Binder001

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS Thursday, September 18, 2014

Vol. 1 No. 212

/newtelegraph

@newtelegraph1

www.newtelegraphonline.com

N150

Presidency intervenes in oil workers' strike lReps summon Alison-Madueke lLosses to strike rise to N35.8bn

Adeola Yusuf and Philip Nyam

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday ordered an immediate

resolution of the strike embarked upon by oil workers, which has led to about N35.8 billion loss to the economy in the last two days.

Besides, the House of Representatives Joint Committee on Petroleum (Upstream) and (Downstream) as well as Gas Resources has invited the

Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Group Managing Director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC),

Dr. Joseph Thlama Dawah and the leaderships of the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASCONTINUED ON PAGE 5

House Speaker, Aminu Tambuwal

Troops kill 450 in Borno

lBoko Haram slays Adamawa gov's uncle

}5 Quick Read

Editorial Abba Suleiman: Challenges before IGP }19 Death toll now 80 in Synagogue tragedy }7 Senate wants Adadevoh immortalised }6 Reps to include referendum in constitution }4 Disquiet over ‘unregulated’ private jets operations in Nigeria }31

L-R: Edo State Deputy Governor, Dr. Pius Odubu; Governor Adams Oshiomhole and former governor of the defunct Bendel State, Dr. Samuel Ogbemudia, at the unveiling of a statue in honour of Ogbemudia in Benin City…yesterday.

PDP govs adopt Jonathan as sole candidate LAGOS

Thunder Storms

28OC |24OC For subscription, advert and story tips, please call

+234 (1)221 9496, 08033392655, 08023010222

lParty considers Dec. 6 for presidential primaries Onyekachi Eze, Anule Emmanuel and Dan Atori

P

eoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors yesterday rose from a

meeting in Abuja and endorsed President Goodluck Jonathan as the party's sole candidate for the 2015 presidential election.

About 19 governors and

deputy governors of Nasarawa and Sokoto States who attended the meeting, unanimously agreed that Jonathan should be allowed to seek re-election.

However, Jigawa State Governor, Alhaji Sule Lamido, who is rumoured to be nursing a presidential ambition, was absent at the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Akanbi: Why my hands were tied as ICPC boss }24

2

Thursday, September 18, 2014

3

Thursday, September 18, 2014

PROGRESSIVE INTELLECTUALS OF NIGERIA (PIN) KANO CHAPTER

4

NEWS

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Reps move to include referendum in constitution Philip Nyam Abuja

T

he House of Representatives has begun moves to amend section 9 of the 1999 Constitution to provide for referendum in the enactment or alteration of the constitution.

The move, New Telegraph gathered, may not be unconnected with the controversy surrounding what to do with the report of the recently-concluded National Conference convoked by President Goodluck Jonathan.

Many Nigerians have advocated the subjection of the report of the National Conference to a referendum, but there is no provision for a referendum in the 1999 Constitution.

Jonathan, shortly after he received the document, had promised to forward the report of the conference to the National Assembly for consideration.

A bill to accommodate referendum in the constitution, sponsored by Hon. Raphael Nnanna Igbokwe (PDP, Imo), has already been listed to be debated and may be given accelerated consideration.

The amendment bill was listed for debate yes-

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST ABUJA

32 C 22 C o

o

Thunder Storms

PORT HARCOURT

24o C 17oC Storms

KANO

34oC 22oC Partially Cloudy

ENUGU

31o C 22oC Rain Storms

IBADAN

29o C 21oC Storms

CALABAR

27o C 22oC Storms

MAIDUGURI

36oC 23oC Partially Cloudy

ONITSHA

26oC 16oC Partially Cloudy

terday but could not be taken.

Section 9 of the 1999 constitution provides that: “(1) The National Assembly may, subject to the provision of this section, alter any of the provisions of this Constitution. “(2) An Act of the National Assembly for the alteration of this Constitution, not being an Act to which section 8 of

this Constitution applies, shall not be passed in either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is supported by the votes of not less than two-thirds majority of all the members of that House and approved by resolution of the Houses of Assembly of not less than two-thirds of all the states. “(3) An Act of the Na-

tional Assembly for the purpose of altering the provisions of this section, section 8 or Chapter IV of this Constitution shall not be passed by either House of the National Assembly unless the proposal is approved by the votes of not less than four-fifths majority of all the members of each House, and also approved by resolution of the House of Assembly of

not less than two-third of all states. “(4) For the purposes of section 8 of this Constitution and of subsections (2) and (3) of this section, the number of members of each House of the National Assembly shall, notwithstanding any vacancy, be deemed to be the number of members specified in sections 48 and 49 of this Constitution.”

FLIGHT SCHEDULE FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45 (SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30 MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30

Chairman, SLOK Group, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu (fourth right) and other officials, after the signing of an international exclusive sales agreement to Nigeria with Galanz Group of China, in Guangdong, China...yesterday

PDP govs adopt Jonathan as sole candidate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

meeting.

Jonathan's endorsement for second term came on a day the party said it was considering holding its presidential primaries on December 6 to decide who will fly its flag in the presidential election, slated for next February.

Addressing journalists after the meeting that lasted for about three hours, Chairman, PDP Governors' Forum, Chief Godswill Akpabio, said the forum resolved to support Jonathan's bid for re-election in 2015.

"The forum urges all PDP faithful to support this gesture which should enable the president to become the sole presidential candidate of the PDP come 2015," he stated.

He added that the forum commended the efforts of the armed forces in the fight against insurgency in the North-East and other parts of the country.

Akpabio, who is governor of Akwa Ibom State, spoke hours after the party said it might pick its presidential candidate on December 6.

Also, as part of the preparations for picking candidates for various elective positions in 2015, Jonathan met on Tuesday night with members of the PDP Caucus to consider amendments to the party's

guidelines.

The new guidelines are expected be approved by the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting billed to hold today in Abuja.

The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the party was, however, expected to meet last night to discuss the proposed guidelines by the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) preparatory to today's NEC meeting.

The PDP National Publicity Secretary, Chief Olisa Metuh, yesterday told reporters in Abuja that the NWC would propose to the NEC that the party's presidential primaries be held on December 6.

According to him, the primaries for the selection of the party's candidates for the National Assembly elections will hold on November 22 while the governorship primaries are billed for November 29.

He was, however, silent on the date for the commencement of the sale of Expression of Interest (EOI) and nomination forms.

But a source told New Telegraph that barring any change in plan, the party may begin the sale of the forms from October 27.

The source added that civil servants, government appointees and elected party officials wishing to contest the PDP primaries,

should resign their positions seven days before the commencement of ward congresses where delegates to the primaries will be elected.

According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party primaries for next year's elections should hold between October 2 and December.

Earlier before Metuh briefed reporters on the party's preparations for its primaries, Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, had told State House correspondents that at the caucus meeting with the president, which ended in the early hours of yesterday, they had discussed the party's election guidelines towards the 2015 general election.

He said: "Most of the discussions were centred on the 2015 elections; that is, preparations of the party for the 2015 elections.

There were presentations by the National Working Committee. You know we will have our National Executive Committee meeting on Thursday, and the guidelines for the party were discussed.

"But most of the decisions will be taken at the NEC meeting on Thursday.

What we did here was to brainstorm on certain issues that will be presented at the NEC meeting. So, it

is on that Thursday that a lot of the decisions that will guide us for the 2015 elections will be taken."

However, ahead of the party's primaries, the Chairman of the Northern State Governors Forum (NSGF), Dr Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State, yesterday told other presidential aspirants of the party to forget their ambitions as there is no vacancy at 'Aso Rock,' the seat of power.

Aliyu, responding to pleas by some youths under the aegis of Babangida Aliyu Youth for Peace Initiative, who had paid him a courtesy call that he should run for the presidency on PDP platform, said as a loyal party man, he would not want to unseat the incumbent.

"I thank the youths for considering me fit for the topmost job in the country. As a loyal party man, we will watch as things unfold in the PDP. For the PDP, we have an incumbent in place and usually the incumbent, no matter the performance, you will not want to remove him. I believe the PDP will want to offer him that position.

"For 2015, there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.

Everyone in the PDP will wait until the president declares to run for a second term before any scrambling can begin for the position that is if he acts otherwise," he added.

OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00 ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

NEWS

Thursday, September 18, 2014

5

Troops kill 450 Boko Haram members in Borno battle Emmanuel Onani, Ahmed Miringa and Ibrahim Abdul

B

oko Haram militants have suffered a heavy casualty in their ongoing terror campaign in the North-East

as troops killed about 450 insurgents during a fierce battle in Borno State.

According to sources, troops from the 7th Division of Nigerian Army in different battles with the insurgents in two local

government areas in the state killed the militants who were on their way to attack Konduga town, in Konduga Local Government Area and Ngamdu village, located in Kaga Local Government Area.

The attack on Konduga, about 30 kilometres from Maiduguri, was the second attack in less than a week, coming after that of last Friday in which over 100 sect members were also killed.

Wife of the Governor of Ogun State, Mrs. Olufunso Amosun with frontline environmentalist, Dr. Newton Jibunoh, during the grand finale of the first National Green Essay Competition organised by the governor's wife, in Abeokuta...yesterday

Presidency intervenes in oil workers' strike CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

SAN) and the Nigerian Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas workers (NUPENG) to a meeting to find how to end the strike.

The industrial action, which snowballed into a total grounding of activities of the NNPC at crude exports terminal, shutting down of four refineries and halting of fuel loading, has created a glut in the economy of Ghana and other foreign buyers of Nigeria's hydrocarbon.

Ghana Central Bank Governor, Henry Kofi Wampah, swiftly organised a news conference on gas cut to his country, disclosing that the supply cut through the West African Gas Pipeline (WAPCO) is "not good news" and could damage the country's economy if prolonged.

The oil workers in NNPC had embarked on the strike last Tuesday over the NNPC's non-compliance with the Pension Reform Act 2014.

New Telegraph gathered that Jonathan expressed dissatisfaction with the way the issues were being handled and the 'big hole' the strike has created in the nation's purse.

"Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke got the

presidents order to ensure the immediate resolution to this crisis and she has called for a meeting between the management of the NNPC and the labour unions. The meeting, which is presently holding at the NNPC Towers, is going on as I speak to you," a source said yesterday.

Chairman, NUPENG Lagos zone, Alhaji Tokunbo Korodo, confirmed that the leadership of the labour unions were in a closed-door meeting with the NNPC management.

Expressing satisfaction with the level of compliance by the union members, Korodo said the crisis would escalate if the ongoing meeting failed to resolve the disagreement.

"As I am talking to you now, the management of NNPC is truly meeting with leadership of the union at the NNPC Towers in Abuja. It is still Aluta continua until the outcome of the meeting is in line with our demands.

"As I speak to you now we are in Ibadan to monitor the level of compliance to the industrial action and we are satisfied with what we saw. It is total compliance.

"All the activities of the NNPC and that of its subsidiaries are grounded and if the meeting ends in

a deadlock, it will escalate the crisis," he said.

Also yesterday, the House of Representatives, in a joint statement by Chairman of the Committee on Petroleum (Upstream), Hon. Muraina Ajibola;, Chairman, Committee on Petroleum (downstream), Hon. Dakuku Peterside and Chairman, Committee on Gas Resources, Hon. Bassey Ewa, said the committees would not allow any strike to cripple the nation's oil and gas sector.

"Our concern is driven by the major role oil and gas plays in our economy; and the enormous damage any disruption in the system will entail for the Nigerian people.

"Alive to our constitutional responsibilities, the Joint House Committees on Oil and Gas have decided to intervene in this matter with a view to resolving whatever the issues may be.

"Accordingly, we have invited the Honourable Minister of Petroleum Resources, and the affected unions and relevant stakeholders in the sector to a meeting for tomorrow.

"Given the urgency of this matter, it is our hope that the relevant parties will attend this meeting," the statement added.

Meanwhile, a senior official at WAPCO in Ghana said gas supplies through the pipeline, which serves, Togo, Benin and Ghana, have been cut due to a strike in Nigeria.

Ghana's economy was hurt in 2013 by an energy deficit.

The NNPC, which is responsible for 57 per cent of the total crude exports and 20 per cent of 40 million litres of fuel, consume daily in Nigeria, lost a total of N17.8885 billion in day one of the strike.

While a total of N1.9 billion is lost on loading of 20 million litres, being the NNPC's 50 per cent of the 40 million litres daily consumption in Nigeria, a total of about N15. 9885 billion ($106.59 million) is lost on 1. 0659million barrels, being the 57 per cent of the NNPC's share of the 1.87 million crude exports.

As the strike action entered day two yesterday, the total loss to the crisis has hit N35.8 billion.

This damage did not include the loss to effects of the strike on the four refineries in the country.

Queues for fuel, which returned to some filling stations in Abuja and Lagos last Tuesday, remained yesterday, as news of industrial action hit the two major cities.

A civilian JTF who participate in the attack, but who asked not to be named, told New Telegraph that the military, on getting information about 8pm on Tuesday that the insurgents were on their way to attack Konduga, mobililised to repel the terrorists.

He said: “The Boko Haram members who divided themselves in three groups sent the first group to face the military, unknowing to them that the military have strategically took cover waiting for their arrival. Some kilometres to their destination, the military opened fire on them, killing over 450 of them.

One Armoured Personnel Carrier, three vehicles mounted with anti-aircraft weapons, several motorcycles and ammunition were recovered.

“After the military successfully crushed the first group, the second group appeared followed by the third group but they were all crushed by the military, who were assisted by our members.”

Another member of the Civilian JTF, who sought not to be named, however, said over 300 Boko Haram terrorists were killed in the Konduga which raged till yesterday while 150 were killed in Ngamdu village along Maiduguri-Damaturu Road.

He added that in the last four days, over 1,000 insurgents were killed in different parts of the state.

Another set of terrorists who were on their way to attack travellers on Maiduguri-Damaturu Road where also killed when a detachment of the Nigerian Army on the route engaged them in a gun battle.

A driver, Mallam Isa Garba, said they were coming from Damaturu yesterday when they were stopped by the military that operation was going on ahead and they were allowed to pass after some hours.

He said on their way to Ngamdu, he saw over 100 corpses of the sect members on the roadside.

The Defence Headquarters (DHQ) and the Nigerian Army yesterday confirmed the battle in Borno State.

They said troops prosecuting the counter-insurgency war had killed "several" suspected Boko Haram fighters, who had launched an attack on Konduga, a town about30 kilometres from Maiduguri.

While the Army, in a statement by the Director of Army Public Relations (DAPR), Brig. Gen Olajide

Laleye, said the encounter took place on Tuesday night, the DHQ, on its part, said it happened yesterday "after 12 hours of fighting in the outskirts of the Borno State community."

Both statements were not, however, specific on the casualty suffered by Boko Haram.

The army said the high morale of troops as well as their "combat efficiency", owed their meaning to new counter-insurgency strategies developed by the military to contain the Boko Haram menace.

The DHQ, in its account posted on its website, said: "Troops this (yesterday) morning successfully crushed another attempt by terrorists who were on a revenge mission to Konduga, after 12 hours of fighting in the outskirts of the Borno State community. Troops are now combing the vicinity, in a cordon-and-search operation to determine the heavy casualties suffered by the terrorists in the encounter.

Meanwhile, three Hilux vehicles, one Armoured Personnel Carrier and a cache of arms and ammunition were confirmed captured by the troops."

Notwithstanding their losses in Adamawa, another set of insurgents struck in Adamawa, killing the father of Mr. Tanko Wazimtu, the Personal Assistant (PA) to the acting governor.

The late Wazimtu, an uncle to Fintiri, was among the aged killed by Boko Haram in his Madagali residence while other aged escaped to Yola.

Pa Wazintu, 75, was said to have been killed in the presence of his wife and daughter by the terrorists who had last week stormed his residence.

"My sister and stepmother were the ones that were forced to dig a hole to bury my father after being forced to sleep with his corpse for more than 72 hours," the bereaved son said yesterday.

Chief Press to the acting governor, Solomon Kumarga, also said his mother and three sisters were trapped in the hills of Michika for one week after escaping the insurgents in Gulak.

It was also learnt that the insurgents have conscripted several youths to fight for them.

One of those who escaped from the custody of the sect, Onyebuchi Romanus, said he was recruited in May after he lost his means of his livelihood in a bomb blast in Jos. Onyebuchi, who hailed from Anambra State, said CONTINUED ON PAGE 7

6

NEWS

Thursday, September 18, 2014

$9.3m seizure: El-Rufai blasts Oritsejafor Wale Elegbede

F

ormer Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Mallam Nasir ElRufai, has described as diversionary, the response of the President of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor to allegation that his private jet was used to ferry $9.3 million cash into South Africa.

El-Rufai accused the CAN president of resorting to abuse instead of shaking off his connection with the aircraft.

The Bombardier Challenger 600 with registration number N808HG owned by Eagle Air company wherein Oritsejafor has ‘residual interest’ was seized in South Africa on September 5.

CAN had through a statement signed by its Director of National Issues, Mr. Sunny Oibe, exonerated Oritsejafor from the deal, pointing out that those linking its President with the transaction are only attempting to tarnish his image.

“These shameless characters including a former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir El-Rufai and National Publicity Secretary of All Progressives Congress (APC), Lai Mohammed, went to UK to embark on an image laundering for their party, APC. The report is a well-organised orchestrated plan, all because of their desperation for the 2015 general election,” the CAN statement stated.

But El-Rufai in a statement signed by his

media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, said the CAN President has soiled his fingers by engaging in impropriety of mixing his religious role with politics.

“Unable to shake off his connection to the plane, Oritsejafor has resorted to abuse and vilification. Were he more reflective, he would be pondering how, of all the private jets available in Nigeria, it was his that came to be involved in a covert arms purchase scandal. Would he have managed any objectivity if the plane involved happened to belong to a prominent person of another faith or political persuasion?

“Since abuse is not argument and is incapable of displacing fact, Oritsejafor may care to answer if the jet involved in the scandal is the same one that was “donated” to him in 2012? Did he register it as a commercial aircraft or is the plane illegally moonlighting as one? Has he ever reflected on the impropriety of mixing his religious role with politics? Having strayed into politics, and an irresponsible variant at that, can he expect the veneration enjoyed by his predecessors such as Cardinals Olubunmi Okogie and John Onaiyekan?

Why is he the first CAN leader to provoke pitiful mirth and amusement when he is not being derided as a tragedy, a sort of Ichabod, desperate to separate glory from a revered body?”

El-Rufai, the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said Oritsejafor should pon-

der and ask if those he is accusing of blackmail prevailed on him to make his aircraft available for “monkey business, or get himself involved in the politics of division.”

While accusing President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) of benefitting from the insurgency plaguing the nation, El-Rufai averred that the continuous effort of the government in trying to explain away its incompetence in upholding security by blaming insurgency on the major opposition party is no longer holding water.

His words: “It is pertinent that we invite the Federal Government to reflect on its role in this episode. Our country needs to bolster its

Abuja

F

ormer governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday dismissed insinuations that he was flown abroad for medical treatment, saying he is hale and hearty.

He said he would soon return to Nigeria from the United Kingdom.

In a tweet yesterday, Tinubu said: "The story about my health is the mother of all lies. Do not believe it. I was on my usual holidays. I thank all well-wishers. I return

amusing and ludicrous.

In a statement made available to New Telegraph, Keyamo noted that the transaction was a covert, illegal operation which was meant to be untraceable.

“The hard fact we must all accept now is that billions of our hardearned monies are being smuggled out of the country on a regular basis under the guise of security matters and with the active connivance of security agencies.

“Little wonder, then, that the insurgency, rather than waning, is gathering momentum because certain persons, somewhere, are feeding fat on the situation whilst innocent lives and limbs are being wasted,” Keyamo said.

Senate urges FG to immortalise Adadevoh, others Chukwu David

soon."

In another tweet, the All Progressives Congress (APC) leader asked for forgiveness for those wishing him ill-health.

"May God forgive the rumour mongers because they do not know what they are doing. Those with evil thoughts towards me, God will guide them right," he said.

Tinubu left Nigeria shortly after the August 9 governorship election in Osun State. He has been in the United Kingdom since then fuelling speculations that he is ill.

amidst an escalating insurgency must concern every patriot… The government has long tried to explain away its incompetence in upholding security by blaming insurgency on the major opposition party. But it is becoming increasingly clear to many that this insurgency is benefitting the ruling party and the incumbent president by providing them a pretext to postpone elections and, at the minimum, disenfranchise large swathes of the population that have never supported the PDP or voted for Jonathan.”

Meanwhile, Lagosbased human rights activist, Festus Keyamo said the position of the Federal Government regarding the $9.3m is both

L-R: Emir of Kano, Alhaji Muhammed Sanusi; Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Abubakar Garbai and Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Abubakar Sa'ad III, at the Northern Traditional Rulers' Council meeting in Kaduna …yesterday

I’m hale and hearty, says Tinubu T Wale Elegbede

military and security forces with the material resources they need to defeat insurgency and restore security to every inch of its territory. This would require arms imports. But should Nigeria violate the arms export regulations of other countries in this endeavour? Should the Federal Government recklessly impair and jeopardise diplomatic relations by conducting covert arms purchases in friendly countries without the consent of their governments? Such conduct invariably leads to suspicions that such covert arms procurement may not be for purposes of national security.

“This instance of arms procurement outside official channels

he Senate has urged the Federal Government to immortalise Dr. Ameyo Adadevoh, who lost their lives as a result of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) outbreak.

Adadevoh, a medical doctor, died after contact with the index case of Ebola in Nigeria, the late Mr. Patrick Sawyer.

The senators yesterday observed a minute silence in honour of those that died while working to prevent the spread of the disease.

Also, in order to fortify strategies and guard against the spread of Ebola, the Senate asked the Federal Government

to strengthen Port Health Services in all ports of entry in the country.

The Upper Chamber commended President Goodluck Jonathan for the leadership he provided and prompt response in tackling the spread of the virus in Nigeria.

The Senate also showered encomiums on the Ministry of Health and its minister, Prof. Onyewuchi Chukwu, the governments of Lagos and Rivers states for their various roles in containing the disease.

In addition, the Red Chamber urged all Nigerians to cooperate with health officials and observe preventive measures as prescribed, in order to reduce risk of infection and spread of EVD.

In his remarks, the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark expressed delight over the effective handling of the Ebola outbreak in the country.

He said Adadevoh and others deserved honour for their priceless sacrifices to salvage the country from the unprecedented epidemic doom.

Mark advised that public and private schools could resume but the operators should take precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the disease amongst students in their institutions.

His words: "Of the epidemic, it only goes to show that if we are determined, and if we mean it, we can rise up to any occasion in this country; and it is a

good lessons for all of us.

Individually, people were dedicated; they put in their best and collectively we were able to work together to stem further spread of the epidemic. There are lessons that have come out and I hope that we have taken them on.

"I think we cannot thank Dr. Adadevoh enough because she went out of her way beyond anybody’s expectation to control Patrick Sawyer, who would have otherwise done havoc much more beyond our imagination.

I think the nation will do well to honour her and indeed other workers in the health industry, who sacrificed their personal lives just to make sure that most of us are alive.

7

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Death toll now 80 in Synagogue tragedy Dayo Ayeyemi and Muritala Ayinla

W

ith 17 more bodies recovered yesterday, the death toll in the collapse of a multi-storey building at Synagogue Church for All Nation, Lagos has risen to 80.

However, the number of victims rescued remained 131.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday confirmed the new casualty figure.

Although South African President Jacob Zuma said the country lost 67 nationals in the tragedy, officials of emergency agencies working at the site said they were yet to conclude rescue and recovery operation on the collapsed structure.

NEMA’s South-West spokesperson, Mr. Ibrahim Farinloye, declined to comment on Zuma’s casualty figures, saying the outcome of the rescue operation will reveal the true story.

“When we finish, everybody will know the total and who belongs where," Farinloye said. ”More bodies were later discovered early Wednesday morning. The death toll is now 80, including three non-Africans. There are indications that rescue operations may end today (Wednesday),” he added.

The Lagos State Government, however, said there was not building

approval for the collapsed structure.

Commissioner for Physical Planning and Urban Development, Mr. Olutoyin Ayinde, who said this, however, added that the government had no intention of taking over the structure.

While expressing his sincere condolences and sympathy with families of the bereaved and those injured in the incident, said the government would not take any decision yet on the structure site until thorough and detailed investigation as to the cause of the collapse had been concluded.

According to him, a team of engineers from the ministry and other state government agencies are currently taking samples from the foundation and materials from the wreckage of the building for detailed analysis and testing to ascertain the structural integrity of the building.

He said: “On the veracity of the “Strange Plane Theory”, alleged to have dangerously flown low over the building 50 minutes before the collapse, the ministry had submitted the video clips, as provided by the church, to the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) with the coordinate of the collapsed site for investigation and professional comment.”

It was also learnt that some 300 South Africans

Boko Haram slays Adamawa gov's uncle CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

it was prayers of Nigerians that set him free from the hands of his abductors.

He said: "I accepted to join the Boko Haram team to safe my life; my religion belief and upbringing forbid me from killing fellow human beings. This made me not to be showing up for any of their activities and when they realised this; they started threatening my dear life.

"I decided to run away after sneaking from their camp when I was asked to fetch water from the nearby river and I escaped to Niger Republic before finding my out."

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s Ambassador to the United States, Prof. Ade Adefuye, has said the Federal Government will investigate the alleged human rights violation by the military in prosecuting the anti-terror

war.

Adefuye, while reacting to a PBS Frontline programme which aired a video footage showing purported abuse by the military, said the Federal Government would not condone any such act.

He, however, added that it was too early to conclude that those seen in the video footage were genuine military officers and soldiers.

"But we will like to call the attention of the international community to the fact that on numerous past occasions, the insurgents have staged fabricated atrocities using stolen government uniforms.

The Chibok abduction of our schoolgirls succeeded largely because the girls thought the abductors were Nigerian soldiers because they wore Nigerian Army uniforms," he stated.

were visiting Synagogue church in Lagos last week when the building collapsed.

Pretoria described the

search-and-rescue operation as "very fluid" but defended the credibility of its count of 67 dead, saying it was based on re-

cords and information on the ground from five tour groups that had arranged for South African worshippers to go to Lagos.

"This number is based on credible information," Foreign Ministry spokesman Clayson Monyela said in a report by Reuters.

L-R: Publicity Secretary, National Women Conference, Mrs. Oladunni Ogunbanwo; Chairperson, Mrs. Rhoda Ayinde and wife of Lagos State Governor and Chairman, Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO), Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, at a press briefing in Lagos…yesterday

Terrorists kill 13 students in Kano College l50 people die in Kaduna attack lJonathan promises enhanced security Emmanuel Onani, Anule Emmanuel, Ibraheem Musa and Muhammad Kabir

T

errorists yesterday attacked the Federal College of Education (FCE), Kano, killing 13 students while two suicide bombers died during a gun battle with the police.

And in Kaduna, 50 people lost their lives while several houses including a church were burnt when gunmen attacked a village yesterday.

The Police in Kano confirmed the death of 15 persons in the Kano attack.

But an eyewitness said that over 30 students were killed in the attack.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr. Aderinle Shinaba, disclosed this shortly after visiting the scene of the incident.

Shinaba said 34 others, mostly students and lecturers, sustained various degrees of injury during the attack.

He said the suicide bombers had before their arrival to the institution, exchanged gunfire with some security operatives along Kafar Famfo-BUK road.

“After the exchange of gunfire, they emerged at the college lecture theatre and detonated two explo-

sives.

“There was another insurgent, who was carrying AK 47 rifle and explosives.''

He said that one of the security operatives was able to shoot him and the explosive went off and killed him.

“We have been able to recover some of the AK47 rifles and magazines used by the insurgents. So far, 15 people were dead, while 34 others that sustained injuries are currently receiving medical attention in the hospital,” the commissioner said.

He said security had been beefed up in the area, adding, “we are going to keep our men on ground to enhance security in the school,” he said.

Already military personnel were seen patrolling the state while others man strategic positions.

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, an Acting Commissioner of Police noted that police personnel from a nearby Tactical Operation Unit, who responded promptly, killed the twoman squad, that detonated Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) in one of the college's lecture halls.

Ojukwu said: "At 1530hrs, two armed men detonated IEDs at the lecture hall of Federal College of Education, Zaria Road,

Kano.

"Thereafter, they began sporadic shooting outside the premises. Police team from a nearby Tactical Operations Point responded and shot dead the two insurgents. Their AK 47 rifles were recovered.

"The Police has sealed the scene of crime and commenced investigation."

However, President Goodluck Jonathan has assured Nigerians that the Federal Government will beef up security in Kano State and its environs in the wake of resumed attacks by suspected members of the Boko Haram sect.

The President in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, commiserated with citizens and residents of Kano State on the loss of lives sustained yesterday during the attack.

"President Jonathan’s sympathies and best wishes for a speedy recovery are also with all those who suffered injuries in the dastardly attack," hee said.

The President commended officers and men of the Nigerian Police Force whom he said took prompt action to confront the attackers and minimise resultant casualties.

Meanwhile, gunmen

yesterday attacked Fadan Karshi community in Sanga Local Government Area of Kaduna State, killing about 50 people. They also burnt severally houses and a church.

According to reports, the casualties include a soldier, one pastor and four pregnant women, as well as several children who were amongst the dead.

Several people, including two soldiers, who were said to have been injured in the attack, are now receiving treatment at the Gwantu General Hospital, it was gathered.

Yesterday’s attack followed several other attacks on communities in Sanga council since June, which had led to the death of over 300 people, mostly women and children.

Speaking on yesterday’s attack, Vice Chairman of Sanga Local Government, Pastor Bulus Anzah said: "Twelve people were killed in Fadan Karshi, 30 in Fada Karshi Daji, seven others in another community. A pastor and another person were also killed at Ungwar Ganje.

“Some of the soldiers who attempt to repel the attacks were also injured.

Another soldier was killed.

Many of the injured are now receiving treatment at the Gwantu General hospital.”

8

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

FEC approves 2015 budget framework Anule Emmanuel

T

he Federal Executive Council (FEC) yesterday approved a draft Medium Term Fiscal Framework (MTFF) spanning over a period of three years that would determine the preparation of both the 2015 budget and subsequent budgets in the country.

Government has said the MTFF, which contains a strategy paper beginning from 2015 to 2017, targets to achieve job creation and inclusive growth in the economy.

Director General of the Budget Office of the Federation, Mr. Bright Okugbo, who briefed state house correspon-

dents after the weekly FEC meeting, which was presided over by President Goodluck Jonathan, explained that government considered global economic realities and indicators before arriving at the draft framework.

The Director General, who was joined at the briefing by the Minister of Works, Architect Mike Onolememen; Minister of State for Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Samuel Ortom; Minister of Health, Professor Onyebuchi Chukwu and Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, said emphasis in the 2015 budget will be on the completion of ongoing projects

He said: "Council considered the medium term framework spanning the period 2015 to 2017. You will all recall that this is the instrument through which all annual budgets are done on an ongoing basis."

"As you also know, the strategy we normally adopt for this is that there is a very deep consultative process between the executive and the legislature and other stakeholders. To that extent, the presentation today was the outcome of some of this earlier efforts already made in consulting both the national assembly in particular and some of the other stakeholders associated with the budget

process."

"You normally do your budget against the backdrop of global economic situations, you take that into account because this is what helps you to determine the time of prospects that you might have with respect to the goods and services that your country produces."

The DG explained that government in preparing the draft MTFF, also considered the economic development of economies of countries of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development OECD. "As you know, the situation in the OECD countries is mixed. The United States economy is doing well, their recovery

is there clearly although it is a little bit tenous.

Sometimes, you see some factors that seem to make it not so strong but it is robust and it is recovering which is good news."

He noted that "other countries are doing very well while others are not doing well and these countries import a lot of our own crude oil and a lot of non-oil products."

Amosun accuses Daniel of treasury looting Ogun State Governor, has been transparent in Tsun,heSenator Ibikunle Amo- nature, adding Daniel's has accused his pre- government was fraught decessor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel of looting the treasury of the state during his eight-year tenure.

Amosun made the accusation today while addressing the people of Odeda town during an inspection tour of the local government by the governor.

He urged the people of the local government to disregard the claim made

by Daniel that the present government in the state has abandoned the council, disclosing one of the best farm settlements in the country will be cited in the town.

Amosun explained that his administration

with embezzlement of public fund and sale of state owned property.

"Before Daniel got into office, landed property owned by the state was up to 60 but that government sold 55 to its cronies.

"Though, we have not come here to campaign but to put the record straight especially when Daniel came here to tell the people that our government has not done anything in Odeda. When the time comes for campaign proper, I will show our people documented evidences to buttress my point that Daniel and his people were treasury looters". Amosun said.

House probes recruitment in Federal Civil Service Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

House Committee Ttershe on Public Service Mathas summoned the

L-R: President, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Dr. Nasir Isa; Executive Secretary, Tertiary Education Trust Fund (Tetfund), Prof. Suleiman Bogoro; Chairman, Tetfund, Dr. Musa Babayo and member of the board, Dr. Ana Kolawole, at the annual Strategic Planning Woskshop for ViceChancellors, Rectors, Provosts and other principal officers of federal and state universities in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Dimgba Igwe for burial October 11

 Nigeria has lost an icon, shining star, says Aregbesola Tony Okuyeme

T

he funeral rites for the late Vice Chairman of The Sun Publishing Limited, Mr Dimgba Igwe, will begin on October 4, with a Service of Songs in Lagos.

The interment will hold at his Okafia Igbere hometown on October 11.

According to Mr Hanson Igwe, elder brother of the deceased, Service of Songs comes up at Evangel Pentecostal Church, 3–9, Chidi Okafor Street, Off Canal Avenue, Okota, Lagos, by 3p.m. on October 4.

Igwe was Deputy General Overseer of the church till his death.

On Saturday, October 11, a funeral service holds at Okafia Igbere Primary School, in Bende Local Government Area of Abia State. The program starts at 10a.m, followed by interment at the home of the deceased, also in Igbere.

Meanwhile, Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf

Aregbesola has described the late Mr. Dimgba Igwe as an icon and a shining star, who while alive, was a very patriotic and dedicated journalist. He said the late Igwe distinguished himself as a reporter, writer, columnist, editor, media manager, author and publisher.

He expressed shock and sadness at the news of the demise of Igwe, “coming at a time when the pen profession and the country require the services of thorough-bred professionals like him”.

The governor stated

this in a letter of condolence addressed to the former Governor of Abia State and Chairman, The Sun Publishing Company, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu.

According to him, Igwe’s death has left a big vacuum that will be very difficult to fill. We all shall greatly miss him.

The letter reads in part: “By this unfortunate incident, the journalism profession, indeed Nigeria has lost an icon and a shining star. While alive, he was a very patriotic and dedicated journalist who distinguished himself as a

reporter, writer, columnist, editor, media manager, author and publisher.

“I commiserate with you, the management and staff on the exit of the rare gem. As we mourn him, I enjoin you to be consoled by the knowledge that he has played his part creditably well. The lesson that can be drawn from the unfortunate incident is that while we are alive, we should strive to serve our people and our country.

Undoubtedly, the death has left a big vacuum that will be very difficult to fill. We all shall greatly miss him.”

Chairman, Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC) ,Mrs Joan Ayo over reports of recruitments into the service that allegedly did not follow due process.

The summon followed reports in a national daily where the Governor-elect in Ekiti State, Chief Ayo Fayose was said to had distributed employment letters to eleven citizens of the state in fulfilment of his election promise to secure jobs for the unemployed indigenes of Ekiti State.

In the said report, Fayose narrated how he submitted the credentials of 44 applicants to the Federal Medical Centre in Ido Ekiti and 11 of them were later offered employment into the health institution.

Similarly, the successful applicants testified that they merely submitted their credential at the

Northern monarchs to meet Jonathan on security

Ibraheem Musa and Walter Uba, Kaduna

rominent Northern Preadiness Emirs have expressed to work with

the Federal Government in order to bring the insurgency that is ravaging the region to an end and to remedy the area’s underde-

velopment. That is if President Goodluck Jonathan is ready to listen to them.

The Sultan of Sokoto and President General of Jama’atu Nasirul Islam, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, made this known during the opening ceremony of Northern Traditional Council held

in Kaduna.

According to him: “As traditional leaders, we are very concerned and very worried about the happenings in the Northern states, most especially the insecurity, prevalent in the north east in particular and other states in general and also the economic de-

velopment or lack of economic development in our various states of the north.

“We therefore convene this conference so as to discuss all issues affecting insecurity and economic development of our region. And then take our case to Mr. President who is saddled with the leading

Ayo Fayose Campaign Office, Ado Ekiti and weeks after, they were invited to pick up their employment letters at the same office.

Chairman, House Committee on Public Service Matters, Hon. Andrew Uchendu told New Telegraph that the Committee was compelled to invite the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission to offer explanations on the said recruitment because it did not seem to have passed through the due process.

He said that under the rules of the civil service, recruitment could not have taken place in the manner it had been painted, adding that it would be ridiculous if some influential persons could undermine the system and get people into the service through the back door.

"I don't think that Fayose has told Nigerians the whole truth. I see him as a very serious personality but the statement credited to him has completely ridiculed the entire structure of the civil service," Uchendu added.

this country by Almighty God,’’ he added.

The Sultan, who promised that the emirs will speak with one voice and reach a consensus, assured ‘’the general public that we are totally committed to peace in this country.

We are totally committed to the unity of this country.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

I’ll soon expose corrupt governors, says Clark indicted

Elder statesman Clark indicts, Kwakwanso, okorocha, Saraki and Lamido, all anti-Jonathan campaigners Tunde Oyesina Abuja

F

oremost Ijaw leader and Peoples Democratic Party PDP stalwart, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday said he will expose both past and present corrupt governors, adding that he has their records.

Clark, who stated this in Abuja, while playing host to the executive members of the PDP, South-South zone, added that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2015 as Jonathan will contest and win the election.

He branded the gover-

nors of Kano State, Rabiu Musa Kwakwanso; Jigawa - Sule Lamido and Imo State- Rochas Okorocha as being corrupt.

He also fingered the former governor of Kwara State, Bukola Saraki.

Clark said, "Kwakwanso was indicted in 2003 for embezzling ecological fund belonging to Kano State. He went to court to stop the indictment but he failed. It was later Obasanjo appointed him as Defence Minister to cover him up.

"In 2007, while filling form with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, he was asked whether he has been indicted before and he said no. He lied on oath and therefore committed the offence of perjury.

When the time comes, I will expose him fully because I have all the records.

"Imagine Bukola Saraki that is also shouting.

He used different names

to open over 18 bank accounts. That is why the Police invited him for questioning. Instead of going to explain himself, he went to court to stop police investigation.

"I will soon expose him.

Let him come and say he is not corrupt.

"Is it Lamido that will say he is not corrupt? He did not finish secondary school and he wants to become the President. Let him come and deny that he did not finish Secondary school.

According to Clark, "another corrupt governor is Okorocha. His company was owing every bank to the extent that the CBN said no bank should lend him money again but a year after becoming a governor, he paid all the debts.

Where did he get the money to pay such?

"All of them should leave Jonathan alone. He has done more than any one of them all.

"The Attorney General of the Federation AGF is the one responsible for exposing them.

"For those showing interest to contest in 2015, let me tell them that there is no vacancy in Aso Rock.

Jonathan will contest in 2015 and he will win", Clark stated.

Earlier, the Chairman of the PDP, South South, Dr. Cairo Ojuogboh, had stated that the executive council had come to visit Clark to pay homage and respect for his contributions towards promoting the cause of the South South.

He added that the entire South South had endorsed Jonathan's candidacy in the 2015 elections.

Speaking further, Clark stated that he is so close to Jonathan because the President has adopted him as his father, adding that he nominated Jonathan as a running mate to late Umaru Yar'adua.

Ihenacho to Okorocha: Prepare your handover note

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

ormer Minister of InteFhopeful rior and governorship in Imo State,

Capt. Emmanuel Ihenacho, has advised Governor Rochas Okorocha to start preparing his handover notes ahead of May 29, 2015.

Iheanacho, who is contesting to succeed Okorocha on the platform of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) stated that the governor's Rescue Mission administration is not supposed to exceed the 2015 handover date.

Dispelling rumours that Okorocha is clandestinely supporting his aspiration on the APGA platform, Ihenacho, who spoke with newsmen in Owerri, the Imo State capital, said, "The only thing I have with Okorocha is to advise him to begin now to prepare his handover note.

The governor swore

before Imo people that his rescue mission programmes were designed and tailored to last for only four years to enable Owerri zone produce the governor in 2015. I don't want to believe that the governor is not a gentleman as being insinuated in some quarters. We expect him to do the needful by supporting the zone and not otherwise.

He should as a matter of fact start preparing his handover notes, which

by God's grace, will be handed over to me come May 29.”

Speaking further on the dwindling economic fortunes of the state and possible solutions, Ihenacho averred that Imo would be restored back to the path of economic growth and posterity by implementing only sound and well-thought-out policies and programmes, which he posited, have already been articulated in his blue-print.

Osun to conduct referendum on proposed LCDA Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

he Osun State IndepenTsion,( dent Electoral CommisOSIEC) yesterday

Nigeria Ambassador to Singapore, Amb. Nonye Rajis Okpara (fourth right ); Minister of Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga and a cross section of Asian ambassadors in New Delhi, India …recently

9

assured that the commission would swing into action to conduct referendum on the proposed creation of additional 27 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, in the state.

The Chairman of the Commission, Mr Olusegun Oladitan, who made this known while appearing before members of the state House of Assembly on the matter in Osogbo, maintained that "the commission was only waiting for the assembly to give its directive on the number of LCDAs to conduct for the referendum."

He said, “as soon as the assembly gives its nod

and approve date for the exercise, the commission would recruit ad hoc staff to ensure adequate manpower and other resources are available for the poll".

"The commission had conducted in-house training for its staff on the peaceful and accurate conduct of the referendum while the staff had also visited the headquarters of the proposed LCDAs to ascertain their preparedness."

On the conduct of the local government election, Oladitan said the commission was ready to conduct free and fair election in the state.

He added that members of the commission had travelled to neighbouring states, where local government election had been conducted to learn from their experience.

Synagogue: COREN blames tragedy on poor supervision

Aondoakaa recalls time with Yar'Adua, Jonathan

Muhammad Bashir

Cephas Iorhemen

Lokoja

T

he Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), has blamed the recent Synagogue guest house’s collapse on the inability to consult qualified building engineers.

The President of COREN, Engr. Kashim Ali, at function yesterday, also advocated capital punishment for anyone found culpable in building collapse anywhere in the country.

He absolved members of blame in the Synagogue incident. He, however, stressed that the council is currently investigating

the carnage that claimed many lives.

Ali said, "It must be on record that no engineer has so far been fingered in the Synagogue Church building collapse because accusing any of our members would have been baseless, since no engineer was involved in the building process in the first place."

"From our findings so far, the said building was a two-storey building, but eventually another twostorey building was added to the existing ones. It is very possible that the pillars might not be too strong enough to carry the weight. Well, let me not quickly conclude, though I have requested for the

outcome of preliminary investigation into the mishap. But if a qualified engineer was involved at the initial stage, it may not have happened."

He called for action against anyone found negligent, saying government cannot continue to handle matters with levity.

"Our collapsed buildings have been due to criminality and they should be treated as such.

As a matter of fact, as president COREN, I have advocated for death penalty for whoever is responsible for the death of people resulting from collapse because we have no reason for collapses.

"We are not responsible

and I want anybody to tell me one engineer that has been found responsible in any of these collapsed houses.

"I have been involved in the investigation of collapsed houses and each time we have found out that there was no engineer involved and I would say why and they would say it is too expensive to engage an engineer. But what is the cost of building collapsing and killing people and you have to rebuild?"

Ali added.

The COREN president is currently a Senatorial hopeful on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi Eastern Senatorial District.

Makurdi

ormer Attorney General FMinister of the Federation and of Justice in the

late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua's administration, Chief Mike Aondoakaa (SAN), has said that one of the greatest challenges that confronted him while in office was to make Nigerians understand the principles of the Rule of Law. According to him, no country can develop without embracing the tenets and principles of the law, which he described as the key for the development of the country.

Aondoakaa, who stated this in an interview said, he

was often misconstrued as being controversial on certain issues affecting the country because he was always seen to be telling the truth and performing his job creditably and to the satisfaction of the late president and his then deputy, Goodluck Jonathan; a situation that endeared him to the duo.

"I was always telling the truth. Even President Jonathan can testify to that. He can tell you that Mike can always speak his mind and say the truth. I served their government for two and a half years. If you go to President Jonathan and tell him lies against me, he will tell you Mike can't do this," Aondoakaa said.

10

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

thurSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com; otuntise@yahoo.co.uk

0802 393 8212

Ritual: ‘Why I sold my wife for N800,000’ WICKED HUBBY A man, who claims to still love his wife, offers her to ritual killers because of the love of money Musa Pam Jos

A

middle-aged man, Maimako Shephang, has told police in Plateau State that he wanted to sell his wife because he needed money to start a business.

Shephang, who was arrested for attempting to sell his wife, Agnes, to suspected ritual killers for N800,000, was among 26 suspected criminals paraded yesterday by the Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki.

The suspect, who hails from Kwalla in Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, blamed the devil for his action.

According to him, he does not know what came over him as he still loves his wife.

Shephang said that the temptation came when he desperately needed money to start a business and he got in contact with the suspected ritual killers who needed a victim.

He said: “I intended to use my wife to get money and start a business as she is the only option I had. The people agreed to give me N800,000 but I got N400,000 as advance payment.

“The people told me they needed a virgin but I wanted to collect the money and run away with my wife because I know she is not a virgin. I am sorry

I had to do this evil thing, it is the devil that tempted me and I fell because I desperately needed the money.”

While briefing journalists during the parade at the state Police Command Headquarters in Jos, Oki said that the police, through collaboration with other security agencies and all stakeholders, had mollified the aggressive tendency of criminal elements and helped in checkmating the activities of cow rustling.

He said: “On August 30, about 1100hrs, the policemen in Qu’an Pan arrested one Maimako Shephang at Kwalla following information that the middleaged man lured and took his wife, Agnes, to a nearby bush in a pretext to fetch firewood.

