Binder1 25 november, 2014

SATURDAY

Sanctity Of Truth

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

/newtelegraph

Vol. 1 No. 280

@newtelegraph1 www.newtelegraphonline.com

Explosion rocks Cross River PDP congress

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Nigeria and the global oil shock

l200,000 barrels of oil export disrupted as Shell shuts pipeline }8 Ayodele Aminu

O

ne of the major challenges for Africa’s biggest

economy and largest exporter of crude oil over the years has been its over-reliance on crude oil revenues. Current

Issue in the news events following sustained decline in global

oil prices once again accentuate the vulnerability of the Nigerian economy. It also amplifies other related and

non-related risk factors.

This has also intensified investors’ apathy and aggravated the rate of funds outflows in search

of safety.

World Bank’s early warning The World Bank CONTINUED ON PAGE 5

Oritsejafor to Sultan: Help stop Boko Haram lIt's unfair to say we're not doing anything, says monarch lJonathan meets Chadian president over insurgency }4

President Goodluck Jonathan (right) and President Idris Deby of Chad, during Jonathan's official visit to N'djamena, Chad…yesterday.

Tambuwal: Ihedioha, House leaders in trouble

lWhy PDP lawmakers are reluctant to fight for party Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

T

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is set to ex-

act a pound of flesh from some of its members in the House of Representatives following their alleged complicit in thwart-

ing a plot to impeach the Speaker, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal.

New Telegraph gathered from several sources

yesterday that many of them contesting the forthcoming general election may be denied the party's tickets.

Efforts to bar Tambuwal and his supporters last Thursday from entering the National AssemCONTINUED ON PAGE 6

Quick Read Editorial Eagles' 2015 AFCON exit: Matters arising }19

Kalu withdraws from Abia senatorial }5 race

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Oritsejafor to Sultan: Help stop Boko Haram Anule Emmanuel and Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

C

hristian Association of Nigeria (CAN) President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, yesterday challenged the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III, to assist the Federal Government in stopping the terror activities of Boko Haram by writing a letter to the sect to stop its attacks and unnecessary killings.

According to him, since the sultan said he had written a letter to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) to stop its killings in the Middle East, he should also do same to the Boko Haram as a show of commitment in assisting the government to resolve the current security crisis.

Oritsejafor threw the challenge at a meeting between Vice-President Namadi Sambo and special advisers on religious affairs from the 36 states of the federation, which held at the presidential villa, Abuja.

At the event, both the sultan and Oritsejafor decried past inter-religious meetings that had failed to implement all peaceful resolutions geared towards ending crisis in the coun-

try.

The CAN president, while reacting to an earlier statement by the sultan that he had once written ISIS, said: "His Eminence said he wrote a letter to ISIS; I have to truly congratulate you for that because that was a very good move. I didn't know about it until today and I am so glad it happened. But I want to appeal that you also to write to Boko Haram because Boko Haram is worse than ISIS." He said Boko Haram had killed many innocent people and should not be left to continue with its heinous acts.

"They have killed more people than ISIS; they have caused more atrocities than ISIS; they need to be written to as well, it is very important it will help," he added.

Earlier, the sultan had said nobody was happy about the activities of Boko Haram and urged the Federal Government and religious leaders to cooperate in defeating terror.

He also said the fact that they had gathered to talk on the issue was an important step towards having peace and harmony in the country.

According to him, there is no problem between Christians and Muslims in

the country except lack of education on the religions.

"If we don't tell our leaders the truth, they won't know the problems. If we hear something here and go back to do something different, then we have failed.

"We must tell our leaders the right thing and not what they want to hear.

Muslims and Christians at all levels must sit together and discuss and we must implement what we discuss. We must work with our Holy scriptures," he added.

He also confirmed at the event that he had written a letter to those supporting ISIS on why their action is against Islam.

According to him, those carrying out bombings in Nigeria are not doing it for God. The sultan therefore warned that the bombings and attacks may not end in the North-East if the right things are not done now.

The sultan explained that it was unfair for people to say northern leaders were not doing anything to stop the insurgents.

He said: "It's unfair to say we are not doing anything. Nobody is happy about the situation. Who will be happy with the killings of children, women and abductions carried out

by the insurgents?"

He also said there was no basis for comparison for what happened in the Niger Delta to the situation in the North-East.

While declaring the meeting open, Sambo, who represented President Goodluck Jonathan, said the meeting was organised to deepen the understanding of Nigeria's common values.

According to him, development cannot be achieved without peace and security.

"We are working roundthe-clock to transform all facets of our socio-economic and political lives. Let me reiterate that we remain resolute in our quest to provide positive development to Nigerians anchored on peace and harmony. We equally remain unwavering in our commitment to bringing an end to the security challenges confronting our dear nation," he stated.

Meanwhile, despite military actions to push back Boko Haram, the group again on Sunday night and captured another town in Borno North Local Government.

Senator Ali Mohammed Ndume told New Telegraph in Abuja yesterday that the sect attacked and seized Damasak village, killing many people and injuring others.

He said a member of the community who escaped into the bush when Boko Haram attacked the town called him to inform him of the development.

The senator, who represent Borno South Senatorial District in the National Assembly, said the casualties figure could not be immediately ascertained when he was called from the village but noted that the figure could be in the hundreds.

However, the president yesterday continued with efforts to end the insurgency as he met with the Chadian President Idris Debby in Ndjamena.

It was learnt that both leaders discussed how to further cooperate in ending the current security challenge in Nigeria.

Although details of the bilateral talks between the two leaders were not disclosed, presidency sources said the visit of Jonathan was not unconnected with alleged reports that one of the aides of the Chadian president was supporting Boko Haram with arms and ammunition.

The source said the president was uncomfortable with the allegation and had to embark on the emergency trip which had not been earlier planned for.

Speaking to reporters at the Presidential Palace in N'Djamena after the closeddoor meeting, President Jonathan said that their talks focused mainly on security and economic cooperation.

The president said that Boko Haram had a lot of external influence from outside Africa and it had become even more imperative for all countries in the region to work together to overcome terrorism and other criminal activities across their borders.

"If you look at the economies of Nigeria and Chad both are linked. The Boko haram people don't take permission to move from Chad, Niger, Cameroon and Nigeria.

"If the countries do not cooperate, we will not find it easy to win the war, because when the heat is strong in one country, the criminals and terrorists will go to another one and hide.

"So, we must work together and we are discussing along that line,'' Jonathan told reporters.

The president was accompanied on the one-day official visit by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Aminu Wali and the Director-General, National Intelligence Agency, Ambassador Ayodele Oke.

News

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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Kalu withdraws from senatorial race

lSays he sacrifices ambition for party cohesion Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

F

ormer governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has notified the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),

Alhaji Adamu Mu'azu of his intention to withdraw from the 2015 senatorial race in Abia State.

Kalu, who had purchased the PDP nomination forms for Abia North senatorial seat in the forthcoming election,

said his decision to withdraw from the race was a personal sacrifice for the unity and cohesion of PDP in Abia State.

"Rather than be an intractable issue in Abia chapter of our great party, I would rather subordinate

personal ambition for party cohesion... I hereby formally withdraw from the bid to represent the good people of Abia North in the Senate next year," he said.

The former governor, however, expressed reser-

vation with the stand of the Abia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, who he accused of wanting to handpick candidates for all elective positions in Abia State.

"In a democracy, this is downright outrageous, if not scandalous. And all the aspirants into these positions, not favoured by the governor, have collectively protested to the party national headquarters," Kalu told the national chairman.

He noted that Orji knew ahead of time that he had a candidate in mind but "deliberately allowed eminent Abia citizens" to resign their positions to vie for elective positions.

"When Governor Orji was to be elected the first time in 2007, everyone knew where I stood three years before then, that he was my anointed candidate. There was absolutely no ambiguity unlike now that he has allowed these

people to lose their positions and resources chasing shadows. It is quite obvious that Governor Orji's plan is to bring everybody down," he added.

Kalu insisted that the PDP delegates' congress did not hold in Abia State.

"The names were just written by the governor and his collaborators. This has forced many good people out of our party, and they have since defected into other political parties to pursue their ambitions," the former governor said.

He alerted Mu'azu of the grave consequences, not only for PDP in Abia State but also for the electoral fortunes of President Goodluck Jonathan in his second bid to return to office.

Kalu, however, said even though he was no longer in the race, he would remain a loyal member of the PDP, and promised to work for the victory of the party at all levels.

Nigeria and the global oil shock CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babatunde Fashola (right) and Speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon. Adeyemi Ikuforiji, during the presentation of the 2015 budget to the Assembly in Lagos...yesterday.

was the first to stress the need for Nigeria to guard against shocks in the Nigerian economy due to the sudden drop in the prices of crude oil in the international

Explosion rocks C’River PDP secretariat

lThree arrested for attempting to hijack election materials Clement James and Tunde Oyesina

T

here was pandemonium yesterday in Calabar as explosion rocked the Cross River State secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) a few hours before the rescheduled ward delegates’ election.

The explosion, which reportedly occurred as result of a dynamite thrown into the secretariat by yetto-be identified persons, was said to have shattered some windows in the three-storey building.

No life was lost.

The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Hogan Bassey, who confirmed the blast said he could not say specifically whether it was a bomb explosion or not as investigation was on.

“We had an intelligence report earlier that some

hoodlums were going to cause problem at the PDP secretariat and we mobilized our men and cordoned off the area. Yes, there was a device thrown into the premises from the back of the building which did not cause any damage except that it shattered some windows,” Bassey told our correspondent on phone.

He, however, said no arrest has been made but that security has been tightened around the area and that investigation had commenced.

Also speaking on the matter, the State Deputy Chairman of the party, Mr. Fidelis Egoro, said although he was not around, he had heard that there was an explosion but refused to say anything further.

The November 1 ward congress, which has gen-

erated so much heat in the state, was last week cancelled by the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party and rescheduled on Monday.

This is the first confirmed blast in the state since the advent of the Fourth Republic.

Meanwhile, three people were arrested by the Police in Ikom in connection with attempt to hijack electoral materials that were meant for ward congress in Obudu yesterday.

According to the police spokesman, the three hoodlums had attacked the convoy conveying the materials to Obudu at a filling station along Ikom/ Calabar road.

Luck, however, ran out of them as the police went after them, made arrest and recovered both the materials and money which were handed over to

escorts while the culprits have been detained at the Ikom Police station.

The ward congress held across the 196 wards of Cross River State was said to have been peaceful and with little or no hitches whatsoever.

The member representing Abi/Yakurr federal constituency, Hon. Bassey Ewa, who spoke with our correspondent said the congress was smooth in his constituency.

According to him, the latest congress has shown that the people are willing to vote delegates who will represent them well during the various congresses.

“I can tell you that the congress was smooth and nobody was molested unlike the November 1 congress when some people tried to foment trouble.

People came out en masse

and lined up behind their preferred candidates and that is how election should be,” he said.

Our correspondent who went round some wards in the Central Senatorial District where tension was high noticed that the congress was peaceful in all the wards visited.

The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja had earlier yesterday declined jurisdiction to entertain the suit instituted against the PDP for tampering with the results of the ward congresses conducted in Cross River on November 1.

Delivering ruling in the matter, the trial judge, Justice Adeniyi Ademola held that the complaints bother on pre-primary matters which are covered under internal party matters and as such the court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain it presently.

market, when the commodity crashed to $88 per barrel last October.

The global lender had asked the Federal Government to increase its fiscal buffers (Excess Crude Account) to about $6.3 billion, up from the present level of $4.1 billion.

But in her reaction, Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, assured the World Bank that there was no cause for alarm.

Oil shock But a few months after the World Bank's warning, the stark reality of its precarious economic situation is facing Nigeria. The price of crude at the international market has fallen from $108.57 at the beginning of the year to as low as $73.47 this month. The country’s external reserves, which derive over 90 per cent of its composition from oil proceeds, have also been pressured, shrinking to $37.54 billion from $43.62 billion during the same period.

Given this awful depletion in reserves coupled with the sustained demand for dollars on the back of outflow of capital occasioned by CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

News

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

2015: Army gets 60 new Generals lAir Force promotes 110 senior officers

Emmanuel Onani

Abuja

A

head of the 2015 general election, the Nigerian Army has elevated 60 Colonels to the rank of Brigadier-General.

New Telegraph gathered from a highly-placed military source that the need to promote the officers, who were all due for elevation, was to facilitate their early deployments to various Areas of Responsibility (AOR) in order to ensure maximum security during and after the elections.

According to the senior military officer, who pleaded anonymity, the Army is disturbed by the actions and utterances of some politicians, and therefore, feels the compelling need to put its foot firmly on ground, in order to contain any form of violence that may threaten peace and security.

He assured that the military has total commitment to ensure that democracy is sustained in

the country, and so will collaborate with other security agencies to ensure that the 2015 polls are devoid of violence.

Asked whether the military has any constitutional role during elections, he responded that the military would not be at polling stations, but will maintain the vigilance that had earned it accolades when staggered elections were held in the country.

The source disclosed that a total of 168 Colonels were listed for promotion, out of which 108 came from the Infantry, Engineering, Artillery and Armoured corps.

He added that the remaining 60, emanated from the Direct Regular (professionals).

His words: "Sixty of our Colonels have just been

promoted to the BrigadierGeneral rank, and will soon be decorated and posted to their new Areas of Responsibility.

"This will enable the officers to acquaint themselves with the terrains, in order to beef-up and complement security during and after the [2015] elections.

"We will not allow violence to disrupt the peace during elections," he stated.

Asked when their decorations will take place, he answered: "I'm sure they will soon be decorated by the Chief of Army Staff.

"Remember, last year, the President decorated newly-promoted Major Generals at the Command Officers' Mess here in Abuja.”

Meanwhile, the Ni-

gerian Air Force (NAF), yesterday, announced the promotion of 110 senior officers to new ranks.

The disclosure was made in a statement signed by the Director of Public Relations and Information (DOPRI), Air Commodore Dele Alonge.

Among the newly-promoted officers, according to the statement, are 16 Air Vice Marshals, 35 Air Commodores, 33 Group Captains as well as 26 Wing Commanders.

"As an annual exercise, the purpose of promotion is to encourage officers and men, to rededicate themselves to assigned duties as well as the development of the Nigerian Air Force and the nation as a whole," the statement reads.

Some of the officers

promoted to the rank of Air Vice Marshal are: Emmanuel Anebi (Commander, 75 Strike Group, Yola), Nurudeen Balogun (Commander, 79 Composite Group, Maiduguri), and Christopher Okoye (Commander, 201 Heavy Airlift Group, Ikeja).

Others are Ajibola Jekennu (Commander, 97 Special Operations Group, Port Harcourt), Abdul Bello (Commander, 106 Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force Camp, Abuja), Jacob Adigun (Chief of Accounts and Budget, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force) among others.

Some of the newly-promoted Air Commodores are: Ismaila Yahaya, Jackson Yusuf, Joseph Malgwi, Mohammed Suleiman, Emmanuel Chukwu, and Samuel Babalola.

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PORT HARCOURT

24o C 18oC Storms

KANO

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L-R: Executive Secretary, Christian Pilgrims Board, Mr. Kennedy Opara; President, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor; Vice-President Namadi Sambo; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammadu Sa'ad Abubakar III and former Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Alhaji Yayale Ahmed, at a meeting of religious leaders in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Mostly Sunny

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19o C 17oC Rain Showers

IBADAN

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CALABAR

29o C 22oC Storms

MAIDUGURI

ONITSHA

33oC 15oC Mostly Sunny

16o C 12oC Rain Showers

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

Tambuwal: Ihedioha, House leaders in trouble CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

bly had backfired as they engaged a contingent of policemen deployed in the National Assembly to stop them in altercations.

Some of the lawmakers had to scale the fence of the National Assembly to attend the special session of the House to consider the request of President Goodluck Jonathan for an extension of the emergency rule.

Sources said the PDP was not happy with Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha; House Leader, Hon. Mulikat Akande- Adeola; Deputy Leader, Hon. Leo Ogor and Chief Whip,

Hon. Isiaka Bawa for not "adequately defending its interest" in the legislature.

It was learnt that the quartet might be denied tickets to run on the party's platform in 2015 for their acts of omission or commission in the Tambuwal saga.

While Ihedioha is a PDP governorship aspirant in Imo State, Akande-Adeola, Ogor and Bawa are seeking return tickets to the House.

These four principal officers of the House were summoned by the presidency hours after the fracas at the National Assembly.

They met with VicePresident Namadi Sambo and some top leaders of the PDP who berated them for their "serial failure" to defend the interests of their party in parliament.

New Telegraph also learnt that some security operatives, top bureaucrats and civil servants in the National Assembly might be punished for the same reason as the ruling party conducts its postmortem on the incident.

The police, it was learnt, were also investigating the matter to fish out all those culpable for the security lapses on that day and ascertain if there was any

act of sabotage.

In the National Assembly, a probe has commenced to find out how the earlier plot not to give Tambuwal access to the mace, the symbol of authority, was also thwarted by some top civil servants.

Last Thursday's siege on the National Assembly, New Telegraph gathered, was conceived by the leadership of the ruling party and targeted at fencing out Tambuwal from presiding over the extraordinary session he had summoned in response to the president's letter. The ruling party had made no pretences about CONTINUED ON PAGE 8

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

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Nigeria and the global oil shock CONTINUED FROM PAGE 5

heightened risk level such as political and insecurity, the naira, which has depreciated 7.80 per cent so far, appears to be heading towards devaluation as the demand for foreign exchange intensified whilst the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) approaches an “elastic limit” with all of its intervention tools.

Austerity measures It is on the record that Angola, the second largest oil producer, was the first African country to take some hard steps to insulate its economy against the impact of the oil shocks, including a reduction in subsidies in July.

Nigeria responded a

bit late with penultimate week’s announcement of the first tranche of fiscal austerity measures aimed at mitigating the implications of lower oil prices on fiscal and external imbalances.

Okonjo-Iweala, at a press conference about two weeks ago, noted the need to brace up for the tough times ahead by reviewing government expenditures and blocking all revenue leakages.

She pledged to trim spending in the face of plunging oil prices, which fell to a four-year low of $76.76 a barrel on November 14. She said the Federal Government would propose to lower the budgeted benchmark oil price to $73 per barrel

Why PDP lawmakers are reluctant to fight CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

its desire to push Tambuwal out of the seat since he defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) on October 28.

In the thinking of the PDP, it would be the height of insult to have Tambuwal, now from a minority party, preside over a chamber dominated by legislators elected on the platform of the ruling party.

Tambuwal, an insider source revealed, would have been eased out if the information was not leaked and the security operatives had handled their own side of the plot effectively.

The plot was, however, foiled as Tambuwal got detailed information about it the night before its execution and mobilised his supporters who forced their way through the security cordon.

A source in the House said Tambuwal and the APC Caucus swung into action based on the leaked plot.

"This was why you saw them reacting violently and scaling the high gates of the National Assembly.

They knew that if they did not get inside quickly, the PDP legislators could move a simple motion to impeach Tambuwal and mandate the deputy speaker to take over the affairs of the chamber.

“Ordinarily, you know these lawmakers are big men and would not like to be seen scaling the fence like schoolchildren but they did that out of desperation and fear of what may happen if they didn't get into the chamber to defend their man," a source said.

Meanwhile, it has also emerged that the reason behind the reluctance of the PDP Caucus in the House to defend the interests of their party by removing Tambuwal was because the ruling party had so far failed to guarantee them automatic tickets for the 2015 elections.

A member of the PDP Caucus in the House, who spoke to New Telegraph on the condition of anonymity, said the PDP legislators were not prepared to fight the opposition because their fate was uncertain.

"How do you go to fight for a party that has not shown interest in your future? These APC people can fight and die for Tambuwal and their party because they have automatic tickets to return here. But we are here battling with people from our constituencies who want to take over our seats. The truth is that many of us will not return because these people who are after our seats have the backing of our governors.

So, how do you fight here when your home is not at peace? Even the presidency that promised some of us automatic tickets because of our support for Mulikat (House Leader) during the election has not actualised that promise; so that is why everybody is concentrating on how to survive the next election," he said.

New Telegraph gathered that about 92 members of the PDP in the House who queued behind the candidate of the ruling party against Tambuwal were promised some rewards for their loyalty, a promise the ruling party has not kept till now.

next year from $77.5 this year as well as reduce the budget to N4.66 trillion.

Other austerity measures proposed include tightening the rules on foreign travel for officials and raising taxes on luxury goods, such as cars, jets and champagne.

Implications The balance in ECA, which was created as a buffer to save oil revenues above a base amount derived from a defined benchmark price that was $10 billion January last year, has been depleted due to constant withdrawals to augment shortfalls in revenues.

The account currently holds $4.1 billion.

However, $ 2billion is expected to be withdrawn from the ECA between now and the end of this year to take care of critical expenditure, according to Okonjo-Iweala.

Effects of further Oil price drop Experts at Meristem envisage further drop, albeit mild, in oil prices possibly below the newly proposed oil benchmark.

In the event of this occurrence, the nation’s budget that is already in the deficit region of about N890.97 billion may be further constrained owing to lower oil proceeds.

To close the revenue gap, government needs to increase taxation as well as debt capital in 2015.

Strain on the economy Nigeria’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth slowed to 6.23 per cent in Q3:2014 (vs.

6.54 per cent in Q2) as oil sector contribution dropped to 10.45 percent, down 0.31percent from the prior quarter. Current trend in oil pricing shock and its subsequent implications will further suffocate the economy.

Notwithstanding the relative stability in Nigeria’s oil production of 1.9mbpd, which is 17.39 per cent below the 2014 benchmark of 2.3mbpd, a 32.76 per cent decrease in oil prices will result in a further deterioration of the fiscal imbalance. Nigeria has a fiscal deficit of approximately 1 per

cent of GDP, a resultant effect of a rebased GDP. This is projected to widen beyond the fiscal target of 3 per cent of GDP as revenue shortfalls intensify.

Experts anticipate a decline in money supply, which may culminate in more inflationary pressures on the economy.

The capital market and fixed income The country’s capital markets have not been immune to the recent happenings in the economic space. The Equities market index level declined by 19.12 per cent even as foreign investors, which accounted for 87.5 per cent of the N1.25 trillion of stock market transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) in the first 10 months of this year, took out some N676.7 billion in that period.

The fixed income market has also been characterised by an increased amount of sell-offs, as yields have generally been on the rise, especially on the longer end

of the yield curve.

Given the current economic and political headwinds coupled with the intensified outflow of capital owing to the depreciating naira, the bearish trend in the capital market is likely to be sustained.

The naira The naira, which closed at a new low of N179 to the dollar last Friday, increased losses to 8.8 per cent so far this year at the interbank market despite the intervention of the CBN. At the official market, the banking watchdog was also compelled to depreciate the naira against the greenback by 1.25 per cent.

At the parallel market known as the black market in Nigeria, a dollar exchanged for N182 last Friday.

This implies that Nigerians who import most of the things that could be produced locally, would have to pay more.

Already, the effects are already being felt in the aviation and oil industry.

L-R: Representative of the Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Inyang Okoro of the Supreme Court; Administrator, National Judicial Institute, Justice Rosaline Bozimo; Akwa Ibom State Chief Judge, Justice Idongesit Ntem Isua and the state Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio, at a seminar for judges in Uyo…yesterday.

200,000 barrels of oil export disrupted as Shell shuts pipeline Adeola Yusuf

N

igeria has lost about $46.8 million oil revenue in the last three days due to the shutdown of Royal Dutch Shell Plc’s pipeline that produces about 200,000 barrels per day of Nigeria's crude oil exports.

The company's subsidiary in Nigeria, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), which announced the facility

shutdown yesterday, said the action was taken after it discovered a leak on the pipeline last Saturday.

The pipeline carries one of Nigeria's main export grades, Bonny Light crude.

The price of a barrel of oil at the international market, as at yesterday, was $78.

Total amount of revenue lost per day based on the 200,000 barrels of crude shut in is about $15.6 million. Based on

the exchange rate of N170 to $1, the total amount of revenue lost in three days is $46.8 million.

"About six cargoes of the crude are exported each month, or around 180,000-200,000 barrels per day," Reuters reported yesterday.

Quoting a Shell spokeswoman in London, the news agency said force majeure had not been declared on the grade.

"SPDC is investigating the source of a leak at

Okolo Launch in Eastern Niger Delta, which occurred near the 24-inch and the 28-inch TNP (Trans-Niger Pipeline).

"The leak occurred near where one of our contractors was preparing to remove crude theft connections on the line...

On noticing the leak on November 22, we deployed booms and also shut in the 28-inch TNP," a spokesman at Shell's Nigeria unit said in a statement.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

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Metro

Robbers raid bank, kill two policemen, corps member Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

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aredevil armed robbers yesterday went on the rampage in Ekiti State and left sorrow, tears and blood in their wake.

The hoodlums attacked the Ikere-Ekiti branch of an old generation bank and killed four people, among them two policemen, a female corps member and another man using the Automated Teller Machine (ATM).

The robbers also went away with an undisclosed amount of money.

Before the robbers struck at the bank, they first attacked a nearby police station and rained bullets on the unsuspecting policemen.

In the process, they killed a senior police officer, said to be the Divisional Crime Officer and a junior policewoman.

File picture of suspected robbers

When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mr Victor Babayemi, confirmed the incident, but said he could only give details after he was properly briefed.

The robbers, whose number could not be ascertained at press time, reportedly escaped through Akure Road after being accosted by soldiers at a checkpoint at Ise-Ekiti, about 10 kilometres away from the scene.

Yesterday’s robbery at the branch was the second in about a year. The same branch was robbed late last year.

Also, the bank’s branch at Ilasa-Ekiti was attacked last year while four policemen at a nearby police station were killed.

Late last month, the branch of the bank at Ifaki-Ekiti was attacked and riddled with bullets.

The bank’s branch at Okeyinmi in Ado-Ekiti was also attacked about two years ago while five persons were shot dead.

Nigerians dupe Belgian nurse N13.3m Niger residents to get

2.7m mosquito nets

Juliana Francis

T

wo Nigerians, Gabriel Osereme Xavi (aka Collins Page) and Aikhaituamen Best Junior Cyril, have been arraigned for allegedly duping a 49-year-old Belgian nurse, Goryczka Janina, C61,500 (about N13,284,359.14) via Facebook.

In January, the victim allegedly met one of the accused who introduced himself as “Collins Page,” a Croatian engineer resident in Wigan, England.

A few days later, ‘Page’ contacted her with the story that he was in Nigeria to supervise a construction project in Edo State and that he was having difficulty with his credit card as it had been blocked for security reasons.

He solicited Janina’s assistance for desperate cash.

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Dan Atori MINNA

T The suspects

Over the next few weeks, Janina kept sending him money until she had transferred a total of C61,500 through one Emmanuel Okoh based in Cape Town, South Africa and Messrs Junior Best and Cyril Ojiemen.

When ‘Page’ pressurised her for more money, Janina confided in a friend who told her that she might have fallen into the hands of scammers.

The duo were arraigned by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before Justice E. F. Ikponmwen of the Edo State High Court sitting in Benin, on charges bordering on conspiracy and obtaining money by false pretence.

While Xavi was slammed with a 12-count charge, Ai-

khaituamen was docked on a six-count charge.

The duo, however, pleaded not guilty to the charges after they were read to them on November 21.

In view of the plea of the accused, prosecuting counsel, G. K. Latono, asked for a trial date and prayed the court to remand them in prison custody.

Counsel to the first accused, P. E. Onobun, and counsel to the second accused, C. N. Dike, prayed the court for a short adjournment to enable them to file applications for bail.

Ikponmwen adjourned the case till December 8 for consideration of bail applications and ordered that the defendants be remanded in prison custody.

he National Malaria Elimination Programme (NMEP) yesterday said it would distribute 2.7 million treated mosquito nets across the 25 local government areas of Niger State.

The leader of the State Support Team of NMEP, Mrs Adaeze Aidenagbon, said during a media orientation programme organised by Society for Family Health (SFH) in Minna that the consistent use of the Long Lasting Insecticide Nets (LLIN) reduced malaria incidence by 50 per cent.

Aidenagbon said that the LLIN campaign was aimed at replacing insecticide treated nets as part of proactive measures to reduce malaria prevalence in the country.

She said: “The last distribution of mosquito nets in Niger State was in 2009 and there is need for replacement of these nets after a period of four years.

“The last distribution of these nets was one net card to two nets for a household.

The system has changed now to one net card to one per 1.8 persons; that is maximum of four net cards per household.”

Also, the Senior Marketing Corporate Communication Officer, SFH, Hajiya Zainab Usman, said the SFH was partnering with the state government and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) to empower the poor and the vulnerable to improve access to essential health care services.

She said the distribution process would be in two parts – anti-natal distribution and community distribution, including schools.

While calling on the public to register early to enable them to collect their nets within five days, Usman urged the media to promote the campaign against malaria.

The Ministry of Health Mobilisation Officer, Alhaji Abubakar Babadoko, said the role of the media in malaria eradication programme could not be over emphasised.

Babadoko urged media to contribute its quota to the campaign against malaria to ensure a successful achievement.

Metro 11

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Naval rating leads N20m robbery operation Shola Adefuwa

A

naval rating, Lawal Allie, 28, has been arrested for leading a five-man-gang of robbers in an operation that would have fetched them N20 million.

Allie said he had been dismissed by the Nigerian Navy, but police investigators said they were still looking into his claims.

He, however, admitted to have led Babagana Muhammed, Muhammed Yinusa, Bello Umaru,

Muhammed Tasiru and Abdullahi Bundi, in hijacking a trailer loaded with roofing sheets and rods valued at N20 million.

They were arrested by policemen attached to the Department of Operations around IsheriBerger area on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The truck, marked LSD782XB, was hijacked by the suspects around Navy Town, Kirikiri, Apapa area of Lagos on November 14. They were later transferred to the State Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).

The hijacked truck, driven by one Mr Ganiyu Mustapha, was conveying iron sheets and rods to Apapa, when the suspects hijacked it. They were moving the truck through the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway when police flagged them.

Allie, who claimed that would the second robbery he had coordinated, said that one Alhaji Ibrahim gave the gang information about the truck.

He said: “It was Ibrahim who gave us instruction to transport the

The suspects

truck to a buyer in Ifo, Ogun State.”

Police detectives said that the first operation of the gang was the hijacking of a truck loaded with bags of rice.

Recalling how they abandoned the truck loaded with bags of rice,

Female kidnapper, others held in Nasarawa Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

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he police in Nasarawa State yesterday paraded a 36-yearold woman, Sandra Linus, for allegedly kidnapping a nine-year-old girl, Nnenna Ogbonna, at Masaka in Karu Local Government Area of the state.

The police also paraded 20 other suspects involved in the recent crisis in parts of the state.

Parading the suspects at the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Lafia, the state Police Public Relations

Officer (PPRO), DSP Ogochukwu Theodore, said the police also arrested five armed robbery suspects in the last one month.

Theodore added that the police apprehended 11 suspects for allegedly being in possession of illegal firearms, ammunition and charms.

Items recovered from the suspects included seven guns, ammunition and a car.

Theodore said that Linus was arrested about 11:15pm on October 3 after one Ogbonna Njoku of Chief ’s Palace, Masaka, reported the incident at

the Masaka police station.

According to him, about 9am on the same date, Linus and one Anna Ndidi conspired to kidnap the girl.

He said: “The said Nnenna Ogbonna was later traced by the police to the house of one Helen Austine, a sister to Sandra Linus, where she was found but in an unconscious state because of the ‘snipper’ substance the suspect administered on her.”

Theodore explained that the victim was rushed to a clinic at Masaka for medical attention, adding that after her

arrest, the prime suspect confessed to have committed the crime.

He also said the other 20 suspects, who had been setting houses, shops and other property ablaze, were arrested on November 16, 17 and 18.

According to him, items recovered from are three cutlasses, three knives and assorted charms.

The PPRO commended the public for providing the police with useful information.

Theodore also promised that the police would not relent in their efforts to fight crime in the state.

Corruption behind LASU crisis, says VC Muritala Ayinla

T

he Vice-Chancellor, the Lagos State University (LASU), Prof Oladapo Obafunwa, said his stance against culture of impunity and corruption was responsible for the crisis rocking the institution.

Obafunwa said the days of sweeping the wrongs under the carpet were gone for good in the university, even as he admitted that though many untoward behaviours and activities had been permitted in the past.

The VC, who disclosed this during an interactive session with journalists, said his opposition to the rot in the ivory tower led to the creation of power blocks in the institution, especially from those who wanted

Obafunwa

the system to continue unabated.

He added that investigation had also commenced into how the PhD certificates erroneously awarded were issued in the first instance, explaining that the criticisms against him were as a result of his resolve

to deal with the rot in the system before the end of his tenure.

According to him, many untoward and unethical practices have been going on in the university before he came on board as the vice-chancellor.

He said: “People do wrong things and sweep them under the carpet in the name of LASU being a big family which must keep and condone acts of academic and financial indiscipline.”

Obafunwa vowed to ensure that proper investigation was carried out with a view to unravelling the perpetrators of “certificate mess” in the university, adding that some members of staff must have been benefiting from the rot.

He said: “We must be

bold enough to look at people straight in the face and take certain positions. The age of mediocrity and sweeping things under the carpet is over.

“Could all these have happened without some level of compromise from the Dean? The answer is yes. So, we are also looking at that. I do not want people to say that we are only focusing on people that have benefitted from it.

We are also looking at the system. Why should this happen? Who and who allowed this to happen?”

The VC explained that some of the PhD certificates without problems would be re-issued while those awarded in the programmes not approved by the Senate would be completely withdrawn.

