Binder1 july 30,2014

Sanctity of Truth Facebook.com/newtelegraph

Thursday, July 31, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 163

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

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Oando finalises $1.5bn Conocophillips’ assets purchase Adeola Yusuf

O

ando Energy Resources (OER) Incorporated yesterday announced the completion of its acquisition of the Nigerian upstream oil

and gas business of ConocoPhillips for a total cash consideration of $1.5 billion, to emerge the largest indigenous oil and gas producer in Nigeria.

The company, which focused on oil and gas

exploration and production in Nigeria, said in a statement that the transaction was done after customary adjustments plus a deferred consideration of $33 million.

Upon completion of

the transaction, OER will be positioned as one of the leading exploration and production (E&P) players in the Nigerian oil and gas sector, as measured by end-2013 Proved plus Probable Reserves

of 230.6 million barrels of oil equivalent (Mboe), Best Estimate Contingent Resources of 536.8 MMboe, Unrisked Best Prospective Resources of 2,051.8 MMboe and H1, 2014 production of 44,512

boe/d, all gross to OER. “The transaction was financed with an approximate 50/50 debt-equity ratio. Half of the deferred consideration of $33 million is due six months afCONTINUED ON PAGE 3

10-year-old female suicide bomber arrested

lAnother female bomber kills six at Kano poly lFG set to raise $500m for terror victims lCameroun sacks army officers over Boko Haram Emmanuel Onani, Anule Emmanuel, Muhammad Kabir and Ibrahim Abdul

F

rom using females as terror vehicles to deliver its suicidal attacks with fatal consequences, the outlawed Boko Haram terror group has now evolved another strategy with the use of minors to

kill innocent people.

Security agents discovered the new terror strategy of Boko Haram when they arrested a group of suspected Boko Haram members, including a 10-year-old girl strapped with an explosive belt, in Katsina on Tuesday.

National Information Centre (NIC) Coordina-

tor, Mr. Another female bomber kills six at Kano poly Mike Omeri, told reporters at a news conference yesterday in Abuja that security operatives had stopped a car in which one male and two girls, were travelling.

However, while the male and the other girl,

aged 18, tried to flee, it was discovered that the 10-year-old girl was strapped with an explosive belt.

Omeri who also confirmed that six students were killed when another female suicide bomber struck at the Kano State Polytechnic, Kano, yes-

terday, gave the names of the three suspects arrested in Katsina as Iliya Dahiru and Zainab Musa, 18, while identifying the minor as Hadiza Musa.

He said security agents during a search on the suspects found out that the minor was

strapped a bomb under her dress.

He spoke just as Kano witnessed another suicidal attack from a suspected female member of Boko Haram.

Yesterday’s attack on Kano Polytechnic students who were searchCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

Nasarawa Assembly orders CJ to reconstitute panel to probe Al-Makura Cheke Emmanuel LAFIA

T

he Nasarawa State House of Assembly yesterday directed the state Chief Judge, Justice Suleiman Dikko, to dissolve and reconstitute the sevenman panel he set up to investigate the 16 allegations levelled against the Governor, Alhaji Umaru Al-Makura.

The lawmakers, after

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a sitting in Lafia during which they discussed the ongoing attempt to impeach the governor, said Justice Dikko should reconstitute the probe panel because the one he raised earlier failed to meet the constitutional requirement as membership included some card-carrying members of political parties.

Yesterday’s order came amid a fresh outbreak of violence during which some youths burned down one of the official cars belonging to a lawmaker, Ibrahim Muluku, representing Nasarawa Eggon East constituency at the state House of Assembly.

It was gathered that the lawmakers, who had reloCONTINUED ON PAGE 2

L-R: Comptroller General, Nigeria Immigration Service, David Shikfu Paradang; Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro and President Goodluck Jonathan, at the launch of the new 64-page Nigerian passport in Abuja…yesterday.

PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Edo Assembly declares defector’s seat vacant

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Another female bomber kills six at Kano poly CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ing for their call-up letters to participate in the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) was the fourth in about three days carried out by female terrorists.

It was gathered that the female suicide bomber had struck at about 2.30pm as students were scrambling to see the posting list.

The police which put the age of the bomber at about 18 years, said she died instantly after exploding her vest, killing six people while seven other students who were injured had been rushed to hospitals for treatment.

New Telegraph learnt that the target of the bomber was to penetrate inside the polytechnic where she could inflict maximum damage but she could not due to tight security at the gates.

The area attacked by the suicide bomber was the central administration block of the polytechnic, which is located in an isolated part of the campus.

The state police command spokesman, Magaji Musa, said the deployed Anti-Bomb Squad had been deployed in the place to swept the cam-

pus.

However, in a bid to curtail the growing spate of female suicide bomb attacks in the North, the Federal Government yesterday announced plans to deploy more female security operatives for “stop and search” purposes.

The move will facilitate easy detection of explosive devices, that potential female suicide bombers may hide under their dresses (hijab).

Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Frank Mba, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), told reporters at the NIC press briefing that security operatives were doing all they could to check the rising spate of female suicidal attacks.

While acknowledging that the phenomenon was new in Nigeria, he however, assured the people that there will be an “increased” deployment of female anti-bomb disposal officers from the police and the Department of State Service (DSS) and the military to conduct stop-and-check

operations.

According to Mba, suspected terrorists are resorting to the use of female suicide bombers for their operations because “women generally raise less suspicion.”

“We are developing counter-terrorism measures to combat the new trend of female bombers.

“You will begin to see increased number of female bomb disposal officials from the police, DSS and the military, to carry out stop-and-search operations,” he said.

Also yesterday, President Goodluck Jonathan met separately with the Secretary General of the Commonwealth, Mr. Kamalesh Sharma and the Executive Director of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), Prof.

Babatunde Osotimehin during which they discussed efforts at rescuing over 200 girls abducted from Chibok, Borno State

by Boko Haram.

A statement by presidential spokesman, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Jonathan reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to doing all it

could to help victims of terrorism rebuild their lives and communities.

The president said he expected the private sector and friends of the country in the international community to donate generously to the Victims’ Support Funds, which will be formally launched today to provide more relief and succour for terror victims.

According to the president, Nigeria will over a 12-month period, raised about $500 million to further alleviate the sufferings of terror victims.

Meanwhile, fear of an imminent attack has forced residents of border communities in Adamawa States, especially those from Garkida in Gombi Local Government Area, to flee their homes.

Their fear was heightened by weekend’s attack on the communities by gunmen suspected to be members of Boko Haram who killed four soldiers and three civilians.

The fleeing residents said the only option for them in the wake of another threat by the Boko

Haram insurgents was to flee the town in view of the fact that even soldiers deployed to secure the area were being killed with impunity by the gunmen.

A fleeing resident Mrs. Na’omi David said since last Sunday’s attack, they had been living in perpetual fear as the insurgents promised to launch another attack soon.

In another development, Cameroun’s President Paul Biya has sacked two senior army officers at the forefront of the battle against Boko Haram.

State radio did not give reasons for the dismissal of Col Youssa Gedeon and Lt-Col Justin Ngonga.

The decision, according to a report by BBC, probably reflects Biya’s growing concern about the Boko Haram threat.

On Sunday, the deputy prime minister’s wife was abducted by suspected militants.

She was abducted in the northern town of Kolofata, along with her maid, a religious leader and the local mayor.

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Nasarawa Assembly orders CJ to reconstitute panel to probe Al-Makura CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

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L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Governor Kayode Fayemi; and Speaker, Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin, during the signing of the Local Council Development Area (LCDA) Bill into law, in Ado-Ekiti...yesterday.

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cated to Abuja since they initiated the impeachment proceedings against AlMakura, arrived in Lafia at about 3am for plenary.

They were said to have begun sitting at 10am and resolved that the state chief judge should dissolve the panel that was constituted last Friday to investigate Al-Makura.

The Chairman, House

Committee on Information and Security, Baba Ibaku, said the lawmakers issued the order to Justice Dikko to reconstitute the probe panel because it was discovered that some committee members were politicians.

There was also resurgence of violence in the state as youths marched on the street following information that the law-

makers were going to sit yesterday.

However, during their protest, they destroyed Muluku’s car, which infuriated another group of youths who were set for a reprisal.

Sources said it took the intervention of the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Idris Ibrahim, to restore order.

The state Police Public

Relations Officer (PPRO), Umaru Ismaila, confirmed the incident.

Muluku who also confirmed the incident told reporters in a telephone interview that his car was razed while it was being driven by his younger brother.

He added that the youths had attacked the car because they thought he was inside it.

FLIGHT SCHEDULE FIRST NATION AIRWAYS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06.50; 09:30; 11:45; 16:00 (SAT) 06:50; 11:45 (SUN) 11:45; 16:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 11:30; 13:40;18:30 (SAT) 09:00; 13:40 (SUN) 13:40; 18:30 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 14:45 (SAT) 16:15 (SUN) 14:45 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:50 (SAT) 18:20 (SUN) 16:50 AEROCONTRACTORS LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 06:50; 13:30; 16:30; 19:45 (SAT/SUN) 12:30; 16:45 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 13:00; 19:00 (SAT) 12:30 (SUN) 15:30 MEDVIEW AIRLINES LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:50; 12:00; 15:30 (SAT) 10:00; 15:00 (SUN) 17:30; 18:30 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 09:00; 14:00, 15:00; 18:30 OVERLAND AIRWAYS LAGOS-ILORIN (MON-FRI) 07:15 LAGOS-IBADAN (MON-FRI) 7:00 IBADAN-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:00 IBADAN-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 16:30 ILORIN –ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30 ILORIN –LAGOS (MON-FRI) 17:00 ABUJA-ASABA (MON-FRI) 10:00 ASABA-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 14:15 ASABA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 11:30 LAGOS-ASABA (MON-FRI) 13:00 ABUJA-ILORIN 16:00 ABUJA-IBADAN 15:00 ARIK AIR LAGOS-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 07:00; 08:00; 09:00; 11:00 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 ABUJA-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00; 20:00 (SAT) 07:00; 09:00; 11:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 (SUN) 09:00; 13:00; 15:00; 17:00; 19:00 LAGOS-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 07:00; 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 (SAT) 07:00; 11:00; 15:00 (SUN) 09:30; 11:00; 13:30; 15:00; 17:30 PORT-HARCOURT-LAGOS (MON-FRI) 07:30; 09:00; 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 (SAT) 07:30; 11:30; 09:00; 13:00; 17:00 (SUN) 11:30; 13:00; 15:30; 17:00 ABUJA-PORT-HARCOURT (MON-FRI) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30; 16:50 (SAT/SUN) 06:45; 10:10; 13:30 PORT-HARCOURT-ABUJA (MON-FRI) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10; 18:30 (SAT/SUN) 08:30; 11:50; 15:10

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Edo Assembly declares defector’s seat vacant

lIt’s laughable, says affected lawmaker Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

T

he crisis rocking the Edo State House of assembly assumed a new dimension yesterday as the legislature declared vacant the seat of Abdulrazak Momoh, representing Etsako West 1 constituency.

The Speaker, Uyi Igbe, at a plenary sitting in Benin attended by lawmakers elected on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) said Momoh’s seat was declared vacant because he defected from the APC, on whose platform he was elected, to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) without following due process.

According to Igbe, section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution empowers the speaker to declare the seat of a lawmaker vacant upon his or her defection to another party from the party on

whose platform he was elected.

Section 109 (1) (g) of the 1999 Constitution reads: “Being a person whose election to the House of Assembly was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another political party before the expiration of the period for which that House was elected, provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored...”

The Assembly called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a bye-election in the constituency to fill the vacant position within 90 days.

But Momoh in a swift reaction described the

Jonathan launches 64-page passport Anule Emmanuel

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan yesterday launched a new passport booklet, which has 64 pages as against the former with 32 pages.

The new passport which comes with additional security features is targeted at capturing the special needs of frequent travellers.

However, it will exist along with the 32-page passport and both will have the same expiry dates.

Jonathan, at the launch of the passport shortly before the commencement of the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja, said if the country’s passport could be faked by criminals then Nigeria is in trouble.

The president explained that it was important for the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) to improve the training of its officers for better handling of visitors since the county’s airports are the nation’s gate way.

“What affects every traveller is how efficient and committed our immigration officers work at our airports.

“How they handle visi-

tors matters so much, if they conduct themselves poorly, it reflects on all of us, so their conduct at the airports are key besides the passport. The issue of the image of the country is what we will all work for, both people in government, the media and civil society.

“I want a situation that whenever you travel to another country and you raise your green passport, people will appreciate you and not when you raise your green passport people will begin to think that that green passport signifies some suspicious character,” he stated.

According to him those who rubbish Nigeria’s image are not doing any good to Nigeria.

In his remarks, Minister of Interior, Mr. Abba Moro, said Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora could obtain their passports across several issuing centres in Nigeria and in 27 missions abroad.

Moro said the launch of the new passport was part of the ongoing exercise aimed at entrenching seamless service delivery to Nigerians wherever they are found.

The 64-booklet passport will cost N20, 000 to obtain but it is optional.

action as laughable.

He said the move was to truncate the legal action instituted against

the APC legislators for forging his signature.

“The court restrained them (APC lawmakers)

from suspending and declaring my seat vacant.

It is already a known fact that they don’t obey court orders. What they have done today in Gov-

ernment House is null and void because the Government House is not the designated place for legislative activities,” he added.

L-R: Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu; Minister of State for Works, Mr. Bashir Yuguda and Cordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting in Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

Oando finalises $1.5bn Conocophillips’ assets purchase CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

ter closing with the balance due 12 months after closing.

“The transaction is immediately cash generative and will contribute significantly to the cash flows of the company,” the statement added.

The transaction entails the acquisition of ConocoPhillips’ Nigerian oil and gas businesses consisting of the onshore business. These are Phillips Oil Company Nigeria Limited (“POCNL”), which holds a 20 per cent non-operating interest in Oil Mining Leases (“OMLs”) 60, 61, 62, and 63 as well as related infrastructure and facilities in the Nigerian Agip Oil Company Limited (“NAOC”) Joint Venture (“NAOC JV”). The other coventurers are the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (“NNPC”) with a 60 per cent interest and NAOC (20 per cent and operator).

For the offshore business, the statement said Oando had Conoco Exploration and Production Nigeria Limited (“CEPNL”), which holds a 95 per cent per cent operating interest in OML 131 located 70 km offshore in water depths of 500m to 1,200m and Phillips Deepwater Exploration Nigeria Limited (“PDENL”), which holds a 20 per cent

non-operating interest in Oil Prospecting Licence (“OPL”) 214 located 110 km offshore in water depths of 800m to 1,800m.

“The other coventurers are ExxonMobil (20 per cent and operator), Chevron (20 per cent), Svenska (20 per cent), Nigerian Petroleum Development Company (15 per cent) and Sasol (5 per cent).

In June, Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, had approved the conversion of OPL 214 to OML 145 for an initial period of 20 years, the company said.

Through the transaction, OER will indirectly own all of the issued share capital of POCNL, CEPNL and PDENL. The effective date of the transaction is January 1, 2012.

In connection with the transaction, OER said it retained The Petroleum and Renewable Energy Company Limited (“Petrenel”) as independent reserves.

The company added that Independent Reserves Report has an effective date of December 31, 2013 and has been prepared in accordance with National Instrument 51101 standards and the guidelines set out in the Canadian Oil and Gas Evaluation Handbook.

According to the state-

ment, the total reserves and resources associated with the transaction are Proved plus Probable Reserves of 211.6 million barrels oil equivalent (“MMboe”); Best Estimate Contingent Resources of 498.6 MMboe; Unrisked Best Prospective Resources of 656.9 MMboe.

“A 20 per cent working interest in the NAOC JV, which includes 40 discovered oil and gas fields, of which 24 are currently producing, approximately 40 identified prospects and leads, 12 production stations, approximately 1,490 km of pipelines, three gas processing plants, the Brass River Oil Terminal, the Kwale-Okpai 480 MW combined cycle gas-fired power plant (“Kwale-Okpai IPP”), and associated infrastructure.

“OER’s sales production from the onshore assets averaged 36,494 barrels of oil equivalent per day (“boe/d”) in 2013 and 39,266 boe/d in H1 2014.

“The onshore assets contain 211.6 MMboe of Proved plus Probable Reserves, 217.0 MMboe of Best Estimate Contingent Resources and 333.6 MMboe of Unrisked Best Prospective Resources, gross to OER,” it said.

Commenting on the transaction, Chairman, OER, Mr. Wale Tinubu,

said the company was privileged to play a pivotal role in its consolidation, growth and development of the Nigeria’s multi-billion dollars oil and gas industry.

“We believe in the significant potential that the Nigerian oil and gas industry holds and are privileged to play a pivotal role in its consolidation, growth and development.

We will continue to seek strategic opportunities that provide a platform for enhanced growth and value creation for our stakeholders,” he stated.

CEO, OER, Pade Durotoye, corroborated Tinubu’s view, saying the company has experience and technical expertise necessary to unlock the value of the assets for its shareholders. “This transaction represents a transformational leap forward for our company and is in keeping with our overall strategy to grow our portfolio of Nigerian-based assets by focusing on those opportunities that deliver high quality growth in reserves and production.

“Our management team is familiar with these assets and possesses the managerial experience and technical expertise necessary to unlock their value for our shareholders,” he stated.

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Nyako dismisses allegation of misappropriating N82bn Ibrahim Abdul Yola

F

ormer Adamawa State Governor, Alhaji Murtala Nyako, has described as ridiculous, a claim that he incurred a liability of N82 billion for

the state, saying the development is the desperation of the new government to come up with phantom allegations as a last resort to nail him at all cost.

The former governor in a statement yesterday in Yola by his Director,

Press and Publicity, Alhaji Ahmad I. Sajoh, said the allegation made on Tuesday by the state acting Governor, Alhaji Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, was baseless.

Fintiri, in a state broadcast, had accused Nyako of recklessness in the way he

handled public funds, adding that government will set up a judicial commission of inquiry to probe him.

Reacting, the statement said: “To say Murtala Nyako left a liability of N82 billion is to say the least

L-R: National Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun; Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, John Cardinal Onaiyekan; APC Deputy National Chairman (North), Senator Shuaib Lawan and the party’s National Treasurer, Bala Mohammed Gwagwarwa, during a visit to the archbishop in Abuja…yesterday.

ridiculous. How much did the state get as income over the period? It is not even half of the amount quoted. What role did the state House of Assembly play in accumulating such a huge debt profile? How much alarm was ever raised by the House of Assembly through oversight functions and budgetary process all these years? The 2012 budget of Adamawa State was presented to the House of Assembly and nowhere was such an alarm raised as to the absence of projects or a litany of liabilities.”

On the plan to probe him, the governor said he was not expecting an honest probe, but cautioned that there is the ultimate judgment of God. “We know they have equally done the same with the socalled probe. We do not expect an honest inquiry so we are not worried about the likely unjust outcome.

But like we said earlier, there are three judgments to which we all will be subjected to. There is the judgment of man, there is the

L-R: Chairman, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ogun State chapter, Reverend Timothy Ajibola; Secretary General, Inter Religious Council (IREC), Ogun State Chapter, Imam T. Adewunmi; the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ikemefuna Okoye; Chairman, IREC, Bishop J. Akinsanya and a representative of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Ogun State, Sheik A. Mayaleeke, after a security meeting in Abeokuta...yesterday

judgment of history and the ultimate judgment of God Almighty.

“Those who are power drunk had always passed judgment on men which was upturned by history and by God. Former President (Olusegun) Obasanjo was judged wrongly by powerful men but vindicated by history and ultimately by God who made him president over his traducers. Ayo Fayose was at one time impeached and maligned. Today he is a governor-elect. There are several similar cases in the history of mankind. Conversely, powerful people who wield unwholesome power had been humbled by history and God who holds the ultimate power.

We do not expect a different outcome in this case,” he added.

The sacked governor also described as a coup his ouster from power.

He said: “The framers of the 1999 Constitution did not foresee that the provisions of the document will be abused in the manner of a coup d’état as was done in the illegal impeachment of Governor Nyako. And like coupists, the perpetrators of the act have adopted the same modality of reeling out false and bogus figures, forcible removal of bonafide officeholders and intimidating those who refuse to succumb to their strong arm tactics.

“We are convinced that the amount mentioned and the planned probe are part of the script written with the intention of justifying the illegalities involved in the impeachment process and to also maligned Governor Murtala Nyako as well as set the public against him. They believe their legitimacy depends entirely on discrediting Nyako.’’

Ebola: Ogun puts health workers in border areas on red alert Kunle Olayeni

O

gun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun, has put all health and other relevant officials in the border areas of the state on red alert to forestall the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

He also appealed to doctors to end the lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by mem-

bers of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) barely a month ago.

Amosun, at the Annual General Meeting of the NMA, Ogun State chapter in Abeokuta yesterday, lamented the rate at which human lives are being lost daily due to the strike.

“We are terribly exposed because we have numerous border towns in our state. All the

health officials and other government agents in border areas have been put on red alert to work assiduously to curtail the infiltration of the deadly Ebola virus.

“It is true that the environment is not the way our doctors want but I want to appeal to them to try as much as possible to avoid strike because their service is more of service to hu-

manity.

“I’m happy to know that this strike is not about your remuneration but a clamour for facilities that will enhance your performance. Let’s endeavour to strike a balance on issues that brought about this strike for the sake of the lives we are losing daily nationwide,” he said.

The governor, who also inaugurated a sec-

retariat of the association, assured the people that his administration would remain committed to creating an enabling environment for business in the state.

“We are making efforts to nurture our agriculture to achieve our industrialisation dream and encourage public private partnership in our economic drive,” he added.

The state NMA Chairman, Dr. Edward Jagun, commended Amosun for the health insurance system of his administration because it will help to achieve better universal health coverage.

He thanked the governor for giving a facelift to the state within three years of his administration, praying God to continue to guide him in his pursuits.

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Thursday, July 31, 2014

5

Zaria killings: DHQ exonerates soldiers Ibraheem Musa

Kaduna

he Defence HeadquarTunprovoked ters has said that the attack by

members of the Muslim brotherhood may have prompted retaliatory attacks which killed several people in Zaria last Friday.

Major General Chris Olukolade, the Spokesperson of the Defence Headquarters, made this known to journalists yesterday after attending the Speech and Prize Giving Day of the Nigerian Military School, Zaria yesterday.

According to him, military personnel are not murderers but

people who are out to protect Nigerians. ‘’In this particular instance, the preliminary understanding we have is that, the thing was engineered and unfortunately it resulted to what it did,’’ he added.

The Defence spokesman said that investigations are on going to “establish why anybody would dare, if it is true, to be shooting at soldiers.’’

Olukolade further said that the shooting “has implications and it is very unfortunate. But we would ensure that it did not. Let nobody under any guise try to get the security into unnecessary problem with the populace.”

Reps raise the alarm over illegal deal by Korean company Philip Nyam

Abuja

he House of RepreTraised sentatives yesterday an alarm over al-

leged illegal operations of Hyundai Heavy Industries Company Nigeria Limited, which is alleged to be executing pipeline contracts in the country worth $7 billion with no investment to show in Nigeria.

Chairman of the House committee on local content, Hon Asita Honourable (APC, Rivers) who disclosed this after an investigative session with the company, expressed concerns that out of 182 staff in the company, only 10 were Nigerians.

He said the committee also discovered that the Korean expatriate working in the company were in the country without relevant work permits and advised the Federal Government to repatriate them immediately.

The House committee on local content, which engaged the management of Hyundia Heavy Industries Co. Nig. Limited in an interactive session, yesterday, expressed concerns over the monumental fraud going on in company.

According to Honourable, the company had been summoned several times over allegations of illegal operations. He said, "We have had several interactions and we agree that the company is not fit to operate in Nigeria. The company was however given opportunity to prove that they are competent to operate in Nigeria; that the company should show that they are fit.

"The chairman expressed worries that the company had to bring from Korea, painters, pipe fitters, wielders and labour assistants to work when Nigerians are here begging for jobs."

Jonathan launches special terror fund today Anule Emmanuel

resident Goodluck Jonathan will today launch the Victims Support Fund (VSF) to take care of Nigerians affected by terror attacks in the country.

Minister of Information, Labaran Maku, who briefed State House Correspondents after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting, said the President will launch it at a special fund raising dinner at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, had

P

briefed council on preparation for the launching.

President Jonathan on July 14 constituted a Committee on Victims Support Fund chaired by General (rtd) Theophilus Danjuma to mobilise resources and administer appropriate support to victims of insurgency and Boko Haram terror activities all over the country.

According to Maku, President Jonathan has urged Nigerians to contribute to the fund in every little way they can.

Maku noted that government would also provide some money from fund to support the Save School Initiative.

L–R: Secretary, Akwa Ibom Professionals in Lagos, Mr. Aniekan Ukpanah; President, Mr. Udeme Ufot; member, Mr. Udom Imoyo; Akwa Ibom State Governor, Chief Godswill Akpabio; members, Mr. Richard Esin; Mrs. Dorothy Ufot and Mr. Paul Usoro, during a courtesy call by the association to the governor in Uyo...recently

Don't handle Ebola victims' case, FG, LASG tell churches, healers ...Ogun secures boarders MIRACLES

Ebola is not yet ripe for miracles. That is what government thinks.

So churches should not start undue advertisement Muritala Ayinla, Appolonia Adeyemi and Kunle Olayeni

s Ebola Virus continues to wreak havoc in West African countries, killing almost all the victims, the Federal and Lagos State Government have warned churches and healing homes that specialise in miracles to hand over patients suspected to have the disease to avert spread of the deadly epidemic.

The warning was following intelligence report that several people with serious ailments, from African countries had flocked some churches and other miracle centres in Lagos to get healing for their ailment.

A

The government said some of the affected people with EVD in neighbouring countries might want to come to Lagos, Nigeria where there were many healing houses that claim to have cure for diseases to get healing.

The deadly diseases had killed hundreds of people, mostly healthcare workers in Liberia and Sierra Leone.

The government said no proven evidence of healing Ebola Virus victim through a miracle had been reported, urging owners of miracle churches and healing homes to stay clear of Ebola victims, should they find anyone around them.

They said such warning became necessary following claims by some churches and traditional healers that they possess healing power to heal the victim through miracle.

They described the attempt as dangerous and capable of spreading the deadly diseases in the country.

Speaking at a press briefing in Lagos, Professor Abdulsalami Nasidi of the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control, (NCDC) said such healing houses and churches should be warned as they could be used to spread the deadly virus all in the name of trying to heal victims of the disease.

Nasidi appealed to healing houses or miracle centres that have patients with symptoms of EVD to quickly report such to the government for immediate action to curtail any possibility of spreading the disease.

He explained that some victims in the region where EVD had killed many people, had flocked to healing houses for cure, but ended up spreading the virus, with the supposed healers contracting the deadly virus.

Barely seven days after Mr. Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian died in a private hospital in Lagos, one of the personnel who helped

him out of the aircraft on his arrival in Lagos, has shown signs of the Ebola Virus Disease (EVD).

The fellow, who has not yet been named, is said to be among the 59 person the Federal Government and the Lagos State government had registered to have had contact with the late Sawyer immediately on his arrival in Nigeria on Sunday July 20. Early symptoms of EVD include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, headache, and joint pains.

But the Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has said that all health and other relevant officials in the border areas of the state have been put on red alert to forestall the spread of the deadly Ebola virus.

He also appealed to doctors to an end the lingering nationwide strike embarked upon by members of Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) barely a month ago.

Group calls for probe of N1trn aviation revenue Wole Shadare

viation experts, under the aegis of Aviation Round Table (ART) have called for an investigation into the over N1 trillion that accrued to the sector in the past two years. They alleged that the projects executed in the sector were not commensurate with the enormous revenue generated.

A

This is coming as the group disclosed that Nigerian airlines would continue to go under less than ten years after operations, noting that a situation where airlines charge N8, 000 for an hour trip was not sustainable.

They called on the Nigeria Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) to undertake financial audit of Nigerian carriers, saying

for airlines to charge N8, 000, “They must be cutting corners on maintenance”.

The ART is a pressure group made up some of the best hands in the sector which disciple cuts across air traffic controllers, aviation security experts, aircraft engineers, aircraft pilots, meteorologists and other essential services.

Some of the members, who attended the brief-

ing, were chief executive officer of Aeroconsult, Babatunde Obadofin; President, ART, Captain Dele Ore; former Airspace Manager, Sam Akerele and former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd) among others. They stated that within the period, $500 million was given by Chinese government.

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Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

380,000

Union locks out LASU staff Kayode Olanrewaju dministrative funcAUniversity tions of the Lagos State (LASU), Ojo,

Lagos were yesterday disrupted when the university senior workers, under the auspices of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), locked some key and sensitive offices at the university.

Due to the disruption, the pre-convocation press conference earlier scheduled to hold at the university Senate Chamber did not hold until about 1.40pm at the Vice-Chancellor's Office.

The Office of the ViceChancellor and classrooms were not locked by SSANU, which said the strike had become necessary in view of the university management's insensitivity to their well-being.

The Chairman of the union, Mr. Saheed Oseni, vowed that the union, which was holding its congress, would not suspend the action until the university addressed their demands.

SSANU's major grouse, according to its Chairman, include unresolved nonpromotion of members of the union, which he

pointed out was part of the agreements reached with the management that had not been totally resolved over the last one year.

"The issue of unresolved non-promotion of the workers, which has been on for over a year should be addressed before there could be real industrial harmony in the institution, Oseni said, adding that the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has similar demands, but similar demands which has been resolved in isolation by the Governing Council, without that of SSANU. The Chairman said: "All the unions in the system complement one another and there is the need for the management to treat us so. We are holding our congress as you can see and we want a commitment from the Council to resolve the issue before we will suspend the strike. It is not our plan to disrupt the forthcoming convocation ceremonies, but it is now incumbent on the university management to resolve the issues at hand to give peace a chance as our members' well-being is paramount to the union."

Yakubu visits Bonny LNG he Group Managing Di- enue from gas as from oil, TNational rector of the Nigerian NLNG starting out with a Petroleum Cor- base project of only two

The total men population of Guyana in 2012.

Source: Un.org

445

The number of refugees and people in refugee-like situation of El Salvador assisted by UNHCR at the beginning of 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

L-R: Deputy Business Editor, New Telegraph Newspaper, Mr. Simeon Ogogbulem; Deputy Editor, Mr. Louis Achi; Sales Manager, KIA Motors, Abuja Branch, Mr. Emmanuel Emele and CCU Manager, KIA Motors, Princess Ezeokoli Sandra, during a condolence visit to New Telegraph office, in Abuja… yesterday.

PHOTO: ELIJAH OLALUYI

ACF frowns on solidarity rally for Jonathan Ibraheem Musa KADUNA

T

he Arewa Consultative Forum(ACF) has described the rally organized by Niger Delta Youth in solidarity with President Goodluck Jonathan which is billed to hold today as ill timed and ill advised.

ACF made this known in a statement signed by Alhaji Muhammad Ibra-

him, National Publicity Secretary, yesterday.

The forum said that considering the insecurity in the country and the spate of bomb blasts, which claimed many lives in the north, the rally disregards the feelings of Nigerians that are affected by insecurity.

The statement pointed out that ACF was not against any peaceful rally or solidarity march by

any group of persons in support of Mr. President or any cause.

However, it added that ‘’the Mass movement of Nigerians from another part of the country to Abuja at this material time, may likely cause security breaches and possibly be hijacked by hoodlums to cause havoc, including likely destruction of lives and property.’’

poration ( NNPC), Engineer Andrew Yakubu, has visited the six-train plant complex of the Liquefied Natural Gas on Bonny Island, Rivers State.

Yakubu was received

by Mr. Isa Mohammed Inuwa, the Deputy Managing Director, NLNG and other members of the company's senior management team. According to Inuwa, " Engr. Yakubu's visit to NLNG , the first of its kind by a sitting NNPC Group Managing Director, was a privilege and demonstrated his rare commitment to success and development by a key stakeholder."

Chima Isilebo, General Manager, Production, NLNG, gave an overview of the NLNG's production performance as well as challenges it is facing in the global LNG market. He highlighted the fact that, " In line with the Federal Government's vision of generating as much rev-

trains with a capacity for about six metric tonnes of LNG per annum now produces 22million metric tonnes of LNG with progressive plans for a seventh train, expected to raise production to about 30million tonnes.

NLNG has successfully pioneered gas monetization and is currently the 4th largest supplier of LNG in the world, making it a large-scale LNG plant by world standards.

NLNG used to be the 3rd largest supplier but it is gradually losing the market to international competitors who have continued to expand their businesses. It is therefore imperative that NLNG increases its production in order not to lose more market share."

Speaking after a guided tour to the plant Yakubu expressed satisfaction at the significant contributions of NLNG to Nigeria's economy and global reputation as a reliable energy supplier.

Tunde Oyesina

Ahamba joins Imo PDP governorship race

ABUJA

F

oremost Constitutional Lawyer and delegate to the National Conference, Chief Mike Ahamba, SAN, yesterday declared his inten-

tion to contest the governorship election of Imo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. The learned silk, who decamped from the de-

220,000

The total number of internet users in Reunion in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

PLANNING

Akabueze harps on job creation, poverty eradication in 2015 Muritala Ayinla

T

he Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, yesterday said that the state government is aiming to achieve a zero deficit budget for the Year 2015 budget.

The Commissioner, who disclosed this during the 6th Budget Consultative Forum, held at Adeyemi Bero Hall of the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, said the budget will maintain about the same level just like the year 2014 budget size.

Akabueze listed other key strategies of the budget to include; tilting capital investment funds towards government key

funct Congress for Progressive Change CPC, said his intention to contest was arrived at after due consultation with family, friends, party leaders, members, and well

‘’In view of this, ACF wishes to advise the authorities concerned to ensure that such solidarity demonstrations are properly guided to avoid any likely security breaches. ‘’ACF equally appeals to the demonstrators to exercise caution and restraint in their utterances and actions in order not to insult the sensibilities of other Nigerians."

Lagos to sustain zero deficit budget in 2015 priority areas of power, Agriculture, transportation and Housing; fasttracking job creation and poverty eradication as well as maintaining capital to recurrent ration within acceptable range of 60-50 of 40-50.

The Commissioner stressed that the year 2015 budget outlook for the state projected annual growth rate of 10 per cent estimated to put the state GDP at over N19.992trillion by year 2016.

He explained that the projected budget is targeted to entrench sustainable government expenditure through the adoption of realistic growth targets in internally generated revenues such as taxes and non tax revenue.

He said: "Economic affairs have the highest projected budget

wishers in Imo State and across the country.

The position of Ahamba was contained in release he personally signed and made available to New Telegraph in

estimate of 30 per cent against 32.40 per cent in year 2014 because of the infrastructural development component, while social protection has the lowest estimate of 0.40 per cent against 0.50 per cent in year 2014 budget".

The Commissioner pointed out that the percentage allocated to function groups reflects government priorities areas, explaining that the general public service group is trending down due to deliberate efforts to reduce the cost of running government.

Akabueze said the implementation of the suggestions and observation of the stakeholders in the previous stakeholders’ fora, was a clear demonstrations of the state government's belief in participatory governance.

He noted that the

Abuja.

"I have, in humility, commitment to patriotic service, and desire to salvage our dear state from an ill-motivated and now derailed ‘rescue mission’

state has recorded 86 per cent overall budget performance in year 2014, while Federal transfer and internally generated revenue performed 97 per cent and 84 per cent respectively.

On the significance of the forum, Special Adviser to the governor on Economic Planning and Budget, Mrs. Iyabowale Aluko, said the meeting with stakeholders was organised to carry stakeholders along in the budget process to ensure inclusive participation for all.

She said:“There is also this desire to ensure that the year 2015 budget effectively identifies spending priorities in line with aggregate resources, the implementation of which would ultimately transform the living standard of the citizens.” train, decided to offer myself to lead the PDP into this political battle as its flag bearer. I hereby, therefore, solemnly state my intention to participate in the forthcoming Imo State PDP Congress.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

You can inspect election materials, tribunal tells Fayose, PDP Adesina Wahab ADO-EKITI

Ekiti State GoverTtionhe norship Election PetiTribunal yesterday

in Ado-Ekiti granted the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate in the June 21 election, Mr Ayodele Fayose, the relief to inspect all materials used for the conduct of the election.

The relief was granted pursuant to an ex-parte motion brought by their counsel, Mr Kolapo Kolade.

The three-man panel, led by Justice Mohammad Sirajo, had earlier granted same to the petitioner, the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC, in a petition brought before the tribunal by its State Chairman, Chief Jide Awe, is contesting the declaration of Fayose as the winner of the governorship poll, alleging that the election was rigged via technological programming, it termed photo chromic and thermo-chromic electronic device.

The PDP, in its ex-parte motion dated July 25 2014 , deposed to by Kolade, and brought pursuant to Section 151 of the Electoral Act 2010 as amended, sought the relief of the tribunal for the inspection of

all materials used for the conduct of the election.

Other reliefs sought by the party include an order allowing other interested parties to enjoy same privilege, an order compelling security agencies to be present at the point of inspection and an order allowing the first respondent to be in possession of Certified True Copies of all electoral materials and scan same.

The motion was supported by an 11-paragraph affidavit and a written address.

Kolapo said that the motion became imperative “in view of the serious allegation made by the petitioner to the effect that the ballot papers used for the election were programmed in favour of the first and second respondents.

“In order to defend our position, we need to inspect the materials and we need the leave of the court to do or else the Independent National Electoral Commission will not allow us.”

In his ruling, Justice Sirajo granted the party the leave to inspect the materials and for other interested party to enjoy same, just as he directed INEC to allow the party access to CTC and get same in other forms.

7

Nigeria may be turned to war zone, says Tukur CRISIS

Tukur calls on Nigerians to unite against insurgency Lateef Ibrahim ABUJA

F

or mer National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and Ambassador-at-large, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur yesterday warned that the increasing wave of bomb blasts and acts of terrorism across some states in the northern region, if not arrested on time, may turn the country into a war zone.

Tukur cautioned those he described as sponsors of terrorism in Nigeria to begin to retrace their steps from

 Condemns use of teenage girls as bombers the act with immediate effect, as he predicts doom for masterminds of the plots to destabilise Nigeria.

The former Governor of the old Gongola State, condemned the use of teenage girls in the agenda by terrorists to fester their sinister plots of imposing a regime of terror on Nigeria.

He said he was deeply troubled that bomb explosions reported in Kano on Monday were caused by teenage girls, who, he lamented were brainwashed into joining the evil plot of killing innocent people in the most barbaric manner never witnessed in any clime.

Tukur equally condemned the killing of in-

109,306

The number of air travel passengers of Maiduguri airport in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

nocent citizens in Borno and Adamawa states by insurgents who, according to him, had failed to lay bare the principles behind their actions in the past five years.

The Ambassador-atlarge expressed dismay at the blame game by stakeholders on the activities of insurgents in the country.

The former National Chairman of the PDP, who declared that no nation wins a war when its citizens are divided, called for a general consensus building among Nigerian leaders irrespective of political party affiliations in the battle to contain terrorism in the country.

He also asked Nigerians to stop abusing and denigrating the person

42.1%

The percentage of households with internet access at home in CIS (Commonwealth of Independent States) of 2012.

Source: Itu.int

of President Goodluck Jonathan, who he said, needed assistance in his battle to save the corporate entity of Nigeria in the face of very daunting challenges confronting the country.

Tukur, who just returned to Nigeria from Saudi Arabia on Umra (lesser Hajj), urged the government of not to give up in the fight against insurgents, saying, "Together we shall overcome".

He lauded efforts by the Nigerian Military so far in combating the menace of insurgency, stating that but for the confrontation, the soldiers have had so far with members of Boko Haram, Nigeria would have become a war theatre.

102

The ratio of women to 100 men in Angola in 2010.

Source: Un.org

Waku: Tiv monarchs must stay away from politics Cephas Iorhemen MAKURDI

chieftain of the Arewa A(ACF) Consultative Forum Sen. Joseph Waku,

has advised the Tiv Traditional Council (TTC) led by HRH the Tor Tiv, Dr. Alfred Akawe Torkula to steer clear of partisan politics to avoid desecrating the sacred institution.

Waku, who represented Benue North West in the senate between 1999 and 2007, gave the advice in an interview in Makurdi, adding that it was ideal for the traditional institution to remain neutral in order to effectively play its advisory role.

Speaking against that backdrop of the institution's recent endorsement of some governorship aspirants to contest next year’s governorship election in the state, Waku said for the revered institution to meddle into politics amounted to an abdication of its duties as the custodian of the cultural values, norms and practices of the people.

He warned politicians to desist from dragging traditional rulers into politics by pressurizing them to endorse aspirants for political offices, stressing that the trend had the consequence of denigrat-

ing the chiefs.

"If that continues, people will no longer respect the chiefs. In fact, they will look at them as political adversaries working to enhance the interest of a few and nobody will visit their palaces."

Waku condemned the recent endorsement of Governor Gabriel Suswam by the Kwande Traditional Council and described it as a " charade".

"I will rather believe in the position of the youths of Kwande, who sponsored an advertorial in some of the national dailies dissociating themselves from the action of the council.

"Till today, nobody has said anything to counter the position of the Kwande youths. Therefore, it means what they said is correct; there should be no endorsement of aspirants by any traditional institution in the state."

The senator disclosed that he was under intense political pressure by members of the APC in the state to run for the governorship of the state but was yet decided.

"If, however, I discover that to be the popular view of the people, then I will succumb because I don't know what the future holds for me," he said.

L-R: Chairman, Governing Council of Technical University, Ibadan, Prof. Oladapo Afolabi; Secretary to the Oyo State Government, Mr. Ismail Olalekan Alli and Commissioner for Education, Prof. Solomon Olaniyonu, at a press briefing to announce the postponement of the take-off of the institution, at the Executive Council Chambers of the Governor's Office, Ibadan…yesterday

Navy: Igborodo not ready for peace

T

he Nigerian Navy has said that some persons in Ugborodo in Warri South-West Local Government Area, host communities of the Federal Government Export Processing Zone in Delta State are not prepared for peace. It said the conditions of the community for peace are not too tenable.

Commander of NNS Delta in Warri, Navy Captain Musa Gemu, who made this revelation yesterday in the Oil City would, however, quickly add that, that would not translate to a threat to the project, which is one of the largest in the world as "we are here to protect government's interest".

Gemu told New Telegraph yesterday that as

part of the peace process initiated to bring peace to the communities, he had told members of the 21-man EPZ Peace Committee at a meeting that they should join him on July 26, as he returned displaced persons from the warring communities to their homes.

On the said day, aside only three members of the peace committee turning up for the exercise, he had met with stiff resistance from the communities.

"In Madaho, there was resistance from the youths, who carried sticks and said they were not welcomed back. They removed the landing on the jetty. Even the Navy was denied entry into the village.

"They intimidated me.

They intimidated my boys. They sent women and children in front to resist the Navy. Going with over 70 troops, I could have used force but it is peace we are looking for. I ordered my boys to withdraw instead. I then used Shell's jetty to trek in but they poked their fingers in my face", he recalled.

In Ogidigben, the displaced persons were not prepared to return home as they said they had been told that they would not be safe there.

Given the resistance he met with the troops in the first two ports of call, he decided to continue with just four other officers.

In Ajudaibo, they were at first resisted. When he

was eventually ushered in to the prime minister, he was at a meeting with his council of chiefs and youths even though at the end, they refused to receive their displaced persons except certain conditions were met.

These conditions include the release of all imprisoned persons from their communities, who were found guilty of various offences in the Ugborodo crisis, the return of all killed persons, whose bodies were still in the mortuaries for befitting burial with compensation paid to their families and all those accused of committing crimes against the communities should be returned to face their trial.

8

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Chibok community: We didn't collect money from presidency DENIAL Chibok community leaders are angry over allegations of taking money from Presidency Johnchuks Onuanyim

Abuja

P

arents of the abducted Chibok girls yesterday denied receiving any money from the presidency, when they visited President Goodluck Jonathan, early this month.

There were media reports yesterday that the parents felt cheated over the distribution of the alleged N100m given to them by the president.

But yesterday, the Kibaku Area Development Association, KADA , through its spokesman, Dauda Ilya, embarrassed by the report, refuted collecting any money from the Presidency or the President on behalf of the parents of the abducted girls or the girls themselves.

The Association in its statement said, "We are highly disturbed and disgusted by the recent

information circulating in the media over alleged receipt of money by the leadership of Kibaku Area Development Association (KADA) from the Presidency. It is with deep sadness that we are addressing you today to state that the claim is completely false, malicious and unfounded.

Our primary priority has and remains the rescue of our abducted 219 daughters. Our Association has been at the forefront of calling for decisive measures to secure their release.

"We took the moral high ground as a Com-

munity Association that represents the Chibok people in Abuja to facilitate the recent visit of parents of our abducted daughters and 51 of the 57 that escaped. We helped make that visit possible despite our misgivings that it was a poor substitute to our expectation that Mr. President should have visited Chibok even before the visit of our people for a tragedy that is now 107 days old.

"When the Presidency requested us to invite parents and escaped Chibok girls against 22nd July, 2014, we accepted

the responsibility on the condition that we shall facilitate by way of contacting and mobilizing the parents and escaped girls thereby playing the sole role of facilitators.

"We clearly spelt out to the Presidency through the office of the Chief of Staff that we shall not be involved with any financial transaction whatsoever, including payment of transportation from Chibok to Yola, flight by air from Yola to Abuja, hotel accommodation and feeding in Abuja, intra-city transportation while in Abuja.

The Association ex-

plaining further on what probably transpired said, "We therefore make public our findings as follows: On the night of the 22nd July, 2014 at about midnight, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Special Duties who had been co-ordinating the visit on the side of the Presidency, visited the hotel and told the 51 escaped girls who came that the Presidency sent them a token of N100,000.00 each and accordingly gave them the said sum without prior discussion with any KADA official or any other person in the community.

Police Inspector slumps, dies in Aba Peter Osondu

ABA

T

ragedy hit officers and men of Osisioma Police Station near Aba, Abia State when a Police Inspector, Samuel Amaefule, attached to the crime unit slumped and died while urinating.

A source, who spoke to our correspondent on the condition of anonymity, said the incident happened within the station.

According to the source, "he was urinating somewhere in a corner and before you know it,

he slumped on the spot.

People who were around rushed to the scene to pick him up. He was quickly rushed to a nearby hospital where he was later confirmed dead."

Though, it was not ascertained at press time whether the police officer had been suffering from any ailment before the unfortunate incident, some persons suggested he could have died as a result of heart attack.

Some of his colleagues, who would not want their names in print, described his death as shocking.

Confab fosters unity, says Idah Ahmed Sani Mohammed KATSINA

n elder statesman nomiAment nated by Federal Governto serve as a member

of the National Conference, Senator Ibrahim Muhammed Idah, has said the conference has succeeded in tackling issues affecting the country and foster unity among all Nigerians.

Speaking with newsmen in Katsina yesterday, Ida said delegates to the conference were able to thoroughly discuss issues and come up with common consensus.

Ida, who was one time senate committee Chairman on Defence, said the success of the conference was contrary to expectations of Nigerians because of the belief that it was organized to achieve a hidden agenda.

He said although delegates from states, Federal Government, civil societies and religious bodies, came to the conference with different agenda, however, they resolved their differences and the issues were tackled for the general interest of the nation.

Adenuga is entertainment pillar of the decade he Chairman of GloTenuga bacom, Dr. Mike AdJr. has been given

the award of the ‘Entertainment Pillar of the Decade’ in recognition of his contributions to the entertainment industry in Nigeria in the last decade.

The award was given

by Nigeria’s foremost entertainment-focused publications, Entertainment Express and Sunday Express. It was the highest of a number of

awards conferred on individuals and corporate bodies by the publications as part of activities marking their third anniversary.

Globacom, Nigeria’s National Telecom Carrier, was also recognized as the ‘Brand Supporter of Entertainment in Nigeria’ at the grand ceremony graced by the crème de la crème of Nigeria’s entertainment industry.

