Binder1 29 august, 2014 by Newtelegraphonline

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Friday, August 29, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 192

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Final rebasing puts Nigeria’s economy at N81trn Abdulwahab Isa Abuja

our months after the rebasing of the Nigerian economy, which ranked it ahead of South Africa as the largest economy in Africa, the National Bu-

reau of Statistics (NBS) yesterday rolled out a new figure which put the final rebasing of the nation’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in terms of economy growth by expenditure, at N81.009 trillion. Last April’s rebasing,

which put the nation’s GDP at N80 trillion (about $510billion), had catapulted Nigeria’s economy to the 26th biggest in the world and first in Africa. The NBS explained that there were some minor expenditure items not

captured in last April’s report, which necessitated a review of the exercise. In the final report released yesterday, household items expenditure accounted for the largest chunk of the rebased GDP profile; standing at about

N58.138 trillion in 2013, up from the N42.115 trillion in the preceding year. According to the report, expenditure on export goods and services stood at N14.615 trillion as against the N22.824 trillion CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

Panic as Ebola spreads to Rivers, kills doctor

lWidow, 99 others quarantined lAmaechi assures residents: We are in control lAPC urges Jonathan to stop TAN’s rally in Port Harcourt Emmanuel Masha, Johnchuks Onuanyim, Obinna Odoh and Comfort Chukwu

ivers State has recorded its first case of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) with the death in Port Harcourt of a medical doctor, Iyke Sam Enemuo, throwing residents into panic. The Federal Government and the state government at separate briefings in Abuja and Port Harcourt yesterday said Enemuo, who died on August 22, contracted the disease from one of the first contact of the index case, the late Liberian-American, Mr. Patrick Sawyer, who imported the virus from Liberia to Nigeria. The late Sawyer’s first CONTINUED ON PAGE 4

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Director General, National Identity Management Commission (NIMC), Mr. Chris Onyemenam and Group Managing Director, Access Bank Plc, Mr. Herbert Wigwe, during the inauguration of the National e-ID Card, in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN.

Mimiko, Daniel to APC: Forget Lagos in 2015 Wale Elegbede

hieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday vowed to take over Lagos State from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015. PDP’s desire to emerge

the ruling party in Lagos, a feat it has not been able to perform since the rebirth of democracy in 1999, was unfolded in Lagos by Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, who recently

defected from the Labour Party (LP) to PDP and former Ogun State Governor, Chief Gbenga Daniel, at the investiture of the former PDP Deputy National Chairman, Chief Olabode

George, with the Mandela Icon Award by the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS). Mimiko and Daniel in their separate speeches at the occasion said the par-

ty was concentrating its efforts at winning Lagos State in both governorship and presidential election. The duo said the PDP, especially President GoodCONTINUED ON PAGE 3

Boko Haram turns emir’s palace to headquarters

CBN sacks NSPMC management, appoints new MD }3 LAGOS

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CBN sacks NSPMC management, appoints new MD lJonathan orders restructuring Simeon Ogoegbulem, Abdulwahab Isa and Anule Emmanuel Abuja The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) yesterday initiated massive restructuring of the Nigeria Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC) Plc with the sacking of the executive management team of the security printing company. The restructuring of NSPMC is coming less than 24 hours after President Goodluck Jonathan directed the apex bank to restructure the agency saying that Nigeria has no business printing security document outside

the shores of the country. CBN is the majority shareholder in NSPMC following the disengagement of Thamos De La Rue, foreign technical partners in the company. The President gave the directive at the Launch of the Issuance Process for the National Electronic Identity Card (e-ID Card) in Abuja. The sacked EMC of NSPMC is led by Ag. Managing Director, Nuhu Bamali along with Babayo Ibrahim and Gambo Umar both served as Executive Directors. The sacked EMC members were directed to proceed on retirement effec-

PDP leaders vow to capture Lagos in 2015 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

luck Jonathan, would record resounding electoral victory in Lagos during the elections. Mimiko who was the chairman of the occasion, noted that he is speaking under divine inspiration, adding that his optimism on the victory of the party is based on the achievements of the Jonathan, especially in the area of education and youth empowerment, stressing that these achievements are responsible for the emancipation of youths in Lagos and other parts of the country. “PDP will produce the next governor of Lagos State. The time for the liberation of Lagos has come. Lagos is the headquarters of propaganda machine but from 2015, that would stop. I will come back to celebrate with the PDP after the governorship election victory. “In 2015, Jonathan is not only going to win, he is going to have the highest quantum of percentage vote in Lagos because when the students come out to talk they always mean what they say. We are supporting Bode George to actualise a PDP governor in Lagos State,” the governor stated. While showering encomiums on George, he said what differentiated him from others was his selflessness and commitment to truth. “Today, he (George) stands tall in the political firmament of the country. He stands for the truth always. He stood for the truth in my own state too.

He has a lot of roles to play in this country and in 2015 we shall come to celebrate with you when the PDP produces the next governor of Lagos State,” he added. On his part, Daniel, who was the co-chairman of the event, urged all party members within and outside the state to unite in a bid to ensure that George wins Lagos State for PDP in 2015. Pledging his total support for George, the former governor said: “Wherever he (George) goes, we shall go and the reason is not far-fetched: when we had a Yoruba president without support from his base, he led some of us to reverse that. The last vestiges of opposition would be crushed in Lagos in 2015 and we shall celebrate with you and you can then take your retirement.” George expressed gratitude to all, including the students who deemed it fit to honour him. George said that like Mandela, he sought no vengeance or retribution for the forces of evil that massed against him, adding that he has moved on and forgiven those who plotted against him. George was speaking of forgiveness against the backdrop of his conviction by Justice Olubunmi Oyewole of Lagos High Court for contract splitting during his tenure as board chairman of the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). However, the Supreme Court, in a judgement delivered in December 2013, quashed George’s conviction.

tive September 1, 2014. The board in their place announced the appointment of Mr. Joseph Ugbo as substantive Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer while Alhaji Umar Masanawa as Executive Director in charge of finance and strategy. The statement announcing the changes was signed by NSPMC company secretary and legal adviser, Lawal Adamu. Ugbo is a seasoned chemical engineer with over 29 years of engineering and managerial experience with internationally reputed manufacturing companies. Prior to this appointment, Ugbo has worked in various levels at Unilever Plc and rose to the position of Head of manufacturing, where he coordi-

nated all general mangers in manufacturing in the entire company. From 2009 to 2014, he was general manager of Dangote Flour Mills, Calabar. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from University of Lagos in 1982 and an MBA from Lagos State University in 1999. The restructuring in NSPMC is long foretold following the February removal from office of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi as the governor of CBN. Some of Sanusi’s loyalists in the firm were thrown into sudden panic mood over what could befall them in days ahead. President Jonathan had ordered the CBN Governor, Mr. Godwin Emiefele, to commence total

restructuring of NSPM to ensure its effectiveness. The President gave at the banquet hall of the Presidential Villa. According to the President, he had already handed over a clear instruction to Emiefele on how to handle to the reorganisation of the company in making it competitive among global players. “In fact when I appointed the new CBN governor, I told him that the Nigerian Security and Minting Company must be reformed,” the president said. He said with such repositioning of the company, its board must be able to identity a major global player within the minting industry and begin to provide key services needed by Nigeria. “The board must look into management and get

choice global players who are into this business, partner with them,” he added. President Jonathan frowned at a situation whereby the country has had to engage the services of foreign firms in printing materials needed for the conduct of elections despite the existence of the MINT. He said: “There is no way we are doing local government election, electing House of Assembly members, electing governors in Oyo, Ekiti, Adamawa that all what we will produce will be done outside this country. “Why? Other countries produce their needs, we claim to be a giant, a giant that will just send everything out, we empower others we don’t create jobs for our people,” Jonathan wondered.

L-R: Former Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel; Chief Olabode George and wife, Roli; Ondo State Governor, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko, and former Governor of Oyo State, Chief Adebayo Alao-Akala, at the investiture of George as Mandela Icon Award winner in Lagos...yesterday. Photo: Adeyanju Olowojoba.

Nwoye replaces Onyebuchi as Enugu dep gov lAssembly screens, clears nominee ex-commissioner Uwakwe Abugu Enugu

overnor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has nominated Rev. Raphael Ikechukwu Nwoye to replace former deputy governor of the state, Mr. Sunday Onyebuchi, who was impeached by the state House of Assembly on Tuesday. The impeachment followed his indictment by an investigative panel that investigated allegations of gross misconduct levelled against him by the Assembly. Yesterday, the state assembly screened and cleared the nominee who

served as Commissioner for Environment during the Chimaroke Nnamani administration. The new deputy governor was the transition committee chairman of Nkanu East Local Government in 2007. The emergence of Nwoye as a replacement for Onyebuchi (both from Nkanu East Local Council) came as a surprise considering that the likes of the Chief of Staff to the Government House, Mrs. Ifeoma Nwobodo, Mr. Uche Nwobodo and Chime’s adviser on inter governmental affairs, Mrs. Rita Mba. Meanwhile, the Civil Liberties Organization

(CLO) yesterday lent his voice to the impeachment of the former deputy governor. The CLO, in a statement made available to New Telegraph in Enugu and signed by its South-East zonal director, Olu Omotayo, said the impeachment followed due process. It stated: “Our position since the commencement of the impeachment process based on our previous press statements called on the two key actors in the process namely the Chief Judge and the State Assembly to ensure compliance with the constitutional provisions regarding the procedure for impeachment of

governor/deputy governor as enunciated above by the Supreme Court. “In the present Enugu’s impeachment case after critically following up all the procedures adopted, we saw that the procedure was flawless right from the commencement of the Impeachment Notice which was supported by 2/3 majority of the House members, to the setting up of the seven-man panel by the Honourable Chief Judge of the State who to our honest view successfully discharged the constitutional duty imposed on him by Section 188(5) of the 1999 Nigeria Constitution.”

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Ebola virus: Widow, 99 others quarantined CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

contact, a member of staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the team that received the late Liberian-American on arrival in Lagos, was said to have travelled to Port Harcourt shortly after the contact and met with Enemuo in a hotel. The announcement of the spread of EVD to Rivers State came a day after the Federal Government cautioned Nigerians not to celebrate the containment of the disease to Lagos State. Also, the All Progressives Congress (APC) has called on President Goodluck Jonathan to rein in Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a group mobilising support for the president’s reelection, to stop its rallies in view of the Ebola contagion in the country. The state governor, Mr. Chibuike Amaechi, in a state broadcast, urged the people not to panic as the government was doing all it could in conjunction with the Federal Government and other multilateral agencies to contain the disease. He added that Enemuo’s widow and 99 other people who were suspected of being at risk of suffering

from EVD following the contacts with the index case in Port Harcourt and the deceased doctor had been put under surveillance. He said: “Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo died last Friday, August 22, 2014, as a result of what was suspected to be Ebola Virus Disease. The state Ministry of Health on becoming aware of the conditions of his death, immediately commenced investigations and contact tracing. As at today (yesterday), about 100 contacts from a hotel, patients of Dr. Enemuo and patients of the hospital where the late Enemuo was treated until his demise have been identified and restricted. The different locations are being decontaminated.” Shedding more light on how the disease spread to the state, Amaechi said: “A staff of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on the team that received the late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, the

Liberian-American diplomat who died of Ebola haemorrhagic disease in Lagos, Nigeria, made a trip to Port Harcourt where he checked into a hotel and met with Dr. Iyke Sam Enemuo. “About a week after his departure, Dr. Iyke Enemuo took ill and was rushed to a hospital with symptoms of fever, diarrhoea and vomiting. In the course of treatment, the managing physician became suspicious and took blood samples for investigation. “A few days later, Dr. Iyke Enemuo died, precisely on August 22, 2014. Dr. Iyke Enemuo’s widow, who is also a medical doctor and who cared for him during his illness has taken ill. She is being quarantined. “The diplomat who was seen by the late Dr. Iyke Enemuo is alive and well. There’s no need to panic. Everyone should remain calm and go about their normal businesses. The

Government of Rivers State is doing everything possible to contain the effects and spread of the Ebola virus.” The governor urged anyone with symptoms indicative of diarrhoea, high fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, excessive weakness of the body and unexplained bleeding, should call the following dedicated phone lines for Ebola emergency: 08167733939, 07036321076, 08033124314 or the state emergency call centre: 112. Later yesterday, Amaechi visited and approved a temporary quarantine site in Oduoha, Emohua Local Government Area of the state to control the spread of the Ebola virus. He said plans had been concluded to upgrade the facility to enable experts and professional medical doctors to properly manage and control the spread of the Ebola virus in the state. Amaechi assured the people that the involve-

ment of technical partners like the World Health Organization (WHO), Medicins Sans Frontieres (MSF) also know as Doctors Without Borders, the American Embassy and the Federal Government will ensure drastic measures are put in place to tackle and eliminate the disease. The Commissioner for Health, Dr. Samson Parker, also told reporters yesterday that the government was working with officials from Emory University to check the disease, adding that the state was fully equipped to fight the disease. New Telegraph learnt that the doctor’s hospital, Good Heart Hospital and the hotel where the Port Harcourt index met the late doctor had been shut down. But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state blamed the governor for the spread of Ebola to Rivers State. Its state chairman, Felix CONTINUED ON PAGE 6

22o C 15oC Very Cloudy

PORT HARCOURT

22o C 15oC Very Cloudy

KANO

34o C 23oC Thunder Storms

ENUGU

29o C 23oC Thunder Storms

IBADAN

27o C 21oC Thunder Storms

CALABAR

28o C 22oC Storms

MAIDUGURI

33oC 24oC Partially Cloudy

ONITSHA

31o C 23oC Storms

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 ABUJA

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

L-R: Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar; Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III and Sokoto State Governor, Alhaji Aliyu Wamakko, during Atiku’s visit to the sultan in Sokoto...yesterday

Final rebasing puts Nigeria’s economy at N81trn CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

recorded in 2012. Amounts spent on gross fixed capital formation in 2013 year stood at N11.723 trillion, up from the N10.618 trillion expended in 2012. The NBS put the overall gross final consumption expenditure of general government at N6.548 trillion, rising marginally from the N5.953 trillion expended in the preceding year, while final consumption expenditure of nonprofit institutions serving households amounted to N302.248 billion in 2013. This is against the N248.570 billion recorded in 2012. However, the report

indicates a marginal decrease in changes in inventories expenditure from the N204.247 billion recorded in 2012 to about N201.440 billion in the 2013 review year. The total GDP by expenditure size stood at N91.231 trillion, while expenditure on imports of goods and services stood at N10.518 trillion. But when netted off, the domestic economy’s GDP size by expenditure stood at N81.009 trillion. Further analysis on the GDP and expenditure at current purchasers’ value basis showed that the size of the economy at basic prices stood at about

N80.092 trillion, comprising compensation of employees expenditure of about N22.330 trillion; operating surplus of about N53.513 trillion; consumption of fixed capital N3.714 trillion; and other taxes on production (net) value of N536.440 billion. The NBS also reported that a total of N917.401 billion accrued as net taxes on products during the year under review, pushing the overall GDP figures at market prices to N81.009 trillion. Last April’s rebased GDP of N80 trillion (about $510billion) had shrunk Nigeria’s debt-to-GDP ratio to 11 per cent for 2013,

against 19 per cent in 2012. Although Nigeria’s economy is attracting growing interest from foreign investors, they worry about the government’s tendency to squander its oil cash as well as mounting security challenges like a deadly insurgency unleashed by Boko Haram that has killed about 3,000 this year alone. Most governments overhaul GDP calculations every few years to reflect changes in output, but Nigeria had not done so since 1990, so sectors such as e-commerce, mobile phones and its prolific “Nollywood” film industry had to be factored in.

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

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Akunyili goes home as 200 clerics attend funeral Tony Okafor AWKA

ormer Minister of Information and Communications, Prof. Dora Akunyili, was interred yesterday at about 2:30p.m. at her Agulu country home in Anaocha Local Government Area of Anambra State. No fewer than 200 clerics attended her funeral mass at Madona Catholic Church, Agulu. Francis Cardinal Arinze presided the church service while John Cardinal Anaikan gave the commendation prayer. Twenty five bishops attended the mass while a sea of other priests from catholic and other denominations were also present. In his homily, Rev. Fr. Damian Akpunonu extolled the virtues of the late professor. Akpunonu, who drew his sermon from the book of Revelation, likened Akunyili to Christ who saved the lives of many people, said the country is bleeding from the blow of her death.

He maintained that in recent time, the Akunyili family had not been thrown into such mournful mood. The state governor, Willie Obiano, in his speech described Akunyili’s exist as the celebration of life, noting that she lived a good life and legacy, describing her as the light of the nation Speaking with journalists, former governor of the state, Mr. Peter Obi, said so many lessons could be derived from Akunyili’s life and times among which he said were the transience of earthly life and futility of being a slave to earthly attractions. Obi who said that if heavens were to be attained by testimonies of people that he would be sure Akunyili was in heaven. The son of the deceased, Dr. Edozie, who thanked Nigerians for the uncommon concern they showed over the death of his mother, tasked all to strive and make Nigeria a great country for his mother’s sake. Amongst those who at-

tended the funeral were: Former Head of State, Gen. Yakabu Gowon, wife of former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Bola; former Vice President Alex Ekwueme, governors of Imo and Bauchi states,

drove to the outskirts of Limankara, 16 kilometres away and left them there. Both Limankara village, the police training school there, Pulka village and dozens of communities around Gwoza are all under the control of the Boko Haram,” the official said. Villagers living near Sambisa forest in Borno State reported seeing a large number of Boko Haram militants leaving the camp and moving towards southern Borno with their families and possibly many of their hostages to Gwoza, Buni Yadi, Ashigashya, Madagali among others captured recently. A villager in Kirawa, a town on the Camerounian side, also said he had seen some suspected Boko Haram militants moving through Camerounian territory to Nigeria with large amounts of cargo in tightly secured convoys. They have also taken over the Vocational Training Centre in Gamboru by stationing dozens of their fighters there and are giving orders to residents. On the other hand, hundreds of Camerounian soldiers are on alert at the border between Nigeria and Cameroun, apparently in readiness to confront the insurgents in case they make any move to encroach into their territories, sources said.

Uba, Christ Ngige, Chukwuemeka Ezeife and former governor of Ebonyi State, Sam Egwu. Ministers of Information, Health and Power; Labaran Maku Onyebuchi chukwu, and Chinedu

Nebo, Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Emeka Ihedioha, Directors-General of NAFDAC and Standard Organisation of Nigeria, Paul Ohii and Joseph Odumodu also graced the occasion.

Chidiogo, daughter of former Minister of Information, the late Prof. Dora Akunyili (centre), widower, Chike and some family members at the funeral of the former minister in Agulu, Anambra State...yesterday

Boko Haram turns emir’s palace to headquarters oko Haram has turned the palace of the Emir of Gwoza, Alhaji Mohammed Idrissa Timta, who was sacked along with hundreds of others when the insurgents invaded the town about two weeks ago into the headquarters of its so-called Islamic Caliphate. A report yesterday by the Agence France Presse (AFP) said Boko Haram insurgents had begun to relocate from their camp in Sambisa Forest in Borno State to captured territories in northern Nigeria, with Gwoza as the headquarters. Their relocation followed the sustained territorial conquests by the insurgents who have occupied the army base in Gamboru town in Borno State which they took over on Monday. A senior official in Gwoza town captured on August 6, told AFP that the insurgents have turned the sacked emir’s palace to their headquarters. “As you are aware, part of the administrative unit of the palace was destroyed but the insurgents are using the remaining part as their headquarters. “In the past few days, even the old people who could not move to anywhere were taken out by the Boko Haram. They put them in vehicles and

Rochas Okorocha and Isa Yaguda; wives of Abia and Ebonyi state governors – Josephine Elechi and Oluchi Orji. Others were former governors of Anambra State, Virgy Etiaba, Andy

A source said they were currently near Fotokol, across the river that also serves as border between Nigeria and Cameroun. Various sources in Gamboru said Nigerian soldiers were yet to return to the town after they fled to Cameroun following a fierce fight with the insurgents on Monday. “We are still at the mercy of the Boko Haram insurgents who have taken absolute control of Gamboru. “The insurgents have everything, including sophisticated guns, armoured personnel carriers (APCs) and many other vehicles. They also have countless motorcycles. Some of them are currently patrolling Gamboru but they did not kill anybody or attack our houses, shops and other personal effects. “I cannot tell you how many they (Boko Haram) are but from all indications, they are in hundreds because they have divided themselves into many subgroups. They are going round talking to people, not really preaching. They are saying those who are not willing to stay should quietly move out of the town, insisting that they did not come to kill us,” ,” Mukhtar Aliyu Modu, one of the residents who still lives in Gamboru, said.

Airline operators lament high cost of aviation fuel

lAir France workers down tools, seek pay rise Wole Shadare

igerian airline operators yesterday lamented the skyrocketing price of aviation fuel, otherwise known as Jet A1, which has jumped from N160 per litre to N170. The development has made the Airline Operators of Nigeria (AON) to appeal to the Federal Government to stem the tide as the commodity cost more outside Lagos and could be as high as N180 per litre. Nigeria ranks as one of the nations in the world with high cost of JET A1despite the fact that it is the fifth largest oil producing country. In the international market price list for aviation kerosene, a gallon of aviation fuel which equals four litres of the commodity goes for $3.74 in Kano and $3.65 in Lagos. In Algiers, it is sold for $2.99, Cape Town $3.08, Cairo $3.08, Djibouti $3.18, Cotonou $3.65, Yaounde $3.75, Durban $3.83, Johannesburg $3.18, Dakar $3.74, Lome $4.21, Lusaka $3.21, Tunis $3.2, Uganda $3.74, Shangai $3.18. Others are Chad $3.74, Congo $4.99, Addis Ababa $4.21,

Accra, $4.49. Briefing the media yesterday, President of AON, Captain Noggie Meggison frowned at the high cost of the commodity, lamenting that most airline operators in Nigeria spends approximately 40 per cent of their operation cost on aviation fuel. He explained that sometimes it goes beyond 40 per cent on aviation. Meggison called on the Federal Government to intervene on the issue by ensuring that it revives the Warri refinery, Atlas Cove and Mosemi pipelines that supplied aviation fuel to the airport. According to him, “We need the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) to revive these pipelines so that airline can get cheaper and cleaner aviation fuel.” He pointed out that one of the causes of high cost of aviation fuel is the cumbersome chain of distribution and supply it has to pass through before getting to airline operators. He, however, maintained that this increase passed on to airlines by oil marketers cannot easily be passed down to the

passengers, as this would discourage them from travelling by air instead go by road. He said that until these issues raised are addressed ,the chances of airline enjoying cheaper aviation fuel in the country is slim, adding that even in our neighbouring countries Cotonou, Lome and Accra, for example, the price of aviation fuel is cheaper because they don’t pay demurrage or involve fuel trucks in aviation fuel supply. In another development, staff of Air France in Nigeria yesterday embarked on strike to press home pay rise and allowances; a situation that could lead to stranding of passengers leaving for Paris and other destinations. Their demands range from review of salaries and allowances which they said were yet to be reviewed in the past years, forcing many workers to have left the company in frustration. When New Telegraph visited the Adeola Odeku, Lagos head office of the airline, workers were seen at their desks but did not attend to customers.

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Jonathan tasks NIMC toregisterallNigerians …says 60% of fuel subsidy funds smuggled out Anule Emmanuel Abuja

Rivers State Governor, Chibuike Amaechi (centre) with technical partners during the inspection of the Ebola Temporary Quarantine site at Oduoha community in the Emohua Local Government Area of the state...yesterday.

Don’t panic, govt is in control, Amaechi assures residents CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

Obuah, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Jerry Needam, also accused Amaechi and the Parker of “carelessness and insensitivity.” The party accused Amaechi of refusing to cooperate with the Federal Government to contain the spread of Ebola to Rivers State and for being the only governor that shunned a meeting convened in Abuja on the prevention of Ebola. It said the meeting, presided over by Jonathan was attended by 35 other governors. Also speaking on the spread of the disease to Rivers State, Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu, yesterday said at a press conference in Abuja the incident had brought the total case recorded in the country so far with to 15. According to him, the two additional cases in Rivers State were not treated in the isolation wards in Lagos. “One of them is primary contact of the index case (Mr. Patrick Sawyer). Even though presently he does not have EVD but further laboratory tests indicated that he had suffered EVD. “This primary contact of Mr. Sawyer’s evaded our surveillance team in the last week of July 2014 and travelled out of Lagos to Port Harcourt where, as we now understand, he consulted with a doctor and was apparently treated for some symptoms. After four days, following a manhunt for him, he returned to Lagos by which time he was found to be without symptoms. This person is the ECOWAS official.

“This case would have been of no further interest since he had completed the 21 days of surveillance without any other issue, but for the fact that the doctor who treated him died last Friday, August 22, 2014,” he added. The minister explained that the total number of people under surveillance in Lagos is 141, six in Enugu, who will complete their incubation period tomorrow and 99 in Port Harcourt. Reacting to the new resumption date for schools, the minister said any date was tentative because of the delicate nature of children. He also urged people to report mass gathering to his ministry to avoid possible invasion of programmes by the ministry officials. According to him, although the Federal Government has not banned mass gathering, events likely to bring people from different states or countries together should be reported to the Ministry of Health for effective monitoring to prevent the spread of the disease. The APC, while also cautioning against the mass gathering of people to prevent the spread of EVD, called on the president to ban TAN rallies because it could jeopardise efforts to control the disease. The party, in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, yesterday in Ilorin, said: ‘’Mr. President, you said your ambition is not worth the life of any Nigerian. But the TAN rallies for your re-election are endangering the lives of thousands of Nigerians

in these days of Ebola. Some things must simply transcend politics. This is one of them. Please stop the rallies now.” The party urged the president to ensure that the rally slated for Port Harcourt tomorrow is stopped, in view of the spread of the Ebola virus to the Rivers capital. “If TAN goes ahead to organise its rally in Port Harcourt, can anyone guarantee that none of those who have had contact with the medical doctor will attend? It can only be better imagined the kind of danger that those who will attend the rally will be subjected to. Therefore, President Jonathan has a historic opportunity to put the well-being of his compatriots above politics, for once,’’ APC said. In another development, President of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Mr., Abdulwaheed Omar, has, however, lauded the Federal Government’s decision to extend the resumption date of public and private primary and secondary schools to October 13 in order to contain the spread of the disease. Omar told reporters in Abuja after inaugurating the N150million Federal Might House of Nigeria Civil Service Union Federal Council, Abuja, that such extension of resumption date would allow government to take proper measures to prevent any outbreak of the disease in schools. Meanwhile, GlaxoSmithKline said an experimental Ebola vaccine was being fast-tracked into human studies and it would produce up to 10,000 doses for emergency deployment

if the results are good. The World Health Organization said the deadly Ebola outbreak in West Africa could infect more than 20,000 people before it is brought under control. WHO has announced its strategic plan for combating the virus estimated that it will take six to nine months to halt the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. So far 3,069 cases have been reported in the outbreak but the WHO said the actual number in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Nigeria could already be two to four times higher. “This is not a West Africa issue. This is a global health security issue,” Bruce Aylward, the WHO’s Assistant Director-General for Polio, Emergencies and Country Collaboration, told reporters in Geneva. With a fatality rate of 52 per cent, the death toll stood at 1,552 as of August 26. However, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) has called on West African states to re-open their borders and end flight bans put in place to halt the spread of Ebola. The ECOWAS countries and airlines will make their own decisions on flight bans and borders, but the view of the main regional body, expressed at a meeting of ECOWAS health ministers in Ghana’s capital, is likely to prove influential, according to a report by Reuters. “We must implement containment measures but we must not implement measures that will isolate or ostracise the affected countries,” Ghana President John Mahama, who is also ECOWAS’s current chairman, told the meeting.

resident Goodluck Jonathan has directed the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC) to ensure that all Nigerians are enrolled into the National Identity Database and that all Government Ministries, Agencies and Departments (MDAs) involved in data capture activities align their activities with the view to switching over to the NIMC infrastructure. President Jonathan also directed the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice and the Governor of the CBN to work in conjunction with the commission in harmonizing their biometric projects. The President gave the directive yesterday while flagging off the issuance of the National e-identity card at the banquet hall of the presidential Villa. According to the President, the proliferation and duplication of effort at data capturing is neither cost effective nor securitysmart. He said that it is important to remove obstacles that may impede the NIMC from discharging its constitutional functions and statutory obligations. “The Bureau of Public Procurement (BPP) should also ensure compliance immediately. The regime of duplication of biometric data bases must now have to give way to harmonisation and unification with the e-ID scheme, which shall be the primary data base,” the president said. President Jonathan at the event also directed that identity authentication and verification services that are in pilot phase, as demonstrated, should immediately be further extended to other Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and be made available at the airports and other border posts, for enhanced security checks. He charged the management of the NIMC to redirect all its energy on ensuring that “the remaining two components of the NIMS roll out – Identity Authentication and Verification and the Alignment and Switching Over by the MDAs through the harmonisation and integration framework – are deployed without fail.” “The logistics and

speed of data collection must have to be improved upon, and this will reduce the justifications given by MDAs, as reasons for duplicated biometric options. Hopefully, the harmonisation programme will help to achieve this, especially, by the commission ensuring that MDAs switch or at least align their existing infrastructure as data collection agents to the NIMC System. “This should be the primary reason for expediting the harmonization programme. More so, in this way scarce government resources will be better optimised for significant national benefits” he said. “I have taken keen interest in this project, primarily because of the pervasive impact it can have on every facet of the socio-economic fabric of our dear nation, which is in sync with the transformation agenda of my government. The President also lamented that 60 per cent of the funds meant for subsidy were smuggled out of the country. He said: “If you take the issue of subsidy of transport; what we do is subsidising hydrocarbon, it does not go to the ordinary people. Government spends huge sums of money, hundreds of billions of naira every year in the budget, ask the National Assembly. “Sometimes it is controversial subsidising kerosene; yet, it is going very high in the market, subsidising PMS and so on. “We are thinking about how to subsidise transportation of the person going to school, the person going to the market, the person moving from Lagos to Enugu or Lagos to Kano, and not paying subsidy that 60 per cent of which will be smuggled out of the country. “And those who make the money will come and use that money to induce the people suffering to even riot against government.” Director General of the NIMC, Mr. Chris Onyemenam, in his remark earlier said that the national e-ID Card was a multi-purpose card for identification, electronic signatures, biometric on-card verification, and other applications. Onyemenam stated that the card has five applications already activated at issuance, with a built-in capacity to host more applications on request.

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Friday, August 29, 2014

NBA tasked on maternal mortality reduction Temitope Ogunbanke igerian Bar AssociaNadvised tion (NBA) has been to address the

L-R: Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange; Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark and former Director, Nigeria Broadcasting Commission, Mr. Mark Emakpore, at a news conference on the forth-coming Adamawa governorship election in Abuja …yesterday

The percentage of women population above 60 years in Burkina Faso in 2012. Source: Un.org

The number of times more people die per reported disaster in developing countries than in developed countries. Source: Unesco.org

8.32

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

Sultan charges politicians on leadership Umar Danladi Ado SOKOTO

he Sultan of Sokoto and President General, Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA),Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar 111 yesterday admonished Nigerian politicians to see leadership as an act of God. Abubakar also tasked leaders and politicians to always fear God in all their daily activities, explaining that it is God who entrusts leadership to whosoever He chooses at any time and at any given day. He stated this when

OVERRULED

APC members in Ebonyi may go back to the boardroom to sort out their differences Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI, Clement James, Calabar and Cajetan Mmuta, BENIN

here are strong indications that the National working committee of All Progressives Congress, APC, has cancelled the purported congress of the party held on April 29th, 2014 in Ebonyi state. The group's factional chairman of the party in the state, Mr. Patrick Igwe has commended the National Working Committee of the party for taking the bull by the horns by canceling the state congress which he alleged was fraught in illegality. In a swift reaction,

the former Vice president Atiku Abubakar paid him a visit in his palace. He insisted that Nigerians must learn how to play politics of love and all-inclusiveness. Sultan said: “Nigerians would be looking forward to seeing when our politicians would understand and appreciate each other as partners in progress and not enemies. "Politicians should fear God and exhibit justice in all their dealings. They should also know that it is only God that gives leadership. Therefore, they should learn

how best to play politics of love not bitterness, rancor and hatred". He expressed optimism that he was looking forward to when politicians would not see leadership as a do or die affair but rather a platform to serve the people diligently. “God knows who to give leadership and leaders should in turn see everybody as their own, see every side as their constituency after winning elections and not to see those that did not support them as enemies”, he admonished. The Sultan counseled that politicians should

jettison the winner take all attitude whenever they win elections, adding that the Sultanate is ready to welcome every Nigerian because such relationship enhances good governance. In his remarks, the former president, Atiku Abubakar noted that his visit to the Sultan was to simply pay homage in view of the standing relationship between the Sultanate and Adamawa state. He therefore expressed shock and dismay over the rising political acceptability of governor Wamakko in the state and nationally.

high maternal deaths in Nigeria by supporting public interest litigation to ensure the reduction of maternal mortality in Nigeria. Speaking at a seminar organized by the NBA Human Rights Institute in partnership with the Women Advocates’ Research and Documentation Center (WARDC), the Manager Center for Health Human Rights and Development (CEHURD) in Uganda, Dr. David Kabanda, who was a guest Speaker, said Public Interest Litigation (PIL) is aimed to protect and deliver prompt social justice with the help of law.

Kabanda said: “Women’s rights to life, health, non-discrimination entitle them to the services and care they need to go through pregnancy and childbirth safely.” In her remark, the Executive Director of WARDC, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi, said the causes of maternal deaths in Nigeria, are not solely medical or socio-cultural, but clearly linked to inept governance and violations of rights that are guaranteed by international, regional, and national laws and rights that governments should prioritize and implement. She therefore called on lawyers and human rights attorneys to support impact litigation so as to save women in Nigeria from needless death.

N22bn council fraud: Commissioner exonerates self, Oshiomhole Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do state commissioner for EChieftaincy Local Government and Affairs, Chief

Lucky James yesterday exonerated himself, the ministry and Governor Adams Oshiomhole from any complicity in the N22billion fraud allegation against the state government by the anti-graft agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission. Chief James described the allegation as cheap blackmail designed by opponents to rubbish his hard earned reputation. He also debunked ownership of any property in United State of America. “There is nothing like

U.S property. I detest traveling abroad. The records are there. They should go and verify both at the embassies and any other exit points’’, he declared. The huge sum according to the EFCC was said to have been deducted from the statutory allocations of the 18 local government council in the state following a petition allegedly filed by the PDP legislators calling for a probe into the financial transaction of the ministry. But James in an interview with newsmen in Benin, stated that aside the statutory allocation, the ministry lacks the legal right to tamper with funds meant for the local governments.

APC crisis: NWC cancels Mutallab, Garba task journalists congress in Ebonyi Ahmed Sani Mohammed KATSINA

Mr. Ben Nwobasi led executive dismissed the report as rumour and described it as baseless and handiwork of mischief makers who are bent in crippling the party. Nwobasi claimed that the issue of congresses of Abia and Ebonyi, as alleged was not discussed in the National Executive Council meeting of the party but to intimate party stakeholders on the guidelines for the forthcoming primaries of the party cross the country. Meanwhile, the South South leadership of the party has condemned Chief Tom Ikimi’s decision to dump the party, saying he ought to have allowed the wish of the majority in the party to prevail instead of choosing “to stand alone in this course for which he

joined to initiate.” A press release from the office of the National Vice Chairman (South South), Mr. Hilliard Eta, said although the leadership respects the decision of the former Vice Chairman (South South) of the party, he had “a rich background and democratic credentials to ventilate his position and interest.” Also, the minority whip in the federal House of Representatives, Mr. Samson Osagie yesterday blasted him for attacking the national leader of the party and former Lagos governor, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu over his woes. He said that his blame on Tinubu for his exit amounts to crying wolf and described him as a lily livered opposition politician.

he President, Nigeria T(NUJ), Union of Journalists Malam Muham-

mad Garba, has urged governments to intensify efforts at protecting journalists in the course of discharging their duties. Garba spoke at the opening of the 10th All Nigerian Editors Conference in Katsina yesterday. The theme of the conference is ``Credible Elections and Good Governance; the role of editors’’. Also, the Ja'iz Bank Chairman, Dr. Umaru Mutallab says that Nigerian Editors can enhance conduct of credible elections in the forthcoming 2015 elections in the country as well as encourage good governance through fairness reporting on credible candidate.

Mutallab made the observation yesterday while delivering a keynote address at the conference. Mutallab said that the media play a vital role in shaping the society, adding that the press is the best instrument for enlightening the mind of man and improving him as a rational, moral and social being". According to him "the sole responsibility for nurturing and deepening our democracy rest squarely on your shoulders as egg heads in our country's information and communication channels". Garba He said that the call had become imperative in view of the increasing cases of attacks on journalists in the course of discharging their mandate by political thugs. He, however, said journalists also needed to be properly guided

in order to ensure professionalism in their reportage ahead of the 2015 general elections. Garba therefore urged journalists to register for the life insurance scheme initiated by the union. He noted that 10 media practitioners have benefited from the policy nationwide. Also speaking, former governor of Ogun state, Mr. Olusegun Osoba, said that the 2015 general elections would be crucial for good governance in the country. He expressed optimism that after the 2015 polls, a new Nigeria would emerge because INEC had started taking concrete steps to ensure credible elections in the country. Osoba, therefore urged the electoral body not to relent in its efforts at ensuring credible, free and fair elections in 2015 and beyond

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Group insists on Bori state Onyekachi Eze

ABUJA

movement for the Thashe creation of Bori state described as injustice,

the omission of Bori state from the list of proposed states recommended for creation by the just concluded national conference, even when it has sent a memorandum to the conference and met the requirements as contained in Section 8 of the

1999 Constitution. The proposed state, comprises of the seven local government areas in the South East senatorial district of Rivers State, and is mainly in Ogoni area. President and founder of the group, Senator Cyrus Nunieh, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday, said they were surprised that Bori state was omitted from the list submitted to the conference chairman.

Group calls for HYPREP probe L-R: Key Account Commercial Manager, Lagos region, Nigeria Bottling Company (NBC) Limited, Mr. Shola Shosanya; National Commercial Director, Mr. Matthieu Seguin; Branch Manager, Shoprite Apapa, Mr. George Ukwunna and National Key Accounts Director, NBC, Mrs. Yanju Olomola, during the opening of Shoprite in Apapa, Lagos …yesterday

Atiku not funding PDM, says party chair Kunle Olayeni and Lateef Ibrahim he Peoples Democratic Movement (PDM) yesterday said former Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is neither a member of the party, nor its financier. The party’s Protem Chairman in Ogun State, Alhaji Isiaka Gbadamosi, who spoke with reporters shortly after a stakeholders meeting in Abeokuta, said Atiku had long ceased to be a member of the PDM. According to Gbadamosi, the former vice-presi-

dent remains a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and has no links currently with PDM. He said: “I want to state categorically that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, is not a member of the PDM. He led the group after Chief Tony Anenih left, but as at today, he is neither our member, nor a financier. “PDM has been in existence for 26 years. It was founded by the late General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua. It started as a coalition of groups that shared similar ideologies geared towards bettering the lots of Nigerians. As a political party,

DESOPADEC donates bus to Urhobos Gabriel Choba

Ughelli

s part of its commitments to community empower ment programmes, the Delta State Oil Producing Areas Commission (DESOPADEC) has donated a bus to Urhobo Host Communities of Oil and Gas (HOSTCOM) in Patani area of Delta State. The member representing Ughelli North Local Government at the board of DESOPADEC, Chief Christopher Ominimini,

while presenting the certificate of transfer and the bus key to the Chairman, Urhobos in Patani HOSTCOM, Rev. Isreal Unutame, said Urhobos will never leave their brothers behind in the scheme of things. He added that Urhobos in Warri South have also received a bus gift from DESOPADEC, and that what DESOPADEC is doing is to ensure that all the Urhobos, irrespective of their local government, must come together in order to move the state forward.

Give us Armoured Personnel Carriers, police tell Adamawa Ibrahim Abdul

Yola

police comAthedamawa mand yesterday asked state government to

purchase at least three Amoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for the police to be stationed at strategic places like the roads to police headquarters, Government House and Yola International Airport, just as the state government presented 26 patrol vans to the command to facilitate their operations. Receiving the patrol

vans donated by the government, out-going Police Commissioner, AIG Abakasanga, said before now, it was difficult to police the entire state effectively,” because of the absent of logistics and we want to suggest that places like police roundabout; the gate of Government House and the front entrance of Yola airport all required APCs that can assist the police to effectively deal with any group of criminals that may attempt to wreak havoc in the state,” he assured.

PDM got its certificate of registration from INEC on August 15, 2013.” Gbadamosi explained that since the PDM got its certificate of registration, the party had intensified efforts to win power at state and national levels. Meanwhile, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, yesterday described the death of Alhaji Magaji Danbatta, a foremost journalist and one of the delegates to the recently concluded national conference in Abuja, as one of the greatest losses the nation has experienced in its history. Atiku, in a tribute to

Danbatta yesterday in Abuja, said Danbatta was one of the progressive politicians the north and Nigeria at large, had ever produced. According to him, Danbatta was a remarkable politician, who at 19 co-founded the Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) along with the late Malam Aminu Kano during the first republic. He said the late Danbatta’s patriotism and broad-mindedness was always noticeable in the roles he played in his public career.

Pharmacists union organises workshop on Ebola

he Association of West TCollege African Postgraduate of Pharmacists in

collaboration with the Association of Community Pharmacists of Nigeria (ACPN), Plateau State chapter, has organised a one-day sensitisation workshop to educate members of the state council of the Nigerian Union Journal-

ists (NUJ) on the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD). The guest lecturer, Prof. Noel Wannang, said Ebola, which was first discovered in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in 1976 has no known cure and all researches and investigations have not yielded the needed vaccine to curb the scourge.

FOMWAN advocates girl-child education Adeolu Adeyemo

OSOGBO

he Federation of MusTciation lim Women’s Assoin Nigeria (FOM-

WAN) yesterday called on parents to give their girl-child sound education that would make her more productive and self-reliant

in the future. National President of the association, Alhaja Amina B. Omoti, who made the call at a press conference in Osogbo, said their association is working round the clock to see that girl-child education is based on practicality and pragmatism.

Group faults presidency Gboyega Adeoye or the failure of Federal Government to rescue the over 200 abducted schoolgirls in Chibok, Borno State by Boko Haram insurgents and stamp out the seemingly unperturbed activities of the sect in the country, some civil society groups in Lagos yes-

terday called for the resignation of President Goodluck Jonathan. Acting under the aegis of Action Team Against ConscriptionandKidnapping (ATACK), the group also demanded an unreserved apologyfromgovernmentfor its failure to protect the lives and property of Nigerians.

Emmanuel Masha

Port Harcourt

the Ken Saro-WiAthegroup, wa Associates has urged Federal Government to

probe the activities of the Hydro-Carbon Pollution Restoration Project (HYPREP) for failing to cleanup polluted communities in Ogoniland after funds had been released to it. The group said the refusal of HYPREP to implement the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) report has portrayed the

Federal Government as being insensitive to the plight of Ogoni people, whose communities had been devastated following years of environmental degradation. National Coordinator, Ken Saro-Wiwa Associates, Chief Gani Topba, who made the call in a statement, said Ogoni were of the view that the UNEP report would have been implemented had the right persons led HYPREP, which he alleged did not express willingness to clean up Ogoniland.

Group charges Nigerians to get voters’ cards Sinmiloluwa Sokunbi hristian Conscience, a non-governmental organisation in Lagos has urged Nigerians to come out in-masse to participate in the political process of electing new people into positions in the country come 2015. During the programme, the group’s Publicity Secretary, Tunji Oguntuase, said “the only way to show that

Nigerians are interested in change is for them to be active participants and not onlookers.” According to Oguntuase, who said the starting point is for eligible voters to get their voters cards when the process begins. He further charged Nigerians that; “We want to use this medium to appeal to all Nigerians, especially those in Lagos, to get their voters’ cards when the time comes.

Taraba investments records gain Sabiu Mustapha

JALINGO

Board of DirecCandhairman, tors of Taraba Investment Properties Limited,

Ahmed Yusuf Gamaliya, has said that the company has recorded a dividend of N10 million out of the profit of N37, 665,305 made in the year ended 31st December, 2013. He made the disclosure

yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba State, at the second Annual General Meeting of the company. Gamaliya also noted that the Taraba Investment and Properties Limited is the onlystategovernmentowned agency that is not sub-vented, adding that the company reliesonitsinternallygenerated revenue, of which income fromthecapitalmarketforms the major part.

EC to support milk sector Shadrack Yusuf s part of efforts to alleviate the impact of Russian restrictions on imports of EU dairy products and to limit its negative effects on market, the European Commission (EC) has announced that it will open Private Storage Aid (PSA) for butter, Skimmed Milk Powder

(SMP) and certain cheeses. A press release issued yesterday confirmed that the European Union (EU) Agriculture and Rural Development Commissioner, Dacian Ciolo, as saying that price signals on the European dairy market show that the Russian ban is starting to hit this sector.

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Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

FG to give free import duty on gypsum resources WAIVER Gypsum is good business and Sada throws up incentives Comfort Chukwu

Abuja

inister of Mines and Steel Development, Musa Mohammed Sada, yesterday promised duty-free

import of equipment for the development of the Gypsum resource. The minister said this is in line with the efforts of the Federal Government to provide a conducive environment for the exploration and exploitation of the nation’s mineral resources for the socio-economic development of the country. Sada made the promise at a meeting with the management of Ojim

Royal Investment and Property Limited and a foreign technical partner from Israel, led by the Chairman, Chukus Chilaka, in his office. In the words of the minister; “I can assure you that if you are setting up a processing plant for Gypsum resource, I can get you a duty-free import of all equipment you will bring into this country.” The minister said the government was ready

to support any potential investor towards the development of the nation’s minerals and metals sector in line with the Industrial Revolution Plan of the present administration. He expressed the ministry’s level of preparedness to partner with both local and international investors to achieve backward integration policy to move the sector forward. Sada revealed that cur-

rently, the country has a reserve of 12.5 million metric tons of Gypsum resource spread across different locations of the country, adding that, most mining operations in the country are being carried out by artisanal and small scale miners, who had formed themselves into cooperative groups. He explained that these cooperative groups are being coordinated by the department of artisanal and

small scale mining in the ministry. He encouraged the delegation to partner with technical departments of the ministry for necessary support and assistance. The Minister further directed the permanent secretary in the ministry to set up a small technical group between the technical officers of the ministry and the delegation so as to brainstorm on the way forward.