Allie said: “The truck which was loaded with bags of rice developed fault on the road. Some officials of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) came to us. We didn’t want them to suspect anything and quickly gave them

N8,000 for ‘settlement’.

That was how they allowed us to go.”

The state Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kenneth Nwosu, who confirmed the arrest, said investigations were ongoing on the matter at SARS.

Dogs’ attack: Four-year-old boy to get overseas treatment

Little Omonigho

Muritala Ayinla

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overnor Babatunde Fashola said yesterday that he had approved overseas treatment for the four-year-old boy, Abraham Omonigho, who dogs attacked in Igando area of Lagos State.

Earlier in an interview, the boy’s father, Mr Odia Omonigho, had told our correspondent that his son was not given adequate attention.

He also lashed out at the police for allegedly conducting a shoddy investigation into the attack on Abraham.

Omonigho also expressed disappointment with the way armed policemen watched helplessly as his landlord’s two dogs devoured his son’s scalp.

But while presenting the 2015 budget to the state House of Assembly,

Fashola said the boy’s injuries had been recommended for overseas specialist attention.

He said: “The impact of this budget has reached vulnerable children like four-year-old Abraham Omonigho who was unfortunately attacked by dogs.

“After being attended and stabilised by our health workers at Igando General Hospital, where his life-threatening wounds were treated, he has been recommended for overseas specialist attention, for mesh skin graft and reconstructive surgery to repair the scars of his wounds.”

The treatment of the boy at the expense of the state government, the governor said, was possible because some residents chose to perform their civic responsibility by paying their taxes promptly.

12

News

BRICKBATS

Party talks tough over invasion of its data centre Temitope Ogunbanke and Onyekachi Eze

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he All Progressives Congress, APC, has described the invasion of its Data Centre in Lagos last Saturday by the Department of State Security, DSS as further evidence of desperation and continuation of reign of impunity in Nigeria by the present administration to actualise President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NATIONAL

Invasion: APC lambasts SSS over data centre That was even as the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) said the alleged discovery of cloning of Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) and hack into the database of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by the All Progressives Congress (APC) has confirmed fears of “wellmeaning Nigerians of APC’s criminal desperation, lust for power, plot to cause confusion and truncate our democracy”.

Addressing a press conference in Lagos yes-

terday, APC National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, described as plainly implausible and a witless afterthought the reasons given by the DSS for invading the Data Centre of the party in Lagos, calling the security service a shameless apologist of the PDP. “The spokesperson for the DSS said the organisation had put the building housing the Data Centre under surveillance, and that it only acted after it was convinced that ‘unwholesome activi-

ties’ were taking place.

If indeed they put the place under surveillance, would they not have been able to establish that it is an APC Data Centre?

Even if they were not sure, what prevents them from obtaining a court order permitting them to enter and searching the building instead of carrying out a Gestapo-like operation? Are security agencies above the law?

“To highlight their crudity and lack of professionalism, they had to go and arrest one of the staff-

ers, who was not on duty just to get the password to the servers they vandalized and took away. This speaks volumes about the limitation of the DSS’ intelligence gathering ability. If they had broken into the Boko Haram computer, would they have gone to arrest Abubakar Shekau or any of his commanders to give them the password to it? Nigerians can now see why no progress has been made in using intelligence gathering to root out the evil Boko Haram,” he said.

NYSC Batch B Corps members in Kuje, protesting over non-payment of 6 months allowance in Abuja…yesterday

2015: Four Ogun cabinet members resign Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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our members of the Ogun State Executive Council yesterday formally resigned their appointment to contest for elective positions in the 2015 general elections.

They include Governor Ibikunle Amosun’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Alhaji Shuaib Salisu; state Commissioner for Youth and Sports, Dr Lanre Tejuoso; Commissioner for Urban and Physical Planning, Gbenga Otenuga, and the governor’s Special Adviser on Environment, Mr. Tunde Sanusi.

While Salisu and Tejuoso resigned to contest for Ogun Central Senatorial District on the platform of All Progressives Congress (APC), Otenuga and Sanusi resigned to vie for House of Representatives seats.

Amosun confirmed the resignation of the aspiring cabinet members at the State Executive Council meeting held in Abeokuta yesterday.

The governor said the action was in compliance with the 2010 Electoral Act. He disclosed that many others, who are special assistants and other appointees had also resigned to contest the forthcoming poll “but only four were full cabinet members.”

Amosun said the beauty of democracy is the opportunity for anybody to offer him or herself for service to the people.

Presidency denies plan to conduct PDP risk assessment Why Lagos airport cargo Ahmed Alkali, in a state- from using the his office put in place screening Onyekachi Eze ment, noted that it was to carry out programmes committees for all offices shed remains shut –FG ABUJA

T

he presidency, yesterday, denied rumours that it has commissioned some groups to conduct risk assessment on aspirants contesting various position on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2015 general elections.

Special Adviser to the President on Political Affairs, Professor Rufai

the prerogative of the PDP national secretariat to screen aspirants and not the responsibility of any group or association.

Alkali stated that while he recognized “the patriotic zeal of all the Support Groups and their activities in favour of the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 presidential election”, they should desist

or activities without due authorization or permission from the office.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I wish to make it abundantly clear that the function of determining the suitability of candidates for elections belongs exclusively to the National leadership of PDP and not to any other group. My office is aware that the party has

and they should be left to perform their functions”.

He advised the Support Groups to adhere strictly to the policies and principles of President Jonathan in the conduct of their activities and to refer to his office before embarking on any project or programmes that has serious policy implication in the party or government.

Violence mars rescheduled PDP congress in Lagos Wale Elegbede

T

he rescheduled ward congress of the Lagos Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) pencilled for yesterday was marred by violence at the party’s secretariat in Ikeja as gunshots and tear gas were freely used to disperse some errant members of the party, who became agitated about the slow process

of the congresses.

The secretariat, which was besieged as early as 8am by party members was kept under surveillance by heavily armed policemen and other security agencies.

After hours of being at the secretariat with their ward chairmen, awaiting the receipt of election materials to use for the congress,

the members became restless when by 2pm when they haven’t been given materials for the congress.

While some members of the party alleged that the leadership of the party deliberatly horded the materials to serve their interest, others simply called for another cancellation of whatever result might be presented by the commit-

tee to oversee the process.

With talks about elders of the party suing for harmonisation of delegates spreading like wild fire among the members, they started registering their displeasure to the news and started chanting solidarity songs at the secretariat, insisting that the congress must be conducted electively as stipulated by the party.

Wole Shadare

T

he Federal Government, yesterday maintained that the cargo shed of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport , Lagos would remain shut until terminal operators comply with new operational procedures that would not threaten national security and collection of revenue .

To forestall crisis, the cargo shed was shut last week following unrest by clearing agents at restricted sections of the terminal, which officials of Nigerian Customs Service said constitute grave danger to security of the airports and the fiscal policies of government .

Fielding questions from reporters, the Customs Area Comptroller, in charge of the Murtala Muhammed International Airport Command, Mr

Taju Olarenwaju, said government had directed officials to identify and allow passage for perishable goods , medical goods and diplomatic goods , which have remained trapped due to the crisis.

He explained that through the command’s internal check measures, goods that fall into the specialised category : perishable; medical and diplomatic would be isolated for facilitation, such that the importers do not suffer from the infraction caused by clearing agents, who are not ready to comply with operational procedures .

He warned that the Nigeria Customs Service have the capacity to crush any violator, who as saboteurs and terrorists are set to threaten national security and the collection of revenue for government.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, November 25, 2014

2015

Governorship aspirants

Gathering storm against Jang

13

Maku, Ewuga, Doma jockey for Al-Makura’s seat

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17

Politics

‘Civilian General’ to dethrone Gemade In Benue State, Governor Gabriel Suswam and Senator Barnabas Gemade are locked in a battle over a senatorial seat, writes PHILIP NYAM

A

head of the December 7 National Assembly primaries of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Governor Gabriel Suswam of Benue State, and one-time national chairman of the ruling party, Senator Barnabas Gemade are locked in a battle over the Benue North East senatorial seat in the 2015 general election.

While Gemade is the serving senator representing Benue NorthEast, Suswam is out to unseat the former Secretary of Works during the Interim National Government (ING) led by Chief Ernest Shonekan. Since Suswam made his intention known to take over the seat from the elder statesman, people of the senatorial zone and indeed the entire state have been discussing the matter at almost every forum.

Even the national headquarters of the party has been unsettled by the impending contest between these two political giants. Who wears the crown?

Gemade, who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on National Planning, has paid his dues on the political turf. He was the national chairman of the defunct Congress for National Consensus (CNC) during the Abacha transition period. When the present dispensation was thrown up, he also served as the national chairman of the ruling PDP and has been in the Senate since 2011.

Governor Suswam on the other hand, has had a meteoric rise in politics since coming on the scene in 1999 when he first won election to the House of Representatives and served for two terms. He went on to win the governorship elec-

AYODELE OJO

DEPUTY Editor, POLITICS ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Suswam

tion in 2007 and was re-elected in 2011.

While Suswam has won elections four times, Gemade has done so only once. Suswam hails from Ukum Local Government while Gemade is from Konshisha Local Government.

Coincidentally, these two sons of Benue North East senatorial zone otherwise called Zone A are both interested in representing their people in 2015.

Although, Gemade’s supporters are of the view that since he has performed well in the last three years he should be given a chance to continue in 2015, but Suswam’s supporters have countered that, saying the governor did better as a representative and with his sterling achievements as governor, he could as well outshine Gemade’s record.

There have been attempts by the national leadership of the party and elders in the zone to reconcile the two but to no avail.

Governor Suswam has declared that politics is a contest and “is not about age. But it is about who the people want and my people want me; that is why all elders without any exception bought me nomination form.”

Suswam, also disclosed that Gemade had promised during his campaign in 2011 that he was only

Gemade

Suswam also failed to mention or state the date and time Gemade promised to serve as senator for one term in 2011, the circumstances that led to such a promise and who were witnesses to such a promise

going to do one term to complete the one term left behind by Senator Joseph Akaagerger whom Suswam helped him push out in 2011. But Gemade has denied ever making any promise to serve only a term challenging Suswam to produce evidence and mention witnesses.

Gemade said: “Suswam also failed to mention or state the date and time Gemade promised to serve as senator for one term in 2011, the circumstances that led to such a promise and who were witnesses to such a promise.”

From all indications, the two are poised to face each other in the senatorial battle come December 7. Both have secured their nomination forms and are carrying out their campaigns. While Suswam’s nomination form was bought by elders in the zone, Gemade was at the Wadata headquarters of PDP to purchase his form himself. Suswam has made allusions to the fact that for the elders to buy forms for him, it means they have accepted him. The elders to a large extent do influence women and youths on who to vote for.

Gemade’s elderly disposition is working in his favour since many people have argued that he should be returned to the Senate being an elder statesman. Many see him as a conscientious politician and legislator and being an elder, he should stay put. But Suswam has a counter because he has eight

years’ experience as a legislator in the National Assembly. Besides, Suswam is young and energetic, dynamic and full of ideas, which can be translated into laws that would positively affect the lives of his constituents and Nigerians at large. He clocked 50 only two weeks ago. Whereas, Gemade is now in his 70’s and wearing off.

Another advantage Suswam has over Gemade is his control of the party machinery in the state.

At the last ward congresses, Suswam clearly called the shots and Gemade was left seriously bruised.

Reports from some quarters that the national headquarters and the presidency may have offered automatic tickets to senators for 2015 in a way boosted Gemade’s chances but this too had been punctured

by Suswam who described the stories as “false and misleading.”

According to Suswam, “Nobody has promised anyone automatic ticket. The PDP is a truly democratic party and would not do anything that will cause disaffection among its members.”

But Gemade’s supporters have insisted that Suswam was living in a fool’s paradise for saying that the PDP is not giving any automatic ticket to senators when he was not in attendance at the meeting held on November 6 between the PDP senators, the president and the CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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16 Politics

TUESDAY, November 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opposition is growing in Plateau State over the decision of Governor Jonah Jang to produce his successor from his Berom ethnic stock, writes MUSA PAM

Gathering storm against Jang

W

ith the anointing of Senator Gyang Nyam Pwajok representing Plateau North in the Senate by Governor Jonah Jang as his successor come 2015, Plateau Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) elders under the aegis of Justice and Equity Forum in the state have vowed to resist Jang’s plot. The elders have also developed a new strategy within all three zones by coming together to form a common front to protect their interest.

The group which is made up of mostly friends of Jang and PDP members have constituted a coalition to stop him from imposing a candidate and also warned that PDP stands to lose woefully in the state if Jang insists on solely producing his successor.

Recently, the elders made their position known through its chairman who is also a former PDP state chairman, and delegate to the just-concluded National conference, Prof. Dakum Shawn.

“We stand for equity and justice, and the people have mandated us to ensure power shift to the south. Jang prayed and got his kinsman; we have prayed and gotten someone from the south. We are looking for a credible candidate from there.

“We are talking with all aspirants from the south, we have cut down the number drastically, we will face those who claim they are government because we are fighting for our children’s children,” he said.

Shawn insisted that the elders in the state are helping the governor because he has performed more than any governor in the state, and that they do not want his name to be rubbished but for him to leave a legacy where Plateau people will be united.

The group expressed fears that the current disagreement in the party in the state regarding the zoning arrangement for the 2015 governorship election may adversely affect the chances of the party during the forthcoming elections.

Shawn was not happy over what he called the unilateral decision of Governor Jang, to impose Senator Pwajok, as his successor. Pwajok is from the same zone as Jang.

“When Governor Jang was elected in 2007, it was based on the agreement reached by all the three zones to allow him the chance, but today he is saying no

Jang

Pwajok

to the arrangement. Today, he is singing a different song.

“Jang’s claim that there is no zoning or rotation in the gubernatorial politics of the state is false and unacceptable, because Jang himself is a beneficiary of the zoning arrangement and understanding,” Shawn explained.

Some of the elders have viewed with dismay the plan by the governor, to support anybody from the Northern zone to succeed him in 2015. The scheme to impose Pwajok was tied to accusations by the elders that Jang was using his position to advance his successor. This development has pitched him against his deputy, Ignatius Longjan, who is eyeing the position. Some other elders including, Senator Venmark Dangin; Second Republic governor of Plateau State, Fidelis Tapgun; former governor and now Senator, Joshua Dariye; and Jang’s former deputy and onetime gubernatorial aspirant, Mrs Pauline Tallen, and a host of others have condemned the move.

Engr. Jimmy Chetto, who is also jostling for the governorship seat in the state, said: “We will resist any Berom man from taking over from another Berom man; they are only trying to bring division in the state.”

Given the level of rejection, the group

of elders have also warned the ruling PDP to desist from the dangers of such imposition tendencies of the governor.

Also, another elder from Jang’s village and his close friend, Da Bulus Dareng, has urged the people of the state to reject any move by the governor in deciding the next governor in 2015. “Du people are never in support of such a political arrangement, after their son rules the state for eight years without a state of emergency as witnessed during the time of Joshua Dariye,” Dareng said.

But many people have also viewed the lamentation of the elders as a selfish one, aimed at causing division amongst the people of the state. However, New Telegraph reliably gathered that the plan of the Equity, Justice and Fairness group to produce a consensus candidate out of the many aspirants cutting across Central and Southern Plateau has failed and created more crises amongst the elders The attempt by eight governorship aspirants from Plateau South senatorial zone to handpick a consensus candidate ahead of the PDP primaries in December has not only failed, but generated more support for Pwajok.

Investigations revealed that the meeting which was convened by Shawn and Jang’s contemporaries has further divided the aspirants. A source close to the meeting which lasted for about five hours said some of the aspirants had

agreed to step down for the deputy governor, Longjan, while few agreed to step down for the senator representing Plateau South, Hon. Victor Lar. The source added that some of the aspirants rejected the idea of pruning down the governorship aspirants from the zone by a segment of PDP elders’ forum; accusing the elders of taking sides with one of the aspirants, as such they have opted to go to the primaries without any form of consensus.

At the meeting were some of the aspirants including Longjan, Tapgun, former Director General of Industrial Training Fund (ITF), Prof. Longmas Sambo Wapmut, Senator Lar, John Alkali, Jimmy Cheto and Godfrey Oman Miri who met with the view of adopting a consensus candidate.

One of the aspirants, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that they don’t trust the body language of the leadership of the forum, “we are sensing foul play, they are being sponsored and playing the script of one of the aspirants to ensure his emergence.”

Our source who challenged the integrity of the leadership of the forum, disclosed that five of the seven aspirants are opting out of the consensus deal on the grounds that the selection approach lacks credibility and transparency.

“The criteria they intend to adopt in selecting their preferred aspirant remains unknown to us and unacceptable,” he said.

A source with knowledge of the dealings of the political elders noted that Longjan and Lar are the two top contenders for the group’s endorsement, but that majority of the members are plotting for the emergence of Longjan for selfish gains.

According to the source, those against the choice of Lar argued that he lacks acceptability in his home front, Langtang.

Some members of the group from his locality, were said to have given the movement the impression that Lar would be difficult to sell to the electorate, and compelled to opt for Longjan, who according to the source, was favoured because he is the present deputy governor and could easily be presented to the electorate as someone with the knowledge of the workings of government.

Some of the elders also believe that if Longjan, who is seen as humble and over 70 years old, eventually emerges as governor, he can easily be manipulated, and some of them may no longer be relevant in the corridors of powers within the state. For now, all eyes are waiting to see the verdict of the primary election.

Suswam battle Gemade for senatorial seat C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

national leadership of the party.

Therefore, if Suswam is in total control of the party’s machinery, it means he can control the delegates and virtually all of them would vote for him.

Again, Suswam is said to have a large heart. Those who have been fortunate to enjoy his magnanimity have told pleasant stories about him, whereas, some have cried out that Gemade only started lately to reach out. According to this school of thought, Suswam plays local politics as he understands the psychology of an average Benue man, particularly the Tiv man and knows where and how to deploy his resources to get what he

wants. Whereas Gemade is said to have played elitist politics until lately when he began to come down to the level of the grassroots and relating more deeply with the people. Suswam is said to be a blend of both elitist and local politics. This is one factor that could count for and against the two contestants.

Gemade also enjoys a certain advantage over Suswam. The governor’s popularity seems to be declining courtesy of his prolonged no love lost with teachers and other public servants. When Suswam assumed duty in 2007, it took sometime before he was nicknamed ‘Mr. Infrastructure” because of the massive construction and renovation of roads and

other infrastructure across the state. But his opponents have argued that the governor has since abandoned that era and only gallivants around the globe in the name of looking for foreign investors thereby allowing the business of governance to suffer.

Whether this submission will scurry favour for Suswam’s opponent is only an issue that the electorate can decide.

Most importantly, both contestants are financially buoyant. Suswam, apart from being in government since 1999 and now the incumbent governor is believed to be a robust businessman with interest in varying areas. Gemade, who is like Suswam’s big uncle was made

before Suswam left school. So, both are well heeled but what will turn the table against the other is on how well and appropriately any of the two deploy resources. Again, the goodwill and relationship each of them has built in the years past will determine where the pendulum will swing in December.

Before now, there were rumours that Gemade may defect to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to tackle Suswam should he lose the ticket but the senator has denied that. Suswam has equally ruled out any defection insisting that if he loses, he would congratulate Gemade and support him adding that “I expect same from him (Gemade).”

From this stand point, it is clear that the duo have resolved to make up their differences at the ballot. Suswam appears very optimistic and hopeful just as Gemade is full of life hoping to undo Suswam who is christened “civilian general” for his exploits at winning elections since 1999 no matter how tough the contests were. Gemade has never really being engaged in a fierce political battle like the one he is into presently, but Suswam has been in and out of it for at least twice.

It is a fact that Suswam may not be as popular as he was in 2007 when he succeeded Senator George Akume, but he certainly has a large support amongst the youth.

Politics 17

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, November 25, 2014

LEADING GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS As the 2015 general election draws nearer, Nasarawa State is set for a titanic governorship battle. The political atmosphere in the state is charged as a number of aspirants for the post of governor have purchased parties’ nomination forms in a bid to wrest power from Governor Tanko Al-Makura come 2015. The battle for the soul of Nasarawa is going to be a straight fight between the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Other fringe parties like the Labour Party (LP) and the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) are also making a strong showing in the contest. CHEKE EMMANUEL takes a look at the governorship aspirants, and their chances at dislodging Al-Makura from the Government House

Umaru Tanko Al-Makura Al-Makura, the incumbent governor of the state, won the governorship election on the platform of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) in 2011 which he defected to when in February 2010 he was denied the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Almakura, a successful businessman, was a youth leader in the defunct National Party of Nigeria (NPN) in the Second Republic. He defeated the then incumbent governor, Aliyu Akwe Doma of the PDP in the 2011 general election in a landslide victory.

His performance in education and road construction has endeared him to the people of the state, but his administration is widely criticized for lacking a political will to end the persistent communal crisis bedevilling the state.

His victory at the poll in 2011 was hugely attributed to his former political friend, Senator Solomon Ewuga who mobilised his Eggon extractions to vote for him massively. Al-Makura has fallen out with Ewuga who has defected from the All Progressives Change (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Al-makura is eyeing a second term.

He is in firm control of his party’s structure in the state. His chances of making it in a second term bid is not certain for the fact that the overwhelming support he got from Ewuga, now his arch enemy, would threaten his smooth victory at the poll.

However, there is hope for him with the backing of former governor of the state, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the political pillar of the state.

Labaran Maku Maku is the immediate past Minister of Information. He hails from the Nasarawa North Senatorial District agitating for power shift. He was onetime

Maku, Ewuga, Doma jockey for Al-Makura’s seat

Al-Makura

Maku

Ewuga

Doma

Luka

Agabi

Commissioner of Information, Youths and Sports from 1999 to 2002. He became the deputy governor of the state between 2003 and 2007. He was former President of Eggon Cultural Development Association, a socio-cultural body of the Eggon ethnic nationality. He was political editor with The Champion Newspaper and onetime president of Students Union Government (SUG), University of Jos in the late 80s. Maku took his first shot at the governorship in 2007, but lost out in the PDP primaries to Doma.

Maku, who recently resigned as minister to contest the governorship position, is confident that he will win the party’s ticket at the primaries. Maku as a committed and loyal member of the PDP has remained in the party since its inception in 1998. Well known for his antecedents, he stands in-between the youth and the old. His popularity brightens his chances of picking the party’s ticket at the primaries. He is a grassroots politician with an ability to mobilise the youths, women and the old to win elections for the party if given the ticket.

Solomon Ewuga Senator Ewuga represents Nasarawa North in the National Assembly. He is one of the leading aspirants in the race on the PDP platform, and had previously contested for the governorship position of the state in 1999 and 2003 on the platform of the defunct All Nigeria People’s Party (ANPP) but lost to Abdullahi Adamu and Doma respectively. Ewuga was former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

It is not certain which party structure Ewuga controls in the state because of his inconsistency in the party. But he has the capacity to win a governorship seat having been responsible, to a large ex-

tent, for the victory of Al-Makura.

He is popular in the political arena in the state, and he is a grassroots politician. He has purchased the governorship nomination form, and opened a campaign office at Bukan Sidui, along Jos road, Lafia. His hurdle is that he is an Eggon man, which may work against him. Also, his recent indictment by the Alakyo commission of inquiry may mar his aspiration, although his chances of securing the PDP ticket at the primaries are bright. There are reports that he may pitch his tent with All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) if he loses the PDP ticket.

Aliyu Akwe Doma Aliyu Doma, former governor of the state between 2007 and 2011 is another leading aspirant in the race, contesting on the platform of the PDP. Doma retired as permanent secretary and became deputy governor in the then Plateau State in the late 1980s. His bid for a second term was truncated by Governor Al-Makura in 2011. Doma’s Badakoshi Agricultural Scheme endeared him to the people and he controls the party structures in the state.

He has the required financial muscle to fund his campaign, and is widely connected. However, he does not have age on his side, and is viewed by many as being too old and weak to effectively discharge the stressful functions required of an occupier of the office of a state governor. His chance of securing the party’s ticket is lean because of his failed second term bid.

Damishi Luka Luka is another aspirant to watch. He is the current deputy governor of the state, whose recent defection from the ruling APC back to the PDP was widely criticized. He was onetime Commissioner of Agriculture and former majority leader in the state House of Assembly.

Damishi has neither strong political base nor does he control any party structure in the state. He is the choice of Mada people of Akwanga in the North Senatorial zone, where he hails from. The zone has been agitating for power shift.

He is believed to have the financial muscle to fund his campaign, but it is not certain if the PDP will give him the ticket at the upcoming party primaries.

Yusuf Mohammed Agabi Agabi is a retired accountant with the federal civil service. He retired as Director of Finance and Accounts. Agabi is one of the jokers in the race, contesting on the platform of the PDP. He has no strong political base in the state and is not popular in the political arena whether at the national or state level. Agabi is the only aspirant that has opened a campaign office in Lafia and inaugurated a campaign committee at both the local government and state level with gigantic billboards mounted across the length and breadth of the state. Agabi’s chances of securing the PDP ticket are lean because of his low political profile in the state.

John Michael Abdul Abdul is a former deputy governor of the state between 2007 and 2011. A successful businessman, he was former Managing Director of Lion bank, but is CONTINUED ON PAGE 20

18

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Opinion Emperor Obasanjo does not own Nigeria Abimbola Jones

W

hen Senator Iyabo Obasanjo, daughter of former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, wrote a vitriolic letter to her father some time ago reminding him that he does not own Nigeria, many of us thought she was a bit too harsh on the old man. Iyabo had, in very strong words, dismissed the former president as an irresponsible father. It is not that Iyabo said anything new that the public does not know about her father.

Even then, some of us thought that coming from a daughter – estranged or beloved – that was way too harsh. But in recent times, Obasanjo himself is beginning to justify his daughter’s public expression of her opinion of her father.

Just a few weeks ago, Obasanjo continued in what has become his favourite pastime, the public bashing of one of his political sons, Goodluck Jonathan, the Nigerian president while addressing participants in Abeokuta at a programme “First Green Legacy Moments with Chief Olusegun Obasanjo on Leadership and human Security in Africa”. This programme, which we understand was put together by the for mer president’s shop, Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library, in conjunction with the University of Ibadan, had in attendance undergraduate students of Nigeria’s premier university of Ibadan, Obasanjo’s own private university, the Bells University of Technology, Crawford University as well as their vice chancellors, and students from select secondary schools in Ogun State. This was the forum that Obasanjo chose to obfuscate facts and wrongly accuse President Jonathan and his government of failing over power supply.

The former President, according to newspaper reports, had blamed the governments after his, specifically, the Yar’Adua government and the Jonathan gover nment, for failing to

implement his administration’s initiative of the National Independent Power Project (NIPP).

As always, the former president went on and on regaling the young impressionable students and, of course, some of the adult audience who should know how he alone has built up the country right from his military presidency and to his second coming as a civilian. That was typical of Obasanjo who believes that he alone knows Nigeria and he alone can save Nigeria. Well, there is nothing wrong if the former president derives joy by telling his audience and whoever cares to listen of his unrivalled patriotism and missionary zeal in the service of the fatherland.

Yet what is unacceptable especially from Obasanjo, an elder statesman, iconic personality and former president, is the passing of barefaced lies to younger people looking up to him, as facts.

The former President knows full well that he was lying when he repeatedly stated that the present administration has abandoned the NIPP projects.

He was equally not telling the whole truth when he is aware that the country is generating more power now than any other time in the nation’s history. It is undeniable that the late President Umaru Musa Yar’ Adua probably hesitated on the NIPP projects. Those who knew him readily agree that it was in the character of the late president, to be sure about probity, accountability and due process in anything he was involved in.

He inherited the NIPP project from Obasanjo and all kinds of fuzzy stories of corruption were flying around and Yar’ Adua was never the kind of person who would compromise accountability for speed. He wanted to make sure that Nigerians were not fleeced all in the name of tackling the power challenge through the NIPP projects.

But it is really intriguing that Obasanjo forgot to tell the young ones listening to him that after the initial lull under Yar’ Adua, the Jonathan administration more than his own era has achieved milestones in the power sector. It is equally unfortunate that Obasanjo failed the younger generation

listening to him (although the vice chancellors and Professor Akin Mabogunje know the truth) that his NIPP project is defective in design and execution by failing to take into account, the supply of gas to the newly-built power stations across the land. How to get gas to power those plants is one of the challenges that the Jonathan government is dealing with today but Obasanjo would rather obfuscate that fact in his self-praise.

It is understandable anyway that an Obasanjo who still believes that he is the best thing that has happened to our country will never give credit to anyone who has out-performed him in any sector.

That is why, former President Obasanjo failed to tell the young people around him that President Jonathan by liberalizing the power sector with the privatisation of the power generations and distribution and the consequent unbundling of the former PHCN, took the decision he and previous leaders were afraid to take. Instead, the former president is insinuating corruption and nepotism in the privatisation in the power sector.

Maybe Obasanjo has forgotten that he carried out the massive liberalisation that took place in the communications industry, the downstream sector of the oil industry, the ports sector and the Nigerian economy as a whole and Nigerians are aware, how cronies of the former president bought up Nigeria. Nigerians equally know who the real owners of the port terminals in Apapa concessioned by Obasanjo are. The same Obasanjo who, while granting licenses for ownership of private universities, found it convenient to sign one for himself is now accusing Jonathan of selling the power sector to his friends.

It is time Obasanjo came to terms with the fact that a new Sherriff is in town. There is no doubt that the former president has given his best to this country but he must also realise that he does not own Nigeria – just as Iyabo had rightly noted.

• Jones, a public affairs analyst, sent this piece from Ikorodu, Lagos.

Boko Haram insurgency and Atiku’s stance Sylvester Okoro

R

ecently, former Vice President Atiku Abubakar was so moved by reports that the terrorist sect, Boko Haram, captured Mubi, that he held a press conference to invite international assistance towards containing the growing insurgency. He was so distressed that one of the largest towns in his Adamawa State was taken by the terrorist group that he had to alert the world of the humanitarian crisis that has come in its wake.

Atiku’s concern is understandable. “As somebody who hails from Adamawa State, you can appreciate why I feel such emotion at the fate of my people”, he declared.

Though the insurgents are still far from Jada, the fall of Mubi invokes as much ethnic passion in the All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain.

However, it also presents the astute politician an opportunity to make some political capital at the expense of President Goodluck Jonathan and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Rather than situate the crisis properly, he blamed the growing insurgency on “a crisis of leadership” and made scathing remarks about the supposed inability of our armed forces to defend the nation.

Atiku’s remarks are not only unstatesmanlike and absurd, they are also actu-

ally intended to deliberately distract the government and the security forces in their efforts to contain the insurgency. It follows a pattern in his past utterances which, like those of his co-travelers in the APC, Muhammadu Buhari, have fuelled rather than help find solutions to the insurgency. Though both men have consistently refused to genuinely condemn the activities of those terrorists, they are usually the ones that shed more crocodile tears whenever innocent Nigerians are victimized by their actions. Unlike in other developed democracies where statesmen come together in moments of national crisis irrespective of their partisan political persuasions, to support government to contain a common threat, Atiku, Murtala Nyako and Buhari have only paid lip service to this ideal.

In the run-up to the 2011 presidential election, it was Buhari who told his supporters to go on a lynching spree if the result did not favour him. Confronted by newspaper interviewers later, he had declared that “there may be no Nigeria” if the election was rigged, drawing a curious parallel with the events in Somalia.

Though he eventually lost in a contest adjudged free and fair, it did not stop the post-election violence that arose from that careless pronouncement. The presidential panel that investigated those outbreaks of violence, headed by Sheikh Ahmed Lemu, was on target by submitting a report that largely indicted the former Head of State for making inflammatory comments that contributed to the violence.

At the Northern stakeholders Forum in 2010, Atiku was quoted as saying that “those who make peaceful change impossible will make violent change inevitable”.

Atiku may have refrained from directly accusing President Jonathan of complicity in the growing insurgency, but his veiled reference to suspicion that it is part of the ‘electoral politics’ of 2015 betrays his real intentions.

That is sad indeed, as it is a grim reminder of the activities of former Adamawa state governor, Murtala Nyako, another APC leader who had consistently attempted to incite the North against the Federal government. Like Atiku’s press conference, Nyako’s April 16, 2014 letter addressed to his colleagues in the Northern Governors Forum, had all the trappings of incitement to violence. The Satanic letter which accused the Jonathan administration of “full-fledged genocide” against Northern Nigeria, was not only incoherent, it was shameful coming from an elected governor. Now it is convenient for Atiku to talk of ‘electoral politics’ and to use the insurgency as political tool to take a swipe at the Jonathan administration.

Atiku says that the ‘seeming inability of the government to end the crisis is a ploy to weaken some parts of the country ahead of the 2015 elections.’ While it is not the first time Atiku had made such incendiary statements that have the potency to incite the citizenry to violence, the last one is most irresponsible, to say the least. How can a former VP reduce the security issue in his own backyard to a

mere ‘electoral politics’? That is the height of insensitivity, coming from a man who nurses the ambition of becoming Nigeria’s President.

While it may appear to be patriotic, Atiku’s call on the international community to help Nigeria tackle the Boko Haram insurgency, is an exercise in self deceit.

As a former VP, Atiku knows what to do, since charity starts from home. It behoves him to first support his government’s efforts to find a solution, or otherwise take whatever criticism he has on the ongoing efforts to the President himself. While he has refused to take those options, he refuses to attend statutory meetings where such matters are discussed and solutions proffered; rather he revels in criticizing the Nigerian military and concluding they have been ‘overwhelmed by the insurgents’.

The questions that keep agitating the minds of Nigerians are: why does scathing criticism of government efforts to contain the nation’s ongoing circle of violence come mainly from known leaders of the main opposition party? Why have their utterances tended to exacerbate, rather than calm or offer solutions to the nation’s charged security situation?

