Binder1 thursday april 3,2014 by Newtelegraphonline

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Thursday, April 3, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 44

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Nigeria’s crude production falls to five-year low lLoses Africa’s biggest oil producer status to Angola l2014 Budget threatened Adeola Yusuf

igeria’s oil production and export schedule

have fallen to 1.59 million barrels per day (bpd), the lowest in five years, threatening the 2014 Budget, the

crude loading data has revealed. Nigeria, which depends largely on proceeds from

crude to service over 85 per cent of its budget, fixed the average crude oil production at 2,3883

million barrels per day in 2014 Budget. The National Assembly, which dished C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6

Tambuwal: I’m not under pressure to declare Reps’ seats vacant

Pages } 5

Constitution amendment, confab cause row in Senate

lConference’ll amount to nothing, say Senators lDelegates seek death penalty for corrupt officers Chukwu David Abuja

t was a tug of war in the Senate yesterday as senators were sharply divided over the attempt by the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) to allow the President to

be part of the process of authoring a new Constitution. This was as most of the senators, especially members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC), unequivocally declared that there was no need for a new constitution.

Few members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), however, supported the opposition lawmakers. Also, most of the legislators, irrespective of party affiliation, expressed their

pessimism and total aversion to the ongoing National Conference, insinuating that the exercise would amount to nothing. Some also posited that aligning with the conference would amount to

giving out the powers of the parliament and the mandate of the people to a group not recognised by law. The disagreement in the Senate emanated from the report of the Commit-

tee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution on “the Bill for an Act to further alter the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 and for other matters conC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

Rivers to NJC: Agumagu remains Chief Judge Joe Ezuma

Port Harcourt

ivers State Government yesterday formally rejected the suspension of its Chief Judge, Justice P.N.C Agumagu, by the National Judicial Council (NJC). Justice Agumagu was suspended last week and given four days to show cause why he should not be removed.

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News. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Metro . . . . . . . . . . . . . Politics . . . . . . . . . . . . Opinions. . . . . . . . . . . Law. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Business . . . . . . . . . . . Health. . . . . . . . . . . . . Sport. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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The Rivers State Government further described the suspension as illegal and unconstitutional. As a result, it maintains that Justice Agumagu remains the substantive Chief Judge. The state government’s position was made known by the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms, while speaking to newsmen in C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 6

Lagos

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L-R: Company Secretary, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Michael Osilama; Chairman, Sir Steve Omojafor; outgoing Managing Director/GovernorDesignate, Central Bank of Nigeria, Mr. Godwin Emefiele and incoming Managing Director/CEO, Zenith Bank Plc, Mr. Peter Amangbo, during the bank’s 23rd Annual General Meeting in Lagos...yesterday. PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

AT A GLANCE

METRO

POLITICS

BUSINESS

Again, ritual killers’ den discovered in Ogun Page 12

SPORTS

2015: Southern Kaduna will vote against Jonathan, says Danfulani Page 17

NCC to auction Fixed Wireless licence in 28 states Page 29

NFF vs Keshi: Eagles players sue for peace Page 53

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Thursday, April 3, 2014

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NEWS

Louis Achi, Lateef Ibrahim and Onwuka Nzeshi Abuja

ome members of the ongoing National Conference have proposed death penalty for corrupt public officers in the country, pointing out that the negative trend has caused Nigerians a lot of untold pains, sufferings and hardship. The delegates were of the firm belief that such a capital punishment would serve as a deterrent for others who may want to contemplate embarking on such as well as assist to curb corruption in the country. While contributing to the debate of the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan at the National Judicial Institute’s venue of the conference yesterday, a delegate from Benue State, MajorGeneral Geoffrey Ejiga (rtd), pointedly declared that the twin issues of corruption and ethnic minority/self-determination are the biggest problems confronting the nation. He recalled that when a delegate, whom he did not name, was making contri-

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Confab: Delegates seek death penalty for corrupt officers bution on the floor of the conference few days ago, he (the delegate) disclosed that over $450 billion stolen money was being taken out of the country annually to be stashed away in various foreign banks accounts. The amount, he reasoned, was capable of reducing the rate of unemployment in the country by, at least, 50 per cent in addition to solving other problems. According to him, the question of corruption has grown so much in the country to an unimaginable proportion to the point that it has become the big-

gest national problem in Nigeria. Ejiga noted that when China began to have serious problem of corruption, the country resolved to public hanging of all its corrupt officers. “We must also start hanging our corrupt public officers to serve as deterrent to others,” he added. Speaking in the same vein, one of the delegates representing youths at the conference, Ben Duntoye, declared that capital punishment is crucial in the fight against corruption in the country. Duntoye stated that if just N1 million is chan-

nelled very well, it would go a long way in empowering quite a number of youths in the country. According to him, “capital punishment is key to the fight against corruption in Nigeria. If a man decides to steal N20 billion, which is enough to create jobs for several youths in the country, such a person deserves to be hanged.” In his contribution, Chief Francis Doukpola, a delegate from Bayelsa State, lamented that democracy has been redefined from its universally accepted definition of “government of the people, by the people and

for the people” to “government of the people, by the people and not for the people.” Doukpola noted with regrets that the nation’s elected office holders, as soon as they get to positions, always decide not to address the yearnings and aspirations of the people, but instead, they usually pursue their selfish interests. “Our elected people in offices don’t always like to look at the needs of the people. They don’t attend to their yearnings. They always forget their electorate as soon as they get there,” he said.

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Rivers State Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Worgu Boms (right) and the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, David Iyofor, at a media briefing on the state’s rejection of the suspension of the Chief Judge, Justice P.N.C. Agumagu, by the National Judicial Council (NJC) at the Government House, Port Harcourt... yesterday.

Constitution amendment, confab cause row in Senate CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

KANO

40o 18o Partially cloudy

ENUGU

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IBADAN

34o 24o Storm

CALABAR

33o 23o Thunder storm

MAIDUGURI

41o 24o Mostly sunny

ONITSHA

34o 24o Isolated storm

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

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST PORT HARCOURT

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

nected therewith,” which was presented by its Chairman and Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, for clause by clause consideration. The Upper Chamber, however, resolved to vote on the report next Wednesday, during which some of the contentious clauses would be addressed through two-thirds majority of the votes of members. Leading the debate on the Bill, Ekweremadu revealed that the Committee held a meeting on Tuesday and saw the dire need to further tinker with the originally-proposed amendment to accommodate some critical issues of national importance that were not captured by the

initial proposals. Part of the statement reads: “The Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, at its sitting of Thursday July 11, 2013, voted on some recommendations of the Senate Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution. While awaiting the constitution of a Conference Committee to harmonise areas of difference with the House, the committee received additional requests which have very serious implication to the electoral process and the committee found it imperative and incumbent on it to take immediate legislative action. “The objective of the additional proposal is principally to enhance and strengthen the legal

framework for the processing of a new Constitution, electoral process and connected institution in Nigeria. “This report is the end product of the analysis of the memoranda principally submitted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The Committee together with the Senate Committee on INEC had a retreat with the election management body, where the implication of the request was objectively discussed.” Elaborating on the intention of the additional input, Ekweremadu said: “This proposal seeks: 1. to amend section 3B of Clause 2 of the Fourth Alteration Bill (Alteration of section 9 of the Consti-

tution), dealing with how a new Constitution can be processed (recall that section 9 as altered in the Fourth Alteration Bill provided for how a new Constitution can come into being through the National Assembly - the aim of this insertion is to make provision for the President in addition to the National Assembly to initiate the process of a new Constitution), “(ii) Alteration of sections 68 and 109 to mandate the Clerk of the National Assembly and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission in writing within 7 days of the existence of a vacancy arising C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5

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

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

DENIAL Speaker Tambuwal denies filing appeal against judgement

Philip Nyam Abuja

he House of Representatives has declared that Speaker Aminu Waziri Tambuwal was not under pressure to declare vacant seats of the 37 Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lawmakers who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC). It also clarified that both the Speaker and his deputy, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, have no personal interest in the case and so did not file any appeal against the judgement as reported by some sections of the media yesterday. Deputy Chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene (APGA, Anambra), who made this clarification at a news briefing after a closed door session at yesterday’s plenary, also appealed to the media not to introduce mischief into the process. Reacting to the contention that the executive

Tambuwal: I’m not under pressure to declare Reps’ seats vacant session was called to calm down Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) members who were going to move against Tambuwal for failing to invoke the ruling of the court, Ogene said: “There was no pressure on the Speaker to sack the defected legislators. If there was, we would not have held the closed door session today.” He explained that they were nominal parties in the suit by virtue of their office and the counsel was briefed by the Management of the National Assembly to represent the House of Representatives as an institution. Speaking further, Ogene explained that the closed door was convoked by the leadership to create room for the legislators to talk among themselves and “and there was nothing unusual.” According to him, “we talked to ourselves in order to get things clear about the defection matter that is already in court.” He added that the House decided to allow the

case in court to take its full course, taking cognizance of the precedence already set in such area. The deputy spokesman explained that an on-going

court in the case involving Hon. Bamidele Opeyemi (Ekiti) who defected from the APC to Labour Party (LP) was pending, yet Opeyemi’s seat has not

been declared vacant. Ogene said the executive session also deliberated on the growing tendency towards partisanship among members

during plenary, saying the green chamber took a unanimous decision to set aside party affiliations and make laws for the good of Nigerians.

L-R: President Goodluck Jonathan; Minister of Trade and Investment, Mr. Olusegun Aganga; and Bulgarian President, Rosen Assenov Plevneliev, at a bilateral meeting at the opening of the European Union (EU)-Africa Summit in Brussels, Belgium…yesterday

23.9m

The number of internet users in Canada in 2007. Source: Blatantworld.com

9.6

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Arab States in 2011. Source: Itu.int

89.8%

The male percentage of internet users in Switzerland in 2012. Source: Itu.int

Senators: We won’t allow Executive usurp our powers CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

from death, resignation or vacation of seat of a member of the National Assembly or a member of State House of Assembly, respectively (see: clauses 2 and 3), “(iii) Alteration of section 134 and 179 which aims to extend the time for conducting Presidential and Governorship rerun elections from 7 days to 21 days - as contained in clauses 4 and 5. “(iv) the empowerment of INEC to deregister political parties which fail to win Presidential, Governorship, Chairmanship of a Local Government/Area Council or a seat in the National or State Assembly election as provided for in alteration of section 225, in clause 6. “(v) the conferment of exclusive jurisdiction on the Federal High Court for trial of offences aris-

ing from, pertaining to or connected with violation of the provisions of the Electoral Act and any other election related Act of the National Assembly is made in alteration of section 251, captured in clause 7. “(vi) the Third Schedule is altered in clause 8 to include former Senate Presidents and Speakers of the House of Representatives in the Membership of the Council of State. However, in their contributions to the proposals, many of the senators kicked against the idea of empowering the President to participate in the process of initiating a new constitution, maintaining that such power is an exclusive preserve of the Legislature. The development provoked heated debates among the politicians, with some of them calling

for outright jettisoning of the bill, which according to them was aimed at smuggling in the outcome of the National Conference into the Constitution through the National Assembly. Some also argued that a new constitution was unnecessary because it would propel further crisis in the polity, which would jeopardise democracy. Senators Ganiyu Solomon, Solomon Ewuga, Victor Lar and Adamu Gimba, Abdul Ningi, Kabiru Gaya and Kabiru Marafa, among others, cautioned against the alteration of the constitution to pave the way for a new one, stressing that there was no need for such action to be taken at this stage of the country’s democracy. Marafa explained that inserting a clause to accommodate the president as one of the parties that could initiate process for

a new constitution, was an attempt to empower the Executive to usurp the powers of the Legislature. He alleged that going ahead with the alteration would automatically provide a door for President Jonathan to give credibility to the National Conference, which does not receive the acceptance of majority of the National Assembly members. Senator Bello Tukur enjoined the Senate to limit its activities to the amendments of certain clauses identified by stakeholders instead of injecting new ones. Senator Ahmed Lawan, however, argued that the process of a new constitution was currently the exclusive preserve of the National Assembly and must never be surrendered to the Executive. He said: “We must not dilute the functions of the

executive nor that of the legislature. I can concede that any president can send request and that is provided in the constitution but when we say initiate, it is now taking some functions of the National Assembly away. “Because of that, I oppose this proposal that we maintain the sanctity, the purity of the functions of the executive and that of the legislature in such a way that there is no lacuna and no confusion. “This is necessary so that in the nearest future, we don’t run into a constitutional crisis where the constitution amendment process will become neither here nor there.” Senator James Manager, however, disagreed with those who opposed the amendment, saying that there was nothing wrong with the proposal. He encouraged the Sen-

ate to go ahead and pass it. Manager said: “An officer of the ranking of the President can also instigate the process of a new constitution by writing to the National Assembly, presenting it as if it is an executive bill.” He said: “It will still come to the National Assembly exactly in ways and manners we have been dealing with bills. So, there is absolutely nothing new in my humble view. These are very straightforward and unambiguous matters.” Senate Leader Victor Ndoma-Egba said: “There is already provision for three classes of bills, namely members bills, executive bills and private member bills.” He argued that the amendment being sought was in agreement with the provision of the Senate rules.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

‘NJC lacks power to appoint, dismiss judge’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Government House, Port Harcourt. According to Worgu Boms: “The position of NJC which is very unfortunate, gives equally unfortunate and misleading impression to the public that the appointment of the Hon Justice PNC Agumagu as Chief Judge of Rivers State, occurred in nibubus (ie from the skies) and with no contribution of the NJC to it or that there is no history behind it. The Hon Justice PNC Agumagu, the NJC wants the world to believe, just woke up, walked to the State House and got appointed and sworn in as the Chief Judge. This impression is misleading, selfserving and diversionary.” “It is important to state from the outset that the NJC has always preferred the doctrine of the Most Senior Judge of the High Court, in the appointment of the Chief Judge of Rivers State and in particular, the Hon Justice D.W. Okocha, as its candidate for the position. In its singleminded pursuit of the actualisation of this doctrine and preference, it enunciated further the doctrine that only a Judge of the State High Court is qualified for consideration for the office and that the Hon Justice Agumagu, then, President of the State’s Customary Court of Appeal, could not be allowed to cross over to become the State Chief Judge.” “For the records, Justice Agumagu is senior in Biology, at the Bar and on the Bench to Justice Okocha. Following advice from the State Judicial Service Commission to the NJC listing Justice Agumagu as N0 1 and Justice Okocha N0 2 as persons for possible consideration for recommendation for the appointment, to the substantive position of Chief Judge, the NJC wrote to His Excellency, the Governor of the state, that of the two candidates recommended to it by the State Judicial Service Commission, that even though Justice Agumagu is first on the list, that Agumagu was being rejected because His Lordship was not the most Senior Judge of the High Court and could not

cross over from the Customary Court of Appeal to become the Chief Judge. Only Justice D.W Okocha could thus be qualified for appointment based on the NJC’s twin doctrine of Seniority and Non Crossing over. Needless to say, these Twin Qualification of Most Senior Judge and Non Crossing Over are creations, not of the Constitution that prescribes only 10 years’ Post Call as qualification to the office of the Chief Judge, but of the NJC, which sadly, has now transmogrified from being a recommending Body to a law making Body. “We restate here that what is happening in Rivers State with respect to filling the vacancy in the position of Chief Judge of the state, is not peculiar to Rivers State as other states have passed and some are still passing through the process and in none of these did the NJC, as it is doing now in Rivers State, write to their Judges to intimidate them on the matter and to fetter their conscience. “If the appointment of Chief Judge of the state were to begin and end with the NJC, then perhaps, there would be no problems with its preferred candidate. Unfortunately, the Constitution provides that four Institutions – the State Judicial Service Commission, the NJC, the Governor and the State House of Assembly - must all participate for a candidate to become the Chief Judge. In the NJC’s view, however, its contribution to the process must be the only valid and final one, otherwise, a Judge must lose his appointment as not even a court pronouncement on the matter will it respect. This is the heart of the seemingly intractable succession crises to the office of the Chief Judge, not only in Rivers State, but also in other states where the issue is yet to be resolved.” Attorney General Worgu Boms went further to state that no law vests the NJC with the power to declare acts unconstitutional and that what the council did to Agumagu is an usurpation of judicial powers and functions.

“The National Judicial Council (NJC) or indeed, any council for that matter, has no powers under any Law to declare the action of the state Governor, in this case, the action of the Governor of Rivers State in the appointment of the Chief Judge of the

State, unconstitutional. Only a Court vested with the requisite jurisdiction can validly do so and the NJC, no matter how eminent its members are, is not a Court of any cadre in Nigeria. It is like any of the several Commissions established under the

same Section of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. “The NJC does not have the power to appoint or dismiss a Judge. It cannot even suspend a Judge under the colour of discipline. It can only recommend such to either the Gover-

nor in the case of State Judges, or to the President, in the case of Federal Judges. This is the Law and the NJC has also interpreted its disciplinary action of suspension along the line of recommendation to the appropriate authoriC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 7

L-R: Minister of Solid Minerals, Sani Sada; Minister of Water Resources, Mrs. Serah Ochekpe; Minister of State for Power, Mohammed Wakil; Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Anyim Pius Anyim; and Minister of Youths, Boni Haruna, during the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja…yesterday. PHOTO: TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

N10.15bn

The internally generated revenue of Ondo State in 2012. Source: National bureau of Statistics

123.3

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in Europe region in 2012. Source: Itu.int

23m

The total number of internet users in Iran in 2008. Source: Blatantworld.com

Nigeria’s crude production falls to five-year low CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

out this data, also settled for $79.5 as the crude oil bench mark for the Medium Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF). This came as the country has been stripped of its status as the largest oil producer and exporter in Africa. The leading country in Africa now is Angola. Notwithstanding the $20 profit made based on difference between the $79 benchmark and the $99 average oil price, the country is to record a daily average loss of 0.7983 million barrels in May. Benchmark U.S. crude for May delivery was down two cents to $99.71 a barrel at 0720 GMT in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange. The contract slid $1.84 to $99.74 on Tuesday, dented by soft Chinese manufacturing figures and expectations of another increase in U.S. crude stockpiles. The data, which showed

that Nigeria’s crude export for May fell to their lowest records since 2009 blamed increase in oil theft in the country’s Forcados and Ebok grades. A data by London-based Chatham House revealed that Nigeria lost between 100,000 and 250,000 barrels of crude to theft on a daily basis. “The Oil theft looks set to push Nigeria off its spot as top African crude oil exporter in May and exports could fall to their lowest since records began in 2009,” the data shown. Nigerian exports in May are set to be at around 1.59 million barrels per day (bpd) excluding crude oil, which were shut-in and had still not emerged. Exports are far below the high above 2.2 million bpd reached in 2011, and the May figure is set to fall beneath the exports of Angola, which is usually the continent’s second largest exporter. According to Reuters, Angolan exports in May

were set to be 1.67 million bpd, a provisional shipping list indicated. Production of the Forcados grade has been hit by underwater pipeline leakage due to oil theft which led Shell to declare a force majeure on the grade last week. The problems affecting Forcados are the latest in a string of theft-related outages at major Nigerian grades, with Bonny Light production severely affected for much of last year. Planned exports in April were initially seen at 1.73 million bpd, but were revised up to 1.86 million bpd after additional Bonny Light cargoes were added. Traders said it was likely that there would be no exports of Forcados for May, although should the pipeline be fixed soon, there could yet be a small volume of this grade, which could push shipments above Angolan levels. Meanwhile, Brent crude, used to set prices

for international varieties of oil, was up six cents to $105.68 a barrel on the ICE Exchange in London. Despite recent signs of weakening manufacturing in China, which could dent oil demand, there are new signs of life in the U.S. economy, including a report from the U.S. Commerce Department earlier this week showing rising construction spending. But U.S. crude oil inventories due later Wednesday are expected to show demand is still relatively muted. Data for the week ended March 28 is forecast to show an increase of 1.8 million barrels in crude oil stocks and a draw of two million barrels in gasoline stocks, according to a survey of analysts by Platts, the energy information arm of McGraw-Hill Cos. Crude stocks have risen 10 weeks in a row, adding over 32 million barrels between mid-January and March 21.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fashola: Obanikoro working against Lagos’ interest Muritala Ayinla

overnor Babatunde Fashola yesterday raised an alarm that Minister Of State, Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, is collaborating with the Federal Government to encroach a parcel of land belonging to the Lagos State Government, saying the development would hinder provision of Lagos Home Ownership Scheme on the axis. Fashola also accused the minister of using federal might against the state he represents at the federal government, instead of working to develop the state, saying he is conniving to thwart several housing projects his administration has embarked upon. Speaking on projects allegedly thwarted by Obanikoro-led federal agents, Fashola said a parcel of land at Oyingbo and that of Ilubirin on Lagos Island were being encroached by the federal government, despite the glaring evidences that the land belongs to the state.

He said: “Some ministers have forgotten that they are representing their states but they think what they are to do is to mount aggressive war with Federal might on there own state. The legislators have never done that. The judges have never done that. It is only the executive arm that you see this kind of behaviour. It is simply they don’t understand that they are there to represent their state and not the Federal Government”. According to Fashola, the land near Mainland Hotel in Oyingbo, where a housing project was halted, was handed over to the Lagos State Government long time ago, when Alhaji Femi Okunnu was the Federal Commissioner for Works. He added that the land had been unused for many years, but when the state government decided to build on it, some soldiers prevented the contractors from completing the project. “When we started this LagosHoms initiatives, we decided to build 48 flats

Curfew imposed on Kafanchan Ibraheem Musa Kaduna

twenty- four hour curfew has been imposed in Kafanchan town, headquarters of Jemaá local government area of Kaduna State, following the interception of two trailers of armed hunters who were allegedly on their way to Nasarawa State. Upon further search on them after their arrest yesterday, the hunters were said to be in possession of dane guns, machetes, bows and arrows amongst other sophisticated weapons. They have been handed over to military authorities in Kafanchan for further interrogations. The chairman of the council, Mr Daniel Amos, said that security operatives at Kwoi in Jaba local government, arrested 24 travellers who claimed to be hunters from Katsina,

enroute to Keffi in Nasarawa state. He said the news of the arrest raised tension in Kafanchan as youths threatened to take laws into their hands. The council had to impose the 24-hour curfew to douse tension, he added. According to him, everything has been brought under control, assuring Kafanchan residents to remain calm and avoid actions that could lead to a breach of the law. Meanwhile, Governor Muktar Yero has appealed to the people of Kaduna State to remain calm and not to take laws into their hands. In a statement by his Director-General, Media and Publicity, Alhaji Ahmed Maiyaki, the governor assured that adequate security surveillance has been put in place to avert any breakdown of law and order.

there and awarded the contract. Then people came with soldiers, claiming the land belong to the federal government. That is why they have stopped the construction. Some agents of the Federal government has put soldiers, claiming

that they own the land. He also said that another land proposed for Ilubinrin Housing Estate where his administration is planning to build LagosHoms housing scheme had been taken over by federal government agents allegedly

led by Obanikoro. He said: “Somebody has gone to put up a sign of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Now, that land has been there for the last five years, the contract on reclaiming that land was issued by the Lagos State

government to Julius Berger under my predecessor’s tenure, about a month or so, we awarded the contract for the construction. Suddenly, the federal government realises that it needs to claim the ownership of the land.”

R-L: Vice President Namadi Sambo; Minister of Transport, Alhaji Umar Idris and Minister of Power, Prof. Chinedo Nebo, during their meeting on power held at the State House, Abuja...yesterday. PHOTO: Timothy Ikuomenisan.

17.8

The number of fixed-telephone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants worldwide in 2010. Source: Itu.int

4.45m

The total number of internet users in Portugal in 2008. Source: Blatantworld.com

55.8%

The male percentage of internet users in Turkey in 2012. Source: Itu.int

‘Agumagu is the most qualified candidate’ CONTINUED FROM PAGE 6

ties when, for example, it found it necessary to discipline the then President of the Court of Appeal, it was by way of recommendation to the President who approved the recommendation and thus that Justice was suspended. When, subsequently it saw the need to recall the suspended Justice, it did not do so directly, it similarly recommended to the President to effect the recall.” “There are other examples including the recommendation for the suspension of the Judge who tried the EFFC case of pension embezzlement whose suspension was recommended only after he had been tried and found wanting. There has been no instance in the past where the NJC, without hearing from a Judge, or even after so hearing, goes directly to suspend a Judge. This precedent is dangerous as it means that any Judge of any Court

can, without being heard, for any reason, just stop functioning as a Judge in the name of suspension by the NJC. This is dangerous.” Worgu Boms stated that the Rivers State Government wrote NJC to inform the council that its twin doctrines for rejecting Justice Agumagu were unknown to the Law in the appointment of Chief Judge under the Constitution. The State government further rejected the rejection of Justice Agumagu on the ground that the basis for his rejection cannot be founded in Law since only 10 years post call is the minimum constitutional requirement. And then rejected the recommendation of Justice Okocha. Worgu Boms disclosed that when NJC stuck to its gun on the recommendation of Justice Okocha, the Rivers State Government and the State Judicial Commission had to file a suit before the Federal High

Court sitting in Port Harcourt. The NJC(1st Defendant) entered appearance and Justice Okocha applied to join and was joined as the 2nd Defendant. It will be recalled that in its ruling of March 19, the Federal High Court agreed with the State government and the State Judicial Commission and ruled in their favour. Amongst others, the Court ruled that: “I find no reason from the letter written by the NJC to disqualify Agumagu who, in my opinion is qualified to be recommended to the Governor for appointment as Chief Judge for the State. In the absence of any such reason, Agumagu remains the candidate to be recommended and forwarded to the Governor for appointment as Chief Judge of Rivers State. “It is ordered that the 1st Defendant (the NJC) acting by itself or through its council members, servants, agents and privies are hereby restrained

from carrying into effect the decision and recommendation in the said letter of 22nd July 2013 or acting upon it in any way or manner detrimental to the interest of the Plaintiffs(Rivers State Government and the State Judicial Commission) or acting in a way and manner suggesting an insistence on the candidate(Justice Okocha) it recommended by its letter of 22nd July, 2013.” The Attorney General said that based on this Judgement, the NJC has no further role to play in the matter in the face of the restraining Order and the holding that Justice Agumagu is the most qualified candidate and who ought to be recommended by the NJC. Based on this premise, Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State, appointed Agumagu and the State House of Assembly screened him and he was successfully sworn in as the 7th Chief Judge of the State.

NEWs

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Reps probe Agip over oil spill in Bayelsa POLLUTION

Reps want adequate compensation for victims of oil spills Philip Nyam Abuja

he House of Representatives yesterday mandated its joint committee on environment, oil and gas to investigate the causes of incessant spills by Agip Oil, particularly the one that affected the

Ikrama community in Bayelsa State. The House also wants the communities affected by oil spills to be timely and adequately compensated based on Total Economic Value (TEV) and in line with international best practices. This decision was taken following a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon. Stella Dorgu (PDP, Bayelsa) at yesterday’s sitting. While leading debate on the motion, Dorgu not-

Bayelsa Governor, S. Dickson

ed that on March 21, 2014, there was an oil spill in Ikarama community, Yenagoa Local Government

Area of Bayelsa State from a facility owned by the Nigerian Agip Oil Company. She said this resulted in loss of farmlands, polluted water sources and displacement many of the indigenes. According to her, rivers and farmlands in Ikarama community have been devastated by the spill. Economic trees, crops and aquatic lives have been lost. Health has been jeopardised. The financial, environmental, social and health toll cannot be quantified.

Osun 2014: Adeleke, Omisore, Minister in scuffle Adeolu Adeyemo Osogbo

hree days to the conduct of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primary election for its gubernatorial aspirants in Osun State,

two of the aspirants, Alhaji Isiaka Adeleke, Senator Iyiola Omisore and Minister of Police Affairs, Alhaji Jelili Adesiyan, yesterday clashed at a popular hotel in Osogbo. The hotel was the

venue of a meeting between all the contesting aspirants and the fiveman electoral committee sent from Abuja to preside over the state congress of the party ahead of Saturday’s primary election.

Trouble started on Tuesday, when security aides of the minister intercepted some thugs allegedly sent by Adeleke as his advance party before he later arrived the venue of the meeting.

2015: Marwa, Nyako's camps trade words Ibrahim Abdul s the dust raised by the defection of General Buba Marwa from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is yet to settle, a serious altercation has ensued between the camps of General Marwa and that of Governor Murtala Nyako. The Director of Press and Public Affairs to Governor Nyako, Mallam Ahmad Sajoh, has accused Marwa of defecting to the PDP following his failure to get money from Governor Nyako as well as former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar. He said Marwa’s various attempts to get money from the two has met a brick wall, hence his defection. “We are aware that the Marwa group has approached Governor Nyako

severally for money and has equally contacted former Vice-President Abubakar for money as well.” But, in a swift response, spokesman for the Marwa group, Hon. Musa Bubakari Kamale, dismissed the allegation as frivolous, saying that the real reasons behind the defection was the entrenchment of impunity, injustice, lack of internal democracy and the lack of democratic culture being entrenched in the APC. Sajoh said the defection of Marwa will not affect the fortunes of the party as he has no electoral value, leading to his inability to win even his ward when he contested the governorship of the state under the platform of CPC in 2011. “ForusinAdamawaState, Marwa’s defection was of very little consequence as he has no electoral value as he could not even win his electoral ward during the 2011 gubernatorial contest,” Sajoh added.

Yola

ACROSS THE NATION Cross River

Osun

Kwara

FCT

Calabar

Osogbo

Ilorin

Abuja

APC holds ward congress Saturday

Trucks account for more road accidents –Corps Marshal

Cross River to build 400 housing units for workers The Cross River State government is to build 400 housing units for its workers in Akpabuyo Local Government Area of the state. State governor, Liyel Imoke, made this known on Tuesday when he received in audience the state chapter of the Nigerian Labour Union, led by its Chairman, Comrade John Ushie, in his office

in Calabar. Imoke said he was concerned about the plight of workers in the state and will ensure that he constructs housing units in order to ameliorate their suffering. “I am aware of the difficulty being faced by workers in the state, especially with regard to accommodation and I will do all within my power to help alleviate the situation,” Imoke promised.

Osun Assembly passes appropriation bill into law An appropriation bill of N234 billion was yesterday passed into law by the Osun State House of Assembly. Speaking on the passage of the bill on the floor of the House, Hon. Kamil Oyedele, chairman, House Committee on Finance and Appropriation, after moving a motion for the final reading of the bill, said government must be revenue-

driven in the implementation of the budget. Oyedele said; “The various House Committee must ensure that Ministries, Departments and Agencies of government in their care improve on their Internally Generated Revenue for the successful implementation of the budget. “Due to the dwindling allocation from the federation account, all hands must be on deck to improve on the state’s IGR.”

Zamfara

FCT

Gusau

Abuja

Former Zamfara military administrator joins PDP The former Military Administrator of Zamfara State, Colonel Jibrin Bala Yakubu (rtd), yesterday joined the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) in Nasarawa State. Yakubu, who was incarcerated for 11 years before he was discharged by the court, said his decision to join

the PDP was because of its wide acceptability in the state. “The just concluded local government election has proved that the state is still controlled by the PDP. The former military administrator, who hails from Nasarawa State, claimed that the PDP in the state will surely reclaim its mandate in the 2015 general elections.

Court throws out suit against algon leaders A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, yesterday dismissed a suit against the leadership of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) led by Akuso Damjuma. Justice Abdul Kafarati, in a judgement declined jurisdiction over the case filed by a faction of the associa-

tion led by Nwanbueze Okafor, on the ground that they lacked the locus standi to initiate the suit. The judge held that from the evidence before the court, it was evident that Okafor and Ibrahim Dikko, who sued on behalf of ALGON’s Registered Trustees, were not members of the association’s incorporated trustees.

The Kwara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) announced yesterday that it will hold its ward congresses on Saturday. In a statement by its interim state Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, the party said it was ready to kick off congresses that will elect a total of 5,447 officials that will be elected during the congresses to direct the affairs of the party in the state. The statement, which said that all arrangements have been concluded for a hitch-free exercise, said the local government version of the exercise will take place on April 12, 2014. Excerpt from the statement reads: “As stated earlier, 26 officials would be elected from each of 193 wards of the state, 25 officials from each of the 16 local government areas, while 29 would be elected in the state.

The Corps Marshal of the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), Mr. Osita Chidoka, has said that trucks under fleet of Dangote Industries Limited and the Young Shall Grow motors accounted for 15 and 30 per cent road accidents nationwide respectively. He said while Dongote Group of Company accounts for 15 per cent death on Nigerian roads, the ‘Young Shall Grow’ Transport Limited, accounts for 30 per cent deaths every month, attributing their frequent road crashes to reckless driving. However, he said the crashes had reduced due to persistent enforcement of road regulations. The Corps Marshal spoke yesterday in Abuja at the opening of the ongoing Petroleum Tanker Drivers’ delegate conference.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 4, 2014

No varsity should admit students without JAMB's knowledge – NUC Mojeed Alabi

he National Universities Commission (NUC) has again warned higher institutions across the nation, especially universities, not to admit students through the back door, without the consent of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). Director of the Quality Assurance Unit of the NUC, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, who disclosed this yesterday while delivering a lecture at the Bells University of Technology, Ota, Ogun State, said students and parents are usually at the receiving end of such

actions by the universities. Mafiana, who spoke on; ‘Registry Operations and Assurance of Quality in the 21st Century Nigerian University System,’ cited examples of many students, who could neither participate in the mandatory National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC), nor be called to the bar by the nation’s law schools, “because their institution’s did not carry JAMB along in their admission processes. The event was the maiden edition of BELLSTECH’s registry’s annual lecture series, where Mafiana was the guest lecturer.

APC, PDP in war of words over governance in Delta Dominic Adewole Asaba

he opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party in Delta State yesterday traded words over the issue of governance in the state. While the APC passed a damning verdict on the seven-year-old administration of Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan’s administration in the state, the PDP said it was still the party to beat in the 2015 governorship election. This was even as re-

nowned economist and the Director of the Lagos Business School, Prof. Pat Utomi and Chief Fidelis Tilije, a three-time running mate to Chief Great Ogboru, the governorship candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP), declared their intentions to join the race to succeed Uduaghan next year. The APC vowed to end “the reign of terror, decades of monumental failure and the hegemony which the governor held over the oil rich state for his predecessor, Chief James Ibori.”

Ayede-Ekiti stool: Aggrieved contenders demand due process Taiwo Jimoh

he race as to who succeeds the late monarch of Ayede Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adeleye Orisagbemi, is getting stiffer by the day as nine contenders to the stool have alleged favoritism for a certain group. The contenders have written a petition to the commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, alleging external influences to install a new monarch without following due process by picking unqualified person to mount the stool of the community. The contenders recently

alleged that one Adebayo Orisagbemi Filani, was announced as the new monarch. This was said to have resulted into series of legal battles between Oye Local Government and the state government. “But to our surprise, what we read on the pages of newspapersthatOrisagbemiFilani had been nominated as the new Attah of Ayede, without screening others, baffles us.” Speaking with New Telegraph in Lagos, Prince Joseph Omotosho, one of the contenders to the throne, said after the demise of the monarch in in 2009, a regent was installed as customs demanded.

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; wife of Ekiti State Governor, Erelu Bisi Fayemi; Governor Kayode Fayemi and the state's Interim Chairman, All Progressives Congress, APC, Jide Awe, during the JKF Re-Election Campaign Rally, at Isan-Ekiti, in Oye Local Government Area... yesterday

N5.96bn

The internally generated revenue of Yobe State in 2010. Source: National bureau of Statistics

38.5%

The percentage of households with a computer worldwide in 2011. Source: Itu.int

3.86m

The total number of internet users in United Arab Emirate in 2008. Source: Blatantworld.com

Dead workers, retirees still collect salaries in Adamawa FRAUD

Some elements in the Adamawa State civil service fleece the treasury monthly Ibrahim Abdul Yola

ndications emerged yesterday that some dead workers and pensioners in Adamawa State are still collecting monthly salaries from

the state government’s coffers. This was made known yesterday by the state Head of Service (HOS), Mr. Musa Kaibo. Kaibo told newsmen in an interview in Yola that some others discovered to be still enjoying their salaries, include those who withdrew their services from the state government and those on secondment to other organisations. Kaibo added that the

discovery was made at the state’s Post Primary School Management Board (PPSMB), following investigations by a committee probing the non-payment of some newly recruited teachers by the board. He said four members of staff, comprising two from e-payment office of the Accountant-General and two from the PPSMB, had been suspended for their alleged involvement in the fraud.

“Gover nment is shocked by this discovery and had to mandate the committee to expand the probe to other ministries and departments in the state,” Kaibo said. Also confirming the development, state Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Ibrahim Buba, said the account of the 181 people involved in fraud had been blocked, having saved N8.8 million in March for the PPSMB.

Test: Oshiomhole vows to impose sanction on absentee teachers Cajetan Mmuta BENIN

do State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday vowed that teachers in public primary and secondary schools in the state who fail to submit themselves for the assessment test organised by the state government, would be sanctioned. The governor said such teachers may have their names deleted from the state’s payroll.

Oshiomhole spoke while receiving the report of the exercise from the Teachers’ Assessment Committee led by Prof. Dennis Agbonlahor, former ViceChancellor of Ambrose Alli University. He said; “What I can readily tell you is that no teacher will remain in the payroll of Edo State government, if we have not assessed him and we are convinced that he is indeed fit to be entrusted with the classroom or

the particular subject which our pupils are asked to learn.” The governor said the test “for us is not politics; it is to stress the essence of governance and prepare our kids for the future, for the inevitable role they have to play.” He acknowledged that; “Flipping through the report, it is clear that you did a thorough job, painstakingly analysing all the issues like elder statesmen and good educationists in spite of the harassment

and subtle threat you received; and you remained focused on the assignment and in the end, you have come out with a report. “I believe, this report will help us have a better insight into the challenge of managing an efficient and reliable primary and secondary education in the state.” According to him, “Even more importantly, you have ideas of what we have to do with the outcome and you gave a set of options."

