Binder1 14 august, 2014 by Newtelegraphonline

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Thursday, August 14, 2014 VOL. 1 NO. 177

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Chime’s deputy slumps before impeachment panel Uwakwe Abugu and Emmanuel Masha

nugu State Deputy Governor, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, yesterday slumped while testify-

ing before the seven-man panel probing the 16-count charges of gross misconduct and abuse of office levelled against him by the House of Assembly. Onyebuchi, who had

been served with the impeachment notice by the Assembly, slumped at about 11.35a.m. while in the dock testifying before the panel. The deputy governor,

whose impeachment bid climaxed his frosty relationship with the Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, was immediately rushed out of the hall by his wife, Nneka, his children and

some of his aides to St. Leo’s Hospital for medical attention where one Dr. Akunyili and Dr. G. C. Anisiuba, a consultant cardiologist, attended to him. The embattled deputy

governor had arrived at the court in company with his lawyers and began his evidence at 9.30a.m. He had gone more than two hours into the testiCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Ebola spreads to Enugu as FG quarantines 21 lGovt sets up four screening centres nationwide lNigeria okays use of trial drug lWhy Sawyer was desperate to get to Nigeria, by widow Anule Emmanuel

rom Lagos, the dread Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), which has killed 1,069 in four African countries, including Nigeria, has now spread to Enugu. According to the Federal Government, a nurse who was among the medical

team that attended to the late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian-American who brought the virus to Lagos and died on July 25, fled quarantine in Lagos to Enugu. She has so far infected 20 others in Enugu who have been isolated. However, as part of CONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Kutigi clarifies emergence of ‘new draft constitution’ lConsideration of report commences today Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

L-R: Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola; his Plateau State counterpart, Mr. Jonah Jang and President Goodluck Jonathan during governors’ meeting with the president on Ebola virus in Abuja...yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

hairman of the National Conference, Justice Idris Kutigi, yesterday allayed the fears of northern delegates over

the emergence of a draft constitution as the conference enters the final lap of its assignment. In a brief remark at the resumption of plenary yesterday, Kutigi said the CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

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FG sets up four screening centres nationwide CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

concerted approach to tackle the epidemic, President Goodluck Jonathan and state governors were locked in a meeting in Abuja after which they agreed to set up four testing centres nationwide to screen people of EVD. Besides, the Federal Government, through the National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, has approved the use of an experimental drug, Zmapp, being used to treat two Americans infected with the EVD, for the treatment of patients infected with the virus. The approval for the use of Zmapp came just as the late Sawyer’s widow, Decontee, defended her husband’s trip to Nigeria despite medical advice that he should not travel. Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku, who briefed State House correspondents yesterday after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, blamed the defiant nurse for the further spread of EVD in Nigeria. He appealed to Nigerians, especially victims of the virus, to cooperate with health workers on how best

to manage cases. He said that the Federal Government had begun sensitisation of Nigerians long before the index case was recorded. Maku said government had equally warned those who had contact with the late Sawyer to obey directives to limit their movements to reduce the spread of the disease. The Federal Government at the end of the FEC meeting also warned the international community to avoid creating undue anxiety over the spread of the EVD to Nigeria, saying that Ebola is not endemic in the country. Maku assured the international community that Nigeria has put in place the best measures so far to deal with the disease.

He added that the measures have passed the tests of international organisations operating in the country, including the American International Agencies for Disease Control, the World Health Organisation (WHO) and the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF). “The measures we have put in place show professionalism and confidence to ensure that this virus does not spread beyond where it is today” “Even the World Health Organisation has expressed satisfaction with the measures that we have put in place so far; so there should be no need for any anxiety over the existence of the virus in Nigeria. “There is a strong team

in place that has been working and tracing the secondary cases. So far, a total of 198 persons have been isolated, with 177 in Lagos alone and 21 persons in Enugu State, that have been quarantined,” the minister stated. In continuation of efforts to check the spread of EVD in Nigeria, the president and governors after a meeting yesterday identified four laboratories nationwide to test people of EVD. The centres are at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Lagos; Centre for Disease Control, Abuja; University College Hospital, Ibadan and the Redeemer University Laboratory in Ibafon, Ogun State. The meeting also considered identifying centres in

Kano and Jos, while plans are being made to set up a mobile testing centre in Enugu. The government is also to set up nine laboratories across the country before the end of next month. Also yesterday, the National Health Research Ethics Committee, Nigeria, which comprises research scientists, is under the Federal Ministry of Health, endorsed the use of Zmapp to treat EVD. Chairman of the committee, Prof. Clement Adebamowo, in a statement yesterday in Abuja, said the committee had waived the process for drug approval for the untested Ebola drug in view of the peculiarity of the situation. The committee’s deCONTINUED ON PAGE 4

29oC 22oC Rain Storms

ABUJA

30o C 22oC Rain Storms

PORT HARCOURT

31oC 20oC Partially Cloudy

KANO

28oC 22oC Rain Storms

ENUGU

31oC 21oC Partially Cloudy

IBADAN

29o C 20oC Very Cloudy

CALABAR

28oC 22oC Rain Storms

MAIDUGURI

ONITSHA

31o C 22oC Thunder Storms

31oC 21oC Partially Cloudy

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 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

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST LAGOS

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

L-R: Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Delta State chapter, Mr. John Erue; National Vice Chairman, APC South, Mr. Hilliard Etta and former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, at a meeting between Atiku and APC members from the South-South in Abuja…on Tuesday

Chime’s deputy slumps before impeachment panel CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

mony when he reportedly slumped, prompting a quick response from his wife and others who gave him first aid treatment. When he regained consciousness, he was aided to his car and taken away for medical attention. It was gathered that Onyebuchi collapsed shortly after the Attorney- General of the state, Mr. Anthony Ani (SAN), led the Chief of Staff to the Government House, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, into the court room since she was summoned to appear yesterday following a request of the defence team. Following Onyebuchi’s indisposition, the panel suspended its proceedings. But New Telegraph learnt that it was not cer-

tain if Nwobodo was still going to testify at the panel yesterday. Following the collapse of the deputy governor, Dr. Anisiuba sent a note to the defence lawyers that Onyebuchi needed seven days to fully recover and be able to continue with his testimony. A lawyer in the defence team, Mr. Ogo Onyekwuluje, told the panel that the deputy governor might continue his testimony on August 18, but the panel turned down the request and insisted that the proceedings must continue today, citing time constraint. It was gathered that the deputy governor had in 2011 during the re-election campaign slumped at the Ogige Main Mar-

ket at Nsukka when the gubernatorial campaign train was at the market to lobby thousands of traders to cast their votes for Chime and him. A witness to the Nsukka incident told New Telegraph that the governor had asked his deputy to return to Enugu after he regained consciousness while the campaign train proceeded to the St. Mary Catholic Cathedral where it had audience with the now emeritus Bishop, Most Rev. Francis Okobo. The source added that the deputy governor had also suffered a similar exhaustion at a function in Udenu Local Government Area. None of the two incidents was reported as they were hidden from

the press, the source said. Also yesterday, the acting Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Charles Paul Ejekwu, slumped and died in his Port Harcourt residence. Family sources said Ejekwu, an ally of Rivers State Governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi was hale and hearty before the incident. The state chairman of the Association of Local Government Councils of Nigeria, Oji Ngofa, who is the acting chairman of Eleme Local Government Area, confirmed the passage of Ejekwu. He described the incident as a huge loss, saying investigation will be conducted to ascertain the cause of Ejekwu’s death.

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

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Police move to check arms supply to Boko Haram

lWe won’t cede any part of Nigeria to terrorists - DHQ l400,000 sacked from homes in North-East, says NEMA Emmanuel Onani

he Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr. Suleiman Abba, has ordered the establishment of Tactical Operation Points (TOPs) in some Northern states to boost the ongoing counterterrorism fight. The directive is aimed at checking the supply of weapons to Boko Haram. A statement yesterday by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr. Frank Mba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), listed states where TOPs will be established as Kano, Jigawa, Sokoto, Kebbi, Zamfara, Bauchi, Gombe and Taraba. The initiative, the statement added, will help check the “illegal movement of small arms and light weapons and other explosive materials.” Abba ordered Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) to closely monitor and supervise the operations in their respective commands. According to the police, the tactical points will be manned by policemen who have received adequate training in tactical operation and counter-terrorism. “The IGP is optimistic that the latest measure will enable the Force to halt further spread of violence in the land and frustrate the activities of insurgents and other criminals, adding that the Force is determined to track and mop up illegal arms trade and arrest the unchallenged movement of explosive materials by hoodlums and other unpatriotic elements,” the statement added. While noting that the police will always work in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure the safety of lives and property, the IGP said he would strive provide Nigerians maximum security. He also called on the public, particularly those in the North-East and North-West to cooperate with the police and see any inconvenience this operation might cause as a necessary sacrifice for the greater safety of all. And for the umpteenth time, the Defence Headquarters (DHQ) has vowed that no part of the country will be ceded to members of the Boko Haram sect. The Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj.

Gen. Chris Olukolade, made the vow yesterday in Abuja, during the Nigeria Initiative media interaction on security matters. Olukolade was reacting to the attacks on Gwoza town in Borno State, and the ongoing military operations to restore order to the community. His words: “On Gwoza, all we can say is that we are still working and we don’t want to leave any part of the town to the terrorists. On the role of the air force, they have been very active in the counter-terrorism efforts. “The armed forces will continue to contribute its quota in fighting terrorism, but we require an understanding that these Armed Forces are committed and placed itself to the disposal of the public. “Our goal at the moment is to deny the terrorists the resources they need to cause insecurity against the country,” Olukolade noted. He reassured that the military will never abdicate its responsibility of protecting the territorial integrity of the nation. The DDI said: “I will reemphasis on what I said; no part of this country will be allowed for the terrorist to occupy, we want to ensure that everywhere is secure enough. “Anything they (Boko Haram) are doing is criminal. When armed robbers are rampaging in Lagos, does it mean they control that place or cultist in different parts of the country doesn’t mean they are in control?” he queried. On the protest by wives of officers, Olukolade stated: “For the women in the barracks, we believe that their grievance is lack of understanding and we have explained to them. “It is not their role to decide on deployment, that tendency will not be condoned anymore. It has been dealt with. They now know the consequences of their actions because it’s becoming distracting.” Warning against unnecessary criticism, the Defence spokesman noted thus: “It is not as if there won’t be criticism but destructive criticism does not help our soldiers (morale) and our country. “I get uncomfortable when I see a parallel between what happened in Sierra Leone and here because of unwarranted the criticisms.” “I want to tell you that

there would never have been Sierra Leone today if not for the determination of the Nigerian soldiers through ECOMOG. We will not want that in our country today; its not something to encourage,” he maintained. On the issue of mutiny, Olukolade has this warn-

ing for soldiers: “Any soldier going into mutiny today knows that he is going into a suicide just like a coup, this Nigerian military is not as weak as it has been painted, it’s not as undisciplined as it has been reported and we are not in violation of human rights as the international

audience would want to believe. “We are not running from battle; we are still willing to defend our country,” he insisted. Meanwhile, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) yesterday put the number of people displaced from their homes as a result of the insurgency in the North at 400,000. According to NEMA In-

formation Officer for the North-East, Mr. AbdulKadir Ibrahim, the number of the internally displaced persons (IDP) from January to July 31 in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa states before the recent attacks in Gwoza and Doron-Baga is 360,462. He added that 183,031 of them are from Borno State while Adamawa and Yobe states have 147,198 and 30,233 respectively.

L-R: Speaker, House of Representatives, Hon Aminu Tambuwal; former President Olusegun Obasanjo and Deputy Minority Leader of the House, Hon Kawu Sumaila, during the speaker’s visit to Obasanjo in Abeokuta...on Tuesday.

Jonathan appoints new HOSF, redeploys perm secs Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan has approved the appointment of Mr. Danladi Irmiya Kifasi as new Head of Service of the Federation (HOSF). He replaces Mallam Bukar Goni Aji who retires from the service. The appointment was confirmed in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati. The new Head of Service of the Federation, Kifasi, was until his appointment Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Meanwhile, President Jonathan has approved the redeployment of nine permanent secretaries across federal ministries. This was contained in a circular issued Wednesday by the out-going Head of Service of the Federation, Aji. Among those affected are Engr. Emodi Nebolisa of the Ministry of Transport who now moves to the State House; Mr. Adelakun Yemi of the Office of the Head of Service of the Federation, OHCSF, now

in the Ministry of Aviation and Malam Mohammed S. Bashar of the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs who has been posted to Ministry of Transport. Others include Mrs. Fatima B. Bamidele of the Ministry of Interior who moves to Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs; Engr. Magaji A.G. of the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation to the Ministry of Interior and Mrs Jamila Shu’ara who moves from the Ministry of Aviation to the Ministry of Petroleum Resources. Among the newly deployed permanent secretary were Ambassador Danjuma Nanpon Sheni, Mrs Binta Lami Bello who now assume duty at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation and Dr. Babatope Ajakaiye Common Services Office, OHCSF. The circular further stated that the processes for taking and handing over by the redeployed and newly deployed permanent secretaries should be completed on or before next Wednesday. The new HOSF, Kifasi, who hails from Abuja

Municipal Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) brings a rich experience from both the civil service and the private sector to his current position. He had served as Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministries of Finance, Aviation and Youth Development. From 2001 to 2007, Kifasi was a Director in the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation (OAGF) and at various times head the Finance and Accounts Department and the Revenue division. As head, Revenue Division, his responsibilities included the preparation and supervision of the fiscal accounts of the Federal Government of Nigeria. He was also involved in monitoring various forms of revenue for the Federal Government including Customs duty, Value Added and Withholding Taxes, operating surpluses from government agencies and crude oil sales from the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC). Between 1990 and 2001, Kifasi held middle management positions (Assistant and Deputy Director level) at the Office of Head

of Civil Service of the Federation, the Federal Ministry of Finance and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture where he served as the Financial Controller of the World Bank funded National Livestock Projects Division (NLPD). Prior to his civil service career, Kifasi worked with the Jos International Brewery (JIB) group where he was Deputy Manager (Accounts), and later Chief Accountant of BARC Farms Ltd., a JIB subsidiary. Kifasi attended Nottingham Trent University, the West Bromwich College of Commerce and Technology and the London School of Accountancy in the UK. He is a qualified accountant in both the United Kingdom (FCCA) and Nigeria (ACA – ICAN). He is also a lawyer, having graduated from the University of Abuja (LLB) and the Nigerian Law School (BL). Kifasi is a 2008 graduate of the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS). He is also a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the Chartered Institute of Taxation in Nigeria (CITN).

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Consideration of confab report commences today CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

conference secretariat had not produced a new constitution as alleged in some quarters, but merely incorporated the resolutions of the conference into a draft amendment to the 1999 Constitution. He said in line with the resolution of the conference, the reports were prepared to cover constitutional issues based on amendments agreed upon by the delegates; policy issues meant for implementation by the president and legislative issues earmarked for enactment into laws by the National Assembly. Kutigi explained that the document labelled “Draft Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 2014” contained the various alterations and amendments to the 1999 Constitution proposed by the delegates. “I apologise for the inconveniences caused delegates by the shift in the date of resumption. When you look at the documents you have been given, you have the main report in two volumes; the hansards and the 1999 Constitution with amendments. I repeat, the 1999 Constitution with amendments proposed by you. “Let me at this stage stress this point: we have prepared these documents to the best of our ability and with all honesty. We have made available to you copies of our proceedings and hansards so that if you have any doubts about anything contained in the hansards or the main report, you can raise the issue and corrections will be made. The report has been prepared in all honesty and diligence and if there is any mistake it must be due to human error,” Kutigi said. The clarification punctured the plot by northern delegates to publicly stage a protest yesterday at plenary over the so-called new constitution. The northern delegates had planned to present a formal letter of protest and stage a walkout to scuttle proceedings if their protest letter failed to attract the desired attention from the leadership of the conference. In a bid to douse the looming tension, Kutigi explained that the main report of the conference have been captured in two volumes while the third document contains the resolutions of the conference on amendments to the existing constitution. He disclosed that all the decisions captured in the report were reached through consensus and challenged any delegate that had objections to the document to convey their

objections in writing stating the issues and where the error can be found in the documents. Kutigi gave assurance that where the complaints were minor grammatical and typographical errors, they would be handled by the secretariat but where there are substantial factual errors, they would be discussed and resolved at plenary. The delegates are billed to resume plenary today to consider the final report including individual observations and corrections that may arise from their assessment of the documents. Also yesterday, Kutigi met with the leaders of the various delegations to the conference. The meeting which commenced shortly after the conference adjourned for the day, held behind closed doors. New Telegraph learnt that the main agenda of the “secret parley” was to prepare the grounds for a

smooth consideration of the final report. The meeting became necessary because of the need to rebuild confidence by addressing the concerns of some delegates over the final report particularly, the controversial draft constitution which the delegates from the North have accused the conference of promoting for some ulterior motives. The Northern Delegates Forum (NDF) at the National Conference had on Tuesday rejected the “New Draft Constitution 2014” describing it as a calculated attempt by some fifth columnists at the conference to foist another third term agenda on the country. The forum alleged that adopting a new constitution was a plot to enable incumbent elected office holders who are statute barred from going for another term having been elected twice to the sane

office, to go for a third term under the guise of running under a new constitution. The forum comprising delegates from the North West, North East and North Central zones claimed that their members were neither privy to, nor were they accessories to the emergence of the controversial document distributed to delegates on Monday ahead of today’s resumption of plenary. Co-Chairman of the NDF and former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrahim Coomassie, who made the position of the group known at a news conference said that northern delegates would have nothing to do with the document because they were not elected and therefore lacked both legal and moral authority to draft a new constitution for Nigeria. But in a counter argument, Prof. Godwin Darah, one of the delegates representing the South-South

geo-political zone at the conference, dismissed the protest by some northern delegates as mere propaganda designed to create confusion at the conference. Darah disclosed that the secretariat of the National Conference only compiled in one booklet, the resolutions of the conference as they related to the amendment of the 1999 Constitution to enable delegates to ratify these decisions. He also debunked claims by the northern delegates that the conference has scrapped the local government system in Nigeria. Former National Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) and a delegate to the national conference, Senator Anietie Okon, there was nothing wrong with the draft constitution distributed to delegates on Monday as the document contained relevant resolu-

tions earlier passed by delegates at conference. Okon said that those raising dust over the document were only being jittery over a looming change which they fear might dethrone nepotism and bring equity and justice to the polity. “There exists this persistent oversensitivity and misplaced panic when the fact and evidence of our diversity bestirs its monstrosity and stares us in the face. The so-called ‘North ‘ are the ones who understandably are in thrives of communal fright that the order that vested in their hands our national feeding bottle is petering slowly but certainly to a closure. “They can hold as any meetings as their fear may impel, but it doesn’t detract nor reduce the imminence and inevitable end to nepotism and impunity as public administration and management tools of governance,” Okon said.

Deputy Chairman, National Conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi (left) and Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi, at the National Conference in Abuja…yesterday.

Nigeria okays use of trial drug for Ebola treatment CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

cision came against the backdrop of Tuesday’s approval by WHO on the use of Zmapp for treatment of Ebola patients. “It is ethical to use these treatments in the current situation without first submitting an application to national, state or institutional health research ethics committee for prior review and approval. “In addition, the committee waives the current requirement that international shipment of any biological samples out of Nigeria should be preceded by the establishment of a Materials Transfer Agreement. “This waiver is to promote rapid international response to this global emergency,’’ the statement added. WHO, in its update on

the global EVD epidemic has said that the Ebola outbreak in recorded history has now infected nearly 2,000 people, with more than half of them killed by the disease. According to a report by the CNN, Ebola is believed to have infected 1,975 people in Nigeria and three other West African countries since the outbreak began this year, and 1,069 of them have died. The numbers, which reflect the WHO’s count as of Monday, show an increase of 127 cases and 56 deaths in two days. The outbreak began in Guinea and has spread to Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. Another report by an online news medium, Premium Times, also yesterday quoted the late Sawyer’s widow as saying that her husband defied

medical advice to travel to Nigeria in his desperate bid to seek cure for his EVD infection. According to her, he did so in a desperate search for a country with better healthcare system than Liberia, his own country. Her defence came against the backdrop of the anger which the late Sawyer’s ill-fated trip has generated in Nigeria with President Goodluck Jonathan describing him as a mad man for bringing Ebola to the country. But his widow in a report published yesterday in TMZ Liberia Magazine, from where Premium Times culled the story, said the late Sawyer had no trust in the healthcare system in Liberia and had possibly headed to Nigeria with the hope of receiving a better treatment for his ailment.

“I’ve read other reports in other papers (not the New York Times) about Patrick’s “recklessness. I get where they’re coming from and they certainly have the right to feel the way they do. However, as Patrick’s widow, I would like to shed some light on this from another perspective. One that only I, his wife, would know. “I knew Patrick better than anybody else (including himself). He had told me many times in the past how much he didn’t trust the Liberian healthcare system. He would tell me about how a person would get checked in for one thing, and get misdiagnosed and get the wrong treatment as a result. On top of that, Patrick was a clean freak, and told me how filthy a lot of the hospitals were.

“He didn’t tell me this, but I know in my heart of hearts that Patrick was determined to get to Nigeria by all means because he felt that Nigeria would be a place of refuge. He has expressed to me many times in the past that he felt passionately about helping to be a part of strengthening Liberia’s healthcare system, but he knew it wasn’t there yet, and he wouldn’t want to take a chance with his life because a lot of people depended on him… Patrick had a passion for life, and he wouldn’t have wanted his to end. So, I bet anything that he was thinking, if I could only get to Nigeria, a way more developed country than Liberia, I would be able to get some help. How ironic,” the report quoted the widow as saying.

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LASU, Ebola: Fashola demands reordering of 2014 budget Muritala Ayinla

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (SAN), has requested the state House of Assembly to reorder the 2014 budget to meet compelling demands that cannot wait till 2015. The governor said the moves would enable his administration tackle the effect of the reversal of tuition fees of the Lagos State University (LASU) and the outbreak of Ebola Virus Disease. Fashola stated this in a letter entitled: “Y2014 Budget Re-ordering of Priorities” and addressed to the

House Speaker. The letter reads: “The LASU school fees reversal requires us to make provisions to cover LASU shortfall in projected revenues in order to service the school; the unanticipated but very urgent need to address the threat of the Ebola virus epidemic and also a need for counterpart funding request that enables us to access developmental funds to install solar power panels in 172 public schools and 11 primary health centres in the first phase. “The re-ordering will not affect the original budget size of N489.69 billion

as we have discovered that there are still unutilised provisions by some MDAs, which may remain so till year end. Hence we are proposing to move such provisions to where they are more urgently needed to enable the state government address pressing needs.” The re-ordering, according to Fashola’s letter, is proposed from Capital Expenditure Provisions of 10 agencies with a total value of N9.960billion. “We have received request aggregating to the sum of N79.302 billion but will clearly be unable to accommodate most of these

request this year,” the governor stated. The letter was read at the plenary yesterday by the Clerk of the House, Ganiyu Abiru. After a debate on the request, the House passed it to the House Committee on Economic Planning and Budgeting. The committee is expected to report back to the House tomorrow. A highly placed official in the state Executive Council however told New Telegraph that the reversal of LASU tuition fees would drastically affect the government’s expenditure. “Already, we have in-

L-R: National Conference delegates, Tunde Bakare; Ayo Adebanjo; Tony Nyam; Onike Akande and Supo Shonibare, at the National Conference in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

N’Assembly, union clash over N158m check-off dues Chukwu David ABUJA

he national leadership of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) is prepared for a showdown with the management of the National Assembly over the alleged non-remittance of N158 million check-off dues deducted from salaries of workers since 2011, into the account of PASAN at the national level. Our correspondent gathered that the development degenerated into a crisis situation last month when the national secretariat of PASAN issued a statement announcing the dissolution of the NASS chapter of the union as a result of the alleged failure of the chapter to adhere to its obligation with respect to remittance of collected check-off dues. However, the NASS chapter of the union on Monday denied that its executives did not remit

the N158 million checkoff dues allegedly collected from members in the last three years, to its national body. Reacting to the allegation, the Public Relations Officer of the NASS chapter of PASAN, Mr. Godwin Kyespo, in a statement in Abuja, described the purported dissolution of the NASS chapter executive as illegal. Kyespo maintained that the executive of the union had never defaulted in the payment of monthly check-off dues as claimed by its national leadership. However, the management of the National Assembly in a circular signed by the Director of Personnel Management, Dr. Ishaya Habu, yesterday, said it had started looking into all issues involved in the dispute, with a view to resolving the crisis and reconciling the aggrieved parties. Consequently, it urged all parties in the dispute

to maintain the status-quo pending the resolution of the issue by National Assembly management. It also warned that any party that conducts itself in a disorderly manner would face the full wrath of the law as provided for the establishment and operations of the bodies. But the national executive of the union, also in a statement yesterday, alleged that the management was not firm enough in the handling of the crisis. The statement signed by the PASAN National Secretary, Mr. Drisu Suleman, alleged that “some account officers at the National Assembly seem to have interest in the checkoff dues.” He further said: “There is no gainsaying in the fact that, as custodian of law, the management team of National Assembly should be above board in implementing the laws which they churned out to the

populace of Nigeria. “The same National Assembly that enacted the Trade Unions Act of 2004, upon which the Clerk affixed his signature, is now the same person that allowed the accounts officers at the National Assembly to disobey the same law. “This issue calls for serious and urgent address by the Clerk of the National Assembly himself. He cannot claim that he has no control over the Accounts Department of the National Assembly. “The fact is that the Registrar of Trade Unions went further to clarify the issue that the check-off dues should be paid directly into the National Account and rebate given to the respective chapters in turn. “It is disheartening, as well as heart rending, that career officers at the affairs of the National Assembly should allow this type of indiscipline and embezzlement to thrive.”

creased LASU subventions from N5 billion to N10 billion. What has happened now would no doubt affect

our budget and something need to be done urgently,” source who craved anonymity said.

Human rights abuse: NHRC tasks Amnesty to prove allegations against military Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

he National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) yesterday requested Amnesty International to substantiate allegations of human rights violation against the military to enable it carry out thorough investigation into the allegations. The Executive Secretary, NHRC, Prof. Bem Angwe, who made this call in Abuja said the Commission is ever ready to carry out an immediate and independent probe into the allegations of extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrest, incommunicado detention, enforced disappearance, torture and other forms of human rights violation alleged to be committed by the military made by Amnesty International. He added that the com-

mission is willing to act on the recent report released to the public by Amnesty International even as it is determined to deliver on its mandate. The commission therefore called on Amnesty International to provide necessary facts required to ascertain the veracity of the allegations against the military to ensure that those found wanting are made to account for their atrocities. The commission had before now trained and deployed monitors to investigate and monitor human rights violations in the North-East. While assuring Nigerians of the determination of the commission to carry out an impartial investigation into the matter, Angwe appealed for calm and respect for the rule of law as the country strives to put an end to insurgency.

Borno Assembly removes Sheriff ’s in-law as leader Wale Elegbede

s the gale of impeachments continues to dangle across states in the country, the Borno State Assembly has removed its Majority Leader, Alhaji Idrissa Jidda, for allegedly granting media interview that majority of the members of the assembly had agreed to defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). At the plenary presided over by the Speaker of the Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abdulkareem Lawan, on Tuesday, member representing Biu Constituency, Alhaji Ali Mamman, raised a motion calling for the removal of Jidda, who is the son-in-law to former Governor of Borno, Ali Modu Sheriff, as the leader of the house. It was gathered that Jidda had last month granted a media interview in which he claimed that the entire membership of the House had resolved to join the PDP in support of Sheriff. However, the Speaker debunked the statement, saying that the leadership of the house and most members were firmly behind incumbent gov-

ernor, Kashim Shettima, and had no plans to leave the All Progressives Congress (APC), adding that the major concern of the house was how to find an end to the security challenges in the state and not plotting impeachment. According to reports, Jidda was allegedly seen as Sheriff’s hatchet man in a rumoured impeachment plot by the former governor against his estranged political godson, Shettima. Espousing grounds for his motion, Mamman drew the attention of the House to the statement credited to the former leader, saying that the action constituted gross misconduct as no member of the house had mandated him to speak on his behalf. Supporting Mamman’s motion, member representing Magumeri constituency, Alhaji Audu Mustapha, seconded the motion against the Jidda. After extensive debate on the motion, all 17 members present at the plenary unanimously adopted the motion on the removal of the majority leader. The house subsequently elected Mohammed Zakariya representing Dikwa constituency as its new leader.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Ebola: Kano bans sale of bush meat Muhammad Kabir KANO

he Kano State GoverTKwankawso, nor, Dr Rabiu Musa has mulled

L-R: General Manager, Operations, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Joseph Babatunde; Director-General/CEO, Federal Institute of Industrial Research, Oshodi (FIIRO), Dr. Gloria Elemo; Managing Director/CEO, Bank of Industry (BoI), Mr. Rasheed Olaoluwa and General Manager, Small and Medium Enterprises, Mr. AbdulGaniyu Muhammed, during the visit of BoI managing director to FIIRO in Lagos…yesterday

-0.2%

The annual population growth rate of Croatia in 2010-2015. Source: Un.org

1.55%

The percentage share of passenger air travel of Osubi airport of Nigeria’s total air passengers in 2013. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

144

The sex ratio of women to 100 men (international migrants) in Armenia in 2010. Source: Un.org

Fashola to African leaders: Let's reposition our continent POTENTIALS Lagos governor feels Africa could be on top of the world through determination Muritala Ayinla

agos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola, yesterday, charged African leaders to intensify strategies at repositioning the continent, saying African economy has the potentials to overtake Europe and Asia, if only leaders in the continent could draw inspiration from the continent's glorious past. The governor, who

noted that it will require self determination and inspiration from African citizens to move ahead of other economies, said African continent must brace up to take leadership role in the scheme of things. Addressing a large gathering of business executives at a session organized by Mail and Guardian Africa, held Lagos, Fashola said that the great economies were developed by their citizens and not foreigners, saying Africa must also take a cue from them. Fashola, who spoke on the theme of the session titled: “How African Cities Will Be The Biggest Drivers of the Rising African Story” at a Power

Dialogue, also said that 3 million passengers now travel by water monthly around the state, even as he warned that the price of crude oil may crash below $20 per barrel. He added that events of recent times have clearly changed the rhetoric of Africa, which was once looked down upon by the developed world as a hopeless continent, to rising and rapidly developing one. He queried; “How much food is produced here, and how many airlines are we making here and how many vehicles are made here. In terms of construction equipment, how many are made here?”, Regretting that even

items like phones are hardly made on the continent, he called on the leaders to brace up for the emerging challenges. Fashola, however, noted that things have actually not changed from the structure that was put in place about 100 years ago, when the colonial masters prowled the continent for extractive commodities, when all rails ended up in the ports where commodities are taken out of the continent to Europe. Fashola also queried the percentage of Africans that are employed at leadership level, adding that Africa as a continent appears to be rising because markets are thinning out in Europe and elsewhere.

Ebola: Patrick Sawyer, a terrorist — Presidency Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

ven at death, more condemnations have continued to trail, Patrick Sawyer, the Liberian national, who imported the deadly Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) to Nigeria. The Senior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youths and Students, Mr Jude Imagwe yesterday described the late Liberian as a terrorist. He said this in Abuja during a dinner lecture and awards nights, organised by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Youth Vanguard to honour prominent members of the party in the country. He said Sawyer's misguided action has brought pains and hardship upon Nigerians, who have been

going about their daily duties. He said such a man deserves to rot in hell. "Patrick Sawyer has brought pain and hardship to Nigerians. So many things have now changed because he brought this upon us. Even in churches, we are not free anymore. "The woman, who wanted to assist the terrorist from Liberia, is dead now. This is bad. This virus is not an infection for the rich or the poor. It can affect anybody. We need to be careful," he submitted. Speaking on the Federal Government's efforts at minimising the spread of the virus, Imagwe said: "One of the surest means of prevention is constant washing of your hand by soap. Everyone of us

must not say that because this virus is in Lagos, we should then neglect to take care of ourselves. "Mr President has taken the initiative to close down primary schools. This shows that our president means well for Nigerians. The Lagos State Government has also done a good job. As Nigerians, we need to assist government in assisting these people." The presidential aide equally spoke on the plights of handicapped youths in the country, promising that the government will never abandon them in their time of need. "One assurance I want to give to our brothers is that Nigerian youths who are handicapped are not alone. We know that they suffer some degree of iso-

lation and rejection. We are with them and we will never abandon them. "My heart bleeds over things that are happening in our country. Enough is enough. An attack on any part of the country is an attack on all Nigerians. Our people in the north cannot sleep anymore. This has to stop. "The earlier we realise that it is not a northern war or Borno war, the better for us. We must avoid use of unguided utterances. These things cannot help us. We need to change the way we do things." At the dinner night, National Chairman of PDP, Alhaji Adamu Muazu; Ijaw national leader, Chief Edwin Clark and other prominent stalwarts of the party were honoured.

the idea of a total ban of buying and selling of bush meat in the state to avoid the spread of Ebola disease in the ancient city. Already, the government has formed a strong committee to look into the possibility of completely banning the selling and buying of the bush meat, after which Kwankawso explained during the state weekly Council meeting that they might put a law that will be punitive against anybody, found violating it. Varieties of bush meat

that includes Donkey, Monkey, Rat, Dogs and other types are usually brought to Kano for onward transportation to other parts of the country for sales and even to some African countries. Already, even before the pronouncement of a possible total ban, most people that engage in bush meat eating and selling have abandoned the market with most of the sellers complaining of lack of business. Kwankwaso hinted that he had held series of meetings with the Mallam Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital for the place to serve as a possible clinical ward for Ebola patients, should the need arise.

Probe panel: Ag CJ playing a script, says Nyako Ibrahim Abdul

YOLA

ormer Governor of FMurtala Adamawa State, Alhaji Nyako yesterday

accused the Acting Chief Judge of the State, Justice Ambrose Mammadi, of trying to sabotage a suit filed by the former governor challenging the constitution of a probe panel by him, Umaru Fintiri, to probe the activities of his administration. Fintiri set up a seven-man panel led by Justice Bobbo Umar, last week to probe the activities of the former administration from July 2007 to July 2014 within four weeks. The former governor had filed a suit before a

Yola High Court of Adamawa State praying it to declare the setting up of the probe panel illegal, saying that it was set in breach of extant laws of the federation, particularly Sections 128 and 129 of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic as amended. In the suit filed by the former Governor dated August, 8, 2014, he prayed the court to dissolve the panel as he said the defendants have no power to set up a Judicial Commission of Inquiry to investigate his administration without recourse to the state House of Assembly in line with the provision of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Yero denies prior knowledge of Kaduna bombings Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

Muktar Yero Gheovernor of Kaduna State says did not receive any

security report from the Department of State Security (DSS) or any of the security agencies warning of an impending bombing in the state. The governor, who made the clarification yesterday, was responding to reports that he had prior knowledge of the twin bomb blasts that rocked Kaduna on July 23. In a press statement issued by Malam Ahmed Maiyaki, the Director General of Media and Publicity, the governor said that as a leader that is committed to the security of lives and properties of the people of the state, he ‘’will never treat such piece of information with levity’’. According to the statement, Yero’s commitment

to security has been demonstrated in his handling of sensitive issues since assuming office as governor. ‘’For the avoidance of doubt, Governor Yero maintains mutual collaborative efforts with all security agencies in the State and this is evident in the fact that for about 20 months of his administration, there was no single bomb blast in the state,’’ the statement noted. Yero described the so called security report on the bombing, which he allegedly received, as another plot by mischief makers not only to bring him to disrepute but also to throw Kaduna State into confusion. The governor challenged the so called anonymous source of the report to provide proof of the purported letter which the State Director of Department of State Service wrote him.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Shortage of judges hits Anambra

•APC raises alarm over cards Tony Okafor

AWKA

he Chief Registrar TState (CR) of the Anambra Judiciary, Mrs Doris Ezeani, has appealed to the National Judicial Council (NJC) and the state government to appoint more judges for the state.

Ezeani, who made the call in an interview with newsmen in Awka, yesterday, said that the state judges were over inundated with cases. “We are in desperate need of more judges. It is almost getting to a crisis situation, as the number of judges is at its lowest point of 18, where the

minimum should have been 23. “The 18 judges have a total of 8,653 cases pending before them with a particular judge having 876 cases, another judge, 626 cases and yet another judge, 579 cases in their various judicial divisions. “The least is 163 cas-

es and it is due to the peculiarity of the court. You can imagine what the 18 judges are passing through. They are being over-laboured,” she said. The chief registrar noted that due to the work load, the actual number needed was 35 to fast-track the process

L-R: Special Assistant to the Ogun State Governor on Student Matters, Comrade Clement Olusegun; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, Alhaji Ambali Ishola; Commissioner for Education, Science and Technology, Segun Odubela and Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Alhaji Yusuph Olaniyonu, during a press briefing to announce the reduction of school fees in tertiary institutions in the state in Abeokuta…yesterday

New councils: Fayemi reads INEC begins PVCs distribution in Abuja, 10 others tomorrow Riot Act over violence Adesina Wahab

Ado-Ekiti

kiti State Governor, Dr Ewarned Kayode Fayemi, has that any commu-

nity causing trouble over the recently-created new local council development areas in the state will be appropriately sanctioned. He said this in Ado-Ekiti yesterday while settling a communal conflict between Kota and Omuo people. The two communities have been at loggerheads over the ownership of the land on which the headquarters of Ekiti East Local Government is located. Kota people are laying claim to the land, saying giving the address of the headquarters as Omuo is wrong. Kota was made the headquarters of the new LCDA created from the area and the people said that it was the Omuo that must look for another location for their LG headquarters. The face-off led to unspecified number of people being injured. Settling the feud at a meeting attended by the Commissioner of Police, the Director of the SSS, representatives of some

other security agencies and traditional rulers of the two communities, the governor stressed the need to sustain the level of peace currently being enjoyed in the state. He charged men of the Nigeria Police, State Security Service and the Nigerian Army to be on the lookout for any breach of the peace. Leaders of the feuding communities also signed a memorandum pledging their commitment to peaceful co-existence between the communities. They also resolved that they would shun violence and ‘put an end to the hostilities and animosity that hitherto existed between the two communities”. The memorandum reads in part: “The two communities shall abide by all constitutional means to resolve any grievances that may generate dispute between them in any future engagements or relations." “The two communities shall by no means directly or indirectly instigate, inspire or encourage anything that would cause illfeeling or disaffection between the two communities and any further violation of the terms of this agreement shall attract sanctions”.

Onyekachi Eze

ABUJA

he Independent National T(INEC) Electoral Commission will begin the distri-

bution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) tomorrow in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja and 10 other states. Apart from Abuja, the distribution exercise, which will end on Sunday, will take place also Yobe and Bauchi in North East; Jigawa and Sokoto in the North West; Kwara State in North Central; Anambra and Ebonyi in the South East; Ondo and Oyo South West; and Delta and Cross River in the South South geopolitical zones. A statement from INEC yesterday, further disclosed that the Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) exercise will follow immediately in these states from August 20 to 25. "With the rescheduling of Phase II of the programme, new dates will be announced later for Phase III involving Adamawa, Borno, Kaduna, Katsina, Kano, Plateau, Nassarawa, Niger, Imo, Lagos, Ogun, Edo and Rivers states. "Only those with Permanent Voters Card will

be allowed to vote during the 2015 general elections", the statement added. It advised registered voters to cross-check their names in the displayed voters’ register, noting that only those who registered before but do not see their names in the displayed register are to re-register during the continuous voter registration exercise. "The CVR exercise is not for those who wish to transfer. Those wishing to transfer should write to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in their new states of domicile, well before the election, as no transfer will be approved less than 30 days to the election. "Those, who have lost their cards or whose cards are damaged may apply for them to be replaced by writing to the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) through the INEC Electoral Officer of the Local Government Area where they registered for their replacement well before the election. No replacement will be approved and no new card will be issued less than 30 days to the election", it further stated.

of service delivery in the state judiciary. Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Anambra State says it has uncovered a plot by some officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to hoard the permanent voters cards in the state. INEC will start revalidation and issuance of permanent voter cards in Anambra State from August 15. But the party in a press statement signed by the immediate past Publicity Secretary, Okelo Maduikaife, alleged that "the INEC officials were working in collaboration with two parties currently occupying incumbency position in the State Government and the Federal Government to seat on cards meant to be issued out to Anambra State citizens under a guise that will make the cards re-surface in the wrong hands during the general elections next year." The press statement reads in part: "Some of the excuses that have been proposed for use are fading photographs, stained paper cards, and in some cases no reason at all. "Areas targeted in this condemnable plot include, Onitsha South, Idemili North, Ihiala, Idemili South, Onitsha North and Anaocha, Awka South and Dunukofia. "It is to our knowledge that huge sums of money running into billions of Naira have been earmarked for this evil project, and are about now ready to be dis-

bursed to contacts under the watch of our party operatives," he said "Their brief is to deny Anambra State citizens the right to possess the INEC permanent cards billed for distribution in 4,608 polling units across the state from Friday August 15 to Sunday August 17, 2014 and use it to compromise the elections in 2015. "We are, however, shocked that after a mass sack involving the dismissal of 16 staff form the Anambra State INEC, there are still enough number and will to engage in this unwholesome practice. "We are quick to warn those involved in this plan to take steps backwards as the vigilance being mobilized in Anambra State by multiple well-meaning stakeholders in Anambra will stand firmly against this plan and will do anything within legitimacy to thwart them. "We implore the leadership of INEC in Anambra State, and the security agencies in the state to pay close attention to their staff, particularly those involved in the proposed exercise, while the people of Anambra State are strongly advised not to leave room for anyone to defraud the electorate with their uncollected cards. "We therefore request them to troop out en masse at the weekend and exchange their paper cards for the PVC cards to enable them reclaim their rights to elect their leaders in February next year, if not before.

PPA to commence nationwide registration on Aug. 20 Temitope Ogunbanke s part of the efforts toward repositioning the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) for 2015 general elections, the party will commence its nationwide membership registration on August 20. PPA, in a statement, signed by its National Publicity Secretary; Dr. Vitalis Orikeze Ajumbe, after its National Working Committee (NEC) meeting held on August 11 at the party National Secretariat in Abuja, expressed its readiness to commence the party congresses at all levels immediately after the nationwide membership registration.

According to Ajumbe, the nationwide membership registration will commence next Wednesday and end on September 6. The party’s ward congresses will therefore hold between September 12 and 13, while Local Government Congresses will take place between September 19 and 20. The party’s state congress is scheduled for September 26 and 27. The party leadership also directed all chapters of the party to mobilise members to ensure free and fair congresses. “This has become necessary at this time to reposition the party to win elective positions in the on-coming elections come 2015,” the party’s spokesman stated.

Osun 2014

NEWS

Benue 2015: APC vows to edge out PDP Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

he All Progressive Congress (APC) in Benue State has said it would give the People's Democratic Party (PDP) very close-marking in next year’s general elections to stop the ruling party from rigging. A Chieftain of APC in Benue state, Hon. Joseph Bôkô who made this known in Makurdi yesterday while fielding

questions from journalists said, the opposition party is fine-tuning strategies to take over the state by storm from the PDP as it happened in Ekiti and Osun states in 2015. He stated that though opposition parties in the state lost in the past elections due to massive rigging by the ruling party, they will not allow a repeat of such incidence. "The constitution provides for existence of multiple political parties but in

Nigeria if you are not in the ruling party, anything you say or do is considered being against government, and you are looked upon as enemy of government. "What is happening in Nigeria today does not give the picture of true democracy, the nation is being managed the way nobody will be happy but I assure that APC will take over by 2015 and as I am telling you there is no pretence about what will happen next year", he noted.

PVCs: Oyo declares Friday public holiday

he Oyo State Government has declared Friday, August 15 public holiday in the state. This was contained in a statement issued by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo in Ibadan yesterday. According to the statement, the public holiday is to allow for massive turn-

out of people for the collection of permanent voters’ cards which begins in the state on Friday. Meanwhile, Governor Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State has urged the people of the state to turn out en masse to obtain the permanent voters’ cards (PVCs) which would be issued from Friday, August 15,

2014 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). While stressing the importance of collecting the PVC, he said the cards would give them the ample opportunity to exercise their civic rights and choose people of their choice to represent them during the 2015 general elections.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Osun denies arrest of deputy governor on election day

sun State government yesterday described as untrue the allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the August 9 governorship election, Senator Iyiola Omisore, that the Deputy Governor, Mrs. Grace Titilayo LaoyeTomori, was arrested while distributing N20 million on election day to woo the electorate into the APC fold. Chief Press Secretary (CPS) to the Deputy Governor, Mr. Tope Ademakinwa, who condemned the allegation in a statement in Osogbo, also said that there was no truth in the claim by the PDP that the deputy governor was

caught with ammunition on the election day. The CPS, however, charged members of the public to disregard the statement he described as unfounded and far from the truth. He said he was reacting to the claim by Omisore during an interview aired on one of the television stations, that his boss was arrested. The CPS said: “The deputy governor was never arrested for distributing money on the election, but instead, Mrs. Laoye-Tomori was at the police station to secure the release of some APC chieftains that were

arrested by soldiers and security operatives over spurious allegations. “Our attention has been drawn to a malicious interview purportedly granted by the PDP gubernatorial flag bearer, Senator Iyiola Omisore. “In the interview, Omisore, in a desperate bid to grab political power at all cost, connived with himself, and concocted a lie of a ‘phantom’ arrest of the Deputy Governor of the state, Mrs. Grace Titi Laoye-Tomori, by the officers of the Nigeria Police for carrying ammunition and N20 million on election day.

Monarchs task politicians on accountability

raditional rulers in Anambra Central Senatorial zone have charged politicians seeking elective offices to show accountability and learn how to connect with the people at the grassroots instead of seeking elective offices as an opportunity to enrich themselves. The Chairman of the Traditional Rulers Council in Anambra Central senatorial zone, Igwe Ifite Dunu, HRM Dr. Emeka Ilouno, made the charge yesterday in his palace in Ifite Dunu, when the traditional rulers in the Idemili Federal Constituency (North and

South), led by the Chairman of Traditional Council Rulers In Idemili, Igwe Abacha, HRH Engr. G.E. Mbakwe, presented Dr. Obiora Okonkwo for endorsement as the choice for the senatorial race in Anambra Central zone. The Igwe Eziowelle, HRM Mike Okonkwo Etusi who made the presentation, noted that: "Okonkwo is eminently qualified and from what we have seen so far, the Anambra Central will be the beneficiary of Okonkwo going to the Senate. This is the first time we are endorsing anyone in our zone and we have brought

him to seek the blessing of our other brothers in the Central for him to represent us all in the Senate." According to him, another election is approaching and the time has come for the people to hold politicians accountable for their failure to be faithful to their promises and expectations of the people. “Those who have stayed away from their constituencies after they have been voted into office will be returning to ask for votes, but they should know that the people have learnt their lessons. We want a change", he said.

Police arrest 65 robbers in Kaduna Walter Uba

Kaduna

n its bid to ensure that it rid Kaduna state of criminals and their activities, the Kaduna state Police Command has smashed and arrested 65 suspected armed robbers that have been terrorizing inhabitants and travelers on the Kaduna-Jos and Kaduna-

Abuja routes. However, two of the robbers died during a fierce gun duel, but two escaped while the others were arrested. The 65 robbers comprised dare-devil notorious and syndicate gangs as well as armed bandits. Kaduna state Commissioner of Police, CP Umar U. Shehu said of the 32

most recently arrested, 14 of them are armed robbers while 15 are armed bandits, informing that men of the command in various outings recovered 21 exotic stolen vehicles, 37 arms,360 ammunitions and 10 GSM phones. Also recovered are two laptop computers, five vehicle number plates, 62 other lethal weapons and one military uniform.

