12344 friday, july 10, 2015 binder1 by Newtelegraphonline

Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS /newtelegraph

Vol. 2 No. 506

Friday, July 10, 2015

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

Minority leadership: Akpabio lobbies PDP NWC

CBN probes banks over public sector revenue accounts Ayodele Aminu

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has begun probing banks to ascer-

tain those that have complied with its directive on the transfer of public sector revenue accounts to the central bank account.

New Telegraph learnt yesterday that the investigation followed the expiration of the June 30, 2015 deadline that the banking watchdog set for the

exercise. “Yes, the CBN examiners were in our bank. They spent just a few hours and they found

N150

entertainment

I don’t dress for people’s approval –Cynthia Morgan

}25

CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

Court remands Lamido, sons in Kano prison lGrants Ohakim N270m bail

QuickRead

South-East markets shut over Boko Haram prisoners' transfer }47

Synagogue rejects coroner's verdict }12 Boko Haram: US pledges more support for Nigeria

PDP to sanction deputy spokesman }5

L-R: United States Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. James Entwistle; Deputy Secretary of State, Mr. Anthony Blinken and U.S. Assistant Secretary of State, Ms. Linda ThomasGreenfield, during a press conference on the outcome of their meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari, in Abuja…yesterday.

Bomb scare in P'Harcourt as court sacks Rivers council chairmen }5, 8

lTribunal refuses Wike's request to stop inspection of electoral materials

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Court remands Lamido, sons in Kano prison Tunde Oyesina and Muhammad Kabir

he Federal High Court, sitting in Kano, yesterday ordered former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, and his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, to be remanded in prison custody till September 28. Also remanded along with them is one Aminu Wada Abubakar with whom they were arraigned on a 28-count charges bordering on corruption and money laundering, totalling N1.351 billion. While the Lamidos will be in prison from yesterday, two other former governors, Mr. Ihedi Ohakim (Imo) and Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa) began their battle for bail. The duo was remanded in prison custody on Wednesday by the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, where they were being tried for defrauding the state. The court, however, admitted Ohakim, who is being tried for allegedly stealing $2.29 million, to bail in the sum of N270 million. Nyako is expected to begin his battle for bail before Justice Evoh Chukwu.

While trying Lamido and his sons, Justice Evelyn Anyadike ordered the accused persons, who were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for receiving N1.35 billion bribe from a government contractor, to be taken to prison custody. The accused persons were also arraigned alongside four companies in which the Lamido family allegedly has interest. The companies are Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited, Bamaina Aluminum Limited and Speeds International Limited. According to the charge sheet, Lamido allegedly abused his position as governor of Jigawa State between 2007 and 2015, by awarding contracts to companies where he has interest, using his two sons, Aminu and Mustapha, as front. One of the counts in the charge reads: "That you, Alhaji Sule Lamido (while being the governor of Jigawa State, Nigeria), Aminu Sule Lamido, Mustapha Sule Lamido, Bamaina Holdings Limited, Bamaina Company Nigeria Limited and Speeds International Limited between 15th October and

18thDecember, 2008 within the jurisdiction of this honourable court, did convert an aggregate sum of N124, 649, 915 paid by Dantata & Sawoe Limited into the account of Speeds International Limited domiciled with an old generation bank at Kano which fund you reasonably ought to have known to be proceeds of an unlawful act of Alhaji Sule Lamido who was a public officer within the meaning of the Code of Conduct for Public Officers as prescribed under the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) to wit; engaging in private business by a public officer, using the said company in which he is a director and a shareholder, and to whose account he is a signatory; with the aim of concealing the illicit origin of the said sum and you thereby committed an offence punishable under Section 14 (A) of the Money Laundering Act, 2004.â&#x20AC;? But when the charges were read to the quartet, they pleaded not guilty. The defence counsel, Mr. Offiong Offiong (SAN), told the court that he had filed an application for bail and urged the court to grant his request. Prosecuting counsel,

Chile Okoroma, objected to the request, seeking more time to respond to the application. He prayed the court to remand the accused persons in prison custody as the EFCC holding facilities in Abuja and Kano were already overstretched. After considering the submissions of the two counsels, Justice Anyadike remanded the quartet in prison custody pending the determination of their bail application and adjourned further hearing in the case till September 28. However, the arraignment of Lamido and his children was heralded by drama as supporters of the former governor threatened to disrupt the court session. The detachment of policemen at the court had a hectic time before they could restore order. The travails of the Lamidos began in 2012 when one of his sons, Aminu, was arrested by EFCC operatives at the Aminu Kano International Airport, Kano, for failing to declare $40,000 found on him. He was prosecuted and convicted; with 50 per cent of the undeclared sum forfeited to the Federal Government. But a probe into the

source of the funds led investigators to discover a web of corruption and money laundering involving members of the former governors and their cronies. Also yesterday, the Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, granted Ohakim bail in the sum of N270 million. The EFCC is prosecuting Ohakim over alleged N270 million fraud allegedly perpetrated in 2008 while he was in office. The court also ordered Ohakim to produce a surety resident in Abuja as part of the bail conditions. Justice Adeniyi Ademola, in his ruling on the bail application filed by Ohakim through his counsel, Chief Chris Uche (SAN) also ordered the EFCC to submit the passport and other travel documents seized from the former governor to the Deputy Chief Registrar of the court. Earlier, while arguing the bail application, Uche urged the court to grant his clientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prayers. He said his client, whose passport had been seized by the EFCC, had remained faithful to the bail conditions granted him by the anti-graft agency. The prosecuting counsel, Mr. Festus Keyamo,

however, opposed the bail application. He said rather than granting bail to the accused person, the court should grant an accelerated hearing. The judge, in his ruling, noted that the accused person had placed sufficient materials before the court to warrant granting him bail. The EFCC had, on Wednesday, arraigned Ohakim on a three-count charge bordering on fraud, including making cash payment of $2.29 million (N270 million) for a property in Asokoro, Abuja. The prosecution also accused the former governor of collaborating with Tweenex Consociates H.D. Ltd. to conceal the ownership of the property by drafting an agreement portraying him as a tenant in the property. Ohakim, who was governor of Imo State between May 2007 and May 2001, was also accused of failing to declare the property as part of his assets while under EFCC arrest in November 2008. The offences were allegedly committed in 2008 in violation of section 15(1) (d) and section 14(1)(b) of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act, 2004, respectively.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Bomb scare in P'Harcourt as court sacks Rivers council chairmen Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

he 22 local government chairmen in Rivers State, who came to power in controversial council polls conducted by the then Governor Chibuike Amaechi, were yesterday given the boot. The Federal High Court sitting in Port Harcourt nullified the elections of the 22 local government chairmen and councillors on the grounds that their emergence violated a court order. The court judgement was delivered amid scare that the court premises were to be bombed; a

claim the police dismissed yesterday. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had filed a suit seeking the court’s nod to declare illegal the conduct of the local government elections held on May 23, 2015. In his judgement, Justice Lambo Akanbi declared that the conduct of the council elections by Amaechi was illegal and that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) disobeyed the court by conducting the elections after they had been challenged in court. He said there was a pre-election case in which he delivered judgement on and that

the conduct of the May 23 elections by RSIEC was an “abuse of the law,” as the court had asked all parties in the matter to maintain status quo. The court said it dissolved the 22 councils in a bid to defend and protect democracy. The judgement came after the 22 council chairmen withdrew from the case and took it to the National Industrial Court, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, in a bid to restrain the governor and the State House of Assembly from dissolving them. The 22 council chairmen under the auspices of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria

(ALGON) had accused Justice Akanbi of receiving N1 million bribe to “unjustly remove them” from office. With the judgement, only Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Council is not affected, because it has a different political calendar with the chairmen and councillors' tenure expiring in 2016. It is the only council that has an elected council in place. Reacting to the judgement, the chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Davies Ikanya, said it was “sad and unfortunate” for a court to dissolve well-constituted local government councils as duly elected by Rivers

Former Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, flanked by his sons, Mustapha (left) and Aminu, during their trial at the Federal High Court in Kano …yesterday.

APC defends FG over bailout for states Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

he All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday rose in defence of the Federal Government bailout to states in the face of dwindling economic fortunes, saying the intervention by President Muhammadu Buhari was the best option. Deputy National Secretary of the APC, Mr. Oji Ngofa, told New Telegraph that the lives of workers and their dependants that the state governments were owing salaries were at stake. He said: "Well, I think what the government has done is expected of every responsible government, especially

in the midst of this economic crisis where states are unable to pay salaries, unable to meet the basic needs. As at today, most states are not industrialised; they are what in the local parlance are referred to as civil service states. You know what the multiplier effect of owing workers’ salaries would be on families. "I am sure you are following what is happening in Osun State. So, every responsible government anywhere in the world, even in the United States, give bailout. I am sure you are following the debate going on in Greece, where the issue of bailout or no bailout is causing crisis. "So, every responsible government, at one point

or the other, steps in and intervene to cushion the effect of lack of liquidity in the states. So, I personally think that is a good development. What is important is that I don't think it should be free and the need for the state governments to set their priorities right because any state government that has set its priority well, you will understand that the first line charge is to cater for the salaries of workers. The moment the labourer has put in his effort, he is entitled to his wage.” Ngofa cautioned the governors to live within their means. "So, I think it is a good development. All the states need to do now is to reset their priorities, live within their means and carry on proj-

ects that are within the resources available to them. “But there should be no compromise on the payment of salaries. I think that is good development and it should be a one-off situation. It shouldn't be a situation whereby Federal Government should see itself as Father Christmas or charity organisation to keep bailing states out, otherwise it would affect the capacity of states to be creative and do things for themselves," he said. Also, the National Working Committee (NWC) member said the Peoples Democratic Party-led administration should be prosecuted for pillaging the Excess Crude Account (ECA).

people barely a month ago. “This notwithstanding, we will study this unfortunate development and unholy judgement and appeal against it as it is a judgement against the people of Rivers State,” he stated. His PDP counterpart, Mr. Felix Obuah, welcomed the judgement, saying: “The court has, once more, strengthened the confidence and trust of the people in the Nigerian judiciary as the last hope of the common man.” He added that the judgement had vindicated the party’s position that “there was no council election in the state.” Earlier, there was a bomb scare outside the court shortly before Justice Akanbi delivered the judgement. A bag containing explosive devices was said to have been discovered outside the court premises by security operatives, who according to sources, had acted on a tip-off. The security agents evacuated the bag and prevented an explosion from taking place. But the spokesman of the Rivers State Police Command, Mr. Ahmad Mohammad, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), refuted the claim. Mohammad, in a statement, said: "For the purpose of clarity, a security

man of the court, around 5:30 am, observed and raised the alarm that a Hilux vehicle belonging to the court and parked in the premises was on fire. The fire minimally torched the rear tyre of the vehicle before it was extinguished. "It is, therefore, untrue that there was an explosion at the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt today, Thursday, 09th July, 2015. The activities of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt went smoothly, there was no disruption or apparent threat to public peace and property. "Relatively, the command has received intelligence (report) that some persons are planning disturbance of public peace in reaction to the judgement of the Federal High Court, Port Harcourt concerning local government councils. The command warns that disturbance of public peace, manifest and brazen acts of threat, violence and brigandage still constitute offences under our laws. We shall, therefore, deal decisively with any breaches of public peace in accordance with our laws." The police urged members of the public to go about their normal businesses without fear of molestation and called on parents to restrain their children from being used to foment trouble.

INEC chair: PDP moves against deputy spokesman Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has moved against its Deputy National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Abudullahi Jalo, over a statement credited to him on the appointment of Mrs. Amina Zakari as acting Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). PDP National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh, had in a statement on Saturday said the party's National Working Committee (NWC), at its 403 meeting resolved to reject Zakari's appointment, "despite unwarranted attacks on its officials by the Presidency." But Jalo, who allegedly spoke to a national newspaper, said the statement was the opinion of Metuh and not

that of the PDP. In a letter dated July 8 and signed by the National Secretary, Prof. Wale Oladipo, PDP NWC asked Jalo to appear before it next Wednesday to defend what it termed "unguarded utterances in some of Nigerian newspapers." In the letter titled "Zakari's Appointment: Jalo Dissociates PDP From Metuh's Commentary," the NWC said its attention "has been brought to your recent unguarded utterances in some of the Nigerian newspapers. "The NWC has, therefore, requested you to appear at its meeting for preliminary investigation on the charge of bringing the party into disrepute among others." Oladipo said the invitation was a resolution at the 404th NWC meeting.

News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

B'Haram: US pledges to deepen support for Nigeria lEkweremadu rallies support for Buhari Chukwu David Abuja

he United States has pledged to deepen its support for Nigeria's quest to overcome the security challenges facing the country. U.S. Deputy Secretary of State, Anthony Bliken, made the pledge while addressing newsmen on the outcome of the U.S. team's Wednesday meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari. Bliken said the meeting was part of the arrangements to ensure a successful visit to Washington D.C. by Buhari on July 20. He said the meeting with Buhari focused on President Barak Obama administration’s plan for Nigeria. “In particular, we discussed practical ways to strengthen security and Boko Haram’s horrific acts of terror and violence,” he said. He said defeating Boko Haram required a comprehensive approach that involved the region and includes not only a strong military response, but also

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sustainable security for liberated areas. Bliken said this also included good governance, development and opportunity for the civilian population. “It also requires a strong commitment to human rights, the absence of which only alienates the people and drives them towards Boko Haram. “As Nigeria develops this comprehensive approach, the U.S. will deepen its support. We also discussed how to develop the economy, to combat corruption and to make government more effective and transparent. “We will be working very hard to assist the government of Nigeria in providing the training, equipment, device, information intelligent sharing, and logistic support. “So many internally displaced persons need help now, all of these are in a comprehensive package for Nigeria,” he said. According to him, the meeting reflected on how to advance a more secure, prosperous and peaceful future for Nigerians. “The partnership we are forging is based on mutual interests and mutual respect. It is grounded in the proposition that our relationship is defined not by what the U.S. can do for Nigeria, rather than what the U.S. can do with Nigeria. “Nigeria’s historic elections and peaceful transfer of power sent a powerful message to the continent and indeed to the world that leaders are accountable to their people. “We are proud to stand alongside the new government as it works to turn the promise of this moment into real progress for all the citizens of Nigeria,” Bliken said.

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President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, on Wednesday night in Abuja, lamented that the deteriorating Boko Haram insurgency in the North-East was hampering national development efforts of the government. Ekweremadu expressed serious concern that the activities of the Islamic sect had become a threat to national development as well as injurious to the image of the country at the international community. He said: "There is no way we can have progress in the country when there are security problems. The first thing we need to do as a government is to deal with this security challenge, no matter what it would cost us. And this is an area where the executive and the legislature must come together; we must be on the same page

on this matter. "I believe that it is time for us to have meetings with the executive, as well as the security agencies in order to find out exactly what has happened – why the resurgence of these Boko Haram activities and what we can do as a people to ensure that this matter is dealt with decisively.” Ekweremadu expressed confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari's ability to tackle the situation. "We believe our president would sit on top of this situation because we believe that Nigerians are worried about this situation and they would like to see an end to Boko Haram activities,” he said. Ekweremadu said, "I am worried about the resurgence of the Boko Haram activities in Nigeria. Shortly before the inaugu-

ration of the present government, the country had almost rolled back Boko Haram and its activities in every part of Nigeria – from Adamawa to Borno to Yobe. "And I was hoping that when we come back in the Eighth Assembly, that I will work with our colleagues from the NorthEast to develop a plan of action that will help to rehabilitate that part of Nigeria. "I had hoped that by now, we would be tasking ourselves on how best to rebuild that part of Nigeria. Regrettably, the actions of Boko Haram seem to have resurfaced now, not only in Borno but in Plateau, Adamawa and Kaduna. I am worried that if nothing is done, the next target would be Abuja and then the Southern part of the country,” he added.

L-R: President, Forte Oil Plc., Mr. Femi Otedola; former Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu and Edo State Governor, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole, at a reception at the United States Embassy in Abuja...recently.

Why Buhari delays ministerial nominees lOmoigui-Okauru tipped as Minister of Finance

Iyobosa Uwugiaren 30oC 23oC Storm

According to him, the US strongly condemns the recent terrorist attacks that have taken hundreds of lives in different parts of Nigeria. He said the U.S. team also had a very productive meeting with some governors, adding that Nigeria had a strong federal system with enormous responsibility vested on governors and state governments. “We discussed the challenges they are facing and the importance of their leadership in setting the entire nation on the right course. “There was a very interesting emphasis besides security on questions of education, health care, agriculture and building strong value chains along the entire line of production,” he said. Meanwhile, the Deputy

ABUJA

resh facts emerged yesterday on why President Muhammadu Buhari is yet to appoint his ministers and other key positions. A source in the presidency told New Telegraph in Abuja that the fear of the All Progressives Congress (APC) senators rejecting the ministerial nominees for not meeting their expectations and that of other party lead-

ers is a strong contributory factor why Buhari is yet to send the list to the Senate for consideration. According to the source, “The president has told us on many occasions that his cabinet members would be people of integrity; that he would have political appointees who have never been implicated in corrupt practices in the past. “And from the list of people that have been pencilled in for Senate approval, there is huge fear that the nominees

may not pass through the Senate. The reason is that many of the nominees are not members of the APC. They are respected professionals from different disciplines.” It was gathered that in order to assuage the acrimony the issue might generate, President Buhari has requested different groups within the party to nominate one special adviser each. However, this option was said not to have gone down with APC’s leaders. “There are ongoing

efforts to resolve the matter. For instance, powerful groups within the party have been requested to nominate one special adviser each and senior special assistants. However, there are still some resistances to the request. We hope to settle the matter very soon,” the source added. Meanwhile, Buhari is said to have accepted the request from the Governor Nasiru el-Rufai-led group within the APC to accept the nomination of Mrs. Ifueko Omoigui-

Okauru as Minister of Finance. The nomination of the Edo State-born technocrat by a strong force within the APC was said to have been based on her competency and the administrative integrity she has displayed in her places of work in the past. Between 2004 and 2012, Omoigui-Okauru served as Executive Chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) and Chairman, Joint Tax Board.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Minority leadership: Akpabio lobbies PDP NWC lSays Ekweremadu is freely elected by senators

Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

obbying for the Senate Minority Leader position among senators elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from SouthSouth geopolitical zones may have begun. The party had zoned the Senate Minority Leader to South-South while the North-East will produce the deputy. PDP equally directed that "in consonance with

the provision of the Standing Rules of the National Assembly, members will use their various zonal party caucuses to choose party principal officers to enable PDP provide effective opposition in the National Assembly." Former governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio, who is now a serving senator, on Wednesday held a marathon meeting with the National Working Committee (NWC) at the PDP National Secretariat. At a point, the party's National Vice Chairman

(South-South), Dr. Cairo Ojugbo who may have been invited, joined the meeting. Akpabio, who later spoke to journalists at the end of the meeting, however, said his visit was his "usual consultation with the party on national issues." He said the issue of minority leadership was not a question of interest but that of capacity. "So, if I have the capacity my colleagues will decide. In the Senate, everybody is equal but some have been there for a long

time like the ranking senators and all that. So, when you have the opportunity to be in the red chamber, you have equal rights to aspire for any position but you first have to be sure that your colleagues will be interested in you," he said. The former governor added that he is consulting with the party stakeholders across the country and will make appropriate statement at the end of his consultations. He said the election of Senator Ike Ekweremadu as Deputy President of

the Senate is good for the democracy. Akpabio said: "Ekweremadu as Deputy Senate President was freely elected by senators and you recall, he scored about 54 votes and the total number of PDP senators is 49 which means he was accepted across party lines. "It is also possible that some of the PDP senators didn't vote for him and we probably have more All Progressives Congress (APC) senators voting for him than the PDP but the most important thing is that he was voted across party lines. That is how the senators voted him to work with the Senate President

and ensure a very stable Senate that will be productive; a Senate that will have serious continuity. “I also think it is good for President Muhammadu Buhari that at the end of the day, you have a Deputy Senate President who has been here before and who is not from the APC so that we can look at things from a holistic point of view; from a national perspective and not always from one party perspective. I believe that the Eighth Senate will achieve far more than the Seventh Senate had achieved in Nigeria because it will operate not from a partisan point of view but from a bipartisan point of view."

Benue demolishes 115 illegal structures

Enugu State Governor, Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, with the Director-General, National Pension Commission, Mrs. Chinelo Anohu-Amazu, during the South-East stakeholders’ conference in Enugu…yesterday.

CBN probes banks over public sector revenue accounts CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

nothing,” confirmed the senior treasurer of one of the big lenders in the country, who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak on the issue. Spokesman of the CBN, Mr. Ibrahim Mu'azu, also confirmed the presence of examiners in the banks, but added that the exercise was a fact-finding mission, which would help both the Federal Government and the CBN in its monetary policy. He said: “This is not a probe; it is like a study to enable us to know the amount of public funds with the banks, which will help our monetary policy strategy. "Besides, this is also part of our support to the government. You are aware that banks keep government money and borrow the same money to the government. This is one of the things we try to guide against. “Also, don’t forget that Ministries, Department

and Agencies (MDAs) are the ones that have the right to move their accounts from banks. Banks can't move MDAs' accounts if the latter do not give such orders.” The CBN had, on June 30, posted a letter on its website, reminding banks of the deadline for compliance with the exercise. The letter, which was signed by A.O. Idris on behalf of Director of Banking Supervision, stated: “We have observed with dismay that most banks are yet to comply fully with the provisions of the circular directing banks to transfer all revenue accounts collected on behalf of the Federal Government and its agencies to CBN account within 24 hours of the value date of such collections with effect from February 28, 2015. “Banks are therefore, by this circular, directed to ensure strict compliance with effect from the date of this circular, fail-

ing which severe financial and administrative sanctions will be imposed. For emphasis, June 30, 2015 shall be the final deadline.” In November 2013, the banking watchdog had, at its 235th Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) Meeting, mooted the idea of the Single Treasury Account (TSA), which was implemented in February 2015. TSA is a unified structure of government bank accounts that gives a consolidated view of government cash resources. It is a system, whereby all monies belonging to the government are domiciled in one account with the CBN, with payments out and collection into the account done via an electronic payment platform. In the communiqué after the MPC meeting, the CBN warned that the delay in returning government accounts to the apex bank was adding to the high cost of government debt as a result of inadequate cash

flow management. TSA has become a useful model governments use to establish centralised control over its revenue through effective cash management. It enhances accountability and enables government to know how much is accruing to it daily. The TSA pilot phase involved 217 ministries, department and agencies (MDAs) in Abuja. Last year, the implementation was extended to all MDAs outside Abuja; hence all Federal Government-related payments were executed via an electronic payment platform, Remita, indigenous software developed by Systemspecs, a Nigerian software development company. The extension of the epayment for government services under the TSA had resulted in about N500 billion savings for the Federal Government in the form of unutilised funds under the 2014 budget.

he Benue State Government has demolished 115 illegal buildings while another 193 buildings had been marked for demolition. Head of Department, Town Planning, Urban Development Board, Mr. Sam Omale, made the disclosure yesterday in Makurdi. According to him, the structures included both commercial and private buildings in the city. He explained that all the affected structures were either built on access line, utility lines, water channels or flood prone areas. Others were buildings in parks and recreational centres or buildings on government’s or another person's land. Omale called on residents to do the right thing to avoid demolitions of

their structures. "We are not happy bringing down buildings, we want developments like constructions and upgrading, but for this to take place, we have to provide space for such development," he said. The town planner, however, expressed dissatisfaction with residents, saying that the board was not solely responsible for the approval of structures in areas not fit. "We are professionals; we have had issues with some politicians, who are insisting that some structures be at particular places,” he said. Omale said that in carrying out any environmental impact assessment, there were laid down rules, regulations and bodies involved, as the board alone was not solely in charge.

Family plans street party for Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday

ritain’s royal family is planning to invite 10,000 people to a huge street party to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's 90th birthday in 2016. Buckingham Palace said Peter Phillips, the queen's 37-year old grandson, was the party organiser. It said the party would take place along The Mall, the avenue leading to Buckingham Palace, the queen's official residence in London. Phillip said the queen was excited by the prospect of the party on June 12. He said most of those invited to the Patron's

Lunch would come from the 600 charities and other organisations supported by the queen. Phillips said the party was to reflect her service to humanity, organisations and charities, and to provide the opportunity for her patronages and other communities around the country to say thank you. He said the queen and other senior members of the royal family are scheduled to attend the lunch. Phillips said a service to mark the queen's birthday was planned in London's St Paul's Cathedral on June 10, launching a weekend of celebrations.

News

Group warns Buhari of Obama

political group, Move on Nigeria, has told President Mohammadu Buhari to do everything within his power to avoid being a stooge President Barack Obama and that of the West. The group said the warning became imperative now the United States and other countries are romancing and enticing him as a beautiful bride. that The group, which claims to promote democracy and good governance, in a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Mr. Clem Aguiyi, asked the President to look inwards to the solution of Nigeria’s problems, instead of running to the West with a wish list that doesn’t come free at the end of the day. The group noted that since the election of Buhari, he has made frequent foreign trips and is now scheduled to be Obama’s guest. The group said: “The US trip and invitation coming on the heels of the US Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage, which Nigeria rejected is an issue of concern as gay marriage is central to Obama’s foreign and domestic policy. “During the 2015 presidential campaign, it was speculated that part of the APC romance with Europe and America was the promise by the latter to pass the gay marriage bill which the PDP dominated National Assembly rejected with the tacit support of the then president. The gay right proposal will also top the agenda of PMB’s meeting with Obama: Will the president accept Obama’s gay rights policy? Will he accept the proposal for Nigeria to retrench workers, cut spending on capital expenditure , increase taxation and remove subsidy on petroleum products?” The group added: “The President must not accept any policy that Nigerians at home will reject no matter how nice they are clothed. Nigeria is a rich country and can make better progress except for bad inept and corrupt leadership. “President Buhari, given his reputation for integrity can make a difference by retaining his spine against corruption.” The group warned that the West will always put their national interest first while looking for African leaders that will serve as their whore and mistress whom they will use and dump.

national Anule Emmanuel Abuja

resident Muhammadu Buhari has promised that his administration would seek alternative funding to improve the state of roads across the country. The President said that given the huge demand on the national budget, there was need to provide funding through other means to ease trav-

friday, july 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Buhari plans alternative funding for roads

Former Governor of Lagos State and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, with British Deputy High Commissioner, Mr. Ray Kyles, during Kyles’s visit to Tinubu in Lagos…yesterday.

national budget. “Particularly, I talked about looking at the Public-Private Partnership model as well as looking at various support like multilateral supports from agencies such as the World Bank, African Development Bank and similar bodies.” The Permanent Secretary noted that “The President is committed to developing this country and he is passionate about roads because roads are central to national development. “He confirmed that he will look into the suggestion because if you look at the multilateral support, for example, it always has some moratorium period, a reasonable period for repayment and the interest charged is almost one per cent,” he said. Kigbu listed ongoing projects being carried out by the ministry to include the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; Enugu-Port Harcourt Road and Mokwa-Bida Road, among others. He also said preliminary works were ongoing on the site of the second Niger Bridge.

FG vows to prosecute looters of public funds

Security checkpoints are 'necessary inconvenience', says Dasuki

Anule Emmanuel Abuja

he Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, Alhaji Abdullahi Yola, yesterday said that his ministry was ready to prosecute any person indicted by relevant agencies of government for looting public fund. Yola disclosed this in an interview with State House correspondents, shortly after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari of the ministry's activities at the Presidential Villa, Abuja. According to him, the prosecution could only be done when agencies find individuals wanting and make their findings available to his ministry. He added that so far, no such indicting report had been received by the ministry. Yola said:"If the ministry receives investigations concluded by the responsible agencies, we will play our part. "We will play our part

el for citizens on roads. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Works, Dauda Kigbu, who disclosed this after a meeting with the President at the presidential villa, Abuja, said the need for

with the prosecution of whoever has been found wanting and the security agencies have concluded investigation on that. "At the moment, the ministry is not in receipt of any report concerning that." The Permanent Secretary noted that he had used the opportunity of the meeting to brief the President on how the ministry has been conducting itself by maintaining the rule of law. He said the President was given details of what the ministry had been doing from 2011 till date. Yola said he also pledged to the President to continue cooperating with him to ensure that all the promises he made to Nigerians as far as they relate to rule of law are achieved. Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Ambassador Abdulkadir Musa, also told State House correspondents that his briefing with Buhari centered on jobs creation.

seeking other windows to fund road projects was more beneficial. He said: “I took the President through the activities of the Ministry of Works. As you may be aware, 90 per cent of the

ministry’s mandate is mainly on roads. “I went through all the major projects across the country and I emphasized the need for seeking other windows of funding outside of the

Tribunal refuses Wike's request to stop inspection of materials Tunde Oyesina Abuja

he Rivers State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Abuja yesterday refused an application brought by the Governor Nyesom Wike seeking to set aside its order allowing the inspection of all the election materials used for the conduct of the April 11, 2015 governorship election held in the state. Wike and his party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had on June 17, filed an application in which he asked the tribunal to set aside its earlier order of June 8. Wike, through his counsel, Emmanuel Ukala, challenged the territorial jurisdiction of the tribunal to have made such an order. In a short ruling on the motion yesterday, the three man panel led by Justice Muazu Abdulkadir Pindiga, dismissed the application on ground that the order was not made against Wike, but the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). "Our order of 11th June

was made against the 1st respondent (INEC) to allow the petitioner access and obtain a Certified True Copy (CTC) of all documents and materials used in the conduct of the April 11, 2015 governorship election in Rivers State and we so hold.” "And also in compliance with Section 151 of the Electoral Act, our order still stands," the tribunal held. The All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate in the election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, who is challenging the election of Wike, had on Monday accused INEC of disobeying the order by the tribunal requesting the electoral body to allow them inspect election materials used for the election. At the last adjourned date, counsel to the petitioner, Chief Akin Olujimi (SAN) informed the court that INEC had declined to make the materials available for inspection, in total disobedience to an earlier order of the Tribunal in that direction.

Emmanuel Onani Abuja

he National Security Adviser (NSA), Colonel Sambo Dasuki (rtd), has said that security checkpoints, especially in vulnerable areas, are a "necessary inconvenience", in the face of the prevailing insecurity. Dasuki was quoted by PRNigeria as making the assertion yesterday in Abuja, shortly after a meeting he was said to have had with top military and security chiefs. "We will continue to ensure that the necessary or essential security checkpoints are not avenues for extortion, indiscipline and other forms of corrupt practices that can exacerbate traffic flow and cause road accidents. “With effective use of technology which minimises physical contacts between security personnel and citizens, the time spent at designated security checkpoints will ultimately be reduced, "he said.

NEW TELEGRAPH friday, july 10, 2015

Your claim of winning 22 LGAs fallacious, Ihedioha replies Okorocha Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate in the last governorship election in Imo state, Chief Emeka Ihedioha has replied to a recent statement from the Imo state government stating that Governor Rochas Okorocha won 22 council areas out of 27 to defeat Ihedioha. According to him, Okorocha could not have won in any council area in the state if the polls were fair. He maintained that it would have been more appropriate to say that Okorocha rigged elections in 22 council areas. In a statement signed by Chibuike Onyeukwu, the media aide to Ihedioha, the former Deputy Speaker noted that the Imo State Government side-stepped the core issue which is the threat to the life of Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN), the lead counsel in Ihedioha’s legal team. The statement reads in part: "As the Chief Security Officer, Okorocha refused to mandate relevant security agencies to investigate the grievous allegations against him."

Amadi Nnamdi ABUJA

ATA Motors Limited, an Indian automobile company, has invested over 8million US dollars as part of its preparations to roll out its first batch of Nigerian assembled cars and the subsequent exportation of automobiles to other parts of Africa. This disclosure was made by the company’s Regional Manager, Kshitij Verma, during a meeting between the company and the management

News

national

Indian firm invests $8m in Nigeria’s auto industry l Targets exportation of made-in-Nigeria cars

of National Automotive Council (NAC) yesterday in Abuja. According to Kshitij the target of the company is not just to start assembling of automobiles in Nigeria but also to establish a sub-regional centre here where vehicles will

be manufactured for exportation. He said the company has employed over 240 Nigerians, many of whom are currently undergoing training in India, adding that they have already installed a factory which is sited on

a large expanse of land measuring about 130 hectares at Ijebu Ode. In his speech, NAC DG, Aminu Jalal, disclosed that the coming of TATA and other foreign Auto companies is an expression of the confidence of global investors

L- R: Executive Director, Finance and Strategy, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Abubakar Suleiman; Lead Consultant, Spreadout Media Nigeria Limited, Mr. Nwagwu Churchill; Executive Director, Corporate & Institutional Banking, Sterling Bank Plc, Mr. Kayode Lawal and Managing Director/CEO, Minds Share Media Nigeria, Mr. Chudi Obiora, at the presentation of the Best Poster Award in the financial services sector by the representatives of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) to the bank in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

in the potentials of Nigeria’s Auto industry. Jalal lamented that the demand of whole sale vehicle import in trillions of naira annually is not sustainable, adding that automotive demand in foreign exchange is the second largest on Nigeria’s reserves and that there is an urgent need to reduce it. The D.G stated that, “Unlike in the previous attempts in automotive development in Nigeria which was undermined by badly managed trade liberalisation policy, the present attempt is characterised by the involvement of local entrepreneurs with experience in the motor industries”. He assured that “NAC has the competence to ensure that Nigeria is not short-changed in this strategy to diversify the Nigerian economy", adding that "sustenance of the automotive industry is critical in this regard”.

Appointments: PDP Rep pleads for Buhari Philip Nyam

Stakeholders expect SDGs to address Court reserves ruling unfinished business of MDGs in Sylva's application A

ABUJA

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

s the global community concludes efforts in crafting the goals, targets and indicators of a successor framework for the Millennium Development Goals, MDGs, stakeholders have opined that the Sustainable Development Goals, SDGs will address the unfinished business of the MDGs and much more. The SDGs will be adopted in September by world leaders during the 70th session of the United Nations General Assembly, UNGASS, which will hold in New York. The SDGs is an improvement on the MDGs and seek to foster inclusive development whilst addressing the economic, environmental and social aspects of sustainable development. Whereas the MDGs paraded a total of eight goals and 18 targets, the SDGs boasts of 17 Goals and 169 targets. Speaking at the National Conference on Sustainable Development with

the theme: “Governance beyond 2015: Setting an Agenda for Inclusive and Sustainable Development in an Era of Change”, jointly organised by the Office of the Senior Special Assistant to the President on MDGs (OSSAP-MDGs), the United Nations Millennium Campaign (UNMC) and the Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), the Director/ Secretary of Programme, OSSAP-MDGs, stated that the incoming global agenda will positively impact the lives of the poor in the country as it will guide development planning and execution for the next decade and a half. “In line with Nigeria’s commitment to improve the lives of the poor and in view of the fact that Nigeria will join the global community to adopt the Post2015 Development Agenda in September this year, the Office is already reviewing best practices that have emerged from the implementation of the MDGs Agenda, evaluating their suitability for adoption,

institutionalization and consolidation into the Post2015 Development Agenda,” Ogenyi said, adding that, “there are a number of lessons we have learnt from the implementation of the MDGs Agenda. "To start with, Internationally Agreed Development Goals (IADGs) such as the MDGs often galvanize development planning and execution locally. In this regards, Nigeria has recorded appreciable progress in the implementation of the MDGs particularly in the areas of universal primary enrolment, gender parity in education, and reduction in the spread of HIV/AIDs, maternal and child death, as well as the prevalence of hunger. We found that there are divergences in MDGs progress across states, local governments and geo-political zones. As well, the introduction of multi-level incentivebased interventions, such as the Conditional Grants Scheme and Conditional Cash Transfers, have proved to be key drivers of success in Nigeria.

Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday reserved ruling in an application filed by former Bayelsa state governor, Timipreye Sylva, seeking to quash the fresh charge filed against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). The trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola, however reserved ruling in the case after parties in the suit argued their application. Counsel to the former Governor, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), told the court to set aside the charges against his client on the ground that he cannot be re-arraigned on the charges that have been dismissed by the same court. On his part, counsel to the EFCC, Rotimi Jacob, in his objection to the application told the court that the charge before it

is different from the one earlier dismmised by the court. He said the charge has been expanded to 50 from the 42-count charge that was dismissed by Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the same court. Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court had on June 10 dismissed one of the two charges earlier brought against Sylva and some others by the EFCC on the ground that it amounted to an abuse of court process. However, EFCC disagreed with the judgment on the ground that it was premature as the accused persons had not taken any plea before the court. Earlier on June 1, Justice Evoh Chukwu also of the Federal High Court, Abuja, struck out the other charge upon EFCC's application for withdrawal. In the fresh 50-count charge, Sylva is charged alongside Francis Okokuro, Gbenga Balogun, and Samuel Ogbuku.

former member of the House of Representatives, Hon. John Olawole Fasogbon has cautioned the Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), against incessant attacks on President Muhammad Buhari's for the delay in constituting his cabinet. He also challenged the opposition party to allow the sense of national patriotism come into play and manifest while launching criticisms at the governing party. Fasogbon who hails from Ife Federal Constituency of Osun State, pleaded with PDP to allow a new foundation that will give a rebirth to the country to be properly laid by the President in the best interest of the nation. The former governorship aspirant warned that undue criticism of the new government and unwarranted attacks against the President will not fetch anybody or group any goodwill, but will rather distract government from forging ahead in the way Nigerians wanted.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Metro

LASU students on the rampage over exam shift

The barricaded road,...yesterday. Inset: The protesting students

LINGERING CRISIS The crisis rocking the Lagos State University came to a head yesterday as students embarked on mass protest Mojeed Alabi

otorists and commuters on OjoIyana-Iba Road in Lagos were once again stranded for many hours yesterday as the students of the Lagos State University (LASU), Ojo, embarked on a protest. The students barricaded the road to protest what they described as the abrupt postponement of their first semester examination for the 2014/2015 academic session.

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

The examination was earlier scheduled to begin on Monday. The protesters led by the Students’ Union President, Adeyemi Onikoro, had earlier locked the two entrance gates of the university, barring members of the institution’s management and the workers from gaining entrance into the campus. The immediate past president of the union, Nurudeen Yusuff, said the university, which had resumed since January 23 for the semester, had refused to conduct examination because of the protracted conflict between the workers’ unions on the campus and the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. John Obafunwa. The protesters were, however, dispersed by armed policemen, who reportedly fired canisters of tear gas into the air to remove the barricade and restore the free flow of traffic on the road. The workers’ unions had staged a mass protest on March 16 forcing the VC out of the campus, while they called on the Lagos State Government to appoint another vicechancellor for the university. The workers accused Obafunwa of high-handedness, victimisation of workers including the withdrawal of the PhD certificates of some lecturers. They also alleged that Obafunwa was combining two appointments being the VC and the state chief pathologist,

which, according to them, is against labour laws. Addressing a media briefing at the university’s College of Medicine in Ikeja on Monday, the students’ union had given the Governor Akinwumi Ambode-led administration a 48-hour ultimatum to resolve the crisis. The protest was, therefore, a follow-up to the ultimatum, which expired on Wednesday. The students also called on the governor to release the report of the committee he set up on resumption of office to resolve the crisis. Yusuff said: “You can imagine running a single semester for more than six months without any hope that examination will hold. “The VC has been barred from entering the campus since March and the tenure of the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academics, Prof. Sena Bakre, who is supposed to sit on the academic decisions on the campus, has expired. So we are really unsure of what future awaits us.” Meanwhile, in his reaction to the development, the Dean of Students’ Affairs, Prof. Kabir Akinyemi, said the protest was not only unnecessary but uncalled for. Akinyemi said the workers’ unions had made the campus ungovernable for the vice-chancellor and since the atmosphere had not been conducive for the Senate to sit and

approve the school calendar, it was difficult to conduct examination in such atmosphere. He said: “The students should also understand that about 3,000 of them have not been able to register because of the issue of school fees refund and we cannot run into the same trouble witnessed during the last session when about 1,000 had refused to register and yet the students disrupted the exams.” Akinyemi said the students should be patient because the new government in the state was working very hard to resolve all the contradictions, saying the postponement of the examination was not to commit illegality. He urged the workers to sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign on the campus for the sake of posterity. Meanwhile, investigation has shown that Ambode may soon relieve the vice-chancellor of his appointment based on the recommendation of the committee which looked into the crisis. According to a source, who craved anonymity, the committee, which was chaired by the Secretary to the State Government, Mr Tunji Bello, with the Deputy Governor, Dr. Idiat Adebule and representatives of the workers’ unions as members, had since submitted its report to the governor. The source added that the committee recommended Obafunwa’s removal, over his inability to work harmoniously with the workers and the students.