There is no doubt that Atiku, Buhari and Nyako contributed to what has today become a national calamity through irresponsible utterances; however, it is most cowardly for any of them to use the present situation to further their narrow political interests, like Atiku’s press conference seeks to.

• Okoro contributed this piece from Enugu.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

19

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Eagles' 2015 AFCON exit: Matters arising

R

eigning champions the Super Eagles will not defend their title in Equatorial Guinea after failing to qualify from Group A. In the final round of matches, Nigeria drew 2-2 with South Africa in Uyo, meaning they finished outside of the group’s top two automatic qualification spots with eight points – a total that also put them out of the running to be the best thirdplaced team. Nigeria ought to have qualified before the last round of matches, but the national team frittered away the golden opportunities that came their ways. It is a known fact that male national teams only wait for the last minutes before they get serious, always depending on permutations and performance of other teams to sail through.

There is no doubt that, Coach Stephen Keshi has tried his possible best, he remains the only indigenous coach to win the Nations Cup and take the national team to the confederation and World Cups.

Over the years, we have seen his strong points and drawbacks, there is no doubt that we have reached a juncture where crucial and critical decisions will be taken about the future of the Nigerian national team. Stephen Keshi should not

become the scapegoat after the failure of the national team to qualify for the next cup of nations.

All said, the most appropriate and professional thing for Keshi to do is to honourably quit his job and allow the football federation think on the next line of action. There is no doubt that, we have a football loving president who intervened on behalf of Keshi, when he was initially shown the exit door by the Amaju Pinnick led Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), we hope that after the dismal performance of the national team, the president will give the NFF board the benefit of doubt to duly manage and administer Nigerian football including appointments.

There is no doubt that our coaches need to go for refresher courses and modern training in the art and science of 21st century coaching. To this end, we make bold to assert that, Nigeria is in need of a first grade technical adviser and manager, that can read games excellently well, that can discover talents and who is not predictable. If Nigeria wants a foreign coach therefore, he must be one of the very best in the world of football, a coach who knows his onions, who can stand his ground, who has integrity and credibility. No doubt, Nigeria is

a very trying place to work as a football coach, hence, the NFF must put its house in order, all the in-fighting and distractions must cease, the NFF must provide a level-playing ground for the coach to operate.

Also, it is very important to state unequivocally that getting into the national team must not be a stroll in the park for any player no matter how important or even talented, every department must be competed for, it is only then that we can get the best out the national team. Similarly, the issue of monetary compensation should be downplayed and patriotism given more prominence. A situation where players are always desperate about what they will get from the national team without putting in their very best must be discouraged.

For instance, the national team must not be a place for the rehabilitation of players that are not in form or without clubs. It is instructive that that the home based players contest with the foreign players for positions and only the very best must feature for the country at any given point in time.

We salute the courage of the NFF for accepting responsibility for the failure of the national team instead of engaging in the blame game. NFF president, Amaju Pinnick said in a media

release. “The NFF takes full responsibility for what has happened. It is a tragedy for us to come so near and yet fail to reach the finals. We made so much effort and sacrifice in Congo to achieve the victory we needed there on Saturday and really had no business bungling it here. However, our commitment is to build a sustainable football culture in the country and nothing has changed. This is a disappointment but for us, we gave it our best shot and supported the team fully.” Pinnick also added a religious twist, stating that the failure could turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

We hope that the necessary lessons have been learnt and this failure will not be a recurring decimal. Also, the sports minister should apply himself creditably well to his job and not be a bull in a China shop. The point must also be made that football is a great unifying force in Nigeria, therefore, everything humanly possible must be done to ensure that things are always done right in the sector. It is very sad that Nigeria, the defending African Champions will miss out in the next edition of the African Nations Cup, we must always get our priorities right and not blame others for our failures.

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20

Politics

TUESDAY, November 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

LEADING GOVERNORSHIP ASPIRANTS

Maku, Ewuga, Doma jockey for Al-Makura’s seat CONTINUED FROM PAGE 17

handicapped politically, as he is not in control of party structures in the state. He is believed to have huge financial muscles to tackle any contender in the race, but it is not certain whether he is in the good books of the Chief Ynana Iluya-led PDP executive in the state.

His weakness is that he does not interact openly and freely with people and also lacks electoral value.

He hails from Akwanga in

the North senatorial zone which is agitating for power shift to the zone. His chances of getting PDP’s governorship ticket for the 2015 election is lean.

John Danboyi Senator Danboyi is not considered in many quarters as a serious contender in the race for the governorship position of the state. Young and agile, he once represented Nasarawa North Senatorial District of the state in the

Senate between 2003 and 2007. He was suspended by the party sometime ago for alleged misconduct and anti-party activities.

Danboyi is not in control of any party structure, nor does he have a strong political base to win an election under the platform of his party.

Though he is favoured by the zoning arrangement of the party, his chances of securing the ticket is lean.

Jibrin Bala Yakubu Colonel Yakubu (rtd) is contesting on the platform of the PDP. As a former military administrator of Zamfara State, Yakubu was incarcerated for alleged involvement in the murder of Kudirat Abiola. A product of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Yakubu is not popular in the political arena of the state and does not have the control of the party.

He is said to have low financial muscle to fund his campaign. Although his experience in governance placed him on the advantage, his chances of getting PDP’s ticket are obviously lean because of his weak political base in the state.

Chris Mamman Mamman is the immediate past president of Eggon Cultural Development Association (ECDA). Young, eloquent

Musa Hussein Hussein, a onetime Attorney-General and Commissioner for justice in the state between 1999 and 2003, is quite popular in the political arena of the state. He contested previously but lost at the primaries. Hussein is not in control of the party structure and does not have a strong political base in the state.

Contesting on the platform of the PDP, his chances of picking the party’s ticket are lean.

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and agile, his sojourn in the socio-cultural organisation has endeared him to the people of the state at the grassroots. He is contesting the primaries on the platform of the PDP. Mamman whose campaign slogan ‘Sai Godiya’ is not in control of the party structure in the state, and is believed to have a weak financial muscle to fund a governorship campaign.

His chance of securing the party’s ticket is also lean. His weakness is that he is of Eggon extraction where multiple aspirants have come out for the same position.

The entrance of two of his kinsmen, Ewuga and Maku, into the race has limited his chances of securing the ticket. He has since purchased the nomination form.

EKITI Wahab Adesina 0810 885 3793 GOmBE Williams Attah 0803 604 7966 KADUNA Ibrahim Musa 0803 451 3786 KANO Mohammed Kabir 0803 451 7813 NIGER Daniel Atori 0803 583 6019 OSUN: Adeolu Adeyemo 0803 391 5294 PLATEAU: Musa Pam 0803 241 6557 UmUAHIA: Igbeaku Orji 0806 344 3131 yOBE: Hassan Jirgi 0810 361 5693

Innocent Lagi Lagi is the immediate past Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice in the state, and was a member representing Wamba constituency at the state House of Assembly between 2003 and 2007. Lagi is a young man who believes in justice and fairness, and is contesting on the platform of the Labour Party (LP).

He hails from Wamba local government area of the state.

Mathew Umbugadu He is contesting on the platform of the APGA. He is the sole candidate of APGA in the state, and is believed to possess huge financial muscle to tackle any candidate in the race.

He is a successful businessman.

Many believe he has the capacity to govern the state if given the mandate. He hails from the Eggon speaking areas, and is in control of his party’s structures in the state. His weakness is that his party has no strong followership to win a governorship election in the state.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

21

Music

I was an apprentice for over two years, says Adetayo

22

Arts

CULTURE CBAAC hosts colloquium on transformation of Africa, Diaspora Tony Okuyeme

T

A scene in the Mistress of Wholesome

Mistress of Wholesome comes to theatre

W

hat will you do if your husband’s mistress showed up at your door, to ask for an odd “favour”?

Live theatre enthusiasts will ‘find’ answers to the above question as ‘Mistress of Wholesome’, a one-act comedy, continues its run at Terra Kulture, Tiamiyu Savage Street, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Sunday November30, 2014.

In ‘Mistress of Wholesome’, Moji ‘the mistress’ surprises Adesuwa, ‘the wife’ of Lakunle, a prominent cardiologist, in their home and holds her hostage using an antique musket. According to Moji, Lakunle has now

TONY OKUYEME tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

fallen back in love with Adesuwa, as the couple has gotten closer in their efforts to adopt a baby. Moji is naturally ‘very put out’ by this and wants Adesuwa to convince Lakunle to fall back in love with his mistress so that things can be the same as they were for the past few years.

Adesuwa, who is desperate for a baby sees Lakunle playing ‘the good and attentive husband’ as the only way that she will ever manage to adopt a child and naturally refuses.

Things get even more complicated in this one-act comedy script when a gentleman from the adoption agency arrives to interview Lakunle and Adesuwa and to screen them as potential parents. When it turns out that Lakunle is actually locked in the trunk of Moji’s car across town, the two women must act fast to salvage a situation that is going downhill at a rate of knots.

Mistress of Wholesome is directed by veteran stage actor, Toyin Oshinaike, and will be starring Omoye ‘Brownie’ Uzamere, Evaezi Ogoro, and Toju Ejoh. It is produced by Thespian Muse, Gbagyichild Entertainment and Oxzygen Koncepts.

he stage is set for this year’s edition of the International Cultural Festival and Colloquium organised by the Centre for Black and African Arts and Civilization (CBAAC) in collaboration with the University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria; Bayelsa State Ministry of Culture and Ijaw Affairs, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria and the NigerDelta University, Amasoma, Bayelsa State.

The three-day event, which begins tomorrow will hold at the Ijaw House, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Nigeria, focuses on the theme “Using Culture to Drive the Transformation of Africa and its Diaspora in the New Global Order”, and will end on Friday November 28.

CBAAC in a statement signed by its Director-General of CBAAC, Sir Ferdinand Anikwe, who is host/ convener of the event, the Cultural Festival/Colloquium will attract performances and presentations on issues and subjects of importance to Africa and the African Diaspora with focus on the instrumentality

Nollywood: We need to tell our stories effectively, says Douglas Tony Okuyeme

S

What will you do if your husband’s mistress showed up at your door, to ask for an odd “favour?

of culture in the transformation of Africa and the Diaspora. “It promises to have participants from global Afrocentric organisations, the diplomatic community, Universities, students and individuals of African descent in Africa, Europe, Caribbean, Asia, America, and the Americas. The Festival would among other things feature a colloquium, cultural parade, open theatre events: drama, dances, masquerade display, and exhibition.”

The event would be declared open

by His Excellency, Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR, President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. The keynote address would be delivered by the Chairman Africa Research and Development Agency, Kano, Nigeria, Professor Sule Bello. The event would be chaired by Traditional Ruler of Opume, ObigboMikimiki, Opume, Ogbia Clan, Bayelsa State, His Royal Majesty, King A. J. Turner.

The Cultural Festival/ Colloquium promises to have participants from global Afro-centric organizations, the diplomatic community, Universities, students and individuals of African descent in Africa, Europe, Caribbean, Asia, America, and the Americas.

pecial Adviser to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy, Oronto N. Douglas has called on Nigerian filmmakers to take up the challenge of telling our stories effectively by promoting irresistible images of our societies on the screen, to show that our stories are also important and valid.

He said the country needs more biopics on the heroes whose exploits have impacted on our societies. Douglas made this call in his remark, titled “Telling our stories positively”, at the closing ceremony of the 4th Africa International Film Festival (AFRIFF), held at Tinapa, Calabar, Cross River State, on Saturday.

He commended the organisers of the festival for ‘Africa Unites’ as the theme for this year’s edition of the festival. “I am confident that the discussions and ideas that will move film industries in Nigeria and Africa to the next level have been shared here in Tinapa during this festival.

“We need more films focusing on pivotal episodes in our history.

We need more period dramas that examine the past, and more speculative films about the future. We need greater cross-pollination between

the art forms. Why, for example, do we not have more film adaptations from the rich literature emanating from our world conquering writers? These are some of the issues I would like our filmmakers to consider, as this year’s festival comes to its glittering close,” he said.

The Nigerian Film Industry, popularly called Nollywood, he noted, has come a long way in its two decades of existence to become the second largest in the world, noting it has held up a mirror to Nigerian society, one in which we can look at ourselves and reflect about the issues that affect our lives. According to him, Film has projected the image of Nigeria and Nigerians to the outside world in a way that corrects the single narrative of negativity that may proliferate in the international news networks.

“Our beloved film industry has been a major employer of labour and has provided new vistas of opportunity for our teeming youths; while contributing its quota to the economic resurgence of our great country, Nigeria.

“Furthermore, the Nigerian Film Industry comes with a Star System, creating luminous icons – new heroes in the Nigerian Story,” CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

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Arts

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

I was an apprentice for over two years, says Adetayo Europe-based Nigerian artiste, Adedeji Adetayo has toured over five European countries, doing his music. The prolific singer, guitarist and composer was at the Ayo Bankole Centre for Arts, Lagos, recently, where he had a chat with EBERE AMEH before performing from his 2012 album, Ajo. Excerpts:

XXX

Adetayo performing

A

dedeji Adetayo is one of those young Nigerians who are not only determined to make a mark in their fields of endeavours, they are set to reach for the skies.

Born and raised in Lagos, he became interested in music at the early age of five. Following his heart, he joined the church choir, and was already a leader by the age of 10. He tutored himself in music notations, playing clarinet, guitar, and was already making a name when it comes to radio jingles, adverts and movie sound tracks, backing vocal and even music production at the age of 18. He arranged and composed songs for Salvador Sango, when he was the lead singer/rhythm guitarist before leaving the band.

In 2005 his compositions were featured on the band’s debut album.

Adetayo travelled to Greece in 2006 to perform at the World Music Day and a year after his return to Nigeria, he relocated to Greece where he spent time performing almost every night, doubling as a singer and guitarist as well as recording artist. He took music courses at the London college of music where he has degrees in performance and at Prince Claus conservatory Netherlands where he studied jazz guitar/vocals.

“I went to Europe, first and foremost, to study and decided to develop my music a little further there. I found out that the audience there, at that moment, were receptive of my music for the way it is and I could develop my craft more in that place,” Ad-

etayo said.

According to him, one of his reasons for staying back is the existence of opportunities to showcase his talent and build his fan base.

“In Europe, there are more festivals for me to play. There, one can travel from Greece to Spain, from Spain to London, London to Germany and so on. It is like a big market in a way in terms of touring, and everywhere, you get different audience and fan base.

We don’t have such opportunities here in Nigeria,” he intoned.

Comparing music in Europe and Nigeria, Adetayo said that the difference is not in the music but the audience who are more daring.

“Music there is not very different from here in a way. But the audience there is different.

They are willing to take the risk.

They are ready to explore. They are ready to check out different forms of music. We get audience like that here in Nigeria but from what I see now, there is much monopoly in terms of sound in the past couple of years.”

The maestro however, advised that opening up the market is a panacea for the development of music in Nigeria “The best thing is to open up the market so all forms of music could thrive. We should not just focus on what sells. I tell you, Nigeria is like the only country in the world where you can find so many kinds of music. If you go to the north, you find the Malian style of music, in the East, you find music that

is close to what is found in the Congo and Cameroun. Nigeria is the only country that has all of these things and we have not been able to scrape the surface of these in terms of development. When the market is open, the upcoming artists will be supported and encouraged.”

Expatiating, Adetayo said that support for artists is not expected from the government alone but the people as well.

“From what I heard, it gets more difficult for some artists to get aired in the radio while some people are aired all the time. But it should be an open market where people can hear a lot of different artists. It is then you would discover that there are many musicians, doing different kinds of music, both home and abroad.

Talking about his kind of music, he said it is it is difficult to box it, but it is a West African contemporary music with an infusion of jazz and soul.

“It is an infusion of Traditional African style with progressive attitude and modern sound of jazz and funk music, creating a music that is rhythmically and technically broad, harmonically rich, melodically and emotionally compelling.”

He lambasted the inclination of many contemporary Nigerian artist to resort to profanity and poor lyrics, insisting that it is because of the monopoly in the market.

“We have turned out to appreciate profanity if we don’t do anything to arrest it. And one thing we can do is to have an open market for people who do different kinds of music to thrive.

Somebody once said that one cannot create with the contemporary Nigerian music. According to the person, Bill Gates was probably listening to jazz or classical music when he came up with Microsoft. Though we have some artist that do meaningful music, there has to be a form of open market to encourage them.

“There are many people that write well. Even if I write a none religious song, I still try to let it make sense so people could learn something from it, not just telling people to shake their ass.

There is a way you write even a sexy music and still not propagate profanity. Asha, Lagbaja and even Fela write about love and similar subjects but make a lot of sense,” Adetayo noted.

Though based in Europe, Adetayo recognises that the future of music is very bright in Nigeria. “Nigeria has a really big market and the good thing about Nigerian audience is they can change a lot of things. They key encourage the musician, giving him the opportunity to thrive. I am hoping for a possibility of exchange of ideas and a media that project not only those guys who pay a lot, but what they think is right for this nation.”

On the youths who are tilting heavily into entertainment, the musician compared it to what is happening in politics. A lot of people are going into it all because they see a green light, an opportunity to make it; a mentality that if this guy is not so talented and he can make this kind of money, why can’t I? “I was an apprentice for over two years in the country. Even abroad, I’m still an apprentice, I am learning. Even though I am a leader, I still back up musicians and learn the instruments.

That is why I say that there is a need to open the market for more serious music. In the past, if you don’t play instrument, or are not good in it, you cannot be a band leader. You have to play some kind of instrument. But now, these guys can make everything with the computer and so do not see the reason that they should learn. If only they realise that music is a serious business; that it is not only about the money... For people like us, it is not just about the money, it is about music. For people like us, it is calling.”

Nollywood: We need to tell our stories effectively, says Douglas CO N TI N U ED F RO M PAGE 21

he said.

“In recent years, the focus has moved from producing films in the cheapest, quickest ways possible for instant financial turnaround in the shortest time.

Increasingly, the emphasis has moved towards the need to produce highly artistic films that will endure – of international standard, employing the latest technology and expertise. Film festivals have been an important part of this renaissance in the Nigerian movie industry, while facilitating an important dialogue and sharing of ideas between filmmakers across the

African continent. And as film festivals go, AFRIFF is well on its way to becoming the one to beat.”

However, he also stated, there is still much to do, in order to tell our stories effectively through the moving image. “Film is a powerful medium. One of the reasons America is great, is its film industry, Hollywood. Through its movies, the United States of America promotes its culture in all its diversity, nuance and richness.

It emblazons its own narratives, its own view of the world, its model of society – and by so doing, the American nation has dominated the planet.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Mom&Parenting

Disciplining her child

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PHOTO: WWW.MYBROWNBABY.COM

When outsiders aren’t appreciated Disciplining other people’s children could be more complex and emotionally draining than disciplining one’s child, especially if the child comes from a family that has different standards and expectations of behaviour. The child’s parents may interpret an outside adult’s attempts at discipline as an affront to them or, at an extreme, as an assault upon their child.

OLUWATOSIN OMONIYI writes.

T

he Yoruba adage has it that a mother is never truly happy when someone else beats or disciplines her child.

A practical example of the above statement came to test when a sweet relationship of three years got scattered when the man rebuked his girlfriend’s daughter.

They went to a party and the child did

Team Oluwatosin Omoniyi lCoordinator

Grace Essen

lContributor

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

not behave well, even when the guy tried to caution the girl. On their way home, he told the girl; “why are you becoming wild in character? Do you know that you behaved in such an uncouth manner at the birthday party? His girlfriend didn’t like the choice of words. She felt her boyfriend could have called her aside to express his displeasure about her daughter’s attitude.

“Honestly, it’s an insult upon my person.

His statement implied that I didn’t train my child well. His statement also showed impatience and intolerance. It simply means, he won’t be able to stand her. So, I called the relationship off.” she said.

Last week, somewhere in Lagos, a mother was seen yelling at her neighbour for beating her child carelessly. The offence of the child was that he scratched his newly painted car. Furious and impatient, the neighbour (a lawyer) couldn’t wait for the mother of the child to come back from work. He caned the child to the chagrin of the mother. Unable to stom-

ach such behaviour, the mother went straight to the lawyer’s apartment and called him all sorts of names, “charge and bail lawyer, go to court and perform your duty there. Don’t bring your frustration home,” she yelled. The lawyer’s wife couldn’t stand another woman insulting her husband; she came to the stage and started her own yelling. Commotions ensued. The argument of both of them was that her neighbour had no right to beat her child at all, especially in her absence.

The neighbour’s argument was that as a man, father and especially an African, he has the right to discipline someone else’s child either in the presence or absence of the parent.

A similar drama occurred inside a school bus around the Fagba area of Lagos State. The driver flogged a child for playing rough on the bus and probably distracting him from driving. The following day, the mother waited at the bus stop with her child. At the approach of the bus,

she wrapped a cane inside her wrapper.

As the driver came down to greet her, she gave him two lashes of the cane. “This will teach you not to beat other people’s children. Even if you are tempted to beat, always restrain yourself !” she yelled. It was the shouting of the other children inside the bus that attracted the attention of passers-by to the scene. Her own grouse too before the school administrator was that she considered the driver’s attitude rude and affront for not telling her first before beating her child. “I believe the driver is a happy cane carrier. In fact, he must be a sadist, for he is always carrying the cane about inside the bus; meaning that, his hand scratches him to beat. Then, he should go home to do that, not to my child,” she said.

If Nneka Ozowalu, a business woman, had known that the result of fighting for her child in school would result to two CONTINUED ON PAGE 24

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Mom&Parenting

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

When your efforts aren’t appreciated

MOM’S ALERT with

Grace Essen

grace.essen@gmail.com

When the child throws tantrums

T Spanking: Would you discipline someone else's child?

CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 23

weeks suspension, she probably would have looked for an alternative way of solving the issue. As she was dropping her son inside the school compound that fateful morning, the boy reminded her that he had no pen to write in the classroom. She told him to go to Aunty Margaret, the school storekeeper to give him one. It appeared Aunty Margret was not in the right mood that day or that the boy’s approach was not polite.

Whatever happened, he came crying to the mother who after getting the details from both sides felt the boy had not done enough to merit the slap Aunty Margret gave him. In a Jackie Chan style, she lifted Aunty Margret up and hit her on the floor, beat her severely. Her anger was that Aunty Margret could have reported her son’s rude manners to her instead of slapping the child hard on the face. “Aunty Margret herself is not properly disciplined. If not, she wouldn’t have taken laws into her hands in the name of disciplining my child. Who is she to do that?” She said. Well, the school authority intervened that she should take her child home for two weeks.

That same day inside the school, another mother came to the school (A Catholic School in Ikeja) with two of her younger brothers to beat up a teacher, who disfigured her son’s buttocks. Indeed, the teacher, had flogged Abel ruthlessly on the buttocks for two offences- not wearing the school’s stockings and for destroying the school’s flower. The beating got so bad that the boy could neither stand nor sit down properly. The buttocks appeared swollen. The mother’s grouse was that children would always be naughty and play pranks but it is not for the teacher to destroy the child’s body in the name of discipline.

“After all, he also was once a child and played rough. Definitely, he would have damaged something when he was small. So, why won’t he apply sense when disciplining children? In any case, I do not agree that he has the right

PHOTO: WWW.MULTIPLEMAYHEMMAMMA.COM

to beat my child. He should have reported the case to the headmistress who in turn would report to the parent,” she stated.

The question on most mother lips is; who is right between parents and the disciplinarian? In this modern age and time, should people truly beat someone else’s child in the absence or presence of the parents? Is there any social implication of parents reacting without caution in the presence of their children?

Theresa Ajewole, a Guardian Counselor told New Telegraph that it is very African for adults to discipline other people’s children at the absence or presence of parents especially when the parents are neighbours or friends.

“Our Yoruba adage has it that a child’s upbringing is a communal responsibility and not for the parents alone,” she said. But there are ways to carry out these corrections, she added these include; correcting the child with love. “Ways and manners of doing it will not live the parents in doubt as to whether you love the child or not, “when correcting other people’s children, do it smiling and calmly so that the child doesn’t feel hated or the mother doesn’t feel irresponsible,” she said.

Doctor Justin Coulson, an international psychology researcher and author of kidspot, a book on children highlighted ways to disciplining other people’s children as follow: Don’t ever threaten, hit, or intimidate another person’s child.

No matter how big a bully or brat your child might be, how would you feel if a stranger (or even a friend) were to hit or frighten your child? In most cases, most parents would be upset by such action. Some years ago I was playing a game of ‘brandings’ with some teenage boys in a youth group I ran. We had been throwing tennis balls at each other for fun. About ten minutes after the game was over, one of the boys (aged 15) stealthily approached me and threw a ball at my head from about a metre away. I re-

sponded aggressively, grabbing him by the collar and putting him on the ground, my knee against his chest. His mother didn’t see him throw the ball, but she saw me being physical with her son.

The incident was over the top and damaged our relationship for years. And it never changed the boy’s behaviour.

Find the child’s parents Not all parents respond warmly to another adult ‘dobbing’ on their child. However, unless a parent appears overtly aggressive, the best thing to do is to go to the parent of a child who is behaving anti-socially and politely let them know what is going on. You might say something like, “I’m sorry to bother you. It seems that your child is a little upset. He/she has been hurting some of the kids in the playground. I thought I should just come and let you know.” If the person in the scenario above had sought out the boy’s father rather than taking things into his own hands, my bet is that the father would have responded more calmly, and certainly wouldn’t have huffed and puffed while he tried to work out who had scared his child.

Remember what discipline is, and what it is not If you feel that you are the one who needs to deal with things, remember that discipline is not punishment, ‘consequences’, or anything of the sort. Rather, discipline is teaching good ways to act.

If a child can be approached and spoken with kindly, and be given appropriate and gentle guidance, it is unlikely that other parents will be offended by our actions.

Sometimes it’s best to leave If a child or her parents are aggressive, abusive, or otherwise anti-social, sometimes it might be best to simply find another place to play or eat. While this can be inconvenient, it can also be the difference between being on edge versus having a nice time in public. Let’s face it, some people are unreasonable and there is nothing we can do about it.

oday, let's look at one of those childhood behaviours that almost every parent has witnessed Tantrums. Why do young, and not-so-young children throw tantrums? What's the best way to handle them?

I am sure you know the scene - in the supermarket, child screaming, throwing himself on the floor, mom looking frazzled, embarrassed and completely helpless, yeah.

When a child is right in the middle of a tantrum, he is saying he has a strong feeling and doesn't know how to deal with it. The frustration then comes out in an angry uncontrolled outburst. Whatever the trigger for the tantrum, your job as a mom is to make sure the child is not in danger of hurting him or herself or anyone else, and to let the child know that even though he is out of control, you are not.

Here are some reactions to tantrums that are better avoided: • Getting caught up in an emotional tug-of-war with your child.

• Using angry words.

• Hitting or screaming at the child.

• Dragging the child along with you - you might hurt him.

• Giving in to unreasonable demands just to stop the tantrum. For instance, your four-year old says, "I want a lollipop" the minute you walk into a shop, and you say, "No".

He then starts hitting you and yelling, "I want a lollipop!" Giving in will teach him that if he throws a tantrum, he will get whatever he wants, and the tantrums will continue.

• Using Time-out or the Naughty Corner as punishment for a tantrum. Tantrums are a sign of an unmet need in the child which you need to pay attention to.

Here are some helpful Tantrum Action-Plans: Give Your Child Some Space - Sometimes children just need to get their anger out. So let him! (Just make sure there's nothing in way that could hurt him.) Look the other way and pretend to ignore him - your child is literally out of his mind and reasoning with him won't help at this time. This approach is believed to help the child learn how to vent in a nondestructive way. He is able to get his feelings out, pull himself together, and regain selfcontrol without engaging in a yelling match or battle of wills with you.

Create a Diversion - Distraction can help ward off a major tantrum before it hap-

pens, if you catch it in time.

A mom of two said her bag is usually filled with all sorts of distractions, like toys - ones her children haven't seen in a while, and yummy snacks, and whenever a tantrum happens, she just pulls them out, one at a time, until something gets the child's attention. If your child is about to throw a tantrum at the supermarket because you won't buy, then try quickly switching gears and enthusiastically saying something like, "Hey, who wants some ice cream?! Want to help me pick a flavor?" Children have pretty short attention spans, which means they are easy to divert. You just have to unleash the entertainer within you - one with assorted props!

Speak Calmly - Sometimes simply saying, "You are really upset, aren't you?"will bring a helpful response like,"Yes, I'm tired and I want to go home!"

Part of the reasons children resort to tantrums is to get attention, they don't care if it's positive or negative. All they care about is that they are getting 100 percent of it. Talking in a calm voice shows your child that you are not going to let his behavior get to you. It also helps you stay relaxed, when what you really want to do is yell right back. In fact, the calm tone is as much for you as it is for your child! If you are tense, your child will pick up on it, and that will amp her up even more.

Get Out of There - Getting the child away from the scene of the tantrum can snap him out of it quickly. If your child shows a sign of melting down over a toy or candy bar he wants, pick him up and take him either to a different section of the store or outside until he calms down.

When the child is calm, then you can talk to him about the reason for the tantrum. Deal with it by meeting the underlying need of the child, whenever possible. It might surprise you to know that all he needed was your attention!

Once you have an understanding of what's going on with the child, then you can let him know how you felt about the tantrum. Be honest when you talk about your feelings - were you embarrassed, annoyed, frustrated or worried? Did he stop you from doing what you needed to do? Let the child know this.

Dealing with tantrums all the time can be very frustrating, and somewhat like a nightmare, better to prevent it by helping your child learn alternatives to tantrums. Let's deal with that next week.

• Grace Essen is the founder and president Mum To Mum Support Initiative.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

L-R: Member, Planning Committee, Federal Government College Ogbomosho Old Students Association (FEGOCOOSA), Mrs. Sandra Chris-Okafor; Global President, Mr. Francis Orbih and Chairman, Planning Committee, Mr. Dotun Ifebogbun, at the media briefing to announce the reunion of the association in Lagos…recently.

Photo | News

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L-R: Chairman APC Enugu State, Dr Ben Nwoye; his Deputy, Comrade Adolphus Ude and State’s Women Leader, Lolo, Mrs Ngozi- Nwankwo, during a State working committee meeting in Enugu.

Delta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan (right) and President, Society of Gynecology and Obstetrics of Nigeria (SOGON), Dr. Fred Achem, at the 48th Annual General meeting and Scientific Conference in Asaba.

L-R: Elerin of Erin-Ile, Oba Abdulganiyu Ajibola; Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed; his Deputy, Elder Peter Kisra and governor’s wife, Mrs. Omolewa Ahmed, during the Fidahu of Governor’s late step-mother, Hajia Ramotallahi Ahmed, in Share

L-R: Chairman, Safari Books Nigeria Limited, Chief Joob Berkout; Representative of National Universities Commission, Prof. Akareren Essien; Chairman, University Press Nigeria Plc, Dr. Lekan Are and Chairman, Spectrum Books Limited, Mr Dayo Ogunniyi, at the 2014 Annual General Meeting of Nigerian Publishers Association in Ibadan.

L-R: Director, Enterprise Development and Promotion, SMEDAN, Mr. Wale Fasanya; Deputy Director, Enterprise Development Centre (EDC), Mrs. Nneka Okekearu; Head, Business Segment, Etisalat Nigeria, Mr Bidemi Ladipo and Manager, Special Programs, EDC, Mrs. Betty Egbuna, during the Lagos edition of the Etisalat Market Access in Lagos

L-R: Oba Adetunji Tijain Akinloye; Oba Idowu Abilodun Oniru; former Lagos State Governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; Mr A Onikijipa and Oba Saridi Ademola Elegushi, during 5th years memorial prayer of Late Oba Yekini Adeniyi Elegushi, in Lagos.

L-R: President Life and Chess Club (LACC)/ Sports Colony International (SCI), Princess Adeyinka Afolabi; Founder, LEAP Africa, Mrs. Ndidi Nwuneli and Director, CDNet, Mrs. Nadu Denloye, during the Leap Africa’s Social Innovators Programme and Awards in Lagos.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Property

Energy

27

Aviation

‘No plan to reconnect P’Harcourt refinery to national grid’

Austerity measures: Effects on real estate

Economic impact of intra-African air services

29

34

37

Business IOCs extend work embargo What's news

Minister tackles high taxes by aviation agencies

Worried by the high charges that have done incalculable damage to airline operations in Nigeria, Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, has set up a committee to stem the tide.

as investments dwindle TOUGH MILIEU Nigeria now ranks among top five most difficult countries to secure oil and gas contacts

Amplify outsourcing to contractors

“The minister of finance and coordinating minister for economy, Dr. Ngozi OkonjoIweala has also confirmed that the passage of the Petroleum

Industry Bill (PIB) is unlikely before the 2015 elections. What this means is that the difficult times facing investments in Nigeria’s oil industry is unlikely

to be addressed before the time frame,” he said.

“Government is the stumCONTINUED ON PAGE 28

p.28

Adeola Yusuf

FG creates 42,000 .ng emails for civil servants About 42,000 .ng emails for all officers on Grade Level 10 to 17 in the Federal Civil Service has been created by the Federal Government, Minister of Communications Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, has said.

p.28

The Business Desk Ayodele Aminu

Deputy Editor (Business)

Bayo Akomolafe

Asst. Editor (Maritime)

Sunday Ojeme

Asst. Editor (Insurance)

Godson Ikoro

Asst. Editor (Money Market)

Dele Alao

Industry & Agric Editor

Dayo Ayeyemi Property Editor

Adeola Yusuf Energy Editor

Wole Shadare Aviation Editor

Chris Ugwu

Capital Market Editor

I

nternational oil companies (IOCs) operating in Nigeria’s oil and gas industry have extended the embargo they placed on employment, New Telegraph gathered at the weekend.