“On getting to the bush, the

Shephang (left) and one of those he sold his wife to

man handed over the wife to two men who masked themselves.

The two men asked her if she was a spinster and she told them the man who handed her over to them was her husband.

“They told her to run away

from the place since the spiritual sacrifice required a woman who had not known a man. The woman’s husband and one of the suspected ‘ritualists’ have been apprehended by the police and are being investigated.”

Five policemen lose Delta Assembly walks out lawmaker for improper dressing rifle to motorcyclist Dominic Adewole ASABA

or dressing improperly to Fbers proceedings yesterday, memof the Delta State House of

Assembly (DSHA), wielded the big stick on Hon. Keston Okoro, representing Udu constituency.

Okoro was ordered out of the hallowed chamber of the House for wearing low waist trousers.

The indecent dressing was pinpointed by the Chairman of the House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, Hon Daniel Mayuku, representing Warri South-West constituency before the House unanimously upheld it.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Peter Onwunsanya, who enforced the order by asking the lawmaker

to leave the chamber until he was properly dressed, wondered why an elected officer reduced himself to a ‘ruffian’.

Mayuku said that the sitting position of the lawmaker and his mode of dressing fell short of the rules and regulations of the House on mode of dressing by legislators.

The lawmaker’s observation was corroborated by the Chairman, House Committee on Information, Hon Johnson Erijo, who said the action was in line with Rule 57 (11) of the House.

He said: “The rule stipulates that when a member is not properly dressed, he should be sent out until he does the needful.

“My dear Honourable Speaker and honourable members of this House, as honourable mem-

bers we are here to work according to the rules and regulations of this House. Therefore, let me draw your attention to the sitting position of the member representing Udu constituency and to say his mode of dressing is a total disrespect to this honourable House.

“Our mode of dressing should depict us as responsible members of the House representing the people in our respective constituencies.”

Before ordering him out, the Speaker said a member should come to sittings properly dressed.

He said: “What Mayuku observed and highlighted was in the right direction. So, Hon. Okoro, can you excuse us?”

16 years after explosion, Jesse still rues govt’s neglect Gabriel Choba Ughelli

he residents of Idjere TLocal Kingdom in Ethiope West Government Area of

Delta State said the Federal Government had neglected them 16 years after the ‘biggest pipeline explosion’ in the country rocked Jesse community.

The people are seeking compensation for what they described as destruction of lives and farmlands as a re-

sult of the inferno that engulfed the area.

The kingdom suffered a huge loss as a result of the explosion which led to the death of over 1,000 people and destruction of farmlands in the October 17, 1998 incident.

The traditional ruler of Idjere Kingdom, Otadaverua Igho Edward, Erhriekevwe 1, bemoaned the neglect of his community when he address journalists in his palace in Jesse.

He spoke in the presence

of the kingdom’s Prime Minister, President General, 2nd Vice President General and Secretary General, Chiefs Gabriel Emeje, Austin Omonode, Samuel Otojareri, Simeon Okoro and Amos Akpokighe.

He said: “Owing to scarcity of fuel and the people not being abreast of the hazards of scooping fuel from a leaking pipeline, there was a high traffic of persons at the scene when the explosion occurred.

Juliana Francis

police hierarchy in Lagos TandheState has ordered the arrest detention of five police-

men who lost one of their AK47 rifles to a mysterious commercial motorcyclist.

The strange motorcyclist was said to have scaled a culvert at Mushin, snatched the rifle from one of the policemen in the police van, jumped on a waiting motorcycle and disappeared.

The police hierarchy said the story was incredible and ordered their arrest and detention. The incident happened about 7pm, while they were on routine patrol.

The policemen are Inspector Ayuba Kehinde, Sergeant Obiora Chukwuka, Corporal Nuru Yusuf, Corporal Ita Agbom and Corporal Yusuf Omotayo.

The policemen are attached to ‘B’ Operations Traffic.

“They were on patrol duty at Olosan, Mushin area when the incident happened. According to the story they told the Commissioner of Police, they were driving in the patrol van when someone grabbed the rifle from Omotayo.

“Obiora was the person driving. Omotayo and Yusuf were at the back of the van. They said that the man grabbed the gun from Omotayo while the vehicle was on motion. Immediately it hap-

Kayode Aderanti, Lagos CP

pened, Yusuf and Omotayo repeatedly hit the body of the van to alert Obiora, so that he would stop, but he didn’t hear them,” a police source said.

When the van got to traffic light, it stopped. Omotayo and Yusuf jumped down and ran to tell Obiora and Kehinde, their team leader, what transpired.

Owing to the heavy traffic, the team decided to drive against traffic in an attempt to catch the motorcyclist, but it was already too late.

Angry and scared, the team arrested a man who witnessed the snatching of the rifle.

It was gathered the police top hierarchy was baffled over how one person, unarmed, collected a rifle from four armed policemen.

Putting up a defence, Yusuf said he would have shot the man but did not because it was a market place.

METRO

Thursday, September 18, 2014

SFU gets new CP Juliana Francis new Commissioner of Police, Mr Aresumed Samuel Damilola Adegbuyi, has duty at the Police Special

Fraud Unit (PSFU), Ikoyi, Lagos.

Until his new posting, he was Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti, Lagos.

Adegbuyi, who joined the force as a Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) in 1984, hails from Odogbolu in Ogun State.

A vastly experienced officer, he holds a Bachelor of Science Degree (Hons) in Business Administration and M.A in Criminal Justice.

He has held various appointments including DC, Zonal CID, Zone 5, Benin, DC Administration Zone 2, Onikan, Lagos, Area Commander Area C, Surulere, Lagos, Area Commander, Ilorin Metro, Kwara State and AC State CID Enugu State Police Command.

His hobbies are music, travelling and watching football. He is married and have children.

NNDC campaigns against child trafficking Dominic Adewole, ASABA

T

he Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) has embarked on awareness campaign to discourage vulnerable children of the region from the violence.

The commission pinpointed poverty as the root cause of violence against women and children.

The NDDC Managing Director, Mr Bassey Dan-Abia, who spoke at a oneday Women Orientation Workshop organised for women in the Niger Delta region, said the commission had in the past conducted awareness campaign on breast and cervical cancer.

Dan-Abia, who spoke through the Delta State Commissioner on the NDDC Board, Chief Tom Amioku, said the commission had also equipped almost 2,000 rural women and young girls in the region with skills to discourage them from childtrafficking.

He said: “In addition, we intend to further equip our women with other useful skills through Career and Entrepreneurial Fairs for Niger Delta Women. Like Annan, NDDC believes that women are major stakeholders with great potential for creating the peace we need for development of the Niger Delta.

“This is why we are determined to strengthen the capacity of our women to generate wealth and promote peace, thereby creating conducive environment that will make the development of the Niger Delta easier.”

Obiano restores electricity to Umuoji community Okegwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

was jubilation in Umuoji Tcalhere community in Idemmili North LoGovernment Area of Anambra State yesterday following the restoration of electricity in the community after nine months.

In a statement signed by Chief Olisah Aniunoh and Legal Adviser to the governor, Lady Vera Queen Okonkwo, the community lauded the intervention of Governor Willie Obiano in restoring electricity.

F

our persons were feared dead yesterday on Murtala Muhammed Highway, Calabar, Cross River State, when a fuel tanker crashed and burst into flames.

The fire also burnt houses and three vehicles, aside the tanker.

Witnesses said the accident occurred when an empty tanker tried to overtake the one carrying fuel.

One of the witnesses, Daniel Eminue, said the tanker which was at fault escaped the accident.

He said: “Because the driver knew his vehicle was not carrying fuel, he tried to overtake the other one which had fuel.

“When the two tankers got to a narrow spot where many tankers had queued up to buy diesel at a filling station, the empty tanker hit the one with fuel. The one carrying fuel burst into flames.

“The driver of the empty tanker did not wait to see the accident which he caused.

Efforts of some taxi drivers to pursue him did not yield

11

Four die, houses, vehicles burnt in Calabar tanker explosion

The scene of the accident

any result. The driver of this one here and his conductor (assistant) died in the fire.

Two passers-by also died.”

The fire from the tanker,

with registration number XA 363 ETN, burnt two houses and three vehicles before men of the State Fire Service were able to it put out.

Efforts to speak with the state Police Public Relations Officer did not yield result as his mobile phone was switched off.

NDLEA detains South African football manager

Juliana Francis

Mr Tanhirty-eight-year-old Darlugar Ufondu Steven, assistant coach of an am-

ateur football club in South Africa, has been arrested for drug trafficking.

The suspect was arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).

Steven was prevented from smuggling the drugs, believed to be methamphetamine, to South Africa.

Steven told investigators that he embraced drug trafficking because he was under immense financial pressure.

He said: “I’m married and have a child. I have lived in South Africa for about a decade. I have worked very hard to attain financial freedom but have nothing in return. This is the first time I am smuggling drugs. I was under financial pressure to cope with peers. A friend introduced me to drug trafficking as a way of making quick money. The barons promised to pay me $6,000 to take the bag containing the drugs to

Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

South Africa.”

The NDLEA Head, Media and Publicity, Mr Mitchell Ofoyeju, said the arrest and drug seizure took place at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos during the outward screening of Arik Air passengers to South Africa.

“The drug was concealed in a false compartment of the suspect’s luggage,” he said.

The NDLEA commander at the Lagos airport, Hamza Umar, said Steven was apprehended on his way to South Africa.

“He was found in possession of 1.535kg of substances that tested positive for methamphetamine,” Umar added.

Also, the NDLEA Chairman, Ahmadu Giade, called on the public to support the agency’s drug control efforts.

He said: “We have made remarkable improvement in our counter-narcotic efforts. The agency is prepared to detect hidden drugs and prosecute the drug barons. Members of the public should avoid drug trafficking and report suspected cases to the agency.”

Police release detained FIRS officials

he administration officer Toffice of the Enugu Regional of the Federal Inland

Revenue Service (FIRS), Mr Patrick Okafor, and other officials who were arrested and detained on Tuesday by the agents of the Enugu state Waste Management Authority (ESWAMA) have been released.

Also yesterday, a vulcaniser who operates at the railway line axis of Okpara Avenue in Enugu metropolis, who identified himself as Obinna, regained his freedom from police cell

Steven

Obinna

where he was detained on the orders of the waste management authority for non-compliance with the de-

mand notice issued to him.

Obinna was among alleged violators of the sanitation fees payment order.

He told our correspondent that he paid N5,000 penalty, N4,500 for the refuse bin sold to him while his brother who came to bail him from the police station paid N2,000 before he was released.

Yesterday, the regional head of security and safety of FIRS, who gave his name as Mr Okorafor, said that and others were later

released the same day after top officials of both state and federal agencies met and resolved the crisis.

He, however, said that the FIRS had to replace the windscreen of the operational vehicle used by the ESWAMA agents, a commercial bus with registration number Abuja: XK788 ABC. Okorofar explained that the arrest was unwarranted since the state waste agency did not serve FIRS demand notice as required before enforcing payment.

12 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Rivers PDP, Amaechi at loggerheads over council polls POPULARITY There are insinuations that council elections will not hold until Amaechi departs Emmanuel Masha

Port Harcourt

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Rivers State and Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, have disagreed on the conduct of elections into

the 23 council areas of the state, with the PDP claiming that the governor was afraid of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), losing at the polls.

The governor has hinted that he is bidding his time to ensure that credible council elections hold, but the PDP has accused him of being afraid to test his popularity among the people at the grassroots.

While inaugurating 23 caretaker committee council chairmen, Governor Amaechi had said that he would organise

local government elections immediately after the national elections, saying that “only democratically elected council chairmen should run the councils.”

But the PDP said Governor Amaechi has continued to postpone local government elections in the state, preferring a caretaker committee, which the party said, was a sign that he was afraid of defeat at the polls.

The party’s Chairman, Prince Felix Obuah, challenged Amaechi to put his

popularity and political relevance to test by conducting council polls, saying that the people were not getting the leadership they deserve due to Amaechi’s refusal to conduct council elections.

“We are on ground and ever prepared to engage Governor Amaechi and his APC in a free and fair electoral contest any day and are sure of coasting home with landslide victory, because we are genuine, caring, articulate and purposeful,” Obuah said.

Chime’s aide eyes Senate seat Uwakwe Abugu

Enugu

hief of Staff to Enugu CMrs. Government House, Ifeoma Nwobodo,

yesterday had her ambition to wrest the senatorial ticket for the Enugu East senatorial district from the incumbent, Senator Gil Nnaji, boosted, when a media consulting firm inaugurated its Enugu office, calling for support for her and all female aspirants to elective political positions.

One of the confidants of Governor Sullivan Chime, Dr. Jude Akubilo, who is also the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, was present at the occasion, though he did not make any formal speech, but when Nwobodo’s ambition was being promoted by the Director of AT Media and Events Consultants, Mrs. Ndidi Ukaga, he extolled the virtues of the woman.

Also yesterday, a governorship hopeful for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) in Enugu State, Mr. Val Nnadozie, along with his supporters, decamped to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and told Governor Chime that they have come back to join hands in strengthening the party.

At the ceremony yesterday, Nwobodo was represented by the immediate former Chairman of Nkanu West council area, Mr. Ekene Okenwa. He said: “This is another phase of politicking and we are commencing by dedicating this office to God. “I thank the organisers for discovering that we are redefining politics and political leadership in the state and I have no doubt in my mind that success is assured since Nwobodo is a godly woman.”

Nurses, midwives protest exclusion from Rivers Ebola committee Emmanuel Masha

Port Harcourt

urses and midwives in Ntested Rivers State have protheir exclusion

L-R: Managing Director, Ecobank Nigeria, Dr. Jibril Aku; President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Mrs. Debola Osibogun and Second Vice-President, Dr. Uche Olowu, during the stakeholders' session with the bank in Lagos

1.08m

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of El Salvador in 2008.

Source: Itu.int

75

The number of men per 100 women above 60 years old in Zimbabwe in 2012.

Source: Un.org

N217.8m

The IGR realized from road taxes of Yobe State in 2010.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Enugu electricity consumers bemoan poor supply Tony Okafor

AWKA

S

cores of customers of the Enugu Electricity Distribution Company (EEDC) yesterday besieged the company’s business office in Awka, the Anambra State capital, expressing their grievances over epileptic power supply and excessive tariff by the company.

The protesters, who were mostly traders, said their businesses had collapsed as a result of the situation.

Vice-Chairman of Zik’s Avenue Business Owners Association, Nze Ikechukwu Okafor, one of those who led the protest, told newsmen that in addition to poor power supply, the company’s officials often times give them estimated bills and service charges.

He said there was a period some parts of the area would not have electricity for months, yet those operating businesses in the affected areas would be billed.

The vice-chairman said they were forced to embark on the protest because some officials of the company came to disconnect electric supply in their area.

Okafor called on the management of the company to restore electricity in their area and provide them with pre-paid meters to end the estimated billing atrocities.

One of the protesters, who gave his name as Mr. Akabueze Joseph, told reporters that he was in darkness for seven months from November last year, but that the company later billed him N5,000 fixed charge and threatened to

disconnect his line, saying his petition to the management of the company was not attended to.

Efforts to get officials of the EEDC to speak on

the development proved abortive as those approached declined comment, saying that they were not permitted to talk to the media.

from the committees inaugurated by the Commissioner for Health, Dr. Samson Parker, to check the spread of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in the state.

The ministry of health had inaugurated committees in some council areas in line with its plan to involve in the 23 council areas.

They said that as health workers, who have direct contact with patients, and based on their role in the health sector, their members ought to be in the committee, stressing that the exclusion was unfair.

Chairman of the National Association of Nigerian Nurses and Midwives (NANNM), Comrade Regina Ikuru, who said this in

Port Harcourt, accused Parker of bias in making the committee an all-doctors affair as if they were the only ones making contributions in the health sector.

“It is totally wrong for Dr. Parker to discriminate against nurses and midwives as if they are not health workers. It is not only in the Ebola issue that the commissioner has shown bias against nurses and midwives,” she said.

Also speaking on the committee, the Secretary of the Medical and Health Workers Union, Rivers State chapter, Chris Mbata, said the health sector was a big family that should be reflected in the committee inaugurated by the commissioner.

He said health workers were completely against the committee, and urged Parker to include other health professionals in the interest of fairness.

TAN invites religious leaders to North-East rally Onyekachi Eze

ABUJA

he Transformation T(TAN) Agenda of Nigeria yesterday said

its zonal rally scheduled for the North-East this Saturday will take a new dimension from the previous ones as it will reflect the prevailing situation in the troubled zone.

According to a statement by its Director of Communication and Strategy, Dr. Udenta O. Udenta, the body said

the rally will be more of a prayer session for peace to return to the zone and indeed Nigeria.

Udenta added that top clerics from the two main religions in the country, Christianity and Islam, from within and outside the zone would be mobilised to Gombe for supplications to God for an end to the hostilities, prayer for members of the nation's armed forces, who are putting their lives on the line to keep the

nation safe and also the distribution of relief materials to victims of terrorism and other internally displaced persons.

He, however, took exception to the statement credited to the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Lai Mohammed, and challenged him to a public debate to discuss issue of national importance.

Udenta said the challenge has become nec-

essary to lay to rest the opposition party’s bellyaching over the ongoing nationwide rallies of TAN. He said TAN as an advocacy group, would not shy away from its resp onsibilities, adding that the feedback from TAN’s monitoring system shows that majority of Nigerians are happy with its activities "going by the turnout and the enthusiasm that greeted four out of our scheduled six zonal rallies."

Confab recommendation should be implemented before 2015 –Olajide / PAGE 17

POLITICS

13

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

ayodele Ojo

Deputy Editor, politics

Anyanya: Rivers can’t afford to be in opposition

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

p-15

THURSday, September 18, 2014

Atiku: I’ll continue to contest presidency until… T

POLITICAL NOTES

Amaechi, Mbu’s brickbats

You are declaring for the presidency on September 24…

My September 24 presidential declaration is more of a media event. It is not a rally as such because we have a select audience as we really intend the media to carry the message we want to give to Nigerians.

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar is not giving up on his presidential ambition having made two attempts without success. To him, he is not discouraged with the outcome of previous exercises. In this interview, he speaks on his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), 2015 general election and security challenges. JOHNCHUKS ONUANYIM reports

You have chosen Prof. Babalola Borishade as head of your campaign. Why the choice?

We started together and we have known each other long enough.

But you are a new entrant in the APC You are conveying a wrong view because I was a founding member of Action Congress (AC) which later became Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). I gave it the name ACN before I eventually left and went back to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and at the prompting of the leadership of the new All Progressives Congress (APC), I came back.

You have made several attempts at the presidency without success. Are you not discouraged?

How can I be discouraged?

You are asking me to give up on Nigeria. I don’t have another place to go. So, why should I give up on Nigeria, because that is what you are asking me to do. I will continue to contest until I no longer have the capacity or the strength.

What happens if you don’t get the party nomination?

What will happen other than for me to support my party. It is logical that I support my party to win the election.

What are your chances in getting the APC presidential ticket?

Members of the party will determine who becomes the flag bearer and the electorate will decide who wins. Every politician is always optimistic and will tell you that he is going to win, but it is the electorate that finally determines who wins. That is the end of the story.

Some people have been agitating for an automatic ticket in picking one of the presidential aspirants as APC candidate in the 2015 election. Some are also championing zoning within

Atiku

the party. How do you see the development?

I think those canvassing for automatic ticket are scared of contest. There is nothing to be scared of in a contest in a democratic setting. How can you canvass automatic ticket in a democratic process? There is nothing like that. These are people who are afraid of contest.

As far as zoning is concerned, we don’t have zoning in the constitution of the APC. So, the race is open for everybody. That is why you hear that Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State is also contesting. So, we don’t have zoning in the APC like the PDP. It is entrenched in their constitution which has been violated as far as zoning is concerned.

My major concern is that, we allow Nigerians vote for whoever they want to vote for. If they decide to vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, so be it and if they decide to vote for somebody else, so be it. Once we remove this element of subdivision based on region, ethnicity and religion,

CROSSFIRE Of the complicity of ex-Governor Sheriff in the parturition of Boko Haram, I have no doubt whatsoever, and I believe that the evidence is overwhelming -Wole Soyinka

Being the founder of a confraternity for which the world is still waiting for answers from him, he is the least morally qualified to speak on the alleged involvement of any Nigerian in whatever crime -Ali Modu Sheriff

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

he feud between former Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, and Governor Chibuike Amaechi was resurrected again on Monday when the police officer described himself as a lion, who tamed the ‘leopard of Port Harcourt’.

Mbu, now Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 7, spoke in veiled reference to his handling of the crisis that rocked Rivers State when he was in charge of security in the oil-rich state, before his redeployment to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja.

Amaechi, in turn responded that a thousand Mbus, whom he described as a puppet, cannot tame him or the people of the state.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. David Iyofor, the governor said Mbu trampled on the masses and chose to be a partisan servant of one woman.

The question that begs answer is: what do both men, leaders in their respective sectors of the society, hope to gain from exchange of such brickbats? One would have thought they regretted the infamous episode that played out, when they both sought to establish their superiority in Rivers State.

The lack of maturity, and respect for decency exhibited by both men, is condemnable and should be discouraged by wellmeaning Nigerians. Mbu on his part has taken the privilege of his office, and whatever connections, or backing he may think he has to a ludicrous level.

He has forsaken every modicum of discipline, and respect for instituted authority which form the bedrock of his professional calling.

Amaechi on his part, seems braced for a fight, and is unwilling to toe the path of wisdom borne of experience, and the need to maintain peace.

Or is this a precursor to another round of power show by both men, and their backers. And if so, how does it benefit the people of Rivers State, and by extension the country.

What is the end game?

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

I’m upset by security challenges –Atiku CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

the point is that even the military governed this country, if they picked their president from the North, the deputy comes from the south. So, we know that this country is composed of regions and multiple ethnic groups and there has to be a representation. I am a democrat to the core. Whoever is ruling must accommodate the various interest groups in this country. So, as far as I am concerned, Nigerians should be left to elect their leader from where ever they deem fit.

But some people feel the election is a one-man show?

I can assure you that it is not going to be so. Even at the last convention, the offices that were not contested for were not up for election and election took place for those offices that were contested. We stayed there throughout the day and even till the following day when results were announced.

I have already said there is nothing like automatic ticket and that those asking for automatic ticket are definitely scared of a contest. They may have been cleared from a political background that did not know contest before. You know that the APC is an amalgamation of a number of political parties that came together, relinquishing their identity. But having been constituted, the APC cannot escape a primary. There is no zoning for you to say there should be an automatic ticket, and there will be no allocation like they do in the PDP. On what basis?

Critics have complained about lack of internal democracy in the parties. Do you share same sentiment?

So far, the internal democracy we have practiced in the APC is a better alternative than what is being done in the PDP. You can see that in the last few by-elections, we have gone through them in a transparent manner and in a democratic process in terms of nomination and others. I believe that the APC holds a better future in terms of internal democracy and in terms of progressiveness of the country.

The PDP has been in power for so long, what do you think must have been responsible for that?

Why the PDP has remained in power for this long is because the opposition has been fragmented. Now, they are trying to come together. You can see that we are moving towards a two-party system. Nigerians will now see that there is an alternative. Before, it could be they thought there was no alternative because the opposition was fragmented. That is why the PDP was having it all along. I think that Nigerians are sophisticated enough now to see that there is now an alternative to the PDP and therefore feel that we should have an alternative because it has not been as good as we thought.

The creation of new polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has generated controversy.

What is your take on this?

I think the polling units are based on population. In some states like Lagos, Kano and others, one polling unit has to be subdivided into about four or five units and sometimes, into about 10 units because of the number of registered voters in that polling unit. So, I don’t think there is anything unusual about it because you find out that in some polling unit, you have more than 2000 people registered to vote and it is not possible to get all of them to vote within the limited time available for people to vote. I think it is just a formality that they announced. In actual fact, if you go and see what is on ground,

Atiku

you find out that it is not an increase as such.

I think the political parties in particular should also help to police INEC very closely. If the political parties and the electorate together with the NonGovernmental Organisations (NGOs) are able to police INEC, they will have no alternative but to conduct credible elections. Even though I still admit that structurally, INEC is defective in conducting free and fair elections.

Security, especially insurgency in the North, has been a major challenge in the country. As a leader, why is it difficult to tackle this problem?

I am absolutely upset and angry with this insecurity situation. I don’t believe that as a country, we have done enough to secure this country. This bunch of insurgents have been operating for nearly four or five years now. Knowing Nigeria, we pride ourselves as having the best armed forces in this continent.

I really don’t know where things went wrong. Is it the armed forces or the political leaders? I just can’t believe what is happening. I am not in a position to explain it because I am not in government. But I don’t believe that this is a situation that Nigeria would not have dealt a very fatal blow on within three to six months.

I remember that when we were in office, such a group wanted to emerge in Yobe State and we smashed that group completely within a couple of weeks.

That such a group should be allowed to operate for four or five years in this country and even saying they have occupied part of the country, hoisting flag and nobody is doing anything is unbelievable.

Please help me ask them what is

I am absolutely upset and angry with this insecurity situation. I don’t believe that as a country, we have done enough to secure this country wrong because I am very upset and angry about this development. When I went to visit the son of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, I said I wish I was a young man; I would have gone to the front to fight. It is unbelievable what is happening.

There are speculations that elections may not hold in Adamawa, Yobe and Borno states in 2015. What would you do if this happens?

I will kick against it because in my state, only two local governments are affected and we have 21 local government areas. Only the northern local governments bordering Borno State are the ones affected. If election could be held in Afghanistan with a more deadly Taliban, I see no reason why we cannot hold elections in Nigeria.

Our armed forces must be equipped and deployed to effectively deal with the situation for elections to hold.

What is your take on the October 11 governorship by-election in Adamawa?

I was about holding a meeting with the leadership of APC when you came

and drove them out. We are trying to strategies on how to face the by-election. I went round the state and can tell you that it is predominantly an APC state. Almost every house you pass, you can see an APC sticker or flag. Before you see one PDP, you would have seen about five APC. I think it all depends on how we organise ourselves. We are just trying to appeal to all the contestants to come together and work together so that we can return the state to APC. How far has the reconciliation committee set up in the APC of which you are the chairman gone?

The reconciliation committee started very well. I am the chairman and I got too busy and so requested the National Working Committee (NWC) to excuse me from continuing as the chairman and appoint somebody else.

The party chairman has not granted my request. Inevitably, someone else has to take over from me and continue with the job because I am facing an election in Adamawa and a contest for primary. They have to find somebody who has the time. We have made progress and the fact that the group that threatened to leave has not left is a sign that we have made progress. It is a gradual process and because it is a South Western issue, there is a peculiar way we deal with issues in the South-West.

How do you see the spate of defection in the polity?

What is your problem with defection? That is no news and it should not be news that people are moving from one party to the other in the present dispensation. I made it possible through the courts.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Major Lancelot Anyanya (rtd) is the chairman, Board of the National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Rivers State governorship hopeful. In this interview with WALE ELEGBEDE, he speaks on Rivers politics, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and why he wants to govern the state. Excerpts:

Anyanya: Rivers can’t afford to be in opposition shows that our party must go for a candidate, who does not have so much issues trailing him. That person must be able to sell himself. We have gone to the people.

And they will judge who best seems to understand their problems. One of the things that keep our people going is the hope that tomorrow will be good. We have the capacity to give them that hope.

I am reluctant to speak on claims that the party structure is in the hands of one person because I think differently. If certain individuals think that they can hold the structure, that person must be living in illusion. Our president is not the kind of person that will differ to the will of the people. And that is why we are marketing ourselves to the people.

If few individuals think that they hold the party structure, I am saying that the party they are referring to is not our party. Right from when I left service, I joined the party.

So, no character is more PDP than myself. And the good thing is that the party does not say that the man who came 20 years ago is a senior to the one who came five years back. Ever since I have been in the party, I have contributed to the growth of the party. There are many aspirants but I am not bothered because the number of aspirants adds to the vibrancy of the party.

You have indicated interest in Rivers State governorship. What informed your ambition?

Rivers State is a very important state in Nigeria. It is one of the first states to be created on the eve of the civil war. Because of the notoriety in that, we want to do something very different. We are seeking to move away from that pattern.

With the greatest sense of respect, my brother who is the current governor, ought to have done things very differently. I think if maturity had been exhibited, things would have been done very differently.

People contest elections to win, to remain relevant or to negotiate for something else. If you know me too well, you will know that I don’t like trouble. From what I have found out from the consultations we have done so far, anybody who is in the race without a passionate desire to serve is a foolish person. This is so because the resources you commit into the race are not meant to be wasted.

The process is very laborious. So, for that reason there should not be room for pretence. I will offer service. My motivation is different. I know that people make so much promises during campaign, but I am different. My instincts to serve are sufficiently strong that I think I can meet any challenge headlong.

But the All Progressives Congress (APC) is now in power in Rivers. Won’t this affect the chances of PDP in the state?

If the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was not a popular party in the state, everyone would not be jostling to run on the party’s platform. Even the governor knows that the PDP is the main party in the state. We have seen instances where incumbents lose. So, being an incumbent does not mean that he will deliver the votes to the APC. To some extent, some people will say that the governor has done well, but within the context of the internally generated revenue and federal allocations, the state is not where it is supposed to be. Even if the governor was in the PDP, I will say that he has not served the party well. I am not saying that he has not done anything.

If you look at the political history of the state, you will discover that it has never been in the opposition. And there is a reason for that. Nobody has become president of Nigeria without winning Rivers State. The only election, which the perceived winner did not carry Rivers State, was the June 12 elections.

And government was never formed on the premise of that electoral victory.

I don’t know how to explain it. May be there is a divine connection to it.

The state is the treasure base of the nation for good reasons. There has always been spotlight on the state. And the governorship elections in the state have always attracted the attention of people within and outside the state. Even if it was not a President Goodluck Jonathan I will expect every other president to be interested in the emergence of political leadership in the state.

The state is a critical economic nerve centre of the country. The Liquefied Natural Gas Company (LNG) is there, the National Fertiliser Company of Nigeria

Anyanya

(NAFCON) is there. We have two refineries and two seaports. There are several crude oil deposits there. If Rivers State goes down for any reason, the Nigerian economy will shut down. So for that reason, the state is very significant. That also speaks about the quality of leadership the state is supposed to have. And I do not think that we have enjoyed that quality of leadership. Leaders should get to a point where they separate personal differences from the business of governance. Their mandate should be held as a trust. I have had instances where as a Major, I was posted to places I should not have been, but I took it like that because I was serving my nation. If you look at the issues that are supposed to be at the core of the matter, you will ask yourself if the issues were important.

Do you think you are prepared for the Rivers governorship given the complex nature of the state?

I can do the job. I was supremely prepared by God to embark on this project.

I am a bonafide member of the PDP. I try to avoid the argument that the state is divided between upland and lowland.

I avoid it because I think that every part of the state has enough materials to produce the governor. And anybody, who wants to be governor in a state like Rivers, must be capable of articulating a more intelligent reason for wanting authority to serve.

So, I do not want to see myself in that mould. However, it will be hypocritical for me to pretend that there is no framework for understanding, designed by our forbearers on how political offices are

shared. If I pretend that it does not exist, that will be very dishonest of me. I am saying that as a person, I don’t think the upland and lowland arguments are uncalled for. We are adequately prepared by the reason of our education and experience to offer services to our people.

The PDP is the people’s party, regardless of what you want to believe in. We have seen the most unlikely things happen in the party. Every political party wants to win elections and the choice of candidate matters a lot with much attention to the peculiarities of the local environment. That I served in the military does not affect my knowledge of Rivers State. I want to say that I know the state more than many. I draw my assurance from God. I am a person of faith and I have no apologies for that. I respect those who do not have faith and their right not to have faith. Power belongs to God and he gives it to whomever he wills. That is why most unlikely things happen in human history, with power residing on unlikely hands. I don’t need to make many references on that. I believe that our party wants to pick a candidate that will guarantee victory. I hope you remember how our governor came to office. We all know that his name was not on the ballot papers. And the Supreme Court affirmed that he won the election because he owned the ticket before his name was wrongly substituted.

But the party structure in the state is with the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, who is interested in the governorship.

The personality of the candidate has effects on the fortunes of the party. That

The president’s wife, Mrs Patience Jonathan, is reportedly supporting Wike’s ambition. Won’t this affect your chances of getting the PDP ticket?

There is nothing in our statutes that prevents anybody from having any preference for a particular candidate. We can respect that, but whether that preference can translate into a definitive outcome is a different matter. As you have seen in our political history, no individual can single-handedly produce a governor. The president himself said so. You know the president was in Anambra to campaign for the PDP candidate but the party lost.

Same thing happened in Osun because there are other dynamics on ground.

He was in Ekiti to campaign for our candidate and the party defeated an incumbent because of other dynamics on ground. The point there is that there are several factors that shape the outcome of election, chief among them is the will of God and the will of the people. I do understand the concerns people have.

Sometimes when you are too big, you are too big to miss.

What is the relationship between you and the President?

The president is the father of the nation. He is my president and party leader.

Don forget that he is my commander in chief. By the privilege of his appointment, I chair a federal board. I don’t like it when people overplay the president’s interest. His interest is the good of the nation. If the people are on my side, I doubt if the president will be against the people. He wants the support and good of the people, so why would he be against me.

If you look at the political history of the state, you will discover that it has never been in the opposition. And there is a reason for that

16 POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW Barrister Denison Ibe is the Anambra State chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). His party has been faced with defection of prominent members in recent times. In this interview with CHINEDU EKEJA, he claims that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) aided the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to win the governorship election in Anambra Several members have left your party, the All Progressives Congress (APC). What is responsible for this development?

Well, I think there is freedom of association in Nigeria as entrenched in our constitution. It does not cost anything to join a political party and it does not cost anything too to leave a political party for another one of choice. There are some who left because they don’t believe in the ideology of the party any longer, and there are others who left after the congress because they contested and failed to get the position they vied for, and they felt that it is either them or they will leave the party.

Our congress was done free and fair and they lost because they were not the popular candidates, and as a matter of fact, they left. In politics, when there is a particular position to be contested, one person will always emerge the final winner. And for your information, no executive of the party has left; it is just one or two persons who felt disgruntled that have decided to leave.

Don’t you think the manner the congress was conducted could have informed their decision to leave?

No. There is no way they will feel like that. If you feel that a particular process was manipulated, there are other ways you can go about to express your grievances. We have an internal conflict resolution mechanism in the party known as appeal committee.

If you really believe in the party, the first place to head to when you have disagreement is the appeal committee. If you are not satisfied with the decision of the appeal committee, you can then approach the court. But these people that left the party to the best of my knowledge did not explore any of the available remedies before taking that decision.

With the loss of governorship election in Anambra, how popular is the party in the state?

APC in Anambra State is the party to beat. It has the support of the masses. When I talk about the masses, I am talking about the electorate. The only thing that made people to feel that we lost in that election is the massive rigging and other electoral fraud perpetrated, which was partly committed by the independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

We won the 2013 gubernatorial election, but for the fraud like I said that was committed by INEC. Imagine that INEC went and doctored some reports and presented them to us some days before the election. I am talking about the voters’ register. We are still contesting it. Our appeal has been launched at the Supreme Court. But that aside, we are fully on ground in Anambra.

Do you see APC securing victory in court?

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Ibe: INEC doctored Anambra voters’ register I am very confident and convinced in the Supreme Court that they cannot be influenced and that whatever decision they give will be binding on all. But I am sure we are going to win the case. The law says that you have 30 days after the registration to display it for the people to see. But here in the case of Anambra, INEC, though, displayed it as specified, but after that they went and doctored the voters’ register without giving us the copies and also gave some people copies of the doctored ones without waiting for the 30 days to elapse. The reason for the 30 days is that people will check if their names appeared.

Of course, you heard that a particular candidate of the PDP did not vote because he did not see his name on the voters’ register. The first one that was displayed, his name was there and the second one his name was not there.

So, this is the issue. Without this, APC would have won the election landslide because we were well-grounded in Anambra.

Do you still have confidence in INEC to deliver free and fair elections?

One thing with me, which I have proved to people time and again, is that change is the only thing that is permanent. Everyone and everything is bound to change. I still believe that one day INEC will change for good.

And they are improving already.

INEC is improving by the day. Look at what happened in Osun State. I was in Osun during that election. I am not saying this because my party won in that election, but I saw the level of preparedness by INEC, their sincerity and how they conducted themselves in that election. That alone has given me hope that INEC might be in for serious business come 2015.

If you recall what PDP said with regard to that election, that INEC has improved and that the election was free and fair. In Anambra State governorship election, what we complained of was late arrival of materials in our strongholds especially in Anambra Central. We are not the only party that complained of the late arrival of materials. The PDP also complained.

Had it been that it was only APC, it would have been concluded that we always cry foul for nothing. We also complained of doctoring of electoral materials, but this time with what happened in Osun, we have no doubt about improvement.

With the 2015 polls approaching, won’t the defection have effect on the fortunes of the party?

We won the 2013 gubernatorial election, but for the fraud like I said that was committed by INEC. Imagine that INEC went and doctored some reports and presented them to us some days before the election

Ibe

The people that left the party in Anambra are not heavyweight as you may think. We are in Anambra; we know their antecedent and what they can do. We know one person that has been a member of more than three political parties within one year. From Accord to PDP, from PDP to APGA and from there to APC and now out again.

Four political parties in one year.

As far as we are concerned, they don’t have any political influence as people may think. It is the masses that will decide. It is the masses who want change that will decide and that change they have been yearning for is here. The change is APC. It does not have to do with anybody or any interest.

So, you mean the defection of party members won’t affect APC in the forthcoming polls?

No! Nobody left. They left as individuals. The masses still believe very well in the party. Their vacuum has naturally been filled up and the membership strength of the party has not deflated.

Also, the reconciliation committee has been working, and they don’t have any limit on how far they can go or who they will meet. They can talk to anybody so long as they will be ready to listen. It has been paying off because some of them are already indicating interest to come back. We are trying to let them know that everybody cannot be chairman or secretary of the party at the same time.

You can serve the party at various capacities even as an ordinary party member.

How feasible is APC’s dream of ruling Anambra with only the Central Senatorial District in your control?

Not only Anambra Central. We have Anambra South 1 in the state House of Assembly. And there are some areas where we truly won the election, but for the 180 days law as introduced by the INEC, we could not reclaim our mandate.

Our party is also strong in Anambra West. We won some seats in the House but we have lost them to defection.

But the bottom line is that the party is very strong in the whole Anambra and not only in the Central.

What is your message to your party members who might be tempted to join the bandwagon of defection?

We have already constituted our reconciliatory committee which has been working and we have been reaching out to some of the aggrieved party members. But one thing I know is that if you believe in a political party truly, and you are not in that place to make money or for other selfish purposes, you will stay with the party through thick and thin. So, what we are telling them is that if there is any of them that is disgruntled for whatever reason, they should let go of the past. This new executive headed by me is ready and open to new ideas and opinions from anybody.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 17

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE Dr. Kunle Olajide, former Secretary-General of Yoruba Council of Elders (YCE) and National Publicity Secretary of Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), was the secretary of South-West delegation to the just-concluded National Conference. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he advocates implementation of the conference report before the 2015 general election. He also speaks on insurgency and fears about 2015. Excerpts: How do you see the decision of President Goodluck Jonathan to set up a seven-man committee for the implementation of the confab report?

I was not only a delegate to the National Conference; I was the secretary of South-West delegation to the conference.

We are happy about the outcome of the National Conference and the resolutions.

And when I heard the announcement of the implementation committee, I was a bit startled that their duty is to advice government on implementation of the conference report.

My first reaction was that the members of that committee are full-time ministers and members of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), so they are going to treat this new assignment at their leisure. I regard the conference resolutions as a serious assignment, because Nigeria is in a state of emergency and it requires re-engineering, which the conference had done.

So, in my own opinion, I don’t think serving ministers, who are already busy with their primary schedules, should be given the responsibility of seeing to the implementation of the confab report.

One can have two or three ministers in the committee but the committee should also consist of a few delegates to the conference, who knew the thinking behind certain decisions taken at the conference; those who would be able to advise the committee as to the urgency and speed of implementation of some of the confab resolutions. And perhaps the committee could now be serviced by a federal permanent secretary or a director in a federal ministry, who is conversant with government procedures; then one or two legal experts.

But to constitute an implementation committee of serving ministers and government officials alone, gives me an impression that the conference resolutions are being treated with levity and I don’t want to think so, because the president assured us that he was going to give it the attention it deserved. So, as a delegate, I will call on the government to review that committee, and add to the committee, people who would be able to fast track its business, and they should be giving specific timeframe. It should not be left open-ended.

With the committee being set up, don’t you foresee the status quo, which many delegates kicked against during the conference, being maintained on some crucial issues affecting the country?

I don’t think so. I think the mistake that must have been made is that somebody must have advised Mr. President that they should treat the conference resolutions as they treated other com-

Confab recommendation should be implemented before 2015 –Olajide well. But Nigeria as it is; some people don’t even know who their president is because he is too far from them.

We have also recommended that the national and state assemblies should be on part-time basis. In other words, it should not attract so much income, and that is why people are killing one another because of the money there. But if the conference recommendations are implemented, a lot of people going into public office would not go at all because they would know that it is not worth it.

A lot of the recommendations have also been made to water down or completely eliminate corruption in the system because we suggested setting up of corruption tribunals, where no case would last more than 90 days. In other words, people would be tried and sentenced immediately. We have also removed immunity, so you cannot do what you like in public office anymore; you would be charged to court immediately and if you are guilty, you will be convicted. So, there are lots of radical changes in the National Conference resolutions, that if implemented, would bring down the political temperature of Nigeria.

Olajide

mittee’s reports submitted to Mr. President; by setting up another committee to prepare a white paper for the government. The National Conference was set up to review all sectors and there were broad representation of Nigerian people.

So, no committee can give judgement or write a white paper on what that conference had done.

I think it was a mistake, which can still be corrected. I don’t want to believe that the presidency wants to maintain the status quo because there is no status quo that can be maintained. Nigeria is on the brink and if we don’t pull it back quickly, may God forbid, a very bad thing could happen. We are almost at the brink now with the insurgency and political temperature of the nation. So, it is necessary that something be done quickly to pull us back, and I think the conference did a lot in that direction.

What can be done quickly to save the country from total collapse?

The conference resolutions are in three categories. One, policy changes; we made a lot of recommendations on existing policy changes that do not need any legislation, or going to the National Assembly for a constitutional review. Such policy changes should be implemented within a couple of weeks by Mr. President. It depends entirely on him and he should summon the political courage to do that. The second group of changes or resolutions has to do with legislation.

An executive bill would have to be prepared by the presidency and forwarded to the National Assembly and that should also be done within a few weeks. The third are major constitutional issues; they can still be addressed in the next two or three months. I think there must be some urgency about the implementation of the conference recommendations.

Would you then suggest implementation of the confab recommendations before 2015 general election?

Yes, it should be. In fact, a lot of us believe and rightly so that it should be on

I don’t think serving ministers, who are already busy with their primary schedules, should be given the responsibility of seeing to the implementation of the confab report the basis of the recommendations of the National Conference that 2015 elections should be conducted. In other words, by effecting the constitutional changes we are laying a new foundation for Nigeria, presumably for the next 100 years. We are just 100 years old and the timing of the conference is very apt. So, this is a new foundation that would re-engineer Nigeria and the 2015 election is coming up at the beginning of next century. So, you can see the divine timing of all these things.

What are your fears about 2015?

My fears are very real considering the political temperature in the country.

My fears have to do with the do-or-die approach to the politics of this country by politicians. You can see the do-or-die approach because the stake is very high and that is what we have succeeded in doing at the conference. We have succeeded in devolving powers to the federating units to make the centre less contentious.

The fight for the presidency is virtually a do-or-die and it should not be. And these are the changes that we have made.

For example, if the conference recommendations are implemented, we will discover that a lot of people will lose interest even in the centre and they would prefer to concentrate on their states. And in their state, people know them very

As an elder statesman, how do you feel about the insurgency in the country?

I feel unhappy and disturbed because God has endowed this country with so much potential, but the forms and system of government we operate have made the government of the country one of elites for elites. So, majority of Nigerians are alienated from the wealth of this nation and that is why there is insurgency. If there is social justice in Nigeria, a lot of people would be engaged, including members of the Boko Haram; everybody would be busy.

So, it is because of lack of decent social equilibrium and injustice in the system that we are having this insurgency and it is a pity that a lot of people are trying to politicise the insurgency in their quest for power.

That is why it is important that the National Conference recommendations are implemented to change the political face of Nigeria and give people hope that this country can be better.

The implementation of the confab report depends so much on the president.

He needs to have the political will and courage to initiate the process of getting the report implemented. Since he summoned the courage to convoke the conference, he should have the courage to initiate the implementation.

As a chieftain of the Yoruba Unity Forum (YUF), are you satisfied with the present state of things in South-West, especially the belief in some quarters that Yoruba are being marginalised?

A lot of us are not particularly happy about where we are and that is why in the last 25 years, the Yoruba have been in the forefront of the crusade for a National Conference to re-organise this country because we believe that the incursion of the military into politics destroyed the character and nature of our federalism, and ever since Nigeria has never recovered. And we the Yoruba have been the greatest losers in this special unitary government and I think that is why we are clamouring for a restructuring of Nigeria and adoption of true federalism so that each federating unit can take its destiny in its hands. That we have been able to achieve through this conference, and we are now waiting for the implementation.

18

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

OPINION Boko Haram: Gaps in the Davis narratives Johnson Momodu

B

efore we proceed on the controversy that has trailed the statement by Dr. Stephen Davies over people he said were mentioned to him as Boko Haram sponsors, we need first to resolve two issues: what is the veracity of this statement by this Australian man and why has it become for the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), an issue for self-glorification.

Since that statement by the Australia-based ‘international adviser’, a whole lot of information has sufficed to call the veracity of his claims to question.

While some people see him as a rabble rouser who benefits from causing chaos, others believe he has since been compromised in his dealings with Boko Haram.

His background arouses a certain excitement: the man who has a PhD in political geography is said to have established extensive contacts with tribes and terrorist groups in Africa, including three small cells of Al Qaeda, while working as a trouble-shooter for oil and gas company, Shell, in the Niger Delta.