Video Censors Board partners Plateau NUJ Musa Pam

Jos

he National Film and Video Censors Board (NFVCD) North central zone has resolved to partner with Plateau State chapter of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ to eradicate piracy in the Zone The coordinator North Central Zone of the Board

Mr. Ailewon Paul Danlami made this known when he visited the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau state council yesterday. Danlami decries commercial harm of infringement to copyright holders in movie industry and vowed to work in partnership with NUJ to eradicate the activities of pirates in the zone. He said the visit is to foster good working relation-

ship together with NUJ toward sensitizing the general public on the important of piracy and also collaborate in the area of fighting against infringement of right which results in commercial loss to original producers. He revealed that plans have reach advance stage to release blueprint on how to control the activities of piracy and fake video producers in the Northern states.

L-R: Hon. Ogidi Ben Bara; Lady Nora Ndigwe and Mrs. Funmi Nnaji, at a press briefing by House-to-House Campaign Organisation in Abuja...on Tuesday

Omisore secures interim order to stop probe panel Adeolu Adeyemo

OSOGBO

overnorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday secured an interim order from the state high court preventing the panel of enquiry on disturbance of public peace set up by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, to investigate him on the allegation by the first civilian governor of the state, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke. Adeleke had alleged that Omisore was one of those people that punched him during a stakeholders

meeting of the PDP in April this year. Chairman of the commission, Justice Moshood Adeigbe, who made this known in Osogbo said: “The panel has received a court order from the state high court, ordering that status quo be maintained pending the ruling on the application.” It will be recalled that the trio of Omisore, Minister for Police Affairs, Jelili Adesiyan and Sogo Agboola, were dragged before the panel by the ex-governor, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, accusing them of brutalising him during a stakeholders

meeting of the PDP in April this year. After receiving the interim order, Justice Adeigbe admitted that the panel is lower to the high court, and adjourned the sitting till August 19, 2014 pending the time the court will determine the interim order. However, Justice Oyejide Falola, of an Osun State high court sitting in Osogbo on August 13, said that the Standing Commission of Enquiry On Disturbance Of Public Peace can go ahead with the probing of the Police Affairs Minister, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan and Mr. Sogo Agboola.

PDP commends security for exposing bribe givers Adeolu Adeyemo

OSOGBO

sun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday commended the security operatives deployed to Osun State for the August 9 election for exposing the bribe givers in the just concluded election. But the party appealed to the operatives to speedily forward a comprehensive report on all malpractices, corruption and dis de-enfranchisement of voters that characterised the

exercise. He said if comprehensive reports could be given on these, it would expose the faces of antidemocratic elements during the election. Head of the party’s legal team, Ojo Williams, who made the plea in a statement in Osogbo, also charged the InspectorGeneral of Police and the Department of State Security (DSS) to fortify security around INEC office in Osogbo, the state capital, to prevent the APC government from tampering with INEC documents. Williams said: “The

PDP has it on good authority that the APC are planning to distort some of the documents at INEC, and we are warning Aregbesola to mind his business and stop visiting INEC frequently or what does governance and INEC have in common.” The release also queried “how many hours it will take Aregbesola to obtain his Certificate of Return that will warrant him spend over four hours at INEC office, thereby holding the workers hostage till late in the night.”

news

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Church demolition: Anglicans seek Presidential intervention Tony Okafor

Awka

nglican faithful in Anambra State yesterday implored President Goodluck Jonathan to intervene in what they called unending destructive religious crisis in the state. They maintained that the impasse may adversely affect the 2015 polls if not properly handled. The church also tasked the Anambra state Government to rebuild the Ebenezar Anglican Church, Nkwelle-Ezunaka in Oyi Local Government Area (near Onitsha), which was pulled down on Tuesday by unknown persons. Speaking to newsmen after a protest, the Chancellor of the Diocese on the Niger, Chief Nnamdi Ibegbu (SAN), insisted that the Anambra State Government should ensure that the church was rebuilt, saying: “This is the house of God. Anybody who destroys the House of God

will obviously face the wrath of God”. But the Special Assistant to the Anambra State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr Emeka Ozumba, who said he had scanty information on the issue, said it was wrong for the church to have accused the government of any culpability on the development. Ibegbu said the church's reference to the government in an issue that obviously had nothing to do with government was misplaced. He maintained that the Obiano’s administration had not failed one bit in his avowed responsibility in the protection of lives and property of the people of the state. Although, he said the church was not suspecting anybody or group of persons as the police were still investigating the matter, they still need to ask questions. He encouraged members of the church to go ahead with their peaceful protest, so that the government and

the public would know what happened, lamenting that the church which was duly built was razed down by armed assailant in the middle of the night with bulldozer. “This is absurd and shocking. I would not ask the members of the church to stay back, the public has to know what has happened, that the church duly built was razed down by armed assailant in the middle of the night” he said. Earlier, while addressing the protesters who matched from the premises of the church through Otu-Ocha road singing and carrying placards, Rev. Iyke Egbonu, said the Anglican Church has been worshipping there for the past three decades. He also said the administration of former Governor Dr. Chris Ngige approved their worshipping in the place and even when schools were being handed over to the churches during the era of Mr. Peter Obi, the place was given to Anglican

Church. He said that a certain administration in the state sowed the seed of religious discord in Anambra State, adding that from the look of things it appears the incumbent government in the state is following after that footstep. They alleged that the act was a calculated attempt to destroy Anglican Church in the state. But Elder Chris Eluemuno, the President General of Nkwelle-Ezunaka community denied any involvement in the demolition, saying the church had written the community through the headmaster of the Oyolu Primary School sometime in 1990 requesting to make use of the school building on temporary measures as service centre which was granted to them but regretted that the church started laying claims to the school which according to him were not part of its building.

2015: Urhobo threaten unrest in Delta Gabriel Choba

Ughelli

ollowing the rumour Fincumbent making rounds that the Governor Em-

manuel Uduaghan has anointed a Delta North person to succeed him in 2015 general election, Youth leaders and stakeholders of Urhobo extraction yesterday threatened unrest if Urhobo Nation is denied the slot for the 2015 governorship contest. Urhobo youth leaders and stakeholders under the umbrella of Coalition of Urhobo Nation Youth Leaders and Stakeholders, (CUNYLS) through their President, Rex Anighoro made this pronouncement while addressing journalists during the 2014 memorial of Urhobo icon, Mukoro James Mowoe at Ughelli, Delta State. He called on political betrayers to desist from

selling out and sabotaging Urhobo nation. “We the Urhobo youth leaders and stakeholders will resist such even if it means dying for it", he said. Anighoro who is also leader of Niger Delta Peoples Salvation Front, NDPSF, called for the creation of Urhobo State, adding that the Urhobo Nation may declare independence and a sovereign Urhobo Nation or a Niger Delta Republic in tandem with the United Nations Charter Conventions if an Urhobo State is not created. Earlier, deputy national President, Urhobo Progress Union, Olorogun Tuesday Onoge in his remarks at the Mowoe Memorial appealed to Urhobo Governorship aspirants to reach consensus to adopt one candidate and support same irrespective of party affiliations.

Navy brokers peace in Ugborodo Joe Obende

Warri

ithout any contrary W decision by the federal government, the Nigeri-

Comptroller of Immigration Service, Plateau State Command, Mr. Raymond Akrah-Jaja (left) and Assistant Comptroller, Mr. Usman Balarabe, speaking at a press conference on the activities of the command in Jos …yesterday

an Navy is combat ready to move into Ugborodo creeks, Itsekiri host communities to the nation's $16billion Export Processing Zone (EPZ) project in Warri South-West Local Government Area of Delta State, to enforce law and order even as the combatants have pledged to embrace peace. This is the decision of the outcome of the last of the several meetings held to broker peace for the warring communities. Commander of Nigerian Naval Ship, NNS Delta in Warri, Navy Captain Musa Gemu, who is Chairman, Security Committee on Ugborodo and who has been in the forefront of the peace broker-

age for the feuding communities convened the meeting at the Naval Base yesterday. At an enlarged meeting August 2 also at the instance of Gemu at the Naval Base in Warri, which constituted all strata of the affected communities and which lasted for several hours, all sides in the crisis were heard. At the meeting which was quite revealing, it was learnt that the 'Olajore' or Spiritual Head of the communities, Chief Benson Omadeli, Chief Thomas Ereyitomi, Chief Ayiri Emami and Hon. David Tonwe held the aces to peace in the communities. Gemu, in his closing remarks, had ordered the combatants to meet and get back to him with their peace resolutions before the end of the following week.

Labour to Amosun: Your fees slash, a Greek gift Speakers’ death: We didn’t withhold letter Kunle Olayeni that the new fees regime Osun States elections,” he to INEC, says Ondo Assembly Abeokuta will take effect from the said.

he Labour Party (LP) in Ogun State yesterday faulted the reduction of tuition fees in state-owned tertiary institutions by Governor Ibikunle Amosun, describing it as a Greek gift to students. The party, in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Deji Kalejaiye said the reduction was politically motivated to hoodwink the unsuspecting public and students across higher institutions of learning. The State government had on Tuesday announced a 61 percent reduction in school fees and abolished dichotomy in tuition payment, adding

2014/2015 academic session. But Kalejaiye declared that the government’s gesture was a panicky measure which came after the governorship elections in Ekiti and Osun States. The LP spokesman, who stated that reduction of tuition fees in tertiary schools was part of Amosun’s campaign promises, wondered why it took the governor over three years to effect it. “One of the campaign promises of Senator Ibikunle Amosun to the students was a 60 percent reduction in school fees, and we wonder why this has to take the better part of three good years to actualize, especially coming after the Ekiti and

Kalejaiye added: “No doubt, this remains another desperate measure by the government of Ogun State to hoodwink the unsuspecting public, especially coming after similar steps taken by the All Progressives Congress (APC) controlled government of Lagos State which last week reduced school fees of Lagos State owned institutions to N25,000. “The Labour Party will like to draw the attention of the public to this barefaced deceit coming after barely seven months to the general election. Aside from this, it should be established that the state institutions are already preparing for the second semester.

Babatope Okeowo

Akure

he Ondo State House of Assembly has denied allegation that it deliberately withheld the letter to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) informing it of the death of former Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Samuel Ajayi Adesina. The Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Kunle Olujuyigbe said the delay in the letter was as a result of the consultation between the Assembly and other relevant stakeholders. The Odigbo consti-

tuency 2 seat became vacant following the death of Adesina. He died in February and was buried in April. The state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has tasked the State House of Assembly to write the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over the vacant seat in Odigbo constituency 2 which became vacant seven months ago. The State Chairman of PDP, Hon. Ebenezer Alabi said the State House of Assembly dominated by members of the ruling Labour Party (LP) should have written to INEC of-

ficially for the conduct of a bye-election for the vacant seat of Odigbo constituency if not that they are afraid of being defeated. Alabi said there was nothing holding back INEC from conducting the bye-election if the Assembly had written to INEC about the vacant seat. He added that LP was shocked with the outcome of the last April 5 inconclusive Ilaje-Ese-Odo byeelection despite the huge amount of money budget for the poll. According to him, the PDP has a brighter chance to dominate the Assembly after the 2015 general elections.

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014

Man sleeps with dog in Benin Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

t was shock and disbelief yesterday for Imunity thousands of residents of Eguosa comin Ovia North East Local Govern-

ment Area of Edo State when a 19-year-old man was arrested for having sex with a dog. The young man (name withheld) had secretly taken the dog belonging to a member of the community to an uncompleted building for the bestial act. The residents were attracted to the scene as the owner of the dog and a passerby raised the alarm when they caught the suspect with the animal after a search. The dog was said to have barked an unusual noise as though it was being strangulated which attracted the attention of the owner. Those who gathered to behold the abominable act were devastated and raised questions about what could have led the young man to have sex with an animal when there were many young girls and even prostitutes lurking around. When confronted, the man confessed to have slept with the dog but said he could not explain what came over him. He said: “I came from Uselu community to Eguosa to look for menial job. When I discovered that the dog was following me, I took it to an uncompleted building where I had sex with it before I was caught. I didn’t really know what came over me.” The owner of the dog, who gave his name as George Ogbonmwan, said he was taken aback by the strange occurrence.

Police arrest kidnapper, rescue lecturer’s wife Dominic Adewole ASABA

olice have arrested gunmen who broke into the house of a lecturer at the Detla State University (DELSU), Abraka, Mr Emmanuel Okolie, and whisked away his wife, Roseline. Operatives of the Special Anti-Kidnapping Squad (SAKS) based at Obiaruku swooped on the hoodlums, hours after they committed the crime. The three suspects, vandalised the victim’s residence at Ebayadata Quarters, Obiaruku in Ukwuani Local Government Area, robbed him of his laptop valued at N140,000, Samsung X5 Galaxy phone worth N90,000, N260,000 cash, before abducting his 52-year-old wife. The state Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Celestina Kalu, said yesterday at the command’s headquarters in Asaba that “sequel to the tipoff, operatives quickly mobilised and went after the hoodlums on Obiaruku/ Utagba-Uno Road where they ran into the hoodlums’ hideout.” According to her, the kidnappers, on sighting the operatives, engaged them in a gun duel. She said: “Consequently, one of the suspects identified as Collins Onyemaro ‘m’ aged 35 years was arrested, while the remaining two suspects escaped with bullet wounds before the victim was rescued unhurt.”

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

0802 393 8212

Monarch shoots son in Wilke, town for backing PDP POLITICAL RIVALRY Father shoots his son for supporting another political party Emmanuel Masha PORT HARCOURT

upporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed yesterday in Rivers State. The clash took place at Rumuekpirikom, the community of the Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike. The clash occurred shortly after the monarch of Rumuekpirikom, Eze Anthony Uwabie, shot his son, Clement Uwabie, and in the process injured seven others at his palace. Uwabie, who allegedly supports the APC, shot Clement for supporting the PDP, a development which led to protests within the area and nearby communities. Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was to visit Rumuekpirikom in continuation of his tour of towns and communities in the 23 local government areas of the state. The people of the area were also said to be marking their annual traditional festival, and had arranged tents and chairs to receive the governor when friends of the monarch’s son, who thought that he was dead, stormed the venue of the event and clashed with APC supporters, who had turned out en masse. Clement, who spoke from the hospital, said that his father shot him because he was not happy that he supported the PDP. He said: “My father shot me from his car. We didn’t know he had injured others. His anger was that we didn’t join the Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

olice in Ebonyi State yesterday said they had arrested a suspected serial killer, Chukwuma Isaac, and an alleged notorious rapist and murderer Sunday Nwali. It was learnt that the arrest of Isaac from Okaria village in Abaomege, Onicha Local Government and Nwali popularly known as Machine Gun from Idembia Ezza South Local Government, led to a wild jubilation in Abaomege and Onueke. Hundreds of youths, parents and residents of the towns started rejoicing when they heard the news. Briefing journalists yesterday at the command headquarters in Abakaliki, the state capital, the Police Commissioner, Maigari Dikko, said that on April 23, Nwali aged 28 years in company with Chukwuma Elom and Friday Ebenyi went to the residence of 17-year-old Chioma Ezekele, and Sandra Ajiogu, secondary school students at Ikweator to rape them. He said: “Chioma resisted all efforts by Sunday Nwali to have carnal knowledge of her and in annoyance, the suspect, Nwali, pulled a locally-made pistol and shot her dead. He then dragged Sandra to a nearby bush, raped her and vanished.” The commissioner said that the other two accomplices, who were later identified by Sandra, were arrested and charged to court for conspiracy and murder. He added that also on May 13, a gang, comprising Uchenna Okereke, Chukwuma

Amaechi

APC. But we told him we have the right to join any political party.” Amaechi was expected to pay traditional homage to the monarch, but the PDP supporters said he was not welcomed in th e area. “The governor was billed to visit Rumuoprikom community yesterday as part of his three-day visit to Obio Akpor Local Government. The youth, who have sympathy for Wike, heard about it and threatened to disrupt the visit,” a witness said. The Chief of Staff to the governor, Tony Okocha, accused Wike of recruiting thugs and former militants to foment trouble in the area, saying that the state government knew beforehand that there was going to be crisis in the area owing to the minister’s influence. Okocha also accused the police of not doing enough to check the supporters of the PDP, who he accused of masterminding the violence. He said: “Yesterday night, we started

Wilke

hearing information that Wike had been recruiting thugs and former militants over the governor’s visit… The police expected us to resort to self-help… The police compromised by not taking action.” Reacting to the incident, Police Commissioner, Tunde Ogunsakin, said that the command had arrested the monarch and two other persons. Ogunsakin also said that the gun the monarch used to shoot his son and the cartridge had been recovered. He said: “Chief Anthony Uwabie has volunteered useful information to the police and we have successfully recovered a single barrelled gun with expended cartridges, pellets and live ammunition from the aforementioned chief. “The case has been transferred to the State Anti-Robbery Squad for further investigation. The command has issued a stern warning to political jobbers who engage in campaigns and political meetings aimed at wreaking havoc on the populace of the state.”

Serial killer, notorious rapist held in Ebonyi Ozaemena and Nwabueze Nwonu, all indigenes of Effuim, Ohaukwu Local Government, after a jail term of 10 years for armed robbery, co-opted Nwali and went to attack Orie Okorie (the complainant involved in their case). He said: “When they got to the man’s house at Effuim and could not find him, Sunday Nwali (the killer of Chioma) suggested that they should kill the man’s son and instantly shot the boy dead.” Dikko said that the first three suspects were arrested on June 5 and charged for conspiracy and murder, adding that after concerted efforts, Nwali was arrested on August 5 with a locally-made pistol. Similarly, the commissioner said that between July 16 and 23, a serial killer, Issac rampaged his community by waylaying and murdering at the same spot and in cold blood, three aged women returning from farm within one week. He added that the blood-thirsty killer was rounded up through a well-coordinated intelligent-led operation between the vigilantes in the community and the police. According to him, the suspect confessed to the crime and is already in prison on remand. The commissioner also said that the com-

mand arrested one Chigozie Ekwunife, a native of Dunukofia Local Government Area of Anambra State for allegedly stealing two children of his co-tenants residing at No. 28 Obi Street, Abakaliki.

Nwali

METRO

Thursday, August 14, 2014

EFCC arrests Union Bank employees for N661m fraud

Cooperate with govt, clerics urge Lagos residents Muritala Ayinla

lerics in Lagos State have appealed to the transport operators and traders to always abide by the laws and cooperate with the state law enforcement officials. According to them, this is the only way the society can improve. This was even as the state government assured that it would ensure improved service delivery and check aggressive behaviour among the enforcement agents. Speaking on Tuesday at the Community Outreach Programme organised by the Law Enforcement Training Institute (LETI), at Ojodu Berger Motor Park, the Chief Missioner, Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdul Rahaman Ahmad, said the cooperation with the law enforcement officers in the state was imperative for orderliness and peace to reign. He said: “We must understand that they are there for us, they are working for us and being paid from the taxes that we pay. This is in our best interest. “For instance, the traffic rule is a quality of life issue. If we are able to commute in record time there will be no stress. There will be no fatigue. We will live healthier and longer and if we maintain clean environment, we will be healthier and it will be a better society that we have created. This is very important; we must not see them as our enemies.” On his part, Primate Emeritus, Sunday Ola Makinde, said life expectancy was being cut short by environmental pollution. Makinde, therefore, called on the residents to intensify their personal hygiene and ensure their environment was clean at all times. He said: “Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI) personnel are there for our own good, we must obey the environmental rules and regulations. Environmental cleanliness is very important because it caters for our health. Health is wealth, if you lose health, you lose everything. We must cooperate with government especially now that there is outbreak of Ebola.” Harping on the rationale behind the programme, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor on Transport Education, Dr Maryam Masha, said the forum was to enable government to get feedback on the service delivery of the state law enforcement officers to bridge communication gap between the people and the government. He said: “The essence of the programme is to bridge bridges and communication gap between the law enforcement and community members in a relaxed and engaging way than we have done previously.

Juliana Francis

he Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has apprehended a Kano State branch manager of Union Bank and the Head of Operations for allegedly stealing N661 million from the bank. The Manager, Samuel Obende, and Head of Operations, Rabiu Alhasan Dawaki, until their arrest, were at the Bello Road Cash Centre of Union Bank Public Liability Company in Kano. The suspects, according to the EFCC, Wilson Uwujaren, used their positions to steal the money. Uwujaren said that the bankers were saddled with the responsibility of evacuating and supplying cash to about 17 branches of the bank in Kano, Katsina, Kaduna and Jigawa states. He said: “In the course of carrying out their duties, they fraudulently conspired and stole the sum of

Obende

Danliami

N661,000,000. In an effort to conceal the illegal act, they fabricated accounting entries, which deceitfully showed that

all the monies were sent to the respective branches. Investigation into the fraud continues.”

Fire guts Benue varsity’s female hostel Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

emale students of Benue State University, Makurdi, yesterday lost yet to be estimated property to fire which gutted their hostel on the Unity Campus of the institution. The fire, which started about 10 O’clock in the morning, consumed students’ belongings such as handsets, iPads, laptops and credentials, among others. When our correspondent visited the scene of the incident, men of the Benue State Fire Service were trying to put out the fire. A 300 level student of Mass Communication, Beatrice Terwase, said she went to take her bath when she heard other students screaming from the hostel. Terwase said what followed was a thick smoke which emanated from a particular room that was locked, adding that she quickly rushed to pick some of her belongings. She, however, said she lost several things, including iPad, credentials, clothing, handsets and foodstuff. Reacting to the incident, the Dean, Students’ Affairs, Prof Armstrong Adejoh, attributed it to possible power fluctuation or

The burnt hostel

human error. Adejoh added that the institution had suffered constant epileptic supply, saying that a panel of inquiry would be constituted to determine the cause of the inferno. The dean, who described the incident as traumatic, acknowledged the efforts of the students in preventing the situation from escalating. Adejoh, who decried the lack of ac-

commodation in Nigerian universities, also frowned at the non- philanthropic gesture of well-meaning individuals as well as lack of social responsibility by corporate organisations in assisting universities construct hostels. He announced that as a temporary measure, the university authorities would relocate the over 92 affected students to a staff quarters being renovated.

Alleged terrorist: NIS arrests, brutalises Germany-based Nigerian Wole Shadare

Germany-based Nigerian, Ahmed Ibrahim, was arrested and detained by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at the Murtala Mohammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos for allegedly being on the wanted list of terrorists. Ibrahim, who visited Nigeria for the last Ramadan, was brutalised on his way back to Munich, Germany, over allegation that his name was among those on a wanted list of terrorists by the Presidency. The 32-year-old man claimed three officers of the NIS descended on him with one hitting him with a rod on his head, which is currently bandaged while pictures taken in the cell showed his blood-soaked clothes. According to him, his ordeal began when he arrived the terminal to undergo his departure formalities and was accosted by immigration officers who later seized his passport and made him to miss the Air France flight to Paris en route to the German capital. Ibrahim was made to sleep on the floor

of one of the offices as he was told he would need clearance from the Presidency to leave the country as his name tallies with that of a terrorist on the wanted list of the Nigerian government. He was later taken to Abuja on Tuesday only to be detained in the evening having been told he would return to proceed on his journey to Europe. Ibrahim later called his relatives to inform them that he was due to be kept incommunicado by the authorities. His elder brother, Abdullahi, told journalists yesterday that efforts to secure his release and claim of innocence proved abortive as one of the officers simply identified as Alaje insisted on transferring the suspect to the NIS headquarters in Abuja. He said: “Ibrahim called us on Saturday night after we saw him off that his passport had been seized by immigration officers who claimed that his name was on the wanted list by the Presidency. We ran down only to be told by one Alaje and Umar who were on duty that the case must be taken to Abuja for clearance. They asked us to

Ibrahim

return on Monday with a return ticket for our brother and one immigration officer who will accompany him. “We were told to return with money for return tickets for him and one officer who will accompany him to Abuja to ascertain his innocence. But by Sunday night he called again to say he was being beaten by officers on duty, we ran down again from

Olambe in Ogun State only to meet him in the cell with his clothes soak in blood while his head was bandaged where he said one officer hit him with a rod.” Abdullahi added that the intervention of the Lagos State House of Assembly member representing Apapa Constituency 1, Hon. Egberongbe Mufutau, could not secure the release of the suspect. Ibrahim was taken to Abuja on Tuesday only to be detained why his mobile phone and other valuable were confiscated. Abdullahi, who was on his way to Abuja yesterday, told journalists that immigration officers asked him to allow the case be handled internally or he would be dealt with as he said the Deputy Controller of Immigration at the MMIA, and another top officer he identify as King had pleaded that his brother was mistaken for a wanted terrorist. The NIS promised to issue a statement on the matter but was yet to do at press time.

12 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Ribadu tears PDP apart in Adamawa Ibrahim Abdul YOLA

pressure group, ConAGovernance cerned Youth for Good in Adamawa

State have berated those kicking against moves to woo Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to join PDP and contest the October 11 Adamawa governorship election. The group, in a press statement, signed by its chairman, Alhaji Isa Ibrahim Toungo, in Yola, said those against the move, including some PDP members were spent forces, who felt intimidated by Ribadu's credentials. "Our attention has been drawn to a campaign of calumny against the person and ambition of the much respected Mallam Nuhu Ribadu orchestrated by some spent-forces who felt intimidated by our recent call on Ribadu to dump his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) and contest for the governorship of Adamawa State under the umbrella of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). "We are particularly irked by reports in the

media quoting anonymous sources-obviously politicians too intimidated to come out in the open- to the effect that Nuhu Ribadu is not welcomed in the PDP or that Ribadu would be imposed on the party from Abuja", the statement said. The statement said the sentiments being exhibited by those against Ribadu were uncalled for and a complete misrepresentation of policy and philosophy of PDP which has always left its doors open to all Nigerians. " In fact, the strength of the PDP lies in its ability to accommodate all Nigerians, from all shades of opinion. "These frightened politicians have resorted to blackmail and fabrication of stories about the purported promises to Ribadu by the top echelon of the party in Abuja", the statement added. The statement noted that Ribadu and those agitating for him to come to PDP were doing that based on merit and would not subvert any democratic process as being speculated.

Ohuabunwa: Chukwumerije must step aside in 2015

Igbeaku Orji UMUAHIA

ormer Speaker of the ECOWAS Parliament, who also represented Arochukwu/ Ohafia Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 2007, Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, has vowed to wrest the Abia North Senatorial seat from the present occupant, Comrade Uche Chukwumeweije in 2015. Ohuabunwa, who gave the hint in a media parley in Umuahia, said the zone has lost so much and needed a vibrant politician to pull it back to reckoning. He said the zone has not benefited from Chukwumereije’s 12 year tenure in the Senate. The former two-time member of the House of Representatives, ex-

884m

pressed surprise that despite the poor performance of Chukwumerije and unwritten zoning arrangement that the seat should move to Arochukwu/Ohafia area, Chukwumerije has again declared his intention to run through billboards in which he claimed to have some unfinished projects. He said it was in the spirit of fairness and equity that he, of his own volition, decide not to return to the House after eight years to give other sections a chance. He said he was to contest for the seat in 2011 but was prevailed upon by the party and stakeholders to step down for Chukwumerije because of the reconciliation which united the party members when Governor Theodore Orji joined PDP

The number of people still using unimproved sources for drinking water. Source: Unesco.org

and blanket tickets were given to all serving lawmakers at both the state and Federal levels. Chukwumerije, Ohuabunwa maintained, has added no value to the zone either in infrastructure or in human resource development in his 12 years in the Senate, saying that he would want to replace him to add value to the people because “when you are elected, you are to add value to the people”. According to Ohuabunwa, equity demanded that after Ike Nwachukwu’s four years and now Chukwumerije’s three, both of whom are from the Isiukwuato axis, Arochukwu was the only area in the zone that was yet to test the seat. He claimed that Chukwumerije promised to do

N1.16bn

The IGR realized from direct assessment sources of revenue in Akwa Ibom State in 2012. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

only one term after he stepped down for him as a result of the blanket ticket offered to all serving law makers in 2011. “I want to go to the Senate because I am eminently qualified. I have all it takes to represent the zone. He (Chukwumerije) has done 12 years; I believe he should be grateful to God, even his age, though it is his right. But I believe that we have worked for him and it is time to bring my people back to political limelight.” He lamented that Abia North in particular has not had good senatorial share in the nation. He noted that after Nwachukwu, there has been a disconnect between the people and their representative in all areas of life.

30%

The percentage of population under 15 years old in Cape Verde in 2012. Source: Un.org

Delta LG elections: Okporoko backs Etega, hails Utuama Gabriel Choba UGHELLI

ollowing the emergence FPeoples of candidates from the Democratic Party, PDP, across Delta State ahead of the Local council polls coming up Ambassador Godwin Okporoko, has commended the state Deputy Governor, Prof Amos Utuama and entire leaders of Ughelli South for the choice of Hon. Paul Etega as chairmanship candidate of PDP in Ughelli South council. Okporoko, a notable chieftain of the party in Delta Central, gave the commendation yesterday, after the announcement of elected chairmanship candidates by the state leadership of the party. He said the party primaries were peaceful and the right candidate, Etega eventually emerged as the flag-bearer of the party,

adding that PDP will win 100 per cent in the forthcoming council elections. Okporoko enjoined all party members in Ughelli South to continue to support the leadership of Utuama, who had contributed immensely towards the growth and transformation of the party in Ughelli South and Delta central in general. He expressed hope that Etega's administration, when elected, would provide quality and purposeful leadership to the people of the local government area. He called on youths, women and elders in all the communities under Ughelli South to rally round the candidature of Etega irrespective of political parties, noting that he is the only man to take the people to the next level of development and empowerment, which according to him, will uplift the living of our people.

Ibadan business tycoon, Inaolaji, loses son Sola Adeyemo IBADAN

ragedy has befallen an Tbased accomplished Ibadanbusinessman Alh-

aji Ibrahim Inaolaji, who lost his first son, Alhaji Lukuman Adekunle to the cold hands of death. Fondly called L.A, the deceased was the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of Imperial Aluminum, Lagos.

A statement by the family obtained by New Telegraph stated that Lukuman died in a private hospital in Lagos on Tuesday, August 12, 2014, after a brief illness. He was 55 years old. Survived by his wife, Yemisi and four children, Lukuman was buried yesterday at the Victoria Gardens Cemetery, Lagos according to Islamic rites.

Managing Director/CEO, Anambra Broadcasting Service, Mr. Uche Nworah (left) and state Technical Manager, Dr. Anthony Okoye, during the signing of MoU in Akwa, Anambra State…on Monday

NMA urges Fayemi to set up Ebola isolated camp URGENT

Doctors in Ekiti are one mile ahead of the state government Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

he Nigerian Medical Association in Ekiti State has urged the state Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, to as a matter of urgency set up an Ebola isolated camp in the state to curb the spread of the disease. The doctors noted that the step has become imperative because of the risk involved in the treatment of the victims

of the virus. The medical association also appealed to government to provide other Standard Personal Protective Equipment in the camp for its members to perform effectively in preventing and controlling the highly contagious and fatal disease from breaking in Ekiti. Speaking during a press conference yesterday in Ado-Ekiti, the NMA Chairman, Dr John Akinbote, said in spite on the nationwide strike embarked upon by his members, the body had demonstrated its seriousness in curbing the scourge by setting up ‘Ekiti Ebola Control Committee’ to partner with the govern-

ment for robust prevention mechanism. The NMA boss stated that the committee, which would be coordinated by a consultant and Public Health Physician, Dr Victor Aduayi, comprised well-skilled medical professionals from health institutions in the state. Describing the Ebola malaise as a serious challenge to health professionals across the world, Akinbote advised the people to be vigilant and report any suspected case to the Ministry of Health for prompt action. “This is not the time to panic, but time to seek proper information. I also plead with

our people to keep personal hygiene. It may be by regular hand washing because the virus can come through body contact and with other body fluids”, he said. Akinbote assured that the committee would soon begin a massive sensitisation programme for traders, transporters and other critical stakeholders to educate them on the need to take precaution. He urged the government to also complement their efforts by increasing their hazard allowance and introduce a well-packaged health insurance policy for health workers at this critical time.

Winners, losers of Osun guber poll / PAGE 16 | 2015: Defections dim APGA’s hope /PAGE 17

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THURSday, August 14, 2014

DSS should prosecute politicians that offered N14m bribe –Mohammed

p-15

Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, has justified why the military was used in Ekiti and Osun governorship elections. He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of creating Boko Haram to win elections. In this interview with SOLA ADEYEMO, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain also accuses former governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu of being a master rigger of elections. Excerpts Why we deployed military I challenge you without any fear of contradiction that if the military were not to be in Ekiti and Osun states, blood would have flowed everywhere. This is because, in Osun particularly, Governor Rauf Aregbesola had invaded the state with thugs from Lagos State. There were thousands and thousands of them there. The only reason they could not come out brazenly and disrupt the election was because of the presence of the military. I think we should commend President Goodluck Jonathan for this. The military who are there have been highly professional. What we only said was that thugs should not come to Osun, but on Saturday, August 9, thousands of them from the APC were there. When we had election in Edo State and we took the military there, they were able to ensure a peaceful election there and Governor Adams Oshiomhole won. He jubilated over it. We must know these people for what they are. It is their stock in trade to engage in propaganda. What we said was that if you don’t have any business being in Osun starting from 2p.m. on Friday till Saturday, and that is exactly what the presence of the military was meant for. But the APC acted in contradiction to the electoral process by invading all the villages in Osun with people who are not indigenes of the state. APC’s hypocrisy

POLITICAL NOTES

PDP, APC head to tribunal

fter the recently held A governorship election in Osun State, the Peoples

Obanikoro

Tinubu is a master rigger –Obanikoro When they were winning elections from the courts, using the judiciary, they were applauding the judiciary. Immediately there was judgement against them, the same judiciary that has been giving them free governors, they start attacking. But life is not like that. Sometimes you win; sometimes you lose. In their own case, they don’t want to taste the other side. When you consider the Ekiti election, there were observers from all over the world includ-

ing journalists. Did you hear anyone of them complaining of harassment, intimidation or direct engagement of police and the military in the electoral process? The cry from the APC is just propaganda. Use of military for elections I am very happy that we are educating ourselves. One of the issues that people have raised is the use of soldiers at election periods vis a vis 2015. I make bold to say that we are major-

ly lazy people as a country. If something works for you, what you do is to study it to the letter. You want to understand why it has worked and then see how you can replicate it elsewhere for the good of the society. It is not militarization of the society if we come to realise that with the military participating in our security activities during the election, and we are getting improved outcomes. It

CROSSFIRE I think what the youth should do now is to come together, and I will support you, and take a bill to the National Assembly to amend some discriminatory provisions of the constitution in terms of age -Goodluck Jonathan

I don’t agree with President Jonathan that there should be no age limit for presidential aspirants. He is saying that an 18year old undergraduate should be allowed to contest the election? -Chris Ngige

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate in the exercise, Senator Iyiola Omisore, have expressed dissatisfaction with the outcome of the poll, and both declared that they would challenge the result of the election at the Governorship Election Petition Tribunal. This is even as the national leadership of the PDP, including President Goodluck Jonathan congratulated the winner, Governor Rauf Aregbesola of the All Progressives Congress (APC). In the same vein, the APC also stated that it would go to the Tribunal to contest the results of Ekiti State governorship election, which it lost to the PDP candidate, Ayo Fayose, even after its candidate, Governor Kayode Fayemi also congratulated his opponent in the election. As much as we acknowledge and respect the rights of any individual or group to resort to the court, if they feel aggrieved over any process, we are wont to ask, if every loser in the election process must always head to the tribunal, even after Nigerians acknowledge that the process was free, fair and peaceful. Is this not a case of ‘do or die’ politics, when losers do not ever want to admit a loss? Why is the definition of ‘free and fair election’ to an average Nigerian politician one in which he wins? Why do they always scream blue murder, when they loss an election, and then tag it fraudulent, and rigged. It would be matured for politicians to always give a second thought to contesting every election result, if the main aim of seeking public office in the first place is to offer service to the people. Is anything wrong in collaborating with the winner, to offer advice, and implementing policies for the betterment of the same people? Instead of burdening the judiciary with workload it may not need.

14 POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Ogbeni Lanre Banjo, a threetime governorship candidate of National Conscience Party (NCP) in Ogun State, believes the electorate must reject ‘stomach infrastructure’ in 2015 general election. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he speaks on the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, the re-election of Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the heavy deployment of security personnel for poll. Excerpts: How would you assess the Osun governorship election? The August 9 governorship election was credible and it was a free and fair election. I really commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for making sure that the election was free and fair. The election was credible, however INEC still needs to improve in some areas. I want to use this medium to also condemn the way security agents treated the opposition during the election by arresting and detaining some leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and some aides of Governor Rauf Aregbesola. But one cannot blame INEC for security issues. On the part of INEC, they did very well and I commend them for doing a good job in ensuring that the election was credible, free and fair. How do you see Aregbesola’s victory? It was a sweet victory. First, I would like to salute the citizens of Osun State for shunning violence for peace and for trooping out to exercise their civic rights amidst terror and intimidation to elect who they want to govern them. Secondly, I commend the INEC officials who oversaw the elections in the state for not allowing the agents of darkness to use them as pawns. I praise all the officials of INEC for their efforts to patriotically avoid the impairment of their independence. I also rejoice with my fellow Ogbeni, a dogged fighter. Aregbesola led the fierce fight and won the battle. He used the right language at the right time. He let them know that it was a different time in Osun. What lesson should Nigerians learn from the election? Nigerians must learn from the event in Osun. The resolve of the Osun citizens to exercise their rights without succumbing to threats, and their unyielding determination to vote for their preferred candidate. With the outcome of the election, do you have confidence in INEC to conduct credible elections in 2015? Oh yes! My confidence in INEC has been elevated by the ways and manners the Ekiti and Osun elections were conducted. Like in any system, certain improvements are still required. Now that the election in Osun is over, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega must assemble his foot soldiers in INEC and objectively engage them in “lesson learnt” for improvement on subsequent elections. INEC has done its best, but must please consider to change the requirement of accreditation first and voting later. In Ondo, 1.64 million people were registered to vote, but only 645,597 were accredited and 624,659 actually voted which implied that 20,938 voters decid-

Banjo

Banjo: Nigerians must reject ‘stomach infrastructure’ ed not to go back to the polling booths due to the crude manner we conduct our elections. In Edo, 1.6 million voters registered to vote, 667,993 were accredited and 629,461 voters actually voted. Again 38, 532 people did not go back to the polling booths due to the unrefined manner we conduct our elections. In Anambra, 1.8 million Nigerians registered to vote, 300,000 voted in 2010, only 17 per cent of the registered voters. I have been crying out that this system of accreditation first and vote later needs to be changed. It disenfranchises many including the elites who are not willing to be exposed to the risks associated with voting in Nigeria. This exposure to risks needs to be minimised by encouraging a system where people who want to come in, get accredited, vote, leave and those who want to hang around could be accommodated. The system also wastes peoples time. Osun has approximately 1.4 million registered voters, while figures of accredited voters are not available, it can be concluded that many did not go back to vote based on the result of the election. I believe an election is coming up in Adamawa State very soon, so if they can experiment with readiness to tackle any crook, this would make them ready for 2015 general election. Is there anything that you think APC leaders should learn from their victory in Osun election? The leadership of the APC must critically engage in self review of certain issues tearing the party apart. Governor Aregbesola’s ecumenical approach yielded fruits. He managed the state in his first term without rancour from his fellow party members. He even extended collegiate hands to members of the opposition party including the National Conscience Party (NCP) in a matured manner not witnessed in any other state. Unlike many in his posi-

tion, he does not feel conceited, and he respects those who are not yet governors. Aregbesola’s style must be studied and emulated. Heavy presence of security men during elections has been condemned by opposition parties. What is your take on militarisation of elections in Nigeria? President Goodluck Jonathan has every duty to protect Nigerians whether during or after elections. Ekiti and Osun proved him right. Soldiers, State Security Service (SSS), Police and many other security agents’ presence during an election can never be too many. With soldiers on the streets, no one dared snatch ballot boxes. The problem I have is unnecessary arrest and harassment of innocent citizens, especially when the people arrested are members of the opposition. The President cannot be silent on the arrest of Alhaji Lai Mohammed and Sunday Dare who is only adept in using his pen. The arrest of Salis Shuaib of Ogun State is also denounced. Hon. Rotimi Makinde was also attacked in Ile-Ife by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) thugs led by policemen paid by taxpayers. All the security efforts of the president would be dented if he remains silent on this issue. He must speak out. He must denounce it and make sure it does not repeat itself; if not, the public would see it as failed strategy to rig elections.

So, my position is that electorate should throw money and rice back to politicians if they want better life for their children

The public will see it as a subterfuge to cow the opposition in their strong constituencies. As the nation approaches 2015, what is your advice to politicians and the electorate? I don’t think the politicians of nowadays are ready to heed any constructive advice until they are disgraced out of office because of arrogance, conceit, and avarice. My focus is the electorate who are the bosses of politicians. Nigerians must learn from the event in Osun. The resolve of the Osun citizens to exercise their rights without succumbing to threats is commendable. The electorate must understand that 2015 elections are about their lives. Pittance and all sorts of bribes, hiding under various retarding programmes would not help them and their children. For public officials with track records, Nigerians must encourage them with their votes. For the crooks among us, we must show them the way out, and give candidates without track records but with competence and ability to help people a chance. Track records should not include erecting boreholes, or sending people to holy lands because of their interest in public office. What is your take on inducement of electorate through stomach infrastructures during elections? My view is that if you focus on stomach infrastructure, it will have its own repercussion. So, who will you vote for? Would you vote for somebody who gives you more in terms of stomach infrastructure or somebody who has brains, who cannot give you stomach infrastructure but would do something that would benefit you and your children for the rest of their life. So, my position is that the electorate should throw money and rice back to politicians if they want better life for their children.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the National Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, says that Federal Government is using federal institutions to subvert democracy. He also speaks on the just concluded governorship election in Osun State and 2015 elections among other issues. Few hours to the last Saturday’s governorship election in Osun State, you and some other people were arrested by security agents. Can you narrate your experience? Arrest is to use a very civil word; I think we were virtually abducted. Because what happened was that, we were actually going to the Governor’s house about 10.00 pm on Friday. He was about to make a state broadcast in view of the escalation of violence all over the state, so, we were invited to come and join him in the state broadcast when we ran into a road block. At the road block, we were asked to come down from our cars; we came down and we were asked to identify ourselves. We identified ourselves and when I said my name was Lai Mohammed, they asked me to step aside and I was asked to enter their bus. I asked them why I should enter their bus. They said because I am under arrest. Then, I asked them what is my offence and the next they did was to put a gun on my head and pushed me inside the vehicle. Three of us; myself, Mr. Sunday Dare and Mr. Salisu Afolabi, the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Governor of Ogun State, were forced into the vehicle. When we got to the Department of State Service (DSS), we met so many people like us who had been arrested and who had been dehumanised. Some were asked to roll on the ground and some were being asked to undress. We were waiting for a similar fate when three of their officers came around and asked us, what we were doing there. I said they arrested us and those that arrested us said no, we were not under arrest. I asked them what they are talking about; you stopped me at gun point, pushed me into your vehicles and drove me here; I didn’t come here on my own volition. After a lot of arguments and debates, we were finally asked to go inside the bus and the bus will drop us where they picked us. Of course, I refused because I was not sure what would be our fate if we surrender ourselves to those soldiers because they were all masked and they were wearing the DSS bullet proof vests. How would you react to a statement by DSS spokesperson that some politicians attempted to bribe its operatives with N14million and that the rejection was why opposition parties criticise their involvement in the poll? I heard Maryln Ogar, the DSS spokesperson, saying that the reason why we were attacking the DSS is because we offered the DSS N14million bribe, which they rejected. And I am saying that what is correlation between my being abducted and the money offered? The point we are making is that, let the DSS explain to Nigerians whether those who arrested me were actually DSS members. If they were, why were they wearing masks? If they were not, who were they? So trying to say that somebody offered them bribe is not an issue. I am saying let them deny I was arrested, let them deny I was brought to their office. And that those who brought me to their office were their own personnel. If they were their own personnel, what were they using masks

DSS should prosecute politicians that offered bribe –Mohammed rest on their oars. We would ask our people to ensure that they allow democracy to be at work. We are not going to take anything for granted. It is believe that one of the reasons why APC won in Osun State was because there was no internal wrangling within the party at the state level compared to other states where there is leadership tussle in the party. Wherever there is internal wrangling, it would be resolved before the 2015 elections. We have set up several bodies to look into this matter and within few days, you will hear that we have resolved our problems. But some of the party’s founding members have already left the party. We are still working on even those who left to come and those who want to leave not to go. How about the move by former Ogun State governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba to dump APC to float a new party? He has not said that and we are not aware that he wants to do that. He has never said that to anybody.

Mohammed

The President has introduced some strange and dangerous things into our politics; recruiting hoodlums and asking hoodlums to put on the uniform of security men for and what was my offence? But there was an allegation that they caught you with some huge amount of money... If I was caught with huge amount of money, why then was I released? And who has the money? Three of us were arrested at the same time, so it is not a hidden matter. So, why was I released if I was caught with huge amount of money? Was it documented or did they share the money? Or they took away the money from me and then ask me to go? What kind of rubbish is that? Another report said I was arrested with ballot papers, where are the ballot papers? What we are saying is that Nigerians must realise that this President has introduced some strange and dangerous things into our politics; recruiting hoodlums and asking hoodlums to put on the uniform of security men to harass and intimidate innocent people. This is a serious matter and it must not be allowed to continue. If anybody offered them bribe, they should arrest and prosecute him. How do you see the use of military during elections and arrest of party members? It is unconstitutional. What is our offence? When you arrest somebody, you must be able to establish that the person has committed a particular offence. The military came purposely to do the biding of the PDP but the people overwhelmed them with their love and support for Aregbesola. How do you see the insistence of President Jonathan that military will be used for future polls despite several criticisms against militarisation of elections?

Unless Mr. President wants to continue to recruit vagabonds and put uniform on them there won’t be up to 70,000 security men in all the 36 states. We don’t have that kind of security, all the police and army put together will not give us 70,000 in 36 places. Why do you think APC won Osun and lost Ekiti? If Ekiti and Osun elections had taken place the same time, we would have lost both. We lost in Ekiti because of over militarisation, intimidation, arbitrary arrest of our people and the like, which we didn’t allow to happen in Osun State. Also, Osun is a far bigger place and more diverse but believe me if Osun and Ekiti elections had held the same day, they would have even taken us by surprise. But this time around, we thank God and the people of Osun State for refusing to be intimidated. So, when people say we lost Ekiti, I just laugh. We lost Ekiti to intimidation, militarisation and arbitrary arrest of our leaders and members. The PDP and its candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore have vowed to challenge Aregbesola’s victory at the tribunal. What is your take on this? He is free to go to court. That is what courts are set up for. Election tribunals are set up for anybody who was aggrieved, so let him go to tribunal. What is your expectation about future elections? We would just ask Nigerians not to be deceived by this government. No president has divided Nigerians along ethnic and religious lines like this President. Nigerians should say no to further division along ethnic and religious lines. Nigerians should say we are one country; they should see APC as a party for Christians and Muslims, a party for the North and the South and a party that can bring change. Considering the performance of INEC in Osun election, do you have confidence in INEC in 2015 elections? What we will ask our people to do is that people should be vigilant. We are not going to say INEC is this or that but we are going to be very vigilant; we would ask our people to be vigilant and not to

What are APC leaders really doing to reconcile Osoba and Governor Ibikunle Amosun in Ogun State? There is a high level committee headed by former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to look into the crisis. How would you react to the move by former chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu to join PDP? We have not heard him saying so. We have tried to contact him; we have not heard from him and we have not been able to get him to say yes or no. But peradventure he defects to PDP, would that not affect the party? That would not be the end of my party; that would not be the end of APC. Why did you think so? Is Ridabu APC? If Ribadu leave APC, that would not be the end of APC. I can assure you that his exit from the party will not even hurt us. How prepared is APC for Adamawa State forthcoming governorship election? We are going to face the Adamawa election like we faced the election in Osun State and we will give it our best choice. We are prepared for the election. Don’t you think Murtala Nyako’s impeachment will affect APC chances in the election? The impeachment of Nyako may have weakened the party but that does not mean that the common people of Adamawa State still don’t love us. We are still very confident that the people of Adamawa State believe in us and they will vote for us. Don’t you foresee APC losing more governors before 2015 elections considering the gale of impeachment against some APC governors? They tried it in Nassarawa, what happened? Let them try it again. If a governor is not performing, that is when you can impeach him, not when a governor is popular. Why did they not succeed in Nassarawa? They won’t succeed in Rivers and Edo states. Our only fear is that this government should stop giving support to illegality like what is happening in Edo State now, when police is giving support to seven or nine members of the House of Assembly to meet against 15. This is illegal and unconstitutional. The Federal Government is using federal institution to subvert democracy.