Investigations showed that these firms have not been able to secure government’s signature for major oil and gas contacts in recent times, while the delay in securing renewal for 20 years oil leases also compelled them to streamline operations in Nigeria’s onshore and shallow waters acreages.

A management staff of one of the multi-nationals disclosed that the oil companies are going through a difficult time in Nigeria “as no major oil and gas contact has been signed by government in recent times.”

This, he said, has made the policy of “No employment in Nigeria for now” to be extended.

He said that oil firms no longer have control of when the embargo will be lifted, adding that his company and all other IOCs now rely more “on the services of contract staff to do most of our works.”

Blaming government for the dwindling investments in the country’s oil and gas industry, he insisted that Nigeria now ranks among the top five most difficult countries to secure oil and gas contacts in the world.

L-R: Managing Director, Bayswater Industries Limited, Piyush Nair, Director, Chief Reggie Uduhiri and Managing Director/CEO, X Media Communication Limited, Mr Tunde Lawrenson, at the Mr Chef First Lady Reality Show Grand Finale in Lagos

NCC moves against illegal automated tracking firms Kunle Azeez

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he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has toughened enforcement activities against operators of illegal automated vehicle tracking services (AVTS) in the country.

The telecoms industry regulator demonstrated this with

the clampdown on Owntel Communications Limited at the weekend, for allegedly offering automated vehicle tracking services and other telecoms services to customers, without obtaining operational licence to do so.

The NCC enforcement team, led by the Head of Enforcement, Mr Salisu Abdul, visited the office of Owntel on Isheri

Road in Ojodu, Lagos, where it confiscated some of its equipment as evidence of illegal operation.

Owntel is offering telecommunications services on vehicle tracking, as well as sales and installation of fixed and mobile telecommunication terminals, without operationCONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Abdulwahab Isa Finance Editor

Kunle Azeez

Senior Correspondent

Chuks Onuanyin Energy

Nnamdi Amadi Reporter

Johnson Adebayo

Asst Production Editor

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE October 2014............................8.1% September 2014.....................8.3% August 2014............................8.5%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate....................11.57% Prime Lending Rate...........16.93% Maximum Lending Rate...25.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Nov. 21)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N182 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N285 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N225

l Foreign Reserves – $37.54bn as at 14/11/2014

Source: CBN

EXCHANGE RATE (Official As at Nov. 21)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N159.41 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N249.43 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N199.58

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Business |News

FLIMSY EXCUSES

Foreign and local airlines claim the high charges stemmed from hostile Nigerian operational milieu Wole Shadare

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orried by the high charges that have done incalculable damage to airline operations in Nigeria, Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka, has set up a committee to stem the tide.

Minister tackles high taxes by aviation agencies New Telegraph learnt that the committee was set up penultimate week and has been meeting at Sheraton Hotels, Lagos, with a view to fashioning out ways to ameliorate the high taxes and charges by the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN), the Nigeria Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA).

All the managing di-

IOCs extend work embargo CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

bling block for us. I don’t want to stress this and I will crave anonymity on this because we are waiting for approvals, but the contracting procedure is killing business in Nigeria.

“Because of this, there is an embargo on employment in oil industry. Nobody will say it but what we are going through is tough. It is really unfortunate.

“The investments are capital intensive. For instance, $60 million is still needed to drill oil well in Nigeria, but the average contracting cycle in the country is 3-4 years. This is really unfortunate.”

The Federal Government lost a whopping $125 billion over the last five years, following the nation’s inability to attain her annual crude production capacity of about 3.6 million barrels per day.

Stakeholders in the Nigerian oil and gas industry arrived at these figures after assessing the country’s growth prospects in the face of declining investment in production infrastructure and bureaucratic bottlenecks against the proposed deregulation of the upstream sector.

In a no-holds barred on the controversial PIB, Chatham House forum said that stakeholders, including private sector operators in the oil and gas industry, management and financial consultants, warned that government’s business may eventually grind to a halt if the deteriorating level of public and private sector investment in the upstream sector continues over the next few years, particularly against the backdrop of demand and price volatility in the international market.

NCC moves against illegal firms CONTINUED FROM PAGE 27

al licence, which NCC described as an offence amounting to defrauding the Federal Government.

Apart from offering vehicle tracking devices, Owntel is also involved in the sales and installation of telecommunication equipment such as close circuit television (CCTV) camera, Global Systems for Mobile operators (GSM) terminal, routers and Internet modems, including walkie talkie and other mobile devices.

NCC, however, said that the law of the land clearly stipulates that a person must be competent in the sales and installation and in the delivering of such services, through the official obtaining of operational licence from the telecoms regulatory body before

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

embarking on such business.

Addressing pressmen shortly after the raid, Abdul said: “Owntel is providing telecommunication services, especially vehicle tracking services, which involve network and data services that require licence, yet it is operating without any licence.”

He said that the company was duly monitored for some months before taking the decision to clamp down on it.

According to him, NCC had, on October 8 this year, written to Owntel, warning it of the implications of its action, and gave it time to respond to the NCC to begin the process of registration, but the company bluntly disregarded the warning and continued in the illegal business.

rectors of the airlines, service providers are members of the committee, which have been working to look at how they could be assisted to cut costs and still remain in business.

The carriers, among other issues, have complained about double charges.

Nigerian passengers pay more for the same travel destinations than their counterparts from other West African countries and the entire continent of Africa.

Foreign airlines as well as domestic airlines

claim the high charges were as a result of hostile Nigerian operational environment, where airlines are required to pay all kinds of charges, provide security for crew members and pay exorbitant rates for hotel accommodation and other services.

Although, Nigeria is an attraction to international travel because of its high passenger movement, costs of services at the airports are very exorbitant.

The situation is so bad that aviation agencies in Nigeria still impose

many charges, which had long been rested in other parts of the world, where aviation authorities encourage foreign airlines to operate with very low charges as incentive.

It has been established that Ghana, for instance, charges zero taxes for cargo export and relatively minimum charges for scheduled flight operations for international destinations.

Sources told New Telegraph that what is deplorable about the high charges in Nigeria is that it is not reflected in

the upgrade of airport facilities and there are still bureaucratic bottlenecks when seeking for flight approvals and other requests from Nigeria.

Managing Director of Medview Airlines, Muneer Bankole, who confirmed the setting up of a committee, attributed the problems of the airlines to “double charges levied by the agencies”.

He said: “I would say here that the government agencies primarily responsible for these exorbitant charges like the FAAN, the NAMA and the NCAA that collect Ticket Sales Charge (TSC), Passenger Service Charge (PSC), should harmonise to ensure that these charges are not duplicated.

L-R: Clinic Governance Lead, Shell Petroleum Development Company (SPDC), Dr. Rita Akintola; Communications Manager, West Africa, SPDC, Dr. Philip Mshelbila; Zonal Commander, Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Lagos, Mr Godwin Ogagaoghene; Nigerian Red Cross Society Trainer, Mr Simeon Nwaubani and an official of the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency, Mr Gbadebo Kazeem, at the NNPC-SNEPCO National Post-Crash Care workshop for rescue and emergency personnel in Lagos.

LOCAL CONTENT

Rise in adoption of Nigeria’s Internet identifier on the web by govt is adding impetus to the drive for local content devt

Kunle Azeez

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bout 42,000 .ng emails for all officers on Grade Level 10 to 17 in the Federal Civil Service has been created by the Federal Government, Minister of Communications Technology, Dr Omobola Johnson, has said.

The minister said this during the presentation of “Switch to .gov.ng” initiative to the Head of Service, Mr Danladi Kifasi, to foster the adoption and penetration of the unified email platform for the Federal Civil Service of Nigeria in Abuja.

FG creates 42,000 .ng emails for civil servants The .ng is Nigeria’s unique identity on the cyberspace and administered by the Nigeria Internet Registration Association (NiRA) on behalf of the Federal Government.

The “Switch to gov.ng” is an initiative of the ministry and aims to accelerate the use of the country’s identity on the web ng, to promote local content in the nation’s Information and Communication Technology industry as well as drive efficiency in government.

The minister, according to a statement from the Communication Minstry, stressed that the initiative was a simple but very important tool for the take-off of the official electronic communication platform in the Federal Civil Service.

She said, in addition, that as the infrastructure and

the capacity of the platform is expanded, email accounts for federal civil servants on Grade Level 09 and below will be created, stressing that the platform can be accessed through the www.fedcs.gov. ng, a simple and easy-to-navigate portal to enable users activate their email accounts.

Johnson, therefore, charged civil servants to make effective use of the unified email and messaging and collaboration platform of the Federal Government, adding that there was a need for all government officials to have unified e-mail addresses and also personal e-mail accounts that end with. gov.ng.

She stressed that collectively adopting the messaging and collaboration platform is an important pillar of the ministry’s e-government strategy.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Gas park project: NNPC denies selective negotiation p.31

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Energy

Shell pipeline: Crude thieves’ link uncovered p.33

A section of the Port Harcourt Refining and Petrochemical Company

‘No plan to reconnect P’Harcourt refinery to national grid’ SUPPLY

NNPC, GE alternative power supply contract hits four months

Stories by Adeola Yusuf

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he Port harcourt Refinery will be off the national power grid for a period longer than expected, New Telegraph gathered at the weekend.

This came as supplier of alternative power to the facil-

ity, GE’s Distributed Power, said that its contract with the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), owner of the refinery, for off grid alternative power supply is still on course.

The combined crude processing capacity of the two refineries in Port Harcourt is 210,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd).

The refineries have been facing inadequate power supply, which has contributed to its sub-optimal production.

But in August, GE’s Distributed Power announced that it supplied Genesis—GEL Utility Limited with three 25-MW,

PARTNERSHIP

Lukoil mulls investment in Nigerian project with Chevron

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ussia’s second-largest oil company, privately-controlled Lukoil, has unveiled plans to include Nigeria in its 2015 schedule for $14 billion investment plan.

The company, which is one of the blue ship firms affected by United States (US) sanctions on Russia said that it planned to invest in Nigeria with US oil major Chevron Corporation, part of its push to seek opportunities away from Russia’s statedominated oil sector.

“We have decided to enter a joint block with Chevron in a project in Nigeria, which we consider to be

trailer-mounted, TM2500+ aeroderivative gas turbines to generate uninterrupted power at Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation’s state oil refinery at Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

The company also said that it was seeking to further expand its gas engine sales presence in Africa’s oil and gas sector.

It has announced IGPES Gas & Power Limited will serve as the new authorized distributor and service provider for GE’s Waukesha gas engines and genuine parts in Nigeria.

IGPES Gas & Power is a subsidiary of IGPES Limited,

a wholly owned Nigerian engineering services company. IGPES has an extensive footprint in the Nigerian oil and gas industry by providing integrated engineering, procurement and construction services across the energy value chain.

“Our new distribution and services agreement with GE gives IGPES access to a gas engine technology that is highly regarded within the global oil and gas industry for its operational flexibility and durability,” said Uzoma Ekpecham, managing director and CEO IGPES Gas and Power.

The new agreement will enable both IGPES and GE to

Russia’s Lukoil includes Nigeria in $14bn investment plan promising,” Chief Executive, Vagit Alekperov, told reporters in Moscow.

He declined to name the project and provided no details.

According to Chevron’s website, the Aparo field and the third-partyowned Bonga SW Field in Nigeria share a common geologic structure.

It plans joint development for both.

Lukoil, controlled by Alekperov and his deputy, Leonid Fedun, has been expanding its operations overseas.

Making that harder, however, the United States put Lukoil and some other Russian oil firms on a sanctions list in September, over Russia’s

role in the Ukraine crisis.

That effectively froze access to foreign technology and banned Western firms from cooperating in the Arctic, shale or deep-water drilling.

Lukoil hopes to double its oil output outside of Russia thanks to its most ambitious project, West Qurna-2, in Iraq. It also works in Western Africa.

Alekperov also said Lukoil expects dividend payments next year to be at the same level as in 2014, while its investment programme will be cut by $2 billion to $14 billion.

Major oil companies have trimmed spending as oil prices drop.

support an even wider range of oil and gas production projects throughout Nigeria as Waukesha gas engines are ideally suited for a variety of on-site mechanical drive, gas compression and power generation applications.

“This agreement will bring quality service delivery to both existing and new Waukesha gas engine customers in Nigeria,” said George Njenga, sub-Saharan Africa leader for GE’s Distributed Power business. “It is a testament of GE’s commitment to bring more distributed power solutions to our customers in both mechanical drive and power generation applications. IGPES has built a strong service track record in Nigeria’s oil and gas sector and will extend this record of excellence to GE customers.”

Sub-Saharan Africa is an important region for GE, which launched its Distributed Power business for Africa in Nigeria in 2014, building on GE’s corporate commitment to help address the continent’s need for more reliable, local energy supplies that can promote greater economic development and security in urban and rural areas. GE already has an installed base of 150 Waukesha gas engines in Nigeria.

In addition to seeking future Waukesha gas engine projects, GE’s Distributed Power has announced other recent projects in Nigeria involving other parts of its portfolio.

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Business | Energy

INQUIRY Group advocates probe of abducted journalists

Adeola Yusuf

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he Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), promoter of the multi-billion dollars Export Processing Zone (EPZ), Delta Gas City, has refuted allegation that it had engaged in selective negotiation on how to resolve the crisis rocking the flag-off of the project.

President Goodluck Jonathan had, through the minister of petroleum resources, rescheduled the flag-off of the EPZ project twice due to community issues arising from the protest by Ijaw people of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha in

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Gas park project: NNPC denies selective negotiation Delta State.

But the Ijaw Youth Council, IYC Worldwide, insisted that delay of the flag-off of the project

by President Goodluck Jonathan may be longer than expected.

When the NNPC invited the protesting communities to a stakeholders’ meeting last week Monday, IYC Worldwide alleged that it received

protests that the corporation was embarking on selective negotiation with protesting communities.

Although, the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs division of the NNPC, Mr. Ohi Alegbe could not be reached for comment, a staff of the corporation, who could not be quoted, said that the NNPC has been

doing everything to get every stakeholder to a round table.

“This project is cardinal to the administration of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, it is central to the aspiration of our dear minister of petroleum resources and investment-intensive to the NNPC. The corporation can not, therefore, do anything or allow

anything to disrupt the flag-off of this laudable project,” he said.

Spokesperson of the IYC, Comrade Eric Omare had earlier alleged a move to ignite another round of unnecessary crisis and delay the flag-off of the project

by President Goodluck Jonathan.

He told Sweet Crude report that the IYC “with

Eni signs Angolan gasdevelopment deal

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talian major Eni said CEO Claudio Descalzi and Sonangol Chairman Francisco de Lemos Maria have signed a strategic agreement to co-operate in developing gas resources in Angola.

Eni and the Angolan national oil company plan to set up a joint team aimed at studying the potential of the nonassociated gas present in the Lower Congo Basin – which Eni describes as a “highly promising area” in terms of hydrocarbon production located offshore Angola.

The scope of the study is to analyse the different gas valorisation options both internationally and in the domestic market, where gas will have a crucial role in order to sustain the local economy.

Eni said the joint Sonangol-Eni team will benefit from the Italian company’s proprietary expertise and substantial experience in developing gas resources worldwide.

Descalzi commented in company statement: “This agreement will strengthen the prolific cooperation between Eni and Sonangol, confirming Angola as one of the key countries for the company’s organic growth strategy.

“In the coming years, Angola will become one of the most important oil and gas hubs for the sub-Saharan activities of Eni.”

Gas plant

Exxon Mobil, Ivory Coast in talks over two oil blocks DEADLINE

Partners set December target for Final Investment Decision Adeola Yusuf

I

vory Coast is finalising production sharing agreements with oil company Exxon Mobil for two ultra-deepwater blocks in the Gulf of Guinea.

A senior official with the country’s energy ministry, who confirmed this plan to Reuters, said that the Final Investment Decision (FID) might be made before December.

“It’s with Exxon Mobil. We expect to finish discussions before the end of the year,” said Ibrahima Diaby, director of hydrocarbons at the ministry, speaking on the sidelines

of an oil and gas seminar in the capital Yamoussoukro.

“A memorandum of understanding was signed for the two ultra-deep blocks and negotiations for the production sharing agreements are very advanced,” he said.

Ivory Coast is seeking investors for seven new ultradeepwater blocks, inviting Exxon Mobil, Total, Eni, Anadarko Petroleum, Tullow Oil and ConocoPhillips to a promotional event in Texas last month.

Nigeria is a major participant in the oil and gas exploration in the Gulf of Guinea region.

The Gulf, along with the Congo River delta and Angola further south, are expected to provide around a quarter of the United States’ oil imports by 2015.

This region is now regarded as one of the world’s top oil and gas exploration hotspots.

The Gulf of Guinea is the part of the Atlantic Ocean west of Africa. The intersection of the Equator and Prime Meridian (zero degrees latitude and longitude) is in the gulf.

Among the many rivers that drain into the Gulf of Guinea are the Niger and the Volta. The coastline on the gulf includes the Bight of Benin and the Bight of Bonny.

CEO, Exxon Mobil ,Rex W. Tillerson

dismay,” noted that the NNPC invited the protesting communities to a stakeholders meeting on Monday, the 17th of November, 2014 and excluded the Ijaw Communities of Youkiri and Sokebelou of Ogulagha Kingdom, who claim to own substantial part of the land where the project is sited.

“The IYC regards this act by the NNPC as callous and insensitive to the fragile security situation generated by the EPZ crisis in the Niger-Deltas region. It is on record that these communities have been writing series of protest letters to the Presidency, the Ministry of Petroleum and the NNPC; hence, the Corporation cannot claim ignorance of their protests.

“The IYC has it on good authority that there are plans to further disrupt the proposed EPZ flag-off if steps are not taken to bring all agitating communities such as Youkiri and Sokebelou Communities of Ogulagha Kingdom to the negotiating table.

“We wish to warn the NNPC to prevent unnecessary crisis in the NigerDelta region as the existing peace in the region is a product of painstaking efforts by stakeholders,” he said.

The IYC, Omare continued, “would hold the NNPC responsible for any further breach of the already fragile peace in the Niger-Delta arising from the EPZ project.”

He called for a “thorough investigation into the arrest of some journalists who were on an investigative visit to the site of the Export Processing Zone penultimate Sunday.”

He acknowledged the efforts of journalists in the Niger Delta struggle.

“The IYC notes the sacrifice journalists have made towards the promotion of the NigerDelta struggle for justice in the Nigerian state. It is on record that the gains made in the struggle for the emancipation of the Niger-Delta region would not have been possible without the extra ordinary sacrifice of journalists working in the Niger-Delta Region.

“Therefore, we call on security agencies to carry out a thorough investigation to avoid any hindrance to journalist in the performance of their duties in the future,” he said.

Business | Energy

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

INVESTMENTS

NERC mulls incentives for solar power sub-sector Adeola Yusuf

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he federal government has renewed its target to generate 7, 200 Mega Watt (MW) of electricity from renewable sources.

A document of the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) obtained by New Telegraph last weekend showed that the govern-

FG renews 7,200 MW target from renewable sources ment has set Year 2020 target to achieve this power target.

The government expects the power generation to peak at 40,000MW by 2020, with more capacities from Mambilla, Zungeru large hydros, grid power from solar, wind and coal-to-power initiative; and 18 per cent of the nation’s power need would be generated

from renewable energy sources.

Entitled: “Viability of Solar Energy-based Electricity Grid – Regulatory Challenges and Opportunities,” the NERC’s document revealed that 7, 200 MW of this 40, 000, will be generated from renewable sources.

Nigeria, it noted, has enormous solar energy potential particularly in

the Northern region but was not exploiting it in significant capacity.

NERC stated that this was in line with the government’s draft renewable energy master plan, providing for 18 per cent of the electricityinstalled capacity from renewable energy.

The commission promised that incentives were implied in the feed-

Power installation

CRAZY BILLING

Expert advocates smart metering as panacea to crazy billing Ayorinde Durojaiye

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igeria is lagging behind South Africa and other countries in the deployment of smart metering solution to curb crazy billing, Managing Director – Resources Operating Group, Accenture, Nigeria, Mrs. Abayomi Olarinmoye, has disclosed.

Olarinmoye, who said this at the just-concluded West African Power Industry Conference (WAPIC) in Lagos, urged the electricity distribution companies and consumers to embrace the use of smart meters for accurate customer billing in Nigeria.

Rolling out statistics, she said in a presentation that Nigeria is seriously lagging behind among countries that have deployed smart meters.

“The number of

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Nigeria lags behind S’Africa in smart meters’ use countries already using the smart meters in the world include North America with over 50 million smart meters deployed; Latin America over 45 million smart meters deployed; in Africa south Africa with over 300,000 smart meters deployed and Zimbabwe is still struggling in the smart meters distribution,” she noted.

Olarinmoye explained that the smart meter provides access, improves networking, cash flow management and gives accurate results.

“The smart meters will regulate what we call “crazy bills” and increase networking and accurate meter regulations,” she stressed, adding that Accenture helps in strategising, digitalising and improving technological growth in electricity.

“At Accenture, we are creating a two way

communication that is, the meter relates to the consumer through a network, with this, there will be balance in customer billing,” the expert explained.

Minister of Power, Professor Chinedu Nebo, has ealier reiterated the Federal Government’s disdain for crazy billing, which Electricity Distribution Companies (DISCOs) serve their customers.

Nebo, who said on the sideline of a Conference in Lagos, called on customers to report any erring company who engage in such through estimated billing to the Nigerian Electricity Regulating Commission (NERC).

Represented by his aide on Investment and Finance, Olajuwon Olaleye, Nebo maintained that “investments have been made by DISCOs to ensure that all their customers are well metered.

“Many of them have engaged in distribution of prepaid meters to their customers, but in any case that there is inappropriate metering and crazy billing, customers should raise a complain to them, if this persists, they should report to NERC.” He added that the Federal Ministry of Power would continue in its role to attract and facilitate strategic and innovative investments in the sector that will further enhance power generation, distribution and transmission capacity to meet current and future demands.

This, he said, would involve ensuring a robust and diverse energy mix.

On sustaining a robust energy mix, the Federal Ministry of Power, Nebo said, has put in place structure and mechanisms to develop its coal reserves as a means to increase generation capacity.

in tariff and they include “guaranteed market; priority grid connection and off-take; simplified licensing/permit process; concessionary tariff rates and facilitated land acquisition/site access.”

Other recommended policy incentives, according to the document, included tax holidays, import duty exemptions and investment tax credits.

The commission noted that electricity is a required input for economic growth and an indicator of the level of development of a country, adding that a successful economy would depend on secure, safe and efficient supply and the use of electricity.

“Access to electricity in the rural area will reduce the rural-urban drift and enhance the development of the rural economy. Grid supplies are usually the cheapest option in areas with high load densities, as well as in areas near the grid.

“However, a number of challenges militate against grid-connected solar-energy- sources for electricity supply,”

the NERC said.

“Solar-energy cannot respond to automatic generation control signals from the control centre; and connecting small, isolated villages to a grid can be expensive because of the necessary investment in transmission lines, poles, transformers and other infrastructure.

“Solar PV power comes in relatively small size, and is best connected to low voltage lines whereas Nigeria Bulk Electricity Trader buys power only at transmission voltage.”

The commission also stated that the nation would effectively harness solar energy resources and integrate them with other energy resources, and promote the use of efficient solar energy conversion technologies, such as the use of photo-voltaic and concentrated solar panels for power generation.

“Solar energy would be generated for productive use, as the nation would intensify efforts to increase the percentage of solar energy in the present energy mix.

OPEC panel reviews oil outlook

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panel of national representatives reviewed OPEC’s oil market outlook for 2015 at the weekend, OPEC sources said, preparing the ground for a policy-setting meeting this week that will decide how to address a looming oversupply of crude.

The panel reviewed the supply and demand forecasts published in the oil exporter group’s monthly market report, which predicted lower demand for OPEC crude in 2015 and oversupply in the market if OPEC maintains its current output.

“It was a general discussion on the 2015 outlook,” one of the OPEC sources said.

Oil prices have fallen by 30 percent since June to around $80 a barrel, alarming some OPEC members.

But an agreement on a cut in the group’s output at Thursday’s meeting is by no means certain, not least because top exporter Saudi Arabia has yet to say whether it supports one.

Delegates expect a difficult meeting, and analysts are split over the outcome.

“This meeting will be probably one of the toughest ever,” one delegate said.

OPEC’s latest oil market report, published on Nov. 12, forecast that demand for OPEC crude next year would fall far below its current output because of the US shale boom.

It pointed to a supply surplus of 1.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in the first half of 2015 if OPEC keeps output at the October rate of 30.25 million bpd.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Business | Energy

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

33

Shell pipeline: Crude thieves’ link uncovered CLAMP DOWN

Stolen crude depot demolished, two trucks set ablaze Adeola Yusuf

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he Joint Task Force, JTF, in the Niger Delta, Operation Pulo Shield, has uncovered a link connected by crude oil thieves on a 28-inch Shell operated RukpokuBonny pipeline in Eleme community in Rivers.

The spokesperson for the formation, Lt.-Col. Mustapha Anka who said this added that the JTF had also destroyed a depot for stolen crude and set ablaze two trucks with crude in the community.

Anka said in a statement issued in Yenagoa at the weekend that the building housing the illegal depot was also demolished during the operation.

According to the statement, the illegal crude storage facil-

One dead in explosion at oil firm’s Mexico platform

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n explosion at oil and gas operator Fieldwood Energy’s Echo Platform in the Gulf of Mexico at the weekend, killed one person and injured at least one, but no pollution was reported, a US safety agency and the company said.

The explosion occurred just before 3 p.m.

CST (2 p.m. EST/1900 GMT) at West Delta 105, about 12 miles (19 km) off the coast of New Orleans, the US Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement said in a statement.

“The Echo Platform was not in production at the time of the incident.

The facility damage was limited to the explosion area and there was no pollution reported,” it said.

The agency said three people were injured and were being treated at an onshore medical facility.

In a statement, Fieldwood said one employee of a contractor was killed and a second contractor employee was seriously injured. There was no explanation for the discrepancy in the number of injured.

ity was connected to a 28-inch compromised Rukpoku-Bonny crude oil pipeline operated by Shell.

The pipeline was breached at Elelewo Community in Eleme Local Government Area of Rivers and a hose connected to the illegal stor-

age facility.

The storage facility consisted of a well reservoir where the stolen crude was stored before loading to trucks between 12.00 am and 4.00 am.

“Two trucks with 45,000 liters capacity each, loaded with stolen

crude oil were intercepted and arrested during the operation.

“One of the tankers arrested had registration number RV XA 356 BGM, while the second had no plate number.

“The loaded trucks were about leaving the premises before the anti

oil theft team of the task force intercepted them,” the JTF said.

The JTF said that no arrest was made as the suspects absconded on sighting troops.

“The trucks and contents with the hose were taken to a safe location and destroyed in line

with mandate of the task force.

“The Nigerian Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Department of State Security (DSS) and the SPDC surveillance team witnessed the destruction,” the statement read in part.

A worker at an Illegal oil refinery

EULOGY

The company wins customers confidence with delivery of 500kva transformer in less than two months

Adeola Yusuf

E

lectricity consumers under the auspices of Independent Community Development Association Ogijo, Ogun State, have jettisoned their threat to withdraw from the grid of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC).

A letter written to the Gen-

Community jettisons plan to leave IBEDC’s grid eral Manager, IBEDC, a copy of which was obtained by New Telegraph, stated that this decision was reached following the company’s supply of 500 KVA transformer within two weeks of request.

The letter, which was written through the Marketing Manager, IBEDC, Sagamu, Ogun State states: “Members of the Independent Community Development Association (ICDA), Ogijo, Ogun State, under the auspices of Lagunsen Imolede Community Development Associa-

tion (CDA), hereby express our sincere appreciation for the prompt attention given to our letter of September 22, 2014.

“In the letter, we had complained that the transformer serving the area before got burnt beyond repair after over two million naira (N2 million) had been spent on its repair at various times and since it finally packed up, the community had been making frantic efforts to get a replacement without success.

“But as a responsible and

responsive company, IBDEC rose to the occasion and supplied our parent CDA a 500kva transformer on November 7, 2014, less than two months after the letter was written.

“This, to us as a community, is the height of responsiveness, especially considering IBDEC as a young firm in the electricity industry.

“We pray that God in his infinite mercies will continue to give the management the wisdom to steer the company’s ship to the harbour of success.”

Soco International slashes full-year production guidance

O

il explorer Soco International lowered its full-year production guidance to 13,300-13,800 barrels of oil per day on higherthan-expected field shutdowns to move its drilling rigs.

Rigzone reported that the London-listed energy company had previously targeted production of 14,000-

15,000 boepd for the year.

Soco said it expected capital expenditure for 2014 to come in at the top end of its $160-170 million forecast as it has sped up some drilling work.

The company also said revenue from producing assets in Vietnam were high enough, even at lower oil

prices, to fund its exploration work and to continue returning cash to shareholders.

But if crude prices remain low, that would hurt the premium it gets for next year’s term contracts for crude oil from Vietnam, the company said in a statement.

Soco said crude sale contracts to December would realize a premium slightly above $4 per barrel to the price of brent crude.

Shares of the company fell as much as 2.8 percent to 324.8 pence in early trade on the London Stock Exchange, before paring losses to trade at 326.4 pence at 0902 GMT.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

34 We are helping Nigerians to own property –NMRC boss p.35 reApraisal Developers urged to reappraise projects to avoid abandonment

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ome of the austerity measures introduced by the Federal Government as part of its fiscal policy adjustments to mitigate the implication of lower oil prices on the fiscal and external balance of the Nigerian economy, is a source of concern to some stakeholders in real estate. Some built environment experts have begun to weigh the implications of the fiscal policy on real estate investment.

Speaking to New Telegraph on the newly-announced measures by the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Lagosbased estate surveyor and valuer, Mr. Akin Olawore, said that austerity measures would bring about shortage of money in the system.

He added that it would affect the real estate development due to its capital-intensive nature.

Experts’ view For developers, Olawore reasoned that they might not be able to complete the on-going projects in their portfolio as planned, adding that rental apartments would not be spared as tenants would find it difficult to pay rents.

He said: “The austerity measures will affect rental houses due to cash crunch in the economy as tenants will not be able to afford the accommodation. Also, homeowners will find it difficult to maintain their houses.”

President of the Nigerian Institute of Building (NIoB), Mr. Tunde Lisabi, said that the real estate sector would suffer as a result of the measures, being one of the sectors categorised as one of the capital assets of the nation.

He said: “Most of the time, construction industry suffers as government will want to stop some of the projects it considers as white elephant projects due to the austerity measures. Austerity measures will affect everybody in the industry. Some of the projects will be stopped and workers will be affected.”

In the area of personnel, he argued that the austerity measures would affect workers whose livelihood depend on stipends they earn from real estate activities.

“The austerity measure will affect the construction industry, especially professionals, as many clients will not want to pay for services, but turn to the artisans,” he said He said that NIoB has commenced trainings for over 1,000 artisans so that they will still be relevant and find themselves useful during the period.

Chairman, H.O.B. Housing Estates, Chief Segun Bamgbade, however said that the currently imposed austerity measures in Nigeria have no known significant implication on real estate develop-

Climate Change: Environmentalists decry non-passage of Bill p.36

Property&Environment Austerity measures: Effects on real estate

One of the modern housing estates in Abuja

ment. He urged real estate developers not to fret over the new policy direction.

He said: “An average investor has nothing to fear about this newly-introduced austerity measures in Nigeria. Investors should go about their daily businesses without fear.”

He argued that this was not the first time austerity measures would be introduced in Nigeria, noting that it was introduced during the regime of Generals Muritala Mohammed/Olusegun Obasanjo in 1976.

“It was all about curtailing government excesses on frivolities. It has nothing to do with the real estate economy. During that period of Murtala/Obasanjo’s reign, many bridges and roads were constructed in Nigeria. Many aircrafts were purchased for the then Nigeria Airways, the National Theatre was built, Murtala Mohammed International Airport was built, and many more,” he said.

He explained that an austerity measure per se is just to redirect the focus of the people from frivolous expenditures and consequently concentrate on real nation building.

The policy Austerity measure forms the first tranche of a series of fiscal policy adjustments to be implemented if oil prices continue to fall. Some of the measures include six per cent downward revision in the 2015 budget benchmark oil price to $73pb from $78pb; upward revision in the collection target for FIRS; reduction in international travel and training within the public service and surcharge on luxury items such as private jets and alcoholic beverages.

Okonjo-Iweala

Most of the time, construction industry suffers as government will want to stop some of the projects it considers as white elephant projects

Olawore

Advice Bamgbade tasked government to do better in the management of the economy and called for a major reduction in the prices of petroleum products.

He said: “The petrol price should be brought down at this stage. After all, the international petrol price being used as yardstick for the inglorious increase is now low, very low. If government is sincere, since the price of petroleum importation has come down, so also should the price of the local petroleum price in Nigeria come down accordingly. What is good for the goose is sauce for the gander.

He urged Nigerians seeking accommodation of their own to go through the National Housing Fund (NHF) facility being dispensed by the Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria. “It is cheap, accessible and real. There is no harm in trial. Nothing stops Nigerians from having a roof over their heads, but ignorance,” he said.

Olawore, who is the Principal Partner, Akin Olawore and Company, advised developers to slate their development for reappraisal, urging that they should just put their money in what the market can absorb.

“Instead of full-blown development, they should reduce it to be able to cushion the effects of the austerity measures introduced by the authority,” he said.

