Binder1 wednesday april 9, 2014

Sanctity of Truth Facebook.com/newtelegraph

Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Vol. 1 No. 50

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Nigeria’s most authoritative newspaper in politics and business

Inside

national CONFERENCE lDelegates demand full disclosure on allowances lQuality of leadership going down–Na’Abba l‘People’s Assembly superior to N’Assembly’ lAgain, Lamido Adamawa explodes lParticipant wants SIEC scrapped Pages } 10-11

NCAA, NAMA, NIMET merger

Panic over imminent job losses Wole Shadare

T

he merger by the Federal Government on Mon-

day of three key aviation agencies has heightened anxiety of probable job losses in the sector.

Over a thousand persons could lose their jobs through premature retirement, outright sack while

the lucky ones may be redeployed.

Among those to be afC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

NNPC shuns Senate probe

lEFCC in secret probe of oil corporation lReps accuse Alison-Madueke of delaying investigation Adeola Yusuf, Chukwu David and Philip Nyam

T

he Senate has concluded plans to probe the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) over its financial dealings.

But at the scheduled meeting yesterday, no official of the NNPC showed up.

The meeting originally scheduled for 2:45p.m. in the Senate had no officials from the NNPC in attendance “and there was no correspondence either,” a source said.

Sources close to the committee told New Telegraph that “previous meetings between the NNPC and the committee were always C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 2

L-R: Former Minister of Power, Prof. Bart Nnaji; Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Mrs. Oluranti Adebule; Deputy Governor, Mrs. Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire; Governors Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun); Babatunde Fashola (Lagos); former President of Georgia, Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili; Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Mrs. Bola Adesola and Lagos State Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze during the opening session of the 7th Lagos Economic Summit (EHINGBETI 2014) with the theme, “Powering the Lagos Economy: Real Opportunities, Endless Possibilities” held at the Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos...yesterday

Confab: North, South divide widens over restructuring RESTRUCTURING Delegates canvass six zones as federating units, adoption of fiscal federalism

lNnamani, Nwachukwu, Nwuche, Obaigbena, others join debate Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi

S

ome eminent Nigerians, yesterday, made a strong case for the restructuring of Nigeria

into a six zonal structure, devolution of powers from the centre to the federating units and the adoption of fiscal federalism as a cardinal economic development principle.

AT A GLANCE

NEWS

METRO

Zamfara massacre: House summons Gusau, IGP Page 3

Why I inserted cocaine into my private part, by suspect Page 12

The trend of the clamour, however, exposed the realities of a liberalist South angling for a change of the current system and a conservative North determined to maintain the

status quo at all costs.

All those who spoke in favour of restructuring the federation yesterday were delegates from the Southern zones while a lone voice from the North,

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2 11 13 18 20 21 31 51

Justice Mustapha Abdullahi, kicked against the bid.

Among those who canvassed the restructuring at yesterday’s session C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 3

LAGOS

Storm

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Aviation workers panic over imminent job losses CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

fected are directors in the three agencies, over 200 General Managers, Deputy General Managers and other low cadre officers.

Government had accepted the recommendation of the Steve Orosanye Committee on the merger of the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA), the Nigerian Airspace Management Agency (NAMA) and the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) to be bundled into what is to be known as the Federal Civil Aviation Authority (FCAA).

The government rejected the privatisation of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigerian (FAAN), in view of the security situation in the country.

Not a few believed that FAAN should have been long privatised because of alleged inefficiency in the agency in securing Nigeria’s airports and provision of infrastructure at the nation’s airport.

Experts were of the opinion that most airports like the London Heathrow, OR Tambo, and other airports across the globe had

been privatised for efficiency.

To them, the agency lacks expertise to generate more revenue and guarantee safety at most of the aerodromes.

Many of the workers of NAMA who spoke to New Telegraph yesterday said the merger would definitely come with job losses, stressing that among those to be shown the way out or transferred to other departments would be the chief executives of the agencies which are going to be classified as defunct.

The development is capable of exposing the anomalies in the recent recruitment of personnel by the former Minister of Aviation, Stella Oduah

and many other past ministers without recourse to due process.

There are people that were reportedly engaged a couple of years ago, far exceeding what each of the agencies could accommodate, thereby leading to huge overhead cost.

When New Telegraph visited some of the agencies, workers were seen in small groups discussing the development.

The recent action of government brings back the old order before the agencies were unbundled in 1999 which led to the creation of the NCAA and NAMA to provide for efficient oversight of the aviation industry.

The FCAA, it would be

recalled, was established in 1990 but by 1995 was dissolved by a former Aviation Minister, Nsikak Uduok. The FCAA’s functions were transferred to the ministry.

This action was condemned and in 1999 after the National Civil Aviation Policy Workshop, NAMA and NCAA were created.

Aviation analyst, Olumide Ohunayo expressed disappointment, saying, “I am really disappointed with the recommendations and approvals. The industry has moved and grown beyond warehousing agencies.

“I support the merging of NIMET and NAMA. To reduce cost, NCAA should

be left alone to regulate all, not infusing them in the NCAA again. It makes regulation and supervision watery.”

On FAAN, he stated that government threw the privatisation options out under the guise of security.

“Aviation security should be taken away from FAAN while the privatisation option using a PPP model should be considered to improve efficiency, profitability and reduce public expenditure,” he said.

Ohunayo alleged that FAAN had gulped the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) funds meant for critical safety issues, when by virtue of its services, it should conveniently fund itself.

27 11 o

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Mostly sunny

ABUJA

27o 11o Mostly sunny

KANO

17 6 o

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Partially cloudy

ENUGU

35o 24o Partially cloudy

IBADAN

34o 24o Thunder storms

CALABAR

33o 23o Thunder storm

MAIDUGURI

41o 24o Partially cloudy

ONITSHA

34o 26o Partially cloudy

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

TODAY’S WEATHER FORECAST PORT HARCOURT

FLIGHT SCHEDULE

L-R: Company Secretary/Legal Adviser, Nigerian Breweries (NB) Plc, Uaboi Agbebaku; Finance Director, Jasper Hamaker; Human Resource Director, Victor Famuyibo, and Managing Director/CEO, Nicolaas Vervelde, at the company’s Pre-Annual General Meeting press conference in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO: SULEIMAN HUSAINI

NNPC shuns Senate probe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

frustrated because junior officers have been sent to attend the meetings.

“Those who attended the meetings were either junior officers or they are not in possession of documents or details pertaining to what the committee want,” a source said.

The corporation is being investigated over sundry allegations pertaining to financial management.

Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) led by Senator Magnus Abe had proposed the investigation since October 2013 to get details of the NNPC’s use of public funds.

However, the attempts were allegedly frustrated by the corporation as the officers who should appear and provide the needed information always failed to honour the committee’s invitation.

New Telegraph gathered that the latest correspondence between the committee and the NNPC Group Managing Director, Andrew Yakubu, was on April 4.

Details of the committee’s correspondence with the corporation, which will form the crux of the investigation are as follows: (1) Detailed record of the volumes and sales of all crude oil and products;

(2) Detailed record of the volumes of crude oil received as part of the crude swap arrangement by local refineries, including (a) quantity used locally and (b) quantity swapped; (3) Details of kerosene importation and distribution; (4)Details of the implementation and distribution; (5) Details of the number and management of aircraft in the corporation’s fleet; both chartered and purchased; (6) Details of funds expended on aircraft purchases, hiring and maintenance in the last two years; (7) Contract papers on the lease or purchase of

aircraft; (8) Issues surrounding the Turn Around Maintenance and or rehabilitation of refineries and (9) Supply and distribution of petroleum products and ancillary issues.

The April 4 letter sent to Yakubu reads: “I am directed to refer you to the committee’s several letters of invitation to meet with the committee and requests to furnish the committee with information relating to the activities of your corporation since October 2013.

“I am to draw your attention to the fact that the Constitution of the Federal C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

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

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Zamfara massacre: House summons Gusau, IGP Terrorists, 5 soldiers dead - DHQ Kumuyi predicts end of terrorist activities Aliyu, Lemu blame insurgency on lack of education Philip Nyam, Emmanuel Onani, Babatope Okeowo and Dan Atori

T

he House of Representatives yesterday summoned the Minister of Defense, Lt. Gen. Aliyu Gusau and the Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Abubakar to appear before its Committee on National Security to shed light on recent indiscriminate killing of over 200 people in Maru and Zurmi local government areas of Zamfara State.

The House also directed the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) to immediately deliver relief materials to the distressed citizens of the affected communities.

The resolution to invite the two security chiefs was taken after a motion under matters of urgent national importance moved by Ibrahim Shehu Gusau (PDP, Zamfara) was adopted at the plenary.

While leading debate on the motion, the lawmaker noted that on April 3, over 30 people were ambushed

and killed in the towns of Yar-Tsaba and BirninTsaba in Zurmi Local Government. He added that on April 5, over 200 citizens were killed in Yar-Galadima village, by suspected Fulani herdsmen.

Gusau said the gunmen, numbering hundreds, operated freely for about four hours shooting at children, traders, vigilante, community leaders and clerics and that within a space of 72 hours, 30 people were killed in Zurmi.

He expressed concern that the residents of many villages in the affected areas live in permanent fear of being attacked and many have fled their homes as a result of insecurity.

“The Fulani herdsmen have gradually become more daring, well organised and well-armed that no small units of security personnel can repel their attacks when they strike.

“These groups of attackers are becoming more coordinated and if not quickly terminated can turn into yet another organised terror group

which can pose additional dimension to the security challenges in the country.

“The above gruesome statistics was for Zamfara State alone. Similar in-

cidents have been recurring in Benue and Nasarawa states where several people were killed,” the lawmaker stated.

Also, the Defence

Headquarters (DHQ) has disclosed that scores of suspected Boko Haram fighters were killed in a counter-terrorism offensive in Gwoza and other

Borno communities, where five soldiers, including an officer also died.

This is even as a timely distress call from indiC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5

President Goodluck Jonathan (second right), assisted by the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar in unveiling a plaque to inaugurate the Nigeria Police Force International Peacekeeping Centre and the Force Museum in Abuja …yesterday

547,600

The total number of internet users in Cameroon in 2007.

Source: Blatantworld.com

1.03bn

The population of Africa (representing 14.95% of the world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

N1.2bn

The IGR realized from other revenue sources of Kebbi State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Confab: North, South divide widens over restructuring CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

were a former President of the Senate, Ken Nnamani (South-East), former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Gen. Ike Nwachukwu (South-East), National Chairman of Labour Party, Comrade Dan Nwanyanwu (South-East), former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Air Commodore Idongesit Nkanga (South-South), former Minister of Health, Prof.

ABC Nwosu (South-East) , former Governor of old Anambra State, Chief Jim Nwobodo (South-East), former Deputy Speaker of the House Representatives, Prince Chibudom Nwuche (South-South ), media mogul, Prince Nduka Obaigbena (South South) and the Director General of the Nigeria Economic Summit Group, Mr. Frank Nweke (SouthEast).

Although they spoke separately on the inaugural speech of the President, they were unanimous in their advocacy for a change of the system and argued that the present structure was unitary, over-centralised, unwieldy and gave too much powers and responsibilities to the Federal Government.

They urged the conference to focus on the constitutional issues raised in the presidential address and ensure that regionalism and fiscal federalism which were operative before the 1966 military intervention were restored in the country.

In his presentation, Nkanga said that if there was anything the conference must do, it must be to recommend the restructuring of the country along the lines of fiscal federalism.

He hailed the Federal Gov-

ernment for convoking the conference and recommended that the National Conference should be held at least once every ten years.

Nnamani argued that the future of the country lay in its restructuring and getting a less cumbersome constitution. He said the new constitution must be written in such a way that issues such as the creation and management of local governments would be left to the six zones that would supplant the present 36 state structure.

Nwachukwu, who also spoke along the same line, said that the task before the conference was to restructure Nigeria into the six zones and ensure that the Federal Government was not overburdened with matters which could be better handled by the federating units.

Nwanyanwu said that tribalism, religious bigotry and corruption had eaten so deep into the fabrics of the nation because of over-centralisation and concentration of powers at the centre.

Nweke said that there was need to restructure the country to position it for the developmental challenges of the 21st Century. He said that the developed and developing nation’s which Nigerians always talk about were not developed by accident but through the vision and discipline of their leaders and the people.

Nwosu reminded the delegates that President Goodluck Jonathan raised a lot of constitutional issues in his inaugural address and urged the conference to concentrate on these issues such as restructuring Nigeria to

enhance good governance and economic development of the country.

In advancing his arguments for restructuring, Nwosu said that the issues of resource control, state police and devolution of powers from the Federal Government to the component units had become necessary if Nigeria must develop.

According to him, the Federal Government had moved from having 45 items on the Exclusive Legislative List in the 1963 Constitution to 68 items on the same list in the 1999 Constitution, a situation which he said had made it difficult to handle these responsibilities effectively.

As for the Chairman, Newspapers Proprietors of Nigeria (NPAN), Obaigbena, much of Nigeria’s problems such as corruption, poverty and disap-

pearance of the middle class were due to the sultry structure of the country.

“We have to figure out how we can rebuild our middle class. And in rebuilding our middle class we have to fight extreme poverty. The World Bank chief, the other day, cited Nigeria as one of the four countries with the highest rate of extreme poverty.

Yet people are making progress. But poverty goes with corruption. Unemployment goes with insecurity. All these go to one issue: we are managing our resources inefficiently.

“Why is it inefficient? It is due to the structure of our government and see how we have applied our resources. We should go to the legislative list and see whether we even need the concurrent list. This is because anything on C O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4

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NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Strike: ASUP protests alleged neglect by FG Mojeed Alabi and Victoria Ewoh

F

or the umpteenth time, lecturers of polytechnics under the auspices of the South-West

chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) yesterday protested on the streets of Lagos, describing as snobbish, the attitude of the Federal Government

to the nationwide strike embarked upon by the association.

The union, which assembled as early as 9.00am yesterday at the Yaba College of Technol-

ogy (YABATECH), defied the early morning rain to move through JibowuFadeyi area on Ikorodu Road to Maryland, where they blocked major roads, obstructing commuters

L-R: Governors Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu (Niger); Alhaji Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Sa’idu Nasamu Dakingari (Kebbi), during the Peoples Democratic Party Governors’ Forum in Dutse, Jigawa State…yesterday

18.8%

The female percentage of internet users in El Salvador in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

5.7bn

The total population of less developed region (representing 82.1% of the world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

N1.6bn

The internally generated revenue of Ekiti State in 2010.

Source: National bureau of Statistics

NNPC shuns Senate probe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 2

Republic of Nigeria, 1999, as amended, statutorily empowers the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and by extension, its committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to oversight the activities of the NNPC and its subsidiary refinery companies.

“I am to further express the committee’s dissatisfaction with the conduct of the management of the NNPC, especially its seeming disrespect and disregard for the committee’s invitations and requests for information and data relating to the activities of the Corporation and its refinery companies.

“Also, in view of the inability and or unpreparedness of your officials to adequately respond to questions at the committee’s meeting of Tuesday and Wednesday, 1st and 2nd April, 2014, the committee resolved to further invite the Group Managing Director (PPMC), the Group Executive Director

(R&P), and the Managing Directors of all the nation’s refineries to a meeting on Tuesday, April 8.”

Also, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Public Accounts mandated to investigate the allegations of N10 billion expenditure on chartered private jets by the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Alison-Madueke has accused NNPC of diversionary tactics aimed at frustrating the probe.

A member of the committee who disclosed this to New Telegraph in a chat yesterday said both the minister and the NNPC were yet to respond to the memo sent to them by the committee.

He said a one-week ultimatum was given to the minister and the corporation and other agencies involved in the deal to provide the committee the necessary information to enable them commence work but none has been received.

The member, who spoke on condition of anonymity,

explained that the committee which was expected to be completing its assignment by now was yet to commence the public investigation as a result of the failure of the minister and the NNPC to respond to the memo sent to them.

“By the mandate given us, we are supposed to be rounding off our assignment but as I am talking to you, we cannot say when it will start because both the minister and NNPC are not cooperating. They have not responded to our memo and no communication has been received from them,” he disclosed.

He said the minister and the NNPC were served a memo since March 26 and wondered why it is taking them so long to reply, adding that the committee was equally disturbed with the recent sack of two top management staff of the NNPC. “We are aware of steps being taken to prevent the Committee from carrying out its assignment. Why the removal of the direc-

tor of the legal services of the NNPC at this point in time? If the corporation, and the minister come before the committee to explain their roles in the deal to all Nigerians, we as lawmakers will use all the constitutional powers we have to get to the root of the matter,” he stated.

In another development, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is covertly probing non-core commercial activities of NNPC, New Telegraph has gathered.

The NNPC, which is the cash cow of the Nigerian economy is bedevilled with various allegations of corruption.

Although the EFCC had earlier declared that NNPC’s account is too sophisticated to be probed, Group Managing Director of the NNPC, Yakubu disclosed that he received letters seeking explanations on corruption allegations from the EFCC on daily basis.

Yakubu spoke at a reC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 5

from going about their businesses.

The protest, which witnessed the presence of deans of faculties, senior lecturers, former chairmen of the executive council of the union and members across the SouthWest states, was according to the organisers, aimed at sensitising the public against what they called the Federal Government’s ploy to discredit them by saying their demands only centred on money.

The ASUP members, who were joined by polytechnic students, carried placards with inscriptions like: “HND is not inferior to BSc”; “Stop the discrimination against polytechnic sector;” “Give polytechnic students own supervisory commission like the NUC, SUBEB, NCCE, Niger Delta;” “Wike is a coward, who left his status in education to contest for governor; “PDP, APC are antieducation in Nigeria,” among others.

Speaking during the protest, ASUP Chairman at the Federal Polytechnic Ilaro, Comrade Olowofila Margaret, said they are protesting to create aware-

ness in the zone and Lagos in particular.

“We want to educate the masses on the real basis of our agitation. ASUP agitation is not about money, there are other issues like the Consolidated Tertiary Institution Salary Structure (CONTISS 15), which is the demand for the payment of salaries that have being underpaid to the lower cadre, we want a creation of polytechnic commission and the discrimination against polytechnic graduates should stop.

“We want a parity in the recognition of graduates of polytechnics and universities. We want them to pass the reviewed polytechnic act,” she said.

Also speaking, ASUP National Secretary, Comrade Mda Umar Usman, said they were saying no to oppression. “B. Sc is not superior to HND. We say no to underfunding of polytechnics. We must inform the public that our struggle is to save the polytechnic.

“Government is doing nothing about our 10 months old strike; it means government doesn’t value polytechnic education in Nigeria,” he said.

North, South divide widens over restructuring CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

the concurrent list almost always goes to the Federal Government. So, we have to change the structure of our country,” Obaigbena said.

Since the conference began, prominent delegates from the SouthWest, South-South and South-East geo-political zones such as Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Chief Femi Falani, Pastor Tunde Bakare, Mr. Yinka Odumakin , Chief Edwin Clark, Prof.

Gordini Darah, Chief Nosakhare Isekhure, Chief Paul Enebeli and Chief Charles Edosomnwan had canvassed the restructuring of Nigeria.

On the other hand, their counterparts from the North such as Prof.

Jubril Aminu, Justice Lawal Gummi and Dr. Iyorchia Ayu have all kicked against restructuring and

the enthronement of fiscal federalism.

But at yesterday’s session, the lone voice from the North, Justice Mustapha Mohammed, said the change from the parliamentary to the presidential system of government was not Nigeria’s problem.

Although he admitted that there was need for some devolution of powers, he said Nigeria still needed a strong centre.

The present structure and constitution, Mohammed said, were good enough if the different ethnic groups were prepared to tolerate one another and ensure peaceful coexistence. He said that indigene/ settler conflicts could be avoided if those who go to settle in a place other than their place of origin would be prepared to be assimilated into the culture of their new environment.

NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Isioma Madike, Tosin Omoniyi and Murtala Ayinla

P

oliticians, captains of industry, eminent Nigerians and a former President of Georgia were some of the dignitaries that stormed Eko Hotel and Suites, Lagos yesterday for the opening session of the seventh Lagos Economic Summit (Ehingbeti 2014).

Tagged ‘Powering the Lagos Economy: Real Opportunities, Endless Possibilities”, it was a gathering of who-is-who as the chief host and governor of Lagos State, Babatunde Fashola (SAN), led others to chart the way forward for the economy of the South-West state.

Also at the event were Governor Ibikunle Amosun of Ogun State, Fashola’s deputy, Adejoke Orelope-Adefulire, former President of Georgia, Mr. Mikheil Saakashvili, former Minister of Power, Professor Barth Nnaji,

Ehingbeti: Fashola, Amosun, others chart way for Lagos economy Chairman, Eko Hotel and Suites, Mr. Ronald Chagoury, Secretary to the Lagos State Government, Dr Oluranti Adebule, Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Standard Chartered Bank Nigeria, Mrs. Bola Adesola, Commissioner for Economic Planning and Budget, Mr. Ben Akabueze, and others.

To Amosun, solutions to unemployment in the country lie in an effective power supply and industrial-based economy.

“The recent rating of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the 26th largest economy and first in Africa was about servicebased economy which does not translate into job creation that will reduce the scourge of unemployment.

NNPC shuns Senate probe CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4

cent parley in Abuja, expressing displeasure at the rate at which many people make unverifiable allegations of corruption against the NNPC. “We receive letters from the EFCC on daily basis seeking explanation on various allegations of corruption at the NNPC,” he said.

This, according to him, creates distraction for the corporation, which work is cardinal to the economy of the country.

A source at the NNPC however told New Telegraph yesterday that the corporation already had a heap of letters from EFCC on some of its transactions.

“You heard from the GMD earlier that EFCC writes us almost everyday on various non-core transactions. We can only call for decorum in the way people just bandy irresponsible and ridiculous allegations against the corporation,” he said.

“Although the EFCC said it has no expertise to probe the core commercial activities of NNPC, the commission is already probing the non-core trans-

5

actions of the corporation,” he added.

This came as the sack of NNPC’s Legal Adviser and Company Secretary, Mr. Anthony Chukwuma Madichie, heightened sack fear among management staff of the corporation.

President Goodluck Jonathan who approved the appointment of Mr. Ikechukwu Oguine as a replacement for Madichie did not give reasons he relieved the former company scribe of his appointment.

The President only gave the directive through a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben Abati.

“The fear is real and not unexpected my brother,” a staff at the Abuja Headquarters of the corporation told New Telegraph yesterday.

Everybody, he continued, “woke up to the shocking news of the sack of the Company Secretary, which came few weeks after the shake-up that led to the exit of the former Group Executive Director, Exploration and Production (E&P), Abiye Membere. As is it now, nobody is sure of anything.”

“I would have been happier to see 50 per cent, 60 per cent under manufacturing and industries which portrays an ideal GDP. Efforts on achiev-

ing an effective and stable power supply should also be intensified. Without power, there can never be any form of economic boost,’’ Amosun stated.

The governor, who commended the Lagos State government for organising the summit, revealed that the regional co-operation among the

South-West governors was a true picture of their genuine interest in working for people as well as encouraging healthy rivalry among states.

L-R: Governor of Anambra State, Chief Willie Obiano; Commissioner for Housing, Patrick Obi, and Chairman, Anaocha Local Government Area, Ikeobi Ejiofor, during the tour of Agulu Lake Resort Hotel, Agulu...yesterday

Zamfara massacre: Reps summons Gusau, IGP CONTINUED FROM PAGE 3

genes was said to have saved affected communities from fighters, who were in search of food.

This disclosure was contained in a statement by the Director of Defence Information (DDI), Maj. Gen. Chris Olukolade.

“The assault on terrorists’ enclaves in Sambisa forests and surrounding locations is continuing.

Operational activities around Wala, Gwoza, Pulka and environs have been intensified. Encounters resulting from air and land strikes and an ambush of troops on patrols in the area have resulted in the death of scores of terrorists and loss of five soldiers including an officer,” the defence spokesman stated yesterday.

The statement stated: “A timely distress call has saved communities besieged by terrorists in search of food around the Lake Chad area. The terrorists who were said to be heavily armed scampered for safety on sensing the approach of troops before they could carry out their mission.

“The troops of the Multi-

National Joint Task Force on patrol of the area have so far recovered some arms and ammunition left behind by fleeing terrorists.

Cordone and search of the area is continuing with a view to apprehending any of the terrorists that could be lurking around.”

Meanwhile, the General Superintendent of Deeper Life Bible Church, Pastor William Kumuyi, has predicted an imminent end of terrorist activities and their sponsors in the country.

Kumuyi, who began a three-day visit to Akure, the Ondo State capital, yesterday said all hands must be on deck to end activities of terrorists in the country and all forms of criminality.

Tagged “uncommon divine visitation” the threeday event would draw participants from, Ondo, Ekiti and Kwara states.

Kumuyi said all denominations should preach against violence and pray for the end of Boko Haram, saying God has told him that the activities of the terrorist organisation would soon be a thing of the past in the country.

He expressed regrets over the upsurge of criminal activities in the country despite the deluge of churches.

He, however, absolved the church over the high rate of criminality and blamed it on poverty unemployment, power failure and urbanisation.

He advised those, who were convinced that God called them into politics to serve with fear and love of God, adding that they should not see political office as means to enrich themselves.

In another development, Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger State and Sheikh Ahmed Lemu have blamed the insurgency in parts of the country on lack of education on the part of the two major religions in the country.

The duo also heaped the blame of the crisis that has led to loss of thousands of lives and property worth billions of naira on clerics who were misinforming their followers and the youths.

Aliyu and Lemu spoke in Minna yesterday.

The governor particular noted that some clerics

were in the habit of using their pulpits to castigate governments, prominent Nigerians and other religions all in a bid to attract undue attention or for pecuniary benefits which he said had contributed to heightening of tension in the country.

According to him “We will continue to assist people to build churches and mosques, we will continue to fund pilgrimages to the Holy land. That is what we have taken oath to do, that is the only way to continue to guarantee peaceful coexistence among the diverse people of the state.”

On his part, Lemu, who was chairman of the Nigerian Inter Religions Committee (NIREC) and member of the Boko Haram Peace and Reconciliation Committee, noted that “lack of knowledge brought about the Boko Haram menace in the country.”

He said: “Let us teach authentic teaching of Islam not because of money.

Nigerian youths are being misdirected and brainwashed by some clerics to satisfy their greed for money.”

6

NEWS

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Ex-Sun MD, 18 others make Obiano’s cabinet

photo news

Uwakwe Abugu Awka

F L-R: Former Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Fola Gbadeyan; former President, Court of Appeal/ Chairman, ICPC, Justice Mustapha Akanbi; Chairman, Nigeria Bar Association, NBA ,Ilorin Branch, Idris Mobolaji Ojibara and Kwara State Governor, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed during NBA Ilorin 2014 Biennial Law Week in Ilorin...yesterday

ormer deputy governor of Anambra state, Dr. Chinedu Emeka and immediate past managing director of the Sun Newspapers, Mr. Tony Onyima, were among the list of 19 commissionersdesignate sent by Governor Willie Obiano yesterday to the State House of Assembly for its confirmation.

The governor also sent the list of 10 nominees for appointment as special advisers to the legislators for their confirmation.

According to the list submitted to the House, two commissioners who served under the administration of former governor, Mr. Peter Obi, made the list of the commissioners-designate and they are Callistus Ilozumba and Mrs Azuka Enemuo, who retained their Works and Local Government and Chieftaincy Matters portfolios respectively.

Others are former member of the defunct Nigeria Football Association (NFA), Chief Tony Nnacheta, who is designated as Commissioner for Youth and Sports and

a professor of Mass Communication at the Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Prof. Kate Emenogha, who is billed to man the education portfolio.

The list of the commissioners-designate also included Anani ChudeAttorney General and Commissioner for Justice, Gregory Obi- Finance, Florence Chinwuba-Housing, Prof. Solomon Chukwu - Economic Planning and Budget; Ifeatu Onyejeme- Trade and Commerce; Anthony Umerah Onyimah - Information and Ricky Chukwumelu -Women Affairs.

Senate showers encomiuns on David Mark Chukwu David Abuja

L-R: General Sales Agent, Arik Air, Mr. Anzoumana Gbane; Vice President, Global Sales and Distribution, Mr. Trevor Henry and Ticket Reservation Manager, Arik Air, Cotonou, Mrs. Gladys Nzele-Ngu, during a media interaction on the inaugural flight, from Lagos to Cotonou, held in Cotonou…yesterday.

PHOTO:ADEYANJU OLOWOJOBA

Governor of Kogi State, Capt. Idris Wada (middle); Minister of Information, Mr. Labaran Maku (right) and the representative of Cinafidev Cement Company in Allo, Kogi State, Mr. Camile Johnson, during the governor’s visit to the site of the new cement factory in Kogi State.

M

embers of the Senate yesterday took turns at plenary to shower encomiums on their leader, Senate President David Mark on his 66th birthday.

However, Mark, on his part, declared that the best birthday gift he earnestly desired was an end to the senseless killings in the country by the Boko Haram and Fulani insurgents in the North East and North Central regions of the country.

The senators started pouring encomiums on their leader when the Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, under Order 42 and 52,

raised a motion, reminding the legislators of Mark's birthday and the need for the Senate to celebrate him.

In his motion, Ekweremadu, said Mark’s life had profited the nation greatly, likening him to biblical Paul, who, got converted to Christianity only to become of of its greatest apostles.

“The distinguished Senate President has made his mark as a soldier of democracy, even suffering persecution and going into exile at a time in defence of democracy. Today, he is a preacher and ardent promoter of democratic values. He is a practicing democrat per excellence,” Ekweremadu declared.

In their reactions, Senators Abdul Ningi, Zaynab Kure, Ganyiu Solomon, Ehigie Uzamere, Nenadi Usman and Aisha Alhassan all described Mark as a team player, a stabilizer and politician with a difference, whose managerial ability had brought peace, unity and stability in the Senate and Nigerian in general, irrespective of threatening divisive tendencies in the polity.

Mark, who was highly elated by the encomiums paid him, attributed whatever success he had recorded to their support and assured them that he would devote more time in his remaining years on earth to serve God and humanity.

Pension scam: Rights Commission to probe judge over jailed director Tunde Oyesina Abuja

O L-R: Chief Executive Officer, Accenture Nigeria, Mr. Niyi Yusuf; Chief Executive Officer, Kakawa Discount House limited, Mr. Laoye Jaiyeola and Executive Director, Junior Achievement Nigeria (JAN), Mrs. Kunbi Wuraola, during a media briefing to announce the forth-coming 15th Anniversary and award ceremony of JAN in Lagos…yesterday.

PHOTO:GODWIN IREKHE

f the 754 inmates at the Kuje Prisons,FCT, 549 have been awaiting trial for between 10 and 12 years.

Comptroller General of the Prisons, Zakari Ibrahim, disclosed this during the flag-off of the nationwide audit of prisons and other deten-

tion facilities exercise at the Kuje Prisons in Abuja.

Also yesterday,the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) said it would investigate Justice Adeniyi Ademola of the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja over alleged controversial handling of a bail granted to a former Director of Pension Accounts in the Office of

the Head of Civil Service of the Federation [OHCSF], Dr. Sani Teidi Shaibu.

Executive Secretary of the Commission, Professor Bem Angwe, said the commission would study the case file in the wake of allegations of highhandedness and corruption raised against the presiding judge by the embattled former director.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

7

Lagosians spend N4bn on food daily - Akabueze CONSUMERS

As population sky rockets, the stomach is also raking in much more.

Muritala Ayinla

L

agosians spend a whopping of N4billion on food items daily, the Lagos State Commissioner for Economic and Budget Planning, Mr Ben Akabueze has said.

26.17m

Akabueze said the state government was intensifying efforts to boost food production in the state to ensure all-year-round food supply to the estimated 21million residents in the state.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 7th Economic Summit of Lagos, tagged Ehingbeti 2014, Akabueze said findings by the state government had revealed the urgent need for government to re-strategise to meet the increas-

The total number of internet users in Spain in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

ing demand for food.

Thus, Akabueze said Lagos has acquired 700 hectares of land from other states in order to increase the capacity of the state government in food production, since the state has the lowest land mass for farming with the highest population to feed.

Reviewing the resolution of the 2012 economic Summit in the agricultural sector, Akabueze said upon the realisation that N4billion is spent daily

0.2

The number of fixed (wired)-broadband subscriptions per 100 inhabitants of Africa region in 2010.

Source: Itu.int

on food consumption, agricultural sector has enjoyed a higher percentage of the state budgetary allocation since 2008.

"In the area of agriculture, the resolution was to collaborate with other state governments in agricultural production. We have acquired 700 hectares of land from other state governments where agricultural activities are going on with a view to suppling the food requirement of the people

79.4%

The female percentage of internet users in Germany in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

A cross-section of Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics, (ASUP) and Students, protesting over the refusal of the Federal Government to address the Union’s demands held in Lagos… yesterday.

PHOTO: TONY EGUAYE.

of Lagos..."

In the area of power generation, Akabueze said 32.55megawatts has been generated through the three IPP plants developed by the state.

NERC wades into EKO Disco, Mayfair Gardens dispute James Nwabueze Abuja

T

he Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) has begun hearing in an appeal brought before it by the Mayfair Gardens Property Owners and Residents Association of Lekki Peninsula against the Eko Electricity Distribution Company (EKEDC).

The Head, Public Affairs Department, of the commission, Dr. Usman Abba Arabi, who disclosed this in a statement yesterday, noted that the matter came before NERC following Eko Forum’s inability to satisfactorily resolve some of the issues which the appellant brought to it.

"This appeal was brought by the petitioner, Mayfair Gardens Property Owners and Residents Association of Lekki Peninsula, who cited Eko Forum’s

Again, FG stops Ikoyi’s 850 capacity car park project Muritala Ayinla and Temitope Ogunbanke

F

or the third time in less than a week, heavily armed soldiers allegedly sent by the Federal Government yesterday disrupted the Lagos 850 capacity car park project.

The site of the ongoing construction work on the multi-storey building and car park which is expected to accommodate 850 cars at Ikoyi area of Lagos, was invaded by soldiers who ordered the construction workers to stop work.

They claimed to have acted in accordance with the instructions given by the Federal Govern-

...APC cautions Obanikoro over Ilubirin housing project ment’s Implementation Committee.

According to the soldiers, who are attached to the Presidency Taskforce, the committee had mandated them to stop the construction work.

New Telegraph also learnt when the Lagos State Development and Property Corporation (LSDPC) and the Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) got to the site to demand reasons for the disruption of the work; they were acting on the instruction given them.

Secretary and Legal Adviser of LSDPC, Mr. Babajimi Benso, who made the disclosure yes-

terday, said the Lagos State government has mobilised contractors on the site since 2010, saying the project had reached about 40 percent completion level before the interruption.

His words: “The LASDPC and LASWA are developing a large parcel of land opposite the NNPC building in Ikoyi.

We are building three structures; one is a multistorey car park that is expected to accommodate 850 cars.

“The car park has facility to accommodate physically-challenged people. In that same building, we are erect-

ing structure that will accommodate LASWA’s head office and also a world class jetty that will be used by all Lagosians.

“But, at about 10.00am this morning, we got a distress call from our partner that the project had been stopped.

“Unfortunately our partner is funding the project and has expended about N7billion on it. The taxpayer’s money of Lagos State is not involved at all.

“When we received the call, we rushed to the site and saw soldiers in their uniform, asking us to show proof of ownership and title to that land.

"In 2001, there were 18 resolutions; 17 of them were implemented. The one outstanding is the resolution that the Federal Government needs to do to enhance security service.

We have been on this land since 2010; no one has ever come to us. Now, they ordered everybody out and sealed it up,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Lagos State chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has cautioned the Minister of State for Defence, Senator Musiliu Obanikoro, over his alleged invasion of the state with soldiers to disrupt the ongoing Ilubirin Housing projects.

Cautioning the minister yesterday, a chieftain of the party in the state, Alhaji Fatai Oyewuwo, said Obanikoro should not use his position as minister to cause confusion in the state.

inability to make a binding ruling on some of the issues they brought forward to them as the reason for their appeal," he said.

According to the statement, at the hearing which commenced on the April 4, 2014, the counsel for Mayfair Gardens, Tijani Temitayo, argued: “Eko Forum has not exercised the powers given to it by NERC regulations.”

EKEDC contended, through its counsel, Oladimeji Ademola, that all decisions made by the Eko Forum were binding. They requested that the NERC panel hearing the appeal uphold the decisions of the Eko Forum.

Fiscal Commission laments poor compliance by governors Dan Atori MINNA

D

espite its efforts to encourage states to adopt the fiscal responsibility law in order to enhance the nation's macro-economic stability, the Fiscal Responsibility Commission (FRC) yesterday said only 22 percent of states in the country have adopted its laws.

Speaking when he paid a courtesy visit to the Niger State Governor Dr. Babangida Aliyu in Minna, Acting Chairman of the commission, Victor Chinemere Muruako, said the commission has been able to recover over N114 billion in operating surplus.

Muruako said the commission has steadily engaged in the physical monitoring of government projects in the six geo-political zones of the country.

8

News

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Court decides Sanusi’s fate May 20 Tunde Oyesina Abuja

T

he Federal High Court sitting in Abuja yesterday fixed May 20 to decide whether the suspended Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria CBN, Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, will be reinstated to his office or not.

The Federal Government had on February 19 suspended Sanusi over reports by the Financial Reporting Council of Nigeria (FRCN) accusing him of Financial recklessness.

Dissatisfied, Sanusi had, through his counsel, Kola Awodein (SAN), approached the court challenging his suspension and praying for an order of reinstatement.

Joined in the suit are President Goodluck Jonathan, Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police as first to third respondents, respectively.

All the respondents have earlier brought a Preliminary Objection praying the court to dismiss the suit.

Arguing the Originating

Sanusi

Summons, Sanusi, through his counsel, told the court that the CBN Act effectively prohibits the president from suspending the CBN Governor.

He argued that the intention of the legislature who enacted the CBN Act

is not to give powers to the Executive to suspend, but to make the CBN operationally indepedent so that there will not be any interference with the operational independence except as permitted by the CBN Act. Awodein further submitted that the defendant had unlawfully interfered with the operational independence with the suspension of the CBN Governor and that the interference has grave consequences for the country’s monetary policies.

NNDC boss chides contractors over delay in project delivery Tony Anichebe Uyo

T

he Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dan Abia, yesterday chided contractors working on the commission’s projects, accusing them of causing un-

due delay in their delivery.

Abia expressed dismay over the uncertainty surrounding some of the projects that had been awarded by the commission, saying a situation where projects linger without a definite period of delivery will no longer be condoned.

The NDDC boss spoke

while inspecting the two hostel blocks constructed by the commission for the University of Uyo. He regretted that the project, which was awarded over 10 years ago, was yet to be commissioned.

“The contract was awardedalmost10yearsagoandwe are tired of all these projects

that have been on-going for a long time, we have resolved that this year, these projects will not continue to be at the state of on-going again.”

The NDDC managing director said the commission has decided to lay emphasis onthecompletionof on-going projects rather than awarding fresh ones.

Police probe environment officials over killing of student in Enugu Leo Sobechi

F

ollowing the killing of a 17-year-old boy and candidate of the ongoing Senior School Certificate Examination in Abakpa area of the state capital, the Enugu State command of the Nigeria Police says it has begun full-scale investigations into the incident.

In a statement made available to journalists in Enugu yesterday, the Police Public Relations Officer, (PPRO) Mr. Ebere Amarizu of the command disclosed that the incident which occurred on Monday led to the death of 17-year-old Ede Chidiebere.

“It was gathered that the deceased living at N0 10 Ugwuoke street, Abakpa with his parents identified as one Chidinma Ochudo Michael; had gone to dispose some refuse at a dump site near T/junction Abakpa Nike around 6.am when he was allegedly confronted by men suspected to be Enugu State

Waste Management Agent (ESWAMA), who had laid siege at the dump site,” the statement declared.

The statement alleged that the boy was severely beaten because the officials said the site was unauthorized dumping site, adding that after the beating the boy lay unconscious along the road at Cornerstone

by Nike Lake road, Trans Ekulu Enugu before he was taken to Ogechukwu Hospital Trans-Ekulu where he was confirmed dead.

The activities of the ESWAMA officials have been a source public concern, especially given their barbarity and crude means of enforcing environmental regulations.

The atmosphere was charged in the area following the incident, especially when residents recalled how same ESWAMA officials caused an expectant mother of two to miscarry her six- month-old pregnancy.

ACROSS THE NATION Kaduna

Ogun

FCT

FCT

Kaduna

Abeokuta

Abuja

Abuja

Apo killings: We have been vindicated – JNI The indictment of security forces by the National Human Rights Commission over the killing of innocent Muslims at the Apo Legislative quarters has vindicated the position of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI).

The Secretary General of JNI, Dr Khalid Aliyu who made this known yesterday in a press release, also asked the commission

to beam its search light on the operations of the military in the North East zone for alleged extrajudicial killings and wanton maiming of Muslims.

Dr Aliyu, who berated the Senate for giving the Directorate of the State Security (DSS) and the Nigerian Army a clean bill of health over the killings, said JNI has been vindicated by its cries of grand agenda against Muslims in the country.

FCT Abuja

Jonathan wants MDGs Office to work with govs President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday directed the office of the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) to work closely with the governors of the 36 states of the federation in order to ensure that various indices and targets are met on or before May 2015.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on

MDGs, Dr. Precious Gbenol while briefing State House correspondents after the quarterly presidential committee meeting on assessment and monitoring of the MDGs chaired by the president said this directive will be pursued effectively.

She disclosed that President Jonathan has scheduled another meeting between the MDGs and the state governors towards this level of corporation.

Amosun advocates industrial-based economy to end unemployment

27,000 metric tons of kerosene diverted in 2010, says Reps panel

Fani-Kayode meets Jonathan in Aso Rock, declares APC religious party

Ogun State Governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun has called for an effective power supply and industrial-based economy to reduce the challenge of unemployment plaguing Nigeria.

Amosun, who made this call in Lagos at the 7th Lagos State Economic Summit, tagged: EHINGBETI 2014, with ‘’Powering the Lagos Economy: Real Opportunities and Endless Possibilities’’ as its theme, described unstable power supply as the major constraint to economic development. ‘’The recent rating of our Gross Domestic Product (GDP) as the 26th largest economy and first in Africa was about service based economy which does not translate into job creation that will reduce the scourge of unemployment.

Chair man of the House of Representatives committee on petroleum resources (downstream), Dakuku Peterside (APC, Rivers) yesterday disclosed that the committee has uncovered a shortage of 27000 metric tons of kerosene from the 37,000 said to have been shipped into the country in 2010.

Dakuku, who spoke at the resumed i nve s t i g at i o n i n t o ke r o s e n e s u b s i d y expenditure between 2010 and 2013, said documents obtained by the committee revealed that though a kerosene vessel's papers indicated that it shipped in 37,000 metric tons of DPK, the actual discharge vo l u m e w a s j u s t 10,000 metric tons.

Former minister of Aviation, Chief Femi FaniKayode has vowed to disassociate himself from the All Progressives Congress (APC) if it remains as a party that preaches religious other than progressive and developmental issues of the country.

The chieftain of the APC was at the Presidential Vil-

la yesterday where he had a meeting with President Goodluck Jonathan.

Speaking to State House Correspondents after the meeting, FaniKayode explained that " The most important thing and I think you are fully aware of this is that I cannot and I will not be associated with a situation whereby any group of people are promoting one religion above another."

Kwara Ilorin

Salami fingers ‘retired senior judges’over rot in judiciary Former President of Court of Appeal, Justice Isa Ayo Salami revealed yesterday that some ‘retired senior judges’ often serve as ‘consultants’ in the process of compromising judgments in the judiciary and asked stakeholders to appeal to such personalities to drop their shameful deeds. But he did not men-

tion names.

Salami, who was speaking at the formal opening ceremony of the 2014 biennial law week of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Ilorin branch, was expressing his concern over what he described as the huge hole that corrupt practices has dug into the national fabric, with focus on the role of the judiciary in the rot.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Five jostle to be Fayose’s deputy l State party leaders meet in Abuja Wahab Adesina Ado-Ekiti

F

ollowing the emergence of former Governor Ayodele Fayose as the standard bearer of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2014 governorship election, there has been an intensive lobbying for the post of deputy governor in the party.