National Chairman, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Chief Victor Umeh (second left), inaugurating the Abia State secretariat of the party in Umuahia. With him are the Traditional Prime Minister, Awka Kingdom/ Special Adviser on Political Matters to the National Chairman, Chief Austin Ndigwe (third left); Abia State Chairman of the party, Onapuru Agu Prince Ukaegbu and APGA gubernatorial aspirant in Abia State, Chief Udensi.

Adamawa gov swears in new SUBEB chair Ibrahim Abdul

Yola

he acting Governor of TAhmadu Adamawa State Hon. Umaru Fintiri,

has sworn in Mrs. Kaletapwa Farauta as the new Executive Chairman of the Adamawa State Universal Basic Education Board (ADSUBEB).

Farauta’s appointment, which makes her the third woman to be appointed as the Chairman of the board since its creation, followed the removal of the former Chairman of the board, Dr.

Halilu Hamma, by the acting governor about a week ago.

The acting Governor said he appointed Farauta based on her integrity and record of service, as he did not personally know her before the appointment, adding that it was her qualities and record of service that spoke for her.

“I don’t know you but your integrity speaks for you. I urge you to go straight and start taking action, action that will improve basic education. I will expect new policies and programmes in the next 14 days,”

Benue NLC/TUC commence strike today Cephas Iorhemen

Makurdi

he Benue State chapters TCongress of the Nigerian Labour (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday mobilized local chapters of the two unions to embark on a full scale indefinite strike today to press home what they described as excess deductions of workers’ salaries by Governor Ga-

briel Suswam.

Leaders of the two unions, Comrade Simon Anchaver (NLC) and Tartenger Ordue (TUC) reached an agreement for civil servants to proceed on strike after a joint session of the unions which deliberated on various issues affecting the entire workers which took place at the NLC secretariat in Makurdi, the state capital.

Group opposes Jonathan’s visit to Osun Biodun Oyeleye

Ilorin

three-day Adentproposed campaign visit by PresiGoodluck Jonathan

to Osun State has drawn the ire of human rights group, the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights (CDHR). It argued yesterday that the event will be an assault on the people of the state.

National Vice President of the group, Comrade Otitolaye Taiwo, said the visit will cost the nation not less than N2.5 billion to take care of the usual accompaniment of a presidential stay outside of the State House and that it will cost the economy of the host state much more because it will limit economy activities in favour of presidential security.

‘Dangote has no monopolistic tendencies' he claim that the recent Tquality standardization of cement by the regulatory au-

thorities could trigger off a monopoly in the industry has been debunked by the Dangote Group.

The Standard Organization of Nigeria (SON) had recently come out with a new cement quality standard, prescribing the uses into which each type of cement grade could be put. In the standard review, the SON restricted the 32.5 R grade of cement to only plastering of building while 42.5 was recommended for general purpose.

Speaking on the controversy during a Channels

Televisionprogramme,Engineer Joe Makoju, Chairman of Cement Manufacturers of Nigeria(CMAN)andanHonoraryadvisertoChairmanof Dangote Cement Plc, Aliko Dangote, said it was easy for people to accuse others of monopoly, when they fail to do their homework well.

Makoju. who drew an inference from the situation in the petrochemical industry where several people collected license to build petroleum refinery but years after failed to put a block on their sites giving flimsy excuses as reasons for their inability to commence construction.

news

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

9

Mark, Fashola condole with El-Rufai over son's death Chukwu David and Muritala Ayinla

Abuja

of the Senate, Pandresident Senator David Mark the Governor of Lagos

L-R: Company Secretary, AA RESCUE, Mrs. Ibidunni Ladejobi; Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Otonye Efebo and Head, Drivers Training Department, Mr. Adewale Akinbola, during a press conference on the activities of the company in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

21

The number of clubs from Germany that were represented at Brazil 2014 World Cup. Source: Goal.com

104,696

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions of Mali in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

90%

The percentage of water-related hazards of all natural hazards.

Source: Unesco.org

Elechi condemns power tussle in Ebonyi Assembly IMPEACHMENT

Crises in the Ebonyi House of Assembly force Elechi to go down memory lane Charles Onyekwere ABAKALIKI

E

bonyi State Governor, Chief Martin Elechi has condemned the power tussle in the State House of Assembly, saying the impeachment was carried out in disregard to integrity, dignity and honour which the house is known for.

The governor lamented that the House

of Assembly which was known as the most peaceful House in the country has turned to something else.

“If you recall what has been happening since 2011, this is about the third in the series of impeachments. The House has been experiencing impeachment and suspensions.

“On this latest development, I invited the honourable members to my office on that same day.

I heard from both sides.

My position is this: I concede the House members’ right to effect changes in leadership whenever they feel the need arises”, he said, maintaining that anytime the House want-

ed to make any change, such a change should be in accordance with the nation’s constitution.

He added that in so doing they will collectively ensure that lives and properties in the state were protected and their common interest protected also.

“Why changes are made when necessary, we must ensure that we do it delightfully and in a respectable way. You also recall that since the present democratic dispensation came into being, Ebonyi House of Assembly was generally regarded as the most peaceful House of Assembly. But from December 2011, the reverse is the case, he

said.

He admitted that they all belong to different arms of government, but argued that the security of the State lies squarely on him. He explained that that was why he is trying to ensure that the members make their demands and effect their changes in a way that the peace and security of the country is guaranteed.

“Admittedly, we all belong to different arms of government, the security of the state, lies squarely on me. So in trying to ensure that the members make their demands and effect their changes and when they want, we must ensure the peace and security of the country,” he said.

Abuja indigenes mull traditional title for Jonathan Yekeen Nurudeen

Abuja

T

he indigenous people of Abuja under the umbrella of FCT Indigenes Coalition Groups for Jonathan has revealed plans to confer on President Goodluck Jonathan the highest traditional title of the original inhabitants of Abuja.

The group said it would hold a cultural fiesta in solidarity for President Jonathan. They added that besides the cultural fiesta, conferring traditional title on Jonathan would further boost the confidence of Abuja natives to massively support him in 2015 presi-

dential elections.

Coordinator of the group, Engr. Bussa Danjuma who spoke to journalists in Abuja yesterday said the group has been in constant touch with the traditional rulers in the territory with a view to perfecting the arrangement for the epoch occasion.

Danjuma further stressed that both the cultural fiesta and the conferment of the traditional title on Jonathan are aimed at appreciating the laudable achievements of the President's transformation agenda in the Federal Capital Territory.

He affirmed that the indigenes of the territory

will commence massive campaign as soon as the president declares his intention to contest the 2015 election, assuring that President Jonathan will overwhelmingly win in the nation's capital in view of the political situation in the country.

"We the indigenes of Abuja have no gold and silver to appreciate Mr. President for the laudable things he has done through the FCT minister, Senator Bala Mohammed. The only way to say thank you is to confer on him the highest traditional title in the land.

To us, this title will be

more indelible than any material gift.

"Besides the traditional title, we will stop at nothing to throw our support behind him as soon as he declares his intention to contest the 2015 elections. We have no doubt in our minds that President Jonathan will win the 2015 election anytime, any day", he stated.

The coordinator tasked Nigerians to support the continuity of the policy thrust of the present administration, noting that it has improved the wellbeing of Nigerians.

State, Babatunde Fashola SAN have consoled the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, (FCT), Mallam Nasir El- Rufai and family over the death of his son, Hamza.

In a condolence message issued by the Special Adviser to the President of the Senate, Mr. Kola Ologbondiyan, to the family of the deceased, Mark said he received the news of Hamza's death with shock and pains.

He said the deceased had a bright future and vision which would have been needed to contribute to the socio-economic and political development of

Nigeria.

Governor Fashola added that the death of Hamza at a time when he was poised to contribute his quota to the development of his fatherland after concluding his education was, to say the least, very saddening and regrettable.

In a condolence message to the former Minister who is also a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Governor Fashola said the death of Hamza is a painful one especially when viewed against the background that he was a young man with a promising future.

While praying for the repose of the soul of the departed, the Governor urged Mallam El-Rufai to take solace in the words of the Holy Book that Allah is the one who gives and takes away.

Oredo council boss dismisses impeachment threat Cajetan Mmuta

BENIN

nxiety heightened yesAcomplex terday at the secretariat of Oredo local

government in Edo State when supporters loyal to the council chairman, Mr. Osaro Odobawu Obaze besieged the complex in order to forestall any impeachment process against him.

Fracas had erupted at the area on Thursday last week when suspected thugs invaded the area over failed plan to impeach the leader of the legislative arm.

But the councilors during their sitting impeached the leader of the legislative arm, Mr. Monday Inoma Ebegbai and his deputy Enshe Esobaifo.

They also elected Mr. Nohayi Obaseki as the new Leader of the House but

debunked the allegation that they plan to impeach the chairman of the Council, Mr. Obaze.

New Telegraph gathered that eight out of the twelve member parliament passed a vote of no confidence on the former leader due to his alleged high handedness and dictatorial tendencies in the affairs of the legislative arm.

A visit to the council secretariat few meters to the palace of Oba of Benin showed heavy presence of anti-riot policemen and plain cloth security operatives who mounted security checks on visitors to the area.

Speaking on the development, the chairman, Mr. Obaze told newsmen yesterday that there was no such plot to impeach him by the council legislators describing it as rumour.

Senatorial bye-election: Niger PDP makes U-turn on consensus candidature Dan Atori

MINNA

the entrance Fintoollowing of Hon. Abdullahi Musa the North East Zone

senatorial bye-election barely a week after the adoption of Dr. Nuhu Zagbayi as the consensus candidate, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Niger State may have reversed the decision.

The conduct of the bye election became necessary as a result of the vacancy created by the death of Senator Awaisu Kuta, former occupant of the office.

The latest entrant, Musa officially presented a letter to the officials of the Party leadership on Wednesday in Minna, challenging the

adoption of Dr Zagbayi as a consensus candidate and declaring his interest for the senate seat.

He said he is the most qualified candidate for the job and urged the Party to allow a fair playing ground for every candidate who is interested in contesting for any exalted position in the zone.

While responding to allegations that he was sponsored by General Ibrahim Babangida to scuttle the initial arrangement of the party, he said: "No, I am not sponsored by anybody. I am an independent person. For those who know me, though I am close to IBB, he is a father to me and I always consult him on issues.

10

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ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

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

0802 393 8212

Robbers raid Bariga, rape, stab victims UNDER SIEGE The residents of Bariga in Lagos now live at the mercy of men of the underworld Juliana Francis

F

our persons were stabbed and a woman allegedly raped after about 25 armed robbers attacked the Bariga area of Lagos.

This was even as one of the residents, identified as Bashiru, said many residents, overcame with fear, urinated on their bod-

Umar Manko, CP Lagos.

ies after sighting the robbers who were armed to the teeth.

According to Bashiru, the incident occurred on Monday

night while many Muslims were still celebrating the Eid-el-Fitr.

The robbers were said to have robbed for close to four hours without interruption.

The residents of Popoola and Oreofero streets were attacked by the bandits who injured many of them and dispossessed them of their valuables.

“Some of the residents urinated on their bodies when the robbers came at about 2am with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons. They attacked several homes. They also smashed the windscreens of vehicles parked in the area,” Bashiru said.

Another resident, who gave

his name as Femi, said four residents were stabbed, while a young woman was raped.

“My neighbour was stabbed on the head and back. He was later rushed to hospital for medical attention,” he said.

Femi recalled that the attack on his residence started at about 4am.

He said: “Four of the robbers entered our room. Two were armed with guns, while others were armed with cutlasses.

I peeped through a hole in the window and saw several others on the road. They were threatening to kill whoever refuses to ‘cooperate’ with them. They stole

Eti-Osa: Demolished bridge makes our lives miserable, say residents R

Muhammad Bashir Lokoja

Association of Tandhe Phone Technicians Accessories Dealers, in Lokoja, Kogi State, yesterday protested the attempt by the Ministry of Tourism to eject them from their business premises at Paparanda Square.

Motorists groan as fuel tanker crashes on Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Camillus Nnaji and Elijah Samuel and motorists travelling on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway Chadommuters a hectic time yesterday as a fuel

Taiwo Jimoh esidents of Castle Rock Road, Mobil Roundabout, Jakande-Lekki, located in the Eti-Osa Local Government Area of Lagos State have cried out to the state Ministry of Works and Governor Babatunde Fashola in particular, to assist them in completing the abandoned bridge in the area.

The appeal was made yesterday by the residents while briefing journalists on the untold hardship they had been going through since the bridge was demolished.

Some of them explained that immediately after the demolition of the bridge, they saw engineers, commencing work at the site. They believed a new bridge was forthcoming.

Sadly, for reasons nobody could fathom, the construction of the new bridge was later abandoned. It has been so now for five months.

The spokesperson for the Community Development Association, Mr Joe Nwoko, said this abandoned bridge connects to five estates in the community.

He said: “Immediately the former was demolished, we went through hell, just to go and outcome every day from our homes.

money, phones, laptops, and other valuables. They inflicted machete cuts on many people.

Police should wake up to their responsibilities and protect lives and property.”

A barber who did not want his name mentioned, said: “I own a barbing salon in the area and I also deal on electronic equipment. All through the night, we could not sleep as the robbers went from house to house, robbing and injuring people.”

One of the residents said they called the Pedro Police Station, while the robbery was going on, but the policemen allegedly did not show up.

The bridge.

Photos: Suleiman Hussaini

“The funny aspect of it all, was that when the former bridge was about to be demolished, the CDA people were not informed. We came back from our various offices and saw that the bridge had been demolished. We were not consulted, nor notified by the contractors.”

Nwoko explained that AA Rescue Company Limited, known for attempting to teach road users good driving culture, came to the aid of the estate by building a wooden bridge.

“The wooden bridge is what is serving the estate now. The demolished bridge served about five different estates in the community,” he added.

Nwoko said that before the wooden bridge was built, the residents used to trek about two kilometres, just to go through Igbokushi, another dilapidated road in the community to connect to the major road.

He said: “The wooden bridge we are using now cannot take more than a vehicle at a go.

And each time a vehicle waits for others to cross the bridge; it takes such vehicle about 20 minutes to cross. This causes gridlock.”

Nwoko said that the residents had written a series of letters to concerned authorities, “yet we have not received any responses from them.”

A resident of Victory Park

Estate, said: “We don’t know the contractor handling the project. In any construction site, you will find a signpost, telling you the duration of the job. It also tells you the name of the company and the client but the reverse is the case here.”

He noted that investigations carried out by the CDA showed that a female politician was awarded the contract of building the bridge.

When our correspondent visited Eti-Osa Local Government to get their own side of the story, the chairman was not around. “We are not authourised to speak with you,” said the information officer of the council.

Phone repairers protest eviction The association’s members, who are mostly graduates, at a peaceful protest, expressed their worry over the manner they were ordered to quit the market square.

According to them, this was the same space

freely given to them by the state government as a result of the demolition of their former market centre by the Ministry of Environment and Town Planning Board.

The Chairman of the association, Comrade Tahir Salifu, said his mem-

bers were legally given the place after they were displaced from Post Office area to Paparanda, which is now the Computer Village in Lokoja.

Salifu said that ejecting him and other repairers from the present place, would be equiva-

lent to relieving them of their sources of livelihood.

The chairman said government had earlier promised to give them a permanent place but nothing had been done about it now for three years.

Salifu further stated that members of the association were law-

tanker crashed on the road.

The Assistant Corps Commander of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Oludare Ogunjobi, said the 33,000-litre capacity tanker with registration number XZ 780EPE fell across the road.

According to him, the driver lost control of the vehicle because of excessive speed.

Ogunjobi added that the driver was trying to negotiate a bend with a tipper at Wawa intersection in Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.

He said: “The next that happened was that the tanker fell, spilled its content and blocked the road.”

Men of the Ogun State Fire Service promptly responded to the accident and were able to avert fire outbreak.

“We had to respond immediately to the accident scene so that fire outbreak can be averted. We have used over 5,000 litres of water and foam chemical in order to prevent fire outbreak,” Tomilola Adejobi, the Assistant Chief Fire Officer of Isheri Station of Ogun State said.

Ho3werver, the tanker was later removed from the road by rescue team comprising the men of Federal Road Safety Corps and the Nigerian police.

The fallen fuel tanker

METRO

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Fake policeman held in Ogun

OSOPADEC builds 152 pedestrian bridges in coastal communities

Babatope Okeowo Akure

T

Ag boola

Kunle Olayen Abeokuta

olice in Ogun State have arrested a Plegedly 35-year-old man, Taiwo Agboola, for alparading himself as a policeman.

The suspect was nabbed with fake uniform and accoutrements by police detectives attached to the Otta Division of the command.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, who confirmed this in a statement yesterday, said the suspect had been placed under surveillance for some time before he was eventually arrested.

Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, disclosed that items recovered from the suspect included a police T-shirt, identity card bearing his name with a corporal rank, hand cuff and tear gas.

He said: “The suspect has been parading himself as a policeman over time and has been placed under surveillance by the police detectives in Otta for his arrest when a good Nigerian put a call to the police of the suspect’s presence in the area in Otta before he was eventually arrested.

“The suspect who hails from Ile-Ife, Osun State, confirmed that he had been in love with the police job right from his childhood but was discouraged by his late mother; hence his interest in getting police materials and accoutrements for this dirty ‘business’ of investigating and settling cases amicably for his customers.”

The PPRO stated that the state Police Commissioner, Ikemefuna Okoye, had ordered that the suspect be transferred to the State Department of Criminal Investigation (SCID), Eleweran, Abeokuta, for thorough investigation.

“Okoye has developed interest in this matter as he believes that the suspect must have perpetrated many wrongful acts with police name thereby denting the precious image of the Nigeria Police,” Adejobi said.

He, therefore, appealed to members of the public to always draw police attention to police officers who engaged in strange or unethical behaviours around them.

11

he Ondo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (OSOPADEC) yesterday began the construction of 152 footbridges worth N300 million in its mandate areas.

The bridges, according to the commission that manages the 40 per cent of the 13 per cent oil derivation fund, are to link the communities with each other within the coastal communities.

The bridges, which would be constructed in the OSOPADEC mandate areas of Ilaje and Ese-Odo local government areas, would cover a distance of over 10 kilometres in 157 communities.

The construction of the bridges was launched at the Ayetoro Community Hall at a programme attended by different stakeholders comprising the officials of the OSOPADEC, traditional rulers from some of the communities, youth and women groups’ representatives and government officials.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman of OSOPADEC, Mr Wole Ogunyemi, said the project was a demonstration of the government’s commitment to improve the lives of the people in the coastal areas.

Ogunyemi said the project was just the beginning of good things that would come to the area, adding that the second phase of the pedestrian bridges would soon start.

According to him, the first phase will be completed within 12 weeks.

He said the commission was working in tandem with the vision of Governor Olusegun Mimiko to develop rural areas, adding that the footbridges would last for a minimum of 10 years, unlike the previous ones.

The pedestrian bridge, according to the design, would be constructed with galvanised steel iron on which iron wood planks would be fitted.

The OSOPADEC chairman urged the people of the areas, particularly those in the communities where projects are sited, to cooperate with the contractors and the commission on the projects.

This, according to him, is to complete the projects on schedule to pave way for other developmental projects in the area.

He therefore urged the people to see the projects as their own because the gesture of government, according to him, affects the people directly.

Also speaking, a traditional ruler, the Odode of Gbegunrin, Oba Phillip Kalejaye, commended OSOPADEC and the

Mimiko

Ondo State Government for various developmental projects that actually touched the lives of the people.

Equally, representatives of some beneficiary communities

commended the government for the project and urged the people to cooperate with those that would execute the project so that more could still come to the areas.

12,000 youths jostle for jobs in Delta (SEEFOR) projects’ jobs.

The figure was revealed by the data board of the six pilot centres of the project, including Asaba, Warri, Udu, Sapele, Uvwie and Ughelli.

Uduaghan

Dominic Adewole, ASABA

fewer than 12,000 unNoemployed youths in Delta

State are currently jostling for the World Bank, European Union and Delta Statesponsored State Employment and Expenditure for Results

While Asaba, the state capital, recorded over 4,000 applicants, making the metropolis the highest in number, the recruitment exercise conducted in Asaba for the second batch of beneficiaries saw to the staffing of 400 applicants.

Their selection was based on household size, as they would be engaged in “labour intensive public works” component of the project, which included road maintenance, sweeping and cleaning of road culverts, painting of kerb, clearing of drains, planting of trees/flowers, vegetation among others.

The State’s Coordinator of the project, Mr. Benson

Ojoko, who confirmed the numbers of the applicants, said that notwithstanding the figure, the project has a long term plan of engaging over 10,000 unemployed youths in the state.

According to him, beyond the contractual 12 months with N20,000 take-homes on monthly basis, the partnering agencies had taken some steps ahead in making the beneficiaries become life-time entrepreneurs by enrolling them into skill acquisition centres.

Ojokoro said: “The intention of the partnering agencies is not to continue to make them life-time beneficiaries but to make them entrepreneurs who will soon become renowned employers of labour.”

He urged the beneficiaries to start seeing the scheme as a springboard to becoming captains of industries.

Sickle cell ruined my marriage, woman cries out Camillus Nnaji 28-year-old mother, identiArevealed fied as Leticia Effiong, has how her marriage

fell apart after her sickle cell baby boy died.

The death of the baby came after the family had been rendered financially bankrupt due to incessant hospitals bills and routine drugs.

The broken hearted woman, blamed her tragedy on a genotype mix-up before her marriage. Effiong, who was also carrier, said she only got to know later that she was a carrier.

Effiong said that when she wanted to get married in 2010, nobody told her or husband about genotype.

She said: “While my husband was learning to manage

my condition during crisis, the only son of our marriage was diagnosed of the disorder at a very early age.”

The realisation threw the family into series of crisis and frequent races to hospitals.

She said: “After that, my life became a nightmare. No month passed without my son or I being admitted into hospital. On a particular month,

we were in hospital at the same time for weeks. I recalled once when about 10 specialists in different fields, took turn to analyse and treat me.”

It was a matter of time before the family finances ran out. Effiong said that their property were all sold just to be able to buy routine drugs and pay hospitals’ bills. The situation took a turn for the worse.

12 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Why Southern Kaduna wants a state EQUITY

Inequality and complex challenges are some of the reasons those from the christian part want Kaduna divided Ibraheem Musa

Kaduna

T

he Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) yesterday said that the demand for a state for its people from the present Kaduna State was because of the inequality and injustice suffered un-

der the present arrangement in the state.

The group also said the people of southern Kaduna were also excluded from the running of the state, hence their demand for a state of their own.

National President of SOKAPU, Dr. Ephraim Goje, who disclosed this to newsmen in Kaduna yesterday, said there was disregard for competence and merit in the present arrangement in Kaduna State.

According to Goje, the union will be convoking a conference of all Southern Kaduna people to articulate issues centered on insecurity and other pressing agitations. He added that the

outcome of the conference will form the basis of its position both for state and national issues.

“I can say it without any contradiction that the future of Southern Kaduna people will be grim without a state of our own, because of our present realities. For many years, we have been crying for justice and equitable distribution of developmental projects; there is inequality and lots more of complex challenges.

“You know better that there is a limit for a Southern Kaduna person on ground; he or she is treated with contempt and denigration.

“And so we need a state

of our own to cultivate and harness our future without obscurity on our path, if there is only one state that will be created, please let them give us a state, because of our excruciating experience. The demand for state creation is arising because of injustice and inequality across Nigeria.”

Continuing, Goje further said: “Our demand is purely to save our children and generations unborn from what we experienced. With a state of our own, our children and youths will not have limit on their path, we will run a state where merit, competency and ability will count and not what ought not to count.”

Anglican Bishop, Enugu North, Rt. Rev. Sosthenes Eze (left) with the Archbishop of Enugu Province, His Grace, Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, at the annual synod of the Diocese of Enugu North, in Ngwo, Enugu State

Only APC holds the future for Nigeria, says ex-Sports Minister Biodun Oyeleye

Ilorin

F

ormer Minister of Sports, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, yesterday said only the All Progressives Congress (APC) holds the key to a credible political future for Nigeria.

On this account, he asked Nigerians to carefully weigh the options before them in deciding which political party to support in 2015.

Abdullahi, in a chat with newsmen in Ilorin, Kwara State, said he is now a card-carrying member of the APC and is fully engaged in politicking. He urged Nigerian professionals eager for a change in the affairs of the nation to become active in the political sphere as most decisions that affect the destiny of the people are taken at that level.

Although, he would not disclose his plans within the context of 2015, the former minister said he was thrilled to discover while in office both as a commissioner in Kwara State and a minister at the federal level that professionals, especially journalists with commitment, can make change happen in whatever capacity they are called upon to serve.

On the state of the nation, he said: “The question you should ask yourself is whether you are better off today than you were six years ago, whether the education your children receive today is better than those offered six years ago and

whether the health services available to you is better than that of six years ago.

“If you conclude that they are better, then there is no need for change, but if like many of us, you face the reality that they are not, then you will understand why we say that we need a change.

“I have served both at the state and national level and I am convinced now that I should be more involved in contributing to solving problems, not just writing about them again and that is why I am now a full member of the APC. “Yes, I used to see myself as a technocrat and it was strategic, because I needed to have an environment to perform the job I was given without necessarily becoming political or promoting myself, because whether as a commissioner or minister, I was only there by the recommendation of my bosses and I needed to do the work assigned to me without failing.

“However, I also discovered that much as that gave me the opportunity to perform, the truth also was that it became a limitation in some ways, because when the decisions are to be made which would affect the people, technocrats are not allowed to be in such gathering.

“They are only called upon to implement the decisions and even in doing that one has to be careful because it may affect one’s fortunes.”

Monarchs, Wike’s group bicker over alleged intimidation

Moon sighting controversy: MURIC defends Sultan

‘North Central zone will witness bumper harvest this season’

Emmanuel Masha

Lateef Ibrahim

Dan Atori

Port Harcourt

T

raditional rulers in Omagwa in Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State and the Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI), a socio-cultural group loyal to the Minister of State, Education, Nyesom Wike, yesterday disagreed over the alleged intimidation of traditional rulers in the council to support Wike.

The traditional rulers, under the umbrella of Omagwa Council of Chiefs, are accusing the GDI of dragging them into the political crisis in the state, saying that as custodians of the people’s culture and tradition, they should be left alone to run their communities without interference.

Speaking on their behalf, Chairman, Omagwa Council of Chiefs, High

Chief Bright Kpaluku, alleged that members of the GDI have been intimidating members, who have refused to take side in the political crisis rocking the state.

He said no politician “has the right to impose himself or his ambition on traditional rulers,” adding that they would resist any attempt to force them into supporting any particular politician.

Kpaluku, who described Omagwa as an autonomous community, lauded Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi for his development strides, and for elevating Omagwa traditional stool to first class.

But reacting to the allegation, GDI Secretary General, Nwanosike Samuel, dismissed it, saying the group was peaceful and was totally committed to the entrenchment of democratic ideals.

Abuja

he Muslim Rights ConTbished cern (MURIC) has rubthe claim by an

on-line media to the effect that the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa'ad Abubakar, admitted that the moon was not sighted before he announced the end of Ramadan fasting on Saturday night.

Rather than dwelling on things that could cause disunity among Muslim faithful, MURIC said it was imperative for stakeholders to join hands with the Sultan in building a virile, progressive and united Muslim community.

MURIC, in a statement by its Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, enjoined Muslims to put the incident behind them and concentrate on the greater challenges ahead.

According to the statement; “We reaffirm that the Sultanate did not issue any statement admitting that the moon was not sighted before the announcement was made.

“We task all stakeholders in the Ummah to join hands with the Sultan in building a virile, progressive and united Muslim community.

“We charge Muslim leaders to put this incident behind them, because there are greater challenges facing the Ummah and the country at large. We must not dissipate energy on the peripheral, leaving the tangential to wallow,” the group said.

An on-line media had on Tuesday published a story in which it claimed that the Sultan’s palace admitted that the moon was not sighted before the Sultan made the announcement.

MINNA

he Federal Ministry of TDevelopment Agriculture and Rural yesterday

said that it is hopeful that there would be bumper harvest in the North Central zone this season owing to easy access to farm inputs by farmers.

Regional Director, North Central, Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Mr. Sunday Edibor, said this while interacting with journalists in Minna. He said: “There will be a bumper harvest in the North-Central region this 2014 farming season.

According to him; “The Federal Government has made it easy for farmers to redeem farm inputs such as fertilizers and improved seedlings.”

Edibor said the Federal Government’s col-

laboration with private investors had made access to input more easy and affordable.

He added: “The introduction of private partners to enable farmers get their inputs was a huge success, and government will continue to improve on it.”

Edibor said the inauguration of the largest rice mill recently by President Goodluck Jonathan, would increase the export of the commodity.

“The Olam Integrated Rice Mill in Doma, Nasarawa State will definitely increase the economy of the lives of people living in that area and encourage local and foreign export.

“More of such laudable industries are required in the economy by dedicated leaders to move the nation’s economy to another height.”

2015: PDP’ll take over South-West, says Olabimtan / PAGE 16 | ‘Agitation for Igbo president is wrong’ /PAGE 18

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

ayodele Ojo

Deputy Editor, politics

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

THURSday, JULY 31, 2014

Chief Ebenezer Babatope, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT) and former Minister of Transportation and Aviation believes that only God can stop President Goodluck Jonathan’s re-election in 2015. In this interview with TEMITOPE OGUNBANKE, he also speaks on the August 9 governorship election in Osun State, among other issues.

With the emergence of Mr. Ayodele Fayose as governor-elect in Ekiti State, some people are of the view that the PDP may win more states in South-West in the 2015 elections. Do you share such optimism?

It is a question of drawing on the experiences of the PDP of the past. I believe that the PDP shot itself at the foot in the last elections, when we were hopelessly divided. We didn’t have unity and you cannot approach the South-West electorate with that kind of situation. The South-West electorate will punish you if you face them with disunity and we were totally disunited. Every state in the South-West during the 2011 elections was made up of disunited and disorganised PDP leaders. So, all we did was to say if will really want to ensure that PDP is planted in the South-West, we must build a united forum; we must not be disorganised and plan together as we use to do.

When the Alliance for Democracy (AD) did the same thing by shooting themselves on the foot, they were also rejected by the people. So, we decided to reunite all the PDP leaders in SouthWest. In Ekiti for example, all acrimonies, disputes and struggles within the party were resolved before the governorship election. So, it became clear that whoever got the mandate of the party to contest in Ekiti would really defeat the APC. And don’t forget that the PDP government in Ekiti and Osun states were taken away from us by a man called Justice Ayo Salami, who went and waited for us at the tribunal, took our governments away and gave them to the APC. So, it was not that the APC was much more a majority.

Unless the APC people don’t want to face reality, they know that we lost our government through Ayo Salami’s stupid and crooked intervention that gave them the state, the party became disorganised and when we became disorganised, the election that follows, the APC capitalised on that and they started to machete our members. So our members became confused and unprepared and many of my members ran to Ilorin in search of safety after Salami had given APC the government of Osun State.

So, this time around the PDP leaders have resolved that nothing again would divide them to the point that we would go into elections without making sure that we are united, focus and organised

13

Dimgba: North’s threat to Igbo investments an empty one

p-17

Only God can stop Jonathan’s re-election –Babatope presented a disunited team to the SouthWest and they did not take it. When the AD did that and their governors went imperial, they were punished by the people of the South-West in the 2003 elections, and they voted for the PDP.

Babatope

to ensure victory for our party. In Lagos State, we know where we made mistakes and all our members in the state are trying to address that situation. In the next election, if Bola Tinubu and Governor Baabtunde Fashola believe that APC will have a smooth ride in Lagos, they are making a mistake. It is not going to be so. I am not going to disclose our operational and organisational strategies but when 2015 elections come; you will see the result in Lagos State.

How confident are you that the PDP will win Osun State considering Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s popularity in the state?

Which popularity? When you take APC and PDP in Osun State ever before Justice Ayo Salami gave our state away to the APC, we were not evenly matched.

The claim by APC that they are Papa Obafemi Awolowo’s party has been deflated.

How do you really know which party is really replicating what Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) or Action Group was in the olden days? You cannot say in Osun State that Ebenezer Babatope is not an Awoist. You cannot say Senator Yinka Omilani, Olu Alabi, Muyiwa Oladimeji, Dosu Oladipo, Opebiyi are not Awoists.

Opebiyi was at one time the chairman of the Ijesha UPN. So, APC should not believe that they are the custodian of Papa Awolowo’s legacy in the South-West. The PDP also has Awoists also. If you move

out of Osun State, would you say Tunde Adeniran, who was Secretary of UPN Disciplinary Committee and Electoral Committee in the old Bendel State, is not an Awoist? Yemi Farounbi, who is presently an ambassador, Mathins Kuye and many others are Awoists.

We are breaking all the tricks of the APC people. They said they are Awolowo’s party and the party leaders have not visited Ikenne to visit Mama HID Awolowo, the matriarch of Awolowo family. So, we are going to defeat them because nobody can toy with Yoruba people. If you think you can toy with Yoruba people, you are only deceiving yourself because Yoruba people are able to break through whatever political barriers that are put before them. We knew in 2011 that we were going to be electorally destroyed by the people of South-West because we

APC is a threat to itself, so it is never a threat to Jonathan or the PDP... only God can stop Jonathan and there is nothing we can do about it

Are you saying that the APC is toying with the Yoruba?

They have not done well and the Yoruba people know that. For example, Bola Tinubu, a young man I like; opened his mouth and said Yoruba obas (traditional rulers) are useless. What kind of thing is that in Yoruba land? It is wrong for anybody to say that Yoruba people are useless because Yoruba people believe that our obas are next to God and that is why we say; oba alase ekeji orisa. They are next to God and they replicate what God is on earth. And a young man stood up and said Yoruba obas are useless except three. He mentioned Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba of Lagos; he left the third one vacant. That is more than going imperial. What kind of leadership is that? Papa Awolowo never said that. In the height of Papa’s glory and political flame, he never uttered such word. I remember one time; Papa had some problems with the current Awujale but Papa never at any time looked down on Awujale, not at all because Papa saw Awujale as the paramount ruler of Ijebu land. He is the head of the Ijebu people and if Awolowo dears to go and raise questions about Awujale, he is raising questions about the Ijebu people and he didn’t do it. But the APC leader did that and I can assure you that Yoruba people don’t forget such things and that is one of the reasons why APC will be heavily punish.

In the case of Ekiti, APC is talking of rigging; rigging where? They lost in every local government in Ekiti. Segun Oni is very close to me because his father and my father were close friends. I talked to Segun Oni eight times that he should not join the APC because I knew he would have problems. Segun Oni is a charismatic and popular political figure but he burnt those things when he joined the APC. So, in his home town, Ifaki where I was born, attended primary and secondary school, I am able to know at any time the reaction of Ifaki people to situations and I knew that Ifaki people were not going to support APC and that was why Segun Oni lost woefully the two wards in Ifaki. So, when Segun Oni said about few days ago that the election was rigged, I laughed and I had wanted to ask him, was the election rigged in Ifaki, his hometown.

But the view of the people is that the state was militarilised and that’s why the APC seems to be saying that the election was not free and fair?

They should forget that nonsense.

What do they mean by militarisation?

CONTINUED ON PAGE 14

14 POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

‘APC’ll be punished heavily in S’West’ CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

During elections in England, Britain, Germany, France; they don’t pronounce it but all the security agencies are on the alert, working to ensure that there is peace. What do they mean by militarisation, they are just configuring that to confuse themselves and the people?

Nobody can say in Ekiti election that soldiers and policemen manoeuvred the people who were coming to vote or tried to influence voting. Many people have attested to the fact that the Ekiti election was peaceful and so it is going to happen in Osun State. The security agencies are going to do their job and we cannot afford at this time of the nation’s history, when we have Boko Haram killing innocent people in the country, to say that we are going to toy with the peace of the country by not ensuring that your security agencies are at alert to ensure that there is peaceful co-existence of Nigerians and ensure peaceful voting during elections.

Talking about militarisation of election, Governor Rauf Aregbesola said if Federal Government uses soldiers, they will use charms...

Is that a normal thing to say? He has threatened us in Osun State that his members will beat us with charms and everything. He is even threatening that the people should go ahead and beat the soldiers with charms. I wish him the best of luck and that shows you that something has to be done by the Federal Government to ensure that everybody is giving freedom to vote. It is being said now that all the herbalists all over the South-West, Kogi and other places have been assembled by APC and they will be put in one forest to ensure that once the election comes, they would unleash their charms on the people. We are waiting and all we know is that our members would vote that day because they have the protection of the Federal Government.

The gale of impeachment in some APC states has been described as a strategy by the PDP to weaken the opposition party before 2015. How true is that?

When some PDP governors defected to the APC, their defection to APC was announced with glee, joy; rancorous joy with a boast that APC now has 17 governors. Murtala Nyako from Adamawa State joined the APC and nobody quarrelled about that because he has the right to join any party that he likes, but Nyako forgot that he got his mandate as governor on the platform of the PDP. And secondly majority of the members of the Adamawa House of Assembly are PDP members, so what does he expect? Ironically talking about impeachment, if impeachment were to be evil, it would not be in our constitution. Impeachment is a major clause in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which gives constitutional power to the National and state Assemblies to discipline any politician, governor or any president who in the eyes of the assembly members is trying to destroy the peace of the country or planning anarchy.

So, nobody should quarrel about impeachment. Balarabe Musa was impeached in the Second Republic by the Kaduna State House of Assembly. He was impeached then because the NPN had majority members in the House and they felt that Balarabe constituted a problem for them, so they went ahead and impeached him. Papa Awolowo then organised late GOK Ajayi to go and fight the Kaduna Assembly but the fight GOK put up was not to reverse what they have done but to ensure that they did not get away with the fact that they punished Balarabe Musa because he was PRP and there was majority NPN in the House.

So, what happened in Adamawa is that

If Bola Tinubu and Governor Baabtunde Fashola believe that APC will have a smooth ride in Lagos, they are making a mistake. It is not going to be so the Adamawa House of Assembly members used their power and constitutional authority given to them by the constitution to impeached Nyako What about the case of Rivers, Edo, Nassarawa and other states where there are allegations that PDP is bribing the lawmakers to impeach the governor?

Nobody is threatening Rivers State governor with impeachment. Governor Rotimi Amechi is just contriving that; nobody is threatening him with any impeachment. Nobody is threatening Governor Adams Oshiomhole with impeachment. There was a fight in Edo State House of Assembly and the House was divided into two factions and some APC members joined the PDP members in the House. When Oshiomhole had his election in Edo State, he came out praising President Goodluck Jonathan for what he did by not being partial and not being committed to the PDP but committed to the peace of the country because at that particular time soldiers and policemen operated in Oshiomhole’s election and nobody said that they were used to influence vote for the PDP against Oshiomhole of the APC. And don’t forget that the PDP candidate for the gubernatorial election is a retired Major-General in the Nigerian Army but that didn’t make the Army that were present in Edo State to support him.

Oshiomhole won the election and he acknowledged it that he won because the President was good in implementing to the letter, the constitutional provisions for free elections. In Nassarawa State, PDP has majority in the House of Assembly; the PDP members in the House are about 80 per cent and in control of the Assembly. So, if the members of the Nassarawa House of Assembly feel that it is time for Governor Al-Makura to go, then he must go and face the music.

Al-Makura is a good friend of mine, so I won’t wish him evil but the question remains that the Nassarawa Assembly members know things better than those of us who don’t live there. So, let him faces the music, let him answer their query and let him see whether he can stop the impeachment.

Why are politicians using impeachment to settle scores?

Impeachment is in the constitution and if politicians know that they can put the numbers together and vote out a particular person, they will go ahead and do it. Politics is about rub my back and I rub yours. Politics is a major act by which politicians not only govern the society but they ensure that they govern according to the will and the wishes of the people. So nobody should complain.

Boko Haram insurgency is giving many Nigerians sleepless night considering how people are dying on daily basis in bomb blasts...

It is Boko Haram that is killing innocent people. They have brought a dangerous thing to the country and it is happening in the northern part of the country and that is why I feel so much for the people living in Borno and Yobe states because they are being killed in hundreds every day. Boko Haram had

Babatope

made some incursion into Abuja; they attacked the United Nations office, Police headquarters and Nyanya, killing people. I am of the view that Northern leaders, particularly politicians should everything within their power to address the problem. I remember very well and they have to also remember that before the 2011 elections, some Northern political leaders said that they will make Nigeria ungovernable if Jonathan should win the presidential election and Nigeria is being made ungovernable now. I am not saying they are responsible but they should own up to say that it is there utterances that produced what we now have as Boko Haram. Let them go ahead and see what they can do to arrest the situation.

But it is expected of the President to protect lives and properties of the citizens.

How can Jonathan protect the life of Nigerians when a group call Boko Haram operates in the dark as a terror group? Jonathan is a human being and as the president of the country, he said he has unleashed the army to cub it but despite the good work the army is doing, they are still having problems countering the Boko Haram. To build is difficult; to destroy is the easiest things in this world. That is what is happening and you cannot hold Jonathan responsible for killings. In Borno and Yobe now, education has virtually been paralysed and innocent people are being killed. Look at the case of the innocent children, the Chibok girls who were kidnapped by the Boko Haram. We don’t know where they are and we are searching for them. I have always applied myself to the fact that if anybody were to take my daughter, honestly speaking I would prefer to die in place of my daughter. The horror is difficult to contemplate. So, you cannot blame Jonathan. The situation has been brought on him by people who have are committed to destroy lives and property.

But some people are saying the insurgency in the country is because of President Jonathan’s intention to run for second term.

Is Jonathan not entitled as a Nigerian under the constitution to contest for two terms? People must answer questions that are very open, frank and objective.

The constitution we operate permits Jonathan to run for two terms in office.

Why are people shouting that Jonathan wants to run for second term? If Jonathan decides to run for second term, it is his right to do so? And I can assure you that many members of the PDP are putting pressure on Jonathan to run for a second term.

When is he likely to declare his re-election?

I don’t know. That is his choice as an individual to decide when he is going to announce whether he is running or not.

But do you see him running for second term?

Why not? I want him to run for a second term. I gave a lecture in Bayelsa State last year September 29 and I called on him to declare that he want to run.

Why is it taking him too long to declare for his re-election?

He is being careful and we must praise him for that. And he is thinking of the fact that if he announces that he is running now and yet people are being killed

by Boko Haram, what would people feel of him? That is his thought. He should choose the proper political atmosphere for him to announce that he is going to run. Whether he likes it or not he must announce that before the end of October because the presidential election is coming up February next year.

Are you saying that Jonathan would declare for re-election before October?

I can assure you that latest October; Jonathan will declare that he is running.

Don’t you see APC as a threat to Jonathan’s re-election?

APC is not a threat to Jonathan. APC is a threat to itself, so it is never a threat to Jonathan or the PDP. We know that APC is a political party that we need to take seriously and PDP is planning and organising seriously to ensure that when the elections comes people of Nigeria will vote for the PDP. Don’t you see the gang-up from the North stopping Jonathan?

Which gang-up? Are you saying that Kogi, Plateau or Adamawa will vote against Jonathan and PDP in next year’s elections? I served for seven months in Yola Prison in Adamawa State and I know the people very well because I took time to study their culture and political reactions. And don’t forget during the Second Republic, Papa Awolowo’s UPN won two out of five senators in the place.

So, you believe nobody can stop Jonathan’s re-election?

Except God Almighty; only God can stop Jonathan and there is nothing we can do about it if God decides to stop anybody because God has the supreme power because nobody knows tomorrow except God. But if you are talking in terms of human beings, and they say they want to stop Jonathan, forget it.

PDP and Jonathan will win.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Hon. Adulrasak Ayobami Salensile, is the national ex – officio of the All Progressive Congress, (APC) and former chairman, Osun State House of Assembly Committee on Health. In this interview with WALE ELEGBEDE, he spoke on why the people are so passionate about Aregbesola’s government and why they want continuity. Excerpts What are the key issues you believe will determine the winner in the August 9 governorship election?

First and foremost, the electorate, they will decide who they want, secondly, many things will also go with the electorate, like performance or otherwise of every contestant. Some of them, not all of them have had the opportunity of serving in one government or the other, and whatever they contributed while they were in office would count and may be some of the yardstick in judging them. For instance, the incumbent Governor Rauf Aregbesola, there will be questions on his achievements in the last three and half years, people will look at that. Iyiola Omisore was two term Senator representing Osun East Senatorial District, and also as Deputy Governor, under AD (Alliance for Democracy), there will also be questions on his achievement and contributions to the government of Chief Bisi Akande.

These are some of the issue that may inform the decision of the electorate and decide who among them deserves their votes.

So what do you think may give your party edge ahead other political parties in the election?

Firstly, our party has a track record of performance from the time of Chief Bola Ige, although, that was old Oyo state, but we are following his footsteps up till today. He did wonderfully well when he was the governor of Old Oyo state. Now come to Chief Bisi Akande, his track records is there for anybody to see, he performed excellently and Yoruba will say a child will definitely take after his mother.

Now the incumbent governor has given us a different line of political development that is unsurpassed, not only in Osun state, but in Nigeria in general, his Six Integral Action Plans that was rolled out in 2006 has been implemented to the letter; talk of education, talk of infrastructural development, health sector, security, there is no sector that he has not done wonderfully well, and to cap it all, in education, the innovation of Opon Imon into the educational system is the first of his kind in the whole world, I stand to be corrected, in fact the technology has been adopted by UNESCO which recommended it to other parts of the world.

In the history of the state, this is the first time student will be given uniforms, food, free of charge, teachers are getting better treatment. It is during the time of Aregbesola that teachers were elevated to the status of a Permanent Secretary, which is first of its kind in the country with the creation of Senatorial Inspectorate Division; ordinarily it will motivate them to offer their best. Aregbesola understands that education is the bedrock of developing a nation; give somebody education, you have given him the whole world, whosoever that is developing infrastructure without education has not done much, but anyone who devel-

Osun’ll resist PDP’s rigging –Salensile with that of PDP at all, our party is people oriented, we focus on people, PDP doesn’t have much to do with the people, I was in government during Oyinlola’s regime, I knew what they stood for, even before that time, and our government is people centered.

But the opposition is still accusing your government of meddling with public funds?

What did you expect them to say, the question we continue to ask them is what they have done in their seven and half years; they did nothing. Nobody can accuse this government of meddling with public fund, nobody can accuse Aregbesola of stealing public money, that was why when the issue of the bond was introduced and people were invited to come and buy shares from Osun, they bought more than what was available, they were ready to buy more because they absolute trust in the government.

You cannot expect them to praise our government, they want at all cost to be in government and they cannot be praising us, you understand it, they are also competing for the seat of Government House so they cannot praise us. But underground, some of them are praising us, the Asiwaju of Ede, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke said it when he crossed to APC that when he was advised to stand up for the gubernatorial election in the state, he said he called his people that what do you want me to say about this government and what do you want me to tell the people that he has not done.

Salensile

ops education has done much.

Also in the health sector, I was the house committee chairman on health.

I knew the condition of our hospitals before 2011 and now you can see the development. One is very close to me here, the State Hospital, Iwo. Before you can kill a bush rat there, apart from the beautification and renovation, there is nothing they need that you cannot find there. They supply adequate drugs and the personnel are adequately motivated, people now have confidence in public health sector, go and cross check the level of increment in their patronage, it is unprecedented.

Also on agriculture, the over 5000 eggs that the pupils are consuming on weekly basis are being provided within Osun here, the same thing fish, they are also producing it in this Osun, which means the economy is improving day by day. Before Aregbesola, Osun IGR was just N300 Million, by special grace of God, Osun IGR is N1.6 Billion now, and these are some of the performance that will aid the victory of the governor.

If you also take the statistics of the people drifting from the rural to urban centers, it has drastically reduced as against the former practice. Many people in the past believe that if you don’t get to Lagos you cannot be successful, people are now residing in Osun. I am one of them, I’m based in Ibadan, but Iwo is my home, the drifting for green aperture outside the state has reduced, people can get profitable job in the state now.