He also canvassed cordial land-

Lisabi

lords-tenants relationship to ameliorate the effect of the measures on real estate, adding that when people now realise the direction of the austerity measures, there would be other mitigating actions.

Housing deficit However, despite past efforts which encompassed the rolling out of various national development plans and policies, the nation’s housing deficit is still in the range of 17 to 23 million units.

Challenges vary from poor access to land for development as a result of the ineffective implementation of the provisions of the Land Use Act of 1978 to inadequate and non-availability of medium to long term finance for housing in terms of funds for construction finance and mortgage for off-take finance. Others are ineffective intervention by government mainly on account of inadequate coordination and frequent policy changes; high cost of building materials; lack of master plans to guide development coupled with lack of land use planning.

Also, political instability, policy summersault, high interest rates, lack of virile mortgage sector, high cost of development permit/approval, inadequate infrastructure development, poor saving culture of the people, job insecurity, poor salary, lacks of enabling environment and political will are some of the causative factors.

Business | Property & Environment

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

35

We are helping Nigerians to own property –NMRC boss Mr Sonnie Ayere, founder, Dunn Loren Merrifield Group, is the Managing Director of Nigerian Mortgage Refinance Company (NMRC). In this interview with Dayo Ayeyemi, he spoke on the success of the recently launched 10,000 mortgages, the benefits of having Uniform Underwriting Standards in the sector, and other issues What is the update on the effort of NMRC to have Uniform Underwriting Standards for mortgages in Nigeria?

We are through with the process of Uniform Underwriting Standards. We have forwarded it for approval and it is our hope that by next week Friday, it will be published.

What roles will the Uniform Underwriting Standards play in the course of getting mortgage?

The need for the Uniform Underwriting Standards is to make sure that the credits qualities of mortgages that will be financed

by NMRC are very good credits, strong and attractive to investors. It is to also ensure that the credi t s are free from major risks. Also, the idea is to harmonise the system to ensure that we standardise so that whether you go to Access, Homebase, Aso Saving or First Mortgage, the qualities are the

Ayere

same. So, by that way, it becomes so easy to package mortgages and finance them from investors’ point of view. It also helps to look at some of the problems that we ordinarily have in the country with mortgages by introducing the standards to correct them. We now say that you need to put down a minimum of 20 per cent and that you need to use e-repayment for deduction at source. When you work in a place, your employer, the mortgage lender and you will have to agree that when your salary is paid, they will deduct your mortgage payment from your salary and pay directly to the mortgage lender. You know before now, Nigerians were not used to mortgage payment, so we are trying to use standards like these to change a culture of payment and improve the credits.

It has so much to do with credits.

ers that we have in the country. So that is why people are receiving calls that they will help them get mortgages and they are now being prequalified. Rather than saying let us try and see what we will do, we rolled the entire 60,000 mortgages into the market. Basically, what this has done is to kick-start the market.

What happens after being prequalified and someone losses his job?

Yes, you may lose your job but you can buy insurance.

Are you saying insurance is part of the package?

Yes. Insurance is coming in by providing insurance products for loss of work or loss due to disability - just in case you have an accident and you cannot work. There is insurance in case you die; there is insurance for your house just in case something happens to the house; and there is insurance against theft. You see, when you acquire an asset of that nature, you have to think about it as a family man - a man with a wife and children; you would want to secure the house in the event you die. The insurance pays off the house and the beneficiaries. Your wife and the two children can keep the house. If, for example, I lose my job, I may get insurance to cover me for one year.

The 10 mortgages you launched recently were targeted at civil servants. What happens to workers in the private employments?

It targets everybody and not limited to civil servants. Basically, the whole idea of 10,000 mortgages is really for people to apply for mortgage so that the mortgage banks can assess their salaries, where they work, how long have they worked and to let them know, under the criteria, the maximum amount they can lend to them.

Let’s say you applied and you brought a letter from a mortgage lender saying it could lend you N10 million or N15 million.

You know as a man that you can go out there and add N2 million to it; you can now come for the house for N12 million once you have been prequalified and told the maximum they can lend you. It does not mean that you have to borrow N10 million, you can have N5 million or N6 million, but the maximum they can give you is N10 million. What it has allowed you to do is to see yourself as a man that can buy or afford a house of N12 million. That is the whole idea and it was targeted at everybody.

The first launch of the mortgages has gone and it was oversubscribed. There were about 66,000 applicants and we hope that about 60,000 would be prequalified.

You launched 10,000 mortgage and 60,000 people subscribed. How will you cope with the crowd?

What will happen to the excess 50,000 ?

What we tried to do was to divide the 60,000 mortgages across the mortg a g e lend-

Are these insurance products part of the components of the underwriting standards?

Yes, we are doing that. We are making some of them compulsory - like life insurance and the house. What we are saying is that you should insure the house and also your life. You do not really need to insure whether you lose work or in the case of disability. This is up to you. Mandatory is life insurance and the house. If something happens to the house for instance, you can be compensated for it.

In the area of land acquisition and titling for the mortgage perfection, are you getting the support of the 36 governors of the federation?

Which state or governor would not want his residents to have homes of their own in their own states? No one!

When you work in a place, your employer, the mortgage lender and you will have to agree that when your salary is paid, they will deduct your mortgage payment from your salary and pay directly to the mortgage lender

But Lagos State already has its own scheme tagged, ‘Lagos Homeownership Mortgage Scheme’.

Yes. I worked on LAGHOMS as you know and I am proud of the scheme, but LAGHOMS is a narrow focus. There is a subsidy in the scheme and the mortgage is 9.5 per cent of 10 years. LAGHOMS is there to support Lagos with a population of about 21 million. This is a lot of people. So, therefore, LAGHOMS alone cannot provide the housing, this is a market for more people’ intervention. What I mean is that it is a market for different organisations to play in to achieve a common interest, which is the creation of homes and the creation of wealth for Nigerian citizens. What we are doing here is to help Nigerians create wealth.

This is about wealth creation; it is about Nigerians being able to enter the ladder of property ownership with ease. Before now, people will be worried about how to find N10 million to buy house and go into all kinds of practices because they have to pay for the house within 24 months. Now somebody says if you want to buy a house for N10 million, put down N2 million, borrow N8 million and be paying the N8 million for the next 20 years. Is that not a good thing? And God so kind, the President, Ministry of Finance through Dr Ngozi OkonjoIwealla with Pencom and the Senate have also come together to allow the Pension Reform to allow people to take a certain percentage of their money in the pension account for the use of funding of their home.

36

Business | Property & Environment

CONCERN Experts fret over uncordinated climate actions in Nigeria Dayo Ayeyemi

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he dangers posed by desert encroachment on the environment and human race as a result of global climate change were again brought to the fore at the weekend when stakeholders, including environ-

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Climate Change: Environmentalists decry non-passage of Bill mentalists, gathered at the 2nd Oye Williams Biennial Lecture organised by the Nigerian-Spanish Association in Lagos.

One pertinent issue that came to mind as the guest lecturer, Dr. Newton Jibunoh, painted the picture of the looming dangers on human race in his lecture entitled: “The Planet Earth”, was the proactive actions be-

ing taken by government to avert environmental crisis in Nigeria.

Although little efforts have gone into climate change’s adaptation and mitigation, experts were asking for the whereabouts of the Climate Change Bill five years after it was passed by the National Assembly and sent to the President for approval.

The experts lamented that five years after the Climate Change Bill was introduced, it is yet to see the light of the day.

The Bill to Establish a National Climate Change Commission was first introduced to the National Assembly in 2008. It was passed by both Houses of the National Assembly and forwarded to the Presidency on December

9, 2010, for assent.

The National Climate Change Commission Bill seeks to give the commission the responsibility to regulate and coordinate policies and actions on climate change in Nigeria.

Member of the Nigerian Conservation Foundation, Mr. Desmond Majekodunmi, said that although the bill was introduced and presented to

President Goodluck Jonathan, it is yet to be signed, five years after.

The implication of not signing the bill, Majekodunmi said, was evident in various environmental challenges such as desert encroachment, deforestation, excessive rains and sunshine, flooding and erosion being witnessed in Nigeria and the entire planet earth.

He said: “We cannot continue to see the Bill remaining dormant. There is a lot of degradation all over; the insecurity in the country is due to desert encroachment; Lake Chad has shrunk and people around are moving to the cities.”

He alleged that the Green Wall Programme kick-started 10 years ago in the country with lots of foreign money failed because the funds were diverted into private pockets. He warned that this bad attitude must be stopped for the sake of promoting sustainable environmental development for future generations.

Dr. Jibunoh said that environmental degradations in Africa were as a result of desert encroachment and harped on their pains on human settlements.

During his first expedition to the desert, he noted that Sahara desert occupied one fifth of the land mass of Africa in the 60s but that it now occupied one-third.

To raise awareness on the need to mitigate some of the degradations, he said a vehicle known as Fight Against Desert Encroachment (FADE) was birthed for people to imbibe a lifestyle of protecting and conserving planetary resources.

Jibunoh called for collective actions and support to mitigate desert encroachment and save the planet earth.

“This could be by being more knowledgeable about the policies that seek to protect our resources and put sustainable infrastructure in place for humanitarian provisions, holding our leaders accountable and voting the right man or woman into government,” he said.

Former Vice Chancellor of Obafemi Awolowo University, Prof. Wale Omole, said it was imperative that the message be passed to the students, who are future leaders, so that they would value the environment and do something positive to arrest the situation.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Ethiopian Airlines eyes African aviation liberalisation in 2015 p.38

37

Aviation

Delta Airlines reports more patronage in Nigeria p.39

Arik Airlines proposed A380 aircraft

Economic impact of intra-African air services The air transport subsector in Africa is full of contradictions. There are many conditions, which could make the aviation industry thrive in the continent, writes Aviation Editor, WOLE SHADARE

A

frica accounts for a small share (two per cent) of the global air traffic. Majority of African countries depend on the few African and foreign airlines for air service.

The African Airlines Association (AFRAA), 2010 reports that about 65 per cent of the air traffic to and from Africa is carried by foreign airlines.

Most African countries do not have competent airlines that can operate international services, thereby allowing foreign airlines to capitalise on slack demand.

Foreign carriers’ dominance The dominance of foreign airlines is also a reaction of African airlines several capacity constraint. In 2006, they operated a total of 639 aircraft, a number which is not more than a total aircraft owned by a major American or European airline.

A case in point, Lufthansa, which flies to 35 African destinations, owns 672 aircraft (Lufthansa Group, 2013).Delta Airlines has over a thousand airplanes.

This skewed statistics reflects underlying problems in Africa.

Africa’s population size (1.1 billion) and large landmass (30.2 ml km2) presents a favourable environment for air transport industry.

The fact that almost a third of African countries (16 out of 54) are landlocked and that alternative mode of transport is underdeveloped makes air transport all the more important.

While these conditions are seemingly favourable, decades of economic stagnation and low per-capita incomes in many African countries have made commercial aviation in Africa the least developed in the world.

Although the aviation industry is increasingly becoming important for Africa’s economic integration, the ability of airlines to access foreign markets is hindered by restrictive regulatory policies.

Capabilities Aviation has the potential to make an important contribution to economic growth and development within Africa.

Air transport can open and connect markets, facilitating trade and enabling African firms to link into global supply chains.

It plays an especially pivotal role in just-in-time global manufacturing production and in speeding fresh produce from agricultural communities in developing economies to markets in the industrialised world.

Aviation experts said enhancing air connectivity could help raise productivity by encouraging investment and innovation;

Although the aviation industry is increasingly becoming important for Africa’s economic integration, the ability of airlines to access foreign markets is hindered by restrictive regulatory policies

improving business operations and efficiency.

They noted that air transport is indispensable for tourism, where convenient air service facilitates the arrival of larger number of tourists to a region or country.

It could be said that while many air markets between Africa and countries outside of the continent have been liberalised to a significant extent, most intra-African aviation markets remain largely closed, subject to restrictive bilateral agreements which limit the growth and development of air services.

This has limited the potential for aviation to be an engine of growth and development. Recognising that this restrictive arrangement was limiting growth, many African nations adopted the Yamoussoukro Decision in 1999.

Benefits of liberalisation A top of one of the carriers who pleaded anonymity told New Telegraph that air service liberalisation is projected to bring about other substantial benefits for passengers in terms of fare savings: passengers travelling between these countries are expected to benefit from fare reductions of 25-35 per cent, providing a saving of over $0.5 billion per annum.

Greater connectivity Of the 66 country pairs between the 12 counties, 34 (52 per cent) had some forms of direct service in 2013. With liberalisation, it is forecast that an additional 17 country pairs will benefit from direct service, so that

75 per cent of country pairs will have direct service.

Time savings: New routes and greater frequencies will shorten the flying time between many cities. For example, in 2013, there was no direct service between Algeria and Nigeria. The most convenient routing available was via Morocco (Algiers-Casablanca-Lagos).

The minimum journey time for this routing is nine hours, but depending on connecting times could be as much as 17 hours. A direct service (which is forecast by the gravity model) would reduce the travel time between Algiers and Lagos to approximately 4.5 hours.

Greater convenience Of the 34 country pairs with direct service in 2013, only 21 had service operated at daily frequencies or better. Many had seasonal services or services operated at less than daily frequency.

Such services offer passengers very limited choice in terms of their journey timings and prevent passengers obtaining a convenient.

Economic benefits The impacts of liberalisation extend beyond the benefits to passengers and cargo shippers.

The increased air service levels will stimulate employment in the aviation industry to handle passengers and their baggage and to operate, service and maintain aircraft.

Liberalisation is also expected to stimulate tourism between the CONTINUED ON PAGE 39

38

Business | Aviation

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

WITH

Ethiopian Airlines eyes African AIR RAGE Wole Shadare aviation liberalisation in 2015 Are foreign airlines FREE MARKET

There is a great concern that liberalisation will harm existing carriers

T

he impacts of liberalisation extend beyond the benefits to passengers and cargo shippers. The increased air service levels will stimulate employment in the aviation industry to handle passengers and their baggage and to operate, service and maintain aircraft.

Liberalisation is also expected to stimulate tourism between the countries, generating an estimated $1.3 billion in additional tourism spending.

Perhaps most significantly, the increased air service can facilitate many other sectors of the economy by supporting increased trade, attracting new

businesses to the region, encouraging investment and enhancing productivity.

Industries and activities that would otherwise not exist in a region can be attracted by improved air transport connectivity.

Ethiopian Airways said the increased aviation activity, tourism, trade, investment, productivity and other economic benefits would generate considerable employment and economic output (Gross Domestic Product) for the 12 countries.

Liberalisation between the 12 countries is estimated to generate 155,100 jobs in aviation, tourism and the wider economy and to contribute $1.3 billion to annual GDP (about 0.07 per cent of the GDP of the 12 countries).

There is always a great concern that liberalisation will harm the profitability and viability of existing carriers. Indeed, a common result is that

liberalisation leads to loss of market share as new competitors enter the market.

However, the stimulatory impact of liberalisation also means that the incumbent home carrier often still experience a growth in traffic volumes despite this loss of market share.

Liberalisation offers efficient, competitive carriers an opportunity to enhance profitability by expanding into new markets and accessing a wider pool of investment through consolidation.

The example of Ethiopian Airlines (Section 3.4) demonstrates that African carriers can thrive in a more liberalised environment. Whether the incumbent carriers prosper or suffer under liberalisation will depend, in greater part, on the quality of management of the carriers and how the carriers choose to respond to liberalisation.

One of Ethiopian Airways’ B787 airplanes

BA offers free Club World upgrade to customers

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ega carrier, British Airways, continues to excite international travellers from Nigeria with its special promos as it unveils its latest offer for passengers on World Traveller Plus.

For the first time ever, BA customers flying from Nigeria on World Traveller Plus can enjoy an upgrade to the award-winning Club World

BA’s A380 aircraft

Cabin by booking flights until November 30, 2014, for outward bound travel to London, Europe or North America from Abuja or Lagos, till December 31, 2014.

Regional Commercial Manager, West Africa, British Airways, Mr Kola Olayinka, explained that the new offer reflects the company’s desire to continually show appreciation to its custom-

ers for their loyalty.

“We recognise that we would have very little to celebrate as a company without our valuable passengers who are essential to the success of our company. We will not relent in showing our appreciation for their loyalty,” he said.

Explaining the details of the upgrade, Olayinka disclosed that under the offer, which is the first of its kind by the British airline, customers can travel for a minimum of three days and a maximum of 12 months.

Upgrades for the limited number of seats are subject to availability and bookings can be made through British Airways travel agents, Olayinka said.

adding value?

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enultimate week, the Managing Director of Medview Airlines, Alhaji Muneer Bankole, dropped a bombshell. It was an occasion to mark his airline’s second anniversary where he listed the achievements of his carrier in just two years of operation.

Also, he reeled out challenges faced by airline operators in the country, just as he urged government to assist them to operate profitably.

Bankole did not mince words when he told a gathering of media men that foreign airlines operating into the country do not add value to the growth of the sector. That was a cut below the belt.

His frustration is understandable going by the generosity of past Ministers of Aviation to dash frequencies to foreign airlines so cheaply to the detriment of the local carriers.

It is very difficult to understand why government through the Ministry of Aviation has decided to throw open the country to all manner of airlines to operate; a situation that seriously negates the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) between Nigeria and many European countries. To many people, they seem to have replaced BASA with ‘Open Skies’ policy, which is only applicable to the United States.

A former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah, inexplicably was very generous with the granting of additional frequencies to Ethiopian Airways, Emirates and others without looking at the implication and the damage it was capable of doing.

Not a few poke fun at Nigeria that Ethiopian Airways has suddenly turned domestic carrier in Nigeria because ET, as it is popularly called, flies to Lagos,

Aviation Minister, Osita Chidoka

Abuja, Kano and Enugu.

While this is seen as a huge tragedy, ministry officials celebrate it, beat their chests that they are able to give more flight routes to these predators. What an irony. This can never happen anywhere in Europe as Britain restricts Nigerian airlines to either London Heathrow Airport or Gatwick Airport. No Nigeria carrier, no matter your status, would be given those two choice routes.

The idea is for them to protect their carriers, especially low cost and premium airlines, from competition from other nations.

This is so well structured and it is done just to protect their airlines. But here in Nigeria, mundane reasons are given for foolishly exposing Nigerian airlines to these predators called foreign airlines.

According to statistics from the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), foreign airlines earned N231 billion from ticket sales while domestic carriers earned N73 billion in 2013.

On the flip side, one does not blame these airlines.

They are in business and are bound to explore business opportunities to also compete on a bigger scale.

Nigerian airlines are so small and fragmented. To say the truth, they do not have all its take to compete with these mega carriers who have been in the airline business for over a century.

Despite protests from stakeholders to reverse the trend, they have continued to dictate the pace.

Notwithstanding very exorbitant fares, Nigerian passengers have continued to patronise them because of the low capacity of indigenous carriers. At the moment, only Arik Air operates international destinations, while Medview is expected to follow suit next year.

Business | Aviation

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

39

Delta Airlines reports more patronage in Nigeria GROWTH The carrier operates between Lagos and Atlanta with a Boeing 767300ER aircraft with up to 208 seats Stories by Wole Shadare

D

elta Air Lines has marked its seventh year of daily non-stop service between Lagos

Murtala Muhammed International Airport and HartsfieldJackson Atlanta International Airport. The airline remains the only United States’ carrier to operate daily year round service between Nigeria and the US, offering hundreds of onward connecting opportunities via Delta’s Atlanta hub.

Speaking at an annual media roundtable in Lagos, Delta’s commercial manager East and West Africa, Bobby Bryan, said: “Delta’s flight between Lagos and Atlanta has remained solid and we

have been seeing load factors averaging around 80 per cent.

The top US destinations that our customers from Nigeria have been travelling to include Houston, Washington, Los Angeles, Dallas and New York and this year alone we have carried some 100,000 passengers.”

Bryan continued: “Since our first service to the US in 2007, Delta has flown over 770,000 passengers. It’s incredible to think that it is equivalent to the population of the city of Abuja.”

Delta operates flights between Lagos and Atlanta with

L-R: Mr. Clement Okoedoh, Sales Executive, Kenya Airways; Miss Chidinma Winifred Nwadinigwe, Winner of the “Selfie In The City” Contest; and Mrs. Lillian Obinna-Igwe; Country Manager, Travelstart at the award presentation ceremony of two tickets to Nairobi for the winner and a companion.

Travelstart engages customers through photo contest

I

n an effort to better engage customers and give back to society as well as create increased awareness for its brand, one of Nigeria’s fastest growing Online Travel Agencies (OTA), Travelstart, recently organised a photo contest tagged: “Selfie In The City,” using facebook and other social media platforms.

Speaking at an award presentation ceremony, the company’s Country Manager, Mrs Lillian ObinnaIgwe, said that “the contest was developed as a strategy to reach out to fans via social media platforms as well as customers, by uploading content on its home page and engaging them through social media networks which they can easily access from their smart phones.”

She further noted that the contest was also geared towards promoting culture and tourism in Nigeria while giving a wider visibility to the brand simultaneously.

“The idea behind this

competition was to create a platform for Nigerians to whip out their smart phones, strike a pose in a specific destination in any Nigerian city and upload their “Selfie” photos on our website for a chance to win great prizes such as return tickets to Nairobi sponsored by Kenya Airways,” Obinna-Igwe said.

The “Selfie In The City” competition started on September 4 and ended on the 26th. It was a travel photography contest that attracted submissions of hundreds of photos, revealing interesting places in different parts of Nigeria.

At the end of the competition, Miss Chidinma Winifred Nwadinigwe, a graduate of Medical Laboratory Science from Imo State University emerged winner with her entry having 936 votes. She went home with a goody bag full of various gifts courtesy of Travelstart and an award of two Economy Class tickets to Nairobi sponsored by Kenya Airways.

a Boeing 767-300ER aircraft with up to 208 seats in a twoclass configuration featuring 36 seats in BusinessElite, offering fully flat-bed seats with direct aisle and 179 seats in economy class. Customers flying in Economy Comfort, Delta’s premium economy service, benefit from up to four

additional inches of legroom and 50 per cent more recline than Delta’s standard international Economy class seats, as well as priority boarding.

Other product initiatives being rolled out across Delta’s international fleet include the expansion of Wi-Fi service by the end of 2016.

Economic impact of intra-African air services CO N TI N U E D FROM PAGE 37

countries, generating an estimated $1.3 billion in additional tourism spending.

Perhaps most significantly, the increased air service can facilitate many other sectors of the economy by supporting increased trade, attracting new businesses to the region, encouraging investment and enhancing productivity.

Industries and activities that would otherwise not exist in a region can be attracted by improved air transport connectivity.

The increased aviation activity, tourism, trade, investment, productivity and other economic benefits would generate considerable employment and economic output (Gross Domestic Product) for the 12 countries.

Liberalisation between the 12 countries is estimated to generate 155,100 jobs in aviation, tourism and the wider economy and to contribute $1.3 billion to annual GDP (about 0.07 per cent of the GDP of the 12 countries).

There is always a great con-

cern that liberalisation will harm the profitability and viability of existing carriers. Indeed, a common result is that liberalisation leads to loss of market share as new competitors enter the market.

However, the stimulatory impact of liberalisation also means that the incumbent home carrier often still experience a growth in traffic volumes despite this loss of market share. Liberalisation offers efficient, competitive carriers an opportunity to enhance profitability by expanding into new markets and accessing a wider pool of investment through consolidation.

Ethiopian Airlines’ example The example of Ethiopian Airlines (Section 3.4) demonstrates that African carriers can thrive in a more liberalised environment. Whether the incumbent carriers prosper or suffer under liberalisation will depend, in greater part, on the quality of management of the carriers and how the carriers choose to respond to liberalisation.

Arik Air offers double Affinity Wings miles on Dubai route

A

rik Air has rolled out mouth-watering incentives for its loyal guests on the LagosAbuja-Dubai route. Tagged “Connecting you to higher rewards,” the offer is specifically tied to the airline’s Frequent Flyer Programme (FFP), Arik Affinity Wings.

The offer will enable guests travelling in the Premier Business Class on the Dubai route to earn double miles while those travelling in the Economy class will earn 50 per cent more miles.

Also, guests who buy four Business Class return tickets to Dubai will get upgraded to Affinity Wings’ exclusive Gold membership level. Gold membership is the highest membership level in the Affinity Wings loyalty programme which offers the most programme benefits for guests who have acquired 600 points and above by flying with Arik Air. Guests who buy two Business Class return tickets to Dubai will get upgraded to the exclusive Silver member-

ship level which is the second highest membership level for guests who have acquired up to 300 points through their travels with Arik Air and also enjoy some of the exclusive programme benefits.

Arik Air Managing Director/Executive Vice President, Mr Chris Ndulue, said of the loyalty offers: “Loyalty just got better with Arik Affinity Wings and our guests on the Dubai route are especially welcome to the world of more smiles as they enjoy bonus Affinity Miles. The more you fly Arik Air to Dubai, the more miles you accumulate to enjoy spe-

Arik Airlines Business Class lounge

cial treats and discounts on future travels.”

“Every trip on Arik Air to Dubai puts extra smiles on the faces of our guests as they not only enjoy double miles, but also take advantage of our generous baggage allowance coupled with our traditional African hospitality and global safety standards. This is in line with our promise to ensure we constantly strive to enhance the service we offer our guests.”

Arik Air launched flight services to Dubai on July 28, 2014, while the Arik Affinity Wings was launched on October 1, 2014.

40

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Business | Money Line

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

Women, phones to drive Africa’s growth, says Okonjo-Iweala

CONSUMER SPENDING

75% of consumer spending power will be in the hands of women by 2028

M

obile phone technolo g y can help to bring financial services to the 80 percent of African women who do not have a bank account and bolster the growth of the world’s poorest continent, Finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, said yesterday.

Okonjo-Iweala according to Bloomberg news, was one of a dozen government, finance and business leaders who met in Nairobi yesterday to roll out a plan to bring financial services to more poor African women.

“It’s not just about empowering women, it’s about economic growth,” said Okonjo-Iweala, honorary co-chair of the newly-formed Africa Advisory Council of the US-based charity Women’s World Banking.

“Unless we can make access to finance easier for women in their businesses, we will be missing out on a significant

portion of growth within our economies.”

She cited a study by accounting firm Ernst & Young, which shows that 75 percent of consumer spending power will be in the hands of women by 2028.

Women are also known to be better than men at repaying loans and saving money, the experts said.

In Nigeria, 73 percent of women have never used a financial product, according to Women’s World Banking. Instead, they rely on in traditional savings groups, where a collector comes to collect their daily earnings.

Women’s World Banking worked with Diamond Bank to develop a pilot savings account, called Beta (pidgin English for ‘good’) to reach this vast, untapped market.

Sales representatives go to the open-air markets of Lagos each day, rather than waiting for customers to come to the bank. Using their mobile phones, they open savings accounts for busy traders in a few minutes.

They also come to their customers’ market stalls to collect money that they wish to deposit in their accounts, the same way those who run informal savings groups visit their members.

The deposits are con-

firmed by SMS text message.

In its first year, more than 132,000 people who had never had a bank account opened Beta accounts.

“I think technology is going to help us go to scale,” said Okonjo-

T

he naira opened at a record low yesterday on concerns that falling oil prices will lead to lower government revenues and with dealers waiting to see if the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) will do anything to help the currency.

The apex bank according to Bloomberg news, is widely expected to keep interest rates on hold at the end of a two-day meeting today despite some pressure for an increase to support the naira, which is down almost 11 percent this year.

The price of oil, Nigeria’s main export, has plunged, adding to worries about government finances. Political tensions ahead of elections

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

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

FX

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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

Dealers expected the apex bank to sell dollars again on yesterday to meet dollar demand on the interbank market.

The bank unexpectedly sold dollars at N158.41 at its window last week, having previously auctioned the greenback at 156.59 naira, unnerving dealers worried about the risk of a possible devaluation.

According to figures on the central bank’s website, it has this year spent an average of $26.6 million a day defending the naira, which has tracked falls in other emerging market currencies - notably those in economies that are particularly sensitive to changes in the oil price.

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

Kunle Azeez

B

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

arlyle (CG) Group LP invested $147 million in Diamond Bank Plc (DIAMONDB) as it seeks to expand in Africa’s largest economy.

Carlyle, the world’s secondlargest manager of investment alternatives to stocks and bonds, bought the stake through its sub-Saharan Africa Fund as the Nigerian lender held a rights offer, Diamond Bank said yesterday in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg.

The investment, which is the first by Carlyle in Nigeria, will give it a stake of about 18 percent in Diamond Bank if

the transaction is approved by regulators, Catherine Armstrong, a spokeswoman for the Washington-based firm, said in an e-mailed response to questions.

The Carlyle fund has invested almost $300 million in sub-Saharan countries including Mozambique, Zambia, Tanzania and the Democratic Republic of the Congo since 2011, Diamond Bank said. The bank sold shares in August as it sought to raise N50.4 billion ($284 million) for investment in infrastructure, branch expansion and lending.

Airtel agrees to sell 4,800 Nigerian towers

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

in February and a violent insurgency waged mostly in the northeast by the Islamist group Boko Haram have also contributed to concerns about stability in Africa’s biggest economy and number one crude oil producer.

The banking watchdog has spent billions of dollars of reserves intervening to prop up the currency this year but it opened at a fresh low of N178.25 to the greenback yesterday, down 0.45 percent from its previous close of N177.45.

It later firmed to N177.47in volatile trade against the dollar, still a long way from the CBN’s preferred N150-160 trading band that the currency left in May.

C

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

pared to 71 percent of men using formal financial services, the experts said.

One challenge with mobile banking is that poor families often share one phone - and the man controls that.

Carlyle Group invests $147bn in Diamond Bank

As at 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

Iweala.

Kenya is one of Africa’s leaders thanks to mobile phone-based financial services, such as Safaricom’s Mpesa.

But there is still a big gender gap here, with 53 percent of women com-

Naira opens at record low ahead of CBN meeting

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

41

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

harti Airtel, India’s top telecommunications company, has finally agreed to sell 4, 800 towers in Nigerian, its largest market in Africa.

The towers are to be sold to American Tower Corporation (ATC), a telecoms infrastructure management company with the deal expected to close during the first half of 2015.

With the announcement by Airtel on Monday, ATC had beaten IHS Towers, which,

sources said, has also been bidding for the purchase of the towers all along.

Bharti Airtel, which also operates in Africa, will be the anchor tenant on the towers initially for 10 years, the companies said in a joint statement.

Though the companies did not indicate the value of the transaction yesterday, New Telegraph had, last month, reported that the deal would be worth more than $1 billion (over N155 billion), according to Reuters.