He burst into our national consciousness soon after news broke in April about the kidnapping of the Chibok girls. Many thought his offer to assist was curious but for a nation in dire straits, such an offer for assistance was readily accepted: the yarn about having contacts in even the remotest part of Nigeria was tempting.

No sooner did he get involved than he claimed to have made contacts with the insurgents who were prepared to release some of the girls to him as a goodwill gesture towards a peace deal with the government. They were never released, though he claimed that 15 minutes before his team arrived to take the girls, they were kidnapped again by another group who wanted to cash in on the reward announced by government.

Some of his revelations are interesting indeed while others are downright suspicious. He said some of the things we already knew, like telling us that the sect had ‘political sponsors’ and that the insurgency was being supported by the opposition elements. He also believes that these political sponsors think they can turn these groups off after the 2015 elections in which they expect President Jonathan to lose on account for perceived inability to contain the insurgency. These are thing Nigerians have long suspected of the opposition parties, especially the APC, but he adds the shocker: “they are going to be surprised to find it (the insurgency) is out of their control.”

The true picture of his ‘revelation’ started unraveling with the claim that former Borno state governor, Ali Modu Sherrif, is a sponsor of the violent Islamic sect, a story that simply feeds into a popular rumour mill.

Not only is it a popular stereotype, it also provides an opportune tool for the opposition APC whichdemanded the immediate trial of the man who recently decamped from their party to the PDP. The chairman of opposition party, Chief John Odigie Oyegun, said revelations

by Mr. Davis show the federal government had wrongly accused the APC of being behind Boko Haram, adding that from Davis’ revelations, they are within the ruling PDP, and friends of President Jonathan. The party chairman who has since assuming office been credited with highly incendiary statements that have the potential to dismember the country, chose to be silent on aspects of the Davis statement that some people opposed to President Goodluck Jonathan used their connections with Boko Haram to frustrate his efforts.

While the Davis revelation serves the APC well in its eager efforts to launder its image and exonerate the party of blames for promoting insurgency in the coun-

try, it also threw up some contradictions. The mention of the former Army Chief of Staff, Azubuike Ihejirika as a Boko Haram sponsor is ridiculous. It calls to strong question, the whole purpose of Dr. Davis’ activities. As some Nigerians commented, he was simply being mischievous in his effort to link the President himself with the violence which he has done all in his power to stop.

By lumping General Ihejirika, a non-Muslim who hails from the predominantly Christian southeastern part of Nigeria, with Sheriff, Davis was simply employing cheap propaganda tactics to lend credence to the story. Though the APC understands this as an irrational frame-up, its spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, went to town without bothering to confirm the authenticity of the statement, to call for his trial. It was a most malicious and premeditated act of character assassination. The question is: what motivation does Ihejirika, a Christian and an Igbo from the Southeast, have to sponsor Boko Haram insurgency in the North?

Why would a man, who laid down his life in defence of his country against the insurgents, be accused of sponsoring the same?

Surely there is a gap in the narratives; it is a gap the so-called negotiator needs to fill, or forever hold his peace. What he says about the APC and their calculations for the 2015 elections, we already know; but to throw incredulous narratives into the mix is to cause unnecessary distraction from government efforts to unmask the real sponsors of this sect that has taken the lives of thousands of Nigerians. I don’t want to believe, as many people suggest, that Dr Stephen Davies is simply a fraudulent character and a mercenary who distorts information in order to cause chaos from which he ultimately benefits.

• Momodu contributed this piece from Benin City.

Another 27th August has slipped by (1) Bashorun JK Randle

M

emory can be deceptive and unreliable. Consequently, the date 27th August may have little resonance for most Nigerians as they go about their daily struggle for survival in a most daunting economic environment combined with the ding-dong of political turmoil.

Regardless, 27th August 1985 is a date some of us will never forget – not out of choice but on account of a huge gamble with death, albeit unknowingly.

Let us wind the tape back. Without any warning (except amongst the more discerning) towards the end of Ramadan – a period of utmost sanctity to moslems – Brigadier Joshua Dongoyaro was on radio and television to deliver a special message, with the opening line: “Fellow countrymen,” I, Brigadier Joshua Nimyel Dogonyaro, of the Nigerian Army, hereby make the following declaration on behalf of my colleagues and members of the Nigerian Armed Forces. Fellow countrymen, the intervention of the military at the end of 1983 was welcomed by the nation with unprecedented enthusiasm.

Nigerians were united in accepting the intervention and looked forward hopefully to progressive changes for the better. Almost two years later, it has become clear that the fulfilment of expectations is not forthcoming. Because this generation of Nigerians and indeed future generations have no other country but Nigeria, we could not stay passive and watch a small group of individuals misuse power to the detriment of our national aspirations and interest.

No nation can ever achieve meaningful strides in its development where there is an absence of cohesion in the hierarchy of government; where it has become clear that positive action by the policy makers is hindered because as a body it lacks a unity of purpose.

It is evident that the nation would be endangered with the risk of direction.

We are presently confronted with that danger.

In such a situation, if action can be taken to arrest further damage, it should and must be taken. This is precisely what we have done.

The Nigerian public has been made to believe that the slow pace of action of the Federal Government headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari was due to the enormity of the problems left by the last civilian administration.

Although it is true that a lot of problems were left behind by the last civilian government, the real reason, however, for the very slow pace of action is due to lack of unanimity of purpose among the ruling body; subsequently, the business of governance, has gradually been subjected to ill-motivated power play considerations. The ruling body, the Supreme Military Council, has, therefore, progressively been made redundant by the actions of a select few members charged with the day to day implementation of the SMC’s policies and decisions. The concept of collective leadership has been substituted by stubborn and ill-advised unilateral actions, thereby destroying the principles upon which the government came to power. Any effort made to advise the leadership, met with stubborn resistance and was viewed as a challenge to authority or disloyalty. Thus the scene was being set for systematic elimination of what, was termed opposition.

All the energies of the rulership were directed at this imaginary opposition rather than to effective leadership. The result of this misdirected effort is now very evident in the country as a whole.

The government has started to drift.

The economy does not seem to be getting any better as we witness daily increased inflation. The nation’s meagre resources are once again being wasted on unproductive ventures.

Government distanced itself from the people and the yearnings and aspirations of the people as constantly reflected in the media have been ignored.

This is because events have shown that the present composition of our country’s leadership cannot, therefore, justify its continued occupation of that position.

Furthermore, the initial objectives and programmes of action which were meant to have been implemented since the ascension to power of the Buhari Administration in January 1984 have been betrayed and discarded.

The present state of uncertainty and stagnation cannot be permitted to degenerate into suppression and retrogression. We feel duty bound to use the resources and means at our disposal to restore hope in the minds of Nigerians and renew aspirations for a better future.

We are no prophets of doom for our beloved country, Nigeria. We, therefore, count on everyone’s cooperation and assistance. I appeal to you, fellow countrymen, particularly my colleagues in arms to refrain from any act that will lead to unnecessary violence and bloodshed among us. Rest assured that our action is in the interest of the nation and the armed forces.

In order to enable a new order to be introduced, the following bodies are dissolved forthwith pending further announcements: (a) The Supreme Military Council (b) The Federal Executive Council (c) The National Council of States All seaports and airports are closed, all borders remain closed. Finally a dusk to dawn curfew is hereby imposed in Lagos and all state capitals until further notice. All military commanders will ensure effective maintenance of law and order. Further announcements will be made in due course. God bless Nigeria.”

Most of the audience readily completed the rest on their own!! We had

gotten used to military coup d’états.

The only difference this time was that it was the military toppling their own government headed by Major-General Muhammadu Buhari. His deputy, the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters Major-General Tunde Idiagbon who was generally perceived as the strongman behind the throne had been sold a dummy.

He was lured into undertaking the pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, just to get him out of the way.

Till today, his loyalists swear that if Idiagbon was in the country, the coup plotters would not have dared to strike.

If they did, it would have been the bloodiest counter-coup in the history of military putsch in the world. The news soon leaked that General Buhari had granted approval to General Idiagbon to the effect that on his return from Saudi Arabia, the Supreme Military Council would immediately announce the retirement of Major-General Babangida as Chief of Army Staff.

Dongoyaro’s announcement came at dawn followed by intermittent announcements that we should await further announcements. Going by what prevailed in Lagos, the shock of dismantling a government that was barely eighteen months old was somewhat mitigated by relief that the guilty and the innocent would be saved from the harsh measures which had been imposed by the Buhari/ Idiagbon regime. Some even jubilated that the draconian penalties for the looting of the public treasury or political misadventure had crashed.

Anyway, by 7pm it was then Brigadier Sani Abacha, the General Officer Commanding the Second Division of the Nigerian Army, based in Ibadan who confirmed that the Buhari/Idiagbon regime had been removed and we should await further announcements.

• Bashorun JK Randle is Chairman, JK Randle Professional Services.

19

EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

OUR VISION To build a newspaper organisation anchored on the sanctity of truth.

OUR MISSION

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

To publish a newspaper of superior value, upholding the fundamental ethics of journalism: balanced reporting, fairness, accuracy and objectivity.

w w w.new telegraphonli ne.com

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

Abba Suleiman: Challenges before new IGP

T

he recent appointment of the new Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, heralds another era in the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and affords Nigerians ample opportunity to weave their expectations around him as the man that calls the shots.

Abba succeeded the immediate past IGP, Mohammed Dahiru Abubakar, who retired on August 1 this year after the mandatory 35 years in service. The new IGP is expected to bring his wealth of experience to bear on his new assignment as the nation’s police boss. He is inheriting a police force which, under Mohammed Abubakar, had a fair share of operational challenges and triumphs. So his task is clearly cut out for him already: he is expected to give the force a new direction even as he should endeavor to build on the gains of his predecessors.

Such expectations become even higher when it is realized that Abba is a lawyer. Of course, he is the first IGP to be a lawyer---Mike Okiro, former IGP and current Chairman of the Police Service Commission is a lawyer. But, Abba is taking over at a time of mountainous security challenges in the country and barely a year before another round of general elections in the country.

At times like these, citizens expect the IGP not only to marshal his officers and men to effectively provide security for the country but also to do so within the ambits of the law, a standard expectation of law enforcement officers in a democracy such as ours.

Luckily, Abba is aware of the changing face of policing. To be sure, he is on target when he declares that “policing is no more about arresting, investigating and prosecuting only,” but that “the responsibility of the police in a democracy transcends these traditional roles, to expectations in ensuring a stable democracy, conducive to good governance, creating an enabling environment for economic development and providing acceptable basic service delivery for the people of our country.”

Abba, a graduate of History and Law is an alumnus of the prestigious National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPS), Kuru, Jos, Plateau State. Having risen through the ranks, he became an Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG), in charge of zone 7 headquarters, comprising the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Kaduna, and Niger States Police Commands, the post he held until he was announced the 17th IGP on July 31, 2014.

One of the serious issues of concern against the police is the high

incidence of bribery and corruption, which, over the years, has grossly undermined the credibility of the force. A 2013 survey by CLEEN Foundation in conjunction with McArthur Foundation titled “National Crime Victimization and Safety Survey” grouped the NPF, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), as the most corrupt Federal Government agencies in the country. Among officers and men of the Nigeria Police, bribery and corruption is endemic, to say the least. The task before the new helmsman, therefore, is not to re-invent the wheel, but to re-engineer the NPF and transform it into an enviable, amiable, respected and trusted entity. This may be an uphill task, considering years of total decay in the force. But, as they say, if you do not dare, you do not do. Abba can and must make a fresh start.

However, the truth must also be told: the NPF is inconceivably underfunded--to the detriment of both the police and the rest of society. This is unacceptable. Although there has been a little improvement in the area of welfare, brought about by a few face-serving reforms over the years, we believe that there is still a lot to be done to make the Nigeria Police a self-confident, efficient, effective,

even rugged, and friendly security organization. Nigerians would not forget in a hurry the well-televised deplorable living (training) conditions in Police Colleges in the country and the attendant psychological trauma on the recruits. Equally pathetic are the living conditions in the barracks, which are replete with dilapidated buildings and a generally unclean environment.

For too long, the police have been allowed to go cap in hand before members of the public asking for both official and unofficial donations to keep the organization afloat, just because the government has failed to fund the force adequately. State governments and private individuals and organizations routinely make a show of donations of operational vehicles and money to the police, a glaring anomaly in a country with centralized police system, which should ordinarily be well-funded to prevent the organization from being hijacked by special interests as is the case in Nigeria now.

The Federal Government must assist Abba to serve Nigerians better by providing him whatever he requires to take policing to the next level. We believe that the NPF can function properly if it is well-equipped and its officers and men are trained, retrained and well-remunerated to face the challenges of modern policing.

MANAGING DIRECTOR/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Eric Osagie DEPUTY MANAGING DIRECTORS

Gabriel Akinadewo Felix Oguejiofor Abugu MANAGING EDITOR

Suleiman Uba Gaya EDITOR, DAILY

Yemi Ajayi EDITOR, SATURDAY

Laurence Ani EDITOR, SUNDAY

Emeka Madunagu DEPUTY EDITORS, DAILY

Emeka Obasi Ayodele Ojo BUREAU CHIEF, BRUSSELS

Leo Cendrowicz BUREAU CHIEF, WASHINGTON DC

Marshall Comins EDITORIAL COORDINATOR, EUROPE

Sam Amsterdam NEWS EDITOR

Geoffrey Ekenna ADVERT MANAGER

Taiwo Ahmed AG. SALES/MARKETING MANAGER

Uchey Okezie HEAD, GRAPHICS

Timothy Akinleye HEAD, ADMIN.

Robinson Ezeh

20 POLITICS You have been out of public view since 2011 when you lost your election to Emeka Nwogbo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to represent Awka North and South in the House of Representatives.

What happened?

Well, you may not be exactly right because after the 2011 elections, which I won but there were some mathematical errors in the addition of figures, I have been active.

During the last governorship election in Anambra State, I was still in All Progressives Congress (APC). We supported Dr. Chris Ngige. I did the much I could because in my own area, APC won, even though Ngige lost in that election, I delivered my area. Since then we have been in the rear watching the game.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Why we impeached Obi, by ex-lawmaker Hon. Ozo Ughammadu is a former Deputy Speaker of the Anambra State House of Assembly. In this interview with CHINEDU EKEJA, he speaks on why they impeached ex-governor Peter Obi of Anambra State, his political career and other national issues.

I am not saying it doesn’t, but let him know first that you are aware of what he is doing so that he will stop. The consequences of impeachment can sometimes be great.

You said something about election result, what really happened?

Some non-existing votes were added, so I headed to the tribunal but the court did not accept the result we tendered for the reason that it was wrongly tendered.

They said it was tendered by a wrong person. They rejected the result on that basis. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and APGA could not tender any result because they know there was no result before them. When the tribunal rejected the one I tendered on technical reasons, we headed to the Appeal Court, and the appellate court sorted it out on the ground of 180 days.

That was a shock to me which gave me an impression that Nigerian Judiciary somehow is a place where justice goes to the highest bidder particularly by rejecting those results on the ground of inappropriate person tendering. Even when I tendered the result myself and presented myself as the person who contested the election, it was still rejected. We were thinking that at the Appeal Court, the whole thing would be sorted out but the court couldn’t hear it because of the delay occasioned by this process.

Do you think you can still make an impact if you are to contest another election?

Many things have happened. I will rather say my popularity has grown, more than it was in 2011. And again I have changed party. I just joined the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from APC. After declaring at the ward level, I moved to the PDP national secretariat where I was part of the people that were received by the national chairman, Dr. Adamu Mu’azu. So that is the position now, whatever assessment one is going to do will be on Hon. Ughammadu on the platform of PDP and not APC again.

Why the defection from APC? In the first instance I left PDP in 2011 to APC, the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) for one reason. There was lack of internal democracy in the party then. I felt I was the most popular person to fly the flag of my party for House of Representatives elections, but along the line, I discovered from my investigations that the party leadership in the state, and some of them at the national level had already taken sides and there was a sharp division in the party. There were two groups sharply opposed to each other.

I discovered that running in PDP was not going to do me any good, so I went to ACN and competed against APGA and won that election. But like I told you, there was a mathematical error. PDP came fourth in that election. The mighty PDP lost to APGA, ACN and Accord Party as a result of the division in the party and anti-party activities played against members by members. I foresaw that and left for ACN. The PDP is now more focused and organised, it lost election in Osun state and quickly the national leadership accepted defeat, but if it were before, it won’t be so. So I believe that if you join PDP now, you are joining a PDP that has been greatly restructured.

Ughammadu

You were part of the lawmakers that saw to the impeachment of Peter Obi in 2006, how will you appraise the relationship between the lawmakers and the present day executives?

As a matter of fact, the relationship has always been very good in many areas. In most cases, it is not the legislators that are the problem. The problem comes from the governors.

In the case of Anambra State in 2006, when Obi came, even though he is a gentle-man with a good heart, he still had some elements of bitterness against the PDP because he felt that his mandate was stolen. He never knew that he was going to serve out his full tenure, that the court will grant him an extension in his tenure. So when he came, he began to take some actions that in his opinion were morally right, but for us in the House of Assembly, they were constitutionally wrong. I will give you a clear example.

The issue of the dissolution of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC), a statutory body and that of Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC), there is no way the executive can dissolve those bodies without reference to the House of Assembly.

The governor can dissolve those two on assent of two-thirds of the members of the House of Assembly. But you cannot go to the press and announce that such bodies have been dissolved as if it was a military era. When you do that, the JSC that has the Chief Judge as the chairman will call on the House of Assembly to do its duty.

Then the ANSIEC that conducts the state election will call upon the House of Assembly to protect them, because of checks and balances that exist. These were the backgrounds of what happened. Nobody, even I, foresaw that it was going to lead to impeachment.

The governor on the other hand did

When Obi came, even though he is a gentle man with a good heart, he still had some elements of bitterness against the PDP because he felt that his mandate was stolen it not out of hatred or disregard for the House or the Judiciary, but he was in a hurry to change guard from PDP controlled boards to APGA controlled Boards, and in the process, he ran afoul of the constitution.

Do you foresee such arising in the current leadership of the state, especially with the defection of some lawmakers?

I don’t think so. From the experience everybody has seen in Anambra, the issue of saying that a governor stole N2 or N3billion and because of that you want to impeach him should not arise.

It is only when there is a clear breach of the constitution. That the governor has misappropriated funds could be handled by the EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) and if found guilty the appropriate sanction will be applied.

But I don’t support a situation where you begin to probe a governor saying that he has overspent by N2 or N3billion and therefore should be impeached. The governor’s attention can be drawn to where he is crossing the line and maybe after one or two warnings; you can then apply the hammer.

Are you saying that a governor siphoning money does not constitute gross misconduct?

The National Conference has just come to an end, with the conference, what do you expect from its recommendations?

The conference has done a nice job.

They have been able to look at various issues dispassionately, and come up with decisions that will be of best interest to Nigerians. I can tell you as a political scientist and legislator that the critical decision that they took will enable Nigeria move forward. I will give you an example. Look at the state Independent Electoral Commissions, (SIECs). They have not been conducting any election in states. How can the ruling party score 100 per cent in an election? Where has such a thing happened? But I am happy that the National Conference took a decision that the state elections should be conducted by INEC so that governors will have no control over the elections.

But I have some reservations on some of the decisions of the conference. One of such is their decision that ex-speakers and House of Assembly members should not be paid their entitlements and allowances. I know that they did not do that out of true sense of nationalism, but out of sheer hatred for the lawmakers. I am against that decision not because I was a deputy speaker of House of Assembly, but because they are not justified.

The military generals are paid their entitlements even though they have been there for long, and a state governor who did one term is paid pension. I am not talking about severance allowance; I am talking about a situation where one collects a stipend every month to keep him going. Governors, collect, the judicial arm collects, why not the legislators.

So on what basis? If you look at that appropriately, how can you say that a former speaker of House of Assembly after being there for four years will be seen riding on an okada four years after his service to his state. Is it not an eyesore? There should have been a provision even if not for the person, for the office of the speaker. And Nigerians are saying it is right, it is not right. It is not borne out of morality but out of political hatred. If the Senate President and speaker of the House of Representatives can collect, what happens to state House of Assembly speakers?

What are your expectations of the 2015 general election?

Much as I agree that the North should have a slot, they should not come with a preconceived expectation that Jonathan should not contest.

If any of the parties decide to field a candidate from certain zones, it is their decision and not the decision of Nigerians, but they should be able to allow Nigerians vote for whoever is their choice candidate. Let the president emerge on the basis of wide acceptability and competence, and not because he is from a certain part of the country. For instance, I will support Jonathan because he is humble and has been able to hold Nigeria together at such a critical time, so will another person have his reason for supporting another candidate.

For me, 2015 is going to be peaceful.

LAW THURSDAY, september 18, 2014

Worried by the incessant attacks and counter attacks by both the deadly Boko Haram and the military over the soul of the troubled northeast region, lawyers yesterday tasked the Federal Government to leave no stone unturned in the battle against the insurgents with a charge-Maiduguri must not fall.

TUNDE OYESINA and APPOLOS CHRISTIAN report

L

awyers were unanimous yesterday that the Federal Government must step up its campaign against terrorism and other security challenges bedevilling the nation.

They however insisted that Maiduguri, the Borno State capital should not be allowed to fall. Its implications, they said were huge should it be allowed to be captured by the Boko Haram.

Already, major towns and locations are being overrun by the deadly Boko Haram.

For instance, places like Buni, Damboa, Gwaza, Madagali, Marte, Dikwa, Ngala, Michika had become victims of the sect’s invasion just as the rampaging insurgents had sent warning messages of their imminent invasion to Maiduguri.

Apparently worried by the alleged alarm raised by the Borno state Governor, Kashim Shettima that a third of his state had been captured by the militants, lawyers, including Senior Advocates wired a wake-up call to the Federal Government, urging it to declare a ‘full scale war’ on the unrepentant Boko Haram with a view to bringing normalcy to the region ahead of 2015 general elections.

“Federal Gover nment should exert its authority inform of more airstrikes and ground troops and its rules of engagement should considerably do whatever it takes to end this issue of insurgency once and for all right now”, they said.

In his view, Chief Mike Ozekhome, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, believed that it was time the President Goodluck Jonathan led government embarked on more aggressive attack on the insurgents with a view to wiping them of from

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/law

FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

foluso.ogunmodede@newtelegraphonline.com bunfolchester@yahoo.com

Akanbi: Why my hands were tied as ICPC boss

21

}p-24&25

Maiduguri must not fall • Nwobike, Akanbi tell FG

Nwobike, SAN

Prof. Akanbi

This is the time President Jonathan as commander-in-chief must show that he is capable of defending the country

Ologunorisa, SAN

the country as the sect’s invasion and capturing of major towns and locations in the troubled Borno state was nothing but a ‘declaration of war’ against the nation’s sovereignty.

He said: “The new strategy of the Boko Haram sect amounts to a declaration of full blown war on Nigerian sovereignty, questioning its independence, integrity, unity and indivisibility.

"I would expect the Federal Government to wake up to the reality, rise up to the occasion and maximally fight the insurgents like the real war

that it has become. To do this effectively, the battle should take the form of aerial bombardment, operation "desert storm", forest incursion and ground warfare.

“I am not a military expert or war specialist, but I do know from history that a real war situation hardly picks and chooses between innocent civilians and culpable insurgents. This means that the poor women of that enclave, the children, elderly, and the most vulnerable must be relocated by the federal and state governments immediately to safer havens, to prevent unin-

tended collateral damage and heavy civilian casualty.

"Also, Amnesty, Red Cross, NGOs and the international community must be involved immediately. This is no time for legal niceties and jurisprudential theories. Desperate diseases require desperate remedies. Nigerians should now wake up and brace themselves for the new challenges ahead without endangering our hard earned democracy and democratic values”.

Ozekhome was echoed by a Professor of Law, Mustapha.M. Akanbi, who said there was the need by the Federal Government to change its approach and strategy against the insurgents as it has become very obvious that internecine warfare has begun.

Besides, he said this was the time President Goodluck Jonathan as commanderin-chief must show that he was capable of defending the country according to the oath of office as his first assignment ‘is to defend his country and if he fails in this primary task, he has failed to justify holding that position’.

Akanbi said: “Government

will have to seriously step up its game by changing its approach to fighting these evil men because we are gradually descending into civil war. Starting with making sure that the Nigeria army are equipped with the best sophisticated weapons, and the welfare of the soldiers and that of their family must be adequately taken care of; whatever that needs to be done for their morale must be heightened to enable them engage the insurgents without hesitation.

“Sentiment should be removed from whatever that has to do with fighting this people because we regret not doing or playing with these people and whatever their aims are.

From the recent news in the media, there are reasons to believe that some members of our soldiers are involved with the Boko Haram infiltrator wise, so there is higher need to use only well discipline soldiers to fight this war as we don’t have to take chances anymore. And the air operation must be well calculated so that we don’t end up killing our own soldiers.

“Also, government should not drag the army into politics, the Nigerian army is for every Nigerian so the ruling government in its bid to fighting this war should not make them PDP army and the APC should not tag them PDP army as well, so politics should be set aside so that everyone will fully support the army in whichever possible CONTINUED ON PAGE 23

22

LAW | interview

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

‘Jonathan cannot compel National Assembly to ratify confab report’ Kelechi Ndukuba plies his law trade in Abuja. In this interview with TUNDE OYESINA, Ndukuba bares his mind on the confab report and concluded that President Goodluck Jonathan has no requisite powers to compel the National Assembly to ratify the report.

How would you look at the confab’s resolution on the new Constitution?

I will say without fair or favor that getting a valid constitution from the just concluded conference is a ruse or a dream that can never come true.

First and foremost, the conference does not have a constitutional or legal backing, so the gathering is void ab initio. Something cannot stand on nothing and expect it to stand. It is the National Assembly that is empowered to make a constitution and not a national conference. We should all remember that the life span of this National Assembly is still on and anything pertaining to the constitution done outside the National Assembly cannot hold water. The best that can happen is to forward the resolutions of the conference to the National Assembly to assist in the review of the constitution. But be that as it may, the resolutions are not binding on the house rather it is persuasive. I also think the process to make laws should be reviewed in a way that the contributions of the Nigerians will reflect. That is when we can truly say that" We the people..." So, in summary, I don't see any tangible thing coming of the resolutions of the conference.

Some of your colleagues have queued behind a six-year single term for President and Governors, would you share their view?

Personally, it is a good move. But we need to wait whether the suggestion will be accepted by the House or not, but in the real sense of it, it will bring about a positive change to our democracy.

It will also limit the dirty politicking that is being caused by succession and will reduce the politics of thuggery and assassination. It will also give whoever is voted in the opportunity to perform since he knows he has no second term. So, such elected leader will put in his best to deliver as such person can learn the job for two years and spend the remaining four years to deliver dividends of democracy to the people.

It will further help to assess the performance of the elected officer within the period as nothing will distract him within the six years period of office.

The six-year single tenure will also help the rotational concept adopted by the nation among the geopolitical zones. This is because, once a President from a particular zone is in power, other zones will be working towards presenting a candidate to succeed the incumbent one.

will take extra efforts from INEC to do otherwise in delivering the mandate of their paymaster.

We now have a new executive of the NBA, how would you assess the immediate past leadership of the Bar? Obviously, NBA has had better leadership in the past. Governance is a continum. Though Okey Wali has finished his tenure but we can't do a good assessment until he had left and we see the performance of the next President.

That is when we can say how much Okey Wali has fared.

What is the most challenging case you have ever handled and what makes it challenging?

To defend a robbery suspect though I was successful in puncturing the evidence against him and getting him discharged it went completely against my ethics and Christian faith

Ndukuba

Corruption in the judiciary, what do you think is the way out?

Corruption is not just in the judiciary, but also endemic in every sector of the Nigerian polity. However, part of the ways to solving this is by having an independent judiciary that is financially independent from the purse strings of the executive arm of government. Every facet of the country is corrupt, so don't let us pretend as if it is only the judiciary. And do you know there is no way you can separate the judiciary from the society.

But I think the present Chief Justice Nigeria is trying and this has brought a drastic reduction in the level of corruption in the society. Let me add here that the politicians are the sole agents of corruption contaminating our judiciary. Also to eradicate corruption in this country, a holistic approach must be employed. Also, the arms that needed proper funding should be made to enjoy so. If these are done, I am sure corruption will be reduced to the minimum.

Apart from the issue of a valid constitution, what other good things can you say of the confab report?

To me, that conference is an exercise in futility. The programme failed from the conception because to me there is no vision, it is only to satisfy

Any attempt to implement the resolutions arising from the national confab may lead to an unending legal battle

selfish ambition of some people. Also, there is no law backing it up. I am even surprised to see some lawyers attending it and senior lawyers for that matter. The conference failed ab initio.

None of its decision or resolution can be implementable. Any attempt to implement any may lead to a legal tussle whereby the court will be invited to interpret the provision of the Constitution. The conference could have been made an informal talking meeting. This is because we lawyers will ask when the time comes, the validity of the conference.

2015 is around the corner, do you see INEC as performing above aboard in the elections?

INEC’s performance will always be tied to the whims and caprices of the government in power. This will remain so long as the Federal executive arm is the appointing and funding authority that breathes life into INEC. So, I don't seem to see INEC performing in a way that Nigerians will not complain.

Though, one could say that the electoral body has performed well but judging them by two states will be a disaster.

I don't think INEC can detach itself from the hold of the federal government and if this is not done, there can't be a free and fair election because, he who pays the piper dictates the tune.

Are you now saying that a free and fair election in 2015 remains a tall dream?

Hmmm! Free and fair election will be determined by the referees of the election which is INEC. If the umpire is attached to a party, it does not suggest that the election can be free and fair. Free and fair election will be measured by certain factors. But from all indications, I don't foresee a free and fair election. Though, there may not be killings or maiming, but surely, it

Poor salary for young lawyers, what is your take on this?

Not fair at all and such does not encourage mentorship in the profession.

It discourages young lawyers from opting to make a career in legal practice.

Generally, from events unfolding ahead of the 2015 elections, do you think the judiciary is ready for petitions that may arise from the elections?

This will always be determined by the level of interference (or not) of the government in power. Many Judges are also being influenced by the prevalent corruption in the society. This will definitely play a big part too in the independence of the judiciary.

Who is Kelechi Ndukuba?

My full names are Mr. Kelechi Chinedu Ndukuba Esq. I come from Imo State, Nigeria. I attended College of Education Demonstration School (Shell Camp Primary School), Owerri, Archdeacon Dennis Junior Seminary, Mbieri, Imo State, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, University of Benin and the Nigerian Law School, Bwari Abuja.

Why law?

Law has always been my dream course; nobody pushed me to read law.

I have always had the flair for constructive arguments. I was also the lead debate student in my secondary school. I also discovered that I have the passion to defend perceived underdogs. I was convinced I could play my part to create an equitable society through the instrumentality of the law.

The above factors were coupled with the fact that I like seeing people particularly in wig and gown and I have always dreamt of being like them one day. In fact, reading law was a dream fulfilled.

Any embarrassing moment since called to Bar? Depending on the definition as a lawyer, but the day that readily comes to my mind now was the day I appeared in court for a client, and was naively arguing and reopening an application that had already been ruled over by the court in favour of my client. The Judge had to subtly caution and redirect me. When I discovered that I had been trailing towards the wrong direction, I felt so much embarrassed, anyhow, I later got over it and it became part of my retinue of experience as a practicing lawyer.

LAW | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Case files pile up as new legal year begins NEW LEASE Scores of suits adjourned sine die get judges as new legal year begins Tunde Oyesina

T

he nation's judiciary will on Monday begin its new legal year as all the judges are back to their duty post. In other words, Judges who had proceeded on a twomonth annual vacation, will resume fully and adjudicate on pending and fresh matters.

It is an age-long tradition that the courts must go on annual vacation to enable judges to take a break and rest.

During the vacation, all activities within the courts are always put in abeyance except for some civil and non-contentious cases which are handled by vacation judges.

Although the Federal High Court would have resumed last Monday, judges could not be at their duty posts following a statutory ongoing conference in Owerri during which a ceremony to commence the new legal year will hold.

Already, the Supreme Court had put finishing touches to its resumption for the commencement of another new legal year.

At resumption of the judges and the new legal year, some cases which had been put on hold following the court’s vacation will commence immediately.

Also, some many pending political cases which the court will have to determine, will commence.

Top on the cause list of the Federal High Court is a suit filed by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke against the two chambers of the National Assembly, challenging their powers to probe allegations that she spent N10 billion on chartered private jets.

The Minister filed the suit on a day the House Committee on Public Accounts invited her, the Group Managing Director of Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, Andrew Yakubu, and the Federal Airports Authority, FAAN, to appear before it to explain their roles in the alleged N10 billion jet scam.

Specifically, the Minister, in the suit prayed the Abuja Division of the Federal High Court to go ahead and determine whether by virtue of the provisions of Sections 88, 89 and 214 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), the legislature or any of its committees are legally and constitutionally empowered and/or competent to personally/physically probe or conduct investigation into allegations of fraud or other criminal activities said to have occurred in agencies under the supervision or control of the Ministry of Pe-

Justice Aloma Mukhtar, CJN

troleum, when agencies exist that are legally and constitutionally empowered to carry out or conduct such investigations into alleged fraud or other criminal acts and prosecute offenders on conclusion of their investigations.

Also, the court in this new legal year will decide the fate of the five governors that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The governors are Alhaji Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Rotimi Amaechi (Rivers), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano) and Abdulfatah Ahmed (Kwara).

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was listed as a defendant alongside the governors in the suit filed on behalf of the PDP by Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN).

PDP’s contention is that the governors should be sacked from office on the grounds that, because of their defection, they have forfeited their offices which, as a result have reverted to the party.

The court had at the last sitting adjourned the matter sine dine for the plaintiff to properly serve the defendants.

Besides, the court will be adjudicating on the suit filed by the defected lawmakers seeking to stop the leadership of the house from declaring their seats vacant.

In the suit, the plaintiffs are asking the court to restrain the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Representatives from conducting any proceedings aimed at declaring their seats, and that of any other members of the

PDP who intend to join another political party, vacant.

Specifically, the lawmakers are equally asking the court to restrain INEC from accepting nominations of any candidates and conducting byeelections aimed at filing their seats.

The court had earlier ordered all the parties involved in the suit to maintain status quo, pending the determination of the matter.

After the order, the PDP wrote Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, asking him to order the 37 defected lawmakers to return to the party.

Another suit that will court the attention of the public in the new legal year is the pension scam trial involving a former director of pension in the office of the Head of Service, Dr. Sani Teidi.

The controversies surrounding the bail granted Teidi is expected to be laid to rest finally in the legal year.

Teidi was arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, (EFCC), alongside Udusegbe Eric Omoefe and their companies, on a 22-count charge bordering on obtaining money by false pretence, conspiracy to commit fraud and concealing the illicit origin of stolen pensions fund, totaling over N18.3 bn.

The companies are: Gozinda Enterprises, Bashinta Nigeria Limited, Haleath Enterprises, Uthatak Nigeria Limited, Krasiva Nigeria Limited, Badawulu Ventures Limited, Ebunu Attah Investment, Muha Millennium Motors Limited and Ribaile Petroleum Limited.

23

‘Maiduguri must not fall' CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

way because what is important is to flush out this hoodlums. Government must lead by example to create room for others to follow because one thing that makes the whole effort fruitless is to bring politics into the fighting this war”.

A Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. A.O. Mohammed, said although I am not a military man but personally I am highly disappointed that the Boko Haram seems to be having the upper hand than our highly respected military.

“The thinking was that these insurgents would have been curtailed and flushed out but what we are rather hearing is more like a nightmare. What excuse will one give as to why this people have to take over some Nigerian territory, it’s really disheartening. I do not want to believe that the Boko Haram is more powerful or more equipped than the almighty Nigerian army, because it is difficult to believe. Even if we know it is a gorilla war and not a conventional war, we however expect something better from our military.

“So, having heard that the insurgents had taken over some villages is not encouraging at all and it’s in a way tarnishing the image of the military and it’s embarrassing. Government should without hesitation take drastic measure to deal with them and flush them out of the surface of the earth. It is indeed enough and it is time to truncate their existence in Nigeria”.

To Dr. Joseph Nwobike, SAN, “the Federal government should exert more authority, more airstrike and ground troops. And their rules of engagement should considerably do whatever it takes to end this issue of insurgency once and for all right now”.

In his view, Chief Awa Kalu, a Senior Advocate, said "I don't see that the military alone can solve the insurgency. Well, we have to look at the cause, we have to see if there are grievances because there are a lot of people who think that grievances are not genuine.

"When a group of people say that they don't like western education, does that sufficiently give a cause for violence? I would say that when somebody is acting in a particular manner, the African tradition obliges us to ask, 'Na wetin dey vex you', that is my take on it".

Another Senior Advocate, Mr. Sam Tomi Ologunorisa believes that the insurgency bedeviling the nation remains an ill-wind that would blow no one any good, lamenting that the menace which started as a joke may consume the country if it was arrested.

"Every day one hears bomb explosion here and there.

Women and children are being killed. Nobody is being spared as it cuts across divides, religion and ethnicity.

Ajulo

Boko haram does not know a Christian neither a Muslim, it does not know a Southerner, Northerner, it does not know anybody. We must all come together irrespective of our political divide to find a common solution.

"I beg the people involved to embrace dialogue, whatever their grievances are, they should come forward, it is very difficult to dialogue or negotiate with faceless people. The government should call every leader together and solve this problem for the common good.

"The military option may not be the best but we don't have a choice at the moment because the government cannot fold its arms while its people are being killed every day.

"So my take is that we must join hands with the government to put an end to this insurgency. The madness is getting out of hand.

Godwin Obla, also a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said described the security challenge as a mixture of many things that were beyond religion as individuals had hijacked it.

Obla said: "The original Boko Haram leaders have essentially been eliminated, a substantial number of them have been eliminated. So, we are now having a new crop of leaders. I think people should begin to see Boko Haram like a franchise. It is like McDonald, you know everybody is forming his own, when armed robbers go to bank and rob, they say they are Boko Haram.

"People abduct women and when they go to their hiding place, they will see packs of condom, and they say they are Boko Haram. People will enter secondary schools and kill and mutilate people and they say they are Boko Haram.

"I think we are paying the price for so many things.

Our economy, our disposition to social welfare to our people, the level of unemployment and then, high level of poverty of mind that allows people to be manipulated by religious extremists.

"When we deal with all that, there will be solution.

And those who have been behaving like Pontius Pilate, politicians who when this thing started initially, you know a lot of them were behaving as it if it was only a CONTINUED ON PAGE 26

24 JURIST

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Akanbi: Why my hands HE looks radiant at 82. Justice Mustapha Akanbi, the pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) and retired president, Court of Appeal, bares his mind on the nation’s security challenge, American prediction on Nigeria and 2015 elections, corruption, judiciary and sundry issues. APPOLOS CHRISTIAN met him in Ilorin.

You have a Foundation, how is the Foundation doing?

The foundation is really doing very well. We started in 2006 and so far, we have organized a lot of symposia, workshops and lectures where we brought many eminent men such as Prof. Gambari when he was with the United Nations and the renowned Guardian Newspaper Columnist, Prof. Jide Osuntokun, who spoke on various issues bordering on democracy, education, corruption, judiciary ethics and democratic government. We have also organized courses and classes for students on English Language and other subjects to help better their educational pursuit. Presently, we have just inaugurated Integrity Intellectual Forum, an affiliate of Mustapha Akanbi Foundation.

The forum focuses on many issues affecting the state of Nigeria because our country is really not going the way it should be and we alone cannot solve our problems. Honestly, things were not like this in the colonial era and even in the post-independence period. It’s very unfortunate that things appear to be upside-down when we are expecting it better.

So, the foundation is busy in the track and relentlessly doing its best to making sure that our hope of having a better Nigeria will be met. And with or without me around say in the next twenty or thirty years from now, the foundation will be stronger and keep doing its best because we have the most respectable men of integrity and honour, in the likes Dr. Abdulsalam.M., Fatai Bello and many more who are committed to the Foundation’s objectives.

From your comment sir, it’s obvious that many things are wrong in the country. How would you look at the country in this scenario?

Nigeria? Well, I worked as a Clerk in the ministry of justice in Kaduna before I went to read law. As a lawyer, I rose through the rank to the post of a senior state counsel when I resigned my appointment from the ministry of justice for private legal practice, precisely in Kano.

Thereafter, I was later joined by Abdulai Ibrahim, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria and former Attorney-General.

On October 2, 1974, I was invited to the Bench and became a judge of the Federal High Court. By the grace of God, in 1977, I was elevated to the Court of Appeal, where I became the president in 1992.

So, throughout my legal practice and judicial career, Nigeria was a country you could be proud of as there was decency, fairness and justice. There was no question of begging or lobbying for a position because as you are qualified, you will be recognized, recommended and appointed.

And again, there was discipline, integrity and honesty.

But today, in Nigeria, one cannot say of such as things have gone awry and corruption all over the place despite our initial

Justice Akanbi

effort to tackle corruption. So, it is obvious that Nigeria of today is not the Nigeria anyone is happy about which is an evidence that we all need to work hard and change our attitude for the better-a new leaf of honesty, accountability, probity in whatever we do.

It is saddening that Nigeria which was once the pride of the black race is unfortunately something else today, and it breaks my heart. People may say we are over emphasizing the issues but it is very evident in reality. There is wealth and at the same time we have poverty, unemployment and one cannot even mention them all at once. We don’t even have the middle-class anymore because they have been wiped out, and the result is that people have to lobby before they can get anything. There is nepotism, if you don’t belong to the political class you hardly can feed. So, it is very clear that Nigeria urgently needs our collective effort to survive, and I believe there are so many good men out there starting from even the president that will do the very needful for the sake of our dear Nigeria.

Islam no doubt, is a religion of peace, how would you refer to this deadly sect called Boko Haram?

Honestly, they are not true Muslims and I am yet to understand why they are doing this evil they are perpetuating against the Nigerian people. What they are doing negate everything I have been thought by my father, teachers and everybody. I am a Muslim by blood and name.

And I belong to the fourth generation of Muslims in my family. I also came from an undiluted Islamic home. Also, I was fortunate to attend a Christian school in Ghana and I did Bible Knowledge just as I studied the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, the Acts of the Apostles and the Synoptic Gospels. I understand them very

well.

Having said all these, I think there is a certain misunderstanding about Islam.

Islam does not preach violence. Islam means peace; it teaches you to be kind to your fellow man, it doesn’t allow a life to be taken unjustly without going through the process of law. To kill one person in Islam is like killing a thousand people.

So, the Boko Haram they talk and said is an Islamic body, if they are, then they are not following the tenets of Islam, killing another human being is not Islam at all.

So, the situation is rather political considering what one hears and reads in the news because what they are doing is not of Islam, and it started through political associations, when politicians in that part of the country were using thugs to fight themselves to achieve their selfish political ends.

Now, it has gone out of hands and it’s apparent that other foreign groups have joined them. So, in my thinking, the politicians especially from that part of the country will have to brace up for a solution to the problem. And those that have been accused of having their hands in this evil doing of Boko Haram should be duly investigated and punished if found guilty.

Government for any reason should not accommodate or spare anyone found guilty of having anything to do with terrorism.

And a clear point is that any government that fails to tackle a problem head long will continue to have problems because when government fails to punish those that are found to be corrupt, others will take note and things will only go from bad to worse. I strongly call that the issues of serious threat to the existence of Nigeria should not be politicized for any reason or any person no matter how highly placed one is.

What is the Islamic injunction against those

All I had in mind to do was handicapped by the fact that the environment to fight corruption was not created

who kill others?

As it is clearly written, Allah will not forgive a man that takes pleasure in the killing of others or who kills in his name because it is not written anywhere that God says one should kill in his name. So, anyone who thinks he is carrying out a Jihad, killing people, is committing an abomination against Allah and he will not forgive or have a place for such a person in his kingdom.

There is terrorism everywhere, especially in the Middle-East and now in Nigeria, all in the name of Islam, is there a problem with religion or its adherents?

Well, it is not the question of Islam but humanity; things have really turned upside down, and these situations are sometimes beyond comprehension. I have taken time to think about man and religion, and it’s very clear to me that human beings are doing the opposite of what religion itself requires of us. There is no one that will come from anywhere to say that a certain religion requires of him to kill and maim fellow human beings for gratification or glorification of God. So, Islam has not asked or directed anyone to kill or force people to become Muslims as it’s sad that people for their selfish reasons, choose to perpetuate evil in the name of religion and God, and I am sure God will not forgive such people.

In your own understanding, what does the ongoing Boko Haram insurgency in the Northern Nigeria and their takeover of some key towns in Adamawa and Maiduguri purports for the corporate existence of Nigeria?

Having heard that the Boko Haram has captured and declared Bama an Islamic caliphate, my fear is that some predictions by the Americans that Nigeria will disintegrate by 2015 will not come to pass and I hate to think that this might be the beginning of it.

I remember when a governor said that the insurgents were better armed than the Nigerian army he was called all sorts of names. But from what is happening now, is there no element of truth in what he said? Now, if as at the time he said this, the issue was looked into dispassionately and a matching solution was found, maybe, we wouldn’t have been where we are today

JURIST

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

25

were tied as ICPC boss as the Boko Haram’s insurgency is posing a very serious danger to the Nigerian community because Maiduguri is a very important city for Nigeria. If it is captured in this wise we are hearing it, then we are in a state of war which requires serious measures and government must acknowledge that we are in a state of war unless it knows something else that we don’t know.

But I don’t think anyone wants war in this country. Many of us witnessed the Biafra war and what it meant in both life and properties. For that reason, everyone especially the politicians should stop fooling around and face the war that faces us before it turns to our worst nightmare and if they continue to play politics with the situation at hand now, it is definitely going to be the saddest mistake of our time.

The Abducted Chibok schoolgirls till date, are still with the deadly insurgents, why do you think this is so in a country that parades the best army in Africa?

Best army in Africa? Well, Nigeria used to be the pride of the black people.