When we are also talking about security, you can now sleep with your two eyes closed. In the past, buglers were everywhere. In Iwo here, hardly would you hear people shouting thief, you can travel round the state at any time without fear, before Aregbesola, you cannot move from Iwo to Osogbo by six pm, they were even robbing in the broad day, it was a deadly road. But since Aregbesola came to power, it has

stopped.

Despite the performance you rolled out, many believe that Governor Kayode Fayemi also performed but he lost, don’t you think that performance only may not count for your candidate in winning the election?

Aregbesola’s style is different from Fayemi’s, you know they are different individuals, but it is also important to say that it was not PDP that defeated Fayemi in Ekiti State. They have been exposed, it was high profile rigging, scientific rigging, first of its kind in this nation. In due course the details would be released, it was INEC in collusion with PDP that voted Fayemi out, not the good people of Ekiti because Fayemi also wonderfully performed well, but in spite of that you can also notice one or two differences between Aregbesola and Fayemi in terms of mobilization, in terms of grassroot politicking.

Aregbesola started politics, God knows when, as an activist, as a canvasser for other candidates and he has brought that to Osun politics, Osun politics could not in anyway compare to other states because of various systems Aregbesola has introduced.

I don’t think there is any election we can lose as far as God lives.

Why are you so confident of winning, did you have anything difference than that of PDP? You can never compare our party

Nobody can accuse this government of meddling with public fund, nobody can accuse Aregbesola of stealing public money

There is this claim that most of the contractors handling the projects you mention are from Lagos while the local contractors are not patronized, what is the motive?

I think such accusation is mischievous, let them bring out the statistics, to the best of my knowledge, there are some projects that some contractors not only in Osun, even in Lagos or Abuja cannot handle because of the capital involved, there are big projects that requires sophisticated equipments, that need serious and strong financial base.

For instance, if I get a contract of N5 Billion as Abdu-rasak Salensile, how would I fund it, where would I get the finance and I am a contractor, but there are big companies that have financial capacity to fund such project without even resulting to bank loan.

Government does not have unlimited resources, they partner with some of the contractors, they do it in phases with a very long stretched payment arrangement.

That is the situation and to the best of my knowledge, government has not denied any indigene of the state any contract if there is conviction that such person has the capacity to execute the project and if you look at the available statistics, our people are the major beneficiary of the projects.

They executed the large chunk of the projects through direct or indirect labour, including the projects they were alleging was awarded to the so called big contractors. All the projects our people have the capacity to do, they were the ones doing it but the problem is that they will not tell you the truth of the matter.

But it is a clear fact that government doesn’t have money, the system they use is to go and start, when you get to 30 per cent performance the government will pay you, which is also applicable to 50 per cent performance.

And for those who have capacity, they are doing very well and above all, our people constitute the 95 per cent of the labour force executing the projects.

16 POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW Many people who left the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been returning while others are now showing interest in the party, what has the leadership done to bring about this?

The magic wand that is working for the PDP in the state is the grace of God and the willingness on the part of the warring faction in the PDP to come together as one family, forget the past and march ahead. We decided at the end of our 2012 election that we lost the election because we had a divided house and we Initiated a reconciliatory move and we made it abundantly clear from the beginning that this reconciliation is going to be total.

The first meeting was held in Abuja, the second meeting in Akure, another meeting in Akure and eventually we went to Abuja and everybody came on board, the likes of our leaders, Prof.

Olu Agbi, Dr Bode Olajumoke, Senator Gbenga Ogunniya, all of them, then those of us who worked for Chief Olusola Oke, we joined hands together, and that is why today in Ondo state we have a united PDP. The PDP is more united today in Ondo state than when we were even in government between 2003 and 2009, because we are more focused now.

The people of the southwest went to AC which later metamorphosed to ACN, then to APC and they have ruled mostly in these states for three years now and the people of the south west discovered that they are not the solution to their problems; they cannot even solve the problem. They are worst because in every APC state, it’s governance by a group, family, or clique and that’s not what the people expect from the APC, they are not getting it. It is that clique that is getting richer and richer while the society is becoming poorer and poorer. And not only that they are too antagonistic to the government at the center.

I am not saying every government should be part of the government at the center but they should be friendly with the center so that the center can use the enormous resources at their disposal to come and help us, even though we believe in true federalism. You can now see that from the beginning the people of Ondo state don’t want APC, Ekiti has joined now, by the grace of God Osun will join come August 9. The wave is going to reverberate through south west by 2015 election, I can assure you that most states in the southwest would be under the PDP and with that we would be able to bring back development to the southwest, there would be progress and the government at the center would be friendly to us and we can now say we want to do this and they would assist us because we would not be antagonistic, and that’s where we are going.

How do you want to bank on this to make sure that what happened before does not repeat itself, and how do you want to ensure that this translates to victory for the party in 2015?

That’s a very simple thing, when we started with the reconciliation, we started with love, we said all of us must show love to one another. Where there is love, there is going to be peace and where there is peace, there is going to be progress and development.

As for the PDP as a party, the love that is shown now towards ourselves and everybody in the party, that love is percolating from the head now to all the branches of PDP both at the local government level, the ward level and the unit level because what we did was total reconciliation.

This time around, we want to develop the land and the people better than we did when we were there in 2003 and 2009. By the time we do all these, there will be mass defection, as it’s coming to the PDP now, from the APC, Labour Party and from everywhere. All these people are joining and as they are joining the party, the leadership is accept-

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

PDP’ll take over South-West, says Olabimtan Former Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Victor Adekanye Olabimtan is the representative of Ondo and Ekiti states on the board the Federal Civil Service Commission. In this interview with BABATOPE OKEOWO, he spoke on the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ondo State and the hunt for new members ahead of next year’s general elections, among other salient issues. Excerpts there and I am very sure God is going to provide it. So far, there is nothing anybody is doing that we have not done and we will continue to march on and I am sure this game is not going to be for the highest bidder, it is going to be for the best and most qualified person who has the masses behind him.

Fayose does not have money but he has the grassroots people who were talking on his behalf and at the appropriate time money came. I am sure that money will come and I have appealed to our people that if we don’t de emphasized politics of money we will always continue to be in trouble. If somebody gives you money to attain a political office, when he gets there he might not recognise you because he has bought you, he has paid for the services you rendered him, therefore whatever he is doing there is for him. My appeal is that let all of us come together to do this job, work for this project and at the end of the day all of us shall benefit from it.

Like I used to tell people we are going to run an all inclusive government, and nobody will be visiting them for contracts, so therefore the money will be in their pocket. So it’s not about deep pocket.

For your information, our president who will be contesting next year does not have a deep pocket but he was chosen by God and he’s there. What matters is to have the love of people at heart and be ready to go there to serve the people and not yourself and we believe that with the influx of people coming around us money is already provided.

Olabimtan

ing them directly in order not to give room for parochial interest.

What normally causes problem is when there’s contest for an office and there is going to be a lot of contest now for those who want to go different offices, and that’s the beauty of democracy.

One major reason the Prof. Olu Agbi group said they left PDP then was the insistence of the party leadership then that the governorship candidate of the party should come from the Southern senatorial district.

What do you think has been done, or those things you think you can do differently that wants to make you contest for governorship?

I am not an insider but I am a stakeholder in the politics of Ondo state. I believe that our people have not gotten the best now and the best is yet to come for the people of the state. I believe we have not done much to reach the grassroots for them to enjoy the dividends of democracy. These people cannot be commissioners or special assistants, but they need good road, good schools.

We want to offer Ondo state how to run a rancor free government and how to make sure that everybody in this state enjoys the dividend of democracy,

You can now see that from the beginning the people of Ondo state don’t want APC, Ekiti has joined now, by the grace of God, Osun will join come August 9 that is the vision we have and I believe we have the capacity to do it because we have learnt, we have been tutored and we know what it takes and if we are there we are going to leave Ondo state better than we met it.

You are going to run with people with deep pockets, how do you intend to manage this within your party?

I don’t know what they mean by deep pockets, but in politics, like everything else, when God gives the grace, nobody can stop it. We may not have deep pocket as they are saying but we have the capability and the ability to be

The general election is less than a year, with the series of challenges facing Nigeria; do you see President Jonathan making a comeback?

President Jonathan is already on board by the grace of God. The problem of Nigeria is one of the phases the country has to go through and things are getting better now. It was terribly bad some three or four months ago, things are getting better. The issue of Boko Haram is going to be resolved before the 2015 election and I can assure you that if anybody sees what happened in Ekiti state, you will know that President Jonathan is going to win the election.

You can see what is happening in Kano, and everywhere, things are changing and you will know that this is a man of peace. This man with all the noise, he had developed the nation very well. See road construction , you see the marvelous things he’s doing but the only thing is that the man does not make noise about it, look at the LagosBenin expressway, Lagos - Ibadan expressway too, they are doing something .Is it Oyo, Ogbomosho, Ilorin, you will see they are working and in every facet development is taking place in Nigeria. The man is doing his best and because he’s a man of peace and believe in peace, he will eventually be there and I can assure you that the 2015 election is going to be free without rancor, many people have been prophesying doom, there will be no doom, the election will be free and fair. Nigeria is not going to break up by the grace of God.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 17

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Uche Dimgba is the National Vice President (South), Association of Ndi Eze Igbo in Diaspora. In this interview with FELIX NWANERI, he speaks on the National Conference, the recent threat against Igbo investments in the North and other national issues. Excerpts What do you make of the National Conference which seems to have ended on a stalemate?

The way the National Conference rounded off its plenary should be an eye opener to all Nigerians. We have five fingers, and if you point one finger at someone; definitely the rest four would be pointing at you. So, whenever you want to take a decision about somebody, you should think if it were you because such decision may turn out to hunt you tomorrow. The stalemate would not have occurred if our brothers in the North had treated Ndigbo well after the civil war in 1970. At the end of the war, Ndigbo were treated shabbily. All the monies we made as a people were seized and every Igbo man given 20 pounds to start life. The Federal Government promised the 3Rs; that is Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rebuilding to the Easterners, but nothing was done. There was no reconstruction of any sort in the Igbo nation. Most people of my age didn’t go to school. That I went to school was by the grace of God. We studied under the trees during the war with the help of the World Council of Churches and other international agencies that came to our assistance then.

After the war, some of us were schooling and trading at the same time. Education was not easy to come by for Ndigbo because the country we called our own refused to think about our future; refused to take care of us.

Now, the same thing that happened to us is happening to our brothers in the North, and they want a certain percentage of our national resources to be mapped out for them because of a self inflicted injury. Boko Haram insurgency is a self inflicted war. If they had treated the Ndigbo well, there would not have been any problems at the National Conference when they asked for a certain percentage of funds for the reconstruction of the North-East, which has been ravaged by the insurgents. So, it is natural that those who suffered neglect in the past will vehemently resist any attempt to earmark funds for the North. However, I appeal to my brothers from the South-East, South-South and South-West to temper justice with mercy because we are one people though I agree that if there must be reconstruction, it should start from the Igbo nation.

Some people believe that Northern delegates came to the National Conference with the mindset of ensuring that the status quo remains; do you also share such view?

I agree with those who hold that view because it was evident from the onset. The North wanted the status quo to remain but they failed to realise that whoever comes to equity must come with clean hands. Is it not wrong for Lagos to have 20 local government areas, while Kano has over 40? We cannot continue to live with such lies. Let us stop the promotion of mediocrity and embrace excellence. People should be given opportunities because of their capability for the benefit of all. The world is embracing excellence, and it is better for us to follow that trend before it is too late.

The confab approved the creation of 18 new states. Do we really need more states?

I don’t think we need 18 new states. What I think we should do is to balance the

I must state clearly that the threat by the North on Igbo investment is an empty one. We will never take such threat again from anyone.

We are Nigerians and we will defend ourselves wherever we are

Dimgba

Dimgba: North’s threat to Igbo investments an empty one number of states among the geo-political zones. That is to give the South-East an additional state and leave it like that.

Will that bring an end to the cry of marginalisation by the people of the South-East?

It will begin to heal the wounds of marginalisation.

The first thing is to give the South-East an additional state for us to be sure that the Nigerian nation is committed to healing process.

The North recently threatened that over N45 trillion Igbo investment in their region would be at risk should South-East governors go ahead with the proposed registration of northerners in Igbo land. What do you make of such warning?

I don’t approve any registration of anyone because the word non indigene doesn’t exist in my vocabulary.

No one can be a non indigene in his or her own country, so I do not support the registration of any Nigerian living outside his or her state. However, I must state clearly that the threat by the North on Igbo investment is an empty one. We will never take such threat again from anyone. We are Nigerians and we will defend ourselves wherever we are; we are not going to run to anywhere.

Don’t you see Nigeria heading towards the prediction some years ago that the country will seize to exist by 2015 should they go ahead to carry out their threat?

The Igbo nation is not afraid of disintegration; at the same time we are not praying for separation. If there is any zone that should be angry, it should be the SouthEast because we told the rest of the country long time ago that we don’t want to be part of the Nigeria union, but they refused, fought and killed us, and brought us back to the union. We came back and forgot what happened during the war, and continued to build the country. This explains why we have investments in any part of Nigeria more than any other tribe. That we have investments across Nigeria doesn’t mean that we are afraid of being on our own. Ndigbo will not lag behind if anything happens to the Nigerian nation, I can tell you that. We don’t pray for disintegration but if it becomes inevitable, we will move on with life.

Ndigbo are asking for reparation for the losses they incurred during the civil war, how feasible is such?

The reparation is long overdue, because those innocent people who were massacred during the progrom in the North, which preceded the war, have not been properly

buried. Nigeria has not done anything to send their souls to rest, and that is why the country has continued to witness unrest. Nigeria should rise and apologize to all those who were killed and at the same time pay reparation to their respective families. That is part of the spirit of reconciliation and reconstruction.

The 2015 general election is fast approaching, what are Igbo leaders in the Diaspora like you doing to mobilise Ndigbo, living outside the South-East to actively participate in the electioneering process?

Anyone who ignores Ndigbo does so at his or her peril. Some people say that Ndigbo are not unity and that they cannot speak with one voice, but I can tell you that we are mobilising our people in the 20 local government areas and 37 local council development areas in Lagos State ahead of the elections. We have leaders in all these councils who are working with our people at the grassroots to make sure that our votes count. We also have youths who will man the various polling boots. We are not taking anything for granted because we no longer want to be used by politicians as a ladder to power only to be forgotten. We are not interested in any political party, but we are going to play a role in determining whoever is going to be the next governor of Lagos State.

When you say Ndigbo want to be part of the process, are they thinking of taking shot at the presidency come 2015?

We are not talking about the presidency because we still want President Goodluck Jonathan to go for a second term. In Lagos, we are not asking for the governorship, but nothing stops an Igbo man from becoming the next deputy governor. We also want our people in the House of Assembly because we have the numerical strength to vote somebody into power or out of power.

Some people believe that President Jonathan has not done enough to merit a second term in office. What do you make of that?

The President has really done well because Nigeria was no where before he became the president. A lot of things were destroyed before he came to power, and some people say he is a weak president because he is not blowing his trumpet. Does not talking make someone weak? He is an educated person, so I don’t see the reason why he should be shouting. He knows where he is heading to; he is a gentleman, who wants to do the job and he has been doing it. You can see that he is working in all sectors of the economy. Nigeria’s economy has overtaken that of South Africa; is it not a plus for him? Anyone who says that Jonathan has not done anything is just playing politics, but as Igbo leaders in the Diaspora, we are not interested in politics; we say things as they are. Jonathan started very well, so we believe that it would be better if we give him another four years to complete his Transformation Agenda.

Tension is brewing across the country because some people see the 2015 polls as a battle between the North and South. What is your advice to Nigerians as the elections approach?

There is nothing like the North versus South.

We are talking about Nigeria. If you look at the present cabinet, it is made up of people from across the geo-political zones. Those inciting the people are the same people who have held on to power for long. They want to continue to call the shots; they don’t want young people to come on board. We stand on one Nigeria, and I believe that Nigerians from across the divide will vote for President Jonathan. Those who think that the man has not performed should vote against him, and stop making incisive statements capable of causing chaos. We will never support shedding of blood because of power. Whether it is Jonathan or another person, we don’t want to continue with this senseless killings; all we want is someone who will take our country to the next level because our people are suffering.

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POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

‘Agitation for Igbo president is wrong’ best to overall development of a state or country.

That is why the Igbos for example cry of marginalization. They always cry of lack of Federal Government presence.

Supposing the northern part of the state say that because of their population, they should struggle for governorship. Do you think it would be easy for a southerner to rule? But there would be a time we would do away with that.

There would be time people would say, so and so is a good person, even though he is not my brother, I would vote for him. We are not there yet. Countries like the US have reached there. If we are not careful people would weave ethnicity and tribalism into democracy.

Cultures manifest in democracy. If you give a Nigerian and British a concept, their cultural concept would come into play. The most important thing in democracy is the creating environment for people to participate. Let people choose their leaders, the way they want.

Ben Akpa, is a journalist by profession. He was a former commissioner of commerce, industry and mineral resources under former Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu. In this interview, with CHARLES ONYEKWERE in Abakaliki, he spoke on the good works of Governor Martin Elechi and other sundry issues: Excerpts Is it better to work in the private or public sector?

Every occupation has its hazards.

When I was in the public sector, I grew grey hairs overnight, because of all the worries of trying to meet up with the pressures and your objectives. Anything that goes wrong, you are accused of wrong doing. Even in my community, I was required to do things that were not in my power as a commissioner. In the private sector, your worry is the competition, what it is going to do next, and how to outwit it. The two sectors have their hazards and benefits. If you work with the government, you are sure of salary every month. It comes regularly.

But in the private, we go for some months without patronage and some times, we have bountiful.

What do you feel will create economic viability in the face of dearth of industries in states like Anambra and Enugu?

There are still certain prerequisites that one has to consider before you talk of economic empowerment. Good roads is foremost, the power which is a national problem. Then you talk about housing and other issues. Ebonyi started from the bottom. Remember the reason for the agitation of Ebonyi state was the lack experienced by the people and the need for development and empowerment. We are now seeing development in every sector. The road from Enugu to Abakaliki is now good compared to what it used to be.

The roads from Abakaliki to Ogoja and Afikpo have also improved. From Afikpo to Okigwe is excellent, constructed by the Federal Government, even here in Ohaozara to Enugu is good.

The infrastructure is improving, so one can now talk of industrialization.

There must be good roads to bring in the raw materials and take out the finished products. Power is improving as the governor has embarked on private power initiative. It is there at a section of Ocho-udo city. If it can generate enough power, the industries can then take-off. During my time, an area was mapped out at Nsurakpa, before Ezzamgbo called Ebonyi Industrial area.

It is a place industries can be located.

The state government has even started developing its own. The governor has made a commitment that the area would be fully registered. Like if you are going to Enugu, the area where Innoson is located is an industrial area.

It was even mapped out in the 80’s. I remember that I was still in America when my brother told me to come and procure a land there.

Why do you think the governor of the state embarked on several projects at the same time, considering the financial situation of the state?

I think the governor has done well, if not the global financial crisis of 2010

Akpa

where allocation went down. If the allocation had remained the same like the time he went into office, nobody would think he went into several projects. Government exists to serve the people and one way they do this is to erect projects. You can never say that they are too many as far as the money is too much. The governor has obtained loan from the financial market before and is seeking another one. This is for the projects to be finished. We need the projects once the money is there.

Do you think the state can attain industrial development going by the situation on the ground?

As I said before, there are basic infrastructures needed for industries to thrive. Roads are there now. A journey from Abakaliki to Enugu now lasts for about 45 minutes. Going to Okigwe was almost a half day journey. There was a time in 2010 when I traveled to Ogoja for more than 4 hours. But now you can do it in 45 minutes. Without good roads, no one would come to Ebonyi to industrialize because there is nothing on ground. Whether the infrastructure is being provided by the state, Federal Government or private people, the issue is that they are being provided.

Do you think that the next governor would toe this line of development?

The first and second governors are different. The first came when the state was three years old. He was the first civilian governor and the first indigene to govern the state. Before he came, people have been hungry and thirsty and when he did, they said will our own man starve us. That was why he engaged in activities meant to carry the people along. Contracts were given to indigenes which was spent in the market and made money to flow. So he did not start with austerity but embarked on programmes such as education that would empower the people.

There has been agitation for power rota-

tion in the state. Ebonyi North and central zones have taken their turns. Governor Elechi has pronounced that he would want power to go to the south. How do you see this?

Let me firstly thank the governor for saying that he would want power to go to the south for equity sake. It gives the southerners a sense of belonging that this is the state we equally helped to create. People like Akanu Ibiam, Aja Nwachukwu etc all played their roles.

During the struggle, there was no division.

Everyone was united in the fight.

Now that the struggle has been won and time to share the benefit, it is good that the governor saw the wisdom for everyone to partake. It shows him as a man of vision. At the National Assembly, the same issue is being handled where there is talk for power to rotate among the six zones of the country.

It should be written inside the constitution. They have seen that at this level of our development, it is the best system to make people feel belonged.

Some people will argue that it is not democratic but democracy is not the same in every country. It differs from Italy to the United States, etc. Every country has to adopt democracy to suit them, to make people feel belonged as it was the only way to contribute their

The issue of Igbo presidency bites my ear because Igbo is not a country. We should be agitating for a Nigerian president of Ibo extraction

In a recent interview with a local tabloid, you said Elechi has fulfilled his promises.

Can you emphasis on that?

One criterion for good governance is performance. The effectiveness of rule of law is also important. For example, Ebonyi state made a law against kidnapping. There was a time kidnapping was rampant in the state but now it has greatly reduced. It is promotion of the rule of law that ensured this. If not for democracy, you will be arrested if you criticize the government. Accountability is also another aspect of good governance. For example, when the governor wanted to obtain loan from the financial market, he called a meeting of stakeholders in the state, some objected while others supported it.

At the end, the majority had their way as it was seen to be better to complete the projects than leaving them half way. That is accountability. Another issue is that the government always conducts local government elections as when due while other states don’t even conduct it at all. That is allowing the people to participate. These are what the governor is showing. He has ensured security which can now attract investors. Ebonyi state is peaceful compared to other states. It is even safer than states like the much touted Lagos.

How do you see the security situation in the country?

The situation in Nigeria is just for the jostling of political power. People want to Islamize some parts of the country. They want to take power feeling that it is their right to rule. They should know how to agitate for power.

Politicians should be wary of the statements they make so that their supporters would not overheat the polity.

Leaders should explain to their followers that leadership is not a do or die matter. If you don’t get it now you can get it tomorrow.

The argument for Jonathan to remain in power is valid so also of those who want to take power. The south is saying that everything sustaining the country is coming from there. They are just agitating for two terms not that Jonathan should stay there forever.

God can still give us the person that would make people forget the rotation issue. We should always present our best candidate and shun ethnicity.

That comes to the issue of Igbo presidency. Ibo is not a country. A president from Ibo land must represent the whole country. The most important attribute is performance not where one comes from. The issue of Igbo presidency bites my ear because Igbo is not a country. We should be agitating for a Nigerian president of Ibo extraction.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

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

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

THURSday, JULY 31, 2014

Road accidents hurt Nigeria’s economy

ormer Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Osita Chidoka, speaking recently at a farewell parade in his honour in Abuja, said Nigeria lost about N1.7 trillion to road carnage across the country in 2013. A developing country like Nigeria, he continued, must be saved from the menace of road carnage, for its development efforts to yield desired results. He said developing countries like Nigeria lose about three per cent of their GDP to road carnage and expressed happiness that he was leaving behind a commission well-positioned to face future challenges.

In his words: “Making our roads safe is not only an economic imperative, but also a social imperative that must drive our collective efforts to stop the road carnage, because majority of the 1.3 million people that die annually globally and 3,300 in Nigeria that died as at this last week from road traffic crashes are people who fall within the young and productive age bracket. This vulnerable group must be saved from the menace of road carnage if the nation’s development efforts must yield the desired results. The economic loss of about three per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP), resulted t in Nigeria losing last year alone a whopping N1.7 trillion, an equivalent of $10 billion.”

He also explained that, in making our roads safe, FRSC in 2010 rescued 15, 875 people alive. In 2011, it rescued 43,875 people alive and 71,504 were rescued alive in 2013.

Recently, FRSC has rescued a total of 3,320 road traffic crash victims, who probably would have perished if there was no FRSC. According to the FRSC, road accidents are the biggest killers of Nigerians, more than any other disease. An average of 11people were killed daily in road accidents across the country in 2012, going by official statistics from the Federal Road Safety Corps and the figure usually increases during the yuletide period.

The major cause of road accidents is attributable to bad roads. It is one thing to construct roads and it is quite another to equip them with potent drainage facilities.

The constant flooding of several roads across the federation during rainy season exposes the engineering fraud that is the bane of road construction in Nigeria today. The poor drainage system does not only engender flooding of roads but also sets the tone for erosion, which gradually transfigures the roads into graves for unsuspecting motorists. Also, the dysfunctional streetlights on many roads make them attractive hideouts for daredevil criminals, who hide under the cover of darkness to operate. The presence of police officers along some of

the roads does not even contribute positively to the roads’ safety.

Successive governments have decried the sorry state of the roads and have repeatedly pledged to fix the problem. They have also allocated billions of naira for the project, but the road situation in Nigeria, if it has changed, has only become worse.

The roads have been subjected to excessive pressure because there is no railway system. Bulk cargos that should normally be ferried by rail are being hauled through the roads.

Government should take concrete steps to restore the railway system to its past glory, reduce the pressure on the roads and generate employment.

Similarly, there is need to develop and explore the country’s waterways to provide alternative means of movement, haulage and transportation.

Government must immediately halt the incessant road mishaps that are occasioned by deplorable roads and are taking serious toll on the national economy. Most of those that die in road carnage are young people that should form the fulcrum of the productive force of the economy and the country. So, not only must government take care of roads in the country, it must also look closely at other causes of road accidents and proffer solutions. This is because figures released by the Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC) show that road carnage has overtaken AIDS and malaria as the primary cause of

death in Nigeria. A people-oriented government will not allow its populace to suffer unwarranted bloodshed and discomfort on the roads. The government has to do more than just awarding contracts. Concerted efforts should also be made to ensure the implementation of every detail of the contracts, ranging from the duration of the project to the quality of the materials to be used.

The government sometimes fails to thoroughly screen contractors to ascertain their ability to execute projects and to determine whether they possess the requisite manpower, equipment and monetary resources to successfully execute projects. A competent contractor without the requisite resources would never do a good job and likewise, an incompetent contractor with all the resources in the world, would never be able to do a good job.

Also, the government sometimes awards contracts for construction of new roads without contingency plans for maintenance. Because of negligence, little cracks on the roads that could easily be patched at very little cost eventually develop into big potholes that require substantial amount of money to rehabilitate. The government should not only develop and maintain roads, it should also, as a matter of policy, develop other modes of transportation and ensure at all cost that road mishaps are reduced to the barest minimum in the country.

GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Deputy Managing Director/DEIC YEMI AJAYI Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday 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 TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

20

Sanctity of Truth

OPINION Community of 60,000 gone!

T

oday, the world is witnessing the mass persecution and genocide of the Iraqi Christian population. Sadly, the international community has expressed very little concern about their fate, with few coming to their aid. The disappearance of the Christian community in Iraq presents a threat to humanity. Who will be next?

The last Christians have left Mosul, after the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) gave them a choice between conversion to Islam, ruinous taxation, exile, or death. For the first time since the 15th century there is no longer a Christian population in Mosul. Fleeing Mosul for their lives, they were robbed of all their belongings, forced to become refugees with only the clothes on their back.

The brutality of ISIS is real, as this week alone: 1,500 families fled Mosul forced to become refugees; countless numbers of innocent people were murdered; extremists raped a mother and daughter because they could not afford to the pay the special Christian tax.

Now it is being reported that ISIS issued a decree to force 4 million Iraqi women to undergo genital mutilation.

In 2003, prior to the American invasion into Iraq, there were more than one million Christians living in Iraq—this included 600,000 living in Baghdad and approximately 60,000 in Mosul.

The Christians who chose to leave Mosul had no place to go, becoming refugees. Unable to pay the unrealistic, mandated tax, those who stayed and

Help us petition the United Nations and the Arab League to immediately intervene to end the atrocities being committed

by ISIS. We must not be silent while another genocide occurs.

Please use your voice to help end the systematic eradication of the Iraqi Christian population did not convert to Islam were murdered.

Now Christians in the oil-rich city of Kirkuk are worried they are next, as Islamic extremists are only a few miles away.

After the US military pulled out of Iraq, the response to religious persecution by the International community has been totally inadequate and unacceptable. The UN did not release statements on what was happening in Mosul until the last Christian had left. We can only wonder at this

Thursday, July 31, 2014

lack of urgency.

In a statement from July 20th the UN finally took a stand. “The Secretary-General reiterates that any systematic attack on the civilian population, or segments of the civilian population, because of their ethnic background, religious beliefs or faith may constitute a crime against humanity, for which those responsible must be held accountable.”

Furthermore, in a press statement issued on July 21st, the UN condemned, “in the strongest terms the systematic persecution of individuals from minority populations and those who refuse its extremist ideology in Iraq by ISIL [ISIS] and associated armed groups.”

In the 21st century, is it necessary to wait for a crime against humanity in order for the international community to act? Can we not learn from the lessons of the past? Help us petition the United Nations and the Arab League to immediately intervene to end the atrocities being committed by ISIS. We must not be silent while another genocide occurs. Please use your voice to help end the systematic eradication of the Iraqi Christian population.

In the 21st Century, the world community cannot sit idle and allow genocide to occur. We must push for the international community to act on behalf of the Christians in Iraq. Their survival depends on it!

• Aleteia.org

That bombing of Buhari’s convoy Sufuyan Ojeifo

T

he recent attack on the convoy of General Muhammadu Buhari, former Head of State and a national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by a suicide bomber in Kaduna is a wakeup call to all politicians that the time has come to close ranks and stop playing politics with the issue of terrorism.

The incident, which was part of a coordinated attack involving two explosions about two hours apart, bore the trademarks of the dreaded terror group, Boko Haram. Although Buhari and popular Islamic cleric, Sheik Dahiru Bauchi, who was also purportedly targeted, survived the two separate explosions, scores of persons lost their lives.

Coming soon after Buhari, rather unfairly, accused President Goodluck Jonathan of declaring war on Nigeria, the attempt to eliminate the former Head of State has already generated ridiculous and unsubstantiated accusations from some uncharitable and clearly mischievous political elements. It is precisely this sort of political gimmickry which has not served the nation well in these times of crisis that must be avoided.

Even without a statement from Boko Haram claiming responsibility for the acts of terror in Kaduna, what is fairly obvious is that such heinous crimes are typical of the handiwork of the group. It should also be fairly obvious to any discerning observer that creating distrust and disunity among Nigerians is a strategy that Boko Haram has been pursuing since it began its campaign of terror. Thankfully, the strategy continues to fail.

For this reason, the tendency of some unpatriotic politicians to knowingly or unknowingly play into the script of the terror group

Boko Haram is a threat to Nigeria and to our democracy. The insurgency is not against Jonathan as an individual; rather it is against the Nigerian state. That is why our collective efforts are needed to tackle the challenges. All Nigerians, irrespective of their regional, religious or political affiliations, should be united in supporting the Federal Government and all the security agencies in the fight to end terror in our country all in the name of opposition politics must be condemned without reservation. The point that must be made to all Nigerians, whether they belong to the active political class or not, is that politics of any sort (opposition or otherwise) can only be possible when there is still a united and peaceful nation called Nigeria.

If politicians are in doubt that they cannot indulge in their political shenanigans when there is chaos and confusion in the land, they should look to Central African Republic, Somalia and South Sudan for guidance.

It is telling that, after a recent Boko Haram bomb attack in Abuja, Buhari himself said: “My heart breaks every time I take to this platform to offer condolences in this tormenting season of seemingly endless violence. I understand that it is difficult for the government to prevent every terrorist attack, but we can always do more to protect our defenceless citizens by boosting our intelligence and counterterrorism capabilities.”

According to the former Head of

State, “Our security and stability cannot be conditioned on any ideology or partisan agenda. Every Nigerian reserves the right to his own security, to his own freedom and dignity, and no amount of terrorist blackmail can make us surrender these. May God unite our hearts as we confront this evil.” These words of sympathy from Buhari underscore the need for Nigerians of all political ideology or partisan agenda to stand united in the fight against terror.

Similarly, not so long ago, President Jonathan commended General Buhari for his statesman-like views on terrorism when the former military leader published an article on the subject in the print media a little while ago. According to a statement issued at the time by Reuben Abati, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Jonathan welcomed “Buhari’s call on all Nigerians to remain steadfast and work in unity to overcome terrorists and other merchants of death who currently threaten national security.”

Abati further said that President Jonathan shared General Buhari’s view that a minority must never be allowed to “bring the nation to its knees through terror.”

In supporting the call for the political class to unite against terror rather than indulge in unhelpful political grandstanding, Chief (Dr) Tony Anenih, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Board of Trustees (BoT), reminded Nigerians that, “When militant gunmen attacked a shopping mall in Kenya, killing many people and holding many others hostage, the opposition leader, Raila Odinga, stood right beside the President, Uhuru Kenyatta, while the latter was addressing Kenyans on the dastardly attack.”

Anenih also said: “Boko Haram is a threat to Nigeria and to our democracy. The insurgency is not against Jonathan as an individual; rather it is against the Nigerian state. That is why our collective efforts are needed to tackle the challenges. All Nigerians, irrespective of their regional, religious or political affiliations, should be united in supporting the Federal Government and all the security agencies in the fight to end terror in our country.”

As Nigerians of all faiths and regions join General Buhari in thanking the Almighty God for sparing his life against the machinations of terrorists, the point must be reiterated that the attack on him (the former Head of State) is a pointer that no Nigerian is safe from terrorism. As such, the last thing the country’s political class should do is continue to politick with the issue of terrorism.

It is a pastime that will not bring any good to the polity.

• Ojeifo, journalist and publisher, sent this piece from Abuja.

LAW THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

A

lthough they did not stage a protest to demand the immediate rescue of the over 200 schoolgirls abducted from the Government Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State on April 14, their opinion however tallied with one another: “Why has there been no significant breakthrough in government’s rescue mission since April14?

When will these innocent schoolgirls be reunited with their parents? What is the President doing to ensure safe rescue of these schoolgirls? Are our military not capable to confront the insurgents?

These were some of their questions visibly written on the lips just as the schoolgirls’ families and community who had suffered deep anguish, are seeking effective rescue to end the peril that befell their daughters who had gone to school in search of knowledge.

It is 108 days today since the Boko Haram insurgents abducted the over 200 schoolgirls from Government Girls’ Secondary School, Chibok, Borno State.

The schoolgirls’ ordeal in Sambisa forest, which had been described as a national tragedy, has attracted global condemnation.

The abducted schoolgirls, whose ages range between 12 and 18 years, were abducted from their school on the night of April 14.

Apparently worried on what may have been the fate of the abducted schoolgirls since almost 108 days after they were forcefully taken away by the insurgents, an Octogenarian Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Dr. Tunji Braithwaite, a former president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Chief Chukwujnka Joe Okocha (SAN), a former NBA General-Secretary, Chief Obi Okwusiogu (SAN), Mr. Femi Falana (SAN),Mr. Lawal Pedro (SAN), Timothy Kehinde (SAN), Chief Chris Nwaiwu (SAN), Chief Nkereuwem Udofia Akpan, Dr. Tunji Abayomi, former NBA chairman, Ikeja branch, Mr. Monday Onyekachi Ubani and Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa, tasked the Jonathan-led government to speed up action on the abducted schoolgirls as their long stay in captivity had become a national tragedy.

Besides, they said it was time the Federal Government involved high caliber northern elders, emirs and religious leaders to negotiate the release of the Chibok schoolgirls.

For instance, Braithwaite said: “This is a national tragedy and also a national challenge that all other activities should be concentrated on the return of these unfortunate girls. When I said all other activities, I include preparations for the 2015 elections. I think the return of these girls must be a national priority because it is terrible. This is something we all have to take positive and concrete steps above even the so-called preparations for the election.”

But apparently worried that it had taken the government about 108 days without a breakthrough to rescue the abducted girls, Okocha simply said “it is difficult for me to say specifically and I don't have the security situation. So, it would be difficult for me to say. To me, the options are not something I can comment on because I don't have the details.

It is very sensitive.”

He was echoed by Lagos State Permanent Secretary and Solicitor-General, Lawal Pedro, who said although his opinion may not count, it is sad that no clue had led to the rescue of the abducted schoolgirls.

Pedro, a Senior Advocate said: “The security agencies who are well informed of the challenges in rescuing

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'Confab’s proposal on creation of states }p-24 & 25 senseless '

21

Okocha, Braithwaite, Ahamba counsel FG on Chibok schoolgirls Barely one week after President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan held a closed-door meeting with the parents of the Chibok schoolgirls who were abducted about 108 days ago by the Boko Haram insurgents, eminent Nigerian lawyers yesterday counselled the President on the safe rescue of the abducted schoolgirls. JOSEPH ONYEKWERE and TUNDE OYESINA report

Dr. Braithwaite

Okocha, SAN

I think the return of these girls must be a national priority because it is terrible. This is something we all have to take positive and concrete steps above even the so-called preparations for the election

It is difficult for me to say specifically and I don't have the security situation. So, it would be difficult for me to say. To me, the options are not something I can comment on because I don't have the details. It is very sensitive

the girls and have better information sensitive and otherwise are in the best position to offer options to Mr. President and the National Executive Council to decide. My opinion as private citizen is of no use”.

To Okwusiogu “there are no options before the Federal Government. We heard that the Boko Haram said they would be released if their members in detention are released. Is that an option? I don't think it is an option. That is an ultimatum! Options are where you can choose while ultimatum says take these girls and give me my boys. That is an ultimatum and not an option.

“So, I believe that there are no options for the Federal Government to choose from. But if you ask me, the Federal Government should know what to do. A similar situation played out at Entebe airport if you go back in time.

The present prime minister of Israel lost his eldest brother, a colonel who was the only person killed in that one hour rescue operation in Entebe. I think the federal government wouldn't just fold its arms. I think that they know what to do.

Chief Mike Ahamba, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria said patience and caution were the ‘words’.

He said: "I will not support the scenario of using force to rescue the girls as they may be killed in the process.

"We should be patient and allow the government to do its job. The govern-

ment is not folding its arms, remember, foreign forces have been invited.

"If force is the option, then it will be dangerous.

"The situation is worrying and hurting, but I know patience will bring out the girls alive".

Falana said: “I think the government must adopt a multidimensional approach to rescue the girls while members of the public and indeed the entire world continue to mount pressure on the government and the terrorists.

“There are some people that the terrorists have contact with and respect for; the government would have to contact them, look for them and see how they can intervene. The demand of the sect would have to be seriously considered by the Federal Government.

“For instance, there are allegations that some members of the families of the terrorists are being detained such as their wives, children and the rest of them. The government would have to release them. The government can trade off those types. Both the government and the terrorists must have to be made to realize that you cannot hold anybody in exchange for innocent people.

“So, the clamour for general amnesty as it were for the terrorists including those who have admitted that they threw bombs and kill people; it would be very difficult for government to meet. But surely, there shouldn't be

Ahamba, SAN

We should be patient and allow the government to do its job. The government is not folding its arms, remember, foreign forces have been invited any problem with releasing or agreeing to release their family members who really have been detained or arrested.

Again as I said, the government would need to contact those who have contact with Boko Haram sect because right now, the sect does not trust the government and neither does the government trust them.

“So, that is why some kind of intervention would be required to get those girls out. It is quite unfortunate and extremely traumatizing for the parents. It is also extremely embarrassing for the government. The government must allow those who are mounting pressure on the Boko Haram by way of constant demonstration to continue unlike in the past when they should have been forgotten by Nigerians. We must commend those in Lagos and Abuja who on a daily and weekly basis, had continue to remind Nigerian; to remind the government and to strike at the consciences of Boko Haram that we are not going to allow these girls to be forgotten, that we are asking you to release them. That we want them brought back safe and alive as the government has a duty to the parents to ensure that we do not lose more of them.

“Government must set up a group that would from time to time visit those parents and assure them of the efforts of the government to release the girls CO NTINUED O N PAGE25

22 LAW | interview

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Ilorin NBA: We want justice on Ojibara's alleged financial recklessness You have been accused of being the brain behind the recent crisis in the NBA; that you refused to subject the account of your administration for auditing and when you were disqualified from contesting at the national level you came back with impeachment move against the current chairman?

It is funny. I am surprised that a leader of the Bar could go on this way when he knows the truth. I don’t know why some of them are being economical with the truth. The audit committee that was set up was manipulated by the chairman and one or two of his cohorts who are hell bent on destroying our credibility because in the history of the Bar in Ilorin here, with due respect, there is no administration that can match our own. The records of our achievement are there for everyone to see.

I am surprised that he is saying I am the one supporting the move. Now at our general meeting of 18th of April, the one we had at the Chief Judge’s court, the secretary, Mr Akande rose up at that meeting; actually he didn’t sit with the EXCO, he sat with the congress. He rose up and said that the chairman is guilty of financial recklessness, abuse of office and unguarded statement. That is coming from his secretary and that is part of the ground of impeachment. Is that Balogun again?

He should just leave me alone.

This is what happened: after our tenure when we submitted our annual reports and accounts which I am going to show you. We set out everything clearly, no issue at all. It was at the point of the report being adopted at the swearing in of the new EXCO that Mr. Salman Jawondo, his godfather raised up his hands that we must not adopt this report that day because the time was far spent. The tradition is that we must adopt it but because we didn’t know they had their own plans elsewhere, I said no problem; that we could adopt it at the next general meeting which is the inaugural meeting of the Ojibara administration.

But the day we were supposed to do that, Jawondo again raised an issue that the report had not been audited and therefore should not be adopted.

I was surprised. Meanwhile Ojibara began to read out a list of names of a committee on that. One of the elders said no, this is not the practice; how can you appoint a committee for us to audit the report? There and then Jawondon raised his hands again and nominated Dr. Adams whose name had earlier been read out by Ojibara, to head the committee. Thereafter they began to jubilate that they were going to deal with me. The secretary to that committee is in the same office with Dr. Adams.

They wrote to me asking for records of the administration. I asked them to contact the secretary because as chairman I don’t keep records. Let them write to all secretaries and financial secretary. They wrote and those people responded. But the committee didn’t work at all. The chairman alone was looking at our record and was filing report because he was detailed to indict me because of my ambition because the practice in those days is that your chairman must recommend you, to say that you are in good standing otherwise you will not be allowed to contest. So, the plan was that they would use the report against me; they were going to use two reports; the audit and the one on the plaque we were given at the end of our tenure which is a normal thing but

Mr. Rafiu Balogun is a former chairman, Ilorin branch of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA). He bares his mind on the crisis rocking the Ilorin branch of the association especially on the impeachment notice served on his successor, Mr. Mobolaji Ojibara and concluded that there was a need for Ojibara to clear himself of the series of alleged corrupt practices and abuse of office preferred against him. BIODUN OYELEYE met him.

Balogun

which they made to become an issue and set up another committee to probe.

The audit committee was not working but they were preparing report. We have somebody there who felt it was all unfair and spoke out against what they were doing. We now wrote them to hands off because we have seen that in law that they don’t even have what it takes to audit and account; it is the job of professional accountants. We also said we have seen that they are not going to be fair to us because I had issues with the chairman of the committee, Dr. Adams because I didn’t allow him to contest when I was secretary as he was not qualified. But they pocketed our letter whereas they ought to refer the letter to the congress; that we are complaining.

We are lawyers and I am surprised that they could keep that letter without referring it to the congress. We had no option again but to go to court but before doing that we went to our elders; we wrote to them to let them know what was brewing and asked for their intervention that we have served so well that we don’t deserve to be humiliated. It was my administration that constituted the Council of Elders and we put it in the bye-law. We wrote to them and we even talked with some of them. But nothing was done and so we had to go to court.

In court, we said that we are not going to get fair hearing from the committee and that the court should mandate the association to constitute an independent auditor from outside who will do the auditing. So, we are not say-

Justice must be done; that is me. If they found him wanting of professional misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office, so be it ing our accounts should not be audited even though the two past administrations headed by Jawondo and Akanbi, their reports were never audited. We are on trust; we are lawyers and if lawyers speak from the Bar there is no need to doubt them, we are not used to this kind of thing; we operate on trust.

So why then is this happening?

Vendetta. I contested with Ojibara on two occasions and as God would have it I defeated him both as secretary and chairman and he now said I didn’t support him during this time when he won that I was supporting my Vice Chairman, Dr. Abikan. That was my offence because the elders had come into the matter earlier and they asked him why he was doing what he was doing and he said it was because I did not support him or something else. Nothing to say other than that and that is why I say it is vendetta or envy because they are marvelled at what we have achieved so far. When I started they said I was too young to do it but when we started to achieve so much they were marvelled

and they now accuse me that I want to turn myself into Saraki of NBA but I tell them it is because I am popular and people like my style.

But you were said to have incurred debt on the Bar centre?

They are not being fair to me. We commenced this project with funds we sourced from our areas and I put in my own N1 million, Olaolu Ali gave us N1 million, the one we got during our law week was N500,000. Baba Salman (Alarape) gave us money, Chief Bayo Ojo gave us money, that was what we started the project with. And of course we didn’t handle it personally, we gave it to a contractor and we were paying based on work done which was properly assessed just like government work.

We have committee on that under Dr. Ariyoosu. We organised the Book in Honour Project as part of fundraising because we said we cannot be asking for money here and there and we realised about N11 million mostly in pledges. We had about N2 million cash.

We used that for the building, leaving about N8.5 million pledges. The record has shown that this money is now coming in but this present administration has not been using the money for the project and has not even informed the members. I have been attending general meetings and not once have we been informed that they have recouped such and such amount of money. And I wrote to the Court of Appeal which bought about 100 of that book for N1 million and before we left office I wrote them and I have confirmed that they have paid that N1 million. Chief Adeniyi Akintola is alive and you can ask him, he also gave us his own N500, 000. We are sure of that money. This administration never informed us about it. And the building project was abandoned. Too bad!

The debt they said we incurred also includes cost of the roofing sheet, the labour, the cost of iron etc that is the N7 million they said we incurred. If you remove that amount from the N10 million we left, we have excess. Ojibara stopped the work and by now we should have completed the building. And I said I would assist them in getting the pledges but they asked me to stop but now the money is coming in and they never rendered account. I am surprised that instead of him to answer the questions in the impeachment notice he still continues to malign me.

The argument is that the impeachment move is because you were disallowed from contesting the just concluded NBA national election?

We are lawyers and I don’t think we should continue to think this way. We are not market women. Our laws are very clear on impeachment; I cannot spearhead it. In anyway lawyers are reasonable enough to know what is going on. Truly I was disqualified from contesting because he wrote a petition in which he maligned me. I should have challenged that unlawful disqualification but for the need for peace to reign.

We are in court because the Ilorin committee was infringing on our rights to fair hearing and no constitution by any group can override the Nigerian constitution which guarantees our rights to fair hearing but for me to be disqualified because they said I sued NBA is illegal, I leave that to posterity to judge. But I am still going to contest in the future. So, the truth is that I didn’t sign any notice of impeachment.

What is my own there?

But you will be happy if ojibara is removed?

LAW 23

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Justice must be done; that is me. If they found him wanting of professional misconduct, financial recklessness and abuse of office, so be it. And that is why we are not running away from audit; if they found me wanting let them do the needful to me. We are lawyers.

We must have integrity. What he has done by writing to the national body without the approval and consent of the general body which had adopted my candidature on 28th May 2014 when I informed them I would be contesting without knowing that Ojibara had written to the national body which was received on 27th of May and he was at that meeting but he never informed the house. That was the malice. A Bar leader worth his salt would have informed the general meeting of that letter and we would have discussed it but he kept quiet and that letter was only shown to me three days to the screening.

He didn’t copy me, he didn’t inform the house. What he has done is against our bye-law because the bye-law says it is the Secretary-General who can communicate the decision of the house to the national body, he doesn’t have the right to do that at all.