Waste dealers begin nationwide strike

crap and waste dealers employers have threatened to embark on strike today over alleged unilateral reduction in the prices of scrap materials by the end-users. The people, under the aegis of National Association of Scrap and Waste Dealers Employers of Nigeria (NASWDEN), said they were prepared to cripple operations of the end-users over the ‘illegal price reduction’ without recourse to the union. The National President of the association, Comrade John Obeh, who disclosed this while addressing members of the union yesterday, alleged that the end-users reduced the price of scraps from N60,000 per tonne to N30,000 without reaching any consensus with the union. According to him, NASWDEN solely has the prerogative to reduce or increase the market price of the scrap materials in the country. The president frowned at the decision of the end-users to reduce the prices of scrap iron metal without due consultation. Obeh also commended the Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, for his directives to all police formations across the country to dislodge government officials collecting tolls on the highway. He, however, appealed to the Federal Government to encourage indigenous companies like REPROM Nigeria Limited, who have completed the reactivation of the LSM section of the Ajaokuta Steel Company, to commence production. The president added that this would create employment opportunities for thousands of Nigerians.

Pakistani bags 18 months for smuggling N220m heroin Juliana Francis

Pakistani, yesterday was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment for importing 25.400kg of heroin valued at N220 million.

Arslan

The convict, Iftikhar Arslan, was sentenced by Justice C. J. Aneke of the Federal High Court, Ikoyi. The convict was charged with a one-count charge of unlawful importation of 25.400kg of heroin contrary to and punishable under Section 11(a) of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) Act, Cap 30, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Arslan reportedly told NDLEA investigators he was a student of Punjab College. The convict added that he was in Nigeria as a tourist because his friend told him that Victoria Island and Ikoyi were beautiful tourist centres.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

City Briefs Father of five Seven escape death as remanded for seeks kidney four-storey building collapses Student attempted murder donor, N15m Dayo Ayeyemi and Muritala Ayinla

Ifeoluwa Idowu

father of five, Mr Benedict Ohanwadi, is critically ill and in dire need of kidney transplant. His two kidneys failed last year and since then he has been bedridden. Ohanwadi has to undergo dialysis twice every week. Trouble started in 2012 when he developed pains around his abdomen and doctors told him it was hernia. He was operated upon and recovered. But in 2014, he was diagnosed with renal failure. He was admitted at the Imo State Teaching Hospital, Orlu, where he was being taken care of and monitored to secure the second kidney. He was discharged in December 2014 based on doctors’ advice which was informed by financial constraints. But a few days later, he relapsed and was returned to the hospital. According to his elder brother, Mr John Ohanwadi, the family has exhausted its resources on treating Benedict, who now needs a donor and financial assistance. The burden has been overwhelming hence the family is appealing to the government at all levels and well-meaning Nigerians for urgent assistance. Though he has high hopes of recovery, Benedict is unable to walk without assistance. He has been referred to India or Germany for a renal transplant by his medical consultant, Dr Anyabu, of the Imo State University Teaching Hospital. He is appealing to Nigerians, religious groups, politicians, Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) and the government of Imo State in particular to raise the cost of renal transplant estimated to be about N15 million. This includes cost of drugs, flight tickets for the patient and the kidney donor, among other related expenses. Benedict can be reached at 10, Bus Stop, Old Nekede, Owerri West Local Government Area, or through his mobile lines 08138125825 and 08168941729. Donations can also be sent to Ben C. Ohanwadi, Account N0: 3078831747, First Bank Plc, Owerri.

even construction workers escaped death yesterday as a four-storey building caved in at Yaba area of Lagos metropolis. The structure collapsed barely 72 hours after a twostorey complex housing about 50 shops collapsed at Orile also in Lagos State. The building, which was under construction, caved in around noon, but there was no casualty. According to a witness, Mr. Akin Oyelowo, said the seven construction workers quickly rushed out when they noticed that the structure was coming down. Oyelowo, who is a mem-

ber of Building Collapse Prevention Guild (BCPG), said many factors might be responsible for the incident. According to him, it may be that the contractor handling the project failed to pay attention to structural details. He said that the owner of the structure might have obtained development permit but the collapse of the building might be due to lack of quality control. Another BCPG member, Mr Sam Mba, an architect, said that a team of professionals from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) was already on ground for possible rescue operation. Although nobody died, several people reportedly sustained varying degrees of injuries.

At press time, it was difficult to ascertain if anybody was still buried in the rubble of the building. It was gathered that incident, which occurred around 2:30pm, threw the entire area into confusion as many residents scampered into safety. All emergency agencies - LASEMA, National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), officers of the Rapid Respond Squad (RRS) and other stakeholders had hectic time managing the situation. They were led by the General Manager, LASEMA, Mr Michael Kolawole. Kolawole confirmed that the building was under construction, saying that nobody died as the labourers working on the site were on lunch break when the building caved in.

Ilorin

n Ilorin, Kwara State Magistrates’ Court has remanded a 27-year-old student of Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, over alleged attempt to commit murder. The accused, identified as Ibrahim Odetoro aka Choko, was arraigned before the court on a four-count charge of criminal conspiracy, intimidation, attempt to commit culpable homicide and illegal possession of firearms. The charges are contrary to sections 97, 397, 229 of the Penal Code Law and Section 1(3) of Firearms (Special Provision) Act Cap R11, Law of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. According to Police First Information Report (FIR) before the court, the matter was first reported at the ‘D’ Division Police Station by one Raji Sherrif, a student of the university who claimed to have received a threatening text message from the accused.

Amore boasts of crime reduction in Niger Dan Atori Minna

The site of the collapsed building, yesterday.

Tension in Ijebu-Ode as Iyaloja is assassinated Kunle Olayeni rmed men have killed the IyalojaGeneral of Ijebuland, Alhaja Sadia Elewuju, at her residence in Sabo-Molode area of Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State. Elewuju, 82, was said to have been attacked on Wednesday about 4pm by a gang of six men wielding machetes. The assailants hacked her to death and escaped from the scene. The market leader was immediately rushed to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, from where she was referred to the Lagos State University Teaching (LASUTH), Ikeja, where she was confirmed dead about 11pm. It was gathered that nothing was taken from the victim’s house, which made many people to believe the incident was an assassination. Some people in Ijebu-Ode, who spoke with journalists, believed that the Iyaloja’s killing was politically-motivated “because she was an active political stalwart in Ogun State until her death”. “She stood her ground on any issue and she had championed many causes for women, especially the market women,” one of the sources said.

olice in Niger State said that despite lack of funds and insufficient manpower, they had recorded drastic reduction in crime between January and now. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Olusola Amore, made the disclosure yesterday while addressing journalists on the activities of the command from January to June. He said in a comparative analysis of major crime statistics for the first and second quarters of the year, only the rate of kidnapping had increased a little with others reducing drastically. Amore said the command had recovered over N42.2 million cash from fleeing kidnappers in Kontagora Local Government Area, adding that it was ransom suspects collected from families of victims from neighbouring Kebbi, Sokoto and Zamfara states.

Brothers in court for stealing eggs

Abeokuta

Ohanwadi

Biodun Oyeleye

Caleb Onwe Abuja

F The late Elewuju

Sympathisers, mainly market men and women, politicians from different political parties and residents of IjebuOde, have continued to troop to Elewuju’s residence to pay their last respect to the Iyaloja. A condolence register has been opened while the popular Oke-Aje Market and some markets in Ijebu-Ode were shut in her honour. Callers at Elewuju’s residence included Deputy Governor, Mrs Yetunde Onanuga, Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mr Taiwo Adeoluwa, Senator Adegbenga Kaka and former chairman of the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM), Ms Bukunola Onabanjo.

or allegedly stealing eggs valued at over N8 million from a poultry, two brothers, Julius Abu and Matthew Abu, have appeared before a Grade 1 Upper Area Court, sitting at Karshi, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. The accused are standing trial on a two-count charge of joint act and theft by servant, said to be contrary to sections 79 and 289 of the Penal Code. According to the prosecutor, Glory Iheanacho, the accused were employees in the poultry farm belonging to Victor Okechukwu of Karu Abuja, who reported the case at Jikwoyi Police Station on July 2. Iheanacho also told the court that the accused confessed to have stolen 77 creates of eggs during police investigation. The police allegedly swung into action leading to the arrest of receivers of the stolen eggs. She added that following the confession of the accused, Ilube John, Bisi Adegoke and Ibrahim Yakubu, alleged to have received the stolen eggs, were arrested.

News

Synagogue rejects coroner’s verdict

Lagos to boost fish production

lSays report is biased

Muritala Ayinla

Mojeed Alabi

he Lagos State Government yesterday said that it plans to produce additional 14, 400 tones of fish yearly in the state, saying it has commenced negotiation with stakeholders and allottees of the newly established Fish Farm Estate, Ketu-Ereyun in Epe. The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, Dr. Olajide Basorun, who made this known, described the moves as part of the decision to encourage a shift in focus from fisheries to fish farming. He said aquaculture or fish farming has been identified as the next viable option for increasing domestic fishing production, adding that the statement government realised the need to support investors in realising this dream. Basorun assured that the only thing required was the farmer’s readiness and leverage on the available support, adding that the purpose of the meeting was to deliberate on how to fast track the development of the estate. Noting that government has expended a lot of money to put the Ketu-Ereyun Fish Farm Estate in place the Permanent Secretary said it development cannot fully feasible if it not fully utilised.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-WEST

he Synagogue Church of All Nations (SCOAN) yesterday said that it rejected the Wednesday’s ruling of the coroner’s inquest into the cause of the collapse of its six-storey hostel building last year. The church, in a statement released by its lawyer, Mr. Olalekan Ojo, described the verdict as biased and one-

sided, insisting that the building collapse, which killed about 116 people, was due to sabotage. The statement reads; “The Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN) rejects the verdict of the coroner on the grounds that it is unreasonable, one-sided and biased. The church maintains its stand that the incident was as a result of sabotage.” The coroner’s inquest, which was instituted by

the Lagos State Government following the incident that led to the death of mostly South Africans, in September last year, had on Wednesday called for the investigation and prosecution of the church for failure to obtain relevant approval before embarking on the construction of the building. According to the Coroner, Oyetade Komolafe, the accident occurred due to the church’s “criminal negligence,”

an action, he insisted deserves prosecution. The verdict had read; “The church must be investigated and prosecuted for not obtaining the relevant approval before embarking on the construction of the building. “The church was culpable because of criminal negligence resulting in the death of victims. Structural failure due to the combination of designs and detailing errors caused the building to collapse.”

But in the statement by the church, it maintained its stance since the tragedy occurred that it was not culpable, but that some external forces had caused the building to collapse as additional floors were being added onto it. The church noted that there was no finding, in the course of the inquest, that it engaged the services of unqualified or incompetent professionals for the construction of the building.

L-R: Director of Environmental Conservation and Resources Management, Ogun State Ministry of Environment, Mr. Kunle Osota; Deputy Governor, Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga and Head of Service, Mrs. Modupe Adekunle, during a sensitisation on market sanitation in some markets in Abeokuta …yesterday

105 sit for promotion exams in Ekiti

Oyo PDP backs Ladoja, Alao-Akala for chairman Political thugs attack residents

Adesina Wahab

Sola Adeyemo

Ado-Ekiti

o fewer than 105 senior civil servants on substantive directorate grade levels in the employ of the Ekiti State Government yesterday sat for a promotion examination that will qualify them for various vacant top positions in the state public service. Top vacant positions expected to be filled include; Permanent Secretaries, Administrative Secretaries and General Managers for some Ministries, Departments and Agencies. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti during the examination, the Head of Service, Dr. Olugbenga Faseluka, said the examination was aimed at filling the available vacancies in top positions in the public service with a strong and credible leadership through an open and competitive process in line with the State Civil Service Transformation Strategy.

Ibadan

ome leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oyo State, yesterday called on the party’s National Working Committee (NWC), to invite aggrieved former chieftains of the party, including Senator Rashidi Ladoja, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, Engineer Seyi Makinde, towards making sure that one of them emerges as the national Chairman of the party. They said their plea has become necessary if the

party was to re-capture its ruling position in future elections. The party’s chieftains, under the aegis of ‘Oyo State PDP Leaders of Like Minds’, stated this yesterday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital during the South West zonal meeting with the Emeka Ihediohaled PDP Post-Election Review sub-committee held in state. The chieftains who also kicked against the choice of Uche Secondus as the National Chairman of the party, according to the nine-

page memorandum they presented to the former Speaker of the House of Representatives included: Dr Saka Balogun, Senator Ayo Adeseun, Chief Jumoke Akinjide, Alhaji Hazeem Gbolarumi, Professoor Taoheed Adedoja, Professor Soji Adejumo, Femi Babalola, Alhaji Kunmi Mustapha, Alhaji Bisi Olopoenia and eight others. The leaders said the hijack of the party structure and consequent imposition of unpopular candidates by some members of the NWC.

Gunmen abduct 80-year-old woman in Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

n what appears to be a resurgence of abduction of people in Ekiti State, unknown gunmen yesterday forcibly abducted an 80-year-old grandmother, Mrs. Rose Aina, from her

home in Ilogbo-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State. The development according to observers confirmed that local government areas as the headquarters of kidnappers and abductors in the state, as numerous cases of abduction have been

recorded there. Mrs. Margaret Aladenika, a nurse with the Federal Teaching Hospital, Ido-Ekiti and Rev Fr. Emmanuel Akingbade of the Catholic Church in Ido-Ekiti, were among those kidnapped in the Ido/Osi axis of the state recently.

over anti-govt protest Adeolu Adeyemo OSOGBO

uspected political thugs were said to have invaded a popular newsstand at the WoleOla Estate junction, opposite Ayegbaju International Market in Osogbo, yesterday and attacked scores of newspapers readers over perceived anti-government position against the state government on the issue of the non- payment of the state workers’ salaries. The development News Telegraph learnt stemmed from moves by powerful politicians in the state to nip the anti-government sentiments over the nonpayment of salaries in the bud in the state. It was gathered that the area was invaded by the thugs when warning to the people at the newsstand to refrain from crit-

icizing the government over the issue of non-payment was not heeded, as a pro-government member of the crowd allegedly called the hoodlums who stormed the area some few minutes later and attack the crowd dispersing them in the process. An eye witness account revealed that the thugs numbering over 40 and popularly called “state boys”, arrived in four mini buses and four motorcycles, armed with dangerous weapons like axes, guns and cutlasses, unleashed terror on the crowd shooting sporadically into the air to disperse and scare the crowd at the newsstand away. Another source said all the newspapers being sold by the news vendor along the umbrella meant for shade were vandalized by the hoodlums, while a score of people in the crowd were injured.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015

Insurgency

Open Forum

Governance

Olajide: Nigeria must discuss with Boko Haram

Tsav: People are making money through insurgency

How Buhari can tackle corruption

Politics IYOBOSA UWUGIAREN argues that unfolding security challenges in the country suggest nothing has changed in the fight against Boko Haram

herever he went to during his presidential campaign, the message resonated: General Muhammadu Buhari’s message of hope and strength of mind to tackle Boko Haram, the terrorist and blood-thirsty group that has killed thousands of innocent Nigerians in the last few years was strong and authoritative. The then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was victorious in the March 28 general elections, had assured Nigerians that Boko Haram would be smoked and chased out of Nigeria – if the party is elected into power at the centre. Buhari, who perhaps, took advantage of the horror and fear created in the country by the terrorists, had predicated his campaign to win the electorate on two issues: Insecurity and corruption. And he consistently told overflowing crowd of APC faithful at various rallies, with forceful voice, that the terrorist activities in some parts of the North-East could not be crushed by the Peoples Democratic Party-led government because the government was corrupt and deceitful. Even though some security experts accused Buhari then of under-estimating the intention and capacity of Boko Haram, his spirit was strong, believing that the country needed “positivechange” and that only his party could bring the desired change to save the country from total collapse. “If you elect me as the president of Nigeria, I am assuring you that our government will chase Boko Haram out of Nigeria within a month because; it is the responsibility of any reasonable government to secure the lives and

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY EDITOR, PoLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

Insurgency: Same story, same strategy

Buhari

property of its citizens,” Buhari had boasted. A retired army general with a fighting-life force, Buhari, again, reminded Nigerians of this promise – at his inauguration on May 29 – that he would tackle the extremist group “head-on”, especially after it has killed an estimated 10,000 people, displaced about two million civilians and carried out hundreds of abductions, since the terrorist group started its evil campaign to create an Islamic state in 2009. Yet again, shortly after he was sworn in, Buhari chastised the Nigerian army, saying he was stunned to discover that it took the intercession of the Chadian armed forces for it to recover some states and local government areas captured by the terrorist group, and sworn to defeat the murderous gang. Apparently, as a follow up to his determination to act fast, he later made his first official visit to Niger, a key ally against Islamist terrorist Boko Haram, to discuss a regional offensive against the group, which has caused havoc in northern Nigeria and neighbouring states. On this, analysts said he just followed the footstep of

Jonathan

If you elect me as the president of Nigeria, I am assuring you that our government will chase Boko Haram out of Nigeria within a month

former President Goodluck Jonathan, who made the security arrangement with Niger, Chad and Cameroon to help Nigeria retake territory lost to Boko Haram before leaving office. After one day in Niger, Buhari travelled to Chad where he met the country’s President Idriss Deby, who has previously been critical of Nigeria’s handling of Boko Haram. Deby had said the regional fight back had been obstructed by poor co-ordination between the Chadian and Nigerian armies. Anyway, Buhari has since re-sealed that security deal with over $100 million investment. Consequently, while Chad, Cameroon and Niger have, for the past few weeks, remained within their own territories to enclose the Boko Haram threat, in March around 200 vehicles crossed into North-East Nigeria to open a new forwardfacing against the group. In all these efforts, security analysts say nothing has changed from the days of former President Jonathan till now – in terms of security strategies and Boko Haram’s deadly operational activities. To be sure, investigations by security agencies in the last few

days indicate that Boko Haram has displaced over 60,000 people from Borno villages and its environs and killed over 660 in just one month. The affected people are mainly from Zabarmari village of Jere local government area of Borno State and Jos, the state capital of Plateau and Kaduna states. During the week, a female suicide bomber blew up herself in a mosque at Muna Garage in Maiduguri, killing 19 people and injuring many others. Boko Haram fighters have also revisited Miringa Village in Biu Local Government Area of Borno State, where they killed many people. Before then, the terrorists had trailed some of their ‘defecting members’ to the same village and killed 11. The deadly activities of Boko Haram have been very pronounced in eight local government areas of Borno State. The local councils include Maiduguri metropolitan council, Jere, Konduga, Damboa, Kukawa, Monguno Mafa and Askira Uba. Media reports also suggest that attack on Zabarmari, which is located about 25-kilometre from Maiduguri, has incited huge inCONTINUED ON PAGE 16

Politics

FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

OPEN FORUM Dr. Kunle Olajide, an elder statesman, is the National Publicity of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF)

...boko haram attacks

Olajide: Nigeria must discuss with Boko Haram

he new trend of Boko Haram attacks is a very bad omen; absolutely bad omen because Nigerians expected that with General Muhammadu Buhari in the saddle, the activities of the terrorist group would have reduced. But what we are witnessing now is very frightening. In fact, Boko Haram is now extending its attacks beyond the confine of North-East and it is putting Nigeria at risk. So, it is not a cheering news; everybody must feel concern about it. The Yoruba in particular are worried because it appears that the sect are coming southwards towards the River Niger. It is really difficult to say why Boko Haram attacks have increased. But my view is that Boko Haram felt betrayed by Buhari and this is why they are increasing their attacks at the peak of the Ramadan fast, which is very discouraging. I think they are now challenging the temerity of President Buhari to have promised to silent them within three months of assumption of office. That is what they are doing. They are trying to challenge him and their action is putting Nigeria at risk. Towards the end of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan administration, we were almost wiping out Boko Haram out of the country. The military was doing so well but I think they (Boko Haram) felt betrayed; that is my reading of the situation. They felt betrayed

Olajide

and they want to flex their muscles to challenge the temerity of President Buhari to dare them, particularly when he said he was moving military headquarters to Maiduguri. The sect has gone beyond Maiduguri and now invading the North-Central. So, Nigerians must be deeply worried and I am sure the President himself must be worried. I believe for us to solve the Boko Haram problems, we must employ the carrot and stick approach; mili-

tary might cannot solve the problem. If you think back in history, there is no war that was not ended on negotiation table. I think it is high time we approached Boko Haram to find out their grievances with the Nigerian State because I think there are internal collaborators with them. They have collaborators; otherwise they won’t be operating the way they are doing. I think we must adopt the carrot and stick approach, not only military might. I believe the carrot and stick ap-

I believe having a roundtable discussion with the Boko Haram members will solve the insurgency problem

Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Ikedife: Many areas are now in danger Dr. Dozie Ikedife is a former PresidentGeneral of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and chairman, Anambra Elders’ Forum

he way Boko Haram terrorists are carrying out their attacks in different parts of the country is frightening. The situation should be the concern of everybody in the country. It appears that the aim of the sect is to overrun the entire country.

Ikedife

Towards the end of the Goodluck Jonathan administration, the activities of Boko Haram were being checkmated. But the sect has increased its attacks may be because Boko Haram members have been smoked out of the areas they were controlling before; they are now operating in a wider area. It means more and more areas of Nigeria are in danger now. That is my impression of it. I will advise the government to beef up the security and encourage more people to give information. There is the need to create an information centre to receive information and use them. Talking about the performances of the security agencies, I won’t like to say whether they are doing well or not because I don’t know how much effort that is being put; how much investment that is being made; how much reinforcement and encouragement that they are receiving. When I am not in possession of such fact, it would be unfair for me to say they are doing enough or they are not doing enough. To the ordinary man on the street, they are waiting to hear less and less about where they are bomb-

proach will work because honestly, Nigerian collaborators are part of the terrorists’ attacks. So, let us find out what they want and lets see to what extent we can go. In fact, that is one of the resolutions we had at the 2014 National Conference, which was that we should have fairly autonomous states, so that any state that wants to practise Sharia can go ahead and do it without hindrance. Unitary system cannot work in this country. At present, it is appears that the Nigerian security agencies are being overwhelmed now because we are contending with people fighting guerrilla welfare. And like one of the top retired military officers, General Alani Akinrinade, said recently, ‘Nigeria military had never been trained in guerrilla warfare.’ So, the Boko Haram group are beating the military to it. How do you spread Nigerian military across Zaria, Kaduna and everywhere? So, I think we must discuss. I believe having a round table discussion with the Boko Haram members will solve the insurgency problem. My submission is that it appears there is no part of Nigeria that is happy with Nigeria as it is. We are having terrorism in the North; the Yoruba are not happy with what is going on now and the South-South and South-East also have their own grievances. I think we must revert to the constitutional provisions.

ing, burning and who they are killing and less of the Boko Haram activities. That is what I am sure an ordinary person on the street is hoping to experience. Basically, there is a common sense that anything that you try and it didn’t work, you might as well try and try again. But if you see that the method you are using is not working, you have to change tactics. It is common

sense. So, when the operational method of Boko Haram is changing, it would be too bad for the government to maintain old method of countering the sect. There is proverb in Igbo, which says: Since the hunter has learnt to shoot without missing; the bird has learnt to fly without perching. So, if you want to overtake the sect, you must change tactics if the method you are using is not yielding the result you expect. It is common sense to do that. Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Yakasai: Change of govt means Alhaji Tanko Yakasai is the chairman of the Northern Elders’ Council (NEC) and Second Republic Presidential Adviser on National Assembly Matters

ith the recent incessant attacks by Boko Haram in different state, I think the terrorists are trying to throw up a show to tell Nigerians that the change of government means nothing to them. They are trying to show that they are still strong and committed to their agitation and struggle. The recent attacks by Boko Haram in Yola, Kano, Kaduna and other places may not be a new thing because they have attacked those places they are now attacking before. Right from their inception, they at-

Yakasai

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015

OPEN FORUM Alhaji Abubakar Tsav is a former Lagos State Commissioner of Police

he recent incessant attacks by Boko Haram are very sad and it should be a thing of concern to many Nigerians. I believe the poverty level in the country has contributed to the insurgency. People are poor and that is why some poor people are being used by Boko Haram to carry out the attacks. For instance, they can approach a poor girl going about begging for arms and give her N200 or N500, telling her that they want to send her on an errand. They will strapp bomb on her and tell her to go and drop it somewhere without telling her that she is going to die. They will tell her to go and drop the bomb and promised to give her more money when she returns. The girl will go and die in the process. I think what government should do is to create public awareness through commercials and adverts in the media to inform people, particularly the young people to resist from being used by anybody. I believe that government agencies are also involved. When I was in the service, I saw what

...boko haram attacks

Tsav: People are making money through insurgency

Many people are not showing commitment to the war against Boko Haram Tsav

happened during bombings in Lagos and the government was accusing the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO). Unfortunately, those behind the

bombings were really the security agencies. They will do it and lie for government to give them a lot of money. Many people are not showing

commitment to the war against Boko Haram because all they want is to make money forgetting that when they die, they will leave the money behind. That is the situation and it is very sad indeed. I believe that some security agencies are involved in the Boko Haram problem because many people are making so much money through the insurgency; they are making millions, building estates in Abuja. But I believe that by the grace of God, things would be well. I am sure President Muhammadu Buhari will do something. The problem we have is that all those who surround him are old hawks; the corrupt forces. People who know nothing but corruption and we cannot go and manufacture people in heaven to come and salvage the country; we need to use our own people. So, I am praying that those who have been engaged in corruption to repent, take a new life, stop corruption and contribute to nation building. Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

Suraj: Government should change security tactics Lanre Suraj is the chairman of the Civil Society Network Against Corruption (CSNAC)

T Suraj

nothing to Boko Haram tacked Maiduguri, Bauchi and Kano. I believe that the Federal Government is trying its best in solving the insurgency problem. This is a period of preparation and we must allow the new government time to prepare to assess the situation and see from which angle it can make a better impact in the struggle. But fighting insurgency is not something you can do overnight; it will require preparation, intelligence gathering, alertness on the part of the people in the country, who should be more curious to re-

port injured movement. So, the insurgency is not what you can resolve within 30 days, but I am sure that the Muhammadu Buhari-led government is preparing to solve the problem because it is one of the cardinal election promises they made. I am sure they will prepare to make a difference. To solve the insurgency problem, I will advise President Buhari to study what the previous administration did in battling Boko Haram and see how he can improve on it. Interview by TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE

here are two different angles to the renewed onslaught by the sect. It is not impossible that the Federal Governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort at cleaning out the insurgents is getting to them seriously. And also at the last effort, they want to inflict as much injuries within their powers on the people. Also, there are still a handful of sabotages and some persons outside the Boko Haram taking advantage of the situation. If you look at what happened in Jos and Kaduna, you will be tempted to believe that the mode of the operation was outside the system of the Boko Haram. Whatever it is, you can see that there are some deserters that are also deported from the camp of the Boko Haram who were shot by the sects. It means some of them are getting better informed or the heat is getting to them as they suspect that they might get at them very soon, so the best thing they want to do is to get out of the Boko Haram bondage. The government needs to change its tactics because fear has heightened in the system. The government needs to move away

Government needs to move away from the usual assurances of we are going to fish out the perpetrators

from the usual assurances of we are going to fish out the perpetrators; they must provide information that can assist the people in understanding their involvements and the activities of government in stamping out the insurgents. It will not be good if Nigerians are left to be making conjectures on their own over what is happening. There is no doubting the fact that one month is not sufficient for any government, not even the American government can stamp out this level of insurgency in one year, not talk of a government that has just been there for one and a half month. We need to understand how they are addressing the issue and they must update the people on the need to be security conscious. I think those who are already assessing this new government with the last administration are not being fair and uncharitable. How can anyone compare a six weeks government with a six years government? In any case, if anything had changed, it was the political structure not the security structure. The same service chiefs who worked with the past government are still there now, the new government inherited them. It is still the same set of people until they are changed. It will be too hasty of a conclusion if anyone tries to assess this administration under six weeks. Interview by WALE ELEGBEDE

Politics

FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Rescue workers at the scene of the bombing of workers in Zaria, Kaduna.

A victim of the Jos bomb blast on admission at the Plateau State Specialist Hospital, Jos.

Insurgency: Same story, same strategy C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

flux of internally displaced persons (IDPs) into the state capital. Some community leaders in Zabarmari told Governor Kashim Shettima of Borno State, who visited the village, recently, that seven people were killed and many others sustained injuries. They also said a truck fully loaded with explosives was found while bomb detection experts also defused many explosives in the village. It was gathered that the terrorists also went to the battle front with their women fighters. In Jos, over 51 people were killed in twin bomb blasts on Sunday, while over 53 sustained serious injuries, after a bloody violence blamed on Boko Haram. Boko Haram continued its campaign of terror on Tuesday as a repetitive screening for workers of Sabongari Local Council in Zaria, Kaduna State, ended in blood and tears when a young female suicide bomber struck, killing over 25 people, including a two-year-old child. The victims of the Zaria suicide bombing were mostly civil servants undergoing screening and audit as directed by the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, to smoke out ghost workers. Witnesses said the suicide bomber managed to sneak into and mingle with the crowd of anxious council workers before detonating the explosives, which were strapped on her body. The workers were from Kubau, Lere, Kauru and Sabon Gari councils. Boko Haram winning? For now, security experts say Boko Haram has stepped up its attacks in northern Nigeria since the inauguration of President Buhari on May 29, with a wave of raids, explosions and suicide bombings. Even though InspectorGeneral of Police Solomon Arase has ordered command Commissioners of Police to strengthen security around worship centres, even as street hawking within the Abuja metropolis is banned. “With the deadly activities of Boko Haram in the last few weeks, we can now rescore former Presi-

dent Goodluck Jonathan and award him A+. We now know the enormity of the challenges he faced while fighting Boko Haram,” a former military administrator, who spoke with New Telegraph said. “Things are fast happening; it is scary; we don’t know what is happening. We thought the new government will respond very fast in crushing this deadly group called Boko Haram.” It might be too early in the day, but the Nigerian public have in the last few days descended heavily on Buhari for not living up to their expectation and his promise to tackle Boko Haram “within one month” of his administration. A press statement signed by the President, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Rev. Felix Omobude, called on the Federal Government to continue the fight against insurgency with more vigour and to remain steadfast in the protection of lives and property of all Nigerians. But Buhari’s party, the APC, says the president is working very hard to fight terrorism. “Let me say straight away that my party, the APC, understands and appreciates the concerns of Nigerians as far as the perceived pace of the administration is concerned,” Lai Mohammed, the national publicity secretary of APC said. “We understand that they repose so much confidence in the party and the government to act quickly to stamp out insecurity, tackle corruption, revive the moribund economy, provide jobs and generally restore hope.” He claims tackling insecurity and fight against terrorism is one area in which the Buhari administration has hit the ground running. Hear him: “The president had hardly been sworn into office than he embarked on a shuttle diplomacy to rally Nigeria’s neighbours to act as a common front against the terror group Boko Haram. The president travelled to Chad and Niger, and then hosted a summit of the Lake Chad Basin Commission that comprised Cameroon, Chad and Niger, with Benin also invited.” The result, according to Mohammed, is the decision to deploy

the Multin National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), with headquarters in N’Djamena, Chad, on July 30th to pep up the fight against Boko Haram. “This is the same force that the past administration could not get off the ground in six years,” the APC’s spokesman added.

Things are fast happening... We thought the new government will respond very fast in crushing this deadly group

Negotiating with Boko Haram? While Nigeria continue to live in fear over the deadly act of terrorism by Boko Haram, President Buhari’s recent declaration to negotiate with the terrorist group may have incited worries among security experts. His spokesperson, Femi Adesina, disclosed that if Boko Haram members are willing, the president would negotiate with them. However, observers say this seems to be against the earlier stance of Buhari, who during his campaign, promised not to negotiate with the insurgents if elected as president. “Boko Haram is not interested in peace – if they are interested in peace, how can they kill 13,000 Nigerians?” the former military ruler told BBC News in February. The way to go Indeed, experts say negotiation may not be the way to go in fighting the terrorists. Indeed, a recent research entitled “Boko Haram and Terrorism in Northern Nigeria: (A Psychological Analysis)” by three scholars in the Department of Psychology, University of Lagos, Dr. Fred Femi Akinfala, Dr. Gabriel Aunde Akinbode and Dr. Ibi-Agiobu Kemmer, published in the current British Journal of Arts and Social Sciences, suggests that negotiation or amnesty is no solution. The report says if government decides to go ahead to offer amnesty to Boko Haram, it would only be setting a bad precedence and sooner or later another militia groups will arise and the nation will keep going round the circle. “Offering amnesty to Boko Haram will only make militancy attractive and just another way to milk out money from the government. Nigeria has become a country more interested in following

shortcuts in solving its problems,” the academic report says. “It is instructive to note that, this shortcut process will only bring short time solution and a greater problem in the future.” The argument is that when people seen to be flagrantly taking up arms against the state go unpunished and government turn them to celebrities overnight, then there is no reason for others not to copy their activities. The reasoning is that one of the ways of effectively combating terrorism would be to render appropriate punishment for those guilty of this act. However, for punishment to be effective, experts say, it has to be uniformly applied to all that are guilty of terrorism and not limited to people of low status. A retired army general who spoke with New Telegraph says what is needed at this critical time is “strong and effective intelligence gathering” by the Department of State Services (DSS) and other intelligence security agencies. But, the former state military administrator was quick to add that the recent “seeming persecution” of some DSS officers will not help the Federal Government in tackling terrorism in the country. “How can the Federal Government be fighting some senior officers of a powerful security agency like DSS? It will surely not help our case in the present circumstances,” the retired army officer says. For now, many security experts believe Buhari has not taken the right step to deal with insecurity and terrorism as promised during his electoral campaign. The way to go, according to them, is for the Federal Government to make it clear that any form of criminality will not in any way be tolerated in the country and anyone who carries arm against the country will be severely punished by the strong arm of the law. The popular view is that granting pardon or amnesty whatsoever name giving it, for murderers is similar to encouraging social evils and criminality. It may be possibly unsafe to Nigeria and Nigerians – it is a clarion call to more terrorism in a trouble country like Nigeria.

Politics

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015

How Buhari can tackle corruption Kolawole Olaniyan is the author of ‘Corruption and Human Rights Law in Africa’. He gives an insight into how President Muhammadu Buhari can tackle corruption

resident Muhammadu Buhari has rather wisely turned the spotlight on recovering stolen funds. The president recently confirmed that his government has “received firm assurances of cooperation from the U.S. and other countries on the recovery and repatriation of funds stolen from Nigeria. According to the President, “the government in the next three months will be busy getting facts and figures needed to help us recover our stolen funds in foreign countries.” It’s no coincidence that the first priority of the Buhari government is not to throw corrupt officials in jail but to recover stolen funds. Nigeria is broke, and several of its 36 states can’t even pay their workers’ salaries. But this is hardly surprising given that for many years the country has fallen victim of systematic stealing by career politicians and soldiers dabbling in politics. Previously considered a matter of “little brown envelopes” corruption is now a huge “profitable business” for politicians (and their families and friends, the so-called go-betweens or ‘looting pipes’), corporations and financial institutions and centres. Stealing is odious, illegal and immoral but stolen funds don’t stink, as corrupt officials continue to empty the public treasuries for personal gains – to amass luxury cars, buy extravagant homes, and enjoy exotic vacations – to the amazement and anger of millions of Nigerians. Images of government officials lining their pockets with the treasure of the poor are stark and raw. Yet, corrupt officials are allowed to keep their looted funds and thus reaping the benefits of their corruption. The abundance of wealth of the ruling class stands in stark contrast to the poverty of the majority of Nigerians. Allowing corrupt officials to benefit from their crime has a degenerative effect on the institutions of governance, human rights and the rule of law. Therefore, the Buhari government is spot-on to focus on the return of stolen funds, as this can help take the profit out of corruption, thereby reducing the incentive to act corruptly. This notion of taking the profit out of corruption is premised on a belief that the individual’s economic behaviour is rational and based on a balance of interest and risk. However, asset recovery is complex, expensive and slow, requiring sound planning and pro-

Buhari

active actions by the government if any significant success is to be recorded. Important documents and primary information will be needed to allow forensic experts, accountants, lawyers, etc., to build a prima facie case to initiate mutual assistance requests. Once stolen funds are identified, the government must move swiftly to seize and freeze the funds as a provisional measure, to prevent the possibility of funds being moved around and closure of accounts. The government may, for example, request that a blanket disclosure and freezing order be sent to targeted banks in Europe and North America where prima facie information is available that stolen funds are deposited in those banks. But none of these will succeed without the full and effective cooperation of other states. That is why the “firm assurances of cooperation” by the US and other unnamed countries is in principle to be applauded. Nevertheless, it has to be stressed that the way jurisdictions like the US keeping stolen funds respond in practice to requests for technical and financial assistance suggests that the promise of cooperation should be taken with a pinch of salt. For example, the US and the UK have not shown sufficient political will to cooperate in the repatriation of Abacha loot. Although often touted as a ‘success story’, only a small part of the Abacha funds have actually been repatriated by the UK and Switzerland. France even failed to execute a letter of request for mutual assistance on the rather flimsy ground that it was drafted in English! Therefore, to make sure that the US and other countries fulfil their promises to cooperate, the Buhari government can make the best use of progressive rules on asset recovery as contained in the UN Convention against Corruption (UNCAC) which the US ratified on October 30, 2006. The UNCAC, for example, makes it obligatory

Abacha

Buhari should seek to recover stolen funds even from members of his own party and those that may be involved in his government

for states to exchange information and take measures to facilitate the full return of funds to the countries from which they were stolen. Yet, the use of the UNCAC may not necessarily guarantee success in securing the cooperation of financial centres without the requisite political will to observe the rules on international cooperation and assistance. Experience has indeed shown that while many countries including the US, the UK (and Nigeria) have ratified the UNCAC, the convention is rarely effectively implemented by financial centres in Europe and North America. In essence, recovery of stolen funds still largely depends on the goodwill of the states where the funds are located. Therefore, the Buhari government would need to make a strong case on why it is in the public interest of the US to facilitate recovery of stolen funds by Nigeria, as the US (and other countries) won’t cooperate if cooperating with Nigeria is deemed harmful to its public or economic interest. However, Nigeria is not entirely left to the political whims and caprices of the financial centres. One way Buhari can deal with the cases of unwilling or uncooperative financial centres and offshore havens is to consider, first, the possibility of judicial intervention through the mechanism of the International Court of Justice (already contemplated under article 66 of the UNCAC as a means of resolving disputes among states parties). Second, in cases of jurisdictions that persistently violate rules on international cooperation regarding asset recovery, the government should work with friendly countries to put pressure on the international community to consider imposing heavy political and economic sanctions against those jurisdictions. Although not an international court, the OECD mechanism allows non-members like Nigeria to make a request to its Working Group on Bribery or to its Secretary General. The Buhari govern-

ment can take full advantage of this mechanism by requesting the Working Group and the Secretary General to include the government’s asset recovery initiative on their “Tour de Table”. Beyond dealing with the issue of international cooperation, there are other issues that will determine whether the government will succeed in its asset recovery agenda or follow the failed initiatives of past governments. For reason of space, only a few of these issues will be highlighted here. In the first place, the government’s asset recovery initiative must be comprehensive and avoid selective justice, consistent with the precepts of a social and democratic state based on the rule of law. The principle of equality, according to which justice should be administered equally for all, means that Buhari should seek to recover stolen funds even from members of his own party and those that may be involved in his government. It’s equally important to target not only the high-ranking government officials and politicians but also the go-betweens – their families and friends – who may have helped them to stash stolen funds abroad, as well as financial institutions and centres that help to keep and hide ill-gotten wealth. Similarly, Buhari’s asset recovery agenda should take a firm stance against corruption in business transactions by establishing mechanisms to impose direct liability on companies and multinational corporations for bribing high ranking government officials. The asset recovery initiative must also cover the theft of security votes and false funding requests for security operation or equipment by successive governments – federal and states alike. This was in fact one modus operandi by the late dictator General Sani Abacha to steal the country’s wealth. Most of the funds were taken away in cash from the Central Bank of CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion PMB Lawal Lawal Lawal Emissary EMEKA OBASI

emobas2003@yahoo.com 08094457557 (sms only)

am in love with the new face of President Muhammadu Buhari. The military rank is still intact, just that you will have to open the files to fix it. Some of us thought General Muhammadu Buhari was too old school for the younger generation. Even when he changed it to GMB ,we could not strike a chord. PMB is more like it. For those who belong to the Internet generation, PMB may sound odd. A few of them could have come across P.O. Box. I belong to the letter writing generation of the old Post and Telegraph [Pand T]. My secondary school was PMB 1006, I do not know if it is still the same today. Private Mail Bag, that is what PMB stands for. P.O Box simply means Post Office Box. Thank heavens President Buhari belongs to the ultra analogue generation and has brought back memories of the postal system. One of my University room mates, had as his address P.O. Box 1, Igarra. That is special. Mr. President could have gone for PMB Lawal Lawal Lawal, if NIPOST was as popular as the 1970s P and T. There is something about our president and names. I am yet to consult my marabout to find out the magic behind this. Someone just reminded me that may be, Sangomas in South Africa will help me out. There is something interesting about the name Lawal. It is one of the few you can spell from the back and get exactly the same as when you do it from the front. I have also discovered that, like the French say, the more things change, the more they remain the same.