According to information at the disposal of our correspondent in Ado-Ekiti, five persons are currently in the race for the post. They

include four men and a woman.

As at yesterday, the list includes Wale Akinniyi; Dr. Kunle Afolayan; Chief Bisi Aloba; former Speaker of the Ekiti House of Assembly, who is also a member of the State Working Committee (SWC) of the party, Hon. Femi Bamisile and a retired permanent secretary in the state civil service, Dr. Mrs. Modupe Alade.

All the four men are from Ekiti South senatorial district and Alade is from Ekiti North.

PDP condemns attack by suspected APC thugs Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the attack on the campaign office of its governorship candidate, former Governor Ayo Fayose, by thugs suspected to be members of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

In a statement by the Publicity Secretary of the state PDP, Kola Oluwawole, in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, the party called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and bring perpetrators to book.

Two eye witnesses, Ariyo Afolabi and Sunday Adepoju, said they escaped being killed narrowly.

Another victim of the alleged attack, Olumide Gabriel, whose head was grazed by a bullet, said it was divine intervention that saved him.

Apart from the office windows that were shattered with bullets, three vehicles were badly damaged.

A Honda car marked Lagos EE 908 APP, and another Honda Legend car and one of the campaign vehicles of Fayose were pierced with bullets.

LP wants alleged attack on its members probed Kingsley Njoku-Obi

T

he Ekiti State chapter of the Labour Party (LP) has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar and other heads of security agencies in the country to investigate alleged attack on its members by supporters of the ruling all progressive congress party (APC) in the state.

Briefing reporters at the party’s secretariat, Media and Publicity Secretary Mrs. Bolanle Olatunde Bruce, said the campaign train was attacked in Isan, Iye and

Ilawe Ekiti respectively at the weekend.

According to her, machetes, live ammunitions axes and stones were used freely to attack party faithful, who were campaigning for Hon. Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, the LP candidate in the governorship election.

She told reporters at Isan Ekiti, the home town of the incumbent governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi that; “Our campaign bus was shattered and battered with some of our faithful heavily injured,” same happened at Ilawe Ekiti.

9

Ekiti 2014: Don’t show apathy, Fayemi counsels voters SENSATION

Voters get some education from Governor Fayemi as D-Day loans

Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

E

kiti State governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has urged the people of the state to defend their votes in the coming governorship election in

N3.3bn

the state.

Addressing supporters in Ilasa and other communities in Ekiti East Local Government yesterday, the governor warned against apathy and taking things for granted.

“We implore you to defend your votes and ensure that your votes count. Also, do not take things for granted and feel that it is over when it is not.

“I am calling on you to sensitise others to come out and vote on election

The IGR realized from other revenue sources in Yobe State in 2010.

Source: National bureau of Statistics

day. There must not be apathy on your part. We have done well and hope that you reciprocate that by voting us back to office,” he said.

The governor noted that his administration had kept faith with its Eight-Point Agenda, as shown by the implementation of projects and policies across the state.

Fayemi added that he would continue to work for improved living standard for the people of the state.

863.3m

The total population of Sub-Sahara Africa (representing 12.5% of the world’s total population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

The governor also told the gathering that they should be wary of politicians making false promises.

“You know these people. They have nothing to offer, but are only out to deceive and make empty promises. You know what we promised before we came to office and what we have delivered.

“We are not resting on our oars and we are surely going to do more if given a second term in office,” he said.

87.7%

The male percentage of internet users in United Kingdom in 2012.

Source: Itu.int

L-R: Ekiti State Deputy Governor, Prof. Modupe Adelabu; Governor Kayode Fayemi and Speaker, Ekiti House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Ominrin, during a campaign rally for the re-election of the governor in Eda Ile, Ekiti East local government…yesterday

Accord Party candidate promises Bamidele blasts Fayemi over doctors’ strike industrialisation of Ekiti Adesina Wahab Ado-Ekiti

T

he governorship candidate of Accord Party in the coming governorship election in Ekiti State, Mr. Kole Ajayi, has promised to industrialise the state if voted into power.

Addressing supporters in Ogotun-Ekiti, Ekiti South-West Local Government Area of the state yesterday, he said industrialising the state was the only solution to youth unemployment in the state.

According to him, a situation where young men and women would gradu-

ate from higher institutions and were left to roam the street was unaceptable.

“We are going to give priority attention to industrialising the state.

We need to revive ailing industries and set up new ones and that is what we are going to do if elected into office.

“What we have now is not acceptable at all. There is no functional industry in the state and even the once bubbling Odua Textile Factory in Ado-Ekiti, has been turned to a shopping mall where only commercial activities take place,” he said.

Wahab Adesina Ado-Ekiti

T

he governorship candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in Ekiti State, Hon. Opeyemi Bamidele, has taken a swipe at the state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, for allowing medical doctors in the state to go on strike, thereby paralysing health care delivery in the state.

This was just as he told voters in Ijero and Efon that his party will promote the welfare of public servants in the state if elected.

Bamidele, in a statement in Ado-Ekiti yesterday, said the strike by the doctors became the last resort as the state government has defied several ultimatums issued by them demanding a reduction in the exorbitant tax being paid by members.

He said the doctors were also demanding the immediate introduction of the Consolidated Medical Salary Scale to doctors in all the general hospitals in the state and the restoration of running grants to the state secondary health institutions.

10 NEWS

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

POSITIONING

• Imo APC chairman removed •As governor blasts Ihedioha, saying he lacks competence

Okorocha’s second term bid claims first victim The road to 2015 in Imo becomes busier and more intriguing

Steve Uzoechi OWERRI

T

he second term bid of Imo State governor, Rochas Okorocha, may have claimed its first victim in the person of Prince Marshal Okafor-Anyanwu, the chairman of the state’s chapter of the All Progressive Congress (APC).

The plot against the party chairman came to the fore last Thursday at a meeting held at the

Government House to harmonise the list of ward delegates ahead of last Saturday’s ward congress in the state.

This development was as Governor Okorocha yesterday blasted the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, saying that he lacked the credentials and the competence to govern the state.

Okorocha was replying to the allegation of maladministration leveled against his administration by Ihedioha. The governor dismissed his assertions while calling him an unattractive political brand in the state.

26 states get World Bank's N2.3bn boost Abdulwahab Isa

T

he World Bank has approved US$140 million (about N2.3 bn) additional support to various comminutes spread across 26 states of Nigeria.

The global bank announced the support yesterday in a statement issued by the country office in Abuja but was silent on identities of states and the beneficiary communities The financial support is to be deployed to fund various projects beneficial to the vulnerable households in the country.

The additional financing is expected to fund micro-projects such as rehabilitation and construction of school class rooms, skills acquisition, environment, health, rural electrification, transport, water, rural market infrastructure to mention but a few.

Vulnerable groups that will benefit from grants include internally displaced poor persons, marginalized or chronically poor households, widows and the physically challenged.

“This project will not only help vulnerable people in the short

term, including those in conflict-affected areas, but will also help build long-lasting partnership between local governments and communities.

In addition, it will help integrate communities as well as make smart investments in people for the future,” Said Foluso Okunmadewa, World Bank Task Team Leader for the project.

The first phase of the Community Social Development Project (CSDP) which benefited over 5,600 communities and about 2 million people in 26 states of the federation is to close in December 2014 “A recent assessment of the Project shows that school enrollment, immunization, and access to electricity and safe water have all increased in communities that benefited from CSDP,”” said Marie Francoise MarieNelly, World Bank Country Director for Nigeria.

“In this new phase, the project will focus mainly on the most vulnerable people, in line with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.”

The new phase of the Community and Social Development Project (CSDP) will end on December 31, 2017.

New Telegraph gathered yesterday that Okafor-Anyanwu walked into an already briefed audience and at the Government House midway into deliberations on the ward delegate list, the subject matter was cleverly steered to the issue of the APC chairmanship seat in the state.

Shortly after, almost all the party chieftains in attendance clamoured for a chairman of Owerri extraction, insisting that Okafor-Anyanwu, who is from Orlu zone had outlived his usefulness and should be dropped.

Efforts by Okafor-Anyanwu and his supporters,

who were also at the meeting to douse the mounting agitation for his removal almost put him on a collision course with the governor, who was also in the meeting.

New Telegraph also gathered that the embattled party chairman only came short of confronting the governor in his bid to dissuade the people from removing him on the grounds of zoning.

Okafor-Anyanwu, who had metamorphosed from being the APGA state chairman to the APC state chairman, migrating with Okorocha from APGA to APC; had defiantly insisted that nobody

N14.03bn

The internally generated revenue of Ebonyi State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

can change him based on zoning.

His outburst was believed to have stemmed from the fact that while he was the APGA state chairman, Okorocha, who is also from Orlu, had no issues with him. When they moved to APC, Okorocha still endorsed him the state party chairman and there was no crisis; so, the sudden clamour for his removal based on zoning dawned on him as a premeditated plot he did not foresee until that night.

Speaking through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Sam Onwuemeodo, the governor said the Deputy Speaker is just

841.3m

The population of Europe (representing 12.2% of the world’s population) in 2010.

Source: Blatantworld.com

one aspirant out of many and lacks the competence to defeat him in an election.

“These aspirants, including Ihedioha, were also together in 2011 alongside the incumbent governor then, yet Okorocha came and subdued all of them to emerge victorious at the poll.

If they could not match Okorocha in 2011, when they had all the paraphernalia of office to deploy into the governorship, is it in 2015 when Okorocha must have steered beyond their reach in competence and popularity that they would win?” Onwuemeodo queried.

101m

The number of individuals using the internet in Africa in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar III (left), welcoming Vice President Namadi Sambo during a condolence visit to the Sultan on the death of the Ciroma Sokoto, Alh. Muhammad Bello Mai-Wurno…yesterday. With them is the Sokoto State Governor, Aliyu Wamakko.

Clement James Calabar

L

eaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the Southern Senatorial district of Cross River State have officially backed the party’s decision to zone the governorship to the northern part of the state in the 2015 elections.

Rising from a meeting of Southern Senatorial Caucus on Monday in Calabar, which was attended by the state Chairman of the PDP, Ntufam John Okon, the leaders affirmed

2015 election: Cross River cedes governorship seat to north their loyalty to the governor and their support for a governorship candidate of the party from the north.

Leader of the caucus, Mr. Geshom Bassey, who spoke on behalf of others after the meeting, said the southern senatorial district would not work in isolation, adding that the caucus would abide by any decision taken by the PDP family in the state.

He said: “We are fully in support of the zoning

of the governorship seat to the northern part of the state in 2015. We are loyal party men and we stand by the position of the party.’’

He added that the caucus meeting was a routine constitutional obligation to constantly interact with members on developments within the party.

Bassey described the party in the state as a united family, adding that regular interaction gives members the opportunity

“to assess if we are doing the right thing or wrong.’’

According to him, the caucus has implicit confidence in the leadership of the party in the state led

by Governor Liyel Imoke.

The caucus leader expressed satisfaction with the performance of the National Assembly members from the zone, noting that the caucus was fully in support of the Federal Government’s Transformation Agenda.

NEWS

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

11

Insecurity: Reps want military post in Doma Philip Nyam Abuja

W

L-R: Acting Director General, Nigerian Civil Avation Authority [ NCAA], Benedict Adeyileka; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Aviation, Dr. Jamila Shuara; Supervising Minister of Aviation, Dr. Samuel Ortom and the Airport Manager, Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Clement A. Nwobu, during the supervising minister’s tour of airport projects in Enugu …on Monday

3.4m

The total number of internet users in Kenya in 2008.

Source: Blatantworld.com

38.7%

The male percentage of internet users in Montenegro in 2011.

Source: Itu.int

N1.48bn

The IGR realized from PAYE (taxes) o f Yobe State in 2011.

Source: National Bureau of Statistics

Senate prescribes 10-year jail term, others for pension scheme offenders REFORMS

Tough time awaits pension thieves as bill comes into effect Chukwu David Abuja

T

he Senate yesterday passed the Pension Reform Re-enactment Bill 2014, prescribing a ten-year jail term for defaulting pension administrators.

The new Pension Reform Bill 2014, also officially accommodates employees of private firms

Simeon Ogoegbulem Abuja

T

he Coordinating Minister of the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, has charged the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) to double its effort and ensure that the Service returned to 20 per cent of revenue to Gross Domestic Product (GDP) ratio.

Okonjo-Iweala who gave the charge at the commissioning of the FIRS Training School in

…Accommodates employees of private firms in the contributory pension scheme.

By the passage of this bill, it is now possible for every person who has worked in either the public service of the Federation, Federal Capital Territory, states or council and private sector, to be entitled to pension benefits.

The bill, which consideration commenced on Thursday last week, specifically provided that private organisations with at least three or more employees would be

part of the scheme.

The Senate commenced voting on the bill on Thursday last week and stopped at clause 42. However, after a thorough debate on it at its Committee of the Whole yesterday, it voted for its passage to law.

The bill among other punishments, prescribed a ten-year jail term for anyone who misappropriated pension fund. This is however, in addition to refunding three times, the amount stolen or embezzled.

The impending law further stipulated that anyone who attempted to misappropriate the fund, on conviction, would be liable to the same punishment as prescribed for the actual commission of the offence.

It also added that all monies received as penalty by the Pension Commission should be paid into the Pension Protection Fund, which would have been established under Section 82 of the law, which is awaiting presidential assent.

Return to 20% revenue to GDP, Okonjo-Iweala charges FIRS Abuja, stated that though it was heartwarming that the GDP rebasing had revealed the true worth of the Nigerian economy, the revenue to GDP ratio had taken a dip after it was recalculated to include other variables.

"The FIRS has been trying but like Oliver Twist, I will urge you to do more. It is my hope that this training center will be used judiciously

to improve the capacity of your staff towards improving the country's non-oil revenue base", she further stated.

The minister further said even though debt to GDP ratio had come down from 19 percent to 11, the federal government was not planning to embark on borrowing yet.

According to her, we will be prudent in managing the economy. So,

I charge you to work towards improving the capacity building of your staff in order to increase the nation`s revenue base.

Earlier, the Ag Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alhaji Kabiru Mashi said the training school which was initially meant to serve as staff quarters was converted following federal government monetisation policy.

orried by the renewed insurgent activities in Nasarawa and Benue states, the House of Representatives yesterday advised the Federal Government to construct military barracks in Doma, headquarters of Doma Local Government Area of Nasarawa State to accommodate a battalion to boost security in the southern senatorial district of the state.

The House made the appeal after adopting a motion of urgent national importance sponsored

by Mohammed Onawo

(PDP), who argued that the attacks by suspected Fulani herdsmen was a matter of concern hence the presence of a military battalion was an urgent necessity.

Presenting the motion, Onawo noted that the sum of N150million was appropriated in the 2014 Appropriation Act for the construction of the battalion and yet, the project has not been awarded.

He explained that the project would boost security in the zone and the neighboring towns of Guma, Gwer West and Agatu in Benue state, which at the moment are threatened by frequent insurgents attacks.

Tension in Adamawa council as two chairmen emerge Ibrahim Abdul Yola

S

ecurity personnel have been drafted to Madagali Local Government Secretariat in Adamawa State following the crisis that erupted over the emergence of two council chairmen.

New Telegraph gathered that already tension is mounting following the sacking of Mr. Maina Ularamu by a Court of Appeal in Yola, and his refusal to step down as chairman.

Ularamu maitained that he remained in office following the stay of action he got after he

appealed his case at the Supreme Court just as the reinstated chairman said he s the substantive chairman.

Reports indicate that both parties in the crisis have accused the police of failure to respect the law.

Ularamu has accused the police in Adamawa of disregarding the law by asking him to vacate office despite the stay of action order.

Speaking through his lawyer, Abel Ozioko, Ularamu said he has filed an appeal at the supreme court and sought and got an order of stay of execution at the Appeal Court.

Jonathan to commission multi-billion naira water plant in Abuja Johnchuks Onuanyim Abuja

P

resident Goodluck Jonathan will tomorrow commission the multibillion naira phases 3 and 4 of the Federal Capital Territory Water Treatment Plant.

The commissioning would take place at the Lower Usuma Dam on Bwari Road, Abuja.

The FCT Minister, Senator Bala Mohammed, who disclosed this yesterday in his office, said

there were already phases 1 and 2 Water treatment Plants treating 10 million litres of water per hour and the new phases will treat additional 20 million litres per hour, making a total of 30 million litres per hour.

A statement from the minister’s Chief Press Secretary, Muhammad Hazat Sule, said the treatment plants had been completed in line with the vision of the Transformation Agenda of the Federal Government.

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NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/metro

ABIODUN BELLO FEATURES Editor

abiodun. bello@newtelegraphonline.com

Wednesday, APRIL 9, 2014

0802 393 8212

Wednesday,

Fraud fake N SCAM

Police arrest s duping unsusp

Why I inserted cocaine into my private part – Suspect DESPERATION

A mother of four, deserted by her husband, embraces drug peddling to survive and cater for her children Juliana Francis

A

36-year-old mother of four, arrested for inserting cocaine into her private part, has explained how she came about the drug.

The suspect, Chinelo Okorom Lynnette, a food seller residing at the Ajagbadi area of Lagos State, said the man who came to her rescue during her trying moment, lured her into the drugpeddling business Lynnette said the man she thought was her messiah, was actually the devil in disguise.

According to her, she was weeping profusely when she and her children were ejected from their apartment, when a supposedly Good Samaritan, came to meet her.

She said the man told her he would introduce her to importing and exporting business. Lynnette added that by the time she found out that the importation deal was actually drug trafficking, it was too late. She could not pull out.

The suspect was arrested by officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos as she attempted to smuggle 685 grams of cocaine, which she had cleverly inserted in her vaginal, during inward screening of passengers on an Ethiopian airline flight from Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Lynnette claimed she thought she was going into importation of bags.

She said: “I’m a food vendor at Ajangbadi, Lagos. I have never been involved in any sort of crime. I’m a victim of man’s cruelty to man. My husband abandoned me with four children two years ago. I worked hard to pay their school fees and ensure their proper upkeep.

“When the landlord forcefully ejected me, I had nowhere to go and nobody to turn to for solace. I was crying like a baby when a man came to console me.

I had never seen him in my life before that day.

“He asked me to wipe my tears and promised to introduce me to importation business. I felt he was God-send until he sponsored my trip to Addis Ababa. When I got to Ethiopia, he told me to take cocaine to Nigeria. Initially I disagreed but he threatened to recover his investment at all cost.”

One dies as police, hoodlums clash Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

T

he police confirmed yesterday that one person was killed while several others sustained injuries during Monday’s clash at Tanke area of Ilorin.

The clash, according to a witness, took place about 6pm, when hoodlums attacked the production team of a film company using the area as location for one of its movie’s scenes.

Trouble started when the hoodlums’ request for the payment of ‘land charge’ from the company was turned down.

This, according to the source, infuriated the hoodlums who started to destroy the company’s gadgets.

The matter was reported to the po-

lice at the ‘F’ Division, prompting the police to run to the scene.

The policemen were said to have fired canisters of teargas to disperse the hoodlums.

But the hoodlums, armed with machetes and other dangerous weapons, reportedly threw stones and sachets of pure water at the police.

One of the policemen was said to have accidentally shot and killed one of the hoodlums.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ambrose Aisabo, confirmed the incident.

He said the victim was one of the suspects who wielded cutlasses and other dangerous weapons.

Aisabo said his men had no choice than to shoot when the atmosphere became very tense.

Some of the wraps of cocaine

The NDLEA Commander at the airport, Mr Hamza Umar, said the suspect ingested a few wraps and inserted others in her vaginal.

Lynnette

He said: “The suspect tested positive for drug ingestion and vaginal insertion. She however expelled a

total of 6 tested po der obse

Lagos probes boat misha Muritala Ayinla

W

orried by the frequent boat accidents on Lagos waterways, the state government yesterday set up an 11-man committee to investigate causes of the Ikorodu-bond boat mishap.

The Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, who disclosed this in a statement, said the government was deeply saddened by the boat accident which claimed the lives of some hard-working Lagosians returning from work.

He said: “We have set up an 11-man Inter-Ministerial Fact Finding Committee to ascertain and determine the immediate and remote causes of the 2nd April, 2014 boat mishap at Ikorodu and such other similar incidents in the past.

“The committee will ascertain and confirm details of the accident including the roles of all concerned persons, institutions and agencies.”

Opeifa added that the committee would also make such recommendations as may be considered necessary to avoid a recurrence of such incidents, promote safe practices and adherence to safety standard in water transportation in the state.

According to him, the committee is headed by the Director, Public Transportation and Com-

muter Service, Mr. Olajide Tairu.

Other members are Mr Kehinde Olanipekun, Mr Sina Thorpe, Mr M. Loya, with representatives drawn from the Ministries of Justice, Works, and Environment. Representatives from the Lagos State Safety Commission, Lagos State Emergency Management Agency and the Lagos State Fire Service are to also serve as members of the Committee.

This is as Governor Babatunde Fashola, yesterday appealed to the Lagos residents, particularly those commuting through the waterways to always demand lifejackets before embarking on any journey.

Fashola, who regretted the frequent loss of lives on the waterways, also promised that government would soon distribute free lifejackets to the Lagos residents. Responding to questions at the ongoing 7th Lagos Economic Summit held at the Lagos Hotels and Suites, the governor said that accident could happen anytime, but commuters must be safety conscious always.

He said: “It is sad that we have accidents in any form that take people’s lives. It really saddens me any time it happens. We can only plan for the worst and hope for the best. And in trying to hope for the best, the citizens have the responsibility for their own safety.

“The state government has established the

Constitution amendment: Senators split over move to empower president / PAGE 14-15

POLITICS

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/politics

ayodele Ojo

Deputy Editor, politics

ayodele.ojo@newtelegraphonline.com

ayodeleojo@yahoo.com

WEDNESday April 9, 2014

George Udeozor: My encounter with ‘OBJ’, ‘Atiku’ prisoners

p-40-41

NATIONAL CONFERENCE After the initial shouting match and threats to stage a walk out, the National Conference is gradually settling down to business beginning with a discourse of the inaugural address of the President.

ONWUKA NZESHI reports on the issues emerging from the preliminary exchange of views Prologue It is no longer news that some 492 persons are in the Federal Capital Territory to discuss the future of the country. A good number of them have come to the National Conference charged to speak their minds and convince others on the way the country should go. Others have come with pride and prejudice and may want to pull down the roof if their will does not prevail.

As soon as delegates resolved the controversy over an appropriate voting threshold, they adopted their Rules of Procedure and moved on to discuss President Goodluck Jonathan’s inaugural address to the conference. They all recognised that in that address, lay the reasons for the conference and the road map of the journey.

In order to avoid confusion and stampede, Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi proposed that each of the delegates would be called in the alphabetical order of their names

Emerging issues in the conversation

A representative of Nigerian Guild of Editors, Is’haq Modibo Kawu (standing), making a presentation at the National Conference.

PHOTO:TIMOTHY IKUOMENISAN

to comment on the presidential address. Each delegate, he said, would be allowed to speak for three minutes and give way to the next person. The proposal was accepted and thus began a long conversation.

Almost every delegate applauded the March 17, 2014 address and eulogised President Goodluck Jonathan for his vision, courage and patriotism.

In the speech, President Jonathan gave a charge to the delegates, outlining the issues for deliberation and determina-

tion at the conference. He said: “This conference is open for us to table our thoughts and positions on issues and make recommendations that would advance our togetherness. These issues range from form of government, structure of government, devolution of powers, revenue sharing, resource control, state creation, state police and fiscal federalism to indigeneship, gender equality and children’s rights among others.”

Consequently, delegates have picked on some of these issues

CROSSFIRE We recognise the efforts of the present CJN to sanitise the Judiciary… but she should not allow any black leg to reverse the gains that have been recorded on the altar of unmitigated avarice – Lai Mohammed

.

Wherever the APC is drawing this inspiration or motivation is surely far from the continent of democracy and right within the conclave of dictatorship. The APC is doing everything to scuttle democracy Olisa Metuh

raised in the speech and urged the conference to pay attention to them and bring about the desired outcome. A good number of delegates agreed that the conference was necessary to address a whole lot of issues in the polity. This group of delegates could easily connect with the issues raised in the presidential address. They also seemed to have been yearning for an opportunity to ventilate their grievances on the situation in the country. They desire a new country, built on a new structure and run differently. These are the pro-conference delegates.

But there were also a few delegates, who were still sceptical about the conference and the motives of its organisers. They did not hide their feelings. This group has a phobia for the conference and its outcome. In reality, they wish the conference was not convoked because they do not believe it was necessary.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 42

POLITICAL NOTES 10m jobs on the way

M

inister of Finance and the Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Dr (Mrs.) Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala recently stated that 10 million jobs would be created, in the economy in 2014. The pronouncement is a very optimistic one given the timeline, and prevailing circumstances.

Successive administrations had made similar declarations of creating job opportunities and alleviating poverty in the land, but the recent tragedy involving job applicants in some parts of the country has disproved government’s assertions as mere lip service.

It does not take an economic expert to appreciate that job creation is a function of a number of factors that are presently not given priority attention in the country. How can government hope to reduce the prevailing unemployment situation in the country, when a good number of companies have closed shops, or relocated to neighbouring countries due to the unfavourable operating environment, which also discourages the growth of small and medium scale businesses.

What has government done to reduce Nigeria’s overdependence on crude oil, and diversify her economy to include non-oil export sectors like agriculture and manufacturing?

Over the years, government has continued to treat the issue of electricity supply to power the economy with half-hearted measures. Only recently, the sector was privatised with all the accompanying media hype, yet, Nigerians are yet to feel the impact, even as it becomes more obvious that it may be impossible to generate the needed megawatts to power the economy.

Government needs to do more than pay lip service to the issue of reducing unemployment, and poverty, which are a major challenge facing the country, and which if properly tackled, will consequently reduce the level of insecurity in the land.

14 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Constitution amendment: Senators split CHUKWU DAVID writes on the attempt by the Senate to alter the constitution to empower the president to initiate a new constitution, which split senators along party line

O

ne of the most interesting observations made at the proceedings of the Senate is that members, in most cases are sharply divided along party lines while considering issues of national interest. In fact, it is rare for a plenary session to come to a close without partisanship playing out in the proceedings of the Red Chamber.

However, in some instances, the lawmakers tend to stand for national interest, irrespective of the nature of the matter under consideration. But it appears as if political party affiliation holds sway above national interest in the proceedings of the Senate.

The experience of Wednesday April 3, when the Committee on the Review of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) presented for debate, its report on additional amendments it made on the Electoral Act 2910 was a case in point.

The senators were indeed sharply divided over the attempt by the committee to create constitutional power and opportunity for a president of the country to be part of the process of initiating a new constitution for the country.

While the report was being considered, it was observed that most of the senators, who are members of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) vehemently opposed the proposal, while those of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spoke in favour of the arrangement.

In fact, the APC members declared that there was no need for a new constitution for the country. A few members of the PDP however, supported the APC lawmakers in their stiff opposition to the proposal.

The disagreement in the Chamber followed the report of the Committee 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 connected therewith”, which was presented by its Chairman and Deputy President of the Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, for clause by clause consideration.

Tinkering with report The Senate later resolved to vote on the report today (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 last week and

Ekweremadu

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 read: “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 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, the Deputy President of the Senate said, “this proposal seeks: 1. to amend section 3B of Clause 2 of the Fourth Alteration Bill (Alteration of section 9 of the Constitution), 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 As-

Ndoma-Egba

There are lots of people who don’t believe in the composition and the work people at the national conference are doing. Any attempt by us to create a window for them... should be rejected sembly and the Clerk of the State House of Assembly to notify the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in writing within 7 days of the existence of a vacancy arising 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 arising 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.

Senators kick 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, main-

Solomon

taining 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 rejection 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 precipitate further crisis in the system, which would jeopardise the inchoate 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.

Solomon said: “I think this is an issue that I believe we should not waste so much time on. First, for laxity sake the proposal before us is a proposal to amend an existing proposal. Before this, there is a proposal to amend the constitution to make provisions for drafting of a new constitution. It is this proposal that we want to amend to accommodate Mr. President. I am in total disagreement with this proposal.

“By the argument of the Senate Leader, a bill can come from any member of the society. So, quoting Senator Dahiru, this move is superfluous. Therefore, if we must create a window, we must create a bigger window for everybody to be able to initiate a new constitution. So, I am in disagreement with this proposal,” he maintained.

Ewuga in his contribution said: “I think I have some extensive understanding of our constitutional history. I was a member of the constitutional conference that brought this constitution into being. As members of the National Assembly, the way this debate is going clearly stipulates that one should surrender the mandate of those who have elected us and question why we are sitting here to permit laws that will make it possible for people to initiate processes through us.

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

over move to empower president

Ewuga

Then we are saying that this Assembly should be dissolved.

“That is the import of it because this amendment has already been proposed and passed. This is a constitutionally elected body to do anything contemplated by either leaving the status quo or altering it. Please, when we are debating matters that concern the foundation of this country, let us not undermine the fact that we were brought in by generally accepted principles of elections which are constitutionally guaranteed as a process that has brought us here.

“This contemplation of an addition for a presidential fiat to initiate the process that is totally out of what constitution making allows, I would appreciate that we move forward, allow this constitution to go on, allow the National Assembly to perform its own responsibility and let us jettison anything that is outside the way we contemplate and live together as Nigerians,” he advised.

On his part, 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.

His words: “I just wanted to point to something. There are laws we made, a case is the law on Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), where we ceded our powers to the Board of the CBN and when the time came of us to look at their budget the former governor of the CBN simply told us that he was not bringing his budget to the National Assembly. When we asked him why, he said we have already ceded our powers to the board of CBN. So, that is what I seek to point out.

“Today, in Nigeria, there is a lot of mistrust among the various components that make up Nigeria. This is the Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and I think the buck should stop here. The whole essence of these new amendment

Gimba

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 good as they may look, it is viewed with a lot of mistrust. It all bothers around the on-going national conference for which a lot of people believe that a window or some people are trying to create a window where this national conference document will find its way.

“I remember during the last constitution amendment, we did considered and approved a brand new way of making a new constitution.

It was contained in that document. So, I don’t see why we have to bring any window now that will deal with any constitution amendment. The fact is, there are lots of people who don’t believe in the composition and the work people at the national conference are doing. Any attempt by us to create a window for them to come through us, usurp our powers, or make us redundant or to go above us by way of referendum should be rejected by everybody.”

Senator Bello Tukur, while contributing, 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

Kabiru Gaya

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 Senate 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.”

Ekweremadu, Ndoma-Egba’s defence 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.

Ekweremadu, also explained that the Senate in July last year came up with the idea that since Section 9 did not make any provision for how a new constitution would come into being, we need to amend Section 9 in order to accommodate such possibility in the future.

He said: “Because as you amend the constitution it would get to a point where you would not even know which part of the constitution has been amended and which has not been amended.

“So, a time will come in the future

POLITICS

15

where we will need to put these things together into a new constitution. Again, the society is dynamic to note that at some point there will be the need to have a new constitution. And we won’t be the first to do that.

“Other countries have done that including Kenya, Brazil and Zimbabwe.

So, further to that we proposed an amendment to Section 9 on how a new constitution can come to force. And in that constitution, we are clear in what we stated that only the National Assembly can bring about the process of a new constitution.

“But at our committee’s meeting on Tuesday, we now looked at our rules in which case the President can bring about a bill. So, we now felt that it is also necessary to open the door in such a way that it is not just the National Assembly that can start the process, that even the President can send a proposal for a new constitution.

“If we leave it as it is now, the President cannot send any proposal for a new constitution because we have already passed a bill shutting the President out.”

Ekweremadu told the legislators that what the committee did was to open a window so that the National Assembly or the President could initiate the process which is in line with the rules of the Senate.

Mark rules Senate President David Mark, who presided over the session, in his closing remark on the matter asked the senators to determine whether a new constitution would emerge either in content or nomenclature.

His words: “I should remind us about the procedure. All the comments you have made here is, you first convince yourself and to convince your colleagues that your position is the correct one. None of this is going to go through without the required two-thirds. This is so because we are going to vote on Wednesday on all the clauses. But the question I want to ask is this: is the constitution new in nomenclature or in content?

“Is it new just because the word new has been added to it or the content is going to be completely discarded and then a new content is brought that has nothing to do with this? Because if you bring a constitution that has only one section carried forward from here, then have you written a new constitution or have you amended the old one? So, truly the argument is not to impress anybody but to convince many more people,” he pointed out.

In bringing the session to an end, Mark ruled that the matter would be determined today by two-thirds majority of votes of members. Therefore, at the end of the day’s plenary, Nigerians will know whether the proposal to empower whosoever occupies the office of the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria would be given the opportunity to initiate a bill for a new constitution or not.

16 POLITICS How did you get into the Ondo state House of Assembly?

I am a second time member in the House, I was first elected in 2007 and was re-elected 2011 and my first time in the House was like a miracle. When the PDP was in government they had all the power to win an election, they had everything at their disposal, but as God would have it people voted in my favour. My coming into politics was like a divine call or clarion call because I was in NNPC and when I resigned from NNPC I decided to go back home in Oka –Akoko. But before resigning, I had a petrol station in my town which I resigned to oversee. When I got to Oka, I was idle because I had attendants and a manager, so I came there every week for my account. It was at that period I saw my people going for political meetings and I joined them and became very active in their meetings.

I began to sponsor most of the meetings because I was a little bit comfortable then. So, I was giving them what I had at that time to keep them going and at the long run I started with Action Alliance(AA) and they picked me as an automatic candidate but I told them I was not interested in going into politics that I was only using it to while away time.

The traditional ruler of my town, the Olusi, then called me and he insisted I run, which I conceded after a month of much persuasion. While I was campaigning it was a smooth running, hitch-free. Whoever I went to meet will recognise me and choose to support me. As a Labour Party (LP) candidate, I was to be rigged out but God intervened after the announcement of the result that was when I had been declared the winner in 2007.

While in 2011, I was re-elected based on my achievements. Today, I am the first lawmaker in my constituency who is spending his second term in the house.

You have been in the house for about seven years now; what have you done for your constituency so far?

In my first term in the house, I had one private member bill that was passed into law. I wrote and moved 14 motions but seven of them were listed by the Majority Leader then who came from PDP. If your motion is in a way anti-government, he would not list it but he listed some of my motions and seven motions sailed through and some were implemented by the late Dr. Olusegun Agagu.

Which of your bills was passed into law?

The law was about environmental law. It is on consumer protection law, we did it as private member bill but when the government saw it, they brought it under the executive bill and then combined the bill.

What have you done for the people of your constituency?

That is too numerous to mention. In the House of Assembly, there was nothing like empowerment before I came into the House. I was the first lawmaker that introduced empowerment and I was the first member to buy cars for the people of his constituency. As at today, I have distributed 27 cars and 141 motorcycles. I have personally rehabilitated the police station in my town; it is from my own purse and through my constituency projects. I have taken seven transformers to my constituency. I have built health centre and I am planning to build a borehole in each of the wards in my constituency.

Many people are of the opinion that the Ondo State House of Assembly is a rubber stamp of the executive arm of government. Do you share this view?

If there is no rancour between the Assembly and the executive, that does not mean the House is not working.

I told them one day that if in supporting the government that is doing good things and I am referred to as a rubber stamp, let me be a rubber stamp because I am elected to represent my people and if the interest of my people is protected by the government I should support them. I should not say because I am from this arm of government that the other should not rest. If they are doing their duty, we should support them. It is not compulsory that you must go against what the

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

I’m not interested in Ondo Speakership –Emiola The Deputy Speaker of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Hon Francis Dare Emiola in this interview with BABATOPE OKEOWO speaks on the synergy between the executive and the legislative arms of government, the chances of Labour Party (LP) in the 2015 elections, among other national issues. Excerpts: defected to LP, he was suspended by a group of PDP where he belonged and this other group would not accept him so he felt he cannot be in the house and be floating without a party so he decided to join the LP. The position of the Speaker is vacant following the death of the former Speaker, Rt. Hon. Samuel Adesina. What are your chances in emerging as the next speaker of the House?

I do not have any chance of becoming the Speaker.

The speakership position belongs to the South and I am from the North. Governor Mimiko was magnanimous enough to have given me the position of the Deputy Speaker. During Agagu administration, he was from the South, the deputy governor was from the central and the speaker was from the North. If Governor Mimiko has been magnanimous to me irrespective of the fact I am from the north, the people of the South Senatorial District must be allowed to produce the Speaker. Those from the South must have resolved amongst themselves who will be the Speaker, but if they do not resolve, they should come to the floor of the House. If they are fighting over the vacant position, we from the north and central will vote for a candidate from the South.

Emiola

executive arm of government is doing and that is what we are doing in Ondo State House of Assembly. When we do our oversight functions, we call on Governor Olusegun Mimiko and tell him that a particular office is not doing the right thing.

We have been doing that but since you have not been seeing us over the radio and television that a commissioner should be suspended or engaging in media war, we believe it cannot work. The system will not work.

Our oversight function is to put them on the line not to witch-hunt. I must say that our oversight function in the Assembly is perfect.

What is your view about the defection of lawmakers?

It is wrong; although we did it during our own time in the House when some people defected from PDP to LP. As at that time, there was a problem in PDP, there was factions then; we had Agbi faction and Olusola Oke’s faction. When the late Rt Hon Samuel Adesina

If there is no rancour between the Assembly and the executive, that does not mean the House is not working... Our oversight function is to put them on the line not to witch-hunt

What are the requirements for a member to become a speaker?

What we believe in the Assembly is for you to have a cognate experience of legislative business. Cognate experience means if you are a two-month-old legislator you already have the experience. If you are once a councillor, you have the experience. Now, anybody in the House is qualified to be a speaker because they have spent at least three years and some of us are second termer. Anybody who has been in the house for three years has a cognate experience and he or she can move motion. Such person can be the Speaker. You do don’t have to be a second term member of the Assembly.

What are the chances of Labour Party (LP) in 2015 elections?

The future of our party is bright. It is the party to beat in any election in Ondo State. We must admit we have some problems now because of some polices of the state government, but the government has taken time to explain to the people and they have understood the programme and polices of the government. How do you explain it when a 70-year-old person is still in service? There should be a massive retirement. The governor wrote to some ministries to send the vacancies in their ministries but they could only come out with just three vacancies. When Ondo State clocked 35 years about three years ago, there should have been mass retrenchment so that there would be mass employment.

The question is that who replaced the retirees? It was discovered that it has been replaced underneath without the consent of the governor. So, that was how the screening process commenced to know who is qualified to retire and remain.

If you don’t leave the service after 35 years how would the young graduates come in? The salary of a director that is supposed to have retired for the past four years can pay the salary of four graduates. Some people are roaming the streets when they have the certificate because you are there and do not want to leave the service.

POLITICS 17

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Defection: 37 APC Reps battle to retain seats

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n Friday, March 28, a Federal High Court, Abuja presided over by Justice Adeniyi Ademola ruled that the 37 lawmakers elected on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) do not have the right to effect any change in the leadership of the House of Representatives.

The court consequently gave an order of perpetual injunction restraining the lawmakers from effecting any leadership change in the House.

In its judgement, the court submitted that “having perused the arguments of counsel and the constitutional provisions, it is clear and unambiguous that the defendants were sponsored by the PDP and won the election on its platform.

It is also the court’s opinion that their tenure has not expired and there is no division in the PDP.” He thereafter ruled that: “The defendants are, therefore, not competent to vote or contribute to any proceedings in the House of Representatives. An order of perpetual injunction is, hereby, ordered, restraining them from altering or attempting to change the leadership of the House.”

The judge went further to make some pronouncements on the morality of the continued stay in the House by the defecting members. He said they no longer have any business, morally and legally, to stay in the House. He said they should honourably resign from their seats as members, having moved to another political party while their tenure had yet to expire.

The affected lawmakers had no problem with the ruling concerning the change in leadership, but quickly raised eyebrow on what they called “the opinion” of the judge on maintaining their seats. The 37 lawmakers and indeed the entire APC caucus in the House lambasted the judge for overshooting his brief and insisted that they would not vacate their seats.

The genesis Following the defection of the PDP lawmakers to the APC and their threat to take over the leadership of the House, the PDP approached the court seeking to stop the APC members who were claiming numerical superiority in the House.

Joined in the suit as defendants was the Speaker of the House, Aminu Tambuwal along with the 37 lawmakers. The PDP, in its originating summons, had prayed the court to determine whether, in view of the mandatory provision of Section 68(1) (g) of the constitution, and in view of the pendency of an earlier suit by the defecting lawmakers, they (the defecting legislators) could participate in any proceedings to remove the House’ principal officers.

Reactions Minority Leader of the House and APC caucus leader, Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila while dismissing the judgement, described it as a strange judgement that “turned law on its head.” He declared that the judgement is a product of error of court the lawmakers would be willing to appeal at a higher court. According to

The recent ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja has regenerated the confusion in the House of Representatives over the fate of 37 lawmakers that defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). PHILIP NYAM reports on the intrigues playing out in the House.

Tambuwal

Ihedioha

Gbajabiamila

Ogene

him, “The judgement is strange and will be appealed. No person can be compelled by law to stay in an association against his or her wishes.”

He said that the judgement is an affront to the right of association of the lawmakers as “it negates a fundamental right of association of every citizen that is inalienable. Section 68 of the constitution has been turned on its head and the error of the court is manifest.”

In his reaction, chairman of the House Committee on House Services, Hon. Yakubu Dogara (APC, Bauchi) dismissed the ruling of the judge as “not a judgement and not an order of the court.” He said the judge only gave his opinion which cannot be taken as an order. He asked rhetorically: “He is advising, so what happens if we do not resign? If the court has powers to order us to resign, he should invoke the orders and not say in the opinion of the court. He knows he does not have the power to order for our resignation.”

According to Dogara, the constitution has empowered only the presiding officers to declare seats of defecting lawmakers vacant after being given a satisfactory explanation. But if the presiding officer is giving an explanation that is not satisfactorily, he will turn it down. Dogara, who is one of the 37 that defected from PDP to APC, also argued that even section 68 and 69 of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which talks about recall and declaration of a lawmakers seat vacant did not envisage

resignation. So, a lawmaker cannot resign.

Also reacting to the ruling, chairman of the House Committee on Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Hon. Emmanuel Jime dismissed the judge’s reference to ‘morality’. He said: “I am a lawyer and my training taught me that there is a difference between what is moral and what is legal. I believe the judge is well entitled to making his opinion about morality. In my view, it is not in the authority of the judge to make pronouncements about morality, let’s leave that to the bishops and Imams. The duty of the judge is to pronounce the law. I believe that the first question that a legal mind has to ask is when someone brings a matter to court, that matter has to be decided on the course of action and then the prayers that the litigant may be seeking.

“The order of court from what I have seen clearly made the point is that you cannot effect change of leadership. I think that the matter would have ended as far as the matter before Ademola was concerned. As I speak, there is a matter before another judge, Justice Adamu on the issue of defection. So, we are awaiting another pronouncement from Adamu whether the defection is legal or not.

Therefore any statement or opinion from a judge that does not constitute order of the court should be treated for what it is.”

The intrigues The House resumed plenary on Tues-

day, April 1, but surprisingly, the matter was not mention on the floor. However, the various caucuses were meeting and strategising on how to handle the issue. On Wednesday, April 2, the House leadership had to call for an executive session to iron out the matter as tension was gradually building up and rumour of attempts to force the defecting members out of the House became rife. The closed-door session began at 11.54a.m. and lasted up till 1.18p.m. Tempers rose at the session as the PDP members confronted their APC counterparts. It was a fierce session with the lawmakers in near fisticuffs but for the matured handling of the session by Tambuwal.

In order to douse the tension generated by the court judgement and the interference from outside the House, the lawmakers resolved at last that the issue of defection be left to the courts to settle.

