers at Government College, Kaduna on the Ebola Virus Disease; we have been looking forward to this day; now we have kept our promises.” By Isaiah Benjamin, Kaduna
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Monday, September 22, 2014
WE REJOICE AS OUR LEADER ADDS ANOTHER YEAR His Excellency
DR. IbRAHIm SHEHU SHEmA CON
Sarkin Yakin Hausa, Sarkin Fulanin Katsina, Lamido Fulben Gusau, Attah Ojah Igala, Enyi Kwon 1 of Ezeokwe Executive Governor, Katsina State
O
n behalf of myself, Honourable Members and entire staff of Katsina State House of Assembly, I wish to rejoice with His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema CON, fnim, (Sarkin Yakin Hausa, Sarkin Fulanin Katsina, Lamido Fulben Gusau, Attah Ojah Igala) as you mark yet another birthday. Your Excellency Sir, we join millions of well wishers and indeed the teeming people of Katsina State to felicitate with you on this momentous occasion. May almighty Allah grant you good health and many more years as you continue to provide sterling leadership. In a day like this, we cannot help but applaud you for your commitment, determination and dedication which have resulted in the developmental strides in different sectors of our dear state. Your Excellency’s sterling leadership is manifest in different sectors for example, in the health sector you established Katsina Orthopedic Hospital, numerous comprehensive Health Centres and have remained committed to ensuring free distribution of drugs.
empowerment and the giant strides recorded in the area of youth development from the inception of your administration to date. The Youth Craft Village which you established has been transforming our youths into employers of labour. We wish to use this opportunity to once more, applaud you for the peaceful conduct of council polls in the state. Your commitment to ensuring grassroots development is made more manifest by the inauguration of elected councils at the local government levels. But in all of this, we believe what stands you out the most is the fact that you did all this and many more that space could not allow us to mention without BORROWING A KOBO!
Once again, cOngratulatiOn sir!
It is on record that you constructed numerous roads which has further opened up the entire state, you provide free education, approved the implementation of Teachers’ Salary Scale (TSS) for teachers in the state and your administration has consistently supported capacity building for teachers. Your administration’s policy of providing free education at Primary and Secondary school levels, sponsorship of students for oversea studies and giving top most priority to education no doubt reaffirm your dogged commitment in repositioning education in the state. In the area of agriculture which is the mainstay of our economy, your administration has been consistent in providing fertilisers, improved seeds, chemicals and all the necessary incentives to boost farming. Our farmers now have real value for their investments in farming. Your Excellency sir, we cannot forget in a hurry, your commitment to youth
Signed:
Dr. Yau umar Gwajo-Gwajo mP (Garkuwan Daura) Turakin Damagaram Hon. Speaker, Katsina State House of Assembly
Monday, September 22, 2014
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Monday, September 22, 2014 USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS ON ANY EMERGENCY
Council endorsed the useful phone numbers submitted by the security agents for easy access in case of any emergency on the metropolitan Roads. Accordingly, the public may easily Contact KAROTA for: Breakdown of Vehicle(s), Traffic Congestion, Accidents, Illegal / Wrong Parking to kindly Call KAROTA through the following number – 08091626747. Similarly, the State Police Command could be contacted on – 08032419754, 08123821575. In addition, the State Fire Service can also be contacted on – 07051246833, 08191778888.
KANO STATE GOVERNMENT
167th KANO STATE EXECuTiVE COuNCiL MEETiNG PREPARED BY COUNCIL AFFAIRS DIRECTORATE, OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT, GOVERNMENT HOUSE, KANO. Council acknowledged the presentation of the report with appreciation. 2. OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY TO THE STATE GOVERNMENT a) Request for Funds for Renting a 7 Bedroom Duplex with 3 Room Boys Quarters at No. 6 Alu Avenue, Nassarawa G. R. A. to serve as Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company Ltd(KHEDCO) for Three (3) Years:Following the desire and commitment of the present administration for the setting-up of a two (2) State Independent Power Stations, at Tiga and Challawa Gorge Dams coupled with the Implementation Committee effort towards take – off of the projects, led for the establishment of Kano Hydro and Energy Development Company (KHEDCO) Ltd.
ENGR. RAbi’u MuSA KwANKwASO, FNSE Executive Governor, Kano State
The Administration of His Excellency Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE since inception has advocated and ensured the Institutionalization of principle of “Good Governance” as advocated by His Philosophy to drive the State in an efficient way to enhance the economic, political and administrative structures to manage the affairs of the State Affairs at all levels in a manner that is Participatory, transparent, honest, responsive, efficient and accountable, by declaring a zero tolerance for corruption and other corrupt practices. It has also been able to plush out all leakages at the budget Implementation stage i.e. reduction of overhead costs given to MDAs which has helped by saving about N500Million monthly which is subsequently channeled towards the socio – economic development of the State. In addition the Executive Governor has upon all the current security challenges facing the country especially northern part, abolished Security Vote. Furthermore and in keeping with the tenet of accountability and transparency in governance, 98% of the State financial transactions were tabled at the weekly Council Meetings and are thoroughly debated as well as published in national dailies. the administration also initiated measures that jerked up the State internally generated revenue (IGR) from N400Million to over N2Billion monthly. In Furtherance to the noble objectives of the present administration, the Kano State Executive Council held its 167th Sitting on Wednesday 17th September ’2014. During the Sitting, Twelve (12) MDAs Submitted Forty Eight (48) memoranda out of which Twenty two (22) were Approved in the sum of N1,095,459,733.87. Thus: 1. DEPUTY GOVERNOR/HON. COMMISSIONER FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS. Report from the Ad – Hoc Task Force Committee on Visitation of 5KM Road Projects for Inspection Across the 44 Local Government Areas of Kano State:It is pertinent to recall that, since the inception of the present administration effort were continuously made for the construction of 5KM Road Projects across the 44 Local Government Areas. The content of this memorandum is from the Committee set – up to monitor the progress and challenges on the ongoing 5KM projects in the Local Government Areas, as a result of committees work certain observations were made and submitted to Council for consideration as follows; i. That, initial 30% mobilization payment was made to all Contractors and additional payment was also released to many of them. ii. That, the first category of Contractors nearing completion of works deserves additional payment. iii. That, the payment of compensation prior to the Constitution of the Committee at Bichi, Bebeji, Rano and Warawa was made on 22M carriage way width which attracted substantial amount. iv. That, the new guideline for compensation assessment and payment on 16M carriage way on corridors has yielded saving of about 60% of the total cost.
The Office of the Secretary to the State Government submitted a request to Council for the renting of house to be rented which will serve as a convenient office complex to (KHEDCO) for an initial period of three (2) years to facilitate for proper monitoring on activities that would lead to the successful take – off of the power stations. Accordingly, Council considered and approved the release of the sum of N5,750,000.00 as three (2) years rent (including taxes and agency fees) for the commitment. b) Presentation of Update Report on Eighty Nine (89) Pilots Currently Receiving Training at the Mid – East Aviation Academy Jordan (MAA):You may recall that, the present administration had sponsored eighty nine (100) State students to study Pilots at the Mid – East Aviation Academy Jordan for eighteen (18) months which are expected to graduate on 14th and 30th October, 2014 respectively. In this regards, the SSG’s office submitted a request to Council to effect payment of increased allowances to the students and settlement of the Examinations fees of 50% of the students who are to repeat the mandatory English Proficiency Test at the rate of $9,938.00. Council acknowledged the report with appreciation and directed the deduction in the sum of $9,540.00 from the savings currently with the Mid – East Aviation Academy Jordan (MAA). c) Request for Funds for the Procurement of Office Equipment from Ministry of Land and Physical Planning:The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government submitted a request to Council for the procurement of Computers, Printers, Photocopier Machines and Fire Proof Safe in effort to upgrade its three (3) selected Departments (Lands, Deeds and Cadastral) at the sum of N6,179,000.00. Council noted, considered and approved as requested. d) Presentation of Quarterly Progress Report (1st and 2nd) for 2014 and Request for Eight (8) Months Operational Funds from Standing Committee on Ensuring Employment of State indigene by All Organization Operating in the State:The content of this memorandum is from State Standing Committee on Ensuring Employment of State Indigenes by all organization operating through the Office of the Secretary to the State Government submitted its quarterly progress report as highlighted below; i. That the Committee secured employment opportunities to sixty two (62) State Indigenes from some private Schools, Game Store of Ado Bayero Mall, Omega Security Company and Seven Up Bottling Company Plc. ii. That the Committee held meeting with operators of Hydra Guards Kano who requested for posting of 200 Graduates of Kano Corporate Security Training Institute for employment. Furthermore, the committee request for eight (8) months operational funds in the sum of N1,200,000.00. Council acknowledged the report with appreciation and approved the release of the sum of N1,200,000.00 as (January – August, 2014) operational funds. e) Memorandum on the Final Reminder from the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, Requesting for Land to Build Resettlement Hostels for Internally Displaced Persons in the State:-
The content of this memorandum arose as a result of reminder letter received by the Office of the Secretary to the State Government from the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation constituted by the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in October, 2012 aimed at rehabilitating those affected by the 2012 flood disaster requesting for a piece of land to build resettlement hostels for the internally displaced persons. Furthermore, the memorandum reminded the Council that the issue was tabled before it sometimes on 13th August, 2014 where a directives was given to Hon. Commissioner for Land and Physical Planning to request the Presidential Committee for details on the issue and a piece of land to be allocated to them. In this regard, the Office of the Secretary to the State Government endorsed this request to Council with the following recommendations. The Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to provide the following to the Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation in order to enable them construct the aforementioned hostels as follows; i. A piece of land (1.2 – 1.5 hectares) along with survey map where the two (2) block of hostels will be built and ii. Location where new boreholes, water treatment plant will be constructed. Accordingly, Council noted, considered approved and directed Ministry of Land and Physical Planning to keep in contact with Presidential Committee up to the end of the project as well as update the Council on any development. 3. HEAD OF SERVICE Request for Funds for the Payment of 107 Contract Gratuity Staff Second (2nd) Batch:The Office of the Head of Civil Service having observed the usual efforts contributed by the Contractual Staff in the development of the State public sector submitted a request to Council for the payment of 107No. Contract Gratuity Staff second (2nd) Batch in the sum of N27,439,797.73. Accordingly, Council noted, considered and approved as requested for the purpose. 4. MINISTRY OF LAND AND PHYSICAL PLANNING a) Request for Funds for the Revalidation of Contract for the Asphalt Overlay of 21KM Kansakali – Watari – Dansudu Gwarzo Link Road:In an effort aimed at reviewing and revalidating inherited projects in the State, Government through Fact – Finding Committee has identified the Asphalt Overlay of 21KM Kansakali – Watari – Dansudu Road project for completion. The road project was initially awarded to Messrs. SKY Technical and Construction Co. Ltd. by the Ministry of Rural and Community Development on 30th September, 2009 at the cost of N884,366,610.05. Records indicated that the Contractor has reached 40% of the permanent works based on previous Contract Scope, the Contractor was given advance payment in the sum of N442,183,305.05. Furthermore, interim valuation certificate No. 2 to the tune of N110,213,223.26 was raised in favour of the Contractor, however, payment was not effected. Base on this desire to improve the condition of the road, the scope of the project has been reviewed by introducing new items of works, the revised Contract sum was N689,931,619.36. Hence, the value of the work for completion was earmarked at the sum of N339,591,606.61. In this respect the Committee recommended for the revalidation of the Contract upon which the Contractor would be directed to re – mobilize to site for continuation of the project. Accordingly, Council considered and approved the revalidation of the contract at the sum of N689,931,619.36 with completion cost at the sum of N339,591,606.61 and the release of the sum of N238,989,814.01 to the Contractor. b) Request for the Revalidation of Contract for the Construction of