President Buhari has not really changed, he is still the same man who abhors corruption like I detest bush meat. Zero tolerance, that is his motto even as his party, the All Progressives Congress[APC], chants Change. The name Lawal and our dear president always go together. His Aide de Camp is Lt. Col Mohammed Lawal Abubakar. The Director General of the Department of State Security [DSS], is Lawal Musa Daura. The Director General of the Nigeria Security Organisation [NSO], in his years as military dictator, was Mohammed Lawal Rafindadi. You know what, the governor of Buhari’s home state[ Kaduna then] when he ascended the throne as Head of State, was Lawal Kaita. Now I am planning to change my name to Lawal because I am earnestly searching for a job in the yet to be constituted cabinet as minister. And I guess Senator Ahmed Lawan should have consulted me before going to battle Dr. Bukola Saraki for the position of Senate President. My advise would have been generous. Go pay for Ten pages in New Telegraph and change your name to Ahmed Lawal. You see what the letter N has done to a distinguished Senator of the Federal Republic. Please my anointing is powerful. Do not go to any Babalawo, forget the red and green candles, come to me ye that are looking for Presidential favour, I have the key to your success. Name change is in vogue now. I, formerly known as Emeka Ikechukwu Obasi, wish to be known as and called Emeka Lawal Obasi. All former documents remain valid. Aso Villa take note. Who is next. Please come to me ,all ye that are looking for appointments in Abuja and I will give you rest. Certain things played out under President Buhari’s time in Dodan Barracks,Lagos. And they had to do with names. He appointed Navy Captain Edet Archibong, Military governor of Cross River State. The man did not last, he was dropped following allegations that trailed his stint at the Naval Dockyard, Lagos. And the man who succeeded him was another Archibong, Lt.Col. Daniel Archibong, of the Nigeria Army. In Ondo, Buhari appointed Commodore Michael

Bamidele Otiko, Military Governor to succeed Pa Michael Ajasin. One Ondo farmer was quick to react. “ We have been Michaelised again.” That state got into the same funny act in the the democratic dispensation when Dr. Segun Mimiko swept away Chief Segun Agagu. The Appeal court Segunised them. Sokoto also got a dose of the Buhari name playing magic. Dr. Garba Nadama’s office as governor was occupied by Brigadier Garba Duba in 1984. When Duba was dropped in 1985 by his friend and in-law, Gen Ibrahim Babangida, Col. Garba Mohammed stepped in. The Garbanisation introduced by President Buhari did not leave Sokoto so easily. In 1998, Group Captain Garba Mohammed , emerged as Military Administrator. In 2006, Deputy Governor Garba Mohammed, died in the ADC air crash. There is much more between President Buhari and names. As Head of State, in 1984, the Governor of Bauchi state was a Mohammed, Maj. Gen. Mohammed Sani Sami. As President in 2015, Bauchi state governor is another Mohammed, Mohammed Abubakar. That is the same story in Kano. Under the Buhari regime in 1984, their governor was Air Commodore Hamza Abdullahi. Today, they have Abdullahi Gunduje. There are more peculiarities about PMB. When he emerged on December 31, 1983 as military leader, it was not his will. Younger elements who executed the coup felt comfortable with him as Head of State. He was at the time of the plot, General Officer Commanding[GOC] the Army Division In Jos. In the same vein, he was literally dragged into politics last year from retirement by younger but seasoned politicians. After losing the 2011 Presidential elections to Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, Buhari vowed never to contest again. And think about this. As Head of State, his deputy was a Yoruba man, Tunde Idiagbon. As president, the Vice President is another Yoruba, Yemi Osinbajo. Indeed, the more things change, the more things remain the same.

Contradictions and implosion of APC Julius Oweh

he cracks along the fault lines and the minor political explosion in the All Progressives Congress landscape shall snowball into tremors and political quake if individual members` ambitions are not subordinated under the party interest and progress. I am talking about the rumblings in the governing party, painful fallout of the leadership election in the national assembly. Whether the election of Senator Bukola Saraki and Speaker Yakubu Dogara is a demonstration of the independence of the parliament, flagrant disregard of party supremacy or clear indications of the North’s objective to husband key political positions are all in the realms of conjectures. But the reality dawning on most Nigerians is that APC as a party was clubbed together by those who were either anti-Jonathan or anti-PDP. It was not a cohesive party driven by any ideology but simply a protest movement and a vehicle meant for the acquisition of power. And after acquiring power and dispensing with the common foe, their political contradictions are coming to the surface and in the logic of fisherman phraseology; the party is akin to a basket full of crabs. No crab wants to stay at the bottom as all of them are eager to be at the top. Every member of the ruling party, be they of CPC, ACN, ANPP or APGA lineage want to be na-

tional leaders and have a say how the party should be run. Add the mixture of newPDP and the five governors; you have a toxic political concoction waiting to explode. Those who accused the PDP of impunity and lack of internal democracy are doing things worse than the party. Today the nation is faced with a situation of a political party not prepared to rule and perhaps the members of the party were surprised at their own victory. The division of the spoils of office and inordinate ambition to control the soul of the party and trying to establish a foot hole in 2019 presidential elections are the issues exposing the contradictions. Those who planned the political alchemy of the APC are coming to the terms of the impossible and impractical marriage of convenience. Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president who has not disguised his ambition to be president of Nigeria since the days of the SDP, Senator Bola Tinubu, the national leader with an ego problem and apostle of imposition of candidates under the veneer of consensus politics and Senator Olu Saraki who prefers to sacrifice group interest for vaulting ambition to become the president of the country, a feat not achieved by his own father are the brains behind the implosion of the party. Those Nigerians who invested their hope on the party will be sorely disappointed. For these men are in the scramble for the soul of the party and how their individual ambitions must

take precedence over the group interest and by implication getting the dividends of democracy to the people. Thousands of visits to Chief Olusegun Obasanjo shall not solve the problem. The main political actors in this cauldron must have political introspection and subordinate their ambitions for the good of the nation, an impossible wish, you may say. In midst of these contradictions, President Muhammadu Buhari is not helping matters by not taking a decisive stand. The president, speaking from both sides of the mouth about the election of the leadership of the national assembly is sending a wrong signal to vast majority of Nigerians that wanted committed and transparent leadership from him. My dear Buhari, in the thicket of politics and scramble for power, you cannot please everybody and some hard decisions though not favourable must be taken. The indifferent and docile stance of the president is not advancing the cause of APC and merely giving the PDP more salvoes to diminish the importance of the party. The president must step out and give focused leadership as far as the crisis is concerned or risk the dismantling of the All Progressives Congress. In fact, there is nothing progressive about a party that cannot manage success and is only good as a protest movement. What these entire infighting and contradictions signpost is that the Nigerian politician should not be trusted and the driving ambition is about the spoils of office. The stripe and tenor of our

politicians shall continue to confound us and the best practised soothsayers. The APC is certainly not the home of political messiahs and saints and those who wilfully demonized the PDP may be shocked to their marrows. After all, majority of members of APC were of the PDP stock and stinging reminder that a leopard can hardly change its spots. It is a case of chicken coming home to roost. Unless the leadership of the party instil discipline in members, they will come to a painful and agonizing political reality of a ship where everybody is a captain. The APC for the good and progress of the nation must go back to the drawing board and weed out those who are more enamoured with power rather than serving the nation. Democracy is beyond the holding and winning of elections. Democracy is much more crucial when individual members obey the rules and regulations of the party so that the party programmes can be implemented for the good of the electorate. Those in elective positions must realise that they are holding the mandate of the people and how the common patrimony can be used for the good of all. If those who are to provide leadership and dispense the dividends of democracy to the electorate are in fierce struggle for political positions mired in betrayals and intrigues, then the art of governance is given less attention. This is what Buhari, Saraki and Dogara must realise. •Oweh, a journalist, Asaba, Delta State. (08037768392)

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Beyond Keshi’s sacking

he administrative crisis in Nigerian football is fast becoming a soap opera of sort. It is unending. As one chapter closes, another opens. At the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil, it was a surprise that Super Eagles camp was in turmoil. The players had issues with one another. Some of the players had issues with the Head Coach, Stephen Keshi, while the coach also had problems with the Nigeria Football Federation. The team also boycotted training over bonus row and it took the intervention of Senate President, David Mark, to douse tension in camp. All these happened during the competition in which the country struggled to pick a second round ticket. The 2-0 defeat suffered against France was not a surprise because the entire team did not sleep early the previous night because they were sharing money sent to Brazil by the Federal Government. We frown on such unpatriotic acts that make people place their personal interests above that of the country. The World Cup crisis was followed by leadership row in the NFF which dragged until Amaju Pinnick emerged the new President of the body. He inherited so many problems

including poor results in the race to Nations Cup 2015 and somehow the Eagles failed to make it to the continental event. No thanks to the huge backing given to Keshi by some topshots in the President Goodluck Jonathan administration. Somehow, Keshi regained his position in the Eagles after about nine months lull in the technical crew. That was shortly before President Muhammadu Buhari took over from President Jonathan. It was clear to all that Keshi had to dine with the NFF with a long spoon. During the Nigeria versus Chad match which the Super Eagles won 2-0 in Kaduna, one Gabriel Okechuwu of Water FC Abuja found his way to the bench of the Nigerian team. He wore the iconic No 10 jersey and when Keshi was verbally asked how the player entered the team, his response was said to be unconvincing. That was not the only issue after the match against Chad. There was also the Vincent Enyeama case. The Eagles goalie expressed fears about the venue of the match and the NFF issued him a query which many people frowned on since he is not a member of staff of the federation. He failed to appear before a panel for further enquiries and it is believed that the NFF will ban him from the

national team. Keshi’s second sin was the emergence of his name in the 60-man shortlist released by the Ivorian football federation for the Elephants of Cote D’Ivoire job. Keshi appeared before a disciplinary panel and vehemently denied ever applying for the job either in person or through his agents. The report of the Disciplinary Committee set up by the Football House was contrary to the Keshi’s claims and so the Big Boss had his two- year contract terminated at the weekend. The report revealed that in the contract between the NFF and Keshi, the coach “cannot seek for another job or greener pasture while the contract subsists without discussing it with the NFF for its consent.” While it could be argued that anybody could have applied in the name of Keshi for the Ivorian job, the Big Boss did not contest the findings of the committee as he swiftly travelled to the USA when it was obvious he would be fired. The Keshi and Enyeama issues are cases that could have been settled amicably behind closed doors if there was peace in the football family. We believe there was no need to have issued Enyeama a query and the NFF should have handled the Keshi case better as well. It is clear that Keshi played into

the hands of the chieftains in the Glass House who are apparently not happy that the coach had so much power over his employers (the NFF) during the Jonathan administration. Every Nigerian coach is also expected to learn from the story of Keshi. He should have taken a bow when it was obvious that the federation was not comfortable working with him. He practically forced himself on the NFF and he was also careless to breach the contractual terms which was a ‘secret document.’ The exit of Keshi should not be an excuse to again lose a ticket to the next Africa Cup of Nations in Gabon. The crises in the football house are still ongoing even now and we hope it will not affect the national team. With a 2-0 victory over Chad in the first match, the NFF should engage a coach that will hit the ground running. Nigerians will definitely not entertain excuses from the authorities for any failure as a result of the string of crisis in the team. For example, the players are not happy with the way Enyeama is being treated. Every necessary step should be taken, technical, psychological and otherwise to ensure Nigeria beat Tanzania, Chad and Egypt to the sole ticket in the AFCON qualifiers. NFF should be ready to accept responsibility for any failure this time.

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Politics

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Nigeria (CBN) through instructions from Abacha to his National Security Adviser. For example, the Advis er in one letter to Abacha titled ‘special allocation of funds’ said “Due to some security problems requir ing immediate solution and implementation, I am constrained to ask Your Excellency to kindly give consideration in approv ing funds to deal with the situation. The situation as I informed you is des perate and imminent. It has to be dealt with prop erly and urgently. These nagging problems which are in bad taste and not in our national interest, involve some countries within and outside Af rica. Kindly approve £10 million, $50 million, and

FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

How Buhari can tackle corruption N250 million. The funds are urgently required to solve this enormous task. Please approve.” This authorisation was then approved by Abacha and presented to the CBN for payment. The funds were released and stashed abroad. Around 30 of such letters were written over a three-year period from 1995-1998. Furthermore, the gov ernment would need to put pressure on financial institutions to generate suspicious transactions reports involving highranking public officials (known in money laun dering law as Politically Exposed Persons, PEPs) and share such reports

with the appropriate au thorities. Any financial institutions failing to re port or intentionally en couraging PEPs should be severely punished to send a strong message to other banks and financial institutions that it won’t be business as usual with this government. The government can also rely on article 20 of the UNCAC regarding “il licit enrichment,” which allows for a reversal of the burden of proof. The offense of illicit enrich ment is defined as a sig nificant increase in the assets of a public official who cannot reasonably or justifiably explain this in relation to his or her

lawful income. However, requiring a defendant to bear the burden of estab lishing the legitimate source of the income in question is problematic as it raises serious human rights questions such as the internationally guar anteed right of presump tion of innocence. Nonetheless, the in clusion of this corrupt practice in several anticorruption treaties, despite the human rights concerns that have been raised, sug gests that it has become an accepted concept in the global fight against corrup tion. The use of the offence of illicit enrichment may also be one reason Hong Kong has been hailed as

one of the few success stories in the fight against corruption. But while holding officials criminally li able for unexplained in creases in their wealth has considerable appeal, particularly in systems where the courts are weak, as is the case in Ni geria, the human rights concerns against it are understandable. While the accused should not be allowed to use human rights as a ‘trump card’ to frustrate recovery of stolen funds or defeat the course of justice, the need for an effective fight against corruption (and money laundering) must constantly be balanced

against legitimate con cerns to safeguard human rights of the accused. Once the stolen funds are returned to the coun try there is also the impor tant issue of how to moni tor the use of the funds to make sure that they are not re-stolen or diverted, as it is alleged to be the case in the returned Aba cha loot. Here Nigeria can learn from the experience of Kazakhstan where civil society groups were asked to supervise the use of il legally obtained funds for the benefit of needy children. This arrange ment is permitted under article 57(5) of the UN CAC, which allows states to enter into mutually ac ceptable arrangements for the disposal of confis cated property. Buhari should not enter into any deal (socalled plea bargain) with corrupt officials or their families (as former Presi dent Goodluck Jonathan did with the returned Abacha loot) to share part of recovered funds, as to do so will be to allow them to profit from their crime, thus providing the gate way to impunity which can only further encour age corruption among high ranking public offi cials. In fact, the govern ment should review any such deals with a view to achieving justice for vic tims of corruption. Nonetheless, an en trenched culture of cor ruption is extremely dif ficult to transform. To effectively address it will require reform of politi cal institutions that are often resistant to change. Buhari should refuse to listen to those who may want to resist change because the status quo serves their interests. Nigerians remain op timistic that a change in leadership would bring accountability in govern ment and that they will now be able to enjoy the benefits of good gover nance in the form of ac cess to basic necessities of life. One can only hope that the new found hope is not short lived, and that Buhari will be able to deliver on his promises of ending corruption by working hard to take the profit out of corruption. As Montesquieu wrote, “When a republic has been corrupted, none of the ills that arise can be remedied except by re moving the corruption and recalling the prin ciples; every other cor rection is either useless or a new ill.” Removing the corruption means stopping corrupt officials from reaping the benefits of their crime.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

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Tourism

Fresh breath for creative industry

Arts

Thrills, pomp and frills of Accra Weizo 2015

CULTURE

Taboos that herald new Deji of Akure

The entry door for the new Deji

The exit door for Regent of Akure

The traditional rites for the new Deji of Akure, in Akure south local government area of Ondo State, Oba Aladelusi Ogunlade-Aladetoyinbo which began on June 10, ended on Wednesday with pomp and ceremony, turning the palace into a giant stage and canvas of cultural performances and rich tapestry of creative expression. But beneath this cultural panorama are prohibitions and philosophy that define the activities that precede the ascension of a Deji. BABATOPE OKEOWO, who covered the rites, writes that among other things, it is a taboo for the new Deji of Akure to meet the Regent in the palace during Arapon rites

he new Deji of Akure, the Ondo State capital Oba Aladelusi Ogunlade= Aladetoyinbo on Wednesday ascended the throne of his forefathers after undergoing about a month of rigorous traditional rite in different places in the town. The new monarch replaced Oba Adebiyi Adesida who joined his ancestors two years ago. Among the traditional rites was the process of being brought from the farm, and taken to the palace of Chief Asamo where he spent seven days. He later spent nine days in his father’s house where he observed the ‘Arapon’ rites. The

TONY OKUYEME Arts Editor tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

last sets of rites before the ascension of the throne were performed on Wednesday before he entered the palace. In the last day of his coronation ceremony, he was made to go to Elemo’s palace, Alakunre groove from where he proceeded to the Ooye palace, climbing the Okiti omolore where he introduced his successor (Regent) and eventually entered into the palace and assuming the role of substantive monarch. At the palace of Asamo, the new monarch was made to remove his cloth and new one was given to him. The old one, according to the tradition, would be kept in the Asamo’s palace as a reminder that he should not misbehave on the throne. A High Chief said all the clothes used by the previous monarchs for their traditional rites are kept in a particular place within the Asamo’s palace and when the monarch is to be dethroned, the particular one he brought to the place when he was being brought from the farm would be given back to him. Explaining further, one of the kingmakers said the monarch is supposed to be poor man before he ascended the throne, adding that this is the reason the monarch is usually brought from the farm and taken to Asamo’s palace where he would be given new cloths. His for-

mer cloth is however kept for him in case he misbehaves in the future. According to the High Chief, it was the cloth that was given to Prince Oluwadare Adesina when he was deposed some years ago. The spokesman for the Community and the Asamo of Akure said:

L-R: The Regent and Deji of Akure, Oba Aladelusi

“By tradition, the Deji is expected to be at his farm. We have to fetch him from the farm into the town. We performed some traditional rites and we educated him on how to behave in the town, how to relate with the people and the chiefs. “As a farmer, he removed the clothes he brought from farm. He changed the cloth and that is the last day for him to wear the cloth”. One of the things observed during the traditional rites was that the Regent of the town, Princess Adetutu Adesida had vacated the palace before the new Deji ascended the throne. Her personal belongings CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

Arts

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

National Troupe set to hold 6th Creative Station Tony Okuyeme

he Management of the National Troupe of Nigeria has announced that it is set to host the 6th edition of its annual Creative Station Workshop for Children and Teens. The workshop was introduced in 2009 as a way of developing the imaginative skills of children and it has been held successfully since then. In a statement announcing the commencement of preparation for this year’s edition, the Artistic Director and Chief Executive officer of the National Troupe, Mr. Akin Adejuwon disclosed that this year’s edition would hold between July 27th and August 30, 2015 at the National Theatre, Iganmu Lagos. “Like the other editions, this edition is planned to hold during the long vacation/summer break and we consider this one of our flag ship programmes because it is in line with the Troupe’s objective of encouraging the development of Children Theatre and primarily, as a way of engaging the children creatively during their long holiday,” he said. Coordinated by the Director in charge of Drama of

the National Troupe Ms Josephine Igberaese, the Creative Station workshop, which will close with a command performance on August 30, 2015, is also designed to prepare the children for a future career in the theatre by exposing them to storytelling, creative writing, singing, dancing, acting, voice training, puppetry, creative writing, pantomime and improvisational skills. Ms Igberaese explained that the workshop is for children between the ages of 6 and 18. She further explained that the workshop is the troupe’s own intervention in terms of productively engaging the children creatively during the long holiday. She said, “We believe that by engaging them creatively, they will not only take their minds off certain known vices during the long holiday but they will be able to polish their individual creative talents”. On entry requirement, Igberaese explained that entry forms can be obtained from the National Theatre Iganmu Lagos or on the NTN website. ‘’Parents can walk into our offices at the National Theatre and pay and get the forms or they can download the forms

Students in performance at last year’s Creative Station

on our website,” she said. Speaking on the workshop, Mr. Adejuwon stated that the Troupe would engage experts in different areas of the theatre to complement the effort of the in-house professionals. “We have qualified staff inhouse but because of the number of children that the work-

shop attracts, we will need more hands to instruct them. I am more particular about the quality of instructions so that when their parents sit back to watch them on August 30, they will be proud of their children and wards,” he said. In a related development, the National Troupe has

moved forward its planned tour to Ghana to a later date. The tour, which was originally scheduled to hold this July, was postponed because of the delay in the release of funds. The Artistic Director has however assured that the Troupe will embark on the tour as soon as funds are released.

From Ire the stage Devi, feast of music for a matriarch

Mrs. Ikediashi (left) and Ire at the event

Tony Okuyeme

re the stage Devi formerly known as Itan Adebo, has the ability to effectively use yodels and chants in unique compositions and has got both local and international commendation. An Indian fan named her Devi (goddess), Gambian President Yayah Jammeh christened her ‘that little wonder’ while celebrity photographer, Kelechi Amadi Obi, after seeing her perform called her ‘a diamond in the rough.’ Versatile folklore musician, Ire the Stage Devi, who has the ability to effectively use yodels and chants in unique compositions, feted guests with her

energetic and inspiring as Creativity Development Centre, began a new initiative, ‘Ire Celebrates’, to honour silent achievers. Even more inspiring is the fact that the honouree is a shining example on motherhood, Mrs. Rose Nkechi Ikediashi aka ‘Mr. Rose’ who singlehandedly raised all her eight children, nurtured the likes of Eucharia Anunobi and Chike Churchill Okogwu while in Nursery school. It was not therefore to find the array of dignitaries, including her children, that attended the event to, not only celebrate with her, but also, for many of them, to thank her for being a good, worthy and ex-

emplary mother and mentor. Director, culture promoter and the organizer of the event, held at Bogobiri, an art and culture hub at Maitama Sule Street, Ikoyi, Lagos, Ms. Henriatta Ikediashi, said the quarterly initiative aims to ‘honour silent achievers who have left indelible marks in the hearts of many, without getting due honour for it.’ Recalling the sacrifices her mother, who is the celebrant, sacrificed her time, comfort and money to give her children – eight girls – are educated, Henriata in her speech titled, “Citation of a Great Mother” recalled how Mrs. Rose Nkechi Ikediashi achieved greatness by doing the “Lttle Things of Life”.

“Mrs. Rose Nkechi Ikediashi had big dreams. She set out to change the world, one person at a time. Her works with her children, pupils, neighbors, family, adopted children and society, her advocacy for human rights and her tireless faith and gentle demeanor made her saviour to thousands. But her grand goals were based on a simple commitment to love,” she said. Born in Bukuru Plateau State in 1943 to Mr. and Mrs. Oraegbu, growing up, she became a very good friend of of the veteran musician, Dan Mara Jos, the International acclaimed music Icon, who died recently. “She was the fourth but last child of a humble family in Ibusa, Oshimili North Local Government in Delta State. “Mrs. Rose Ikediashi attended Saint Jalath’s Catholic School Bukuru at the Primary level and proceeded to Lagos City College. When relocation called, she had no choice but to further her secondary school education at Saint Paul’s Secondary School Ogbo Hill in Aba. “She married Mr. Emmanuel Azuka Ikediashi and together they have eight wonderful children. She also furthered in her education by adding a Diploma in Catering and Hotel Management. Because she would never allow her children to lack, she went into the teaching profession and realized teaching was wired into her DNA. “As a teacher, she was known as unselfish, loving and

joyful, and she showed a natural bent for hard work. Suffice it then to proudly say that the likes of Nollywood star actress, Eucharia Anunobi, Ex Super Eagles player Sunday Oliseh and Mr. SURE-P-Chike Okogwu were under tutelage. “Mrs. Ikediashi believes that ‘When a poor person dies of hunger, it has not happened because God did not take care of him or her. It has happened because neither you nor I wanted to give that person what he or she needed’. “Even when she had no money, she kept saying education and the fear of God were the only legacies she could give to her children that will guide them through life and she kept to it. “She would with needle and thread to stitch her undies after her children had gone to school for lack of money. She starved, escaped so many accidents on her way to several bush markets where she went buying cheap groceries and hawked just to better her children and anyone who came around her in society.” The septuagenarian, she added, has not relented in transforming children as she still teaches them at the Deeper Life Bible Ministry. “She tells this to suffering mothers like her: “Let there be kindness in your face, in your eyes, in your smile, in the warmth of your greeting. Always have a cheerful smile. Don’t only give your care, but give your heart as well.”

Media 23

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Tony Okuyeme

or the first time the creative industry sector in Nigeria will take centre stage in the yearly Lagos International Trade Fair organised by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI). Clearly integrated into this year’s edition of the fair, themed, ‘Enhancing Value Addition in the Non-Oil Economy’, is the Creative Industry Fair, tagged ‘Eko Akete’. For the first time, the Lagos International Trade Fair will hold simultaneously in three different venues in Lagos Island from November 6 to 15. The Creative Industry Fair, a collaborative project hosted by LCCI, CORA and Freedom Park, which will hold from Friday 6th to Sunday, 15th November 2015, is in recognition the sector’s huge economic prospects and contributions to the national economy. The vice-president and chairman, Trade Promotion Board of LCCI, Michael Olawale-Cole, assured that this edition of the fair will surpass the expectations of all stakeholders. Announcing this at the unveiling of the fair’s prospectus at Commerce House, Victoria Island, Lagos recently, Olawale-Cole explained that the theme of the trade fair, which has been hosted consistently for 28 years, was deliberately chosen in line with LCCI advocacy on the need for government to diversify the income base of the Nigerian economy by paying necessary attention to other non-oil sectors. “With this theme therefore, the Chamber wishes to draw attention to the need for repositioning the Nigerian economy and correct its dependence on oil. In addition, the Chamber wishes to address the issue of value addition to

Fresh breath for creative industry

Participating students at 12th Lagos Book and Arts Festival

Nigeria’s non-oil export, with a view to ensuring that the nation earns more from commodities and items emanating from Nigeria”. He added, “With three venues, all within walking distance of each other, creating a huge business hub on Lagos Island within the 10-day fair period has become a reality. We have therefore opened the doors of the Lagos International Trade Fair to attract exhibitors from virtually all sectors of the Nigerian economy and beyond”. Also, in his address, the President and Chair of Council, LCCI, Aderemi Bello, underscored the relevance and

significance of the theme of the fair, saying, “It is imperative that if the Nigerian economy is to survive and if our country is to achieve economic independence, industrialization, chase poverty away there is an urgent need to diversify our sources of income. Nigeria must exploit other God-given resources at her disposal to ensure her economic prosperity. Speaking on the creative fair, Jahman Anikulapo, who is the programme chair of CORA, noted that about the same time the fair holds, CORA also organises the Lagos Book and Art Festival (LABAF) at Freedom Park. He thanked veteran actress, Taiwo Ajai-

LagosPhoto Photography contest to focus on I love Nigeria

he stage is set for the 2015 edition of the Etisalat Photography Competition themed ‘I love Nigeria’. The competition, organised by telecommunications company, Etisalat in association with the African Artist’s Foundation (AAF), will run between Monday, July 6 and Monday, September 28, 2015. Announcing this in a statement, the organisers said photographers are expected to submit images in four categories: places, people, fashion and food. According to the Director, Brand and Experience, Etisalat Nigeria, Enitan Denloye, “Since commencing operations in Nigeria over six years ago, Etisalat has remained committed to delivering innovative, life changing, products and services to customers and supporting creativity and innovation. This commitment has led to our continuous support of the LagosPhoto Festival and the development of the arts in the Nigeria.” Between July and September, members of the public are required to vote for their favourite photos across the categories through the Official Lagos Photo App. Top 50 photos in each category will be judged by a panel

to unveil top the 3 entries. Top 12 across all categories will move on to the final stage of the competition. The winning photographer in each category receives a Nokia Lumia 630. The grand finale of the competition is scheduled for October 2015 where the first prize winner of the competition will receive a Canon Camera; the second prize winner will get, an iPad mini while the third prize winner will receive a is a high end Nokia Lumia device. The Etisalat Photography Competition is part of activities leading to the annual LagosPhoto Festival which kicks off in October 2015. This festival is the first and only international arts festival of photography in Nigeria that aims to establish a community for contemporary photography and unite local and international artists through images that encapsulate individual experiences and identities from across all of Africa. It has featured images from Nigeria’s finest and award-winning photographers, as well as images from renowned international artists that capture the essence of Lagos State.

Lycett, for encouraging CORA to interact with the business sector, adding that there is no aspect of the creative sector that would not feature prominently at “Eko Akete”. Also, CORA in a statement signed by Anikulapo, stated that the obvious non-recognition of the potential of the Creative Industry and the consequential low estimation of its contribution to the national economy, in spite of the huge economic prospects validate the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s resolve that the sector should occupy a central position in its annual Lagos International Trade Fair project. In activating this resolve, it

further stated, the LCCI has decided to design a special programme that will fully explore the business potentials of the Creative sector, and as well project it distinctly to the thousands of visitors that throng the Trade Fair annually. “It is for this reason that the LCCI has entered into partnership with the CORA Arts & Cultural Foundation (otherwise known as the Committee for Relevant Art, CORA) organisers of the yearly Lagos Books and Arts Festival, LABAF, to use the platform of its yearly LABAF to stage the maiden edition of the Lagos Creative Industries Fair (LCIF) as adjunct to the Lagos International Trade Fair.”

Long walk to the palace, for Deji of Akure CO N TI N U ED F RO M PAGE 2 1

had been removed from the palace. She has since traveled to meet her family. Giving the reasons for the action, the Asamo of Akure, Chief Rotimi Olusanya said: “There cannot be two kings in the palace. The Regent is a king and the new monarch is also a king.” According to him, it is a taboo for the two of them to meet in the place. He however did not give the consequences as it had never happened before. Chief Olusanya said the Regent must have handed over to the Deji-in-Council or palace chiefs before the ascension of the new monarch and what she needed to do on the day of coronation was for her to take her exit through the back door while the new monarch enters the palace through the front door. The High Chief said the tradition of the town does not provide for a handing over and taking over ceremony as it is done in the political circle, adding that there is nothing like handing and taking over between the Regent and the new monarch as all the

things in the palace belonged to the Akure community. His words: “There is nothing for her to hand over, but once we have the Deji, we have to derobe her officially so that she can continue with her normal life. On the day that Deji entered the palace the Regent will take her exit. It has not happened before for the two of them to meet. There cannot be two monarchs in a palace.” The traditional rites also include that the family of the new monarch is separated from him throughout the nine days he observed the Arapon rites. They only rejoin him on the last day for the last sets of traditional rites. Although Chief Asamo did not give reason for this action, a palace chief however said there was a particular monarch whose children fought with the people of the town during the Arapon traditional rites. He said the family members on seeing the greediness of some people in the town when observing the rites fought with them. He added that it was then made a taboo for the family of the monarch to be with him during the Arapon rites.

Chief Olusanya who confirmed this said during the Arapon, he is not expected to see his wives and children. “They are expected to be in the farm. It was the last day of Arapon that they were brought to see the Deji. What it signifies is that during the Arapon festival every member of the town is expected to come and eat yam because that is the only time he would use his personal money to feed Akure people. Once he becomes the Deji, his responsibilities become that of the community,” he said. The long walk to the Deji’s palace began when the Osupa Ruling House where the monarch belonged presented 13 princess to the traditional kingmakers out of whom Aladetoyimbo was chosen after consultation with Ifa oracle and voting. In his lifetime, Asamo said, the Deji is barred from seeing Asarun of Isarun in Ifedore local government. Although he did not give reason for this, a source in the palace said it is the tradition that the chief is the custodian of Deji’s corpse and would only see his remains after death.

Tourism

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Thrills, pomp of Accra Weizo 2015 Andrew Iro Okungbowa

riday July 3 would for years remain not only as an historic day but a reference point in the development of the travel industry in West Africa as it was the day that a new platform, Accra Weizo, was birthed in the region. Held at La Palm Royal Beach Hotel in Accra, Ghana, the one day travel and tourism expo had all the trappings, glitz, thrills and frills of a real travel showpiece. Put together by the team of African Travel Quarterly (ATQ) who are the organisers of the yearly Akwaaba and Abuja Bantaba, both travel and tourism trade exhibitions, with the theme, ‘seamless travel in West Africa.’ The event had two sessions, the morning and afternoon sessions with exhibition of travel products by a number of the participants and sponsors running through the whole day. It is to the credit of the organisers that the event drew the attention of a number of key participants and noted operators from about six West Africa countries, these are Ghana, the host country, Nigeria, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togo and Benin Republic. What was also very significant was the fact that the event had the presence of the Nigerian government with the governor of Cross River State, Professor Ben Ayade who was represented by his deputy, Professor Ivara Esu in attendance as the chairman of the event. Senator Florence Ita – Giwa and the chairman of the Carnival Calabar Commission, Mr. Gabe Onah and representatives of the carnival revelries were among the delegation. Uko in his remark, took the audience through the vision of Accra Weizo, which he said is essentially to create a forum for West Africa travel to blossom, citing the examples of the Southern and Eastern African, which now have blocs through which they work and promote their travel industry as a single product to the world. This feat, according to him, can also be achieved by the west coastal only if they are able to muster enough political and business will as well as demonstrate honesty and singleness of purpose to go the road and do what ECOWAS in its 40 years of existence has failed to achieved. He also outlined the fact that Accra Weizo exist to drive West Africa travel integration, create West Africa travel products and travel calendar, adding that the this means players in the industry and the various government must be willing and ready to deal with each other by entering into relations and partnerships, which are aimed at improving one another and ensuring the survival of the west coast as

L-R: Ghana’s Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts, Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, Cross River State Deputy Governor, Prof. Ivara Esu and the organiser of Accra Weizo, Ikechi Uko, at one of the exhibition stands

Senator Florence Ita-Giwa flanked by Carnival Calabar dancers at the event

a bloc given the competitive global environment. His remark was then followed by the presentation of

three papers in quick succession by the guest speakers. First on the on the podium was Mr. Femi Adefowope, one

of Nigeria’s most experienced, seasoned and influential travel operator whose businesses straddle travel agency (Travel

Cross River Tourism

Senator Florence Ita – Giwa otherwise known as ‘Mama Bakassi and the leader of the Seagull Band and head of the Carnival Calabar Bands took over the podium to pitch for Cross River Tourism and the Carnival Calabar and she made a good show of it going down memory lane to impress her audience with the tourism journey of the state and how pleasant and hospitable her people are in all departments. The governor also kept to the same script and in fact up the ante during his presentation at the award session. He extended invitation to everyone as well particularly the Ghana Minister of Tourism and her team who also expressed delight at the event, the appearance of the Carnival Calabar and informed that her country is planning her carnival event and hope to tap on the experiences of the governor and his team.

Wanle Akinboboye-CEO, La Campagne Tropicana Beach Resort, (Tourism Man of the Year-Nigeria), Dr. Kwabena Adjei-Founder Kasapreko, makers of Alomo bitters drink (West African Personality of the Year), the Honourable Minister of Tourism and Creative Arts for Ghana Mrs. Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare (Tourism person of the year West Africa) and Mr. Frank Nneji, MD ABC Transport, Nigeria (Travel Personality of the Year). And also the governor Ayade of Cross River State as the pioneering chairman of Accra Weizo.

The travel awards

commendable show

Cross River Tourism with its over 20 member delegation clearly show why its remains as Nigeria’s one and only truly tourism destination. The appearance of the carnival calabar revelries on stage to entertain clearly changed the rhythm and tempo of the event, adding colour and entertainment to it with the audience held spell bound with the scintillating performances and titillating appeal of the young girls. The Carnival Calabar girls completely stole the show and in fact, it could be said that the climax of its all was the appearance of the deputy governor, Prof Esu who stood in for the governor, Prof Ayade in the afternoon session. Of course, this would be the first major outing by the governor and the Cross River Tourism since the assumption of office by the governor on May 29 and it was only expected that he made a statement with it.