Speaking on the outcome of the executive session, deputy chairman of the House Committee on Media and Public Affairs, Hon. Victor Ogene explained the closed-door session 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 said 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.

Ogene explained that the decision of the House was anchored on its earlier resolution on a matter of defection involving Hon. Ifedayo Abegunde representing Akure North/Akure South. In June 2012, Justice Gloria Okeke had ordered Abegunde sacked from the House having defected from the Labour Party to the then Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

Abegunde challenged the decision of the court in the Court of Appeal and since the matter is pending, the leadership of the House declined to take actions on it.

Ogene denied that the leadership was under pressure to declare vacant seats of the defecting lawmakers. He 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.”

He equally clarified that the Speaker and his deputy were not part of the appeal notice filed by the 37 defectors. According to him, the presiding officers 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 as an Institution.”

The deputy speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, also clarified his stance on the matter, denying being part of the appeal and at the same time declaring his unflinching loyalty to the PDP. As it stands, for the case to run its full course, it would terminate at the Supreme Court. How far can the courts expedite work on this case? Would the House run out of patience along the road and rescind its resolution to wait for the courts to decide? Only time will tell.

ARTS

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

“It is in literature that the concrete outlook of humanity receives its expression.” ― Alfred North Whitehead

NEW TELEGRAPH

www.newtelegraphonline.com/arts

LITERATURE

Dilemma for people-oriented, visionary leadership Title: Leadership Dilemma: People Or Projects Author: Austin Awulonu Publisher: Promocom Books, Lagos Nigeria Year of Publication: 2012 Number of pages: 184 Reviewer: Tunde Ojo

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or the last four years (2009-2013), no leader from the 53 African countries covered by the Mohammed “Mo” Ibrahim Foundation was found worthy to win the Mo Ibrahim Prize.

A little background may be helpful for those who are not familiar with this prize.

Mohammed Ibrahim, the billionaire Sudanese-British mobile telecommunications entrepreneur, set up the Mo Ibrahim Foundation in 2006 and the Ibrahim Award for Achievement in African Leadership in 2007. The Ibrahim Prize is the world’s largest annual award, even bigger than the Nobel in financial reward.

When asked why no African leader qualified for the prize in the last four years, Mo Ibrahim responded: “We are not seeing the kind of visionary leadership that will help us make the transition from the twentieth century challenges to becoming dynamic twenty-first century players on the global stage.”

Leadership Dilemma: People or Projects by Austin Awulonu is a book written against the contextual canvas of leadership failure in Africa and, not the least, leadership deficit within the church.

Recently, The Economist in one of its opinions declared that African governance is largely dominated by “too many dinosaurs whose time ought to have passed.”

The paper further stated that half of the world’s 30 or so longest-serving rulers are African.

It is no longer news that Africa’s political landscape, particularly in Nigeria, has been characterised by corrupt leaders ravaging the nation like a swarm of locusts and plundering the nation’s treasury like an army of occupation. Also, church leadership which is the main focus of the book has witnessed great turmoil in our nation and no denomination is spared – from orthodox to evangelical while perhaps the most cataclysmic of them all is from the Pentecostal / Charismatic fold. Unending tales and incredulous stories of hired assassins, poisoning, accusations, litigations and bitter rivalry in the process of succession in some churches are becoming common.

Right from the book’s introduction, Awulonu states Leadership Dilemma’s thesis; leadership is a sacred trust held by leaders for God to the benefit of the people.

In nine short and racy chapters, Awulonu builds convincing arguments with biblical expositions and contemporary applica-

Leadership Dilemma is a book that all readers would wish had been written earlier. It is a book John Maxwell would have wished he wrote tions and examples why a leader that is not accountable to God cannot be of relevance to the led.

The book opens with a clear enunciation of the idea that there is a leader in every one of us, goes ahead to enumerate the critical tasks of leadership. The author profiles the servant-leadership examples of Solomon and Jesus; the leadership challenges of Moses and Saul; and warns leaders of the inherent danger in hugging the limelight at the expense of God’s glory.

Awulonu affirms that a leader that is not led has lost the authority of his or her leadership. In two chapters, he resolves the issue of people or projects – the leadership dilemma from where the book derives its title. The book closes with critical issues in mentoring and succession.

While each chapter of Leadership Dilemma can be read as stand alone, the author develops subsequent chapters to

build on the preceding ones, thereby making it easy for the reader to follow.

Awulonu’s style is elegant: sublime and poetic enough to inspire experienced readers or leaders and occasionally chatty and conversational to interest readers across a wide spectrum. His use of quotation at the beginning of each chapter invites reader to plunge into it. The author peppers the book with African proverbs making it as

savoury as “egusi” soup.

Awulonu’s contribution in Leadership Dilemma is his focus on Bible-centred leadership, not just leadership as an art, science or a discipline to be read, studied and practised. It is leadership with a complete biblical approach with relevance not just in the church but also in the political, social and economic spheres. It is leadership inspired by Ancient Text but also with application to today’s culture.

It is leadership that is as relevant in the past as today in spite of religious pluralism, post-modernism or what some call “post-Christian” era.

This book will certainly unsettle leaders, especially Christian leaders, who “lord” it over the “Lord’s heritage” or have reduced their congregations to sheer items of merchandise or projects.

Leadership Dilemma is a treasure for those just beginning their leadership adventure as well as experienced leaders.

The book offers hope to Africans whose leaders’ dominant philosophy cannot even contemplate Awulonu’s dilemma because their leadership is neither about people nor project. It is simply about self.

It is hoped that those leaders will soon be extinct.

Experienced Christian leader, playwright, poet and outstanding film director, Austin Awulonu has not written a literature of pleasure but of protest. He has compelled us to see the rot beneath the well- lacquered veneer of today’s leadership and enumerated the pathway to change. It is a battle cry for real leadership based on commitment, not convenience, real compassion, not mindless emotion. It is about leadership that is first led without which it can never be a blessing to the led.

Leadership Dilemma is a book that all readers would wish had been written earlier. It is a book John Maxwell would have wished he wrote.

Why you need to write your Will Title: How To Write Your Will With Ease Author: Kehinde Adegbite Publisher: Agbo Areo Publishers, Ibadan Year of Publication: 2014 Number of pages: 124 Reviewer: Ayoade Oguntola

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ehinde Adegbite’s How To Write Your Will With Ease teaches people about the importance of having a will.

The book is divided into the following segments namely: 1. Introduction, 2. Part I- Wills and Other Means of Passing Inheritance, 3. Part II- Witnesses, 4. Part III- Executors and Trustees, 5. Part IV-

Probate, 6. Part V- How to Write Your Will

by Yourself and 7. Part VI- Sample Will.

Though written by a lawyer, the book is primarily for non-lawyers. The language is simple and the style of writing is unique- everything that non-lawyers would want to know about a will is presented in the book in a question-and-answer format.

The book contains a total of 149 questions about a will with their answers.

Some of the questions for which the author provided answers include “What is a will?”, “Who can make a will?”, “Who cannot make a will?”, “Who needs a will?”, “How much does it cost to make a will?” and “How can I write my will without a lawyer?”

I recommend the book to all.

Our VISION To build a newspaper organisation anchored on the sanctity of truth.

Our MISSION To publish a newspaper of superior value, upholding the fundamental ethics of journalism: balanced reporting, fairness, accuracy and objectivity.

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EDITORIAL

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 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

WEDNESday, APRIL 9, 2014

Living with serious health hazards

or Nigeria, this year’s World Health Day marked on April 7, coincided with the raging controversy in the health sector over the outbreak of dengue haemorrhage, which was mistaken to be the dreaded Ebola virus, currently ravaging and decimating parts of West Africa.

The Federal Ministry of Health has been doggedly trying to allay fears of Nigerians, especially the media, about the identity of the real cause of death of a victim in Nassarawa state, NorthCentral Nigeria.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), a very reliable partner in the fight against dreaded diseases, vector-borne diseases account for more than 17 per cent of all infectious diseases, causing more than one million deaths annually. Every year, there are more than one billion cases. In its current fact sheet, the organization says more than 2.5 billion people in over 100 countries are at risk of contracting dengue alone, which is one of the vector-borne diseases. Another devastating disease, malaria causes more than 600, 000 deaths every year globally, most of them African children under five years of age. Nigeria has the world’s largest malaria burden, containing nearly one-third of the cases in Africa.

Nearly all Nigerians (97 per cent) are at risk of contracting the disease and half of the population will likely have at least one malaria attack per year.

Other vector-borne diseases such as

chagas, leishmaniasis and schistosomaniasis affect hundreds of millions of people worldwide. For instance, schistosomiasis, which is transmitted by water snails, is the most widespread of all vector-borne diseases, affecting almost 240 million people worldwide. Children living and playing near infested water are particularly vulnerable to this disease, which causes anaemia and a reduced ability to learn.

These figures should alarm us all.

It should worry health authorities that diseases that are preventable and preventable through informed protective measures are still incapacitating and killing Nigerians in the 21st century when poorer countries have been more proactive. Detection rates remain unimpressive, taking into cognizance recent happenings in the health sector where there was confusion over the detection of a disease.

Compounding this is the attitude of Nigerians who abhor laboratory test, the same way nature abhors a vacuum; perhaps, this may be a function of illiteracy, poverty or both. Even for those who would like to undergo a test, there are no reliable facilities. Unfortunately, every undetected case of these diseases portends a grave health hazard as some of them are fatal.

Having knowledge of the vectors responsible for the spread of these diseases may provide a roadmap for effective ways of preventing occurrences. Many of these vectors are bloodsucking insects, which ingest

disease-producing microorganisms during a blood meal from an infected host (human or animal) and later inject it into a new host during their subsequent blood meal, according to health experts. Mosquitoes are best known disease vector. Vector-borne diseases are illnesses caused by pathogens and parasites in human populations such as malaria, dengue, schistosomiasis, human African trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, chagas disease, yellow fever, among others.

According to health experts, factors such as globalization of travel and trade, unplanned urbanization and environmental challenges such as climate change are having a significant impact on disease transmission in recent years. Poorly designed irrigation and water systems, inadequate housing, poor waste disposal and water storage, deforestation and less of biodiversity, all may be contributing factors to the most common vector-borne diseases including malaria, dengue and leishmaniasis.

At the root of these diseases are the perennial problems of lack of improved safe water, sanitary, and hygienic services in the country. It bears repeating as we had pointed out in our other editorials that nothing substitutes access to potable water. It is the lack of it that exposes a lot of people to water-borne diseases. It is rather unfortunate that people are still dying from the bite of a mosquito, a sandlyfly, a blackfly or a tick in the 21st century.

The Federal and States Ministries of Health are said to currently use

integrated vector management, including Long Lasting Insecticidal Nets (LLINs), indoor residual spraying, and environmental management to combat malaria. About 57.8 million LLINs have so far been distributed, representing 90.2 per cent national target. While these developments are encouraging, the fight to eliminate these vector-borne diseases requires continued strong engagement and commitment by governments and communities, public and private healthcare providers, and all Nigerians.

There is need to develop other strategies as tough problems deserve tough approaches, such as targeting vector larvae without generating the ecological impacts of chemical use have been in use. The question to ask is how many Nigerians can afford the use of chemical methods of vector control such as indoor residual sprays, space spraying, and use of chemical larvicides and aduticides to shorten the life span of vectors? This can only be done by governments with the assistance of donor agencies.

We commend WHO for its sustained efforts and encourage Nigerians to adopt simple, cost effective interventions like insecticide-treated bed nets, insect repellent and indoor spraying, which have already saved millions of lives with substantial reductions in child and infant mortality, bearing in mind that governments cannot do everything for everybody.

GABRIEL AKINADEWO Managing Director/Editor-in-Chief IKE ABONYI Deputy Managing Director/DEIC FELIX OGUEJIOFOR ABUGU Managing Editor, South SULEIMAN BISALLA Managing Editor, North AYODELE OJO Acting Editor, Daily LAURENCE ANI Editor, Saturday EMEKA MADUNAGU Editor, Sunday LEO CENDROWICZ Bureau Chief, Brussels MARSHALL COMINS Bureau Chief, Washington DC SAM AMSTERDAM Editorial Coordinator, Europe EMMAN SHEHU (PhD) Chairman, Editorial Board GEOFFREY EKENNA News Editor PADE OLAPOJU Production Editor TIMOTHY AKINLEYE Head, Graphics ROBINSON EZEH Head, Admin.

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Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

OPINION Nigeria’s owambe unionists and egunje unionism Bobson Gbinije

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he fundamental accoutrements and appurtenances of the Lord of the Manor are the sordidly sadistic pauperization of the franchise and the hoi polloi in any collectivity. Hence, a principled ‘Social Contract’, ergonomics and economic engineering processes are established and injected into the structural praxis to ensure the welfare of the labouring masses (workers), and to checkmate bourgeoisie plutocratism and employer’s tyrannism through organized Unionists and trade Unionism.

Unionism is the coalition and combination of Workers and Co-Labourers for the mutual protection of their common interest. Hence, trade unionism is an organized association of workers formed for the protection and promotion of their common interest, especially with regards to wages, working hours and working condition etc.

In the pre-independence struggles to free Nigeria from the gyves and manacles of our Colonial Masters, Unionists constituted the integral arrow head of the struggle to entrech freedom and liberty into Nigeria’s political architectonics and administrative organogram. The Nigerian Youth Movement (NYM) organized by Herbert Mcauley, the Nigerian Students’ Union (NSU) now National Association Nigeria students (NANS), Nigeria Railway Workers’ Union (NRWU) spearheaded by inimitable Pa. Imoudu etc.

Then, later, Unionists like Hassan Sumonu, Otegbeye, kokori, Pascal, Oshiomole, etc came to the lime light, Nigeria’s politico-socio-economic history is laudably befuddled and replete with the positive escapades of our unionists to entrench workers welfare into the cerebral crackpot of Nigeria’s leaders. This must be commended, because it laid the foundational equipoise on which Nigeria’s minimal development is based today.

But, unionism in the later part of post-independent Nigeria is or has been fraught with maniacal corruption, prevarication, pusillanimous tergiversation, double speak and unionists have become Government’s Area Boys (GAB), apologies to FELA ANIKULAPO KUTI. The top echelons of most union’s administrative hierarchy are government sponsored candidates and representatives, applying the man ‘who pays the piper dictates the tone’ syndrome.

The NUPENG and PENGASSAN took millions of Nigerians out on a massive strike action against “Oil subsidy”.

They unilaterally called off the strike action without consulting and compensating Nigerian citizens who lost loved ones during the strike action. It later turned out to be a splendiferous histrionics as the subsidy dividends were hijacked by the hierarchy and faceless politicians and their surrogates, after politicians of the so-called unionists have been ‘settled’ with bounteous largesse and filthy-lucre. What a shame! And because of their Laodicean albatross the Federal Government is now working out plans to sell or privatize our Refineries (Kaduna, Portharcourt, Warri, and Eleme).

They have resorted to verbal ventriloquisms, double speak, Abracadabra and prestidigitations through the Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezani Allison Madueke on the state of the refineries and our so-called Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN) and National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) have remained nauseatingly silent. Is this unionism or unionistic Owambeism?

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other so-called union bodies like the NUT, NMA, NBA, JOHESU and NANS etc have become mercantile stooges and mercenary hirelings cocooned in the throes of governments’ circuitry and subterfuge.

There are no state of the art hospitals in Nigeria, no jus-

tice, corruption has become our tradition and culture, no roads, no water, no houses, no drugs in our hospitals and no security. Yet, our unionists claim to be fighting for the masses and the flotsams and jetsams in Nigeria. What an Unprecedented Lie! Unionists major weapons are dialogue and strike actions. Apart from ASUU, virtually all Trade Unions and their executives are in the payroll and ‘employment chart’ of the Federal and State Governments. Their Secretariats are in most cases built by government agents and with government funds. How can unionists be junketing and hobnobbing with our corrupt leaders and still be expected to defend the rights of the workers and citizenry at large.

In his historical speech, essayist Samuel Compere posited that, “show me the country that has no strikes and I’ll show you the country in which there is no liberty”. Our unionists and their unions are now into the configurational methodology and stratagems of threatening to call a strike to seek governments’ face. But, as soon as they are ‘settled’ and ‘arranged’ (Warri Boy’s Jargon and Neologism- meaning Bribed) they call-off the proposed strike through a volte face. What a shame!

William Pitt in his House of Commons speech in 1783 said “necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves” and corroborated by John Philpot Curran in his 1790 speech that ‘the condition upon which God hath given liberty to men is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequences of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt”. Unionism is not about gallivanting. It is a patriotic sacrifice for the uplifting of the welfare, liberty and freedom of the workers and the people.

• Chief Bobson Gbinije, Mandate Against Poverty (MAP), Warri “08023250378”

Odemwingingie, baby factory and Mbanefo’s domestic tourism (1) Babs Ajayi

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here are several issues engaging the Nigerian public in the last few weeks, and I wish to focus on some of them. There is the campaign by Peter Odemwingie, a brash and anti-team soccer player who wants to get into Nigeria’s soccer team, the Super Eagles, for the 2014 World Cup. There has been a surge in the theft of children and in the establishment of, wait for it, baby factories in Nigeria, the business of manufacturing babies at commercial quantities and for sale. Some miscreants are now breeding children through young girls and women who are kept in confinement for the purpose of making babies. There is also the endless tours around the nation by Sally Mbanefo to stimulate domestic tourism in a nation that is as dysfunctional and as insecure as you can imagine. Domestic tourism in a nation where there is a dearth of gas, electricity, petrol, kerosene, security, and an abundance of terrorism and a well developed kidnapping market is a first in the world.

I am not sure if Sally wants Nigerians to also travel to Yobe, Adamawa and Borno States. I wonder why Iraq and

Afghanistan allowed Sally Mbanefo to beat them to the tourism development trophy among broken state.

Peter Odemwingie and the Super Eagles Peter Odemwingie has been doing everything humanly possible to get into the Super Eagles team. The Super Eagles played their qualification matches without this aging footballer because Coach Stephen Keshi kept him out of the team, and rightly so.

Peter Odemwingie was considered a brat who has the ability to split a team and whose major contribution to his former football team was to create a toxic atmosphere. He seems to be good at bringing poison to the field and the team, and it was for this that he was sanctioned by West Bromwich Albion and eventually kicked out of the team.

Odemwingie joined West Bromwich Albion from Lokomotiv Moscow in 2010 but by December 2013 he was at war with the club and its manager. His outburst against the manager Steve Clarke and his inability to maintain cordial relationships with his team mates created problem for the club. Supporters and fans of the club became very eager to see him go and he finally did in September 2013. He moved to Cardiff City after signing a two-year contract

in September 2013 but joined Stoke City in January 2014 when things were not going his way at Cardiff.

Odemwingie is desperate to play in Brazil, but he is 32 and he is not a team player. The last time the lad played for the Super Eagles he played his own game thus leaving the team to struggle each time he loses the ball. He has issues bothering on human relations and the ability to deal with others. He has also made it a habit to condemn his coaches. He had condemned Keshi and Shaibu Amodu before him. He accepts no blame for defeats and is quick to find scapegoats for his failures. Peter Odemwingie did not play for and with the team; he played without the team, doing his own thing and exchanging hot words with some of his team mates, who were not actually his team mate because he does not believe in team play. The Super Eagles can do without and must do without Peter Odemwingie at the World Cup in Brazil because he has nothing to offer the team. His recent goals should count for nothing because there are outstanding players in the Super Eagles who can score goals and who are very team-oriented. The Super Eagles has been building and improving their team play for months and

this is not the time to bring a solo star into the team. Peter does not belong in the Super Eagles. Stephen Keshi must ignore the after-thought, let-me-be-inthe-team apology from Peter Odemwingie and leave him out of the team billed for Brazil. I wish Odemwingie good luck in his final playing year(s).

Baby factory and baby trade in Nigeria The latest industry in Nigeria is the baby making industry. This industry is now a big and thriving manufacturing business in Nigeria. This is the lowest level any human race can get to, and Nigeria has crashed, albeit ignominiously, to that disgraceful and grotesque level.

Infants are offered for sale the very same way live goats and chickens are sold in the market. This is one industry, the industrial commerce that is the production and sale of babies, that is taking root in Nigeria and is in fierce competition with another new national industry, the unemployment industry, the industry that makes massive profit from the endless number of the unemployed. Criminal enterprises thrive so much in Nigeria even as other areas of decent and legitimate production such as foods, goods and services are on the decline.

• Babs Ajayi, Gatineau, Quebec, Canada

Rivers inducts }p-23 exam ethics marshals

CAMPUS

Yuguda administration has laid foundation for quality education - Takko }p-23

EDUCATION

Celebration galore at UNILORIN students’ week }p-27

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/education

KAYODE OLANREWAJU, Editor, EDUCATION

kayode.olanrewaju@ newtelegraphonline.com kayolanre@gmail.com

21

If a nation expects to be ignorant and free, in a state of civilization, it expects what never was and will never be.

- Thomas Jefferson

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

LIP SERVICE

The Federal Government is being accused by stakeholders for failure to resolve the lingering seven-month-old ASUP strike, and refusal to pay proper attention to the development of the polytechnic sector.

Mojeed Alabi

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hen will polytechnic education assume its rightful position in the scheme of education development in the country?

When will the Federal Government, especially Supervising Minister of Education rise up to the challenges of polytechnic education? For how long will the doors of these polytechnics, the supposed critical sub-sector and fulcrum of technological and industrial development of the nation, remain shut due to the government’s lip services to the sector? And, is polytechnic education still relevant to the development of the country?

These are some of the knotty questions the students, parents and other stakeholders are seeking the Federal Government and the Supervising Minister of Education to untie if polytechnic education and the nation’s technological quest will not be barred in the trenches for life.

For seven months academic activities have been paralysed in the nation’s polytechnic system, and Colleges of Education, due to the nationwide job boycott by the polytechnic and colleges of education teachers, under their umbrella unions, the Academic Staff Union of Polytechnics (ASUP) and Colleges of Education Academic Staff Union (COEASU).

But, there seems to be no end to the seemingly prolonged nationwide strike, which was triggered by demands for improved infrastructure, enhanced pay packages and other issues affecting the institutions.

However, the unions have vowed not to return to the class-

Yabatech gate

Good night, poly education

Wike

Kazaure

Dr. Ladipo

Chibuzor

room unless the government accedes to their demands and implement them to the letter.

But, the Federal Government has been adamant and foot dragging in resolving the impasse with the striking teachers, since all negotiations with the union leaders has continued to hit the brick walls.

The union had on October 4, 2013 called its members out of classroom in apparent protest against what they (teachers) described as Federal Government’s lacklustre attitude towards implementing the agreement it reached with ASUP in 2009, and to put the polytechnic

sector in the rightful place it belongs in the scheme of national planning and development.

Piqued by the government’s attitude, prior to the October 4, 2013 nationwide job boycott, the union had earlier issued 21-day ultimatum to the government on March 25, 2013 and which expired on April 22, to meet its demands.

Following the failure of government to take action on the issues, ASUP declared a oneweek warning strike which dovetailed into an indefinite strike which commenced on April 29 and was suspended on July 17, 2013, due to the government’s pledge to meet the union’s demands. Meanwhile, faced with the negative effects

of the protracted strike, polytechnic students joined by their counterparts in the Colleges of Education, whose teachers are also on indefinite strike, for the second time in the past three week, took to the streets of Lagos to protest the continued closure of the institutions.

First, the students of Yaba College of Technology (YABATECH) students joined by the counterparts from Federal Colleges of Education (Technical), Akoka, Lagos; Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State three weeks ago barricade the Jibowu to Yaba axis of the Ikorodu road

The situation in the polytechnic sector, calls for a deep reflection of all key stakeholders and players in the system

CONTI NUED ON PAGE26

22 EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Rivers Commissioner wins most innovative award in South-South

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Falola (left) in a handshake with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. Okesina after the lecture

Don advocates visionary education reforms Kayode Olanrewaju

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don at the University of Texas at Austin, U.S.A is advocating educational reforms or visionary education that will create a new generation of entrepreneurs dedicated to cultural, agricultural, industrial, commercial and over-all economic development which will promote the welfare of the citizenry, consolidate an emerging middle class, and bring prosperity to the region and country.

Besides, Professor Toyin Falola, said there was the need for institutional autonomy, strong and enterprising leadership to enable revolutionary changes which will enrich the experience of students.

Falola, who was the guest lecturer at the third convocation

lecture of Osun State University (UNIOSUN), Osogbo, noted that the nation’s education system should provide the youth with the real world skills that will help them become gainfully employed after graduation, by utilizing the idea of apprenticeships and trade schools.

“The educational system should be equitable, sustainable and rigorous to prepare children for multiple skills, leadership and entrepreneur,” Falola said.

To achieve this, he suggested that uncertified teachers should be phased out of the system, since most of them have become problems to the system, warning also that teachers should not be made to handle too many students in a classroom or subjects.

He said the remunerations

for the teachers should be one that will make them happy and love to stay on the job, stressing that the reward of teachers should not be in heaven but to start here on earth.

Falola said: “The current reward system which is based on a general template should be adjusted to reward excellence. The university should also have specially designed programmes to reward exceptional faculty members who can be “vision carriers” for the rejuvenation, visibility, and improved rating of the university.

Such schemes could involve granting time off for further training as mentioned above, identifying and pairing faculty members with accomplished academics in the various fields, who could serve as their mentors.”

ivers State Government and key stakeholders in the state education sector are happy over the outstanding performance of the state in the just concluded President's Schools Debate Nigeria (PSDN).

The state Education Commissioner, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi, was decorated with the Centenary Educational Merit Award as the Most Innovative Commissioner of Education in South-South for her contributions to education development in Rivers State and South-South geo-political zone in general.

While presenting the award to the Commissioner, the National Coordinator of the debate, Elder Dare Oritu, said stakeholders in other states’ education sector are now emulating Rivers State in terms of education service delivery.

Oritu, however, lauded the state’s Debate team that represented the country at the last

World Debate Championship in Singapore, for giving good account of themselves during the competition.

“May I also add that the behaviour of your students and their handlers at the debate competitions organised by the PSDN, has been quite exemplary and this further shows that your administration is one that is affecting the total transformation of our systems for a better Nigeria,” he said.

The National Coordinator noted that the country is one of the nations bidding for the hosting of the World Debate Championship, billed for 2016, stating that Rivers State is one of the states that are likely to host the competition, if Nigeria invariably wins the hosting right.

He pledged that some supervisors will soon visit Rivers State and inspect the level of facilities in the state towards the hosting of the competition.

Mr. Alli Oruitemeka (left), presenting the award to Dame Lawrence-Nemi while Mr. Michael West and Elder Oritu watch.

Review educational curriculum – FUNAAB don JAMB tests CBT exams in Kwara

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university teacher at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) has appealed to the government and other key stakeholders in the education sector to review the existing educational curricula in the country.

This appeal was made by Professor Samuel Wara, Head of Department of Electrical/ Electronics Engineering, during a chat on the ground-breaking on Alternative Power Generation System and Internal Voice Communication, developed by his department.

According to Wara, the relevant authorities should ensure that they produce graduates that could meet the needs of the society through curriculum development.

“Let us re-think our processes. The graduates should think of the needs of our people and such should be met without further delay,” he explained.

Oyewole, VC

To achieve this, he said there should be functional workshops, availability of electricity and practical equipment for students; even as he pointed out that the Solar/Inverter Power Supply System developed by the department is an alternative to energy supply.

While stressing that the products of the college could be marketed to the society, Wara hinted that “we are looking for an avenue where FUNAAB

products could be sold.”

“People are looking for alternative sources of energy, which is why we are trying every other means. In the world today, we are looking for numerous processes”, he said.

The don cited the reason why the College decided to produce the Internal Voice Communication device, which he said was based on the challenge being faced as a result of the epileptic services rendered by GSM operators.

Wara said: “What we are trying to do as an institution is that we want to see how we can bridge the gap of communications in our systems.

We have challenges with GSM operators’ network. We have storey-buildings here. How do we communicate with ourselves without moving from one place to the other and how do we save time to do our business? So, these are the reasons we went into it.”

Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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he Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), the body that conducts qualifying examinations into the nation’s higher institutions, has begun the test-running of its facilities preparatory for the take-off of its Computer-Based Test (CBT).

One of such tests was said to have been carried out recently at the Federal Polytechnic Offa, according to the institution.

At the exercise, the Zonal Coordinator of the board, Dr. Rahimot Oloyede, confirmed that the board is planning to cancel the age-long Paper Pencil Test (PPT) and replace it with the CBT. The trial test was conducted in the polytechnic’s new ICT Centre on the main campus with five participants drawn from five selected secondary schools within the polytechnic

community.

The selected schools include Offa Grammar School; St. Claire Anglican Girls’ School, Offa; Adeola College, Offa; Oyun Baptist High School, Ijagbo and Government Secondary School, Offa.

Dr. Oloyede, who described what the board is currently doing as advocacy and sensitisation campaign to stakeholders, explained that five tertiary institutions within the state were selected for the sensitisation programme of which the Federal Polytechnic, Offa is one because the school is one of the board’s big stakeholders.

While describing the institution and the board as partners in progress, Dr. Oloyede disclosed that the essence of the sensitisation was to let the students know the simplicity and accessibility of the CBT, even as she urged participants to convey the message to their friends and fellow students.

INTERVIEW | EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

23

Yuguda administration has laid foundation for quality education - Takko Alhaji Danlami Baban Takko, the Deputy Chief Press Secretary to the Bauchi State Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda, speaks with journalists in Bauchi, the state capital, about various efforts of the state government towards transforming the education sector. SANI MUH'D SANI was there.

Can you explain the various efforts made so far by the Mallam Isa Yuguda-led administration towards provision of qualitative education in the state?

When Mallam Isa Yuguda’s administration came on board in 2007, we took a holistic assessment of the challenges and problems of the entire education sector, based on the needs of the state, with a view to addressing them in order to benefit the people and the state.

Of course, the administration inherited a total decay of the education sector with lack of adequate classrooms at the primary, secondary and tertiary institutions levels and lack of accreditation of courses at its university. Many students were not able to be admitted into tertiary institutions and there was lack of infrastructure and facilities in schools among other numerous problems confronting the system. Towards this end, the government took a robust decision and a bold step to address these challenges. First, the government awarded contracts for the renovations of several secondary schools, most of which were not touched or renovated more than three decade since the administration of Abubakar Tatari Ali. The Yugudaled administration also equipped the schools with all necessary learning and instructional materials, while the government through the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) constructed over 3,000 classrooms blocks, provided boreholes and toilet facilities in schools, as well as provided all required learning materials in the primary schools to reduce congestion in classrooms. Also, the government renovated tertiary institutions and funded the accreditation of their courses.

A more salient step taken by the government, was when it took bull by the horns with the establishment of the state university with campuses in the three Senatorial Districts of the state -Itas Gadau Bauchi (North), Misau Bauchi (Central) and the Bauchi campus in Bauchi South Senatorial District in order to avail all citizens of the state equal opportunity to acquire university education and to take education close to the door steps of a common man. In addition, the government distributed text books worth over 2 billion to the pupils in all public primary and secondary schools in the state.

But, we have some primary schools where pupils still learn under trees and shades.

Example of this could be seen in a school along Jos Road before Magama Gumau and some other schools in villages. What is your reaction to this?

Yes, like I mentioned earlier that this

administration inherited a decayed educational system, where the rot was monumental. We inherited more than 8,000 classrooms in primary schools where the children were learning under trees.

That was not all; we also inherited over 7,000 congested classrooms without desk or chairs for pupils and teachers, as well as no exercise books or textbooks for the pupils. But presently, if you go round our schools you will see the difference we have made and we are still making progress. Before the end of this year, we will have addressed all the problems and challenges since the projects are being executed in phases and base on the availability of funds. Like I said, if you go round you will see that the number of such bad schools have reduced drastically, as you can only see few schools which we are reaching out to gradually.

The establishment of the state university with multi-campus system requires huge amount of resources. How do you think the government will be able to fund the institution considering the dwindling resources of the state?

As you are aware that the establishment of the Bauchi State University was pioneered by His Excellency, Governor Isa Yuguda, the Matawallen Bauchi, who has invested so much in the development of education by giving the sector the much needed support. In 2010, the law establishing the university was signed after a lot of work had been done by a Consultant under the leadership of another distinguished academician, Professor Ango Abdullahi, former ViceChancellor of the Ahmadu Bello University (ABU), Zaria. The Governing Council of the university was inaugurated on 5th December 2011, while the university management to oversee its day-to-day activities was also inaugurated by the government. The university management headed by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Muktar AbdulRaham Ezzeiden, comprises of seasoned administrator including Mahmood Usman, Registrar; Mallam Ayuba Muhammed Gital, Bursar; and the university Librarian.

This team of seasoned educationists and administrators are responsible for the day-to-day running of the university and are working tirelessly to achieve the set goals and objectives.

It is now 15 months to the take-off of the university, but I want to state here that a lot has been achieved, and the credit must first and foremost be given to the administration of Mallam Isa Yuguda for pioneering the establishment of the institution.

The law establishing the university was made in such a way that two per

Babban Takko

The Yuguda-led administration also equipped the schools with all necessary learning and instructional materials... cent of the state's allocation from the monthly Federation Account is remitted to the university. That shows the extent of a rare commitment and passion the government has towards the development of the university by giving it all the much-desired support. And since the decision was taken, the government has kept faith with the remittance of the monthly two per cent deduction as part of its commitment to the development of the university. Apart from that, the government has done a lot in ensuring that the Bauchi State University is a worthy citadel of learning, which has widely opened its doors to competent and qualified lecturers across the board.

As of today, the university has a total of 192 members of academic staff and has sent a number of them for further studies in and outside the country. Students on the enrolment of the university are widely spread as many of them come from different parts of the country. As a multi campuses university, the institution is made up of three campuses with the administrative seat located at Gadau, some 150 kilometres from

Bauchi, the state capital. With the level of commitment and the development you will realise that the government is highly committed and we are funding the university without looking back.

And indeed, with the team of experts appointed to man the university, we are convinced that the university will surely succeed, The establishment of Bauchi State University is no doubt a great undertaking which will go a long way in the development of higher education in the state, and is undoubtedly the leading legacy of the Yuguda administration for which it will be remembered forever.

Apart from provision of infrastructure, what other things the government is doing towards ensuring the welfare of students and workers?

The greatness of any nation is measured by the quality of education its citizens possess. Vision and foresight were the guiding principles which informed the decision of Governor Isa Yuguda to establish the state-owned university, and it is also in line with the policy of the administration to give qualitative and functional education to students. The government has instituted scholarships for indigenes students of the state origin in tertiary institutions across the country, and which was reviewed upward by 100 per cent. Currently, no fewer than 21 students are in the United States of America for Piloting and Aircrafts Maintenance Engineering programme, which will cost this administration over N160 million yearly, while 23 girls CONTINUED ON PAGE24

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EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

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

protesting the indefinite closure of their institutions due to lack of sincerity on the part of the government to end the crisis.

Also, last week, the umbrella association of the students of higher institutions in the country, under the aegis of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) stormed the office of the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, in Alausa, Ikeja.

Part of their demands was the immediate reopening of their institutions, and the call on Presidents Goodluck Jonathan to implement 26 per cent budgetary allocation as stipulated by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO), with immediate effect.

The students, who passed the vote of no confidence on the Supervising Minister of Education, Mr. Nyesom Wike, for failure to manage the sector properly, and instead engrossed himself in politicking more than overseeing the education sector, also demanded his removal of the before it is too late.

ASUP’s grouse, according to the union, was the failure of the Federal Government to meet their 13 demands, which include constitution of Governing Councils for polytechnics; migration of lower cadres on the CONTISS 15 salary scale; release of white paper on the Visitations to Federal Polytechnics; Need for commencement of the Needs Assessment of Nigerian Polytechnics; Attention to worrisome state of state-owned polytechnics nationwide where union members are reportedly victimized.

Other demands include the resolution of the continued appointment of unqualified persons as rectors and provosts of polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technologies; imposition of professors from outside the polytechnic sec-

Some of the polytechnic students during their protest at Alausa, Ikeja.

PHOTO:GODWIN IREKHE

Good night, poly education tor as rectors of polytechnics; refusal of state governments to implement approved salary packages (CONPCASS) for polytechnics, monotechnics and colleges of technologies and the 65-year retirement age; as well as insistence of the Office of the Accountant General of the Federation to include federal polytechnics in the IPPIS; continued recognition of the National Board for Technical Education (NBTE) as the regulatory body for polytechnics as against the union’s call for the establishment of a National Polytechnics Commission (NPC); reluctance of government to review the Polytechnics Act; reluctance of the Office of the Head of Service to approve the revised scheme of service for polytechnics, and the non-commencement of the re-negotiation of the FGN/ ASUP agreement as contained in the signed 2009 agreement.

Now, with the unresolved issues, there are no signs that the students’ dream of returning to classrooms will soon be realised, since the Federal Government, ASUP and COEASU are yet to

reach a middle ground or come to terms on how to end the impasse.

The situation in the polytechnic sector, calls for a deep reflection of all key stakeholders and players in the sector, in view of the dearth of middle cadre manpower the country is facing, and in which artisans are being hired from neighbouring West African countries, including as Togo, Republic of Benin and Ghana, among others for technical jobs.

Meanwhile, in an exclusive interview with New Telegraph, the Special Adviser to the Supervising Minister of Education on Media, Mr. Simeon Nwakaudu, insisted that the institutions would reopen within a week or two, saying the Federal Government had already streamlined ASUP’s 13 demands to all-encompassing four, and that the only remaining grey area is the N40 billion salary arrears, which he insisted, will soon be resolved.

While maintaining that the Federal Government had shown sincere commitment towards

the resolution of the strike, even as he called on the striking lecturers to, in the interest of students and nation, call-off the strike, while giving government the benefit of doubt.

Nwakaudu said: “The Federal Government has made a lot of concessions on this issue and I can tell you sincerely that within the next one week or thereabout, the strike will be over. We are meeting with the leadership of both unions and it is unfortunate that the strikes have lingered for this long. The N40 billion being owed is being suggested to be split and paid in batches, even because the N92 billion ASUU arrears were split and to be paid in installment.”

According to him, due to budgetary constraints, it will not be possible for the federal government to clear the outstanding CONTISS 15 arrears once.

But in a swift reaction, the ASUP President, Mr. Chibuzor Asomugha, vehemently debunked Nwakaudu’s claim, accusing the Federal Government of not carrying the union along in its decisions, and hence can-

‘How Yuguda transformed education sector' CO N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 2 3

and 15 boys are currently in Egypt to study Medicine at the Ain-Shams University and University of Alexandria respectively at an annual cost of N80 million. The sum of N610,566,786:00 was disbursed as scholarship to indigenous students of Bauchi State for the 2006/2007 and 2007/2008 academic years. The cost of feeding the students was increased by 100 per cent. The State Universal Basic Education was provided with addition 900 NCE/Graduate Teachers who were absorbed from the Na-

tional Teachers Scheme by the state government, while the girl-child education has continued to receive a boost from a pilot project across six Local Government Areas in the state under the Phase I project which has now been replicated in all the other Local Government Areas of the state. The Yuguda administration paid the students’ registration fees for the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE) conducted by the National Examinations Council (NECO) and West African Examinations Council for over 21,000 can-

Takko

didates of the state. Over six million copies of assorted text

books were procured and distributed to public schools in the state by the government.

Generally, the administration of Malam Isa Yuguda has laid a solid foundation for the growth and development of a virile education sector in the state. In collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Education and UNICEF, the state has concluded the development of a 10-year strategic education plan and a three-year Operational Education Plan aimed at achieving higher educational standard and quality in the state.

not in anyway dictate to members of ASUP when to call off the strike and resume except the union’s 13 demands are completely met.

Asomugha, who frowned over the pledge by the Federal Government that the campuses will be reopened soon, described the statement as deceptive, saying all issues that could guarantee the resumption and return of normalcy to the institutions were yet to be resolved.

According to Asemogha, when the union suspended the strike in July last year, and decided to pick four out of the demands for quick resolution, the Federal Government was foot dragging whenever it called the union for meetings by subjecting the leadership to unfair treatment.

His words: “Let me be frank with you, the Federal Government is not in any way committed and sincere to quick resolution of the crisis. We understand that President Jonathan met with both the Ministers of Labour and Education last Monday over the crisis, but up till this moment nobody is interacting with us (ASUP) on their resolution.

“On the issue of our salary arrears, we do not know how the Federal Government has come about the N40 billion. What we know the Federal Government is owing our members is N20.4 billion and we want to believe that it is either the Federal Government is intentionally raising the figure to confuse the public or it is ignorant of the truth.”

Similarly, the Southwest Coordinator of ASUP, Mr. Babatunde Dosumu, berated Nwakaudu for saying the institutions would soon be reopened, saying who is he (Nwakaudu) to determine when the union would call-off the strike, “when he is not a member of our union.”

According to Dosumu, the payment of the arrears alone could not resolve the crisis, except full implementation of the CONTISS 15 salary scale by the relevant authorities.

Meanwhile, stakeholders in the nation’s education sector have continued to rue the lingering strike, describing it as another impediment in the nation’s aspiration to be ranked among the top 20 global economies by the year 2020.

In fact, a university of Lagos don, and Professor of Education Administration and Planning and former Dean of the Postgraduate College of the university, Professor Aloy Ejiogu, said the development could only confirm that government is not committed to reforming the education sector.

EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Reject varsities' counseling centres, Provost tells NUC Biodun Oyeleye Ilorin

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f Professor Adeyemi Idowu, a Professor of Guidance and Counseling at the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), has his way, the National Universities Commission (NUC), should not universities without Counseling and Human Development Centres (CHDC) against the Federal Government directive.

Idowu, who is currently the Provost, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo made the call while delivering his inaugural lecture at UNILORIN, where he lamented that contrary to a government directive on the establishment of CHDC several universities, both public and private, are yet to yield to the order.

In the lecture entitled: “Raising the Bar: The Counselor’s Mandate”, the lecturer expressed concern over apparent neglect of the sector in many public institutions, warning that unless the issue of counseling is adequately and appropriately addressed in our institutions, there is the danger that the country will, for a long time, continue to be a nation of unrealised hopes and unfulfilled promises.

According to the don, the refusal of full accreditation should also be extended to colleges of education and polytechnics that fail to establish such centres, which are meant to assist students in dealing with possible challenges that can affect their behaviour and psychological make-up.

He said: “The Federal Government had once issued an order to all universities to set up independent counseling centres on their campuses. Based on the order, the practice of estblishing counseling centres by the Education Faculty should stop since they were not being accorded their required place in the university system. The Executive Secretary of the NUC, Professor Julius Okojie said the documents were produced to ensure that universities provide the psychological, behavioural and other learning support services for students.

“As at January 2014, only eight out of 40 federal universities have fully equipped and functional counseling centres.

Another survey report shows that many state universities are without the centre. Of the 38 state universities, only eight have counselling centres.

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Rivers inducts exam ethics marshals

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s part of measures to rid its school system of examination malpractices and other sharp practices, the Rivers State Government has inaugurated Exam Ethics Marshals for the state.

The marshals were inauguration during their induction ceremony held at the Alfred Diete Spiff Civic Centre, Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The Education Commissioner, Dame Alice Lawrence-Nemi during the ceremony reiterated the government’s commitment to the promotion of best practices and integrity during the conduct of internal and external examinations.

According to the Commissioner, the Governor Rotimi Ameachi-led administration is not only building schools, it is also raising a new breed of future leaders with character and learning through the introduction of ethics, integrity and best practices.

She said: “As a state that is very committed to the promotion of best practices and integrity in the conduct of examinations, and in line with its mission statement of providing qualitative and sound education in the state, we are now resolved to go even further in stamping out the scourge of examination misconduct in Rivers State. The state government

Some of the marshals at the induction

is not only building schools, but we are also committed to raising a new breed of future leaders with good character and learning through entrenchment of ethics, integrity and best practices.

“Change is inevitable to the socio-economic development of any nation and that change can only come from us. Today is a special day in the history of Rivers State Ministry of Education as we induct an army of Exam Marshals that will preach the good news of honesty, integrity and best practices to all and sundry in the state.”