10 NEWS

LEADERSHIP

Two opposing groups contend for APC leadership in Anambra Uwakwe Abugu Awka

leadership crisis is brewing in the Anambra State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as two groups are laying claim to the leadership of the state executive committee of the

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 4, 2014

Crisis hits Anambra APC as two groups lay claim to leadership party in the state. The renewed crisis seems to have roots in the disagreement between the National Vice-Chairman, South, of the party, Senator Annie Okonkwo and leader of the party in the state, Senator Chris Ngige. Whereas the group loyal to Senator Ngige recognises the state executive of the party led by Amaechi Obi-

dike, the one led by Hon. Chuks Chinwuba, said to have been elected last year, appears ready to stop the scheduled state congress of the party, maintaining that its tenure has not elapsed. The situation appears a growing threat to the nationwide congresses scheduled by the APC and the coming exercise may meet a brick wall in

the state as the Chinwuba-led faction has told the party not to conduct any fresh congress in the state until the pending suit on the issue of the executives of the party in the state is finally determined by the court. Contacted yesterday to comment on the crisis, Okelo Madukife, of Senator Chris Ngige Campaign

Organisation, said there was no crisis in the party and that the party is going on with the preparation for the state congress as ordered by the national leadership of the party. However, the protesting executive of the party led by Chinwuba has accused Senator Ngige, leader of the party in the state, of trying to sidetrack the

Ebola fever: Lagos alerts public on prevention

NOUN election: Aspirant promises accountability, transparency

Appolonia Adeyemi and Muritala Ayinla

Chris Ejim Yenagoa

gainst the backdrop of the outbreak of Ebola fever in some neighbouring West African countries of Guinea and Liberia, the Lagos State government has advised the public to maintain high standard of personal and environmental hygiene as part of precautions to prevent the disease in the state. This was contained in a statement issued yesterday by the Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Ministry of Health, Mr. Tunbosun Ogunbanwo. “These measures, which include washing of hands often with soap and water, avoiding close contact with people who were infected and ensuring that objects used by the sick are decontaminated and properly disposed, are necessary to reduce the risk of infection, said Commissioner for Health, Dr. Jide Idris. The commissioner also advised health workers to be at alert, wear personal protective equipment, observe universal basic p re c a u t i o n s wh e n attending to suspected or confir med cases and report same to their local government councils or ministries of health immediately.

subsisting state executive. Already, lawyers to the protesting group has written theNationalChairmanof the party,Chief BisiAkande,stating that it was opposed to any attempt to conduct the fresh state congress as outlined in theparty’snationalschedule, saying such exercise, when the matter is still pending in court would amount to contempt of court.

L-R: General Manager, Sales and Customer Services, Lafarge WAPCO Cement Plc, Mr. Sam Ndionyenma; Chairman, Chief Olusegun Osunkeye; overall winner, Alhaji Jimoh Owolabi and Managing Director, Lafarge WAPCO Cement Plc, Mr. Joe Hudson, during the company's 2013 Customer Award ceremony in Lagos…yesterday. PHOTO:SULEIMAN HUSAINI

69.2%

The number of mobile-cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of developing countries in 2010. Source: Itu.int

2.5m

The number of internet users in Uganda in 2008. Source: Blatantworld.com

37.7%

The female percentage of internet users in Mexico in 2012. Source: Itu.int

Robbers hack man to death in Onitsha

Kashamu hails Obasanjo’s olive branch, sues for peace

ampaging armed bandits, who have been laying siege on the Enugu-Onitsha and Nsukka-Ninth Mile Corner federal highways, last Monday hacked a building engineer, Mr. Reuben Ajibo, to death by breaking his skull, using a machete. The deceased, an elder brother of the DirectorGeneral of Onitsha Chamber of Commerce, Industries, Mines and Agriculture (ONICCIMA), Mr. Wilfred Ajibo, boarded a commercial vehicle along with his wife on the fateful day as they were returning to Onitsha after attending a funeral ceremony of their

Wale Elegbede

relation, but was killed at Imezi-Owa in Enugu State. The ONICCIMA helmsman expressed deep concern over the state of insecurity along the roads aforementioned, calling for more patrols by relevant security authorities to preserve the lives and property of citizens who have to ply the roads daily in pursuit of their businesses. According to the grieving younger Ajibo, his brother “was killed last Monday at Imezi-Owa , Enugu State along the Onitsha-Enugu Expressway after attending the funeral ceremony of our paternal grandmother, and this was a man who has seven children,” he said.

ndications that the feud between former President Olusegun Obasanjo and the Chairman, Organisation and Mobilisation Committee, of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the South-West, Prince Buruji Kashamu, may soon end emerged yesterday in Lagos. This was even as Kashamu said that he welcomed the olive branch extended by the former President to the former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and others who offended him. Obasanjo had over the weekend, said

that he had forgiven Atiku and others who offended him. In a statement issued in Lagos, Kashamu, who has been at daggers drawn with the former President over some issues, said: “Baba Obasanjo’s offer is a welcome development that should be embraced not only by all those who offended him, but also by those he (Obasanjo) had offended. “Although, some doubting Thomases have said that they are waiting to see him walk the talk, I strongly believe that this is one opportunity that we all must not allow to slip off our hands."

s the election of the Law Society of Nigeria, National Open University of Nigeria, Yenagoa branch, Bayelsa State chapter, draws nearer, one of the contestants for the president’s position, Goodluk Ayebanoa, on Monday promised to continue from where the present executive has taken the organisation. He said his regime also intends to introduce some developmental issues the will enhance learning and students’ interaction at the NOUN Bayelsa State study centre, among which are regular seminars, accountability and transparency and unity between and students and management of the institute. Ayebanoa said this while unveiling his blueprint to journalists in Yenagoa, the state capital. According to him, he is a candidate with motivation and as a former Public Relations Officer of the association, his desire is to add more values to the union by building on the legacies of the previous administration that had partnered with Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration, which has given them a study centre within the Niger Delta University, Law Faculty in Yenagoa and commended the ministry of education for facilitating that gesture.

NEWS

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Rumbles linger in Rivers PDP over minister’s guber ambition INTRIGUES

Wike's camp accused of hijacking party structure Joe Ezuma

Port Harcourt

he Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Rivers State Chapter, appears to be battling with simmering discontent and ethnic positioning not unconnected with the political ambition of Supervising Minister For education, Chief Nyesome Wike. This development, New Telegraph investigations revealed, has embroiled

29.3%

vested interests within the party , especially in its pressure group the Grassroots Development Initiative(GDI), in mutual recriminations, denials and accusations. Against the flurry of endorsements of Wike’s governorship mandate in 2015, which some political observers view as being instigated by the minister’s camp, there has been an equally robust opposition. The GDI, Wike’s political baby and an instrument for the prosecution of local political warfare in the state, especially for 2015 agenda , has been accused lately of hijacking the PDP through lopsid-

The male percentage of internet users in Paraguay in 2012. Source: Itu.int

ed leadership by an ethnic group and pushing the agenda of one person. The people of Ogoni in Rivers State last week distanced themselves from the alleged endorsement of Wike for governorship race in the state on the platform of the party, come 2015. This action was a counterpoise to that of a group, the Ogoni/ Orashi Alliance (OOA), which had recently endorsed Wike (who hails from the same Ikwerre ethnic nationality and Rivers East senatorial district with the incumbent Governor, Chibuike Amaechi), for the gubernatorial race. A statement issued

28.6%

The percentage of households with internet access at home in Asia & Pacific region in 2012. Source: Itu.int

in Port Harcourt by the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP), the apex socio-cultural body of the Ogoni ethnic nationality, described the alleged endorsement as the handiwork of some self-serving Ogoni politicians and urged the people of Ogoni and the general public to “discountenance the spurious, deceitful, and misleading report.” The statement, signed by MOSOP President, Legborsi Saro-Pyagbara, gave the names of Ogoni politicians who are behind the endorsement of Wike, to include; Dr. Fred Kpakol, Hon. Olaka Nwogu and Chief Monday Ngbor.

N73.7bn

The IGR realized from other revenue sources of Lagos State in 2012. Source: National bureau of Statistics

L-R: Zonal Head, North-West Zone of the First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Mr. Abdullahi Mainasara; Director of Personnel Management, Fagge Local Government Area in Kano State, Alhaji Mohammed Baba Garba and an official of the bank, Mr. Mohammed Fagge during the launch/handing over of customised Point of Sales (PoS) machines by FCMB for revenue collection, held in Kano…yesterday

QUERY

Group wonders how funds greater than Ministries' imprest get into the office of a governor's wife Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

hile the office of the Imo State Governor’s wife, Mrs. Nkechi Okorocha, is yet to come out with an official figure of cash recently stolen from the office by a security aide, reports

Group wants probe into funds stolen in Mrs Okorocha’s office indicate the cash may be in excess of N37million and not the N8.5m reported earlier. Consequently, a group under the platform of Imo Transparency Initiative (ITI) has requested that Mrs Okorocha account for the stolen cash which it described as tax-payers’ money lying recklessly in the office of a woman who is not even entitled to an

imprest. The group led by Comrade Nkem Abaka, expressed dismay that funds far greater than the imprest of several ministries and parastatals should be found in the office of the Mrs Okororcha. Abaka argued that the office of the governor’s wife is not recognized by law and has no business lodging such large amount

of cash. The group called for an investigation into the matter, saying that pointing accusing fingers at the fleeing Policeman is not enough as questions should be asked over such wanton abuse of public funds. Meanwhile, New Telegraph has reliably gathered that Mrs Okorocha has since sacked all police personnel in her office.

FG sued over ban on same sex marriage ...court fixes April 28 for hearing

he Federal Government was yesterday dragged before the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over the ban on same-sex marriage. The court is being asked to stop the Federal Government from implementing the Same Sex Marriage Prohibition Act. The judge, Justice Abdul Kafarati, has fixed April 28 for hearing. The Plaintiff, Teriah Joseph Ebah, had, through his counsel, Mike EnahoroEbah, filed an originating summons praying the court for a declaration

that the provisions of Same Sex Marriage (Prohibition) Act, 2013 particularly sections 1(1) (a) & (b), (2), 2(1) &(2) and 3 violate and contravene Nigeria Citizens' Fundamental Rights as enshrined and protected in Section 42 (1) (a) & (b) of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 and Articles 2,3 (1) and (2), 19 and 29 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples' Right (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap A9, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, and is accordingly unconstitutional, null and void.

NGO, prisons service to treat inmates Jude Opara Abuja

Non- Governmental Organization, Robinson Akpua Foundation, has concluded plans with the Nigerian Prisons Services to carry out an awareness campaign and treatment of prison inmates across the country for HIV/ AIDS, tuberculosis and Hepatitis. In a statement issued in Abuja yesterday, the founder and president of the foundation, Robinson Akpua, said the first phase of the exercise will hold in 16 prisons based on two prisons per each

of the 8 zones of the Nigerian Prisons Services as well as the National Headquarters of the organization. Akpua further revealed that the idea behind the exercise was to give a new lease of life to the inmates whom he said are often not captured when awareness campaigns on the deadly diseases are being carried out. He added that there was the need for Nigeria as a country to begin to think on how to reintegrate its prisoners, saying that being an ex-convict does not mean that the person cannot be useful to himself and the society in future.

Nasarawa Police smash robbery gang Muhammad Ahmad Lafia

he Nasarawa State Police Command, has ar rested a three-man robbery gang who raped three of their victims during an operation along Obi -Agwatashi Road in Obi Local Government Area of the state. This was disclosed by the command’s spokesman, ASP Umar Isma’ila, yesterday in Lafia, the state capital. Isma’ila said the police engaged the robbers in a gun battle

which led to the arrest of one of the suspects who suffered bullet wounds. He explained that the suspect, who is currently in custody, had made useful statements to the police. "Mobile phones, cash and other valuables were recovered from the suspects," Isma’ila said, adding that investigation was still on. He urged the public to be vigilant and give the police useful information that would help in the fight against crime and criminality.

metr

NEW TELEGRAPH

Thursday, A

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

Stude

Cajetan Mmuta Benin

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

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abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

0802 393 8212

THURSday, APRIL 3, 2014

Again, ritual killers’ den discovered in Ogun MAD KILLER A man suspected to be a lunatic is arrested for being in possession of human parts Kunle Olayeni Abeokuta

here was confusion yesterday in Ewekoro local government area of Ogun State as an underground cell suspected to be the operational base of ritual killers was uncovered. The den, discovered under a bridge at Iyana Egbado village on the Abeokuta - Lagos Expressway,

was allegedly littered with sliced human parts, bloodfilled plastic containers, female pants, brassieres, men and women’s shoes, blood-stained dresses and duvet. Other items found included knives, assorted soft drinks and damaged electronics. A middle-aged man, identified as Gbenga, was arrested by policemen from the Itori Division in connection with the incident. It was gathered that the suspect, who hitherto was known as a lunatic, was in possession of severed human parts when he was apprehended. Witnesses disclosed that

the suspect had attempted to kill an unidentified woman, who was rescued by a passer-by. According to sources, the passer-by became suspicious of Gbenga’s cellophane bag and later tore it only to discover that the contents were severed human parts. The man raised the alarm which attracted people from a nearby cement factory. The enraged crowd attempted to lynch the suspected lunatic. A witness, Samuel Oladele, told journalists that the suspect pleaded with the crowd not to kill him, brought out a mobile phone and made some calls. Oladele claimed that the suspect later confessed that

he belonged to a five-man syndicate which had operated in the Ewekoro axis in the last nine months. When contacted, the state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, confirmed the incident but said members of the public should not rush into conclusion. Adejobi disclosed that the suspect was already in the custody of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID). He explained that the suspect was about to be mobbed when policemen from Itori and Ifo divisions got to the scene and whisked him away.

Crowd at the scene. Inset: Clothes discovered under the bridge

Fuel crisis: Fire kills two sisters CRUEL FATE A mother of seven and her younger sister die in an inferno while frying yam and baked beans Taiwo Jimoh

he seemingly intractable fuel crisis in the country has continued to take its toll on the hapless citizens. But for the fuel shortage Mrs Evelyn Ankpa and her younger sister, simply identified as Comfort, would probably be still alive. The mother of seven and her sister met their untimely death while eking out a living. On the fateful day, Ankpa was frying yam and akara (baked beans) by the roadside at the popular Iyana-Ejigbo in Lagos when death came calling. The incident, according to witnesses, occurred when a tricycle otherwise called Keke Marwa, loaded gallons of fuel run into a pothole nearby. One of the gallons fell on the road while an

oncoming vehicle ran over it, in the process spilled the content which attracted fire from Ankpa’s local stove. Ankpa and Comfort sustained first degree burns from the ensuing inferno. A few days later, the sisters died in the hospital. But the late Evelyn’s husband, Anthony Ankpa, believed his wife and her sister would have survived if there was enough money to procure the best of medical treatment for them. The bereaved man, who described his wife’ death as painful, said she was irreplaceable. He said: “My wife’s death is a big

The late Mrs. Ankpa

lost to me and my children, because the burden she left behind for me is too cumbersome for me to bear. “I would like to remarry my wife even if die today and meet her in heaven. She is still the woman I would like to marry 100 times.” Ankpa, who hails from Eboyi State, also recalled how the incident happened. He said: “On that fateful day, my wife was hale and healthy before she left for her shop at Iyana-Ejigbo. There was no premonition of death lurking around as she set out that day. “Before I got to the scene of the incident, some Good Samaritans had rushed my wife and her younger sister to a private hospital. But when I got to the hospital and saw my wife and her sister, with the level of the burns, I was crying.” Ankpa disclosed that he was asked to deposit N500,000 for the two victims by the medical doctor of the hospital. He said: “After a while at the hospital, I noticed that the treatment they were given was not okay, so I decided to take them to the General Hospital, Isolo from where we were referred to

Igbobi. “While at Igbobi the medical team there attended to us and treated both of them, but unfortunately I was asked to also deposit N500,000 in respect of each of them. “When I could not raise the money, I waslaterreferredtotheLagosUniversity Teaching Hospital (LUTH), Idi-Araba, Mushin. But at LUTH, my wife gave up the ghost. “AsIspeak with you now, mywife islying at a mortuary in Eboyi State. We took herbodyhomewhenshewaspronounced dead at LUTH. “Sincemywife’sdeaththingshavenot beeneasyformeandmychildrenbecause shewastheonetakingcareof homeeven when I did not give her money for the upkeepof thechildren.“Weareblessedwith seven children; two boys and five girls. I urge all spirited Nigerians to come to my aid to train these children. “Even when we were training them together, it was not easy let alone now. One of his daughters, Nneka, said her mother’s death came to her and her siblings as a surprise. Shesaid:“Weneverexpectedhertodie in that manner.”

Three oi nabbed Joe Ezuma

Port Harcourt

hree crude oil thieves who sp ised in vandalising oil pip have been arrested in Rivers The suspects were arrested three 55,000 litres Mack trucks Two of the trucks were loaded with content suspected crude oil stolen from a Shell fa at Elelenwon. The state Commissioner of P Mr Tunde Ogunsakin, parade suspects yesterday. Ogunsakin said they we rested on March 28 by the P Monitoring Team attached t office of the commissioner of on Elelenwon - Akpajo Eleme Port Harcourt. He added that the oil thieves arrested in the course of loadin third truck. Ogunsakin said he immed drafted the monitoring team scene after he was briefed abo suspicious movements of som

2015: Southern Kaduna’ll vote against Jonathan –Danfulani / PAGE 17

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Some delegates responsible for Nigeria’s woes –Okoye

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THURSday, April 3, 2014

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Why Tinubu, Sheriff engaged in shouting match –Duhu

We learnt that there is a feud between two chieftains of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Ali Modu Sheriff and Bola Tinubu. What is responsible for the bad blood between the duo? I was an eye witness to what happened. The development was a normal thing in party politics. There must be disagreements and at the end of the day, we have to reach a consensus. What happened was about the procedure of how to conduct the forthcoming congresses and cational convention of the party. Initially, the proposal was that the national body will spearhead the overall activities culminating to the convention. So, after lengthy discussions, we agreed that the national convention committee should be saddled with the responsibility to conduct the national convention, but that the congresses should be overseen by the national chairman, as the chairman of the committee, and the national secretary with other members. I can tell you the relationship between Sheriff and Tinubu is blossoming as usual, they are bosom friends and partners in progress. What Sheriff did was to advise that the right thing must be done and this is what democrats want in Nigeria. The era of impunity in party politics has been eliminated in APC. We want the right things to be done and the electable person is so elected so that the party will have leaders that have been chosen by the members of the party.

So, you mean there was no serious altercation between Tinubu and Sheriff? Truly, there was no heavy misunderstanding as being reported in print and other social media. What really happened was that there was argument over the forthcoming congresses, where some people observed that the party must follow due process and one of the leaders felt that he was being accused of circumventing the rules of the party. But Sheriff stood his ground that the right thing must be done and this is the fundamental principle that we have in APC. So, that was the argument. But at the end of it, they all agreed that, yes the right thing must be done. The interim management committee cannot superintend over election that could bring them into office as substantive executive mem-

National Vice Chairman (North East) of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Umar Duhu, in this interview with IBRAHIM ABDUL in Yola, says the party was not rattled with the recent defections of members of the party to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). He also speaks on the rift between Senators Bola Tinubu and Ali Modu Sheriff

Duhu

bers. So, Sheriff ’s argument took precedent and now the national leadership agreed that the convention committee will be constituted to look into the election of the national executive committee members. So, this was the argument and it was agreed that the national convention committee will go and conduct national convention to elect substantive officials. Prior to the time of the meeting, the agreement was that the national chairman, the national secretary and few other members of the national executive committee will superintend over the national convention which most of them will be contestants. They wanted to come

What Sheriff did was to advise that the right thing must be done and this is what democrats want in Nigeria. The era of impunity in party politics has been eliminated in APC back to office as substantive executives. So, Sheriff stood his ground and that ground subsisted and that brought peace and harmony in the party. Today, we are a united family. Bola Tinubu celebrated

his birthday, he invited everybody and all the party chieftains were there. So, there was no misunderstanding to the extent that people thought that blows were about to be exchanged between Sheriff and Tinubu during the meeting. That was not true. President Goodluck Jonathan has declared that the PDP will take over Adamawa, Borno and Yobe states in 2015. So, what is the fate of APC? Let me tell you that there is nothing that can distract us from winning elections come 2015.The insecurity in the country is as a result of laxity of the president. We are not rattled at all. What the president said does not translate into votes. Today, the Northern people who are the electorate are suffering and the economy of the North has crumbled. So, do you expect the same people to vote for the president and his party? Definitely no; except Prof. Attahiru Jega will just sit in Abuja and write election results. But if people will be allowed to vote, I can assure you that we are not rattled by what the president said. We are ready to defeat them. But you are losing your chieftains to PDP? Who are the chieftains we are losing? These are people that have no political relevance today. We know their political antics; if they defected to PDP genuinely not because of aggrandisement, that’s understandable. But as we have said earlier a lot of Nigerian funds have been siphoned to buy over some political prostitutes so that they can now join the bandwagon of the PDP. These are the same people that were bought over. Dollars have exchanged hands. So, how do you see the defection of former Governors, Ibrahim Shekarau, Attahiru Bafarawa and Buba Marwa to the PDP? Don’t you see this development as a big minus for the party? The movement of Bafarawa, Shekarau and others out of the party will not affect its winning chances significantly because the party is not about big names, but it was structured in such a way that the commoners take precedence over evCONTINUED ON PAGE 18

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 3, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE Barr. Festus Okoye is the Executive Director of Human Rights Monitor and a delegate at the ongoing National Conference. In this interview with IBRAHEEM MUSA, he speaks on the contentious issue of voting procedure and sundry others. Excerpts: President Goodluck Jonathan stated at the inauguration of the national conference that decisions should be taken either by consensus or 75 per cent majority. Don’t you think that the matter had been foreclosed by the president? Why is the issue still being debated? The national conference is not the idea of the President. The national conference is not the idea of a majority of the delegates to the national conference. A substantial number of those now canvassing the idea of a national conference opposed it. The national conference is a platform for contestation of ideas and it must show a certain level of autonomy and independence to be taken seriously. It is not a tea party. It is a platform to either design a new Nigeria or maintain the present power equation that has kept the Nigerian people in abject poverty and squalor. Therefore, the delegates felt and rightly too, that the President is not permitted to lay down an iron cast benchmark for arriving at decisions. However, I agree with the idea of a consensus at arriving at decisions. It means that those with certain fixations must consult and canvass for support. It means that those with specific ethnic and religious agenda will do extra work to convince delegates to buy into their agenda. The spirit behind the consensus option is that whatever issue is finally agreed upon, will be pan Nigerian and will strengthen the bond of unity and brotherhood in Nigeria. But the benchmark of 75 per cent appears too high and rigid. It is therefore to the credit of delegates that the benchmark of 70 per cent has been agreed upon. Our hope is that delegates will put Nigeria first. If this is done, most of the recommendations will be progressive and unite the people of Nigeria. Why do you think that the issue of voting procedure has polarised the delegates along regional lines, with the South supporting two-thirds majority while Northern delegates want the status quo of 75 per cent majority to be maintained? The mode of voting created fear and anxiety among a substantial number of the delegates. Some of the delegates came to the conference with dangerous positions. Some of them were seeing enemies everywhere. Some of them weaved fantastic conspiracy theories. Some of them came and decided from the onset to maintain the status quo no matter the merit of any issue or any position. The truth is that ethnic and religious agenda has been the bane of Nigeria. It cannot lead the country towards the path of growth and prosperity. Labour and civil society delegates at the conference have therefore resolved to keep the middle ground open and strive for a pan Nigerian agenda that will address the challenges of underdevelopment. Our people want a template on how to tackle unemployment, decayed and decaying infrastructure. They want improved services and they want a template on how to tackle the monster of insecurity now and in the future. They want good and accountable governance. Therefore, ethnic and religious agenda will not put food on the table for them. More fundamentally, no ethnic and religious agenda will pass the crucible of scrutiny at this conference. With the matter referred to the 50 ‘wise men’ to resolve, what is the way out? From the beginning, we knew that every group will grandstand and vibrate and threaten fire and brimstone. We also knew that at the end of the day, things must be resolved through a process of give and take. We at the level of civil society have canvassed moderation,

Okoye

Some delegates responsible for Nigeria’s woes –Okoye Some of the delegates at this conference want to redeem themselves. Some of them have been at the centre of all the developmental challenges of this country. There are others that want to make a difference consultation and compromise. We have advised that the interest of the people of Nigeria should be paramount in all decisions and actions at the conference. It is to the credit of all the delegates that the threshold of 70 per cent has been proposed for the national conference. However, consensus is the key word and the benchmark for everybody. Critics have argued that some delegates will go to court over the issue, whichever way the issue is resolved. Will this not derail the confab? Some of the delegates at this conference want to redeem themselves. Some of them have been at the centre of all the developmental challenges of this country. There are others that want to make a difference. The time frame for the conference is short and going to court will only complicate the issues that are already complicated. The Nigerian people expect so much from us and we cannot afford to fail. History will not be kind to us if we do not facilitate the birth of a new Nigeria. Nigerians have a fundamental right to congregate and find solutions to the challenges facing the country. Do you agree that the issue of resource control or fiscal federalism is the real reason behind the disagreements over mode of voting? Fear of the unknown is the main reason behind the disagreement. Some people have made promises to their people that they cannot redeem. Some of them are also posturing and giving a false impression of deep seated disagreements. I am convinced that our direction

should be a rule based society that respects and upholds the principles of justice and equity. Fiscal federalism and resource control cannot solve the numerous challenges facing the country. The elite will still corner it at their level if they are allowed to control the resources of Nigeria. They have in the past misused and mismanaged the resources of Nigeria and they are not likely to do better even if all the resources are given to one ethnic or regional block. Some delegates argued that the confab is mandated to write a new constitution for Nigeria. Did you get the impression that the national conference is a Constituent Assembly from the president’s speech? The national conference can write a new constitution for Nigeria. However, such a constitution cannot be a constitution in the true sense of it since it will go to the President as a proposal. The national conference can also make other proposals that will lead to policy and attitudinal changes. It is not my intention and not the intention of a majority of delegates to play to the gallery. The conference does not have sovereign powers. It can only exercise limited autonomy. It is not a Constituent Assembly as the method of selection of the delegates lacks democratic content. Nevertheless, the Nigerian people want a national conference and we will try not to disappoint them. People have expressed concern about the final destination of the confab report. Some have suggested that it should be put to a referendum. Others want the report to be submitted to the President. Where do you stand? The final report of the national conference must go to the President. It will be an exercise in futility to pretend that we are sovereign. If the National Assembly amends the constitution to provide for a referendum then the President may, subject to an Act of the National Assembly, subject it to a referendum. We can make that proposal to the President. I believe that it is too early to talk of a referendum. Let us dissolve into committees and do the work. The quality of our work will drive the referendum. If we do a good work, the Nigerian people will own it and run with it.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 15

Thursday, April 3, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE Two weeks after it kicked off, the national conference appears to be wobbling and delegates have been unable to agree on the modalities for the dialogue. What is really happening? Well, there have been certain misconceptions and a lot of it has been fuelled by fear; the fear that certain formulae may be to the disadvantage of certain interests. I believe that the adjournment for a second time penultimate Wednesday was to enable some woolly areas in the minds of certain people to be cleared. First, it was a logistical issue, but now it is part of the work of the conference itself that we are trying to make sure that the machinery for operating and holding this conference is properly designed. So, it is not that the conference is wobbly, it is not. It is a conference of people who have come together in the interest of the country. Some have come with clear positions and some, fair-minded, have come with the belief that there is an urgent need to reinvent the country. We are moving forward to what you might call a concert of common interests and when that is established we do not see any problem with the conference. The process of getting it right is also part of the conference itself. We have issues like the operating rules. Does that not also mean that when it is resolved that we would have a smooth sail through the life of the conference? There seems to be an atmosphere of entrenched suspicion between the North and the South at this conference. Why is this so? I don’t know whether you can rightly call it suspicion. I think a lot of it has to do with latent and justifiable fears. That is why this seeking of a common ground becomes appropriate and absolutely necessary. I think that is part of the management tools available in ensuring that this conference picks up and runs according to the wishes of the people of this country. Some delegates do not have confidence in the Committee of 50 men and women saddled with the responsibility of breaking the deadlock at this conference. They say they are the same old names who brought Nigeria to its present position that are being recycled to find solution to the problems. Do you share this view? I believe that we are not going to find angels to come and sort out our problems. There is also the possibility of redemptive spirit pervading the place. So, if you find those you are lumping together in that description as those who are part of the problem or who created the problem, it is good having some of them coming forward and be part of the solution? I think that it is because they themselves believe there is still room for redemption that is why they are here. How do you see the threat to stage a walk out by the Lamido of Adamawa? The Lamido of Adamawa by his own admission says he is from two countries.

Secession: Those who have faith in Nigeria’ll stay –Okon Senator Anietie Okon is a founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and a delegate to the ongoing National Conference. In this interview, Okon examines the issues of referendum, voting procedure, secession threat and other controversies plaguing the conference. He tells ONWUKA NZESHI that those who have faith in Nigeria would salvage the country

Okon

So, those who have faith in this country would stay. What are your minimum expectations from this conference? It is not just a question of minimum expectations. The President in his inaugural speech to delegates talked about re-launching the country. If the country was wholesome enough, then we will not be here. It is a recognition that there are some glitches in the way this country is set out and organised; therefore those glitches have to be somehow removed so that we can have a country where clearly without even having to demand, a presumption of equality of persons and opportunities is achievable. Now that you have this disagreement on voting pattern still hanging, how hopeful are you that this matter will be resolved to allow the conference go on? It is a question of enlightening those who have fears about the sway of decisions based on population or representation. But once we strike the right cord about the commonality of our future,

there will be a reconsideration of positions. Let me remind you that in the course of the life of a man, there are times he comes up and re-examines the immediate past and the distant past and decides that the next few days he has on earth there must be some correction of those mistakes that has trailed his past through life. It is the same thing for a country. I have also heard that it is those who caused these problems and created some imbalance in the structure of the country that are also the same people here, but they forget that there is a term called redemption. There is both self and communal redemption. Maybe we are now going through a phase of com-

It has to do with latent and justifiable fears. That is why this seeking of a common ground becomes appropriate and absolutely necessary

munal redemption. Do you think that redemption will play out here? I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t believe it will play out. Why has this three quarter and two-thirds majority issue pitched Northern delegates against the Southern delegates? Three-quarter is clearly an abnormality. Even the draft rules that we have here state clearly that even to amend it and bring in the three quarter clause, you need to have two-thirds majority. It is repeated in several places in the draft rules, and we cannot out of the sky bring a rather strange formula for resolving the voting arrangement on the final decisions that would be reached at this conference. How would you want these conflicts of interests resolved? I am sure that the 50 ‘wise men’ that have been assembled to intervene would find answers to the problems. It was actually a surprise for me to see three-quarter because I have never heard of any arrangement in this country or anywhere else where people talk about three quarter. I am familiar with two-thirds. If you want to be a governor or president, the constitution talks about two-thirds and it seems a reasonable number. Two-thirds majority is 66 per cent and two-thirds of the population you are dealing with but three-quarter which is 75 per cent is on the high side. People who are pushing for it are quoting the President that he wanted consensus and so if we cannot get consensus we should use a figure that is close to consensus. They think that consensus means 100 per cent but you really cannot get a hundred per cent endorsement on critical national issues. I believe that the President meant well when he talked about consensus because if we are able to arrive at a consensus it would be good for our country. But in the absence of consensus, you must make do with what you can get. This conference, I must tell you, is not going to resolve all the problems of Nigeria. It might resolve some of the problems, but some of them that are based on ethnicity, tribe and religion are very intractable. You can see the country is polarised along ethnic and religious lines 100 years after we got together as a nation, and 53 years after we got our independence. So, you can see the enormity of the problems that we have been facing. My view is that we should work on these problems carefully with compromise. So, we all have to work hard to see that we arrive at a reasonable compromise.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 3, 2014

It’s too early to talk of Lagos governorship –Fowler Executive Chairman of the Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS), Mr. Babatunde Fowler, in this interview with MURITALA AYINLA speaks on his purported resignation and his governorship ambition in 2015, Excerpts: There were reports last week of your resignation as the Chairman of the Lagos Inland Revenue Service (LIRS). Did you actually resign? No. I have not resigned, you can see me still working. If I were to resign, there is a procedure for that. I would have reported to the governor, or sent a resignation letter to his office. The governor would have received it. It is the responsibility of the state government to issue a circular that I have resigned, or that I am leaving and the rest will follow. I wish to place on record that I have not resigned my appointment as the Executive Chairman of LIRS. I remain in office and continue to serve the people of Lagos State in my designated position. The report even stated that you resigned to contest for the Lagos State governorship election in 2015. In terms of the 2015 governorship race, I don’t believe I have had any press conference or briefing to tell anybody that I am running for the post of governor. I don’t know where that is coming from. If there are people that wish me that assignment, I say thank you (giggles). Quite frankly, it is a bit too early to start thinking about that. And running for an office to serve, I believe that there should be a sign, or people must request for your service before you start offering such. Should people of Lagos call on you to succeed Governor Babatunde Fashola, what will you do? Well, even if they do call me, I believe there is also a process to follow. There is a governor that I work for. There is a party with its machineries. I think all those factors have to be taken into consideration before one decides to take a decision in one way or the other. What do you think could have warranted these speculations? Well, I don’t know. But I believe if you were to ask me personally, it may be because some people are trying to pinpoint possible successors and some of them may have played what I will call religious cards, that they want a Christian. And if you look at the number of Christians in government, I mean those in what I will call high profile positions from Lagos, I’m one of them. Maybe that gave room for that speculation. Don’t you think you could also be picked? Let’s not go there for now. Who do you think should succeed Governor Fashola? Well, I believe the party choice is the

best choice. Looking at LIRS, what have you been to achieve so far? The main objective of the LIRS or any board of internal revenue is to provide revenue for government. And the bulk of these revenues come from taxes and levies. Most of the states relied on oil money. That was why former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu said if he was going to deliver on his mandate and move Lagos forward, he needed money. You can have a vision, but a vision without capability or ability in terms of money, remains a vision, or a mere dream. We have had good cooperation from taxpayers in Lagos; we have tremendous support from the former and present governors in carrying out our activities. And we have been able to increase revenues. So, clearly we generate more than what we get from federal allocations, and that helps to transform Lagos. People of Lagos can feel the impact and we like to enjoin others, who are yet to start paying taxes to join in the prompt payment, because there is much to be done. We still need to provide water for the increasing population, more infrastructure and Lagos should be the first choice for both business and tourism. There is no point in saying that you want to go on holiday in Dubai or London. Lagos should be your first choice. We have got nine beaches, we have got a lot of lovely places within our locality. Instead of going out, we should start relaxing and working at home. With Governor Fashola’s tenure coming to an end, any hope that the light rail project will be fully functional in Lagos soon? I am not a politician. One thing that I know is that the party has a determination and a policy not to leave any project abandon. So, whoever takes over, will continue and complete the project left behind by his predecessor. What is your take on fiscal federalism being agitated for by some states of the federation? This is another political question. Like I told you I am not a politician, but I am a technocrat. I believe that every state government should try and achieve its full potential in the generation of revenue and then the federal allocation should be shared on the basis of what we generate internally. This will assist every state in terms of development. This will also assist growth both economic and social across Nigeria. There is no point having a few states

Fowler

developing and others not. What will simply happen is that the states that are not being developed will come to the states that are developed and pull them down. But Nigeria is one country. I believe the whole country should develop, if not at the same pace, but at a relative pace. Some Lagosians are accusing the state government of multiple taxations. What is your take on that? There is nothing like double or multiple taxations in Lagos. There are illegal charges that have been spoken about in other states and if you are asked to pay a tax like generator charges, that is not within the law. We tell people to go to any of our offices, contact any of the agents or write petition to my office or that of Special Adviser to the Governor on Taxation, we will come and look into it. And if need be, we will fight their cases or arrest the individuals who are bringing furious charges to the residents or tax payers. What is the monthly Internal Generated Revenue (IGR) of Lagos before you assumed office and what it is now? Before I came on board, the average IGR was about N3.6 billion a month but

To kill this corruption that everybody is talking about, we must know what it is... and we must know the places where it could be found before we can start attacking it

as at last year it was a little over N20.5 billion a month. There are speculations that you are planning to handover to someone in the LIRS. How true is that? In terms of who succeeds me, it is the governor of the state who appoints the next chairman of the board and that appointment is approved by the House of Assembly. So, it is not my decision; it is the decision of the governor and the approval comes from the Lagos State House of Assembly. The best that I could do when I leave is put in a recommendation . But by law, it is the prerogative of the governor and the approval by the Assembly. What is your advice on the revenue drive for the state after you leave office? I believe that the system we have put in place is a good foundation for whoever takes over to build on. There were reports that 52 eminent Nigerians will be prosecuted for tax evasion. How far has the state government gone in the legal suit? The lawyers in the state Ministry of Justice and some private lawyers are handling that, but I won’t be able to give you names now until they are charged to court and it becomes public knowledge. Then, those names will be revealed to the public. When we shut companies, the court might have given us order to restrain those companies, that’s why the closure of such companies becomes public knowledge. At LIRS, we try as much as possible to follow the law to the letter.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Penultimate week, Dr. John Danfulani stirred the hornet’s nest when he promised to mobilise the people of Southern Kaduna to vote against both President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Muktar Yero in 2015. In this interview, the Political Science lecturer and activist tells MUHAMMAD ALI why he is against the Peoples Democratic Party-led government You are a lecturer at the Kaduna State University (KASU) and by extension a public servant. Why are you mired in partisan politics going by your recent call to mobilise the people of Southern Kaduna to vote against Governor Muktar Yero and President Goodluck Jonathan in 2015? Yes, I teach and do research at Kaduna State University. But we have another third schedule that people don’t get to know about, that is community service. So, I am not really politicking but engaging in this other third arm of my responsibility as a lecturer, which is community service. My running public commentary is trying to see that we have a responsible, responsive and productive government as part of my contribution to community service. But your last press conference, where you promised to mobilise your people against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), was beyond community service. You actually took a partisan position. Apart from the three aspects that I have enumerated, that is research, teaching and community service, I am also a citizen of Nigeria. So, I have a right to freedom of conscience and choice of political ideology. These are rights that cannot be taken away from me, simply because I am a teacher or I am engaged officially by Kaduna State government. But don’t you think asking others to vote one way or the other is partisanship? No. Life is all about enlightenment. What I am asking for is good government. I’m not partisan; I am not a card-carrying member of any political party. But I am advocating against the candidature of Kaduna State governor, Muktar Yero. I know that he must be presented by a party so by extension, I am against the PDP. For the purpose of analysis, you can say that I am against the PDP. But when the late Sir Patrick Yakowa was governor of Kaduna State, there were also killings in Southern Kaduna, but your group, the Concerned Realists of Southern Kaduna, didn’t ask the people to vote against PDP. Did you suddenly find your voice because Governor Yero is a Muslim? When Yakowa was governor, we had not more than three attacks. And he made efforts to ensure that the attackers were identified. Agreed, up to the time he left this world, nobody was arrested. But in the little over one year that Governor Yero has been in office, we have had over 47 attacks. And the attacks were of large magnitude

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW 17

2015: Southern Kaduna’ll vote against Jonathan –Danfulani over again. But what do you expect from and inept government? Okay, it’s logical that if I don’t want you in 2015, then I want the opposition to ascend to power. So, from that point of view, you can easily accuse me of backing the opposition. Yes, I’m working so hard that our people don’t give them their mandates because if they give them their votes, there may be no single soul left in southern Kaduna by say 2019.