The list included Otunba

Sponsors

The sponsors of the event included: South African Tourism, Ethiopian Airlines, Radisson Blu Mammy Yoko, Sierra Leone, Holiday Inn Accra Airport, La Palm Royal Beach Hotel, Accra and African World Airlines (AWA). Accra Weizo at the end of

Star), airline (GSA of Delta Airlines among others) and tour operation (HRG). Adefowope’s paper was on ‘trans – border investment in travel business,’ and in the well researched and detailed presentation, Adefowope took the audience through the various issues that affect trans – border investment, ranging from the environment, market, population, political stability, government policies and regulations as well as manpower, technical issues and monetary policies, tax and profit repatriation regimes. The second paper was by the Managing Director of ABC Transport Plc, Mr. Frank Nneji, the people whose vision has revolutionized land transport in Nigeria and the west coast where he holds sway. Mr. Nneji who was represented by one his managers, Mr. Uche Odege, spoke on ‘doing business across West Africa.’ In the paper he spoke extensively on feasibility and foundational analysis, business challenges and business opportunities among others. In his conclusion, Nneji who is vastly experienced in business in the west coast believes that despite the challenges, the west coast is a fertile ground for business but called for unity among the various countries. Next on the line was Dr. Kwabena Adjei, who is the founder of Kasapreko, the makers of Alomo Bitters. He spoke on ‘role of the private sector in regional integration.’ He spoke of how key the involvement of the private sector is to the economic development of the continent and that without the active participation of the private sector and of course the support of the public sector, there is no means of achieving economic growth and development, least of all integration. the day earned the applause and commendation of everyone as it was judged a successful event and a platform that needed to be encouraged to grow. For International Air Transport Association (IATA) Aviation Solutions Manager, South West Africa, Ewemade Atake, the event was well attended, it started well, adding that it holds a lot of promises even though there are certain areas that need to be work on such as the presence of government at the event. Rather than a yearly event she would wish for a quarterly gathering to strengthen the bond of relations. While on her part, the Executive Director of W Tourism Management, Liberia, Chiquita Johnson, it was very inspiring as it created a lot of opportunities network and meet with like minds and advised that there is need to talk about implementation strategies other than the issues confronting the region and the need to integrate.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, july 10, 2015

25 CLAM

CLAM pastor goes all out for troubled rainmaker, Majek Fashek

Entertainment

I don’t dress for people’s approval — Cynthia Morgan

Caitlyn Jenner’s wardrobe drama gets you laughing, bleeds another heart 26

How comedian Julius Agwu survived brain surgery 27

Kate Henshaw shrugs off the gloom 27

sony neme

Editor, entertainment sony.neme@newtelegraphonline.com

Afro pop exponent, Cynthia Morgan is primed for fame and fortune and the numero uno stage rocker is living her dream. The bubbly entertainer, signed on Jude Okoye’s Northside Music, spoke to LANRE ODUKOYA. You’ve come really far in just one year with highly rated videos and songs plus a startling fan base. The compliments also swarm the social media. How do you take the rain of praises? I just mainly say thanks to God Almighty, my supporters and fans. You know it’s not easy for you to be a front-liner in a short while. I bless God for the doors He’d opened and for more He’s yet to open. You’ve also had your fair share of uncomplimentary remarks, how did you deal with them? About the nasty comments some people make; I’m a kind of person who is very free-spirited and I don’t really care what people say about me. Whatever makes me happy, I do. If you’re not comfortable with it, I think everyone’s got his opinion and I’m a celebrity and I mean a lot of things to millions of people. So, I don’t do my things for everybody to say yes. Shout out to everybody who says ‘yes’, and shout out to everybody that says ‘no’ because they push me forward to want to do more and get better with my craft. I don’t care about negative comments at all. You’re a lady with about a man’s stamina and gait, which reflect in your songs, videos and stage presence, how did this masculine part of you evolve? Growing up basically, I was

with a whole lot of uncles and when it comes to my musical influence, all those who I looked up to were all male entertainers. I felt they had more strength so; I’ve always been influenced by guys that way. Like I always stress, music or talent has nothing to do with gender. I don’t even compare myself with the females. People see females as the weaker sex, but I am a different female. People say that, “oh, you’re not the kind of female we’re used to because you’re not weak.” So, when I sing, it sounds like that of a guy. I don’t do soft music, not the female kind of sound at all, I’ve got my peculiar sound and it’s the same thing I put up on stage for the reasons I’ve mentioned earlier. Last year, you spoke so fondly of your mom who you acknowledged as one of your earliest musical influences, was she also that energetic when you watched her perform? That’s absolutely correct. My mom is also a strong performer who

I don’t do soft music, not the female kind of sound at all, I’ve got my peculiar sound and it’s the same thing I put up on stage

doesn’t perform like a female. So, it’s a bit genetic too because if you see my mom on stage, you won’t believe she’s a lady because she ranks herself with the males because of the energy she displays. Yes, it’s true, my mom has the strength of a lion when she comes to stage. There was a photograph of yours revealing a significant part of your boobs and it went viral on the social media ostensibly attracting many unpleasant feedbacks, how did you deal with that? Who cares about people’s opinions? I don’t care about that because if I have to begin to care, it means I would be worried about every person’s opinion. I have millions of fans and do I just start answering everyone? So most times, when I post my pictures, I post them because I’m comfortable with them and when I do that, I don’t even read the comments because I don’t really care about what people think- the bad or the good comment. I put that on my pages for myself and my fans who see it as positive and pleasing in their sight. By the time you start reading these things, you begin to worry about everyone’s opinion; does that make sense? There was a time it made the rounds online that you broke up with your record label, Northside Music, how true is this? I never heard about that. Well, maybe it was just a speculation. I don’t have any problem with my record label; I guess you’re getting it all wrong. Have you mended walls with Queen Ure who went to court to demand that C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2 8

Entertainment

FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Humiliated Kourtney Kardashian to Scott Disick: Go, the kids are better life partners! Stories By Lanre Odukoya

he kids come first for Kourtney Kardashian and to protect her three babies, that meant kicking their dad, Scott Disick, to the curb. While she may have taken Scott back countless times in the past, it looks like the reality star was finally ready to sacrifice her relationship for the total good of her children. It wasn’t easy for Kourtney Kardashian, 36, to finally make the tough decision to dump Scott Disick, 32, who’s the father of her three children. But when it comes to making sure her kids are safe, the ‘Keeping Up With The Kardashians’ star was willing to sacrifice whatever it took, including her 9-year relationship. “Her children are her first priority. She needs to protect herself and her family, so she knows this is the right decision. Kourtney was dealing with Scott’s constant lies and addictions. It was becoming a poor environment for the kids to be raised in and she refused to let that be the case,” a family source had revealed to The People. Kour tney texted Scott that she was done with their reDisick lationship last week

Jill Scott makes U-turn, says: I regret vouching for Bill Cosby

ast year, singer Jill Scott defended Bill Cosby against allegations by more than 40 women who claim they were sexually assaulted by the comedian. “I’m respecting a man who has done more for the image of Brown people that almost anyone EVER. From Fat Albert to the Huxtables,” Scott wrote on Twitter. She added that she won’t believe the charges until she sees some sort of “substantiated proof ” and

Scott

described the whole situation as “insane.” Scott was harshly criticized for taking Cosby’s word over the dozens of alleged victims who claimed to have been assaulted, but now the singer is changing her tune in light of the recent revelation that in 2005, Cosby ad-

Cosby

mitted to drugging women with the intent to rape them. “I stood by a man I respected and loved. I was wrong. It HURTS!!!” Scott tweeted on July 6. “Sadly, his own testimony offers PROOF of terrible deeds, which is ALL I have ever required to believe the accusations.” As hard as it is to imagine that anyone could have believed Cosby’s denials despite the tidal wave of allegations against him, Scott may well deserve credit for admitting she was wrong.

hat awkward moment when your ex-wife has the same dress as you came days back for transgender, Caitlyn Jenner. In terms of the hurdles, Caitlyn Jenner has had to overcome, it is far from the biggest - but it is one of the funniest. In the latest trailer for the new docu-series entitled ‘I Am Cait’, the 65-year-old excitedly shows stepdaughter Kim one of her favourite frocks as the two stand in her walk-in wardrobe. In the latest trailer for ‘I Am Cait’, Caitlyn Jenner shows Kim Kardashian a fa-

after he stopped returning her phone calls and photos surfaced of him getting cozy in Europe with Chloe Bartoli, 25. But the Lord didn’t take his lady’s threats seriously, and continued his bender by partying in Miami for July 4. Meanwhile, Kourtney was at home with the couple’s younger kids, Penelope, 2 and Reign, 7 months, in California, while Mason, 5, took a fun-filled trip to New York City with Kanye West, 38, and Kim Kardashian, 34. He joined his family members on a yacht for Independence Day, and even got in some quality time with Yeezus during a movie date. So cute! Kourtney really does seem to be adamant that she’s done with Scott for good this time, but he still isn’t convinced. “Scott is completely convinced he will get Kourtney back when he wants to get her back,” an insider told HollywoodLife.com exclusively. “He is not taking the break up as the last straw, and though he is obviously enjoying being single, his ego is so extreme that he intends on getting her back on his timeframe.” It’s hoped that no matter how this works out, everything is done in the best interest of Mason, Penelope and Reign.

Caitlyn Jenner’s wardrobe drama gets you laughing, bleeds another heart vourite dress, only to be told her ex-wife, Kris also has it. ‘LOVE this dress,’ she proudly beams as she brandishes the elegant black number on a hanger. Kim, smiling the whole time, instantly recognizes it and delivers the devastating blow before the former Olympian gets any more animated about it.

Entertainment 27

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, july 10, 2015

Kate Henshaw shrugs off the gloom Stories By Lanre Odukoya

or Nollywood heartthrob, Kate Henshaw, nothing stops the show! Since the fire incident that gutted her posh Lekki, Lagos apartment, the actress cum singer withdrew from the spotlights. You’d recall that the tragedy struck on a Thursday and by the next weekend, she was supposed to attend the premiere of a film she starred in, but

for obvious reasons, she boycotted the show. Shortly after then, Kate Henshaw posted on her social media pages, thanking God and her fans for the warm show of love during the brief trying period. The storm is over now and the actress had shrugged off the trauma heaped on her by the inferno. She was spotted at a nocturnal event on Monday, July 6, 2015, for the premiere of a new series of MNET soap, ‘Do Good’ held in Lagos. Characteristically full of smiles, many of her fans and colleagues expressed happiness for the manner and speed with which she put the black day behind her.

CLAM pastor goes all out for troubled rainmaker, Majek Fashek

he last has not been heard of the troubled reggae exponent, Majek Fashek. We learnt reliably that the Founding Pastor of Christ Living Apostolic Ministry (CLAM), Wole Oladiyun, during the first Sunday service, demanded that Majek Fashek be brought to the church for deliverance expected to last for a month. According to the famous cleric, his concerns for the troubled singer arose after he read a newspaper interview with Rita Fashek, the former wife of the talented singer. Majek Fashek has been

spotted in different parts of Lagos begging for alms from Nigerians. Stating that Fashek’s life can still be turned around, the pastor said he knows God can restore the lost glory of the ‘rainmaker’ who was touted to become the next Bob Marley in his prime. The singer lost all that mattered to him after he turned to drugs; understandably so, he was deserted by his wife, friends and family as a result of excessive substance abuse. Before ending the service, Pastor Oladiyun urged the congregation to give vital information concerning the singer’s whereabouts to enable the church find and commence spiritual cleansing on the sick singer.

Oladiyun

how comedian julius Agwu survived brain surgery

he other day, Julius De Genius Agwu, as he’s fondly called by fans and friends was briskly spontaneous, rivetingly hilarious and would pick on about anything or anyone to make thousands laugh. The last of that type he had was on February 14 when he staged his annual Festival of Love show in commemoration of St. Valentine’s Day, a gig that shook Abuja. After then, he went into hibernation and many thought it was his usual way of holidaying after every successful show. But the hibernation seemed to have extended beyond what would pass for a holiday. Then it was observed that his effervescent Facebook page, Blackberry buzz and sometimes nauseating broadcasts all stopped. Our observations had signaled an ominous fate for the diminutive humour merchant. But CONTINUED ON PAGE28

Entertainment

FRIDAY, JUly 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Laide Bakare on shopping spree in US

Bakare

Stories By Lanre Odukoya

n age-long Yoruba proverb says, ‘eni ba jale leekan, to ba d’aran b’ori, aso ole lo da b’ora’ which literally means that ‘when a man steals only once in his lifetime, no matter how rich his garbs; he has merely clad a robe of thievery.” According to a report published in Vanguard newspapers on May 2, 2014; “… the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC has declared ‘wanted’ Alhaji Mutairu

Atanda Orilowo, the new husband of popular Yoruba actress, Laide Bakare for alleged complicity in a case of criminal conspiracy, obtaining money under false pretences and stealing. The actress’ husband allegedly conspired with some past executives of MTN’s Employees Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MEMCOS), namely Victor Akintunde and Gani Mustapha to defraud members of the society through his company, PrimaVera Engineering and Construction Company a whooping sum of N2.5bn. Since the Alhaji has failed to show

comedian survives brain surgery C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 7

up to clear himself of all allegations, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC) has declared him ‘wanted’ and recently obtained a forfeiture order on all his known properties. It was reliably gathered that all his properties, including his two petrol filling stations in Ajah, his house at Ibeju Lekki on No. 1 Otunba Adeniyi Street, Papa-Epe, Lagos and the 2014 model of Bentley and the boutique he opened for his actress wife, Laide Bakare have been confiscated.” In defence of her husband, the actress once said; “I’m standing by my husband on this matter, believing that the EFCC publication was meant to destroy his hard-earned reputation as a philanthropist who derives joy in helping people. He is my hubby and I would stand by him through thick and thin. The story was also a calculated attempt to smear my own name as a celebrity and irrespective of whoever is behind it, I stand by my husband and we shall come out victorious.” The actress stood by her words, even as the legal matter remains unresolved. Since then, the actress (who seldom gets movie roles) relocated to the United States until recently when her shopping spree broke the Internet. She was photographed in New York shopping for some designer items from Louis Vuitton store. She allegedly also pampered herself with a new G-Wagon SUV.

long as people guessed, none of the presuppositions was near the truth about Agwu’s trouble. According to what he told one of his closest allies, Azuh Arinze, “it went on and on until sometime in May when he had a seizure at home and while his wife, Ibiere, whom he lavished with so much thanks all through our stay for her love, care, understanding and support, battled to halt that, he ran out of breath. Almost lifeless! And with the likely consequences staring her in the face, Ibiere got their maid and the security man to assist her in getting him into one of their cars. And from there, they practically sprinted to the family hospital in Lekki where the doctor battled for hours with his team to ‘bring him back to life again’. As soon as the doctor succeeded in stabilizing him, Julius and his wife immediately left for the United States of America. It was in Houston to be precise where arrangement had been made at the Park Plaza Hospital. After a series of tests, two lumps were discovered in his brain. The lumps had been messing up his health and causing his incessant weight loss. Immediately, the Caucasian surgeons went to work, operating on him for about four hours on Tuesday, May 12, 2015, at the Park Plaza Hospital in Houston Texas, United States of America. Upon being discharged, Julius rested in the US for some time before returning home recently.”

‘I don’t dress for people’s approval’ C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

the song title you chose for one of your singles, ‘Popori’ be reverted? Like I said the last time we spoke; I do not have a case with Queen ‘whatever’. I don’t know her, I’ve never met her and I didn’t go to court and my song wasn’t banned and I’m going to say that over and over again. I didn’t start any case and I didn’t resolve any case. If she went to court, she took herself to court because I didn’t go there. The midyear is here, what’s your projection for the remaining half? I just dropped a new single entitle ‘Timatiniya’ and a new video for the song, ‘Come and Do’.

Morgan

What does ‘Timatiniya’ mean? It means an addiction; it’s like whatever you have obsession for- that’s your ‘Timatiniya’. It’s my own creation and not a particular language as many may think, it just the same way I created the ‘German Juice’ word. I should be dropping an album before the end of the year and ‘Come and Do’ and

‘Timatiniya’ videos are on the way. I just launched Cynthiamorganblog.com to get closer to my fans. It’s a platform to get responses on any of my works. I’m doing a whole lot of work; businesses and career targets are all on point. Aren’t you bothered about endorsements already? Some guys got just a successful song and they clinch mouth-watering endorsement deals with multinationals. No, not at all, I have a lot of endorsement offers on ground; maybe in one or two ways we’ve not been able to meet up with what my label wants. That’s the reason I don’t have an endorsement yet, but we’ve got a lot of offers on ground that we’re working on, so I don’t care about anybody who got theirs. I think we’ve done pretty much work and I’m happy for people who got endorsements. How would you rate the Black nominations at the just concluded BET awards? Well, I think Yemi Alade deserved the award for the Best International Act (Africa). I don’t think any other person

in that category did the kind of work Yemi Alade did. So, I was rooting for Yemi Alade, but she didn’t get it. Well, there are more awards to come. Basically, it’s not even making the awards, but making your money because they don’t give you money when they give you awards. The best is all about being appreciated by your fans. I think the whole drama about giving the Africans awards backstage is something that makes me feel speechless. Africa is a continent and not a country. You cannot put a whole continent backstage five hours before the main awards- that is very disrespectful. I think as Africans, we need to work on ourselves and make our awards more appreciated. When we appreciate ourselves, people will come from far and near to appreciate us. Last year, you said you were in hot romance with only your career. Has anything changed with your massive acceptance? I don’t know if I’m in any form of romance now or not, the only thing I’m sure of is that I’m a happy person the way I am.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Labour

A divided NLC sets agenda for government

Agric Agric financing takes centre stage at NACCIMA forum

Business What's news

Infractions: Underwriters fined N84.2m in three years For failing to meet regulatory guidelines, some insurance operators have had to cough up an estimated N84.2 billion as fines in the last three years.

p.30

Analysts doubt meaningful growth for banks in H2 Banks in Nigeria are not expected to post any meaningful positive surprises by end of the second half of this year, particularly as far as risk asset growth is concerned, New Telegraph has learnt.

p.30

L-R: Representative of Director, Finance Market, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr. Demenongu Yanfa; Director, Monetary Policy, CBN, Mr. Moses Tule; Moderator, Mr. Opeyemi Agbaje; Managing Director, Coleman Cable Plc, Mr. George Onafowokan and Managing Director, Pro-share Ltd, Mr. Femi Awoyemi, at Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) private sector dialogue on CBN’s foreign exchange policy in Lagos. PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

PoS: CBN to cut merchant service charge to 0.75% BOOST

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in collaboration with the Nigeria Interbank Settlement System (NIBSS), will soon begin the implementation of an initiative aimed at reducing the Merchant Service Charge (MSC) rates on the use of Point of Sales (PoS) terminals from

1.25 per cent to 0.75 per cent, New Telegraph has learnt. The move is part of industrywide incentive scheme approved by the apex bank in September 2014 to push further adoption of electronic payment channels by rewarding consumers, merchants and sales persons who use them. Though the incentives are yet to be implemented, it was gathered that it was initially scheduled to have taken effect by January 1, 2015. It was gathered that the initiative was also aimed at encouraging the adoption of PoS by businesses both big and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in the country. In particular, the move would motivate the over 17 million SMEs in the country to key

INFLATION RATE May 2015.................................9% April 2015................................8.7% March 2015.............................8.5%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate....................12.57% Prime Lending Rate...........17.93% Maximum Lending Rate...26.83%

The proposed incentives would boost electronic transactions’ adoption by merchants and consumers

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Tony Chukwunyem

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

Abdulwahab Isa

Kunle Azeez

Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

into the cashless transactions in the country. “The Merchant Service Charge rate will be reduced from 1.25 per cent or N2,000, to 0.75 per cent or a maximum of N1,200 per transaction,” a report obtained from NIBSS revealed. Other such incentives, according to NIBSS, include Commission on Turnover Exemption (CoT); Mystery Shopper and Recognition and Purchase with Cash Back.

N700bn Total payment

transactions through the mobile money banking system by the 23 licensed operators

“On CoT, we want to ensure that all electronic inflows from electronic channels into the accounts of merchants will be exempted from CoT calculations at the end of each month. Also, NIBSS aims to administer rewards and through a mystery shopper and recognition campaign,” said Chief Executive Officer of NIBSS, Mr. Adebisi Shonubi, had told New Telegraph. “For purchase with cash back, NIBSS, in collaboration with Deposit Money Banks (DMBs) facilitates functionalities that allow merchants to offer cash-back services to their customers.” Shonubi explained that the CBN is also working to encourCONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Rates Dashboard EXCHANGE RATE (BDC as at July 3)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N231 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N350 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N246

l Foreign Reserves – $29.157bn as at 2/07/2015

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Interbank as at July 3)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N200.00 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N307.65 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N223.50

Business | News

DEADLINE

Eighteen insurers beat Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE)’s 2014 accounts deadline

Sunday Ojeme

or failing to meet regulatory guidelines, some insurance operators have had to cough up an estimated N84.2 billion as fines in the last three years. The amount represents part of what was paid to the Exchange and the National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) from 2012 till date. The breakdown revealed that apart from the N63 million paid by the

CBN to cut merchant service charge

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Infractions: Underwriters fined N84.2m in three years affected companies to the two regulatory bodies between 2012 and 2014, five underwriters that have failed to forward their 2013 account details to the commission would be made to pay a minimum of N21 million as fines. This is coming just as 18 insurers met the NSE deadline for 2014 audited accounts with March 31, 2015 as deadline. According to the details released by NAICOM, Alliance & General insurance; Alliance & General Life Assurance; NICON Insurance Limited; Spring Life Assurance and Unic Insurance Plc failed to forward their

2013 account details to the commission before the annual deadline of June 30. Prior to the latest fine, the commission raked in N3.2 million from the 28 insurers that failed to meet the deadline in the recent past following the N5,000 per day fine after the deadline. While the penalty by NAICOM stands at N5,000 per day, the insurers are made to pay fines running into millions for similar infractions to the NSE. For the 2012 infractions, about 21 listed insurance companies also paid a total of N60 million to the Exchange for late submission of their

financial accounts. The X-Compliant Report of the NSE revealed that the affected companies filed in their financial statements to the Exchange after the regulatory due date, which warrants such fines. Leading the pack was Universal Insurance Plc, which had to cough out N4.2 million, while African Alliance Insurance Plc equally paid N4 million penalty. Guinea Insurance Plc forfeited N3.8 million fines. The Exchange had to fine both Equity Assurance Plc and Niger Insurance Plc N3.2 million each, while Great Nige-

rian Insurance Plc was equally fined N3.8 million. Lasaco Assurance Plc also paid N3.6 million penalty to the Exchange. NEM Insurance Plc, on the other hand, got N3.5 million sanction, while Mutual Benefit Assurance Plc paid N3.4 million sanction. Prestige Assurance paid N2.9 million, Law Union and Rock Insurance Plc paid N2.7 million fine, while Regency Alliance Insurance Plc got penalised for N2.5 million. Sovereign Trust Insurance (STI) Plc paid N2.4 million, Cornerstone Insurance Plc paid N2.8 million for the same offence, while Royal

Exchange Plc got N2.6 million fine. Also, Unity Kapital Insurance Plc coughed out N2.1 million as fine, Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc paid N2.2 million monetary sanction, while AIICO Insurance Plc got sanctioned for N1.5 million. Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc had to pay N900,000 as penalty, while Wapic Insurance Plc was fined N700,000. Meanwhile, the 18 insurers that met the March 31, 2015 NSE deadline include AIICO Insurance Plc, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc, Continental Reinsurance Plc, Cornerstone Insurance Plc, Custodian and Allied Insurance Plc and Equity Assurance Plc. Others are Intercontinental Wapic Insurance Plc, Law Union, Rocl insurance Plc and Lasaco Assurance Plc.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

age consumers and sales persons through pointbased rewards system, which he said, had been adopted to reward cardholders, based on points accrued through frequency of card usage. Others include cash refund, which is based on card usage, merchant promotional campaign, where merchants may leverage an incentive scheme to offer promotional gift items to their customers based on the usage of electronic payments for transactions. “We are also looking at rewarding sales persons by encouraging them to support electronic payments by being enrolled on the tipping points scheme, through which they will earn points accrued over a period, redeemable as gift or cash,” he said. The apex bank and NIBSS are also working with network operators to ensure that technical and connectivity challenges being faced by merchants are reduced to the barest minimum to drive adoption. This follows a recent report by NIBSS on the use of PoS in Lagos State, which showed that the most significant challenge to adoption and usage from the perspective of merchants is technical or connection issues. According to the report, from the perspective of merchants, technical difficulty appears to be the single largest challenge to use of PoS as a payment method. Also, 79.5 per cent cite connection issues as the most significant challenge with their PoS terminals.

L-R: Nigeria Deposit Insurance Corporation (NDIC)’s Director of Research, Dr. Ade Afolabi; Jan Philipp Nolte and John Okeete (from the World Bank); Executive Director, Corporate Services, NDIC, Mrs Omolola Abiola-Edewor; Julian Casal of the World Bank, with NDIC’s MD/CEO, Alhaji Umaru Ibrahim, welcoming the World Bank team on ‘mission visit’ on the establishment of NDIC’s target fund ratio, to the Corporation’s head office in Abuja.

SLOWER GROWTH Experts expect slower Q2 2015 PBT growth

anks in Nigeria are not expected to post any meaningful positive surprises by end of the second half of this year, particularly as far as risk asset growth is concerned, New Telegraph has learnt. The analysts at FBN Capital in their Q2 2015 results preview for lenders obtained by our correspondent, said that in contrast, they think there was a growing risk that asset quality issues would become more meaningful as the country moves into second half of the year (H2) – “a scenario we do not believe that banks have captured adequately in their guidance.” Consequently, the experts said: “In the very near term, we continue to recommend

Analysts doubt meaningful growth for banks in H2 that investors hold the quality Tier I banks whose 2015 earnings guidance we find more realistic. In the medium term, we think that banks traversing the Tier I vs II divide are most attractive, namely Access and UBA. We would use any near term disappointments or market overreaction to build up positions in these.” They explained that after what they would describe as a best-foot-forward quarter for a number of Nigerian banks in Q1 2015, they expect some degree of normalisation in the Q2 2015 results. Said the experts: “Q1 2015 PBT growth for our universe averaged 13.9 per cent y/y, slightly below the 16.0 per cent y/y for full year 2014. One reason for

the slightly lower growth in Q1 was that the positive impact of non-interest income (FX trading income to be precise) was less than we saw in Q4. “We expect Q2 2015 PBT growth to be visibly slower – at 3.6 per cent y/y, well below what we saw in Q1 2015. Sequentially, our PBT estimates imply an average q/q decline of -1.4 per cent q/q. If we exclude Stanbic IBTC, which we expect to show a rebound in profits from a depressed Q1, the q/q decline comes in at -12.1 per cent.” They noted that although some of the larger banks showed healthy loan growth in Q1, others were constrained by regulatory capital concerns. Besides, they noted: “While

margins, on average, have held up relatively well in a challenging operating environment, we expect a combination of weak underlying macroeconomic environment and a marked reduction in FX-related income due to decisions by the central bank to weigh on Q2 earnings. “The banks will be relieved that the pace of newly introduced rules and regulations has slowed significantly since the end of 2014: although the harmonisation of public and private sector cash reserve ratios (CRR) to 31 per cent at the last MPC meeting was a net tightening step, the CBN’s N140 billion outflow from the banking system is likely to have a modest negative impact on earnings,” they said.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Picketing: Radisson Blu workers set to contest court injunction p.32

Labour 2015 HALF YEAR REVIEW

RECONCILIATION Reconciliation not in sight as both leaders refuse to concede position Sunday Ojeme

A divided NLC sets agenda for government

he last six months of the nation’s foremost labour union, the Nigeria Labour Congress, cannot be described as pleasant considering the unexpected circumstances that have torn the union apart. Prior to the emergence of the new leadership, the NLC in the past was recognised as the bastion of hope for the ordinary Nigerian worker, whose rights have been trampled upon by either the public or private sector employer. Considering the plight of workers in the last six months as a result of some state governors’ failure to pay salaries, the NLC in the past would have created scenes to ensure something worthwhile was done to cushion the effects that non-payment of salaries had inflicted on workers. Genesis of crisis However, this huge expectation crumbled a few months ago following the crisis that rocked the union’s 11th Delegates’ Conference where the election into the body’s leadership was disrupted over allegations of electoral malpractice, leading to factionalisation of the union. The rescheduled election, which eventually produced the President of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWHUN), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, as the national president, did not go down well with some members who are loyal to the General Secretary of Nigerian Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), Comrade Joe Ajaero. That singular act has today created factions in the congress from the national level to the state chapters with parallel executives in the states taking directive from whoever they are loyal to at the top. While Wabba is taking charge at the national headquarters of the congress in Abuja, Ajaero has opted to operate from Lagos with both parties laying claims to the leadership. This is in spite of the official recognition given to the former by both the Federal Government and foremost labour leader and current Governor of Edo State, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole. The recognition was further highlighted during the last Workers’ Day when the Ajaero group was initially prevented by the police from using the National Stadium in Lagos for its rally while Wabba’s faction held its own freely in Abuja. As a result of the dispute, not much of representation for workers has been done by both parties

Wabba

Ajaero

as they have only been currying media support to consolidate their claims to the leadership. Setting agenda Basically, the leadership, which emerged during the final days of the outgone administration of President Goodluck Jonathan, has the current President, Muhammadu Buhari, and the state governors, to contend with in future. To set the ball rolling, their expectations from the government for the nation and workers were rolled out shortly after the inauguration of Buhari as the president. According to the agenda, although the congress restated its opposition to any plan by government to remove fuel subsidy, the labour movement said it would support any legislation, policy and strategy aimed at immediate restoration of regular supply and guarantee sustained availability through enhanced local refining capacity. It also called for the diversification of the country’s economy from oil and demanded the full audit of the power sector privatisation process, particularly the issues responsible for the unending darkness the country. It also underlined the importance of national security, which it said had remained a major concern requiring immediate and enduring solution. Other areas it also expects the government to touch are education, health services, youth em-

Kaigama

ployment, fight against corruption among others. Trade Union Congress For the Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria, the president was advised to settle down and urgently tackle the crisis confronting the nation without necessarily witch-hunting anybody. The President and General Secretary Bobboi Bala Kaigama and Musa Lawal, while calling for an end to impunity in the country, urged President Buhari to fix the Ajaokuta steel mill, create jobs for the youths, restore the national carrier (Nigerian Airways and also address the crisis in the oil and gas industry. During the period, the leadership also moved quickly to resolve the leadership crisis that engulfed the chapter’s leadership in Osun state.

Their expectations from the government for the nation and workers were rolled out shortly after the inauguration

Civil servants’ association For the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), the President, Comrade Bobboi Bala Kaigama and the Secretary General, Comrade Bashir Lawal, expressed hope that General Buhari would bring fresh perspective to bear on governance as is the case in civilised countries of the world. ASCSN said: “There is no doubting the fact that the challenges that lay ahead are enormous. We nonetheless believe that with hardwork, perseverance, and selfless service to our fatherland, you will overcome and move the country to the next

level.” The association said President Buhari and his political party would have been better tutored by the stringent campaigns both in the mainstream media and the social media and should realise that it is not going to be business as usual. The union said: “Consequently, we solicit that your administration should hit the ground running and live up to expectations of many Nigerians who crave for change by healing the wounds and bitterness occasioned by the electioneering campaigns and lift Nigeria to greater heights by addressing the myriads of problems facing the country including economic problems, infrastructural decay, energy crisis, joblessness and on top of it all corruption.” It enjoined the President-elect to be focused and be wary of public officials who may want to advise him to toe the path of retrenching workers in the name of reforms, citing the temporary setbacks in the global oil market as reasons. “We need to caution that such step if taken will only worsen the already precarious situation the country has found itself. “Our take is that with the plugging of loopholes where heavy leakages from the treasury are experienced on a daily basis coupled with robust management of government’s expenditure profile and your track record of honesty and integrity, Nigeria as a nation will surely get it right and be better for it.”

Business | Labour

Picketing: Radisson Blu workers set to contest court injunction

SACK Hotel management yet to pay those laid off Stories by Sunday Ojeme

acked workers of Radisson Blu Anchorage Hotel under the aegis of National Union of Hotel and Personal Service Workers will on Friday (today) contest the injunction granted the hotel management by the National Industrial Court stopping them from further picketing the premises. Disclosing this to New Telegraph, a source said the management went to the Industrial Court to secure an injunction preventing them from protesting within the premises of the hotel when they were yet to be paid off. The source said the management closed all doors to negotiation even after the union had advised that they either paid off the workers or retained them after the said renovation. The source said while they waited for the management to complete the renovation, they, however, got information that other workers were secretly recruited and put under training for the job. “What we are now asking is for them to pay us off. Since they no longer want to retain us, they should pay us. Rather than do that, they went to court to secure an injunction stopping us from picketing the hotel. “We are not giving up until we are paid. We know they have employed new workers but they have to pay us and allow us go elsewhere,” he said. New Telegraph recalled that

the management of the hotel had shut down the facility a few months ago for renovation. The workers, however, alleged that the closure was ploy by the management to lay them off due to their agitation for unionism. The workers said about 450 of them were sacked for agitating to belong to unions after the management signed an agreement with the labour unions in the hospitality industry to stop victimising them. A copy of the Memorandum

nnunciation Catholic College Irrua Old Boys Association (ACCIOBA) has elected officials to run its affairs for the next two years. A statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the association, Mr. Akhuetie Felix Ehimen, and made available to New Telegraph, said the election produced Dr. Frank OmoEhijele Odafen, a prominent Abuja-based medical practitioner, as the President; Professor Don Omoike, Vice-President; Barrister Victor B. Inedia, General Secretary, and Dr. M.O. Ighalo as Financial Secretary. Others are Mr A.O. Okodugha, Treasurer, Mr. Eric Edewede, Assistant General Secretary and Akhuetie Felix Ehimen as Public Relations Officer. According to the statement, Odafen, who is the National President of the Association of General and Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria, is the Grand Knight of the Knights of Saint Molumba (KSM) in Abuja. He is the Chief Medi-

of Understanding (MoU)showed that officials of Radisson Blu led by the General Manager, Mr. Michael Rathgeb; Human Resources Manager, Nnene Nnoli; Mrs. Yemisi Busari and Mr. Tunde Adebayo, stated that the company recognised the National Union of Hotels and Personal Service Workers and Hotels and Personal Services Senior Staff Association as the registered unions representing the workers and that none of them would be sacked as a result of the protest.

The 450 workers were, however, issued with disengagement letters signed by the General Manager of Anchorage Leisures Limited on the pretext that the facility was to be renovated. The letter read in part, “Due to the recurring infrastructure and power challenges resulting in the need for an extensive rehabilitation of our property and equipment, and given the harsh operating environment, we regret to inform you that your services are no longer required

effective January 25, 2015.” The letter also stated that each of the workers would receive severance entitlement of N146,052.59 after the clearance processes. The Assistant General Secretary, NUHPSW, Mr. Ben Ofuokwu said, “The workers are agitating for their rights. They want to belong to the hotel unions, which the law allows. One of the things we signed in that agreement was that workers would not be victimised based on that agitation.”

L- R: Member, MainOne, Mr. Dapo Oshinusi; Chief Executive Officer, Ms. Funke Opeke; former Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and Director, MainOne, Mr. Asue Ighodalo, at the company’s 5th anniversary in Lagos.

Catholic College old boys elect officials

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

cal Director of Bio-Royal Hospital, Abuja. He passed out of the school in 1973. Omoike is a Professor of International Relations and Diplomacy of the Faculty of Education, Ambrose Alli University, Ekpoma. He is the immediate past H.O.D/ Sub Dean, Graduate School. He is of 1975 set. Inedia, who is a Knight of Saint Molumba, is an Abuja-based legal practitioner, while Ighalo is Head of Department of Fine & Applied Arts of the faculty of Environmental Studies, A. A. U, Ekpoma. Okodugha is a Principal, Uroh Senior Secondary School, Uzea, Edo State, and Edewede is a Benin based-civil servant representing Edo State Apt. Pension Funds Managers Limited, Benin City. Akhuetie is of the Civil Service and based in Lagos. Annunciation Catholic College, Irrua was founded in 1955. It was the brain child of the indefatigable Reverend Father and Monk, Anselm Isidahomhe Ojefua.

TUC wants bail-out recouped from states’ allocations

he Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has advised the Federal Government to recoup the N400 billion bailout package for salaries for state workers from the monthly allocations due to the affected states. In a statement made available to New Telegraph, the congress commended the Federal Government for coming to the rescue of state governments by approving the sum as a relief loan package for payment of workers’ salaries in states of the federation. The Congress, however, advocated that the President Buhari-led government, through the office of the Accountant General of the Federation, work out modalities through which the money will be paid back. The Congress advised that this be actualised through monthly at-source deductions from Federation Account funds of the affected states. The statement jointly signed by TUC President, Comrade

Bobboi Bala Kaigama, and Secretary General, Comrade (Barr.) Musa Lawal, expressed strong reservations about the total liquidation of the Excess Crude Account as reported in some national dailies. It emphasised that it would have kicked against the bailout but for its mindfulness of the pains of millions of workers and their families who would benefit from it. “The move is tantamount to eroding and eating up the future of unborn generations. But we shall allow it because of the innocent workers and their dependants and on the condition that sufficient arrangements are made to guarantee early repayment of the money by the states. How can a governor who is also head of a family owe workers up to 10 months’ salary in a country where there is no price control? Such laxity is totally unacceptable, a typical example of man’s inhumanity to man,” they lamented. The Congress, however, ac-

knowledged contrary reports credited to the Presidency, contending that the earlier report on liquidation of the Excess Crude Account is incorrect and expressed hope that the earlier report is indeed untrue. The statement warned that the Buhari administration must guard against presence of fifth columnists in its midst so as not to give Nigerians any reason to regret voting it into power. “It appears some people in the administration are only there for themselves, their families and cronies instead of working for the improvement of the lot of the people, stopping the increasing spate of bomb explosions that have claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed much property in the once peaceful North-Eastern part of the country, etc., etc. Financial waywardness, profligacy, impunity and the awkward belief in business as usual must come to an end,” the statement advised.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Agric

Petrochemical firm to create 30,000 jobs p.34

Agric financing takes centre stage at NACCIMA forum

DIALOGUE Farmers condemn processes involved in assessing loans Stories by Dele Alao

takeholders in the agribusiness have stressed the need for the Federal Government to restructure the Bank of Agriculture (BoA) over strenuous processes involved in accessing loans meant to empower the nation’s agric industry. At the end of a dialogue session organised by the National Association of Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), the stakeholders, who are mostly farmers condemned the processes involved in assessing loans at the bank, describing it as too cumbersome. The stakeholders, discussing under the theme: “Enhancing agricultural sector through adequate financing,” said that apart from the many unprocessed documents at the bank, the two digits interest rate was retrogressive. NACCIMA’s National President, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar, said that the dialogue was aimed at finding a solution to the issue of

agriculture and agribusiness financing in the country. Abubakar who was represented at the event in Lagos by the president of Kaduna branch of NACCIMA, Dr. Alimi Bello, said: “The overall objective of this dialogue session is to discuss, identify and remove all major constrains to achieving competitiveness, and also ensure equitable returns for all stakeholders in agribusiness.” He reiterated the need for government to restructure the Bank of Agriculture and other financial institutions regarding loan disbursement to farmers and other agric entrepreneurs in the country. He said that some of the hiccups in the agricultural value chain could be attributed to both the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, state governments and the private sectors. Similarly, at another forum in Lagos, stakeholders urged the Federal Government and financial institutions to make access to funding easy in order to improve agric business in Nigeria. They made the submission at the 2015 conference on agri-

Agricultural Commodity Prices – Grains Commodity Wheat Corn Soybeans Soybean Meal Soybean Oil Oats Rough Rice Hard Red Wheat Spring Wheat

Change -6-6 +1-6 +9-0 +2.5 +0.30 -0-4 +0.280 -1-2 -2-0

Contract Sep 15 Sep 15 Aug 15 Aug 15 Aug 15 Sep 15 Sep 15 Sep 15 Sep 15

Time(ET) 10:57 10:57 10:57 10:57 10:57 10:53 10:55 10:57 10:57

Commodity Cotton #2 Orange Juice Coffee Sugar #11 Cocoa Sugar #16 CME Coffee CME Sugar #11 CME Cocoa CME Cotton #2

Price 65.98 125.45 125.70 12.50 3253 24.85 1.2535 0.1245 3250.00 0.6704

Change -0.58 +0.60 -0.20 +0.01 -4 unch -0.0030 +0.0012 unch -0.0087

Contract Dec 15 Sep 15 Sep 15 Oct 15 Sep 15 Sep 15 Sep 15 Oct 15 Sep 15 Oct 15

Time(ET) 10:57 10:50 10:57 10:57 10:55 09:30 09:17 10:44 07:58 07/07/15

Lumber

286.90

+4.00

Jul 15

10:46

Softs

Meats Price 151.575 217.750 76.700

Change -1.000 -1.700 -0.475

16.16

+0.02

Contract Aug 15 Aug 15 Aug 15 Jul 15

Managing Director of Chalcedony Enterprises, Mrs. Tope Banjo, said: “Farmers and people in agriculture business face a lot of challenges. Financing is very vital and we also contend with the problem of infrastructural development. During the rainy season, some farms become inaccessible due to erosion. As a result of bad roads, transporting farm prod-

ucts is not easy. It is a major issue. To get loan from banks is not easy; they expect you to have your own land, which will serve as collateral and if you are operating on leased land, you can’t access a loan. Banks are only interested in financing existing and successful businesses. The risk on investment in agriculture is high and interest rate is ridiculous.”

Tubers of cassava

Price 588-2 429-0 1008-0 347.4 31.94 261-2 11.205 593-0 628-2

Commodity Live Cattle Feeder Cattle Lean Hogs Class III Milk

culture organised by the National Employer’s Consultative Assembly (NECA)’s Network of Entrepreneurial Women (NNEW) with the theme “Financing Agriculture.” The stakeholders explained that government needed to do more, especially in the area of infrastructure development to make agriculture encouraging in the country.