Dame Lawrence-Nemi, who

said the ministry, has introduced several measures to curb the menace of examination malpractices in the state, added that examination malpractice is one of the canker worms that have eaten deep into the fabrics of the Nigerian society.

According to her, the government has not only clamped down on miracle centres in the state, but also insisted on the registration of bonafide candidates for all external examinations.

Her words: “Examination misconduct cuts across all levels of our education system and the ministry has embarked on

a crusade of curbing the menace by shutting down several miracles centres in the state and also insisted that right candidates are registered for the West African Senior Secondary Certificate Examination WASSCE. Since then, the state has recorded great improvement in the results of its students in external examination especially in the WAEC examination.”

She, however, challenge the Marshals to live up to the expectations of the oath they sworn-in to, saying the ministry will punish any Marshal found guilty of examination malpractice.

AUN institutes scholarship for students T wo board members of the American University of Nigeria (AUN), a private university located in Yola, Adamawa State, Mr. Jon Freeman and Alhaji Tajuddeen Dantata, have instituted two scholarships in honour of Dr Enyantu Ifenne, one of their own on the board.

The scholarships instituted in her name are for the best candidates in the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) conducted by the Joint

Prof. Ensign

Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) seeking admission into the university.

One of the scholarships, according to a statement by the university’s Information Unit, is for a female candidate with the best UTME score into the American University of Nigerian in any given year, while second is for any candidate with the best UTME score from any of the three geographical zones in the Northern part of the country.

The winners of the scholarship award, the statement added, could enrol for any course of their choice which is offered at the university.

Also, the Founder of the university and former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar recently instituted two scholarships in honour of a deceased Board member of the university and former United States National Security Adviser, Dr Robert Pastor, who died in January, this year.

The Robert Pastor scholar-

ships will be awarded yearly to deserving male and female UTME best candidates into the university.

The statement further stated: “The scholarships are a further demonstration of a fundamental commitment to increasing access to education, especially for female students, in the educationally disadvantaged North East part of the country.

Female candidates are particularly encouraged to enrol at AUN because of the numerous scholarship opportunities available. This commitment is further reflected in the university’s recent admission figure, which indicated that the institution enrolled more female students than males, for the first time in its history.”

Freeman said of the scholarships: “I am honoured to support the scholarship for a female student in Dr. Ifenne’s name, and to honour the work she has done with girls and women in Nigeria.”

The duo of Freeman and

Dantata announced the scholarship at the university’s Board of Trustees meeting in Washington DC, in October last year, which took effect from January, this year.

President of the university, Dr. Margee Ensign expressed happiness over the development, saying: “This scholarship support from the Board members - Mr. Jon Freeman and Alhaji Tajudeen Dantata in honour of the work and accomplishments of Dr. Ifenne is extraordinary. We thank our board members and we are going to identify candidates with great potentials that will win the scholarship.

“By providing yearly scholarships in her name, they have recognised Dr. Ifenne's vital work in heath, particularly with regard to HIV/AIDS. We are honoured that, like Dr. Ifenne, Freeman and Dantata have chosen to support deserving students at the university in our commitment to building a better educated Nigeria."

26 EDUCATION

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Accountability key to quality assurance in varsity systems –NUC

Institute partners varsity on research development

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Participants cutting the innauguration cake.

Mojeed Alabi

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o ensure adequate quality assurance and control on the nation’s campuses, the National Universities Commission (NUC), the regulatory body for the nation’s Ivory Towers, said members of staff and students must be prepared to be accountable and take responsibility for their activities.

The Director, Quality Assurance Unit of the Commission, Prof. Chiedu Mafiana, disclosed this in a paper he delivered at a lecture at the Bells University of Technology (BELLSTECH), Ota, Ogun State, where he also noted that to ensure smooth ad-

ministration of the university system, the office of the ViceChancellors and the Registry should ensure cordial relationship with the sole purpose of building a formidable institution.

Mafiana, whose lecture was on: “Registry Operations and Assurance of Quality in the 21st Century Nigerian University System,” said accountability is not all about finances, but the readiness of member of the university community and stakeholders to involve in the administrative system by telling the truth at all times and rendering their services without fear or favour.

Town planners’ council scores FUTA high

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wners and students of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), are still savouring the rating of the Department of Urban and Regional Planning as the Best school of Urban and Regional Planning in Nigeria for the year 2013, by the Town Planners Registration Council of Nigeria (TOPREC).

The Council in a letter to the university and signed by its Registrar, Mr. I. M. Yunusa, said that “the Council as the statutory regulatory body concerned with the regulations of standards, training and skills of individual members and the

entire organisations within the town planning sector, is satisfied with the quality and academic standard of the institution and ranked it the best in the 2013 accreditation exercise.”

According to the Council, the department, which is in the School of Environmental Technology, became the best in the league of accredited schools during the year 2013.”

The award, the Council said will be conferred on the university on July 17, in Abuja during the 27th induction ceremony of newly Registered Town Planners in the federation.

FUTA VC, Adebiyi Daramola (3rd from left) with the Dean, School of Environmental Technology, Prof. Julius Olujimi, and other members of the council.

“What we need to grow a university system that can favourably compete with the global standard is for the Registry to work closely with the ViceChancellors without hoarding any piece of information that could be relevant to the institutions growth and development.

Besides, academic records must be preserved to ensure that they are not doctored, before we talk about finance which should seeing as also sacrosanct.”

According to Mafiana, who hinted that in a recent study carried out by the NUC, the Commission would require the sum of N1.3 billion yearly for the accreditation exercise of the 129 universities (public and private) in the country, however urged institutions to establish quality assurance units to be manned by qualified personnel and to work closely with the examination and records departments, in order lessen the NUC’s accreditation burden.

The event, which was the maiden edition of the university's Registry's yearly lecture series, was described by the host Registrar, Mrs. Oluwayemisi Gbadebo, as a capacity building training for members of administrative staff of the institution.

The lecture attracted Registry Departments of other institutions and their representatives including the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB); Crawford University, Igbesa, Ogun State; Crescent University, Abeokuta; and the Redeemer’s University, Mowe, Ogun State, among others.

The high point of the lecture was the inauguration of the university’s branch of the Association of Nigerian University Professional Administrators (ANUPA), which was presided over by Mrs. Oyeyinka, a former President of the association.

f plans by the Engineering Materials Development Institute (EMDI), Akure, Ondo State see the light of the day, research development at the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko (AAUA), Ondo State, will soon receive a boost.

The institute, an engineering firm which specialises in manufacture of research materials, building hydro-power generating machines, interlocking blocks and other installation equipment, has spoken of its readiness to partner the university on research development.

A team of the institute conveyed the firm’s plans to the university during a visit by the team to the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Femi Mimiko.

Expressing the firm’s partnership initiative, the Acting Director of EMDI, Mr. Dr. Olusume, an engineer, said firm was ready to partner the university, especially in the areas of fabrication, design and procurement of equipment and facilities.

He said: “We will like to partner with Adekunle Ajasin University. We have equipment, we can advise and we can supervise project machines, which would build the students’ confidence in the areas of instrumentation and fabrication.”

The team was received on behalf of Mimiko by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Rotimi

Ajayi, who expressed optimism at the initiative, stating that the collaboration would go a long way to further facilitate and trigger research-driven goals of the institution.

“Since the university may not have all the equipment and facilities to effectively carry out its research oriented goals, partnership with organisations such as this will go a long way to further augment research development and the university’s dream of setting up an instrumentation unit,” he added.

The Dean, Faculty of Science, Prof. Victor Olumekun, who led the delegation to the management, said partnership with EMDI would engender breakthrough in scientific research and development in the university, especially in the Faculty of Science, Department of Physics and the Centre for Research and Development.

Mimiko

School owners on relevance of sports in child’s development Mojeed Alabi

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he Director, Grandmates School, Mr. Olusola Adepoju, has advised schools owners to use sports as a tool of enhancing physical fitness and mental alertness of pupils.

He gave the advice during the 10th Biennial inter-house sports fiesta of the school, which took place at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Isolo, Lagos, saying the schools could only nurture talents if opportunities were given to the children to exhibit and display their talent.

Towards this end, the Director noted that there is the need for the government to partner private schools by providing facilities that would enable the children display their sporting talents.

However, Mr. Saheed Aremu, who chaired the ceremony, hinted that there is the need for children to showcase their latent potentials in a gathering such as

this, adding that there is God-given talent deposited in each child and which needs to be harnessed.

He urged parents and guardians to encourage their children and wards to participate actively in sporting activities, adding that schools should encourage and participate in activities that could develop the affective and psycho-motor domains of the children.

According to the Chairman of Ejigbo Local Government Area of the state, Mr. Kehinde Bamigbetan, “to build total children, school owners must set a day aside in which children will set aside their academic work to attend to the demand of their physical well-being.

He said: “School inter-house sports competition will go a long way to produce good and responsible leaders, team players who listen to the yearnings of the people and respect their feelings.”

CAMPUS | EDUCATION 27

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Celebrations galore at UNILORIN students’ week Hameed Muritala UNILORIN

Tedder Hall wins UI students’ union league Hammed Hamzat

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his year's edition of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) Students’ Union Week was celebrated amid pomp and ceremony with various interesting programmes and activities packaged to enhance an atmosphere of fun, merriment devoid of the usual academic pressure on campus.

Tagged: “Have Fun while You Study,” the week was declared open by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Abdulganiyu Ambali, at the university auditorium, while the theme of the week-long celebration was: “I am young. I am the future.”

In his address, the Vice-Chancellor noted that the youth of today could only become leaders of tomorrow if they are readers today, adding that the youth should imbibe the culture of reading.

Represented at the event by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor in charge of Academic, Prof. Bayo Lawal, the Vice-Chancellor pointed out that the youths are the foundation and future of any country, noting that an illiterate youth will not become a leader in the modern world.

“If you are not a reader, you cannot be a leader. If you are not a reader, you are not the future.

The first person you must lead is yourself. When you lead yourself well, you will be able to lead others right,” Ambali said.

However, the Vice-Chancellor urged the students to develop the two 'Cs’ of leadership, which are Competence and Character, explaining that competence would lead to better capacity and capability, while character will produce confidence devoid of pride.

He also challenged them to always strive to be the best in their chosen fields of study by improving on their strength and tackling their weaknesses, even as he noted that this was the only way in which they could become future leaders.

While welcoming guests to the event, the Sub Dean, Students’ Affairs, Dr. Abdulraheem Yusuf, advised the students to intensify efforts in order to succeed where others have failed, as well as purge themselves of the failure mentality common among the youth.

He stressed the need for students of the university to see themselves as future leaders of tomorrow giving the stable academic calendar and quality of academic programmes offered by the institution.

He said: “No matter how bad

BRIEFS

UI

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Some of the students in secondary school uniforms during the back to school day.

things could be, your concepts are success, strength, victory, love, care, concern, happiness and belief; no one will tell you who and what you can be; no one will tell you what you can or cannot be; belief will change your world, you will change your country. History will remember you; you will define yourself and write your own praises.”

In his remarks, the President of the union, Lawal Ahmed, hinted that the Students’ Union Week was organised to improve the lives of the students, encourage peaceful co-existence on campus, and improve social responsibilities and a healthy lifestyle among students.

Lawal said the union deemed it fit to propagate love and unity among the students, adding that as citizens of the country, the students believed that “the event

would encourage the exhibition and promotion of cultural heritage of various ethnic groups in the country.”

Each day of the week was marked with different fun-filled activities and dress codes including corporate dressing, cultural attire, colour riot and old school dressings. Other activities include games, exhibitions and cultural displays, cooking and eating competitions.

To trill the students and their guests was a popular singer - May D - at the university stadium with his exciting performance.

One of the most interesting competitions at the event was the eating competition, which was won by a female 400 Level Microbiology student, who ate 10 wraps of fufu a local cassava delicacy within four minutes to

edge out her other male contestants.

For winning the competition, she went home with N10,000 cash prize, while her first runner up, who is also a female student got N5,000 cash.

Back to school day, was another interesting activity during the week, in which students dressed in their different secondary school uniforms to bring back the old memories of their secondary school days.

Other high point of the weeklong celebration was forum organised by the union, where the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof. Samuel Olorundare, addressed the students.

The week was supported by Diamond Bank, First Bank, Verve, UNILORN Water and Microfinance Bank, as well as Passion for Peace Initiative.

Nsukka cult group kills UNN student, two others Victoria Ewoh Lead City

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embers of violent rival secret cult groups in the university town of Nsukka, (Vikings and Black Axe) recently engaged in what could be described as a violent clash leaving three people including a first year student of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Ebuka Asogwa dead.

Others killed by the cult groups during their violent activities include a driver with Enugu State Transport Company (ENTRACO) and a cult member.

Eye witness reports revealed that the ENTRACO driver was an old member of one of the cult groups, but at Achara Road

UNN VC, Okolo

in Nsukka, an unidentified cult group member shot one Ndubuisi Eze (aka Tafa) dead.

Investigations revealed that the deceased Ndubuisi had been on the wanted list of the other rival cult group for over two years, and had fled from the town over

an alleged involvement in several killings, kidnap and robbery, among others.

He was alleged to have sneaked into Nsukka having fled Enugu and unknown to him the other rival group had ambushed him at Nsukka.

Ndubuisi was said to have gone to charge his phone but on his way back to his house around 7 p.m, a group of men accosted him and shot him.

But, sensing danger, he was alleged to have run with the gunshot wound, but the gang ran after him to a point where he fell down, and they pumped several bullets into him and beheaded him and placed his head behind his lifeless body while the killers fled.

t was celebration galore last week when the Mode FC of Tedder Hall won this year’s edition of the Students’ Union League of the University of Ibadan (UI).

No fewer than six teams from different halls of residence of the nation’s premier university participated in the students’ union league, which was declared open on January 29, by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Isaac Adewole at the Maracanna Stadium, Nnamdi Azikiwe Hall.

While declaring the soccer competition open, the ViceChancellor stressed the need for students to actively participate in sporting activities as a way of showcasing their talents.

According to the organisers, the Students’ Union League was sponsored by the Chairman, House Committee on Public Fund of Oyo State House of Assembly, Mr. Olusegun Olaleye and supported by Dr. Sofela of the Department of History of the university.

UNIABUJA students protest poor power, water supply Victoria Ewoh Lead City

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aw and order were thrown to the winds last week at the University of Abuja (UNIABUJA) when over 1,000 students of the institution, who had gathered as early as 8 a.m that fateful day, barricaded all the access roads leading to the Senate Building and classrooms, chanting war songs.

The students were protesting what they described as poor power and water supply to the campus.

According to the protesting students, the protest had become necessary as a result of the failure of the university authorities to provide electricity and water at the permanent site of the university for more than three months.

A student of the Theatre Arts Department, Mike Ajeoja during a chat with NAN, recalled that there had been no water and electricity supply to the hostels at the permanent site of the university for the past three months.

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EDUCATION | CAMPUS bri efs

Madonna varsity alumni equip blind students

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

OAU students honour Aregbesola

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n line with its commitment to affect lives positively and give back to the society, the Lagos State chapter of the Madonna University Alumni Association (MUAALAG) has reached out to the inmates of the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind in Oshodi, Lagos.

Speaking during the charity visit to centre, the President of the association, Gerald Obakhume noted that the visit is in line with the motto of the association, which is to show the light.

His words: “This will be our initiative taken towards the society as a humanitarian approach and our commitment to the society by assisting people who are visually impaired. We believe in saving and serving mankind as an expression of love for God. By helping the needy, we desire to dedicate our small efforts towards repaying a fraction of what we are getting from the society back to the society.”

The association donated guide sticks, writing frames and stylus, midget, packs of Brail paper to enhance and empower the students in their training and education.

Commending the association for its support, the President of the Vocational Training Centre for the Blind, Sola Ogunsiji represented by the Librarian, Clement Obasoro said that the centre, which was established in 1956, has trained over 2,000 blind men and women to acquire skills in Braille Writing and Reading, Typewriting, Handicrafts, Telephone Switchboard Operation, Computer Operation, Mobility Skills, Tie and Dye and various Crafts necessary for job placement in Industry or for selfemployment.

He lamented, however, that the path for people with special needs, is still lined with thorns and hardship as not much support comes from the government.

“Apart from support of philanthropists, corporate organisations such yours and religious bodies, among others, we have no subvention of any kind from either state or federal government,” he said.

Some of the students also expressed gratitude to the association, stressing that they need the help of everyone to be fully integrated into the society at the end of their training at the centre.

Salami (left) while presenting the award plaque to Aregbesola.

Sikiru Akinola, Kemi Busari and Afees Lasisi OAU

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bafemi Awolowo University (OAU) chapter of the National Association of Public Administration Students (NAPAS) has honoured the Osun State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola with a merit award in public administration.

The honour, according to the students, was bestowed on him, in recognition of the efficient manner with which the governor has managed the limited resources accruable to the state, and the ethical values currently being imbued in the people.

The award ceremony, which was held as part of the activities marking the maiden National Summit of Public Administration Students of Nigerian Universities, and hosted by the Department of Public Administration of the university, was attended by voer 35 ivory towers across the country.

The host President, Leye Oderemi, who hinted that the selection of the governor for the award was not chosen based on pecuniary gains, lauded Aregbesola for ensuring that peace returned to the state through successful engagement of the youths.

He said the massive transformation in many parts of the

state especially in the area of infrastructural development, propelled the decisions of the members of the association in arriving the choice of the governor.

Responding, Aregbesola expressed delight at being counted worthy for such award, noting that his administration has enjoyed tremendous support from the people of the state right from their voting centres, and that it would have been absolutely irresponsive of him to have neglected the people in his administrative programmes.

The governor, who hinted that Osun State has the least unemployment index in the country, said the state scored

three per cent and the second state on the list has 28 per cent unemployment index rate.

He said: “We are equally second in poverty reduction. When you rate these, you find out that Osun is the state with the best human development index in the country.”

While saying that there is no household in the whole Osun State which has not benefitted from his administration’s programmes, Aregbesola blamed the lack of coordinated administration at the national level as reason why Nigeria and Nigerians appear luckless.

His words: "The inexcusable administrative deficiency is the reason youth unemployment is mounting without any sensible intervention from the government at the centre.

It is the reason youths who thronged out to seek jobs a few weeks ago got avoidable deaths and injuries in return. It is the reason hugely unimaginable sums disappear from the common vault."

While welcoming the governor to the university, the Vice-Chancellor, Professor Tale Omole, represented by the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), Professor Ayo Salami, lauded Aregbesola for his constant visit to the university.

The don, who stressed that the institution is proud of his achievements, however, appealed to the governor to continue to support the institution in all ramifications.

At EKSU convocation, UN urges Africans to embrace change

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he Director of the United Nations Institute for Development and Planning, Dakar, Senegal, Mr. Adebayo Olukoshi, has challenged African leaders on the need to take the responsibility in driving the change of growth and development in a way that it will serve the collective desires of the people.

Olukoshi, who was represented by Professor Akinyemi Atere of the Federal University, Oye Ekiti made the appeal in his lecture at the 19th Convocation Lecture Series of the Ekiti State University (EKSU), Ado Ekiti.

According to the guest lecturer, such efforts will go a long way in assisting the African continent to develop and catch up with other developed economies of the world.

He said Africa has paid a high price for failure of leadership in its long history starting

...As ex-minister pledges to lift varsity

Aina, VC

from the large scale capture and enslavement of its people, and therefore stressed the need for visionary and responsive leadership in Africa for the continent to move forward and be well positioned in the global economy.

The lecturer, however, challenged the present and upcoming generation to make the necessary corrections, saying

in doing so they would have turned the table of underdevelopment, indignity and pain that has bedeviled the African history.

He added that African continent must embrace the process of change currently unfolding globally and that leadership in Africa must avoid corrupt tendencies and selfish agenda, with a view to embracing the love of the citizens by paying priority attention to the welfare of the masses.

In another development, the Chairman of the university’s newly inaugurated Board of Advancement Centre, Prince Julius Adelusi-Adeluyi, reiterated the board’s commitment to assist the institution by facilitating its international recognition and overall development.

Adelusi-Adeluyi made the

pledge during the inauguration of the board, which took place at the institution’s Council Chamber, describing members of the board as eminent personalities selected from various walks of life, who are ready to deploy their intellectual, economic and political connections to support the university’s drive for greatness.

According to him, members of the board would mobilise their resources and those of their friends and colleagues towards attracting meaningful support for the university.

The former Minister of Health under Interim National Government of Chief Earnest Shonekan, added that the University Advancement Centre would invite and ensure participation of influential donors and philanthropists towards the realisation of the vision of the Ivory Tower.

CAMPUS | EDUCATION 29

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Bank donates 33-seater bus to NYSC

Ajasin varsity partners group Memorandum of UnderAfacilitate standing (MoU) that will the build a 200-bed

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space female hostel and address the problem of inadequate students hostel confronting the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko, Ondo State (AAUA), has been endorsed with Akoko Development Group (ADG).

The Registrar, Mr. Bamidele Olotu, who signed the MoU on behalf of the university management, praised the group on eminent Akoko people for partnering with the university in its desire to be 21st Century compliant.

Olotu appealed to the group to construct the hostel building according to the Master Plan of the university.

While explaining the modalities for the project, the spokesperson of the Group, Chief Felix Ayegbusi, noted the hostel would be built on Build Operate and Transfer (BOT) basis, an arrangement which would allow ADG to build and operate the hostel for 25 years.

he management of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) scheme has taken delivery of a 33-seater bus donated to the scheme by Diamond Bank Plc. While presenting the keys to the vehicle to NYSC DirectorGeneral, Brig. Gen. Johnson Bamidele Olawunmi, the Executive Director, Northern Business of the Bank, Mr. Oladele Akinyemi, said the gesture was in demonstration of Diamond Bank’s support for the NYSC in fulfilling its mandate of empowering future leaders as well as fostering unity in the country.

The handing over ceremony took place at the NYSC headquarters in Maitama, Abuja.

Akinyemi, who described Diamond Bank as a leading player in the nation’s retail banking space, said: “Diamond Bank is very interested in contributing

Nurudeen Yusuf Temilola LASU

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he LASU fee hike is one of the greatest challenges that have continued to confront Lagosians and indeed every Nigerian in the last three years.

Thus, the call for superior arguments and proposal for the reduction by Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola, the Visitor to the university, whose administration increased the fees from N25,000 three years ago and whose administration in actual fact has been inflexible to change.

Following the seemingly endless crisis in the university, in 2011 the Lagos State House of Assembly passed a resolution leading to the setting up of a Visitation Panel to look into all the issues that nearly tore LASU apart.

In the report of the Visitation Panel, recommendations were made to the government on way forward. But unfortunately, the government-led by Governor Fashola was selective of those recommendations that favour his administration. A classical example of this is Section 4.0 on the Term of Reference (iii), particularly at Section 4.0.2 paragraph (g) where the panel recommended the "increase in the budgetary allocation to the university using the UNESCO benchmark of a minimum of 26 per cent of the annual budget of the state to be expended on education."

L-R: Events Analyst, Etisalat Nigeria, Matina Ogbebor; VC, Anambra State University, Prof. Fidelis Okafor, and Etisalat Analyst for Youth Market Segment, Michael Nwoseh, during a visit to the VC in his office.

its quota towards national development. And one of the ways in which we have chosen to do this is by supporting the NYSC. We have done our homework and we have noticed several areas where we can assist the scheme and one of such areas, is in providing a means of transportation for its members of staff and corps members.

“Another area that we intend to look closely into is empower-

ing corps members. This is not a one-off event as we will continue to look for ways in which to partner the NYSC to ensure that the scheme continues to empower the future leaders.”

While responding, the NYSC Director General lauded the management of the bank for the gesture, noting that the donation was part of the bank’s response to the Federal Government’s clarion calls to the

private sector to support the NYSC scheme in its operations and development.

He said of the donation: “The idea of corporate social responsibility is for corporate entities to give back to society. That is exactly what Diamond Bank has done today. We are especially appreciative because they have risen to the challenge from President Jonathan for the private sector to support the NYSC.

LASU: Open letter to Fashola Considering the class and social status of members of the panel, that suggested fees increment in the university, they are people who could afford the 'Outrageous Fees'. Not even one of them could be said or classified as belonging to the middle class, as they have their wards in the world’s top private universities such as Harvard University.

Meanwhile, LASU is meant for Lagosians, which in real fact a larger part belongs to the lower class.

In the statute that provides for the establishment of LASU, Section 3 provides for the objectives of the university to: "to provide ready access for citizens of the state in particular to higher education regardless of origin, social status or income". It therefore suffices to say that the law in extant words provides that LASU is meant for the people without prejudice to social status or economic standing.

Thus, the university when established by Chief Lateef Jakande administration over three decades ago, the idea of the free education was no longer restricted to primary education, but also to secondary and tertiary education.

Looking at the population of Lagos State, with more than six million population, over three million prospective students are transiting, but in which the tertiary institutions cannot ac-

Fashola

commodate more than 100, 000.

And despite this, LASU is being priced out of the reach of the people. But if LASU is for the people as originally planned, it must be affordable. This is a state where the per capital income of an average Lagosian is around $100 month (approximately N16,700). How do we expect the wards of these people to access tertiary education, when in reality, a degree is not almost enough to earn good livelihood.

Your Excellency Sir, I will want to quickly digress a little to consider all that were summed up in the fee before we arrived at N193,750, N223,750, N248, 750 and N348,750 respective depending on faculties. Teaching Practice is N15,000. For the purpose of clarification, teaching practice is a service rendered by our students to public secondary schools in Lagos. Like Housemanship for Medical Students, we are meant to be paid for rendering these services and not to pay to the man-

agement or government.

Assuming but not conceding to the fact that quality education is determined by how much you can afford, as it was argued by Governor Fashola that: “a lawyer trained with N25,000 cannot compete globally with his counterpart in the United Kingdom trained with 9,000 Pounds.

"We make bold to say that there is no correlating co-efficient in any way between the price and quality education. A case in point is not far from us.

Your Excellency, you are a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the highest rank that can be conferred on a lawyer practicing in Nigeria and you had your university education at the University of Benin, Nigeria at a little or no amount. Only a few lawyers are conferred with SAN whether or not they are trained in Harvard, Oxford or Jupiter even if not on this planet earth.

Let us at this point bring to your notice that University of Helsinki, Finland is the First in Finland and 76th in the world and it is tuition-free.

On enrolment trend, before now, LASU used to be a university of first choice. At present, the reverse is the case. Students that did not choose LASU as one of their choice now choose LASU as the last alternative after they might have not been offered admission in other universities. At LASU today, we now have third

and fourth round of post-UTME exams after rigorous advertisements. The enrolment trend has dropped drastically from 4,570 in 2006 to 1,416 in 2014.

From the above illustration, the government is paying dearly for it. By under-utilising the infrastructure and human resources at LASU, the Lagos State Government is paying more. The same fixed overhead cost such as salary, that can be used to effectively train 4,500 students is being used to train 1,000 students. As studentship drops, it doubles the cost incurred per student. Assuming Lagos State Government spends N700,000 on 2,000 students, the cost will now increase to N1.4 Million, if the number of students drops to 1,000 whereas we are entitled to 5,000 students going by the NUC quota and the university's carrying capacity. With the 1,000 the university is admitting presently, the remaining 4,000 slots are lying fallow.

In conclusion, the university’s Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of Council, Mr. Bode Augusto recently said the new fee is not enough to pay salaries for three months as LASU requires N900 million a month to survive. Also the Vice-Chancellor, Prof Oladapo Obafunwa has said at different fora that the infrastructural development in LASU has nothing to do with the fee hike. Now the question is; why the fee hike in LASU? lNurudeen is the President-Elect, Lagos State .

University Students' Union

30

EDUCATION

LECTURERS' FORUM

Why students fail mathematics

Wike

Aliagwu Matthew

M

athematics, one of the core subjects offered in secondary schools, appears to be dreaded by many students, who see it as the most difficult subject, and consequently few are able to obtain a credit pass in the subject.

The mass failure in the subject has always generated heated argument while blames are heaped on the door steps of both the teachers and schools.

Each examination year when the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) and the National Examinations Council (NECO) release the results of the Senior School Certificate Examination (SSCE), the performance in the subject has always been worrisome and embarrassing to school managers and the teachers, as well.

There has been series of arguments about why students failed the subject. It was argued that teachers of Mathematics are unqualified, indolent, and incompetent and therefore, parents or government should not expect wonders and miracles to happen.

Right now, there seems to be undue pressure on teachers of Mathematics both at public and private schools. In some states the government has tried to promote teachers to the level of success in this subject. Despite this, some teachers have found themselves in a tight corner only hoping for the best to happen. The writer is not in any position to apportioning blames on persons or any organisation, but to find a solution to these daunting challenges before us.

In the first place, it should be understood that mathematics is a study and science of numbers and so demands absolute concentration, attention, and hard work. Besides, mathematics is a sequential subject which means that the knowledge a student gained becomes a platform upon which the subsequent topic must be built. For example, in mathematics without the basic understanding and adequate attention of a topic called simultaneous equation, there is no way a student can have a proper understanding of partial variation when such topic is taught in senior classes. This is because the knowledge in this topic will enhance and facilitate a student’s understand-

ing in partial variation, and interestingly, the topic - simultaneous equation, is taught in Junior School (JSS) III class. Students, who find themselves in this manner, can hardly make progress in the study of mathematics, because it demands full concentration and attention in the class.

Apart from this, most students do not pay adequate and serious attention to the study of the subject. Mathematics is not a subject a student thinks he or she can study on his or her own.

No, a student needs a good and experienced teacher to teach the subject to a logical conclusion. In mathematics class rapt attention is demanded so that as the teacher gives step by step approaches in solving problems and the students are not left out in the scheme. When a student does not pay due attention to the solving methods and approaches, he or she will find the study of mathematics very difficult. But sad enough, what we find today is that students channel reasonable proportion of their time to doing something else that will not add value to their studies, thereby undermining their strength in mathematics. In an atmosphere such as this, there is no way students can gain sustainable understanding of what the teacher is teaching. This has always been a general challenge facing teachers of mathematics in public and private schools. It must be stressed here that no matter how potentially a student may be endowed, lack of required attention can incapacitate the student’s learning processes and ability.

The success of everything we do is a function of reasonable measure of hard work, and therefore for a student to do well in mathematics it demands some degree of hard work. After Mathematics class, a student may not be one hundred per cent good at the topic taught, however, with persistent and consistency in practising and solving Mathematics equations or problems following the steps and methods taught in the class, no doubt students with such right attitude will definitely excel in the study of mathematics. Teachers and professors of mathematics are no ghosts; they are human beings and students who develops right attitude to be like them will do well in the subject. It is worrisome that at home, most students do not study mathematics and as time goes they tend to lose completely the desired passion for Mathematics.

Another reason why students failed mathematics is lack of interest in the subject. I discover that students do not want to involve in anything that will stress them and this accounts for low enrolment in science subjects, especially at secondary school level today. lAliagwu Matthew is a teacher at Kingfisher College, Akute, Ogun State

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

EDUPEACE with Mahfouz A. Adedimeji (08066372516, sms only)

The 21st century illiterates

I

n his book, “The Third Wave”, Alvin Toffler tells us who the illiterate people of today are. According to him, “the illiterate men of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” Thus, if you cannot unlearn and relearn in today’s world, you are, regardless of your degrees and diplomas, an illiterate!

Illiteracy, meaning having little or no education, is rife in our society and we have a good number of “educated” bigots who cannot unlearn the prejudices they have been filled with and relearn afresh.

With today’s reality, you will agree that “effectively, we are in the season of illiteracy”, as Reuben Abati wrote in The Guardian article of May 4, 2001 (p. 43) during those years of innocence.

The crises and problems facing Nigeria, as a microcosm of the world, are rooted in this illiteracy. We have learnt so much but we have not unlearnt the wrong things we have accepted as a fait accompli. We have all been fed with lies by mind manipulators that we hold pervert opinions and wickedly negative views of one another.

One of the things I used to enjoy was reading people’s reactions and comments to news and articles on popular news sites. I stopped at a stage because of the nauseating level of crass illiteracy displayed by many of the commentators.

Rather than address issues, our 21st century illiterates are character assassins.

The cyber attackers don’t just attack opinions, they attack personalities, their ethnic groups, their religions and traditions.

Virtually all our ethnic groups have various ways of denigrating others. The essence of good education is to break away from such traits and unlearn our ethnic chauvinisms. There was a fatal accident involving an articulated lorry and a commercial vehicle on Ilorin-Ogbomoso road a few years ago. The person who told us in Ilorin said it was a tragic accident that claimed seven lives…and three Malas (Mallams). To him, the Malas were sub-human, so their death was an after-thought, and certainly not part of the original number!

One of the most common errors of reasoning is generalization. Everyone has heard such sweeping generalizations as “the Hausa are aggressive”, “the Igbo are materialistic” and “Yoruba are disloyal”. If you ask the illiterates who say such things how many of the people they generally denigrate they had interacted with, they would guffaw. They hold on to such banalities though they might not have been close to any.

Even intra-ethnic animosities exist without any empirical reason. The Ibadan are thieves; the Lagosians are fraudulent; the Ilorin are treacherous; the Ijebus can commit any atrocity for money. We have been fed with all these

The agenda is to stoke violence and set people against one another noodles of lies and we have attitudes and prejudices that shape our relationships, including marriages. We have to unlearn all this rubbish and clear our hearts and heads of mental cobwebs.

We have people who have created an industry out of lampooning adherents of other religions. Islam, for example, has been called all sorts of names by those who haven’t the faintest idea about it.

Huge investments have been committed to giving it a bad name perhaps because it is the fastest growing religion in Europe and America. The agenda is to stoke violence and set people against one another.

We must reject the arm-chair dichotomization of people into good guys and bad guys. No one people are all good; no people are all bad.

I was before an American class some few years ago at the South Side of Chicago, Governors State University precisely.

I displayed a big map of the world on the white board and pointing to different parts of the world, I asked the graduate class their feeling. The Chinese are these; the Arabs are that; the Russians are bla bla, they all said. I was shocked when I pointed at Africa and they chorused HIV/AIDS. I was only expecting to hear corruption! And those were graduate students.

I asked the class how many of them had been to the places and people they were quick to lampoon and judge negatively. None of them had stepped out of the US. I then reinforced the theory of phenomenology I was illustrating and the need to relearn and unlearn part of what books, media and movies were making us to believe.

In phenomenology, a philosophical and communication theory, human beings only come to understand the world through their direct experiences. The actual lived experience is the basis of reality as there is no reality without experiencing it. The way things are is the way they are experienced. The basic principles of phenomenology are three: (a) knowledge is conscious; it is not inferred, it is directly found; (b) the meaning of a thing is made of the potential of the thing in one’s life and (c) language is the vehicle of meaning.

In order to make our lives meaningful and peaceful, we must make conscious efforts to unlearn the prejudices we have been made to harbour against the other.

We must always learn, unlearn and relearn. This is how to cure the illiteracy of the 21st century. l Dr Adedimeji is a Senior Lecturer and Acting Director, Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies, Unilorin.

BUSINESS WEDNESDAY, APRIL 9, 2014

WHAT'S NEWS ECOWAS investment code, policy validated A special delegation of the organised private sector and other stakeholders within West Africa have validated the draft ECOWAS Investment Code and Policy, with minor amendments, in one of the key steps towards the adoption of the instruments necessary for the effective commencement of the regional Common Investment Market (ECIM).

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APCON orders arrest of Samsung manager, others for illegal practice Product manager, Samsung, Mr. Manomahan Chandroth, Marketing manager of MultiChoice Nigeria, Akinola Salu, Head DSTV Media Sales, Kholeka Maringa are some of the people said to have been arrested by the police for illegal practice on the orders of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

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CPC, NCC set to check abuses

In a firm determination to bring succor to groaning telecom subscribers in Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), have constituted a joint committee to work out modalities to assuage consumer abuses in the telecom sector.

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Nigeria at crossroads over cargo transshipment to Niger Until 2006, about 70 per cent of Niger Republic cargo were transited through Nigerian seaports as against the current zero per cent.

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

ACQUISITION FBN Capital Limited helps Seven Energy to acquire East Horizon Gas Company Limited with $170million finance facility.

Segun Edwards

S

even Energy International Limited, with its whollyowned subsidiary- Accugas Limited, consummated a $170 million medium-term acquisition finance facility with FBN Bank (UK) Limited and Ecobank Nigeria Limited.

FBN Capital Limited is acting as structuring bank, sole initial mandated lead arranger, financial modelling bank and global facility coordinator, and would help Seven Energy to acquire East Horizon Gas Company Limited (EHGC).

The 5.5-year period facility also involved Aluko & Oyebode as lenders’ legal counsel; Royal Haskoning DHV Nederland BV represented the lenders on environmental/technical due diligence matters, while UUBO and Addleshaw Goddard acted as the borrower’s local and international legal counsels respectively.

The facility part-finances the acquisition of the entire issued share capital of EHGC for a total consideration of $250 million.

EHGC was established by Oando Plc with the intention of constructing and operating an 18-inch, 128-kilometre gas pipeline that connects with the Obigbo-Alscon pipeline at Ukanafun to supply gas to an industrial off-taker located in Mfamosing, Cross River State, and to meet the needs of other industrial users in the Calabar

CHUKS ONUANYIN, Energy NNAMDI AMADI, Reporter

}p-39

AYODELE AMINU, DEPUTY EDITOR, BUSINESS

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

region.

But Seven Energy’s acquisition of EHGC has already been adjudged as being in line with its strategic plans to expand its gas infrastructure assets in the south east Niger Delta.

Through its assets and subsidiary, Accugas, Seven Energy has some infrastructure projects in the region, including a gas processing facility at the Uquo Field and a gas pipeline network, which will have the capability to

supply gas in the Port Harcourt, Aba and Calabar areas.

Chief Executive Officer, Seven Energy, Phillip Ihenacho, said: “This is a landmark transaction for us. We are delighted to expand our midstream operations in Nigeria with this investment. It is a perfect fit to our strategy of investing in core midstream infrastructure assets in the south east region of the country. I would also like to thank the entire team for their

achievement in bringing this important financing transaction to a close.”

The Chief Financial Officer, Seven Energy, Bruce Burrows, also commended the banks for their support and, in particular, their dedication to ensure that the completion of the EHGC acquisition process was in line with the sponsors’ timetable.

Burrows also lauded FBN CONTINUED ON PAGE 32

L-R: Assistant Vice President, Private Banking, First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited, Alero Adollo; Group Managing Director/CEO, Mr. Ladi Balogun and Consul General, Italian Consulate in Lagos, Mr. Stefano De Leo; at an exhibition organised by Loro Piana, in Lagos

Nigeria-India trade hits $16.5b

B

ilateral trade between Nigeria and India has reached $16.5 billion, the Indian Deputy High Commissioner to Nigeria, Shri Suresh Makhijani, has disclosed.

He disclosed this in Enugu at the weekend at a ceremony to mark the Indian Embassy Day at the ongoing 25th Enugu International Trade Fair.

Makhijani noted that India

had become Nigeria’s largest trading partner with strong market presence in pharmaceutical, information technology, steel, power transmission equipment, transport and agricultural.

The deputy high commissioner expressed optimism that the figure would be surpassed in the current financial year.

“Rapid growth in Indian in-

vestments in Nigeria in such sectors as power, manufacturing, fertilisers and textiles is visible,” he said.

President of the Enugu Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ECCIMA), Dr. Ifeanyi Okoye, said that the participation of India at the fair would offer opportuCONTINUED ON PAGE 32

Rates Dashboard

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

www.newtelegraphonline.com/business

Seven Energy, FBN Capital, others seal $170m acquisition deal

WOLE SHADARE, Aviation Editor CHRIS UGWU, Capital Market Editor

NEW TELEGRAPH

NIGERIA RECORDS 92% IMPORTS, 8% EXPORTS IN SIX YEARS

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 April 4)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N172 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N286 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N236

EXCHANGE RATE

(Official As at April 4)

USD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N156.74 Pounds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N259.01 Euro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . N214.32 Source: CBN

32

BUSINESS | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

ECOWAS investment code, policy validated INTEGRATION Documents to aid regional business growth approved by private sector operations.

Jonah Iboma

A

special delegation of the organised private sector and other stakeholders within West Africa have validated the draft ECOWAS Investment Code and Policy, with minor amendments, in one of the key steps towards the adoption of the instruments necessary for the effective commencement of the regional Common Investment Market (ECIM).

A regional investment code and policy has been proposed to remove obstacles to doing business and provide efficient and effective regulatory framework to promote healthy competition and growth of the private sector in West Africa.

According to details made available to New Telegraph on Monday at the end of a threeday meeting in Abidjan, Cote

d’Ivoire, the stakeholders applauded the two documents, saying they met the required principles and standards that would ensure a conducive and competitive environment for successful private sector operations in the region.

ECOWAS said that the key objective of the regional Investment Code and Policy is to “entrench an investment friendly environment for both domestic and foreign investment to enhance the structural transformation of member states economies in order to create wealth, improve incomes and reduce poverty, while deepening regional economic integration.”

The ECOWAS Commissioner for Industry and Private Sector Promotion, Mr. Kalilou Traore, and the Director of Private Sector, Mr. Alfred Braimah, expressed satisfaction with the private sector stakeholders contributions to the regional instruments.

The economic body said that the benefits of a coordinated investment cooperation programme include increased investment from both within and outside ECOWAS sources

Seven Energy, FBN Capital, others seal $170m acquisition deal C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

Capital’s role, particularly in working closely with Seven Energy, the lenders and the various independent consultants in concluding the transaction.

Also commenting on the deal, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of FBN Capital Limited, Mr. Kayode Akinkugbe, said: “FBN Capital is very proud of the instrumental role it played in assisting Seven Energy to structure and arrange the financing for the acquisition.

“FBN Holdings Group feels a strong sense of responsibility towards fostering growth

in the power, gas pipeline and oil and gas sectors and we will continue to deploy our extensive debt arranging experience and structuring expertise in executing robust transactions in record time.”

The Director and Head of Debt Solutions, FBN Capital Limited, Patrick Mgbenwelu, said: “We appreciate the responsibility and trust Seven Energy has placed with FBN Capital to advise and arrange the financing for the acquisition of EHGC. FBN Capital remains committed to further strengthening this relationship and supporting Seven Energy in realising its various financing goals and objectives.”

Nigeria-India trade hits $16.5b C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 3 1

nities for cross-fertilisation of ideas.

The envoy added that it would encourage exchange information and enlightenment for better understanding of immense business opportunities to link Nigerian business men with their Indian counterparts.

Mikhijani added: “We do believe that forum such as this will further provide inherent opportunities to boost trade and investment among the nations and their people.

“I have no doubt that this forum will yield expected result that will be beneficial and impactful.”

and freer flow of capital, skilled labour, professionals and technology between member states.

The meeting was attended by President and Chief Executives of Chambers of Commerce of

Member States, the President of the ECOWAS Federation of Business Women and Entrepreneurs (FEBWE), ECOWAS Commission officials and resource persons of the Code and

Policy drafting Committees, among others,.

SidiKone opened the meeting on behalf of Cote d’Ivoire’s Minister of African Integration and Ivorians abroad.

Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala (left), cutting a tape to commission the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS) training centre in Abuja yesterday. with him is the acting Executive Chairman of FIRS, Alhaji Kabir Mashi.

GANG-UP Formation of OARAN is capable of sending outdoor advertising practitioner out of business Dele Alao

T

he Ogun State Signage and Advertisement Agency (OGSAA), Ekiti State Signage and Advertisement Agency (EKSAA) and Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA), among others, are said to have confirmed their interests in the proposed formation of Outdoor Advertising Regulatory Association of Nigeria (OARAN), being spearheaded by the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA).

Many industry observers contend that the coming on board of OARAN is another at-

Ogun, Ekiti others set to stifle outdoor advertising tempt to further cripple the outdoor advertising business worth over N120 billion in Nigeria.