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Monday, September 22, 2014 2 Coat Surface Dressing of Kansakali – Watari – Dansudu – Gwarzo Road (21KM):In line with the Government commitment towards completing all inherited projects in earnest, Government through Fact – Finding Committee has identified the construction of 2 Coat Surface Dress of Kansakali – Watari – Dansudu – Gwarzo road. The road covered the total length of 21KM and 7.3M width single carriage way. The Contract was awarded to Messrs. SKY Tech and Construction Co. Ltd. by the Ministry of Rural and Community Development on at cost of N884,366,610.05. records indicated that the Contractor has reached 40% with advance payment of N442,183,305.03. In pursuant to the Government desire to improve the condition of the road, the scope of the project has been reviewed down ward to the sum of N490,740,382.92 as a result of the removal of the second Coat Surface Dressing. Council considered and approved the revalidation of the contract at the sum of N490,740,382.92 and completion cost at the sum of N146,949,501.47 and the release sum of N39,962,305.90 to the contractor. c) Request for Funds for the Construction of Drainage to Avert Occurrence of Flooding at New Hospital Road through School of Nursing and Midwifery:On the basis of the earlier Council decision for the construction of drainage to control the occurrence of flooding at New Hospital Road through School of Nursing and Midwifery presented by the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning. In this respect, having noted the revisitation of the project site by the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning a report was submitted to Council requesting for the construction of outfall drainage at New Hospital Road through Collage of Nursing & Midwifery at the sum of N14,685,000.00 on contract basis to be supervised by the Ministry. Accordingly, Council considered and approved as requested for the project. 5. MINISTRY OF PLANNING AND BUDGET Memorandum on the Visitation on Study and Technical Assistance to Support the European Union Delegation in Addressing Malnutrition, Poor Health and Household:The Ministry of Planning and Budget received a communication letter from the National Planning Commission on official working visit to the State following the proposed study visit by European Union (EU) Delegation for Identification of Projects under the “Support to Health, Nutrition and Resilience in Northern Nigeria” to be funded under the 11th European Development Fund Window, submitted to Council to note that the team will visit the State from Sunday 21st – Tuesday 23rd September, 2014 for the assessment and therefore soliciting Government Support for the success of the mission. Accordingly, Council noted the presentation of the report with appreciation. 6. MINISTRY OF WORKS, HOUSING AND TRANSPORT a) Request for Funds for the Construction/Furnishing of New Office Complex for Speaker/Deputy Speaker and General Renovation of Principal Officer’s and Other Hon. Members Offices at the State House of Assembly Complex:Having noted the usual commitment of the State House of Assembly Members towards initiating laws that are aimed at improving the socioeconomic well being of the State citizenry, the State Assembly requested for the construction of New Office Complex for Speaker/Deputy Speaker as well as General renovation of Principal Officers and other Hon. Members with a view to improving the condition of working environment forwarded the request through the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport. In this respect, the Ministry having assessed the estimated cost for the construction and furnishing of the new Office Complex of the Hon. Members submitted a request to Council in the sum of N161,556,732.08. Council considered and approved as requested for the commitment. b) Request for Funds for the Rehabilitation of Kanwa – Kwankwaso Road:Considering the importance of road construction and rehabilitation in the State, the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport assessed Kwankwaso junction – Kanwa road with a view to coming up with a proposal for its rehabilitation. The road is characterized by numerous potholes and has an average width of 600M which has completely failed, while, an existing failed and cited drain was also observed at Kanwa Town. The Ministry of Works assessed the works to be done at the sum of N43,497,970.66 on contract basis. Council considered and approved as requested.. c) Request for Funds to Enable Payment for Diesel (AGO) Supplied to the Taskforce on Installation/Repairs/Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights:The Taskforce Committee on the Installation / Repairs / Reactivation of Street and Traffic Control Lights submitted a request through the Ministry of Works, Housing and Transport for the payment of diesel supplied to the
committee for the month of July, 2014. Based on the authenticity of the request, Council approved the release of the requested sum of N101,288,880.00 to the supplier of the stated quantity of diesel supplied to the Taskforce Committee. d) Memorandum on Revised Estimated Total Cost (RETC) for the Construction of Sabuwar Kofa City Gate:The content of this memorandum reminded members of the Council on its earlier approval granted for the reconstruction of Sabuwar Kofa City Gate at the sum of N14,379,169.36. The project has successfully been completed and in the course of execution of the project at beginning there was a road Dualization project which necessitated for the change of design with a view to accommodating the width of the dualised road, therefore the Gate was redesigned and a bill of quantities to the tune of N21,430,255.86 was prepared against the initial sum of N14,379,169.36. It is against this background, the Ministry of Works recommends the Revised Estimated Total Cost to the tune of N7,051,08.86 for Council consideration. Accordingly, Council noted, considered and approved as requested. 7. MINISTRY OF WATER RESOURCES Presentation of Report on the Completion of Garun Malam Water Supply Projects:The Ministry of Water Resources submitted to Council a detail report on the completion of Garun Malam Water Supply Project as part of the measures by the present administration aimed at alleviating the acute shortage of water in the State. Council acknowledged the presentation of the report with appreciation and directed the relevant organization to organize for the commissioning of the project. 8. MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND NATURAL RESOURCES Request for Financial Assistance to the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria for the Conduct of 2014 National Agricultural Show at Karu LGA, Nassarawa State:The content of this memorandum is from the Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources where it received an invitation from the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria to attend this year’s Agricultural Show which will hold from 13th to 16th October, 2014 at the Permanent National Agricultural Show ground at KM 28 Abuja – Keffi Road, Tudun Wada in Karu LGA of Nassarawa State. Accordingly, Council noted the annual performance of the State’s participants at the previous National Agricultural Show and approved for the release of the sum of N6,000,000.00 for the purpose. While the sum of N6,000,000.00 was also approved as Government financial assistance to the National Agricultural Foundation of Nigeria the organizers of Agricultural show. 9. MINISTRY OF HEALTH Request for Government Assistance on Children with Congenital Heart Disease and Offer for Treatment/Surgery (Open Heart) by Two (2) Organizations from USA and India:The content of this memorandum is from the Ministry of Health submitting a request to Council for the treatment of six (6) patients from Kano State with congenital heart diseases by a group of Cardiothoracic Surgeons from USA who will visit Nigeria in September, 2014. Accordingly, Council considered and approved for the release of the sum of N4,980,000.00 for the commitment. 10. MINISTRY OF RURAL AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT Request for Funds to Undertake the Relocation and Replacement of Electricity Poles Along Miller Road in Nassarawa LG:As a result of ongoing construction/rehabilitation exercise that cut across metropolitan Local Government Areas especially rehabilitation of Miller road in Bompai of Nassarawa LG the Contractor has commenced works on the site. However, in the course of construction activities some electrical poles belonging to the Kano Electricity Distribution Company were affected which need to be removed and relocated as a result of road expansion. Based on this, the Rural Electricity Board submitted a bill of engineering measurement and evaluation (BEME) to the tune of N7,301,230.00. Council noted, considered and approved the release of the stated amount. 11. MINISTRY OF EDUCATION Request for Funds for the Up Keep of Public and Voluntary Schools:The Ministry of Education in conjunction with its Parastatals submitted a request for the release of funds for the upkeep of Schools in the first term of 2014/2015 academic season as summarized below; SN Organization No. of Enrolment Amount Cumulative Total School Per Head i. SSSMB 891 504,377 300.00 151,313,100.00 ii. STSB 38 20,594 300.00 6,178,200.00
iii. S MoE HQ iv. SUBEB v. P Voluntary School Total
2 1 12
2,120 210 4,318
300.00 300.00 300.00
636,000.00 63,000.00 1,295,400.00
944
531,619
300.00
159,485,700.00
Council appraised the request, considered and approved for the release of the sum of N159,485,700.00 for the commitment. 12. MINISTRY OF WOMEN AFFAIRS AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT Request for Approval on the Empowerment of Graduates of Kano Reformatory Institute, Kiru (KRIK):Considering the approval granted by the State Executive Council for the smooth implementation of the empowerment of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd batches of 129 Graduates of Kano Reformatory Institute Kiru, who have received additional training at ITF and KEDI D/Tofa that are clustered according to their respective skills, as well as the subsequent directives for the Ministry to submit additional cost to cover for renting of shops/ office for the respective graduates – business/trades. Accordingly, the Ministry conducted survey of the rent payable in respect of the shop/offices and came up with the cost implication and in addition with other omitted incidental expenses including generator for welding, cluster, refreshment and transportation of empowerment material for Council consideration and approval which is in the sum of N2,970,000.00. Council considered and approved as requested. UPDATE ON ACTIVITIES OF THE 167TH SITTING 1. CONDUCT OF MATRICULATION EXERCISE AT KANO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY WUDIL Council noted the conduct of the matriculation exercise of 129no. Post Graduate and 1800no. Undergraduate Students of Kano University of Science and technology, Wudil which was attended by His Excellency Governor Dr. Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE. During the occasion, the Governor appreciated the progress so far made in the University and promised to assist further in other areas of need. 2. COMMENCEMENT OF 2014 CLEAN- UP DRAINAGE EXERCISE Council noted the commencement of the 2014 clean- up drainage exercise which was held on Saturday 13th September’2014 at Gwale LGA, which took up in the presence of the Hon. Commissioner for Rural and Community Development and the Chairman Central Working Committee of Community Development Associations of the State. 3. DISTRIBUTION OF MODERN LIVE BIRD STALLS Council noted and acknowledged the distribution of Modern Live Bird trade stalls to 129 Beneficiaries (live bird traders) at Kurmi Market by His Excellency the Deputy Governor who ably represented His Excellency the Governor. 4. HOSTING OF DANDALIN SIYASA ONLINE FORUM The Executive Governor of Kano State Hosted the Dandalin Siyasa Online forum on 13th – 14th September, 2014 at Government House. This is a follow-up to the last year’s event held in Zamfara State where the Kano State Government pledged to host this years’ event. The Executive Governor of Kano State organized a dinner session at the Government House. Similarly, the Forum embarked on tour to some projects sites executed by the Kwankwasiyya administration i.e. three (3) new cities Kwankwasiyya, Bandirawo and Amana, the two multi million Naira flyovers at K/Nassarawa and Radio Kano, Kofar Kabuga underpass/ subway, Wuju – Wuju way, NEMA Site, Northwest University, Sports Institute Karfi etc. where they commended His Excellency Governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, FNSE for the milestone development and achievement in Kano. 5. GRADUATION OF PLUMBERS AND AUTO-MECHATRONICS TRAINEES During the week a total of 570 Auto-MECHATRONICS sponsored and trained by the state Government under the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) graduated where each was given an empowerment package to start his/ her business. Equally 429 male and 1 female graduated as plumbers under the same program. At the end they were grouped into clusters and given plumbers kits and start- up capital to establish their business. Of particular importance is that all were issued with cooperative certificates and opened an account with the 37 Micro- Finance Banks established by the state Government to assist them boost their business. Signed:
Hon. Commissioner, Ministry of Information, Internal Affairs, Youth, Sports & Culture
www.kn.gov.ng/new
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Monday, September 22, 2014
news south-west 47
Monday, September 22, 2014
PDP Chieftain Opposes Additional Polling Units The chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of a non-governmental, Nigeria For Change (NFC) and a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Lekan Balogun has described the recently created additional polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as a structural rigging perpetrated by the elite saddled with the electoral responsibilities. Speaking with newsmen during the meeting of the group’s BoT in Ibadan yesterday, Balogun lamented that apart from the fact that the figures upon which the exercise was based was fraudulent, it will go a long way in distorting the statistics of the National Planning Commission, thereby making future planning difficult and actual population of the regions difficult to get. By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan
Omisore’s Petition: Aregbesola Hires 8 SANs Osun APC files 257page reply against PDP candidate’s petition By JOSHUA DADA, Osogbo
Osun State governor Rauf Aregbesola has hired eight Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN) to defend him over the petition filed by the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore
The SANs include Chief Akin Olujinmi , Rotimi Akeredolu, Prof Yemi Osinbayo, Kola Awodein, Femi Falana, Kemi Pinhenro, Segun Ajibola. The development came just as the Osun state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) State has filed a 257-page reply against the petition of the Omisore on the August 9, governorship election in Osun State. The APC, which is the sec-
ond respondent in the petition, also filed written statements of 600 witnesses yesterday. Omisore is challenging the re-election of Aregbesola, claiming that the election was marred with fraud. Filing the reply, lead lawyer to the APC, Mr Kunle Adegoke said the respondent, in its reply was asking the tribunal to dismiss the petition of the PDP and its candidate because it is baseless,
frivolous and contentious. He said the reply of the APC contains about 257page where explanations were offered on the happenings in the local governments being challenged by the PDP. He said, “We started filling the reply on Saturday; we have about 600 witnesses that we have prepared their witness statements to counter the allegation of the petitioners.
Oyo Partners SMEDAN To Address Youth Unemployment The governor of Oyo State, Senator Abiola Ajimobi has promised to leverage on the opportunities offered by the small and medium enterprises development agency of Nigeria (SMEDAN) programmes to address the challenges of unemployment and poverty in the state. Ajimobi made the remark during a courtesy visit by Oyo State high powered delegation to SMEDAN management, at the agency’s corporate headquarters in Abuja. The governor who was represented by his deputy, Chief Otunba Moses Adeyemo, noted that poverty and escalating unemployment could be attributed to the disturbing security challenges. By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan
Osun Speaker Wants Election Tribunal To Be Fair The speaker, Osun State House of Assembly, Hon. Najeem Folasayo Salaam has charged members of the Osun State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal to be fair and thorough in the discharge of their duties while adjudicating on the on-going election petitions before them. Hon. Salaam in an interview with our correspondent in Osogbo said members of the tribunal must be ready to protect their integrity in handling the election petitions. He urged the panel to be factual and address the issue as they appear. By Joshua Dada, Osogbo
L-R: Member Central Planning Committee, Fourth anniversary, JKF administration and Commissioner for Environment, Dr (Mrs) Eniola Ajayi; Chairman, Media and Publicity Committee, Mr Yemi Adaramodu and Planning Committee member / Commissioner for Special Duties, Chief Wole Adewunmi, during a press conference on activities marking the fourth anniversary of Governor Kayode Fayemi administration in Ado-Ekiti.
We’ve Fulfilled The People’s Mandate – Fayemi BY ALO ABIOLA,Ado-Ekiti
The Governor Kayode Fayemi-led government in Ekiti State has been described as “purposeful administration that has fulfilled the mandate given to it by the people”. Addressing a news conference to herald the 4th anniversary of the administration at the weekend, the chairman of the anniversary’s Media and Publicity Committee, Hon Yemi Adaramodu said the government has been running workers’ friendly policies and people oriented programmes since it came on board in October 16, 2010 . Adaramodu who doubles as the chief
of staff to the governor disclosed that Dr Fayemi, will on Monday commence a ‘Thank You Tour’ to all the 16 local government areas and 19 local council development areas of the state to kickstart activities marking the anniversary with the theme: “Celebrating a Legacy of Honour and Service”. While noting that the tour was in appreciation of Ekiti people’s unalloyed support to the government, he said the administration has succeeded in delivering on its promises based on policies implemented and execution of projects. He added that 50 projects including the legacy projects spread across the 35
council areas would be inaugurated by the governor during the two week tour. Others are water, roads, hospitals and community empowerment projects. Some of the legacy projects to be commissioned to mark the anniversary include the new Government House; the 12,000 seater Ekiti Parapo Square (the State Pavilion), the Oba Adejugbe Hospital, the College of Technical and Commercial Agriculture and the pilot irrigation project sponsored by the three serving senators in the state. He said the state has never had it so good in terms of incentives and general welfare of civil servants and the public primary and secondary school teachers.
short news Makinde Set To Declare For Oyo Governorship Election Preparations are on top gear for the official public declaration of Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) governorship aspirant in Oyo State, Seyi Makinde on Thursday September 25, at the Polo Ground Eleyele Ibadan. According to the press release signed by his media aide, Alhaji Akeem Azeez there are series of events planned as part of the build-up to the event. This include a press conference which will hold at his campaign headquarters Omi-titun House in Ibadan on Tuesday to give account of itinerary of the public declaration. The event is expected to attract National and zonal leaders of the party, captains of industries, party members from within and outside oyo state and people from all works of life. In a related development Engr Seyi Makinde will play host to a special prayer session for 13 pilgrims he sponsored to perform this year Hajj at his Omititun house Ibadan.
By Adebayo Waheed, Ibadan
Controversy Trails Ekiti LCDA Headquarters ALO ABIOLA, ADO-EKITI
Indications emerged yesterday that two communities were laying claim to the headqurters of the newly created Ikole-West local council development area(LCDA) of Ekiti State. The outgoing government of Dr Kayode Fayemi had about two months ago announced the creation of additional 19 LCDAs in the state including Ikole West
which has Ijesa Isu Ekiti named as its headquarters. Ilamo Ekiti, one of the communities that fell under the LCDA carved out of the present Ikole local government it was gathered was also playing host to some the council workers. It was also learnt that majority of the communities that made up the new council had agreed to make Isaba Ekiti as their headquarters when the committee
for the creation of the councils came to seek their opinion, but contrary to their choice, IjesaIsu/Isaba was announced as the headquarters of the council The junior workers were said to have been resuming for work at Ilamo, while the senior staff report at Ijesa Isu Ekiti since the take off of the LCDA. Speaking on the development, a leading traditional ruler in the area,the Asaba of Isaba Ekiti,Oba
Samuel Idowu Ajibola told newsmen that Ijesa Isu as the headquarters was not acceptable to the people of the communities. He said, “Nobody is ready to go to Ijesa Isu as the headquarters of this council area.When the agitation for the creation of this council began as far back as about 10 years ago , we all resolved that the headquarters be cited here in Isaba, being the centre to all the towns and communities.”
48 news Lagos SPN Condemns Death Sentence On 12 Soldiers The Socialist Party of Nigeria (SPN) has condemned in strong terms the death sentence passed on 12 soldiers by the Brig. Gen. CC Okonkwoled nine-man General Court Martial. This was disclosed in a statement signed by the party’s publicity secretary, Chinedu Bosah yesterday. It said, “It is the height of insensitivity for the affected soldiers to be sentenced to death for protesting against a command that sent them to the warfront in the face of huge numbers of avoidable deaths of soldiers, poor working conditions and absence of effective logistics and weaponry. “We do not support indiscipline. However, soldiers like every other professional have a mind of their own and have a right to protest against unpalatable working/fighting conditions. Soldiers are no robots/zombies and should be treated with decency”. It recalled a similar fate that befell 27 soldiers out of hundreds of soldiers who protested the stealing of their money on July 4, 2008 in Akure, Ondo State and were handed life sentences by the nine-man General Court Martial led by BrigadierGeneral Ishaya Bauka. “These soldiers participated in the United Nations Peace Keeping for six months and were to earn $1,228 monthly and a total allowance of $7,368 but were paid $3,000 by the Nigerian Military”. By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos
Fashola Harps On Good Leadership For Nation Building
Lagos State governor, Mr Babatunde Fashola has called on Nigerians to insist on good leadership which is required for national development. Fashola said this at the weekend while addressing participants at the Annual Conference on Corporate Governance organised by the Society for Corporate Governance in Nigeria held in Lagos. He said at the conference with the theme “Leadership and Governance in the Public Sector”, that leadership is a matter of values. He stated that there is urgent need for the promotion of societal values as the building blocks for good leadership and good governance, adding that every society is solely responsible for the type of leadership and governance that it gets. He said although he had been asked to speak on leadership and governance in the public sector, justice would not be done to the subject if it is limited to that sector, adding that in order to give it a thorough treatment, the private sector must also be included. By George Okojie, Lagos
Monday, September 22, 2014
Lagos Bows To Pressure As Schools Resume Oct 8
By Taiwo Ogunmola-Omilani, Lagos
The refusal of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) to resume work has made the Lagos State government to postpone the resumption date of private and public schools to October 8, 2014. The new date was approved by Governor Babatunde Fashola at a stakeholders’ forum held
yesterday, at the Lagos Television Blue Roof, Agidingbi, Ikeja. The forum was attended by head teachers and principals of schools in the state. According to the governor, the shift is to allow for adequate distribution of necessary Ebola preventive materials in schools across the state. State chairman of the NUT, Mr Adesegun Raheem, had insisted
that teachers would not resume until their requirements are met. The NUT boss listed things that should be put in place as hand gloves for teaching and non-teaching staff, infrared thermo-scanners for the schools, hand sanitisers, running water (not washing hand basins) and creating awareness. “It is based on this that NUT is saying that it is better we
die quickly than slowly and it is better a funeral is held in our honour than for us to be cremated. We give the government from Monday to provide all we asked for, if not, we will not resume. Let us see these things in our schools and we will resume,” he noted. Some parents also kicked against the resumption date, saying it should be extended.
short news
2015: APC Youths Warn Against Violence In Lagos
L-R: All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain Pa Kiki Whenu, APC Lagos State gubernatorial aspirant Mr Akinwunmi Ambode, chairman Apex Leaders Forum of the party Hon Akinsanya Sunny Ajose, chairman Badagry local government area Hon Husitode Moses Dosu and a party leader in the area, Hon Monday Whenu, during Ambode’s consultative meeting with party stakeholders in Badagry division of Lagos State, at the weekend.