Business | Financial Market News

42

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

24-Nov-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

Description 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

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

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

535.00 563.89 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 371.68 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 130.00

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

0.41 1.73 2.42 2.67 2.77 3.51 4.60 4.91 7.18 9.30 14.01 14.49 14.99 15.66 19.65

13.69 13.89 14.23 14.27 14.26 14.12 13.93 13.90 13.80 13.89 13.76 13.75 13.73 13.81 13.30

13.29 13.78 14.15 14.20 14.18 14.00 13.85 13.80 13.74 13.83 13.72 13.70 13.66 13.75 13.25

96.20 98.70 101.70 90.40 89.06 90.78 106.80 76.00 111.50 101.55 107.60 92.19 67.11 75.80 92.00

96.35 98.85 101.85 90.55 89.21 91.08 107.10 76.30 111.80 101.85 107.90 92.49 67.41 76.10 92.30

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,675.13

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,443.33

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds FMBN ***LCRM

Description

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

24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

24.56 3.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

24-May-15 03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

0.50 1.23 2.04 2.40 2.61

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

16.18 15.53 16.11 15.27 15.29

92.51 102.08 99.19 96.17 93.17

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 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.77 0.61 0.89 0.90 2.40 1.45 3.10 2.28 3.86 2.27 2.27 2.66 2.91 4.99 2.88 3.43 6.01 6.10 3.58 3.62

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

17.66 16.65 17.53 16.55 19.86 14.55 15.98 16.01 15.05 15.21 18.99 15.28 15.23 14.89 16.97 15.13 14.82 15.75 15.54 16.05

96.38 98.63 97.09 99.41 81.83 99.12 95.25 96.53 96.95 98.71 91.02 98.47 100.77 98.66 95.18 99.07 94.87 97.08 97.37 97.38

322.97

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

311.27

Sub-National Bonds A+/Agusto A/Agusto A-/Agusto 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

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

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 10-Oct-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

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 10-OCT-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

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

8.50 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 16.23 80.00 27.51 11.40 87.50 5.00 4.78 4.79

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds Aa/Agusto

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

GTB µ NGC

Nil

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

*FLOURMILLS

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

NAHCO

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

*C & I LEASING *DANA#{r} *TOWER#

A/GCR A/GCR

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

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 UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

#{r}

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-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

471.68 448.95

*DANA

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

STANBIC IBTC STANBIC IBTC

13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024

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

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.07

5.21

19.45

99.54

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.10

8.71

22.90

99.27

17-Aug-10

10.00

3.61

17-Aug-15

0.49

4.88

18.45

96.43

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.56

1.00

14.48

98.48

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.64

2.63

16.01

99.10

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

1.85

1.00

14.95

96.91

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

1.92

1.34

15.35

98.19

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

2.85

1.00

15.24

94.92

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.67

1.88

15.66

104.40 98.06

09-Apr-11

16.00

6.30

09-Apr-18

1.87

3.48

17.45

09-Sep-11

18.00

2.90

09-Sep-18

2.04

5.20

19.31

98.26

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.80

09-Sep-18

2.04

5.06

19.17

101.85

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

3.83

1.35

15.41

95.98

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.40

18-Oct-18

2.15

2.29

16.45

99.01

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.23

6.11

20.30

94.68

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.10

2.16

16.35

99.24

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

5.97

2.76

16.58

95.06

30-Sep-14

11.93

0.10

30-Sep-24

9.85

1.00

14.88

84.92

30-Sep-14

13.25

15.44

30-Sep-24

9.85

1.00

14.88

91.65

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

144.16

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

139.14

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

IFC

Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P

AfDB

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

11-Feb-18

3.22

1.00

15.17

87.66

11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021

10-Jul-14

11.25

12.95

01-Feb-21

4.44

1.00

14.95

88.78

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

24.95 22.02 Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value ($mm)

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.20

5.04

108.10

108.95

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.32

4.09

102.66

103.46

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.48

5.36

106.11

106.94

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,584.36

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

8.47

8.47

103.30

103.30

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.83

4.83

103.75

103.75

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.83

6.83

101.00

101.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

9.58

8.93

92.22

94.00

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.31

5.97

98.94

100.10

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

9.67

9.67

102.00

102.00

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.51

6.51

99.00

99.00

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

9.35

9.09

97.83

98.79

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

8.11

8.11

99.75

99.75

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

10.00

10.00

85.00

85.00

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC II

9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021

24-Jun-14

9.25

400.00

24-Jun-21

9.77

9.45

97.75

99.25

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

8.51

8.51

96.50

96.50

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.44

8.23

100.55

101.65

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,760.00 4,688.08

**Treasury Bills DTM 10 17 31 38 45 52 59 66

FIXINGS Maturity 4-Dec-14 11-Dec-14 25-Dec-14 1-Jan-15 8-Jan-15 15-Jan-15 22-Jan-15 29-Jan-15

Bid Discount (%) 13.00 13.40 13.65 13.60 13.20 13.40 13.30 13.05

Offer Discount (%) 12.75 13.15 13.40 13.35 12.95 13.15 13.05 12.80

Bid Yield (%) 13.05 13.48 13.81 13.80 13.42 13.66 13.59 13.37

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 9.9833 13.4234 13.9563 14.9144

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

9.88

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

10.17

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

173.60 172.27 172.55 173.18 174.40 175.62

173.70 172.51 172.86 173.82 175.54 177.29

O/N Tenor Call 1M

REPO

Rate (%) 12.08 13.20

311.27 Sub-National Bonds 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 10-Oct-13 27-Nov-13 31-Dec-13 31-Dec-13 06-Jan-14

A+/Agusto KADUNA 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 A/Agusto *EBONYI 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 A-/Agusto *BENUE 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 A+/Agusto *IMO 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 A+/Agusto; A+/GCR LAGOS 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 A-/Agusto *BAYELSA 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 A/Agusto EDO 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 A+/GCR TUESDAY, *DELTA NEWA+/Agusto; TELEGRAPH NOVEMBER 25, 201414.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 A-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 A-/Agusto *NIGER 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 A/Agusto *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 10-OCT-2020 Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI 15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 A/Agusto *EKITI 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 A-/GCR *NASARAWA 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

POLEMIC

Company insists it engaged stakeholders and due process was followed

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

8.50 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00 16.23 80.00 27.51 11.40 87.50 5.00 4.78 4.79

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 10-Oct-20 27-Nov-20 31-Dec-20 31-Dec-20 06-Jan-21

0.77 0.61 0.89 0.90 2.40 1.45 3.10 2.28 3.86 2.27 2.27 2.66 2.91 4.99 2.88 3.43 6.01 6.10 3.58 3.62

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

17.66 16.65 17.53 16.55 19.86 14.55 15.98 16.01 15.05 15.21 18.99 15.28 15.23 14.89 16.97 15.13 14.82 15.75 15.54 16.05

96.38 98.63 97.09 99.41 81.83 99.12 95.25 96.53 96.95 98.71 91.02 98.47 100.77 98.66 95.18 99.07 94.87 97.08 97.37 97.38

8.23

100.55

101.65

Business | Financial Market News

43

Transcorp Hotels flays group’s claims

ployees, tax authorities proval and the rest is his- been paying dividend to (ISAN) allegations that Federal Government of the company held an Nigeria and Transcorp and even capital market tory. The IPO was over- Transcorp. extra-ordinary general Plc were present at the regulators,” Ozigbo said. subscribed,” he stressed.

He added that the shareTOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE meeting (EGM) to ratify 471.68 meeting and ratified the He said it was as a “ISAN is saying that holders that were supTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATIONthe it’s initial public of448.95 process of the IPO. result of its spirit of im- the shareholders of posed to approve the IPO He was reacting to bibing due process that Transcorp did not give had done that at the EGM. fer (IPO) without the Corporate Bonds Chris Ugwu 13.50 GUARANTY 13.17 ex18-Dec-14 0.07 but we 5.21 19.45 99.54 ISAN us the go-ahead representatives of TRUST its 18-DEC-2014 ISAN’s petition to 18-Dec-09 the Se- made13.50the company “My take is that Aa/Agusto GTB µ 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 01-Apr-10 2.00 was 31-Dec-14 0.10 8.71 should 22.90 99.27 NGC Nil are not responsible to curities and Exchange tend 17.00 the IPO, which have checked the shareholders.

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 17-Aug-10 10.00 3.61 17-Aug-15 0.49 4.88 18.45 96.43 Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC Transcorp shareholdCommission (SEC) that he management to end on September 30, Companies and Allied Managing Director 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 A-/Agusto 09-Dec-10 12.00 13.62 09-Dec-15 0.56 1.00 14.48 98.48 *FLOURMILLS Matters Act (CAMA), of Transcorp shareholders were not car- 2014,14.00 to October 17, 2014. ers.

Before the0.64 IPO, there and Chief Executive Of14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 BB+/GCR 06-Jan-11 0.60 06-Jan-16 2.63 16.01 99.10 *CHELLARAMS law Hotel of “This to rig- were just two shareholdficer, Transcorp Hotels, 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 ried along in the process A+/Agusto; A-/GCR yesterday 29-Sep-11 13.00 was due15.00 29-Sep-16 1.85 1.00 the statutory 14.95 96.91 that NAHCO 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 activities in debunked the In- Valentine Ozigbo, orous process that ers of Transcorp Hotel who the EGM and the IPO. A-/Agusto 25-Oct-13 14.25 5.53 the 25-Oct-16 1.92 1.34 governed 15.35 98.19 FSDH 13.00accusation UBA 30-SEP-2017 A/GCR 13.00 put us through.

20.00 30-Sep-17 2.85 Federal 1.00 the capital 15.24 94.92 to fid dependent Shareholders described the “We saw the30-Sep-10 com- regulator and they are the market, UBA 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 BBB-/GCR 18.00 0.73 30-Nov-17 1.67 Nigeria 1.88 out if 15.66 *C & I LEASING Association of Nigeria’s we are in104.40 order or as unfounded, said the plaints of ISAN 30-Nov-12 in the It became impossible to Government of MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 Nil 09-Apr-11 16.00 6.30 09-Apr-18 1.87 3.48 17.45 98.06 *DANA#{r} media that we did not complete our IPO at the and Transcorp Plc and not.

Our company is a MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR 09-Sep-11 18.00 2.90 09-Sep-18 2.04 5.20 19.31 98.26 *TOWER# they were represented follow due process09-Sep-11 in the time16.00 we had already MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR 0.80 09-Sep-18 2.04 5.06 complete 19.17 separate 101.85entity *TOWER# at22-Sep-18 the EGM, which was because IPO and our position is stipulated far as CAMA is 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 A/Agusto; A/GCR 22-Sep-11 14.00 35.00 the 3.83 1.35 and as 15.41 95.98 UBA 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR 18-Oct-13 15.75 from SEC 2.40came 18-Oct-18 2.15 2.29 concerned, 16.45 99.01 comthat nothing can be far- approval dully convened.” we have *LA CASERA MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR 17-Feb-12 17.00 0.41 Sep17-Feb-19 2.23 that the 6.11 pletely 20.30 *CHELLARAMS# Ozigbo added ther from the truth than in the last week of complied94.68 with it.

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 Nil 01-Apr-14 16.00 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.10 2.16 16.35 99.24 *DANA#{r} They should have talked that.

We did follow due tember. company , which had been 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 A+/Agusto; A-/GCR 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 14-Nov-20 5.97 2.76 16.58 95.06 NAHCO vices Employee (FCT) process in the process of “The Quotation Comin existence in the last 20 to their lawyers before 182D T.bills+1.20 STANBIC IA 30-SEP-2024 Abdulwahab Isa STANBIC IBTC A/GCR 30-Sep-14 11.93 0.10 30-Sep-24 9.85 1.00 14.88 84.92 chapter, noted that a the IPO. “Before we30-Sep-14 came mittee of the NSE 15.44 headed years, 13.25 STANBIC IB 30-SEP-2024 A/GCR 13.25 30-Sep-24 has been 9.85 holding 1.00 making 14.88this noise 91.65 to unSTANBIC IBTC Abuja out with the IPO, we en- by Alhaji Aliko Dangote its annual general meetdermine our company , he TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE meeting presided over 144.16 gaged shareholders, em- finally gave us 139.14 the ap- ings (AGMs) and it has said.

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATIONby Chief Anyim was in he Secretary to the progress as at the time Supranational Bond Government of our correspondent filed AAA/S&P 11-Feb-13 10.20 12.00 11-Feb-18 3.22 1.00 15.17 87.66 IFC Federation (SGF) in this story10.20 . IFC 11-FEB-2018 11.25 AFDB 1-FEB-2021 Aaa/Moody's; AAA/S&P 10-Jul-14 11.25 12.95 01-Feb-21 4.44 1.00 14.95 88.78 AfDB Chief Anyim Pius Any“We have been in a 24.95 im TOTAL has OUTSTANDING intervenedVALUE in meeting with Secretary MARKET CAPITALISATION recorded the previous day. the TOTAL crisis between the to the Government of he Nigerian stock mar- 22.02 265.9 million shares worth At the close of trading, 28 leadership of labour Federation (SGF) and we ket yesterday degenerN2.8 billion in 3,567 deals was Outstanding Value Description Rating/Agency Issuer been able to reach Issue Date fromCoupon Maturity Date Yield (%)as Offerrecorded Yield (%) Bid Offertrading.

Price union at the Securities have ated sell(%)offs as ($mm) stocks appreciated inBidprice inPrice the day’s andFGN Exchange Commisan agreement to suspend the bears overshadowed the against 17 others that depreThe banking sub-sector of Eurobonds Prices & Yields sion (SEC) and its man- the strike to enable the bulls, leading to share decline ciated in value. the financial services sector 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 UAC Property 28-Jan-21 BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P 5.20 ad5.04 108.10 active 108.95 agement over welfare board resolve the issues in most blue chip companies.

Plc was the most during issues, New Telegraph raised by the union”.

The NSE ASI rolled back vanced by 8.37 per cent to the day (measured by turnBB-/Fitch; FGN 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 12-Jul-13 5.13 500.00 12-Jul-18 4.32 4.09 102.66 103.46 hasBB-/S&P learnt.

SEC Staff union opby 0.15 per cent, while market close at N11.40 per share to over volume); with 143.5 milBB-/Fitch; 6.38 JUL 12, 2023 12-Jul-13 6.38 12-Jul-23 table,5.48 106.11 5.36 shares 106.94 Anyim’s intervention erating on the platform capitalisation dropped 0.51 500.00 lead the gainers’ while lion worth N1.3 billion BB-/S&P Oando Nigeria Plc and Oko- exchanged by investors in hasTOTAL stalled a planned per cent, due to the delisting 1,500.00 OUTSTANDING VALUE of Amalgamated Union strike theCAPITALISATION union, of Public Corporations, of four companies – Pinnacle 1,584.36 mu Oil Plc followed with a 1,176 deals.

TOTALby MARKET which had fixed yester- Civil Service Technical Point Group, Afroil, Starcom- gain of 5 per cent each to Volume in the banking close at N21.41 and N28.14 sub-sector was largely driven dayCorporate for theEurobonds commence- and Recreational Servicms and Big Treat.

11.50 FEB 01, 2016 01-Feb-11 01-Feb-16 ment ofB-/S&P an indefinite Employee (FCT) chapSpecifically, the11.50 NSE All- 450.00 respectively . by of B/Fitch; AFREN PLC es I 8.47 8.47 activities 103.30in the shares 103.30 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 19-May-11 7.50 19-May-16 strike toB+/S&P press for GTBANK en- PLCter Bank had served the manShare Index depreciated by 500.00 Reversing the day’s4.83 gain, Sterling B+/Fitch; I 4.83 103.75 Plc and 103.75Wema 7.25 0.15 per 350.00 25-Jul-17 Bank Plc.101.00 hanced agement two tranche7.25 ofJUL 25, 2017 50.9225-Jul-12 basis points or shares of Academy Press B+/S&P welfare for staff.

ACCESS BANK PLC 6.83 Plc 6.83 101.00 6.88 MAY 09, 2018 6.88 02-May-18 B/S&P Messaging FIDELITY BANK PLC 9.58 8.93Other financial 92.22 94.00 cent09-May-13 to return downwards to 300.00 AB/Fitch; Short ultimatum demanding depreciated by 5 per cent to services 08-Nov-13as against 6.0033,926.18 400.00 08-Nov-18 B+/Fitch; B+/S&P 6.31 5.97 sector 98.94 100.10 33,875.26 System (SMS) sentGTBANK to PLCimplementation of 6.00 en-NOV 08, 2018 sub of the financial close at 95 kobo per share.

10.25 APR 08, 2019 08-Apr-12 10.25 300.00 08-Apr-19 II 9.67 9.67 102.00 102.00 recorded last Friday . ourB/Fitch correspondentAFREN

by PLC hanced sector, boosted by welfare packUPL Plc followed with a drop services 6.25 APR 22, 2019 22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 22-Apr-19 B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P PLC 6.51 6.51 99.00 99.00 The market capitalisation a leading memberZENITH of BANKage. the activities in the shares They threatened8.75 toMay 21, 2019 of 4.84 per cent to close at 21-May-14 8.75 200.00 21-May-19 B/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMOND BANK PLC 9.35 9.09 97.83 98.79 Amalgamated UnionFIRST ofBANKembark on strike if their of equities equally plum- 300.00 N3.93, while African Prudenof FBNH Plc, followed with a 8.25 AUG 07, 2020 07-Aug-13 8.25 07-Aug-20 B-/Fitch; B/S&P PLC 8.11 8.11 99.75 99.75 turnover of 60 million shares Public Corporations, demands are not met and meted by N58 billion or 0.51 tial fell 4.00 per cent to close 6.63 DEC 09, 2020 09-Dec-13 6.63 360.00 09-Dec-20 B-/Fitch; B/S&P AFREN PLC III 10.00 10.00 85.00 85.00 at N2.88 per share.

Civil Service Technical their expired per 24-Jun-14 cent to close at valued at N520.9 million 9.25/6M USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 9.25 N11.183 400.00 24-Jun-21 B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC II ultimatum 9.77 9.45 97.75 99.25 in 628 8.00/2Y USD SWAP+6.488 JUL 23 2021 . andB-/Fitch; Recreational Sertrillion from N11.241 deals.

23-Jul-14 8.00 trillion 450.00 Meanwhile, 23-Jul-21a turnover B/S&P FIRST BANKyesterday LTD 8.51 of 8.51 96.50 96.50

T

SEC staff suspend strike as SGF intervenes

T

NSE stocks fall on delisting

T

B-/S&P

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.44

4,760.00 4,688.08

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

24-Nov-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 **Treasury Bills FIXINGS Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

DTM 10 17 FGN Bonds 31 38 45 Rating/Agency 52 59 66 73 80 87 94 101 108 NA122 129 136 143 150 157 164 171 255 TOTAL OUTSTANDING 283

VALUE

Maturity 4-Dec-14 11-Dec-14 25-Dec-14 1-Jan-15 8-Jan-15 Issuer 15-Jan-15 22-Jan-15 29-Jan-15 5-Feb-15 12-Feb-15 19-Feb-15 26-Feb-15 5-Mar-15 12-Mar-15 NA 26-Mar-15 2-Apr-15 9-Apr-15 16-Apr-15 23-Apr-15 30-Apr-15 7-May-15 14-May-15 6-Aug-15 3-Sep-15

Bid Discount (%) 13.00 13.40 13.65 13.60 13.20 Description 13.40 13.30 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 13.05 16-AUG-2016 13.50 15.10 27-APR-2017 12.26 9.85 27-JUL-2017 13.10 9.35 31-AUG-2017 13.25 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.10 16.00 29-JUN-2019 13.40 13.70 7.00 23-OCT-2019 13.30 16.39 27-JAN-2022 13.30 14.20 14-MAR-2024 13.00 15.00 28-NOV-2028 13.10 12.49 22-MAY-2029 13.00 8.50 20-NOV-2029 11.80 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.80 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 12.60 11.70

Offer Discount (%) 12.75 13.15 13.40 13.35 12.95 Issue Date 13.15 13.05 23-Apr-10 12.80 16-Aug-13 13.25 27-Apr-12 12.01 27-Jul-07 12.85 31-Aug-07 13.00 30-May-08 12.85 29-Jun-12 13.15 13.45 23-Oct-09 13.05 27-Jan-12 13.05 14-Mar-14 12.75 28-Nov-08 12.85 22-May-09 12.75 20-Nov-09 11.55 23-Jul-10 12.55 18-Jul-14 12.35 11.45

Bid Yield (%) 13.05 13.48 13.81 13.80 13.42 Coupon (%) 13.66 13.59 4.00 13.37 13.05 13.87 15.10 12.60 9.85 13.52 9.35 13.72 10.70 13.59 16.00 13.95 14.36 7.00 13.96 16.39 13.99 14.20 13.70 15.00 13.85 12.49 13.77 8.50 12.46 10.00 13.62 12.1493 13.82 12.87

NIBOR

Bonds

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

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

Rate (%) 9.9833 13.4234 13.9563 Maturity Date 14.9144

535.00 563.89 452.80 20.00 Tenor 100.00 1M 300.00 2M 351.30 3M 6M 233.90 9M 600.00 12M 371.68

23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 NITTY 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 Rate (%) 31-Aug-17 11.1937 30-May-18 12.8111 29-Jun-19 12.8887 13.1202 23-Oct-19 13.4137 27-Jan-22 13.7641 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 NIFEX 200.00 20-Nov-29 591.57 Current Price ($/N)23-Jul-30 130.00 18-Jul-34 BID($/N) 177.5550 OFFER4,675.13 ($/N) 177.6550

4,443.33

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

9.88

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

Agency Bonds

Description

Issue Date

0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 ***LCRM 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017Total Outstanding Porfolio Market Modified Duration Buckets Value(Bn) Volume(Bn) VALUE FMBN

TOTAL OUTSTANDING

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION <3 3<5

Sub-National Bonds A+/Agusto A/Agusto A-/Agusto 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

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

>5 Market

1,017.05 1,421.63

1,016.68 1,322.98

568.01

721.57 3,061.23

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 3,006.69 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

Coupon (%)

24-May-10 0.00 03-Apr-12 FMDQ FGN 17.25 BOND 09-Dec-11 0.00/16.00 20-Apr-12 0.00/16.50 06-Jul-12by 0.00/16.50 Weighting Weighting

by Mkt Outstanding Vol Value

33.21 43.22 23.57

31-Aug-10 100.00 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

33.83 47.28 18.89

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

Outstanding Value (N'bn) 24.56

INDEX 3.00

112.22 116.70 66.49 Bucket Weighting

322.97

311.270.33

0.43 0.24

8.50 1.00 4.18 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92 25.00 34.14 9.00 14.96 11.13 27.00

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Price173.70 Spot 173.60 O/N 10.17 7D 172.27 172.51 Offer REPO 14D Yield 172.55 172.86 Offer Price TTM (Yrs) Bid Yield (%) Bid Price Tenor Rate (%) 1M(%) 173.18 173.82 Call 12.08 2M 174.40 175.54 0.41 13.69 13.29 96.20 96.35 1M 13.20 3M 175.62 177.29 1.73 13.89 13.78 98.70 98.85 3M 14.00 6M 179.48 183.00 2.42 14.23 101.70 101.85 6M 14.89 1Y14.15 187.30 195.53 2.67 14.27 14.20 90.40 90.55 2.77 14.26 14.18 89.06 89.21 NOTE: 3.51 14.12 14.00 90.78 91.08 :Benchmarks 4.60 13.93 13.85 NA :Not Applicable 106.80 107.10 * :Amortising Bond # :Floating Rate Bond 4.91 13.90 13.80 76.00 76.30 µ :Convertible coupon bonds 111.80 7.18Bond 13.80 13.74 ***: Deferred 111.50 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria 9.30Management Corporation 13.89 13.83 101.55 101.85 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria expired 14.01 13.76 13.72 †: Bond rating 107.60 107.90 FMBN: Federal Nigeria 14.49Mortgage Bank of 13.75 13.70 N/A :Not Available 92.19 92.49 IFC: International Finance Corporation {r} :Issuer in receivership 14.99 13.73 13.66 67.11 67.41 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management 15.66 13.81 13.75 75.80 76.10 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company NGC: Nigeria-German Company 19.65 13.30 13.25 92.00 92.30 UBA: United Bank for Africa O/N: Overnight UPDC: UAC Property Development Company WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

*for the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration #

Tenor

Maturity Date

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

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

0.50 1.23 2.04 2.40 2.61 Implied Yield

# Risk Premium (%)

2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00 Implied Portfolio Price

Valuation Yield (%) 16.18 15.53 16.11 15.27 15.29 INDEX

Indicative Price

92.51 102.08 99.19 96.17 93.17 YTD Return (%)

14.52 45.72

14.07 13.86

116.8802 124.2857

1,110.12 1,052.40

11.0123 5.2404

39.76

13.70 0.77 13.82

90.7727 4.44 113.9268

1,061.29 17.66 1,087.90

6.1293 96.38 8.7901

31-Aug-15 100.00 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

0.61 0.89 0.90 2.40 1.45 3.10 2.28 3.86 2.27 2.27 2.66

3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 4.78 1.00

16.65 17.53 16.55 19.86 14.55 15.98 16.01 15.05 15.21 18.99 15.28

98.63 97.09 99.41 81.83 99.12 95.25 96.53 96.95 98.71 91.02 98.47

Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014

Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041

44

Business | Capital Market

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041

Daily Summary (Bonds)

No Debt Trading Activity

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at November 24, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 1 25 10 36

Current Price 0.50 28.14 26.13

Quantity Traded 1,000,000 151,632 29,526 1,181,158

Value Traded 500,000.00 4,238,038.06 771,982.90 5,510,020.96

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 2.03

Quantity Traded 202,000 202,000

Value Traded 420,600.00 420,600.00

1,383,158

5,930,620.96

Quantity Traded 100 1,000 11,235,246 103,095 11,339,441

Value Traded 376.00 940.00 45,207,292.69 4,248,953.11 49,457,561.80

11,339,441

49,457,561.80

AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Diversified Industries Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 CHELLARAMS PLC.

JOHN HOLT PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

42 Symbol CHELLARAM JOHNHOLT TRANSCORP UACN

Daily Summary

No. of Deals 1 1 157 27 (Equities) 186

CONGLOMERATES Activity Summary onTotals Board EQTY

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

Current Price 3.95 0.98 4.07 41.99

186

Current Price 60.66 6.29

Quantity Traded 115,484 332 115,816

Value Traded 6,682,992.92 2,245.98 6,685,238.90

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 11.40

Quantity Traded 479,740 479,740

Value Traded 5,388,087.20 5,388,087.20

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.00

Quantity Traded 12,815,207 12,815,207

Value Traded 128,152,070.00 128,152,070.00

13,450,873

140,291,762.60

Current Price 0.84 14.46

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

Symbol JBERGER ROADS

No. of Deals 21 2 23

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

Symbol UAC-PROP

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Symbol UPDCREIT

59 No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 14,000 14,000

Value Traded 7,000.00 7,000.00

Symbol GUINNESS

No. of Deals 43

Current Price 157.36

Quantity Traded 112,374

Value Traded 17,596,972.04

Symbol INTBREW NB PREMBREW

No. of Deals 20 120 1 184

Current Price 28.00 160.00 3.98

Quantity Traded 512,691 453,441 1,068 1,079,574

Value Traded 14,281,059.07 72,407,596.14 4,047.72 104,289,674.97

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

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 149.00

Quantity Traded 17,558 17,558

Value Traded 2,579,515.91 2,579,515.91

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 1 93 106 17 24 1 242

Current Price 6.55 6.00 41.51 3.15 7.23 19.00

Quantity Traded 1,125 7,907,740 743,508 482,348 1,108,876 354 10,243,951

Value Traded 7,008.75 46,786,921.22 31,919,628.54 1,525,195.64 8,058,357.22 6,726.00 88,303,837.37

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 37 33 70

Current Price 42.09 860.01

Quantity Traded 150,216 54,524 204,740

Value Traded 6,131,064.59 46,936,365.71 53,067,430.30

No. of Deals 12

Current Price 3.80

Quantity Traded 312,800

Value Traded 1,188,248.00

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GUINNESS NIG PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY PublishedCONSUMER

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. PREMIER BREWERIES PLC Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Food Products--Diversified Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041

CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Symbol DUNLOP

Daily Summary (Equities)

Page

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol VITAFOAM

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

CONSUMER GOODS Household Durables Household Durables Totals

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

of

3

of

12

No. of Deals 46 41 87

Current Price 22.20 33.00

Quantity Traded 342,887 232,738 575,625

Value Traded 7,702,106.09 7,637,511.20 15,339,617.29

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

12,448,248

264,775,323.84

No. of Deals 2 53 204 1,176

Current Price 0.50 0.96 20.75

Quantity Traded 254 18,037,539 37,423,541 Page 143,554,864

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST INTENEGINS LASACO MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM WAPIC

No. of Deals 29 4 5 1 2 4 1 23 20 89

Current Price 0.88 0.93 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.86 0.50 0.60 0.67

Quantity Traded 2,289,557 400,000 143,124 299,000 10,700 8,360 50,000 1,105,000 607,340 4,913,081

Value Traded 1,941,624.53 372,000.00 71,562.00 149,500.00 5,350.00 23,894.60 25,000.00 662,479.57 401,694.49 3,653,105.19

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.86

Quantity Traded 6,100 6,100

Value Traded 5,189.00 5,189.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 400,000 400,000

Value Traded 200,000.00 200,000.00

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

Page Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

No. of Deals 52 11 442 33 8 17 65 628

Current Price 2.88 3.82 9.40 3.20 0.50 28.25 1.69

1,897

of

No. of Deals 3 1 4

Current Price 0.50 2.21

Quantity Traded 1,000,000 1,000 1,001,000

Value Traded 500,000.00 2,300.00 502,300.00

1,067,746

570,696.24

Quantity Traded 46,975 210,106 145,714 32,091 937,598 100

Value Traded 1,064,688.50 1,811,920.10 5,261,056.10 343,790.81 173,856,021.07 83.00

Daily Summary as ofGOODS 24/11/2014 INDUSTRIAL Printed 24/11/2014 Building15:06:41.041 Materials

ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 DANGOTE CEMENT PLC Activity on Board EQTY DNSummary MEYER PLC.

9 Symbol No. of Deals ASHAKACEM 8 BERGER 14 CAP 10 Daily Summary (Equities) CCNN 7 DANGCEM 103 DNMEYER 1

Current Price 22.89 8.70 36.15 10.80 185.25 0.87

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

Page Quantity Traded 10 32,000

7Value Traded of 12 5.00 153,280.00

1 2

0.50 5.04

Symbol WAPCO

No. of Deals 42 188

Current Price 78.00

Quantity Traded 279,565 1,684,159

Value Traded 21,802,468.00 204,293,312.58

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

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 1.47

Quantity Traded 214,166 214,166

Value Traded 315,874.02 315,874.02

Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 1.59 22.05

Quantity Traded 268 2,382 2,650

Value Traded 444.88 52,523.10 52,967.98

1,900,975

204,662,154.58

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 7,370.00 7,370.00

1,000

7,370.00

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

195 Symbol ALUMACO

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 7.75

1

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals JAPAULOIL

3 3

Current Price 0.50

Page Quantity Traded 294,400 294,400

Page

8 of 12 Value Traded 147,200.00

147,200.00

9

of

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

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals Current Price 247 21.41 247

Quantity Traded 4,567,442 4,567,442

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC 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 BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals Current Price 2 0.50 10 49.23 41 3.08 69 200.00 15 148.92 1 56.00 12 147.40 150

Quantity Traded 39,000 20,998 1,728,837 151,687 8,579 720 8,386 1,958,207

Value Traded 19,500.00 982,076.46 5,043,352.59 30,189,383.35 1,266,533.94 38,304.00 1,277,817.54 38,816,967.88

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals Current Price 13 430.00 13

Quantity Traded 532,304 532,304

Value Traded 228,846,595.00 228,846,595.00

7,352,353

365,719,619.62

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

Value Traded 317,954.61 317,954.61

413

RTBRISCOE

11 11

0.85

374,081 374,081

Value Traded 97,908,856.74 97,908,856.74

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals Current Price 1 4.20 1

Quantity Traded Page 1,000

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals Current Price 2 0.50 2

Quantity Traded 449,166 449,166

Value Traded 224,583.00 224,583.00

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals Current Price 41 3.71 41

Quantity Traded 4,185,000 4,185,000

Value Traded 15,623,420.00 15,623,420.00

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals Current Price 2 0.95 6 1.41 9 3.93 17

Quantity Traded 73,632 334,100 200,574 608,306

Value Traded 69,950.40 444,530.00 788,262.82 1,302,743.22

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals Current Price 17 0.58 17

Quantity Traded 953,912 953,912

Value Traded 557,125.08 557,125.08

Symbol

No. of Deals Current Price 18 4.90 18

Quantity Traded 609,413 609,413

Value Traded 2,969,810.58 2,969,810.58

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 4 4

Page Quantity Traded 22,100 22,100

Daily Summary (Equities) NAHCO

1,000

12

Value Traded 10 4,300.00 of 12 4,300.00

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

12

208,932,245

1,827,054,818.82

Symbol UNIONDAC

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 10 10

Value Traded 5.00 5.00

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN

No. of Deals 2 11 12 12 4 1 42

Current Price 2.20 3.40 52.00 1.40 0.90 7.00

Quantity Traded 304 226,900 170,378 287,500 136,486 100 821,668

Value Traded 635.36 788,500.00 8,859,864.22 400,080.00 123,746.33 665.00 10,173,490.91

of

Symbol CHAMS ETRANZACT

Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Value Traded 6,549,726.56 1,230,756.51 501,474,888.44 4,006,078.13 62,520.20 4,145,446.92 3,437,450.23 520,906,866.99

6

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals

Road as Transportation Daily Summary of 24/11/2014 ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 Road Transportation Totals

Quantity Traded 2,244,694 322,188 53,929,906 1,251,987 123,374 147,107 2,038,944 60,058,200

Page

Value Traded 36,521.24 36,521.24

SERVICES Courier/Freight/Delivery Published by The Stock Exchange REDNigerian STAR EXPRESS PLC © Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Value Traded 127.00 16,896,217.59 780,355,842.76 4 of 12 1,302,289,657.64

5

Quantity Traded 2,996 2,996

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FINANCIAL SERVICES

Current Price 12.83

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

Value Traded 124,458,890.69 43,137,690.43 16,006,798.20 3,212,069.71 166,560,482.67 28,330,578.36 78,053,230.88 40,627,036.63 4,650,692.72

Symbol UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

RESORTSAL Daily Summary (Equities)

No. of Deals 1 1

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Exploration and Production Totals Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 OIL AND GAS Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. INTERNATIONAL BANK Published byZENITH The Nigerian Stock Exchange © PLC Banking Totals

Symbol NCR

OIL GAS Stock Exchange © Published

by AND The Nigerian

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

Quantity Traded 15,394,978 7,817,612 939,086 1,928,882 7,052,056 11,434,503 33,900,737 9,056,851 568,825

IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Value Traded 1,188,248.00

Current Price 7.97 5.49 17.05 1.66 23.66 2.47 2.30 4.45 8.15

Value Traded 31,875.00 31,875.00

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

Quantity Traded 312,800

Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 157 DIAMONDBNK 57 ETI 30 FIDELITYBK 50 GUARANTY 318 SKYEBANK 94 STERLNBANK 34 UBA 137 Daily Summary (Equities) UBN 40

Quantity Traded 63,750 63,750

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

Current Price

611

Current Price 0.50

NATURAL RESOURCES Metals ALUMINIUM MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 Metals Printed 24/11/2014Totals 15:06:41.041

No. of Deals 12

10,173,495.91

No. of Deals 4 4

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Building Materials Totals

12

821,678

Symbol COURTVILLE

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Materials Published byBuilding The Nigerian Stock Exchange © FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PORTLAND & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Activity SummaryPAINTS on Board EQTY

Symbol

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 FIDELITY BANK PLC Printed 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC.