“You will recall that the formation of LASAA in 2006 sent many practitioners out of business. Going by this antecedent, there is no doubt that the proposed Association of Outdoor Advertising Regulatory Association of Nigeria will further stifle the sector,” a practitioner, who craved for anonymity, said.

Investigations show that many outdoor advertising practitioners are uncomfortable with LASAA’s move.

LASAA had, in a recent report, said that the planned association was to protect the

interests of outdoor advertising regulatory agencies.

The proposed body would help promote a sustainable economic growth in a vibrant outdoor advertising sector.

LASAA noted that outdoor advertising regulatory bodies were faced with similar challenges, including the decline of out of home advertising spending due to competition from the internet, radio and TV. “It is important to have a platform which allows for idea sharing, protection of industry interests and a general collaboration for sustainability in the emerging world,” LASAA boss, George Noah, said.

Enterprise Bank unveils product for SMEs

E

nterprise Bank Limited has announced the introduction of a new product called ‘Enterprise Boost Account’ to boost the growth of Small and Medium Scale Businesses (SMSBs).

The bank said the move was in line with its desire to continually satisfy the aspirations of its customers.

The product, according to a statement, was designed to immensely reduce the cost of doing business, given the great environmental challenges that

SMEs face in their operations.

Some of the challenges include unstable power supply, poor transportation systems and paucity of skilled manpower, among others.

“The Enterprise Boost Account is in two major categories, namely, Classic Boost Account and Premium Boost Account with opening balances of N20,000 and N50,000 respectively.

“While the Classic account is targeted at SMSBs with annual turn-over of N240 mil-

lion, the Premium Boost account is for businesses with annual turn-over of N480 million,” the statement explained.

Other benefits of the new product are access to a MasterCard debit card, free monthly e-statement of accounts, flexible account management, own company’s website at a discounted rate, access to short/long term loans, internet and mobile banking facilities as well as wide network of branches nationwide.

BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET 33

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Are Nigerian investors ready for demat?

Oscar Onyema

CERTIFICATE Delay in conversion to electronic format worries operates.

Chris Ugwu

D

ematerialisation, known in financial parlance as demat, is the conversion of a share certificate from paper form to electronic form for the same number of holding, which is credited to the demat account an investor opens with the Central Securities Clearing Systems Limited (CSCS) through a licensed Stockbroker or a Depository Participant (DP).

It is a process by which the physical share certificates of an investor are taken back by the company and an equivalent number of securities are credited in electronic form to the depository.

When share certificates are reduced to electronic form, it will be difficult to steal and the process of getting it to the shareholders as soon as an offer is completed will be faster just as the issue of being lost in transit would have been overcome.

Market infractions have taken a hard swipe on the growth of the Nigerian capital market. These infractions include stealing of share certificate, refusal by registrars to send share certificates to shareholders immediately an offer is concluded and the stockbrokers’ requirement for certificate verification before an investor sells his shares in any company.

Financial analysts had lauded the efforts of the regulators in introducing the system, noting that the concept, which will discourage the use of share certificates, will go a long way in closing doors for infractions that result from fraudulent operators in the market.

They noted that the system would give Nigerian shareholders confidence in the market as they can now make

Aruma Oteh

their investment decisions and go to sleep.

Awareness campaign In a move to reinforce the initiative, the apex regulatory body – the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) had set up a Share Certificates Dematerialisation Committee headed by the Chairman, Association of Stockbroking Houses of Nigeria (ASHON), Mr. Emeka Madubuike, to ensure a smooth exercise.

The committee had also submitted a comprehensive report on how to successfully execute the dematerialisation process. A nationwide enlightenment programme was to follow so that many investors would be educated on the benefits of share dematerialisation.

SEC’s Director General, Ms. Arunma Oteh, had said that the nationwide awareness was necessary following the resistance of the dematerialisation policy by some shareholders due to lack of knowledge of its benefits.

She said that the policy had many benefits and should be embraced by all shareholders, hence the need for more awareness to be created.

She reiterated that asset transfer from one investor to the other would be much easier in a dematerialised market.

Madubuike, at the 2012 annual workshop of Capital Correspondent Association of Nigeria (CAMCAM), had decried the low level of compliance by investors since the idea was mooted by the regulators.

He noted that the sensitisation became necessary to ensure that the current active investors rise to about 70 million.

“We want to have education forum in all parts of the country beginning from the first quarter of next year to help sensitise investors on the importance of having their share certificates dematerialised. Now that the market is recovering, it is high time all stakeholders tie up every loose end. The

whole objective is to ensure that market remains an investor’s heaven.

Madubuike noted that the most protected investors are the educated ones, adding that there was the need for investors to be educated. ASHON, he explained, was also trying to help educate investors to know that capital market is not a short-term trading platform. Besides, he noted that investors need to understand the risks involved in investing and other options available in the market.

Managing Director, Central Securities Clearing System Limited (CSCS), Mr. Kyari Bukar, recently disclosed that appreciable numbers of share certificates in the Nigerian capital market (NCM) have been dematerialised. He stressed the need to step up an awareness campaign to educate Nigerians on the need to dematerialise their share certificates.

Operators’ concerns However, market operators have expressed worry for delay in the takeoff of the nation-wide enlightenment campaign.

A source close to the Exchange linked the delay in the awareness programme to lack of funds, saying SEC was managing its meager resources to keep afloat due to its zero-budget allocation.

“Going by the recommendation of the committee, by now, the nationwide enlightenment campaign ought to have started.

But without funds, such a programme can’t be executed,” the source who craves anonymity noted.

The Chairman of Progressive

A nationwide enlightenment programme was to follow so that many investors would be educated on the benefits of share dematerialisation

Shareholders Association of Nigeria (PSAN), Mr. Boniface Okezie, described the Exchange’s share certificate dematerialisation project as a mirage.

Okezie said it was odd for the NSE to say that in January 2013, it would commence dematerialisation of share certificate when most investors are not aware of the plan.

He explained that for the effectiveness of the campaign, the SEC and NSE should organise ‘road shows’ across the country, make use of television and radio jingles in various local dialects and place advertisements in newspapers to enlighten the investing public on the dematerialization of share certificates before going ahead to implement it, with the consent of the investors.

“SEC as an apex regulator should be able to initiate the enlightenment programme in conjunction with the NSE to educate investors on why they should lodge or domicile their share certificates with the CSCS. In the course of enlightenment exercise, the advantages of electronic system should be highlighted and if there are disadvantages, it should also be made known to investors,” he added.

Okezie said that for Nigerians to embrace the programme, there is the need to go on road shows, use campaign jingles on radio, television and place campaign advertisements in newspapers. It doesn’t cost much.”

He added that if this can be done, no one would have the moral justification to complain thereafter when the dematerialisation is being implemented.

Whatever may be the outcome at the end of the day, no one will apportion blame as they would have done their homework.

Okezie however stated that it is a popular policy, if it is well articulated because it is meant to fast-track transactions and has a lot of advantages or benefits to the investors. He added that it would quicken business transactions in the capital market.

34

BUSINESS | ECONOMY

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Nigeria’s N80.2trn GDP: The implications, the challenges Abdulwahab Isa ABUJA

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espite Nigeria’s rebased Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which has catapulted the country to jump 12 places to become the world’s 24th biggest economy, the new figures revealed that Nigeria’s external position is not as strong as the old GDP series suggested.

For the first time in two decades, Nigeria had, last Sunday, rebased her GDP, which increased from $258,555.58 to $509.9 billion or N80.22 trillion, making the country to beat South Africa to become the biggest economy in Africa.

This translates to $2,688 per capital income and depicts an increase from the N42.3 trillion estimated before the rebasing. Nigeria was previously rated 37 in the world with a GDP of $258,555.58.

Basically, rebased GDP numbers imply that the level of economic activity is much higher than previously reported.

It indicates a clearer picture of Nigeria’s economic landscape and the significant opportunity for growth and wealth creation in the economy.

But what does all these translates to?

For Renaissance Capital (RenCap), an international research and investment company, the new figures means that Nigeria’s external position is not as strong as the old GDP series suggested.

The challenges The nation’s external reserves, which stood at about $37.8billion as at last Friday, has suffered a decrease of some 18.7 per cent from 2013 peak and 8.9 per cent fall from last December level.

RenCap, in a research note, stated that Nigeria’s higher GDP has led to a drop in the current account surplus to 5 per cent of GDP, as against 9 per cent previously.

“We think this means Nigeria’s external position is not as strong as the old GDP series suggested. This is negative, especially given the $11billion Year on Year (YoY) drop in Foreign Exchange (FX) reserves,” the firm stated.

It also thinks this may lead to more aggressive revenue mobilisation by government and possibly “implying upside risk to taxes.”

Acknowledging that Nigeria’s rebased GDP is on a par with that of Poland and Belgium and ahead of Argentina, Austria and Iran, RenCap, explained that the rebased GDP puts Nigeria’s fiscal position stronger. “To us under the new metrics – the budget deficit/GDP and public debt/GDP for 2013 fall to 1per cent (vs 1.8 per cent previously) and 11per cent (vs 20 per cent), respectively. This means the government has more room to borrow, which is positive for infrastructure development – in turn positive for the cement companies.

“The GDP rebasing also implies a drop in fiscal revenue/GDP to 14 per cent (vs 26 per cent) – significantly lower than the Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) average of 26 per cent, which will draw attention to

President Jonathan

Dr. Ngozi Okonjo Iweala

Nigeria’s narrow revenue base outside the oil sector,” the analysts observed.

They, however, noted that the banking penetration is much lower in Nigeria than East Africa’s, adding that the economy will now more closely reflect the sectoral distribution of the banking industry’s loan book. “Higher GDP implies that Nigeria’s banking penetration is lower than the previous GDP series suggested and that the gap between Nigeria’s and East Africa’s bank penetration is even bigger than we thought.

“Kenya’s loans/GDP of 38 per cent is almost double that of Nigeria, at 21 per cent (vs 38% pre-rebasing).

“This explains why retail banking in Nigeria is at a nascent stage and behind that of East Africa. We think this means the banking sector’s growth potential is even greater than we initially thought,” stated RenCap. Also, food producers are closer to attaining pricing power. The near-doubling of Nigeria’s per-capita income implies food producers may be closer than we thought to the pivotal point beyond which they have pricing power, according RenCap’s consumer index.

There is no doubt Nigeria’s economy has witnessed fresh entrants especially from the informal sector, which invariably, contributed to enhance the rebasing.

Coordinating Minister for the Economy and Minister of Finance, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, in her preliminary remarks last Sunday, attested this much.

She said that the exercise was more comprehensive than previous ones as the number of economic activities reported in the GDP computation framework increased to 46 compared with 33 in the previous series. Other activities, which were included in the computation framework included entertainment, research, patents and copyrights.

Ironically, results of the rebased GDP, which confirmed the robustness of the Nigerian economy, coincides with a report by the World Bank, which listed Nigerians amongst the poorest in the world.

The global bank had, last week, in its latest report, listed Nigeria and eight oth-

er counties, which included DR Congo, Tanzania, Bangladesh, Ethopia, India, China, Indonesia, Pakistan and Kenya as harbouring extremely poor people.

However, just as neither an individual nor group had challenged Nigeria’s new GDP robust figure, everyone, including government officials, did not fault the World Bank report.

But the CME, which responded to the World Bank report, did a clarification, saying that Nigeria was not in isolation in the poverty realm.

The rebased GDP exercise, which had been embarked upon by NBS for several years was assisted by respected Nigerian economists including Professor Olu Ajakaiye, President of the Nigerian Economic Society, Professor Akpan Ekpo, Dr. Ayo Teriba and others. Other notable institutions that played active role include the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, the African Development Bank and other partners.

Speaking on the development, OkonjoIweala said: “We did not set out to become the biggest economy in Africa. We set out to measure how much the economy has changed. And that is the outcome. Becoming the largest economy on the continent is a positive development, but it is not destination. The knowledge derived will help us make better policies to grow the economy and create jobs for young Nigerians.”

She noted that “Nigerians had worked hard to make the economy the largest in Africa and they should be proud of the feat. But it is also a challenge and an opportunity. The results of the rebasing

A rebased GDP provides more accurate data on the economy to enable policy makers make informed decisions and policy choices to tackle social problems like poverty and unemployment

exercise will not make the challenges of poverty and unemployment disappear overnight, but the better understanding of the structure and changes of the economy will give us better tools to grow the economy and tackle poverty and unemployment.”

Ambassador Bashir Yuguda, Supervising Minister of the Ministry of National Planning, underscored the credibility of the rebasing exercise, which he said was rigorously and professionally executed by a team of local and international experts. “It is a thorough job and we are pleased with the results. The results will empower government to do more for the Nigerian people.”

In his presentation before the audience, Statistician-General of Federation, Dr. Yemi Kale, spotted the service sector being the fastest growing sector. He said that service sector was expected to grow by an average of 7.72 per cent followed by industry, which is expected to grow by 7.9 per cent while agriculture is expected to grow by an average of 2.61 per cent during the period.

He noted that the rebasing indicated possible yield arising from diversification of the economy, adding that Nigerian economy has changed significantly, leading to a decline in the share of agricultural sector and a rise in the share of services in nominal GDP. Analyzing the 1990 nominal series, he said that agriculture contributed 30.3 per cent to the GDP, while industry contributed 46.1 per cent and services 23.6 per cent. According to the rebased 2010 series, in nominal terms, the share of agriculture has declined to 24 per cent. The share of industry to country’s GDP has also declined to 25.8 per cent, while the share of services to the country’s GDP has increased to 50.2 per cent.

The number of economic activities accounting for 70 per cent of nominal GDP has risen from three to six after rebasing.

In 2013, the six activities would include crop production, trade, crude petroleum and natural gas, telecommunications and information service, real estate as well as food, beverage and tobacco.

Benefits Rebasing will afford government the opportunity to acquire the required tools to tackle the challenges of growing the economy and fighting poverty.

If government could collate, understand and interpret data correctly as well as identify key areas of economy that require change, policy prescriptions and direction are more likely to respond to the real needs of the Nigerian economy.

Also, a rebased GDP provides more accurate data on the economy to enable policy makers make informed decisions and policy choices to tackle social problems like poverty and unemployment.

The exercise will provide significant support for the growing pool of investors just as it is expected to boost Nigeria’s financial market ratings as investors show greater interest in the economy.

BUSINESS | BRANDS & MARKETING 35

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

grabs APCON orders arrest of Samsung USP new business manager, others for illegal practice M OFFENCE Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria wields the big stick on illegal practitioners.

Dele Alao

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roduct manager, Samsung, Mr. Manomahan Chandroth, Marketing manager of Multi-Choice Nigeria, Akinola Salu, Head DSTV Media Sales, Kholeka Maringa are some of the people said to have been arrested by the police for illegal practice on the orders of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON).

It was gathered that the apex advertising regulatory body commenced the arrest and prosecution after several sensitisation visits to advertising establishments and warning notices to illegal persons in advertising practice.

Act 55 of 1988 empowers APCON to arrest and prosecute persons not registered by it to practice advertising in Nigeria.

The crackdown on illegal practice, which resumed last week, took the enforcement team of APCON to advertising agencies and media organisations identified as employing unlicensed persons. The offenders were said to have been invited for questioning by the police.

Police investigation is the first step in the process of prosecution of illegal advertising

persons.

APCON Chairman, Mr. Lolu Akinwunmi, at an event last year, had stated that the body would begin the full implementation of the advertising laws in continuation of its reforms agenda, which it started a few years ago.

He expressed concerns that despite efforts by the regulatory body to sanitise the industry in tune with global standards, some practitioners were yet to imbibe the good governance culture in the industry.

He said: “It is unfortunate that some even still practice advertising without duly registering with the body, while some registered members still fail to submit their communication materials to the body for

vetting before exposure.

“The laws guiding all these are there in the first place, and what we are going to do as from January 1, next year (this year) is to begin to implement them.

We believe if the industry is to move forward, those rules guiding the practice of advertising in the country must be respected by all,” he added.

Meanwhile, APCON has pledged its support for creativity.

The regulator said it will encourage all accredited institutions to send a team to participate in the Roger Hatchuel category to enable the winners represent Nigeria at the Cannes Festival next year.

The Registrar/Chief Executive Officer of APCON, Alhaji

Garba Bello Kankarofi, said that such support had become imperative to enable the industry harness its young creative minds that would elevate the country’s status at the Cannes Festival.

He noted that the country had come a long way in the last six years as evident by the improved level of awareness and participation by practitioners.

“Six years ago, Nigeria trailed behind Ghana’s 15 delegates at the Cannes Lions Festival with less than five delegates. Last year, Nigeria had over 50 delegates at the festival.

This shows improved level of awareness. APCON, as a regulator, has taken this up as a challenge and we are glad it is showing positive results,’ he added.

L-R: Executive Director, Heritage Bank, Adeniyi Adeseun; Lagos State Commissioner for Science and Technology, Adebiyi Mabadeje; Chief Executive Officer, Lagos State Security Trust Fund (LSSTF), Fola Arthur-Worrey and Executive Director, Ivory Banking, Heritage Bank, Mary Akpobome, during the donation of motor bikes and an Hillux van to LSSTF by Heritage Bank in Lagos.

BrandiQ partners 2C Associes on African Cristal Festival PARTNERSHIP BrandiQ partners 2C Associes to mobilise advertising practitioners for 2014 African Cristal Festival.

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igerian Marketing magazine, BrandiQ, is partnering with French event company, 2C Associes, to ensure quality publicity and maximum participation of Nigerian advertising practitioners at the African Cristal Festival, an annual event dedicated to promoting creativity in the marketing communications industry within the African continent.

Tagged ‘Pan-African summit for media and communication, the African Cristal Festival is scheduled to hold between May 26 and 28, 2014 in Nairobi, Kenya.

With this partnership, BrandiQ is expected to bring its full support to 2C Associes by publicizing the event and mobilising marketing communications practitioners across the West-African sub-region.

In a statement, Award Manager, African Cristal Festival, Anna Abudikhina, stated that “in a region undergoing such tremendous changes and brands are becoming an essential part of the African identity, the African Cristal Festival stands as

the first summit for media and communications dedicated to the African continent. This event aims to bring together the entire media and communications industry to network and promote regional culture and growth through dedicated competitions, conferences and debates.”

This year’s festival is coming after the success of the first edition held last year in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. The International Cristal Festival has been previously held in Courchevel, France, for 13 years, and Mzaar in Lebanon (MENA Cristal Festival) for nine years with successes recorded in all events.

The first edition of the African edition in 2013 started with

seven competitions, namelyfilm cristal, radio cristal, outdoor cristal, press cristal, integrated cristal, media cristal and digital and mobile cristal.

More segments are expected to be added this year. With over 450 campaigns entered for last year, the African Cristal Festival has become a true reference in advertising awards.

The festival is recognised in local and international circles.

This second edition of the event takes place over three days in East Africa- Safari Park Hotel and Casino, Nairobi, Kenya and will focus on jury presentations, competitions, showcasing of the best creative campaigns, conferences and workshops.

idwestern Oil and Gas Company Limited, owned by the Delta State government and a group of Nigerian entrepreneurs, has appointed USP Brand Management to handle its branding and communications requirements.

USP Brand Management Consulting Company emerged winner of the business ahead of other contenders which cut across full services advertising agencies and brand consultants - who contested for the enviable Oil and Gas business.

The Muyiwa Kayode-led brand management company has responsibility for the company’s corporate branding strategy, logo and website presence implementation.

Midwestern Oil and Gas Limited is the operator of the field in a strategic alliance with SunTrust Oil Company Nigeria Limited and Matt Energy Services Limited.

Meanwhile, the 2013 edition of the annual USP Brand2Wealth seminar for SMEs, a corporate social investment initiative of USP brand management, has continued to receive kudos from participants and sponsors.

The seminar, which was themed: “Branding your business for wealth creation” was held at the Shell Hall, Muson Center, Lagos and it featured as keynote speaker, Mr. Lere Baale, a consultant strategist with years of solid experience in strategy, marketing, business management and organisational effectiveness.

As one of the highlights of the seminar, the Brand Clinic segment availed business owners the opportunity to ask questions from the panelists and the keynote speaker.

Similarly, Mrs. Sumbo Adeleke, CEO, Hayloft Limited, Egbeda, Lagos, a SME participant, won the raffle draw which automatically entitled her company to a one-year free brand consultancy services from USPB Brand Management.

According to the organisers, the seminar sponsored

by Bank of Industry (BoI) and Emzor Pharmaceuticals, had 300 participants and “they all returned to their businesses more enlightened, fulfilled and also with free copies of the book, Seven Dimensions of Branding, written by the CEO of USP Brand Management, Muyiwa Kayode, and a certificate of participation.”

36 BUSINESS | BRANDS & MARKETING SAFEGUARD CPC and NCC move to save telecom subscribers from abuses.

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n a firm determination to bring succor to groaning telecom subscribers in Nigeria, the Consumer Protection Council (CPC) and the Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC), have constituted a joint committee to work out modalities to assuage consumer abuses in the telecom sector.

Chief Executives of the two organisations, took the decision recently when the Director General of CPC, Mrs. Dupe Atoki, visited the Executive Vice Chairman of NCC, Dr. Eugene Juwah, at the Commission’s headquarters in Abuja. The committee has two weeks to come up with its recommendations.

Mrs. Atoki, while taking her crusade for a better deal for Nigerian consumers of telecom services to the commission, said time is rife for the operators to shift from their often highlighted challenges to making efforts at assuaging the feelings of mil-

CPC, NCC set to check abuses

lions of their displeased consumers over poor services.

She commended the NCC’s EVC for initiating fines against offending operators in line with his organisation’s enabling law, adding that moves must henceforth be made beyond the fines to ensuring that consumers get value for their money.

She said: “The fines are legal and we do not dispute, but we want to move this beyond fines to see what we can do to ensure that consumers get value for money,” noting that “what comes out from our side is that the operators use the challenge of doing business as a reason why they cannot give value for money.

“From the consumer side, we say it is not fair because if providers are in business and are making profit and that profit emanates from the resources that consumers put into that business, as long as they are in business, it means it is profitable, as

long as no operator has filed for bankruptcy, it means business is good. Therefore, in the light of the above, the concern for CPC is: How do operators plan to assuage consumer complaints?” she added.

Mrs. Atoki told the NCC’s EVC that “we do have common challenges in the sense that as the regulator in the telecom sector it has come to light and you have said several times that the telecom providers do not meet the Key Performance Indices (KPI) set for them, which has led you to, on several occasions, use your powers to fine them, which we applaud.

She said further that “from our side, as the protector of consumers, what we believe the operators should be thinking about is, at the minimum, how to refund the unused airtime that subscribers have paid for which, due to whatever reason, has not given value for money.”

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Marketers harp on young talent for success DISCUSS Marketers identify young talent as a key factor to achieve marketing success.

Dele Alao

M

arketers should populate their teams with young talents to survive in the fragmented media space and ultimately effect change in the boardroom, according to marketers from Nokia, Microsoft, TUI and British Airways.

Speaking at the Marketing Week on the topic: “What makes a modern marketer,” marketing director at Nokia UK, Adam Johnson, said that marketers need to accept that they are no longer their target audience and should build a team that reflects the customer demographic. Otherwise brands can become “totally out of-sync” with their target audience.

He said: “Working in technology is a ridiculously fast-paced industry and if you miss an innovation break, as Nokia has done over the last three or five years, then you almost miss a generation in terms of under-

standing how they consume media. The thing I’ve learnt is to surround yourself with young people to stay on top of those habits.

“Otherwise you get driven in certain areas by your media agency, for example, or use your own consumption habits to make decisions. You have to surround yourself with people who are going to be challenging you with new ideas. It’s about learning how to keep on top of new media channels and how I can influence my global colleagues about new ways to build consumer demand,” he added.

Fellow panelist, marketing strategy and planning manager at British Airways, Victoria McIvor, echoed the sentiment and added that a wider knowledge of the business is key to those marketers hoping to become leaders.

She said: “Marketers need to have the generalist skills to be able to understand what areas like finance, legal, sales and customer services are doing. You need that wider knowledge in order to get ahead. It’s not about needing to be a specialist or a generalist. You need to do both if you want to lead a business.”

PR professionals discuss ‘Advancing Africa’

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L-R: Manager, High Value Loyalty & Retention, Nkechi Ajih; CEO, Bluebird Communications, Mr. Ogunmefun Adekunle; CEO, Base Concepts & Designs, Mr. Ademola Okulaja; Managing Director, Rahamaniyya Group of Companies, Capt. Dare Adeyemi Francis and Head, Public Relations, Airtel Nigeria, Mr. Adefemi Adeniran, at Airtel HQ, during the presentation of free round trip tickets to winners in Airtel Premier Club Royalty Rewards recently.

Lafarge Cement fetes distributors

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afarge Cement WAPCO Nigeria PLC has honoured its trade partners for their collaborative and supportive efforts with various gift items.

The trade partners were rewarded during the company’s annual customer award ceremony held recently in Lagos.

Speaking at the event, which is the 9th in the series, the Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer, Lafarge WAPCO Nigeria Plc, Mr. Joe Hudson, said the company views customers as formidable partners and major contributors to its success story.

“Personally, I consider the Customers Award ceremony

as a major corporate event. As our ambassadors in the market, I need to congratulate you for associating with, and dealing in products that add value in every sense of the word. Do not be deceived, discouraged, or dissuaded by some negative campaigns on the pages of newspaper in recent times.

You owe yourselves and your teeming customers who you have been serving for ages now to stand firm, and protect your businesses,” he said.

He added: “I personally believe that in quality and innovation, we are the clear leader in this nation. As an International

company with such long heritage in Nigeria, we also have great integrity to do ethical business, we want to be a shining light for how to do business in a right in this country, to make sure we to do well and we want to partner with you.”

On the contributions to Nigerian economy, the managing director/chief executive officer, who noted that the company believed in both economic and social growth, said: “Aside our corporate social investments in our communities, we have also initiated programmes that combine commercial impact with social progress."

ublic Relations professionals in Africa under the aegis of African Public Relations Association (APRA) are set to meet in Mauritius from May 27 to 31, 2014, to discuss “Advancing Africa.”

The event is already endorsed

by The African Union Commission.

In a letter addressed to Mr. Peter Mutie, Apra President, the Deputy Chairperson of the African Union Commission, His Excellency, Mr. Erastus Mwencha said: “The AUC commends Apra’s several initiatives at selling positive Africa and is happy to be associated with your organisation. The commission looks forward to yet another fruitful conference in Mauritius.”

The African Union Commission has been working closely with Apra since the staging of the maiden edition of the Apra Summit held at the New Hall, African Union Headquarters, Addis Ababa, in 2013 as part of AU at 50 activities.

This conference which will attract over 500 delegates which cuts across different communication sectors and professional groupings, attempt to evolve a

cohesive communication initiative, ‘Campaign Africa,’ for the continent thus making it a must attend for any discerning communication practitioner in Africa.

It is expected that the outcome of its deliberations will be forwarded to the Summit of Heads of Government of the African Union for ratification.

The conference will witness the inaugural Apra Pyramid Awards for Professional Excellence and Outstanding Leadership. The Professional Excellence category is strictly in recognition of professional work, while the outstanding leadership category will be presented to deserving recipients nominated by members, who through their activities, have projected Africa in positive light.

Apra has, therefore, formally called for entries from qualified practitioners from March 21 to April 20, 2014. Some of the award categories include most outstanding PR campaign of the year, most outstanding PR company of the year and most outstanding PR practitioner of the year.

BUSINESS 37

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Terminal operator tasks customs, others on service delivery IDENTIFICATION Concessionaire identified ports authority, other stakeholders in the service delivery chain Stories by Bayo Akomolafe

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Railway tracks under rehabilitation

Fuel, containers haulage by railway in shamble It was an historic ceremony when the Nigerian Railway Corporation flagged off the freighting of containers from Lagos Port to inland container depot in Kano. Its first fuel haulage to the same destination was celebrated but it failed to yield results, BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports.

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n August last year, the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) commenced haulage of containers from the Lagos Port Complex in Apapa to Kano State with 40 containers twice in a week.

A few weeks later, the corporation began epileptic haulage with 20 containers from AP Moller Terminal to Kano dry port.

It was learnt that the first container haulage which began in August did not get to the destination as programmed

due to bad tracks.

Investigation revealed that some of the tracks built during the colonial era are weak and could no longer accommodate heavy loads.

It was also revealed that the General Sanni Abacha regime awarded contract for the rehabilitation of the tracks in 1995 to Chinese Engineering Construction Company (CECC).

Sources alleged that the contract was poorly executed and curiously, 10 years after, the contract was re-awarded to the same company.

Miffed by this development, the petroleum marketers who built their tank farms along the rail track in Apapa based on an agreement sealed with the corporation, could not lift their cargo to the hinter land.

A few weeks later, the corporation began epileptic haulage with 20 containers from AP Moller Terminal to Kano dry port

It would be recalled that NRC and Oando had sealed a deal to transport black oil from Kaduna to Lagos in 2004 on an average of 14 tank-wagons. The haulage was short due to the same problems.

In 2012, the corporation muted another idea to commence inter-state and interregional fuel haulage in the country having recorded little success on cement inter-state haulage from Ogun to Kwara for Lafarge. The corporation had taken delivery of 20 pressurised wagons for this purpose. The wagons are in NRC yard in Ebute-Metta lying idle.

Also, the NRC spokesman, Mr. David Ndakotsu, noted that an agreement had been signed with a company for the weekly haulage of its bran and wheat flour from Lagos to Kaduna under the programme.

He explained that about 436 tons of the products are expected to be freighted weekly from Apapa to Kaduna.

Ndakotsu said in Lagos that arrangements had been concluded to transport containers from APM Terminals at Apapa Port to container depots in Kaduna and Kano.

in Can Island Container Terminal (TICT) has charged customs, immigration and other relevant government operatives to work round the clock to achieve quick turnaround time of vessels and delivery of cargoes.

TICT’s Managing Director, Mr. Yehuda Kotik, urged strong cooperation among major players in the service delivery chain at the seaports as a way of enhancing efficiency in Africa.

He identified the ports authority, terminal operators, trucks operators and others as critical stakeholders in the service delivery chain.

In a paper presented on ports and infrastructure developments in African ports at the just concluded 12th Intermodal Africa 2014 exhibition and conference held in Lagos, Kotik said that the ports authority which was saddled with the responsibility of controlling ports gate and maintaining the ports must do its job while terminal operators must provide sufficient cargo handling

equipment, internal roads and computerised gates.

He said that the basic infrastructures, such as good road networks, effective rail system and the trucks used in getting the cargoes to their destination must be in good shape.

Kotik added that poor infrastructural development would affect effective service delivery while good infrastructure would improve the quality of service delivered at the port.

He said that TICT was fully compliant with provisions of the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code, adding that the terminal was highly secured such that there had not been any recorded case of theft there since 2006.

According to him, TICT adopted ISPS to ensure that there were no losses as a result of pilfering within its operational base inside the port.

“Since the take-off of operation at the port, we have not recorded any theft; not even a pen has been declared stolen. Being ISPS-compliant, we have intelligence monitoring technology systems to ensure that cargoes are secured,” he said.

He disclosed that the company’s security integrity and infusion of technology into its work had sustained its annual throughput of over 400,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) containers.

IMO advocates tight port security to reduce stowaways

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he International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has advocated tight port security to reduce stowaways which costs the global maritime industry huge loss.

The International Group of P&I Clubs has put the annual cost of all stowaway cases worldwide at approximately $15.3 million.

At the IMO Regional seminar on stowaways in West and Central Africa held in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, it was noted that stowaways have access to port facilities and do go onboard ships.

The organisation noted that security and port facilities should be strengthened to reduce the incidence of stowaways in West and Central Africa agreed.

Participants said if this

could happen it means any person with criminal intentions could have access to the port and ships as well.

Over 50 stakeholders, 31 of whom were funded by IMO’s Technical Cooperation programme, attended the seminar.

Also, immigration officials from the 12 most frequent ports of embarkation of stowaways from major ports of Benin, Cameroon, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo were identified by the International Group of P&I Clubs.

Representatives of the Côte d’Ivoire Maritime Administration and other local stakeholder agencies in Côte d’Ivoire attended the seminar as well.

38 BUSINESS | MARITIME

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Nigeria at crossroads over cargo trans-shipment to Niger Port terminal operators have declared that they would not transfer cargo from the seaports to neighbouring landlocked countries except Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is willing to subsidise the transactions which they described as unprofitable venture, BAYO AKOMOLAFE reports

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ntil 2006, about 70 per cent of Niger Republic cargo were transited through Nigerian seaports as against the current zero per cent.

Three countries, Ghana, Togo and Benin, snatched over 3 million metric tons of cargo of Niger Republic from Nigeria.

At present, Niger Republic is shipping about 2.5 million metric tons in Benin Republic, 1.5 million metric tons in Togo and close to a million metric tons in Ghana.

Major imports into Niger Republic, like Nigeria, are mostly consumer goods while the country exports uranium, sesame seed, arabic gum, groundnut and skin through Nigerian seaports in the past.

The country is now also an oil producing country and it looks up to the ports of neighbouring countries to export its crude.

As part of efforts to reclaim the loss, early last year, the Federal Government sent some officials from various agencies to the landlocked country.

Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) led the trade delegation made up of port concessionaires, port administrators, government officials and other shipping service providers to Niger Republic.

The Executive Secretary/Chief Executive Officer of the council, Mr. Hassan Bello, said that the essence of the trade mission was to strengthen trade agreements between Nigeria and Niger Republic to enable Nigerian ports handle more of the import and export cargo of the landlocked country.

He said: “What we are doing is part of the Federal Government’s efforts and the Government of Niger Republic to discharge their international law obligations as coastal and transit state and landlocked state respectively.”

Bello noted that the meeting between the Nigerian maritime industry operators and the Niger Republic business community was facilitated by the Nigeria-Niger Joint Commission for Development (NJJC).

Habib Abdulahi, MD, NPA

Dele

He stated that the council aims to attract up to three million metric tons of Niger Republic cargo to Nigerian ports yearly.

The executive secretary said: “Nigerian ports can do up to three million metric tons annually and up to two thousand Niger Republic-bound containers monthly from our projection.

Don’t forget also that Nigeria has strong diplomatic relations with Niger Republic and an international obligation to landlocked countries around it. We believe the visit will open up a bundle of business opportunities for our ports.

Bello, who assumed the mantle of leadership at the Nigerian Shippers’ Council in December 2012, said that his major preoccupation at the moment was to reinvigorate the council to play its role of trade facilitation.

He stressed: “We are the secretariat of all the shippers in Nigeria – import-

ers and exporters – and we must now begin to really protect their interests.”

But the private terminal operators, under the umbrella of the Seaport Terminal Operators Association of Nigeria (STOAN) have declared that such a venture was not profitable to them Chairman of the association, Princess Vicky Haastrup, said it would be impossible to handle tran-shipment cargo for Nigeria’s landlocked neighbouring countries, saying that it was not a commercially viable venture.

She stressed: “Except the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA) is willing to subsidise the landlocked country’s transactions at Nigeria’s seaports, no STOAN members will have anything to do with their cargoes.”

Haastrup said that the terms and conditions under which NPA handled tran-shipment cargoes in the pre-port concession era were not favourable to

the ports.

She explained that the price, which NPA charged the landlocked countries including Chad and Niger Republic for the handling of the consignments, was ridiculously low and not commercially tenable.

“NPA as a government agency was probably playing the normal ‘big brother’ to neighbouring African countries, but we are private people, we cannot do that Father Christmas for anybody.

“If the landlocked countries are ready to pay the normal rates in cargo handling, we will be very willing to do business with them,” she said.

She said that terminal operators would handle transshipment cargoes of the landlocked nations only if NPA is willing to pay the shortfall in the amount paid by shippers of the affected countries.

Haastrup also remarked that in the past eight years of port concession, epileptic power supply and multiple taxation were killing their investments.

She identified inconsistent government policies as major burdens to their operations.

Due to hostile environment, it was revealed that the country lost a whooping N136 billion in 2013 to diversion of cargoes to other neighbouring ports.

According to the President of the Lagos Shippers Association, Rev. Jonathan Nicole, the country lost N24 billion yearly to vessels clearance delays at the port.

This, according to him, could be clarified with the Union of African Shippers Council.

He noted that over N800 billion went into invisible transactions at the port in the period.

Customs crashes out of maritime competition

T

hree times champion, Nigeria Customs Service, was defeated on Monday by Sifax Group in the first quarter final match of the on-going 6th Maritime Cup competition.

Sifax won 6-5. The match ended 1-1 at full time and had to go into penalty shootout where Sifax scored five goals against Customs' four.

In the second quarter final match, Micura Stevedoring Service defeated Dominion Divine Freight Forwarders to book a place in the semi-final stage of the competition.

Customs qualified for the quarter finals from Group C alongside Dominion Divine Freight Forwarders. At the group stage, Customs had defeated Dominion Divine 2-1 and Nigerian Shippers’ Council 3-0 to top Group C with six points while Dominion Divine emerged group runners-up with three points after also

defeating NSC 3-0.

Micura which qualified from Group A topped the group with four points after beating new entrants, African Circle, 6-1 and playing a goalless draw with Sifax group. Sifax also qualified from the group with four points after defeating African Circle 1-0. Micura, however, topped the group on superior goal difference.

In Group B, ENL Consortium qualified alongside fellow terminal operator, Apapa Bulk Terminal Limited (ABTL).

ENL topped the group with six maximum points acquired from defeating Nigerian Navy 3-0 and ABTL 2-0. ABTL also secured a 2-0 victory over Navy to come second in the group.

National Association of Government Approved Freight Forwarders (NAGAFF) and APM Terminals Apapa Limited qualified from Group D. NAGAFF led the group with six points

having defeated APM Terminals 3-0 and Mickey Excellency 2-0. APM Terminals had three points to emerge group runner up after defeating Mickey Excellency 5-2.

All the group matches were played between Monday March 31 and Friday April 4, 2014.

CG of Customs, Abdullahi Dikko

BUSINESS | MARITIME

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

39

Nigeria records 92% imports, 8% exports in six years DEFICIT Nigeria exports are too low when compared with imports from Asia and Europe Bayo Akomolafe

I

n the last six years, containerised market in Nigeria continues to be strongly dominated by imports.

It was learnt that the import and export ratio remained at 92 per cent import versus 8 per cent export.

Electronics, cars, palm oil, fish, steel, chemicals, used ve-

hicles, base oil, fertilizer, machinery, sugar, wheat and paper, among other goods covering industrial needs and private consumption, remained the dominant items imported into Nigeria.

Some of the exports are agricultural commodities such as cocoa, charcoal, sesame seed, cotton and some foodstuffs.

Most non-oil agricultural exports out of Nigeria were loaded to Europe, followed closely by exports to the Far East.

Provisional data by Maersk Line Nigeria revealed that Nigeria’s export volumes remained small and volatile, depending on agricultural seasonality.

Volumes declined from 11,000 FFE in Q2 2013 to 5,600 FFE in Q3 2013.

In the last quarter of the year, the export market experienced a 68 per cent leap as compared to previous quarter ending the year at 35,000 FFE which is a 9 per cent increase when compared with the full year 2012.

Just within one year, bulk cargo and containerised goods were ferried by 5,185 ships with a total Gross Registered tonnage (GRT) of 131,674,337 gross tons.

According to the Nigerian Ports Authority’s (NPA) Assistant General Manager, Public Relations, Mallam Musa Iliya, dry bulk cargo handled at the

MV Kota Nabil Singapore discharging cargo at Lagos Port Complex, Apapa

MANIFEST Stakeholders demand manifests 48 hours before ship's arrival Bayo Akomolafe

N

igerian Banks have demanded the outright ban of the hard copy of ship manifest.

They complained that the non-electronic copy had contributed to the delay of cargo clearance process and sharp practices at the ports.

The issue was raised at a meeting organised by the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in Lagos to intimate bankers with the new system of the Pre-Arrival Assessment Report (PAAR),

ports in the year was 9,537,447 metric tons, showing a decline of 6.5 per cent from 2012 full year figure of 10,205,339 metric tons.

He added: “General Cargo handled at the ports in year 2013 was 11,964,978 metric tons, indicating a drop of 5.8 per cent from the 2012 full year figure of 12,702,826 metric tons.”

Iliya explained that Lagos Port Complex (LPC) recorded a Gross registered tonnage of 34,466,291 gross tons, showing an increase of 9.4 per cent over the same period of 2012 which was 31,513,987 gross tons. A total of 1,498 vessels were handled in the period under review at the port.

The NPA spokesman added: “Tin can Island Port recorded a Gross registered tonnage of 42,758,161 gross tons indicating 23.2 per cent increase over the corresponding period of 2012 which was 34,703,547 gross tons while 1,725 ocean going vessels were handled at the Port within the period.

“Calabar Port complex recorded a total GRT of 2,792,488 gross tons, showing a marginal decline of 2.8 per cent compared with 2,871,622 gross tons, leaving the port with 197 Ocean going vessels in the period under review.

“Rivers Port complex recorded a total gross registered tonnage of 6,394,270 gross tons, 7.9 per cent drop compared with 6,929,179 gross tons, in the corresponding period of 2012.

447 ocean going vessels were handled within the period under review. Onne Port complex recorded a GRT of 38,967,131 gross tons reflecting a decrease of 7.4 per cent as against 42,062,351 gross tons recorded in the corresponding period of 2012 with 820 vessels in the year under review.”

He noted that Delta Port Complex recorded 6,295,996 gross tons showing an increase of 105 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 3,069,887 gross tons, with 498 vessels handled.

It was an increase of 0.042.6 per cent over the 2012 figure of 76,855,754 metric tons.

Also, 291,824 units of vehicles were handled at the ports, showing an increase of 8.9 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 268,026 units.

In a data released by Nigerian Ports Authority, the container traffic was 1,010,836 twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs), showing a growth of 15.2 per cent over the 2012 full year figure of 877,737 TEUs. Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment handled was 19,341,663 metric tons, indicating a drop of 12.7 per cent from 22,146,908 metric tons of 2012 full year figure.

The ports also handled 19,416,043 metric tons of refined petroleum shipment, an increase of 9.5 per cent over 2012 full year figure of 17,730,727 metric tons.

Bankers seek abolition of ship manifest hard copy The bankers were noted that about 20 per cent of importers still submit hard copy of ship manifest as against the electronic copy which is meant to ease the cargo clearance process.

They explained that the practice by local shipping firms to produce ship manifest in Nigeria is against the rule of shipping.

Also, they argued that the law guiding international shipping emphasised that ship manifest must leave the country of loading 48 hours before departure.

According to Mr. Michael Onwujika of Citi Bank, manual ship manifest must be stopped in order to make the electronic copy more efficient.

He said that some ship manifest were produced by shipping companies and then transmitted to the relevant authorities for onward processing.

Also, Taiwo, a banker, demanded that both the customs and the banks should strategise to ensure that the ship manifests get to banks 48 hours before the arrival of the vessel.

A freight forwarder, Mr. Lucky Amiwero, alleged that some shipping firms commit fraud with ship manifest that are produced in Nigeria.

He alleged that original ship minifests were doctored by the local representatives in Nigeria such that what is originally on the ship mani-

fest is at variance with what is produced by the local shipping firm.

“At the end of the day, what is carried on the vessel is under declared and in the process government is short changed,” he said

However, the Deputy Comptroller of Customs in charge of PAAR real time in Abuja, Mr. Ony Egboma, said that the issue of hard copy of ship manifest had been banned for a long time and remains banned.

Ships expected this week at the Lagos port Terminal

Ship

ABTL ABTL APMT GDLN ENL ABTL APMT ENL APMT APMT APMT

Safmarine Shaba Bregen Daphne Frio Vladivost Xi Chang Hai Desert Oasis Maria Cathrina Globa Brave Irene Remedy MSK Cape coast Westertal

Tonnage Lagos port 5,000 tons 5,500 tons 312 units 2,5000 tons 21,599 tons 47,895 240 units 2,500 tons 650 units 600 units 700 units

cargo Bulk Malt Base oil Containers Fish General cargo Bulk Wheat Containers Bulk Fertilser Containers Containers Containers

40 INTERVIEW

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

George Udeozor: My encounter with

zSpeaks z on his prison memoirs, America Gives, and America Takes George Udeozor, a businessman, author and advocate for penal system reform has published a compelling first-account of his years in prison in Nigeria and the United States after being arrested and convicted on what he claims were politically-driven charges.