We Won’t Allow Our Children To Resume – Parents By Taiwo Ogunmola Omilani, , Lagos
As schools in Lagos State resume new academic session today, some parents have vowed not to release their children until they are satisfied with the measures put in place in schools to protect children from Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). Speaking yesterday with LEADERSHIP, Mrs Mike Okwudili said government should have allowed the children to remain at home till after the Salah festival
before resuming in the schools. “As for me, my child is not going to school this week until we are satisfied with the situations in schools. I will rather employ a lesson teacher for her”, she stated. Mr Sunday Emmanuel maintained that some of the schools are yet to put the necessary preventive measures in place such as sanitiser and infrared Ebola detector, saying children that attend such schools are not safe. He called on both state and federal governments not to rest
on their oars until they defeat the EVD in Nigeria. A parent who refused to mention his name said it is the protection of God that matters, and appealed to teachers to be vigilant. Others who spoke said their children will resume in October after the Salah festival. Lagos State NUT has promised not to resume school today while its sister union, Academic Senior Staff of Secondary Schools (ASSSS), said it is ready to resume work today.
As political aspirants intensify campaigns to clinch party tickets for the 2015 general elections, the Lagos State chapter of All Progressive Youths (APY), an arm of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has warned the aspirants against violent conducts that could cause conflagration in the state. The national president of APY, Comrade Oluwaseyi Bamigbade who expressed concern over the attitude of certain individuals vying under the platform of the party said the aspirants must play by the rules of the game. The group noted that the wrangling between some members of the party in Ojodu Local Council Development Area (LCDA) of the state could result in violence if not well managed. By George Okojie, Lagos
Emir Of Kano Visits Tinubu, Oba Of Lagos By George Okojie, Lagos
The emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II has paid two separate courtesy calls on the leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and the Oba of Lagos, Oba Rilwan Babatunde Akiolu I. Sources close to the APC lead-
er who spoke with LEADERSHIP yesterday on condition of anonymity said the emir was on a thank you visit to the duo, following the role they played in his emergence as the revered Kano monarch. The source added that Emir Sanusi visited Oba Akiolu on Saturday and paid another visit
to Tinubu at his Ikoyi residence yesterday. The source said, “Yes! The emir of Kano was at the Ikoyi home of Asiwaju Tinubu to see him today,” adding that the meeting was held behind closed doors. Emir Sanusi was escorted to the Ikoyi residence of Tinubu by Oba Akiolu yesterday afternoon.
“The only thing I know is that it was a thank you visit to Asiwaju owing to the role he played in his emergence as the emir,” the source added. Emir Sanusi had earlier gone to meet with the Lagos monarch at his Iga Iduganran Palace on Saturday alongside his palace staff.
Monday, September 22, 2014 ‘
MASSOB Crisis Deepens As Information Director Challenges Uwazurike’s Leadership
The embattled director of information, Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Mr. Uchenna Madu has berated the leader of the movement, Chief Ralph Uwazurike over what he described as his role in the recent attacks and propaganda by members of the movement against some notable Igbo leaders across the South East geo-political zone. Mr. Madu expressed regret over the use of MASSOB members by Chief Uwazurike to settle personal scores with politicians of Igbo extraction and other notable Igbo leaders. By Obinna Ogbonnaya, Abakaliki
news south-South south-East 45
‘APC Lawmakers Saved Edo From War’
By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City
A former minister of state for works, Mr. Chris Ogiewonyi has said that if not for the maturity displayed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers in the Edo State House of Assembly (EDHA), the state would have been at war by now. Ogiewonyi, spoke at the launch of a biography of the mother of the state governor, Alhaja Aishetu Oshiomhole titled, “Igovina Emosi” meaning, the “Queen of Ladies” at Iyamho , in Etsako West local gov-
ernmnet area of Edo State at the weekend. The former minister under President Jonathan GoodLuck, said the “rascality” exhibited by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers was capable of throwing the state into chaos if not the way the APC lawmakers handled the issue. According to him, “If not for the courage and maturity with which the APC lawmakers handled the whole affairs; there would not have been peace in this state today. The aim of the PDP lawmakers who have been showing us rascality is to cause
problem in the state but I quite commend the efforts of the APC lawmakers in dousing the tension and also in the way and manner they handled the affairs of the House”. Speaking further, Ogiewonyi who was also a former group managing director of the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) noted that the obligation of the people now was to be supportive of the governor in his efforts to transform the state. He commended the governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole for showing a lot of courage at transform-
ing the state. “We all know the state of things in the state before the coming of Oshiomhole. Raining season was like a curse to the people, especially those living in Benin City. But all this is not history as his touch has continually yield a better result by the day. “Any nation that wants to grow, issue of leadership come to play and any leader that must grow, must be a courageous leader.This is a rare quality that the governor’s mother, through God endowed on Oshiomhole that has seen him performed excellently well in the state today.
short news
Oshiomhole Threatens To Sack Striking Workers
The Edo State government has threatened to sack all striking workers of state owned tertiary institutions if they failed to return back to work today following the declaration of an indefinite strike action by the coalition of unions of the affected institutions. But the coalition of unions of the institutions directed its members to ignore the threat adding that government is determined to stop the strike action embarked upon by the workers rather than addressing the issues in contention. The affected institutions are College of Education, Ekiadolor; College of Agriculture, Iguoriakhi, Institute of Management Technology, Usen and College of Education, Igueben respectively. By Patrick Ochoga, Benin City
Jonathan Is Committed To Your Security, Uzodimma Tells Ndigbo
Chairman of the Political Mobilisation Committee of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator Hope Uzodimma has assured the Igbo speaking people living in any part of Nigeria that President Goodluck Jonathan is committed to the security of their lives and property. Speaking at a meeting of the apex Igbo socio-political body and Igbo leaders from the 19 northern states of the country at Agura Hotel, Abuja at the weekend, Uzodimma urged the people to live without fear or molestation as the president had put in place necessary security measures to protect them. He urged them to live in peace with their neighbors and to always alert security agencies any time theirsecurity was threatened instead of resorting to self defense. Uzodimma who represents Imo West Senatorial District in the upper legislative house and is Chairman of the Senate Committee on Aviation, commended the entrepreneurial spirit of his kith and kin and urged them to continue to do legitimate businesses where ever they lived. By Millie Ibe, Abuja
Ebola: Niger Delta Youths Urge Teachers To Resume
Rivers State Governor Chibuike Amaechi (left) and TV presenter, Adenrele Olufemi, at the 2014 International Fashion Week in Port Harcourt at the weekend. PHOTO BY NAN.
Urhobo Youths Urge Support For Olejeme’s Governorship Bid By Kola Eke-Ogiugo, Asaba
Support for the chairman, Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF) Dr. Ngozi Olejeme mounted yesterday in Asaba as Urhobo youth groups urged Urhobo governorship aspirants to drop their ambition and support her. Chairman, Urhobo Youth Movement, Mr. Joshua Akpomedaye who led a delegation of Urhobo sons and daughters to her campaign headquarters in Asaba, said
Urhobo youths were in total support of her governorship bid. “We are proud of what she has done in in the country. She has eased the pains of Urhobo youths,” he said. The youth leader who described Olejeme as a viable alternative said, “Delta State does not need a leadership that is bereft of ideas but the one that has the will to build.” Receiving the youths on behalf of Dr. Olejeme, chairman, Ole-
jeme Campaign Organisation, Mr. Emmanuel Oritsejolomi Uduaghan said the state would witness unprecedented transformation in 2015. “Delta State needs a capable person to take it to the Promised Land. Olejeme has done well in NSITF and other institutions. She will win the 2015 governorship election based on her popularity, network and the goodwill she has garnered from Nigerians, particularly Deltans.”
Following the insistence of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) that its members will not resume today until their demands on Ebola prevention are met, the Niger Delta Youths for Jonathan (NDYJ) has appealed to the teachers to resume in the interest of the nation. The national coordinator of the Niger Delta group, Prince Ebile Dudu, who stated this in Abuja, during a press conference, commended President Goodluck Jonathanled federal government and the governors of the affected states for their prompt action in combating the danger posed by the Ebola virus. By Ebriku John Friday, Abuja
2015: APC Won’t Accept Those Rejected By PDP In Enugu – Party Chair By Nnamdi Mbawike, Enugu
The Enugu State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has warned that it would not open its doors to political office seekers rejected by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) after the primaries of the ruling party. The APC boss advised those
who want to join the opposition party from the PDP to do so now by registering officially, maintaining that there would be no room for those who would want to come at the ‘injury time’ after being rejected by the PDP. Nwoye, who spoke to newsmen weekend in his office in Enugu, shortly after the end of a meeting with the APC youth
exco and women zonal leaders insisted that the party was not a dumping ground for rejected PDP members. He urged PDP members proposing to use APC as a last resort in 2015 to better look elsewhere or take the bull by the horn by pitching tent with the opposition party now that there are available brooms in the party’s secretariat.
The APC chieftain declared that it would no longer be business as usual, when people in the ruling party would lose primary elections, and immediately fall back to the opposition for the realisation of their political ambition. The APC, he said is presently making serious progress in all the 17 council areas.