Niger gets N58bn IDB loan Dan Atori

MINNA

iger State government yesterday said it has secured a N58 billion Islamic Development Bank (IDB) loan for the dualisation of the Minna-Bida road and the establishment of a Bilingual Education Centre in the state. Commissioner for Works and Infrastructural Development, Alhaji Muazu Bawa, who disclosed this in Minna, while addressing newsmen at the end of the state executive council meeting, said the repayment period for the loan has been pegged at 25 years. Bawa, who revealed that the loan is interest free, added that officials of the IDB will be in Minna next month to fine

tune the arrangement for the drawdown of the first tranche of the loan. According to him; “The contract for the dualisation of the road also includes the construction of feeder roads along the route of the dualised roads projects under the N6 billion bond collected by the government from the capital market.” He explained that the Rijau-Dukku road as well as the Idi burial ground to Ahmadu Bahago Roundabout have been completed and will be inaugurated next month by Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu, even as he explained that the Maitumbi to Maikunkele road project was reviewed to bring the cost of completing the project to N3.1bn as against the initial contract sum of N2.1 billion.

CJN swears in Abba as FCT acting Grand Khadi Tunde Oyesina

ABUJA

he Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Mariam Aloma Mukhtar, yesterday swore in Khadi Ibrahim Abba, as the acting Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory. Abba took over from Grand Khadi Muhammadu Shehu Lamido, who retired on June 27, after attaining the mandatory retirement age of 65. Justice Mukhtar urged the acting Grand Khadi to be mindful of his oath of office and the oath of allegiance to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of

Nigeria, he took. “Mind you, you are also holding a Qur’an while taking the oaths. I urge you to discharge your duties for fear of Allah. Remember, I said for “fear of Allah” three times. Although, some people may say they fear Allah in the public, but when alone, it is a different thing altogether.” The CJN said when Abba is confirmed as Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal of the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja in line with Section 261 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a more robust swearing in ceremony shall be held for him.

Lagos promotes Ebola prevention campaign Muritala Ayinla he Lagos State government yesterday said it is dedicating the August edition of the environmental sanitation exercise towards massive advocacy campaign and demonstration of preventive measures to curb the spread of

the Ebola Virus Diseases. Commissioner for the Environment, Tunji Bello, who made the disclosure, said the sanitation exercise, which holds between the hours of 7.00am and 10.00am tomorrow would also be an avenue to further educate the residents on the need to maintain proper hygiene.

Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan (seventh right); Delta Head of Service, Sir Paul Evuarherhe; former Head of Service, Mr. Oke Ofili and others, during a send-off party for Ofili and other retired permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments in the state civil service, in Asaba…yesterday

181,040

The total area (in sq. km) of Cambodia. Source: Worldfactsandfigures.com

26,528

The number of refugees and people in refugee-like situation in Angola assisted by UNHCR at the beginning of 2010. Source: Blatantworld.com

Ebonyi Assembly laments unclean environment Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

bonyi State House of Assembly yesterday lamented the unwillingness of the state environmental sanitation agencies and landlords to keep the state clean. In a motion moved by Hon. Odefa Obasi Odefa, representing Onicha East constituency and seconded by Hon. Nnena Nwene, representing Ohaozara East constituency, the House called on government agencies to ensure that all the dumpsites are urgently evacuated to ensure a cleaner environment. The House also called on the Commissioner for Environment, David Egbu, to ensure that the state is kept clean stressing that the governor, Chief Martin Elechi, has done well in ensuring that the state produces the best international market with over 5, 300 shops across the country. According to Odefa; “Landlords should observe relevant laws and keep the state capital clean, so as to complement and sustain the efforts of the government led by the governor, in keeping the state clean. By doing so, we can enjoy a cleaner

environment." Meanwhile, worried by the high rate of electricity bill in the state, the Kogi State House of Assembly, yesterday ordered the arrest of Lokoja business manager of the electricity distribution company (DISCO) over alleged exploitation of consumers in the state. Governor Idris at a function recently lamented the unnecessary high cost of electricity bill in the state. The House’s decision came on the heels of an adopted motion moved by Hon. Suleiman Babadoko (PDP-Lokoja 1), calling for intervention on what he described as undue exploitation of the people. “We support with no reservation, the unbundling of PHCN vis-à-vis the privatisation of key structures in power generation, transmission and distribution in Nigeria. We believe this is the way forward for our dear country. “The resulting exploitation of consumers in the name of maintenance service charge or fixed charge and unreasonable estimated billing, causing so many families untold pains, should not be treated with levity."

The sex ratio of men above 60 years per 100 women in Bermuda in 2010. Source: Un.org

Pensioners get N60bn boost Dan Atori

MINNA

etermined to put an end Dwith to problems associated pensioners in Nige-

ria, an organisation under the aegis of Sigma Pension Limited (SPL) yesterday said it has paid over N60 billion to over 10, 000 retirees. This was to correct the anomaly in the 2004 Pension Reform Acts, that Nigerian government did not fund very well and which resulted in inability to pay retirement benefits as at when due. Managing Director, Sigma Pensions Limited, Umaru Modibbo, while disclosing this at the Annual Retirees' Forum in Minna, Niger State said the money is in terms of normal benefits, temporary loss of jobs and death benefits. Umaru, who was represented by the Executive Director, Pensions, Bala Bello, said; “SPL is one of the leading Pension Funds Administrators (PFA) in Nigeria, both in terms of Assets Under Management (AUM) and number of registered contributors as well as number of retirees being paid monthly pensions. That is why we are able to pay over N60 billion to over 10, 000 retirees.

He assured that the SPF will continue to do it timely and efficiently in a manner that will bring smiles on the faces of the retirees. Speaking to journalists, Bello said: “The main reason we are here is to ensure that people who have signed on with SPF and are about to retire are guided in the process, so that as soon as they retire, their benefits are ready and paid into their accounts without delay. “We have been going from one state to another for retiree fora in a number of states and it will continue until we cover the 36 states of the federation, to reduce hassles.” He said the scheme is for both the public and private sector, adding that "as long as the individual is an economically active person, he should try as much as to key into the scheme." Earlier, Permanent Secretary of Niger State Pension Board, Benu Yahaya, said the state has performed very well in pension related matters coming third nationally. Accordingly, he said: “As I am talking to you now, Niger State has fulfilled all its part in the pension scheme. We pay pensioners before paying civil servants.”

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FriDAY, August 29, 2014

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Accident claims five, eight Ekiti varsity students injured

}19 survive Lagos road crash DANGEROUS CELEBRATION

Eight final year students of Ekiti State University almost lost their lives while returning from a night club after celebrating the end of their study Adesina Wahab and Camillus Nnaji

t least five persons, mostly traders going to Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, died in an accident on Ado-Ifaki Road yesterday. Eight final year students of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), AdoEkiti, were seriously injured in the crash. The accident involved a lorry carrying the traders and a Mazda car conveying the students. Also in Lagos yesterday, 18 passengers and the driver survived a crash at Otedola Estate on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway. But in the Ekiti crash, the driver of the lorry is

currently on life support at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital, Ado-Ekiti. The students, according to sources, were returning from a night club in Ado-Ekiti where they had gone to celebrate the completion of their final year examinations. The accident, near Iworoko-Ekiti, occurred about 4.30am, as the vehicle in which the students were travelling, had a head on collision with the lorry going to Ado-Ekiti. The students were in a grey Mazda with registration number Lagos KJA 608 CD and the traders were in a Nissan lorry marked Osun AA 529 FTD. The traders were from

Rainstorm destroys 116 houses, renders 1,000 homeless Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

ainstorm has destroyed more than 116 houses and rendered over 1,000 people homeless in Fugar, the headquarters of Etsako Local Government Area of Edo State. The Deputy Governor, Dr Pius Odubu, yesterday paid an unscheduled visit to the area to ascertain the level of destruction. The storm, which occurred at the weekend, destroyed property worth several millions of naira. The areas worst hit by the storm include Ivinone, Ulumohie, Iviocha and Iviavia all in ward one, Etsako Central. The disaster occurred less than two months after a devastating flood wreaked havoc on communities in Igarra, the administrative headquarters of Akoko Edo, which led to the death of four

persons. No life, however, was lost in the latest incident. Odubu promised that the government would send relief materials which include zinc, beddings, drugs and other essential items to assist those affected and displaced by the storm. The deputy governor assured the people that the relief materials would soon be brought to reduce the impact of the storm on the victims. Odubu was on the visit with the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Lucky James, Special Adviser on Special Duties and Executive Director Office of the governor’s wife, Hajia Maimuna Momodug and other key government functionaries. The deputy governor expressed shock at the level of the destruction but promised that the government would take urgent steps to cushion the effect of the disaster.

Ora-Ekiti and were going to Ado-Ekiti to sell farm produce. It was learnt that the students were drunk. The timely intervention of villagers around the scene and some policemen attached to Iworoko Division led by their Divisional Police Officer helped in saving the lives of the injured persons. They used axes and cutlasses to cut the vehicles open and evacuate the victims. The clothes and shoes of the students littered the scene, while some of their The scene of the Lagos accident colleagues were there to sympathise. The EKSU Students Union of the dinner, when the inciPublic Relations Officer, Miss dent happened.” Priscilla Afolabi, said though The state Police Public Rethe students were seriously lations Officer (PPRO), ASP injured, they were respond- Victor Babayemi, confirmed ing to treatment. the incident. She said: “They are our He said only two people colleagues coming from a died and that the corpses had dinner. None of them died, been deposited at the morgue. they were eight, five females In the Lagos incident, the and three males. They were Mazda bus with registration coming from a popular hotel number MUS 281 XX was close to the university, venue conveying passengers from Juliana Francis occasioned by drug Dthaneath abuse is more dangerous genocide, says the Mur-

Ketu in Lagos to Mowe in Ogun State. The Head of intervention team of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr A. A. Ajayi, told our correspondent that the bus somersaulted four times after the front tyre burst. He said: “Thank God, there are no casualties; only three people were wounded with bruises and shock. They have

been rushed to the Accident Emergency Management Centre at tollgate, Ojota.” Ajayi advised drivers conveying people on the expressway to check the condition of their vehicles before moving and desist from over-speeding, capable of causing fatal accidents. Policemen were also at the scene to direct traffic caused by the accident.

Drug abuse deadlier than genocide, says NDLEA

tala Mohammed Airport (MMIA), Lagos, Commander of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Hamza Umar. Umar made this submission during a presentation to the participants of Course 36, at the National Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru, Jos. He said: “Apart from the genocide of the Second World War, no other phenomenon has had more debilitating consequences on mankind like the pandemic drug scourge. Drugs induce social vices, civil upheavals and other forms of criminalities.” According to Umar, narcotic Ahmad drugs and psychoactive substances have been identified as a major cause of broken marriages, social vices, civil upheavals and other forms of criminalities. Umar He added that narcotic drugs negatively affected industrial relations and millennium Productivity and National Development,” said that drugs development goals. The commander, in a paper had more debilitating effects entitled: “The Role of NDLEA on mankind than most dreaded in Industrial Relations, Labour epidemics.

He stated that while many workers were thrown into the unemployment market, several marriages had broken-up on account of drug use. This, according to him, occurs either when spouses are incarcerated over drug related offences or when they are grappling with drug dependency. Expectedly, most children lack proper parental upbringing thus exposing them to delinquencies. Umar argued that if drug cartels could capitalise on the high population, bustling commerce, vibrant air transportation and

geographical location of Nigeria in making it a transit point for category ‘A’ drugs like cocaine, heroin and other psychotropic substances; government should harness same factors in its counter-narcotics campaign. He said: “A state of insecurity, resulting from the activities of drug cartels can force skill workers to abandon their jobs and send students out of school. It also undermines ethical values and human capital development.” Umar enumerated sectors affected by the activities of drug cartels as investment, inflation, politics, agriculture, tourism as well as personal relationship. He called for increased funding for the NDLEA, establishment of Liaison Offices/ Drug Attachés in all Nigerian Diplomatic Missions, regular review of drug control laws, training and re-training of officers, provision of logistics, synergy among law enforcement agencies and elaborate anti-drug abuse enlightenment.

Friday, August 29, 2014

RCCG Sunshine Zone holds special anointing service Inioluwa Ekeolere Sunshine zone of the Redeemed TwillheChristian Church of God (RCCG) on August 31 hold a special

anointing service tagged: “There is an end.” The service holds at the Lagos Province 10 in Agege, Lagos. Pastor in charge of Sunshine Mega Zone, Lucky Onyeemeosi, and other anointed men of God will minister at the programme, which starts at 8am. “It is going to be a big programme and all arrangements have been concluded to make it go well as usual. We are expecting guests from far and wide to be with us because it is a special programme in many ways,” Onyeemeosi said. He added that there would be special prayers for children at the special service.

Clash: Anambra community demands implementation of S’Court judgement Onah Onah Onitsha

he people of Umusiome Nkpor yesterday called on the Anambra State Government to execute the Supreme Court judgement between them and the people of Ikenga Ogidi in Idemili North Local Government Area. The call came as victims of the Ikenga Ogidi and Umusiome Nkpor are still counting their losses after the mayhem that resulted in the destruction of property in the communities. It was learnt that about 40 houses were set ablaze in Umusiome Nkpor community during the communal clash. But briefing journalists on the disputed piece of land called ‘MKPU’ bush, the Chairman of Umusiome Nkpor community, Chief Greg Okeke, accused the former Deputy Governor, Mrs Virgy Etiaba, of laying the foundation for the crisis. Okeke said that Etiaba headed the state Demarcation Land Committee between the warring communities that resulted in the mayhem which, according to him, derailed from implementing the Supreme Court judgement because the government collaborated with Ikenga Ogidi against Umusiome Nkpor. He said: “In 1974, Ikenga Ogidi unilaterally demarcated the boundary between Umusiome and Ikenga Ogidi against the judgement of the Supreme Court. “When we protested to the Deputy Governor, Virgy Etiaba, who was the chairman of the Umusiome Nkpor and Ikenga Ogidi boundary demarcation committee, in her wisdom, she told the Anambra State surveyor general to constitute a technical committee to go to the site and find out if there is any deviation from that of the Supreme Court judgement on the demarcation done by Ikenga Ogidi along with the state government. “The committee found out that there was deviation and as such it should be revisited.

METRO

Save us from land grabbers, Unity estate residents cry out Muritala Ayinla and Taiwo Jimoh

he residents of Unity Estate in Igbogbo-Bayaiku Local Council Development Area of Lagos State have appealed to the state House of Assembly to protect them from land grabbers. The residents yesterday stormed the Assembly to protest incessant attacks from land grabbers who, according to them, have continued to kill and maim house owners in the estate. The protesters, bearing placards with various inscriptions, called on the Speaker, Adeyemi Ikuforiji, to come to their rescue as their lives were no longer safe in the community. The Chairman, House Committee on Information and Security, Segun Olulade, commended the aggrieved members of the community for not taking laws into their hands. He said: “Here at the

Canadian group donates items to Nigerian Red Cross Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

Canada-based NonAganisation Governmental Or(NGO),

Grandmothers Advocacy Network (GRAN), has donated food and medical items worth millions of naira to the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Edo State. The facilitator of GRAN, Habiba Sulieman, a CanadianNigerian, said the donation was to provide support to improve the lives of victims involved in emergencies, accidents and crisis-related issues. Suleiman disclosed this shortly after her induction into the Nigerian Red Cross Society in Auchi Etsako West Local Government. She said: “The donation is to boost humanitarian services of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in providing aid to accident and emergency victims’’.

Lagos State House of Assembly we are bitter about the attitudes of some land grabbers in Lagos State. We will not tolerate illegality in the state. We will also mediate and make peace to reign in every community and Lagos in general. “We are for you here and we will continue to be with you, as we have seen your petition. We will look into it and do the needful so that we all can live in peace and harmony.” One of the protesters, Mrs Marry Lawal, said inhabitants of the community bought their land from different land owners and paid all necessary fees before they were allowed to build their houses. She said: “A few years ago, problem started emanating in the community as a result of land grabbing and encroachment from the Ajagungbale from Onire- Ajibode family from Bayeiku village. We were forced to pay ratification fees,

The protesters

aside the earlier money we had paid various land owners. “After we have paid the Bayeiku family, it later became an issue between Bayeiku and Igbogbo families, both lying claims to the whole land that made up the seven communities called the Unity Estate. The matter was later charged to Ikorodu High Court and it was won by the Igbogbos. “When the case was

won by the Igbogbo family, we were also asked to pay another ratification fees as they were the rightful owners of the land. “The latest attack was when other land grabbers led by one Baba Olodo and his boys invaded the community, shooting sporadically and telling the residents that he is now the new owner of the land.” The Vice-Chairman, Igbogbo Bayeiku Local

Council Development Area, Mr Rotimi Olowonisaye, persuaded the aggrieved residents not to take law into their hands. He said: “As a government, we would protect and guard every resident in Igbogbo Bayeiku council area irrespective of where you come from. “It is not a crime building a house in our domain. What we are seeing today was not like this during the time of our forefathers.”

Rivers LG boss held for ‘destroying’ Jonathan’s poster Emmanuel Masha Port Harcourt

olice in Rivers State yesterday arrested the caretaker committee Chairman of Omuma Local Government Area, Emeka Nwogu, for allegedly destroying a giant billboard of President Goodluck Jonathan at Eberi Omuma. Nwogu was arrested at his Port Harcourt residence, according to the Rivers State Commissioner for Special Duties, Dickson Umunnakwe. Umunnakwe explained that the chairman was arrested for directing policemen at-

Muritala Ayinla

o stimulate their interest in agriculture, the Lagos State Government has trained another set of 60 students in Agric Yes Summer School Programme for secondary school students. The students were carefully selected randomly from the six Educational Districts in the state to participate in the programme annually. The Agric Summer School has trained 240

tached to him to destroy Jonathan’s billboard. The commissioner said that there was nothing linking the chairman with any billboard that should warrant his arrest. Umunnakwe said that Nwogu was being victimised for no justifiable reason. He said: “The caretaker committee chairman of Omuma was arrested yesterday by the Rivers State Police Command. I called the commissioner of police and he confirmed to me that the council boss was arrested. I pleaded with him to release the man.

“The chairman of Omuma caretaker comJonathan

mittee is known to me and he is not a violent person. I don’t want to believe that he ordered the destruction of Jonathan’s billboard.”

But the state assistant Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Grace Koko, said in Port Harcourt that she was not aware of the arrest. In a related development, the state government and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have disagreed over the hoisting of posters by the party on street light poles in Port Harcourt. The Commissioner for Power, Austin Nwokocha, had ordered that all adverts placed on street light poles in Port Harcourt be removed, and has inaugurated a 50-man task force to enforce the order.

60 Lagos students get training in farming students in the last four years. Declaring the programme closed at the Agricultural Training Institute, Araga, Epe, the Commissioner for Agriculture and Cooperatives, Prince Gbolahan Lawal, described the programme as a laudable step towards achieving the noble objective of engaging the youth and empowering them Participants at the trainingw through agriculture.

12 NEWS

SUCCESSION Delta governor will sure cause some heart break soon Dominic Adewole and Gabriel Choba, ASABA

elta State Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan, yesterday vowed not to hand over to ‘do or die’ politicians who have no genuine blueprints for the development of the state. The governor, who flayed the campaign of calumny that recently engulfed the state over who will succeed him next year, broke his silence with a charge to the aspirants to be issue-based in their campaigns rather than dis-

70%

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Uduaghan: I'll not hand over to desperate politicians

NAPTIP scores Delta low

sipating energy on how other contestants would be disqualified. Governor Uduaghan has since kept mum over who, and where his successor would emerge from and has insisted that the final choice would be made by God. While basking in the euphoria of the oil rich state’s 23th anniversary, the governor, however, cautioned aspirants against ‘do-or-die’ politics. He said: “Stop running around trying to disparage or disqualify anybody, because who God wants to give power, that

Related Matters (NAPTIP) has charged the Delta State Governor, Emmauel Uduaghan, to be tough on the enforcement of laws prohibiting human trafficking and child labour. The agency said apart from the efforts made in the past by law enforcement agencies, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and international partners in the state, much success has not been recorded on the part of the government. NAPTIP Benin Zonal Commander, Mrs. Cordelia Ebiringa, who stated this during a stakeholders’ meeting in Asaba, said government at all levels need to collaborate with the agency in the fight against the menace. She lamented that it has been observed over the years that the needed synergy between the agency, the oil rich state and other anti-trafficking partners,

The percentage of individuals using the internet in Belgium in 2009. Source: Itu.int

He will give, whether you disqualify somebody at the screening stage and God wants that person, the person will succeed.” Meanwhile, members of the PDP in Oghara, have perfected plans to narrow down their choice governorship candidate to emanate from Ika or Ndokwa nation in the Delta North Senatorial District. Delta State Commissioner for Transport, Hon. Ben Igbakpa, who briefed his people at a meeting convened in Oghara, said it is necessary for his people to be informed on the direc-

100,000

The total number of internet users in Saint Lucia in 2007. Source: Blatantworld.com

tion of the party not to go astray. The commissioner said his party, the PDP, has decided to bring the members together under one umbrella, hence the decision to work together and carry them along. Buttressing his point, the one time member of the Delta State House of Assembly said the governorship candidate for 2015 will go to the Ndokwa or the Ika people under the PDP zoning arrangement, adding that the decision is in order. He advised his people to follow the trend to the later without going astray.

€153m

The total amount spent on players transfer by Barcelona as at August 18, 2014. Source: Goal.com

Dominic Adewole, ASABA

Agency for TfichetheinNational Prohibition of TrafPersons and Other

operating in the state, has not been desirable. According to her, the crusade against the menace, especially in Delta State, has not been strong as it should be. While she adduced the failure to insufficient knowledge on human trafficking related issues, such as the emerging trend in global business and data collection, she said the crimes should be everybody’s problems. Ebiringa said an end could only be achieved through the sharing of information, guidance and counselling, and constant visit to psychologists, updated statistics, enforced laws to frustrate violations and ability to re-unite rescued children with their parents instead of remand homes to orphanage homes. She maintained that it is only when government collaborates with the agency to prevent the root cause of the problems by combating the ills and dangers inherent in it, that success would be achieved.

Dankwambo accused of politicising Gombe development forum Ugo Willies GOMBE

he All Progressives TGombe Congress (APC) in State has ac-

L-R: Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC), Peter Igoh; Commissioner, Dr. Michael Onyia and President, Association of Telecoms Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, at NCC stakeholders’ forum on modalities for the auction of Spectrum in 2.6GHz Band in Lagos …yesterday PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

Adamawa: Aspirants gang up against Ribadu, Modibbo, Marwa Onyekachi Eze ABUJA

he governorship byelection in Adamawa State is taken a new turn with seven out of the 14 aspirants petitioning the National Secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seeking the disqualification of five others. The petitioners, Dr. Umar Ardo, Alhaji Ahmed Gulak, Hon. James Barka, Senator Andrawus Sawa, Senator Halilu Girei, Dr. Aliyu Idi Hong, and Dr. Awwal Tukur are asking the party to disqualify the former Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Mallam Nuhu Ribadu and former Lagos State Military Administrator, Brig-Gen. Mohammadu Buba Marwa from contesting the party pri-

mary for failing to meet the provisions of section 50 (9) and (10) and 8 (b) of the PDP constitution. Also seeking to be disqualified by the petitioners are Dr. Ahmed Modibbo, Gen. Aliyu Kama and Marcus Gundiri. “Going by the provisions of sections 50 (9) and (10) and 8 (b) of the constitution of the Peoples Democratic Party 2012 (as amended), Ribadu, Gundiri and Modibbo are required to sustain continued membership of PDP for a minimum of two years to be eligible to contest for the post of governor while Marwa and Kamma remain on probation for at least one year, during which they will not be eligible to vote or be voted for except they are granted waiver as stipulated. Both sides have not met the requirements,”

they contended. But Modibbo in a statement described the petition as baseless and ridiculous. “Much as Dr. Ahmed Mohammed Modibbo would not like to join issues with any politician or fellow aspirants in this race, we cannot afford to watch and allow a few unserious elements to have a field day running him down. “Just like other allegations made against any forward-looking politician of Adamawa extraction by Dr. Umar Ardo in the past; this latest one too smacks of bad blood, it is ridiculous, baseless and laughable in its entirety. “For avoidance of doubt and in our effort to put the record straight, . Modibbo is a foundation member of PDP, a party he had contributed im-

mensely towards since its inception. He first got his initiation into PDP during the 1998 Jos Convention, after spending two sleepless nights. “For instance, commencing from January 2009, he had received no fewer than 10 letters of appreciation from Adamawa State executive committee of the party for his philanthropic gestures. “We have made available to the press Modibbo’s PDP membership card with evidence of his yearly payment of party dues. We, therefore, challenge Ardo to present similar profile of his own contributions to the party, a platform upon which he wants to run for governorship in Adamawa,” the former Executive Secretary of UBEC said in a statement signed by his media aide, Julius Toba.

cused the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) government of Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, of cornering the Gombe Unity and Development Forum for its political gains. According to APC Chairman, Mohammed Magaji Doho, who spoke through his Vice-Chairman, Mr. Julius Ishaya, the Dankwambo government is deliberately funding youths in the state to help in rigging the 2015 election in favour of the PDP. An association of inter-communities’ relation under the umbrella of Gombe Unity and Development Forum,

recently inaugurated eleven committees with specific mandates aimed at promoting mutual co-existence amongst the various ethnic groups in the state and also to canvas support for policies and programmes of the Dankwambo administration. But the APC, whose members were absent during the inauguration, is suspecting the emergence of the forum at a time, when political activities close by. The APC vice-chairman, who spoke to journalists in reaction to the inauguration of the forum, dismissed the inauguration mere gimmicks coined to confuse the citizens and to use the forum to campaign for the re-election of incumbent governor, Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwmbo.

IPMAN wants FG to probe kerosene distribution Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

embers of the IndeM pendent Petroleum Marketers Association

of Nigeria (IPMAN) have called on the Federal Government to probe the distribution of kerosene to the western zone. The appeal was made after a botched peace meeting of the warring factions of the union at the Royal Park Lane, Akure. Western zonal officers of IPMAN had gathered to reunite the Aminu

AbdulKadir and Chief Obasi Lawson-led factions. The meeting was hosted by the Ondo-Ore branch. Trouble started when some members demanded that no officials of the two factions should be recognised before the commencement of the meeting as a pre-condition for the peace deal. The situation was further heightened when the supply and distribution schedule of kerosene by Pipelines and Products Marketing Company Limited, was leaked to some members.

Okwu: Jega acting a script to favour North / PAGE 14 | Oyo: Crisis dogs PVC distribution / PAGE 18

POLITICS

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ayodele Ojo

Deputy Editor, politics

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Friday, August 29, 2014

Kalu: Nigeria needs unity to move forward

p-17

APGA crisis: PDP beckons Obi At a time when the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) is expected to consolidate on its success in the 2013 governorship election in Anambra State, a crisis of confidence that may lead to the defection of the former governor of the state and national leader, Mr. Peter Obi, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has cropped up, FELIX NWANERI reports

the state Assembly, apparently loyal to the godfather of Anambra politics then, Chris Uba, impeached him in November. His deputy, Mrs. Virgy Etiaba, took over. Obi went back to court and, in February 2007, recovered his mandate once again. Shortly after that, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) listed the state among those where governorship elections would hold in the 2007 general election. Obi resisted but the electoral body went ahead and conducted the poll. A former aide to exPresident Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Andy Uba (now a senator), emerged winner. Obi approached the Supreme Court which sacked Uba, 17 days after being sworn in. The story was not different in 2010 when his first tenure elapsed. The PDP mobilised its arsenal to halt his re-election bid. Against all odds, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, who just then left as the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) was handed the party’s governorship ticket because of the believe that he not only had the resources, but the personality to give Obi a good run for his money. In the end, the people chose Obi.

ill the immediate past governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, defect to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? This is the question on the lips of most political analysts and observers, following his sudden resignation as the chairman, Board of Trustees (BoT) of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). Obi, had in a resignation letter addressed to the National Secretary of the party dated August 15, said he was resigning as the national leader and BoT chairman into which he was appointed in January by the National Executive Council (NEC) of the party. Though he noted that his appointment as BoT chairman was yet to be ratified by a convention of the party as stipulated by the constitution, the former governor cited family and personal reasons for the resignation without giving details. He wished the party well in its future endeavours, adding that he remained an ordinary APGA member. But for its timing, Obi’s action would not have bothered many, as defection is the current trend in Nigerian polity. APGA just lost five members of the House of Representatives elected on its platform in Anambra State to the PDP. They include former governorship aspirant and Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Environment, Hon. Uche Ekwunife and Deputy Chairman, House Committee on Capital Market, Chris Emeka Azubogu. Others are the Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Afam Ogene; member representing Onitsha North/Onitsha South federal constituency, Cyril Egwuatu and the Chairman, House Committee on Culture, Tourism, Pilgrimages and Religious Matters, Chief John Olibie. The federal legislators, who have already written to the National Chairman of the PDP, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, seeking waiver to return to the party and apparently contest the 2015 elections, attributed their action to the lingering crisis in APGA, particularly the endless

Obi

litigations between the two factions of Chief Victor Umeh and Maxi Okwu. It was earlier speculated that Obi would dump APGA alongside the legislators, but it never came to pass. But some APGA faithful and supporters view his resignation from the party’s BoT as the first move to his defection from the party, whose platform he rode to power and ruled Anambra for eight years. The question most analysts have asked against this backdrop is: What would have influenced Obi’s choice of working with the same party that “hijacked” his mandate thrice and did everything possible to destroy him politically. Shocker The surprise over Obi’s resignation

and purported move to join the PDP stems from the fact that he had a running battle with the ruling party all through the period he was the governor of Anambra State. Three times the mandate given to him by the people of the state was “hijacked” by the PDP, and three times he recovered it through sheer doggedness. In April 2003, the people of the state voted massively for him to become their governor. He went to them with a message that resonated soundly. The mandate was “hijacked” by the PDP and given to Dr. Chris Ngige, then of the PDP. Obi went to court and retrieved that mandate. Ngige went to the Appeal Court and was defeated there too and Obi became governor in March 2006. But hardly had he settled down than

CROSSFIRE We heartily welcome the decision by the PDP to proceed to the tribunal to seek redress.... This is a pleasant departure from what we know of PDP’s disposition to settling scores through violence, intimidation and terror -Kunle Oyatomi

The APC are just begging issues as there is no short cut to this matter. They should save their energy to face the fireworks in the court... The whole world would know how they attempted to shortchange the electoral process -Bola Ajao

Interest theory While it said that there are neither permanent friends nor enemies in politics but permanent interest, Obi’s speculated move to the PDP has been on for long due to his closeness to President Goodluck Jonathan. He was not only an Honorary Special Adviser to the President on Finance, but an active member of the National Economic Management Team. These rare privileges, despite being a member of an opposition party, apparently explained his endorsement of Jonathan’s candidature ahead of the 2011 general election. He went ahead to lead the president’s campaign in the South-East in his capacity where he was then the chairman of the zone’s governors’ forum. Though his position was then understandable as his party did not field a candidate for the presidential poll, some analysts however blamed his involvement in the PDP presidential campaign for the near dismal performance APGA recorded in Anambra in the 2011 National Assembly election despite being the ruling party in the state. This position was hinged on the fact that while it was possible for the former governor to mobilise about 99 per cent of votes in the state for Jonathan and the PDP in the presidential poll, APGA was unable to garner up to 50 per cent for itself in other elections, losing the three senatorial seats in the state to the PDP and the defunct Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN). While such notion cannot be dismissed, those in the know, were however of the view then that with APGA’s limited sphere of influence and Obi in CONTINUED ON PAGE 16

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

OPEN FORUM Chief Maxi Okwu, a politician and lawyer, is a factional National Chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA)

f what I read in the newspapers about creation of additional polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is a correct account, I must say that I am shocked. This is so because polling units are not just created; it is created based on population ratio of an area. So, the creation of the additional polling units does not really reflected the true population of Nigeria. It shows that something is wrong somewhere. The situation where Abuja has more polling units than the entire South-East is not a big joke because I know that there has been a great increase in the population of Abuja caused by migration from most Northerners who moved out of the North because of the insurgency in some parts of the region. But the fact remains that there is something wrong somewhere. If what is report-

...Creation of new polling units

Okwu: Jega acting a script to favour North The process adopted in creating the additional polling units may affect the credibility of 2015 election... Jega is acting a script to favour a part of the country ed is correct, then it does not truly reflect the voting strength nationwide; particularly North versus South. Something is wrong somewhere and I don’t like INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega’s actions. Right from our fusion into APGA, Jega has always been against my interest. When Jega became INEC chairman, then I was in Citizens Popular Party (CPP); I saw his type of administration as

Okwu

totally out of tune with an election monitoring body that want to engage with so many partners, which is the

political parties. Jega does not like political parties. That is my view about him, and I have told him that in several memos that I wrote to INEC and the press statements as chairman of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) then. The process adopted in creating the additional polling units may affect the credibility of 2015 elections. I believe that Jega is acting a script to favour a part of the country, from where he comes from. I believe Jega is acting a script to favour Northerners. And to tackle this issue, all of us must come out and make our voices heard; Jega must be stopped otherwise he will cause problem for this country. He has done an exercise, which obviously endanger other democratic advancements. So, we need to come out together as stakeholders and see how we can make him to reverse his decision.

Interview by Temitope Ogunbanke

Adiukwu-Bakare: Jega should address the imbalance Chief Mrs. Remi AdiukwuBakare, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Commerce, is a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain

f there is need for creation of additional polling units, there is nothing wrong with it. But in doing it, we have to critically look at what we are doing. Nigeria at this stage is under some stress in terms of security challenges, tribalism among others, so we should be sensitive to the feelings of ordinary people. We should do things that would make the nation united and not what would divide the country.

Hon. Sunny Onuesoke, Country Director, Network For Good Governance

I believe that the creation of the additional polling units is more favourable to the North than the South. I believe that creating over 21,000 polling units in the North and just 8,000 polling units in the South is not fair. There is supposed to be equity and fair play in everything we are doing in this country; therefore creating more polling units in the North than that of the South is unjustifiable. I am of the view that creating more polling units in the North than South is going to affect the 2015 general election. I am not particularly happy about the entire development. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is supposed to be an independent body, so I will advise the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, to look at it to redress it and let there be equity

Interview by Wale Abiodun

Adiukwu-Bakare

Onuesoke: New polling units unjustifiable

not say it is intentional or deItowould liberate, but it is a calculated attempt undermine the political integrity

and strength of the southern part of this country. So the issue is, let Jega (Attahiru) tell Nigerians the index he used in spreading these polling units, in giving us 8, 000 units, and giving yourself 21, 000 plus units in the North, when even the numerical strength of the north is reducing in terms of migration. Everybody is running away from the North, and the voting power of the North is so micro. And then somebody comes to tell us that he wants to reschedule polling units because of developmental goals, when it’s glaring that the North is far below the numerical strength of the South. It is unacceptable to us from the South. So, we are saying that those polling units will never be used for the next elections, not anywhere; from East to the West, to the Middle Belt or South-South. It is unacceptable to us. Even the 21, 000 they gave to the North, if you look

and fair play. I believe that there is no fair play in what INEC has done. Creating polling units is political because it was created for voting purposes. So, we cannot isolate the issue from politics and therefore if he creates extra polling units to the North that is almost three times of the polling units created in the South, it is political and it is in bad taste as far as I am concerned. I will advise Jega to critically look at the situation, reverse it or address it as it should be addressed. It is not acceptable when you created 8,000 polling units in the South and 21,000 polling units in the North. It is not acceptable as far as I am concerned as a politician.

Onuesoke

at it from the demographical permutations, the Middle Belt is exempted. The concentration is in the war zone of Boko Haram: North East and North West. If you look at the calculations, they gave the North East and North Central almost 18, 000, and they gave only 4, 000 to the middle belt. How do you justify that? You can see that they gave the Middle Belt a very minute figure, and concen-

trated the bulk of the polling units in the core northern regions of the North East and North West. But the most important thing I call upon them to look at which is paramount is: how could 95 per cent of the executive and management board of INEC (Independent National Electoral Commission) be appointed from the North, just from one region of North West and North East, not even plus the North Central. Look at the positions of all the executive directors and all the top hierarchy of INEC, the greater percentage is from just those two regions. It is unacceptable. So, we are calling on the President to restructure INEC to reflect the federal character, because the northerners cannot be advocating for the seat of power and federal character, without addressing the monopoly of the electoral structure by just two geo-political zones. On the excuse that it was done based on population, or number of voters per unit is not justifiable, and it’s untrue. Those areas do not have more population than the South. It is only the capital cities of most states in the North that host a good number of people, unlike most

states in the South which have a number of urban cities playing host to large populations. Apart from Kano, which other state in the North can boast of such large population compared to any state in the South? It is also internationally recognised in many places around the world that southern parts usually have more population than the North, because of concentration of airports and seaports. Look at it, how many airports and seaports do we have in the South; Warri, Koko, Lagos, Port Harcourt. What about the flow of human traffic through the airports. How many states in the North can boast of the kind of population that goes through the airports from the South, apart from the Abuja airport, which is more like a central area? So, the new polling units created by the electoral body is unjustifiable, and totally unacceptable to us in the southern part of the country, and needs to be critically reviewed before the next general election to reflect the true spread of voters in the country.

Interview by EDIRIN ETAGHENE

POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

OPEN FORUM Olufemi Aduwo is the National Coordinator of Rights Monitoring Group (RMG) and Country Director, Centre on Convention for Democratic Integrity (CCDI)

...Creation of new polling units

Aduwo: INEC’s action justifiable If the North gets more polling units, that means we have more clusters or satellite polling units in the North and INEC wants to reduce it to the stipulated 500

ccording to the Electoral Act, a polling unit is expected to have not more than 500 voters. Over the years, those who manipulate the electoral process during polls use these satellite polling units to do the manipulations. I think what Jega is saying is: Let us create more polling units and this will allow us to bring the voting units closer to the voters and secondly, the presiding officers will have less people to deal with during elections. There is no discrepancy in the distribution of the polling units by INEC; it’s just that those speaking against it are not conversant with the workings of the electoral law. If the North gets more polling units, that means we have more clusters or satellite polling units in the North and INEC wants to reduce it to the stipulated 500. So, by reducing it to 500 would that make INEC to manipulate

Aduwo

for either the All Progressives Congress (APC) or the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)? I don’t think so. It’s necessary to create more polling units. For years, I have been agitating for proper delineation of constituencies because there are some federal constituencies where you have more than two million voters and there are some that have less than 900,000, so that explains

the lopsided nature of representation in the lower chamber. Also, many of the royal fathers won’t want this lopsided local government to shift from one senatorial district to another because of what they gain. We had many of them lobbying under the Maurice Iwu-led INEC but he never allowed it. If INEC had done it before now, people will still read meaning to it. So, the issue of whether a strategy to a favour political party A or B does not arise. There are some places in the North where we have four to five polling units together in one location and they use them for manipulation. The crux of the matter is that if there are more of these satellite polling

units in the North, there is a possibility to create more of the additional polling units in the North. So, there is no need to fear, both APC, PDP will benefit from the polling units because the voters can’t get beyond 500 in a unit. The major problem INEC is facing today is voters’ apathy because we are seeing a decline in voting populace. Look at Osun, for instance, 1.4 million people registered; 900,000 people collected voters’ cards and look at the number that eventual voted at the election. The figure is pathetic in a state of over three million people. So, the political parties and INEC need to do more in the area of voters’ education. This national identity card is another method that can be used to identify voters because it’s only few of the large populace that are deciding who emerges as leaders. People are sceptical of the distribution of the additional polling units because of the timing but the way election is being done now, the era of manipulation is gone. For me, we can reduce all these banters and suspicion if we go back and remodel Operation A4. Since our politicians are very crude, let us adopt crude methods.

Interview by WALE ELEGBEDE

Okorie: New polling units’ll make voting convenient Chief Chekwas Okorie is the National Chairman of United Progressive Party (UPP)

oliticians should stop grandstanding over the creation of additional polling units by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) because it is aimed at having not more than 500 voters per polling booth. If one takes a look at past elections, especially in a place like Kano, one will find out that most of the polling booths in the state were concentrated in the metropolis, and sometimes you see tens of thousands of people gathered at one polling booth to vote. So, what INEC just did was to separate voters in lots of 500 in order to make voting easier. If that was what the commission did, it then means that

What INEC just did was to separate voters in lots of 500 in order to make voting easier

anyone criticizing the action should first, find out whether new human beings have been created or whether new voters have been allotted. I see those protesting as merely grandstanding and trying to position themselves as defenders of the people, which they are not. They didn’t look into the records before protesting, and when they claim that polling units in

Okorie

Abuja outnumber that of the SouthEast, the question I ask, is: Who are the people in Abuja? Residents of Abuja

are 75 per cent Igbos, so who should be the one complaining? I don’t see the creation of new polling units conferring any advantage to any political party or section of the country. It will only make voting convenient. It will also enable collation and counting of votes to be done with ease, as no polling booth would be counting more than 500 votes. The new polling units will equally help in timing and efficiency of the process as well as ensure transparency. So, all stakeholders should encourage INEC to continue to improve on the credibility of our electoral process, so that more Nigerians will have confidence and participate. The more we have people participating in the electioneering process, the greater the legitimacy of our elections and the results.

Interview by FELIX NWANERI

Johnson: Action’ll give room for efficient conduct of elections Barr. Ladipo Johnson, a former Lagos State governorship candidate, is a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC)

he creation of additional polling units would probably make it easier for people to vote during elections. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) knows why it created additional polling units and as long as people and all the parties know where the units are and there is a level playing field, there would be no need for voters to be looking for polling units where they would vote on Election Day. Once that is done, it is alright and it will help in terms of administrative and efficiency. I believe the creation of the additional polling units would give room

for more efficient running of the election if properly utilised. I am not saying it would create more credible elections but on paper, if there is 500 people in a polling unit instead of 1,000 people, INEC would be able to finish accreditation and voting quicker than when there are 1,000 to 2,000 people in a polling unit. So, it should lead to more and higher efficiency but that will depend on implementation as we all know. So, we hope it would be properly implanted. On the issue of disparity in the numbers of polling units created in the North and South, I would not want to condemn, assume or presume that because they have created more additional polling units in the North than the South; that INEC is driving towards a particular agenda. The electoral body is creating more voters in the North, they are just trying to make sure that voting is more efficient. So, most of those people talking about the disparity in the number of additional polling units created in the North and

the South are not in the best position to actually criticise the decision of INEC because they don’t know what had informed INEC’s decision. My take on the creation of the additional polling units is that if INEC does it, the key thing is that it gives all the parties equal opportunities and everybody including the voters in each area the opportunity of knowing where their names are and where their units are. In those days when they used to rig easily, there would be certain polling units some parties would not even know about their existence. People will just go to those areas and perpetuate all forms of electoral frauds. But once everybody knows, there would be no problem in dealing with the population of voters. You may have 1,000 voters per polling booth, may be INEC wants to reduce it to 500 voters per polling booth so that voting can go more efficiently. But regarding the fact that more additional polling units were created in the North than those created in the South,

Johnson

I wouldn’t want to make presumption or assumption because it depends on the existing numbers of polling units before new ones were created. I assume that there were more polling units in the North anyway because they keep saying that North’s population is higher than that of the South.

Interview by Temitope Ogunbanke

16 POLITICS

Umeh CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

his second term as governor, the PDP which controls the Federal Government is the most likely party he would want to use in furthering his political career. Such allegations have not deterred Obi, who insists that the underlying factor behind his support for the Jonathan/Sambo ticket in 2011 and continued support for the administration, and President Jonathan’s second term bid, is not for personal gains. Just recently, he was alleged to have been appointed the coordinator of the Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria (TAN), a pro-Goodluck Jonathan support group, working for his re-election in 2015, but he denied it. He said it was wrong and false for Umeh to have linked him with the group without cross checking his facts. “For the avoidance of doubt, Obi is not a member of TAN such that being the coordinator should not have arisen. Obi made it clear that one project he has now is to campaign vigorously for the re-election of President Jonathan and he does not hide that,” the former governor said in a statement by his media office. Despite the criticisms, Obi’s support for the president and his party was however not a failed venture. Many still believe that APGA had an unwritten understanding with the PDP for the prosecution of the poll, and that it was the pact that informed the uninspiring support by PDP’s national leadership to the party’s candidate, Tony Nwoye. Part of the deal, it was further alleged, was to cede some senatorial and House of Representatives’ seats to APGA in the 2015 elections in order to get the party’s support for the second term bid of President Jonathan, although Senate President David Mark, recently dismissed any deal between PDP and APGA. “There is no such deal with any opposition party anywhere. Nobody should deceive you into believing that PDP has an agreement with any opposition party. PDP has a manifesto and only elected PDP candidates can implement it,” he said while addressing PDP supporters recently in Anambra. Row over resignation Expectedly, Obi’s resignation has rekindled the rivalry between him and the National Chairman of APGA, Umeh, who not only lambasted the former governor over his action, but castigated the party’s legislators who defected to PDP. Umeh described Obi as an ingrate who would always want to blow up the bridge after crossing it, but assured that

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Jonathan

Ojukwu

Obi, Umeh bicker over APGA all evil plots against the party would come to naught, stressing that APGA would continue to soar high, especially in the forthcoming elections in the state. “APGA will win all the elections in the state, both for the House of Assembly and the National Assembly,” he said, adding that the party would not tolerate blackmail against its leadership. According to him, unknown to some people within the party, who have misinformed the President that the government of Obi’s successor, led by Chief Willie Obiano and APGA’s leadership are averse to his re-election, the party will not field a presidential candidate in next year’s general election, which implies that Jonathan is APGA’s adopted candidate. In his reaction to Umeh’s outburst, Obi, who insisted that he will not leave APGA, said he remained the face of APGA and a consistent member of the party. His media aide, Mr. Valentine Obienyem, who spoke on his behalf, said if the former governor had not stayed in court to regain his mandate, fight his impeachment and seek tenure interpretation, there wouldn’t have been APGA today, adding that if Obi had not supported the present governor under APGA, the party would have ceased to exist. “He saw the party to its second tenure in Anambra and in the end handed over to an APGA elected governor. During electioneering, Anambra people, including Umeh, said APGA won because of Obi’s work in the state. Even when he was urged to leave the party, he refused, the most recent being losing being appointed a minister because he refused to join another party. “Just in December, Sir Victor Umeh presented the Most Consistent and Trustworthy Party Man’s Award to Obi. It is therefore unfortunate for anybody in Nigeria of today to call Mr. Peter Obi an ingrate, not to talk of APGA members. “Obi came to Anambra State and asked if the state was cursed or if Anambrarians were the cause. He thereafter promised to restore the state, rebuild education and other infrastructure, to put Anambra on sound financial footing, dismantle the parasites that fed fat on the state and re-orientate the people of the state through right conduct. He achieved all that. Today Anambra State is better of. “Obi fulfilled his promises to every-

body, including Chief Victor Umeh, who is far better than he used to be before he met Obi. Those who are ingrates are those who said he would become the leader and chairman of the party’s board of trustees, which could have been ratified the next day, but failed to do so for their selfish reasons.” Umeh faults claim In a counter-claim, Umeh described Obi’s assertion that APGA would have been extinct in Anambra State if not for his efforts, as unfortunate and seemed a temporary loss of memory by the former governor. The party chairman, who spoke through his Special Assistant (Media), Mr. Stan Okeke, further described as more worrisome, the claims that Obi single-handedly fought his impeachment, sought tenure elongation interpretation, and is the shining light of APGA. He said the good people of Anambra State were witnesses to the fact that to the contrary, it was Umeh who saw Obi through his eight-year tenure as governor, adding that it was the former governor who first went to his principal in 2001 to solicit for his support and not the other way round. “In that meeting, the APGA National Chairman asked Obi a few pertinent questions and he gave assurances of his resolve to contest the election and his absolute loyalty to Umeh at all times. He (Obi) knows the truth about all that transpired before and throughout his governorship. The beauty of all these is that the people of Anambra

Ojukwu... made a death wish, imploring Anambrarians to vote Obi in as governor... Can this be the same party that Obi and his group are today working round the clock to destroy, all for the selfish ambition of becoming relevant in PDP?