His memoirs, America Gives, and America Takes, are, perhaps, the most thought-provoking to have hit the Nigerian market in recent memory. New Telegraph’s Washington D.C. Bureau Chief, MARSHALL COMINS, met him last week for an exclusive interview to discuss his life and work.

George, tell us a bit about your memoirs.

What motivated you to write them?

“America Gives, and America Takes” is my message to a world that often goes silent when the truth does not look as pretty as they think it should.

I was accused of smuggling a young woman from Nigeria to the United States and enslaving and abusing her for my own personal pleasure and financial gain. The allegations were made in the early 2000s when human rights activists and the U.S. justice system were on a prowl, scouring for cases to justify their budgets for their newly declared war on human trafficking. I was arrested in Nigeria and unconstitutionally extradited to the United States for prosecution. Due to the taboo nature of the allegations against me, only the loud treacherous words of my accuser and the louder angry words of my prosecutor were heard.

Nearly all friendly voices went silent.

The few voices of those who stood by me could muster nothing more than a whimper. Although the allegations were virtually entirely false and the culture of the entire nation of Nigeria stood indicted within the charges against me, the government seemed to also catch this fever of silence. Because the government of the day had abdicated its responsibility of examining those charges vis-à-vis the Nigerian constitution and the laws applicable to them but chose judicial indolence by hiding under a contrived extradition treaty with the United States, my hope to find justice took an instant plunge to an untimely death.

Having never entangled with the prison and judicial systems until I was abruptly and unceremoniously injected into both domains, the shock and disbelief of my demise caused me to spend the entire period of my incarceration as though I had been gagged for the entire time. During the same period, however, I resolved to survive my ordeal sober and strengthened sufficiently through the experience to fight the injustices that I witnessed and suffered upon the removal of that gag of silence. It is that promised fight that I have launched in the pages of my book, “America Gives, and America Takes.”

Furthermore, since it was God’s will at my ripe age of 48 years old that fate delt me the blow of prison confinement and since that fate denied me the honour

I had worked so hard for, I decided to turn that blow into a triumph.

What was your life like before you were arrested?

Prior to my arrest, as a naturalised U.S. citizen, I was experiencing a rebirth in three critically vital areas of my life – spiritual, social, and occupational. Following the eruption of the arguments that led to my decision to separate from my wife in the United States, I returned to Nigeria in 1999 to re-establish my consulting and contracting business.

In order to properly prepare myself for the tasks ahead, I needed to recalibrate my life spiritually within my new social surroundings and my new, as yet metamorphosing marital status. Providence became my regent in this period, permitting me a number of rapid accomplishments in all three areas of my rebirth. For the following four years, I worked to consolidate the gains in my life and began fulfilling my promises to my late mother to continue her work of giving back to society. During these years I never gave up the hope or my overtures towards salvaging what remained of my family life.

Why were you arrested?

Three years into our separation, I received news of the allegations of domestic violence brought against my wife by my mother’s godchild who had resided with us in the United States. On December 26, 2004, long after I forgot about the allegations, I was arrested by officials of Nigeria’s Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) without an arrest warrant or any form of due process documentation. I was not made cognizant of the charges against me for a very long time after my arrest. It was an excruciating time.

How long did it take for you to find out what the charges were?

Only after I had spent four months in EFCC custody under unspeakable conditions did a charging document alleging Involuntary Servitude and a U.S. Extradition request surfaced. I was then turned over to the court, which remanded me in prison custody as though the torturous five months that I endured in the EFCC cells had never happened.

From the beginning of my arrest,

Udeozor

When confronted with myriad weighty political problems in an atmosphere of perpetual restiveness and instability, any unwilling leader can easily find plausible excuses not to act... and pass the subject to the next political campaigners EFCC officials attempted ceaselessly to coerce me into signing a due process rights waiver to permit my unconstitutional extradition. They ignored a Lagos State court order for my release, which was based on the grounds that their actions were in violation of my civil rights and kept the pressure on me.

How would you compare your experiences in prison in Nigeria and the United States?

What were the most striking similarities and differences?

I used the word “shock” loosely here

to describe a feeling that had become banal to me whenever I was in my birth country, Nigeria. In reality, little about the conduct or misconduct of law enforcement officers in Nigeria rises to the level of “shocking” to me.

The EFCC official was indeed correct when he reminded me that I was no longer in America. What happened was that at the instant of my arrest, the American in me took over my faculties. I began demanding my due process rights. These armed men who fit only the description of kidnappers wanted me to see them as officers and gentlemen, and I was having none of it. My demands, of course, fell on deaf ears, and I was whisked away to the journey through the world underground – a journey that lasted nearly nine years and changed permanently the course of my entire life.

The major similarities between prisons in Nigeria and the United States are as follows: First, prisons in both countries represent entire worlds apart from the societies in which they exist – they are independent states of sorts, each with their own written and unwritten rules, and governing bodies that dictate how all inmates must live. Second, they represent microcosms of the societies

INTERVIEW 41

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

‘OBJ’, ‘Atiku’ prisoners in which they’re located – each one in sync with the histories and pathologies of the larger society, albeit with fewer inhibitions.

Prisoners care very little or nothing about political correctness.

The most significant differences can be found in the two extremes of the governmental focus of interest and resources in prison. While the rights and welfare of prisoners in Nigeria come in drips and are only offered according to an individual prisoner’s purchasing power, in the United States, the civil and welfare rights of prisoners are provided in such a large scale that the claim of entitlement to them almost reaches the point of obsession. The result is that the average Nigerian prisoner is resigned to apathy whereas the average prisoner in the United States is defiant and cynical.

How long were you in custody in total in Nigeria?

In total, I spent 1,142 days under lockup in Nigeria.

I was struck by your passage about your overpopulated cell at the Amawbia Police Station before you were officially briefed on the charges against you. You have said before that the cell symbolizes all that is wrong and must be changed in Nigeria’s penal system. Could you tell us a bit about your night in the cell?

My overnight detention at the police cell at Amawbia was the most harrowing one night experience of my entire seven-year ordeal. Really, the only thing to say is that not one inch of that cell is fit for human habitation. Yet, despite the wretchedness of the open cell, I was made aware of an enclosure where the cell overlords threw some inmates with whom they’re unhappy. Of the 169 of us housed in the cell, I was not told the number of inmates thrown into that pitchblack enclosure adjoining the main cell.

A good guess would be about 30 souls.

It was to these inmates that others in the main cell referred as the “living-dead.”

Altogether, I spent about 10 hours in that cell.

Where were you mainly imprisoned in Nigeria? Did these prisons have distinct differences in your mind, or would you say that they were mostly the same?

I would say that my near 38 months in prison in Nigeria were spent in four facilities. The first facility was the police cell at Amawbia where I spent only one night. At the next facility, the EFCC cell on Awolowo Road, I spent about two months. Next was the EFCC cell on Okotie-Eboh Street. I spent another two months there before I was finally remanded in prison custody at Ikoyi Prison. Although the police cell at Amawbia and the two EFCC cells were similar, the police cell was the worst facility by far on account of its filthy, dangerously unsanitary conditions and obscene crowdedness. Although overcrowded as well, Ikoyi Prison, where I spent 34 of my 38

months in detention in Nigeria was the only facility of the four designed and structured as a prison, with housing units and a number of other amenities.

Based on your experience, what needs to be done to reform the penal system?

People view the vows and promises made at pre-election time and consistently broken post-election as empty. It is the same case with prison reform in Nigeria. Our leaders have apparently chosen to inoculate themselves against the outcries for this reform, but endeavour to pay lip service to the matter whenever it is brought up. It is my suspicion, speaking from my deep experience and insight, that when confronted with myriad weighty political problems in an atmosphere of perpetual restiveness and instability, any unwilling leader can easily find plausible excuses not to act on prison reform and simply kick the can down the road and pass the subject to the next political campaigners.

However, I believe that the rewards of comprehensive prison reform in Nigeria are limitless and the task is not as daunting as our leaders fear. My approach to reform the system is to begin by establishing a connection between the corruption and dysfunction in the prison system and the current state of insecurity and instability in the nation.

It should be interesting, for instance, to discover where all of the inmates released from prison six months prior are today and what activities they are currently engaged in.

No doubt exists in my mind that given the same amount of resources squandered year in and year out by the government, operating a system carried over from colonial times, a reformed prison system could transform the image of Nigeria and unleash a plethora of other hidden dividends.

You see, the world needs to know that Nigerians are not the wild and savage Africans, not the fraudsters and leeches they’re often portrayed as. That sordid reputation of a small minority in every nation on the planet was not earned but has nevertheless found its mark in the minds of the world, especially in the minds of those who fear us.

Could you describe your experiences dealing

Udeozor

with the U.S. legal system? Was there any one situation in particular that occurred which you would have previously thought could not happen in America?

To be frank, I know of no other legal system in the world that I could rate higher than that of the United States in terms of fairness. That said, I still find it disturbing that lawmakers and policymakers have, perhaps for reasons of expediency, mired legal procedures in so many codes and rules that the relevancy of truth can sometimes shrink to below zero. The system clearly has become so mechanical that even a guilty person caught on camera can be argued into innocence and an innocent person cleared by camera can be argued into guilt.

I never thought it possible, but in an Alford Plea, for instance, a guilty plea can be easily obtained from an innocent individual who wishes to avoid trial. In this instance, he admits that the state has sufficient evidence to convict him on trial. In exchange, the State delivers a mitigated sentence to a potentially innocent person. To me, this is the most glaring admission that the search for justice is no longer the search for the truth.

George, what was life like for you as a Nigerian in a U.S. prison? What words come to mind when you remember your experiences there? What are your fondest and worst memories of being in prison?

I never wore my “ethnic Nigerian hat” in prison. The people who I encountered during my journey usually found out about my ethnic identity only if we shared close conversation and, even then, some still failed to pick up on my peculiarities.

Luckily, in prison, the less you say, the better you fare. Prison provided me with an opportunity for a much-needed sabbatical from a life of tunnel vision.

My greatest gain and fondest memories were of the long hours that I spent working as a law clerk in the law library.

While there, I earned an average of 18 cents per hour working harder than I had ever worked in my life. Ironically, I was serving time in prison on charges that I subjected another to slave labour.

Very interesting, wouldn’t you say?

I never felt more fulfilled or better rewarded at any other job that I ever did because those feelings did not emanate from an anticipation of pay. I would give much to feel that way again, but certain-

Given the same amount of resources squandered year in and year out by the government, operating a system carried over from colonial times, a reformed prison system could transform the image of Nigeria

ly never under the same circumstances.

My saddest memories were, first; of the assault on my dignity and, second; of the senseless and obscenely high rate of violence that I witnessed. I would rather not recall the details of these memories.

You described a hierarchy system among Nigerian prisoners, which is reminiscent of those found all over the world, from Russia to the United States. Could you talk a bit about your experiences with the prisoners, who referred to themselves as “OBJ” and “Atiku,” as the proverbial executive management of the cell?

My encounter with “OBJ” and “Atiku” was my unanticipated induction and overnight tutorial into a world that I was apparently destined to experience in a big way.

Otherwise, I cannot find anybody or any force-field to credit with my survival on my first night in detention and many other moments thereafter. First-timers in this precarious environment need prayers, a sense of humour, an established reputation, or all the above to successfully navigate the treacherous world that prison is. Otherwise, they have to rely on the unseen hand of a shepherd to guide them through that world.

I personally believe that that was how I survived. Doubters are welcome to try out their own survival methods if they become unfortunate enough to get entangled with the law and wind up in prison. Every detention facility, indeed, has a structure that is designed to ensure that residents, especially new ones, acquiesce to the incumbent authority and, oftentimes, just as in the world outside the fence, they succeed.

After you were deported to the United States, on what charges were you tried?

What was your sentence? How many years did you end up serving?

I was handed the following threecount charge upon my arrival in the United States: Knowingly encouraging and inducing a minor alien to enter the United States illegally; Knowingly attempting to harbour an illegal alien in my residence; Knowingly and wilfully holding a juvenile alien to involuntary servitude for financial gain.

Following a negotiated plea deal on count 3, counts 1 and 2 were dropped. I was then sentenced to 97 months for the negotiated plea. After receiving credit for the time served during the extradition proceedings, I ended up serving 36 months in FCI Marianna, Florida, and six months at the EFEC Halfway House in Washington, D.C. You believe that you were used as an example by the U.S. administration at a time when the U.S. government vowed to crackdown on human trafficking. In your book, you hinted that the U.S. judge treated you unfairly and did not pay due attention to your plea. Why do you think that this is the case?

I do believe, indeed, that the only motivation that would be enticing enough to persuade a department as frugal with taxpayers’ money as the State Attorney’s Office had to be one with justifiable reC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 3

42 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Falae

Bakare

Coomasie

Emerging issues in the conversation C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 1 3

They question the timing of the conference and the issues being raised by other delegates. They loathe the demands for restructuring of the federation. They are the anti-conference delegates.

However, the beauty of the conversation was that everyone had something to say and said it to every one’s hearing.

It turned out that almost every delegate came with a baggage of grievances.

They were essentially group grievances against other groups and against the Nigerian State.

At a time the conversation assumed the colours of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission. There were emotive moments when some delegates poured out their hearts to convey their feelings of anger, pain, oppression, insecurity, injustice, marginalisation and betrayal in their own corner of Nigeria.

The conversation further exposed the regional, ethnic, religious and political divides. It also underlined those flashpoints of our history which some Nigerians would rather want glossed over because of fears that discussing them could open old wounds and trigger reactions that could threaten the fragile unity of the country.

Population politics One of the issues that emerged from the debate was that many Nigerians have doubt about the population of the country.

Barrister Chris Agbonmwanegbe, a delegate of the South -South geo-political zone first hit the controversial note when he declared that Nigeria was built on falsehood and alleged that the falsehood stemmed from a dubious population figure, he claimed, was foisted on the country during the colonial era.

Agbonmwanegbe said that every other thing that manifests as problems today were built on this faulty popula-

tion figure which places the then Northern region ahead of the South. He listed the lopsided number of states and local government areas, revenue allocation, political appointments and other privileges which are in favour of the North as offshoots of a faulty population figure.

He said that successive administrations in the country have relied on that platform and even subsequent population censuses in Nigeria have been simple extrapolations of that falsehood.

Agbonmwanegbe urged the conference to explore ways of getting the National Population Commission to conduct a credible census or invite the United Nations Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA) to do it.

State creation In response, Dr. Ahmadu Ali, a delegate of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP ) dismissed the allegation that the North had given itself a bogus population figure. Ali, a former Minister of Education and one-time national chairman of the PDP, went down memory lane to show how the North had always been ahead of the South in terms of population. He also seized the opportunity to puncture the agitation for an additional state for the South East, arguing that presently, the defunct Eastern Region has nine states including four states in today’s South-South region.

The South-East delegation led by Senator Ike Nwachukwu has state creation as one of its cardinal points. The region feels marginalised because of all the six zones, it is the only one with the least number of states. The South-South, South-West, North-Central and NorthEast zones have six states each while the North-West has seven states.

Restructuring Nigeria The interwoven issues of political structure, fiscal federalism, revenue allocation and resource control featured

We need to reform the structure of this country.

We need to evolve a structure that brings government closer to the people... If we do not take this opportunity, we do not know where we would land prominently. There was a strong feeling of nostalgia among delegates about Nigeria as it was before the 1966 military coup that truncated democratic rule in Nigeria. Delegates from the North and the South eulogised the likes of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Dennis Osadebe because of their exploits in Northern, Eastern, Western and MidWestern regions.

Many delegates, who contributed to the debate on the President’ s speech, agreed that the few years before and after independence, when Nigeria was administered as autonomous regions was a golden era.

One of the most succinct presentations on restructuring was made by Chief Olu Falae, a former Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

Falae said that Nigeria lost its way to sustainable economic development when it “murdered” the regional governments, scrapped fiscal federalism and abolished the parliamentary system of government following the military intervention in 1966.

He acknowledged that Nigeria experienced a golden era between 1954 and 1966 but that the present generation of Nigerians have failed to realise that it was the autonomy of the regional political structure at that time that enabled the country to make such progress.

He said that the regional government

was able to do many things that many Nigerians still remember today because they had enough resources at their disposal and were not relying on the centre to survive.

According to him, the regional governments were big enough, had enough resources to build roads, fund education and health as well as provide basic infrastructure to the citizenry.

Falae argued that the military may have had good intentions in introducing the presidential system in 1979 but lamented that the system has not worked for Nigeria.

“The presidential system vests power on one person either as president or governor and that person has the powers to appropriate funds from the treasury of the government over which he presides.

But the parliamentary vests authority in the collective, the cabinet. Its collegiate is more inclusive and is more amenable to discipline and control,” he said.

He also challenged those who question the legitimacy of the conference on the premise that the delegates were not elected but selected. Falae recalled that delegates to the 1957 and 1958 Constitutional Conference which held in London were not elected but nominated by their political parties. Falae said that in spite of the mode of their selection, the delegates were able to produce the Independence Constitution which many Nigerians still regard as a great document till today. He said that the fact that the delegates to the current conference were nominated and not elected cannot be an impediment to its functions and outcome.

Chief Charles Edosomwan, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), said the speech of President Jonathan was an instrument designed to inspire Nigerians to pursue a change of its political system.

Edosomwan blamed the problems of Nigeria on a “faulty system” which he said appropriates 52 per cent of the nation’s resources to the Federal Government.

The lawyer argued that the model of federalism practiced in Nigeria was reC O N T I N U E D O N PA G E 4 4

POLITICS 43

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Feasibility of holding elections same day

A

Bill for an Act to amend the Electoral Act No. 6 of 2010 to provide for the holding of elections on the same date and for other connected purposes.

The bill seeks to amend the Electoral Act No. 6 of 2010 (as amended) to provide for the holding of elections on the same date, accreditation of voters by electronic means and confer on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) power to cause a debate to be conducted for candidates contesting election for the office of the President.

In his lead debate, Ibrahim made desperate effort to convince other senators on why he proposed that election should be held in one day contrary to the current practice in which elections are staggered over a number of days.

He marshalled out several reasons the bill should be passed into law.

According to him, holding elections in one day falls in line with global practices and appealed that Nigeria should not be left out in the contemporary global best practices.

Furthering his persuasive move to get the bill scale through second reading, the lawmaker argued that staggered elections were neither cost effective nor cost efficient, and implored Nigeria as a country to follow the example of Ghana, Sierra Leone, the United State and Venezuela, where elections were successfully held in one day.

He said: “The history of elections in Nigeria is replete with infractions of the basic norms of the electoral system.

Hence, it requires proactive efforts that would halt the trend and put our democratic system in the right foothold.

“What this Bill seeks to achieve first-

BILL OF

WEEK

THE

Chukwu David

ly is the conduct of all elections in the same day, a practice which to me will help to stem the tide of manipulations, save money, time and in the long run, halt evil machinations of some politicians.

“The import of this amendment which this Bill proposes in section 25[1] of the Electoral Act of No. 6 of 2010 is for holding elections on same day. This falls in line with global practices and Nigeria should move in that direction.

Indeed, staggered elections are not cost effective and it is not cost efficient. It is expensive and as a country, we should follow the example of Ghana, Sierra Leone, the United State and Venezuela.

“Taking a look at the colossal amount of money with which INEC executed staggered elections in 2011 and all previous election in the country, this can be reduced by one-third, taking into consideration holding elections in three weeks which will now hold in just one day going by our proposed amendment.

“In 2011 alone, INEC spent about N50 billion Naira; the amount included payment of election duty staff, cost of essential and non-essential election materials, logistics for the conduct of the elections.

However, the amount did not include the money spent on security personnel assisting INEC in conducting the elections. The same can be said in respect of the political parties. The cost implication in paying party agents, supervisors, and other party election monitors can be down sized by one third as well.

“Quite a number of political parties cannot finance the cost of election due to their meagre resources. In other words,

Ibrahim

they do not have the resources to protect their votes. If this distinguished Senate gives effect to the amendment being sought, then in effect we are promoting greater participation in the conduct of our elections as these smaller parties can utilise their little resources in participating in only a one day election.”

The sponsor of the bill also seeks to establish the use of biometric voting system during elections, citing some of the African countries where it was applied with huge success recorded in the past.

Senator Ibrahim also posited that the biometric voting system has the potential to minimize thuggery, rigging and electoral violence as well as reduce incidences of litigation to the barest minimum because people would have confidence in the process.

He further canvassed through the bill, the empowerment of INEC to conduct a national presidential debate for presidential aspirants, so that they could tell the electorate what their policies and programmes would be when voted to power.

He said: “The Amendments this Bill is seeking to the electoral Act also include the insertion of a new paragraph [la] which will empower the Independent National Electoral Commission to cause to be conducted a national presidential debate for aspirants vying for the office of the President. This, to me, is a right step in the right direction as it will afford the candidates to tell the electorate what their policy thrust as well as economy will be like under their administration. The presidential candidates will also present their parties manifesto and the candidates’ personal vision and mission to the electorate.

This will enable Nigerians make their choice after personally assessing each candidate based on his personal presentation of his own programmes and that of his party.”

In concluding his propositions on the bill, the legislator urged the Senate to support his campaign for an Act that would function as a catalyst in driving Nigeria rapidly to socio-political and economic development, saying, “if we must practice democracy, we must practice it in full as it is practiced everywhere. I therefore urge you all to support these amendments for the second reading.”

The fate of the amendments proposed in this bill will however, be determined when the Senate votes on them clause by clause at plenary. It is one of the three bills on the amendment of the Electoral Act, which were consolidated by the Upper Chamber on Tuesday last week.

The Sponsor The bill was sponsored by Senator Abu Ibrahim, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC) representing Katsina South Senatorial District.

George Udeozor: My encounter with ‘OBJ’, ‘Atiku’ prisoners C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 1

turns in rewards. As you can see from the charges against me, even if I were guilty as charged, how would this department justify laying out so much resources pursuing a case against me when just south of the border millions of more severe cases can be made? The aggressiveness with which the government pursued me despite having little or no evidence of my guilt tells me that there was truth to the news reports at that time that the government was out to find viable demonstrable cases to back up her already declared war.

If you ask me, I’d say that the war is still on and folks should be very careful and avoid messing with any grey areas of the law. My understanding of the sentencing phase is that a defendant and his sympathizers have an opportunity at that time to plead for the judge’s mercy in determining a just punishment.

In order to assist the judge in making this determination, the defendant and his character witnesses get to address

character witnesses who spoke. He was outright condescending in his retort to any suggestion that my motivation might even contain a modicum of altruism.

I later learned from those familiar with his decision-making that he only showed mercy to those who presented themselves as the scum of the earth who were now ready to repent. I was sorry to disappoint him. I was not one of his good customers.

Udeozor

the court to express remorse, plead or make any statements in the hope that they would help mitigate the severity of his punishment.

In my case, the judge did not even try to mask his impatience with me or the two

How has prison changed you as a man?

What did prison teach you?

Prison changed me in many ways and the lessons were many. The changes are, however deeply, personal and hard to describe. It is perhaps better to not try.

As for lessons, I’d be glad to list them but they’re too many to list in one interview.

I guess the folks who are interested are going to read my book. The one lesson that I learned which will not be found in my book is that the Yoruba tribe of Nigeria is the go-to tribe for folks searching for richly nuanced names for their new-

born children. No pun intended. When I learned the meaning of the name “Beko” and the true story behind the choice of that name for the son of one of Nigeria’s leading female activists of blessed memory, Mrs. Ransom Kuti, I was and remain in awe today. That name “Beko,” which means, “Not as it appears,” became an essential mantra in my daily life.

What are your plans for the future?

Are you serious? Is this a trick question? How can you ask a man who’s been to prison what his future plans are? Is my life not enough evidence that we don’t own the future and that we must not plan but allow the future take care of itself ?

On a more serious note, I do have future plans. In the meantime, I am taking my time trying to recall all of my parents’ advice on the future while I am trying to promote my book and bring attention to the continuing need to restructure and implement more forward-facing policies and reforms in order to improve the penal system in Nigeria.

44 POLITICS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 4 2

sponsible for the underdevelopment of the country and the impoverishment of its people. According to him, the structure where enormous powers were concentrated at the centre, kept government far away from the people.

Edosomwan said the over-centralisation of governance in Nigeria has made it difficult for the government at the centre to perform.

“We need to reform the structure of this country. We need to evolve a structure that brings government closer to the people. We must restructure this country, we are unwieldy. The structure does not protect justice. It would cause stress all the time. If we do not take this opportunity, we do not know where we would land.”

Insecurity and minority rights Dr. Saleh Dauda, a minority from Bauchi State, came to the conference with a lot of pains in his heart. The region, North-East, where he hails from is in turmoil. He blamed the insecurity in the region on the failure of government and the rise of extremist religious groups like the Boko Haram.

“It is the failure of governance at the state and local government levels that has contributed to the rise of extreme religious groups who have taken up arms to challenge the authority of the Nigerian state. This failure of governance is not at the federal level. Sometime, people create the impression that it is the President that should be held responsible for what is happening in the region. It is not true.

“Mr. Chairman, over one million people have been displaced. I call for a special intervention in the form of a marshal plan to save these helpless citizens. My second concern is on the plight of northern minorities. As a Christian, I have lived my life in the region. It is clear that most government in this part of the country has declared war on the minorities by denying them basic social infrastructure, employment opportunities and discriminated against in many ways. Even those that have converted to the dominant religion in the area are not wholly accepted. As a Christian in Northen Nigeria, it is incontrovertible that in some states in the North, you can’t have a plot of land to build a church. It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for you to have a parcel of land to build a place of worship in these areas. Sometimes, Christians have to go underground in order to worship yet we are one Nigeria. This is very baffling and incomprehensible in the 21st century.”

He also expressed concerns at the worsening terrorist activities in most of the minority areas especially Southern Kaduna, Southern Bauchi, Southern Borno and parts of Plateau, Nasarawa and Benue states.

Religion Once again, the religious interests of Christians and Muslims clashed at the conference. Adherents of the two major

Emerging issues in the conversation

Nwachukwu

Jimeta

religions in the country have been engaged in some cold war since the conversation began three weeks ago.

However, the war came to the open when it was the turn of Pastor Emmanuel Bosun, one of the delegates representing Christian leaders at the conference, to address the gathering. Bosun said that there had been a serious imbalance in the 1999 Constitution in terms of religion.

According to him, the odds were against Christians as the constitution appears to have been tailored to give Muslims an edge over the Christians. He went on to give some statistics to support his argument.

“In the 1999 Constitution, Shariah was mentioned 73 times, Grad Khadijah 54 times, Islam 28 times, Muslims 10 times and there is no single mention of Christ, Christian, Christianity or church. Some mischievous elements are taking these lapses in the constitution to come to the ungodly decision that probably that the state is an Islamic state. So, what are Christians doing here? One hundred of our churches were burnt down, Christians are being killed. In fact, it has reached the stage of genocide. I will cite one example - in one denomination in Plateau State, the Women’s Fellowship as at 2001 had 500 registered widows and by 2008, they had 900 registered widows. By February 2014, they had 25,000 registered widows,” Bosun said.

As he reeled out these figures, tempers rose high across the hall and a former Governor of Kebbi State, Adamu Aliero raised a point of order seeking to stop the Christian leader from going forward.

Aliero, who rose to his feet to stop him, said he was relying on Order 9 rule 7 which reads: “A delegate must confine his contribution to the subject under discussion and will not introduce matters irrelevant thereto. The speaker on the floor is bringing issues that are not related to Mr. President’s speech. I therefore want the Chair to call him to order.

He is bringing diversionary issues that are very sentimental,” he said.

According to Aliero, the Christian

leader cannot substantiate the information he had given and should be stopped to avoid misleading the audience. Immediately, there was tension and the presiding officers conferred among themselves on how best to handle the situation.

Deputy Chairman of the conference, Prof. Bolaji Akinyemi ruled that the conference would not prevent Bosun from making his point since previous speakers had been allowed to express their views.

When the attempt to stop him failed, Bosun urged the conference to take a closer look at the constitution and make recommendations that would facilitate redressing every imbalance therein so that all the citizens in Nigeria can live peacefully and in harmony.

“If we set Nigeria on fire for whatever reason none of us would be able to live here. We Christians do not hate Muslims. We are prepared to live together in harmony. I live in the South-West where Christians and Muslims live together and there is peace. We want to see that peace all over Nigeria - in the North, South, East and West,” he said.

Fiery Lagos cleric, Pastor Tunde Bakare said the main issue for determination at the conference was the structure of government and the need to restructure it to take it back to what it was before the military intervention in 1966.

“We must seize this opportunity to cement the cleavages and fault lines that separate us. We must relaunch our country. This conference is open to us to table all positions and issues and make recommendations that would advance our togetherness. The issues range from firm of government, structure of government, devolution of power, revenue sharing, resource control, state creation, state police and fiscal federalism to gender equality and children’s right among others.

“We must approach these issues with no suspicion and antagonism. Therefore, we should be open minded and work to achieve what is best for Nigeria.

“Let us bear at the back of our mind, the President’s expectations and how to achieve it. We don’t need more than 10

committees to tackle the issue of form of government in this nation and settle the issue once and for all,” he said.

Bakare said that Nigerian federalism died on May 24, 1966 when the military issued the Unification Decree. He said that many years later, no government has reversed that law and Nigerians have been forced to live with it and thus keeping the country jogging on one spot.

Towards the end of proceedings on Thursday, former Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Mohammed Gambo Jimeta faulted those who applauded the inaugural speech of the President. He said the speech reminded him of the years he was in service and accompanied several heads of state to local and international conferences where speeches were read.

He described Jonathan’s speech as one of those conceived and crafted by some speech writers and handed over to Presidents to deliver and receive accolades that he was doing well.

Jimeta said that one of the greatest disservice you can do to a president is to tell him that he has done well when indeed you know he had done nothing worthy of commendation.

“You are just pushing him away from the reality on the ground. A wise head of state would be very weary when everybody gets up to say he is doing very well.

I think we are doing a great disservice.

The President’s speech particularly in this case is just the ordinary interaction with the citizens. Here we are today; by the time I came to this conference, I didn’t know whether I was coming to a Constitutional Conference or I was coming to a dialogue or some conference whereby ideas would be thrown up to help the Head of State.

“But by this morning, I was so satisfied that even the President himself had thought it fit to send a bill to the National Assembly where he is seeking authorisation to use the outcome of this conference.... So, he himself has realised the folly in carrying us along the way he’s done and he is trying to retrace his step.

All of us owe him a duty to tell him the truth. We are wrong the way we are going in this conference,” he said.

The former Police chief said the conference could raise some fundamental issues and ask the President to do something about them but must not be in a hurry to change the present system.

Postscript As at the end of last week, the conference was still featuring delegates whose names begin with the letter ‘G’ and that means that many more persons are yet to contribute to the discussion. It is expected that as more voices are heard at the village square, Nigeria may be able to find a solution to the plague that has afflicted it for almost half a century of its existence. The conversation continues this week.

METRO 45

April 9, 2014

dsters arrested for conducting NEMA job interview Muritala Ayinla

suspected fraudsters pecting job-seekers

N

emesis has caught up with a threeman syndicate specialising in duping unemployed youths.

Officials of the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), backed by policemen, yesterday arrested members of the syndicate for attempting to dupe hundreds of Nigerian youths.

The scammers had sent text messages to unsuspecting youths, majority of who are graduates searching for jobs for years, urging them to come for oral interview after which certain demands would be made by them from

the jobless youths.

They claimed to have been recruiting on behalf of NEMA, but their interview venue was stormed by the armed policemen and some detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID).

A text message sent to the unsuspecting youth reads: “You have been shortlisted for an oral assessment to review in our NEMA overview job detail on people invited for job interview job detail on 8/14.

Time 9 am at 18A Adekitan Street, Opp. Mushin LGA at 9am on 8/4/2014.”

NEMA denied any knowledge of such fake arrangement when the security personnel contacted its head-

S

uccour has come the way of widows in 17 local government areas of Ondo State.

A Non-Governmental Organisation, Bayo Fatusin Foundation, on Monday distributed cash gifts, food stuffs and consumables to the widows.

During the distribution, Ondo State Governor, Olusegun Mimiko, commended the founder, Chief Bayo Fatusin, who is also the Chief Executive Officer of House J in Lagos State, for initiating a life-lifting project.

Mimiko called on other wellmeaning indigenes of the state in particular to complement govern-

ment’s efforts through charity.

Also, former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, who was the special guest of honour, praised Fatusin for giving back to the society.

He said: “The hand of the giver is always up. I am impressed by the testimonies of the past beneficiaries and also the large number of beneficiaries today.

“God Almighty will continue to bless you abundantly.”

Kalu also donated money to the women at the event.

Speaking during the distribution, Fatusin thanked God for making the day a reality.

aps, raises committee

s g

o t d d -

n n g -

e

quarters at the weekend.

However, police were able to arrest members of the syndicate after careful surveillance.

They were initially taken to Olosa

Fatusin Foundation empowers widows

685 grams of substance that ositive for cocaine while unervation at the airport.”

, , m e s s

The suspects

Lagos State Waterways Authority (LASWA) in order to be able to respond to safety issues on our waterways. But the emerging issue is that the national government, through National Inland Waterways Authority (NIWA), is saying that even on lagoon, it has the responsibility to manage it.”

Fashola regretted that Federal Government agencies were not helping issues through needless regulations, instead paying attention to the safety of the commuters.

He said: “In a family of three, domestic accidents happen. And in a family of over 20 million, accidents are bound to happen. But the Lagos State Government will do its best to prevent their occurrence. A lot also lie on people to desist from over

p ic File

t ur e

of

at a bo

ac c

id e n

t

speeding and abide by the safety measures.

“They want to be there in name when they don’t have patrol boats, personnel and other requirements to achieve that. But we need to ask, is it about people or about turf squabble?

“We have put in place regulations about the necessity to wear life vest any time one steps on the boat. It is for the commuters on ferries and canoes to insist that the boat provided must provide you with lifejackets. We have procured life vests and very soon, we will be distributing lifejackets free for the residents.

“Also, the residents will need to give us time to get the rescue team to them rather than engage other means.”

He acknowledged the support of Mimiko and Kalu.

The event was attended by the state deputy governor, Alhaji Ali Olanusi; Senator Emmanuel Onwe; Hon. Edozie Madu; the Bishop of Lagos Mainland Diocese, Methodist Church of Nigeria, Rt. Rev. Isaac Olawuyi and the Catholic Bishop of Ondo, Most Rev. Jude Arogundade.

Others are Eze Ndigbo of Oyo State, Eze Alex Anozie; Hon. Chibuike Jonas; Tunde Adeniyi; Dr. Frank Chuks; Otunba Femi Carrena; and Prince Kunle Oyewumi.

Navy apprehends three suspected kidnappers Tony Anichebe Uyo

T

hree suspected kidnappers have been arrested at Ebughu town in Ibaka, Mbo Local Government Area of Akwa Ibom State.

Parading the suspects yesterday before journalists in Ikot Abasi, Commodore Joel Ogazi, Commander, Nigerian Navy, NNS Jubilee, said they were arrested following a tip off.

According to him the kidnappers had already abducted someone before his men swooped on them.

The suspects are identified as Gabriel Asuquo, Bassey Nyong and Gideon Ebong.

The commander noted that some of the suspects escaped arrest but the residents of the community and the Navy personnel were on their trail.

Ogazi disclosed that his men also rescued the victim had been rescued.

He said: “I can confirm to you that the captain of a fishing trawler that was kidnapped had been rescued and is presently in our protective custody.

“We were also able to effect the rescue of two other captains of fishing trawlers kidnapped previously about a month ago and they have given us useful information to apprehend the criminals.”

The suspected kidnappers were handed over to the State Security Service (SSS) for further interrogation.

Police Station where the DPO referred the case to Lagos Command Headquarters from where the Police Commissioner, Umar Manko, transferred it to SCID.

Court remands car snatcher Camillus Nnaji

A

n Ikeja Magistrates’ Court yesterday ordered that a 25-year-old man, Usman Ahmed, to be remanded in prison for the next 30 days.

The court presided over by Chief Magistrate Eniola Fabanwo was told that the accused snatched a Toyota Camry car and other valuables from one Mr. Tope Alalade in Lagos.

According to the charge sheet No. CR/ MISC/A/01/2014, Ahmed had on September 6, 2013, at Block E Close, 52 Road, Gowon Estate, Egbeda, committed armed robbery contrary to and punishable under Section 1(2)(a) of Robbery and Fire Arms Act of the Laws of Federal Republic of Nigeria 1990.

Armed with guns, iron cutters and other dangerous weapons on the same date, the accused was said to have snatched a Toyota Camry, 1998 model, valued at N1 million, a blackberry phone worth N25,000, gold jewelry worth N5 million, gold wristwatch valued at N500,000 and one laptop, properties of Mr. Tope Alalade.

The prosecutor, Samson Ekikere, said Ahmed was apprehended by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad, Ikeja.

Stolen vehicle

D

etectives from the Lagos State Police Command are searching for a grey Toyota Camry (1998 model) car with registration number AGL 339 CL. The car was stolen from where it was parked by unknown persons.

The vehicle, belonging to Mr Femi Kolade, with chassis number 4TIBG22KOWU376144 and engine number 5S1406312, was stolen in the early hours of March 15 in Oke-Ira, Ogba, Ikeja.

All efforts by the owner to recover it have proved abortive.

The state command has urged patriotic Nigerians to alert the Pen Cinema Police Station, Area ‘G’ Police Command, Ogba or any other police station, if they have any information on the stolen vehicle.

46 BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

8-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 to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Bonds

FGN Bonds Issuer

Rating/Agency

NA

NA

Description

Price

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

0.22 0.47 1.04 2.36 3.05 3.30 3.40 4.14 5.23 5.54 7.81 9.93 14.64 15.12 15.62 16.29

12.56 13.62 13.92 13.61 13.59 13.49 13.50 13.53 13.67 13.57 13.58 13.63 13.50 13.49 13.48 13.52

11.89 13.28 13.75 13.54 13.47 13.37 13.37 13.43 13.59 13.47 13.52 13.58 13.45 13.44 13.42 13.47

99.19 98.05 90.68 98.85 103.65 90.51 88.98 91.20 108.45 74.97 113.20 103.00 109.45 93.60 67.86 77.00

99.34 98.20 90.83 99.00 103.95 90.81 89.28 91.50 108.75 75.27 113.50 103.30 109.75 93.90 68.16 77.30

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

4,132.04

Rating/Agency

Issuer

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

Description

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

#

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

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

0.56 1.13 1.61 2.67 3.03 3.24

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.77 16.52 16.02 15.53 14.97 14.49

92.32 83.61 101.68 91.17 88.36 86.86

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

0.33 0.52 1.40 1.00 1.30 1.30 3.03 1.86 3.73 2.70 4.49 2.71 2.71 3.29 3.35 5.62 3.32 4.03 6.64 4.04 4.07

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

18.01 19.75 18.26 17.16 18.31 17.32 19.07 21.28 15.30 15.32 14.55 14.52 14.73 14.49 15.95 15.51 16.23 16.27 14.55 14.97 15.48

98.62 97.28 93.14 96.43 95.37 98.27 79.82 89.08 96.34 97.29 98.22 100.12 107.95 100.08 98.93 96.26 96.45 95.77 95.58 105.03 104.69

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

LAFARGE WAPCO GTB µ NGC

Bbb-/Agusto A-/Agusto BB+/GCR

*UPDC *FLOURMILLS *CHELLARAMS

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

NAHCO FSDH UBA *C & I LEASING *DANA# *TOWER# *TOWER

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

#

UBA *LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS#

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

NAHCO

15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

IFC

10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018

07-Oct-11 18-Dec-09

11.50 13.50

11.80 13.17

07-Oct-14 18-Dec-14

0.50 0.70

1.00 5.21

14.74 19.03

98.50 96.48

01-Apr-10 17-Aug-10

17.00 10.00

2.00 15.00

31-Dec-14 17-Aug-15

0.73 0.88

8.71 4.88

22.54 18.77

96.34 93.31

09-Dec-10 06-Jan-11

12.00 14.00

37.50 1.50

09-Dec-15 06-Jan-16

0.96 1.04

1.00 2.63

14.92 16.55

97.59 97.98

29-Sep-11 25-Oct-13

13.00 14.25

15.00 5.53

29-Sep-16 25-Oct-16

2.48 2.55

1.00 1.34

14.56 14.89

96.84 98.66

30-Sep-10 30-Nov-12 09-Apr-11

13.00 18.00 16.00

20.00 0.94 8.01

30-Sep-17 30-Nov-17 09-Apr-18

3.48 2.10 2.00

4.52 1.88 3.48

18.02 15.51 17.12

87.42 105.46 98.06

09-Sep-11 09-Sep-11

18.00 16.00

3.63 1.00

09-Sep-18 09-Sep-18

2.42 2.42

5.20 5.06

18.77 18.63

98.79 101.87

22-Sep-11

14.00

35.00

22-Sep-18

4.46

3.06

16.61

91.99

18-Oct-13 17-Feb-12 14-Nov-13

15.75 17.00 15.25

3.00 0.54 2.05

18-Oct-18 17-Feb-19 14-Nov-20

2.28 2.61 6.60

2.29 6.11 2.76

15.89 19.65 16.31

99.80 95.21 95.76

11-Feb-18

3.85

1.00

14.52

87.57

Maturity Date

Bid Yield (%)

Offer Yield (%)

Bid Price

Offer Price

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

175.67

Supranational Bond AAA/S&P

11-Feb-13

10.20

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE Rating/Agency

12.00

12.00 Issuer

Description

Issue Date

Coupon (%)

Issue Value ($'mm)

FGN Eurobonds

Prices & Yields

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

FGN

6.75 JAN 28, 2021

07-Oct-11

6.75

500.00

28-Jan-21

5.37

5.22

107.78

108.64

5.13 JUL 12, 2018

18-Dec-09

5.13

500.00

12-Jul-18

4.45

4.24

102.60

103.40

6.38 JUL 12, 2023

01-Apr-10

6.38

500.00

12-Jul-23

5.80

5.68

104.08

104.96

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

3.78

3.29

113.34

114.27

GTBank PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.27

4.53

104.39

105.89

GTBank PLC II

6.00 NOV 08, 2018

08-Nov-13

6.00

400.00

08-Nov-18

6.14

5.87

99.44

100.50

B+/S&P

Access Bank PLC

7.25 JUL 25, 2017

25-Jul-12

7.25

350.00

25-Jul-17

6.88

6.56

101.06

101.99

B/S&P; B/Fitch

Fidelity Bank PLC

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

09-May-13

6.88

300.00

02-May-18

8.45

7.95

94.66

96.30

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

(%)

Agency Bonds AMCON FMBN

NA

***LCRM

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

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

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

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 per cent growth to its total rev14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 enue in 2013.

14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 14.00 NIGER III said 12-DEC-2018 Vervelde that based on im15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 pressive result of the company, it 15.50 GOMBE 02-OCT-2019 has recommended 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019a dividend of N4.50 per ordinary 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 share of fifty 14.75 OSUN kobo eachII 30-SEP-2020 which, according to 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020 him, was a 50 per cent increase 14.50 EKITI II 31-DEC-2020 over N3 dividend declared for 15.00the NASARAWA 06-JAN-2021

05-Aug-09 14.00 15-Oct-09 14.00 31-Aug-10 12.50 30-Sep-10 13.00 30-Jun-11 14.00 30-Jun-09 15.50 19-Apr-10 10.00 30-Jun-10 13.75 30-Dec-10 14.00 30-Sep-11 14.00 lion to N62.240 billion.