16 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Winners, losers of Osun guber poll In every contest, especially in politics, there are always winners and losers. The August 9 governorship election in Osun State produced a number of those regarded as winners and losers of the epic battle. TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE reports that many bigwigs of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressives Congress (APC) were unable to deliver their polling units, wards or local governments to their parties in the election The winners Rauf Aregbesola: Without any iota of doubt, based on the contributions of people toward his re-election, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is the major winner in the gubernatorial election. The result of the election proved many critics wrong as Aregbesola, despite intimidation and harassment against his aides and All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders, surmounted all odds to silence his archrival, Senator Iyiola Omisore. The result of the election and the way people trooped out to the streets in many parts of the state to celebrate Aregbesola’s victory before and after the official announcement of the election result by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was a clear indication that the governor is a man of the people. In fact, the victory celebration by Aregbesola at Nelson Mandela Freedom Park at Okefia in Osogbo was well attended by people. Titi Laoye-Tomori: The deputy governor, Otunba Laoye-Tomori in conjunction with other APC leaders in the state, especially in Osogbo, such as Senator Bayo Salami and former Chairman of Osogbo Local Government Area, Alhaji Fatai Diekola, worked tirelessly to deliver Osogbo, the state capital and the council with highest voters, for the APC. Aregbesola defeated Omisore in Osogbo with over 28,000 votes. Isiaka Adeleke: Considering the results from Ede in Osun West Senatorial District, which was in favour of the APC, the person who many people believed was behind the success was former Osun State governor and APC chieftain, Senator Isiaka Adeleke. Adeleke, popularly known as “Serubawon” used his political structures to break PDP political structure in Ede for APC to end PDP’s reign in Ede. In fact, Senator Adeleke made mockery of the PDP deputy governorship candidate, Hon. Bello Adejare, by ensuring that he lost his polling unit to APC. Peter Babalola: While his former boss, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was unable to deliver his polling unit and local government for APC, Peter Babalola, former Chief of Staff and current Chairman, Osun State Local Government Service Commission worked tirelessly to ensure APC’s victory. Babalola, popularly known as ‘Peter Power’ played crucial role in Aregbesola’s re-election by delivering Irewole Local Government Area for the APC. Felix Awofisayo: Awofisayo, the Chairman, Oranmiyan Foundation also played crucial roles in Aregbesola’s victory. Awofisayo in conjunction with sev-

Laoye-Tomori (second left), Aregbesola (middle) and other APC chieftains celebrating victory at the poll

Omisore

Oyinlola

Adesiyan

eral Oranmiyan Foundation members worked tirelessly in many parts of the state for APC. Awofisayo, who is from Ife, Omisore’s hometown partnered with many APC leaders in Ife, Senator Babajide Omoworare, Hon. Rotimi Makinde and others to ensure APC got substantial votes. APC: In readiness for last Saturday’s governorship election, the party practically moved their national secretariat to Osogbo, with many of its national leaders led by its national chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, on ground. Before and during the election, several chieftains of the party were harassed, arrested and detained by security agents but despite all these, the APC prevailed, winning the election with over 100,000 votes. The people: No doubt, democracy is government of the people for the people and by the people. The people of Osun State are the ultimate winners. Despite heavy presence of security, the people trooped out to cast their votes and defend such. INEC: The electoral commission also deserves commendation for ensuring that the election to a large extent was free and fair. No record of malpractices on the part of the electoral commission was recorded. Logistic problems which INEC was known for in the past, did not surface during the exercise; election material and INEC ad hoc staff arrived promptly at the polling centres.

the governorship election is the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore. Though he gave Aregbesola a tough contest, he lost with a wide margin to the governor. Aregbesola defeated him with over 100,000 votes. Despite the federal might in his favour, Omisore, a former Osun State deputy governor and a former senator was able to prove his electoral strength only in his base in Ile Ife, winning the four local governments in Ife axis and also struggled to win in other four councils but lost with wide margin to Aregbesola in 22 local governments. Olagunsoye Oyinlola: The defection of former Osun State governor and former PDP National Secretary, Prince Olagunsoye Oyinlola, to APC last Tuesday was well celebrated by many people, who thought that his defection would be in favour of the state ruling party but to the surprise of many Oyinlola, despite serving for over seven years as governor, lost his polling unit to the PDP. His wife also lost in her polling unit. In Oyinlola’s polling unit, PDP scored 125 votes to defeat APC, which polled 61 votes. He also lost his council, Odo-Otin Local Government to the PDP. Many people attributed Oyinlola’s poor performance to lack of grassroots support and his inability to carry some of his supporters along while he was defecting to the APC. Jelili Adesiyan: As Minister of Police Affairs and PDP chieftain, Adesiyan was expected to have an edge over the opposition in his local government, but he lost woefully in his town, Ode-Omu to APC. Adesiyan was believed to have played a role in the victory of Mr. Ayo

Fayose in the June governorship election in Ekiti State. Bello Adejare: The PDP deputy governorship candidate, who was a threetime member of the Osun State House of Assembly and Speaker of the House, lost his local government to APC. His travails in the poll was based on stiff opposition he faced from former governor of the state and APC chieftain, Senator Adeleke, who used his resources and political structures to deliver Ede, a PDP strong base for APC and Aregbesola. Fatai Akinbade: Though the election was narrowed down to Aregbesola and Omisore, some still believed that Akinbade, the Labour Party (LP) governorship candidate, as a former Secretary to the State Government (SSG) would prove his worth in the election. But he lost woefully in the election and came a distant third. He recorded 8,898 votes, which is less than 0.02 per cent of the total votes cast during the election. Ganiyu Olaoluwa: Osun PDP chairman, Olaoluwa, despite boasting prior to the election that PDP would send Aregbesola packing from Osun State, was unable to get substantive votes for his party during the election. Olaoluwa lost in his polling unit at GRA in Osogbo to the APC and he was unable to save his party from performing woefully in Osogbo, where people voted en masse for APC. Lere Oyewunmi: The Director-General of Iyiola Campaign Organisation despite being the one that led the PDP campaign in the state could not do much to save his party as he lost his local government, Irewole, to APC.

Big losers Iyiola Omisore: The major loser of

POLITICS 17

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

2015: Defections dim APGA’s hope Plans by the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) to consolidate on its grip of Anambra politics in the 2015 elections may be heading for the rock with recent defections that has depleted its ranks in the state, FELIX NWANERI reports

he recent defection of some members of the House of Representatives elected on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Anambra State to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) may dim the party’s hope of improving on its fortune in the forthcoming 2015 elections. In a move that shocked most political analysts and even APGA’s leadership, five of the party’s lawmakers dumped it for the PDP in one fell swoop. They include former governorship aspirant and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Uche Ekwunife and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Capital Market, Chris Emeka Azubogu. Others are the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Afam Ogene; member representing Onitsha North/Onitsha South federal constituency, Cyril Egwuatu and the Chairman, House Committee on Culture, Tourism, Pilgrimages and Religious Matters, Chief John Olibie. The federal legislators have already written to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, seeking waiver to return to the party and apparently contest the 2015 elections. In their separate letters addressed to the PDP national chairman through the state chairman of the party, Prince Ken Emeakayi, and copied to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Olisa Metuh, they attributed their actions to the lingering crisis in APGA, particularly the endless litigations between the two APGA factions of Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu. The quest for who controls APGA at the national level between Umeh and Okwu has not only taken a toll on the fortune of the party, but depleted its support base, particularly in Anambra – the only state under its control. Ekwunife, who contested the party’s governorship primaries last year against the incumbent governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano, in her letter, stated: “This is to inform you of my decision to return to my original party, the PDP, and also to notify you of my resignation as a member of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). “My decision is as a result of the internal crisis and endless litigations between the two APGA factions of Chief Victor Umeh and Chief Maxi Okwu. “I have therefore returned to PDP to continue to give unwavering and interrupted support to Goodluck Jonathan and his monumental transformation agenda and nation building. “In the present circumstance, I therefore appeal to the national and state executives of the party to grant me the waiver required to further my political aspirations under the umbrella of the PDP. Kindly inform all necessary organs of the party accordingly.” The other four defectors equally cited the leadership tussle as their reason for dumping APGA, although some analysts are of the view that the defection may have been prompted by plans to

Ekwunife

Ogene

Azubogu

Egwuatu

deny the lawmakers tickets to contest the next elections. Ekwunife, for instance, is said to have jumped ship because it is certain that Governor Obiano, who she battled in court for APGA’s ticket in last year’s governorship election is set to deny her the return ticket to contest the National Assembly poll. She is said to be eyeing Anambra Central senatorial seat, a position, which Umeh has publicly declared for. While the lawmakers’ defection has sent jitters down the spine of APGA’s national leadership, the last straw that is likely to break the party’s back is the plot by the Presidency to lure the immediate past governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi to the PDP. Those behind the plot are said to be cashing in on the strained relationship between Obi and his political godson, Obiano. It was earlier speculated that Obi would dump APGA alongside the legislators, but it never came to pass. However, many say that it is just a matter of

time before Obi finally dumps APGA. The former governor’s alleged move to the PDP has been on for long following his closeness to President Jonathan. He had endorsed the President’s candidature ahead of the last general election despite belonging to the opposition. Though his position was then understandable as his party had no candidate

APGA will effectively campaign to recover the seats of the prodigal ticket hunters. The people’s conscience and trust cannot be mortgaged for individual convenience

for the presidential poll, some analysts are of the view that with APGA’s limited sphere of influence and Obi having served out two tenures as governor, the PDP which controls the centre is the most likely party he would want to use in furthering his political career. Those in this political school of thought consider this as the underlying factor behind Obi’s support for the Jonathan/Sambo ticket during the campaigns for the 2011 elections and his continued support for the administration even against the view that the PDP has not helped in advancing the cause of a better Anambra State, given the antecedents of some of its chieftains in the state. APGA, they further opined would have been spared of the near dismal performance it recorded in Anambra in the last general election despite being the ruling party in the state if Obi had worked hard for it as he did for President Jonathan. CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Lawmakers’ defection depletes APGA CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 7

While it was possible for the former governor to mobilise about 99 per cent of votes in the state for Jonathan and the PDP in the presidential poll, APGA was unable to garner up to 50 per cent for itself in other elections, losing the three senatorial seats in the state to the PDP and the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). The support for the President and his party was however not a failed venture for Obi and APGA, as it paid off in the November 2013 governorship election, which Obiano won. Many still insist that APGA had an unwritten understanding with the PDP for the prosecution of the poll, and that it was the pact that informed the uninspiring support by PDP’s national leadership to the party’s candidate in that election Tony Nwoye. Part of the deal, it was further alleged, was to cede some senatorial and House of Representatives’ seats to APGA in the 2015 elections in order to get the party’s support for the second term bid of President Jonathan. But Senate President, David Mark, recently dismissed any deal between PDP and APGA while addressing PDP stakeholders in Anambra State at Nteje, Oyi Local Government Area. He said: “There is no such deal with any opposition party anywhere. Nobody should deceive you into believing that PDP has an agreement with any opposition party. PDP has a manifesto and only elected PDP candidates can implement it.” Obi on his part equally dismissed the defection theory, saying he has no reasons to dump APGA. His media assistant, Val Obienyem, who spoke on the issue, said: “The former governor has made it clear that he will not leave APGA for any party. His body language does not suggest so. “Late President Yar’Adua did his best to get him out of APGA but did not succeed. The former governor has CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

makes good sense to study and invest in that. Up till now, the military are still way ahead of other agencies when it comes to enforcement of law and order in this country. So, if that is the situation we find ourselves, we have to make use of it. You cannot go to election, and because the election does not favour you, you start burning people’s houses, start making utterances that will incite people against the government, or inciting one religion against the other. It is becoming the order of the day, particularly more alarming here in the South-West that we used to be very blind to religion. On protection of common wealth The development of any society is not the responsibility of any government alone. It is our common responsibility because what we are presiding over is our common wealth. If somebody is presiding over your common wealth, it behoves on you to lend a hand in whatever shape or form you can, so that those resources, both human and material, are not mismanaged. But when you say you are not concerned about what is going on anywhere, the essence of being in a society is forfeited. In a civilized society, it is the duty of everyone to make the government work for everybody. And where you see loopholes, you call attention to it so that you can fill it. And where you see success, you should be man enough to commend or recommend that success. But where we condemn everything that is our own, I get worried. Even June 12, 1993 election cannot be compared to the success recorded in Ekiti and Osun

Okwu

Umeh

character. He is not planning to do such a thing.” Obienyem also dismissed the rumoured friction between his principal and his successor. “It is not true that he (Obi) has any quarrel with the governor of Anambra State, Chief Obiano. There is no need for that. Obi handed over power to Obiano for good. Since he handed over power to Obiano, he has not travelled to Anambra State. He has nothing to quarrel with Obiano for because, he has no pending issue or issues,” he said. The former governor, who explained the reason why he has decided to shun Awka since he left office, told journalists at the weekend that he made it clear the day he handed over to Obiano that there was no agreement between them, and that he deliberately decided not to visit Awka to avoid distracting the new governor. “I speak with him and we meet when it is necessary. I will support him as he

works for the interest of the state, and I urge Anambra people to support and pray for him,” Obi said. While APGA faithful continue to ruminate on the party’s fate ahead of the 2015 elections against the backdrop of the defection, the Okwu-led faction of the party has set up a seven-man reconciliation committee to woo back the defected lawmakers. Okwu said while he awaits the recovery of the party via the Supreme Court, he has set up a seven-member special committee headed by the Deputy National Chairman (South), Chief Chris Uche, to quickly move in and resolve the crisis. In a statement, Okwu said the quest to recreate, restructure and re-position the party was a collective responsibility, adding that the party was deeply concerned with the manner stalwarts were leaving APGA in droves due to perceived hijack of the party by Umeh. His words: “The angst in place like in

Anambra State is palpable. The tragedy in all this is that those that are temporally occupying high public offices on our mandate don’t give a hoot. No party can survive this way. The ubiquitous Peoples Democratic Party bends over backwards to seek and pacify aggrieved members who leave the party. APGA can only survive and blossom if all party members come together and rescue it from the hands of political hirelings.” While many cannot wait for the resolution of the crisis and save APGA from possible extinction, there are indications that the irreconcilable differences between Umeh and Okwu may hinder the peace move, as the Umeh-led faction of the party has threatened the lawmakers with recall. The National Publicity Secretary of the party (Umeh-led executive), Mr. Okwukwe Ibiam, who disclosed the recall plan, described the defectors as perennial election ticket hunters, who conveniently declare their allegiance where they may be favoured with tickets. Noting that APGA cannot be built with such unstable and seasonal ticket hunters, he assured that “APGA will effectively campaign to recover the seats of the prodigal ticket hunters. The people’s conscience and trust cannot be mortgaged for individual convenience.” How the party achieves the recall of the defectors however remains unclear, as it is yet to unseat the Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, who, it had earlier threatened with such action when he dumped its platform for the All Progressives Congress (APC). With politics being strife of interest, masquerading as contest of principles, the days ahead will determine whether those still proclaiming APGA will continue to hang on or dump the platform under which they rode to political prominence now that their mentor and former National Leader – Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu has quit the stage.

Obanikoro: APC created Boko Haram to win election States. Tinubu as a master rigger Do you know we never witnessed in Ekiti State the record turn-out that participated in that election, freely? And results were announced immediately after, yet some people sat somewhere and said it was a scientific rigging just to confuse the people. The pronouncement made by the APC was grossly irresponsible. The governor who is the son of the soil, who participated in the election came out a day after the result was announced, conceded and congratulated the winner. Then, some people sat in Abuja and started making careless statements. And someone sat in Lagos; someone who annulled a free and fair local government election in Lagos State that is now becoming a saint or priest on election. As a nation, we must learn how to ignore these characters. How can [Bola] Tinubu come out and say somebody is rigging and you believe him, when he is the master rigger? We had an election in Lagos State and one of my sons participated. He won hands down, but Tinubu annulled the election by using the judiciary. That is what I am talking about with the judiciary. When it is convenient for the APC, they applaud. They manipulated the judiciary in Lagos State to declare them winners of elections that they did not win. These are people that do not have the credibility to stand up and challenge anything. In Ekiti, results were announced on the spot. We all knew the number of

As a nation, we must learn how to ignore these characters. How can [Bola] Tinubu come out and say somebody is rigging and you believe him, when he is the master rigger? participants; the number of valid votes were stated; invalid votes were stated and people were there to see everything. So, what type of photochronic rigging are they referring to? On Boko Haram and violence On the issue of Boko Haram and whether their activities could adversely affect the 2015 election, we have said it over and over again that those who are preaching violence, and you know Senator Bola Tinubu is on top of this. He is one of the people preaching violence. When he was campaigning in Osun, he said I was the one recruiting thugs as NYSC members and people should resist security agencies with whatever they deemed fit. A leader who is preaching violence cannot tell you that he is the one indirectly sponsoring the violence. Your pronouncement in public is even

Obanikoro

more important than your pronouncement in private. To people who make reckless pronouncements, it is a reflection of workings of their inner minds. These are things I believe APC is doing to show that it has a hand in the escalation of the Boko Haram thing. It is unfortunate, but that is the situation and that is the reality. And if you think of how we got to this, it is this APC that created Boko Haram using it to win elections in Borno and Yobe states. So, it is also their creation. But the bottom line is: Do we have the capacity to overcome it? I want to assure you and Nigerians in general that the answer is yes. Everyone has to believe that the task of engendering peace in this country is that of you and me, irrespective of our ethnic, religious and political leanings.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Sanctity of Truth w w w.new telegraphonli ne.com

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

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014

As we build the Centenary City

n the effort to foster national unity and entrench the memories of the country’s amalgamation contraption in 1914, President Goodluck Jonathan unveiled the Centenary City Project in Abuja to round off celebrations marking Nigeria’s 100 years anniversary. The City is designed to incorporate a free trade zone, duty free regime, tax holidays and non-regulated banking services to boost trade and investment in Nigeria, and replicate the success of Dubai, Monaco, Shenzhen, Singapore and Songdo. While performing the groundbreaking and unveiling ceremony, the President stated that the project estimated to cost N3 trillion would be exclusively driven by the private sector. He also said it was part of his administration’s desire to create an amenable and enabling environment necessary for the country’s sustainable growth and development. In addition, the President affirmed that the country’s quest for direct foreign investment was beginning to yield tangible results with the involvement of Eagle Hills, a Dubai-based firm hyped to have acquired global reputation for property development and management. Chairman of the Centenary City Project, former military Head of State, Abdusalam Abubakar, believes the investment would push Nigeria’s economic profile to the next level. President Jonathan further says the project promises to be a symbol

of national unity when completed and maintains that no other sign could demonstrate the symbol of his administration’s determination for excellence better than the city, which according to him promises a unique and global standard in real estate project. The President firmly believes that the project would feature the appurtenances of a modern city where beauty blends with architectural inventiveness. For this reason, his administration is determined to make the project economically sustainable and viable. This underscores his statement that “we do not want to build a city where everybody will have security guards. We do not want a city where everybody will dig their borehole and where everybody will be buying generators”. The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) Anyim Pius Anyim elucidated in his remarks at the occasion that the city would not be a housing project. According to him, it would be strictly an economic project, with residential area only complementary to the business concerns. For this reason, residential houses have are expected to take 20 per cent of the plots, while 80 per cent would be for mixed use and commercial purposes. It is interesting that Eagle Hills Properties would develop the city at no cost to the government, although it is expected that the Nigerian Sovereign Wealth Fund Authorities has already signed an agreement to co-invest with the firm in realising

the project described as revolutionary, visionary and transformational. It is also heart-warming that such sundry issues as compensation for economic trees belonging to the original inhabitants as well as structures of some nonnatives situated in the area covered by the 1, 200 hectares expanse of land have been fully resolved to the tune of N1.2 billion. We are encouraged not just that the Abuja Centenary City will be the second-largest private city development in history but also because it would signal a new national economic awakening and direction. While we welcome such projects of this hue that approximate global best beyond continental standards and forms, it also remains imperative to further consider some salient national issues in their execution. For instance, there are hardly any antecedents of the amalgamation of the northern and southern parts of the country in 1914 the memory of which is being preserved through the establishment of the centenary City that point to the nation’s capital, Abuja. We dare say that we have for too long heard of such fads and catchphrases as world-class, one-ofits-kind, five-star, uncommon, and the ilk and do not expect in any way that the evolving Centenary City will not be of same quality and standards or go steps ahead of the very best anywhere. Although strings of capitalist economic considerations and the dire

need to further lift the profile and status of the federal capital territory may be sufficient reason to locate the project in Abuja, we believe this should not happen at the expense of such places associated with the nation’s amalgamation story. Ikot Abasi in Akwa Ibom State, for instance, still has historical relics suggesting that Lord Frederick John Dealtry Lugard once lived and worked there. Indeed, some of the indigenes of the local government area claim the amalgamation treaty was signed, sealed and delivered there. Lokoja in Kogi State, and Zungeru in Niger State, also have their shades of evidence on Lugard’s presence and footprints before or during amalgamation. Each of these is believed in several quarters to have relevant vestiges of history that are strongly tied to the amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates that eventually gave birth to what is now known as Nigeria. This underlines our case that they need to receive proper attention in the matrix of projects meant to ingrain the memories of the exercise in our subconscious and to serve as information repository for posterity. For greater national security and balanced economic spread and development, we further advocate wider location and localisation of certain projects that have far-reaching prospects and potential to open up more opportunity windows all over the country. GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Deputy Managing Director/DEIC SULEIMAN UBA GAYA Managing Editor YEMI AJAYI Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday AYODELE OJO Deputy Editor, Daily EMEKA OBASI Deputy Editor, Daily LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor TAIWO AHMED Advert Manager UCHEY OKEZIE Ag. Sales/Marketing Manager TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

Sanctity of Truth

OPINION Lagos 2015: Imposition as booby trap Otunba Layi Ishola

ll truly concerned stakeholders, honest observers and indeed, dispassionate analysts, are already dilating on not only who takes the baton from incumbent Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola, but how he/she will emerge as preparations gather momentum by the day. Quite interestingly, the tone of what to expect soon was set when recently, Oba Rilwan Akiolu jolted the political arena by affirming that all monarchs in the state had anointed a former Permanent Secretary in the state, Mr Akin Ambode, to be the next governor. Spontaneous outrage greeted the proclamation which many condemned as not only unholy and uncharitable, but a further assault on the nation’s wonky democracy. Till date, the refrain has remained: “No to godfatherism.” And the dust raised by the monarch’s bombshell is yet to subside. Quite instructive was a protest by some members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to demand free and fair primaries ahead of the 2015 governorship poll. Anointing of some mostly unpopular elements for leadership positions is out-fashioned and counter-productive, they emphasised. Sadly, many are quick to brand our own nauseating political antics that stand electoral decency on its head as elements of our “home-grown democracy.” What balderdash! It will be a contrived calamity if we fail to realise that unalloyed due process and the sacredness of the rule of law constitute the template upon which steady growth and people-centred productivity of advanced democracies in the world today rests. Since democracy derives its strength from people’s inviolate will, it is time we jettisoned our egregiously repulsive approach to choosing who leads us at any level. This is why we must applaud the exceptional courage of the Senate Minority Whip representing Lagos West at the upper Chamber of the National Assembly, Senator Ganiyu Olanrewaju Solomon (GOS). Even before he threw his hat

into the ring to contest for the governorship of the state next year, the adept grassroots mobiliser had insistently maintained at various fora that the prospective flag-bearer of his party must be a product of untainted primaries. “When you withhold people’s inalienable right to freely elect who governs them, you take away the essential ingredient of a sane, productive and fail-safe electoral process, which has remained a desideratum in our collective quest for genuine gianthood as a nation,” Solomon once reasoned. A people’s darling as roundly acknowledged even by his political adversaries, the politician had, long before he served meritoriously as two-term chairman of Mushin Local Government in 1999, after which he was overwhelmingly elected into the House of Representatives, been a masses’ advocate. It won’t be wrong to readily conclude that his soaring popularity was the bedrock of his courage to stoutly stand against “imposition,” no matter whose ox is gored! Many are convinced that his confidence derives from his unequalled acceptance across the state owing to his marriage to his time-tested loyal friendship with the havenots. “It is part of his life to give willingly, especially to the needy – even strangers. He has secured the future of many, especially youths, through sponsorships and empowerment gestures. He has secured jobs for many in his private capacity. Why then won’t he bask in the inherent euphoria of standing a good chance against any aspirant or candidate in a fair contest?” An observer asked recently. I share in the observer’s argument, but still I feel within me that it takes a rare activist spirit that naturally revolts against injustice for one to stand for justice and fair-play in a system where whoever espouses such a noble, patriotic stance is publicly derided as a full-blooded fool! Till date, armed with the truism that a structure erected with an admixture of saliva and ashes won’t endure, the senator remains the only implacable voice advocating allinclusive primaries in the name of true political progressivism, while others are locked in unhealthy lobbying that

Thursday, August 14, 2014

will, given the unfolding scenarios, end in a cul-de-sac. If we are sincerely serious about breathing the longdesired rejuvenation into our ailing polity that is panting dangerously, the discerning among us, including public commentators, the media, the politicians amidst us and indeed, the electorate, must rise to consciously shoot down any idea that smacks of idiosyncrasies that will further lock the nation in a ball-room dance – a step forward; two backwards! As long as we fail to key into the globally-cherished ideals of true democracy, rule of law and due process, our dire hope for a prosperous nation will remain a pie in the sky. Did I hear you say that APC has its peculiar way of doing things? Come off it! The only other name for injustice is injustice. When a person is denied of unfettered expression of his fundamental rights, he easily gets aggrieved to the detriment of the offensive system – and this is a warning. When a political party is bereft of internal democracy, it is a threat to its electoral fortunes and the health of the entire polity. And essentially, democracy is solely about equal rights on a level-playing pedestal. Even the Holy Bible admonishes us that we cannot be swimming in an ocean of transgressions and expect a cornucopia of God’s grace. It therefore stands to reason that even in the spiritual realm, the fact that you only reap what you sowed brooks no compromise as the heavens abhor fraud of any colour or kind. Solomon’s exemplary politics that bears no taint of desperation must be imbibed, internalised and actualised by all true lovers of the state nay Nigeria. We cannot continue to totter on the brink of perdition out of the sheer hypocrisy, utter deceit and crass selfishness of some of us. After all, there is a proverb in Yoruba parlance that warns us to cast aside any deity that does not make us prosper after 20 years of religious worship. A word is enough for the wise! • Ishola is a Lagos-based public commentator

Bravo, Ikemba Front Network (IFN) Chibueze Ezennaya

he name Ikemba is synonymous with Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu which in turn represents fearlessness, doggedness, gallantry, visionary, tact etc in everything. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumuegwu Ojukwu was not a coward, neither did he believe in the eating of his words. He challenged issues, occasions and personalities when there was need for that and emerged a conqueror on the spot or later. That was why Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu became a hero and a celebrity even at death. Nigerians have never and will never witness any elaborate and elongated obsequies of a Nigerian like the one of Ikemba Nnewi, Ezeigbo Gburu Gburu. On Tuesday 29th July, 2014, marked the historic journey for dedicated, decent, diligent and gallant young men and women who are committed to the “fight” for sincerity, flawlessness, transparency and justice in the counting of electoral votes in Igboland. The coming into existence of Ikemba Front Network (IFN) with headquarters in Aba, Abia State is remarkable. One is that Aba, the Enyimba City, is a town of many parts; cool, warm and hot. Aba is a cosmopolitan city, a railway town, an industrial town, a university town, an energy town, a business town, a football city, and a revolutionary town of historical record courtesy of the famous 1929 Aba women riot. Aba, as a political town of history also has produced the likes of Dr K.O. Mbadiwe, Chief S.O. Mbakwe (PHD), Chief Nnanna Kalu, Chief Ugorji Eke, Justice C.N.C. Ikeotuonye, Chief D.D. Onyemelukwe, and Chief Dr Orji Uzor Kalu etc. The first television studio in Nigeria outside a state capital was built in Aba. The industrial and commercial nature of Aba has enable cosmetics and shoes produced besides clothes sewn in Aba to find their presence in markets in Cameroun, Sudan, Niger, Chad, Gabon, Congo etc. apart from the ones sold to Nigerians in Aba shopping Centre, Ariaria Inter-

national Market etc. All these attributes of Aba notwithstanding, that Ikemba Front Network has chosen Aba as its national head-quarters is to fulfill the aspirations of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. While alive, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu charged the living Igbo patriots and his family to ensure that his corpse was taken to Aba before burial. Have you as a Nigerian or an Igbo asked yourself why such statement, task or assignment? Again, do you ponder within you why Nigerians sing “Nzogbu Nzogbu, Enyimba Enyi” whenever they are jubilating for victory or sprawling for war? The reason is not far-fetched. Aba, the Enyimba City has a date with Ikemba and destiny. Above all, Aba is the heartbeat of Igboland being the city with the greatest number of small scale industries in Africa. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu, Ojukwu, Ikemba Nnewi, Ezeigbo Gburu Gburu wanted to develop in Nigeria, what is called “Preventive Diplomacy”: this is a situation where no one will be too rich to oppress the poor and no one will be too poor to hate the rich. The philosophy of an average Aba man is anchored on “Preventive Diplomacy” otherwise referred to as “Live and let live”. That is why an average Aba person loathes suppression, highhandedness, intimidation etc. The inauguration of this organization was the beginning of the beginning of this herculean assignment with destiny which Ikemba Front Network would put into reality more so as the sobriquet of the organization is “NO COMPROMISE NO IMPOSSIBLILITY” The organization is not a secret society neither is it a killer squad, a militant organization or any form of dangerous institution. The harmless group which is open to every body to become a member is constituted by people of proven integrity who want the Igboland and Nigeria to surpass the level she now operates. Nigerians are truly tired of election rigging particularly the enthrone-

ment of losers in the election as winners. Nigeria is stagnated today because of this abominable act and cankerworm. The intention of the group seemed to have been captured by President Goodluck Jonathan when he said recently,”Rigging is a thing of the past in Nigeria”. President Sekou Toure of Guinea once said, “Our text-books taught us about the battle of the Gauls, about the life of Joan Arc or Napoleon, the list of French Departments, the poems of Lamarine ….as if Africa never had a historical past, a geographical existence, a cultural life” People vote for rulers but God elects leaders. Ndigbo in Nigeria are fortunate and privileged to have everything that make a nation great besides men of valour, integrity and conscience who think of our generation and posterity; who were created by God to serve and not to be served like Dr Akanu Ibiam, Dr Michael Okpara, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, Major Chukwuma Nzeogwu, Prof Albert Chinuakwam Achebe, Chief S.O. Mbakwe, Justice Chukwudifu Oputa, Prof. Humphrey Nwosu, Chief Ebitu Ukiwe, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Prof Eme Awa, Justice Eze Ozobu, Prof Ben Nwabueze, Mr Eliot Ukoh, Mr. Peter Obi, Col. J.Okey Ezeoke, Chief Victor Umeh, Prof Dora Akunyili, Mr Uche Onyeagocha, Dr Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Archbishop Anthony Obinna, Bishop Emmanuel Chukwuma, Rev.Fr Camillus Ejike Mbaka, Prof Philip Ememagwali, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, Igbo Leaders of Thought etc. The Ikemba Front Network wants Nigerians to emulate the best aspect of good Nigerians like these enigmas of human persons for Nigeria to be better. A wine tapper should follow one pathway so as to know where he lost his tapping knife. Ikemba Front Network (IFN) will compile names of prominent Igbo men and women and their achievements with regard to Ndigbo for Ndibgo to know their sterling qualities. For big-for-nothing Ndigbo whose names could not find enlistment under any category, they should re-

examine their relationship with Igboness. Charity begins at home but should not stop there. Again, East, West, North or South, home is always the best. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu did for Ndigbo what Adolphus Hitler could not do for Germany, what Napoleon Bonaparte could not do for France, what Winston Churchill could not do for Britain or what George Washington could not do for America. Dim Ojukwu did what Mahatma Ghandi could not do for India, what Chairman Mao could not do for China or what Prime Minister Suzuki could not do for Japan. Above all, to Nigerians, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu was the Nigerian Nostradamus (the man who saw Nigeria of today in 1967 and proferred the best solution which was rejected by the uninformed, primitive and puppet Gowon administration but wanted by Nigerians now). Even some Nigerians particularly some prominent senior officers, Army Generals and Heads of State benefited from the sagacity in the insurrection of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu’s Biafra. Their being “Mr. Somebody” in Nigeria was because of that could have been avoided Nigeria-Biafra war otherwise some would have ended up as Cattle Rearers, “Talakawas” “Almajiris” “Alayes” etc. Homer the Great Poet understands the value of a crisis. He wrote, “Adversity has the effect to elicit talents which in prosperous circumstance would have lain dormant”. Finally, Ikemba Front Network (IFN) is for genuine, authentic and altruistic counting of votes for genuine candidates of the masses to emerge in every election. The credibility of every election is not in the voting but in the counting. Ikemba Front Network is calling on all Igbo young men and women to be part of this crusade. “Qui non vetat peccare cum posit jubet” ie he who does not forbid sin when he can, encourages it-SENECA • Mr Ezennaya is the Director; Media $ Publicity APGA Abia State.

LAW THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014

ome years ago, the Court of Appeal discharged and acquitted two juveniles, who were tried, convicted and sentenced to death by a Lagos High Court after spending ten years in prison and five years on death row. Bayo Davis, not real name, killed his classmate, Doris Donsmith following a fisticuffs in one of the Nigeria’s primary school some months ago. Davis was arrested and charged to court for murder. Both Davis and Donsmith are 13 years-old. A few days after Davis was arrested, he was arraigned at a magistrate’s court, a court with no jurisdictional power to try murder case. In India, a 16 -year-old boy gangraped a 13 year-old girl to death and was arrested. He was subsequently arraigned in a Special Court. However, in April, a legal controversy erupted in Kano over which court has the jurisdiction to try a 14 year-old girl, who allegedly killed a 35 year-old man she was forced to marry by her family through rat poison. She was arraigned at a magistrate’s court. But the court has no power to try murder case. Thereafter, the ministry of justice, prosecuting the matter on behalf of the state, approached the High Court. The High Court has the requisite powers to try murder cases. But this again, is being contested by a section of lawyers who prefer the trial to be handled by a Juvenile Court. Which courts therefore, has the requisite jurisdictional powers to try minors facing murder charges ? The only court competent to handle juvenile on murder charge is the High Court, says a former vice president of the lawyers’ umbrella group-the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Mrs. Funke Adekoya, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria. She said: “The High Court is the court with jurisdiction to trial juveniles who committed criminal crimes such as murder. But the provision of the law is that a juvenile convicted will not be sentenced to death. However in the Northern states where they have Sharia penal code, there is a slight difference because the sharia law says that the age of a child is determined by puberty which could be said that a girl of 14 years is an adult if she has started her menstrual circle, whereas under the criminal codes, juvenile is under 18 and under the Child Right Law, it is now under 21. But in either case, a child who commits criminal crime as murder cannot be tried in a juvenile court. It’s the High Court that has the jurisdiction but the issue is whether or not the child can get death penalty”. Adekoya was echoed by Adetunji Fadairo and Dr. Joseph Nwobike, both Senior Advocates. They insisted that it is the High Court as the court of first instance with jurisdictional powers to try juvenile on murder charge although sentence may be reserved to a later date. “The court where the matter takes place is the one that has the jurisdiction to try the person. The minor cannot be sentenced to death, but instead, he would be kept in something like a remand home”, Fadairo said. To Nwobike: “It is definitely the High Court that has the jurisdiction. Though such case must be tried in the normal public hub of the court like in the case of an adult at the knowledge of the court that it involves a minor/ juvenile, the court will either set up a juvenile panel or a special court to try

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Murder: Adekoya, Layonu, Ajie disagree over juvenile trial Lawyers including Senior Advocates of Nigeria could not agree on the proper and competent court to handle a juvenile charged with murder . While some believe only the High Court has the jurisdictional powers to try a juvenile facing murder charges, others disagree. FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE, JOSEPH ONYEKWERE, TUNDE OYESINA and APPOLOS CHRISTIAN sought their views.

Adekoya, SAN

Obiagwu

Ajie

Aderemi

such case in private. Another lawyer, Oyewale Olaogun also shared Nwobike’s view. He said: “Any case that has to do with criminal matters especially murder falls within the jurisdiction of the High Court. He went on: “When a criminal crime such as murder is committed by a minor /juvenile or adult, since the magistrate’s court does not have powers to sentence one to death, it will not venture into such matter, hence it is the High Court that will setup a special juvenile court that will sit privately to try the case. Since it involves a minor/juvenile there won’t be such pronouncement sentence as death penalty unless such a person has reached the age of 17 as at the time the crime was committed”. Also Haruna Musa corroborated Olaogun’s view that “If a minor/juve-

nile commits a criminal offence, the High Court, being the court that has the jurisdiction to try criminal cases will constitute a juvenile court which must not sit publicly to try the matter.“ “ When such a person is found guilty and sentenced, it must not be death sentence and if sentenced to prison, such a person must be kept in a normal prison cell where adult convicted criminals are kept”, he added. But Caroline Ajie, Chino Obiagwu, Chris Okeke , Shamsudeen Abubakar and Tolulope Aderemi differ. They said juvenile court remains the only court seized of the matter. It is the juvenile court tha has the requisite powers to entertain such case. Ajie said: “The North operates penal code while the South operates criminal code. Our system is a common law that is modeled along the British system. It is the same law that is operating in

India. “There was a minor; that boy was either 16 or 17 in India who was involved in gang-rape; they have to set up a Special court to try him. So you have to go to the Juvenile court. He or she would face the trial at the juvenile court. “But the juvenile court cannot give a death penalty to a minor but a life jail. In the USA, death penalty for juveniles who were under 18 when they committed the crime was abolished by the U.S Supreme Court in the case of Roper vs Simmons as violating the 8th and 14th amendments. In Nigeria, after spending ten years in Prison and five years on death row, the Court of Appeal freed two juveniles, Sopuruchi Obed and Otobong Sunday Edet, who were convicted and sentenced to death for armed robbery by a Lagos High Court in 2009”. To the national Coordinator, Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Chino Obiagwu “If a minor commits such an offence, in a State that has adopted the Child's Right Act, he would be tried at the Family Court. “The family court is a court set up under the Child's act law to handle juvenile matters for people who are below the age of 18. But in reality, in many states even though they have enacted the Child Rights Act, they have not set up the family court. “They are still using the Juvenile court which is contained in the former law. Now, if a minor commits such an offence like murder alongside an adult, that minor would be tried alongside the adult. In that case, they are being charged together. They can be charged in such a way that the man would be charged separately while the minor is charged separately. But if they are charged together in such they that cannot be separated, the High Court takes jurisdiction. “During trial, the court will direct that the issues relating to the minor be tried as a juvenile and confidentially. No law provides for death sentence in Juvenile law, not even in the criminal code. In fact if a child under 18 is found guilty for murder, armed robbery or any capital offence, he cannot be sentenced to death. The criminal code and the Family Court did not provide for such. “All the laws on criminal law did not provide for it. It depends on the prerogative of the State governor or the President if it is a federal offence. They can be given life sentence. Those who are mad, mentally ill as well as pregnant women cannot be sentenced to death until she weans the baby. If a child is sentenced, he has to be kept in a borstal home and the same prison made for adults. That is what the law provides. “In reality, we only have two borstal homes - one in Kaduna and another in Ikoyi Prisons. The reason why some minors are taken to High courts, tried, convicted and sentenced to adult Prison is because the police will not always state the age of the child. They will always rewrite adult in place of age. It is the information provided by the police CO NTINUED O N PAGE24

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Ananaba: We need regional Appeal, Supreme Courts He is an alumnus of the Abia State University, Uturu. Elder Paul Ananaba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, speaks on his background, foray into the legal profession, President-elect of the 150 year-old Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), judiciary, corruption, EFCC/ICPC merger and sundry issues. APPOLOS CHRISTAIN met him.

Some universities, should be designated to run certificate programme on judicial administration to professionalize judicial working positions, because they are very important to the judicial system

Ananaba, SAN

The NBA has just elected its 27 president, what agenda will you set for the new president? The president is my friend, and I know that he understands the demands of the office of the president of the Nigerian Bar Association. There are lots of things to be done but generally the NBA should be a clear voice of not only the Bar but the people of Nigeria at large. As we are going into 2015 and the elections, it is expected that the NBA would be one of the institutions that will help to shape our democracy. So, as a president of a highly respectable and reputable body, he should ensure that NBA does not go sleep on its expected duties because if it does, quite a lot will go wrong. And within the Bar, I expect the president to seriously look into the welfare of the legal practitioner because if a lawyer feels ill, he does not have pension nor insurance to fall back to but to run to family and friends, so that should be looked into. Our conferences are becoming too expensive, seminars and other continuing legal education; these should also be seriously looked into. And because of the harsh economic situation in the country, many lawyers avoid or find it very difficult to continue legal education; the knowledge acquired during undergraduate and law school is not enough at all to see anyone through to the demanding challenges in the legal world today. Some lawyers have graduated twenty, thirty years ago and need to be refreshed and upgrade.

Would retraining by way of continuing legal education also be applicable to the Bench? I mean, what in the circumstance, is your assessment of the judiciary under the current Chief Justice of Nigeria? The CJN is really doing well because the rot in the judiciary is so deep that it takes more than a day job to deal with. But as it is, a lot of improvements have been made within the recent time. If you take a look at the Justice Mohammed Uwais’s report on the judiciary, you will find out that the rot is so much. But today if you go to the court, you will see judges eager and really carrying out their duties justly in many instances unlike what was obtainable. There is now a practicable assessment reports on judge’s base on their activities. The system is more serious now than before. So, my assessment sincerely is that they have stepped up though not there yet. She indeed is doing well but I pray for continuity in this direction. Are you satisfied with some of the ongoing reforms in the judiciary? The structure of our judiciary

Zones should each have appeal and supreme courts to aid and speed up judicial proceedings

should be looked into. We should think to have regional appeal and Supreme Courts. The six geo-political zones should each have appeal and supreme courts to aid and speed up judicial proceedings. And as a result of this, not many or anyhow case should go to what should then be the federal Supreme Court. In this respect, except cases that have national significance, every other case should from their regional court of appeal to their Supreme Court and end there. Secondly, we should think and establish serious support for judicial works both on welfare and training for the attainment of efficiency and effectiveness. Some universities, should be designated to run certificate programme on judicial administration to professionalize judicial working positions, because they are very important to the judicial system. For example as they went on strike, the court was close down and nobody was able to do anything. As the supporting staff, so many of them needs training because some of them lack what it takes to perfectly meet-up with the challenges of the ever knowledge growing world of the judicial system. Come to the judges, I appreciate the ongoing reform but we should deeply continue to professionalize our courts. I mean, let it get to the point that a judge on criminal cases will only specialize on criminal cases. Also, there should be provision for continuing education for our judges, seminars in and out of the country and so on. We should begin to dispense with police prosecution of cases, because most of the criminal cases for example, terminate at the magistrate’s courts. As regard to this, many lawyers should be engaged on ad hoc basis and paid allowances to prosecute these cases instead of the police. And every part and parcel of legal profession and judiciary should be serious with the conduct of the profession so that cases are not delayed unduly and frivolous cases and application are not filed. In other words, there won’t be a reoccurrence of such things as strike or deficiency around judicial system as we are part of the world that is moving forward. What is your own perception of the fight against corruption by the two anti-graft

agencies? Are they living up to expectation? Well they are fighting corruption so to say but I’m not satisfied with the way they are fighting it. They themselves know that they are not doing well, and the international agencies are also not rating us well at all. Seriously, they have not given the fight against corruption the seriousness and sincerity it required because much of the fighting they do is in words. And that is why I am saying there should be a restructuring of our judiciary so that some of these corruption cases should be timed, so that there should be judgment within three months on a corruption case. That is why I talk about regionalization of courts. A Court of Appeal in a region, should be able to within two months, dispense a case and a man who should go to jail be jailed. This will obviously save us the time that is today being wasted of which they end up not getting punishment or serious punishment. Which of them, the anti-graft agencies or the government to be blamed for the lackluster fight against corruption? It is the fault of both of them but more on the government because I have handled corruption cases where people bring cases that the agencies ought not to entertain but they went ahead and take up those cases. The anti-graft agencies are not the Nigeria police force, so the agencies should not be getting involved in the cases the police handle. There are some special corruption cases for the reason they were set up in the first place. So, they should not be allowing those distractions because it makes them to have too many cases with poor results. So, the government should not have undue influence on the anti-corruption agencies by appointing their heads and detecting what and what they should not do, and the agencies shouldn’t be tied to the government. Adding to that; we should separate the office of the Attorney-General and the Minister of Justice in order to improve justice system in the country so that all these agencies could independently work through the AttorneyGeneral and consciously be able to prosecute government officials. Legal practitioners call for merging of ICPC AND EFCC, what is your take on this? If that is the case, let them also say both the Nigerian police and other paramilitary agencies be merged. There is no point talking about merging them, yes, they have their opinions but merging is not the issue. The war against corruption is so vast that we rather should be talking about deepening their activity, making it very clear what each agency should go for and ensuring that they don’t clash. ICPC is distinct, EFCC is strictly on financial crimes and like I was earlier saying, agency like the EFCC has no business entertaining cases outside economic,

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Thursday, August 14, 2014

financial and of course, terrorism now. ICPC goes about corruption itself even though the act talks about other offences, those other offences should not ever be interpreted to include economic and financial crimes. All that is needed is enlightenment both to Nigerians and the agencies on what each of the agencies stands for. Though they should both be on their own, there should be a communicating point where they can exchange intelligence when necessary. How would you look at the Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) against the formal litigation? Is ADR really working in Nigeria? ADR is a good practice all over the world. It is just that it cannot be involved with criminal matters because criminal matters involve the state. One problem with ADR system in Nigeria is the level of civilization and mindset of our people especially when it comes to the issue of enforcement. When people fail to abide in the terms of resolution, what do we do? Go back to court room and start a fresh litigation proceeding? So, we need to develop a kind of definite method whereby ADR resolution or agreement will be effective and more reliable. And once this is achieved, more people will go for ADR. Now though ADR system is more of commercial and domestics matters but it was the way our people settle dispute situations before the advent of white men. Meanwhile, many legal practitioners are not at home with ADR practices because they see ADR as a model that is taken away our food because ADR can be practiced by nonlawyers. And that is because arbitrators and mediators do not need to be lawyers. So, since they are not lawyers, most lawyers then feel that they are taken away what was thought was strictly meant for the almighty legal profession. Haven’t said that, ADR is indeed good, as a mediator and arbitrator though a full time legal practitioner I strongly state that it is really a good way of settling dispute situation. And in the context of Nigeria, ADR is really working only that it has not been given the attention and publicity it requires to take serious position as a conflict resolution medium like in most other developed countries. Check for instance during Lagos mediation week, several cases were settled just within that one week alone and I must say the combativeness of litigation process is not the best. Many times in dispute situations, people just simply want a neutral party to come, advice and have them to settle their case at ease, which does not just happen in litigation process. So ADR is really working but more need to be done. For example, how many centers do we have? How many people in the cities, know about them or have access to them let alone in the local areas? So, so long as it’s far from the reach of the people, you can have a good result of its existence in Nigeria. Notwithstanding, there is a good future for ADR system

We need to develop a kind of definite method whereby ADR resolution or agreement will be effective and more reliable

Ananaba, SAN

in Nigeria because so many institutes are coming up on it. Like in Lagos, for example it has been incorporated into the high court rules, a part of its steps to go further. So, I expect courts in other states to formally incorporate ADR because it will go a long way to help case settlements in the country. How would you look at government’s effort in the fight against insurgents or to combat terrorism? Well, assessing the government’s effort on a process that is not public on the terrorism situation in Nigeria especially with the abduction of the Chibok girls without concrete information on what really they are doing, one may end up saying what he doesn’t know. But the truth is that the result so far does not really say much good the government’s effort so far. Though the government says it’s doing its best, let believe them but we know that it took Cameroon a short time to lash out laudable effort against the same group. Both the federal, state and local government, and even the traditional and religious leaders seriously need to work together against the menace. These kind of committees that are being setup now and then on what is going on in the north is no more what the government needs doing. The situation has passed that stage. So, government has to get more serious with the terrorism situation that faces our country. Having spent a large sum of my doctor degree research on terrorism and done some publications on terrorism and even on terrorism in Nigeria, I really do understand what terrorism is and what should be done. Government really needs to harvest the potential in the country on terrorism

and articulate them because the solutions lie within. When you talk about response to terrorism, each society where it has come to blown out can fashion-out its response to a terrorism situation. Because I understand terrorism to be violence responds to perceived wrongs. If we continue to rely on American and Israeli’s understanding and their pattern of response to terrorism, the societies are not the same, we may not get anywhere positive. The national orientation agency of Nigeria really needs to get to work seriously. I expect to see serious bombardment of Nigerians with good ideas and ethics to discouraging people from engaging in this violence. What we see is some group doing it in a haphazard manner. How reasonable do you think raising fund to fight terrorism is? Yes. The idea is indeed one of the best ideas of this government on terrorism issue in Nigeria. To start with, the destruction by Boko-Haram is enormous and fund is really needed to bring succor to people. If such idea has been in place, the parents of the

Government says it's doing its best to combat insurgents, let's believe it but we know that it took Cameroun a short time to lash out laudable effort against the same group

Chibok girls would have been taken care of financially, psychologically and otherwise and many of them would not have had any heart attack. So, I expect this committee of T.Y Danjuma to sincerely facilitate the taken care of the Chibok girl’s parents, which should not be about dashing them money alone, but to equally institute a study to ascertain a workable response to terrorism situation in Nigeria. Looking at what terrorism profile in Nigeria will be in the next ten years, it would be better for us to take a holistic approach through campaign and awareness to discourage people from joining violent wagon with a view to drawing the attention of those already involved to turn away from it. So, to invest properly and reasonably the funds raised for that purpose, will save us a lot. What does the Constitution say about drafting of security operatives to states for the purpose of election? Political parties are known to be set up to move in a direction that will help them to win elections. Conversant in political propaganda will tell you that both APC and PDP are immune to political propaganda and that they are up for their gains, which is the bottom line of the game. But beyond politics, who said we have done election in Ondo, Anambra and Ekiti states? So, someone should not see Osun or any other states as a problem. However and whatever the case may be, political parties will always do what they are known to do or say after all, it is the primary duty of government to protect lives and property. If government decides to keep the security agents away and something happen during the said election, people will also say you have all the police and army, why didn’t you bring them to do their work during the election. Now they have been deployed and a party is shouting why do you bring too many of them? So, over militarization wailings of any party at all is not an issue and will not hinder anyone who wants to vote from freely going out to vote. Well, the same thing was done in Ekiti state and a sitting governor that lost accepted and congratulated the candidate that won. If he had complained that he lost because the state was over militarized, we should have then have a point to talk about over militarization. So, it’s just a case of normal political propaganda.