Time(ET) 10:57 10:57 10:57

10:51

Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price. Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency. Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

145,000 Kogi farmers to benefit from NAPI loan

N56,000 is a repayable loan to each farmer to be repaid with five per cent interest from accrued proceeds on producebuy-back from the farmers by the state government. Okeme commended the state government for its support to the organisation through the provision of agricultural inputs, mobilisation of farmers and validation of farmers’ clusters. The disbursement of loans and grants is jointly being executed by the Federal Government, the Kogi State Government and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain in Nigeria.

o fewer than 145,000 rural farmers in Kogi State have been selected as beneficiaries for agricultural grants and loans under the Nigerian Agricultural Payment Initiative (NAPI). The state governor, Capt. Idris Wada, said that the loans and grants being disbursed to rural farmers would enhance wealth creation and alleviate poverty among the teeming population of rural farmers. Describing the disbursement of funds as a testimony to the commitment of the present administration to state-wide development, the governor urged the farmers

to take advantage of several initiatives aimed at improving their welfare and the advancement of agriculture in the state. According to him, the disbursement through the NAPI e-wallet platform was adopted by his administration in October, 2013. He added that it would eliminate corruption and facilitate greater inclusion by ensuring that the funds got to the farmers directly. The President of the Kogi Cluster Farmers Development Union, Mr. Alfred Okeme, said that N104,000 for each farmer would serve as grant while

Kano buys 50,000 tonnes of fertiliser

ano State government has approved the purchase of fertiliser to be distributed to farmers in the state this rainy season as part of the state government’s rapid response to farmers’ demand. Commissioner for Agriculture, Dr. Nasir Yusif Gawuna, said this when he received the farmer’s association’s officials in his office. The commissioner said that the state government decided to start something on its own

towards ensuring that farmers in the state directly benefit from the government, adding that government is singlehandedly embarking on the purchase and distribution of the fertiliser, which will be distributed to farmers at subsidised price. Gawuna, noted that the importance attached to agriculture made the state executive council, at its first sitting, to give the

approval, adding that already, supply had since commenced, while the governor would officially launch the sales soon. The commissioner said: “However, in order to ensure the fertiliser gets to farmers directly, the sales would be done through the already existing channels adopted by the Federal Government’s Growth Enhancement Scheme (GES) mobile phones phenomena.”

Business | Agric

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Petrochemical firm to create 30,000 jobs BOOST

The project would generate a turnover of $1.5 billion Stories by Dele Alao

s part of on-going efforts to restructure and expand its economic capacity, the Bayelsa State Government

has put in place modalities to employ no fewer than 30,000 workers, especially indigenes, in its $3.5 billion fertiliser and petrochemical company. Deputy Managing Director, Bayelsa Development and Investment Corporation (BDIC), Mr. Tam Alazigha, said that the $3.5 billion Brass Fertiliser and Petrochemical Project to be sited at Odioma in Brass Local Government Area, was expected to generate a turnover

of $1.5 billion. The project, Alazigna added, would open outposts in strategic locations in the various key markets in order to leverage on opportunities that the markets offered to drive the restoration of Bayelsa State’s economy. This high-impact catalytic project, according him, was expected to produce 5,000 metric tons of Methanol per day, 2,200 metric tons per day of Ammonia and 7,700 metric tons per

day of Urea for domestic and export markets. Alazigna said: “This humongous project will ensure availability of high-grade fertilizer for farmers throughout the planting season and meet 25 per cent of the country’s projected annual domestic demand of 10 million metric tons. The BDIC is to take up a 10 per cent equity stake in the project.” The BDIC is a special purpose vehicle and strategic en-

abler of market-driven development, which could also be a fall back option in times of national or global financial crisis and emergency. It was established to address the huge challenges of infrastructure deficit. Currently, with an asset base of over $1.2 billion, he said, BDIC leverages on private sector funds and expertise to grow wealth for Bayelsans and insulate the economy from oil price volatility.

Kaduna produces fuel from sugarcane

L-R: Past President, Junior Chambers International Nigeria (JCIN), Olabisi Onabanjo University, Adeneye Odunayo; National Vice-President, Area A1, Kola Osinowo; JCIN 2016 Collegiate Vice-Chairman, Ajibola Oyindamola; President, University of Lagos, Taiwo Oladele and Programme Coordinator, LAEP Africa, Asuquo Asuquo, at JCI Unilag and JCI Yabatech annual lecture held in Lagos.

Food security: Don frets over climate change

he Co-Ordinator of West African Agricultural Productivity Programmes (WAAPP) at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB), Akin Omotayo, has decried losses which farmers in the Southwest region of the country record on agricultural produce as a result of climate change. Omotayo, who is also the Director, Institute of Food Security, Environmental Resources and Agricultural Research (IFSERAR) at FUNAAB, cited unfavourable pattern of rainfall in the region as impediment to agricultural production and farmers’ investment in crop plantations. He said that little or no irrigation system for farmers

has greatly affected yields and farmers’ revenue. The don added that government’s intent to ensure food security in the country might suffer setbacks if effective irrigation systems were not established in the South-west considered to be one of the food baskets of the country. Omotayo, who urged the World Bank to channel intervention to irrigation system in the country, said: “Irrigation farming is the major problem of farmers in this part of the country. In the North, irrigation is well-developed, that makes farmers in the region work throughout the year. But, in the South, there is no irrigation. Here, we are working

on trial-and-error, you can’t predict your yields. “In the North where they have irrigation, you can predict your yields because irrigation allows you to produce throughout the year and more investment is committed to farming in the North, and young people have interest in agricultural practice. “Our pattern of rainfall is just like that of the North now, because of climate change. Before now, we used to have rainfall in larger part of the year and we are not conscious of that and government is not doing anything to that effect. That is why the World Bank should extend intervention to irrigation,” he added.

Farming activities yet to begin in Katsina – Survey

survey on farming activities in some local governments areas of Katsina State has revealed that most farmers have yet to begin planting. The development validates the 2015 prediction of the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet) that rainfall will be delayed in some parts of the country. The survey, conducted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), indicated that there was a drastic decline in farming activities in some local governments of the state presently when compared with the

2014 farming season. According to the survey, between 15 and 30 per cent of the farmland in Funtua, Ajiwa and Dutsin-Ma areas, have been cultivated for planting due to late rainfall. The survey shows further that in the eastern part of the state such as Mashi, Mani, Daura, Sandamu, Zango, Ingawa, Dutsi, Baure and Mai’Ádua, farmers have yet to plant their crops. NiMet predicted in its 2015 Seasonal Rainfall Predication (SRP) that there would be late onset and early cessation of rain-

fall in Katsina and other states in the North-west and North-east regions of the country. Meanwhile, some farmers have appealed to the Federal and state governments to provide them with drought-resistant seedlings to avoid economic loss and food shortage. For instance, a farmer in Funtua, Malam Lawal Ibrahim, said that the state government should provide them with appropriate seed varieties that would take shorter period to yield to avert food shortage in the state.

aduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufa’i, recently, said that the state Ministry of Science and Technology, in collaboration with Science Technology Forum (STF), had successfully produced bio-ethanol fuel grade from sugarcane. El-Rufa’i made this known while declaring open an international workshop on biofuel production technology, at the National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT), Zaria. Represented by the Permanent Secretary of the state Ministry of Science and Technology, Dr. Madina Shehu, el-Rufa’i said

that the state government intended to upgrade that initiative into a full scale commercial outfit. “In line with this initiative, the state government is on the process of constructing another plant at Unguwan Mu’azu to produce bio-diesel from Jatropha Curcas,” el-Rufa’i said. Director General of NARICT, Professor Idris Bugaje, in his remarks, advocated the inclusion of biofuel training at the undergraduate, National Certificate in Education (NCE), National and Higher National Diploma levels in order to address the country’s renewable energy challenges.

FIIRO seeks to boost agric productivity

he Federal Institute of Industrial Research Oshodi (FIIRO), Lagos, has said that it is focusing on increasing farmers and processors’ income by asking scientists to take scientific technology and results to the field to raise productivity. FIIRO’s Director-General, Dr. Gloria Elemo, said this while receiving members of the management team of West Africa Agricultural Productivity Programme (WAAPP-Nigeria) in the Institute in Lagos. Elemo said that there was the need to take scientific technologies to agriculture and industries to boost farm production and meet growing food demand. She added that FIIRO, in its 58 years of existence, has

developed over 250 technologies and completely packaged 50 of them ready for immediate commercialisation. “The institute has trained over 75,000 techno-entrepreneurs directly on its various developed technologies and over 500,000 in collaboration with other organisations such as the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) and National Directorate of Employment (NDE) among others,” Elemo said. She added: “The institute has recorded major breakthroughs in the development of process technologies/ products that led to national policy formulations by the Federal Government, especially in the banning of importation of some raw materials and products.”

‘Staple foods to cost more in Nigeria’

ough times await Nigeians as they are to pay more for consumer goods in the coming weeks following an increase of about 10 per cent in prices over the last six months, according to the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the first half of 2015 as published on Wednesday by SB Morgen. The increament will put more strain on the average Nigerian worker who is already spending about 60 per cent of his earnings on feeding. SB Morgen provides market intelligence and strategic communication services required for bridging the gap between

African emerging market opportunities and investors from around the world. The CPI reveals that both locally produced consumer goods and the imported goods have maintained fairly unstable prices over the last six months. A director with SB Morgen, Mr. Chinedu Ozordi, said that a rise would no doubt put more pressure on the average Nigerian worker who is already grappling with other social challenges including irregular salaries, fluctuating pump prices of petroleum products and availability of the products and insufficient power, among others.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Auto Beat

Volkswagen returns, rolls out Jetta Paul Ogbuokiri

ultinational Conglomerate Stallion Group on Wednesday launched the first Nigeria made Volkswagen passenger & commercial vehicles as-

Ibekwe lauds Nissan, Access Bank

anaging Director, Prosperity Motors Limited; Mr. Prosper Ibekwe has said that the recent auto finance initiative put in place by Stallion MNI, autthorised sales company in Nigeria and Access Bank Plc would encourage Nigerian to embrace the locally assembled vehicles. He on Wednesday during an interview with New Telegraph that the auto dealers, especially the ones that have started assembling vehicles locally should encourage the banks to give customer friendly loans with low interest rates to stimulate Nigerian’s interest in buying the locally assembled cars. It will be recalled that Stallion MNI recently unveiled another finance initiative by Access Bank Plc to purchase Nissan vehicles from Stallion NMN, the Nissan authorised sales company and its accredited dealerships countrywide. Both establishments endorsed this treaty at a brief ceremony in Lagos to unveil the mutual finance mechanism tagged ‘Big deal’ to stimulate local demand for functional Japanese engineered Nissan vehicles at liberalised interest rate of 18 per cent. Access Bank Executive DirectorPersonal Banking Victor Etuokwu said: “We are bringing together two Nigeria most powerful brands; Access Bank a tier one banking group and Stallion NMN, a member of Stallion Group to give Nigerians opportunity to own brand new Nissan vehicles at affordable rates.” He described the Nissan-Access finance pact as seamless apparatus of purchase that promises only 2.5 per cent insurance premium with free vehicle registration, free labour charge for the first three services, three-year or 100, 000km warranty and free Samsung Galaxy tap for every vehicle purchased. Etuokwu said: “these alluring incentives are intended to encourage patrons to buy functional brand new vehicles instead of used cars known as ‘tokunbo that are far too exorbitant to contend with.” Also adding that “brand new car isn’t a luxury but a part of your tool to work efficiently,” Etuokwu advised patrons to embrace the scheme and drive fashionable Nissan cars that reassure on value and quality. Yokohama based Nissan is Japan’s second-largest automotive company and a part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance delivering a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands.

sembled at its brand new plant, following the historic return of the global brand 20 years after the previous plant was moribund. The Stallion Group had entered into collaboration with the Volkswagen Group to assemble its vehicles in Nigeria, pursuant of the National Automotive Industrial Plan (NAIDP) announced by the Federal Government in October 2013. Stallion is commencing assembly of Volkswagen’s renowned products including Passat, Jetta, CC and Amarok models. Renowned Stallion Group is the preferred partner for an impressive portfolio of iconic global automobile brands and the Nigeria exclusive distributor for the Volkswagen Group brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Skoda and Porsche. The Volkswagen Group with its headquarters in Wolfsburg is one of the world’s leading automobile manufacturers and the largest carmaker in Europe. The Group operates 119 production plants in 20 European countries and a further eight countries in the Americas, Asia and Africa. The Volkswagen Group sells its vehicles in 153 countries. Commenting on the launch, Stallion’s Chairman Sunil Vaswani said: “This is a

great moment for Stallion in partnering with a world leading global brand like Volkswagen. We are immensely pleased to bring back the proud legacy of Nigeria automotive industry - the Volkswagen brand that once was indigenously produced at the same premises.” On Stallion’s plans for the automotive industry, Vaswani said: “Stallion in committed to investing and expanding its operations in the automotive value chain across multiple global brands and paving the way for Nigeria to establish itself as a regional leader in the automobile eco system.” Stallion is already assembling Nissan, Hyundai, Ashok-Leyland and IVECO vehicles in Nigeria and has developed a large team of highly skilled human resources following extensive training by specialists from the respective principals. In his speech, Ratz Wolfgang, leader of the Volkswagen Group delegation from Germany said “Today marks the revival of the assembly of Volkswagen vehicles in Nigeria. Volkswagen has returned to Nigeria to continue a long history that began in the 1970s,” he recalled. Wolfgang who is excited and optimistic about the future of Volkswagen in

Nigeria remarked that “We are certain that further growth is possible, which is why Volkswagen is constantly searching for new opportunities to increase global market and sales potential and we appreciate the fact that we are able to strengthen our business relationship with our professional partner Stallion…” The Stallion Group, it would be recalled acquired the moribund Volkswagen of Nigeria plant and successfully resuscitated it and commenced the assembly of buses, trucks, pick-ups and eventually passenger vehicles at the facility. The launch of Volkswagen vehicles is another major catalyst for the revival of Nigeria’s automotive industry, which could lead to the development of multiple ancillary industries and component manufacturers, apart from fostering engineering skill base in the country and generating employment. A multinational conglomerate with a 45-year operating history in Nigeria and the sub Saharan markets, the Stallion Group is engaged in diversified industries including agriculture, commodities, automobile assembly, mining, steel manufacturing, packaging, technology and distribution.

Airbags defect: Toyota Nigeria yet to commence recall

ndication on Wednesday were that the major dealers of Toyota vehicles in Nigeria were yet to announce the recall thousands of the Toyota cars on Nigerian roads, weeks after their parent company commenced the recall of the cars of defective airbags. Toyota made the announcement since June 25, 2015 and it said that it will call back an additional 2.86 million vehicles “equipped with certain front passenger airbag inflators” worldwide, while Nissan said it would recall 198,000 units. New Telegraph checks at the auto dealers’ offices on Wednesday reveal that the no recalls have been made in Nigerian since then even as the customers have not been notified of the potential dangers in the defective airbags. The image makers of the companies refused to speak on the matter when approached by New Telegraph. Toyota and Nissan, Japan’s two top automakers, had announced expansion of their global car recall by more than three million vehicles to replace potentially deadly airbags that have already been linked to eight deaths. Toyota said it will call back an additional 2.86 million vehicles “equipped with certain front passenger airbag inflators” worldwide, while Nissan said it would recall 198,000 units. Smaller rival Japanese automaker Mitsubishi also said it would recall 120,000 vehicles. Faulty airbags made by Takata have

Dignitaries on guarded tour of the Volkswagen Assembly plant in Lagos on Wednesday

been linked to several deadly accidents, forcing carmakers to recall tens of millions of vehicles and opening the Japanese autoparts maker up to a public inquiry by US lawmakers. Takata chairman and CEO Shigehisa Takada also apologised for the crisis in his first public appearance since it began. “I send my deepest condolence to those who died and were injured in ac-

cidents due to our company’s inflator,” he said at a news conference in Tokyo. “I also apologise for all of those affected by (the recalls).” Takada said studies by his firm and outside labs suggest that humidity and climate are associated with the airbags’ malfunctions. “We are very sorry. We are doing our best to learn the cause of the problem,” he said.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Photo | News

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

L-R: Ebonyi State Governor, Dave Umahi; Managing Director, Enugu Electricity Distribution Company, Robert Dickeman and Deputy Governor, Mr. Kelechi Igwe, during Dickeman’s visit to the governor in Abakaliki.

Chairman, Ashmart Holdings Limited, Ibukunolu Anthony Ashamu (left), with Oyo State Governor, Abiola Ajumobi, during the state’s forum in Ibadan.

Children drinking Gari at the Internally Displaced Persons’ camp, Durumi in Abuja.

PHOTO: NAN

.L-R: Vice-Chairman, Parents Teachers Association (PTA), Pentaville Schools, Mr. Olawole Babalola; Director, Mrs. Olohiegbe Ukadika; Chairman, Dr. Ben Ukadika and Chairman, PTA, Mr. Rapheal Aweda, at the 2nd graduation ceremony/prize giving day of the schools in Lagos.

L-R: Gladis Sasore; Marian Eluoka Jones; Gregory Okafor; Ngozi Franca Mmakwe; Angela Nkechi Alim and Sunday Idowu Adeosun, during the swearing-in and oath taking of Rotary Public by the Chief Judge of Lagos State, at the Lagos State High Court, Ikeja, Lagos. PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

L-R: Onijaiye of Ijaiye, Oba Nafiu Adeyemi; representative of District Governor of the Rotary Club, Rotn. Abas Olaniyan; President, Rotary Club of Oke-Ona, Rotn. Festus Adetonwa and Biotech Project Coordinator, Fidson Healthcare Plc, Mr. Yinka Olukoya, during the commissioning of the Fidson sponsored Modern Toilets and Water Borehole at ANLG Primary School, Oke Ona, Abeokuta.

L-R: Archbishop, Ecclesiastical Province of Lagos and Bishop of the Diocese of Lagos Mainland (Anglican Communion), Most Rev. Adebayo Dada Akinde; wife of the ordained deacon, Kemi Ogundana and Olufemi Ogundana, at Ogundana’s ordination as a Deacon at St. Jude’s Cathedral, Ebute Meta, Lagos.

L-R: National Vice-President, Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Isaac Achem; Vice-President, Obong Jonny Obong; President, Comrade Michael Alogba and National Deputy President, Comrade Kelvin Nwankwo, at the NUT workshop to commemorate the 8th National Founders’ Day of the union in Abuja.

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Islam UNDERSTAND YOUR FAITH

Getting utmost benefit of last third of Ramadan QUESTION How can we get utmost benefit of last 10 days of Ramadan ANSWER In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear questioner, we really appreciate your forwarding this question to us, we hope our efforts, exerted purely for Allah’s sake, come up to your expectations. Yes, we could provide some useful advice on how one could spend the last ten days of Ramadan, especially as these days are very special in the life of every Muslim. In fact, every day is special for Muslim, as long as he is always mindful of Allah in all what he does; every day Muslim gets increased in piety and draws closer to Almighty Allah. But these days of Ramadan are highly special in the sense of their falling in one of the most blessed months of the year; the month of Ramadan, the month of the Qur’anic revelation. May Allah Almighty help us get closer to Him in this month and may He Almighty strengthen our faith in Him in a way that Satan will not be able to drive us away from His Path, amen! Laylatul-Qadr (the Night of Power) is described in the Qur’an as, (better than a thousand months.) (Al-Qadr 97: 3) Any action done on this night such as reciting the Qur’an, remembering Allah, etc. is better than acting for one thousand months which do not contain Laylatul-Qadr. Allah’s Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) used to exert himself in devotion during the last ten nights to a greater extent than at any other time. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) is reported to have said, “Whoever prays during the night of Qadr with faith and hoping for its reward will have all of his previous sins forgiven.” (Al-Bukhari and Muslim) Here are some tips of things we can do on the Night of Power and the time before and after it: 1. Take a vacation for Allah We take a break from our jobs for almost everything in life to focus on worshipping and thanking our Creator. If this is not possible at least take a few days off if you can. This can make it easier to stay awake at night to do extra acts of worship, not having to worry about getting to work the following day. This will also make i`tikaf easy. 2. I`tikaf It was a practice of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) to spend the last ten days and nights of Ramadan in the mosque for i`tikaf. In i`tikaf one makes a spiritual retreat in the mosque all the time, performing various forms of dhikr (remembrance of Allah), like doing extra Salah and recitation and study of the Qur’an. One does not go outside the mosque except in case of emergencies. i`tikaf of a shorter period of time, like one night, a day or a couple of days is encouraged as well. CONTINUED NEXT WEEK

E X H O RTAT I O N

23 RAMADAN 1436 AH

“THERE SHALL BE NO COMPULSION IN [ACCEPTANCE OF] THE RELIGION. THE RIGHT COURSE HAS BECOME CLEAR FROM THE WRONG. SO WHOEVER DISBELIEVES IN TAGHUT AND BELIEVES IN ALLAH HAS GRASPED THE MOST TRUSTWORTHY HANDHOLD WITH NO BREAK IN IT. AND ALLAH IS HEARING AND KNOWING.” (QUR’AN 2:256)

Lagos Muslims protest sale, demolition of 150-year-old Eid praying ground Adeola Yusuf

housands of Muslims in Ayobo, Ipaja-Ayobo Local Council Development Area of Lagos State have protested the planned sale and demolition of 150-year old Eid praying ground in the area. In a peaceful protest, which took the placards carrying protesters through the main Ayobo township to Church roundabout, they calling on the police and the authority of the local government to come to their aid by recovering the

landed property. Chief Imam of Ayobo, Alhaji Imam Isa Musa Arikewuyo, who led the protest, said that the encroachers on the land have been threatening to attack the Muslim faithful if they report the case to authorities. The Muslim community of Ayobo and about 30 other communities nearby have, according to Arikewuyo, been using the praying ground for more than 150 years without any molestation “until sometimes this year they started noticing some people working on

the land.” The fifth Chief Imam of the community disclosed that the congregation had to report at the police station and the people working on the land were apprehended. “The matter was then referred to the Police Criminal Investigation Department, Panti,” he said, adding that the Muslim community “was asked to continue praying on the land since they have been doing so for ages without interference,” saying anybody who has contrary claim should go to court to stake his or her

Chairman, National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON), Malam Abdullahi Mohammed (left); Executive Director (Business Development), Jaiz Bank Plc, Mahe Abubakar and Executive Director Information Technology/Operations, Hassan Usman, when the Jaiz Bank team visited NAHCON in Abuja.

claim. The legal adviser to the Muslim community, Barrister Musodiq Sanni, confirmed the claims of his clients, relying on the authority of a judgment in case no 211905 of 1905 entitled Ayobo Baale of Ilogbo vs Captain J.S. David. He said the judgment gave authority and ownership of the land to the Baale of Ayobo whose lineage gave the Muslim Community the land. His view was corroborated by the Adele of Ayobo who is also the Chief Imam of Ishefun, Ayobo, Alhaji Ibraheem Kadunmise Ojoijo. Ojoijo said that there was no time the community sold the land to anybody or authorised anybody to sell or acquire the land since it has been allocated to the Muslim community by their forefathers. Prince Bashiru Afoso, son of late Baale of Ayobo, added that his late father who died in 1978 was one of those who worshipped for so many years with the Muslim community on the praying ground. “The land speculator who allegedly claimed ownership of the land is neither a member of the family nor one of the people they sold land to,” he said The man who was accused of selling the land, Alhaji Abu Kazeem Iginla, however claimed ownership of the property. The land in question, he said, belonged to him because, according to Iginla, he bought the place from Olalore Family in 1975 and did his survey in 1976. To further buttress his claims, he said took loan from Savannah Bank to construct road from Amule, the sight of the Eid, to Asipa. He also said he gave the land to them temporarily when the former praying ground was taken over.

Animal sacrifice: Pay to Jaiz Bank, NAHCON tells pilgrims

he National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has advised intending pilgrims to pay their animal sacrifice money through Jaiz Bank Plc as the only agent appointed by the Commission in Nigeria for collection. Chairman of the Commission, Malam Abdullahi Mohammed said this in Abuja when

the management team of Jaiz Bank paid him a courtesy visit. Mohammed said intending pilgrims have the assurance that their sacrifice in the Holy land of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, will be done when they pay through Jaiz Bank. He said: “We will educate pilgrims on why they need to pay through Jaiz Bank to ensure that the sacrifice is done and

the right animal is used.” Mohammed said Jaiz Bank’s appointed as the collection agent was done from a sincere intention and even though some elements who used to defraud pilgrims in the past may want to kick back. He said: “We are determined and will remain focus to succeed. Your appointment is to correct these past mistakes.

We know that to get acceptable Hajj, everything must be done in a way that is acceptable by Sharia.” Jaiz Bank’s Executive Director, Business Development, Mahe Abubakar, who led the bank’s team, said the bank had already contacted all the Pilgrim Boards across the country and they have shown their cooperation.

Feminique NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Olabanji-Oba: Mom made me whole

Socialite and realtor, Princess Folashade Olabanji-Oba is the first daughter of Alhaja Atinuke Atobajaiye, the Iya Sunna of Nigeria and close associate of the late Alhaja Abibatu Mogaji, the late Iyaloja General of Nigeria. After working in Prime America Insurance for over a decade, she returned to Nigeria in 2006 and established Pacific Capital Ltd., a real estate and brokerage firm and subsequently, the Shelter of Grace foundation. She speaks with OLUSHOLA RICKETTS on life as a philanthropist and other issues

olashade OlabanjiOba’s reputation as a philanthropist of worth is acknowledged in the Ikorodu area of Lagos where she has taken a lot of people out of the streets. So, it wasn’t really a surprise when she introduced her Non-gover nmental organisation (NGO), Shelter of Grace Foundation (SGF), to represent people who are weak, especially women. But, according to her, the NGO is not restricted to women alone. She states that the foundation has also trained a lot of men in different fields such as agriculture, fish farming, mechanics, shoes making among others. Her venture into politics was not a surprise to many too. Olabanji-Oba who had undergone political tutelage under the national leader of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu upon her return to Nigeria, says she did that to reach out to children and the community at large, insisting that she had always wished to live a life of service. Her interest in politics, she says, is to be in a position where she can influence decision-making process, which will positively impact the lives of people in the society. While admitting that it is difficult to combine her life as a politician, mother and work as a realtor, she says it has been God’s grace that has made all possible. “There are some days I would like to spend more time with my family and there are some days I would love to spend more time out there. But it is about balancing everything and I do what I do because I love to do it. However, we must never forget why we do it. In whatever position we are,c we should make sure we are a blessing to others.” “I just wanted to be of help and I am glad I got the opportunity. As a Real Estate consultant and developer, politics came out of my desire to serve God. It started like a ministry and I made up my mind that I want to give my life to God. When I made that

EBERE AMEH ebere.ameh@newtelegraphonline.com

call many things were not right in my life. I was telling people that all I wanted is inner peace. For me, peace is priceless but the peace I so much crave comes from knowing and loving my God and giving him my all, no matter the challenges I go through. I see serving the public as another way of serving God,” she insists. Though a politician and a realtor now, Olabanji-Oba wanted to Sometimes, be a lawyer. She loved to speak for people and had a lot of affection my mother for others. She even got admission felt my father to study Law immediately she left secondary school but her mother was too harsh felt she was too young and insiston me. He ed she go for her A- levels. “Fortunately, I ended up studyraised me with ing business administration. My an iron fist mother wanted me to be an entrepreneur and always said I had because he skills in business just like her. wished I was Later, she ventured into real estate, which I am also doing now,” a boy she said. In spite of all challenges, growing up was fun for Olabanji-Oba. She beams with joy as she reminisces on those good old days. “Till today, I desire what I enjoyed as a baby. I was blessed with a wonderful father and a most loving and caring mother. Things were not always rosy, but we got along well because they understood that children come first, “she recalls. Though her parents were not learned, she says that they didn’t joke with their studies. Her mother, she says, felt bitter that she didn’t go to school and wanted her to go to school. “You could only get things from my mother easily once you needed them in school. She would call us pet names and praise us every morning. Though I was a very shy girl, my mother made me to believe in myself. Till the day she died, I didn’t have the guts to look straight into her eyes despite the love and respect I had for her. She was very strict,” she narrates. Her father was even stricter than the mother. According to Olabanji-Oba, sometimes it would take the intervention of her mother to escape disciplinary measures of the man. “Sometimes, my mother felt my father was too harsh on me. He raised me with an iron fist because he wished I was a boy. He later became so proud of me. I later found that he did not want me to be too pampered and spoilt,” she informs. E v e n though she Folashade Olabanji-Oba loved danc-

ing and listening to music, as a girl, she didn’t play with her books. Since she was in a boarding school right from her nursery education to secondary school, coming home was always a thing of joy. Anytime she was at home, she remembers that she was always helping her mother in her retail business. Describing how she met her husband, social analyst and ExDirector of Ben TV, Prince Gbola Oba, she tells that the man played a fast move on her. Her words, “He was my brother’s friend, so whenever he visited my brother he would tell me I should please help him get a good wife. If I asked him what he wanted in a woman he would reply that he needed a good wife material like me. Suddenly, he said

why can’t I marry him? I told him that he was too hard and there was no way I could marry somebody like him. But he had a good sense of humour. One day, four of his friends called me that they wanted to take me out for dinner. I didn’t have any choice than to go with them. He was with us too. It was there his friend let the cat out of the bag. He said he has a friend who adored me a lot and singing praises of me always.” At that point, Olabanji-Oba says she became eager to know who the friend was and later realised it was the person he knew. She admits that she was shocked, wondering why he could not confront her himself. “He knows how to make me laugh; I think he used his great sense of humour to charm me,” she enthused.

Feminique

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

6 don’ts immediately after sex T here are some things we do (both men and women) that take the shine off sex, before, during and after. Some of them are irritating, but others are just annoying and bad for the relationship. Most of us will not talk about them, but they lead to resentment. Rushing to the bathroom. Do you consider sex as being dirty? Definitely not. Unless you are dirty yourself. I have heard this complaint so many times from both sides. The partner jumps up and rushes to the bathroom immediately after sex to clean up. That makes the other party wonder if he/ she is not clean or what? Please leave that to the commercial sex workers. After play is just as important. No after sex cuddling. To some, the whole episode finishes immediately after discharge. The partner just turns his or her back and goes off to sleep. Men are more guilty of this, but a lot of women do too. Maybe to show that they were forced or something. Cuddle up after sex. Hold on to each other. Talk, touch and play with each other. Be romantic. Honestly, your love life will receive a big boost. Wrong talk. Yes wrong talk. Dear couples, this is absolutely the wrong

time to make demands. Especially about money. Or accuse your partner of wrong doing. Just concentrate on giving, and making your partner happy. Unhygienic actions. What are they? Picking your nose, passing gas( I talked about this earlier) etc are some of them. Some use this time to scratch their bum bum and other parts of their body as if they have craw craw. This will make your partner wonder if he or she has not entered trouble. Hurrying to leave. This is another sore point. Some of us, immediately after sex start dressing up to leave. Women mostly. They are in a hurry to leave. Dashing to the bathroom to take their bath, brush their teeth, comb their hair and paint their faces. If you attempt to touch and cuddle them, they become hostile. That is when they will remind you about their appointment with their hairdresser or fashion designer. They make you feel totally unwanted after the act. Yes, men do it too and it is equally bad. Turning on the TV. Have you ever gone to bed with a TV addict? My friend, it is not a pleasant experience. First, you must be patient and wait for him/ her to finish watching that par-

Fadeyi

ticular programme. If you are lucky you will be allowed to put it off during love making. If not you will have to agree to a compromise. No sound. But the pictures will be on. Immediately you finish, it is back to the TV. You become a distant second class citizen to the TV. Who is more guilty here? The man or the woman? Mobile phones. This is about the worst. Just as some of us are addicted to TV, a lot more are addicted to their

mobile phones. Whether it is smart phone, BB, I phone or whatever. Some even come to the action room with their laptops. Imagine you trying to kiss or romance someone making or receiving a call. You can’t make any headway. You are told point blank that you are the distraction, not the phone. Some of us don’t even bother or conveniently forget to put the damn thing off when it is show time. Just imagine!!. When you are either at the top or near the top of the mountain, your partner’s phone starts ringing. What a bloody hell. You’ve not seen the worst yet. The worst are the chinko brand. Especially the ones with the big names. Those things can make noise!!. Even at the lowest volume or even in silence mode. When you hear that Trrrrreeeeiiinnnng suddenly, you will think it is a fire alarm or boko haram. No way that thing will not shrink and fall off. So who is the worse offender? Man or woman? Do you have any more of these bad after sex experiences? Do share with us. Dr T. A. Fadeyi. MB. BCH. Sexologist, Sex and Marriage Counselor. drtaiwofadeyi@gmail.com 08033148899 (sms only)

Ego: Diary of a happening mom

Oh no! Danny is a witness! Ebere Ameh

mart Kids School which Tobi and Tosin attend is among the first to close for the long vacation in Lagos State. As early as 10am on Thursday, they had given results to the children and set for their graduation activities billed for the weekend. As usual, and by the grace of God, Tobi and Tosin came top of their classes. They are not in the graduation class and though their early closure signifies early resumption, it’s just right for me now that I have a lot of movement and settling down to do. By Saturday, they were already cooling off in my parents’ house so Danny and I could have some time for ourselves, go for our honeymoon, get admission for Ron and Lilie and settle down before they all come back. “Now that the kids are with Mama, we need to maximize the time to meet up with all our plans before they come back. It may seem that we have all the time in this world but its only two months and it’s over,” Danny said on Sunday morning, on our way from my church. We almost had a little squabble that morning over which church to attend, but for his maturity and gentlemanship. It’s surprising to me that we didn’t discuss the issue of religion before marriage? I have always advised that families worship together but here am I, faced

with the possibility of having to worship in different churches. Yes, because if Danny holds his church as dearly as I do mine, we may have no option than to worship in our different churches. I will not leave the Catholic Church for Jehovah’s Witness even for the whole world. How come I didn’t know? How come I didn’t see his little bag and Bible, which is their ‘trademark’. Does it mean he never went out to preach? I just hope this is the last major discovery I will make about him. It points to the fact that I was blinded by love and didn’t really know him well. ‘Oh God, let it be the last,’ I prayed. I can’t seem to get over the chilly words. “We shall worship at a Kingdom on the mainland later in the

day,” he told me when I woke him to hurry prepare for mass so we don’t go late. “Kingdom? Are you still in dreamland? Wake up, sleepy head, I said, tickling his side and his ear. His instant twitch and twist and loud laughter were indications that he wasn’t really asleep when he said what he said. “Get up Danny, we may be late for mass,” I repeated purposely, to ensure that I heard him well the first time but to my astonishment, he repeated himself. “What is that supposed to mean? Which church is that?” I asked in a loud voice. “You know I’m a Witness, why raise your voice at me?” he queried sharply. “You attend the Catholic

Church, I know, but now that we are married, we have to attend the same church and bring up the children according to the precepts of the kingdom,” he added. “Mistake! Big mistake!” was all I could utter, struggling effortlessly not to let my indignation show. “If you think I will leave the church instituted by Jesus Christ Himself for that your so called kingdom, then you must be seriously mistaken. In fact, you must be crazier than I am if you think that I, Ego, will carry that little bag, going from house to house preaching a distorted gospel. Mistake! Big mistake!,” I repeated. “Thank God it’s still early enough, I’d rather call it quits,” I said, storming out of the room. “My last statement must have hit him harder than I expected. “Come! Ego!, Ego!, he called, following me to the living room. I was already face-in-hand, weeping profusely. “ It h asn’ t g otte n to th at,” h e con sol e d. “ We sh al l make o u t t i m e a n d h ave a d i s c u ssion about that. In the meantime, l e t’s g o to you r ch u rch to g e th e r.” “ I d o n’ t h ave a n y o t h e r thing to discuss. I have made my s e l f cl e a r a n d t h at i s f i nal. I can’ t believe we didn’ t d i s c u s s t h i s e a rl i e r, ” I s a i d as I made for th e bath room. H e l at e r j o i n e d m e i n t h e bath , tryin g h is be st to pl ac at e m e. H e s u c c e e d e d a ny w ay. T h e m a ke o u t l e d t o a b o i s t e r o u s r o m p a n d we e n d e d u p at t h e 1 1 a m m a s s in ste ad.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Crime

Juliana Francis and Taiwo Jimoh

he name, Abba Kyari, has become a household name in Nigeria, especially in Lagos State. Mr. Kyari is a Superintendent of Police (SP), in charge of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad for close to five years. The name, however, means different things to different people. The name is a pride to personnel of the Nigeria Police Force. It is a name that connotes gallantry, safety and reliability to the Lagos State Government. But it is also a name that sends shivers into the hearts of suspected, wanted and fleeing armed robbers. Sadly, however, Kyari has been transferred out of Lagos. Residents in Lagos, especially those who know the price of security, weren’t too happy about it. But like the Boys’ Scout Motto, a policeman must always be prepared for transferred at any time. It is part of the trimmings that goes with the job. On July 1, 2015, Kyari resumed at his new office at Force Headquarters, Abuja. He was moved to Abuja after waging a series of wars with armed robbers in Lagos. In the war, he lost some of his men. Several times, he almost got a bullet himself, but mother luck always seems to favour him. He had been known to cry whenever any of his men die in any circumstances, but especially in gun duels with armed robbers. He left for Abuja with many trophies, but without the much coveted promotion he yearned and prayed for. Since Kyari took over the mantle of leadership in Ikeja, Lagos Command SARS, he had spearheaded the pursuit and capture of many suspected armed robbers and kidnappers. Indeed, there had been days when he had received threatening calls from armed robbers. But rather than wilt in fear, he had simply laughed at the bandits’ temerity and mapped new strategy to catch the robbers. He and his men had been heard to say: “There’s a war going on between armed robbers and the

JULIANA FRANCIS CRIME Editor

juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

Kyari: Robbers’ terror leaves Lagos police. It’s a war the police must win!” Under his leadership, many residents of Lagos State started sleeping with their two eyes closed. The brilliance and vigilance of Kyari in hunting and tracking down armed robbers, often leading to arrests, endeared him to many political leaders, especially the former governor of Lagos State, Raji Fashola. Fashola who gave him many awards for gallantry. He seemed to have a flair for catching the most hard to catch armed robbers. When he was asked if he uses voodoo in his job, he laughed and said: “Haba! No! We only deploy technology in going after these robbers.” On the surface, he looks like he couldn’t harm a fly, but to armed robbers; he’s one of the most feared men in Nigeria. But surprisingly, his men are always willing to fight by his side. There’s camaraderie between him and his men that had often led to a good synergy. This synergy is said to be the bedrock of SARS Ikeja success stories. Some of his men spoke glowingly of him. They said he would be sorely missed. One of the policemen, Mr. Kingsley said: “Kyari is a diligent and dedicated officer whom everybody would like to work with. I’ve known him for close to three years now. It was God who elevated him due to his dedication and commitment. I can tell you categorically that at SARS Lagos State Command, we don’t see him as our superior; we look at him like our brother because he accommodated every officer he comes across in the line of duty. He sees every officer as his brother and sister. He takes time to listen to any complaint brought before him; either good or bad case. He’s a good officer to work with.” Muhammad Aminu, an Inspector of Police, who said he joined Lagos SARS in 2014, said it had been an education, working with Kyari. “What endeared me to Kyari is his simplicity and attitude towards those of us who are his junior in rank,” said Aminu. “Ever since I started working with him, I’ve never seen him complaining about his job or show any incompetency. He has what it takes to be a leader. He is an officer and a gentleman to the core. I’ve

Kyari

Dogodogo

worked with other senior police officers, but what I saw in Kyari is different from where I came from. Kyari is a team leader who listens to whoever comes to him. He doesn’t discriminate.”