So, you will know it was all premeditated. On June 19th he wrote another petition to the Middle Belt Forum saying the branch became aware I was contesting through flyers and text messages meaning that he was hiding the fact that I was endorsed by the branch at a meeting held in the house of Chief Ashaolu, SAN. A Bar leader, a lawyer, should not do that. It is very sad. The Middle Belt Forum invited me and I

If they found me wanting let them do the needful to me.

We are lawyers. We must have integrity

Balogun

defended our position and I told them the reliefs we were seeking from the court among which was the appointment of certified auditors Is that one of the NBA traditions; to appoint auditors?

No audit at all. I told you we work on integrity. But our relief is because of their plans.

I never knew their antics so I fell for it because normally at the swearing-in we must adopt the report of the outgoing administration. Actually they were saying they would probe me in order to destroy me.

As chairman you set up the Elders Council, at what stage did they intervene?

Like I mentioned earlier, when this thing started we

wrote to them to intervene before the report of the first committee on award/plaque was first mentioned but I think they were too slow maybe they would have averted the crisis.

Also when this man wrote the Middle Belt Forum I wrote to the Council of Elders, begging them to please appeal to Ojibara not to replicate the letter to other fora because it can distort things because if they see it they will think it is from my branch not knowing he was acting on his own. But again maybe the council was slow in reacting. When we went to the court that was when they now began to talk. But after that they have summoned two meetings but I could not

attend the first one because I was in the far east campaigning but my Vice Chairman with other two members of the past EXCO were there and that was when I scanned the petition to them and they said they were marvelled, expressing concern that it was ungodly and asking when the branch mandated him to write such a letter against Balogun who was adopted by the branch. He was lampooned but he said he had already done it.

We thought he wouldn’t do it again but he repeated it with the Egbe Amofin . He couldn’t write them but he talked to the secretary on phone and that one told him he wouldn’t take oral submission and asked for written document. He said there was no time again and sent a text message. When they showed me I referred them to the outcome of the hearing by the Middle Belt Forum which by then had written them to adopt me because they had cleared me and that was what they too did.

I had to write the branch secretary after the experience with the Middle Belt Forum and asked to know whether there was a time the EXCO met and mandated the chairman to write a letter against me. The secretary replied that there

was never such a meeting and that I was still the candidate of the branch. I have the letter.

At any event they do not even have power to override the decision of the congress.

By virtue of my position as the immediate past chairman, I am a delegate to the NEC according to the bye-laws. But I was marvelled because Ojibara manipulated the list and put Jawondo’s name. His tenure had expired. During our tenure he was the NEC Representative. I had complained about this on three occasions and they will always tell me it is the chairman who insists that Jawondo is still the NEC Representative. The national secretariat will always apologise. His answer was that I didn’t write the national body to effect the change but I had handed over to them. I was the one who introduced them at the NEC meeting in Nassarrawa so even if there was any error he is the one who should have corrected it. So, the delegate list issue is also a matter of professional misconduct which we are taking up because somebody who ought not to have voted, voted in that election.

Where do you see this impeachment move heading to?

Only the people can talk about that because after the Notice, there will be a meeting where two-third of the members present will determine.

Whatever happens is not my business because I have done my own. I am worried up till now he has not denied any of the allegations. Let him come and deny the claims. But if he scales through no problem otherwise I have no issue with that.

CLP to publish compendium on Nigeria’s top 100 lawyers publication City Lawyer Publishers collate 100 lawyers with records of outstanding excellence Foluso Ogunmodede

A

compendium on Nigeria’s top 100 lawyers who have achieved excellence would be unveiled soon.

This was made known by a former banker and award winning journalist-turned lawyer, Mr. Emeka Nwadioke, the brain behind the novel project.

According to him, ‘Nigeria’s top 100 lawyers, was a product of painstaking research and nation-wide peer review rating as the compendium was designed solely to celebrate legal excellence in Nigeria.

Edited by Nwadioke, the compendium which coincided with the Nigeria’s 100 years anniversary ,was a culmination of over 12 months intensive research and survey.

Miss Olapeju Odanye flanked by parents, Barr. Tunde Odanye, a member of the Governing Council of Federal Polytechnic Offa and Mrs. Omobola Odanye at the graduation ceremony in the University of Leicester, UK where she bagged First Class in Law recently.

Published by City Lawyer Publishers Limited (CLP), the publication would be the first attempt in the country that would rank Nigeria’s pre-eminent and most accomplished lawyers.

He said: “The firm which also publishes City Lawyer Magazine, “Nigeria's top 100 lawyers” is designed to provide the most transparent, respected, useful and definitive referral guide

on legal excellence in Nigeria.

“The publishers do not accept payments of any kind from lawyers, law firms or third parties for listing in the compendium because the quality

of a peer review survey is directly related to the quality of its voting pool, nominations were obtained exclusively from the ranks of Senior Advocates of Nigeria and the acclaimed Solicitors,

who also constituted the entire candidate pool.

“The results of the online survey were then collated by the Board of Editors who double checked the ranking through independent research and discreet interviews with pre-eminent legal experts. The compendium is designed as a full colour, all-gloss publication in book format.

“With an Advisory Board made up of highly respected experts including a renowned professor of Jurisprudence & International Law, Prof.

Akin Oyebode; a former UNILAG Dean Faculty of Law, Prof. Chioma Agomo, and Prof. Akin Ibidapo-Obe, currently Dean of Law, University of Lagos, the publishers pride themselves on the fact that lawyers cannot buy entry into the publication.

“Given that inclusion in the compendium is based entirely on peer review, it is expected to be a singular honour.

“The enthusiasm shown by the nominees is unparalleled. We are highly excited about this endeavour.”

24 JURIST

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Confab’s proposal on creation of new states senseless, says Akanbi

Theirs is a law dynasty. His father, the Wakilin of Ilorin, Justice Muhammed Mustapha Adebayo Akanbi, is the pioneer chairman of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), having rose to the pinnacle of his career and retired as President, Court of Appeal. Three of his siblings also studied law. Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi, a Professor of Law and former Head of Department of Business Law, doubled as the Dean Faculty of Law of the University of Ilorin. He is presently the Deputy Director of Centre for Research Development and In-house Training, University of Ilorin. Akanbi, who is the scion of the Adebayo Akanbi law dynasty, speaks on his family, foray into the legal profession, corruption, Nigeria’s security challenge, abduction of Chibok schoolgirls and sundry issues. APPOLOS CHRISTIAN met him.

Prof. Akanbi

He is the third son of the revered Justice Mustapha Akanbi. Professor Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi, a former Dean of the Faculty of Law of the University of Ilorin and managing partner, Forum Conveniens Consult, Ilorin, is a member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators London, United Kingdom.

An alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University,(OAU), Ile-Ife, Akanbi obtained his Ph.D from the Kings College, University of London, United Kingdom shortly after his LLM from the prestigeous University of Lagos.

Although his choice of career was not dictated by his revered father, Akanbi said his desire to follow his father’s footsteps was not either a happenstance.

He told New Telegraph some astonishing feats he had attained in the profession since he was called to Bar some decades ago.

Akanbi said: “My name is Mohammed Mustapha Akanbi.

I am a Professor of Law and lecturer in the faculty of law of the University of Ilorin, and as well a legal practitioner.

“I am a member of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) and one-time chairman of the Ilorin branch between 2008 and 2010.

I was a delegate at the just concluded NBA election that was recently held in Abuja.

“Also, I was a HOD of Business Law and Dean of the University of Ilorin Law Faculty.

So, I am presently the deputy director of Centre for Research Development and In-house Training, University of Ilorin.

“Basically, what we do in

this center is to facilitate and harmonize research for the academics and also engage in the training of academic and non-academic staff ”.

Akanbi spoke glowingly of the revered family where excellence and integrity were the watchword. “My family is a one of simplicity and we so much detest corruption because integrity is our watchword”, he said.

Besides, he dismissed insinuations that he was influenced by his Octogenarian father to study law. He insisted that he went for law because it was an in-built desire as it was indeed, a dream come true as he desired to be a lawyer ‘from a tender age’.

He said: “I am the third son of Justice Mustapha and the late Mrs. Akanbi among six children (five boys and one girl).

“And of the six children, the first child studied English; the second is an Agriculturist while the remaining four of us studied law, of which one is a senior Magistrate and the other two: legal practitioners.

My family is a one of simplicity and we so much detest corruption because integrity is our watchword”.

On his choice of career, Akanbi said “I have always wanted to be a lawyer from a tender age. Although, it might be as a result of my environment, I was never forced by anyone to study law. Initially, I incidentally read Political Science but I finally read law which is the discipline I had always wanted to study”.

Apparently miffed by the incessant impeachment within

the nation's political clime, Akanbi bemoaned the misuse of the constitutional tool to harass, intimidate and above all, settle political scores.

Although he said impeachment is a lawful device, being used by lawmakers to sack the executive accused of misconduct, its application without recourse to due process may truncate the nation’s fledgling democratic process.

Akanbi said: “Impeachment is a constitutional device meant and used by the House of Assembly either at the federal or state level to remove either the president or governor if he or she is alleged to have acted unconstitutionally especially when it has to do with the stipulated laws that uphold or oppose the office and responsibility.

“According to the process, the house will serve the president or governor some allegations or query and ask him or her to respond. And a committee will be set up to look into it and where he or she is found wanting, the house will vote for his removal which is known as impeachment. Normally, impeachment is not something to be used anyhow, but it seems to have become a child’s play considering what is going on now in Nigeria.

“However the case may be, impeachment is a constitutionally created tool and lawful at all times but the case has always been the abuse of it. Like presently in Nigeria, you hear news of impeachment here and there as if it’s a child’s play. In fact, the way it is employed now in Nigeria, it is unfortunate and sadly because it is obvious that its cases now as regards Rear Admiral Murtala Nyako, who is already impeached and the Nassarawa state Governor, Al-Makura are politically incited as it is marred with undue processes.

“And on the other hand, it is not about at what point im-

Does it make sense at all? To create about 16 more states, to me is ridiculous

peachment can be used or not because as however the case may be, as stipulated in the Constitution, if genuinely a president or governor has been found to have contravened the law to a high point, the allegations before him must be investigated and if to a reasonable doubt, he is found guilty by the investigative committee, impeachment is then inevitable.

So, impeachment can be employed at any time, so long the right procedures are followed.

Can a victim shun a notice of impeachment? This, Akanbi said such victims do so at his or her own peril as he or she has an option of challenging it in court should it turn awry, although the court’s intervention may become unnecessary as the principle of Separation of Power has a binding rule on the three arms of government.

His words: “He cannot ignore an impeachment process.

The only option left for such a person is to go to court but however, the court cannot easily interfere or intervene in the legislative process, because there is what is called the separation of powers which is into play when it comes to issue as impeachment, and that is the unfortunate part of it because knowing full well that the court cannot easily interfere, the legislative body tend to do as it pleases.

“So, there is little or less the court can do against a legislative body that is vehemently facilitating an impeachment process. For instance, in the case of Nyako who has just nine months left for his tenure and even if it’s a fresh four-year tenure, if he goes to the court, the case may be there for years and the court will not be able to stop a determined house to stop impeachment process which means that his case will still be in the court while he is already removed from office.

“And even at that, the highest thing the court can do for someone in Nyako’s shoe is to check if he was impeached in accordance with the law, which like I earlier said may take years.

On terrorist attack, Akanbi described terrorism as a very complex crime; unlike "a straight battle you don’t even know your enemy. Your enemy could be anybody, your neighbor or what have you.

“It is an unconventional way of attack typically hit and run and difficult to deal with. So, my take is that government should sincerely and seriously fund the military in all ramifications, especially, intelligence wise.

“For once, corruption in terms of misappropriation of funds should not be associated with the funding of the security agencies, and war against terrorism should not be taken with levity at all. Secondly, there is a need to employ technology because it is highly important to fighting this kind of enemy as technology is that things are quickly and effectively done in today’s world. A country as Nigeria where most citizens have not had their biometric taken nor the population of the citizens known, and who is who and who is where is indeed in need of technological help now more than ever.

“Also, the government needs to get the Nigerian citizens to having the mentality and engaging in community policing, where the citizens will have to be vigilant and seriously monitor the strange faces and movements of people within their environments and report to the security agents because that is part of the best effective ways to fighting this war and government cannot do it all on their own. And the mistake of security forces been hostile to the host community should not be tolerated by the government anymore because to so many places that was the case, it didn’t help to achieve anything tangible and neither will it especially in this case.

“Though unfortunate but since the kind of terrorism we are experiencing in the northern part of Nigeria today is more of religious base, the religious and traditional leaders in the north at large must come out of the shells and kick against it to the fullest, and as well enjoin the followers and subjects to stand against it because bombs does not recognize or respect anyone and of a truth, the menace is in a no small measure drawing backward the northern state both in terms of development and investment because no one will want to go and invest where bombs are going off on

JURIST 25

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Ahamba, Falana, others counsel FG on Chibok schoolgirls

Delegates at the confab should think of something else and forget about the idea of new states

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

a daily basis.

On Chibok schoolgirls, Professor Akanbi said President Goodluck Jonathan-led administration had not been sincere on the rescue of the schoolgirls over 100 days of their abduction by the Boko Haram.

He described the government’s effort as ‘very weak”.

Akanbi went on: “Because government is rather busy exchanging words with those that go around shouting bring back our girls, is that the issue? Just imagine that it has to take the presence of a 17years old girl from Pakistan to activate government respond on whether or not the president should meet with the girl’s parents. Like, “no the parents should come and meet the president, no, no the president should go to Chibok”, imagine that! I am not sure if it has been in the United States of America Obama will sit down all this while and wait to be reminded to go and see the parents let alone debating on either the parents coming to meet him or he going to meet them.

It’s over three months now, there is nobody the daughter will be abducted like these girls and the parents will be happy.

So, the government has to step up its game and man up with its responsibility. And government should not see criticism as antagonism. All over the world leaders are been criticizes, even after the September 9,2001 Bush was criticized, so government should learn to accept criticism and pick what it needs to deal with the necessary issue rather than focusing who and how it’s been criticized.

On the newly elected national officers of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA), Akanbi simply said “the NBA should be more pro-active than it has ever been especially in these times. This administration should see itself and speak out because it is a higher watchdog of the society.

“The NBA should stop playing the ostrich. There is a problem going on in Rivers State for a while yet it has not said anything. Seriously, for whatever reason, the NBA should be the last body of watchdog to indulge in pretence in this country because it is disappointing.

So, I am looking forward to the president being sincere and pro –active to the course of the association and its members and to the Nigerian citizens to the fullest, whereby a concrete positive difference will be seen and felt.

Asked to assess the fight against corruption by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the erudite Professor of Law queried and said ‘are we really fighting corruption in Nigeria in the first place? Can the government sincerely say it is fighting corruption?

Prof. Akanbi

akanbi AT A GLANCE • He is the third son of the revered pioneer ICPC chairman and retired President Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi • He is a Professor of law • He is the Deputy Director, Centre for Research Development and Inhouse Training, University of Ilorin • He obtained his Ph.D from the Kings College, University of London, United Kingdom • He is the managing partner, Forum Conveniens Consult, Ilorin •He is a member, Chartered Institute of Arbitrators London, United Kingdom.

• He is a former chairman of the Ilorin NBA branch • He was a delegate at the 2014 NBA election • He is an ex-HOD Business Law, UNILORIN • He is a former Dean, Faculty of Law UNILORIN • He is an alumnus of the Obafemi Awolowo University, (OAU) Ile-Ife “Obviously there is nothing serious at every level to show that corruption is being fought in Nigeria. Take for instance, the most notable corruption cases we have heard in this country, how many of them get conviction for it? Being the reason the impunity continues because people are not really being punished. And besides people taken or embezzling money, corruption has spread to lifestyle. You see people with average financial level but once they take political offices, they begin to build houses worth hundreds of millions and buying the most expensive cars. So, when the people in the helm of the affairs are rather chief corrupt practitioners, who then will hold them accountable for

the crime and what can an anti-graft agent who is employed and paid monthly do to he or her that pays him? What do you expect when presidents, governors ministers and legislatures are buying cars worth millions in high numbers, every other person around them will also mould themselves in that manner.

“So, the government that involves the executive, legislature and judiciary must agree to fight corruption in Nigeria for anything tangible to be achieved in terms of fighting the crime. And as individual and collective citizens, Nigerians must also rise up against corrupt practices because government cannot do it alone. We should stop eulogizing and honoring people who overnight become wealthy with our money. So, I think the anti-graft agencies’ performance issue can be talked about when the government and the citizens agree in the first place to fight corruption because it is indeed a waste of time talking about anti-graft agencies fighting the crime when we all know the truth of the matter. And the press must also do its quota because a greater part of fighting corruption lies in the hand of the journalists in Nigeria.

On the recommendation by the national conference for the creation of 16 additional states,Akanbi said “I don’t agree with their recommendation at all. “ Does it make sense at all; you want smaller government and you are at the sametime talking about 16 more state, is it not contradicting? They should think of something else and forget about the idea of new states; it will not work at all.

because if you look at it legally, the parents of these girls can rarely maintain action against the government to produce their children. And the relations of those who have died, if they are breadwinners, their loved ones they have left behind are entitled to some compensation from government because the inability of the government to secure the lives of these girls led to their abduction in the first place.

To a former chairman, Ikeja branch of the NBA, Mr.Monday Onyekachi Ubani, “we need to be more practical in matters like these instead of being theorized. Theory will not solve these problems. The government is saying they cannot rescue the girls because the insurgents live with the girls and make it practically impossible for them to apply force.

“The next option is negotiation. So, let them negotiate with them and if possible do exchange. I am being practical, I know that many people would not be comfortable with this idea, but that is the option. Or we end up killing all of them in the process of rescuing them.

So, why not negotiate because the longer they stay, the more crimes are being committed on them such as rape and the rest. They have possibly been dehumanized and reduced to nothing.

So, I think the proper thing to do is to really talk to them and get those girls back. That is another capacity that shows that we are capable of curtailing this insurgency but I know that the military in Nigeria has the capacity to end the insurgency if there is some level of sincerity and loyalty. So, the best thing now is to talk to them and get the girls back if they are saying that they cannot go to where the girls are now.

Mr. Ebun Olu-Adegboruwa was not different. He said negotiation has become inevitable following government’s inability to rescue the schoolgirls since they were abducted by Boko Haram.

He said: “In the light of the glaring inability of the Federal Government to rescue the girls after so many days and promises, I believe that the issue of negotiation have become totally inevitable.

“It is not peculiar to Nigeria.

Israel released over 1000 Palestinians just because of one Israeli soldier. Just one soldier!

So, I believe that the lives of these girls are more than all the Boko Haram put together.

“We can because of these girls pardon all those Boko Haram members just to bring the back alive. Among them are the future leaders of this country.

It is from them that we can get Chimamanda and Malala. So, I don't think we should write them off because of their age or because they are young. I believe that since the government

is not in the position to use intelligence or military option to rescue them, we should bend down to embrace negotiation to bring them back.

Timothy Kehinde said "I won't say 108 days after the kidnap, nothing has happened, remember that when you are fighting terrorism, it is not every step you take that you will announce because it is a security issue.

"I can tell you with every sense of modesty and seriousness that government knows where those girls are and how they are being moved from one place to another.

"It is a two edged sword, if government decides to use force, the girls may be killed by the terrorists, the kidnappers don't have anything at stake, they don't have value for their lives. What they can do if you want to take the girls by force is that they will use them as a shield.

"The government is taken it easy so as to get the girls alive and unhurt. It is just like a Yoruba proverb, 'a tsetse fly which perches on one's private part, requires wisdom to kill it'.

"If the government introduces force, all the girls will be killed. Something is being done by the government, we have a responsible government.

Though, it is good that the campaign is on, I am sure there will be positive result.

Another senior lawyer and human rights activist, Chief Nkereuwem Udofia Akpan, said “it is truly disturbing when we hear the FGN issue statements to the effect that the location of the girls is known and yet nothing is done to rescue them.

"Secondly, when they are rescued what physical, mental and emotional state will the girls be found? Thirdly are we really confident about the loyalty and sincerity of security & other law enforcement operatives?

"Fourthly, what steps are being taken to improve our intelligent gathering?

"Finally, isn’t it obvious that politics has crept into the search of these girls in pretty much the same way politics has crept into about every aspect of our nation".

Chief Chris Nwaiwu, SAN said: "I believe that the government should continue the negotiation it started with the sect.

"The negotiation technique worked in Ukraine and I believe it can also work here in Nigeria. Force should not be used, as it will create more dangers for the girls and the nation as a whole.

"Most times, force does not win terrorism war, but persuasion and negotiation.

"I think the government should reconsider the option of negotiation".

Dr. Tunji Abayomi canvassed the need to brainstorm with the leadership of the north at the instance of the sect as a panacea for the safe rescue of the abducted girls.

26 LAW | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

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

FredLatimore Oghenesivbe

TRIBUTE

Reflections on Bamidele Aturu — A pure spirit

Criminal litigation: Legal execution of search warrants Fred Latimore Oghenesivbe

S

earch in legal parlance especially in criminal law constitutes the examination of a person’s body, apartment, premises, office areas, vehicle, aircraft and other such places by a police officer or other categories of law enforcement agents for the purpose of finding evidence of crime with which to prosecute a suspect or an accused person in a court of competent jurisdiction.

Searches therefore are an integral part of pre-trial investigations under Section 6 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act (CPA), Section 28 Police Act, Section 44 (3), 78, 79 and 127 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CPC) and Section 150 (1) of the Customs and Exercise Management Act (CEMA among other enabling laws and enactments.

Criminal litigation is procedural and highly technical which is why failure to adhere to certain rules may set a criminal free or punish an innocent person.

Evidence is the core aspect of criminal prosecution and it is the prosecution (the Commissioner of Police on behalf of the State or Attorney General either State or Federal) that has to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt that the accused person actually committed the offence.

Therefore, to prove the actual commission of a crime by the accused person, the police during pre-trial investigation must ensure that a proper investigation was carried out and necessary exhibits relating to the offence are obtained through various means. He or she has to conduct searches on the body of suspects, home, office, car, aircraft, ship, personal effects and such other places or properties to obtain documentary or material evidence, whenever necessary during investigation, with which to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt.

A police office is empowered under Section 28 of the Police Act, Section 1 of the Criminal Procedure Act and Section 44 of the Criminal Procedure Code to search the body of suspects whenever arrest is made especially if the subject matter of the offence can be immediately found on him. For example if a suspect is alleged to have snatched a sum of money from a victim and was immediately apprehended under Section 4 of the Police Act, it is expedient that the Investigating Police Officer (IPO) should search the body of the suspect with a view to recovering the said sum or conduct a search on his personal effects if carrying a bag or such other property of the suspect.

Section 29 of the Police Act permits a police officer to detain and search a suspect but limited to offences of fraud or dishonesty. The power of police officer is further expanded in Section 4 of the Police Act which expressly, among other lawful duties, to prevent and detect crime, to apprehend offenders and to preserve law and order, protect life and property, et al.

It must be stated that where a search is to be conducted on a woman, it must be done by a woman law officer or law enforcement officer as stipulated under Section 6 (2) Criminal Procedure Act, Section 44 (3) Criminal Procedure Code, Section 32 National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and Section 150 (1) of the Customs and Exercise Manage-

Criminal litigation is procedural and highly technical which is why failure to adhere to certain rules may set a criminal free or punish an innocent person ment Act. That a law enforcement officer is authorized to search a suspect does not translate to inflicting bodily harm on the suspect during search or subjecting the suspect to inhuman treatment which is why Section 82 of the Criminal Procedure Code expressly provides that searches shall be with strict regard to decency and respect for the dignity of the human person.

A search warrant is procurable by a police officer or law enforcement agent upon information on Oath and the warrants when issued enables the executing police officer(s) to enter into a premise or aircraft to search items specified therein and shall seize any material suspected to be in connection with the alleged offence under investigation. The general rule is that for a search to be conducted on premises, the police officer or any other officer conducting the search must arm himself or herself with a search warrant and when search is conducted on premises without a warrant it becomes an unlawful search. Exception to this rule is where a person to be arrested is suspected be within particular premises such apartment or premises may be searched for purposes of having him arrested.

The authority to issue a search warrant is vested in a Judge or Magistrate under Section 107 of the Criminal Procedure Act and Sections 74, 75 and 76 of the Criminal Procedure Code. A Justice of the Peace is also a competent person to issue a search warrant as well as a superior police officer above the rank of Cadet Assistant Superintendent of Police, preferably a Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP). Such power of the superior police officer to issue search warrant is limited only to matters relating to recovery of stolen property or other such proprietary offences. Warrants when issued remain in force until it is either executed or cancelled by the court that issued it as provided under Section 109 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act. A search warrant may be issued and executed on any day including a Sunday and public holiday as provided under Section 111 (1) of the Criminal Procedure Act and shall be executed between the hours of 5.00am and 8pm unless there is an endorsement permitting its execution at any other time. The executing officer has right of ingress and egress within the validity period of the warrant to break into and out of the premises for the sole purpose of reasonably executing the warrant. See also Section 7, 8 and 112 (2) of the Criminal Procedure Act and Sections 34 (3) and 84 of the Criminal Procedure Code.

TO B E CO N T I N U E D

The late Aturu CO N T I N U E D FR O M L A S T WEEK

Wahab Kunle Shittu

I

have a personal experience on Aturu to attest to this trait in moral rectitude.

I recall a time I was briefed to handle a drug related matter for a client who later approached me for a related segment of the brief that I could not handle for conflict of interests. The client was ready to pay the sum of Two million naira and requested me to recommend a good lawyer since I could not handle the brief. I had no difficulty in zeroing in on the choice of Bamidele Aturu. I called Bamidele Aturu ahead and informed him that a prospective client was on his way to brief him, armed with a princely sum of Two million naira. Aturu said he was waiting. However, to my shock and utter surprise when Aturu got the details of the brief he turned the brief down together with the sum of Two million naira on the ground that his conscience will not permit him to accept the brief in the circumstances. He called to apologize to me while insisting that his decision was final. What a Nigerian!

At his death I was forced to reflect on the significance of the name Bamidele Aturu and how the meaning of his first name and the interpretation of each of the surname may have defined the life and times of this extraordinary Nigerian. Bamidele simply means ‘Come home with me’ little wonder why this Nigerian threw his doors open to all Nigerians who desire his assistance as a reflection of his innate generosity and empathy. The okada riders in Lagos and Baba Suwe who benefited from Aturu’s generosity would attest to this trait.

On this score as a friend of the poor, Aturu wrote: “Lagos State should review the way it treats the poor”.

Each of the alphabets in the surname of Aturu is significant.

A: Stands for Amiable/Astuteness/Activism T: Stands for Trustworthy U: Stands for untiring R: Stands for reliability U: Utility driven.

Aturu combined all of these attributes and more – a factor responsible for his greatness and uniqueness.

Aturu was also a scholar of immense stature. He wrote standard text books on Labour Law and Election Matters which remain reference materials for scholarship. His latest work is on the Law & Practice of Industrial Courts, a work that constitutes imperishable guide to legal practitioners and other users of Industrial Courts nationwide.

Aturu’s scholarship was consistent with his pedigree. He read Physics at the University of Ife graduating with first class honours. In 1996 he graduated on top of his LL.M class at the University

of Lagos with distinction, a feat which confirmed Aturu’s rating as a first class brain indeed.

Aturu was also a philosopher in the mould of the philosophical king with power of ideas and power of action.

Beyond these, however, was the ability of Aturu to galvanize the elements of ideas and positive action into concrete crusade for policies and laws capable of transforming society. As a result, a fitting tribute to Aturu would be a reflection on the views he expressed on diverse issues affecting the well-being, growth and development of the country and its citizens.

Aturu for example, was vehemently opposed to deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry and wrote scathing articles in leading newspapers exposing the evils of deregulation and why our government ought to jettison the policy.

Aturu’s views on politics are also instructive. He wrote: “The trouble with Nigerian politics contrary to the dominant public view is not the absence of issues - based politics or lack of ideological commitment by the existing political parties but the fact that the dominant political parties are committed to the same ideology or world – view and therefore essentially not different one from the other…all the dominant parties in Nigeria are committed to privatization of public utilities and assert that the state’s only role in the economy is as regulator of the competing interests of the various factions of the ruling class”.

Aturu may have made the point that the existing political parties owing to lack of ideological clarity may have left the Nigerian electorate with little or no choice. The difference between all of them is between 12 and half a dozen. I doubt whether anyone can fault Aturu’s thesis in this regard.

Aturu will be remembered for his dogged pursuit of egalitarian society and his crusade against oppression and marginalization of Nigerians. He was an activist whose struggle had a strong spiritual foundation. He was a Pastor of the Redeemed Christian Church of God who believed in social justice and equal opportunity for all and sundry because that is the wish of Almighty God. Throughout his life, Aturu fought for democracy, rule of law, constitutionalism, due process, transparency and accountability, free, fair and credible electoral process, zero tolerance for corruption, respect for fundamental rights and good governance.

Whenever he granted interviews on print and electronic media, Aturu deployed his creative talents and energy in pursuit of these fundamentals of the democratic tradition.

• Shittu teaches law at the Department of Jurisprudence and International Law, University of Lagos.

HEALTH THURSday, JULy 31, 2014

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www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

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27

}p-29 appolonia adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com appoloniaadeyemi@gmail.com

Ebola, deadly virus on the prowl lWhat Nigerians should know The World Health Organisation (WHO) record shows that Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) has killed at least 672 people in West Africa in the past months. With the latest death recorded in Nigeria, experts say simple hygiene and sanitation intervention can reduce infection and death from the virus, writes APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

T

he death of the first Ebola Virus Disease (EVD) victim, the late Mr. Patrick Sawyer, a Liberian on Nigerian soil last Friday, makes a very bold statement: relevant government agencies supposedly on red alert, manning airports, seaports and as well as all land borders, must have been caught unguarded. That is why despite being a Liberian; one of the West African countries with high burden of the EVD, Sawyer, a senior diplomat with the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) flew into the country on Tuesday July 22, to attend the ECOWAS convention in Calabar.

Although, some other countries have placed surveillance on persons accessing their countries from Liberia and others such as Sierra Leone and Guinea where hundreds have lost their lives to Ebola virus so as to stop anyone with the virus from encroaching into their territory to spread the deadly virus, the same did not happen in Nigeria, paving the way for Sawyer to arrive the country unchallenged.

With his subsequent death three days later, precisely last Friday in a private hospital in Obalende, Lagos, Nigeria has now joined the unenviable league of countries with EVD outbreak.

The huge challenge before the country now is how to contain the deadly virus and sustain the present frenetic activities to ensure that all those who came in contact with Sawyer do not develop infection nor spread the disease.

So far, details jointly released by the federal government and Lagos State, show that right now, 59 persons have been registered to have had contact with the late Sawyer before he died.

According to the Commissioner of Health in Lagos State, Dr. Jide Idris, those who had contact with the Liberian who was diagnosed with the EVD in Nigeria consists of “44 hospital contacts (38 healthcare workers and six laboratory staff), 15 airport contacts comprising three ECOWAS staff-driver, liaison and protocol officer, Nigerian Ambassador to Monrovia, Mr. Chigozie Obi-Nnadozie, two nursing staff and five airport passenger handlers.

As at the time of filing this report, 20 of these contacts have been physically

Presentation of EVD on the hand of a patient.

screened.

The Director of Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi said, “two laboratories are on standby 24 hours where screening of the 20 contacts are being carried out.” Without any doubt, this is a real huge task.

Besides, knowledge that these number of persons widely believed to be potential carriers of the Ebola virus are in the country, is already sending shivers down the spine of many. “There is trouble indeed if all these 59 contacts being tracked are in the country,” said Alan Aderele, an unemployed university graduate residing in Lagos. He even vowed never to have anything to do with Obalende, the location of the private hospital where Sawyer received healthcare for three days before he died.

As far as he was concerned, the Ebola virus could be lurking within that environment and may latch onto anyone around that area.

Some Nigerians spoken to were apprehensive about the death of Sawyer in Nigeria and the possibility of spreading the Ebola virus through the numerous persons who had contacts with him during the few days he spent receiving treatment in the country. Some fear that many more Nigerians may contract the virus and go the way of Sawyer. Some Nigerians already have their hearts in their mouths because, for them, an EVD outbreak in Nigeria is equated to ‘death at the door’, considering the high fatality resulting from the disease. Some have

PHOTO absolute-news.com

Minister of Health, Prof. Onyebuchi Chukwu

Idris

even described outbreak of the EVD as the Biblical prediction of ‘end time’.

Idris who is a public health physician has however allayed fears of Nigerians and stated categorically that only one case of imported Ebola and one death has been recorded in Lagos. "No Nigerian is infected, but all who had contacts with the late Sawyer are being actively followed," he said.

"We call on all Nigerians to be calm and not panic and do hereby assure them that both the Lagos State and federal governments are up in arms to ensure that the virus does not spread.

known as Ebola haemorrhagic ferver is a severe, often fatal illness in humans, with outbreaks recording case fatality rate of up to 90 percent. EVD, caused by the Ebola virus occurs primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa near tropical rain forests.

At least 672 in West Africa have died from the EVD. The deaths were recorded in Guinea, Sierra-Leone and Liberia.

Key facts of Ebola Virus Disease According to the WHO, EVD formerly

Transmission The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-tohuman transmission.

C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 2 8

28 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Ebola: Avoid bats, bush meat C O N T I N U E D f r o m PA G E 2 7

Fruit bats are considered to be the natural hosts of the Ebola virus. Based on these, medical experts said people should avoid any fruit that had been eaten by animals as they may be contaminated.

Ebola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead in the rainforest.

Avoid bats, bush meat Warning communities that eat bats and other types of bush meat, the Director, Nigerian Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), Prof. Abdulsalam Nasidi said this is the time for them to desist from consuming bush meat based on the fact that these wild animals are host to the Ebola virus. What this means is that the Ebola virus resides conveniently in these wild animals and it has also been scientifically proven that the consumption of these wild animals is a source of contracting and spreading the virus.

Similarly, Nasidi noted that some communities in Nigeria worship bats, warranting them to keep the bats within their domain. “They should be very careful and stop the act,” he warned, adding that it could expose them to becoming infected.

The transmission of the Ebola virus by other animals like monkeys and chimpanzees cannot be ruled out.

However, a foremost virologist and President of the Nigerian Academy of Science (NAS), Prof. Oyewale Tomori also allayed fears of Nigerians practicing animal husbandry, maintaining piggery and other form of livestock. He further explained that domestic animals are not carriers of Ebola virus and people who are rearing domestic animals such as pig should not entertain any fear.

Burial ceremonies According to Nasidi, forty percent of those who were infected with the Ebola virus contracted the disease from the mishandling of the burial of people who died from Ebola disease.

Relations, friends and colleagues of anyone suspected to have died from EVD should not just go and bury such people, he advised. Rather, he encouraged them to contact public health officials in their states or local government.

Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of of Ebola.

According to the WHO, men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to seven weeks after recovery from the illness.

It should be noted that only officials that have been trained conducted the cremation of the late Sawyer under strict guidelines that ensured de-contamination to further check the spread of the virus. “Ashes from the cremated body are sterile,” and cannot habour infection, said Bayo Onajole, a professor of public health at the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LUTH)/College of Medicine, University of Lagos (CMUL).

Personal contacts Special Adviser to the Lagos State Governor on Public Health, Dr. Yewande Adesina said all fluids from anyone infected with the Ebola virus are extremely dangerous.

Adeshina advised health workers to be at alert, wear personal protective equipment; observe universal basic pre-

Special protective treatment gown for health workers providing care for EVD patients. PHOTO: viasat1.com.gh

cautions when attending to suspected or confirmed cases; and report same to top management of their local government areas or their state ministry of health.

She urged those in the Lagos area to immediately call the following numbers: 08023169485; 08033086660; 08033065303; 08055281442; and 08055329229 for prompt action.

She said, “the virus can be spread through, close contact with the blood, body fluids, organ and tissues of infected animals.

Herbal/religious homes In addition, traditional medicine practitioners have been warned to report suspected cases of high and haemorrhagic fever to public health officers in their states or the local government areas to prevent the spread of Ebola virus infection.

High risk persons Adeshina noted that those at the highest risk of the disease include healthworkers and families or friends of an infected person who could be infected in the course of feeding, holding and caring for them.

Also at risk are health workers who had treated either suspected or confirmed infected persons.

Identification of EVD Ebola virus disease should be suspected in persons who develop bleeding from the body openings like the mouth, nose, rectum and ear.

Mobilisation of stakeholders Recognising the importance of involving the community early in the response, the Commissioner for health in Lagos State said already, various communities, traditional and religious leaders have been alerted about the disease and urged them to report any suspected cases of EVD or those diagnosed with the condition.

It is expected that the sensitisation of key stakeholders should be replicated in the 36 states of the federation and the federal capital territory (FCT).

According to Nasidi, forty percent of those who were infected with the Ebola virus contracted the disease from the mishandling of the burial of people who died from Ebola disease

Incubation period Incubation period, which is the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is two to 21 days.

Nasidi

Symptoms Early symptoms of the disease include fever, headache, chills, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, sore throat, backache, and joint pains.

Later symptoms include bleeding from the eyes, ears and nose, bleeding from the mouth and rectum, eye swelling, swelling of the genitals and rashes all over the body that often contain blood. It could progress to coma, shock and death.

No cure Explaining why fatality rate of the disease is high, Idris explained that there is neither a cure yet nor any vaccine available to prevent the condition.

Adesina said that presently, there is no specific treatment for EVD and stressed that infected persons will need to be admitted into the hospital for specialised care and treated in isolation in line with international standards as recommended by the WHO.

Tomori

Prevention Tomori said that in countries that have recorded EVD outbreak, observing personal and environmental hygiene has proven to reduce infection.

Nigerians must take steps to reduce risk of infection by observing high standard of personal and environmental C O N T I N U E D on PA G E 2 9

Dr. Adesina

HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

29

Nestle advocates optimal nutrition during first 1,000 days of life with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

T

he first 1,000 days of life which covers pre-pregnancy and the first two years of a child's life, has been identified as a unique window of opportunity to maximise the potential of lives.

Mrs. Gladys Peprah Boateng, member of the Nestle Nutrition Institute Africa (NNIA) and the chief dietician at the Dietherapy Unit of the Military Hospital, Ghana, who highlighted this, also said adequate nutritional care during this period has proven to have long term benefits for both the individual and the nation.

She spoke at the Sixth African Nutrition Epidemiology Conference which held in Accra, Ghana from July 21 to 25.

The theme of the conference is "Food and Nutrition Security in Africa: New Challenges for Sustainability".

Globally, malnutrition claims the lives of 2.6 million children annually. Malnourished children who survive are more frequently sick and suffer the life-long consequences of impaired physical and cognitive development.

Hence, speaking at the symposium, Boateng highlighted that malnutrition remains an issue of immense public health concern worldwide.

As part of its commitment towards promoting healthy nutrition during first 1,000 days of a child's life, the NNIA, part of the independent, not-for-profit nutrition institute, engages with healthcare

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Osteoporosis, osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis: Know the difference BONE HEALTH Know your risk factors

Managing Director, Nestle Nigeria, Dhanesh Gordon

professionals, scientists and nutrition communities to share leading sciencebased nutritional education, resources and research. Its work in Africa focuses on maternal, infant and young child nutrition and health.

The conference which was organised by the African Nutrition Society was attended by stakeholders from academia healthcare professionals, representatives of government and non-governmental agencies.

It comes one week ahead of World Breastfeeding Week, which will take place from August 1 to 7.

Personal, environmental hygiene key to curb Ebola disease C O N T I N U E D f r om PA G E 2 8

hygiene; by washing their hands often with soap and water; avoiding close contact with people who are sick and ensuring that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly disposed.

(Marburg, Ebola, and Reston) which often take on a “U” shape.

Although it’s not yet known how it enters the cell, once inside, the RNA of the Ebola virus is transcribed and replicated inside the cytoplasm, thereby infecting the cell.

Hygiene and sanitation Tomori said, "There is no need for panic if we follow the rules of hand washing and infection control. There is need for Nigerians to be at alert as it is happening within the West Way forward African countries Where Ebola virus Based on the infection has spread, it is experiences from because people have abanthe response doned the rules of handwashto this first ing and infection control. Prof.

EVD outbreak PHOTO: www.emlab.com Tomori said we should not have in Nigeria, the diseases like Ebola Virus Disease if Joint federal we maintain the rules of hand washing. and State Team However, he stressed that we must be at have recommended alert because we are not out of the wood the following to the federal and state yet. We need to be washing our hands but governments to combat the disease: no reason to panic. lMobilise funding for response activiThis measure to observe strict hy- ties, logistics and supplies giene standard is in line with WHO reclTrain and orientate health staff on ommendation to use handwashing to re- the Ebola outbreak response Standard duce infections and diseases worldwide. Operating Procedures (SOP) Going by the campaign, critical times lSupply laboratory diagnostic supto wash hands are: after using the toilet, plies or activate the mobile Viral Haembefore eating, and before feeding chil- orrhagic Fever Laboratory dren. lProvide adequate Personal ProtecSimilarly, for hand-washing to be tive Equipment (PPE) lOrganise psychological support and properly carried out, it must be done with either soap or ash in situations provide incentives to health personnel where soap is not available. involved in Ebola outbreak response lDesign key messages in the local Origin of Ebola virus language and intensify public enlightenment in local languages Ebola is categorised as a member of lInvolve the community in response the filoviridae family of viruses, one of three negative-stranded RNA viruses activities.

O

STEOPOROSIS is a condition of reduced bone mass with decreased thickness in the number, size and quality of your bone, resulting in increased fracture. It is a silent disease that makes your bone weak and more likely to break and because it is a silent disease, persons at risk need to be identified early and prevention started to delay bone weakness.

Although, anyone can develop osteoporosis, the condition is more common in older women. It also affects a significant number of men.

Osteopenia is a condition in which there is a lower than normal bone mass (the amount of bone mineral contained in a certain amount of bone) is more easily corrected than osteoporosis by increased calcium intake.

Quality of bone is at its best at ages between 20 to 35 years but declines as one gets to the fifties. Some of the risk factors are increase in age.

1. Constitutional risk factors include light skinned women, low body weight or small stature, (weight less than 130lbs), people that have undergone gastric bypass surgery, and those with too much thyroid hormone in their system.

2. Family history: mother/or father with history of fracture, hunched back (kyphosis), those that experience more than one fracture in a short period, and those with fracture that are not through accident/trauma.

3. Lack of bone strength/or exercise: lack of consistent exercise, physical disability that will interfere with weight.

4. Lifestyle: Low calcium intake or absorption, smoking, excessive alcohol of more than two drinks/day, and caffeine use, not having children.

SCREENING FOR OSTEOPOROSIS: In as much as osteoporosis is a natural progression, people that have diabetes mellitus should undergo the screening.

Similarly, there should be screening in all women over 65, and in women between age 60 to 65 years as well as those who have one or more of the following risk factors: Fracture after age 45, hip fracture in a father/or mother, persons who abuse tobacco, and light weight.

In the male gender, some of the risk factors to consider are frequent frac-

Most important of nonpharmacological therapy will be fall prevention especially in the household of the elderly by improving lighting system, making stairways safe, removing rugs on the floor, eliminating medications that cause drowsiness, and engaging in exercise daily

ture, steroid use, decreased gonads (sexual organs like low testosterone levels).

DIAGNOSIS: It can be diagnosed both by clinical examination when it presents with low impact fracture (falls that occur at or below a standing height) but more definite diagnosis is done with x-rays.

However, the best way to diagnose it is by a scan called DEXA scan of the hip, and lumbar spine-lower back bones and a certain score has to be achieved for one’s bone to be considered healthy enough. A T score of less than 2.5 is considered osteoporotic and affected person will need to start treatment.

N O N P H A R M AC O L O G I C A L TREATMENT: Most important of non-pharmacological therapy will be fall prevention especially in the household of the elderly by improving lighting system, making stairways safe, removing rugs on the floor, eliminating medications that cause drowsiness, and engaging in exercise daily.

MEDICATIONS: A daily intake of 1200mg of calcium vitamin D, increase intake of milk products and ensuring calcium in diet are known to be beneficial.

When this appears to be inadequate, a more advanced medication like fosamax/ actonel that will require care of a physician help in treatment is required. This is most are taken on weekly/or monthly bases and have very strong side effects. Hence, it will need to be closely monitored.

30 HEALTH CONTEST Inspiring youths to think positively may lead to success stories

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rocter and Gamble Nigeria, leaders in the fast moving consumer goods have unveiled a new consumer contest “Always Moving Forward” to help boost girl child education in Nigeria.

The contest is a part of the activities lined up to launch the company’s new thematic campaign tagged ‘Always Forward Ever’.

The contest, which is open to all girls between the ages of

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

P&G improves lives of females with ‘Always Forward Ever’ campaign 12 and 18 years, will see them answer the question, ‘Who will you be in 10 years from now?’

The contestants’ answers, which will come in form of a short profile titled, “Me in 10 Years”, will attempt to articulate their dreams and forecast their achievements in the next ten years.

The fifty lucky winners who will emerge from the contest will be presented with educational grants worth N100, 000 each.

Speaking on the new campaign, Tolu Pogoson, Brand Operation and Integration Manager, P&G said as the competition is in line with the brand promise of Always sanitary pad, which is to improve the lives of females, especially the teenagers, inspiring and empowering them to achieve a bright future.

“The contest, apart from the rich financial rewards it promises to the winners, is designed to inspire these young girls by

providing them with an opportunity to think positively and work assiduously to achieve a bright future for themselves and the society,” said Pogoson.

Olatomiwa Akande, Brand Communications Manager, corroborates Pogoson, saying “the aim of the contest is to assist young aspirational females in their quest of attaining educational excellence.”

She informed that all intending contestants will have

to register on the “Always Moving Forward” Facebook page to have the address of where to send in their profile entries, accompanied with three empty packs of Always Ultra sanitary towel.

She informed that the contest will close on August 15, 2014 and advised interested and eligible females to go to the “Always Moving Forward” Facebook page for more details on the contest.

Nigeria ranks high in world’s mortality index

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New Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos State Branch, Dr. Ojo Tope (2nd from right) explains the priority of the new executives. He is flanked by the association's treasurer, Dr. (Mrs) Okon Ime (r); 1st Vice Chairman, NMA, Lagos, Dr. Olumuyiwa Odusote (L); and Lagos NMA Secretary, Dr. Babajide Saheed at the maiden press conference of the new Lagos NMA executives held in Lagos last week

One-third of Nigerians are hypertensive – Expert

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rof. Olumuyinwa Odunsanya, a consultant public health physician from the Lagos State University College of Medicine (LASUCOM), Ikeja on has said one-third of Nigerians were hypertensive.

Odunsaya said this at the Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference organised by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH), Ikeja, Lagos.

The theme of the ARD-LASUTH’s Ordinary General Meeting and Scientific Conference is “Double Tragedy: Increasing Incidence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) in the Presence of Infectious Diseases”.

The consultant said that many Nigerians were not aware they were hypertensive. Therefore, there was need for increased awareness on preventive measures against NCDs. “If you gather 100 Nigerians, about 30 may be hypertensive,

Dr. Abdulsalam

even those we know who are not on treatment.

“It is a big issue for the country, particularly, adults and so, we need to be aware, continue to be on treatment and do things to prevent such diseases,” he said.

Odunsanya said that continued policies from the three tiers of government, engagement, and encouraging people to exercise more are ways that would reduce intake of fatty foods.

“Government should do a lot in terms of looking at how people should limit the amount of salt they put in their food”.

Similarly, he said measures must be taken to reduce the amount of sugars in carbonated drinks and “we also, need to see how we can make more available cholesterol-free oils for people.

“These are the policies we need to do,” he said. He advised people to be proactively visit a health facilities for preventive measures and not only when they were sick.

Also speaking, the former Chairman, Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Lagos Chapter, Dr. Fancis Faduyile, said the change in lifestyle had contributed to the increase of NCDs in the country.