State and stakeholders of the party, as well as the Catholic Church in Anambra State are watching and listening to Obi,” Okeke said. Okeke further said that it was baffling that the former governor could claim that he was the reason Obiano won the November 2013 governorship election in the state. According to him, Obi made every effort to reconcile his differences with Umeh before the election when he realised that there was no way APGA could have gone into that election without the political sagacity of the APGA national chairman. On the claims that APGA leadership deliberately failed to ratify Obi’s appointment as BoT Chairman of the party, he said: “Severally, Obi was implored to release money for that convention but he stoutly refused for reasons best known to him. He cannot also run away from the fact that he was the brain behind the defection of some APGA National Assembly members to PDP, all in a grudge fight against the APGA National Chairman. Even the All Progressives Congress (APC) executive in Anambra State, has accused him of the same thing and even said more indicting things as to the roles he is currently playing to destabilise APGA.” Okeke reminded Obi that the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, before his death, handed over APGA to him and Umeh, imploring them to ensure that the party remained the pride of Ndigbo. His words: “Ojukwu, before the reelection of Peter Obi for second term in office, raised his hand before the people of Anambra State, and made a death wish, imploring Anambrarians to vote Obi in as governor, that that was his wish before he died. All other wishes of the Ikemba are well known to the former governor. Can this be the same party that Obi and his group are today working round the clock to destroy, all for the selfish ambition of becoming relevant in PDP?” While the quest for who controls APGA at the national level has not only taken a toll on the fortunes of the party, but almost spelt its doom, developments in the days ahead will determine whether Obi and Umeh, who Ojukwu entrusted APGA with, will continue to keep alive his vision for the party, as a rallying point for Ndigbo.

POLITICS 17

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

President Goodluck Jonathan (middle) with delegates to the just-concluded National Conference

Former governor of Abia State and 2007 presidential candidate, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, reflects on the just-concluded National Conference

here were months of painstaking deliberation and debate, despite numerous interruptions such as Washington’s inaugural U.S.-Africa Leaders’ Summit. There were also pauses for moments of solemn reflection on the home front, following strike after strike caused by the militant cabal Boko Haram and the terror of a possible Ebola outbreak. Nonetheless, Nigeria’s National Conference mercifully, albeit quietly (despite the perhapsextravagant cost of purportedly N7 billion budgeted for it), has concluded. However, in its epilogue, let us not take for granted the findings of this forum. For it is imperative now, more than ever, that Nigeria seek out any inroads to fomenting a united front against forces which would wish it tear itself apart. We must not cast aside the valiant efforts of our diverse communities from the days of our Independence to collectively prosper, even as today we perhaps exist in the most challenging of geopolitical climates. With about 500 attendees diligently participating, the need for such grandiose assemblies could only have been validated in Nigeria, a country with unlimited potential yet perpetually divided by such diversity. Despite its vast resources, our nation ranks among the most unequal of countries in the world, this according to latest reports published by the United Nations. Indeed, it is unarguable that we as a nation have been held back by that which should be celebrated, such as ethnicity, religion, region, tribe and dialect. In the light of all of these distinctions, such en masse representation was no doubt warranted. The key subjects of discourse during this extensive exercise, those including Nigeria’s bureaucratic framework and protocol of revenue allocation, are undoubtedly of significance in this, the newfound economic steward of Africa. These two matters alone have long been at the forefront of a polity climate that has had to bear unprecedented challenges, those borne domestic such as

Kalu: Nigeria needs unity to move forward terrorism and corruption, coupled with those imported from abroad, such as the grapple for oil wealth and from it, the disparate provocation of local communities aggrieved from what they believe to be an exploitative extractive process. At close of the summit, questions remain; queries such as ‘what, if anything, was resolved and from such resolutions, who has benefitted’? The latter is a norm inherent in our culture; Nigeria has tragically rarely come to agreeable terms and in doing so, ensure they appease all sides involved. There are often perceived ‘winners’ and ‘losers’ to a dispute, each representative of a multitude of constituencies yet however would remain unwaveringly involved in this Nigeria ‘concept’ of ours. At the federal level, there has long been rancour over the topic of the ‘political pendulum’, perhaps a guillotine to our nation’s true liberty, hovering over the executive branch. After one or indeed two terms, should the presidential baton be mandatorily passed from region to region? Will this action, if effected in the near future in the name of ‘fair play’ following the Conference, equate literally to the valid conciliation of those in the North or South, assuaging all concerns that their distinct voices will now or in due course be given platform?

We have seen modern democratisation through rare conciliation in defeat and bear witness to the continued ardent pursuit of transparency behind the ballot box

Is there conversely, validity in the argument that perhaps the people themselves, across all (today) 36 states in harmony, should decide who is best suited to represent them, if given the rightful assurances that the government surrounding said individual would form as diverse as the country with which it oversees? Ultimately, questions such as these, among those including the allocation priority of funds from government coffers, the pragmatic design of a defensive infrastructure to counter insurgency in north eastern states, the application to not only contain viruses like Ebola but thoroughly re-evaluate Nigerian healthcare, should take centre stage. As the Leaders’ Summit in Washington has placed greater emphasis on Africa’s viability in a globalised marketplace, introspective assemblies such as these, comprised holistically with those from across party and would-beinherent lines, have a rightful place in our national agenda and mindsets.

Kalu

Despite the sensationalism of cost, perhaps such National Conferences should even be considered to be held at a more regular rate. Elections in 2015 loom large. The senatorial, gubernatorial and presidential designations to come host the potential to each shake the country to its foundation and bitterly divide us. And that is just what those who torment Nigeria’s trajectory would wish to see happen. As seen in the capture of Gwoza and subsequent proclaiming of caliphate, forces such as Boko Haram grow and gain capability through methods such as indoctrination and not just executed through forced conscription. There are those that feed on disillusion and wish to capitalise on perceptions of imbalance and destabilisation to encourage participation in their undoubtedly ‘nation-building’ movement. In spite of this, let us recall that we have seen modern democratisation through rare conciliation in defeat and bear witness to the continued ardent pursuit of transparency behind the ballot box. Our purchasing power parity (PPP) today rivals Turkey as we participate in a unique ascent to what I refer to as the ‘G9’ echelon (to be comprised of Nigeria, Mexico, Indonesia, Turkey, Brazil, China, Russia, South Africa and India). In conclusion, let us have faith in the modern political process and a government undertaking overwhelming external obstacles. We can continue to promote together Nigeria as an international conduit into commercially vibrant West Africa and entrust our brothers and sisters from the National Conference and in our daily lives to work with us to check those who seek fragmentation and ensure a continued trajectory to the forefront of the global marketplace. It is in our hands to foster lasting change. After 53 years, we have together come too far to see such progress slip away.

18 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Oyo: Crisis dogs PVC distribution The distribution of Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) in Oyo State by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has been dogged by controversies, reports SOLA ADEYEMO

n preparation for the smooth conduct of the 2015 general election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) recently scheduled August 15 to 17 August for the distribution of Permanent Voters’ registration Cards (PVCs) to eligible voters in some states including Oyo State. In response to the directive, residents of Oyo State trooped out to the different designated centres, but to their chagrin, had to wait for the INEC officials, who later arrived four hours behind the schedulled 8am. Aside the lateness recorded in many parts of the state, series of logistic hiccups also marred the exercise, with many of the opposition politicians alleging collusion between the INEC and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to disenfranchise them. The APC, however, put forward a counter-accusation, alleging that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was plotting to rig the 2015 election, which informed the hiccups experienced by the INEC officials. At Eleyele, Ashi Bodija, Apata, Omi Adio, Mokola, Sango, Amuloko, Oke Padre in Ibadan, as well as Ogbomoso and Oke Ogun areas of the state, many of the centres were still packed with people waiting to collect their cards as at 4.30p.m according to New Telegraph’s findings the penultimate Friday. Meanwhile, the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Alhaji Nasir Olanrewaju Ayilara, had earlier shocked many of the Oyo electorate that some local governments including Ibadan North East, Ibadan South West, Ogbomoso North and Afijio in Oyo town would not be able to have their PVCs due to data loss, but that fresh registration would be conducted in those areas. A former Speaker of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Asimiyu Alarape, who spoke with New Telegraph, gave a favourable report that the exercise went on smoothly except at Afijio Local Government Area. At Ago-Amodu, Tede and Saki in the Oke Ogun area of the state, eligible voters also said that the exercise was a huge success, but for some hitches recorded. According to Mr. Adeola Fehintola (a legal practitioner), who spoke with New Telegraph, the turnout was impressive. “People are collecting their cards without any problem. The little problem we have here is that people are complaining that they cannot see their names. They said the font used in printing the names is too small for them to see. They promised to come back and re-check”. In his report, the Liaison Officer, Ibarapa Central, Mr. Suraju Adegbite, however complained that distribution of the cards only took place in three wards out of the 10 wards in the local government. At Lagelu Local Government Area of Ibadan, some aggrieved PDP chieftains alleged that the Senator Abiola Ajimobi administration had colluded with the INEC and were withdrawing the cards by proxy. Among the aggrieved chieftains was Chief Lekan Balogun, who described the act as “a structural rigging of the 2015 election,” adding that the cards had been kept for friends of INEC. “We learnt that people were imported

Jega

Ajimobi

Balogun

into Oyo with over 120 buses to collect the PVCs. We also learnt that a meeting was held where INEC had assured the APC on how to share the cards along political lines. This exercise must be cancelled and must start afresh from the registration stage,” he said. The PDP’s Assistant Organising Secretary in the state, Mr. Seyi Alape, also alleged intimidation of the people in ward 13 of Lagelu by some imported thugs and hoodlums, whom he said had invaded the ward. Also calling for cancellation of the exercise was a rights group, Coalition of Human Rights Groups. In a statement signed by its chairman, Comrade Laoye Sanda, and Secretary, Comrade Yomi Dawodu, the group threatened to go to Court if INEC fails to extend the collection date and ensure the availability of the said materials. Faulting the cancellation of the exercise in the five local government areas in the state, former Oyo State governor, Otunba Adebayo Alao-Akala, stated that INEC had no reason for suspending the PVC distribution as it was a result of negligence on its part. To him, it was very wrong for INEC to have taken such decision, adding that the PVC was distributed in three of the wards in Ogbomoso North with others cancelled. “How could the electoral umpire said that it was cancelling the distribution of PVCs in four councils due to the data loss? How did it get lost and whose negligence was that? The distribution of the cards was done in three wards in Ogbomoso North and the others cancelled including mine,” he complained. Insinuating fraud in the exercise, Alao-Akala told New Telegraph that: “I hope this is not a ploy to disenfranchise our people and to rig the 2015 elections for specific interests as alleged. We won’t tolerate this mess and INEC should not betray the people’s confidence in it.” In the same vein, Majority Leader, House of Representatives, Mrs Mulikat Akande-Adeola, also picked holes in the distribution exercise, saying that its slow pace was capable of disenfranchising eligible voters particularly in her Ogbomoso area. She expressed displeasure in the exercise at Ogbomoso after registering at Saja Isale-Ora ward in Ogbomoso North. Akande-Adeola and Alao-Akala’s wards were among the wards listed by the INEC for fresh registration. The PDP lawmaker could not secure her temporary voter’s card due to faulty

printer and was deeply concerned about the lapses on the part of the electoral body. Likewise, the Soun of Ogbomosoland, Oba Oladunni Oyewumi, Ajagungbade III, tasted part of the inadequacies of the INEC exercise when he stood under the scorching sun for hours, and had to leave his unit 05, Oja Jagun ward disappointed. He could not be registered due to the faulty batteries of the available Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machine taken to the area by the INEC officials although the REC rose to his aid later. Against the allegation by the PDP, the state APC also responded last Thursday, raising the alarm that the PDP government at the centre was trying to manipulate the 2015 general election in its favour. In a statement issued by its Director of Publicity and Strategy, Olawale Sadare, the party accused INEC of implementing a script from Abuja which had been prepared to reduce the proportion of the envisaged protest votes against the PDP from most parts of the country in the 2015 elections. His words: “The people of Oyo State are being unfairly treated by INEC in the scheme of things. The commission claimed to have registered an estimated population of 2.7 million voters across the state in 2011 and four years down the line, less than half of the figure have their permanent voters’ cards produced while the fate of others hangs in the balance. How can we trust INEC when there are noticeable challenges and it continues to pretend that all is well? “With myriad of problems over the distribution of PVCs unresolved, INEC went ahead to flag off its continuous vot-

ers registration exercise in some parts of the state and this turned out to be another charade from day one. With registration gadgets and personnel in short supply, INEC subjected a teeming population of prospective voters to a needless trauma with a view to frustrating and discouraging them from obtaining the voter’s card. This is unacceptable as far as the APC is concerned and all their evil ploys shall be resisted.” Similarly, Governor Ajimobi also expressed worries about the exercise, saying that it had been discovered that the registration machines brought by the commission for the exercise were inadequate to meet the requirements of voters who were eager to collect their PVCs or those who want to be part of the fresh voters’ registration. While meeting with the REC in his office last Friday, Ajimobi urged the commission to correct the anomalies in order not to disenfranchise many people in the state. Against the accusation and counteraccusation from both parties affected, the remorseful electoral umpire nevertheless gave some clarification as a form of appeal to all the electorate with a promise to right all the identified wrongs before the 2015 elections. At a performance appraisal programme of the commission with stakeholders, the REC admitted that some registered voters could not secure the permanent voters’ cards due to logistic problems, promising that INEC would carry out its plans in two phases to ensure that all voters in the state secured permanent voter’s cards before the 2015 general election. He further explained that the commission would display voter’s list in all the affected units as a mark of assurance that permanent voters’ cards meant for them will eventually arrive for distribution. He also disclosed that INEC would distribute voters cards before embarking on continuous registration in order to prevent self-disenfranchisement due to double registration, adding that “INEC will put on hold, continuous registration in wards where permanent cards are yet to be distributed.” Meanwhile, the REC, Ayilara, has disclosed that the state received 1,630,332 voters’ cards in three instalments out of the expected 2,002, 866 PVCs for distribution. “A shortfall of 349,539 cards was recorded. This shortfall spreads across eight local government areas of the state,” he said.

I hope this is not a ploy to disenfranchise our people and to rig the 2015 elections for specific interests as alleged. We won’t tolerate this mess and INEC should not betray the people’s confidence in it

EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

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FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

Dora Akunyili, a distinguished professional

ora Nkem Akuyili’s demise on June 7, 2014, in India after a two-year battle with ovarian cancer was a rude shock to Nigerians. It was not an unexpected reaction. So passionate and determined was this distinguished professional, that even after two assassination attempts on her life and several threat messages from the drug cartel that held Nigeria spellbound for years, she was still determined and dedicated to fight them to a standstill. What was uppermost on her mind as Director-General of the National Agency for Food Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) was redeeming the image of Nigeria in fake drug marketing that had become part and parcel of the daily life of Nigerians. In all of the harassment she had to deal with at NAFDAC, she was neither deterred nor ready to quit her job. In her words in an interview she granted after leaving the agency she said “… I was relieved to leave because I was happy that I did not leave NAFDAC out of fright, out of fear, or out of cowardice.” This is a perfect testimony of her strong character and the stuff she was made of. As a Minister of Information and Communication during the administration of the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Akunyili’s contributions were unparalleled. Shortly after her appointment, she started the ‘Re-branding Nigeria Project’, which was

aimed at changing the negative perception about Nigeria and her citizens. Despite the fact that this campaign was met with several criticisms, she was unaffected because she believed in the course and path she chose to take to salvage the image of her country. Besides, she also tried to transform the traditional civil service “laid-back system” to a vibrant, functional and less cumbersome entity, by bringing her wealth of experience in other places she had worked to bear. Akunyili got to the pinnacle of her career because she was honest, hardworking, committed and fearless as well as humble and unassuming. Her track record of achievements and her reputation contributed in large extent to various promotions she enjoyed. It was the same track record of high integrity, excellence, hard work and commitment to noble ideals that catapulted her to the apex of her career where she distinguished herself as a reliable and principled person. Indeed, when the book of records of great Nigerians of this era is written, the name of Dora Akunyili, the indefatigable woman of substance will feature prominently. Born in Makurdi, Benue State, on July14, 1954, Akunyili held from Nanka, Anambra state. She attended St. Patrick’s Primary school, Isuofia, and Queen of the Rosary Secondary school, Nsukka both in Anambra State, where she passed her First

School Leaving Certificate with Distinction in 1966, and the West Africa School Certificate Examination (WASCE) with Grade I in 1973, which earned her the Eastern Nigerian Government Post Primary Scholarship and the Federal Government of Nigeria Undergraduate Scholarship respectively. She got her B.Pharm (Hons) in 1978 and PhD in 1985, both at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN). She started her working career as a Hospital Pharmacist in the University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) Enugu in 1978. In 1981, she ventured into a career in academia as a Graduate Assistant (Research Fellow) in the Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNN. In the University system, she made a steady progress from lecturer I in 1986 until she was made Senior Lecturer in 1990. In 1992 she transferred to the College of Medicine, UNN and became a Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996. She also worked as a part time lecturer at the West African College of Pharmacists, Lagos, Nigeria from 1992-1995. She was appointed Supervisory Councilor for Agriculture in Anaocha Local Government of Anambra State, Nigeria from 1994 – 1996. Prof. Dora Akunyili was appointed Zonal Secretary of Petroleum Special Trust Fund (PTF), where she coordinated all projects in the five South Eastern States of Nigeria from 1997 - 2000. An renowned pharmacist,

pharmacologist, erudite scholar, seasoned administrator and a visionary leader, Akunyili was appointed Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), from April 2001-2008. From December 2008 – December 2010, she became the Minister of Information and Communications, a position she resigned to contest for the Senatorial seat for Anambra Central. It is unfortunate that Akunlili who fought so many formidable battles and forces at NAFDAC to sanitize the health sector by checkmating the activities of the cartel behind counterfeit medicines in Nigeria so that Nigerians could live, died from ovarian cancer, a disease that has become a new challenge to the health system in Nigeria. Several people especially women both rich and poor have been killed by one type of cancer or the other due primarily to the failure of Nigeria to mount effective nationally organized screening programmes for cancers. A significant number of patients in the country are unable to access and avail themselves of the few available preventive, diagnostic and treatment services because of poverty. Prof. Dora Akunyili is no longer here, but her legacies, built on solid foundation are sure to endure at all times. The life she lived, the work she did and the positions she held will continue to live in the hearts of those who loved her dearly. GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Deputy Managing Director/DEIC SULEIMAN UBA GAYA Managing Editor YEMI AJAYI Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday EMEKA OBASI Deputy Editor, Daily AYODELE OJO Deputy Editor, Daily LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor TAIWO AHMED Advert Manager UCHEY OKEZIE Ag. Sales/Marketing Manager TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

Sanctity of Truth

OPINION Regenerating Chukwumerije's regimen M

an enough to earn plumes for deeds done in times past. A dogged fighter who is ever ready to do more battles in the name of the Igbo. Uche Chukwumerije sure has paid his dues and remains very close to the gym just like the first American Bush , George [Senior ] loved to parachute until age cautioned him. Senator Chukwumerije is a man of many parts. According to Major Wale Ademoyega, the Isuochi man was actually on his way to the army after graduating from the University of Ibadan, in the late 1950s. The young man changed his mind and missed the train to the north for enlistment. Limelight came during the Civil War. General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu had a strong team in the Biafran ministry of Information. With men like Chinua Achebe, Okokon Ndem and Chukwumerije, it was like Nigeria did not exist. Propaganda in Biafra was more powerful than all the armoured cars that the Nigeria army offered. That was the beginning. At the end of the crisis, Chukwumerije moved to London where he became a very successful journalist, publishing one of the best magazines that spoke for the African continent. I think he operated alongside Peter Enahoro. Politics returned to Nigeria in 1978, and Chukwumerije was to begin another journey. I think he joined Aminu Kano's Peoples Redemption Party [PRP]. The idea was to speak for the down trodden something he could not find in the other parties that dotted the political space. When the soldiers struck again, in 1983, I am sure the man just found time for other things. There

could not have been a dull moment. At least, he could devote time to martial arts, and the family. My first contact with Chukwumerije was in Lagos, about 24 years ago. He was Vice chairman of the Taekwondo association. The chairman was one army officer named Col. Gankon. There was disagreement somehow. I cannot remember exactly what the issue was. What struck me was that Chukwumerije took on Gankon headlong. I wondered what gave him the boldness to confront a serving soldier under the military administration of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. Chukwumerije was ready for battle and had a file ready. He did not just level allegations. He was equipped with documents. I met him at the National Stadium Suru-lere. We talked. He supplied the facts. He sat comfortably in his white Peugeot car while I took notes. Gankon also put up a strong defence. Chukwumerije eventually had the upper hand because he was more at home than Gankon in Taekwondo. That was a brave act by a brave man. The military also offered him something later. Chukwumerije became the equivalent of an Information minister. Trust him, he used all tools including the best he picked from Biafra to defend the junt. The man has fought so many battles for the Igbo. And a great opportunity to do more came when he became Senator in 2003, stepping into the shoes of a retired general, Ike Nwachukwu. The platform was the Peoples Democratic Party [PDP]. You know there is always something between Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo and the Igbo. The feeling that he is anti Igbo is always there. And we cannot just help it. Obasanjo's best friend as a young officer was Chukwuma Nzeogwu from Okpanam. When Mama Nzeogwu died about 10 years ago, the family had to wait for President Obasanjo to return from the United States to perform some rites reserved

Friday, August 29, 2014

for a family member. Obasanjo has an Igbo wife, and joined the army same day as Col. Patrick Amadi. I guess, He also married an Amadi from the same family that offered his course mate their daughter. So when Obasanjo decided to show his other side to the Igbo, the Progressive Peoples Party [PPA] was born. Chukwumerije was there, and retained his seat as senator in 2007. It was not easy, but he got it. That is a different story. In 2011, the Senator won again, back to the PDP. The import is that by 2015, he would have been a senator for 12 good years. And age may no longer be on the side of this erstwhile vibrant man. In politics though, age is no barrier. Chukwumerije is closer to 80 now and still wants to continue serving as a senator for another four years from 2015.His banners have been spotted severally. Travellers see buses branded Young Shall Grow all over our roads. I do not think the distinguished senator travels by road often these days. That sounds more like a message. I think it is time for some of our Igbo elders to take up stronger roles as Advisors. That is the role I have reserved for this great man. Senator Chukwumerije is now an elder statesman who should be standing behind younger aspirants. We need Igbo elders who can do what Chief Edwin Clark does for the Ijaw. Everyone must not be in government to make contributions. I am hereby calling on men like Chief Emeka Anyaoku, Chief Martin Elechi, Chief Jim Nwobodo and Chukwumerije to put heads together for Ndigbo. We need all their wisdom. Senator Uche Chukwumerije needs time to keep fit. He is a strong man who loves taekwondo and has given us wonderful children who have won medals at home and abroad. Surely, we need his presence now more than ever before, outside the senate.

A better model for NDDC (1) Boniface Dumpe

ears about the development of the Niger Delta region, first expressed in the 1950’s before Nigeria’s independence are still tenable today. Successive government intervention initiatives on Niger Delta development have been too superficial to resolve the deep-seated systemic development challenges in the oil-rich region with its fragile and sensitive ecosystem. Agitations and advocacy for improvement of the squalid situation and blighted environment in Nigerian oil-field communities will cease when intervention programmes succeed in reversing the ironic regime of neglect and backwardness. The Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC) created in 1992 was the first pragmatic effort to salvage the Niger Delta situation. With a paltry 3% oil revenue derivation allocation, OMPADEC empowered a few indigenes of the region privileged to secure

The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) succeeded OMPADEC in 2000 with a more robust mandate to salvage the peculiar underdevelopment prevalent in the region major contracts from the Commission. At the same time, undue promotion of the orchestrated interest of the self-minded contractors’ cartel and alienation of the collective mandate for development, together with institutional profligacy, resulted in OMPADEC’s failure. The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) succeeded OMPADEC in 2000 with a more robust mandate to salvage the peculiar underdevelopment prevalent in the region. High expectations greeted the creation of NDDC. The statutory funding mechanism put in place to back the Commission to deliver on its man-

date, was handsome. The NDDC Act provided for the equivalent of 15% of monthly statutory allocation due to the beneficiary States from the Federation Account. Additionally, 3% of total budget of the oil and gas companies and 50% of the Ecological Fund allocations due to beneficiary States was set aside for the Commission’s operations. Thus, between 2009 and 2012, about N880.8 billion was budgeted for spending by the NDDC. The elaborate funding mechanism notwithstanding, after over 13years of its existence, the NDDC cannot showcase a single item of basic need such as access to portable water, that it has successfully delivered to deprived communities across the entire Niger Delta region. None of the so-called mega projects undertaken by the Commission has also been outstanding enough to make a significant difference in the socio-economic circumstance of the ordinary citizens in the Niger Delta region. The monumental poor performance of NDDC is the direct consequence of the overbearing political orientation of its Governing Board and discountenance of its development mandate. The high-wire currents of political pa-

tronage well entrenched in the NDDC, which pervades its operations, make no reference to any coherent plan to address the prioritized needs of target communities. And so from year to year, so-called mega projects are awarded haphazardly. The relevance of such projects only reflects in the colossal sums of money attached to them. Therefore, what is urgently required to actualize the well-conceived mandate of the NDDC is to extricate and insulate its Governing and Management structure from the overbearing political influence. President Goodluck Jonathan should move decisively to better position the NDDC to deliver on its mandate by proposing an amendment to the NDDC act to guarantee the independence of its Governing Board along the lines of the National Population Commission or Independent National Electoral Commission. The Board should be responsible for appointing accomplished and experienced professionals to key management positions in the Commission and supervise them against set performance targets. • Dumpe wrote from PH: (dumpe_bb@yahoo.com; Tel: 08035484236)

ARTS FRIDAY, August 29, 2014

CULTURE

21 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/arts

TONY oKUYEME tony.okuyeme@newtelegraphonline.com

okuyemeogom@yahoo.com

Without culture, and the relative freedom it implies, society, even when perfect, is but a jungle. This is why any " authentic creation is a gift to the future. ― Albert Camus

Tony Okuyeme

or Nigeria to make head-way with culture in the country, the grassroots need to make contributions to the Cultural Policy and assemble those who matter professionally and otherwise in the sector to brainstorm and bring out what could be universally and nationally accepted as the document that represents their collective interest Effiong Etim Johnson, Professor of Theatre Arts and Director, Centre for Cultural Studies at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, stated this while delivering a Pre-Convocation Lecture for graduands of the 2012/2013 academic session of the National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Training School, Lagos, held at the Nigerian Institute of International Studies (NIIA), Victoria Island, Lagos, penultimate Friday. He therefore called on the federal government to stay action pending in the National Assembly regarding the National Cultural Policy until Johnson it receives input of people from the grassroots, professionals in the culture sector and, perhaps, the people who contributed to the original document, to make a presentation that will reflect a comprehensive view of the culture of the people. In his paper, titled, “Repositioning Nigeria’s Cultural Industries for Economic Empowerment and Social Security,” Johnson said that theatre scholars like Dapo Adelugba, Mike values, belief systems, histories, and Emeji, Austine Asagba and Sam Uka- many artistic, agricultural, architecla, who, in terms of scholarship, ex- tural and technological endowments.” “I agree that the curriculum we are perience and practice in the cultural sector, are authorities whose opinions using in the primary school has been mattered, had at one point or the oth- reviewed but the cultural content of er, expressed disappointment with the our curricular at the primary school content of the policy. level is too insignificant for a child According to him, the Cultural from your house to really go to school Policy of Nigeria was launched on and grab something that is cultural. August 28, 1988 at the National arts Not only is the education formatted theatre, Iganmu, Lagos. Right from in the English Language register but the outset, the document met with there should be an injection into the serious constructive criticisms, but educational system from the primary that most of the ideas (then) were just school to lay the foundation and crethrown out. He further noted that the ate the orientation for our growing document as it is now, has no real pro- up children, culture-wise, so that our vision, position or ideology. “What we children will not lose that genes of have in the book today has excluded where they come from. Nowadays, 85 per cent of what our committee has you discover that some children in the presented” (p.68). nursery school, their first language is Noting that although the topic of the English Language; and that is not the lecture suggested economic em- a good position,” the erudite scholar powerment and social security as said, stressing that research into the assignment for Nigeria’s cultural in- indigenous ways of life and occupadustries to carry out, Johnson argued tion should be taken seriously bethat, no meaningful empowerment cause they have the capacity to engender the birth of cottage industries can readily take place without directly by the universities in educational empowerment. Formal education, he said, collaboration with the prihas been made compulvate sector, Local, States sory at the primary and and Federal Governsecondary schools levments, maintaining els in many states of that the gains of such the Federation. Culcollaborations could ture of these very impact positively on social security and states, he further economically emstated, make room power people and to accommodate the institutions reWestern education because of the lofty spectively. and indeed unquanTo develop chiltifiable blessings of dren’s interest in indigenous languages, Johneducation to a people. Ayakoroma son advised government “Nigerian schools readily fit into cultural industo re-engineer the education tries as they can showcase the curriculum, and urged parents to show good examples by speaking nation’s cultural idiosyncrasies, via language, food, fashion, architecture, the languages to their children. He festivals, hospitality and even cur- said: “There should be deliberate inricular, but needs to be repositioned jection of cultural elements into our via curricular reviews that teach our educational system. Many pupils have

Cultural policy: Input from stakeholders, imperative English as their first language. This is not ideal because it is not the black skin that gives you identity. It is the language you speak. A man without an identity is going into extinction even when he is still alive.” Professor Johnson also urged the managements of the National Theatre, the National Troupe and other related Parastatals to reposition themselves in a way that they could meaningfully engender national development. Demonstrating erudition and theatricality that was with applause from the audience, he called on the Federal Government to invest wisely in tourism development and the broadcasting industry, stressing the need for the relevant agencies to be also more proactive and not see themselves more as mouthpieces of any government in power. While berating the Federal Government for initially contemplating selling the National Theatre, he said the institution as well as the National Troupe should be symbols of the people’s consciousness. His words: “If we can wake up and make a move to sell the National Theatre, then the same fate awaits the National Museum. Then, Nigeria itself should be ready for the highest bidder. The National Theatre should not just be seen as promoting government activities alone; that is ‘mis-positioning.’ The National Theatre/National Troupe should be going around different parts of the

Nigerian schools readily fit into cultural industries as they can showcase the nation’s cultural idiosyncrasies

country and outside to showcase the ideals of the nation. It should conduct investigation and organise events to promote cultural ideals that unite us. It should, once in a while, gather experts to brainstorm on solutions to national challenges.” Many leading scholars, culture administrators, promoters, artists, among others that were in attendance to celebrate with NICO and the graduands, include Director of Research, National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies (NIPSS), Kuru-Jos, Prof. Olu Obafemi, the Director-General, Centre for Management Development (CMD), Dr. Kabir Usman, the Artistic Director of the National Troupe, Mr. Martin Adaji, the Head, Department of Theatre and Cultural Studies, Nasarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), as well as NICO’s Executive Secretary, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, while also reflecting on the state of the industry, commended the guest lecturer for his presentation. On his part, Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma recalled that the first edition of the lecture held in Abuja in 2010, and that the event was organised in consonance with NICO’s objectives of carrying out enlightenment campaigns on the various facets of Nigeria’s culture to effectively mobilise Nigerians towards a culture-oriented lifestyle. Also, in a goodwill message he delivered at the convocation ceremony of the 2012/2013 graduands of the NICO Training School, which took place penultimate Saturday at the Cinema Hall of National Theatre, Iganmu-Lagos, the Director-General, Nigerian Institute of International Affairs (NIIA), Lagos, and member of National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO) Governing Board, Prof. Bola Akinterinwa, while commending NICO for the programme, said Nigeria must begin to develop expertise CONTINUED ON PAGE 22

22 ART Tony Okuyeme

ith rising cases of domestic violence in various parts of the world, especially, Africa, where many women are the victims in most cases, are on the receiving end as they are beaten, emotionally and physically abused and sometimes killed in the process, ignorance appear to be a major challenge checking the trend. It is against this backdrop, that ‘Mmegbu’ a dance drama on domestic violence, which focuses on ‘wife killing’, is set to go on stage. Announcing this in a press conference held at Alliance Francaise, Yaba, Lagos, the producer of the show, Ngozi Ogbonna said the performance is aimed at crteating and promotring awareness on domestic violence and related problems, motivate commitment at the highest level for their solution, and thus promote better management of domestic violence. It also aims bring the various stakeholders including governments, civil society organizations, NGOs, representatives of international communities and victims of domestic violence to face this issue and related problems, initiate ways to curb it. She explained that the drama was borne out of passion for women emancipation adding that research has shown that it is cases of domestic violence is more in Nigeria as the culture does not favour women. Her words: “The drama talks about a three ladies faced with the challenge of domestic violence. The first lady is forced by her parents to get married to someone against her wish and eventually gets maltreated and beaten to death. Her friend also has the challenge of domestic violence but she could not navigate through the challenge, so she becomes a prostitute. The only person that left the marriage happened to be the only person that ends well. The drama looks at areas such as stigmatisation, financial instability and cultural influence amongst others.” She disclosed that audition for the play has already be held and rehearsals will soon commence. “The show will be absolutely free-to-watch if the needed

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Against domestic violence, Mmegbu goes on stage

A scene in legendary plays series production of Fred Agbeyegbe’s play, Human Cargo, at the National Theatre, Iganmu

sponsorship is secured for the project,” she said, adding that they plan to take the play across Nigeria and some countries West Africa. Explaining further, Eliel Otote, the director of the dance-drama, said that the unique total theatre piece will explore real life documented experiences of victims-dead or alive, dance-drama, music,

narration, costumes, lights and set symbolisms to portray the evil of physio and psycho-emotional domestic violence, and the concommittant wife killing. Also speaking at the conference, Caroline Moore, Principal Coordinator, Pacesetters World, a young people empowerment programme, said few signs of an abusive person includes be-

Alabi named 2014 Yale World Fellow

Africa Magic brand to eight channels. She also oversaw four editions of the popular reality series Big Brother Africa as well as the Face of Africa Finale fashion and modelling extravaganza held in Nigeria in 2010. A 2012 World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, last year Alabi was voted West African Businesswoman of the Year as well as being named one of 20 Young Power Women in Africa by Forbes magazine. “Spending five years at the forefront of the flourishing African film and television industry with a business as dy-

ing very possessive, oppresses, agues, pushes and beats the opposite sex. Moore noted that it is better for women who want to stay alive in their marriages to be watchful of these signs and try to avoid them as soon as possible by calling off the relationship as it has ended up claiming the lives of many women in our society today. namic and visionary as M-Net has been an incredible experience,” Alabi said. “Now, as I look forward to immersing myself in the Yale World Fellows programme, I must express my sincere appreciation to M-Net for the opportunities I have had to learn and to lead.” After her Yale fellowship, Alabi will pursue new career opportunities. MNet Sub-Saharan Africa CEO Patricia van Rooyen said Alabi’s selection as a Yale World Fellow was well-deserved recognition of her talent, commitment and leadership. “African film and television are much richer for her hard work and inspired, visionary thinking over the past five years,” Van Rooyen said. “We wish her every success in what will certainly be a glittering career.”

iola Alabi, until recently the Africa Managing Director of M-Net, has been named a 2014 Yale World Fellow. She joins 15 other World Fellows selected this year from thousands of applicants across the world. The Lagos-based 40-year-old is only the seventh Nigerian selected for the prestigious fellowship since the programme’s inception in 2002. Attending Yale’s campus in New Haven, Connecticut, for five months, Alabi will take part in specially-designed seminars in leadership, management and global affairs; receive individualised profes-

sional development training; attend courses and engage in discussion with a wide range of distinguished guest speakers. Alabi served as M-Net’s Africa Managing Director for five years until January 2014 when the continent’s leading television content provider appointed her Director of Special Projects. As Africa Managing Director, Alabi spent the past five years increasing and enhancing M-Net’s African portfolio, her achievements including the launch of Africa Magic Hausa, Yoruba and Swahili and the expansion of the

CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 1

Cultural policy: Input from stakeholders, imperative

in the area of culture, saying cultural diplomacy has assumed the character of academic discipline. According to him, NICO was already doing much in this regard through the instrumentality of the Diploma and Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Administration being offered at the Institute’s Training School. “I congratulate the Management of NICO for not only initiating the Diploma course and Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Administration but also being the source swift inspiration of today. Nigeria must begin to develop some expertise in this field of study. “It is a source of pride and indeed happiness to be associated with today’s convocation ceremony. I say so on the following grounds; first, as a member of the Governing Board of NICO, it marks another significant milestone and achievement in the life

of the Governing Board. If there is nothing to celebrate, who will invite any Board Member, it is because there is something good that we have been invited to come and partake in it. Secondly, as a scholar in the field of International Relations, I am delighted to welcome the future Cultural Ambassadors of Nigeria because Cultural Diplomacy has assumed the character of academic discipline.” Speaking on the ongoing affiliation process of programmes of the Training School to the Nasarawa State University, NSUK, Prof. Akinterinwa commended the efforts of the Management of NICO in forging a relationship between the University and the Institute’s Training School for the Diploma and Postgraduate programmes in Cultural Administration,

saying that that given the dynamism of the Executive Secretary of NICO, Dr. Ayakoroma and his team driving the Institute’s projects, the relationship with NSUK had great potentials to further strengthen international cultural relations. Playwright, veteran journalist and father of cultural journalism in Nigeria, Mr. Ben Tomoloju in his goodwill message called on the Management of NICO to consider including Cultural Journalism as a course of study in the curriculum of the Institute’s Training School. He described the event as a formal academic manifestation of the attempt and efforts at intellectualizing the Nigerian cultural horizon. “NICO has in the past few years, done so much in terms of the promotion, dissemination, management and

strategizing of cultural information in Nigeria. For the past three years or so, they have engaged the Nigerian cultural journalists in a quarterly workshop which expands the horizon of knowledge in cultural journalism,” he said. On his part, the Artistic Director, National Troupe of Nigeria, Mr. Martins Adaji, in a Goodwill Message addressed to the Executive Secretary of NICO, commended the leadership of the Institute saying, “I know that you have put in a great deal of work and effort to get to this point and we want the leadership and staff of NICO to know that we at the National Troupe of Nigeria are very proud of your effort and commitment to improving the human resources that abound in the cultural sector.”

MEDIA 23

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Tony Okuyeme

anaging Director/CEO of Nigerian Breweries Plc, Mr. Nico Vervelde, has expressed hope that the Creative Writing Workshop organised by award winning writer and creative director of Farafina Trust, Chimamanda Adichie, and sponsored by Nigerian Breweries, would help give birth to a new generation of writers….the new Wole Soyinkas and Chimamandas. Vervelde said this at the 2014 Literary Evening held at Oriental Hotel, Victoria Island, Lagos, on Friday. According to him, six years ago, Nigerian Breweries began a partnership with Farafina Trust to sponsor the Creative Writers Workshop. “This partnership was founded on our company’s desire to encourage the development of literary writing skills in Nigeria, as part of our strategic corporate initiatives for talent development and youth empowerment in Nigeria. “Since then, the Creative Writing Workshop has become a major chapter in our Corporate Social Responsibility calendar. Through this platform, driven by Chimamanda Adichie, Nigeria’s award winning writer and Director of Farafina Trust, Nigerian Breweries and Farafina Trust has helped to discover and sharpen literary skills in Nigeria,” he said, adding that “since 1946 when our company started business as the first brewer in Nigeria, we have been supporting a number of laudable community investment programmes as well as youth empowerment and talent development projects through our robust CSR policy. “As a socially responsible company, Nigerian Breweries remains committed to championing causes that add value to the society because of our belief that businesses should operate as an integral part of the community where it exists and not in a vacuum. I have no doubt that the Creative Writing Workshop has helped to fine-tune the skills of Nigerian writers as well as encourage both published and unpublished writers to fulfill their desire for self-expression. I thank Chimamanda and her Farafina Trust teams, for their contributions to make many writers dreams come true. “We hope that the impressive parade of facilitators for this edition would help give birth to a new generation of writers….the new Wole Soyinkas and Chimamandas. I also believe that our

Farafina Creative Writing Workshop will give birth to new writers, says Vervelde

Chimamanda Adichie, Lead Facilitator and Director, Farafina Trust Foundation and Mr. Nicolaas Vervelde, MD/CEO Nigerian Breweries Plc at the Literary Evening to mark the end of the 2014 Creative Writing Workshop organised by Farafina Trust and sponsored by Nigerian Breweries Plc

mutual objective is being realized as the creative writers’ workshop continues to attract huge interest within and outside Nigeria. It is our collective hope that the writers chosen for the workshop this year will have the potential to become best sellers in literature.” He urged all the participants in this year’s workshop to make a commitment to the lessons learnt to ensure the real-

ization of their literary future. “As in previous years, our gratitude goes to the facilitators for this year; Chimamanda, Eghosa Imasuen, Aslak Sira Myhre and not forgetting, Binyavanga Wainaina who has been a part of the literary workshop since inception in 2009.” Adichie thanked Nigerian Breweries for their support, noting that the Creative writing workshop is a pan-African

project. As always, the literary evening presented an opportunity for writers, literary enthusiasts and lovers of the arts to mingle and interact. This year’s event featured poetry and musical performances, and writers Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Binyavanga Wainaina, Eghosa Imasuen in an interactive session, and a host of others.

Submission of entries begins for Africamagic Viewers’ Choice awards

frica Magic, in association with Multichoice and proud sponsors Amstel Malta, has announced the call to entry for the 2015 edition of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards (AMVCAs), the prestigious initiative that honours film and TV talent across the continent. A special announcement will be broadcast on Africa Magic channels on Wednesday September 3, 2014, and participants can begin to send in their entries from the same day. Winners will be announced at an award night at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos in March 2015, the organisers stated. The AMVCAs were created to celebrate the contribution of African filmmakers, actors and technicians in the success of the continent’s film and television industry and with the success of the 2013 and 2014 editions, preparations are in top gear for the 2015 edition. Announcing the call to entry for the 2015 Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, Regional Director for M-Net (West), Wangi Mba-Uzoukwu said: “The African movie and television industry is brimming with exciting talent, and at Africa Magic we contribute to the industry by not only giving these talents the platform to showcase their art/efforts and celebrating their

achievements, whilst also encouraging them to keep honing their craft.” This year, a number of awards in different categories will be presented ranging from acting and directing to scriptwriting and cinematography. Other categories will include: editing, make-up, sound, and lighting amongst others. Managing Director, MultiChoice Nigeria, John Ugbe expressed his delight at the growing success of the Africa Magic Viewers’ Choice Awards, saying: “There have been two editions of the AMVCAs and so far, the improvement that this award has brought to African film production cannot be ignored. For us as MultiChoice, the success of these awards further showcases our commitment to recognising the amazing skills

This year, a number of awards in different categories will be presented ranging from acting and directing to scriptwriting and cinematography

that exist in this ever-growing industry. Furthermore, our continued investment demonstrates our dedication in helping unearth and celebrate talent in the whole continent. I have much confidence that the next edition in 2015 will leave an even bigger impact on the African film production industry than the previous two.” Also expressing her excitement for being part of the AMVCAs, Brand Manager, Amstel Malta, Miss Hannatu Ageni-Yusuf said: “As the number one premium Malt brand in Nigeria, Amstel Malta is again pleased to be part of this year’s Africa Magic Viewer’s Choice Awards. It is truly a unique platform which aligns perfectly with the brand’s essence, encouraging and also rewarding young ambitious Africans who have proved to be the best they can be. Last year on this platform, Amstel Malta launched its new campaign, tagged ‘the journey’; This year, the brand is set to allow consumers witness the joys from being focused on their goals and even beating their best, while on their journey to success.” The first edition of the AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards ceremony took place in Lagos on the 9th of March, 2013, and was broadcast live from Lagos to DStv and GOtv audiences in more than 50 countries across the continent. The

event drew big names from across the continent’s TV and film industry and saw the Best Actor and Best Actress in a Drama awards going to Nigerian OC Ukeje and Ghanaian Jackie Appiah, in the respective categories. In the 2014 edition, multi-award winning actress, Nse Ikpe-Etim, took home the award for best actress in Michele Racca’s Journey To Self while Ghanaian film producer/director, Shirley Frimpong-Manso’s movie The Contract won in several categories. The 2014 AMVCAs also saw renowned film and TV veteran, Pete Edochie, clinching the prestigious lifetime achievement award. “Since its inception in 2013, the AMVCAs have come to be known as the biggest celebration of talent in the African television and movie industry and the 2015 edition promises to be even bigger and better,” added Mba-Uzoukwu. Entry for the AMVCAs is free and the closing date for submissions is the 31st of October, 2014. Participants should send their entries to: AfricaMagic Viewers’ Choice Awards, PO Box 2963, Pinegowrie, 2123, South Africa, with attention to the Manager, Local Productions Africa. They can also log on to www.africamagic.tv for more details on the submission procedure and requirements.