04-Oct-11 14.00 09-Dec-11 said that 14.50 Vervelde the company12-Dec-13 maintained its 14.00 leadership 14-Feb-12 15.50 position in the market despite 02-Oct-12 15.50 the challenging operating en22-Nov-12 14.50 12-Dec-12 in 2013 14.75 vironment as results from30-Sep-13 the company’s14.75 operating 27-Nov-13 13.50 activities increased by 7 per cent 31-Dec-13 14.50 while06-Jan-14 the profit after tax grew 15.00

17.00 05-Aug-14 0.33 6.00 15-Oct-14 0.52 8.50 31-Aug-15 1.40 16.50 30-Sep-15 1.00 13.00 30-Jun-16 1.30 18.50 30-Jun-16 1.30 57.00 19-Apr-17 3.03 50.00 30-Jun-17 1.86 25.00 31-Dec-17 3.73 50.00 30-Sep-18 2.70 on 4.49 the 9.00 rading activities 04-Oct-18 20.00 floor of the 09-Dec-18 2.71 Nigerian Stock 12.00 Exchange 12-Dec-18 2.71 yesterday closed 27.00 14-Feb-19 3.29 on the upward trend as the bulls 20.00 02-Oct-19 3.35 staged back 22-Nov-19 to shore up inves80.00 5.62 30.00 interest12-Dec-19 tors’ after the bear 3.32 took 11.40 4.03of center stage 30-Sep-20 at the opening 87.00 27-Nov-20 6.64 transactions on Monday. 4.04 5.00 31-Dec-20 of bullis senti5.00The return 06-Jan-21 4.07

NB spent N125bn on capacity building in five years NB reinforces capacity for to strengthen leadership among competitors.

Chris Ugwu

T

heOUTSTANDING Nigeria Breweries Plc TOTAL VALUE

has disclosed that it inCorporate Bonds vested N125 billion in caA+/Agusto; AA/GCR LAFARGE WAPCO pacity buildingGTB in the last Aa/Agusto µ five years.

NGC Nil Bbb-/Agusto *UPDC Managing Director/Chief ExA-/Agusto *FLOURMILLS ecutive officer, NB Plc, Mr. NichBB+/GCR *CHELLARAMS olas Vervelde, who disclosed A+/Agusto; A-/GCR NAHCO this at the company’s 2013 PreA-/Agusto FSDH A/GCR Annual General Meeting UBA media BBB-/GCR held in Lagos *C &said I LEASING briefing that # BBB+/DataPro†; BB+/GCR various innovations*DANA initiated by # A-/DataPro†; BB-/GCR *TOWER the company through capacity # AAA/DataPro†; A+/GCR *TOWER buildings contributed A/Agusto; A/GCR UBAabout 9.8 Bbb+/Agusto; BBB+/GCR BBB-/DataPro†; BB+/GCR A+/Agusto; A-/GCR

Chris Ugwu

0.56 1.13 1.61 2.67 3.03 3.24

1.00 2.63 2.27 2.00 1.49 1.00

14.77 16.52 16.02 15.53 14.97 14.49

92.32 83.61 101.68 91.17 88.36 86.86

1,304.32

Wednesday, April 9, 2014 Sub-National Bonds

FACILITY

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

BUSINESS | FINANCIAL MARKET NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

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

978.35 24.56 6.00 112.22 116.70 66.49

*LA CASERA *CHELLARAMS# NAHCO

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE

T

he Nigerian Stock ExSupranational change Bond (NSE) yesterday AAA/S&P IFC celebrated this year’s TOTAL health OUTSTANDING VALUE ‘Small world day titled Bite; Big Threat.’

Issuer To Rating/Agency mark the day, Exchange said it offered a unique health FGN Eurobonds enlightening programme to its BB-/Fitch; B+/S&P in a fun-filled but stakeholders, BB-/Fitch; pragmatic way which showFGN BB-/S&P BB-/Fitch; BB-/S&P

the 2012 financial year.

Nigerian Breweries Plc had announced a profit after tax of 11.50 LAFARGE WAPCO 7-OCT 2014 N43.08 billion for full-year 13.50 GUARANTY TRUST 18-DEC-2014 2013, 17.00 NGC 31-DEC-2014 13.2 per cent rise on the N38.043 bil10.00 17-AUG-2015 lion it UPDC posted in the preceding year.

12.00 FLOURMILLS 9-DEC-2015 The results showed that in 14.00 CHELLARAMS 06-JAN-2016 the year under review, NB’s rev13.00 NAHCO 29-SEP-2016 enue was up by 6.31 per cent as it 14.25 FSDH 25-OCT-2016 13.00from UBA 30-SEP-2017 rose N252.674 billion penul18.00 C&I LEASING 30-NOV-2017 timate year to N268.614 billion.

MPR+7.00 DANA 9-APR-2018 The company also recorded MPR+7.00 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 a rise in its profit before tax by MPR+5.25 TOWER 9-SEP-2018 14.00per UBA IIcent 22-SEP-2018 11.9 from N55.624 bil15.75 LA CASERA 18-OCT-2018 MPR+5.00 CHELLARAMS II 17-FEB-2019

Chris Ugwu

T

ments was on the backdrop of 567.90

price appreciations gained by major blue chip companies.

11.80 07-Oct-14 0.50 at closed0.70of 13.17Specifically, 18-Dec-14 transactions yesterday, 0.73 the 2.00 31-Dec-14 15.00 17-Aug-15 remained 0.88 banking sub-sector 37.50 09-Dec-15 0.96 the most active stock in volume 1.50 06-Jan-16 1.04 terms with 241.1 million shares 15.00 29-Sep-16 2.48 valued at N3.4 million in 1,889.

5.53 25-Oct-16 2.55 20.00The sub-sector 30-Sep-17 3.48 was activated 0.94 the shares 30-Nov-17 by of GTB and2.10Ze8.01 09-Apr-18 2.00 nith Bank.

3.63 09-Sep-18 2.42 1.00Other financial 09-Sep-18 institution 2.42 services sub-sector 35.00 22-Sep-18 enhanced 4.46

15.75 17.00 15.25

3.00 0.54 2.05

NSE Marks world health day 15.25 NAHCO II 14-NOV-2020

18-Oct-18 17-Feb-19 14-Nov-20

2.28 2.61 6.60

175.67

cased the beauty of health as a 10.20 IFC 11-FEB-2018 asset. wealth-inspiring This session commenced with a quick view at VectorDescription Borne Diseases which are diseases transmitted through a middle carrier, to the victim.

6.75 JAN 28, 2021 Most vector borne diseases are transmitted from animals 5.13 JUL 12, 2018 6.38 JUL 12, 2023

to man. For example, malaria that to ensure a well-rounded 11-Feb-13 10.20 by the 12.00 11-Feb-18 3.85inis transmitted to man programme, exchange has female anopheles mosquito. 12.00 tegrated Cardiovascular health However, some diseases have and Emergency Preparedness Date vectorCoupon (%) Issue Value Maturity Date Bid Yield (%) manIssue as the e.g. sexually and($'mm) Response. transmitted diseases where “Cardiovascular Diseases man himself is the vector. are among the top three causes 07-Oct-11 6.75 28-Jan-21 5.37of Mr. Bola Adeeko, Head, Cor- 500.00 of death in most countries porate Services Division, said the world.

18-Dec-09 5.13 500.00 12-Jul-18 4.45 01-Apr-10

4.88 18.01 98.62 5.99 19.75 97.28 4.44 18.26 93.14 3.23 17.16 96.43 4.46 18.31 95.37 3.48 17.32 98.27 5.59 19.07 79.82 89.08 by 7.60 the shares 21.28 of FCMB followed 1.79 15.30 96.34 with a turnover of 54.3 million 1.80 15.32 97.29 units at N260.8 million 1.00 valued 14.55 98.22 100.12 in 1.00 731 deals. 14.52 1.21 14.73 investors 107.95 exOn the whole, 1.00 14.49 100.08 changed a total of 359.3 million 2.46 15.95 98.93 shares valued at N4.9 Billion 1.94 15.51 96.26 in 2.74 transactions.

16.23 96.45 4,655 2.74 16.27 95.77that Further analysis showed 1.00 14.55 95.58 at the close of trading session, 1.44 14.97 105.03 the1.95 NSE All-Share was UP 15.48 Index104.69

Bullish sentiments return to local bourse

by 13 per cent being further impacted by lower financing costs.

The total brewed products mar07-Oct-11 11.50 ket, he said, recorded a modest 18-Dec-09 13.50 growth in 2013 with the 01-Apr-10 17.00 value 17-Aug-10 segment10.00 for money playing a 09-Dec-10 significant role in it12.00 while the 06-Jan-11 14.00 investment the company has 29-Sep-11 13.00 made25-Oct-13 over the years14.25 and most 30-Sep-10 13.00 recently with the acquisitions 30-Nov-12 18.00 of the and subsequent merger 09-Apr-11 16.00 acquired companies has placed 09-Sep-11 18.00 it in 09-Sep-11 the best position 16.00to compete. 22-Sep-11 14.00 18-Oct-13 17-Feb-12 14-Nov-13

47

6.38

500.00

FMDQ Daily Quotations List

12-Jul-23

5.80

by 255.65 basis points or 0.66 per cent to close at 38,881.76 while the market capitalisation appre1.00 14.74 98.50 ciated billion or 0.66 5.21 by N8219.03 96.48 per cent to close at N12.489 trillion.

8.71 22.54 96.34 4.88 18.77 93.31 The number of gainers at the 1.00 14.92 close of trading session97.59 closed 2.63 16.55 97.98 at 1.00 24 while 14.56 decliners 96.84 closed higher at 17.

1.34 14.89 98.66 4.52 18.02 87.42 the Fidelity Bank Plc led 1.88 15.51 105.46 of gainers’ table with a gain 3.48 17.12 98.06 8.21 per cent to close at N2.11 per 5.20 18.77 98.79 share Sterling Bank 5.06 while 18.63 101.87 Plc followed with16.61 a gain of 4.80 3.06 91.99 per 2.29to close at 15.89 cent N2.62 per99.80 share 6.11 19.65 95.21 and Continental 2.76 16.31 95.76 Insurance Plc gained 4.21 per cent to close at 99 kobo per share.

On the flip side, BOC Gases 14.52 losers’ 87.57 Plc1.00 led the price table, dropping by 4.95 per cent to close at N6.33 per share while Offer Yield (%) Express Bid Price Plc Offer Price Red Star followed with a loss of 4.92 per cent to Prices & Yields close at N4.25 per share and Ike5.22 107.784.76 per108.64 ja Hotel Plc with cent to close at 60 kobo per share.

4.24 102.60 103.40 5.68

104.08

104.96

8-Apr-14

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 1,500.00 The FMDQ Daily Quotations List (DQL) comprises market and model prices/rates of foreign exchange ($/N) products, fixed income securities and instruments in the OTC market. The use of this report is subject to the FMDQ OTC PLC Terms of Use and Disclaimer Statement.

Corporate Eurobonds Afren PLC I

11.50 FEB 01, 2016

01-Feb-11

GTBank PLC I

7.50 MAY 19, 2016

19-May-11

Rating/Agency B+/S&P

GTBank PLC II Issuer Access Bank PLC

6.00 NOV 08, 2018 Issue Date 7.25 JUL 25, 2017

B/S&P; B/Fitch

Fidelity Bank PLC

B/Fitch

Afren PLC II

B/S&P; B-/Fitch

First Bank PLC

B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

Afren PLC III

B-/S&P; B/Fitch

FGN Bonds B+/S&P; B+/Fitch

TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE **TreasuryNABills

NA

DTM Maturity 9 17-Apr-14 16 24-Apr-14 30 8-May-14 37 15-May-14 44 22-May-14 51 29-May-14 58 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 5-Jun-14 72 19-Jun-14 79 26-Jun-14 86 3-Jul-14 Rating/Agency Issuer 93 10-Jul-14 100 17-Jul-14 Agency Bonds 107 24-Jul-14 AMCON 114 31-Jul-14 121 7-Aug-14 FMBN 128 14-Aug-14 NA 135 21-Aug-14 ***LCRM 149 4-Sep-14 240 4-Dec-14 TOTAL OUTSTANDING VALUE 275 8-Jan-15 289 22-Jan-15 Sub-National 303Bonds 5-Feb-15 317 A/Agusto KWARA 19-Feb-15 331 A-/GCR NIGER 5-Mar-15

Description

6.88 MAY 09, 2018

9.20 29-JUN-2014 29-Jun-07 9.25 28-SEP-201410.25 APR 08, 2019 28-Sep-07 4.00 23-APR-2015 8.25 AUG 07, 202023-Apr-10 13.05 16-AUG-2016 16-Aug-13 6.63 DEC 09, 2020 15.10 27-APR-2017 27-Apr-12 9.85 27-JUL-2017 27-Jul-07 9.35 31-AUG-2017 31-Aug-07 10.70 30-MAY-2018 30-May-08 16.00 29-JUN-2019 29-Jun-12 Bid Discount (%) Offer Discount (%) 7.00 23-OCT-2019 23-Oct-09 11.35 11.10 16.39 27-JAN-2022 27-Jan-12 11.15 10.90 14.20 14-MAR-2024 14-Mar-14 11.85 11.60 15.00 28-NOV-2028 28-Nov-08 11.75 11.50 12.49 22-MAY-2029 22-May-09 12.00 11.75 8.50 20-NOV-2029 20-Nov-09 12.10 11.85 10.00 23-JUL-2030 23-Jul-10

12.10 11.85 12.20 11.95 12.35 12.10 12.80 12.55 Description 12.05 11.80 12.80 12.55 12.85 12.60 0.00 AMCON 31-OCT-2014 (SR.5 TR.1) 12.90 12.65 0.00 FMB 24-MAY-2015 12.70 12.45 17.25 FMB II 03-APR-2017 12.80 12.55 0.00/16.00 LCRM 09-DEC-2016 12.90 12.65 0.00/16.50 LCRM II 20-APR-2017 12.90 12.65 0.00/16.50 LCRM III 06-JUL-2017 12.60 12.35 12.80 12.55 12.75 12.50 12.70 12.45 12.65 12.40 14.00 KWARA 5-AUG-2014 12.70 12.45 14.00 NIGER 15-OCT-2014

A+/Agusto KADUNA 12.50 KADUNA 31-AUG-2015 A/Agusto *EBONYI 13.00 EBONYI 30-SEP-2015 Nil *BENUE 14.00 *from the Amortising bonds, the average life is calculated andBENUE not the 30-JUN-2016 duration # A+/Agusto *IMOof credit risk and liquidity 15.50 IMO 30-JUN-2016 Risk Premium is a combination risk premiums A+/Agusto; LAGOS 10.00 LAGOS 19-APR-2017 **ExclusiveA+/GCR of non-trading t.bills A-/Agusto *BAYELSA 13.75 BAYELSA 30-JUN-2017 A/Agusto EDO 14.00 EDO 31-DEC-2017 A+/Agusto; A+/GCR *DELTA 14.00 DELTA 30-SEP-2018 A-/Agusto; A-/GCR NIGER 14.00 NIGER II 4-OCT-2018 A/Agusto; A-/GCR† *EKITI 14.50 EKITI 09-DEC-2018 A-/Agusto *NIGER 14.00 NIGER III 12-DEC-2018 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *ONDO 15.50 ONDO 14-FEB-2019 A/Agusto; A-/GCR *GOMBE 15.50Porfolio GOMBEMarket 02-OCT-2019 Modified Duration Total Outstanding Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS Buckets 14.50 LAGOS 22-NOV-2019 Value(Bn) Volume(Bn) A/Agusto; A-/GCR *OSUN 14.75 OSUN 12-DEC-2019 A/Agusto *OSUN 14.75 OSUN II 30-SEP-2020 <3 793.03 780.27 Aa-/Agusto; AA-/GCR LAGOS 13.50 LAGOS IV 27-NOV-2020

Bonds

08-Nov-13 Coupon (%) 25-Jul-12 09-May-13 9.20

11.50

450.00

01-Feb-16

3.78

3.29

113.34

114.27

7.50

500.00

19-May-16

5.27

4.53

104.39

Price 105.89

6.00 Outstanding Value 7.25 (N'bn)

400.00 Maturity 350.00Date

08-Nov-18 TTM (Yrs) 25-Jul-17

6.14 Bid 6.88 Yield (%)

45.00 10.25 100.00 535.00 8.25 327.47 6.63 452.80 20.00 100.00 300.00 351.30 233.90 Tenor 600.00 CALL 50.00 775.00 DAYS 30150.00 DAYS 60200.00 DAYS 90591.57 DAYS

29-Jun-14 300.00 28-Sep-14 23-Apr-15 300.00 16-Aug-16 360.00 27-Apr-17 27-Jul-17 2,960.00 31-Aug-17 30-May-18 29-Jun-19 23-Oct-19 Rate (%) 27-Jan-22 10.8750 14-Mar-24 11.1667 28-Nov-28 11.5000 22-May-29 11.8333 20-Nov-29 12.0833 23-Jul-30

300.00

02-May-18 0.22

8.45 12.56

6.88

08-Apr-12 9.25

4.00 07-Aug-13

13.05 15.10 9.85 9.35 10.70 16.00 Bid Yield 7.00 (%) 11.38 16.39 11.20 14.20 11.97 15.00 11.89 12.49 12.18 8.50 12.31 10.00

09-Dec-13

12.34 12.50 12.69 13.20 Issue Date 12.43 13.27 13.35 28-Dec-11 13.44 24-May-10 13.26 03-Apr-12 13.40 09-Dec-11 13.55 20-Apr-12 13.62 06-Jul-12 13.74 14.17 14.18 14.20 14.21 05-Aug-09 14.35 15-Oct-09

FIXINGS NIBOR

180 DAYS 4,132.04 365 DAYS

Coupon (%) Tenor 1M 0.00 2M 0.00 3M 17.25 6M 0.00/16.00 9M 0.00/16.50 12M 0.00/16.50

12.3333 12.6667

Issue Value (N'bn) NITTY Rate (%) 12.0685 978.35 12.3543 24.56 12.8095 6.00 13.5953 112.22 14.0703 116.70 14.6127 66.49

1,304.32 NIFEX

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 Weighting by 22-Nov-12Vol Outstanding 12-Dec-12 30-Sep-13 33.59 27-Nov-13

14.00Current Price ($/N)17.00 BID($/N) 14.00 163.6975 6.00 OFFER ($/N) 163.7975 12.50 8.50 13.00 16.50 14.00 13.00 15.50 18.50 10.00 57.00 13.75 50.00 14.00 25.00 14.00 50.00 14.00 9.00 14.50 20.00 14.00 12.00 15.50 27.00 15.50 20.00 Weighting

by Mkt Bucket80.00 Weighting 14.50 Value 14.75 30.00 14.75 11.40 13.50 34.35 87.00 0.34

FMDQ FGN BOND INDEX

08-Apr-19 0.47

1.04 07-Aug-20

13.62 5.12

13.92 7.09 2.36 13.61 6.23 3.05 13.59 3.30 13.49 3.40 13.50 4.14 Money Market 13.53 5.23 13.67 Tenor Rate (%) 5.54 13.57 7.81 13.58 OBB 10.29 9.93 13.63 14.64 13.50 O/N 10.54 15.12 13.49 15.62 REPO 13.48 Tenor Rate (%) 16.29 13.52

09-Dec-20

Call 1M 3M 6M Date Maturity

10.33 11.08 12.08 Avg.12.42 Life/TTM (Yrs)

NOTE:

5.87 Offer Yield 6.56 (%) 7.95 11.89

99.44 Bid Price 101.06

13.75 6.83

90.68 104.25

13.28 4.73 13.54

1.30 1.30 3.03 1.86 3.73 2.70 4.49 2.71 2.71 3.29 3.35 Implied Yield 5.62 3.32 4.03 13.60 6.64

94.66 99.19

96.30 99.34

98.05 114.23

98.20 115.05 90.83 105.21

98.85

99.00

5.97 13.47

101.58 103.65

102.61 103.95

2M 3M #6M Risk 1Y Premium (%)

166.08 167.32 171.00 Valuation 178.08 Yield (%)

167.45 169.30 175.26 Indicative 187.26 Price

13.37 90.51 90.81 13.37 88.98 89.28 13.43 91.20 91.50 Foreign Exchange (Spot & Forwards) 13.59 108.45 108.75 13.47 74.97 75.27 13.52 113.20 113.50 Tenor Bid ($/N) Offer ($/N) 13.58 103.00 103.30 Spot 163.70 163.80 13.45 109.45 109.75 7D 164.02 164.29 13.44 93.60 93.90 14D 164.28 164.66 13.42 67.86 68.16 1M 164.86 165.58 13.47 77.00 77.30

31-Oct-14 0.56 1.00 :Benchmarks 24-May-15 1.13 2.63 * :Amortising Bond 03-Apr-17 1.61 2.27 µ :Convertible Bond 09-Dec-16 2.67 2.00 AMCON: Asset Management Corporation of Nigeria 20-Apr-17 1.49 FGN: Federal Government of 3.03 Nigeria 06-Jul-17 3.24 1.00 FMBN: Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria IFC: International Finance Corporation LCRM: Local Contractors Receivables Management NAHCO: Nigerian Aviation Handling Company NGC: Nigeria-German Company 05-Aug-14 0.33 4.88 UBA: United Bank for Africa 0.52 15-Oct-14 5.99 UPDC:31-Aug-15 UAC Property Development 1.40 Company 4.44 WAPCO:West Africa Portland 1.00 Cement Company 30-Sep-15 3.23 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 % Exposure_ 22-Nov-19 Mod_Duration 12-Dec-19 30-Sep-20 17.48 27-Nov-20

100.50 Offer Price 101.99

4.46 3.48 5.59 7.60 1.79 1.80 1.00 1.00 1.21 1.00 2.46 Implied 1.94 Portfolio Price 2.74 2.74 109.1029 1.00

92.32 NA :Not14.77 Applicable 16.52Rate Bond 83.61 # :Floating 16.02 coupon bonds 101.68 ***: Deferred 15.53 14.97 14.49

†: Bond rating expired

18.01 19.75 18.26 17.16 18.31 17.32 19.07 21.28 15.30 15.32 14.55 14.52 14.73 14.49 15.95 INDEX 15.51 16.23 16.27 1,036.25 14.55

91.17 88.36 86.86

98.62 97.28 93.14 96.43 95.37 98.27 79.82 89.08 96.34 97.29 98.22 100.12 107.95 100.08 YTD 98.93 Return 96.26 (%) 96.45 95.77 3.6255 95.58

48 BUSINESS | MONEY LINE

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

World Bank to spend N2.3bn on communities in 26 states marginalised or chronically poor households, widows and the physically challenged.

“This project will not only help vulnerable people in the short term, including those in conflict-affected areas, but will also help build long-lasting partnership between local governments and communities. In addition, it will help integrate communities as well as make smart investments in people for the future,” said Foluso Okunmadewa, World Bank task team leader for the project.

The first phase of the Community Social Development Project (CSDP) which benefit-

SUPPORT Displaced persons, widows and physically challenged are to benefit from World Bank project.

Abdulwahab Isa

T

he World Bank has approved US$140 million (about N2.3 bn) to support various comminutes spread across 26 states in Nigeria.

The global bank, which announced the move in a statement issued by the country office in Abuja was, however, silent on states and the communities that will benefit from the fund.

The financial support is to be deployed to various projects beneficial to the vulnerable households in the country.

The additional financing is expected to fund micro-project such as rehabilitation and construction of school classrooms, skills acquisition, environment, health, rural electrification, transport, water, rural market infrastructure, among others.

Vulnerable groups that will benefit from grants include internally displaced persons,

ed over 5,600 communities and about two million people in 26 states of the federation will end in December 2014.

The World Bank Country Director for Nigeria, Ms. Marie Francoise Marie-Nelly, said: “A recent assessment of the project shows that school enrollment, immunisation, and access to electricity and safe water have all increased in communities that benefited from CSDP. “In this new phase, the project will focus mainly on the most vulnerable people, in line with the World Bank’s mission to end extreme poverty and boost shared prosperity.”

Jaiz Bank investment hits N9.4bn Abulwahab Isa ABUJA

N

igeria’s only interest-free bank, Jaiz Bank Plc, said that its investment portfolio has risen to over N9.4 billion within two years of its operation in the country.

Its Chairman, Board of the Directors, Alhaji Umaru Mutallab, who disclosed in Sokoto during the commissioning of

the bank’s branch, stated that the quantum leap in its investment portfolio represented over 380 per cent.

He declared: “We have grown our investments by over 380 per cent from N1.9 billion to N9.4 billion. Our Customer Deposits took a massive leap of over 460 per cent from N3.2 billion to N18.6 billion.”

Mutallab said that the bank was able to achieve this progress and achievements through

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

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

Description

TTM

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

1.21 2.53 3.22 5.39 7.98 16.47

Tenor (Days) Call 7 30 60 90 180 365

Rate (%) 11.9167 12.3333 12.6667 12.9167 13.2167 13.5000 13.7500

NIBOR

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

FGN Bonds Bid Price 90.20 99.25 104.10 109.35 114.15 76.60

Offer Yield 13.01 13.40 13.47 13.49 13.44 13.59

Price 90.35 99.40 104.40 109.65 114.45 76.90

Tenor (Months) 1 2 3 6 9 12

Rate (%) 12.1827 12.2737 12.3744 12.8521 12.8535 13.8443

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

Bid 12.10 12.10 12.05

FX

Acting CBN Governor, Dr. Sarah Alade

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

the use of “unique and robust Internet and telecommunication platform in delivering exceptional customer services to our clientele.”

The bank commenced business in January, 2012, and is licensed by the Central Bank of Nigeria as a regional, noninterest and ethical financial institution with an authorised share capital of N13 billion.

With just three locations when it started in 2012 in Abuja, Kano and Kaduna, the bank has expanded its operation to 13 locations. The bank now has branches in Gombe, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Katsina, Gusau, three branches in Kano, with additional two in Abuja - Wuse and National Assembly and more branches are scheduled to be opened soon.

“Our plan is to be at every

State capital of Nigeria before the fifth year of operation, Insha Allah. Alhamdulillah, I have the privilege of informing you that we have, as at December, 2013, submitted our application for National Banking License to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) and I’m hopeful that this will come through before the end of the second quarter, Insha Allah,” the chairman said.

In his remarks, Managing Director of the bank, Muhammad Nurul Islam, said that the bank has made tremendous progress in just two years of its operation and “the potential for your bank is very bright and we are confident that we will achieve our notable vision of being the dominant non-interest financial service provider in subSaharan Africa.”

Experts demand bank for infrastructure development Dayo Ayeyemi

P

erturbed by the dearth of long-term financing for infrastructure development and investment in the country, practitioners under the aegis of Nigerian Institute of Quantity Surveyors (NIQS) have advised the Federal Government to create a specialised bank for that purpose.

Specifically, they canvassed the establishment of “African Infrastructure Development Bank” (AIDB) or “African Construction Development Bank” (ACDB) as a new infrastructure funding framework similar to the existing models in China, India and Malaysia.

They said that this would

provide the much-needed longterm finance at low interest rate to contractors, sub-contractors and suppliers, adding that the bank is expected to be private-sector driven to minimise bureaucracy while government provides seed money.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the two-day international workshop on Infrastructure Development with the theme: “Towards Sustained Growth of Emerging Economies in Africa – The Infrastructural Imperatives,” held in Osogbo, Osun State, the professionals lamented dearth of banks with longterm fund suitable for the development of infrastructure in the country.

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

BUSINESS | CAPITAL MARKET 49

The Nigerian Stock Market Exchange as at April 8, 2014

Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014

Daily Summary (Equities)

Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Daily Summary (Bonds)

HEALTHCARE Pharmaceuticals PHARMA-DEKO PLC. Pharmaceuticals Totals

Activity Summary on Board DEBT Federal

Bond Name 15.10% FGN APR 2017 16.00% FGN JUN 2019 Federal Totals

Symbol FG9B2017S2 FG9B2019S3

DEBT Board Totals

No. of Deals 1 1 2

Current Price 104.00 110.00

2

Bond Activity Totals

Quantity Traded 28 10 38

Value Traded 31,036.57 11,448.35 42,484.92

38

42,484.92

38

2

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

42,484.92

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Symbol FTNCOCOA OKOMUOIL PRESCO

No. of Deals 1 13 17 31

Current Price 0.50 42.00 40.10

Quantity Traded 10,000 114,988 145,450 270,438

Value Traded 5,000.00 4,588,021.20 5,890,332.00 10,483,353.20

Symbol No. of Deals LIVESTOCK 13 Daily Summary (Equities) 13

Current Price 3.23

Quantity Traded 85,837 85,837

Value Traded 277,075.36 277,075.36

356,275

10,760,428.56

Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

Livestock/Animal Specialties LIVESTOCK FEEDS PLC. Livestock/Animal Specialties Totals AGRICULTURE Totals Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONGLOMERATES Diversified Industries A.G. LEVENTIS NIGERIA PLC. Published byTRANSNATIONAL The Nigerian StockCORPORATION Exchange © OF NIGERIA PLC U A C N PLC. Diversified Industries Totals

44 Symbol AGLEVENT TRANSCORP UACN

No. of Deals 7 225 58 290

Current Price 1.43 3.68 54.37

Quantity Traded 126,226 Page 13,423,327 270,577 13,820,130

Symbol COSTAIN

13,820,130

62,857,395.14

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 1.41

Quantity Traded 27,214 27,214

Value Traded 36,536.88 36,536.88

Symbol JBERGER ROADS

No. of Deals 20 5 25

Current Price 70.85 8.46

Quantity Traded 25,930 7,666 33,596

Value Traded 1,758,174.31 65,607.66 1,823,781.97

Symbol UAC-PROP

No. of Deals 64 64

Current Price 25.00

Quantity Traded 814,350 814,350

Value Traded 19,979,747.93 19,979,747.93

875,160

21,840,066.78

Current Price 0.68

Quantity Traded 4,193

Value Traded 2,977.03

No. of Deals 50 30 139 222

Current Price 194.99 26.41 152.00

Quantity Traded 204,337 127,801 3,389,136 3,725,467

Value Traded 39,471,057.17 3,373,521.15 513,302,033.56 556,149,588.91

Symbol 7UP

No. of Deals 32 32

Current Price 90.00

Quantity Traded 63,887 63,887

Value Traded 5,622,123.49 5,622,123.49

Symbol DANGFLOUR DANGSUGAR FLOURMILL HONYFLOUR NASCON UNIONDICON UTC

No. of Deals 44 104 75 29 19 1 2 274

Current Price 8.50 9.20 69.80 3.77 11.31 14.14 0.53

Quantity Traded 156,637 2,801,945 579,881 449,971 68,790 200 193 4,057,617

Value Traded 1,313,596.07 25,767,845.05 40,439,443.33 1,656,926.33 785,571.10 2,688.00 103.36 69,966,173.24

Symbol

No. of Deals 71 70 141

Current Price 72.50 1,160.00

Quantity Traded 439,648 106,922 546,570

Value Traded 31,375,381.20 123,543,649.38 154,919,030.58

CONGLOMERATES Totals CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Building Structure/Completion/Other COSTAIN (W A) PLC. Building Structure/Completion/Other Totals Infrastructure/Heavy Construction JULIUS BERGER NIG. PLC. ROADS NIG PLC. Infrastructure/Heavy Construction Totals Real Estate Development UACN PROPERTY DEVELOPMENT CO. LIMITED Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Real Estate Development Totals Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

290

CONSTRUCTION/REAL ESTATE Totals CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GOLDEN GUINEA BREW. PLC.

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © CONSUMER GOODS Beverages--Brewers/Distillers GUINNESS NIG PLC INTERNATIONAL BREWERIES PLC. NIGERIAN BREW. PLC. Beverages--Brewers/Distillers 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. HONEYWELL FLOUR MILL PLC NATIONAL SALT CO. NIG. PLC Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 UNION15:25:36.036 DICON SALT PLC. Printed 08/04/2014 U T C NIG. PLC. Food Products Totals Food Products--Diversified CADBURY NIGERIA PLC. NESTLE NIGERIA PLC. Food Products--Diversified Totals

96

Daily Summary (Equities) Symbol No. of Deals GOLDBREW

Page Symbol GUINNESS INTBREW NB

CADBURY Daily Summary (Equities) NESTLE

Activity Summary on Board EQTY CONSUMER GOODS Household Durables VITAFOAM NIG PLC. Household Durables Totals

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

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

3

Activity Summary on Board EQTY FINANCIAL SERVICES

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © Banking

3

of

Symbol VITAFOAM

No. of Deals 5 5

Current Price 4.24

Quantity Traded 26,293 26,293

Symbol PZ UNILEVER

No. of Deals 46 57 103

Current Price 32.18 46.00

Quantity Traded 421,368 206,679 628,047

Value Traded 13,378,092.88 9,526,566.08 22,904,658.96

9,047,881

809,667,535.97

Quantity Traded 18,888,046 3,259,558 29,336,204 9,971,062 46,267,493 24,403,102 27,781,086 11,813,226 197,000 430,000 4,842,669 63,912,665

Value Traded 139,705,992.20 20,212,840.93 377,998,227.80 20,309,944.95 1,245,967,633.09 86,755,075.96 71,371,938.66 82,864,823.02 1,998,750.04 215,000.00 4,706,350.30 1,368,211,828.07

CONSUMER GOODS Totals FINANCIAL SERVICES Banking ACCESS BANK PLC. DIAMOND BANK PLC ECOBANK TRANSNATIONAL INCORPORATED FIDELITY BANK PLC GUARANTY TRUST BANK PLC. SKYE BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 STERLING BANK PLC. Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036 UNITED BANK FOR AFRICA PLC UNION BANK NIG.PLC. UNITY BANK PLC Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 WEMA BANK PLC. Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036 ZENITH INTERNATIONAL BANK PLC

Page

of

777 Symbol No. of Deals ACCESS 149 DIAMONDBNK 79 ETI 63 FIDELITYBK 131 GUARANTY 400 SKYEBANK 115 STERLNBANK 198 UBA 213 UBN 50 UNITYBNK 2 Daily Summary (Equities) WEMABANK 32 ZENITHBANK 457

Current Price 7.36 6.19 12.85 2.11 27.00 3.60 2.62 7.06 10.15 0.50 1.00 21.75

Page

Value Traded 105,960.79 105,960.79

4

of

Symbol

No. of Deals 1,889

Current Price

Quantity Traded 241,102,111

Value Traded 3,420,318,405.02

Symbol

No. of Deals

Current Price

Quantity Traded

Value Traded

FINANCIAL SERVICES Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services AIICO INSURANCE PLC. CONTINENTAL REINSURANCE PLC CORNERSTONE INSURANCE COMPANY PLC. GREAT NIGERIAN 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. NIGER INSURANCE CO. PLC. OASIS INSURANCE PLC PRESTIGE ASSURANCE CO. PLC. SOVEREIGN TRUST INSURANCE PLC Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange © STANDARD ALLIANCE INSURANCE PLC. WAPIC INSURANCE PLC Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals

Symbol AIICO CONTINSURE CORNERST GNI HMARKINS INTENEGINS LINKASSURE MANSARD MBENEFIT NEM NIGERINS OASISINS PRESTIGE SOVRENINS STDINSURE WAPIC

No. of Deals 28 4 4 1 4 25 1 13 1 20 3 9 3 1 1 32 150

Current Price 0.79 0.99 0.50 0.50 0.50 0.60 0.50 2.25 0.50 0.75 0.50 0.58 0.58 0.50 0.50 0.72

Quantity Traded 533,649 160,001 1,252,400 10,000 4,250 3,009,130 10,000 1,021,325 2,000 1,713,500 7,004 177,810 5,742 370 Page 1,250 1,662,102 9,570,533

Value Traded 424,309.05 154,400.99 626,200.00 5,000.00 2,125.00 1,730,352.81 5,000.00 2,256,689.38 1,000.00 1,280,600.00 3,502.00 103,270.90 3,407.28 185.00 5 of 625.00 1,196,743.44 7,793,410.85

Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Micro-Finance Banks Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036 NPF MICROFINANCE BANK PLC

Symbol NPFMCRFBK

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.97

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 97.00 97.00

Symbol

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50 0.50

Quantity Traded 10,000 7,000,000

Value Traded 5,000.00 3,500,000.00

Banking Totals

Insurance Carriers, Brokers and Services

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Micro-Finance Banks Totals

Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services ASO SAVINGS AND LOANS PLC RESORT SAVINGS & LOANS PLC

Daily Summary (Equities)

ASOSAVINGS Daily Summary (Equities) RESORTSAL

Activity on Board EQTY Published

by TheSummary Nigerian Stock Exchange © FINANCIAL SERVICES Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Mortgage Carriers, Brokers and Services Totals Other Financial Institutions AFRICA PRUDENTIAL REGISTRARS PLC CUSTODIAN AND ALLIED PLC FBN HOLDINGS PLC FCMB GROUP PLC. ROYAL EXCHANGE PLC. STANBIC IBTC HOLDINGS PLC UBA CAPITAL PLC Other Financial Institutions Totals

Page

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

of

Symbol

No. of Deals 2

Current Price

Quantity Traded 7,010,000

Value Traded 3,505,000.00

Symbol AFRIPRUD CUSTODYINS FBNH FCMB ROYALEX STANBIC UBCAP

No. of Deals 51 22 371 109 2 40 136 731

Current Price 2.82 2.16 12.40 3.50 0.62 20.00 2.50

Quantity Traded 896,447 3,507,843 8,746,635 29,261,157 3,303 561,734 11,307,222 54,284,341

Value Traded 2,609,640.80 7,528,216.02 108,150,373.63 102,051,568.31 1,981.80 11,157,390.76 29,316,307.34 260,815,478.66

311,967,085

3,692,432,391.53

FINANCIAL SERVICES Totals HEALTHCARE Healthcare Providers UNION DIAGNOSTIC & CLINICAL SERVICES PLC Healthcare Providers Totals

6

2,773 Symbol UNIONDAC

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 200 200

Value Traded 100.00 100.00

Symbol EVANSMED FIDSON GLAXOSMITH MAYBAKER NEIMETH

No. of Deals 1 34 8 9 1

Current Price 2.12 2.90 70.00 1.81 1.45

Quantity Traded 500 13,485,243 33,140 24,327 1,875

Value Traded 1,060.00 40,435,491.00 2,320,153.74 41,842.44 2,587.50

Page

7

of

Current Price 1.57

Quantity Traded 120 13,545,205

Value Traded 188.40 42,801,323.08

13,545,405

42,801,423.08

56 Symbol COURTVILLE

No. of Deals 9 9

Current Price 0.60

Quantity Traded 143,000 143,000

Value Traded 85,750.41 85,750.41

IT Services COMPUTER WAREHOUSE GROUP PLC IT Services Totals

Symbol CWG

No. of Deals 7 7

Current Price 5.85

Quantity Traded 125 125

Value Traded 695.00 695.00

Processing Systems CHAMS PLC Processing Systems Totals

Symbol CHAMS

No. of Deals 4 4

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 1,850,370 1,850,370

Value Traded 925,185.00 925,185.00

1,993,495

1,011,630.41

Current Price 16.55 9.00 35.96 9.50

Quantity Traded 322,101 48,135 68,567 98,670

Value Traded 5,330,769.40 429,186.35 2,458,170.99 890,993.67

ICT Totals Daily Summary as ofGOODS 08/04/2014 INDUSTRIAL Printed 08/04/2014 Building15:25:36.036 Materials

ASHAKA CEM PLC BERGER PAINTS PLC CAP PLC CEMENT CO. OF NORTH.NIG. PLC

20 Symbol No. of Deals ASHAKACEM 38 BERGER 10 CAP 19 Daily Summary (Equities) CCNN 10

Activity Summary on Board EQTY Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Value Traded 182,915.54 1 of 13 47,517,225.96 15,157,253.64 62,857,395.14

2

No. of Deals 1 54

HEALTHCARE Totals

Daily Summary (Equities)

AGRICULTURE Crop Production FTN COCOA PROCESSORS PLC OKOMU OIL PALM PLC. PRESCO PLC Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Crop Production Totals

Symbol PHARMDEKO

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Building Materials DANGOTE CEMENT PLC FIRST ALUMINIUM NIGERIA PLC IPWA PLC PAINTS AND COATINGS MANUFACTURES PLC PORTLAND PAINTS & PRODUCTS NIGERIA PLC LAFARGE WAPCO PLC. Building Materials Totals

Page Quantity Traded 600,161 100,000 50,000 17,560 44,427 144,708 1,494,329

Value Traded 141,032,820.70 50,000.00 29,000.00 27,996.00 191,036.10 15,588,361.12 166,028,334.33

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

Symbol CUTIX

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 1.79

Quantity Traded 83,273 83,273

Value Traded 147,627.76 147,627.76

Packaging/Containers BETA GLASS CO PLC. Packaging/Containers Totals

Symbol BETAGLAS

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 19.95

Quantity Traded 7,685 7,685

Value Traded 145,707.60 145,707.60

1,585,287

166,321,669.69

Symbol BOCGAS

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 6.33

Quantity Traded 51,250 51,250

Value Traded 324,412.50 324,412.50

Symbol No. of Deals Daily Summary (Equities)

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 2,240

Value Traded 1,120.00

Current Price

Quantity Traded 2,240

Value Traded 1,120.00

53,490

325,532.50

Chemicals B.O.C. GASES PLC. Chemicals Totals Mining Services MULTIVERSE PLC

174

MULTIVERSE

2

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

NATURAL RESOURCES Mining Services Mining Services Totals

Symbol

No. of Deals 2

NATURAL RESOURCES Totals OIL AND GAS Energy Equipment and Services JAPAUL OIL & MARITIME SERVICES PLC Energy Equipment and Services Totals Integrated Oil and Gas Services OANDO PLC Integrated Oil and Gas Services Totals Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors CONOIL PLC FORTE OIL PLC. MOBIL OIL NIG PLC. MRS OIL NIGERIA PLC. TOTAL NIGERIA PLC. Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Petroleum and Petroleum Products Distributors Totals Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

3

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers R T BRISCOE PLC.

of

13

No. of Deals 6 6

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 219,217 219,217

Value Traded 109,608.50 109,608.50

Symbol OANDO

No. of Deals 183 183

Current Price 16.80

Quantity Traded 2,493,315 2,493,315

Value Traded 42,124,319.78 42,124,319.78

Symbol CONOIL FO MOBIL MRS TOTAL

No. of Deals 3 93 22 4 19 141

Current Price 51.90 106.20 125.01 54.44 181.45

Quantity Traded 2,245 693,824 35,393 25 21,491 752,978

Value Traded 110,700.95 72,848,088.77 4,366,881.65 1,293.00 3,709,082.78 81,036,047.15

3,465,510

123,269,975.43

Quantity Traded 140,901

Value Traded 167,618.64

330

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

9

1.20

Activity Summary on Board EQTY

Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

SERVICES Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Automobile/Auto Part Retailers Totals

9

Symbol JAPAULOIL

OIL AND GAS Totals

13

13

Current Price 235.00 0.50 0.61 1.64 4.10 107.93

INDUSTRIAL GOODS Totals

13

of

No. of Deals 50 1 2 4 1 31 166

Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Printed NATURAL 08/04/2014RESOURCES 15:25:36.036

13

8

Symbol DANGCEM FIRSTALUM IPWA PAINTCOM PORTPAINT WAPCO

10

of

13

Symbol

No. of Deals 9

Current Price

Quantity Traded 140,901

Value Traded 167,618.64

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

Symbol REDSTAREX TRANSEXPR

No. of Deals 15 4 19

Current Price 4.25 2.47

Quantity Traded 1,189,483 100,312 1,289,795

Value Traded 5,059,152.75 236,133.20 5,295,285.95

Employment Solutions C & I LEASING PLC. Employment Solutions Totals

Symbol CILEASING

No. of Deals 2 2

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 24,000 24,000

Value Traded 12,000.00 12,000.00

Hospitality TANTALIZERS PLC Hospitality Totals

Symbol TANTALIZER

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 100 100

Value Traded 50.00 50.00

Hotels/Lodging CAPITAL HOTEL PLC IKEJA HOTEL PLC Hotels/Lodging Totals

Symbol CAPHOTEL IKEJAHOTEL

No. of Deals 2 10 12

Current Price 4.55 0.60

Quantity Traded 20 501,106 501,126

Value Traded 95.40 300,664.40 300,759.80

Media/Entertainment DAAR COMMUNICATIONS PLC

Symbol DAARCOMM

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 30,000 30,000

Value Traded 15,000.00 15,000.00

Printing/Publishing LEARN AFRICA PLC

Symbol LEARNAFRCA

No. of Deals 8

Current Price 1.87

Quantity Traded 69,654

Value Traded 124,024.62

Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 Media/Entertainment Totals Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Daily Summary (Equities)

Page

11

of

13

Activity Summary on Board EQTY 13

13

SERVICES Printing/Publishing Printing/Publishing Totals

Symbol

No. of Deals 8

Current Price

Quantity Traded 69,654

Value Traded 124,024.62

Road Transportation ASSOCIATED BUS COMPANY PLC Road Transportation Totals

Symbol ABCTRANS

No. of Deals 10 10

Current Price 0.97

Quantity Traded 295,398 295,398

Value Traded 285,060.56 285,060.56

Specialty SECURE ELECTRONIC TECHNOLOGY PLC Specialty Totals

Symbol NSLTECH

No. of Deals 1 1

Current Price 0.50

Quantity Traded 370 370

Value Traded 185.00 185.00

Transport-Related Services NIGERIAN AVIATION HANDLING COMPANY PLC Transport-Related Services Totals

Symbol NAHCO

No. of Deals 29 29

Current Price 5.00

Quantity Traded 292,985 292,985

Value Traded 1,464,598.22 1,464,598.22

92

2,644,329

7,664,582.79

EQTY Board Totals

4,655

359,354,047

4,938,952,631.88

Equity Activity Totals

4,655

359,354,047

4,938,952,631.88

SERVICES Totals

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name Daily Summary as of 08/04/2014 NEWGOLD EXCHANGE TRADED FUND (ETF) Printed 08/04/2014 15:25:36.036

Symbol NEWGOLD

No. of Deals 1

Current Price 2,059.00

Quantity Traded 80 Page

Published by The Nigerian Stock Exchange ©

Value Traded 164,720.00 12

of

Daily Summary (ETP) Exchange Traded Fund

Name VETIVA GRIFFIN 30 ETF Exchange Traded Fund Totals

13

Symbol VETGRIF30

No. of Deals 2 3

Current Price 17.50

Quantity Traded 4,100 4,180

Value Traded 71,630.00 236,350.00

ETF Board Totals

3

4,180

236,350.00

ETP Activity Totals

3

4,180

236,350.00

13

50 WORLD | NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Oscar Pistorius wails as he describes finding girlfriend’s body

O

scar Pistorius sobbed loudly on the stand yesterday as he described how he discovered that he had killed his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in a day of powerful and emotional testimony.