Danfulani

We have a governor that when over 100 people were killed, he merely issued a statement; toeing the line of previous statements and they are being carried out almost on a weekly basis. After Atakar, the attacks extended to Morwa and look at what happened two weeks ago. During Yakowa’s time, whenever there was an attack, you will see him appearing at the scene. Now, we have a governor that when over 100 people were killed, he merely issued a statement; toeing the line of previous statements. The statement said that the governor was sorry for what happened and that the culprits will be identified and prosecuted. What I had expected him to have done was make a state broadcast. We are talking of over 100 lives mercilessly butchered, and the burning of entire villages. That called for a state broadcast and declaration of one day mourning in the state. Instead, they issued the usual press statement which is in their computer and they just copy and paste, they only change locations and dates. And as I talk to you now, Governor Yero has not gone to the scene of attacks. People and communities had mobilised to commiserate with the people, NEMA officials were there and so many people of goodwill have gone there. Based on these actions and inactions, as a Nigerian and someone from that area, I decided that PDP does not deserve our mandate in 2015. There were attacks when Vice President

Namadi Sambo was governor but you did not call for people to vote against PDP. Was it because you were Senior Special Assistant in that government? No, the attacks during Sambo’s time were just skirmishes and no society in the world is free from them. But I think that on security, we had the best during Sambo’s time. ‘Operation yaki’ (The joint security outfit of the state) was quite laudable and effective. Certainly, you cannot compare the administrative and physical management of security of this government with any other. It is the poorest. And they are not ready to listen to any advice. Governor Yero is bereft of ideas on how to even tackle the security challenge. The attack that happened in Bondong recently, if there were vigilantes that are not even armed, they would have alerted the villagers before the attack. And I am sure that at least about 97 per cent of these killings would have been averted. The damage would have been minimised because they would have been restricted to properties alone. The villagers could have easily run into the bush and the assailants would have met only empty homes. If the government had been creative in security management, it could have engaged able-bodied young men as vigilantes. Yet, the government spends billions on the army and police who will only man the roads. Compare the requirements of setting up a vigilante with the N37 million fire-fighting vehicle that Yero forced every local government to buy. Now, where were the fire-fighting vans when these villages were burnt? Some people are accusing you of working with the opposition in clinching the governorship in 2015. How true is this? I have heard that allegation over and

Southern Kaduna is Christian dominated, and rightly or wrongly, APC has been painted as a Muslim party. Do you think that you can cut through this stereotype and ask the people to vote against PDP that they have been voting for since 1999? I can assure you, that notion is a figment of people’s imagination. APC went on a mobilisation tour on March 23 in Kwoi and Kagarko. Despite the heat, people were held spellbound for three and half hours. It was just a mobilisation tour but you will think it was a rally. Admiral Ishaya Ibrahim Iko (rtd), former Chief of Naval Staff went there and spoke to the people. There is nothing like APC being a Muslim party. It’s PDP’s handiwork to try and paint APC as a Muslim party. But I don’t think so. Are you trying to tell me that all the bigwigs of southern Kaduna that graced the mobilisation tour are Muslims? Let’s even look at the registration pattern of APC; the party registered 100 people per polling unit and no unit returned zero registration in southern Kaduna. In spite of the challenges of providing two passport photographs, APC registered the required 100 members in all polling units in all the 87 wards in southern Kaduna. So, you can see that the people themselves have seen through the propaganda that is being bandied around that APC is a Muslim party. APC is an opposition party that is trying to wrest power from the ruling party. But PDP will always sell such an idea to the people of southern Kaduna because we are predominantly Christians. The way things are going, the PDP gubernatorial candidate is going to be a Muslim and that of APC will likely be a Muslim too. It is left for the people of southern Kaduna to take the road less travelled, or continue on the path that has been taking them through hell. The bulk of PDP votes come from Southern Kaduna, why can’t the party allow them to produce a gubernatorial candidate? Southern Kaduna only had an accidental chance when Yakowa emerged governor following Sambo’s elevation as Vice President. And in line with the party’s tradition, Yakowa again became candidate in 2011 because 70 per cent of those that make up the collegiate system are the governor’s appointees. So far, PDP has not been able to build an economic class for Southern Kaduna, it has not even defended the people of the area. Therefore, you don’t need to be as wise as King Solomon to know that the end has come.

POLITICS | THURSDAY INTERVIEW

Thursday, April 3, 2014

‘PDP remains party to beat in Imo’ Human capital development consultant, Chris Nzeduru, speaks on some national issues and his political ambition in this interview with AMADI NNAMDI. How do you describe the political scenario in Imo State and what are the chances of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2015? Do not forget that before now, Imo was a PDP state. In fact, since the inception of this Fourth Republic in 1999, PDP controlled the state till 2007 when Ikedi Ohakim emerged the governor under the platform of Progressive People’s Alliance (PPA), after which he returned to PDP. Also, don’t forget that most political big shots in Imo are all working for PDP. So, I don’t have any fear. What happened in 2011 was rather an unfortunate mix-up that led to the victory of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA). Come 2015, God keeping us alive, Imo will be taken over by the PDP again. Is Imo PDP not threatened by Governor Rochas Okorocha’s rising influence? There is no room for threat. The last visit of President Goodluck Jonathan to Imo with other party leaders clears all doubt on the people’s loyalty. People trooped out en masse voluntarily to show solidarity to PDP. The who is who in Imo were all there at Dan Anyiam Stadium to identify with Mr. President and our great party. Whether you like it or not, PDP is

will kick against if I get elected, so that the legislature can fulfil the yearnings of the electorate.

still a party to beat in Imo State. Go into the communities and see how everybody is rushing to register with the PDP despite the fact the incumbent governor is a member of APC. If people are given free hand to belong to any party of their choice, you will see that most Imolites will go to PDP. What is your view about the issue of zoning formula in Imo? The zoning formula has come to stay as far as Imo is concerned. It has made it possible for people to come out and participate effectively in politics knowing fully well that power is meant to rotate between the three zones in the state: Okigwe, Orlu and Owerri. Then, in my council, we have the zoning formula that rotates the position of council chairman and House of Assembly between Ihitte and Uboma. This zoning formula has instilled political stability, it gives no room for struggle or political rancour. We adhere to it and it has been working wonderfully well. Let me inform you that our current representative at the House of Assembly, Hon. Ben Uwajimogu, who is the Speaker last December announced that he is not coming out for re-election in 2015 because

Nzeduru

he respects the existing zoning formula. Consequently, I have joined the 2015 Assembly race so as to emerge victorious and give my people more effective representation What is your take on autonomy of state legislature? The legislature is like a watchdog in democracy. There is always a problem whenever the legislature is not independent, government will not work well. The legislature ensures checks and balances. Every arm of the government must work independently. State Assembly shouldn’t be a rubber stamp for the other arms of government. This is one of the things I

How do you see the ongoing National Conference? This conference is a good thing, the president has done well in appointing Justice Legbo Kutigi to chair the conference as well as Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi and Dr. Valerie Azinge as Vice chairman and Secretary of the conference respectively. These are tested hands, people of honour and integrity that have made their marks in their respective professions. With these and others, all the issues that will be raised there shall be properly addressed and solutions proffered as well. This conference is in the best interest of Nigeria. What is your view about the suspension of the former Central Bank Governor, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi? The CBN as the apex bank in Nigeria is a sensitive organisation and whoever is at the helm of affairs must be cautious of that sensitivity. But Sanusi was not very cautious of the sensitive nature of his office. The suspension of Sanusi is in order and it will bring positive result to our economy because the replacement, Mr. Godwin Emefiele is a man that has proven his mettle in the financial sector.

Why Tinubu, Sheriff engaged in shouting match –Duhu CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

erybody in the party. The party is structured in such a way that its leadership comes from bottom to top, not from top to bottom as obtained in other political parties. I can tell you with confidence that their movement has no impact whatsoever on the party. Because we believe the common man will determine what becomes of the party in the forthcoming election. So, I will tell you with certainty that the so-called big names can leave the party but in all fairness, the party will try to ensure that the local men determine what happens to the party. What I will tell Nigerians is that it will be difficult at this point in time for anybody particularly in the North and South-West to talk about the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) because PDP has failed this country. The PDP has created insecurity in the country, it has made life for the citizenry very difficult. And it is only in PDP administration that the president who claims to have been voted by the people will go to a state but residents will be locked in their houses for hours, without going about their businesses. They were barred from fending for their families. Are we under a civilian dictatorship? The president was in Bauchi recently and the people were asked to remain indoors for hours. It is unbecoming of the president but we shall see who will come to the North-East and say let us vote for

Tinubu

Goodluck Jonathan in 2015. That’s the time we will tell them that enough is enough; it is either you go to the SouthSouth and vote for him in his state. You should not come to the North and tell us to vote for Jonathan because he has not lived up to the expectation of Nigerians. He has conducted himself as a dictator. He has conducted himself as one person that is living above board. PDP or no PDP, I don’t think anybody can come to the North and say let’s vote for PDP particularly in the presidential election. It will be so difficult and Nigerians will resist that with the last drop of their blood, because if you look at the history of the revolution in Iran, the people came out in force, the military continued to shoot until such a time they felt they can no longer kill. Then they dropped

Sheriff

their arms and joined the people. Nigeria is moving towards that and the Arab spring will soon come to Nigeria, the locals will come out to the streets and say enough is enough and that will be the revolutionary change for Nigeria. How about Marwa’s defection? Coming to Adamawa State, I could not understand why somebody like Marwa will like to pitch tent with the PDP; the party that he so denounced and came to the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC). It is very unfortunate and it tells you that the leadership we have is selfish and is not there to provide leadership for the people but what they can get for themselves and their families. So, I can tell you we are not deterred by the movement. But as a politician, I know the num-

ber of people you have in your armoury will give you the strength that will make you comfortable of winning elections. Be that as it may, if they feel that is the best option for them, good luck. We were told that Sanusi Lamido Sanusi was removed from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) because he exposed the theft of about $49 billion and this is the money they will use in buying our members and other Northerners. They will also use the money to coerce the people into voting PDP. The unfortunate thing is that they feel confident to use that money safely to buy Nigerians. They can be financially empowered but this time around the people will give them a run for their money. It is not surprising that people like Marwa are taking such decisions because if you watch out, you will notice that Marwa’s political value has been diminishing over time. And another thing that is gratifying is that while people like Marwa are leaving APC, people like the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar are coming into its fold which tells you that the party is growing from strength to strength and these are gladiators that we need in Adamawa and Nigeria. These are people that many have confidence in; they are industrious people who are employers of labour; people that have provided succour to many common people; these are the people that will add real value to our party.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 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, APRIL 3, 2014

Playing politics with electricity supply

igeria is in trouble as far as consistent supply of electricity is concerned. The new regime of DISCO’s and GENCO’s seems to be a slide into darkness. Since the advent of the country’s current democratic era, hopes of Nigerians enjoying hitch-free power supply have remained largely forlorn till date, even with the promise of 24 hour uninterrupted supply six months from the time of assumption of office by the Obasanjo administration that seemed carried away by the euphoria of power in 1999. The country was later given government’s commitment to achieving a minimum supply level of 10,000 megawatts of electricity, which is yet to be realised almost 15 solid years after. Sadly, since 2002, when Government adopted the National Electric Power Policy, the comprehensive reform and re-engineering of the electricity supply industry has been central to the thinking of government. Yet the nation has not been spared the harrowing and totally embarrassing effect of failure to achieve a fundamental reversal of the long and debilitating malaise that has blighted the industry. Oddly enough, government has been gnashing its teeth, as it were, in the effort to achieve even a dismal 5,000megawatts of electricity. Not even the power sector road-map

launched in 2010 by the Goodluck Jonathan administration has salvaged the situation. Surprisingly, Nigerians are still striving to cope with the harsh reality of life without stable supply of electricity after government had committed billions of dollars in investments to arrest the abhorrent situation. It is regrettable that government now appears to be introducing the most unfortunate twist to an already fragile situation by playing politics with the power supply question. Although it now acknowledges a nationwide dip of 1300 megawatts in power supply, which has been attributed to inadequate supply of gas feedstock to thermal power plants across the country underserved by as much as 320 million standard cubic feet of gas per day (mscuf/d), the earlier promises to generate up to 10, 000 megawatts by the end of the year has been declared unrealisable by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC). Today, drop in seasonal rainfall, one of those mundane reasons given for many years without any smattering attempt to arrest the situation has left the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) rationing only a meagre 3,400 megawatts of electricity. Yet, Nigeria aspires to emerge among the world’s 20 topmost economies by the year 2020 (in the next six years)! Growing the country’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP) to a minimum of $900 billion and achieving as well as sustaining an annual growth rate of 13.8 per cent and a minimum annual per capita income of $4000 in order to achieve this vision as envisaged in Vision 20: 2020 has much to do with the country’s power generation and distribution capacity. Unfortunately, we have remained flat on power supply even as it is reported that an estimated 30 million of the country’s population still lack access to electricity from the national grid. The growth rate has also remained at 7.5 per cent at best with no strong sign of hitting 10 per cent, what with the uncertainties that have led Standard and Poor’s (S &P) to downgrade the country’s strong credit rating hitherto flaunted by our economic managers. We are concerned that rather than resolutely address the issue of productive power supply, government invests so massively in integrated power projects, create jobs for the boys, god fathers and cronies. Weak institutional capacity exposed many workers of the former National Electric Power Authority (NEPA) that later transmuted to Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to monumental corruption and acts of economic sabotage, such that most of them worked hard to build themselves up to the detriment of the national economy. This is why we believe that play-

ing politics with the lingering power supply question is an ominous sign that forebodes danger for the economy. The economic characteristics of the bottom five of the world’s topmost 20 economies for the period 2007-2008 made up of The Netherlands, Belgium. Poland, Turkey and Indonesia, according to the World Bank, show that Nigeria’s electric power consumption (kWh per capita) at 116 was only better than that of Indonesia at 37 but a far cry from the reality in the rest of other countries in the group whose figures remained in multiples of thousands. Electricity as a percentage of GDP was 3. 28, grew by 24.46 and contributed 3.91 to overall GDP growth over the period 1999 to 2008. We believe that the policy of throwing greater sums of money at the problem in whatever guise would continue to yield only little and jeopardise the 2020 target of 40,000megawatts, which requires the investment of $3.5 billion per annum for the next six years. Nigeria needs to gravitate more towards a service oriented economy and must not shy away from the fierce competition in the global market where failure to provide electricity now constitutes a violation of human right to health, according to the United Nations. The growth, prosperity and national security of any country are intricately tied to the degree of its electricity supply capacity.

BOLAJI TUNJI Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief IKE ABONYI Deputy Managing Director/DEIC FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Managing Editor, South SULEIMAN BISALLA Managing Editor, North GABRIEL AKINADEWO 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 BIODUN DUROJAIYE News Editor PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

Sanctity of Truth

OPINION Private jets and public swindles Chuks Iloegbunam

guy studied in the US. Upon returning to Nigeria, he didn’t let people forget for one minute where he had sojourned. He spoke like an American. He walked with the kind of swagger usually associated with the young of that country. His hair was “permed”. His clothes were designer classics. Of course, he cruised the streets in a sports car – a Porsche no less. He was a toff. Those were the sins he committed. Other than that, he acquitted himself creditably in the office. Friends and close associates confessed that he was generous, even to a fault. But a good work ethic and a kind heart did not constitute extenuating circumstances. One day, he decided to take a take a stroll, to soak in the cool evening breeze. The young man hadn’t reckoned with the down side of being successful in Nigeria. He didn’t know that, of the large number that hailed him each time he passed by, there were some who thought he deserved to die – for being more successful than they ever thought possible… As he left a corner shop and strolled back home, he suddenly heard the shouts and screams of “Ole!”, “Ole!!” He looked around him, wondering who the thief was that the cacophony was drawing attention to. The body hears better than the ears, so says a proverb often heard in some parts of the country. A mob materialized and started

pelting him with stones and rocks. Soon his clothes turned crimson with blood; he was all gashes and gore. Not done, To complete the rout, the mob pulled together some disused tyres and made a bonfire of the young man: he was lynched simply because there were characters in the neighborhood who didn’t like his face! A variant of this lynch mentality has taken centre stage in the nation’s political arena. Without any iota of proof, fellow Nigerians are routinely tarred with all sorts of guilt and pronounced guilty without any form of investigation, let alone trial. And yet, a cardinal principle of law is that no one is guilty until so pronounced by the law court. But not in Nigeria, because political partisanship here operates with the guiding principle that all is fair in war! A federal minister, whatever his or her portfolio is already guilty of monumental fraud and graft because he or she is in President Jonathan’s cabinet. If there be people who are other than in the ruling political party, they are a priori epitomes of intrinsic virtue and impeccable moral rectitude. That is why Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke, the Honorable Minister of Petroleum Resources, is in the dock of partisan opinion today. But, we must start from the beginning. Vast volumes of nonsense started being written about this woman from when she was nominated for a ministerial appointment. Of course, she is guilty for being a woman. She is also guilty for coming from a minority ethnic group. And her guilt is compound-

ed by the fact that she happens to be in the administration of someone not qualified by opposition thinking to direct the affairs of this nation. The fact that Mrs. AlisonMadueke is doubly qualified to hold down the oil portfolio does not count in the court of her traducers, nor does the fact that the oil, the mainstay of the national economy, comes from around her father’s compound. The added fact that she has achieved specific results as oil minister–growth in local content, indigenous companies participating at par with international players, the generation of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB)–cannot be registered in her credit. What they are saying instead is that she flies about in private jets! A broad section of the media took this up and branded it a scandal. How can an uninvestigated allegation conceivably be a scandal? Champions of this witch-hunt in the House of Representatives branded it a scandal. Yet, no one has described as a scandal the allegation that the National Assembly–a body of less than 500 politicians – eats up something in the neighborhood of 30 percent of the annual national budget! The NNPC put out a press statement to the effect that they have no private jets. But hardly does anyone want to listen to such a statement in Nigeria. The NNPC stated that they hire jets for executive functions because it is cheaper than owning aircraft. Why, really, should the NNPC not hire airplanes? Why should the oil minister not fly in chartered aircraft? As oil minister in this country not too long

Thursday, April 3, 2014

ago, Rilwan Lukman flew in chartered aircraft in the course of his official functions. Yet the heavens didn’t fall because he comes from the right flank of the country. Since the inception of the Jonathan administration, partisan politicians and sectional media (including the social media) have homed in on three women – Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Diezani AllisonMadueke and Stella Adaeze Oduah – doing nothing but mud-slinging and witchhunting them. The three women must be incessantly and mordantly lampooned and lambasted because of their gender, their origins and for the sole purpose of destabilizing the Jonathan administration. It is not democracy to brand and crucify public functionaries simply because the instruments of open and clandestine journalism are readily available. It is impolitic to level accusations without the intention of lending credence to them. It is eternally backward to propose that an oil minister is in breach of any law for flying in hired aircraft when the act establishing her range of responsibilities justifies such usage. It is a national swindle to employ the “Ole!”, “Ole!!” or lynch mentality in the course of playing politics. It is time for Nigerians to hold their ground and declare that enough is enough. • Iloegbunam is a commentator on national issues.

2015: Goodluck Jonathan vs. Muhammadu Buhari (2) Ayodeji Ajayi

his was why after soliciting the support of Nigerians, voters, irrespective of political, religious or ethnic affiliations, trooped out in large numbers to vote for Jonathan in 2011. It is noteworthy that Nigerians pointed out that they voted massively for Jonathan being a shoeless village boy while growing up and not for PDP which they claimed had dashed the hopes of the citizenry for good governance and provision of dividends of democracy. But having voted massively for Jonathan in 2011, how far has he been able to fulfill his promises for which Nigerians elected him president almost four years ago? If he finally seeks election for second term which is his inalienable right as a Nigerian will Nigerians, having thoroughly assessed his performance so far, be eager to give him the type of unprecedented support he got in 2011 that ensured him victory over Buhari?. By the way, those threatening that there would be crisis in the country if Jonathan is not allowed to contest or if he is defeated should have a re-think. Such people should remember that only their votes could not have guaranteed the president victory in 2011. Their votes alone will not be sufficient for the president to win in 2015 if he contests. It is for this reason that these characters who think they love the president should stop engaging in acts that could be detrimental to his political ambition. The president, in his own interest, should call these misguided individuals and groups to order in view of

the incalculable damages their actions could have on his shaky political career. There is no doubt that the participation of Jonathan and Buhari in the 2015 presidential race will be a keen and interesting contest. Although they are yet to formally declare to contest but developments within the rapidly changing political scene ahead of the 2015 elections point to the fact that barring any unforeseen occurrence, they may emerge as presidential candidates of their respective parties. However, unlike in 2011 when Obasanjo stood solidly behind Jonathan to ensure he clinched the party’s ticket, the current frosty relationship between the duo can affect the president’s chances. Automatic ticket for the president as being advocated by Chief Tony Anenih may not enjoy the support of many PDP members, especially those aggrieved governors such as Sule Lamido of Jigawa State and Babangida Aliyu of Niger State who may also have presidential ambitions. The recent prolonged volcanic crisis that rocked PDP which inevitably led to the shameful exit of the immediate past National Chairman, Alhaji Bamanga Tukur and the defection of five state governors and others may have dire consequences on the chances of Jonathan. If the president contests in 2015, it will be his second attempt to clinch the most coveted political position in the land whereas having contested in 2003, 2007 and 2011 but lost Buhari must have garnered a lot of experience in this regard. When Buhari contested on the ticket of the defunct All

Nigeria Peoples Party, (ANPP) in 2003, he was defeated by Obasanjo of PDP. Again, Buhari of ANPP was defeated by Yar’Adua of PDP in 2007 while Buhari of the defunct Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) was defeated by Jonathan of PDP in 2011. But following the recent devastating crisis that befell PDP and the incalculable consequences thereafter, the emergence of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as a veritable formidable political opposition group is capable of seriously threatening the position of whoever finally emerges as the ruling party’s presidential candidate in 2015. Unlike in 2003, 2007 and 2011, when Buhari sought election on tickets of weak political parties, he will in 2015 be standing on a strong foundation represented by APC. If Buhari contests against Jonathan in 2015, there are chances he may win overwhelmingly. In 2011, he defeated Jonathan in 12 of the 19 states in the North while Jonathan won in the remaining seven states. Incidentally, two of the seven states - Kwara and Adamawa now belong to APC thereby reducing the chances of Jonathan, especially in the North. If Jonathan, in spite of the possible opposition his nomination will attract, especially in some parts of the North, finally emerges candidate of PDP, it will be in the interest of APC to ensure its presidential candidate for the 2015 election is from the North in view of its strategic importance. The candidate must be of impeccable character. Concluded. Ajayi is a journalist and public affairs analyst. 08033068898 (sms only)

LAW THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/law

FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE JUDICIARY Editor

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

Lawyers no longer have passion for dignity, decorum - Prof. Smith

}p-24 & 25

Gadzama, Kalu express worry over nonimplementation of Oronsaye report Background IQUED by about 70 per cent of the nation’s resources being used to service a government that is unduly large while majority of its citizens continue to swim in poverty with an attendant and embarrassing high rate of unemployment, the President Goodluck Jonathan led administration inaugurated a Presidential Committee on the Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government Parastatals, Commissions and agencies, at least to proffer solutions to the bizarre lopsidedness in the system . The committee, headed by a former Head of Service of the Federation, Steve Osagiede Oronsaye was inaugurated in 2011. After sittings which spanned about eight weeks, the committee completed its assignment and concluded among others that lack of proper consideration before establishing government-controlled parastatals, ministries, commissions and agencies had led to proliferation of bodies without due diligence. This, it said had led to overlapping of functions and misappropriation of public funds, painful inefficiencies and economic wastage. Specifically, it recommended in its 800page report to President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan two years ago that the nation would save over N862 billion by 2015 if its recommendations are implemented as it is obvious that most of government ministries, parastatals and agencies are waste pipes. Besides, it recommended the reduction of statutory agencies of government from 263 to 161, abolition of 38 agencies, merger of 52 and reversal of 14 to departments in ministries. It went on to recommend that both the legislature and the judiciary must make spirited efforts at reducing their costs as well as restructuring and rationalizing the agencies under them should the cost of governance be reasonably trimmed. However, the committee revealed that the average cost of governance in Nigeria ranks among the highest in the world, and for a country at a developing stage, it is killing! For instance, it recommended that the following agencies -Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA), Petroleum Equalisation Fund (PEF), Ajaokuta Steel Company and National Iron Ore Mining Company (NIOMCO) be scrapped. Also the Code of Conduct Tribunal

Barely two years after it completed its assignment and submitted a report which contained numerous recommendations on the rationalisation and restructuring of Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies, lawyers yesterday expressed worry on what has become of Steve Oronsaye Committee report. Will it go the way of other reports? Can Mr. President be compelled to implement the report? FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE, JOSEPH JIBUEZE and TUNDE OYESINA write.

Gadzama, SAN

Ali, SAN

Akinseye-George, SAN

Adoke, SAN

should be renamed Anti-Corruption Tribunal and upgraded to the status of a court of Superior Records with the responsibility for handling only corruption cases from the proposed merger of EFCC, ICPC and the Code of Conduct Bureau. The panel’s report dwelt extensively

on some of the agencies to be abolished or merged. Some of those on the list are: The Petroleum Technology Development Fund (PTDF), National Salaries and Wages Commission; Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission; Infrastructure Concessionary and Regulatory Commission.

We can urge Mr President to please make use of all these panels’ reports for good or better governance. But we cannot say ‘You must’

Others are: The EFCC, ICPC, Code of Conduct Bureau; Fiscal Responsibility Commission; National Board for Technical Education; National Commission for Colleges of Education; Federal Character Commission, and Gurara Water Management Authority (GWMA). Also recommended to be abolished or merged are: Nigeria Integrated Water Resources Management Commission (NIWRMC); National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA); Commercial Law Department; and Centre for Automotive Design and Development (CADD). Others are: Standards Organisation of Nigeria; Consumer Protection Council (CPC); National Orientation Agency (NOA); National Institute for Cultural Orientation (NICO); Nigerian Institute for Hospitality and Tourism Studies (NIHOTOUR); National Troupe and the National Theatre. Also affected are the National Gallery of Arts; Energy Commission of Nigeria (ECN); Nigeria Leather Science Technology; National Research Institute for Chemical Technology (NARICT); National Biotechnology Development Agency (NABDA); Nigerian Building and Road Research Institute (NBRRI); FIIRO, NASENI, NCAM; National Rural Electrification Agency (NREA); National Power Training Institute of Nigeria (NAPTIN). Others are the Directorate of Technical Cooperation in Africa (DTCA); Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR); National Economic Recovery Fund (NERFUND); National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency (NOSDRA) and Nigerian Institute for Education Planners and Administrators. Also mentioned in the report are the National Metallurgical Development Centre Jos, National Metallurgical Training Institute Onitsha, Nigerian Institute of Mining and Geosciences (NIMG) Jos; Nigerian Geological Survey; National Steel Raw Materials Exploration Agency (NSRMEA) and National Productivity Centre. Others are Nigerian Copyright Commission; NTA, FRCN, Voice of Nigeria; National Agency for the Control of HIV/ AIDS, Roll- Back Malaria, Epidemiology CONTINUED ON PAGE22

22 LAW

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Gadzama, Kalu on Oronsaye report CO NT INU ED F R O M PAGE21

and Surveillance, Occupational and Environmental Health, Health Emergency Preparedness and Response. It is observed that over the years, successive governments had created a multiplicity of agencies and departments without any corresponding improvement in service delivery. Indeed, the only contribution many could be credited with is that they are cost centres through which some unscrupulous officials fleece government funds. While one recognises the challenge that would come with the implementation of some of the recommendations in the Oronsaye committee, one still believes the interest of the public would be better served by doing so. Even though some of the agencies recommended either for outright scrapping or merging with existing ones are creations of statutes, there is indeed an urgent need to restructure them. However , President Jonathan while receiving the report, had promised to set up a White Paper committee to study the document, although this had been the language of every government in the past regarding all previous exercises aimed at downsizing the bureaucracy and reducing the cost of governance, Oronsaye was blunt when he said that 12 years after the White Paper on the Ahmed Joda Panel Report on the Review, Harmonisation and Rationalisation of Federal Government Parastatals, Institutions and Agencies (2000), “some parastatals and agencies, which government had decided should either be scrapped, commercialised, privatised or self-funding, are still receiving full government funding, which runs into billions of naira.” Two years on, the Oronsaye report may go the way of Ahmed Joda panel report as the Federal Government appears to have dumped the Oronsanye led committee report. There is indeed , a pointer to this as details of the Medium Term Expenditure Framework and Fiscal Strategy which was sent to the National Assembly by President Goodluck Jonathan in 2013 , showed that all the MDAs were provided for in this year's budget. The MTEFFS showed that the capital component of the expenditure would go down from the 32 per cent achieved in 2013 to 26.22 per cent in the 2014 fiscal year. It is also indicated that a total of N712bn would be spent in the servicing of the nation’s debt comprising N6.49tn domestic debt and $6.67bn as of March 2013. The Federal Government explained that it would not save much money by reducing the number of MDAs. It, however added that the merger of the agencies would involve some legal processes that may not be accomplished within a short period of time. The document said: “It had been hoped that significant savings would be

Kalu, SAN

President Jonathan

the President is not bound to take any recommendation. At best, whatever they say is advisory

Oronsaye

made from the implementation of government’s White Paper on Rationalising Public Agencies. “Unfortunately, very little or no savings are likely to be made from the implementation of government’s White Paper on rationalising public agencies due to the fact that many agencies recommended for closure or merger were allowed to remain partly due to the fact that some of them are underpinned by law, which cannot be repealed in the short run.” According to the government, the reduction in capital expenditure is explained by the fact that revenue will dip in 2014 and capital projects will be affected. The government also raised the alarm that recurrent expenditure was drying up the resources required for the development of the nation, adding that the quest for higher emoluments by public sector workers was unsustainable. The MTEFFS paper said, “Between 2011 and 2013, we were able to reduce the share of recurrent spending to about 68

per cent and raise capital to 32 per cent. However, because of the new challenges occasioned by the projected significant reduction in revenue in 2014, there will be a temporary dip in the share of capital spending to about 26.22 per cent. This is because the brunt of the shortfall in revenue is borne by capital expenditure. “It is essential to note that the level of outlay of personnel cost is crowding out expenditure on capital spending needed to develop the nation and constitutes a major drain on public resources. Even now, there continues to be pressure demand for higher emoluments, pensions, etc. This is clearly unsustainable and would need to be addressed.” The government warned that if the increasing emoluments were not checked, it would spend higher share of available resources on salaries and allowances of workers that have little or no work to do due to lack of capital. With its position on the report, it is crystal clear that the report may have

We have to be concerned about recommendations not being implemented, but the question is whether you can compel somebody to accept advice

gone into the wastebasket of history despite repeated assurance from the government to down size its unwieldy work force and cost of governance. Meanwhile, Lawyers yesterday foreclosed government’s commitment to implement the recommendations of the Presidential committee on Rationalisation and Restructuring of Federal Government parastatals, commissions and agencies headed by Oronsaye especially as they said no court could compel Mr. President to implement the report. Lawyers who spoke to New Telegraph are the Abia Justice Commissioner and Attorney-General, Professor Awah Kalu, Malam Yusuf Ali, Dr Joseph Nwobike, Professor Yemi Akinseye –George, JoeKyari Gadzama, Paul Erokoro and Chief Awa Kalu. All Senior Advocates of Nigeria,were unanimous that no court could compel President Jonathan to implement the report as he alone had the power to determine its implementation. Professor Kalu said “as far as I am concerned, the President is the chief executive. The executive power of the federation is vested in the President. What that means is that whoever exercises executive authority is doing so on behalf of the President. It is to the extent that the President can exercise it through ministers, through extra-ministerial agencies or parastatals. “So, if the President has not delegated his power, you cannot exercise it on his behalf. And what is required in such instance is not force. You can’t force him to donate his power. "He donates it in accordance with his own judgment of what the Constitution requires him to do. “If you recall, President Obasanjo did not have a minister of defence, and so he was a minister of defence for a while. “A panel recommendation is an advice. It’s by way of advice. Even you as a reporter, if you advice your editor and he refuses to take the advice, there is nothing you can do. “A recommendation is an advice. And an advice is usually not mandatory. If I have a choice between rice and eba, and you advice me to eat rice, I can say no, it's eba I want, or that I don’t want either of them at all. “Naturally, we have to be concerned about recommendations not being implemented, but the question is whether you can compel somebody to accept advice. “We can urge Mr President to please make use of all these panels’ reports for good or better governance. But we cannot say ‘You must’.” Kalu was echoed by Malam Yusuf Ali who, said the Oronsanye panel was simply an advisory committee. “It was not a statutory body. It was just an administrative body set up by the President. So, the President is not bound to take any recommendation. At best, whatever they say is advisory. "There is nothing that can compel the CONTINUED ON PAGE27

LAW | NEWS 23

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Group asks NJC to investigate judge PETITION

Group urges NJC to probe judge over alleged bias

Tunde Oyesina Abuja

group, the Delta Forum for Transparency and Probity (DFTP) has asked the National Judicial Council (NJC) to investigate a judgment delivered by a judge of the Warri division of the Federal High Court,Justice Moham-

med Shittu Abubakar . The group is accusing the judge of a miscarriage of justice. In a petition to the NJC’s chairman, who doubles as the Chief Justice of Nigeria(CJN), Justice Aloma Mukhtar, the group asked the council to scrutinize the judgment by the judge in Suit No: FHC/WR/CS/189/2013 ,involving a dispute over the duly elected candidate for the chairmanship of the Peoples Democratic Party in Burutu Local Government of Delta State. In the petition signed

by the Secretary General of DFTP, Mr Joseph Benike, which acknowledgment copy was obtained by New Telegraph, DFTP accused the judge of hobnobbing with one of the parties as demonstrated in the judgement, insisting that the judge openly showed signs of affinity with one of the parties. This , it said the judge ignored salient and justiceable arguments as evidence canvassed by the defence counsel were ignored by the trial judge. According to the group, "Consequently, the position of our lawyers to

the effect that nomination of candidates for intra or inter-party elective position precedes any election, among other issues raised were carefully and deliberately ignored and avoided by the trial judge in his judgment". The group said that contrary to logic, the judge granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiff who "neither purchased the nomination form of his party to contest for the chairmanship position of the party nor showed evidence of nomination to contest position."

Babalakin, four others’ trial to resume April 30 over alleged N4.7b fraud Joseph Jibueze

Lagos State High Court in Ikeja will on April 30 hear an application by the Chairman of Bi-Courtney Ltd, Dr Wale Babalakin (SAN). He is seeking to quash criminal charges against him. A power failure in a section of the court stalled the hearing at the last adjourned date. The three-story courthouse (popularly called New Building) was in darkness as the generating set was said to have packed up. Several cases were stalled, and a few courts which sat did so without air conditioning. For instance, Justice Lateefat Okunnu whose courtroom is in the same building, had to delay a judgment because there was no electricity to power her laptop. She even asked law-

yers to remove their wigs if they wished. Babalakin, in the application filed before Justice Lateef LawalAkapo, is asking the court to dismiss the N4.7 billion fraud charges brought against him and four others by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). They are facing 27-count charges of conspiracy, retention of proceeds of a criminal conduct and "corruptly conferring benefit on account of public action." Others charged along with Babalakin, Alex Okoh, Stabilini Visioni Ltd., Bi-Courtney Ltd. and Renix Nigeria Ltd, are also challenging the court's jurisdiction to entertain the charges. According to them, the charges lacked validity because the EFCC could not prosecute them before a state high court without a valid fiat.

Danjuma seeks court’s nod to bar media over N208m suit Joseph Jibueze L-R: Chairman, Presidential Committee on Flood Relief and Rehabilitation, Alhaji Aliko Dangote; Director General, National Orientation Agency (NOA), Mr. Mike Omeri and the former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank Nigeria, Mr. Tunde Lemo after the meeting of the committee held in Abuja

FAILED APPLICATION Court refuses to set judgement against SON aside Joseph Jibueze

he Federal High Court in Lagos has dismissed an application by the Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) to stay execution of a judgement over for closing down a firm's warehouse. Justice Saliu Saidu said there was no basis to set the judgement aside. Consequently,the court awarded N50,000 cost (compensation) in favour of the plaintiffs, Divine Grace Limited and Mr Jude Onuselogu. SON had urged the court to stay execution of the judgement delivered on April 23 last year. The agency urged the

Court dismisses SON's bid to halt execution of judgement judgement, which was entered on the basis that it did not file pleadings in the case, be set aside. The judge, in the earlier judgement, had awarded N500,000 to the applicants "as cost of damages". He held that the act of denying them access to the warehouse at Orile Iganmu by sealing it up without inspecting and knowing its content or disclosing to the owners what they did wrong violated the applicant's rights. Justice Saidu ordered SON to open the warehouse and grant the applicants immediate access to it. He also restrained SON from sealing up the warehouse in future without complying with the laws. However, SON said the

judgement, delivered in their absence, was done without giving them a fair hearing. It alleged that the applicants misled the judge into giving the 'one-sided' judgment by not informing him that parties were discussing settlement. SON, therefore, prayed that the judgment be set aside so that the suit could be heard and determined on its merit. The agency said it sealed the warehouse after the applicants refused to co-operate with the officials to have the products inside inspected. SON said they locked the warehouse when they became aware that the agency's officers wanted to do an inspection, and rather than open it before

the sealing, they stayed away. It said their action was "suspicious", adding that as the matter was about to be resolved with all parties agreeing to be present for the inspection to be done, the plaintiffs went to court to obtain the order. SON said it was trying to brief its external solicitors to enter appearance in court and draw up terms of settlement in the matter when they learnt judgment had been delivered on April 23 even though they were informed that the case would come up on April 26. But plaintiffs said the warehouse was locked when nobody was inside, and that SON officials demanded N1million for it to be re-opened.

ormer Defence Minister, Lt. Gen Theophilus Danjuma (Rtd) has asked a Federal High Court in Lagos to bar media reportage of a N208million suit over rights abuse instituted against him by the former Executive Direction Tita-Kuru Petrochemicals Limited, Mr. Manasseh Obadiah Zorto. Tita-Kuru is one of the companies chaired by Danjuma. Zorto through his counsel, Rickey Tarfa(SAN) brought the suit against Danjuma, Inspector General of Police, the State Security Service(SSS) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) for his alleged unlawful arrest at the instance of Danjuma. He also asked the court to declare that his arrest by the officers of the Special Fraud Unit, Milverton, Ikoyi at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Lagos on January, 17, 2014

without justification was "wrongful, illegal and unconstitutional and a gross violation of his fundamental human rights as guaranteed by Sections 35 and 44 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999." Zorto while seeking for a perpetual injunction restraining all the respondents , asked the court to compel them to pay him N208million for the violation of his rights. The Police, through its counsel, Prof. Itse Sagay (SAN) contended that Zorto's arrest and detention was "valid, legitimate, constitutional and lawful". But Danjuma's lawyer, Mr. A.E Moyede of B.B Dan-Habu filed a motion to restrain Zorto or his agents "from further commenting or publishing and or addressing to third parties, petitions on the subject matter of this suit pending the hearing and determining of the matter."