50 news NATIONAL Ebola: NTI Governing Council Applauds Management For Sensitising Teachers
The chairman, Governing Council of the National Teachers Institute (NTI), Barr. Ali Sa’ad Birnin-Kudu has on behalf of the council commended the management of the institute for organising a sensitisation workshop for teachers nationwide against the Ebola disease. He gave the commendation during the recent Governing Council meeting at the institute’s headquarters in Kaduna. Barr. Ali Sa’ad said the effort is significant because teachers have a great role to play in arresting the infectious disease and other diseases in Nigeria. He described the move by the institute on the production of the Manual and sample kits as apt and desirable. Earlier on, there was a symbolic presentation of Ebola Preventive Kits to the Chairman of the Council by the Director-General and Chief Executive, Dr. Aminu Ladan Sharehu in the presence of other Council members. Dr. Aminu said it is the responsibility of the Institute to sensitise teachers in the country, whenever there is any epidemic. By Matthew Dike, Lagos
Boni Haruna Faults APC’s Comment On Adamawa The minister of youth development, Mr Boni Haruna has denied the statement credited to the All Progressives Congress (APC) national vice chairman (North-east), Babachair David Lawal, that he said “Adamawa is peaceful.” Addressing the press in Abuja, yesterday, Haruna said it was unfortunate that some people would want to make political gains out of the security challenges in the North-east and the forthcoming Adamawa governorship by-election, saying the bad news for such people is that they have completely missed. By Ekele Peter Agbo, Abuja
‘Automatic Ticket Has Vindicated President Jonathan’ The adoption of President Goodluck Jonathan as the sole presidential candidate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has been described as a vindication of the president’s transformation agenda. The House2House Network for Goodluck 2015, a political non-governmental organisation, made this known yesterday in a statement in which it commended the initiative of the PDP. According to the national coordinator of the Network, Prince Chidi Ibe, the action is an affirmation of the general acceptance of President Jonathan’s resilience at transforming the country. By Chika Otuchikere, Abuja
Monday, September 22, 2014
NUT Laments Plans To Scrap TRCN Cancels celebration of World Teachers’ Day
By Kuni Tyessi, Abuja
The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) has lamented the ongoing plans to scrap the Teachers Registration Council of Nigeria (TRCN), describing the move as unfortunate and an attempt that “clearly shows that the federal government
does not care about the standard of teachers in Nigeria and the much sought-for professionalism of the teaching industry”. The national president, Comrade Micheal Olukoya stated this while emphasising the role of the minister of education, Mallam Ibrahim Shekarau in the establishment of the council and the need to protect it just like other regulatory bodies. He said, “The National Teacher Education Policy 2009 gives the
TRCN very serious responsibilities that touch on the core essence of the profession”. Olukoya stated that the World Teachers’ Day of 2014 will not be celebrated because of the Ebola virus, saying “for this year, the NUT has been constrained to adjust the celebration to suit the prevailing situation in the country vis-a-vis the Ebola virus threat.” He said that instead of celebrations, “teachers should be allowed to use the said day to or-
ganise all necessary sensitisation programmes to get themselves ready for a purposeful resumption of schools from which they will be fully prepared to take appropriate action peradventure any trace of EVD is noticed in their schools.” Meanwhile, parents have joined the NUT to reject the September 22 date of resumption, stating that they will not release their children and wards as the government is yet to put necessary equipment in place which will contain the virus.
short news Pilgrims Laud Yuguda As Bauchi Observes 1st Hajj Airlift For the first time since the creation of Bauchi State in 1976, intending pilgrims to Saudi Arabia from the state were yesterday airlifted from the newly built Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport. The intending pilgrims were full L-R: Bauchi State deputy governor; Sagir Saleh; emir of Bauchi; Alhaji Rilwanu Adamu, emir of Ningi; Alhaji Yunusa Danyaya; of prayers for the emir of Dass; Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu and emir of Dukku; Alhaji Haruna Abdulkadir, at the first airlift of 2014 Muslim pilgrims state governor, Isa at Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa International Airport, Bauchi, yesterday. PHOTO BY NAN Yuguda, for making hajj easier for them this year, even as many expressed joy that “the years of By Abubakar salihi, kano travelling to Kano value would erode. Now the stake- waso said, adding that the party will or Gombe to board holders of the party have come out give everybody, especially delegates The fact that stakeholders of the to say that they have chosen Presi- the chance to choose the best canSaudi Arabia bound PDP recently endorsed President dent Jonathan as their party’s sole didates. aircraft are over” . Goodluck Jonathan to contest as flag presidential candidate without goThe state The governor recalled that when bearer of the party in the 2015 elec- ing for primary election”, Governor he and some of his colleagues were government under tion is further testimony to the un- Kwankwaso noted. the leadership of in the PDP, there was no time when a democratic stance of the party, Kano Governor Isa Yuguda He said the PDP leaders, without candidate was forced on them withState governor Rabi’u Musa Kwank- consultation with appropriate party out holding primary election, addhad early this year waso has said. completed a N13bilsupporters, took the decision, not- ing that even those who were offendHe said this while receiving re- ing that this development would not ed by the then sitting president were lion ultra-modern ports from committees sent out allow the party delegates to choose also consulted for reconciliation as airport. to the 36 states of the federation the best candidate for the party, part of the democratic process of The 530 intendfor consultation on calls for him to which portends victory for the pro- building the party. ing pilgrims who contest the presidency come 2015, spective APC candidate. were airlifted at Governor Kwankwaso pointed out at Africa House, Kano Government about noon yester“I am assuring you that APC lead- that the present leaders of PDP have House, on Saturday. day were addressed ers are committed to doing justice in shown that they are not democrats “Since the five governors de- all of the forthcoming party prima- and the party would definitely lose by the state camped from PDP to APC, I told ries be it at state and National As- the 2015 general election because of Governor.” Nigerians that PDP would become semblies, governorship and even their sheer incompetence and unBy Kareem a weaker party whose democratic the presidential election”, Kwank- democratic attitude to governance. Haruna, Maiduguri
PDP Not A Democratic Party – Gov Kwankwaso
Kaduna APC Chieftains Kick Against El-Rufai’s Nomination As BoT Member By ISAIAH BENJAMIN, Kaduna
Kaduna State chieftain and gubernatorial aspirant of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Salihu Mohammed Lukman and other stakeholders of the party have expressed displeasure at the nomination of Mallam Nasir el-Rufai as a member of the party’s Board
of Trustees representing Kaduna State, describing it as undemocratic. According to the aggrieved party members, it is against the party’s constitution for the state chairman and secretary to make such nomination without consulting with other relevant stakeholders and the state executive of the party on who should represent the state as mem-
ber of APC BoT. Alhaji Lukman who is also the director general of the APC Governors’ Forum, and the other party chieftains from the state made their position known while addressing newsmen in Kaduna at the weekend. He disclosed that he had already petitioned the party’s national ex-
ecutive committee over the anomaly, and called for due process to be followed in the nomination. He urged the committee to immediately inaugurate the state executive committee and the elders’ committee and dissolve the caretaker committee it formed in some local government areas as such action is unconstitutional.
51
Monday, September 22, 2014
SCHOOLS, EDUCATION, & FAITH PLATFORM
TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
SPECIALISED CLASSIFIEDS PAGES NNONO COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT UNION
LEGAL NOTICE
ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIAN FOOTBALL PLAYERS
This is to inform the General Public that the above named UNION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies And Allied Matters Act, 1 of 1990.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
This is to inform the General Public that the above named ORGANISATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for Registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies And Allied Matters Act, 1 of 1990.
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Barr. James Ngwuli 2. Eluwa Friday Ndubuisi 3. Onyekwere Ndubuisi Nwankwo 4. Dr. Obi Amonwu 5. Elder Chief Samuel O. Adieze 6. Chief Okoroafor A. Echewodo 7. Ekpemiro Chikwendu Ibeabuchi 8. Mrs. Nwanneoma Njinkonye 9. Ubani Friday Onuoha AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote unity, peaceful co-existence and community development. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from this publication.
DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS MRS MURNA GAMBO Magistrate Court WHO DIED ON THE 1st November 2013.
APPLICANTS FOR GRANT Blessing James Yaki and Elisha James Yaki Nyanya Area A Block 42 Abuja The daughter and son of the said deceased.
DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To initiate and create a platform and network of serving and retired Nigerian football players based in Nigeria and abroad to cater for their collective and individual interests. 2. To create a network of serving and ex-professional football carrier personnel and to integrate their skill and experience in the development of football in Nigeria. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission, plot 420, Tigris crescent off Aguiyi Ironsi street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days from this publication. Signed: OLUGBENGA OWA ESQ SOLICITOR
SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
Signed: BARR. JAMES NGWULI
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Clement Temile 2. Shaibu Amodu 3. Fred Amata 4. Okpe Mike Idoko
WISDOM FOR WOMEN INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY
LARGE HOUSE INTERNATIONAL MINISTRY
LEGAL NOTICE
This is to inform the general public that the above named Ministry has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja for registration under Part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.
This is to inform the general public that the above named CLUB has applied for registration to Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies And Allied Matters Act No.1 of 1990.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Reverend Onengiye Marjorie Esomowei - Chairman 2. Mrs. Joy Chinwenwa Oguchi 3. Pastor Apakabote Odoms 4. Pastor Kehinde Yejide Emeribe 5. Sundayba Sandra Amachree - Secretary
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Uduononwi Okpo Effiong 2. Uya Uya Okon 3. Uduononwi Barbara Marta 4. Uya Ann Odu 5. Essang Godwin Michael
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the potential in women. 2. To empower, support, encourage, coach, inspire and educate women and their families and bring them to their life’s full potential in Christ Jesus.
AIM AND OBJECTIVE 1. To provide spiritual upliftment and evangelism. 2. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ in Nigeria and all over the world. 3. To organize indoor and outdoor fellowship programmes, outreach, crusades, revivals, seminars and workshops, video, television and radio ministry.
Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420, Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within twenty-eight (28) days of this publication. Signed: CHAIRMAN
Any Objection to the registration should be forwarded to RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, PMB198, Maitama, Abuja within 28th days from the date of publication.