Faduyile urged people to control their Body Mass Index so as to reduce their risks of getting NCDs. “The change of lifestyle has caused a lot of havoc in the health of our people. We are having more of diabetes and hypertension and it is important to be on the alert about what we thought to be a sign of

good living as being robust is now classified as a sickness”.

He advised Nigerians to control their BMI, saying once it is within the normal level, many of these NCDs will not affect us.

In his remarks, the President, ARD-LASUTH, Dr. Moruf Abdusalam said the theme of the event was timely as there had been an increase in sudden deaths in the country. Abdusalam said that such deaths had been due to the prevalence of NCDs including hypertension, diabetes, injuries and cancers.

mid governments growing efforts to stem the tide of maternal mortality rate in the country, Nigeria still ranks high in the mortality global index as the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) has revealed, that more women die yearly due to preventable maternal causes.

The index shows that between 800 and 1,100 deaths occur per 100,000 live births in Nigeria.

Representative of PPFA and Coordinator of the international agency in Lagos state, Balogun Ajeboye, who disclosed this to journalists in Lagos state recently, said critical reproductive health services, contraception as well as safe abortion have remained elusive to many Nigerian women.

While noting that unsafe abortion is one of the most significant and preventable causes of maternal deaths, he also disclosed that research has shown that about 760,000 abortions occur yearly while only 142, 000 women are treated of complications from unsafe abortion annually.

“Apart from this figures, thousands more suffer from infection and disability. Every hour, newborn babies die during childbirth while thousands of babies die before they reach one month old,

even as many of them die before age of five. Families are devastated as a result of these readily preventable causes, if healthcare is adequately funded”, he stated.

The Project Coordinator of the global agency in Nigeria, Mr. Dagogo Shammah also noted that an arm of the agency- Journalists for Reproductive Rights (JFRR) is part of the fight against the high mortality rates in Nigeria, stressing that the rights of women must be protected.

According to him, the JFRR is committed to improving the rights of women as well as conducting advocacy activities aimed at creating awareness of unsafe abortion as well as its consequences.

Noting that PPFA has trained over sixteen community-based distributors of medical facilities as well as providing other medical equipments to the affected states.

Ajeboye further noted that in renewed attempts to reduce the terrible health indices, the Association of General Private Nursing Practitioners (AGPNP) in 2012 partnered with the PPFA to train its members on modern methods of family planning, comprehensive post abortion care and infection prevention, among others areas.

SFH distributes 2m mosquito nets in Akwa Ibom

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s part of activities to reduce malaria scourge in the country, the Society for Family Health (SFH) has kicked off the distribution of long lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) in Akwa Ibom State.

During a courtesy visit to the Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Obong Godswill Akpabio recently representatives of SFH, led by the Chief Strategy and Technical Officer, SFH, Dr. Jennifer Anyanti and the organisation's Director, Global Fund Malaria programmes, Dr. Ernest Nwokolo briefed the governor on the upcoming campaign to distribute over two million LLINs in the state while seeking support required to ensure the campaign is a success.

In addition, the duo who led the team from the SFH to the state, re-

iterated that commitment at every level of the society is imperative as actions are put in place to prevent vector-borne diseases, especially malaria.

This is a follow up to previous distribution of 2.6 million LLINs in 20 local government areas of Ogun State including hard-to-reach areas. These types of campaigns hinder the spread of malaria by mosquitoes which die on contact with the net.

Malaria the leading cause of death of children under five years old and one of Nigeria’s biggest health problems is vector-borne – carried by the female anopheles mosquito.

Many other diseases such as yellow fever, sleeping sickness and dengue fever with equally disastrous effects are also vector-borne

carried by vectors like the tse-tse fly, ticks, sand flies and others.

This year’s World Health Day theme drew attention to ways to protect families from vector-borne diseases with the slogan “Small bite, big threat” which highlights the serious negative effects a small mosquito bite can have on a family, community and an economy.

Currently, SFH is implementing a statewide HIV prevention house-to-house campaign which began on July 7 and would be concluded on August 7.

The programme targets individuals in over 500,000 households in every local government in the state as part of the Enhancing Nigeria’s Response to HIV and AIDS programme funded by the British Department for International Development (DFID).

BUSINESS Thursday, July 31, 2014

What's news S’African investors renew interest in Nigeria Banking on Nigeria’s huge potential, one of the world’s leading accounting and consulting network has unveiled plans to expand significantly in the country.

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Olam prices $300m 5-year senior notes due 2020 Olam International Limited (Olam), one of the leading agribusinesses firms operating across the value chain in 65 countries, has priced a benchmark $300 million issuance of 5.5 year Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Offering”) under its $5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the “EMTN Programme”), New Telegraph has learnt.

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TGI Group offers Chi for sale at $1bn Chi Ltd, manufacturers of juices and other drinks and snack foods, is exploring options including a potential sale that could value it for as much as $1 billion, according to sources familiar with the matter, Reuters has reported.

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Bharti Airtel crosses 300m customers milestone Bharti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, said that it has crossed the 300 million customer mark across its operations.

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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

31 NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

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ayodele aminu, Deputy Editor, business

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

Expert seeks honesty in FAAN’s alleged debt FULL DISCLOSURE An average of N8 billion is owed by each of the 22 airports Wole Shadare

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he Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) has been urged to make public how much revenue it has generated and contributed to the Federation’s Account following the huge debt profile of the agency, which is now put at N153 billion from the initial N174 billion.

Chief Executive Officer, Centurion Aviation Consultancy Services, Group Capt. John Ojikutu (rtd), made this call.

He was reacting to the new position of Dr. Sam Ortom, the former Supervising Minister of Aviation, during the handover ceremony to usher in the new minister, Osita Chidoka, in Abuja last week, that the debts had been reduced to N153 billion.

This is a new figure different from the one earlier agreed by the Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Aviation some months ago.

Ojikutu told New Telegraph that the debts amount to an average of N8 billion owed on each of the 22 airports.

He asked rhetorically: “How much was appropriated to FAAN by the National Assembly from the Federation Account?

How much has been spent from the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) fund? How much has been spent from the $500 million China loan? How much of the fund and loan are part of the debt? How much debt is owed FAAN by foreign and domestic airlines? How much of that debt owed by domestic airlines has been paid from the aviation intervention fund?”

The former Commandant, Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, stated that these debts are suspect, except the Ministry of Aviation and FAAN find answers to these questions. He

L-R: Managing Director, Arik Air, Mr Chris Ndulue; Director General, Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation, Mrs Sally Uwechue-Mbanefo and Chief Executive Officer, Arik Air, Dr. Michael Arumemi-Ikhide, during Airline innaugural flight to Dubai, at Murtala Mohammed International Airport, Ikeja, Lagos.

PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

stressed that same questions should apply to other aviation agencies, which he alleged have been thrown into serious debts.

Ojikutu had recently analysed the revenue outlets of the

airports authority, saying that the agency had no reason complaining of being broke, describing FAAN as the proverbial cash cow of the industry.

He noted that a critical exami-

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

nation of the Internally Generally Revenue (IGR) of the agency from 2011 at an annual growth CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Analysts fret over foreign investment inflows at NSE REGULATION Properly regulated market should make provision for free entry and free exit Chris Ugwu

S

ome operators in the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) have called on the market regulators to be cautious of the inflow of foreign investment in the local bourse.

This was against the backdrop of current situation where foreign investors still hold sway in the nation’s capital market.

Investment flows through Foreign Portfolio Investors (FPI) at the nation’s bourse had grown to N138.78 billion (about

$0.89 billion) in April, up 54.8 per cent from January.

The CEOs of stock broking firms that spoke with New Telegraph but opted not to disclose their identities because of their business interests, insisted that the dominance of foreign investors accounted for why they are dictating the tune in the Nigerian market. They noted that anytime the foreign investors commence transactions, the bulls return and when they stop such purchases and take their profits, the bears take over again. Consequently, they said this is one of the reasons for “the back and forth movements being witnessed in the market.”

One of the CEOs, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told this newspaper: “Foreigners are not exiting per say, rather, what is happening is that

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

Achieving successful liquidation of NITEL

they are taking away the profits which they have made both in the equities market as well as in the bonds market.”

He said that it is noticeable this time around because they have devised a systematic approach to their attitude towards it.

“They now do short term profit taking instead of what obtained in the past where they leave their funds in the system for a longer period of time, but now that the market has crashed, if they stay long, they may end up loosing their money,” he said.

Another senior broker noted that the issue of foreigners coming into the market and exiting at will, has always been a big issue since the Nigerian capital CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

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

LENDING RATE

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at July 25)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N169 InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N288.50 Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N228 Maximum Lending Rate..25.83% • Foreign Reserves – $38.942bn as at 24/07/2014

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at July 25)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.73 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N265.95 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N210.87 Source: CBN

32

BUSINESS | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

S’African investors renew interest in Nigeria market INVESTORS’ PORT Investors now see Nigeria as an investment destination of choice Dayo Ayeyemi

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anking on Nigeria’s huge potential, one of the world’s leading accounting and consulting network has unveiled plans to expand significantly in the country.

Chairman, Moore Stephens

South Africa, Charles Reid, said that the company is relying on the huge potential in Nigeria.

The firm is banking on Nigeria’s 169 million consumers, a growth rate of about seven per cent annually and infrastructural requirements, which would drive business opportunities for support services.

According to a report from Ventures Africa, the firm revealed that its Strategy Advisor for Africa, Reid and Jeff Blackbeard, would be visiting Nigeria to meet potential investors and Nigeria-based partner firm, RoseWater Partners, who it has been working closely with in its

plan to expand in the country.

The report said that Moore Stephens is planning to enroll four to five new member firms to become a 20-partner, 300-400-staff firm across Nigeria, which would manage audits and compliance as well as advice on starting up businesses in Nigeria, international business structures and tax planning.

Commenting, Chief Executive Officer, RoseWater Partners, Kayode Sunmola, whose work with Moore Stephens has increased substantially since 2006, said he was very pleased that investors were turning their

sights to Nigeria after years of negative publicity, which kept would-be investors at bay.

But with the government of President Goodluck Jonathan, and the assistance of the former Vice-President of the World Bank and the current Finance Minister, Ngozi Okongo-Iweala, he said that the country have been able to break the jinx while investors now see Nigeria as an investment destination of choice.

He expected the oil and gas sectors to remain major industries for some time, with plenty of growth in sectors such as

power, telecoms, manufacturing and financial services.

Reid said among other initiatives, that he saw great potential for investors from South Africa and other countries in a deepwater port and free port zone being developed 65 kilometres east of Lagos, which offered tax-free investment. He said this had great advantages for local manufacture and infrastructure development.

On ways to fast-track the process of investment, Sunmola said that the country’s compliance and regulatory agencies needed to step up efficiency.

Expert seeks honesty in FAAN’s input CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

Chairman, Salt & Einstein MTS, Dr. Ernest Ndukwe (left), with Managing Director, Mr Lai Labode, at the flag-off of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Lagos.

DIVERSE INTERESTS Over 80 investors placed orders, resulting in an over-subscribed order book Siaka Momoh

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lam International Limited (Olam), one of the leading agri-businesses firms operating across the value chain in 65 countries, has priced a benchmark $300 million issuance of 5.5 year Senior Notes due 2020 (the “Offering”) under its $5,000,000,000 Euro Medium Term Note Programme (the “EMTN Programme”), New Telegraph has learnt.

Olam International is a leading agri-business firm operating across the value chain, supplying various products across 16 platforms to over 13,600 customers worldwide. From a direct presence in over 65 countries, including Nigeria, with sourcing and processing in most major producing countries, Olam has built a global leadership position in many of its businesses.

The offering, according to a statement sent to our correspondent from Olam, was successfully priced following an intraday book-building exercise, and attracted diverse participation with over 80 investors placing orders, resulting in an over-subscribed order book. In addition to demand from private banking accounts, the offering also saw strong participation from institutional investors such as fund managers and banks, which col-

Olam prices $300m 5-year senior notes due 2020 lectively were allocated 30 per cent of the offering. In terms of geographical distribution, approximately 64 per cent was allocated to Asian investors, with the remainder allocated to European investors.

The offering, according to the statement, was issued at 99.337 per cent of the principal amount and priced at a final coupon of 4.50 per cent, which was within the initial guidance. “This transaction is in line with Olam’s long-term funding strategy of diversifying its borrowing mix across sources and tenors in a cost-effective manner,” the statement explained.

The Joint Lead Managers and Joint Bookrunners for the offering were Australia and New Zealand Banking Group Limited, Barclays Bank PLC, Singapore Branch, J.P. Morgan (S.E.A.) Limited and Standard Chartered Bank.

Shekhar Anantharaman, Olam’s Executive Director – Finance & Business Development said: “We are pleased with the outcome of this USD issuance which, similar to our recent SGD issuance, was also priced competitively. We are also encouraged by the strong support and the broad participation by both institutional investors and private banks.”

Analysts fret over foreign investment inflows CONTINUED FROM PAGE 31

market crash of 2008.

“Now under a normal market situation, there has to be a level playing field provided by proper and distinct regulation where participants are at liberty to enter and exit at will. So, the fact that foreign investors are leaving the equity and bond market should not really be an issue because a properly regulated market like ours should make provision for free entry and free exit points depending on the discretion of the investor, in this case the foreign in-

vestor. How the exit impacts the market is another issue altogether.”

A report obtained from the NSE’s website, said domestic investors ceded over 50 per cent of trading to foreign investors as local transactions decreased significantly from 50.72 per cent to 24.75 per cent over the same period.

Total transactions rose by 1.35 per cent from N181.97 billion in January to N184.43 billion in April, while foreign portfolio investors’ inflows accounted for 75.25 per cent of total transactions.

rate of six per cent, shows that the agency could be generating over N150 billion revenue annually from its 22 operational airports.

Specifically, he said that these revenues include passenger airport service charges, which he put at an average of 10 million domestic passengers at N1,000 each and three million outbound international passengers at $50 each.

Others include aircraft landing and parking with average charges of between $400 on smaller aircraft and $3,000 on bigger ones from over 250 air traffic yearly.

Also included are cargo service charges of about N7 per kg on cargo; N2,000 on courier parcels from about 200 million kilogrammes cargo and mails; charges on fuel sales charges of 40 kobo per litre on about four million litres daily sales amounting to 1.5 trillion litres sales yearly.

Others, according to the aviation consultant, include car park and tollgates charges, land/office rents and charges from concessionaires and major tenants, including airlines and other private operators.

He said that given the 2011 statistic data and these sources of revenue, the recent media report that FAAN now wants to boost its revenue by 17 per cent through automation and increasing it up to N70 billion cannot be correct.

“Consequently, the automation regime as being conceived by FAAN will not make any significant improvement in the IGR if it would remain below N100 billion.

“Secondly, there was a Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Aviation Intervention Fund through the Bank of Industry (BIO) of about N232 billion for airlines to pay debts they owed commercial banks and aviation services providers including FAAN.

IFAD supports cassava flour bread, confectionaries Siaka Momoh

I

nclusion of cassava flour in bread and other confectioneries will now enjoy the support of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).

IFAD’s support is part of efforts to improve food security and the livelihoods of farmers especially those in the rural areas.

This follows the launching on July 23, 2014, of two projects under IFAD grant: Enhancing the Competitiveness of the High Quality Cassava Flour Value Chain (HQCF) in West and Central Africa; and Improving Quality, Nutrition and Health Impacts of Inclusion of Cassava Flour in Bread Formulation in West Africa (Nigeria and Ghana).

The projects will among others support the generation, dissemination and adoption of improved technologies for cassava production and processing; develop and pilot-test a set of integrated best-bet options for HQCF production and promote market access to secondary products. It would also develop and promote appropriate evidence-based models for

sustainable value chain development for African agricultural commodities using HQCF production and processing and an example.

Dr. Alfred Dixon, Project Leader for the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture’s project on Sustainable Weed Management Technologies for Cassava Systems in Nigeria, said the two IFAD-funded projects were timely in view of Africa’s comparative advantage in cassava production.

Dixon, who represented the Director General, IITA, Dr Nteranya Sanginga, described cassava as a poverty fighter, stressing that improving the utilisation of the crop, and scaling up/out processing technologies would help Africa address the issue of poverty and hunger on the continent.

“Africa has a comparative advantage in cassava production… so let us use cassava to get what we want,” he said in Lagos at the launch of the projects.

Grown mostly by small scale farmers, cassava is a source of livelihood to about 600 million people in the developing world including Africa, Asia and Latin America.

33

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

TGI Group offers Chi for sale at $1bn INVESTMENT Chi could be attractive to multi-national drinks makers such as Coca-Cola Siaka Momoh

C

hi Ltd, manufacturers of juices and other drinks and snack foods, is exploring options including a potential sale that could value it for as much as $1 bil-

lion, according to sources familiar with the matter, Reuters has reported.

A sale of Chi, part of the unlisted conglomerate TGI Group, would be the latest investment opportunity in Africa's burgeoning food and drink sector for multi-nationals seeking to cash in on the continent's emerging middle class.

The Lagos-based maker of juices and nectars, milk and yogurt drinks and snack foods is being advised by Citigroup, said the source, who declined

to be identified as the matter is private.

Chi had earlier hired Goldman Sachs to advise it on strategic options in 2012, the source said.

The company, which could not immediately be reached for comment, has several hundred million dollars in revenue, according to a source. It could be valued at as much as $1 billion, said another source.

A decision is expected later this year on whether Chi's owners will pursue an initial

public offering or an outright sale, said one of the sources.

Chi could be attractive to multi-national drink makers such as Coca-Cola (KO.N), PepsiCo (PEP.N), Danone (DANO. PA) and Suntory Beverage & Food (2587.T), as well as private equity firms, the sources said.

Last Friday, French dairy giant, Danone, said it was buying a 40 per cent stake in Brookside, East Africa's top dairy producer, for an undisclosed price. Last year, Danone

bought 49 per cent of a West African maker of frozen dairy products and juices, and also took control of Morocco's top dairy company.

Chi's owner, TGI Group, is an international investment and holding company with diversified interests in a range of emerging markets and industries from poultry and fish farming to frozen foods and juices to oil field services.

Goldman Sachs declined to comment. Citi was not immediately available.

Industries: Surviving turbulent times Strategies are not ends they are merely means to an end, they must necessarily run for us to know that that they are workable Akinyele Aluko times are turbulent and Tbigheuncertain.

Many problems, and small, allign them-

L-R: Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr. Olusegun Aganga; Deputy President, Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI), Mrs Nike Akande; Vice President (LCCI), Mr Soboma Ajumogobia, and DG LCCI, Mr Muda Yusuf, during a courtesy call by LCCI to the ministry’s headquarters in Abuja.

SABMiller's sales rise on costly beer in Africa, Europe Siaka Momoh

with agency report

W

orld’s second-biggest brewer, SABMiller Plc (SAB), reported firstquarter revenue growth that beat estimates as it sold more expensive beer in Africa and Europe, offsetting lager volume declines in Latin America and Australia, according to Bloomberg.

Revenue advanced six per cent in the three months through June, the Londonbased maker of Grolsch and Peroni said in a statement.

Analysts expected 4.6 per cent growth, according to the median of 13 estimates compiled

by Bloomberg News. The volume of beer sold rose one per cent, compared with a 2.7 per cent median estimate. Both measures exclude the effects of acquisitions, disposals and currency fluctuations.

“Strong growth in Africa,

South Africa and Europe was balanced by slower momentum in North America,” Chief Executive Officer, Alan Clarke, said in the statement, citing “innovations and improved trade execution” for helping increase revenue growth.

SABMiller, founded over a century ago in South Africa, has the largest exposure to emerging markets of the major beer makers, which has helped it offset tough conditions in the US, where its MillerCoors LLC joint venture operates, and Europe over the last few years. The results compare with the fourth quarter’s 1 percent lager volume growth and two per cent revenue growth.

It would be recalled that before now, two traditional big players in the Nigerian brewing sector, Nigerian Breweries Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc, were engaged in stiff competition over who controls the nation’s beer market. SABMiller, a new comer and South African

world brewing giant, joined in the fray.

The battle for share of Nigeria’s robust beer market was kick-started by the entry of SABMiller of South Africa in 2009. A report from Imara, a pan-African financial services group, revealed reasons why the struggle for the beer market by giants in the industry, local and international are at war over who controls this African important liquor market. The beer market is growing by around seven per cent in volume terms a year yet consumption per capita remains low in comparison to many international markets, suggesting continued growth is in prospect, said the Imara report.

Meanwhile, Nigeria and nine other African countries emerged as highly promising beer markets, a research by Renaissance Capital, a leading emerging markets investment bank revealed. Renaissance analysts expect significant sector

growth across the region, driven by a growing population, increasing discretionary income, high alcohol consumption per capita, a strong preference for beer, and the expansion and increased efficiency of brewers’ distribution networks.

SABMiller had said when it reported results in May that it saw little change in business conditions this year and would focus on creating innovative products and packaging to capture growth in regions including Africa and Latin America.

SABMiller’s shares rose 1.2 percent to 3,405 pence as of 8:01 a.m. in London. The shares have risen 9.5 per cent this year.

“This is certainly a better update than we and the market anticipated, especially in relation to Africa and South Africa,” wrote Phil Carroll, an analyst at Shore Capital in Liverpool, England, in a note.

Sales rose 11 percent in AfCONTINUED ON PAGE 34

selves to set industries on very rough tides. According to Costas Markides, imagine that you find yourself in the middle of a dark and hostile jungle. If you want to get out of the jungle, do you need a strategy? Many hardly think in terms of strategy. Most of us in the civilian world see the word “strategy” as a military language applicable to the overall planning and conduct of warfare. However going by Costas, in the dense foliage, you cannot see farther than a few feet and you want to get out but you don’t know how and what to do to get out.

Would you want to stay still paralysed by uncertainty? Certainly not. If you then see strategy as a plan of action intended to accomplish a specific goal, then you need to analyze your position based on the available information and then decide on a direction. This is what many industries need to do at this critical time to survive the turbulence in the environment. What are the Principles involved in strategizing?

Need to make difficult choices This is the first principle of strategy. You must be able to make difficult choices based on whatever information is available along your value chain. Like the man in the jungle, you first stand still, gather the necessary information, take stock of your situation and then start walking.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

34

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Enterprise with

Sales surge on pricier beer C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

rica aided by soft drinks and added capacity in Nigeria, and 12 per cent in South Africa, helped by growth in more expensive beers including Castle Lite. Revenue increased eight per cent in Europe, following a poor performance in the same period a year ago and aided by Easter.

Lager volumes, however, declined in Latin America, the company’s largest region, and Australia, where it bought Foster’s Group Ltd. in 2011 for about A$10.5 billion ($9.9 billion).

Lager sales in Colombia plunged 6 percent after SABMiller raised prices and the company restricted alcohol sales during two rounds of presidential elections, while volume fell 3 percent and revenue 6 percent in Australia due to negative consumer sentiment, SABMiller said. North American revenue rose three per cent as sales to wholesalers slid 1.7 per cent as growth in Redd’s offset declines in Miller Lite and Coors Light.

SABMiller said on July 18 that it sold its stake in South African hotelier, Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd. (TSH) and would reinvest the proceeds in its beverages business.

Meanwhile, global brewer, SABMiller Plc, sold its $1 billion stake in South Africa's top

gaming and hotel group, Tsogo Sun, on Friday, disposing off a non-core business and giving it some cash to beef up its beer business in fast-growing Africa, Reuters has reported.

New Telegraph had earlier reported that SABMiller Plc’s (SAB) brewing business in Nigeria was set to heighten as this brewing giant said it would sell a $1.09 billion stake in South African hotel and casino operator, Tsogo Sun Holdings Ltd. to bolster beverage operations in Africa.

SABMiller, which is also listed in Johannesburg, said it sold 294 million Tsogo Sun shares to institutional investors at 25.75 rand each, raising 7.6 billion rand ($711.98 million).

Following the finalisation of the sale, Tsogo Sun will buy back from SABMiller an additional 133 million shares at 20.96 rand each, or 2.8 billion rand.

"We will seek to reinvest the net proceeds of this disposal in our core growth beverage businesses, including our African operations," Alan Clark, Chief Executive of SABMiller, said in statement.

Shares of Tsogo Sun, the other 41 per cent of which are owned by investment company HCI Ltd, surged 5.8 percent to 27.30 rand by 1158 GMT. For Tsogo Sun, which owns Johannesburg's Montecasino gaming complex and premier

hotel brand Southern Sun among other assets, the deal would help boost earnings, improve liquidity in its shares and possibly spark a valuation re-rating.

StarMine's valuation model, which uses a blend of analysts' forecasts and its own tools, estimates Tsogo Sun's compound growth rate at nine per cent a year over the next five years three times what the market expects.

Tsogo Sun merged with casino and theme park operator Gold Reef in 2011, a deal that saw SABMiller's stake shrink from 49 per cent. ($1 = 10.6745 South African Rand) The beverage maker generates almost one-third of its earnings from the African and South Africa is the second-biggest provider of the company’s revenue after Latin America.

It struggled to grow in South Africa last year amid rising inflation and increased competition from Heineken NV and Diageo Plc (DGE), while expansion across Africa has been hampered by tough economic conditions in South Sudan and Zimbabwe.

Heineken NV and Diageo Plc (DGE) are the parent company’s of Nigerian Breweries Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc, Nigerian big brewers which SABMiller has moved into Nigeria to compete with.

Beer brewing line

Surviving the turbulent times C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

Do you have to enter a new market or withdraw from a dying one? Do you need a new Technology as against the old one?

Move from analyzing to doing When you keep on analyzing situations and events it is an indirect way of staying still. Even if you are not entirely sure that what you are doing is going to turn out to be the right thing, just keep moving. The reason is very simple.

Strategies are not ends they are merely means to an end, they must necessarily run for us to know that that they are workable. This leads us to the third step in strategising.

Learning as you go along There is the need to learn as you go along and modify your strategy through trial and error. In the case of the man in the jungle, if you meet a lion on the way or you suddenly find a river in front of you, definitely your strategy has to change. Many companies

in Nigeria failed because they did not modify their strategies on time.

Strategy is therefore all about making difficult choices in the face of uncertainty and then learning as you go along and adjusting your original choices. When you think of it like this, it is obvious that you need a strategy particularly during uncertainties.

The key The key to a successful C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3 5

Strokes

Siaka Momoh

siakamomoh@yahoo.com 08061396410

When government says ‘NO’ to help offers!

I

t is ridiculous that a government that is complaining of scarce resources will be putting hurdles on the ways of those who offer to help to solve this problem.

Thanks to Lagos State Commissioner for Works and Infrastructure, Obafemi Kadri Hamzat, for your recent articulate response to the questions raised on bad roads in Lagos. It came up at point when this column was working on a piece on bad roads and a vital associated issue, which I think you should look into urgently.

For the interest of readers who were not privileged to read your robust response, I will draw generously from it as I go on.

Your response: Concerning other factors responsible for deplorable state of roads, the issue is the lifespan of roads currently being maintained is a crucial point to note. Most of them are thirty or more years old, whereas they were built to last for about ten years. As a result, various parts of the same road keep calling for attention in terms of repair intermittently. What this means is that efforts made to put such roads in good condition do not really get noticed as newly damaged areas undermine the work done on other parts. This implies that maintaining such roads require constant presence of our men on the roads which is quite challenging due to paucity of funds and the high number of roads requiring attention across the state.

(Please be informed sir that there are some roads that are not touched at all, some lead to local government offices. Oriade Local Government Development Area is one case in point.

It is a complete opposite of what we have in Amuwo Odofin, its parent LGA - you know what I mean. Oriade is a complete neglect. This a subject for another day.)

Your comment continues: Secondly, majority of drains are blocked with waste materials.

This is a man-made problem, arising from the habits and attitudes of our people who dump refuse in drains and therefore make it unavoidable for water to be retained on asphalted surface of the roads which definitely lead to damage on such sections of the road. (You are right.)

Thirdly, other activities of residents and road users such as indiscriminate road cutting, axle-load impact of heavy duty vehicle like container trucks and articulated lorries, release of sewage water on the roads, burning of tyres and other items on the road, dripping and discharge of petroleum products (especially diesel) on the roads, burst pipes and others

all contribute to putting roads in bad shape.(You are right) What are we doing? (What is Lagos State doing?)

We have tried in all cases to respond to repair needs on Lagos roads. But this has always been within the confines of our capacity in terms of human and material resources as well as environmental factors mostly beyond our control.(This is the issue I want to address. Will come to it shortly) Due to the rains, we commenced palliative work in August and we have touched more than 105 roads where temporary repair measures are applicable. These portions are to be revisited for proper repairs that will last long at the end of the rains. It should be noted however that the introduction of interlocking paving stones method during this period will provide almost permanent respite in some repaired areas such as Ijaiye Road, Ogba; Bonny Camp Roundabout, VI; Ago Palace Way, Isolo; Hakeem Balogun Road, Ikeja; Apapa Road, Ebutemeta; First Avenue, Festac; Apapa Oshodi Expressway (Fatgbems) Amuwo Odofin, Obafemi Awolowo Road and Ipakodo Road, Ikorodu; Mile 12 to Ikorodu; Town Planning Way, Ilupeju; Sogbamu Street Somolu, e.t.c.

In addition, patching with lean concrete and grading of crushed stones were used to correct and stabilize some failed sections of roads which include, amongst many others, Ile-Zik to Total, Capital Road, Akanni Doherty Street, Old Abeokuta Road all in Agege LGA; Mba Cardoso Road in Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA; Mufutau Adeyemi Street, Palace Road, Idimu-Ejigbo Road, IkotunEgbe Road, Shasha Road all in Alimosho LGA; etc, etc.

You are very right, Honourable Commissioner. Your efforts are highly commendable. It is interesting you raised the issue of limited funds. But do you know that local governments say ‘No’ to offers by concerned corporate bodies to rehabilitate roads feeding their businesses?

What they want, according to concerned sources, is to be paid monies for such rehabilitation and take on responsibility for the rehabilitation in question.

This is happening across LGAs in Lagos and perhaps across the country. This is no news to many. It is the subject of discussion all over the place.

What follows is that the business owners in question refuse to part with their money and the roads remain in their deplorable conditions. They wouldn’t part with their money because, like you and I know, they do not trust government. This is the bitter truth.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY 35

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Sugar, oil palm and backward integration The success achieved with cement, with backward integration policy, has, no doubt, become a reference point for the Federal Government and a superstructure it has decided to build on while handling other commodities cases.

We see this playing out with sugar and palm oil, a knot needs to be untied in palm oil’s case though, writes SIAKA MOMOH

poverty in affected states.

The strategies for the transformation of the oil palm value chain are as follows: Annual production of 60,000 hectares with improved seedlings (totaling 240,000 hectares between 2012 and 2015).

The above field planting will achieve between 30,063 metric tons of Crude Palm Oil (CPO) in 2016 and 345,375 metric tonnes by 2021.

A beautiful plan, but there is a hiccup in the industry that is currently receiving attention. It is the traditional policy inconsistency of government which has pitched Plantation Owners Association of Nigeria against companies who import CPO into the country, a practice which is at cross-purpose with government's backward integration policy.

Sugar During a recent facility assessment tour of Dangote Sugar Refinery, BUA Sugar Refinery and Golden Sugar Refinery in Lagos by the Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, he said that the Federal Government would provide special incentives similar to what was given to investors who had keyed into government’s backward integration policy in the cement industry.

The minister said that the move would help the country to achieve self-sufficiency in sugar production for both domestic consumption and export.

Government has since asked the operators of sugar refineries to provide it with their strategic and detailed action plans on backward integration in terms of what they want to do between 2013 and 2016. In addition, government wants to see the practical demonstration of these refineries' commitment to the implementation of the policy.

Aganga laid down government’s plan for the sugar sector: “Based on their demonstration of commitment to those things in their backward integration plans as it relates to moving from sugar cane to sugar production, we will give them special incentives. This is similar to what we did during the implementation of the backward integration policy in the cement sector until we got to the point where we saw a significant increase in local cement production and we tied importation to production to bridge gap between supply and demand.

By so doing, local production

Palm-oil roadmap draft policy The good news is that stakeholders in the industry have met and sent a Palm-oil Roadmap Draft Policy copy to government for approval (palm-oil is a product of oil palm tree).

The draft policy says in part that government should henceforth stop the granting of waivers and concession under any guise to import crude palm oil and refined vegetable oil. It says government will maintain the existing tariff regime of 35 per cent for the importation of crude palm oil and prohibition on the importation of refined vegetable oil.

It recommends that government should provide a pilot ‘land bank’ programme (pool of land from which potential investors can acquire large tracts of land) with participation from interested states, encourage private sector initiative and strengthen NIFOR to provide research support to the industry.

It also asks that states should be encouraged to establish and implement smallholder schemes in all the oil-palm-producing states and that government should provide land clearing support to include large estates and review policies on the importation of seeds, fertilizer and other agrochemicals so that they can be less cumbersome.

It recommends that government should facilitate establishment of crop processing sites/clusters to improve smallholders’ processing efficiency, offer long-term (10 years) tax holidays for integrated plantation/refineries in production and maintain and implement zero-duty on imports of required plant, machinery and equipment including accessories and spare parts.

Our findings reveal that government is likely to give palm oil the same treatment that it is giving rice and sugar - the backward integration strategy that cement manufacturers enjoyed which is taking us to self sufficiency in the cement supply – a success story that is a reference point in the industry today.

Oil palm plantation

increased and importation was reduced drastically. That was how we were able to move from a country that was producing about two million metric tonnes of cement to a country that has the capacity to produce 28.6 million metric tons of cement.

It is the same principle and approach that we want to apply in the sugar sector.”

Nigerian Sugar Master Plan This is a boost to the backward integration project. The Nigerian Sugar Master Plan (NSMP), which was launched in year 2012 by President Goodluck Jonathan, has some good days ahead as African sugar producers are set to focus on maximising regional trade. Nigeria is among the top five importers of sugar, producing only about three per cent of its domestic consumption.

But on September 19, 2012, the Federal Executive Council approved the NSMP and implementation commenced in January 2013. NSMP has stimulated investments of $3 billion thus far. The plan is targeting the production of 1.7 metric tons of sugar; creation of 117,181 direct jobs; generation of 411.7MW of electricity; total forex saving of up to $565.8 million annually from savings from sugar production and fuel importation.

Sugar export and EU The good news is that “the end of the European Union’s quotas on African sugar ex-

ports in three years and falling world prices will force African producers to focus on maximising regional trade, the Swaziland Sugar Association said, according to Bloomberg report. “We must look to Africa to provide a market for this sugar,” SSA Chief Executive Officer, Mike Matsebula, said at a conference in the Kenyan port city of Mombasa recently. Cooperation in research and training among the continent’s nations will reduce output costs and make the region competitive, he said.

Some African, Caribbean and Pacific states can ship their sugar to the EU duty free under a quota system that expires in September 2017. In February, African leaders at the Common Markets for East and Southern Africa summit urged the EU to delay the end of the export quotas to September 2020 to allow time to modernise the industry.

Nigeria will find the move suitable for its sugar since the country currently has refused to sign the EU’s Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which asks for free trade between EU and AU. New investments – Dangote, BUA Meanwhile, there are strong indications that the new tariff regime that came with the NSMP is yielding the expected results. To meet the 2018 target set by the Federal Government, Dangote Sugar is planning to increase its refining

Industries: Surviving turbulent times C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 4

strategy is to come up with a “differentiated strategy.”

In many competing companies in Nigeria, they have the same business structures, the same suppliers and the same product distributors. Above all, they all have the same source of information and

are in most cases use the same consultants. The difference must therefore lie in mental processing of the available information. This is what differentiates the Innovator from the others.

The Managers and Directors of these companies receive the same industry information as others but they process this information dif-

ferently and come up with differentiated strategies. This is the only means of changing the rules of the game to your favour.

Akinyele Aluko is a Business Development Specialist with Successory Nigeria.

He can be reached on mail through: eyealuko2002@yahoo.co.uk

capacity to 2.75 million tons and produce 250,000 thousand tons of sugar from sugar cane.

To do this, Dangote Sugar has acquired farmlands in Adamawa, Taraba, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kogi and Kwara. By 2014, Savannah Sugar will begin to contribute to turnover and increase growth, the company said in a recent statement.

BUA Sugar Refinery Limited has also acquired Lafiagi Sugar Company in Kwara to take advantage of the Federal Government’s backward integration policy to meet local demand for sugar Chimaobi Madukewe, the Chief Operating Officer of the company said. The purpose of this acquisition, he said, is to establish a standard vacuum pan factory and 50,000 hectares of sugarcane plantation. The project is to process five million tons of cane during a 166day grinding season to produce 500,000 metric tons of refined sugar annually.

Oil palm Oil palm is one of the agricultural products in focus in Nigeria’s Agriculture Transformation Agenda. The Oil Palm Transformation Value Chain Action Plan is targeted at transforming the ailing oil palm industry in Nigeria. The action plan has been prepared with clear objectives and strategies to meet the needs of transforming the industry in 24 states where palm tree is grown.

The specific objectives to achieve in the four years (20122015) are as follows: • Increase vegetable oil production in order to achieve import substitution and cancel the deficit of 350,000 metric tons which is annually met through import.

• Increase the yield and productivity of both the unorganised and organised plantings.

• Arouse greater interest and concern for engagement in competitive market activities within the oil palm value chain.

• Create employment, especially for youth and reduce

36 BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Investing in nursery/primary school After registration, the promoter should conduct or commission an independent market survey to determine whether an opportunity exists Chukwudi Odili

P

rivate schools are springing up everywhere because there is a loss of confidence in what the public sector has to offer. The evolution of private schools at all levels of education is a testimony that parents are losing confidence in public schools; they are becoming increasingly conscious

of giving quality education to their children, just as society is increasingly placing high value on intellectual achievement. No doubt, individuals who have attended private schools appear better exposed to high standards of education similar to those in advanced countries. By sending their children to private schools, most parents are convinced that they get value for their money.

The inability of most Nigerian governments to take the education of Nigerian children seriously is apparent in the dilapidated structures that represent public schools, which is why parents generally prefer to send their children to private schools - when they do not send them abroad.

Anyone who wants to set up a nursery/primary school

should start by registering it with the state ministry of education. Regulation of primary education is naturally the affair of the three tiers of government. Accordingly, at the primary level, schools in the various states are regulated or monitored by the Universal Basic Education Agency, an arm of the Federal Ministry of Education, with the states and local governments as general overseers. In line with this structure, the state ministry of education is responsible for school registration while its inspectorate arm ensures that quacks do not start and run schools.

After registration, the promoter should conduct or commission an independent market survey that will help him to

determine whether an opportunity exists, and if there are consumer needs that are not being adequately met by existing service providers. The ultimate aim is to decide if the business is commercially worthwhile.

The survey will also enable the promoter to come up with workable strategies to adopt.

It will also be instructive for the promoter to conduct a parallel techno economic investigation; or better still, it is advisable that he gives it out to an independent consultant.

This investigation will enable the promoter to determine the type and amount of physical facilities, records, curriculum, human resources, tools and

items required for running the school. The ultimate aim will be to ascertain if the business is technically feasible. Both the findings of the market survey and the techno-economic investigation would be incorporated into a comprehensive business plan.

When the school has been established, it will be important to set targets in consonance with the vision and mission thought out, in consensus with the management and teachers in general.

The table below summarises the steps involved and the cost implications of starting and managing a nursery/primary school.

Cost items

No of Unit Total (N) units Cost (N) Prelim./preoperational expenses Company Incorporation/Local 1 50,000 50,000 Govt. Business Permit Feasibility Study/Business Plan 1 120,000 120,000 75,000

75,000

Statutory Documents

23,500

23,500

350 350,000

218,500 28,000 601,000 350,000

T

he Minister of Industry Trade and Investment, Mr Olusegun Aganga, who spoke to journalists after the dinner, said that the consensus among African countries, “bearing in mind that no one gets everything he wants in a package and that people have to compromise, is that Nigeria and other African countries have agreed to support the package as presented in Bali and work towards a deal in the next few days.”

There are three main items in the package - trade facilitation (to streamline customs procedures and minimise unnecessary border delays, delivering jobs and opportunities in times of unemployment and slow growth); agriculture (which Nigeria and other African countries are really interested in); and development, which applies mainly to Least

TOTAL FIXED COSTS

11,592,000

Estimate of Operating COSTS (Annual) TOTAL Investment outlay

6,204,000 17,796,000

• Chukwudi Odili, email: ticodilis@yahoo.com

Pupils of a private school

Siaka Momoh

170,000

Registration

Lease of Building, Fixtures & Fittings S&E Sickbay Teaching/ Instructional Aids Library 1,000

The first part of this story was published last week. The ratification of the Bali Trade Facilitation Agreement is billed for today July 31, 2014.

Sum (N)

Bali confab gain, global trade issue (2) Developed Countries (LDCs).

Aganga said: “At the last ministerial meeting in Geneva.

Which I chaired (MC8), one of the conclusions was that the WTO should identify some of the elements of Doha where there was very little disagreement and which would be beneficial to members with a view to delivering a package around those areas. Those areas were areas to do with trade facilitation, which is beneficial to everyone.

“The second is agriculture, which Nigeria and most African countries are interested in, bearing in mind that agriculture accounts roughly for about 40 per cent of our Gross Domestic Product and employs close to 70 per cent of our population. Under agriculture, the focus is on general services, stockholding for food security purposes and export competition, among others.”

The minister added: “Under stockholding, some countries heavily subsidise staple foods just to make sure that when prices are high, they are available for poor people in their countries. Where there is surplus production, they can buy them at a particular price, stock

holds them and then releases them when it becomes necessary. WTO and its members are not opposed to that, but they are more interested in making sure that when such happens, there are mechanisms in place to ensure that the subsidised foods do not get into the global multilateral trading system. They are also looking at the duration etc.

“The third arm of the package is on development, and this applies mainly to the LDCs. Generally, however, the LDCs are happy with the package. If you look at trade facilitation, for instance, if it goes through and is well implemented, it is worth about $1.3trillion to the global economy per year and that means jobs, it means opportunities. Part of the principle is that if you spend $1 on trade facilitation; you get about $1,500 worth of benefits to the economy.”

Aganga said that in terms of trade facilitation, the benefit would be a reduction in the cost and time of doing business, noting that it would also result in a reduction in the cost and time of exporting or importing products.

“I must say that whether we have a deal or not, I think

it is still a good document for us to work on and we intend to implement all the relevant bits because it is still our responsibility to reduce the cost and time of doing business,” he said.

“It is clear that this package is not about developed versus developing countries, it is about all countries working together for mutual benefit, the Director-General, WTO, Roberto Azevedo, who also spoke at the dinner, said.

Last two weeks, the World Trade Organisation agreed to the first major accord in the group’s 18-year history, a pact designed to smooth commerce at borders and safeguard food security programmes in developing nations.

The deal that unveiled in Bali, Indonesia, was the first multilateral agreement negotiated by the WTO’s 159 member nations. It emerged from talks that had continued through the night after the U.S. and India compromised on food subsidies and a Latin American bloc led

by Cuba dropped its earlier opposition to a draft agreement.

“For first time in our history, the WTO has truly delivered,” said WTO Director-General Ro-

berto Azevedo. “We have put the world back into the World Trade Organization.”

Comments from international informed analysts talk about other gains of Bali. Read this from Forbes’ Dan Ikenson: “The most enlightening (and liberating) conclusion from Bali is that the agreement killed the Doha Round. By peeling off the trade facilitation negotiations and reaching agreement, Bali circumvented what has been, arguably, one of the greatest obstacles to the Doha Round’s success: the commitment of negotiators to the “single undertaking,” which pledges that “nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.

“With Bali a direct hit on that unwieldy concept, WTO negotiators are free to take up Doha Round issues in other, more manageable fora, liberating governments to pursue global trade barrier reduction in myriad new ways. Why not have a series of mini-rounds and pursue fewer issues at a time by matching negotiations on, say, agricultural and industrial liberalization? Or by matching talks on services with talks on rules, like antidumping?”

BUSINESS 37

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

After several failed attempts at privatisation of Nigeria Telecommunications Plc, the Bureau for Public Enterprises (BPE), has started a new move to liquidate the assets of the first national operator. JONAH IBOMA looks at how the current effort, which has already attracted interest of an impressive number of companies, can succeed in the face of many odds

N

igeria has been recording massive success in the telecommunications industry in the past twelve years with impressive growth in the number of connected lines, which had been less than 500,000 as of 2001, reaching well over 172 million by March this year.

Failed attempts The revolution in the sector started in 2001, when government’s decision to open the industry and allow private firms compete with the Nigerian Telecommunications Limited (NITEL), reached another level, with the auctioning of four national Digital Mobile Licences. This decision led to the entry of the current mobile operators using GSM technology primarily for their services. Firms such as MTN Glo, and Airtel are the outcomes of the auction process that was hailed globally as transparent and clean.

Although, mobile subscriptions have been growing steadily for over a decade, one of the sour points of the country’s telecommunications revolution is the failed efforts at privatising NITEL, the country’s first national operator.

As the mobile operators have steadily grown over the years, NITEL, on the other hand, has seen its fortune consistently nosedive, resulting in its being grounded today. To address the situation, government has taken many steps towards privatising the firm, but the process has always ended in controversy.

Latest moves Now, a new move has been made with government saying that it will embark on a guided liquidation, which will involve selling the assets to experienced corporate bodies who will then be expected to put them to use.

This plan, like others, has attracted interest of possible investors. According to BPE, as many as 17 bidders have been penciled down to get the core assets in the on-going guided liquidation exercise of the national telecommunications carrier.

BPE’s Director General, Benjamin Diki, disclosed this to the media at an interactive session recently on how President Goodluck Jonathan has, through his current transformation agenda, initiated policies that would ensure that the on-going guided liquidation of NITEL would open up the nation’s telecom industry for both local and international investors to thrive.

Diki stated that “efforts by President Jonathan to open up the telecom industry have started yielding fruitful results as 17 investors have signified their interests to buy the Nigerian Telecommunications Ltd and its mobile arm, Mobile Telecommunications Ltd (MTEL), in the on-

Johnson

Juwah

going guided liquidation exercise of the national telecom carrier.”

According to Diki, 22 companies originally showed interest in the telecommunication giant, but five were excluded due to lateness and were not accommodated due to strict compliance to the company’s rules.

The remaining 17 bidders are currently being evaluated and are expected to go through a strict approval process.

According to Diki, the guided liquidation is not an outright auctioning of the various parts of the company “but the 17 bidders would be given a chance to do due diligence, and then at the appropriate time be asked to submit technical and financial bids.

“We are selling the company as a business unit that must continue doing business in the telecoms sector because NITEL is the first national carrier. We have done similar things before with the AFCON, the fertiliser company, which is today known as Notore,” he said.

this government’s latest move. According to Mr Lanre Ajayi, President, Association of Telecommunication Companies of Nigeria, (ATCON), the guided liquidation is the last option available to government having unsuccessfully tried other options.

However, plans by government to sell off the assets in what it called guided liquidation is not attractive to many people as they feel that government should find a way to ensure that the firm was successful. According to the Chief Executive officer of PNN Limited, Mr AbdulRahman Abiola-Odunowo, government should abandon the idea of privatisation of NITEL wholesale.

He said: “Honestly, I think government should forget about privatising NITEL. The argument for privatisation is no longer valid with the recent bail-out of privately-run businesses globally using state funds. In Nigeria, over one trillion naira was used to bail out banks alone. What I think government should do is develop NITEL by bringing the best hands from the telecoms sector to run the business on their behalf with clearly set deliverables. Then government can sell 49 per cent of shares exclusively to Nigerians with a cap on the maximum shares any individual can buy.

This was what we suggested to President Obasanjo in 1999 and 2006 but he didn’t listen. In 1999 he decided to give NITEL to his buddies in Transcorp in 2006. I guess we were not politically connected enough. But seriously, government does not need to privatise NITEL. All we need to do is get the right team to run it. All operators in Nigeria employ Nigerians as top executives; we can do the same and mix in a few dynamic foreigners.”