24 TOURISM

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Andrew Iro Okungbowa

ith the grand finale of this year’s Osun Osogbo Festival last week Friday at the Osun grove in Osogbo, Osun State, a tourism stakeholders’ forum organised by the South west arm of the Federation of the Tourism Associations of Nigeria (FTAN), as part of the festival’s activity, has identified the none-implementation of the tourism master plan by the federal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation as the bane of tourism development in the country. With the theme: ‘Challenges facing tourism and hospitality industry – way forward,’ the forum, which was attended by various tourism practitioners in Osun State and across the South West, issued a communiqué in which it called on the Minister of Tourism to see to the implementation of the tourism master plan, which was adopted in 2008 after so many years of work. The many stands adopted by the tourism stakeholders at the end of the one day forum, which was held at Osogbo include: •That the non-implementation of the Nigerian Tourism Master Plan poses a great challenge to the development of tourism in Nigeria. We, therefore, call on the authorities saddled with its implementation to act accordingly; •That there is an urgent need for tourism education to be part of the curriculum of all secondary schools and tertiary institutions in Nigeria; •That training and re-training of tourism and hospitality personnel on a regular basis is necessary in order to improve quality of service in the industry; •That tourism and hospitality practitioners should be appointed as members of state tourism boards; •That the State Security Service should endeavor to organise special security workshops for personnel of hospitality services in the light of the current national security challenge; •That there is need for synergy and cooperation between tourism and hospitality practitioners and government

One of the traditional groups on showcase during the grandfinale of Osun Osogbo festival, held last week Friday

Stakeholders call for implementation of tourism master plan agencies responsible for tourism development; •In the area of funding, we urge governments at all levels to provide grants and soft loans with single digit interest rates to tourism and hospitality practitioners; •That multiple taxation is killing the

industry, therefore there is the need for a unified tourism friendly taxation system; and •That FTAN as the umbrella body for the tourism industry should through its national body and state chapters liaise with federal and state governments on the above.

Edem Duke, Minister of Culture, Tourism and National Orientation

South Africa reiterates focus on Nigeria, Africa Olushola Ricketts

ollowing the public outcries that greeted the newly introduced immigration policy, South Africa has cleared the air on the various misgivings expressed by the travelling public, insisting that Nigeria and Africa remain its focus, adding that the new regulations were aimed at enhancing her security by addressing areas of weakness, risk and abuse. The explanation was given at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce (NSACC) breakfast meeting, held in Lagos last week, in conjunction with Brand South Africa. According to South African authorities, the new measures were introduced to ridicule fellow Africans. If there is any area the South Af-

rican government is passionate about it would be the free movement of people, goods and services within the continent. This, according to Brand South Africa, would enable economic growth of countries within Africa. But things must be regulated as informed by the country’s department of Home Affairs: “We must manage immigration securely and effectively in a way which benefits our economy and society, heeds our international obligations and manages risks to national security.” Also, Brand South Africa insisted that individual countries must ensure that immigration is conducted in terms of domestic law and national priorities. “We have not introduced these regulations to disadvantage fellow Africans. South Africa cannot be separated from

L-R: Nigeria High Commissioner to South Africa, Ambassador Sonni Yusuf, South Africa Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry, Mzwandile Masina, South Africa Consular General in Lagos, Ambassador Mokgethi Monaisa and Brand South Africa Chief Executive Officer, Miller Matola at the Nigeria-South Africa Chamber of Commerce August 2014 breakfast meeting in Lagos.

Africa and we can neither shut ourselves off Africa nor shut our eyes to the enormous risks that the new world possesses in abundance. ‘‘Our commitment to African unity and development is resolute, and our track record in this regard speaks for itself. We value the contribution of fellow Africans from across the continent living in South Africa and that is why we have continued to support the AU and SADC initiatives to free human movement; but this cannot happen haphazardly, unilaterally or to the exclusion of security concerns; and neither can it happen without standardizing population registration and immigration legislation and addressing development challenges everywhere” The South African government believes that risks to any country on the continent have a direct impact on her country. The government has not unilaterally removed existing visa waivers agreements with fellow African countries and is keen to enter into more. “Foreign nationals processing critical skills can now apply for and be granted a critical skills visa, even without a job, allowing them to enter the country and seek work for a period of up to 12 months. For some time now, business stakeholders have been asking for families of workers to be considered a unit, an international best practice which the new regulations now include,” Brand South Africa noted. The Executive Officer, Brand South Africa, Chief Miller Matola, also stressed the need for the South African nation brand viz-a-viz the promotion of

the African brand in view of developing the continent as a whole and competing with international standards. “Brand South Africa pursues its Africa programme with an emphasis on promoting the South Africa nation brand as part of the continent brand, ‘Brand Africa.’ Hence Africa’s reputation and competitiveness is central to that agenda,” Matola stated. To achieve this and more, he identifies Nigeria along-with Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ghana, Kenya and Senegal as key markets. This is informed by South Africa’s foreign policy, both political and economic diplomacy as well as trade and investment imperatives. He challenged African business and corporate brands to invest in changing the perception of Africa from negativity to positivity. The CEO said: “There is no doubt about the power of commercial brands to convey the overall brand of their country of origin – be it innovation, excellence or quality, which will result in investment in changing the narrative about how Africa as a continent is perceived.” Matola also stressed the importance of the African nations having in-depth working and friendly relationships, drawing conclusions from the 2013/14 Project Thrive Study on the familiarity of Nigerians with South Africa. He disclosed that the study indicated that the average familiarity rate about South Africa amongst Nigerians stands at 46% and only 18% of the sample has a high knowledge base of South Africa.

ENTERTAINMENT

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/entertainment

SONY NEME ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

sony.neme@newtelegraphonline.com 0811 181 3096

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

Governor Emmanuel Uduaghn of Delta State (left) and former Chairman of Nigeria Film Corporation, Chief Eddie Ugbomah OON (right) when the film icon visited the governor in Government House, Asaba, last week. PHOTO: HENRY UNINI

STORIES BY SONY NEME

elta State executive governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan, last week Thusrday gave an express approval of 200 hectares of land for a multi-billion naira film village in the state. The film village, which will be built on Private, Public Participation has a consortium of banks waiting to move in. The project, which is expected to provide about ten thousand jobs on completion, is expected to gulp about N80 billion, while over 250, 000 jobs will be created during the building stages. Dr. Uduaghan made the historic gesture when he led the entire members of the state executive council to receive former chairman of Nigeria Film Corporation, Chief Eddy Ugboma (OON), in government House, Asaba. Chief Ugbomah was in the state on a courtesy visit with his American partners, Engr. Augustus Ajawara, CEO Calico Group and Mrs. Iyeshatu, CEO, Pan African Global Media limited. In his welcoming remark while officially welcoming Chief Ugbomah to his state of origin, Uduaghan, said, “Our elder and our friend, we welcome you back to our state. It is supposed to be a private visit, but I chose to make it a

Uduaghan approves multi-billion naira film village in Delta …Roles out red carpet for Eddie Ugbomah (OON), to bankroll 50 years on stage, 74th birthday, and his Gallery to be relocated to Delta better welcome by inviting members of the state executive council for your well-deserved visit.” The governor further rubbed in his regard for the elder statesman thus: “I am in line with your dreams. I was sad to hear of your feat that had been in Lagos, but I am now happy that you have made up for it by bringing a film village here. We will work very quickly to give you land for that. Also we will be glad if you will replicate the gallery that you

have in Lagos here, because Deltans are at their best in journalism, in arts, culture and tourism, which is where entertainment plays a prominent role.” While eulogizing Chief Ugbomah’s at 74, and golden celebration on stage, Uduaghan said, “As for our support for your 50 years on and 74 birthday anniversaries, we will willingly support you. For us, we believe that we should use our resources to develop other sectors of the economy like Agriculture

and tourism, where incidentally filmmaking is a major component in that aspect. No doubt your films are targeted to change the ills of the society. “I am familiar with most of your films, especially ‘Black Gold’ that was shown here about ten years ago. That really is in line with our focus on ‘Delta Without Oil’ project. You were able to show the gains, challenges, and criminal activities, especially as it affects the oil producing communities in particular and the state in general.” Ugbomah had in his opening speech expressed his profound gratitude to the governor for the privilege to meet with him, just as he applauded efforts of the state government for the peace and unity that the state enjoys. The reason, he deemed it appropriate to bring in foreign investors to help in the state government economic growth, and be extension job creation drive. In the speech, titled ‘50 Years of Amazing, Exciting and Challenging Sojourn In Entertainment’ Ugboma chronicled his achievements, and efforts at nation building through international music promotions and filmmaking. An attribute he had started at the age of 24, which had earned him garlands from the federal government, Lagos and Edo State, yet he his state of origin is not showing interest in his accomplishments. Ugbomah speech reads in parts: “In concise language, the purpose of my visit is to officially inform you, your excellency, that I am about to celebrate my 50 years sojourn in the entertainment industry, and my 74th birthday, as well as launching of my two galleries for music and movies makers hall of fame.” He said, he deliberately used the phrase “About to”, “Because this historic events will not happen without the people and great leaders like your good self, my governor. It has been very hard to see you, so I am happy that it has finally happened.” He recalled how he had left Nigeria in his teenage years to London, where he acquired some intimidating educational qualifications; went into promotion of concerts, bringing top musicians from the United States starting with Millie Small in 1966; and finally setting up Edifosa Entertainment Organization in 1971. That was when he stunned Nigerians with his first movie, ‘The Rise and Fall of Dr. Oyenusi’. An apparently excited Ugbomah, who spoke with New Telegraph after his private CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

Koga rolls out Fun, Business and Network today

oga Entertainment, will today, in their Ikeja, Lagos studios entertain journalists with Fun, Business and Network. The fun-filled event, tagged FBN 2014, is aimed at creating an avenue where Koga’s state of the art facilities: equipment, studios, and clips from our award winning movies, KOGA Artistes, KOGA TV and numerous projects would be unveiled in a very relaxed atmosphere The company’s Public Relations Officer, Kelechukwu Okoye, who spoke exclusively to New Telegraph, said, “FBN 2014,

is aimed at creating an avenue where our latest projects would be unveiled in a very relaxed atmosphere for journalists and other invited guests. The media will be treated to quality music, performances and refreshments as we showcase all of our stateof-the-art facilities: equipment, studios, and clips from our award winning movies, KOGA Artistes, and KOGA TV, just as we take them on a guided first hand tour of our facilities. Okoye further explained that Koga Entertainment is a company positioned to provide a

wide range of media and entertainment related services with a view to harnessing the full potentials of the industry giving the necessary boost for growth, via a team of innovative and creative professionals whose collective experiences are geared towards excellent results. For the University of Maiduguri, English graduate, “Our vision is to be a market leader in the entertainment industry recognised for content development and aggregation globally, while our mission is provision of professional services tailored to-

wards individual needs, by utilizing the latest technology to achieve our clients’ desired goals.” She also said, CONTINUED ON PAGE 28

t h e Okoye

26 ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, August 29, 2014

My Dad, My Supermom heralds Supermom Season 5

upermom Season 4 is here with the theme, ‘My Dad, Suparmom. It is an addition to the dynamic changing world of Reality Entertainment in Nigeria, which has created some mega brands that is attracting worldwide corporate acceptance. The winning fathers stand a chance of driving home a brand new car, one million naira or five hundred thousand naira respectively. This season is celebrating fathers that has against all odds to raise their children alone due to either the demise of their mother or by wife’s that abandoned the kids for them. Recruitment has been done via the children’s entries. . In a statement made available to New Telegraph by the Executive Producer, Digital Interactive Media, Shola Fajobi, the show, which is aimed at celebrating African mothers of all socio economic class for their unflinching love and uncompromising care for their children, has remained a viewer interaction platform. According to the statement, “Interviews have been conducted and the stories have been scripted into docudramas and reenacted by professional actors Twenty Unique stories of different fathers have been selected. They includes those of Mr. Victor Ikechukwu Dozie, Alhaji Salaudeen Ajayi, and Mr. Tony Peters “thers are Pa Okunola Adewolu, Mr. Babatunde Fagbemi, Mr. Peter Edozie, Mr. Peter Eze, Mr. Abdulateef Adekanbi, Mr. Paul Ugbesia, Pa Ibrahim Seidu, Mr. Tajudeen Jimoh, and Mr. Bababtunde Shomefun. also included are Mr. Waheed Afolayan, Mr. Donatus Ikata, Pa. Samuel Adewuyi, Mr. Godspower Nwadidia, Mr. Michael Essien Udok, Mr. Abaniseloluwa Isijola, Mr. Isaac Foluso Okeya and Mr. James Okon Lewis.” He further stated that, “Viewers can catch the show on different TV stations across the country which include AIT Network, Galaxy Network, CRBC Calabar, RSTV Port Harcourt, Kwara TV Ilorin, NTA Aba, ITV Abuja and broadcast kicking off on the 1st September on Africa Magic on DSTV,” just as they are to send their votes for their favourite father after every episode by texting SM space N A M E of Preferred father to 33140.

he dream of most young Nigerians who are desirous of university education, is scaling through their school certificate, University Matriculations Examinations, UME, and post UME texts. That is not the desire of Ndubuisi Christian Uchechukwu, a 21-year old Nnamdi Azikiwe University undergraduate. He would rather jettison his educational pursuit for the fame that is associated with The Gulder Ultimate Search 11 regional selection exercises which started on Saturday, August 2, and ended on Saturday, August 17. Among the thousands of hopfulls that trooped to the Awka Township Stadium was Uchechukwu, who abandoned one of his second semester examination papers fixed on the first day of the Gulder Ultimate Search regional screening. for the Electronics and Computer Engineering undergraduate testing his luck with search was more important rather than going to take his exam. According to the organisers, “He reportedly said: ‘It’s not that this is more important than my exams. I’ve actually been planning my participation in Gulder Ultimate Search 11 for eight months. I spent this time training and exercising in the gym. While I was registering for the course, I had no idea it will clash with my exams. But since it did, I told myself I must make sure I participate with the hope of emerging the Ultimate Man. I just couldn’t give up just like that after all the time and effort.” “Fortunately for him, he had high scores in the continuous assessment of that course; hence he was sure he would pass even if he missed the exam.

Undergraduate trades GUS for exams He however did not scale through the regional exercise and so still had ample time to make up with his exams,” the stamen further added. The Gulder Ultimate regional auditions were held in Awka and Port Harcourt this year for the first time in the annals of the show. The selection exercises were also held in Benin and Lagos. In a related development 30 contestants were shortlisted for GUS 11 at the Lagos Leadership and Training School (Sea School). They are contestants who made it through to the next stage of the rigorous selection process of the search. The Sea School exercise regimen will start on August 27 and end on August 29. Having passed the rigorous physical and swimming exercises, as well as interviews and medical examinations; the 30 will converge in Lagos to undergo further screening in. Another surprise element in the seearch is the return of the Sea School exercise regimen. The invited contestants are from Lagos, Benin, Awka and Port Harcourt. The list from Lagos has: Addoh Evi, Ubachukwu Chinedu, Otto Canon Chimenem, Foresythe Mosunmola Roseline, Osigweh Paul Chigozie, Nwagbagiro Sandra, Okhabu Philipa, Afolabi Emmanuel Olusegun and Ojiako Chiagozie Obinna. The Benin regional auditions produced: Erijakpor Loretta, Robinson Sharon, Eriata Blessing Ese, Udeh

Victoria, Onolememen Odiase, Iheasi Ernest, Ayo Mene-Ejegi, Aghogho Umusu and Oluwafemi Ogunrinde. The contestants that scaled through from Port Harcourt region are: Nwagboso Joshua, Emedike Ikenna, Efuribe Tochi Enyinneya, Arinyedokiari Obeleye Tubonimi, Johnson Dennis, Nne Cosy Joe, Appi Samantha, Macauley Jennifer and Anoliefo Izuchukwu. Only three contestants scaled through from Awka as the GUS auditions were also held in that region for the first time. The GUS 11 hopefuls from Awka are: Iroh Noela, Iwuoha Ikenna Ezenwajiaku and Ifyness Ifeoma. The build-up to Gulder Ultimate Search 11 has witnessed many changes, which the Senior Brand Manager, Gulder – Nigerian Breweries Plc., Onyeka Okoli, said is geared towards giving TV audiences a great viewing experience. Okoli promised ardent viewers and fans of GUS that this year’s edition would be different from that of previous seasons. His words: “We have managed to spring quite a few surprises such as the new rigorous exercise regimes at the regional selections with the latest being the re-introduction of the Sea School training. Our viewers and the contestants should prepare for a life time experience. GUS will still spring a few more surprises. I can only urge the viewing public to stay tuned and expect the unexpected.”

Jaybleeg drops new single One Time Shola Adefuwa

Jaybleeg

Oga Chux

Jibril Anifowoshe known as Jaybleeg has released a new single called “One Time”. Jaybleeg, a young and talented afro pop/ urban RnB artist, who is determine to be among the top artists in Nigeria, told New Telegraph that his new single was mixed, mastered by TY mix and produced by Popito, under the record label of Bleeng City Music. with five singles to his credit such as ‘Letting Go’ produced by an American producer Play Boy, Data Wassup by Mobeatz Chicago producer, and Yordee by Jaymoh New York producer, Jaybleeg also has Omo Tho Rewa produced by a White producer of 1909 studio as well as Omo Modish produced by New York producer in his kitty, as well as a couple of other

freestyles. Hear him: “We’ve been doing music, but right now, “One Time is the main one, we are putting out, it has been on several blogs in waves right now. It is still going out, never stop”. He further said, his new single “To me is a beautiful song that I used to express certain feelings. I like to think about it as a mouth piece for others to proclaim their intimate affections. What other - think about it as if you've been a hard worker and a busy person, you finally had a time to chill and profess your feelings to a beautiful lady, I think the best way to go about it is to listen to one time” he also explained that, There are lines in the song that explains much, for example "Lala le Friday Awon temi temi won majade oo". With that, tel me who wouldn't wanna chill on a Friday after a busy week and besides it's a song proposing toast to a good living”. He said, the single is on point, because, “I actually wrote the chorus in a book, when I was in United State,

and I went back to Nigeria for summer break. Then I went to the studio, try to do some opera song, then went to Festac to re-pop on the song with Popito.” Still on his new single, he said, “One Time is a beautiful song, although we had a little bit of difficulty in technical malfunctioning in the studio when we were about to record, but we were dedicated to what we were doing as this is what we believe for, we just push hard because I’m currently working and getting my Bachelor degree. I major in Computer Science, and after getting my Bachelor degree, I’m going straight for my Masters.” The artiste said he is already thinking about the remix of One Time with major artistes and to underscore his seriousness, he has opened talks with a couple of other big time artists. “I have a lot of artistes on my mind, and I have already contacted them. In the likes of Jesse Jags, Davido, also met up with Sound Sultan, Solid Star among others,” he summed up.

ENTERTAINMENT

Friday, August 29, 2014

LYRICS

ettle down for more biting social satire with the critically acclaimed animated series The Boondocks, which revolves around two AfricanAmerican kids who move from the tough inner city to live in the peaceful suburbs with their grandfather. The Freeman family includes narrator Huey, his gangstarap loving younger brother Riley and their grandfather, Robert, all voiced by Regina King and John Witherspoon. Often controversial in the themes that it tackles, this anime and manga-style dark comedy series was created by Aaron McGruder, and is based on his comic strip of the same name. Oprah’s Next Chapter: Tyler Perry airs on TLC Entertainment on Thursday 28 August at 20:00 CAT Oprah sits down with Tyler Perry at his home in Los Angeles. The two friends discuss his life and career as a writer, producer, director and actor, including his creative process, how his experiences have influenced his craft, and the stories behind OWN's first two scripted shows, The Haves and the Have Nots and Love Thy Neighbor. Plus, Tyler opens up about his past, engagement rumors, his friendship with Whitney Houston and how he really feels when he reads reviews by his critics. Jim Iyke: Unscripted airs on Africa Magic Showcase on Thursday 28 August at 22:00 CAT Nollywood’s leading man Jim Iyke takes DStv viewers into his world, giving an

The Boondocks (Season 4) premieres on Sony Max on Friday 20 August at 21:30 CAT

Oprah's Next Chapter - Tyler Perry

ensures the contestants rely on confidence in their talent to progress and win. Watch to find out who the winner is! Calimero airs on Disney Junior on Mondays at 10:05 CAT Our new friend Calimero is having fun on Disney Junior! Calimero is a chicken unlike any other. With his trademark half eggshell on his head and a heart full of courage, he and his friends

ported by comedian Eneche. In GOtv’s nature of adding local spice to its events, the gig saw performances from local artists, Biggie Brown, Jumabie and TK Swags while EyesixOne and Benue Michael Jackson dazzled GOtv fans and subscribers with their electrifying dance steps. There was also lots of comedy from the award-winning comedian,

GOtv officials at the Makurdi, Benue launch recently

insight into the glamorous and controversial life of the man popularly known as the industry’s bad boy. It’s Jim Iyke as you’ve never seen him: real, untamed and unscripted. Star Presents: The Winner is… airs on Africa Magic Showcase on Saturday, August 30 at 23:00 CAT. Star Presents: The Winner is… brings to your screens an exciting mix of suspense, thrills and talent! The game show, hosted by former Big Brother Africa winner and Jara host Uti Nwachukwu, pits contestants against each other in a battle for a grand prize of 10 million naira and a brand new car. It provides a unique voting process that

Priscilla and Valeriano embark on fun-filled adventures together. If fans have missed any of his episodes we have a two week catch-up event from 25 August at 10:05 CAT.

GOtv GOtv Rocks Makurdi It was a star-studded launch for GOtv in the Benue state capital, Makurdi penultimate week. To mark the launch of its service in the city, GOtv held an open air concert at the Cool-off Park. Hosts for the event were Radio Benue’s On-air-personality, Henry Ipole aka H316, Archbishop of the Microphone Diocese sup-

Pastor Nicodemus. An apparently elated General Manager of GOtv Nigeria, Elizabeth Amkpa noted that Makurdi people are known to be fun-loving and that music lovers in the town will have the privilege of watching six exciting music channels on GOtv, featuring the best of African and international artists. Amkpa said, “GOtv brings to Makurdi lots of entertaining content that showcases 2baba’s work and other local and international artists through its music channels namely, Channel O, Hip TV, MTV Base, Soundcity and PRTV are all in crystal clear pictures and sound. For subscribers seeking the best

of gospel tunes, GOtv also brings them One Gospel,” she said. She reminds subscribers and would clients that using the latest DVB-T2 technology, GOtv makes a debut in Makurdi at a retail price of N6900 for a decoder including a month subscription to GOtv Plus and an outdoor GOtenna. “For monthly subscriptions as low as N1000 for the GOtv bouquet and N1500 for GOtv Plus, GOtv subscribers in Makurdi will have access to an exciting selection of local and international channels containing news, sport, movies, music, documentaries, religion and children’s programming. Sshe further stressed that subscribers are spoiled for choice with a channel lineup that also includes AfricaMagic Family, AfricaMagic Epic Movies, AfricaMagic World, AfricaMagic Yoruba, AfricaMagic Hausa, Al Jazeera, Black Belt, BET, TV CNN, Disney Junior E! Entertainment, eTV Africa, Telemundo, Discovery World, Vox Africa, Nickelodeon, JimJam, Islam Channel, One Gospel, Sound City and which gives families a great selection. With the digital switchover underway, TV lovers in 25 major cities across Nigeria now have a trusted partner in GOtv to enable them join in the digital TV revolution. Others cities covered by GOtv are Ibadan, Port Harcourt, Lagos, Enugu, Benin, Aba, Owerri, Kano, Kaduna, Onitsha, Asaba, Uyo, Abuja, Calabar, Osogbo, Ife, Ogbomoso, Akure, Oyo, Jos, Abeokuta, Ilesa, Ede and Iseyin. in a related development, barely one week after the launch of GOtv in Abeokuta on 1 August, GOtv signals were switched on in Ilesa and Ede, Osun state, and Iseyin, Oyo state Because Makurdi residents had been eagerly waiting for the launch of GOtv, there were already a good number of subscribers even before our official launch. To this end, in the morning of the consumer launch, on 20 August, GOtv hosted the first 100 subscribers at a GOcustomer forum. The GOcustomer forum gave us the opportunity to educate the subscribers on various self-service options available and the digital migration. Finally, the team led by the GM GOtv, Elizabeth Amkpa paid a courtesy visit to the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Chief Steven Lawani ‘OFR’ and presented him with a GOtv decoder. GOtv is a digital pay television offering on the Digital Terrestrial Television platform with its services provided by the subscriber management company, MultiChoice. Subscribers are encouraged to stay connected to www.gotvafrica.com or Facebook -https://www.facebook. com/GOtvNg for the latest news.

FOR THE WEEK

CINEMAWATCH (Radio/TV/Events Guide) AUG. 29 — SEPT. 6 HIGHLIGHTS STORIES BY SONY NEME

[INTRO] Ah Yemi Alade Ho Ha Eh Selebobo It’s Effyzzie Ngwanu [CHORUS] Baby you go love me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby you go hug me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go love you, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go hug you, your love is sweet like [VERSE 1] Baby baby, this thing dey sweet e shack you like pami (yeah yeah) Daddy daddy, e dey make you want to spend all your money (yeah yeah) Ho ha! See as my waist dey go, na only you fit to make me throwaway See as my waist dey go, na only you fit to make me roll eh [PRE-CHORUS] Kerewawa Kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa ehhh [CHORUS] Baby you go love me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby you go hug me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go love you, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go hug you, your love is sweet like [POST-CHORUS] Hale hale hale sample the tangele (suka suka) Aya aya aya sample the tangele (suka suka) [VERSE 2] The way you dey breketete killi ma Your shokoto dey killi ma Mama brukututu killi ma Me I go carry you go cinema Baby ma cinema I go hold u like oroma Baby ma shakey ma Cause I go chop u like hungry man Yoyoyoyoyo My oroma baby Sweet like tangerine Ife ina eme baby Give to me [PRE-CHORUS] Kerewawa Kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa ehhh This your love e sweet like tangerine [CHORUS] Baby you go love me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby you go hug me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go love you, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go hug you, your love is sweet like [POST-CHORUS] Hale hale hale sample the tangele (suka suka) Aya aya aya sample the tangele (suka suka) [VERSE 3] Cham cham cham Pam pam pam Yeah yeah yeah This thing e sweet o Cham cham cham Pam pam pam Yeah yeah yeah This thing e sweet o E gbolam eh Ima na egbolam ehhh You don kill me baby m oo yeah [CHORUS] Baby you go love me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby you go hug me, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go love you, your love is sweet like tangerine Baby I go hug you, your love is sweet like [POST-CHORUS] Hale hale hale sample the tangele (suka suka) Aya aya aya sample the tangele (suka suka) [OUTRO] Kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa kerewawa Ho ha! Compired by Shola Adefuwa

Friday, August 29, 2014

Ghana's Cwesi Oteng is Africa Gospel Music Awards Artiste of the Year year's Africa Gospel MuTthehis sic Awards (AGMA) held at Concert Hall of the Fair-

fields Halls in Cryodon, London, last weekend, lived up to expectations. at the end deserving artistes were called up for recognition in various categories, while Ghana's Cwesi Oteng stood out with Artiste of the Year (Male), and topping that with West African Artiste of the Year. Organisers in a statement made available to New Telegraph explained that, “Cwesi now becomes the first artiste to win the West African Artiste of the Year award for two consecutive years. He also won in 2013, a year after earning Video of the Year for his ‘God Dey Bless Me’. At this year's Awards, the leading contemporary singer showered heartfelt gratitude on fans, media, colleagues, friends and BBnZ Live management for their consistent support which led to the 4-time honour at the AGMA. the artiste reportedly has this to say, “Everyone on my team is excited! I feel so humbled by the support for our music and ministry. It shows that our music impacts the listener positively. That gives us so much joy and energy to keep going. The Awards are added recognition for our hard work and passion for excellence. Most importantly, I return glory to God for the privilege to serve.” He further revealed that his third album would be due for release in a couple of months. Cwesi is expected to embark on an African, Europe and America tour after the album release. Meanwhile, Nigeria was not left out of the 5th AGMA; Eben's 'Justified' earned Album of the Year and Sinach picked up Song of the Year for her 'I Know Who I am'. Nikki Laoye, Sammy Okposo and Radio presenter, Sabina were also awarded

Nwokeabia receiving one of his numerous awards...recently

Nollywood producer, Nwokeabia in A Chance to Dance

ollywood producer, Chidi Nwokeabia is set for a big outing the industry as he revealed last week. and the big bang is, A Chance to Dance, a film set in Ajegunle, Shitta, Isale Eko, Mushin, Agege and other ghetto neighborhoods in Lagos state.” In Nwokeabia’s words: “Something big is brewing. After our last job, Champions Of Our Time that won several awards, I have been very careful about doing another job. I have three productions lined up, but the big one is called ‘A Chance To Dance’. It

is a dance story that has taken me two years to put together.’ His motivation into the production was that, there was a time music, acting, comedy or football were vocations meant for people who were supposedly dunderheads. Now, these vocations so to speak, rake in mega bucks and parents encourage their children to engage in them. His words, “Dance is about to take the place of these other vocations. as 85 per cent of Nigerian youthsengage in one form of dance or the other. this has en-

couraged reality shows on dance. The innovativeness of the contemporary Nigerian music has also helped the Nigerian style of hip hop dance. “Therefore, A Chance To Dance is a mega film project that will showcase the talents in those Nigerian youths who society had branded ghetto hoodlums and criminals in Mushin, Ajegunle, Shitta, Isale Eko, and other areas of Lagos State where barely little public nor corporate attention is given. he said, “Among the cast will be professional dancers and

notable Nigerian hip hop musicians whose lives and grass to grace success stories will boost the confidence of that ‘hoodlum or criminal’ who we have chosen to celebrate their acts instead of their talents. On why he has been media shy, the Accountancy graduate from the University Of Nigeria Nsukka said, “What happened is that at the beginning when I set up the company, Macnuel Productions in 2003 I wanted to build a very enviable brand. Consequently, I was more in the background while building Macnuel. By the end of 2007, the company and its works had become more prominent than the person behind it. “Therefore, it might not be correct to say it was a deliberate act. It just happened. That is why I refer people to our website each time they want to know about what we have done in Macnuel. For me, it should not just about me. It’s a collective effort of all the people who over the years have been part of our humble success story.” Now that he has decided to emerge from behind the scene, who is Chidi? “Chidi Nuel Nwokeabia is just the man at the helm of affairs at Macnuel Productions Limited. I’m a filmmaker through and through. I studied Accountancy from the University Of Nigeria Nsukka and I also have a MBA in Human Resources Management. I started as an actor in 1993 but in 1997 I left to do other things but came back in 2003 as a producer. I also do a little bit of scriptwriting not commercially but strictly for company use.”

13 families storm Lagos for MDA 8 dance battle

hirteen out of the twentyTfrom eight families that qualified the regional auditions of Maltina Dance All season eight (MDA 8) have made it to the crucial stage of the exciting family dance competition. The 13 families are already in Lagos to battle for exalted slots in the final round of screening before entering the academy in September to learn the new dance style. The sum of N10million is at stake in this season’s competition. The first and second runners-up will take home N3million and N1million respectively. According to organisers, “The families, who came from different locations across the country, were in high spirits as

they touched down at the domestic wing of Murtala Muhammed Airport, Ikeja Lagos for the academy. A breakdown of the families that made it, as released by the brand, showed that, Unaka, Odigie, Ezekiel, Maisamari, Williams, Utere, Dide, Uzodinma, Leornard, Nwaeze, Oladapo, Abunwa and Awokoya families scaled through the necessary medical and other screening procedures and were deemed fit to compete.” A further screening will reduce the number from 13 families to 10, who will eventually qualify for the entry into the academy after going through the rigours of another screening at the Pre Ground Audition Evalu-

ation. The academy commences on September 7 2014. It would be recalled that the MDA auditions were held in three regions: Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt where regional family representatives emerged defeating other contestants during the auditions. The family representatives performed as individual contestants and were later visited by the Maltina team at home where they performed alongside their families to see how well they can perform as united families. Preparation for the MDA8 kicked off with an electrifying performance by the Maltina allstars’ team which comprised past participants of the show.

Popular comedians, Gbenga Adeyinka and Laffup and host of the show Osas Ighodaro introduced the “Rhythm of Happiness Dance”(RODH) to the audience who were held spellbound by the vitality and creativity which have set the show apart from others. The show, which will hit the airwaves on September 7, 2014, will be shown on AIT (7-8pm) daily, Silverbird TV (9-10 pm) and Ebony Live TV (7pm) Weekdays and (8.30pm) weekend, while the grand finale would be aired live on AIT and Africa Magic channels on DSTV. Viewers who miss any edition can still catch all the action on YouTube, Facebook and the Maltina website.

Multi-billion naira film village for Delta CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

meeting with Governor Uduaghan said, “I am happy because the trip is worth all the efforts to see my governor. he has given me an opportunity to come back home. He has promised to give us land for the film village. That is my biggest achievement. I offered it to Lagos State; they bluffed

me, while Abuja is still thinking. now my state has offered to give me land and certificate of occupancy. I cant be happier.” For the American couple they cant hide their joy, as they hailed Ugbomah for making their dreams of making Delta State the host of their dream film village that will have its own Independent power plant, a reality.

Koga rolls out Fun... CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 5

Cwesi

company operates and provides services through Koga Studios, designed with high acoustic properties, to be used for the purpose of photography, cinematography, and radio and television production.

“Our facilities are equipped with the capacity to serve events, music videos, commercials, movies, soap operas, still shoots and related tasks. Our production is world class with full HD and SD studios. On movie/television productions,

L-R: Ugbomah, Engr. and Mrs Ajawara

we present you with studios for endless set designs,” she said. She added that their audio studio comes with full Digital/ Analogue recording audio studio providing full live recording facilities, commercials, jingles, voice-over, mix/master, just as Koga Production offers full high quality production services with advanced technology and

equipment. on film/video/event production, she revealed that they are also into CD mass production, TV and radio content aggregator, while Koga Records manages, produce, market and promote talented artiste through its record label. They are also into music publishing, and artiste management.

BUSINESS

29 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Friday, AUGUST 29, 2014

What's news Union Assurance, others insured late ECOWAS staff for N18m The ravaging Ebola Virus Disease has set Nigeria's insurance industry backward by N18 million, following the claims payment to be paid to the family of the late ECOWAS staff, Jatto Abdulqudir, by some insurance companies. He was insured for the sum of N18 million.

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Apapa tankers' fire grounds depots operations Two fuel tankers carrying 33, 000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) each were on Wednesday razed with their content in a fire incident that occurred in front of the Total depot in Apapa, Lagos. The incident, which occurred around 5: 30am on Tuesday grounded activities at the Total and Capital Oil depots.

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PRA 2014: Execution may start soon The brief hitch that stalled the implementation of the new Pension Reform Act 2014 may have been finally resolved. This was as a sequel to the release of the gazette by the Ministry of Justice which earlier recalled the document following some errors spotted in it. It would be recalled that the document was sent back to the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adokie, by the National Pension Commission a few weeks after it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan.

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

PERFORMACE Insurance firms have continued to perform poorly in rendering financial details to their regulators Sunday Ojeme

he National Insurance Commission (NAICOM) has queried the financial report of 15 insurance companies. This follows their inability to satisfactorily turn out a detailed and well laid out financial report, according to the rules stipulated under the International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS). In a statement posted on its website titled “Status of 2013 financial statements of insurance companies as at August 25, 2014,” NAICOM gave the names of the underwriters as Lasaco Assurance Plc, Lasaco Life Assurance Limited, Sterling Assurance Nigeria Limited, NEM Insurance Plc, Equity Assurance Plc, Old Mutual (Oceanic Life) Nigeria Life Assurance Limited, Anchor Insurance, KBL (PHB) Insurance Limited and Fin Insurance Company Limited. Others are Old Mutual (Oceanic) Insurance General Limited, Unitrust Insurance Company Limited, Nigeria Reinsurance Corporation, Arm (Crystal) Life Insurance, Universal Insurance Company Limited and Nigerian Agricultural Insurance Corporation. Besides the companies that were queried, the regulator also revealed that 13 others were yet to submit their financial details for scrutiny. Those in this category include African Alliance, Alliance & General Assurance, Alliance & General Life Insurance, Capital Express Assurance Limited, Goldlink Insurance Plc, Great Nigeria Insurance, Industrial and General Insurance and International Energy Insurance. Others are Investment and Allied Insurance Plc, NICON Insurance Limited, Springlife Assurance Plc, UNIC Insurance Plc and Unity Capital Assurance Plc. The details also revealed that while the accounts of 25 compa-

Agribusiness opportunities for discerning investors }p-33

ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

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

Shoddy accounts: NAICOM queries 15 underwriters nies had been approved, those of six others were still being reviewed. Those on the list being reviewed include Mutual Benefits Assurance Plc, Mutual Benefits Life Assurance Limited, Consolidated Hallmark Insurance,

Staco Insurance Plc, Standard Alliance Insurance Plc and Union Assurance Company Limited. It would be recalled that since 2012 when NAICOM directed the underwriters to adopt the IFRS, almost all of

them have been finding it difficult to present their accounts to the commission according to the stipulated standard. The situation has not only resulted in delayed annual genCONTINUED ON PAGE 30

L-R: Executive Director, Public Sector North, FirstBank, Dauda Lawal; Ag. Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba; and GMD/CEO, FirstBank, Bisi Onasanya during a recent courtesy visit to the IG’s office in Abuja.

Nigeria spends $360m on software purchase, maintenance –NBS CAPITAL FLIGHT Undue dependence on foreign products blamed for continuous capital flight despite ICT growth Jonah Iboma

igeria spends over $360 milion yearly to purchase and maintain foreign software, the Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs Omobola Johnson, has said. In a document obtained by New Telegraph, Mrs Johnson

said that this was the finding of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), adding that this was because the value of domestic inputs in the sector in key areas such as software and high-level hardware “was sub-optimal.” Currently, many enterprise software including banking and telecommunications applications are imported. She stated that the information and communication technology sector is now the third fastest growing in the Nigerian economy, noting that it was dominated by the telecommunications industry, with four digital mobile operators, most of which are multinational cor-

porations. In the document where she summarised the country’s ICT plan, the minister stated that although the ICT sector had been growing steadily in the past decade, it was still dominated by a high level of importation of inputs and finished products, which accounted for the high value of money spent on importation of software. In order to ensure that ICT increases its contribution to the national economy, Mrs Johnson stated that her ministry had a vision for developing ICT to make Nigeria the ICT Hub for CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor Abdulwahab Isa, Finance Editor Chuks Onuanyin, Energy Nnamdi Amadi, Reporter JOHNSON ADEBAYO, Asst. Production Editor

Rates Dashboard INFLATION RATE July 2014.................................8.3% June 2014................................8.2% May 2014....................................8%

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Aug 22)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N170.50 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . . 11.57% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N290 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N228 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $39.58bn as at 22/08/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at Aug 22)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.73 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N259.43 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N207.57 Source: CBN

30 BUSINESS | NEWS COMPENSATION The threat to life by diseases and natural disasters should compel all to embrace life insurance Sunday Ojeme

he ravaging Ebola Virus Disease has set Nigeria's insurance industry backward by N18 million, following the claims to be paid to the family of the late ECOWAS staff, Jatto Abdulqudir, by some insurance companies. He was insured for N18 million. Disclosing this in Lagos, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Union Assurance Plc, Mr Godwin Odah, said that the virus had started taking its toll on the sector contrary to a newspaper report that Ebola was yet to hit the industry. Odah who spoke during the Nigerian Council of Insurance Brokers' Members' Evening, said that Union Assurance was one of the insurance firms that insured the late protocol staff, adding that his organisation was already making preparations to pay its own part of the claims. Abdulqudir, a protocol assistant, was among those who assisted the Liberian, Mr Patrick Sawyer, who died from the disease at a Lagos hospital on July 25, 2014. He became infected with the virus and later died. The senior consultant endocrinologist, who became infected with the deadly virus while treating Sawyer, Dr. Ameyo Stella Adadevoh, also

Ebola: Union Assurance, others insured late ECOWAS staff for N18m died last week. Adadevoh died in an isolation facility of the Mainland Hospital, Lagos, bringing to five the number of people the highly contagious virus has killed in Nigeria. Speaking on the claims profile of the company, the Union Assurance boss said that it paid N3.329 billion as claims in the last five years to various individuals and organisations in the country. He added that the erstwhile parent company, Union Bank, was already at the final stage of complying with the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) requirement of divesting its 93 per cent shareholding in the insurance company. Odah said that as soon as the formal regulatory approvals were secured, Union Assurance would be glad to unveil the new owners of the company to stakeholders, including the broking community. He explained that some of the key strategies included the unveiling of a microinsurance model that would enable the company leverage affinity groups thereby achieving a lower acquisition cost for this important segment. The Union Assurance boss pointed out that the underwriting firm would participate in large transactions, particularly in the energy and power sectors, adding that they would

NAICOM queries 15 underwriters CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

eral meetings, but has also led to those who defaulted being fined heavy sums of money by both the regulator and the NSE. While NAICOM is expected to rake in nothing less than N5 million within the period from the insurers that failed to meet the June 30 deadline, the NSE had fined the underwriters about N60 million for delayed submission of their accounts. The penalty by NAICOM stands at N5,000 per day from June 30 when the deadline expired. About 21 listed insurance companies paid the N60 million penalties to the Exchange for late submission of their 2012 financial accounts. The X-Compliant Report of the NSE pointed out that the affected companies filed in their financial statements to the Exchange after the regulatory due date, which warrants such fines. Leading the pack was Universal Insurance Plc, which had to cough out N4.2 million, while African Alliance Insurance Plc equally paid N4 million penalty, even as Guinea Insurance Plc paid N3.8 million fines. The Exchange had to fine

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

both Equity Assurance Plc and Niger Insurance Plc N3.2 million each while Great Nigerian Insurance Plc was equally fined N3.8 million. Staco Insurance Plc paid N3.5 million alongside Lasaco Assurance Plc that paid N3.6 million monetary penalty to the Exchange. NEM Insurance Plc, on the other hand, got N3.5 million sanction, as Mutual Benefit Assurance Plc paid N3.4 million sanction. Prestige Assurance was compelled to pay N2.9 million, Law Union and Rock Insurance Plc paid N2.7 million fine, while Regency Alliance Insurance Plc got penalised for N2.5 million. Sovereign Trust Insurance (STI) Plc paid N2.4 million, Cornerstone Insurance Plc paid N2.8 million for the same offence, as Royal Exchange Plc got N2.6 million fine. Moreover, Unity Kapital Insurance Plc coughed out N2.1 million as fine, Custodian & Allied Insurance Plc paid N2.2 million monetary sanction, even as AIICO Insurance Plc got sanctioned for N1.5 million. Consolidated Hallmark Insurance Plc had to pay N900, 000 as penalty, while Wapic Insurance Plc paid N700, 000 fines.

partner with the big lenders such as First Bank, Union Bank, Stanbic IBTC Bank and Standard Chartered Bank. On its plans for business expansion, he disclosed that by the end of 2014, it hoped to increase its retail force from 1,400 to at least 2,000, adding that it would create an online

store with an improved business process that will enable the company deliver its products seamlessly across multi channels group and affinity lines. He further said that the firm would effectively leverage on extensive branch network, particularly to strengthen its

growth in the retail and public sector to focus among the growing states of Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Cross Rivers. Odah stressed that they would also build capacity and technical competence in the big-ticket businesses such as Oil and Gas, Power and Telecom.

L-R: Health Coordinator, Pampaida Millennium Villages Project (MVP), Clement Woje; CSR Manager, Airtel Nigeria, Chinda Manjor and Team Leader and Operations Manager, MVP, Pampaida, Bala Yunusa, during a visit to the office of the MVP, in Zaria, Kaduna State.

Apapa tankers' fire grounds depots operations 66,000 fuel litres, two tankers razed Adeola Yusuf

wo fuel tankers carrying 33, 000 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) each were on Wednesday razed with their content in a fire incident that occurred in front of the Total depot in Apapa, Lagos. The incident, which occurred around 5: 30am on Tuesday grounded activities at the Total and Capital Oil depots. When New Telegraph visited the scene, around 12:39 pm, the fire had been extinguished while wreckages of the tankers were being removed to ease traffic on the expressway. Eyewitness told this newspaper that the fire, which was put CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

Africa. She added that in order to do this, Nigeria would need to “harness and consolidate the growth of the ICT sector and increase the integration of ICTs across all sectors in a manner that supports the diversification of the economy while achieving job and wealth creation.” The minister said that due to this desire, specific policies

off about 10am, was caused by suspected fuel thieves and pipeline vandals. "The incident, which occurred about 5:30 am, happened after an attempt to escape with stolen fuel (petrol), which had earlier been transferred through jerry cans by some people believed to have stolen from a pipeline ruptured somewhere," a staff of one of the depots, who craved anonymity said. He continued: "They would probably want to trans-load it from one truck to the order before taking it to a station to supply as product they got from a depot around Apapa terminals." According to him, the "ar-

rival of Police to the area made the oil thieves to attempt to run away. It was in the process of trying to escape with the truck that it caught fire." Inuwa Isyaku, a motorcycle operator in the area, corroborated his view. "I dey worked very early in the morning because of the ban (current restrictions on Okada operations in some areas of Lagos). Na when I dey work this morning I see say some people dey run away from that Total area. When I go there, I see say two tankers dey burn," he said in Pidgin English. It was observed that two trucks got burnt in the process even as commotion ensued in the area. Activities at depots around the area were paralysed as they had to stop operations during the period while the movement of trucks carrying fuel was equally stalled,

Nigeria spends $360m on software purchase, maintenance and legislation had been crafted, relating to the development of the ICT sector namely, the formulation of a National ICT Policy, which was done in August 2012, the development of a National Broadband Plan 2013-2018 as well as guidelines for Nigerian content in ICT. She said that the ministry would focus on “implementing

a national broadband strategy and roadmap that seeks to increase broadband penetration from six per cent to 30 per cent by 2018 and would focus on delivering 3G/LTE Wireless Broadband coverage to 80 per cent of the population and “fixed broadband to 16 per cent of population based on fibre by 2018.”