According to Aminu, he began to hero worship Kyari after he discovered the ingenuity and cleverness he deployed in hunting and arresting the kidnappers who abducted the mother of the former Minister of Finance, Dr. Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala in Delta State. Aminu said: “Every officer under him have learnt one detective strategy or another. He has a myriad of strategies he uses in trailing kidnappers. Another high profile robbery incident I wouldn’t forget in a hurry and which residents of Lagos will also not forget in a hurry was the broad day-light robbery at the Muritala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja, on March 13, 2013. Two policemen C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 2

Crime

C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 1

and one of the armed robbers were killed on that day. The robbers carted away millions of local and foreign currency. But Kyari finally got them!” Another officer who spoke on the condition of anonymity described Kyari as a “God sent officer to the Lagos State Police Command.” The policeman noted that Kyari treated everybody as equals; whether uniformed personnel or civilians. “Kyari never showed any sentiment when dealing with anyone. One of the most interesting aspects of him was when he assigned any one of us to carry out an operation. If the policeman did the assignment well, he wouldn’t hesitate to make such a person a team leader. Kyari is a leader who teaches junior officers what it takes to be a good officer and an investigator!” Asked how he felt about Kyari’s transfer, the man said: “I don’t feel bad. It’s a normal thing in the police to transfer anybody to any part of the country. This is part of what we signed for as police personnel.” Biodata: Kyari was born on March 17, 1975. He is a native of Gujba Local Government Area, Yobe State. He is Kanuri by tribe. He however grew up at Maiduguri Borno State. He attended Government Primary and Secondary Schools in Maiduguri. He graduated from the University of Maiduguri with B.Sc in Geography 1997. He did his National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in Akwa Ibom State in 1998. He joined the Nigeria Police Force as Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police in 2000. After passing out from training in the Police Academy Wudil Kano, Kyari was posted to Adamawa State where he served in Song, Girei and Numan Local Government Area with remarkable successes in crime bursting. He stood out when he led the arrest of a notorious armed robber called, ‘Ndagi’ a.k.a Spirit. Spirit held Numan, the third biggest town in Adamawa State hostage for several years before his eventual arrest. Kyari joined the Police Mobile Force, popularly known as Mopol in 2005 and was there for about five years until his posting to Lagos Command October in 2010. He was deployed as the second in command to SARS and later became the OC SARS on January 15, 2011. Some of his achievements: Kyari was instrumental in the arrest of the most notorious armed robber in the South West, Mr. Abiodun Egunjobi, otherwise known as Godogodo. Godogodo was arrested in Ibadan, Oyo State, with some of his gang members. SARS recovered 42 AK47 rifles from the gang. Godogodo confessed to have killed over 150 Nigerians, including over 50 policemen during his 10 years reign

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

The making of a super cop

Kyari with Commissioner of Police, Prince Umar Manko

as the kingpin of South West armed robbers. There was also the arrest of Benjamin Osinachi a.k.a China and his entire gang of kidnappers based in Ghana, but operated in Nigeria. Their victims included a sitting High Court Judge, a sitting local government chairman, many expatriates, amongst others. China and his gang members held South West residents by the jugulars for long. But Kyari with his men, were said to have deployed, “Advanced Technology and brought the kidnappers down.” Several AK47 rifles and thousands of ammunitions were recovered from the gang. The defeat of Mr. Andrew and his gang of deadly kidnappers in Igando area of Lagos metropolis was spearheaded by Kyari and his men. SARS recovered 12 AK47 rifles, GPMGs and rocket launchers from the gang. During Kyari’s tenure, SARS arrested Chinansa and gang in the Ajagbadi area of Lagos. The SARS men recovered 11 AK47 rifles, rocket launchers and GPMGs from them. There was the arrest of the General Overseer of a church located at Ejigbo. The General Overseer was part of the gang of robbers that attacked the Murtala Muhammed International Airport. The gang was later discovered to have operated at Ogun, Kwara and Rivers States. When they were eventually arrested, police recovered five AK47 rifles and GPMGs. Kyari was also instrumental in the arrest of the kidnappers of former Minister of Finance, Dr. Okonjo Ewela’s mother. The kidnappers used to operate in Delta, Edo and Port Harcourt. This gang killed the former deputy Governor of Anambra State and kidnapped the wife of a sitting Supreme Court Judge. Kyari and his men also arrested the kidnappers that abducted Dangote’s cousin. Another gang that kidnapped a British citizen, Mr. Dickson Lee, along the International

Godogodo with his cache of arms

Weapons recovered by Kyari and his men

Godogodo confessed to have killed over 150 Nigerians, including over 50 policemen during his 10 years reign as the kingpin of South West armed robbers

Airport Road, was also defeated. The Briton was kidnapped moments after landing in Nigeria. There was the arrest of Obinna in Onitsha. Obinna was the most notorious sponsor and kingpin of robbers who specialised in hijacking trailers carrying containers. SARS has also in its feather, the arrest of Emmanuel aka Arab. Arab and his gang members were described as deadly. 12 AK 47 rifles, including four AK47 rifles belonging to Policemen they killed during bank robbery in Kwara State were recovered from them. Kyari and his men led the rescue of a young Kwara female model in Delta State. The policeman and his men also led in the rescue operation of Alhaji Fashola, owner

of Kings Petroleum in Isheri Oshun Lagos. The team also rescued Alhaja Khadija in Epe area Lagos from the clutches of kidnappers. One Mr. Ademola, an hotelier in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, was also rescued from kidnappers. The arrest of Pastor Eze led gang of kidnappers and recovery of several rifles still resonated in memories of many people. Some kidnappers, based in Ajah, led by one Tony was arrested. Police recovered five AK47 rifles from the gang. Most recently, there was the arrest of several trans-border armed robbers led by one Victor who operated in Nigeria and several West African Countries. SARS operatives recovered several AK47 rifles belonging to slain police men from the gang. Just last month, Kyari led the operation that saw to the defeat of Princewill Eze a.k.a Senator Nwobodo. The suspect was described as a serial fraudster. He and his gang used to operate in EFCC uniforms and had police WalkieTalkie and siren vehicle. Nwobodo used to pose as one of the Directors in EFCC. Under this guise, he had allegedly duped and robbed several people. Nwobodo and his gang used to target operators of Bureau de change in different part of the country. Lagos residents are still celebrating the arrest of the evil nanny who kidnapped three boys belonging to same parents. The kids were called ‘the Orekoyas kids’. The evil nanny was arrested within three days that the case was transferred to Kyari and his men. Few days back before Kyari got his posting letter to Abuja, he led in the arrest of Lekki armed robbers. The robbers, a few weeks back, attacked the First City Monument Bank(FCMB). They killed three policemen and a girl hawking fish. They carted away money and escaped through the waterways. Over 300 AK47 rifles, several GPMGs and rocket launchers were recovered from the Lekki robbers after their arrest. Splintered members from the gang recently attacked banks at Ijede and Ogolonto areas of Ikorodu, Lagos. They escaped, as usual, through the waterways. Police have arrested four of the Ikorodu bank robbers. Kyari has received a lot of awards to mark his achievements. But to mention a few; there’s the IGP Commendation Award for Courage 2012, 2013, 2014. There Governors Award for Gallantry, Leadership and Service excellence 2011, 2012, 2013. There’s Commissioner of Police Commendation Award for Courage 2011. Best AntiCrime Police Officer in West Africa from Security Watch Africa, Star Award from CRAN 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014.

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

SPARED Embassies, diplomatic missions, multilateral agencies, aid donor agencies, others exempted Tony Chukwunyem

he implementation of the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) cashless policy directive mandating banks to impose charges on cash withdrawals that are above stipulated daily limits has begun in all 36 states of the Federation. The charges until now had been implemented in six states- Lagos, Abia, Anambra, Kano, Ogun and Rivers Statesand the Federal Capital Territory (Abuja) following the apex bank’s decision to defer them

Execution of cash withdrawal charges begins nationwide in the other 30 states of the country till July 1, 2015. In an email sent to its customers by a leading first tier bank, seen by the New Telegraph, the bank stated, “We refer to the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN) cashless policy, and the previous communication deferring charges on cash withdrawals above the daily limits, in 30 states of Nigeria till July 1, 2015. Please be informed that the following modalities, which are currently operational in Lagos, Federal Capital Territory (Abuja), Abia, Anambra, Kano, Ogun and Rivers States, will now be effective nationwide, including the previously exempted 30 states of Nigeria:

IMF lowers global growth forecasts, cites US weakness

he International Monetary Fund (IMF) yesterday trimmed its forecast for global economic growth for this year to take into account the impact of recent weakness in the United States. But the global financial institution said growth prospects for next year remain undimmed, despite Greece’s debt crisis and recent volatility in Chinese financial markets. In an update to its World Economic Outlook report, the IMF said the global economy should expand 3.3 percent this year, 0.2 percentage point below what it predicted in April. Growth should speed up to 3.8 percent next year, it said, unchanged from earlier forecasts. The IMF pinned much of the blame for the lower growth forecast on the United States. The US economy contracted in the first quarter, hurt by unusually heavy snowfalls, a resurgent dollar and disrup-

tions at West Coast ports. The IMF said it expected the US economy to grow 2.5 percent this year - it lowered the US growth forecast last month from 3.1 percent in April. It also said US economic sluggishness had spilled over to Canada and Mexico. The Fund maintained its forecasts for a pickup in growth in the euro zone, despite Greece moving closer to the edge of default and an exit from the currency bloc as it races to find a last-minute third bailout. “The stress tests of the last 10 days (around events in Greece) reassure us and make us think that if things go badly in Greece ... the rest of the world would probably survive quite well,” In developing economies, the IMF said growth had been dampened by lower commodity prices, tighter financial conditions tied to economic rebalancing in China and geopolitical factors.

Stanbic IBTC H1 net earnings down by 40%

tanbic IBTC has posted 40 per cent drop in profit after tax for the half year ended June 30, 2015. According to a notice from the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE), the statement of financial position as at the period under review, showed profit after tax profit declined to N9.695 billion in 2015 as against N16.184 billion recorded a year earlier. This indicated a drop of 40 per cent. However, gross earnings rose by 11 per cent to N68.295 billion during the six-month period to June 30, as against N61.715 billion in 2014. The bank cut its interim dividend to 90 kobo per share, from 1.10 naira last year. Following the approval of FMDQ Bond Listing and Quotation Rules by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), FMDQ OTC Plc

(FMDQ) had recently listed on its platform, the Stanbic IBTC N15.540 billion bonds. The listed bond is Series 1 (Tranches A & B) 10-Year Subordinated Notes under a ₦150 billion, Structured Note Programme due in 2024. The bond was the second corporate bond to be admitted on the FMDQ platform and the second of its kind on a fixed income OTC in Africa. Listing on the NSE provides opportunity for retail investors to take advantage of the fixed return on the investment grade Notes, through the primary market whilst listing on the FMDQ will provide a secondary market platform for institutional and foreign investors to trade the bond. This is coming after the pioneer listing of the N30.5 billon United Bank for Africa bond earlier in the year.

For individual account holders, charges will apply when daily cumulative withdrawals and deposits are in excess of N500,000.” Continuing, the statement said, “For corporate account holders, charges will apply when daily cumulative withdrawals are in excess of N3,000,000. The Cashless policy applies to all

accounts including collection accounts i.e. all sub-accounts linked to the same account holder would be treated as one account for both corporate and individual accounts.” It further stated that the withdrawal charges for individuals that exceed the limit is 3 per cent on the excess amount while for corporate customers is 5 per

cent on the excess amount. It added that exemptions have however, been granted on lodgements and withdrawals for accounts operated by Embassies, Diplomatic Missions, Multilateral Agencies, Aid Donor Agencies, Ministries, Departments and Agencies of Government (revenue collections only), Microfinance institutions.

CBN: Naira’s unofficial free-fall not distracting us Currency falls to N236/$

How can less that one per cent be determinant of the rate? Most of those going that way are those that don’t want to be documented.” He insisted that despite the fact that the naira has been on a free-fall on the black market since it tightened access to hard currency for the import of a wide range of goods, the CBN was not in the mood to devalue the local currency again because of concerns about rising inflation. Muazu said the official interbank market had the capacity to handle legitimate dollar transactions but that people preferred to use the unofficial parallel market for undocumented transactions. His comments came as the naira again fell to a low of N236 to the dollar on the parallel

Tony Chukwunyem with agency report

espite the naira’s steady decline against the dollar in the parallel market (black market) in the last few days, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has said that the development would not be its main focus when determining the exchange rate. Specifically, the apex bank said the volume of trading in foreign exchange that takes place in the market was so marginal that it should not be used to determine the naira’s rate. Reuters quoted the Director, Corporate Communications at the CBN, Ibrahim Muazu as saying, “There is need to deemphasise the parallel market.

market on yesterday, N2 down on the day, as dollar shortages persisted according to traders. President of the Association of Bureau De Change Operators of Nigeria (ABCON) Aminu Gwadabe, told Reuters that people were buying dollars on the parallel market to protect themselves against further naira weakness. On the interbank market, the naira traded at N199.45 yesterday, near the central bank’s pegged rate of N196.95. The CBN has spent around $5 billion since January defending the naira, hit by last year’s plunge in oil prices. Last Wednesday, the regulator said its foreign exchange reserves had started to recover gradually with its management of dollar demand and government’s effort to plug all leakages.

Economic Indicators M2* CPS* INF MPR 91-day NTB Bonny Light Ext Res**

As at Mar, 2015 Mar, 2015 May, 2015 4/6/2015 Mar 2015 9/7/2015 8/7/2015

N19,142,526.05m N18,579,219.49m 9 13 10.77 US$56.15 US$29,719,105,491

Source:CBN

Description 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 16.00 29-JUN-2019 15.54 13-FEB-2020 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

FGN Bonds

TTM

Price 98.62 100.51 102.85 101.55 105.53 96.10 68.00 81.96

1.11 1.80 3.97 4.60 6.55 8.68 15.04 19.03

NIBOR

Tenor (Days) Call 30 90 180

Rate (%) 5.3350 13.0677 15.0944 16.1675

Bid Yield 14.40 14.73 15.02 15.05 15.03 15.01 15.56 15.05

Change (%) 1.54 ▲ 0.04 ▲ 0.03 ▲ 0.47 ▲

Change (%) 0.01 ▲ -0.06 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.04 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.01 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.02 ▲

Price 98.77 100.66 103.15 101.85 105.83 96.40 68.30 82.26

Tenor (Months)

Offer Yield 14.25 14.63 14.92 14.96 14.96 14.94 15.49 14.99

NITTY

1 2 3 6 9 12

Treasury Bills

Rate (%) 7.9661 11.4703 13.4437 13.5243 14.8636 14.8684

Spot ($/N)

Offer 197.54

Change (%) 0.58 ▲ 0.18 ▲ 0.02 ▲ -0.20 ▼ -0.01 ▼ -0.05 ▼

Money Market

Maturity Date Discount Bid Yield Change (%) Discount Offer Yield Change (%) Rate (%) 12.66 13.11 0.23 ▲ Open-Buy-Back (OBB) 5.25 15-Oct-15 12.91 13.38 0.24 ▲ 12.56 13.40 0.26 ▲ Overnight (O/N) 6.08 07-Jan-16 12.81 13.69 0.26 ▲ 12.51 14.10 0.06 ▲ 02-Jun-16 12.76 14.42 0.06 ▲ Bid 197.44

Change (%) 0.01 ▲ -0.06 ▼ -0.01 ▼ 0.04 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.01 ▲ 0.00 ↔ 0.02 ▲

Change (%) 0.07 ▲

NIFEX

Bid Spot ($/N) 198.9500

Offer 199.0500

Change (%) 2.25 ▲ 2.67 ▲

Change (%) 0.00 ↔

CBN Clearing Rates of June 11, 2015 Spot ($/N)

195.95

196.95

0.00 ↔ Source: FMDQ

Business | Financial Market News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

9-Jul-15

The DQL contains data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute professional, financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; however, the Information is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE” basis and may not be accurate or up to date. We do not guarantee the accuracy, timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for a particular purpose of any of the Information, neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information.

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 13-Feb-15 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

581.39 480.13 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 233.73 605.31 599.99 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 324.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,846.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,410.89

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

1.11 1.80 2.05 2.15 2.89 3.97 4.29 4.60 6.55 8.68 13.39 13.87 14.37 15.04 19.03

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

14.40 14.73 14.81 14.82 14.93 15.02 15.11 15.05 15.03 15.01 16.00 16.13 16.27 15.56 15.05

14.25 14.63 14.72 14.73 14.86 14.92 15.00 14.96 14.96 14.94 15.94 16.06 16.18 15.49 14.99

98.62 100.51 91.48 90.22 90.32 102.85 75.02 101.55 105.53 96.10 94.50 80.02 57.27 68.00 81.96

98.77 100.66 91.63 90.37 90.47 103.15 75.32 101.85 105.83 96.40 94.80 80.32 57.57 68.30 82.26

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

2.10 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16 19-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.99 1.42 1.78 1.99

2.94 1.00 2.66 3.13

17.14 15.56 17.39 17.93

100.10 100.50 102.26 97.82

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

297.52

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

299.27

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.15

4.44

14.97

99.57

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.23

3.23

15.83

99.31

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

2.60

30-Jun-16

0.73

4.46

18.39

97.15

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

3.96

30-Jun-16

0.73

3.48

17.42

98.72

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.78

1.00

15.73

91.36

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

21.24

30-Jun-17

1.27

1.00

15.43

98.15

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.48

1.79

16.66

94.77

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

1.86

1.80

16.55

96.12

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

1.87

1.00

15.76

97.25

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

12.40

09-Dec-18

2.06

1.00

15.81

97.80

Bb-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

9.21

12-Dec-18

2.06

4.78

19.59

91.17

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.04

1.00

15.81

99.45

BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

*GOMBE LAGOS

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12

15.50 14.50 14.75

15.09 80.00 24.74

02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19

2.48 4.37 2.54

2.02 1.00 1.00

16.89 16.12 15.88

97.30 95.01 97.76

BBB-/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020

10-Oct-13

14.75

10.78

10-Oct-20

2.99

1.82

16.76

95.59

Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.50

27-Nov-20

5.39

1.00

16.10

90.81

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

5.48

1.00

16.10

96.07

‡ /Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.30

31-Dec-20

3.32

1.00

15.99

96.41

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.31

06-Jan-21

3.35

1.00

16.00

97.59

99.91

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

440.60 417.19

Corporate Bonds BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

2.50

17-Aug-15

0.11

1.00

10.62

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

9.38

09-Dec-15

0.42

1.00

14.52

98.98

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.22

06-Jan-16

0.50

2.63

16.31

98.88

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.23

1.00

15.40

97.36

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.30

1.34

15.80

98.18

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.23

1.00

15.83

94.79

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.56

30-Nov-17

1.46

1.88

16.47

102.59

Nil

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r}

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

5.40

09-Apr-18

1.50

1.00

15.63

100.41

A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.54

09-Sep-18

1.67

1.00

15.69

103.08

1.67

1.00

15.69

100.36

AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR

*TOWER

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.70

09-Sep-18

A+/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

30-Sep-18

3.23

3.00

17.98

90.49

BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.10

18-Oct-18

1.78

2.29

17.02

98.10

BBB-/DataPro†; BB/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

18.00

0.36

17-Feb-19

1.86

6.11

20.86

96.01

Nil

*DANA#{r}

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

2.48

2.16

17.03

97.94

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.35

2.76

17.87

91.15

BBB/GCR

FCMB

14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021

20-Nov-14

14.25

26.00

20-Nov-21

6.37

1.80

16.88

89.92

A/GCR

UBA

16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021

30-Dec-14

16.45

30.50

30-Dec-21

6.48

1.00

16.08

101.45

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

16.29

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.23

1.00

16.12

100.73

A/GCR

STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.23

1.00

16.12

86.40

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

177.87

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

168.41

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

2.60

1.00

15.88

88.27

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

3.81

1.00

16.07

86.85

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

24.95 21.84

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

6.25

6.03

102.32

103.33

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

5.28

4.99

99.57

100.38

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

6.52

6.35

99.08

100.14

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,504.80

Corporate Eurobonds B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.95

101.25

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.52

99.50

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

11.61

10.21

88.86

91.99

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

7.76

7.05

94.93

96.92

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

7.48

96.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

10.20

9.66

95.45

97.09

B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC ACCESS BANK PLC II FIRST BANK LTD

8.25 AUG 07, 2020 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

07-Aug-13 24-Jun-14 23-Jul-14

8.25 9.25 8.00

300.00 400.00 450.00

07-Aug-20 24-Jun-21 23-Jul-21

9.26 10.48 9.96

9.26 10.14 9.96

95.25 94.79 90.45

95.25 96.23 90.45

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

10.57

9.95

91.13

93.75

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,650.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,471.43

**Treasury Bills^ DTM 7 14 21 28 35 49 56 63

FIXINGS Maturity 16-Jul-15 23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15

Bid Discount (%) 6.94 6.93 6.92 8.59 8.62 8.71 11.13 11.50

Offer Discount (%) 6.69 6.68 6.67 8.34 8.37 8.46 10.88 11.25

Bid Yield (%) 6.94 6.94 6.95 8.64 8.69 8.81 11.32 11.74

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 5.3350 13.0677 15.0944 16.1675

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

5.25

O/N Tenor Call 1M

6.08

REPO

Rate (%) 5.25 5.50

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

197.44 199.25 199.63 200.49 202.40 205.25

197.54 199.51 199.92 200.83 203.07 206.22

FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

16-Aug-13 27-Apr-12 27-Jul-07 31-Aug-07 30-May-08 29-Jun-12 23-Oct-09 13-Feb-15 27-Jan-12 14-Mar-14 28-Nov-08 22-May-09 20-Nov-09 23-Jul-10 18-Jul-14

13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 15.54 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

581.39 480.13 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 233.73 605.31 599.99 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 324.50

^13.05 16-AUG-2016 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 ^10.00 23-JUL-2030 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 13-Feb-20 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

1.11 1.80 2.05 2.15 2.89 3.97 4.29 4.60 6.55 8.68 13.39 13.87 14.37 15.04 19.03

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

14.40 14.73 14.81 14.82 14.93 15.02 15.11 15.05 15.03 15.01 16.00 16.13 16.27 15.56 15.05

14.25 14.63 14.72 14.73 14.86 14.92 15.00 14.96 14.96 14.94 15.94 16.06 16.18 15.49 14.99

98.62 100.51 91.48 90.22 90.32 102.85 75.02 101.55 105.53 96.10 94.50 80.02 57.27 68.00 81.96

98.77 100.66 91.63 90.37 90.47 103.15 75.32 101.85 105.83 96.40 94.80 80.32 57.57 68.30 82.26

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Modelled Price

Business | Financial Market News

NSE queries 15 dealing firms over licences TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,846.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,410.89

Rating/Agency

Agency Bonds

REGULATION

FMBN

NSE steps up regulatory measures to enhance Sub-National Bonds investors’ protection

***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

A/Agusto

KADUNA

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

Stories by Chris Ugwu A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

‡ /Agusto

EDO

Description

Issuer

he Nigerian Stock *DELTA NIGER Exchange (NSE) has *EKITI Bb-/Agusto issued a notice *NIGER to 15 ‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO dealing members of BBB+/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS the Exchange to appear before BBB-/Agusto; BBB+/GCR *OSUN its Disciplinary Committee for BBB-/Agusto *OSUN Aa-/Agusto; ‡ /GCR LAGOS aA-/Agusto; hearing in respect of their BBB+/DataPro KOGI failure to activate their deal‡ /Agusto *EKITI A-/GCR *NASARAWA ing member licences. TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE According to a notice on the TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION ‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

Bb-/Agusto; A-/GCR

‡ /Agusto; A-/GCR†

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

The notice Head/ 03-Apr-12 signed by 17.25 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 Legal and Regulation Divi20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50 sion, Mrs. Tinuade Awe, noted that the hearing is scheduled on Monday, 27 July 2015 at the Stock Exchange, Lagos. 31-Aug-10 12.50 “At the hearing, the above 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Jun-11 14.00 will listed Dealing Members 30-Jun-09 15.50 be required to give reasons 19-Apr-10 10.00 why 30-Jun-10 13.75 disciplinary action should not 30-Dec-10 14.00 be taken30-Sep-11 against them. Any 14.00 doc04-Oct-11 14.00 uments 09-Dec-11 they wish to rely upon 14.50 12-Dec-13 14.00 during the hearing should be 15.50 provided14-Feb-12 to the Nigerian Stock 02-Oct-12 15.50 22-Nov-12 14.50 Exchange,” the NSE said. 12-Dec-12 14.75 It noted that in the event of 10-Oct-13 14.75 27-Nov-13 13.50 a failure to honour the invi31-Dec-13 15.00 tation, the disciplinary 31-Dec-13 14.50com06-Jan-14 15.00 mittee shall proceed with the hearing and make such deci-

Exchange’s 17.25 FMB website, II 03-APR-2017 the firms 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 include Al-Pina Investment & 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 Trust0.00/16.50 Co. Limited, BBL Asset Management Limited, Integrated & Allied Securities Limited, Multi Trust Securi12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 ties Limited, Char13.00 EBONYI Standard 30-SEP-2015 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 tered 14.00 Securities Limited and 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 Translux Services Limited. 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 Others are Afro-Arab Invest14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 ment Limited, Barakat Invest14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 ment Limited, Bosson Capital 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 Assets14.00 Limited, Dealers Assets 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 Management Limited, Enabell 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 22-NOV-2019 Limited, Capital &LAGOS Investment 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 First 14.75 Express Limited, KFF OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 13.50 LAGOS 27-NOV-2020 Worldwide Solutions Limited, 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 Kingdom Securities 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 Limited 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 and Silver & Gold Securities Limited.

sions such directives 2.10 and issue 03-Apr-17 0.99 1.42 as112.22 it deems fit.08-Dec-16 116.70 19-Apr-17 1.78 66.49 06-Jul-17 NSE had late last year 1.99 an297.52 nounced the expulsion of Gos299.27 ord Securities Limited and Lakesworth Investment & Se8.50 31-Aug-15 0.15 curities Limited - two dealing 2.16 30-Sep-15 0.23 2.60 30-Jun-16 0.73 members of NSE and the revo3.96 30-Jun-16 0.73 cation dealing licences. 57.00 of their19-Apr-17 1.78 21.24 30-Jun-17 1.27 The dealing firms were ex25.00 31-Dec-17 2.48 pelled for regulatory infrac30.81 30-Sep-18 1.86 9.00 04-Oct-18 1.87 tions involving unauthorised 12.40 09-Dec-18 2.06 9.21 2.06 sale of clients’12-Dec-18 shares contrary 27.00 14-Feb-19 2.04 to 15.09 the rules and regulations 02-Oct-19 2.48 80.00 22-Nov-19 governing dealing members4.37 of 24.74 12-Dec-19 2.54 the Nigerian Stock 10.78 10-Oct-20 Exchange. 2.99 87.50 27-Nov-20 5.39 The Exchange, in a statement 5.00 31-Dec-20 5.48 made available to newsmen, 4.30 31-Dec-20 3.32 4.31 06-Jan-21 3.35 said in line with its zero toler440.60 ance policy on regulatory infrac417.19

tions, after 2.94its National 17.14 Council 100.10 1.00 15.56 100.50 carefully considering the docu2.66 17.39 102.26 3.13 relating 17.93 97.82and ments to each firm giving each firm an opportunity to be heard reached the decision to expel both firms and revoke 4.44 14.97 99.57 their dealing licences. 3.23 15.83 99.31 18.39 the National 97.15 It4.46 noted that 3.48 17.42 98.72 Council acted under powers 1.00 15.73 91.36 1.00 15.43 98.15 conferred on it by the Memoran1.79 16.66 94.77 dum1.80 and Articles 16.55of Association 96.12 1.00 15.76 97.25 of The Exchange (EMART) and 1.00 15.81 97.80 4.78 91.17 the Rules and 19.59 Regulations Gov1.00 15.81 99.45 erning Dealing Members. 2.02 16.89 97.30 1.00 95.01 Reacting to16.12 the development, 1.00 15.88 97.76 the Head, Legal and Regulation 1.82 16.76 95.59 1.00 16.10 90.81 Division, Ms. Tinuade96.07Awe 1.00 16.10 said: “NSE is 15.99 committed96.41 to re1.00 1.00 16.00 97.59 storing investor confidence in the Nigerian capital market.”

Corporate Bonds

Post-listing breach: Three firms face delisting BBB+/Agusto BBB-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

BB/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

NSE unveils Pension 40 Index

10.00

FSDH 25-OCT-2016 25-Oct-13 14.25 he Nigerian FSDH Stock ise their 14.25 listing status and Onyema, speaking at inves- 13.00 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 30-Sep-10 UBA Exchange yesterday The Exchange will proceed tors’ forum last year, said 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 BBB-/GCR 30-Nov-12 18.00 *C & I LEASING DANA 9-APR-2018 09-Apr-11 16.00 Nil *DANA will sustain 18.00 said it would proceed with the MPR+7.00 delisting process the Exchange 09-Sep-11 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 A-/DataPro†; B+/GCR *TOWER a zero-tolerance stance on with delisting of Nigerian effective 13 July 2015. MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 09-Sep-11 16.00 AAA/DataPro†; A/GCR *TOWER 14.00 UBA II 30-SEP-2018 A+/Agusto; A/GCR 30-Sep-11 UBA Sewing Machine Manufac“The Exchange will con- dealing member firms and 14.00 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 BBB+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 15.75 *LA CASERA turing Plc,BB/GCR Stockvis Plc and tinue to engage the remainlisted companies violations. 18.00 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 17-Feb-12 BBB-/DataPro†; *CHELLARAMS 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 01-Apr-14 16.00 Nil *DANA Nigeria Wire & Cable Plc, ing fifteen (15) companies Onyema said that the 15.25 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 14-Nov-13 NAHCO for failure to comply with that have taken steps towards Exchange proposed 14.25 FCMB I 20-NOV-2021 20-Nov-14several 14.25 BBB/GCR FCMB 16.45 UBA I 30-DEC-2021 A/GCR UBA post-listing requirements. regularising their listing sta- rules to codify30-Dec-14 the accepted 16.45 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 30-Sep-14 16.29 STANBIC IBTC a view toIBbringing mode of engagement In a notice on the Ex13.25 STANBIC 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 30-Sep-14 in the 13.25 STANBIC IBTC tuses with TOTAL OUTSTANDING change’s website,VALUE it noted them into compliance with market, adding that of a TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION that on 4 November 2014, the their postlisting obliga- particular interest was its Supranational Bond proposed Related Parties Quotations Committee of tions,” the Exchange noted. 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&P 11-Feb-13 the National CouncilIFC of the The NSE in an effort to Transaction rule and rules 10.20 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P AfDB 10-Jul-14 11.25 Exchange grantedVALUE 18 firms achieve a world-class capi- around the conduct of AnnuTOTAL OUTSTANDING MARKET CAPITALISATION aTOTAL period of 12 months stay tal market, has reiterated al General Meetings (AGMs). of action on The Exchange’s its commitment to mainHe said: “While the Description Rating/Agency Issuer Issue Date Coupon (%) delisting process to regular- taining a zero tolerance NSE’s focus from 2011 to FGNtheir Eurobonds ise listing status. posture on dealing member 2013 has been on revampJAN 28, 2021 ing corporate 07-Oct-11 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P that during the It added firms and quoted 6.75 compagovernance, 6.75 BB-/Fitch; 12-month period, the comnies on violations of capacity, 5.13 FGN 5.13rules JUL 12, 2018 improving human 12-Jul-13 BB-/S&P and regulations. 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 cleansing and12-Jul-13 panies restructur- 6.38 BB-/Fitch; were required to file BB-/S&P quarterly progress reports This on the back of the ing the market, improving TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE updating the Exchange Exchange’s determination technology, product develTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION about their activities and to shift gears to drive in- opment, and advocacy for Corporate Eurobonds various steps they are tak- novations centered on in- changes to policy from 2014, 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11 7.50 ing towards fulfilling their creasing global visibility we were determined to shift 7.25 7.25 JUL 25, 2017 B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC 25-Jul-12 MAY 09, 2018 gears to drive09-May-13 B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC postlisting obligations. for the Nigerian 6.88 capital innovations 6.88 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P PLC NSE said that theGTBANK three market in the current year. centered on 08-Nov-13 increasing 6.00 6.25 APR 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P ZENITH BANK PLC 22-Apr-14 6.25 companies have failed to The Chief Executive Ofglobal visibility for the Ni- 8.75 8.75 May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC 21-May-14 8.25 AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch;any B/S&P steps to regularFIRST BANK PLCficer of the NSE, Mr. Oscar 8.25 gerian capital 07-Aug-13 market.” take 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II 24-Jun-14 9.25 A-/Agusto

A/GCR

#{r}

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

The DQL contains **Treasury Bills^

17-Aug-15 09-Dec-15

0.42

1.00

14.52

98.98

06-Jan-16

0.50

0.11

2.63

1.00

16.31

10.62

98.88

99.91

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.23

1.00

15.40

97.36

23-Jul-21

9.96

90.45

14-Aug-21

10.57

9.95

91.13

5.53 25-Oct-16 1.30 1.34 15.80 98.18 he20.00 Nigerian Stock Exchange additional tool to make the most 30-Sep-17 2.23 1.00 15.83 94.79 (NSE) has announced the of Nigeria’s market. It will also 0.56 30-Nov-17 1.46 1.88 16.47 102.59 5.40 09-Apr-18 1.50 1.00 15.63 100.41 encourage the development of creation of NSE Pension 40 In2.54 09-Sep-18 1.67 1.00 15.69 103.08 dex as0.70 part of key09-Sep-18 initiatives to other 1.00 products such as Exchange 1.67 15.69 100.36 35.00 30-Sep-18 3.23 3.00 17.98 90.49 drive market optimisation. Traded Products (ETP’s) and In2.10 18-Oct-18 1.78 2.29 17.02 98.10 The0.36 NSE Pension Index condex Futures in the Exchange”. 17-Feb-19 1.86 6.11 20.86 96.01 4.50 01-Apr-19 2.48 2.16 17.03 97.94 forms 2.05 with the requirements of The NSE Pension Index will 14-Nov-20 5.35 2.76 17.87 91.15 the Pension industry as specified have the top 40 companies based 26.00 20-Nov-21 6.37 1.80 16.88 89.92 30.50 30-Dec-21 6.48 1.00 16.08 101.45 in the Pension Reform Act 2014 (as on market capitalisation and li0.10 30-Sep-24 9.23 1.00 16.12 100.73 amended) and Regulation on Inquidity . In addition, companies 15.44 30-Sep-24 9.23 1.00 16.12 86.40 177.87of Pension Fund Assets vestment to be included must have Free 168.41 as prepared and amended by the Float Factor of at least five perNational Pension Commission. cent. The NSE Pension Index is a 11-Feb-18 2.60 15.88 88.27 The12.00 new index provides trackTotal 1.00 Return Index. Consequent12.95 01-Feb-21 3.81 1.00 16.07 86.85 ing mechanism for PFAs, CPFA, ly, normal dividend payments 24.95 Fund 21.84 Managers and others that will be reinvested and accounted Invest in accordance with the for in the Total Return Index by Outstanding Value Maturity Date Bid Yield (%) Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price ($mm) PENCOM guidelines. It can also a Divisor Adjustment. Prices & Yields act as a benchmark for measurSimilarly, special dividends 500.00 28-Jan-21 6.25 102.32 103.33 reing performance and reporting from 6.03 non-operating income performance to Retirement Savquire4.99 index divisor 500.00 12-Jul-18 5.28 99.57 adjustments 100.38 ings Account (RSA) holders. 6.52 to prevent the distributions from 500.00 12-Jul-23 6.35 99.08 100.14 Commenting on the new Index, distorting the index (same with 1,500.00 Executive Director, Business De- price index). The NSE Pension 1,504.80 velopment, NSE, Mr. Haruna Ja- Index constituents would be relo-Waziri, said: “Investors want a viewed, re-balanced, re-weighted 500.00 19-May-16 5.95 5.95 101.25 101.25 diversified way of measuring marand changed once in a year on 350.00 25-Jul-17 7.52 7.52 99.50 99.50 300.00 02-May-18 11.61 10.21 business 88.86 day in91.99 ket movements, which has a wider the first Janu400.00 08-Nov-18 7.76 7.05 94.93 96.92 coverage of companies as is the ary whereby constituents are 500.00 22-Apr-19 7.48 7.48 96.00 96.00 global200.00 practices. The NSE Pension changed (added or deleted) based 21-May-19 10.20 9.66 95.45 97.09 9.26 9.26 market 95.25 95.25 Index 300.00 will provide07-Aug-20 investors with on their capitalisation. 400.00 24-Jun-21 10.48 10.14 94.79 96.23

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

2.50

9.38

0.22

3,650.00

93.75

9-Jul-15

3,471.43

data relating to, amongst other things, market and model prices, rates of foreign exchange products, fixed income securities and instruments in the financial market (the “Information”). The Information does not constitute FIXINGS Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) professional,DTM financial or investment advice. We attempt to ensure the Information is accurate; theBidInformation is provided “AS IS” and on an “AS AVAILABLE”Tenor basis and mayRate not(%) be accurate or up to date. We do not guarantee Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discounthowever, (%) Yield (%) NIBOR 16-Jul-15 6.94neither do we accept liability for the results of any action taken on the basis of the Information. the accuracy,7timeliness, completeness, performance or fitness for6.94 a particular purpose of6.69 any of the Information, Bid ($/N) Offer ($/N) OBB 5.25 Tenor 14 21 28 35 49 56 63 77 Rating/Agency 84 98 112 126 140 147 154 161 168 182 189 196 NA 203 210 217 224 231 238 252 259

23-Jul-15 30-Jul-15 6-Aug-15 13-Aug-15 27-Aug-15 3-Sep-15 10-Sep-15 24-Sep-15 Issuer 1-Oct-15 15-Oct-15 29-Oct-15 12-Nov-15 26-Nov-15 3-Dec-15 10-Dec-15 17-Dec-15 24-Dec-15 7-Jan-16 14-Jan-16 21-Jan-16 NA 28-Jan-16 4-Feb-16 11-Feb-16 18-Feb-16 25-Feb-16 3-Mar-16 17-Mar-16 24-Mar-16

FGN Bonds

273

7-Apr-16

287

21-Apr-16

301 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 329

6.93 6.92 8.59 8.62 8.71 11.13 11.50 11.52 Description 12.75 12.91 ^13.05 16-AUG-2016 13.32 13.12 ^15.10 27-APR-2017 13.73 9.85 27-JUL-2017 12.58 9.35 31-AUG-2017 13.44 12.58 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.70 ^16.00 29-JUN-2019 12.81 13.60 7.00 23-OCT-2019 13.46 ^15.54 13-FEB-2020 13.77 ^16.39 27-JAN-2022 13.75 13.67 ^14.20 14-MAR-2024 13.65 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.76 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.53 13.73 8.50 20-NOV-2029 13.59

^10.00 23-JUL-2030 13.31 ^12.1493 18-JUL-2034 13.44

6.68 6.67 8.34 8.37 8.46 10.88 11.25 11.27Date Issue 12.50 12.66 16-Aug-13 13.07 12.87 27-Apr-12 13.48 27-Jul-07 12.33 31-Aug-07 13.19 12.33 30-May-08 13.45 29-Jun-12 12.56 13.35 23-Oct-09 13.21 13-Feb-15 13.52 27-Jan-12 13.50 13.42 14-Mar-14 13.40 28-Nov-08 13.51 22-May-09 13.28 13.48 20-Nov-09 13.34

23-Jul-10 13.06 18-Jul-14 13.19

6.94 6.95 8.64 8.69 8.81 11.32 11.74 11.81 (%) Coupon 13.14 13.38 13.05 13.88 13.75 15.10 14.49 9.85 13.25 9.35 14.25 13.31 10.70 14.62 16.00 13.69 14.63 7.00 14.50 15.54 14.92 16.39 14.93 14.88 14.20 14.90 15.00 15.08 12.49 14.84 15.17 8.50 15.04

Bonds

10.00

14.78

12.1493 15.02

5-May-16

13.24

12.99

14.86

2-Jun-16

12.76

12.51

14.42

Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 5.3350 13.0677 15.0944 16.1675

O/N Tenor Call 1M 3M (Yrs) TTM 6M

Outstanding Value Maturity Date (N'bn) NITTY Tenor 581.39 1M 2M 480.13 3M 20.00 6M 100.00 9M 12M 300.00

6.08

REPO

Rate (%) 16-Aug-16 7.9661 11.4703 27-Apr-17 13.4437 27-Jul-17 13.5243 31-Aug-17 14.8636 14.8684 30-May-18