After firing through a locked bathroom door at what he thought was a burglar, Pistorius said he retreated to the bedroom, his ears ringing from the gunshots. The legless paralympian was on his stumps. He called to Steenkamp in the dark bedroom,

still aiming his gun towards the bathroom.

“I was talking to Reeva...

Nobody responded to me. I lifted myself up and put my hand on the bed. I thought Reeva was there and I didn’t feel anything,” he told the court.

He thought she might have gotten down on the floor to hide.

“I think it was at that point, My Lady,” he told Judge Thokozile Masipa, “it first dawned upon me that it could be Reeva in the bathroom on the toilet.

Pistorius said he jumped

off the bed and ran his hand along the curtains to make sure she wasn’t hiding behind them.

Pistorius said he made his back toward the bathroom with “mixed emotions,” afraid of an intruder and afraid of who might really be behind the door. When he found the door locked, Pistorius said that he ran back to the bedroom, opened the curtains on his balcony and began screaming for help.

His testimony was punctuated with long pauses as Pis-

Oscar Pistorius, center, accompanied by his relatives, walks towards the high court in Pretoria, South Africa, yesterday

Tunisia lawmakers start debate on key step in democratic transition

T

unisian Islamist and secular parties have begun a parliamentary debate on an election law, the final step before setting a ballot date to complete a transition to democracy in the country that lit the fuse of Arab popular uprisings.

The elections, expected later this year, will be only the second ballot since the 2011 revolt that ousted autocrat Zine el-Abidine Ben Ali, and the first since the adoption of a new constitution praised internationally as a democratic model.

Debate started on late on Monday, with hundreds of proposals already presented for inclusion, and is expected to last as long as two weeks before an election date can be set.

“There are a lot of differences, and we have received around 500 proposals for inclusion to adjust

the law that we will be debating now,” said Kalthoum Badredine, an assembly member from the Islamist Ennahda party.

Most of the differences are related to positioning by rival Islamists and the secular Nida Tounes party over whether to hold separate presidential and parliamentary elections. Smaller parties want ex-Ben Ali regime officials excluded from the vote.

Three years after its revolt, Tunisia is in its final stages of democratic evolution, with a caretaker government in power after a compromise between Islamists and secular opponents to end a political crisis and prepare for elections.

That agreement between contrasts sharply with Libya and Egypt, which have struggled with street turmoil and political instability since ousting their own long-standing rulers.

Chafik Sarsar, head of the Independent Election Commission (ISIE), said last month that presidential and parliamentary elections would go ahead as planned later this year despite delays in approving a new election law.

The ISIE, the independent body foroverseeingelections,wasformed inJanuary.Officialssaidtheauthorities were seeking to register more than 4.2 million voters.

After months of crisis sparked by the killing of two secular opposition leaders, Ennahda resigned in January under an agreement with NidaTounestomakewayforacaretakergovernmentwhichwillstayin power until the vote.

Ennahda, led by a respected Islamist scholar who spent years in exile in Britain, and Nida Tounes, headed by a former Ben Ali official, are the two main political forces expected to lead in the elections.

torius clearly struggled to keep his composure.

“I was screaming and crying the whole time. I don’t think I ever screamed or cried like that.

I was screaming for God to help me,” he said through rising sobs.

Spectators in the courtroom also were crying.

Pistorius said he put on his prosthetic legs, tried to kick in

the door and failed. He grabbed a cricket bat and began bashing at the door, finally breaking through enough to reach in and grab a key on the floor and let himself in.

“I got the door unlocked and flung the door open and I sat over Reeva and I cried,” Pistorius wailed. “I don’t know how long I was there for.”

Fourteen killed in bomb blast on Pakistani train

F

ourteen passengers were killed and about 50 wounded yesterday when militants bombed a train in Pakistan’s Baluchistan province, hospital sources and officials said.

The blast came a day after Pakistani security forces said they had killed 30 separatist militants in one of the biggest clashes in months in the gas-rich province.

The separatist United Baluch Army claimed responsibility, saying in a text message to Reuters the bombing was retaliation for the raids by security forces.

The bomb went off on the Rawalpindi-bound Jaffar Express in a carriage reserved for men, in the town of Sibi, 120 km (75 miles) southeast of the provincial capital of Quetta.

“Fire engulfed the (carriage) following the blast, causing most of the deaths,” said a rescue worker. Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique confirmed the death toll.

The low-level separatist insurgency in Baluchistan is one of the chronic security problems undermining stability in nuclear-armed Pakistan.

The separatists accuse the government of stripping the province’s natural resources and leaving its people mired in poverty. They say governmentbacked death squads routinely abduct, torture and execute ethnic Baluch, accusations echoed by human rights campaigners.

The security forces deny violating human rights.

Insurgents have also targeted civilians, especially Pakistanis from other ethnic groups who have settled in Baluchistan.

The government tightly controls access to the province and it is difficult for foreign journalists to get permission to travel there.

As well as the separatists, Islamist militants operate in Baluchistan, which shares borders with Iran and Afghanistan.

Brawl in Ukraine parliament as communist supports pro-Russia protesters

D

eputies in the Ukrainian parliament brawled in the chamber yesterday after a communist leader accused nationalists of playing into the hands of Russia by adopting extreme tactics early in the Ukrainian crisis.

Two deputies from the Svoboda far-right nationalist party took exception to the charges by communist Petro Symonenko and seized him while he was talking from the rostrum.

His party supporters rallied to his defence and a brawl broke out with deputies from other parties joining in and trading punches.

Symonenko stirred nationalist anger when, referring to proRussian protesters who seized buildings in eastern Ukraine, he

said nationalists had set a precedent earlier this year by seizing public buildings in protest at the rule of ousted President Viktor Yanukovich.

Now, he said, armed groups were attacking people who wanted to defend their rights by peaceful means.

“You are today doing everything to intimidate people. You arrest people, start fighting people who have a different point of view,” he said, before being pulled away from the rostrum by the Svoboda deputies.

Symonenko did not appear to have been hurt in the brawl involving other deputies. But one deputy later resumed his seat in the chamber with scratches on his face clearly showing.

Swimming legend, Ian Thorpe, may lose arm Ajibade Olusesan

With agency report

S

wimming legend, Ian Thorpe, may not compete again after he suffered an infection in his arm.

According to a report

monitored in the Australian press, the five-time Olympic champion contracted infection after undertaking a series of shoulder surgeries.

His manager, James Erskine, was quoted to have said that the swimmer many not

swim competitively again.

“It’s serious but it’s not life-threatening. He’s quite sick but that’s the situation .

From a competitive point of view - he will not be swimming competitively again,” he said.

SPORT

Thorpe, who won three Olympic gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Games and two more in Athens four years later, moved to Switzerland after he failed in his attempts to qualify for the 2012 London Olympics.

WEDNESday,APRIL 9, 2014

Did you know?

NEW TELEGRAPH

newtelegraphonline.com/sports

ADEKUNLE SALAMI, DepUTY Editor, SPORTS

AUTHORITATIVE VOICE IN GLOBAL SPORT

51

kunle.salami@newtelegraphonline.com adekunles@yahoo.com

That the oldest referee in a World Cup game was George Reader of England, who was 53 when he took charge of the Brazil-Uruguay World Cup final in 1950

Brazil: I need support – Emenike Ifeanyi Ibeh

S

uper Eagles striker, Emmanuel Emenike, has stated that he will continue to give his best whenever he dons the green and white of Nigeria but insists he cannot solely carry the goal scoring burden of the national team.

The Fenerbahce of Turkey player has scored nine times in 20 games for the Super Eagles and has in the past two years become the national team’s arrowhead, scoring on a regular basis.

But the team tends to struggle without him on the pitch as was noticeable during last year’s FIFA Confederations Cup in Brazil.

And as Stephen Keshi gets set to lead his team back to Brazil for the World Cup, in June, Emenike has declared his readiness to make amends for his absence at the Confederations Cup by converting any chance that comes his way, but is quick to add that he cannot do it on his own.

“The World Cup is not

going to be easy. It’s going to be tougher than the Confederations Cup and we will have to work harder to create chances,” said Emenike, in an interview with New Telegraph. “If I have opportunity to score I will do my best, but I cannot do it alone as I need the support of everyone in the team.

“It is up to everyone to make sure that we take the chances that come our way, and I don’t mean the strikers alone. It is all

CONTINUED ON PAGE 53

Only Keshi will invite players for World Cup —NFF Jude Opara Abuja

T Keshi

he Nigeria Football Federation on Tuesday put to rest the controversial issue con-

lCoaches salaries to be paid till end of June cerning the provisional list of Super Eagles players ahead of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, saying that only the Chief

Coach Stephen Keshi has the mandate to pick players for the Mundial.

Executive Committee mem-

ber and Chairman of the Media Committee of the Federation, Chief Emeka Inyama, told journalists at a press conference in Abuja that reports in some CONTINUED ON PAGE 53

52

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Flying Eagles set for Morocco test

lGranada silent on Isaac Success’ release

Ifeanyi Ibeh

N

igeria’s U-20 national team the Flying Eagles are set for Wednesday’s international friendly against their Moroccan counterparts.

The match, which is the first of two friendly matches, scheduled to take place on Wednesday and Friday against the Moroccans, comes up in the city of Rabat and will kick off 4 PM Nigerian time.

The games are part of both sides preparations ahead of next month’s African Youth Championships qualifiers, and Manu Garba’s side, who departed Nigeria for Morocco at the weekend, rounded off their preparations for Wednesday’s friendly on Tuesday with a great deal of emphasis on set-piece plays.

The trio of Musa Yahaya, Ifeanyi Matthew and Alhassan ‘Mu-azam’ Ibrahim excelled in the hour and a half long training session as they, on a number of occasions, got the better of the defensive wall mounted by goalkeeper Emeka Nwabulu, who is expected to man the posts against the Moroccans.

The team’s media officer, Sam Audu, informed New Telegraph that Mu-azam even won a $100 bet against the team’s assistant coach, Nduka Ugbade, when he curled in one of his free kicks round a packed defensive wall.

Meanwhile, Spanish club Granada are yet to confirm the release of striker Isaac Success for a training camp ahead of next month’s AYC qualifier, while there has been no feedback on the availability of goalkeeper, Dele Alampasu.

African Juniors: Nigeria tackles Egypt in team events Ajibade Olusesan

N

igeria and Egypt will rekindle their rivalry as the two countries clash in the team event of the ongoing African Junior Championship in Cairo, Egypt.

Nigeria female team led by Tosin Oribamise beat Angola 3-0 in the semifinal to book a final showdown with the hosts in the International Table Tennis Federation-sanctioned tournament.

Oribamise, Ajoke Ojomu and Alimot Ayinla will attempt to win the country’s first medal in the competition.

However, Nigeria was prevented from playing in the final of the boys’ event by Congo Brazzaville team which defeated Olasunkanmi Oginniled team to secure a spot in the last four of the event.

Also in the boys’ cadet division, Nigeria failed to advance to the last four following the inability of the team to beat Congo Brazzaville in the group game concluded on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the doubles and singles events will also commence today as all eyes will be on Egypt, Nigeria, Congo Brazzaville and Tunisia.

Oribamise

Bayern lack options for Man Utd clash - Guardiola

Bayern’s Frank Ribery (right) being tackled by Phil Jones of Man Utd

B

ayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola feels he lacks options for Wednesday’s UEFA Champions League clash with Manchester United.

The sides drew 1-1 in the first leg at Old Trafford, leaving all to play for between the respective German and English champions.

Bastian Schweinsteiger cancelled out Nemanja Vidic’s opener last week, but the midfielder is suspend-

ed for the return leg along with Javi Martinez.

Guardiola has also been hampered by recent injuries to Thiago Alcantara and Xherdan Shaqiri, further limiting his options for the visit of David Moyes’ men.

“We only have 14 first-team players so I haven’t got too many options,” said the Spaniard.

“We’re playing at home. That’s an important factor (but) it’s never easy

FIFA releases World Cup official song, album

F

IFA and Sony Music Entertainment are excited to reveal the tracklist for one of the most eagerly-anticipated albums of this year: “One Love, One Rhythm: The Official 2014 FIFA World Cup Album”.

Music and football fans all over the world now also have the chance to download “We Are One (Ole Ola),” the Official Song of the 2014 FIFA World Cup, which was released on Tuesday.

Following the announcement earlier this year of the artists who will sing the Offi-

cial Song and Official Anthem, the Official Album features several world-renowned musical superstars who will add their distinctive sounds to the rhythm of football’s flagship event. Shakira, who sang the Official Song of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and Ricky Martin, who has recorded the winning track from this year’s Supersong contest, are joined by Carlinhos Brown, Bebel Gilberto and several other leading names from the Brazilian music scene. The Official Album will go on sale on May 12.

Nigerian players battle for Chess Olympiad

T

he Nigeria Chess Federation (NCF) has invited 50 players for the first stage of the trial to select players that will represent the country at the 41st World Chess Olympiad in Tromso, Norway billed for August 2014.

The list, according to the Technical Director of NCF, Bode Durotoye, is made up of 30 male and 20 female players based on performances of the rated tournaments till date.

Some of the invited male players include: Benjamin Omorere, Hakeem Edunwale, Kolade Onabogun and Onovughe Ochuko

while Doris Adebayo, Ogechi Emmanuel, Nkem Omishogbon, Olabisi Rabiu, Mandy Enarevba and Omolabake Coker top the female list.

The Technical Director explained that the selection process was based on performance rating of chess players within a calendar year of rated tournaments and all the six gold medalists at the last National Sports Festival held in Lagos.

The first stage of the trials he said will come up at the Media Centre National Stadium in Lagos from April 23 -25.

against English teams. I think they’ll sit very deep.

“They play very defensively and always look to counter - it’s something they do very, very well.

“United is a very big team. Before the first game, everybody just was talking about Bayern. But now people know that Manchester can win in Munich.

“But we will play at home, with our fans we can win this game.”

UEFA Champions League Fixtures

Bayern v Man Utd

7:45pm

Atletico v Barcelona

7:45pm

Sports Minister’s absence stalls Dangote Gymnastics tourney Charles Ogundiya

T

he Gymnastic championship sponsored by business mogul, Aliko Dangote, scheduled for Wednesday, April 9, has been postponed till May to allow the National Sports Commission Director General, Gbenga Elegbeleye, and Sports Minister, Tamuno Danagogo, to be part of the event.

With NSC’s seeming indifference to other sports, the Gymnastics Federation of Nigeria said there is need for the duo to be part of the competition so they can see that talents abound in the country.

Speaking with New Telegraph, the VicePresident of the federation, Alhaji Soro Mohammed said; “Since these people don’t believe we

can achieve anything in gymnastics, there is need to expose the talents in the country and maybe the ministry can have a change of heart.”

“The federation decided to postpone the competition so that the DG and minister could be part of it. The competition will be coming up in May, giving the gymnasts more time to learn more tricks.”

On his own part, the national coach, Anthony Asuquo expressed gratitude to Dangote for sponsoring the competition.

“Thank God we have someone who is interested in the sport and ready to put his money in it. Hopefully the NSC can see the array of talents that abound in the country,” he said.

SPORT 53

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

Brazil: I need support –Emenike C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5 2

about teamwork. When we win, we win together, so we all have a duty to work for the good of the team.”

He added: “If I find myself in a situation where my strike partner or another teammate is better placed to score, it is up to me to make sure I get the

ball to him, just as I also expect the ball to get to me if I am in a better position to score.

“That is why I have been scoring, but I can’t take all the credit. Like I said, it is all about teamwork, and that is why we celebrate together when we score,” stressed the former Spartak Moscow of Russia ace.

Only Keshi will invite players for World Cup —NFF C O N T I N U E D F R O M PA G E 5 1

section of the media that the federation was at loggerheads with Keshi over the team list was not true, adding that the aspiration of the board members was the success of the national teams at all level including the Super Eagles.

Inyama further added that the NFF and the Keshi led technical crew do not have any anxious moments, insisting that both bodies are working together in the interest of the country even as he recalled that the same board went out of its way to hire Keshi.

“The coach is a staff of the NFF. There is no tension whatever, we have a close working relationship with him and I want to say that we will continue to work harmoniously despite the efforts of some people to create the impression that we are having problems with the coach.

Meanwhile, the NFF says it has concluded plans to pay the salaries of the Super Eagles technical crew upfront till the end of June. According to Inyama, the idea is to ensure that the coaches concentrate on their jobs.

Baraje, Odigie get Warri Wolves match ultimatum

Chimaobi Uchendu

C

ontrary to purported sack of Enyimba technical crew, New Telegraph authoritatively reveals that the technical Adviser of the club, Zachary Baraje and his chief coach, Monday Odigie, have today’s rescheduled Globacom Premier League at the Warri Township Stadium to prove to their employers, why they should not be fired.

The management of Enyimba, it was learnt, had considered the sack option initially, but had a change of heart when they considered the rescheduled match that could actually save the club from further ridicule by the string of bad results posted recently by the team.

The Chairman of the club, Chief Felix Anyansi, had earlier counseled both players and the technical crew not to lose focus after their home loss to Abia Warriors and warned of the implications if the bad results persists.

But the team lost to Taraba United last weekend, which warranted the latest ultimatum.

When Anyansi was contacted to clarify the status of his coaches, he said whatever happens in Warri would define the reaction of the club’s management. “I cannot confirm that the technical crew had been sacked because nothing of such happened, but I can tell you that the result we get in Warri would define whatever action we shall take.”

John Ogu (right) in action against South Africa

Emulate Amuneke, Keshi charges Eagles

Chimaobi Uchendu

S

uper Eagles coach, Stephen Keshi, has asked players hoping to make his team list for Brazil 2014 World Cup to go and study the life of Eaglets coach, Emmanuel Amuneke, and learn some lessons that could change their lives forever.

Keshi, who is yet to make his provisional list known, said he was amazed at Amuneke’s composure during the 1994 Nations Cup despite being frozen out of Coach Clemens Westerhof ’s side and asked players not to be in a hurry to break into

the first team, rather, they should learn to adapt to the coach’s tactical approach “I really want current players in the national team to learn from what Amuneke did during our time together at Tunisia ’94 Nations Cup. Westerhof did not feature him although he was always dressed for our matches. Emmanuel never complained; he was never in a sad mood in the camp and he was very fantastic in training; he did not play and yet he did not complain. Fortunately, when his time came, he did well to score the two goals that crowned Nigeria champions of Africa,” Keshi said.

Taekwondo: Another Nigerian wins gold medal Charles Ogundiya

F

ew days after Perez Chukwumerije claimed gold at the 2014 Belgian Open, another Nigerian, United States-based Saturday Bashir who? has won another gold medal in the welterweight division at

Ibeabuchi still in US jail Ajibade Olusesan

C Ibeabuchi

ontrary to reports that Nigerian-born former heavyweight champion, Ike Ibeabuchi, has been released the New Telegraph learnt that the unbeaten boxer is still in a US jail.

Reports surfaced last month that the boxer who was imprisoned for sexual

He, however, lamented that players in the national team these days are too much in a hurry to play, even when the tactics the coach wants to adopt may not suit their style of play and strength.

“It is sad most of these players seem not to understand the tactical approach of coaches to a game. Of course, it is good to desire to play, but when a player does not feature in a game, he should continue to work hard in training with the right frame of mind. Hopefully, when he eventually gets his chance, he should use the opportunity the way Emmanuel Amuneke did in 1994,” Keshi said.

assault had been released but our correspondent gathered that the heavyweight fighter was just moved from Nevada Department of Corrections to Washoe County Jail.

In a report on a US-based boxing website which was monitored by our correspondent, it was gathered that though the boxer could get paroled anytime soon.

The boxer was convicted

for a sexual assault in 1999 but applied for parole in 2004, 2007, 2009 and 2012 but was denied on all occasions.

While in the prison, the boxer bagged two College degrees.

However, his managers, Bill Hodge and John Wilkinson, were reportedly hopeful the boxer will be released soon and get back into the ring.

the 2nd Columbia International Taekwondo Championships, held in Cali, Columbia.

Bashir, who represented Nigeria at the 2013 World Team Cup, defeated his opponents from Columbia 12-7 in the first fight, Chile 8 – 0 in the second fight, before going to stamp his supremacy over Ghana’s Anthony Adjetey, ranked 14th in the world, 10 – 8 in the final to win gold medal.

With performance of Nigeria athletes in recent time, it gives a clear indication of how Team Nigeria might fare over their African counterparts in next year’s All Africa Games in Congo Brazzaville.

Expressing his delight, NTF athletes’ representative, Chika Chukwumerije, hailed the wonderful week in which personal sacrifice, determination and hard work of Nigeria taekwondoists have brought collective glory to Nigeria.

54 NEWS

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Lamido Adamawa explodes again Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

B

arely two weeks after he stirred a major controversy at the ongoing national conference, the Lamido of Adamawa , His Royal Highness, Muhammadu Barkindo Mustapha exploded yet again yesterday as he accused an elder statesman, Chief Ayo Adebanjo of ranting at his old age of 86. The royal father, who is gaining notoriety for his short temper, also accused other delegates he did not mention their names of jumping the gun and canvassing issues such as fiscal federalism and resource control when the conference had not started real business.

The Lamido had caused a row two weeks ago when he threatened to stage a walk out and possible relocation to the Republic of Cameroun in

lAccuses Adebanjo, others of jumping the gun the event of the disintegration of Nigeria. His comments created so much tension that the conference had to adjourn abruptly. He had kept a low profile since that episode.

However, when it came to his turn to comment on President Goodluck Jonathan's speech yesterday, the royal father threw decorum to the winds. He said: "Speaker after speaker have said almost everything I wanted to say about the president’s inaugural speech… I will just commend Mr. President for convoking this confab. He listed our challenges. He went ahead and told us to be moderate, tolerant considerate and magnanimous in our discussions. I will like to call on delegates to take a cue from the president.

And not some so-called civilised people here

CONFAB VOICES People’s Assembly superior to National Assembly, says Dr. Joe Okei - Odumakin

(President, Campaign for Democracy & Women Arise (Civil Society Organisation),

I

join fellow delegates in commending the inauguration address of Mr. President which has set the tone for this conference. It's a speech I have read over and over again after listening to the comments of some delegates imputing what he did not say. For instance there has been allusion to the "no go areas" given to us by Mr. President by some delegates whereas he didn't give us any in that address. He only appealed to our sense of patriotism and good sense to put Nigeria first in all our deliberations.

I take it that the President wants us to discuss all issues in order to be able to relaunch Nigeria. I have also heard apologists of the status quo saying this is a mere "talk shop " or "Advisory body".

May be such comments still assume that we are at Senator Okunrounmu-led Committee

who always tell us that they have family friends.

Some people like Chief Ayo Adebanjo, who even in his prime age of 86, is still ranting."

Apparently piqued by the choice of words, there were murmurs,

shouts of point of order to halt him. In reaction to shouts of point of order from the house, the Lamido retorted: “Why do you call for point of order, when you were castigating me on Monday last week!!!

“I have observed that some people have started jumping the gun by commenting on issues like resource control, resource ownership et cetera.

Since we don’t have oil we should allow states which have oil to take 100 per cent of the oil revenue and states which

don’t have oil should take a 100 per cent of the land resource. Which means all lands should revert to those states. If anybody wants to use the land or structures on the land must pay rent to the traditional owners of the land; for example the FCT.

R-L: Former governor of Ogun State, Chief Segun Osoba; former governor of Oyo State, Alhaji Rasheed Oladoja; former governor of Imo State, Chief Achike Udenwa and former Governor of Kebbi State, Alhaji Adamu Alero at the floor of the National Conference yesterday

stage. We have moved beyond that. We are now at the people’s Assembly which is far superior to the National Assembly which is a body of lawmakers and not the ones to constitute us. It is when the people have given a constitution to the lawmakers that they have a document to amend .The President reminded us that sovereignty belongs to the people but the long years under military rule seem to have affected the capacity of a lot of people to appreciate what that means. Such people now arrogate the powers of the principals to the agents.

We the people are the principals while the lawmakers are our agents for a fixed tenure. We have the capacity to dissolve the Parliament and elect another. Where is the power of Parliament to dissolve us and elect another? I unequivocally state that at the end of this exercise the people of Nigeria will exercise their sovereignty by participating in a referendum. If this conference does not give Nigeria a new constitution, it is sheer waste of time. The old Nigeria has decayed with its constitution, a new Nigeria is seeking its own constitution. That is the urgency of now .We need a new Constitu-

tion that gives autonomy to the constituent units of Nigeria, a constitution that empowers the people and not alienate them from governance process like the 1999 constitution, a constitution that makes basic fundamental rights justifiable, a constitution that adequately protects all vulnerable groups. Rapists, ritualist, those who partake in jungle justice should serve life imprisonment. That is the expectation of our people and the President's speech has cut our work for us.

Let’s go to work.

Local policing inevitable - Chief Ajibola Ogunshola (delegate of the South-West)

I

t is clear that with all the security problems in the country, restoration of local, state or zonal policing, which was abolished during the military era, is overdue and now inevitable. The possible fear of its misuse by the governors is a side effect which can be reduced by appropriate legislation. The protection benefits outweigh the side effects.

Many speakers have said that

Photo; Timothy Ikuomenisan.

the concentration of functions and money in the central government promotes corruption and inefficient governance and are advocating the devolution of power to the federating units. I concur.

In line with this devolution, the federation should no longer fund local councils directly while each federating unit can have as many local government councils as it needs (or states, if zones are the federating units) but will be responsible for funding them.

Legislators at all tiers of government should serve on parttime basis, to reduce costs and encourage wider talents into law-making.

Apart from the eight oil-rich states, only one or two of the present states are economically viable. To function, many state governments are accumulating substantial debts. Zonal governments, being larger, can pool resources together. The number of zones may be the present six or more and will be a matter for negotiation.

The derivation formula of 13% (or whatever new figure) which is currently applied to oil and gas revenue should also

apply to all solid minerals and V.A.T. The immunity clause (in so far as it applies to criminal acts by executive heads while in office) must be deleted from the constitution.

Our cultural and religious practices encourage us to continue to have large numbers of children.

Quality of leadership in Nigeria going down, says Na’Abba

F

ormer Speaker of the House of Representatives and delegate at the on-going national conference in Abuja, Hon. Ghali Umar Na’Abba yesterday lamented that the quality of leadership in the country is fast going down on daily basis.

Hon. Na’Abba, who stated this while contributing to the debate on the inaugural speech of President Goodluck Jonathan at the conference, equally bemoaned what he called absence of internal democracy among the nation’s political parties.

The former Speaker, who is one of the six delegates repre-

NEWS 55

Sanctity of Truth

Wednesday, April 9, 2014

NATIONAL CONFERENCE

Delegates demand full disclosure on allowances Louis Achi and Onwuka Nzeshi ABUJA

A

midst speculations that there were disparities in the allowances payable to delegates at the ongoing national conference, the delegates yesterday demanded for full disclosure on the allowances.

The demand came at the close of plenary yesterday as one of the female delegates confronted the presiding officers on the issue, express-

ing concern that there were some inexplicable discrepancies in the first installment they had received.

Initial information from the office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation on the matter indicated that each delegate was to earn the sum of N4 million per month. The conference secretariat subsequently announced that the allowances would be paid in two installments of N2 million each.

New Telegraph gathered that the delegates were paid

the sum of N1.5million last week instead of the N2 million earlier promised the delegates.

As soon as the the matter was raised, several delegates who were apparently bothered about their allowances joined in the demand for an instant answer.

Conference Chairman, Justice Idris Kutigi ruled that the matter would be resolved tomorrow. Kutigi directed the Assistant Secretary, Finance and Administration, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu to prepare to brief delegates on the matter to-

Accord Party delegate wants SIECs scrapped lSeeks conduct of all polls by INEC

Lateef Ibrahim Abuja

T

HE various States’ Independent Electoral Commission (SIECs), may soon be scrapped if the recommendation to that effect by a delegate to the on-going national conference in Abuja sails through.

The delegate who is also National Chairman of Accord Party, Hon. Muhammad Lawal Nalado proposed this yesterday as he made

senting the House of Representatives Forum, pointed out that without a strong leadership, no nation can develop.

According to him, “This country needs the best leadership it can get. Nothing meaningful can happen to the country if there is no good leadership in place. Unfortunately, the quality of leadership in this country is going down by the day. We need a strong leader who will be fearless in Nigeria”.

While observing that internal democracy is now being eroded, particularly among the political parties, which are very important democratic institutions in the country, Na’Abba further noted with regrets that State Governors are the ones who now determine those who become anything in their States.

In his words, “Internal democracy is now being eroded among the parties generally.

Governors now decide who holds which position in their States. We must strengthen the institutions of democracy in the country by empowering the parties.

“When Governors are leav-

strong case for the scrapping of SIECs. Hon. Nalado specifically suggested that the conduct of all elections in the country, whether at the national, state or local government level, should henceforth be left in the hands of the Independent National Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC) in the interest of transparency and fairness.

This, the delegate con-

ing office at the expiration of their term of office, what they now do is bring their friends, children and business partners to succeed them. This is not good enough for our country.

“In the absence of competition, we cannot choose the best leaders for the country. In the absence of good leaders, the country cannot witness development”, he said.

We must reinvent our middle class – Nduka Obaigbena (Representing Newspaper Proprietors)

P

ublisher of T H I S D AY newspapers group, Nduka Obaigbena, a delegate to the National Conference representing the media has advocated rebuilding of Nigeria’s middle class as a hedge in fighting extreme poverty.

Obaigbena who declared that Nigerians are proud people contributing to world affairs stated that people who preferred Malaysia or Brazil to Nigeria had better ship off

tended, would also go a long way in having free and fair election as well as allowing opposition parties to perform well at such elections.

According to him, there is no fairness in the way the SIECs conduct elections in their respective States as the ruling government in such states always sweep all the elections conducted by them.

According to Nalado, “I

there.

His words: We have to figure out how we can rebuild our middle class. And in rebuilding our middle class we have to fight extreme poverty. The World Bank chief the other day cited Nigeria as one of the four countries with the highest rate of extreme poverty.

“Yet people are making progress. But poverty goes with corruption. Unemployment goes with insecurity. All these go to one issue: we are managing our resources inefficiently.”

According to Obaigbena, “ I have heard many us talk about how great Malaysia is and how great Brazil is. If you want to be in Malaysia, please go there.

“In Nigeria we are a proud people; we are proud nationalities contributing to world affairs. Our people represent some of the best of humanity.”

As a sampler of what Nigerians have achieved on the global stage, he recalled that, “The other day Wole Soyinka won the Nobel Prize for Literature. It is being followed today by the Helon Habilas and the Chimamanda Adichies.

CONFAB TIT BITS Tea break and empty seats

day (Wednesday) to lay all the speculations to rest.

It could be recalled that the federal government decided to reactivate it's monetization policy by paying all delegates a lump sum that would cover their accommodation, transport and sitting allowances. The government has also made provision for a free lunch every day the conference sits while tea, coffee and sacks were later added to address the complaints of those who are unable to get food during the buffet lunch.

The national conference is on but some delegates are, most of the time, not on their seats.

No doubt, the debate on President Goodluck Jonathan's speech has become rather cumbersome as each of the 492 delegates wants to comment on it. As it is, the sessions, since the debate began, have become drab as many delegates simply repeat what others have said while others try so hard to create some new ideas. A number of delegates have therefore taken to being at the tea spots at the back of the conference hall to while away time and shake off some sleep. This leave their seats empty as could be seen on live television. As it is with elite gatherings of this nature, there is no fixed time for tea break.

belong to the smaller parties, the opposition parties, and you know by our size and by our participation, we are smaller, compared to the bigger parties. And the challenge by INEC is always what you can do. According to the Electoral Act, a certain percentage of seats in the legislature must be met for any political party to continue to exist.

“I believe if we are given chance to participate at all levels, most of the political parties will have their strength in one way or the other.

Prince Bob Njemanze appears to have come to the conference with a bag full of humor. When it came to his turn to speak on President Goodluck Jonathan's inaugural address, he took a route different from others. He said he did not see any reason why the President was being praised for doing his job. According to him, Nigerians have been so deprived that they now see rights as privileges and vice versa. But he knew that he was sharing his view at the risk of being odd in a society full of sycophancy. He confessed that while preparing for the conference, his wife had reminded him that he was not a team player and should be careful what he says at the conference.

He then responded to his wife in the following words: If after many years of marriage, with you as my team mate and our four kids as evidence, what other proof do you need to be convinced that I am a team player?

Team player

Social Security Fund (SSF) Assimilation solution to indigene, settler crisis - Justice Abdullahi

R

etired Justice Mustapha Abdullahi provided a novel insight into solving the highly contentious national issue of indigeneship and 'settler' when he proposed assimilation as the solution at the plenary of the national conference.

According to Mustapha, "Those who find themselves in communities other than their own should imbibe the culture of assimilation; identify with the goals and aspirations of their host communities; learn to speak their language."

He further stated that, "It is not enough to stay in a place for a continuous period of say 10 or 20 years and above and demand to be treated as an indigene when for the simple registration of your motor vehicle you will run to your place of origin.

Stories by Louis Achi, Lateef Ibrahim, Onwuka Nzeshi

Comrade Henry Nwabueze of the National Youth Council of Nigeria has blamed the problems of insecurity in the country on mass unemployment among the young people. Nwabueze has therefore advocated the establishment of a Social Security Fund (SSF) to cater for the aged and unemployed citizens. The Fund, he said, would be sourced from the Sovereign Wealth Fund (SWF), Excess Crude Account and the Central Bank of Nigeria. He recommended that the fund should disburse the sum of N20,000 per month as unemployment benefits to these categories of less privileged Nigerians.

Of ‘lions, scorpions, cobras and chickens’ A delegate to the on-going conference, while attempting to describe the composition of Nigerians from across the various geo-political zones at the conference, said "the President took a risk by bringing together an assemblage of species of lions, cobras, scorpions and chicken for the conference” Continuing, he said, “Assembling these species of lions, cobras, scorpions and chicken is not an easy task but a rather risky one".

The delegate pointed out that the President should be lauded for the bold initiative.

Another delegate, who obviously, did not understand the metaphor, quickly raised a point of order, saying that the last speaker used foul language by referring to the delegates as lions, scorpions, cobras and chickens.

Before the Chairman of the Conference, Justice Idris Legbo Kutigi could say anything, some other members chorused “No! No!! No!!!, it is a metaphor” .

World Record

On Marble It is a melancholy truth that even great men have their poor relations.

– Charles Dickens

Jamaica’s Usain Bolt holds the men’s 100m record at 9.58 secs set in Berlin, Germany, August 2009.

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

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon and the truth – Buddha WEDNESday, APRIL 9, 2014

N150

Beyond the facade of democracy dividends

S

ince the return to civil rule in 1999, the notion of democracy dividend has occupied a central place in popular discourse. The long years of militarization has taken a toll on the lives of Nigerians, who had become frustrated and emasculated. The dawn of civil rule, a prelude to democracy was meant to restore smiles on their faces, but rather, what we have seen in fifteen years is the Continuation of gloom, despair and despondency. Etymologically, democracy is a combination of two Greek words (a) demos referring to people, and (b) kratos meaning rule. This is roughly translated to mean rule by the people. Democracy, at least in its contemporary usage, is a western buzz word for parliamentary system of government where elected representatives of the people represent them in arriving at governmental decisions for the good of the majority. The impression however must not be given that democracy is alien to Africa, for the history of several pre-colonial African societies eloquently testifies to the thriving of democratic culture which predated colonialism. The Village Assembly among the Igbos, the institutional checks and balances in old Oyo Empire and several other divergent communities in the North and South of Nigeria show clearly that Democracy could be authochtonously developed.

Central to democracy is the notion of popular sovereignty, that is, all power are domiciled with the people. Although some theorists like ViIfraedo Pareto and Goatena Mosca, Robert Michels, C. Wright Mills have tried to demystify democracy by showing that what is construed as peoples power, is power exercised by a tiny fraction of the populace. Even with this, globalization and other international forces have inexorably carried the gospel of democracy. Democracy, particularly its liberal variant has become so popular, that some commentators now eulogise it as the superiority of Euro-American World view and the end of history. Some others see democracy as either bourgeois or socialist, while others talk about representative or direct democracy.

Notwithstanding the universalization of democracy, in practice, its precise nature may differ and reflect particular socio-cultural and historical circumstances.

The historical specificities in any society characterise, even illuminate the dominant form of governance that is observed.

Democracy is not a fixed project, but a development process. It is work in progress.

The truth, is, that Democratic consolidation demands active popular involvement by the people themselves. The people

IvoryGlory Nkemdili Nnonyelu

aunnonyelu@yahoo.co.uk - 08122801926 (sms only)

cannot be spectators and you confer the status of democracy. That is illogical, as in the Nigerian case. Everywhere there is democracy, people’s powers prevail.

Therefore, it needs repeating that democratic consolidation goes simultaneously with democratic domestication. This is not to support the misplaced submission of some Nigerian politicians who glibly talk about Nigerian democracy or home grown democracy, where they seek shamelessly to massacre the finest virtues of the democratic tradition. In other words, the attempt to model democracy should not proceed on false steps and premises, by the erosion of the core values of democracy. The trajectory of democracy in most societies has been charted by the active involvement of the people who ceaselessly attack the bastions and integuments of dictatorship and tyranny. Barack Obama became President of America, on the solid foundation, sweat, struggles and blood of fallen heroes and heroines of democracy.

Democracy is not manna from heaven, but is the outcome of a consistent alertness, eternal vigilance, collective protests and mass actions. From suffrage to few chosen ones, through male suffrage, to the universal adult suffrage, Democracy has been on a progressive march. I doubt if this can be said of Nigeria.

Democracy is neither the dispensing of patronages to cronies and hangers on, nor exercise in tokenism. In its undiluted form, democracy is a form of government in which the people are sovereign, and have the final say in decisions affecting their well-being. The basic tenets of modern democracy include; equality of all persons before the law, the creation of an egalitarian environment, the enthronement of social justice, strict observance to the rule of law, expansion of political space to be all inclusive, not discriminatory of race, sex, creed, status etc., the promotion of rights including the right to life, security, civil liberties, freedom of expression and association, economic, social and cultural rights. These rights can only be achieved on a just and fair social system. For democratic system, it rests on the sanctity and inviolability of the electoral process, and the freedom of the

people to freely choose in an unfettered manner their representatives.

How has democracy fared in Nigeria?

The old prejudices, agitation, suspicions and mistrusts among the different component groups of Nigerian federation seem to be enjoying an extended lease of life.

With poor governance being the norm in most governmental institutions and agencies, the people’s sense of helplessness is palpable. Obasanjo Presidency was a nightmare of sorts, as he quickly dispatched security, and anti-corruption bodies to deal with his perceived enemies.

In some States, minority elements in the House of Assembly had the temerity and audacity to institute impeachment proceedings, and sacked State Governors.

The case of Plateau, Bayelsa, Anambra, Oyo, and Ekiti is still very fresh in our memory. Obasanjo’s rule was a good example of how not to rule in a democracy.

That was why public opinion was heavily against him in his last public effort through a letter to denounce President Jonathan. Under Obasanjo, corruption was rife, and politically motivated killings were very rampant. Opposition, itself the hall mark of democracy was not to be tolerated, talk less accommodated. His enforcers in chief, in some States were alleged to have terrorised and terrified the populace forcing them to accept their ignoble rule. The Scenario has not changed much, even though Jonathan’s credentials as a democrat appear many times better than his predecessor. Jonathan at least can tolerate opposition. But then, the situation in Rivers State is indeed a sore commentary on Jonathan’s profile, or the case of the election at the Governors’ forum, where Jonathan is clearly backing the loser, Jonah Jang. Except perhaps for reasons of political mileage and expediency how that appears normal to President Jonathan is amazing. The behaviour of Jang and his cohorts is hardly surprising.

Nigerian themselves know that most of those who sit atop decision making apparatus in Nigeria, were never elected by anybody, could not have won any election in any free and fair contest.

Our experiment at democratization has been seriously flawed with the serial

violation of the sanctity of the electoral process, itself a cardinal pillar of democracy. It is sickening to see these unelected or elected representatives make bogus claims on behalf of their constituencies, when they are aware, that they are on a frolic of their own. The people cannot say for sure, how these people managed to get there, perhaps fortuitous coincidence and happenstance. Elections in Nigeria are often complete travesties of democratic ethos and values, characterized by false declaration of results, unprecedented violence and vote rigging. Nigeria has become a reference point for corruption and poor governance, and these are exact antithesis of democracy. The alienation of Nigerian people is continuing as their leaders cover themselves in masked vehicles.

What our political ruling elite call democracy dividends is fallacious. The usual reference by them to roads, estates, hotels, even hospitals as democracy dividends is mischievous and laughable. True, if these were democracy dividends then Sanni Abacha and his tribe were even better democrats.

Democracy is not the collection of these artefacts, or their commissioning which in many cases were overvalued, overpriced and corruption infested. As we have earlier stated, the attractive appeal of democracy is premised on intangible resources like observance and respect for the rule of law, social justice, and promotion of fundamental freedoms. It is about marked improvement in people’s sense of self-worth, dignity, respectability and well-being.

Till date, Nigeria’s practice of democracy has been half-hearted. It is time to pause a while and ask whither Nigeria?

OmoBaba

KUTIGI BANS DRINKING OF TEA, COFFEE AT CONFAB - News

- Because this conference is serious business!

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