Pension

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

PRA 2014: Execution may start soon GUILDLINES PenCom is set to release necessary guidelines for the commencement of new contributory pension scheme Sunday Ojeme

he brief hitch that stalled the implementation of the new Pension Reform Act 2014 may have been finally resolved. This was as a sequel to the release of the gazette by the Ministry of Justice which earlier recalled the document following some errors spotted in it. It would be recalled that the document was sent back to the AttorneyGeneral and Minister of Justice, Mr Mohammed Adokie, by the National Pension Commission a few weeks after it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan. The euphoria that greeted the law was punctured as Adoke was said to be going through the law with a view to correcting figures and spelling mistakes detected after the president had assented to it on July 1. Recent development has, however, revealed that the ministry must have concluded its assignment thereby paving the way for PenCom to work out guidelines for the new law to commence. The major flaw detected in one of the sections read: “Whereas the new 2014 Act makes contributory pension scheme compulsory for any private sector employer that employs maximum of three workers to enroll his workers for Retirement Savings Accounts (RSA), we discovered a mistake in the maximum figure for private workers which was typed as 15 instead of three.” The president had given assent to the law, which was enacted to correct some lapses that characterised the 2004 Pension Act. Some provisions contained in the 2014 Pension Act lauded by both Pension Funds Administrators (PFAs) and Pension Custodians were that operators who mismanage pension funds, on conviction, are liable to not less than 10 years imprisonment or fine of an amount equal to three times

MD, PAL Pension, Dave Uduanu

the amount so misappropriated or both imprisonment and fine. The new law has increased RSA contribution both by employer and employees from 15 per cent to 18 per cent, representing eight per cent contribution by an employee and 10 per cent by his employer and also reduced the number of employees an employer must have on his payroll to qualify for participation in the contributory pension scheme from five to three. The commission had anticipated delay in the implementation according to a source who said that “there might be a little delay because the new law will be gazetted after the spotted error has been corrected. It will be sent back to the commission and the commission will, in turn, issue the necessary guidelines for the implementation. Obviously, the implementation will encounter a little delay but I believe those in charge will hurry over it for the good of Nigerian workers.” It would be recalled that after the presidential assent, Nigerians and stakeholders in the pension sector had reacted differently to the new law with a section proclaiming it as excellent while some others said it would go the way of other laws that had been poorly

DG, PenCom, Chinelo Ahonu-Amazu

Obviously, the implementation will encounter a little delay but I believe those in charge will hurry over it for the good of Nigerian workers executed in the past. Pension fund administrators described the new law as one of the best things to have happened with pension administration in the country as it has not only set out to enhance their business, but also to build a better and comfortable retirement future for current workers who are registered under the CPS. Managing Director, Premium Pension Limited, Mr Wilson Ideva, said that the new pension law would concretise the statutory foundation of the pension industry and position it for the attainment of even greater heights. He said that the industry which has enabled over six million workers rake in over

Adoke

N4 trillion in assets, was now set to witness unimaginable growth, such that has never been seen in any sector of the Nigerian economy. He pointed out that the growth in the industry would have even been more expansive if the previous law allowed the application of very stringent measures on non-compliant institutions and individuals, adding that moral suasion yielded little results. He said: “It is expected that when the new pension law is fully applied, majority of the country’s working population, be they in the public or private sector or even artisans would be covered by the scheme.” The Managing Director of Legacy Pension, Misbahu Umar Yola, specifically lauded the upward review introduced to the new law, which raised the minimum pension contribution from 15 per cent to 18 per cent. Yola described the aspect that repealed the 2004 lighter sanction for operators who mismanage pension fund to be liable on conviction to not less than 10 years imprisonment or fine of an amount equal to three-times the amount so misappropriated or diverted or both imprisonment and fine as a welcome development which he said would instill sanity into pension matters.

Major highlights of the Pension Reform Act 2014 include: Upward Review of the Penalties and Sanctions The sanctions provided under the Pension Reform Act 2004 were no longer sufficient deterrents against infractions of the law. Furthermore, there are currently more sophisticated mode of diversion of pension assets, such as diversion and/or non-disclosure of interests and commissions accruable to pension fund assets, which were not addressed by the PRA 2004. Consequently, the Pension Reform Act 2014 has created new offences and provided for stiffer penalties that will serve as deterrence against mismanagement or diversion of pension funds assets under any guise. Thus, operators who mismanage pension fund will be liable on conviction to not less than 10 years imprisonment or fine of an amount equal to three-times the amount so misappropriated or diverted

oe both imprisonment and fine. Power to Institute Criminal Proceedings against Employers for Persistent Refusal to Remit Pension Contributions The 2014 Act also empowers PenCom, subject to the fiat of the Attorney General of the Federation, to institute criminal proceedings against employers who persistently fail to deduct and/or remit pension contributions of their employees within the stipulated time. This was not provided for by the 2004 Act. Corrective Actions on Failing Licensed Operators The Pension Reform Act 2004 only allowed PenCom to revoke the licence of erring pension operators but does not provide for other interim remedial measures that may be taken by PenCom to resolve identified challenges in licensed operators. Accordingly, the Pension Re-

form Act 2014 now empowers PenCom to take proactive corrective measures on licensed operators whose situations, actions or inactions jeopardize the safety of pension assets. This provision further fortifies the pension assets against mismanagement and/or systemic risks. Restructuring the System of Administration of Pensions under the Defined Benefits Scheme (PTAD) The Pension Reform Act 2014 makes provisions for the repositioning of the Pension Transition Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) to ensure greater efficiency and accountability in the administration of the Defined Benefits Scheme in the federal public service such that payment of pensions would be made directly into pensioners’ bank accounts in line with the current policy of the Federal Government.

Utilization of Pension Funds for National Development The Pension Reform Act 2014 also makes provisions that will enable the creation of additional permissible investment instruments to accommodate initiatives for national development, such as investment in the real sector, including infrastructure and real estate development. This is provided without compromising the paramount principle of ensuring the safety of pension fund assets. Enhanced Coverage of the CPS and Informal Sector Participation The Act expanded the coverage of the Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) in the private sector organizations with three (3) employees and above, in line with the drive towards informal sector participation.

business | PENSION

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Friday, August 29, 2014

Ex-servicemen: Obanikoro in another cycle of promises TACTICAL MANEUVRE Retired military personnel may have to wait longer for their retirement benefits, though their hope has again been raised Sunday Ojeme

hree months after some retired military personnel besieged the National Judicial Institute (NJI), venue of the just-concluded National Conference, to protest government’s failure to pay their allowances, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro, has reassured them of Federal Government’s preparedness to pay them all that was due to them. The ex-servicemen, who have battled for their pensions for years out of frustration made it to the confab venue, singing solidarity songs and displaying placards with various inscription depicting their plights. Some of the inscriptions read: “Our children are out of school. We can no longer cater for our family;” “We are regarded as unproductive today;” “We are being deceived annually.” The visit to the NJI, where they opened up on the Federal Government's failure to address their plight over the years after putting their lives at stake for

the unity of the country, is one of several such missions they have embarked upon to ensure that apart from their pensions being paid as at when due, the arrears of benefits should also be cleared. During the 'invasion,' spokesperson for the pensioners and chairman, Ibadan chapter of the Coalition of Aggrieved Military Veterans, Oaikhena Gabriel, said that serving military personnel were enjoying high perks while those who fought

for the unity of the country were left to suffer untold hardship. He said: “We fought in the Nigeria Civil War where we lost over 500,000 soldiers. Those of us who survived are not enjoying anything. We are treated as destitute. “How can we continue like this? We fought the war on the side of Nigeria. Why are they treating us as slaves in our fatherland; the land we fought to keep united, the land we shed so

Managing Director/CEO, Union Assurance Company Limited, Mr Godwin Odah, (third from left) receiving a plaque from the Deputy President of Nigeria Council of Registered Insurance Brokers, (NCRIB), Mr Kayode Okunoren,at the August edition of Members' Evening of the council in Lagos. With them are some members of the Council.

Police vows to replicate MFB, HMC successes in PFA

he Nigeria Police Force has vowed to shame critics as it commences operation of its newly licensed Pension Fund Administrator. The PFA, which brought the number of PFAs operating in the country to 21, is strictly meant for the security agency to manage the pension contributions of its personnel. A statement by the PFA said that the force would replicate the success it had recorded with its microfinance bank and insurance arm in the PFA as a way of proving its managerial ability to the public. It noted that the viability of the NPF Pensions could be ascertained through the performance of other ventures owned by the NPF, which had been profitable. The statement hinted that the NPF Microfinance Bank was one of the best run among its peers in the country just as the Police Insurance Company, Health Management Company and Police Cooperative Welfare Scheme were all doing well. According to the statement, members of the NPF are the victims of the police pension scam, which seems to reverberate whenever police pensions

much blood to secure? “That is why we are not happy and we are saying to the world that the government of President Goodluck Jonathan should pay us the 53.37 per cent salary increase of 2009/2010 and the accruing three-year arrears. We are tired of waiting. “We cannot carry guns but if government is taking good care of us, we would have mobilised our members all over the country to fight Boko Haram. “We came here to tell the

are mentioned since they are not the managers of the funds. It noted that the police pensions were run independent of the police, adding that those being tried for mismanaging the funds were not officers of the Nigeria police. The NPF Pensions, specially licensed to administer the pension contributions of personnel of the NPF under the Pensions Reform Act 2014, is already taking steps to receive the transfer of the over N300 billion pension contributions of all the police from 20 PFAs that were previously managing the funds. The statement further noted that the NPF Pensions was set up and licensed to cater for the police as a compromise to prevent the NPF from exiting the Contributory Pension Scheme. It also said that the Federal Government decided that the NPF personnel should remain under the CPS, but with special administrative solutions to address their grievances within the framework of the scheme. According to the statement, the granting of operating licence to the NPF Pensions which is in the spirit of compromise whereby the police

remains under the CPS, being regulated by PenCom but own their PFA to cater for their specific needs and address their genuine complaints against the PFAs, which, among others, include poor service delivery, has now been realised. The statement said: “The safety net that covers contributors’ funds in other PFAs is also covering police pension funds. There is no doubt that members of the Nigeria Police Force are desirous of owning their PFA in order to serve their unique needs and also use any profits there from to improve their welfare.” The NPF Pensions started the process of obtaining a PenCom’s PFA licence two and a half years ago. The company has its operations headquarters behind Force Headquarters, Abuja, with six regional offices in Lagos, Portharcourt, Enugu, Abuja, Gusau and Gombe to ensure that pension services are brought nearer to their clients – Police personnel. There are plans to establish representative pension offices in all Police formations and commands in order to provide better services to Police personnel.

world our plight. We have been used and dumped. We are tired of this. Does it mean that the country we fought for will allow us to die in poverty? Let them pay us our entitlement.” He also called for the pension rate of military pensioners to be upgraded in line with the 2013 salary scale of military personnel and arrears paid from the date the new scale came into effect. Probably prompted by the embarrassment and impact the campaign of injustice is having on government, especially as President Goodluck Jonathan had promised on several occasions to ensure that the living standard of the retirees was ameliorated through the regular payment of their benefits, Obanikoro visited the Military Pensions Board where he assured the retirees that all their pension arrears would soon be paid. The junior minister, while repeating the promises the aged and disheveled soldiers are already used to, also said that the Revised Armed Forces Pensions Bill would soon be passed into law. Obanikoro said: “I assure you that the issues raised will receive positive attention, it will not just be a promise; the promise will be kept. “I want to send a strong message to the retirees and the families of those who have lost their lives fighting for the nation that this administration is behind them."

Borrowers may repay mortgages with pensions

he relaxation of the pension rules could have a negative impact on the mortgages available to older borrowers and force pensioners to use their retirement savings to pay off interest-only loans. Changes introduced to pension drawdown in the budget have made it easier for pensioners to withdraw all their pension cash from age 55. While this is seen as a broadly positive move and eliminates the need to purchase a poorly paying annuity, there changes may have a knock-on effect on the mortgage market. It has been suggested that part of the reason for allowing pensions to be taken as a lump sum is to counter the looming problem of interest-only mortgages. Last year, the regulator found half of the 600,000 households with an interest-only mortgage that ends in 2020 had a shortfall in their repayment strategy, meaning they would not be able to pay off the capital of the loan. The shortfall on average is £50,000. And the problem is not set to go away. Figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show there are still 2.8 mil-

lion outstanding interest-only loans, although this figure has dropped 13 per cent in less than a year. Under the orders of the regulator, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), lenders have contacted interest-only borrowers to discuss how they will repay their loans at the end of the mortgage term. Age UK is concerned that older people with these mortgages will be strong-armed into using their pensions to repay the loan. Jane Vass, head of public policy at Age UK, said that banks and building societies were tightening their lending criteria, making it harder to switch loans and making it more likely that people will be forced to use pensions to pay for their homes. "One risk (of the relaxation of the pension drawdown rules) is if (borrowers) are forced to take all their pension savings out to service a loan. We are already seeing that with interest-only mortgage debt. "We are seeing large amount "of debt) coming up to maturity and I have colleagues in their 40s who cannot get loans that go over age 65," she said.

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Agric

BUSINESS 33

Hard Facts l Cocoa-growing areas in Ivory

Coast, the world’s largest producer, saw easing rainfall last week as farmers said pods in the trees are growing well about a month from the start of the main harvest.

l Rainfall averaged 6.4 millimeters (0.25 inch) a day in 15 cocoagrowing areas in the Aug. 18-24 period, according to CICO Services, an agronomy intelligence agency based in Abidjan, the commercial capital.

l Global meat production rose to a

new peak of 308.5 million tons in 2013, according to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Agro commodidities

Agribusiness opportunities for discerning investors In this season of agriculture rethinking, agribusiness should be given serious attention, writes SIAKA MOMOH

igeria is not short of people who have good money and do not know how to invest it or what business to invest it on. Among these moneybags are retirees-to-be who dread going into that ‘unknown’ world of self-employment when their retiring day gets near. These are people who never tried their hands on business when they were at work. At retirement, they look askance, not knowing what to do, not knowing where to start from. This writer once asked a retired senior staff of a federal ministry why he was not doing business. His answer was: "What business will I do? I don’t know. I have never done business in my life, and I do not feel like doing one." He retired as a director in one of the federal ninistries. He could go into contract jobs. He could do consultancy, all from home, using space in his residence as office. Perhaps, he felt he had made so much money in the public service, enough to keep him and his family on for the rest of his life. Is there any wisdom in this? There are numerous agribusiness opportunities that such people can invest in. Growing sheep and goats In this season of agriculture rethinking, this is one business we think should be given seri-

ous attention. Why? Small ruminants, sheep and goats, are increasingly becoming a major source of animal protein in Nigeria, contributing over 30 percent to total meat consumption in the country. Estimates from the Federal Livestock Department in 1983 showed that there are 11 million cattle, 22 million goats, eight million sheep, 900,000 pigs, and 150 million poultry (both local and exotic) in the country. Livestock production represents approximately 10 percent of agricultural activity and less than five per cent of the Gross Domestic Product. Distribution in Nigeria Sheep and goats are very widely distributed in Nigeria and part of all known farming systems. The major production systems are extensive (pastoral), semi-intensive (crop/livestock system) and intensive (urban and peri-urban) systems. The semi-intensive system is predominant constituting over 70 per cent followed by the extensive and intensive systems. Sheep and goats contribute 32 per cent of the total meat output in Nigeria (440,109 metric tonnes in 2010). Genetic shortcoming notwithstanding, they play a key role in the supply of animal protein for human nutrition, provision of skins which earn foreign exchange and to a lesser extent contribute to the domestic milk production. Hatchery This too is good business. To establish a hatchery that will hatch 10,000 eggs every three weeks, the followings are the requirements: Pre-investments: N100,000 Grand parent stock: N1,000,000

Poultry building +land: N1,000,000 Incubators+ installation: N20, 000,000 Utilities: N2,500,000 Working capital+ others: N2,500,000 Total N26,500,000 Finance The project can be financed by Bank of Agriculture, Bank of Industry and commercial banks if supported by a bankable feasibility report. Annual turnover of N35 million has been computed while the profit margin of 40 per cent is realisable after all costs, including bank charges. This is, no doubt, a good investment that can contribute positively to our economy. Coconut water Among people in tropical countries with ready access to coconut palms - or to fresh coconuts sold by urban street vendors - coconut water is renowned as a refreshing, highly nourishing drink with a delicate aroma and flavour. But, despite coconut water's potential as a competitor in the bottled bever-

Among people in tropical countries with ready access to coconut palms - or to fresh coconuts sold by urban street vendors - coconut water is renowned as a refreshing, highly nourishing drink

age market, attempts to capture those qualities in a commercial product have been largely unsuccessful. Once exposed to air, coconut water begins to ferment, and rapidly loses most of its organoleptic and nutritional characteristics. To eliminate the risk of bacterial growth, commercial bottlers are forced to sterilise the product using high-temperature/short-time pasteurisation (the same technology used in long-life milk), which destroys some of coconut water's nutrients and almost all of the flavour. Simple cold preservation technology Now, after over five years of research and testing, FAO has announced a simple cold preservation technology appropriate for small and medium-sized agro-industries that allows them to produce bottled coconut water, which, under refrigeration, stays fresh for between 10 days and three weeks. That is long enough to satisfy domestic retail markets and to allow export to developed countries, where good quality coconut water is in growing demand. For a copy of Good practices for the production of bottled coconut water: a training guide (FAO), write to ag21@fao.org. Cashew-nut Cashew nut (seed) is of high commercial value. To extract this seed, the shell must be removed. The shell contains skin-blistering oil, which is highly valued for its many industrial applications. The oil when extracted contains oleic C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 4

l In response to growing purchasing

power, urbanization, and changing diets, meat production has expanded more than fourfold over just the last five decades. Even more startlingly, meat production has grown 25-fold since 1800.

l The growth in meat consump-

tion has not been constrained by rising prices in the last decade. Worldwide, meat consumption stood at 42.9 kilograms (kg) per capita in 2013.

l Even though the gap is begin-

ning to close, people in industrial countries continue to eat much larger quantities of meat (75.9 kg) than those in developing nations (33.7 kg).

l Close to 70 percent of the plan-

et's agricultural land is used for animal pasture. Another 10 percent is used to grow grains to feed livestock (for meat and dairy).

l Producing beef is much more re-

source-intensive than producing pork or chicken, requiring roughly three to five times as much land to generate the same amount of protein.

l Beef production alone uses about three fifths of global farmland but yields less than 5 percent of the world's protein.

l Meat production also consumes

a lot of water. Agriculture uses about 70 percent of the world's available freshwater, and one third of that is used to grow the grain fed to livestock.

l Beef is by far the most water-

intensive of all meats. The more than 15,000 litres of water used per kilogramme is far more than is required by a number of staple foods, such as rice (3,400 litres per kg), eggs (3,300 litres), milk (1,000 litres), or potatoes (255 litres).

l Worldwide, more than 40 percent of wheat, rye, oats, and corn production is fed to animals, along with 250 million tons of soybeans and other oilseeds.

l Feeding grain to livestock improves their fertility and growth, but it sets up a de facto competition for food between cattle and people.

BUSINESS | AGRIC

WEALTH CREATION Targets areas are agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, oil and gas as well as culture and tourism Siaka Momoh

he 7th meeting of the National Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (NCIT&I -07) with a theme “Towards an Inclusive and Sustainable Industrial Development in Nigeria” held in

Govt holds forum on policy for wealth creation

Makurdi, Benue State, recently. The Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment, Amb. Abdulkadir Musa, urged policy formulators and practitioners at the meeting to critically examine industry, trade and investment sector to contribute to the attainment of the vision 20:2020 for wealth

Opportunities for investors C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

acid (about 74 per cent) and 18 percent protein. The oil is used as a medicinal, an irritant, wood protectant and a source of resin. The young leaves are sometimes used as flavouring. The yellow gum obtained from incisions made on the bark is used mainly as adhesive. The wood of the plant (when dead) is utilized in several ways, and the bark to some extent for tanning and yellow dye. Good source of foreign exchange The uses to which cashew nut can be put to notwithstanding, the demand (local and foreign) for cashew nut is rising steadily and prices are good. It is a good source of foreign exchange. The nuts are heavily consumed in temperate countries. They are either prepared as delicacies or used in confectioneries. North America and Europe are known as the largest consumers of cashew nut. Cashew therefore has a lot of export market potentials. Local industries can also be encouraged to process cashew nuts. Revenue projection The plant capacity is about 250 metric tonnes per annum. The average selling price per tonne of cashew is a about N300,000. Turnover of N75 million is achievable. Profit margin is 30 per cent. This gives us net income of N22.5 million annually. Cassava Nigeria, the world’s top cassava producer, is transforming its cassava sector and strengthening the value chain of the root crop to make it more competitive. Reforms in cassava-growing countries in Africa, backed by supportive government policies and improved varieties developed by agricultural research centers have significantly raised the productivity of cassava. In Nigeria, annual production of cassava climbed to 52.4 million tons in 2011. Money-spinner The increase in production of cassava roots is also generating 5 – 7.5 million tons of wet peels (10 – 15 per cent of whole tuber), as farmers and industry rev up processing of cassava. Dr Iheanacho Okike, a researcher with the Inter-

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Friday, August 29, 2014

national Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) based in IITA, says the peels could contribute largely to the income of farmers, and provides additional economic options for livestock and fish producers if converted to animal feed. Additional benefits accrue to consumers due to increased production of milk, meat and fish, and the additional availability of maize and other grains that could otherwise have gone into the feed system. The IITA-hosted meeting involves representatives from many international research institutes and is organized by the Global Cassava Partnership for the 21st Century, the CGIAR Research Programme on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) and co-hosted by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (FMARD). Second most important food crop As the second most important food crop in the least developed countries and the fourth most important source of food energy in the world after wheat, maize, and rice, cassava is generally grown by small holder farmers, who appreciate its tolerance of drought and poor soils, one of the reasons why the root crop has been dubbed “the crop of the 21st century.” Postharvest potential Cassava also holds great postharvest potential as food for both human and livestock, and raw material for a wide array of value-added products – from coarse flour to high-tech starch gels. Both the roots and leaves can be directly fed to livestock, or used in producing commercial feed. According to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, “animals raised on cassava have generally good health, good disease resistance, and a low mortality, and require a few, if any, antibiotics in their feed.” Dr. Claude Fauquet, GCP21 Director notes that “When the cassava transformation agenda of Nigeria is completed, the production of cassava by-products (peels) is expected to reach 2 million tons dry matter per year, this is the perfect time to set up a feed manufacturing system on an industrial scale.”

creation, employment generation and a sustainable livelihood for people of the country. The Permanent Secretary who was represented by the Director, Investment, Mr J. Olayinka Olanipekun, said that the ministry has been identified as one of the main drivers of the nation’s economy under the vision 20:2020 and the Transformation Agenda, adding that his expectation from the delegates at the meeting was to deliberate and place emphasis on inclusive and sustainable industrial development, improved investment climate, increase in

trade and export as well as developing SMEs and vocational training in Nigeria. The SMEs include smallholder farmers. Said he: “The ministry is saddled with the responsibility of attracting investment into the country, particularly in the productive sectors like agriculture, solid minerals, manufacturing, oil and gas as well as culture and tourism. The ministry intends to achieve these objectives through the establishment of partnership between federal and state governments as well as the organised private sector

(OPS). This partnership would maximally unlock the capital for investment at both domestic and foreign levels.” Earlier, the Benue State Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr Terfa Atoza Ihinda, pointed out that the purpose of the meeting was to provide the necessary platform for key players in the sector to interact, synergise, strategise and review progress on current trends both in local and international scenes with a view to fashioning out appropriate policies on industry, trade and investment programmes in Nigeria.

Cassava bread: Adesina lauds BoI on fund disbursement Minister says 36 big bakeries in the country are now baking cassava bread and two of the largest supermarkets in the country now sell cassava bread in their outlets across the country. Siaka Momoh

he Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, has praised the Bank of Industry (BoI) over its management and disbursement of the N3.5 billion Cassava Bread Fund to beneficiaries across the country for the upgrading of existing High Quality Cassava Flour (HQCF) plants. The minister extolled the actions of the development finance institution when he commissioned a new production line at Oamsal HQCF Plant in Ayede-Ekiti, Ekiti State, re-

cently. The plant is one of the proposed 20 HQCF plants to be upgraded across the country. “Today, the commissioning of this particular factory will make available 7.5 tonnes per day of HQCF, which means that bakers will have more flour and hopefully at a lower cost. The bank of industry is here to support all of this work that will be replicated in 20 locations across the country and the bank has done an excellent work in the management of the fund,” he said. He explained that President Goodluck Jonathan released N3.5 billion to enable work on the project to support SMEs like Oamsal and help them upgrade their equipment while the Master Bakers also got funds to help them acquire rotary ovens, among others. As part of the progress being made towards implementing the 20 per cent cassava substitution of wheat in bread, the minister disclosed that over 36 big bakeries in the country are now making cassava bread and two of the largest supermarkets in the country now sell cassava bread in all their outlets across

the country. The minister told HQCF producers in the country that despite the fact that the facility with BoI did not include infrastructure, N1 million will be provided for the completion of each of the 35 selected SMEs’ infrastructures under the category, citing it as another indication of the president’s commitment to ensuring that the programme works. He stressed that the future of Nigeria depends on agriculture and the future millionaires and billionaires are going to come out of agriculture. Adesina pointed out that agriculture is not a way of life but a business and that the richest people in developed continents like America and Europe are farmers. “But for that to happen in Nigeria, we need to have markets for all that we produce. For example, Nigeria today is the largest producer of cassava in the world, we produce 40 million metric tonnes annually, but how much cassava can you eat? Therefore we need to creC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 5

BUSINESS | AGRIC

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Friday, August 29, 2014

Cameroon cocoa exports fall to 158,413 tonnes in 2013/14 season

ameroon's cocoa exports fell to 158,413 tonnes in the 2013-2014 season from 196,788 tonnes for the previous season, figures from the National Cocoa and Coffee Board (NCCB) showed, according to Reuters report. The world's fifth-largest grower shipped 5,472 tonnes of beans in July, up from 4,256 in June, as the light crop came to a close. Cameroon's cocoa season runs from August 1 to July 31. NCCB officials said that the reason for the fall in exports was not immediately clear, with some indications that individuals were stocking beans and waiting for international prices to rise.

Cameroon has also been trying to increase domestic processing of cocoa beans. 15 companies exported in July, up from 11 in June. Telcar Cocoa Ltd came top with 1,505 tonnes, followed by Cameroon Marketing Commodities (CAMACO) with 1,154 tonnes. Cocoa is the central African country's main cash crop. Output hit a record of 240,000 tonnes in the 2010/11 season. It dropped to 220,000 tonnes in 2011/12 due to the effects of disease and a long dry season, but rose to 228,948 tonnes in 2012/13. The NCCB told Reuters that output for the 2013/14 season would be around 235,000 tonnes

but the Cocoa and Coffee Interprofessional Board (CCIB) expects it to reach 240,000 tonnes. Output figures for the 2013-2014 season should be released in the coming weeks. Data from the NCCB also showed that Cameroon's main cocoa grinders purchased 33,378 tonnes of beans in the season to end-July, up from 31,969 tonnes the previous season. The data showed that Sic-Cacaos, a subsidiary of Swiss chocolate manufacturing firm, Barry Callebaut, was the largest purchaser in July with 1,336 tonnes, bringing its total since the start of the season to 32,452 tonnes versus 29,967 tonnes last season.

Adesina lauds BoI on fund disbursement C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 4

ate markets for that cassava,” he said. Government’s policy on wheat importation has started yielding tremendous financial benefits as the Federal Government is saving N200 billion yearly from the 20 per cent cassava substitution for wheat in bread making. The minister stated that the agricultural transformation of the Federal Government was to add value to the agric sector and support Nigerian farmers, as well as the cassava bread bakers in the country in achieving their dreams.

Adesina promised to provide N1 million each to 35 small and medium enterprises for infrastructure development, adding that 3.5 billion had so far been spent on the upgrading of facilities for small and medium scale enterprises to boost the economy and encourage entrepreneurs. He further said that the Federal Government is in partnership with research institutes, universities of agriculture and state governments on cassava plantation, as well as the designation of 5,000 hectares of land for cassava plantation to control the price and propel the bakers of cassava bread.

Silos capacity in Nigeria now 1.3m mt ...As FG commissions the 100,000mt silos in Abuja

silos capacity in Nigeria is Twithotal now 1.3 million metric tonnes the Federal Government's

commissioning of a 100,000 metric tonnes capacity silos in Abuja earlier in the week. According to the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Akinwumi Adesina, the silo is the largest in West Africa, bringing the total of the nation’s silos capacity to 1.3 million metric tonnes. He said that in 2011, only 35 percent of the silos in the country were completed but by

December 2014, all the network of silos would be completed and ready for use. Adesina said “One can only imagine, if our farmers could produce an additional 21 million metric tonnes of food between 2012 and 2014, without tractors or mechanized equipments, they will definitely feed the world if they have a fully mechanized agricultural system. Together with our network of silos we will secure our food supply and those of other African countries.”

Nigerian wine market may feel hit of California wine country Agric machinery

FG flags off agricultural equipment hiring enterprise D

espite current achievement and available potential, low level of mechanisation in Nigerian agriculture has continued to serve as a huge challenge towards advancing the sector. The Federal Government has launched in Sheda, Abuja, the pioneer Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprise. According to New Telegraph’s source, the inaugural event during the week, geared towards modernising the agric sector had in attendance key policy makers led by representative of President Jonathan, Vice President Namadi Sambo, alongside other notable agriculture stakeholders. Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Akinwunmi Adesina, while addressing the audience outlined the expanding private sector investment in agriculture across the nation, which, according to him, is the beginning of a new dawn being experienced by smallholder

farmers. He said that smallholder farmers are increasingly contributing to the decline in our national food import bill from N1.1 trillion ($6.9 billion) in 2009 to N684.7 billion ($4.35 billion) by December 2013. Adesina noted that despite current achievement and available potential, low level of mechanisation in Nigerian agriculture has continued to serve as a huge challenge towards advancing the sector, as the high cost of land clearing is a major disincentive for the expansion of cultivated area. In his speech he highlighted that the number of tractors per 100 square kilometers in Nigeria is less than 10, in comparison to over 728 in the UK, 257 in the USA, 200 in India, 130 in Brazil, 200 and 125 in the Philippines. “Therefore productivity per area of land and productivity for labour in the agriculture sector of these countries are much higher

than Nigeria,” he said. He argued that “Nigeria must, as a matter of national priority and urgency, fully mechanise the agricultural sector. Hoes and cutlasses do not reflect a modern agricultural system; they reflect suffering. We must aggressively privatise the commercialisation of agricultural machineries in Nigeria.” Further speaking on the changes in the ministry, Dr. Adesina said: “I wish to state clearly that the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development no longer buys and distributes tractors, as has been the practice for decades. The Ministry now supports the private sector to drive the mechanization of Nigeria’s agriculture.” The Agricultural Equipment Hiring Enterprises (AEHEs), driven by the private sector, will provide access to affordable agricultural mechanisation services for farmers.

US export of tallow, dairy, wine (from California), beverage bases, feed and fodder as well as consumerready products to Nigeria was over $1 billion as at November 2013. Siaka Momoh wine stockers may Npactigerian need to brace up for the imof the strongest earth-

quake that hit California in 25 years as Nigeria is one of the countries listed as good buyers of wine from the US wine country region. It is not very clear how much wine business Nigeria does with the US wine state but information on California Wine Export Programme available online, shows that US food and agricultural exports to Nigeria such as tallow, dairy, wine, beverage bases, feed and fodder as well as consumer-ready products, was over $1 billion as at November 2013. Nigeria’s total food and agricultural imports are growing and estimated at over $8 billion in 2013. Wheat, rice, sugar, frozen fish, dairy products, vegetable oil, intermediate and consumer-oriented products are the largest imports. US wheat exports to the country almost reached $1 billion last year.

According to Bloomberg report, the strongest earthquake to hit northern California in 25 years rocked the state’s wine-country region, damaging historic buildings and sending residents scurrying from their homes. The 6.1-magnitude quake in the Napa-Sonoma County region was reported at 3:20 a.m. local time. Its epicenter was 51 miles (82 kilometers) southwest of Sacramento, the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement on its website. KGO-TV in San Francisco said 89 people were injured, three critically, though no deaths were reported. Power was out, and fires were reported in north Napa, along with many waterline breaks, the city of Napa said in a posting on its website. Unreinforced masonry buildings in downtown, including the historic courthouse and Goodman Library, were severely damaged. The Napa-Sonoma area is home to one of California’s best-known wine-growing regions. Napa County has 789 licensed wineries which had sales of $5.5 billion in 2011, according to the Napa Valley Vinters, a trade association. Aftershocks with a magnitude of as strong as 3.6 were recorded after the quake, the USGS said. Amtrak, the US national passenger railroad, said it suspended service on four routes through the Bay Area until tracks and bridges are inspected.

BUSINESS | AGRIC

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

From the archives

Turning Africa’s waste into wealth (2) ENTERPRISE It's right time to bring youths into agribusiness Akinyele Aluko

he many developments in the Western Region (later Western State) of Nigeria were hinged on Agriculture. It led to rapid infrastructure and rural development as roads were opened to very remote areas to evacuate agricultural products. As a quick summary, it enhanced Youth employment, created employment opportunities directly and indirectly and also led to innovation. The burning question is: how do we get back to that prime place and take our people out of the morass of self degradation, hunger, poverty and unemployment when it is apparent that we have the

natural resources to rejuvenate agriculture in the Continent? Seven steps to agricultural bouyancy Enhance Productivity Without enhancing productivity, the agriculture sector in Africa would not grow. The need to enhance productivity through improved seedlings; introduction of fertilizers and other productivity enhancing herbicides cannot be overemphasized. Naturally, the agriculture sector continues to evolve based on shifting demand patterns, improved technology, trade integration, and the market. There must therefore be commitments to agricultural research, extension, training and education components. Upgrade value chains Value chain development or market linkages approaches focus Private Sector Develop-

ment (PSD) efforts on core product markets, value chains or sub-sectors Value chain development is fundamentally about strengthening market relationships so that businesses work better together to compete more effectively in the global market. The focus is on building win-win relationships or aligning business interests that attract and keep all players engaged in productive collaboration that benefits target small and medium enterprises. It is therefore very important that the agricultural value chain be improved in order to enhance productivity. Strengthen technology and innovation Traditional innovation and extension systems seem to have become less effective, and new approaches and instruments are needed. To develop these instruments, all actors in ag-

ricultural innovation systems have to build up their innovation capabilities. The base of the pyramid for every successful activity today is technology. This is derived from successful research and Development leading to Innovation. Agriculture in Israel is a typical example of this. Our inability to meet up with the potential yields per hectare of cultivation is primarily a function of poor application of technology or total absence in some cases. It is only technology and innovation that will produce better yielding varieties, drugs for animal and crop protections, harvesting and processing and storage. This in a way is also linked up to the value chain strengthening... Promote effective financing Effective Financing is at the core of the agribusiness. Finance is needed for land acquisition, clearing, cultivation, management, harvesting processing and preservation. It is also highly needed to strengthen technology and innovation as mentioned above and improve the value chain. One of the banes of our poor showing in Africa is that very little funds are committed to Agriculture and in most cases these funds go to the wrong pockets... Improve infrastructure and energy access If agriculture must be developed, it must attract the younger generation. The level of rural urban drift I see in Nigeria for example, can only be tackled if infrastructure in the rural areas

Softs

Commodity ICE Cocoa ICE Coffee "C" ICE Sugar #11 ICE Orange Juice Conc ICE Cotton #2 SFE Greasy Wool CME Lumber TOCOM Rubber CME Ethanol

Stimulate private participation The private sector in Africa must be drawn into the Agricultural business. Their input must come in at strategic points of the value chain. Exploit local, regional and international demand Agriculture in Africa must target meeting local demands. A good example is that of importation of rice and frozen chicken and turkey meats into Nigeria. If a local consumption habit has been established, agricultural production should be geared towards this area. The same is applicable to regional demands especially with the free movement of goods, persons and services across the borders in the sub-region. International demands peaks any form of production activity be it at primary, secondary or tertiary levels. Competitiveness in the international markets is crucial to agricultural production in Africa. Israel for examples plants more than 90 per cent of its flowers and ornamental plants for the European market. The country on its own cannot consume 20 per cent of its production. l Akinyele Aluko is a Business Development Specialist with Successory Nigeria. He can be reached on mail through: eyealuko2002@yahoo.co.uk

Ivory Coast cocoa-growing areas' rainfall easing

Agricultural Commodity Prices - Grains Commodity CBOT Corn CBOT Wheat CBOT Oats CBOT Rough Rice CBOT Soybeans CBOT Soybean Meal CBOT Soybean Oil ICE Canola

and the semi urban areas are developed and access to cheap, clean and affordable energy provided...

Units USd/bu. USd/bu. USd/bu. USD/cwt USd/bu. USD/st USd/lb. CAD/mt

Price 363.00 557.00 348.25 12.82 1,031.50 345.50 33.18 424.00

Change -2.00 +0.50 +3.50 +0.07 +3.50 +2.00 +0.01 +0.60

% Change -0.55% +0.09% +1.02% +0.51% +0.34% +0.58% +0.03% +0.14%

Contract Dec 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Nov 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Dec 14 Nov 14

Units USD/mt USd/lb. USd/lb. USd/lb. USd/lb. cents/kg USD/tbf JPY/kg USD/gal.

Price 3,222.00 197.10 15.72 150.10 66.76 346.70 198.80 1.99

Change +6.00 -0.35 +0.01 -1.50 -0.13 +0.10 +0.40 -0.03

% Change +0.19% -0.18% +0.06% -0.99% -0.19% -% +0.03% +0.20% -1.44%

Contract Dec 14 Dec 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Dec 14 Oct 14 Nov 14 Feb 15 Oct 14

Time(ET) 08:13:24 08:14:06 07:56:07 07:49:39 08:13:49 08:13:07 08:11:37 07:43:12 Time(ET) 08:13:52 08:12:45 08:12:50 08:13:10 08:13:06 20:33:30 05:59:55 15:42:03

Livestock Commodity Units Price Change % Change Contract Time(ET) CME Live Cattle USd/lb. 148.50 +0.25 +0.17% Oct 14 08:13:48 CME Feeder Cattle USd/lb. 212.58 +0.10 +0.05% Oct 14 08:13:07 CME Lean Hogs USd/lb. 96.25 +1.15 +1.21% Oct 14 08:12:35 Commodities trade on different exchanges with different trading sessions. Change always shows from the previous close price. Quotes delayed, except where indicated otherwise. All prices in local currency. Time is ET. Source: Bloomberg

ocoa-growing areas in Ivory Coast, the world’s largest producer, saw easing rainfall last week as farmers said pods in the trees are growing well about a month from the start of the main harvest, Bloomberg has reported. Rainfall averaged 6.4 millimeters (0.25 inch) a day in 15 cocoagrowing areas in the August 18-24 period, according to CICO Services, an agronomy intelligence agency based in Abidjan, the commercial capital. The average temperature for the 15 areas was 29 degrees Celsius (84 Fahrenheit), data showed. During the rainy season, precipitation averaged 13.8 millimeters daily in the same locations June 2-6; 9 millimeters in the June 1014 period; and 12 millimeters in the week ended July 6. “It rains in the morning but it’s light and the sun usually shows up in the afternoon,” Robert Koffi, who farms a 12-hectare (29.7 acres) cocoa plantation near the western town of Duekoue, said by phone on August 25. “We don’t have abundant rainfall as we had in the past two months.” The country’s western regions got more rain than other

cocoa areas last week, according to the data. The towns of Gagnoa and Duekoue averaged 8.9 millimeters and 9.9 millimeters a day respectively. The southwestern town of San Pedro got 5.4 millimeters while the eastern town of Abengourou got 5.1 millimeters. Ivory Coast’s southern forest areas, where most of the cocoa is grown, entered the short dry season in mid-July. This season, which is characterized by cooler temperatures, typically lasts until mid-September. “We have started to pick up some pods in the trees and stock them up,” Eponon Ebah, head of a cocoa cooperative in Abengourou, said by phone August 25. “The other pods on the trees are growing well.” Cocoa farmers in Ivory Coast reap a main crop from October to March, while a smaller harvest, called the mid-crop, is produced from April to the end of September. Ivory Coast’s cocoa production will be a record 1.7 million metric tons for the 2013-14 season, the London-based International Cocoa Organization estimated in June. The prior year’s output was 1.4 million tons.

autoBEATS

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

Mercedes-Benz Viano enters Nigerian market Paul Ogbuokiri

fter delivering the Sprinter Ambulance into the auto industry not long ago, the Sprinter 324 last year, and Sprinter Ambulance in the first half of this year, the Authorised General Distributor of Mercedes-Benz vehicles in Nigeria- Weststar Associates Ltd has announced the introduction of MercedesBenz Viano into the Nigerian market. According to the Public Relations/ Compliance Manager, Weststar Associates Ltd, Ms Funmi Lawuyi, the Viano is a multi-purpose vehicle that comes ready equipped with everything that a fully-fledged family vehicle needs as well as catering fully for the business class a n d

VIPs. With room for up to eight people and a highly flexible passenger compartment, it boasts all the right credentials for trips to various holiday and family destinations. It also comes with the qualities that have always been the hallmark of Mercedes Benz i.e. an extensive safety package, excellent comfort and exemplary functionality, she said. She said its comfort suspension, the vast array of equipment features and an interior with a superior quality feel to it, the Viano isn’t just an outstanding family car; it also makes an excellent shuttle vehicle, company vehicle or tourer. “The famous intelligently combined, innovative Technologies- BlueEFFICIENCY which contributes towards a tangible reduction in fuel consumption and pollutant emissions comes

Mercedes-Benz Viano

Auto makers’ association ED, Madueke, for burial Sept 19

he Executive Director of the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association (NAMA), Mr. Arthur Olisa Madueke, who died recently in Lagos, would be buried on September 19, 2014. The Motor Vehicle & Miscellaneous Assembly Sectorial Group of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), in conjunction with the Madueke family, has disclosed A statement issued by the Chairman of the Auto Sectorial Group), Dr David V.C. Obi, said: “As the Executive Director of the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association, Arthur Madueke devoted his life to working for the Motor Vehicle & Miscellaneous Sectorial Group

of MAN, NAMA and the auto industry generally. There is no doubt that he made very valuable contributions to the growth and development of our sector”. The Auto Group Chairman, therefore, urged all stakeholders to show appreciation for the late Madueke’s achievements by being part of the burial ceremony in Isuochi. Until his death last month, late Madueke headed the secretariat of the Nigerian Automotive Manufacturers Association located in the premises of VON Automobiles plant, Ojo, Lagos - relating with government, government agencies and parastatals, relevant groups and other stakeholders, on behalf of NAMA.

standard in the Viano with a top notch V6 petrol engine and automatic transmission. Other fuel-saving features are: shift-point display, 1 ECO power-steering pump, battery management, and tyres with optimised rolling resistance,” she said. Lawuyi said that travelling in the Viano is a relaxing experience, adding that its luxurious comfort seats offer very good lateral support for driver and front passenger as well as for rear compartment passengers, a light, airy feel as well as plenty of freedom of movement combine to keep everyone aboard in good spirits on even the longest journeys. “Indeed The Viano’s amply proportioned and adaptable Interior grants you all the freedom of mobility you are seeking. This is all thanks to a design concept that is as intelligent as it is flexible,” she stressed. Available in Nigeria via Weststar, or any of its dealerships, is the Viano Ambiente. New Telegraph learnt that the Ambiente design line envelopes its occupants with tastefully designed interior featuring high-class materials. Illuminated entrances and soft carpeting welcome the driver and passenger immediately the doors are opened. It was further learnt that all seats, plus the 4-spoke multifunction steering wheel, the gear shift lever and parts of the inside door panelling, are trimmed in

leather. Meanwhile, international automotive journalist on test drive of the vehicle, say the electrically adjustable and heated exterior door mirrors with integrated clear-lens indicators afford a larger field of vision. They added that elegant decor strips in Brown Walnut wood-effect design add an extra touch of class to the cockpit’s high-quality surfaces. Meanwhile, the centre console offers plenty of storage space as well as the added convenience of a cup holder, they said. Standard equipment for the Viano Ambiente consist of black tinted rear windows- to reduce heating of the interior due to sunlight, provide VIP passengers with the privacy their status requires, as well as enhance the look of the vehicle. Others include: thorax airbags for driver and front passenger, Adaptive brake Lights, Bi-xenon headlamps with cornering function, LED daytime driving lamps, convenience Opening/closing with infrared remote windshield laminated glass, Audio 20 with CD changer, Parktronic System, Anti-theft alarm system, Reversing warning device, Cooling box, Folding table, to mention just a few. According Lawuyi, the Viano is quite suitable for the Nigerian roads due to its high ground clearance and better suspension. She adds that it also possesses low emission Euro 5 Gr. IMCP, high-torque 3.5 litre V6 petrol engine with 190KW (258hp) 5900rpm, delivering excellent performance, superb refinement and low noise. “The engine has a 4-valve technology, electronically controlled injection, exhaust gas recirculation and two closedloop catalytic converters. Four light-alloy wheels in 7J x 17 make quite an impression with a striking 5-spoke “dovetail” styling, giving added impact to the powerful, dynamic, sporty yet elegant look of the Viano Ambiente,” she said.

FRSC advises motorists, transporters against overloading

he Federal Road Safety Commission has advised motorists and transporters nationwide, against overloading their vehicles with passengers, most especially now there is an outbreak of the Ebola disease in some parts of the federation. Corps Marshal and Chief Executive of the FRSC, Boboye Oyeyemi , gave the advice when he received the National Executive Committee, Zonal Officers and State Chairmen of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW). He said: “If the vehicles are overloaded, the transmission of the virus can be much faster, overloading is traffic offence but now something – Ebola, has brought it to front burner.