351.30 29-Jun-19 233.90 NIFEX 23-Oct-19 233.73 13-Feb-20 Current Price ($/N) 27-Jan-22 BID($/N) 605.31 198.9500 OFFER ($/N) 199.0500 599.99 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 200.00 20-Nov-29 591.57 23-Jul-30 324.50 18-Jul-34

Rate (%) 5.25 5.50 Bid5.75 Yield 6.00

(%)

1.11 14.40 14.25 NOTE: 1.80 14.73 14.63 :Benchmarks 2.05 14.81 14.72 * :Amortising Bond 2.15Bond 14.82 14.73 µ :Convertible AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 2.89 Management Corporation 14.93 14.86 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 3.97 Mortgage Bank15.02 14.92 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria IFC: International 4.29 Finance Corporation 15.11 15.00 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 4.60 15.05 14.96 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 6.55 15.03 14.96 O/N: Overnight UPDC: UAC Property Development 8.68 15.01Company 14.94 WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company 13.39 16.00 15.94 13.87 16.13 16.06 14.37 16.27 16.18 15.04 15.56 15.49 19.03 15.05 14.99

98.62 98.77 100.51 100.66 NA :Not Applicable 91.48 91.63 ^ : Market Prices 90.22 90.37 # : Floating Rate Bond ***: Deferred 90.32coupon bonds 90.47 103.15 ‡ : Bond102.85 rating under review †: Bond 75.02 rating expired 75.32 N/A :Not Available 101.55 101.85 {r} :Issuer in receivership 105.53 105.83 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 96.10 96.40 UBA: United Bank for Africa 94.50 94.80 80.02 80.32 57.27 57.57 68.00 68.30 81.96 82.26

4,410.89

*for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration # Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills Rating/Agency Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM Buckets Modified Duration

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

197.44 197.54 199.25 199.51 199.63 199.92 Price 200.83 200.49 202.40 203.07 205.25 206.22 212.04 213.49Price Bid Price Offer 226.88 230.04

4,846.82

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M Offer Yield 6M (%) 1Y

<3 3<5 >5 Market

17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 08-DEC-2016 Total Outstanding 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 19-APR-2017 Porfolio Market Value(Bn) Volume(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

BOND INDEX 2.10 03-Apr-12FMDQ FGN 17.25 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 112.22 Weighting by Mkt 0.00/16.50 Bucket 116.70 Weighting Value 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50 66.49

Weighting by 20-Apr-12 Outstanding Vol

840.52

828.10

26.06

28.44

1,447.10

1,433.72

45.12

48.96

668.21

916.07

28.83

22.61

2,955.82

3,177.88

100.00

297.520.26

Maturity Date

03-Apr-17 08-Dec-16

% Exposure_ 19-Apr-17 Mod_Duration

06-Jul-17

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

0.99 1.42 1.78 Implied Yield 1.99

# Risk Premium (%)

2.94 1.00

Implied 2.66 Portfolio Price

3.13

Valuation Yield (%)

17.14 15.56 17.39 INDEX 17.93

Modelled Price

100.10 100.50

YTD 102.26 Return (%)

97.82

13.48

14.90

128.2665

1,166.93

0.45

44.49

15.02

124.6394

1,080.55

42.03

15.35

90.9660

1,096.69

8.9047

1.00

100.00

15.14

115.8777

1,103.46

4.5750

299.270.29

5.3327 6.7133

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.15

4.44

14.97

99.57

A-/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

2.16

30-Sep-15

0.23

3.23

15.83

99.31

BBB+/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

2.60

30-Jun-16

0.73

4.46

18.39

97.15

‡ /Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

3.96

30-Jun-16

0.73

3.48

17.42

98.72

A+/Agusto; ‡ /GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

1.78

1.00

15.73

91.36

‡ /Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

21.24

30-Jun-17

1.27

1.00

15.43

98.15

‡ /Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

2.48

1.79

16.66

94.77

‡ /Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

30.81

30-Sep-18

1.86

1.80

16.55

96.12

Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015

Business | Financial Market News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at July 9, 2015 Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009

Daily Summary (Bonds)

No Debt Trading Activity

Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 27 8 35

Current Price 28.00 34.00

Quantity Traded 219,776 52,237 272,013

Value Traded 6,186,434.50 1,708,449.95 7,894,884.45

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 36 36

Current Price 2.03

Quantity Traded 474,264 474,264

Value Traded 965,920.23 965,920.23

746,277

8,860,804.68

AGRICULTURE Totals

Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015

CONGLOMERATES Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

Symbol No. of Deals AGLEVENT 1 TRANSCORP 115 UACN 51 Daily Summary (Equities) 167

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Current Price 1.40 2.56 40.01

167

Quantity Traded 1,000 7,361,147 961,988 8,324,135

Value Traded 1,330.00 18,992,138.19 38,569,471.78 57,562,939.97

8,324,135

57,562,939.97

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

ICT IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC IT Services Totals Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 Processing Systems Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.76

Quantity Traded 172,063 Page 172,063

Value Traded 133,290.88 1 133,290.88 of 12

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 48.50

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 4,949.00 4,949.00

Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Real Estate Development Totals

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 10.40

Quantity Traded 10,086 10,086

Value Traded 106,877.60 106,877.60

182,249

245,117.48

CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals CONSUMER GOODS

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC P S MANDRIDES & CO PLC. MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals

Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015

Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 Food Products--Diversified

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG Activity Summary onPLC. Board EQTY VONO PRODUCTS PLC. HouseholdGOODS Durables Totals CONSUMER

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange Personal/Household Products © Totals

18 Symbol DUNLOP

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 11,847 11,847

Value Traded 5,923.50 5,923.50

Symbol No. of Deals CHAMPION 4 Daily Summary (Equities) GUINNESS 87 INTBREW 21 NB 122 234

Current Price 5.61 138.93 19.00 137.50

Quantity Traded 84,300 816,775 204,681 1,331,704 2,437,460

Value Traded 473,155.00 113,581,745.35 3,931,040.78 183,584,167.13 301,570,108.26

Current Price 188.00

Quantity Traded 132,111 132,111 Page

Value Traded 24,890,492.30 224,890,492.30 of 12

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR MANDRID MULTITREX NASCON NNFM

No. of Deals 23 20 59 12 1 1 19 2 137

Current Price 3.42 6.35 32.30 3.40 5.35 0.50 7.50 18.05

Quantity Traded 327,742 320,588 443,228 146,125 5 200 276,571 1,300 1,515,759

Value Traded 1,115,188.96 2,011,446.80 14,490,197.89 493,741.50 25.45 100.00 2,059,709.24 22,295.00 20,192,704.84

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 14 65 79

Current Price 35.05 850.00

Quantity Traded 5,481 377,098 382,579

Value Traded 183,347.30 319,044,439.37 319,227,786.67

No. of Deals 19 3 22

Current Price 5.88 1.30

Quantity Traded 304,030 207,000 511,030

Value Traded 1,725,353.80 269,300.00 1,994,653.80

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 ACCESS BANK PLC. Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANKon FOR AFRICA PLC Activity Summary Board EQTY UNION BANK NIG.PLC. FINANCIAL UNITY SERVICES BANK PLC Banking WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Current Price 29.02 42.00

574

Quantity Traded 921,918 64,735 Page 986,653 5,977,439

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Quantity Traded ACCESS 225 5.18 25,622,205 DIAMONDBNK 43 3.95 2,730,548 ETI 81 21.00 3,299,708 FIDELITYBK 91 1.65 11,764,421 GUARANTY 402 26.10 13,547,930 Daily Summary (Equities) 103 SKYEBANK 2.26 3,430,911 STERLNBANK 10 2.12 33,336 UBA 196 4.25 9,776,264 UBN 31 8.91 105,287 UNITYBNK 28 2.28 800,531 Symbol No. of Deals Quantity334,280 Traded WEMABANK 22 Current Price 1.00 ZENITHBANK 271 18.71 72,023,978 1,503 143,469,399

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Symbol AIICO INSURANCE PLC. AIICO CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CONTINSURE CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. CORNERST EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. © EQUITYASUR Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GNI INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTENEGINS LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LASACO LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC LINKASSURE AXAMANSARD INSURANCE PLC MANSARD MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. MBENEFIT Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NEM Printed 09/07/2015 NIGER14:32:09.009 INSURANCE CO. PLC. NIGERINS PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC REGALINS STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. STDINSURE Daily Summary UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC UNIVINSURE WAPIC INSURANCE PLC WAPIC Insurance Carriers, BrokersEQTY and Services Totals Activity Summary on Board Micro-Finance Banks FINANCIAL SERVICES NPF MICROFINANCE Micro-Finance Banks BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

No. of Deals 65 16 81

Symbol NPFMCRFBK Symbol

No. of Deals 18 24 1 1 1 1 1 3 8 1 33 2 2 1 2 (Equities) 1 3 103

Current Price 0.95 1.02 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.51 2.81 0.50 0.70 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 602,868 3,755,120 1,770 Page 30,000

No. of Deals 7 No. of Deals

Current Price 1.05 Current Price

Quantity Traded Quantity222,000 Traded

37,626 210 3,200 65,133 268,640 1,000 2,515,841 7,000 10 1,000 1,530 6,000 50,136 7,347,084

222,000 Page

697,288,841.07 Value Traded 134,493,354.61 11,124,919.88 69,699,386.45 19,396,841.15 353,954,112.05 7,469,508.72 69,165.85 40,568,767.91 925,733.44 1,837,722.02 Value Traded 330,890.69 1,367,860,022.19 2,007,730,424.96 Value Traded 575,207.65 3,844,128.18 885.00 12 4 of 15,000.00 18,813.00 105.00 1,600.00 32,570.50 755,474.40 500.00 1,719,445.27 3,500.00 5.00 500.00 765.00 3,000.00 25,068.00 6,996,567.00

Symbol ABBEYBDS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.25

Quantity Traded 5 5

Value Traded 5.95 5.95

Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 32 20 315 58 2 81 50 558

Current Price 2.74 4.10 7.95 2.91 0.50 25.01 1.36

Quantity Traded 1,515,681 3,300,455 10,958,840 14,853,455 1,600 3,796,281 796,938 35,223,250

Value Traded 4,150,292.20 14,380,029.65 87,121,467.90 43,728,245.50 800.00 96,277,488.26 1,093,981.17 246,752,304.68

186,261,738

2,261,701,602.59

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

2,172

Quantity Traded 120,700 50,325 2,799,244 934,062 50 604 4,652,285

Value Traded 402,155.00 2,122,018.26 4,196,177.45 1,265,325.98 300.50 1,313.56 8,637,441.75

4,653,437

8,641,519.83

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 3.98

Quantity Traded 600 600

Value Traded 2,274.00 2,274.00

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,650 2,650

Value Traded 1,325.00 1,325.00

3,250

3,599.00

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER Symbol CAP CCNN DANGCEM FIRSTALUM PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 11 4 No. of Deals 4 34 37 2 10 55 157

Current Price 22.15 10.68 Current 41.00 Price 11.49 168.30 0.50 5.00 101.11

Quantity Traded 106,198 8,383 Quantity Traded 9,357 552,826 Page 5,900,895 300 212,135 853,036 7,643,130

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 1.50

Quantity Traded 21,917 21,917

Value Traded 34,409.69 34,409.69

Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 34.20

Quantity Traded 36,943 36,943

Value Traded 1,259,218.90 1,259,218.90

7,701,990

1,100,848,808.97

Quantity Traded 2,050 2,050

Value Traded 9,483.00 9,483.00

2,050

9,483.00

165 Symbol

No. of Deals 2 2

BOCGAS Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 4.86

Value Traded 2,238,711.82 85,087.45 Value Traded 364,455.15 6,331,839.30 7 of 12 1,003,120,194.39 150.00 1,062,515.00 86,352,227.27 1,099,555,180.38

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 135,850 Page 135,850

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 175 175

Current Price 14.69

Quantity Traded 2,527,299 2,527,299

Value Traded 36,577,772.45 36,577,772.45

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL

No. of Deals 14 18 42 17 15 106

Current Price 40.85 2.34 185.24 148.00 151.00

Quantity Traded 15,612 184,252 203,711 24,116 14,071 441,762

Value Traded 607,218.07 416,921.60 37,929,243.48 3,702,487.01 2,079,686.40 44,735,556.56

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 330.11

Quantity Traded 69,851 69,851

Value Traded 23,237,915.00 23,237,915.00

3,174,762

104,619,169.01

Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 Exploration and Production Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals OIL AND GAS Totals SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Activity Board EQTY R TSummary BRISCOE on PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals SERVICES Courier/Freight/Delivery REDNigerian STAR EXPRESS PLC © Published by The Stock Exchange TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

304

Value Traded 67,925.00 12 of 67,925.00

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.77

Quantity Traded 40 40

Value Traded 29.60 29.60

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 14 2 16

Current Price 4.75 1.44

Quantity Traded Page 10,143

Value Traded 9 48,575.70 of 12 122,635.60 171,211.30

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,521,963 2,521,963

Value Traded 1,269,094.36 1,269,094.36

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC TRANSCORP HOTELS PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL TRANSCOHOT

No. of Deals 25 1 26

Current Price 4.10 7.86

Quantity Traded 883,214 3,000 886,214

Value Traded 3,530,699.90 24,300.00 3,554,999.90

Printing/Publishing

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 2 1 12 15

Current Price 0.95 1.25 6.03

Quantity Traded 5,856 100 238,578 244,534

Value Traded 5,328.96 123.00 1,341,416.58 1,346,868.54

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals Current Price

ACADEMY PRESS PLC. Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 LEARN AFRICA PLC Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009

UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC RoadSummary Transportation TotalsEQTY Activity on Board Transport-Related Services SERVICES AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE Symbol

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals

Symbol CAVERTON

NAHCO

EQTY Board Totals

87,990 98,133

3 3

0.51

Quantity Traded 273,500 273,500

Value Traded 139,885.00 139,885.00

No. of Deals 10 No. of Deals

Current Price 2.08 Current Price

Quantity Traded 39,807 Quantity Traded

Value Traded 80,550.60 Value Traded

ABCTRANS

26 36

No. of Deals 7 7

SERVICES Totals

222,300.00 12 of

Current Price 3.48 43.50 1.60 1.39 6.32 2.25

111

Activity Summary on Board NATURAL RESOURCES TotalsEQTY

Value Traded 222,300.00 Value Traded

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Published by The Nigerian Stockand Exchange © Totals Energy Equipment Services

Value Traded 26,824,145.20 2,583,026.50 12 3 of 29,407,171.70

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials Activity Summary on Board EQTY ASHAKA CEM PLC INDUSTRIAL BERGERGOODS PAINTS PLC Building Materials CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals Daily Summary as of 09/07/2015 GOODS Totals Printed INDUSTRIAL 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009

No. of Deals 20 20

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

ICT Totals

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

Symbol 7UP

Daily Summary (Equities)

No. of Deals 10 14 55 19 1 3 110

HEALTHCARE Totals

Symbol COSTAIN

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals

Symbol FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN PHARMDEKO

Daily Summary (Equities)

5.24

684,664 724,471

Page

Current Price 3.39

3,589,808.50 3,670,359.10

Quantity Traded 283,695 283,695

Value Traded 899,581.55 899,581.55

123

5,032,550

11,052,029.35

3,712

222,059,877

4,250,833,914.95

Quantity Traded 140,000 140,000

Value Traded 200,203.00 200,203.00

140,000

200,203.00

Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food as Products Totals Daily Summary of 09/07/2015

Symbol MCNICHOLS

Printed 09/07/2015 14:32:09.009 CONSUMER GOODS Totals

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.43

ASeM Board Totals

140,000

200,203.00

Equity Activity Totals

3,714

222,199,877

4,251,034,117.95

Exchange Traded Fund

Name LOTUS HALAL EQUITY ETF NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Page

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 1 2 4

Current Price 10.35 2,243.00 14.53

Quantity Traded 10 50 1,015 1,075

Value Traded 103.50 112,150.00 14,717.95 126,971.45

HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. Healthcare Providers Totals

Symbol EKOCORP

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 3.72

Quantity Traded 1,152 1,152

Value Traded 4,078.08 4,078.08

ETF Board Totals

1,075

126,971.45

Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC.

Symbol EVANSMED

No. of Deals 8

Current Price 0.87

Quantity Traded 747,300

Value Traded 650,151.00

ETP Activity Totals

1,075

126,971.45

Page

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

News 47

SOUTH-EAST

South-East markets shut over Boko Haram prisoners lWhy protest was foiled in Ebonyi – Umahi Pamela Eboh and Clement James

ll the major markets in the SouthEast geopolitical zone were yesterday shut as Igbo traders unanimously staged a protest against the decision of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration to transfer dreaded Boko Haram suspects from the north

to prisons in the zone. Some Boko Haram suspects had been transferred to Ekwulobia prison in Anambra State. The transfer has been widely rejected even though the Anambra State governor, Chief Willie Obiano, was said to have been locked in a meeting with a delegation of the Federal Government yesterday over the matter.

The one-day protest was agreed upon during a well-attended meeting of the South-East Amalgamated Traders Association held in the commercial city of Onitsha on Saturday, July 4. New Telegraph gathered that participants at the meeting, who were drawn from various traders’ unions and associations from Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo States,

strongly condemned the transfer of the suspects to Ekwulobia prison, calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to, as a matter of urgency, remove the suspects from Igbo land. One of the protesting traders, Emmanuel Akubude, from Enugu State said: “At our meeting in Onitsha last Saturday, many of the participants were angry over alleged attempts

by the Federal Government to spread terrorism to Igbo land. We have made it clear that we don’t want Boko Haram suspects anywhere in the South-East and the government has no reason whatsoever to bring them here. Tension has heightened since the relocation of the suspects to the zone with several groups and organisations demanding their

immediate removal. But yesterday, Governor Obiano, after rising from a closed-door meeting with a delegation from Abuja, said the situation will soon be resolved. The state government has, however, beefed up security around the Ekwulobia prison by deploying armed soldiers to guide the facility. M e a n wh i l e, Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi, yesterday explained why the planned protest by traders against the relocation of the suspects to Anambra State did not hold in Ebonyi. He told journalists during an inspection tour of ongoing projects in Abakaliki that since the suspects had already been taken to Abuja, the protest was unnecessary. Also yesterday, the Speaker of the Cross River State House of Assembly, Hon. John Gaul Lebo, warned against sending Boko Haram suspects to Calabar prison, saying any such attempt would be resisted.

Group wants Orji arrested Victor Mba Aba

Traders protesting the Boko Haram prisoners brought to Anambra prison…yesterday

Tribunal strikes out LP from petition, Ugwuanyi, PDP govs move for party’s repositioning refuses additional witnesses Uchenna Inya ABAKALIKI

he Ebonyi State election petition tribunal sitting in Abakaliki yesterday struck out the Labour Party from the petition filed by its governorship candidate in the April 11 governorship election Chief Edward Nkwegu. The National Legal Adviser of the party, Samuel Akingbade, had told the tribunal through a motion that Nkwegu’s petition challenging the election of Chief Dave Umahi, not receive the consent of the party and as such should be withdrawn from the petition which it described as fraudulent. Akingbade in another motion urged the tribunal to stop agents of the LP from appearing for Nkwegu, on the ground that they are members of the Labour Party. Ruling on the two motions, the Chairman of the tribunal, Justice Theresa

Igoche, struck out the party from the petition and dismissed the motion seeking to stop the first petitioner’s witnesses from appearing for him in the petition for lack of merit. The tribunal refused list of forty six additional witnesses which Nkwegu, sort to add to the list of his witnesses in the petition and agreed with respondents in the petition that granting the request will amount to amending the entire petition. Counsel to Chief Nkwegu , Chuma Ajaegbu, accused the Labour Party of conspiring with the respondents in the petition to frustrate the petition, adding that the party had canvassed for votes with Nkwegu during the election and that the National Legal Adviser accompanied the petitioner to file his petition in the tribunal only to suddenly withdrew from the petition, describing it as sabotage and conspiracy.

nugu State Governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi and other governors in the South -East zone elected on the platform of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have commenced moves to rebuild the party in the zone. Ugwuanyi stated this in an address on the occasion of an interactive session with the PDP Post-Election Review Committee at Nike Lake Resort Hotel, Enugu. The governor described the session as apt as it would enable the PDP

family gather and review its performance after the general election in which the party admittedly performed below expectation to the teeming supporters and faithfuls According to Ugwuanyi, the interactive session would afford members of the party opportunity to thoroughly examine all factors and circumstances that led to the situation the party found itself with a view to moving it forward He expressed happi-

ness that members of the committee of the session programme led by Senator Ahmed Markarfi and others are esteemed PDP members that would do an excellent job to guide the party. The state chief executive assured the committee members that in Enugu State that PDP remains as strong as ever having scored hundred percent in the contest for all positions in the recent elections.

Panic as ‘killer’ gin arrives Anambra Okegwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

alpable fear yesterday griped residents of the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra State, over the alleged arrival of the killer local gin (Ogogoro) to the Onitsha and other markets in the state. New telegraph gathered that the commodity was smuggled into the

commercial city through Port Harcourt, via the River Niger. An unconfirmed report from Okpoko community in Ogbaru Local Government Area of the state, say already two residents of the area had contacted the deadly disease after taken the gin at a make shift shop. One person according the report has allegedly

died while the other was taken to an undisclosed hospital outside Anambra State. When contacted on telephone call, the state Commissioner for Health Dr. Joe Akubuike said he has not received such report but promised to mobilize a team of health experts to the community and markets in the state to investigate the matter.

civilrightsgroupinAbia State, has called on antigraft agencies to arrest and prosecute the former Governor of Abia State Chief Theodore Orji for financial misappropriation during his tenure in the state. The group, Campaign for Democracy Abia State chapter, in one of its resolutions at the end of its meeting said the former governor plunged the state into financial and economic mess for the eight years of his administration, stating that he neither developed the state in terms of physical or human infrastructure during his tenure. Comrade Jude Chukwu, Chairman of the group said they took the far reaching decision to seek ways and means of recovering some of the loots from former governor, describing the administration of the former governor as abysmal failure. According to him the group regretted that the former governor did not leave the state in good shape but worse than he met it. He also said that all the sectors of the economy of the state received their fair share of the former governor’s maladministration.

News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

SOUTH-SOUTH

Ex-militants on scholarship stranded over unpaid allowances Chris Ejim Yenagoa

ormer Niger Delta militants who are studying abroad under the scholarship programme of the Federal Government amnesty initiative are now stranded over unpaid allowances. The former militants are calling on the Federal Government to alleviate their plights by paying all outstanding allowances. They are also calling on President Muhammadu Buhari to immediately appoint a Special Adviser and Chairman of the Amnesty Committee to ease the sufferings of the students, saying their plight was as a result of the absence of a head in the amnesty office. In a communiqué issued at the end of their meeting at Birmingham City University, United Kingdom, and made available to newsmen yesterday in Yenagoa via e-mail by their Coordinator, Comrade Emomotimi Ziprebo Pius, the students regretted that similar programmes be-

DPR retires staff Chris Ejim Yenagoa

he Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has retired the pioneer Operations Controller of its Yenagoa field office in Bayelsa State, Mr. Duncan Eradiri and one of his successors, Mr. Simeon Abbey, after 35 years of meritorious service. DPR also redeployed two senior employees, Mr. Akinyemi Emmanuel and Mr. Borh Lezigan, to the field office in Owerri, Imo State and the headquarters in Lagos, respectively. At a send-forth ceremony in Yenagoa yesterday, the incumbent Operations Controller, Mr. Bassey Nkanga, described Eradiri and Abbey as worthy and friendly leaders whose wealth of experience would continually be tapped when needed. Nkanga, who was represented by Senibo Long John, Team Leader, Safety and Environment, said Akinyemi and Lezigan, were good ambassadors of the Yenagoa field office. He said the Yenagoa office of the DPR would remain ‘a wonderful family’ and commended the former operations controllers and the redeployed officers for exhibiting a cordial relationship.

ing funded by the Federal Government like the PTDF are given special attention and their allowances and stipends are paid promptly. The communiqué, which was co-signed by Elliot Yibakeni, of Swansea University on behalf of Wales and Raphael Frank of Aberdeen University on behalf of Scotland, the students also seek a review of the programme, which will take care of the life span of the running programme, even as they reject the collapse of the programme with the Ministry of the Niger Delta Affairs. “The suggestion of collapsing the Office of the Special Adviser to the

President on Niger Delta Affairs and the Amnesty Programme into the Niger Delta Ministry or any bureaucratic creation, supposedly at the expiration of the present subsisting amnesty proclamation by the end of this year, should also be discarded as it does not acknowledge the unique nature of the scheme. “But what is required is a fundamental restructuring of the Abuja and London Offices and elsewhere is that idle minds and unproductive hands should be weeded off and students who know where it pinches most should have representatives in the offices, likewise for those that are

Akwa Ibom begins retreat for cabinet members today Mojeed Alabi

engaged in other capacity building trainings and empowerment programmes.” They also decried the idea of training students both outside the country and within without any arrangement to gainfully engage them to contribute meaningfully towards the growth of the country, pointing out that such situation should be addressed by the government at the various levels. The communiqué also said the present government should boldly and creatively take steps that would pave the way for Nigeria to explore and exploit the bountiful human and natural resources .

s part of efforts to fulfill his campaign promises, the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Udom Emmanuel, will today declare open a retreat for the newly appointed members of his cabinet which is aimed at intimating them with the vision of the new leadership in the state. According to the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Ekerete Udoh, the retreat, which shall be focused on industrialization, will appraise ways to build on the legacies of the former Governor of the State, Godswill Akpabio and keep the state’s sound footing for economic development. The statement added that the governor has declared his commitment to

Assembly urges striking UCTH doctors to resume work Clement James Calabar

he Cross River State House of Assembly yesterday appealed to striking resident doctors of the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital (UCTH) to return to work in the interest of the patients and the state. The House Committee Chairman on Health, Hon. Ekpo Ekpo, representing Bakassi constituency, made the appeal while briefing journal-

ists on the efforts made by his committee to resolve the matter between the doctors and the hospital management. Ekpo also urged the management of the hospital to call the doctors to a round-table discussion, saying the complaints of the striking medical staff should be looked into with a view to resolving it. According to him, his committee waded into the crisis in the interest of the people and hoped that the matter would be

PUBLIC NOTICE The company formally known and addressed as PRIMERA AFRICA FUND MANAGERS LIMITED now wish to be known and addressed as BLUECORAL ASSETS LIMITED and is located at Plot 12, Jasper Ike Street, Off George Omonubi Street, Off T.F. Kuboye Road, Oniru Lekki, Lagos. The Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the general public should please take note. PUBLIC NOTICE LIVING WORD EVANGELICAL AND PROPHETIC PRAYER MINISTRY NOTICE is hereby given to the general public that the above named MINISTRY has applied to the Corporate Affairs Corporation for registration under part “C” of the Company and Allied Matters Act 1990.

resolved in no distant time. “We have interfaced with the striking doctors and the issues they raised include insecurity in the hospital, sanitary conditions of the hospital as well as welfare conditions, and we think these are germane issues which the hospital should look into in order to resolve the matter,” Ekpo said. The committee chairman said the intention of the state government is to make Cross River

a medical tourism state, hence the establishment of what he called “a specialist hospital” in the state, explaining that the initial medical infrastructure would be facilitated by the UCTH. Ekpo also appealed to the Medical and Dental Consultants of Nigeria to redouble their efforts in providing medical services for the people, noting that with the absence of the resident doctors, the consultants should rise up to the occasion and save lives.

PUBLIC NOTICE GOD OF PERPERTUAL MERCY ORPHANAGE HOME The public is hereby informed that the above named ORPHANAGE HOME has applied to the CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Mrs. Ifeoma Amamchukwu Oguejiofor -President 2. Mr. Fidelis Amamchukwu Oguejiofor -Vice President 3. Mr. Emeka Christian Nwankwo 4. Mrs. Nkem Monica Okonkwo -Secretary AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To help and cater for orphans, abandoned and homeless children and impact their lives for the betterment of our society. 2. To contribute in sustaining the value of the human person. 3. To establish a platform that will enhance their creativity through skill acquisition and self help projects. 4. To organize workshops, seminars and conferences geared towards helping the less privileged in the society and contribution to nation building. 5. To restore hope to the hopeless. Any objection to the incorporation of the above ministry should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,P.M.B 198, Maitama, , Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed: IFEANYI UGONABO & CO Barristers & Solicitors

PUBLIC NOTICE

GLORIOUS ETERNAL MINISTRY The public is hereby informed that the above named CHURCH has applied to the CORPORATE AFFAIRS COMMISSION ABUJA for registration under part “C” of the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the gospel round the globe 2. To use the grace of God upon our lives to minister to spiritual needs of men 3. To express the love of Christ through support to the less priviledged especially in the rural communities.

THE TRUSTEES ARE: 1. Rev. Testimony Okwuchukwu Okonkwo -Senior Pastor 2. Miss Patience Asuquo - Assistant Pastor 3. Mrs. Millicent Ikechi Orakwe -Secretary 4. Mr. Kingsley Ekene Madukaejiaka - Member AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To lead people to God their creator by the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 2. To empower people to achieve their God given purpose through the teaching of the Word of God and prayers. 3. To extend the love of Christ to the less privileged. 4. To organize crusades, seminars, evangelical outreaches and shows for soul winning for Christ. 5. To organize programmes that will educate the community and help them become good citizens that will contribute to the betterment of the society.

Any objection to the incorporation of the above ministry should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,P.M.B 198, Maitama, Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed: TRUSTEES

Any objection to the incorporation of the above ministry should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street,P.M.B 198, Maitama, , Abuja, within 28 days of this publication. Signed: IFEANYI UGONABO & CO Barristers & Solicitors

THE TRUSTEES ARE 1. PROPHET FALEYE IYIOLA 2. FALEYE OLATORERA 3. ADEWOYE MICHEAL 4. DR. MAJENGBASAN TIMOTHY 5. OMISORE ADETUNJI OMIWOLE 6. FALEYE EMMANUEL OLAWUYI

- President - Secretary

leverage on the economic potentials of the state to move it to the next level. Mr. Udoh said the retreat will also focus on how to harness the various resources in the state to achieve total industrialization for the benefit of all citizens, adding that it will map out strategies on how all the ministries can work together for the realization of the economic policies of the Udom-led administration. To achieve this, Mr. Udoh said the new governor had set up a technical committee on Agriculture and Food Sufficiency, Technical Committee on Ibom Deep Seaport, and that on Monday, July 13, a Technical committee on Foreign Direct Investment will be inaugurated.

change of nameS

AWOGBAMI

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. AWOGBAMI TEMITOPE ELIZABETH now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. AJEKIIGBE TEMITOPE ELIZABETH, All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OMOLOLA

I formerly known and addressed as MISS. OMOLOLA FOLASADE DORIS now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. OMOTAYO FOLASADE DORIS, All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEBAYO

I formerly known and addressed as Ayantola Oludotun Oluwakemi now wish to be known and addressed as Adebayo Oludotun Oluwakemi. All former documents remain valid. Lagos State Government and general public should take note.

AYANTOLA

I formerly known and addressed as Adekola Adebayo Ayantola now wish to be known and addressed as Adekola Adebayo. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OPARA

I formerly known and addressed as Ekwem Lynda Amarachi now wish to be known and addressed as Ekwem Lynda Amarachi Opara. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

ADEBAYO

I formerly known and addressed as Miss Adegboyega Taiwo Hannah now wish to be known and addressed as Mrs. Adebayo Taiwo Hannah. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

IWINDELE

I formerly known and addressed as Veronica Enayena Iwindele now wish to be known and addressed as Oludele Veronica Enayena. All former documents remain valid. TESCOM and general public should take note.

PEREZI

I formerly known and addressed as Miss. DARO OTUKA now wish to be known and addressed as MRS. DARO EBIKIME PEREZI. All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

OLAJE

I formerly known and addressed as ADIE MAGDALENE BENEDICT now wish to be known and addressed as OLAJE MAGARET All former documents remain valid. General public should take note.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

News 49

NORTH

College workers on strike over return of ‘contract’ registrar Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

cademic and non-academic activities at the Kwara State College of Education (Technical), Lafiagi, have been paralysed, following the strike embarked upon by staff of the institution. The workers are protesting an alleged plot by the retiring Registrar of the college, Alhaji Mohammed Yakubu, to ‘perpetrate himself in office.’ According to the workers, the Senior Staff Association of College of Education of Nigeria (SSUCOEN) and College of Education Academic Staff Union (COASU), which called for the threeday warning strike, Yakubu’s tenure as registrar had expired on May 30, 20015 and he was due for retirement after attaining the mandatory 35 years in service this month. The unions, however,

argued that contrary to the edict which established the institution, Yakubu had again returned as a ‘contract’ registrar in the college. But the embattled registrar said the matter was solely a decision of the state government and anyone who was not satisfied with the development should approach the owners of the school for redress. “They are only challenging the state government for what it has done, if they are not satisfied, they can write the state government to express their position,” Yakubu told newsmen on phone when he was contacted over the matter. Excerpts from a statement jointly issued by the college’s SSUCOEN and COASU Chairmen, Adebayo Bolaji Sikiru and Jimoh Yekeen respectively reads: “The strike was necessitated by the unlawful attempt by the registrar to perpetuate

Stakeholders refute reports of poor feeding of IDPs Ahmed Miringa Maiduguri

takeholders in the management and coordination of humanitarian assistance to Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Borno State have refuted social media reports that the IDPs are not properly fed. The stakeholders at a press conference in Maiduguri yesterday by the Zonal Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Kanar, said “the stakeholders are surprised at some insinuations making the rounds that the IDPs are not getting the best of service.” According to him, there have been some reports in the social media, including a letter purport-

edly addressed to some higher authorities with the intention to discredit the services rendered in the IDP camps.” Kanar said: “This accusation is untrue and baseless as all stakeholders who are involved in providing care are here to reiterate their commitment to humanitarian services in line with global best practices.” He said the stakeholders hold state coordination meetings to review their challenges and achievements every two weeks, adding that such meetings are to facilitate effective coordination of humanitarian assistance, bridge communication gaps with a view to facilitate joint planning and address the needs of the IDPs.

Insurgency: Christian youths urge security operatives to be proactive Musa Pam Jos

hristian Youths in Plateau State have called on security operatives in the state to adopt measures and strategies that will get to the root of the attacks and killings by gunmen in the state. The group also condemned in its entirety, the continued attacks on Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Wase, Langtang South and the recent twin bomb blasts that claimed the lives of mostly

youths in their primes last Sunday. While briefing journalists yesterday in Jos, Chairman of the group, Joshua Ringsum, said “we wish to condole with the families of those that lost their loved ones in the attack and we hereby wish to call on all stakeholders and Plateau citizens not to be deterred by these happenings. We are equally calling on all Christians and nonChristians alike to pray to God to bring these incessant attacks to an end.

himself in office against the letters and content of the edict establishing the college. “Alhaji Yakubu gave a mere two weeks’ notice of the end of his tenure in May 2015 as against the six months specified

in the college law and he was due for retirement after 35 years in service in July. An acting registrar was appointed from among the deputy registrars, who occupied the position for the month of June, but Alhaji Yakubu in

an unprecedented subterranean move, came back to the office to continue as registrar in ‘contract’ capacity. “Even though the college edict allows a contract appointment for the officer whose very technical

service cannot be immediately substituted and for an already retired staff with grade lower than hitherto enjoyed while in service, all these features are completely absent in Alhaji Yakubu case,” the chairmen said.

L-R: Permanent Secretary, Niger State Hospital Management Board, Dr. Makusidi Muhammad Muhammad; Consultant Paediatric Service, Dr. Ibrahim Abdullahi and wife of the state Governor, Dr. Amina Abubakar Bello, speaking after a tour of female wards facilities at the General Hospital, Minna...yesterday. PHOTO: DAN ATORI

CAN chairman denies collecting N90m for Jonathan’s campaign Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

he Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Benue State, Archbishop Yimam Orkwar, yesterday denied collecting N90 million from former President Goodluck Jonathan, to campaign for him. The leadership of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) in the state led by its former head, Rev. Tor Uja, had accused the CAN helmsman of alleg-

edly diverting part of the money for his personal use while disclosing only a part to the seventy clergymen who met with the former president during his campaign visit to the state. But fielding questions from reporters on the matter in his office in Makurdi, Orkwar dispelled the allegation, saying what the former president offered the clergymen was N19 million and not N90 million as misconstrued by the former PFN boss. According to the archbishop, the former governor of the state, Gabriel

Suswam, had advised the CAN leadership to set aside N5 million to embark on a project. He said: “The association heeded Suswam’s advice and bought a piece of land at the cost of N6 million near the Lower Benue River Basin Development Authority along the Makurdi-Otukpo road for the construction of its secretariat. “When the former president visited the state for the PDP campaign rally, he requested to meet with CAN leadership like he requested to meet with tra-

ditional rulers, and during the meeting, we tabled a number of problems confronting the state, including the Fulani insurgency, the issue of compensation to victims of Zaki-Biam 2001 military invasion, the cargo terminal, which the Federal Government had promised the state to make the state an export zone, among others. “After the meeting, he gave the 70 pastors present N19 million as transport fare, but the then governor, Gabriel Suswam said N5 million should go into CAN project.”

Benue Assembly confirms 13 commissioners

Pwajok’s aide debunks rumours of his death

Cphas Iorhemen

Musa Pam

MAKURDI

he Benue State House of Assembly has confirmed the list of thirteen commissioners-nominee sent to it by Governor Samuel Ortom. Those confirmed by the lawmakers to serve in the cabinet are Michael Gusa (Gwer), Prof. Dennis Ityavyar (Vandeikya), Dr. Tersoo Kpelai (Ukum), Mr. James Anbua (Logo) and Nicolas Wende (Kwande). Others include Mrs. Mwuese Mnyim (Makurdi), Mr. Emmanuel Manger (Tarka), Mr. Sekav Iortyom (Buruku), John Onoja and Dr. Mrs. Cecilia Ojabo (Okpokwu). The list also has Law-

rence Onoja (Jnr), (Ohimini), Mr. David Olofu, (Apa) and Ode Agi from Obi Local Government Area. Speaking after the confirmation, the Speaker, Hon. Terkimbi Ikyange, charged the commissioner designates to cooperate with the House standing committees during oversight when finally inaugurated, by availing them all the necessary documents that may be required during oversight functions. Ikyange decried the situation whereby commissioners soon after confirmation and inauguration, turn to look at standing committees of the House as intruders in the business of governance.

Jos

pecial Assistant, Media and Publicity to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gubernatorial candidate in Plateau State in the 2015 general elections, Gyang Nyam Pwajok, Mr. Chuwang Dung, has debunked claims that Pwajok is dead. Dung, in a statement issued to journalists yesterday and made available to New Telegraph in Jos, debunked the rumour. Dung, while dismissing the rumour allegedly being peddled by mischievous elements suggesting that Pwajok

is dead, described it as a strategy aimed at distracting the teeming supporters of the PDP gubernatorial candidate from the ongoing judicial arbitration process that is expected to be in his favour. He advises fabricators of such malicious rumours to find other means of channelling their energy as God is the giver of life. He appealed to citizens of the state to remain calm, steadfast and to focus on the challenges of governance, insecurity, hygiene in the capital city, destruction of democratically elected structures and stop relying on falsehood to distract the people.

50 News

WORLD | News

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Okorocha tells IPP contractors South Sudan marks fourth to stop complaining birthday, amid violence, hunger Steve Uzoechi  OWERRI

overnor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has charged the contractor handling the Egbema Power Project, Rockson Engineering and the Project Consultant Steag Encotec West Africa, (SEWA) to avoid further delays and ensure that the project is completed as soon as possible. Okorocha gave the charge during a meeting with the two companies and representatives of the Niger Delta Power Holding Company, NDPHC at the Imo State Government House, Owerri. The governor advised the companies to stop pointing fingers at one another but to proffer solution for the quick completion of the power project,

adding that the project was very important to the nation, particularly Imo State. He promised that the state would take care of security at the project site and also ensure that cases pending in court that had caused delay in the completion of the project were settled out of court, warning that the Egbema Power Project should not be counted among failed power projects in the country. Speaking earlier, the Managing Director of the consulting firm, Steag West Africa, Mr. Ian Appleaby, stated that what they saw during their visit to the power project was very disheartening. He explained that the percentage of work done based on value was 50 per cent, engineering work and 30 per cent procurement, overall 80 per cent,

pointing out that $173million was the total contract term out of which 70 per cent had been paid out and 30 per cent not released. Appleaby further said that before the visit of Governor Rochas Okorocha to the project site, his company had held a meeting with the contractor, Rockson Engineering and NDPHC, and that plans were made for the contractor to recommence work on site. Contributing, the Managing Director of Rockson Engineering, Mr. Johnson Arumeme mentioned some of the major causes of delay in the completion of the power project which include the 2012 flooding, security situation, contract signed but not effective after two years and court cases stopping his company from working on the site.