When there was trouble in any part of the west coast, the Nigerian army will be there to solve the problem. For instance, in Liberia, Congo and many other African countries, Nigerian army was always there to solve problems. But now insurgency is given us a problem and we seem not to be able to solve the problem. I keep wondering how they found their way and abducted these girls in the first place in a state where security was supposed to be a priority of the government. With this, obviously it doesn’t show that there was any security in place in the first place. So, the government must really strengthen security and make the Nigerian soldiers what they used to be which made the rest of the African nations to be proud of us.

Were you to be in the government sir, what strategy would you recommend against this deadly Boko Haram?

Well, I am not in government but a legal practitioner by profession. But if I must say something; the president alone cannot do everything, he cannot fight corruption by himself. So, a serious commitment and determination is the first and best strategy I will recommend. A full determination that will not mind whether he will continue to be there as president or not, he should be ready to even die for the country because every other person will first and always look up to him, and if we must die then it is more profitable we die nobly. So, I will ask everyone to guide his or her own loins, rally around and come up with possible solutions on how we can solve the problem that is facing us. Get all the enforcement agencies with various solutions, ideas and work together as a team. The governors should also collapse their security allowance to tackle terrorism and security situation in their respective states.

You are 82 years old now, looking back, would you say this is the Nigeria of your dream?

No, this is not the Nigeria of my dream.

Growing up in those days, I used to see a vision of a great country; a nation that will be the hope of Africa. Image that Nigeria once had its own airline (Nigerian Airways), companies and most things a country that will survive should have.

But where are they now? Today, we cannot build cars, aircraft or manufacture anything to compete with the rest of the world, and like they usually say, if Nigeria cannot do it, which other African nation can do it? So, if it cannot be the Nigeria of my dream, how can it be the Nigeria of your own dream? In fact everything is wrong at the same time in Nigeria.

Educational standard has gone beyond low. Today, Geography students cannot

draw correctly the map of Nigeria let alone Africa or other countries. They are no more teaching history in schools and you hardly see literature students. Imagine a school of a huge number of students where my granddaughter attends, she is the only one doing history, and when Professor Rukayat Ahmed Rufai was the minister of Education, I wrote to her, alerting her that if students don’t know the history of their nation or other nations, it will be difficult to build a country.

Secondly, the way we behave in those days is not what you see today in the behaviour of both adults and children.

Many of the ‘big men’ send their children abroad to study; a lot of Nigerians go to Ghana to study, why should it be so? I am just saying a few things to show that this is not the country of my dream, but I do hope that within the next few years it may please God to spare my life, we may begin to witness changes.

Nigeria has been battling with corruption for some years. Today, terrorism seems to compound it, any hope for Nigeria?

Well, I thank God that right from my childhood I have always been an optimist and this has been success after success no matter how ugly the situation may have appeared. I have never believed in failure, hence, I have not seen a reason to be pessimistic about the future of Nigeria otherwise why should I at this time when I am 82 years old be forming Integrity Forum?

It is because I have reasons to believe that there is great future for Nigeria. I strongly believe it is not too late for all of us who, the younger ones are looking unto for legacies that will see them to achieve that which we have already failed to achieve or do because I see a better Nigeria. So, I have every hope that we can but will need men and women to take up the responsibility to ensure Nigeria’s survival.

You have been around for some time sir.

When would you say you observed that things were not going in the right way for the country?

Well, let me put it this way: the profession which I belong to is the legal profession and I told you that in the past when people were to be appointed they were recommended by their superiors who appreciated their competence and integrity. But at a stage within the judiciary, I began to see judges hobnobbing with the politicians, lobbying to get appointment to certain positions of dignity and

Justice Akanbi

I refused to go for a second term in office because of overwhelming corruption honour. I also began to see some of the lawyers going about lobbying and trying to bribe judges. With all these, I started thinking of bowing out. And this was precisely within the time the military took over the government. So, immediately I clocked 65 years I decided to retire. But during that time, General Sani Abacha, raised the retirement age to 70years so I stayed. But immediately General Abacha died, I retired from the Bench. And again I was appointed to probe a N12.5 billion case and I did my best after which I was made the chairman of ICPC but after a term in office, I resigned. When I was asked to go for a second term by former president Obasanjo I refused because of the overwhelming corruption that had become very obvious.

What would you say differentiated your days on the Bench from today’s judiciary?

The judiciary was really doing so fine in Nigeria before now that other African country especially the East Africa such as Botswana, Kenyan and many others were requesting for judges from Nigeria to serve in their uppermost judicial positions. Such judges included Justice Adolphus Karibi-Whyte. I was a judge of the Court of Appeal in Gambia, Justice Emmanuel Ayoola became their Chief Judge, the late Jide Olatawura also was a judge there too and so many other judges.

It was when the people trusted Nigerians because we were men of high honour and integrity. But over the period, things started changing as if some mysterious power took over our country and polluted it with corruption and every other kind of unethical behaviour and impunity.

Now you hear and see a level and manner of corruption, so massive in the way that it’s too true to believe, and sometimes I wonder whether it is still the Nigeria I used to know. And this is during the military era. Even at the early stage, erring judges were disciplined but it is so different today because they openly engage in corruption knowing that nothing will

happen to them as each one knows the others’ corrupt activities. From the little I have just said, you see that the different is clear. The judiciary which was the place for men of honour and integrity, the vindicating power and hope of the people is now an avenue of greater evil. Thank God for the current CJN, Justice Mariam Aloma-Mukhta. She has done so well. For the first time in a long time, judges are sacked and disciplined and things never seen in recent times in the judiciary are now being seen. So, it is my prayer that Aloma Mukhta’s successor will follow in her footsteps so that the judiciary will return to the place it were during our time and even be better.

To what extent would you say your days on the Bench applied the instrumentality of the law to correct some of the ills bedevilling the nation especially in the legal profession?

Well, when I became the president of the Court of Appeal I introduced a lot of measures. As a matter of fact when I reported in Lagos, a few chaps in the registry were corrupt and I made sure five of them were dismissed. And in other sections, I posted and reposted some of them to other sections having noticed of their corrupt behaviours. Lucky enough, to be a member of the National Judicial Council at the same time I did my very best to contribute my own quota in making sure that erring judges were disciplined, some of them were dismissed. In fact they knew me very well that I did not tolerate or condone or support any corrupt person no matter the position of such a person, and that preceded my reputation even till now. So, as far as I am concerned within the system at my time, I revolutionized some of the departments in a manner that we were to get sanity. So, courts were not run as the ministry of works where contractors hover around, hoping to claim one money or contract. So, I introduced measures of not tolerating or condoning any act of corruption from anybody and it worked well.

You were the pioneer chairman of the ICPC, what would you say was the difference you brought into the anti-corruption war?

General Muhammadu Buhari during his time introduced war against indiscipline and corruption. But the first person to really setup a body to fight corruption was Chief Olusegun Obasanjo when he setup the ICPC. The ICPC started on a terrible note because the constitutionality of setting up that body was challenged in court. Prof.

Nwabueze and the late Chief Rotimi Williams were the counsel employed by the Ondo state government then that the legality of the body. But the body survived the court challenge, the problem being the law, of which we tried to amend and was called to the House of Representatives several times to defend the amendment of anti-corruption law. Regrettably, up till now nothing has been done about it.

And all we were hoping was for them to amend and make it formal for the anti-graft agencies to be able to arrest a person whether we have the formal report or not. If we read or receive information through the media of any corruption act we should be able to invite the person and interview him or her but they are not ready to make it easy for the agency to do its work because they themselves are not ready to fight corruption. So, all this were the reasons I said the ICPC started on a terrible note. So, all I had in mind to do was handicapped by the fact the environment to really fight corruption was not created or given what it needed to fight corruption, and that was why I decided not to go for a second term.

26 LAW | news

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

T

herefore, the law enforcement authorities must do the needful within the provisions of the law and use such discretions as permitted by the enabling laws and case laws to conduct identification parades.

Police bail is a constitutional right of the accused person when not related to capital offences. Capital offences are those punishable by death or life imprisonment which includes offences of Murder, Homicide, Rape, Armed Robbery, Mutiny, War Espionage (internal enemy of our country in times of war), et al.

Therefore, right to bail for a suspect under police custody is constitutional under Section 35 (4) (b) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended). Pre-trial bail is available to the suspect at the police station and police extract of his statement in the presence of his lawyer or on video if offence is committed in Lagos. Section 35 (6) provides that “any person who is unlawfully arrested or detained shall be entitled to compensation and public apology from the appropriate authority or person specified by law.”

The second kind of bail is the Pretrial bail in court after the charges have been read to the accused person and upon acceptance that the matter should be tried in that court.

If he objects to the trial of the case in the Magistrate Court and want it tried, for instance, in the High Court, suspect will be reminded in prison custody pending when case file will be transferred to the High Court through the usual administrative procedure. Once bail is granted, the accused person and his or her surety is expected to meet the bail terms or conditions. Upon satisfying the court on the terms, his or her bail is processed and accused released on bail.

Usually, sureties are made to sign congnisance forms which specify the amount to be forfeited to the court if the accused person jumps bail or cannot be produced in court by the surety. It is strongly recommended that the surety should trust the character or pedigree of the accused person before signing bail bonds in court.

It follows that an accused person who is arrested or detained shall be brought before a court of law within a reasonable time, and if he is not tried within a period of two months from the date of his arrest or detention in the case of a person who is in custody or is not entitled to bail; or three months from the date of his arrest or detention in the case of a person who has been released on bail, he shall without prejudice to any further proceedings that may be brought against him; be re-

*Dr. Oghenesivbe, is a member, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (M.NIIA), a political and socio-economic analyst.

FredLatimore Oghenesivbe

Pre-trial investigation in criminal litigation Pre-trial investigations must be conducted or carried out with due compliance to the judge’s rules and other enabling laws and enactments leased either unconditionally or upon such conditions as are reasonably necessary to ensure that he appears for trial at a later date as decided in Eda v. Commissioner of Police (1982.

In a situation where bail is refused in violation of the constitutional rights of the accused or where bail is an issue based on his or her fundamental rights to liberty under section 34 (1), Section 35 (4) (5) of the 1999 constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria (as amended), the suspect is entitled to apply to court under the legal instrumentality of Habeas Corpus to order the person or authority to produce the body of the accused and not whether he is guilty or not. The emphasis here is the production of the physical body of the accused in court and to show cause for the further detention of the accused person or suspect without trail.

Habeas Corpus proceedings are usually governed by State Laws and application is made ex-parte accompanied by a deposition of Oath, stating the facts and circumstances of the wrongful detention necessitating the filing of the application. It is a provision of the Fundamental Rights (Enforcement Procedure) Rules, 2009 and is a potent and reliable weapon for the restoration of abridged and deprived fundamental rights of detainees anywhere in Nigeria. In the

case of Alhaji Manfred v. Inspector General of Police & others, the court ordered the immediate release of the applicant from detention as well as the release of his confiscated properties on the grounds that the Police lacked the power to carry out his arrest without sufficient evidence, and also had no powers to confiscate his property and personal effect without a valid court order.

It follows that where a police officer or authority confiscates or seize properties which belong to the suspect or accused without first obtaining the order of court, such action is illegal and void ab initio and offends the rule of law. For example, the police have no right whatsoever to seize and retain the international passport of an accused or suspect without the order of the court as was decided in Director of State Security Services (SSS) v.

Olisa Agbakoba. In that case, the SSS was made to pay compensation plus public apology to the plaintiff.

Exhibits in police station are kept by the police in the registry department away from the reach of the accused person and tendered in court as evidence. However, there are a lot of difficulties connected with this especially in Nigerian Police Stations where there are lacks of proper facilities to keep exhibits. Sometimes, exhibits disappear in police stations before the case commences in court.

Police Officers are prohibited from keeping exhibits in their private custody. All exhibits must be kept at the registry or such safe areas as provided by the police authorities.

Exhibits must be directly connected to the offence or crime committed by the accused person. Any other properties belonging to the accused persons not related to the offence committed should not be interfered with by the prosecution. However,

if the prosecution is convinced that certain properties so acquired by the suspect or the accused person is related to the proceeds from such offences, application must be made to the court and approval obtained before such properties can be confiscated. These include the personal effects of the accused person, monies in bank accounts, Vehicles, landed properties, et al.

In conclusion therefore, pre-trial investigations must be conducted or carried out with due compliance to the judge’s rules and other enabling laws and enactments. Time is of the essence in criminal law litigation which is why law enforcement agencies and officers must of a necessity be proactive in the discharge of their duties. Unnecessary delay of court proceedings by the prosecution or the defense counsel constitutes to a large extent delayed justice which is why some of the criminal cases especially in the Magistrate Courts are dismissed or struck out where the court is of the opinion that too much time is being wasted as a result of multiplicity of adjournments coupled with failure of both complainant and accused person to attend proceedings.

A criminal charge may also be dismissed if the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt and in such circumstances the accused person will be discharged and acquitted by the court. A person can be discharged but not acquitted.

In such cases, the matter can be revisited or revived in the future by the prosecution. But when an accused person is discharged and acquitted; the case dies or brought to an absolute finality and the accused person is clean as if he was never accused of the commission of the offence.

The Police must observe constitutional rights of the suspect or the accused person so as not to give room for quashing of charges that would ordinarily succeed based on the evidence before the court. One of such is where a suspect or accused person pleads alibi and gives particulars as to justify his claim but the police fails to investigate the particularly so provided. In this case, the court will assume that prosecution accepted the defense of alibi and the accused person may be discharged and acquitted. Therefore, there is the absolute need for the training and re-training of crime detectors and core criminologists within the rank and file of law enforcement agencies and departments so as to upgrade their knowledge and skills in crime detection and prosecutorial legal capabilities.

Nwobike, Akanbi, others to FG: Maiduguri must not fall CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

government problem.

"But now it is consuming everybody and beyond the government. The elders and young people from those communities are all stakeholders in this thing. They should not pretend as if they don't know these people. If fifty or hundred people are moving, people have an obligation to give information to the security agencies as quickly as they see those people.

"Nobody will convince me that they see hundreds of people moving in so many trucks with ammunition on them and then they just close their eyes to it or they pretend that nothing is happening. It is not possible because where are these

ammunition hidden?

"This arms cache did not come from the blues, they were not flown in but must have traversed some kilometers. The vehicles that carry these weapons are not the typical military vehicles. So, we should stop pretending and behaving like Pontius Pilate who even when he found Jesus Christ not guilty, said ‘I wash my hands, I still hand him over to you’.

"The leaders in the zones know these people, they are not faceless, they have families, they have roots, they have family houses, they have kinsmen.

If we want an end then everyone from the troubled zone, need to braze up and help the government and the security agencies to uncover them.

Ozekhome, SAN

"If we continue to play deception, it won't take us to anywhere. It may be in the North today, who knows what will

happen tomorrow? It is the fight of the entire Nigerians and not a particular region".

Kayode Ajulo in his reactions said the Federal Government needs to be pragmatic in dealing with the Boko Haram insurgents.

He said: "This is not an ordinary strive, it is not an ordinary war and we can't even call it civil war, what we have presently is a full blown war which using political sentiments or political permutations will not solve.

"Everything under our disposal should be used to clear the insurgents once and for all as their motive is clear, this is how it started in Libya, Egypt and other countries, no price should be too much to bring peace to Nigeria.

"I see no reason why there should be no total declaration of state of emergency with dismantling of all democratic structures till peace is restored, I see no reason why the service chiefs should not relocate to the war front and I think it is necessary that all the rallies by APC and PDP as well as their sympathisers be aborted.

"It is also imperative that the populace be better informed and appreciated the need to be patriotic to our father land. Finally, all those accused of collaborating with Boko Haram should be arrested, investigated and prosecuted immediately.

"I repeat we are at full blown war and we need to respond accordingly".

HEALTH

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

GARLIC: BEST KNOWN AS FOOD FLAVOURING AND PREVENTIVE MEDICINE

27

}p-29 appolonia adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline. com

THURSday, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

Ebola: Time to reactivate surveillance for infections, says virologist Dr. Agbede, Olajide Olubunmi is a product of the prestigious George Washington University and Howard University, both in Washington DC, United States of America (USA) where he trained in biochemical genetics and virology between 1968 and 1978. Currently he is a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Medical Microbiology and Parasitology, College of Health Sciences, University of Ilorin. In this interview with BIODUN OYELEYE, he discusses the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) in Nigeria and called on health authority to reactivate surveillance system for infections transmitted from wild animals to man. Excerpt: The approval by the WHO to the use of the experimental drugs was conditioned on the consent of the patients, how does that help? he approval is a welcome development because we do not have any other means of arresting the progression of infection and if the objective is to save lives of those that are infected then we should allow to use experimental drugs as long as it is going to safe lives even when we are not quite fully informed about the untoward effects of that drug. As long as it is going to save lives we can take the chances and use them.

H5N1, the influenza virus; all of them are zoonotic diseases. Now, when it looked like the echoes are dying off on H5N1 even though the virus is still around, we are now talking about Ebola virus. I think that calls for a concerted effort by health authorities to reactivate surveillance system for infections that can be transmitted to man from wild animals.

I can recall, because I was part of that committee, late Professor Olikoye Ransome Kuti as Minister of Health appointed National Expert Committee on Surveillance of Diseases. I was one of them, Professor Oyewale Tomori, immediate past Vice Chancellor of Redeemer University, Professor Okafor, Professor Usalo from Calabar, because he foresaw and rightfully that such a committee is needed but to my knowledge the work of that committee had died down tremendously. This is now over 25 years;I have not heard anything. I have not been invited to any meeting for quite a long time; that has already died down. The mandate of that committee was to take up classical zoonotic infections like rabies, yellow fever and have continuous surveillance activities about their transmission, about their potential for local outbreaks and epidemic. That was what was intended but I think the Ebola has now underscored that particularly hemorrhagic fever and viral infections that are known to be resident in Africa. Some laboratories are working in USA on Ebola but we are not working very much about it here to my knowledge and this virus is indigenous to Africa and Asia.

Now the current epidemic has implications for the economy of the West African region because we are all developing economies.

T

Ebola seems to have so far defied science. How do you explain the virus and the disease?

Well let me explain that Ebola has not really defied science. Man has not spent time to explore the ecosystem of the virus to understand all ramifications of its existence and how it could be curtailed. It is certain that it is difficult to find drugs for many viral infections but we have made quite success of many that can be treated with drugs. It is just that the economy of the virus is that by and large it causes outbreaks in West Africa and it is very difficult to find manufacturers and companies that will invest many time huge amount of money to find drugs that could cure the hemorrhagic disease caused by Ebola.

The economy of the disease does not dictate that but now with globalisation and with what we have witnessed with this particular pandemic, it is now prudent for drug manufacturing companies to invest and come up with drugs that can be used to arrest symptoms of the disease.

Fruit eating bats are the reservoirs of this virus and in Ilorin we have some spots noted for bat habitation. Should we entertain any fear or not?

Fruit eating bats seem to be a good reservoir for the virus. We should not take things in isolation. We should consider the ecosystem of the reservoir. If bats are reservoirs, they could be shedding the virus in their droppings. Those droppings could be the source of erosolisation; animals can pick the aerosols, and they can now become infected but after their infection those same animals; can be hunted by man and brought to local restaurants as bush meat and then we run into the problem of eating contaminated animals.

In our country, we have not seen enforcement of legislation as it is in the western world. There, you cannot slaughter an animal that has not been cleared of an infection. If you are caught, it is a serious offence and you are likely to face a long

Dr. Agbede

period of incarceration but maybe such laws are in our books but we do not enforce them.

That is why health education becomes important; it would have to be a firm but gradual approach, talking to restaurateurs and hunters and considering that hunters are a very cohesive group in any community and they will understand. I know monkey is very prominent since the discovery of the first Ebola sub type in 1976 and even in places like Africa and Asia 10 percent of these monkeys exhibit antibodies. There is even evidence that in central Africa, about two-seven percent of those that have been tested have antibodies to Ebola virus. So, we should be very careful with games that hunters buy and sell to people in hospitality business for consumption.

Interestingly at the turn of the century, one of the notable scientists in the USA, Anthony Fortson, predicted that the success we had with childhood vaccines in the 20th century may not carry us through the kind of infection that we have in the 21st century.

He predicted that most of the infection we will be having in the 21st century will be zoonotic infections, meaning infections that

There, you cannot slaughter an animal that has not been cleared of an infection. If you are caught, it is a serious offence and you are likely to face a long period of incarceration but maybe such laws are in our books but we do not enforce them man acquires from animals. The century is living to the bill.

After 2000, we had to be talking about HIV and we know that monkeys are involved in West Africa. Then we moved away and by 2002 and 2003 we were talking about Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Thereafter, we, stated talking about

Why are western companies reluctant to invest on drugs for Ebola?

It is a nickel and dime business. I have insight into some activities of drug manufacturing; it costs billions of dollars to find drugs and out of that amount only about one to five percent of such drugs may turn out to be useful. Also this is the first time this outbreak has been large and long.

Ebola outbreak has never been this long in the past. Now there may be several ecologic reasons for that which may be left to a surveillance collaborating group to explore.

Then is the fact that the disease has been restricted to only very small countries, very small numbers are infected even though the mortality is very high.

When you now have to consider those factors you want to see maybe if any of the existing drugs would work and not to start on new exploration of new drugs which takes a very long process and even if they are found today unless the WHO lifts the C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 2 8

28 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

‘Drug companies must invest in drugs to cure Ebola’ C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 2 7

ban on untested drugs they should not come to the market. They nave to test them on animals, test them for safety and test to ensure they would not have undesirable effect and before the drug would come out, maybe you are aware of what Anthony Forson said that no vaccine would come out before 2015.

It seems the entry of the virus into Nigeria is a product of failed surveillance?

The entry into Nigeria is because we did not set up the alarm quick enough. I could recall that the Patrick Sawyer case came up sometimes towards the end of July and I could also recall that I was part of a roundtable discussion to educate the management of a facility and create awareness at large about Ebola. That was on July 16th; that was 10 days before the case of Sawyer was reported. Maybe because this current outbreak which started in July all along had skipped Nigeria, it was just assumed that we were likely to escape it. Nobody envisaged a Sawyer coming to Nigeria but we can allow that to pass. Now that we are aware of it we should take every step to contain the spread by making sure that kits and necessary facilities for this level of outbreaks are given to health workers and volunteers who are eager to seek a quick end to this outbreak in Nigeria.

Some people are of the opinion that we should intensify surveillance more on our land borders?

I agree with you particularly now given

the level of awareness. Anybody who feels that he may be carrying the infection and would be stopped at the airport may decide not to take flights into Nigeria and so resort to taking unusual route and that says something about the need to monitor the borders but you must agree that Nigeria has a very broad frontier across West Africa.

To police every one of them is not possible unless we want to deceive ourselves. However, we can start somewhere; some routes are frequently used by people who know them especially those who smuggle items that have been banned. So let us start from those routes.

Do you see an end to this pandemic?

I can tell you I see an end coming. If the measures that are put in place now are effectively pursued then, the Lagos outbreak will soon come to an end. I think virologists should be challenged to do some work.

Laboratories with high level of containment should be placed across the country. I am aware university of Ibadan has such facility, I am not sure how much of it exists in Lagos but it should not be limited to those places.

It should be in about four or five places in the country with a coordinating centre. We should be able to think and develop something. There are many people in this country who have studied and worked abroad in Europe who can do something provided the funding is there. I do not think we should always rely on what is coming from abroad.

We should be able to do something if the facilities are available.

Sugar could be worse for blood pressure than salt Tosin Omoniyi

t has been a general notion that excess salt intake increases the risk of strokes by a quarter and it has been blamed on three million deaths worldwide annually.

In fact, for years, the public have been urged to slash their salt intake and guidelines state it should be restricted to a teaspoon a day. On the contrary, a recent study claims sugar is more related to blood pressure than sodium.

Study authors argued that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. Scientists from New York and Kansas also highlight a recent study of 8,670 French adults which found no link between salt and high blood pressure. But in an article in the American Journal of Cardiology, researchers led

by Dr. James DiNicolantonio stated, “It is sugar not the salt that may be the actual causative factor for high blood pressure.

“This notion is supported by meta analyses of randomised control trials (large-scale studies) suggesting that sugar is more strongly related to blood pressure in humans than sodium. “Encouraging consumers to hold the sugar, not the salt, may be the better dietary strategy to achieve blood pressure control.”

Around a quarter of adults in the United Kingdom (UK) have high blood pressure and it greatly increases the risk of strokes and heart disease. This research is further evidence of the health risks posed by eating too much sugar. In June, officials issued new guidelines urging the public to limit themselves to between five and seven teaspoons a day over concerns it is causing obesity and type 2 diabetes.

The American researchers believe that high sugar levels affect a key area of the brain called the hypothalamus which causes the heart rate to quicken and blood pressure to rise. They also think it may cause our bodies to produce more insulin, a hormone, which may also speed up the

I

Cubes of sugar

PHOTO: eofdreams.com

heart rate.

Dr. DiNicolantonio, a heart disease research scientist at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute in Kansas City also contradicts experts who claim reducing salt consumptions will lower levels of obesity and heart disease.

He adds: ‘We argue the opposite, a reduction in salt intake may lead to an increased intake in processed foods (and added sugars) and, thereby, increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and cardiovascular disease.’

The reasons are complicated but it is thought that low salt levels increase the amount of certain fats in the blood.

Dr. Aseem Malhotra, a cardiologist and science director of Action on Sugar, a campaign group, said the public health risk posed by sugar had been underestimated. He added: “We know that sugar does not provide any nutrients and there is growing evidence it is an independent risk factor for many diseases.

However, Professor Graham McGregor, an expert in cardiovascular medicine at Queen Mary, the University of London, said the evidence blaming sugar rather than salt for high blood pressure was “incredibly weak.”

with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Kidney failure in most cases preventable

T

he kidneys are two bean shaped organs that serve essential roles, mainly responsible for the elimination of the body's waste products. They filter blood, produce urine and help the body get rid of excess water, salt and waste through the urine. When there are problems with any stage of the elimination, it may affect the overall health of the patient.

The loss of kidney functions may occur over days to weeks and may result in the inability to appropriately excrete nitrogenous wastes and may affect the fluid balance of the body. Sometimes, the effect can be mild and may be resolved without much intervention.

There are three main types of damage to the kidney - damages before the kidney (are vessels that bring blood to the kidney for elimination of toxins)/ within the kidney (structures in the kidney)/ after the kidney includes the ureter, prostate, bladder and urethra (structures after the kidney).

PRE-KIDNEY: Problems before the kidney are caused mostly by volume depletion.

This means there are not enough hydration /fluid going to the kidney which may be caused by fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, some medications (those used for pain such as ibuprofen and those used for managing high blood pressure).

Other diseases that are not related to the kidney might affect how well the kidney works by affecting the blood supply to the kidney as well as weight loss/or weight gain. Dehydration of any kind including water pills might cause kidney failure when it is severe. Diseases that affect the liver, heart and stomach area also contribute to problems of the kidney if not properly managed.

WITHIN THE KIDNEYS: When the structures within the kidney that filter waste is injured/ destroyed with some or all of the cells dying, it might lead to reduction of urine production and in some cases no urine is produced at all.

CREATININE a metabolic waste product excreted by the kidney is used to measure how well the kidney is functioning and when the kidney is unable to remove the body waste, the accumulation of which might lead to serious damage to the body resulting in a complete kidney shut down.

Such a shut down could require an external machine (dialysis) to help remove the toxins which in the long run will kill the person because dialysis does not do all work the human kidney does like regulating the blood cells.

AFTER KIDNEY (POST-ERENAL) When there is an obstruction of the urine flow after being produced by the kidney

Diseases that affect the liver, heart and stomach area contribute to problems of the kidney if not properly managed

PHOTO: fpnotebook

from draining out, starting from the ureter, bladder, urethra and can be affected negatively. Problems can also be caused by over growth prostate in men, kidney stones, cancer and nerve damage. Relieving the obstruction solves the problem.

Signs of problems with the kidney can be in form of weight loss, low blood pressure/ or high blood pressure, poor skin texture, swollen feet and abdomen, body weakness, rash, eye problems and in severe cases COMPLETE KIDNEY FAILURE or end stage renal disease. This is a gradual process and usually results in permanent loss of the kidney function, mostly irreversible and progressive. Signs of severe cases are confusion, agitation, shortness of breath, nausea, severe itching, lack of sleep and heart problems, major complication and cause of death, heart attack and stroke.

TREATMENT: Kidney failure is in most cases preventable. Most major causes are diabetes, heart failure and old age. Initial treatments for kidney problems is finding exactly where the problem is coming from, (before, within or after the kidney) and correct them, if possible.

If the person makes urine, doing a detailed breakdown of the contents of the urine helps to know the location of the damage. Alternatively, if the person does not make urine, an imaging like ultrasound, CT scan and MRI will help in narrowing the type /location., BUT BIOPSY OF THE kidney, gives a definite diagnosis Some of the waste products of the body if left untreated will lead to abnormal behavior/activity, for example potasium which the body uses to work on the heart muscles and stomach is required to be in a certain amount, excess is removed by the kidney, when not able to, could lead to heart attack and death KIDNEY REPLACMENT THERAPY: DIALYSIS which is a mechanical way of the body eliminating waste from the body.

It does not take the actual function of the kidney but helps to keep the body running.

It can be of two forms - HEMODIALYSIS which must be handled by a trained professional where a machine is used to recycle blood and drain away all toxin from the body. This method exposes the patients to blood borne diseases like hepatitis, HIV, due to the machine being used on multiple persons. The advantage is that it can be done three times per week The second one is called PERITONEAL dialysis which can be self-administered. On its part, its advantage is that it has to be done daily and it is done through the stomach.

HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

29

Medicinal properties of garlic Appolonia Adeyemi Method two Mash three bulbs of garlic

arlic, Allium Sativum and soak in one bottle of hot is a species in the onion water overnight. Drink a glassgenus, Allium. With a ful three times daily. history of human use of over 7,000 years, garlic is na- Method three tive to central Asia, and has Blend 10 bulbs of garlic with long been a staple in the Medi- two bottles of honey. Please do terranean region, as well as a not add water. Drink two desfrequent seasoning in Asia, sertspoons three times daily.

Africa, and Europe. It was known to Ancient Egyptians. Therapeutic side of garlic Apart from being among Garlic is one of the most efthe earliest known medicinal fective natural antibiotics. it is plants, garlic is widely used scientifically proven that garlic around the world for its pun- works powerfully against the gent flavour as a seasoning or following bacteria: condiment.

It contains alliin, niacin A. Escherichia Coli and vitamin A1, B1 and B2. which causes intestinal dysbacAs volatile substances, alliin teriosis and urinary infections; and diallyl dysulphur easily B. Salmonella Typhi permeate all body organs and which causes typhoid fever; C. Shigella Dysenteriae tissues, making it impossible which causes dysentery; and to hide the smell.

The body organs which benD. Staphylococcus and efit most from garlic are the Streptococcus which cause organs of elimination such as inflammation of the genital the lungs, bronchi, liver, kid- organs, damaged sperm cells, neys and the skin. skin infections and blemishes.

Unlike synthetic antibiotics, garlic has no side effect whatMethod of soever.

G

applying garlic Method one In his book, Nature Power, Rev. Fr. Anselm Adodo, who has been involved in intensive research into the medicinal uses of plants and disseminates the knowledge through publications, seminars and workshops, recommended: “Swallow four cloves of garlic three times daily, same way as you swallow tablets or capsules. This is by far the simplest and most convenient way to take garlic,” adding, “it also solves the problem of the smell.”

However, he noted that anything less than the stated 12 cloves daily will give very little therapeutic effect.

A

Hypolidemic Garlic is found to lower noxious cholesterol level in the blood. This makes it indispensable for many Nigerians who consume a lot of fat, palm oil and butter. Over-consumption of palm oil is partly responsible for cases of high cholesterol level in Nigerians today, thereby increasing the risk of heart problems.

Anti-diabetic Combined with other herbs, garlic has proved useful for lowering blood sugar. Those who are afraid of developing diabetes because of the fact that their parents are diabetics should make friend with garlic, as it is very good in preventing diabetes, Adodo stated.

virologist, Prof. Oyewale Tomori has urged researchers and scientists to publicise their findings for the good of the populace and for national development.

Tomori, also the president of the Nigerian Academy of Science gave the advice at a two- workshop organised by the Health Policy and Systems Research Group of the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research (NIMR), Lagos.

Many of us carry out researches and we lock ourselves up in the test tube of our research without letting anybody know what we are doing, said Tomori, adding, ''At the university of Ibadan, there are over 5000 researches and findings on malaria and yet people are still getting malaria. ''Publicising and letting people know will show our works and make people appreciate our relevance, ''he said.

The workshop was entitled 'Disseminating of Findings on Health Research in Nigeria'. Tomori also advised researchers and scientists to always liais with politicians and policy makers to attract political will and commitment to research. ''We need to engage the policy makers and politicians so that our research works will be properly be put to use for the good of the people. ''These politicians have the power and money and until we explain and relate what we do to them, they will not know that there other ideas which can move the country

Anti-tumour Garlic strengthens the blood cells that protect the body against micro-organism.

If these cells are weak, the body becomes prone to viral infections such as HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis (TB) pneumonia and cough.

Garlic also destroys cancerous cells in the body. It is no wonder that the people of central Asia, who are reputed to be great consumers of garlic, live longest and recorded the lowest incidence of cancer, noted Adodo who is the director of the St. Benedict Monatery in Ewu, Esan, Edo State, adding that in Nigeria, cases of cancer, especially of the breast are increasing daily. He therefore recommended that women should take garlic as much as possible. “It will act as a good prevention against cancer as well as help in dissolving cancerous tumours.”

Anti-hypertensive Garlic has been a beckon of hope for hypertensive patients

all over the world. It not only helps to regulate the blood pressure, but also keeps it normal.

Worms Garlic is very good against intestinal worms. Follow method two or three above, stated Adodo.

According to him, garlic is also very good for indigestion, as it improves metabolism (waste excretion). Follow any of the three recipes above, he stated.

It is no wonder that the people of central Asia, who are reputed to be great consumers of garlic, live longest and recorded the lowest incidence of cancer

For various illnesses such as bronchial infections, diarrhea, general weakness, tiredness, lack of appetite, arthritis, convulsion and epilepsy, Adodo stated, “garlic is your best bet.” Smokers and alcoholics can also benefit immensely from garlic.

Relating his experience on using garlic, Adodo stated, “I have used garlic therapy to treat many smokers and alcoholics, and the result has been impressive.

“In the first place, garlic takes care of the ailments often associated with drinking and smoking, namely hypertension, kidney and liver problems and lung infections.

“Garlic helps to overcome the urge to smoke or drink, perhaps because of its peculiar odour. For smokers, I often recommend chewing three cloves of garlic three times daily, while drinkers blend garlic, carrot, honey and water together. The dosage is one glass three times daily.”

Research findings at centre of development – NIMR forward.

Prof. Innocent Ujah, the Director-General of NIMR said that the status of health research in the country called for concern.

Ujah said that the continuous frustration

of officers in the Planning Research and Statistics in Healthy Ministry overt non-budget of research had resulted in duplicity of research outcomes for one disease condition.

He said that inadequate funding of

L-R: Tomori and Ujah at the workshop by the Health Policy and Systems Research Group of NIMR which held in Lagos recently

health research affected quality of data use for planning and development in the health sector. ''I am calling on government at all levels to fund health research so as to generate information that will serve as evidence for informed decision making in policy formulation and implementation,'' he said.

In her remark, Dr. Margaret Mafe, Head of Health Policy and Systems Research Group of NIMR said that the lack of a national health research policy militated against effective engagement of donor presence nationally.

Mafe said that the critical components of conducting research in informing policy and practice was sufficient funding. ''It is imperative that the nation provides necessary funding to drive research in support of its weak health system. ''This will improve the health of the population and achieve its developmental goals that will improve health outcomes in Nigeria, ''she said.

30 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Study: Cinnamon checks Parkinson’s progression Oluwatosin Omoniyi

hen Robin Williams, the American actor and comedian, committed suicide following a long history of depression, Americans and friends worldwide were shocked and saddened. He committed suicide because he was fighting Parkinson's disease, a devastating condition that causes tremors and problems walking.

According to researchers, there is no cure for Parkinson's, but a common spice called cinnamon may be able to help stop its progression. Cinnamon has been used for flavouring every- Cinnamon spice thing from toothpaste to herbal teas and it has been a staple in chemical, cellular, and anatomitraditional Chinese medicine cal changes in the brain. Mice for centuries to help improve that were fed the spice showed circulation and digestion. better brain function and motor Modern studies are finding skills, which are often affected even more uses for the versa- in Parkinson's patients. "This tile spice, including putting the could potentially be one of brakes on Parkinson's disease. the safest approaches to halt According to recent studies, disease progression in Parkincinnamon's healthy effects may son's patients," said Floyd A. be due to its ability to reduce in- Davis, professor of neurology flammation and to have antioxi- at Rush University. dant effects, or that it may fight For Diabetes, numerous bacteria. Below are studies that studies show that cinnamon show some of the conditions is a safe, effective way to recinnamon can help combat: duce blood sugar levels. A For Parkinson's disease, a study published in Diabetes study at Rush Medical Center Care found that consuming suggests that cinnamon can cinnamon over a 40-day period reverse changes in the brain reduced blood glucose levels seen in Parkinson's patients. up to 29 percent. Participants Researchers found that when were given amounts of one, cinnamon was consumed, it three, or six grams a day, and was metabolised into sodium all doses were equally effecbenzoate, which reversed bio- tive at reducing glucose levels.

W

PHOTO: www.blisstree.com

A study conducted at Ball State published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics found that when healthy adults of average weight as well as those who were obese ate a breakfast

cereal with six grams of cinnamon added, their blood sugar levels dropped by 25 percent during the following two hours.

"As health care in the United States (U.S) becomes more expensive, cinnamon may offer a low cost approach to modifying blood glucose," said Ball State researcher, Jo Carol Chezem.

In addition, a meta-analysis of 10 randomised controlled studies found that cinnamon reduced blood glucose better than the drug Januvia (sitagliptin).

Numerous test tube and animal studies show that cinnamon stimulates insulin receptors while inhibiting an enzyme that turns receptors off, resulting in a significant increase in cells' ability to use glucose.

For high cholesterol, a clinical trial of patients with Type 2 diabetes found that consuming up to six grams of cinnamon daily reduced triglycerides by up to 30 percent, LDL (bad)

cholesterol by up to 27 percent, and total cholesterol by up to 26 percent. A study from Penn State University found that adding spices, such as cinnamon, to a high-fat meal reduced the body's negative responses to such meals by about 30 percent when compared to a similar meal without spices.

For brain damage, researchers from Tel Aviv University found that an extract in cinnamon bark called CEppt inhibits the development of Alzheimer's disease. A study presented at a meeting of the Association for Chemoreception found that simply smelling cinnamon boosted several areas in the brain involved in everything from memory to attention and focus. A study by scientists at the Agricultural Research Service found that cinnamon extract might protect brain cells after stroke or traumatic brain injury.

Female condom use poor despite benefits lAs coalition advocates to increase demand Appolonia Adeyemi

espite the huge advantages of using female condoms both as a contraceptive and to prevent sexually transmitted infections, it has emerged that only 13 percent of persons have heard of female condom, and much fewer have ever used one.

This is contained in a statement jointly issued by the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) and Global Female Condom Day Partners to mark the third annual Global Female Condom Day themed, ‘Dance4Demand’.

The 2014 Global Female Condom Day was on Tuesday, September 16.

However, this year, country programme activities for Global Female Condom Day will hold from October 13th to 16th and will include providing support for large scale female condom programming in Nigeria. The activities that will be organised by the Global Female Condom Coalition, will be celebrated by dancing to call for and create awareness for the demand of female condoms.

Although female condoms play a vital role in improving reproductive health, they are also the only method available today designed to offer woman dual protection from pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections, their availability and distribution has increased significantly in the past few years.

D

In 2009, around 26 million female condoms were provided through international and nongovernmental funding sources, compared to 10.7 million in 2006.

However, the global distribution of female condoms is still far less than that of male condoms as it is currently not a well-known product.

The Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH), Society for Family Health (SFH) Nigeria, Association for Reproductive and Family Health (ARFH), United Nations Populations Fund (UNFPA), Education as a Vaccine (EVA), Civil Society for Family Planning ( CiSFP), PathFinder International- Nigeria and Universal Access to Female Condom (UAFC) programme used the Global Female Condom Day to raise awareness about the importance of female condoms among communities, policy makers, and the media and to help amplify the voices of those demanding female condoms.

Nigerian partners in female condom programming have a collective approach to ensuring its popularity and correct use all over Nigeria. The FMOH galvanises the general working environment for implementing activities. SFH currently creates demand through innovative mass media campaigns and advocacy to key community and opinion leaders and distributes female condoms nationwide.

The management of Dangote Sugar Refinery Plc donated four Pick Up vehicles to NAFDAC in Lagos at the weekend. PHOTO from 2nd right: Engr Abdullahi Sule, Managing Director, Dangote Sugar presenting the car keys to Dr. Paul Orhii, Director General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) while some top officials of Dangote Group and NAFDAC look on

Ebola: UPS offers help Chijioke Iremeka

he global leader in logistics and transport, United Parcel Services Limited (UPS) has embarked on free Ebola relief shipment and monetary commitment to all part of the world, especially Africa, where the deadly Ebola virus is plaguing, as a way of reducing the scourge of the disease on the affected regions.

The company is providing transportation support and commitments in tune of $400,000 in gifts-in-kind (GIK) for urgent relief items to combat the deadly Ebola outbreak, which has claimed over 1,500 lives in West Africa.

According to the President, The UPS Foundation, Eduardo Martinez, UPS and its foundation are responding to the World Health Organisation's (WHO) plea for increased international response to the affected regions to enable the world eradicate the Ebola virus.

He said, “UPS is providing

T

transport services at no cost to relief agencies. We sponsored a humanitarian relief charter flight for UNICEF from Liege, Belgium, to Monrovia, Liberia, on August 29. The aircraft is carrying 55 metric tons of HTH dry chlorine disinfectant on behalf of the Liberian Ministry of Health to assist in hygiene activities at Ebola treatment centers in Liberia.”

He noted that over 40 per cent of the confirmed Ebola deaths occurred in Liberia, saying that UPS expedited the trucking of 10 pallets (6,800 lbs) of supplies for Medshare from Decatur, Ga., to New York's JFK Airport, to be placed on a humanitarian flight arranged

by Airlink.

UPS, according to him, has also committed an additional $75,000 GIK to Medshare for ocean transport and transported five pallets (2,500 lbs) of aid supplies for ChildFund from Tampa, Fla., to New York's JFK Airport to connect to a donated charter as well as

nine pallets (4,745 lbs) of Ebola supplies from Savage, Md., to New York's JFK Airport for the National Organisation of Sierra Leoneans in North America (NOSLINA).

He said, “These items were expedited to Sierra Leone on a donated charter. We are committing to provide Africare & Direct Relief International transportation of five ocean shipments estimated between $30,000 and $35,000, collaborating with the CDC Foundation and UPS customer Henry Schein, which has committed to donate personal protection equipment to support the CDC's efforts.”

Eduardo added that UPS has a long history of working with disaster relief organisations to deliver critical, lifesaving aid to communities in need around the world. “In 2013, UPS provided $7.5 million in humanitarian relief funding and assisted with 250 humanitarian shipments across 46 countries.”

BUSINESS Thursday, September 18, 2014

What's news Sub-Saharan Africa has world's lowest smartphone adoption Sub-Saharan Africa currently has the lowest smartphone adoption rate worldwide, a new GSMA Intelligence report has said.

}p-32

800 C of O’s ready in three days In order to fast-track investments into the Lagos megacity, the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, says it now signs 800 Certificates of Occupancies in three days.

}p-32

Report seeks harmonisation of agencies A report has identified harmonisation of regulatory agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Commission (NAFDAC), removal of administrative bottle-necks, multiple taxes, among others, as initiatives that would enhance industrial growth in the country.

}p-34

HTA raises $980m to support growing demand for data Africa’s independent telecoms tower company, Helios Towers Africa (HTA), has said that it will use a new stream of $980 million capital injected into the company to boost infrastructure capacity on the continent to cater for “growing demand” for 3G and 4G data services.

}p-38

BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) Simeon Ogoegbulem, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) Godson ikoro , Asst. Editor (Money Market) DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor

KUNLE AZEEZ, Senior Correspondent Chuks Onuanyin, Energy Nnamdi Amadi, Reporter JOHNSON ADEBAYO, Asst. Production Editor

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Why CDMA's $210m merger is stillborn }p-35

ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

Disquiet over ‘unregulated’ private jets operations in Nigeria WELL-HEELED Some of Nigeria’s wealthiest people have spent about $6.5bn acquiring new private jets

Wole Shadare

T

he seizure of a private jet belonging to the President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, for alleged gun running and money laundering by the South African authorities has brought to the fore, regulation of private jets operations in Nigeria.

Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) regulates private jets’ operations, scheduled operations and other aviation related activities in the country.

But goings-on of business jets operations in the country have come under scrutiny in view of the nefarious activities some of the owners subject these planes to.

The NCAA under its former Director General, Dr. Harold Demuren, had directed that more vigilance should be given to private jets operations because of the ease to use it to carry out nefarious activities.

It is yet to be ascertained if the operators adhered to regulations and the courage by the aviation regulators to ground or sanction them whenever there is security and safety breaches.

The NCAA penultimate year seized Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s aircraft, months after it discovered that the airliner's papers had expired. The seizure was enmeshed in controversy as many viewed it as political vendetta.

Oritsejafor’s aircraft seizure by in South African has further raised posers on whether the plane and its contents were diligently inspected by airport authorities before it flew to Johannesburg from Nigeria.

The CAN leader’s private plane with US registration number N808HG, as reported,

CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor Abdulwahab Isa, Finance Editor

31

L-R: Director, Human Resources Management, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Mrs Yetunde Oni; Director, Laboratory Services, Mrs Stella Denloye; Director General, NAFDAC, Dr Paul Orhil and Director, Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Umar Musa, during the press briefing on the seizure of fake hand sanitizers and Ebola Virus Test Kits, in Lagos.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE

was one of two jets cited by South African officials on September 5, 2014.

The jet was said to have arrived South Africa with $9.3 million cash loaded in several suitcases. News of the seizure broke at the weekend, triggering questions about the ownership of the jets and weapons they intended to purchase.