“Much as we are apprehensive about the outbreak in Nigeria and commend the robust efforts by the federal government to contain its spread, it will also provide a subtle check on overloading of vehicles which has remained a major concern to us and is also assisting us to ensure that our mandate is properly executed,” Oyeyemi said. The Corps Marshal also called on the transport union to sensitise its members on the consequences of overloading which at present, pose a two-pronged challenges as traffic hazards and facilitates the spread of the disease. Oyeyemi also said that with the Ember months season around the corner, the FRSC

will need the usual support of the NURTW to ensure reduction of road traffic crashes through strict compliance with traffic regulations. Responding, the national President of NURTW, Alhaji Najeem Yasin said the union was already organising a programme nationwide to sensitise its members about the Ebola Virus Disease, adding that members of the union had been directed not to overload their vehicles as part of measure to check the spread of the disease. Yasin urged the Corps Marshal to take measures to discourage underage driving, speeding, drunk driving, non use of seat belt, as well as use of phone while driving

feminique

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Hilda Ogbeifun ...a new voice for house helps When Hilda Nosakhare Ogbeifun realised that she has read the wrong course, the onus was on her to re-strategize or remain redundant. From poultry farming to overseas training, she now owns a novel world-class company that affords her the privilege of being a voice for house-helps and a messiah to working mothers. She shared her story with EBERE AMEH

ilda’s ambition when she was reading Fine and Applied Arts, majoring in Textile design at the Auchi Polytechnic was to work and subsequently own a cottage textile industry. Burning both sides of her candle, she studied and came out cum laude. Though she worked for a while, she got no satisfaction, even as her plan to own a cottage textile industry petered out with the collapse of the Nigerian textile industry. Though her ambition waned, her dream and vision of establishing her own business did not die. Currently the CEO of Simply Simple, a state of the art school of hospitality, she now forms and shapes people instead of mere textiles. “We are into anything that will bring comfort and succour to people, hotels, offices, homes, restaurants, among others. We train cooks, stewards, nannies, care givers for aged parents, cleaners, and so on. We give them a little training, teaching them the ethics of their profession. With training, they have value added to them, they have dignity and are psychologically tuned up to understand what their employers want from them and what to expect from their employers. This is much unlike when they go in their raw state. Even though we don’t believe in training here in Nigeria, training and certifying domestic servants help them to get a better pay and a better treatment while helping their potential bosses to get the best of services and value for their money.” Wondering how she got the inspiration to dabble into this refreshingly new aspect of hospitality in Nigeria, Hilda said she has always been concerned about the plight of working mothers who have to run their homes and at the same time work to support their families. According to her, a good home manager is all they need to have their mind at rest and remain optimally productive. She is also piqued by the maltreatment some house helps receive in the hands of their mistresses in the course of serving them and says she wants to be their voice. “Bridging the gap between the domestic servant and their employers is part of the reason I established Simply Simple. When I see house helps that are being maltreated I see they don’t have a voice. I plan to be their voice. I also believe a woman is supposed to work and support her husband but there are some challenges when you just start having children. But if she has a good house manager that is dependable, she has less stress.” Hilda even went to the extent of establishing a standard crèche because according to her, the area where women have much more problem is child care. She is of the opinion that if a working mom has a place where she can take her child to be cared for while she is at work, a lot of stress is already taken off her. “It is then she can work effectively with the men and aim to shatter the glass ceiling,” Hilda said, amidst laughter. Simply Simple crèche was established for two reasons; to be a pacesetter - running a crèche of international standard here in Lagos and to serve as a training ground for her students. “Schools should leave the crèche business for those who are trained for it. In developed countries, you have to be trained and certified in early childhood education before you can set up a crèche. I have seen crèches in and around the city where the children are cramped and sparsely cared for as they await their parents. Mine would have only 12 babies at a time and it will be comparable to any in the western world. “The crèche is also to serve as a training ground for the students who would be going to care for children. They go to my crèche to get the standard and have to uphold the standard wherever they work. I want us to be a brand, with a Simply Simple style of doing things. “I won’t compromise on the service I give to my clients. Children, zero to 13 months don’t need a structured environment, and so, are not supposed to be cramped in one place. They need a lot of care and an environment that is like a home away from home and that is what I provide. Once they are 12, I open another place.” Hilda who shares the widely held belief that one main problem with Nigeria is lack of training also plans to train

her clients who employs her students on how to handle and get the best out of their domestic staff. “I will run seminars for them so they also become sensitized, to know the things they can do to get the best out of their domestic staff. Some of them don’t know how to treat people. They lack the hospitality they crave.” Simply Simple would be the middleman, administering checks and balances on both her students and her clients. On the part of her clients, it includes signing of documents, which among other things include zero use of foul language on the domestic staff, hitting o r maltreatment; provision all the basic necessities o f they need while they work; and most importantly, they are to report any dissatisfaction to Simply Simple and never take the laws into their own hands. “On the part of the servants, we take their profile. We take their finger prints

Ogbeifun

even as they must present a guarantor who must sign some documents so there could be a follow up in case of a problem.” This is the moment poor house helps and working moms have been waiting for. More dignity for the domestic servant and peace of mind for the moms. See how she came about this novel and laudable initiative, ditching her initial profession of textile designing. “I had to re-strategize after working for some time in a textile company run by Indians. I realized somewhere along the line that the industry was not going anywhere. I had read the wrong course.” Thinking of what else to do, she delved into poultry business and grew it from a 200 to a 10, 000 bird capacity but along the line, had to travel out to guide her children through school abroad. While there, she decided to go back to school too and did project management, early childhood education and hotel management at different times. Bringing her learning and experience to perspective when she came back, she remembered how she always had hardworking and happy domestic staff and decided that giving them a formal training is a win-win initiative. She would be helping them, helping working women and doing what she likes doing. The training, according to her, will give them more dignity and more value, while giving their employers more peace of mind. “The only criteria for them is a school certificate so they will be able to communicate and five thousand naira for uniform and other things. I want a little bit of commitment from them so they could come to classes but unfortunately, they can’t even afford that amount. The training aspect is now like the charity aspect of my investment.” With a mission to train, assess, counsel, deploy and at the end of the day, coordinate, Hilda is poised to take domestic work and hospitality to a whole new level. “We just don’t leave them like that. When we send somebody as a cook or steward in your house, it is not a one off thing. We come periodically to check if the person is living up to our own expectation and if she is satisfying you. That’s the whole essence of Simply Simple. “But before we deploy our trained staff to work for you, we also come and inspect the scope of work the person may cover. We may get there and tell you that the scope of work is too much for one person, whereas if that person goes there alone to look for job, he will just take it because she is desperate and do a job meant for three.” Talking about the challenges she faces in the course of running the business, Ogbeifo reveals that outside the problem of funding, the students are reluctant to get trained. “They are a little bit reluctant. They don’t see any reason that they should be trained on how to care for a child or home when they have been doing it all their lives in their village. But I need to educate them on the basics of reading and writing and it is not easy. I do because if their master says he needs the stock of what is in the house they should be able to write it down for him.” Admitting that the government is trying but can’t do everything, Hilda calls on them to come to the aid of young entrepreneurs like her with grants to enable them ‘mop the streets, helping to create employment.’ Hilda plans to have Simply Simple all over the country in the next couple of years. “When I am sourcing for the workers, I want them to work from the comfort of their states. So I want to have it in the regions to serve the states there. I’m already partnering with someone to start it in Delta State. That will be a feeder for the states around there. I want Simply Simple to be like toothpaste, everybody will buy it. By Gods grace, it will be everywhere soon, adding value, creating employment, bringing succour!”

On the part of the servants, we take their profile. We take their finger prints even as they must present a guarantor who must sign some documents so there could be a follow up in case of a problem

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

sport fanzone

Greed, corruption bane of football development in Nigeria New Telegraph’s Moyosore Makinde speaks with football fans on the current leadership crisis in the Nigeria Football Federationw

nff President, Aminu Maigari

Corruption’s ruining everything

think it is corruption in the leadership of the football federation. If the needs of the players are met and other adequate facilities are put in place, it would motivate the players to do more for their country rather than switching nationality. I mean the leaders are so corrupt in the sense that provisions which are made for both players and the association are looted.

Government encouraging corruption in NFF

Nigerian football is both leadership and corruption. The problem with In the history of NFA or NFF they have hardly had good leadership. The statutes establishing NFF should be

critically reviewed; the government should stop sponsoring and installing candidates in the board of the football body. Qualified candidates must be allowed to contest elective positions into the federation. Lastly, members of the NFF must not be allowed to siphon funds belonging to the country with impunity.

Handel Ndu, Designer

Ex-players should run football

here are no sincere leadW ers in the Nigeria Football Federation. The ex-players

Nwaogu Kindness- Football coach

Selfishness is our biggest problem

elfishness is our biggest problem. We all want our person there when S there are other better qualified individuals. We have problems from the administrators to the players themselves. A player telling the coach who to come in as a substitute, players instigating others against a team mate all because of their own interests. God will help us in this country. Anawe Victor, Accountant

Qualified experts lacking

he problem is that we don't have people; the right people in positions T of power. Just like what we experience in all strata of our national life, football is bedevilled by maladministration. With the kind of officials that

we have, football can never develop; we will continue to have problems. Taiwo Morounfolu, Banker

Greed bane of football crisis

say we have greedy, stingy leaders who have taken positions not to Ito’lluphold our football but for their own selfish interest. It all boils down corruption. If our leaders are good and humble, then Nigerian football will go a long way.

Demilade Onabanjo, Student

Politics ruining Nigeria football

e know that football isn’t meant to be politicised for any purpose. In Nigeria we tend to turn anything we do into politics, so it then affects us negatively. I think if these corrupt people are brought to book, the NFF would move forward. Salawu Olajide, Youth Corper

NFF leaders lack vision it’s about leadership. We need people who have new ideas, people Inotfeel who are innovative with their thinking. Also, most of our players are committed; they tend to be more focused on their club careers than their international engagements.

should be given the chance to run football properly in this country, and the politicians pushed out of the NFF because they don’t have foresight on how to run the game. Imagine these politicians bringing a ‘mashai’ who is selling bread and tea to come and run football. If we can have the right people in the right positions, then corruption would be fully eradicated in the beautiful game. Prince Clement, Footballer

Corruption killing Nigeria football

Desire Jacob, Businessman

NFF needs an understanding boss

there is need for a perIofthink son who has broad knowledge Nigerian football; someone

who can bring in fresh ideas to move the organisation forward, regardless of tribe or ethnicity. Adelodun Demola, Medical Student

All NFF members are corrupt e need to set up an organisation W that will look into the corrupt practices of the NFF and fish out all the dishonest people. This organisation will look into all cases and see if there are any disloyal practices. Morodolu Didun, Student

Professionals should

Knowledgeable leader needed handle NFF the major requirement is to get a leader free believe the way forward for the NFF is for Ibefeel I the post of president to be handed over of corruption. I fell the leader of the NFF should a person who has the real understanding of to a professional; someone who knows Ogunreku Moses, Student

leadership and corruption are Poor the bane of our football. There is no proper foundation for the game

to grow which is why we want to win at all costs. We need to stop the agecheat thing and go back to our Principal Cup days otherwise someday it will all come back to haunt us at a much larger scale than it currently does.

Gbenga Vincent, Businessman

Love for money killing patriotism

here is nothing else but money. Money is the root of all evil. T The players failed to train because of money, the administrators are holding onto the players’ money, everybody wants

his player in the national team all because of money. Until we try to do things for national pride and not because of money we will never achieve great things in our football. Lola Ogunbote, Footballer (UK)

Replace the board members

think the way forward for the NFF, after all their crises, is for them to replace their oforruption is the major problem in all sectors of our country, including football. We ficials with new, experienced people who will need young and vibrant people to run our foot- have the urge to lift the nation’s flag up. They ball. If only corruption could be flushed away, should also appoint these officials well. then I think our football would move to greater Aina Ileri, Lawyer heights.

Fabian Brown, Student

sports and not someone who wants to make money from the post.

No foundation for growth

all about the post. Most of the officials there are just there for their own selfish interest. Tobi Akintayo, Student

Government should stop funding football

is the right time to ask government to hands-off Iruntsports, especially football. I know it is difficult to the game without the financial patronage of government but it is working in other places and I don't know why it cannot just work here where we have so many companies. I really don't like this regular government interference which always fetch us FIFA’s suspension. The only solution is to stop government’s funding of football. Can we ever do that? Shogeke Kamoru, Businessman

We must eradicate corruption t has been clearly Ithese shown that so-called

leaders of the NFF are after money and not the success of the organisation. What I feel is the way forward is to flush out the entire board and get new people who are committed and are ready to work. Komolafe Kayode, Trader

E X H O RTAT I O N

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/islam

adeolaomoyusuf@yahoo.com 0803 438 0340 FRIDAY AUGUST 29, 2014 l 03 Thul-Qedah 1435 AH

Hajj: Saudi ban old planes, Nigerians count days

Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko (right), presenting an Admission letter to Maryam Isa, to study at the International Islamic University Chithangang, Bangladesh in Sokoto…yesterday

TOTAL TRUST Afghanistan expresses trust on the Saudi government to ensure health standards on Ebola prevention Stories by Adeola Yusuf

ntending pilgrims from Nigeria have started to count days for the 2014 Hajj operations, New Telegraph has learnt just as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has placed a ban on aircraft that is more than 25 years old for airlifting of pilgrims to the holy land. Many intending pilgrims from Lagos state, Nigeria told this Newspaper that they are already expectatnt of their airlifting beginning from next two weeks.

“We have had series of lectures and seminars on the Hajj and by now our minds are already at the Holy land,” Ismail Kosoko, an intending pilgrim from Lagos told New Telegraph. Meanwhile, the KSA has said that the ban on aircraft older than 25 years is part of the kingdom’s measures to ensure hitch-free airlifting for millions of pilgrims across the world. According to the Aviation rules in the KSA, planes older than 25 years were banned from entering. The Saudi authorities have also reduced the total number of Hajj pilgrims globally owing to ongoing developing works around Masjid-al-Haram. It was, however, hoped with the completion of the ongoing expansion projects, some 150,000 Muslims will be able to

pray at a time around the Holy Ka`ba eventually boosting total number of pilgrims from all over the world. Like in Nigeria, thousands of Afghani people have also been working for years to secure the amount needed to fulfill his life dream of performing hajj. At the age of 57, Kaamil Agha is among the nearly 24,000 lucky Afghans who have been granted a permission to fulfill their life dream and go to perform the spiritual journey of hajj this year. “I have long waited for this day,” Agha told OnIslam.net. “My children worked hard to earn and save money for me so that I can manage to bear the financial costs,” the pale and weak-looking Agha said with a full-blown smile on his wrinkled face. Like thousands of Afghani

O YOU WHO BELIEVE! AVOID MUCH SUSPICION, INDEED SOME SUSPICIONS ARE SINS. AND SPY NOT, NEITHER BACKBITE ONE ANOTHER. WOULD ONE OF YOU LIKE TO EAT THE FLESH OF HIS DEAD BROTHER? YOU WOULD HATE IT (SO HATE BACKBITING) QURAN 49:12

people, Agha has been working for years to secure the amount needed to fulfill his life dream of performing hajj. Selling pocket-size Qur’an among other holy books in the capital Kabul, Agha has managed to collect the amount needed for the journey. After getting the required money, he had to wait for three years because of a new scheme applied by Afghanistan Hajj and Religious Affairs Ministry. In Afghanistan, Hajj pilgrims are chosen each year through a ballot process under a quota allotted to districts, but the ministry has now come up with a new idea, booking the pilgrims three years in advance. Participants of the ballot go for Hajj on their turn in the next three years, but they have to deposit the money in advance. Though, some in this wartorn country have criticized the new criteria of taking advance fee for Hajj registration, Afghan government insists the practice is popular in countries like Turkey, Iran and Malaysia and has made the process more transparent. Samiullah Moosazai, a senior journalist believes the process would get popular but it would take time. “The level of trust on state institutions is very thin at the moment, so obviously people are skeptical about leaving a healthy sum of amount deposited with the ministry for three years,” Moosazai told OnIslam. net, expressing optimism regarding the new system. The first Hajj flight taking over 200 pilgrims to Saudi Arabia for this year’s pilgrimage is scheduled to take off from the Kabul International Airport early morning on Friday this week, an official said at the ministry said. Meanwhile, good news for Afghan government and pilgrims like Kaamil Agha is that the Saudi Civil Aviation has allowed the Afghan airlines flying to the Kingdom.

MURIC:Boko Haram’s Gwoza Caliphate, unIslamic

he Muslim Rights Concerns (MURIC) said that it rejected the claims by Boko Haram on the formation of Gwoza Caliphate because the declaration was unIslamic. The group, in a strong-worded statement signed by its leader, Professor Isiaq Akintola, said it is un-Islamic, while it urged Nigerian Armed Forces to stand up and cleanse the Boko Haram fighters. The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has rejected Boko Haram’s claim that it has formed an Islamic caliphate in Gwoza town, Borno State. Boko Haram membersSuspected Boko Haram members The group, in a strong-worded

statement signed by its leader, Professor Isiaq Akintola, said it is un-Islamic, while it urged Nigerian Armed Forces to stand up and cleanse the Boko Haram fighters. The statement read: “The leader of the Boko Haram insurgents, Abubakar Shekau declared Gwoza as Boko Haram’s caliphate. Gwoza is a part of Borno State that was overrun by the insurgents a few days ago. “We of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) hereby totally and unequivocally reject this declaration. We reaffirm our faith in the unity and indissolubility of Nigeria. “Almighty Allah says, “Oh

you who believe, obey Allah, His Messenger and those in position of authority.” (Qur’an 4:59). Islam therefore commands obedience to constituted authority but Boko Haram has chosen disobedience to and belligerence towards the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. “Whereas Boko Haram members are aware that the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III is the indisputable leader of all Nigeri-

an Muslims, they have refused to heed all his appeals. Instead of giving honour to Muslim leaders and Emirs, Boko Haram has killed some of them and attacked some others. “Whereas all-encompassing education is one of the basic tenets of Islam (Qur’an 96:15), Boko Haram forbids Western education. Whereas the Prophet (SAW) in the hadith commands education for all, Boko Haram seeks to alienate women from education. Again, whereas the Prophet (SAW) honoured the girl-child and commanded his followers to do same, Boko Haram kidnaps and enslaves young and innocent girls.”

UNDERSTAND YOUR FAITH Non-Alcoholic Beer QUESTION

Dear scholars, as-salamu ‘alaykum. My husband drinks non-alcoholic beer with the intention of not thinking of it as beer, but I believe it is haram. Can you please give us an opinion on this? Jazakum Allah khayran. ANSWER Wa ‘alaykum As-Salamu wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful. All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger. Dear sister in Islam, we would like to thank you for the great confidence you place in us, and we implore Allah Almighty to help us serve His cause and render our work for His Sake. The basic ruling on food and drink is that things are halal except for those which are specifically described in Shari`ah as being haram, such as alcoholic drinks. It was reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: “Every intoxicating substance is haram.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari) And it was narrated that `A’ishah said: “The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: ‘Every intoxicating substance is haram, and whatever intoxicates in large amounts, a handful of it is haram.’” (Narrated by atTirmidhi) Focusing more on the question in point, we’d like to cite the following relevant fatwa: Non-alcoholic beer is haram because although it is claimed that it is alcohol free, it does have some alcohol in it. We checked with beer manufacturers and confirmed that non-alcoholic beers do have a minimum amount of alcohol in them because during the manufacturing process, a small amount of alcohol is unavoidable. Also, we checked the matter from the legal perspective and found that U.S. law (and probably European law, too), allows beer manufacturers to claim that it is alcohol free if it contains less than one percent alcohol. We wish all Muslims were aware of this fact and if they are not, then we should make this known through the proper educational and media channels. Thus, non-alcoholic beers are haram and all Muslims should be aware of this. So, you can approach your husband kindly and tell him of the Hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and the above mentioned fatwa so that he knows what is halal and what is haram and the right attitude regarding this issue. Allah Almighty knows best.

CRIME

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

JULIANA FRANCIS juliana.francis@newtelegraphonline.com

FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

Operation Wese: NDLEA busts syndicate after six months tracking Juliana Francis

ver since operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement (NDLEA) started field operations, the raid and destruction of 184 hectares of cannabis plantations in Ondo State, seems to be the most challenging. Like a scene drawn out of Hollywood, the operatives had gone into a forest in Ondo to carry out surveillance on cannabis traffickers, which lasted six months. They had mixed with the residents, living from hand to mouth, while they scurried into forests at night and ferried information to headquarters by daylight. They knew that if their mission was discovered before completion, they would pay with their lives. Indeed, one of them described the operation, which was tagged, ‘Operation Wese,’ as “the mother of all operations!” New Telegraph gathered that a combined team of 100 NDLEA officers, drawn from eight commands finally raided Wese Forest Reserve in Ondo State and destroyed 184 hectares of cannabis plantations. NDLEA spokesman, Mitchell Ofoyeju, said that the raid, which lasted 72 hours, successfully led to the dismantling of a cannabis syndicate known as Akunnubas. Akunnubas is a top notch syndicate, ran like a full fledge company. It has a Treasurer, Eke Sylvester, 37 and other five members of the association. In the course of the operation, NDLEA dismantled the syndicate and arrested members of the gang. The suspects have been identified as Friday Julius, 28, Azonobi Godwin, 21, Leke Cletus, 29, Festus Osagie, 30 and Charles Osanebi. The busting of the syndicate also revealed the modes of operation of cannabis production syndicates and related implications for the country. According to investigation, this fullblown drug-trafficking network has an Executive arm which oversees the administrative affairs of the group. There is a Task Force that implements policies and decisions as well as a team of Advisers who serve as consultants to the group on legal and technical affairs. Ofoyeju said: “In a surveillance operation which lasted for six months, the NDLEA was able to uncover the top hierarchy of Akunnubas. The chairman of the group by name, Akwuzonu is cur-

Cannabis farm in Ondo State

Godwin

Julius

rently at large. The chief scribe of the syndicate is known as Saky, while Ojo is the manager of the group. “The Task Force is headed by Babatunde also known as ‘Brazil.’ The treasurer of the Akunnubas, Eke Sylvester known as Okworo is among those apprehended during Operation Wese.” Ofoyeju said that cannabis cultivators find their way into the heart of Forest Reserves, cut down economic trees and cultivate their deadly weeds. The clandestine activities of the drug cartel are not known by legitimate farmers, “because they do not go that far into the forest to cultivate

their crops.” On the day the operatives decided to strike, they woke up quite early, while many people were still in bed. They dressed silently in their combat clothes and moved out. The operatives, numbering about 100, drove into Wese Forest Reserve at Ipele area in Owo Local Government Area of Ondo State. After driving for over two hours along the narrow bush path, the team arrived at a point where the vehicles could no longer negotiate the rough terrain. The road was rendered impassable by the heavy rains. They tried to push the vehicles and

deployed all tricks of driving, but the vehicles would not move. The team had to continue the rest of the journey on foot. Armed with rifles, the team made its way through the heavy forest until they located the first cannabis farm which had at its center, a makeshift tent which served as shelter for workers who provide security and look after the farm. The tent was camouflaged by corn stalks strategically planted to conceal it from view. The operatives quietly placed themselves in strategic positions. One of them was directed, by the team leader, in a muffled voice, to demobilize a sighted suspect. The suspect in question was shocked when a man crept behind and tackled him to the ground. Immediately he was apprehended, the farm was cordoned. Knowing timing was of the essence in the operation, the operatives quickly replaced their rifles, with machetes. The officers cut down acres of the cannabis farm and set the plants ablaze with the tent before continuing their search for more farms. Within 50 metres, they discovered that several hectares had been cleared and conCONTINUED ON PAGE 42

CRIME

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

‘Reckless killings in Nigeria traced to drugs' CO NTINUED FROM PAG E 4 1

verted into a large collection of cannabis farms. The officers walked the length and breadth of each farm to accurately calculate the size of the farms. This continued until it was getting dark and the team withdrew to Akure NDLEA Command Office. After a review of the day’s activities that night, the team rested few hours before setting out very early the following morning to continue the mission. Along the bush path, one of the suspects, Festus Osagie was promptly apprehended while trying to escape on a motor bike with four bags of harvested cannabis weed. The three-day operation, led to the discovery and subsequent destruction of approximately 184 hectares (456 acres) of cannabis plantations. Ofoyeju said that the cartel also has a cannabis processing factory equipped with compressing machines. He said that a seven kilo bag of cannabis can be compressed into the size of a loaf of bread. In this way, large quantities of cannabis are neatly concealed for export. Common modes of concealment include the use of foodstuffs and fruits. Cannabis is hidden in drums of palm oil, bags of garri, beans and dried fish. Bags of cannabis are similarly hidden under truckloads of planks, plantains, bananas, yams, oranges, and mangoes. “Some traffickers use bullion vans, smaller vehicles with tinted glass and official or diplomatic vehicle number plates or pose as security personnel to facilitate their drug-smuggling activities,” revealed Ofoyeju. Numerous tankers with false-bottoms and even bearing the trademarks of major petroleum marketers have been found to contain cannabis. He said: “As ingenious as are these methods employed by drug traffickers, anti-drug officials continue to battle them tirelessly. On one occasion, the NDLEA discovered a clandestine warehouse located in a residential building in Ibadan, Oyo State, where 83 tons of cannabis were stored.” Cannabis constitutes over 90 percent of NDLEA’s drug seizures and represents the nation’s most serious drug challenge. Official records indicate that between 1990 when the NDLEA was established through 2013; the Agency made seizures totaling 3,583 tons of narcotics. Out of this figure, cannabis constitutes the largest share with 3,403 tons. Psychotropic substances are next with 156 tons, cocaine 20 tons and heroin 3 tons. These seizures by NDLEA from cannabis cultivators amount to over N50 trillion in denied cannabis sales and serves to shed light on the astoundingly lucrative nature of the illegal drug trade. An elated chairman of the NDLEA, Ahmadu Giade described the operation as a positive step towards the total dismantling of cannabis cartels in the country. He enthused: “I am very pleased with the success of Operation Wese. This is obviously a positive step towards the eradication of cannabis cartels. I commend the officers for a great job. Let me assure members of

Sylvester

Cletus

Osagie

Osanebi

the public that this is the beginning of total war against cannabis cultivation in the country.” Since the commencement of ‘Operation Burn the Weed’ exercise in 1990, where NDLEA officials discovered and destroyed cannabis farms, the battle against cannabis cultivation has grown in leaps and bounds. “There is no State that has not recorded cannabis farm destruction in Nigeria. From Lagos to Sokoto and from Adamawa to Rivers State, the story is practically the same,” said Ofoyeju. Cannabis grows effortlessly across the length and breadth of the country. NDLEA statistics showed that large scale cultivation of cannabis occurs predominantly in the South West and South South States of Ondo, Ekiti, Osun, Oyo, Ogun, Edo and Delta. The scope of cannabis cultivation has grown dangerously with grave security implications. Ofoyeju explained: “Cannabis plantations are located in deep forests, far beyond where legitimate farmers care to cultivate. The process is kick-started by cutting down trees to create room for sunlight at the nursery beds. It is from there the seedlings are transplanted to the farms. Much labour is required at the preparatory stages because it involves falling trees.” The image maker said that investigation revealed that members of Akunnubas hire people to work in the farms. Part of the illegal workforce is drawn from minors and school age children. “They are paid the sum of N10,000 monthly. The farmers are often armed with Dane guns, bows and arrows, and others weapons. According to the suspects ar-

rested in the farm, there were more than 100 labourers working on the farms,” said Ofoyeju. During the dry season, cannabis cultivators prefer locations closer to streams. They also dig wells to irrigate the farms if other water sources are not available. “In this way, cannabis cultivation can take place throughout the year.” He noted that cannabis cultivation has taken a dangerous dimension with untold consequences for the entire country. The adverse environmental effects of large scale deforestation taking place at the cannabis plantations are alarming. This poses a serious threat to environmental safety and food security in the country. “While the forest is being depleted, available farmland is speedily replaced with cannabis plants instead of food and cash crops. The school age children who abandon education to work as laborers soon begin to use the drug which adds to an already significant drug-using segment of the population,” said Ofoyeju. Investigation by the Agency at various locations has revealed that farmers prefer to cultivate cannabis because of the huge profit margin. Whereas a 50-kilo bag of rice costs about N10,000, a seven-kilo bag of cannabis sells for N50,000 or even for N100,000 at peak periods. At retail price on the street, a wrap of cannabis sells for between N50 and N100. According to Ofoyeju, the formation of Akunnubas is an indication of the growing sophistication of the cannabis trade in Nigeria. He added: “Violent confrontations be-

tween NDLEA and cannabis-producing and trafficking organizations have resulted in the deaths of over a 100 NDLEA officers in the last 20 years. Just in June 2014, three officers were killed in a mob attack while on official assignment in Owode, Ogun State.” He continued: “The incident occurred during the arrest of one Azeez Babatunde, a notorious cannabis dealer. The three NDLEA officers who lost their lives, Bolaji Owolodun, Rabiu Usman Kazaure and Ishaku Joshua, were overwhelmed by a mob that supported the drug lord and murdered them in his defense, while other NDLEA officers barely escaped with their lives. “The media is filled with news of gruesome murders involving off springs’ killing parents, friends, siblings and neighbours. There are also stories of husbands killing wives and vice versa. Recently, a 21year old undergraduate student in Ogun State, Tolani Ajayi, killed his father, Barrister Charles Ajayi. The lifeless body of the deceased 60-year-old, who was a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, was recovered in a box where his son had deposited him. Investigation revealed that the killing, like many others, was committed while the suspect was under the influence of drugs; namely, cannabis.” At maturity, the cannabis farms are harvested, processed and stockpiled in a clandestine warehouse. It is from the warehouse that it is smuggled to other parts of the country and abroad. The 2014 World Drug Report has scored Nigeria highest in cannabis seizure in Africa. “Nigeria remains the country with the largest seizures of cannabis in the region followed by Egypt,” the report noted. Cannabis produced locally is not only for domestic consumption but also exported to other African nations. Most cannabis packaged for export had been seized by operatives of the NDLEA. In South America, drug trafficking have provided a steady source of income for terror groups such as Colombia’s FARC and AUC and it cannot be ruled out that homegrown groups could also reap huge rewards from the trade. Giade reiterated his determination towards eradication of narcotic drugs in the country, adding: “The battle line is drawn and there is no going back. The activities of drug cartels must be resisted at all levels. Let us deploy every resource at our disposal in drug control programs. The ultimate goal is to cut off drug supply and reduce the demand for drugs.” In view of the latest trend, there is an urgent need for a serious focus of government attention on cannabis cultivation and efforts must be made by government to eradicate it. The illicit cannabis farmers’ associations should be proscribed, condemned and members diligently prosecuted to serve as a deterrent to others. NDLEA should be provided with equipment, tools, and training equal to the task of combatting elusive and clandestine organizations that spare no expense to protect their investments.

BUSINESS | MONEY LINE 43

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

FG plans financing scheme for manufacturers Aganga, disclosed this said in Lagos yesterday at the Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the Manufacturing Association of Nigeria (MAN). He explained that the initiative, which was part of the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan, would provide long-term loans and ensure that manufacturing industries in the country remained competitive. Aganga said that the Federal Government had already put structures in place to reduce the cost of borrowing for manufacturers. He said, “For the first time in decades, the Nigerian government has decided to tackle the

CHALLENGES Government has already put structures in place to reduce cost of borrowing for manufacturers Adebayo Komolafe

he Federal Government will in November present a financing value chain initiative to address the challenges of access to finance by manufacturing industries. Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun

biggest challenges that you manufacturers have faced for years. This is to ensure that manufacturing in Nigeria becomes truly competitive. “In the area of financing, Nigerian manufacturers have always struggled with the high cost of funding, yet nothing was done about it. But I am glad to inform you today that as part of the NIRP, we have put together our nation’s first comprehensive real sector funding intervention under a programme called the ‘Financing Value Chain Initiative.” In his address, President Goodluck Jonathan said the manufacturing sector had be-

come Nigeria’s biggest driver of economic growth, attributing the current improvement in the capacity utilisation of the real sector to the implementation of the Industrial Revolution Programme. He reiterated that the cost of borrowing for manufacturers, extended loan repayment periods, and access to new sources of capital for the industrial sector would be the benefits of the new financing initiative. “This initiative will address the structural and specific issues that have made it difficult to raise affordable funds in Nigeria. We are convinced that when fully implemented, the Financing Value Chain Initiative will provide affordable, long term

funding, on reasonable terms, to both large and small businesses in Nigeria,” he said. Jonathan, who was represented by Vice President Namadi Sambo, said his administration had recorded progress in key sectors of the Nigerian economy through the implementation of the NIRP. Earlier, the outgoing President of MAN, Chief Kola Jamodu, had said that the Bank of Industry, which had the mandate of providing manufacturing industries with finance, was limited by under-capitalisation. He urged the government to recapitalise the bank and use it more effectively to ensure that the needs of the manufacturers were met.

Fidelity Bank partners Sokoto on POS-led IGR Deloitte launces tech

Godson Ikoro

IGR collections. Madiebo pointed out that the bank had come up with several indicatives aimed at supporting the cash-lite policy of the Federal Government, stressing its pioneering role in the POSled informal sector IGR, which commenced in February, 2013, is one of these strategies. He said of particular interest was the offline POS collections mode that has capabilities of collecting taxes and bills in the rural areas with little or no network coverage. Madiebo emphasised that mode also warehouses data and facilitates the generation of unique tax identification

idelity Bank has been appointed Lead Bank to Sokoto State Government on its Point-Of-Sale (POS)-led Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) Project aimed at seamlessly generating and collecting revenue from across the local government areas of the state. Mr. Richard Madiebo Divisional Head, Retail Banking, disclosed this during a chat with New Telegraph. He said that at the moment, all the local government areas are implementing the scheme for easy and efficient tool for

numbers (TIN). He added that with the latest development, the bank is poised to render this service to government and private organisations using innovative and cutting edge technology. Mr. Madiebo assured that more of these initiatives were being introduced to the market and will ensure that Nigerian banking public could be served in the most flexible and convenient way. Sokoto is the fourth State to appoint Fidelity as its lead on initiative, which was pioneered in collaboration with the Abia State Government in January 2013.

Economic Indicators As at M2* CPS* INF IBR MPR 91-day NTB DPR PLR Bonny Light Ext Res**

N14,737,618.7m N16,509,472.5m 8 0.0000 12 10.899 7.96 17.01 US$109.9 US$42,604,781,796.6

Description

TTM

4.00% 23-Apr-2015 13.05% 16-Aug-2016 15.10% 27-Apr-2017 16.00% 29-Jun-2019 16.39% 27-Jan-2022 10.00% 23-Jul-2030

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 2/5/2014 1/20/2014 11/6/2013 Dec, 2013 Dec, 2013 1/20/2014 2/5/2014 Source:CBN

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

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

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

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

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

Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

highlighting 10 technological trends that could have an impact on African companies across industry sectors over the coming 18 to 24 months. “At their core, these trends inspire disruption by having the potential to reshape organisations, business models, and even entire industries in South Africa and beyond. While some of these technologies might seem far-fetched for some, the reality is that the evolving competitive landscape means they can provide companies with a distinct business advantage,” says Kamal Ramsingh, Technology Leader for Africa at Deloitte. Ramsingh says that the disruptive technologies highlighted in the report can challenge CIOs to anticipate the impacts that these forces may have on their organisation. “This year, we look at how technology forces offer CIOs the opportunity to shape tomorrow, to inspire, to create, and to transform business as usual.” The report, which will be launched in Lagos September 3rd, is organised into two categories - disruptors and enablers. “Disruptors are areas that can create sustainable positive

Chairman, Board DirecTandhetorsProperties of Taraba Investment Limited, Engi-

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

disruption in IT capabilities, business operations, and sometimes even business models. Enablers are those technologies in which many CIOs have already invested time and effort, but warrant another look because of new developments and new capabilities. Simply put, disruptors are trends that will disrupt current ways of doing things, while enablers will enable ways of doing things differently,” adds Ramsingh. According to Mark White, the global chief technology officer of Deloitte, “the trends identified in the report have to adhere to very strict criteria, which include having to be business-led and technology-enabled, as well as have at least three real world instances of adoption. “It is clear that organisations need to be forward-thinking to develop strategies that are cognisant of the pace of technological change. However, trends that are too future-focused are of very little practical value for decision-makers wanting to get a competitive edge in the market in the short-term. As such, the Tech Trends report is focused on those emerging technologies that can provide measurable returns in the next 18 to 24 months,” says White.

Taraba property firm records N10m profit Jalingo

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX

rofessional services firm, Pannual Deloitte, launches its fifth Tech Trends report,

Sabiu Mustapha

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

trends 2014 report

neer Ahmed Yusuf Gamaliya, has said the company has recorded a profit of N10 million for the year ended 31st December 2013. Gamaliya, who disclosed this yesterday in Jalingo, Taraba State, at the 2nd Annual General Meeting (AGM), also said the company’s earnings rose to N37.67million. Gamaliya also noted that the Taraba Investment and Properties Limited, is the only state government-owned agency that

is not given subvention, adding that the company relies on its internally generated revenue, of which income from the capital market forms the major part. He said for the past two years (2012 - 2013), the company has been making profits progressively, from a loss of N1.39million in 2011 to a profit of N6.92 million and a further profit of N37.66 million in 2013. He assured that the company’s performance in the financial year 2014, will surpass that of 2013; adding that the company has been making tremendous contribution to the economy of the state through the creation of employment, goods and services through its subsidiaries.

44 business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

28-Aug-14

The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com.

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

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

9.25 4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.15

100.00 535.00 530.27 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 281.35 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57 70.00

9.25 28-SEP-2014 4.00 23-APR-2015 13.05 16-AUG-2016 15.10 27-APR-2017 9.85 27-JUL-2017 9.35 31-AUG-2017 10.70 30-MAY-2018 16.00 29-JUN-2019 7.00 23-OCT-2019 16.39 27-JAN-2022 14.20 14-MAR-2024 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.49 22-MAY-2029 8.50 20-NOV-2029 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.1493 18-JUL-2034

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,591.19

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,687.55

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

***LCRM

Description

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 16-Aug-16 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 27-Jan-22 14-Mar-24 28-Nov-28 22-May-29 20-Nov-29 23-Jul-30 18-Jul-34

0.08 0.65 1.97 2.66 2.91 3.01 3.75 4.84 5.15 7.42 9.54 14.25 14.73 15.23 15.90 19.89

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

10.59 11.04 11.24 11.21 11.22 11.22 11.24 11.26 11.35 11.78 11.97 12.44 12.47 12.50 12.15 12.15

8.86 10.20 11.16 11.15 11.16 11.10 11.14 11.19 11.27 11.73 11.92 12.40 12.42 12.44 12.10 12.10

99.85 95.67 103.10 108.70 96.65 95.33 98.34 117.25 83.34 122.35 112.50 116.83 100.10 73.03 85.00 100.00

100.00 96.17 103.25 108.85 96.80 95.63 98.64 117.55 83.64 122.65 112.80 117.13 100.40 73.33 85.30 100.30

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

Risk Premium (%)

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

28-Dec-11 24-May-10 03-Apr-12 09-Dec-11 20-Apr-12 06-Jul-12

0.00 0.00 17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

978.35 24.56 3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

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

0.18 0.74 1.35 2.28 2.64 2.86

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

11.92 13.72 13.52 13.23 12.22 12.22

97.97 90.66 104.75 101.02 99.49 97.03

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

0.13 1.01 0.61 1.13 1.14 2.64 1.69 3.34 2.31 4.10 2.51 2.51 2.89 2.96 5.24 3.03 3.64 6.25 6.34 3.82 3.85

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

14.05 15.69 14.24 15.71 14.73 16.81 12.25 13.02 13.03 12.25 12.22 16.00 12.22 12.22 12.38 13.96 12.24 12.65 13.62 12.68 13.19

99.90 97.13 99.54 98.64 101.25 85.89 102.51 102.54 102.06 105.47 105.00 96.24 105.31 108.12 107.95 101.90 107.02 103.54 105.70 105.33 105.27

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,278.18

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

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

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

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

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

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds

484.10 493.18

A+/Agusto; AA/GCR

LAFARGE WAPCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

Aa/Agusto

GTB µ NGC

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

Nil

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

*FLOURMILLS

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

NAHCO

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

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

UBA

BBB-/GCR

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

FSDH

A/GCR

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

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

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

*TOWER *TOWER UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

*DANA NAHCO

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

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.11

1.00

11.68

99.92

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.31

5.21

16.35

99.04

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.34

8.71

19.81

98.93

17-Aug-10

10.00

3.61

17-Aug-15

0.73

4.88

15.96

96.18

09-Dec-10

12.00

13.62

09-Dec-15

0.80

1.00

12.13

100.46

06-Jan-11

14.00

0.60

06-Jan-16

0.88

2.63

13.80

100.68

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.09

1.00

12.24

101.33

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.16

1.34

12.58

103.03

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.09

1.00

12.22

101.92

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.73

30-Nov-17

1.91

1.88

13.13

109.27

09-Apr-11

16.00

7.20

09-Apr-18

1.86

3.48

14.73

102.35

09-Sep-11

18.00

3.27

09-Sep-18

2.03

5.20

16.44

102.82

09-Sep-11

16.00

0.90

09-Sep-18

2.03

5.06

16.30

101.69

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.07

1.35

12.60

104.33

18-Oct-13

15.75

2.70

18-Oct-18

2.14

2.29

13.53

104.38

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.41

17-Feb-19

2.47

6.11

17.33

99.45

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.34

2.16

13.39

106.81

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.21

2.76

14.40

103.35

11-Feb-18

3.46

1.00

12.23

94.40

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

142.08

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

144.96

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Rating/Agency

Issuer

12.00 11.33 Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

4.64

4.49

111.57

112.43

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

3.89

3.68

104.39

105.16

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

4.98

4.87

109.88

110.71

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,500.00

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,629.18

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

AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.36

111.13

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.58

3.81

104.74

106.05

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.87

100.97

B/Fitch; B/S&P

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.73

8.14

94.24

96.01

B+/Fitch; B+/S&P

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.08

5.80

99.70

100.71

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

8.33

7.85

107.21

109.09

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.35

99.58

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.98

8.75

99.12

99.97

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.42

103.01

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

AFREN PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

7.38

96.25

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

8.69

8.53

103.04

103.89

B-/Fitch; B/S&P

FIRST BANK LTD

8.00 JUL 23 2021

23-Jul-14

8.00

450.00

23-Jul-21

7.54

101.40

B-/S&P

ECOBANK NIG. LTD

8.75 AUG 14, 2021

14-Aug-14

8.75

250.00

14-Aug-21

8.63

8.46

99.64

100.53

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

4,760.00 4,849.56

**Treasury Bills DTM 7 14 21 28 35 42 49 56 63

FIXINGS Maturity 4-Sep-14 11-Sep-14 18-Sep-14 25-Sep-14 2-Oct-14 9-Oct-14 16-Oct-14 23-Oct-14 30-Oct-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.30 10.50 10.50 10.25 10.65 10.35 10.60 10.60 10.55

Offer Discount (%) 10.05 10.25 10.25 10.00 10.40 10.10 10.35 10.35 10.30

Bid Yield (%) 10.32 10.54 10.56 10.33 10.76 10.47 10.75 10.78 10.75

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 11.3333 12.5863 13.5255 14.4101

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards)

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

10.96

Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

O/N

11.25

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

162.15 162.35 162.61 162.72 164.35 165.64 169.33

162.25 162.61 162.95 163.88 165.53 167.27 172.95

Tenor Call 1M 3M

REPO

Rate (%) 10.92 12.22 13.06

FMBN

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

***LCRM

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

17.25 0.00/16.00 0.00/16.50 0.00/16.50

3.30 112.22 116.70 66.49

03-Apr-17 09-Dec-16 20-Apr-17 06-Jul-17

1.35 2.28 2.64 2.86

2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

13.52 13.23 12.22 12.22

104.75 101.02 99.49 97.03

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

0.13 1.01 0.61 1.13 1.14 2.64 1.69 3.34 2.31 4.10 2.51 2.51 2.89 2.96 5.24 3.03 3.64 6.25 6.34 3.82 3.85

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

14.05 15.69 14.24 15.71 14.73 16.81 12.25 13.02 13.03 12.25 12.22 16.00 12.22 12.22 12.38 13.96 12.24 12.65 13.62 12.68 13.19

99.90 97.13 99.54 98.64 101.25 85.89 102.51 102.54 102.06 105.47 105.00 96.24 105.31 108.12 107.95 101.90 107.02 103.54 105.70 105.33 105.27

12.00

11-Feb-18

3.46

1.00

12.23

94.40

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

1,301.62

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

1,278.18

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR NIGER A+/Agusto KADUNA A/Agusto *EBONYI Nil Friday, August 29, 2014 *BENUE A+/Agusto *IMO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto *BAYELSA A/Agusto EDO A+/Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTA A-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI A-/Agusto *NIGER A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN A/Agusto *OSUN Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI A/Agusto *EKITI A-/GCR *NASARAWA

Sanctity of Truth

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

11-Feb-13

10.20

business | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS 45

Nigerian stocks gain N80bn as bulls crush bears REBOUND

Bullish sentiments returned in the equities TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE market

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Corporate Bonds

Stories by Chris Ugwu A+/Agusto; AA/GCR LAFARGE WAPCO Aa/Agusto

GTB

µ NGC market he Nigerian stock Bbb-/Agusto *UPDCtrend as recorded upward A-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS the bulls staged a comeBB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS back after the NAHCO market witA+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto depressionFSDH nessed and closed A/GCR on the red zone UBA in the last BBB-/GCR *C & I LEASING three trading days. BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *DANA# The NSE ASI rose by 0.58 per A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR *TOWER# # cent on the back *TOWER of position AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; by A/GCR taken bargain UBA hunters on Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR *LA CASERA the highly capitalised stocks. BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS# The northwards movement BBB/GCR *DANA was driven of A+/Agusto; A-/GCRby the activities NAHCO oil marketing company and TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE cement producing companyTOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION Forte Oil Plc and Ashaka CeSupranational ment Plc. Bond

Nil

AAA/S&P

Consequently, the All-Share Index gained 238.75 basis points to close at 41,359.87 as against 41,121.12 recorded on Wednesday, while the market capitalisation of equities appreciated by N80 billion or 0.58 per cent, as market sentiments turned 11.50 green. LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 of Meanwhile, a turnover NGC 31-DEC-2014 263.117.00million shares worth 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 N2.412.00 billion in 4,617 deals were FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 recorded in the day’s trading. 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 The sub-sector of 13.00banking NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 the financial services sector 30-SEP-2017 was 13.00 theUBAmost active during 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 the MPR+7.00 day (measured by turnDANA 9-APR-2018 overMPR+7.00 volume); 150.7 milTOWERwith 9-SEP-2018 lion MPR+5.25 shares worth N972.7 bilTOWER 9-SEP-2018 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 lion 14.00 exchanged by investors in LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 1,46715.75 deals. MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 Volume in the banking sub16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019 sector was largely driven by ac15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020 tivity in the shares of Sterling Bank Plc and Unity Bank Plc. Also, insurance subsector of the financial services sec10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

tor, boosted by activity in the shares of NEM Plc, followed with a turnover of 21.4 million shares valued at N17.8 billion in 164 deals. The number of gainers at the close of trading session was 31, while decliners closed lower at 20. 07-Oct-11 11.50 18-Dec-09 13.50led on Forte Oil Nigeria Plc 01-Apr-10 table with 17.00 N5.25 the gainers’ 17-Aug-10 10.00 to close at N225.80 per share, 09-Dec-10 12.00 while Ashaka Cement Plc fol06-Jan-11 14.00 lowed 29-Sep-11 with a gain of 13.00 N1.12 25-Oct-13 14.25share. to close at N33.12 per 30-Sep-10 13.00 International Breweries Plc 18.00 added 30-Nov-12 N1.00 to close at N28.00 09-Apr-11 16.00 per share. 09-Sep-11 18.00 On the other hand, Lafarge 09-Sep-11 16.00 14.00 Wapco22-Sep-11 Nigeria Plc led on the 18-Oct-13 table, dropping 15.75 price losers’ 17-Feb-12 17.00 at N2.00 to close at N118.00 per 01-Apr-14 16.00 share, 14-Nov-13 while NNFM15.25 Plc followed with a loss of N1.05 to close at N19.95 per share. Conoil Nigeria Plc gained 90 kobo to close at N67.10 per share.