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS APPLICANTS FOR GRANT MUSA AHMED (ZEE OIL AND GAS INVESTMENT) Faiza Musa Ahmed guardian to Nuradeen Musa Ahmed and Aisha Musa Ahmed Zee Oil and Gas Investment Federal Housing Authority Quarters, Nyanya, Abuja WHO DIED ON THE 8th March 2014. The widow, son and daughter of the said deceased. DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014 SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
Signed: BARR. JAMES NGWULI
IKE UMUOHA UNITED ASSOCIATION
P1020 CLUB
LEGAL NOTICE
The general public is hereby notified that the above named Club has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Ndubuisi Nyia 2. kingsley Amagba 3. Ugoeze Asinobi 4. Walter Agbo 5. Alex oyido 6. Chinedu Egbe
- President/ Chairman -Secretary - Member - Member - Member - Member
THE AIM AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To instill a feeling of fellowship and oneness Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the registrar General Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja within 28 days of the publication.
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS APPLICANTS FOR GRANT NDUESO ELIZABETH JACKSON (MRS) Victory Jackson Ndueso and Jackson Udo Ndueso NYSC Quarters Abuja Block 26. Flat 6 Asamankese Street Wuse Zone 2, Abuja WHO DIED ON THE 12th February The daughter and widower of the said 2013. deceased. DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
TRUSTEES 1. TEMPLE ANYATOWN - PRESDENT 2. CHINEDU ONYEAKU - SEC 3. LUCKY NWOGU - MEMBER 4 . NNAMDI UWAOMA CHIGBUNDU - MEMBER AIMS AND OBJETIVES : 1. TO PROMOTE PEACE ,UNITY AND DEVELOPMENT IN UMUOHA AND ENVIRONS (2). TO SUPPORT SOCIO- CUTURAL /POLITICAL ACTIVITIES IN UMUOHA ,ABIA STATE AND BEYOND. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to The Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja within 28 days from the date of this publication. SIGNED THE TRUSTEES
SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
SIGNED: BARRISTER MARTINS AZIKE
The general public is hereby notified that the above mention Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission Abuja for registration under Part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 1990.
FGC WARRI CLASS OF ‘‘89’’
SHILOH WORD OF LIGHT AND POWER MINISTRY
ASSOCIATION OF RAM AND COW SELLERS OF NIGERIA, ALESHINLOYE CHAPTER
The general public is hereby informed that the above named has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.
The general public is hereby informed that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the corporate affairs commission for registration under part “C” of the companies and allied matters act 1 of 1990.
THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS HEREBY INFORMED THAT THE ABOVE NAMED ASSOCIATION HAS APPLIED TO THE CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION FOR REGISTRATION UNDER PART “C” OF THE COMPANIES AND ALLIED MATTERS ACT 1 OF 1990.
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Joseph Uwaifo 2. Gabriel Obunezi 3. Mohammed Musa 4. Ikechukwu Amah 5. Olatunde Ogunyemi 6. Olufunto Adebayo
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Dr. Isu-Oko Ifeanyi B. M. 2. Pst. Mrs. Isu-Okon Maria U. 3. Pst. Eleazar Joseph Onyemauche 4. Deaconess Eleazar 5. Elder Ogbonnaya Lekwa Nnoke 6. Pst. Onyekere Sunday Chibuike 7. Pst. Ajah Abani David
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To cater for the welfare of it members. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: GABRIEL OBUNEZI
For booking or inquiry call
> AUGUstINE 08032325988
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1 To cater for the welfare of members.
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES ARE: 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the registrargeneral, corporate affairs commission, plot 420 Tigris crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Garki, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: SECRETARY
> HENRY UBIMAGO 08068640944
THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. MR. BELLO MICHAEL AFIZE 2. MR. LAWAL ADENIYI ORIYOMI 3. MR. ADEDEJI TAOFEEK ABIODUN 4. MR. ABASS DAMILOLA BOSUN 5. MR. BUSARI AKEEM ATANDA
> GLORIA OKwUM 08038722368
> ABIGAIL sAMBO 08064382438
ANY OBJECTION TO THIS REGISTRATION SHOULD BE FORWARDED TO THE REGISTRAR-GENERAL, CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION, PLOT 420 TIGRIS CRESCENT, OFF AGUIYI IRONSI STREET, MAITAMA, GARKI, ABUJA WITHIN 28 DAYS OF THIS PUBLICATION. SIGNED: SECRETARY
> GLORIA RAPHAEL 08061356519
> GLORIA ODIO 08034285851
> GRACE OJO 08035054444
52
Monday, September 22, 2014
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
LEGAL NOTICE
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUSTICE OF THE FEDERAL CAPITAL TERRITORY, ABUJA
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS APPLICANTS FOR GRANT
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE
Whereas the person / persons whose name is set out in the first column hereunder died intestate on the date and place in the said column. And whereas the parson(s) whose name and address is set out in the second column hereunder claimed the relationship of the said deceased and has applied to the above named court for the grant letters of Administration of the personal property. Notice is hereby given that the said letters of Administration be granted to such person (s) unless “NOTICE TO PROHIBIT’’ the grant thereof is filed in the probate registry of the above named court within twenty one (21) days from the date of publication. SCHEDULE
OKONGWU CHINELO KATE Okongwu Solomon Udechukwu and Okongwu Nnamdi Chukwuoma Federal Ministry of Water Resources Abuja. No 10 Nasarawa Street Garki Modern. WHO DIED ON THE 3RD February The widower and son of the said deceased. 2014.
DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS
APPLICANTS FOR GRANT
DECEASED NAME AND ADDRESS
MR OZOR JONATHAN OKEIYI Federal Ministry of Works WHO DIED ON THE 25th May 2014.
Mrs Mercy Okeiyi and Wisdom C. Okeiyi
PATRICK EJE Patrick Ochuole Evelyn Nigeria Police Force. Behind Empire Kwamba Suleja WHO DIED ON THE 17th October The daughter of the said deceased. 2008.
DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
Opposite Yoruba Mosque, Dutse Alhaji The widow and son of the said deceased.
APPLICANTS FOR GRANT
DATED AT ABUJA THIS 19th DAY OF SEPTEMBER, 2014
SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
LOSSOF loss OF ofDOCUMENTS document DOCUMENT LOSS
LOSSOF loss of OFDOCUMENTS DOCUMENT document LOSS
SIGNED BARR. HAFSAT SADIQ FOR: PROBATE REGISTRAR
LOSSOF loss OF ofDOCUMENTS DOCUMENT document LOSS
This is to inform the general public of the Loss of ReCertification and Re-Issuance of C of O with Ref No. PL 10085 inrespect of plot No. 131 measuring 1,243.09sqm located within NBORA, Abuja dated 19/4/2006 (II) Original site plan showing plot NBORA/C06/131 belonging to Godfrey B. Shitgurum. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found kindly return to the nearest police station or contact Dr. Godfrey Bawa Shitgurum on 08033142869. General public should please take note.
This is to inform the general public of the LOSS OF ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF STATUTORY RIGHT OF OCCUPANCY. FEDERAL CAPITAL TERITORY ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF LAND ADMINISTRATION WITH FILE NO.: MFCT/LA/ KT 946. PLOT NO.: 1382, JAHI BO8 DISTRICT, ABUJA, BY THE NAME AMINU AHMADU KAROFI DUTSINMA. All efforts made to trace this missing document proved abortive. If found, please return to the nearest police station or call 08029055189
This is to inform the general public of the Loss of Original Conveyance of Provisional Approval, Certificate of Occupancy (Customary) No. FCT/ GAC/RIA/MISC/7976 Land Allocation Receipt, GAC 09183 and right of Occupancy No. FCT FCT/ GAC/RIa/MISC/7976, issued by Gwagwalada Area Council FCT Abuja got missing. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found kindly return to the nearest police station. General public should please take note.
LOSSOF loss OF ofDOCUMENTS document DOCUMENT LOSS
This is to inform the general public of the Loss of the original letter of allotment, receipts of payment etc inrespect of plot No. 708, Wuye, Phase II cadastral zone B3 Fct Abuja in the name of Victor Adanu. All efforts made to trace the said documents proved abortive. If found kindly return to the nearest police station or contact BARR W. J. GANKON on 08035398708. General public should please take note.
LOSSOF loss of OFDOCUMENTS DOCUMENT document LOSS
LOSSOF loss OF ofDOCUMENTS DOCUMENT document LOSS
This is to inform the general public of the loss of original power of attorney belonging to DEO Gratias International Schools Ltd, and Donated by Jamillaville School, file No. MISC 52398 was reported missing sometimes in July 2014. All efforts made to trace the said document proved abortive. If found, please contact the nearest police station. General public to please note. Signed: Management Deo Gratia Int’l School Ltd
This is to inform the general public of the Loss of Allocation Letter with Reference NO; FHA/EST/FCT/MA/3BF/3/4 Dated 2/7/1992, 29/5 /92 and 3/12/92 respectively for the FHA Property located at MAITAMA FHA: BLOCK 3, A CLOSE LS(D) ROAD. The said document belongs to ABDULRAZAK .B. TUKUR. All efforts made to trace it proved abortive Federal Housing Authority and the general public should please take note.
LOSSOF loss OF ofDOCUMENTS document DOCUMENT LOSS
LOSS of loss OF document DOCUMENT ADDITION OF NAME
This is to inform the general public of the Loss of a file containing the following original documents belonging to Hon. Terwase Orbunde: 1. Acknowledgement letter in respect of file No. BN10345 2. Letter of offer in respect of plot No. 715 Wuye District, Cadastral Zone B03 Abuja issued by Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) Ministry of Federal Capital Development, Abuja. All efforts made to trace the missing documents proved abortive. If found kindly return to the nearest police station. General public should please take note.
We decided to add ofoegbu to our surname, therefore henceforth wish to be called and addressed as: 1. Mr onyirioha-ofoegbu Reginald Emeka - Husband 2. Mrs. Onyirioha-ofoegbu francisca okwuchukwu - wife 3. Onyirioha amarachi onyirioha ofoegbu amarachi emmanuela - daughter 4. Onyirioha ofoegbu gregory ikechukwu - son 5. Onyirioha ofoegbu philip okechukwu - son 6. onyirioha ofoegbu andrew uchechukwu - son
ONYE
I formerly known and addressed as MISS MORAH CHIBOGWU FAUSTINA now wish to be known and address as MRS ONYE CHIBOGWU FAUSTINA. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
princess
I formerly known and addressed as miss Princess Adaku Joy Umezurike now wish to be known and address as mrs princess Adaku joy Nkuma.All former documents remain valid for Nigeria Police Force and General Public to note please.
Yahaya
I formally known and called Yahaya Ibrahim Yayari now wish to be known and addressed as Yahaya Ibrahim. All former documents remain valid. The general public to please take note.
MUMBOR
I formerly known and addressed as MRS IBANGA-OKON RUBY UYAS now wish to be known and address as MISS MUMBOR RUBY UYAS. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
JULIET
I formerly known and addressed as JULIANA EGBITA now wish to be known and address as JULIET FRIDAY IMIDOWOJO OGWU. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
All formal documents remain vaild and the general public take note.