2015 election at also coming, any fear? Fear, what for? Well, it’s always like that in Nigeria. Whenever elections are coming we think that the whole world will come to an end. Nothing will happen. It’s just the politicians that are heating up the system as they usually do. Come to think of it, what really do we expect to happen for which one has to start being afraid now? Nigeria will not break whether we like or not. Those politicians we are looking at because they have said or didn’t say love what they get from this country and will not do anything to jeopardize the country’s existence. Besides, Nigerians have so much mixed up people from one region to settle in another region, having no fear for whatsoever. All we want is just good governance, the politicians are people we should understand their tongue very well because if you follow what they say and do, you are only given yourself headache. So, good governance should be what Nigerians should have in mind when voting not the political parties and let no one allow the politicians to get him or herself to be a victim of the games of politicians. Do you think INEC is capable of conducting free and fair election in 2015? Yes. I believe we will improve on what we already have. There is no certified universal electoral standard, even in the United States of America as we had some years back. So, I don’t expect us to remain where we are or to go backward, I expect there will be some improvement though the improvement may not be the best. If where in the previous years there would have been so many petitions right after the Ekiti state election but so many people were impressed at what happened after the election, and that shows that most of our politicians are getting matured and that we are making progress. And we will continue to make progress. Do we need more states as being recommended by the confab? I don’t see much help that idea will bring to the country. It would even be that they recommended one state each for the six geo-political zones than additional new 19 states. How are they going to be funded considering how well the existing ones are doing? It’s even better they recommend for us to go back to regionalism. So, I really don’t agree with this high number of new states idea, it doesn’t make a reasonable sense. We should look at the economic situation of the country and apparent realities so we don’t plunge the country into calamity. What would you suggest as a process of adoption of the confab’s resolutions? Having worked as a member of the technical committee that selected the national confab delegates in Abia state, I really do understand the gathering of this national confab. So, I totally support the decisions being adopted through referendum, because when you send it CONTINUED ON PAGE25

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Thursday, August 14, 2014

Murder: Adekoya, Layonu, Ajie disagree over juvenile trial CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

that the prosecutor will use. “So, the police will always provide wrong information about the age of the he child. There are so many other children who are below the age of 17 who are in the Prisons for one reason or the order”. Okeke said: “There are juvenile courts with jurisdiction to try minors of criminal offences. The courts sit in camera and not in the open. Those who attend the court are parents of the minor. It is so done to protect the image of the juvenile. The courts pass sentence on the minor but often times, it suspends the sentence until the child becomes an adult”. To Abubakar: “It is a juvenile court. And again it depends if the minor is charged together with an adult. If it is a minor that commits the offence alone, he would be tried at the juvenile court. In most cases, because of his age, they cannot try him but allow him to be of age. He cannot be convicted of murder. Aderemi said “there are no well-established and adequately equipped distinct institutions and coherent programmes for dealing with juvenile offenders in Nigeria. The existing legislative and institutional frameworks which were inherited from our colonial masters predated the evolution of

Layonu

contemporary international standards in the form of the United Nations Conventions and Charter on the Rights of the Child. "Every State Legislature enacts its own Children and Young Persons Law (“CYPL”). This law established Juvenile Courts where minors/juveniles are tried for criminal matters. "The Child’s Rights Act and Childs Rights laws of the various states also have provisions for establishment of the family court for the purposes of hearing and determining matters relating to children. Section 149 of the Child’s Rights Act, 2003 establishes the family court for each state of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. “Section 150 provides that the family court (in the Act referred to as “the court”) shall

There are no wellestablished and adequately equipped distinct institutions and coherent programmes for dealing with juvenile offenders in Nigeria be at two levels“(a) the court as a division of the High Court at the High Court level; and (b) the court as a magistrate court at the magistrate level”. "That said, I must add that these days, it appears that the Juvenile Courts are no longer allowed to exercise jurisdic-

tion over all children who are accused of criminal offences with a few exceptions. "The Magistrate’s Courts are most likely to assume such jurisdiction but such Magistrate may conduct its proceedings privately for reasons akin to the nature of the criminal matter". Chief Akpan Nkwereum said: "Under our laws, a child is incapable of a guilty mind and thus is held blameless at all times. "No court of law can thus try a minor charged with a felony. "Juvenline courts are capable of putting minors into welfare and other correctional facilities but never into formal prisons. Sadly, minors who are caught hawking in Abuja are being sent to custody by the FCT Environmental Protection Board Mobile Courts. Since 2010 I have had occasion to pay fines for scores of kids held in Suleja prisons to secure their freedom". In his view, Dr. Ben Okanume said: “There is no law that regulates children and young persons. It is like a medical challenge, the society will need to take care of and that is why the proceedings before the juvenile court usually have jurisdiction to entertain misdemeanor and other minor offences and infractions by minors or juveniles. "The position is unique. Firstly, we don't use male

prosecutors but rather female ones. It is also encouraged that the magistrate should be a female and the proceedings should not be made public. "At that stage, the child is seen as somebody having ordinary challenge, for the purpose of juvenile proceedings. You will discover that liability is different. Liability is also different when the person is a young person, the juvenile court which usually have jurisdiction will be converted into an environment which will not look too harsh to the child. "For the issue of murder, so many other issues will come up. Such as if the murder was carried out in conjunction with an adult. If it is in conjunction with an adult, then, it will come within the ambit of joint act of conspiracy. If it comes to the ambit of joint act, it goes straight to the High Court. "With respect to the issue of murder, the magistrate’s court has no jurisdiction in most cases, it is the High Court that has the jurisdiction but there is a caveat. That proceeding is to protect that child or young person should be an open hearing. "Then if at the time of the commission of the offence, the child has not attained the age of maturity, then, that child cannot be sentenced to death. It is the High Court that has jurisdiction".

Aturu took Nigeria as his personal property, says Momoh

Cross section of Law students of the UI at the lecture.

Sola Adeyemo IBADAN

irector-General of The Electoral Institute, Abuja, Professor Abubakar Momoh, has described the late Bamidele Aturu as a public intellectual and passionate Nigerian who held Nigeria like his personal property that should not be allowed to be destroyed. The don gave the comment at the maiden 'Bamidele Aturu's Public Lecture/Mock Trial' organized by the Seyi Bamgboye-led Law Students Society (LSS) of the Faculty of Law, University of Ibadan. In the mock trial session, students of the Obafemi Awolowo University,

Ile Ife competed with their counterparts from the University of Ibadan. Aturu, a Lagos-based social crusader and renowned lawyer, died of high blood pressure on July 9 in Lagos at the age of 49. At the lecture were Mr Ebun Adegboruwa (Chairman of the occasion), Hon. Justice Benedict Kanyib of the National Industrial Court, Lagos, Hon. Justice Bayo Taiwo of the Oyo State High Court, Professor Oluyemisi Bamgbose (immediate past Dean, Faculty of Law, U.I), Professor A.I. Olatubosun (incumbent Dean), Dr. Oluwole Akintayo, Dr. Doyin Odebowale (a.k.a High Priest of the UI), among others.

PHOTOS: SOLA ADEYEMO

In the lecture entitled: "Aturu as a Public Intellectual: The Limits of Ideo-Praxis", Momoh described Aturu as a very close friend, who was so compassionate and concerned about the kind of political leadership Nigeria is running, and why things continue to go wrong in the land. "Aturu cherished human lives. He was committed to the well-being of his society and its people. He always wanted to know what it would take to reshape the image of this country by questioning the kind of political leadership we run in this country. He took Nigeria as a personal property which must not be allowed to be destroyed.

L-R: Ebun Adegboruwa, Prof Olatubosun, Justice Kanyib, Prof Momoh and Prof (Mrs) Bamgbose at the lecture.

"He was a public intellectual, who consciously speaks about the welfare, conveniences of the masses and fights against the ills going on, as well as the oppression being meted to the weak and the poor in the society. He was among the likes of Professor Wole Soyinka, Dr Festus Iyayi and others". Momoh lauded the vision and mission of Aturu, who passed on at a very young age, saying that he was fascinated by the credo displayed in his Chamber which read: "To serve God always, but particularly defending the poor; To fight injustice in spite of all the limitations; To defend the under-privileged, the dispossessed, the oppressed,

the abused against the rich and the powerful; To be a leading voice in struggle against all forms of discrimination and undue privileges; To participate in all forms of action aimed at social reforms and change". Momoh said that Aturu was "an activist who fought beyond the court room; who saw those who hold laws as themselves very lawless, contrary to what obtains in other climes of the world. He was a good man. A man of conscience who represented the Okada riders; became an amicus curie; doing cases pro bono for the less privileged". Adegboruwa described Aturu as a colleague who used law for social engi-

neering to think the unthinkable. He taught abd was always working outside the courts". Adegboruwa therefore encouraged the Law students of the University to equip themselves with various arsenals "to assist you in reshaping your society. Replicate the character in Bamidele Aturu so that the knowledge you are acquiring here in the Faculty of Law will help in correcting the ills in the society, and make it a saner one". In her opening remark, the outgone Dean, Bamgbose, described Aturu as "a man who defended, reflected the law, fought for the right of men. He never thought he would have died like that."

LAW | INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Why are you into human rights? The activism started with Jesus Christ, he was still the best human rights activist we have ever had in the world. A man who can spare his life for the people without receiving any money from anybody, he died for us on the cross and washed away our sins. Now, looking at the society without the human right activists, things would have been worst more than these. You see poor people in a country where we have a mass of illiteracy, who do not know their rights and cannot even distinguish anything; who need people to speak for them. So, we have to stand up for them and speak up for them. You have to do everything within your own ability to emancipate them and do not let me deceive you, majority of our people are still in chains; who do not know. For example, in case of what is going on in Ondo state now whereby an illiterate is charged to the Magistrate court for an environmental offence without allowing him/ her to have the services of a legal practitioner, you just do the matter like that and send the person to Olokuta prison. What is the motivating factor that propelled you as a person? What prompted my activism is to fight for the poor masses, to liberate them from the chains and the shackles of the government. Nowadays no government is fighting for the cause of the poor masses, so we human right activists have to come out en-masse to fight for them, either they are market women, artisans, students etc. In one of your activism, you have written to the state government on what is today known in the state as obnoxious tax policy, what is the current position now? Yes, we have sent a letter to Governor Olusegun Mimiko and in all fairness, the activities of those harassing people in respect of taxes I think have reduced drastically. They have not been parading around to lock up shops and demand for charges. All what we are saying is that there is no way four organizations can be asking a person to pay various taxes. Commerce and Industry, local government, board of internal revenue and environmental will all come to collect various taxes. That was why we have written to the governor that it is quite becoming oppressing and in all fairness with our observation I think the activities of those four bodies have reduced drastically.

Ogele: Why no business can thrive under Mimiko

He is an activist lawyer. Mr. Morakinyo Ogele in this interview with BABATOPE OKEOWO speaks on Governor Olusegun Mimiko’s ‘obnoxious’ tax policy, rights to bail, law practice, impeachment and sundry issues.

What is your view on bail conditions in the state? There was a Practice Direction from the Chief Judge that at least two sureties must stand for a single accused person. Apart from this, they must show their tax clearance of N 75,000, development fund of N10,000 totalling N85,000. That is why we came together and said this is illegal and unlawful. It means if you are charged for stealing a good valued at 10k, your sureties are going to pay the sum of N170,000 which is unfair. That was why we lawyers came together and decided that until this Practice Direction is reversed we were not going back and we thank God he has withdrawn everything. We put up a petition to the NJC and I think there was a directive that it should be reversed. Recently the Chief Judge called lawyers that he would withdraw it which he has done. So when we resume if any Magistrate raises the issue of tax clearance we will go back again to ensure total freedom for the masses about surety. What is your own view about the practice of law in Ondo state and in the nation as a whole? The standard of law practice is now going down because there is no classification about people reading law nowadays, that is why the standard is reducing. With respect to my colleagues, we are lawyers, but if you see what our colleagues are doing with this profession in town you would feel sorry for this profession. Law profession is supposed to be a noble profession that they can entrust anything with you. A lawyer should be someone that you can tell to sell a property and tell to keep the money for you, or tell them to write a Will. All these things are social engineering which supposed to be monitored by lawyers. I just

heard a case whereby a lawyer sold his client’s property without the consent of that client. Although we thank the disciplinary committee, they have been de-robing them. So far any lawyer is found wanton or committing any heinous act then the disciplinary committee will deal with them. As at last Ogele

There is no way four organizations can be asking a person to pay various taxes. Commerce and Industry, local government, board of internal revenue and environmental will all come to collect taxes year, the disciplinary committee derobed almost five lawyers and I think if we can go on like this in the legal profession, things will change drastically. Although there are black sheep in every profession, so law profession is not an exception but with time maybe when the disciplinary committee, NBA, leaders come out and give the standard, though there are rules and regulations guiding lawyers but most of our lawyers do not have a copy of this rules and regulations so that is why you see them behaving otherwise. Impeachment is fast becoming a vindictive tool to deal with executive foe. What is its relevance to democratic process? Morally, the impeachments are justified. Now about Adamawa they raised up some allegations on the former governor but he refused to appear only he alone knew why he did it. Within three days after he was impeached he travelled overseas. So, EFCC were now looking for him to

come and explain how he spent almost N80bn. So, the impeachment of Adamawa state governor is legal, lawful and according to Section 108 of our constitution, which says if there is any misconduct against any governor of a state then the legislature will come to inform the Chief Judge of that state to empower the panel of seven man so thereafter if they find him guilty they will send the result to the House of Assembly whereby they will sit and deliberate on it. So there was nothing unlawful in respect of it. There should be a law that once you have been elected as a Governor, Senator or House of Representatives member then you should be barred from cross carpeting. So, the impeachment is lawful. If it was not lawful there would have been challenges in court. I could remember I challenged the impeachment of the former Deputy Governor of Ekiti state. Before that time you cannot challenge impeach-

CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

‘Regional Supreme Court will strengthen justice system'

to the National Assembly, you are simply saying that the national conference is a committee of the National Assembly that will report to it. The National Assembly did not create the national conference, so it has no basis to even entertain delegates’ resolutions. Now some of the recommendations of the confab are so far reaching. For an example, the state creation, if they take it to the National Assembly, they will go back to the constitutional procedure that will definitely

truncate the whole idea. So, their resolutions is best go through referendum, because the National Assembly are the people representing the people but the confab’s recommendations is a business of the Nigerian people and the citizens are bigger than their constitution because they gave themselves the constitution and even set up the National Assembly. But here in the issue of the confab, the conference is meant to take its resolutions to the people and the Nigerian citizens will then

speak and decide on what they want for themselves. Is there a need for a new Constitution? We indeed need a new constitution. The amendment process of a constitution is so cumbersome. Having done researches on constitution amendment and making a new constitution in Nigeria, I know the last constitution was done within one month or there about and it was the military work. So, when the constitution

we are using today says ‘we’, it was really not the people. So this may be about the first time the people will come out and really say, “We the people…give ourselves this constitution” and it indeed will be. How would you rate the administration of President Jonathan? Considering how things were in Nigeria before now, I think he is relatively doing well. Believe it or not, he is doing well though not in all areas but he has also faced so many

ment of a governor or deputy in law court. But when I took the case before Justice Adaramola who is now the Chief Judge of Ekiti State he said the court had the jurisdiction to go into impeachment. It is rare when the panel is setup against a governor; it is rare for him to come out free of charge. So, the only solution is to go to court to restrain them. But if you cannot do that it means you have committed such allegation leveled against you. Do you share a view that impeachment can be abuse? No! That is sentiment, all those impeached governors have spent two terms, they were not impeached during their first term, so if they had done something wrong now definitely they should be impeached. There should be checks and balances that is where our constitution comes in. There is separation of power in our constitution. We have the Judiciary, Legislature and the Executive, so if the executive is going beyond their power they ought to be checked by the Legislature. And if both of them are going beyond their powers, the Judiciary will check them. So, it is sentiment, there is no witch hunting at all. They have done something bad and they need to be checked. challenges. Like in aviation, road construction, communication sector and even in the power sector: there has been lot of improvement. We really need to understand that government is a continuous thing. We don’t expect that one man will come and make Nigeria to be like USA overnight. He has continued from where the past administration left off, he may not have done well in all the areas but there is great improvement. And we expect that the next administration will go further than where this administration stops.

26 LAW | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

CON T INU ED F R O M LA S T W EEK

*Dr. Oghenesivbe, is a member, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (M.NIIA), a political and socio-economic analyst.

Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe

t is trite that where a warrant expressly states specified time of execution and the executing officer violates such lawful order; such act of the police officer becomes unlawful and can be set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction and police officer liable in a civil action. The valid execution of a search warrant is anchored on Section 78 of the Criminal Procedure Code which expressly states that a search warrant should be executed in the presence of two (2) respectable inhabitants in the neighbourhood to be summoned by the person to whom the warrant is addressed. If the premise to be searched is occupied by a woman in Purdah and unless she is the one to be arrested, she shall be informed that she is at liberty to withdraw before the executing officer enters the premises and shall give her every reasonable time or facility to perfect her withdrawal. This procedure is only applicable in Northern Nigerian where the Islamic injunctions are adhered to in certain pretrial investigations. It will therefore be unlawful for a police officer to enter the apartment of a Muslim woman in purdah to execute a warrant without first adhering to this provision. A Customs Officer may without a search warrant enter or break into a place where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that something worthwhile and liable to forfeiture is kept or concealed under Section 147 (1) of the Customs and Exercise Management Act while Section 32 of the NDLEA Act empowers a Police Officer, a customs officer, any member of the armed forces, the director or any officer of the NDLEA to enter without search warrant, search any land, building, et al, which he has reasons to believe is connected with the commission of an offence under the Act. Before a search is conducted by a police officer, it is necessary that such police officer should first be searched to ensure that he or she is not in possession of certain incriminating materials or weapons which can be planted in the premises to implicate the suspect where the warrant executing officer has personal scores to settle or have been settled to implicate the suspect. It is also to prevent the suspect alleging that the exhibit found in his premises was planted by the warrant executing police officer. This process is however not a legal requirement hence the failure to search the officer’s body before he or she conducts the search does not make the search illegal or un-

FredLatimore Oghenesivbe

Criminal litigation: Legal execution of search warrants A Customs officer may without a search warrant enter or break into a place where there are reasonable grounds to suspect that something worthwhile and liable to forfeiture is kept or concealed lawful or wrongful. It is recommended that a person whose body or premises is to be searched should first be given the right to search the body of the warrant executing officer (the police) before commencing the search. In State versus Musa Sadau (1968) NMLR 208, the accused persons alleged that the item recovered in the course of the search was buried there by the officer who conducted the search so as to implicate him. Section 37 of the 1999 Constitution (As Amended) provides for the right to privacy which is why whenever a constitutional or statutory right of a citizen is to be derogated from, maximum care must be taken to ensure that derogation is for good cause and every provision relating to such derogation must be complied with. Therefore, whenever a person causes the premises of another to be searched wrongfully, he or she would render himself or herself liable in civil action. This rule states that if a person without reasonable cause, procure or cause the procurement of a search warrant pursuant to which another person’s property, car, ship, office, personal effect or any other device was searched by a police officer, or even leading to his arrest, detention and/or prosecution, the person who laid such malicious complaint on the basis of which

the police officer acted will be liable in damages. In the same vein, in the case of a complaint leading to the arrest and detention of the suspect, the complainant will be liable for false imprisonment. In Mgarba versus Maigoro(1992), Balogun Versus Amubikahu (1989), Ojo versus Lasisi (2003) and UAC Plc versus Sobodu(2006), the courts maintained that the complainant who set in motion, investigation, arrest and prosecution of the accused person will be liable for civil liability arising from unlawful arrest, detention and prosecution. Therefore, it is important that the complainant must be sure of the complaint brought to the police or law enforcement agent otherwise may end up paying huge compensation to the accused person if the prosecution fails to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt leading to discharge and acquittal of the accused person. Materials illegally or wrongly obtained in the cause of executing a search warrant are admissible in evidence during trial irrespective of how such evidence is obtained. The implication of this evidence rule is that even if material evidence was obtained by force or fraudulently or even by violating the rights of the accused person shall be admitted in evidence provided it is relevant to the prosecution. In Kuruma versus R, R versus Lecthan (1861), Musa Sadau & Another versus The State, the courts held that illegally obtained piece of evidence is admissible so long it has direct relevance to the case. Section 15 of the Evidence Act 2011 provides for circumstances which the court should consider before admitting piece of evidence obtained illegally or wrongfully. These include; the probative value of the evidence; the importance of the evidence in the proceedings; the nature of the relevant offence, cause of action of the defense and the nature of the subjectmatter of the proceeding, the gravity

of the impropriety or contravention; whether the impropriety or contravention was deliberate or reckless; whether any other proceeding has been or is likely to be taken in relation to the impropriety or contravention; and the difficulty, if any, of obtaining the evidence without propriety or contravention of law. The above section has brought remarkable innovations into the admissibility of illegally and wrongly obtained material evidence in criminal litigation in Nigeria. It has put final paid to the era of impunity in pre-trail investigation process by stating conditions for which illegally obtained material evidence can be admissible. In the English case of Elias versus Passmore (1934), it was held that a police officer who obtains evidence illegally may be liable in a civil action. The decision in State versus Sadau is no longer good law in Nigeria. The constitution also provided some rights of the accused person in police custody which has also curtailed the reckless obtaining of evidence in pre-trail process. These rights include; right to remain silent or avoid answering of questions from a police officer until he has consulted a legal practitioner of his own choice under section 35 (3) of the 1999 constitution (As Amended); The right to be informed in writing in the language he understands explaining the grounds of arrest or the nature of offence under Section 35 (2), right to be tried within a reason time under Section 35 (4) (5), right to fair hearing under Section 36 (1), et al. The accused person also has the right to public apology upon a wrongful procurement of warrant of arrest leading to actual arrest and false imprisonment in violation of Section 35 of the 1999 constitution (As Amended). The Court decisions in Agbakoba versus SSS, Giwa versus the State, et al. Search warrants not properly obtained are generally illegal and police officers should ensure that only the authorities empowered to issue warrants are approached. It is trite that where a law enforcement agent in the course of carrying out his duties decides to execute a warrant in a manner inconsistent with laid down procedure or otherwise obtain evidence illegally, he or she will render himself or herself liable in a civil action as was decided in the English case of Elias versus Passmore. In the next article, I will be discussing Pre-Trial and Police Interview with special focus on Judge’s Rule, Alibi, and Confessional statement of an accused, Trial within trial, Identification parade, Police bail and exhibits in Police custody.

Lawyer, others bag Binatone award G iant electronics manufacturing brand, Binatone has rewarded its numerous customers including a lawyer following the conclusion of its football season campaign with a grand draw, giving away hundreds of its products, and a Kia Picanto car as a grand prizes to its customers. It was in the spirit of sports, said its managing director, Mr. Gurumoorthi Sridhar. Sridhar said: “We know how much our customers love the sport of football and this football season we chose to engage with them through our unique promotional campaign”. At the event were the company’s chairman and former Information minister, Chief Alex Akinyele as well as leading members of Nigeria’s electronics and appliances industry along with officials to

oversee the draw process. According to Mr Sridhar, customers were able to enter the draw through SMS based electronic registration, which made the draw entry process very transparent and swift noting that the national level implementation of the campaign was a challenge to the company. Expressing appreciation to its teeming customers and Dealers, Mr Sridhar thanked its dealer network for making the campaign possible and successful. “Binatone is a preferred brand by customers looking for lifestyle upgrades and we knew the support for the Nigerian national team at this year’s world cup was tremendous and so we combined our campaign with online Football trivia contests as well which were held in par-

allel to allow Binatone’s growing online fan-base a chance to enjoy the football fever that had captured the world. A brand that Nigerian’s and indeed people across Africa are familiar with and fond of, Binatone is a part of every Nigerian home. Famous for its reliable and high- performance Cooling, Domestic Appliances and Power products, Binatone is a leader in Fans, Kitchen appliances and power solutions. Winners of the grand draw were able to win hundreds of these products while one grand prize winner got a brand new Kia Picanto car. All the winners will be individually contacted for the collection of their prizes. The list of winners will also be published in the newspaper. Binatone was established in 1958 in London, U.K. and has

L-R: MD of Global Appliances Nig. Ltd., Mr. Gurumoorthi Sridhar; Financial Controller, Mr. Joseph Babayemi; Regional Manager, Mr. Atul Saraf and the awardee

been a leader in technology ever since. Its regional distribution was first established in 1974 in Lagos Nigeria, and is

presently carried out by Global Appliances Nigeria Limited with a strong presence in West Africa.

HEALTH THURSday, AUGUST 14, 2014

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

Best way to diagnose fibroids is through ultrasound

}p-28 appolonia adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com appoloniaadeyemi@gmail.com

Ebola: Protective equipment grossly inadequate, say doctors, health workers Providing care for Ebola Virus Disease patients is full of hazards in view of the infectious nature. However, the provision of sufficient and appropriate use of personal protective equipment by health staff can make positive difference, writes APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

he death of the Liberian American Diplomat, Mr. Patrick Sawyer known to have imported Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) into Nigeria on Friday, July 25 and subsequent infection of other Nigerians who had direct contact with him, has sent a very strong message to many. That message is: â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Don't joke with Ebola viruses. To this end, many Nigerians have adopted the personal and environmental hygiene procedure which the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommends as part of the strategy to put the virus at bay. As for medical doctors and other health workers whose role it is to provide care for the sick including the EVD patients, it is a different ball game. How they will provide health care for Ebola patients without getting themselves infected is the big challenge they face presently. The basic question being asked by doctors, nurses and other health care personnel is, "will healthcare staff who stake their lives to care for infected Ebola virus victims get needed protection? This question has been asked over and over by medical staff against the background that the Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) required to care for Ebola virus patients and suspected cases, is available in the country only in limited quantity. However, going by the daily increase of Nigerians testing positive to the virus, it is clear that EVD is already a public health problem in the country. As at Monday, August 11, the Federal Ministry of Health (FMOH) confirmed 177 people had been placed on surveillance and isolation, rising from the 139 recorded as at Friday, August 8. As at Tuesday, August 12, the Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu confirmed that while two out of the 10 that had contracted the virus are dead, Sawyer and the Nigerian matron, eight others were responding to treatment. As some health staff are already volunteering to assist those giving care at

According to him, the enormity of the health emergency challenge posed by EVD is huge and beyond the Lagos State Government, adding that the federal government has a lot of role to play in ensuring the protection for those providing care so as to check spread of the Ebola virus

Health workers kitted to care for patients

L-R: Public Relation Officer, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Dr. IbrahimOgunbi; Chairman, NMA Lagos State, Dr. Tope Ojo; and Secretary, NMA in Lagos, Dr. BabajideSaheed at the news conference on Ebola and doctorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strike held in Lagos.

the Infectious Disease Hospital (IDH), Yaba and the Mainland Hospital in Yaba, Lagos, the federal government is being challenged to make more PPE available so as to encourage more doctors and other health workers to come forward to assist as being requested by the federal and Lagos State Governments. This is becausen once a person is infected with Ebola, the disease is transmissible through direct contact with broken skin, mucous membranes and secretions/fluids of an infected person or through direct contact with materials and surfaces that have been contaminated by the infected person. Chairman of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Lagos State, Dr. Tope Ojo, at a news conference in Lagos on Sunday, appealed to the federal

government to provide adequate provide protective gadgets so as to enhance appropriate intervention. Speaking in similar vein, Secretary of NMA in Lagos State, Dr. Babajide Saheed said without PPE for the health staff working to control Ebola, it would mean putting life of those who come out to assist in great danger. "Ebola is not like bomb blast. What has government put in place for volunteers to work with?," he asked. Highlighting the examples of staff of Doctors Without Borders and other charity workers providing healthcare for EVD patients in Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, Saheed noted that the PPE is an indispensable gadget without which the virus could spread rapidly among the population giving needed

treatment. To prevent health staff from getting infected like the top Sierra Leone doctor, Sheik Umar Khan who eventually contracted the virus while providing care for patients and died last month, Saheed challenged the federal government to make PPE available in Nigeria. Speaking on challenges posed by the limited availability of PPE, the Chairman of the Association of General Private Medical Practitioners of Nigeria (AGPMPN), Lagos State Chapter, Dr. Adeyeye Arigbabuwo said private healthcare facilities are presently in dire need of these equipment. Arigbabuwo said since the EVD emergency began, the federal government provided less than a dozen PPE only to private facilities in Lagos State. "This is to be distributed to over 3,000 facilities in Lagos," he said. Another major problem posed to private healthcare facilities is that unscrupulous businessmen are currently hoarding PPE while prices of these basic life-saving equipment has skyrocketed beyond the reach of users. The equipment is scarce and not available. Even when they are seen, they are not affordable, said Arigbabuwo. A medical director of a Lagos based private health facility who spoke on condition of anonymity said the federal government provided 20 PPE to over 3,000 health facilities in Lagos. "They are not serious about addressing Ebola," he said. To make matters worse, the doctor disclosed that private hospitals in Lagos have been told to purchase their own PPE. While the price list of PPE sourced from the federal government is given as N17,500, facilities buying from the Lagos State Government are expected to pay as much as N35,000 for the same PPE. "So, government has now turned trading in PPE into a business venture," said the doctor. The issue of turning trading in PPE into business venture was recently confirmed by Idris while giving update on the Ebola emergency on Wednesday, August 6 when he appealed to various businessmen and women engaged in the commerce of materials and equipment critically needed in the management of this Ebola outbreak not to cash in on this unfortunate situation by hiking the prices of their commodities. The prices of commodities being hiked include gloves, sanitisers, decontamination equipment and chemicals. Given the dearth of the equipment, Arigbabuwo said the AGPMPN would come up with its own formula on how to make the PPE available to its members in Lagos State. C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 2 8

28 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

ECOWAS intensifies measures to contain Ebola

he ECOWAS Commission in collaboration with the relevant government health authorities has disinfected its Lagos Liaison Office as part of precautionary measures and interventions to stem the spread of the deadly Ebola virus which has claimed more than 900 lives in the region since the outbreak in March 2014. A team dispatched by the commission worked with health officials to carry out the fumigation on Thursday August 7, 2014 and this has necessitated the closure of the office facilities for a few days. Given the importance that management attaches to the Ebola outbreak, the Commission has since set up a Task Force to respond to concerns that staff might have and to also update them on measures at preventing and tackling the deadly virus. Both president of the Commission, Kadré Desire Ouédraogo and the Vice President Dr. Toga Gayewea McIntosh have expressed the Commission’s condolences and sympathy with member states and families affected by the epidemic. Speaking during a management/staff interactive session at the Commission’s Abuja Headquarters on Tuesday, the Vice President reiterated that ECOWAS was collaborating and working closely with member states, the West African Health Organisation (WAHO) and the international community including the World Health Organisation (WHO) to

with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Fibroids: Risk factors, management STIGMA

Hand washing can prevent Ebola

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contain the disease. During the meeting, the staff members were updated on various measures put in place by the commission to protect them and their colleagues in all community institutions and community citizens at large. Similar briefings have also taken place at the Community Court of Justice and the ECOWAS Parliament all in Abuja. On the directive of regional Heads of State and Government, ECOWAS has since set up an Ebola Solidarity Fund. Acknowledging that the containment and management measures required huge resources, the Vice President expressed the hope that development partners would in their traditional gesture of assistance to the Community contribute to the Solidarity Fund to help rid the region of the deadly virus. “There is no need for panic,” he assured, explaining that with strict observance of proper personal hygiene coupled with institutional interventions at national and regional levels, and prompt reporting of all

suspected cases to the appropriate health facilities the virus would be defeated. Vice President McIntosh also underscored the importance of the sharing of useful information, but warned against rumour mongering so as not to spread or aggravate panic. The Director of Human Resources, Mr. Albert Siaw-Boateng elaborated on the corporate preventive and precautionary measures put in place by the Commission, including the installation of automatic hand sanitisers at strategic locations within the building and appropriate measures to be taken by security personnel for the screening of visitors, staff and items. In her presentation, the Health Adviser to the ECOWAS Commission President, Dr. Mariane Ngoulla enumerated the causes of the disease, its symptoms, the incubation period as well as the preventive steps, stressing that the major source of contamination is contact with an infected person, especially through blood and body fluid.

Doctors seek more personal protective equipment C O N T I N U E D f r om PA G E 2 7

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

According to him, the enormity of the health emergency challenge posed by EVD is huge and beyond the Lagos State Government, adding that "the federal government has a lot of role to play in ensuring the protection for those providing care. The chairman of AGPMPN said due to the ongoing strike by the doctors under the auspices of the Nigerian Medi-

cal Association (NMA) which began since July 1, private health facilities now receive majorities of the health cases, prompting them to rise to the challenge posed by EVD. He said through the association, private facilities have commenced sensitisation for members. Primary contacts or front desk staff in various hospitals including receptionists, record clerks and others have now been trained on how to attend to patients with a view to checking spread of Ebola. Similarly, secondary contacts including nurses who collect blood and other samples from patients have equally received training on how best to discharge their duty without exposing themselves to the risk of contracting the virus. In the last four months, West African EVD outbreak death toll has reached 1,013. Nearly all of those deaths have been in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Nigeria has recorded two deaths only.

Premature labour and frequent miscarriages trail fibroids, smear women Dear doctor, What is fibroid and premature birth? Answer:

IBROIDS (UTERINE MYONATOSIS /LEIOMYOMAS) are the most common non cancerous tumors in women of child bearing age and women of colour mostly black women. It is growths of the smooth muscle from the body of the uterus (womb). Fibroids are made up of muscle cells and other tissues that grow in and around the wall of the uterus/womb. While the cause is unknown, many that have the disease do not have any symptoms and may not know. FACTORS THAT INCREASES CHANCES OF HAVING FIBROIDS include overweight women, advanced age between ages 40 to 60, high estrogen use, black women, history of hypertension, family history, and not having children (infertility).

surgically removed fibroids

PHOTOS: webMD

FACTORS THAT REDUCES CHANCES OF HAVING FIBROIDS include having more than five pregnancies, being above 60 years old (after menopause due to decreased estrogen level), long use of oral contraceptives (birth control pills), smoking (unfortunately) and use of depo provera injections as contraceptives. Fibroids increases with pregnancy and grows as the baby grows. Sometimes, fibroids may negatively affect the pregnancy, in some cases, leading to spontaneous abortion because estrogen is needed by both a pregnant state and fibroids for growth but regresses during menopause due to same reason of decreased estrogen production in menopause

Fibroids increases with pregnancy and grows as the baby grows. Sometimes, fibroids may negatively affect the pregnancy, in some cases, leading to spontaneous abortion because estrogen is needed by both a pregnant state and fibroids for growth

Cap

SYMPTOMS are menstrual abnormalities which include prolonged/ heavy bleeding, the most common symptoms - pelvic pain/pain pressure seen in form of pelvic discomfort, pain with urination/ constipation though seen mostly in large fibroid and with pregnancy can result in labour complication. If pregnancy is carried to full nine months, premature labour (before nine months), an unborn child might be in wrong positions and there could be frequent miscarriages. The best way to diagnose fibroids is through an ultrasound done across the vaginal called (transvaginal) but the best treatment is surgery, either completely removing the womb/uterus in most severe cases of severe bleeding, with most women being anemic. Conservative management until surgery might be iron replacement to help rebuild blood levels. Three types of surgical treatment are: (1) HYSTERECTOMY is used when other treatments fails, as a last resort, a definitive treatment for women who do not wish to preserve fertility, and it is the surgical removal of the uterus/ whole womb. This makes some women feel less of a woman with the total removal of the womb and can have some psychological effects sometimes, affecting sex lives). (2) Myomectomy is the removal of the fibroid only, used on women that wish to preserve fertility and have children. Rate of occurrence is 15 to 30 percent and success depends on the number of fibroids removed. (3) Fibroid embolisation is a newer treatment - minimally surgically done to cut off blood supply to those fibroids with the hope of starving them to death. Risk of reoccurrence is 30 percent. (4 ) Myolysis is done mostly through laser, where an object is used through a camera to break down the fibroid. This is very easy to do, but comes with risk of increase, vaginal bleeding. Rate of reoccurrence after this procedure is unknown. Medications that control the release of estrogen has been used with some success in treating fibroids but is known to lead to bone loss and can be expensive in the long run.

HEALTH

Personal hygiene essential in pneumonia prevention Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

FATAL AILMENT Remedy includes access to vaccines and treatment Bilikis Bakare

lobally, pneumonia kills more than one million children younger than five years of age each year. This is found to be greater than the number of deaths from any infectious diseases occasioned by HIV infection, malaria, and tuberculosis (TB), among others. Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that causes mild and severe illness in people of all ages, but usually in adults 65 years of age or older as well as children younger than five years. Other groups of people referred to as high risk sufferers include people living with diabetes or heart disease, asthmatics and those who smoke cigarettes. The lungs are located in the chest, one on either side of the chest. The one on the right is divided into three sections and referred to as lobes while that of the left is divided into two lobes. Each lung is conical in shape and is pinkish white in colour at birth; in adult life the colour is dark-grey, mottled in patches and it gets darker as one advances in age. They are soft and protected by the ribcage. The main functions of the lungs are to bring oxygen- gas that provides energy into the body and to remove carbon dioxide, which is a waste product or exhaust of the body. Normally, the lungs have mechanisms of protecting themselves from irritants that can cause damages to the body. Firstly, the nose acts as a filter when breathing in, preventing large particles of pollutants from entering the lungs. However, if an irritant does enter the lungs, it will get stuck in a thin layer of mucus that lines the inside of the respiratory tract, producing sputum or phlegm. An average of three ounces of sputum is secreted onto the lining of these breathing tubes every day. The mucus, sputum or phlegm is swept up towards the mouth by little hairs called cilia that line the breathing tubes. Cilia move mucus from the lungs upward towards the throat to the epiglottis- the gate which opens, allowing the mucus to be swallowed. Another way through which the lungs protect themselves is by coughing up any irritant that enters the body through the nose. The process above takes place every day without an individual even thinking about it. Therefore, spitting up is not normal and does not occur unless the individual has chronic bronchitis or an infection such as chest, cold or pneumonia. Pneumonia can be caused by a virus, bacteria or fungi. Common causes of viral pneumonia are influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and a common cause of bacterial pneumonia is streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus). In children younger than one year of age, RSV is the most common cause of pneumonia. It can be classified according to the environment in which it is contracted. When someone develops pneumonia in the community (not in a hospital), it is called community-acquired pneumonia (CAP).

A case of pneumonia

Pneumonia developed during or following a stay in a healthcare facility (like hospitals, long-term care facilities and dialysis centres), is called healthcare associated pneumonia (HCAP) which includes hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Ventilator- associated pneumonia (VAP) is detected by using a combination of radiological, clinical, and laboratory criteria. VAP is suspected when a patient receiving mechanical ventilation has evidence of a new or progressive pulmonary infiltrate along with fever, leukocytosis, and purulent trachea-bronchial secretions. Pneumonia is considered ventilator associated if the patient was intubated and receiving mechanical ventilation at the time of or within 48 hours before the onset of infection. According to experts, placement of an endotracheal tube can potentially increase the risk of VAP six to twentyfolds in patients treated with mechanical ventilation. For VAP to develop, microorganisms must gain access to the normally sterile lower part of the respiratory tract. Critically ill patients are at risk for microorganisms getting into the lower part of the tract because these patients have a depressed level of consciousness and an impaired gag reflex which may lead to pooling of approximately 100 to 150 ml of contaminated secretions within the oropharynx within a 24-hour period. Placement of an endotracheal tube impedes the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural defense against infection by negating effective cough reflexes and mucocilliary clearance of secretions. Impairment of the cough reflex, accumulation of contaminated secretions within the oropharynx, and placement of an endotracheal tube substantially increase the risk for VAP in critically ill patients. Health care-associated pneumonia is a relatively new classification of pneu-

PHOTO: azithromicin-rx.net

monia that includes community-dwelling pneumonia patients having contact with the healthcare system. Current data indicate that health care-associated pneumonia patients present with more severe disease and are more likely to be infected with drugresistant pathogens, as well as suffer increased mortality compared with community-acquired pneumonia patients. Guidelines recommend that these patients receive empiric antibiotics similar to those recommended for

nosocomial pneumonia; however, it is not currently known if outcomes are improved when health care-associated pneumonia patients are treated in the same way as the community acquired ones. Most common symptoms of pneumonia include high fever, chills, cough with phlegm that does not improve or get worse, shortness of breath with normal daily activities and chest pain when breathing. Basic personal and environmental hygiene is essential in the prevention of pneumonia. This includes regular washing of hands, cleaning hard surfaces that are touched often (like doorknobs and countertops), and coughing or sneezing into a tissue or into the elbow or the sleeve. The risk of getting pneumonia can also be reduced by limiting exposure to cigarette smoke and prompt treatment and prevention of conditions like diabetes and asthma. Those with certain health conditions, like diabetes and asthma, should be encouraged to get vaccinated against the flu and bacterial pneumonia. There are several vaccines that prevent infection by bacteria or viruses that may cause pneumonia. These vaccines include pneumococcal, Haemophilus influenza type B, pertussis (whooping cough), varicella (chickenpox), measles and influenza (flu). Provision and access to vaccines and treatment (like antibiotics and antivirals) by the various tiers of governments can help prevent many pneumonia-related deaths. The public should be sensitised to reduce indoor air pollution and encouraged to imbibe good hygiene practices. Smoking should be discouraged, especially in public places to reduce the risk of contracting pneumonia through side stream smoking. Bakare is of the Features Unit, Ministry of Information & Strategy, Alausa, Ikeja.

NAFDAC tasks APCON, others on advertisement control

lWields big stick for spurious herbal product claims

n order to curb the trend of various companies presenting false claims over their food and drug products, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has challenged advertisers to ensure that claims of advertisement are in line with NAFDAC regulated products. Director General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii who made the call in Lagos on Tuesday, said rules guiding the advertisement of regulated products must be strictly applied to NAFDAC regulation so as to protect unsuspecting public. Orhii spoke at the NAFDAC forum for advertisement control, which brought representatives of food and drug companies and Advertising Practitioners Association of Nigeria (APCON) together to discuss the problems and solutions. Speaking at the forum on Small Business Support Desk (SBSD)'s Forum for Stakeholders in the Advertising Sector, Orhii who was represented by Monica Hemben Eimunjeze, director of registration and regulatory affairs in NAFDAC, said 'NAFDAC has observed the misleading claims in the advertisement of many regulated products many of which has not been properly checked by the media to avail themselves with appropriate and relevant NAFDAC advertisement approval in place before publication." Orhii said particularly worrisome

is the proliferation of advertisement of herbal products with misleading and false claims of treatment and cure of various ailments including HIV/AIDS, hepatitis, key diseases, drug addiction, mental sickness, asthma, cancer, and those other illness that their cure are not yet known. "This unacceptable and dangerous practice is a flagrant violation of the provisions of food and Drugs Act CAP F 32 LFN 2004. The law criminalies this act," he said. Orhii said product registration is not the same with advertisement approval, "but both must be properly aligned, adding, "There are rules guiding the advertisement of regulated products which must be strictly applied to protect the unsuspecting public." In his remark, Registrar of APCON, Alhaji Bello Kankarufu urged all companies advertising NAFDAC regulated products to obey the existing law. Reacting to those companies that chose to violate the law in preference to paying penalty, Kankarufu said, "money is not the issue. We do not want penalty,â&#x20AC;? but urged those involved to obey the law. According to Kankarufu, APCON is not here to kill businesses. While calling on all that are culpable to turn a new leaf he noted that there was element of carelessness or lack of seriousness among some managers of companies dealing in regulated products.

30 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

LUTH performs first heart surgery

n its effort to bridge the gap which warrants many Nigerians to seek heart treatment abroad, the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH) has successfully performed its first open heart surgery. Chief Medical Director (CMD) of LUTH, Prof Akin Osibogun who announced the feat in Lagos, said LUTH’s“Three open heart surgeries were performed on an 18 months old baby girl, a seven year-old boy and a 23 year-old undergraduate.”. Elated, Osibogun said LUTH has joined the likes of University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH), Nsukka and University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan to reduce oversee trips of Nigerians travelling on medical tourism. The doctors, he said, were joined by experts from Hopi-

tauxUniversitaires de Geneve, Switzerland, Greece and Istanbul, Turkey. There was a visiting team of specialists from the Mansoura Hospital, Egypt, he added. He said it would take a little while before LUTH doctors were left to perform the surgery alone, adding that part of technology transfer is for doctors to be supervised by those teaching them. Osibogun said some doctors were sent to Mansura Hospital, Egypt and India for training, adding that they have now improved on their expertise to deliver qualitative care. He said cardiac and renal surgeries are the major reasons why Nigerians seek medical tourism. This is followed by knee/joint replacement surgery.