Operators' perspective There has been mixed reaction to

I think government should forget about privatising NITEL. The argument for privatisation is no longer valid with the recent bail-out of privately-run businesses globally

TECHTalk

W it h

Achieving successful liquidation of NITEL

Jonah Iboma 08050498516

ICT and educational systems

I

n recent times, the adoption of information technology is increasingly gaining importance in Nigeria’s educational system. A growing number of schools are adopting computers and the Internet as a means of delivering learning to their students, while examination bodies have adopted computer-based tests to ease the burden of having to effectively examine the knowledge of pupils and students.

The Joint Admission and Matriculations Board (JAMB) now tests a good percentage of the millions of applications seeking entry into tertiary institutions in the country using computers. This is indeed a very commendable development considering that such drastic change looked far away a few years ago. The convenience that computer-based test offers students and the examination bodies have made some applicants to prefer it to the traditional paper and pencil method. What a difference technology can make!

As a result of the use of technology, the results of the examinations which used to be a nightmare for applicants has become so easy that people can access such results while sitting in the comfort of their homes and would no longer have to make long journeys to the offices of the examination bodies as some of us did during our times as university admission seekers. Today, examination results are just a click on the computer or even some mobile telephone sets.

But there are a few problems that have emerged lately. There are cases of students printing their scores online from JAMB websites only for the results to change when they attempt to access them again. This shows that there are issues with database management or careless use of the online platform. If JAMB is to change results it had given to applicant, I expect that there should be some form of notification and explanation. This appears not to have been done by JAMB in many cases.

Another issue of note is the submission by the Registrar/Chief Executive of JAMB, Prof. ’Dibu Ojerinde, that the board was considering scrapping the Paper Pencil Test in 2015 and require all candidates to adopt computer-based tests fully.

This position, although commendable, may not be in the interest of everyone concerned. Although far more convenient, a very huge limitation of computer-based tests is the fact that such examinations require special centres for them to be conducted. As the registrar noted himself, there are only 70 centres all over the country and these are not sufficient to serve the millions of candidates who seek admission to higher institutions annually in the country.

There is the need for proper investment to develop examination centres across the country. This investment will not likely come from government but from private hands. Aside that, although computer-based tests seem to hold the potential to eliminate the problem of examination fraud or malpractice, if there is a hurry to adopt just any centre as examination location, this could erode gains already made as operators of such centres could find loopholes to exploit for their own benefits. So, while ICT is good, its adoption must be done sensibly. The issue of power supply, security and skills need to be well tackled before such a step is considered.

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BUSINESS | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

W'African countries harmonise cyber laws COLLABORATION Sub-regional efforts to tackle Internet crimes among ECOWAS states Jonah Iboma

T

he United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has said that a strategic collaboration among West African countries had begun in the fight against cybercrime.

The global trade body said this was one of the developments from a recent workshop held in Accra, Ghana, to tackle the growing problem of internet crime.

The agency said that policymakers and legislators from seven West African countries called for increased aware-

ness, capacity building and regional cooperation on cyber security issues in the region, at the event.

21 participants from Ghana, The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Cape Verde gathered for the four-day workshop on cyber legislation in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) region organised by UNCTAD, the African Centre for Cyberlaw and Cybercrime Prevention and the Council of Europe.

The objective of the conference was to strengthen regional harmonisation of electronic commerce laws, to ensure implementation at the national level of regional cyber security frameworks for electronic transactions, data protection and cybercrime, and to strengthen cyber legislation and criminal justice

capacities.

The UN body noted that the mobile phone revolution and the increased capacity of submarine fibre-optic cables connecting Africa to cyberspace, as well as increasing cybercrime threats, had made it even more urgent for African governments to prepare effective legal frameworks for activities conducted online.

Ghana’s Minister for Communications, Dr. Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, said that the conference responded to the need for strategic collaboration in the region to deal with the issue of cybercrime.

In the ECOWAS region, only Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana and Senegal have so far passed cyberlaws, according to representatives at the meeting who attended a similar UNCTAD workshop in Senegal in February for

23 representatives of Frenchspeaking ECOWAS countries.

Eight countries have prepared bills, while Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone have no draft legislation on this issue.

The workshop follows a TrainForTrade distancelearning course on the Legal Aspects of Electronic Commerce in October 2013 in which 221 representatives from public and private sectors in the region participated.

The UNCTAD-ECOWAS project aims to support the implementation at the national level of the existing legal frameworks on e-transactions cybercrime and personal data protection. It also addresses other important areas such as consumer protection, intellectual property rights, online content and taxation. The project is financed by the Develop-

ment Account and the government of Finland.

The main recommendations formulated by the Accra workshop included continued transposition of ECOWAS instruments, cyberlaw awareness campaigns, capacity building for policymakers, legislators, police, judiciary and prosecutors, and strengthening enforcement agencies and regional cooperation between them.

As a follow-up to this seminar, all participants were mandated to complete a questionnaire to feed into a regional comparative review on cyberlaw harmonisation in the ECOWAS region.

At the Accra meeting, the government of Ghana also launched its Cyber Security Strategy, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI).

A call centre

Google shows online platforms can boost businesses

Kenya voice traffic wanes despite increased subscriptions

oogle Nigeria has hosted top executives of many corporate entities at a training session with the aim of helping them leverage online platforms to grow their business.

Country Manager at Google Nigeria, Juliet Ehimuan-Chiazor, stated that the Internet has a real impact on consumer behaviour and there was the need for business to take advantage of that opportunity to expand their reach and meet consumer needs.

According to her, this formed the basis for the training held in collaboration with the Association of Advertising Agencies (AAAN) and Advertisers Association of Nigeria (ADVAN).

She added that the focus of Google was to equip top executives with highlevel skills required to understand digital platforms that can be used to expand the reach, impact and revenue of their business.

Communications AuThashe thority of Kenya (CAK) reported a decline in local

G

“Organising the C-level breakfast event for CEOs is one of the numerous ways that Google is helping businesses grow online by exposing them to what the Internet can do in their favour,” she noted.

Google dedicated July to organise the digital excellence training, certified trainer programme and C-level breakfast to empower digital analysts, online marketing executives and industry professionals and CEOs with core insights required to understand digital platforms and building digital campaign.

The digital excellence training offers in-depth Google Adwords certification training for account managers, media planners and digital analysts in organisations as well as interested individuals. The certified trainer program which is the first of its kind in specialised training in sub-Sahara Africa is aimed at existing Google Certified Adwords

Google CEO, Larry Page

professionals who would like to develop more expertise in digital marketing and function effectively as trainers and digital consultants.

On the relevance of the trainings, President of AAAN, Kelechi Nwosu, stated that the importance of digital training and skills development, most especially in the emerging global competition, cannot be over-emphasized. He commended Google Nigeria for the collaboration with AAAN.

mobile voice traffic despite a growth in mobile subscriptions for the period between January and March 2014.

According to the quarterly sector statistics report released by the regulatory body, local mobile voice traffic stood at 7.6 billion minutes, down from the 7.8 billion minutes recorded during the previous quarter.

The report read: “Subscriber average minutes of use was recorded at 80.3 minutes per month compared to 84.1 minutes registered in the last quarter. Similarly, SMS traffic declined by 1.0 per cent to stand at 6.22 billion down from 6.28 billion messages sent during the preceding quarter.

Thus, each subscriber sent out an average of 65.1 messages per month.”

Out of the four operators, two increased their market

share of voice traffic while the other two operators declined in subscription. Safaricom maintained its lead with 6.0 billion minutes, down from 6.1 billion minutes registered during the previous quarter. Despite this drop, its market share increased by 0.3 percentage points to reach 78.5 per cent.

Orange Kenya traffic volume reached 234 million minutes, down from 208 million minutes during the previous quarter, representing a market share of 3.1 per cent.

This represented a gain of 0.5 percentage points during the quarter. Airtel lost 0.4 percentage points to claim 10.9 per cent market share, equivalent to 835 million minutes during the quarter, down from 892 million minutes posted during the last quarter.

Essar Telecom Limited recorded a 0.3 percentage point drop to post 7.6 per cent share, corresponding to 583 million minutes during the quarter.

BUSINESS | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

INNOVATION Low-priced computer made for Africa to increase technology inclusion efforts

A

South Africa-based technology firm, Capsule Technologies, has designed what is said to be Africa’s first solar-powered desktopcomputer that runs on Android.

The device is called the IMPI Mk1 and is recognised as a World Design Capital project. It is highly energyefficient and can operate on 20W, compared to other desk-

39

S'African firm invents solar-powered computer top computers, which can burn an average of 200W to 400W. Capsule Technologies founder, Megan Verkuil, said in a statement that the computer was built in response to Africa’s energy crisis.

The computer can be plugged into a solar panel, has WiFi capability, a 500GB hard drive and up to 4GB of RAM (random-access memory); it

retails for R3,300.

Verkuil said that the company had chosen to use Android as the operating system because “it is less intimidating since most young people in Africa are using Androidpowered smartphones” Verkuil said that even though the computer was not “aesthetically pleasing,” it was durable and able to withstand the dusty African terrain. “It

is an African computer and is targeted at communities that don’t have power.”

Capsule Technologies is only five months old and has 10 staff members, focusing on research and development.

The company is said to be in talks about taking its product to other countries on the continent.

Verkuil said that the company was committed to creat-

ing morejobs and would be hiring more people in the coming months.

Commenting on this innovation, Western Cape economic opportunities, MEC Alan Winde, said: “This is an example of the talented entrepreneurs in the Western Cape.

Their invention is playing a role, positioning the Western Cape as the continent’s innovation hub,” he said.

Tilda Kart to offer low-cost e-commerce solutions ilda Systems in partnership According to him, the uniqueTsentatives, with its West African repre- ness of this platform lies in its PMM Integrated functionality of automatically

A telecom mast

Bharti Airtel crosses 300m customers milestone B harti Airtel, a leading global telecommunications services provider with operations in 20 countries across Asia and Africa, said that it has crossed the 300 million customer mark across its operations. The milestone includes customers across mobile, fixed line and DSL (Digital Subscriber Link), and DTH (Direct-to-Home) services.

Bharti Airtel, which began operations in 1995, reached the 100 million customers mark in 2009 and crossed the 200 million mark in 2012. The latest 100 million customers have joined the Airtel family in less than two years. The company currently ranks as the fourth “largest mobile service provider globally and second largest globally outside of China.

Airtel Africa Chief Executive Officer, Mr Christian de Faria, said: “This milestone underlines the strength of our operations, which is one of the largest on a global scale.

It is also a tribute to the ‘Airtel’ brand which is trusted by customers in 20 countries.Today, telecom is at the cusp of transformation, which, going forward, will be driven as much by the force of technology as

by the changing demographics in emerging markets across Asia and Africa. Accelerated data consumption by the youth is going to be the underlying story. I am confident that Airtel will continue to be at the forefront of this future growth story and continue to delight customers by adding value to their lives.”

In Africa, Bharti Airtel is the largest mobile operator in the continent in terms of geographical footprint, which spans 17 countries with over 70 million customers.

Airtel’s mobile networks cover over 1.85 billion people across its operations in 20 countries and carry over 311 billion minutes of calls every quarter.

Meanwhile, Airtel Nigeria has introduced new Internet plans for Android devices users in a move the firm said was taken towards the realisation of its corporate vision of becoming the number one mobile Internet service provider in the country.

According to the leading telecommunications services provider, the new Android Internet bundle plan is specifically tailored to empower

Android phone users to connect with business associates, family and friends and also enable them enjoy an amazing data experience on their smartphones.

According to the firm, the bundle plan comes in two variants, the Android 2.0, which comes with 2GB data designed for medium Internet users, and the Android Bundle 4.5 with 4.5GB data is tailored for high Internet consumers.

Speaking on the new value offering, the Chief Commercial Officer, Airtel Nigeria, Mr Maurice Newa, said Airtel would continue to blaze the trail in revolutionizing the mobile Internet landscape in Nigeria with highly innovative and affordable solutions.

“At Airtel, we are positioned as Nigeria’s number one mobile Internet Company just as we are committed to making life simpler, more enjoyable and really exciting for our customers.

“We understand that our Internet bundle for Android users will help increase productivity, boost personal relations, family happiness and business profitability,” he said.

Ventures, has unveiled another software solution to ease the pain of merchants that wish to gain wider markets for their products on the Internet.

The unique e-commerce software solution, Tilda Kart, is an online shop management and e-commerce solution designed to give the small enterprise businesses the global visibility that would translate into productivity and profit maximization without draining their resources. In a statement in Lagos recently, the PMM Integrated Ventures said that the Tilda Kart 1.0 system is a complete online shop manager, which gives the user the most effective and efficient platform for business.

The Head of Business Development, PMM Integrated Ventures, Mr Obinna Ibeawuchi, said. “Customers can go online to a particular merchant from anywhere around the world, buy and pay online for any goods on offer.”

generating reports, invoices and quotations for the various transactions. It also has the best of viral marketing functionality through its fully optimised search engine options (SEO).

“Tilda Kart’s integration with online payment platform is world class as it can take all the recognised payment cards and also work on all the currencies of the countries where the software is accepted. The user also has the freedom to review all products on the platform without interference with automated discount system, which means you just input your percentage rate and it computes same on all highlighted products,” he added.

Ibeawuchi explained that the firm had looked at all the ecommerce sites domiciled in Nigeria and discovered that most of them were dysfunctional and others had implementation prices that were out of reach for the common businessman.

China Unicom, Huawei to work on cloud technology he cloud platform division network operators is not susTa strategic of China Unicom has signed tainable, because operational cooperation agree- expenses is still growing. ment on software defined networking (SDN) innovation with local kit vendor, Huawei.

In a joint statement, China Unicom Cloud Data Company and Huawei said that they would foster extensive cooperation conducted in the field of SDN, developing SDN controllers, and deploying SDNbased solutions in datacentre networks. The strategic cooperation aims to explore SDN technology values for scale virtual tenant access, Virtual Machine on-demand deployment and migration, network centralised management, energy saving, and datacentre capability openness.

Last year, the Chief Technology Officer of Huawei, Sanqi Li, said SDN and virtualisation would be key parts of the “new digital economy”. According to him, the existing total cost of operations structure for

“We’re looking at the fundamental limit of existing network infrastructure,” he said.

“Today’s network architecture is closed, protocol-centric and vertical, fragmented and with software embedded in the network devices.” The devices might be in the network for ten, 15 or even 20 years and all services are best effort with very little differentiation between them, he adds. Networks are over complicated by the continuing presence of two decades’ worth of technology, from TDM to ATM, and frame relay to IP and MPLS. “These networks are multigeneration and multi-technology, and control is always at the centre of the model. Voice and messaging are all controlled directly by the operator, but this traditional service model cannot be sustained because it’s slow to adapt,” he warns.

40

FEATURES

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

THURSDAY, JULY 31, 2014

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

Akpabio’s wife’s crusade against child labour Akwa Ibom State governor’s wife is leading women in the campaign against child labour, theft and trafficking, reports OSONDU AHIRIKA

I

t is a litany of sad tales; from the odious to the unexpected. The stories were grave enough to prick the heart of the founder of the Family Life Enhancement Initiative, who is the wife of Akwa Ibom State governor, Mrs Ekaette Unoma Akpabio.

The stories include the arrest by the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Abia State of two men, Chibuike Anibuife and Jonathan Nwogu, with a dead baby girl in a sack.

At a media briefing, the state Commandant of NSCDC, Mr Andy Dateer, said the suspects were arrested at Ariaria Junction, Osisioma near Aba. Also, one Muyideen Salaam, a 35-year-old apprentice at Aketegbo community in Seme, Badagry area of Lagos, recently gave a chilling confession of how he killed a 13-year-old boy, Rilwan Amuda, in his crave for materialism.

The Ibadan-born suspect claimed he was tempted to opt for money ritual after his wife left with their two children when feeding became an uphill task for him.

A 64-year old herbalist, Olatunji Azeez, recounted how he buried a 68year old retired Customs officer and her 10-year old adopted daughter alive in a shallow grave behind his shrine in Ajuwon, Ogun State.

Azeez, who was paraded by the Lagos State Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, showed no sign of remorse as he said he committed the act in order to prevent the victim from demanding N9 million he used to prepare concoction for her.

These and other issues attracted the attention of Mrs Akpabio.

On Sunday, July 20, the Akwa Ibom State governor’s wife, mobilised and commenced a crusade to save the child.

That she chose to start it from the grassroots is significant. The hinterland is where the social scourges, heretofore mentioned, have laid siege to.

That fateful day, Akpabio visited three churches - Christ Faith Church, Utu, Qua Iboe Church Ikpe Atai, Nkwot Superitendency, both in Etim Ekpo Local Government Area and The Apostolic Church, Ikot Akpa Nkuk, in Ukanafun Local Government Area.

Before this, the sensitisation tour had taken governor’s wife to some churches in Ini, Ikono and Ikot Ekpene local government areas.

Mrs Akpabio warned parents to desist from giving their children out to child thieves and traffickers who come to them with enticing offers of jobs and money to lure their young girls into prostitution and bondage in baby factories, where they are made to have babies which are later sold or used for rituals.

She also used such occasions to remind the worshippers that with the enactment of the Widows’ Rights law in the state last year, it is now a punishable offence to make a widow undergo obnoxious practices such as disinheritance, forced shaving of hair or drinking of water used to bathe corpses.

Other churches Akpabio has visited in the ongoing crusade include The

Mrs. Akpabio in the midst of children

Stop giving out your children to people in trust. Tarry with them, come rain or shine.

Take advantage of the free and compulsory education and give our children an assured future

Akpabio

Presbyterian Church, The Life and Light Church, both in Ogu, Itu Mbonuso, Ini Local Government, Methodist Church, Iton Odoro, Ikono Local Government and The Apostolic Church, Ikot Obong Edong, Ikot Ekpene, The child rights sensitisation outreach was also taken to churches in Obot Akara, Essien Udim and Abak local government areas.

Among the churches were St. Andrew’s Catholic Church, Nto Edino, and St. Thomas Catholic Church, also in Nto Edino, Obot Akara.

Tens of hundreds of women and several kids and youths were targeted and have so far been reached by the governor’s wife.

The message was simple but thoughtprovoking – “Mothers Arise and Save the Children.”

Akpabio frowned at the near abandonment of underaged children to their fate, decried the granting of early independence and weaning of children from parental care, counselling and guidance.

She also bemoaned the misfortune of children who are given out by unsuspecting parents to supposed uncles, aunties

or close acquaintances as house helps, with all manner of promises, only for the children to be subjected to the most horrendous existence possible, but unknown to their parents.

Children are bought and sold like food items or packaged products in the open and black markets. Many, especially teenage girls, are hounded down to become baby-making machines. The babies are sold as soon as they are born with nothing for the hapless mother and without recourse to her parents back in the village, who are unaware of the birth of a would have been grandchild. Kids are forced into child labour during school hours, despite the ongoing the free and compulsory education programme of the Governor Godswill Akpabio administration. Ritual killing of children with missing body parts is on the rise.

Mrs Akpabio pleaded with the women to arise and redress the wrongs meted to their children.

“Stop giving out your children to people in trust. Tarry with them, come rain or shine. Take advantage of the free and compulsory education and give our children an assured future.

“Protect them from rampaging paedophiles, kidnappers and evil men by keeping them close, under watch, guidance and supervision,” she said.

As Chairperson of Family Life Enhancement Initiative (FLEI), Mrs Akpabio has undertaken several programmes which add verve to and inspire her current crusading. They include the multiple births programme, the less privileged reach out programme and the

Family Life Enhancement Initiative’s Shelter Support for Widows, which has seen over 80 houses donated to widows across the state, the latest being a widow at Christ Faith Church, Utu, Etim Ekpo whose mud and thatch roofed house was gutted by fire, coinciding with the visit of the governor’s wife.

The seriousness of Mrs Akpabio’s mission was amplified by the strength of the delegation she led. They include the woman she introduced as her Deputy Women Leader, and wife of the Secretary to the Akwa Ibom State Government, Mrs Martha Udom, wife of the Deputy Speaker, Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly, Lady Ime Udo kiriean, and Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Aniekan Umana and spouse, Maureen, as well his Women Affairs counterpart, Dr Gloria Udoh.

Others are wives of the Commissioners for Environment and Mineral Resources, and Agriculture, Mrs Inemesit Enobong Uwah and Mrs Gloria Godwin Afangideh, spouse of the Special Adviser on Technical Matters, Mrs Nse Etido Inyang and Mrs Asuama Sydney, Co-ordinator of FLEI. The aggregate support these very important persons lent to this crusade serves to magnify the seriousness attached to this advocacy initiated by Mrs Akpabio.

Adding her voice to the homily on Child Rights, Mrs. Martha Udom Emmanuel warned that the child predators are becoming more and more ingenious in their operations and called on parents, especially mothers to be safety conscious at all times as their children are gifts entrusted in their care by God. She also warned children to refrain from talking to or accepting gifts from strangers, which could lead to abduction.

Mrs Emmanuel added that young girls are especially vulnerable to this threat and advised girls to avoid greed and be contented with what their parents could afford so they do not get lured into the dangerous trap.

• Ahirika writes from Akwa Ibom State

business | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

41

Clampdown on BDC operators firm up naira SPECULATIVE DEMAND

shore up reserves and bolster the naira before next year’s elections, Vetiva Capital Management has forecast.

The BDC operators have up till today, to meet new minimum capital requirements, according to revised directives by the banking watchdog.

The apex bank had increased the minimum capital requirement for BDC’s from N10million to N35million; caution fee from N3.2million to N35million; and the yearly renewal of BDC licence from N10, 000 to N250, 000.

About 3208 BDCs traders seeking dollars from the CBN have depleted foreign-currency reserves, which are down 17 per cent from a year earlier, according to the institution.

The increase in BDC’s capital will help to shore up reserves and bolster the naira Godson Ikoro

with agency reports

A

s the deadline given to the Bureau de change (BDC) operators ends today, there are strong indications that the Central Bank of Nigeria’s (CBN’s) tightened noose, will help to

The moves are “aimed at reducing the speculative demand for foreign exchange over the election cycle,” Pabina Yinkere, head of research at Lagos-based Vetiva Capital Management Ltd., a stock broker and money manager, said in an e-mailed response to questions from Bloomberg yesterday. “We view this as positive for the currency if properly implemented, and if successful, could prevent any aggressive tightening of monetary conditions.”

Bloomberg noted that the naira gained 0.1 per cent to N161.90 per dollar as yesterday for a 0.6 per cent rise this month. The currency is advancing for the third straight month as foreign-currency reserves climb to the highest since

BoI plans to boost agric processing

T

he Bank of Industry (BoI) has concluded plans to serve as a catalyst for the realisation of the Federal Government’s Industrial Revolution Plan by providing handy financial assistance to businesses, especially in the areas of agro-processing.

The bank is, however, not focusing on primary agriculture or agricultural development, which it concedes is the business of the Bank of Agriculture.

Announcing its new agenda, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, BoI, Mr. Ra-

sheed Olaoluwa, said it was the intention of the bank to move Nigerians from farming to small-scale enterprises, food processing and industrialised agro-allied industries.

The BoI boss according to a statement spoke when members of the Senate Committee on Investment conducted an oversight visit to the bank’s corporate headquarters in Lagos.

He said what the bank has been trying to do is to key into the government’s Industrial Revolution Plan and National Enterprises Development Programme.

He said his mandate was to promote the nation’s industrial sector by giving the necessary facilities to Small and Mediumscale Enterprises.

“Small scale enterprises can actually play a major role in industrialisation efforts of the government. If you look at what goes on in other countries like South Africa, Malaysia, Indonesia and Brazil, among others, it is the SMEs that serve as the foundation for industrialisation and that is exactly the same kind of model we are trying to replicate in Nigeria,” Olaoluwa said.

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

FX

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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Offer 163.38

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

Rate (%) 11.33 11.63

NIFEX Spot ($/N)

Bid 163.4000

Offer 163.5000 Source: FMDQ

today.”

Meanwhile, the naira closed unchanged against the dollar on the interbank market yesterday, after two days public holiday to mark a Muslim festival, supported by dollar sales by two major energy companies.

The local unit closed at N161.85 to the dollar, the same level it closed last Friday before the holiday.

A unit of Royal Dutch Shell sold an undisclosed amount of dollars to some lenders, while Eni sold $5 million, said Reuters.

Month-end dollar sales by some energy companies have continued to provide support for the local currency in the last two weeks, keeping it within the band of N161.50-162 against the dollar.

"We see the naira stable around the present band in the near term, with more dollars expected from some energy companies," one dealer said.

Ghana's currency drops after pull back from IMF aid

G

hana’s cedi, the world’s worst-performing currency this year, weakened as the government ruled out an International Monetary Fund bailout, stoking concern it will miss targets to narrow a budget deficit.

The currency according to Bloomberg, retreated for the first time in five days against the dollar, dropping as much as 6.4 per cent, after Deputy Finance Minister Mona Quartey said the government of the world’s second-biggest cocoa producer plans to sell a third Eurobond next month rather than take IMF aid. Returns on Ghana’s dollar debt are the lowest in Africa this year, according to Bloomberg indexes.

Some investors “don’t have the full confidence in the government’s home-grown policy because steps that have already been implemented have not yielded expected results,” Elvis Darku, head of fixed-income trading at Access Bank Ghana

Ltd., said by phone yesterday.

“Those traders disappointed that the government was no longer looking at an IMF bailout probably started bidding the cedi lower.”

Finance Minister Seth Terkper opened the door to IMF support earlier this year as slumping earnings from gold, cocoa and oil, the country’s biggest exports, curbed revenue, according to the Bank of Ghana.

Terkper revised the 2014 fiscal deficit target to 8.8 per cent of gross domestic product from 8.5 per cent and increased spending by 3.2 billion cedis ($873 million) on July 16, while saying power cuts, inflation and the weak cedi are curbing growth.

The gap was 10.1 per cent in 2013.

“We’re not considering an IMF loan at this time,” Quartey said by phone yesterday. Plans to sell $1.5 billion in Eurobonds are “part of a home-grown strategy to stabilize the cedi,” she said.

‘ITF is committed to reducing unemployment' Chris Ugwu

T

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80

March following an increase in oil output.

Crude is the nation’s biggest source of foreign currency. The CBN sells dollars to lenders and money changers twice-a-week at auctions where it keeps the naira at 3 per cent above or below N155 per dollar.

Between January and March, reserves dropped for 48 straight days, the longest on record. The naira also hit a record low after former CBN Governor Lamido Sanusi was suspended, spurring speculation that the regulator will change the peg.

Devaluation may now be off the table until after the election, Yvonne Mhango, a sub-Saharan African economist at Renaissance Capital, said by phone from Johannesburg yesterday.

“I don’t expect devaluation in the short term,” she said.

“Especially going into an election year, what will help is if they can sustain policy as it is

he Industrial Training Fund (ITF) is committed to enhancing vocational training and skill acquisition in the quest to reduce unemployment and youth restiveness in the country.

Deputy Director/Training Manager of the Industrial Skill Training Center (ISTC) of the Industrial Training Fund, (ITF), Mr. Olasupo James Abimbola, said this in Lagos during the 3rd graduation ceremony of the ITF and the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) Technical Skill Development Programme Batch four trainees.

He said the ISTC, which presently offer over eight categories of technical and vocational

training in various areas was established with only three trade areas.

He noted that the center presently offers technical and vocational training in information and communication technology, electrical installation and maintenance and mechanical maintenance.

Other areas of specialised vocational and technical training offered by the ISTC, according to Abimbola, are in the areas of welding and metal fabrication, refrigeration and air conditioning and instrumentation, process control and autotronics and auto mechanic work.

The center, he said, has trained more than 2541 trainees in 239 programmes for 220 organisations in various categories of training.

42 BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

30-Jul-14

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

Bonds FGN Bonds

Price

Rating/Agency

Issuer

NA

NA

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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

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

9.25 4.00 13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 7.00 16.39 14.20 15.00 12.49 8.50 10.00 12.1493

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

0.16 0.73 2.05 2.74 2.99 3.09 3.83 4.92 5.23 7.50 9.62 14.33 14.81 15.31 15.98 19.97

10.76 10.64 11.19 11.14 11.09 11.10 11.15 11.28 11.30 12.02 12.19 12.16 12.16 12.16 12.21 12.18

9.86 9.89 11.11 11.08 11.03 10.98 11.05 11.21 11.22 11.96 12.14 12.12 12.12 12.11 12.16 12.14

99.70 95.42 103.30 109.10 96.91 95.52 98.59 117.40 83.33 121.20 111.20 119.03 102.21 74.81 84.60 99.75

99.85 95.92 103.45 109.25 97.06 95.82 98.89 117.70 83.63 121.50 111.50 119.33 102.51 75.11 84.90 100.05

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

4,479.99

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue 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 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

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

0.25 0.82 1.43 2.36 2.72 2.93

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 1.00

12.04 13.28 13.12 13.09 12.09 12.09

97.05 90.02 105.38 100.29 98.86 96.44

100.02

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KWARA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014

05-Aug-09

14.00

17.00

05-Aug-14

0.02

1.56

11.87

A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.21

3.29

14.20

99.84

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

1.09

4.44

15.14

97.41

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

16.50

30-Sep-15

0.69

3.23

13.87

99.96

Nil

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

13.00

30-Jun-16

1.21

4.46

15.21

98.94

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

18.50

30-Jun-16

1.22

3.48

14.24

101.64

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.72

5.59

16.68

85.80

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

50.00

30-Jun-17

1.77

1.00

11.99

102.87

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.42

1.79

12.91

102.90

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

50.00

30-Sep-18

2.39

1.80

12.89

102.44

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.18

1.00

12.18

105.79

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

20.00

09-Dec-18

2.59

1.00

12.09

105.32

A-/Agusto

*NIGER

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

12.00

12-Dec-18

2.59

4.78

15.87

96.39

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*ONDO

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019

14-Feb-12

15.50

27.00

14-Feb-19

2.97

1.00

12.09

105.76

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*GOMBE

15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019

02-Oct-12

15.50

20.00

02-Oct-19

3.04

1.00

12.09

108.60

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019

22-Nov-12

14.50

80.00

22-Nov-19

5.32

1.00

12.33

108.25

A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019

12-Dec-12

14.75

30.00

12-Dec-19

3.11

2.74

13.84

102.24

A/Agusto

*OSUN

14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

30-Sep-13

14.75

11.40

30-Sep-20

3.72

1.00

12.14

107.43

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR

LAGOS

13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

27-Nov-13

13.50

87.00

27-Nov-20

6.33

1.00

12.62

103.71

A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro

KOGI

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020

31-Dec-13

15.00

5.00

31-Dec-20

6.42

1.94

13.59

105.89

A/Agusto A-/GCR

*EKITI *NASARAWA

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

31-Dec-13

14.50

5.00

31-Dec-20

3.90

1.44

12.60

105.60

06-Jan-14

15.00

5.00

06-Jan-21

3.93

1.95

13.11

105.52

99.86

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

572.90

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014

07-Oct-11

11.50

11.80

07-Oct-14

0.19

1.00

11.84

GTB NGC

13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014

18-Dec-09

13.50

13.17

18-Dec-14

0.39

5.21

16.03

98.99

µ

17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014

01-Apr-10

17.00

2.00

31-Dec-14

0.42

8.71

19.47

98.94

LAFARGE WAPCO

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto

*UPDC

10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015

17-Aug-10

10.00

15.00

17-Aug-15

0.57

4.88

15.51

96.37

*FLOURMILLS

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015

09-Dec-10

12.00

37.50

09-Dec-15

0.88

1.00

11.65

100.72

BB+/GCR

*CHELLARAMS

14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016

06-Jan-11

14.00

1.50

06-Jan-16

0.96

2.63

13.29

100.89

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016

29-Sep-11

13.00

15.00

29-Sep-16

2.17

1.00

12.09

101.65

A-/Agusto

FSDH

14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016

25-Oct-13

14.25

5.53

25-Oct-16

2.24

1.34

12.43

103.41

A/GCR

UBA

13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017

30-Sep-10

13.00

20.00

30-Sep-17

3.17

1.00

12.10

102.26

BBB-/GCR

18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

30-Nov-12

18.00

0.94

30-Nov-17

1.99

1.88

12.96

109.69

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

09-Apr-11

16.00

8.01

09-Apr-18

1.94

3.48

14.55

102.77

A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

18.00

3.63

09-Sep-18

2.11

5.20

16.29

103.29

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

09-Sep-11

16.00

1.00

09-Sep-18

2.11

5.06

16.15

101.85

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.15

1.35

12.52

104.62

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

18-Oct-13

15.75

3.00

18-Oct-18

2.22

2.29

13.38

104.77

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

17-Feb-12

17.00

0.54

17-Feb-19

2.30

6.11

17.20

99.73

BBB/GCR

*DANA

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

01-Apr-14

16.00

4.50

01-Apr-19

3.42

2.16

13.28

107.26

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

14-Nov-13

15.25

2.05

14-Nov-20

6.29

2.76

14.37

103.50

11-Feb-18

3.54

1.00

12.13

94.58

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

180.17

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

12.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

12.00 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value ($'mm)

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

4.74

4.60

111.13

111.92

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

12-Jul-13

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

3.94

3.75

104.27

104.99

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

12-Jul-13

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.09

4.99

109.12

109.91

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

Corporate Eurobonds AFREN PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.71

2.96

111.45

112.64

GTBANK PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

4.74

4.08

104.69

105.84

GTBANK PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.10

5.82

99.61

100.65

B+/S&P

ACCESS BANK PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

7.03

6.41

100.59

102.30

B/S&P; B/Fitch

FIDELITY BANK PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.63

8.10

94.44

96.07

B/Fitch

AFREN PLC

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

4.89

4.21

113.24

114.45

B+/Fitch; BB-/S&P

ZENITH BANK PLC

6.25 APR 22, 2019

22-Apr-14

6.25

500.00

22-Apr-19

6.39

6.09

99.41

100.66

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

8.75 May 21, 2019

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.68

8.45

100.25

101.14

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.26

6.56

103.42

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.00

5.10

104.41

105.89

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,660.00

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

FIXINGS Maturity 7-Aug-14 14-Aug-14 21-Aug-14 28-Aug-14 4-Sep-14 11-Sep-14 18-Sep-14 25-Sep-14

Bid Discount (%) 10.00 10.15 10.20 10.20 10.25 10.50 10.50 10.30

Offer Discount (%) 9.75 9.90 9.95 9.95 10.00 10.25 10.25 10.05

Bid Yield (%) 10.02 10.19 10.26 10.28 10.35 10.63 10.65 10.47

Money Market

NIBOR Tenor O/N 1M 3M 6M

Rate (%) 11.7917 12.9151 13.8839 14.7247

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

11.58

O/N Tenor Call 1M

11.88

REPO

Rate (%) 11.00 12.40

Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) Tenor

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

Spot 7D 14D 1M 2M 3M

161.80 162.18 162.43 163.06 164.19 165.46

161.90 162.44 162.77 163.73 165.38 167.09

0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017

06-Jul-12

0.00/16.50

66.49

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

06-Jul-17

2.93

1.00

12.09

96.44

100.02

1,304.32

Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto

KWARA

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014

05-Aug-09

14.00

17.00

05-Aug-14

0.02

1.56

11.87

A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

15-Oct-09

14.00

6.00

15-Oct-14

0.21

3.29

14.20

99.84

A+/Agusto

KADUNA

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015

31-Aug-10

12.50

8.50

31-Aug-15

1.09

4.44

15.14

97.41

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

16.50

30-Sep-15

0.69

3.23

13.87

99.96

Nil

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

13.00

30-Jun-16

1.21

4.46

15.21

98.94

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

18.50

30-Jun-16

1.22

3.48

14.24

101.64

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.72

5.59

16.68

85.80

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

50.00

30-Jun-17

1.77

1.00

11.99

102.87

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.42

1.79

12.91

102.90

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

50.00

30-Sep-18

2.39

1.80

12.89

102.44

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.18

1.00

12.18

105.79

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

20.00

09-Dec-18

2.59

1.00

12.09

105.32

14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018

12-Dec-13

14.00

12.00

12-Dec-18

2.59

4.78

15.87

96.39

1.94

13.59

105.89

1.44

12.60

105.60

1.95

13.11

105.52

A+/Agusto

Sanctity of Truth

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR Thursday, July 31, 2014 LAGOS A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

A/Agusto

EDO

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

Oando, Dancem, others lift NSE index

*DELTA NIGER

A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI The Nigerian capital A-/Agusto *NIGER market shows signs of A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE investor’ confidence Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS A/Agusto; A-/GCR

*OSUN

A/Agusto

*OSUN

Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS Stories

by Chris Ugwu A-/Agusto; BBB+/DataPro KOGI

T

A/Agusto rading A-/GCR

*EKITI activities on the *NASARAWA

floor of the Nigerian Stock TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Exchange (NSE) yesterday pointed northwards Corporate Bonds asA+/Agusto; transactions in LAFARGE the share AA/GCR WAPCO prices of Oando and Aa/Agusto GTBDangote µ Cement Plc led other NGCgainers Nil toBbb-/Agusto lift market indicators. *UPDC A-/Agusto The key benchmark indices *FLOURMILLS BB+/GCR maintained positive*CHELLARAMS trajectory NAHCOtaking toA+/Agusto; close A-/GCR in the green, A-/Agusto majorly from FSDH largely supports A/GCR UBA capitalised stocks, which were BBB-/GCR

business | FINANCIAL MARKET 43

15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 particularly driven by the two 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 companies.

14.50 22-NOV-2019 TheLAGOS market opened the week 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 yesterday after two days holiday 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 declared by the Federal Govern13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 ment for El Fitr celebration.

15.00 KOGI 31-DEC-2020 Specifically, the market 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 capitalisation appreciated by 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021 N28billion as market sentiments remained positive.

At the close of trading, the NSE All-Share firmed 11.50 LAFARGE WAPCOIndex 7-OCT 2014 up13.50 byGUARANTY 0.20 per cent to close at TRUST 18-DEC-2014 42,368.99 points as against 17.00 NGC index 31-DEC-2014 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 the10.00 previous session’s 42,285.85.

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 Consequently , market capi14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 by N28 talisation appreciated 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 billion or 0.20 per cent to close FSDH 25-OCT-2016 at 14.25 N13.990 trillion as against 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 N13.962 trillion the previous 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017

BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*C & I LEASING *DANA#

A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR

*TOWER#

MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

#

MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018

15.50 27.00 14-Feb-19 day. 14-Feb-12 Dangote Cement followed 2.97 with 02-Oct-12 15.50 stood 20.00 02-Oct-19 The number of gainers N1.94 to close at N233.943.04 per 22-Nov-12 14.50 80.00 22-Nov-19 5.32 at 29 as against 29 losers. share.

12-Dec-12 14.75 12-Dec-19 Banking sub-sector led the 30.00On the flip side, Seplat3.11Ni30-Sep-13 14.75 11.40 3.72 Plc led30-Sep-20 the losers with a market transaction volume geria 13.50 87.00 27-Nov-20 6.33 with 27-Nov-13 509.3 million units valued drop of N5.04 to close at N670 31-Dec-13 15.00 5.00 31-Dec-20 6.42 at N3.7 billion in 1,604 deals.

31-Dec-13 14.50 5.00 31-Dec-20 3.90 The volume recorded in the 06-Jan-14 15.00 5.00 06-Jan-21 3.93 sector was driven by transac572.90 tions in the shares of Access Bank and Wema Bank Plc. otal Nigeria Plc has posted The Insurance sub-sector ac- 11.8010 per cent drop in profit 07-Oct-11 11.50 07-Oct-14 0.19aftivated by the shares13.50 of Guinea 13.17ter tax during year 18-Dec-09 18-Dec-14for half 0.39 Insurance with 53.5 ended June 31-Dec-14 2014.

01-Apr-10 followed17.00 2.00 0.42 17-Aug-10 10.00 valued 15.00 0.57 million units of shares In a filing17-Aug-15 with the Nigerian 09-Dec-10 12.00 37.50 09-Dec-15 Stock Exchange (NSE), the 0.88 comat N33.6 million in 206 deals.

06-Jan-11analysis of 14.00 1.50 06-Jan-16 0.96 Further the day’s pany’s net profit declined from 29-Sep-11 13.00 Oando 15.00 billion during 29-Sep-16 the compa2.17 trading showed that N2.4 25-Oct-13 5.53 topped the gainers’ 14.25 table with rable period 25-Oct-16 of 2013 to N2.22.24bil13.00 while 20.00 depicting 30-Sep-17 N2.4730-Sep-10 to close at N27.94, lion, a drop of 103.17 per 30-Nov-12 18.00 0.94 30-Nov-17 1.99 cent.

09-Apr-11 16.00 8.01 Its half-year 09-Apr-18 1.94 pre-tax profit 09-Sep-11 18.00 3.63 09-Sep-18 also fell 12 per cent to N3.422.11bil09-Sep-11 16.00 1.00 09-Sep-18 lion compared with N3.902.11 bil22-Sep-11 14.00 35.00 22-Sep-18 lion in the same period last 4.15 year.

18-Oct-13 15.75 3.00 18-Oct-18 2.22 Gross earnings in the local 17-Feb-12 17.00 0.54 17-Feb-19 2.30 fuel marketer however, climbed 01-Apr-14 16.00 4.50 01-Apr-19 3.42 to N120.15 billion from 117.29 14-Nov-13 15.25 2.05 14-Nov-20 6.29 “We have also started build- billion in the previous year. ing out a robust financial liter- 180.17 Total Nigeria had called acy program. Back in February on the Federal Government 2012, we kicked off our financial to review the PMS unit mar11-Feb-13 10.20 12.00 11-Feb-18 3.54 literacy program as a first step gin, which has remained un12.00 in protecting investors. This pro- changed since 2007. gram aims to enhance investors’ Chairman Total Nigeria Plc Issue Date Coupon (%) Date Bid Yield (%) understanding of the basics ofIssue Value and($'mm) SeniorMaturity Vice-President, Afinvesting around portfolio con- rica/Middle East, Mr. Momar struction, asset allocation and Nguer made the appeal at the risk diversification. company’s 36th Annual General 07-Oct-11 6.75 500.00 28-Jan-21 4.74 “The “Investor Clinic” aspect meeting (AGM) held in Lagos.

5.13is a flag 500.00 12-Jul-18 of the12-Jul-13 program, which He said the marketing 3.94 marship product for our financial gin, which is generating the 12-Jul-13 6.38 5.09 literacy efforts, has been deliv- 500.00 cash flow has12-Jul-23 not been reviewed ered in partnership with stellar 1,500.00 since seven years, while the organizations such as Morgan cost of doing business has inStanley, Stanbic IBTC, Green- creased substantially. wich 01-Feb-11 Trust and FBN “Imagine01-Feb-16 that your 3.71 sal11.50Capital, 450.00 ary has remained the same for just to name a few. These have 500.00 19-May-11 7.50 19-May-16 4.74 primarily been focused on par- seven years when cumulative 08-Nov-13 6.00 ticular segments of the investing 400.00 inflation has08-Nov-18 been 70 per 6.10 cent 25-Jul-12 7.25 25-Jul-17 7.03 community to discuss the finer 350.00 over the period.

How would 09-May-13 6.88 02-May-18 8.63 details of investing and to shed 300.00 you manage?

That’s what is 10.25 4.89 more08-Apr-12 light on the capital market 300.00 happening 08-Apr-19 to our industry .

22-Apr-14 6.25 500.00 22-Apr-19 6.39 To my knowledge, there is no eco system, Onyema said.

Total Nigeria’s H1 post-tax profit dips 10%

T

Improved regulatory milieu boosts local bourse, says CEO MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018

AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR

*TOWER

A/Agusto; A/GCR

UBA

14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018

Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR

15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018

BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

BBB/GCR

*DANA

16.00 DANA II 1-APR-2019

A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

NAHCO

T

he improved regulatory environment and performance of quotedBond companies from Supranational 2012 till date, has positively imAAA/S&P IFC pacted on stock market prices TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE and overall market indices, the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) Rating/Agency Issuer has said.

The Chief Executive Officer Eurobonds ofFGN NSE, Mr. Oscar Onyema, who stated this yesterday at the invesBB-/Fitch; B+/S&P tors’ clinic organised for journalBB-/Fitch; ists, said the Exchange has FGN seen BB-/S&P strong and improved participaBB-/Fitch; tion from foreign investors and BB-/S&P local institutional investors.

He TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE however, said local retail investors are notEurobonds as active as they used Corporate toB-/S&P; be. B/Fitch AFREN PLC I He said: “In lineGTBANK withPLC one I B+/Fitchstrategic pillars for ofB+/S&P; our core GTBANK PLC enhanced market performance B+/S&P BANK PLC and growth, that is, ACCESS instituting B/Fitch FIDELITY BANK PLC a B/S&P; “strong investor protection” B/Fitch AFREN PLC framework, we have re-constitutBB-/S&P ZENITHfor BANK PLC edB+/Fitch; the Board of Trustees the TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

Investor Protection Fund (IPF).

“Earlier in the year, the Exchange received the Securities and Exchange Commission’s 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 (SEC) approval of IPF Rules.

This is a welcome development, which will enable the Board of Trustees of IPFDescription to carry out the duties for which the Fund was established, in line with the Investment and Securities Act 6.75 JAN 28, 2021 2007 and the approved Rules.

JUL 12, 2018 to look The Exchange5.13 continues forward to working closely with 6.38 JUL 12, the Fund’s Board of 2023 Trustees to sustain and promote investor confidence in the Nigerian Capital Market.”

He noted that the 11.50 FEB 01,Exchange 2016 has adopted 7.50 a MAY zero-tolerance 19, 2016 stance on dealing member firms 6.00 NOV 08, 2018 and listed companies’ violations, JUL 25, 2017 adding that it7.25 has proposed sev6.88 MAY 09, 2018 eral rules to codify the accepted 10.25 APR 08, 2019 mode of engagement in the mar6.25 APR 22, 2019 ket.

8.75 May 21, 2019

12.09 Forte 105.76 per1.00share, while Oil Plc 1.00 N5.00 to12.09 108.60 shed close at N211.00.

1.00 108.25 At the close12.33 of trading, inves2.74 13.84 102.24 tors exchanged a total of 713.6 1.00 12.14 107.43 million shares worth N6.7 bil1.00 12.62 103.71 lion in 5,829 deals.

other country that has frozen margin for such time.

1.00 11.84 a long 99.86 This and 5.21 is not sustainable 16.03 98.99 the margin should 8.71 19.47be reviewed 98.94 to 4.88 cater for 15.51the cost96.37 really of do100.72 ening1.00 business 11.65 in the Nigeria 2.63 13.29 vironment,” he said. 100.89 1.00 101.65 “Not only12.09 are we suffering 1.34 frozen margin, 12.43 from we 103.41 are also 1.00 12.10huge financial 102.26 suffering from 1.88 expenses as 12.96 a result of109.69 delay 102.77 On in 3.48 payment 14.55 of subsidies.

5.20 16.29 103.29 average it takes 8 months for 16.15 101.85 the5.06 government to pay us back 1.35 12.52 104.62 the subsidies. In our balance 2.29 13.38 104.77 sheet at the end of 2013, we were 6.11 17.20 99.73 owed N12 billion.

The financial 2.16 13.28 107.26 expenses of that debt represent 2.76 14.37 103.50 10 per cent of our net operating income,” he said.

Nguer noted that Nigeria currently is a net importer of 1.00 12.13 94.58 refined products and 80 per cent of the fuel is imported, adding that for marketing company, Offer Yield (%) Bid Price Offer Price everything depends on allocations and that Total Nigeria is & Yields not Prices getting its fair share of allocation to allow 4.60 111.13 it to serve 111.92 its customers well.

3.75 104.27 that with 104.99 12 “Is it normal per cent market share, 500 4.99 109.12 109.91 stations, three first class storage facilities, a proven record of compliance, Total Nigeria only get about 3 per cent of the import allocations?