NNABUIFE
I formerly known and addressed as MISS NWENE CHIOMA CYNTHIA now wish to be known and address as NNABUIFE CHIOMA CYNTHIA. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
TAIWO
I formerly known and addressed as TAIWO BILIKISU OLAIFA now wish to be known and address as MRS TAIWO BILIKISU OMOJASOLA. All former documents remain valid. Nigeria Police Force Authority and the general public to note please.
ABIOYE
I formerly known and addressed as MISS OLORUNSHEUN MARY now wish to be known and address as MRS ABIOYE MARY. All former documents remain valid. Kogi State Polytechnic and the general public to note please.
SUNDAY
I formerly known and addressed as SUNDAY FIDELIS ODOH now wish to be known and address as SUNDAY FIDELIS UGWUANYI. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
NWAEZE
EZECHUKWU
I formally known as MISS ORUCHE EBERE CHIKA now wish to be known and addressed MRS EZECHUKWU EBERE CHIKA. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
AMINA
I formerly known and addressed as MISS BENSON PATRICIA OMON now wish to be known and address as MRS NWAEZE PATRICIA OMON. All former documents remain valid. General public to note please.
I formally known as AMINA OSHIKOYA now wish to be known and addressed AMINA NURUDEEN. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
NNAJI
CHANGE OF NAME
I formally known as UDO NNAJI BEN UDO now wish to be known and addressed NNAJI BENARD IFEANYI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
ENYINNAYE
I formally known as NZEADIBE EMILIA AKUDO now wish to be known and addressed MRS ENYINNAYE EMILIA AKUDO. All former documents remain valid. Code of Conduct Bureau and the general public to please take note.
I formally known as MISS ANULIKA CATHERINE SANDRA ODINIGBO now wish to be known and addressed MRS ANULIKA SANDRA ANENE. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
GLORIA
1X1 SPACE FOR SALE
FATIMA
I formally known as MISS FATIMA AMINU BUKAR now wish to be known and addressed MRS FATIMA AMINU BUKAR. All former documents remain valid. Ahmadu Bello University Zaria and the general public to please take note.
I formally known and called MISS GLORIA EBHOJAIYE now wish to be known and addressed as MRS GLORIA OKOJIE. All former documents remain valid. The general public to please take note. 2X2 SPACE FOR SALE
1X1 SPACE FOR SALE
HELEN
I formally known as TAIWO ADETI now wish to be known and addressed MRS HELEN TAIWO ONI. All former documents remain valid. General public to please take note.
Signed: Renaissance Chambers
2X2 SPACE FOR SALE
53
Monday, September 22, 2014
CONGRATULATIONS OUR WORThy
AmbAssAdors
DR. AMUDA-KANNIKE ABIODUN
DR KAyODE JOShUA OLATOKE
hAKEEM OLATUNDE LATUNDE AfOLABI
The Government and people of Kwara State felicitate with these worthy sons of the State conferred with the exalted Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SAN), by the Legal Practitioners Privileges Committee 路 Dr Amuda-Kannike Abiodun 路 Dr Kayode Joshua Olatoke 路 Hakeem Olatunde Afolabi The conferment of SAN on you is a testimony of your commitment to the ideals of the legal profession as the baston of hope of the common man.
Congratulations, worthy ambassadors of Kwara state.
Signed:
Dr. AbDulfAtAH AHmeD
Executive Governor of Kwara State
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Monday, September 22, 2014
Kaduna United Thrash Crown FC 5-0 By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja
Kaduna United Football Club yesterday thrashed visiting Crown FC of Ogbomosho 5-0 in a Globacom Nigeria Professional Football League week 27 fixture in Kaduna Township Stadium. Siman Yusuf opened scoring for the homers in the first minute of the game and later made it
scored a brace in the 6th minute, while Musa Suleiman scored the third goal for the Kaduna side in the 47th minute after two minutes was added at the end of the first half. Yusuf who emerged the man of the match scored a hat-trick for himself while Ani Marshal scored the fifth goal in the 67 minute. Coach Lawrence Akpokona of
Crown said he had no problems with the goals conceded by his side, but was quick to say his side had a bad day, but blamed his defence line for most of the goals conceded. On his part Coach Saleh Barnabas said his side were able to win the match because of the restructuring going on in the team.
Dahiru Wins 2014 NB NDA Open Golf By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja
Audu Dahiru from Zaria Golf Club grossed 146 to emerge the winner of the 2014 edition of the Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc Open Golf Tournament concluded yesterday at the NDA Golf Club, Kaduna In the ladies’ category, Amina Winifred of IBB Golf Club grossed 144 to emerge winner, while COS Ikhwon the veterans’ category with gross. In his speech after the presentation, NB Brewery Manager, Kaduna Engr. Titus Ezema said that this year’s tournament is unique for his company and the host golf club. “This year’s tournament is holding at a special time that the Nigerian Defence Academy is celebrating her 50th anniversary. This period is also historic to us in Nigerian Breweries Plc Kaduna,
especially like two of a kind, when the brewery is also marking her 50th anniversary,” he said. Speaking further, he said that as a company, they have developed strong friendship and partnership with the military, with the greater part of their 50 years of brewing operational excellence in Kaduna. “In spite of all the socioeconomic challenges we have continued to put in our very best to steer the company to great operational excellence. Through our corporate social responsibility (CSR) platform, we keep in close touch with key stakeholders like you. Our CSR agenda is designed to positively impact our society and touch various aspects of our community life by giving back and supporting in the areas of Education, Water supply, Health Care, Agriculture and Sports sponsorships,” he added.
Engineer Ezema explained that the company has contributed enormously in her Corporate Social Responsibility to the immediate host communities over the past five years. Ranging from the provision of portable drinking water, provision of classrooms and also in the health sector, which is a significant landmark under the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). “Nigerian Breweries Plc is the foremost brewery in Nigeria with 8 brewery locations in Lagos, Aba, Kaduna (Kakuri &Kudenda), Ibadan, Enugu, Ota, and Onitsha. It is one of the most capitalized Company quoted on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE). “Today, we have once again shown our commitment in supporting sports for positive transformation as it keeps getting bigger and better every year.”
Head Brewer, Nigerian Breweries Plc Kaduna, Mr. Samuel Amoforitse (left) presenting a refrigerator and plaque to Mr. Audu Dahiru the overall winner of NB NDA Open Golf Tournament 2014 in Kaduna yesterday.
Scrabble Players Set For Akpabio Scrabble Classic This year edition will be bigger than last year. It would be bumper show this year even though the Ebola scare is going affect foreign participation Suleiman Gora, Nigeria
Scrabble Federation President, Suleiman Gora
Van Persie
By SALIFU USMAN, Abuja
Nigerian scrabble players have shifted their focus to the 8th Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classic (GAISC) kicking off on Wednesday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State capital. The annual championship which will serve as qualifiers for Nigerian players to the African Scrabble Championship (ASC) that will hold in Cape Town, South Africa next month will witness the presence of all Nigerian top professional both local and foreign base. The international event are split
three categories of open, veteran, intermediate and master. According to president of the Nigeria Scrabble Federation (NSF), Suleiman Gora, after the event, the top 20 players will earn automatic qualification to the ASC championships next month in South Africa. The event will also drew Players from around the world, including the current world champion, Nigel Richard and former world champion, Pakorn Nemitrmansuk from Thailand, who won the sixth edition of the Godswill Akpabio International Scrabble Classic are featuring in the tournament adjudged to be the highest paid
scrabble event in the world. US based Sammy Okosagah is defending championship after beating London Olatunde Oduwole to win the last edition. “This year edition will be bigger than last year. It would be bumper show this year even though the Ebola scare is going affect foreign participation,” he said. The Classics which kicks off on Wednesday September 24 carries a grand prize of $22,000 for masters category, $10,000 for intermediate and $18,000 for Open and Veterans in addition to other consolation prizes in all the categories.
Nigel Richards
2014 WORLD CUP SUPERSTARS
Onazi To Extend Lazio Stay
Name: Robin Van Persie Date of Birth: August 6, 1983 Place of Birth: RotterdamClub: Manchester UnitedWorld Cups: 3
Nigeria international Ogenyi Onazi could put off potential suitors as reports have suggested he will extend his contract with Lazio until June 2018. The Super Eagles midfielder’s current deal at the Serie A outfit expires in 2016, and there had been reported interest from the Bundesliga and the Premier League for his services. Onazi However, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, his agent, Yesterday’s EPL Results Jonathan Barnett, agreed to a 1 - 1 Chelsea Man City new deal for the 21-year-old to 5 - 3 Man United Leicester remain in Rome. 0- 1 Westbrom Tottenham The player’s salary is set to tri2 - 3 Crystal Palace Everton ple with a 10 million Euro buy-out Follow these reports on leadership.ng/sports
A change of manager and an injury have meant Robin van Persies club momentum has slowed a bit this year, but it’s worth reminding ourselves that his 26 goals for Manchester United in 2012113 dragged what most regard to be an average Manchester United side to a comfortable Premier League title. He followed that by becoming Holland’s highest ever goalscorer as
the Dutch side thrashed Hungary 8-1 in qualification for the World Cup. Van Persie was the highest goalscorer in the UEFA qualification zone - out of 53 European teams - with an amazing 11 goals to his name in iust 9 games. Van Persie is a class act in the mould of other Dutch greats, a creative player with exceptional technique and a versatility in his position that makes him incredibly useful to any manager. His killer eye for goal and a lethal left foot gives him a very special talent indeed. Some argue that RVP disappointed at South Africa 2010.
Monday, September 22, 2014
Lampard
Lampard Ends Mourinho’s Perfect Start Frank Lampard came back to haunt Chelsea as 10-man Manchester City rallied to earn a share of the spoils after a dramatic encounter at the Etihad Stadium. Andre Schurrle applied a clinical finish to Eden Hazard’s superb cross to give the Blues the lead on 71 minutes, shortly af-
ter Pablo Zabaleta had received a second booking for bringing down Diego Costa. Costa then struck a post before Lampard, on as a second-half substitute, volleyed James Milner’s cross beyond Thibaut Courtois with five minutes left to give the Premier League champions an unlikely equaliser.