24 JURIST

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Lawyers no longer have passion for dignity, decorum - Prof. Smith

e is an alumnus of the Hague Academy of International Law, Netherlands, legal consultant and member, Council of Legal Education. Prof Imran Oluwole Smith , who doubles as the Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG) remains the first Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) to head the faculty. He is a Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK, and has been an Expert Witness on Nigerian Law before the High Court of Justice in England on several occasions. He is the author of many books cited by lawyers and the courts. A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN). However, Professor Smith while reviewing the nation’s security challenge, believes that the incessant war on the Nigerian nation by the faceless Islamic fundamentalists was an offshoot of a subtle rivalry among the political class, who were determined to perpetually hold on to power for selfish gains. Although he agreed that the Boko Haram sect was a faceless entity, the sect will continue to remain an instrument being used by the political class under the guise of religion to destabilize except the Federal Government embark on job creation that would take the teeming youth from the labour market. This, Smith said would rid the nation’s of terrorists if its unemployed youths were adequately taken care of rather than ‘through negotiation and payment of huge sums of money out of the lean purse of the nation as the solution lies in the provision of gainful employment, government subsidy of agriculture, provision of affordable accommodation and good health care services, ensuring justice and fairness in our electoral processes, giving due recognition to the rights of the minorities, and handling the Niger Delta issues with human face”. His words: “The sect is a faceless entity. Like terrorists that they are, they proclaim an ideology and perpetrate heinous crime under its guise. It is sad indeed. However, this is an opportunity for me to clarify some doubts and advise the government. First, let no one be deceived that these terrorists are muslims or propagating Islam. I am not only a practicing muslim, I am also an Islamic scholar, and I can tell you that these people are not muslims and that their activities directly contradict the teachings of Islam such as peace and religious tolerance. These days, people hide under the canopy of fighting a jihad. What a shame! Jihad is not about taking lives, or destruction of properties and making life unbearable for fellow human beings; it is about striving unto the righteous path – the path of truth; reprieve for the under-

When I was called to the Bar 30 years ago, I came into an enviable profession guided by strict rules of professional ethics

Prof. Smith, SAN

Professor Imran Oluwole Smith is the Dean, Faculty of Law of the nation’s prestigious university- the University of Lagos. He speaks on Nigeria’s security challenge, the Bar, the Bench, NJC’s leadership and federal character, corruption and sundry issues. Joseph Jibueze met him. priviledged and the downtrodden; using what we have for the good of humanity such as provision of good education, sound health care, provision of food and adequate housing, etc. When Shehu Uthman dan fodio of blessed memory was going to derail from the right path of propagating a true jihad, he was quickly challenged and put on the right path by the then Shehu El Kanemi of Bornu in a language many muslim scholars would never forget. “My conclusion here is that the sect is an instrument of certain political class, using religion as a cloak. Second, the way to bring terrorism to an end is not necessarily through the use of naked force as it is difficult to fight ‘ghosts’. It is also not through negotiation and payment of huge sums of money out of the lean purse of the nation, for one group of terrorists tends to beget another in Nigeria, and the message is that ‘you terrorise to enrich’. The solution lies in the provision of gainful employment, government subsidy of agriculture, provision of affordable accommodation and good health care services, ensuring justice and fairness in our electoral processes, giving due recognition to the rights of the minorities, and handling the Niger

These days, we read painful stories of how some lawyers violate the ethics of their profession with impunity Delta issues with human face. All these are only reminiscent of the Constitutional responsibilities of government and should not be seen as imposing unnecessary burden on government, as some people would claim. Also, Professor Smith reminisced on the practice of law and concluded that the practitioners had jettisoned their revered professional ethics while the nobly profession had gone down irretrievably as today’s lawyers no longer had passion for dignity and decorum. He said: “When I was called to the Bar 30 years ago, I came into an enviable profession guided by strict rules of professional ethics. I joined a group of gentlemen with passion for dignity and decorum. “The practice of law was taken as a serious business meant to serve humanity, promote justice, develop the law and assist the court. Clients could trust their

solicitors with money and their vital documents; they could repose confidence in their solicitors to the extent that they could rely on their words and trust their judgment. Lawyers would not appear in court ill-prepared; lawyers would not connive with clients to mislead the court for illegitimate pecuniary gains. AttorneysGeneral were Attorneys-General of truth, who held their positions with dignity and highest sense of responsibility in line with the dictates of the Constitution and in the overall interest of the legal profession. Law officers from the Ministry of Justice were not known to compromise justice in any way. Senior Advocates of Nigeria were known to be repositories of excellent conduct, great intellect and impeccable personality. The situation today is left to every one’s imagination. “These days, we read painful stories of how some lawyers violate the ethics of their profession with impunity; of how the profession is used by some as an instrument of oppression to hoodwink innocent citizens and strip them of their belongings; of how the official Bar has become authority to pervert the course of justice, and so on.

JURIST 25

Thursday, April 3, 2014

“The NBA is not helping matters either. Expressing a personal opinion here, I do not see a strong NBA anymore; lawyers contest elective positions in the NBA these days for self- aggrandizement and parochial reasons. Before the glaring eyes of the NBA, some lawyers conduct themselves in the most reckless unprofessional and unethical manner without consequences. Little pronouncements come out of the NBA national secretariat these days concerning executive ineptitude or bad governance; and public opinion matters less to the body. I must, however, commend the NGOs for filling the lacuna and taking over the responsibilities of the NBA over the years. The NBA must look inward and return to its pristine and glorious days, and show more concerns for good governance, sustenance of the rule of law and sanity of the polity. On the Bench, Professor Smith said: “Our judiciary has been polluted by a few judicial officers who mortgage their conscience for material and other selfish gains. “We still experience delays in the administration of justice due to unnecessary adjournments and indolence of some judicial officers. Some judicial officers are more of socialites than officers in the temple of justice. A judge is expected to be seen more in court and less at social gatherings. The judge should be seen as an independent person and more of an introvert confined to the serenity of his or her Chambers. He , however offered a way out, saying the situation was not yet without a remedy as the Nigeria Bar Association, which had lost its voice could still step up the rules of professional ethics through a public enlightenment programme on the roles of lawyers in nation building. Smith said: “The problem can be effectively addressed at the Bar by stepping up enforcement of the rules of professional ethics at all levels, strengthening the NBA, and by stepping up effective public enlightenment of the role of lawyers in the society, while encouraging the public to forward complaints to the appropriate quarters, and, of course, ensuring that such complaints are dealt with speedily. “For the Bench, there is need to continue to enforce the code of conduct for judicial officers across board, and to impose appropriate sanctions heavy enough to act as deterrent to others. On disciplining of judges, he said compulsory retirement or dismissal was not enough. “The Constitution and other relevant legal instruments should be amended such that the judge’s immunity becomes extinguished once he or she is found to have committed an offence under our criminal law. Such erring judicial officer ought to be tried, convicted and sentenced accordingly. On whether the powers of the National Judicial Council(NJC) be whittled down, Professor Smith said “let me state the obvious here, and I hope our lawmakers would take the matters seriously this time. It is no gainsaying that we run a federal system through unitary institutions, and the National Judicial Council (NJC) is a typical example.

I do not see a strong NBA anymore; lawyers contest elective positions in the NBA these days for selfaggrandisement and parochial reasons

Prof. Smith, SAN

“A central institution such as the NJC recommending appointments and removal of judges to state governors and presiding over matters pertaining to discipline of judges at the federal and state levels violates the tenets of federalism. The structure and composition of the NJC is not only a breach of the ideal federal structure, but may lead to autocracy and witch hunting. “I would rather suggest that our old Judicial Service Commission (at both state and federal levels) be vested with the powers and functions of the NJC for better evaluation of matters bothering on appointments, discipline and removal of judges, and for legitimacy of decisions reached. On Nigeria’s human rights record, he said “it is important to note that addressing issues of human rights abuse is key to development. This permeates every aspects of human endeavour and the State owes responsibility to the citizenry to prevent abuses and ensure enabling environment for the individual potentials to be actualized. “Where there is absolute insecurity and total lack of confidence in the security network of a country, it portends grave dangers for human and economic development. No investment can thrive in a country with security lapses – with life and property made insecure by the activities of kidnappers, terrorists and men of the underworld. Whist there is need to intensify training for our law enforcement agents, provide sophisticated weapons and improve on the general logistics, social security is key to eventual actualisation of security of life and property.

Our judiciary has been polluted by a few judicial officers who mortgage their conscience for material and other selfish gains

Smith at a glance • The Dean, Faculty of Law, University of Lagos (UNILAG) • An alumnus of the Hague Academy of International Law, Netherlands •Is a legal consultant and member, Council of Legal Education • A Professorial Research Associate, School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, UK • An Expert Witness on Nigerian Law before the High Court of Justice in England • Author of many books cited by lawyers and the courts • A Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, UK, and the Chartered Institute of Taxation of Nigeria (CITN) On his choice of career, Professor Smith said excellence had been his drive. This , according to him spurred him continuously contribute to knowledge and development of law. Said he: “I have always dedicated my entire academic and professional career to excellence. What matters to me in life is continuous contribution to knowledge and development of the law through regular research. I have found a combination of academics and practice as highly rewarding and fulfilling. I have been engaged in both for over two and a half decades. Diligence has always been my watchword, and my prime movers have always been great jurists and my immediate environment. On his days as a ‘baby’ lawyer, he said: “The first consideration of any young lawyer in a law firm is how to acquire the requisite skills and experience to prepare him or her for the challenges of law practice; remuneration should be secondary. Lawyers who put money first are found prematurely on the field unguided, and they end up as inexperienced lawyers, or what pedestrians refer to as “charge and bail lawyers”. Being well equipped is the key to success. There is usually a rough beginning during which period

the young lawyer learns on the job, and this could take up to five or more years depending on how busy the law firm is. I garnered my early experience from the Ministry of Justice and a law firm, and I was able to manage the stipend I was being paid, realising the importance of professional training on the field. But having said that, employers of these young lawyers, must recognise the harsh economic conditions of the country and should not be exploitative. On specialisation for young lawyers, he said this is varies as lawyers’ exposure after call would go a long way to determine his area of specialization. He said: “Stripped of all pretences, lawyers and law chambers are renowned for some areas of the law than others, and this is because the individual lawyer’s exposure after call to Bar, varies depending on the locality, the background of the Principal, the aptitude of the lawyer as we cannot be good in, or like all areas of law equally, and so on. For example, my earlier exposure to law practice with my late principal, Chief Gani Fawehinmi, would be remembered basically for litigation as opposed to solicitors’ work, and the litigation was more pronounced in the areas of Constitutional law and human rights than land law, corporate matters or any other. The great personality of this illustrious son of Africa, and what he stood for during his lifetime, would explain this. He , however believes that only a specialized lawyer could raise the standards of law practice. Smith said : “I see specialization as a way of raising standards of law practice, removing mediocrity, and properly advising the general public on the best law firm to approach on specific matters. Sincerely, I do not see how the same law firm could be handling Constitutional law and human rights matters, land law and criminal law matters along with intellectual property cases, and expect to do well at the end of the day. In the United Kingdom and many common law jurisdictions, specialization is taken seriously. In the United Kingdom, you are expected to choose six areas of law practice from a list prior to granting practicing certificate, and you cannot be seen taking on an area outside those earlier chosen without some unpleasant consequences. On merger of law firms, he said “without mincing words, that is the way to go. “From the angle of simple economics, the advantages of a Partnership over the sole proprietorship business cannot be over emphasised. Having law partnerships would definitely increase competitive advantage of Nigerian firms in the global market. "

26 LAW | SPECIAL REPORT

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fiscal federalism, state police, devolution of power must top conferenceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s agenda - Adesina A former scribe of the Nigeria Bar Association(NBA) and presidential hopeful of the association's biannual election coming up in July , Deacon Dele Adesina, SAN, told Judiciary Editor, FOLUSO OGUNMODEDE that delegates at the ongoing national conference must consider issues of fiscal federalism, devolution of powers and the police structure if Nigeria must remain united.

lthough Deacon Dele Adesina, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria evaded New Telegraph's curiosity on his ambition to lead the Bar come July, he was quick to reply that what remains uppermost in his heart for now was the unity of Nigeria and why the delegates at the ongoing national conference could not afford to mortgage the sanctity of the nation's unity. He said even though his ambition to become the president of the NBA in July remains sacrosanct, he would not want the delegates to sacrifice Nigerians' expectation on the altar of selfishness and greed, tasking them to pursue issues that would strengthen the nation's unity and its socio-political and economic development. However , Adesina pushed for the issues of true fiscal federalism, devolution of power and the restructuring of the police with a view to paving the way for not only the creation of state police but also community police. Besides , he wants the conference to look at how interlocutory appeals would terminate at the Court of Appeal rather being a subject at the apex court. Apparently miffed by the ongoing amendment of the Constitution, Adesina described the exercise as a nullity , saying what the nation needed was a new Constitution that would devolve powers to the federating units and guarantee true federalism as anything short of that would render the ongoing national conference a wasted exercise. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If the ongoing national conference fails to produce a new Nigeria then it has become a wasted exercise , Adesina said. He went on: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Powers must be devolved into the component states. Let the states be viable, and directly related to the devolution of powers is also the question of fiscal federalism because once there is concentration of power in the centre as we have it, we must also have to back it up with money to run it. And that is why the Federal Government has about 62 or 63 per cent of the nation's revenue. When you compare that with other federal systems in the world, you will discover that Nigeria's Federal system is not working. That is why we are in some of these problems we have found ourselves today. Ours is neither unitary nor Federal; it is a hybrid situation as there are few examples to show that Nigeria is running a confused federalism. One of them is the issue of police structure. Police structure Issue of police force structure must be looked at by this conference. It has

been argued that we are not yet ripe to have community police or a state police on the grounds that it will be abused, misused and all that . But my response has always been that have you ever seen any item of human nature that has only advantages and does not have its disadvantages? No. but once the advantages are more than the disadvantages,then you find a balance of convenience in favour of doing that thing. There must be a practical and idea federal system in place; there must be a serious consideration for devolution of powers with the federating units , so that it can be more viable ; so that the rush to the centre or national can be reduced and by the time that is done, it would impact positively on the electoral system. By this, many people will be more interested in becoming governors than president, the senate and even the House of Representatives. Presidential system Another issue is the way we are running the presidential system of government. Ours is the most expensive in the world;it does not have to be so. We have ministers in excess of 60 , because there are states that has about two ministers form the 36 states of the federation, after about 42 ministers, there are advisers of the same ran as ministers as many as possible. The emoluments can be slashed down. The National Assembly have been described by people as a drain on the economy;it is too expensive to run. In 1979, there were some members of the legal profession who were in the House of Representatives-Chiefs Debo Akande and Abraham Adesanya were a few example who were attending sittings at that time and were still running their chambers as they were attending to their cases in court while at the same time serving as members of the House of Representatives. But today we have made it a full time even when the Constitution arguably says it is a part-time. I am aware that the Constitution says once they sit for about 182 days in a year, they have satisfied the requirement of the provisions of the Constitution. So, these are some of the issues. The need for a new constitution Also there is also the argument that we don't really need a new Constitution . While some believe there is a need for a new one. I am one of those who believe there is need for a new Constitution. If we draw example from the practice we are in when you file your writ and statement of claim and you are amending and keep amending, at a point the judge will tell you to withdraw it and refile. It

Adesina, SAN

was Chief FRA Williams at about the third week after the 1999 Constitution came into effect, precisely on the 18 of June, 1999 , who said the 1999 Constitution was a fraud against itself. I don't believe that amendment upon amendment can cure the defect in the Constitution. It suffers popular legitimacy although it has legal and legitimate mechanism following a decree that backed it up but a Constitution must be a product of a popular will. South Africa did it and we can do it also. So , if the delegates at the conference can take us to this level, we would have a new Nigeria; the Nigeria of our dream. The need for an ideal Constitution/ federalism We can have an ideal federalism. To have an idea federalism is different from having an idea democracy. Democracy is a system,not an end in itself. Democracy is a process that will keep fine tuning itself but we can have an ideal federalism. What we have today is not an idea federal system. What we need to ask is: what are the features of an ideal federal state? You look at those features and the Constitution that we have, are those features present in the Constitution that we have? If your answer is yes, then the federal system is idea. But if they are not there in the present Constitution. The features present in an idea federalism is : There must be an autonomous state in a way that the state will not de-

pend on the centre to exist. Apart from Lagos and Kano states, how many states can exist on their own without the centre? Does Chicago need allocation from New York or Maryland in the United States before it can survive on its own? Two ,we have independent Judiciary; look at the case going in Rivers state, can a state start and complete the process of judge's appointment without recourse to the federal? In Nigeria , we have a state without a coercive structure to maintain law and order except the federal police via Section 204 of the Constitution. The only police we have in Nigeria is the Federal Police. Federal Government has the federal police, the state does not have any state police. States make law but depend on the federal police for implementation, is this an idea federal state? The answer is no. For instance , I was in Chicago sometimes ago and as I sat in a taxi, I observed he was going against the regulated speed limit and I said you are speeding looking at the speed limit, but the driver said no problem. Less that some minutes after he said no problem, problem surfaced simultaneously as there were two police formations, five in numbers, two in one car and three in another car belonging to two different local governments. We were at the threshold of leaving one local government to enter another one CONTINUED ON PAGE28

NEWS 27

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Lawyers express worry over Oronsaye report CO NT INU ED F R O M PAG E 2 2

President to act one way or the other. He may decide to ignore the totality of the report,” Ali said. On the fact most panel reports are left to gather dust, Ali said sometimes the committees were set up for political reasons, and not with the aim of achieving any public good. He said: “It depends on the intention of setting up the panel ab-initio. You can set up a panel, for instance, to divert public attention from a particular issue and you want the public to focus on something else. “People in government may set up panels for different reasons. If the reasons are not altruistic, then you don’t expect much. "If it was not designed to get to the root of a problem, but is just diversionary, then there is nothing you can do about it. “But nobody can compel the President to act one way or the other about it”. Dr Nwobike shared Kalu and Ali’s view, saying no one could force the government to implement the Orosanye report. He said : “The government is not bound to implement the Orosanye Report as presented and submitted by the committee. The government will study it, and in a White Paper, accept in whole or in part the recommendations. “It is after the government had issued its White Paper that a strategy for implementation can be drawn by the same government. “It is also possible that the government may decide to do nothing but apply some of the recommendations in its policies and programmes within the context of challenges being faced by it or objectives being pursued by it. “In the main, I believe that the report must be considered within the context of current economic challenges being faced by the government and Nigerians”. A professor of law and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Yemi Akinseye George, pointed out that there was no law upon which any one can ask a court to order the government to implement a recommendation. “You cannot compel government. There is no law that can be used to compel government to implement the report of panels. And some of the reports of the panels cannot be implemented. Some are not capable of implementation, because they will affect too many rights that are vested. “We’re in a democracy; government has to be systematic. The fact that a panel has made a recommendation does not become law. "Those recommendations need to go to the National Assembly, especially where they affect existing legal provisions. “Orosanye panel recommendations, for instance, cannot be implemented by the government without legislative backing, because those parastatals were created by Acts of parliament. You cannot scrap them without another Act of parliament, because we’re in a democracy. “What should be done is that the government should put in place the necessary legislative instruments by preparing the bills for stakeholders’ consideration. If we all agree, then it will be sent to the National Assembly. “It’s not like a military regime where government will just draft a bill and it becomes law. It does not happen in a democracy. That’s why when they wanted to change the name of University of Lagos (UNILAG), there were certain procedures that ought to have been followed as required in a democracy. “Orosanye Panel particularly is very problematic, because their report needs adequate review before it can be implemented. "It deals with a very sensitive issue. You can’t just scrap parastatals by word of mouth, because they were established by law. “Nigerians are affected because they work in those parastatals. And how much do we actually spend on workers compared with what is spent on politicians?

Nwobike,SAN

Ibrahim Lamorde, EFCC Chairman

So, we should not implement a report that will throw many Nigerians on the street jobless.” Although another Senior Advocate of Nigeria, J.K Gadzama said that the Orosanye's report was not the first to be ignored by the government, its findings showed that the nation may not need more than half of the existing federal workforce in addition to drastic reduction in government ministries and agencies. He said: “What is uppermost is the will by the Federal Government, many of such reports, even in the past administration, and if you look at the political history of this country, many of such reports have been left in the dust bin to gather dust. But the assurance from Mr. President is that his own style is different and that he will look into the sequence. "Our prayer and hope is that he does that, not only the Orosanye's report, all other reports. Because there is no point, resources, time and energy being put in a work and a report is presented, only for the government to throw it out with no good reasons given for not implementing them. There must be white paper anyway and then you go further to implement them particularly those aspect of report you believe in. "Government has the ball at its feet, it is the government that has the power to implement, so the power that be, convince this government and those in the position of authority to ensure these reports are implemented except they do not believe in them.

Orosanye Panel particularly is very problematic, because their report needs adequate review before it can be implemented

"I don't think anybody has the locus to go to court and challenge this, because the implementation is within the prerogative of the President, it is an executive issue and having been appointed by the executive branch of government, whatever they do is subjected to their discretion. It is a discretionary power , I don't think it is binding. "To start with, nobody compelled the government to set up the committee, initiate such a process. So, when reports are out, it is still within the purview of the government as to whether to implement it or not. It is not a compulsory thing, it is within the discretion of the government". While agreeing with the committee, another legal practitioner, Osagie Imambe said structures of government in all the three tiers of governance, aids waste on money and resources. According to him, "government, especially democracy is a waste. Money is wasted paying people who are not doing anything. Check it out, how many aides the governors, deputy governors, ministers are having. There is nothing these aides are doing, they just bear names, yet at the end of the month, they will collect huge amount of salary. "The same thing is applicable to those government agencies and parastatals, there is always a duplication of work and this will certainly spell doom for the nation’s financial spending if appropriate steps are not taken to control this. "I know many of the agencies are up in arms against the Oronsaye committee but it is important for the public to look at the report rather than focus attention on a few specific agencies. "The unfortunate thing is that many of the current parastatals and agencies are sheer duplication as they perform overlapping functions which often resulted in needless power tussle and conflict of interest. "The cost of maintaining the nation’s bloated bureaucracy is rising every year, and it is time to trim the number of MDAs and equally downsize the public sector.” In his own view, Paul Erokoro, SAN stated that it had obviously shown that the Federal Government was not ready to implement any of the reports adding that no one can in the real sense of it compel the government to do so. He added that the only thing that could be done was to persuade the government in the interest of the nation to implement the ones that would bring development and rapid growth to the nation. In his words: "We can only advice the government on this issue, we cannot go to court to compel them. If it is advice, I think the first thing to do is that the Federal Government should stop keeping the lion share of the nation and the federal resources. When it stops keeping the fund, it will see the need to cut down spending on the MDAs and parastatals. "Absolutely, there is no reason the government should be keeping all these MDAs and parastatals. Government should decentralize, break the bureaucracy of bottlenecks. Some of its responsibilities should be moved to the states and local governments. If you take note, some of the responsibilities government hold are not being performed effectively. "I can tell you that if state government stops working on several roads, most of the so called roads will not be motorable; if the state government stops supporting the various police command, the commands will cease to function. We even heard that some of the state governments are even providing funding for armed forces. "Why is the Federal Government pretending when it should cut down its size? Most of us don't have reasons to be in Abuja if our states are busy. Go to the states, they can’t pay salary. Local Governments are cash trapped and here the Federal Government is sitting down on the lion share of the responsibility.

LAW | SPECIAL REPORT

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fiscal federalism, state police, devolution of power must top conference’s agenda - Adesina CO NT INU ED F R O M PAGE26

when they stopped us and immediately his driver's licence was seized while they told the driver to take me to my destination having looked at time of my scheduled flight with an instruction that he should meet them at a particular police station. It was a community police not even a state police. So , when we are talking of decentralisation of policing system in Nigeria, we are not limiting it to the state police but also a community police. I learnt that in America, there are over 140 police formations. In those days we had effective security people at the University of Ife, who had coasive powers to arrest and lock you up before handing you over to the police. These are just a few fundamental principles of an idea federal system of government which you yourself can see and compromise under this present arrangement in Nigeria. Judiciary Today, everybody has accepted that there is unduly delay in our justice system and the concomitant effect of this delay is located in the congestion in our courts. I have argued before that I don't know any new issue that any lawyer may want to raise on jurisdiction that has never been raised before in any matter. Why does a lawyer want to pursue on appeal preliminary objection based on jurisdiction alone to the highest court in the land? Meanwhile ,doing that the substantive matter is hanging. For me, the national conference must look at the possibility of terminating interlocutory appeals at the Court of Appeal so as to relief the Supreme Court of a lot

Young Lawyers’ Forum

For young lawyers, especially ‘new wigs,’ appearing before a judge for the first time can be daunting. A shaky voice; clenched fists; pounding heart; dry mouth – these are some signs I do not see any reason why we have of the anxiety that can throw a new lawyer off36 states in a federation; every state balance, and possibly lead to awkward or emhaving its own judiciary with some of barrassing moments in court. them as many as 46 courts. In Lagos alone, there are 46 courts, each of them My embarrassing moment being presided over by a judge. So, we in court: Abiola Oladiti Olubanjo are having cases from 46 courts going to Court of Appeal from Lagos alone. t started just as a normal day, little Apart from the state High Courts, we did I know that it would turn out to have divisions of the Court of Appeal be a long lasting memory in my "legal" in virtually now all states of the federajourney. tion. All these, like a pyramid terminatI was supposed to just go to the ofing at the Supreme Court. fice and follow my principal to court as For me , I don't see any reason why a newly recruited junior counsel and we cannot have appeal courts owned first timer. by the states; I don't see any reason we However, it proved to be an immediate cannot have the Supreme Court in the baptism of fire as I was duly informed larger number that we have now as the by my principal that another matter had ceiling in the Constitution presently is required his attention which he had to 21 Justices. So, this National Assembly attend to. I duly got the briefing of the or the national conference must look at case from him and off to court I went. Ordinarily, the matter was for a simthe possibility of increasing the number phenomenally from 21 to much ple motion, however, it turned into a full more than we have now so that at any blown up job as soon as the judge sat. particular point in time not less than The opposing counsel wasn't in the three sessions of the Supreme Court least friendly. The case was called and can be running. So that we can still have I duly moved the motion, piece of cake, Justices sitting in there chambers to ei- until the judge asked me to amplify my ther write their rulings or judgements written address. I had to put all I had ever learnt into and studying their files because the limit of 21 is no longer feasible having practise right there and then and it soon regards to the number of Justices we became a tete –a- tete between the judge have now. Every year we appoint new and myself as he kept on asking quesjudges, every year new cases are filed. tions which I had no choice but to proIt is also very unfortunate that we have vide answers to. never had the full compliment of that 21 Thank God I was able to scale through in the Supreme Court. The question is: and even did enough to make the judge what is limiting us? I have cause to say and the court burst into laughter withit many times that Nigeria's Supreme out being embarrassed and humiliated. Court is the busiest in the world; and I But it was a big way to learn the cruthink they can be relieved a little. cial lesson about the Boys' scout motto ‘Be prepared’. It was indeed a worthy first time experience!

Adesina, SAN

of their cases. As at December 2013, the Supreme Court was still having 2009 cases, they were about three or four years behind, the workload was so much as people continue to file appeals there and a good number of these appeals arose from preliminary objections in the lower courts. So, there is no reason the interlocutory appeals should not terminate at the Court of Appeal, they must look at that.

Delta AG assures thorough investigation on lawyers’ assassination

he Delta State Government has assured citizens of the state that full and thorough investigation would be conducted on the assassination of two lawyers in Warri. In a release, the State’s AttorneyGeneral and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Charles Ajuyah SAN expressed condolences to the Warri branch of the Nigeria Bar Association and the families of two of its Lawyers, H.E. Eguno Dafiaghor and Samuel Ekuwangi who

were murdered on March 27 on their way to Court. He said :‘The Delta State Government, while condemning their death has ordered full and painstaking investigation by the security agencies with a view to bringing the perpetrators of the dastardly and heinous crime to book. ‘Government wishes to assure members of the deceased families and the Bar Association that no stone will be left un turned to unravel the perpetrators.

‘Members of the deceased's families and the public are urged to refrain from making statements that are capable of prejudicing investigations.’ Ajuyah appealed to members of the public with any useful information that will help in the investigation to come forward with the leads, assuring that the State Government guarantees the protection and safety of informants and the confidentiality of all information.

Olubanjo

Akinjide, Agbakoba, Oyetibo, others mourn ‘legendary GOK’

Late Gok Ajayi

Tunde Oyesina

IVE Senior Advocates of Nigeria , three of who were past presidents of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA),

have described Chief Godwin Olusegun Kolawole Ajayi GOK, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria who died on Sunday as a great advocate and legend who would be greatly missed. They however described his death as a huge loss not only to the legal profession but to the country at large. Mr. Olisa Agbakoba , SAN, a second republic Justice Minister and Attorney-General, Chief Richard Akinjide,SAN, Chief Bayo Ojo, SAN, Chief

Bayo Oyetibo, SAN, Kemi Pinhero, SAN and an activist lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo paid glowing tribute to the deceased Senior Advocate. GOK died at 83. Agbakoba said, it was a sad moment for the legal profession. According to him, "G0K was one of the finest forensic craftsmen in the Nigerian legal history ranking with the greats FRA Williams, GCM Onyuike, HA Lardner, Sofola, etc. He came and conquered and de-

serves his rest". GOK’s1978 Set SANs, Chief Richard Akinjide said, “He was a brilliant advocate, a friend and a professional colleague. His death is a great loss to the legal profession. We had many cases against each other but he remained a great professional colleague. May his soul in perfect peace". Another SAN, Tayo Oyetibo, exclaimed! “Oh oooooo he was a great advocate of high work ethics. Soft spoken but tena-

cious. "The Bar will miss him and I think the Bench too". In his own reaction, Kemi Pinheiro SAN said “ he was a quintessential gentleman, a formidable and extremely forensic advocate ,the legal profession has lost one of its very best brains ". Human rights lawyer, Festus Keyamo described Chief G.O.K. Ajayi’s death as an “indelible and irreplaceable loss to the entire legal profession.”

BUSINESS THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

WHAT'S NEWS Honeywell CEO:Ukraine crisis affects wheat price The Ukraine crisis is already affecting wheat prices, Executive Vice Chairman/CEO of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Babatunde Odunayo, said in an interview with New Telegraph.

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Manufacturers eye new growth opportunities The Fast Moving Consumer Group (FCMG) turf is a place to be now for investors care for blossoming bottom-line as many are now entering the sector to take advantage of new growth opportunities, according to Oxford Business Group report for Nigeria, 2013.

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Cyberlaw adoption in West Africa low –UNCTAD West African countries need to do more work in order to adopt and coordinate laws related to cyber security, according to officials who met at recent events hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD).

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‘Africa’ adopted as generic internet domain name The word ‘Africa’ has been adopted as generic internet domain name at the recently concluded global internet confab held in Singapore.

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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) JONAH IBOMA, ICT Editor DAYO ADEYEMI, Property Editor ADEOLA YUSUF, Energy Editor

CHUKS ONUANYIN, Energy NNAMDI AMADI, Reporter

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AYODELE AMINU, DEPUTY EDITOR, BUSINESS

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

CONNECTIVITY Fresh moves by industry regulator to deepen telecoms. Jonah Iboma

he Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) has commenced moves to issue fresh Fixed Wireless Access (FWA) licences in 28 states of the federation. This is coming about seven years after the regulator first issued such licences. FWA licences were first issued by NCC in 2007 to several companies to provide alwayson Internet access and data services. The licensing embarked upon by NCC then, led to the emergence of firms such as Swift Networks, Rainbownet Limited, O’dua Telecoms Limited, CyberSpace Limited, IPNX Nigeria Limited and XS Broadband, which has been acquired by MTN Nigeria. Part of the reasons why NCC is planning to issue fresh licences is due to the expiration

L-R: Vice President Africa and Emerging Channels, MoneyGram International, Herve Chomel; Executive Vice President, US and Canada, MoneyGram International, Peter Ohser; Executive Director, Retail Banking, Diamond Bank Plc, Uzoma Dozie and Divisional Head, Transaction and E-banking, Daniel Akumabor, during a partnership signing ceremony for the provision of money transfer services, held in Lagos . PHOTO: ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

of the five-year licences issued companies that currently offer wireless internet and data service across the nooks and crannies of Nigeria since June 2012. However, since the issuance of the FWA licences in 2007, many licencees did not roll out commercial service, especially in states deemed to be commercially unviable for data services then. The expiration of the lifes-

pan of the licences has once again refocused the attention of the telecoms regulatory agency on how to promote internet and data access in the country. NCC has said in recent times that it would cancel dormant licences to regain and re-assign spectrum for telecoms growth in the country. It however, noted that such a decision would be taken in line with stipulated

Nigeria loses N80bn to rice diversion in Q1 Bayo Akomolafe

t least, N80 billion duty payable on imported rice was lost by the Federal Government in the first quarter of this year as no fewer than 150 ships laden with the commodity were diverted to neighbouring ports of Benin, Ghana and Camer-

Over 150 shiploads diverted to Benin, Ghana, Cameroon oon. Terminal operators in the Lagos seaports disclosed that the vessels were meant to berth in their terminal but were diverted to other countries due to high tariff and other charges. According to the Chair-

man, Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN), Princess Vicky Haastrup, shiploads of rice were diverted to the ports in Benin Republic, Cameroon, Ghana CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

guidelines. Already, the industry regulator has issued details of the states where such licences will be awarded. They include Abuja, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom Bauchi and Bayelsa. The states exempted are Lagos, Delta, Rivers, Anambra, Abia, Imo, Ebonyi, Oyo and Plateau. A document by the Executive Vice-Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, stated that the licences will be issued on state basis. This means that there may be very limited classification of states based on their level of economic development. When FWA licences became operative on July, 1 2007, the firms that won bids then included XS Broadband Limited, Witel Limited (formerly Startech Connection Ltd), Rainbownet Limited, O’dua Telecoms Limited, CyberSpace Limited, IPNX Nigeria Limited and Wideaways Nigeria Limited. Others include Hyperia Limited (formerly Modern Telecom Ltd), Mega CONTINUED ON PAGE 30

Rates Dashboard

DELE ALAO, Brands/Marketing Editor ABDULWAHAB ISA, Finance Editor

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

NCC to auction Fixed Wireless licence in 28 states

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

NEW TELEGRAPH

REGULATORY PRESSURES DOMINATE ICT

INFLATION RATE February 2014......................7.70% January 2014 .......................8.00% December 2013....................8.00%

LENDING RATE InterBank Rate . . . . . . . . . 10.50% Prime Lending Rate. . . . . 16.93% Maximum Lending Rate..25.83%

EXCHANGE RATE

(Parellel As at Mar. 28)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N170 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N282 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N238

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at Mar. 28)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N155.74 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N258.93 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N213.90 Source: CBN

30 BUSINESS | NEWS INCREAMENT Products manufactured from wheat to cost more. Siaka Momoh

he Ukraine crisis is already affecting wheat prices, Executive Vice Chairman/ CEO of Honeywell Flour Mills Plc, Babatunde Odunayo, said in an interview with New Telegraph. He said Ukraine, Russia and Kazakhstan, which make up the Black Sea grain region, are leading wheat producing areas, stressing that the crisis in this region is already impacting on global wheat price. The implication of this is that the on-going Ukraine crisis may mean higher prices of wheat for Nigeria. By extension, this would affect wheat flour millers and other wheat consuming nations, bread bakers and other confectionery business persons and Nigerian consumers, if unchecked. Jaime Nolan-Miralles, a commodity risk analyst at INTL FCStone Inc. in Dublin, said the crisis “is already firming up cash-market prices in Europe and raises notable questions for grains-flow potential out of the Black Sea.

Honeywell CEO:Ukraine crisis affects wheat price If this is the case, there will be pressure on supplies from Brazil, US and Argentina, the first, second and third largest supplier of wheat in the world. Nigeria buys most of its wheat from the US and Brazil. And that will mean higher wheat prices for Nigeria and other wheat consuming nations across the globe. Europe is said to be feeling the pinch already, according to Bloomberg. It said that wheat climbed the most in 17 months and corn rose to the highest since September as tensions escalated in Ukraine, a leading exporter of both grains. “Mounting unrest between Ukraine and Russia is supporting global grain prices,” Luke Mathews, a commodity strategist at Commonwealth Bank of Australia, said in a report. “The Black Sea region’s importance to global grain production and exports has surged in recent years.” Wheat for May delivery jumped as much as 5.9 per cent to $6.38 a bushel on the

Nigeria loses N80bn to rice diversion in Q1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

and Togo in the first quarter of this year. She said that Nigeria lost about 600,000 metric tons of rice between January and March to the neighbouring ports due to the 110 per cent duty slammed on the commodity by the Federal Government early last year. She noted: “This is becoming rather unfortunate. Our economy is bleeding seriously because of this policy. The loss to other countries as a result of the high tariff on rice was over N300 billion last year while in the first quarter of this year alone, both government and private operators have lost at least N80 billion. “Even the Federal Government through Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Mrs. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, admitted the shortcoming of this policy. The truth is that the policy has done more harm than good to our economy and government should waste no further time before reversing it.” She said that the loss affected

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Nigeria Customs Service, terminal operators, dock workers and the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA). Princess Haastrup disagreed with those who blame Customs for the high rate of smuggling of rice into Nigeria. She declared: “It is totally wrong to blame Nigeria Customs Service. The fact of the matter is that the policy cannot work. Even if you place heavily armed Customs officers in every corner of our borders, it won’t stop smuggling. “It is a fact that local production cannot match local demand which creates a recipe for smuggling. There is a lot of pressure on Customs because the quantity of rice manufactured locally can only satisfy 30 per cent of local demand. It is easy to point accusing fingers but I believe Customs officers are giving their best. “And don’t forget that our neighbouring countries are profiting from the policy by dropping their own tariffs on rice and because they are benefitting, they give tacit support to these smugglers.”

Chicago Board of Trade, the biggest intraday gain for a most active contract since September 28, 2012, and the highest level since December 12. It traded recently at $6.2925. Corn for delivery the same month climbed as much as 4.2 per cent to $4.8275 a bushel, the highest

since September 3, before trading at $4.74. Meanwhile, India wheat exporters are taking advantage of the crisis. According to The Economic Times report, Russia's standoff with the West over Ukraine and the threat of sanctions by the US seem

to have come as a boon for Indian wheat traders. Global wheat prices rose by 3 per cent to $290-300 a tonne in a week's time. Indian traders feel that it is a good opportunity to cash in on and want the government to allow more wheat exports from the government stock.