2

43

ICT Totals

1 of 12 Value Traded 31,343.24 35,023.26 66,366.50

No. of Deals 9 7 16

Automobiles/Auto Parts DN TYRE & RUBBER PLC Automobiles/Auto Parts Totals

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

Page Quantity Traded 37,561 2,549 40,110

Symbol COSTAIN GCAPPA

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals Daily Summary as of 24/11/2014 PrintedCONSUMER 24/11/2014 15:06:41.041 GOODS

HEALTHCARE HEALTHCARE Totals

SERVICES Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC Support and Logistics Totals SERVICES Totals

Current Price 3.44

11 of 12 Value Traded 79,738.00 79,738.00

111

7,202,978

21,079,674.49

EQTY Board Totals

3,567

265,900,695

2,889,723,098.86

Equity Activity Totals

3,567

265,900,695

2,889,723,098.86

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

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

Symbol LOTUSHAL15 NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 2 1 1 4

Current Price 10.59 2,048.00 15.29

Quantity Traded 1,010 7 10 1,027

Value Traded 10,145.90 14,336.00 152.90 24,634.80

ETF Board Totals

4

1,027

24,634.80

ETP Activity Totals

4

1,027

24,634.80

12

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Page

12

of

12

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2014

News 45

NATION’S CAPITAL

Court strikes out charge against Nyanya bomb blast suspect Tunde Oyesina Abuja

A

Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday struck out the two count criminal charge bordering on terrorism filed by the police against the prime suspect of the April 14 Nyanya bomb blast, Aminu Ogwuche.

About 75 people lost their lives in the incident.

The trial judge, Justice

Adeniyi Ademola, struck out the charge brought by the police for lack of diligent prosecution, having been absent in court for two consecutive times.

The suspect, will however, remain in the custody of the Department of State Security till December 5 when the court will hear the application filed by counsel, Ahmed Raji, SAN seeking to enforce his fundamental human rights.

At the early stage of the trial, there was confu-

sion between the Department of State Service and the Police on who to prosecute Ogwuche.

But it was however, resolved that the Attorney General of the Federation will prosecute the accused but no charge has been filed from the AGF office, though the Director of Public Prosecution is always in attendance in court.

At the last adjourned date, the court ordered the DSS to produce Ogwuche in court.

At the resumed hearing yesterday, the DSS brought the accused person but he was not arraigned due to the absence of the police.

Counsel to Ogwuche orally prayed the court for an order granting the accused person access to his lawyer, family members and his doctor.

Counsel to the DSS, Clifford Osaghie, did not oppose the request for access to his lawyer and family to visit the suspect, but however objected to allow-

ing a doctor to visit him.

He submitted that the service has a standard clinic and in the event of any illness, the accused will be referred to the National Hospital.

In a short ruling, the court held that the accused person should be granted access to three lawyers, and two of his family members- his wife and brother.

The court added that the service should ensure adequate medical

treatment be administered on the accused and in the event of any illness, he should be taken to the National Hospital for treatment.

The court later adjourned till December 5 for hearing of the accused person‘s request.

The accused had hinged the application seeking to enforce his fundamental right on ground that the DSS have kept him for too long without arraigning him.

Ogwuche is being held for allegedly masterminding the bomb blast that killed 75 people at a bus station in Nyanya, a surburb of the Federal Capital Territory and thereafter escaping to Sudan.

National Assembly gets deputy clerk Chukwu David Abuja

T

Suspected mastermind of Nyanya bomb blast, Aminu Ogwuche and State Security Service (SSS) operatives at the Federal High Court, Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

FCTA jails 25 commercial bike riders Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

T

he Federal Capital Territory administration has finally given bite to its ban on operation of commercial motorcyclists in the nation’s capital as it has secured conviction and sentencing of 25 riders arrested in the city.

FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, disclosed this in Abuja yesterday, during the FCT

Operations Briefing Session held in his Gwarinpa official residence.

Mohammed said that the arrest and prosecution of the riders were carried out by the Special Task Team on the City Cleaning and Management inaugurated by him recently.

He added that the Task Team to date has prosecuted 41 offenders at the mobile courts, which culminated in the conviction and sentencing of 25 rid-

ers to jail without option of fines and the discharge of four persons while the cases involving other offenders are ongoing.

The Minister also disclosed that the Task Team has within the period arrested 492 commercial sex workers and 128 miscreants/urchins as well as 17 mentally ill persons.

He explained that all the arrests made were followed with prosecution under the environmental

mobile courts even as the Task Team complained that some of the penalties which most of the offenders receive often ranging between N3,000 to N5,000 only are light.

On the non-usage of pedestrian bridges and destruction of barricades, the Minister warned residents to henceforth use the overhead bridges for crossing the highways or face the full wrath of the law.

Hotel donates to motherless babies Yekeen Nurudeen Abuja

A

s part of activities marking its 11th year of operation in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja, the management of Valencia Hotels, yesterday extended hands of charity to motherless babies at

Mother Theresa Children’s Home, Gwarinpa.

The hotel management showered the children with various gift items.

Leading other management members of the hotels, General Manager of the hotels, Ediale Joel said the gesture was a way to give back to the society, especially the less privileged.

He explained that the practice has been a tradition of the hotel since its inception 11 years ago.

Joel, who handed the gift items to the Matron in charge of the Home, Mrs. Ijeoma Njoku, said reaching out to the needy by the hotels every year was its social responsibility to the society.

“This a practice that we have been doing for the past 11 years. When we celebrate our anniversary we reach out to the society as our social responsibility especially the less privileged.

It is a way for us to say thank you to the society and thank you to God for the journey so far” he said.

he National Assembly Service Commission has appointed Senate Clerk, Mr. Ben Efeturi, Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.

A statement by the Acting Secretary to the Commission, Olusanya Ajakaiye, said Efeturi’s appointment was in recognition of his hardwork and administrative competence.

The statement entitled, “Appointment as deputy clerk to the National Assembly” read in part “I write to communicate to you the decision of the Commission at its 403rd meeting on Friday 21st November, 2014, approving your appointment as Deputy Clerk to the National Assembly.

CJN appoints acting Chief Registrar for S’Court Tunde Oyesina Abuja

B

arely 72 hours of his resumption as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Mahmud Mohammed yesterday appointed Ahmed Gambo Saleh as the Acting Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court.

Saleh will take over the administration of the apex court from Sunday Olorundahunsi, who recently was appointed by the National Judicial Council as a Judge of the Ondo State High Court.

According to a statement issued by the outgoing Chief Registrar, Sunday Olorundahunsi in Abuja, Saleh was a Deputy Chief Registrar in charge of Litigation in the Supreme Court until his current elevation.

Saleh was born in Hadejia in Jigawa State in the 1969, where he com-

pleted both his Primary and Secondary schools.

He was called to Bar in 1996 and holds both first and second degree in Law from Usman Danfodio University in Sokoto and Bayero University, Kano respectively.

He worked briefly as a private legal practitioner before joining the service of Jigawa State Ministry of Justice as Senior State Counsel in 1998, where he rose to become Director of Legal Drafting.

In 2008, Saleh was appointed a Special Assistant to the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi ,GCON. He later became a Deputy Chief Registrar of the Supreme Court in 2010 and has been in charge of Litigation of the Supreme Court until his present promotion to the seat of Acting Chief Registrar of the apex court.

y ewo ti al s, l, ce d er d

en, yi e-

ne, d he te ce s-

46

News

holiday

APC lawmakers in Ekiti are far away from the House, but it is no hnoeymoon yet Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

T

he much-anticipated resumption of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, under the leadership of the Speaker, Dr. Adewale Omirin, who is leading the 19 All Progressives Congress (APC), members in the House did not take place yesterday, as he spoke from hiding that the House would only resume whenever the Governor, Ayo Fayose, heeds the voice of reason.

When anxious journalists besieged the Assembly Complex in AdoEkiti, only the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)

tuesday, november 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

south - WEST

Omirin: Ekiti House waiting for Fayose factional speaker, Hon. Dele Olugbemi and few of his colleagues were around.

There was virtually no security presence, as only few members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria moved around and workers in the complex going about their businesses.

Omirin, who was removed from office last Thursday by his PDP counterparts, said he and his colleagues would only return to the state when the coast to do so is clear,

2.7%

adding they would not risk their lives to perform their legitimate duties.

Omirin, who spoke in a telephone chat, also refused to disclose his whereabouts.

"Myself and my colleagues will not return to Ekiti State until the coast is clear. Governor Ayo Fayose does not want us back in the state.

Our members that came to town, the governor's agents went to their houses and ransacked them.

"I have spoken to the Di-

The annual rate of increase in population of Middle Africa in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

rector of the Department of State Security Service and the Police and they said they were not aware houses of our members were ransacked.

We are aware that the governor's plan is to eliminate two or three of our members for by-elections to hold and the governor will have the needed majority in the Assembly," he said.

Omirin, also alleged that his official house was burgled by some people, stating that some

40.99

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Austria in 2007.

Source: Itu.int

officials of the Assembly witnessed the incident.

On whether he came to Ekiti last week, Omirin, replied that he left Ekiti last Wednesday and had not returned.

On the constitutional implications of staying away and not meeting the required number of days to sit, he said, "We have a right to regulate our own rules, we are ready to work and perform the duties we were elected to do."

In a related develop-

3.17m

The total population of Albania (rep.

0.046% of world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Ondo mulls Medical Science University

T

Police parade OPC leader for murder Adesina Wahab and Foluso Ogumodede

E

kiti State Police Command, on Monday paraded the leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), in the state, Mr Adeniyi Adedipe, as a suspect in the murder of the former State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Chief Omolafe Aderiye, on September 25, this year.

The Commissioner of Police, Ekiti State, Mr Taiwo Lakanu, who paraded Adedipe, also said the command had got the list of those involved in murder and other sundry cases from the Ministry of Justice, as the Attorney General had written the Police of the intention to re-open the matters.

This is just as a Federal High Court sitting in Jos, Plateau State has stopped the police from re-arresting the All Progressives Congress (APC) State Chairman , Chief Jide Awe, and others. the murder of Mr Ayo Jeje and Madam Juliana Adewumi in Erijiyan-Ekiti on March 31 last year.

Lakanu, while explaining the role of the police in the re-opening of cases, said the matter would only be re-opened at the court.

"We got a list of those involved in the cases from the Ministry of Justice and some suspects were reported and have been charged to court.

We have invited Awe and others and they are yet to report and if he does not we know what to do," he said.

ment, the factional Speaker Olugbemi said the Speakers' Forum had no right to reject whosoever his colleagues elected as the Speaker in Ekiti.

He was reacting to the position of the Forum on his emergence as Speaker last Thursday.

Olugbemi, said he remained the authentic Speaker of the Assembly, adding that he was duly elected by 10 out of the 26 members of the Assembly having impeached Omirin.

L-R: Director of Organisation, Mr. Abubakar Kari; All Progressives Congress (APC) Lagos State governorship aspirant, Dr. Kadir Obafemi Hamzat and National Organising Secretary of the party, Senator Osita Izunaso, during Hamzat’s submission of his Governorship nomination and Expression of Interest forms at the party's National Headquarters, Abuja...yesterday.

Fashola presents N490bn budget to Assembly Muritala Ayinla

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agos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday presented a budget estimate of N489.690billion for 2015 to the Lagos State House of Assembly for ratification, saying the budget was structured with zero deficit to ensure that his successor do not inherit budget shortfall.

The Capital to recurrent ratio of the budget was put at 51:49, which is the same as the 2014 budget estimate, as the governor stated that the budget proposal would enable the incoming administration the opportunity to start off very quickly when their programmes begin to crystallize as they may need to raise funds in order to start off.

'Lagos needs sound leader' Muritala Ayinla

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s the count-down to the end of the span of the present administration, the state Governor, Babatunde Fashola, yesterday appealed to residents to vote wisely and elect the leadership that shall sustain the budget implementation in the State at nothing below 70 percent.

However, the Peoples Democratic Party governorship aspirant; Sena-

tor Musiliu Obanikoro’s campaign posters yesterday morning flooded the Lagos State secretariat, Alausa.

But speaking while presenting the 2015 appropriation bill, Fashola said Lagos is too strategic to experiment choice of leaders, if projects like the Light Rail, Adiyan Water Works, Odo-Iya Alaro, Lagos Badagry Expressway, Lagos Homs, and other must be completed.

The breakdown and sectoral allocations of the budget proposal, as outlined by the Governor include: General Public Service N107.690bn(22.0 percent); Public Order & Safety N15.547(3.2 percent);Economic Affairs N146.306 (29.9 percent);Environmental Protection N34.953(7.1); Housing & Community Amenities N49.033(10.0); Health N44.617(9.1 percent); Recreation, Culture & Religion N3.118bn (0.6percent); Education N82.114bn (16.8 percent); Social Protection N1.589bn (0.3percent); Planning Reserve N2.260bn (0.5percent); Contingency N2.448bn (0.5percent).

Presenting the budget, Fashola, said the state’s budgets like all good budgets, are not only defined by plans and expectations, saying they make more sense if they are defined by resources, which he said, have been severely adversely affected by the

management and lack of transparency of the Federal Government and her agencies of the nation’s oil proceeds.

He lamented that the Federal Government still owes Lagos State Government the certified N51Billion out of N59Billion expended on Federal Government roads in Lagos.

He said,”They are also owing pension obligations of N673,673,355.25, which they have not paid. And as all of us are aware, oil prices have dropped from $100 per barrel and above to just around $80 per barrel at the time we finalized the budget. Our monthly receipts from FAAC have fallen below our usually conservative expectations for the first time in seven years. And lately, we are noticing that reduced patronage of the tourism and entertainment facilities has occurred in the aftermath of the Ebola outbreak."

he Ondo State Government has announced its plans to establish a Medical Science University to enable it institutionalize the successes that have been achieves in the health sector and also halt the brain –drain being experienced in the sector.

The state’s Commissioner for Information, Hon. Kayode Akinmade, made this known while speaking with newsmen in Ondo at the weekend during a working tour of the Ondo Medical Village.

He mentioned that the proposed University seeks to build on the enviable platforms already created by government to ensure the sustainability of qualitative health care system development and to halt the brain drain being experienced in the health sector through the production of top quality health professionals to effectively man the various hospitals in the state.

Informing that Ondo state is the only state in the southwestern region without a Teaching Hospital, the establishment of a medical Science University, Akinmade said also became imperative especially as the obvious brain drain of health workers seeking to explore further career opportunities within and outside the country, does not augur well for the sustainability of recent gains of the government in the health sector, as well as the eventual scale up and replication of the Mother and Child hospitals across the state.

The establishment is also expected to make for the provision of an institutional base for acquisition of academic, professional and technological knowledge needed for manpower development in technology, basic applied sciences.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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SOUTH-EAST

Okorocha denies rift with Tinubu Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

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ower play in the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the South-East may have given birth to another round of controversy with insinuations that the Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, is in a power struggle with the National Leader of the party, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, over who controls the party structure in the South-East.

There are also reports

74

that the governor is sparring with Senator Chris Ngige, over the political control of the APC. But the Imo State government in a statement yesterday, insists that there was no crisis in the party in the region and that Okorocha was neither in any popularity contest with Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, nor was he with Senator Chris Ngige.

The statement partly reads: “There is no looming crisis in the SouthEast APC for which Gov-

The life expectancy of women at birth in Azerbaijan in 2010-2015.

Source: Un.org

ernor Okorocha, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Senator Chris Ngige could be accused of being responsible. Whatever anybody feels that is happening in the South-East APC cannot be seen as strange, but as the normal politics of group or individual interests’ pursuits. As far as we are concerned, the claimed looming crisis in the APC South East is a media creation. It does not exist. The idea of bringing in the names of Okorocha, Tinubu and Ngige was

55%

The estimated percentage of heart disease threat that is augmented in passive smoking.

Source: Smokingstatistics.org

aimed at adding value to the false alarm.”

Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, Sam Onwuemeodo, said Okorocha is living no stone unturned in making the APC a formidable party in the South East, noting that he has gone a long way and cannot at the same time be causing crisis in the party.

The South East APC he said, has had series of meetings in recent times in various parts of the region and with a crowded

10

rally also held in Aba, Abia State and in Enugu respectively, and that in each case, Okorocha and Ngige had sat together and had preached unity of purpose among the members and leaders of the party in the region.

“We therefore make bold to say that the governor is not in any power tussle with any leader of the party for the control of the party in the South East or any other zone, because it is neither necessary nor advisable.”

63.4%

The number of deaths that resulted due The percentage of the urban populato Ebola virus outbreak that occurred in tion of Cape Verde in 2012.

Congo in 1976.

Source: Un.org Source: Who.int

Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu (middle); his wife, Lady Nwanneka; Executive Director, Ikeoha Foundation, Mrs. Cindy Ezeugwu and other members of the medical team at the grand finale of the annual constituency-wide Ikeoha Free Eye Treatment Project in Mpu, Aninri Local Government, Enugu State…yesterday

Chima tackles Elechi Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

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former member of the House of Representatives, for Ikwo/Ezza South federal constituency and an aspirant for the Ebonyi Central senatorial district on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Hon. Ugo Chima, has accused the administration of Chief Martin Elechi of encouraging corruption.

The aspirant spoke yesterday while addressing journalists at Ezza South Local Government, shortly after being blessed by the traditional rulers of Ezza clan in Onueke.

He said the governor is not being sincere to the people, adding that his

quest to collect another N15 billion bond from the capital market, when he has than less seven months to go, is uncalled for.

According to him, “No single project was commissioned in the last seven years by the present government. Governor Elechi has borrowed money from the capital market three times. The first one, he got 9.5 billion, the second one, he got 16 billion and in yet another, he applied for N15 billion, to be paid in seven years, when he has less than seven months to go.

“So we are worried, Ebonyi people are worried. I was a major stakeholder in the creation of this state and we do know our problem in creating the state. “

Anambra budgets N164bn for 2015

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nambra State Governor, Willie Obiano, yesterday laid a budget of N164.496 billion before the state House of Assembly for the 2015 fiscal year.

This represents a marginal increase of 3.17 per cent over the figure of N159.469 billion for the 2014 fiscal year.

According to Obiano, an estimated N110.979 billion would be for capital expenditure while N53.517 billion would be for recurrent expenditure, approximating to 67.5 per cent and 33.5 per cent respectively.

The budget entitled; “Budget for Wealth Creation and Social Cohesion,” according to the governor, took copious notice of the falling Federal Government’s consolidated revenue account over the last five months due to reduced oil receipts occasioned by declining oil prices.

He said: “Since more than 65 per cent of our states actual total revenue receipts come from statutory allocations, this fact has been recognised in the preparation of the 2015 draft estimate.

He added that acceptance of the scenario would underscore the urgent need for the state to grow its internally generated revenue aggressively in 2015.

Obiano said the balance of funding for the 2015 expenditure was projected to come from capital receipts, which is estimated at N112.459 billion, including transfer from the consolidated revenue funds, which would account for 61.4 per cent of the capital receipts, while others would come from reimbursement on capital expenditures from the Federal Government and grants/matching funds from development partners.

Imo Assembly passes bill to stop abandoned projects Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

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early four years after passing the Imo fouryear rolling plan budget that was said to have tied over 70 percent of the state’s monthly revenue on projects, the state House of Assembly, led by the Speaker, Hon. Benjamin Uwaju-

Igbeaku Orji UMUAHIA

L

eaders and stakeholders in the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the five local government areas that make up Abia North senatorial district have adopted Chief Mao Ohuabunwa as their candidate for the

mogu, has passed a bill for a law to prohibit contract abandonment in the state.

The bill, sponsored by the member representing Mbaitoli constituency, Hon. Victor Ndunagu and many others, was passed after debate at the Committee of the Whole House.

Accordingly, the House unanimously resolved that

government projects not completed before a new administration comes into office, shall not be abandoned, but rather, completed within the firsts 100 days in office of the new administration, subject to availability of funds.

The members maintained that every registered government contractor

should present to the government or its representative, a collateral equivalent of money to be paid to the contractor by the government as security, stressing that any contractor that delivers shoddy jobs shall be required to repeat and deliver quality work in line with the specification as contained in the bill of quantities.

Abia North PDP adopts Ohuabunwa 2015 senatorial election.

In the resolution read by one of the stakeholders, Chief Ugochukwu Uwaeke, at Ohafia Local Government headquarters, Ebem, the group said they reject any call for automatic ticket for serving senators, especially for Abia North and to

other non-performers.

They also resolved to fight against the fourth term bid of the serving senator in the district, Senator Uche Chukwumereije, who they described as having alienated himself from the people, pledging their support for Ohuabunwa, who

they described as vibrant, purposeful and peopleoriented.

“We hereby unanimously and unequivocally adopt Chief Mao Ohuabunwa, as the senatorial candidate for Abia North senatorial seat come 2015,” Uwaeke added.

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$16bn gas: Ijaw youths blame Uduaghan Gabriel Choba Ughelli

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he dust generated by the non-commissioning of the $16 billion gas Export Processing Zone (EPZ), in Ogidigbien, is yet to settle, as a prominent youth leader in Gbaramatu kingdom, Warri South West local government area, Mr. Timi Oluba has accused the Delta State Government led by Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan of being the mastermind of the controversy generated by its location.

Oluba, who spoke to Journalists yesterday noted that the entire Ijaw nation including High Chief Government Ekpemupolo alias Tomopolo, would continue to seek for justice for the people of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha kingdoms.

He explained, that the dispute would have been averted if the Delta state government had resolved the issues amicably before fixing a date for the ground breaking ceremony which was aborted, on the intervention of President Goodluck Jonathan.

Oluba, further noted that Tompolo was not alone in his quest to seek justice for the people of Gbaramatu and Ogulagha over the ownership of the EPZ location, adding that the entire Ijaw nation was behind him.

“The present controversy being generated by the $16 Billion Export Processing Zone EPZ over its location was caused by the Delta state government. On the EPZ location, the Itsekiri cannot deny the Ijaw their right of ownership and it was time the Itsekiris realized that peace was very important for the co-existence of Ijaw and Itsekiri in Warri South West local government," Oluba said.

Gunmen abduct Rivers High Court Chief Registrar Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

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he Chief Registrar of the Rivers State HIgh Court, Mr. Leonard Adoki , has been kidnapped by gunmen in his hometown, Amalem, Abua in Abua /Odua lo-

465

cal government area of the state.

Adoki, who was kidnapped on Sunday in his hometown was said to have travelled from Port Harcourt at the weekend.

Reports, say he was returning from church when the gunmen intercepted his vehicle, and whisked him to an un-

The number of pending asylum seekers of Luxembourg at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

Ughelli

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Chieftain of the Peoples's Democratic Party (PDP), in Delta State, Chief Godwin Edoja, has commended a former minority leader of the Delta State House of Assembly, Hon. Harvest Igben, for delivering the Okpaka/ Opete ward 5 in Udu local

known destination.

According to sources, up till Monday evening, the abductors were yet to make contact with the victim's family members to demand for ransom as is the case with most kidnappings in the state.

But the state Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Ahmad Moham-

21%

The percentage of pregnant women tested for HIV in low and middle-income countries in 2008.

Source: Who.int

med, DSP, who confirmed the incident, said that two suspects had been arrested.

He said, ‘’Efforts are on to rescue him as two suspects involved in the abduction have been arrested.

"The police are on the trail of the fleeing members of the gang".

528,497

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Kuwait in 2009.

Source: Itu.int

In its reaction, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Port Harcourt Branch, has called for the unconditional release of Adoki, just as it condemned the abduction.

The branch's spokesman, Angus Chukwuka, also described the abduction as an aberration.

146,386

The number of refugees in Turkey at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

L-R: Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson; Chief Executive Officer, GE Nigeria, Lazarus Angbazo and GE's Senior Compliance Officer, Mrs. Bina Idonije, at the recent Practical Nigeria Content Summit in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State

Amaechi promises fixing federal road in Etche

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ivers State Government has promised the people of the communities within Umuechem/Chokocho road in Etche Local Government Area of the State that his administration would fix the roads, despite the road being a federal road.

Stating this at the 2014 Adult Harvest Thanksgiving Service of the Church of Nigeria Anglican Communion, Province of Niger Delta in Okomoko, Etche, Rivers State Governor and Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s Forum (NGF),

Chibuike Amaechi, said the government has undertaken the rehabilitation of the road due to its very deplorable state.

He said although the road is a Federal road, the Umuechem/Chokocho road is in a very deplorable state and must be fixed to ameliorate the sufferings of the people.

“We will fix Umuechem/Chokocho road.

The road is a Federal road including the Igbo road.

I will try and fix the bad spots before elections," Amaechi said.

PDP stalwart commends APC in Delta Gabriel Choba

tuesday, november 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

south — south

government area, to the All Progressives Congress (APC), during the recent local government election in Delta State.

Edoja, who is also the President General of Okpaka Community made this statement while briefing newsmen at his country home in Okpaka, yesterday said the emergence of the APC was deserving since the unanimous en-

dorsement of their choiceHon. Peter Ogbevwini, was truncated by the imposition of another candidate, leading to the decision of the people to give a protest vote to the APC candidate in Udu ward 5.

He said; “I am so overwhelmed over the emergence of the APC candidate from Udu ward 5 because we believe in unity and justice."

Edo striking workers demand 16 months salary arrears Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

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orkers in the various tertiary institutions in Edo state under the umbrella of the Coalition of Unions of Edo State Owned Tertiary Institutions, yesterday expressed mixed feelings over the renaming of the College of Education, Ekiadolor, as Tayo Akpata University of Education by the Governor Adams Oshiomhole led administration in the state.

The workers instead called the Comrade Adam Oshiomole led government to listen to the call of the striking workers of the state owned tertiary institutions by paying them their 16 months old salary arrears.

It would be recalled, that the state government last week renamed the College of Education Ekiadolor, after the late Chief Tayo Akpata, who was a one- time Executive

Secretary of the defunct Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF), and Commissioner for Education in the defunct Bendel State.

But the workers and academic staffs of state owned tertiary institutions, who have embarked on an infinite strike action over the non-payment of their 16 months’ salary arrears lamented the fate of the various institutions and infrastructural decay in the higher institution and other issues.

President of the unions, Comrade Fred Omonuwa, told newsmen yesterday in Benin the State capital, that the plight of students and staff of the affected institutions for serious attention to be paid to the intitutions by the state government, should be heeded.

He accused the administration of alleged insensitivity to the various issues put forward to it which he said were re-

sponsible to the present stalemate in the affected schools in the state.

Omonuwa, noted that though, the renaming exercise was a move in the right direction, stating however, that the issue in dispute must be first be addressed before the renaming of institution.

According to him, “We don’t really have much problem with the renaming of the institution. In fact, it is a welcome development. The government should also use the same speed in addressing workers’ demands which resulted to the two and a half months strike we have with the government”.

He stated that, “Apart from the promise made that they will start addressing our demand over three weeks ago, we make bold to say nothing is on ground shows that government is committed in ensuring that the matter is settled”.

NEW TELEGRAPH tuesday, november 25, 2014

returnees

Fidelis Tapgun and other big guns may float for some more time Musa Pam Jos

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here was a mild drama yesterday in Plateau State when the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) received 61 returnees to the party without Senator Joshua Dariye, former deputy governor, Paulen Tallen and Ambassador Fidelis Tapgun, who had

News 49

north

Drama as PDP shuns Dariye, Tallen received waivers from the national headquarters of the party and had bought forms to contest different positions on the platform of the party.

Addressing the crowd that gathered at the Nefur Arena, Pankshin Local Government yesterday, acting state PDP Chairman, Hon. Raymond Dabo, charged the returnees to be faithful to the party.

Reacting to the development, the trio, Tallen, Tapgun and Dariye, among others, who came with their supporters

expecting to be received, said they were disappointed as they were ignored at the event.

Tallen said no one can stop them from being members of the party as the national leadership has recognised them and given them waivers, which were communicated to the state’s leadership.

She said politics is a game of numbers, adding that she had a meeting with Governor Jonah Jang, who assured her that all was well, but that she was surprised to see

that they were not recognised.

“I’m suspecting foul play here and it is funny, it is laughable and we are watching to see what will come out of this, because the umbrella is big enough for everyone and we had followed due process in returning to the party,” she said.

Meanwhile, Plateau State Commissioner for Education, Dr. Paul Wai, who represented Jang at the occasion, urged the returnees to respect the leadership of the party and work in harmony

with everyone.

According to him, “We welcome every returnee to the party. PDP is a progressive party that accommodates all.

The party doesn't operate like a secret cult; that is why we are receiving our members in the open.

“No one enters his or her house through the back door. As you return, bring your experiences and join hands in moving the party forward.”

Responding on behalf of the returnees, Pam Gyang expressed happiness saying, “Nothing

Aliyu launches construction of 176km roads Dan Atori MINNA

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iger State Governor, Dr. Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu, yesterday flagged-off the construction of 176km rural roads under the Rural Access and Mobility Project (RAMP) with an assurance that the projects will be completed within the life span of his administration.

The governor, who said the road projects covers the three senatorial districts in the state which include Wuya Suman-Lemu (36.9km); Mokwa-Jaagi-Kudu-Mokwa (45.2km); Sulu Junction-Tafa-Gurara (6.6km).

Others are Suleja-Abuchi-Izom-Suleja (21.0km); Wawa-Malale Road-Borgu (21.0km); Fauna-Tunga Jika-Shafin-Magama (36.6km) and Sabon WuseIJA Gwari-Gbako Road.

He also made a plea for the inclusion of another 22-kilometer road, which will enable the project have the desired impact on the benefiting communities.

Aliyu said the project, which is financed by loan facilities from the World Bank and the French Development Agency, is the second phase of earlier programmes started in Kaduna and Cross River states under the RAMP.

Sokoto

F

ormer Vice-President and presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday visited Sokoto State in continuation of his nationwide support seeking tour, doling out millions of naira

Boko Haram slows down Borno teachers’ estate

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300-unit housing estate meant for teachers, which foundation was laid by Vice-President Namadi Sambo, in February, 2013, has been slowed down by the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents.

The Project Supervisor, Dauda Buratai, who conducted Governor Kashim Shettima round the site, said the project could have long been completed but for the cut in supply of laterite and other materials mostly sourced from an area affected by insurgency outside the state capital.

Unlike the over 2,000 housing units that are nearing completion in other sites, houses at the teachers’ village are being constructed with bricks as requested by Vice-President Sambo during his inaugural visit with his reason being the creation of more job opportunities and training of youths in bricks making and assembling in line with Shettima’s vision.

L-R: Niger State Commissioner of Agriculture, Prof. Mohammed Yahaya Kuta; Governor Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu and Emir of Suleja, Mallam Awwal Ibrahim, during the flag-off of the construction/rehabilitation of 198 kilometre rural roads in Izom, Gurara Local Government…yesterday

UNIJOS shifts Taraba Ag. Governor inaugurates Committee to probe sacked Umar exam date Sabiu Mustapha JALINGO

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he Taraba State Acting Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Danladi, yesterday inaugurated a 13man committee, named, 'Contracts and Policy Formulation Verication Committee'.

Among other works of the committee is to review of all contracts awarded in the state within the last two years.

The committee has Dr.

Philip Duwe as a chairman, while Saidu Bawa will serve as the secretary with other 11 people as members.

Inaugurating the committee, the governor said the committee is giving one month to submit its report.

"Members of this committee are therefore expected to do a good job, taking into consideration the interest of the state and the people that were mandate to serve,'' Danladi said.

In a related devel-

Atiku visits Sokoto, meets party chieftains Umar Danladi Ado

is better than home, we have come back to stay.

Most of us are founding members; we will continue to sacrifice to add value to the party.”

to party members.

The presidential aspirant, who held a meeting with APC chieftains and who gave no fewer than N50, 000 to each of the over 50 delegates for the coming APC presidential primary election, also donated N5 million to the party in the state and additional N1 million to party elders.

Atiku said his visit was simply an interactive

one meant to keep party faithful abreast of his ambition, adding that the presidential aspirants of the APC have resolved to support whosoever wins the primary elections.

He said: “First of all, I came to pay a courtesy call on the governor, but earlier on, I had a meeting with our party members in an interactive session,” he said.

opment, the new appointed Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Gibong Timothy Kataps was sworn in

by the Chief Judge of the state, Mrs Josphine Tuktur, at the executive chambers of the state's government house.

Aspirant denies involvement in N200m scandal Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

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Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship aspirant in Benue State, Mr. Hingah Biem, has denied allegations against him that he had diverted the N200 million meant for the supply of transmitters to Radio Benue during the military regime.

The allegation said that as a result, Biem was reportedly demoted from the rank of Director of Administration and Finance (DAF) on salary Grade Level 16 to Deputy Director on Grade Level 15.

But speaking to journalists in Makurdi yes-

terday, Biem, a retired permanent secretary in the Bureau of Internal Affairs, said those using the issue to frustrate his governorship ambition were only chasing shadows, insisting that though he was demoted while in the services of the state government, it does not affect his governorship ambition, describing such blackmail as baseless.

He said he was demoted following the recommendation of the Justice Margaret Kpojime Judicial Commission of Enquiry that investigated the award of contract to Artex Investments Limited for the supply of transmitters to Radio Benue during the military regime.

Buhari Bello Jos

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he management of the University of Jos yesterday expressed displeasure over the unfortunate development at its Bauchi Road Campus in the city.

According to a statement from the Public Relations Unit, the management said it met and reviewed the situation and came to the conclusion that “there is no intention to review upwards, any school charges, appealing to students, parents and guardians to disregard any rumour going round to the contrary.

“That the second semester examinations have been shifted from 24th November, 2014 to 1st December, 2014.

“A seven-man committee has also been constituted to look into the students’ complaints with a view to making recommendations to management for consideration."

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WORLD | News

APGA asks court to dismiss Ukachukwu's request Court fixes Nov 28 for hearing Tunde Oyesina ABUJA

T

he All Progressives Grand Alliance,APGA, yesterday asked an Abuja High Court to dismiss the suit brought by a disqualified Senatorial aspirant, Nicholas Ukachukwu challenging his disqualification by the National Working Committee (NWC)of the party.

The court, has however, fixed November 28 for the hearing of the application. The trial judge,

Justice O.A Musa had on November 21 restrained the NWC and APGA from taking any decision contrary to the decision of the party's National Assembly Appeal Panel as it affects the qualification/ disqualification of the applicant.

The court had also restrained the party from executing or acting on such decision pending the determination of the motion on notice filed by the plaintiff and to maintain the status quo ante bellum pending the hearing and determination of the suit.