Nigeria Drops To 24th In Latest FIBA World Ranking For Men By ONJEWU DICKSON, Abuja
The D’Tigers, national men’s team of Nigeria have dropped six places to 24th in the latest FIBA World rankings released on Monday after the FIBA World Cup ended in Spain. Nigeria, despite dropping 6 places maintain 3rd position in Africa behind unmoved Tunisia in 23rd and African champions Angola, who dropped one place to 16th. The rest of Africa’s top 10 on the rankings include Cameroun 43rd, Cape Verde 50th,
Central African Republic 55th and Morocco in 59th position in the world. World Top 10 The United States, Spain, Argentina and Lithuania remain the top four countries in the FIBA Men World Ranking. France after winning her first world basketball medal by overcoming Lithuania in the 3rd place match, moved up three places to 5th. While surprise World cup finalist Serbia, moved to 7th from 11th place behind Russia 6th. Turkey, Brazil and Greece complete the top 10 basketball nations in the world.
NIPOGA Games: Bida Poly To Host 10,000 Athletes By IGHO OYOYO, Abuja
Bida in Niger State is expected to host a total of 10, 000 contingent and participants from November 5 to 15 2014, and the athletes are to engage themselves in another battle for supremacy in the 18th edition of the Nigeria Polytechnic Games Association (NIPOGA), at the Bida Federal Polytechnic in Niger State. The President of “NIPOGA 2014” who also the Rector of the Federal Polytechnic Bida Engr. Abdullahi Sule, while speaking at the weekend in Abuja at the 500 million naira fund raising and unveiling of the mascot of the game disclosed that the institution is ready to break records of the prestigious games adding that not less than 10,000 athletes will participate in this year’s edition. Engr. Sule, stated that no efforts would be spared in making sure that all athletes from the various polytechnics compete on brand new ultra-modern facilities in Bida. He said: “NIPOGA is a bi-annual sporting fiesta that involves participants and contingents drawn from all polytechnics and colleges of technology in Nigeria to converge at a host institution to compete and win laurels in various games and athletics events.
“The essence of this game among very numerous gains is to give teeming youths in our tertiary institutions avenue to cool off from lecture room activities and participate in sporting events. It is obvious that this event is a catching avenue for promising sports men and women for national teams. “Also, NIPOGA is poised to capitalize on sports to take the minds of our youths from activities detrimental to national development as well as an avenue for fostering unity among nations and nationalities. “It is expected that Bida Polytechnic will host over ten thousand contingent at this year’s edition tagged: NIPOGA BIDA2014 come November 5th to 15th 2014.,” he said. On the fund raising, Engr. Sule, noted that NIPOGA is a gigantic project which his school alone cannot handle, therefore calling on the federal government, Niger State government, corporate organizations and other public spirited Nigerians to come to the aid of the institution to host the most successful games ever. It would be recalled that Lagos State Polytechnic LASPOTECH, emerged as overall winners of the 17th edition hosted by Federal Polytechnic Ede, Osun State
sports 55
AMUSEMENT PARK i don’t deserve any credit for turning the other cheek, as my tongue — Flannery O’Connor is always in it
22.09.14
for god and country
MONDAY
www.leadership.ng
No. 2,260
N150
Guest How To Run A Winning Columnist Presidential Campaign ayisha Osori
T
Despite the presence of a killer disease like Ebola skulking around and about two major cities, steel yourself to criticism and allow thousands to rally across the country to insist on your candidature
he presidential elections are only 146 days away. As only one person has not directly started campaigning for the 2015 presidency, it is important that aspiring contestants understudy the campaign strategies of those who are paving the way. One: Say ‘I don’t give a damn’ on national television and follow up with action to show that you mean what you say. Whether it is not giving a damn about security, murdered boys and kidnapped girls or whether it is not giving a damn about the public’s confusion about the difference between corruption and mere stealing – take every opportunity to let the electorate know that you do not care what they think. Two, do your best to prove how tuned in you are to global affairs by only paying attention to what the international media says. You can do this by completely ignoring what is going on around you and what people are rallying about until the story is picked up by the foreign media. Then you can jump all over the issue and start releasing press statements. Three: Never mind that the election schedule released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) advises that political campaigns for the Presidency starts on November 16 2014 - you must have the liver or some other constitutional authority to flaunt this rule and allow thousands of groups campaign on your behalf.
Jega
Four, despite the presence of a killer disease like Ebola skulking around and about two major cities, steel yourself to criticism and allow thousands to rally across the country to insist on your candidature. Five, put on the equivalent of triple layered eye patches over both your eyes as members of your cabinet join some of the rallies across the country calling for you to run. Ignore those who talk nonsense about a conflict of interest between their position as public servants in charge of ministries and departments and your political ambition. After all, they are political appointees and since they survived a cabinet reshuffle or recently replaced others, they must know what their key duties are between now and the elections. Six, do not, even for a nano-second, consider the cost of all the campaigns being executed on your behalf. What does it matter where the money comes from for all the television adverts reported to be already at the 1B Naira mark? If people linked to oil bunkering and subsidized fuel importation want to pay for mega billboards, human mobilization, shoddi-
ly built podiums and the accompanying paraphernalia of campaigns, why should that concern you? Did you send them? Seven: Rack up awards specially created for you such as being the winner of the ‘most inappropriate political hash tag of the year’ or be the unforgettable person who waited for a foreign seventeen year old’s counsel to see his own people. Eight: cheerily create suspicion around the general elections e.g. with an order to INEC to award the contract for the printing of ballot papers to the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC). If the management of the NSPMC hadn’t been recently freshly minted and if this organization was not home to scandals such as N2 Billion growing legs and walking into the sunset without a trace, then maybe this order might have been seen as sensible and patriotic. Refuse to be distracted by questions about why the NSPMC was not allowed to print the ballot papers for Osun and Ekiti in order to test their preparedness. Nine, be generous with photo-ops with those in the same sphere of influence
with you. It looks good on Twitter and Facebook to have presidential candidates taking pictures with other powerful and important people even if they have been accused of being behind some of the worst atrocities your country has ever faced. After all, everyone is innocent until proven guilty and those who own $72Million Gulfstream jets are deemed more innocent than those without. The only time your picture should be photo shopped into pictures with people who are not powerful is when it is as part of a campaign ad showing how you care about the impoverished and wounded. Finally, please make sure that this campaign strategy is only executed in a country of over 160 million people who have been so whipped by decades of military rule and brain washed by ethno religious sentiments that they cannot think straight. It is the only way this campaign will work and you can be assured peaceful victory.
GHANA MUST GO I now have first right of refusal on PDP ticket — President Jonathan
Come on, stop pretending!
leadershiP (issn 0331-328X) is published in abuja by LEADERSHIP GROUP LIMITED, 27 ibrahim tahir lane, off shehu musa yar’adua way, utako district, abuja. Advert: 08107181220 (abuja), 08033257681 (lagos) News: 08038099089 P. o. Box 9514, garki ii, abuja. lagos office: 34/36 adegbola street, anifowose, off oba akran, ikeja. e-mail: info@leadership.ng, advert@leadership.ng, newsroom@leadership.ng
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Monday, September 22, 2014
We rejoice as our
amiabel leader
adds another
year His Excellency
Dr. IbrahIm ShEhU ShEma CON
Sarkin Yakin Hausa, Sarkin Fulanin Katsina, Lamido Fulben Gusau, Attah Ojah Igala, Enyi Kwon 1 of Ezeokwe Executive Governor, Katsina State I wish to rejoice with His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Katsina State, Dr Ibrahim Shehu Shema, CON, fnim (Sarkin Yakin Hausa, Sarkin Fulanin Katsina, Lamido Fulben Gusau, Attah Ojah Igala, Enyi Kwon 1 of Ezeokwe) as you mark yet another birthday.
Your Excellency sir, we cannot forget in a hurry, your commitment to youth empowerment through the establishment of youth craft village and the giant strides recorded in the area of youth development from the inception of your administration to date.
Your Excellency Sir, we join millions of well-wishers and indeed the teeming people of Katsina State to felicitate with you on this momentous occasion. May almighty Allah grant you good health and many more years as you continue to provide sterling leadership.
Indeed, the list is endless.
In a day like this, we cannot help but applaud you for your commitment, determination and dedication which have resulted in the developmental strides in different sector of our dear state. Your Excellency’s sterling leadership is manifest in different sectors for example, in the health sector you established Katsina 250 Bed; Orthopeadic Hospital, numerous comprehensive health centres and have remained committed to ensuring free distribution of drugs. It is on record that you constructed numerous roads which has further opened up the entire state, you provide free education, payment of WAEC, NABTEB and NECO fees, approved the implementation of teachers’ salary scale (TSS) for teachers in the state and your administration has consistently supported capacity building for teachers. Mention must be made of the fact that you approved the implementation of CONMESS and CONHESS which has helped in boosting the morale of our health workers.
We wish to use this opportunity to once more, applaud you for the peaceful conduct of council polls in the state. Your commitment to ensuring grassroots development is made more manifest by the inauguration of elected councils at the local government levels. We congratulate Our transparent Governor, Emirs of Katsina and Daura and the entire citizens of Katsina State on the 27th Anniversary of the state. But in all of this, we believe what stands you out the most is the fact that you did all this and many more that space could not allow us to mention without BORROWING from within or outside the country. May Allah continue to guide, protect and give you the strength and foresight to continue to deliver service to the people.
Once again, cOngratulatiOns sir! Long live Katsina state! Long Live Federal Republic of Nigeria!!
Your administration’s policy of providing free education at primary and secondary school levels, sponsorship of students for oversea studies in Egypt, Jordan, Sudan and USA etc and giving topmost priority to education no doubt reaffirm your dogged commitment in repositioning education in the state. Signed: In the area of agriculture, which is the mainstay of our economy, your administration has been consistent in providing fertilizers, improved seeds, chemicals and all the necessary incentives to boost farming. Our farmers now have real value for their investments in farming. The Katsina songhai initiative which is repositing agriculture is a step in the right direction just as the distribution of tractors and the implementation of animal traction etc to farmers.
Hon. SaliSu YuSuf Majigiri Garkuwan Gabas Katsina, Wazirin Iyan Katsina Chief Of Staff To His Excellency, Dr. Ibrahim Shehu Shema, CON, Fnim
Monday, September 22, 2014
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Monday, September 22, 2014
2014 JOINT TETFUND/FIRS INTERACTIVE FORUM The Board of Trustees, Management and Staff of Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) cordially invite all participants to the 2014 Joint Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund)/Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) Interactive Forum with the theme: “Impact of Strategic Partnership in the Collection of Education Tax” scheduled to hold as follows:
The Forum is being organised with a view to strengthening the cordial working relationship between Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) and Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS). Attendance is strictly by invitation, please. Signed: Management
Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) No. 6, Zambezi Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Stree Maitama, Abuja, FCT 07098818818; 07098818817; 08033497675; 08056800927; 09-5236611; 08023092070 www.tetfund.gov.ng