L–R: Gombe State Governor and member, Governing Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN), Dr. Ibrahim Hassan Dankwanbo; President/Chairman of Council, Dr. Segun Aina and Emir of Dukku, Alhaji Mohammed Hamza, after the commissioning of the CIBN North East Zonal Office in Gombe.

Power accounts for 40% manufacturing cost in Nigeria PRODUCTIVITY Shortage of public power supply pushes up production cost. Siaka Momoh

orty per cent of manufacturers’ production cost goes into the provision of electricity supply; it was gathered at a seminar in Lagos. Manufacturers, who converged on Ikeja, Lagos, at the 5th edition of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) Consultative Forum cried out against the burden of high cost of manufacturing. They said: “When you now integrate this into deficien-

cies in the other infrastructural components, cost of manufacturing in Nigeria gets out of control.” The Chairman, Infrastructure Committee of manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Chairman Electrical/Electronics Sectoral Group of MAN, Reginald Odiah, said that electricity power supply is key to the manufacturing sector. He listed four basic components needed to drive productivity in this sector to include funds, labour, electricity and raw materials. Odiah further said that inadequate access to any of these will constrain production in a manufacturing process. He explained: “However, poor electricity power supply is the

greatest constraint. In 2006, some 850 members of MAN randomly selected were asked to rank the severity of the four basic manufacturing components on their businesses on a scale on 1 to 3 viz No obstacle, moderate obstacle and major obstacle. All of them ranked electricity power supply as their number one problem and a major constraint.” He said that over 75 per cent of the electricity power needs of manufacturers are generated in-house. “Only perhaps 25 per cent or so can be said to come from the utility power supply”. Odiah proffered possible solution for the power supply problem that the new owners of electricity supply outfits can adopt.

NCC to auction Fixed Wireless licence in 28 states CONTINUED FROM PAGE 29

Tech Engineering Ltd, Sirius Wireless Limited, Horizon Broadcasting and Telecommunications Ltd and Swift Networks. XS Broadband has the largest network locations covering 24 states including Cross River, Rivers, Delta, Ebonyi, Imo, Lagos, Ekiti, Osun, Kaduna, Abu-

ja, Kogi and Kwara. The company’s licence spectrum also extends to Niger, Gombe, Bauchi, Borno, Adamawa, Taraba, Yobe, Zamfara, Jigawa, Kastina, Kebbi and Sokoto State. On the other hand, Rainbownet’s allocated locations include Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi and Imo while Odua Tele-

coms is located in Ekiti, Ondo, Osun, Ogun and Oyo State. Cyberspace and Swift Networks licences cover Lagos while those of Witel Limited and IPNX Nigeria cover Abuja. Hyperia and Sirius Wireless licences cover Rivers State while Wideaways Nigeria covers Enugu and Mega Tech Engineering covers Kano State.

BUSINESS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fact File

Cassava processing factory

Home-based SMEs in power short-supply trap MISFORTUNE Geographical location of home-based SMEs shuts them out of power supply. Stories by Siaka Momoh

ome-based small enterprises in Ikeja geographical zone of Lagos State may have to wait for a long time to enjoy the relief anticipated from the new owners of the distribution network of defunct PHCN. This is so because since they are based in homes, they cannot

enjoy the power supply priority of the distribution strategy currently being operated by the company, Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company (IKEDC). According to IKEDC GM, Customer Service, Olubukola Ojuronpe, who stood in for the company’s Managing Director/ CEO Abiodun Ajifowobaje, at the 5th Edition of Ikeja Manufacturers Consultative Forum on Thursday, most of the day power is provided in the industrial area of Ikeja whilst the residential area is shut out. Said she: “We give priority to our industrial customers in our load shedding formula. Most of

the industrial feeders in our network are having about 18 hours supply availability in a day.” This means in effect that home-based SMEs which are in their thousands in this industrial nerve centre of Nigeria will have no access to the

There are 17.3 million Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria employing 32.4 million people

national grid. The enormity of the impact becomes more glaring if we draw on data. According to Nigerian Bureau of Statistics/Small and Medium Enterprise Development Agency of Nigeria (NBS/ SMEDAN) 2010 National MSME Collaborative Survey, there are 17.3 million Micro Small and Medium Enterprises in Nigeria employing 32.4 million people. Lagos State where Ikeja is located has the highest number of small and medium enterprises (4,535) and the highest number of micro enterprises (880,805), followed by Kano State CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Manufacturers counsel Discos on way forward ENERGY Manufacturers tell Discos what to do to succeed in power business.

anufacturers in the Ikeja axis of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) have list the way forward for the new operators of the distribution aspect of the defunct PHCN.

According to Chairman, Infrastructure Committee of MAN, Reginald Odiah, who spoke at MAN forum said, the DisCos should look at energy efficiency conservation. He said: “Introduce and encourage energy efficiency practices that will reduce wastages and free saved energy for use in other areas. An example is the replacement of incandescent lamps (ILs) with energy-saving compact

fluorescent lamps (CFLs). The replacement of about one million 60 watts ILs with same number of 11 watts CFL will automatically free 49,000 KWs or 4.9 MWs of electricity power for use by others. Use of LED lamps can also play major role in freeing a lot of power without physical investment on power plants. He also advised them to encourage end-users to ensure that “power is used only when

needed,” and that there should be timely replacement of obsolete electrical appliances that have outlived their time. He said they should discourage the importation and use of second hand electrical materials. Odiah advised on the introduction and use of capacitor banks in the transmission and distribution sub-stations to reduce losses. On the introduction of smart CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Estimated Nigeria’s middle-class population is about 37 million. 50 per cent of Nigerian middle-class with a monthly income of between $500 and $700 plan to buy refrigerators, freezers and other white goods in the future. With Nigeria’s population projected to grow to 237 million by 2025, Nigeria represents Africa’s largest base of potential consumers. Many in the middle-class, including those living on $2-$4 a day, can easily slip back into poverty. In Lagos, 93 per cent of residents earn less than $390 a month. Only 35 per cent of electricity consumers in Ikeja zone covered by Ikeja Electricity Distribution Company are metered! Draft palm-oil roadmap says government should establish a N100 billion palm-oil development fund with a disbursement of N20 billion per annum for the next five years. The fund should be accessed at single digit interest rate with a repayment period of up to ten years. It should be available for all in the palm-oil value chain, and also for refinancing. In addition, the fund should domicile in both Bank of Industry (BoI) and Bank of Agriculture (BoA). It is expected that Nigeria will attain self-sufficiency in CPO within the next 10 years (i.e. by 2025). However, it is important to stress that all these would happen with effective enforcement. The European Union delegation to Liberia has announced the decision of the European Council to provide at least 6.5 billion Euros for the Economic Partnership Agreement Development Program (PAPED) for West Africa during the period 2015 - 2020. SMEs in the peripheral Eurozone, particularly Greece, Italy, Ireland and Spain, have been “starved” of credit since the sovereign debt crisis as they are forced to pay higher interest rates on bank loans than their competitors in Germany. New lending to SMEs across the periphery dropped by over half in the past five years, showed a study by the Institute of International Finance, the global banking industry body, and Bain & Co, the consultancy.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Home-based SMEs in power short-supply trap CONTINUED from PAGE 31

(872,552), while FCT recorded the least (272,579). Speaking on challenges being faced by her DISCO, Ojurongbe said that the greatest challenge facing the power sector today is inadequate power supply from the national grid. She explained: “In IKEDC, current maximum demand is about 900 MW. Energy received from November 2013 till date is an average of 350 MW per month, thus leaving an average of 550 MW shortages.” She explained that it is common knowledge that Lagos is the commercial nerve centre of Nigeria, highly industrialised and that Lagos alone can consume about 40 per cent of the total electricity generated in Nigeria. This, she said, has resulted in load shedding or complete loss of supply occasionally.

She said that in anticipation of improvement in generation, “we are carrying out upgrading of our network through system expansion and rehabilitation.” Manufacturers who gathered yesterday at the Ikeja event decried the burden of high cost of manufacturing, saying that 40 per cent of their production cost goes into the provision of electricity. They argued: “When you now integrate this into deficiencies in the other infrastructural components, cost of manufacturing in Nigeria gets out of control.” According to the Chairman, Infrastructure Committee of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN) and Chairman Electrical/Electronics Sectoral Group of MAN, Reginald Odiah, in a paper he presented at the event, electricity power supply is key to the manufacturing sector.

He listed four basic components needed to drive productivity in this sector to include funds, labour, electricity power supply and raw materials. He said that inadequate access to any of these will constrain production in a manufacturing process. Odiah proffered possible solution for the power supply problem that the new owners of electricity supply outfits can adopt. He said: “The Multi-Year Tariff (2) (MYTO II) which is currently in use has been structured to take care of low tariff and encourage private investment into the sector. We look forward to investors taking advantage of same. At this stage, in my opinion, it will be inappropriate for the new owners to start with demands for increase in tariff or additional charges for power supply without anything to show for it.”

Manufacturers counsel Discos on way forward CONTINUED from PAGE 31

meters, he said: “You should ensure that meters are readily available to consumers on demand. When you do this, it becomes easier for consumers to practice DSM which not only save electricity wastages but also allows the consumer to control cost. Smart meters would allow consumers to have control over their electricity consumption. “When a substantial amount of the above is undertaken, you would have immediately closed a reasonable gap between sup-

ply and demand and then we can start looking at justification for increases.” Head of Policy, Guinness Nigeria Plc, Michael Onuoha, chided Ojurongbe for listing only her company’s risks. “Where are your mitigations,” he asked. He sympathised with her and her company, of course, for not having control over what they distribute.” Do you have exchanges with Gencos (generating companies)?” he asked. Onuoha also raised the issue of when the DisCos can ensure steady power supply

with Ojurongbe who had earlier said it would be gradual. “How gradual?” he queried, adding: “Production processes of companies need to be understood by you. When production starts it cannot stop because if it is interrupted, huge losses will be sustained by the manufacturer.” The Chairman, MAN Ikeja, Prince F. Oba Okojie, also want to see a situation when the activities of DisCos will not be hampered by GenCos, and electricity transmitters. For him, the entire power value chain should be privatised.

Steps to start, grow, sell your business CREATIVITY What entrepreneurs need to suceed.

hat makes one entrepreneur ultra-successful while another falls flat on his face? Is it because the ultrasuccessful entrepreneur was smarter, had a better education or worked harder? Probably not. History shows that the great entrepreneurs are neither smarter, better educated, nor harder working than other entrepreneurs. But, these great entrepreneurs certainly do things a bit differently. They take the same 24 hours a day that all entrepreneurs have and use them with great efficiency. They are like conductors of the world’s best orchestras. But rather than creating beautiful symphonies and amazing sounds, they create boatloads of cash. Growthink has been able to isolate the steps to take to most successfully start, grow and sell your business. The following are some of the steps: Expertly brainstorm, select and execute on new ideas Entrepreneurs must always be reading, thinking and brainstorming to find new and improved products and services and ways to run their businesses. To come up with quality ideas, successful entrepreneurs do several things including: Investing time and money in education They read books, attend conferences and commit themselves to life-long learning. Their best ideas flow from the new ideas and concepts they learn. Leveraging proven brainstorming techniques and

using them with their teams Even more importantly than brainstorming on new ideas, successful entrepreneurs are able to expertly judge their ideas and figure out which ones are worth pursuing. Great entrepreneurs use several techniques when assessing ideas They start by separating strategic ideas from opportunistic ideas. While opportunistic ideas may bring in shortterm revenues, strategic ideas drive the company closer to achieving its stated mission. As such, successful entrepreneurs weed out opportunistic ideas. Successful entrepreneurs also judge new ideas by determining their feasibility and market potential They conduct either formal or informal SWOT analyses, looking at the idea in the context of the company’s strengths and weaknesses, and in the context of market opportunities and threats. And then, great entrepreneurs assess new ideas based on their opportunity cost They understand that the time and money spent on new ideas means less time and money spent executing existing ideas or other opportunities. These entrepreneurs determine early that the new ideas are worth pursuing. Finally, successful entrepreneurs are able to convert those ideas into executable action plans As stated later in this report, great entrepreneurs are able to establish reasonable goals and break these goals into smaller attainable action items that they and their teams can accomplish on a daily basis.

BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Manufacturers eye new growth opportunities

Enterprise Strokes

OPPORTUNITIES Industrialists are jostling to take advantage of new growth. Siaka Momoh

he Fast Moving Consumer Group (FCMG) turf is a place to be now for investors care for blossoming bottomline as many are now entering the sector to take advantage of new growth opportunities, according to Oxford Business Group report for Nigeria, 2013. The report says a booming population offers huge potential for manufacturers of consumer goods, particularly as Nigeria’s nascent middle class further establishes its foothold. But it says persistent poverty and unemployment mean that price sensitivity is still a major issue. The Nigerian Immigration Service recent employment saga corroborates this issue of unemployment. Some reports put the figure of those seeking employment in the Immigration Service as six million whereas the available space was 3000. The OBG report says as a result of the issue of persistent poverty and unemployment and its allied price sensitivity, segments geared toward the lower end of the market offer more predictable returns and investment in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods sector is growing. The report adds, citing Christos Giannopoulos of PZ Cuzzons Nigeria, that, however, the operating for manufacturers in Nigeria

is difficult, with high input costs and other expensive challenges to overcome, such as poor electricity and distribution, but FMCG firms are investing in the future. Giannopoulous, according to the report, says: “Penetration levels are still far behind. Granted there is a poverty line, but everyone eats and drinks and needs soap.” The reports states that global brands are acquiring local companies to penetrate the market, with Ola and Tiger brands both recently taking stakes in Nigerian flour mills. “Indeed, many multinationals, including Nestle, Procter and Gamble, PZ Cussons and SANYO, have been building new factories, investing time and money in the future of Nigeria’s FMCG sector,” it says. Procter and Gamble Nigeria (P&G) recently upped the stakes in Nigeria’s fast-moving consumer goods manufacturing sector as President Goodluck Jonathan (represented by Vice-President Namadi Sambo), inaugurated the company’s $300 million (about N5 billion) manufacturing plant in Agbara Industrial Sstate, Ogun State. The investment which has been described as a mark of renewed confidence by United States of America business interests and organisations in Nigeria’s economy comes as part of P&G’s mission to deepen its production capacity in

The plant will provide over 2,000 direct jobs for Nigerians and several thousands of indirect jobs

Nigeria and to sustain its status as not just market leader, but industry leader in the FMCG sector. According to industry pundits, the Greenfield investment represents American largest investment in Nigeria outside the oil and gas. Expectedly, the plant will provide over 2,000 direct jobs for Nigerians and several thousands of indirect jobs as it commences operations. The Managing Director for P&G Nigeria, Mr. George Nassar, said that the new factory would be fully dedicated to the production of Pampers in this initial phase, with the capacity to expand production to accommodate other trusted P&G brands in the future. He added that the new factory is expected to create thousands of new direct and indirect jobs and hundreds of SMEs in the country. This investment supports Nigeria’s transformation objectives in the areas of job creation, inclusive growth and human capital development. Commenting on the facility just before its formal commissioning last week, P&G’s Associate Director for Government Relations in Sub-Sahara, Temitope Iluyemi, disclosed that the plant was constructed in record time, under 18 months. She added that the plant was conceived to boost consumer goods production in the country. President Jonathan added that the goal of his administration is to ensure efficient coordination of investments by relevant government agencies, a development which made it to embark on a comprehensive tax reform in a bid to eliminate double taxation. In his presentation at the event, CONTINUED ON PAGE 34

with

Siaka Momoh

siakamomoh@yahoo.com

Product faking P

Vice-President Namadi Sambo, opening P&G's new plant in Agbara, Ogun State, behind him is Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State and other industry stakeholders

roduct counterfeiting is a global problem. Counterfeit products have ruined economies, causing plant shut downs and heart shaking job losses. John Engler, president, National Association of Manufacturers, United States of America, says counterfeit products account for a staggering five to seven per cent of world trade, a volume of almost $500 billion (N75.9 trillion) annually. Counterfeiting is evil. It not only violates the intellectual property rights of manufacturers, it also puts consumers in serious danger. Dangers range from ingestion of fake pharmaceuticals to accidents caused by substandard. China is an unrepentant fake product manufacturer. It engages in unfair trade practices, including wholesale counterfeiting of U.S. products. It has huge factories dedicated to making products that look exactly like U.S. brand name goods. This Chinese criminal practice is not limited to business relations with the United States. World-wide, China is a problem to economies. Tons of Chinese sub-standard products dominate markets. Stories are told of Nigerians who approach factories in China to manufacture fake products for them. We hear they take the originals of these products to Chinese manufacturers and instruct them to counterfeit them. When products are counterfeited, they cause job loss in receiver-countries. Counterfeited textile products imported into Nigeria caused textile plants shut downs and, by extension, massive job losses. According to Oladele Hunsu, First National Vice President of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUT-GTWN), some textile factories cut down their workforce from 500 to 250, and some from 800 to 400. By 1996, the workforce (direct employment) in the industry was close to 140,000. The figure has sharply dropped to 25,000. In all, over 500,000 allied jobs have been lost to redundancies and plant closures in the industry the last 25 years or thereabout. Intellectual property theft affects the nation’s movie, music and books industries with owners of vides, DVDs, CDs and books losing billions of naira to unrepentant pirates of their products. Reports have it that in his recent study of fake pharmaceuticals, Paul Newton of Oxford University found a disturbing amount of fake malaria drugs sold in Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam and disappointedly concluded: “...about half of the Artesunate contained no active ingredient. So, logically, if malaria is a public health problem in Southeast Asia and is potentially fatal, if people are taking these drugs that contain starch and chalk, they are very unlikely to survive their malaria infection.” He said: “In one shop, a hundred thousand fake Artesunate were offered for sale. So, they are not being produced in somebody’s kitchen. They are produced on an industrial scale. And if organised crime is involved, which seems very likely, then that makes it much harder to do anything about.” Dora Akunyili, erstwhile director general of National Administration for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC), put her life on the line fighting peddlers of counterfeit drugs in the country. She lamented in one of her outings: “The problem of counterfeit drugs and other regulated products is rapidly rearing its ugly head in developed countries and this is fueled by purchase of drugs via the internet. The negative impact of counterfeit drugs and other regulated products knows no boundaries. Resistant strains of micro-organisms do not need visa to travel from country to country.”

34 BUSINESS | INDUSTRY

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Stakeholders make case for Nigerian industrial revolution Siaka Momoh Abdul Alimi Bello, President, Kaduna Chamber of Commerce and Industry Unfortunately, I won’t want to say we have seen much effect of the industrial revolution plan in the sense that as long as the funding of the credit and the interest rate will be or remains what it is, 25 per cent – 30 per cent, I don’t know how you want to go about it, more so, that this plan we are talking of is around private sector funding and you have to leverage. When you leverage, definitely, the cost of doing business will be on the rise. Since we are saying government has no business doing business, it’s not government that will do the business, even if they provide an intervention fund, it is going to bear a cost. So it still boils down to what we have been talking about. Little can be achieved even with the industrial revolution plan if funding is not well addressed. We have talked of energy, energy is being addressed. For the energy itself, the investors have to take the money from the bank or from wherever, they have to pay the cost and what will happen when it comes back to the consumers? Horace Campbell, Professor of African American Studies and Political Science at Syracuse University in New York; Professor of International Relations at Tsinghua University in Beijing, China. It is always important to develop a plan for industrialisation. We need industrialisation in Africa and Nigeria will be a driving force for the unification and political independence of Africa. However, we have to strategically learn from other societies, strategise in relation to the changing dynamics in the places that can support the industrialisation that we want and build a political constituency for this industrialisation. The plan cannot be an economic plan only. It will have to be economic, social and political. From what we have seen of the Chinese industrialisation over the past 40 years, there must be the political will to carry this through. One of the many questions that we have to ask is ‘what will be the nature of the kind of industrial transformation that can propel

Manufacturers looking to take advantage of new growth opportunities C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 3

Vice-President Namadi Sambo; President Goodluck Jonathan, SSG, Anyim Pius Anyim and Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Olusegun Aganga at the launching of Nigerian Industrial Revolution in Abuja recently.

the transformation of African economies, in this case, the Nigerian economy?’ Nigeria has one major asset and that is a young, dynamic work force. Hence transformation and industrialisation must dynamise this demographic asset. This will begin with the skills and knowledge of the resources that will change the society in the 21st century - biotechnology and third generation industrialisation. By third generation I mean the transition from 1st generation (textile and industrialisation of agriculture) to second generation (automobiles, computers and nuclear energy) third generation (micro electronics and biotechnology). We have seen Malaysia as one of the most successful societies that have been in the forefront of driving its society to the third stage. Malaysia and South Korea are two societies that are moving ahead for the third stage and getting ready for the fourth stage, robotics, nanotechnology and intelligent design. The differences between South Korea and China are clear in the sense that China became a reservoir for cheap labor and developed dirty industries of the second phase of industrialisation (iron steel, coal, textiles, rubber, shoes etc). China has become so successful at this old strategy of dirty industries that the people are choking from the pollution. At the same time, China is trapped by exporting to western countries and dumping these goods because there is an oversupply. Yet, the one fact that unites China, Malaysia and Korea is

the control of finance and the infrastructure for transformation. They are focusing on social transformation. This means that the quality of life in the cities, housing construction, schools, hospitals and clinics and parks take priority so that there is a healthy environment. With political will, China has now decided to move out of the second phase of industrialisation and will invest in other parts of the world to ensure that other societies bear the environmental costs of the old forms of industrialisation. This is just the same ways in which western states use cheap labor in Bangladesh for the apparel industry in western countries, Walmart and Target, among others. There can be no serious industrial policy today that does not start with energy transformation. This will involve state run forms of the generation of electricity that guarantees cheap and reliable electricity. Secondly and tied to electrical generation will be the new forms of alternative energy that breaks old monopolies. Nigeria is well placed for rapid development of alternative energies, solar, wind, thermal power as well as used of natural

There can be no serious industrial policy today that does not start with energy transformation

gas. It is criminal that the natural gas is still flared in Nigeria. Cheikh Anta Diop already spelt out the eight forms of energy that can be produced in Nigeria. The potential for hydroelectricity, tied to canals and micro stations require new thinking. This kind of investment will need a strong central government with a banking/ financial system that uses the oil resources to invest in the transformation. I will not make the racist comparisons that have been made between Nigeria and Malaysia but we can see many lessons from the operations of the state oil company, PETRONAS. We have to make detailed studies of PETRONAS and the political alliances that made the political leaders of Malaysia fight off predatory global capital and the likes of George Soros and the IMF. PETRONAS is a company that drives the economic transformation of Malaysia by using the resources of petroleum products to support start-ups and for assisting the diversification of the economy. This company also assists the government in the strengthening of the infrastructure: rail networks, roads, subways and waterways for transformation. The third aspect of the third generation transformation will be the transformation of the educational system. The building of a comprehensive educational infrastructure with linkages to all four forms of industrialisation will demonstrate a level of seriousness.

Mr. Laurent Philippe, P&G Group President for Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa (CEEMEA) stated that P&G is proud to have been part of Nigeria’s growth for over 20 years and is committed to continue investing in Nigeria in a bid to touch and improve lives of the people. He noted that the company’s dedication to investing in Nigeria closely supports government’s transformation agenda. “We share the same purpose and a partnership between the two is both natural and essential. Similarly, the entry of SABMiller, South African world brewing giant, into Nigeria in 2009, drew the ire of Nigeria’s two brewing giants - Nigerian Breweries Plc and Guinness Nigeria Plc. SABMiller bought Pabod Breweries, Port Harcourt, where it owns 57 per cent and Voltic Nigeria Limited (Voltic produces table water), Lagos, owning 80 per cent of the company, and Standard Breweries in Ibadan, using these companies for soft landing in Nigeria. For over five years or thereabout, this world number two brewer tried to open shop in Nigeria. In its quest to tap a $3 billion (N45.9 billion) informal market, the giant brewer is encouraging farmers to raise cassava and barley for its new discount beers. But in an apparent response to SABMiller’s entry into the Nigerian market, Heineken N.V., Nigerian Breweries Plc’s parent company, stepped up the struggle for domination of the Nigerian beer market with its acquisition of two holding companies from the Sona Group which has controlling interests in five breweries in Nigeria. Heineken’s buying of Sona Group’s Sona Breweries Plc, Sango Ota, Ogun State, International Beer & Beverages Ind. Ltd., Kaduna State, Champion Breweries Plc, Uyo, Akwa-Ibom State, Life Breweries Co. Ltd, Onitsha, Anambra State and Benue Brewery Ltd, Makurdi, Benue State, is seen by industry players as a move to strengthen Nigerian Breweries’ position in the Nigerian beer market and further response to SABMiller’s entry into the Nigerian market. Of the five breweries being acquired, Champion Breweries is listed.

business

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

TECHTalk

Nigeria’s Information and Communications Technology industry has been a beehive of activities and development over the years. In this report, JONAH IBOMA examines the major issues that shaped the industry in the first quarter of 2014.

he Information Technology and Telecommunications sector has been one that has impacted national, regional and global economy for many years. It has been a major source of business activities, employing thousands of people and also provided a source of social interaction. The high level of foreign investment it has attracted has made it the cynosure of all eyes for many years now and in the first quarter of 2014, the situation has not been different. First was the conclusion of plan by the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) to issue 1 slot of 2.3GHz license for Wholesale Wireless Access Service (WWAS), which saw little-known Bitflux Communications Limited emerging as winner. The auction of the spectrum is part of a wider programme by NCC to increase and improve broadband penetration in Nigeria. The plan for the issuance of the licence started much earlier and assumed increased pace in 2012 and was eventually concluded in February 2014. NCC said in November 2012 that “the commission has, as a complement to its Open Access Broadband Strategy, decided to assign one slot of 30MHz nationally available in the 2.3 GHz band for the delivery of broadband wireless access service at the wholesale level, to provide Internet Service Providers and other retail telecoms service providers with the requisite bandwidth to service their subscribers. This wholesale broadband provider will have the required spectrum to expand wireless broadband access across the country to ISP’s and other retail telecom service providers for the provision of retail high speed internet access services.”

W it h

2014 First Quarter Review... 2014 First Quarter Review...

Regulatory pressures dominate ICT

The manner in which Bitflux won the licence was unexpected as NCC had created the impression that the bidding process could be very competitive and probably involve hundreds of millions of dollars. However, even though about 27 firms initially showed interest in the 2.3GHz licence put up for auction by the NCC, when the list of firms shortlisted for the final phase of licence was revealed with Globacom and little known Bitflux emerging as final bidders, questions began to emerge as to the desirability and suitability of awarding this licence using an auction model. Many industry watchers felt Globacom will emerge as winner. It appeared to many industry watchers that winner of the licence had already been determined, given the pedigree and financial capacity of the two finalists. The feeling was that considering Globacom’s huge financial capability, it would easily outbid Bitflux, a consortium of three local companies, in the final round of the auction for the 2.3GHz licence. However, the result was an industry surprise as Bitflux clinched the licence. Bitflux won the licence with an offer of $23,251,000.00 (about N3.65bn) as

Final phase of the auction process placed like a straight fight between a Goliath and a David if all that stands between them in the race is a deep pocket

Chehade

against $23,050,001 (N3.62bn) offered by Globacom. According to the President, Telecom Answer Associates, Mr. Titi Omo-Ettu, the battle between the two shortlisted firms in the final phase of the auction process looked like a straight fight between a Goliath and a David if all that stands between them in the race is a deep pocket. He, however, added that if other factors such as the innovativeness and ability to provide more impactful service were concerned, then probably, a better approach should have been sought. “Final phase of the auction process placed like a straight fight between a Goliath and a David if all that stands between them in the race is a deep pocket,” he said. The sector, during the period under review, also witnessed the imposition of fine of N647 million by NCC on three operators, MTN, Glo and Airtel, for failure to meet key performance indicators (KPIs) and poor quality of service for the month of January 2014. It, however, gave Etisalat a clean bill as it met all the set KPIs. The telecoms regulator, in letters dated February 19, 2014, addressed to each of the affected companies, said that after collating statistics from the network operating centres of the operators in the month of January, it discovered that the services provided by MTN, Airtel and Globacom fell below the KPI published by it in 2013. A breakdown of the sanctions indicated that Globacom was penalised, N277.5 million for three breaches, while MTN and Airtel got CONTINUED ON PAGE 36

Jonah Iboma 08050498516

Nigeria operators and subscribers, interest

Johnson

ast week, the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) was reported to have issued a formal warning to one of the country’s mobile operators, Optus, for a software coding error that resulted in the firm overcharging approximately 237,500 post-paid mobile consumer and small business customers on some messaging services. Aside this, the Optus was said to have called the subscribers concerned to apologise and estimated that this would cost it $8.8 million, for the affected customers to receive a refund of $50 or less. This development reminds one of how much Nigerian subscribers have often been short-changed by operators and with very little compensation to show for it. Over the years, Nigerian subscribers have had to suffer from loss of connection, high degree of drop calls and related issues. It is in this line that the Nigerian Communications Commission has often stated that it is interested in ensuring that quality of service offered by operators improved and met expectation. This is a good intention. However, much more needs to be done to ensure that subscribers actually get value for their money. Truly, Nigeria has been basking in the euphoria of achieving high subscription figures in terms of mobile connectivity, but there is huge price being paid by subscribers. Part of the price includes the constant investment in various offerings put forward by operators. In addition to that, the fact that subscribers have had to be moving from one network to another due to unreliable service from internet service providers is something that needs to be addressed. It is commonplace to see a subscriber having internet dongles of Airtel, MTN, Etisalat, Glo and Multi Links among others. This, on one hand, is due to the questionable service offered sometimes by these operators. Another issue worthy of note is the recent death of fixed wireless access companies such as Multi Links, Starcomms, Intercellular, MTS First Wireless and others. Although, these companies were said to be heading for a merger, the fact that they are not operational today means that the investment made by Nigerian subscribers in purchasing their phones for personal, office or home use has gone down the drain without compensation. Probably most painful is the fact that many of these lines which are used as office or home lines have now been cut off and have had to be replaced at additional cost. It is clear therefore that the telecommunications revolution that Nigeria is experiencing is coming at a huge cost to subscribers. I believe that NCC needs to focus more at ensuring that subscribers are satisfied by offerings put forward by operators. Although, fines may impact the bottom line of operators, it probably does little to compensate for the money lost by subscribers.

business | ICT

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Cyberlaw adoption in West Africa low –UNCTAD INTERNET Legislation guiding ICTs in West Africa lags behind challenges Jonah Iboma

est African countries need to do more work in order to adopt and coordinate laws related to cyber security, according to officials who met at recent events hosted by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, (UNCTAD). It was discovered at special seminars organised by UNCTAD in Senegal and Ghana in February and March that in the region, only Cote d’Ivoire, The Gambia, Ghana and Senegal have passed cyber laws. According to a report made

available to New Telegraph, it was recommended that countries in the 15-state West African region should formulate and coordinate a legal framework for e-transactions, privacy and computer crime. The report stated that the region is becoming known as a base for Internet scams and it had become clear that cybercrime had a cross-border pattern that made it extremely difficult for law enforcement agencies to tackle solely from a national perspective. At the four-day UNCTAD gathering in Accra, Ghana, country representatives discussed ways to coordinate laws on e-commerce and also looked at developing cybercrime legislation based on the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime. The Budapest Convention is an international treaty that addresses the harmonisation

of cybercrime laws written by the EU’s Council of Europe in 2001 and signed by 42 countries so far. The Accra meeting was called “to encourage countries to harmonise their legislation with existing instruments, such as the Budapest Convention and others,” said Council of Europe Cybercrime Convention Committee Executive Secretary, Alexander Seger. “It is clear that once legislation is in place, capacity building is needed at all levels,” Seger said, adding that “this includes, in particular, training.” Seger further said that the Council of Europe would be prepared to assist countries in West Africa in both cybercrime and data protection legislation. “A clear legal framework in line with international

standards and rule of law and human rights requirements and the ability to apply such a framework in practice will allow societies in West Africa to exploit the human development potential of information technologies,” Seger said. At the Accra meeting, Ghana adopted a Cyber security strategy, signing a memorandum of understanding with the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI) of the 53-member Commonwealth of Nations to focus on child online protection and cyber security plans. Eight countries in West Africa have prepared bills, though they have not yet been passed into law. “In the region, only Guinea, Guinea Bissau and Sierra Leone do not have draft laws,” said UNCTAD Programme Manager on E-Commerce and Law Reform at the ICT Analysis Section, Cécile Barayre. “It’s a slow process but there is indication that countries are moving ahead. Even if the adoption of cyber law does not get the same priority in every country, there is a common understanding of

the need for harmonisation,” Barayre said. The Council of Europe’s Seger noted that to enhance cyber security in Africa, it is essential that countries establish, as a foundation, a regulatory framework covering different aspects of cyberspace. “With regard to cybercrime, this includes criminal law provisions in line with the Budapest Convention on Cybercrime,” he said. “It is important that the powers given to law enforcement are subject to safeguards,” Seger wrote in email. “Moreover, countries should adopt a framework for the protection of personal data. It is good to see that several countries of West Africa have made good progress in this respect.” Enhancing cyber security in Africa not only requires government engagement at the highest level, but also training, to ensure local law enforcement and technical personnel have the tools and training required to enhance and enforce security laws and related IT, said UNCTAD’s Barayre.

ITU: Digital solutions create employment for youth JOBS ICT skills increase opportunities for securing jobs L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Phase3 Telecoms, Mr. Stanley Jegede; Chairman OpenMedia Group, Mr. Ernest Ndukwe; Minister of Communications Technology, Mrs. Omobola Johnson and President of Association Telecommunications Companies of Nigeria, Mr. Lanre Ajayi, at the international forum on Accelerating Nationwide Broadband Access in Nigeria held in Lagos recently.

Regulatory pressures dominate ICT sector CONTINUED from PAGE 35

sanctioned N185 million each for two breaches. According to the letters conveying the breaches and sanctions, NCC set four critical KPIs – Call Setup Success Rate (CSSR), Drop Call Rate (DCR), Traffic Channel Congestion (TCHCONG) and Stand Alone Dedicated Control Channel Congestion (SDCONG). With a target of 98 per cent for CSSR, MTN, Airtel, and Globacom failed to meet the target in January. They scored 96.85 per cent, 96.99 per cent and 96.89 per cent respectively. In the DCR category, NCC set a target of one per cent. The audit report referred to by NCC in its letter stated that

for the month of January, MTN and Globacom failed to meet the target, while Airtel exceeded the target with a score of 0.84 per cent. For the last KPI, TCHCONG, with a target of 2 per cent, all the three networks exceeded the target, as MTN scored 0.55 per cent; Globacom – 0.79 per cent; and Airtel – 0.79 per cent. In summary, MTN failed to meet the targets set in the Quality of Service Regulations for the CSSR and DCR computations; Globacom failed to meet the targets set for CSSR, DCR and SDCONG computations, while Airtel failed to meet the targets for CSSR and SDCONG computations. But as the quarter was wind-

ing down, there was a major development as the United States Government announced plans to handover its technical control of the Internet to a multistakeholder group, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). The U.S. Government’s current responsibilities to be transitioned include the procedural role of administering changes to the Domain Name System’s (DNS) to the authoritative root zone file - the database containing the lists of names and addresses of all top-level domains – as well as serving as the historic steward of the unique identifiers registries for Domain names, IP addresses, and protocol parameters.

Jonah Iboma

he International Telecommunications Union (ITU) has said that digital solutions have an important role to play in national strategies to overcome youth unemployment. In a special report titled: Digital opportunities: Innovative ICT solutions for youth employment, the UN telecommunications agency said, among others, that national strategies that provide access to digital solutions would ensure that youth around the world obtained digital literacy skills to qualify for the growing number of jobs that demand ICT skills. ITU also said that governments can promote youth entrepreneurs by supporting innovation hubs, mobile app competitions, co-working spaces for digital entre-

preneurs, online mentoring networks and a host of other innovative ICT-enabled resources. One of the causes of youth unemployment, according to the report, is a skills mismatch between what the market is demanding and what institutions of learning – both formal and informal – are providing. In particular, many youth are not learning the digital skills that have become essential in virtually every market segment. The good news is that there is an explosion of new online learning opportunities for youth to get required skills. The report explores these new learning opportunities, as well as a growing number of jobs and business opportunities for youth if they have the right skills. “The ongoing information and communication technology revolution is transforming existing sectors and fuelling new business creation such as the apps economy that didn’t exist a few years ago,” said ITU Secretary-General, Hamadoun I. Touré.

business | ICT 37

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

TECHNOLOGY Africa now to be used as a word in Internet names. Stories by Jonah Iboma

he word ‘Africa’ has been adopted as generic internet domain name at the recently concluded global internet confab held in Singapore. According to details released by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, (ICANN), Africa will soon be available for use as a suffix for internet names. This means within a short while, we will have internet names such as http://www.abc.africa or http://www.abc.co.africa A generic top-level domain (gTLD) is one of the categories of top-level domains (TLDs) maintained by Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA), a department of ICANN in charge of Internet names for use in the Domain Name System of the Internet. It is visible to Internet users as the suffix at the end of a domain name. At ICANN forum 49 in

‘Africa’ adopted as generic internet domain name Singapore, Akram Atallah, President of ICANN’s Global Domains Division (GDD) and Lucky Masilela, Chief Executive Officer of ZA Central Registry (ZACR) participated in a symbolic signing ceremony that allows the new gTLD “.Africa” to proceed to delegation. This marks the first Registry Agreement signed between ICANN and an African gTLD registry operator. A contingency representing the African Union Commission, dotAfrica and ZADNA (domain name authority of South Africa) were in attendance, as well as several ZACR and ICANN staff members. The initial set of top-level domains, defined by RFC 920 in October 1984, was a set of “general purpose domains”: com, edu, gov, mil, org. The net domain was added with the first implementation of these domains. The com, net, and org TLDs, despite their origi-

Phase3 Telecoms brings PCCW to Africa

CCW Global, the Hong Kong-headquartered international operating division of HKT, Hong Kong’s premier telecom service provider, has signed a collaborative agreement with Phase3 Telecom, a West African market leader in telecommunications infrastructure and broadband solutions. PCCW Global operates an international network which covers over 3,000 cities in 130 countries, providing services based on the latest Ethernet, IP, fiber and satellite transmission technologies in major cities across the globe as well as to markets in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Latin America. Phase3 Telecom is a National Long Distance Operator (NLDO) licensed by the Nigeria Communication Commission to provide transmission services to Nigerian telecommunications operators, Internet service providers and corporations using fiber optic systems carried along electricity infrastructure. Co-operation between the two companies will enable new and advanced communications solutions for Nigeria and other West African countries with Phase3 Telecom now having access to

PCCW Global’s vast international MPLS network covering major African cities such as Nairobi, Dar es Salaam, Maputo, Johannesburg, and Cape Town, as well as 3,000 other cities around the world. PCCW Global will also gain improved access to networks in Nigeria via Phase3 Telecom’s robust fiber infrastructure. Mr. Stanley Jegede, Phase3 Telecom’s Chief Executive Officer, said: “We have deployed more than 6,000 km of fiber optic cable to date with another 3,000 km planned for the next 18 months while commissioning several Points of Presence at sites in all key cities. This partnership is a strong endorsement of the quality of the network we have built and a clear step forwards in our mission to connect all Nigerians with each other, and with the rest of the world. PCCW Global’s extensive network provides us with an unrivalled offering for corporate and institutional clients looking for a truly global solution, locally. We will continue to expand our West African network, and diversify our business with additional products distributed through our infrastructure.”

nally specific goals, are now open for use for any purpose. In November 1988, another TLD was introduced - int. This TLD was introduced in response to NATO’s request for a

domain name which adequately reflected its character as an international organisation. ICANN said the number of new generic top-level domains (gTLDs) that have been dele-

gated now had surpassed 175. Aside Africa, ICANN recently delegated gTLDs including .NYC, .Cologne, .trade, 机构 (Chinese for “agencies/institutions”).