The CMD said a kidney transplant was also carried out on a 15 year-old who came down with nephritic syndrome, adding that the patient has been on dialysis for over six years before the transplantation. He said the reason why some organs fail after transplantation is because it may not properly match or that patients refuse to take their drugs as advised by their doctors. Giving the financial implication, he said while the cost of a heart surgery in LUTH is below N2 million, that of renal surgery is below N3 million, adding that on the long run, prices will go down. He said the feat is novel in the history of the hospital, adding, “The objective is to make the services more available to Nigerians and on the long run, prices are likely to come down.

L-R: Chairman, Medical Advisory Committee (CMAC), Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Dr. Chris Bode; Chief Medical Director, LUTH, Prof. Akin Osibogun; LUTH’s Director of Administration, Ayo Olagunju; and Consultant Erological Surgeon at LUTH, Dr. HabeebTijani at the news conference to herald the hospital’s first open heart surgery held in Lagos.

Avoid alcohol, drugs, CRH tells youths

Shola Adefuwa

P Programme Officer, Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), Mrs Christy Ekerete-Udofia (middle) presenting her speech at the World Drug Day celebration in Lagos recently. She is flanked by CRH's Programme Officer, Mrs Grace Hygie-Enwerem (left) and others.

Nestle promotes exclusive breast feeding to reduce child deaths Shola Adefuwa he Head of Nutrition in the Federal Ministry of Health, Dr. Chris Osa has said that exclusive breastfeeding alone has the potential to avert 13 per cent of all under-five deaths. Dr. Chris said this at the Nestle Nutrition Symposium on Breastfeeding which was organised by Nestle Nigeria in Lagos recently, to mark the World Breastfeeding Week. Speaking at the symposium with the theme: “Breastfeeding, Score a Goal: Save a Child”, Chris said problems related to poor nutrition affect the entire population including women, adding that children are especially vulnerable because of their unique physiology and socioeconomic characteristics. The nutritional status of children under age five, is an important measure of children’s health, he said. According to Chris, adequate nutrition is essential for children’s growth and development. He said the period from conception to age two, is especially important for optimal physical, mental health, cognitive growth and health, and development. According to him, the period is often marked by protein-energy and micro-nutrient deficiencies which may interfere with optimal growth

Similarly, illnesses such as diarrhoea and acute respiratory infections are also common among children, he said. According to Chris, “Infant and under-five (5) mortality rates in the past five years are 69 and 128 deaths per 1,000 live births (lb), respectively. At these mortality levels, one in every 15 Nigerian children die before reaching age one, and one in every eight do not survive to their fifth birthday. Infant mortality has declined by 26 percent over the last 15 years, while under-5 mortality has declined by 31 percent over the same period”. He further said protecting, promoting and supporting breastfeeding could be the single most important child survival intervention in Nigeria. “No child, no mother, no

Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria, Darnesh Gordon

rcountry - should ever have to suffer the injustice of a lack of nutrition in the 21st Century. What is more unjust, more cruel, than condemning a child, in the womb, to a life of deprivation - especially when we know how to prevent , if we know how to do so, and have the means to do so, there can be no reason not to do so. ” According to Prof. ChinyereEzeaka, a lecturer in Department of Paediatrics, College of Medicine, University of Lagos, the Innocent Declaration”which was made by WHO, UNICEF, health professionals and policy-makers in 1990 to protect, promote and support breastfeeding worldwide. This is aimed to encourage breastfeeding and improve the health of babies around the world. To commemorate the Innocenti Declaration, the World Breastfeeding Week is celebrated every year from 1st to 7th August in more than 174 countries since 1992, she stated. Ezeaka said, breastfeeding is the best way to provide newborns with all the nutrients they need. WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding until a baby is six months old and continued breastfeeding with the addition of nutritious complementary foods for up to two years or beyond.

rogramme Manager of the Centre for the Right to Health (CRH), Mrs Christy Ekerete-Udofia has urged Nigerian youths to stay away from harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances including alcohol and illicit drugs. She made the appeal at the World Drugs Day celebration held recently in Lagos, on the theme “A Message of Hope: Drug Use Disorders are Preventable and Treatable.” According to her, “The international day against drug abuse and illicit trafficking was established by the United Nations general assembly in 1987. This day serves as a reminder of the goals agreed by member states for creating an international society free drug abuse.” She said psychoactive substance use can lead to dependence syndrome - a cluster of behavioral, cognitive, and physiological phenomena that develop after repeated substance use. These include a strong desire to take the drug, difficulties in controlling its use, persisting in its use despite harmful consequences, a higher priority given to drug use than to other activities and obligations, increased tolerance, and sometimes a physical withdrawal state. “Injecting drug use is recognised as a significant risk factor for HIV in sub-Saharan Africa, where estimated HIV prevalence among injecting

A youth taking psychotropic drug

drug users (IDUs) ranges from 5.5 percent and 42.9 percent. In comparison, HIV prevalence in North Africa ranges from 2.6 percent to 6.5 percent. In Nigeria, HIV prevalence among IDUs ranged from 3.1 percent in Cross River state to 10 percent in Kano State in 2007. “In 2012, roughly 25 million people were living with HIV worldwide. Nigeria has an estimated population of 162 million people, and approximately 4.1 percent of this population is estimated to be living with HIV. In numbers, this represents about 3.5 million people, still keeping Nigeria as the country with the second highest burden of HIV in the world, only after South Africa. High risk practices, such as injecting drug use and sex work, drive the epidemic in subSaharan Africa. HIV prevalence among vulnerable and marginalised groups is increasing in some places,” she stated, adding that the epidemics also occur in some of the states where injecting drug use is a major driver of transmission. In parts of Nigeria, HIV transmission occurs largely through injecting drug use, sex workers and among their partners. Ekerete-Udofia said, “Today, we bring to you a new message which is “think health not drugs,” she said, adding this is because it is our wish that we all live a healthy life without drugs. That is why we have always talked to you about rehabilitation."

PHOTO: www.unodc.org

BUSINESS

31 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Thursday, AUGUST 14, 2014

What's news MTN gets $1bn for India expansion Plans by leading mobile network operator to enter the Indian market appears to have received further boost as the board of MTN group is reported to have approved $1 billion for the firm to expand into India.

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Rising Internet aids African SMEs online advertising Small and Medium Enterprises (SMES) in Africa and the Middle East have been predicted to increase their financial outlay in internet advertising in the next five years.

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Group exporting by small firms cut costs Group exporting by small enterprises help cut costs by capturing economies of scale. Joint ventures also enable participating firms to spread risks.

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Incentivising ICT growth through tax cut One of the newest initiatives planned by the Federal Government for telecommunications development in Nigeria is to reduce taxes on telecommunications infrastructure to encourage companies to spend more on network in Africa’s most populous country. }p-37

BUSINESS CREW AYODELE AMINU, Deputy Editor (Business) Simeon Ogoegbulem, Dep. Business Editor BAYO AKOMOLAFE, Asst. Editor (Maritime) SUNDAY OJEME, Asst. Editor (Insurance) SIAKA MOMOH, Asst. Editor (Industry/Agric) Godson ikoro , Asst. Editor (Money Market) JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

}p-33

ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

ayodele.aminu@newtelegraphonline.com ayodeleaminu@yahoo.com

Ebola: $9.6trn ECOWAS cocoa business threatened BANDWAGON Barry Callebaut’s decision may lead to a bandwagon effect that will see other foreign cocoa buyers following suit Siaka Momoh

he threatening scourge of Ebola virus in the West African sub-region is set to jeopardise the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS)’s cocoa business worth over $9.6 trillion, New Telegraph gathered. Barry Callebaut, the world’s biggest chocolate maker, confirmed to Reuters that it had canceled an annual meeting of managers that was due to take place in Ivory Coast because of concern over the spread of the Ebola virus. A total of 2.9 million metric tonnes is produced in the region by four countries. At cocoa daily price of $3285.13 (as at August 11, 2014) per metric tonne, this gives translates to a total annual cocoa production worth over $9.6 trillion. Ivory Coast is number one among the four cocoa producing countries and number one producer of cocoa in the world, producing 1.6 million metric tonnes of cocoa. The others are Nigeria, Ghana and Cameroon producing 400,000, 700,000 and 272000 metric tonnes respectively. Nigeria has already recorded cases of Ebola – two are dead (including the Liberian in transit), 10 have been confirmed to have been infected and 177 people have been quarantined. Though Liberia, Guinea and Sierra Leone are not cocoa producing countries, the contiguous nature of the ECOWAS sub-region and the free trade movement that take place in the geo-political area called Ecowas, give room for countries, which have business to transact with the sub-region to entertain fear of Ebola in-

L-R: Director, Membership Development Directorate, Chartered Institute of Personnel Management of Nigeria (CIPM), Mrs Toyin Ojudun; Chairman, 2014 Conference Planning Committee, Mr Akpos Adonkie; President/ Chairman of Council, Mr Victor Famuyibo and Registrar/CEO, Mr Sunday Adeyemi, during the Institute's 46th annual National Conference press briefing in Lagos.

fection. The Nigeria story is a case in point. The worst Ebola epidemic in history has so far killed over 1,000 people in Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Nigeria. No suspected cases have yet been reported in neighboring Ivory Coast - the region's economic powerhouse and the world's top cocoa grower. Barry Callebaut has invested in cocoa grinding capacity in Ivory Coast as well as in-

frastructure at the San Pedro cocoa port. "We have canceled the meeting because of the problem with Ebola as certain people were not comfortable coming to work in the region because of that," said a senior company source, which asked not to be named. The meeting was due to take place in October and is the first time the Swiss-based firm had organised its global meeting in

DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor Abdulwahab Isa, Finance Editor Chuks Onuanyin, Energy Nnamdi Amadi, Reporter JOHNSON ADEBAYO, Asst. Production Editor

Africa. Barry Callebaut’s spokesman, Raphael Wermuth, said that the annual manager's conference, to be attended by 150-200 executives, would be moved because of the uncertainty over Ebola, to Davos, Switzerland. There is a possibility that Barry Callebaut’s decision may lead to a bandwagon effect that will see other foreign cocoa buyers following suit.

Wireless applications providers seek sharing formula reversal FAIRNESS Firms riding on mobile networks seek better deal Jonah Iboma

ireless Applications Service Providers, otherwise known as Value Added Service (VAS) firms, have canvassed a reversal of the current

revenue sharing formula that gives mobile networks the lions share. Currently, the sharing formula gives between 70-75 per cent to mobile networks and 2025 per cent to VAS firms, with only about 6.5 per cent given to government, including the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) and Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). According to details made available to New Telegraph by the Wireless Applications Ser-

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

Strengthening techentrepreneurship

vice Providers Association of Nigeria, (WASPAN), the umbrella body of VAS firms, the new sharing formula should give network operators 30 per cent and VAS firms 70 per cent. The suggested revenue sharing formula formed part of the presentations made to stakeholders during a special interactive meeting between NCC and VAS firms last week. The Coordinating ConsulCONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE June 2014................................8.2% May 2014....................................8% April 2014.................................7.9%

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Aug 08)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.73 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N262.78 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N209.50 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $38.402bn as at 7/08/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at Aug 08)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N171.00 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N291 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N226 Source: CBN

BUSINESS | NEWS

CALCULATED GROWTH MTN is not looking for geographic growth simply for the sake of it Jonah Iboma

lans by leading mobile network operator to enter the Indian market appears to have received further boost as the board of MTN group is reported to have approved $1 billion for the firm to expand into India. According to reports by CNBC TV18, MTN officials are in India to hold talks with three firms based in the Asian country. The companies being discussed with are Tata Group, Videocon Group and Aircel. It said that MTN has already held talks with Tata Group, twice, with respect to Tata Teleservices. “They are also exploring conversations with other players including Videocon and Aircel,” the report said. MTN Group President and CEO, Sifiso Dabengwa, however, poured cold water over any current deals in India, in answering questions at the group’s interim results presentation last week. “Bankers continuously come to our offices with potential acquisitions and potential transactions…we always investigate, or look into them. Up until now, we haven’t really found any-

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

MTN gets $1bn for India expansion thing that was worth doing. “Yes, we will get bankers coming with opportunities in India, with opportunities in Mexico, in Australia…so, we are continuously looking for meaningful opportunities,” Dabengwa said. He said that MTN was not

looking for geographic expansion simply for the sake of it, adding that some of the comments made in the press were not accurate. Videocon Group is a maker of consumer electronics in India; however, it also has its own line of mobile phones,

L-R: Airport Manager, British Airways, Adetoun Odejinmi; Acting Director General, Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), Benedict Adeyelika; Corporate Sales Manager, British Airways, Adetutu Otuyalo and Customer Service Manager, British Airways West Africa, Babatunde Pecku, at the British Airways' courtesy visit to Adeyelika in Lagos.

Rising Internet aids African SMEs online advertising –IDC DEMOCRATISED ADVERTISING It’s no longer absolutely vital for businesses to have huge funds at their disposal in order to hire expensive ad agencies Jonah Iboma

mall and Medium Enterprises (SMES) in Africa and the Middle East have been predicted to increase their financial outlay in internet advertising in the next five years. According to International Data Corporation, internet advertising by SMEs is expected to record a 27 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2013 and 2018. The consulting firm's latest research paper, New Media Market: Internet Advertising Spending in Middle East and Africa (MEA) in 2013 and 2014– 2018 Forecast, attributes this dynamism to rising internet penetration and the growing economic affluence of the region's consumer base. According to the firm, continuous developments within the Internet advertising market are driving increasing numbers of organisations to leverage low-cost options such as Google Adwords or Facebook Ads to target their customers in a more efficient manner.

and through Videocon Telecommunications, it has a licence for mobile service operations across India. Aircel is an Indian mobile network operator headquartered in Chennai. Last year, MTN Group held detailed discussions for a po-

These wide-reaching platforms, the firm noted, offered a much more cost-effective entry point than traditional advertising, making them particularly relevant for emerging markets such as MEA, where burgeoning economies and concerted government initiatives are spurring a rise in the number of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). "The innovative new advertising models facilitated by rising Internet adoption are enabling organisations with limited advertising budgets to more fully participate in the advertising market," said Sony John, programme manager for telecommunications and media at IDC Middle East, Turkey, and Africa. "In this sense, the Internet has 'democratised' advertising, as it is no longer absolutely necessary for businesses to have huge funds at their disposal in order to hire expensive advertising agencies or marketing firms. And while this has inevitably resulted in some cannibalisation of traditional media advertising, particularly print, the widening participation of smaller organisations in the advertising space has more than made up for it." IDC, however, noted that the overall improvement in economic activity across most parts of MEA has meant that an increasing proportion of people are seeing their disposable incomes rise. “This growing affluence

is not only enabling consumers to purchase more mobile devices with Internet connections, it is also attracting more advertisers to target these consumers,” IDC stated. The firm also said that falling data tariffs, as a result of declining voice revenues and heightened competition were also helping to accelerate Internet use on mobile devices. It added that young demographic with an average age of 20–28 years that characterises the MEA region is a huge driver of online advertising. “This young population is driving a connected culture whereby a large proportion of the population instinctively (and increasingly) chooses to go online for their information, social networking, and entertainment needs,” it stated. IDC's newly published report indicated that advertising formats such as 'mobile search' and 'mobile display' are expected to grow the fastest between 2013 and 2018, clocking CAGRs of well over 50 per cent. Meanwhile, the 'online display' and 'online search' formats will continue to attract the highest levels of spending over this period. But despite this positive outlook, IDC said it believed there was plenty of scope for even more growth. "There remains an overall lack of clarity among organisations around the different Internet advertising options that are available to them," said John.

tential acquisition in India with Reliance Communications, the company it tried unsuccessfully to merge with in 2008. However, the talks were put on hold, according to Bloomberg, citing “three people with knowledge of the situation.” The media house said that MTN had been discouraged by a revision in India of its telecommunications mergers and acquisitions rules. MTN has also previously held talks with Bharti Airtel for a potential $24 billion merger deal in 2009, which was called off. Just last week, MTN released results for the first six months of the year, which showed that the group’s revenue rose by 10.71 per cent to N1.1 trillion from N998.79 billion in the same period of the corresponding year second half of 2013. The boost at the company’s top line level was bolstered by the impressive contribution of its Nigerian subsidiary. MTN Nigeria recorded the highest revenue growth of 21.5 per cent to N411.92 billion for the second half of 2014 from N333.96 billion in the same period of last year, outperforming MTN South Africa whose operational revenue contracted by seven per cent to N298.10 billion as weak currency and stiff competition at home slowed growth.

Wireless applications providers seek sharing formula reversal CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

tant of WASPAN, Mr Simon Aderinola, noted that the current sharing formula was inimical to the survival of VAS firms and inconsistent with global best practices. He said that in Japan, one of the world’s leading mobile network operators, NTT DoCoMo paid out the highest ever WASP revenue share of 91 per cent, adding that it took Japan to second best global mobile revenue business at the time. Over the years, there has been a cold war between mobile network operators and WASP providers over revenue share with the formula systematically tilting in favour of the mobile networks every passing year. This made WASPs to approach NCC to intervene in the process and on the basis of this, NCC called for the stakeholders' meeting last week. Fallout of the meeting was the announcement by the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, that a plan to develop an industrydriven regulatory framework to strengthen the mobile VAS market would soon be unveiled. The industry regulator stated that the volume of business activities in mobile VAS segment of the Nigeria’s highly competitive telecommunication industry is currently valued at $200 million year-on-year. The revenue is, however, expected to more than double to reach $500 million in the next few years if proper regulatory framework is put in place, ac-

cording to Juwah Addressing a gathering at the forum, Juwah, who was represented by the executive commission, stakeholder management at commission, Okechuwkwu Itanyi, said that the forum was aimed at presenting the Commission’s findings of some unethical conducts in VAS provision and chart a way forward in the VAS segment of the Nigerian telecoms industry. “The exponential growth in the Nigerian telecom industry, in the last 12 years has given rise to the evolution of the mobile phone from a device just to support communications requirement to a smart phone with the capacity to provide a plethora of services,” he added. Juwah, however, said that based on the impressive value of the market, there was the need to “seize the opportunity to ensure the right market practices by the operators in the VAS segment of the telecoms industry to enrich the consumers total quality service experience.” According to him, recently, the industry has witnessed some practices in the VAS segment, which have given the industry regulator a lot of concern. “The Commission has received avalanche of complaints from Nigerian subscribers regarding forceful activation of various value added services by service providers without explicit consent. Worse still, these services are auto-renewed resulting to perpetual look-in of subscribers by the VAS providers,” he said.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

FactFile Strengthening tech-entrepreneurship

l With 816 MFIs and more than 6,600 branches in operation at the start of 2012, Nigeria boasts Africa’s largest microfinance market. l A 2012 study carried out in China of 5,333 urban residents from Hangzhou, Nanjing, Yinchuan, Harbin, Guangzhou, and Taiyuan found that 36 per cent of them were severely stressed with 34-44 year olds recording higher stress levels than those aged 55 and older.

The myriad of SMEs that Nigeria’s soon-to-blossom automobile industry will need for support supplies and services are tech entrepreneurs, writes SIAKA MOMOH

l Paul Newton of Oxford University found a disturbing amount of fake malaria drugs sold in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and disappointedly concluded, "...about half of the artesunate contained no active ingredient.

he need to strengthen techno-entrepreneurship stares us in the face every day. Techno-entrepreneurship is the business that has to do with technical skills. That welder, that automobile mechanic or automobile body mender (panel beater) you see on side streets, or the youths engrossed in computer business in Otigba Computer Village Ikeja, Lagos, those electricians who the DISCOS and GENCOS need as contractors are techno-entrepreneurs. The myriad of SMEs that Nigeria’s soon-to-blossom automobile industry will need for support supplies and services are tech entrepreneurs. Recognition Top engineers recognise them if we don’t. The likes of Emmanuel Onu Egbogah, a professional petroleum engineer, chairman, Abuja Petroleum Roundtable Advisory Board, and Director, Africa Region, Society of Petroleum Engineers, knows how important they are to an economy. Egbogah, who has over 35 years diversified geological and petroleum engineering experience, says technoentrepreneurship needs passionate attention and once had interactive visits to the popular Otigba computer cluster and the Alaba International Market, in cosmopolitan Lagos. In fact, Egboga is not one that will agree with the Federal Government's decision to merge universities with polytechnics. For him, they are poles apart, but complimentary. He explained: “For a country to develop technologically, it must have a ratio of one technician to nine engineers - engineers design whilst technicians - products of the polytechnics, execute. Otigba cluster O.A. Bamiro, a professor of Mechanical Engineering, who did a survey study on the Otigba cluster, said that the cluster has a strong entrepreneur culture which enables it to grow despite very weak and nearly non-existent institutional support. The cluster is spread across six streets in Ikeja and it is characterised by high employment generation capacity through apprenticeship systems of skills development, producing new entrants to the cluster and several others entering the economy. Bamiro gave details on the Otigba cluster: • Synergy between trading activities in computer components and allied products on one hand and components assembling operations involving these traded items; • Heavy reliance on importation of computers and their components and allied products, resulting in sensitivity of trading and production activities in the cluster to the stability of macro-

l India is the world's second largest producer of vegetables (next only to China) and the third largest producer of fruit (Brazil and USA ranked first and second respectively). However, the country only ranks 15 when it comes to exports of these products. l The large volume of traffic in the city of Lagos is posing great challenge to the movement of cargo and empty containers in and out of the ports.

economic variables such as foreign exchange and import duties; • Cooperative competition in which actors compete but are still involved without action in form of inter-firm credit facilities. Technical support through knowledge sharing, joint warehousing in response to the limited spaces in the cluster and active participation of operators in the activities of the Umbrella Association formed to tackle the operational problems of the cluster. Cost of doing business Bamiro however regrets that features like infrastructural support, most especially electricity, roads and space, result in high cost of doing business. He notes that Nigerian Copyright Commission and Microsoft subject certain critical activities in the cluster to institutional control. For the don, activities in the cluster are knowledge-based, as is characteristic of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). For him, Otigba “is a growing and innovating cluster in response to market pull and need to respond to changing needs of the market.” The cluster needs a phase lift; it needs infrastructure upgrade.

For a country to develop technologically, it must have a ratio of one technician to nine engineers - engineers design whilst technicians - products of the polytechnics, execute

Renewable energy Opportunities exist in renewable energy business in abundance for technoentrepreneurs. They can explore the following ventures: Wind energy production, solar radiation energy production (solar energy which Africa is strategically placed to be a fore-runner of), geothermal energy venture, gas from landfills venture, sewage treatment plants business (one of us, late Otunba Gadafi was poised to plunge into this; mines and biomass business. Some 16, 800 kWh of electricity is fed into Germany’s national grid from wind energy institutions. In 2002, 3.5 per cent of net electricity consumption came from offshore wind parks. What this means is that technoentrepreneurs can, in their own right, generates electricity and sell to the national grid in power deficient Nigeria. About 4.4 per cent of domestic electricity consumption in Germany was covered by hydrodynamic power in 2001 – representing over half of electricity generated in Germany. Biomass electricity generation accounted for 0.3 per cent of domestic consumption – about 1400 million kWh in 2001. Automotive policy More interesting is the nation’s Automotive Industry Development Plan, which is now in place. According to Director-General, Nigeria’s National Automotive Policy, Aminu Jalal, Nigeria and Bangladesh are the only countries in the top 10 by population without a developed automotive industry. He argued: “With our current population and economy, our potential vehicle market is about a million vehicles a year! This is more than sufficient to support an automoCONTINUED ON PAGE 35

l Poor connectivity to the hinterland arising from inadequate road and rail network links between the ports and the hinterland is also a problem. l Another problem is location of tank farms close to the ports causing fuel tankers to compete with cargo trucks on the same limited space of roads. l Majority of Freight Forwarders are engaged in genuine business and are committed to a smooth and speedy delivery of cargo. Some unscrupulous Freight Forwarders engage in sharp practices. In the process of discharging their duties, such Freight Forwarders seek to cut corners in attempt to either reduce cost for the shipper or to increase their own profit. l SMEs expect to benefit from the Internet primarily as an improved platform for marketing, giving them better access to customers and improving their customer relationship management. l Policymakers, SMEs, and innovators are now writing thestory of the Internet’s role in broad-based socioeconomic growth. Predicting how this narrative will unfold is in some ways a fool’s errand. l Eighty percent of SMEs believe they will grow and create jobs with better Internet. However, price, and quality of service pose a significant barrier to access. l Ninety per cent of colleges and universities in Sub-Saharan Africa do not offer courses in innovation and technology. l Among colleges and universities in SubSaharan Africa, only 7 per cent have an entrepreneurship centre dedicated to entrepreneurial development; 28 per cent offer courses specialising in entrepreneurship; and 10 per cent offer a course in innovation and technology.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Enterprise with

Strokes

Siaka Momoh

siakamomoh@yahoo.com 08061396410

Trouble with Nigeria’s ceramic industry

Group exporting by small firms cut costs COOP EXPORT Cooperative exporting is one export strategy SMEs should buy into Siaka Momoh

roup exporting by small enterprises help cut costs by capturing economies of scale. Joint ventures also enable participating firms to spread risks. These benefits are likely to be greatest for small firms that are either new to exporting or have limited export experience, Obiora Madu, CEO, Multimix Export Academy, said in Lagos in an interview. “However, firms of all sizes and levels of international business experience can use joint exporting to reduce per unit export costs and develop proactive export strategies that may not be feasible for individual exporters. The ability to reduce export costs and risks is especially important when considering entry into a new or complex export market,” he said. For Madu, obtaining access to export markets is crucial for fostering SME growth and productivity, especially in light of increased globalisation and market liberalisation. He said that SME in developing countries face many constraints to compete effectively in these markets since they often lack the necessary knowledge and financing; may not meet foreign regulatory requirements, or may produce products in quantities and of a quality that are not adequate for foreign buyers. The Multimix boss explained: “One effective way of addressing these problems is through the development of export consortia. These are voluntary groupings of enterprises, usually in the same or

similar business or sub-sector, with the objective of improving the export readiness and increasing the export volumes of the participants. “Most consortia are nonprofit entities, and members retain their financial, legal, managerial, and commercial autonomy. So, despite their participation in the export consortia, member firms do not give up any control over their business to others. This is the main difference between consortia and other types of strategic alliances.” Speaking in the same vein, Ike Willie-Nwobu, an Abujabased social critic and analyst said that cooperative export allows for cost sharing firms involved, effective management of population, that is port agencies. He added: “Cooperative exporting gives the cooperating firms strength; they will have the ability in negotiating with economic bulldozers, that is, the imperialists who will find it difficult to break their ranks. With cooperative exporting, they are able to deal with bureaucrats more efficiently.” Explaining further, Madu said that firms can join together to share the costs of foreign market research (including hiring expertise), travel and overseas activities, reduce the average costs of overseas trade shows and missions through joint activities and firms with complementary products can offer more attractive "full line" packages to prospective buyers. “Cost reductions can also be achieved by jointly conducting generic advertising intended to cultivate or increase demand for particular products,” he said. He gave a list of other benefits as follows: “Firms can increase sales and profits through joint bidding. As a group, the joint venture can respond to foreign orders requiring quantities beyond the

productive capacity of the individual member firms, and it can accomplish sales while frustrating a foreign buyer's ability to play sellers off against one another; volume discounts can be negotiated with carriers. Through an export joint venture, firms can guarantee carriers sufficient cargo to make these discounts available; any number of joint venture partners may join together and submit a single bid on a particular project or tender. The partners can use the same overseas representative, agree to sell separate products as a unit, prepare joint catalogs, and allocate among participating partners the sales that result from joint bidding or selling arrangements.” He said that two or more joint venture partners might agree to establish uniform minimum export prices for particular products in order to avoid price rivalry with each other. “For some joint ventures, higher profits might be secured through joint negotiations on prices and on terms of sale with foreign buyers; joint venture partners may jointly engage in a variety of activities that will promote or support their combined export sales,” he said. Good as this partnership is, there are stumbling blocks, Madu said. He explained: “Successful partnering implies a long-term commitment that requires time and effort to establish and manage. Many firms underestimate the amount of work and time involved in establishing a partnership. Developing criteria, selecting a partner, and negotiating an effective alliance can be an extremely lengthy process. The objective is to deliver the full set of skills and resources, with each partner delivering what they do best. The right partner is one that complements your own firm's capabilities.”

he problem with it is the problem with the nation’s entire solid mineral sector. It is appropriate to ask this question now if we go by questions that have been raised in the past and the fact that this Nigeria’s vital solid mineral is currently in the news. Few years back, one Gilbert Chigbo raised the issue of Nigeria’s largely unexploited ceramic industry in an article he sent to me in BusinessDay. He argued there was need to “harness the bountiful yet largely untapped potentials of the country’s ceramics industry”. For him, ceramics could be Nigeria’s new black gold. Chigbo took the trouble to state, in clear terms, Nigeria’s rich endowment in ceramics. Said he: “Ceramic products are divided into eight groups – glass, lime/gypsum/cement, porcelain enamels, structural clay products, refractories, abrasives and mineral preparation. The largest of which, is glass... Sand, feldspar and limestone are three raw materials used in glass production. The technical considerations are purity and particle size. These raw materials are available in many states in Nigeria. High-grade sand exists in quantity at Nsude, less than 15 miles from Enugu, Limestone near Calabar, and at Arochukwu, while feldspar can be sourced somewhat further in Niger and Ogun States. Refining them to glass grade involves grinding, lieving and magnetic separation equipment.” He added that Lime “has over 1000 uses” but that the technology is ancient. He said gypsum, apart from its use in Portland cement manufacture, gypsum on conversion to plaster of Paris (POP) finds many uses in construction, sculpture, orthopedic medicine, blackboard chalk production, etc. For him, the onus is on us – citizens of Nigeria, to look within, explore and exploit our natural resources to the fullest. That is Gilbert Chigbo and Nigeria’s ceramics industry that is begging for full attention. Since he voiced his opinion, not much has been done; the cement industry is doing well with limestone though. Only recently, Patrick Eguakhide Oaikhinan, professor of ceramics engineering and CEO of Epina Technologies Limited, came up with his concern for ailing Nigeria’s ceramics. His company plans to hold a ceramics international trade fair at Sheraton Hotel, Ikeja, Lagos, on August 27 and 28 this year. The trade fair is co-hosted by the Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA). It will attract lo-

cal and foreign players in the industry. The professor of ceramics raised mindboggling issues, in a media interactive session: Nigeria’s market potential for ceramics is $462.2 million; world market for ceramics is projected to be $408 billion by 2018; for not growing our ceramic industry, we have shut down 1.2 million jobs; in India for example, 5.5 million people are directly and indirectly employed by the ceramics tile industry; in the same country, the informal sector has approximately 250 firms that are producing ceramic sanitary wares with a market size of ¤350 million. So Professor Oaikhinan’s company is coming in with the international trade fair to discuss issues of interest relating to ceramics manufacturing business. The fair is expected to provide entrepreneurs, investors and the unemployed, particularly youths with a clear and up-to-date understanding of the competitiveness of the ceramics sector, the opportunity to converge and, thereafter, pave the way for the federal government to engage the sector in the development of horizontal and vertical policies. In short, he is gunning for a turnaround in the industry. The trouble with ceramics is the trouble with the entire solid mineral sector. We have a robust deposit of solid minerals but we lack something: The exploitation of these money-spinning natural resources is unorganized, poor, and as a result, lives of miners are endangered and the revenue generated from the sector by government is poor. This has been the case over the years in spite of some efforts made in the past. Oby Ezekwesili’s blueprint It would be recalled that Obiageli Ezekwesili as minister of Solid Minerals during Obasanjo regime, produced a blueprint for the exploitation of Nigeria’s solid minerals which number 34.These solid minerals, proven reserves and in commercial quantities, are widely spread across 450 locations in most of the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Huge deposits Gold is available in commercial quantities in Osun, Oyo, Kwara, Zamfara, Kebbi and Kaduna States. Between 1933 and 1943 when production peaked, Nigeria exported some 3.2 million ounces of gold! Nigeria has the second largest reserves of tantalite in the world, occurring as Tantalum-Niobium and available in a belt stretching from Nassarawa State and FCT across to Ilesa in Osun State.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY 35

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Successful entrepreneurs who didn’t need college

A college degree, as many have found, is no guarantee of a good career

ow many times were you told to make sure you worked hard in high school so you could go to college and get a good career job? Okay, maybe not all of you got nagged about it, but probably a good portion of today’s generation of adults did. It’s natural to wonder whether college is really necessary. A college degree, as many have found, is no guarantee of a good career. On the flipside, there are many successful entrepreneurs who didn’t need their college education and become millionaires anyway. Here are fifteen of them, both contemporary and from the past, in alphabetical order. l Mary Kay Ash. The founder of Mary Kay Inc. started a cosmetics business. While she didn’t have a college education or any training, she successfully created a brand known throughout the world. To date, nearly half a million women have started Mary Kay businesses, selling cosmetics. Their appreciation for Mary Kay Ash is unwavering. l Richard Branson. Richard Branson is best known for his thrill seeking spirit and outrageous business tactics. He dropped out at the age of 16 and started his first successful business venture, Student Magazine. He is the owner of the Virgin brand and its 360 companies. His companies include Virgin Megastore and Virgin Atlantic Airway. l Simon Cowell. Cowell started in a mailroom for a music pub-

Mary Kay Ash

Michael Dell

Simon Cowell

Henry Ford

Bill Gates

Richard Branson

lishing company. He has since become an Artist and Repertoire (A&R) executive for Sony BMG in the UK, and a television producer and judge for major television talent contests including American Idol. l Michael Dell. With $1,000, dedication and desire, Michael Dell dropped out of college at age 19 to start PC’s Limited, later named Dell Inc. Dell became the most profitable PC manufacturer in the world. In 1996, The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation offered a $50 million grant to The University of Texas at Austin to be used for children’s health and education in the city. l Walt Disney. Having dropped out of high school at 16, Walt

Disney’s career and accomplishments are astounding. The most influential animator, Disney holds the record for the most awards and nominations. Disney’s imagination included cartoons and theme parks. The Walt Disney Company now has annual revenue of $30 billion. l Henry Ford. At 16, Henry Ford left home to apprentice as a machinist. He later started Ford Motor Company to manufacture automobiles. Ford’s first major success, the Model T, allowed Ford to open a large factory and later start the assembly line production, revolutionalizing the auto-making industry. l Bill Gates. Ranked as the world’s richest person from 1995-

2006, Bill Gates was a college drop out. He started the largest computer software company, Microsoft Corporation. Gates and his wife are philanthropists, starting The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation with a focus on global health and learning. l Steve Jobs. After attending one semester of college, Steve Jobs worked for Atari before co-founding Apple Computers. Now without the “Computers” in their name, Apple includes innovative products such as the iPod, iTunes, and most recently the iPhone. Steve Jobs was also the CEO and co-founder of Pixar before it merged with Walt Disney. Source: college-startup.com

Strengthening tech-entrepreneurship C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

tive industry. We also have the following advantages: the 7th most populous economy in the world, a growing middle class (38 million), and a potential vehicle market of one million vehicles annually; annual spending on vehicle import is over N550 billion ($3.5 billion) and growing, making it the number two user of foreign exchange in 2012 after boilers, machinery and appliances; Nigeria has not bound its tariff on vehicles at the WTO, except for ECOWAS and we expect the auto industry to be within the common tariff exclusion list; regional potential into West Africa and Central African market; and availability of a large and trainable workforce. Elements of the plan The automotive Industry Development Plan was developed

after extensive consultations with existing local auto manufacturers, international Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs), as well as Ministry Development Agencies (MDAs). And the FMITI has had sessions with countries that have successfully implemented automotive development programmes. Brazil is one of them. The following are some elements of the plan as presented by Jalal: Industrial infrastructure Automotive supply parks and clusters come in here. These are where industries can share infrastructure, resources, information, knowledge and technical expertise. This will enhance competitiveness, learning and technical innovation and will enjoy the accompanying advantage of costs reduction – production and logistics. NAC has started discussions with some

state governments and existing industrial clusters to facilitate the formation of these parks. These constitute a fertile ground for techno-entrepreneurs. Skills development This is a very critical subject, which must be handled well. We need this dearly across sectors that are as technical as automobile making. We are told OEMs and their global partners have extensive manpower development programmes, both local and international; and that NAC will work with pioneer OEM investors to fill gaps in auto operations by ensuring all lower skilled and mid-skilled roles are immediately filled by Nigerians and with concrete plans to staff high-skilled positions with Nigerians over first 4 to 6 years. Good plans. But there should be an agreement on this because these people do not part with their expertise easily. It is

possible to make them part with it. The Chinese made it possible with their relationship with America. It is sharing news that the Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is already working with SENAI in Brazil to design auto training centres similar to what they have in Brazil in the three existing Nigeria auto clusters. These centres, we are told, would not only train Nigerians to maintain and service vehicles but will also train them to manufacture spare parts. This again is techno-entrepreneurship compliant. Potential gains Take this on potential gain: Large employment generation – major auto manufacturers typically produce 30 per cent of the over 2000 parts that make up a car. The remaining is bought from SMEs, who, of course, are tech entrepreneurs!

Kim says World Bank may support African coal power There are about three billion tonnes of indicated reserves in 17 identified coalfields and over 600 million tonnes of proven reserve in Nigeria, according to Foraminifera Market Research Siaka Momoh

orld Bank President, Jim Yong Kim, indicated at USAfrica Summit in Washington that African “demand for access to power” may lead the lender to support coal projects on the world’s poorest continent, according to Bloomberg report. “We are very sensitive to the idea that Africa deserves to have power,” Kim said, referring to the possibility of supporting coal projects. “There’s never been a country that has developed with intermittent power.” There are about three billion tonnes of indicated reserves in 17 identified coalfields and over 600 million tonnes of proven reserve in Nigeria, according to Foraminifera Market Research. They are found in commercial quantities in Enugu, Benue, Kogi and Plateau states. Africa is experiencing an “almost energy apartheid,” where two-thirds of the population lacks access to power, Kim said in a Bloomberg Television interview on the sidelines of the US-Africa Business Forum in Washington. World Bank funds will be invested in clean energy as much as possible, with a focus on hydroelectric, solar, geothermal and wind. It will “try to avoid” investing in coal, Kim said, “but at the same time, we’ve got to respect the Africans’ demand for access to power.” The Washington-based lender said that it’s committing $5 billion to boost electricity generation in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, and Tanzania. Last year, the World Bank said that it would stop financing coal projects except in rare cases “where there are no feasible alternatives available to meet basic energy needs and other sources of financing are absent.” The proposition would force the lender and its biggest shareholder, the US, to make an exception in their clean-energy commitments and concede that burning coal can be the fastest route out of poverty. The International Monetary Fund said on July 24 that it estimates sub-Saharan Africa’s economies will grow 5.4 per cent this year and 5.8 per cent in 2015, compared with 1.7 per cent and 3 per cent respectively in the US for the same years. Energy shortages are a major obstacle to more robust growth, with about 70 per cent of the population lacking electricity.

36 BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Investment opportunities People will always need help with regard to hiring capable and willing hands to take care of their loved ones at old age Chukwudi Odili

igerian economy is today stagnant, where a good number of people, many displaced from previous employment, are struggling to survive. The private sector is down, owing to the nonexistence of support infrastructure, or rot of existing ones. Only a very few people are working in the thriving public sector, lubricated by oil proceeds and controlled by government. Even at that, people who are still working in that sector are spending cautiously, which indicates that big-time businesses will not boom as much as the small ones. This writing beams searchlight on the opportunities thrown up by elder care service venture, which sees to be lucrative as from 2013 and beyond. Giving that this prospect is just evolving, it should be stared small, and gradually grown over time. The result of a recent reconnaissance survey shows that this service business indeed shows future profit potentials. Starting an eldercare business is a unique proposition. The population of the elderly in Nigeria is a futuristic business to watch out for, even though it is not yet growing at a fast-pace in Nigeria as in places like the US, Canada and Sweden, among others. The very old, those 85 years and above, are on track to grow by 2.8 per cent between 2010 and 2030. It is projected that Nigeria will soon begin to witness declining fertility and mor-

The Global Compact Network Nigeria has been at the forefront of efforts to advance the 10th Principle against corruption, which asks businesses to work against corruption in all its forms Siaka Momoh

here is no questioning the need for a collective action against corruption because corruption is a business killer; it is a spoiler any day. This is why there is a global move against this cankerworm on the platform of the United Nations. It does this through a network of institutions that have been established to fight this same destroyer of business and economy. Only recently, at Protea Hotel, Westwood, Ikoyi, Lagos, United Nations Global Compact (UNGC) Network Nigeria had a media interaction on this subject of business integrity. Ms Ola-

How to invest in elder care venture tality rates owing to the hard times and disturbances that make life uncomfortable. Attention will shift from caring for babies to caring for the elderly as the present crop of children and youth will systematically age out and increase the pool of those needing eldercare. You can start your own elder care business, as people are always looking for someone to take care of their elderly parents. You should have some experience or education in the area, but oftentimes, taking care of your own elderly parents is enough. If you have nursing experience or education in the field of physiotherapy or community health or social work, you definitely have an edge over other people without requisite training. People will always need help

with regard to hiring capable and willing hands to take care of their elderly loved ones. Salaries depend on a number of factors, particularly experience and education. A physiotherapist or nurse is going to get more pay, by a household, than is an individual with little experience in the field. That said, people will pay a lot for good care of their elderly loved ones. Salaries can range from somewhere around N15,000 per month all the way up to N50,000 in the case of rich homes. The start-up costs, for offering eldercare services, are very low, in the case of a starter-individual. The service provider will need a willing heart, business cards, surgical gloves and similar gadgets. The person needs to get a list of very good character references along with any elder care, i.e., good homes

that he or she would like to associate with. There is also the need for the person to distribute his or her business cards to children of the elderly, who work in cities, whose parents are lonely in the villages. The would-be service provider may choose to visit homes of the rich and medium income people during festival periods when the city-dwellers occasionally come home. Other places where he or she may take the publicity of his/her business idea to are churches, clubhouses, hospitals and private homes. If he/she can afford it, he/she may run a small advert in a local newspaper or the Internet. The person is in business! Advantages 1. It will be easy to compile a directory of homes that need service on one hand, and of

The writer would be willing to assist in the preparation of a Business Plan, and can be reached online via: ticodilis@yahoo.com

Caring for the elderly

Promoting business integrity jobi Makinwa, Head, Transparency& Anti Corruption, Global Compact office, New York, and Ms Uto Ukpanah MTN’s Company Secretary, spoke extensively on the need for the private sector and government to come together as partners on the issue of business integrity. For them, companies operating in Africa must operate responsively. Said Ms Makinwa: “We expect Nigeria companies to showcase quality stories. We have allowed negative stories far too long.” Ms Ukpana argued that it is a long haul project but it is one that should be started. Said she: “We will start small; we will just start somewhere and forge ahead,” Innocent Azih, who represented the Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG) UNGC’s Nigerian network local partner, spoke on Siemens Integrity Initiative Collective Action. According to Azih, the initiative is an anti corruption Collective Action Project being promoted in five countries of the world in-

persons – young boys and girls/ women – who need employment in this service industry; 2. Following from one above, the venture will create massive coordinated employment for the youth essentially; 3. Given that the service looks more like work of charity, it will gain credibility, especially if promoted by a Missionary. 4. Since the service period and other terms entered into with the employee will be clearly specified under official contract, clients will be rest assured that their parents are in safe hands, even in their absence. 5. The aged themselves have guarantee for safer caring and greater longevity; 6. The venture by its nature will automatically be tax-exempt; The programme will require intensive publicity and extensive logistic arrangements; For instance, assuming the programme runs a trial for one year, it will require coordinated publicity in Churches and adverts in Newspapers/ Radio and Television, which in one year will gulp at least N1m. Key staff in 5 major cities of Nigeria who will champion this cause will be given allowances to cover stipends and transport/ office logistics/phone calls all amounting to at least N3m; in addition to equivalent fee accruable to the company annually, estimated at about N1m in the first five years. In the light of all the advantages and huge profit potentials of this venture, it is worthwhile risking and sinking about N5 million start-up funds.

cluding Nigeria, under the 10th Principle of the UNGC. As Africa’s economies and populations continue to rapidly expand, the UN Global Compact recognizes the unprecedented opportunity to partner with the African private sector to contribute to the United Nations post-2015 development agenda, as well as to scale up sustainable development in the region. To achieve this, the UN Global Compact recently unveiled its Africa Strategy during a weeklong series of events, Africa: Advancing Partnerships and Responsible Business Leadership, held in Addis Ababa between June 9 and 13, 2014. The Africa Strategy (Partners in Change: UN Global Compact Advancing Corporate Sustainability in Africa) serves as the overarching plan of action to emphasize the Global Compact's value proposition in the region. The Global Compact will focus on engaging more companies in sub-Saharan Africa to embed its

ten universal principles on conducting business responsibly, while also urging Governments to provide the right incentives and enabling environments for businesses to thrive. The Africa Strategy is poised for rapid adoption across the continent as it will be a focal point of the UN Global Compact’s upcoming African CEO Roundtable on Corporate Sustainability on November 17, 2014, in Lagos, Nigeria. Anti-corruption initiatives The Global Compact Network Nigeria has been at the forefront of efforts to advance the 10th Principle against corruption, which asks businesses to work against corruption in all its forms, including extortion and bribery. Since December 2010, the Nigerian Local Network has engaged its business participants and other stakeholders in the anti-corruption collective action project in Nigeria. This initiative funded by Siemens,

has sought to create a platform for dialogue, collaboration and capacity building by building alliances of like-minded business and public officials. The project’s main accomplishments include the following: • Increased dialogue between the oil and gas industry in Nigeria on issues of fraud and corruption; • Raised awareness of corruption issues, especially in the procurement process; and • Engaged a large number of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in multistakeholder dialogues against corruption. Nigerian businesses have also shown their commitment to fight corruption by signing the Call to Action: Anti-Corruption and the Global Development Agenda. The Call to Action is an appeal from the private sector to Governments to promote anti-corruption measures and to implement policies that will establish systems of good governance. It has garnered more than 100 global business signatories to date, including Oando Plc Nigeria.

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W it h

TECHTalk Incentivising ICT growth through tax cut Beyond the smart state initiative Telecommunications has in the last decade been one of the best performing sectors in the Nigerian economy. Now, government is seeking to ensure further development of the sector. JONAH IBOMA examines the recent taxation plan by the Ministry of Communication Technology

ne of the newest initiatives planned by the Federal Government for telecommunications development in Nigeria is to reduce taxes on telecommunications infrastructure to encourage companies to spend more on network in Africa’s most populous country. According to Communications Technology Minister, Mrs Omobola Johnson, who unveiled the plan recently, the move had become necessary as taxation at various levels and diverse shades had been one of the major sources of operational expenses. She added that government was determined to ensure that the situation is changed. “For every naira spent on infrastructure, about 70 per cent of it is spent on taxes,” she said in at her office in Abuja recently. “We’re going to bring that down to a much more reasonable level at 30 to 40 per cent.” Harmonisation of taxes, levies Excessive taxation has been one constant complaint by operators and other players in the telecommunications sector. Aside the regular taxes that are paid to the federal or central government, operators often complain of parallel taxes collected by state and local governments. A very knotty issue over the years is that of Right of Way charges, which is collected from operators to allow them permit to lay their cables or poles. The charges differ from state to state and are sometimes not determined based on any clear method or formula. States just set the charges and they expect operators to comply. This was a point that Mrs Johnson identified, stating that while the constitution allows only the Federal Government to tax mobile-phone companies, states and local governments have been levying operators over infrastructure installations, including towers and base stations. “Regional governments shouldn’t charge a retail store N10 million and phone companies N100 million for the same-sized space.” She therefore pledged an effective harmonisation of taxes and levies, to dethrone current multiple taxation regime. The new direction that government is seeking to take appears to have been informed also by the fact that the country remains a preferred destination for international phone companies eager to tap into demand from the country's 170 million people.

Johnson

Juwah

Currently, there are over 177 million connected mobile-phones as at the end of April, compared with 170 million at the start of the year, according to the Nigerian Communication Commission.

tors now have to go through a learning curve to build and develop robust security networks. In simple terms, operators have built extensive power generating networks at a huge cost to ensure availability of service, and now operators have to build extensive security networks to support operations.”