Oluwatosin Omoniyi

outh Sudan marked four years of independence from Sudan yesterday, but the celebrations were tempered by concerns about ongoing violence and the threat of famine. Four years after South Sudan had her independence, about 2, 2 million people have been claimed to be displaced and the country is on the brink of a major humanitarian catastrophe. Carina Hansen, acting Country Director for the Norwegian Refugee Council, South

Sudan, said that the humanitarian crisis is one of the worst the country has had in years. He explained that except there is a halt in fighting and violence, the country might not be safe from a full scale humanitarian catastrophe. The long lasting, internal conflicts according to Hansen have brought on one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises in the young nation who got its independence July 9, 2011. He said cholera outbreaks have been reported in Juba and Bor, and a third of the population of 11, 7 million

people are now facing severe food insecurity. In the worst conflict-affected areas as many as one out of three children are malnourished. “Conflicts and violence are the major reasons for the critical food shortage. Crops and markets have been destroyed in the fighting. The security situation and displacement has caused food production to dwindle and trade routes have been disrupted. This, paired with an increasingly difficult economic situation, makes more people go hungry every day,” Hansen said.

Igbo leaders in Lagos reject detainees’ relocation to S’East Oye Ogunwale

agos–based Igbo Progressive Leaders have joined their home governors to condemn and reject the relocation of Boko Haram detainees to South Eastern states by the Federal Government. Operating under Igbo Progressive Leaders Council, in conjunction with Igbo Vision in APC, the leaders applauded the Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, for appointing an Igbo man, Mr. Peter Okonji, as Head of Lagos Electricity Board, in line with his (Ambode’s) acceptance speech not to marginalize any group or tribe. Addressing a press conference in Ikeja, the state capital yesterday, the President–General of Igbo Progressive Leaders Council, who is the

Eze Ndigbo of Ikeja, Eze Uche Dimgba, also commended the Lagos State Government for taking over the responsibility of an Igbo lady, Mrs Ruth Uche, who gave birth to another set of twins but was abandoned by her husband. On the issue of Boko Haram detainees, the leaders explained that sending them to South Eastern States by the Federal Government amounted to solving one problem to create another. The leaders appealed to the Federal Government to return the detainees to Abuja because of security implications. The leaders said, “We the above mentioned group in conjunction with some other prominent Igbo associations who worked assiduously during the electioneering campaign of President Buhari and Governor

Akinwunmi Ambode and all APC candidates in Lagos State to make sure that they won their elections both in Nigeria and Lagos State, after a meeting with very prominent and grassroots coordinators of Igbo in Lagos and having watched the developments from some quarters in Lagos State decided to state as follows: “That we are solidly behind and trust in the Governor of Lagos State, Akinwunmi Ambode, and therefore thanking him for appointing an Igboman, Mr. Peter Okonji to head the electricity board in line with his valedictory speech of not going to marginalize anybody group or tribe. We also appreciate the taking over the responsibility of an Igbo lady, Mrs. Ruth Uche, who gave birth to another set of twins and was abandoned by her husband.

You can’t use us against AMCON, NANS tells Aribisala Ndubuisi Ugah

he leadership of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) yesterday distanced itself from any alleged move by a Lagos lawyer, Mr. Ajibola Aribisala, to discredit the management of Assets Management Corporation of Nigeria (AMCON). In a statement, the students body directed

its members to “bluff any overture or inducement from any quarters against AMCON management.” The statement came on the heels of some reports that some of its members were allegedly being used to stage a protest in Abuja and Lagos against AMCON and its Managing Director, Mr. Mustafa Chike-Obi. In the statement signed by its National President, Mr. Tijani Usman, and ti-

tled: “NANS Dissociates Self from the Picketing of AMCON” and made available to journalists yesterday, NANS warned that it cannot be used to achieve any dastardly acts against AMCON. The statement reads: “NANS has a primary mandate of fighting for the dignity and rights of students and putting all issues concerning the education and empowerment of the youth on the front burner.”

Activists delivering boxes of MoveOn petitions to take down the Confederate flag in front of the Statehouse.

London: Commuters face travel disruption after train, tube strike

he evening rush hour has begun early with reports of long queues for buses because of the network-wide closure of the Tube over an employment dispute. London Underground (LU) contacted the conciliation service Acas to set up fresh talks after workers began a 24-hour walkout at 18:30 BST Wednesday. The strike over pay and night services is causing travel misery for mil-

lions. Separately, a strike by First Great Western staff is disrupting travel between London, the west and Wales. An extra 200 buses are being laid on, as well as additional river services, to help cope with demand in the capital, TfL said. London Overground, DLR, TfL Rail and tram services are unaffected by the industrial action. Those able to travel outside peak times are being

urged to do so. TfL said Tube services would resume on Friday with a full service, but advised customers to check before they travel. London Underground said its trains were in all the right places to minimise delays when services resume but could not rule out some disruption, according to BBC London Transport Correspondent Tom Edwards.

Iran nuclear deal close

ran and six world powers were close to an historic nuclear agreement yesterday that could resolve a more than 12-year dispute over Tehran’s nuclear ambitions, but they remained deadlocked on the issue of Iranian arms and missile trade. Over the past two weeks, Iran, the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia and China have twice extended a deadline for completing a long-term

deal under which Tehran would curb sensitive nuclear activities for more than a decade in exchange for sanctions relief. Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov said yesterday he could not rule out that there would be an agreement in the coming hours. But the Iranian state broadcaster Press TV cited an Iranian official as saying it was unlikely an agreement would be reached yesterday. US

Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Iranian nuclear chief Ali Akbar Salehi were meeting yesterday morning. Salehi told reporters, “Hopefully today is the last day.” Moniz added: “We’re going to resolve the last issues, if we can.” However, a senior Western diplomat said it was “very doubtful” the talks would finish yesterday. Western countries accuse Iran of seeking the capability to build nuclear weapons, while Tehran says its program is peaceful.

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

Features

Sport News

Wimbledon

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Chijindu Ujah eyes World Championships glory with Britain

‘Messi more effective than Ronaldo’

Murray takes inspiration from Olympic final win

Fenerbahce ready to hijack Mikel deal

Sport

Did you know? That the victory Chile recorded over Argentina in the Copa America final was the first in 25 games. Chile won 4-1 on penalties. Scores stood at 0-0 after 120mins

NFF, Oliseh disagree over Enyeama Emmanuel Tobi

ncoming Super Eagles head coach, Sunday Oliseh, has pleaded with officials of the Nigeria Football Federation to soft pedal on the disciplinary actions to be meted out to national team captain Vincent Enyeama following his failure to honour the football body’s invitation to defend his comments on the choice of Kaduna as match venue for the team. NFF president, Amaju Pinnick, met with Oliseh in London on Wednesday to discuss the modalities of working with a foreign assistant and other Nigerian coaches, including the newly-appointed technical director of the NFF, Shaibu Amodu. But Oliseh who is noted for his down-to-earth approach, pleaded with the NFF on the need for him to start on a clean note, stating that the coach should be the interface between the players and the federation.

“Oliseh is pleading on behalf of Enyeama who has already been pencilled down to be banned from the national team, a move the incoming coach feels will be counterproductive to the rebuilding process,” a source close to the situation told New Telegraph. “He is pleading for the option of a fine and a public apol-

ogy in order not to kill the morale of other players who look up to the captain to represent their interest but the NFF is insisting on a hefty sanction to serve as a deterrent to other players. “Oliseh opined that his first match in charge is a crucial away match against Tanzania and Nigerians would judge

him by the game’s outcome,” the source added. Oliseh, 40, won the 1994 Africa Cup of Nations with the Super Eagles as well as an Olympic gold medal in 1996. A former captain of the Super Eagles, Oliseh played at two World Cups, in 1994 and 1998, and played at various clubs in Europe, including RSC Liege,

Regianna, Cologne, Ajax, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund. Oliseh has not had any top flight job in coaching, except handling Belgian third division side Vervietois between 2008 and 2009. He has been working as a TV pundit and was a member of the FIFA Technical Study Group for the 2013 U-17 World

The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Group Sport Editor

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Sport Editor

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sport Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sport Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sport Correspondent

Vincent Enyeama making a save while clashing with Joseph Yobo and Iran’s Vincent Ashkan Dejagah during the Brazil 2014World Cup

Serena too hot for Sharapova, reaches final

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FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

Keshi’s nightmare is over

he fate of erstwhile Super Eagles coach, Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, that hitherto hung on a precipice for close to one year but renewed recently has eventually been decided by the board of the Nigeria Football Federation. The decision that came on the heels of a terrible and turbulent relationship that spanned years yet produced nothing but a mixed bag of both good and the bad is subject of our discuss today. In fact, the hullabaloo and the attendant confusion generated almost made it to the Guinness Book of Records, as an epitome of how not to engage a national team coach. Ordinarily, to sack a coach does not need the input of a rocket scientist, but this particular one did contrary to the popular saying in Europe that only two sets of coaches exist, namely those that have been sacked and those waiting to be sacked. What is however news is the resort to unorthodox means to conjure imaginary evidence based on malice to accomplish pre-conceived notion. It is rather unfortunate that the Amaju Pinnick-led board has not maintained consistency on this issue, as they spoke from both sides of the mouth. It became a case of “to be or not to be”, the great lines penned by the English literary giant William Shakespeare in one of his great works on soliloquy that deals with human dilemma on the question of life and death, in Hamlet. The writer questioned whether it

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is nobler in mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles and by opposing them end them in the process. The question of how the drama that began almost more than a year ago would end, had agitated the minds of millions of Nigerian soccer fans, most of whom were divided since the fate of the Super Eagles handler hung on the balance by the activities and desperation displayed by some mean bunch of dictators on the board of the federation at the “Glass House”. It is an irony of fate that what began as a huge joke, shortly after our match against Chad, which we won, ultimately consumed the best coach the nation has ever produced. In an attempt to nail Keshi by all means, the federation contrived evidence to arrive at an already agreed decision long before the charges were laid. It is a known fact that the federation had embarked on a phishing expedition to Cote d’Ivoire, where the sum of eight thousand dollars ($8,000) tax payers’ money was alleged to have been wasted yet they

JOE BOOSTER

came back with nothing other than tales. Unfortunately, all through the interaction with the Committee none of the members raised the issue of the inclusion of a certain Gabriel Okechukwu, a non-league player, in the national team yet it was one of the issues used to nail the coach. They alleged that the coach’s decision was unilateral and informed by sentiments, without providing any corresponding or verifiable evidence. Moreover, one wonders why the haste in announcing the verdict of the Disciplinary Committee when the board of the federation is yet to meet, if it was not fueled by malice. The personal interest and desperation exhibited by some board members in this trial beats my imagination. It is Keshi’s turn today, tomorrow it might be someone else’s considering the cloud of uncertainty hovering over the federation. One fact is however clear in all of this, the days of the jackal may be around the corner and Pinnick may have to watch his back. You may not like Keshi’s guts, but the fact is that he be-

strode our football like a colossus. Apart from being a highly successful national team captain, he was also a national team coach. He has etched his name into the annals of our football history, having served the nation meritoriously. Apart from being the only indigenous coach to have won the Africa Cup of Nations after having captained the team in his playing days, he took the Super Eagles to the knockout stage of the World Cup, thereby equaling the record set by coach Clemens Westerhof. It is rather unfortunate he had to leave in this way, having appealed to him earlier to quit honorably, considering the soured relationship between him and the chairman of the federation, whose only major achievement since assuming office was to have fired the revered coach. This was to pacify the cabal that felt betrayed by the detention suffered by the leadership of the body last year in the hands of security agents prior to the election into the board. This apparently informed the decision of some board members to openly work against the success of the coach. Their activities were visible during the qualification match for the Africa Cup of Nations recently in Kaduna, where the board members popped champagne to celebrate our near defeat at the hands of Chad. Obviously, this informed the blame heaped on the coach for overstaying his welcome in the national team. However, on listening to

the reasons adduced by the coach, I was compelled to have a change of mind, after realising that he acted on orders. The South African Football Association deal that came on a platter of gold immediately after the World Cup in Brazil was put off the table as a result of the insistence of the Federal Government on retaining Keshi. The contact was made at the highest level of government on the grounds that the retention of the coach by the nation was a done deal. The level of disrespect shown to the leadership of this country via the deceptive contract entered into with the coach by the federation to please the powersthat-be then, only confirms the fact that our football has long been politicised. They now go about with either All Progressives Congress or Peoples Democratic Party identity cards to blackmail people by dropping names; hence the earlier the powersthat-be distance themselves from these occupants of the Glass House, that are more interested in estacode allowance than the development of the game, the better it will be for the nation. I strongly believe that with the exit of Keshi, the unending nightmare that used to be the hallmark of his reign may be over. While I welcome Sunday Oliseh to the saddle, I hasten to advise that he beware of the ides of March, as the federation will now be held accountable for their actions and inaction by the Nigerian people.

Chijindu Ujah eyes World Championships glory with Britain

hijindu Ujah can look forward to competing in next month’s World Athletics Championships in Beijing after securing the British 100metres title in Birmingham on Sunday. The Nigerian-born British sprinter from Enfield and Haringey Athletic Club hit the headlines last year by breaking the ten-second barrier, but had struggled to find his best form on the big occasion since then – coming third in the British Championships last year to miss out on a place in the European Championships and then false starting to be disqualified from the final of the 60m at the European Indoor Championships in Prague earlier this year. However, Ujah lived up to his billing as pre-event favourite by producing a dominant display in the final to romp to victory in 10.10seconds. “It feels good after last year,” he said. “Starting as favourite, there was a lot of pressure on me but I have learnt to deal with it.” “The race was good, the preparation from all the British Athletics staff, my coach and family have helped me a lot. We focused more on preserving energy, getting to that final and executing the race well.

“Everyone has been telling me to keep my head. I’ve had a tough time – obviously false starting in Prague – but I’ve learnt from that and hopefully this will be a stepping stone towards the World Championships. “I really wanted both the indoor and outdoor British titles this year and to come out and do them at the age of 21 is good. I can build on this now.” Ujah admitted that he did initially struggle to cope with the added expectation which came with breaking the ten-second barrier, but he believes that he has come to terms with this. “I’ve had some big learning curves after I came on to the scene pretty much unknown running sub ten seconds,” he added. “Going into every competition with the expectation on your shoulders has been difficult, but every dog has their day and something amazing will come. “The aim was to come to the championships, execute, get through the rounds and win it – so now I have done that I can go back into training and be ready for the worlds. “I have been more consistent this year in terms of my times so hopefully I can push on and do better and push for medals next year in the Rio Olympics.”

Bonne Buwembo also enjoyed a weekend to remember in Birmingham as he was crowned British javelin champion (70.34m), while the women’s 200m proved to be a particularly successful event for the club as Nigerian-born Margaret Adeoye triumphed (23.51secs) and Bianca Williams came second (23.56secs). “It feels good to be British champion again,” Adeoye said. “I came in confident because I’ve been able to train, so it feels good. I’ve got a lot of things to work on as I’ve been trying to decide whether to run the 200m or 400m so my training has not been focused on the speed. “I’ve already reached my goal of qualifying for Beijing so I’ll be on that plane – I’m excited to compete against the best in the world.” Williams was also runnerup in the 100m (11.43secs) – with Desiree Henry following her across the line in third (11.45secs) – while Callum Wilkinson came second in the men’s 5,000m walk (a personal best 20minutes 21.57secs) and Chris Kandu was equal second in the men’s high jump (2.20m). Culled from Endfteld Gazette & Advertiser

Ujah

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NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

‘Messi more effective than Ronaldo’

B Gyan

Gyan completes Shanghai move

samoah Gyan has swapped the United Arab Emirates for China after passing his medical at Shanghai SIPG. He will earn an estimated £227,000 a week at the Chinese club. The Ghana captain has spent the last four years with UAE side Al Ain, having previously featured for Rennes and Sunderland. However, Gyan now looks set to link up with former England head coach Sven-Goran Eriksson at the Chinese Super League club.

arcelona defender Dani Alves insists team-mate Lionel Messi has more of an influence on a game than Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronaldo hit a personal-best 61 goals last season in all competitions, but Real Madrid went trophyless under Carlo Ancelotti, while Messi’s 58 contributed to a famous treble. And Alves, speaking on ESPN’s Brazilian football programme Bola de Vez, did not hold back as he compared Messi with the 30-year-old Portugal international. “Messi is much better than Cristiano Ronaldo,” he said. “Messi has an influence on the play and Cristiano doesn’t. See if he has an influence on the play beyond scoring goals and appearing in certain moves. Messi is influential, he plays and assists. Messi has a divine gift.” Ronaldo was criticised last season for appearing not to celebrate goals scored by his team-mates, and Barcelona’s Brazilian right-back Alves accuses him of not caring for the team. Alves added: “He has things that I do not admire because I play for the team. I think that my team is more important than me. I think he cares little for what really matters, which is the collective side of the game. So much so that some criticised us during the celebration of titles while he celebrated the Pichichi Ronaldo (left) and Messi (top league goalscorer award).”

Blazer handed lifetime football ban

F Blazer

IFA’s Ethics Committee has banned former Executive Committee member and CONCACAF general secretary Chuck Blazer from all football-related activity for life. It was revealed in June that the American was among those to ac-

cept and facilitate bribes as part of the bidding processes for the France 1998 and South Africa 2010 World Cups. Blazer pleaded guilty to 10 counts, including racketeering, conspiracy and tax evasion in November 2013 and as part of his plea agreed to give

United States authorities information pertaining to their investigation. A FIFA statement on Thursday explained that Blazer was now banned “from taking part in any kind of football-related activity at national and international level for life”.

Davis signs record NBA deal

ew Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis has made history after he signed the richest contract in league history. Davis, 22, put pen to paper on the deal on Thursday, although the Pelicans did not disclose the terms of the deal. However, media reports indicate that the five-year extension is estimated at nearly $145 million and will kick in starting with the 2016-17 season and run through Davis’ 28th birthday.

“Words cannot describe the excitement of the New Orleans Pelicans to have Anthony Davis as the cornerstone of our organisation,” Pelicans general manager Dell Demps said in a statement. “We are thrilled to have Anthony commit to the Pelicans as we continue to build our team to have sustained success.” Davis averaged 24.4 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.94 blocks per game last season.

Gasol agrees long-term deal with Grizzlies

arc Gasol will sign a new fiveyear contract with the Memphis Grizzlies, according to reports. The centre has been linked with moves to the Los Angeles Lakers, New York Knicks and Milwaukee Bucks in the last few weeks, but the 30-year-old reportedly turned down their advances. ESPN claims that the Grizzlies are the only team he is in talks with, and he will sign a five-year

deal worth over £65m. The Spaniard averaged 17.4 points per game last season.

Gasol

aya Toure admits he is desperate to make Manchester City fans “proud” after they lost the Premier League title to Chelsea last season. City will go into the new term looking for their third title in five seasons and the midfielder wants to do everything he can to make that happen. He told CityTV: “This club don’t have to be second or third. We always have to finish first. We know it will be difficult because we have oppo-

nents like Chelsea, Arsenal, even Liverpool can do it, United will do it. “We have a lot of targets this year. The target this year is to make this club proud because last year was quite disappointing. For us the main key is to try to regain the title this year.” He added: “We want to do something big this year. I hope maybe in a couple of days new players come and make this club a top team next year.”

N’Zonzi secures Sevilla switch

S Davis

Seven years after, Mosley, Mayorga to do it again

EPL: Toure out to make City fans proud

hane Mosley and Ricardo Mayorga’s rematch is on. The pair put pen to paper on Wednesday and will get back in the ring in Los Angeles on August 29 almost seven years after they first fought. Mosley, now 42, won a close contest in September 2008, flooring Mayorga twice in the 12th round - the second knockdown coming immediately after the first - forcing referee David

Mendoza to call the knockout a second from the end. The scorecards had ‘Sugar’ Shane ahead on two of the three cards and although a rematch was called for it failed to materialise until now. The 41-year-old Mayorga (31-8-1-KO25) has only boxed three times in the last four years and since losing to Miguel Cotto in March 2011, his last two fights have seen him up at light-heavyweight.

toke City midfielder Steven N’Zonzi has left the club to join La Liga side Sevilla. The Premier League club revealed that Sevilla had paid a fee of £7million to take N’Zonzi to Estadio Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan. N’Zonzi moves to

N’Zonzi

Sevilla on a four-year contract with a buyout clause of 30million (£21.53m). “The club would like to place on record its thanks to Steven and offer him our best wishes for the future,” a Stoke statement read.

Sport

FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015 NEW TELEGRAPH

AAG: U-23 Eagles draw Ghana, Egypt, Senegal Emmanuel Tobi

• As Falcons battle Congo, Tanzania, Cote d ‘Ivoire

he Confederation of African Football has drawn Nigeria U-23 Eagles against Ghana’s Black Meteors, Senegal’s Lions and Egypt’s Pharaohs in Group B of the Men’s Football

Tournament of the 11th AllAfrica Games in Brazzaville in September. The draw which was conducted atCAF’s headquarters in Egypt on Thursday will see Nigeria open their campaign

against Egypt while host nation Congo battle Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso in a relatively easy Group A. Meanwhile, the Super Falcons were drawn against host nation Congo, Tanzania and

Cote d’Ivoire in Group A of the Women’s Football Tournament while Group B consists of Cameroon, South Africa, Ghana and Egypt. The Super Falcons defeated the Ivoirian Lady Elephants

4-2 in the opening match of the 2014 African Women Championship, which the Falcons won in Namibia. Host Congo will take on Nigeria in the opening match, while Tanzania clash with Cote d’Ivoire. All matches will be played in Brazzaville.

Falcons need a foreign coach, says Omidiran Adekunle Salami

member of the House of Representatives, Ayo Omidiran, has said that the Super Falcons need a foreign coach to make the expected impact at the global stage. Omidiran told our correspondent that the country was in need of a quality coach to handle the Women’s national team. “It was very obvious that the coach that took the team to Canada (Edwin Okon) was technically deficient. He had no answer to the tactics of the opposition. It was the sheer guts of the girls that earned us the 3-3 draw in the first match against Sweden during the World Cup, “she said. Omidiran also noted that luck of the draw affected the fortunes of the Super Falcons in Canada. “We played against three

tops teams in the world. US is number two, Sweden number five and Australia number 10. It was tough but we did not have a good coach and our preparation was not the best. “I still have to commend the girls for putting in their best. We have quality players in the team and they really fought hard in all the matches. “Look at the encounter against the USA. It ended 1-0 and the USA went ahead to win the trophy. I believe the difference between the top countries and our girls is not much now but we need a better technical approach to compete well with them” The former member of the NFF argued that it was important to unravel the reason why the girls fail on the global stage after inspiring performance in Africa. “There is a discon-

nect and if you look at it closely, it is tactical. Okon is not the person that will achieve that. I support the NFF for thinking of a foreign coach. If this can be done to the male why not the female?” she asked. Falcons crashed out in the first round of the just concluded World Cup losing two games and recording a draw.

Emenike and Al Ain official

Emenike gets royal welcome in Dubai

Omidiran

igeria international Emmanuel Emenike was received like a king when he arrived Dubai to join his new club Al Ain on Thursday. Emenike has joined Al Ain on a season-long loan from top Turkish club Fenerbache. The striker touched down in the early hours of the day and was received at the Dubai in-

ternational Airport by the club’s team manager Nasser Al Junaibi, who presented him with an elegant bouquet of beautiful roses. Junaibi thanked the Al Ain board of directors headed by Sheikh Abdullah bin Mohammed bin Khalid Al Nahyan for their efforts to bring a top-quality replacement in Emenike for Ghana skipper Asamoah Gyan.

The AFCON 2013 top scorer will be presented to the press on Friday. “Emmanuel Emenike has high technical qualities, he played a significant role to help Nigeria win the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, as well as an exceptional level of performance for Fenerbahce, which made him get the attention of major European clubs,” the Al Ain manager remarked.

Wimbledon 2015

Serena too hot for Sharapova, reaches final

Serena

erena Williams has moved to within one win of clinching her third Grand Slam title of the year thanks to a straight-sets victory over Maria Sharapova in the Wimbledon semi-finals. Twenty-time Grand Slam champion Williams has now won 17 straight matches against Sharapova, whose wait for a second SW19 title goes on after her victory as a 17-year-old in 2004. Russia’s Sharapova was on the backfoot from the word go on Thursday on Centre Court as top-

seed Williams broke in the first game before consolidating the early advantage. The American broke again in the fifth game and had no troubles on her own serve, wrapping up the opener 6-2 in just over half an hour. Sharapova started the second set much more confidently than the first with a hold to 15, but Williams earned a crucial break in the fifth game to edge ahead. While Williams didn’t offer the fourth seed a single chance of a break

Muguruza looking ahead to “dream” final

Muguruza

arbine Muguruza has said that Saturday’s Wimbledon final is “going to be a dream”. The Spaniard, 21, reached her first Grand Slam final with a three-set victory over Agnieszka Radwanska on Thursday. “I’m happy,” Muguruza told reporters afterwards. “I’ve

worked all my life to achieve this moment. “It’s going to be a dream. I’m in the final but I really want to win this tournament so I’ll concentrate on the next one.” Muguruza will face top-seed and twenty-time Grand Slam winner Serena Williams in the final after the American’s 6-2 6-4 win over Maria Sharapova.

all match long, Sharapova had to save several more break points as she stayed just about in touch. When the chance came for Williams to serve it out, Sharapova didn’t have a single touch on the ball as Williams boomed down four aces to complete the victory in style. Williams will face 20th-seed Garbine Muguruza for her sixth Wimbledon title in Saturday’s final after the Spaniard overcame Agnieszka Radwanska in the other semifinal tie.

Murray takes inspiration from Olympic final win

ndy Murray has revealed that he has been watching re-runs of his 2012 Olympic final victory over Roger Federer in the build-up to their latest clash. The British number one came out on top at the London Games to make a significant breakthrough in his career. Murray has since gone on to win two Grand Slam events - the

Murray

US Open and Wimbledon - but he admits that if he is to taste success on home soil once more then he will have to be top of his game in Friday’s semifinal against the second seed. “I’ve watched bits of both those 2012 finals in recent weeks but I’m not sure they will have much bearing on Friday’s match - it’s probably more important to have a look at some of his matches during this Wimbledon,” he told BBC Sport. “I know Roger has been serving very well but it’s not just the serve, it’s what comes behind it. He has a very good, accurate serve but also backs it up well. People can talk about how good different guys’ serves are but how they follow it up when the ball comes back is key.” Defending champion Novak Djokovic will face Richard Gasquet in the other final-four affair at SW19.

Sport News 55

NEW TELEGRAPH FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

FIFA rankings: Eagles drop to 57th

Fenerbahce ready to hijack Mikel deal Ajibade Olusesan

urkish giants, Fenerbahce, have taken the lead position in the race to sign Chelsea midfielder, Mikel Obi. Reports say Mikel is ready to end his nine-year love affair with the Blues and he has been linked with a United Arab Emirates side, Al Ain, and Se-

Emmanuel Tobi

Mikel

rie A outfit, Inter Milan. However, reports emerged Thursday that the Nigerian international has met with Fenerbahce chiefs, including sporting director Giuliano Terraneo, over a move to Istanbul. Terrane allegedly met with the Super Eagles star in London to discuss terms ahead of a future deal. Fenerbahce have already

completed the signing of Manchester United winger Nani, and if the latest reports are to be believed - Robin Van Persie will be joining him soon to replace departed Emmanuel Emenike who has moved to Al Ain. But they are also keen to add Mikel to their new collection as they attempt to reclaim the league title after losing it to city rivals Galatasaray.

he dwindling fortunes of Nigerian football continued on Thursday as the Super Eagles dropped 14 places to 57th and lost a massive 81 points in the latest monthly rankings released by the world football governing body, FIFA. Despite earning a 2-0 win over Chad in last month’s 2017 AFCON qualifier, the 2013 African champions who were ranked 43rd for May, fell a shocking 14 places to 57th and 10th position in Africa in June. Algeria remain Africa’s top ranked team, with Cote d’Ivoire, Ghana, Tunisia, Senegal, Cameroun, Congo and Cape Verde completing the top eight. Interestingly, Chad, who lost 2-0 to Nigeria in Kaduna, fell

only one place to 173rd in the world while Tanzania, Nigeria’s next Africa Cup of Nations opponents, also slid down the table. They moved from 127th to 139th with Egypt the only country in Nigeria’s AFCON qualifying group not dropping places or points. Meanwhile, Argentina are the new top team on the FIFA/ Coca-Cola World Ranking. Despite losing to Chile on penalties in the final of the Copa América, the Albiceleste have leapfrogged Belgium and Germany to take the top spot in the world ranking for the first time in seven years. Chile, who emerged champions in the South America tournament, moved up eight positions; only just missing out on a top-ten ranking at number 11.

AAG: Ghana, Egypt will be tough, says Siasia Tosin Obisesan

-23 Eagles coach, Samson Siasia, has predicted a tough group competition after Nigeria drew arch-rivals and defending champions Ghana, Egypt and Senegal in Group B of the 2015 All Africa Games billed for Congo in September. Siasia who is preparing the team for the 2016 Olympics qualifier against Congo in Port Harcourt expressed confidence in qualifying from the group which he tagged “Group of death”. “This is a very difficult group. Every team in this

Siasia

group has the potential to win the All Africa Games because it is a group of death. “We are ready but every game in this group would be difficult. And we would approach each one like a final. I can assure you that anyone who makes it out of this group is top favourite to win the gold.” Nigeria, who won gold at the 1973 AAG on home soil, beat Gabon and Zambia to qualify for the tournament proper in Congo-Brazzaville from September 4. Hosts Congo, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Burkina Faso have been drawn in Group A.

Uzochukwu joins Russian club, Amkar Perm

ussia Premier League side Amkar Perm have signed Nigerian Izunna Uzochukwu on a three-year deal. The 25-year-old joined the Russian club on a free transfer after a successful spell at Danish Superligue champions FC Midtjylland. The defensive midfielder, who joined FC Mitdjylland in 2007, was an important member of the league champions notching 172 appearances. He however says it is time to face a new challenge in Russia.

“I had a successful time at FC Mitdjylland but decided to experience a new challenge after clinching the Superliga title,” Uzochukwu said. “I am looking forward to playing in the Russia Premier League and also to achieve success with Amkar Perm.” The player also said he was open to playing for the Nigeria national team, Super Eagles despite overtures to play for the Danish national team. Uzochukwu said: “Playing for the Super Eagles is the dream of every Nigerian foot-

baller. I never thought of playing for another country and I hope one day I will get the chance to serve my fatherland.”

mination of some of the disciplinary matters involving some clubs. Others are the impending inspection of some stadia and to allow for the rescheduling of the outstanding matches involving some clubs to allow for a level playing field for all the teams in the second half of the season. According to a circular signed by the board’s secretary, Lawrence Katken,

26 boxers for AAG camp Ifeanyi Ibeh

T Uzochukwu

NNL gets new resumption date he Executive Board of the Nigeria National League has fixed July 25 as the resumption date for the second phase of the 2014/2015 league season. This was one of the decisions taken by the board at their meeting held in Abuja during the week even as the board gave the reasons for the new resumption date which includes the non deter-

Emenike (right) in action

the board also warned all clubs indebted to the NNL to clear their debts before the resumption of the league or risk been barred from further participation in the competition. Katken also called on those with stadia defect issues to comply with the board’s directives to put them in good order to avoid running foul of the rules of the game.

he Lt General Kenneth Minimah-led Nigeria Boxing Federation has invited 26 boxers – 19 men and six women –to camp ahead of the 2015 All-Africa Games taking place in Brazzaville, Congo, in September. Four coaches were also called up to the camping exercise which gets underway on Monday, July 13, at the Kenneth Minimah Boxing Hostel, situated within the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Lagos. The male boxers invited include Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallists, Apochi Efetobor (91kg) and Efe Ajagba (+91kg); Azeez Dauda (49kg), Muyideen Oyakajo (49kg), Taiwo Abiodun (52kg), Akinolugbade Lukman (52kg), Sanusi Abiodun (56kg), Olayinka Yusuf (56kg), Oladosu Rilwan (60kg), Soyoye Kazeem (60kg),Waheed Shogbamu (64kg), Samuel Opaogun (64kg), and Olufemi Oyeleye (69kg). Others are Korede Adeniji

(69kg), Kehinde Ademuyiwa (75kg), Danuloko Ekele (81kg), Musa Nehikhare (81kg), Gabriel Francis (91kg) and Segun Ibrahim (+91kg). The invited female boxers are led by 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Edith Ogoke Agu (75kg). Others are the Nigerian Army pair of Caroline Linus (51kg) and Kehinde Obareh (60kg), Chioma Nwakpa (51kg), Dupe Akinola (60kg), and Jacinta Umunakwe (75kg). The coaches are led by Nigerian Boxing Federation Head Coach and 1984 Olympic Games bronze medallist, Tony Konyegwachie; Adura Olalehin, Jeremiah Okorodudu and Christopher Friday. Also called up to camp are the two junior boxers that will represent Nigeria at the forthcoming Commonwealth Junior Boxing Championship in Samoa. They are Aliu Ibrahim, a light weight boxer, and Etim Henry Effiong, who fights in the bantamweight division. Coach Sabo Mohammed will take care of both boxers.

On Marble

“Meeting you was fate, becoming your friend was a choice, but falling in love with you: I had no control over.” – Alexandra

World Record

Sanctity of Truth

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FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2015

First female army officer in Nigeria: Josephine Okwuekeleke Tolefe, the first female to attain the rank of an Army Captain in Nigeria. She became Second Lieutenant (on Commission) on February 7, 1961, Lieutenant on Mary 9, 1961 and Captain on June 1, 1963 voluntarily retired from Service on February 5,1967.

Why’s the world full of unmarried ‘big’ girls?

ow come there are so many unmarried girls everywhere? Thirty-five-year old beautiful and serious-minded girls single and the men have their backs turned against them? Well brought-up girls who work as hard as men, sometimes harder can no longer find husbands. The men have not relocated. In fact, they are single and available. To worsen my worries, there are weddings taking place, not just every Saturday but virtually on every day of the week. So why is the world full unmarried big girls? I’m not so liberal or liberated (whatever that is supposed to mean) as to join those who say marriage is not the ultimate for a woman. Marriage, of course, can be such a headache sometimes but it’s largely good although once in a while I must confess, every wife feels like running away. Apart from all the nice things a husband does for you, who will you quarrel with ever so regularly if not a husband? Who will you vent your anger on if you get a query in the office and who’d console you when you drive your car into a ditch once in a while? A husband is ever so handy. Am I making husbands sound like some domestic hand? Well, if the woman is the domestic ‘body’, why can’t her husband be the domestic ‘hand’. You know a hand and a body can do wonderful things together, non? Good. I remember once when my late husband was transferred to Abuja and the kids and I had to live without him for first time. It was tough. It was then I realized I’d never until then had to go to the bank to pay school fees. I had never been to NEPA office to pay electricity bill. I didn’t know how to switch on the generator. I found I had to do more than buy fuel for my car for it to run. I had to deal with mechanics and plumbers. It wasn’t funny. Of course, the house was without electricity supply for two weeks. As for the single motherhood thing, it’s attractive I think, if you consider the hassles of married life but it’s still a lonely life. You still need a constant warm body, somebody to poke fun at you and joke about your unwieldy waist. Not the occasional husband you get as a single pregnant girl. I hope this clears the air especially with those who have been sending me mails saying I’m misleading women. Marriage is good, ordained by God and I believe it should be for keeps. I don’t believe in divorce either. So back to where we started, why are there so many single girls above 35 when the men are still in town? Is it that the men are blind or the women don’t know where to look? Whatever, I’m going to talk to members of my constituency and I’m not going to pull my punches. Too many of my sisters growing old on the shelves made the wrong choices, took the wrong turns in the road and are today paying heavily for sins of their past. Some of those choices may have sounded or felt right then but a right choice at the wrong time is still a wrong choice. Let me share this with you. A female colleague of mine a few years ago sud-

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denly changed her wardrobe. She started wearing skimpy tops and trousers that left nothing to the imagination. She took to wearing waist beads and sometimes going bra-less. I called her as a concerned friend and asked what happened to decent dressing. What did she hope to gain by flaunting her cleavage every day of the week. She said to me, ‘it’s what my fiancé wants.’ Not one for diplomatic lines on issues like that, I told her the guy had no plans for marriage or even one year with her beyond then. I told her a man who wants a woman for a wife doesn’t tell her to bare her boobs for all to see. My poor friend didn’t know she wasn’t more than a sex toy on display. She fell for her sick fiancé’s tricks. She was single then and is still single now. I know girls must have fun but there is a time to draw the line and grow up. But not some of my sisters. They go into relationships that from day one are dumb stuff. What does a 25-year-old girl need flings for? A single woman is like an evening market, the time frame for searching is short, limited. If you know anything about village evening markets,

PHOTO: www. survivingdating.com

you’d know that they do not last longer than three hours. Such is the ‘lifespan’ of a woman in search of marriage. You make hay while the sun shines. A good girl with her head screwed on tight does not stay in or go into a relationship that’s not heading for the altar. Of what use is a man who can’t promise you forever? Why invest your precious years on a man who is not at the risk of that thing called menopause? But not my sisters. They are into ‘aristos’ and married men even at 37! It’s absolutely crazy. Some join harems of girlfriends and stay on the queue like they are at a supermarket’s pay point. Strike the iron while it’s hot and if you can’t heat up the iron, move on girl. A girl with marriage on her mind should date a man with marriage on his mind. If he wants a fling, let him go look elsewhere, and parents, do tell your daughters that flings are for fools. It is when a girl has misspent her youth that she begins to point accusing fingers in the direction of everybody but herself. A woman who at 30, is in a relationship that can’t lead to marriage is an idiot if she does not move on. The one

who at 32 is dating a married man is a bigger idot but the biggest idiot is the one dating an ‘aristo’ openly. A male colleague told me of how he used to admire and pant after a female reporter who was a great combination of brain and beauty. He told a few friends over a few bottles after production and they pulled his ears. “The beautiful brainy reporter belonged to the Managing Director and if you want to keep your job, leave the girl for the big boy upstairs,” they told him. He was heart-broken but he took his friends’ advice. Our brainy reporter stayed with the Managing Director for years. Everybody knew she was ‘spoken for’. All the eligible guys stayed clear of her. She warmed Oga’s bed. Oga kept his wife happy, made babies who today are all studying abroad. Our reporter has grown old. The eligibles have all gotten married. The M.D can’t marry her. She’s alone, single at 43 because she has been a fool for so long it’s almost too late to try wisdom. Whose fault is it that she’s not married? And there are things a single girl who intends to marry should not do or be caught doing. Why do some of my sisters think men with whom they drink beer will take them to the altar? Drinking alcohol in public is not really becoming of a ‘good girl’. Cocktail, yes. A glass of wine is classy but matching your male friends beer bottle for beer bottle is stupid. Trust guys, they will hail you for being a ‘hard girl’ but when they are drawing up the list of girls they can take home to ‘mama’, you are not a contender. If you drink alcohol, you must not advertise it, girl. It’s top secret. Don’t be confused by men’s oh-so-sophisticated attitude, they know wife materials and girls who drink or smoke aren’t what they want. What do you think friends? My sisters need to have a rethink especially those who can still make amends. And guys, you can complete this piece by letting us know all those other things that you know have increased the population of single but successful girls.

HIGH CHIEF I DIDN’T INHERIT EMPTY TREASURY - Gov. Ayade

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