L-R: Marketing Manager, DStv, Mrs. Chioma Afe; winner of 8.1KVA generator, Mrs. Olubunmi Adesanya and Head, Churn and Retention, MultiChoice Nigeria, Mrs. Kemi Omotosho, during the presentation to the winners of MultiChoice March Madness promo held at MultiChoice head office in Lagos…

ational Telecom Operator, Globacom, has concluded plans to introduce over ten brand new products and services to the public. The firm said at a demonstration of the services to the media on Tuesday, that the new offerings were designed to improve the way its subscribers live, work and play. Some of the services demonstrated include Glo family and friends Finder, Glo game store, Glo medicare, Glo mobile newspaper, Glo directory, Glo borrow me credit, Glo security tips, Glo love zone, Glo property tips, Glo daily inspiration and Glo legal adviser. According to Globacom’s Marketing Coordinator, Mr. Adeniyi Olukoya, the various offerings came out of rigorous research that spanned several months. Shedding light on each of the products, Olukoya said Glo family and friends finder is a new security service that makes it easy for friends, family, employers and employees to locate one another anytime, anywhere around the country. He explained that all a subscriber had to do to use the service is to send the text “find” followed by the telephone number of the person to be found to 5511. The platform will alert the person being sought for also by SMS

Glo demonstrates 10 new services

who will in turn reply “yes,” to give consent that he should be located and followed. He said that while each response is free, the service will be charged at N50 per SMS. As soon as the consent response is sent, the subscriber will immediately receive an SMS from 5511 indicating the location (relative to an existing landmark) of the person to be found. Another product, Glo Games Store, Olukoya said, enables the Glo subscriber to download and play any premium game on any kind of device on a mobile portal. All a subscriber requires to enjoy the exciting offer is an active subscription to Glo Games Store. Everybody can use it as it is available on all types of handset. Glo Medicare, he explained, is an SMS-based service wherein, subscribers are provided with regular information on a wide range of health and wellness issues, including how to manage various diseases or health conditions and how to prevent them. Olukoya said that Glo Mobile Newspaper (Glo M-Paper), allows mobile phone users who

subscribe to the service on the Glo network can access news as it is happening, while on the go through SMS news alerts. Glo Service Directory is a service that offers subscribers access on the go to key information and contact details of millions of business organizations such as hospitals, restaurants, police stations, government offices, workshops, banks, schools, hotels, etc. Glo Daily Inspiration is a service that uses an outbound dialer to call out to subscribers at a specific time each day to deliver fresh and invigorating content that edifies the soul and spirit. Some of the content available on the portal are Christian inspirational messages, Islamic Duaa, jokes and the Couples Arena. Glo borrow me credit, is a service that allows pre-paid subscribers to borrow airtime and pay later at a little cost. Glo Legal Adviser, the firm said, provides subscribers access to legal counsel and legal information via SMS at the touch of the phone through the short code: 4242. Glo said that all the services are ready for use by subscribers and would be launched.

Thursday, April 3, 2014

FEATURES

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/entrepreneur

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES EDITOR

abiodun.bello@newtelegraphonline.com

THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

Some beggars on a rail line in Lagos

Lagos: A cosmic begging neighbourhood I

n this neighbourhood, an arms-seeking army of lame and fit scrapes life from the loath populace. The eyes will also find the hunchback and the blind among them. Besides, the deaf as well as the mute, wrinkle the sights for lure. The fly-over, under it, on the streets, the highways and the market welcome the entire guest with pleasure. Lagos, the city noted for its commercial hum, brims with beggars; young and the aged alongside their distant equivalent. Often, some tiny fingers of an Arab child suddenly lock the skirt hem. The kid needs not do much; just latch on the person, cup your right hand and slowly bring it to its mouth. It speaks volume and sometimes melts a few hearts. Sadiq Abdul, one of the foreign beggars in the mega city, is always under the bridge at Obalende on Lagos Island with his wife and children. He says he is a national of Chad Republic. Abdul, like many

Lagos, Nigeria’s commercial nerve centre, brims with beggars of different ages and styles. While some take up begging because they are lazy, others beg because they could not find any job. Yet, there are the ones referred to as corporate beggars. In all, the professional beggars habitually take to begging as a way of life, writes, ISIOMA MADIKE sothers, has no travel papers. He is always in tattered clothes; his wife and three children are no better clad. The family, according to him, left their country because his homeland was hauntingly occupied by hunger while survival took to its heels even as starvation and death wait for comfort. Employment, he says, became an essential commodity that is everywhere in scarce. When they first came to Lagos about five years ago, Abdul, through an interpreter, says, “people used to give us money a lot with other food items. They pitied us for a while but

now they say we should go and work. The state government officials are also on our neck; they don’t want to see us on the streets again.” However, when he perceived that people were no longer interested in giving them money, he came up with another strategy: sending his children to meet their prospective benefactors. This seems to have paid off a great deal as Abdul says such strategy is what has kept them alive till date. At nightfall, Abdul and his fellow Arabs, including their wives and children assemble inside an

abandoned house, a bus or under the bridge. Those are places where they lay their heads. Sometimes the young ones sleep while the grownups keep vigil fighting a territorial army of mosquitoes, cockroaches and ants. This tallies with the condition of many among the local beggars, who have stormed Lagos from all parts of the country. Some homeless beggars are said to pay for where they pass the night in the open, at times N200 per head. Majority of Lagos beggars, however, are drawn from the northern part of the country. “My people did not care for me,” says Ikorodu-born Munsuratu Adedoyin, a crippled hunchback. “My father did not want to see me as if I were the cause of my deformity. I cannot go to school; I can’t even learn any trade with my condition. The last option for me is what CONTINUED ON PAGE 40

40 40 FEATURES

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Professional beggars with brain, effluent oratory CONTINUED FROM PAGE 39

I’m doing now,” she narrates in tears with the help of an interpreter how she was forced to accept her “destiny.” She has not been happy for one day in her life, she adds. Although some took up begging because they are lazy; others beg in the name of the Lord. There are also those who were forced into seeking arms because they could not find any job. Yet, there are the ones referred to as corporate beggars. While another group of net beggars has joined. In all, the professional beggars habitually take to begging as a way of life. A modern technique in begging is also fast gaining ground in Lagos nowadays. It combines brain and effluent oratory. A young lady approaches and politely asks for a direction of a notable company. After what seems to be a fitting response, the visibly schooled lady says gently, “sir, please sorry to bother you once more; I’m just going for an interview in that company but do not have enough money to make copies of my credentials and to transport myself back afterwards. Any little thing could go a long way.” Such soothing plea often does not go without a flash of some notes on her palm and she keeps a distance to wait for another prey. Some others confront you, especially at night, with the tales of how they had come to see their cousin, who neighbours just confirmed had gone for a trip outside Lagos. Unlike the interview corporate ladies, however, these ones mostly in their 40s will demand for a specific amount that will take them home. And if you had reason to pass through that path a number of times, they stun you with a different version of a rehearsed story without realising you had been approached earlier. Sometimes in August 2003, Abiodun Dina of the state Ministry of Youths, Sports and Social Development put the number of Lagos beggars at over 10,000. The state at that time set up a committee headed by the then Commissioner for Health, Dr Segun Ogundimu, on rehabilitation of the destitute. On the recommendation of the committee, hundreds of beggars were taken back to their respective states at the expense of the gover nment. Those who remained were taken to the destitute vocational training centre at Majidun near Ikorodu. But, the result was short-lived because, according to Violet Nwafor, a social worker, “the beggars were abandoned at the centre. Go to that place today and you will only confront the ruins. It’s a shame.” A similar multi-million naira vocational training centre was built in 1977 at Owutu town, also in Ikorodu.

A modern technique in begging is also fast gaining ground in Lagos nowadays. It combines brain and effluent oratory

Kid beggars

One legged beggar

Another physically-challeged beggar

A crippled beggar

Fashola

Another beggar soliciting alms

The place was provided by the then family support programme. The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and International

Labour Organisation (ILO) equipped it. The focus of the centre was to engage the impoverished and physically-challenge persons so they would

be less dependent. “The target was to make them more of assets than liabilities to the society,” said Dina at that time. The centre aimed at training those on the breadline on various vocations such as woodwork, tailoring and weaving. On graduation, they were to go and re-unite with their families. Ministry sources say, there were 12 of such centres in Lagos as at 2003, and the destitute were regularly rounded up by the agents of government and taken to the centre. The young ones, who were of school age, according to the sources, were made to go to school while the state picked up the bill. Soon, those fine initiatives collapsed and the beggars returned to the streets of Lagos in their numbers. Similar exercise like that of the 2003 was carried out in 2013 where many destitute were transported back to the eastern part of the country. Incidentally, it sparked off bitter war of words between Lagos and Anambra states, as political meanings were read into the exercise. The Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), had to apologise to the Igbo afterwards. It is estimated that an average of 1,000 people entre Lagos on a daily basis without any means of livelihood. The reason for this, some say, is because the city, being the heart of industrial activities in Nigeria, provides for all manners of people. It is also gathered that modernisation and fading traditional African values as well as mismanagement of the nation’s resources combine to contribute to the increase in the number of beggars in Lagos in particular and the country as a whole. Many also say that in the past, there was strong affinity based on the extended family structure, which made people their brother’s keeper. These structures, it seems, have almost totally arched today. Perhaps, it accounts for the equally soaring number of the abandoned in the society, mostly the aged. The current upsurge of beggars in Lagos and other urban centres around Nigeria is probably a pointer to the fact that the government, more than anything else, has failed to live up to its social responsibility. The much-talked about poverty alleviation, to many, has also failed to alleviate the poverty in the land.

46 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

2-Apr-14

Bonds

Price

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

Description 9.20 29-JUN-2014 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

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Outstanding Value (N'bn)

Maturity Date

TTM (Yrs)

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

29-Jun-07 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

9.20 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

45.00 100.00 535.00 327.47 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 600.00 50.00 75.00 150.00 200.00 591.57

29-Jun-14 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

0.24 0.49 1.06 2.37 3.07 3.32 3.41 4.16 5.24 5.56 7.82 9.95 14.66 15.14 15.64 16.31

13.56 13.74 13.88 13.59 13.77 13.64 13.64 13.64 13.71 13.61 13.58 13.64 13.54 13.53 13.53 13.58

12.93 13.41 13.71 13.51 13.65 13.52 13.52 13.53 13.63 13.52 13.52 13.58 13.49 13.48 13.47 13.52

98.90 97.94 90.58 98.90 103.20 90.11 88.58 90.87 108.30 74.78 113.25 103.00 109.17 93.32 67.61 76.70

99.05 98.09 90.73 99.05 103.50 90.41 88.88 91.17 108.60 75.08 113.55 103.30 109.47 93.62 67.91 77.00

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

4,132.04 Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

***LCRM

Description

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

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

0.58 1.14 1.50 2.69 3.05 3.26

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.77 16.48 16.02 15.63 15.13 14.64

92.10 83.43 101.68 90.73 87.78 86.28

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

0.34 0.54 1.41 1.02 1.31 1.32 3.05 1.88 3.75 2.72 4.51 2.72 2.72 3.30 3.69 5.64 3.34 4.05 6.66 4.06 4.09

4.88 5.99 4.44 3.23 4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74 1.00 1.44 1.95

18.00 19.75 18.22 17.12 18.27 17.28 19.23 21.25 15.43 15.43 14.64 14.63 14.84 14.64 16.10 15.55 16.38 16.38 14.57 15.08 15.59

98.57 97.18 93.12 96.37 95.39 98.30 79.42 89.08 95.98 97.03 97.95 99.89 107.19 99.70 98.46 96.10 96.09 95.46 95.49 104.32 103.97

07-Oct-14 18-Dec-14 31-Dec-14 17-Aug-15 09-Dec-15 06-Jan-16 29-Sep-16 25-Oct-16 30-Sep-17 30-Nov-17 09-Apr-18 09-Sep-18 09-Sep-18 22-Sep-18 18-Oct-18 17-Feb-19 14-Nov-20

0.52 0.71 0.75 0.89 0.97 1.05 2.49 2.56 3.50 2.11 2.02 2.43 2.43 4.47 2.29 2.63 6.62

1.00 5.21 8.71 4.88 1.00 2.63 1.00 1.34 4.52 1.88 3.48 5.20 5.06 3.06 2.29 6.11 2.76

14.75 19.02 22.53 18.74 14.89 16.51 14.63 14.97 18.16 15.50 17.10 18.83 18.69 16.70 15.91 19.74 16.33

98.44 96.41 96.27 93.22 97.61 98.00 96.70 98.49 87.07 105.50 98.14 98.65 101.85 91.72 99.78 95.01 95.67

11-Feb-18

3.86

1.00

14.64

87.22

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

1,304.32

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

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

14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 15.00 NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

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

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

567.90

Corporate Bonds A+/Agusto; AA/GCR Aa/Agusto Nil Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR A-/Agusto A/GCR BBB-/GCR BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR A/Agusto; A/GCR Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

17.00 6.00 8.50 16.50 13.00 18.50 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40 87.00 5.00 5.00

LAFARGE WAPCO GTB µ NGC *UPDC *FLOURMILLS *CHELLARAMS NAHCO FSDH UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA# *TOWER# *TOWER# UBA *LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS# NAHCO

11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 10.00 UPDC 17-AUG-2015 12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 13.00 UBA 30-SEP-2017 18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 14.00 UBA II 22-SEP-2018 15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

07-Oct-11 18-Dec-09 01-Apr-10 17-Aug-10 09-Dec-10 06-Jan-11 29-Sep-11 25-Oct-13 30-Sep-10 30-Nov-12 09-Apr-11 09-Sep-11 09-Sep-11 22-Sep-11 18-Oct-13 17-Feb-12 14-Nov-13

11.50 13.50 17.00 10.00 12.00 14.00 13.00 14.25 13.00 18.00 16.00 18.00 16.00 14.00 15.75 17.00 15.25

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

11.80 13.17 2.00 15.00 37.50 1.50 15.00 5.53 20.00 0.94 8.01 3.63 1.00 35.00 3.00 0.54 2.05

175.67

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

IFC

11-Feb-13

10.20

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

12.00

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

5.55

5.40

106.72

107.61

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.66

4.45

101.78

102.60

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

01-Apr-10

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.95

5.82

103.01

103.90

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

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

3.81

3.32

113.36

114.29

GTBank PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.38

4.54

104.18

105.90

GTBank PLC II

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.25

5.95

99.02

100.19

B+/S&P

Access Bank PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.98

6.59

100.76

101.92

B/S&P; B/Fitch

Fidelity Bank PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.41

8.03

94.77

96.04

B/Fitch

Afren PLC II

10.25 APR 08, 2019

08-Apr-12

10.25

300.00

08-Apr-19

5.09

4.72

114.33

115.12

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

First Bank PLC

8.25 AUG 07, 2020

07-Aug-13

8.25

300.00

07-Aug-20

7.19

6.73

103.86

105.62

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

Afren PLC III

6.63 DEC 09, 2020

09-Dec-13

6.63

360.00

09-Dec-20

6.13

5.91

101.96

102.88

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

2,960.00

BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

CBN Governor-designate: I’ll be firm and just He told the Zenith bank shareholders that the bank would continue to reposition itself as one of the biggest bank in Nigeria and the first in Africa. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the shareholders approved the bank's total dividend of N54.94 billion for the financial year ended Dec. 31, 2013. The N54.94 billion, translating to N1.75 per share The National Coordinator, Pragmatic Shareholders of Nigeria, Mrs Bisi Bakare, commended the bank for the improved result and dividend in spite of unfriendly econom-

POLICY CBN Governor-designate, Mr Godwin Emefiele promises to ensure sustainable economic growth

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governordesignate, Mr Godwin Emefiele, yesterday assured Nigerians that the bank would pursue vibrant policies to ensure sustainable economic growth. Emefiele, who said this at the 23rd Annual General Meeting of Zenith Bank Plc. in Lagos, said the lender would be firm and just to ensure growth of the economy. The CBN governor-designated described his appointment as a national assignment, noting that apex bank would take Nigeria and the economy to a greater height. ``We will work very hard to ensure that we don't abuse the confidence of shareholders,’’ he said. Emefiele, who is also the outgoing Group Managing Director, Zenith Bank, said that the banking watchdog would protect economic interest at all times.

ic environment. Bakare lauded the CBN governor-designate on his appointment, while urging the new Managing Director, Mr Peter Amangbo, to continue with the good work of the former management. The National Coordinator, Independent Shareholders Association of Nigeria, Mr Sunny Nwosu, called on the bank to work out strategies aimed at reducing unclaimed dividends. Nwosu said that the bank should increase its support to agriculture and education sectors of the economy. Zenith Bank posted a profit

Emefiele

after tax of N97.32 billion as against the N100.68 billion in 2012. The bank's gross earnings

stood at N351.47 billion compared with the N307.08 billion achieved in 2012. This represented a 14.46 per cent growth.

NSE All-Share Index rises 86.28 points

quity transactions on the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) ended yesterday on the upbeat note with the AllShare Index improving by 86.28 points. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Index rose by 0.22 per cent or 86.28 points to close at 38,469.33 in contrast to 38,383.05 achieved on Tuesday. The market capitalisation, which opened at N12.329 trillion, grew by N27 billion or 0.22 per cent to close at N12.356 trillion. Lafarge Cement recorded the

highest price gain of N5.22 to close at N109.72 per share. Presco followed with a gain of N2 to close at N42 per share. International Breweries gained N1.12 to close at N27.80, while Betaglas and Unilever appreciated by 95kobo each to close at N19.95 and N46.10 per share, respectively. Conversely, Nigerian Breweries topped the losers' chart, losing 75kobo to close at N150.25 per share. Julius Berger trailed with a loss of 40kobo to close at N70.85,

while GTBank lost 28kobo to close at N26.02 per share. Nascon depreciated by 27kobo to close at N11.86, while Honeyflour declined by 16kobo to close at N3.65 per share. However, the volume of shares traded declined by 10.88 per cent as 329.603 million shares worth N4.47 billion were traded in 4,518 deals. This was in contrast to the 369.840 million shares valued at N4.86 billion traded in 4,494 deals on Tuesday. The financial service sector remained investors' delight with

Access Bank emerging as the most traded stock with 42.03 million shares worth N312.88 million traded in 154 deals. It was followed by Zenith Bank with 37.33 million shares valued at N787.48 in 286 deals, while Fidelity Bank traded 33.82 million shares worth N68.70 million in 132 deals. Diamond Bank exchanged 26.93 million shares valued at N174.99 million in 99 deals, while UBA sold 24.20 million shares worth N169.98 million in 334 deals.

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

2-Apr-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 **Treasury FIXINGS Money Market Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) to the FMDQ OTCBills PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement. DTM Maturity 8 10-Apr-14 15 17-Apr-14 FGN Bonds 22 24-Apr-14 36 8-May-14 Issuer Rating/Agency43 15-May-14 50 22-May-14 57 29-May-14 64 5-Jun-14 78 19-Jun-14 85 26-Jun-14 92 3-Jul-14 99 10-Jul-14 106 17-Jul-14 113 NA NA 24-Jul-14 120 31-Jul-14 127 7-Aug-14 134 14-Aug-14 141 21-Aug-14 155 4-Sep-14 246 4-Dec-14 281 8-Jan-15 295 22-Jan-15 309 5-Feb-15 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 323 19-Feb-15 337 5-Mar-15

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Bid Discount (%) 11.70 11.50 11.50 11.70 Description 11.70 12.10 9.20 29-JUN-2014 12.10 9.25 28-SEP-2014 12.05 4.00 23-APR-2015 12.20 13.05 16-AUG-2016 12.30 15.10 27-APR-2017 13.00 9.85 27-JUL-2017 12.20 9.35 31-AUG-2017 13.00 10.70 30-MAY-2018 13.00 16.00 29-JUN-2019 13.00 7.00 23-OCT-2019 12.75 16.39 27-JAN-2022 13.10 14.20 14-MAR-2024 13.10 15.00 28-NOV-2028 12.90 12.49 22-MAY-2029 12.60 12.90 8.50 20-NOV-2029 12.90 10.00 23-JUL-2030 12.70 12.65 12.65

Offer Discount (%) 11.45 11.25 11.25 11.45 Issue Date 11.45 11.85 29-Jun-07 11.85 28-Sep-07 11.80 23-Apr-10 11.95 16-Aug-13 12.05 27-Apr-12 12.75 27-Jul-07 11.95 31-Aug-07 12.75 30-May-08 12.75 29-Jun-12 12.75 23-Oct-09 12.50 27-Jan-12 12.85 14-Mar-14 12.85 28-Nov-08 12.65 22-May-09 12.35 12.65 20-Nov-09 12.65 23-Jul-10 12.45 12.40 12.40

Description

*from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated and not the duration

NIBOR Bid Yield (%) Bonds Tenor 11.73 Rate (%) 11.55 CALL 10.7500 11.58 7 DAYS 11.0000 11.84 30 DAYSValue 11.3750 Outstanding Coupon (%) Maturity 11.86 60 DAYS 11.7083Date (N'bn) 12.30 90 DAYS 11.9583 9.20 45.00 29-Jun-14 12.33 180 DAYS 12.2083 9.25 100.00 28-Sep-14 12.31 365 DAYS 12.5417 4.00 535.00 23-Apr-15 12.53 13.05 327.47 16-Aug-16 12.66 15.10 452.80 27-Apr-17 NITTY 13.44 9.85 20.00 27-Jul-17 12.62 Tenor Rate (%) 9.35 100.00 31-Aug-17 13.51 1M 11.6578 10.70 300.00 30-May-18 13.55 2M 12.3049 16.00 351.30 29-Jun-19 13.58 3M 13.1787 7.00 233.90 23-Oct-19 13.34 6M 13.8073 16.39 600.00 27-Jan-22 13.76 9M 14.2417 14.20 50.00 14-Mar-24 13.80 12M 14.7895 15.00 75.00 28-Nov-28 13.65 12.49 150.00 22-May-29 13.77 14.32 8.50 200.00 20-Nov-29 NIFEX 14.40 10.00 591.57 23-Jul-30 Current Price ($/N) 14.23 4,132.04 14.24 BID($/N) 164.4000 14.32 OFFER ($/N) 164.5000

Tenor

Rate (%)

OBB

10.25

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

***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

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 FMDQ0.00/16.50 FGN BOND 0.00/16.50

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Sub-National Bonds A/Agusto A-/GCR A+/Agusto A/Agusto Nil A+/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto A/Agusto A+/Agusto; A+/GCR A-/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR† A-/Agusto A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR A/Agusto; A-/GCR A/Agusto

Modified Duration Porfolio Market Buckets Value(Bn) KWARA 14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 NIGER 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014 <3 791.16 KADUNA 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 3<5 1,059.96 *EBONYI 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 *BENUE 14.00 BENUE 30-JUN-2016 >5 453.73 *IMO Market 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 2,304.85 LAGOS 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 *BAYELSA 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 EDO 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 *DELTA 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 NIGER 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 *EKITI 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 *NIGER 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 *GOMBE 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 LAGOS 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 *OSUN 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020

Offer ($/N)

Price

(%)

Risk Premium is a combination of credit risk and liquidity risk premiums Agency Bonds FMBN

Bid ($/N)

Spot 163.90 164.00 O/N 10.50 7D 164.40 Offer Yield 164.13 Offer Price TTM (Yrs) Bid Price 164.77 REPO Bid Yield (%) 14D (%) 164.39 Tenor Rate (%) 1M 164.97 165.69 0.24 13.56 12.93 98.90 Call 10.25 2M 166.15 167.50 99.05 1M0.49 11.2513.74 3M 13.41 167.27 97.94 169.42 98.09 3M1.06 11.9213.88 6M 13.71 171.20 90.58 175.37 90.73 6M2.37 12.1713.59 1Y 13.51 178.76 98.90 187.38 99.05 3.07 13.77 13.65 103.20 103.50 3.32 13.64 13.52 90.11 90.41 NOTE: 3.41 13.64 13.52 88.58 88.88 4.16 13.64 13.53 NA :Not Applicable 90.87 91.17 :Benchmarks 5.24 13.71 13.63 # :Floating Rate 108.30 108.60 * :Amortising Bond Bond 5.56 13.61 13.52 ***: Deferred 74.78 75.08 µ :Convertible Bond coupon bonds 7.82Management Corporation 13.58 of Nigeria13.52 113.25 113.55 AMCON: Asset 9.95 13.64 13.58 †: Bond rating 103.00 103.30 FGN: Federal Government of Nigeria expired 14.66 13.49 109.17 109.47 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of13.54 Nigeria 15.14 Finance Corporation 13.53 13.48 93.32 93.62 IFC: International LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables 15.64 13.53 Management13.47 67.61 67.91 NAHCO: Nigerian Company 16.31 Aviation Handling 13.58 13.52 76.70 77.00 NGC: Nigeria-German Company UBA: United Bank for Africa UPDC: UAC Property Development Company # WAPCO:West Africa Portland Cement Company Risk Valuation Yield Indicative Avg. Life/TTM Issue Value (N'bn) Maturity Date Premium (Yrs) (%) Price

**Exclusive of non-trading t.bills AMCON

Tenor

978.35 24.56 6.00 112.22 116.70 INDEX 66.49

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

0.58 1.14 1.50 2.69 3.05 3.26

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.77 16.48 16.02 15.63 15.13 14.64

92.10 83.43 101.68 90.73 87.78 86.28

1,304.32 Total Outstanding Volume(Bn)

780.27 951.30 591.57 2,323.14

Weighting by Outstanding Vol 05-Aug-09 15-Oct-09 31-Aug-1033.59 30-Sep-1040.95 30-Jun-1125.46 30-Jun-09 100.00 19-Apr-10 30-Jun-10 30-Dec-10 30-Sep-11 04-Oct-11 09-Dec-11 12-Dec-13 14-Feb-12 02-Oct-12 22-Nov-12 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13

Weighting by Mkt Value 14.00 14.00 12.50 34.33 13.00 45.99 14.00 19.69 15.50 100.00 10.00 13.75 14.00 14.00 14.00 14.50 14.00 15.50 15.50 14.50 14.75 14.75

Bucket Weighting 17.00 6.00 8.50 0.34 16.50 0.41 13.00 0.25 18.50 1.00 57.00 50.00 25.00 50.00 9.00 20.00 12.00 27.00 20.00 80.00 30.00 11.40

% Exposure_ Mod_Duration 05-Aug-14 15-Oct-14 17.54 31-Aug-15 40.84 30-Sep-15 30-Jun-16 41.62 30-Jun-16 100.00 19-Apr-17 30-Jun-17 31-Dec-17 30-Sep-18 04-Oct-18 09-Dec-18 12-Dec-18 14-Feb-19 02-Oct-19 22-Nov-19 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20

Implied Yield 0.34 0.54

13.70 1.41 13.62 1.02 1.31 13.58 1.32 13.62 3.05 1.88 3.75 2.72 4.51 2.72 2.72 3.30 3.69 5.64 3.34 4.05

Implied Portfolio Price 4.88 5.99 108.62434.44 120.05333.23 83.68694.46 106.95423.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 1.94 2.74 2.74

INDEX 18.00 19.75

1,031.71 18.22 1,016.57 17.12 18.27 1,013.10 17.28 1,014.86 19.23 21.25 15.43 15.43 14.64 14.63 14.84 14.64 16.10 15.55 16.38 16.38

YTD Return (%) 98.57 97.18 3.1709 93.12 1.6565 96.37 95.39 1.3097 98.30 1.4857 79.42 89.08 95.98 97.03 97.95 99.89 107.19 99.70 98.46 96.10 96.09 95.46

METRO 45

April 3, 2014

ent feared dead in UNIBEN stampede

s feared dead yesterday ampede at the University UNIBEN), in Benin, the al. t occurred during the esh students at the Akin m of Ugbowo campus of

barely two weeks after ants died in stampede at cross the country during o the Nigerian Immigra-

tion Service (NIS). Also, scores of the students sustained severe injuries in yesterday’s incident. It was learnt that the incident occurred when the students were struggling to force their way into the venue of the screening exercise. Security personnel of the institution forcefully closed the entrance gate against the students which made them to fall on one another, according to one of the students, who identified himself as Osas. He said: “It was a terrible thing. It began when the students were attempting to

Police, ed the

ere arPolice to the police e Road,

s were ing the

diately to the out the me per-

Fake naval officer seizes N13m cars

Police arrest robbery suspect after gun duel

Juliana Francis

Muhammad Ahmad

il thieves in Rivers

pecialpelines s State. d with s. e fully d to be acility

enter the hall and the security men said no. It was then that some of the students attempted to force their way into the place and the security men forcefully closed the gates on them. That is how hundreds of them fell on one another “Those who got up, marched on those still on the ground. Several people who were injured were rushed to the hospital. I am not sure anyone died, though many of them were seriously injured.” The institution’s Public Relations Officer, Harrison Osarenren, did not answer several calls put to his GSM UNIBEN’s main gate phone.

sons suspected to be oil pipeline vandals around the Elelenwon -Akpajo/ Eleme Road axis. He said: “As expected, the suspects tried to evade arrest with tactics and antics, but our men who were very determined to end oil bunkering, especially in Rivers State, overpowered them and impounded their trucks. “One of the suspects, Jonathan Okon, 49, who hails from Itu Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State, claimed to be an auto dealer and also confessed that one of the impounded trucks with registration number XF 869 PHC belongs to him. “Bernard Kingsley, 28, hails from Okpala town in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area of Imo State. He is married and has two children. “Bernard claimed that the Mack truck, with registration number XA 905 DEG, which he was arrested with, belongs to a certain Bazil and that he was contracted by one Ugwun Amos (still at large) to be his conductor.”

olice in Lagos have arrested 36-year-old Samuel Adekanla, for impersonation as a naval commodore and for seizing five exotic cars from a clearing agent. The cars are valued at N13 million. The HND holder in Marine Engineering was arrested by policemen attached to Zone II, Onikan, Lagos, who responded to a petition by the United States-based owner of the cars. The owner had petitioned the police, thinking that his clearing agent was trying to play a fast one on him, after the agent told him that a naval commodore seized the cars. The agent’s arrest led to Adekanla’s apprehension. The suspect confessed that he and the clearing agent used the cars as collateral for a loan, which never materialised, according to the Zonal Police Public Relations Officer, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP), Mr Lewi Suleman.

Adekanla

He said: “The suspect was arrested following a petition from a Nigerian based in the United States of America (USA) that he gave a clearing agent five cars to clear at Apapa Wharf and that the agent was nowhere to be found. “The police went into action and arrested the agent who claimed that a naval commander collected the cars from him. The police declared a manhunt for the naval commodore. “The police conducted a search of the suspect’s house and recovered many incriminating items. There was a Navy uniform, an identity card of a

commodore and other military accoutrements. “During interrogation, the suspect confessed that he was not a naval officer but was using the uniform to deceive unsuspecting victims that he was a responsible citizen. He has committed many other crimes with the uniform.” Stating his own side of the story, Adekanla said: “I’m not a naval commodore. I wear the uniform to do some businesses. In the issue of stealing, I’m very sorry because it is not as the police are saying it. It was a business transaction between the clearing agent and me. “We used the five cars valued at N13 million to deposit to one Alhaji who promised to give us loan but until now, the Alhaji has not given us the loan and he has refused to give us back the cars. “I feel ashamed of myself because my family members and friends who see me as a naval commodore will now know that I’m fake. I promise not to go back to the uniform.”

Lafia

olice apprehended one of three robbers who raped three of their victims during an operation on Obi -Agwatashi Road in Obi Local Government Area of Nasarawa State. The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), ASP Umar Isma’ila, who disclosed yesterdayinLafia,thestatecapital,saidtherobbers engaged the police in a gun battle, which led to the arrest of one of the suspects, who sustained bullet wounds. Isma’ila explained that the suspect, who is currently in custody, had made useful statements that would help the police to arrest the two fleeing suspects. He said: “Mobile phones, cash and other valuables were recovered from the suspects.” The PPRO said that investigation was still on toascertainif therobbershadothercollaborators. Isma’ilaurgedpublictobevigilantandgive thepoliceuseful information that would help in the fight against crime in the state. He said: “Policemen are not magicians, we work on information. Until people feel free to volunteer information on suspicious activities in their localities, our efforts at checking criminality will not yield much result.”

Task force arrests pregnant woman, 117 hoodlums Murtala Ayinla

he Lagos State Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit has arrested 118 suspected hoodlums, among them a pregnant woman, who were terrorising Oshodi area of the metropolis. It was gathered that initially 160 hoodlums were arrested for bag snatching, pickpocket, robbery in the area. However, 48 of them were later released after

screening. It was also learnt that the task force officials invaded Oshodi with a Black Maria about 1am, arrested the hoodlums and took them to Alausa. Those arrested were 106 males and 12 females. Commenting on the arrest, theChairmanof thetaskforce, Bayo Sulaiman, said the raid was carried out based on fresh complaints by the residents. He said: “We decided to raid Oshodi after a long time due to a series of complaint about upsurgeinpettycriminalactivities

inthearea.Wehavebeenreceiving text messages and people were calling us that they are being harassed by hoodlums at Oshodi. We realised that we have to go after them again. “The raid at Oshodi began around 1am and the exercise lasted for one hour. This is to tellthepublicandthecriminals that there is no hiding place for criminals in Lagos.” Sulaiman added that the suspected hoodlums were arrested in various dreaded spots inOshodi,includingOkoMola, under the bridges, abandoned properties, among others.

Some of the suspects

HEALTH THURSday, April 3, 2014

For parents and guardians of children living with autism disorders, the trauma they face in caring for these kids with special needs, is frustrating, but seeking intervention in appropriate facilities with skilled professionals can yield good result, writes APPOLONIA ADEYEMI

he puzzle for family, friends and neighbours who had gathered at a prestigious hotel in Victoria Island to celebrate Anuoluwa Cooker’s fifth birthday, was that she could neither speak nor communicate. While Anuoluwa suffered this fate, normal children at two years could speak and respond effectively when engaged in conversation. Since she was three years and failed to match her age mates in developing the power of speech, but was rather passive and withdrawn, the Cookers had gone from one herbalist to the other, in their effort to unravel the mystery behind their daughter’s predicament. Similarly, they had visited several churches and consulted numerous ‘men of God’ who had offered prayers based on the belief that the condition of Anuoluwa had spiritual implication. “I can’t believe that my daughter has difficulties communicating,” lamented Mrs. Aina Cooker.

Dr. Ijarogbe

Strawberries contain powerful antioxidants

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/health

}p-43

appolonia adeyemi appolonia.adeyemi@newtelegraphonline.com appoloniaadeyemi@gmail.com

Autism treatment is to improve quality of life However, in Mrs. Cooker’s desperation to find solution for her daughter’s problems, she finally sought help from a local health centre in her community from where she was referred to a teaching hospital and finally diagnosed with autism. Anuoluwa is one of the over one million Nigerians living with autism disorders. Autism is known as a complex developmental disability. Experts believe that Autism presents itself during the first three years of a person's life. The condition is the result of a neurological disorder that has an effect on normal brain function, affecting development of the person's communication and social interaction skills. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that one percent of the world population suffers these disorders and going by this global data, 1.7 million Nigerians are living with this condition, but a new study suggests that the number of Nigerians affected may be higher. According to the new research from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, issued this year, on March 27, autism rates in America is now be-

lieved to affect one in 68 children, which is almost 1.7 percent of the U.S population. What's still unknown is the driver of that increase. Many experts believe the rise is largely due to better awareness and diagnosis rather than a true increase in the number of children with the condition. Back in Nigeria, there is concern that majority of autistic children suffer stigma and are relegated to the background; many are not enrolled in schools and they are also not brought out to access health care in appropriate institutions. Hence, most children living with autism are denied their basic human rights, resulting in poor quality of life and trauma for their parents, relations and care givers. These denials are against the 1990 African Charter on the Rights of the Child of which Nigeria is a signatory As enshrined in this legal document, every child has a right to education and good health, right to develop, and to participate actively in the promotion of his/ her rights. According to Dr. Grace Ijarogbe, a Consultant Psychiatrist from Child and Adolescent Centre, Federal Neuro Psychiatric Hospital, Oshodi, where children with mental health challenges are cared for, most parents, relations and neighbours attribute autistic symptoms in children to witchcraft and diabolic activities. She advised people who observe that their children are not developing mental functions like other children, to take them to health centres in their community where doctors, nurses and other health workers, would assess the kids and refer the cases to teaching hospitals with child health practice. What are the symptoms to look out for in affected kids? Ijarogbe said they

Hence, most children living with autism are denied their basic human rights, resulting in poor quality of life and trauma for their parents, relations and care givers

include a child that is not growing well and not interacting with others. A child that cannot do simple things that other children can do, who cannot speak or talk and has an abnormal behaviour, may also be exhibiting autism symptoms. From about two years of age, every normal child should be speaking, according to the psychiatrist, adding that apart from the inability to speak, autistic children do not form a way of communicating with the outside world among others. Reacting to treatment outcomes, she said: “Obviously, those children who are not severely affected will come out better but if they do not improve with therapy, we look at improving quality of life for that child and the parents. “Sometimes, therapy is not to remove the condition, It is to improve what an affected child can do, to improve independent living and therefore improve the quality of life of the family and carers of the child.” She noted that children with autistic spectrum disorders tend to have co-morbidities, prompting their management to be multi-disciplinary. According to Ijarogbe, other conditions may arise from the existing brain problem. They may include motor disability and inability to walk properly, visual or sensory problems, etc. However, “visual assessment will now pick out the problems. If it is a hearing problem, an audiometrist will have audiometric done and the ENT (ear nose and throat) surgeon will also check; if it is a motor problem, a physiotherapist may be involved; if the child has difficulty with learning, the people who are special educators within the sector will have to assess the child. According to the child psychiatrist, considering that not all children with autism can go to a regular schools, total assessment will find those that should go to special schools. Ijarogbe called for the establishment of more special schools, saying, “interventions from these special schools are very important to the improvement of the child living with autism. “Sometimes, when therapy is not working, it is because the child has not been able to find the appropriate setting in which therapy is supposed to work.”