Rising investment In addition, there is a rising investment by the telecommunications companies. MTN, for instance, in April, secured a $3 billion loan to invest in the country, while Globacom, the thirdbiggest carrier, is spending $1.25 billion to upgrade and expand its network. Chairman of India Bharti Airtel, Sunil Mittal, owners of Airtel Nigeria, said in a May interview that operators were unfairly taxed in Nigeria because the industry supports other areas of the economy. Also, Chairman of the Association of Licensed Telecom Operators of Nigeria (ALTON), Mr Gbenga Adebayo, said that multiple taxation is one of the major challenges hindering the growth of telecommunications in the country. He said: “As you are aware, the industry is grappling with the common challenges of multiple taxation and regulation, power, theft and the dearth of supporting infrastructure, amongst other issues. The industry has over the past decade developed a certain degree of competence to manage these issues. For instance, operators have and continue to invest extensively in infrastructure, building transmission and power networks which are outside our core competence to ensure that we are able to deliver services to meet our license obligations. Due to the rising incidence of security issues, opera-

Regional governments shouldn’t charge a retail store N10 million and phone companies N100 million for the same-sized space

Poor power supply But beside taxes, mobile network operators, Internet services providers and other firms in the sector in the country also face the challenges of unreliable power supply and the threat of bomb attacks from Islamist militants, which some of them have blamed for relatively poor service standards being experienced by subscribers. She said telecoms in the northern parts of Nigeria operate with the support of security operatives. Security challenges “There are parts of the northeast that no operator can go into even if they want to,” Mrs Johnson said. “Whenever they have to desperately go and maintain, they do get the support of the security forces to escort to their base stations to do their work.” Already, the assessed unfair tax regime has spurred many of the operators to consider asset stripping to strategically recoup costs and thereby stay afloat to offer improved services. Although the recent decision by operators to sell their cell sites to infrastructure companies has not been linked to taxation pressure, it is clear that operators are struggling to raise requisite funding for their expansion plans and payment of excessive taxes, would only add to that burden. While telecommunications firms may see the move as a welcome development, it must be stated that they have long enjoyed special benefits in the early days of mobile network services rollout in the country. Due to the limited telecommunications infrastructure in the country, government gave the likes of MTN, Econet Wireless and Glo special incentives in which the equipment were brought into in Nigeria duty-free.

Jonah Iboma 08050498516

ne of the plans by Federal Ministry of Communications Technology to develop the technology industry is the recent designation of some states in the country as smart states. By this, the states concerned will offer certain incentives to assist in the quick and cost effective rollout of necessary technology infrastructure in their domain, especially optic fibre cable that aid very fast internet connection. States already signed up to the initiative include Lagos, Cross Rivers and Bayelsa. The major reason for this initiative by the Ministry of Communication Technology is the need to remove barriers created by the process of governance that are militating against quick technology growth and usage. For instance, double taxation is a common problem in the country. Telecommunications is classified as a matter under the exclusive list of the Federal Government. However, given the belief that the sector is seen as being very lucrative, there is a huge desire by states and local governments to access some of the revenue generated by operators. In an attempt to do this however, further barriers are created in the entire process. That is why it is commonplace to see states put Right of Way charges at exorbitant levels in order to get some of the money that they feel that telecom firms have. Aside this, there are several agencies that are involved in licensing technological projects in many states in the country. This means that any firm seeking for Right of W\y to install a base station will not only seek help at state level, but sometimes also do so at local government level. Lagos is the first state to key into this initiative by agreeing drastically reduce the right of way charges from N30000 to,N500 per metre This is very commendable. Bayelsa, which has also said it will have a single agency to handle issues relating to Right of Way and infrastructure development has done well. However, there is need to do more to further the development of the ICT sector. Technology is about people, and not just for the fun of what technology can do. There is therefore a need for all states to adopt a policy of adopting technology for development. The smart state initiative, although commendable, should be the starting point of a national policy to use technology for development. I expect states to adopt very clear technological developmental plans that will improve its people, processes and prgrammes. It is clear that technology rules the world today, therefore competence in this area of human endeavour can only aid a better life. So, as states lower the barrier to technology infrastructure development, they should empower their people to use such technology profitably. There is need to ensure that states are training their indigenes to possess requisite ICT tools for Aside these, there is need to lower other barriers to technology growth such as access to affordable computers, tablets and internet connectivity. Aside the three states of Lagos, Abuja and Port-Harcourt, Internet access is still very slow in many states in the federation. States government can partner with communication ministry and leading technology services firms such as Phase Telecom, MainOne and mobile network operators to deliver better benefits for their people.

BUSINESS | ICT

COLLABORATION Accelerated roll-out of critical ICT infrastructure will expectedly result from alliance Stories by Jonah Iboma

he Federal Government and Anambra State have agreed to work together to create an enabling environment that will position it as a smart state. This will lead to the accelerated roll-out of critical ICT infrastructure across the state necessary for development. The Ministry of Communication Technology and the Broadband Council, chaired by Mrs Omobola Johnson, is promoting a '‘Smart State’’ initiative geared at engaging governors and relevant authorities at the state and federal levels to address the issue of multiple taxation impeding the acceleration of the roll out of critical infrastructure across Nigeria. The main aim of the Smart States initiative is to ensure that effective measures are adopted to remove arbitrary charges and eradicate multiple taxations across the nation. Anambra is one of the Smart States selected by the Broadband Council to facilitate ICT infrastructure rollout critical for development. Other Smart states selected by the Broadband Council include Bayelsa, Gombe, Katsina and Ondo. Lagos has already reduced Right of Way charges by 85 per cent. Bayelsa has already signed an MoU on the smart state initiative. The agreement with Anambra will foster an enabling environment for the deployment of communications infrastructure that will lead to a reduction in the cost of network deployment and an increase in the rollout of

FG partners Anambra on smart state initiative such networks to commercial centers, underserved and rural areas by communications operators. In so doing, an enabling environment will be created that will increase broadband penetration -both fixed and mobile and increase access to such services at affordable prices for customers, creating digitally-enabled urban areas called ‘Smart Cities’. Those states that provide such an enabling environment will be labelled ‘Model States’ and afforded the utmost support in achieving these objectives. In exchange, participating states can expect to see growth in economic activity and productivity and subsequently the positive development of the state. This initiative will cover standardised fees for site building and approvals within the state, reduction in fees and possibility of waiver for Right of Way in deserving instances, implementation of a Dig-Once Policy, promotion of collocation between operators in the state and connectivity to state institutions within 1km of the given Right of Way. Recall that the ministry is working to ensure that the bottlenecks that mitigate service quality delivery are removed. To tackle quality of service issues in the industry, the ministry, in partnership with the Ministry of Works, developed new RoW guidelines for Federal Government roads to enable operators have unencumbered means of laying fibre optics which is critical for infrastructure development and quality of service. To remove arbitrary charges and eradicate multiple

Etisalat commissions entre in Abuja

tisalat has commissioned its flagship Experience Centre in Abuja. Chief Executive Officer, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Matthew Willsher, said that the company had a policy of constantly striving to deliver outstanding customer service at every touch point. “We focus on creating a world class environment that will enable our customers to explore the latest innovations and discover great ways to get more out of the Etisalat network. Here, our customers can experience the essence of our brand while being guided by Etisalat Geeks – our tech savvy retail consultants who can guide them on the right technology to fit their lifestyle,” he said. Willsher added that the company had over 200 Etisalat Experience Centres and other touch points across the country and a rapidly growing subscriber base now at 19.5 million subscribers. Also speaking at the launch, Director, Consumer Affairs,

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

National Communications Commission, Hajiya Mariam Bayi, noted that Etisalat consistently performs beyond expectations in terms of quality of service. She said: “It will be a great thing to see all the other network providers emulate Etisalat in providing excellent network quality and customer service.” Also commenting on the initiative, a High Value Customer of Etisalat and Chairman of William Dankan Hydro Electric Power Limited, Mr Willaim Duncan, expressed his delight at the quality of infrastructure in the centre. He said: “I walked into an Etisalat Experience Centre about two months ago to port my line from one of the leading network providers and since then, I have never been disappointed. Having used all the other networks in Nigeria, I can tell you that the Etisalat network is the best we have in this country in terms of Quality of voice calls, SMS and data.”

taxations that impede telecoms development across the nation, the ministry, for the first time in the history of Nigeria’s telecoms revolution, got state governors and relevant authorities at the state and federal levels to address the issue of multiple taxation and adopt measures that will remove arbitrary charges and eradicate multiple taxations to enhance service delivery across the nation. A landmark agreement with the Lagos State government facilitated by

the ministry was brokered to address issues of RoW and base station deployment, among others. Cost of RoW was slashed from 3000 to 500 - a reduction of 85 per cent. The ministry is working to replicate this in other states by convincing other governors and relevant authorities level to eliminate multiple taxation and adopt measures that will remove arbitrary charges and enhance telecoms service delivery. An assessment of the deploy-

ment of ICT infrastructure revealed that almost 70 per cent of deployment cost was spent on processing ROW; taxes and levies on infrastructure. The ministry strongly believes that the elimination of multiple taxes will result in cost effectiveness, accelerated and massive deployment of ICT infrastructure across the country, which will enhance quality delivery issues currently being experienced by telecoms subscribers.

L-R: Anambra State Governor, Dr. Willie Obiano; Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, and Chairman, Open Media Group, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe, at the signing of the smart state initiative between Anambra State and the Ministry of Communications Technology

US supports YALI entrepreneurs at DEMO Africa he United States Depart- that was addressed by US Presi- neurs is a solid move towards TAfrica ment of State and the US dent, Barack Obama. making Africa a first world Development FoundaThe support has been wel- given that the growth of the tion (USADF) have said that they would support selected Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) entrepreneurs to attend and participate at the DEMO Africa conference in Lagos, Nigeria, next month. DEMO Africa is one of the flagship initiatives aimed at connecting African startups to the global ecosystem. The announcement was made at a gathering of 500 young African leaders, a forum

comed by the DEMO Africa secretariat and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) in Nigeria. Chairman of the DEMO Africa LOC, Yele Okeremi, said that the State Department and USADF’s drive to support young African entrepreneurs would catalyse the economic growth of the continent. “We are excited that our efforts to grow Africa are getting support from critical quarters. Support for startup entrepre-

continent largely rests on the actions and decisions of these young entrepreneurs.” Executive Producer, DEMO Africa, Harry Hare, said that African entrepreneurs needed to work together to find world class solutions to needs on the continent. “We look forward to sharing the platform with YALI entrepreneurs. I am sure that every attendee will leave having been further enriched with ideas,” he said.

Kenya Airways, Airtel sign MVNO pact harti Airtel and Kenya ture services to Kenya Airways, structure such as its sales offices Bpartnership Airways have announced a meaning the Kenya Airways and customer contact centre. that will see Air- MVNO will provide cellular In a joint statement issued by tel host Kenya Airways as a mobile virtual network operator (MVNO) on its network. The companies said that the move is aimed at deepening mobile penetration and providing innovative value added services. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which is subject to regulatory approvals, was signed by Kenya Airways chief executive officer (CEO) and managing director, Titus Naikuni, and Airtel Africa CEO, Christian de Faria. Under the agreement, Airtel will provide network infrastruc-

mobile services including customer registration, SIM card issuance, billing and customer care to end users without holding a spectrum licence. Naikuni said that related details will be announced at a later stage once the necessary regulatory licensing and related requirements have been completed, a process which has already been initiated with the Communications Authority of Kenya (CAK). In this venture, Kenya Airways will rely on its existing customer service and sales infra-

the two companies, Airtel said it was delighted to be the mobile operator pioneering this innovation in the telecoms Industry in Africa, saying the MVNO services will run on the unused capacity on its network to ensure it maintains seamless quality experience to consumers. De Faria said: “We are greatly encouraged by the shared vision with Kenya Airways and the common urgency to find solutions that will enable travelling customers connect to their loved ones and businesses throughout their travel.

BUSINESS | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Stories by Jonah Iboma

Manufacturers, operators target affordable phones

quipment Manufacturers, Mobile Network Operators, have intensified their target for the mass market segment of the telecommunications industry with the introduction of new range of affordable phones. Among the latest initiatives that have been introduced in this market segment is the launch of a self-branded, $51 mobile phone by Vodacom and the market entry of Nokia 130, a phone priced at $25 about (N4,000). Vodacom said that the device called the Smart Kicka

was designed specifically with easy internet access in mind, which is why the price also includes five 50 megabyte (MB) data Power Bundles to give customers instant internet access on purchasing the device. “At the moment, only 27 per cent of people living in South Africa’s emerging markets have access to smart devices. We aim to double that number in the next year,” said Phil Patel, Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) at Vodacom. “The Smart Kicka is not only affordable, coming in at around the $50 level, but also

COMPETITION Mass market appeal drives innovations for low cost terminal devices

offers the best from a technology perspective. Put simply, it gives users the best possible internet experience without breaking the bank,” Patel said. The new device which runs on the latest Android 4.4 KitKat operating system, has over four gigabytes (GB) of memory, features a 3.5” screen and a two mega-pixel camera. Vodacom said that the included data bundles are intended to help first time internet users explore the possibilities of the web, adding that bundles are the key to mobile internet access in

South Africa. “Our strategy is to provide customers, particularly those on tight budgets, with exactly what they need, when they need it, and at a price they can afford,” said Patel. “Much has been said about bringing down prices for those consuming large amounts of voice and data, but this bundle strategy is the key to driving internet penetration for all South Africans,” he said. The operator claims its focus on data bundles has brought down the average effective price per MB of data by 30 per

L-R: Director, Enterprise Business, Airtel Nigeria, Tawa Bolarin; Group Head, Domestic Bank, Ecobank Nigeria, Joe Mbulu; General Manager, Corporate Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Bukola Akande and Head, High Value Sales, Airtel Nigeria, Buchi Anaekwe, at the unveiling of Premier Banking by Ecobank Nigeria in Lagos.

Glo offers subscribers more recharge options N

ational carrier, Globacom, has offered its customers access to recharge their phones in different manners. Called the 3-in-1 recharge, the platform allows prepaid subscribers on the company’s network three options of loading airtime credits, data bundles and international calling packs. At the unveiling ceremony of the 3-in-1 recharge option, Globacom’s Head of Operations, Mr Bisi Koleoso, said that the new offering gives pre-paid subscribers option which allows them to top their airtime credit for various services directly without having to top their prepaid accounts initially before allocating the airtime for data bundles or international calls. He added that the company decided to simplify the airtime

recharge process in order to provide customers with more convenient options in line with its avowed commitment to put its valued subscribers first in everything. He said: “Under the new recharge, customers who want to directly top up and add to their main balance should dial *123*PIN#, while those interested in directly buying a data bundle without cramming codes should dial *223*PIN#. Similarly, subscribers wishing to load International Direct Dialing packs should dial *323*PIN#. “The introduction of the 3-in-1 recharge option is particularly timely for subscribers who make inter national calls because Globacom just last week crashed the cost of making international calls.

Globacom Chairman, Mike Adenuga

cent over the past year and has prompted a 70 per cent increase in data traffic on its network – with 52 per cent of Vodacom’s 32.5 million South African customers using mobile data. Vodacom said that it is working on developing its network infrastructure to support this increased uptake of mobile data. “Our strategy is very simple. We aim to have 3G coverage wherever we have voice coverage,” said Patel. The $25 phone by Microsoft is billed to be focused on emerging markets such as Nigeria, Pakistan, the Philippines, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Kenya, and Vietnam. The Nokia 130 will be sold with other budget handsets running the Series 30+ operating system, which Microsoft acquired as part of its takeover of Nokia's handset division in April. Jo Harlow, Head of Microsoft's Phones Business, said that the firm had identified opportunity in the affordable handset market segment: "This is a massive market segment, and there are not a lot of players in this segment for the reason that scale is really important. We have the distribution and supply chain scale to compete effectively in this market. This is a space where smartphones today don't reach, so there is still very strong benefits to our business." Harlow added that Microsoft was targeting the device at low wage earners in emerging markets, but added that despite its low price, the firm should profit on the handset after deducting manufacturing and marketing costs.

NITDA gears up plans for GITEX 2014 plans to take part in Nogyigeria's this year’s Gitex TechnolExpo and Conference in

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) peaked with the use of the official event logo to underscore its thematic objectives as the Official Country Partner for the Gitex 2014. The logo, depicting Nigeria as an entry way into Africa, carries the message: “Invest on Nigeria – Your Gateway to Africa.” Director General/Chief Executive Officer of the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA), Peter Jack, in Abuja, said that Nigeria had a potential still to be tapped in technology, adding that this is what would be exposed at the event. “Our over-riding objective in Gitex, Dubai, is to showcase Nigeria’s huge potentials in ICT investment and to demonstrate to the world that it is not only the favourite destination for offshore investment in all of Africa but also one of the most top global destinations

for investment today.” He said that Gitex Technology is the premier Technology event in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA). The technology trade show organised by the Dubai World Trade Centre (DWTC), occupies over 78,000 sqm of space, and records over 145,530 trade visitors from 144 countries in 2013. Also, 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 promoted by the Nigerian Government through the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA). This year, Nigeria is promoting its IT startups and budding entrepreneurs with a view to exposing them to potential offshore partnerships and also exploring new windows for collaborations in software and local content developments, and other areas, particularly capacity building.

FEATURES

THURSDAY, AUGUST 14, 2014

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ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

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Buhari and Bauchi: Pushing Nigeria to the cliff

efore now, bomb explosions, ethnic and religious clashes, as well as IBRAHEEM MUSA reviews circumstances surrounding the recent bomb attacks on General sundry riots have been frequent Muhammdu Buhari and Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as well as its impact the country’s fragile unity occurrences in Kaduna. But the twin bomb explosions on July 23 stood out. First, a bomb exploded on Ali Akilu Road/Waziri Drive Junction around 12.30pm, targeting Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi, a renowned Islamic cleric. Elsewhere, General Muhammadu Buhari, a leader of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), was targeted by a suicide bomber at Kawo, about two hours later. Significantly, by attacking Bauchi and Buhari, the terrorists aimed at exterminating the religious and political leaders of the North in one fell swoop. Luckily, the targets were unscathed but sadly, the explosions left sorrows, tears and blood in their wake. Momentarily, the country was on the precipice and the rumour mill, via text messages, the social media and words of mouth, went to town The scene of Bauchi’s attack with gory tales. The scene of the attack on Buhari Buhari and Bauchi, according to most accounts, had been killed in the Kaduna bomb blasts. The general and the cleric, some also rumoured, had The insurgents kill children been badly wounded in the blasts and the duo might not survive. in schools in the NorthSpecifically, these rumours, more East, they kill teachers, than the blasts, pulled the country to the brink as arsonists, divisive forces and they burn churches, they fanatics of various hues were already burn mosque, they burn baying for blood. However, within an hour, the fog of motor parks and they burn misinformation had cleared as the namarkets. Where is religion ture, casualties and exact location of the blasts became clear. Collectively, the there? Where is ethnicity nation heaved a sigh of relief that Buthere? hari and Bauchi were alive. At the Ali Akilu Road explosion, which targeted Bauchi, the Sheikh was bombers. rounding off his annual Tafsir and as However, some praised God for sparusual, tens of thousands came from ing Buhari, while others accused the within and outside the country. Specifigovernment of the plot. cally, the octogenarian is the leader of The situation, following the blast, Darika, a dominant Islamic sect with was becoming explosive as Buhari’s followers all over Africa. aides had to calm the restive mob. Bauchi Buhari Every year, Muslim faithful gather Thereafter, the aides found a Golf modin Kaduna for this event and usually, Sallah festivities. el car, bundled Buhari in and evacu- spected former Head of State and the the town is brimmed with people, eslearned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Specifically, the retired general was ated him to safety. pecially the Murtala Square venue. At travelling light, with a three-car conLike Bauchi, the rumour mill was Bauchi, it is very obvious that terrornoon, according to reports, the Sheikh voy. Slowly, the convoy picked its way abuzz with gory tales of what hap- ism has gone beyond religion, political had offered the last sermon, prayed for through Sultan Road, turned left at the pened. However, in a personal state- and ethnic lines.” peace and progress for Nigeria and the Dawaki Road junction, connected Kat- ment, Buhari put all speculations to Buhari, in an earlier statement, event drew to a close. uru Road, before making a detour left rest and in clear terms, said that he told the governor and his entourage However, followers besieged Bauchi’s at Rabah Road junction. The convoy, all was a target of a terrorist attack. as much. car, asking for blessings and prayers as this while, was being trailed by anothSignificantly, reactions came thick He said: “The insurgents kill children his convoy inched through Alkali Road er car, according to Malam Abubakar and fast as many people condemned in schools in the North-East, they kill and gathered speed afterwards. the terrorist act. In particular, Kaduna teachers, they burn churches, they burn Ibrahim, Buhari’s security aide. At 12.30pm, the convoy was at Waziri Several times, the driver tried to State Government imposed a 24-hour mosque, they burn motor parks and they Drive, a distance of about 1,000 metres overtake the convoy, according to Ibra- curfew. In addition, Governor Muktar burn markets. Where is religion there? from Murtala Square. There and then, him, but the security car blocked him. Yero, Senate President David Mark, Where is ethnicity there? an explosion rocked the convoy, killing However, at Hayin Banki, the driver be- House Speaker Aminu Tambawal and “This is terrorism and I hope the govpassers-by, innocent bystanders and came really desperate as he kept flash- several dignitaries expressed indigna- ernment will come to grip with it. Nigesundry others. ing his headlights wanting to overtake tion over the attack. ria is capable of dealing with this; we Blood, body parts and mangled motor the three cars. Specifically, Senator Bola Tinubu, dealt with the civil war. For 30 months, parts scattered on the road as confusion Near the overhead, close to a Stan- an APC leader, said that the incident we fought and we kept Nigeria one and reigned supreme. bic Bank branch, a few metres to Kawo “confirms that our country is in the God willing we are going to keep Nigeria Significantly, in that confusion, dif- motor park, the car drew level with the grip of terror but sadly, we are in the one.” ferent versions of the news, from the general’s convoy. Thereafter, a deafen- hands of a bungling, buck passing and However, President Goodluck Jonapatently false to the exaggerated, spread ing explosion followed. blackmailing presidency”. than’s statement after the blasts was like wild fire, alleging that the Sheikh Expectedly, confusion was everyAccording to him, Nigeria contin- very poignant. was dead, Bauchi was wounded and the where and the security aides, through ues to slip into a low intensity war While receiving Muslims who paid him Darika leader had lost his limb. the window, alighted from the upturned under an incompetent and incoherent a Sallah visit, the President thanked God However, within a few minutes, all Sports Utility Van, went to Buhari’s car Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) gov- for sparing Buhari and Bauchi’s lives. these tales were put to rest as the cleric and removed the general from it. ernment. Nigeria, he said, would have been in alighted from his car unhurt. ThereafHe said: “We are all marked people turmoil if the duo had died. A crowd, at this point, had gathered ter, chants of “Alhamdulilah” and “Al- around the destroyed vehicles and on under a government that prefers to laBauchi, according to him, has millions lahu Akbar,” meaning thank God and sighting Buhari, people ran amok, de- bel and attack opposition rather than of followers and Buhari, as leading politiAllah is great respectively, rent the air nouncing what had happened. apply itself to providing security and cal figure, has massive supporters. as the Sheikh was spirited away. “If they had killed these two people, we The crowd, according to Ibrahim, good governance.” About two hours later, Buhari had turned unruly as some people started On his part, Yero pointed out that would not have been here today. Perhaps, left his Sultan Road residence, heading smashing cars, screaming blue mur- “insurgency knows no borders”. the country would have plunged into the for Daura, his ancestral home, for the der and raining curses on the unknown He said: “From the attack on our re- abyss,” he said.

business | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

GEM project prepares clusters to access $260m grants order to access the $260million grants from the World Bank and DFID support for industrial clusters. He made the call yesterday at a two-day workshop on cluster mapping for film makers and entertainment as well as ICT industries held at the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria office in Lagos. At the event which featured firms and producers in the film and entertainment industry, Labaran asked the participants to form clusters and come up with a compendium of problems and challenges for government support. Also, ICT firms which exhibited cerebral pedigree at

EMPLOYMENT Standardisation of ICT and film production will create huge employment opportunities Godson Ikoro

he Coordinator of Growth and Employment project, Mr. Yinusa Labaran, has advised stakeholders in the film and ICT industries to come up with problems hindering their development and job creating abilities in

the workshop were asked to form cluster and ICT parks and project their common problems for government technical and financial support through grants. A World Bank representative made a presentation of the overall GEM project, outlining the intervention areas, methodology and the expected outcome for targeted stakeholders, stressing that the issue of standardisation was paramount in the quest to make their products and services competitive. He explained that GEM would set up a platform for interaction with firms and individuals who may wish to access the grants to apply. He also said

Common External Tariff: FG defers to ECOWAS tion scheme of ECOWAS, is a prelude to the attainment of monetary union by 2020. In the final communiqué of the 45th ordinary session of Heads of State and Government of the Economic Community of West African States held in Ghana recently, they reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to accelerating the region’s reforms and integrated economic development in an environment of sustainable peace, security and democratic governance . While reviewing the regional economic performance and consolidation of the common market, the leaders noted the positive outlook of the regional growth achieved in the first half of the year and welcomed

Godson Ikoro

s from January 1, 2015, the Federal Government of Nigeria will lose the power to adjust its import tariff following its signing of the ECOWAS Common External Tariff (CET), which has been a veritable toolkit for government generation of revenue and protection of local industries. The CET implies that no ECOWAS member states from Nigeria to Mauritania can change its common tariff without recourse to the other 16 states which must convene and evaluate the reason for the change. The measure, which marks the effective trade liberalisa-

the observed gradual diversification of the economies emphasizing that member states should sustain their efforts particularly by strengthening the economic, budgetary and financial reforms as well as taking ownership and ensuring implementation of the regional programmes. “In that regard, the Heads of State and Government welcomed the actions implemented in line with different road maps adopted particularly by ensuring that the ECOWAS –CET comes into force on January 1, 2015, ensuring effective implementation of trade liberalisation scheme and attaining the monetary union by 2020,” the communiqué stated.

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

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

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

Bid Spot ($/N) 163.28 THE FIXINGS –NIBOR,NITTY and NIFEX of February 6,2014

Offer 163.38

Naira gains on sale of energy companies

he naira gained 0.19 per cent on the interbank market yesterday, driven by dollar sales by major energy companies, including stateowned NNPC. The currency closed at N161.80 to the dollar, from N162.12 the previous day, according to Reuters. New Telegraph also gathered that Chevron's unit sold $60.7 million, Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) sold an unspecified amount and NNPC asked lenders to bid for its usual dollar sale, prompting gains in the naira's value.

Godson Ikoro 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

The project is also billed to achieve an overall internal rate of return of 48 per cent while the program targets at least eight economic sectors and will support Small Scale Enterprises. Labaran emphasised that the project would create up to 460,000 jobs with income increases affecting millions more. He added that the project would run from June 2013 until September 2018. The project has identified eight sectors based on their growth and employment potential. These are: ICT; Wholesale & Retail, Hospitality and Tourism; Meat & Leather; Construction & Real Estate; Entertainment industry; Agro processing, Light Manufacturing and Entrepreneurial development. It is flexible and will adapt to market changes and new opportunities for growth potential. The project is categorized under three pillars aimed at creating employment and growth in the non-oil sector. It is to provide for investments to address gaps that prevent key growth centers from expanding and hiring more Nigerians, in particularly the young and poor.

Nigeria's currency touched a five-week low against the U.S. dollar on Thursday, on renewed dollar demand, but the currency recovered some lost ground this week after a unit of Royal Dutch Shell came twice into the market. "We probably stay on subN162 to the dollar for some time till any major demand for the dollar hits the market," one dealer said. Traders said the local currency could gain slightly on Thursday. NNPC is responsible for a substantial proportion of the dollar flows in Africa's biggest economy.

CBN sets new limit for instant payment

Treasury Bills Maturity Date 08-May-14 07-Aug-14 22-Jan-15

GEM would determine whether they qualified or not through the quality of their business plan. According to the project coordinator, the workshop on light manufacturing and entrepreneurial development will take place in five geopolitical zones starting from Ibadan in south west , Awka in the south east, Calabar in the south south, Kano in the north east and Jos in the north central primarily to create awareness. After the establishment of clusters, a team of specialists will visit the cluster to determine the specific needs of each cluster and approve the grants for them. GEM) Project in Nigeria is an employment project by the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment supported by the World Bank and the UK Department for International Development (DFID). The project is aimed at job creation and increased non-oil growth in specific high-potential value chain sectors. DFID is providing a grant of £90 million (about US$100million) and the World Bank a concessionary loan of $160 million.

Open-Buy-Back (OBB) Overnight (O/N)

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

oised to strengthen the risk aversion measures put in place for operators of the Nigerian Inter-bank Settlement System (NIBSS) instant payment system and other electronic payments options, the Central Bank of Nigeria yesterday reviewed the categorization of online fund transfer from low security to highly secured transfer limits. In a circular coded BPS/DIR/ GEN/01/011 on the review of operations of the NIBBS and other electronic payment options with similar features sent to banks, the apex bank categorized daily transfer payments and days of getting value. In the Category One for highly secured online transfer, (WEF – Jan 15, 2015), the apex bank required control hardware token, behavioural monitoring, sms/ email transfer alert, user name, password and anti-phishing solution. Specifically, the watchdog set maximum daily limits to N1m for individual and N10m corporate. Furthermore, the daily limit for the next working day

value will also be N10m for individual and N100m for corporate respectively. The second category of moderately secure online fund transfer (WEF – July 30, 2014) would require such control details as hardware, soft token, user ID, and password, sms/ email transfer alert and antiphishing solution. This implies N500,000 and N5m for individual and corporate, while daily limit for the next working day value stood as N1m and N10m for individual and corporate respectively. Under the third category, the basic security (WEF – July 30, 2014) with the control requirements as OTP (one-time password), user ID, password, SMS/ email and transfer alert for N200,000 and N1m for individual alone. The fourth category for low security (WEF – July 30, 2014), user ID, password, SMS/email and transfer alert for N20,000 and N100,000 for individuals alone. Banks are expected to achieve highly secured online funds transfer status within six months with December 31, 2014 as deadline.

42 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

13-Aug-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.

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

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)

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

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

100.00 535.00 515.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 220.15 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 35.00

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

0.13 0.69 2.01 2.70 2.95 3.05 3.80 4.88 5.19 7.46 9.58 14.29 14.77 15.27 15.94 19.93

10.76 10.96 11.28 11.22 11.19 11.20 11.29 11.45 11.53 12.13 12.27 12.33 12.31 12.29 12.19 12.08

9.58 10.17 11.20 11.15 11.13 11.08 11.19 11.38 11.45 12.08 12.22 12.29 12.27 12.23 12.14 12.04

99.77 95.45 103.10 108.80 96.69 95.32 98.19 116.60 82.62 120.50 110.70 117.68 101.17 74.13 84.75 100.50

99.92 95.95 103.25 108.95 96.84 95.62 98.49 116.90 82.92 120.80 111.00 117.98 101.47 74.43 85.05 100.80

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,479.99

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,550.82

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

***LCRM

Description

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

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

0.22 0.78 1.39 2.32 2.69 2.90

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

12.04 13.62 13.38 13.19 12.18 12.19

97.48 90.24 105.00 100.58 99.10 96.64

15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.17 1.05 0.65 1.17 1.18 2.68 1.73 3.38 2.36 4.14 2.55 2.55 2.94 3.01 5.28 3.07 3.68 6.29 6.38 3.86 3.90

3.29 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00 1.00 1.00 2.74 1.00 1.00 1.94 1.44 1.95

14.20 15.49 14.18 15.53 14.55 16.77 12.16 13.03 12.98 12.33 12.18 15.96 12.19 12.19 12.56 13.94 12.27 12.93 13.91 12.74 13.25

99.86 97.18 99.68 98.72 101.37 85.79 102.62 102.55 102.21 105.25 105.12 96.28 105.44 108.27 107.25 101.98 106.98 102.34 104.47 105.18 105.10

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,272.10

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR

NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75 13.50 15.00 14.50 15.00

6.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 37.25 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 17.28 80.00 28.37 11.40 87.00 5.00 4.78 4.79

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds

484.10 491.63

A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

LAFARGE WAPCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

Aa/Agusto

GTB µ NGC

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

Nil

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

*FLOURMILLS

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto

NAHCO

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR BBB/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

UBA

BBB-/GCR

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

FSDH

A/GCR

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

*TOWER *TOWER UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

*DANA NAHCO

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.15

1.00

11.84

99.88

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.35

5.21

16.26

98.98

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.38

8.71

19.73

98.89

17-Aug-10

10.00

5.29

17-Aug-15

0.53

4.88

15.80

96.08

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.84

1.00

12.00

100.51

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.92

2.63

13.65

100.70

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.13

1.00

12.20

101.43

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.20

1.34

12.53

103.16

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.13

1.00

12.21

101.97

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.95

1.88

13.08

109.43

09-Apr-11

16.00

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.91

3.48

14.67

102.51

09-Sep-11

18.00

3.27

09-Sep-18

2.07

5.20

16.40

103.01

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.90

09-Sep-18

2.07

5.06

16.26

101.78

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.11

1.35

12.68

104.10

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.18

2.29

13.48

104.52

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.45

17-Feb-19

2.26

6.11

17.30

99.47

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.38

2.16

13.40

106.87

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.26

2.76

14.68

102.21

11-Feb-18

3.50

1.00

12.25

94.30

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

143.81

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

146.56

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

12.00 11.32 Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

4.85

4.70

110.41

111.29

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.06

3.86

103.79

104.55

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.17

5.06

108.50

109.34

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,613.54

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.71

2.96

111.45

112.64

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.67

3.88

104.69

106.08

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.20

5.89

99.24

100.40

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.03

6.41

100.59

102.30

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.67

8.10

94.36

96.11

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

7.71

6.94

107.91

109.61

6.25 APR 22, 2019

100.66

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

B/S&P; B/Fitch

FIDELITY BANK PLC

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

AFREN PLC

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.39

6.09

99.41

B/Fitch; B/S&P

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

9.02

8.77

98.94

99.92

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

DIAMOND BANK PLC FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.26

6.56

103.42

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.00

5.10

104.41

105.89

ZENITH BANK PLC

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,660.00 3,761.89

**Treasury Bills DTM 8 15 22 29 36 43 50 57 64

FIXINGS Maturity 21-Aug-14 28-Aug-14 4-Sep-14 11-Sep-14 18-Sep-14 25-Sep-14 2-Oct-14 9-Oct-14 16-Oct-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.30 10.50 10.55 10.30 10.55 10.50 10.65 10.65 10.65

Offer Discount (%) 10.05 10.25 10.30 10.05 10.30 10.25 10.40 10.40 10.40

Bid Yield (%) 10.32 10.55 10.62 10.38 10.66 10.63 10.81 10.83 10.85

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 11.7917 12.7519 13.6575 14.3659

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

11.46

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

11.71

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M 6M

161.72 162.10 162.36 162.95 164.12 165.38 169.02

161.82 162.36 162.70 163.33 165.30 167.01 172.62

O/N Tenor Call 1M 3M

REPO

Rate (%) 11.75 12.59 13.28

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,272.10

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto Thursday, August 14, A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro A/Agusto A-/GCR Sanctity of Truth

NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA 2014 EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI *NIGER *ONDO *GOMBE LAGOS *OSUN *OSUN LAGOS KOGI *EKITI *NASARAWA

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 sustained. 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 The return of the bearish 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 sentiments was on the back LAGOSsuffered IV 27-NOV-2020 of13.50 losses by most blue 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 chip companies, particularly 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 from oil and gas sector. 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

15-Oct-09 14.00 31-Aug-10 12.50 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Jun-11 14.00 30-Jun-09 15.50 19-Apr-10 10.00 30-Jun-10 13.75 30-Dec-10 14.00 30-Sep-11 14.00 04-Oct-11 14.00 09-Dec-11 14.50 12-Dec-13 14.00 14-Feb-12 15.50 02-Oct-12 15.50 was 22-Nov-12 mainly due to profit 14.50 taking 12-Dec-12 14.75wake of by speculators in the 30-Sep-13 14.75 that has the cautious optimism 27-Nov-13 13.50 prevailed in the market in the 31-Dec-13 15.00 recent time. 31-Dec-13 14.50 The twin market 06-Jan-14 15.00 perfor-

6.00 15-Oct-14 0.17 8.50 31-Aug-15 1.05 6.08 30-Sep-15 0.65 6.27 30-Jun-16 1.17 7.37 30-Jun-16 1.18 57.00 19-Apr-17 2.68 29.92 30-Jun-17 1.73 25.00 31-Dec-17 3.38 37.25 30-Sep-18 2.36 9.00 04-Oct-18 4.14 14.96 09-Dec-18 2.55 11.13 12-Dec-18 2.55 27.00 14-Feb-19 2.94 17.28 02-Oct-19 3.01 per cent from 42,092.73, the pre80.00 22-Nov-19 5.28 28.37 12-Dec-19 3.07 vious day to close at 41,753.19, 11.40 30-Sep-20capitalisation 3.68 while the market 87.00 6.29 dropped by 27-Nov-20 N112 billion or 0.81 5.00 31-Dec-20 6.38 per cent from N13.898 trillion to 4.78 31-Dec-20 3.86 N13.786 trillion. 4.79 06-Jan-21 3.90

3.29 14.20 99.86 4.44 15.49 97.18 3.23 14.18 99.68 4.46 15.53 98.72 3.48 14.55 101.37 5.59 16.77 85.79 1.00 12.16 102.62 1.79 13.03 102.55 1.80 12.98 102.21 1.00 12.33 105.25 1.00 12.18 105.12 4.78 15.96 96.28 1.00 12.19 105.44 1.00 12.19 108.27 Shelter followed N4.75 to 1.00 12.56 with 107.25 2.74 at N90.25 13.94per share. 101.98 close 1.00 12.27 106.98 the On the activity chart, 1.00 12.93 102.34 Banking sub-sector dominated 1.94 13.91 104.47 in1.44 volume terms with 79.3 mil12.74 105.18 lion shares worth N1.1 billion 1.95 13.25 105.10

business | FINANCIAL MARKET 43

Oil and gas stocks deplete NSE activities RETREAT

Investment value dips N112 billion as market speculators take profits

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporateby Bonds Stories Chris Ugwu

Hence, trading activities closed on the negative trajectory as activities on the shares of oil and gas lowered momentum LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 to11.50 give the bear enablement to 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 regain stronghold in the Nige17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 rian capital market. 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 Forte Oil Plc alongside Mo12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 bil Nigeria Plc06-JAN-2016 and other blue 14.00 CHELLARAMS chips shed weight, dragging 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 the southwards which 14.25market FSDH 25-OCT-2016

A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

LAFARGE WAPCO

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

Aa/Agusto he

GTB bulls returned to µ NGC Nil trenches yesterday dashBbb-/Agusto ing the hope of*UPDC investors A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS that bullish rally witBB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS nessed the stockNAHCO exchange A+/Agusto; at A-/GCR the previous dayFSDH would be A-/Agusto

mance indices, the NSE ASI and 484.10Further analysis of the day’s market capitalisation, dropped trading showed that CAP Plc 491.63 by 0.81 per cent as the market topped the day’s gainers table tempo lowered. with 52 kobo to close at N39.52 11.50 07-Oct-14 0.15 At07-Oct-11 the close of trading in the 11.80 while Lafarge Wapco Plc added 18-Dec-09 13.50price ap13.17 18-Dec-14 0.35 day, 17 stocks recorded 20 kobo to close at N120.00 and 01-Apr-10 31-Dec-14 0.38 preciation, while 31 17.00 others con- 2.00 Livestock Feeds Nigeria Plc 17-Aug-10 10.00 5.29 17-Aug-15 0.53 stituted the losers’ table. followed with15 kobo to 0.84 close 09-Dec-10 12.00 13.62 09-Dec-15 at N3.22 per06-Jan-16 share. The twin market14.00 indicators, 0.60 06-Jan-11 0.92 the All-Share Index, side, Forte Oil 29-Sep-11 13.00dropped 15.00 On the flip 29-Sep-16 2.13led losers with a drop of N6.93 by 339.54 basis points or 0.81 25-Oct-13 14.25 5.53 25-Oct-16 2.20 to close at N227.07 while Mobil 30-Sep-10 13.00 20.00 30-Sep-17 3.13Oil 30-Nov-12 18.00 0.73 Nigeria Plc30-Nov-17 shed N5.00 to1.95 close 09-Apr-11 16.00 7.20 09-Apr-18 at N170.00 per share and 1.91 Skye

Right to dividends: NSE moves to enforce sanctions BBB-/GCR

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR

*TOWER#

he Nigerian *TOWER Stock ExA/Agusto; A/GCR UBA resolved change (NSE) has Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR *LA CASERA to administer and enforce BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS# aBBB/GCR five per cent sanction on *DANA any Issuer A+/Agusto; A-/GCR that fails NAHCO to pay dividends to its shareholders TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE within the timeline specified TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION in the resolution passed by Supranational Bond at the Annuthe shareholders alAAA/S&P General Meeting IFC at which such dividends were declared. TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE The MARKET exchange said that the TOTAL CAPITALISATION resolve was in line with one of itsRating/Agency core strategic pillars for Issuer enhanced market performance FGN Eurobonds and growth via sustaining a strong investor protection BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P framework. BB-/Fitch; It was made clear that FGNthe BB-/S&P sanction is not a new proposal BB-/Fitch; but part of the already existing BB-/S&P General Undertaking TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUEin The Exchange's Listings RequireTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION ments, which was executed by every Issuer before its securiCorporate Eurobonds ties were approvedAFREN for PLC listing B-/S&P; B/Fitch I on the NSE. GTBANK PLC I B+/S&P; B+/Fitch Head of Legal and RegulaGTBANK PLC tion Division at the NSE, Ms B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC Tinuade Awe, said that before B/S&P; B/Fitch FIDELITY BANK PLC securities are approved for listB/Fitch AFREN PLC ing on BB-/S&P the Exchange, every IsB+/Fitch; ZENITH BANK PLC suer has to execute a document B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC #

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 known as the general undertak14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 ing. 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 "The CHELLARAMS general II undertaking MPR+5.00 17-FEB-2019 sets out II the obligations im16.00 DANA 1-APR-2019 posed on an Issuer. These com15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 mitments include the obligation to notify The Exchange prior to taking certain corporate actions; the obligation to seek the 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 Exchange's approval before publishing certain information; the obligation to comply with the Exchange's Listings Rules; the obligation to comply Description with the directives of its shareholders in the event of declaration of dividends. 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 These obligations kick in once an Issuer 5.13executes JUL 12, 2018 the general undertaking. They are obli6.38 standing, JUL 12, 2023 which gations of long remain binding for as long as an Issuer is listed on the Exchange. Section 14 of the general undertaking, which is one of the listings requirements sets forth the 11.50 FEB 01, 2016 sanctions for violations 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 of the rules. Section 14(e) provides 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 that failure of listed company 7.25aJUL 25, 2017 to pay dividend on09,the 6.88 MAY 2018due date shall attract10.25 a fine of2019 5 per cent APR 08, of the total 6.25 dividend APR 22, 2019amount declared," Awe said. 8.75 May 21, 2019

09-Sep-11

18.00

3.27

09-Sep-18

2.07

09-Sep-11 09-Sep-18 2.07 "On July 21, 2014,16.00 in connec- 0.90 22-Sep-11 14.00 35.00 22-Sep-18 4.11 tion with the publication of cer18-Oct-13 15.75 2.70 18-Oct-18 2.18 tain amendments to the listings 17-Feb-12 17.00 0.45 17-Feb-19 2.26 rules01-Apr-14 which were approved by 16.00 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.38 the Securities and15.25 Exchange 2.05 14-Nov-13 14-Nov-20 6.26 Commission (SEC) on May 19, 143.81 2014, The Exchange republished 146.56he Nigerian Stock Exchange the sanctions provisions of its (NSE) yesterday said that listings rules, i.e., Section 14 N365.87 billion was raised by six companies from its primary on its website. Although Sec- 12.00 11-Feb-13 10.20 11-Feb-18 3.50 tion 14 was published with the 12.00 market segment between Januamendments, which are new, as 11.32 ary and July 2014. explained above the Section is A breakdown of the new deValue not new. Ergo, Section 14(e)Outstanding is velopment in seed fundsBid showed Issue Date Coupon (%) Maturity Date Yield (%) not a new provision. It is un- (N'bn) that it was raised through equivocally binding on every Is- Rights Issue, Placement, Initial suer whose securities are listed Public Offer (IPO) and offer for 07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 4.85 on The Exchange. Indeed, the subscription. Exchange of the data also 12-Jul-13 republished 5.13 Section 500.00An analysis 12-Jul-18 4.06 14 of the general undertaking showed that Seplat Petroleum 12-Jul-13 6.38 12-Jul-23 5.17the as rule 30.5 of the SEC approved 500.00 Development Company in "Amendments to the listings 1,500.00 period under review raised rules" in order to remind Issu- N318.74 billion through IPO of 1,613.54 ers of their obligations and the 553.31 million shares at N576 per corresponding sanctions under share. the listings 30 ETF sourced 01-Feb-11 rules,” Awe 11.50 added. 450.00Vetiva Griffin 01-Feb-16 3.71 for N982 million through 4.67 an ofCommenting on 7.50 the issue, 500.00 19-May-11 19-May-16 Mrs.08-Nov-13 Josephine Igbinosun, the 400.00 fer for subscription of 100 mil6.00 08-Nov-18 6.20 lion shares25-Jul-17 at N18.46 billion, Head25-Jul-12 of Listings Regulation at 350.00 7.25 7.03 while Oando Plc raised N30.70 the Exchange, noted6.88 that there 300.00 09-May-13 02-May-18 8.67 billion through placement were08-Apr-12 a host of reasons 10.25why The 300.00 08-Apr-19 7.71 of Exchange 2.05 billion 22-Apr-19 shares at N15 22-Apr-14may penalize 6.25 specific 500.00 6.39per conduct. share. 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 9.02

in 1,487 deals. The sub sector was enhanced by the activities in the shares of ETI and Zenith Bank Plc. 1.00 11.84 99.88 also Insurance sub-sector, of5.21financial16.26 services98.98 sector, 8.71 19.73 98.89 boosted by the activities on the 4.88 15.80 96.08 shares of Continental Insur1.00 12.00 100.51 ance Nigeria13.65 Plc followed with 2.63 100.70 84.4 worth N81.04 1.00million units, 12.20 101.43 million in 225 deals. 103.16 1.34 12.53 In all, investors exchange 1.00 12.21 101.97 13.08 million109.43 a 1.88 total of 245.6 shares, 3.48 N2.8 billion 14.67 102.51 worth in 4,633 deals. 5.20

16.40

103.01

5.06

16.26

101.78

1.35

12.68

104.10

2.29

13.48

104.52

6.11

17.30

99.47

2.16

13.40

106.87

2.76

14.68

102.21

Six firms raise N365.87bn from stock exchange in 7 months

According to reports from News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, UBA Capital raised N1.8 through rights is1.00 billion 12.25 94.30 sue of two billion shares at 90k per share, while Sterling Bank got N12.48 billion from rights issue of 5.89 billion Offer shares at Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Price N2.12 billion Africa& Prudential raised N1.2 Prices Yields billion from rights issue to ex4.70 110.41 111.29 isting shareholders at N1.20 per share. 3.86 103.79 104.55 Commenting on the new is108.50Olushekun, 5.06 Mr Ariyo 109.34 imsues, mediate past President, Chartered Institute of Stockbrokers (CIS), lauded the development. Olushekun said that the market was111.45 gradually 112.64 recover2.96 ing from the effects of106.08 the re3.88 104.69 cent global financial meltdown. 5.89 99.24 100.40 He said that things were get6.41 100.59 102.30 ting better in the market with 8.10 94.36 96.11 the of new issues 6.94return 107.91 109.61 and impressive returns posted 6.09 99.41 100.66 by most companies. 8.77 quoted98.94 99.92