We112.64 would 2.96 111.45 like to advocate that rules and 4.08 104.69 105.84 criteria of allocation should be 5.82 99.61 100.65 made public and applied in full 6.41 100.59 transparency , and the 102.30 compa8.10 94.44 nies’ performance with96.07 regard 113.24 114.45 to 4.21 the actual importation be 6.09 made public,”99.41 he said. 100.66

B/Fitch; B/S&P

DIAMOND BANK PLC

21-May-14

8.75

200.00

21-May-19

8.68

8.45

100.25

101.14

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

FIRST BANK PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.26

6.56

103.42

105.92

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

AFREN PLC

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.00

5.10

104.41

105.89

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

3,660.00

30-Jul-14

The FMDQ Bills Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products,FIXINGS fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject **Treasury Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms Maturity of Use and Disclaimer Statement. Offer Discount (%) DTM Bid Discount (%) Bid Yield (%) Tenor Rate (%)

8 7-Aug-14 10.00 15 14-Aug-14 10.15 21-Aug-14 10.20 FGN Bonds22 29 28-Aug-14 10.20 36 4-Sep-14 10.25 Rating/Agency Issuer Description 43 11-Sep-14 10.50 50 18-Sep-14 10.50 9.25 28-SEP-2014 57 25-Sep-14 10.30 4.00 23-APR-2015 64 2-Oct-14 10.45 13.05 16-AUG-2016 71 9-Oct-14 10.30 15.10 27-APR-2017 78 16-Oct-14 10.50 9.85 27-JUL-2017 85 23-Oct-14 10.55 9.35 31-AUG-2017 92 30-Oct-14 10.60 10.70 30-MAY-2018 99 6-Nov-14 10.25 16.00 29-JUN-2019 106 13-Nov-14 10.70 NA NA 7.00 23-OCT-2019 113 20-Nov-14 10.30 16.39 27-JAN-2022 127 4-Dec-14 10.20 14.20 14-MAR-2024 162 8-Jan-15 10.00 15.00 28-NOV-2028 176 22-Jan-15 10.10 12.49 22-MAY-2029 190 5-Feb-15 10.15 8.50 20-NOV-2029 204 19-Feb-15 10.15 10.00 23-JUL-2030 218 5-Mar-15 10.15 12.1493 18-JUL-2034 253 9-Apr-15 9.90 267 10.15 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE23-Apr-15 281 7-May-15 9.90 *from the Amortising bonds, the # average life is is acalculated Risk Premium combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums

Rating/Agency

Issuer

**Exclusive of non-trading t.bills

9.75 9.90 9.95 9.95 10.00 Issue Date 10.25 10.25 28-Sep-07 10.05 23-Apr-10 10.20 16-Aug-13 10.05 27-Apr-12 10.25 27-Jul-07 10.30 31-Aug-07 10.35 30-May-08 10.00 29-Jun-12 10.45 23-Oct-09 10.05 27-Jan-12 9.95 14-Mar-14 9.75 28-Nov-08 9.85 22-May-09 9.90 20-Nov-09 9.90 23-Jul-10 9.90 18-Jul-14 9.65 9.90 9.65

Description

10.02 10.19 10.26 10.28 10.35 (%) Coupon 10.63 10.65 9.25 10.47 4.00 10.65 13.05 10.51 15.10 10.74 9.85 10.82 9.35 10.89 10.70 10.54 16.00 11.04 7.00 10.64 16.39 10.58 14.20 10.46 15.00 10.62 12.49 10.72 8.50 10.76 10.00 10.81 12.1493 10.63 10.96 10.72

NIBOR

Bonds

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

Rate (%) 11.7917 12.9151 13.8839 Maturity Date 14.7247

100.00 28-Sep-14 535.00 23-Apr-15 515.27 NITTY 16-Aug-16 452.80 27-Apr-17 Tenor Rate (%) 20.00 27-Jul-17 1M 10.2972 100.00 31-Aug-17 2M 10.7103 300.00 30-May-18 3M 10.7268 351.30 29-Jun-19 6M 10.7860 233.90 23-Oct-19 9M 10.8756 600.00 27-Jan-22 12M 11.1753 220.15 14-Mar-24 75.00 28-Nov-28 150.00 22-May-29 NIFEX 200.00 20-Nov-29 591.57 23-Jul-30 Current Price ($/N) 18-Jul-34 BID($/N) 35.00 161.8500 OFFER ($/N) 161.9500

4,479.99

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value (N'bn)

OBB

11.58

Tenor

Spot O/N 11.88 7D Offer 14DYield TTM (Yrs)REPO Bid Yield (%) (%) Tenor Rate (%) 1M Call 11.00 2M 0.16 10.76 9.86 1M 12.40 3M 0.73 10.64 9.89 3M 12.97 6M 2.05 11.19 11.11 6M 13.88 1Y 2.74 11.14 11.08 2.99 11.09 11.03 NOTE: 3.09 11.10 10.98 3.83 11.15 11.05 :Benchmarks 4.92 Bond 11.28 11.21 * :Amortising 5.23 Bond 11.30 11.22 µ :Convertible 7.50 Management 12.02 11.96 AMCON: Asset Corporation of Nigeria 9.62 Government of12.19 12.14 FGN: Federal Nigeria 14.33 Mortgage Bank 12.16 12.12 FMBN: Federal of Nigeria 14.81 12.16 12.12 IFC: International Finance Corporation 15.31Contractors Receivables 12.16 12.11 LCRM: Local Management 12.21 Company12.16 NAHCO: 15.98 Nigerian Aviation Handling 19.97 12.18 12.14 O/N: Overnight UPDC: UAC Property Development Company WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company

Maturity Date

Avg. Life/TTM (Yrs)

# Risk Premium (%)

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

0.25 0.82 1.43 2.36 2.72 2.93Yield Implied

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.00 Implied 1.00 Portfolio Price

Bid ($/N)

Offer ($/N)

161.80 Price 161.90 162.18 162.44 162.43 162.77 Bid Price Offer Price 163.06 163.73 164.19 165.38 99.70 99.85 165.46 167.09 95.42 95.92 169.10 172.70 103.30 103.45 176.88 183.85 109.10 109.25 96.91 97.06 95.52 95.82 98.59 98.89 NA :Not Applicable 117.40Rate Bond 117.70 # :Floating 83.33 coupon bonds 83.63 ***: Deferred 121.20 121.50 111.20 †: Bond rating expired 111.50 119.03 119.33 102.21 102.51 74.81 75.11 84.60 84.90 NGC: Nigeria-German Company 99.75 Bank for Africa 100.05 UBA: United

Valuation Yield (%)

Indicative Price

12.04 13.28 13.12 13.09 12.09 12.09 INDEX

97.05 90.02 105.38 100.29 98.86 YTD96.44 Return (%)

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM Modified Duration Buckets

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

<3

Sub-National Bonds

3<5

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 LCRMValue(Bn) III 06-JUL-2017Total Outstanding Porfolio Market Volume(Bn)

1,026.28 1,139.63 14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014

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

0.00 978.35 0.00 24.56 FMDQ FGN 17.25 BOND INDEX 6.00 0.00/16.00 112.22 0.00/16.50 116.70 Weighting

by Mkt 0.00/16.50 Bucket66.49 Weighting Value

1,304.32

968.07

35.45

35.25

0.35

16.63

11.16

118.1675

1,122.35

12.2350

951.30

05-Aug-0934.83

14.00 39.15

17.00 0.35

35.66 05-Aug-14

11.80 0.02

133.8985 1.56

1,133.80 11.87

13.3802 100.02

31-Aug-10 100.00

12.50 100.00

31-Aug-15 100.00

1.09 11.89

4.44 118.4959

15.14 1,125.58

97.41 12.5585

A/Agusto

KWARA

A-/GCR

NIGER

A+/Agusto

KADUNA Market

12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 2,911.18

A/Agusto

*EBONYI

13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015

30-Sep-10

13.00

16.50

30-Sep-15

0.69

Nil

*BENUE

14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-11

14.00

13.00

30-Jun-16

1.21

4.46

15.21

98.94

A+/Agusto

*IMO

15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016

30-Jun-09

15.50

18.50

30-Jun-16

1.22

3.48

14.24

101.64

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

LAGOS

10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017

19-Apr-10

10.00

57.00

19-Apr-17

2.72

5.59

16.68

85.80

A-/Agusto

*BAYELSA

13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017

30-Jun-10

13.75

50.00

30-Jun-17

1.77

1.00

11.99

102.87

A/Agusto

EDO

14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017

30-Dec-10

14.00

25.00

31-Dec-17

3.42

1.79

12.91

102.90

A+/Agusto; A+/GCR

*DELTA

14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018

30-Sep-11

14.00

50.00

30-Sep-18

2.39

1.80

12.89

102.44

A-/Agusto; A-/GCR

NIGER

14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018

04-Oct-11

14.00

9.00

04-Oct-18

4.18

1.00

12.18

105.79

A/Agusto; A-/GCR†

*EKITI

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018

09-Dec-11

14.50

20.00

09-Dec-18

2.59

1.00

12.09

105.32

>5

745.27 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

811.72 2,731.09

15-Oct-0929.72

14.00 25.60

6.00

0.30

8.50

1.00

15-Oct-1447.71

12.21 0.21

100.8363 3.29 3.23

1,176.34 14.20

13.87

17.6337 99.84

99.96

44

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014

Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Daily Summary (Bonds)

Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005

business | CAPITAL MARKET 45

No Debt Trading Activity

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at July 30, 2014 Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

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

Symbol OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 30 10 40

Current Price 33.01 38.01

Quantity Traded 98,453 70,832 169,285

Value Traded 3,268,102.12 2,692,075.00 5,960,177.12

Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 39 39

Current Price 3.18

Quantity Traded 718,898 718,898

Value Traded 2,274,271.45 2,274,271.45

888,183

8,234,448.57

Quantity Traded 92,533 44,452,374 168,593 44,713,500

Value Traded 128,469.17 242,445,470.97 10,326,930.62 252,900,870.76

44,713,500

252,900,870.76

AGRICULTURE Totals CONGLOMERATES Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Diversified Industries Printed 30/07/2014 A.G.15:10:05.005 LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. TRANSNATIONAL CORPORATION OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

79 Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 5 375 47 427 Daily Summary (Equities)

CONGLOMERATES Totals

427

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. PublishedBuilding

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Current Price 1.40 5.50 62.40

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 1.18

Quantity Traded 427,826 427,826Page

Value Traded 506,709.85 1 506,709.85 of 13

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

Symbol JBERGER

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 63.00

Quantity Traded 62,664 62,664

Value Traded 4,116,965.07 4,116,965.07

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

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 15 15

Current Price 17.51

Quantity Traded 189,136 189,136

Value Traded 3,312,824.36 3,312,824.36

679,626

7,936,499.28

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

43 Symbol GUINNESS INTBREW NB

No. of Deals 50 24 203 277

Current Price 197.30 28.05 179.05

Quantity Traded 253,542 74,314 1,551,213 1,879,069

Value Traded 50,037,266.82 1,980,518.10 279,613,958.75 331,631,743.67

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 26 26

Current Price 100.03

Quantity Traded 114,004 114,004

Value Traded 11,973,189.03 11,973,189.03

Current Price 7.25

Quantity Traded 373,179

Value Traded 2,744,356.67

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals DANGFLOUR

55

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

CONSUMER GOODS Food Products DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC N NIG. FLOUR MILLS PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. VONO PRODUCTS PLC. Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Household Durables Totals Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

of

Current Price 9.20 73.98 4.04 10.60 20.50

Quantity Traded 974,741 334,376 4,365,815 1,884,704 29,001 7,961,816

Value Traded 8,927,928.08 24,388,405.70 17,834,802.09 20,222,247.90 564,939.48 74,682,679.92

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

No. of Deals 20 62 82

Current Price 74.25 1,121.00

Quantity Traded 90,185 119,585 209,770

Value Traded 6,367,816.85 133,946,331.00 140,314,147.85

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals 37 1 38

Current Price 4.35 1.37

Quantity Traded 1,127,183 100,000 1,227,183

Value Traded 4,790,690.87 137,000.00 4,927,690.87

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 48 88 (Equities) 136

Current Price 39.00 49.00

Quantity Traded 393,554 2,593,451 2,987,005

Value Traded 14,814,106.90 127,023,213.10 141,837,320.00

14,378,847

705,366,771.34

Daily Summary

829

No. of Deals 143 64 57 115 422 73 39 253 64 12 48 314 1,604

Current Price 9.80 6.70 16.70 2.00 30.00 3.16 2.24 7.70 8.61 0.50 1.06 25.60

Quantity Traded Value Traded 217,528,255 Page 2,172,205,244.54 3 of 13 3,949,192 26,443,850.66 961,920 16,024,682.35 25,206,505 50,355,079.12 12,819,560 387,715,041.51 1,923,559 6,091,739.84 2,625,115 5,911,134.48 18,157,619 141,560,179.87 477,133 4,089,661.16 40,842,660 20,421,330.00 153,442,958 162,676,273.49 31,338,738 800,468,792.26 509,273,214 3,793,963,009.28

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC.

Symbol AIICO Daily Summary CONTINSURE CORNERST

No. of Deals 35 (Equities) 25 1

Current Price 0.82 1.10 0.50

Quantity Traded 6,572,224 4,255,047 300

Banking Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services EQUITY ASSURANCE PLC. GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC Published by The Nigerian StockENERGY ExchangeINSURANCE © INTERNATIONAL COMPANY PLC LASACO ASSURANCE PLC. LAW UNION AND ROCK INS. PLC. LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. REGENCY ALLIANCE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC STANDARD TRUST ASSURANCE PLC STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNIVERSAL INSURANCE COMPANY PLC Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 WAPIC15:10:05.005 INSURANCE PLC Printed 30/07/2014 Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Micro-Finance Banks NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

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

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Computers and Peripherals OMATEK VENTURES PLC Computers and Peripherals Totals IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY IT Services Totals ICTProcessing Systems Processing Systems CHAMS PLC E-TRANZACT INTERNATIONAL PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol EQUITYASUR GUINEAINS HMARKINS INTENEGINS LASACO LAWUNION LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS PRESTIGE REGALINS SOVRENINS STACO STDINSURE UNIC UNIVINSURE WAPIC

No. of Deals 1 3 2 5 1 2 1 8 15 25 4 15 1 2 1 2 1 1 55 206

Current Price 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 2.55 0.54 0.80 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.85

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities) NPFMCRFBK 1 1

Current Price 1.00

Value Traded 104,094.00 104,094.00

Page

5

of

Symbol ASOSAVINGS INFINITY RESORTSAL

No. of Deals 2 3 1 6

Current Price 0.50 1.60 0.50

Quantity Traded 50,100 80,000 2,000,000 2,130,100

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS DEAPCAP FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 69 33 1 414 80 2 62 87 748

Current Price 3.21 3.93 0.87 15.00 4.29 0.52 30.54 2.17

Quantity Traded 1,678,558 1,085,523 591,910 8,294,669 3,772,306 8,692 1,553,515 3,781,051 20,766,224

Value Traded 5,467,211.50 4,271,076.09 514,961.70 125,175,820.73 16,156,306.01 4,346.00 46,399,653.80 8,037,689.53 206,027,065.36

585,782,056

4,034,871,009.07

Quantity Traded 847,081 1,104,607 76,176 688,772 182,626

Value Traded 1,802,066.47 3,442,010.66 5,039,566.08 1,125,905.30 220,079.26

2,565 Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

No. of Deals 14 29 19 22 12

Current Price 2.16 3.06 66.10 1.65 1.21

Page

Value Traded 25,050.00 128,200.00 1,000,000.00 1,153,250.00

6

of

13

2,959,262

11,737,627.77

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.52

Quantity Traded 593,624 593,624

Value Traded 313,229.44 313,229.44

Symbol OMATEK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 3,000 3,000

Value Traded 1,500.00 1,500.00

Symbol NCR

No. of Deals 3 3

Current Price 14.44

Quantity Traded 584 584

Value Traded 8,012.48 8,012.48

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Value Traded

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol CHAMS ETRANZACT

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM DNMEYER PORTPAINT PREMPAINTS WAPCO

Current Price 0.50 2.21

Quantity Traded 100 50 150

322,896.92 7

of

Quantity Traded 1,252,110 162,007 98,455 4,369,794 227,518 121,953 207,383 120 807,312 7,246,652

Value Traded 38,370,727.59 1,372,632.50 3,865,593.04 62,195,800.12 52,465,308.86 152,310.54 1,136,413.84 1,246.80 96,318,479.71 255,878,513.00

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

Quantity Traded 215,362 368,245 583,607

Value Traded 403,921.12 184,122.50 588,043.62

CUTIX NIWICABLE

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

13 1 14

1.96 0.50

No. of Deals 1 3 4

Current Price 1.69 16.30

Quantity Traded 1,184 Page 47,060 48,244

Value Traded 2,012.80 of 13 805,196.60

8

807,209.40

7,878,503

257,273,766.02

Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 5.76

Quantity Traded 16 16

Value Traded 88.00 88.00

Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals

Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.43

Quantity Traded 217 217

Value Traded 2,150.47 2,150.47

Paper/Forest Products THOMAS WYATT NIG. PLC. Paper/Forest Products Totals

Symbol THOMASWY

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.79

Quantity Traded 2,300 2,300

Value Traded 1,748.00 1,748.00

2,533

3,986.47 Value Traded 1,230,516.32 1,230,516.32

Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Printed NATURAL 30/07/2014RESOURCES 15:10:05.005 Totals

3

OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY

13

Current Price 30.50 8.60 39.00 14.13 233.94 1.20 5.48 10.93 120.00

479

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

Value Traded 50.00 105.00 155.00

597,358

No. of Deals 106 21 25 159 51 13 9 2 75 461

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 51 51

Current Price 0.52

Quantity Traded 2,382,791 2,382,791

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 804 804

Current Price 27.94

Quantity Traded 43,147,047 43,147,047

Value Traded 1,201,205,146.90 1,201,205,146.90

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

Symbol CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL TOTAL

No. of Deals 23 16 111 55 40 245

Current Price 62.32 3.98 211.00 161.41 172.00

Quantity Traded 79,324 313,644 431,381 97,550 122,545 1,044,444

Value Traded 4,737,462.15 1,253,023.20 91,197,678.34 15,075,905.10 20,997,725.83 133,261,794.62

Exploration and Production SEPLAT PETROLEUM DEVELOPMENT COMPANY LTD

Symbol SEPLAT

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 670.00

Quantity Traded 147,188 147,188

Value Traded 99,090,899.00 99,090,899.00

46,721,470

1,434,788,356.84

OIL AND GAS Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Exploration and Production Totals Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Printed OIL 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 AND GAS Totals

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

Daily Summary (Equities)

1,132

Page

9

of

Symbol RTBRISCOE

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 1.00

Quantity Traded 16,013 16,013

Value Traded 16,368.17 16,368.17

Symbol REDSTAREX

No. of Deals 12 12

Current Price 4.65

Quantity Traded 100,786 100,786

Value Traded 452,857.82 452,857.82

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 0.52

Page Quantity Traded 5,142,760 5,142,760

Hotels/Lodging IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.79

Quantity Traded 142,117 142,117

Value Traded 110,468.92 110,468.92

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC Media/Entertainment Totals

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 360,000 360,000

Value Traded 180,000.00 180,000.00

Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC STUDIO PRESS (NIG) PLC. UNIVERSITY PRESS PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol LEARNAFRCA STUDPRESS UPL

No. of Deals 4 2 20 26

Current Price 1.63 2.40 4.28

Quantity Traded 34,265 10,000 407,736 452,001

Value Traded 53,257.89 22,800.00 1,739,882.80 1,815,940.69

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 18 18

Current Price 0.88

Quantity Traded 1,200,802 1,200,802

Value Traded 1,035,160.68 1,035,160.68

Symbol

No. of Deals 4 40 44

Current Price 2.19 4.96

Quantity Traded 24,550 1,564,034 1,588,584

Value Traded 54,922.00 7,810,295.90 7,865,217.90

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 6.85

Quantity Traded 37,700 Page 37,700

Courier/Freight/Delivery

Quantity Traded 104,094 104,094

Symbol COURTVILLE

Page

Courier/Freight/Delivery Totals

Value Traded 406,883.00 5,312,135.50 527,099.50 4 of 13 496,824.50 1,259,788.00 4,500.00 1,079,182.00 79,792.50 4,351,878.86 2,229,135.40 39,540.00 903,311.50 150.00 766,387.00 50.00 2,029,372.50 84,250.00 1,458,096.00 2,494,773.01 33,623,590.43

Value Traded 108,000.00 11,737,627.77

16

RED STAR EXPRESS PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Quantity Traded 813,766 10,624,271 1,054,199 Page 993,649 2,519,576 9,000 2,158,364 31,070 8,230,109 2,765,938 79,080 1,805,623 300 1,532,774 100 4,058,745 168,500 2,916,192 2,919,597 53,508,424

Quantity Traded 60,000 2,959,262

ICT Totals GOODS PublishedINDUSTRIAL

by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

SERVICES

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals EVANS MEDICAL PLC. FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC

Value Traded 5,429,044.46 4,671,246.70 150.00

Current Price 1.80

Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS Published by The Nigerian Exchange © BETA GLASSStock CO PLC.

Symbol ACCESS DIAMONDBNK ETI FIDELITYBK GUARANTY SKYEBANK STERLNBANK UBA UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

No. of Deals 3 99 99

ICT Computer Based Systems COURTEVILLE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS PLC Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Computer Based Systems Totals

Electronic and Electrical Products CUTIX PLC. NIGERIAN WIRE AND CABLE PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

BANK PLC. Published by ACCESS The Nigerian Stock Exchange © DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC STERLING BANK PLC. UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC Daily Summary as ofBANK 30/07/2014 WEMA PLC. Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

Symbol PHARMDEKO

HEALTHCARE Totals

Building Materials ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC DN MEYER PLC. PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 PREMIER PAINTS PLC. Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals

13

No. of Deals 51 67 41 50 6 270

CONSUMER GOODS Activity Summary onTotals Board EQTY

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking

2

Symbol DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON NNFM

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Published byEmployment The NigerianSolutions Stock Exchange ©

C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Road Transportation

ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 Totals Road Transportation

PLC

Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Activity Summary on Board EQTY Transport-Related Services Totals

SERVICES Support and Logistics CAVERTON SUPPORT GRP PLC Published by The Nigerian OFFSHORE Stock Exchange © Support and Logistics Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

Daily Summary (Equities) AIRSERVICE

NAHCO

Symbol CAVERTON

SERVICES Totals

EQTY Board Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

13

10Value Traded of 13

2,721,978.20 2,721,978.20

Value Traded 244,970.00 of 244,970.00

11

157

9,040,763

14,442,962.38

5,829

713,642,101

6,727,879,195.42

Quantity Traded 200,000 200,000

Value Traded 100,000.00 100,000.00

13

Activity Summary on Board ASeM OIL AND GAS Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CAPITAL OIL PLC Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Daily Summary as of 30/07/2014 Printed 30/07/2014 15:10:05.005 OIL AND GAS Totals

Symbol CAPOIL

No. of Deals 1 1

ASeM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

Exchange Traded Fund

Name NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

13

Daily Summary (ETP) Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

Current Price 0.50

1

200,000

100,000.00

1

200,000

100,000.00

713,842,101

6,727,979,195.42

5,830 No. of Deals 1 4 5

Current Price 2,029.00 19.34

Quantity Traded 9 530 539 Page

Value Traded 18,261.00 10,291.20 28,552.20 12 of 13

ETF Board Totals

5

539

28,552.20

ETP Activity Totals

5

539

28,552.20

46 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

2015: Ihenacho promises to revamp Imo council areas ised to revamp local government administration in Imo State if given the Former Interior mandate in the 2015 govMinister is trying to ernorship race in the state. sell himself to the He said his adminispeople tration would adhere strictly to the dictates of the Nigerian ConstiSteve Uzoechi tution in handling the OWERRI affairs of the 27 council areas if elected governor ormer Minister of next year.

Interior, Captain EmIhenacho’s prommanuel Ihenacho ise follows widespread (rtd.), yesterday prom- condemnation of the

CAMPAIGN

F

14.1m

The total number of air travel passengers of Nigeria in 2012.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

perceived subjugation of council areas by the present administration.

The former minister, who is contesting the governorship seat on the platform of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), said good governance, anchored on constitutionalism, will ultimately strengthen the local government system to enable it deliver on its mandate of driving socio- economic development at the

29m

The total population of Venezuela (representing 0.4% of world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

grassroots.

Explaining that local government funds should, under no circumstance, translate to a governor’s pocket money, Ihenacho said: “I am aware of certain issues of great concern that have impeded development at the grassroots. Fortunately, these issues have solutions already prescribed by the constitution.

“Strict adherence to constitutionalism will

19.2%

The percentage of households with internet access at home in Arab States in 2009.

Source: Itu.int

ultimately reposition our local government system to deliver on its mandate. We shall never allow the essence of the third tier of government to be sacrificed under any guise; hence my agenda for Imo is greatly tilted towards driving an action plan of holistic development and empowerment of our people at the grassroots,” he said.

While expressing gratitude to Imo people

Bayelsa begins payment of N200m students’ bursary Chris Ejim

YENAGOA

B

L-R: Corporate Affairs Officer, First City Monument Bank (FCMB), Mr. Rafiu Mohammed; Relationship Officer, Mr. Adebayo Yusuf; Chairman/ CEO, Mosuro Booksellers Limited, Dr. Kolade Mosuro and Branch Manager, FCMB Challenge branch, Ibadan, Mrs. Oluseto Opayemi, at the unveiling of four books of Professor Wole Soyinka in Ibadan, Oyo State…recently

Safety: Expert harps on home security tips

Adedoja joins PDP governorship race in Oyo

Shola Adefuwa

Sola Adeyemo

A

safety and security consultant, John Chukwu Dumbei, has called on Nigerians to be security conscious to avoid falling victim of burglary and similar criminal activities.

Dumbei, who spoke at a press conference in Lagos, said protecting the home and the family from criminal intrusion should be the concern of everyone.

Your home is the only environment where you have control over who can get close to you and your family, he said.

Chukwu said people should take advantage of modern household security apparatus to keep intruders at bay and make sure that they take precautionary measures such as making sure that all windows are fitted with key-operated

doors and window locks.

He cautioned that expensive equipment such as cell phones and laptops should not be displayed in conspicuous places in the house or should be kept out rightly from view.

He charged individuals and families to always take photographs of their valuable possessions and secure make them with post codes and house numbers. This could help in detecting thieves and assist the police to recover stolen items.

Other tips given by the expert include setting a timer to switch lights on and off at varying intervals when away to make it appear as if someone was at home, installing Close Circuit Television (CCTV) surveillance and antirobbery burglar alarm systems, which should be visibly displayed.

Ibadan

ormer Minister of Fties, Sports and Special DuProf. Taoheed Ade-

doja, yesterday indicated his interest in contesting the 2015 governorship seat in Oyo State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

Unlike some others that had earlier made their declarations at the party’s secretariat in Mokola, Ibadan, Adedoja made his declaration through an electronic mail he sent to journalists yesterday.

Speaking on the e-mail entitled, the governorship aspirant said: “Declaration to contest for Governor of Oyo State in 2015 general elections under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP),” the former Oyo State Com-

missioner for Education, told New Telegraph that he sent the mail to sensitise the public of his ambition since that was the appropriate time God told him to declare.

The mail reads in part; “I hereby declare my interest to contest for the governorship of Oyo State under our great party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). I had earlier indicated that my formal entry into the governorship race will be made at God’s own time. This is the time.

PDP is on the road to victory in the 2015 general elections in Oyo State.”

On his qualification for the race, Adedoja wrote: “My past records of performances and long years of experience in the public service will be used for peopleoriented governance in Oyo State.”

for their support and solidarity during his just concluded sensitisation tour to all federal constituencies in the state, the governorship hopeful reiterated his commitment towards ensuring that Imo enjoys good governance as exemplified by the legendary Sam Mbakwe, whom he declared epitomised ‘maturity, integrity, vision, accountability and uprightness in governance.’

ayelsa State government yesterday said it has released N200 million for the payment of bursary allowances to its students studying in institutions of higher learning across the country.

Governor Seriake Dickson, who disclosed this while responding to a question during a live interview programme in Yenagoa, said the funds were already at the disposal of the state scholarships board for disbursement.

Describing the amount released as the first tranche, Dickson said his government is ready to provide more funds to ensure that all outstanding bursary entitlements are cleared.

The governor, however, urged the students to be patient and cooperate with the board by complying with the processes being put in place to ensure a hitch-free exercise.

According to him: “When I said I was going to pay bursary from last month, I kept to my word by releasing the first tranche of N200

million. So, your money is already with the scholarship board and I believe they are following their processes, because we are a government of due process.

“So, tell your colleagues to also follow all laid down processes, because that is the Bayelsa we want to build for you, the younger ones. That is why we are re-organising this state to make it a better place for all.

“The money is there, by the time they finish, I will add more until all your entitlements are settled. And I also count on you to be good students.

Apart from the bursary, he said the government was also keeping faith with the payment of inherited pensions and the 18 per cent minimum wage arrears, despite dwindling revenue to the state.

On efforts at tackling unemployment, Governor Dickson said though it is a global problem, his administration is taking practical steps such as provision of vocational training, Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) development fund, among others, to address the scourge.

Delta LG poll: Residents kick against imposition of candidates Gabriel Choba

Ughelli

the local council polls in AthesDelta State draw nearer, people of Burutu Lo-

cal Government under the auspices of ‘Concerned Citizens of Burutu,’ yesterday opposed the attempt by leaders of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to impose candidates on them.

In a press release issued to journalists yesterday and signed by the Chairman and Secretary, Chief Sonomo Doye and Chief Akpotuba Egiren respectively, the Burutu group alleged that some leaders of the council met at a popular hotel to adopt a candidate for the chairmanship slot in the forthcoming poll.

The statement reads in

part; “Last Monday, July 21, 2014, some leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party in Burutu Local Government were alleged to have met in the Mega Hilton Hotel and rather than addressing the serious problems of underdevelopment and unemployment plaguing the council area, were busy adopting a candidate for the chairmanship of the council in the forthcoming poll.

“We therefore reject it in totality, because this is coming at a time when the Presidency and the new leadership of the PDP have made it clear that the era of kangaroo primaries are over, insisting that the process of selecting candidates for elections should be transparent and that everyone should be given a chance.”

NEWS 47

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Navy: We are now ready to control Nigeria’s territorial waters Flora Onwudiwe

T

he Nigerian Navy has said that with the new acquisition of platforms, it is now ready to

take control of the country’s territorial waters.

The Flag Officer Commanding (FOC) Western Naval Command, (WNC), Rear Admiral Il-

CHANGE OF TRUSTEES

CAPSTONE PROPHETIC MINISTRY (BEULAH TABERNACLE) Notice is hereby given that the above church has applied for change of Trustees to the Corporate Affairs Commission under Part C of the Companies and Matter Act. 1990.

The Original Trustees are: 1. Rev. Adelaja Francis Are - Retained as Trustee 2. Mr. Mark Bassey Udo - Retained as Trustee 3. Mr Mark Bassey Udo - Retained as Trustee 4. Mr Job Tommy Akpan- Resigned as Trustee.

5. Bro. Jonathan Peter Udo- Deceased.

The New Trustees are: 6. Dr. Anselem Archibong Nyah- Elected as Trustee.

7. Dr. Motilewa Olugbemi Oluseyi- Elected as Trustee.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the RegistrarGeneral, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

ANTHONY F. EBONG ESQ Ebong-Nkanga & Associates, No. 33 Ewet Street, Uyo. (Solicitor)

PUBLIC NOTICE

HOME OF AFFECTION BIBLE MINISTRY The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

The Trustees are: 1. Rev. Blessing Edidiong David 2. Mrs. Inem Blessing Edidiong 3. Pastor Godwin Asuquo Eduok 4. Mrs. Rose Richard Mbossoh 5. Brother Ekele Justin AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the word of God. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman PUBLIC NOTICE

CHRIST HEALING POWER OF GOD CHURCH The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

The Trustees are: 1. Odudu Tim Umoh 2. Ikwo Odudu Tim 3. Emayak Odudu Tim 4. Aniefiok Etim Ibok AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To preach the word of God. Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman PUBLIC NOTICE

AFRICA TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AND DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION The general public is hereby informed that the above named organization has applied to the Corporate Affairs Commission for registration under part ‘C’ of the Companies and Allied Matters Act 2004.

The Trustees are: 1. Ekanem, Lewis Lawrence 2. Ekanem, Ekerema Lawrence AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: 1. To promote the transfer of technology and innovation for industrialization.

2. To promote industrial development for job creation.

Any objection to the registration should be forwarded to the Registrar-General, Corporate Affairs Commission plot 420, Tigris Crescent, Off Aguiyi Ironsi Street, Maitama Abuja, PMB 198, within 28 days of this publication.

SIGNED: Chairman

esanmi Alade made the statement while receiving the crews of Her Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Iron Duke, a British warship which arrived Nigeria for a three day diplomatic visit.

Admiral Alade explained that with the acquisition of capital ships such as NNS Okpabana and NNS Centenary that was formerly USCGC GALLATIN AND OPV CHINA , the Navy will be in full control of the Nigeria’s water again.

According to the FOC, the arrival of the vessels will put an end to the use of private security outfits to compliment the efforts of the Nigerian Navy in policing the country’s water ways.

He also said that piracy and illegalities within the country’s territorial wa-

ters are not beyond the Nigerian Navy, “because we know our competences, most of the criminalities committed at sea are by foreigners and not Nigerians and when we arrest them, we hand them over to the appropriate authorities for prosecution.”

He added: “The responsibility of ensuring the security of the Nigerian maritime domain is that of the Nigerian Navy and we are poised to take total control of the Nigerian waters and rid it of any form of illegalities.

“We have some private security companies registered with the Nigerian Navy. They have a memorandum of understanding with us and there are some who do not have such arrangement with us. For those of them who have MOU, we allow

them operate with their vessels.”

Earlier, the Commanding Officer of the British Warship- the HMS IRON DUKE, Commander Tom Tredery said the visit was to work with the Nigeria Navy especially in the area of training and military manoeuvers.

Commander Tredery said: “We are looking forward to training together while we are in the port exercising together when we get back to sea on Friday. Our range of training includes navigation, engineering, damage control and fire-fighting, boarding party and security operations.”

On the security situation at the Gulf of Guinea, the Commander explained that, "the security challenges in the Gulf of Guinea is primarily pi-

racy and maritime crime, which is clearly a threat to all countries and not just Nigeria. When there is a crime at sea, it affects every nation because so much of the world's trade flows by sea.

"So, it’s important that the merchant ships are able to operate confidently and safely. So the role of the navy is to work together and ensure that the freedom and safety is in place.

Tredery told New Telegraph that HMS Iron Duke is a frigate that is approximately 20 years and was deployed about five weeks ago and “we will patrol for six months in the South and North Atlantic Ocean. We have four countries already and we will visit six more before we return to Britain."

Teacher’s recruitment: ASUSS Cross River 2015: Youths warns against politicisation deplore campaign of calumny Kunle Olayeni (TESCOM), Olubukunola group under the aegis amongst the unenlightOnabanjo, called for cor- Aof Cross River Youths ened public, they said: dial relationship between Initiative has frowned "Our attention has been he President, Academic the teachers and govern- on what it described as drawn to the ongoing TaryStaffSchools Union of Second- ment. campaign of calumny campaign by a faceless of Nigeria Speaking with report- against some political and desperate group unABEOKUTA

(ASUSS) in Ogun State, Dr Tunde Folarin, yesterday urged government at all levels to refrain from politicization of the recruitment of teachers.

Folarin, who spoke at the opening of a two-day strategic workshop organised by the union in Abeokuta, also advised government and other key stakeholders to develop home-grown curricula in the nation’s educational sector.

At the event, where over 200 labour leaders in public secondary schools in the State attended, the State chairman of Teaching Service Commission

ers shortly after declaring the event open, the ASUSS boss expressed regret that the standard of the nation’s education sector was rapidly declining due to inadequate infrastructure, poor learning environment, lack of manpower and equipment as well as inconsistent policy formulation.

He observed that the politicization of teachers’ recruitment was capable of compounding the woes of the education sector.

“Where you politicize recruitment of teaching, it’s a serious crisis," Folarin Added.

Oshiomhole inaugurates boards of four parastatals Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

overnor Adams OshGyesterday iomhole of Edo State inaugurated

board members of four State parastatals with a charge on them to collaborate with management of their agencies to ensure optimum results.

The boards include the Waste Management Board, Technical and Vocational Education Board, Tourism Board and Environmental Committee.

Oshiomhole urged the members to work in line with enabling laws that set up the various boards and to “interact very closely with management because the role of the board is very different from the role of the management”.

He said: “In some cases, there are some enabling laws that set up these bodies and of course, whatev-

er you want to do must be done in conformity with the provisions of the law”.

He tasked them to ensure that they add values to the quality of lives of Edo people because that is the bottom line.

“Of course, you know that our party is founded on the principles of popular participation. Other people may boast of their capacity to manipulate elections, we boast of our capacity to deliver on our mandate, deliver on public welfare and infrastructure”.

The Waste Management Board is headed by Hon. Mrs. Elizabeth Ighodaro, Technical and Vocational Board is headed by Lady Tina Agbara, Edo State Tourism Board is chaired by Mrs. Jane Osagie while Environmental Committee has Comrade Murktar Osagie as Chairman.

leaders in the state by another group known as Movement Against Third Slavery.

In a release signed by its Publicity Secretary, Akwaji Erunke, the youth group warned that it would no longer take kindly to the smear campaign currently going on in the state against those who have laboured over the years to bring about stability in the polity of Cross River State.

Alluding particularly to several insidious newspaper advertorials, which it noted was tantamount to causing angst

der the self-seeking and self-promoting banner of Movement Against Third Slavery, aimed at causing disaffection in the polity.

"We have watched carefully the activities of this disgruntled and misguided elements who are bent on eking out a living by parroting the selfish agenda of their paymaster. While we are not against anyone nursing a political ambition, we are particularly concerned about the approach and methodology deployed in the pursuit of such aspiration."

Alamieyeseigha lauds book on Adaka Boro Chris Ejim YENAGOA

irst civilian GoverFChief nor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alami-

eyeseigha has described a book written by late Ijaw hero, Major Isaac Adaka Boro as an eye opener to the Niger Delta people.

Alamieyeseigha, while speaking over the weekend at Kaiama, Bayelsa state during the 70th birth day of one of the Ijaw heroes and the second in command to late Major Adaka Boro, Captain Sam Owonaro, said the book titled: "Twelve Day Revolution" has made the people to know the realities of life and the injustice meted to the Niger Delta people by the then Federal Government.

The former Governor

who was the Chairman of the occasion, said: "These three gentlemen, Isaac Adaka boro, Sam Owonaro and Notnam Dick did not just jump up to fight a formidable army but because of the cries of the men and women of Ijaw land.

These were like guardian angels that were sent to open our eyes and to liberate us in human form".

He said the twelve days revolution which Boro and Owonaro instituted was aimed at emancipating the Niger Delta people from mental slavery and injustice.

"It is because of the sacrifice they made that we are able to assemble here today in Kaiama, the home town of the leader of the twelve day revolution”, he stated.

48 NEWS

READY

Secret agents invade Osun displaying their weapons and scaring away thugs. APC thinks otherwise Stories by Adeolu Adeyemo, Osogbo

A

uthorities of the State Security Service (SSS) have deployed 8,000 of its officials to Osun State ahead of the August 9 election this year.

The security operatives, who stormed Osogbo, the state capital, on Tuesday, were clad in black vests and armed to the teeth.

New Telegraph investigation revealed that the deployed security men have been posted to the thirty local government areas of the state to get themselves prepared for the task ahead.

Before their posting, they were seen milling around the length and

OSUN 2014

SSS deploys 8,000 officials to monitor poll breadth of the state capital, apparently to create fear in the minds of political thugs, who might want to foment trouble before, during and after the election.

The men, who organised themselves into a formidable group, were also seen in a convoy of vehicles, numbering about one hundred.

At exactly 4.15pm yesterday, officials of the SSS were seen moving from the headquarters of their office to many parts of the state, shooting sporadically into the air to warn would-be offenders.

Also seen parading the streets of Osogbo, were armoured vehicles with their sirens blowing incessantly while people were discussing the development among themselves.

$US0.996bn

The overall company’s profit of Finmeccanica, Italy in arms sales in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

A top security operative, who did not want his name in print, told our reporter that their mission in the state was to ensure a free, fair and credible election.

Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday said the deployment of security agents to Osun State is campaign to terrorise citizens with the security operatives.

The party in a statement by its Director of Publicity, Kunle Oyatomi, called on the citizens not to be intimidated by the presence of the security men.

“No citizens should be scared or run away when they see and/or hear gunshots from security people, because they have committed no crime.

“They should go about

60%

The percentage of the world’s industrial energy consumption in developing countries and transitional economies.

Source: Unesco.org

their businesses and ignore such as a country in which security operatives are the ones intimidating the citizens as in Osun, calls for the gravest concern.

“Instead of fighting Boko Haram, what we have seeing are our own security officers, who should be protecting us, have now chosen to frighten us.

“So, if the terrorists come, who will protect the citizenry, Osun will not bow to terror from either Boko Haram or the security operatives.”

“We are only sad that these are the signs of a banana republic, it is slowly, but evidently crippling in. But if this is how the PDP intends to win in Osun, God help Nigeria.”

2.68

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of India in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

L-R: President, Igbo Community in Osogbo, Mazi Sam Nwaoha; Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; former Anambra State Governor, Senator Chris Ngige and other Igbo indigenes, during the endorsement of Aregbesola and his decoration by Benue and other Middle Belt communities in Osogbo… yesterday

O

sun State governor, Rauf Aregbesola, yesterday warned newly deployed security officials in Osun State not to allow themselves to be used by any political party to enhance its victory in the August 9, governorship election.

The governor, who dropped the warning at a press conference in Osogbo, charged them to work within the ambit of the law and never be biased or allowed to be used by any party during the election.

Speaking through his Special Adviser on Environment and Sanitation, Mr. Bola Ilori, Aregbesola said any attempt to use security men against

Aregbesola warns security agents against bribery any political party during the election would be resisted. He then appealed to them to do their job professionally.

He also admonished the people not to allow themselves to be bought over or hoodwinked by the pranks of the PDP. “Don’t give in to the deceit and lies of the opposition. Allowing PDP to rule the state again will bring backwardness and retrogression.”

According to him; PDP and its candidate are pathological liars

and they would not but lie with impunity to grab the resources of the state.

“PDP is author and finisher of lies and its candidate lacked the capacity to rule the state.

The party is bereft of ideas to rule the state, having ruled for seven years with nothing to show for it.”

On the allegation that Governor Rauf Aregbesola has not been paying salaries of workers regularly as claimed by the PDP, Ilori said this was another figment from

the imagination of the party as the governor had even paid the July salary, which has not ended.

He said PDP states of Benue and Bayelsa are owing its workers for eight and five months respectively and those at the helm of affairs have not been crucified.

He, however, urged the people to vote massively for APC, saying the government has kept faith with the people through good and people-oriented programmes.

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Candidates litter cemeteries with posters ampaign activities took Cterday a new dimension yesas the posters of

many of the contestants littered some cemeteries in the state.

New Telegraph investigation revealed that the tempo has increased as supporters of the candidates now work twenty four hours, posting posters indiscriminately in all the nooks and crannies of the state.

Also, the governorship candidates have commissioned some of their committed followers to do the pasting of posters while defaced ones should be replaced with new ones.

One of the commissioned supporters of Gov-

ernor Rauf Aregbesola, who identified himself as Sefiu Adenekan, said they have been assigned to do the job and that they are ready to do it to the best of theirability.

He revealed that they decided to paste the posters in all the nooks and crannies of the state, because of Aregbesola’s popularity among the electorate.

Also, a die-hard supporter of the PDP candidate, Senator Iyiola Omisore, who identified himself as Femi Odofin, said pasting of Omisore’s poster is a must, adding that the idea was to convince the electorate about his candidature.

Akinwusi is the ideal candidate, says Falae Chairman of he has served the state as Ntyational Social Democratic Par- Head of Service and come (SDP), Chief Olu Falae, out with clean hands. He yesterday said the party’s candidate in the Osun State governorship election, Mr. Olusegun Akinwusi, is the ideal man for the job as he would rapidly transform the state.

He said if elected as the governor, he would bring calm, integrity and transparency to the state, charging the electorate to give him the opportunity of serving them.

Falae in a message to members of the party, however, called on Osun electorate to massively vote for Akinwusi as the best option during the forthcoming election.

“Our candidate is a distinguished retired public officer. He is a complete gentleman and I am sure he is the perfect person Osun State needs at this time. So, I strongly called on Osun people to massively vote for him.

“He is not just bringing integrity into governance;

was an honest public officer, who knows what to do.

Osun people will do themselves a great honour to support and vote for him as a technocrat,” the SDP chairman said.

Falae also noted that monetisation of politics was not pronounced at all during the 1999 general elections, when he stood as a presidential candidate of the coalition All Peoples Party (APP) and the Alliance for Democracy (AD).

“It is regrettable that due to high level of poverty in the land, parties that control funds at state and federal levels buy election all over Nigeria,” he said.

He appreciated SDP members for their steadfastness and for proofing that politics is not only about money or mere pecuniary gains, but more about good governance and the welfare of the people.

‘APC should learn about decorum'

Centre for Human Tticehe Rights and Social Jus(CHRSJ) yesterday

warned the All Progressives Congress (APC) to stop over heating the politics by raising false allegations against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The group in a statement issued and signed by its Executive Chairman, Comrade Adeniyi Alimi Sulaiman, wondered why the party misinformed members of the public that there was shortage of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in Ilesa, when it was not so.

It frowned on the claim, advising the party not to create tension before the conduct of the election.

The group added that;

“Recently, the APC said the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Presidency, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the police and the army were planning to work together to rig the governorship election in Osun State. We will advise the party to go and work on the electorate rather than raising false alarm.

“We see the allegation as frivolous and misleading, particularly when the name of the electoral umpire (INEC) was included in the said allegation. The APC should learn about decorum during its campaigns as INEC has been working hard to conduct a free, fair and election in Osun State.”

WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

49

Another bloody day in Gaza leaves 17 dead

A

t least 17 people were killed when Israeli warplanes fired on a packed Gaza market yesterday in a deadly raid which came as Israel was observing a four-hour humanitarian lull.

Thick black smoke billowed over the site in the war-torn Shejaiya neighbourhood as at least five ambulances raced to the scene where bodies lay strewn on the ground, an AFP correspondent said.

A bloodied, limp lifeless body lay in a pool of petrol and mud, his head crushed, one of at least 17 people who were killed. At least 200 were wounded, medics said. It was supposed to have been a rare pause for Gaza’s battered population of 1.8 million to go out in safety to stock up on goods, and for medics to evacuate the dead and wounded.

Instead, there was further bloody mayhem with more than 30 people killed across Gaza in the first three hours alone, sending the death toll from 23 days of unrelenting Israeli attacks soaring above 1,300. Israel had said that its truce, which began at 1200 GMT, would not apply in places were troops were “currently operating” just hours after the army made what a “significant advance” into the narrow coastal strip. Hamas denounced the four-hour lull as a publicity stunt, saying it had “no value”.

The strike on the market came hours after Israeli tank shells slammed into a school

sheltering more than 3,000 homeless people, killing 16 and drawing a furious response from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA).

It was the second time in a week that a UN school housing refugees had been hit, and UNRWA Commissioner General Pierre Krahenbuhl lashed out at Israel.

“I condemn in the strongest possible terms this serious violation of international law by Israeli forces,” he said, indicating the school’s location in the Jabaliya camp had been communicated to the Israeli army 17 times.

“No words to adequately express my anger and indignation,” he wrote on his official Twitter account, saying that 3,300 people had been sheltering there at the time. “I call on the international community to take deliberate international political action to put an immediate end to the continuing carnage,” he said.