42 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Creating relevant workforce to tackle HIV Appolonia Adeyemi

ack of existing policy establishing the positions of counselors and home-based care providers as part of professionals that care for People Living with HIV/ AIDS, PLWHA has been identified as a major factor that will detract from the gains so far recorded in the campaign to reduce the incidence of HIV in the country. A Research Fellow with the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, NIMR Dr. Dan Onwujekwe who highlighted this gap recently, said there is need for an enabling Act to include counselors and homebased care workers as part of providers for PLWHA. Counseling in HIV and AIDS has become a core element in a holistic model of health care, in which psychological issues are recognised as integral to patient management. HIV and AIDS counseling has two general aims: the prevention of HIV transmission and the support of those affected directly and indirectly by HIV. Although, Onwujekwe, a physician with specialty in the management of Tuberculosis, TB and HIV/AIDS, was emphatic that without counselors and home-based care workers, no HIV/AIDS programme will succeed, there has not been the needed response from the Federal Ministry of Health FMOH, to create these positions within the law. There is no officially designated jobs as counselors and home-based care providers in established structures within the federal and state ministries, although, both are key in the management of HIV/AIDS. Nigeria's current HIV prevalence is 3.6 percent down from 4.1 percent of the 2011 and 4.4 percent of 2009 sero-sentinel surveys by the National Agency for the Control of AIDS, NACA. With HIV/AIDS coming up as an emergency, Onyejekwe said, “We found

that we needed counselors and as the programme went on over the years, we found that we needed people - home-based care providers, to take care of PLWHA in their homes.” Consequently, he reasoned, “We must create the workforce to respond effectively to the HIV/ AIDS problems.” According to Onyejekwe, the needed workforce includes counselors, nurses, pharmacists, home-based care coordinators and homebased care visitors. Although, these categories of providers may be taken from anywhere, the Research Fellow

rovir Antiret

al drugs

s a i d they must be trained to focus on delivering home-based care services because “We do not have enough bed space to absorb everybody (PLWHA) who needs care.” Therefore, he said, “We must take care to people in their homes. We must go to their homes to find out why they are not coming to access care in health care facilities because their problems are human.” Presently, care providers doing the work of counselors include those that are motivated to assist others, people with passion to help those affected with HIV and those that volunteere to advice affected persons. Although, the counselors and other care providers have been trained to effectively carry out their responsibilities, now that the foreigners partnering with the Nigerian governments on HIV/AIDS campaign are on the verge of bowing out, Onyejekwe noted that converting these counselors to civil servants

may be difficult. Hence, the call for an enabling Act that will include them in the larger working scheme.. Highlighting the challenge that may arise when international donors that are majorly funding HIV/ AIDS programmes in Nigeria leave the stage, the Research Fellow said, “There is a gap. If these foreigners leave and we do not have money to pay counselors , they may abandon the job.” On how the creation of these positions will further reduce the incidence of HIV/AIDS in Nigeria, he said, “If this issues are addressed and the

nation has a core of workers who will not just sit down as doctors or nurses, seeing people who have come over to hospitals, but will, in addition extend care to affected persons in their homes, it will yield better outcome. Speaking further, the Research Fellow said the management of HIV is not a hospital-based thing. Although, you manage it in the hospitals, you also have to manage it in the community. However, he said, “We need to have people who are knowledgeable and can take these services to the communities, not just on hit-and-run basis. There may also be volunteers within communities. “Each community should be encouraged to have people who work as volunteers/workers. What is important is that there should be at least, one health worker there who will coordinate volunteers, but the volunteers must also be well motivated so that what they are doing is sustainable.”

with Dr. Ihuoma Uko-Ndukwe

ada.ndukwe@yahoo.com

Common sleep problems: Know your body TIPS Try some relaxation activities 10 -15mins before bed

n average adult gets less than 6 ½ hours of sleep on a daily basis, which is less than seven to nine hours as recommended by sleep experts. Sleep problems are very common and not getting enough sleep (quantity and quality) might lead to a lot of next day or long time impairment like decreased concentration, attention, poor memory, depressed mood, poor motivation, poor work and school performance. Other negative impacts of sleep problems are excessive worry, accidents or error while working or driving and tension headache. Duration can be transient (less than seven days); acute (less than 30 days) and chronic (more than 30 days). Sleep problems can be grouped into four: • THOSE WHO CANNOT SLEEP • THOSE WHO WILL NOT SLEEP • THOSE WITH INCREASED MOVEMENTS DURING SLEEP. • THOSE WITH EXCESSIVE DAYTIME SLEEPINESS. THOSE WHO CANNOT SLEEP Most common type is INSOMNIA, which affects about 15 percent of the population and can be defined as difficulty initiating sleep (time it takes to fall asleep when eyes are closed; should be less than 30 minutes), difficulty with duration or maintaining sleep (should be about seven to nine hours per night) and difficulty with consolidating sleep (uninterrupted with awakenings or arousals) or very poor quality sleep that occurs despite enough time and chance to sleep. One of the ways to treat insomnia is changing false beliefs about sleep, one of which is that one should get at least eight hours of sleep to stay healthy. Having GOOD SLEEP HYGIENE ETIQUETTES, among which are keeping the bedroom cool and conducive for sleep; zero caffeine consumption and nicotine use after 4pm; no pets in bedroom and no watching the bedroom clock, can help to induce sleep. Another way is stimulus control: go to bed only when sleepy, use bedroom only for sleep and sex and go to another room if not sleeping within 20 minutes.

There are also medications available for those with severe/chronic insomnia. RESTLESS LEGS SYNDROME Is a condition that occurs mostly at night and refers to an intense urge to move legs constantly due to uncomfortable sensations, which can worsen during periods of inactivity or rest. This can sometimes be relieved by walking/ or stretching. This can be caused by some mineral deficiency and can be corrected with some pharmacological treatments. THOSE WHO WILL NOT SLEEP This affects the circadinrhythm seen in late sleep onset with a late wake up time, called the delayed sleep syndrome. This can be genetic but in 90 percent of the time, is caused by social behavior like internet/computer usage, television and social outings at times seen mostly in young people. Bright light therapy can be used to correct this problem (bright light exposure upon waking up). THOSE WITH INCREASED MOVEMENTS DURING SLEEP: Caused by increased motor tone during sleep with sometimes harmful behavior towards a bed partner, like acting out dreams, screaming and making vocalisations in bed and sometimes falling out of bed and harming self during sleep. THOSE WITH EXCESSIVE DAY TIME SLEEPINESS can be confused with fatigue. There are two main types, namely, a narcolepsy—a medical condition of excessive sleepiness, sudden decrease or loss of voluntary muscles following emotional activity like laughing, anger/surprise and can lead to patient suddenly falling down, hallucinations upon falling asleep and waking up. The second subtype is OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA, which is characterised by partial or complete closure of the upper airway, despite making efforts to breathe. It affects mostly overweight, hypertensive and diabetic people as well as people with heart conditions. Some snore heavily during sleep and have their mouths open; can never get adequate amount of sleep, wake up more tired resulting in daytime sleepiness and complaints by partner. The best diagnostic approach is through ansleep overnight study and some in this stage might require a surgical and medical intervention.

HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Strawberries lower cholesterol – Study Oluwatosin Omoniyi

t is not only expensive. It is also not a common fruit in Nigeria like other fruits such as Mango, Guava, Apple, pineapple, e.t.c. It is the fruit that the latest research shows to lower cholesterol in human body. According to a study conducted by Italian and Spanish scientists, eating strawberries can significantly lower levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides. The research team found that eating strawberries also protects against ultraviolet radiation, and reduces the

damage that alcohol can have on the gastric mucosa. It also strengthens erythrocytes, or red blood cells, and improves the antioxidant capacity of the blood. “Although earlier studies have shown that strawberries are powerful antioxidants, this was the first study to discover that strawberries tackle risk factors for cardiovascular diseases,” it said. According to the research, eating strawberries improved other parameters in the body system such as the general plasma lipid profile, antioxidant biomarkers (such as vitamin C or oxygen radical absorbance capacity),

antihemolytic defenses and platelet function. All parameters returned to their initial values 15 days after abandoning 'treatment' with strawberries. Even though the researchers admit they don't know exactly which compounds provide the beneficial effects, they believe anthocyanins, the vegetable pigments that are responsible for their red color, are responsible. The research revealed that the total amount of cholesterol plus the levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL or bad cholesterol) and the quantity of triglycerides fell to 8.78 percent, 13.72 percent

and 20.8 percent respectively. The high-density lipoprotein (HDL or good cholesterol) remained unchanged.

Strawberries fruit

NAFDAC upgrades staff capacity for vaccine safety Appolonia Adeyemi

L-R: Senior Regulatory Affairs Officer, Biologics and Genetic Therapies Directorate, Health Canada, Joshua Porter; Dr. Orhii; Dhananjay Jagtap of Phillips Pharmaceuticals (Nigeria) Limited; and Supt. Pharmacist/Regulatory Head, Phillips Pharmaceuticals (Nigeria) Limited, Samson Omattah at the Health Canada-NAFDAC mentorship training workshop in Lagos

Corporation seeks to end illegal pipe connection WATER Lagosians tasked on way out of contamination

agos Water Corporation (LWC) has criticised the illegal connection of long service pipes through drains to LWC water mains, saying such unhygenic practice compromises quality of pipeborne water in the affected areas, thus leading to health hazards like typhoid, cholera, dysentery and hepatitis. To this end, the Corporation

has called on members of the public to desist from this practice and advised Lagosians who wish to connect to LWC mains to call the toll free lines on 0800-lagoswater (0800-52467-92837) for assistance. This is contained in a press statement signed by the Controller, Media & Publicity, LWC, Ronke Famakinwa. The Group Managing Director of LWC, Engr. Shayo Holloway said illegal connection of long service pipes through drains to LWC water mains is worrisome and totally unacceptable to the corporation. According to the statement,

Holloway said as part of LWC efforts in eradicating this practice, the Corporation is working with the LGAs and LCDs in the State, such as Oshodi, Oworonshoki, Shomolu, Mushin, Surulere, Itire, Yaba/ Ebute-Metta, Isolo (Ago-Palace) and other areas where there are clusters of pipes in drains. He said the corporation is extending LWC mains to areas where water is required; thereby enabling shorter connection to make water readily available to the populace. This program will result in total eradication of pipes in drains.

ising from a mentorship training on safety of vaccines and clinical trials, the Director General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Orhii said skills acquired will enable the Agency address risks posed to public safety from vaccines. Orhii, at the Health Canada-NAFDAC Mentorship Training Workshop in Lagos, said the Agency's desire and his (Orhii's) pledge to bring international standards to bear on NAFDAC's activities is captured by this mentorship programme with Health Canada. "We strongly believe that this programme will allow us benefit from their wealth of experience and better enable us carry out our responsibilities as it relates to the regulation of biologics, vaccines and other regulated products." Apart from some staff of NAFDAC, personnel from drug regulatory agencies from Sierra Leone, Ghana Tanzania and Uganda were among those that accessed the training. Explaining why the training became necessary, the director general said an assessment

of Medicine Regulatory Systems in Sub-Saharan African countries carried out by the World Health Organisation (WHO) from 2002-2009, noted a universal shortage of qualified staff and operational resources across the 26 countries assessed. "The report highlighted the need to build regulatory capacity urgently within Sub-Saharan Africa." Consequently, with the advent of globalisation, Orhii said it is of paramount importance that the benefits of international collaboration and cooperation are harnessed. "Now, more than ever, we need to build stronger collaborative networks, share and exchange information and build confidence in our regulatory system." In her remarks, NAFDAC’s Director, Registration and Regulatory Affairs, Monica Hemben Eimunjeze said the participants have gained a better understanding of how Health Canada regulates vaccines. “This involved understudying some Health Canada’s templates for reporting, tracking and time frames on vaccine regulation, to see how NAFDAC and other African countries can strengthen what we do, improve what we are doing so as to get the best result.”

44 HEALTH

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

QUACKERY Dearth of veterinarians leads to spread of animal diseases Sola Adeyemo Ibadan

resident, Veterinary Council of Nigeria, Professor Garba Hamidu Sharubutu has blamed the series of unwholesome practices in the veterinary profession on shortage of trained professionals in government establishments in the country. To this end, the don urged governments in the country to employ sufficient vet doctors to stem the series of diseases associated with impure animal treatment and improve animal production in the land. He spoke in Ibadan during a sensitisation workshop on improvement of veterinary practice in the South Western Nigeria, held at the Jogor Centre, Oke Ado, Ibadan, Oyo State. In his address, the Chairman, Nigerian Veterinary Medical Association (NVMA), Dr. Musbau Ibrahim, also noted that at fifty years of age, veterinary medicine services, especially in the public sector ought

‘Adequate vet doctors will stem animal diseases’ to have been a lot better than what is on ground, noting that "in the South West, for example, there is no state with up to 30 veterinarians in the Department of Veterinary Services. Each of these states has not less than 30 local governments. This has happened because veterinary services have been relegated by successive governments". The president nevertheless asserted that the Council was ready to ensure that "only registered students will be allowed to work in clinics, and universities will be compelled to send students on attachment only to registered clinics to tackle the problem of quackery in our profession". As a way out, the chairman, Ibrahim, advised that the Veterinary Council "can make a change by lobbying the government in partnership with the NVMA of each state to cause political atten-

tion to focus on our profession". Further explaining the shortage of veterinarians, Sharubutu said that only five veterinary doctors were employed by the government of Bayelsa State; only 16 existing in Oyo State; while Sokoto has 70 and Yobe employed 176. Of the 16 employed in the Oyo State Government, Sharubutu confirmed that seven are working in the Ministry of Agriculture, leaving the remaining nine to take care of cattle, poultry and other animal needs in the whole of the 33 local governments of the state. "Things are not the way they used to be in this profession of ours. It was a pro-

fession of public service and so animal disease function was being handled well. But because the public service could no longer employ veterinarians, many have decided to go into private practice. Every Tom, Dick and Harry now comes into the practice. Present at the workshop were many veterinarians from the South West states including Professor Mathew Oyeyemi, Dean, veterinary medicine, University of Ibadan, Professor Gabriel Ogundipe, immediate past president of the Council, as well as the Director of Veterinary Services, Oyo State Ministry of Agriculture, Dr. Peter Adegunwa.

‘Lack of attention to health information, bane of diseases’

Diamond Bank, Medical Credit Fund provide loans for PHC providers

igerians can now look forward to enjoying improved medical care as Diamond Bank PLC has signed a partnership agreement with Netherlands-based Medical Credit Fund to provide affordable loans to private primary healthcare providers to improve the quality of their services. Loan provision under the partnership comes at affordable terms and can be combined with a comprehensive technical advisory package, which allows the healthcare providers to improve the clinical quality of their services whilst strengthening their business models. The partnership will target lower and mid-tier healthcare suppliers also known as ‘Health SMEs’. Technical advisory services for medical quality and business improvement can be provided by the MCF and its technical partners. For both the MCF and Diamond Bank, it is the second partnership of this nature in the country, allowing for leverage of resources and skills. Speaking at a press conference held after the partnership agreement signing ceremony, Executive Director –Retail Banking, Diamond Bank PLC, Mr. UzomaDozie, said, “We at Diamond Bank welcome this valuable addition to our product range. There is tremendous potential at the lower and middle end of the healthcare market. With access to capital, clinics will be able to upgrade their quality as well as

their business models, leading to overall improvement of healthcare delivery in the sector and by extension, better healthcare delivery for Nigerians.” Commenting on behalf of the Medical Credit Fund, Director, Operations at the organisation, Herman Abels, said: We are very proud to announce this new partnership. Our research indicates that many clinics continue to struggle to meet conventional loan conditions. With Diamond Bank now on board, we hope to bridge the finance gap for these healthcare providers and ultimately expand our activities in Nigeria. The Medical Credit Fund is the first social financing fund that introduces a new approach in sustainable improvement of private health care in Africa. It aims to reduce the unknown risks of investing in primary health care, leading to increased transparency and trust so that the lower end of the health market becomes financeable and scalable. The Fund facilitates access to loans to private primary health care providers that serve low-income groups through local financial institutions. This finance program is combined with internationally certified clinical (SafeCare) and business technical advisory services. Loans and advisory services are used to improve the quality of the health clinics, which will lead to expanded and improved health care services for more people.

Staff members of the Healing Stripes Hospital during a medical outreach in Lagos

Olushola Ricketts

he Medical Director, Healing Stripes Hospital, Lagos, Dr. Ezinne Onyemere, has stressed the need for Nigerians to pay attention to their kidneys and state of health. In a chat with NT Health at Lekki, Lagos, Onyemere said people should take responsibility for what goes into their body, learn how to take care of their kidneys and pay attention to them because kidneys do a lot of work. “The government is really doing its part but we as a people should be conscious of our health, too. We plan to keep preaching and telling people why they should be aware of their health conditions. Recently, we offered free training to people. We also rendered a free dialysis services for a week and everyone knows the cost of a dialysis,” she revealed. The medical expert lamented that the problem medical practitioners face in disseminating information in the country is numerous. She said sometimes people hear things but do not pay attention, adding that information is out there but people are too busy to pay attention to those things that concern their health. She said: “Paying attention to health information is the biggest challenge in creating awareness. Also, there is the challenge to reorient the

mindset of people to go to hospitals. Experts said that self medication goes a long way in damaging kidneys. These are the two main challenges.” Onyemere however stated that diabetes and hypertension are major causes of kidney failure. “The kidney does filtration work and the production of red blood cells. It also helps make urine, remove waste and extra fluid from the blood, helps control blood pressure, helps keep bone healthy, among others.” Urging people to avoid smoking, she insisted that smoking endangers the kidney. She advised people to keep fit and active, check their blood sugar level, monitor their blood pressure, eat healthily and keep their weight in check, among others. The hospital recently embarked on a medical campaign to educate people on kidney ailments. During the medical outreach, staff of the hospital, members of the Redeemed Christian Church of God and some volunteers walked from Oniru Royal Estate Lekki to Eko Hotels in Victoria Island. Also, there was a talk on kidney health and diseases, their causes and management. The campaign ended with a free medical test as well as a kidney dialysis sessions that lasted for a week.

48 BUSINESS | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fuel scarcity: Jonathan orders marketers to end brawl

CASUALTY The IPMAN crisis has consumed National President, Alhaji Aminu AbdulKadir.

Abdulkadir. "The meeting, which started early on Wednesday, dragged till afternoon. At the end, Alhaji Aminu stepped down as IPMAN president," the source said. AbdulKadir could not be reached for comment but the source said his resignation stemmed from" the stakeholders meeting summoned by PPMC MD – Momoh in Abuja yesterday on the directive of the Presidency in a conscious bid to end the ongoing leadership crisis in the association." Elder Chinedu Okoronkwo, who hitherto was the Vice President has taken over while efforts are on to call for congress to elect new leadership. It was learnt that this was one of the high points of the meeting that lasted for over seven hours. According to the revised IPMAN constitution, it is the board of trustees of the association that is expected to conduct the election but unfortunately the new board of trustees had not be constituted before Aminu stepped down. This is

Adeola Yusuf

resident Goodluck Jonathan has ordered immediate resolution of the leadership crisis rocking fuel marketers' association, which has been responsible for fuel crisis nationwide, New Telegraph gathered yesterday. The tussle among members of Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has made fuel crisis to linger in some parts of the country due to the forceful stoppage of fuel loading by National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) of NIPCO, a company, in which IPMAN has a stake. The order by President Jonathan, which led to immediate stakeholders' meeting summoned by the Managing Director, Pipeline and Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Prince Haruna Momoh, yesterday in Abuja, a Presidency source told this newspaper, led to the exit of the National President of IPMAN, Alhaji Aminu

likely to create a lacuna. Under the new constitution, this was subject of litigation at the federal High Court Port Harcourt but it was nullified by the court. Meanwhile, the fate of Nipco is still uncertain as the depot is still incapacitated by the NUPENG leadership even after Aminu had stepped down. Aminu's resignation was one of the conditions set by the NUPENG at the stakeholders meeting. One of the reasons the stakeholders backing NUPENG is because Aminu did not handover to Obasi. He only gave powers to his erstwhile Vice president. The condition at the depot is still tense as commercial activities at the terminal have been totally paralysed due to the magnitude of people that transact business on the dockyard and adjourning areas It is becoming clear to NIPCO top shots that Aminu has not been able to handle the situation against the confidence reposed in him, which may make the core investors and other keen shareholders exploit other

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

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

Description

TTM

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

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

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

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

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

NITTY

Yield 12.86 13.33 13.35 13.42 13.38 13.53

Money Market Offer 11.85 11.85 11.80 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

means. An industry source confirmed that the infighting, which is already affecting product supply, needs to be handled in other facets following the intransigence of both parties with NIPCO investment worse off. The old constitution, which

Aminu led Exco claimed had been amended created room for the newly approved President, according to court order, to organise the election . Obasi was the Vice president of Alhaji felande. He took over from Engr Runsewe following the expiration of his tenure after the 1977 congress.

Fitch rates Zenith’s $1bn term note 'B+'

itch Ratings has assigned Zenith Bank Plc's (Zenith) $1billion Global Medium Term Note Programme a Longterm rating of 'B+' with a Recovery Rating of 'RR4' and a Short-term rating of 'B'. The Recovery Rating, according to Reuters, is in accordance with Fitch's soft cap for Nigeria. Fitch noted that there is no assurance that notes issued under the programme will be assigned a rating, or that the rating assigned to a specific issue under the programme

will have the same rating as the rating assigned to the programme. It noted that he programme's ratings are aligned with Zenith's Long-term Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of 'B+/Stable' and Shortterm IDR of 'B', which Fitch affirmed on 4 March 2014. The programme ratings, Fitch explained, are sensitive to a change in Zenith's IDRs. The Recovery Rating is also sensitive to a change in Fitch's assumption regarding recoveries in the event of a default.

Naira gains 0.49% against dollar

aira firmed 0.49 per cent yesterday to a five-week high against the greenback, after dollar sales by some energy companies lifted the currency, dealers said. The local unit closed at N163.90 to the US dollar, its strongest level since Feb. 19, when it closed at N163.80 and firmer than Tuesday's close of N164.70. The local unit of Chevron

sold about $31.7 million yesterday while ExxonMobil and Addax sold $50 million and $10 million each late Tuesday, to boost dollar liquidity, dealers said. Dealers said expectation that Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation of Nigeria (NNPC) will sell the greenback before the end of the week led some lenders to offload their dollar positions to lock in current exchange rates.

CBN, Finance Ministry urged to collaborate on rates stability

he Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and the Federal Ministry of Finance have been urged to collaborate to ensure price and exchange rate stability in the country. Mr Kyari Bukar, the Managing Director of the Central Securities Clearing System (CSCS), made the call in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Lagos. He said that the two agencies needed to collaborate to achieve their objectives of stabilising the economy. Bukar said that the two institutions should be ready to check the likely effects of high spending that could arise from electioneering period, which he

said, was customary in a democratic dispensation. The CSCS boss said that high spending could trigger imbalance in the economy, stresssing that ''when you spend, you open up a kind of war because there will be more money in the system''. He said that it was because of this that the CBN and the Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) raised the Cash Reserve Ratio (CRR) from 12 per cent to 15 per cent last month. Bukar said the purpose of the increase in CRR was to mop up money from the system. He said the monetary stance of the CBN has led to the withdrawal of between N350 billion or N400 billion from circulation.

BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET 49

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014 Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at April 2, 2014

Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014

Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050

Daily Summary (Equities)

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Daily Summary (Bonds)

FINANCIAL SERVICES Micro-Finance Banks FORTIS MICROFINANCE BANK PLC NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal

Bond Name 13.05% FGN AUG 2016 10.00% FGN JUL 2030 15.10% FGN APR 2017 16.00% FGN JUN 2019 16.39% FGN JAN 2022 Federal Totals

Symbol FG102016S1 FG7B2030S3 FG9B2017S2 FG9B2019S3 FG9B2022S1

DEBT Board Totals

No. of Deals 1 1 1 1 1 5

Current Price 99.75 77.00 103.75 108.85 113.75

Bond Activity Totals

Quantity Traded 100 100 100 100 100 500

500

Value Traded 101,444.34 78,961.13 110,345.88 113,069.88 116,783.41 520,604.64

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ABBEY MORTGAGE BANK PLC ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC INFINITY TRUST MORTGAGE BANK PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC UNION HOMES SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC. Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC

520,604.64

500

Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 FBN HOLDINGS PLC

520,604.64

FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Daily Summary (Equities) Activity Summary on Board EQTY AGRICULTURE Crop Production Daily Summary asCOCOA of 02/04/2014 FTN PROCESSORS PLC Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Crop Production Totals Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Activity Summary onSpecialties Board EQTY Livestock/Animal Totals

Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 1 6 17 24

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol LIVESTOCK

No. of Deals 32 32

Symbol AGLEVENT CHELLARAM TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 4 1 225 66 296

CONGLOMERATES Totals

Building Structure/Completion/Other Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 COSTAIN (W A) PLC.

Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals

Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC. Activity Summary on Board EQTY Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Construction CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Real Estate Development Totals Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) UPDC REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT TRUST Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) Totals

Beverages--Non-Alcoholic 7-UP BOTTLING COMP. PLC. Beverages--Non-Alcoholic Totals Food Products DANGOTE FLOUR MILLS PLC DANGOTE SUGAR REFINERY PLC FLOUR MILLS NIG. PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

CONSUMER GOODS Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Food Products HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC MULTI-TREX INTEGRATED FOODS PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals

Quantity Traded 3,000 8,268 270,635 281,903

Value Traded 1,500.00 329,893.20 11,343,298.00 11,674,691.20

Current Price 3.29

Quantity Traded 711,133 711,133

Value Traded 2,367,522.81 2,367,522.81

993,036

Page

Current Price 1.40 3.95 3.69 54.00

296

14,042,214.01

Quantity Traded 19,996 100 17,170,590 2,247,243 19,437,929

Value Traded 28,993.20 376.00 63,563,507.77 121,319,358.96 184,912,235.93

19,437,929

184,912,235.93

Symbol COSTAIN

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 1.39

Quantity Traded 294,380 294,380

Value Traded 410,458.20 410,458.20

Symbol

No. of Deals 36 1 37

Current Price 70.85 8.46

Quantity Traded 254,520 50 254,570

Value Traded 17,577,540.80 423.00 17,577,963.80

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 90 90

Current Price 25.98

Quantity Traded 945,277 Page 945,277

Value Traded 224,411,369.34 of 15 24,411,369.34

Symbol UPDCREIT

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 11.02

Quantity Traded 11,000 11,000

Value Traded 115,900.00 115,900.00

1,505,327

42,516,195.34

Symbol GOLDBREW GUINNESS INTBREW NB

No. of Deals 3 47 41 87 178

Current Price 0.68 195.00 27.80 150.25

Quantity Traded 10,380 75,938 1,164,936 5,682,142 6,933,396

Value Traded 7,369.80 14,720,755.43 32,447,777.79 853,715,800.74 900,891,703.76

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 38 38

Current Price 90.00

Quantity Traded 38,368 38,368

Value Traded 3,334,696.75 3,334,696.75

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL

No. of Deals 43 57 41

Current Price 8.34 9.94 68.00

Quantity Traded 121,450 593,674 86,274

Value Traded 1,020,426.55 5,862,244.52 6,034,763.21

Daily Summary (Equities) JBERGER ROADS

140

Daily Summary (Equities)

Symbol HONYFLOUR MULTITREX NASCON UTC

No. of Deals Current Price 24 3.65 1 0.50 55 11.86 12 0.53 233

Page

Quantity Traded 245,936 6,293,538 1,193,955 890,000 9,424,827

Value Traded 900,277.68 3,146,769.00 13,966,955.57 471,700.00 31,403,136.53

Value Traded 15,176,640.91 9,591,925.70 24,768,566.61

Household Durables

Symbol VITAFOAM VONO

No. of Deals Current Price 7 4.20 1 1.58 8

Quantity Traded 124,996 259,671 384,667

Value Traded 503,108.80 410,280.18 913,388.98

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price PZ 40 31.00 Daily Summary (Equities) UNILEVER 61 46.10 101

Quantity Traded 335,391 635,862 971,253

Value Traded 10,406,089.64 29,269,452.12 39,675,541.76

17,965,450

1,000,987,034.39

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 DIAMOND BANK PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC PLC. EQTY ActivitySTERLING SummaryBANK on Board UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC WEMA BANK PLC. ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. GUINEA INSURANCE PLC. CONSOLIDATED HALLMARK INSURANCE PLC INTERNATIONAL ENERGY INSURANCE COMPANY PLC LINKAGE ASSURANCE PLC MANSARD INSURANCE PLC MUTUAL BENEFITS ASSURANCE PLC. N.E.M INSURANCE CO (NIG) PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC CO.©PLC. Published by PRESTIGE The NigerianASSURANCE Stock Exchange SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC UNIC INSURANCE PLC. UNITY KAPITAL ASSURANCE PLC WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Value Traded 20,860.00 1,005,711.13 1,026,571.13

Symbol ABBEYBDS ASOSAVINGS INFINITY RESORTSAL UNHOMES

No. of Deals 1 1 2 1 5 10

Current Price 1.35 0.50 1.64 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 100 1,000 5,100 400,000 7,059,903 7,466,103

Value Traded 129.00 500.00 7,960.00 200,000.00 3,529,951.50 3,738,540.50

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP Daily Summary

No. of Deals 59 59 393 102 3 21 128 (Equities) 765

Current Price 2.90 2.16 12.46 3.60 0.60 20.50 2.58

Quantity Traded 3,945,957 8,054,825 12,867,968 9,902,321 75,443 63,437 6,809,728 41,719,679

Value Traded 11,460,859.21 17,125,934.03 160,609,416.86 34,617,765.76 45,275.23 1,297,330.51 17,710,070.38 242,866,651.98

261,367,524

2,323,854,748.34

619

Symbol No. of Deals Current Price Quantity Traded ACCESS 154 7.45 42,026,991 DIAMONDBNK 99 6.51 26,928,974 Page ETI 41 13.13 3,041,031 FIDELITYBK 132 2.02 33,823,301 GUARANTY 26.02 18,436,926 Daily Summary (Equities) 337 SKYEBANK 76 3.61 2,468,329 STERLNBANK 101 2.47 7,254,896 UBA 334 7.00 24,201,978 Symbol UBN UNITYBNK WEMABANK ZENITHBANK

No. of Deals Current Price 65 10.00 6 0.50 23 0.92 286 21.38 1,654

Quantity Traded 455,369 1,501,000 471,835 37,328,143 197,938,773

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GUINEAINS HMARKINS INTENEGINS LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM OASISINS PRESTIGE SOVRENINS UNIC UNITYKAP WAPIC

No. of Deals Current Price 44 0.78 5 1.00 7 0.50 1 0.50 1 0.50 13 0.59 1 0.50 11 2.11 2 0.50 31 0.74 5 0.54 6 0.56 1 0.50 1 0.50 1 0.50 41 0.75 171

Quantity Traded 1,422,942 665,393 569,084 600 100 310,444 600 1,599,000 2,000 5,697,373 123,990 142,916Page 1,200,000 1,000,000 1,000 374,010 13,109,452 Page

Quantity Traded Page 30,033 1,197,092 240,200 1,500 20,500 27,100 1,516,425

Value Traded of 15 64,868.53 3,337,588.52 16,814,100.00 2,990.00 28,290.00 40,650.00 20,288,487.05 7

1,516,425

20,288,487.05

Quantity Traded Quantity Traded 590,000 590,000

Value Traded Value Traded 330,400.00 330,400.00

IT Services NCR (NIGERIA) PLC. IT Services Totals

Symbol NCR

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 15.99

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 1,520.00 1,520.00

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 5,034,100 5,034,100

Value Traded 2,517,050.00 2,517,050.00

No. of Deals 60 26 20 25 84 5 (Equities) 12 3 76 311

Current Price 16.00 9.00 40.62 9.70 235.00 0.50 1.72 4.10 109.72

Quantity Traded 1,916,142 Page 649,862 35,927 537,721 882,085 100,000 58,400 20,900 5,044,376 9,245,413

Value Traded 30,803,093.42 85,821,423.10 of 15 1,390,836.20 4,948,313.17 207,284,431.43 50,000.00 97,728.00 89,870.00 550,781,716.88 801,267,412.20

Symbol AUSTINLAZ CUTIX

No. of Deals 1 7 8

Current Price 2.00 1.97

Page Quantity Traded 100 90,000 90,100

9Value Traded of 15

Packaging/Containers AVON CROWNCAPS & CONTAINERS BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol AVONCROWN BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 1 6 7

Current Price 1.48 19.95

Quantity Traded 100 59,862 59,962

Value Traded 141.00 1,194,246.90 1,194,387.90

Tools and Machinery NIGERIAN ROPES PLC Tools and Machinery Totals

Symbol NIGROPES

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 7.46

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 709.00 709.00

9,395,575

802,631,919.10

AUSTIN LAZ & COMPANY PLC CUTIX PLC. Electronic and Electrical Products Totals

19 Symbol ASHAKACEM BERGER CAP CCNN DANGCEM FIRSTALUM Daily Summary PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals NATURAL RESOURCES Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 Chemicals Totals Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050

Current Price 2.22 2.85 70.00 2.00 1.45 1.57

Current Price Current Price 0.56

INDUSTRIAL GOODS

Metals ALUMINIUM EXTRUSION IND. PLC. Metals Totals Mining Services MULTIVERSE PLC

Activity Summary on Board EQTY NATURAL RESOURCES Mining Services Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Mining Services Totals

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

5,624,200

327

2,848,970.00

210.00 169,200.00 169,410.00

Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 6.66

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 633.00 633.00

Symbol ALEX

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 10.50

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 1,000.00 1,000.00

Symbol MULTIVERSE

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 9,500

Value Traded 4,750.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 1

Current Price

Page Quantity Traded 9,500

Daily Summary (Equities)

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals

10 of 15 Value Traded 4,750.00

9,700

6,383.00

Symbol JAPAULOIL

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,129,500 1,129,500

Value Traded 564,750.00 564,750.00

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

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 198 198

Current Price 15.70

Quantity Traded 3,315,139 3,315,139

Value Traded 52,481,387.33 52,481,387.33

Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors BECO PETROLEUM PRODUCT PLC

Symbol BECOPETRO CONOIL ETERNA FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 1 4 4 7 18 3 20 (Equities) 57

Current Price 0.50 51.90 3.99 101.29 125.00 54.44 172.95

Quantity Traded 100 548 11,600 1,820 37,533 170 33,855 85,626

Value Traded 50.00 27,021.88 44,080.00 182,411.00 4,761,957.95 8,792.40 5,713,099.46 10,737,412.69

4,530,265

63,783,550.02

CONOIL PLC Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 ETERNA PLC. Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050

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

Daily Summary

OIL AND GAS Totals

265

Activity Summary on Board EQTY SERVICES

LEARN AFRICA PLC

Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 UNIVERSITY PRESS Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050

Value Traded 4,537,850.66 750,500.00 434,348.73 787,481,520.78 2,064,873,959.14

PLC. Printing/Publishing Totals

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation TotalsEQTY Activity Summary on Board SERVICES Specialty Specialty SECURE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY PLC Specialty Totals Transport-Related Services AIRLINE SERVICES AND LOGISTICS PLC NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

No. of Deals 5 7 14

Current Price 2.04 4.38

Page Quantity Traded 104,800 100,000 205,900

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities) ABCTRANS 37

Current Price 0.97

Quantity Traded 6,027,700 6,027,700

Value Traded 5,644,529.00 5,644,529.00

Symbol LEARNAFRCA UPL

11 of 15 Value Traded

213,872.00 438,000.00 653,753.00

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Value Traded

Symbol AIRSERVICE NAHCO

No. of Deals 4 48 52

Current Price 2.58 5.09

Quantity Traded 11,600 412,648 424,248

Value Traded 28,546.00 2,095,513.21 2,124,059.21

Symbol NSLTECH

No. of Deals 1 1

SERVICES Totals

EQTY Board Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,000 1,000

Value Traded 500.00 500.00

136

7,255,320

9,164,599.92

4,516

329,600,751

4,465,036,337.10

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 134.00 134.00

Activity Summary on Board ASeM

Value Traded 1,103,119.99 668,843.00 286,542.00 300.00 50.00 185,887.77 300.00 3,378,280.00 1,000.00 4,195,495.02 65,186.90 5 82,891.28 of 15 600,000.00 500,000.00 500.00 280,629.63 11,349,025.59 of

Symbol No. of Deals EVANSMED 7 FIDSON 22 GLAXOSMITH 8 MAYBAKER 2 NEIMETH 3 PHARMDEKO 2 Daily Summary (Equities) 44

No. of Deals No. of Deals 8 8

Value Traded 312,882,198.48 174,987,749.67 4 of 15 39,906,027.65 68,704,645.16 478,198,222.27 8,820,044.71 18,190,584.11 169,980,266.92

2,611

Symbol Symbol COURTVILLE

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

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 ASHAKA CEM PLC Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 PAINTS Published by BERGER The Nigerian StockPLC Exchange © CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. EQTY Activity Summary on Board Building Materials Totals

Value Traded 504.00 504.00

Quantity Traded 204,206 8,733 212,939

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Quantity Traded 3,500 1,130,017 1,133,517

ICT Totals

Quantity Traded 100 100

No. of Deals Current Price 46 75.00 15 1,050.00 61

Personal/Household Products P Z CUSSONS NIGERIA PLC. UNILEVER NIGERIA PLC. Personal/Household Products Totals

Current Price 5.30

Symbol CADBURY NESTLE

Household Durables Totals

Current Price 6.27 0.89

Activity Summary on Board EQTY HEALTHCARE Totals

No. of Deals 1 1

Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 VONO14:33:50.050 PRODUCTS PLC. Printed 02/04/2014

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals Published by EVANS The Nigerian StockPLC. Exchange © MEDICAL Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 FIDSON HEALTHCARE PLC Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 GLAXO SMITHKLINE CONSUMER NIG. PLC. MAY & BAKER NIGERIA PLC. NEIMETH INTERNATIONAL PHARMACEUTICALS PLC PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Symbol ARBICO

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC. Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers Totals

Current Price 0.50 42.00 42.00

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Construction ARBICO PLC. Building Construction Totals

No. of Deals 1 10 11

Activity Summary on Board FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals EQTY

AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURE Totals

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

Symbol FORTISMFB NPFMCRFBK

Daily Summary as of 02/04/2014 CONSTRUCTION/REAL Printed 02/04/2014 14:33:50.050 ESTATE Property Management SMART PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC Property Management Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Symbol SMURFIT

No. of Deals 1 1

Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 1.28

100 Page

134.00 15 of

Activity Summary on Board ASeM CONSUMER GOODS

Symbol MCNICHOLS

No. of Deals 1 1

CONSUMER GOODS Totals

ASeM Board Totals Equity Activity Totals

Current Price 1.37

Quantity Traded Page 3,100 3,100

Value Traded 14 of 15 4,247.00 4,247.00

3,100

4,247.00

3,200

4,381.00

4,518

329,603,951

4,465,040,718.10

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

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

Symbol NEWGOLD VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 1 5 6

Current Price 2,051.00 17.28

Quantity Traded 80 11,491 11,571

Value Traded 164,080.00 198,549.57 362,629.57

ETF Board Totals

11,571

362,629.57

ETP Activity Totals

11,571

362,629.57

Page

50 WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Fear stalks Ebola-hit southern Guinea

ife goes on for the people of the Ebola-hit Guinean city of Gueckedou, but their defiance masks widespread terror of the invisible menace stalking their dusty streets. The southern city’s 200,000 residents are coming to terms with living in the ground zero of West Africa’s first outbreak of the highly contagious virus, which has killed more than 80 of their countrymen. “Everyone is afraid of this disease, the people who aren’t talking about it just as much as the people who are. Everyone is afraid. It’s as if everyone is waiting for their turn to come,” said Koin Barry, a petrol station employee. “People here are describing this epidemic as divine retribution.” The medical aid charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF) warned this week that povertyhit Guinea is facing an Ebola epidemic “of a magnitude nev-

er before seen” as the nation’s president appealed for calm amid a rising death toll. Ebola has killed almost 1,600 people since it was first observed in 1976 in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo but this is the first fatal outbreak in West Africa. Liberia meanwhile has confirmed two cases and a suspected five more, while Sierra Leone is closely monitoring 15 people who attended a funeral in an area hit by the outbreak, according to the World Health Organization. Liberia and Sierre Leone neighbour Guinea. The tropical virus leads to haemorrhagic fever, causing muscle pain, weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea and, in severe cases, organ failure and unstoppable bleeding. Since January, Guinea health authorities have reported more than 127 suspected cases scattered across the country, but the vast majority are in the heavilyforested and remote south.