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.26

6.56

103.42

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.00

5.10

104.41

105.89

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

3,660.00 3,761.89

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

13-Aug-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 FIXINGS Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

**Treasury Bills

DTM Maturity Bid Discount (%) 8 21-Aug-14 10.30 15 28-Aug-14 10.50 FGN Bonds 22 4-Sep-14 10.55 29 11-Sep-14 10.30 36 18-Sep-14 10.55 Issuer Description Rating/Agency 43 25-Sep-14 10.50 50 2-Oct-14 10.65 9.25 28-SEP-2014 57 9-Oct-14 10.65 4.00 23-APR-2015 64 16-Oct-14 10.65 13.05 16-AUG-2016 71 23-Oct-14 10.65 15.10 27-APR-2017 78 30-Oct-14 10.40 9.85 27-JUL-2017 85 6-Nov-14 10.20 9.35 31-AUG-2017 92 13-Nov-14 10.70 10.70 30-MAY-2018 99 20-Nov-14 10.20 106 27-Nov-14 10.75 16.00 29-JUN-2019 NA NA 113 4-Dec-14 10.10 7.00 23-OCT-2019 120 11-Dec-14 10.75 16.39 27-JAN-2022 134 25-Dec-14 10.80 14.20 14-MAR-2024 148 8-Jan-15 10.40 15.00 28-NOV-2028 162 22-Jan-15 10.50 12.49 22-MAY-2029 176 5-Feb-15 10.35 8.50 20-NOV-2029 190 19-Feb-15 10.40 10.00 23-JUL-2030 204 5-Mar-15 10.35 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 239 9-Apr-15 10.35 253 23-Apr-15 10.25 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 267 7-May-15 10.15 TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION 358 6-Aug-15 10.20 *from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration #

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums Rating/Agency Issuer **Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

<3 3<5 >5

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

Market

NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA EDO *DELTA NIGER *EKITI

Offer Discount (%) 10.05 10.25 10.30 10.05 10.30Date Issue 10.25 10.40 28-Sep-07 10.40 23-Apr-10 10.40 16-Aug-13 10.40 27-Apr-12 10.15 27-Jul-07 9.95 31-Aug-07 10.45 30-May-08 9.95 10.50 29-Jun-12 9.85 23-Oct-09 10.50 27-Jan-12 10.55 14-Mar-14 10.15 28-Nov-08 10.25 22-May-09 10.10 20-Nov-09 10.15 23-Jul-10 10.10 18-Jul-14 10.10 10.00 9.90 9.95

Description

Bid Yield (%) 10.32 10.55 10.62 10.38 10.66 (%) Coupon 10.63 10.81 9.25 10.83 4.00 10.85 13.05 10.88 15.10 10.64 9.85 10.45 9.35 11.00 10.70 10.49 11.10 16.00 10.43 7.00 11.14 16.39 11.25 14.20 10.86 15.00 11.01 12.49 10.89 8.50 11.00 10.00 10.99 12.1493 11.10

Tenor O/N 1M Outstanding Value 3M (N'bn) 6M

11.03 10.96 11.33

4,479.99

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

11.46

Tenor

Spot O/N 11.71 7D Offer REPO 14D Yield TTM (Yrs) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) 1M(%) Call 11.75 2M 0.13 10.76 9.58 1M 12.59 3M 0.69 10.96 10.17 3M 13.28 6M 2.01 11.28 11.20 6M 13.88 1Y 2.70 11.22 11.15 2.95 11.19 11.13 NOTE: 3.05 11.20 11.08 :Benchmarks 3.80 11.29 11.19 * :Amortising Bond 4.88 11.45 11.38 µ :Convertible 5.19Bond 11.53 11.45 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 7.46Management Corporation 12.13 12.08 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 9.58 12.27 12.22 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria 14.29 12.33 12.29 IFC: International Finance Corporation 14.77 12.31 12.27 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 15.27 12.29 12.23 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 15.94 12.19 12.14 O/N: Overnight 12.08Company 12.04 UPDC: UAC19.93 Property Development

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Price

161.72 161.82 162.10 162.36 162.36 162.70Price Offer Bid Price 162.95 163.33 164.12 165.30 99.77 99.92 165.38 167.01 95.45 95.95 169.02 172.62 103.10 103.25 178.30 183.77 108.80 108.95 96.69 96.84 95.32 95.62 98.19 98.49 NA :Not Applicable # :Floating Rate Bond 116.60 116.90 ***: Deferred coupon bonds82.92 82.62 120.50 120.80 †: Bond rating 110.70expired 111.00 117.68 117.98 101.17 101.47 74.13 74.43 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 84.75 UBA: United Bank for Africa85.05 100.50 100.80

WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

4,550.82

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 Weighting by 06-Jul-12 Outstanding Vol

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

0.00

978.35

0.00BOND INDEX 24.56 FMDQ FGN 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 Weighting by Mkt 0.00/16.50 Value

1,023.89 1,132.62 745.06

968.07 951.30 811.72

35.45 34.83 29.72

35.29 39.03 25.68

2,901.57

2,731.09

100.00 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-10 30-Sep-10 30-Jun-11 30-Jun-09 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11

100.00 14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50

Rate (%) 11.7917 12.7519 13.6575 Date Maturity 14.3659

100.00 28-Sep-14 535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 515.27 16-Aug-16 452.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 10.4208 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 10.7696 300.00 30-May-18 3M 10.8712 6M 10.9280 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 10.9763 233.90 23-Oct-19 12M 11.3583 600.00 27-Jan-22 220.15 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 NIFEX 22-May-29 200.00 Current Price ($/N)20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 BID($/N) 591.57 161.8000 35.00 18-Jul-34 OFFER ($/N) 161.9000

Issue Date

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 II 20-APR-2017 PorfolioLCRM Market Total Outstanding 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 Volume(Bn) Value(Bn)

NIBOR

Bonds

3.30 112.22 116.70 Bucket Weighting 66.49

1,301.62

Maturity Date

31-Oct-14 24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 % Exposure_ 06-Jul-17 Mod_Duration

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

0.22 0.78 1.39 2.32 2.69 Implied2.90 Yield

Risk Premium (%) 1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 Implied Portfolio1.00 Price

Valuation Yield (%) 12.04 13.62 13.38 13.19 12.18 INDEX 12.19

Indicative Price 97.48 90.24 105.00 100.58 99.10 YTD Return 96.64 (%)

0.35 0.35 0.30

16.46 35.61 47.93

11.25 11.93 12.21

118.4826 133.8242 101.2577

1,125.34 1,133.17 1,181.25

12.5343 13.3173 18.1252

6.00 1.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 37.25 9.00 14.96

100.00 15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18

11.95 0.17 1.05 0.65 1.17 1.18 2.68 1.73 3.38 2.36 4.14 2.55

118.7069 3.29

1,127.59 14.20

12.7589 99.86

15.49 14.18 15.53 14.55 16.77 12.16 13.03 12.98 12.33 12.18

97.18 99.68 98.72 101.37 85.79 102.62 102.55 102.21 105.25 105.12

1,272.10

4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00

business | CAPITAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001

Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at August 13, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

No Debt Trading Activity

HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Computer Based Systems Totals

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

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 27 10 37

Current Price 36.47 37.00

Quantity Traded 166,774 29,217 195,991

Value Traded 5,940,444.54 1,057,613.67 6,998,058.21

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 24 24

Current Price 3.22

Quantity Traded 434,078 434,078

Value Traded 1,387,639.20 1,387,639.20

630,069

8,385,697.41

AGRICULTURE Totals

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 CONGLOMERATES Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 Diversified Industries

A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

Daily Summary

CONGLOMERATES Totals

No. of Deals 2 213 43 (Equities) 258

Current Price 1.40 5.59 60.75

258

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Quantity Traded 1,517 12,079,048 704,757 12,785,322

Value Traded 2,047.95 67,514,531.71 42,801,769.26 110,318,348.92

12,785,322

110,318,348.92

Current Price 0.57

Quantity Traded 13,500 13,500

Value Traded 7,425.00 7,425.00

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 500 500

Value Traded 250.00 250.00

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals

Symbol CWG NCR

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 5.00 13.72

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,790 2,790

Value Traded 4,750.00 23,341.60 28,091.60

16,790

35,766.60

Quantity Traded 123,967 8,092 89,524 478,049 82,413

Value Traded 4,113,621.74 66,917.16 3,542,675.89 6,806,185.23 18,631,786.92

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 ICT Totals Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY DANGOTE CEMENT PLC

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials

No. of Deals 20 20

Current Price 1.15

Quantity Traded 567,751 Page 567,751

Value Traded 1 659,673.65 of 12 659,673.65

PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

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

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 24 24

Current Price 65.00

Quantity Traded 189,179 189,179

Value Traded 12,018,026.69 12,018,026.69

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

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

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 23 23

Current Price 16.85

Quantity Traded 152,412 152,412

Value Traded 2,521,613.24 2,521,613.24

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) SKYE SHELTER FUND PLC UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Symbol SKYESHELT UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Current Price 90.25 8.70

Quantity Traded 145,737 125,900 271,637

Value Traded 13,152,764.25 1,095,330.00 14,248,094.25

1,180,979

29,447,407.83

Quantity Traded 92,975 32,771 90,148 445,424 51,800

Value Traded 734,742.50 6,327,490.63 2,474,048.93 77,891,404.45 51,768.00

CONSUMER GOODS

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 CHAMPION BREW. PLC.

GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. PREMIER BREWERIES PLC

70 Symbol No. of Deals CHAMPION 5 GUINNESS 38 INTBREW 14 NBSummary (Equities) 126 Daily PREMBREW 2

Current Price 8.31 193.00 27.50 174.99 1.00

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Symbol

No. of Deals 185

Current Price

Quantity Traded 713,118

Value Traded 87,479,454.51

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 9 9

Current Price 115.00

Quantity Traded 11,002 11,002

Value Traded 1,328,491.50 1,328,491.50

Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM

No. of Deals 23 76 71 48 50 4 272

Current Price 7.40 8.99 80.90 4.17 9.90 22.50

Quantity Traded 83,008 3,380,485 379,650 1,039,001 1,004,038 7,903 5,894,085

Value Traded 620,084.80 30,389,728.52 29,190,154.92 4,327,185.79 10,007,823.00 173,517.83 74,708,494.86

Food Products--Diversified

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 78 43 121

Current Price 67.02 1,110.00

Quantity Traded 295,412 17,169 312,581

Value Traded 18,822,239.33 18,615,561.29 37,437,800.62

No. of Deals 19 (Equities) 8 27

Current Price 4.25 1.37

Quantity Traded 306,716 24,215 330,931

Value Traded 1,283,607.20 30,269.15 1,313,876.35

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 NESTLE NIGERIA PLC.

Food Products--Diversified Totals

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals

Symbol VITAFOAM Daily Summary VONO

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Daily Summary asFIDELITY of 13/08/2014 BANK PLC Printed 13/08/2014GUARANTY 14:58:01.001 TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC

Micro-Finance Banks Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © 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 EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Current Price 37.30 49.00

720

Daily

Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 138 DIAMONDBNK 111 ETI 122 FIDELITYBK 52 GUARANTY 260 SKYEBANK 96 STERLNBANK 81 UBA 207 Summary (Equities) UBN 74 UNITYBNK 7 WEMABANK 42

Current Price 9.60 6.33 17.45 2.00 29.53 3.11 2.16 7.50 8.30 0.50 0.96

Page

Quantity Traded 216,281 239,451 455,732

Quantity Traded 5,248,880 11,868,609 14,573,065 2,010,636 12,062,061 5,530,335 4,201,254 6,038,519 828,447 1,085,000 3,372,045

Value Traded 50,898,194.10 74,770,059.13 252,682,140.66 4,070,902.61 356,182,803.74 17,140,646.63 9,095,197.70 45,580,786.36 7,033,467.47 542,500.00 3,251,244.89

Current Price 24.34

Quantity Traded 12,434,645 79,253,496

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GUINEAINS INTENEGINS LASACO LAWUNION LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM PRESTIGE REGALINS SOVRENINS WAPIC

No. of Deals 38 35 9 1 9 2 2 3 5 19 26 16 2 2 56 225

Current Price 0.84 1.00 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.50 0.54 0.80 0.54 0.50 0.50 0.80

Quantity Traded Page 1,814,979 73,040,622 257,079 12,000 89,240 65,000 11,111 20,000 32,000 2,556,960 4,050,819 1,435,749 2,000 33,000 1,039,307 84,459,866

NPFMCRFBK

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

3 3

No. of Deals 64 39 530 36 13 36 71 789

0.96

Current Price 3.30 3.91 15.50 4.25 0.58 30.01 2.16

2,504 Symbol EKOCORP Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH PHARMDEKO

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 3.72

No. of Deals 1 19 8 11 9 5 53

Current Price 2.26 3.20 65.01 1.62 1.02 2.17

Value Traded 7,857,201.44 11,729,150.55 19,586,351.99

221,854,469.83

No. of Deals 297 1,487

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

7,717,449

Symbol ZENITHBANK

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers EKOCORP PLC. Healthcare Providers Totals

No. of Deals 49 57 106

Quantity Traded 330,448 330,448 Page Quantity Traded 1,683,947 2,602,606 35,156,673 808,557 751,849 2,044,097 1,115,831 44,163,560

Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals

Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC on Board EQTY Activity Summary OIL AND GAS

Value Traded 4,520.00 5,205,406.87 491,879.43 180,748.00 247,645.68 460,085.57 6,590,285.55

CAP CCNN DANGCEM

Symbol DNMEYER PORTPAINT WAPCO

No. of Deals 3 7 68 186

Current Price 1.15 5.63 120.00

Quantity Traded Page 161,131 67,000 2,121,899 3,132,075

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 1.95

Quantity Traded 8,500 8,500

Value Traded 16,865.00 16,865.00

3,140,575

288,355,444.33

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 1,096.00 1,096.00

200

1,096.00

189 Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 5.76

1 Symbol JAPAULOIL

Current Price 0.53

Quantity Traded 2,599,360 2,599,360

Value Traded 1,384,428.56 1,384,428.56

No. of Deals 254

Current Price 26.70

Quantity Traded 2,770,682

Value Traded 74,134,840.61

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol OANDO

Current Price

Page Quantity Traded 2,770,682

8 Valueof Traded12

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

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 82 36 150 29 5 30 332

Current Price 72.50 3.94 227.07 170.00 59.50 180.00

Quantity Traded 486,801 571,471 548,983 135,869 6,261 49,747 1,799,132

Value Traded 35,292,039.19 2,189,194.70 124,182,336.91 23,164,579.24 368,397.11 8,957,199.75 194,153,746.90

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Exploration and Production Totals

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 21 21

Current Price 695.00

Quantity Traded 29,113 29,113

Value Traded 20,128,576.52 20,128,576.52

7,198,287

289,801,592.59

Advertising AFROMEDIA PLC Advertising Totals

Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC. Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

655 Symbol AFROMEDIA

74,134,840.61

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 250 250

Value Traded 125.00 125.00

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 0.93

Quantity Traded 198,183 198,183

Value Traded 186,135.29 186,135.29

RTBRISCOE

8 8

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 3 4 7

Current Price 4.37 1.79

Quantity Traded 101,900 191,000 292,900

Value Traded 445,740.00 340,890.00 786,630.00

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 49,950 49,950

Value Traded 24,975.00 24,975.00

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 0.78

Quantity Traded 24,740 24,740

Value Traded 18,983.60 18,983.60

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 150,000 150,000

Value Traded 75,000.00 75,000.00

Symbol LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 3 9 12

Current Price 1.58 4.50

Quantity Traded 13,725 135,518 149,243

Value Traded 21,812.75 580,302.40 602,115.15

Symbol No. of Deals ABCTRANS 28 Daily Summary (Equities) 28

Current Price 0.70

Quantity Traded 1,122,608 1,122,608

Value Traded 787,944.60 787,944.60

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Page

Value Traded of 12 184,800.65 359,210.80 254,633,380.94 288,338,579.33 7

No. of Deals 48 48

OIL AND GAS Totals

SERVICES Courier/Freight/Delivery RED STAR EXPRESS PLC TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 Printing/Publishing Totals Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Page

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 7 28 35

Current Price 2.15 5.00

Quantity Traded 196,000 371,273 567,273

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

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 11 11

Current Price 5.80

Quantity Traded 50,377 50,377

SERVICES Totals

EQTY Board Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

Value Traded 421,540.00 1,855,919.58 2,277,459.58

Value Traded 304,068.08 304,068.08

114

2,605,524

5,063,436.30

4,631

245,692,241

2,792,964,384.82

Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Daily Summary asProducts of 13/08/2014 Food Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001 MCNICHOLS PLC

of 12 Value Traded 5,488,383.64 10,205,559.38 543,062,776.13 3,436,366.91 442,831.68 61,343,629.58 2,397,637.71 626,377,185.03

Quantity Traded 2,000 1,635,434 7,661 110,780 241,280 212,021 2,209,176

Current Price 34.00 8.40 39.52 14.20 226.08

No. of Deals 254

Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 SERVICES14:58:01.001 Printed 13/08/2014

Value Traded 1,770.00 1,770.00

No. of Deals 36 5 11 39 17

Symbol

Value Traded 318,957.76 318,957.76

Quantity Traded 500 500

Symbol ASHAKACEM

Daily Summary (Equities) BERGER

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals Daily Summary as of 13/08/2014 OIL AND GAS Printed 13/08/2014 14:58:01.001

Value Traded 4 of 12 1,496,447.39 73,005,004.08 128,539.50 6,000.00 44,640.00 32,500.00 5,555.50 10,000.00 80,380.00 1,380,118.40 3,240,616.35 761,989.64 1,000.00 16,500.00 839,912.10 81,049,202.96

1,833,109,069.46

Page

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

Value Traded 304,115,780.42 1,125,363,723.71

208,207,370

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

6,592,055.55

No. of Deals 2 2

Symbol COSTAIN

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals

2,209,676

Symbol COURTVILLE

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other (W A) PLC. Published byCOSTAIN The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Food Products Totals Personal/Household Products ROKANA INDUSTRIES PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 1.41

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 1,340.00 1,340.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.60

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 570.00 570.00

DailyROKANA Summary (Equities)

Page 2,000

of 12 1,910.00

ASeM Board Totals

2,000

1,910.00

Equity Activity Totals

4,633

245,694,241

2,792,966,294.82

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

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

Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 2 3

Current Price 2,042.00 19.00

Quantity Traded 11 24,000 24,011

Value Traded 22,462.00 459,990.00 482,452.00

ETF Board Totals

24,011

482,452.00

ETP Activity Totals

24,011

482,452.00

Page

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Ikale, Ilaje kick against inclusion in Ijebu state ROOTS Count us out of Ijebuland, that is the message coming from minorities in Ogun state Onwuka Nzeshi

ABUJA

he Ilaje and Ikale people of Ogun State yesterday protested their inclusion in the proposed Ijebu state, demanding to be merged with their kith and kin in Ondo State. In a memorandum presented to the National Conference,

the affected communities lamented that they have been subjected to marginalisation and other forms of injustice in their current location and would want to remain there. The protest memorandum was signed by the Chairman of the Ilaje/ Ikale Communities Forum, Prince Abejoye OlowoniyiAdeniyi and Secretary, Mr. Funmi Alaka. Some of the affected communities include Ayila, Ayede, Ayematura, Yeyeye, Bagbe, Itebu Manuwa, Poluke, Bolorunduro, Ijako and Elefan. Addressing a news conference in Abuja yesterday, a member of the Ondo

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Cameroon in 2011. Source: Itu.int

State Delegates Forum to the National Conference, Chief Sola Ebiseni, said the inclusion of the Ilaje and Ikale communities in the proposed Ijebu state would further perpetrate injustice suffered by the affected communities. Ebiseni argued that given their ethnic and cultural affinity with Ilaje-Ikale in Ondo State, these communities in Waterside Local Government area of Ogun State have suffered utter neglect. “Over the years, the Ikale-Ilaje section of Ogun State has been given such names as ‘Special area,’ ‘inaccessible area,’ ‘rural area,’ among others, by successive

65%

The percentage of hydropower generation potential in Europe estimated to have already been developed. Source: Unesco.org

administrations to describe the degree of neglect of that area. “Presently, it is only the Ikale-Ilaje section of the Local government that has no tarred road. The terrible condition of the roads during rainy season can only be imagined. “There is no pipe borne water, no electricity, available schools are totally neglected with decaying infrastructure. There is no hospital while the available healthcare centres are without equipment and personnel. The area lacks everything. “The people are hopeless and helpless, because we are

2,063

The total number of air travel passengers of Makurdi airport in 2012. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

L-R: Representative of INEC Chairman, Mr. Kayode Idowu; Chairman, NUJ Enugu State Council, Mr. Louis Delibe; Acting Executive Secretary, Nigerian Press Council (NPC), Mr Nnamdi Njemanze and Representative of Enugu State Government, Mr. Samuel Onyia, at a workshop on the coverage of 2015 elections for journalists in the South-East in Enugu …yesterday

Ogun NMA trains 100 health workers to check Ebola •As Wada approves isolation centre Kunle Olayeni and Muhammad Bashir

he Nigerian Medical Association (NMA) in Ogun State yesterday said it has trained no fewer than 100 persons on the management of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) whose outbreak has continued to devastate the country. This was as the Governor of Kogi State, Idris Wada, yesterday designated a wing in the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, as isolation centre in case of any reported case of outbreak of the virus disease in the state. But Ogun State NMA Chairman, Dr. Adenike Odewabi, who spoke about the training at a press con-

ference in Abeokuta yesterday, also said a committee has been constituted to set up isolation centres across the state. According to Odewabi, the association trained different health workers, including doctors, nurses, attendants and technicians on the management of the disease. She said the training was held in collaboration with the state government to prepare for any eventuality. “Five groups of health workers are being trained in each of the 20 local governments. They consist of doctors, nurses, attendants, technicians and others,” the NMA boss said. Odewabi pointed out that the NMA committee

on prevention and control of Ebola will work with the government in ensuring the setting up of the isolation centres. “We are already working on this. We are looking at having three, but one has been identified in OkeOdan, near the border. It is quite accessible because of its closeness to the border,” she added. Kogi State Commissioner for Information, Zainab Okino, spoke about the designation of the Specialist Hospital in Lokoja as EVD isolation centre after the weekly State Executive Council meeting in Lokoja. Okino, however, said the state has not had any reported case of Ebola outbreak, stressing that the government is only being

proactive in case of any reported case. The commissioner urged the people of the to maintain high standard of hygiene even as the government is working hard to put in place the necessary mechanism to ensure that the state is free from the virus. In a related development, Governor Wada has inaugurated the board of the Kogi State Specialist Hospital, Lokoja, with a call on the new board to strive for excellence and improve performance in the provision of quality healthcare service delivery. Represented by the Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, the governor said the members were selected based on their antecedents.

far from the centre, we are marginalised as the ethnic minorityinOgunState.They see us as minority within the majorityandwecannotafford tothinkaboutwhatwouldbecome of our future if we are groupedintheproposedIjebu state again. According to Ebiseni, past efforts by the people to actualise their dreams of joining their kith and kin in Ondo State started in 1909, while legal actions culminated in courts judgements in 1953, 1965, 1968 and 1973. “As sub-Yoruba groupings, we are different culturally; we are territorially disconnected from the Ijebu, Egba and Awori that

constitute the major groupings in Ogun State, where we are presently forced in a marriage of inconvenience. “The government of Ogun State does not remember our people in the development of the state, we therefore make this passionate appeal that the Ikale-Ilaje in Ogun State be regrouped with their kith and kin by way of boundary adjustment in such a way that the Ikale towns and villages in Ogun State are merged with Okitipupa Local Government, while Ilaje towns are merged with Ilaje Local Government area of Ondo State,” he said.

Chibok girls: Group chides Afenifere over attack on northern elders Temitope Ogunbanke political group, the Action Team Against Conscription and Kidnap (ATACK), a nationwide network of CSOs and NGOs, has faulted pan-Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere’s claim that politicians across the country should stop using the abduction of Chibok girls to seek political advantage ahead of the 2015 general elections. ATACK in a statement signed by its convener, Debo Adeniran, and Secretary, Bunmi Odeniyi, said there is nothing wrong in the position of the Northern Elders Forum (NEF) to express its feelings on state of the nation, especially on the insurgency in parts of the north. “As far as ATACK is concerned, we are not sure that the northern elders have said anything beyond their competence. Every hand must be on deck, so that insurgency could be contained. As long as President Goodluck Jonathan cannot bring insurgency

under check within the shortest possible time, then he should be made to go. “It is either he resigns or he should be forced out, because he doesn’t deserve to continue to hold that office. “It is unexpected of elderly people that Afenifere is deemed to be composed of, to make such unguarded statement when they know that unquantifiable numbers of lives and property have been destroyed and attempt is not being made despite so much money that have been claimed to have been sunk into the problem. “Nothing significant has been achieved so far despite expending over N1 trillion; rather the insurgents seem to be getting more and more powerful by the day and instead of facing the task of bringing insurgency to check, the system took delight in bombarding electoral venues with various security personnel showing fire power on unarmed civilian populace," the statement added.

LG poll: Clark told to hands off the politics of Patani Gabriel Choba

Ughelli

rovoked by what they Pterference described as undue inin the politics

of Patani Local Government in Delta State, elder statesman, Chief Edwin Kiagbodor Clark, has being asked to hands off the politics of the area. In a statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of a coalition of students’ leaders in Patani Local Government, Comrade Godfrey Regha, after an emergency meeting yesterday, the students appealed to President Goodluck Jonathan to ask the elder statesman to hands off the politics of the area. The statement reads

in part; “We wonder why Chief E. K. Clark will not allow Comrade Elijah Ologe, to be chairman of the council whereas he (Clark) was at the forefront of the crusade that brought President Goodluck Jonathan, who is from a minority tribe in Nigeria to rule the country. “Chief E. K. Clark is standing in the way of one of our own, Comrade Elijah Ologe, who is aspiring to govern the council for the simple reason that he is from the minority,” we advise him (Clark) to desist from intruding into the affairs of the council area in a meddlesome manner in the interest of peaceful coexistence.”

46 NEWS HOPE

Good news. There is hope for unemployed graduates as comrade governor puts on his thinking cap Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do State government yesterday said it would resuscitate all ailing industries as a way of finding a solution to the unemployment problem confronting the state. The government said it would soon privatise ailing industries to pave way for the employment of the teeming unemployed youths in the 2015 fiscal year. In addition, government aims to reactivate some of the state-owned industries, among which is the setting up of a furniture factory and an industrial park in the

4.4m

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Oshiomhole promises to reactivate ailing industries

Security: All Nigerians are vulnerable, says APC scribe

ancient town of Benin. Governor Adams Oshiomhole disclosed this when he declared open this year’s trade fair, holding at the Edo Hotels complex in the state capital. Oshiomhole said: “Ailing industries will be privatised or completely turned around in the next fiscal year to boost our drive for job creation and the building of a sustainable economy.” The trade fair with the theme: “Great People, Bountiful Resources, and Boundless Opportunities,” was organised by Mactstacoprime Partners in collaboration with the Benin Chamber of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (BENCCIMA) and the Edo State government. The governor said

he National Secretary TCongress of the All Progressives (APC), Alhaji

The estimated number of confirmed pregnancies in the US every year. Source: Hopexchange.com

the fair was indicative of the fact that business owners and investors are renewing their confidence in Edo State economy, buoyed by the restoration of collapsed infrastructure since 2009. Oshiomhole, who was represented at the event by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Julius Ihonvbere, said his administration was committed to supporting private investors in the state. He said his administration would partner with the Bank of Industry (BoI) to create a N500 million “soft facility for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs). Chairman of BENCIMA, Dr. Andy Edobor, in his address blamed the body’s inability to host the annual Edo State

$740.7m

The additional value of capital importation realized from Banking sector of Nigeria from 2011 levels. Source: National Bureau of Statistics

trade fair on the collapse of facilities at the permanent trade fair complex. Edobor said: “There are no basic infrastructural facilities at the complex and adjoining roads to the fair grounds are highly dilapidated. “The ceremonial pavilion, the build-up stands, multi-purpose hall, police post, press centre and tarred pathways are all dilapidated, and that is why the fair is holding at this hotel.” He, however, commended the fair organising committee for a successful event and said, it would “provide opportunity for entrepreneurs to exchange ideas and break new grounds that would translate into commercial and industrial growth of Edo State.”

27.05

The average age of Bosnia team in the just concluded Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Telegraph.co.uk

Hassan Jirgi DAMATURU

Maimala Buni, has said that the security challenges facing the country have made all Nigerians vulnerable. Buni said this after congratulating Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on the outcome of the governorship election in Osun State on Saturday. He expressed optimism about the growing political awareness among the electorate, which he said resulted in the large turnout in the Osun election despite the deployment of a large number of security operatives. He said the people of Osun refused to be intimidated by such huge security presence as they conducted themselves peacefully and voted for a candidate of their choice. The APC national sec-

Nwapa defends NCDMB youth training programme Chris Ejim YENAGOA

he Executive SecreTContent tary of the Nigerian Development

and Monitoring Board (NCDMB), Mr. Earnest Nwapa, has defended the criteria used by the board in the allocation of intervention projects and selection of beneficiaries for its youths’ empowerment training programme, especially for employment into the oil and gas industry. According to Nwapa, the selection processes for beneficiaries of its youths’ training and development programme is transparent and based on the projected manpower need of the oil and gas

L-R: Programme Officer, Anti-Corruption Unit, Mr. Newton Otsemaye; Executive Director, Africa Network for Environment, Economic for Justices, Mr. David Ugolor; Head, Media and Publicity, Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mr. Wilson Uwujare and a Consultant , Mr. Peter Ritchie, during a town hall meeting on the prosecution of fuel subsidy corruption cases in Nigeria in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

Muhammad Bashir

Sola Adeyemo

State Secretary of Kic ogi the Peoples DemocratParty (PDP), Mr. Em-

yo State Governor, Abiola Ajimobi, has urged the people of the state to turn out en masse to collect their Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) as issuance commences on Friday, August 15, 2014 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The governor gave the charge in a statement issued in Ibadan by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo. While stressing the importance of collecting the PVCs, he said the

cards would give them the opportunity of exercising their civic rights and choosing the right people to represent them during the 2015 general elections. “I like to inform the good people of Oyo State that it is very important for them, particularly those who had earlier registered and obtained the temporary voters’ cards, to collect the permanent ones. It is the opportunity they have not to disenfranchise themselves during the coming general elections,” he said. Governor Ajimobi also reminded the people that

if they failed to collect the cards, they might be preparing veritable grounds for unscrupulous elements and desperate politicians to tamper with the cards and use them to rig elections. “Experience from the elections held in some states in recent times has shown the dangers inherent in failing to collect permanent voters’ cards. Such uncollected cards may find their ways into the hands of desperate politicians, who may be bent on winning elections through the back door. “We should, therefore, ensure that we collect the

cards in order not to give room for election rigging and manipulations,” he said. The governor also enjoined the people not to engage in selling their voters’ cards for whatever reason, as this might deny them the opportunity of choosing the right people to lead them. As for those who were yet to register, probably because they were not up to 18 years as at the last registration exercise or because they had just moved into the state, he said they would have the opportunity of doing so from August 20, 2014.

sector with a clear consideration for youths from the oil bearing states of the South-South. The executive secretary, represented by the General Manager, Executive Secretary Office and Zonal Coordinator, Dr. Gina Gina, during a call on him by the leadership of the Bayelsa State chapter of the Civil Liberties Organisation (CLO), led by Chief Nengi James, said though the functions and duties of the board are guided by the Local Content Act, the choice of oil bearing areas and youths to benefit from the empowerment and development policies of the board is guided by the provision of the Local Content Act.

PDP chief seeks bridge to link Idah, Agenebode

Ajimobi mobilises electorate to collect of permanent voters’ card IBADAN

retary said everybody appreciated the zeal of the people to participate in the election to ensure that their rights were not violated or denied. Buni said: “The Osun election is a reflection of the people's determination to have a peaceful election in 2015; it also reflects the position of the electorate, insisting on competent candidates, capable hands to deliver service and good governance to improve the lives of the citizenry. He added that, no Nigerian would want a repeat of the failures of the PDPled Federal Government in the last 15 years. There is a strong and glaring indication that Nigerians are desperately in need of a government that will guaranty security of lives and property. The APC scribe described the PDP government as a failure as there was no infrastructure to point at all these years.

LOKOJA

manuel Egwu, has called on the Federal Government to construct a bridge from Idah to Agenebode in Edo State. Egwu, who is also an aspirant for House of Representatives in Idah, Ibaji, Igala-Mela and Ofu federal constituency in the state, said the bridge, if constructed across the River Benue, will enhance socio-economic activities of the two communities. The PDP scribe in an interaction with newsmen in Lokoja, yester-

day said his quest to represent his people at the lower chamber of the National Assembly is to provide responsive and quality representation, which according him will attract the needed dividend of democracy to the people. The aspirant, who is a seasoned accountant, said he has assisted many less privileged persons in the area, especially youths who are desirous of furthering their education. He commended Governor Idris Wada, for creating employment for the teeming youths of the state through his empowerment programmes.

NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Osun poll: APC should apologise to INEC, PDP, says party chair APOLOGY

PDP won in Ekiti, APC cried foul. It is no more foul as APC beat PDP in Osun Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

kiti State Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Mr. Makanjuola Ogundipe, yesterday said the All Progressives Congress (APC) should apologise to his party and the Independent National

Electoral Commission (INEC) over unsavoury comments made by leaders of the APC on Ekiti and Osun governorship polls. He also demanded an apology from the APC for President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he described as a fighter and supporter of credible polls. Speaking in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the PDP stalwart said when the APC lost the election in Ekiti, its leaders resorted to wild allegations against INEC and the PDP. “When the APC lost Ekiti governorship poll in a woeful manner, there

was nothing ugly and bad that they did not say. An election that was adjudged credible, free and fair by local and international observers, was discredited by the APC leaders, who levelled allegations that can never be substantiated. “The same INEC that conducted the Ekiti poll and which was called names by APC also conducted the Osun poll. APC should explain if INEC has changed or the ballot papers used have been changed as well. “The same way Ekiti people voted for Dr. Ayo Fayose, the Osun people

also voted for Governor Rauf Aregbesola. It is only moral for the APC to tender an apology and bury their pride and withdraw their case against Fayose and the PDP at the tribunal," he said. Ogundipe added that APC leaders attempted to denigrate the Ekiti election by raising needless eyebrows and creating tension. The PDP boss called on the APC and its leaders to engage in constructive criticisms and stop the pull-him-down syndrome. “There is nothing any politician will gain by deriding the exalted Office

PTDF headquarters ready Stay away from drugs, for inauguration Tejuoso warns youths Johnchuks Onuanyim at the cost of N10.38 billion. gun State Commis- drugs and other harmHowever, the 12-storey Osioner for Youth and ful substances that can multi-billion naira building was abandoned Sport, Dr. Lanre Tejuoso, destroy their lives and caTtershe corporate headquar- in June 2012 due to fund- has called on youths in the reers, as the continuation of the Petroleum ing constraints. state to desist from the use of abusive use of these ABUJA

Technology Development Fund (PTDF) located at the Central Business District of Abuja is ready for inauguration. The building that took twenty-seven months to complete was built by Julius Berger PLC. Inspecting the building on Tuesday, PTDF Executive Secretary, Mr. Olufemi Ajayi, told journalists that President Goodluck Jonathan is expected to commission the complex in October this year. The contract was signed between Messrs Julius Berger Plc and PTDF in November 2009

Speaking at the complex, the executive secretary described as excellent and challenging, the building of the complex; adding that it would serve as additional source of income to the agency. He said: “It is quite intimidating, I have heard so much about the building, but this is my first time of coming here. “It is challenging because this is just the building. “We don’t have the equipment yet, the ICT and some other things, so what it means is that we have to look for money to do that," Ajayi added.

of hard drugs and other harmful substances that can truncate their careers and eventually claim their lives. He said this while responding to questions from the media on the 2014 International Youths Day tagged; ‘’youth and mental health’’. Tejuoso said the abuse of dangerous substances and drugs among youths is on the increase, which portends a great danger for the future of the nation. “Our youths must guide jealously their careers and mental health and should desist from

drugs will eventually lead to mentally derailed youths,” he noted. While responding to the opportunities created by government to engage youths in sporting activities, the commissioner said the Ministry of Youth and Sport has created several avenues for them to develop their skills, to have meaningful impact in the development of the state. “They have been given free access to all the stadia to engage in sporting activities, develop their skills, thereby making meaningful impact as good citizens,” he emphasised.

Aide flaunts Jonathan's youth development efforts Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

enior Special Assistant to President Goodluck Jonathan on Youths and Student Affairs, Comrade Jude Imagwe, yesterday assured the nation of the commitment of the Federal Government towards advancing policies aimed at promoting the potential of youths in the country. He also tasked youths in the country to imbibe the virtue of the nation’s

founding fathers in order to assist the country attain positive development. Imagwe stated this while fielding questions from newsmen in Benin City, the Edo State capital, on the 2014 International Youths Day celebration. He urged youths to rally round President Goodluck Jonathan’s second term ambition to enable him consolidate on the successes recorded by his administration in the last four years. According to the pres-

idential aide, no nation can attain its full potential in terms of development without adequate investment in its youths, adding that the realisation of this informs government’s resolve to engage young men and women in policy decision making processes. The goal he said was to bring about workable framework to attain optimum productivity. He decried the situation where some crop of youths have turned them-

selves into willing tools in the hands of desperate politicians rather than see themselves as positive instruments of change. “As we join our counterparts in the world to mark the International Day of the Youth, I want all young people to know that the future of this country belongs to us all. And that is why we must all shun any negative tendency or action that is capable of denying us of that great future,” Imagwe said.

Ebola: NGO deploys 150 health workers for enlightenment campaign Johnchuks Onuanyim ABUJA

o create more awareTDisease ness on the Ebola Virus (EVD), a Non-

Governmental Organisation, Africa Grassroots Empowerment Organisation, is set to partner the Federal Government by deploying 150 health workers across the country. The NGO revealed this yesterday in Abuja at a press briefing on the state of the nation.

According to the Executive President of the organisation, Prince Gomene Namene, the group was capable of checkmating post-election violence and putting an end to election corruption in the country. He said the NGO, which has its origin in the SouthSouth geo-political zone, has deployed members to checkmate election violence in the zone in 2011. In his address, Namene said: “We are not unaware

of the importance of information and knowledge in contrast to ignorance. In extreme cases, the cost of ignorance to a society brings about damaging consequences, which may tend to adversely affect future generations. “As the ambassadors of the grassroots people of Africa and Africans in Diaspora domiciled here in Nigeria, with branches across the 36 states and Abuja, we are disposed towards ensuring that

Nigeria remains a united nation in conformity with the dreams of our founding fathers. This, we hope to achieve through massive grassroots campaigns for peaceful polls. According to Namene, “Our organisation believes that it is only through the instrumentality of peaceful elections that we can produce leaders in various positions of authority, who will work towards providing the dividends of democracy to the electorate.”

of the President of the Federal Republic, state institutions that are mandated to perform constitutional duties, because we just want to make noise.

“We must play politics that will help our country grow and rank well among the comity of nations,” Ogundipe counselled.

EKEMINI BUTCHERS AND LIVESTOCK OWNERS ASSOCIATION, AKWA IBOM STATE The general public is hereby informed that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004. The Trustees are: 1. Benson Edet Jacob 2. Saviour Ben Emmanuel 3. Darabasi Ukpe Ekaette. Aims and Objectives: To promote peace, unity, welfare of members and effective service delivery. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

FRIENDS OF PRINCE AKPABIO WORLDWIDE ASSOCIATION The general public is hereby informed that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004. The Trustees are: 1.Hon. Akan, Anthony Jude 2.Barr. Duru Onyekachi Wisdom 3.Hon. Udoh Frank Archibong 4.Bishop Koko-Bassey John Eneh 5.Mr Uwah Ime Emmanuel 6.Hon. Chief Dr. Inegbese Mike 7.Hon. Udoh Anthony Luke 8.Mr Ejee Johnson Eke. Aims and Objectives: To foster unity, development and prosperity to the members and the community. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

LIFE OF LIGHT GLOBAL EVANGELICAL CHURCH The general public is hereby notified that the above mentioned CHURCH has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration in accordance with Part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act LFN (cap 20). Board Trustees: 1. Pastor Adebisi Oladepo Stephen (2. Mr. Ogunkowade Olabode Amos (3. Dns Oladepo Oluwatoyin Maria (4 Faluyi Jacob Babawale 5 Engr. Akanbi Oluwafemi Mathew (6. Engr. Soyebi Samson Olukayode (7. Dr. (Mrs) Ologunde Adedoyin Olusola. Aims and Objectives: 1 To win souls to the kingdom of God 2 To set the captive free through the power of prayer and assistance of God 3 To preach the gospel of Jesus Christ 4 To equip the saints for the work of ministry 5 To run Christian and Bible schools. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Trustees

YOUTH ARISE EMPOWERMENT INITIATIVE

The general public is hereby informed that the above named Association has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004. Board Trustees: 1. Rev. (Mrs) Elizabeth Odion Adewole 2. Miss Arinola Ajibike Adewole 3 Mr. Adedapo Adegboyega Adewole. Aims and Objectives: 1 Awake youths consciousness to skill acquisition. 2 Source financial empowerment for empowerment for youths 3. Empower youths with vocational skills. 4. Foster/create a desire in youths to become mentally progressive. 5 Counseling youths in becoming a better person. 6. Counsel youths to aim for a better future devour of corruptive mindset. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Trustees

48 NEWS SOS

Okpanam, Issele - Azagba people cry over dangerous roads around them Dominic Adewole ASABA

ome communities in Delta State yesterday tasked their elected office holders from Aniocha / Oshimili Federal Constituency to try and fix failed roads scattered across Asaba /Okpanam / Issele-Azagba roads in the State. Other roads begging for attention include the ones that cut across the Catholic Church in Amachai Community, Okpanam in Oshimili North Local Government Area of the state. Expressing displeasure over the condition of the roads, Chairman of Amachai Community, Okpanam, Comrade Emeka Egwuogu, said the important roads have be-

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Communities task Elumelu, Ajudua over failed roads

come a nightmare to commuters. He said community efforts towards grading the road have not helped the matter, maintaining that “serious government attention is required to fix the roads.” According to him, although the roads are short stretched they are important as they link three local government areas, and will also, make people to travel to Asaba without passing through the ever busy Benin/Asaba expressway. "Okpanam as part of the state capital territory is witnessing an influx of people and this our road will make people to travel to Asaba without passing through the airport and it will ease congestion on that part of the road," Egwuogu said adding, "we are calling on our member in the Federal

The percentage of hydroelectric power supplies of Africa’s energy. Source: Unesco.org

House of Representatives, Hon. Ndudi Elumelu, the members representing Oshimili South, Oshimili North and Aniocha North Constituencies in the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Peter Onwusanya, Pat Ajudua and Victor Ochei respectively and all the sons and daughters of Aniocha/ Oshimili to take the road as a priority project." He added that the Asaba/Okpanam/IsseleAzagba road through Amachai community will also facilitate movement for people who are residing in Okpanam and go to work in Akwukwu-Igbo, Asaba, Onitsha and other places. Also, Comrade Friday Okonkwo said: "This road will make the people of Okpanam to also go to our local government headquarter, Akwukwu-Igbo, Ugbolu and other areas

29.31

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Bulgaria in 2012. Source: Itu.int

within Oshimili North and Aniocha North local government areas. Farmers and our people in general will find it easier to visit Asaba through this road. "Amachai community has been grading this road, but, we cannot grade it beyond our land which makes it difficult to pass through. " We want the Direct Labour Agency (DLA) to grade this road and make it motorable to Issele-Azagba because many people prefer to pass through this road than to pass through the expressway." Comrade Okonkwo urged concerned governmental organizations to take the road as a priority project, observing that Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State is doing a lot for Deltans, especially in the area of road construction.

10%

The percentage of population of women above 60 years old in Bahamas in 2012. Source: Un.org

2015: Urhobo network endorses Ovie Omo-Agege Joseph Onyekwere he Urhobo Network, TUrhobo a body comprising indigenes has

endorsed Olorogun Ovie Omo-Agege for the governorship seat of Delta State in 2015. The group threw their weight behind OmoAgege for the governorship of Delta, saying he is the right candidate for the job during its Urhobo stakeholder’s forum with the theme: “2015 and Beyond, the unity of Urhobo, Issues, Challenges and Solutions. In a statement issued to the press by its National co-ordinator, Dr.

Dafe Akpocha, the group insisted that it is either an Urhobo governor or nothing else. Akpocha said Urhobo must unite now to forge ahead and form a platform of unity and national cohesion that will deprive intruders from Urhobo from seeking for a deputy governorship seat. The forum resolved that having carefully listened to Omo-Agege showcase what he has to offer Urhobo and Delta people as a governor, they are convinced that he is the most credible and qualified to take Urhobo and Delta State in general to the promised land.

INEC to conduct fresh voters, register in Oyo Sola Adeyemo IBADAN

he Independent NaTCommission(INEC) tional Electoral in

Oyo state will conduct fresh voter registration in four hundred and ninety-seven (497) polling units in the state during the coming Continuous Voter Registration exercise. The exercise takes place between next Wednesday August 20th and Monday, August 25th, 2014. INEC Resident Commissioner for Oyo state, Alhaji Nasir Olanrewaju Ayilara made this known yesterday in Ibadan, while addressing stakeholders on the Commission’s preparedness for

the distribution of permanent voter cards. Alhaji Ayilara said in 2011, voter registration took place in 4, 783 polling units in the state but 4,286 polling units representing 89.6%. "The balance of 497 units representing 10.3% will have outright fresh voter registration during the Continuous Voter Registration from Wednesday 20th to Monday 25th August 2014. Among the registered voters affected by this incident are some prominent citizens and residents of this state, including serving and former state functionaries while the affected 497 polling units are spread across twenty local government areas."

Ogun to begin payment of 27.5% teachers peculiar allowance State Governor, Osungun Senator Ibikunle Amohas said the state is

L-R: Director, Electoral Training Institute, Mr. Austin Nnamma; Resident Electoral Commissioner, Cross River State, Mr. Mike Igini; Administrative Secretary, Independent National Electoral Commission, Cross River State, Mrs. Immaculata Asuquo, during a press briefing ahead of the distribution of permanent voters cards, in Calabar...yesterday

Kaduna police nab suspected robbers, fake currency syndicate Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

he Kaduna State Police Command has arrested 65 suspected armed robbers, three men suspected of producing fake Nigerian currencies and recovered 21 top of the range cars, 37 assorted arms with 360 ammunitions, military uniform and other dangerous weapons and charms in different operations. The state Police Commissioner, Umar Shehu, disclosed this while parading some of the suspects, the cars and other items recovered from them at the state police

command headquarters yesterday. According to him, the command also arrested a man who posed as an Assistant Superintended of Police (ASP) to transport Indian hemp to different parts of the country. Narrating how the counterfeiters were arrested, Shehu said that “On 30th July, 2014, one Sani Abubakar, 23 years of Kofar Jatau, Zaria City, Kaduna State went to a brothel, had an affair with a lady after which he gave her counterfeit notes of N1, 500. The lady suspected the money to be fake and raised and alarm which attracted

the people around to call the police. “During interrogation, the suspect confessed that the counterfeit currencies were given to him by one Sabo Umar, 41 years of Hiyin Rogo, Samaru Zaria Kaduna. Investigation led to the arrest of the said Sabo Umar, who equally mentioned one David Kwambe, 37 years of Gaduwa Estate, Abuja and their printer.” The sum of N60, 000 in fake N500 notes, a HP computer laptop and a HP colour printer were found in their houses. According to the CP, last Friday, the combined team of SARS and task

force on illegal smuggling of goods, small arms, ammunition, light weapons and monitoring of pipeline vandalism arrested a semi tanker with registration number LSD 768 XM at Maraban Jos. The occupants fled but police discovered that it contained 70 bags of weeds suspected to be Indian hemp. He said police also arrested five suspected armed bandits, who invaded Ungwan Marwa Village, Sanga LGA, where they killed one Rabiu Nuhu last Sunday. CP Umar said all the suspects would soon be arraigned before the courts.

set to begin the immediate implementation of the 27.5 percent Peculiar Allowance earlier approved for teachers nationwide. This, he said, would make the state the first to effect the payment of the allowance in the country, while also re-affirming his government's unwavering commitment to the prompt payment of teachers’ salaries and allowances as well as training and re-training to improve quality service delivery. Amosun, who made this known at the grand reception held in honour of the six winners from the state who excelled at the 2013 President's Teacher and Schools Excellence Award (PTSEA) and students who emerged second overall at the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) National Quiz Competition at an event held at the Oba's Complex, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta said the gesture is in recogni-

tion of teachers efforts in building the leaders of tomorrow. He said although the newly approved allowance was not planned for in the State's 2014 budget, the State House of Assembly would be formally informed in the supplementary budget. "The role of teachers in building our future leaders is second to none and the place of Ogun as the first recipient of western education in Nigeria cannot be over-emphasised. We have put all machinery in motion to blaze the trail with the immediate implementation of 27.5 percent peculiar teachers allowance earlier approved from the initial 15 percent. "As we have also started paying teachers’ salaries before the end of the month without waiting for Joint Allocation Committee, which could bring about a two-week delay in payment, because we are striving hard to increase our Internally Generated Revenue."