Aviation analysts, who spoke with New Telegraph on condition of anonymity, alleged that private jet operators use their equipment for nefarious activi-

ties, urging the aviation regulatory authority to come up with strong regulations to protect the nation’s image and security.

There are indications that illicit goods, including arms, could be flown into the country through the numerous airstrips that dot the nation’s landscape, as investigations showed that concerned aviation authorities do not know the number of airstrips in the country, which keeps on proliferating as the number of private jet owners continue to increase.

An air traffic controller told this newspaper that “the airspace is not classified, so it is porous and not secured. Airspaces classified from A to D are controlled, while class E is not controlled. Flights can bring in arms through these airstrips.

It is possible, but this is a problem of regulation because the airspace should have been classified and the airstrip should be monitored.”

CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

NIRA targets 100,000.ng domain names LOW ADOPTION Nigeria has only recorded 60,000 .ng domain names

Kunle Azeez

N

igeria Internet Registration Association (NIRA) plans to increase the number its domain names from 60,0000 to 100,000.

This was disclosed by NIRA's President, Mrs Mary Uduma, in

a telephone interview with New Telegraph.

NIRA is a not-for-profit organisation set up by the National Information Technology development Agency (NITDA) to administer the nation’s country code Top Level Domain (cCTLD), .ng, which is Nigeria’s identifier on the World Wide Web. Uduma said: “NIRA started in 2009 and we had only 2,000 domain names then. Over the years, we have been progressing. We have raised, not just funds, but the uptake of domain names has increased from 2,000

to about 60,000.”

She said that the current achievement has been as a result of increased rate of adoption, understanding of the importance of the domain name and governments’ support in driving the adoption of .ng in government.

The NIRA boss added: “We want to increase the number of domain names to 100, 0000 market soon.”

She said registration has grown significantly by over 50 per cent in 2013 from what it CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE August 2014............................8.5% July 2014.................................8.3% May 2014.................................8.2%

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Sept 12)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N168.80 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . . 11.57% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N283 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N220 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $39.57bn as at 10/09/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at Sept 12)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.73 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N255.32 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N202.76 Source: CBN

32

BUSINESS | NEWS

INNOVATION The smartphone has sparked a wave of global innovation that has brought new services to millions Kunle Azeez

S

ub-Saharan Africa currently has the lowest smartphone adoption rate worldwide, a new GSMA Intelligence report has said.

The GSMA represents the interests of mobile operators worldwide. Spanning more than 220 countries, the GSMA unites nearly 800 of the world’s mobile operators with 250 companies in the broader mobile ecosystem, including handset and device makers, software companies, equipment providers and Internet companies, as well as organisations in industry sectors such as financial services, healthcare, media, transport and utilities. The GSMA also produces industryleading events such as Mobile World Congress and Mobile

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Sub-Saharan Africa has world's lowest smartphone adoption Asia Expo.

The report titled “Smartphone forecasts and assumptions, 2007-2020" found that smartphones account for one in three mobile connections today, representing more than 2 billion mobile connections.

The global mobile operators industry body (GSMA) also notes that the number of smartphone connections will grow three-fold over the next six years to reach 6 billion by 2020.

“The smartphone has sparked a wave of global innovation that has brought new services to millions and efficiencies to businesses of every type,” said Hyunmi Yang, chief strategy officer at the GSMA. “As the study shows, smartphones will be the driving force of mobile industry growth over the next six years, with one billion new smartphone connections expected over the next 18 months alone," Yang explained.

Despite the projected growth

of the global smartphone market, sub-Saharan Africa still lags behind when it comes to smartphone connections.

According to GSMA subSaharan Africa's smartphone adoption rate is currently 15 per cent.

This is the lowest rate worldwide in terms of smartphone adoption in present day, the GSMA notes.

However, the GSMA is optimistic about sub-Saharan Africa as it expects to see changes over the next few years.

"Sub-Saharan Africa is expected to be the fastest-growing smartphone region over the next six years as affordable devices become more widely available and mobile broadband networks are deployed across Africa," the GSMA report states.

The GSMA further predicted that by 2020, four out of every five-smartphone connection worldwide would come from

the developing world.

According to the report, Asia Pacific today accounts for about half of global smartphone connections, even though smartphone penetration in the region is currently calculated at below 40 per cent.

The Asia Pacific total is Country

boosted by the inclusion of China, the world’s largest smartphone market, with more than 629 million smartphone connections, states the GSMA report.

Below is a list of the GSMA's top 10 countries with the highest smartphone connections as of Q2 in 2014:

Smartphone connections (millions)

1. China

629.2

2. USA

196.8

3. Brazil

141.8

4. India

111.0

5. Indonesia

95.0

6. Russian Federation

83.9

7. Japan

66.1

8. Germany

48.5

9. United Kingdom

45.4

10. France

43.5

Disquiet over ‘unregulated’ private jets operations CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

L-R: Acting Director General, Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA), Mrs Janet Omisore; Representative of NACCIMA National President/ President, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dr. Alimi Bello; South-West Zonal Manager, Bank of Agriculture (BOA), Mr. Olusegun Asiwaju and Chairman, Agriculture Trade Group, NACCIMA, Mr. Tunji Olukoya, at the Association's National Dialogue on Agric Value Chain in Lagos

800 C of O’s ready in three days GUARANTEED Seamless land transaction now guaranteed Dayo Ayeyemi

I

n order to fast-track investments into the Lagos megacity, the state governor, Babatunde Fashola, says it now signs 800 Certificates of Occupancies in three days.

This, he said, was part of his effort to tackle land administration in the state, which major investors have described as obstacle to investments.

Speaking while hosting the Global Chief Executive Officer of Unilever, Mr Paul Polman, the governor said that he is committed to the business development and Lagosians’ prosperity.

Specifically, he said that the

major challenge confronting the state is land administration, which is also being tackled in a most expeditious manner.

In tackling this issue, the governor said that it was clear that automation was the key, adding that the process takes quite a while.

He disclosed that his government has completed the state’s Geographic Information System (GIS), adding: “We have also finished our electronic Certificate of Occupancy and title document issuance, so, I can now sign online, which makes it quicker.”

Recalling that there were some initial technical hitches in the conversion, the governor assured that the hitches have been overcome, adding: “I can sign 800 certificates in three days and that is what automation can do.

That is the kind of progress we have made because people are making a lot of demands while they are on the road and if we are responding through files, it is not going to work.”

Fashola expressed the com-

mitment of his administration to the establishment of more malls and shopping complexes across the state which he said will create a major demand pool for the supply of goods by manufacturing companies and would in turn create more jobs for the unemployed.

He pointed out that the malls and shopping complexes represent the reawakening of the retail end of the Unilever business, which flourished in the state and Nigeria in the 1970s.

He said: “We are supporting the development of more malls and shopping complexes. Apapa has just opened and in about 10 years we have had Ikeja, Lekki, and Adeniran Ogunsanya.”

The governor, however, said that power supply has remained an issue but assured that his administration was doing everything within the limits of legislative operation that it is allowed to tackle the problem.

He added that the government is currently deploying a multiplicity of solutions.

Another source said that the Total Radar Coverage of Nigeria (TRACON) does not cover some of these airstrips because they do not have good coordinates.

“When aircraft is going to these airstrips, nobody monitors it, but the areas under the coverage of the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) is known as controlled airspace and they have Instrument Landing System (ILS) and Very High Frequency Omnidirectional Radio Range (VOR).”

A former Assistant Secretary General of Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON), Mohammed Tukur, acknowledged that there has been proliferation of airstrip, attributing the problem to politicians who had developed a penchant for private jets and now indiscriminately develop airstrips in their bases.

Not a few believe that Nigeria has about 350 airstrips, which is

still growing as many government officials, big companies and highly-placed individuals in society want an airport or airstrip close to his place of operation or residence.

Within the last five years, some of Nigeria’s wealthiest people have spent about $6.5 billion acquiring new private jets, making it Africa’s biggest market for private planes.

According to statistics from the Nigerian Institution of Estate Surveyors and Valuers (NIESV), Nigerians have, in the last few years, invested over N1.3 trillion to acquire private jets.

The number of privately owned aircraft in the country has risen by 650 per cent between 2007 and 2012. In 2007, there were a total of 20 private jets in the country, but today there are over 160.

The luxury trend is encouraged among the rich by “the need for privacy, fear of insecurity and the urgency required by modern business.”

NIRA targets 100,000.ng domain names CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

was in 2012, stating that NIRA hoped it will grow more. “We are targeting more growth in registration, renewal and even new businesses. In 2012, we registered only 10, 000 domain names but in 2013, we had over 16, 000.”

A breakdown of the figure, according to a document obtained from NIRA, showed that last year, 913 were registered in January, 801 in February, 980 in March, 3, 609 in April, 1, 788 in May and 1,406 in June.

In July, August, September

and October, 1,242; 1,188; 1,263 and 1,299 .ng domain names were registered, while 1239 and 1253 were registered in November and December respectively.

This adds up to about 16, 981 domain names registered.

However, 472 were renewed in January; 587 in February; 555 in March; 573 in April; 442 in May and 706 in June. Also, 646 were renewed in July; 750 in August; 537 in September; 777 in October; 614 in November and 912 in December last year, translating into a total of 7, 571.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 33

BUSINESS | NEWS 33

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Senate, FERMA to decongest ports’ access roads CHALLENGES Lack of enabling law, litigations, others are some of the challenges facing port operators Simeon Ogoegbulem Abuja

T

he Senate Committee on Privatisation and Commercialisation has pledged to ensure that the Federal Roads Maintenance Agency (FERMA) and the Lagos State government collaborate to ease the traffic gridlock on the access roads to Apapa and Tin Can Ports, Lagos, for the benefit of ports operators and other users.

Chairman of the Committee, Senator Olugbenga Obada-

ra, made the pledge shortly after he led other senators on the first leg of their oversight visit to the port terminals in Lagos.

Obadara was responding to complaints by the Managing Director of Greenview Development Nigeria Limited (GDNL), operators of Terminal E, Apapa Port, Mr Abba Isa Bukar, that the port access roads were in deplorable condition.

He said: “Containers are continually falling off trucks while in transit, damaging vehicles daily while commuters face untold hardship, thus requiring prompt government attention.”

The senator said that FERMA and the Lagos State government would meet to iron out the grey areas to enable them tackle the gridlock.

He noted that as the nation’s commercial hub, the Apapa and Tin Can Island Ports would not be allowed to deteriorate, adding that the com-

mittee embarked on the visit to know how much revenue the terminal operators were generating for the Federal Government and also to know their challenges with a view to getting legislative intervention to restore them.

Earlier, Bukar had informed the senators that since GDNL commenced operation in 2006, the company had embarked on massive infrastructural development and have ensured prompt payment of revenues accruable to government.

He listed insecurity, poor access roads, lack of an enabling law, litigation and lack of basic facilities as the challenges facing the company and ports operations in general.

On insecurity, the MD la-

mented the frequent attacks on the terminal from a neighboring village, Sapokoji and called for increased patrol by security agencies along the water front.

The MD appealed to the legislature for the urgent enactment of the Ports and Harbour Bill to attract more investments in the maritime sector.

At the ENL Consottium Limited, Operators of Terminals C & D, the General Manager, Mr Mark Walsh, emphasized that the entire workforce was 100 per cent Nigerians, adding that their capacity in cargo handling and other related activities had been developed to world class standards.

In his response, chairman

of the committee, Olugbenga Obadara, commended the giant strides made by the company. He urged the Bureau of Public Enterprises (BPE) to review the concession agreements with the terminal operators to ensure that more revenues go to the Federal government.

At AP Moller Terminal, the Managing Director, Andrew Dawes, informed the lawmakers that since takeover, the company had paid about $621,236,468 million to government as taxes.

The committee members also visited Lilypond Container Terminal Ijora-also managed by AP Moller and Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL).

Importers desert Onitsha River Port Bayo Akomolafe

I

mporters have discarded the Onitsha River Port that was commissioned by the Federal Government last year to reduce trucks’ pressure on the road.

It was learnt that nobody was willing to ferry their containers by barges from the main ports in Lagos, Onne, Rivers, Delta and Calabar because of the topography of the sea.

Onitsha is one of the strategic commercial cities of Nigeria and the West African subregion. It is both a commercial and industrial town with business activities taking place all year round. But the river port in the city is wasting.

Cargo expected to be discharged at the river port range from household items, clothing, motor spares and acces-

sories, motorcycle spares and accessories, electronics and electrical goods.

Also included are building materials, pharmaceutical products, food items, foot wears, cosmetics, soap, paper, stationeries, industrial machineries and others.

According to Chief Eugene Nweke, president of the National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF), during the commissioning of the port, stakeholders expected the Transport Minister, Senator Idris Umar, to come by sea with either from Lagos or Delta ports.

He said the importers were after the safety of their cargo, stressing that since they did not understand the sea topography and the current, they shunned the port.

NIRA targets 100,000.ng domain names CONTINUED FROM PAGE 32

According to Uduma, “Nigeria’s internet domain adoption and usage is gaining traction and we are committed to working with our registrars; they are our partners and channels, to achieve more progress in this regard.”

Speaking on the value of adopting .ng domain names, the NIRA President said, the value of using .ng to individuals, businesses and governments is huge.

She said: “In the first place, the local content policy of the Federal Government starts with .ng. So, if you are a Nigerian and you want to promote the local content, you should be on .ng registry. That is the first thing. Secondly, the policy of the Federal Government is also promoting local content for businesses to be online and preferably on .ng.

“The more people find a business online these days, the better it is for the business owner and that is even where the world is going: e-

commerce. Also, .ng provides a good visibility and progress for business. So, bring your businesses, bring yourself online by blogging on .ng.

“As we speak, there are many people making money on .com.ng because they registered .com.ng and they are making lot of money. Some are making as much as N100,000 every day on .com.ng. So, the more you bring your businesses online, you blog on .ng, the more you progress. As an organisation in Nigeria, .ng is your identity on the cyberspace."

Asked reason for the slow adoption, Uduma said: “I think the reason it appears Nigerians are skeptical about .ng domain name adoption, migration or switchover is based on the obvious erroneous belief that all made-in-Nigeria products are not genuine."

She, however, noted that over the years, “we have proven to those that have signed on to the domain name that it is secured as any foreign domain name they might want to align themselves to.”

L-R: Executive Director (Commercial) Benin Electricity Distribution Company (BEDC), Mr. Abu Ismail-Ejoor; Commissioner of Energy and Water Resources Mr. Chris Ebare; Chairman, House Committee on Power (House of Reps), Patrick Ikhariale, and Commissioner, Government and Consumer Affairs, National Electricity Regulatory Commission ( NERC), Dr. Abba Ibrahim, at the commissioning of NERC forum office in Benin.

Fiscal Commission begins capital projects' verification FUNDING The exercise is to determine projects that needed funding Simeon Ogoegbulem Abuja

T

he Fiscal Responsibility Commission has flagged off the first leg of its 2014 physical verification of selected Federal Government capital projects across the six geo-political zones of the country.

Schemes earmarked for the first leg of the verification are those in the South-East and North-West zones with a total value of N11.992 billion.

Chairman of the commission, Chief Victor Muruako, while addressing the teams for the verification exercise, noted that verification of Federal Government capital projects constitute one of the core mandates of the commission.

Muruako said that the verification exercise is further designed to give fillip to the Transformation Agenda of the present administration in the area of prudence, value-for-money and transparency in the efforts to meet the yearnings of the people.

He explained that the verification exercise would be carried out within the ambit of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) of the Federal Government.

The chairman of FRC further explained that the exercise was to ensure that government embark on projects that it had ability to fund, pointing out that with MTEF in place, cases of abandoned projects would become a thing of the past.

The verification exercise is also to determine projects that needed funding in line with the completion targets and to reduce to the barest minimum, approvals for new capital projects for ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) where the existing indebtedness to contractors

is over N40 billion.

Some of the projects earmarked for verification in the South-East include projects of the Federal Medical Centre, Owerri, capital projects of the National Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, Land reclamation and Erosion Control in Isikwuato as well as the construction of River Port, Oguta, Imo State.

Others are Ivo River Dam projects in Enugu, Alvan Ikoku College of Education, Reconstruction of Arochukwu-Ohafia Road and the Federal University of Technology Owerri, Imo State.

Projects earmarked for verification in the North West include Federal Medical Centre, Gusau, Federal Neuro-psychiatric hospital, Kaduna, Federal College of Education and the construction of InyawaDullaje Multi-purpose dam.

The chairman directed the verification teams to expeditiously submit their reports in order to enable the commission send same to the appropriate government agencies for further action.

34 BUSINESS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Report seeks harmonisation of agencies, others to enhance growth OBSTACLE Findings identify factors militating against business growth in the country

A

report has identified harmonisation of regulatory agencies such as the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Commission (NAFDAC), removal of administrative bottle-necks, multiple taxes, among others, as initiatives that would enhance industrial growth in the country.

In a report by the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) and the Centre of International Private Enterprise (CIPE) on regulatory infractions on Nigeria’s industrial sector, the OPS sought government’s intervention in addressing the issues. They noted that industrial activities will grow by at least 25 per cent over a period of two years, given a more service-oriented and accommodative regulatory and monitoring environment.

Part of the report reads: “The study reveals that beyond infrastructure shortcomings, regulatory challenges and its attendant cost is a major factor stifling the growth of businesses across several sectors in the Nigerian economy. Findings from this study reveal that most of

the regulatory anomalies are evident through the high rate of human interface, arbitrary charges, fees and fines, overlap of functions and fight for supremacy among the agencies, high frequency of factory visit, collection of excessive product samples, approval delays and absence of national standards and inducement by private sector operators “We are confident that any approach to fighting the ills must first address the institutional factors that allow infractions to occur and reduce/eliminate the incentives for business to participate. To start with, frameworks that will enhance the collaboration between Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) and National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration Commission (NAFDAC)’s regulatory and monitoring functions will be very helpful to build trust and respect between the two agencies.

“More enhanced collaborations between the two agencies will certainly reduce unnecessary pressure on the businesses suffering from the age long silent battle for supremacy between SON and NAFDAC as these two agencies are the most famous regulators in the Nigerian manufacturing, industrial and allied sectors. More importantly, their regulatory mandate is broad and largely complimentary especially in the food, drugs, drinks, cosmetics and chemical products.

“The continuous streamlin-

ing of processes by the agencies aimed at reducing internal bottlenecks and bureaucracy is essential. There is need for steady communication and enlightenment of businesses on trends of regulatory provisions. Also, the management of the agencies must now take the enforcement of rules against human interface by their officials very seriously. High degree of human interface for registration and obtaining permits remains even after the leadership of SON and NAFDAC has instituted re-

liable processes that eliminate/ reduce human interface in their operations.”

“At this time, we call on Federal Government to develop a framework for oversight and control of regulatory institutions to curb probable excesses in their activities. This is in line with best practices in many emerging markets. On the immediate, government should adequately fund the agencies and provide them with the necessary working facilities (i.e, equipped laboratories across

the country) because the current poor funding levels of the agencies serves as a compelling ground for them to extort the companies. On the medium term, the overlapping functions and scope of the two agencies suggest that government should take steps to remove the overlap.

“Without an enabling business environment with clear, transparent, consistent laws, regulations, and enforcement, Nigeria’s private sector and democratic development, will be inhibited”, the report added.

L-R: Senior Brand Manager, Onga Seasoning, Promasidor Nigeria Limited, Mrs Edna Obi; Winner in the Regional Campus activation held in University of Ibadan for the - 2014 Onga National Campus Cooking Competition, Miss Egbenwonu Ishioma Jessica and Assistant Brand Manager, Mrs Izegbuwa Izevbaye, during the activation of the annual contest on the university’s campus.

Manufacturers groan over multiple tax I

ndustrialists under the aegis of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), have decried the multiple taxation they are being subjected to, which they said has constituted a major burden to businesses.

They, therefore, called on government at all levels to

put in place an acceptable tax system that would outlaw the use of unorthodox means of collection, thereby encouraging investments in the country.

Chairman of the Ikeja branch of the association, Oba Okojie, said this incidence of multiple taxation and excessive increase in tax and levies have

led to disruption of businesses in the state.

According to him, most businesses consider the tax environment as unfriendly and disincentive, which has also led to increase in the cost of doing business in Nigeria.

The MAN chairman, who said this at the 2014 Business

Drug firm appeals to FG for domestic preference ay & Baker Nigeria Plc has M appealed to the Federal Government to grant domestic manufacturer of pharmaceutical products preference to enable them compete favourably with foreign players in the sector.

Managing director of the firm, Mr Nnamdi Okafor, said that though there is domestic preference aimed at protecting local manufacturer, it was hardly enough to place local companies’ strategically to compete with foreign firms.

He said: “Looking at it at

the true sense of local content, which is not very agreeable to our industry, what we are asking the Federal Government to do is to give us what is called domestic preference for those of us who are manufacturing locally.

“Because we know that we have to get our materials from outside of Nigeria and that it is going to be difficult for us to compete with the same people who are giving us these materials. This goes to show that we cannot develop capacity when we are not protected, because there is no country in the world

that woke up and build capacity.”

The managing director who was addressing the media on the company 70th anniversary said that India, Pakistan and some other countries of the world, at one time in their development, had to protect local manufacturer so that they can build capacity.

He said: “So, we are asking government to give us some level of preference which was approved. And it was on paper for 15 per cent domestic preference if you are bidding for a contract and you have to compete with someone from overseas.”

Luncheon of MAN, themed: “Multiple Taxation: A disincentive to industrialists,” in Lagos, recently, added that the growth of the Nigerian economy has remained slow as a result of many factors, stressing that one of the major challenges facing manufacturers has been the issue of multiple taxation.

“In order to encourage investments within and outside the state, create new jobs and engender high economic growth, government should put in place an acceptable tax system, outlaw the use of unorthodox means of collecting taxes and levies and also educate the public and facilitate compliance on the published lists of approved or authorized taxes and levies in the state,” he said.

Also speaking, MAN President, Frank Jacobs, said that multiple taxation has been a major contributor to the cause of ranking Nigeria low in the world on “Doing Business Index Ranking,” report.

“We did a study, which exhibited the extent of the negative consequences of multiple taxation on businesses. We launched an advocacy campaign against this challenge “and took the case up to the level of the National Economic Council, which led to the recent pronouncement in which a directive was issued prohibiting tax revenue roadblocks,” he said.

In his address, the Commissioner for Economic Planning &Budget, Lagos State, Ben Akabueze noted that the tax policy and principles guiding tax regulation in Lagos State are to work within the provisions of the constitution and put in place tax payer friendly collection processes as well as appropriate legislative instruments aimed at maximizing the revenue potentials of the state without imposing excessive burden on the tax payers.

The commissioner urged the association to help in sensitizing members towards a tax compliance culture.

BUSINESS 35

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Why CDMA's $210m merger is stillborn

T

ment (ROI) to them.

Another source said: “Even after getting approval from the regulators, Capcom will now begin to shop for bankers that will lend it money whether local or foreign banks to raise the capital required in turning the operators’ unimpressive performance around.”

Accordingly, New Telegraph learnt that prospective banks will also conduct their own due diligence and carry out series of activities to determine if the investment is worth funding.

All these activities would mean that, “the merger process is still hanging in the balance in an industry constantly facing rapidly changing and fierce competition patterns,” said a source.

CDMA's dwindling fortunes Over the years, CDMA operators have been facing stiff competition from their GSM counterparts, making it difficult for the former to make profit as they lose customers in droves to the GSM companies, a development, which continue to rob them of patronage and subsequently resulting in loss of potential revenue.

For three years, South Africa Telekom was in Nigeria to run Multi-Links, but later backed out after experiencing continual loss of revenue for the three years it spent managing Multi-Links in the country.

Currently, all the CDMA operators put together have a combined active subscriber base of about 2.3 million on their networks, while the GSM firms have a whopping over 128 million active subscribers.

In the data market, the GSM firms are also dominating.

This is in spite of the CDMA operators’ technology advantage to offer better Internet service, poor coverage of their networks, coupled with fierce competition coming from the GSM firms.

It is, therefore, not surpris-

Stakeholders express regrets Speaking with New Telegraph in a telephone interview during the week, President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria (ATCON), Mr Lanre Ajayi, expressed sadness at the stillbirth of the deal.

He said: “I am deeply worried about the inability of the deal to take off again. For a while now, we have not heard anything about it again. This is an indication that the deal may have hit the rock. But we would have loved to see it succeed as the proposed capital injection of $120 million into the CDMA segment would have helped in boosting telecoms infrastructure in the country.”

When asked if the investors’ reticence to invest might be a result of the gloomy picture of CDMA market in the country, Ajayi said: “No, I don’t want to believe that, because if you go to other countries, it is even the CDMA players that are dominating. So, one thing that I am sure of is that if CDMA players can merge and come out strong with adequate financial muscle, they will compete favourably with the GSM operators.”

According to another industry analyst, Mr Bayero Agaibi, “from all indications, the deal appears to be stuck, but we hope it is something that we need, to bring about better competition in the industry and for customers to have more choices.”

In his comments, National President of National Associations of Telecoms Subscribers (NATCOMS), Mr Dolu Ogunbanjo, also regretted that the CDMA merger deal has not seen the light of the day. “This is something we want as subscribers. The more the merrier and the more operators you have in the country, the better for subscribers to have cheaper tariff for telecoms services due to competition. So, that the deal is witnessing a lull is a thing we are not happy about.”

The seeming failure of a planned merger in the Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) segment of the nation’s telecoms industry to see the light of the day has been traced to some factors. KUNLE AZEEZ reports wo years after announcing the auspicious proposed merger of three Code Division Multiple Access operators in the country, the move, which was then applauded by stakeholders as a potential ‘bailout’ deal for the CDMA players has continued to hang in the balance.

Over the years, the Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) players such as MTN, Airtel, Glo and Etisalat, have continued to overrun the smaller players in the CDMA segments including Starcomms, Multi-Links, Visafone, MTNS Wireless, Zoom Mobile, and a host others up to a point where CDMA players are no longer making profits with some only existing in names.

It is, therefore, not surprising that the planned CDMA merger, believed to be a turnaround for the ailing CDMA segment of the nation’s telecoms industry, was welcome when the plan was announced in 2012.

Juwah

ing that the decision of Capcom to invest in three of the ailing CDMA networks came with much hope and excitement as this is expected to bring healthy performance into the operation of the beneficiary CDMA networks, especially if the investment is well managed.

The deal and initial green light The new investment deal was struck to see three of the ailing CDMA operators Starcomms Plc, Multi-Links and MTS Wireless - come together as a single entity that will trade as ‘Starcomms.’

The deal is spearheaded by Capcom Limited, a special purpose vehicle with years of commercial experience of emerging markets.

However, the deal has recorded resounding success all along culminating in getting 100 per cent of Starcomms’ shareholders in support of the proposed deal at a courtordered meeting held in Abuja on December, 28, 2012, in what many described as further indication of shareholder support for the transaction.

By the support, Starcomms received the necessary shareholder support for all matters relating to the proposed $210 million investment by Capcom merger deal.

Commenting on the shareholders’ support early last year, the Interim chief executive officer of Starcomms Plc, Mr Olusola Oladokun, had noted that, “the shareholders’ approval at the meeting now require the high court’s ratification and the transaction thereafter remains subject to a number of conditions precedent as outlined in the scheme document including but not limited to final regulatory approval from the NCC, NSE and SEC.”

Eleso

From all indications, the deal appears to be stuck, but we hope it is something that we need, to bring about better competition in the industry and for customers to have more choices He also enthused: “We are delighted that our shareholders have supported the board’s recommendation to approve the investment by CAPCOM and are extremely pleased that, subject to a number of conditions precedent relating to the overall transaction, Starcomms can look to the future with hope.”

According to him, “the capital injection combined with the injection of new spectrum and the CDMA assets of Multilinks provides a sound base for continued operations as well as enabling investment in new technology that will position Starcomms for the future in a very exciting space in the market.”

In the same vein, the chief executive officer-designate for the new Starcomms, Mr Ademola Eleso, had also announced optimistically that the “overwhelming approval from shareholders is a strong endorsement of our proposed business model for Starcomms.”

According to Elesho, the combination of Starcomms’ and Multilinks’ existing infrastructure and customerbase with access to 20MHz

of spectrum and the latest 4G LTE technology positions the company perfectly to be at the forefront of Nigeria’s data revolution.

“We look forward to rolling out the business model and to a bright future for Starcomms’ customers and shareholders.”

Hurdles Meanwhile, New Telegraph found that the enthusiasm, which greeted the announcement of the proposed injection of $210 million into the CDMA segment of the Nigerian telecoms industry, has completely waned.

But fresh investigations have shown that the delay in bringing the merger deal to fruition are due to a number of issues, mainly regulatory and the inability to get investors, who have the perception that investing in CDMA segment will not be profitable, given the dominant status of the GSM players, which provide the same data services as the CDMA operators.

According to one of the sources with the knowledge of the deal, “the delay in getting necessary regulatory approvals, almost two years after the overwhelming support was given by stakeholder for the deal, therefore, portends an ominous signs capable of threatening the budding future of the transaction.

“Indeed, the process is witnessing lull due to the delay in approving the deal by the Nigerian Communications Commissions, the Nigerian Security and Exchange Commission and the Nigerian Stock Exchange,” he said.

But founding is another problem with the apparent posture of most telecoms investors in Nigeria now looking more into venture that will deliver quick return on invest-

36 BUSINESS | ICT OBSTACLE Poor access to public electricity tops hindrances to ICT development Stories by Kunle Azeez

I

nadequate power infrastructure has been identified as one of the key challenges impeding deployment of Information and Communications Technology (ICT) infrastructure rollout in Nigeria.

Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobla Johnson, however, said that “the Jonathan administration was working to address the issue of inadequate power supply.”

She stated this during a panel discussion on “Policies Enabling Access, Growth and Development on the Internet” at the 9th Internet Governance Meeting (IGF) held at Istanbul, Turkey.

The minster also restated the commitment of the Federal Government to building a ubiquitous broadband infrastructure that will facilitate innovation and entrepreneurship in Nigeria.

IGF is an annual forum where all stakeholders come together to discuss issues that impact on the development and governance of the Internet.

The 9th IGF conference with the theme, ‘Connecting Con-

Poor power infrastructure threatens ICT industry – Minister tinents for Enhanced Multistakeholder Internet Governance’ drew participants from across the globe Mrs Johnson, at the forum, disclosed that Nigeria has unveiled a National Broadband Plan and is currently implementing it to increase broadband penetration in the country by a five-fold increase over the 2012 penetration rate by 2017.

The minister disclosed that Nigeria is pushing for an increase in broadband penetration to facilitate innovation and enable a digitised economy.

She noted that countries with a higher broadband penetration experience greater innovation because broadband is an enabler that fuels innovation and does so exponentially.

Mrs Johnson said that in recognition of the huge potential of ICTs to create a developed economy, Nigeria as an emerging market is applying and promoting an ICT strategy in all facets geared towards facilitating its rapid growth and development.

According to her, Nigeria is aggressively developing its ICT

Ericsson develops indoor cell to support LTE data

A

global Information and Communication technology company, Ericsson, is launching smaller cells that can be deployed in building, with better data performance.

Tagged ‘RBS 6402,’ the first indoor picocell is to deliver 300 megabyte per second Long Term Evolution speeds with carrier aggregation that addresses the performance requirements and economic imperatives of smaller sites on a future-proof platform with a compact, tablet-sized footprint.

With hundreds of thousands of small cells and carrier Wi-Fi access points already shipped to leading operators around the world, the company said smaller buildings and venues have the same mobile broadband coverage and capacity requirements as their larger counterparts.

But, in these smaller locations, Ericsson said such move must be achieved at lower cost, both in terms of total installed capex and ongoing opex.

According to Head of Segment Networks, Ericsson, Johan Wibergh, in today’s mobile workplace, the tenfold growth of mobile data traffic by 2019, increasing enterprise adoption of Network-as-a-Service models, and new device-to-device and Machine-to-Machine (M2M) applications, present both opportunities and challenges for mobile operators.

Wibergh said to satisfy their consumer and business

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

customers, grow in mobile enterprise and expand into new industries, mobile operators must deliver consistently high performance indoor app coverage deep into buildings of all sizes and then back out onto the street again.

“With the Radio Dot System, we redefined the small cell architecture to address a wide range of underserved buildings, but we knew we still had to crack the price-performance barrier for smaller venues.

Now the RBS 6402 cost-effectively serves the needs of smaller sites, which we estimate account for approximately 10 million buildings worldwide.

“With the Ericsson small cell and carrier Wi-Fi portfolio, mobile operators can now address their consumer and enterprise customers and new industrial opportunities in any indoor and outdoor environment,” he said.

Coordinating small cells with the macro network, Ericsson delivers reliable connectivity and mobility through heterogeneous networks that employ common traffic management across technologies, frequencies and locations.

This holistic approach enables continuous monitoring of user performance across radio technologies, whether 2G, 3G, LTE or Wi-Fi, and between indoors and outdoors and coordinates decisions based on network load or service prioritisation.

sector to drive national development in all sectors - agriculture, manufacturing, health, education, among others.

She identified inadequate power infrastructure as one of the key challenges impeding deployment of communi-

cations infrastructure roll out in Nigeria but stressed that the Jonathan administration was working to address the issue of inadequate power supply.

According to the minister, “expected benefits of broadband penetration in Nigeria

include economic and social development leading to increased healthcare, education and literacy, security and safety, among others, as well as more efficient and effective economic activities that accelerate growth.”

L-R: Minister of Communication Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson and the Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State, Rtd. Rear Admiral Gboribiogha Jonah, at the third Regular Council Meeting of National Council on Communication Technology held in Bayelsa.

Nigeria becomes new CTO chair ELEVATION Nigeria has been elevated at global ICT stage to lead commonwealth nations

N

igeria’s recognition as one of the fastest-growing telecoms markets has earned it another status in the international telecoms arena with its election as the new Chair of the Council and Executive Committee of the Commonwealth Telecommunications Organisation (CTO), taking over from Kenya.

The election took place during the organisation’s annual council meeting held in Dhaka, Bangladesh, on September 11 and 12, 2014.

"We are delighted and honoured to be elected to this position and we look forward to working with all members to continue to guide management in its ICT4D efforts," said Dr Eugene Juwah, Executive Vice-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), who will assume this position on behalf of the country.

Juwah was previously 1st Vice-Chair of the CTO. He has over 30 years of experience in the IT and telecommunications sectors, including over 20 years in top management level positions.

Appointed in July 2010 in his current position at the

NCC, he championed the introduction of emergency communication services, mobile number portability, SIM card registrations and broadband access expansion in Nigeria.

He takes over as chairman of CTO from Director for Human Capital and Administration at the Communications Authority of Kenya, Juma Kandie.

"We are grateful for the trust members put on us over the past three years as Chair and we will look forward to playing our role on the Executive Committee as immediate past chair to support Nigeria," said Kandie, who received acclamations from fellow member country representatives for the inclusive manner in which he led the Executive Committee.

Also elected on the sevenmember Executive Committee of CTO are: Trinidad & Tobago as 1st Vice-Chair, held

by Chief Executive Officer, Telecommunications Authority of Trinidad & Tobago, Cris Seecheran, while Mauritius was elected 2nd Vice-Chair, to be held by the Chairman, Information and Communication Technologies Authority, Mauritius, Vimalen Reddi.

Also elected as the Development Partners' Representative, is the Telecommunications Regulatory Board of Cameroon, held by Beh Mengue’s General Manager, Jean Louis while Industry Partners' Rep-

resentative went to Telkom South Africa, held by International Business Development Manager, Abigail Sono.

Members of the Executive Committee of the CTO are elected for one year. Kenya remains on the Executive Committee as immediate past chair, together with Prof. Tim Unwin as Secretary-General, both as non-elected members of the Committee.

Meanwhile, participants at the CTO annual forum commended the organisation for the success of this year’s event, which is held in Bangladesh for the first time.

The event focused primarily on the need for greater efforts in the use of ICTs as tools for social empowerment.

“If we want to achieve double-digit economic growth, the unlimited opportunities of a technology-based, creative economy are calling us, and we can't afford to miss the train”, said Bangladesh’s State Minister of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology, Hon. Zunaid Ahmed Palak, as he called for stronger and wider collaboration between key sectors.

“I do not believe that ICTs have a sufficient place in the global development goals beyond 2015, and Commonwealth countries will consult to explore how more commitment can be made to ICTs,” said Unwin said.

BUSINESS | ICT 37

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

NITDA targets increased FDI with GITEX 2014 INVESTMENT Dubai confab presents new vista of investment inflow into Nigeria Stories by Kunle Azeez

A

s the 2014 Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (Gitex) draws closer, Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Mr Peter Jack, has said that the event presents great potentials for Nigeria to further build its foreign direct investment (FDI) profile.

Official data from the Federal Government has indicated an increase in the nation’s ICT

FDI from $25 billion to $32 billion in the last two years.

According to him, as a global technology marketplace, the event will help Nigeria to boost its local ICT industry potentials as well as its country image.

NITDA is the country’s IT clearinghouse and has the mandate to provide a sustainable framework for IT development in Nigeria.

Touted as West Africa’s ICT hub, Nigeria has Africa’s largest population with about 180 million people and was recently named Africa’s largest economy by the World Bank after a recent rebasing of its economy.

Nigeria is the Official Country Partner for Gitex, 2014 and is promoting its presence at the

show under the theme: ‘Invest in Nigeria – Your Gateway to Africa.’

According to NITDA boss, the agency plans to showcase the country’s budding IT entrepreneurs to explore for new businesses, strategic investments and partnership inside the Nigerian Pavillion.

Part of activities built round the Nigerian Pavilion includes the Nigerian ICT Investment Conference and the Nigerian ICT Investment Dinner. Both events are being promoted to highlight Nigeria’s investment potential.

Nigeria has, in the last five years, remained the biggest destination for FDI in Africa and one of the top leading destinations in the world, despite negative country per-

ception which the country leaders believe is largely due to ignorance and what Jack called “unfriendly nature of the western media.”

Also speaking in a telephone conversation, Deputy Director, Corporate Strategy and Research at NITDA, Dr. Vincent Olatunji, who is also the Chairman of Gitex Local Organising Committee, said NITDA believes that the high level delegation of government and private sector players will help exploit Nigeria’s largely unexplored ICT sector at Gitex.

According to Olatunji, Nigeria has talents, but most times the talents are hidden mainly due to lack of support and exposure.

“Apart from exploring inter-

national opportunities for collaborations and investments that would further advance Nigeria’s IT sector, we also want to explore the opportunity of partnering with Gitex to tell the world what Nigerians are capable of doing locally,” he added.

Gitex is the premier Technology event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA). Over 35,000 visitors came from Africa in the 2013 edition of Gitex where Nigeria premiered its presence by setting up the Nigerian Pavilion which was also promoted by NITDA. About 40 other countries are also setting up pavilions at the event which records trade visitors in excess of 154, 000 last year from over 110 countries.

SMEs see Glo Xchange as income stream

wners of Small and MeO(SMEs) dium Scale Enterprises have expressed enthu-

L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Asseco Software Nigeria Limited, Mr Simon Melchior; Representative of the Federal Ministry of Power, Mrs Emilomo Ogunboye; Managing Director, Asseco, Mr Adefolu Majekodunmi; Head, Communications, Asseco, Ms Tobi Akinwande and representative of Federal Ministry of Power, Mr Friday Odionye, at Asseco Software launch in Lagos.

Ebola: Forum seeks tech-based response strategy SOLUTION Experts offer tech-based recommendations to tackle Ebola Virus

T

he Africa Emergency Technology Response Forum (AETRF), an informal network of African technology professionals engaged in Ebola response on the continent and in the Diaspora, has called on African governments to leverage technological reponses to tackle the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the continent.

AETRF stated this in an open letter to the African Union, African Heads of State and African governments, urging them to endorse and approve the recommendations it is putting forward to combat the Ebola outbreak while also helping to build the infrastructure to avoid future catastrophes and save lives.

AETRF comprises top technology experts, including cofounder/business development manager, iSpace Foundation, Ghana, Kwesi Eyison; Chairman, Mobile Software Solu-

tions Nigeria and immideate past-president, Institute of Software Practitioners of Nigeria (ISPON), Dr. Chris Uwaje; Principal Engagement Manager, Microsoft Services Americas, New England Division, Wilmot Gibson; and Webmaster at the Ministry of Health & Social Welfare, Government of the Republic of Liberia, Mr Clement Tay. Others are Director of Partnerships, North America, VOTO Mobile, United States, Mr. Kevin Schuster; Director of Partnerships, West Africa, VOTO Mobile, Ghana, Pearlyn Budu; Siafa Sherman of Synogy Consulting, Nigeria; Director of Social Impact, ThoughtWorks, United States, Emira Woods; Prieska Villily Buthelezi of ThoughtWorks South Africa; Director Enwah Interactive, South Africa, Wahne Tubman; CEO, SBTS Group, Sierra Leone, Evelyn A. Lewis, and Chief Executive Architect, virtualdeveloper.com Corp, United States, Cecil (CJ) John.

According to the Forum, there is a need to “increase the political commitment to stop the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak by immediately designating a

technology leader on the National task force to coordinate the government’s technology initiatives in response to the Ebola outbreak.

“This leader should have the government’s full mandate to leverage government resources, private sector or NGO efforts in fulfilling any relevant Ebola response communications, data gathering, contact mapping and analysis of efforts.”

AETRF also sought encouragement of all African countries to establish a “National Data Center” to host the “National Call Center for Ebola,” saying “this platform will provide the flexibility for countries to access on-demand cloud based technology solutions in response to public safety emergencies and post-crisis analysis.”

The Forum also encouraged all African countries to establish a “National Health Emergencies News & Information Radio Station” that compiles, vets and disseminates accurate health information including preventative measures related to hygiene, health education and emergency information.

siasm over the launch of Glo Xchange, declaring that the mobile money super agent network is another huge income stream for their businesses.

Globacom said in a statement that at the town hall meetings held in Ibadan, Benin, Abuja, Port Harcourt, Ikeja and Lekki in Lagos last Saturday, the SME owners who turned up to register as Glo Xchange agents, lauded Globacom for the elaborate platform, which is aimed at deepening financial inclusion and promoting Nigeria’s electronic payment system.

Mr Raphael Arokoyo of Real Imagination Limited who attended the Ikeja meeting expressed confidence that the mobile payment option would catch on, adding: "This is a good means of economic empowerment for Nigerians.

“There is no business without its teething issues. When ATM started, it was difficult to accept. But today, it is taking shape. So, I believe that with the strength of Glo and all its partners, the mobile wallet will be a good venture,” he said.

Arokoyo said that his excitement about the product knows no bound, adding that “it is easy to operate a mobile wallet because it does not require high education. As long as the user can operate a phone, you are in business.

“It does not require start-up capital. With Glo’s support to brand our shops, it saves costs,” he added.

Another prospective agent, Mrs Eucharia Ajaegbu, a grocery store operator in Ojo-Alaba, Lagos, said that Glo Xchange was a welcome development that “will make business transactions very easy. It will improve the earnings of small business people. I love it and I hope it goes well," she enthused.

In her contribution, Mrs Mercy Nnamani, a teacher and provision seller in Ojo-Alaba

said, “Glo Xchange does not need start-up capital. With Glo's support to brand our shops, it is easy to run, and less stressful. I believe it will thrive.”

Speaking after a very interactive meeting at the Lekki venue of the training, one of the prospective agents, an exporter and financial services provider, Mr Osita Udoye, said that after listening to the lecture, he believes “Glo Xchange is good and profitable for agents.”

Prospective agents had similar lectures across different locations. Mr Alex Muia, Globacom's Mobile Money specialist told the audience in Benin City that “a lot of people who keyed into mobile money when it was first introduced in Kenya are today millionaires in their own ways.

“All it takes you to be a Glo Xchange mobile money agent is to have a small shop in a corner street in your neighbourhood and become the local bank for your community, where you live by registering customers, receiving cash deposits and paying out cash withdrawals like a normal bank,” he said.

Muia added that "to register as an agent, all one needs to do is simply pick up one's phone and SMS one's First name/ Last name/City/State to 33003 or 08150033003 or visit the nearest Gloworld shop or www.Gloworld.com/Mobilemoney."

Partnering banks were also on ground at all the training locations to begin registration of agents. Most of those who attended filled the form to sign on as mobile money agents and join Glo Xchange Network.

According to the Head of Mobile Money Financial Business Department in Globacom, Mr Esaie Diei, the Glo Xchange agents will double as Glo virtual airtime recharge vendors. Glo Xchange, in collaboration with the Mobile Money operators, will be part of the daily life of any Nigerian because it will give them the proximity and convenience to access financial services in their neighbourhood.

38 BUSINESS | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

HTA raises $980m to support growing demand for data GAP New investment is to bridge extant infrastructure deficit Stories by Kunle Azeez

A

frica’s independent telecoms tower company, Helios Towers Africa (HTA), has said that it will use a new stream of $980 million capital injected into the company to boost infrastructure capacity on the continent to cater for “growing demand” for 3G and 4G data services.

HTA said it has raised $630 million in new equity resources from existing and new shareholders and "expects to complete negotiations shortly" on

new and extended debt facilities of over $350m “with a strong syndicate of international and local lending institutions.”

The company suggested that it could also use its “financial firepower” to break into new markets.

HTA said that following the latest injection of capital into the business, it will have raised over $1.8 billion in external financing since inception in late 2009.

This will “fund acquisitions and organic growth” with regard to the African telecoms towers industry “in which there continues to be huge potential,” the company said.

According to HTA, “growth drivers underpinning the telecoms towers industry continue to be robust.

“There is the need for

100,000 points of service (PoS) in Africa to merely satisfy demand for 2G coverage and associated capacity demand over the next five years. This PoS requirement is underpinned further by the growing demand for 3G and 4G data, which is driving the need for significant additional infrastructure capacity and in-fill across the continent.”

HTA Chief Executive Officer, Mr Chuck Green, said: “The market opportunity is as compelling as ever and this new capital injection will help us to consolidate our pan-African vision and market leading position even further. We now have over 7,800 owned towers in Africa and the financial firepower to enter more new markets.”