Miriam Sandouno, a 14-yearold pupil at the Patrice Lumumba school, recalled how her mother had taken her out of lessons when people first began talking about the virus. During the month she was

kept off, two of her friends died at their homes, she said. “I said to my mother, even though I’m not going to school, I’m still going to die here at home if that’s what God wants. So she told me to go back to lessons,”

Street vendors selling water in a street in Gueckedou, southern Guinea

Middle East peace talks face new challenge after Abbas’ defiant move

surprise decision by President Mahmoud Abbas to sign more than a dozen international conventions that could give Palestinians greater leverage against Israel left the United States struggling yesterday to put peace talks back on track. A senior Palestinian official, voicing frustration deepened by Israel’s failure to carry out a pledged release of several dozen Palestinian prisoners, said the eightmonth-old talks had become merely “negotiating about negotiating”. The Palestinians yesterday handed over to a U.N. representative and other diplomats applications Abbas signed late on Tuesday to join 15 international conventions. They include the Geneva Conventions, the key text of international law on the conduct of war and occupation. Palestinian officials said Israel’s failure to let the prisoners go meant Abbas no longer had to stick to a commitment not to confront it at the U.N. and other international bodies. The developments further complicated efforts by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry to piece together a three-way deal to push the faltering negotiations past an April 29 deadline and into 2015.

The talks were already in trouble over the issues of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem land captured by Israel in the 1967 Middle East War - and Palestinian opposition to Netanyahu’s demand to recognize Israel as a Jewish state.

Israel had said it first wanted a Palestinian commitment to negotiate past the original target date for a deal before freeing the last of the 104 prisoners it promised to release as part of U.S. efforts to restart the negotiations last July.

In Brussels for a NATO meeting, Kerry cancelled a planned visit to the West Bank city of Ramallah on Wednesday to meet Abbas, saying it was important to keep the peace process moving but “in the end, it is up to the parties”.

Search for missing Malaysian jet drags on, as probe narrows to crew

alaysian police have ruled out involvement of any passenger in the disappearance of a missing jetliner, while Australian officials warned bad weather and a lack of reliable information were impeding efforts to find wreckage from the plane. Up to 10 planes and nine ships from a half dozen countries yesterday scoured a stretch of the Indian Ocean roughly the size of Britain, where Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is believed to have crashed more than three weeks ago. Authorities have not ruled out mechanical problems as causing the disappearance, but say all the evidence suggests the plane was deliberately diverted from its scheduled route from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. Malaysia’s police chief said the investigation was focusing

she told AFP. Gueckedou’s city centre was teeming with people this week, with shops and offices open for business and horse-drawn carts taking up the little space left by motorbike taxis on the streets.

on the cabin crew and pilots, after clearing all 227 passengers of possible involvement in hijacking, sabotage or having personal or psychological problems that could have been connected to the disappearance. “They have been cleared,” national police chief Khalid Abu Bakar was quoted as saying by state news agency Bernama. The search and rescue teams are in a race against time to locate the plane’s black box recorder, which has an expected battery life of around 30 days and without which it may never be possible to find the wreckage. Retired Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston, the head of the Australian agency coordinating the operation, said that a lack of reliable flight telemetry and punishing conditions at sea were making the operation even more challenging.

“In other words, we don’t have a precise aircraft location for six hours before the aircraft went into the water somewhere,” he said in an interview with the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. “The reality is it’s the most complex and challenging search and rescue operation, or search and recovery operation now, that I’ve ever seen.” Broken clouds, sea fog and isolated thunderstorms were expected to further complicate operations, Australia’s Joint Agency Coordination Center said. The search is now focused on an inhospitable 221,000 sq km (85,000 sq miles) swathe of the southern Indian Ocean some 1,500 km (932 miles) west of the Australian city of Perth. But despite the unprecedented effort, the international team has so far failed to spot any trace of the jetliner.

Bombs at Egypt University hit riot police, kill one

hree bombs exploded yesterday outside Cairo University’s main campus, hitting riot police deployed against near daily protests by Islamist students, killing a police general and wounding seven others, including several top police officers. The bombings were the latest in a campaign of attacks targeting Egypt’s police and military that began with the ouster last summer of Islamist President Mohammed Morsi. The attacks are taking place amid a fierce crackdown by security forces against pro-Morsi protesters and members of Morsi’s Muslim Brotherhood. The staggered nature of the blasts in a relatively close area introduced a new tactic. The first two bombs, which security officials said were hidden at the foot of a tree, went off less than a minute apart. The third, concealed up another tree nearby, exploded nearly two hours later. The first two blasts killed the police general and wounded seven, the officials said. They had earlier reported that a civilian was also killed, but later explained that the general’s civilian clothes had led to confusion and that he was the lone fatality in the bombings. They identified him as Brig. Gen. Tareq al-Margawy.

NEWS

Thursday, April 3, 2014

APC Congress: Tinubu warns against indiscipline DISQUALIFICATION Unruly aspirant will be disqualified, APC warns

Temitope Ogunbanke

ormer Lagos State Governor and National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, yesterday urged all APC members to comfort themselves in the forthcoming congress and national convention of the party, saying that

29.8%

the party leadership will not tolerate any form of indiscipline from any member. Speaking yesterday at the APC secretariat during a sensitization programme for members ahead of the ward, council and state congresses, Tinubu advised all aspirants to follow the laid down procedures for the election of party executives and delegates to the party congresses and national convention, warning that any aspirant who causes confusion during the congress would be disqualified from the congress.

The male percentage of internet users in Jamaica in 2010. Source: Itu.int

Tinubu also assured all APC members that the party leaders would provide level playing ground for all the aspirants and ensure that the congresses are free and fair. He therefore urged all members to ensure that the right people are voted into office as party executives. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All positions would be keenly contested for. Even in a case of consensus, election will still hold and the congress will take place openly. Even in a case whereby party leaders and members agreed on a particular candidate, election would still hold. We want

1.5m

The total number of internet users in Costa Rica in 2007. Source: Blatantworld.com

to build this party from the grassroots and therefore everybody must work toward the success of the congress. Everybody must respect the party leaders and obey all the instructions guiding the congresses,â&#x20AC;? Tinubu advised. APC interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, while advising the party members to comfort themselves during the election, assured all the aspirants that contestant forms would be available for purchase before Friday. He advised aspirants for party offices to buy their forms in time.

N3.78bn

The internally generated revenue of Niger State in 2012. Source: National bureau of Statistics

Bamidele promises better package for monarchs Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

abour Party governorship candidate in Ekiti State, Opeyemi Bamidele, has said his government will treat the welfare of traditional rulers as a matter of priority if elected governor in the June 21 election. The federal lawmaker, who promised to accord the monarchs the respect they deserve, said his welfare package would be extended to traditional chiefs in all the 132 towns and villages in the state to enable them play their expected supportive roles.

Cephas Iorhemen Makurdi

he truce brokered between warring Fulani herdsmen and Tiv farmers recently in Makurdi has been dismissed as a kangaroo arrangement. Benue State Secretary of Miyetti Allah, Mr. Gololo Garus, made the declaration in an exclusive telephone interview. He accused those behind the peace accord of violating due process, saying their action was a clear case of imposing their will on the warring sides and defrauding the state government under Gabriel

Tiv/Fulani truce a sham - Miyetti Allah scribe Suswam. According to him, signatories to the initiative only succeeded in raking in money from the Benue State Government over a serious matter. Garus insisted that the police DIG in charge of operations in Abuja, Michael Zuokumor, who represented the Federal Government and Brig. Gen. Atom Kpera (rtd) chairman, of the state Conflict Resolution and Peace

Building Committee; the state Commissioner of Police, Adams Audu, among other principal signatories to the ceasefire agreement, have no right to coerce the two sides to broker a truce because aggrieved parties were denied active participation in the peace process. The Miyetti Allah chief scribe suggested that at least a public handshake between the Fulani and Tiv/Agatu farmers would have symbolically signalled

genuine end of conflict. He said a meeting where a genuine final peace agreement is expected to take place had been slated for Lafia, Nasarawa State. "The DIG Operations has no right to sign any peace agreement between Fulani and the Tiv/Agatu farmers, and I repeat he has no right to sign a document without consulting us. As far as I am concerned, they are on their own", said Gololo.

He made the promise in Emure-Ekiti yesterday while addressing supporters as part of his campaign for the coming poll. Bamidele, Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Legislative Budget and Research described as baseless and unfounded, the rumour that the LP had no plan for the traditional seats. He said, "We are quite aware of the enormous roles being played by traditional rulers as stabilizing factors in our society. We are not only going to improve on their welfare packages.

Jonathan may begin Ekiti PDP campaign next week Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

Anambra State Governor, Obiano (middle), addressing a crowd at Upper Iweka, Onitsha... yesterday

resident Goodluck Jonathan may next week flag off the governorship campaign of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Ekiti State. Former Governor Ayodele Fayose, who disclosed this, also appealed to aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state to bury the hatchet and join hands with him to ensure victory for the PDP in the June 21 poll. Addressing a crowd of supporters in Ikere-Ekiti, he appealed to them to put the corporate interest of the party above personal interest. Fayose, who singled out

Prince Adedayo Adeyeye for commendation, said the PDP leaders were already working to reconcile warring factions in the party. "By God's grace, I am the candidate of the party; with that I cannot be the minister, senator or House of Representatives aspirant or member. If the PDP wins, there are more than enough positions for all of us to share and benefit. "We are on course and we are going to run issuebased campaign. We will not be involved in character assassination," he said. The former governor also dismissed the rumour that he was having a running battle with traditional rulers in the state.

Stay with progressive govt, Fayemi tells voters

kiti State Governor, Dr. KayodeFayemi, took his campaign train to 10 communities in Oye Local Government Area yesterday with a charge to the electorate to protect their votes in the June 21 governorship poll. Addressing a crowd that thronged his rally in Ayede, the governor also urged the people of the state to keep faith with a progressive administration which has turned

around the fortunes of Ekiti. Fayemi was accompanied on the campaign trail by his deputy, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; his wife, Bisi; Interim Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Olajide Awe; Secretary to the State Government, Dr. Gani Owolabi and the Director General of the Fayemi Campaign Organization, Mr. Bimbo Daramola.

52 NEWS

Thursday, April 3, 2014

FROM THE NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Clark, Dokpesi , Darah, others want Nigeria restructured

Clark

Louis Achi, Onwuka Nzeshi and Lateef Ibrahim

he demand for the political restructuring of Nigeria to restore fiscal federalism and devolve powers to the federating units resonated again yesterday at the National Conference as the debate on President Goodluck Jonathan's inaugural address entered its third day. The debate which began on Monday has featured many of the delegates commenting on the address, highlighting the challenges facing Nigeria and making suggestions on how to pull the country out of the brink. At Wednesday's session, elder statesman, and former Minister of Information, Chief Edwin Clark, Chairman of Daar Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, erudite

scholar, Prof. Godwin Darah as well as the Obasuyi of Benin Kingdom were among delegates who canvassed a restructuring of the country. Clark, commended President Goodluck Jonathsn for having the courage and political will to convene the national conference. He appealed to the delegates to be tolerant of one another as Nigeria belonged to all the ethnic groups that make up the country. "Nigeria belongs to all of us. No one is superior to the other; no one is inferior to the other; no one is a first class citizen and no one is

Dokpesi

a second class citizen. “Any citizen of Nigeria is qualified to hold the highest office in this country. We have no other country to go to. If you are a Northerner or a Southerner and you cannot tolerate one another, then there would be no Nigeria." he said.

He recalled that the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and other founding fathers of Nigeria were young when they prepared Nigeria for

Darah

independence in 1960 based on a federal Constitution. He lamented that since the 1963 Republican Constitution was suspended by the military, the political elite has been unable to agree on another constitution for the people. He blamed the lack of unity of purpose mainly on religious differences, but reminded the delegates that Nigeria was already in existence before the advent of Christianity and Islam. He said that the insurgents who killed 29 school children in Yobe State did not differentiate whether they were Christians or Muslims. Clark said that the only way to make progress was for all Nigerians

to accept one another, be patriotic and have an open mind to make the necessary changes in the political structure of the country. Media mogul, Chief Raymond Dokpesi reminded delegates of the constitutional issues which President Goodluck Joathan has paced before them. He argued that following the suspension of the 1963 Republican Constitution all the subsequent constitutions produced by the military had not worked well for Nigeria. He said that this constitutional flaw was at the root of Nigeria's problems and appealed that the conference should face the issue squarely rather than gloss over it. " There are problems in our system. It doesn't recognize religion, it doesn't recognize tribes and we need to deal with it," he said. In another presentation, Prof. G.G. Darah of the Delta State University, Abraka compared the inaugural address presented by Jonathan to the January 11, 1975 address presented by a former Nigerian Head of State, Gen. Murtala Mohammed to the Organisation of African Unity(OAU) in Addis Ababa , a speech that mobilized the continent to seek an end to apartheid rule in South Africa.

Gbemisola Saraki, Dara laud Jonathan Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

wo leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara state Senator Gbemisola Saraki and Chief John Dara yesterday defended the decision by President Goodluck Jonathan to set up the national conference. Dara, Presidential candidate of the defunct National Transformation

Party (NTP) and Gbemisola, who ran the gubernatorial race under the defunct Allied Congress Party of Nigeria (ACPN, are both in the conference. They told newsmen in separate interviews that contrary to insinuations, the conference is not a waste of time and resources arguing that it was a timely intervention by Jonathan in the overall interest of Nigeria. While Gbemisola spoke at Ilorin,

Dara spoke at Ipee, Oyun local government area shortly after registering their names in the PDP registration exercise which ended yesterday. “The conference is important, no matter how little an achievement is, an achievement is an achievement”, Gbemisola said, adding “Do you recall any conference that they have not said is a waste of time? At any point in time Nigerians will say it is a

waste of time. “We have 150 million people with some many ethnic tribes and different languages. We have over 300 languages in Nigeria, and we live together in harmony. We need to talk constant, we need to have confab every day, every time to keep making adjustment for improvement; the manner in which we want to live changes and our relationship with people change.

This is Jonathan’s conference – Na’abba

Former Speaker, House of Representatives, Alhaji Umar Ghali Na’abba, speaks with LOUIS ACHI and ONWUKA NZESHI on the ongoing confab What’s your general impression of the conference thus far? My impression is that it is going to be a good conference. A good conference is a conference whereby people come out with their honest opinions on everything that is supposed to be discussed. What I have observed so far is that delegates are ready to allow superior reasons to carry the day. Wherever there are superior reasons against prejudices or particular points of views, delegates are ready to accept them. Of course you cannot gather people from all parts of the country with different languages, traditions, cultures, prejudices and others without being emotive. The beauty of it is that as many Nigerians as possible amongst the delegates have accepted the idea of one Nigeria. Generally, one thread that runs through the argument so far is getting Nigeria right. At what point did we get it wrong? All is a question of good leadership. Nigeria has had good leaders but it has been suffering from bad leadership in the past few years. I believe we must do all it takes to get good lead-

ers through democracy. How do you see the position of the president that the outcome of this conference should be subjected to referendum instead of sending it to the National Assembly? In trying to have a better Nigeria, I believe that nothing should be ruled out. Of course, a lot of people have reservations about this conference, including myself. But I believe that as God told us that we may like something and it may not be good for us and we might hate something and it can be good for us. So, I will like to believe that even our coming together to talk is a great thing. This is because not many people amongst these delegates know one another. Some of us are meeting each other for the first time. The most heated subject of the confab so far, though now resolved, has been the President Goodluck Jonathan’s benchmark on voting procedure… This conference is President Jonathan’s conference, not a peoples’ conference. None of us was elected to come here. Our coming here presupposes we are going to accept certain things amongst the president’s proposition. I don’t think that any disagreement about quorum or about voting will upstage this conference. What should be clear in the minds of everybody is that whatever point of view any person has he must be able to have the majority of delegates to accept it. We have very reasonable and mature delegates here who are willing to move the country forward.

TIT BITS by Lateef Ibrahim

2 coffee points for delegates T he secretariat of the National Conference in Abuja has provided two coffee stands for the delegates. The coffee stands were situated at the lobby leading to entrance of the hall

where the delegates are sitting. The Chairman of the Conference, Justice Legbo Idris Kutigi announced this to the delegates at about 1.45 pm yesterday shortly before

they went on the break after the first session. Kutigi explained that one of the coffee points was for the physically challenged delegates while the other is for the remaining delegates.

he Chairman of the National Conference sitting in Abuja, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi yesterday showed his humorous side, when he told a delegate to “go and kill Alli Baba alone,” thus throwing the entire delegates into

Go and kill Ali Baba alone, Conference Chairman tells delegate laughter. Justice Kutigi said this in response to a statement by one of the delegates, Hon Orok Duke who said it was important for the

conference to “kill Ali Baba” in the course of his contributing to the debate of the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan’s inaugural speech.

Nigeria faces International Gymnastic Federation sanction Charles Ogundiya

he failure of gymnasts to participate at the ongoing African Gymnastic Championship in South Africa, may lead to international sanction, New Telegraph can exclusively reveal.

The African Gymnastic Championship is the qualifier for the world championship later in the year with Nigeria scheduled to be part of the competition after picking up the registration form last year but pulled out due to fund. The gymnasts failed to make the trip

SPORT

due to the inability of the National Sports Commission to approve the money for the competition despite assurance by the Director General of the commission, Gbenga Elegbeleye, to make funds available for the competition. CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

thursday, aPRIL 3, 2014

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

Did you know? The first live coverage of a soccer match shown on television, was in the year 1937. It was a practice match of Arsenal and was played at Highbury stadium

NFF vs Keshi

Maigari

Eagles players sue for peace l Want focus on the World Cup

Keshi

Emmanuel Tobi

op Super Eagles players have pleaded with the Nigeria Football Federation and Coach Stephen Keshi to allow peace to reign as the country prepares for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. The feud between Super Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, and the NFF Technical Committee degenerated into a great height on Monday after the coach refused to submit a provisional list of 35 players for the World Cup as requested by the body. Relationship between Keshi and the federation became frigid last week when Keshi was queried for attending a sponsor’s event on the day he had an appointment with the technical committee. He was also accused of embarking on an unapproved vacation to the USA. In separate interviews with New Telegraph on Tuesday, the players who pleaded anonymity maintained that both factions must work in pursuant of a common goal which they said, is for the team to do well at the mundial. “The reports we get from Nigerian dailies are not good for our morale. We need to channel all the energy towards getting good results in Brazil. I believe the coach and the NFF must learn to work together so we can CONTINUED ON PAGE 55

Ajibade Olusesan

he Golden Eaglets will participate in a six-nation sub-regional West African Football (WAFU) Under-17 Tournament in Togo between April 19 and 27. Hosts Togo are grouped alongside with Benin and Cote d’Ivoire in Group

Golden Eaglets for WAFU tourney A while Nigeria, Niger and Mali were pooled together in Group B. Incidentally, Nigeria beat Niger and Mali on their way to glory at the 2013 UAE FIFA U-17 World Cup UAE and the tourney in Lome would be a good opportunity to test the resolve of the new

team being put together by coach Emmanuel Amuneke-led technical crew. Meanwhile, Amuneke who is expected to name a provisional list of 30 players for the WAFU tournament soon, has cleared the air on erroneous impression that players are not given adequate

playing time to showcase their talents. “We are clear about our objectives and there is a certain standard we are expecting from players even at this level,” he said. “We are doing our best to ensure that everybody is given the opportunity to show what they can do.” The on-going screening exercise would be rounded off this weekend .

Sanctity of Truth

Bayern beatable in Munich – Moyes

Thursday, April 3, 2014

M Makanjuola

Makanjuola records first victory at ITTF Tour

Ajibade Olusesan

igeria’s Kazeem Makanjuola recorded his first victory at the ongoing International Table Tennis Federation Tour in Spain when he defeated Venezuela’s Nelson Villamieva on Wednesday. Prior to the victory against Venezuelan, Makanjuola, a bronze medalist in the maiden Lagos Classics had suffered defeats at the Kuwait and Qatar Opens earlier this year, while he narrowly

missed out from competing at the German Open. However, he halted his strings of defeats on table three when he pounded his Venezuelan counterpart, 11-4, 11-3, 11-6, 11-4 with his last hurdle to secure a place in the main draw holding on Thursday against Spain’s Alfredo Carneros on table six. It was not a similar story for Ganiat Olatunde-Aruna who lost to India’s Shamini Kumaresan in her first group match despite making several spirited efforts in the encounter.

World champion, 11 others for Okpekpe

orld Champion, Aziz Lahbabi of Morocco, and eleven foreign athletes have indicated interest in participating at the forthcoming 10km Road Race slated for May 3rd in Okpekpe, Edo State. The other athletes expected at the 2nd edition of the 10km race include Edwin Cheruiyo of Kenya and Deriba Merga of Ethiopia. Others are Morroco’s Hassan Elabbasi, Birhanu Kiploma of Ethiopia, Abraham Kiplomo who won the 2014 Beppu-Oita Mara-

thon. The winner of the 2013 Paaderbm Half Marathon, Ghirmey Ghebreslassie is also expected at the road race which attracts a cash prize of fifty thousand dollars. Ruth Aga of Ethiopia top the list in the female category. Others are Belaynesh Olijra of Ethiopia, Rkia El Moukim of Morocco, Name Jebesa of Ethiopia and Violah Jepchuba. Meanwhile, the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, has announced that this year’s race is going to be an improvement on last year’s maiden edition.

Youth Olympics: Funds stall weightlifting team’s trip Mercy Jacob

he Nigeria Weightlifting Federation’s hopes of sending lifters to the forthcoming World Youth Olympics, taking place later in the year in China, has been dashed due to unavailability of funds to prosecute the African qualifiers billed for Cameroon. According to a board member of the federation, who preferred anonymity, all efforts to raise money for the competition, which takes place from April 16 to 22, have been fruitless. “It is sad that we are going to miss out from the World Youth Olympics because of lack of funds to attend the African qualifiers. “Every sports minister

comes promising to give attention to other sports, but leaves without changing anything. “We started making arrangements for this competition last year after two lifters were discovered at the U-17 competition in Abuja. And the two lifters were supposed to represent Nigeria in Cameroon before everything fell apart.”

Mariam Usman

anchester United boss David Moyes vowed to go “toe to toe” with Bayern Munich after an encouraging performance in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final. United were expected to struggle as they hosted the European champions at Old Trafford but soaked up a lot of pressure and earned a creditable 1-1 draw. That gives Moyes’ men, under pressure af- Moyes “Hopefully tonight (Tuesday) shows we will ter a below-par season on the domestic front, a chance of pulling off a shock victory when go there, and we will go toe to toe with them and they travel to the Allianz Arena for the second we will try to come out on top. leg next week. “It is a tough tie but but we all believe we Asked if it was important Bayern knew they have got a chance. “Our best football has been in this competifaced a battle in the second leg, Moyes said: “I believe they had a fight on their hands before tion and we will need to show our best football when we go to Bayern next week.” the first leg as well.

Sturridge: Liverpool want title for Gerrard

Simeone slams diving Neymar

he 22-year-old celebrates his goal for Barcelona last night - Action Images The Atlético Madrid boss said that the Brazil international goes to ground too easily following last night’s draw in the Champions League quarterfinal first leg. Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone has lashed out at Neymar, claiming that the Barcelona forward lets himself down with his theatrics. The 22-year-old calmly con-

pogba

uventus are theoretically only four matches away from a Europa League final date in their own Turin stadium. But the runaway Italian league leaders are unlikely to go into Thursday’s quarter-final first leg away against French club Lyon taking anything for granted. That is especially the case after they suffered only their sec-

Neymar

verting Andres Iniesta’s exquisite through-ball to cancel out Diego Ribas’ stunning opener at the Camp Nou. While Simeone does not doubt Neymar’s talent, the Argentine believes that the former Santos man is guilty of repeatedly going to ground too easily.

Juventus wary of Lyon after rare defeat

ond league defeat in 31 matches at the hands of Napoli at the weekend. So Juve will be keen to make sure that 2-0 reverse does not signal the start of a slump. Coach Antonio Conte sounded a warning after the visit to Napoli when he said: “There are tired legs in my squad, that’s inevitable when you’ve been playing every three days and are unable to rotate due to injuries.”

Injury-hit Basel to battle in-form Valencia

asel will be without the backing of their own fans for Thursday’s first leg of their Europa League quarter-final against Valencia. The Swiss champions were punished by Uefa after the behaviour of their supporters caused the second leg of a 2-1 aggregate victory over Salzburg in the last round to be suspended for 13 minutes. As a result, the Valencia game will be played behind closed doors.

Basel’s run of three European matches without conceding on home soil could prove daunting for Juan Antonio Pizzi’s visitors but the Spanish outfit have won all five of their Europa League away matches this season. Valencia have also kept clean sheets in their last four matches at home and away in the competition - one more would give them a tournament record.

iverpool striker Daniel Sturridge says his teammates are determined to win the Premier League for inspirational captain Steven Gerrard. Gerrard has enjoyed a glittering 15-and-a-half year career at his boyhood club, winning every trophy possible aside from the topflight crown. But Liverpool are on course to end their 24-year wait for a 19th league title this season, with Brendan Rodgers’ side top of the table with six games remaining. “If we win it, Stevie will really deserve it. He should win the Premier League because of everything he has done for this club,” Sturridge.

Pique out for four weeks

arcelona defender Gerard Pique will miss the next four weeks with a hip injury, putting the Catalans’ hopes of silverware in doubt. Pique fell heavily in the early stages of Barcelona’s 1-1 draw with Atletico Madrid in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League quarter-final first leg and was subbed off soon after. Barca initially described the injury as pelvic bruising but further tests after the match showed Pique suffered a ‘crack’ in his right hip.

SPORT 55

Sanctity of Truth

Thursday, April 3, 2014

Brazil: Nigeria, others won’t be easy -Aguero

Sport Trending

TWITTER |@NTelegraphSport

Zlatan Ibrahimović Why would we fear the Special One’s team when we have the Only One? @Ibra_official Peter Odemwingie Tomorrow golf day! Been a long time. Will be practicing in my dreams tonight for sure. Looking forward to it. @OdemwingieP

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Elderson Echiejile Hello there.......Hope you are having a great day? Remember,hardwork. Pays! #Grind @EldersonEch

anchester City and Argentina striker, Sergio Aguero, does not feel it will be a stroll in the park for Argentina when they square up against the Super Eagles and their other Group F rivals in Brazil. Argentina, World Cup winners in 1978 and 1990, are in the same group as Nigeria, Iran and BosniaHerzegovina. They open their campaign for a third World Cup title against the Bosnians on June 14, then Iran on June 18, before wrapping up their group stage fixtures with a game against Nigeria on June 22. Aguero, in an interview with DirecTV, admits that the Albiceleste have a great chance of going far in the World Cup, but knows each

jonathan akpoborie United disappointed a lot of people on Tuesday, by holding Bayern Munich to a draw. @akpoborie Felipe Massa Be strong and push hard brother !! lFormula One star, Felipe Massa, sending out warm thoughts to his former teammate, Michael Schumacher. @MassaFelipe19 Lewis Hamilton It was great to kick start my season with a win in Malaysia. I’m yet to win at Bahrain International Circuit so let’s try and break that cycle! @LewisHamilton Rio Ferdinand Another great European night under the lights at old Trafford...amazing support & atmosphere! Thank u!! @rioferdy5 Javi Martínez It was a very difficult game, but we left with a good result, now we have to make a great game and finish it at home to be in semis. @Javi8martinez Victor Valdes After the operation, all I can think of is recovery. Thanks for all the tweets of encouragement. lRecuperating FC Barcelona goalkeeper, Victor Valdes, saying thanks after going under the knife. @1victorvaldes Aguero (right)

Eagles players sue for peace CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

achieve better results in Brazil,” said the player who is based in Eastern Europe. According to another player, “It is so sad that whenever we chat with ourselves here in Europe, there must be a negative story from Nigeria on the team. I think the NFF should give the coach the free hand to operate while the coaching crew should also respect the leadership of the NFF.” He added that, “One thing that is lacking is just mutual respect for one other. No coach will be happy to

know that some people were being paid to fly the kite of appointing a foreign coach. “This was also the genesis of our problem at the 2013 Nations Cup but personally, I think the coach should not be reacting angrily to every issues because words are very powerful.” The Super Eagles will regroup in London on May 26, two days before a friendly match against Scotland at Craven Cottage. The Eagles will play two more friendly matches against USA and Greece in America before leaving for Brazil on June.11.

Nigeria faces International Gymnastic Federation sanction CONTINUED FROM PAGE 53

The vice-president of the Federation, Muhammed Soro, told our correspondent that the development was very discouraging especially because of the huge talents abound in the sport. He said, “When you have a politician as the DG of the NSC, then the result is what we are seeing now. We failed to go for a competition because someone who supposed to know did not

understand the importance of the event on the gymnasts and the country in general. “Now, we are facing sanction because this is not the first time we are missing such competition. They want to kill the sport and we will continue to do our best for gymnastics to thrive. I have been in other federation in the past, the truth is we are not developing other sports in Nigeria, all we think about is football which is not the best.”

game will be tough. “We know that we have a great team, but each match has to be played,” said Aguero, in response to how Argentina intends to prosecute their first round fixtures. “No easy matches anymore, but I think that with the squad that we have, there are chances. It depends on us,” added the former Atletico Madrid player, who is currently recuperating from injury. Aguero, who has scored 29 goals for City this season, has not played a Premier League game since the end of January due to a hamstring complaint but returned to start the Champions League last 16, second-leg clash at Barcelona on March 12, only to aggravate the problem which has seen him sidelined ever since.

LMC reprieve for Giwa FC Charles Ogundiya

said. The LMC in granting provisional approval for Giwa FC to join the league also set out other conditions to be met on or before June 24 in line with the ruling of the NFF emergency meeting. Top of these conditions was a directive to the club to ensure that it filed a proper letter of allegiance using the form provided to it and with no caveat attached as was the case with the filing that led to the Club’s disqualification. “Note that failure to comply with any of the requirements by Match Day 9 will result in your stadium being banned and your team moved to another venue and or points deduction as provided for in the rules and regulations”, LMC statedin the letter.

iwa Football Club were re-instated into the league on Wednesday with provisional approval as the Jos team was adjudged by the League Management Company to have substantially met the four requirements listed by the Nigeria Football Federation . In a letter signed by Salihu Abubakar, the LMC Chief Operating Officer, reference was made to the four conditions imposed by the NFF on the clubs and which they were to meet within seven days to be eligible to participate in the league. The four conditions include submission of a signed letter of allegiance to the LMC in accordance with the approved format, appoint a stadium to be inspected and approved by the LMC, submission of detailed Medical Profile (passport) of all players in line with the LMC approved medical forms and discontinuation of all matters and litigations in court. igeria senior women team, the Super Fal“The LMC can confirm that Plateau State cons, have opened camp in Abuja as they Football Association officials have provided us begin preparation for the 2014 Africa Women evidence of discontinuance of cases filed against the LMC by associates of Giwa FC. This evidence Championship in Namibia. Coach Edwin Okon called up 34 players for has been verified by our Lawyers,” Abubakar the screening exercise which according to him will be elimination by substitution to get the required players for the team. Coach Okon said he was happy to be playing Cameroon before the AWC qualifier against Rwanda as this would help him and his technical crew access the players better. “We have so many players and we have replacement for whoever is not up to our standard. This is just the beginning and everything is alright,” he said.

Falcons begin 2014 AWC preparation

Irabor

World Record

On Marble

There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you

Sanctity of Truth

– Maya Angelou

w w w. new tel eg rap ho nl i ne. co m

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

N150

THURSday, APRIL 3, 2014

The fastest time to run a half marathon whilst pushing a pram is 1hr. 30min 51sec by Nancy Schubring (USA) at the Mike May Races Half Marathon, Michigan, USA on 15 September 2001

The Confab’s ‘Cameroun Delegate’

n his inaugural speech on March 17, while flagging off the National Conference, President Goodluck Jonathan was emphatic that we must “re-launch Nigeria.” This controversial re-launch project has apparently become a subject of peculiar interpretations. A sampler: ‘Venerable’ royal father, Lamido of Adamawa, Alhaji Aliyu Mustapha, a delegate to the conference concluded his tirade on the floor of the conference last Wednesday when he told his fellow conferees that “Jingoism is not the preserve of anyone.” Not done and perhaps for the benefit of Nigerians who may not know the size of his realm, he asserted that “there is a state in Cameroun called Adamawa and if I run to that place, I can easily be assimilated; if you push us to the wall, we can easily walk out of this country”. This development increased the temperature of the plenary and forced the conference to be adjourned till the following week. The first class royal father had watched apparently in anger how the delegates were wasting time on irrelevant things. When he could no longer bear it, he went off the curve, entirely outside the issue being debated and delivered what could be called ‘Lamido’s Abuja Declaration.’ The highly respected royal father did not say if he would retain his position as Lamido of Adamawa in his alternate country. As he was throwing his bomb at the conference, another royal father and the spiritual head of Muslims in the country, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar was leading other Muslim leaders, including the former Chief Justice of Nigeria, Mohammed Uwais, to Aso Rock to complain to President Jonathan about the ‘bias’ against the faith in the constitution of the delegates. What a coincidence. Many discerning minds including Muslims I came across said that the Sultan, even if he endorsed such visit, should not have allowed himself to get involved physically in the protest. He should have allowed the fundamentalist group and politicians to handle that aspect as his revered position, especially his fatherly role along with the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, Cardinal John Onaiyekan in the inter-faith dialogue already placed him far above such sectional consideration.

Political Musings

IKE ABONYI

A cross-section of Nigerians view him as a leader who has not allowed sectional interest becloud his perspectives. One can understand the extent of the pressure that must have made the Sultan yield to such move. But, then, it should be our responsibility as leaders to resist certain pressures. The weight of a message is usually determined by the messenger conveying it. If the likes of Junaid Mohammed or Asari Dokubo for instance had made the secessionist threat at the floor of the National Conference, it may not have attracted all the attention. The concern stems from the fact that it came from a royal father of Lamido’s standing. That is why a leader must be very careful of what they do or say. When Junaid Mohammed in his huffy attitude to every political issue recently abused Ndigbo, the people just ignored him as one long monotonous harangue. Junaid had said in a media interview, “Please convey this to every Igbo man on Nigerian soil, that there won’t be state creation from this Confab. No Igbo state or other state will be created. If the Igbo are claiming parity with the Yoruba, that since the Yoruba have six states, they must have six states as well, they are talking nonsense.” According to him, “In the former structure of the country we had the East, North and West. The West has been split into six states. The East has been split into five Igbo states and six South-South states. So, these people talking about parity, they want to be equal with the Yoruba.” Declaring almost with a tone of finality, he stated that, “There will never be another Igbo state again.”

People who fly into a rage without calculating always make a bad landing

Mustapha

One Igbo leader I contacted on Junaid’s remark simply said “Igbo are too busy to respond to this type of ranting especially when the messenger has low value in the eyes of the society.” Some of our leaders who act foolishly aren’t acting really; they are just being themselves. Junaid’s argument is not the problem because discerning minds can easily see the illogicality, his uncouth, condescending language notwithstanding. For, as offensive as his inflammatory utterances might be, they pale in significance when compared with the bestiality of the Boko Haram insurgents who routinely maim and murder thousands of Ndigbo and vandalize their assets. But true patriots should be worried at these developments because they are signs. When people who should gather are found scattering, something must be fundamentally wrong. If President Jonathan, from his vantage perch, sees that all is not well and assembles elders of the people to the village square, the people should expect a silver bullet and not irritating words. Just as the Adamawa royal father said that jingoism is not the preserve of anyone, so also is trouble-making not limited to anyone. If the theory is that the Igbo cannot do anything because

they had experienced a failed civil war, it must be made clear that the generation that fought that war is largely yielding ground to a fresh one. We should not allow this conference to meet the definition of the golden age American comedian, Fred Allen who said sarcastically that “a conference is a gathering of important people who, singly can do nothing, but together can decide that nothing can be done.” As an apostle of free speech, I believe that delegates should not to be regulated but I cannot but agree with Adlai Stevenson Jnr that “every man has right to be heard; but no man has the right to strangle democracy with a single set of vocal cord.” A quarrel, as the saying goes, is like buttermilk. The longer it stands the more sour it becomes. Our mutual distrust in this country is standing for too long. What we need is to tell ourselves the truth: we need leaders, true patriots who have tact and who would have nothing to retract. People who fly into a rage without calculation always make a bad landing. Junaid Mohammed and Lamido of Adamawa sure have had bad landings because they were not tactical. We do not lack leaders in this country. The question is where they are leading us to. A real leader faces the music even when the tune is not palatable. Even as we appreciate the fact that some mothers do have them, let us therefore watch the likes of the ‘Cameroun delegate’ in a Nigerian Conference. Nigeria we hail thee.

OmoBaba

YOU ’RE TOO BLIND TO NOTICE MY ACHIEVEMENTS, ALIYU TELLS APC

- News

– Yes, they are also deaf!

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