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Prestige Assurance post-tax profit drops 41% restige Assurance Company The company’s profit before Pdecrease Plc has reported 41 per cent tax increased by N870 million in post-tax profit for in the 2012 financial period the half-year ended June 30, 2014. The results of the company in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) showed 484.10post-tax profit was down that 493.18 by 41 per cent to N198.407 million, from N336.255 million in the 11.80corresponding 07-Oct-14 year 2013. 0.11 13.17 18-Dec-14 0.31 The pre-tax profit equally 2.00 31-Dec-14 0.34 declined by 41 per cent, from 3.61 17-Aug-15 0.73 N499.487 million in 2013 to 13.62 09-Dec-15 0.80 N297.130 million during the 0.60 06-Jan-16 0.88 year 15.00 under review, 29-Sep-16 while earn2.09 5.53 per share 25-Oct-16 ings dropped by2.1699 20.00 cent, to 30-Sep-17 3.09 per 0.08 kobo from 0.73 30-Nov-17 1.91 13.41 kobo in the correspond7.20 09-Apr-18 1.86 ing H1’13 period. 3.27 09-Sep-18 2.03 Earlier, the company re0.90 09-Sep-18 2.03 35.00 22-Sep-18 4.07 leased its unaudited IFRS 2.70 18-Oct-18for the first 2.14 financial results 0.41 17-Feb-19 2.47 quarter (Q1) ended March 31, 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.34 2014. Its gross premium writ2.05 14-Nov-20 6.21 ten for the Q1’14 period was 142.08 N720.062 million as against 144.96 N641.165 million in the corresponding Q1 period of 2013.

‘Flour Mills to create value for investors’ F Rating/Agency

B-/S&P

12.00 11.33

Description

Issuer

lour Mills of Nigeria Plc has FGN Eurobonds said that its commitment to BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P strategically invest in large BB-/Fitch;commercial farming scale FGNto BB-/S&P support its food processing BB-/Fitch; units BB-/S&P with locally produced raw materials, TOTAL OUTSTANDINGwould VALUE boost return on theCAPITALISATION investment for TOTAL MARKET the company shareholders. Corporate Eurobonds The Group Managing DirecB/Fitch; B-/S&P Mills, Mr. AFREN PLC GbeI tor, Flour Paul B+/Fitch; said B+/S&P this at GTBANK PLC I dedo, the group’s B+/S&P ACCESS BANK PLC ‘Facts behind the figures’ B/Fitch; B/S&P FIDELITY BANK PLC presentation on the Nigerian B+/Fitch; B+/S&P GTBANK PLC Stock Exchange (NSE). B/Fitch AFREN PLC II Gbededo notedZENITH that the B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P BANK PLC company is refocusing sigB/Fitch; B/S&P DIAMONDon BANK PLC nificant investments backB-/Fitch; B/S&P FIRSTin BANK PLC B-/Fitch;integrated B/S&P AFREN PLC III ward programmes, B-/Fitch; B/S&P ACCESSchains BANK PLC II which center on value B-/Fitch; B/S&P BANK LTD that have strategicFIRST links with ECOBANK NIG. LTD

from N157 million in 2011. The Chairman of the company, Dr. C.S. Sankey, during the firm’s Annual General Meeting (AGM) in Lagos, said that its profit after tax increased by 811 per cent from loss position of N34.7million in 2011 in 2011. 1.00 to N603million 11.68 99.92 5.21 16.35 huge claims, 99.04 “Despite the 19.81 and after 98.93 tax our8.71 profit before 4.88 15.96 96.18 increased mainly due to sound 1.00 12.13 100.46 investment policy in place,” 2.63 13.80 100.68 he said. 1.00 12.24 101.33 1.34 chairman 12.58 said the 103.03 The firm’s 1.00assets were 12.22 in excellent 101.92 core 1.88 109.27 shape and that13.13 he was confident 3.48 14.73 102.35 of significantly improving 5.20 16.44 102.82 on its performance during the 5.06 16.30 101.69cur104.33 rent1.35financial12.60 year. 2.29 said that 13.53 104.38 He a Dana aircraft 6.11 17.33 99.45 disaster that killed all the 153 2.16 13.39 106.81 passengers on board and oth2.76 14.40 103.35 ers on ground was the most tragic event the firm had ever witnessed in its 61 years of existence in the country.

Issue Date

its existing businesses such as sugar, live stock feeds, cassava, 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 edible oil and rice. He said the 5.13 group JUL 12,had 2018 successfully inaugurated a 750,000 JUL 12, 2023 metric tons per6.38annual sugar refinery built at a cost of $250million in April 2013. Gbededo, who said Flour Mills is built on three major FEB 01, 2016 and pillars – food, 11.50 agro-allied 7.50 MAY 19, 2016 support services, told the in7.25 JUL 25, 2017 vestment community that the MAY 09, 2018 company would6.88soon begin op6.00 NOV 08, 2018 timum production of locally10.25 APR 08, 2019 grown rice. 6.25 APR 22, 2019 The move, according to him, 8.75 May 21, 2019 AUG 07, 2020 is in line with8.25 the group’s vi6.63 DEC a 09, 2020 sion of becoming market USD LIBOR+7.677 JUN 24, 2021 leader in9.25/6M its businesses. 8.00 JUL 23 2021 “Nigeria consumes about 8.75 AUG 14, 2021

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

250.00

14-Aug-21

four million metric tonnes of rice and we need about 07-Oct-11 one million acres of 6.75 land to achieve12-Jul-13 that. We want5.13 to start aggregating by involving oth6.38 ers in 12-Jul-13 the supply chain. So, very soon you will start seeing us,” he said. The company had in a filing with the Nigerian Stock Ex11.50 change01-Feb-11 announced that its full19-May-11 dropped 7.50 year profits to N8.22 7.25 billion,25-Jul-12 compared with N10.88 6.88 billion09-May-13 the previous year. This 08-Nov-13 6.00 represented a decline of 24.4 08-Apr-12 10.25 per cent. 22-Apr-14 6.25 Gross earnings however, 21-May-14 8.75 8.25 from rose to07-Aug-13 N332.14 billion 09-Dec-13 6.63 same N301.94 billion in the 9.25 period 24-Jun-14 last year. 23-Jul-14 8.00 According to analysts at 14-Aug-14

8.75

Bid Yield (%)

FBN Capital, although a gross margin expansion of 872bps to 500.00 28-Jan-21 4.64 21.0 per cent more than offset a 5500.00 per cent y/y12-Jul-18 decline in sales 3.89 to N92.0billion and led to gross 500.00 12-Jul-23 4.98 profit advancing by 63 per cent y/y, a combination of factors 1,500.00 led to the pre-tax loss. 1,629.18 The factors according to the analysts, include a burgeon450.00interest 01-Feb-16 3.36 ing expense, which 500.00 expanded by19-May-16 117 per cent 4.58 y/y to350.00 N5.5billion,25-Jul-17 a 71 per cent6.87 y/y 300.00 02-May-18 decline in other operating8.73 in400.00 08-Nov-18 6.08 come, a 25 per cent y/y reduc300.00 08-Apr-19 8.33 tion and 500.00in investment 22-Apr-19income 6.35 a200.00 5 per cent y/y rise in opex. 21-May-19 8.98 300.00 07-Aug-20 “Despite the loss on the PBT 7.42 360.00 PAT grew 09-Dec-20 7.38 line, to N132mil400.00compared 24-Jun-21 lion with a loss8.69of 450.00 7.54 -N1.2billion in23-Jul-21 the comparable 8.63

period of &2013, Prices Yieldsthanks to a positive result on the comprehensive4.49income 111.57 line which112.43 came in at N690milion (vs -N488m in 3.68 104.39 105.16 Q4 2013). 109.88 4.87 110.71 Sequentially, although sales were up by 27 per cent q/q, the pretax loss of -N123million was significantly lower than the PBT of 3.36 111.13 the company 111.13 N1.0billion that 3.81 104.74 reported in Q3 2014. 106.05 6.87 analysts 100.97noted that 100.97 deThe 8.14 94.24 96.01 spite the sequential weakness 5.80 99.70 100.71 on 7.85 the PBT 107.21 q/q, the PAT of 109.09 N132million was an improve6.35 99.58 99.58 ment post-tax 99.97 loss of 8.75 over the 99.12 -N352million reported103.01 in Q3 7.42 103.01 7.38 which was 96.25 driven96.25 2014, by an 8.53 103.04tax charge 103.89 of unusually high 7.54 101.40 101.40 90 per cent during the quarter. 8.46

4,760.00 4,849.56

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

99.64

100.53

28-Aug-14

The FMDQBills Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed FIXINGS income securities and instruments in Market the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the **Treasury Money Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) FMDQ OTC Disclaimer Statement on www.fmdqotc.com. DTMPLC Terms of Use and Maturity Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%) NIBOR 7 4-Sep-14 10.30 14 11-Sep-14 10.50 21 18-Sep-14 10.50 FGN Bonds28 25-Sep-14 10.25 35 2-Oct-14 10.65 42 9-Oct-14 10.35 Issuer Description Rating/Agency 49 16-Oct-14 10.60 56 23-Oct-14 10.60 9.25 28-SEP-2014 63 30-Oct-14 10.55 4.00 23-APR-2015 70 6-Nov-14 10.05 13.05 16-AUG-2016 77 13-Nov-14 10.60 15.10 27-APR-2017 84 20-Nov-14 9.30 9.85 27-JUL-2017 91 27-Nov-14 10.75 9.35 31-AUG-2017 98 4-Dec-14 10.10 10.70 30-MAY-2018 105 11-Dec-14 10.70 16.00 29-JUN-2019 119 25-Dec-14 10.75 NA NA 133 8-Jan-15 10.80 7.00 23-OCT-2019 147 22-Jan-15 10.40 16.39 27-JAN-2022 161 5-Feb-15 10.50 14.20 14-MAR-2024 175 19-Feb-15 10.25 15.00 28-NOV-2028 189 5-Mar-15 10.35 12.49 22-MAY-2029 224 9-Apr-15 10.20 8.50 20-NOV-2029 238 23-Apr-15 10.30 10.00 23-JUL-2030 252 7-May-15 10.15 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 343 6-Aug-15 10.40 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE *from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

10.05 10.25 10.25 10.00 10.40 10.10 Issue Date 10.35 10.35 28-Sep-07 10.30 23-Apr-10 9.80 16-Aug-13 10.35 27-Apr-12 9.05 27-Jul-07 10.50 31-Aug-07 9.85 30-May-08 10.45 29-Jun-12 10.50 10.55 23-Oct-09 10.15 27-Jan-12 10.25 14-Mar-14 10.00 28-Nov-08 10.10 22-May-09 9.95 20-Nov-09 10.05 23-Jul-10 9.90 18-Jul-14 10.15

10.32 10.54 10.56 10.33 10.76 10.47 (%) Coupon 10.75 10.78 9.25 10.75 4.00 10.25 13.05 10.84 15.10 9.50 9.85 11.05 9.35 10.38 10.70 11.04 16.00 11.14 11.24 7.00 10.85 16.39 11.01 14.20 10.78 15.00 10.94 12.49 10.88 8.50 11.04 10.00 10.91 12.15 11.53

Bonds

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

Issuer

100.00 28-Sep-14 535.00 23-Apr-15 NITTY 530.27 16-Aug-16 Tenor Rate (%) 452.80 27-Apr-17 1M 10.4366 20.00 27-Jul-17 2M 10.7042 100.00 31-Aug-17 3M 10.8157 300.00 30-May-18 6M 10.8256 351.30 29-Jun-19 9M 11.0278 12M 11.6173 233.90 23-Oct-19 600.00 27-Jan-22 281.35 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 NIFEX 150.00 22-May-29 Current Price ($/N) 200.00 20-Nov-29 BID($/N) 162.0500 591.57 23-Jul-30 OFFER ($/N) 162.1500 70.00 18-Jul-34

4,591.19

OBB

AMCON Modified Duration FMBN Buckets

<3 ***LCRM

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3<5 >5 Market

TOTAL MARKET CAPITALISATION

10.96

Tenor

Spot 7D REPO 14D Offer Yield Tenor Rate (%) (%) 1M TTM (Yrs) Bid Yield (%) Call 10.92 2M 1M 12.22 3M 0.08 10.59 8.86 3M 13.06 6M 0.65 11.04 10.20 6M 13.95 1Y 1.97 11.24 11.16 2.66 11.21 11.15 NOTE: 2.91 11.22 11.16 3.01 11.22 11.10 :Benchmarks 3.75Bond 11.24 11.14 * :Amortising 4.84 Bond 11.26 11.19 µ :Convertible 5.15 Management Corporation 11.35 11.27 AMCON: Asset of Nigeria FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria 7.42 11.78 11.73 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 9.54 Mortgage Bank11.97 11.92 IFC: International 14.25 Finance Corporation 12.44 12.40 LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables 14.73 12.47 Management 12.42 NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company 15.23 12.50 12.44 O/N: Overnight 15.90 12.15 12.10 UPDC: UAC Property Development Company 19.89Africa Portland Cement 12.15 Company12.10 WAPCO:West O/N

11.25

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

Agency Bonds NA

(N'bn)

Rate (%) 11.3333 12.5863 13.5255 14.4101Date Maturity

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

162.15 Price 162.25 162.35 162.61 162.61 162.95 162.72 163.88 Offer Price Bid Price 164.35 165.53 165.64 167.27 99.85 100.00 169.33 172.95 95.67 96.17 177.07 184.05 103.10 103.25 108.70 108.85 96.65 96.80 95.63 NA :Not 95.33 Applicable 98.34 98.64 # :Floating Rate Bond 117.25coupon bonds 117.55 ***: Deferred 83.34 83.64 †: Bond122.35 rating expired 122.65 112.50 112.80 116.83 117.13 100.10 100.40 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 73.03 73.33 UBA: United Bank for Africa 85.00 85.30 100.00 100.30

4,687.55

**Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

Rating/Agency

Tenor O/N 1M 3M Outstanding Value 6M

0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) Porfolio Market Total Outstanding 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 Value(Bn) Volume(Bn) 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 1,037.65 983.07 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 1,144.95 951.30 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

819.07 3,001.67

872.92 2,807.29

28-Dec-11 Weighting by 24-May-10 Outstanding 03-Apr-12Vol

09-Dec-11 35.02 20-Apr-12 33.89 06-Jul-12

31.09 100.00

0.00 Weighting 0.00by Mkt Value 17.25

0.00/16.00 34.57 0.00/16.50 38.14 0.00/16.50

27.29 100.00

978.35

Bucket 24.56 Weighting 3.30 112.22 0.35 116.70 66.49 0.34

0.31 1,301.62

1.00

1,278.18

31-Oct-14 % Exposure_ 24-May-15 Mod_Duration 03-Apr-17

09-Dec-16 16.37 20-Apr-17 34.53 06-Jul-17

49.10 100.00

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

0.18 0.74 Implied Yield 1.35 2.28 11.29 2.64 11.65 2.86

12.10 11.81

Risk Premium (%) 1.00 Implied 2.63 Portfolio Price 2.27 2.00

118.8867 1.00 135.8342 1.00 103.5368 119.8566

Valuation Yield (%) 11.92 13.72 INDEX 13.52 13.23 1,129.18 12.22 1,150.19 12.22

Indicative Price 97.97 YTD Return 90.66 (%) 104.75 101.02

1,207.84 1,138.51

12.9181 99.49 15.0192 97.03 20.7840 13.8510

14.05 15.69 14.24 15.71 14.73 16.81 12.25

99.90 97.13 99.54 98.64 101.25 85.89 102.51

Sub-National Bonds A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto

NIGER KADUNA *EBONYI *BENUE *IMO LAGOS *BAYELSA

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

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

14.00 12.50 13.00 14.00 15.50 10.00 13.75

6.00 8.50 6.08 6.27 7.37 57.00 29.92

15-Oct-14 31-Aug-15 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 30-Jun-16 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17

0.13 1.01 0.61 1.13 1.14 2.64 1.69

3.29 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 1.00

Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014

46 business | CAPITAL MARKET

Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at August 28, 2014 Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058

Daily Summary (Bonds)

No Debt Trading Activity

Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 CONGLOMERATES

Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. JOHN HOLT PLC. S C O A NIG. PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U Summary A C N PLC.on Board EQTY Activity Diversified Industries Totals CONGLOMERATES

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 2 27 10 39

Current Price 0.50 34.49 36.30

Quantity Traded 6,900 194,386 111,800 313,086

Value Traded 3,450.00 6,575,723.20 4,035,056.40 10,614,229.60

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 3.25

Quantity Traded 535,000 535,000

Value Traded 1,699,950.00 1,699,950.00

848,086

12,314,179.60

Quantity Traded 71,117 69 560 29,715,522 3,302,372 33,089,640

Value Traded 99,327.38 74.52 2,615.20 176,791,614.83 193,243,717.20 370,137,349.13

57 Symbol AGLEVENT JOHNHOLT Daily Summary SCOA TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 6 1 (Equities) 1 372 95 475

CONGLOMERATES Totals

Current Price 1.46 1.13 4.91 6.00 58.52

475

33,089,640 Page

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 24 24

Current Price 1.03

Quantity Traded 895,177 895,177

Value Traded 944,364.43 944,364.43

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

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 65.00

Quantity Traded 3,928 3,928

Value Traded 252,066.40 252,066.40

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

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 33 33

Current Price 15.60

Quantity Traded 310,301 310,301

Value Traded 4,739,501.52 4,739,501.52

1,209,406

5,935,932.35

Beverages--Brewers/Distillers CHAMPION BREW. PLC. GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Activity Summary on Board PLC EQTY PREMIER BREWERIES Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals 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. UNION DICON SALT PLC. U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Food Products--Diversified Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Household Durables Totals CONSUMER GOODS

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Personal/Household Products Totals CONSUMER GOODS Totals Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 SERVICES Printed FINANCIAL 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY BANKEQTY PLC. Activity SummaryTRUST on Board SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. FINANCIAL SERVICES UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC Banking UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

ICT IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. TRIPPLE GEEon AND COMPANY Activity Summary Board EQTYPLC. IT Services Totals ICT Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

Current Price 8.30 185.00 28.00 175.00 1.90

Quantity Traded 61,150 196,745 1,354,035 1,235,061 219,326 3,066,317

Packaging/Containers

Value Traded 492,325.00 36,190,994.32 37,909,697.00 214,836,682.13 416,719.40 289,846,417.85

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

No. of Deals 33 33

Current Price 134.00

Quantity Traded 59,938 Page 59,938

Value Traded 8,408,909.28 2 8,408,909.28 of 13

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM UNIONDICON UTC

No. of Deals 42 80 29 36 42 10 1 3 243

Current Price 7.16 8.63 68.11 4.15 10.19 19.95 14.11 0.50

Quantity Traded 397,432 1,376,615 70,346 759,201 2,460,050 186,651 300 504,807 5,755,402

Value Traded 2,845,993.60 11,882,905.24 4,593,692.68 3,151,714.30 24,875,819.73 3,733,544.05 4,023.00 252,403.50 51,340,096.10

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 57 43 100

Current Price 59.85 1,079.99

Quantity Traded 98,186 41,585 139,771

Value Traded 5,660,213.25 43,818,248.51 49,478,461.76

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 12 7 19

Current Price 4.15 1.09

Quantity Traded 583,922 130,000 713,922

Value Traded 2,422,523.83 141,700.00 2,564,223.83

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 65 55 120

Current Price 35.00 49.00

Quantity Traded 320,692 259,830 Page 580,522

Value Traded 11,012,959.36 12,636,470.27 3 of 13 23,649,429.63

829 Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 107 DIAMONDBNK 80 Daily ETISummary (Equities) 78 FIDELITYBK 58 GUARANTY 360 SKYEBANK 103 STERLNBANK 170 UBA 165 Symbol No. of Deals UBN 48 UNITYBNK 13 WEMABANK 30 ZENITHBANK 255 1,467

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. ©

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST EQUITYASUR INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC INTENEGINS LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LASACO LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LAWUNION LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC LINKASSURE Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MANSARD Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. MBENEFIT N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NEM REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC REGALINS STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STACO Daily Summary STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. STDINSURE UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC UNIVINSURE Activity Summary on Board WAPIC INSURANCE PLCEQTY WAPIC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES

Current Price 9.84 6.05 16.40 2.00 29.87 2.95 2.37 7.44 Current Price 8.10 0.50 0.95 24.75

10,315,872

425,287,538.45

Quantity Traded 1,185,587 5,845,259 1,897,642 1,046,762 15,640,821 2,900,585 62,218,211 3,113,192 Quantity Traded

Value Traded 11,630,965.77 35,572,468.37 31,260,398.89 2,080,197.09 461,729,204.17 8,553,050.72 152,044,783.50 22,920,329.67 Value Traded

153,727 41,321,212 6,540,569 8,859,425 150,722,992

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC on Board EQTY Activity Summary ETERNA PLC. OIL AND GAS FORTE OIL PLC. Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. Published by The Nigerian StockPLC. Exchange © TOTAL NIGERIA

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC.

Employment Solutions Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

1,258,101.48 20,660,606.00 6,144,665.18 218,913,189.09 972,767,959.93

Current Price 5.42 1.05

Quantity Traded Page 200 342,210 342,410

Value Traded 5 of 13 1,136.00 365,122.00

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Symbol INFINITY UNHOMES

No. of Deals 3 1 4

Current Price 1.52 0.50

Quantity Traded 18,119 9,500 27,619

Value Traded 28,707.91 4,750.00 33,457.91

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

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 63 21 344 60 8 31 66 593

Current Price 3.32 3.88 14.49 4.28 0.58 30.00 2.20

Quantity Traded 2,352,942 628,321 8,730,141 3,744,053 120,905 534,663 2,271,198 18,382,223

Value Traded 7,848,148.44 2,505,012.32 124,748,104.35 15,867,803.09 70,252.24 16,040,699.40 4,929,462.98 172,009,482.82

190,882,395

1,163,074,384.76

Quantity Traded 14,710 8,016,203

Value Traded 28,819.20 26,685,018.90

2,238 Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON

No. of Deals 2 22

Current Price 2.02 3.33

Page

Value Traded 4,651,487.80 1,425,752.20 989,302.26 4 190,886.00 of 13 2,352.00 2,591.00 3,500.00 500.00 1,527,772.30 19,679.12 7,613,643.64 400.00 7,217.50 7,125.00 98,156.00 1,356,861.28 17,897,226.10

Quantity Traded 27,467 1,609,300 500,633 5,000 4,000 10,177,313

Value Traded 1,725,308.90 2,251,494.30 521,366.32 35,000.00 9,614.40 31,256,622.02

10,177,313

31,256,622.02

NCR TRIPPLEG

Symbol CHAMS

2 2 4

13.50 1.88

Quantity Traded 27,441 44,429 71,870

Value Traded 370,453.50 79,527.91 449,981.41

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,470,000 1,470,000

Value Traded 735,000.00 735,000.00

1,541,870

1,184,981.41

7 Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM FIRSTALUM PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO Symbol CUTIX

Daily Summary Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 58 9 17 34 7 1 4 2 60 192

Current Price 33.12 9.00 39.05 14.40 225.00 0.50 1.60 5.10 118.00

Quantity Traded 582,862 33,027 38,241 461,666 Page 14,219 990 97,490 100,000 635,305 1,963,800

No. of Deals 3 3 (Equities)

Current Price 1.84

Quantity Traded 101,200 101,200

Value Traded 186,816.00 186,816.00

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 18.85

Quantity Traded 1,400 1,400

Value Traded 26,585.00 26,585.00

197

2,066,400 Page

Value Traded 19,448,661.40 288,786.44 1,495,057.09 7 6,689,372.40 of 13 3,200,388.27 495.00 155,993.00 510,000.00 74,850,617.45 106,639,371.05

106,852,772.05 8 of 13

Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 5.48

Quantity Traded 4,640 4,640

Value Traded 24,174.40 24,174.40

Symbol ALUMACO

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 7.75

Quantity Traded 35 35

Value Traded 257.95 257.95

4,675

24,432.35

3 Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 45 45

Current Price 0.51

Quantity Traded 3,487,913 3,487,913

Value Traded 1,788,360.33 1,788,360.33

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 293 293

Current Price 26.15

Quantity Traded 5,103,878 5,103,878

Value Traded 132,474,082.78 132,474,082.78

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO Symbol MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 41 16 75 No. of Deals 23 23 16 194

Current Price 67.10 3.90 225.80 Current174.00 Price 55.96 180.08

Quantity Traded 157,291 179,015 834,045 Quantity Traded 32,758 75,208 Page 46,461

Value Traded 10,602,904.46 688,764.36 175,856,613.00 Value Traded 5,741,265.97 4,000,448.66 9 8,379,977.70 of 13

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 14 14

Current Price 680.00

Quantity Traded 51,790 51,790

Value Traded 35,174,036.78 35,174,036.78

9,968,359

374,706,454.04

Daily Summary (Equities)

1,324,778

546

205,269,974.15

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 19 19

Current Price 0.89

Quantity Traded 200,602 200,602

Value Traded 179,107.06 179,107.06

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 3 1 4

Current Price 4.80 1.79

Quantity Traded 57,500 4,500 62,000

Value Traded 264,200.00 7,695.00 271,895.00

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

Quantity Traded 7,004 7,004

Value Traded 3,502.00 3,502.00

CILEASING

1 1

0.50

Symbol TANTALIZER Symbol

No. of Deals 1 No. of Deals 1

Current Price 0.50 Current Price

Quantity Traded 26,974 Quantity Traded 26,974 Page

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 17 17

Current Price 0.78

Quantity Traded 525,000 525,000

Value Traded 421,080.36 421,080.36

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 500.00 500.00

Symbol ACADEMY LEARNAFRCA UPL

No. of Deals 4 4 14 22

Current Price 1.55 1.58 4.35

Quantity Traded 1,700 38,500 258,954 299,154

Value Traded 2,566.00 59,120.00 1,126,493.20 1,188,179.20

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 8 8

Current Price 0.69

Quantity Traded 946,750 946,750

Value Traded 646,427.50 646,427.50

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 4 29 33

Current Price 2.08 4.95

Quantity Traded 11,951 545,295 557,246

Value Traded 25,493.18 2,712,314.61 2,737,807.79

Symbol CAVERTON

No. of Deals 12 12

Current Price 5.32

Quantity Traded 76,600 76,600 Page

Printing/Publishing ACADEMY PRESS PLC. LEARN AFRICA PLC UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Printing/Publishing Totals Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals SERVICES

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Support and Logistics CAVERTON OFFSHORE SUPPORT GRP PLC

366,258.00

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

TRANS-NATIONWIDE EXPRESS PLC. Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

No. of Deals 1 9 10

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals

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

OIL AND GAS Totals

Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Courier/Freight/Delivery Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 RED STAR EXPRESS PLC

Symbol FORTISMFB NPFMCRFBK

4,704 5,182 7,000 1,000 610,090 37,128 9,390,987 800 14,435 14,250 196,312 1,761,507 21,407,151

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

Current Price 65.99 1.37 1.04 7.36 2.38

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

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

Current Price 0.80 1.00 0.57 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.54 0.54 0.81 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.75

NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Quantity Traded 5,809,476 1,436,890 1,735,618 Page 381,772

Metals ALUMINIUM MANUFACTURING COMPANY PLC Metals Totals

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Energy Equipment and Services Totals Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058

No. of Deals 21 15 10 2 2 3 2 1 14 3 26 2 1 (Equities) 2 2 58 164

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE AFRICA PLC. Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Building14:38:58.058 Materials Totals Printed 28/08/2014 Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

Symbol 7UP

Daily Summary (Equities)

No. of Deals 13 19 22 1 3 82

ICT Totals

Activity Summary BETA GLASS on CO Board PLC. EQTY

Symbol No. of Deals CHAMPION 4 GUINNESS 89 Daily Summary (Equities) INTBREW 28 NB 190 PREMBREW 3 314

Symbol GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH NIG-GERMAN PHARMDEKO

HEALTHCARE Totals

370,137,349.13 1 of 13

Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058 CONSUMER GOODS

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC NIGERIA-GERMAN CHEMICALS PLC. PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Daily Summary as of 28/08/2014 Pharmaceuticals Totals Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058

Daily Summary (Equities)

SERVICES Totals

EQTY Board Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

Value Traded 13,487.00 Value Traded 13,487.00 10 of 13

Value Traded 406,316.00 11 406,316.00 of 13

118

2,702,330

5,868,301.91

4,615

262,806,346

2,496,642,948.07

Quantity Traded 300,000 300,000

Value Traded 423,000.00 423,000.00

300,000

423,000.00

Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS Food Products MCNICHOLS PLC Food Products Totals

Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 2 2

Daily Summary as ofGOODS 28/08/2014 CONSUMER Totals Printed 28/08/2014 14:38:58.058

ASeM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals Exchange Traded Fund

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

Current Price 1.41

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

300,000

423,000.00

4,617

263,106,346

2,497,065,948.07

No. of Deals 3 2 5

Current Price 2,066.00 18.80

Quantity Traded 38 20 58

Page 58

Value Traded 77,620.00 376.20 77,996.20

of 13 77,996.20 77,996.20

NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

CONTINUITY

The man who executed Murtala Nyako, literally speaking, wants to play politics with the impeached governor's tenure Ibrahim Abdul YOLA

hairman of Fintiri Campaign Organisation, Senator Jonathan Zwingina, yesterday said the desire by the Adamawa State Acting Governor, Ahmadu Fintiri, to participate in the October 11 by-election in the state was just to complete the tenure of former Governor Murtala Nyako. Zwingina told newsmen in an interview in Yola that based on public

Zwingina: Fintiri, extension of Nyako’s 2015 tenure calls generated by the activities of Fintiri in office within one month, which endeared him to the people, the acting governor felt he should just serve the transition period to the fullest by completing the three months stipulated for by-election by the constitution plus the remaining period of the former, which would end in 2015. “Fintiri is someone who has come to raise the hope of the people of the state by the activities he had done within a short time, which makes many to agitate for the Fintiri example to outlive the transitional period as

required by the constitution. “Initially, Fintiri did not want to contest this election, he only wanted to come in accordance with the constitution, spend the 90 days and preside over an election,” Zwingina said. He said the decision by Fintiri to join the race, based on popular demand was morally right as it did not breach the constitution. Zwingina added that the campaign organisation has since gone into action and would prove to be the most effective, most transparent and most enduring the people of Ad-

amawa had ever seen. Zwingina, a onetime governorship aspirant in the state, said he had to drop his ambition this time, because of his faith in the ability of Fintiri, who shares a similar vision with him. While urging the media to ensure that the PDP observed free and fair primaries in the state, Zwingina said so far his organisation was comfortable with the journey. “In Fintiri Campaign Organisation we don't lose sleep at all, because we believe sincerely that the aspirant to beat is our principal,” Zwingina said.

Ladoja buries mum, Kalu, Ajimobi commiserates with him he Yemetu, Ibadan TLadoja's family house of the yesterday host-

ed many dignitaries from all walks of life as the former Governor of Oyo State, Senator Rasidi Ladoja led his relations to bury their mother, Alhaja Alimot Sadia Ladoja, who died on Wednesday evening at 94. The Islamic burial rites was conducted by the Chief Imam of Ibadanland, Sheik Suara Aruna. Chairman of Slok Conglomerate and former Governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Kalu, has condoled with Ladoja, over the death of his mother. Also, governor Abiola Ajimobi has condoled with him. The governor, in a statement issued in

Ibadan on yesterday by his Special Adviser on Media, Dr. Festus Adedayo, said the passing away of the matriarch of the Ladoja family was unfortunate. “Even though our dear Mama, Alhaja Halimotu Ladoja, died at the ripe age of 94, nevertheless, we are still saddened with her demise”, he said. Kalu urged Ladoja not to mourn but rejoice that not only did his mother live long enough but also lived a fulfilled life. He said: "With the quality and calibre of children, including you, left behind by Mama, we cannot regard her as dead because you are there to continue the good cause she live and fought for while here on earth."

Kogi shuts down 400 illegal private schools Muhammad Bashir LOKOJA

Idris Wada of Gsaidovernor Kogi State yesterday over four hundred

L-R: Manager, Economic Empowerment Portfolio, MTN Nigeria, Mrs. Foyinsola Oyebola; Corporate Services Executive, Mr. Akinwale Goodluck; Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and Group Chief Executive Officer, Communications Network Support Services Limited, Gbenga Adebayo, at the presentation of security vehicles by MTN Foundation to the state government at Government House, Ilorin, Kwara State…yesterday

Osun: Omisore files petition, seeks cancellation of result in 17 LGAs Adeolu Adeyemo OSOGBO

he governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Osun State, Senator Iyiola Omisore, yesterday filed a 850-page petition before the state Election Petition Tribunal to challenge Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s victory in the August 9 election. Omisore, who filed the petition at the State High Court, Osogbo, is chal-

lenging the results of the governorship election in 17 local governments areas of the state. The local governments include Ejigbo, Ede South, Ede North, Ilesa West, Ilesa East and Ila, Ifelodun, Olorunda, Osogbo and others. Speaking with newsmen, Omisore called for fresh conduct of the governorship election in the affected 17 local government areas. He also sought the order of the tribunal to de-

clare him the authentic winner of the election. He stated that seven Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs) would represent him at the tribunal. The PDP governorship candidate was in company of the state chairman of the party, Alhaji Ganiyu Olaoluwa. The petition was received by the secretary to the tribunal, Mr. Muhammadu Adamu Aliyu, on behalf of the tribunal chairman.

Nigeria can produce 39.5 metric tonnes of cement annually — Aganga Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

he Minister of IndusTment, try, Trade and InvestDr. Olusegun

Aganga has said that Nigeria has the capacity to produce about 39.5 metric tons of cement annu-

ally as against 2 metric tons it was producing in 2003 as well as save the country's $565.8 million dollars in the energy sector. Aganga who disclosed this yesterday in his keynote at the opening ceremony of the 7th National

Council on Industry, Trade and Investment (NCITI) in Makurdi, also announced that the country's Sugar Master Plan has raked in over $3 billion dollars’ worth of investments for the country since its commencement.

illegal private schools have been shut down. The governor stated this during an interactive session with journalists to mark the 23rd anniversary of the creation of the state. The governor said the state under his administration will continue to take drastic measures in ensuring quality education for the younger ones. According to him, the state government has discovered that these private schools have been scamming unsuspected

Fayose mourns Ekiti monarch Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

State Governor-Elect, Ehaskiti Chief Ayodele Fayose, described the 43-year

reign of the late Ogoga of Ikere-Ekiti, Oba Adegboye Akayejo, as a period that witnessed monumental development in the town. Fayose’s commendation came just as he lauded the late monarch for living an exemplary life during his time. In a condolence message sent through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Idowu Adelusi, Fayose said the departure of the Ogoga was a great loss to Ekiti State. While condoling with the people of Ikere Ekiti on the death of the traditional ruler, the governor-elect described the late monarch as an embodiment of humility and royalty whose reign witnessed an unquantifiable development of his domain. He added that his contributions to the creation and development of Ekiti State were immeasurable. Fayose said Oba Akaye-

jo not only lived true to his name and title, but would be remembered as one of the Ekiti monarchs that always pursued what would bring peace and good governance to the state in his lifetime. The governor-elect said the robust contributions of the departed traditional ruler would be highly missed, especially at a time like this, because of the respect he had garnered during his reign. He added that the late monarch was a blessing to Ikere-Ekiti, while recalling that it was during his time that the town produced a governor and two deputy governors, the latest being Dr. Olusola Eleka, who is the deputy governor-elect. The governor-elect charged the people of Ikere-Ekiti to learn a lot of lessons from the life of Oba Akayejo and forge ahead in unity so that his legacies of peace and development could be sustained, while they look onto God to choose for them a new king that would surpass the laudable achievements of the departed monarch.

parents. He added that the government decided to close these schools because they refused to go through the regulatory process of establishing private schools. Governor Wada, while describing the journey so far in the twenty-threeyear history of the state as very eventful, said the last two and half years of his administration, have been successful. He added that the state has been kept relatively secured and safe for citizens to go about their businesses.

CHANGE OF NAMES

KOLAWOLE

Former Ogundele Olatunde Samuel, now wish to be called and addressed Kolawole Olatunde Samuel. Former documents remain valid. Dansol and general public note.

AKINOLA

Former Miss Olatunji Doyinsola Damilola, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Akinola Doyinsola Damilola. Former documents remain valid. General public note.

MUOKWE

Former Ihuoma Rosemary Emebiriuka, now wish to be called and addressed as Ihuoma Rosemary Muokwe. Former documents remain valid. General public note.

FAWOLE

Former Miss Olowoyo Latifat Omowumi, now wish to be called and addressed as Mrs Fawole Latifat Omowumi former documents remain valid. General public note.

MORDI

Former Augustina Onyekachukwu Adigwe, now wish to be called and addressed as Augustina Onyekachukwu Mordi former documents remain valid. General public note.

48 NEWS SEALORD

A visit to FOC Western Command may bring NNS Aradu back to battle Flora Onwudiwe

he Federal Government yesterday assured the military of rolling out funds to acquire military equipment and hardware that will enhance the performance of the armed forces, including the police, to be able to meet the chal-

28%

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Insurgency: Obanikoro assures military, police of support, funding lenges of the future. Minister of State for Defence, Musiliu Obanikoro, made the statement after his a two-day familiarisation tour of Western Naval Command, Naval Training, Naval Dockyard and Navy Town Ojo Command, under the command of Rear Admiral Ilesanmi Alade, and other senior personnel in the navy.

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

After the inspection of the nation's flagship, Nigerian Navy Ship (NNS) ARADU, he said all efforts are on to ensure that the vessel is refitted and deployed back to sea to help in the fight against illegal maritime activities. “I have noted some of your challenges and we will work on them, especially those that require

4,030m

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions in the world in 2008. Source: Itu.int

immediate and permanent solutions, like the jetties.” He said: “We will ensure that the vessel is ready for use. I don't just make pronouncements, I will take every step to actualise it. ARADU needs help for survival being our flagship. It therefore makes a lot of sense to develop it. I intend to follow up that advocacy.

The number of people in refugee-like situation in Palestine at the beginning of 2010. Source: Blatantworld.com

“The military has a lot to do to develop Nigeria. I am happy with what they are now, because instead of dabbling into politics, you have faced your responsibilities, which is protecting our territorial integrity. I thank you for opting to serve your country. He, however, frowned on naval personnel, who preferred to be trained overseas, saying; “We noticed that you crave to be sent overseas a lot, but if we invest more in our system, people will want to come and train with us in Nigeria and aspire to

that level of development. “When I was young, countries like Pakistan were at par with us and in some areas, we were even more developed than them, but now, we are so backwards that people now desire to travel to such countries. We need to do something about this and fast track our development process.” Admitting that funds are an important factor in running a seamless army, Obanikoro said: “We need to look within the system to ensure that the military is empowered for the good of the country.”

Okorie takes UPP overseas Yekeen Nurudeen ABUJA

head of next year’s ANational general elections, the Chairman of

L–R: Wife of the Ataoja of Osogbo, Olori Oyetunji Olanipekun; Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Commission (NTDC), Sally Mbanefo; Regional Trade Manager, South West, MTN, Olaleke Fakeye and Regional Business Manager, Nigerian Breweries Plc, Joseph Bodunrin, during the grand procession of the 2014 Osun Osogbo Festival, Osun State… recently

A’Ibom pledges PPP partnership for seaport

kwa Ibom government has pledged its continued partnership with the Public Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement for the realization of the Ibaka Deep Seaport in the state. Governor Godswill Akpabio stated this during the presentation of Ibaka Deep Seaport by Infrastructure Concession Regulatory Commission, Abuja by its Chairman, Senator Ken Nnamadi to him at the Executive council Chambers of Governor's Office, Uyo. According to a statement endorsed by his Special Assistant, Media Deacon Jackson Udom, the governor remarked

that over the years, his administration has partnered with private investors for industrialization. “I thank you for the presentation because it has kept hope alive that the Ibaka Deep Seaport would be realized as we would continue to work with the public-private sector". "We have worked really hard to fast track the emergence of Ibaka Deep Seaport, which has a free trade zone. We acquired 14,900 hectares of land along the coastline to prepare for a take-off and we also received a licence from the Federal Government for the commencement of the project.

"The Ibaka Deep Seaport would change the matrix of the unemployed in the country. It will attract investors to the state. Besides, my administration is committed to building a sustainable growth through infrastructure in the state", he asserted. In another development, A human rights group, the Centre for Policy and Human Rights Issues has made a case for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission in Akwa Ibom State as a follow up to the recent remembrance anniversary organized by the state government for indigenes of the state who were betrayed

and brutally murdered during the civil war of 1967. The group which made the call in a statement urged the State House of Assembly to urgently initiate and pass a Bill to effect the establishment of the Commission. In the statement signed by its Director General, Mbet Okpongete, the group noted that it was only through such commission that questions surrounding their untimely deaths would be asked, adding that though the incident took place about five decades ago, the injustice and sense of loss still lingered on in the minds of their family members.

APC: Wike must name six defecting commissioners Emmanuel Masha PORT HARCOURT

he All Progressives ConTcalled gress (APC) yesterday on the Minister of

State for Education, Nyesom Wike, to disclose the names of the six commissioners that are to resign from the cabinet of Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, and dump the APC for the Peoples Demo-

cratic Party (PDP). Chairman of the Rivers State chapter of the party, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, said Wike’s comments during the working visit of the First Lady, Patience Jonathan, was a lie aimed at making the PDP relevant in the state. Ikanya, in a statement signed by his Senior Media Aide, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, described the

APC as the party to beat in 2015, alleging also that Wike’s governorship ambition has hit the rocks due to the First Lady’s endorsement of another aspirant. He said: “If Wike is serious minded, he would have mentioned the names of the six imaginary commissioners that allegedly gave him advance notice of their purported intention to dump APC for the

embattled PDP. “To the contrary, several of the characters parading themselves as governorship aspirants under the dying PDP platform have entered into serious negotiations with our party leadership with a view to joining APC as the undisputable PDP leader in Rivers State, because the first lady has refused to anoint any of them.”

the United Progressives Party (UPP), Chief Chekwas Okorie, has travelled to the United States to inaugurate chapters of the party in key states in the USA. A statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Chief Ogbuehi Dike, said Okorie, who is expected to address the World Igbo Congress in Houston, Texas would also inaugurate chapters of the party in London, United Kingdom. The statement added that the UPP national chairman would address town hall meetings in Houston, Texas; California, Los Angeles; Newark, New Jersey; New York and Washington DC.

It also said all the extant groups in major European countries would converge in London, to receive UPP’s message of hope from Okorie, ahead of the next year presidential election. The statement reads in part: “The United Progressives Party National Chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, has travelled to the United States and the United Kingdom to attend the World Igbo Congress and inaugurate party chapters. “In the United States, Okorie will address the World Igbo Congress in Houston, Texas, where he is a special guest of honour. He will also inaugurate UPP chapters in key states in the country and address town hall meetings in Houston, Texas; California, Los Angeles; Newark, New Jersey; New York and Washington DC.”

Benue Assembly uncovers 24,000 ghost workers on govt’s payroll Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

civil servants in AuedsBenue State continto groan over unpaid

salaries by the Governor Gabriel Suswam’s administration, the House of Assembly has uncovered a whopping 24,000 ghost workers on the payroll of the government. Top civil servants in the state are pocketing millions of naira drawn from these non-existent workers at the detriment of others. The House of Assembly made the shocking discovery during its oversight function and directed the government to, without delay, channel its counterpart funding to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) to enable it pay its workers. The lawmakers made

their positions known during a resumed debate on the report of its standing committee on education after its' working visit to some agencies. House Committee Chairman on Education and member representing Okpokwu constituency, Hon. Ogwuche Olofu, led debate on the issue. Considering the committee's report on the SUBEB, the House recommended that, as a matter of urgency, the government should pay its counterpart funds to enable SUBEB access matching grants for the benefit of the state. Meanwhile, Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Benue, Comrade Ordue Tartenger, said that 90 per cent of documents requested from the government for analysis by organised labour have been received.