In a related development, India-based Bharti Airtel Lim-

ited (Airtel), a global telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, has agreed to divest about 3,100 of its telecoms towers in four countries across its African operations to HTA. Airtel will retain “full access” to the towers under a long-term lease contract. HTA said the agreement allows Airtel to “focus on its core business and customers (and) enable it to deleverage through debt reduction, and will significantly reduce its ongoing capital expenditure on passive infrastructure.”

HTA’s existing shareholders include Quantum Strategic Partners, Helios Investment Partners, Albright Capital Management, RIT Capital Partners and the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which is part of the World Bank Group.

The Head of IFC’s African, Latin American and Caribbean Fund, Mr Sujoy Bose, said: “We are very pleased to enter into a partnership with HTA and its investors. HTA is well-positioned for growth in several under-penetrated mar-

kets in Africa and the Airtel transaction is another demonstration of the company’s credibility with large operators in the mobile telephone industry.”

According to a survey published earlier this year by Swedish company Ericsson, sub-Saharan Africa is “rapidly closing in” on the global penetration rate of mobile communications usage.

The survey said mobile financial services are increasingly popular as the use of information and communications technology (ICT) grows.

However, the survey said: “Mobile operators and relevant ICT stakeholders, including governments, must drive the development of appropriate infrastructure to handle the growing traffic demand on networks.”

In May 2014, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the World Bank Group, announced a $2 million advisory services agreement with Tigo Ghana to develop and expand mobile financial services in Ghana.

Tecno lists ‘evils’ of counterfeit phones manufacturer, Tecno, tremendous confidence in the has listed a number of dan- African market, adding that it Pgershone associated with the pa- has always had a huge purchas-

L-R: Special Guest, Osolo of Isolo Kingdom, Oba Kabiru Agbabiaka; Zonal Business Manager, Airtel, Lagos, Mr Olawale Alao and Lagos-based entrepreneur, Mr Samson Adele, during the tour of the newly-commissioned Express Shop of Airtel at Okota-Isolo, Lagos.

Upperlink to develop 100 IT startups MENTORSHIP Firm sharpens skills of tech-savvy entrepreneurs

N

igeria’s first Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) - accredited registrar, Upperlink Limited, is set to support over 100 information technology-savvy entrepreneurs from all states of the federation to develop their business ideas.

The company said it embarked on the mentoring programme to commemorate Nigeria’s centenary celebration.

As the only registrar accredited in Nigeria and the eighth in Africa, Upperlink’s said its mandate is to discover and mentor 100 IT startups and nurture them to maturity thereby sharpening the entrepreneurial skills of army of IT-savvy youths in Nigeria.

Chief Executive Officer of the company, Mr Segun Akano, who stated that through the

initiative, Nigeria will begin to assert its right influence in the internet ecosystems, also explained that the company has chosen to celebrate the country’s centenary as a milestone.

“As we begin the journey into another 100 years, we want to always look back to say that in the last 100 years of Nigeria, we harvested 100 young entrepreneurs who were nurtured and helped to realise their full potentials,” he said.

Explaining the rationale behind the mentoring programme, he informed that when a seed is sown, the number of fruits would be uncountable, especially if the seed falls on a fertile soil and nurtured.

Sharing what led to Upperlink’s transformation, he narrated how, in 2003, when the company opened for business, it could not afford a laptop. “We were so poor and we had to make presentations to clients using desktop and monitor.”

However, in 2004, he noted

that he participated in the Young Managers Competition initiated by Nigeria Institute of Management (NIM) and supported by founder of Globacom, Mike Adenuga. He won a laptop as a prize and that was the “turning point for our business.”

He noted that had Adenuga not supported the NIM initiative, he would not have had the breakthrough at that time.

“Mike Adenuga did not know me till today, but his laptop at that time has produced hundreds of laptops today.

This is why we want to sow seeds in the lives of deserving young IT entrepreneurs. We will not truncate the flow of benefits, as some people just need a mite to become mighty,” he said.

Enumerating the benefits to the 100 IT young entrepreneurs, he said the startups would benefit from understanding the domain business as the entry point to the internet ecosystem and other things would follow.

tronage and use of counterfeit phones.

Speaking in Lagos, Vice President of Tecno Group, Mr Arid Chowdhury, warned Nigerians to be wary of some cheap phones in the market, saying most them were counterfeit phones and posed serious health risk.

According to him, “some of them may explode. Some of them have high radiation. They are not approved by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON). They cause serious damage to the user both short and long term use.”

He stated that SON is having “a serious crack down on this and it is a very good move as we have to safeguard our health and our future.”

Meanwhile, the company has also stated reasons for pioneering of dual Subscriber Identity Module (SIM) phones in the African content.

According to Chowdhury, power challenges and the fairly nascent telecommunications infrastructural development across the continent influenced its design of mobile cell products in 2006 when it entered the African market.

He said that the company pioneered the dual-SIM phones when it was controlling barely one per cent of the mobile phones market in the continent.

Chowdhury noted that the company’s offerings in mobile voice and data technologies which include smart phones, tablets and feature phones ranges are enjoying huge popularity and adoption in Nigeria and other sub-Saharan Africa.

He said the company has

ing potential and can build a strong affinity for value driven products of brands which understood the peculiar needs of the African market space.

Chowdhury noted that the Tecno is a brand that understood Africa’s unique infrastructural challenges and consumer behaviour and tailored their products to meet this significant market.

“In 2006, when Tecno Mobile entered the African mobile Original Equipment Manufactuers (OEMs) space there were existing top global brands already operating within the African space.

“However, none of these global brands factored in According to him, many of the mobile voice operators at the time had infrastructure that struggled to deliver quality voice connections across a wide range thus the advent of Tecno’s dual-SIM products,” he said.

According to him, “Tecno dual-SIM philosophy for Africa is hinged on the fact that telecommunications infrastructure for land lines service is underdeveloped and overburdened and cannot meet Africa’s over whelming need for voice service and the fact that many African consumers demand a mobile device that can hold more than one SIM card.”

He further stated that despite dominance status exuded by other phones in the continent at the time, Tecno entered the continent. “Tecno, a relatively small OEM vendor at the time, has become an accepted and robust competitor with its lowend mobile devices that offered value at affordable rates.”

BUSINESS | ICT 39

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

COLLABORATION Annual ATCON Forum to discuss critical issues affecting the industry Stories by Kunle Azeez

S

takeholders in the nation’s telecoms industry from both private and public sectors are set for a brainstorming session as part of the annual Nigeria’s Telecoms Executives and Regulator’s Forum by the Association of Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria (ATCON).

According to ATCON's Executive Secretary, Mr Jibola Olude, participation at the 2014 edition of the forum is restricted to top executives of telecom operating companies.

“As the name of the event implies, participation is for high level management personnel of operating companies. Therefore, delegates to the forum must consist of decision makers in the participating organisations.

This is to ensure that issues are discussed with seriousness of purpose,” he said.

According to him, the event, slated to hold in Lagos next month, will feature a keynote address by the Executive Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Dr. Eugene Juwah.

The address will focus on critical issues in the industry ranging from effective utili-

Telecoms stakeholders set for brainstorming session sation of licensed spectrum; infrastructure companies as a strategy to achieving open access model; good corporate governance in Nigeria telecoms industry as a panacea for survival of telecom companies; direction for local content policy while examining telecommunications sector in promoting national securities in Nigeria.

“The 2012 and 2013 editions of the event were very exciting and a huge success as confirmed by the feedback we got from attendees; we are confident that the 2014 edition will even be better as industry leaders would constitutes panel of discussants,” Olude said.

He further said that ATCON President, Mr Lanre Ajayi, will set the stage for the day’s discussion through a welcome address.

According to Olude, the forum, which is open to all operators in the telecoms sector in Nigeria, is designed to create an opportunity for key industry players to interact with the regulator, with the aim of building a continual good working relationship.

He said: “It is also aimed at creating a platform for the regulator to update the industry

Elumelu, others for DEMO Africa 2014 hairman of Heirs Holdings between the continent’s variCFoundation, and founder of Tony Elumelu ous angel investors and map out Mr Tony Elumelu the future of angel investing in and Vice President of The European trade Association for Business Angels (EBAN), Mr Baybars Altuntas, are among the top business executives and investors expected at the forthcoming DEMO Africa.

Guests expected at the event include General Manager, Microsoft for Africa initiative, Fernando de Sousa; Founder of IROKO, Mr Jason Njoku and the CEO of Channels TV, Nigeria, Mr. John. Momoh, among others.

The Demo Africa, being hosted in Nigeria for the first time, presents a platform for young and budding Information Technology startups to showcase their business ideas and innovations to potential local and international investors.

This year’s edition of DEMO Africa, which will also be addressed by the Minister of Communication Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson and the ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Dr Tunji Olaopa, is expected to fuel discussions geared towards making critical adjustments that will allow Africa to create a better environment for business.

Besides gracing the event to scout for talent on the DEMO Africa stage, the key guests are scheduled to exchange ideas at the Angels Investors Summit on the September 24 which will allow a knowledge exchange

Africa.

Commenting on the heightened excitement from the expected participation, the Chairman of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) of DEMo Africa, Mr. Yele Okeremi, expressed confidence on the outcome of the event.

“We feel honored to be able to host some of Africa’s biggest minds. We are positive that the ideas shared at this forum will be implemented to make Africa realize the dream of self-sufficiency.”

SpacePointe’ s founder Sayu Abend, one of the finalists scheduled to pitch on the DEMO Africa, expressed optimism in the event stating that the unique mix of mentors and role models expected at the event is a rich source of important lessons for young entrepreneurs and the start-up businesses in Africa.

“I am positive that SpacePointe and other participating startups are bound to grow from this experience.”

The DEMO Africa event preparations are now in the very final stages and this year’s event is being organised in collaboration with the LIONS@FRICA partners, comprising Microsoft, Nokia, United States Department, DEMO, USAID, African Development Bank, VC4Africa, among others.

on the regulator’s directions and plans for the industry in the coming years.

“Furthermore, the forum is designed as a veritable platform for the regulator to receive feedback from the industry with a view to understanding the challenges

and prospects industry players have to grapple with and explore to ensure sustained growth of the industry.

“Also, participants are expected to brainstorm on measures that would accelerate the expansion of telecommunications services across the

federation in the years ahead.”

He said that the forum includes a panel discussion sessions to allow elaborate and judicious deliberations on the various sub-themes. Some of the confirmed panelists include the CEOs of key telecoms companies in Nigeria.

L-R: Adviser, Giocah Ventures, Mr Anayochukwu Mchael; Managing Director, Samtos Communications limited, Mr Samuel Ogunna; MD, Vik Global Communications, Mr ikenna Eleodimuo and Operations Director, Giocah Ventures, Sir Ikechukwu Ezeonyeka, during the launch of Alcatel Smartphones in Lagos.

MTN services 8m 3G smartphones daily

T

he number of 3G smartphone devices serviced daily by Nigeria’s telecommunications services provider, MTN, has hit a whopping eight million as at August.

This was disclosed to New Telegraph by the Data and Devices Manager, Sales and Distributions, MTN Nigeria, Mr Usman Idris, at the launch of Microsoft’s Nokia Lumia 930.

MTN and Mansard Insurance were partnering Microsoft to provide data services and cover to individuals who purchase the new device, which “combines work and play.”

Speaking at the event, Idris said: “Telecoms firms are currently witnessing declining Average Revenue per User (ARPU) and as an operator, MTN is focusing more on provision of data services.”

According to him, “as at August, 2014, MTN had eight million 3G smartphone devices connected to its network for services.”

He, however, explained that about 1.7 million of the smart devices were Nokia devices with 79 per cent of the connected Nokia devices generating revenues for MTN daily.

He said that the partnership with Microsoft was borne out of MTN’s continuous efforts to make Internet services avail-

able to Nigeria.

“The motive of the partnership is to allow Nigerians experience our reliable Internet services and for us to generate more revenues.”

Also, a director at Mansard Insurance, Mr. Yomi Onifade, said the “Our partnership with Microsoft on Nokia Lumia 930 will provide different level of covers for the users of the phones so that they can have rest of mind on what they are buying. We are delighted to partner with both MTN and Microsoft.”

Speaking earlier, Head, Product Marketing, Microsoft Mobile Devices and Services, Mr. Olumide Balogun, said that Nokia Lumia 930 is a ‘machine that integrates office and home lives.’

“It is about how we empower consumer to do more.

Lumia 930 truly embodies all the experience. It is about OneExperience of Windows on our PC, tablet and smartphone devices,” he said.

The Lumia 930 smartphone comes with the best of Microsoft built in work and play features such as Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, XBOX, Skype and One Note to ensure customers are able to work hard and play hard whenever and wherever,

whilst keeping content like photos, videos and documents in sync across their Windows Phone, Personal Computers, tablets and XBox devices.

According to Balogun, with the use of OneDrive and its 15GB of free storage in the cloud, customers can access their documents, files and even games anywhere and anytime.

The device features one of the brightest screens seen on a smartphone with a 5 inch Full HD 1080p screen with sunlight readability and curved Gorilla Glass 3.0 for better viewing angles and an outdoor reading experience unmatched in the industry.

The Lumia 930 comes with 2.2GHz Quadcore Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor as well as the Lumia Cyan update of Windows Phone 8.1 to give customers the most out of the latest Windows Phone 8.1, whilst enjoying a superfast experience.

The Lumia 930 also comes with in-built Wireless charging as well as a 20 mega pixel PureView ZEISS camera with Optical Image Stabilisation and four ultra high performance digital microphones that record Dolby Digital for an unparalleled imaging and rich recording and audio capture experience.

40

FEATURES

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com otuntise@yahoo.co.uk

FG’s deft move to overcome hurdles in oil sector

W

ith the United States’ move to cut off oil import from Nigeria and squeeze the nation’s oil out of its market, Nigeria may face the challenge of a sharp crash in its import.

In fact, the attendant effects of such cut, when it finally becomes operational, would be grave in view of Africa’s biggest crude exporter’s monoculture economy, built largely round proceeds from crude that presently services over 85 per cent of the budget.

Faced with the fresh drive that may likely hit the nation’s oil and gas sector, the country through the Ministry of Petroleum Resources, is bracing up for the challenges which may arise.

But, despite the huge challenges facing the oil and gas industry, which is the mainstay of the nation’s economy in terms of export and foreign exchange earnings, the ministry, headed

by Mrs Diezani Alison-Madueke, has initiated several measures to mitigate the challenges.

According to the ministry, plans are in the offing to revitalise the domestic refineries, pipelines and storage facilities and infrastructure to support domestic energy needs. It requires a significant investment programme for existing refineries and development of new refineries to meet the growing petroleum products demand.

To this end, a refinery rehabilitation programme is in place which will bring the nation’s refinery availability to 90 per cent by the end of this year.

In view of this, the ministry has revamped and rehabilitated non-functioning petroleum product depots and pipelines, including the Benin Depot; Warri-Benin pipeline; Aba pipeline; Enugu, Gombe and Port Harcourt depots and restored product supply to the facilities.

So far, the ministry has rebuilt the burnt-down Okrika products loading arm and jetty, in line with the Federal Government transformation programme. In the area of gas to power, the ministry has continued frontier exploration in the Chad Basin and signed agreements for the aero-magnetic survey of other hinterland basins.

There is the on-going implementation of the Gas Master Plan, a major investment initiative for the establishment of the Ogidigben Gas Industrial City in Delta State.

The oil and gas sector has, since 2011, witnessed the completion of 307km of critical gas backbone infrastructure, including those of Itoki-Olorunshogo; Escravos-Warri-Oben; Imo River-Alaoji; Oben-Geregegu; as well as kicked off 1,860km of on-going gas pipeline infrastructure comprising Oben-Lagos; Obiafo-Obrikom-Oben (OB3); and Calabar-Ajaokuta-Kano.

Besides, it has also commenced Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) of the 850mcf/d gas processing facility that will support domestic supply of gas to power and the Ogidigben Industrial Park.

However, the ministry, with the assistance of the Ministry of Finance, raised US$450 million in Eurobonds in support of pipeline extensions for the Calabar-Ajaokuta-Kano pipelines project.

To boost the nation’s gas supply and reduce gas flaring, the ministry, it was gathered, initiated a critical gas flaredown campaign, which in two years, reduced gas flaring by 20 per cent to ap-

The Federal Government is taking measures to mitigate the impact of America’s decision to stop importation of Nigeria’s crude on the citizens, writes KAYODE OLANREWAJU

President Goodluck Jonathan

proximately 16.7 per cent of produced gas.

Another salient plan in the ministry’s road map that was designed to take the sector to the next level, Alison-Madueke said was the recapitalisation of the National Oil Company and positioning it for a leading role in the country’s oil and gas industry.

Under this, the minister said, the current Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) would morph into a commercially viable operating entity, maximising the efficient use of the resources vested in it by the government.

She expressed worry over the need for a virile and strong Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), which is anchored on re-creating an industry that is open, fair and transparent with fiscal rules of general application and regulatory monitoring that is consistent with international best practices.

But, as part of its achievements, the ministry has engineered the comprehensive re-draft of the PIB that is undergoing legislative process in the National Assembly.

When passed into law, Alison-Madueke said, the PIB would be the first of its kind in the country in terms of its coverage and sweeping reforms.

On the challenge to mitigate crude oil theft and vandalism, which remain the greatest threats to the development of oil and gas industry, the Ministry of Petroleum Resources has reached out to other countries. This is to stimulate international collaboration to mitigate crude oil theft, sabotage and vandalism.

Under the initiative, in 2013, the Federal Government established the National Economic Council Committee on Crude Oil Theft and Pipeline Vandalism to assist in combating this menace.

“Subsequently, choke points have been established at strategic locations within Nigeria’s littoral waters, and

Alison-Madueke

collaboration among security agencies and pipeline operators has significantly improved,” the minister said.

She added that the most recent was the anti-crude oil theft session that Nigeria co-hosted at the 2014 Cambridge Energy Research Associate (CERA) for comprehensive strategy that would deal with oil theft at local, national and international levels.

“This framework would amalgamate the work already being done by a range of agencies at varying levels to ensure a holistic approach for the stemming of these criminal acts,” the minister said.

One major achievement of the ministry is the maintenance and sustenance of unprecedented stability in the supply and distribution of petroleum products across the country, as well as opening of the Usan Floating Production, Storage and Offloading (FPSO) vessels with a processing capacity of 180,000bbls/day operated by Mobil, and the commissioning of Africa’s largest vessel, christened Akpevweoghene, an Offshore Pipelaying/Derrick Barge, in May 2013.

The ministry, which insisted that downstream deregulation of the oil and gas sector remains an important part of a reform framework aimed at restoring financial sustainability and investor confidence, said the government had sought to deregulate the downstream sector.

To reposition the gas sector, the government put in place a three-pronged reform in October 2008, which focused on domestic gas supply obligation, the gas-pricing framework and the gas infrastructure blueprint.

The nation’s adoption of a gas-based development programme is necessitated by the current global view that gas will become the principal fuel of choice in the not distant future.

According to the ministry, the road map for the oil and gas industry would

be unproductive and incomplete if the various interventions do not create clear benefits for the Nigerian people, especially currently when the sector provides the highest external income to all the 36 states.

Meanwhile, despite the achievements of the ministry in the past few years, and the road map initiated to move the sector forward, there are still numerous challenges militating against the sector.

To the ministry, these include security issues, in which the menace of pipeline vandalism and sabotage has continued to threaten the upstream sector of the industry.

In 2013 alone, all the major crude oil export pipeline systems were severely vandalised, creating significant losses for the industry and country.

Such monumental loss included direct and indirect costs for the provision of security, crude oil and petroleum product losses, loss of production, environmental pollution, and degradation and remediation costs and resulting escalation of project implementation costs.

Apart from security challenges, the industry has also suffered untold hardship from limited institutional capacity, poor funding of investments, high technical costs, obsolete laws, outdated fiscal regimes and infrastructure constraints.

However, the ministry noted that the growing importance of gas in the energy mix, both globally and locally, requires a new focus on creating robustness in the fiscal and contractual agreements for gas. It is also necessary to support the Federal Government’s gas revolution agenda, especially in relation to the power sector.

It added that the proposed PIB is meant to be a holistic legislation that replaces the existing 16 laws in the nation’s oil and gas industry.

business | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

RenCap forecasts takeover of ETI by QNB

PROSPECTS QNB’s stake in Ecobank would boost its S’African prospects

deals valued at $573million in total within less than two weeks, RenCap estimate the first deal was priced at (1.2x FY13 P/B) an 18 per cent premium to the market, while the recent deal of $283million for 2.05billion shares was priced at (1.3x FY13 P/B) a 16per cent premium.

RenCap said it believes the arrival of an institutional shareholder such as QNB provides ETI with deep pockets should it need to raise more capital in future; stressing its possibility.

According to RenCap, the ETI management’s ideal scenario was not to have any person or institution control more than 20 percent of the group’s capital, and this has been made clear to both QNB and Nedbank vide its (HOLD, TP ZAR248, CP ZAR228), which holds convertible debt.

While arguing that rule did not preclude either of these parties, or indeed an external party, from exceeding this threshold; rencap contended that looking at ETI’s articles of association was to the effect that any institution who by secures 24.99 percent could acquire controlling interest over ETI.

Godson Ikoro

T

here are strong indications that the Qatar National Bank (QNB) could acquire a bigger stake and eventually takeover Ecobank Transnational International (ETI), Renaissance Capital (RenCap) has predicted.

RenCap's prediction came on a day ETI said the purchase

by QNB of a 23.5 per cent stake will help the Togo-based lender’s potential access to north African markets.

A report from RenCap yesterday stated that QNB can achieve its ambition given its acquisitions in other markets; emphasising that it has the capital to do so and has now clearly demonstrated its willingness to act.

“We note that, having shown its resolve, QNB may already be shifting Nedbank's strategic calculus,” the report stated.

Noting with surprise, the pace at which the bank concluded the acquisition of its recent stake, announcing

It estimates that post Nedbank’s conversion and top-up to a 20 per cent shareholding, QNB’s common shareholding drops to 17 per cent from 21 per cent but rises to 19 per cent after it converts its preferred shares to common shares.

Meanwhile, ETI’s spokes-

man, Richard Uku, told Reuters that the transactions between the pair would open up the North Africa market for Togobased lender. “This is a great asset and a good support as it opens for us horizons in North Africa and in countries in the circle of influence of QNB,” as the Doha-

Godson Ikoro

Lafarge, Wartsila, IFC to build 220 MW power plant in Nigeria

with agency reports

L

afarge Africa, Finland's Wartsila and the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) have agreed to build a 220 megawatt (MW) gas-fired power plant in Nigeria to boost electricity supplies, they said yesterday.

The trio according to Reuters said in a statement their plan was to help fast-track increased power supplies to the national grid and that they expected to provide more electricity to about 1.4 million households.

They did not disclose the cost of the project.

Nigeria is reforming its power sector to end chronic outages, which are seen as the biggest constraint on business growth in Africa's biggest economy and one of the main gripes

Naira hit three-month low, despite CBN intervention

T

he naira fell 0.34 per cent to a three-month closing low of N163.45 against the dollar yesterday, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN)

intervening for a second day to halt its slide, dealers said.

The unit according to Bloomberg, fell as low as N163.70 on strong demand for dollars dur-

ing intraday trade before the apex bank's action help it to recover to N163.45, a level last seen on June 16. The naira closed at N162.90 on Tuesday.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

Offer 163.38

 Corporation floats 1bn Yuan bonds of its 170 million people, who only get power a few hours, or less, a day.

At 4,000 megawatts, Nigeria's electricity output is a tenth of South Africa's for a population three times the size. Power supplies last some four hours a day in urban centres while many rural areas often get nothing.

The plan is to add a 220 MW power plant to Lafarge Africa's existing 90 MW plant, which is used mainly for its cement operations in Nigeria.

The plant supplies about 40 MW of excess power already, so once the new plant is built about 260 MW will go to the national grid under a power purchase agreement.

Under the pact, Wartsila will build and manage the power plant, while Lafarge Africa, the Nigerian arm of the world's biggest cement maker,

will manage the project.

The IFC, the World Bank's private sector development division, will provide financial support and advisory services.

Nigerian power companies are also expanding, particularly since the government sold several power assets last October under a privatisation programme meant to end decades of blackouts in Africa's most populous nation.

Local conglomerate Transcorp, with interests in power, oil and gas, has said it will invest $90 million to upgrade the generation capacity of its power plant to 715 megawatts from 463 megawatts.

Energy firm Forte Oil, which paid $132 million to buy a 414-megawatt power plant under the government's privatisation scheme, is also expanding.

IMF proposes $127m for three Ebola-hit countries in W’Africa

G Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

based bank is known, said Uku. QNB, the Middle East’s biggest lender by market value, bought an 11 per cent stake in Ecobank for $283 million on Sept.

15 to become its top shareholder.

This followed the purchase of 12.5 per cent stake valued at about $230 million on Sept. 4.

 World Bank sees possible blow in billions of dollars

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

41

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

uinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone could receive an additional $127 million from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) to help them deal with the worst-ever outbreak of the Ebola virus, the Fund said yesterday.

The funds, which must still be approved by the IMF's executive board, would help cover an estimated $300 million financing gap in the West African countries over the next six to nine months, when the IMF expects the impact of the outbreak to be most acute.

"The Ebola outbreak is a severe human, social and economic crisis that requires a resolute response from the international community," IMF Managing Director Christine Lagarde said in a statement.

"The governments of the three countries have requested additional IMF support to help cover the acute financing needs they are facing as a result of the outbreak."

The IMF yesterday proposed a $40 million loan for Guinea, $48 million for Liberia and $39 million for Sierra Leone. It has said economic growth in Liberia and Sierra Leone has been hurt in particular by the epidemic's impact on agriculture, mining and the services sectors.

The fund called on other countries and multilateral agencies to provide budget sup-

port for the three countries. At least 40 per cent of their financing needs remain unfilled based on pledges so far, though the figures are preliminary, a senior IMF official told reporters on condition of anonymity.

Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are among the poorest countries in the region and the hardest-hit by the worst Ebola epidemic since 1976, which has killed nearly 2,500 people.

The proposed funds would represent an expansion of the three countries' current IMF loan programmes. Guinea already has a $200 million programme from the IMF, while Liberia is getting about $80 million from the fund and Sierra Leone has an IMF programme of about $96 million.

Meanwhile, World Bank has said the largest-ever outbreak of Ebola could drain billions of dollars from economies in West Africa by the end of next year if the epidemic is not contained.

The global development lender predicted that slow containment of the disease in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone could lead to broader regional contagion.

Under the worst-case scenario, Guinea's economic growth could be reduced by 2.3 percentage points next year, while Sierra Leona's growth would cut by 8.9 percentage points. Liberia would be hardest-hit, with a reduction of 11.7 percentage points next year.

42 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

17-Sep-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

NA

NA

Description 9.25 28-SEP-2014 4.00 23-APR-2015 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 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)

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

9.25 4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

100.00 535.00 530.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 281.35 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 70.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,591.19

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,647.61

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

0.03 0.60 1.91 2.61 2.86 2.95 3.70 4.78 5.10 7.36 9.49 14.20 14.68 15.18 15.85 19.83

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

10.57 11.04 11.45 11.41 11.45 11.45 11.51 11.56 11.69 12.15 12.31 12.49 12.48 12.47 12.29 12.33

5.75 10.77 11.37 11.34 11.38 11.39 11.41 11.49 11.61 12.09 12.26 12.45 12.43 12.41 12.24 12.29

99.95 96.02 102.65 108.10 96.17 94.84 97.58 115.90 82.33 120.20 110.40 116.45 100.03 73.22 84.15 98.60

100.10 96.17 102.80 108.25 96.32 94.99 97.88 116.20 82.63 120.50 110.70 116.75 100.33 73.52 84.45 98.90

#

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.12 0.68 1.29 2.23 2.59 2.80

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

11.85 13.66 13.42 13.46 12.44 12.45

98.60 91.35 104.76 101.30 99.65 97.12

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,285.12

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.08

3.29

14.00

99.94

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.95

4.44

15.44

97.47

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.56

3.23

14.28

99.31

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.08

4.46

15.49

98.96

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.08

3.48

14.51

101.52

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.59

5.59

17.03

85.74

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.63

1.00

12.31

102.41

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.29

1.79

13.27

101.85

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.26

1.80

13.25

101.53

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.05

1.00

12.54

104.51

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

14.96

09-Dec-18

2.46

1.00

12.44

104.49

A-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

11.13

12-Dec-18

2.46

4.78

16.22

95.88

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.84

1.00

12.45

104.71

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*GOMBE

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019

02-Oct-12

15.50

17.28

02-Oct-19

2.91

1.00

12.45

107.41

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

22-Nov-12

14.50

80.00

22-Nov-19

5.18

1.00

12.72

106.56

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

12-Dec-12

14.75

27.51

12-Dec-19

3.07

2.74

14.20

101.30

A/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

30-Sep-13

14.75

11.40

30-Sep-20

3.59

1.00

12.50

106.17

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.00

27-Nov-20

6.20

1.00

13.03

101.91

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

6.29

1.94

14.00

104.03

A/Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

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

31-Dec-13

14.50

4.78

31-Dec-20

3.77

1.44

12.96

104.51

06-Jan-14

15.00

4.79

06-Jan-21

3.80

1.95

13.47

104.45

99.96

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

483.24 488.42

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil

LAFARGE WAPCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.05

1.00

11.65

GTB NGC

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.25

5.21

16.44

99.16

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.29

8.71

19.91

99.02

µ

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

3.61

17-Aug-15

0.67

4.88

15.91

96.65

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.75

1.00

12.02

100.57

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.82

2.63

13.64

100.91

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.03

1.00

12.47

100.91

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.10

1.34

12.81

102.55

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.04

1.00

12.46

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.85

1.88

13.29

108.87

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.81

3.48

14.87

102.00

A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

2.23

5.20

16.66

102.39

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.23

5.06

16.52

101.65

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.01

1.35

12.89

103.40

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.08

2.29

13.76

103.84

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.42

6.11

17.55

99.16

BBB/GCR

*DANA

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.29

2.16

13.64

106.05

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.16

2.76

14.78

101.81

11-Feb-18

3.40

1.00

12.49

93.80

Bid Price

Offer Price

BBB-/GCR

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

141.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

143.88

101.33

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

12.00 11.26

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

4.84

4.70

110.30

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

111.15

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.02

3.83

103.86

104.55

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.18

5.07

108.33

109.19

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,612.44

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.07

3.07

111.13

111.13

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.31

4.31

105.04

105.04 101.60

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.62

6.62

101.60

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.64

8.09

94.58

96.23

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.00

5.71

99.99

101.05

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

8.69

8.69

105.75

105.75

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.06

6.06

100.75

100.75

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.94

8.69

99.28

100.20

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.43

7.43

103.01

103.01

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

7.70

7.70

94.77

94.77

9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021

24-Jun-14

9.25

400.00

24-Jun-21

8.63

8.47

103.50

104.38

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC II

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

7.51

7.51

101.63

101.63

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.44

8.28

100.66

101.46

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,760.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,857.27

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57 64

Money Market

FIXINGS Maturity 25-Sep-14 2-Oct-14 9-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 23-Oct-14 30-Oct-14 6-Nov-14 13-Nov-14 20-Nov-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.55 10.70 10.60 10.40 10.30 10.50 10.50 10.60 10.20

Offer Discount (%) 10.30 10.45 10.35 10.15 10.05 10.25 10.25 10.35 9.95

Bid Yield (%) 10.57 10.75 10.67 10.49 10.41 10.63 10.65 10.78 10.39

Tenor

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 12.0083 12.7045 13.6948 14.5254

Rate (%)

OBB

11.79

O/N

12.00

Tenor Call 1M 3M

REPO

Rate (%) 11.75 12.19 12.95

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M 6M

163.45 163.38 163.64 164.25 165.42 166.54 170.22

163.55 163.64 163.98 164.87 166.69 168.34 173.58

A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.95

4.44

15.44

97.47

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.56

3.23

14.28

99.31

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.08

4.46

15.49

98.96

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.08

3.48

14.51

101.52

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.59

5.59

17.03

85.74

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.63

1.00

12.31

102.41

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.29

1.79

13.27

101.85

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.26

1.80

13.25

101.53

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.05

1.00

12.54

104.51

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

14.96

09-Dec-18

2.46

1.00

12.44

104.49

A-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

11.13

12-Dec-18

2.46

4.78

16.22

95.88

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.84

1.00

12.45

104.71

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019

02-Oct-12

15.50

17.28

02-Oct-19

2.91

1.00

12.45

107.41

14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

22-Nov-12

14.50

80.00

22-Nov-19

5.18

1.00

12.72

106.56

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

12-Dec-12

14.75

27.51

12-Dec-19

3.07

2.74

14.20

101.30

14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

30-Sep-13

14.75

11.40

30-Sep-20

3.59

1.00

12.50

106.17

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.00

27-Nov-20

6.20

1.00

13.03

101.91

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

6.29

1.94

14.00

104.03

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.03

1.00

12.47

100.91

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.10

1.34

12.81

102.55

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.04

1.00

12.46

101.33

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.85

1.88

13.29

108.87

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.81

3.48

14.87

102.00

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*GOMBE

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

BULLISH A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto

*OSUN *OSUN

Nigerian advance Aa-/Agusto; stocks AA-/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI asA/Agusto sentiment turned green *EKITI A-/GCR

*NASARAWA

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Stories Chris Ugwu TOTALby MARKET CAPITALISATION

T

Corporate he bullsBonds yesterday

staged WAPCO a come back on LAFARGE the floor Aa/Agusto GTB of the Nigerian Stock Exµ NGC Nil change (NSE).

Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC The northward movement A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS recorded marBB+/GCR in the equities *CHELLARAMS ket A+/Agusto; was onA-/GCR the back NAHCO of transactions on the share FSDH prices of A-/Agusto twoA/GCR leading cementUBAcompaBBB-/GCR & I LEASING niesLafarge Wapco *C and Dan# BB+/GCR *DANA goteBBB+/DataPro†; Cement Company Plc. # A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR *TOWER The key benchmark indices # AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR *TOWER returned to the positive path A/Agusto; A/GCR UBA to close in the green, taking Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR *LA CASERA supports majorly from highly BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS# A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS 43

Stock market gains N27bn capitalised stocks, which was 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 particularly driven by the cement companies.

Trading activities on the floor of Exchange had the previous day closed in the red 11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 following negative sentiment 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 of investors.

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 Specifically, the All-Share 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 Index12.00dipped 81.34 basis FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 points14.00 or CHELLARAMS 0.2 per cent to close 06-JAN-2016 at 40,729.49, as 29-SEP-2016 against 40,648.15 13.00 NAHCO recorded the previous day, 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 while 13.00 theUBAmarket 30-SEP-2017capitalisaC&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 tion of18.00equities appreciated DANAor 9-APR-2018

by N27MPR+7.00 billion 0.2 per cent, MPR+7.00sentiment TOWER 9-SEP-2018turned as market MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 positive.

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 Meanwhile, a turnover of 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 195.9 MPR+5.00 million shares worth CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

N2.8 billion in 4,876 deals 31-Dec-13 14.50 were 06-Jan-14 recorded in the day’s 15.00 trading.

The banking sub-sector of the financial services sector was the most active during the day (measured by turn07-Oct-11 over volume); with 77.611.50 million 13.50 shares 18-Dec-09 worth N1.1 billion ex01-Apr-10 17.00 changed by investors10.00 in 1,466 17-Aug-10 deals. 09-Dec-10 12.00 Volume 06-Jan-11in the banking 14.00 sub-sector was largely driven 29-Sep-11 13.00 by activities of 25-Oct-13 in the shares 14.25 Zenith Bank 30-Sep-10 Plc and GT 13.00 Bank 30-Nov-12 18.00 Plc. 16.00 serAlso,09-Apr-11 other financial 09-Sep-11 18.00 vices sub sector, boosted by 16.00 activity09-Sep-11 in the shares of FBNH 22-Sep-11 14.00 Plc, followed with a turnover 18-Oct-13 15.75 of 27.6 17-Feb-12 million shares valued 17.00

at4.78N241.5 million 31-Dec-20in 736 deals.

3.77 4.79 06-Jan-21 3.80 at The number of gainers the 483.24close of trading session was 488.4229, while decliners closed at 30.

Lafarge Wapco Plc led the 11.80 07-Oct-14 0.05 gainers’ table with a gain of 13.17 18-Dec-14 N3.75 to close at N123.750.25per 2.00 31-Dec-14 0.29 share, while17-Aug-15 Dangote Cement 3.61 0.67 followed with a gain of N2.00 13.62 09-Dec-15 0.75 to0.60close at N222.00.

06-Jan-16 Presco 0.82Oil

Exchange Traded Fund: Stanbic IBTC opens N1bn IPO 2.90

09-Sep-18

2.23

5.20

16.66

102.39

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.23

5.06

16.52

101.65

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.01

1.35

12.89

103.40

S

18-Oct-18 2.08 tanbic IBTC Asset Man0.41 17-Feb-19 2.42 agement,01-Apr-19 a member of 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 BBB/GCR 01-Apr-14 16.00 4.50 3.29 *DANA Bank group6.16has 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05Standard14-Nov-20 NAHCO opened its initial public offerTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 141.62 ing for Exchange Traded Fund TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 143.88 30 (ETF 30), with 10,000,000 angote Industries Limited nent’s business community is CNN Marketplace Africa is an units of the Fund available at Supranational Bond (DIL) ar- interviewed.

CNN Marketplace important programming N100 par.

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 AAA/S&P has concluded IFC 11-Feb-13 10.20strand 12.00 each at11-Feb-18 3.40 rangements for VALUE the spon- Africa is the destination for ac- to be associated with because The offer opened on Monday, TOTAL OUTSTANDING 12.00 sorship of the prestigious cess to movers and shakers at the content reflects the dynam- 15 September 2014 and is exTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 11.26 ‘Facetime’ segment on Cable the forefront of African busi- ic nature of African business. pected to close on Wednesday, Network News (CNN) Mar- ness.

Dangote’s expansion, under- Outstanding October Value 15, 2014.

Description Issuer Coupon (%) Date Yield (%) ($mm) ketplaceRating/Agency Africa, a CNN InterAccording to the statement, pinnedIssue

by Date this bespoke adverThe offer,Maturity which has Bid Stanbic national’s show that offers a the show goes beyond the numtising campaign with CNN, is a IBTC Capital Limited as the isFGN Eurobonds unique window into African bers to bring viewers to the new brand-builder for African busi- suing house, received approval 6.75and JAN 28, 2021 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P 6.75 500.00 the Securities 28-Jan-21 business. business solutions industry from and4.84Exness as 07-Oct-11 a whole,” he added.

Starting on September 19, trends redefining African busiResponding, President/ change Commission (SEC) and BB-/Fitch; FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 5.13 500.00 4.02 BB-/S&P a statement from the Dangote the Nigerian12-Jul-18 Stock Exchange ness. On-air content is comple- Chief 12-Jul-13 Executive, Dangote BB-/Fitch; Group, said a bespoke multi- mented by distinctive online (NSE) and have a minimum Group, Aliko Dangote said: 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13 6.38 500.00 12-Jul-23 5.18 BB-/S&P media Dangote Industries Lim- editorial at a CNN Marketplace “Africa has made tremendous subscription of 10,000 units TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 1,500.00 ited advertising campaign will Africa microsite, where popu- progress on the economic front and multiples of 5,000 units TOTALsponsorship MARKET CAPITALISATION include of CNN lar and innovative content is in the last decade and has be- 1,612.44 thereafter.

Marketplace’s ‘Facetime’ seg- shared across a range of social come one of the fastest growing The Chief Executive Officer Corporate Eurobonds branding ment and exclusive regions in the world – home to of Stanbic IBTC Asset Managechannels.

FEBdeal 01, 2016yesB/Fitch; B-/S&P microsite.

AFREN PLC I 01-Feb-11 11.50 grow450.00 Limited, 01-Feb-16 3.07the on the show’s Announcing11.50 the six of the top ten fastest ment managers of MAY 19, 2016 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC I 19-May-11 in the world.

7.50 500.00 19-May-16 4.31 The advertising campaign terday, Antonio7.50Canto, Vice ing economies Fund, Olumide Oyetan, speak7.25 JULAd 25, 2017 ACCESS BANK PLC President, Regional 25-Jul-12 350.00on the offer 25-Jul-17 6.62 willB+/S&P showcase Dangote’s expan“Africa also offers7.25one of ing said: “The openSales, 6.88 MAY 09, 2018said: B/S&P BANK PLC EMEA, CNN International 09-May-13 6.88 300.00of the Stanbic 02-May-18IBTC ETF 8.64 30 sionB/Fitch; drive across the FIDELITY continent the highest rates of return on ing 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 B+/S&P GTBANK PLC 08-Nov-13 6.00 a fact 400.00 08-Nov-18 to increased 6.00 andB+/Fitch; outside of Africa by raising “We are delighted that Dangote investment in the world, is a direct response 10.25 APR 08, 2019 B/Fitch AFREN PLC II 08-Apr-12 10.25inves300.00 08-Apr-19 8.69 inits profile among business and Industries Limited is working that discerning foreign investor demand for passive 6.25 APR its 22, 2019 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P 22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 22-Apr-19 brand tors have since acknowledged. vestment strategies that6.06 will economic audience. ZENITH BANK PLC with CNN to promote 8.75 May 21, 2019 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC internationally in 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 return 8.94for ‘Facetime’ is a high-profile a TV spon- Indeed,21-May-14 Africa has turned the deliver the market 8.25 AUG 07, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P BANK PLC 8.25 300.00index being 07-Aug-20 7.43 segment within CNNFIRST Marketsorship across all CNN Inter- corner 07-Aug-13 and is now catching up the tracked, which 6.63 DEC 09, 2020 B-/Fitch; B/S&P where each AFREN week PLC III 6.63 in the 360.00 7.70 of place Africa, national global feeds. with the09-Dec-13 rest of the world in this case 09-Dec-20 is the NSE 30 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, B-/Fitch;player B/S&P BANK PLC II 400.00 Nigerian 24-Jun-21 8.63 a major from ACCESS the contidevelopment. 9.25 The Stock Exchange “The ‘Facetime’ segment in2021 race for24-Jun-14

2.70

Dangote sponsors market place Africa on CNN

D

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

7.51

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.44

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

2.29 13.76 103.84 (NSE).

6.11 17.55 99.16 Our ETF13.64 is merely providing 2.16 106.05 a transparent and flexible 2.76 14.78 101.81structure that allows investors efficiently gain exposure to the securities of these companies that have over time out-performed the market”.

1.00broad equity 12.49 93.80 He noted that the fund is designed to track the performance of The NSE 30 index, which comprises the top 30 compaOffer Yield (%) Offer Price nies listed Bid onPrice the NSE in terms of Prices market capitalisation and & Yields liquidity.

4.70 110.30 111.15 “The index serves as the flagship benchmark for the stock 3.83 103.86 104.55 market as it represents 92 per cent of the NSE’s market capitali5.07 108.33 109.19 sation and the Stanbic IBTC ETF 30 will replicate the price and yield performance of the index.

“The Fund represents a convenient and efficient way for in3.07 111.13 access111.13 vestors to have to the top 105.04 105.04liquid 304.31 most capitalised and 6.62 101.60 stocks on the NSE, in101.60 a cost ef8.09 94.58 We believe 96.23 that fective manner.

99.99to sophisticated 101.05 it5.71 will appeal 8.69 institutional 105.75 105.75 that and investors 6.06 100.75growth100.75 believe in the story of 8.69 99.28 companies listing on100.20 the NSE 7.43 by extension 103.01 103.01abunand in the 7.70 growth 94.77 94.77 that dant opportunities 8.47 in Nigeria,” 103.50 104.38 said. exist Oyetan 7.51

101.63

101.63

8.28

100.66

101.46

4,760.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Plc N1.50 to 104.51 close at 1.44 added 12.96 1.95 13.47 104.45 N37.50 per share.

On the other hand, Total Oil Plc led the price losers’ table, dropping N4.90 to close at N175.10 per share, while 1.00 11.65 Forte Oil Nigeria Plc99.96 followed 5.21 with a loss 16.44 of N3.00 to99.16 close at 8.71 19.91 99.02 N218.00.