AFRICA | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

NEWS

UNICEF: Quarter of global population will SuNMaP partners ABS be African by 2050 T

quarter of the world’s population will be African within 35 years, the UN children’s agency said, as the continent’s birth rates continue to rapidly rise. High fertility rates coupled with a rise in the number of women of child-bearing age will see two billion babies born in the region by 2050, UNICEF said in a report. “Based on current trends, within 35 years, 25 in 100 people will be African,” according to the

report released in Johannesburg. By then 40 percent of the world’s children aged under five years will come from the continent. Nigeria, the region’s most populous country, will account for 10 percent of global births by 2050. Africa’s 1.2 billion people will double in size between 2015 and the middle of the century, and reach 4.2 billion by 2100. The growth spike means more overcrowding, and population density is set to have jumped tenfold to 80 people per square kilo-

metre over the century up to 2050 still far lower than current figures in Asia. By the late 2030s most of the continent’s people will live in cities. But children still struggle to survive in Africa, which accounts for more than half the number of global child deaths. One in every 11 children dies before reaching the age of five. Three in 10 African minors live in “fragile and conflict-affected contexts”, said UNICEF, urging governments to invest more in their children.

he Management of the Anambra Broadcasting Service and Support to National Malaria Programme (SuNMaP) have signed a 10-month commercial broadcasting partnership Agreement in Awka, Anambra State By the agreement, ABS will promote SuNMaP’s Jingles and also create awareness on malaria prevention and control through special programmes. The agreement ends July, 2015. Speaking on behalf of SuNMaP, the State Technical Manager, Dr. Anthony Okoye, said the choice of ABS was informed

by the station’s wide reach and years of experience in public broadcasting, community mobilization and social advocacy. He expressed hope that the partnership will yield the desired result. The Managing Director/ CEO, Anambra Broadcasting Service, Mr. Uche Nworah, pledged full compliance with the terms of the agreement. He thanked SuNMap and DFID for partnering with ABS in the fight against malaria. Mr. Nworah also said that discussions with SuNMap have begun in other areas of mutual and beneficial relationship

Transcorp Plc appoints Nnorom President

A nurse attending to four newly born babies in a hospital in Nairobi.

Mobile money: Role reversal as African technology expands in Europe

fricans have long used technology developed abroad, but now a Kenyan cash transfer network which bypasses banks is being adopted in Europe. The M-Pesa mobile money transfer system which allows clients to send cash with their telephones has transformed how business is done in east Africa, and is now spreading to Romania. “From east Africa to eastern Europe, that’s quite phenomenal when you think about it,” Michael Joseph, who heads Vodafone’s Mobile Money business, told AFP in the Kenyan capital Nairobi. “I think that this is something the rest of the world can look at, to say that there are ideas that can emanate out of the developing world, and take it to the developed world.” MPesa or “mobile money” in east Africa’s Swahili language was introduced in Kenya in 2007 by Safaricom, the country’s largest mobile telecommunications company, in partnership with British giant Vodafone. Since then the service has grown exponentially, with about $40 billion (30 billion euros) flowing through the service in Kenya alone. In Kenya, the system has become a part of daily life, with more than 18 million customers, and is used by almost two-thirds of the population with more than eight million transactions daily. The network allows customers to bypass the traditional bank-

ing system, using an application available on the simplest of mobile phones to pay utility bills, buy a drink in a bar, or send cash to family and friends. Romania is the latest nation Vodafone is tapping, with its first European launch last March. For Michi Carstoiu, an engineer in the capital Bucharest, MPesa complements established online payment services. “Most importantly, I save time - plus I think the transaction fees are smaller,” Carstoiu told AFP, shortly after activating his mobile phone account at one of the 1,000 outlets already open. The number of distribution points is expected to triple by the end of the year. “Everyone has a mobile phone, and it is very simple to send and receive money or make payments,” he added. Users can charge up their phones by paying in cash at mobilemoney agency points, and often at one of the points where they are doing a transaction. Similarly they can withdraw cash against mobile-money credits at an agency, or when settling a bill, much in the same way as customers in Europe can obtain cash at some supermarkets when using bank cash cards. Agents are often found in the form of shops or street kiosks. The outstanding credit can be sent via a special text message to others for a small transaction fee. African countries using the system include Egypt, Lesotho, Mozambique

and Tanzania, and it has also been rolled out in India. A savings version has been set up as well, allowing those without access to formal banking systems to earn interest on their savings. The scheme has largely succeeded in Kenya because it meets the needs of millions of people without a bank account who would otherwise operate strictly within a cash economy. They benefit from a network of M-Pesa agents spread across the country. Officials said that Romania was chosen as the European launchpad because many people in the eastern European country still rely on cash. “The majority of people in Romania have at least one mobile device, but more than one third of the population does not have access to conventional banking,” Joseph said. He is targeting seven million potential Romanian customers who operate in cash alone, and the company aims to reach 300,000 customers by the year’s end. More than $1.2 billion worth of person-to-person transactions are sent on the system each month worldwide, according to Vodafone. In Kenya, transactions can be as small as a single cent or as much as $1,600, while in Romania up to $9,000 can be sent each day. Moving beyond emerging markets means adapting to fresh challenges however. The operator will face different regulatory environments, and consumers who already have access to a wide range of financial services.

he Board of Directors of Transnational Corporation of Nigeria Plc (Transcorp) has announced the appointment of Mr. Emmanuel Nnorom as President/CEO. Mr. Nnorom will formally take office on September 1, 2014, succeeding Mr. Obinna Ufudo, who led the Company since 2011. The appointment represents a further important milestone in Transcorp’s transformation, as the company moves from stabilisation; following the acquisition of a strategic stake by Heirs Holdings, to accelerated growth, as investments in power, oil & gas and real estate & hospitality come to fruition. Nnorom’s key role will be to lead the acceleration and deepening of the Company’s investments in its four strategic business sectors — Hospitality, Power, Agriculture and Oil &

Gas and to build on Mr. Ufudo’s achievements in repositioning Transcorp for growth. Nnorom is currently President/COO of Heirs Holdings, and served as a non-Executive Director of Transcorp earlier this year. Previously, he was an Executive Director of United Bank for Africa Plc (UBA), occupying a number of senior roles leading the Group’s African subsidiaries. He has also held the position of Group Chief Operating Officer at UBA, with responsibility over information technology, operations, corporate services, marketing and corporate communications and regulatory affairs. He is an Alumnus of Templeton College, Oxford University and a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN) and the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN).

World bank commends Kaduna on access roads Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

he World Bank has commended the Kaduna State Government over its performance as a pilot state in Performance-Based Contract in executing the Rural Access Mobility Project (RAMP). The Transport and Information Commissions Technology Practice Leader of the Bank, Mr. Ben Gericke, who led the world bank team, said Kaduna State performed creditably well in the implementation of RAMP. RAMP was initiated in 2008 and Kaduna State has constructed a total 470 kilo-

metres of rural roads and also built 135 river crossings as well as bridges across the state in partnership with the world bank. According to Gericke, World Bank disbursed $47 million USD while Kaduna State Government contributed N1.2 billion in the last five years. In addition to completed projects, road re-classification has been completed but will be implemented after reforms and road network map is also completed, he added. Responding, Governor Muktar Yero, who signed the RAMP agreement in 2008, as Commissioner of Finance, expressed satisfaction with the level of achievement of the project.

Rivers council boss slumps, dies Emmanuel Masha PORT HARCOURT

he acting Chairman of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Hon. Charles Paul Ejekwu, slumped in the early hours of yesterday and died in his Port Harcourt residence. Family sources say that Ejekwu, a strong supporter of Governor Chibuike Rotimi

Amaechi, was hale and hearty before the incident. The state chairman of the Association of Local Government Councils of Nigeria, Hon Oji Ngofa, who is the acting chairman of Eleme council, confirmed the passage of Ejekwu. He described the incident as a huge loss, and said investigation would be conducted to ascertain the cause of death.

WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Flash floods submerge parts of US

eavy rains that have soaked a large swath of the United States over the last several days have spawned flash floods from Arizona to New England, submerging vehicles in parking lots and trapping drivers in their cars. Over a foot of rain fell on Long Island in New York yesterday, forcing the closure of parts of the Long Island Expressway, Southern State Parkway, Norther n State

Parkway, Jericho Turnpike and other roads. Dozens of cars were seen submerged on the Southern State Parkway in Islip, Long Island, during morning rush hour. The heavy rains turned the train station parking lot in Bay Shore, Long Island, into a lake. The same weather system produced torrential rain in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. The National Weather Service issued a “flash flood

emergency” for the region, and several people had to be plucked from their cars to escape the floodwaters. Other vehicles were simply abandoned. Baltimore had picked up 6.27 inches of rain, enough to make it “the second-rainiest August day since records began in 1871,” according to USA yesterday.

Late last week, a flash flood at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney, Nebraska, was caught on video by surveillance cameras. The dramatic footage which shows a wall of water crashing through locked glass doors and pouring into a cafeteria dining room was released. According to KHGI, “nine feet of gush-

ing water overwhelmed the hospital building” but did not reach patient areas. No one was hurt, and the hospital remains open. Meanwhile in Arizona, monsoon conditions flooded roads near Phoenix, where fire fighters rescued motorists from six cars stranded in floodwater. High winds even blew away a trampoline.

Iraq: France backs Kurds

alling the situation in Iraqi Kurdistan “catastrophic,” France said yesterday it would start supplying arms to the Kurdish forces fighting Sunni extremists from the Islamic State group. The sudden announcement that arms would begin to flow within hours underlined France’s alarm at the urgency of the situation in Iraq, where the Islamic State fighters are threatening the autonomous Kurdish region in northern Iraq. The shipment of French arms, which the government refused to describe, follows the United States’ increased role in fighting back the Islamic State extremists. Senior American officials say U.S. intelligence agencies are directly arming the Kurds, a shift in Washington’s policy of only working through the Baghdad government. Tuesday, 130 U.S. troops arrived in the Kurdish capital of Irbil on what the Pentagon described as a temporary mission to coordinate plans to help trapped Yazidi civilians on Sinjar Mountain.

France says its arms shipment was coordinated with the Iraqi government. French authorities have pushed other European Union members to do more to aid Christian and other minorities being targeted by the Islamic State group extremists. A high-level EU diplomatic meeting late Tuesday ended with a statement that it would consider the Kurdish request for urgent military support “in close coordination with Iraqi authorities.” Earlier yesterday, France had pledged to deliver a new 20-ton shipment of humanitarian aid including medicine, tents and water treatment equipment to Irbil later in the day. The turmoil stems from the rapid advance of the Islamic State group and allied Sunni militants across northern and western Iraq in June. The insurgency seized Iraq’s second largest city, Mosul, and routed Iraq’s beleaguered armed forces. Thousands of people have been killed and more than 1.5 million have been displaced by the violence.

Swiss agree to extend some sanctions on Iran until mid December

witzerland said yesterday it would maintain a suspension of sanctions against Iran on trade in precious metals and in petrochemical products until Dec. 12, in light of an agreement between world powers and Teheran to extend negotiations. In a statement, Switzerland’s cabinet said it was following the lead of the European Union, which agreed July 21 to maintain a suspension of sanctions until Nov. 24. The Swiss originally lifted a ban on precious metal trade with Ira-

nian public bodies in January. It has also eased restrictions on trade in petrochemical products, transport of Iranian oil or petroleum products, and the provision of insurance for shipments. Ceilings for transfers of funds to Iranians have been raised tenfold. Iran and six world powers agreed in July to a fourmonth extension of negotiations on a long-term nuclear deal that would gradually end sanctions on Tehran in exchange for curbs on its nuclear programme.

Brazilian presidential candidate killed in crash

razilian presidential candidate Eduardo Campos was killed in a plane crash in the southeastern city of Santos on yesterday, television news network GloboNews said, without saying how it obtained the information. A source in the Brazilian Socialist Party had previously told Reuters that Cam-

pos was on the Cessna 560XL that crashed. Campos, 49, is a former governor of northeastern Pernambuco state who had the support of about 10 percent of voters in recent polls. He positioned himself as a business-friendly leftist and was a former ally of President Dilma Rousseff, who is seeking a second term.

Car submerged on the Southern State park way in Islip, United States, during morning rush hour yesterday.

Pope to make first South Korea trip in 25 years

ope Francis begins the first papal visit to South Korea today (Thursday) in a quarter century, with plans to beatify 124 Korean martyrs and encourage a vibrant and growing local church seen as a model for the future of Catholicism. Highlights of the pope’s five days in South Korea also include his participation in a Catholic festival for young believers from around Asia and a Mass for peace and reconciliation on the war-divided Korean Peninsula. A ceremony Saturday to beatify Korean martyrs who perished for their faith from 1791 to 1888 could draw about 1 million people, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported. Although the pope plans to reach out to South Korea’s archrival, North Korea, during the visit, authorities in the North declined an invitation by the Seoul archdiocese to send a delegation to attend

a Mass, the Vatican said. A few women forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II will attend a Mass, although no private audience is expected, the Vatican said. The pope is also expected to meet with some families of the more than 300 people killed when a South Korean ferry sank in April. The government’s response to the disaster, which killed mostly high school students, has angered many South Koreans. “A lot of bad things keep happening in our country right now, and people are going through tough times. So I hope this event can encourage people and bring more positive things to our country,” said Ryun Sun-hee, a 19-year-old college student. It’s the first papal visit since Pope John Paul II traveled to South Korea in 1989. In January, Francis plans to visit Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

South Korea’s church, which has been growing steadily over the last half century, is seen as a model for the future. Local church officials hope for a continuing increase in believers in a country that once welcomed missionaries to help spread the faith but now sends its own priests and nuns abroad to evangelize in other countries. There was high anticipation in South Korea ahead of the visit. The sound of construction could be heard at places in central Seoul that the pope will visit. Traffic has been more congested and security has been tighter than usual in those areas. Banners and posters welcoming the pope decorated streets and subway stations. Yonhap reported an increase in sales of rosaries and other Catholic goods, and special displays of books on the pope and Catholicism have sprung up in book stores.

Cuba marks Castro’s 88th with tributes, photo show

uba is marking Fidel Castro’s 88th birthday with tributes in official media, a concert and a photo exhibit in the capital and a newly inaugurated restoration of the home where he was born. Castro is loathed by many exiles in Florida who say he ruled with

an iron fist and stamped out civil liberties. He was celebrated on the island yesterday as a fighter for equality and social justice who defied the U.S. for five decades. An article in Communist Party newspaper Granma said “paying homage to Fidel

is a great party.” Castro rarely appears in public these days, and in recent years has not taken part in official celebrations of his birthday. He retired for good in 2008 following a near-fatal illness, ceding power to his younger brother Raul.

Marrakech 2014: Team Nigeria tops Medals Table Charles Ogundiya

fter the third day of the ongoing African Senior Athletics Championships in Marrakech, Morocco, Team Nigeria took over the top position on the medals’ table with six gold medals. The country won five gold medals on Tuesday to add to the solitary gold

won on Monday by Blessing Okagbare. Folashade Abugan kick-started the medal rush as she clocked 51.21secs to claim gold in women’s 400m, ahead of Zambia’s Kabange Mupopo, while team mate, Patience Okon, took bronze in 51.68secs. Chinwe Okoro successfully defended her title in the discus throw with a championship record of 59.79m, while

SPORT

teammate, Nwanneka Okwelogu followed in second place with 51.66m. Okoro will also compete in the shot put event where she won silver two years ago in Port Novo behind compatriot, Vivian Chukwuemeka. Ese Brume’s leap of 6.50m took her to the top of the standings in the women’s long jump, with Chinazom Amadi, another Nige-

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rian, winning the silver with a jump of 6.40m. Team Nigeria also dominated the men and women’s 4x100m relay with Okagbare anchoring the female team to clinch gold in 43.56secs, while in the men’s race, it was Nigeria all the way as Ogho-Oghene Egwero, Monzavous Edwards, Obinna Metu and Mark Jelks stormed to the first position in 38.80secs.

Did you know? Sami Khedira is the 10th player to win the European Cup/Champions League & World Cup in the same season.

THURsday, August 14, 2014

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

Elections:

nff stops

Umeh, odegbami Ogunjobi

lGiwa, Anyasi, 19 others cleared ...as more confusion hits Nigerian football

Eagles after a match

REASONS FOR DISQUALIFICATION MIKE UMEH: Obtained form for the position of Vice-President but returned it as a presidential candidate. SEGUN ODEGBAMI: Did not attach receipt to the nomination from and no endorsement from his zone (South West). TAIWO OGUNJOBI: Still under ban from participating in football related activities hence, not eligible to contest.

Adekunle Salami, Ajibade Olusesan and Comfort Chukwu

igerian football was thrown into more confusion on Wednesday as key contestants in the forthcoming Nigeria Football Federation elections were barred. The electoral committee released the list of candidates that were cleared for the August 26th elections but three Presidential contestants, NFF Acting President, Mike Umeh; a former Secretary General of the Nigeria Football

Ogunjobi

Association, Taiwo Ogunjobi; and exinternational, Segun Odegbami were disqualified. The Chairman of the Electoral Committee, Amoni Biambo, said that Umeh was disqualified from the race because he obtained form to contest for the position of Vice-President but he returned it as a Presidential candidate. He was also accused of not submitting the form within the stipulated time and without receipt as required by the electoral guidelines. Biambo said former Super Eagles captain, Odegbami, was axed because

Umeh

he did not get the endorsement from his South West zone. “He needs to get nomination from his state FA chairman and two other members from his zone but he did not do that. He also did not return his form with receipt.” He also said that Ogunjobi was not eligible to contest for the election because he was still under suspension from all football-related activities. But the confusion is that a suspended member of the NFF board, Ahmed Yusuf Fresh, was surprisingly cleared for the polls.Yusuf was banned for one year by

Odegbami

the NFF Executive Committee. However, Proprietor of Giwa FC, Chris Giwa, who is being touted as the favourite for the NFF top job was cleared alongside 21 others including the current board members, Felix Anyansi, Emeka Iyama, Obinna Ogba and Deji Tinubu. Meanwhile, the position taken by the electoral committee has been heavily criticised by the affected candidates. Umeh told our correspondent that he was surprised at the development

Super Eagles job: Keshi denies contract talks with NFF

CONTINUED ON PAGE 53

} p 53

52 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Green gave me my career breakthrough - Ezeji TURNING

Charles Ogundiya

“I

can’t stop being grateful to Barrister Chris Green. He was the one who brought me to limelight by giving me the opportunity to try out my luck while still playing football on the streets of Port Harcourt. The turning point actually happened when he saw me playing in the streets and asked me to come to Sharks. “Initially, I was reluctant to go on trials at Sharks. We are talking about the biggest team in Rivers State; a team that plays in the Premier Division, and with so many big-name players. But I was encouraged by friends in the neighbourhood to give it a shot. Fortunately for me, I took their advice and everything went well. Although, it was not as easy as it might sound, but God and hard work saw me through the trials at Sharks. “When I first got to Sharks, Jokar Wrekah, the team’s coach, was out of the country on assignment with the Liberian national team at the 1996 Africa Cup of Nations in South Africa. “But when he came back, he ordered that I should be removed from the first team as he felt I was way too small to be playing for the team. He was however persuaded by the club’s chairman, Adokiye Amiesimaka, and Green, who was the club’s secretary, to allow me to play, even if it was for just 10 minutes, to show what I was capable of doing. And I was lucky to have performed well enough to earn the coach’s approval and a contract. “I can still recall the first game I

POINT

played as a professional against Jasper United at the Rojenny Games Village, Oba, near Onitsha. We won that game 1-0 thanks to a late strike from Maskavin Tali. But the remarkable thing about that game was that I played all 90 minutes and was the best player on the pitch. “Till date, Green still talks about my performance in that game as the best he has ever seen from a grassroots player making his professional debut. It didn’t stop there though for I knew the only way to retain my first-team shirt was through hard work. “There were times when I would get to the training ground before the rest of the team in order to work on different aspects of my game. I worked extremely hard and it eventually paid off as I got to feature in every game during my first season without any injury whatsoever. “I still had to find a way to combine my education with football, though, as I was in the University of Port Harcourt at the time studying to become an accountant. So, I am grateful to Amiesimaka, who was a former international footballer who went through the same process when he was younger and so understood what it took to combine football and academics. “It wasn’t quite easy as I had to train virtually every day and then, af-

Ezeji

terwards, have my bath and rush off to classes. The university was quite a considerable distance from the training ground, and it was a period in time when class attendance was paramount. If you wanted to pass your exams and graduate from the university, you must attend classes. So, there was no way I could miss my classes, and this was

FIFA U-20 WOMEN’S WORLD CUP

Ghana coach takes positives from team’s exit Ifeanyi Ibeh

Germany humiliate Brazil again

ead Coach of Ghana’s U-20 Women’s team, Bashir Hayford, believes the on going FIFA Women’s U-20 World Cup has been a ‘nice tournament’ for his girls despite their inability to progress past the group stage in Canada. A Jennifer Cudjoe-winner four minutes from full time gave Ghana a 2-1 win over Finland, but narrowly failed to earn the African side a last-eight qualification after Canada defeated North Korea 1-0 to finish second in Group A behind the Koreans. As a result, the Black Princesses missed out on qualification to the quarter finals on goal difference despite amassing six points from the possible nine in Group A. However, Ghana’s performance this year was by far their best in the history of the tournament since debuting in 2008, and speaking after the game, Hayford said: “Our aim was to qualify. We won our first match, lost the second one and we won today too, so we got six points

Ghana striker being challeged by Finland player

out of nine, which is excellent. “But due to the numbers we couldn’t advance to the next stage. Despite that, it has been a very nice tournament for us because two years ago in Japan we could not even manage to score one goal. This time we scored three goals, which shows that we are moving forward.”

With their campaign in Canada over, Hayford is now looking forward to qualifying for the next tournament coming up in 2016 in a-yet-to be named country after South Africa, who were awarded the hosting rights by FIFA in December 2013, withdrew for undisclosed reasons.

not an easy thing to do. But with the support I got from the chairman, my course mates at school, and my Sharks team mates, I was able to excel in both my academics and football. “Till date even in Sunshine Stars, I still work hard anywhere I find myself and I would love the younger players to learn from my career.”

ermany U-20 female team copied their male counterpart at the World Cup by thrashing Brazil 5-1 to qualify for the quarter finals of Canada 2014 as Group B winners early Wednesday morning. A Sara Daebritz hat-trick and a Pauline Bremer brace wiped out the advantage established by Carol’s first-half opener and left the Germans to look forward to a last-eight meeting with Canada. The Brazilians knew they needed to beat the twotime champions by two or more goals if they were to advance, and despite the scale of this challenge, the South Americans set about it with gusto. Dorival Bueno’s side enjoyed easily the best of the opening stages, although when chances started to arrive, it was the Germans who initially created the better of them. After Camila’s floated cross bounced off the head of Carol and looped beyond the helpless Merle Frohms and in off the post for Brazil’s opener, the Brazilians almost made it 2-0 in injury time after Bremer was barged over by Camila. But the striker missed from the spot, sending her side-foot effort against the base of the right-hand post. But within a few minutes of the restart, Germany drew level through Daebritz. And 14 minutes later, they moved in front through Bremer, who after picking the ball up in midfield, burst towards goal, evading Julia with pace and a deft change of direction before skilfully rounding Leticia and shooting home from an acute angle with her weaker foot.

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

NFF to shift August 26 election

•To inform FIFA, General Assembly •To reconstitute Electoral, Appeals Committee Emmanul Tobi

he Nigeria Football Federation has concluded plans to shift the August 26 General Election as the Executive Committee of the body on Wednesday revealed that it would propose to the General Assembly, the dissolution of the Electoral Committee and the Electoral Appeals Committee put in place for the election into NFF’s executive committee. The Executive Committee after a meeting in Abuja disclosed that it would call an Extra-Ordinary General Assembly of Nigeria football for Tuesday, 26th August, 2014 to ratify its proposals. Acting 1st Vice President, Hon. Shehu Adamu, said the electoral process has deliberately disenfranchised eligible members of the Nigeria football family. “Following from a statement by the Acting President which was made public eight days ago, in which the NFF said it was worried by the hitches, com-

plaints and widespread criticisms of the process, we have discovered that nothing improved and it was rather allowed to get worse. “The Electoral Committee has failed to satisfy the yearnings of the football family for fairplay and credibility of the process. We are deeply disappointed at how people have been nonchallantly disenfranchised. In the interest of fairplay and based on our commitment to ensuring a credible election that will lift the name of our country, the NFF Executive Committee hereby proposes the dissolution of the Electoral and Electoral Appeals Committee to the Congress, which we are calling for Tuesday, 26th August,” Adamu said. Adamu decried the lack of transparency in the entire process and assured that the NFF will consult with world football –governing body, FIFA and the General Assembly on a probable new date for the elections.

Kano Pillars rally to beat Rangers Charles Ogundiya

eague defending champion, Kano Pillars, returned to winning ways in the league on Wednesday after coming from behind twice to beat Rangers, 3-2 in Kano. A hat-trick by Rabiu Ali gave Pillars the victory. With just 10 seconds played, Christian WEEK 23 RESULTS Dolphins

2-0

Crown

El-Kanemi

1-0

FC Taraba

Nasarawa

2-1

Bayelsa

Nembe

1-0

Abia Warriors

Enyimba

2-0

Warri Wolves

Sharks

1-1

Heartland

Gombe Utd

3-1

Lobi Stars

Obiozor recorded the fastest goal in the league this season to give Rangers the lead, Rabiu Ali however restored parity with a penalty in the 18th minutes. League top scorer, Osaguona Ighodaro, gave Rangers the lead again while Ali scored another goal to end the first half all squared. In the 77th minutes, Adamu Hassan was brought down in the box by Rangers’ Pape Ousmane Sane, allowing Ali to complete his hat-trick and give the team three points at stake as they maintained their stronghold at the top of the table. Former Enyimba coach, Austin Eguavoen, led Gombe United to their third consecutive victory in as many matches, as the team defeated Lobi Stars 3-1.

NFF stops Umeh, Odegbami, Ogunjobi CONTINUED FROM PAGE 51

which according to him is very bad for Nigerian football. He denied collecting the form for the position of vice president. “I am not a kid and I know what I want. The whole issue is a big joke. Something is definitely wrong somewhere. The situation is such that there is a desperate attempt to clear the coast for one candidate. All is not well.” Umeh said. Ogunjobi also cried blue murder after the electoral body released the list of candidates cleared and disqualified. The former secretary general of the NFF said it was a deliberate plan to stop strong candidates from competing for NFF presidency.

He said; “I am duly eligible in accordance with the guideline of elections released by the same body that disqualified me. I am confident that I will contest on August 26. It is fight to the finish. “We cannot continue to fold our hands to allow things go wrong in our football. We have to challenge those who are trying to ruin the game in the country.” The situation is different for Chief Odegbami who revealed to our correspondent that he did not take a form to vie for presidency of the NFF. “I don’t know where all that is coming from. I only want to be on the board of the federation. But since this is what they want to do I am okay. I did not obtain form to be the President of the NFF,” Odegbami said

Sharapova

Sharapova retains top spot as highest paid female athlete

ennis star Maria Sharapova has retained her position as the highest-paid female athlete for the 10th consecutive year, according to Forbes magazine. The Russian athlete secured $24.4 million in endorsements and prize money between June 2013 and June 2014. Sharapova, who suffered an injuryhit season, took home only $2.4 mil-

lion in tournament winnings over the 12-month period — almost $4 million less than in the previous year, Forbes said Wednesday. But she made up for that with a number of lucrative endorsements, which totaled $22 million, including deals with athletic wear manufacturer Nike, watchmaker Tag Heuer and carmaker Porsche.

FORBES TOP TEN Name

Sport

Prize Money Endorsements Total Earnings

Maria Sharapova

Tennis

$2.4 million

$22 million

$24.4 million

Li Na

Tennis

$5.6 million

$18 million

$23.6 million

Serena Williams

Tennis

$11 million

$22 million

Kim Yuna

Skating

$300,000

$16 million

$16.3 million

Danica Patick

NASCAR $7 million

$8 million

$15 million

Victoria Azarenka

Tennis

$3.6 million

$7.5 million

$11.1 million

Caro Wozniacki

Tennis

$1.3 million

$9.5 million

$10.8 million

AgnieRadwanska

Tennis

$3.8 million

$3.0 million

$6.8 million

Ana Ivanovic

Tennis

$1.4 million

$5.0 million

$6.4 million

Paula Creamer

Golf

$1.0 million

$4.5 million

$5.5 million

Ademofe backs F/Eagles to beat Lesotho Ifeanyi Ibeh

ormer Nigeria international and one-time captain of the Flying Eagles, Akin Ademofe, believes Manu Garba’s team is more than a match for Lesotho but still hopes luck will be on their side when they come up against the Southern African nation in Saturday’s African Youth Championship qualifier in kaduna.

“Manu Garba knows how to go about this. He just graduated from coaching the U-17s and knows so much about the players in this team. He knows what they are capable of doing and the players also know one another,” said Ademofe. “Some of the guys who didn’t even make the victorious World Cup team were part of the squad at some point, so there is a great deal of familiarity in the team, and this can only produce good results.”

Gov. Akpabio U-18 tourney winners to get N2m Emmanuel Tobi

he victorious team at the end of this year’s Governor Godswill Akpabio U-18 International Unity Football Tournament, which gets underway next month, will go home with the sum of N2m. The tournament, which is now in its eighth year, is slated to hold from September 13 to 21 in Uyo, the Akwa Ibom state capital. According to John Ekpenyong, the

Tournament Director, winners of the competition would earn N2m; first runner-up, N1m, and the second runner-up, N750, 000. He revealed that football scouts from across Europe will also grace the nineday tournament, stating that this year’s edition has been structured to absorb teams from Ghana, Benin and Norway. “It’s also a tournament we’re anticipating would reflect to the entire world how productive and result-oriented the Akwa Ibom state government led by Governor Akpabio is.”

SPORT | EURO FOOTBALL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

My partnership with Ronaldo will be more devastating -Bale

areth Bale believes his partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo in Real Madrid’s attack can get even better next season in what is an ominous warning to the rest of Europe. The world’s most expensive player, following his £86million move from Tottenham a year ago, and Ronaldo scored 73 goals between them in all competitions last season as well as creating a host of assists, and the world’s two most expensive players linked up again on Tuesday night to help Madrid win the Uefa Super Cup against Sevilla. “We are enjoying playing with each other, we showed shown last season

that we both created goals for each each other, scored a lot of goals and we’re enjoying playing together,” said the Welshman. “So this season we hope to improve on last, obviously we can still improve together and create a good partnership and hopefully we can do that better this season.” Bale, playing on home soil in Cardiff, was disappointed not to get on the scoresheet against Sevilla but said winning the trophy was the main thing. “I was trying my hardest, had a chance at the end but it wasn’t meant to be,” he continued. “I created one, which was good, and the most important thing is we won the trophy.

Rooney named Man Utd captain

Bale (right)

CAS to rule on Suarez’s suspension appeal today

he Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has confirmed that it will announce its verdict on Luis Suarez’s suspension on Thursday. The Uruguay international was banned from all football-related activity for four months for biting Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during their World Cup clash in Natal in June. His country’s FA was quick to appeal the verdict, but the governing body refused to shorten his sentence, leading to the case being referred to the CAS. “The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) will announce its decision in the matter of Luis Suarez, FC Barcelona & the Uruguayan FA on Thursday 14 August 2014 at around 15:00,” an official statement read. “This case was heard on 8 August 2014 at the CAS offices in Lausanne. At the request of the Appellants and with the agreement of FIFA, the CAS has conducted an expedited arbitration procedure.”

Rooney

Mourinho: Drogba may be fit for Burnley

C Suarez

Atletico raise offer for Cerci

anchester United manager Louis van Gaal named Wayne Rooney club captain for the upcoming season, and also confirmed that Darren Fletcher would serve as vice-captain. The decision to name Rooney captain has long been rumored, as the Dutch manager has moved to shore up his side’s morale ahead of the start of the Premier League season. To that end, the appointment of Fletcher is particularly heartwarming, as there was a prolonged period during which it looked likely the Scottish national team captain would never again kick a ball in a competitive fixture No word yet on whether Rooney serving as captain will impact van Gaal’s policy of only allowing English to be spoken on the pitch. It is rumored, however, that the Liverpool native has enrolled in classes in hopes of mastering the language in time for the start of the Premiership season.

helsea manager Jose Mourinho hailed Diego Costa and claimed Didier Drogba may be fit for the club’s Premier League opener on Monday. Costa struck twice in Chelsea’s final pre-season friendly as they won 2-0 over Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, with Mourinho claiming the Spanish striker is ready-made for the Premier League. But Mourinho sounded a warning for promoted club Burnley ahead of

their first game of the Premier League season, claiming Drogba could also be involved on Monday despite having only injured his ankle on Sunday against Ferencvaros. “He’s good,” Mourinho said after the win over Sociedad. “I don’t want to say ready for Monday but with the quality of our medical department and the mentality he has, I’m not saying it’s impossible for him to recover for Monday.”

a Liga champions Atletico Ma- 13m offer to 16m, slightly closer to the 20m drid have increased their offer valuation of Torino president Urbano Cairo, for Torino attacker Alessio Cerci although he may hold out for the full amount. in the hope that it will finally prise the Italian international away from the Turin club. orussia Dortmund scored an es. But once Henrik Mkhitaryan After a sensational season for the early psychological blow ahead put the home side ahead with his Granata which saw them qualify for of the forthcoming Bundesli- fierce drive, it was all Dortmund this seasons’ Europa League, albeit ga season by beating bitter rivals - the excellent Pierre-Emerick Auafter Parma were denied entry, he Bayern Munich 2-0 in the curtain- bameyang capped a fine perforhas been the subject relating to wideraising German Super Cup. mance with the winning headed spread speculation of his departure goal in the second half and he Bayern had beaten Dortmund in away from the club and Serie A. both the league and cup last season whipped out a Spiderman mask in According to La Stampa the side from Jubilation time for Dortumund celebration. and also bossed the early exchangthe Spanish capital has raised their initial

Dortmund upstage Bayern in Super Cup

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Okocha: The magician of Bolton It was only a matter of time before we looked at Sam Allardyce’s Bolton. Our series into the weird and wacky of the football transfer window would be incomplete without Big Sam’s Bolton.

uring his time at Bolton, Sam Allardyce brought in Youri Djorkaeff, Ivan Campo, Gary Speed and a certain Nicolas Anelka. Not bad for a club that only gained promotion to the Premiership in 1995, yet none of these signings were as important or as bizarre as the signing we’ll be looking at today. The man of the hour today is someone who went from being valued at $24 million but four years later was allowed to leave for free. This was a man who had two stellar World Cups in 1998 and 2002 but couldn’t find a top European club. This was a man so good they named him twice and yet somehow ended up at Bolton. Readers strap yourselves in, sit back and enjoy the ride. Today our spotlight

falls on none other than Jay-Jay Okocha. MENACE For four years, Jay-Jay terrorised defenders in the Premiership, transformed Bolton and provided us with many happy memories. His time at Bolton marked a period of great success for the Trotters, with the club firmly establishing itself in the Premiership, qualifying for the UEFA Cup and even reaching its first cup final since 1958 all under Okocha’s leadership. Granted Okocha never won a trophy at

Okocha...the magic man

Bolton but he won the hearts of millions of fans the world over for his personality, incredible skills and outlandish goals. What’s more, Bolton signed Okocha for free, four years after PSG spent roughly $24million on the Nigerian Superstar. So who is Jay-Jay Okocha, and how did he end up going from PSG to Bolton? Okocha came from a golden generation of Nigerian footballers and his story, like many of his contemporaries, began on the streets. It’s almost a cliché at this stage to mention it, but on the streets of Lagos Okocha learnt a free flowing form of football that is often removed from the football academy. The street is where some of the greatest footballers from Pele to Maradona have learnt their trade. JOURNEY TO STARDOM Okocha was no different. Okocha’s talents couldn’t be confined to the

streets of Lagos for long however as he was soon snapped when on a trip to Germany to visit a friend. A Borussia Neunkirchen scout, not believing his luck, brought the young man from Nigeria to the 3rd division club. It wasn’t the biggest club in the world but it was the start of a career that spanned Germany, Turkey, France, England and Qatar. Okocha’s ability was soon to prove too much for

the German third division. Within one year, his performances with Borussia Neunkirchen earned him a move to Eintracht Frankfurt. Okocha was to shine in Germany’s top flight; the Bundesliga. It was here where he really began to capture audiences both domestically and in Europe. What’s more, Okocha’s ability to turn football into a spectacle too good to miss began to emerge notably when, during his first season at Frankfurt Okocha shimmied and jinked around a young Oliver Kahn several times before sticking the ball in the back of the net. It was one of the goals of the season. Okocha was soon known as a magician, a worthy moniker. No matter how amazing Okocha was on the pitch, a dispute with Frankfurt coach Jupp Heynckes meant that Okocha was to leave Frankfurt in 1996. The magician’s next destination? Turkey, namely Fenerbache. Although his time in Turkey was brief, two seasons in fact, the magician’s time there was hugely important for he got to showcase his talents on Europe’s biggest stage, the Champions League. TURKISH EXPLOITS Apart from wowing audiences in Europe, Okocha was a revaluation domestically. At Fenerbache, Okocha scored an incredible 30 goals in 63 games. Not a bad return. His goal scoring record was supplemented with a strong World Cup performance for Nigeria in 1998. Once more he had caught the eyes of Europe’s biggest clubs and soon they came calling for him. Despite his love for Fenerbache and Turkey (Okocha adopted a Turkish name [Muhammet Yavuz] when he obtained Turkish citizenship), the lure of Europe was too much. $24 MILLION DEAL When Paris St Germain came calling with a massive $24 million deal to take him to Paris, the magician couldn’t decline. $24 million was a lot of money in 1998, just as it is now. Needless to say, expectations were high. Initially it seemed as if the magician was up to the task as he hit the ground running with a stunning debut goal versus Bordeaux but soon expectations became too much for Okocha. It wasn’t just the $24million price tag. Okocha had been given the number 10 jersey from PSG, a number formally held by PSG and Brazilian legend Raí. Raí had helped PSG win both domestic and European trophies. Okocha had big shoes to fill and sadly luck wasn’t in his favour. A series of injuries and disputes with the management plagued Okocha’s time in the French capital. PSG soon began to look for a replacement. In the 2001-2002 season PSG began this process and signed Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho. Unsurprisingly, this signalled the beginning of the end for Jay-Jay at PSG. Ronaldinho and Okocha were considered by the club to be too similar

Okocha

to be complimentary. The magician was headed for the exit. At the end of the 20012002 season, PSG decided not to renew Okocha’s contract. EPL MOVE He went into the 2002 World Cup in Japan and South Korea a free agent looking for work. Nigeria’s early elimination meant that this time, Europe’s top clubs were not sniffing around Okocha. In fact, his best offer came from a middle of the table Premiership side from England called Bolton Wanderers. It seemed for many a step down for Okocha. Okocha went on a free transfer to Bolton four years after commanding $24 million. Were the critics right, was he past his best? Not even close. What followed were four years of magic. Okocha was to shine once more. And boy did he shine. Okocha’s spell at Bolton signalled one of the most fruitful parts of his and Bolton’s time. For four years, from 2002 until 2006, he turned out for the Trotters an impressive 124 times, scoring 14 goals. But Okocha was more than statistics. BOLTON LEGEND He is undoubtedly a Bolton legend and is still fondly remembered by fans of the club. What’s more, he came on a free transfer. Not a bad bit of business from Big Sam I think we can all agree. Memories of that Bolton team inevitably evoke images of Okocha, ball at his feet, jinking around players and creating a sense of wonder that is so rarely found in top fight football. The magician was king at Bolton. Okocha had the talent and the skill that most players could only dream of. Pulling off tricks in training is one thing but doing them in the middle of a match, with opposition players charging you down is a completely different thing. Yet Okocha managed to do it with ease. Conor Heffernan, Pundit Arena.

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Sanctity of Truth

– Anais Nin

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, AUGUST 14, 2014

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This Ebolarised generation L TALKING TOUGH GABRIEL AKINADEWO ast Monday, President Goodluck Jonathan described the late Patrick Sawyer, who brought the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) or Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever (EHF) to Nigeria, as a mad man. Good talk sir. But do we blame Sawyer, the Liberian-American, for the troubled times Nigerians are living in now? From findings so far, the disease has high mortality rate, killing about 90 per cent of those infected with the virus. Because its lethality is swift, we must commend the Federal Government and the Lagos State Government for the way they have contained it so far. Honestly, kudos must be given to Jonathan and Governor Babatunde Fashola. But is Ebola responsible for the blood we have everywhere in the country today? According to experts, this disease first afflicted people in the Democratic Republic of Congo (then known as Zaire) in 1976. For years, it disappeared, then reappeared and disappeared again. Now, it has appeared with such ferocity that it has killed close to 1,000 people in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone. It has also claimed three victims in Nigeria. A friend called me from the United States last week and said that it may be difficult for Nigeria to identify types of the virus because we only have Level 3 Virology Laboratories. To him, we need Biosafety Level 4 Laboratories to tackle the disease effectively. Because I failed science subjects in secondary school, I didn’t really understand what he was saying. But one thing is sure, Nigerians’ eternal resilience will stop the spread of this deadly Ebola virus. In any crisis situation, Nigerians have been tested and trusted and we have never failed. But after the stoppage of this disease, what happens to other ‘more dangerous’ Ebolas which have been ravaging the land for years and threatening not only individuals but the existence of this country? For decades, political, social, economic, religious and cultural Ebolas have been killing Nigerians. In fact, some Nigerians derive joy when all these Ebolas annihilate their fellow beings. These have become a cankerworm, eating deep into the very foundation of the value system of this country. As usual, the frenzy with which Nigerians react to a ‘clear and present danger’ is predictable. Everybody will become an expert overnight, dishing out instructions to fellow Nigerians on what should or should not be done not to fall victim. Rumour becomes the order of the day and the rumour monger automatically becomes the new messiah. I remember in July, 1999 when the first Speaker of the House of Representatives of the new democratic dispensation, Salisu Buhari, was removed, I boarded a commercial bus in Ijora, Lagos on my way to cover an assignment when discussion on the sacked Speaker started. There was this middle-aged man who immediately became the rallying point for other passengers. What he was dishing out was far from the truth. It got to a stage when he said “I don’t know how the father of Salisu Buhari would be feeling right now”. Confidently, he told the passengers that the father was Major-General Muhammadu Buhari. With the composure of every other passenger, I was the only one who knew this man was just blabbing. I told him that Sal-

Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta has been the world’s busiest airport every year since 2000; with all airports combined London has the world’s busiest city airport system by passenger count.

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Jonathan

The late Sawyer

isu was from Kano while General Buhari hails from Katsina but he just said: “You this small boy, what do you know?” At that point, I knew it was useless trying to argue with him because the other illiterate passengers believed him. The same talebearers are at work now and that is why many Nigerians may die from panic and misinformation than the Ebola disease itself. My younger brother, Micaiah, an undergraduate in Lagos State University (LASU), told me an incident that happened near his hostel last Saturday when a mother almost killed her children. Why? They refused to have their bath with salty water. Because of misinformation widely circulated through social media, some people dipped themselves in warm salty water and even drinking same so as not to contract the disease. I listened to a comedian last Monday who said a man, after eating in a restaurant in Oshodi, Lagos, started coughing and told everybody that he had Ebola. Immediately, other customers disappeared but the owner of the restaurant suspected that it was a ploy by the man not to pay. She told him: “Even if you are the real Ebola, I go chop you and nothing will happen. If you don’t pay my money now, I will beat the hell out of you”. Of course, when the area boys descended on the man, he paid promptly. From the sublime to the ridiculous, rumour spreads very fast during emergencies and some Nigerians will always take advantage of this. Obviously, this Ebola menace will go soon but what of the other Ebolas? Which Ebola disease could be deadlier than what happened in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti

State last Saturday when newly-born twins were stolen and the parents murdered? The twins were stolen not for adoption but for ritual purpose. This seems to be the latest in town now: Abduct newly-born twins and you will become instant millionaire. How many Nigerians have died in the hands of these ‘Ebolaritualists’? Three days after Titilayo Kola gave birth to the twins, she and her husband were murdered at their Temidire Street, Ajowa Quarters, Ado-Ekiti and the babies stolen. While Titilayo was killed in their room, the husband’s body was dumped inside a canal in Oke-Ila area of the town. The Ekiti State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Victor Babayemi, described it as a case of homicide and child stealing. How many such cases do we have in the country today? Is this per-second killing of Nigerians by Nigerians not worse than the Ebola disease? Violence is now so cheap that when it happens, Nigerians just dismiss it with a shrug. Senseless killings have now become the order of the day. A day after Governor Rauf Aregbesola was declared the winner of the August 9 election in Osun State, supporters of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed, leaving many injured. It is as if the country is demonised. What of lack of constant electricity supply? Power outage has ebolarised many Nigerians more than any disease. It is now normal for Nigerians not to expect electricity. From ECN, NEPA, PHCN to GENCOs AND DISCOs, nothing good has come out of the transformation of electricity bodies in the country. The other time, some funny workers in one of the DISCOs or GENCOs threatened to go on strike and Nigerians did

not bother to comment. Even when Power Minister, Chinedu Nebo, announced a drop in the mewagatts generated, the reaction was that he was not saying something new. That Nigerians still refer to electricity companies as NEPA shows the level of disconnect between effective power distribution and consumers. How many Nigerians have been killed by another Ebola called bad roads? These days, Nigerians don’t even complain anymore. What they do is just to manage the craters on these roads. What of unemployment? Is it not deadlier than Ebola disease? What is being done by the government to cure this jobless Ebola ravaging the land for decades? On Tuesday, the Ogun State government suspended its plan to recruit 3,000 environmental marshals across the state following excessive applications received for the exercise. Governor Ibikunle Amosun said that no fewer than 49,000 applications were received and of the applicants, there were some PhD holders and over 600 Master’s degree holders. For PhD holders to apply to be sweeping streets, which Ebola disease could be more lethal than this? Amosun said: “If we have about 600 of those with Master’s qualification and above running around for a job that they would be paid N20,000, then you know that there is a problem. Head or tail, even by the time we employ those 3,000, the remaining 46,000 that will not be taken, people will say they’ve taken forms, Amosun did not employ them, he just asked them to come and take forms. Look at that huge deficit that we have.” And that is just in Ogun State. What is the government doing to tackle this unemployment crisis ravaging the land called Ebola? Given the fact that the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) test tragedy is still fresh, what can be done to optimally develop agriculture, technical education, the real sector and cottage industries? What is the way out for this Ebolarised generation?

OMOBABA

OSUN POLL: POLITICAL PARTY OFFERED US N14M BRIBE – DSS

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