Israeli tank shelling and air strikes killed at least 100 Palestinians and wounded hundreds on yesterday, medics said. And in Israel, the army said three troops had been killed in Gaza, raising the overall number of soldiers killed to 56 since the operation began July 8. Situated on the Mediterranean coast, flanking Israel and Egypt, the Gaza Strip is home to 1.8 million Palestinians who live in an area of just 362 square kilometres (140 square miles).

It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world,

Trial over Malaysian plane crash not likely at Criminal Court

T

he Netherlands or Malaysia is likely to try those responsible for the downing in Ukraine of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, not the International Criminal Court in The Hague, the Dutch said yesterday. Cases are only referred to the world’s permanent war crimes court if countries involved are unable or unwilling to prosecute atrocities, Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten said in a letter to parliament. The Dutch, who had 195 nationals onboard the flight from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur, are leading an international investigation into the crash and it is unlikely the countries involved “will not be able or willing to lead the investigation and prosecution,” Opstelten wrote.

Pro-Russian separatists are widely believed to have used a surface-to-air missile to shoot down the plane on July 17, killing all 298 passengers and crew. The Dutch Safety Board, which is leading the inquiry, said this week it had received a large quantity of evidence from sources outside Ukraine and will not need access to the entire crash site, now inaccessible due to fighting. The Netherlands has universal jurisdiction for war crimes and can prosecute suspects in other countries.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) - the guardian of the Geneva Con-

ventions setting down the rules of war - has made a confidential legal assessment that Ukraine is in a war, diplomats and officials said this month, opening the door to possible war crimes prosecutions, including over MH17. U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay this week called for a prompt and impartial investigation.

“This violation of international law, given the prevailing circumstances, may amount to a war crime,” she said.

Experts trying to recover remains of the victims in Ukraine were again unable to access the crash site on Wednesday due to clashes between pro-Russian separatists and Ukrainian forces, the head of the Dutch mission said. “Unfortunately, we don’t expect the security situation to improve enough over the next few days to make this possible,” said Pieter-Jaap Aalbersberg.

“This makes it less likely that we will reach the crash site in the immediate future. There is still too much fighting in the area, preventing safe passage for our people.” The world’s legal capital, the Netherlands is the home of several international courts, including the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal.

It also hosted the trial by British judges of two Libyan secret service agents over the 1988 bombing of Pam Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland.

a fact that was not lost on the influential British band Massive Attack. “This bombardment of an area that is one of the most densely populated on earth, where civilians aren’t allowed to leave, is just beyond belief,” frontman Robert Del Naja told AFP in Lebanon where he dedicated the band’s Middle East gig to

the children of Gaza.

“In order to protect yourself, do you really want to massacre another people?” he asked in a question directed at Israel.

“They’re bombing houses, homes, schools -- there’s no protection,” said Moin alAthamna, one of those who had been staying at the Jab-

aliya school when the attack occurred. Inside one classroom, two young men wearing Palestinian boy scout scarves were engaged in the grisly task of collecting body parts.

Their ungloved hands were completely stained with blood as they picked up chunks of flesh and put them into thin plastic bags.

An Israeli artillery gun fires a shell towards targets from their position near Israel’s border

Rwanda seeks life for army officer accused of subversion

M

ilitary prosecution lawyers in Rwanda yesterday sought a life sentence for an ex-officer accused of plotting attacks on the state, who was extradited from Uganda despite being a refugee. Joel Mutabazi, a former member of the presidential guard protecting Rwandan President Paul Kagame, fled the country in 2011 but was extradited by Ugandan authorities last year, despite criticism from rights groups.

Mutabazi, whose trial opened in January, was indicted on charges of “terrorism, setting up an armed group, spreading rumours with the intention of inciting the public to rise up against the state, murder, crimes against the state and illegal

possession of a firearm”.

“All these are serious crimes, and for this we request a life sentence”, army prosecutor Faustin Nzakamwita told the military court in the capital Kigali. Mutabazi has pleaded not guilty, said his trial was illegal and that his life was in danger.

He has refused to testify in court, but protested his innocence again yesterday. “All those charges against me are made up, I am innocent and I request the judges order my immediate release,” Mutabazi said. Police have accused him and 15 other co-accused of being linked to a string of grenade attacks carried out in Rwanda, as part of the dissident Rwanda National Congress (RNC), in collaboration with the Democratic Forces

for the Liberation of Rwanda (FDLR).

Prosecutors also demanded a life sentence for Joseph Nshimiyimana, accused of being an FDLR corporal, and a sentence of 37 years each for eight others. The other accused, some related to Mutabazi, should face sentences of between five and 20 years, prosecutors argued.

The RNC, based between South Africa and the United States, is headed by defectors from Kagame’s ruling party.

The FDLR are the Democratic Republic of the Congo-based descendants of the ethnic Hutu militia who carried out Rwanda’s 1994 genocide. The UN refugee agency and Human Rights Watch strongly criticised Mutabazi’s transfer to Rwanda.

33 dead after Guinea concert stampede

H

undreds of people leaving a late-night rap concert on a beach in Guinea rushed to leave through a single exit, creating a stampede that killed at least 33 people, officials said yesterday.

The victims included children as young as 10, and most bodies brought to an overflowing morgue in the capital were still dressed in bathing suits and swim trunks. Some had bled from their mouths after their small bodies were trampled, causing internal bleeding.

“We are not used to seeing

such a large number of bodies at the same time. It’s such a tragedy, these young victims killed in the prime of their life,” said an employee at Donka Hospital where bodies awaited burial.

The hospital’s director, Dr. Fatou Sike Camara, announced the toll of 33 deaths. President Alpha Conde went on national television to declare a week of national mourning and promised a full investigation. The capital’s beaches also were ordered closed until further notice.

“The president calls on authorities at all levels to take

the necessary steps so that this same tragedy never happens again in our country,” his office later said in a statement.

More than 700 people had gathered on the beach in Conakry, the capital city, for a concert celebrating the end of the holy Muslim month of Ramadan, which featured the Guinean rap groups Instinct Killers and Banlieuzart.

Witnesses said the stampede happened after the show ended as the large crowd tried to exit through a small gate. Some people fell to the ground and were trampled.

50 AFRICA | NEWS

Temporary ceasefire in Tripoli

R

ival Libyan militias fighting for control of Tripoli’s airport agreed to a temporary ceasefire yesterday to allow firefighters to try to control a huge blaze at a fuel depot hit by a rocket. Meanwhile in Libya’s second city, Benghazi, at least 75 bodies, mostly soldiers, were found after two days of fighting in which Islamist fighters and allied militiamen overran an army base.

The past two weeks of fighting have been the worst since the civil war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, prompting Western governments to follow the United States and the United Nations in pulling their diplomats out of the North African country. Two brigades of former rebels, mainly rooted in the towns of Zintan and Misrata, have pounded each other’s positions in Tripoli with Grad rockets, artillery fire and cannon, turning the south of the capital into a battlefield.

But except for sporadic shelling away from the ceasefire zone near the international airport, yesterday was the quietest day in the capital for two weeks. “Many mediators have succeeded in convincing the militias to stop fighting, at least temporarily,” government spokesman Ahmed Lamin said. “They are trying to get them to the negotiating table, we hope they will agree.” France nevertheless closed its embassy on yesterday, and evacuated 30 French nationals from Tripoli, a few days after the U.S. embassy evacuated its staff across the Tunisian border under heavy military escort. It was unclear if the blaze at the airport depot, which supplies millions of liters of gasoline and gas to the capital, was under control yesterday, although the volume of smoke had lessened.

A spokesman for the state-run National Oil Corporation (NOC), owner of the tanks’ operator, Brega Oil company, said he did not yet have any update on the situation. Three years after the fall of Gaddafi, Libya’s government is unable to impose its authority on numerous brigades of former fighters who remain heavily armed and often make political demands of the state.

Benghazi was also quieter on yesterday, after fierce battles that led special forces to withdraw from the main army base in the city the previous day. The Libyan Red Crescent’s Mohammed al-Misrati said it had found more than 50 bodies inside the base. “We are trying to get them out,” he said.

OPINION

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Nigeria opens long-awaited battle of ideas against Boko Haram Tim Cocks

I

n classrooms facing a sandy courtyard in the northern Nigerian city of Kaduna, Maska Road Islamic School teaches a creed that condemns the violent ideology of groups like Boko Haram.

Not everyone has got its message. Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, known as the “Pants Bomber”, spent his youth in this school - and ended up trying unsuccessfully to blow up a U.S. airliner on Christmas Day 2009 with explosives hidden in his underwear.

But the school is steadfast in preaching tolerance to its pupils, and the government is about to adopt this message in a new strategy for containing Boko Haram, which has killed thousands in a five-year campaign for an Islamic state.

“We teach them that what they (Boko Haram) are doing is a total misunderstanding of the Islamic religion, that Prophet Mohammed was compassionate, he even lived together with the non-Muslims in Medina,” said headmaster Sulaiman Saiki.

“We teach them tolerance,” he told Reuters as girls in the next room softly recited Koranic verses in Arabic melodies.

Abdulmutallab was radicalised in an al Qaeda camp in Yemen, but his case shows that even youths given a relatively liberal Muslim education can be seduced by radical Islam. This is something the new government programme is aiming to combat.

Koranic schools like Maska Road will be a pillar of the strategy being launched in September to counter Boko Haram’s ideology. The aim is to win over the “hearts and minds” of young Nigerians.

They will also challenge Boko Haram’s claim that secular teaching is “un-Islamic” - Boko Haram means “Western education is sinful” in Hausa, the dominant language in Nigeria’s mainly Muslim north.

Maska Road teaches only Koranic verses and other tenets of Muslim faith, and encourages its 300 students to take classes such as science and literature outside its walls.

“We want them to get a Western education and combine it with ... religious learning,” Saiki says. Classes are held between 4 and 6 p.m., after secular schools shut.

Fatah Abdul, who

Jonathan

studies at Maska Road, scoffs at the idea of violence in the name of Islam.

“Our religion doesn’t entertain killing. Boko Haram is absolutely different from what our religion advocates,” she said.

“And it’s not true what they say that we need an Islamic state. The leadership doesn’t have to be Islamic”.

“DECEIVED” Saiki was a neighbour of Abdulmutallab when the future Pants Bomber was at school. He says Abdulmutallab didn’t learn to hate the West there but “was deceived afterwards”.

Abdulmutallab, a loner from a well-to-do northern family, showed how easily youths can be radicalised. Add poverty into the mix, as in Nigeria’s troubled northeastern Borno state, and it’s not hard to see how Boko Haram finds young recruits.

Boko Haram is suspected of being behind suicide bombings that killed 82 people in Kaduna last week, including one against a Muslim cleric about to lead a public prayer.

[ID:nL6N0PY3Y] Kaduna, the capital of the north in colonial times, is richer than anywhere in the northeastern region where Boko Haram is based. But it shares many of its problems such as high youth unemployment, attested by the many children begging and hawking phone credit on its rubbish-filled streets.

President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration has been pilloried for its apparent power-

lessness to crush the rebels or protect civilians, including more than 200 schoolgirls kidnapped in April and who remain in captivity. But he has also faced censure for neglecting the insurgency’s underlying causes.

So when Jonathan’s National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki announced a new “soft approach to terrorism” in March, many instantly dismissed it as lacking in substance.

But officials in the office of the NSA say imams in mosques and traditional elders will be co-opted to preach tolerance, while measures will be taken to ensure Koranic schools teach “correct” interpretations of sacred texts.

The drive will also include educational programmes, especially increased sports and music in northern schools, plus reform programmes for convicted Boko Haram detainees.

“A lot them don’t have much Islamic knowledge, so they tend to believe what the mullahs say,” Fatima Akilu, director of behavioural analysis in the office of the NSA told Reuters. “We want to teach what the Koran actually says in a language they understand.”

A parallel economic programme, also funded by the NSA’s budget, will address the chronic poverty seen as a major driver of the insurgency.

It may be too late to bring back hundreds of youths already fighting for Boko Haram, but the idea is to prevent more from joining.

Northern Nigeria has much lower levels of edu-

cation than the south, a legacy of British colonialism, which protected the caliphates of the north from the activity of Christian missionaries who set up many schools in the south.

“The aspects of education Boko Haram don’t like are the ones that allow you to think,” Akilu said. “Keep people in the dark and you can control them with a singular narrative.”

Undoing this partly involves showing how “Western” ideas, such as mathematics and some physics and astronomy, are rooted in mediaeval Islamic thought, which was making strides while Christians in Europe were busy burning witches.

“UN-ISLAMIC” At the Sultan Bello mosque in Kaduna’s busy downtown market area, local imam Ahmed Gumi takes an unusual step to illustrate his openness to the non-Islamic world: he invites four Reuters journalists in to see, film and photograph his sermon.

Three are non-Muslim, including two Westerners. He introduces the team to his congregation of about 350 packed into a main hall, and after a chorus of “welcome” he offers a live interview about his views on Boko Haram in front of the faithful.

“It’s not right to call what those boys are doing Islamic,” he later told Reuters privately. “They hide behind Islam.”

Gumi, one of northern Nigeria’s most popular clerics, sees the idea of an Islamic state dear to extremists as a throwback.

“They want to bring back the golden age of Islamic triumph in this modern time.” he says.

“For a state to survive you need a strong civilisation, education, money, lawyers, doctors. You don’t create a civilisation with AK-47s in the bush.”

He knows his outspoken views carry a risk he’ll be targeted by Boko Haram. His mosque, a towering structure spread between four sand-coloured turrets with turquoise-green domes, is guarded by scores of unarmed volunteers checking cars and bags.

Boko Haram fighters have killed dozens of clerics. One of the targets of the Kaduna bombs was a Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, an imam whose mystical Sufism is a far cry from the austere al Qaeda-style type of Islam. Bauchi survived.

Though a government critic, Gumi approves of the soft approach, “but it

needs local Borno (leaders) more than people like us who are already openly opposed to them”.

“ROOT CAUSES” Taking issue with Boko Haram’s ideology will work only if the government can draw disaffected youths away from the AK-47. The NSA’s economic programme aims to do this, starting with 2 billion naira ($12.3 million), but with a further 60 billion that can be made available from other agencies for projects, said Soji Adelaja, NSA special adviser on economic intelligence.

They include mobile medical trucks, cash for the orphans and widows of Boko Haram’s victims, and a programme employing 150,000 youths to fix roads and rebuild police stations.

Parts of Nigeria that are completely besieged by the insurgents are off-limits, but there are other vulnerable areas where the programme can be rolled out, Adelaja says. “We are deploying in areas that are safe, and where the community has some resilience against Boko Haram.”

The death of Boko Haram’s founder Mohammed Yusuf in police custody transformed what had been a clerical movement into an armed rebellion in 2009. Akilu says Yusuf disliked “Western” science which he saw as contradicting the Koran, especially evolutionary theory, the fact that the world is round and the process of evaporation, because “rain is a gift from God”.

Getting schools to show how science and religion can co-exist, she says, is essential to combating such ideas.

Down a dirt track with crater-like potholes on the outskirts of Kaduna lies the iron-roofed Focus 1,2,3 International School. Twelve classrooms packed with desks take 25 children each.

Secular education is between 7.30 a.m. and midday. After lunch, Islamic schooling is between 1 p.m. and 5.30 p.m.

Muhammad Saleh, who runs the school, believes strongly in science, although he has doubts about evolutionary theory - as do many conservative Christians in the West.

Even so, his school teaches it. “I teach them evolution myself, and the parents never complain,” he told Reuters.

“It’s education. Once children have an education they can decide for themselves what to think.”

(Culled from Reuters)

SPORT

51

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS

adekunles@yahoo.com kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

T

eam Nigeria, on Wednesday, at the on-going Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow, added a couple more gold medals to its haul after Odunayo Adekuroye and Aminat Adeniyi, in wrestling, and weightlifting superstar, Maryam Usman, finished tops in their respective events.

Adekuoroye, fighting in the 53kg category, defeated India’s Lalita Lalita to secure gold in spectacular fashion, pinning her opponent to the mat with time to spare on the clock. She

thursday, july 31, 2014

Team Nigeria adds three more gold medals thereafter embarked on a dance routine to celebrate her victory much to the delight of spectators at the venue.

The 20-year-old’s victory set the tone for her teammate, Adeniyi, who made easy work of Sakshi Malik, also from India, in the women’s 58kg freestyle event.

Adeniyi, who like Adekuoroye, was born in Akure, defeated

her opponent in emphatic fashion, securing a 6-0 victory, and thereafter, draped in the green and white flag of Nigeria, also embarked on a dance routine of her own.

It wasn’t so easy though for superwoman Usman as she had to bank on her vast experience to edge out Samoa’s Ele Opeloge in the women’s plus-75kg class.

Usman, who was Nigeria’s flagbearer at the opening ceremony of the on-going Games lifted 125kg in the Snatch category to edge the Samoan icon into second place ahead of the Clean and Jerk category.

The two rivals, after watching their lesser foes take turns in lifting varying degrees of weights, began their contest in the Clean

and Jerk at 145kg.

And after Usman had successfully lifted 155kg to push into the lead with her final lift of the contest, Opeloge, aware that only a massive lift in her final attempt would give her first place, attempted to lift 161kg. Her effort however proved unsuccessful, thus handing the gold medal to Usman.

My injury agony at the World Cup -Oboabona Emmanuel Tobi

S

uper Eagles and Caykur Rizespor of Turkey defender, Godfrey Oboabona, has revealed that the injury he sustained in Nigeria’s opening match against Iran was a big setback in his career.

Oboabona suffered a foot injury after an Iranian striker hit his feet with sharp studs resulting in two deep cuts during Nigeria’s first match at the Brazil 2014 World Cup and was thereafter forced out in the first half.

He subsequently missed the Eagles’ other matches against Bosnia, Argentina and France.

“I’m really happy to be back for the new season after the injury trauma at the World Cup. I want to appreciate the fans who showed serious concern when I was injured,” said the former Sunshine Stars of Akure captain.

Oboabona added that he was ready to go after undergoing medical attention, but had to listen to expert advice.

“The doctors advised I should rest the leg for the next match against Bosnia, but I was ready to risk it for my country. the coaching crew also had the same opinion.

I was really devastated that I couldn’t help the team the way I wanted, but in every situation, one should just thank God. I was in serious pains and the psychological trauma was severe. ” he recalled.

The utility defender also praised the Stephen Keshi-led technical crew for giving him the privilege to play for the Super Eagles.

He said, “I want to commend the coaching crew especially the head coach, Stephen Keshi, for believing in my ability and helping me polish my game.

My consolation was that I took part in the World Cup because many great stars were ruled out of the competition due to injury.”

Speaking ahead of the new season with his Turkish club, the 23-yearold expressed optimism that Rizespor would improve on their previous performances.

“I hope to help my club do well this season by working hard to play more matches after my debut season in Europe last season.

“I think the task ahead will be very challenging considering the fact that many clubs now know what we can do, and I believe last season’s experience will be veryimportant,” he added.

Nigeria’s Oboabona tackle Iran’s player at the World Cup

52

SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Maigari battles to avoid probe lNFF holds Keshi talks, shifts Congress VincentEboigbe

f

ormer President of the Nigeria Football federation, Alhaji Aminu Maigari, is seeking to use the influence of the National Chairman of the People Democratic Party, Alhaji Adamu Mu’azu, to avoid being probed for the issues levelled against him by the board of the NFF for which he was expelled last week in Abuja.

Both Muazu and Maigari are from Bauchi State.

Maigari, who was first removed by a court sitting in Jos, Plateau State, and was subsequently impeached by a Congress convened by Lawrence Katken who was appointed by the Minister of Sport,

Maigari

USA set to poach Oladipo Ifeanyi Ibeh

T

he world’s foremost basketball playing nation, the United States of America, look set to snatch Victor Oladipo from right under Nigeria’s nose after inviting the NBA star to their national team’s camp.

Oladipo, who has Nigerian parents but was born in the United States of America, had a breakthrough campaign last season after being drafted by the Orlando Magic, becoming the team’s top guard and finishing second in the NBA Rookie of the Year polls behind Michael Carter-Williams.

He had prior to joining the NBA, during his time at Indiana University,

Oladipo

trained with the Nigerian national team and, according to president of the Nigeria Basketball Federation, Tijani Umar, in a recent interview with New Telegraph, pledged his international future to Nigeria.

But it appears Oladipo will in the not-too-distant future make an about-

Giwa not scared of Enyimba – Duke Udi

turn regarding his international career after was named into the select team.

The US team are currently preparing for the upcoming FIBA World Cup, which will run from late August through midSeptember in Spain, and the select team’s job is to provide the national team with help in practice.

But being a part of the select team is an opportunity as players will be evaluated by Jerry Colangelo, the national team’s managing director, and Mike Krzyzewski, the national team’s head coach.

And it is possible that those who get to perform well will have an opportunity to try out for the national team somewhere down the line.

Delta state Governor, Emmanuel Uduaghan and Blessing Okagbare after the medal presentation for her 100m women gold at the Scotland National Stadium on Tuesday.

I’m here to secure Watford’s promotion – Ighalo Emmanuel Tobi

Charles Ogundiya

atford FC new signing, Odion Ighalo, W has vowed to do all he can to help take the Hornets back to the English

head of the Federation Cup semi final AEnyimba match between defending champion of Aba and Giwa FC of Jos,

coach of the Jos side, Duke Udi, has said they are not scared of any big team.

It was a sweet victory for Giwa against highly rated Enyimba in one of the week 20 Nigeria Premier League matches played on Sunday.

Udi said the result against the twotime CAF Champions League champions showed that the club was in the league to stay.

Speaking with our correspondent, the former Shooting Stars player said; “We have made a statement with the two results against Enyimba. We drew them in Aba and now have confirmed our superiority over them with this victory.”

Despite the club owned by an individual, Udi revealed that it was clear that the club could compete with the big clubs in the league.

Giwa FC are currently fourth with 31 points, three points behind league leaders, Kano Pillars, has already defeated top teams like Rangers International of Enugu, while nicking a point off Dolphins and Pillars already this season.

Speaking further, he said his players were ready for Enyimba in today’s game in Abeokuta.

“I am happy we are playing them on a neutral ground. It is going to be explosive and a good spectacle for the fans,” he said.

Tamuno Danagogo, to oversee football in the country, was reinstated on the directive of FIFA. Sources told New Telegraph on Tuesday that Maigari was looking to use the clout of the PDP chairman to escape being investigated for the billions of naira he allegedly misappropriated.

“The issues levelled against Maigari are weighty, they bother on financial misappropriation for which he can get into serious trouble,” said the source.

“But he doesn’t want to be probed and he is doing everything to ensure he avoids it. One man he is seeking to use is the PDP boss, Alhaji Mu’azu who is also from the same state of Bauchi as Maigari.” the source added.

Interestingly, Maigari is also fighting on anotherfront.TheerstwhileNFFbossisplaying the tribal card and looking to get the state chairmenfromthenorth,whowillbeattend-

ing Thursday’s Congress of NFF, where his expulsion will be ratified, to vote against it.

The allegation the Maigari camp is making is that the south wants to take over the running of football in the country and that Danagogo is pushing that agenda.

They are thus mobilising state chairmen of northern origin to fight against it.

Another issue that is expected to come up at the congress which was shifted indefinately yesterday is the recommendation of the committee charged with the task of negotiating with Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi.

Checks by New Telegraph revealed that the Technical Committee and Keshi have agreed at N7m monthly salary for Keshi who was demanding N10m. His original pay was N5m.

Meanwhile, as a result of unforeseen circumstances, the emergency Congress of NFF earlier proposed for Thursday, 31st July, 2014 but not convoked, will now be convened at a later date, the football body said.

Ighalo

Premier League.

The former Nigeria junior international, who this week joined Watford on a year-long loan from Italian Serie A side, Udinese, is all too familiar with securing promotion having done so on a number of occasions during his time at Granada.

Ighalo featured for Granada as they moved from playing in the Spanish third tier to the elite division within a space

Nigerian Sports Award salutes Okagbare, Uduaghan

he organizers of the Nigeria Spots TLimited, Award, Unmissable Incentives has commended the Nige-

ria Track and Field Queen, Blessing Okagbare, for winning the 100m gold medal at the ongoing Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland and setting a new game record of 10.85 seconds.

Okagbare, who won the Track and Field Star and Sports Woman of the Year awards at the 2013 edition of the Nigeria Sports Awards, has been in fantastic form this year with an outstanding performance at the IAAF Diamond League and other competitions preceding the Commonwealth Games.

According to the General Manager, Unmissable Incentives Limited, Mr.

Kayode Idowu, Okagbare has justified her place in history and also justified winning the Track and Field Star and the Sport Woman of the Year awards last year. She has also justified the investment of the Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan led Delta State Government.

“We at Nigerian Sports Award are very proud to be associated with Blessing, we are proud of her achievement and with this achievement, Blessing has lent credence to the credibility of Nigerian sports Award” he said.

Idowu also commended the unrelentless effort of Governor Uduaghan for the scholarship and immense support for Blessing which has brought her this far.

of four seasons.

And he is hoping to do likewise in the colours of the Hornets as the London-based club set their sights on returning to the English Premier League from where they were relegated from at the end of the 2006/2007 season.

“I am happy,” said Ighalo in an interview posted on the official website of the English Championship outfit.

“Since I first got the call from the president I’ve been very happy. It’s a good opportunity to help the team gain promotion to the Premier League.”

“Two seasons ago I watched the Play-Offs when they almost gained promotion, and I was following Watford because it’s the same owner as Granada and Udinese,” added Ighalo, referring to the Pozzo family.

“Even last season, I’ve been watching their games a lot and they’re a good team. I’m here to help the team, to do my best and make sure we work hard and gain promotion.

“I’m here to put on a Watford shirt now. I have to defend this jersey until the last minute and until we get our promotion.”

Ighalo, who started with Julius Berger, left Nigeria for Norwegian club, FC Lyn, in 2007, before joining Udinese in 2008.

A lack of playing time at Udinese however saw the skillful forward going out on loan to Granada in 2009 and Cesena in 2010, before re-joining Granada in 2011.

Transfer Updates

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

arcelona are considering makBSaint-Germain ing a renewed approach for Paris defender Marquin-

hos, according to reports.

Mundo Deportivo, as noted by Football Espana, suggests that the Catalan giants remain strongly interested in the 20 year-old.

It was widely claimed earlier in the summer that they were eager to sign him in a swap deal involving Daniel Alves, however no agreement was reached.

PS-G have since signed Ivorian Serge Aurier from Toulouse, which has likely ended any interest they had in Alves, but Barça are seemingly still ready to target Marquinhos.

Chicharito may join Atletico -Simeone

iego Simeone believes Manchester Drepresents United striker Javier Hernandez a “great option” for At-

letico Madrid as they look to bolster their attack ahead of the new season.

Hernandez moved to Old Trafford in the summer of 2010 but has failed to establish himself as anything more than an impact substitute, starting just six Premier League games last season.

And while Simeone - who currently has Mario Mandzukic as the only recognised striker in his squad - would not confirm he will make a move for the 26-year-old, he refused to rule it out.

“We speak to the sporting directors, we give them the ideas on the type of players we want and then they get the players.

QPR plan Ronaldinho coup

arry Redknapp is set to perHRonaldinho sonally meet Brazilian great in a bid to make

him join Queens Park Rangers.

The Brazilain terminated his contract with Atletico Mineiro earler this week and is now a free agent looking for a new club.

At 34, the former Barcelona and AC Milan man is still a big draw for a number of clubs in Europe and QPR are trying to work out a deal to sign him this summer.

Redknapp will personally meet Ronaldinho and try to convince him to sign for the newly-promoted London club, according to Gazzetta dello sports.

B

elgium international striker Romelu Lukaku is set for a £24m move to Everton.

Everton manager Roberto Martinez looks to have won the race to sign the sought-after frontman who would become the club’s record signing should the move proceed, exceeding the £15m fee Everton paid for Lukaku’s compatriot Marouane Feillaini in 2008.

Reports of Lukaku’s imminent departure from Chelsea intensified after the 21-year-old posted a tweet through his official account hinting that he is ready for the next challenge in his career.

The striker has been linked with Everton, Wolfsburg and Juventus this summer after struggling to force his way into the first-team picture at Chelsea since his arrival from Anderlecht in 2011.

Lazio join race for Vlaar are looking to secure LVillaazio the signature of Aston star Ron Vlaar, who

Reus’ agent admits interest

M

arco Reus’ agent has admitted that most of Europe’s top clubs are looking at the Borussia Dortmund star.

Reus has three years left on his current deal with Dortmund, but that deal includes a clause which means he can move for €35million (£27.7m) next summer.

“Marco would improve any of Europe’s top clubs so it is only natural that many of these clubs are making moves for him,” the 25-year-old’s agent Dirk Hebel said.

“However, all he would like right now is to get completely fit again and return to action even stronger than before. Everything else is currently on the backburner.”

Trezeguet moves to India ormer France striker David Trezeguet,

Fthe36,newwillIndian continue his career in India, Super League has an-

nounced.

The new championship announced on Twitter that Trezeguet will be a marquee signing for FC Pune City, who will be coached by Italian Franco Colomba, the former boss of Napoli and Parma.

“FC Pune City also announce its marquee player... and it is David Trezeguet, the French striker,” read a tweet posted by @ IndSuperLeague.

Trezeguet, the former Monaco and Juventus striker and a member of the France sides that won the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000, was most recently with River Plate in Argentina.

53

Chelsea, Everton agree Lukaku deal

Barcelona revive Marquinhos interest

has one year left on his current deal.

The 29 year old Dutch international had a superb World Cup, and has attracted the attention of fellow English sides Tottenham Hotspur and Southampton.

Villa are apparently after €10 million if they are to do business with another club, but know that they may have to sell for a lower price given the player’s expiring contract.

SPORT

Bayern rival PSG for Di Maria

B

ayern Munich have made a late entry into the race to sign Real Madrid’s Angel Di Maria, but Paris Saint-Germain remain favourites.

AS claim Pep Guardiola’s side has lodged their interest in the Argentina international even though Di Maria has given a com-

mitment to PSG. There are pictures of Di Maria in PSG colours doing the rounds on the internet and he could complete a switch to France early next week, despite Carlo Ancelotti wanting to retain the exBenfica man.

PSG could sell Ezequiel

West Ham set to loan Moses

est Ham are believed to be in pole poW sition to land the signature of Super Eagles midfielder, Victor Moses, according

to the online edition of Marca.

Victor Moses was not allocated a jersey number for the upcoming season, a clear hint that the winger has been informally shown the exit door by the Stamford Bridge outfit.

The turn of events means the former Crystal Palace sensation must weigh up his options, and make a decision about his future in the coming days.

Apart from West Ham, Victor Moses is being considered by Everton, Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and West Bromwich Albion.

Akpala ready to decide future

Lavezzi and Edinson Cavani to avoid falling further afoul of UEFA’s Financial Fair Play regulations when they sign Di Maria.

A fee of €75m has been mooted by AS, with Di Maria asking agent Jorge Mendes to push ahead the transfer.

igeria and Werder Bremen striker Ndecided Joseph Akpala says his future will be in the coming days, after returning

from his loan spell in Turkey.

The 27-year old has been training with the Green and Whites during pre-season ahead of the start of the 2014/2015 German Bundesliga season and has been registered with jersey number 35, but it remains unclear whether his future lies with the club.

However, the player has told Brila FM that his future will be sorted in a matter of days. “That (future) will be sorted in the next few days, and I’ll know where I will be, whether it is Bremen or not.”

54 SPORT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

Gemili keeps mind on track after silver

U

sain Bolt likes to celebrate his medals with grease and a little groove – but not for Adam Gemili the temptations of fried chicken or a night out, even after his first ever major championship medal. “A protein shake and an ice bath, that’s how I celebrated,” said Gemili, returning to the familiar smile that lit up Hampden Park after his silver medal on Monday night. “There was pizza which I managed to resist. I’ve got the 4x100m relay to run, then the Europeans in a couple of weeks’ time.

I’ve got to be sensible.”

Even when the adrenaline was surging through his veins before the 100m final, Gemili was relaxed – something he put down to the techniques taught to him by the sporthopping psychiatrist Dr Steve Peters.

“I’ve worked hard with Steve since 2013 and he’s taught me a lot about how to get focused in a second,” explained Gemili. “That’s why I’m able to smile and enjoy the crowd, and then as soon as I’m into the blocks it’s all about business.”

But the European Championships next month will bring fresh challenges. Gemili was a 25-1 outsider for the

Adam Gemili, a former football player for Dagenham & Redbridge, who spent seven years in the youth academy at Chelsea, announced himself on the global stage on Monday night as he won a silver medal in the men’s 100 metres at the on-going Commonwealth Games, in Glasgow. It was the 20-year-old’s first senior international honour and he has set his sights on winning more laurels and following in the footsteps of sprinters such as Dwain Chambers and Kim Collins, who are still competing at the topmost level well into their mid-30s.

Commonwealth Games 100m title but in Zurich he will be the joint favourite for the 200m, along with the reigning champion Christophe Lemaitre . Not that Gemili is overly worried.

“There’s no pressure really,” he says. “I never really feel pressure.”

You believe him too. “Being a favourite makes no difference for my preparation,” he said.

“You have your own lane and nobody can really affect what you do. If you look at other people in the race, you will tighten up, so you’ve just got to focus on your own lane.”

“People could turn up and they could even get in front of me. You never know. But I’d like to think I can put myself in the mix in Zurich and I should be OK.” Gemili also stressed the importance of his coach, Steve Fudge, who

he joined last year, for helping him become a more rounded athlete – and believes Fudge’s use of advanced sports science and biomechanics could mean he will still be running in his mid-30s.

“Steve is a genius,” said Gemili.

“He’s got such a great mentality and I totally buy into his theories about sprinting. I really trust him with my body. He loves sports science and we’ve incorporated that into our training a lot.

“I’m also very lucky I’m able to train with James Dasaolu, Chris Clarke and Jonnie Peacock. We’re all really pushing each other and trying to just work as hard as we can. That’s all because of Steve. He’s said to me he wants longevity in my career, so that’s what we are pushing for. I’m only 20. Dwain Chambers is

36 now, Kim Collins is 38 and still (personal besting). These guys have long careers so hopefully I can push on and hope for something similar.”

Gemili woke up on Tuesday wondering whether his silver medal might be all a dream. The explosion of applause he received on the podium provided a ready answer. But welcome news for British athletics is that he is not getting carried away.

“The time in the final [10.10sec] obviously wasn’t amazing but with the combination of all the rounds and the cold – and it was very cold in the stadium – I was pleased to come away with the medal,” he said. “It’s been great to learn how to deal with the stress and the pressures. It’s a great stepping stone.”

And while Gemili admitted he was running on tired legs in the final, he believes that was a mental thing more than physical. “My body was fit enough to run how I ran through the rounds,” he added. “That wasn’t an issue. It was just the mental side of things that was very exhausting.

“As you get older and fitter you learn to execute a bit better. Unfortunately I did get beaten by someone but he was Jamaican, so that’s not a bad thing.”

Does he feel he has now earned the respect of Caribbean sprinters? “I think so,” said Gemili, with increasing certainty. “They’ve been ahead for so long and they still are another level [up] but we’re getting there.”

And he is certainly not finished yet.

Culled from Guardian (UK)

SPORT 55

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, July 31, 2014

get extra medal after Okagbarecanreturnsub-22 India Nigerian lifter’s dope test in200mfinal –Ogunkoya I

A

frica fastest women 400m runner, Falilat Ogunkoya, on Wednesday said Commonwealth queen of track and field, Blessing Okagbare, can return a sub-22 in the final of the women 200m slated for Thursday.

Ogunkoya, who set the Africa record of 49.10sec in the 400m at the Atlanta 96 Olympic Games, observed that it was obvious that Okagbare would win the 100m, after watching the heats of the event.

“I was not surprised when she won the women 100m with a new Commonwealth record of 10.85sec because she is in very good shape. After watching the heats, I knew the 100m gold was already in our bag, then my friend Micheal Johnson who is working for the BBC further

Ogunkoya

confirmed what I knew when he said that the gold medal is going to Nigeria after the 100m heats” said Ogunkoya who has a Personal Best of 22.22sec in the 200m.

Ogunkoya, one of the very few women 400 runners to run 17 sub-50sec 17times in a season believed that Okagbare’s long strides and good start will give her the 200m easily, “but if the field is very strong and the other finalists push

her by giving her strong competition, she will not only win the 200m gold medal; she will also run a sub22sec”.

Ogunkoya attributed Okagbare’s success to her thirst for hard work.

“At that level, you don’t wait for anybody; it is your career and you have to work very hard to achieve your goals. I’m glad and excited that she is hard working, focused and determined. I’m urging other athletes to emulate these qualities”, said Ogunkoya.

Apochi beats Opetaia, qualifies for boxing semifinal igerian boxer, Efetobore ApoNAustraila’s chi, on Wednesday dimmed Jai Opetaia hopes

of a Commonwealth Games heavyweight boxing gold after his defeat by the rugged Nigerian to qualify for the semifinal billed for today.

The London Games Olympian was heavily fancied to get a medal but his quarter-final bout at the Glasgow SECC ended in an unanimous decision in favour of the African fighter.

The NSW Central Coast southpaw edged a scrappy first round but Apochi found his range in the second with

a quickfire combination that rocked Opetaia.

Battling to stay in the competition, Opetaia did all he could to try to slow down the Nigerian by staying in close and attacking him with shots to the body.

But in the final 30 seconds of the fight he was out on his feet as Apochi trapped him on the ropes to put the finishing touches to a deserved victory.

Australian coach Don Abnett was at a loss to explain what happened to his fighter, who was too upset to talk as he left the ring.

“He trained really well and

has spent 10 weeks preparing for these Games,” Abnett said.

“The other guy was a very physically strong opponent and I think that took a lot out of him towards the end of the fight.”

ndia got one more medal in women’s 53kg weightlifting on Wednesday after Swati Singh was handed the bronze while Matsha Santoshi was upgraded to silver after 16-yearold Nigerian gold winner Chika Amalaha tested positive for a banned substance in the Commonwealth Games.

Santoshi had finished third and Swati fourth in the women’s 53kg weightlifting competition held on July 25.

They will now get a silver and bronze respectively.

“We have got official intimation from the Glasgow 2014 organisers that Santoshi’s bronze will be upgraded to silver, while 4th placed Swati will get the bronze,” Indian Weightlifting Federation vicepresident Sahdev Yadav said here Wednesday.

“Now we will get 12 medals (three gold, four silver, five bronze) from weightlifting in the Games, two medals more than in 2010 Delhi. It is a huge achievement for us,” he added.

“This remarkable achievement surpassed the medal tally of previous two editions of Commonwealth Games (nine medals in 2006 and eight in 2010).”

Before 2006 Melbourne Games, three gold and same number of silver and bronze were awarded in each weight category (one each for snatch, clean and jerk, and total). Since 2006, only one gold, silver and bronze were awarded in each weight category in line with other sports.

Since the Indian contingent has been informed about the up gradation of the medals by the Glasgow 2014 organisers, the Nigerian lifter must have returned positive in her B sample also.

Don’t blame Amalaha – Ruth Ogbeifo

eteran Nigerian weightlifter, Ruth VAmalaha’s Ogbeifo, has laid the blame for Chika weight-loss drug use mishap

at the ongoing Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games at the doorsteps of Nigerian weightlifting coaches, describing them as incompetent.

The 2000 Olympic silver and 1999 World Championships bronze medallist flew into Glasgow from London on Tues-

Ganiat Ogundele

day evening fuming in reaction to the news of Chika Amalaha’s drug case and has no kind words for her coaches.

“I feel very sad about this development and that is why I had to rush in from London to see our weightlifters. I sympathise with Chika.

She is just a young girl, very strong and promising in the sport and did not deserve to be brought into this kind of situation. I blame our coaches squarely for her predicament. As I see it, the issue is about meeting the right weight and she couldn’t have accessed drugs all on her own. I understand she competed about three months ago in Mauritius and she won without drugs, so how come she used those drugs now?

Even if she got them herself, it is the duty of the coaches to know whatever medications their athletes are using and to research to be sure if the drugs contain banned substances.

“The problem is that the coaches are lazy, incompetent and do not qualify to handle national team athletes.”

I never called Games ‘shit’ – Bolt

sain Bolt has denied calling the UGames Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth “a bit shit”.

Bolt’s apparent comments have created a storm of controversy after allegedly making the remarks while waiting in the rain for his car to arrive after briefly leaving the athletes’ village in Glasgow. Asked if he was having fun in Scotland he is reported by the Times to have responded, “not really”.

However the Jamaican sprinter responded on Twitter, saying: “I’m waking up to this nonsense… journalists please don’t create lies to make headlines.”

Bolt’s manager, Ricky Simms, also said the reports were “utter rubbish” and added: “The atmosphere in and around the stadium has been absolutely fantastic and I have absolutely no idea where these quotes have come from.”

The six-time Olympic champion arrived in Glasgow last Saturday morning and, at a press conference in the main press centre, confirmed he would be running the 4x100 metres relay heats on Friday as well as in the sprint relay final on Saturday, the final day of athletics competition. Bolt confirmed he would be staying in the athletes’ village but added that he would be spending most of his time in his room.

World Record

On Marble

In order to succeed, your desire for success should be greater than your fear of failure.

– Bill Cosby

Largest rain boot race: Tuesday, May 21, 2013, 1,976 people turned out in Ketchikan, Alaska, USA.

Sanctity of Truth

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Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha THURSday, JULY 31, 2014

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Jonathan, Sanusi, Feb 20 and July 23 Y TALKING TOUGH GABRIEL AKINADEWO ou can never understand the ways of our politicians. Their public pronouncements on policy matters and issues of decorum are far above the understanding of other Nigerians. The ways of our politicians are as unpredictable as having an accurate report in a fastchanging weather region.

Their modus operandi are also as unpredictable as the English interpretation of wordings (on screen) given by producers of some Yoruba movies in Nollywood.

Anytime I have the time to stay at home and watch one or two of these movies, I feel sad for those writing those scripts. While trying to interprete in English language what the Yoruba stars are saying, you will see on the screen: Ma ri e lola (I will ‘saw’ you tomorrow); Mo fe jeun (I want to ‘eaten’); Ma gba oju e (I will ‘slapped’ you); Oko mi, ta lo npe lori ago? (My husband, who are you ‘call’ on phone?). This also reminds me of a small signboard I saw at a corner in Opebi, Ikeja, Lagos the other day “Riwaiya his here’ (Rewire is here).

While what is happening in Nollywood can be excused, how do we explain the way policy pronouncements in government have been reduced to mere altercations between two actors?

Why should those at the highest level of government overheat the polity, fight as if it is the end for Nigeria and eventually smile it away?

Given the fact that he is the president in a civilian administration, President Goodluck Jonathan, the leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), can be said to be the number one politician in the country today.

Former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, during his stay as the country’s number one banker, can also be described as a politician. In fact, he was more of a politician than a banker at the apex bank. His ascendance as the 14th Emir of Kano last June was also contrived in politics.

Sanusi became the CBN governor in 2009 when Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was the president and continued when Jonathan succeeded Yar’Adua on May 6, 2010.

The duo were close and I remember Sanusi defending Jonathan’s economic policies on December 23, 2011 at the opening of a two-day Town Hall meeting on the proposed fuel subsidy removal organised by the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN) in Lagos.

Sitting with Sanusi, among others, at the event were Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala.

Something later ‘snapped’ and the relationship between Sanusi and Jonathan with his economic managers broke down.

Last year, Sanusi reported that about $49 billion of oil sold by the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) had not been paid to the government. This open accusation caused no small ripple in government circles, with Sanusi pointing accusing fingers at Alison-Maduekwe, Okonjo-Iweala, the NNPC and others. The Senate Committee on Finance ordered an independent audit into the missing money, which was later reduced to about $20 billion. The Petroleum and Finance Ministers insisted that no money was missing and even Jonathan dismissed Sanusi’s charges as spurious.

gabyfola@hotmail.com - 08023010222 (sms only)

At a forum in Abuja in August last year, Sanusi said: “We don’t have development because vested interests continue to rape this country and take the money out. The only way you’re going to move from potential to reality is to ask yourself how can we overcome the fear of vested interests and how can we confront them”.

The attack from Sanusi against his employer became unbearable to the extent that on February 20, this year, while he was in Niamey, Niger attending a meeting of regional Central Bank heads, Jonathan suspended him.

A statement by Jonathan’s Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati, said Sanusi remained suspended “until the conclusion of on-going investigations into breaches of enabling laws, due process and mandate of the CBN”.

Dr. Sarah Alade was named as the Acting Governor.

Said the statement: “Having taken special notice of reports of the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) and other investigating bodies, which indicate clearly that Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi’s tenure has been characterised by various acts of financial recklessness and misconduct which are inconsistent with the administration’s vision of a Central Bank propelled by the core values of focused economic management, prudence, transparency and financial discipline; “Being also deeply concerned about far-reaching irregularities under Mallam Sanusi’s watch which have distracted the Central Bank away from the pursuit and achievement of its statutory mandate; and being determined to urgently re-position the Central Bank of Nigeria for greater efficiency, respect for due process and accountability, President Goodluck Ebele

Jonathan has ordered the immediate suspension of Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi from the Office of Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria”.

Sanusi immediately returned to Lagos and his international passport was seized at the airport.

The next day, he secured a temporary protective order from the Federal High Court, Lagos barring security operatives from arresting him.

A few days later, during the presidential live chat, Jonathan said on the suspension: “The issue of the Central Bank is quite unfortunate. The President has absolute powers to suspend the CBN governor. There were issues raised based on the 2012 audit report and for you to look into those issues, for you to be sure of what you are doing, the CBN governor should just step aside”.

In his reaction, Sanusi, on February 23, described the president as a simple man undermined by incompetent and fraudulent aides. To him, many of the people advising Jonathan are sycophants who do not speak frankly or honestly about the extent of corruption in his administration. “His greatest failing obviously is that he is surrounded by people who are extremely incompetent, who are extremely fraudulent and whom he trusts.”

He added that his “fierce independence” had been an annoyance to the Jonathan administration. “If I am sacrificed in whatever way, my freedom or my life, if it does lead to better accountability, it will be well worth it”.

As Nigerians are aware, details of contract-fixing allegations released by the Federal Government against Sanusi were messy.

There is no point repeating them here.

But on July 23, Sanusi joined some northern traditional rulers, led by the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III, to break Ra-

madan fast with the President in Aso Rock, Abuja.

When I saw the photograph, I felt like throwing up, not because I didn’t expect this visit but because such somersaults have now become a way of life, dangerously telling political watchers that the ominous signs are still in the country.

Sanusi even offered a special prayer for peace at the event.

Is this not the same Sanusi the President accused of “financial recklessness and misconduct,” who was suspended on February 20? Is this not the same Jonathan that Sanusi accused of protecting ‘thieves in government’?

Sanusi praying for peace in Aso Rock?

Peace for who? If there is peace in the country, is there peace between him and Jonathan? In this photograph, the duo looked at each other, smiling and shaking hands. Who is deceiving who? What sort of publicity stunt is this?

What was going through their minds while looking at each other, eyeball to eyeball? Is this smile in the photograph the end of all the allegations flying all over the country a few months ago? What happens to the hapless masses at the receiving end of this (substantiated and unsubstantiated) fraud?

Now as Emir, Sanusi has suddenly become the darling of all. No fund is missing again. Nobody is accused of fraud. Everybody is silent. Everything has been swept under the so-called carpet. Since 1960, we have been sweeping serious public issues under the carpet. When is the carpet going to be removed? So, between Sanusi and his accusers, who was lying? Is Nigeria a country of anything possible?

Given the propaganda against him while it lasted, if Sanusi is serious about his integrity, why should he be smiling when he saw the president on July 23?

If Jonathan is serious about sanitising the polity, with the so-called allegations against Sanusi, even if the former CBN governor becomes King of Saudi Arabia, why should he invite him to Aso Rock and be smiling with a so-called corrupt public officer who the president himself ordered his suspension on February 20?

OmoBaba

I ‘LL PROBE NYAKO OVER MISSING N80 BILLION – Acting governor

– Hmm, what goes round comes around!

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