However in a swift reaction, APGA through its counsel, Patrick Ikwueto, SAN asked the court for an order dismissing and striking out the suit for want of jurisdiction and for being a gross abuse of process. He averred that the claims of the plaintiff are not justifiable and that he has no cause of action, adding that the instant suit is a pre-primary action seeking to foist the plaintiff on the party (a duly registered political party) as an aspirant in the party primaries to be conducted by APGA.

Saraki, Clinton, others to raise $500m for cookstoves Temitope Ogunbanke

T

he Chairman, Senate Committee on Environment & Ecology, Senator Bukola Saraki, last weekend joined former United States Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, to raise about $500m, comprising $286m in grants, $127m in investments and several millions in guarantees for the global clean cooking sector. That was dur-

ing the Cookstoves Future Summit’s inaugural commitment roundtable, held in the United States of America.

Speaking to journalists during the summit, Saraki appealed to all stakeholders to join in this good cause of health and environmental friendliness by sustainable energy implementation, thereby improving livelihood and reducing global emission.

Saraki, who is a member of the Leadership Council of the Alliance and the highest political figure leading Global Clean Cookstoves cause in Nigeria, stressed the need to put many things in place to accelerate market-based clean cooking solutions through targeted investment entrepreneur support, given the intensity of Household Air Pollution (HAP) in Nigeria and Africa as a whole.

Fear of defections forces PDP to cancel congress results Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

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he current controversies trailing the November 1 ward congresses of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seem to have diverted the party's leadership attention from the determination to recover the Speakership of the House of Representatives from the embattled Hon. Aminu Tambuwal who left PDP to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

After the failed bid

to remove Tambuwal last Thursday, PDP has focused its attention on how to appease members of the party, who were dissatisfied with the conduct of the primaries.

A source at the National Secretariat disclosed that the party leadership has been inundated with petitions and threat of defection by aggrieved members, who lost out during the congress. The party had on Tuesday last week announced the dissolution of state working committees in Adamawa and Ebonyi States but

later commuted it to onemonth suspension three days later.

It also cancelled the results of the ward congresses in Cross River, Lagos and Oyo States and ordered a repeat yesterday. The suspension clamped on some party members in Cross River State was also lifted to allow them participate in the congress.

The source further disclosed that the reversal and cancellation were part of measures to calm frayed nerves and appease the aggrieved members.

Ogun: SDP not in 2015 race as spoiler, says Kaka Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

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he Senator representing Ogun East Senatorial District, Adegbenga Kaka, yesterday debunked speculations that the defection of National Assembly members from the state to the Social Democratic Party (SDP) was primarily to stop the re-election bid of Governor Ibikunle Amosun and

the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Kaka declared that the SDP was interested in winning elective positions and would field genuine aspirants to realise the goal.

He spoke with reporters shortly after the inauguration of two blocks of three classrooms in Imodi-Ijebu, Odogbolu Local Government Area and OjumeleMakun, Sagamu Local Government Area.

The classrooms, which

were constructed as part of the senator's constituency projects, were inaugurated by the state Deputy Governor, Prince Segun Adesegun.

Kaka explained that the restoration of "our collapsed value-system, enthronement of justice in the midst of shameful injustice with impunity and attempt to provide equal opportunities for all and sundry" informed the decision to move to SDP.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Hagel resigns as U.S. Defence Secretary

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.S. Defence Secretary, Chuck Hagel, has resigned, the first major change to President Barack Obama's Cabinet since his Democrats were routed in midterm elections three weeks ago.

Hagel was appointed less than two years ago as Obama pushed his signature programme of winding up wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, a process that is being upended this year with U.S. re-engagement in Iraq and greater military cooperation with Kabul.

"The Secretary was brought in to manage a period of transition for the Pentagon," a U.S. defence official said, suggesting that period had closed.

Obama was to announce Hagel's resignation at a White House event at 11:10 a.m. yesterday. Hagel, who had struggled to improve his ties with Congress after a contentious 2013 confirmation hearing, submitted his resignation letter after lengthy discussions with Obama that began in October, officials said.

"A successor will be

Hagel

named in short order, but Secretary Hagel will remain as Defence Secretary until his replacement is confirmed by the United States Senate," a senior Obama administration official said.

Hagel had raised questions about Obama's strategy towards Syria in a two-page internal policy memo he wrote that leaked. In it, he warned that Obama's policy was in jeopardy due to its failure to clarify its intentions toward Syrian President

Bashar al-Assad. Obama has insisted that the United States can go after Islamic State militants without addressing Assad, who the United States would like to leave power.

Officials said Obama wanted fresh leadership during the final two years of his administration. "What I can tell you is there are no policy differences in the background of this decision,” a senior U.S. defence official said.

Namibia to pick new president in November 28 election

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his year, Namibia unveiled a hilltop statue of independence leader Sam Nujoma holding aloft a copy of the African country's constitution, which was amended to let him to serve three terms as president until 2005. With the ruling party he led poised for another election win this week, analysts say a tougher test of Namibian democracy will come when an opposition party wins.

It is a model that holds true in other parts of Africa where liberation movements that fought

colonialism and white minority rule morphed into dominant political parties for decades. While some brought stability and more rights, their lengthy control of state resources and patronage networks fueled increasing resentment among opposition groups.

Elections this year in Botswana, Mozambique and South Africa, where ruling parties posted comfortable wins despite robust challenges, fit the mold. In Zimbabwe, President Robert Mugabe has kept control since independence in 1980 with a

series of disputed elections and crackdowns on dissent. In Lesotho, political instability and even violence has beset a rare African power-sharing experiment in the form of a coalition government.

Zambia, however, has had peaceful changes of ruling parties at the polls.

"The parties themselves must realize that the fact that you brought independence doesn't mean that you own the people," said Muna Ndulo, a law professor and director of Cornell University's Institute for African Development.

UK faces biggest terrorism threat in its history

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ritain is facing the biggest terrorism threat in its history and has foiled around 40 major plots since suicide bombers attacked London in 2005, Home Secretary Theresa May said yesterday.

The gover nment would on Wednesday set out new laws to take on the militants, May added, including legislation making it easier for security services to track attackers online,

and check if radicalized fighters were flying into Britain. "When the security and intelligence agencies tell us that the threat we face is now more dangerous than at any time before or since 9/11 we should take notice," the home secretary (interior minister) said in a speech.

Insurance companies would be barred from providing cover for ransom payments under the new legislation and

airlines would be banned if they failed to provide information on passengers flying to Britain, she added.

The government has said Britons returning from fighting in Syria and Iraq provide one of the most serious threats.

May said around 40 terrorist plots had been disrupted since four young Britons carried out suicide bomb attacks in London in 2005, killing 52 people.

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

International Sport

Sport News

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Sport News

Mancini’s enthusiasm inspired my goal –Obi

Messi chases new record at APOEL

Pillars, Enyimba want early league resumption

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Sport

Did you know?

That the Scottish Cup tie between Falkirk and Inverness Caledonian Thistle in 1979 was postponed no fewer than 29 times because of bad weather

AFCON ouster:

I did my best for V Eagles –Ik Uche

Ajibade Olusesan illarreal striker, Ikechukwu Uche, has insisted that he worked hard to help the Super Eagles qualify for the 2015 Africa Nations Cup but his best was not good enough.

The former Getafe forward was axed from the national team since February 2013 after falling out with Coach Stephen Keshi and was not part of the side to the last FIFA World Cup in Brazil. Despite appeals Keshi still overlooked the striker for the AFCON qualifiers until the last two rounds of matches.

He was recalled at about the time Nigeria were on the brink of elimination from the Nations Cup. Eagles were third in Group A and needed to win their last two games away in Congo and against South Africa in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

Uche’s return had elicited hopes from Nigerians who believed his contributions would help the team.

However, he marked his return with a goal in the 2-0 win in Congo but the former Granada hit man produced below par performance in the last group game against South Africa in Uyo as

Ike Uche trying to take a shot against South Africa

Nigeria recorded 2-2 draw to crash out of the race.

However, in an exclusive interview with our correspondent, Uche insisted that he did his best to help Eagles to earn a ticket to Equatorial Guinea.

“I was aware that Nigerians expected so much from me when I returned to the team for the two games and I also know that I did my best to help the team but things did not just work the way we wanted. I don’t know what an individual can really do because a tree cannot make a forest, I did my bit, I worked hard for the team, I am sure many Nigerians will not be disappointed with my contributions,” he said.

Uche said it was disappointing for the country not to be at the tournament next year but Nigeria must work hard for future assignments.

“I cannot really explain how things turned out in that match because we really wanted to win but football is a very funny game. You could work so hard and it might not be your day, Wednesday (November 19) was just one of those bad days. I know how difficult this will be for Nigerians but we have to look forward to a better future,” he said.

NBA donates balls, kits for Top 50 camp The Sport Team Adekunle Salami Deputy Editor, Sports

Emmanuel Tobi Assistant Editor, Sports

Ifeanyi Ibeh Sports Correspondent

Ajibade Olusesan Sports Correspondent

Charles Ogundiya Sports Correspondent

© Daily Telegraph Publishing Company Limited

Ifeanyi Ibeh

T

he National Basketball Association has donated balls and shoes to Nigeria ahead of this year’s Top 50 camp.

The Top 50 camp, which was established in 2003 as an avenue to provide young basketball players with an opportunity to learn the fundamentals of the sport in a camp setting with instruction from the best foreign and national coaches, was earlier scheduled to hold in August but had to be postponed owing to the outbreak of the Ebola virus disease.

It will now run from December 7 to 9 in Lagos, and New Telegraph can report that the NBA, the world’s premium basketball

brand, has donated hundreds of balls and shoes to the organisers of the event, Giants of Africa, an organisation founded by former Nigeria international and current General Manager of the Toronto Raptors, Masai Ujiri.

New Telegraph learnt from an official of the organisation that the equipment were already in the country and would be handed over to participants when the camp gets underway on December 7.

The Top 50 camp will feature the best players between the ages of 11 and 18, scouted from across the country, and consists of three intense days of instruction.

Over the past decade, some of the event’s promising players have gone on to secure scholar-

ships to top US colleges, with majority of them going on to play professionally in the US and Europe.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Mancini’s enthusiasm inspired my goal –Obi Emmanuel Tobi

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uper Eagles mid fielder, Joel Obi has attributed his goal in the 1-1 draw against AC Milan on Sunday to inspiration from Inter Milan coach, Roberto Mancini.

AC Milan led through Jeremy Menez’s superb volley but Obi won a point with a placed shot into the corner from the edge of the box.

“Mancini has brought enthusiasm and we are ready to work to become a force to reckon with in the league. It was a goal for my family and my agent, Contratto “We are all focused, we want to do well and make our fans happy,” he told Italian media.

While backing the coach’s tactics, Obi said, “The change of system is not a problem, we just need to give it our all to make the new manager happy. Many

of the players have played it in the past, but now it will take some time because the last two years we have played the 3-5-2.”

Meanwhile, Inter midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic has praised Obi for getting the cru-

Dead South African keeper in age scandal

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ate Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa’s real age has sparked a fresh scandal in South Africa.

Neither South Africa Football Association nor the home club of slain Meyiwa was able to provide clarity on a Sunday Sun report that he had lied about his age.

The Sunday Sun reported that the tombstone of Meyiwa’s twin and his school register, proved that Meyiwa was in fact 30 and not 27 as he had presented himself.

According to the newspaper a tombstone belonging to Meyiwa’s twin, Siya, who died in 1993, was removed by his father, Sam, on the day, Meyiwa was buried.

The tombstone apparently recorded Siya’s date of birth as January 24, 1984. The newspaper also found that the murdered goalie’s school register recorded the same 1984 date of birth.

On Sunday, SAFA spokesman Dominic Chimhavi said that records of the players were filed at club level.

“Nothing has been brought forward for us to comment on that issue”.

Orlando Pirates administrator Floyd Mbele said the club had a copy of Meyiwa’s ID but their records will be accessed later.

Meyiwa was killed in Vosloorus, Ekurhuleni, while visiting his singer and actress girlfriend Kelly Khumalo last month.

cial leveler against AC Milan.

“I want to offer my congratulations to Obi, he deserves this moment because he has gone through a period where he suffered,” he told Sky Sport Italia.

Nigerian rugby team to storm Harare for Africa 7s Emmanuel Tobi

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igeria Rugby football team, the Black Stallions, are expected to storm Harare, Zimbabwe this week for the Africa 7s Championship under the captaincy of Cowries fly-half, Azeez Ladipo.

Ladipo and his team have been put through a strenuous camp for the past week by former Blitzbok and Cheetahs wing Fabian Juries.

Juries is in Lagos courtesy of the Nigeria Rugby Football Federation who appreciate the need to have an expert guide the team in what will surely be Nigeria’s biggest rugby challenge so far.

The team made up entirely of home based players is a mix of youth and experience.

Ladipo, a good distributor of the ball will be supported by Abdulmalik Salihu, the police gas-man who has speed and 2014 season’s sensation in the South West League, Christian Ogar.

The tournament will be held at the Harare Sports Club and is set to involve 12 countries, Kenya Uganda, Tunisia, Nigeria, Madagascar, Namibia, Botswana, Senegal, Zambia, Ivory Coast, South Africa and the hosts Zimbabwe.

Obi

Five goalkeepers for FIFA FIFPro world 11 F

IFPro, the World Players’ Union, and FIFA on Monday announced the five goalkeepers shortlisted for the FIFA FIFPro World XI 2014 as part of the final 55-man shortlist to be revealed on December 1.

The FIFA FIFPro World XI is decided by the players for the players. It involves votes from tens of thousands professional footballers worldwide.

Glo hails Enyimba’s Federation Cup feat

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ponsor of Nigerian national teams, Globacom, has congratulated two-time African Champions, Enyimba Football Club of Aba, for winning the 2014 Federation Cup at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos on Sunday.

Enyimba Football Club, defeated Dolphins Football Club of Port Harcourt 2-1 in an enthralling encounter to cart away their fourth Federation Cup title.

“We congratulate the management, technical crew and players of Enyimba Football Club of Aba for their resilience and resolve, and look forward to the club making Nigeria proud in the 2015 CAF Champions League,” Globacom said in a statement in Lagos on Monday.

“We particularly appreciate Enyimba’s success because this season has been one of the toughest for them as they struggled earlier on in the Glo

Meyiwa

Premier League. But the manner in which they bounced back to reckoning and almost clinched the Premier League trophy said a lot about the team’s pedigree in Nigerian football,” the statement added.

“We have maintained that the Federation Cup deserves all the respect we can accord it and we are delighted that the 2014 edition ended with good memories,” Globacom further said.

“The essence of this competition is to produce a Nigerian clubside that will compete favourably on the continent.”

It is the only global award that truly represents the views of those who play the beautiful game.

The goalkeeper shortlist: Manuel Neuer (Germany / FC Bayern München), Claudio Bravo (Chile / FC Barcelona), Thibaut Courtois (Belgium / Chelsea FC), Iker Casillas (Spain / Real Madrid CF) and Gianluigi Buffon (Italy / Juventus FC).

Oshoala: 2014 a blessing for me S

Udoji, Enyimba’s captain

They select one goalkeeper, four defenders, three midfielders and three forwards.

The shortlists for defenders, midfielders and forwards will be announced and published on FIFA.com on November 26, November 28 and December 1 respectively.

FIFPro and its national affiliates are responsible for gathering votes from professional footballers worldwide.

uper Falcons striker Asisat Oshoala has said 2014 for her has been a year to remember after she emerged as the Most Valuable Player at the 2014 Federation Cup final on Sunday.

Oshoala who won the Most Valuable Player of the FIFA U/20 Women’s World Cup ‘Canada 2014’ and Africa Women’s Championship ‘Namibia 2014’ helped Rivers Angels beat Sunshine Queens of Akure 2-0 in the finals at the Teslim Balogun stadium, Lagos.

“2014 for me has been a blessing in all competition. From the league to the Federation Cup, FIFA World Cup and the Africa Women Championship have all been interesting,” she told SL10.ng.

“When you work hard you’ll expect a good result. It’s not by my power nor how well I trained but more about the grace of God. “I really appreciate God for every-

thing that happened to me this year and I sure believe He hasn’t stopped.”

Oshoala chose to keep her future plans to herself, when she was asked about her next destination considering that there are reports of interest from Europe and England in particular.

“That’s a personal issue and I’ll prefer not to talk about it at this moment,” Oshoala insisted.

Oshoala

Heritage Cup golf tourney tee-off in Port Harcourt

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he Port Harcourt Club Golf Section and the Heritage Bank Limited have concluded plans to host the 2014 edition of the Port Harcourt Amateur Open Golf Championship tagged ‘The Heritage Cup.’ The championship has been slated to tee-off on December 5 at the Golf Section of the Port Harcourt Club 1928, while the closing ceremony has been fixed for December 7.

The event described as the most coveted golf trophy in Nigeria by the Chairman Organizing Committee of the Championship, Abiye Amakiri, would see top amateur golfers from across the country storm the Force Avenue, Old GRA venue of competition.

Amakiri noted that the Amateur championship for players across the country was aimed at developing the skills of the players and helping them to network at the same time.

“We believe strongly that as the professionals gather regularly to do their thing, the amateurs should also be encouraged to play in top class competitions like this.

INTERNATIONAL SPORT 53

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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fter becoming the Spanish league’s all-time leading scorer over the weekend, Lionel Messi is chasing another milestone in the Champions League.

The Argentina forward is even with Raul Gonzalez’s alltime record of 71 Champions League goals, and he could better that on Tuesday when Barcelona travel to Cypriot club APOEL on Tuesday in Group F. “He doesn’t stop breaking records,” Barcelona defender Jordi Alba said. “It’s a privilege to have Messi as a teammate.”

Barcelona have already qualified for the second round while APOEL are last in the group and looking for their first win.

Also, unbeaten leader Paris

Messi chases new record at APOEL Saint-Germain host Ajax, with the Dutch side now aiming for a third-place finish and a place in the Europa League.

Messi (left)

No injury scare for Chelsea l Blues reunite with Di Matteo

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Costa

ose Mourinho says Chelsea have no injury concerns ahead of Tuesday’s Champions League clash with Schalke.

Cesc Fabregas was nursing a hamstring problem before passing a fitness test to play in Saturday’s 2-0 win at home to West Brom.

The midfielder came through unscathed, while his fellow Spain international Diego Costa appears to have now fully recovered from his own hamstring problem.

“Diego, there is nothing, and Fabregas it looks like no big deal,” confirmed Blues boss Mourinho, who has warned his side against complacency ahead of the Group G game.

Goalkeeper Petr Cech hurt his back in the warm-up on Saturday but is expected to be named in the squad again, while Ramires is likely to be available despite not quite being fully fit following a recent injury.

Roberto Di Matteo can expect a warm reception from the travelling fans when Chelsea take on his Schalke side at the Veltins Arena.

The Italian initially joined Chelsea as a player from Lazio in 1996 and scored 26 goals in 175 appearances for the English club, before returning as Andre VillasBoas’ assistant coach in 2011 and later leading the club to a champions league triumph in 2012.

Basketball Flakes

I’ve got to be patient – Oladipo

CSKA v Roma

6:00pm

Man City v Bayern

8:45pm

APOEL v Barcelona

8:45pm

PSG

8:45pm

v Ajax

Schalke v Chelsea

8:45pm

Sporting v Maribor

8:45pm

BATE v Porto

6:00pm

Shakhtar v Bilbao

8:45pm

with Ifeanyi Ibeh 08054175662

Bryant close to passing Jordan’s mark

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espite denying it, Kobe Bryant considers it highly important to pass Michael Jordan’s career scoring mark. So says one of Bryant’s closest exteammates.

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igerian guard, Victor Oladipo, feels he needs to be patient in order to get back to his best following his not too impressive performances for the Orlando Magic since returning from injury.

The second-year NBA player missed almost all of October and half of November with injuries after first spraining a knee ligament on October 3 before suffering a facial fracture 20 days later.

Since returning from injury, the 6-foot-4 Oladipo has featured in six games and played key roles in wins over the Milwaukee Bucks and Detroit Pistons, but lacked sharpness in a victory over the Charlotte Hornets. He was also erratic in losses to the Washington Wizards, Los Angeles Clippers and the Miami Heat, struggling with his long-range shooting and, at times, with his decisionmaking.

Oladipo, speaking to reporters after Sunday’s 99-92 loss to the Heat, however said: “Sometimes when you play, you kind of forget all that. But I’ve just got to do it.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

Bryant is only 218 points from passing Jordan for third on the NBA all-time list after scoring 27 on Sunday night (Monday morning in Nigeria) against the Denver Nuggets.

“I think that he’ll probably just say that it’s just another milestone, but it’s obvious that Jordan was somebody that Kobe idolised and looked up to,” said Nuggets Coach

Brian Shaw, who won three championships with the Lakers while helping mentor a much younger Bryant.

“I think that would be one of the things that’s right up there, when you can kind of get at the same level or surpass somebody of that magnitude and somebody that you patterned your game after. Whether he says it or not, I personally feel that it would be one of his greatest accomplishments.”

Bryant, 36, still has a long way to catch Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (38,387 points) or even Karl Malone (36,928).

Edeferioka leads team to first away win

N Victor Oladipo going for a layup against the Miami Heat

He added: “Credit the coaching staff for reminding me of that. When you’ve got high expectations for yourself, high expectations

for your team and there’s a little setback, at the end of the day, you’ve just got to be patient with it. That’s what I’m trying to do now.”

igerian-born forward, Elo Edeferioka, on Sunday posted a double-double with 16 points and 15 rebounds to help her college team, Hofstra Pride, to a 64-47 win over Norfolk State.

It was the Nigerian’s second double-double of the season and the sixth of her college career as the Pride recorded their first away win of the season.

The Warri-born compiled eight points and seven rebounds in just 12 minutes in the opening half in helping the Pride to a 3026 lead at the break.

She also scored the first four points of the second half.

Edeferioka, who arrived in the United States in 2011, started playing basketball in 2006.

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014 NEW TELEGRAPH

Russia’s road to 2018 World Cup tough – Capello

Russia were given a tough group in the UEFA EURO 2016 qualifiers.

Well, my thinking has always been that you have to respect every team you play. Obviously you can’t talk about Sweden and not mention Ibra. And when you talk about Austria, it’s the team you focus on. They’re a good side and they play quality football. As for Montenegro, their biggest asset is the individual quality they’ve got. They have some really exceptional players. They’re all teams that, in one way or another, command a lot of respect from us.

Russia’s coach Fabio Capello in this interview with FIFA.com speaks about the problems his side is currently facing in a tough UEFA EURO 2016 qualifying group and touched on his preparations for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, which would be his third consecutive world finals in the dugout.

Your contract as Russia coach runs until the end of 2018. What are your objectives with the team?

My objectives are to have a good World Cup on home soil and for the team to perform at a high level there. The main aim, though, is to put together a competitive side, which means we need players who are capable of doing big things.

Alexander Kerzhakov recently became Russia’s highest goalscorer of all time. How important is he to your plans?

There’s no doubt that Kerzhakov is one of our best goalscorers. He’s 31 now and he works really hard too. He’s a great example for the younger players coming through. What I’m hoping for, then, is that he keeps on setting that example and scoring goals (laughs).

You’ve brought a few of those youngsters through in recent times, such as Dmitriy Poloz, Denis Cheryshev, Magomed Ozdoev and Artem Dzyuba. How important is it for you to blend youth and experience?

It’s very important to mix the two, though what matters most of all is blending qualities and attributes. That’s what counts, and I can see that these young players have got quality.

Russia have qualified for the last three UEFA EURO Championships. How confident are you of reaching the 2016 finals?

We’re in a very difficult group, with Sweden and Ibra [Zlatan Ibrahimovic], Austria, who are a really good side, and Montenegro, who could cause problems. They’re the most dangerous rivals. It’s a long road, but we’re bringing young players into the team and they’re starting to bed down. We’re hoping to push on now.

You mentioned Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s Sweden. He’s always said that when he was at Juventus you did a lot to make him into the freescoring player he is today.

What’s your view?

Ibra has an awful lot of natural talent and it’s not hard at all to turn someone that gifted into a goal machine. All it took was to explain a few things to him. The rest is down to training hard every day, which is something he’s always done. He always did a lot of work on his finishing. When he started out he could kick the ball very hard but the quality wasn’t quite there. He

Ikoyi Club’s Eze wins Lagos Open Ifeanyi Ibeh

T

wenty-three year old Monday Eze of Ikoyi Golf Club on Sunday emerged winner of the 53rd edition of the FirstBank Lagos Amateur Golf Championships which took place at the Ikoyi Golf Club, Lagos.

Eze who came close to winning last year had a total gross of 152 to beat Milo Ajah of the Ikeja Golf Club by three shots. Uche Eze of Ibadan Golf Club finished in third place.

The championship, which started on Friday, ended with a dinner party

where winners in all categories were presented with prizes.

Slightly over 100 amateur golfers from across Nigeria participated in the championship.

First Bank’s Head of Sponsorship and Events, Bridget Oyefeso, assured that the bank would continue to support the development of sports in Nigeria.

Oyefeso also noted that the bank was looking forward to exposing subsequent winners of the championship to international tournaments in order to help them improve on their game.

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aptain of the Nigerian Beach Eagles, Isiaka Olawale, has called on the Nigeria Football Federation to arrange for early camping ahead of the fourth edition of the COPA Lagos Championship.

Olawale stressed the need for early camping so that the team could live up to expectation putting into consideration the calibre of teams coming for the competition.

wasn’t that great in the air either, so what he did was practise his heading over and over. His game really came on as a result. I called him over one day and I said to him: ‘You’re as good as Marco Van Basten. You’ve got the potential to be right up there with him, but I’m going to show you how he did it.’ I had someone make a video with all Van Basten’s goals. I showed it to him and I said: ‘You never get close to goal. If you want to score, you have to get close to the opposition goal. You’re always far away. You have fun creating play and you’re great at setting up your team-

mates, but if you want to be a goalscorer, you’re going to have to play closer to the area.’ He got the message very quickly.

When you come up against a matchwinner like that do you have to change the way you play?

When you’re a coach you try to cover every angle, but the players are the ones who go out on the pitch. You try to explain things, but then you have to look closely and try to see if the charisma and the sheer presence of the player like that can lead to mistakes being made. And there’s no doubt that with someone like Ibrahimovic you absolutely have to be on your guard.

You’ve said on many occasions that

Looking back at Brazil 2014, did you see any innovations or new trends?

What caught my eye most in comparison to South Africa and the European qualifiers was just how fast the pace of play was.

That’s what stood out for me more than anything else. Every team played the game very, very fast, and they were really aggressive and technical. It was a great World Cup and probably the best one in recent times in terms of technique and tactics.

Egyptian, Algerian offers for Udoji

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aptain of Enyimba International football club of Aba, Chinedu Udoji, has revealed that his chances of staying back at Enyimba next season are very slim.

Udoji who played in 37 league games said he’s got offers from Africa, Asia and America.

“I’ve got a couple of offers but it’s important I go back home to study them and see which is best for me, but at this point I’m not

sure of where I’ll play next season,” Udoji told sl10.ng “I’ve got offers in Egypt and Algeria and also some from Asian and American leagues. I’ll keep my fingers crossed to know what awaits me.”

Enyimba’s captain still rues not lifting the league trophy on two occasions that his team got so close, yet lost out in the final lap but feels very happy to have won the Federa-

tion Cup and defended it successfully.

“I missed the league two seasons back and unfortunately I missed it this year again, but I thank God that as the captain of the side I lifted the Federation back to back,” added Udoji.

Udoji celebrated his birthday a day before the final and stated that the triumph was the perfect birthday gift.

Pillars, Enyimba want early league resumption

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layers of both Kano Pillars and Enyimba have expressed the would hope the new Nigeria league season begin before they are involved in next year’s CAF ChampiThe Dolphins midfielder ons League. said the teams coming for Pillars and Enyimba will this year’s competition fly Nigeria’s flag in next all had a functional beach year’s Champions League league compared to Nigeria after they finished as chamwithout a league. pions and runners-up, re“I will appeal to the NFF spectively. for at least three weeks campIsaac Loute of Pillars and ing to allow for a good team play and blending because Femi Thomas from Enyteams like Cote d’ Ivoire, imba told AfricanFootball.

Ghana, Senegal all have a com that it would be better functional league unlike us. if the Nigeria league began “Since the end of 2013 edi- before they are involved in tion, the team have not come the Champions League betogether, we cannot continue cause then they would be in to depend on individual a good fighting shape. skills every time,” he said.

“We fought hard to get the

COPA Lagos: Olawale wants early camping Charles Ogundiya

Capello

What can a coach with your experience learn from a conference European coaching conference like this?

I’ve noted down everything that was said, which was all very interesting, and now I’m going to go away and reflect on what I heard. There are always things you can learn. If you don’t want to learn new things, then you should go and do something else.

You need to keep your feet on the ground and have respect for others. Those are both fundamental things.

Champions League slot and we are in it to prove that we are still the best in Nigeria.

I am praying and urging the league organisers to see that the league starts before Champions League so that it can help the teams who are representing Nigeria on the continent next year,.”

Thomas told AfricanFootball.com Similarly, Pillars left back Isaac Loute said it would put the players in match fitness.

“Lack of league action affected the teams who represented Nigeria in the African cups last season.

It would therefore be great if the LMC could do everything to see that we start playing the league before the continental matches start,”

Emordi, Kano Pillars coach

advised the Benin Republic international defender.

“It will give the players match fitness. League fitness is different from friendly games. It will do the team and the country a world of good to start the league in good time.”

NEW TELEGRAPH TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

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Sanctity of Truth

On Marble

It is the apathetic person that sees the cause while the charitable person sees the need.

World Record

NIGERIA’S MOST AUTHORITATIVE NEWSPAPER IN POLITICS AND BUSINESS

– Shannon L. Alder TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2014

N150

The greatest weight lifted with a human tongue is 12.5 kg (27 lb 8.96 oz) by Thomas Blackthorne (UK) who lifted the weight hooked through his tongue on the set of El Show Olímpico, in Mexico City, Mexico, on August 1, 2008.

Tackling gender-based violence GUEST COLUMNIST

Brewer

Maria E. Brewer

E

ach year, on November 25, we commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and the ensuing 16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence, culminating in Human Rights Day on December 10. Established in 1999 by the United Nations General Assembly, these events create a global platform for action by governments, organizations, and individuals to mobilize and call attention to the urgent need to end gender-based violence.

Gender-based violence cuts across ethnic, racial, socio-economic, and religious lines. It knows no borders. Globally, an estimated one in three women worldwide has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime. According to the World Health Organization, at least 35 percent of women worldwide have experienced such violence at the hands of an intimate partner. Moreover, women and girls with disabilities are two to three times more likely to suffer physical and sexual abuse.

Gender-based violence occurs in Nigeria just as it does in the United States and every other nation. According to the Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme, approximately 80 million Nigerian women and girls are victims of this type of violence. Society as a whole pays a huge price for gender-based violence in the areas of health, justice, economic, and international security. According to a recent World Bank report, the estimated costs of such violence run from 1.2 percent to 3.7 percent of GDP—the equivalent to what many governments spend on primary education. In Nigeria, that would roughly equate to between 1.1 and 3.4 trillion naira. Gender-based violence also fosters the spread of HIV/ AIDS by limiting one’s ability to negotiate safe sexual practices and by limiting disclosure of HIV status and access to services due to fear of reprisal.

Ending this global epidemic will require all of us to take action. We must recognize that gender-based violence is,

Abducted Chibok girls

Many nations have passed legislation addressing gender-based violence. In March 2013, the Nigerian House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition bill at its root, a manifestation of the relatively low status of women and girls around the world. When women and girls can live free from violence and are afforded equal opportunities in education, healthcare, employment, and political participation, they lift up their families, their communities, and their nations and act as agents of change.

Prevention and elimination of genderbased violence require a multi-faceted approach. It will require increased advocacy and partnerships between the international community, governments, multilateral organizations, private sector companies, and grassroots advocates. It will require empowering women and girls to speak up for themselves and educating men and boys to speak up and speak out for their mothers, wives, partners, sisters, and daughters. It will also require adequate legal and judicial frameworks.

Many nations have passed legislation addressing gender-based violence. In March 2013, the Nigerian House of Representatives passed the Violence Against Persons Prohibition bill. The signing of this bill into law would empower all parties to work together on its implementation in order to increase accountability and address impunity.

Zainab Maina, Minister of Women Affairs

Kerry

The United States is proud to have made gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls a cornerstone of our foreign policy. This includes a strong focus on addressing all forms of gender-based violence. In 2012, the United States released its first-ever Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-Based Violence Globally, the strategy sets out concrete objectives and actions to marshal the United States’ expertise and capacity to address gender-based violence.

Since the launch of the strategy, the United States has made significant strides to increase coordination of violence prevention and response efforts internally, across U.S. government agencies, and with external stakeholders, including partner governments, civil society, and the private sector.

To commemorate the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women, and to reaffirm the U.S. commitment to ending human rights

abuses around the world, the U.S. Embassy in Abuja and U.S. Consulate General in Lagos this year are organizing a number of activities, including screening films on preventing gender violence, organizing workshops and panel discussions with civil society members and expert panelists, and promoting “Orange Your Neighborhood” activities that create safe spaces for women and girls.

Whether it occurs in our own homes and neighborhoods, or across the world, gender-based violence has no place in our society. As U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said recently, “This is a fight that demands action from every single one of us. We have to communicate in a unified way with a single loud voice that there is no place in the civilized world for those who commit gender-based violence.”

• Brewer is Charge d’Affaires, ad interim, U.S. Embassy to the Federal Republic of Nigeria

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