NEWS 49

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Police, pharmacists to partner against fake drugs Emmanuel Onani Acting Inspector TMr.he General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has

assured the leadership of the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria (PCN, that the police would support its "anti-counterfeiting measures". A statement signed yesterday in Abuja, by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), quoted Abba as pledging the partnership, when a delegation of the PCN, led by the council's Registrar, Mr. Elijah Mohammed,

L-R: Senator Ganiyu Solomon; celebrant, Alhaji Ayo Adeyemi; Sasi of Lagos, Chief Olaseni Lamina; Ranodu of Imota, Oba Ajibade BakareAgoro and Chairman, FirstBank Limited, Prince Ajibola Afonja, during the public presentation of Adeyemi’s books, to mark his 80th birthday in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO: GODWIN IRHEKE

PDP: Fayose'll terminate all post-election appointments RECRUITMENT It does appear there are job openings in Ekiti, just as Gov. Fayemi prepares to bow out Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

kiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has said it will terminate all appointments and recruitments made into the civil service by Governor Kayode Fayemi after the governor lost the June 21 governorship election in the state. The party also said undue elevation of public servants, mainly apologists of All Progressives Congress (APC) will be redressed as well.

The State Publicity Secretary, Mr. Kola Oluwawole, who stated this in a press release in Ado-Ekiti on Thursday, said the party also had records of the staff strength in the state public service before June 21 poll and was following the bogus appointments and illegal recruitment being done in various sectors afterwards. But the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, said they would continue to recruit and fill vacancies in the civil service, until they leave in October 16. Ekundayo said the PDP could sack as many people as possible when it takes over. According to Oluwawole, the attitude of the outgoing administration was to try as much as possible to frustrate the

incoming one and deliberately set booby traps for it. "We know what the staff strength in the core civil service, the teaching service, the local government, the House of Assembly, the Broadcasting Service of Ekiti State and others was before the June 21 governorship election in which our party thoroughly trounced Fayemi and his All Progressives Congress (APC). "We also know how the Fayemi administration has illegally recruited over 3000 persons into the civil service, 1000 into Ekiti State University, over 100 into BSES, over 1500 into the teaching service among others after they lost the election and how they are clever by half by backdating the letters of appointment. "The question the

good people of Ekiti State should ask Fayemi and his party is why are they just waking up to engage in massive recruitment in the twilight of their tenure in office? Those given such letters of appointment should consider themselves to be on temporary appointment and as having a victory that is shortlived," he said. The PDP, however, noted that the most embarrassing aspect of the dastardly act of sabotage by the Fayemi government was the unethical recruitment of several non-indigenes after sensing that majority of Ekiti people understood his unholy parting gift in the name of the ongoing fraudulent recruitment exercise which is believed could never stand the test of time.

MTN empowers entrepreneurs in Lagos

NMA strike: JUTH chapter defies suspension order

Azubike Nnadozie

Musa Pam

fter successful outings in Enugu and Port Harcourt, leading telecommunication network, MTN Nigeria, will this weekend provide a life-changing and career-transforming platform for budding entrepreneurs through its idea-sharing and businessempowerment platformMTN Link Forum. While emphasizing the commitment of MTN to ensuring that Nigerians are better in whatever they do, the General Manager, Consumer Marketing, MTN Nigeria, Kola Oyeyemi reiterated that the company as a truly supporting brand is committed to developing and engaging them to be better in various entrepreneurial fields of human endeavour. His words: “A strate-

gic focus for MTN is to constantly provide an engaging and supporting platform for aspiring entrepreneurs. MTN Nigeria has continuously demonstrated this, through various values adding initiatives”. MTN Link Forum has hitherto, brought together notable entrepreneurs such as Mr. Victor Itayo, CEO, Quantum Business School, Port Harcourt, Mrs. Chinwe Endora, CEO, Swanu Creation, Dr. Jonathan Doerr, MD Jumia Nigeria and many others, to share their wealth of knowledge, at the earlier editions of the forum, held in Enugu and Port Harcourt. The MTN Link Forum is an innovative initiative that is focused on advancing the aspirations of budding entrepreneurs.

JOS

he Plateau state ChapTMedical ter of the Nigerian Association yes-

terday said its members will not resume work at the Jos University Teaching Hospital JUTH despite the fact that the nationwide strike has been suspended by the national body last week. New Telegraph inquiries revealed that doctors in other hospitals in the state have since restored full medical activities in compliance with the order but the situation is different at JUTH as doctors were yet to return to their duty posts. It was learnt that the doctors had earlier reported for work after the suspension of strike

but were denied access to their offices by the hospital's management, citing the suspension of their residency programme by the federal government. In a statement issued in Jos yesterday, the NMA in Plateau condemned the development, blaming it on what it called government’s continued insensitivity to the plight of Nigerians who deserve adequate health care. The statement which was jointly signed by the chairman, Dr. Bupwatda Pokop Wushipba and Secretary, Dr. Meshak Daniel Jatau directed its members to stay off the hospital pending when government restores the residency training programme in the health institution.

called at the Force Headquarters. The statement said the IGP, "while noting that the Nigeria Police have had an age-long mutually beneficial relationship with the Pharmacists Council of Nigeria", expressed "the readiness of the Force to further strengthen its support to the Council, adding that the Police have always been willing partners to pharmacists in the fight against drug abuse and adulteration." It said "high point of the visit was the presentation of hand sanitizer and law books of the council to the IGP."

Oyo govt increases workers’ salaries he Oyo State Government Tment has announced an increin the salaries of civil

servants in the state. Governor Abiola Ajimobi made the announcement while addressing workers who were on queue to board the free Ajumose buses at the Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan on yesterday. He explained that the salary development was the aftermath of the meeting he held with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), stressing that the union would brief the workers on the details of the salary enhancement. Governor Ajimobi said the salary enhancement ranged from 10 to 30 per cent increment, depending

on the Grade Level of each civil servant. While expressing his administration’s commitment to the welfare of workers in the state, he said the provision of the 10 Ajumose buses to convey workers to and fro work free of charge was aimed at making the working environment conducive for them. He also noted that his administration had, since inception, introduced a lot of innovations into the civil service in order to improve the lots of the civil servants. Governor Ajimobi said the salary increment would go a long way in boosting the morale of workers and enhance more commitment and dedication to duties.

PUBLIC NOTICE

NIKE DIOCESE ANGLICAN COMMUNION This is to inform the general public that the above named club has applied for registration in the Corporate Affairs Commission under part C of the Companies and Allied Matters Act no. 1 Of 1990. The Trustees are: 1. Rt. Rev. Prof Evans Jonathan Ibeagha 2. Barr.kinsley Chukwudi Olemeforo 3. Cornlius Obiajulu Agbo Aims and Objectives: 1. To preach the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2. To raise End time gospel giants for the Lord. Any objection to this registration should be forwarded to the Registrar – General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: rt. Rev. Prof. Evans Jonathan Ibeagha

PUBLIC NOTICE

OLUWALOGBON SOCIAL CLUB

The general public is hereby notified that the above named FOUNDATION has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under the Companies and Allied Matters Act, 1990. The Trustees are: 1 Mr. Kayode Segun Bello — Chirman 2 Mr Obadimu Emmanuel Oluwasegun — Vice-Chjairma 3 Mr. Karimu Adebayo David — Treasurer 4 Mr Halidu Oluwafemi Bidemi — Secretary 5 Mr Yusuf Lukman Dayo 6 Mr Adekunle Kazeem Ademola Aims and Objectives: To help each other brotherhoodly. Any objection should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission, Plot 420 Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Irosi Street, Maitama, Abuja within 28 days of this publication. SIGNED: Trustees

50 WORLD | NEWS

slamic State jihadists have executed more than 160 fleeing Syrian soldiers, a monitoring group said yesterday, the latest in a string of brutal abuses alarming Western powers who fear a global spread of the terror. News of the killings comes as US President Barack Obama is reportedly weighing air strikes on IS positions in Syria and coming closer to green lighting a mission to aid Shiite Turkmen trapped in an Iraqi town by the jihadists. Syrian regime air strikes killed six IS leaders on Thursday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, but Washington has so far baulked at cooperating with Damascus against the jihadists. French President Francois Hollande added his voice to the disquiet that has been growing

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Islamic State massacres fleeing Syrian troops in Raqa

since the jihadists marauded through Iraq and beheaded US journalist James Foley. The latest killings took place in the Syrian province of Raqa, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said, adding that the victims were soldiers fleeing towards government-held territory to the west after the jihadists overran their base at Tabqa. The jihadists boasted on Twitter that they had killed 200 defeated troops and posted video of what they said was the garrison in headlong flight. "IS executed more than 160 Syrian soldiers

in three different places in Raqa province yesterday and at dawn today," said Rami Abdel Rahman, head of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The jihadists seized the airport on Sunday after weeks of bitter fighting with loyalist forces, cementing their control over Raqa province, capital of their self-declared Islamic "caliphate". Abdel Rahman said the defeated garrison comprised 1,400 soldiers, 200 of whom were killed and 700 of whom managed to escape. Of the other 500, dozens were

Islamic state raising their flag over a building belonging to a Syrian army base in the Northern city of Raqa

PHOTO: AFP

captured on Wednesday night as they attempted to cross the desert to government-held territory in the Orontes Valley to the west. IS posted video footage showing young men in underwear being marched barefoot along a desert road? Militants shouted "Islamic State" and "There's no going back". A UN-mandated probe charged

Wednesday that public executions, amputations, lashings and mock crucifixions have become a regular fixture in jihadist-controlled areas of Syria. The Syrian air force hit back on Thursday with a strike on a house in the eastern town of MuHassan where IS leaders were meeting, killing six of them, the Observatory said.

Egypt accuses Morsi of working for Qatar

gypt's ousted and jailed Islamist President Mohammed Morsi refused to answer a prosecutor's questions about allegations that he leaked classified documents â&#x20AC;&#x201D; some related to the army's budgetâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; to Qatar via the Doha-based Al-Jazeera broadcaster, Egypt's official news agency reported yesterday. If the charges are referred to court, it would be the fourth case underway against Morsi, who was overthrown by the military last summer amid mass protests against his yearlong rule. According to Egypt's Middle East News Agency, Morsi refused to answer any of the prosecutor's questions during a four-hour interrogation session held inside Borg al-Arab

prison, near the Mediterranean city of Alexandria. Morsi's response to each question was: "I am the legitimate leader," MENA said. Morsi and other individuals are accused of passing state security files to Qatar, a close ally of his Muslim Brotherhood group, "in a way that harms national security," judicial officials said two days ago. Egypt's General Prosecutor Hisham Barakat ordered Morsi and seven other detainees held for 15 days in reference to the case, the officials said, adding that other suspects remain at large. The officials spoke late Wednesday on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to talk to reporters.

Zuma: South African court orders release of tapes New search area located for missing MH370 jet outh Africa's Supreme sion by the court on Thursday, deal in the late 1990s.

Court of Appeals yesterday ordered the release of taped phone conversations about corruption charges against President Jacob Zuma, a move that could resurrect a case that has dogged the leader since before he took office. Zuma had applied to prevent the tapes from being released while the opposition Democratic Alliance party sought access to them. Conversations on the recordings were cited as a reason to drop fraud and corruption charges against Zuma before he became president in 2009. The prosecuting authority at that time said the conversations showed there was a political conspiracy against Zuma, but the actual recordings were never made public. Democratic Alliance leader Helen Zille applauded the deci-

and said her party will analyze the tapes and determine if there were legal reasons to withdraw the charges against Zuma. "We are all equal before the law," she said in front of the court. "None of us is above the law. The court systems are being hijacked by politicians like Zuma and his network. If anybody is suspected of a crime and if there is a case to be made, that person must have his day in court, whether that person is a president or a pauper." The National Prosecuting Authority has five days to release the recordings and internal notes on discussions about why the charges were dropped. Zuma, who at the time was deputy president, was accused of accepting bribes to thwart an investigation into wrongdoing by a French arms company involved in a massive weapons

The National Prosecuting Authority's acting director Mokotedi Mpshe in 2009 said he dropped fraud and corruption charges against Zuma because of prosecutorial misconduct. That decision came after Zuma's legal team brought him taped phone conversations allegedly between prosecutors and a head of a now disbanded crime-fighting unit called the Scorpions about the charges and their timing. The charges were announced around the time of a national conference of the ruling African National Congress party in 2007, purportedly to undermine Zuma's bid to become party president. The president's lawyers have argued that the opposition party would use the tapes for political gain.

he hunt for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 will focus on the southern part of the existing search zone after a new clue to the plane's possible location emerged, Australia has said. Fresh information suggested the jet "may have turned south" earlier than thought, Deputy Prime Minister Warren Truss said. The detail came to light following "further refinement" of satellite data and as investigators attempted to map the plane's position during a failed attempt to contact it earlier in its flight path. "The search area remains the same, but some of the information that we now have suggests to us that areas a little further to the south, within the search area, but a little further

to the south, are of particular interest and priority in the search area," he said. Truss' comments came as Australia and Malaysia signed a memorandum of understanding in Canberra over the next phase of the hunt for the plane, which disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board en route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. The signing followed a meeting between the two nations and China's Vice-Minister of Transport He Jianzhong. The plane is believed to have crashed into the southern Indian Ocean far off the west coast of Australia after mysteriously diverting offcourse, but a massive air, sea and underwater search has failed to find any wreckage.

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FRIday, August 29, 2014

Rooney named England captain } p 53

FIFA BAN IMMINENT

lWorld body to act as NFF deepens crisis lDanagogo recognises factional president

lGiwa assumes duty Adekunle Salami

Amaechi Obuah and Mr. Adams Yahaya. There were also former NPL Chairman, Chief Rumson Baribote, former NFF Board member, Mr. Ben Agarry, NFF Assistant Director (Communications), Mr. Ademola Olajire, Head of International Competitions Mr. Bola Oyeyode, Chief Legal Officer, Barrister Okey Obi, and special assistant to General Secretary, Dr. Christian Emeruwa. In a dramatic twist, one of the members of the ‘new board’, Felix Anyansi-Agwu, who was said to have excused himself from the meeting with the minister, denied such action. “I was aware of the meeting. I did not attend and I did not call anybody to excuse myself from the meeting,” Anyasi-Agwu, said.

he crisis engulfing Nigerian football degenerated badly on Thursday as the two factions involved in the impasse struggled for media and public attention just as investigations revealed that FIFA has concluded plans to ban Nigeria. Our correspondent authoritatively learnt that FIFA has Blatter been compiling all correspon- body would abide by the statdence from Nigeria and the utes and electoral guidelines of body is now ready to wield the the NFF. big stick. Also on Thursday, the minis“The confusion FIFA point- ter of Sports surprisingly held ed out the last time is still prev- a meeting with the factional alent and it is only a matter of President of the NFF, Chris time for the ban to happen since Giwa, in his office in Abuja. there are factions in the adminHe expressed immense istration and there seems to be confidence in the ability and no end to the crisis,” our source capacity of the new Execurevealed. tive Committee of the NFF to Early in the day, there was take Nigerian football to new a press release on the inaugu- heights. ration of the electoral commitDanagogo said; “I congratutee for the September 4 election late you on your election and Charles Ogundiya into the board of the Nigeria have confidence in you to take Football Federation as agreed our football to where it should uper Eagles coach, Stephen at one of the Congresses held be. Keshi, has allayed fears over on August 26 in Abuja. the national team’s prepared“But the challenges ahead The chairman of the inter- are huge. I want you to start ness for the upcoming 2015 im committee, Chief Ephraim reaching out to all persons Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers Chukwuemeka, while inaugu- who have issues and discuss against Congo and South Africa in rating the committee in Abuja, with them, and find amicable light of the leadership crisis engulfcharged them to be transparent solution to all matters.” ing the Nigeria Football Federation. in their dealings to avoid the The Super Eagles will begin In his response, Giwa also mistakes of the dissolved com- said; “The truth is that the their Cup of Nations qualifying mittee. NFF has been beset by crises campaign with a game against He said the mandate of the for a long time, for more than Congo’s Red Devils on September 6 electoral committee was ap- a decade. This new team is de- in Calabar, before heading to South proved by the Congress to con- termined to bring these crises Africa to take on the Bafana Bafana duct free and fair elections that to an end. We will work hard on September 10. will usher in a new NFF board towards bringing everyone toThe reigning African champion Thursday September 4. ons have not had the best of prepagether. Chukwuemeka said; “I “For a long time now, the rations though, thanks to the ongomust remind you that you are news that have been coming out ing leadership tussle in the NFF. expected to be very sincere in of NFF have been unsavoury But Keshi, who only recently your dealings with members ones. We are not enjoying all agreed to take charge of the Super of the public that desire to buy these negative news. I want you Eagles’ qualifiers against the Conforms, everything must be done to seek avenues to reconcile all golese and South Africans, after so that we will have a level play- institutions and individuals.” his contract with the NFF expired ing ground. I want to warn that Present at the meeting with at the end of the 2014 World Cup, nothing should be done against the Sports Minister were Giwa, nevertheless believes the Super Eathe statutes of the NFF and NFF 1st Vice President, Chief gles have what it takes to get the reFIFA.” Obinna Ogba, Executive Com- quired results from both matches. The chairman of the committee members Chief Effiong According to the former Nigemittee, Sampson Ebomhe, in Johnson (Chairman of Chair- ria international, there was no way his acceptance speech said the men), Sani Fema, Chief Felix the team would not be impacted by

NFF crisis won’t affect Eagles –Keshi

the on-going crisis, but that what’s important was for everyone to remain calm and to concentrate on the upcoming games. “The NFF is the head of football in the country, and when the head is having problems, it will surely affect the body,” said Keshi, who spoke on a radio programme monitored in Lagos. “But I can assure Nigerians that we are going to give it our best shot and not allow the crisis to affect our concentration.” He added: “It is obvious the crisis will reflect on the team, but the players are professionals

Keshi

and know what it entails to give their best at the highest level.” The Super Eagles handler however called for prayers and support from well-meaning Nigerians ahead of the upcoming games. Meanwhile, NFF President, Aminu Maigari, in the aftermath of Tuesday’s series of meetings in Abuja, which have further thrown more confusion into the ongoing crisis, has called for calm from all parties involved. Three separate congresses took place in Abuja, with those in attendance at one of the assemblies voting in Chris Giwa as the new head of the football body, while another set of delegates agreed to hold elections into the NFF on September 4 in Calabar, two days before the Nigeria-Congo Cup of Nations qualifier. Maigari, who did not attend any of Tuesday’s ‘congresses’ after being whisked away by security operatives, has however admonished Nigerians to be law abiding while assuring that the football house will do everything to bring the situation under control.

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

World championships: Wrestlers warned to stay away Ifeanyi Ibeh

Adeniyi (right)

rganisers of the FILA World Wrestling Championships have been warned not to allow wrestlers from Nigeria and other West African countries into Uzbekistan for the tournament which runs from September 8 to 14 in the capital city, Tashkent, following the recent outbreak of the Ebola virus in some of these countries. Seven wrestlers from Nigeria and two from Sierra Leone are billed to take part in the world championships.

Referees boycott league matches

lNFF insists league must continue eferees will not handle league matches from this Rgeria weekend on account of the “uncertainty in the NiFootball Federation”.

On Tuesday, a meeting in Abuja claimed it has elected Chris Giwa as the new president of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). This was after NFF President Aminu Maigari was prevented from presiding over a general assembly, which was approved by world football governing body FIFA, after he was detained overnight with no charges pressed against him. In a circular dated August 28 and signed by Secretary General of the Nigeria Referees Association (NRA), Moroof Oyekunle Oluwa, a working committee has directed that all referees withdraw from matches in the Nigeria Premier League, the Nigeria National League, Nigeria Federation Cup and the women’s league “until sanity is restored” in Nigerian football. Already, the country’s Coaches Association have

dissociated themselves from a meeting during which Giwa was elected as NFF boss, while a Guild of Sports Editors have urged Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan to wade into the latest crisis rocking football in the country. Meanwhile, The Nigeria Football Federation led by factional leader, Chris Giwa, has urged all stakeholders to discountenance a statement from the League Management Company that matches of the Nigeria Premier League are being suspended. “It has come to our notice that the League Management Company has been issuing notices to clubs in the Premier League that matches are being suspended from this weekend. “This is totally untrue. If the LMC received a notice from the Nigeria Referees Association about purported withdrawal of referees, the LMC should have brought this to the notice of the NFF and not to take a decision to suspend the League on its own,” NFF President, Ambassador Chris Giwa, said in Abuja on Thursday.

Plateau SWAN tasks Danagogo to take neutral stance Buhari Bello Jos

ollowing the perceived bias of Minister of Ffactions Sports, Tamuno Danagogo, for one of the in the on-going leadership tussle in

the Nigeria Football Federation, the Plateau State chapter of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria has called on the minister to take a neutral stance. Chairman of the association, Thadeus Yilmen, said: “As members of SWAN, Plateau State chapter, who are concerned about sports development in the country, we have been following what has been on-going in the Glass House. However, we feel as a body we need to speak out.” He added: “We call on the Minister of Sports

Tammy Danagogo to be an unbiased umpire, especially going by recent developments.” Yilmen went on to urge the minister to provide a level playing ground for all participants in the upcoming elections into the NFF board, adding that “our concern is that all aspirants should be given a free chance to play the game according to the rules.” While labelling the recent development as a setback for the country’s football in the light of recent gains made by the country’s football teams, Yilmen noted that it is now apparent that those who want to manage the football body do not have nation’s interest at heart. “For football to move forward (in Nigeria), there is the need for the two factions of the NFF to come together, to avoid incurring FIFA’s wrath,” he explained.

Daniel hails impressive Falconets Temitope Ogunbanke ormer governor of Ogun State, Otunba Fwinning Gbenga Daniel has congratulated silver Nigeria female U-20 team, Falcon-

ets, for their feat at the just concluded FIFA Women U-20 World Cup held in Canada. Daniel in a statement made available to New Telegraph by his Media Officer, Ayo Giwa, hailed the female players as real heroines of the tournament for going that far to do the nation and African continent proud. “The zeal, determination and patriotism displayed in their five-star performance during the tournament is a testimony that the

Over a thousand people have died in Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria and Sierra Leone from the worst outbreak of Ebola in four decades, even though only a handful of these have occurred in Nigeria. Nevertheless, the Uzbekistani Public Health Ministry are keen to ensure that the virus does not get into their country and only days after threatening to prevent West African wrestlers from taking part in the championships, has called on the organizing committee to abstain from inviting West African wrestlers due to Ebola

Friday, August 29, 2014

concerns. An official of the ministry, in an interview with Russian news agency, RIA Novosti, said: “Given the current Ebola-related epidemiological situation, we have recommended to the organizing committee of the [world wrestling] championship to abstains from inviting athletes from Ebola-hit West African countries.” In addition, the official stated that wrestlers arriving from other African countries will be under medical surveillance for the duration of their stay in Uzbekistan.

Ogwumike wins WNBA Rookie of the Year

lDumps American team for Italian club Ifeanyi Ibeh hiney Ogwumike has been CYear named WNBA Rookie of the following her impressive debut season for the Connecticut Sun. The WNBA announced the honour on Thursday with the forward joining her sister Nneka, who won in 2012, as the first set of siblings to earn the honour in the league’s history. Ogwumike was the top pick in the draft last April and averaged 15.5 points and 8.5 rebounds for the Sun this past season. She received 23 votes from a national panel of 38 sportswriters and broadcasters. Tulsa’s Odyssey Sims finished second with 12 votes and San Antonio’s Kayla McBride garnered two. Atlanta’s Shoni Schimmel, who was the MVP of the All-Star game, got

the other vote. Meanwhile, Ogwumike has brought her stint with the Connecticut Sun to an end after putting pen to paper on a deal taking her to Italian champions, Famila Schio, who on Thursday announced the signing of the forward. She is among the 27 players who will attend try-outs for the USA national team in a fortnight’s time ahead of the FIBA Women’s Basketball Championships. If Ogwumike, against all odds, doesn’t make the American team for the world championships, coming up in Turkey from September 27 to October 5, she will join the Italian club on September 29. Founded in 1973, Famila Schio have won the Italian championship on five occasions and finished as European champions in 2008.

Yayaha rejects Tottenham loan move to Celta Vigo ormer Golden Eaglets and Fplayer, Tottenham Hotspur youth Musa Yahaya, has shredded the agreement binding him with Spanish club, Celta Vigo. The 16-year-old, a product of Mutunchi Football Academy, signed a preliminary contract with Tottenham Hotspur last March and was immediately loaned to Celta Vigo due to the strict work permit requirements in the United Kingdom. The Nigeria U-20 international has been in London practicing with the Spurs Academy since last month, raising doubts about his future with Celta Vigo. ‘’Musa Yahaya will train with

country was not in any way disgraced but only lost narrowly in the final match to their German counterparts going by the slim 1- 0 scoreline. “The Falconets really did the nation and African continent proud. Although it was painful to have lost the most important game and by such a slim margin, their efforts are truly worthy of commendation,” he said. The former governor also praised the handlers of the team for the great job done by getting the team to the final urging them to build on the experience learnt during the competition and present another formidable team that will bring the coveted trophy to the country at the next edition. Yahaya

Tottenham Hotspur until first week of October. He is training with both the Under 17 and Under 21 squad, but plays matches for the Under 17s. His level is higher than their Under 17 team. ‘’Fifa changed the rules. There’s no way Celta Vigo can play him since he is not yet 18. So he is no more joining Celta Vigo. ‘’Spurs will give him a one month break before he rejoins the club in November,’’ Babawo Mohammed, the agent of Flying Eagles star, told SL10.ng. If all goes well, Musa Yahaya will sign a four - and - a - half year professional contract with the White Hart Lane outfit with effect from January 1, 2016.

Sanctity of Truth

Friday, August 29, 2014

Rooney named England captain W

ayne Rooney has been appointed the new England captain, coach Roy Hodgson has confirmed. “I gave it a lot of thought but I think Wayne is an obvious choice, to be honest. He certainly deserves it,” Hodgson said on Thursday. “I think he’s the right choice. I think he’s the right man. I think he’ll take on the job with enormous enthusiasm. He is now the captain of Manchester United. “With his 95 caps and all the goals he has scored [40 for England] and all the things he has already done from such a young age, he is prepared to take responsibility. “All I can hope for really is that he continues to play well and that he shoulders the responsibility of captaincy as well as

the captains before him.” Rooney said Hodgson’s decision to give him the captaincy was a “dream come true” and that he would seek out Gerrard for tips on how to deal with the role. “To be named as England captain is a dream come true for me personally, and of course my family,” he told the Football Association’s website. “It is something that I will take massive pride in doing. As a kid I always loved watching a big England game on the television. He added: “I intend to speak with Steven about different aspects of the role. We had a great relationship from the moment we played together for our country and right up to our final game in Brazil. I am sure if ever I need to seek his advice he will be there to help.”

Klose takes swipe at Van Gaal

SPORT | EURO FOOTBALL

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DRAW GROUP A

Atletico Madrid Juventus Olympiakos Malmo GROUP B Real Madrid Basel Liverpool

egendary German striker Miroslav Klose has hit out at Louis van Gaal, claiming the time he spent with the Dutchman while at Bayern Munich was ‘tough’. Although an iconic striker in his homeland, Klose struggled with life at Germany’s biggest club, Bayern Munich, during 2007 to 2011. He scored 24 league goals in 98 appearances with only 12 goals in 60 appearances while Van Gaal was at the club. And while the new Manchester United boss has been labelled as a ruthless leader, Klose has hit out at him for the treatment

he received during the time they worked together at Bayern. Klose said the Dutch manager made life difficult for him and the striker didn’t understand what he wanted him to do as his performances and goal return on the pitch suffered. “It was a tough time, particularly working with Van Gaal,” Klose said. “I didn’t feel free. It was very difficult for me to fulfil his expectations. He was asking me to make runs I just couldn’t see. I gave it all I could, but sometimes it just wasn’t enough.”

Costa in doubt for Everton trip

GROUP C

Costa(right)

Benfica

Di Maria’s father slams ‘unappreciative’ Real

Zenit St Petersburg Bayer Leverkusen Monaco

ngel di Maria wasn’t fully appreciated by Real Madrid, according to the Manchester United signing’s father. The 26-year-old winger signed a five-year deal with the Red Devils on Tuesday after United agreed a British record £59.7m deal with the Spanish club. And the winger’s father, Miguel, declared that the Argentina international is happy to have joined the 20-time English champions in a recordbreaking move. “Angel won five or six trophies with Real Madrid and despite two enhanced contracts, the money originally agreed didn’t come,” Miguel di Maria is quoted as saying by Manchester Evening News. “Angel was never appreciated. It was like they didn’t want him in the club and showed him no affection. He always had to win a place to get past other players, such as Gareth Bale. My son is tired of always fighting, demonstrating and showing everything. “They never offered €6m. The last bid was €5m, which was €1.5m more. The first problems arose for economic reasons.” He added; “He went to Madrid for a salary and it was halved. Angel is happy at Man United. He is also treated well economically for what was offered by Madrid. Real Madrid loses a key, dominant player who at any time can make a play and win the game.”

GROUP D Arsenal Borussia Dortmund Galatasaray Anderlecht

GROUP E Bayern Munich Manchester City CSKA Moscow Roma

GROUP F Barcelona Paris St-Germain Ajax APOEL Nicosia

GROUP G Chelsea Schalke Sporting Lisbon Maribor

helsea striker Diego Costa is in doubt CEverton for Saturday’s Premier League trip to with a minor muscular prob-

lem. The Spain forward - who arrived at Chelsea from Atletico Madrid for a reported £32million fee in July - has scored in both of Chelsea’s Premier League wins this term while his preseason form was also encouraging. But the 25-year-old could miss his side’s visit to Goodison Park after a Chelsea spokesman confirmed that he was suffering from a “minor muscular injury”. Chelsea added that the situation would be closely monitored in the coming days. The news will come as a blow to Jose Mourinho as he looks to guide Chelsea to a rare win at Everton. The Merseyside club have won four of the last five league matches between the two sides at the venue. Ex-Chelsea striker Samuel Eto’o is in line for his Everton debut in Saturday’s match.

Ludogorets Razgrad

Rooney

Miroslav Klose (right) and Louis van Gaal

GROUP H

Ronaldo

Ronaldo Porto Shakhtar Donetsk named Athletic Bilbao European BATE Borisov Player of completed the cup double. the Year Madrid Though the Santiago Bernabeu side

ristiano Ronaldo has been named as CChampions Uefa’s Best Player in Europe for his League-winning heroics with Real Madrid in 2013-14. The Portuguese, 29, scored a remarkable 17 goals in 11 European games as Carlo Ancelotti’s stormed to the Decima and struck three times en route to Copa del Rey glory as

were less successful in La Liga, Ronaldo still averaged more than a goal a game (31 efforts in 30 matches) as they finished third behind Atletico Madrid and Barcelona. The former Manchester United forward was voted as the best player ahead of Bayern Munich duo Manuel Neuer and Arjen Robben, who starred as Pep Guardiola’s men lifted four of a possible six trophies last season.

SportL

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Oshoala Super Falconets striker

Best food: Rice and fish Best drink: Apple juice Best colour: Blue and white Bes city visited: Dubai Best Club: Manchester Utd Best Car: Toyota Venza Best Designer: Luis Vuitton Best Perfume: CK shock Best Music: Blues Best Actor: Majid Michel Best Actress: Yvonne Nelson Best Competition ever attended: U-20 World Cup Canada 2014 Best boot: Nike Best jersey no: 4

US OPEN Stan Wawrinka loses his cool in tense match 95th-ranked Brazilian

wiss third seed Stan Smid-match Wawrinka overcame a lapse to beat

Tomasz Bellucci 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-6 (7-1) and reach the US Open last 32.

The Australian Open champion looked completely in control after cruising through the opening two sets, and appeared set for a routine victory but the Swiss suddenly found himself in a titanic struggle with both the

Wawrinka

and some spectators. With the tension building and the score locked at 5-5 after the Swiss had broken back in the sixth game, Wawrinka’s mumblings turned to open rage as he screamed at one fan to “shut up man”. The Australian Open champion would, however, quickly regain his composure as the set moved to a tiebreak, which he dominated 7-1. “I was trying to keep the focus you know when you drop your level against Bellucci, it is tough,” Wawrinka said in a courtside interview. “He started to play better and it started to be a really tricky match.”

Maria Sharapova shows title credentials R

ussia Maria Sharapova dis- Overall I felt like in the end I play her title credentials on was in much better shape than Thursday at the US Open, she was and I could have played coming from a set down to another few sets. Mentally that defeat Romania’s Alexandra helped me a lot.” Dulgheru, 4-6, 6-3, 6-2 in a gruelling contest that lasted two hours and 38 minutes. Sharapova’s recent record in three-set matches is remarkable. Her victory over Simona Halep in this summer’s French Open final was the 20th time in a row that she had won a clay-court match that had gone to three sets. Sharapova was well below her best in the opening set against Dulgheru, but eventually outplayed the world No 95 to take her place in the last 32. “She played really well,” Sharapova said afterwards. “Although I started off really well in the first couple of games, I didn’t take the opportunity to go up 3-0. After that she started getting a little bit of a rhythm. “It was difficult. Obviously the conditions were tough. You start in the sun, you finish under the Sharapova lights. It was a very long match.

Injuries frustrate Murray

Murray has Acentndy admitted that reinjuries have left him feeling ‘frustrated’ on the court.

The 27-year-old, who had to undergo surgery on his back last year, struggled with cramp against Robin Haase in the US Open first round Murray on Monday, eventual- to not be able to do ly progressing to the the things that you next round where he want your body to will face Germany’s do and that distracts Matthias Bachinger. you from what you “I think if you should be doing on have a physical is- the court, which is sue that’s hamper- trying to beat your ing you, it’s very opponent, not how easy for that to take you have to move to over your thinking your backhand side when you’re on the or your forehand court,” Sky Sports side or whatever the News quotes Murray issue is.” as saying. Murray won the “It’s frustrating US Open in 2012.

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Outfield players who turned goalkeepers

Friday, August 29, 2014

It was not the first time an outfield player has gone in goal and performed heroics. FIFA.com begins its search into the archives with one of the most famous outfield players of all time, Brazilian Pele.

Koller

Cosmin Moti Steaua were the big favourites to reach the UEFA Champions League and condemn Ludogorets to UEFA Europa League football on Wednesday night. The Bulgarians’ goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov had been sent off deep into extra-time. With no substitutions remaining, defender Cosmin Moti, devoid of experience between the sticks, had taken over the gloves for the impending shootout. First, however, Moti took care of commonplace business, smashing home the opening penalty to put Ludogorets ahead. Then the 29-year-old pulled off the unexpected, saving spot-kicks from Paul Pirvulescu and Cornel Rapa to inspire a 6-5 victory. Moti, a Romania international who spent seven years with Steaua’s arch-enemies Dinamo, couldn’t contain his ecstasy, jumping over the advertising hoarding to celebrate with the equally delirious Ludogorets supporters. Pele While playing for Santos in 1963, Pele stood in for dismissed goalkeeper Gilmar for the final five minutes in a match against Gremio, having already scored a hat-trick. “He wore a black long-sleeved shirt and made some fantastic saves, even managing to keep the scoreline intact,” Pepe, who scored the fourth goal in Santos’ 4-3 win, said. “He was a great goalkeeper – lithe, as if he could fly.”

Terry

Speaking afterwards, he said: “I’ve never been a goalkeeper before apart from for fun in training. Am I a hero? Absolutely not!” Gaucho Gaucho, meanwhile, would probably laugh at the idea of saving just one penalty kick. In a 1988 Campeonato Brasileiro match, the striker replaced keeper Armelino Donizete Quagliato in goal before saving two spot-kicks in the subsequent penalty shootout – and without gloves. In doing so, he led Palmeiras to victory against Zico’s Flamengo.

Felipe Melo In 2012, Felipe Melo proved to be Galatasaray’s saviour, keeping out a stoppagetime penalty against Elazigispor to seal a 1-0 win for his side after goalkeeper Fernando Muslera was shown the red card.

John O’Shea John O’Shea, for his part, even managed to pick up a new nickname for his goalkeeping exploits. During a league match against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2007, Manchester United had already used all three substitutes when goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar broke his nose, forcing the Irish defender to replace him between the sticks. “I’m very proud!” said a beaming O’Shea afterwards, explaining: “I asked Edwin whether he had a clean sheet bonus when we got into the dressing room because I wanted half of it!” Then manager Sir Alex Ferguson christened him “The Cat” for his performance. “I don’t think I’ve ever had that situation as a manager before,” said Ferguson. “It happened once when I was a player and I went in goal. We lost 4-0 but I made two great saves!”

Agustin Pelletieri In Argentina, Racing Club’s central midfielder Agustin Pelletieri also cleared a spot-kick against San Martin de San Juan after their custodian was dismissed, ensuring his side finished 3-1 winners.

John Terry Such incidents are often triggered by nasty injuries. In Chelsea’s Premier League match against Reading in October 2006, Petr Cech sustained a head injury in the opening minute and was stretchered from the pitch. Backup

Niall Quinn Niall Quinn found himself on a similar emotional rollercoaster in April 1991. Having already given Manchester City the lead against Derby County, he was forced to change his shirt and pull on the gloves shortly before half-time when custodian Tony Coton was sent off. It turned out to be an inspired decision as Quinn, to great acclaim, saved a penalty to help secure a 2-1 victory.

Pele

Lehmann’s shirt to deliver one of the best goalkeeping performances by an outfield player ever seen in the Bundesliga. German sports magazine kicker even named the Czech front man in their team of the day – in goal. Melo

keeper Carlo Cudicini filled in for the stricken Cech until stoppage time, when he was also forced to leave the field with an injury. Captain John Terry took his place to see out his side’s 1-0 win without having his goalkeeping skills seriously tested. Michael Tarnat If you think losing two goalkeepers in the same match was a one-off occurrence, think again! In a Bundesliga match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern in September 1999, German shot-stopper Oliver Kahn and his deputy Bernd Dreher both suffered injuries playing for Bayern within seven minutes of one another, forcing midfielder Michael Tarnat to step up to the plate with Munich already 1-0 down. “I went in goal once for the U-13s,” the former German international later revealed. “I was so nervous at the start. If Eintracht had taken any more shots at goal, I would have aged very quickly!” Bayern eventually won the game 2-1. Jan Koller Germany’s record treble-winning side also have experience of facing a team with an outfield player in goal. Borussia Dortmund’s 6ft 7in striker Jan Koller proved to be an insurmountable obstacle for Bayern for 20 minutes in 2002 after then-Dortmund keeper Jens Lehmann was dismissed after his side had made all their substitutions. Koller pulled on

Chris Hedworth Newcastle United fans will have particularly painful memories of their match at West Ham United in April 1986. The Magpies’ usual No1, Martin Thomas, was absent and replacement David McKellar went off at half-time following a hip injury with his side already 4-0 down. Midfielder Chris Hedworth donned the gloves and conceded another goal before breaking his collarbone while making a save. It was left to winger Peter Beardsley to take his place between the posts, but he could do little to prevent an 8-1 rout by West Ham, with Alvin Martin netting a hat-trick against three different goalkeepers. Marius Tresor French footballing legend Alain Giresse can attest that placing outfield players in goal from the start of a match can backfire badly. Girondins Bordeaux’s usual shot-stopper was suspended for their final league match in May 1982, so club president Claude Bez appointed Giresse to replace him. “He told me, ‘You’re the captain, you go in goal’,” the diminutive former French international explained. “I constantly wanted to run out and catch every ball with my hands.” After conceding five goals in an hour, Giresse was replaced by another outfield player, Marius Tresor, who saw out the remainder of the team’s eventual 6-0 defeat. There are countless other examples of players being forced to step into an unfamiliar role, but as we have seen with this small selection, there is invariably a dramatic or strange story behind each one.

World Record

On Marble

Everything is funny, as long as it's happening to somebody else.

– Will Rogers

Sanctity of Truth

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha FRIDAY, AUGUST 29, 2014

Ambati Balamurali Krishna graduated from New York University at the age of 13 and Mount Sinai School of Medicine at age 17, becoming the world's youngest doctor in 1995.

N150

Dora Akunyili: Exit of a national heroine

ollowing the sudden ill-health that took hold of Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili, and her eventual demise on 7th June 2014, the nation was thrown into a spontaneous, nearly unanimous outpouring of uncontrolled grief and mourning. Given the torrents of tributes, the many Nigerians that thronged the different centres, Abuja, Awka and Agulu, to give honour to whom it is due, and pay their last respects to one of the most distinguished Nigerians that ever lived, there is simply no disputation that Nigerians of all tribes, beliefs and faith appreciate her uncommon contributions in Nigerian public service. President Goodluck Jonathan had to cut short his trip to Germany to attend the opening funeral ceremonies at Abuja. Prof. Dora Akunyili was a role model of sorts, a true reference point to what governance should be – service above self as Rotarians are wont to hold. At a time when Nigeria’s public life was, and is still nauseating, Prof. Dora Akunyili stood out as a saint from the heavens. When most of her peers, colleagues in government and others who have had the privilege of being in government (not serving in government) distinguished themselves by “fonfoju akpa” literally meaning personal enrichment at the expense of common good, Prof. Akunyili was not only frugal, but mindful that such appointments are indeed a call to service, as judicious management of public funds under her care was simply exemplary. Prof. Akunyili was an uncommon public servant. Her passion to serve knew no bounds, and her love and commitment to the Nigerian nation was not only legendary, but infectious. Her selfless devotion to the pursuit of the common good was total, and uncompromising. When others shamelessly stole public funds, Prof. Akunyili returned unspent travelling allowance, medical bills to the public till. This is in a country where public officials and their private collaborators have stolen the nation dry, plundered and ransacked the country. Primitive accumulation is the grund norm, as the Nigerian state has since been captured and privatized. Prof. Dora Akunyili’s lifestyle challenges the predilection and propensity of successive ruling elites in Nigeria to criminalise the state, and tear it asunder. The pervasive nature of corruption, its ubiquity makes it compelling that we celebrate the life and times of Prof. Dora Akunyili, the incorruptible intellectual and administrator who gave all she had in defence of personal integrity, honesty, sense of duty and moral values. Dora Akunyili was not only a combination of brain and beauty, but also the courage of a

IvoryGlory Nkemdili Nnonyelu

aunnonyelu@yahoo.co.uk - 08122801926 (sms only)

lioness. Prof. Dora Nkem Akunyili was born into the Edemobi family of Nanka, Orumba North Local Government Area of Anambra State on 14th July 1954 in Makurdi, Benue State. As a very young person, she started showing early in her life what were to be the hallmarks of her adult personality, as she exhibited uncommon brilliance, diligence and confidence, very respectful and pleasant. Despite her intellectual endowments, she was not bumptious, but very humble and unassuming. She had her early education at the bucolic St. Patrick’s Primary School Isuofia coming out with distinction in 1966, and also the West African School Certificate (WASC) with Grade I distinction from the prestigious Queens of the Rosary Secondary School, Nsukka. The superlative performance attracted the attention of the scholarship Boards that promptly awarded her undergraduate scholarship to study pharmacy. In 1978 she obtained her B.Pharm (Hons) from the University of Nigeria (UNN) Nsukka and Ph.D in 1985 from the same university. Prof. Dora Akunyili thereafter became a Post Doctorate fellow of University of London, and a fellow of the West African Post Graduate College of Pharmacy. Her working life was equally no less varied, but intriguing. From 1978 – 1981, Pharmacist Dora Akunyili was at the University of Nigerian Teaching Hospital as a Hospital pharmacist, after which she relocated to the academia proper as a budding Research Fellow in Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UNN 1982 – 1986. Knowing the stuff Dora was made of, it was not long before promotion after promotion, came knocking on her doors, Lecturer I in 1986, Senior Lecturer in 1990, Consultant Pharmacologist in 1996, and full Professor in 2000. Even as a senior lecturer, Dr. Dora Akunyili agreed to serve her Local Government as a Supervisor for Agriculture from 1994 – 1996. Her conduct in those days endeared her to several of her compatriots who were amazed by her work ethics and zero tolerance for any form of illicit deal. She was also the zonal secretary of Petroleum Trust Fund supervising all the projects in the five South Eastern States in South East, Nigeria. But it was Prof. Dora Akunyili’s appoint-

The late Akunyili

ment as the Director General to a hitherto unknown organization the National Food and Drugs Administration Control (NAFDAC) under the Obasanjo Presidency that was the real clincher and game changer. Like everything else in the country, the food and drug control sector was in terrible state, chaotic to put it mildly. Indeed, it is safe to say that there was no regulation whatsoever as fake, adulterated food and drugs circulated unobstructedly causing millions of deaths among unsuspecting users. The South East, Prof. Dora’s ethnic base was notorious in the manufacture and circulation of these substandard products. With determined single mindedness of purpose, Prof. Dora at great risk to her life confronted this menace, battled the unscrupulous drug barons with bare hands and came out victorious. She was threatened severally with kidnap, assassination, even attacked by gun men who missed her by the whiskers, yet she remained unfazed and undeterred. She enthroned in NAFDAC a culture of probity, integrity, accountability, honesty, and trust, that Nigerians would not touch anything that does not have a NAFDAC number. Her work in NAFDAC was a complete paradigm shift, as it was revolutionary. A true patriot and nationalist, Prof. Dora Akunyili rejected this unpardonable behaviour from this bunch of murderers, and caused them through well developed institutional counter measures to flee and abandon their trade. Much of the credit in whatever successes we have seen

in the Health Sector should go to Prof. Dora Akunyili. The unprecedented achievement in NAFDAC led the late President Umaru Yar’Adua to appoint Prof. Dora Akunyili as the Minister of Information. Immediately, in her characteristic manner, she set out to rebrand the country, coming up with the slogan Nigeria: good people! great nation. She tried to showcase the immensity of resources and talents that abound in the country, and even amidst the cynical pessimism, there is hope and cause to celebrate Nigeria. A true detribalized Nigerian whose belief in the potentials of the nation led her to deconstruct the negative narratives that have come to signpost Nigeria. Professor Dora Akunyili believed in Nigeria, and was ready to lay down her life in defence of the nation. While the ship of state was sliding irredeemably in the twilight of Yar’adua’s administration, Dora came out stoutly in defence of the doctrine of necessity that saw President Jonathan’s emergence. Even while she battled cancer, she still, in obedience to the clarion call to duty, appeared at the last constitutional conference among the distinguished delegates representing Anambra state. The exit of this Amazon mandates us to carry out a critical introspection, and dissect the imperishable values that embodied and personified the character of Prof. Akunyili, and the disconnect, or wide gap between Dora’s values and the perverted societal values. What legacies has she left for this country. Aren’t there things we can take home in Prof. Dora’s life as individuals, and as a nation, particularly those in public office that have ensured Nigeria’s underdevelopment.

OMOBABA

CAMEROUN DECLARES WAR ON BOKO HARAM, KILLS 27 INSURGENTS – News

– No TACTICAL RETREAT!

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