Con Oil Nigeria Plc 4.88 15.91 96.65 shed N2.52 per share to close 1.00 12.02 100.57 at2.63 N47.99. 13.64 100.91

17-Sep-14

4,857.27

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to Money Market Bills FIXINGS Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) the **Treasury FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) 8 25-Sep-14 10.55 15 2-Oct-14 10.70 FGN Bonds 22 9-Oct-14 10.60 29 16-Oct-14 10.40 36 23-Oct-14 Rating/Agency Issuer Description10.30 43 30-Oct-14 10.50 50 6-Nov-14 10.50 9.25 28-SEP-2014 57 13-Nov-14 10.60 4.00 23-APR-2015 64 20-Nov-14 10.20 13.05 16-AUG-2016 71 27-Nov-14 10.80 15.10 27-APR-2017 78 4-Dec-14 10.20 9.85 27-JUL-2017 85 11-Dec-14 10.80 9.35 31-AUG-2017 99 25-Dec-14 10.55 10.70 30-MAY-2018 106 1-Jan-15 10.85 16.00 29-JUN-2019 8-Jan-15 10.70 NA 113 NA 7.00 23-OCT-2019 120 15-Jan-15 10.85 16.39 27-JAN-2022 127 22-Jan-15 10.40 14.20 14-MAR-2024 134 29-Jan-15 10.85 141 5-Feb-15 10.40 15.00 28-NOV-2028 155 19-Feb-15 10.30 12.49 22-MAY-2029 169 5-Mar-15 10.50 8.50 20-NOV-2029 204 9-Apr-15 10.15 10.00 23-JUL-2030 218 23-Apr-15 10.25 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 232 7-May-15 10.10 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 323 6-Aug-15 10.20 351 10.15 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 3-Sep-15 *from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

Offer Discount (%) 10.30 10.45 10.35 10.15 10.05 Issue Date 10.25 10.25 28-Sep-07 10.35 23-Apr-10 9.95 16-Aug-13 10.55 27-Apr-12 9.95 27-Jul-07 10.55 31-Aug-07 10.30 30-May-08 10.60 29-Jun-12 10.45 23-Oct-09 10.60 27-Jan-12 10.15 14-Mar-14 10.60 10.15 28-Nov-08 10.05 22-May-09 10.25 20-Nov-09 9.90 23-Jul-10 10.00 18-Jul-14 9.85 9.95 9.90

Bid Yield (%) 10.57 10.75 10.67 10.49 10.41 (%) Coupon 10.63 10.65 9.25 10.78 4.00 10.39 13.05 11.03 15.10 10.43 9.85 11.08 9.35 10.86 10.70 11.20 16.00 11.07 7.00 11.25 16.39 10.79 14.20 11.30 10.84 15.00 10.77 12.49 11.04 8.50 10.76 10.00 10.92 12.1493 10.79 11.21 11.25

NIBOR

Bonds

Tenor O/N 1M Outstanding Value 3M (N'bn) 6M

Rate (%) 12.0083 12.7045 13.6948 Date Maturity 14.5254

100.00 28-Sep-14 535.00 23-Apr-15 530.27 16-Aug-16 NITTY 452.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 10.5575 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 10.5983 300.00 30-May-18 3M 10.6677 351.30 29-Jun-19 6M 10.8778 233.90 23-Oct-19 9M 10.9351 600.00 27-Jan-22 12M 11.1372 281.35 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 NIFEX 200.00 20-Nov-29 Current Price ($/N) 591.57 23-Jul-30 BID($/N) 70.00 163.6950 18-Jul-34 OFFER ($/N) 163.7950

4,591.19

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

11.79

Tenor

Description

Issue Date

Offer ($/N)

4,647.61

#

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills Rating/Agency Issuer

Bid ($/N)

Price Spot 163.45 163.55 O/N 12.00 7D 163.38 163.64 Offer Yield 14D 163.64 163.98 REPO Bid Yield (%) TTM (Yrs) Bid Price Offer Price (%) Tenor Rate (%) 1M 164.25 164.87 Call 11.75 2M 165.42 166.69 0.03 10.57 5.75 99.95 100.10 1M 12.19 3M 166.54 168.34 0.60 11.04 10.77 96.02 96.17 3M 12.95 6M 170.22 173.58 1.91 11.45 11.37 102.65 102.80 6M 13.51 1Y 177.62 185.92 2.61 11.41 11.34 108.10 108.25 2.86 11.45 11.38 96.17 96.32 NOTE: 2.95 11.45 11.39 94.84 94.99 3.70 11.51 11.41 NA :Not Applicable 97.58 97.88 :Benchmarks 4.78Bond 11.56 11.49 # :Floating 115.90 116.20 * :Amortising Rate Bond 5.10Bond 11.69 11.61 ***: Deferred 82.33 µ :Convertible coupon bonds 82.63 7.36Management Corporation 12.15 12.09 120.20 120.50 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 9.49 12.31 12.26 †: Bond rating 110.40 110.70 expired FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 14.20Mortgage Bank 12.49 12.45 116.45 116.75 IFC: International 14.68 Finance Corporation 12.48 12.43 100.03 100.33 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables 15.18 12.47 Management 12.41 73.22 73.52 NAHCO: Nigerian Company 15.85 Aviation Handling 12.29Company 12.24 NGC: Nigeria-German 84.15 84.45 O/N: Overnight UBA: United Bank for Africa 19.83 12.33 12.29 98.60 98.90 UPDC: UAC Property Development Company WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

Agency Bonds 0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 Total Outstanding Modified Duration Buckets 0.00/16.50 Porfolio LCRM MarketIIValue(Bn) 20-APR-2017 ***LCRM Volume(Bn) 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 AMCON FMBN

NA

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

<3

1,033.80

983.07

3<5

1,128.36

>5 Market

Sub-National Bonds

28-Dec-11 0.00 BOND 24-May-10 FMDQ FGN 0.00 03-Apr-12 17.25 09-Dec-11by 0.00/16.00 Weighting Weighting

by Mkt 20-Apr-12Vol 0.00/16.50 Outstanding Value 06-Jul-12 0.00/16.50

35.02

34.80

951.30

33.89

37.98

808.42

872.92

31.09

27.21

2,970.57

2,807.29

100.00

100.00

978.35

INDEX 24.56

3.30 112.22 Bucket 116.70 Weighting 66.49

0.35 1,301.62 0.34

1,285.12

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 % Exposure_ 20-Apr-17 Mod_Duration 06-Jul-17

16.04

34.18

0.12 0.68 1.29 2.23 Implied 2.59 Yield 2.80

11.43

11.98

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 Implied Portfolio 1.00 Price 1.00

119.3038

135.0340

11.85 13.66 13.42 13.46 INDEX 12.44 12.45

1,133.14

1,143.42

98.60 91.35 104.76 101.30 YTD Return (%) 99.65 97.12

13.3143

14.3416

0.31

49.79

12.30

102.9661

1,201.18

20.1183

1.00

100.00

12.05

119.5541

1,135.64

13.5636

A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.08

3.29

14.00

99.94

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

0.95

4.44

15.44

97.47

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

6.08

30-Sep-15

0.56

3.23

14.28

99.31

A-/Agusto

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

6.27

30-Jun-16

1.08

4.46

15.49

98.96

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

7.37

30-Jun-16

1.08

3.48

14.51

101.52

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.59

5.59

17.03

85.74

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

29.92

30-Jun-17

1.63

1.00

12.31

102.41

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.29

1.79

13.27

101.85

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

37.25

30-Sep-18

2.26

1.80

13.25

101.53

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.05

1.00

12.54

104.51

Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014

Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

44

business | CAPITAL MARKET

Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

No Debt Trading Activity

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at September 17, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 29 30 22 81

Current Price 0.51 34.00 37.50

Quantity Traded 2,564,625 776,271 353,625 3,694,521

Value Traded 1,315,873.65 26,161,323.23 12,822,888.10 40,300,084.98

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 3.00

Quantity Traded 189,020 189,020

Value Traded 566,855.40 566,855.40

3,883,541

40,866,940.38

Quantity Traded 189,030 25,573,694 1,282,077 27,044,801

Value Traded 260,861.40 153,317,895.78 73,018,454.95 226,597,212.13

27,044,801

226,597,212.13

AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 Diversified Industries Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

92 Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 7 385 67 Daily Summary (Equities) 459

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

Current Price 1.38 5.96 56.91

459 Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 22 22

Current Price 1.01

Quantity Traded Page 530,250 530,250

1

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 30 30

Current Price 64.00

Quantity Traded 371,048 371,048

Value Traded 23,356,215.61 23,356,215.61

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

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 14 14

Current Price 15.18

Quantity Traded 78,258 78,258

Value Traded 1,169,517.00 1,169,517.00

979,556

25,060,876.36

CONSUMER GOODS Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. JOS INT. BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY

CONSUMER GOODS Published byBeverages--Brewers/Distillers The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Summary as of 17/09/2014 Food Products Totals

Daily Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

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

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables TotalsEQTY Activity Summary on Board Published

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONSUMER GOODS

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

66 No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 5,000 5,000

Value Traded 2,500.00 2,500.00

Symbol No. of Deals CHAMPION 8 GUINNESS 98 INTBREW 37 Daily Summary (Equities) JOSBREW 3 NB 90 PREMBREW 1

Current Price 8.70 171.00 28.13 2.46 176.05 4.88

Quantity Traded 74,700 563,996 2,794,795 55,000 384,368 50,111

Value Traded 665,520.00 96,961,496.87 79,135,735.39 128,700.00 67,476,174.19 244,541.68

Symbol

No. of Deals 237

Current Price

Page Quantity Traded 3,922,970

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 134.00

Quantity Traded 27,389 27,389

Value Traded 4,042,661.97 4,042,661.97

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR MULTITREX NASCON NNFM

No. of Deals 25 68 57 38 3 56 2 249

Current Price 7.25 8.20 62.30 4.02 0.50 9.00 21.99

Quantity Traded 181,193 781,979 245,295 1,104,175 2,960,237 888,433 1,070 6,162,382

Value Traded 1,283,427.81 6,445,557.71 14,858,686.40 4,448,830.43 1,480,119.10 8,073,977.68 22,470.00 36,613,069.13

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 59 50 109

Current Price 52.50 1,010.60

Quantity Traded 302,839 136,951 439,790

Value Traded 15,840,858.50 138,425,816.63 154,266,675.13

Current Price 4.10 1.26

Quantity Traded 1,007,208 140,650 1,147,858

Value Traded 4,146,186.60 177,219.00 4,323,405.60

Current Price 34.98 48.20

Quantity Traded 633,780 698,744 1,332,524

Value Traded 21,609,295.69 33,868,864.84 55,478,160.53

13,037,913

499,338,640.49

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals VITAFOAM VONO

33 3 36

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 56 61 117

Page

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. GREAT NIGERIAN INSURANCE PLC GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

768 Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 28 DIAMONDBNK 50 ETI 138 FIDELITYBK 61 GUARANTY 327 SKYEBANK 133 STERLNBANK 54 Daily Summary (Equities) UBA 215 UBN 110

Current Price 9.59 6.23 19.20 1.95 28.61 2.76 2.17 6.80 9.71

No. of Deals 4 57 289 1,466

Current Price 0.50 0.94 24.25

Quantity Traded 484,026 2,641,384 16,828,949 77,698,500

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GNI GUINEAINS INTENEGINS LAWUNION MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS UNIVINSURE WAPIC

No. of Deals 38 6 10 1 1 6 2 4 14 31 4 1 52 170

Current Price 0.83 0.97 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.52 0.50 2.50 0.54 0.80 0.50 0.50 0.72

Quantity Traded Page 2,874,562

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.00

Quantity Traded 2,500 2,500

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

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

Pharmaceuticals FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

1,394,000 3,044,604 210,000 30,000 3,934,444 3,800,000 505,880 1,221,280 2,972,045 72,460 75,000 2,037,240 22,171,515

Page

of

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 10,000 10,000

Value Traded 5,000.00 5,000.00

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 4.80

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 4,800.00 4,800.00

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000,000 1,000,000

Value Traded 500,000.00 500,000.00

1,077,400

547,648.00

IT Services Totals Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals ICT Totals

5

of

No. of Deals Current Price 1 0.50 1 0.50 2

Quantity Traded 250 1,000 1,250

Value Traded 125.00 500.00 625.00

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals Current Price 63 3.16 17 3.93 426 14.50 68 4.18 5 0.53 50 30.00 107 2.05 736

Quantity Traded 1,425,967 1,039,371 11,052,765 7,600,131 148,728 958,588 5,466,580 27,692,130

Value Traded 4,482,826.46 4,093,305.89 160,934,240.74 32,235,343.07 78,845.84 28,757,640.00 10,987,500.13 241,569,702.13

127,565,895

1,368,563,999.51

2,375 Symbol MORISON

No. of Deals Current Price 1 1.82 1

Quantity Traded 150 150

Value Traded 273.00 273.00

Symbol FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER

No. of Deals Current Price 5 3.33 19 65.00 22 1.40

Quantity Traded 253,070 270,435 650,590

Value Traded 842,736.80 17,448,956.58 926,507.40

Page

6

of

Daily Summary (Equities)

8

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Symbol No. of Deals ASHAKACEM 45 BERGER 8 CAP 30 Daily Summary (Equities) CCNN 29 DANGCEM 75

Page Quantity Traded 387,328 21,804 521,287 270,068 891,908

7Value Traded of 13 12,468,122.25 188,652.56 20,364,779.73 3,705,832.85 196,194,188.18

No. of Deals 3 1 1 53 245

Current Price 1.10 1.60 5.34 123.75

Quantity Traded 75,490 250 10,000 579,702 2,757,837

Value Traded 85,814.50 420.00 53,400.00 69,573,512.34 302,634,722.41

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

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 1.84

Quantity Traded 66,666 66,666

Value Traded 122,665.44 122,665.44

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 18.85

Quantity Traded 306,190 306,190

Value Traded 5,728,962.55 5,728,962.55

3,130,693

308,486,350.40

andStock Petroleum Products Distributors Published byPetroleum The Nigerian Exchange © CONOIL PLC ETERNA PLC. FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

262 Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 24 24

SERVICES Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 Advertising Totals Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals Courier/Freight/Delivery

RED STAR EXPRESS PLCEQTY Activity Summary on Board PublishedSERVICES

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Current Price 0.50

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

291 291

24.20

Quantity Traded 1,061,188 Page 1,061,188 Quantity Traded 3,151,463 3,151,463

Value Traded 530,594.00 of 13 530,594.00

8

Value Traded 76,094,315.83 76,094,315.83

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 50 21 129 21 19 30 270

Current Price 47.99 3.80 218.00 180.00 56.00 175.10

Page Quantity Traded 284,803 325,805 323,650 39,042 18,893 226,619 1,218,812

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 675.00

Quantity Traded 112,033 112,033

Value Traded 75,535,498.90 75,535,498.90

5,543,496

286,488,595.19

OIL AND GAS Totals

600

9Value of Traded13

13,672,733.32 1,237,101.26 71,461,232.69 6,796,707.62 955,384.22 40,205,027.35 134,328,186.46

Symbol AFROMEDIA

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 10,000 10,000

Value Traded 5,000.00 5,000.00

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.90

Quantity Traded 199,119 199,119

Value Traded 177,851.92 177,851.92

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals 18

Current Price 4.40

Quantity Traded 1,019,500

Value Traded 4,528,033.50

Daily Summary (Equities)

Page

10

of

13

Courier/Freight/Delivery Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Symbol

No. of Deals Current Price 18

Quantity Traded 1,019,500

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals Current Price 3 0.50 3

Quantity Traded 31,948 31,948

Value Traded 15,974.00 15,974.00

Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC Hospitality Totals

Symbol TANTALIZER

No. of Deals Current Price 1 0.50 1

Quantity Traded 3,000 3,000

Value Traded 1,500.00 1,500.00

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals Current Price 26 1.79 26

Quantity Traded 5,802,666 5,802,666

Value Traded 10,386,692.14 10,386,692.14

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals Current Price 3 0.50 3

Quantity Traded 300,000 300,000

Value Traded 150,000.00 150,000.00

Printing/Publishing

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA STUDPRESS

No. of Deals Current Price 3 1.48 2 1.60 2 2.40 7 Daily Summary (Equities)

Quantity Traded 105,000 21,890 200 127,090

Value Traded 155,400.00 33,272.80 456.00 189,128.80

Quantity Traded 3,321,857

Value Traded 2,313,296.70

Daily Summary as of 17/09/2014 ACADEMY PRESS PLC. Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011

LEARN AFRICA PLC STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals Road Transportation

Activity Summary BUS on Board EQTY ASSOCIATED COMPANY PLC

13

Current Price 32.48 8.60 39.00 14.00 222.00

Symbol DNMEYER PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

OIL AND GAS

Value Traded 2,500.00 2,500.00

19,439,701.57 Value Traded 37,848.00 37,848.00

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Value Traded 4 of 13 2,335,969.23 1,364,120.00 1,522,842.00 105,000.00 15,000.00 2,046,144.21 1,900,000.00 1,264,640.00 659,491.20 2,374,302.65 36,230.00 37,500.00 1,466,912.80 15,128,152.09

1,381,928 Quantity Traded 66,400 66,400

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

Value Traded 242,013.00 2,470,428.19 407,633,930.57 1,111,863,020.29

Value Traded 221,227.79 19,439,428.57

62

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

Value Traded 40,404,741.44 14,624,765.70 71,768,375.30 21,666,528.31 459,984,217.91 27,115,397.92 3,720,157.46 54,770,873.18 7,461,591.31

Quantity Traded 207,683 1,381,778

Current Price 0.57

OIL AND as GAS Daily Summary of 17/09/2014 Energy Equipment and Services Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Energy Equipment and Services Totals

13

Current Price 1.07

No. of Deals 4 4

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DN MEYER PLC. PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

244,612,168.13

3

No. of Deals 15 61

Symbol COURTVILLE

Daily Summary as ofGOODS 17/09/2014 INDUSTRIAL Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

2 Value of Traded13

Symbol RESORTSAL UNHOMES

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Medical Supplies MORISON INDUSTRIES PLC. Medical Supplies Totals

Quantity Traded 4,213,216 2,355,153 3,736,340 11,094,561 16,061,490 9,853,715 1,704,856 7,961,216 763,594

Symbol UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol DUNLOP

Symbol NEIMETH

HEALTHCARE Totals

Value Traded of 13 535,143.75 535,143.75

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

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC Pharmaceuticals Totals

SERVICES Road Transportation Road Transportation Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals Current Price 30 0.70

Page

Value Traded 4,528,033.50

11

of

13

Symbol

No. of Deals 30

Current Price

Quantity Traded 3,321,857

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 6 68 74

Current Price 2.00 5.10

Quantity Traded 27,200 1,428,347 1,455,547

Value Traded 56,300.00 7,372,341.93 7,428,641.93

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

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 4.70

Quantity Traded 72,600 72,600

Value Traded 342,294.00 342,294.00

184

12,343,327

25,538,412.99

EQTY Board Totals

4,876

195,988,550

2,800,928,377.02

Equity Activity Totals

4,876

195,988,550

2,800,928,377.02

SERVICES Totals

Value Traded 2,313,296.70

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF)

VETIVA 30 ETF Daily Summary as of GRIFFIN 17/09/2014 Printed 17/09/2014 15:34:11.011 Exchange Traded Fund Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

13

Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 1,960.00 18.48

Quantity Traded 25 10 35 Page

Daily Summary (ETP)

Value Traded 49,000.00 184.80 49,184.80 12

of

ETF Board Totals

2

35

49,184.80

ETP Activity Totals

2

35

49,184.80

13

NEWS 45

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Ochekpe: Water is life Kenneth Tyohemba Abuja

inister of Water ReM sources, Mrs. Sarah Reng Ochekpe, has said

that the water sector is the key driving force of the nation’s transformation agenda.

Ochekpe said this in Abuja during a ministerial platform in line with the President’s directive to all ministries to present their annual scorecard to the public, so as to ensure good governance, transparency and accountability.

Speaking on the strategic value of the water sector, she said water is life and that the ministry recognises the importance of water to the economic transformation of the country, adding that the ministry under her stewardship has been working round the clock

to maximise the value chain of water.

She further said that the National Water Resource Master Plan (NWRMP) has created a value chain to the power sector and irrigation agriculture through construction of dams; even as she added that the synergy of the ministry with its counterparts in power and agriculture cannot be overemphasised as the two ministries depend on water to function effectively.

“Since 2010 when the ministry was created, we realised that water is the key drive of the nation’s development, and we therefore developed a roadmap to enhance the contribution of the water sector towards achieving vision 20:2020 and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs); and so far, a lot has been achieved,” she said.

Catholic priest eyes Imoke’s seat

Clement James Calabar

A

head of the 2015 governorship election in Cross River State, a Catholic priest, Reverend Father Francis Eworo, has declared for the governorship of the state, claiming that his aspiration is guided by his understanding of the state.

Eworo, who has never been known beyond the fact that he lived outside the country and an indigene of Bansara in Ogoja Local Government, said he would consolidate on the achievements of Governor Liyel Imoke if given the opportunity to lead the state.

A release personally signed by him and dis-

tributed to journalists in Calabar, indicates that the cleric wants Imoke’s job ‘to formulate good policies that would grow our economy just as it has remained a haven for investors.’

He said: “Cross Riverians may want to know why Reverend Father Francis Eworo is aspiring for the office of governor.

The simple answer is that there must be a need for continuity and I want to consolidate on what Governor Liyel Imoke has been doing in the last eight years in office. I also want to serve as the unifier of the various bridges or gaps existing in the state as well as to explore the opportunities which will in turn, give the state a global look,” he said.

Managing Director, Arik Air Limited, Mr. Chris Ndulue (left) and Chairman, Mr. Arumemi Johnson, at the funeral service of Ndulue’s senior brother at Nkwelle-Ogidi, Idemili, Anambra State…recently.

PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

Edo tertiary institutions deserted over salary arrears, poor facilities Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

M

embers of the Coalition of Unions of State Owned Tertiary Institutions in Edo State yesterday embarked on an indefinite strike to press home their demands for improved welfare, payment of salary arrears and guaranteed basic facilities in the various institutions.

The body noted with dissatisfaction, the inability of the government to avail itself of all the opportunities provided by the unions in the coalition for discussions, consultations, negotiations and other positive platforms for peaceful resolution of the trade

SEC begins processing of Bauchi’s N15bn bond request Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

T

he Security and Exchange Commission (SEC) has commenced the processing of the N15 billion bond applied for by the Bauchi State government for the completion of vital projects aimed at lifting the lives of the people as well as drive further investments into the state.

Governor Isa Yuguda, who revealed this in Abuja, said the state had met all the requirements listed by the approving authorities.

Yuguda said the state is in urgent need of the money to complete vital projects already in progress, which are aimed at changing the lives of its people for better and also drive further invest-

ments.

The governor specifically said that of the amount, N5.48 billion would be used for the completion of the Bauchi International Airport while N2 billion will be channeled into the completion of the Bauchi Specialist Hospital.

The balance, the governor added, would be used in financing existing bank loans and cost of issuing the bond.

Yuguda, while defending the request said: “The bond is already being processed by the Security and Exchange Commission as the state has already met all the requirements listed by the approving authorities.”

He expressed the hope that SEC would expedite action in approving the issuance of the bond, which

according to him, had already been approved by the Federal Ministry of Finance.

Yuguda further explained that the idea of the bond was to open up the state to enable it take full advantage of available agricultural and tourism potential, create business opportunities and to be able to attract foreign exchange as well as increase the nation’s balance of payment position.

He said the state opted to build a new specialists hospital as a replacement for the old one, which the state ceded to the Federal Government and converted to a Teaching Hospital of the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, in support of the desire for the training of indigenous doctors.

union dispute between it and the government.

Members of the coalition through their President, Comrade Fred Omonuwa, and their General Secretary, Comrade Imhenrion O. Martin, at a press briefing at the end of an emergency meeting yesterday in Benin City, urged the state government to, as a matter of urgency, come out with an acceptable formula and ensure the payment of their 16 months’ salary arrears owed them.

Omonuwa said the arrears of salaries accrued from differentials in the implementation of the salary structure of CONPCASS and CONTEDISS from July 2009 to October 2010 owed staff of

elevation

Mr. President finally approves a substansive boss for NCAA and wants Nweze as Supreme Court Justice Chukwu David Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday forwarded the name of Captain Muktar Usman, to the Senate for approval as the Director General of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

The President also requested the upper chamber to approve the appointment of Justice Chima Centus Nweze, for confirmation as a Supreme Court Justice.

Similarly, Senator Za-

state-owned institutions, insisting that; “We have worked for it, particularly as our sister institution, Ambrose Alli University, has since received theirs and a workman is worthy of his wage.”

They also lamented that the quality of infrastructure in the institutions are poor and totally deplorable except for the ones built by the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) without which “the structures would have been completely dilapidated.”

“The government should provide adequate funding for the accreditation of programmes and departments in the institutions. The unions also demanded from the state government the

provision of funds for the payment of pensions and gratuities to all deserving retirees of these institutions.”

In addition, they lamented the non-payment of salaries spanning four months in some of the institutions, which they attributed to the “obnoxious 65/35 percent monthly salary wage bill sharing formula foisted on the institutions by the state government.”

The coalition said: “Some of our members have died without enjoying their retirement benefits. Also, we demand that all our members not yet captured in the Edo State Pension Scheme by reason of non-scheduling of their institutions, be corrected.”

Jonathan appoints Usman NCAA DG gbayi Nuhu, was yesterday sworn-in as the senator representing Niger East on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), following the death of the former Senator, Awaisu Kuta.

In a letter read by S e n at e P re s i d e n t , Senator David Mark, President Jonathan also sought for the confirmation of Dr. Jonah Madugu, as the Commissioner Federal Civil Service Commission, representing Benue, Nasarawa and Plateau States for a five-year tenure.

Jonathan said the appointment was in line with the provision of section 154 (1) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria

1999 (As Amended) just as he said that the appointment of a Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria was in conformity with Section 231, Subsection (2) of the 1999 Constitution, which gives him the powers to make such appointment.

The President also sent to the Senate an executive bill for an Act to amend the National Drug Law Enforcement (Amendment) Bill, 2014.

He further notified the Senate on his intension to lay the Diplomatic Privileges and Immunities (African Finance Corporation) Order, 2013, S.1 No. 9 of 2014 by the Minister of Foreign Affairs for legislative action.

46 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Oyibode applauds PDP for Ojuigbo’s appointment Gabriel Choba Ughelli

elta 2015 gubernatorial DChukwuma hopeful, Chief Gabriel Oyibode has

L-R: Chairman, Niger Delta Exploration and Production, Mr. Goodie Ibru; Acting Company Secretary, Mr. Omo Omorodion and Managing Director, Mr. Layi Fatona, during the company's 2014 Annual General Meeting in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: GODWIN IREKHE

Fayose to Fayemi: Don't use workers' salary to pay contractors victimisation Ekiti workers are waiting for their daily bread, may be because they voted for change Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State GovernorElect, Mr. Ayodele Fayose has appealed to outgoing Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, not to use the funds meant for the payment of workers’ salaries to pay government contractors.

The governor-elect, who stated this in AdoEkiti yesterday in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Id-

 We are alive to our responsibilities — says gov's aide owu Adelusi said that the Fayemi administration was owing workers months of salary arrears and entitlements.

In his reaction, the Commissioner for Information, Tayo Ekundayo, said he was not aware of any contractor being given top priority, adding that the government would ensure that it pays according to availability of funds.

Ekundayo said: "We have said it several times that we have paucity of funds because of dwindling money from the federal government. Besides, the arrangement we had with banks to pay salary was thwarted by the Peoples Democratic

Party. But I can assure you that we will pay according to the funds at our disposal."

Fayose, while pleading that workers should not be made to suffer the financial recklessness of the Fayemi administration, urged him to pay everything that he is owing the workers before leaving office in October 16 this year.

He said, ''the governor does not need to rob Peter to pay Paul. He is owing workers backlog of salaries and he has not paid them. Instead of paying workers, the administration is focusing on paying government contractors. ''The word of God says

a labourer is worthy of his wages and those who are working for the state must not be denied their dues. The government must not waste further time in paying these hapless workers and save their families from hunger." ''If the government is using statutory allocations and other revenue to pay contractors and the severance benefit of the governor's appointees, then what stops the state from paying workers?”

The governor-elect said the attitude of Fayemi was like trying to leave needless burden for the incoming administration.

applauded the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the appointment of Dr. Cairo Ojuigbo as the Vice Chairman of PDP, South South.

Oyibode who consulted with Ojuigbo at his country home in Agbor after his meeting with executive members and stakeholders of Ika South local government area, on his intention to run for the governorship, remarked that the lawmaker’s appointment as the south – south leader is well deserved.

Oyibode had earlier stormed the Ika South PDP Secretariat at Agbor with his large followers where he got the blessings of the party after declar-

ing his intentions to serve Delta State as a servant leader.

He told Ojuigbo that his appointment is a divine mandate from God meant to give him and other leaders of the party opportunity to serve the people.

He said that with his vast experience as a great politician who is endowed with the highest degree of integrity, fairness and honesty that has made many leaders in the past, he would give Delta the best.

While explaining to the newly sworn in south south PDP chairman the reason for his intention to contest, he said he had joined others in the past at Abuja and Delta state to make leaders at the background before he received the divine instruction from God to run.

NPA out with electronic ship entry Bayo Akomolafe ix months after the Slaunched, electronic payment was The Nigerian

Ports Authority (NPA) took another stride yesterday to introduce the Electronics Ship Entry Notice (eSEN).

The move, it was revealed, was to further drive with great speed the wheel of shipping in Nigerian seaports.

The scheme was launched by the Managing Director of the authority, Alhaji Habib Abdullahi at the Eko Hotel and Suites in Victoria Island , Lagos.

Abdullahi revealed that the application was developed by the IT and other department in the authority to save time and eliminate corruption in the system.

He noted that the Ship

Entry Notice process, which was done manually before the new initiatives, was fraught with challenges such as duplication of requests, slow response to delayed verification and validation of ship data.

The managing director said NPA had integrated an online platform on the e-SEN application to simplify the payment process to the authority He added that the scheme would enhance the provision of a link to the economy to encourage international trade.

Abdullahi stressed: “Stakeholders purchased booklets of application forms, filled with a leaflet and submitted manually to the designated SEN offices located in both Western Ports and Eastern Ports head offices depending on the port of call.

MASSOB passes vote of confidence on Uwazuruike Senatorial bye-election: Emerhor finally Peter Osondu ABA

M

ovement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), members in Oru East region of Imo state have passed a vote of confidence on their leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.

This is coming on the heels of the recent revolt by some commanders of the group and the subsequent crisis that rocked the Movement which led to the death of some of its members.

In a release endorsed by the Movement’s zonal director of Information for Orlu, comrade Onyenuma and the regional administrator for Oru East, chief Lambert Obikaizu, after their meeting at the regional headquar-

ters at Omuma, members of the group said that in his 15 years at the helm of affairs of MASSOB, Uwazuruike had not done anything wrong to warrant any condemnation.

They said that the primary aim of forming MASSOB was to actualize Biafra which the late Igbo leader, Dim Emeka Ojukwu started and to which they said Uwazuruike had fought for over the years.

The release was of the opinion that Uwazuruike’s traducers were those who joined the Movement to make easy money, but when it dawned on them that the struggle was a selfless one, they began to castigate their leader.

Describing some of the commanders who have held positions of trust in MASSOB but who ARE now condemning Uwa-

zuruike, as political hunters, the release enjoined those people who want to leave the struggle to do so honourably instead of causing confusion.

The statement dismissed the allegation that there was crack in the Movement, as propaganda without foundation, stressing that MASSOB would only seize to exist only when Biafra was achieved.

They stated that what happened in MASSOB recently was in fulfillment of Uwazuruike’s prophesy which they claimed he made five years ago and opined that the role played by those they called the dissident commanders were replicate of what Judas did in the Bible and urged their members to ignore every rumour against Uwazuruike and pledge their loyalty to him.

withdraws suit against Aguariavwodo Gabriel Choba Ughelli

order to sustain recIthenonciliatory effort by Urhobo Nation, the

legal suit brought by Olorogun O’tega Emerhor, former senatorial candidate of the All Progressive Party, (APC) challenging the competence of the candidacy of Senator Emmanuel Edesiri Aguariavwodo to contest the Delta Central Senatorial District bye-election has finally been withdrawn.

A statement signed by solicitor to Emerhor, Barr. Ahweyevu Mukoro and made available to newsmen yesterday said Emerhor having considered the interest of the Urhobo Progress Union

(UPU) and the entire Urhobo People decided to withdraw the case he filed at the Federal High Court Abuja against Senator Aguariavwodo following the Delta Central Senatorial District bye election held in October 2013 as a result of the untimely demise of late Senator Pius Akpo Ewherido.

He disclosed that the withdrawal was meant to sustain reconciliatory interventionist effort of the Urhobo Progress Union (UPU) which was also sustained by the Deputy Governor of Delta State, Professor Amos Agbe Utuama (SAN) by which the unity and political harmony in Urhobo land were considered paramount.

“As a result of the amicable understanding, Olorogun O’tega agreed to and has filed a motion at the Federal High Court Abuja to terminate forthwith the case he instituted against Senator Emmanuel Edesiri Aguariavwodo who presently represents the Delta Central Senatorial District in the Senate”, the statement said.

O’tega affirmed that as part of out of court resolution of the dispute, it was expected that the two cases filed by the Deputy Governor, Utuama and Olorogun John Oguma pending at the High Court Asaba alleging defamation against Olorogun O’tega are to be withdrawn by them.

47

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

MALADMINISTRATION After seven years of bad governance, some Abia legislators can now see all the rot in the state Philip Nyam

Abuja

M

embers of the House of Representatives from Abia State yesterday asked the Federal Government to intervene in the dilapidated

Abia Reps lament infrastructural decay state of social infrastructure in the state.

The eight lawmakers are Hons. Uzo Azubuike, Nkiru Onyejiocha, Prince Arua Arunsi, Oluchi Ibeji and Nnenna Ukeje.

The others include Hons.

Chineye Ike, Eziuche Ubani and Uzoma Abonta.

The lawmakers in a joint motion titled: “Land Locked Abia - Save our Souls,” presented by Hon. Uzo Azubuike, drew the attention of the House

EU to spend €600m in Nigeria lOkays N31.5bn to tackle power supply Ndubuisi Ugah

n a move aimed at promoting stability and development in Africa, particularly in Nigeria, the European Union (EU) yesterday said it has earmarked about €600 million to support Federal Government’s effort at increasing economic growth and expanding social equity in the next five years.

The EU, which said most of the spending was targeted at helping Nigeria attract private sector foreign investments, noted that five per cent of the EU budget would be used to further develop African, Carribean and Pacific (ACP) group of states.

Speaking at a media luncheon in Lagos, Head of EU delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Michel Arrion, said one-third of the €600 million would be spent on electricity generation in Nigeria since “Nigeria is no doubt central to the growth of the continent.”

“We are paging about €600 million for the next five years in Nigeria. Nigeria is on top of the recipient

I

countries, but the amount is nothing compared to the need, because it is not 500 million you need, but about 50 billion,” he said.

“EU represents one per cent of the need of the development of the country.

The bulk of the financial resources for development has to come from investment from national investors, regional investors and international investors. We are facilitating a coherent platform between the development partners of Nigeria, the Nigerian government and investors from the national and international communities,” he added.

Justifying the grant, Arrion said EU was “supporting the efforts of the Nigerian government in this regards with 150 million (N31.5 billion) under the 11th European Development Fund (EDF) to address the nation’s perennial energy crisis, which adds to the cost of doing business as well as hinders critical economic development that should alleviate poverty.

Fashola: Why COWLSO hasn’t spoken on Chibok girls Muritala Ayinla ife of Lagos State W Governor, Mrs. Abimbola Fashola, yesterday ex-

pressed concern over Boko Haram’s continued abduction of over 200 schoolgirls from a government college in Chibok, Borno State, saying the development was unfortunate, especially when the world is clamouring for the education of the girlchild.

Mrs. Fashola said the Committee of Wives of Lagos State Officials (COWLSO) refused to comment over the issue, because the association did not want anyone to politicise its comments on the issue which is over 156 days now.

She said COWLSO has been in the forefront in the quest to secure the release of the girls, adding that they were involved in the rallies held recently for the release

of the girls by the women leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Briefing journalists on the forth coming national women conference organised by COWLSO, the governor’s wife said the conference will be declared open on Monday, September 22, by Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, while his Oyo State counterpart, Abiola Ajumobi, will close the conference on Wednesday, September 24.

According to her, COWLSO was able to commission a retirement villa at Lekki and build youth recreational centres at Oworonshoki and Epe, adding that the association also renovated the Oncology Department of the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital and financed the treatment of 87 cancer patients with at least N500, 000 spend on each one of them.

to Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Aba-Ikot Ekpene Road via Ogbor Hill, Umuahia, Ohafia, Arochukwu-Ikot Ekpene/ Itu/Calabar Road and Aba/Azumini/Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom through Ehere area of Aba. They said: “All the roads leading to, and going out of Abia State, which fall under the responsibility of the Federal Government are in sordid and horrible state.”

The lawmakers said the collapse of the expressway linking Abia and Akwa Ibom States through Og-

4,287

bor Hill axis of Aba and Umuahia/Ikwuano roads had made it impossible for commuters to access Abia.

According to them; “The Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, especially between Okigwe in Imo State and OsisiomaAba in Abia State, is in a state of disrepair and this has compelled commuters to drive against the traffic and spend more than six hours transiting between Okigwe and Aba for a journey that should not take more than an hour.

The same problem is faced by commuters plying the Umuahia-Ohafia-Aro-

The number of pending asylum seekers of Gabon at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

chukwu roads in the state.

While recalling that; “shortly after the 2011 general elections, we were informed that contracts for the repair of these roads had been awarded by the Federal Government,” the lawmakers cried that “the sordid state of affairs of the road has taken its toll on our people and other Nigerians, who ply these roads, resulting in numerous crashes with its attendant loss of lives and economic activities.”

Also recalling that; “the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Aba branch some-

-11.75%

The growth rate of air travel passengers of Calabar airport (domestic wing) (20122013) Source: National Bureau of Statistics

time in 2012, embarked on peaceful protests against the state of the AbaUmuahia stretch of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway,” they regretted that all previous motions and resolutions of the House had not changed the state of affairs on the federal roads and called on the national Assembly to intervene.

It will be recalled that Abia State government came under criticism over the condition of infrastructure in the state, especially in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

92

The sex ratio of women to 100 men (international migrants) in Chad in 2010.

Source: Un.org

L-R: Director, Consumer Electronics, Samsung Electronics West Africa, Mr. Sunil Kumar; Head, Consumer Electronics and Home Appliances, Mr. Parikshit Chadna; Head, Corporate and Consumer Electronics Marketing, Mr. Koye Sowemimo and Consumer Electronics Brand Shops Manager, Mrs. Oluwaremilekun Ogunsan, during a press conference on Samsung’s Blue Map Retail Expansion Campaign in Lagos…yesterday

Oshiomhole honours Ogbemudia ‘Ocholi not APC Deputy National Cajetan Mmuta

BENIN

do State government Etwo-time yesterday immortalised governor, Dr.

Samuel Ogbemudia, who was the governor of the defunct Mid-West and Bendel States.

The state government yesterday unveiled a statue in his honour at the stateowned stadium in Benin City, the state capital.

Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who unveiled the statue, said the image of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain captures the genuine feeling of citizens of the state.

Oshiomhole said: “This statue, which we have come to unveil today, I believe captures the genuine feelings of Edo people, a small token of our recognition of your unparalleled service to our people.”

He also felicitated with Dr. Ogbemudia on his 82nd birthday and lauded him for the outstanding contributions he made towards the

growth and development of the state.

According to Governor Oshiomhole, “Allow me sir, to formally congratulate you on the occasion of your birthday. I am sure I speak the minds of people of my generation and even the younger ones, who still recall with very fond memories, your outstanding contributions to the development of this great state.”

While eulogising him on his performance as Military Governor of Bendel State, Oshiomhole said: “As a young man; a factory worker in Kaduna, we were all proud to call ourselves Bendelites, when you, our father, was the Governor of Bendel State.”

The governor continued; “Today I am here feeling very privileged that I have the honour to sit by you. I think you should feel quite proud, and your family and children should feel even more proud that at this age, you remain a shining example of what a father should be.”

Legal Adviser’ Johnchuks Onuanyim

Abuja

chieftain of the All A(APC) Progressives Congress in Kogi State,

Chief Tom Ohikere, has described the immediate past interim National Legal Adviser of the APC, Mr. James Ocholi, as an impostor for claiming to be the Deputy National Legal Adviser of the party.

In a statement issued yesterday in Abuja, Ohikere also denied that the opposition party is in limbo in the state, saying information to that effect which was credited to Ocholi, was an aberration.

According to Ohikere, it was an “illegality and an act of impersonation”

by Ocholi to parade himself as the deputy national legal adviser of the APC, revealing that he (Ocholi) only acted in that capacity during the incubation period of the party.

He recalled that Ocholi, in an interview with journalists few days ago, said APC in the state is in limbo

while he was reported to have disparaged the state APC leader, Prince Audu, who was a former governor of the state.

The statement reads in part: “In the first case, it is an illegality and an act of impersonation for him to parade himself as the deputy national legal adviser of the APC. A position he does not occupy.

“For record purposes and for the avoidance of doubt, he only acted as the interim deputy legal adviser during the incubation stage of the party.

“That the APC is in limbo in Kogi State is an absurd statement from Ocholi and an aberration.

The general public and the media are very aware of the mass movement of PDP members to the APC in the state.

“Only few days ago, a former acting governor, Chief Clarence Olafemi and the immediate past Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Abdullahi Bello and other members defected to the APC in Kogi State."

48 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Ebola: Discordant tunes over school resumption date CAUTIONS Schools are not in a hurry to impress anyone. Labour and state governments want students to enjoy more freedays Yekeen Nurudeen, Abuja, Dan Atori, MINNA and Mojeed Alabi

he Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has thrown its weight behind the decision of

T

Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) not to resume for work on September 22 as directed by the federal government following claims that the nation has successfully handled the Ebola Virus Disease outbreak in the country.

NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson who expressed the union's support for the teachers' stand said government must exercise caution on the issue of re-opening schools.

As a result, the leadership of the NUT in Ekiti

Corruption: Ekweremadu tasks NBA Chukwu David

Abuja

eputy President of the DEkweremadu Senate, Senator Ike has assured

that all justice sector reform bills pending at the National Assembly would receive accelerated legislative attention.

He gave the assurances when the newly elected national executive committee of the Nigeria Bar Association, NBA, visited him in his office in Abuja.

“On the justice sector reform bills, we are all on it and I want to assure you that these will also be concluded in no distant time”, he said.

Senator Ekweremadu, however, stressed the need for the NBA to support the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, in the fight against all forms of corruption in the judiciary.

Heobservedthatjusticesector reform was not just about making new laws or amending existing ones, but also about guarding the integrity of the sector and ensuring strict application of laws.

His words: “While we talk about corruption in the system, the least anybody expects is that there should be corruption in the judiciary because if we have corruption in the system; it is just like saying that the head of the fish is rotten and the rest of the body is gone.

“Members of the judiciary must be sanctified in their behavior and the NBA has a critical role to play in this respect to ensure that people receive justice, no matter who is involved.”

The Deputy President of the Senate also decried the nation’s weak regulatory agencies, saying, “we have very weak regulatory agencies and that is why people get away with certain impunities, but as long as we enforce our laws and regulatory agencies do their work, we will have a better society.”

Ekweremadu further urged the NBA to work harder by holding people in public office to a higher standard of behavior and stressed the need for the lawyers to get more involved in the lawmaking process.

State of emergency: Awomolo calls for human rights protection Tunde Oyesina

Abuja

gainst the backdrop Aemergency of the ongoing state of in the North-

east states of the country, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Chief Adegboga Awomolo yesterday called for the protection of citizen’s human rights.

To underscore the importance of the call, he said his law chamber is putting together a colloquium where experts will address the issue of how to balance fundamental rights in the face of security challenges in a democracy.

Among those listed to speak at the event which comes up next Wednesday in Abuja are the Director General of the State Security Service, Mr. Ekpenyong Ita, a former Director General of the Nigerian Institute of Advanced Legal Studies, Professor Epipha-

ny Azinge and the Senior Partner of Kenna Partners and Founder of the Society for Corporate Governance, Dr. Fabian Ajogwu, SAN. To deliver a lecture is a former dean of the Faculty of Law, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Professor Ademola Popoola.

A statement issued by the organising secretary, Mrs. Victoria Awomolo, SAN said the forum would provide opportunity to address issues affecting the country.

She added that upholding citizens' fundamental rights in a state of emergency or when the nation's security is threatened is usually a challenge.

"Not just in a struggling democracy like ours but even in advanced countries. Extraordinary measures are often resorted to which in turn result in eroding citizens' Awomolo said. Fundamental rights."

has ordered its members to shun the directive that schools should reopen on Monday, September 22, 2014 for the 2014/2015 academic year.

The State Chairman, Comrade Samuel Akosile, who gave the order yesterday in Ado-Ekiti said his members would not resume work until certain preventive measures capable of curtailing the Ebola scourge were put in place.

The state deputy governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu, had while reacting to the Federal Government’s directive, said the state would not rush into any resumption on the

$110bn

premise that the present situation calls for caution.

Also defying the directive, the governor of Niger state Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu has extended the resumption date for schools to October 10, 2014.

Governor Aliyu made his position known when he received a delegation of the Joint Admission and Matriculation Board and those of the West African Examination Council WAEC and National Examination Council NECO at the Government House Minna.

He said that the new date he fixed is okay as Sallah festival is just a week from the date.

While urging the Com-

The estimated cost of natural disasters in 2010.

Source: Unesco.org

missioner for Basic Education Alhaji Danladi Abdulhamid Umar to ensure students resume after Sallah, Governor Aliyu said most of the students who are muslims will want to witness the slaughtering of rams.

According to Aliyu "most students will want to celebrate the sallah with their parents hence the September 22 date will not work.

Similarly, the Mayflower Private School, Ikenne, Ogun State, has also postponed its resumption date to Monday, October 20.

In a statement issued yesterday by the school’s Director, Tunde Solarin,

61.7%

The percentage of the urban population of Greece in 2012.

Source: Un.org

an engineer, and addressed to the parents, the school pleaded for the cooperation and support of the parents, guardians and the general public to stem the tide of the dangerous disease and build a sound future for the wards.

Solarin wrote: “Dear parents, due to the general uncertainty over the extent to which the deadly and incurable Ebola Virus Disease, EVD, has been contained nationwide, we intend to err on the side of caution by delaying the resumption of Mayflower Private School until Monday, October 20th, at the very earliest.”

31.6%

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Kazakhstan in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

L-R: Former Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mike Okiro; former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Mr. Graham Douglas; National ViceChairman, Peoples’ Democratic Party ( PDP), South South, Dr. Cairo Ojougboh and Chief Edwin Clark, during the South-South PDP visit to Clark in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Okorie tackles Ohanaeze on Igbo presidency Yekeen Nurudeen

Abuja

T

he National Chairman of United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie has condemned the stand of Igbo socio-political cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on the forthcoming presidential election which favours President Goodluck Jonathan.

Okorie described Ohaneze’s position as heart-rending and unkindest gesture.

Okorie said in a statement he personally signed and made available to New Telegraph that the statement credited to the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Gary Enwo-Agariwey in most Nigerian newspapers published on Monday 15th September 2014 was a clear case of betrayal of

Igbo people.

"In my 38 years active involvement in Igbo rights crusade, no Igbo leader occupying the exalted office of President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo has gone this far in betraying the Igbo people", he lamented.

Okorie said Ohanaeze Ndigbo was designed as a non-partisan socio-cultural Pan-Igbo Organization for the propagation, promotion and preservation of Igbo cultural heritage, education, economy and welfare of in Nigeria and the diaspora.

He however, lamented that, things began to go wrong in Ohanaeze when businessmen, government apologists and contractors began to lead the organization.

The UPP leader went down memory lane and said Ohanaeze was mis-

directed to pander with the then National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in 1979 under the chairmanship of Igwe M. N. Ugochukwu, a renowned contractor and the Traditional Ruler of Umunze in Orumba Local Government Area of Anambra State.

This partisan posture of the leadership of Ohanaeze, he said led to the death of the organisation as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and all his Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) associates who were angered by development pulled out of it.

Okorie who is also Oje Ozi Ndigbo urged Ndigbo to take heart in the face of the Ohanaeze betrayal, noting that the plague of the present leadership of the organization shall one day become history like others before it.

He added that the least

that was expected of the leadership of Ohanaeze at this time is to appreciate and commend the UPP for giving the Igbo people of Nigeria a voice to be heard and a place to stand in the contest for the highest office of the land.

"The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the reckless statement he has made regarding the interest of Ohanaeze or lack of it in an Igboman vying for the President of Nigeria in 2015 is a grievous act of ingratitude to UPP, as well as the betrayal and sabotage of the Igbo collective aspiration," Okorie added..

“Neither Afenifere nor Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Ohanaeze counterparts in Yoruba and the North, will never be caught undermining the collective aspiration of their people."

NEWS 49

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Group condemns death sentence Adeolu Adeyemo

Osogbo

Osun State based NonAtionnGovernmental Organisa(NGO) under the um-

brella of Youths Initiative for Global Peace yesterday condemned the death sentence passed on 12 soldiers accused of mutiny.

The organisation which described the pronouncement as inhuman and brutal in a statement made available to newsmen in

Osogbo by its coordinator, Mr. Charles Adeyemi, pleaded with President Goodluck Jonathan to wade into the matter and give lesser punishment to the said soldiers.

"We urge the president and the general commander of the federal republic of Nigeria to reverse this retrogressive judgment and focus on what could have motivated their actions against the G.O.C", they pleaded.

WIC canvasses for Igbo presidency Yekeen Nurudeen

Abuja

Igbo socio-cultural and AIgbonpolitical group, World Congress has called

Chief Medical Director, Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Prof. Akin Oshibogun (left), receiving the certificate from Chairman, Board of Directors Path Care Laboratories, Prof. Ibironke Akinsete, during the ISO Accreditation presentation of certificates in Lagos

Lagos saves N64.9bn from 1,158 fire tragedies in eight months Muritala Ayinla

T

he Lagos State Fire service has saved property worth N69.48bn from over 1,158 fire accidents which occurred in the state in the last eight months, New Telegraph’s investigation reveals.

No fewer than eight buildings also collapsed in the state from January till date with the latest Guest House belonging to Synagogue Church All Nations.

The state fire service also responded to average of 12 cases of fire incidents daily during the period, according to the monthly

activities report exclusively obtained by New Telegraph.

Findings by New Telegraph also revealed that in all the fire calls recorded across the state from January 1st till August 31st, over 45 person died as a result severe burns suffered from the inferno, while no fewer than 80 injured persons were rescued.

It was also learnt that no fewer than eight infants within the age range of 1-3 years died as a result severe burns suffered from the fire accidents. Some of the kids were either locked in the room, unknown to other residents or forgotten due

to anxiety, while they were scampering for safety.

According to the document, in January alone, a total of 119 fire calls were received and responded to while 246 fire incidences were attended to in February and March, 2014.

Property worth N27.36bn were salvaged in the first quarter of the year alone.

In the second quarter of the year, 320 fire calls were responded to by the men of the state fire service.

Among the calls, a total of 112 fire incidences were recorded in April alone.

In May, 109 fire disasters occurred in different parts of the state while

99 fire incidences were contained in June by the state fire service personnel. Twenty lives were lost while property valued at N27.96bn were saved during the period.

In July 2014, the state recorded 92 incidences of fire disaster while 71 fire cases were also responded to by the Lagos State Fire Service in August. A life was lost in July while five people lost their lives in August fire tragedies.

Thirteen people narrowly escaped death in August while seven residents were rescued from the inferno which raged in July.

Yobe group calls for transformation Magistrates to showcase new uniform Hassan Jirgi

Damaturu

ational Organizing SecNMovement retary, Transformation group for Jona-

than 2015, Babangida Alhaji Audu Yadi, has urged the people of Yobe state to support their call for transformation.

The organization in a statement made available to

newsmen yesterday called on youths, elders, politicians, stakeholders and royal father to support the call to transform Yobe state in 2015.

Yadi said they will ensure that the electorates votes in 2014 count, in order to ensure that the state will measure up with sister states developmentally instead of becoming a laughing stock.

BHS Iwo holds AGM he Annual General TSchool, Meeting of Baptist High Iwo old students as-

sociation comes up September, 20, 2014 at the school premises, Adeke, in Iwo by 10 am.

A statement by the association’s Assistant National Secretary, Pastor Jide Orisaleye, enjoined all Adekites to endeavour to be present at the meeting. He said vital decisions would be taken on next year’s Diamond jubilee of the school.

“Since this meeting is the last one before the Diamond Anniversary of our dear school which is expected to take place early next year, I want to crave the indulgence of Adekites to find time to attend the meeting.

We are going to as usual deliberate on issues affecting the upliftment of the school and more importantly, our upcoming Diamond anniversary”, Orisaleye said.

Tony Okafor

Awka

agistrates in AnamM bra state will unveil the new outfit approved for them during the commencement of this year’s legal season scheduled for Monday next week.

The Chief Registrar

of the Anambra state High Court, Mrs. Doris Ezeani disclosed this to newsmen in an interactive session in her office.

She said the new magistrates' robe would make them look more elegant, something she said would project them 'half judges'.

Lawmakers in rowdy session Okegbwo Kenechukwu Onitsha

L

awmakers in Onitsha South Local Government yesterday turned the hallowed Chambers of the councils a free for all battle over the attempt to impeach its leaders.

A faction of members had accused the majority leader of the council Mr. Fredrick Ezenwa of ineptitude, impunity, corruption

and engaging in undemocratic practices in the running of the business of the house threatening to impeach him and the council chairman Lady Ann Chukwuneke.

The members alleged that house leader is conniving with the executive chairman of the Council, to sideline the house in the day to day running of the local government.

on all political parties in the country to give serious consideration to nominating an Igbo as its presidential candidate for the 2015 election.

This according to the group would address decades of deliberate and systematic punitive exclusion of Ndigbo in presidential

politics.

This is coming against the stand by Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Monday that it won't pursue any presidential ambition in 2015.

The group in a communique issued in Abuja by its National Chairman, Chief Cyril C. Nwaguru and General Secretary Ichie Larry Udorji said it would consider for support and endorsement parties that give serious consideration to and support for an Igbo nominee for president.

Ondo to resume Sept 22 he Ondo state GovernTpublic ment has directed that all and private schools

in the state should resume on Monday, September 22 for the 2014/2015 academic session in line with the Federal Government directive.

According to a statement by the state’s Commissioner for Information, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, the government has made necessary provision for the

safe return of pupils and students to their schools.

He added that necessary steps have been taken to address the current challenges resulting from the fear of the Ebola Virus disease.

He said the state has already lined up activities to sensitize the public, Principal and Head teachers of schools on how to mitigate on the prevention of the Ebola Virus Disease.

Abia CJ seeks financial autonomy Igbeaku Orji

Umuahia

bia state Chief Judge, Acalled Justice Nnenna Otti, has on states which are yet to commence the implementation of the financial autonomy for the judiciary to do so, describing it as an essential and a stabilizing factor of democracy.

Justice Otti averred that each of the three arms of government are indepen-

dent of one another and that any one that tries to encroach on another’s’ territory will bring chaos.

Speaking in Umuahia yesterday, as part of the activities to mark the state’s legal year and her valedictory session, Justice Otti said a situation in which the executive and the legislature try to relegate the judiciary to the background will not work out well for the system.

Adamawa pilgrims leave Saturday Ibrahim Abdul

Yola

intending pilgrims Twillhe from Adamawa state on Saturday depart

the Yola International Airport to Mecca, Saudi Arabia for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage.

Executive secretary of the Muslim pilgrims welfare Board, (MPWB) in the state, Engineer Umar Bobboi made the disclosure at a press briefing in Yola yesterday.

He said that despite the delay experienced in processing the traveling visa, the state contingents will be airlifted before the deadline of the closure of Jedda International airport on the September 28, 2014.

Bobboi explained that, the seats allocated to the state is 1,966 consisting of 1,115 males and 851 females which have been shared among the 21 local government Areas of the State.

50

WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

Obama vows US will not fight in Iraq

P

resident Barack Obama vowed yesterday the United States will not fight another ground war in Iraq, seeking to reassure Americans about the level of U.S. involvement after a top general suggested some combat troops could be deployed. Obama, who has

spent much of his presidency distancing himself from the Iraq war, stressed during a speech at MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa that airstrikes would be the central U.S. contribution to the fight against Islamic State, along with coordinating a coalition that he said now includes more than

40 countries.

“I want to be clear. The American forces that have been deployed to Iraq do not and will not have a combat mission,” Obama said. His message came a day

after General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, left the door slightly ajar to the possibility of some ground forces during congressional testimony that

worried some Democrats. “As your commander in chief I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq,” Obama said.

Scots’ support for independence lags on eve of referendum

O

n the eve of Scotland’s historic referendum, polls showed support for staying in the United Kingdom just ahead of backing for independence but tens of thousands of citizens were still agonizing over which way to vote today. . Leaders and supporters of both sides took to the streets yesterday for a final day of campaigning in a country gripped by excitement and hope balanced by a strong measure of dread and concern.

Voters will be asked to answer “Yes” or “No” to the question: “Should Scotland be an independent country?”

A “Yes” vote would spell the end of the 307-year-old union with England and the breakup of the United Kingdom - as well as economic uncertainty.

Three surveys - from pollsters ICM, Opinium and Survation - showed support for independence at 48 percent compared with 52 percent backing for the union. They found 8 to 14 percent of Scotland’s 4.3 million voters were still undecided before polls open at 0600 GMT today, British political leaders have promised greater autonomy for Scotland if people decide to stay in the union.

But independence supporters say it is time for Scotland to choose its own leaders and make its own decisions free of rule from London. Scottish First Minister Alex Salmond, who has led the independence campaign, urged Scots: “Wake up on Friday morning to the first day of a better country.”

In an open letter to voters, Salmond said Scotland’s future was in their hands. Invoking 18th century economist Adam Smith and Scotland’s greatest poet Robert Burns, he said: “Don’t let this opportunity slip through our fingers. Don’t let them tell us we can’t. Let’s do this.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron told the Times newspaper he always thought the contest would be tightly fought. “Whatever the result, we are a democracy.

You have to respect the expression of people through the ballot box,” he said in an interview. Cameron has visited Scotland twice in the past week to appeal for it to stay in the United Kingdom’s “family of nations”. But he is unpopular north of the border, often dismissed as the epitome of a disdainful upper-class Englishman.

Asked if he woke up in the night sweating over the pos-

sibility of defeat, he replied: “Of course.”

All three polls showed nationalists had gained ground but the fact that supporters of the union were ahead prompted investors to buy the pound, extending sterling’s gain against the dollar.

“It is very tight,” John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University, told the Scotsman newspaper. “At the moment it looks as if the ‘Yes’ campaign is going to fall agonizingly short from their perspective.”

Hundreds of independence supporters rallied in Glasgow, Scotland’s biggest city, yesterday, chanting “Yes we can and we will” and listening to speeches by activists on the steps in front of the Royal Concert Hall. “We’re on the verge of victory because we’ve reconnected so many people with the political process,” Patrick Harvie, the Scottish Green party leader, told the crowd. “Nothing’s going to be the same again, whichever way it goes.”

One sign read: “Vote as if you live in the early days of a better world”. With more than 486,000 voters, Glasgow is a crucial battleground and the way its traditional Labour supporters go will be decisive.

Also in Glasgow, former British Prime Minister Gordon Brown told a rally of union supporters that the independence advocates “are leading us into a trap”. People in the crowd waved posters with giant hearts and the slogan “Love Scotland, Vote No”.

“Have confidence, stand up and be counted tomorrow,” said Brown, a Scot who has campaigned tirelessly for the “Better Together” side. “Say to your friends, for reasons of solidarity, sharing, pride in Scotland, the only answer is vote ‘No’.”

Obama speaking ...yesterday

80 missing in Central Africa as boat sinks

A

round 80 people are missing in Central African Republic after their boat sank last week on the M’poko River south of the capital Bangui, the government said yesterday. “Only around 20 people have been saved. The boat had more than 100 onboard,” the minister of trans-

port, Silvere Yabada, told AFP. “The question we are asking ourselves is how around 100 people could agree to use a boat that was not suitable,” he said.

It was the same problem on the roads, he added: “We see people crammed into vehicles piled high with goods; five or

Syria: 15 children die after vaccinations

A

t least 15 children died after receiving vaccinations in rebel-held parts of Syria, and activists said yesterday that the death toll from two days of government airstrikes in the central city of Talbiseh climbed to nearly 50, a heavy toll even by the vicious standards of the country’s civil war. The children, some just babies, all exhibited signs of “severe allergic shock” about an

hour after they were given a second round of measles vaccinations in the northwestern province of Idlib on Tuesday, with many suffocating to death as their bodies swelled, said physician Abdullah Ajaj, who administered the vaccinations in a medical center in the town of Jarjanaz.

It was unclear what killed the children, but Ajaj said in an interview via Skype that they all exhibited the same

Bissau president picks army chief

G

uinea-Bissau President Jose Mario Vaz has appointed a close confidant and head of the presidential guard as army chief to replace Antonio Indjai who was dismissed early this week, a statement said yesterday. No reason was given for the sacking of Indjai, a powerful figure in the coup-prone former Portuguese colony. But Indjai has been targeted by U.S. authorities who have charged him with involvement in drug trafficking.

The appointment of general

six people together on one motorbike. It’s extremely dangerous.” Several hundred people cross the M’poko River every day, travelling between rural areas and the capital. The ferry that makes the crossing is regularly out of order, forcing locals to use small, overloaded boats. Sinkings are frequent.

Biague Na Ntan, 61, an ethnic Balanta like Indjai, could smooth over any resentment from the ethnic group that makes up about 60 percent of the army and security forces and 25 percent of the population. Guinea-Bissau is one of the poorest countries in Africa with an economy largely dependent on agriculture. The United States has raised concerns that the country has become part of a transatlantic smuggling route for arms and drugs. Indjai had led the armed forces of the west African state since 2009 and

staged a 2012 military coup.

The new army chief is a veteran of the country’s war of independence from Portugal, and was formerly in charge of the customs security service before taking command of the presidential guard. Vaz took office in June after winning elections that marked the return to civilian rule after Indjai’s coup.

He is under pressure to reform the armed forces, partly by retiring senior military officials, many of whom are accused of involvement in smuggling cocaine through Guinea-Bissau.

symptoms to varying degrees.

He said it was the first time he had ever seen such symptoms after vaccinations. “There was shouting and screaming, it was hard for the parents.

You get your child vaccinated and then you find your child dying, it’s very hard,” Ajaj said. There weren’t enough respirators in the clinic, making the situation even worse, he added.

Video footage uploaded to social media showed a medic examining a young girl who was squirming. Another child, in an orange tee-shirt and blue pants, appeared lifeless as a medic administered CPR. He then opened the child’s mouth to reveal a swollen, blue-tinged tongue. The footage corresponded with Associated Press reporting of the event. Syria’s conflict, now in its fourth year, has caused the collapse of its health system in contested areas, scattering medics, destroying clinics and making medicines and equipment difficult to obtain. Nationwide vaccination efforts have been thrown into disarray, and polio re-emerged in parts of Syria last year.

SPORT

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

tHURSday, september 18, 2014

Did you know?

51

That the men’s javelin specification was changed with effect from 1986 and the women’s from 2000 to reduce the number of illegal flat landings

Boko Haram, Ebola stop Governor’s Cup

lNTF plans another tourney for Charles Ogundiya

T

he annual Lagos Governor’s Cup Tennis Championship will not hold this year due to insecurity in the country and the outbreak of the Ebola Virus Disease in some parts of Nigeria.

The President of the Nigeria Tennis

tennis stars

Federation, Sani Ndanusa, who disclosed this to New Telegraph on Wednesday on the telephone, described the development as unfortunate.

The 2014 tournament would have been the 14th edition of the International Tennis Federation sanctioned championship. The event has brought to Nigeria great players from across the world.

“We have been having a running battle with the ITF due to the prevailing security challenges in the country and we have assured them of the safety of all the participants, but the outbreak of Ebola in Lagos State was the final straw.

“It is unfortunate that we are unable to host this year’s edition, but hopefully, everything will be resolved and the championship will return in 2015,” Ndanusa said.

Speaking further, the former minis-

Falcons face hotel ejection

ter of Sports who is also the President of Nigeria Olympics Committee said there would be a national championship next month for the same duration as the Governor’s Cup at the same venue, Lagos Lawn Tennis Club, Onikan, Lagos.

Ndanusa said; “NTF is planning to use the same period to engage our players in a national competition, it will be as glamourous as the yearly competition just that we are not going to have the foreign players around.”

zNSC z orders Eagles back to Abuja Ajibade Olusesan and Comfort Chukwu Abuja

S

uper Falcons’ preparation for the African Women Championship could be thrown into jeopardy as they are set to be ejected from the hotel where they are camping.

A source in the Nigeria Football Federation told our correspondent that the management of the hotel had warned the soccer body that the senior women national team might no longer be allowed to use the facilities due to backlog of unpaid bills.

The source said that NFF’s debt to the hotel is so huge that the owner has now come under pressure to throw the Falcons out.

The source who is a top official of the federation said that the football body’s financial difficulty was biting so hard and it is now struggling to meet its financial obligations including the payment of the salaries of its staff.

“It hurts me that there is no money to manage the programme of the federation now and people are busy play-

ing politics,” the official who sought anonymity said. “We are just managing to see that those girls feed, we even owe the hotel where they are lodged. The officials of the hotel are still indulging us because of the long term relationship we have had with them; we owe even the referees a lot of money” Meanwhile, the National Sports Commission has ordered the Super Eagles to play their remaining AFCON qualifiers in Abuja.

A source said the NSC has mandated NFF to bring all the matches back to Abuja due to the bad state of the UJ Esuene Stadium in Calabar which had served as the venue for their home matches for close to two years.

However, a top NFF official who sought anonymity also told our correspondent that security challenges and financial state of NFF could scupper the decision.

“The cost of running matches in Abuja will be high and NFF is broke. If we have to play our matches in Abuja it will mean that, we are going fuel the generator so that we can have light at the stadium, which is going to be a huge challenge for NFF at this point.

“Again, the security challenge is a problem; no one will want to come out to watch the match except there is a strong assurance that people will get maximum security. But that will take a lot of time and we do not have time to play around with” the source told New Telegraph.

Super Falcons celebrating after scoring in a recent match

Super Eagles in action against France at the World Cup

We have to be patient with Welbeck –Wenger

} P 53

52 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

South African Rugby legends to impart on kids Emmanuel Tobi

T

he Nigerian Rugby Football Federation has revealed that two of the greatest names in South African rugby who arrived in Lagos Wednesday are in the country to inspire Nigerian kids.

Speaking at a media conference at the Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos, NRFF’s Technical Director, Mr Tunji Fasimoye, said that the two ex- Springboks Danie Gerber and Breyton Paulse are in town to help raise the profile of the fast growing sport in Nigeria.

“We are proud to have both Gerber and Paulse in Nigeria to help train our kids and coaches.

They will be sharing their skills and experiences with grass roots development coaches and then he will be working with senior players as they prepare to travel and play in the Africa Cup 7s in Kenya in November,” he said.

Their schedules include a Coaching Clinic at EXP training room in Lagos on September 17 as the legends are expected to train players and coaches at the Kings College Lagos from 9am –

2pm on Thursday September 19 focusing on defence, attack, re-start, phase playing strategy, skills and techniques of Rugby.

Mr Fasimoye thanked the sponsors, South African Airways, the Federal Palace Hotel, SAB Miller, and Cedarburg wines for bringing the two ex-

Springboks players to Nigeria to share their love of the game and to work with the NRFF to develop the sport further.

Gerber, who is an International Rugby Board Hall of Fame member, played most of his rugby in the pre-professional era establishing an in-

ternational reputation as a fearless defender and unstoppable force in attack.

Breyton Paulse who is now a well-respected rugby expert on Supersport burst onto the South African rugby scene when he scored a hat-trick of tires in his debut Currie Cup match in 1996.

Amuneke charges Eaglets as team resumes training Emmanuel Tobi ead coach of Nigeria’s Under-17 Golden EaHplayers glets, Emmanuel Amuneke, has charged his to brace up for a toughter challenge

as the team resumed to training in Calabar training in Calabar on Tuesday barely hours after they returned to the country from Libreville where they lost 2-1 to their Gabonese counterparts.

The contingent which left Libreville on Monday for Lome aboard ASKY Airline, breezed into Lagos in the night through neighbouring Cotonou but finally arrived Calabar midday on Tuesday aboard Arik Air to begin preparations for the final qualifier against Gabon next week.

“I want you to put behind all that happened in Libreville because that is gone,” Amuneke said. “I want you to know that we are condemned to win our match here and you must be focused on everything we are going to do from now.

“What we demand of you is hard work and nothing but hard work; because we want you to show Gabon that you don’t need to be aided by referee to win matches.

“We believe in you and we want you to apL-R: Tertius Strauss,Regional Director EXP, Tunji Fasimoye. Nigeria Rugby Federation Vice President; Breyton Paulse, TV Presenter and EX Springbok Professional Rugby Player; Danie Gerber , seasoned Rugby ply yourself because we are going to undergo Development Coach and EX Springbok International Rugby Hall of Famer and Mike Archer, Rugby Promoter’ strenuous work in the coming days as we build at the media chat in Lagos on Wednesday. up towards the match,” he warned.

No automatic shirt for Omeruo – Coach Ifeanyi Ibeh

M

iddlesbrough manager, Aitor Karanka, has stated that Kenneth Omeruo and other players currently on loan at the English Championship club have not been promised a place in the first team.

Omeruo, Jamal Blackman, Patrick Bamford, Ryan Fredericks and Jelle Vossen all joined Middlesbrough on loan during the summer transfer window.

Aside Belgian forward Vossen, whose loan deal extends to the end of next season, Omeruo, Blackman, Bamford

and Fredericks are scheduled to return to their parent clubs either in January or at the end of the current season.

It has been widely assumed that these four players were loaned to Middlesbrough on condition that they play regularly during their time on Teesside. But Karanka has come out to refute the claim, insisting that he is not under pressure to name any of his loan signings in his starting XI. “The only pressure I have is to win the games,” he said. “Because of this pressure I have to choose the best players. I will never have pressure from this club or from the clubs whose players are with us on loan. I don’t want to have conditions

on the players that I have to play them.

“For example Bamford is here and I never promised him that he is going to play.

“Omeruo, (Shay) Given and (Nathaniel) Chalobah came here (last season) and I never promised them that they were going to play.

“I always repeat the same thing, the players win their places in the team in the training sessions.”

It’s likely that some, but not all of the Boro’s loan signings will feature regularly during their time with the club.

Omeruo played well during his stay last season and has impressed in the six games he has featured in so far this season.

UEFA Champions League Tuesday results

Juventus 2 - 0 Malmo FF Olympiakos 3 - 2 Atletico Liverpool 2 - 1 Ludogorets Madrid 5 - 1 Basel Benfica 0 - 2 Zenit Monaco 1 - 0 Leverkusen Omeruo (Left) in action for Middlesborough

ITF Africa Circuit: Ubon on course to retain boys title Ifeanyi Ibeh

N

igeria’s Joseph Ubon remains on course for back-to-back successes in the boys singles event at the on-going 2014 ITF West and Central Africa Junior Circuit holding in Lome, Togo, after progressing to the quarterfinals.

The youngster, who emerged victorious in last week’s phase of the competition, defeated Turkey’s Cagatay Ozeserker 6-2, 6-1 to move into the tournament’s last-eight.

However, Nigeria’s near-invincible run in the competition featuring over 20 countries was put to a stop on Wednesday as five out of the country’s seven representatives crashed out.

Tochukwu Eze lost to top seed Gueninle Ouattara of Cote d’Ivoire 6-1,6-0 while Ahmed Alamu, who caused a major upset by beating sixth seed Itchya Meesommon of Thailand in the first round, lost in straight sets of 6-3, 6-2 to Dossou Gandonou of Benin

Republic who won.

Martins Abamu, Ikechukwu Iloputa and Mohammed Mohammed, a finalist in last week’s first phase, all respectively bowed out to opponents from Benin Republic, Cote d’Ivoire and Malawi.

The country’s players however made up for their shortcomings in the boy’s doubles as Emmanuel Audu and Abubakar Tswako defeated the Malian pair of Amadu Diara and Yacouba Maiga 6-4, 6-2 to progress to the semi-finals.

Echiejile relishes Monaco’s win over Leverkusen Emmanuel Tobi uper Eagles defender, ElSpressed derson Echiejile, has exsatisfaction after his French club, Monaco, secured a 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen in their opening fixture of the UEFA Champions League at the Stade

Louis II Stadium in the principality, France, on Tuesday night.

Echiejile who was not listed for the match however took to the social media to congratulate his teammates.

“What a way to begin the #UefaChampionsLeague. Well done boys. Great result. #AllerMonaco,” he tweeted.

The former Nigeria junior international joined the principality club from Portuguese side, Braga, last January but has only featured sparingly since.

Echiejile who missed out on Nigeria’s World Cup squad due to injury has featured several times in the Champions League with Braga, as well as the Europa League.

Dortmund 2 - 0 Arsenal Galatasaray 1 - 1 Anderlecht

Crown show class to dint Nasarawa’s title quest

44 minutes with a fierce shot that got the better of Nembe goalkeeper Ifeanyi Agu. Egharevba grabbed his asarawa United’s quest to overtake Kano Pillars at the top of the Pre- second goal of the game in mier League standings suffered a jolt on the 53rd minute before substiWednesday as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat tute Timitimi Iwekede pulled a goal back for Nembe 11 minat the hands of Crown FC in Ibadan.

Goals from Bode Daniel, Harrison Eg- utes from the end. bune and Francis Nnedum gave the Ajilete boys a resounding victory over the NPL RESULTS Miners and moved Lawrence Akpokona’s Bayelsa 3 – 1 Nembe side to 18th spot on the league standings as they continue their goal of avoiding Abia Warriors 2 – 0 Giwa relegation come the end of the season.

“We are striving hard to escape releAkwa 1 – 0 Enyimba gation and today’s victory is a testament to our resolve to remain in the Premier Crown 3 – 0 Nasarawa League at the end of the season,” said Rangers 2 – 1 Dolphin Akpokona, in an interview withNew Telegraph at the end of the game.

Heartland 2 – 0 Kaduna Also on Wednesday, Bayelsa United defeated Nembe City 3-1 at the Samuel OgLobi Stars 0 – 0 El Kanemi bemudia Stadium, in Benin-city, to move Sharks 1 – 0 Gombe away from the relegation zone with Frank Egharevba grabbing a hat-trick.

Taraba 1 – 1 Kano Pillars Nembe remain stuck at the bottom of the 20-team Premier League standings.

Wolves 1 – 0 Sunshine Stars Egharevba shot Bayelsa in front on Charles Ogundiya Ibadan

N

SPORT | EURO FOOTBALL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

We have to be patient with Welbeck –Wenger A

rsenal manager Arsene Wenger has called for patience when it comes to striker Danny Welbeck opening his account for the club.

Welbeck has not scored for the club since his switch and is yet to taste victory after a draw with Manchester City in the premier league and a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League.

Arsenal were second best at Signal Iduna Park as Jurgen Klopp’s side overran the visitors on Tues-

Seedorf

M

ilan could be taken to court by former coach Clarence Seedorf over money owed to him, according to the Dutchman’s lawyer.

Seedorf was placed in the Milan hotseat in January after Massimiliano Allegri got the sack but was unable to sufficiently inspire the club up the Serie

Everton coach targets Europa glory

R

oberto Martinez believes his Everton side must look to benefit from their Europa League journey, starting against Wolfsburg.

Martinez’s men welcome the 2009 Bundesliga champions to Goodi-

A table and they eventually finished eighth.

That was Milan’s lowest league placing in 16 years and the former midfielder was removed from his role, paving the way for Filippo Inzaghi to come in.

Italian football clubs typically place departed coaches on ‘gardening leave’ rather than terminating their contracts, meaning Seedorf would have to wait until June 2016 - when his deal was due to expire before being paid.

The club and Seedorf are reportedly in talks in an attempt to settle their differences, but Tiziano Treu, a member of the former Netherlands international’s legal team, expects a long road ahead.

ormer Chelsea striker Faccused Adrian Mutu has been of threatening to

Zidane has dropped a Zbeinedine broad hint that he could one day interested in becoming boss of

assassinate his business partner.

Adrian Martian says he was called to a meeting in Corsica by the 35-year-old, who is currently playing for Petrolul Ploiesti in Romania.

He alleges Mutu brought two armed associates to the meeting and was told to sign a contract in Mutu’s favour or face the consequence.

Speaking to Romanian newspaper Dolce Sport, Martian claimed: “In early 2013, I received a call from Mutu, who asked me to come to Corsica in an emergency because he wanted to

welbeck(right)

Rodriguez: Real Madrid must improve ames Rodriguez has chalJteam-mates lenged his Real Madrid to go about repli-

catingTuesday’sChampions League demolition of Basel in the games to come, starting with a trip to Deportivo La Coruna on Saturday.

The European champions kicked off their title defence by thrashing the Swiss side 5-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, with James putting Madrid 4-0 up in the 37th minute after Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo had added to Marek Suchy’s early own goal.

“We hope to continue playing like this and keep scoring goals. This match will give us confidence for what’s ahead. Everything came off for us and as a team

Zidane ponders French job

Zidane

be testing ourselves,” Martinez told reporters on Wednesday.

“The draw has been kind in the way of bringing two phenomenal teams [Lille and Wolfsburg] to Goodison and a surprising side in Krasnodar.

“It’s a phenomenal challenge but that’s what we want at Everton. The potential is huge but to fulfil that we have to play games like [this]. Deep down, that is what the squad needs to progress from last season.”

son Park on Thursday in Group H for what will be the Toffees’ first taste of European competition since 2010.

Both sides finished fifth in their respective leagues last term - narrowly missing out the Champions League - and Martinez feels the fixture will offer more than just a chance to get early points on the board.

“This is nothing new but we’ve been really excited. The Europa League is a great competition and probably where we need to

Ex-Chelseastrikeraccused ofplotting tokill associate

day, although Welbeck was among the chances and showed glimpses of quality.

While he failed to convert such opportunities into goals, Wenger maintains the 23-year-old will come good.

“He will [finish], I don’t think we have to make a problem with that,” he explained.

“He had a very lively first half and he couldn’t finish from his two or three good chances in the first half.

“We have to be patient [with him].”

Seedorf may drag Milan to court

53

the French national team.

As a player, Zidane scored two goals in France’s victory over Brazil in the 1998 World Cup Final and was also a European Championship winner in 2000.

Asked in an interview published in French daily La Provence if he might be interested in his country’s top job, he did not rule anything out.

“I’m ambitious. Now I am a Coach [with Real Madrid’s B side Castilla] I get asked if I’d like to be the national team boss. Why not?” replied Zidane.

“I’m not permitted to say that I can be boss but, since I am on the other side, it is a possibility.”

we did everything well,” the Colombia international told reporters.

“I also had a good game against Atletico but I think I was better today. I had a good

game.

“I think Cristiano Ronaldo and I have always had a good relationship, we always talk to one and other and he’s a great person.”

3-2 UEFA Champions League loss to Olympiacos as “very negative”.

The La Liga champions conceded twice in the opening 31 minutes in Piraeus and eventually fell short to start their Group A campaign with a loss.

Simeone lamented his team’s profligacy as they were left with work to do in a group

discuss something important.

“I boarded a plane and went to Ajaccio, where I lived through an incredible episode that the public should know about so as to understand who he really is and what dirty things Adrian Mutu handles.

“He was trying to assassinate me! He made a call, and after a few minutes two Corsicans entered the room, armed with guns.

“I’m not joking! Mutu’s calculation was, Martian signs or dies.”

Europa League fixtures Apollon v Zurich Mo’gladbach v Villarreal Club Brugge v Torino Koebenhavn v HJK Besiktas v Tripolis Partizan v Tottenham Zagreb v Astra Giurgiu Salzburg vCeltic Rodriguez(right)

Simeone rues ‘very negative’ result tletico Madrid coach Ascribed Diego Simeone dehis team’s

Mutu

that includes Juventus and Malmo.

“We posed a threat throughout, but Olympiacos were very tough indeed,” Simeone said.

“What made the difference was that they were more clinical with the chances that came their way.

“There is no doubt this was a very negative result for us and Olympiacos are now in a very good position. We feel we have a responsibility to bounce back.”

PSV v Estoril Panathinaikos v Dinamo Moscow Karabakh v Etienne Dnipro v Inter Sevilla v Feyenoord Liege v Rijeka Everton v Wolfsburg Lille v Krasnodar Napoli v Prague Young Boys v Bratislava Rio Ave v Dynamo Kyiv Bucuresti v AaB Fiorentina v Guingamp PAOK v Dinamo Minsk Warszawa v Lokeren

54 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, September 18, 2014

1980 Principal Cup shaped my career –Jalla TURNING POINT

Ajibade Olusesan

T

Jalla

he President of National Association of Nigerian Footballers played during the glory days of Nigerian league, but injury ended his career prematurely. However, he had stints with NEPA FC of Warri and Sharks of Port Harcourt which made him one of the household names in the Nigerian league in the 80’s.

The ex-footballer who now fight for the right and welfare of footballs; retired and active, recalled in this interview how his performance during the National Schools Sports Festival in Kwara brought him to limelight.

Dallas Mavericks’ owner backs Al-Farouq to shine Ifeanyi Ibeh allas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban, DFarouq believes Nigerian basketball star, AlAminu, will be a success at the Texas-based NBA club.

Twenty three-year-old Aminu joined the Mavericks in July following the expiration of his contract at the New Orleans Pelicans.

The Wake Forest University product plays best in the small forward posi-

Al-Farouq

tion, and is noted for his athleticism and defensive abilities His offensive game would best be described as a work in progress, but following the departure of Shawn Marion, who led the Mavericks in rebounding over the past three seasons, Cuban expects Aminu to help fill the void left by veteran.

“He’s been in the last two years the best rebounding small forward in the NBA. It’s not even close,” Cuban said in regard to Aminu’s addition during a recent radio interview.

“You know, it’s kind of like Shawn Marion. Not to compare the two, but sometimes just going to a new location takes you out of the perception that your former team had of you and puts you in a new position to succeed.

He added: “And I think Aminu is just going to be a stud. He literally was one of the first calls I made during free agency, because we were hoping that we could get him as kind of a young stud defensively that we can put in.

And we think in our system that he’ll be able to produce offensively much better.”

Aminu has career averages of 6.5 points and 5.5 rebounds in four seasons with the Los Angeles Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. His best year was with the Pelicans in 2012-13, when he averaged career highs of 7.3 points and 7.7 rebounds.

Aminu, who featured at the 2012 Olympic Games for Nigeria, is a former eighth-overall pick in the 2010 NBA draft.

‘The Urohbo College in Warri was the place to be back then.

The school had quality players like Christian Oko, Davidson Owumi. Owumi was my junior student. Together we formed a formidable football team and rightly dominated the Principal’s Cup winning the trophy two years consecutively. At the other end, we had Egbusi Grammar School and Hussey College to contend with. There were also Edo College and Sapele Technical College.

“The rivalry between Urhobo College and Hussey College was tough and intense when Henry Nwosu crossed over to Hussey College from Saint Finbarrs College, Akoka Lagos, to sit for his final examination.

‘Nwosu’s arrival fired up the Principal’s Cup and made Hussey College team more dreadful. Hussey also had Clement Temile in their team.

In 1979 we met in the Principal’s Cup final in Owerri and won. We repeated the feat the following year (1980).

“Following my outstanding performance in the Principal’s Cup, I would go onto to excel at the 1980 National Schools Sports Festival in Kwara. That was the turning point in my football career. It defined where I was heading to.

“After the school’s sports festival in Ilorin, Kwara State, I received a call-up to the pioneer national U-20 team, the Flying Eagles. I proved myself there. When I was in secondary school I was already playing for NEPA FC of Warri. I played for them a couple of years before moving to Sharks of Port Harcourt.

“I would have gone far in my career if not for the injury I sustained.

I battled the injury but I did not win.

I succumbed and my career ended prematurely. I had ups and downs in my career but I still thank God for what I was able to achieve.”

Falcons coach upbeat despite loss to Sia-One Academy Charles Ogundiya

S

uper Falcons coach, Edwin Okon, has expressed optimism about his team’s chances ahead of next month’s African Women’s Championship in Namibia despite Wednesday’s loss to Sia-One Academy.

Sia-One Academy, established by former Nigeria international, Samson Siasia, defeated Okon’s side 2-1 in a game played at the FIFA Goal Project pitch of the Abuja National Stadium with the Super Falcons’ solitary goal arriving five minutes from the end through Glory Iroka, who latched on to a through ball from Canada 2014 U-20 World Cup MVP, Asisat Oshoala, before slamming an unstoppable shot past the Sia-One goalkeeper.

The friendly game was the first by the

Super Falcons since they commenced their final phase of preparations ahead of next month’s AWC but it was the second time that they would be losing to the Sia-One Academy, having lost 3-1 a few months back.

Okon has however come to his side’s defence, insisting their performance in Wednesday’s game was acceptable even as he called on his team to be more clinical in front of goal.

“This is our first game on resumption for the Africa Women Championship proper and the girls did not do badly” said Okon.

He added: “At this stage we cannot afford to throw away begging chances like the girls did in the game.

“The girls played well but like I said this is our first test game and we hope to correct our mistakes”

Keshi for post-World Cup Conference in Cairo Emmanuel Tobi uper Eagles coach, Spected Stephen Keshi, is exto be in Egypt

for the post-Brazil 2014 World Cup conference organised by FIFA in collaboration with the Confederation of African Football.

The technical conference billed for September 30 and October 1 in Cairo, will see Keshi and a yet to be named mem-

ber of the Nigeria Football Federation technical department join other African coaches and technocrats to ascertain how to key into the positives of the Brazil World Cup. The conferences for the continental associations are to take place at the end of September and October.

From October 29-31 the last conference for member associations of Asia’s AFC and Oceania’s OFC will be held

in Kuala Lumpur.

Meanwhile, representatives of the 54 UEFA members gathered on Monday and Tuesday for the twoday event in order to reflect in depth on the tournament which ended just over two months ago.

During the conference Germany coach Joachim Low was honoured for having lifted the title in Brazil and was congratulated by his counterparts.

Falcons star, Desire Oparanozie, reading a copy of New Telegraph during her visit to the vewspaper’s head office in Lagos... recently.

ES Setif, TP Mazembe to play behind closed doors

T

he 1st leg of the CAF Champions League 2014 tie between ES Setif (Algeria) and TP Mazembe (DR Congo) scheduled for Saturday, 20 September in Setif will be played behind closed doors.

The decision was taken by the CAF Organising Committee for Interclubs Competitions at its meeting on Wednesday, 17 September in Addis Ababa,

Ethiopia.

The decision follows financial sanctions and warnings by the CAF Disciplinary Committee over repeated incidents of unsporting behaviour by fans of ES Setif, as mentioned in various reports of match officials especially during the group phase of the CAF Champions League 2014.

Thursday, September 18, 2014

55

World Record

On Marble

Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

– Maya Angelou

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2014

‘T

The World’s oldest newspaper still being published today is the Post-och Inrikes Tidningar (or PoIT). It was founded as the Ordinari Post Tijdender in Sweden (Regular Mail Times) in 1645.

N150

Is this ‘chicken’ democracy working?

he first impression is the only impression’ is a popular saying among those in the business of managing perception and publicity for public office holders. The argument is that this first impression moulds the perception of the populace towards an individual and that it would take a lot of effort and resources to change this perception.

That is why ideally, those in public office need to strive to make good first impression, and then conduct themselves decently in the public. No matter the interest such individuals have in an issue that concerns the populace, they should always ensure provisions of the constitution take precedence over any selfish agenda.

This is the situation in many Western countries where institutions are stronger than individuals. Presidents, Prime Ministers, Premiers and their administrations will always come and go, but the state and institutions are ever present.

But here in Nigeria, some politicians are stronger and bigger than institutions. And this is a major reason the democracy we are practising in Nigeria since 1999 is not working. This ‘chicken’ democracy is lionising individuals at the expense of institutions and that is one of the tragedies of this country.

Politicians have bluntly refused to play the game by its established rules, turning the constitutional provision of impeachment on its head.

Section 188 of the Constitution (as amended) is observed in its breach. The recent ‘chicken’ impeachment of the deputy governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, is a classical example in this regard. The speed with which the illegality was perpetrated, the idiocy of the charges against him and the lack of transparency in the whole process, are classic examples of how a constitutional provision can be misused.

Obviously, the drafters of the constitution, led by Justice Niki Tobi, inserted the impeachment clause to checkmate abuse of power. But events since then have shown that removal of elected officials has been used to settle scores with political opponents and it is now a despotic symbol of the personalisation of power.

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo effectively put this to use in Bayelsa, Plateau, Anambra, Oyo and Ekiti states and since then, it has continued unabated.

In Nigeria, impeachment has been given a bad name. Even in a matter as simple as political disagreement, it has been turned to a weapon of first choice.

With a deep purse and power of coercion wielded by a desperate public official, the removal of a hapless elected official will be swift. Readers should not delude themselves that certain things cannot happen in this country as a deputy governor may be impeached tomorrow for being more handsome than the governor.

An incident happened on January 10, 2006 in Ibadan, the capital of Oyo State which turned out to be a desecration of the Constitution.

It was at the 96th birthday of Pa Emmanuel Alayande. Obasanjo was determined to remove the then governor of the state, Senator Rashidi Ladoja, and in Pa Alayande’s living room, the no-

TALKING TOUGH GABRIEL AKINADEWO gabyfola@hotmail.com - 08023010222 (sms only)

Chime

In Nigeria, impeachment has been given a bad name.

Even in a matter as simple as political disagreement, it has been turned to a weapon of first choice. With a deep purse and power of coercion wielded by a desperate public official, the removal of a hapless elected official will be swift nagenarian begged Obasanjo to forgive Ladoja of any wrongdoing but the former president stubbornly replied that the only option before Ladoja was to resign. He even refused to greet Ladoja. On January 12, 2006, Ladoja was impeached by less than two thirds of members of the House of Assembly. It was only in December of the same year that the Supreme Court ruled that Ladoja was illegally impeached and he was returned to office.

Despite this infringement, Obasanjo is still seen today as a statesman. So, nobody should blame Governor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State for taking a cue from the former president.

Chime and Onyebuchi were elected in 2007 on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Onyebuchi was always at the background, playing the role of a loyal deputy. Even when Chime was indisposed and travelled abroad for

Onyebuchi

months in 2012, Onyebuchi ensured that the home front was secured for his boss.

In the build up to the 2015 elections, he reportedly informed his boss of his intention to go to the Senate but Chime already reserves the seat for one of his aides. Onyebuchi was also accused of hobnobbing with Chime’s political detractor, Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Then the crisis began. Chime reported his deputy to the House of Assembly, alleging that Onyebuchi operated a poultry farm at his official residence within the Government House and asked the lawmakers to commence impeachment proceedings. He also alleged that Onyebuchi refused to represent him during the flag-off of the second Niger Bridge

by President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan at Onitsha and that he refused to represent him in a South-East Governors’ meeting at Enugu.

In his defence before the seven-man panel led by Frank Uche Oraekeiyi, Onyebuchi tendered a documentary budget of the Coal City State between 2011 and 2014, saying that the same lawmakers provided funds for the poultry he operated and state money was also made available for the maintenance of the pig farm operated by Chime in the same Government House. In fact, the poultry and pig farm were operating before the duo assumed office on May 29, 2007.

Onyebuchi also played a video clip of the flag-off of the second Niger Bridge to show that he was present to represent Chime.

He insisted that he was not informed, either by the governor or any other person, to represent Chime in the South-East

Governor’s meeting in Enugu.

Where is the breach of the constitution in all of these? How could all these ‘pepper soup joint’ allegations constitute a “grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature” as stated in Section 188 (11) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended)?

Honestly, this is the biggest joke of the year. Worse still, the impeachment was shrouded in secrecy as the panel refused to sit in the open.

When I read the allegations against Onyebuchi over and over again, I just wondered why the political class has refused to learn from past mistakes.

After the impeachment, Onyebuchi, who became a Permanent Secretary before being elected with Chime in 2007, was offered a post of a deputy director in the civil service. Honestly, this is risible.

With this ‘chicken’ impeachment, Enugu State is not the one on the spot. It is Nigeria which has been ridiculed in the comity of nations. Our so-called democracy is being trampled by a few ambitious politicians and they are being hailed to high heavens. The three allegations were issues that should have been resolved through official memo, that is if the memo was even necessary.

Where was Chime when the lawmakers were allocating funds for the poultry and his pig farm? As the governor, doesn’t he have the power to order the removal of the poultry without resorting to writing a memo or ordering the lawmakers to remove Onyebuchi?

Some have said Onyebuchi should have been more circumspect by not flexing muscles with the governor but that is neither here nor there.

The impeachment has clearly shown that the funding of the legislature is a waste of tax payers’ fund. Lawmakers have become mere rubber stamps in the hands of chief executives.

This ‘chicken’ democracy isn’t working but one thing is clear. In the affairs of men, nobody can play God eternally.

OMOBABA

EBOLA: OBAMA SENDS 3,000 TROOPS TO FIGHT SCOURGE – News

– With guns, armoured tanks and war planes?

Printed and Published by Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Ltd: Head Office: No. 1A, Ajumobi Street, Off ACME Road, Agidingbi, Ikeja-Lagos.

Tel: +234 1-2219496, 2219498. Abuja Office: Orji Kalu House, Plot 322, by Banex Junction, Mabushi, Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

Advert Hotline: 01-8541248, Email: info@newtelegraphonline.com Website: www.newtelegraphonline.com ISSN 2354-4317 Editor: YEMI AJAYI.